Chapter One Hundred and Fifty
Louise looked at me with wide eyes as I explained what had just happened. We were in one of the inn's rooms, and as she began to walk back and forth, it was clear she was trying to think about what to do too.
"Mother-mother's here? But-but she's old! She-she hasn't fought in a war since-since forever, I guess!" she looked up at me, "Brother-this...not helping the Princess because she's with the elves, because she'd deliver me to them-brother, I-I understand you worry about me, but...but mother fighting in a war-" she was at a loss for words, and her eyes were wide and starting to feel with determination, "We must do something, brother! Please-anything!"
I passed my right hand through my hair, and gripped it as I gave it a few tugs just to try and make my brain work out a solution. "We could kidnap her, I guess," I pointed out. "But kidnapping her would imply managing the impossible," I groaned. "Mother would never willingly go against the crown. Hide things from it? Perhaps, but against? No, she wouldn't. Why didn't she tell me this was her plan? Why did she even decide to participate? If it was a matter of paying a fine, hell, I would have paid it myself!"
"I could go to her, brother," Louise said. "With the legendary element of the Void-if I go, then I can at least help her!"
"Yeah, I suppose that's-that's probably what the Princess thought. If I do nothing, mother will have to hold the weight of the campaign on her shoulders. If we act, it will be after I've already refused the standing offers, so Tristain will simply smile and shrug, saying that we did it for nothing," I clenched my fists. "If that's the case, then..."
I took a deep breath. "No, even if we were to capture cities, we would just weaken ourselves. Clearly, the ball is in our court. We just need to decide what to do...what to..." I looked down at my hands. "Ah."
I smiled. Louise looked at me, and furrowed her brows. "Brother? You thought of something?"
"Yes," I said with a nod. "But once it's done, no one will ever doubt my name as the Vicious Wind," I smiled briefly. "You go to mother, Louise. Keep your chanting and spells hidden, as well as the prayer book and the ring. Keep it all hidden. Do not trust any moon-eyed priest from Romalia. Do not trust anyone with clothes unfit for the weather. Don't trust anyone. Just go, and do your duty." I walked closer to my sister, and then squeezed her tightly into a firm hug. "Take Agnes with you. She'll be the mercenary that you paid to help you go around Gallia's countryside. I'll instruct her too. You go be with mother, and leave it all to me."
"Brother-what are you planning?" Louise asked, her eyes wide. "You're acting completely different from before."
"Louise," I said softly, my left hand removing her hat so that my right one could pat her head gently, "Noblesse Oblige."
"That doesn't explain anything!" Louise retorted hotly, stomping her right foot on the ground. "You say that like it means something, but-but I don't understand!"
I chuckled, and then pinched her left cheek, much to her affront. "Don't be cheeky now, Lulu. I simply realized there are options open to me that I can still take. Options that would be best if I were the only one responsible for them, so you go help the Kingdom of Tristain, and don't worry about me. I can handle myself just fine." I placed the hat back on her head and then grabbed both of her shoulders, taking a step back to admire her at arm's length. I smiled warmly. "Be good to Agnes. Say hello to mother for me. Whatever happens next-know that I'll always read whatever you write, even if your naming conventions are horrible. Who sane of his mind calls their characters after impure body parts?"
Louise blushed, and then smiled. "Brother, don't judge my literary talents when yours are so out of fashion," she huffed, making her chin rise.
"Apologies, Lulu, apologies," I said, and smiled.
Agnes was simply told to keep the runes of the Gandalfr hidden, and pretty much the same warnings I had given to Louise. She saluted sharply, removed all insignias of belonging to my army, and then went towards Dartanes together with Louise.
I gathered my generals and officers that very same day.
"Men, we are signing peace with Reconquista," I said offhandedly, a smile on my face. "Tristain and Germania-those insufferable countries-truly! They have tried my patience one time too many. Which is why, have the troops embark the Windland and prepare them for departure. This is where they are to land," I pointed on the map, right in front of Saxe-Gotha, and the officers belatedly blinked. "Since we are discussing peace terms," I continued, "They'll understand if we leave our army nearby. We will swear the oaths of non-aggression for as long as the peace treaties are being discussed, and get down to it swiftly."
"Your highness," Montpassant spoke calmly, glancing at a man who was watching silently the proceedings, but with his teeth biting down on his lips, "What about General Bowood and his men? They sought a free Albion from Reconquista-"
"They'll have it," I said. "Oh trust me on this, they'll have it. I do keep my word, don't I? Which is why, certain things will only be told to those who are going to directly take part in it. Men...we are winning this war," I spoke plainly. "We aren't fighting any longer, but-we'll be winning all the same. Those who win wars without fighting, those are the true generals. So, I ask of all you to extend your trust in me. I will win this war, I just need you to believe in me at the moment."
General Bowood looked at me. "Your highness does not need to ask. No, it is us who should apologize for thinking his highness did not have a plan. We who were spared the pikes and the rope should not have the privilege of advancing demands, yet we are treated the same as everyone else," he bowed. "Do as you believe is right, your highness. I, and those that hail from Albion, will be by your side."
I nodded, and then went over the fortification policies for Rosais. By the time they left, night had fallen and I stood seated by the side of my bed, my hands clasped together as I stared at the Ring of Andvari around my finger in all of its glory. It shone palely, the power within undetectable by normal means. Raven swooped in from the window, landing in a neat roll in his knightly form, a dead seagull in his hands.
"Spirit magic," Raven said. "Are you sure it will work like that? The first time he did it, Cromwell spoke words Fouquet couldn't understand."
"But when he made the speech to the crowd, he brought the guards up without a word," I replied. "So, he probably made a show for Fouquet and the others, and the truth is that it's far easier to work this ring than one might think," I glanced up at Raven. "Step aside and tell me if you feel or see anything, Raven."
Raven nodded, and left the dead seagull in front of me before taking a few steps to the side. "The ring's a piece of crystallized Water Spirit. It's basically a corpse. All stones are-they're corpses of dead spirits. Normally, living spirits keep their power in check, but-"
"With the extermination of the Wind Spirits, the Windstone crisis came to occur, I know," I acquiesced, locking eyes with the corpse. I began to pour willpower into the ring, like I would if it were a wand, and then pointed it at the dead seagull. "Rise for your master." The seagull didn't move.
"Willpower definitely has a part in it," Raven said from the side, "But it's not enough." He drew near, and placed the fingers of his right hand around my wrist, his left arm encircling my shoulders as he seemed to concentrate. I could hear Raven breathe deeply through the helmet. "This...try again, H-Henry."
"Rise for your master," I spoke again, but nothing happened.
"Something is stopping this from working. Perhaps a seagull is too little a thing? Perhaps it needs to be a human?" Raven mumbled, "Henry, can I try the ring on?"
I easily pulled it off my finger and handed it over. As if by magic -ah, well, yes, magic ring- the ring snugly enlarged until it could fit around one of the gauntlet's fingers, and as Raven closed and opened his hand, he then pointed the gem at the dead seagull.
The words he spoke next, I had no idea what they went. The important thing was that by the end of them, the dead seagull was now strutting on the floor and squawking as if it had never died to begin with.
I had quill and ink out, a parchment already opened on the nearby table by the time Raven removed the ring to pass it back. "What were the words again?" I asked as I placed the inked tip of the quill against the surface of the paper.
"Henry," Raven said as he put the ring down by my side atop the table, "Please don't use this."
I swallowed. "Even dead spirits deserve to rest?"
"No," Raven replied, shaking his head. "Because you would never forgive yourself."
"We do what we must-"
"You are better than this," Raven said as he knelt, his gauntlets taking hold of my free hand, clutching it tightly, but without making it hurt. "You don't need to be the hard man that makes the hard decision every time. You can just go on an adventure like Joseph did-I'll go with you. Together, we can see the wonders of unexplored lands-see Rub with our own eyes-we could do so many things if we'd just fly away from all of this, fly to some place where no one would bother us-"
"Raven," I said firmly, but gently. "Flying away means avoiding a battle. I will not run from it. This-This is the correct solution. If during the peace treaties the nobles were to surrender completely to Gallia, then Tristain would need to once more bargain from a position of inferiority. The roles would reverse-at most they'd keep Dartanes-and mother wouldn't have to fight."
"I'll kidnap your mother then," Raven said flatly. "Nobody knows who I am, and so I'll rush at her and take her prisoner. With Louise gone to join Henrietta, they'd think that you had no part in it-if I kidnap her, you can use her to lie and say Reconquista did it, so-so you can attack them and conquer their lands and-and then you can add their men to yours-you can improve the situation in this land, you can make everyone happy-" he shook his head. "You don't have to play the role of the tragic hero that makes everyone happy at the cost of his unhappiness. You're not a dramatic character. This world-this world's just a shitty novel filled with pathetic whiplash moments of slaps and anger," he hissed. "If it hurts you this much, then I'll destroy it. If it brings you pain, then I'll rip the heart of this world out and smash it. I love you, Henry. I love you and no matter what happens-no matter what might happen, or what you decide to do-I'll always love you."
My lips twitched in a smile. "You're going to make me blush, Raven. Now-now though, tell me the words. I'll-I'll sleep on it, and decide tomorrow morning, all right? Perhaps Reconquista might talk of peace in such terms too. Perhaps they understand they have no chance to keep on fighting-" I propped my head down to hit gently that of Raven's helmet. "But thank you for lifting my spirits, Raven. I love you too."
"If only..." Raven murmured, and I blinked. "You listened properly to me for just once in your life," he snapped curtly, and then huffed, turning his beaked helmet to the side.
It took a few hours of coaxing, but in the end, Raven obliged.
Now...getting around to memorizing absolutely meaningless words...
That was going to be fun.
