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Chapter Text

Chapter 1) Sunset

The land of Fodlan is blessed, though just 'who' did the blessing depends heavily on what you heard growing up. Northerners mention 'fairies' and a 'divine queen'. The east, particularly those who live along the mountain range, say 'spirits'. Those in the west often speak of 'angels' and 'demons'. No two stories are exactly the same, and most only share one similarity at all. Every tale stated that whoever blessed the land did so out of the kindness of their heart and it was this blessing that saved Fodlan many times over the centuries. The most recent form of this protection arrived just a few short months after the Invaders of the East first appeared in our lands.

At least, that is what Nemesis claimed, when he jumped down from the mountains and wielded a blade of fire that reaped armies as a farmer reaps wheat in the fields. He led the disorganized people of the east against the Invaders, unifying them with sheer charisma and might, and saved Fodlan. Of course, he had his generals, his Elites who bore weapons of similarly divine might, but he was the leader, the liberator. In fact, those of the east dubbed him their king, their King of Liberation, after the fighting calmed. There are some who think that it is simply a unique way to utilize Black and/or White magics, but with each passing year, the story of 'divine blessing' becomes more plausible. It has been nearly fifty years since the Invaders were driven back beyond the mountains, and yet Nemesis and his Elites have barely aged a single day and continue to display a might that far exceeds that of mere mortals.

That isn't to say things are peaceful, though. Nemesis's love of battle is well known, and the lands he governs are a place where the strong thrive, and the weak just… disappear. How strongly his Elites enforce this practice depends on the individual, but it is as much of a truth as the fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Many of those who live in the western lands have moved north and east for that exact reason, and many more move for the stability having strong, apparently immortal rulers provides. After all, the western lands are a hotbed of petty quarrels turned deadly, with the various nobles constantly warring with each other to determine the borders of their own lands and, more importantly, the range of their influence.

But it was in these chaotic lands that a saint 'appeared', spreading her kindness with every 'miracle' she performed. Many thought she came as an answer to prayers, living proof of the divine that protected and blessed the lands. But the truth was far darker, far bloodier, than the populace would ever learn, and that truth… changed everything. Forever.

The darkness of war is creeping across Fodlan, just as the night slowly claims the lands as the sun sets, and it is all Wilhelm's fault that I even got involved. Damn him.

I hated working on finances. You would think that I wouldn't, since I did always enjoy mathematics, but I truly, truly hated it. Though, part of the reason was how taxes had their own set of rules that ran from logic as if it had the plague, and how the taxes for each district of my lands had to be done completely differently. There was no set formula that I could use to get a definitive answer, because the taxes also had to take into account each district's condition. I had to hunt through all sorts of reports and notes to make sure that the taxes owed could reasonably be paid, or if I had to adjust. If I did have to adjust, then I also had to see which districts could afford a little extra taxation, so that the flow of coin through my lands kept steady. That was only part of what I had to do, mind. I also had to handle paying the soldiers who maintained the peace and protected the borders, as well as the staff. This included all the bonus pay and looking into each individual to see if there was anyone who needed a little extra for this month. If there was, I had to think of some sort of excuse so that I didn't wound anyone's fragile pride. It was all such a headache…

"Lady Kasimira?" Sieger's gentle voice pried me away from reading my notes about the soldiers, specifically one whose daughter recently gave birth. I had to see if I had already sent a gift, in addition to figuring out a way to give him time off and a bonus so that he could see his grandchild and the family could relax instead of going straight back to work. "Lady Kasimira."

"I heard you the first time," I replied, standing from my desk to reach one of the notebooks I kept on the shelf nearby. I flipped through the pages and skimmed through all the dates and notes written haphazardly across the pages, frowning as I noticed that one of the maids had an anniversary coming up. I would have to make sure she got time off for that; it was her second. "You know that."

"Of course." Still, he waited, so I sighed and closed the notebook, using my fingers to keep my place. Then I turned to look at him, barely resisting the urge to scowl or roll my eyes. Sieger had served me since we were both children, and I knew that if he was interrupting me, then it was something at least reasonably important. But it was still incredibly aggravating to be interrupted, especially when I already wasn't in a good mood. "Firstly, you neglected candles. Again."

"I can still see." Though it was storming, and the light was fading because of the hour, it wasn't quite dark yet. I would say we were in the earliest hours of sunset, at the latest. "I don't see the point in wasting the candles if there is enough light to work." Besides, the less candles I used, the more there were for the servants to use while handling the chores. I wanted them to use as many as they wanted, after all.

"One of my many jobs is to protect you, and that includes at least attempting to keep you from straining your eyes until you get a terrible headache. Again." Sieger's polite sarcasm was perhaps the closest he would ever get to scolding or yelling at me, and I definitely rolled my eyes then, leaning against the desk to ease the ache in my knees. He at least never got on me about perfect posture, as my tutors used to do. "And I don't know how you can see enough to read and write when I can barely see you."

"You know that I know that is a lie, right?" I was tempted to throw something harmless at him, like a wadded up piece of paper, but I knew he would dodge. He was, after all, one of the most skilled assassins I had. Anticipating movements (and dodging) was one of the requirements, as was incredible night vision. "Shall you tell another obvious one? Are you going to claim that your hair is white instead of black? I did like the one you told that last visitor about how your eyes were bright blue, not dark grey."

"I knew you would enjoy that. Their confusion was quite entertaining." Sieger bowed to hide his smile, with his ponytail falling over his shoulder. He had always worn it long, his one vanity. When we were children, I had brattishly delighted in pulling it. "Regardless, though, there is a visitor."

"...Is there?" I glanced out the nearby window, confirming the skies were dark with heavy rain and only growing darker. Few would come calling at this hour, especially in this sort of weather. "Who?" Sieger hesitated. I was going to hate this answer. "Sieger."

"Duke Hresvelg."

"Toss him out." I bristled at the name, barely biting back more scathing words and more violent orders. Wilhelm… how dare he show up here? "You may interpret the order however you wish. Why even bother me with this?"

"He has a guest." Sieger straightened and his eyes expressed worry. "A guest who is… possibly in need of assistance."

"Oh, how glorious! He's using people for his benefit. I must be beside myself with shock." I had to be sarcastic to keep from screaming. Damn him. Damn him! He knew I would grudgingly tolerate him if there was another person around! "If you haven't already arranged it, then get a towel for the guest." I paused and ground my teeth. As much as I wanted to be spiteful… "I suppose for Wilhelm as well. Much as I would love him to catch his death from a cold, I would rather not cause more work for the staff." They worked hard enough as it was. I wouldn't burden them because of my own issues. "Can you also arrange tea? It is dreadfully chilly."

"I have already sent word to the kitchens for the tea, and will fetch the towels myself." Sieger made sure to smile reassuringly at me, and I made myself relax. "I think you will enjoy the flavor, though. I specifically ordered angelica." Now that actually got a laugh out of me. Angelica tea wasn't my favorite by any means, but Wilhelm hated it. But he would have to stomach it for politeness. "I promise to also follow that earlier order at the first opportunity."

"Thank you, as always." I headed to the nearby mirror so that I could check my appearance. I hadn't paid much attention to how much I had messed it up since I had planned on just working on finances for the rest of the day, but… "Can you also send Beatrix in?"

"At once."

"Thank you."

Sieger was as prompt as always, because in what felt like seconds, Beatrix arrived to quickly make me presentable. I stood still as she worked, and studied my reflection. You would think I would tire of it as it wasn't as if the basics ever changed. While my hair was styled a little differently every day, it remained the same shade of red-auburn and always had those ringlets that insisted on falling by my face no matter what. Though I sometimes wore makeup, my eyes remained the same dark blue and only 'changed' when I hadn't slept or when I had been crying. My clothes were always the same style, simple yet elegant as befitting a noblewoman, even if the colors changed. Truly, I should be utterly bored of how I looked, but ever since everyone died, I found it held my attention. I constantly looked for some sort of difference, some sort of change that reflected the pain I felt still. But there was nothing. I was the same as always.

Beatrix finished before long, an old hand at this since she had been serving me almost as long as Sieger had, and I slipped on some heels before leaving my study and heading down the stairs to the reception room to meet my guests. The towels had yet to arrive, so they stood awkwardly in the middle, trying to minimize the puddle they were leaving, but Wilhelm looked up as he heard me approach. His companion, however… she didn't. I studied her closely, as I didn't recognize her at all. Her hair was an unusually light green, and her eyes matched. She wore a dark cloak that only emphasized how wan her appearance was, and it almost seemed like she couldn't stand up on her own. She leaned heavily on Wilhelm, who supported her easily.

"Kasimira, I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour," Wilhelm greeted politely, inclining his head slightly. His normally neat hair was plastered down from the rain, the water darkening the blonde strands to some muddy-brown color, and his lack of a cloak hinted that the cloak the woman wore was his. "You were closest, and I knew you… well…"

"I question what you were doing in my lands at all, Wilhelm, but I suppose that doesn't matter for now," I replied cooly, keeping as emotionless as possible. He smiled hesitantly, and I thought of how the girls I had grown up with used to sigh over that smile, just as much as they giggled and waxed poetic on his pale purple eyes. But that smile just made me angry nowadays. "So, who is this? She is much too pretty to be a paramour of yours."

"I see your tongue is as sharp as ever." He looked down at the woman and shifted his grip to help her stand a little straighter. It didn't work; she was as pliant as a rag-doll. I truly wondered if she even knew where she was. "I don't know her name. I found her collapsed on the road."

"I take it you were sneaking about without guards, as per usual." I had always hated that habit of his; it put so much stress of his servants. "Towels and tea are on the way. I suppose I shall have to arrange a change of clothes for you as well?"

"Her too."

"That 'you' was plural." Thankfully for my temper and my fraying nerves, one of the maids appeared then with the promised towels. "I shall take care of it, then. We can talk in the parlor over the tea, once you are changed."

Wilhelm, what sort of trouble did you bring me this time?

The woman's hands and arms were bloodied and shredded, with her nails broken, almost as if she had been frantically digging through something. The maids informed me of the finding, and I had Sieger interrogate Wilhelm on just where he had found her before sending out some of my personal guard to investigate. It could be something innocuous, but I knew how tenuous the relative peace of my lands was. I refused to take chances. Besides, it also served as a perfect excuse to set up that bonus pay I wanted to give that soldier.

"Here, you should at least hold this," I whispered, helping the woman grasp the teacup. If we were being 'proper'... well, I did remember the scowls I would get from my dear granny whenever I did so while having tea with her. But these were special circumstances. I dared say that not even my granny would protest, given the woman's blank eyes and the bandages on her hands. The clothes she borrowed were large on her, giving the haunting impression of a ghost stuck in a living body. I… I remembered far too well, this sort of feeling. "There we go." Needing to distract myself, I turned my attention to Wilhelm and gave him a pointedly polite smile. "How is the tea, Wilhelm? Sieger chose it especially for you."

"As always, his choices are very thought out," Wilhelm replied, his own smile straining to keep polite. I couldn't help but feel a little smug, petty as it was. "Your brewing skills are also as perfect as can be."

"Wilhelm, still your silver tongue! You know such things never work on me!" I passed out the pastries next, making sure the woman had a variety on her plate to choose from, before tucking my skirts under me and sitting at the table. I made a mental note to give all my current staff bonuses for setting this up so quickly, especially at the late hour. "However, if you would oblige me by explaining what you are doing in my domain?"

"Truthfully, I was in the neighboring one, and decided to take a shortcut." Wilhelm glanced briefly at the woman, who cradled the teacup but didn't seem to process that she was truly holding something. "I suppose I should have sent some sort of word warning you, however. Please, accept my apologies for the gauche breach in manners."

"Oh, Wilhelm, I am quite used to you doing whatever you wish with no regards to me at all." I sipped my tea to make it easier to bite my tongue and keep from saying more. This was the longest 'conversation' I had to endure with him in two years, and I wished I could just throw him out. However, the storm outside had only grown heavier. If I did, he would likely drown just steps from my door and I would have to deal with far too many questions and paperwork because of it. There was also the woman to consider; she might become more disoriented if Wilhelm disappeared. "Would you like more tea?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly…"

"Nonsense! I brewed more than enough for the three of us." I stood up again to fill his cup, biting back a smile when I caught him squirming. While I very much didn't enjoy the conversation, I had to admit to having a bit of fun with this part of the interaction. In fact, I was having more than 'a bit' of fun. "You needn't attempt to censor yourself on my-"

"...Hot…" The quiet voice only barely cut me off, and it had more been because I had seen the woman's mouth move than having actually heard her. "It's… too hot… to drink…" she continued (or repeated), lifting her head to smile a fragile smile at me. "I am… sorry…"

"No, please, take your time," I reassured, masking my surprise that she had spoken at all. Wilhelm quickly did the same to smile back at her. "If you are thirsty now, I can send for some water."

"Water would be… nice." She slowly sat up, and her eyes cautiously brightened into life as she watched me do just that. She looked between Wilhelm and me, confirming my earlier suspicion that she hadn't truly noticed either of us earlier. "Who are you?"

"Ah, where did my manners run off too, for me to forget that!" Wilhelm joked, continuing to smile. I bit back a sarcastic retort as I sat down again. No matter how easy the opening was, now was the time to focus on the woman and making sure she was comfortable. "I am Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg, the duke of a nearby territory. Our lovely host is Duchess Kasimira Agnes Vestra."

"He claims he found you collapsed on the road near here," I added, mostly to help the woman piece things together. I knew how… unlinear things could be when you dissociated. "I have soldiers searching the area to investigate the cause of your injuries." The woman looked down at her arms and hands, as if she had just noticed the bandages. She might have. "I believe my maids are… attempting to save your dress, but it was quite stained."

"But that is far too serious talk! The tea is angelica, by the way, and you are encouraged to eat your weight in pastries!" Wilhelm stole one from my plate to nibble on for emphasis. I regarded him cooly before smiling at the woman and nodding. "Ah, but what name do you go by?"

"I… Seiros," the woman answered after a moment. She blinked slowly, and kept her attention fully on Wilhelm and me. I hoped we weren't overwhelming her. "I'm called Seiros."

"Ah, the 'saint' the people have been praising in Enbarr!" Wilhelm laughed, still smiling. I frowned, though, wondering just what she was doing here, since Enbarr was far to the south. That was assuming it was the same person, mind. The name was unusual enough that I could see why Wilhelm immediately assumed, but… "I've heard of the good work you've been doing there. That canal was inspired!"

"I simply… was doing what I knew my mother would do, while trying to find someone." One of the maids appeared with the water then, and Seiros took it with a small, but warm, smile. As she turned her head, her hair fell over her shoulder and I noticed something more than peculiar. Her ears… they were pointed. A quick glance at Wilhelm proved he had seen the same, but he gestured for silence. Much as I hated going along with him, I nodded. "Ah, but as for… um…" She held up one of her bandaged arms, drawing my attention back to her. "I passed a village that was… being slaughtered. I tried to do… what I could, but…"

"It seems bandits have descended from the Oghma Mountains again," I grumbled, mentally cursing. No matter how many times I sent soldiers to deal with that threat, more just appeared. It was maddening, and even more so because I knew that some were just people trying to survive. "My soldiers shall do what needs to be done. I shall no doubt receive a report in the morning." If there were any survivors, they would be here in a day or so. I hoped there were some. "Ah, but I thank you for helping my people, Seiros."

"No, I simply couldn't stand aside while…" Seiros protested, sipping her water. She poured a little into the tea, to cool it faster, and sipped it. "Ah! This is delightful!" I barely bit back a snicker as Wilhelm quickly covered a groan. I knew he had hoped Seiros would hate it and then I would be forced to change the tea to something else. "What is it again?"

"Angelica." I gestured to her plate and made sure to smile. "It pairs well with these sweets. Though, if you don't like sweets, I can ask the cooks to make you something else."

"No, I… I really like sweets, actually." She nibbled on the first one, no doubt to be polite, but soon was devouring all that was on her plate. Wilhelm and I both gave her ours, and I watched with amusement as she just… continued eating. It was as if she had taken Wilhelm's jest of 'eating her own weight' literally. I wondered if she hadn't eaten in a while. "These are delicious…"

"I shall make sure my cooks know of your praise!" I waited until she had completely cleared her plate (as well as both Wilhelm's and mine) before signaling one of the servants on standby. "With this rain, and the late hour, I have rooms prepared for you both. I insist that you rest."

"I… thank you very much." Seiros bowed her head to emphasize the gratitude, and once again, I saw the pointed ears. "I think I will take you up on that."

"I shall ensure a small pot of angelica tea is prepared for you as well." I kept up the smile as one of the maids entered and led Seiros out of the parlor. When the door shut, I dropped it and scowled at Wilhelm. "What did you get me involved in this time?"

"I honestly have no idea," Wilhelm answered, his own smile finally dropping. I was glad he wasn't treating this like an adventure. He had done that a few times in the past, and it had always irritated me. "But now, I am especially grateful that you were closest. Regardless of what's going on, or even what she is…"

"I shall shelter her for as long as it is needed. She was injured trying to help my people, after all." I sipped my tea, noticing it was lukewarm now. "Were you tracking bandits?"

"No, though I now wish I had been." Now that there wasn't a guest, Wilhelm 'subtly' emptied his cup into one of the nearby flowerpots. He nearly fell out of his chair in order to reach, and I wished he truly had fallen. It would have been amusing and I was tempted to kick the chair in order to cause it. But, alas, he was settled and balanced before I could attempt. "No, one of my spies insisted on meeting me in your lands. Said it was safest."

"Are you dragging me into two different sets of trouble?" I didn't bother to hide my growl of annoyance, though I did hold myself back from actually yelling. "What was the information?"

"I don't know." His deadly serious look, with dark and haunted eyes, quieted whatever disbelief I normally would have had. "I only found his corpse. Or, the mangled remains of his corpse." He pulled a small pouch from his pocket, and let it dangle from his fingers by the drawstring. "Whoever killed him did a thorough search, but missed this." I assumed it had to have been in a hidden pocket in the cloak, and quite a bit of luck had been involved in keeping it hidden. "I haven't looked yet, but I hope it at least hints to what information he had."

"Who was he spying on?"

"That's the interesting thing. He was on leave." Wilhelm sharply tugged the pouch up to catch it. "Whatever information he discovered, it was something he came upon either on his own or by chance. But I do know where he was taking his break." He paused to let me collect my thoughts; I was going to hate this. "He was in the east, near Nemesis's own lands, to visit his sister. He shouldn't have been on his way back for another couple of months."

"...You want alcohol with the tea?" I stood and headed for the door, knowing that someone would be on standby there. "I think I need a nightcap."

"I'll take a toddy, sure." Wilhelm tucked the pouch into his pocket and rubbed his eyes. "We didn't hear why Seiros was so far north, did we?"

"No, we didn't." I caught a servant's eye within seconds of opening the door and relayed the request. "Why do you always bring trouble?"

Sieger was going to pitch a (very quiet) fit when he heard about all of this. I needed to pay him more too.

I decided in the morning that while the storm raged, Wilhelm and Seiros would both remain as my guests. I wasn't particularly happy, because the longer they were here, the more likely I would be dragged into whatever trouble following them, but I owed Seiros and I truly didn't want to deal with questions and paperwork if Wilhelm died in my domain, which was more than possible given the weather. If I had any doubts, the reports of the massive flooding the nearby villages suffered put them to rest in a hurry. I at least didn't have to spend a lot of time with Wilhelm. When he wasn't with Seiros, he was in his room, handling… whatever had been in that pouch. I had emergencies to oversee, refugees to relocate, and I had to eventually finish those finances.

"Lady Kasimira?" Sadly, Sieger interrupted me in the middle of math and taxes once again. "I think I should just take over for this month," he noted with some amusement when I barely looked up from my papers long enough to glare at him. There was too much to do for me to do more. My desk was covered in stacks that swayed higher than my head. "Otherwise, it might not get done in a timely manner."

"Why are you interrupting me this time?" I asked, still working. The floods and bandits threw my earlier calculations off in regards to taxes, so I had to redo them quickly. I also had to divert emergency funds, and adjust the monthly budget accordingly. "If you aren't asking if we can throw out Wilhelm…" The storm had finally abated in the late hours of yesterday evening, and the morning sun shone gleefully over the half-drowned land as if in mockery of the damage its absence had wrought. "I doubt I want to hear it."

"You have guests." Sieger actually walked over and covered the paper I was reading with his hand. That alone told me this was serious. "King Nemesis was traveling nearby with Lady Fraldarius and Lord Maurice, and decided to pay an unexpected visit."

"...Kill me now…" I groaned and let my head fall to the desk. My back screamed in pain from the awkward stretch, though my neck appreciated no longer being bent. "Can we pretend I am ill or busy?" But even as I said the words, I was already pushing myself up. "I don't suppose there is any mention of why they were near?"

"No, there isn't, but I have been reassured that this is only a passing visit." That was better, at least. "Beatrix is waiting for you in your room. I will finish the finances for you."

"Thank you, Sieger." I hated not doing it on my own, but… "I truly hope this is quick. I have work to do, and you can't do it all for me."

"But I will do all I can." Sieger hesitated before reaching over to rub my back, something he had done when we were children to help reassure me. "As always. But the sooner you get to Beatrix, the sooner you can get this over with."

"Damn that you are right."

Beatrix had me changed into a fresh dress and my appearance presentable in record time, an accomplishment even for her, and so, I was able to greet my three unexpected guests in a reasonable amount of time. This, of course, led to Nemesis requesting a walk in the gardens, as he had a fascination with the ones on my estate. Fraldarius and Maurice stayed inside to chat with the servants, as they had done the other times Nemesis visited.

"Ah, careful here, Kasimira," Nemesis urged, offering me his hand to help me around a puddle. There weren't many, thanks to how the garden was built, but the few present were too large for me to safely get around without assistance. "Do you have your footing?"

"I do, yes," I replied, making sure to smile politely. His own smile was strangely warm and kind, given how much he liked to fight and how little 'peace' interested him. "Thank you."

"No, I should be thanking you for indulging my whim to walk through the flowers." He looked over them with that same smile. "Your lands always hold a strange sort of peace that cannot be found anywhere else in Fodlan. You rule well."

"You flatter me, Nemesis." If this sort of 'peace' couldn't be found anywhere else, it was because no one was bothering to actually help their people. They paid me taxes in exchange for protection, and I refused to shirk. "Sadly, my lands are still plagued with numerous problems. Bandits destroyed a village not long ago."

"If you would like, I can have Fraldarius look into it on our way back east." He turned his attention to me, and I made sure I still had a smile pinned to my face. "I know she would not mind, especially if it is to assist you."

"I am touched by the concern, but for now, I would like to look into it on my own." I didn't want to owe Nemesis any favors. "I already have my soldiers doing so now. Bandits are nothing to them, after all." I watched his expressions, curious if he would have any reaction to 'bandits'. There were rumors, after all, that Nemesis and his Elites had once been nothing more than bandits before they were 'blessed', but there was nothing to support it. None of them ever even acknowledged the rumors, from my understanding. "But, I thank you for the thought."

"I should've known you would've been prompt at dealing with them." Nemesis laughed softly, amused, and I kept my smile even while gritting my teeth. I could never tell if he was mocking me or not. "Hmm? Ah, Maurice."

"My apologies, my king, but if we are to make good time, we must be off," Maurice explained, joining us in the garden. He was always a striking figure, mostly because his short hair was such a pale grey that you swore the strands were translucent, though his eyes were a more typical brown. As a show of 'we need to leave now', his weapon, the magic blade 'Blutgang', hung on his hip, with the red gem glittering and pulsing in the sunlight. It always made me uneasy, like a beast snarling and waiting to snap my arm off, which was part of the reason why I insisted the three always remove their weapons when visiting. The other reason was, of course, for politeness. "Fraldarius insists you come and manage your temperamental horse yourself, by the way."

"As if her pegasus is a sweet-tempered thing!" Nemesis laughed, acknowledging the message with a nod. He turned to me and took my hand to kiss it. I ducked my head as if in embarrssment, but more to make sure I didn't make a face. "Thank you again for walking with me, Kasimira." To my relief, he left then. Though in any other context, I would have been miffed over the rudeness, I was glad to have a moment to breathe.

"I apologize for my king's whims, Lady Kasimira." Maurice himself bowed to me, smiling with fond sheepishness. "I am certain you were busy given the recent rains, but nothing Fraldarius or I said could distract him. He is quite serious about his offer."

"I truly must thank him for his patience and consideration," I said, back to fixing the smile to my face. Oh, I knew how serious he was about his offer of marriage, and I knew just why that was. It was no interest in me, but in the army and assassins I commanded and the fertile lands that I governed. A marriage to me would also give him an easy foothold in the west, where his influence was most lacking. "I know it has been two years, but…"

"Lady Kasimira, you suffered a terrible loss, one that would shake anyone. That you can stand tall enough to govern your people is more strength than anyone has a right to expect," Maurice reassured, his smile softening. Sadly, thanks to his weapon, the smile wasn't actually comforting. The juxtaposition actually highlighted how unnerving the thing was. "You should not feel guilty for mourning."

"Thank you dearly."

"Maurice, come make sure our glorious king doesn't get distracted by the weapons and longing to duel the soldiers, will you?" Fraldarius's annoyed call actually did make me relax, and the smile on my face finally felt 'real' when she skipped into view with a scowl on her face. "I swear; he's like a child sometimes," she huffed, her scowl deepening. It was quite the fierce look, due to her dark purple hair and matching eyes, but the honesty in it was refreshing. "And if I try to remind him to be a proper adult, we're just going to get into an argument again."

"And there's no Blaiddyd to safely pick you up," Maurice instantly teased, laughing. Fraldarius tried to whack him on the shoulder, but her short height meant she had to jump to do so. In fact, Fraldarius was the shortest of the Elites, from what I had seen. "I'll handle that and get on the road. You don't mind, right?"

"With how slow you two ride, I could leave in ten hours and still catch up before you stop for camp." Fraldarius rolled her eyes and made a face when Maurice ruffled her hair, knocking some strands out of her loose bun. She pulled her hair-tie out of her hair as Maurice left to fix it back into a bun. "So, tell me, how many times did you want to hit Nemesis over the head?"

"Fraldarius, you know I can't answer anything like that!" I chided, even as I muffled a laugh. It was much easier to be around her, though I had to admit even her 'weapon' was unnerving. The Aegis shield, which she had hooked over her shoulder for now, wasn't as 'beastly' as Blutgang, but since it was 'hooked', I could see that strange red crystal pulsing on the underside, and the 'main face'... honestly, it reminded me of an actual face. It was like it tried to mimic some sort of reptile. "Besides, why would I risk being on the wrong end of the Sword of the Creator?" For that was Nemesis's divine blade, a greatsword that somehow could separate into a chain-whip to allow him to strike any foe. It reminded me far too much of a spine for my liking and, like all the other divine weapons, it had that crystal that glittered as if it were alive.

"It's not like he had it with him," Fraldarius pointed out, tying off her bun with ease. Then she stretched her arms above her head, squeaking a little when something popped. "Anyway, I heard about the bandits. I'm sure you've got it covered, but do you mind if I do a fly-by anyway? It's on my way, really. I'm actually heading north to mess with Blaiddyd and then to return to my lands." That was right… Fraldarius's territory was towards the very north. In fact, she and Gautier shared dominion over the northernmost parts of Fodlan.

"You may do as you wish, as always." I knew that she would do it whether I agreed or not. That she asked at all was simply a sign that she respected me. "Please don't trouble yourself on my account, though."

"Oh, don't worry. If I trouble myself over anything, it's for me, myself, and I~!" Fraldarius grinned and, this time, I didn't muffle my laugh. "I'll head out, then. Try to take care of yourself, Kasimira."

"I shall try." I waved her goodbye as she left, and headed inside as soon as she was out of sight. Then I immediately bolted up the stairs, thinking of everything I had to do. So, of course, I was met with an unexpected complication as soon as I reached the top of the stairs. A very angry Seiros was snarling, desperately trying to fight off Sieger and three of my guards as they struggled to keep her pinned. Though Sieger kept her muffled, I could still tell that she was shouting in a language I didn't recognize at all, and her eyes were dark with raw fury and hatred. It was such a sharp contrast to how she had been these past few days that I could only stare, wondering if, perhaps, I had fallen asleep at my desk and was now simply having a bizarre dream. The ache in my feet suggested otherwise, though.

"Before you ask, no one is really sure what sparked this," Wilhelm explained, coming up beside me. He was just as nonplussed as I was, staring as if Seiros had been replaced by a completely different person. "A maid thinks she saw Seiros look out the window shortly before, but…"

This was definitely not how I planned my day going.

It took quite a while to calm Seiros enough for the servants to safely let go of her, and it took even longer for her to calm enough that Wilhelm and I could actually sit down to talk with her. In fact, it was late evening by the time she stopped snarling and growling in that unknown language, and I had tea set up in the parlor again for us to speak in relative private. It also provided us with a lovely view of the sunset, though I was probably the only one of us three appreciating the view. Seiros was still angry, and Wilhelm attempted to sweeten her mood with actual sweets, but so far, he had no luck.

"Who was that man?" Seiros finally asked, looking at me with eyes that seared. I sipped my tea, wondering just who she was talking about. "I have been asking ever since we sat down, but neither of you have answered."

"Oh, is that what you have been saying?" I replied, doing my best to keep poised. That seemed to be the best thing to do in this situation. "You were speaking a language neither Wilhelm nor myself understood, so we truly had no idea." Her anger faltered, slightly, for sheepishness, but returned before anyone could comment. "Now, which man are you talking about?"

"The one you were walking with." Her tone was almost accusing. "In the garden."

"Ah, that is Nemesis." I watched her closely, noticing both how she bristled and the almost sickening triumph in her expression. "He is…" How best to explain?

"He's probably the most persistent of Kasimira's current suitors," Wilhelm filled in, refilling each of our teacups. It was chamomile today, since I figured the soothing effect would be needed. "And he's high enough ranked that she can't snap at him when he does things like surprise visits. " He sat back down and tossed a small piece of candy into his mouth. "It's irritating to watch, so you can imagine how annoying it is to experience!" I wondered just why he started with that for an 'explanation', but I saw Seiros slowly relax and realized he was being careful to 'separate' us from Nemesis.

"He is called the 'King of Liberation', after he and his Elites protected Fodlan from eastern invaders," I added, deciding to go for the more proper explanation. Otherwise, she would wonder just why he was 'high enough ranked'. "He rules the east primarily, though through his Elites, he has most of the continent under his control. He pursues me in order to gain more influence here in the west, where his power is weakest."

"Two of his Elites were actually here with him, though Maurice doesn't actually have lands of his own. He's always at Nemesis's side, his ever-watchful guard dog." Wilhelm calmly drank his tea, and soon, Seiros did the same, sipping it slowly. "They are supposedly divinely blessed, and there's some evidence for it. The weapons they wield, the crests they bear…"

"Were stolen from my family!" Seiros immediately snapped, going right back to anger. I scowled at Wilhelm, and he smiled sheepishly. While that was an interesting tidbit of information, the point of this was to keep her calm. "If you can call slaughtering everyone and ripping apart their corpses 'stealing'!" Bright tears shone in her eyes, and I knew my own expression blanked. I had… no idea how to respond to that. "Heimir's claw and heart hanging at that dog's side… part of Athena's skull hooked over that woman's shoulder with her heart hiding underneath… and then Nemesis…" She spat out the name with such poison that I was half-tempted to send for antidotes, just in case. "My mother's spine and her heart… he had used it to kill everyone!"

"...Uh… Seiros, I am afraid that I need to ask you to start from the beginning?" Wilhelm hesitantly requested when Seiros paused for breath. He glanced at me, a silent question in his eyes, and I nodded and went to the door to request some sweet wine. This was definitely a conversation that warranted alcohol. "But first, I insist that you drink some tea and eat some sweets. Try these sugar candies, actually. They're absolutely amazing."

By the time the wine arrived, Wilhelm had successfully cajoled Seiros into a less-angry mood, though I had to send the servants out for more of the sugar candies as Seiros ended up devouring the entire bowl. Wilhelm served the wine for me, while I made more chamomile tea and organized the sweets and candies on the table again to see which ones we needed more of. I told the servants to double the usual amount when I made my requests, since Seiros had a bottomless stomach, particularly for sweets! It was only when they returned and left, and Wilhelm and I had everything settled again, that Seiros finally spoke.

"I am one of the Nabatea," she whispered, speaking slowly and clearly. She cradled her teacup in her hands, clinging to it for warmth as she told her story. "A child of the progenitor god, Sothis." I didn't know that name, but that was beside the point for now. "We are not human, as you are, though most of us take… took… a human-like form."

"That would explain the pointed ears," Wilhelm noted, knocking back his wine as if it were a shot of whiskey and we were in a tavern. He ignored my disapproving look and simply poured himself more. "Why hide?"

"Originally, we didn't, or so I was told. We lived alongside humans, but…" Her eyes grew dark and her hands shook. "The humans waged war on one another, tearing the lands apart and filling the cracks with blood. And then, one day, they turned their violence onto Mother. To protect her children, and the humans who sought shelter with her, she retaliated. The resulting war annihilated most of the humans, destroyed the cities they held so proudly, and turned Fodlan into a wasteland where nothing could grow."

"But things grow now, so did the land just… recover?"

"With Mother's help, yes. She spent ages upon ages restoring the land, using every drop of power she had and more to make Fodlan livable again, as best as she was able."

"Sadly, Mother was not able to heal all of Fodlan. This is why A…" She frowned suddenly, a look of childish frustration crossing her face. "Ailell. I can never pronounce that name. Regardless, it's why it is still how it is."

"The Valley of Torment, you mean?"

"Yes. Most of Fodlan looked like that, before Mother healed it." Seiros gulped her tea, and I refilled her cup for her. Then I drained my own glass of wine because that was a mental image I didn't want. "Afterwards, she had to rest in Zanado, in the shelter she crafted during the war. The rest of us… we lived nearby to watch over her. Many of us traveled, of course, but we kept our identities secret. It was Mother's request, as she believed in humans even after that war. She loved them, and believed it was her influence, her accelerating the natural growth of their civilization, that led them to the violent paths they took."

"Basically, like a mother letting her child spread their wings or something?"

"Yes." Seiros smiled briefly, but it disappeared for pain. "About… I suppose it was fifty years now? Time loses meaning when you are long-lived, and even more so after…" She closed her eyes to stem back tears. "I do not know how Nemesis learned the secrets of our blood and hearts. But he did. He killed my mother while she slumbered, defiled her remains to turn into a weapon, and then he led an attack on my home. On Zanado. Even now…" Her voice cracked and her hands shook so much that she spilled tea everywhere. I took the cup from her and Wilhelm quickly used a napkin to soak up the worst of the spills. "I can hear the screams. I can see the canyon walls stained red with blood."

"How did you survive?"

"Cichol, my brother. He used his powers to hide us both." She coughed, choking on words, tears, and memories. Without thinking, I stood up to rub her back and she leaned into me, relying on both the chair and me to keep mostly upright. "Two others survived. Well, one of my nieces survived as well, but thankfully, she hadn't been there. Everyone else was..."

"Killed."

"Torn apart. Their hearts harvested, their bones broken and dragged away…" All of her shook now. I hugged her automatically, to give her some support. "I remember seeing that man, wielding that sword made from my mother's spine, powered by her heart and the crest he stole from her blood. I burned his image in my mind, so that I would never forget. I've spent the years since wandering Fodlan, hunting for him. And I finally… finally…!"

She broke down sobbing. I held her tightly, letting her cling to me and stroking her hair to give her some measure of comfort. Eventually, she fainted, exhausted by everything, and Wilhelm sent for Sieger to carry her to her room. Sieger did so without question or comment, and in silence, Wilhelm and I sat back down at the table, ignoring the tea to simply finish off the bottle of wine and eat the sweets before they grew stale.

"There's still some questions, a lot of questions actually, but I don't think you can fake such a reaction," Wilhelm mused once we had reached the bottom of the bottle. I made some noise of agreement, more focused on savoring the last bits. "So, how to fight Nemesis?"

"Excuse me?" I deadpanned, just barely keeping myself from yelping and choking on the wine. It was a good vintage, and I didn't want to waste it. "You want to what?"

"What? Her story makes far more sense than 'some random divine being randomly bestowed power on random people'." He shrugged. "Besides, it doesn't matter if they're human or not, wrong is wrong. And what he did was wrong."

"It is no different than how many others gain power." Bitter dryness surged into my voice at the next words. "You didn't have a problem two years ago."

"Mira, that-"

"Don't call me that." I finished off my wine and slammed my glass down. It was impolite and improper, but I didn't care at the moment. "You lost that right two years ago." I stood up and leaned forward slightly to loom over him as best as I was able. Wilhelm shrunk back, wincing as he remembered why he lost that right. "If you are intent on using this as an excuse to gather power, then I suggest you gather more evidence besides someone's word. While I also don't think she was lying, she could have facts confused. I know well the pain she is talking about, and I know equally well how muddled the events can get in your head."

I left him then, just checking the urge to slam the door shut after me. But I didn't head to my room. Instead, I headed to the crypts below the estate to visit my family, and spend a few moments in complete, and quiet, solitude. The silence of their ghosts was far more comforting than the words of the living, and I needed that comfort to get through this. I knew I would.

Kasimira Agnes Vestra

The 24 year old duchess of Vestra, who lost her entire family two years ago due to the schemes of one of her father's rivals. Though she bears terrible scars (both mental and physical), she does her best to push forward for the sake of her people. She takes the job of ruling very seriously, and though she is skilled in fighting, she dislikes battles and, thus, views Nemesis's 'the strong survive' mentality with distaste.

Sieger

A 25 year old assassin for House Vestra, who has been trained since birth for the job. By chance, he was also assigned as Kasimira's bodyguard and vassal, which he always considers the best thing to happen to him. It was due to his quick thinking that he and Kasimira were able to survive the family's massacre, though he claims it was simply 'luck'. Though he's careful to not show it in front of his lady, he feels immensely guilty for only being able to save her, and feels like he failed her by not saving even one of her siblings.

Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg

The 24 year old duke of Hresvelg, who has known Kasimira since they were children. Since he never got along with his own parents, he considered the Vestra family to be his 'true' family, and when they were slain, he quickly gathered power and pretended to befriend the culprit in order to get close enough to completely ruin him, seeing death as 'too kind'. However, his neglect to inform Kasimira of this plan prior to carrying it out led to them falling out, with him keenly aware of how his lack of communication broke her trust. One of the reasons why he wants to help Seiros is that he hopes it can help him atone, just a little, for that mistake.

Seiros

Youngest of the Nabatean born from Sothis's blood, she spent a great deal of her youth in peace with no desire to explore the world outside of Zanado. What curiosity she had was sated by the stories her siblings brought home from their travels, or from the human spouses some of her siblings took. In the aftermath of the massacre, though, she was separated from her brothers, Indech and Macuil, due to a flood, leaving her alone for the first time in her life. She's only survived this long by clinging to her desire for revenge, and her longing to see her remaining family once more.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2) Zanado

As duchess of a large territory, I am used to trouble. No matter how well you ruled, or tried to rule, there was always some sort of emergency each day, just because of how many people I governed and protected. But the trouble Wilhelm brought with him this time is far beyond what I consider tolerable. A woman who many dubbed a 'saint', who claimed to not be human and the survivor of a massacre that Nemesis and his Elites wrought, who claimed the 'divine blessings' they bore were made from the hearts and bones and blood of her kin… yes, it is far beyond tolerable, particularly since Wilhelm wants to help her get revenge.

As for me, I just want to rule my lands. My people had suffered enough. But I had a bad feeling that I was mired in this situation whether I wanted to be or not. Damn him.

A few days into the trip to Zanado, I was still trying to determine the 'when', 'why', and 'how' regarding my coming along. But even Sieger had taken it as fact that I would leave with Wilhelm and Seiros, before I had even learned that Wilhelm had decided to take my advice and go to Zanado directly to see Seiros's home with his own eyes. In fact, I had learned about the trip when Seiros asked if there were other shoes she could borrow, as the slippers she wore wouldn't hold up on the rougher terrain of Zanado. I learned of my coming along via Beatrix fussing over what clothes to pack for me.

"I should have asked this earlier, but Wilhelm didn't force you to show him the way, right?" I asked Seiros, more loudly than I usually talked. But the wind rushing past your ears always muffled things, and I wanted to be certain she heard me. "Also, I insist that you hold on tighter, in case we need to make a sharp turn."

"Or if your wyvern decides he's bored and decides to be playful again?" Seiros teased, laughing as she tightened her hold on me. Her face was pink from how chapped it was, but she had a giant smile and her eyes sparkled in utter delight. I was surprised she took this well to flying, but glad for it. "But yes, Wilhelm actually asked for a path or a map. I made the decision to come. I… I need to see it again."

"I just wanted to be certain it was your choice, and not an obligation." I turned my attention ahead and below, to get an idea of where we were. I also needed to be sure that Wilhelm wasn't stuck somewhere because he had insisted on being on a horse. "You mentioned wanting to walk once we were close, to make sure we didn't miss anything."

"Yes, my home can be hard to see from the air, and I don't know if the terrain will be steady enough for a horse. Or, at least, not hurt the horse's hooves." She sighed gustily, leaning forward against my back. "We never had animals, really. Some would keep pets, but we didn't raise livestock or anything. Not like the farms I passed by. It looked like hard work."

"Farming is very hard work. They are the lifeblood of any civilization, truly." I knew I couldn't handle even half of the back-breaking work that they did. That was why I worked hard to at least rule well, and ensure they were protected. It felt like the best way I could thank them for their service. "But did you not even garden?"

"Not like humans do?" This time, she laughed sheepishly. "Our magic works a little… differently from human magic? Humans have to use formulas and whatnot, but we don't. So, whenever we wanted something to grow, we just… used our magic. Well, some of us. Not everyone had a connection to the earth and plants to safely do that." Well, that sounded convenient. But, then again, if her story about her mother was true, I supposed it made some sense as well. "We're close. I can see the entrance of the canyon."

"Then we should land, and then see how long it takes Wilhelm to catch up."

I had my wyvern, Ziu, arc down slowly, mostly to ensure Wilhelm actually saw us land and to give him plenty of time to catch up. It worked very well, as he was waiting for us by the time we landed. Though, as usual, he made sure to stay as far away from Ziu as he politely could, and eyed him warily as we dismounted. He didn't even come over to help Seiros off, as would have been the proper and polite thing to do.

"I will never be able to understand why you feel remotely safe flying on a temperamental beast while being so far high up that castles look like toys," he groused, moving so that his horse was between him and Ziu. I simply rolled my eyes and cooed over Ziu, delighting in how he nuzzled my cheek affectionately. "Never."

"I shall remind you that horses are also quite temperamental, and will randomly lay down to roll whether you are on top of them or not," I pointed out with great dignity, or as much dignity as you could have when your wyvern was being affectionate. At least he wasn't licking me, yet. "I recall a time when a certain young duke was bucked off his horse as well, and broke both arms? You don't have that sort of trouble with wyverns."

"Yeah, wyverns just eat you."

"Oh, no, he doesn't eat humans. We taste terrible. Don't we, Ziu?" I kissed Ziu's muzzle and Ziu crooned in delight. "Yes, we do~!"

"Delightful." Wilhelm gave me the most unamused look he could before turning his attention to Seiros. "By the way, I noticed something along the way that I doubt you would've seen in the air. Shall we investigate?"

To my complete not-surprise, Wilhelm refused to elaborate, or even wait for Seiros and I to agree before heading back down the path. Seiros hesitated when I followed, looking confusedly at Ziu and the horse, but I took her hand and led her away. Ziu didn't need to be tied (and would bite through any ropes anyway), and he would ensure that the horse didn't wander too far. All of the horses from my stables were trained to be unafraid of wyverns anyway, so there was little to no risk. All I had to worry about was whatever Wilhelm was leading us too and, as it turned out, I had every right to worry.

"Why didn't you say 'body' instead of 'something?" I asked dryly, kneeling next to the corpse. Whoever they had been, they had died some time ago. What the rot hadn't destroyed, the insects, maggots, and wild animals had taken care of. Only the sun-bleached bones and worn clothes even hinted they had been a person at all. "Seiros, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Seiros answered, leaning over me to study the body as well. She braced her hands on my shoulders to keep her balance. "I have seen corpses before. The humans who lived with us did eventually die, and sometimes, you have an unfortunate traveler who met a terrible fate. The mountains can be harsh for those unprepared, or even those who are." She frowned and leaned even more on me. "Though, I am not certain what could've befallen this one."

"I suppose it could be that they stupidly tried to fight a wild animal instead of backing away?" I scowled up at Wilhelm, who stared at something on the withered trees nearby. "Seriously, why didn't you?"

"I didn't get a good enough look to confirm it," he answered absently. I almost snapped about how he could have at least warned of the possibility, but he moved to examine the tree instead. "This gouge…" His fingers traced over a noticeable mark on the trunk, carefully examining it. "This is fairly fresh. It's also too neat to have been done unintentionally, and I would say it's too wide and too deep to have been someone marking their path."

"Do you think it was a weapon, then?" I asked, frowning. I reached up a hand to gently touch Seiros's, wondering if it could have been from when her home was attacked. But I dismissed the thought as, according to her, it had been fifty years since then. The tree would have long healed from any wounds from then. "I can't imagine anyone fighting up here. The terrain is too uneven."

"I suppose it could've been a bandit or some criminal on the run?" He stepped back and offered a hand to help me up. I ignored it to stand up by myself, and I rested a hand on Seiros's back, wondering now if her home had become a nest for bandits. That would be quite the thing, wouldn't it? "We should be especially cautious, going forward."

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right, so when we returned to the mounts, I made sure to grab my lance, while Wilhelm grabbed his two axes. Seiros was unarmed, but reassured that she actually did have training in brawling and the like. I was skeptical, because of how dainty she looked, but I did know better than to trust appearances. Still, Wilhelm and I kept her between us as we walked up the path, careful to keep an eye on our surroundings. This would be just the sort of place for an ambush, and an ambush could kill even the most skilled of fighters.

It was a fact many had, apparently, learned in their final moments because deeper into the canyon, we found more bodies. Some were old and rotting. Some were fresher, still oozing blood. All were scattered about, torn apart with carefully calculated strikes until their wounds only vaguely resembled something anything but a beast would inflict. The ground was muddy and the air was foul, and both became worse the further we walked. The number of bodies, especially fresh bodies, increased with every step. I had to cover my nose and mouth to keep from being sick, desperately trying to forget the last time I had seen so many bodies piled together in an uncaring mess. Seiros's fists clenched at her side, until her knuckles were white and all of her trembled. Wilhelm kept an eye on us both, but continued to lead us forward. I wasn't sure if it was better or worse when we stepped around a corner and found ourselves in shadow, thanks to the canyon's walls. On the one hand, I could no longer see the bodies. On the other hand, though, I could still smell them, and not seeing them meant we were more likely to step on them. Some just rolled under our feet, but others squished, like you stepped in a particularly muddy puddle. It was enough to make my stomach turn, and I almost yelled for Ziu, just to have his reassuring bulk with me. I only didn't because I didn't want to make any noise. Everything was so silent that my ears rung. It was as silent as any crypt I had ever been in, which I supposed was quite fitting. It was also filled with as many bodies as I had ever seen in a crypt.

Something up ahead shifted and the three of us froze, holding our breath as we waited to see just what it had been. It took a while, because of the shadows, but the sun eventually crested over the walls and slowly illuminated the figure sitting against the far canyon wall. They were hunched over, with a blood encrusted lance resting against their shoulder, but they slowly lifted their head as the light fell over their face. The first thing I noticed, aside from the dried blood splattered across his face and clothes, was that he had an unusual shade of green for his hair and eyes. The second thing I noticed… was that his ears were pointed, just like…

"Cichol?" Seiros called softly, her eyes wide with wonder and bright with hope. The person grunted and slowly raised their head further, squinting as they tried to discern just who was in front of them. "Cichol, is that you?" The person blinked a few times, no doubt to clear their sight, but then they smiled both warmly and sweetly at Seiros. "Cichol!" That was all Seiros needed. She rushed over and fell to her knees to throw her arms around the person in a tight hug. She sobbed and wailed, clinging to 'Cichol', and they lifted their free hand to gently stroke her hair, murmuring something softly to soothe her.

I had to admit that I felt a little envious, watching them. I wished I could hug my own brother one more time. But corpses didn't give very good hugs.

"I thank you for taking care of my little sister." Surprisingly, given that first impression, Cichol was a quiet, serious man who spoke formally and with care. "She has told me of why you are here, though she has neglected to mention how, exactly, she ended up in your care." He also held himself with dignity, despite Wilhelm's spare clothes not fitting him in the slightest. They were too loose in some places, and too tight in others. "I apologize for any trouble her excitability has caused."

"Cichol, you make me sound like a child!" Seiros protested, scowling at him. She clung to his arm, though, refusing to let go for even a second. "Besides, I did tell you how I met them. After I told you about the ones who attacked us."

"Saying 'they picked me up from the ground' is not an explanation."

Just as they had the last couple of times they tried to have conversation with Wilhelm and me, the two quickly dissolved into quiet sibling bickering. As we watched, Wilhelm ate lunch and I nibbled on some of the food since my stomach was still turning. While Seiros had been crying, Wilhelm and I had left temporarily to give them some privacy, using the excuse of Cichol needing a change of clothes and it was far past lunch time. It had taken a while to find a spot where we could sit down and not see corpses, but eventually, we did manage. The smell was still there, but thankfully, the wind blew most of it away from us.

"How in creation did you get separated from Indech and Macuil by a flood?" Cichol demanded incredulously, sounding as if the thought was as absurd as the idea that the sun would implode. Seiros's exasperated shrug furthered the impression. "Indech is a dragon of water." I was just going to assume that 'dragon' was another word for their people, as I had never heard the term before. "He can drown people on land."

"It was quite sudden!" Seiros snapped, sulking. It was amusing to see, and I wondered what the people of Enbarr would think of their saint acting like a child as she was. Still, I was glad to see it, even if I was envious. "I would think you would be more worried!"

"Knowing Indech, he's probably hiding in a lake, again, while Macuil is sulking in a tree." Cichol's deadpanned tone not only softened Seiros's mood, but made her laugh. "That's how the two always have been whenever something stressful occurs."

"For fifty years?"

"Indech once spent a century under the water because Athena broke one of his toys. He would've spent more if our mother hadn't plucked him herself." Cichol closed his eyes, and sighed in exasperation. "Macuil is just prone to hiding and sulking, and has been since he was created." Wilhelm and I glanced at each other at the word 'created'. It seemed odd, but neither of us knew how to ask. "I know I've told you that before, when you two had an argument and needed cheering up."

"Well, yes, that is true…" Seiros suddenly gasped and whirled to face Wilhelm and me, before bowing. "Ah, we did it again…"

"No, please, don't feel the need to be polite," Wilhelm reassured, waving off any attempt of apologies. I decided to just try to keep nibbling and pretending that I had been enthralled by a particularly dull rock nearby. "You two should catch up. But, if you don't mind me asking… Seiros, you mentioned you were the youngest, so I'm assuming Cichol is older?"

"Yes, I am," Cichol confirmed, expression becoming impassive when he focused on Wilhelm. He didn't quite trust us. I was sure of it, and thought it made sense. But since we had helped Seiros, he was willing to bite his tongue and be polite. "I am, or rather, was… one of the oldest of the Nabatea." The impassivity cracked for a slight and terribly bitter smile. "Now, I am the oldest."

"I… see." Wilhelm grimaced, and I just rolled my eyes because what had he expected. If Seiros had been telling the truth about her family, as we both had guessed, then of course that line of questioning would lead to awkwardness. He was such an idiot. "Uh…"

"Hey, Cichol?" Thankfully, Seiros quickly distracted all of us, but I wasn't sure it was much better. After all, she tugged his sleeve to catch Cichol's attention, like a child lost in a city. "I should have asked this sooner, but where are Iseult and Cethleann?" she asked. I had to look away to keep from wincing at her fragile tone. I knew that tone, and I knew that question. I had asked Sieger something similar, in that same tone, back when… "Are they…?"

"Providing nothing unexpected happened, they should be in Enbarr, at the church where Iseult and I met," Cichol answered quickly. I wondered if it was to reassure Seiros or himself. Either way, Seiros breathed a sigh of relief. "We left our home on the Rhodos Coast because we were attacked."

"Attacked?" Seiros frowned, and her gaze wavered. "By who?"

"Sadly, they didn't survive the attempt on account of me asking the earth to swallow them." It was very difficult to tell if he was serious or sarcastic. I would assume the latter, but… "But because of that, Iseult and I thought it best to move and figured Enbarr would be populous enough for us to hide. From there, I had planned on finding you, Indech, and Macuil, since it's clear that whoever slaughtered everyone isn't content with just that." Cichol muttered something under his breath. I neither truly heard nor understood, but his eyes, dark with hatred and quiet rage, told me it wasn't flattering. "But, as we traveled near, I saw humans climbing the path and went to investigate, telling Iseult to go ahead with Cethleann."

"Is that why there's bodies?"

"Yes. They were digging up the graves to steal the crest stones." Cichol snarled at the memory. "So, I have been moving the stones to Mother's resting place for safety, and killing any human who came near." I supposed it was truly a good thing Seiros did choose to come, then. "I'm almost finished, actually. There's just a few more where-"

"I'll get them!" Seiros actually rushed away before she got the first word fully out, to prevent any protesting. "You rest!"

"Seiros!" Cichol grumbled something under his breath, and glared when Wilhelm followed Seiros without a word. "What is he…?!"

"As much as I loathe to defend him, I can assure you that his thought process simply settled on 'this place has been attacked before, so it isn't safe to be alone'," I sighed, rolling my eyes. I shrugged when Cichol looked skeptical, because why wouldn't he be skeptical? "I know you only truly have my word for it, but he is nowhere near smart enough to think of multiple things at once." That got me a snort of laughter, and a tiny smirk that he quickly tried to hide. "I can promise that if he handles the remains, with or without Seiros's permission, I shall hit him over the head. Though, if you would like, you can go after them and hit him over the head anyway. I certainly shan't stop you."

"...No, if I did, I'll have to deal with her sulking," Cichol reluctantly refused, rolling his shoulder. He winced at the movement, grimacing as he looked at it. "Damn… I knew I had pulled something…" He growled something before focusing on me. His eyes were sharp, like he was trying to tear his way through me to see my 'true self'. I just raised a brow and waited. "...You helped Seiros." I debated replying to that before deciding silence was needed. After all, it hadn't been a question. "...Please, follow me. I will need assistance getting into… well, I suppose we should call it a 'tomb' now." He walked past me without a second glance, leading the way to somewhere. I mentally debated whether I should go along for a moment before sighing and deciding to do so. I didn't exactly fancy standing around alone in this place.

I knew I should've stayed home.

"...I have been doing my best to keep silent, but I simply can't now," I began much later. Cichol had led me to a place that might have once been a shrine, and into a back room where he had me push a couple of buttons to reveal a hidden door. I certainly was no stranger to hidden doors and passageways, but I was a stranger to whatever mechanism allowed the floor to sink down below the ground without the use of any sort of rope that I could see. I was also a stranger to the strange glass globes that somehow lit the area without flame. But even that was nothing compared to what I was looking at right this very moment. "What the hell is that?"

"Hmm? Ah, that's one of Mother's golems," Cichol answered, barely paying any attention to it as he walked down some stairs to the room proper, which had numerous caskets set at random intervals and a large throne in the back. Rude as it was, I simply continued staring at the… the massive metal statue thing. "Don't worry. It's not activated. Pity, really."

"What do you mean 'activated'?" My voice was squeakier than a mouse, but I couldn't pretend to care. I did, however, finally make my feet move to follow Cichol off the platform. I made sure to give the things a wide berth. "Also, what do you mean by 'pity'?"

"If they were activated, then they could've protected Mother. But we often visited her as she slept, and no one wanted to constantly be turning them on and off, so they were left to gather dust." Cichol walked towards a throne in the back, but was careful to keep a respectful distance from it. "Let's see… here should be good…" He held his hand out in front of him and green-gold light wrapped around his arm. A magic circle appeared at his fingertips, but it was less intricate than I had seen before, with a large symbol in the center. "Sacred Earth, I beseech thee." There was a pulse of power that made the air hum and, all of a sudden, the area in front of him just… shifted. Solid stone moved, as pliable as water, until it formed a distinct casket, complete with a lid. "Yes, that should do."

"...I know Seiros mentioned your magic was different than human magic, but it is definitely another thing to see it." I tiptoed closer, studying his expression and reactions to make sure I didn't come too close. I ended up veering towards the throne. "So-"

"Don't go near there." His words were clipped and he glared, but he softened quickly when I made sure to jump back, twice. "Ah, my apologies. It's simply…" He gestured at the throne, eyes now terribly pained. "There is a section behind there, where Mother once slept. Her remains…"

"Basically, I almost stepped on your mother's grave. I am so sorry." Maybe I should just stand still and keep quiet. Except jumping back had landed me right next to one of the caskets, and it was open. I couldn't help but peek inside, and all I saw was… "So, is this a crest stone? Also, if you just want me to wait on the platform there…"

"No, it's fine and yes, that is a crest stone." Cichol joined me by it and picked it up gently, cradling it in his palms. I felt sick, immediately noticing how it was almost exactly like the gems in the weapons Nemesis and his Elites wielded. The only difference was the marking on the center. "Mother, and those she created, all have these. They are what gives us our Crests, the source of our power and life."

"So, they are your hearts?" I was nauseous. I was beyond nauseous. I covered my mouth just to make sure I wouldn't vomit. But there was something very wrong with… most of this.

"I think it might be more accurate to call them 'part' of our hearts. We still have a heartbeat and pulse." He carefully returned the stone to the casket, making sure it fit exactly right. "But we Nabatea can survive a hole through our hearts. We cannot survive even a crack in the crest stone."

"I see." I looked around the room, counting caskets. But my mind was too fuzzy to really hold onto the number. Just how many… "Are all the dead here?"

"No, just the stones." He closed the casket then and whispered something. The stone lid glowed briefly before twisting and turning until it settled perfectly. "The majority of the dead were humans, and the children we had with humans, after all."

"So, none of you took other Nabatea as spouses?"

"Of course not. We're siblings." He frowned, aghast I would even suggest it. If he ever ended up near my library, I would throw some historical genealogies at him to read and be scandalized over. "Half-Nabatea do not have crest stones as Nabatea do, though they do still hold the power of Crests. And their blood can actually be used to catalyze the development of artificial crest stones, but that's… neither here nor there, for now."

"Of course." I was still nauseous. This truly was… ugh, I was being courted by… "I had… half-figured Seiros had been exaggerating when she mentioned the weapons being made from bones and hearts?" It had made no sense to me, though perhaps it would to someone of a different upbringing. But… "I am… so, so glad my siblings only died and not…"

"You lost family?"

"Two years ago, I lost… everyone. I lost my parents, my younger siblings… I even lost many servants who had served the family since before I was even born. Though, not all of their deaths had been quick." I could remember the screams just by closing my eyes. I could picture the blood streaming down the halls and splattered against the windows. "That was why I knew she hadn't been lying. But…"

"...But the atrocity was beyond your comprehension. Your heart, at least, is kinder than the ones who slaughtered us." It didn't sound like much of a compliment, but he smiled ever-so-slightly, so I had a feeling it was the best he could do. "It is painful, being the oldest and surviving."

"It is." There was no question about that. "You wonder why you got to live, and not them. You wonder what you could have done differently to save them." I still kept my mouth covered, though now it was more to ensure any tears would be muffled. I didn't want to cry, but I knew there was a chance. "At the same time, though, I wouldn't wish this pain on them. The pain… the constant questioning…"

"It would've been better if it was an all or nothing sort of deal." He nodded, completely understanding, and he rested a hand on the casket. "The worst part, though, is that if the humans had come to us for power, for assistance… well, we would have given it gladly."

"Oh?"

"Yes, the power of the Crests lies in our blood. It is easy to give it to humans." He smiled sardonically, laughing bitterly. "They wouldn't have had the weapons, mind, but they would have had the power." That was… "Ah, I can hear…" He looked back towards the platform, and I saw it rising. "Seiros and… whoever the other one was… must be here. What was your name again?"

"Kasimira." Wilhelm could handle his own re-introduction if needed or wanted. "When you and Seiros are ready, we shall show you the way to Enbarr. It shall be faster with mounts."

Did I want to be further involved? No. But could I sympathize? Oh, yes. I could sympathize a great deal. So, I would at least help until then. Then I would return to my lands and let Wilhelm get himself killed by the trouble. I had enough to worry about.

Cichol

One of the eldest of the Nabatea, and the eldest of the survivors, he was one of the very few who didn't actually live in Zanado. Instead, he and his wife, Iseult, made a home along the coast, where they could live peacefully alongside the water. Both considered it a much better place to raise their daughter, Cethleann, as it let them give her as much of their time as they wanted. Still, Cichol traveled through Fodlan quite a bit to gather information for the various stories he wrote for Cethleann and the other children, and always made sure to gather gifts for his extensive family. He had, in fact, been delivering some of those gifts to his family in Zanado when the massacre occurred, which let him save Seiros. He feels guilty for only being able to save one, though, and the screams haunt him even in his waking moments.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3) Revolution

The story Seiros told us of her family is worse than I expected. I had truly thought she'd been exaggerating when she talked of the bones and hearts of her kin being used as weapons. Yet, from what I have seen, it appears to be all too true.

I don't want trouble. I have enough to worry about. But as we leave Zanado, thoughts I wish I could deny bounce through my skull. What kind of future is there for Fodlan, for my people, when the ruler of the continent was so desperate for power that they did… something like that?

I had to say; I didn't expect Cichol to hate horses so much. Then again, I wouldn't have expected horses to hate him just as much. Yet when we left Zanado, both quickly proved to be the case. Cichol refused to take one step near Wilhelm's borrowed horse, and while Wilhelm and I had tried to reassure him of the horse's normally sweet temperament, the horse tricked to kick Cichol's skull in. Twice. There was no convincing Cichol of anything after that, so it was decided that Cichol would fly with me on Ziu, while Seiros would ride with Wilhelm. At the least, Ziu didn't try to bite Cichol.

"It has been a long while since I have been to Enbarr," Cichol murmured, smiling faintly as we flew over the city. I'd rarely visited here myself. Enbarr's ruling family was notorious for how few public appearances they made, and how they had even fewer 'private appearances'. I remembered Father trying to meet with the current ruler, Chevalier, a few times to discuss trade, but such meetings were always refused. "I do not believe I have ever seen it from above before, though."

"Few have," I replied, because it was true. There were very few who flew here in the western lands. Most pegasi lived to the north, favoring the snowy climate, while most wyverns lived in the eastern mountains. "Can you see the church from up here?"

"It is closer to the northern half." He pointed to the area in question, in the northeast 'block' of the city. I nudged Ziu to fly over there and, after a moment, his smile warmed. "Yes, there it is. It still has the cracked bell."

"Why is it cracked and why do they keep it?" I couldn't imagine a cracked bell could ring, and why else would you keep a bell around? If it had sentimental value, then would it not be better to keep inside?

"It was struck by lightning." ...Lightning could crack bells? I wouldn't have thought that, but perhaps it was due to the metal it was made of. "The bell cracked, but the church itself remained intact. The nearby building was struck at the same time, and went up in flames." I was beginning to suspect it had been some sort of magic. "So, the bell remained as a good luck token."

"I see." That sounded like superstitious nonsense, right up there with ghost stories. "Since we've confirmed the location, shall we return to Wilhelm and Seiros?"

He agreed, of course, and we swung around to land near where we'd left Wilhelm and Seiros on the outskirts of the city. We secured the horse with Ziu as its guard and then headed inside the city. That was when I noticed a startling difference that I hadn't truly made note of when I was up in the air.

"The city is much livelier than it was during my last visit," I mused aloud as we carefully slipped through the market's crowd. Since we didn't want attention, we had to keep our hoods up. Otherwise, we might be stranded by those who revered Seiros. She was, after all, their 'saint'. "I suppose the canal really made a difference." I wouldn't have thought so, but the evidence was right in front of me.

"It does make it much easier to ship goods through the city, and I imagine boat rides along the canal have become a thing for sweethearts," Wilhelm noted, being a little more blatant with his observing. He smiled suddenly. "It looks like there's quite the fish market as well and… what's that down there, actually?"

"Hmm? Oh, it looks like they're diverting some of the water for irrigation." That could very much explain the liveliness. People tended to be happier when they had full bellies. "I imagine trade will pick up."

"Yes, I agree."

"Is everything okay?" Seiros suddenly asked, twisted to face us. She held onto Cichol's arm tightly, as if she was afraid he'd disappear if she loosened it for even a second. Perhaps she was. She had been separated from her other two brothers. "You two are falling behind."

"We're simply commenting on how different Enbarr looks and feels compared to the last time we've been here," Wilhelm reassured with a bright and warm smile. Seiros immediately smiled back. "I believe I said it before, but I shall say it again. This canal was inspired. It's really breathed life into the city."

"I was simply thinking of what Mother would have recommended." Still, she had a pleased blush on her face. "I wish Indech had been here, though. It would have been much easier."

"He's one of your brothers, yes?"

"Indeed, and he has command over water. I simply have icy winds."

"Icy?"

"She was imbued with the power of the skies, which is differentiated from the power of wind by the temperature of her power," Cichol 'explained' absently. Wilhelm and I glanced at each other, uncertain on how to tell him that made absolutely no sense to us. "Though, there is a great deal of overlap between the two. I imagine if she ever is blessed with a child, they could have wind much like Macuil."

"Cichol…!" Seiros immediately sputtered, surprisingly turning a bright-bright red. Cichol's little smirk hinted he'd known this would be her reaction. "Must you say such things?"

"I was speaking hypothetical. It could also be that your child has a magic completely different from your own, much like Cethleann."

"Cichol!"

Seiros and Cichol continued bickering the whole way to the church, and Wilhelm and I just followed in silence, deciding that would be best. When we arrived at the church, though, I thought about asking Wilhelm if he knew just what the church was devoted to. There was no 'official religion' here in the west, after all, and I couldn't remember if this church had a religion it paid tribute to or if it was just called a 'church' for convenience. However, surprisingly, there was no time to ask. We had barely walked into the courtyard when a woman with very long dark-blue hair tied in a braid burst from the dark wooden doors of the church. She rushed straight for us, or, rather, she rushed straight for Cichol. He began to say something, possibly a greeting, but the woman wasn't having it. Instead, she all but pounced on him and drew him close for a very passionate, and very public, kiss.

That… that was definitely… Oh, goodness, I had to look away out of embarrassment, fearing my blush would burn my cheeks off. I had never seen such a bold person in my life! To kiss in public was…!

"Hmm? Mother, why did you… oh, Auntie!" Thankfully, the second person who emerged from the church was not as bold or improper. Instead, it was a sweet looking girl with the same distinctive coloring as Cichol and Seiros, but she had a smile far brighter than I'd seen on either's face. "Hello, hello!" she greeted, racing up to Seiros as fast as she could to give her a giant hug. Seiros immediately hugged her back, clinging tightly to the back of her dress. "I am so very pleased to see you. I have missed you a great deal."

"I've missed you as well, dear Cethleann," Seiros whispered, still clinging. She stroked Cethleann's hair for a moment before finally stepping away. "You look well. Are you?"

"There are no illnesses nor wounds when I am around! Healing is my strength, after all!" She beamed up at Seiros, and Seiros smiled softly at her. "What of you? Are you well?"

"I am far better, having seen you, Cethleann." Seiros glanced at the woman and Cichol; I refused to look to see if she was still being bold or not. "I take it Iseult is very mad, however."

"Father took much longer than he said he would, so yes, she is." This was mad? I was terrified of what she was like when in a good mood then. "Oh my, but who are these people?" Cethleann turned to face Wilhelm and me. A quick glance showed Wilhelm also doing his best to avert his gaze from the woman. "Hello! I am Cichol's daughter, Cethlean. Mother will properly greet you in a moment, but her name is Iseult."

"This is Wilhelm and Kasimira, Cethleann." Seiros handled the introductions, which was good because neither Wilhelm nor I wanted to risk raising our heads and we would have to in order to be polite. "They helped me dearly when I was in need, and then they took me to Zanado at my request. That is where we ran into Cichol, so they also brought us here."

"Truly? Thank you so very much!" Cethleann bowed very formally to us, and I noticed her ears were pointed much like Seiros's and Cichol's were. "Mother and I have been desperately worried about everyone. I am so glad…" She suddenly sniffed and straightened to rub at her eyes. "Oh dear… I suppose I am so relieved that the tears just come."

"It has been a trying few decades for all of us." Seiros wrapped Cethleann up in a hug again, rocking her slightly. "There is still more to come, sadly, but for now, we are together again. When we arrive at Kasimira's home, you and I can walk through the gardens. They are simply beautiful. I know you'll love them." ...Wait, hold one moment. Why was it being taken as a given that...

...I was well and truly mired in this mess, wasn't I? Damn it all.

As Seiros had implied, everyone seemed to take returning to my home as the most logical conclusion. Only Wilhelm seemed reluctant about it, and he was the only one with a good excuse. He had one of my horses, after all. However, Iseult and Cethleann gathered up their things and we rented a wagon because there weren't enough mounts for all of us. At least I had another excuse to give some soldiers bonus pay for returning it. Sieger had finished the finances for me while I was away, and found two more of my staff that needed the little bit of extra coin for the month.

"So, preparations for the spring planting are going well?" I asked Edgar, my head gardner. I always consulted him about how the planting, since it gave me a good idea of what to expect for the farmers. "That's good. I had worried about the rains."

"The rains did loosen some of the soil, particularly in the more elevated areas, but not to the point where it'll be detrimental," Edgar reassured, smiling warmly at me. He was one of the very few old retainers who survived the massacre of my family, having served since my grandfather was a child, and he looked it. "We'll keep a close eye, of course, but for now, all is well." His attention went to something behind me, and he chuckled. "I must say that your latest guests have certainly brought life to the place."

"Hmm?" I twisted and saw Cethleann skipping about the paths, looking at the budding flowers with sparkling eyes. "Well, she certainly has." I had to say that Iseult had made herself home in the kitchen. She was there right now, actually, chatting and gossiping with the staff as if she had known them forever. I supposed that liveliness had been rare since my family died. "I had best check on her, though."

"Of course, Little Lady Mira." ...Technically, Edgar shouldn't call me that anymore, but I could never scold him for it. It had been his 'nickname' for me since I was a baby. To not hear it from him, especially in these circumstances… it would be too much. He knew it, too, even if he also knew why I'd never acknowledge it. Instead, he left with a smile and a bow, and I took a moment to collect myself before heading over to where Cethleann was.

"Oh, Kasimira!" Cethleann greeted me with a smile and a laugh. "Aunt Seiros was right. Your gardens are ever-so beautiful," she gushed, bouncing on her toes. I wondered how old she was, and then I wondered what her 'equivalent' age might be. Nabatea weren't human, so it would be silly to expect them to grow at the same rate as humans. "Though, I am still quite surprised by how large your home is."

"Nobility need large houses to fit their egos," I noted dryly, unable to bite back the barb. Even if it was technically at myself, I simply couldn't. "That's all."

"But you do not seem to have a large ego?" Cethleann looked adorably confused before smiling brightly. "Ah, I know! It must be so large to fit your large heart!" I… how did she say such things so sincerely? How? Though, the thought of hearts reminded me...

"Cethleann, do you mind if I ask you something?" I waited for her to twirl and face me. "What exactly are crests?"

"Hmm… that is a little difficult to explain." Still, Cethleann did her best to think on it, tapping her cheek. "Have Father or Seiros told you anything?"

"Cichol mentioned they were the source of your power and your life. He said the crests, or at least the crest stones, were part of your hearts."

"Ah, yes, that is a good way to explain it." Cethleann nodded a couple of times, almost as if to confirm it to herself. "You can also call it our blood. That is where the power lies, and how Nabatea can give the power to humans." So, it wasn't so different from typical magic, then. It was just more potent, perhaps because it was part of them. "Grandmother's children were all gifted one upon their creation, representing the power she imbued them with. I'm a little different, since I am half-Nabatea."

"Oh?"

"Yes, when I was conceived, Mother had not yet taken Father's crest. So, the power of her blood mixed with the power of Father's to yield a crest different from his. At least, that is how it was explained to me." She held out her hand suddenly and all at once, a symbol appeared above her palm. I didn't recognize it and, truthfully, barely saw it due to how pale it was. If not for the golden light, I might not have caught it without her moving it around. "This crest is one of Light. Though, the name is a bit misleading, as my power is more focused on healing than light itself."

"So, it is similar to humanity's White Magic?"

"Yes, indeed! Mother is a talented practitioner of the art, so I like to think that is why my power developed as it did."

"I see." I crouched a little to study the crest. "Do the colors mean anything important?"

"Only the gold, from my understanding. The golden light denotes that I am one of the first bearers of this crest." She closed her hand into a fist and the light disappeared. "Crests can be inherited, after all, and in Zanado…" For the first time since I had met her, her cheer faltered. But she pushed through. "In Zanado, there were humans who inherited crests and they did not have the glow. Human blood does eventually dilute the crest out, if that makes sense."

"In a way, I believe it does." It honestly reminded me of breeders. They would focus on a 'positive trait' and slowly breed out 'less desirable' features. "So, the golden light there means you have a purer form of the crest."

"Yes, that's right. In my case, it is because it originated with me. Father and Seiros are the same." It fascinated me that she so casually switched between 'Seiros' and 'Aunt Seiros'. "Mother's crest has a golden glow as well, but that is because she is a 'first generation' bearer." I suppose the Nabatea themselves considered themselves 'generation zero', then?

"So, Iseult has a crest now?"

"Yes, she asked Father for it after my birth, so that she could spend more time with the two of us." She giggled, beaming. "So now, if I have a sibling, they will inherit Father's crest." I guessed because inheritance would prioritize the crest over change? I actually didn't quite understand, but she said it as if it were fact, so I would just nod and go along with it. "Ah, did anyone mention that? Crest-bearers live longer lives. Well, from my understanding, the Nabatea do not grow old and die as humans do. However, humans who receive crests will live for a very, very long time." Was that so? That certainly fit what we knew of Nemesis and his Elites. "I believe that is most of what I know about crests."

"Can you have more than one?"

"No more than a person can bear more than one heart or brain!" That did lead to a couple of interesting mental images, but neither here nor there. "I cannot even begin to imagine the stress and pain one would endure. That is too much power within one person; it would devour them from the inside out."

"I see." I nodded, accepting that. "Thank you for explaining, Cethleann." I supposed I could see why such power would appeal to someone. The idea of having that power was tempting, to a degree. If I'd had it, could I have saved my family? The thought did bubble from the depths of my heart. However, to kill so many for it was just...

"Of course." She clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at me. "Kasimira?" I made a noise so that she knew I was listening. "Are you afraid?"

"Am I afraid of what?" There were many things to be afraid of, especially in a world such as ours.

"Me." That… was not expected. "I am not fully human. I am half. My father is not human at all." She did her best to simply look sincere, but there was such sadness in her eyes too. "So, are you afraid?"

"...Cethleann." I reached over and touched her cheek gently. "Humans slaughtered my family in this very house. Humans annihilated your own family. I see no reason to be afraid just because you are not human. If anything, I should ask if you are afraid of me because I am human."

"Of course not. You are very kind, Kasimira." She smiled sweetly and then suddenly took my hand to drag me to the fish pond of all places. I wasn't sure why, but she was so excited that I couldn't help but be amused.

Of course, I worried how much was hiding behind the smile. She lost almost her entire family as well. But for now, I supposed it was all right to simply keep her in good cheer. Her smile was sweet, after all, and bright.

That night, I met with Wilhelm, Seiros, and Cichol for tea. I almost refused, since I knew what the topic of conversation would be, but then I had learned Seiros had specifically requested angelica tea. Apparently, Cichol enjoyed it, and Seiros had really enjoyed it the last time I'd served it. So, I couldn't resist. It was childish and would no doubt lead me further into trouble, but watching Wilhelm squirm was too tempting.

"Kasimira, I know you are busy catching up with everything that occurred in your absence, so I thank you for joining us," Wilhelm politely said. His thin smile hinted he knew just why I was here, but I kept perfectly serene as I made sure his cup was always topped off. "However, I thought that Seiros and Cichol might want to know more about Nemesis and his Elites, and you are the most knowledgeable of us."

"Wilhelm, you flatter me too much," I chided, hiding my own irritation. I knew that was why he'd asked for me to join them. "I have only met them when Nemesis brought them along as his guards." I barely knew anything, truthfully.

"That is more than them, though." He just had to have a point. "Ah, yes, Cichol, since you're unaware, Nemesis is the-"

"I am actually aware," Cichol interrupted cooly, casually sipping his tea. I noticed with a bit of amusement and a bit of distress that he had almost as big of a sweet tooth as Seiros. I could only hope we had enough? "Based on what Seiros told me, it seems the man will do whatever it takes for power, including harassing a woman into marriage." Well, that part wasn't exactly unique to Nemesis, as I knew all too well. Nemesis might be the most persistent of my suitors, but as the duchess of a relatively rich land with a plethora of soldiers and assassins, I had many others over the years. "But, if you do not mind, Kasimira, I would appreciate it. Seiros and I are not even aware of their names."

"Well, I certainly can supply that," I agreed, refilling Seiros's teacup. I also checked that she had enough cold water, since she disliked how hot the tea was. "Would you like me to start with Nemesis or jump straight to the Elites?"

"You need not push yourself to speak of Nemesis if you don't wish to." It didn't escape me that Cichol was noticeably more polite to me than Wilhelm. I wondered if it was because I understood his pain to some degree. "I need not learn more in order to tear his heart out and rend his body to pieces as he did my kin."

"Very well." I topped off Wilhelm's cup again, just because I could, and settled into my chair to think of just what to say. "I suppose the first we should speak of is Maurice. If Nemesis has friends, then Maurice is it. He is almost always at Nemesis's side, and is probably the only one Nemesis trusts." I closed my eyes, thinking. "This next part is simply my guess and, of course, colored by my bias. But while I'm uncertain if Maurice participated in the…" How was I supposed to word this?

"You think that even if he didn't participate in the Red Canyon, he knows of it," Wilhelm supplied, pretending to drink his tea. Much as I disliked being indebted to him, I had to admit it was a tactful enough way to put it. "Based on what little I know of the man, I agree."

"But you phrase it as such because you do not believe the rest do?" Seiros asked, frowning. The grip on her teacup was tight enough to make the tea ripple. "How could they not?"

"The idea being so horrendous that we didn't think of it? I cannot speak for other cultures, of course, but that is how it is for Kasimira and myself. Though, the weapons have always unnerved us." Yes, they did. They looked like bone… wait, how were they so large if… no, that was not a question for this conversation. Besides, they might've already explained and I just forgot. "I am afraid that neither Kasimira nor I were born when they first became humanity's heroes. We only know what we have heard and what we have seen."

"Speaking of which, I should return to that," I lightly commented, mostly to stay away from the uncomfortable subject. Of course, all of this was no doubt uncomfortable for them. But I could at least keep it on the one they semi-agreed to. "Out of the rest, I have seen Fraldarius the most. Despite their tendency to argue, Nemesis tends to have her as a guard more often than not." I hesitated before continuing. "I will admit that I hope she doesn't know the truth about the weapons and crests. I have always gotten along well with her, and she commiserates with me about how… forcefully Nemesis pursues me." But, of course, I had to consider times and the fact that I was human. She was fifty years older than she would've been when she first obtained her weapon and crest, and perhaps the fact that the Nabatea weren't human was enough to… "Still, if I am wrong, then I am wrong. Betrayal is sadly common here in the western lands." It was far too common, actually. "Regardless, Nemesis rules Fodlan, though his power is strongest in his own lands of the east. Maurice stays by his side and doesn't officially rule over anything. Fraldarius rules over one of the northernmost territories. The only one farther north than her is Gautier." Honestly, I should just stick to straight facts as well and not give my personal opinion. What an idiotic and improper thing to do...

"He mostly stays up there, doesn't he?" Wilhelm mused, mostly just helping me along. It limited the chances of getting distracted again. "Though, I don't know why."

"I don't know the 'official' reason, but I know it is because he delights in tormenting those of the Sreng region." If there was an Elite more battle-happy than Nemesis, it was Gautier. "Blaiddyd rules the lands east of them, while Daphnel rules the lands south."

"You hear strange rumors of Blaiddyd."

"Many do whisper he's fey-blooded, yes."

"Fey-blooded… that is a northern term for one who is believed to be the child of one of the fey, yes? Typically used to 'explain' abnormalities?" Cichol asked, nursing his tea. Wilhelm and I must've seemed surprised because he shrugged slightly. "I traveled before everything. I do not know modern news, but the term 'fey-blooded' is very old."

"Ah, then yes, he is whispered to be that," I continued, doing my best to push past my surprise. Seiros had mentioned some of her family had traveled, but… "I can't confirm that, of course. I have only met him once." Like Gautier, Blaiddyd seemed inclined to remain in the north, though there were no reasons for why. The gossips focused far more on how he had supposedly been inhumanly strong even prior to receiving the 'divine blessing' of the crest, and how any who made the mistake of calling Blaiddyd fey-blooded around Fraldarius found themselves on the wrong side of her fury. "Daphnel's lands and Fraldarius's are separated from each other by the Valley of Torment. I've never met him as Daphnel never leaves the east. I do know, however, that he is the one Nemesis leaves in charge when he must leave."

"Most of the eastern lords rarely leave, actually," Wilhelm pointed out. I noticed his teacup was only half-full and checked the nearby plants; the soil was damp, hinting just where the tea had gone. "It's probably because the west is too chaotic for them. Dominic and Lamine are the most western of the Elites, right?"

"Yes, they are, in the north and south respectively." I closed my eyes, trying to remember what Fraldarius had once told me about them. "Dominic is an atypical fighter. Though he's strongest in magic, he rarely fights with spells. Instead, he uses his magic to boost his physical abilities and then utilizes magic axes while astride his wyvern."

"Lamine, meanwhile, is a master of magic, is she not?"

"She is powerful enough to warp the natural terrain around her." In her case, there were stories of how she used her magic to transform a barren wasteland into fertile fields for the people to end a famine. There were also stories of how she'd transformed a beautiful meadow into a poisonous swamp to bog down her enemies. "She prefers playing the healer, though, and I've met her once or twice when she ventured westward to gather some rarer medicinal herbs." At the least, that was always her excuse. "Who have I not mentioned yet?"

"Charon, Goneril, and Riegan."

"Those are the lords who rule the 'middle' of the continent, so to speak." Honestly, when it came to those three, I wasn't quite sure who ruled what territory. Somehow, they made it work for them, though. "They seem to do their best to stay out of the gossips, and unfortunately, they're not close enough to Fraldarius for her to gossip about them to me." I probably knew the least about them save their signature weapons: sword, axe, and bow.

"What you mentioned right there is interesting," Seiros murmured, around some sweet. I wasn't sure what it was, other than it was one of the last we had. She and Cichol had devoured the rest. "The Elites are not close?"

"Some are closer than others, but it might be more accurate to dub them comrades sworn to the same 'lord' than anything particularly close-knit." Honestly, the only ones that I knew were close were Blaiddyd and Fraldarius, as well as Nemesis and Maurice. "You might be able to take advantage of that to fracture Nemesis's strength, but I'm not certain you should count on that, especially at the beginning of this." But while Nemesis was brutally powerful on his own, what made him so formidable of an opponent were the allies he secured himself. "Oaths of loyalty are held in higher regard in the non-western lands of Fodlan."

"Yes, in order to match him, we will need allies of our own," Wilhelm 'explained'. It was more stating the obvious in order to establish a starting point than an actual explanation. "Thus, we need an 'official reason'."

"Is getting justice for those slaughtered not enough?" Seiros demanded, frowning. She squeezed her fists on the table, and a trickle of blood seeped out from between her fingers. "The ones who were cut down while trying to run? The babies who were run through as their parents used themselves as broken shields? The toddlers who tripped and were crushed underneath? The-?!"

"No." Wilhelm's answer was blunt, the only sort of response that would cut her off. Both her and Cichol looked shocked. "No, it will not. While the scale might not match, there are many among the nobles now who use that very tactic to secure power." I did my best to hide my wince by drinking my tea, but Cichol's sympathetic glance hinted I'd failed. "It would be nice if we could rely simply on inherent goodness, but such a thing is a rarity here in the west. Nemesis's influence might be weakest here, but it is still a place where the strong rule and the weak disappear. The only difference is manipulations count far more for 'strength' here." He gently took Seiros's hand and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the blood on it. "Thus, we need an 'official' reason. We need something we tell the ones who will not be swayed because of 'goodness' and 'justice'."

Silence fell then. Seiros and Cichol were silent because they just comprehended what sort of creatures humanity had become over the years. Wilhelm and I were silent because such a thing wasn't easy to 'answer'. After all, there was more than one reason why telling the truth about how Nemesis obtained his weapon and crest wasn't a good idea and it wasn't just because the reason of 'killing an entire family right down to the babes in arms' was too common. There was the very real question of just what sort of danger the truth would bring the survivors.

Truthfully, there was a way we could use the truth. After all, what happened to the Nabatea wasn't simply the slaughter of an entire family. It was genocide. They lost their people, their home, their way of life… they lost everything. Nemesis obliterated them, for power. Yes, it was genocide, something that almost everyone would agree was far more terrible than the massacre of a family.

But I knew people. I knew them far too well. At best, they would pay lipservice to sympathies while ultimately remaining indifferent to it all. But there was always worse. After all, all you needed to do to drive people into a frenzy was put a little thought into their heads, a thought that made terrible sense with little to no thinking, and then let their impulses do the rest. With the Nabatea, there was one 'easy' fact like that, one that Nemesis could use far too easily; they weren't human. Seiros had admitted as such. From there, it would be far too easy to cause divisions of 'us' and 'them'. It would be far to easy to make people perceive them as little more than beasts. Because there were so few left, it would be far too easy to spread lies about them to make their annihilation 'justified'.

No, as ill as it made me, we couldn't tell the truth about the genocide of the Nabatea. Though I wanted nothing more than to proclaim it as loudly as I could, to let the truth be known because hiding it felt like yet another crime, I knew people wouldn't care. They wouldn't see the atrocity for what it was. They would focus too much on the differences, and then Nemesis had even more openings to win allies. Then the few survivors would be in far too much danger, and the stones… no, the hearts that Cichol so carefully hid and buried would be stolen for more power. It had already happened, after all. That was why Cichol had been in Zanado.

Perhaps later, once allies were won and their loyalty was secured, we could tell the truth. Perhaps later, when there was not so many risks, we could let it be known and not bury the deaths in the dark. But until then, we had to keep silent. Until then, we needed an 'official reason' as our excuse to gather allies. Nemesis was not a simple warrior; he was someone clever enough to win people's hearts and rally them under a cause. He'd proved that fifty years ago against the Eastern Invaders, and he continued proving it with every year he remained the 'King of Liberation'.

What would work, though? We weren't facing a clever warrior. We were facing a hero. Even if his power was weakest here in the west, he was still beloved. To declare war against a hero was a travesty. People would flock to him just because of his status. So, the official reason needed to be something simple enough for people to believe without too much thought, yet convincing enough to turn people away from someone who saved Fodlan.

As I thought through all of this, my eyes fell on Seiros. She held herself rigidly still, only moving when Wilhelm switched to cleaning the blood from her other hand. Seiros… perhaps…

"Capitalize on how the people view Seiros as a saint," I whispered, breaking the silence. All three looked at me like I was insane, but I focused solely on Seiros. "The people of Enbarr view her as a saint, the one who sparked life into their city. So, use that." The more I thought about it, the more I thought it might work. Though a small part of me wondered just why I was letting myself get so involved. Another part of me knew far too well why, but didn't want to speak yet. "Nemesis claims the weapons and crests were blessings from divinity. The best way to counter that is to claim your own." I sipped my tea, my mind whirling through thousands of possibilities. It settled on one. "Say something about divine revelations, and then make up a story. Perhaps something like 'Nemesis has been corrupted by the darkness so now the divine have charged us with saving him from himself.' It can include the Elites easily."

"...Yes, that sort of story might work," Wilhelm whispered, wiping the last of the blood from Seiros's hand. He then folded up his handkerchief small and tucked it back into his pocket, like a barbarian. "No matter his actions, Nemesis and the Elites are considered heroes. If we do not paint them at least as fallen heroes, then we will have to fight the entire continent."

"By playing with his own story, it'll add more credence to whatever we come up with." Everyone grew up with the idea that Nemesis was blessed. But there were stories in every region of Fodlan about how power could corrupt. Such a story would not require a lot of thought to believe, and it would add a religious fervor to the fire we hoped to stoke. "The exact details will need to be worked on, of course, but if we use that as the base, then this goes from a fool's endeavor to something theoretically plausible."

"Essentially, you suggest giving a little so that we do not simply break ourselves while seeking justice," Cichol summarized, glaring. I had no doubts it was because he had to pretend Nemesis was once a 'good person' and I swore he grit his teeth before forcing himself to relax. "Fine. Whatever it takes."

"Cichol, you cannot be serious!" Seiros immediately protested. She even shot to her feet and nearly knocked over her chair. "To treat that man like…!"

"If it means tearing his heart out as he did our kin, I don't care what I have to do." Cichol met Seiros's glare coldly. "Neither of us are Mother, who could annihilate the continent with a fraction of her strength. To combat humans, we must use their tactics. Otherwise, we will fall before justice is served."

"...Why must you be right?" Seiros sat back down, rigid as a stone pillar. "But you are. Based on what happened in Zanado, we need an army. So, that's exactly what we'll do."

What sort of consequences would this have? I was afraid to learn, but feared I would anyway.

It was late. I should be working. There was still a lot to do. Yet instead of doing my duty in my office, I found myself watching the sunset out on the highest balcony in the household. The crisp wind tugged at my hair and skirts as I rested against the railing, watching the shadows slowly stretch into darkness. The stars slowly started appearing one after another, twinkling dots against the expansive night sky. Under it all, my lands stretched beyond the horizon. At this hour, most would be slowly preparing for bed. Perhaps they would sew by the fire while another told stories. Perhaps a couple were sneaking last snacks after dinner before going to sleep. There were all sorts of things my people could be doing, things they had likely done for most of their lives and things they expected to do for the rest of them. However, given what was planned…

"Kasimira." Why did Wilhelm have to step out as I was trying to untangle my thoughts? "I figured you'd be here," he noted lightly, joining me at the railing. He smiled faintly, but I saw the traces of bitterness in it. "You've always come out here when you wanted to think, even when we were little."

"...Wilhelm-"

"Easy, I'm not here to…" He trailed off, clearly thinking his words through. "I know what I did. No matter my justifications or plans, I broke your trust in me. I would apologize, but I feel no apology would suffice." Wilhelm closed his eyes, and now it was my turn to smile bitterly. "If you are willing to give your trust to me again, I would love to earn it. I would love the chance to earn it. But that is something you choose, and I am well aware that I cannot, and should not, take it as a given." He chuckled, and it sounded sad. No, it sounded 'resigned'. "I just couldn't help but make the observation."

"I see." What could I say to that? None of it was wrong. "Given that first statement, you were clearly looking for me."

"I was." He opened his eyes, but didn't look at me. Instead, he looked out over my lands. Absently, I thought of how when we were growing up, he had spent more time here than he had in his own home. In fact, one could argue that this was his home, not the lands that he governed. "There is one other thing I do not wish to take as 'given'."

"That is?"

"Your assistance." He looked to me finally. "You contributed to the planning, of course, but I do not want to assume you will give your help, Kasimira." ...Wilhelm… "So, I wanted to ask for it, formally."

"...I see." Ah, what to feel about this? There were so many conflicting emotions in my heart and mind. All I could do was look back to the horizon, and watch the shadows continue to stretch into night.

Wilhelm, thankfully, did the same. "Your lands have always felt peaceful."

"It is the duty of the ruling noble to provide the happiest and most peaceful conditions they can for their people." That was something my father had believed with all his heart, and something he'd instilled in me. "The months after my family's death were rough for them, because of the sudden transition. I spent just as much time cleaning up that mess as I did mourning."

"I remember."

"However, this trouble you have brought to my doorstep has made me think of just how little I like the current 'norm' of the world." There was nothing 'peaceful' about the world. "Then there is Nemesis…" I clenched my fist against the railing, pressing down to prevent myself from trying to dig my nails into it. "We both know that if not for the excuse of my family's death, I would already be married to him. The consequences of refusing are too great, and now, they are even greater." Now that I knew he was someone who would slaughter an entire family… no, an entire race down to the babes in arms just for the power it would give… now that I knew he was just like the bastard that took everything from me… "I cannot trust him with my people. I dislike… no, I loathe his method of ruling. I do not believe there is happiness at the end of such a path, only death and destruction."

"That is the end all those who decide violence is the only way. It is all the more true when they decide it is the best way."

"Yes." I sighed and brushed some of my hair out of my face. "Of course, given that your enemy is Nemesis, it will no doubt turn to violence no matter what we do." It would no doubt lead to the death of my people, those I was sworn to protect. As a ruler, I had no right to sacrifice their lives for some idealized future. It was selfish and cruel. Yet, also as a ruler, I could not simply leave things as they were. The end of that path was nothing but a slow death. That was also selfish and cruel. There were no other paths that I could see. So, I had to take the path I thought would lead to the least number of deaths overall, and hope that my self-righteousness did not doom everything. "Wilhelm."

"Yes?"

"If you can promise me that the world built from the ashes will be different from the one Nemesis rules now… if you can promise me that you will give everything you are and more to ensure it is a world that you and I both want to live in… if you can promise me that this revolution will lead to a world where my people can rest safely…" I turned to face Wilhelm, to give him the most serious look I could. "If you can promise me all of that, Wilhelm, then I shall assist."

"...I promise." Perhaps some would have preferred immediate agreement, but I didn't. That he paused before agreeing showed he knew the weight of what I was asking. "I promise, Kasimira."

"Then I shall give whatever I have to give as well. Sieger." Sieger appeared from the shadows of the curtain. I'd known he was there the entire time; he always was. "Gather information on the most notable nobles here in the west, with a priority on weaknesses to exploit and blackmail." Sieger bowed and slipped back into the shadows to follow my orders. "It will take some time, but…"

"While we do not have as much time as our enemy appears to have, rushing forward will do nothing but spell our defeat. It will be far better in the long term to take our time and minimize the number of losses." Wilhelm smiled slightly. "Thank you, Kasimira."

"You may thank me by minimizing the regrets I feel." They were promises he had to work for, after all. "Remind me why neither of us considered just straight assassination again?"

"You really think no one else has tried over the past fifty years?"

"That's right…" I sighed, shaking my head. "Still, we cannot use my home as a base of operation."

"Of course not. If Nemesis doesn't have spies watching you, then I'll drink five pots of angelica tea." The mental image was amusing enough that I wished he wasn't correct.

Still, the reminder of spies brought to mind what started all of this. "Wilhelm?" I waited for him to make a noise in acknowledgement. "What did your spy find out?"

"Ah, that's right. I never told you. I'd deciphered it just before Seiros saw Nemesis." He smiled slightly. "It took a while. He used one of the more complicated ciphers and some blood had seeped into the pouch to stain the message." He closed his eyes briefly before looking out. By now, the sun had fully set, leaving only the night. "It was a message that corroborated what Seiros had said. Specifically, it talked of how Nemesis forcibly and violently stole the power he and his Elites have. There was no blessings with it, much less 'divine blessing'." I wondered how they'd found that out. Sadly, we'd likely never know. But it was certainly another reason why we didn't send assassins.

"So that was why you were so quick to believe and offer help."

"There are many reasons for that, but yes, that did play a part." Wilhelm drummed his fingers on the railing, thinking. "Given the timing of his visit, I cannot help but wonder if Nemesis killed him in an attempt to keep it quiet." Yes, that was true. The way Wilhelm had described the body would match Nemesis's sword. "Still, given his reputation, I do believe it's best to go with your suggestion of portraying him as a 'fallen hero'."

"I must admit that I dislike it personally. Yet it is the only thing I can think of to minimize the number of weaknesses for Nemesis to exploit." I more than 'disliked' it. Truthfully, I felt like I could take a thousand baths and never rid myself of this crawling feeling on my skin. "I can only hope Seiros and Cichol will be okay."

"I do as well. But that will be for the coming days." Yes, that was true. "Speaking of the coming days, I was thinking we could make our base of operations in Enbarr."

"Enbarr?" Well, that was a surprise. "Why there? I'm certain your own lands are no less safe than mine, but it still seems unusual."

"Precisely." Ah, so this was a 'unexpected to minimize the chances of being caught' tactic, then? That might just work, if we were careful. "It is also the city farthest away from Nemesis. So, even if he has spies there, and he likely does because he probably has spies everywhere, it'll take them a long while to bring him information."

"Yes, that is true." As I thought, I remembered one more thing that made Enbarr perfect. "The people there already revere Seiros."

"Yes, if there is any place that will believe her, it will be there." That would get us a loyal base and, more importantly, the spark of momentum such a movement will need. "That's probably the extent of what we can determine on our own, though. Seiros and Cichol should be with us for the rest of the planning." Wilhelm stepped away from the railing and turned to head back inside. "Will you stay out here a while longer?"

"Yes." It was all I said, and that was more than enough for him. He left me alone, and I returned to simply looking out to the horizon, watching the stars glitter across the moonlit lands.

The weight of what I had just agreed to pressed into my shoulders and heart. I've thrown my lot with revolution and condemned thousands. I could only hope the end would be worth it. I doubted it would be the case, though. Nothing was truly worth so much sacrifice. But between the options I could see, I made my choice. Now, I had to live with it, until the day I died.

If there was such thing as divinity, may it help us all.

Iseult

A talented healer, cook, and fisherwoman, she is the wife of Cichol and the mother of Cethleann and no longer remembers her age since she stopped counting at around 100. She had not originally planned on taking Cichol's crest to extend her life, believing that life is all the more precious because it eventually ends and that worrying about the inevitable end does little but interfere with your ability to live. However, after Cethleann was born, she decided the idea of spending more time with her husband and daughter was far too tempting. Never one to treat anyone as anything but an equal, she delights in embarrassing her husband and, in particular, sharing how they met because Cichol was too involved with reading a book while walking and accidentally stepped off a ridge.

Cethleann

The daughter of Cichol and Iseult, she is one of the few half-Nabatea who has a crest unique from her Nabatea parent. In her case, her crest embodies light, specifically the Light of Healing, something she takes great pride in. Because she has lived most of her life by the ocean, she finds it particularly comforting and even the smell of the salt air is enough to make her smile. Despite the recent tragedies, she does her best to keep up her smile and count her blessings, though her heart is terribly heavy and feels on the brink of shattering.