13Devotion and Obligation
South Gate was the last town on the barrier mountain range, near the ocean's edge. It was built on the mountains, in the lower part of the range where airships were able to pass. It had once been a gateway into Vasconia through Gascony. In these times of war, the town was under constant occupation by Vasconian military regiments in order to protect it against potential attack.
South Gate was also Colette's hometown. The paladin with the ability to see what others could not had lived most of her life, unknown, in this town. It was actually quite a relief for her to come home and spend some time amongst her people. She got to see her grandmother, the mayor of South Gate, and all her old friends. She got to introduce them all, formally, to her fiancé and second in command, Nicolas Sacha. It was almost like a vacation.
And she was bored out of her mind.
"I can't take this anymore, Nicolas." She declared, staring up at the dimly lit ceiling of their shared room in her grandmother's manor. The sun had just barely set, but the lantern in the corner filled the room with artificial brightness.
"Take what?" Her dark-haired lover asked from across the room without looking up from the military reports they had been given.
Colette was a fighter, through and through. She was given command over the front lines for that exact reason. However, things like paperwork and military reports were incredibly dull and had trouble keeping her attention. Which made her grateful that she had Nicolas. He would read them and give her the important points by mouth, which was easier to focus on.
"This waiting. I can't take it. Kill me-e-e..."
Colette was laid out on their bed, arms and legs splayed outward, as she stared upwards. Her blonde braid was digging uncomfortably under her neck, but she didn't much care.
"You're so over dramatic." Nicolas mumbled, flipping a page in the report. "You spent the entire day having fun at the training area."
"Yeah, that was great." She smiled. Then frowned again. "But that was this morning. Nicolas, they were due weeks ago. What if they aren't coming?"
"Do you want to leave?" He looked up from the reports calmly.
Colette pursed her lips. "Don't put that on me."
"It's your command, Colette. It's already on you."
She let out a long, dramatic breath. She couldn't very well leave South Gate when she was waiting for both royal children and her own leader to come from Gascony. There was no definite arrival time because even they weren't sure when they would be able to leave. The last message from their spy had been weeks ago now. It had indicated that the royals would be heading to Isaie, the holy city in Gascony, and from there would continue onto South Gate.
It shouldn't have taken this long, though. Colette and Nicolas had come from the front lines to meet and protect the royals here. They left Lea in charge of the battles that had turned into long stalemates with the loss of the two top Gascony military leaders. Since stalemates were as boring to Colette as waiting, Nicolas had suggested coming here to meet Nina and the others.
But they were long overdue. Colette's impatience was laying under a nervous sense of apprehension that was only making things worse. She trusted Nina to lead their prince and princess home safely if she was able to do so.
But it was that 'if' that scared her so much.
"Nicolas." She pushed herself up on her elbows to frown at him. "What if we-"
"No."
"You didn't even let me say it!"
"You were going to make an insane suggestion. Therefore, I don't have to listen to it, because I already know it's not a good idea. No."
Colette pouted, but before she could press her argument, there was a sharp knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Colette yelled even as Nicolas was standing to open the door.
Guilbert, one of Colette's top officers, stepped in the room. He nodded to them both. "My lady. The watch has spotted something coming on the horizon."
"What is it?" Colette pushed herself up to sit on the bed.
"It looks like an airship fuel fire. It's green and blue. The source is too far to see clearly, but you asked to be notified if we saw anything."
Colette threw herself out of bed and ran eagerly from the room. She giggled, happy to finally have something to do. Nicolas thanked Guilbert and ordered him to get the troops ready just in case before rushing after Colette.
He caught up to her at the highest balcony of the manor. The mayor's residence was the tallest building, on the tallest hill of South Gate. That was where the watch across the border was being conducted. When Colette arrived, Juste, her other top officer, was turning from the large spyglass that had been set up on a tripod at the edge of the balcony.
"What is it?" Colette asked eagerly, running to his side.
"Fire, my lady." Juste stepped back, allowing her to look. "It's hard to see, but I think it's from a ship. It's too far to make out."
"Too far for you, maybe." She winked at him before lowering her eye to the lens.
Colette's power as a paladin was far and away more subtle than anything the others possessed. So subtle, in fact, that she had lasted until adulthood before anyone noticed.
Her eyes could see things that others could not. She could read a lie on a person as they were telling it, and she could predict their movements based on the tiny muscle twitches that most people were unable to perceive. She could even see further, in the darkness than the average person.
She began fiddling with the focus knobs on the spyglass. Everyone had fallen silent around her, waiting to see what she could find.
Colette frowned, focusing.
The distance made it hard to see, the darkness did not help. But she could just barely detect the flickering greenish-blue light that was typical for airship fuel fires. The fire did not cast a great deal of light, especially not as small as the one she was looking at.
However, there was just enough illumination for her to make out the shape a ship around the fire. And enough that she could see the face of the man waving the fire.
"It's Prince Erec!" She yelled, standing up straight with a wide smile.
"You're certain?" Nicolas asked, coming to her side.
"No doubt." Colette stepped away from the glass and turned to her men. "And that is most definitely a signal fire. He's signaling for help."
"Orders?" Juste asked expectantly.
"Go wake Skipper, tell him to get the engine on the Recovery started."
"You plan on going into Gascony?" Nicolas asked, frowning. "We don't have permission to cross the border, Colette."
"Our orders were to bring them home by whatever means necessary. They're signaling for help, which means that they need us sooner rather than later. Wake the troops and get me my sword. We're going out there."
Nicolas rolled his eyes, but he was smiling when he did so. Colette was already running around him, rushing for the door so she could get down to the airship Recovery.
His fiancee was constantly doing insane things. Which he found at once endearing and exasperating to deal with. He might not be quite so charmed by it if her insanity didn't so often produce good results that others wouldn't be able to replicate.
He turned to run after her. He was always just a step behind her. The two of them rushed down to the flagship of her fleet, the Recovery piloted by Captain Skipper. It was an airship that formerly used to hunt down pirates on the Lloegyrian border. It' past made it and its crew rare experts on airship warfare.
Within the hour, the Recovery was lifting off from the docks.
"Hang on!" Manon shouted barely a fraction of a second before she jerked the wheel to the side. She barely avoided earning another hole in the boat.
It was the first time she had ever needed to perform evasive maneuvers on an airship. It was very easy, in theory. Just avoid the large ballista bolts coming their way. In practice, it was a much more difficult concept to grasp.
There were three ballista bolts sticking out of various holes in the boat, and one hole near the bottom where the ballista had fallen out after landing. Only one of them had successfully penetrated into the engine itself. No one had time to check what was hit, however, they were still in the air and that was the only thing that mattered. A foul smelling smoke was coming from inside though. It trailed behind them, creating an unintentional smoke screen. The presence of which made it harder for the Tilde to target them, and harder for Manon to avoid the incoming bolts.
At some point, and Manon wasn't sure when it happened, Gael had pulled the three girls from Gascony up on deck. It was harder for them to fall victim to bolt fire on deck than it was in stowage, which was immediately adjacent to the engine.
Erec was wrapped around the top mast, still trying to signal South Gate. The fire was more obvious, casting an eerie green-blue glow over the ship, now that the sun had set. Unfortunately, the light was making it easier for the Tilde to find them, even in the dark. Manon was left blindly turning the ship erratically, trying to dodge shots she couldn't see coming.
Nina stood with Addie near the stern, rather proud of how the princess was faring. She might just get them out of this.
But the Tilde was nearly on them. Nina could see the bulk of it coming towards them from below, trying to hit their engine at an angle.
It was nearly in the perfect position.
"Is it stupid plan time?" Addie asked as though she were excited.
"Apparently, it is."
Sighing, Nina turned from the stern and walked back towards the center of the boat. "Gael."
The young priest was huddled with Audi and the others. Nellie was singing softly to try and calm herself down, still shaking with fright. She was held in Adilla's arms. Adilla had never looked so calm since Nina knew her. Her head was resting on Nellie's, swaying with the song she sang.
It was a lovely tune. Nina didn't recognize it, but even the soft way that Nellie was singing it was bringing a soothing peace to Nina's heart, despite the circumstances. She didn't feel as though she were losing control of her own mind, despite what they feared in Isaie.
Audi, who refused to look at any of them, had been saying prayers with Gael. When Nina called out to him, however, he touched her hands gently before standing up and turning her way.
"I need you to look after Manon and Erec."
Gael nodded once. "Fine. But, what are you doing?"
"Addie and I are going to go deal with the problem."
"It's stupid plan time." Addie grinned, resting her arm on Nina's shoulder. "Which means we're about to go do something that will probably get us killed. Do me a favor, Gael. If I don't make it back, tell my sister that I love her and to not do anything stupid after I'm gone."
Gael frowned but nodded. "As you wish. Nina?"
"Tell my family... that I love them. And that I'm honored to fight and die for king and country."
Gael nodded again, solemn and serious. "May the Lord see you through the fight. I know he will guide you."
"Hey!"
Erec's cry from the top of the mast turned their heads. They all looked to see him pointing ahead. Nina followed his finger, frowning into the darkness.
They were nearly on the mountains. The lake at the base of the range, a relatively new addition to the landscape, was shining in the pale light of the waning quarter moon. They couldn't see South Gate, though Nina knew where it was by the small dip in the mountains. It took her a long moment to spot what Erec had seen.
The dark shadow of the ship coming their way was visible only by the slight movements it made against the darker mountain range. There were no lights around it, nor did she see any attempt to light any as it flew. That seemed a deliberate choice. If they could barely see it, then the Tilde might not be able to see it at all in the smoke screen that their damaged engine was leaving behind, especially since their attention was focused on the little boat.
"Are we still following the stupid plan?" Addie asked curiously.
Nina frowned, measuring the distance between them and the coming ship from South Gate. Even as she was reconsidering her decision, the ship rocked. Nina fell to her knees and Erec cried out, grabbing onto the mast to avoid falling and dropping his sword and burning canister of airship fuel as a consequence. The blue flame ball bounced against the deck before rolling over the side and falling through the darkness. Small fires, left by the fuel spilling, began burning on deck.
Addie and Gael began stomping them out as Nina pushed herself back up. She ran to the side of the ship and frowned over the edge. She couldn't see the bolt that had hit them, but she could see the orange fire licking out from the engine it had created.
"Uh, guys? We're losing altitude!" Manon yelled from the wheel.
"Addie. Stupid plan time!" Nina yelled to her, pushing away from the rail.
Erec, no longer needing to stay on the mast with the loss of the fire, rode the pole back down. He landed hard and pushed himself up, turning to her.
"What stupid plan?" He asked, frowning at Addie laughed as though excited.
Nina hesitated, frowning at her prince.
"Nina?" He prompted, stepping closer to her. "What stupid plan?"
She took in a breath and squared her shoulders. "You and Manon need to only worry about crossing the mountain. Addie and I are going to try and buy you enough time to do so."
Erec's hand shot out, snapping closed over her arm as she tried to walk away. He gave her a stern look, holding her in place.
"What exactly do you think you're going to do?"
Nina smiled and jumped towards him.
Unprepared for the sudden direction change, Erec was too surprised to react as she pressed her lips against his. She kissed him fervently, holding onto him as though it might be the last chance for her to do so.
Before he could do more than recognize what she was doing, she was already pulling back. His surprise had loosened his grip and she threw herself back from him with supernatural speed so that he couldn't take hold of her again.
"If we make it back, Erec, I'd be honored to be your wife."
"Wha..." He reached out after her, too stunned to think.
Nina smiled at him, then turned on her heel and ran for the stern. Addie, who had been standing back, waiting for her leader to take point, laughed and chased after her. The two of them fell in line, focused on their task.
Erec called out after her, trying to chase her down. To stop her.
Too late.
With a short cry, Nina jumped off the back of the boat. Addie followed with a louder yell of excitement, throwing herself off the back and doing a flip for no other reason than she could.
Wind rushed past Nina's ears, her eyes narrowed, trying to stay focused on her target. Neither of them would survive a fall directly to the deck, but she wasn't aiming for the deck.
The hard fabric of the sail of the foremast was still a softer landing than the deck. Nina hit just a moment before Addie, the rough canvas catching their bodies and cradling them, slowing their descent as they rode the sail down to the lower yard.
Addie flipped herself around as she fell. Her hands came out, catching the cross beam of the mast and swinging downwards, expending all of her momentum before she dropped, hitting the ground with a rolling tumble.
Nina let her feet catch herself, and jumped off. She landed in the same type of tumble, rolling out the remainder of the energy from the fall before coming up into a low crouch. The pain the blunt force caused to her injured legs shot through her limbs like fire. She hissed softly as she resisted the urge to crumple to the ground outright.
The crew and soldiers of the Tilde, unprepared for the reckless and outright stupid move, had frozen and were now staring at them. The ones that had been close enough to see them, anyway. Nina and Addie gazed between them.
"I'll take the hundred on the left, you take the hundred on the right?" Addie asked, grinning.
Nina pushed herself up into a full standing position, hand on her sword, her back to Addie as she looked towards the prow. "Seems fair."
The first soldiers, adjusted to the surprise, came rushing towards them.
Nina ran forward, blurring as her speed boosted her faster than they could blink. The first two men fell with a single, outward swing of her sword as she pulled it from the sheath. The third fell before their bodies had hit the ground.
Nina skidded to a halt on the wood, holding out her sword in one hand as she looked around at the men that surrounded her on all sides. They were staring in open mouthed horror at the unnatural woman that had just felled their brethren before they could blink.
"If any of you do not wish to fight, drop your weapons now and I shall show you mercy." She instructed them calmly, raising up her sword.
With a cry, they all converged on her at the same moment.
Across the ship, Addie smirked as the soldiers began advancing on her slowly. She obviously didn't have a weapon, and they were trying to be honorable by giving her a chance to surrender. She found it endearing and quite valiant.
If unnecessary.
"First man to touch me gets a prize." She taunted, showing her empty hands.
The two men that came at her from behind grabbed onto her arms. Each of them held her tightly and she beamed.
"We have our winners!"
Addie pumped up the muscles in her arms and got the joy of seeing their eyes widen in surprise at the obvious thickening of her biceps and forearms.
With a grunt of effort, she lifted both men into the air.
"Here's your prize!" She threw first one, then the other.
They landed against the other soldiers, taking out an entire group. Addie flexed her large arms, winking at the men.
The others didn't wait for her to mock them again. They charged, this time with swords at the ready to cut her down. Addie shook away the muscles in her arms, replacing them into her legs. She dropped back, landing neatly on the ground, and avoiding the three blades that cut through the air before kicking upwards, knocking two of the swords free.
She pushed herself up onto her hands, then into the air, landing her feet against the face of the third sword bearer. As she came down on top of him, she caught one of the falling swords out of the air and turned with it in hand. She threw it away, right into the chest of the man coming up behind her. Then jumped back, skidding along the ground, she picked up the second sword from where it had falling and came up again to face her next attacker.
"Sir!"
One of the ship's crew came running towards the back where Firmin was waiting near the helmsman and Emilien was instructing the captains on their tasks.
"What is it?" Emilien asked since the former man would not.
The shipmate pointed towards the front of the Tilde. "Two of the people from the boat jumped overboard. They landed on deck."
Emilien frowned. "Then, have them captured."
"The soldiers are trying, sir. They're... not really... Just come see!"
Emilien gave Firmin a look as he ran past him. Firmin didn't stay behind, he walked calmly after the two as Emilien jogged to keep up with the crewman.
Addie's lack of weapon didn't slow her down whatsoever. She would steal and borrow blades as they fell from the hands of others. Her fighting style was as erratic and unpredictable as her face. She adapted quickly, taking what she needed from them and quickly discarding it when it became beneficial to do so.
Nina was too quick to see, much less to catch. She was leaving a trail of bodies in her wake as she cut through the men that dared come after her. It didn't take long for them to begin abandoning the chase of the untouchable woman and to try their hand at fighting Addie instead.
They created a ring of people. Addie at the center, fighting the soldiers as they tried to converge on her all at once while Nina ran around the outside, beating at them from behind and forcing their attention away from Addie and onto her.
Emilien watched the display with a wide eyed look of amazement.
Gascony's unnaturals weren't capable of something like this. The feats of strength from Addie alone were impressive as she lifted fully grown men up over her head and threw them away like they were dolls. But Nina's speed? He couldn't even keep up with her. Even when he tried aiming his wrist dart gun, he couldn't actually target her. By the time he got her in his sights and tried to fire, she was already gone.
"Unnaturals." Firmin said softly in Emilien's ear.
He lowered his arm, frowning to his commander. "They jumped ship to come fight us? Why? I thought they were trying to evacuate Nina from here. Why would she come down?"
"Maybe, she's not the most valuable thing on that boat." Firmin looked up, staring through the smoke screen as the boat continued to try escaping them. It was a difficult thing now that their engine was failing and they were beginning to sink in the sky.
However, Nina's actions were having their intended effect. The soldiers that had been manning the ballistae were sufficiently distracted. A couple of them had outright abandoned their posts in order to try fighting her. They could turn the ballista to face them inside the ship, but they were likely to do as much damage to the Tilde or their own forces as the two unnatural women.
"Give the halt order." Firmin said softly the Emilien.
Stepping forward, Emilien brought his fingers to his lips and let out an ear piercing, shrieking whistle that was heard over the entire deck.
Most of the soldiers obeyed immediately. A few that were too focused on the fight needed a moment longer, and a gently nudge from their brothers to pull back.
Nina came to a skidding halt, sliding to a stop beside Addie. Both women were breathing hard, panting and sweating, as they looked towards Emilien and Firmin. Nina raised her sword, but she didn't make a move in their direction. Addie watched with a grin.
Emilien stepped forward, hand on the trigger of his dart vambrace, just in case. He didn't attempt to aim it though as he faced the two of them calmly.
"Nina." He nodded to her once. "It was Nina, wasn't it?"
"Nina Benoite." She said confidently, seeing no reason to try and lie further. "Leader of the paladins of Vasconia. A pleasure to meet you, lieutenant general."
"A pleasure indeed. And, you are?" Emilien turned to the other.
Addie waved at him with a smirk. "Oh, no one of consequence. You may consider me wholly unimportant."
"You do yourself a discredit, miss. No one who does such damage should consider herself wholly unimportant." Emilien's jaw tightened as he looked at his injured soldiers.
"You flatter me, general." Addie pretended to blush.
"I admire your skills. But you two are foolish to come onto our ship. Do you really think you can fight an entire army by yourselves?"
Nina said nothing, her head held up proudly. But, in all honestly, the answer was no.
She hadn't eaten a hardy meal in some time. Especially not the kind that would be able to fuel the type of energy consuming fight that she was performing now. She could already feel herself beginning to tire. She would push herself to her limits and beyond until she died of fatigue if it meant allowing Erec to escape. That point would come long before they ran out of soldiers though.
And, for all her skill, Addie's power did not lend itself well to fighting. She would be overrun before Nina would, and no amount of face shifting ability would be able to save her.
However, they had accomplished their goal. The ballistae operators were no longer firing on the boat and, with some luck, they had bought Manon and Erec enough time to escape.
That was the only thing Nina cared about. So long as Erec made it back across the barrier mountains and returned home, then she would be content in her death.
Her silence worried Emilien more than outright brazen challenge would have. Not because he thought she was confident in victory, but because he realized that she wasn't concerned with defeat. Winning or losing wasn't the point.
There was no scarier opponent, in Emilien's mind, than one who did not care about death. The lack of concern lent itself to a far more, deadly opponent because they were more willing to take dangerous risks with their own safety to ensure that, even if they lost, you did not win.
As they stared at each other across the ship, Firmin stepped forward.
Nina's eyes snapped immediately onto the dreaded general, and her hand tightened on the hilt of Devoir. Out of nerves or anger, she didn't want to know herself.
For all that Sabine was queen of Gascony, everyone knew that it was Firmin Didier who was the leader of the army, the master of this war. Nina wondered if he even waited for the queen's permission to act, or if he did as he pleased because he knew she wouldn't protest.
In that manner, Nina did wonder who was more responsible for starting the war, the demented queen who secluded herself from the world or the inhuman general that never quite looked at people despite staring right at them.
"Nina Benoite." He said as though greeting her. The dead affect of his voice sent a chill up her spine that she refused to show him. "Who is on that ship that you're protecting?"
She gave him no answer.
Firmin did not ask questions twice.
"Kill them." He ordered simply.
"Didier, wait-" Emilien tried to say.
He didn't get far, nor did the soldiers get a chance to move. The sound of an airship engine, higher and faster than the deep rumble of the Tilde, split through the air. Everyone turned and frowned, following the sound.
A moment later, a loud holler of excitement echoed from the sky.
A mini airship darted over their heads. They all craned their necks, following it as it halted, turned, and came back around in one smooth, twisting motion.
As the boat passed overhead again, something jumped out. Another cry of delight rang out with excited laughter as a happy blonde woman dropped onto the deck on Nina's other side.
Colette got to her feet, pulling out her sword, the Covenant. She snickered around at the soldiers and generals that blinked at her in surprise.
"Sorry, I'm late. Did I miss tea?"
"Hello, Colette." Nina said simply, as though she had expected her arrival.
"Hi, Nina. And-argh!" Colette shielded her eyes as they turned onto Addie. She quickly looked away from her. "What the heck are you?!"
"That's rude." Addie crossed her arms.
"Oh, I forgot to warn you." Nina frowned between the two paladins. The Truthsayer and the Lady of a Thousand Faces. "Colette can see through lies, Addie. Colette, Addie is nothing but lies. So, it might be strange trying to look at her."
"I think I'm going to retch." Colette shook her head. It was outright disorienting trying to look at Addie's face. As though she were becoming air sick while riding on a ship that couldn't fly in a straight line.
"I rather like this face." Addie said primly, fluffing her hair. It was the one that made her look like kin to Nina.
"Colette Toinette." Firmin's soft voice turned their attention back to him.
Colette's smile faded as she glared at the general. His stoic face and lack of emotion made it impossible for even her eyes to read him correctly. It was more like looking at a flat painting than a flesh and blood person.
She forced herself to put the carefree grin back in place. "Firmin, is that you? Why, I haven't seen you since the last time we were in South Gate. Your hair got longer. You should cut it back again. It doesn't look nearly so good around your face."
Firmin didn't react, but Emilien frowned in confusion. Was she serious?
"You're still three against an army." He said, banishing her words with a wave of his hand. "Give yourselves up peacefully, and I promise no further harm to any of you."
"Somehow, I doubt the validity of that promise." Nina's legs ached in time with her heartbeat. "And we aren't just three common soldiers. We're three paladins."
"Unnaturals." Firmin corrected. "Affronts to the Lord. You don't deserve the life that you've squandered."
"Surrender now, and we can resolve this without further bloodshed." Emilien prompted, trying to inject more calm and reassurance into his voice to make up for the lack of any sort of emotion that came through Firmin's.
"Colette, how far away is your ship?" Nina asked her softly without turning her eyes from either general.
"Nicolas is pulling around the mini to pick up whoever is left aboard your boat. So, you don't have to worry about them crashing. The Recovery should be here in just a few minutes though."
"I see. Addie, how well do you know the Tilde?"
"Like the back of my hand." Addie admired that very limb for a moment.
"Then it will be two against an army."
"As you say." Addie smirked. "Ready whenever you two are."
"Please, stop." Emilien frowned at them. "You can do nothing here. Just surrender."
"In the name our Lord that gave us our powers," Nina pointed the Devoir at his chest, "and in the name of my king whose people you have brought war against, I will never surrender. We have pledged our swords and our powers to the defense of this country, against any who would try to harm it. Surrender, and we promise no further harm onto you. Continue to fight against us, and we shall drive your ship from the sky."
A few of the soldiers standing around the women started laughing. It seemed like such a funny remark coming from three minimally armed, unarmored women facing against an entire army.
Emilien, however, did not find the threat amusing. He found it eerie. Because he could just imagine what Nina could do on her own. What about the other two...?
It was Firmin, however, that gave the order. "Kill them."
The soldiers started forward.
Nina and Colette took a step back together. Addie came forward. She lifted her hands up to her face and pushed them back, smoothing them over her head, down her hair. Leaving the formerly platinum strands black and shiny, like a raven's wing, as her eyes burned brightly green. The very image of Queen Sabine stepped forward with confidence. Pouty lips, alabaster skin, beautiful in an almost disturbing way.
Firmin's inhuman shell broke and he stared at his leader in shock. The soldiers that could see her face similarly paused, confused and uncertain for a long moment. The order to kill her clashed against their instinct to protect their queen.
"Firmin," she said, her voice quaking.
The general started, mouth opening in surprise.
"It's a trick!" Emilien yelled, lifting his arm. He pulled the trigger on his vambrace.
The dart fired but Colette was already there. She cut the tiny projectile from the air, sending him a grin as Addie ran forward, bursting past the dumbfounded Firmin and the soldiers directly around him. She ran past them all and, with a single jump, leapt through the open hatch into the ship belly below.
"Get her!" Emilien ordered.
The soldiers that gave chase ran down after her but found only a single crew member making his way down towards the engine.
The remaining soldiers on deck ran to capture Colette and Nina together. The paladin that could see a man's movements before he made it, and the woman that could react to them before they finished. They put their backs together and faced the onslaught.
Colette's specialty was taking on multiple opponents at once. Nina's power also tended to give her favor to win even in a heavily lopsided battle like this one.
Emilien ground his teeth together as the two of them fought off an entire regiment of soldiers like they were children playing at being military men. He watched as four of his men fell at once to Colette, and another three were taken down by Nina.
"She's tiring."
Firmin's voice turned his eyes. "Sir?"
"Nina Benoite. She's tiring. She's getting slower. It's incremental, but she is slowing." Firmin's eyes were following her carefully, tracking her movement with a direct gaze that Emilien rarely saw from his commanding officer. He must be taking her quite seriously.
"The other isn't, though." Emilien pointed out Colette who seemed to be getting more energized the longer the fight went on. That she was continuing to cut through his men like a scythe through grass with such a bright, almost innocent smile on her face unnerved him more than slightly. These unnatural women were so demented that this one even seemed to enjoy fighting.
"Leave that one to me." Firmin drew his sword. "Let the soldiers exhaust Benoite. She'll fall eventually."
"Not before she kills dozens of our men." Emilien pointed out, wishing that he could be more surprised by Firmin's lack of concern for the privates.
"They're common foot soldiers. This is what they're for. Though, if you care that much, maybe you should deal with her yourself."
Emilien's jaw clenched. It hadn't been a real offer, nor was it particularly mocking. It was Firmin equating Emilien to the same worthless status that he held the other troops.
For the life of him, Emilien would never understand what it was that Queen Sabine saw in Firmin that she would trust him as much as she did. Emilien tried to comfort himself, thinking that he served Queen Sabine and Gascony, not Firmin. However, when his commanding officer was so willing to throw away his and everyone else's life so easily, it was hard to remember.
However, Emilien was also not the type to allow his soldiers to fight for him, nor die for him, if he wasn't willing to put his life on the line similarly.
Drawing his sword, he moved towards Nina.
She was injured. The wounds in her legs had broken open. She could feel the wet heat of her own blood as it soaked through the bandages. The pain medication that she had taken earlier was completely ineffective at this moment.
And she was getting slower. Not so slow that these men could land a hit on her. At least, not yet. But it wouldn't take long. Her only comfort was that, at least, Colette was at her back.
Her partner was well-fed, well-rested, and uninjured. She was beating her way through the throng of soldiers with an erratic, energetic kind of fighting style that had her moving in and around the men so quickly it was dizzying.
Not nearly as quickly as Nina. The men she took down often didn't see her coming. She was just suddenly there, driving her sword through their hearts, across their necks. Trying to find whatever vulnerable point in their armor that she could.
She was fast; too fast to follow easily with his eyes. However, Emilien was already seeing a pattern in her movements. She moved in one straight line, stopped, oriented herself, then moved again. She was too fast for them to see, but also too fast for her own self to see. She had to stop moving at her unholy pace in order to determine her next route.
And once he found that pattern, he lifted his vambrace and took aim. He only need to wait until she got into a position. During that brief second where she gathered herself...
"Nina! Your back!" Colette yelled suddenly as Nina came to a halt, almost directly within Emilien's target zone.
She turned, dropped in one motion, as he fired immediately, trying to take advantage of the shot she had inadvertently offered him.
The dart sailed right over her head, hitting against the next of one of his soldiers behind her. Emilien growled as the man began wobbling in place as the drug took effect.
Nina was back on the move. Emilien didn't see her, but he brought up his sword to catch the blow he figured was likely to follow. Nina's sword struck against his, creating a dissonant hum as the two different metals crashed together.
"You're injured, Nina." Emilien grunted, pushing back against her. "You cannot keep fighting."
"Whose fault do you think that is?" She asked angrily.
She threw herself backwards, turning into another blur before she came to a halt.
"I did what I had to in order to protect my people." He said. His soldiers were standing back. None of them wanted to come in closer to fight with her any longer. If their general wanted to take over, they were more than happy to give him room.
"And as much as I respect that, you still locked my legs in snapper traps!" Nina's hand tightened against Devoir's hilt, shaking in her rage. "You muzzled a child like a mad dog and starved her because you were afraid! You were complicit in Audi's daily beatings, and the Lord only knows what you or those priests did to Adilla."
Emilien stared at her, confused. "Who are you talking about?"
The question immediately derailed Nina's anger. She found herself staring at him in slack-jawed disbelief. "You... You don't even know their names, do you?"
"The unnaturals you escaped with?"
Nina struck, so quickly he didn't see her move. He felt a flash of pain against his cheek as blood welled up from the deep mark she left on his face. He turned, quickly, red droplets running down his chin, to see her turning back to him.
Her face was aloof and proud, her shoulders strong and steady. She faced Emilien with a piercing gaze as she leveled her Devoir at him again.
"They are not unnaturals. They are paladins. Just as I am. We are sisters. They are humans. Which is more than I can say for a monster such as yourself."
The label startled Emilien. Before he could react to it, she moved again, rushing towards him. But the speed of her last attack, so fast she had outright disappeared from his vision, had taken its toll on her body.
Her legs felt weaker, heavier now. She couldn't move as fast. She was still too quick to be natural, but now no longer so much that Emilien couldn't keep up with her. Her strikes, rapid as a snake strike and just as deadly, put him on the defensive.
Nina pushed him back.
Emilien's sword was thicker than the standard saber. Each blow of Nina's thinner, almost rapier style, blade made their different swords sing in dissonant tones. Sparks flew along with shards of metal as her superior steel hack away at his.
Nina cut in a large, downward swing. Her sword sliced through the metal, stopping almost halfway across, and becoming stuck. They tugged against each other. Emilien growled, then yanked her forward.
Nina cried out, losing her balance. His hand caught around her throat and he squeezed. Not tight enough to choke her, but just enough to make it hard to breath. She began scratching at his face, aiming her claws for his eyes. She missed the delicate orbs as he tried to lean away. However, she didn't miss the new slice across his cheek.
Emilien cried out, jerking backward and releasing her, as she ripped the laceration open, creating a flap of skin that tickled along his jaw. He slapped his hand against his face, pushing the skin back up and into position.
Nina, unprepared for him to drop her so quickly, had fallen to her knees. She was quick to push herself back up. She still held onto the hilt of her sword and was trying to shake it free from Emilien's. He lifted his arm again, aiming his vambrace.
A cry of pain stopped them both. They turned at the same moment, looking across the deck of the ship to where Firmin had caught up with Colette.
Colette's skill in battle came from her ability to see her opponent's moves before he even fully committed to making them. However, as far as General Firmin was concerned, she couldn't see what his intentions were. When she fought him, it was as though her power didn't exist at all. And, for all her abilities, without that advantage, Firmin was the greater fighter.
Colette pushed herself up on her left hand, flinching as it moved her right hand. A large gash cut across the back of her forearm, bleeding heavily onto the wooden deck. Firmin walked towards her prone body calmly, as though he had all the time in the world.
He lifted his sword-
"Didier, no!" Emilien yelled, heart clenching.
Nina's and Emilien's conjoined swords dropped to the ground. She sprinted across the deck. Colette, instead of trying to protect herself, dropped her arms and left herself open to attack. Nina was too tired, she was moving too slow-
The blade came down, striking against the strange silver top that Colette always wore. The sword slipped off of the impossibly tiny chain mail and slid down until the point of it cut through her hip. A cut no less painfully, but considerably less deadly.
Firming reared back, fully prepared to attempt it again.
Nina hit him broadside, tackling him with the full force of the speed she had gathered in the sprint across the ship deck. The two of them fell over, Nina landing across Firmin. She was quick to jump up, driving her foot down against his hand and crushing his fingers until he was forced to release his sword or allow the bones to break. She kicked the blade away as he grabbed her ankle with his other hand.
He yanked, sending her collapsing against the ground. She turned, bringing her foot up, then down again, aiming for his face. She missed, only succeeding in hitting his armor clad shoulder. Firmin jerked her closer, dragging her across the deck.
Once again, from the sky, the high pitched engine of a small airship cut through the battle. They turned and looked up as the same mini that Colette had come from flew over them again. Another body jumped from deck.
Erec hit the ground between the four of them. The soldiers that had been retreating to give their leaders room – and save their own hides – stared in genuine fear at this new visitor. If it had only taken two unnaturals to do this much damage, what else could this man accomplish?
"You..." Firmin frowned, his hand releasing Nina as he got a look at Erec's face.
She didn't squander her opportunity and scrambled back and away. Colette had gotten to her feet and grabbed Nina's arm, helping pull her up.
Erec unsheathed the sword he had borrowed from Nicolas, Griever, from his hip. He held it confidently, looking between Emilien and Firmin.
"What are you doing here?!" Nina yelled, terrified.
No! He shouldn't be here! This was the exact last place that she would ever want Erec to set foot. Why had he come after her? He was so close to being free!
"Nicolas said the Recovery is coming back around." He said, not answering her question. "We have to be ready to jump ship. Where's Addie?"
As though on cue, from below, a loud explosion suddenly rocked the Tilde.
"Get down there! Now!" Emilien yelled at the gawking soldiers. He couldn't see much in the darkness, but, as the soldiers ran to the hatches that led below deck to obey, he definitely caught the whiff of something burning from down below. He supposed that the first group hadn't been able to stop the unnatural that had escaped.
Though, he now understood why she had left the other two to fight alone.
There was still time to stop them!
Turning, Emilien jerked his and Nina's combined swords up from the ground. With a cry of effort, and a nasty, bone rattling screeching sound, he yanked the two apart. It was his sword that came away worse from the wear.
Dropping his own blade, he brandished Nina's instead, rushing towards Erec with it clenched firmly in hand.
Erec, surprised to see Devoir held in Emilien's fist, almost didn't bring up Nicolas' Griever in time to catch the strike as it was aimed for his heart.
Across the deck, Nina moaned in fear to see Erec drawn into battle with Emilien.
"Hey!" Colette pinched her arm, catching her attention. "We don't have time for you to be making eyes at him."
"I was not-" Nina cut herself off. The defense was a lie anyway. And they had neither the time nor the luxury for her to bother with impropriety or embarrassment at the moment.
They needed a new plan. Just to buy themselves enough time for Addie to come back up and the opportunity for Nicolas or the Recovery to come around and retrieve them.
Colette had difficulty fighting Firmin. He not only robbed her of her advantage, he put her in a situation that she was unaccustomed to fighting in. And, while Nina was all for adapting yourself to new and different situations, it wasn't the time nor place for such a luxury. Especially when, to Nina, Firmin was just another opponent.
"Colette, take out the common soldiers."
"Huh? Why?"
"Leave Firmin to me."
"I see. And Cesaire?"
Nina's jaw clenched. But she couldn't protect him forever. She didn't have the right to stop him from fighting, especially not when it came to defending his own people, his own kingdom. No matter how much it pained her to put him in danger...
"Leave Emilien to Erec. You handle the soldiers."
"As you command." Colette released her arm before turning to the soldiers. Most of them were trying to go below deck and chase after Addie. Simultaneously, they were blocking off the exits from below and trying to prevent her from coming up.
Stepping forward, Colette lifted Covenant from the ground. Nina turned from her and looked back to Firmin. He wasn't paying her any mind.
"That's where I know him from. Prince Erec himself." Firmin had heard Nina call him by name and, though Erec was hardly an uncommon moniker, it wasn't very hard to make the leap from Nina Benoite the paladin to Erec Thierri the crown prince.
"That's why you were so determined to let him escape." Firmin turned back to face her. He didn't appear startled by Erec's identity, nor satisfied with having deduced it. "Now, how did the crown prince come to be lost inside Gascony?"
Nina didn't respond but to face him fully, pulling her sheath from her hip. Emilien had taken Devoir, and the sword he had dropped was too far to claim for herself, she would have to make do with what she had.
Firmin saw her raise her sheath against him and calmly pointed his own sword at her. There was no mockery in his gaze, nor any sense of confusion. He appeared as though he didn't feel anything at all and only reacted because it was expected that he do so.
Though Nina did not possess Colette's eyes, she still felt a shiver down her back to face a man that seemed so disconnected from reality. Everyone had the power to read someone, even just slightly, but Firmin was nothingness itself.
They stared at each other, unmoving. He was waiting for her to attack. Nina's hand gripped tighter around her sheath as she hardened her jaw. If he just wanted to glare until the Recovery came around, that was fine with her.
He seemed to realize that she was unwilling to step forward if she didn't have to do so. She was tired and injured, if she could delay the fight that would be better. Firmin, however, had no time to waste on someone so disinterested in the battle.
Firmin turned, setting his eyes on Erec. The prince was focused on beating back Emilien's attack. The stolen Devoir was stronger than Nicolas' Griever, and the superior steel was eating out shards from the edge of the blade with each strike.
Firmin moved towards Erec. Nina ran for him. Just as he knew she would.
He turned as she drew even with him, swinging out his sword in a wide arm. It bit into the body of the sheath, splintering the edge. Nina pulled it away then came back, trying to strike Firmin as though it were a club.
Another loud boom echoed up from below. This one didn't rock the ship; however, it did set a bright orange light blazing from the stern of the ship, near the base where the engine was stored. They couldn't see the fire from on deck, but they could certainly see the luminous glow that it created from below.
"What is she doing down there?" Nina mumbled to herself, suddenly worried. Their goal was to make the Tilde slowly sink. If it just suddenly dropped from the sky, they would all perish.
While she was standing there, worried, Firmin took advantage of her momentary lapse in concentration. He struck out with his sword. Nina barely managed to bring up the sheath, but the awkward angle at which she caught the attack twisted it back against her fingers. She flinched in pain as it slipped from her grasp and skidded across the deck.
"General! Enemy ship approaching from the starboard side!" Someone – a soldier or crew member, Nina couldn't be sure – yelled at Firmin.
The general wasn't distracted from his goal. Nina moved backwards, put on the defensive by her lack of weapon. Firmin was trying to strike her down quickly, to avoid giving her time to escape. Her tired legs weren't up to carrying her far anyway.
A sound from behind her had her turning. She jumped back at the last second, barely avoiding the strike from the soldier who had been standing around watching the fight. Firmin had driven her into a wall. She turned back to the general as he advanced on her slowly.
"I shall grant you mercy now," he said coldly, lifting his sword.
"Nina!"
Griever, beaten and abused, was thrust into her field of view, catching Firmin's sword as he was bringing it down. The two blades caught against each other, Firmin's having fallen into one of the divots Nina's superior Devoir had carved along its body by Emilien's hand.
The lieutenant general was standing back, seemingly surprised by his sudden lack of opponent. Erec had run from him so quickly that he hadn't had time to react.
"Attacking an unarmed, injured woman? That's low, even for you, Didier." Erec growled, his arms shaking with the force of holding Firmin back.
"Cesaire. Kill her." Firmin said simply, turning his focus onto Erec.
Emilien frowned, looking at Nina. He knew that he should see an unnatural abomination, a threat to his very way of life and the safety of his people. But, he could only focus on the blood running down her legs. The way they shook with fatigue in their continued effort to keep her upright. She had no weapon and she had no way to defend herself.
Such an attack...
Emilien clenched his jaw. "Surrender, Nina. My offer of mercy still stands."
She took in a ragged breath. "I've seen what Gascony thinks mercy is, Cesaire. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather you just kill me outright."
"Nina, please. This is serious! Your soul is on the line here. Are you so very attached to your power, that you would risk damnation and destruction just to keep it?"
Nina's breathing slowed and she fixed him with a surprisingly sharp stare. "Are you so very sure that I risk damnation? Have you ever considered, for even a moment, that maybe you're the one who's wrong?"
He blinked at her, the words barely registering in his mind.
From behind her, the massive shadow of the Recovery, still only about two-thirds the size of Tilde, came sailing into view. Ballistae fire from both ships echoed loudly in the air as the two vessels immediately started shooting at one another.
"Let's go!" Colette shouted from the hatch where she was helping up a man who was quickly turning into the woman that resembled Nina.
Addie thanked her with a head nod and the two of them turned to run towards the side of the ship.
Emilien and Nina didn't look away from each other.
"What did you just say?" He asked, as though the question had lacked any meaning.
"Who started this war, Cesaire? Who keeps it going?"
"You did! By killing our king!"
"And, whoever told you that we killed King Robert?" She asked, almost supremely calm.
A large gangplank fell from the side of the recovery and hit the rail of the Tilde. A man on the other side called out something that was lost to the wind. Addie ran across the gangplank. Colette jumped on and turned, striking out at the soldiers that tried to follow.
"Nina! Erec!" Addie yelled from the deck of the Recovery.
Emilien's hand tightened on the sword he had taken from her. He forced himself to push the words from his mind. It was a trick. She was trying to make him lose focus!
"If you don't surrender, you leave me no choice! Die in peace!"
He rushed for her.
She startled him when she did the same.
They clashed in the middle, Nina grabbing his arms, the sword arm and the vambrace arm, and forcing them up and out of range of hitting her. She looked him right in the eye.
"My sword is called Devoir." She told him. "It means duty. Obligation. It is what has guided me through my life."
Emilien stared at her. He could move, he knew he could. Yet, somehow, he still couldn't...
Behind them, Firmin's strike finally broke the abused Griever. Erec cursed before rearing back. He threw the sword at Firmin. The general batted it out of the air. Erec had already turned and was running towards Nina.
"It is what guides you." Nina continued, staring at Emilien quite calmly. "We aren't so different, you and I."
"We are nothing alike." Even he didn't sound convinced.
Nina released him, and though he had the opportunity, he still couldn't bring himself to strike her. She gave him an unreadable look.
"I suppose, Devoir is yours now." She had no way of retrieving it. Not unless he returned it to her willingly. She took a step back. "Keep it. With my blessing. And, in return, do me this one favor and consider, for just a moment, but seriously contemplate, that you might be wrong. You don't even have to consider that I'm right, but reflect on what it would mean if you weren't right either."
Emilien just stared at her.
As he passed by, Erec grabbed Nina by the arm. They two of them sprinted away together, and Emilien made no move to stop either one of them.
Colette slashed outward, clearing a path for them. Erec jumped up and rushed past her, letting his hand slide down Nina's arm to lace his fingers with hers. The two of them raced across. Only once they were clear did Colette turn and run after them.
One of the crew members of the Recovery, instead of trying to pull the gangplank back, just cut the lines hold it in place. It collapsed and began falling. The two Gascony soldiers that had tried to follow them attempted to jump back. Only one of them made it, grabbing hold of the edge of the deck and holding on tightly as his brethren rushed to help.
The valuable cargo retrieved, the Recovery had no reason to stay and continue the fight. The helmsman began pulling them away. Nina and Erec stood by the rail, watching as the soldiers scrambled to return to their posts to continue firing on the enemy ship.
The Recovery, smaller and faster than the Tilde, passed it quickly and began turning around the stern with practiced ease.
Nina left that rail and rushed across to the opposite one. Erec was quick to follow her. The two of them reached the other side as they were passing by again, returning to South Gate. She could easily distinguish, among the quickly moving soldiers and crew, two still forms.
Firmin, staring, but not quite looking, at them as they escaped.
And Emilien, staring at her specifically. His hand was tight on Devoir. Erec frowned as he realized her sword was in his hands.
"Is that okay?" He asked, looking at her, worried.
"They can't replicate Ferrant's ability to make swords just by having hold of one." Nina said calmly, the wind whipping at her hair. "And... it felt like the right thing to do."
"He's going to use that sword against our people."
"Yes, he is. And, every time he looks at it, he's going to remember me. He's going to remember the words I left him with."
Ballistae fire continued to ring out from the Tilde. Orange flames were licking at the back and the bottom. The ship was slowly lowering from the sky. Emergency escape boats were being loaded down as people realized they weren't going to save the ship.
The Recovery escaped in front of the Tilde, and even when Nina leaned out over the railing, she could no longer spot Emilien or anyone else aboard.
Erec covered her hand where it sat on the rail. He held on tight and the two of them watched in silence as more and more escape boats were released from the ship. None of them had weapons, and none of them had particularly fast or complex engines. They would likely take the survivors back to Isaie, but no further.
While Nina continued to look back, Erec turned his eyes forward. The mountain range was almost upon them now. He could actually see the lights of South Gate, just barely, twinkling in the darkness from the other side.
A thud against the ground had him whipping his head back. Nina had fallen onto her bottom and was blinking in surprise, as though confused about how she got there. Erec kneeled down beside her, touching her shoulder.
"Are you, all right? What happened?"
"I-I'm fine. I think... my legs just gave out on me." She frowned at the bloody bandages. Most of them had unraveled and were hanging limply around her legs. She didn't have shoes to protect her bare feet and she could just barely see the bottom of them and the multitude of cuts and scrapes that covered them after the battle.
It was strange though, she didn't feel it...
Erec grimaced at the state of her legs. Gently, trying not to jostle them, he wrapped his arms underneath her and picked her up. Nina clutched onto his shoulders, surprised at the way her head spun when he stood up.
"You need to lay down." Erec told her, turning back to the ship.
Colette had already reunited with Nicolas and the two of them were walking their way. Nicolas appeared just as disturbed by the sight of Nina's injured legs and feet as Erec did. Colette, however, was smiling brightly.
"Excellent work." She complimented, coming even with them.
"Is there some place I can lay her down?" Erec asked, his grip tightened.
Nina wanted to protest and insist that she could walk. Her tongue felt too fat in her mouth to try to form the words, and her heavy lids took so much effort to try and keep up.
"Grandmother has medical quarters arranged." Colette smiled. "We didn't know what state you would be in when we found you. They'll be waiting for us when..."
Colette's voice faded into a muffle mumble as gray tugged at the edge of Nina's vision. She realized too late that she was passing out and, even as she gave a thought to trying to fight it, she realized that she didn't want to. She allowed herself to lose conscious, grabbing gratefully onto the opportunity to just sleep, even if it was sleep forced onto her by her own overtired brain.
Nina didn't remember much about South Gate. They didn't stay there long and when she wasn't sleeping, she was only waking long enough to gorge herself on whatever food was placed under her tired nose. It was mostly soups and broths. Easy to digest and easier to eat. The pieces of meat and vegetables chopped up into it had been so finely diced that, there were times, that she didn't even really have to chew them.
She had vague flashes and memories of the room she stayed in, and one more of the bright blue sky as she was taken away from it. But, when she finally roused to full consciousness, she was enjoying the gentle swaying of an airship as an open window in the room she had been placed in allowed in a cooling autumn breeze.
She blinked at the sunlight coming in from outside, for a long moment wondering why she felt so strange to be looking at it. For a full minute, she didn't realize why until she realized that it was odd because she wasn't expecting to be on a ship large enough to have a room with a window. Nor was she expecting to be laying there with absolutely no urge to get up.
There was nothing for her to do. There was no task she had to accomplish. They had crossed back over the barrier mountains. They were home, and heading back to Gwenael.
Since there was no reason to do so, Nina made no attempt to push herself up. She remained tightly tucked under the blanket, staring out at the sky, as though she hadn't woken at all. Her eyes blinked slowly and, when her door opened, her head turned towards it even more so.
Erec came walking in, bearing a tray with a bowl of steaming broth in his hands. The scent of the food immediately made her stomach clench in anticipation and hunger. He caught sight of the brightness of her eyes and a smile formed on his face.
"I brought food. The physician says you can even have bread, if you soak it in the broth first."
Bread sounded delicious. "Thank you." She whispered, her voice hoarse.
Erec blinked at her, as though startled. His smile slipped away and he hurriedly put down the food so he could sit on the edge of her bed. He touched her cheek.
"Nina? Are you awake?"
She grinned. "You were just talking to me, and that surprises you?"
"Well, you weren't actually awake the last few times. You just kind of stared and moved around." He rested his forehead down against her. "How are you feeling?"
"Heavy."
"Yeah, the physician said you would be. He said you had fatigue sickness."
"My legs?" Nina frowned downward. She still didn't really want to move, but she fought against the urge to remain where she was as she pushed herself up. There was a twinge of pain along her calves, but it wasn't terrible.
Erec helped her sit up and lean back against the wall before he pushed her blanket back and showed her the fresh bandages covering her legs. Her calves and her feet. She frowned as she wiggled her toes. It was painfully to try, but not overly much, and at least she could still do it.
"The physician said they were infected. You had a fever for a couple days, but it broke last night. I guess that's why you're up today." He smiled, pleased.
"Days? How long was I asleep?"
"This is day six." He grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear. "We're almost at Gwenael. You've slept through nearly the whole journey. We're going to take you to see Master Hue first thing when we get back. We're going right to the Magnesium District."
"We have to report to the king."
"And we will, but your health comes first." Erec leaned forward, kissing her cheek gently. He smiled, trying to not let her see how it disturbed him the way her pale skin felt so cold under his lips. "Father will understand. I'll report to him myself. As soon as I see you settled in Master Hue's clinic."
Nina could fight him, but she didn't have the energy. Instead, she looked over at the food that was steaming on her bedside table. Her mouth watered just to see it. Erec followed her line of sight. With a smile, he picked up the tray. Just as he had been doing for the last few days, even when she was fatigued and delirious, he helped her eat.
It was a surprisingly exhausting endeavor. And, as her belly became full, Nina found herself once again wanting to slip away into unconsciousness. She yawned as Erec placed the empty bowl down.
"Sleep." He ordered, standing to his feet. "We'll be home soon."
"Erec." She stopped him before he could reach the exit. He turned back curiously and was surprised to see a bright red blush across her face.
She shifted a bit, embarrassed. But, that didn't stop her from asking.
"Will you stay with me? Just... until I fall asleep."
A slow smile pulled at Erec's lips. He turned back without a word and came to join her. She moved over to give him room and he sat down, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side. He lifted her blanket up over her, sharing his warmth and trying to keep it in so that he could banish the chill he felt on touching her.
"We'll be home soon?" She asked softly, her eyes already closing. With him there, she felt so comfortable that she didn't even want to try to fight off sleep.
"I can't wait to see everyone again." He nodded, brushing down her hair. "Nina?"
"Mm?" Her voice was soft, barely audible.
"When we arrive, we really need to talk."
"About?" She yawned again. More delicately this time.
"About us. About what we do now."
He looked down we he didn't receive a response. She had fallen back asleep already. He rested his head down against hers.
They had plenty of time now. He could wait a bit longer. It seemed too much like torture after all this time wishing they could be together. Especially now that he was so close.