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On Ena’s eighteenth birthday, it was decided an important event would take place. Not her coronation, her parents were still alive, thank you very much. No, today, the graduating class of squires from the academy would be knighted and Ena was to choose one to knight herself. Her sole condition: the knight she chose would be hers and hers alone, they would take orders from no other.
Her father, the king, approved of this stipulation as much as he approved of any other choice when she first brought it up three years ago, which is to say, not at all. This, she suspects, is why this ceremony of sorts was delayed for two whole years. He was waiting for her to come back to her senses and do as he asked, but she refused. She would not allow herself to remain firmly pinned under his thumb. The knight she chose today would serve her and only her.
Her brother, Akito was among this year's graduating class and Ena is certain her father is only letting her choose with the expectation she’d choose him. She loves her brother, she really does, but rebellion has been brewing in her heart for far too long. He will not be the one she chooses today.
The ceremony begins as normal, Commander Tsukasa Tenma gets on stage and loudly talks about how proud he is to be able to introduce them into the crown’s ranks. He sounds as though he’s going to burst into tears as he barrels on with his speech and Ena sees her little brother stare up at her, begging with his eyes for her to choose him and save him from working under this nincompoop for the rest of his days. She resists the urge to smirk. They both know that Commander Tenma is a competent leader and soldier despite appearances. Akito will be just fine.
After he finishes his speech on the pride of the crown and how excited he is to work with them, Tsukasa deviates from the typical yearly script.
“Though today is a very special day. Upon the princesses request, today one of you is to be knighted by her personally and go on to serve her.”
At his words, several of the other knights look at Akito, some nudging him with their shoulders. They all expect her to choose him, because he’s her brother. They’re all wrong.
The sword is passed to her and the graduating knights in training kneel in neat little rows, awaiting their turn. Ena carefully walks up and down each row, regarding each of them with a focus she usually reserves for paintings. Each knight looks up at her as she passes. They all probably assume this is mere formality before she inevitably chooses her brother, but some have this unrealistic hope in their eyes, as if deep down, they believe there’s a chance she’ll choose them instead. This, Ena can respect.
She stops in front of her brother who looks up at her with pleading eyes. She knows he believes Tsukasa to be a boisterous idiot, and while that is the truth, he’s a reliable boisterous idiot. Still, she knows he dreads working under him, but such is the life of a knight and he knew that when he first decided to abandon his princely duties and serve the kingdom as a knight instead. He’s in good hands. She smirks at him and watches as his expression changes to that of a kicked puppy.
“You’ll do just fine,” she whispers to him, “Maybe it’ll even do you some good to work for him. It’ll teach you respect at the very least.”
With that, she turns and continues moving down his row. It takes everything in her not to laugh at him when she catches his expression out of the corner of her eye. He looks as though he wants nothing more than to chase after her with an incredulous “what’s that supposed to mean?!” but he’s a knight now, or at least he will be in a few minutes, so professionalism is required.
Ena recognizes a few of the faces in among the crowd, Shizuku’s younger sister Shiho, for one, as well as Ichika, the daughter of a noble family of bards. She plans on choosing neither of them. She knows Shiho would much rather fight in battle than be at her beck and call, and Ichika would prefer to be with her friends whether that be on or off the battlefield. Neither of those wishes would be fulfilled if Ena were to squirrel either one of them away for herself.
Still, choosing a knight for herself who isn’t Akito is a bit harder than she thought it would be. None of the graduates she’s passed so far stand out to her. It’s like looking at a drawing and knowing it’s missing something, but not knowing exactly what that thing is. She’ll know she’s found her knight when she sees them, but she doesn’t know what she’s looking for.
At least, not until she lays eyes on her. Long pastel pink hair is tied into a high ponytail with a navy blue ribbon that matches the uniform she wears. The sight of such a beautiful young lady threatens to steal her breath away. She is the only knight who doesn’t look up at Ena as she pauses in front of her. Instead her gaze remains firmly on the ground.
Around them, incredulous, disbelieving whispers sound around them, a sign Ena has lingered for longer than she intended to. She can make out some of the whispers.
“Is she really gonna pick Akiyama?”
“The freak? There’s no way?”
“She’s been standing there for a while.”
“But everyone knows the princess will choose her brother, or at least someone normal!”
The girl does not react to the comments of the others, even if she does hear them. Something deep within Ena’s heart tells her this is the knight she’s been looking for.
“Hey,” she calls softly to the knight in front of her, “Look at me.”
At her command, eyes the color of the tea roses in the vast royal garden slowly rise to meet hers. Ena can see the determined glint they carry, a wish to prove those around her wrong. She can respect that. In fact, now that she sees it, she knows it’s exactly the spark she’s been looking for.
She supposes she’s always been awfully fond of underdogs, fonder still of beautiful maidens with fire in their eyes.
You, she decides, It has to be you.
She raises her sword, knights the maiden, and watches in satisfaction as those pink eyes widen with surprise.
“You understand what this means, don’t you?” she asks her knight, “From today onward you shall be my knight. You shall serve me and me alone.”
The dumbstruck look does not leave her pretty face as she stammers out a reply. “I— Right! Understood, my liege!”
Ena smiles, this knight of hers is awfully cute. “Rise so that I may know the name of my knight.”
She obeys the command without question, dropping into a clumsy curtsy that gives away her previous status as a peasant. “Mizuki, my liege. Akiyama Mizuki at your service.”
“Mizuki,” she tests how the name tastes on her tongue, finding she quite likes it. “Then it’ll be a pleasure to work with you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
Having a knight is a lot like having a lost little puppy, emphasis on the lost.
Anywhere Ena goes, Mizuki follows like a shadow, which is good, she wants her to do that. The problem lies within the nervous distance her knight seems determined to keep between them.
She only speaks when spoken to and very rarely meets her gaze. A nervous look replaces that determined glint that had drawn her to her. It’s almost as though Mizuki is scared to offend, to be seen. Even as she stands next to Ena in the throne room while they both listen to her father bark out orders, she’s pressed firmly against the wall, completely still, as though she isn’t there at all.
This simply won’t do. Ena wants a knight not a wordless shadow, which is why one day, she excuses herself from the throne room and starts walking to the room she’s made into her art studio. Mizuki follows behind silently, like a lost puppy being sure to leave a generous bubble of space between them, small enough for her to be able to effectively protect her in the case of danger, but large enough so as not to offend. Frankly, it pisses Ena off.
She stops a few minutes into their trek and hears Mizuki’s footsteps immediately cease behind her, keeping that oh so annoying distance between them.
“Closer,” Ena orders and she hears her knight wordlessly obey, but she still isn’t close enough.
“Closer,” she repeats, and Mizuki takes another two steps forward.
She sighs and reaches back. “Come take my hand.”
This time, Mizuki hesitates, though she still obeys. Ena smiles as she feels her knight's hand slot into her own. She leads her the rest of the way to her studio just like that. She leads her to the window nook and gently pushes down on her shoulders, urging her to sit.
“Stay there,” she says as she readies her supplies with intent to paint her.
“But my liege, as your knight, is it not my duty to protect you?”
“As my knight, your duty is whatever I decree, and right now, your duty is to sit there and look pretty.”
The blush dusting her cheeks is an adorable sight. “You flatter me, my liege.”
“Ena.”
“Hm?” her head tilts adorably, like someone else she knows.
“When we are in private like this, I want you to call me by my name. There’s no need for such formality when it’s just the two of us.”
“Oh. Alright.”
Then, a deafening silence overtakes the room, broken only by the frantic scratching of Ena’s pencil. This goes on for a while, and before she knows it, Ena is mixing paint, trying to achieve the shade of Mizuki’s pale skin as it glows in the sunlight. Her knight hasn’t said a word.
“Are you nervous?” asks Ena, “You shouldn’t be, graduating from the academy proves you capable and I wouldn’t have chosen you if I didn’t think you were up for the task.”
“I’m— this is just a bit unexpected, is all.” Mizuki admits, “I’d always thought I’d serve the crown and then die in battle, like every other knight of my status. I never thought you would choose me as your personal guard.”
Now Ena may not be the most perceptive person in the kingdom but she can read between the lines, and she doesn’t exactly like the tale Mizuki’s words are painting (She also doesn’t like this shade of green she’s using on the curtains, but that’s a much easier fix)
“And why exactly was death the thing you were banking on?”
Mizuki scrambles to cover her tracks. “It wasn’t, I swear on my life! It’s just… everyone in my village revels in tales of legendary knights, how they climbed the ranks from detested peasantry to noble knighthood. Those knights always died in the end.”
“So you're saying you’re in it for the honor then?”
“No! No, of course not! To serve the crown has always been my wish!”
Ena smiles, “Speak your mind, you’ll offend no one here.”
“Do you deem me a liar? I speak nothing but the truth!”
And the Fae garner no enjoyment from their trickery.
“Nothing of the sort,” she lies, hoping her smirk is obscured by the canvas. “And for the love of the Goddess, would you sit still?!”
“Sorry!”
She softens, “Besides, you don’t serve the crown, do you?”
“Of course, my lie— Ena, I serve you and you alone.”
She smiles, having finally found the perfect shade of pink for her knight’s hair.
“Ena?” Mizuki speaks again, voice soft and laced with something she cannot place, “Why me? Of all the capable knights in the courtyard that day, why did you choose me to be yours?”
“Are you doubting yourself?”
“Please? I just want to know.”
She’s sure to look her knight directly in the eye as she says her next words. “I chose you because I saw something in your eyes that was different from everyone else on that field. I quite liked what I saw in you that day and I still do. I trust you will not disappoint.”
“I won’t,” that determined glint she’d chosen her for returns with full force, “I’ll be the best knight you’ve ever seen!”
Ena smiles, “I’ll hold you to that.”
Over the next few months of this arrangement, their relationship blurs from being simply a princess and her knight, to something akin to friendship. There is nowhere Ena goes that Mizuki does not follow, including her bedchambers.
“How am I meant to protect my princess if we are to sleep on opposite sides of the castle?” she asks one day when the king questions this new behavior.
After that the nature of their relationship receives no further questions, though neither of them miss the incredulous stares sent their way.
“Come on,” Ena whispers to her one night before walking boldly out of her bedroom door.
“Where are we going,” asks Mizuki, though as usual she doesn’t hesitate to follow.
“Out” she simply says.
Wordlessly, the two of them walk through the twisting castle hallways. Ever since the day Ena painted that portrait of her, Mizuki has never strayed farther than an arm's length from her when they walk together. She smiles, this is exactly what she’d wanted.
Akito is stationed at the gate tonight, making sneaking out far easier. Once her brother sees that Mizuki is with her, he allows them passage without complaint.
“Take good care of her, Akiyama,” he says.
Mizuki smirks, “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Lil’ Bro! Your wonderful sister is in good hands!”
“In all honesty it is your head I worry about. If anything were to happen to Ena, you would be the first to be executed. You are aware of this, no?”
Mizuki’s smile falters for just a moment. “Yes, yes, I’m well aware. How sweet you are to worry about me!”
He grumbles, “Forget it. Get yourself beheaded for all I care. Just bring the princess home safe.”
“And the city walls rise once more! Lil’ Bro is far too serious!”
Ena snickers as they leave him behind. “That is no way to speak to the crown prince you know.”
“Oh? Do I offend? Or perhaps, you are jealous. Do you wish for me to give you a cute nickname as well?”
“I said nothing of the sort!” Ena scoffs, “Any knight worth her salt knows the proper way to address royalty. At this rate you’ll get yourself beheaded after all.”
“Both you and Lil’ Bro worry too much!” she says, “If the king were to behead me, then who would protect you?”
Someone whose devotion lies with the crown.
She’d never told Mizuki that little tidbit about their arrangement, opting to shield her from the messiness of politics. Her knight knew nothing of the discussions Ena had overheard between her father and other prominent noble families. She didn’t hear the harsh words whispered in war rooms and meeting halls.
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. What good is a king if he cannot control every last one of his dogs.”
“If I were you, I’d do something about that stray.”
“It wouldn’t be particularly difficult, you know. Send that one to war, or arrange for a mercenary attack. One inexperienced knight cannot possibly take on a group of four or five and your daughter could remain untouched.”
Those disgusting words whispered amongst the kingdom's highest ranks when they believed no one to be listening. Oh how it angered Ena to overhear plots to kill her precious knight. How many sleepless nights did she spend feeling guilty for placing her in such a position? So Mizuki would not, could not be made aware of the various political plots on her life. Ena would take care of those all on her own.
Now, she squeezed her hand in the night.
“No soul would be able to do as good a job as you do.”
The soft moonlit smile on Mizuki’s face rivaled that of an angel, or of Goddess Miku herself.
“Are we simply on a moonlit stroll or did you have a destination in mind?”
“Don’t worry about it,” says Ena, “You’ll know soon enough.”
Now, as she led her knight by the hand to the alleged best stargazing spot in all the kingdom, Ena pushed all thoughts of heinous political plots to the side. Now, all that mattered to her was the feeling of her knight’s hand in hers, the awed look that would surely light up her eyes as they finally saw the constellations.
With her knight’s hand in hers, cruising through the city streets in search of the oak tree Ichika had told her about, all was right in the world.
(And if the sight of the many twinkling stars, closer than either of them had ever seen them before stole away Mizuki’s breath and brought tears to her eyes, then the moment was all the sweeter.)
Yoisaki Kanade was a noble bard following in her late fathers footsteps and was very good at her job. Sometimes Ena swore her music could cure the sick. Kanade would laugh such comments off with a light embarrassed blush coating her cheeks.
Kanade also happened to be a good friend of Ena’s which was exactly why she and her personal knight Mafuyu were in the castle garden for tea.
“Ena, good morning,” rings Kanade’s soft voice. Mafuyu simply nods at her in acknowledgement.
Mizuki is standing slightly behind her like a shadow and it reminds Ena of when she’d first been knighted. She was sure they were over this now, but maybe she was just awkward around new people.
“Is this your knight?” Kanade asks, “I was told you had chosen one.”
She nods, “I have. This is Mizuki.”
Mizuki drops into a curtsy, still clumsy, but better than the one she’d given Ena upon their first meeting. A nervous smile spreads across her face.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kanade.”
The musician’s short silver hair brushes against her cheeks as she shakes her head. “Please, there is no need for such formality. Just Kanade is fine.”
Mafuyu moves to stand in front of her, regarding Mizuki with scrutiny. The knight nods politely at her senior.
“You were knighted only recently, correct? At this past ceremony?”
“Indeed I was,” replies the pink haired knight.
“To rise from mere peasantry to the crown princess’s personal guard is quite a feat. I’d like to congratulate you.”
Mizuki’s cheeks flush red at the praise.
“I’d also like to test your skill,” Mafuyu continues, “Ena is a precious friend to Kanade and unfortunately to me as well, as such I must ensure you are capable of protecting her.”
“I wouldn’t have chosen her if she wasn’t capable,” Ena huffs, “And what exactly do you mean by ‘unfortunately’?!”
The senior knight ignores her, “I see you carry no sword. How are you to protect Ena from danger if you are unarmed?”
“I assure you I am armed,” Mizuki replies, “A sword is cumbersome in a day to day routine and quite heavy in battle. I prefer quicker weapons that are easier to conceal.”
“Such as daggers?”
“Indeed.”
Mafuyu nods in approval. “How good are you with ranged weapons?”
“Unfortunately, I am unable to draw a bow, though my daggers are thrown with deadly precision.”
“Then we shall spar so that I may see this alleged skill for myself.”
“Mafuyu,” Kanade calls, “Can this not wait for another time? We’re only here for tea and I wouldn’t want to trample this lovely garden.”
“Understood,” her attention turns back to Mizuki, “Next time, we will spar, but for now, let us break bread together.”
“It’s just tea between friends, Mafuyu,” Ena huffs, “Don’t make it sound like some formal affair.”
She takes a seat, motioning for Mizuki to take the one next to her.
“Am I also to be considered a friend?”
“Of course,” Kanade says, “Any friend of Ena’s is a friend of mine.”
“Unless you are foe, I see no issue,” says Mafuyu.
Ena nods. “See, we’re all friends here.”
Kanade presents a tin of loose leaf tea. “Honami brought me tea upon her last visit. It’s apple cinnamon flavored and I figured you’d like to try it.”
While the tea steeps they engage in friendly conversation. Mafuyu briefly speaks on tensions with the neighboring kingdoms before Kanade stops her.
“Mafuyu please, this is meant to be simple tea. Ena will surely hear about this news in the throne room. After all, she is heir to the throne.”
“Apologies,” the knight murmurs.
“It’s no trouble, really,” Ena says, “Though maybe we could discuss this in private after tea.”
She doesn’t want to tell her friends about the way such information is kept from her. She doesn’t want to worry them.
Mafuyu’s eyes light up at her offer. “Indeed, there are things I’d rather discuss with you in private.”
To anyone who didn’t know Mafuyu well, she sounds casual, as if discussing the weather. Ena can hear the severity in her voice. Whatever she wants to discuss is of utmost importance.
The tea is wonderful and the miniature cheesecakes Kanade brought to go with it is even better. Mizuki looks woefully out of her element, looking at the small teacups as if they were an alien species.
“Is something wrong?” Ena asks her.
“Not particularly,” she responds, “I was just admiring the tea set. It’s awfully cute.”
“There’s a family of artisans in town that make and sell this kind of china. Their shop is near Rin’s statue if you ever want to check it out,” says Kanade.
“Perhaps we will someday,” Ena says.
After tea is finished, Mafuyu asks to be excused Kanade does so without question and she stands, turning and walking toward the array of rose bushes, giving Ena a pointed look. Ena stands in order to meet her and Mizuki does the same, intending to follow.
“Right, sorry Mizuki but could you stay here for a bit? Kanade could use the company.”
“As you wish.”
Mizuki sits again and Ena takes the opportunity to meet with Mafuyu.
“You took your time,” the knight observes upon her arrival.
“So insolent,” Ena hisses, “I was making sure we weren’t followed!”
“You shouldn’t keep such information from your knight, you know. She cannot prepare if she is not aware of the danger.”
“Don’t you think I know that!” she snaps.
Mafuyu shrugs. “Speaking of Mizuki, are you aware of the various plots on her life?”
“I am,” she says solemnly, “I’m protecting her best I can, but dad isn’t too fond of the idea of a knight he cannot control.”
“My mother is also in disapproval of your choice.”
“Great.”
“Indeed.”
Lady Asahina was an influential voice in her fathers royal court. Her word was only trumped by that of her father.
“If she’s in on this, we’re in big trouble, you know.”
“I know,” says Mafuyu, “The Aoyagi kingdom has declared war over the small strip of forest along the border.”
“No man's land?” she asks, “But why? That is Fae territory.”
“From what I’ve heard, they’ve struck a deal with the Otori’s to the East.”
“They’d break a thirty year truce over what? A few gold pieces and a strip of land they can’t even use?”
“More important truces have been broken over less. Thirty years is not a very long time in the grand scheme of things.”
Ena glares at the grass.
“Furthermore, with the possibility of the Otori’s joining in, it’s likely our kingdom faces a two front war. I’ll likely be sent into battle, and they’re going to try and force your hand.”
“You mean they’ll force Mizuki to fight.”
Mafuyu shakes her head. “Mother knows better than that. She’s relying on you doing the opposite. If you withhold her from battle, she’ll surely send an assassin or another mercenary of the like.”
“So then she wins either way.”
“Not exactly. From what I can tell, Mizuki is perfectly capable in battle. I want to spar with her to test her skill myself, but I can guarantee she’ll fare better against Otori and Aoyagi than against mercenaries or assassins.”
“So you’re saying my hands are tied. I’ll lose her one way or another.”
“You aren’t listening to me. Mother’s plan in the event you don’t send her to battle, is to overwhelm her with numbers of trained assassins. Mizuki may be skilled but she is lacking in experience and even an experienced soldier would struggle against… say six trained mercenaries. In this scenario…”
“She wouldn’t stand a chance.” Ena’s nails dig into her palms.
Mafuyu nods. “However, on the battlefield she’ll be surrounded by soldiers who want nothing more than for everyone to make it home safely. Akito will be there. Tsukasa will be there. I will be there. Together we can ensure her safety.”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Not if you want her to live.”
She stares at the ground, “Then… she’ll have to go, won’t she?”
Mafuyu pats her on the shoulder, a comforting gesture. “She’ll be fine, I’ll make sure of it. We go to arms in a week's time. If you don’t send her, she’ll likely turn up dead by the month’s end.”
“I don’t understand.” Ena whispers, “What makes here more dangerous than a battlefield.”
The knight’s gaze softens. “You.”
“You know,” Mizuki says from the window nook as Ena paints her once more. “You were right back then.”
“About what?”
“I— I was planning on dying at first. I mean, obviously I wasn’t going to go down easily, but being killed in action was something I’d hoped for.”
Ena doesn’t want to think about her death, not now when she has to send her off to battle in mere days.
“Why?”
A sorrowful expression marrs her knight's face as she says, “People like me don’t usually get very far. I thought a valiant death as a knight was the best I could ever get. But then— then you chose me, and no matter how many times you explain it to me I still don’t quite get what you saw in me.”
Ena’s smile softens as she regards her. Soon Mizuki will go off to battle. Once she does she won’t return quite the same, nobody ever did. There’s a chance she won’t return at all. Not for the first time, Ena contemplates having Mizuki stay behind instead, but Mafuyu’s words ring in her head.
If you don’t send her, she’ll likely turn up dead by the month’s end.
If Mizuki didn’t go, she’d surely die. Ena would be used as bait and compelled by loyalty and knightly duty, Mizuki will be slain in an effort to protect her when she wasn’t in any real danger to begin with. She’d get that valiant death she had just admitted to dreaming about.
“Mizuki.”
“Yes?”
“Do you still dream of it? Of death?”
“Ocasionally,” she admits, “But if I were to die, you’d be left alone. I swore to be your knight and I cannot uphold that promise if I were to die.”
“Our kingdom goes to war in a few days time. Against the Aoyagi’s and likely the Otori’s too. The crown will want all hands on deck.”
“But the crown is not who I serve,” says Mizuki, “I’ll only go to battle at your command.”
“As princess it is my duty to serve the kingdom as a whole whether it be with the crown or against it.” She says, “That being said, it would be both selfish and counterintuitive to keep you here knowing you are trained to protect the kingdom. Therefore, I shall send you to battle as the crown wishes as my wishes align with that of the crown. However,” she walks over and cups Mizuki’s cheeks, “That doesn’t mean I wish for you to lay down your life for this purpose. Fight valiantly with all the strength and courage the Goddess Meiko can grant, but return alive by any means necessary, do you understand?”
Mizuki nods.
“Good,” she has no clue what compels her to reward her knight with a chaste kiss to the forehead but it’s all worth it to watch as she goes red.
“Wha— huh? I—” she sputters, unable to form a coherent question.
“I’ll explain, but only after you return to me alive.” Ena smiles walking back to her canvas, “Now hold still so I can paint.”
Mizuki was sent out to battle a little over two weeks ago and Ena has been a nervous wreck since she last saw her knight’s retreating back.
What if she’s injured?
What if she’s been killed?
Of course Mizuki is not the only person she’s worried about. Akito and Mafuyu are out on that battlefield as well. In fact there are many people out on that field she’d rather see alive than dead, but Mizuki is the most pressing worry on her mind.
“They’re going to be just fine, Ena,” says Kanade, brewing a pot of chamomile tea.
Beside her, Airi nods, “We all have people we’re worried about out there, but those knights are strong, they’ll be just fine, I’m sure of it!”
“I don’t really understand,” Honami says, “Mizuki is sworn to serve you alone is she not? If you so chose she could have stayed.”
Ena shakes her head. “Though I am concerned about her safety, my priority is the kingdom's safety.”
She spoke the truth just now, so why did she feel so sick inside. The thought of Mizuki dying out there, it was enough to make her lose her appetite. Worse still is that in this situation, her hands were tied, at least this way Mizuki had a chance of survival.
“Your concern for the kingdom’s safety will make you a wonderful queen someday,” says Honami.
“And someday, you all will make up a wonderful court.”
Kanade smiles softly, “You flatter us, truly.”
“Say,” says Airi, “Unlike Kanade, Honami and I have yet to meet this knight of yours. What’s she like?”
What Mizuki was like? Honestly Ena could go on for ages, and that’s exactly what she does. She’s midway through describing all the different ways her pink eyes light up when Airi interrupts.
“It sounds to me as though you’re completely smitten.”
Smitten? Ena? There was simply no way. Mizuki was wonderful, the best knight she could have asked for, but for her to be absolutely smitten was simply preposterous… wasn’t it?
But then Ena thinks to her smiles, the teasing lilt to her voice, the way her eyes lit up when she showed her the stars and…
Oh.
Oh.
Maybe she was smitten after all.
Airi smirks, “Judging by the look on your face, I’d wager I’m right.”
Now, Ena needed Mizuki to come home for another reason.
She needed to tell her how much she loves her.
The day the knights return is a sunny one and Tsukasa gives his typical speech about how they fought valiantly and shall mourn those who had fallen in battle before releasing them to business as usual.
Ena searches for Mizuki in the quickly dispersing crowd of knights, but Mafuyu pulls her aside before she can find her.
“There is something you must know,” she says, “It’s important.”
“Is Mizuki—”
“She’s shaken, but very much alive,” says the purple haired knight, “I need you to listen to me.”
“Alright.”
“The Otori’s have magic users on their side. We ran into a sorcerer towards the end of the battle. Mizuki— he was in perfect position to kill her. I would have been too far away to be able to do anything and none of us were prepared for magic. But for whatever reason, he decided to spare her.”
Ena isn’t sure if she should be concerned or praise the goddess above her Mizuki made it home safe and sound.
“The king has likely caught wind of this by now, the knights are obligated to report everything. You’re aware of how they will try to spin this, are you not?”
“I am.”
“You’ll have to get her to talk. Without testimony they’ll be able to weave whatever narrative they please.”
“You said she was shaken.”
“She is. She’s hardly spoken a word since our encounter with him. I’m not sure if it’s because of the near death experience or because she recognized him. Either way, the crown will try to make her out to be a traitor.”
“I understand. Do you know where she is?”
“When we were released, she went in the direction of the cemetery. I reckon she’s near Meiko’s statue.”
“Alright, thanks Mafuyu. Rest up, okay, that gash on your shoulder looks nasty.”
The knight nods before walking away, presumably to find Kanade.
Mafuyu is correct on both counts. Mizuki stands in front of Meiko’s statue looking as though she’s seen a ghost.
“Mizuki?”
Her knight turns at her call, “Apologies, I figured it would be appropriate to offer the Goddess my thanks before returning to my duties.”
“It’s no trouble. I’m glad to see you’ve returned in one piece.”
“I promised you I would,” she says, “For a knight to go back on her word… it wouldn’t be proper.”
“And yet you seem perplexed.”
Mizuki looks to the ground and whispers, “Because I should have died out there. I— I don’t…”
Ena scoots closer, “Mafuyu told me you ran into a sorcerer.”
She nods, a haunted look in her eye.
“Could you tell me about him?”
She takes a shuddering breath before speaking, “He… he used to live in my village. We grew up together.”
“You know him?”
“Knew. He isn’t… The man I saw that day and the boy who’d tell me legends of dragon slaying knights and trickster spirits… they aren’t the same.”
Ena pulls her into a hug. “Take your time.”
“Ena, when I… when I saw him that day, there was this manic look in his eyes. He looked me in the eye… He told me how much I’d grown and then… then…”
She looks as though she may burst into tears.
“He could have killed me then… He should have killed me then. I don’t understand why I’m still here.”
Ena squeezes her tightly. The sight of her beloved knight in such a state squeezed her heart painfully. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I… I am too, I think. I’m not sure how to feel.”
“Did you know that sorcerer was working for Otori.”
She chuckles bitterly. “I didn’t even know he was alive.”
Ena pauses. “If you don’t mind… can you tell me what happened to him.”
She shrugs. “There isn’t much to say. He wandered into no man’s land one day and he never returned.”
“I… I am truly sorry.”
“No need to apologize. My duty to you supersedes all else. Encountering the sorcerer was just an unexpected occurrence.” She smiles, but Ena can see the pain hidden behind it, “I’m sure we’ll be prepared next time.”