A Knight's Lilies

“There is no greater destiny than to be humanity’s bulwark against the forces that would see us destroyed. No greater duty than to stand at forefront against whatever might assail us and our peoples. That is why we are here. Against foes without and within. We stand, so that peace might be found. So that our people can grow prosperous and mighty. All hail the emperor! For Traxia! ”

- Legatus Scarius Thornhill, Imperial XI Legion, “Records From The Battle of Felmarch”

The soothing scent of hibiscus floated around the room. The peach coloured walls added another layer of serenity that most people would be happy to rest within. A few trophies and certificates rested atop a short wardrobe introducing a little more life into the mixture, their gilded exterior dropping a hint of extravagance as well. To compensate for the lack of outwardly gaudy artifacts, a custom floor to ceiling closet was placed in the room to contain an adequate amount of dresses, uniforms, and outfits for all occasions. For an Academy student, it certainly cried out a level of luxury unaffordable to some others.

The sun shone brightly into the room, the golden rays cutting through the little openings in blinds, blending in with the faint blue magefire lamp that flickered on the desk. Mornings were tedious as they always were, and Lucinia despised the grogginess she would feel upon awakening. She sipped the breakfast tea prepared for her, the tiny clink of cup touching the saucer providing a satisfying reminder that all was well, in theory.

Traxian tea carried a bold, almost too bitter flavour interspersed with hints of fruity lightness and a dab of smokiness. But, when tempered with a condensed mint, the sweetness would wrap itself around the bitter notes of tea, creating an elegant drink that brought her much joy to imbibe.

“Another one, my lady.” A voice spoke up from behind her head.

Lucinia let her shoulders do the talking, sagging a little to indicate her displeasure with such matters.

“Not even curious, my lady?” Olivia asked.

Lucinia frowned, she could practically hear the smirk in her attendants voice. Olivia ran the comb down her hair with one hand as she waggled a letter with her other. Annoyed, Lucinia finally sighed.

“Who?” She demanded.

“His lordship Salias Castra.” Olivia giggled.

“No!” Lucinia let out an indignant cry, “Even him?! The gall! They know my stance on the war well enough by now!”

Salias Castra of House Castra. Scion from one of the Traxian Empire’s most revered martial houses. Under current lord Ursun Castra, they have been the source of some of the most competent commanders within the Imperial legions. Salias himself was pretty far down his house's ladder of succession much like herself, but was still poised to inherit a sizable domain equivalent to a barony provided that things did not change.

He was, in public; an affable, stalwart, and much respected gentleman, only two years older than herself. But they had met at a ball at the capital, their first meeting. At the time, Lucinia’s disdain for constant warfare waged by Traxia had only just begun blossoming. The two had entered into a rigorous debate about the benefits and negatives of the nation’s current state of being, making clear their opposing stances. But it was during that talk that Lucinia had noticed something, a truth hidden behind veils and only briefly glimpsed through his words. There was the fire of ambition within his eyes, a dangerous pyre waiting to be ignited.

At the time, she found him distasteful but thought nothing more of it. To her delight, he was willing to continue their debate through letters, allowing her to flex her intellectual muscles just as he only seemed more resolute in his convictions. Still, it was a welcome distraction. One that she amused herself with when work did not bog her down.

Then came the news, her sister Marcella, the fourth princess, was to be wedded with Adamar Castra, securing the imperial family support from the militant House Castra. That was their second meeting. Things had changed by them. Old wars refreshed, new wars declared, the industrial military might of Traxia was on the march once more, calling out for blood. Salias had been mastering the military arts whilst Lucinia had perfected the art of faking paperwork until someone else had to do them. They were worlds apart and when they met once more, she could tell that much from a glance.

He had led a decently successful campaign against insurgents on the hinterlands near the Starhollow Mountains. It had earned him widespread fame and a gaggle of lower noble ladies swooning over him. His personal skills had also improved, becoming far more outgoing than when they had first met. Since then, she had heard rumors of the small harem that he has to himself. One that she was in no hurry to join, especially as his campaign solidified his outlook for the nation’s need for war.

“Lucy, your face looks stupid.” Olivia teased, gently bopping the top of her head.

“H-hey!” Lucinia growled, “Forget that, my hair needs to be straight.”

Her thoughts were all jumbled. A mess of nostalgia, memories, and thoughts of the future.

“Of course, my lady.” Olivia snarked, “And about the proposal?”

“Ew, I already said no.”

“Are you certain? Your father would be disappointed.”

Lucinia rolled her eyes, “If I seize all of Arteria tomorrow, father would still be disappointed in me. Pen something kind to Salias that tells him no.”

“Pfft. As you command, my lady.”

There was something in Olivia’s voice that grated Lucinia’s patience. Every once in a while she imagined what it would be like to just gently slap her attendant to remind her of her place. Every time she came to the inevitable conclusion that not only did she lack the inclination to. But knowing Olivia’s eccentricities, Lucinia was mostly certain that if she did any such thing, the weird girl would only end up liking it.

“Oh ho ho!” Olivia spoke, Lucinia had a bad feeling about that noise.

The hair brushing momentarily stopped as Olivia fidgeted with some more papers, the rustling noises only adding to Lucinia’s anxiety. Who else?

“Two more letters!” Olivia excitedly exclaimed, “One from Tiber Augusto, oooh, my lady is attracting even the strange ones.”

“Olivia! They’re still nobles.”

“And?”

“Ugh, never mind.”

House Augusto was lesser in terms of size. Ruled by a Duke on the same level as Olivia’s house. But unlike House Amata who found favour and opportunity as bureaucrats and courtiers like Olivia. House Augusto’s members served in both the Imperial diplomatic corps, as well as being infamous for the current house head having acted as the former chief of the Imperial Speculatores. The empire’s spies and agents who serve tirelessly to protect Imperial intersets wherever they may be.

This was a purely political offer, so that made the processing easier. After all, she had never met Tiber before, and that’s despite him also attending the Academy. Come to think of it, I haven’t really met too many people in general.

“No, be polite though.” Lucinia sighed.

“I’m always polite?” Olivia lied through her teeth.

“Grah, whatever. And the next letter?”

“Heheh.” Olivia’s mischievousness returned, “This one…” She tapered off, Lucinia could already imagine the furrowed brow of her attendant. What is it? Why is she stopping?

“Olivia? What’s the matter?” She asked.

Lady Olivia mumbled something to herself and Lucinia finally caved. She turned around to face her attendant and find out what’s going on. Olivia’s normally irritating smirk was halted by the frown on her face, the girl’s eyes darting between lines of a letter. Hmmm? Hey isn’t that…

“That’s the royal seal, give it here!” Lucinia snatched the letter out of Olivia’s hands, earning herself a mournful whine from the attendant, “Last I checked, you are neither me, nor my brother.”

“My dearest children,

I trust your studies are proceeding well. If they are not, it is imperative that you are taking the appropriate steps to rectify that, given your position as representatives of the Empire. In more serious matters, I have received reports of both your insubordination to Imperial doctrine as well as your misguided attempts at dialogue with our enemies. While I can only express my considerable disappointment at these developments. I also understand that as those lower on the line of succession, you might see less need to tow the Imperial standard. Of that, I can tolerate.”

Lucinia froze, her breathing growing heavy as her fingers gripped the paper.

“My lady…” Olivia’s voice was softer, no more hints of mischief as any playfulness had vanished the moment the princess took the letter.

“Tea.”

“Are… pardon?”

“Brew more tea.”

“Are you… of course, my lady.” Olivia quietly bowed.

Lucinia heard every step her attendant took as she moved to the other side of the room where the pot and kettle where. The briefest whirr in the air as the ducal daughter effortlessly summoned a small magefire to help brew more tea anew. With relief one the way, she sighed and turned her gaze back to the letter.

“To ensure your commitment to the Imperial cause but to also uplift your achievements as my children. I have for you a task. I have read about your diasterous summit and of the attempted assassination. For that, I am relieved you are unharmed. However, I cannot allow such treachery to the current Imperial orders to go unnoticed either. Thus, you are to to do the following: gather a representative group from our enemies and have them convince First Minister Bellus that peace is indeed what we need. He will be attending a trade summit in Arteria at the year’s end just before winter break, be ready by then.

If he remains unconvinced by your arguments, then let me iterate the following paths left to you:

You may continue to study at the Academy, however, you will cease all activities that undermine the integrity and national security of the Empire. As well as any activities that would affect the Trax family name.

You may continue to study at the Academy and profess your ideals, however, in order to remain a part of the Imperial family, you must acquiesce to find yourself a suitor capable of cementing your position in the Imperial family.

You may live as your wish. But you will no longer have our support.

As my daughter, I am certain you will succeed. But plan accordingly should you fail. For...”

Lucinia stopped reading and slid down her chair and flopped her head onto the table, ruining all of Olivia’s meticulous work. But this time, her attendant said nothing, no prodding or even poking at her. Just a quiet acceptance as she brought over a second cup of milk tea. Lucinia couldn’t smell it, only that of her own perfume as the gentle rosiness did little to hide the cold sweat that was building up. Father… she sighed, Minister Bellus hates outsiders. The fact that he’s the one representing us… I guess I was going to be disowned or forced to beg in the first place, huh? Stars, guess I deserve it though. Though father never really liked me either, huh?

Castle Montroi, Gratia

Pyra had been furious for the past few days. Only with hours of internal debating did Annalise manage to calm the raging fury of her hanger-on. They had received Arnold’s missive a week and a half ago and Pyra erupted into white hot rage at the mere idea of a delay. Annalise had to assure the princess that Sophie and Elaria would willingly come despite the delay, and if they were pressured and flee from Arnold, then the process of retrieving them would take far longer.

It did come to a slight shock to Anna when she read the name ‘Sophie’ in the missive. It took the description and explanation Arnold’s letter provided to fully affirm that it was indeed the same ‘Sophie’ that she knew. Evidently not. Where did this Kastianae name even come from for her to take it? Why did she take it?

Court had finished for the day, at least officially. Most of the cases to mediate had been resolved and she had issued General Iseult his new orders to help strength her little territory’s borders. Seneschal Alain remained behind to adjudicate any other perfunctory matters giving her the opportunity to relax.

The past few weeks had been chaotic at Monte De Trisse. Far more refugees than expected had fled through the two safe corridors she allowed open through the Purple Death. Some hostile troops tried to follow but they were driven off easy enough by death knights stationed there alongside the local knight orders. The refugees meant a more immediate logistical problem, one that was temporarily mitigated by drafting them as farmhands and roadworkers to maintain the neglected infrastructure of the region.

It didn’t help that conflicting republican and monarchist ideologies were brought into the fold. Though why refugees from the republic fled to her lands, given that she was in essence also a monarch, was beyond her. The conflicting refugee camps had been a headache since the start and only increased as many suspected agitators in disguise were added.

She had been presented three solutions. The first was Pyra’s. Much the the princess’s fiery and chaotic temperament, she wanted to lay down the law. Indiscriminate killings until morale improved or until the arrivals were too overwhelmed by fear to instigate trouble. It was crude, if potentially effective.

The next was a combination of her own and Pyra’s less radical solution. Integrating the undead into the camps as officers. Thought they were uncompromising and likely to enforce the law to the latter. Including eliminating any who might disagree without hesitation no matter the scale of the offense. It was a plausible strategy and they certainly had the numbers to implement it.

The final one was a cold, calculating suggestion from Tribune Lyran. Decimation. To force the refugees to kill one in ten. An archaic military tradition but done in times of emergency to discipline the troops. It was an odd though not completely fanciful suggestion. The idea being that despite the innocents killed along the way, those who knew agitators or instigators would be more likely to nominate them as the sacrifice for bringing them into this situation.

None of them appealed to her. But seeing only one option that avoided the deliberate mass killing of people, it was the one she had chosen. It caused quite a stir and quite some outcry from almost everyone involved. But things were peaceful, for now. Though the pot continued to race towrads a boiling point.

She leaned against her balcony and looked over the land. Still feels weird being here. My childhood, then it wasn’t, and now… hah. Her fingers gripped the railing, chilled by the winds of the Trannoire. She shivered as the sensation spread throughout her body, contrasting with the setting sun still providng a modicum of warmth that grazed her skin. Birds squawked in the distance as the wind whipped against her ears. A tingling itch in her nose from the cold made her want to scratch it. But as the same time, she resisted the desire.

She reached out a hand and tried to hold the scenery in her palm. Once, the world had seemed to grand and vast when she stood her. The idle curiosity of a child mixed with the secluded life of a royal heir had left her with a desire to see it all. Now, she found it all so suffocating. How small everything now seemed.

She had been exiled, become an adventurer, turned into a heretic, a leader of the damned, and now a leader of a territory. Pfft, how absurd. Is this what you saw me becoming? Mom? Dad?

“The past brings nothing but pain and regret. Take heed of my actions, through my desire to carve a future. I helped you recapture your home. Use the sorrow, the anger, the fury, and bring the world to heel.” Pyra scoffed in her mind.

“Wha-? But that’s not what I-” Anna tried to protest.

“It isn’t.”

“Then-”

“But you will find that your confusion, your sorrow, your pain. They all become easier to crush when the world around you bend to your whims. The peasants that murdered your family, those that harmed your retainers, the traitor that was the Lady Coli. Even the refugees that stir up so much trouble. All now brought to heel.”

“It is Lady Collisse.”

“Whatever. Your handmaiden then. But it does feel… cathartic does it not? To have marched back in, so resolutely seizing the castle and ordering her about?” Pyra asked, an excitable growl in the princess’s throat.

Annalise continued to stare out into the world, gripping on the balcony a little tighter. There was truth to her words, and that was what frightened her. Her brother and sister who currently rule the Gratian Kingdom, the two who had overthrown their parents. She could guess that power was like a panacea to them. Given how Kimmie was ‘alive’ and how she had her home, Anna was frightened at just how dangerous that panacea might be.

Sensing her frustration, Pyra just smiled, resting an imaginary yet strangely heavy hand on Anna’s shoulder. Anna shivered, feeling the princess’s presence almost like a conspirator gently leaning on her from behind, her lips whispering into her ears.

“You know it to be true. You feel it even now. Are you not at least thankful that I’ve gotten you to this point?”

Anna’s expression darkened, the world before her losing a little of it’s luster. Yet as she heard the gentle clicking of the room door in the distance behind her, a little bit of the shine returned.

“I am grateful. For the second chances.” She sighed, “It’s just…”

“The burden of responsibility. Fret not, in this too, power can solve many things.”

“I… I suppose. Not that I should be saying anything about it.”

She had seen the world with her very eyes. How those with power could wield it. How those without perished. Her own party had been overwhelmed by those stronger. Lost in the darkness of Morea’s shadow. Only for powerful magicks from times long forgotten to bring them back. No, she knew what Pyra said made sense. How to temper it, was perhaps the only question she could really muster up.

“Your little darling pet has arrived. I shall… take my leave for now.” Pyra cackled, “Though as a generous ruler, you’ll reward me, won’t you?”

Anna shuddered. Pyra trying to sound sweet was perhaps more terrifying than her madness.

“With what?”

“This ‘Sophie’ of yours. You know her. Tell me about her, so that I may get her measure. Hmm? You’ve talked me into waiting for oh so long, after all.”

“I’ll try.” Anna let out a hoarse whisper, her fingers tensed around the railing.

“Tah-tah!” Pyra giggled as her presence faded from Anna’s mind. Like a cloud lifting, some of the colour of the world returned, though the sun was now mostly set with shadows overtaking the land.

Anna couldn’t help but wonder just what Pyra wanted with Sophie. She could only offer a small prayer in thanks for her friend’s continued survival and one more for her safety. Stars above, please don’t let anything else go wrong.

“Anna, I’m here.” Kimmie’s timid if slightly tired voice called out.

“Coming!” Anna answered.

As she closed the balcony doors behind her, Anna couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Even now, there is so much suffering and pain. And for what?