The Union

In a sunny day of late Spring, the Tulosan civil war finally ended . Erik does not know the number of casualties . Leave that for the historians and scribblers and even tavern gossipers to decide . He did his job . He did his duty . And now it was over . They had won and the lion"s banner flies alongside the Pelican and the horseman in the tower .

Seeing the battlefield, he held the medallion that hung on his neck . "I did it Tim", he mumbled to himself, addressed to a man a hundred league away . Yes, he did his part . He was afraid once that he would not be able to fill his father"s shoes . The late Marquis Benedict was renowned for both his honor and his sword . He wasn"t smart, no that wasn"t the case as was most commanders thrust into duty by the virtue of their n.o.ble blood . But Marquis Benedict had been in songs and plays . He was a great man and a good father nonetheless .

It was a strange feeling, surpa.s.sing his father"s achievements . All his life, he looked up to his father . Once he dreamt of being in songs and plays and poems too . He wanted his name to be whispered in taverns and streets . It would be nice if the serfs talk about him while planting their crops . It would be good if the future n.o.ble children would have to learn about his exploits in their history cla.s.ses . Now Erik had achieved it . When future generations talk about the second Tulosan Civil War, they would talk about him .

"You are not going to scold me?" Without even turning his head, Erik knew it was Emily .

"I am a mere Marquis . Scolding a Queen would get me executed"

"You say that but you were always scolding me"

"Is that so?" Erik walked forward . Balian"s knights who surrendered were lined and stripped of their armor . As what would happen to them, Erik had no idea . He once skimmed through the book of knights and there wasn"t a page detailing punishment for those who supported the wrong side in the war .

"Have you seen them?" Erik asked

"No" Emily shook her head "There was no point in doing so anyway . They are dead . What they were and what they did, it doesn"t matter now . I have a whole Kingdom to take care of"

"You have a whole kingdom to fix . You have work piled up" Erik looked around "It"s a beautiful land . Diverse culture and strong faiths" Erik smiled "And what about him? Have you talked to him?"

"I have"

"And would you mind me prying into your personal life a bit?"

Emily chuckled "My father would continue being the captain of my royal guard . Our talk wasn"t teary like what you"re imagining right now . I still don"t feel like warming up to him . But I"ll feel safe with him guarding me"

"That is good" Erik pushed the door open . Henry was with his mother and sister, eating . A scarred man who must be Earl Kolla and a woman dressed in green satin sat on the other side . The big cheeks of Commodore Bernard was stuffed with the roasted leg of a pigeon .

"The tribal leaders?" Erik asked, expecting to see the room full . The tribes of the Great Plains rode with them and their leaders deserve a place on this little feast he prepared .

"They did come earlier" Henry said as he transferred more food into the plate of his sister "But soon two chiefs were in an argument . Sides were taken and it became rowdy . In the end they all left"

"I"ve heard one Chief say that he"d rather dine with a flea rather than with a bearded Redhoof" Bernard laughed loudly "Funny fellow he is"

Erik sat beside the Priestess . The food was appetizing . It wasn"t too fresh . Only the meat looked good . The pigeon, a delicacy in Castonia, was burnt .

"You must be the Priestess" Erik held out his hand towards the woman "I am honored to meet the head of the faith of the Great Rider"

Priestess Seymore shook his hand "I am more honored that the Marquis of Castonia sat beside me . Well this might be for the best for I have something to tell you" She looked at the rest of the people seated "To all of you"

"And what might that be?" Erik was starting to get amused . Just as he thought, the Priestess wasn"t boring .

"This might be the best way to explain without much words" The Priestess reached her hand towards Erik . She cupped the medallion hung on his neck . It glowed .

Erik flinched as he studied the face of the Priestess . She is one of them . Henry and Emily were frightened too . Erik reached to the hilt of his dagger slung on his hips . He hoped that the woman wouldn"t blast him to pieces or something .

"Would you really bleed a woman in front of a child?" She smiled as she looked at Henry"s sister . She then retracted her hand "Fear not for I am not your enemy . I was sent here to cause trouble in Tulosa . I have grown in power, being, as you said, the head of a faith . But I have given up on this mission of chaos . I am but a lowly woman who have taken residence in Tulosa"

"Priestess…" The Earl beside her muttered

"I apologize Kolla . I truly do . I am not who you think I am"

"What do you want?" Erik said, perhaps a little too harsh .

"I can see visions and prophecies" The Priestess explained "I have seen many throughout the ages . My visions came true and that"s why the believers of the Great Rider hailed me as a holy woman"

"Your vision about an armored man on a lion charging with the horse came true" Erik nodded "That is your gift"

"Oh that one was a lie . Sometimes a lie is a prophecy of its own . A lie could come true . But you are right . I am gifted with visions"

"So what do you want? You haven"t answered my question yet" Erik started eating but his anxiety remained .

"What I want is to give you a message . Disregard it, question it, do anything you want with it, but I am prompted nonetheless to give it to you"

"A message?" Erik questioned, eyebrows met .

"Throughout the years, there was a single vision that kept repeating . I have tried to decipher what it meant but I couldn"t . It is yet to come true"

Erik leaned closer to her . His eyes fixed on hers . "What did you see?"

"I saw an impostor" The Priestess" voice was chilling "I saw it with a mask . A crown was on its head, perched high and perched proud . The impostor was seated on throne high on a pedestal . People worshiped the impostor bowing so low by the millions"

"What does it mean?"

"I don"t know" She shook her head . Sad and drab expression was on her "I truly don"t . Other visions are clearer than the others . The ones with the largest impacts are those that are vague . And this one, this is the vaguest of them all . Through my contacts I already know that the Resistance and Shadow suspects that King Timothy and Queen Lucia are the two missing legends . They are destined for greatness . The heavens itself has etched their destiny . Tell them to be careful of this impostor"

"But according to your vision, the impostor will win in the end"

"The impostor shall triumph, yes . But still, tell them to be careful"

Erik drowned in a deep thought . Why can"t the world be simple? Why do things like shadowy men and man bears exist? It would have been better if logic and common knowledge is all there is .

"Thank you for your warning" Erik said "I will write to them as soon as possible . If you don"t mind me asking, what are you going to do now?"

"I will stay as the Priestess of course . I am not holy but the unity I bring is true enough . I will help you as much as I could . You will know if I have a new vision"

"Then we will be waiting for your wisdom Priestess Seymore"

The meal went through without much interruptions and surprises- just like how Erik likes it . That very evening, he sent a letter to Timothy regarding what happened and the vision .

A few days later and he received a reply . He was recalled to Greenwater to manage things for a while . The Castonians will also come home . Henry would stay though, true to his new position as the Grand Master . He still had a responsibility to fulfill .

After Erik was finished with the letter, he had a smile . He can finally go home and be with Sylvie and his mother again . He missed them . He longed for them . The arid atmosphere here in Tulosa was so different from the salty air of Greenwater .

He held the medallion and looked at it . The gem in the middle wasn"t glowing with his touch . Let it stay that way, he thought . He had enough of magic and curiosities . It had been a tiring . But at long last, it was finally time to go home .