Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Three
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Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Three
The night before the duel all was calm on the Windland. The engines didn't drum, and the walls of steel did not creak. The soldiers slept, or played cards on makeshift tables. Some even threw dices while betting sweets. A group of officers babbled away about how only the Prince could manage to conquer a whole country through Peace Talks alone, and morale was high. There was no doubt in their minds that I would win the duel the next day. Honestly, the guards patrolled dutifully, but without much care.
That was the only explanation I could give for the cloaked figure that came to a halt right in front of me, upon the upper deck of the Windland.
"How did you get up here?" I asked, but the cloaked figure did not answer. I blinked. "Is there something I can do to help?" I hazarded.
"You are not screaming for the guards," the cloaked figure replied. "Would that not be the best course of action?"
I smiled gently. "Are you not here to talk with me? Wouldn't calling the guards be counter-productive?" I gestured for the parapet by my side. "If you want to join me stargazing, be my guest. I suppose you won't find a taller spot."
The cloaked figure stopped by my side. "I have been called foolish a hundred times today," the figure said. "And a hundred times more in a hundred different words. I did not think there could be so many adjectives to describe foolishness," the cowl of the cloak went back, revealing the face of the once Prince of Albion, Wales. "Out of everyone, I thought the one who wouldn't judge me as a fool would be your highness."
"Just call me Henry," I replied with a sigh, my eyes on the sky and the twinkling stars. My breathing condensed into haze, and I liked to liken it to smoking sometimes. "Is there something on your mind?"
Prince Wales looked beyond the parapet, and then exhaled in turn, letting a tall column of haze escape his lips. "Suicide is frowned upon by Brimir, which is why I did not take such an unsavory route. Yet-yet I cannot hide the fact that I am asking much of your high-of you, Henry," he kindly looked down. "Your kindness is well known throughout Halkeginia-if there must be someone to guide the people of Albion, I would like it if it were someone like you. I can only bow my head in thanks for your decision to accept my selfish wish," and as he said that, he turned towards me and bowed down deeply.
"Please raise your head," I said softly. "There is no need to express gratitude to someone who will take your life," I acquiesced, putting both of my hands on his shoulders, and helping him stand back up. "It was through no fault of your own that Reconquista kidnapped you."
Wales bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, and shook his head. "That is-that is why nobody understands," he muttered. "On your honor as a noble-do you swear to the gods that you will keep this secret?"
I blinked, and then nodded once, stiffly. "I swear it upon the Gods, whatever you say, I shall not make use of it, nor reveal to anyone for as long as I draw breath."
Wales nodded in turn, "I guess I just want someone to hear the truth from me before my final day, someone who'll listen-" he chuckled softly. "Oh, Henrietta-I-I was not kidnapped by Reconquista," he said in a murmur. "It was my own beloved cousin who sent a man to take me away from my father, from my loyal countrymen-I would have refused, but the man-he-he did not give me the chance to do so," Wales said, shaking his head. "And now...now it's too late to recriminate. I would have died with them-with my fellow nobles, with my loyal men-I should have died with them!" he hissed, "And I must be a mess, I admit, I must truly be a mess-" he pushed his hands against his hair, taking deep breaths. "What did they think? How much hurt were they? Did they-did they curse me? Did they spit upon my name? Did my father die of heartbreak, or die courageously? I will never know-" he mumbled. "I will never know."
I placed both of my hands on the back of his, and then gently pushed them away and back by his sides. I let go, and placed my right hand on his shoulder to give him a gentle squeeze. "When you exhale your last breath, I am sure you will explain it properly to those who are still waiting for you-and to them, you will tell naught but the truth, for the Gods will be judging your words. They will forgive you, Wales. All of them will, without a doubt, forgive you."
I removed my hand, and then crossed my arms behind my back as I stood straight. "But do not go gently into the night," I acquiesced, glancing at him. "Rage, rage, against the dying light." I hummed, "Though old men know well that dark is right, they do not go gently into the night. So rage, rage, against the dying light," I smiled. "Just because life decided to destroy you...there is no reason not to go out in a blaze of glory. Fight me with everything you have on the field tomorrow, and I shall take it all and give it back in spades." I lifted my eyes to gaze at the sky. "I will give you a song the likes of which will forever be remembered, and tales of your honor will restore what you lost. You have my word, upon the very gods," I shuddered slightly as a cold chill breezed past me, "But now enough of this! The weather is cold, and you look skinny! You haven't been eating properly in a long while, have you? You must taste my famous pizza! The recipe that is such a sensation, that it sweeps through the nation!"
As I said that, and gestured to the stairs that led below deck, Wales looked at my offered hand, and then at the stairway down into the depths of the Windland.
"You are a very strange man, Prince Henry," Wales said in the end, a small smile gracing his lips. "But...I understand," he nodded. "We will be merry on the day before our fight, and follow your lead on such matters."
"Then come, my friend," I said, eagerly clapping a hand behind his back as I began to walk with him by my side, "For tonight, we dine in Valhalla, and tomorrow, we might just head for it together, who knows!"
And with a bright, bubbling laughter, not a guard wondered why I was standing next to someone they hadn't cleared for entrance.
Raven...bring me those corpses.
Yes, my master.
The night before the duel all was calm on the Windland. The engines didn't drum, and the walls of steel did not creak. The soldiers slept, or played cards on makeshift tables. Some even threw dices while betting sweets. A group of officers babbled away about how only the Prince could manage to conquer a whole country through Peace Talks alone, and morale was high. There was no doubt in their minds that I would win the duel the next day. Honestly, the guards patrolled dutifully, but without much care.
That was the only explanation I could give for the cloaked figure that came to a halt right in front of me, upon the upper deck of the Windland.
"How did you get up here?" I asked, but the cloaked figure did not answer. I blinked. "Is there something I can do to help?" I hazarded.
"You are not screaming for the guards," the cloaked figure replied. "Would that not be the best course of action?"
I smiled gently. "Are you not here to talk with me? Wouldn't calling the guards be counter-productive?" I gestured for the parapet by my side. "If you want to join me stargazing, be my guest. I suppose you won't find a taller spot."
The cloaked figure stopped by my side. "I have been called foolish a hundred times today," the figure said. "And a hundred times more in a hundred different words. I did not think there could be so many adjectives to describe foolishness," the cowl of the cloak went back, revealing the face of the once Prince of Albion, Wales. "Out of everyone, I thought the one who wouldn't judge me as a fool would be your highness."
"Just call me Henry," I replied with a sigh, my eyes on the sky and the twinkling stars. My breathing condensed into haze, and I liked to liken it to smoking sometimes. "Is there something on your mind?"
Prince Wales looked beyond the parapet, and then exhaled in turn, letting a tall column of haze escape his lips. "Suicide is frowned upon by Brimir, which is why I did not take such an unsavory route. Yet-yet I cannot hide the fact that I am asking much of your high-of you, Henry," he kindly looked down. "Your kindness is well known throughout Halkeginia-if there must be someone to guide the people of Albion, I would like it if it were someone like you. I can only bow my head in thanks for your decision to accept my selfish wish," and as he said that, he turned towards me and bowed down deeply.
"Please raise your head," I said softly. "There is no need to express gratitude to someone who will take your life," I acquiesced, putting both of my hands on his shoulders, and helping him stand back up. "It was through no fault of your own that Reconquista kidnapped you."
Wales bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, and shook his head. "That is-that is why nobody understands," he muttered. "On your honor as a noble-do you swear to the gods that you will keep this secret?"
I blinked, and then nodded once, stiffly. "I swear it upon the Gods, whatever you say, I shall not make use of it, nor reveal to anyone for as long as I draw breath."
Wales nodded in turn, "I guess I just want someone to hear the truth from me before my final day, someone who'll listen-" he chuckled softly. "Oh, Henrietta-I-I was not kidnapped by Reconquista," he said in a murmur. "It was my own beloved cousin who sent a man to take me away from my father, from my loyal countrymen-I would have refused, but the man-he-he did not give me the chance to do so," Wales said, shaking his head. "And now...now it's too late to recriminate. I would have died with them-with my fellow nobles, with my loyal men-I should have died with them!" he hissed, "And I must be a mess, I admit, I must truly be a mess-" he pushed his hands against his hair, taking deep breaths. "What did they think? How much hurt were they? Did they-did they curse me? Did they spit upon my name? Did my father die of heartbreak, or die courageously? I will never know-" he mumbled. "I will never know."
I placed both of my hands on the back of his, and then gently pushed them away and back by his sides. I let go, and placed my right hand on his shoulder to give him a gentle squeeze. "When you exhale your last breath, I am sure you will explain it properly to those who are still waiting for you-and to them, you will tell naught but the truth, for the Gods will be judging your words. They will forgive you, Wales. All of them will, without a doubt, forgive you."
I removed my hand, and then crossed my arms behind my back as I stood straight. "But do not go gently into the night," I acquiesced, glancing at him. "Rage, rage, against the dying light." I hummed, "Though old men know well that dark is right, they do not go gently into the night. So rage, rage, against the dying light," I smiled. "Just because life decided to destroy you...there is no reason not to go out in a blaze of glory. Fight me with everything you have on the field tomorrow, and I shall take it all and give it back in spades." I lifted my eyes to gaze at the sky. "I will give you a song the likes of which will forever be remembered, and tales of your honor will restore what you lost. You have my word, upon the very gods," I shuddered slightly as a cold chill breezed past me, "But now enough of this! The weather is cold, and you look skinny! You haven't been eating properly in a long while, have you? You must taste my famous pizza! The recipe that is such a sensation, that it sweeps through the nation!"
As I said that, and gestured to the stairs that led below deck, Wales looked at my offered hand, and then at the stairway down into the depths of the Windland.
"You are a very strange man, Prince Henry," Wales said in the end, a small smile gracing his lips. "But...I understand," he nodded. "We will be merry on the day before our fight, and follow your lead on such matters."
"Then come, my friend," I said, eagerly clapping a hand behind his back as I began to walk with him by my side, "For tonight, we dine in Valhalla, and tomorrow, we might just head for it together, who knows!"
And with a bright, bubbling laughter, not a guard wondered why I was standing next to someone they hadn't cleared for entrance.
Raven...bring me those corpses.
Yes, my master.
