The Union

Henry patted on the empty side of the stone bench in the garden. Freya sat beside him.

"I don"t know. A month at best. I"ll pray to the Omniscient that I will be able to come back as soon as possible."

This made Freya sad. Henry was the one her heart chose but their situation was complicated. He was a Tulosan and she was a Castonian. She knew that Henry had a home and he will go back to that home in the future. Their worlds were different. But she was still hoping that this thing between them will work out somehow.

"I"m sorry" Freya said. "I couldn"t go with you. Lucia needs someone managing information coming from her merchants and spies."

Henry gripped her hand. His callused hand was firm. "I understand. And even if you don"t have responsibilities, I wouldn"t want you to come with me. We"re not going on a vacation. The battlefield is not a place for a lady."

"What about Lucia? She was going right?"

"She"s… different. I was surprised at first after I heard that she will be coming but King Timothy told me that he needs her. Something to do with decisions or something"

Freya looked at Henry. She engraved the sketch of his face on her mind. "I will miss you."

"Me too. I will write you letters don"t worry. I will tell you everything that happened."

Freya gave a weak nod. "Please be safe."

Henry slid off the bench and knelt in front of her. He held both of her hands. "I will. I am your personal Knight Miss Freya Hall. With the Omniscient as witness, I pledge my heart to you. So wait for me."

Freya"s eyes were slightly wet.

"Even if it"ll take years, I will wait for you."

**********

Sylvie was limping towards Erik. Her wound was painful but she trudged onward.

Erik"s guards noticed her and presented a wall of spears. Seeing the spears pointed towards her, she lost balance and fell down.

"Stand down morons!" Erik shouted from behind the guards. "You act like there was a cohort of cavalry charging towards me."

He slipped in between his guards and squatted in front of Sylvie. He grasped her arm and supported her back.

"Leave us." He ordered to the guards.

"But sire she is… "

"I don"t want to repeat myself. Leave us." Erik ordered again.

It took a while for the guards to turn around and leave. Sylvie was left alone with Erik.

"Why are you here? I was on my way to your room." He glanced at her wound. "I bet your wound is now open like a newly bloomed daisy. Are you crazy?"

"Maybe. I was just worried that you"ve already left."

"What are you talking about? I told you that I was on my way to your room."

"Yeah. But I didn"t know that and I was worried that you have forgotten about me." Sylvie said. She pushed her hand on the floor and leaned against wall.

Erik looked at her while frowning. "Do you have a fever? Hallucination of some kind? You"re different today. You"re not making fun of me."

"Well I would have but you know… " She looked at him intently.

"Ah yes. Because my father just died and I"m mourning. How considerate of you."

An awkward silence then followed which has never happened between them before.

"Is… your mother alright?" Sylvie said as she broke the silence.

"No. She"s been crying all night that I"m afraid her health would further deteriorate. Honestly I don"t want to leave her like this but I still have to get justice for my father. Also I"m now the Marquis of the Western Region so Timothy needs me."

"It suits you" Sylvie said. She eyed the golden chain that dangled across his chest. It was the mark of a Marquis.

She then grinned and remembered that just a few weeks ago, Erik looked like a beggar. "But your tattered clothes and stinky odor will always be my first impression of you"

Sylvie cupped her mouth as she remembered that this was not the time to joke around. Erik had just lost his father. "I"m sorry. Your circ.u.mstances slipped my mind. I should have been more careful"

Instead of getting angry, Erik also grinned. "No. Just act like how you used to. Although I"m grieving, I want to see the Sylvie that I know before I leave."

"Ohhh. Is this like a parting between couples then?"

Erik snorted. "Ha! You wish. You"re not my type."

"Really? Don"t lie Erik. You can"t lie to me. I am you type." Sylvie brushed the tip of her hair on Erik"s face. She winked at him.

"Nope. Not my type." He denied

The two of them looked at each other and burst out laughing together. Seeing him laugh delighted Sylvie. At least Erik was still the same despite the tragedy he just suffered.

Erik ruffled her hair. "Thank you for cheering me up. But I should go now."

"I guess this is goodbye?" Sylvie asked.

"For now" he answered

"Yes" she nodded. "For now"

**********

As he looked at his men, Timothy couldn"t help but feel a little bit overwhelmed. This was the largest host he led. Thousands of soldiers were already in line and they were only waiting for Henry and Erik.

The mult.i.tude of banners fluttered in the wind. Timothy could see the three new banners which displayed the coat of arms of his three legions. Since the day he came back from fighting Ivan, Timothy had started a reorganization of his army from the old system. In the new system, the whole army was divided into large groups of five thousand called Legions. The names of each were decided by the soldiers themselves. The first legion was Steelsword whose ranks were filled mostly with those from Castle Munico. The second was called Dawn which was composed of men from Thespelae. The third, to Timothy"s surprise and delight, was named Rooster by his original soldiers from Knightsend.

Also included in the mix were the flags of Inkit, Hadea and Canton, their three unreliable allies. Apparently his threat yesterday worked and the three representatives agreed to help fight against General Rickard. These people were unpredictable though. Lucia had warned him about their loyalty.

The last group of soldiers were the Vanadians which was composed mostly of mercenaries. Even though it was mercenaries who opened the gate of Knightsend to Rickard, Timothy still decided to use the remaining mercenaries of King Edmund. With Lucia"s careful handling, Timothy was confident that the mercenaries won"t betray them this time.

"They are late. I"m sure they are still smooching with their ladies." Arthur"s said.

Even though Arthur was somewhat useless in the eyes of Timothy, he still agreed to bring the prince along. He still had so many lessons to teach Arthur.

"Please be considerate brother" Lucia"s annoyed voice sounded. Her horse was next to Timothy"s. "Saying goodbye was never easy."

"She"s right son" King Edmund then looked at Lucia. "I remember the day Lucia left Holm. It was not easy to let go. I"m sure Marquis Erik and Henry are also the same with their loved ones."

"Henry? He"s the Knight right?" Arthur shook his head. "I don"t think the Tulosan has relatives here. Like what I said, he"s smooching with his lover."

Arthur continued complaining but Timothy closed his ears. He had no time to mind the blabbers of the prince. He turned his attention instead to Lucia. With her blue one-piece dress and white diadem, she was the very image of royalty.

He had already told Lucia of the Spectator"s visit last night. He told her everything except his request for the Spectator to save her if ever things go awry. Even though the Spectator"s offer was just some test of his personality, both of them agreed that using a.s.sa.s.sins against General Rickard and King Leopold will not solve their problems. General Rickard being a.s.sa.s.sinated will just make the monster a martyr. King Leopold a.s.sa.s.sination on the other hand will sow discontent among the people. Winning the crown in such fashion will make his rule shaky. The best and probably only way to unite Castonia and forge peace with Tulosa was to defeat both General Rickard and King Leopold in battle.

Finally the two men they have been waiting for had arrived. Henry and Erik reached his side almost simultaneously.

"I"m sorry. Saying goodbye to Freya was not easy. Took me a while" Henry said while bowing his head.

"I also said goodbye to a friend" Erik said.

Timothy did not delve further into their personal matters. With a wave of his hand, the entire army moved forward.

"Marquis Erik" he called.

"What is it Your Majesty?"

"It"s too silent. Tell the trumpeters to play the new song" Timothy said.

Erik smiled. He then told the trumpeters of what the King ordered.

The air was filled with the tune of a song. It was a song General Marvin hastily composed last night. By morning, the song had spread throughout the city.

In just a short time the tune from the trumpets was joined by the singing of the soldiers.

"Into the west we go

For justice into the west we go

Betrayal shall be repaid

A fake knight we shall cull

Into the west we go

With the King we march

Onward without halt

With haste we go

They should quiver

For we are coming, yes coming

Hunting for a fake knight

Into the west we go"