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Princess Bolt and Simon were surveying the edges of the border after their discovery a few
days ago. An altered Glavenus, wandering around inside Azuria's walls, and with no rider? It
was as concerning as it was strange. There was no way a Glavenus like that was wild, and yet
it was left unattended. She felt a nudge to her left and swerved last minute to avoid smacking
into a tree. She wasn't exactly monitoring her surroundings, a definite bad habit she'd picked up
over the years that would usually warrant a scolding from her superiors, or the other rangers.
But not Simon. At least not this time. He wasn't one to scold per say, but reminders were his
general MO. This time he seemed content simply redirecting her away from crashing into
anything.
When they reached the clearing where they had fought the Honed Glavenus it was empty.
"Maybe some other monster dragged it away?" Bolt pondered aloud as the two of them came to
a stop.
"Or someone..." Simon muttered under his breath.
"Hm?" She questioned, pretending not to have heard him. She didn't want to cast any doubt on
her closest friend, but she also couldn't deny he'd been acting a bit odd since spotting the
Vermeil soldiers at the border. On top of that, his insistence at leaving the body of the Honed
Glavenus so soon after felling it. She hadn't even had the chance to examine it properly before
he'd ushered her out of the area with an uncharacteristically assertive tone. Something about
these situations had clearly set him somewhat on edge, more then normal. She wanted to know
why.
"I think someone might've come to take it rather then a monster." Simon reiterated.
Bolt took several seconds digesting the idea before responding. "You think someone managed
to sneak over our walls and retrieve a whole Glavenus?"
"Probably several someone's." He corrected himself. "If everyone was busy focused on the
parlay with Vermeil, they'd have an opening since most security would be pointed at the castle."
She nodded almost instinctively in agreement. What he said did make sense, but there was still
this feeling she couldn't shake. "How do you suppose they managed to move it?" She asked
aloud as she scanned the empty clearing. There was hardly sign of a scuffle here, nevermind
an entire Glavenus. "-And to where?" When Simon didn't have a response to her questions she
stepped into the clearing; scanning through bushes and the odd looking clumps of grass for any
clues. After several moments Simon joined her in the search. He was still quiet and it was
beginning to set her on edge. Maybe he noticed her growing anxiety because he finally spoke
up.
"Bolt, can we sit and talk? I want to tell you something, it's kind of important." He said softly.
She picked up a fragment of blue scale under some brush. Evidence at last. She pocketed the
scale and sat down next to him on a fallen tree. "Alright. I'm all ears." She sighed. She couldn't
help but notice he was fidgeting with his gloves, whatever information he'd been keeping
must've been eating away at him for some time.
"Remember when we first met? In the forest?" He asked.
Bolt's heart quickened and she steeled herself from holding her breath. He'd been keeping
information from that long ago? She slowly nodded.
He sighed, clearly trying to calm his own nerves. And then he pulled off his gloves.
Her breath caught in her throat. Crystals. Small, glittering against the dappled light that fell
through the trees above them. Unmistakable. "The Encroachment..." She whispered in
disbelief. She couldn't look away from the sight in front of her. It didn't make any sense but
there it was, clear as day. The crystals in the backs of Simon's hands sparkled as bright as
jewels, as if to mock her. She grimly thought back to earlier in the week. "Some say the egg
quartz is a gift from the distant past." She had said. Her expression soured. Had she known
Simon was going through this she'd have kept her big mouth shut. Before now she had no idea
these crystals could even affect people. Monsters and crops, sure, But people? If people were
at risk of crystallization, with how rapidly the encroachment was spreading towards the grounds
of the castle...
"I'd wanted to tell you for a while..." He admitted. "But it never felt like there was a good time."
She swallowed and nodded solemnly. This was grave news, and while she'd wished he'd told
her sooner, perhaps even when they'd met... But it was better to know now then not at all. She
thought back to when they'd first met. Was he wearing gloves then? She didn't quite remember.
Come to think of it she didn't recall any crystals in and around much of Azuria at the time either.
"Simon, when we met the Encroachment was barely present in Azuria, how could you have
been exposed to it?"
He was silent, his gaze cast to the forest floor.
Bolt wracked her brain trying to discover some kind of explanation. There was some piece of
the puzzle she wasn't accounting for, something crucial she was missing. Her eyes widened.
Vermeil; Eleanor had told her about their hardships there. Orphans, starving countrymen and
monsties, the Deathdrift. "You're from Vermeil..." She said, letting the words tumble out of her
mouth.
Simon was still silent, but his gaze drifted up to meet hers, his brown eyes casting a sorrowful,
knowing look.
Now she was quiet. Simon was from Vermeil this whole time.. Did he know about Eleanor
beforehand? Had he known about the soldiers on the border? Why had he really pulled her
away from the Glavenus after assuring her they should fell it? Should they have? Was
everything he'd done just a ploy to get close to her? For her to drop her guard? Her mind was
wracked with endless questions but she only let one slip. "Was our friendship even real?" She
asked.
Simon flinched, his posture slouching as he stared hard at the ground. "Of course it was." He
whispered, trying to hide the sound of his voice breaking.
She sat in the following silence before mustering the courage to speak up again. "Then I don't
care if you're Vermeil." She said defiantly. "You're my best friend, first and foremost."
He looked up at her stunned.
"Wh- B-But I-" He began.
"I don't care." She interrupted firmly. "I don't care if we're the only one's who know, I don't care if
my father knows. I'm not going to cast out my best friend just because he's Vermeil. Got it?"
Simon swallowed and nodded. He slipped his gloves back on. "How do we explain an entire
missing Glavenus to the king?"
She fumbled about with the scale in her pocket. "Let's see if we can find a trail." She muttered.
After some more thorough searching they found some more evidence the Glavenus had been
moved. More scattered scales hidden under dirt and brush. Chipped plating of some kind. And
further into the forest, a clear trail of snapped branches and a heavy line in the dirt.
Bolt and Simon gave each other a knowing look. They had the evidence they needed. Even
still, Bolt couldn't shake this feeling of unease in her gut. She paused in her tracks.
"Bolt?" Simon asked hesitantly.
"Sh." She hushed. There was a familiar sound chiming in the brush just out of sight. Were they
being watched; followed? The chimes continued. Who, or whatever it was was clearly trying to
conceal their noise and movements with that of the forest. A shiver ran down her spine as she
heard the distinct sound of metal gliding against metal. Her stomach dropped, someone would
be willing to attack them out here? Within Azuria's borders? She turned and rushed at Simon,
he flinched at her approach. "Get down!" She shouted, managing to shove him to the ground.
"Agh! What're you-?!" He asked bewildered as he hit the floor.
Seconds later she cried out in pain as something sharp struck her side. She wanted to look
down and assess it but her vision was fading fast. Too fast. Before she had a chance to register
it she collapsed unconscious on the floor.
"Oops. I think I hit her meowjesty." She heard as the last of her senses faded to black.
"Your Majesty!" Simon shouted in panic. He'd watched as she fell to the ground, a knife sticking
in her side through a chink in her armor. Based on how quickly she'd lost consciousness it was
likely the was coated in some kind of sedative.
Before he'd had a chance to call out to his own monstie, Ratha descended from the sky, roaring
and huffing flames. The wyvern seemed ready to torch the whole forest in retaliation for their
rider. Simon glanced back to their captain and best friend who still lay unconscious on the forest
floor. Blood was seeping through the wound, coating the grass in deep crimson. He grimaced,
the attack had been met for him but she had protected him. "Ratha!" He called out to the
wyvern in front of him. As the wyvern turned to face him he continued. "I get that your angry. But
she needs medical attention."
Ratha huffed a small spew of flames and looked down at his rider.
"Get her to the other rangers Ratha, please." Simon pleaded.
Silence.
Then he watched as the wyvern carefully scooped up Bolt's body off the ground and quickly
took flight out of the forest. He let out a long sigh and turned to his adversaries, drawing his
longsword off his back as it crackled with sparks.
Bolt awoke groggily to the sound of several voices fawning over her.
"Her Majesty lives!" She heard Ogden call out with a half-hearted chuckle. "Told ya she'd be
fine."
"We were worried when we saw the state you were in." Kora explained, applying a damp cloth
to her forehead.
"What happened out there Captain?" She heard Thea ask.
"Maybe don't crowd her..." She heard Eleanor suggest. "She just woke up."
She quickly sat up with a wince.
Ratha gingerly placed his snout in her lap with a soft snort.
She glanced around the base. "Where's Simon?" She asked.
"Not too sure lass." Ogden responded. "Ratha just came in carrying your unconscious body not
too long ago. We spent the past while patchin' ya up."
She forced herself to her feet with a stagger.
"Whoa Captain. You can't be moving around like that. You might collapse, or re-open your
wound. We just stitched you up." Kora explained with concern.
"Simon needs help." Bolt retorted, trying to ignore the ache in her side. "Ratha! Take me to
Simon." She called to her wyvern.
"Your Majesty, is that wise?" Eleanor questioned.
As Bolt holstered herself atop Ratha she responded. "I'm not leaving him out there." And she
took off without waiting for another response.
Simon was battered. General customs with Riders dictated that weapon use against other
humans was forbidden. As such, to say he was out of practice fighting someone his own size
and stature was an understatement. Clearly Gaul and his Palico didn't follow the same codes
he'd been forced to, or maybe they received specialized training specifically for this task. He
couldn't even call on Fawn, as the Legiana was busy battling the two's equally sized and
matched Legiana in a dual for the skies. Neither group would be receiving support from their
monsties. He grimaced and brandished his longsword tightly, the two were on the attack again.
Murray, Gaul's Palico rushed in first. His speed was concerning, especially considering Simon
had already sustained some wounds and was beginning to really feel the effects of the various
toxins Murray coated his blades in. While he was buys trying to bat away the knife-wielding cat,
Gaul would try and go for a sneak attack. Simon was the better swordsman of the two, and he
knew it. But technique meant little to the use of underhanded tactics. Simon managed to fling
Murray away with the backside of his blade, sending the cat careening into a tree. He followed
up the motion with an under hand sweep, bringing up the blade behind himself just in time to
clash with Gaul's incoming slash. The darkly outfitted swordsman put more force onto his blade,
causing Simon to heel to the pressure. He dropped to one knee, his grip shaking. As far as he
was aware Gaul meant to slay him, and this rate wouldn't last much longer. He tensed as a loud
cry of a Legiana rang out. Fawn? The distraction was enough for Gaul to apply even more
pressure, following through on his swing and knocking him on his back. The impact knocked
Simon windless. Simon watched as Gaul raised his sword to follow-through with his attack, only
to be sent sprawling as a fireball nailed him in the chest.
Ratha landed next to him, roaring at the other swordsman.
"Simon! Are you alright?!" Bolt asked with concern as she slid off Ratha's back.
Simon slowly sat up, wincing. "Y-Your Majesty what're you doing here? You're injured!" He
exclaimed.
Bolt looked him up and down. "So are you." She responded, holding out a hand to help him up.
He took her hand and pulled himself to his feet, flinching slightly as she pulled him into a hug.
"Sorry Your Highness," Gaul began. He had recovered from the impact earlier and now had his
Legiana at his side. "But the king wants me to bring this Vermeil spy in for questioning. Whether
you want it or not, I'm bringing him in."
Bolt's eyes widened. Gaul had been listening in on their conversation. She grit her teeth, and
her father had ordered it. She scanned over Gaul's Legiana, it was definitely still hurting from
her and Ratha's sneak attack earlier. However Simon's Legiana had been much worse for wear,
and retreated back to the other rangers the moment the fighting split. She hoped the icy wyvern
would be okay. Bolt drew her longsword, steadying her hand as it crackled to life.
"Don't make me do this Princess, I don't want to hurt you." Gaul said, brandishing his weapon.
"Just let me take him in and we can put all this behind us."
"Fat chance." She hissed.
Gaul sighed. "So be it. Murray! Now!" He shouted.
The Palico burst out the tree canopy in a flash, swinging his blade at the duo.
Both rolled out away from the attack, while Ratha snapped at the cat.
Gaul's Legiana screeched and roared at Ratha and the two took the skies to finish their bought
from earlier.
Bolt brought up her blade as Gaul advanced, blocking the strike and tumbling backwards with
the hit. She continued to block and deflect his strikes as Simon came in on her left and threw
him off balance. She took a breath to recover and tried to advance, only to be intercepted by
Murray.
"Sorry for earlier Your Meowjesty." Said the Palico. "I was aiming fur a dif-fur-rent target. But I
have my orders."
Bolt winced, Murray was a much faster and smaller target then Gaul, and much harder to avoid.
She received several cuts and nicks despite blocking the cat's heavier hits. She glanced to
Simon. He was holding his own against Gaul, keeping the swordsman on the defensive. She
stumbled over a loose tree root, catching herself as one of Murray's small knives wizzed past
and hit a tree. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, focus.
Simon continued to press on Gaul, his body ached but he had to ignore it for now. If he could at
least disarm him they'd be fine. His gaze shifted to Bolt as he backed the swordsman into a
tree. She wasn't doing well, most of the damage from Murray was trivial. But she was sweating
profusely and there was a red stain growing on her side. All this movement had re-opened the
wound in her side. 'The wound originally meant for him', he thought bitterly. Murray seemed to
notice as well because he pressed his attacks more. Gaul tried to catch him in the side and he
parried the strike, tripping the swordsman in the process. Instead of hearing a thud to his left, it
sounded several paces away. Simon whirled around to see Bolt collapsed faced down in the
dirt. Her sword stained red in the blood that pooled from her wound.
"Bolt!" He called out.
No response.
He made a motion to move towards her, only to be struck hard in the back of the head. His
vision faded before he hit the ground.
Bolt awoke surrounded by medical attendants, the rangers, and several royal guards. She
grimaced.
"I warned you that you'd re-open that wound." Kora stated snidely.
She bit back a sharply worded response. As she went to sit up two medics gently gripped her
and shook their heads before pushing her back down. She sighed in defeat and lay back down.
"Whatever you were doing out there tore open your stitches pretty badly. You're lucky you didn't
bleed out." Kora said, her voice softer. "At least the knife staunched the wound the first time. I
can't imagine-"
"Where's Simon?" Bolt interrupted.
A hush fell over the facility.
She scanned the room. None of the rangers would meet her gaze. Her expression hardened. "I
want to speak to my father." She demanded.
"Can't do that I'm afraid. King ordered us to make sure you have an ample recovery. He said he
doesn't want you to run off and get hurt again." A guard responded.
"And if I have an escort?" She asked. She watched as the guards gave each other looks and
muttered in hushed tones.
"I suppose that would be allowed." A guard finally answered.
Bolt walked into the throne room with a royal guard and a medical attendant flanking her.
"I thought I told you she was stay put until she finished recovering." Arken scolded the guard
and the attendant.
Both flinched. "W-well Your Majesty, she insisted being escorted and-" The guard began.
"And you can't keep me out of royal affairs father." Bolt snapped, interrupting the guard. As her
father's gaze rested on her, she narrowed her eyes. "What did you do with Simon?" She
questioned.
Arken sat back in his throne. "The spy," he corrected. "Is on his way for questioning."
Bolt bristled at this. "Father you can't just treat him like some criminal! He didn't do anything,
he's just from Vermeil!" She argued.
"With how long he's been here he knows how we operate, what we do. He's had free reign to
do what he pleased unsupervised as if he was one of us. Imagine the amount of intel he has on
us, on you." Arken responded. "I should've questioned it the day he showed up, but after..." He
paused a moment. "I refuse to make another lapse in judgement like that day."
Bolt made a motion to approach her father only to be stopped by the guard and medic at her
sides. She sighed. "Father listen to yourself! He hasn't done anything! We grew up together, if
he was up to something don't you think you'd have seen it then?" She questioned. "Just
because mom left doesn't mean-"
"SILENCE." He demanded.
"I will not!" She barked back. She tried to hide her trembling. "I won't let you condemn my best
friend over nothing!"
Arken stood up from his throne. A deathly quiet hush fell over the throne room. His eyes
narrowed. "Get her out of my sight. Don't let her go ANYWHERE until she's fully recovered.
That's an order." He demanded harshly.
Bolt flinched. "Father you can't!" She pleaded. The guard and medic gripped her shoulders to
escort her out of the throne room. She tried to pull away but their grip was steeled. She couldn't
leave things like this. To let Simon rot in some cell, or worse if they thought he was actually
guilty of treason. She swallowed, then she whistled. Loud.
Everyone in the throne room froze. Silence followed. Seconds later a commotion could be
heard on the other side of the throne room doors. Then the doors burst open as Ratha barged
through, roaring as several guards attempted to restrain him.
The guard and attendant released her as the wyvern stomped forward. She watched as he
shook the other guards off like rain and swung his tail about with a snort.
"What do you think you're doing bringing the Rathalos into the throne room?!" Arken demanded
bewildered.
She whirled to face her father. "Release him." She demanded.
"I will not! He needs to be questioned." He exclaimed.
She narrowed her eyes and snapped. Ratha's mouth lit ablaze in response. "Release him!" She
shouted.
The guards who were previously just trying to restrain Ratha now had their weapons trained on
the wyvern. He didn't flinch, eyeing Bolt for the next command.
Arken's eyes narrowed. "Bring the boy." He ordered.
"B-but sir-" A guard stammered.
"I said bring the boy!" He shouted.
A guard rushed out of the chambers. Several minutes later they returned, dragging along a
chained and gagged Simon.
Simon's eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Bolt had an enflamed Ratha trained directly at
her own father.
"Undo the restraints." Arken demanded.
The guard in front of Simon hesitantly unshackled his legs and hands before removing the gag
and stepping back.
"I expect to see this kind of conviction when Vermeil attacks." Arken said plainly, clearly eyeing
Ratha. He then sat back down on his throne. "Dismissed! All of you."
Simon was stunned as he was escorted out of the throne room with Bolt, Ratha, and the rest of
the guards. "I... What just happened?" He asked, still trying to process what he just watched.
He flinched as Bolt rushed over and hugged him tight. He hesitantly returned the hug.
Bolt was shaking and on the verge of tears. "I thought I lost you..." She breathed, trying to hide
her voice cracking. "I-I thought-"
He hugged her tighter. His own poorly treated wounds be damned. He then gently gripped her
shoulders and pulled their hug apart so they were face to face. "You threatened your own
father, THE KING, for my freedom. You realize that?"
Bolt sniffled, still shaking. "Yeah, I suppose I did. I wasn't thinking. I just couldn't bear to think
about you being all locked up and interrogated like some criminal." She sighed shakily.
He nodded in agreement and gratitude. "Thank you Your Highness." He said.
As the guards around them begrudgingly dispersed the pair made their way over to the ranger
base. The look on most of the rangers was a mix of shock and confusion. Thea was the first to
pipe up.
"See now, I told you Gaul was speakin' nonsense!" She exclaimed happily. "No way Simon was
some Vermeil spy or whatever!"
"Hm." Kora responded. "He seemed pretty convinced. Had some pretty nasty cuts to show for
it."
"Ah, well. Simon's back now, so no need to dwell on it I'll say." Ogden added.
The mention of Gaul made Bolt nervous. She glanced about the base. "Say uh, where is Gaul?
And Murray?"
"King sent him off on some kinda recon mission I think." Ogden responded. "Something about
giving Vermeil a taste of their own treachery, or something like that."
Simon and Bolt exchanged glances.
"Hey uh, I have something I want to show you guys." Simon said quietly.
Bolt blinked. "Simon you don't have to-" she began.
"It's alright, they deserve to know." He calmly interrupted.
She nodded in understanding and stepped aside as the other rangers and Eleanor, who had
been busy cooking them all a meal, all crowded around Simon.
He sighed, the same as he'd done in forest the other day. Then he pulled off his gloves.
The gasps from the other rangers was audible. Even Eleanor couldn't help making a small
noise of surprise.
"Well I'll be..." Ogden began. "Guess Gaul wasn't making it up after all."
"How in the hay does that even happen?" Thea asked, astonished.
"The Deathdrift..." Eleanor muttered softly.
"So Gaul wasn't lying then, you are from Vermeil Simon? How do we know you're not a spy
then after all?" Kora questioned.
Bolt began to bristle, until Simon placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She took a breath.
"I would hope that the Princess vouching for me would be proof enough as is. As well as my
many other exploits in the rangers." He responded.
"Hm." Kora responded. Though she seemed unconvinced she didn't argue.
"Also," Bolt interjected. "There won't be a need to worry about any sort of spy. Because we're
leaving."
"What?!" Said the rangers and Eleanor.
"What??" Asked Simon, clearly just as confused.
"Father-" She cleared her throat and corrected herself. "The king, only sees incoming war. A
war that can be avoided."
Eleanor's eyes alighted at this. "Your Majesty..."
"We're going to cross the Meridian." Bolt continued. "The threat of the Encroachment is too
great. Not only is it a threat to our homes and monsties, but as we can see it's a direct threat to
us as well! To deny such would be dooming us all to destruction."
"You would go against the king's direct order?" Kora asked.
"If it's for the good of the people, yes. Gladly." Bolt answered.
Kora nodded at this, taking a moment to process the answer. "Well, it wouldn't do good to travel
such a ways without an officiant." She said finally.
Bolt blinked in surprise and before she could respond Eleanor piped up.
"You'll need a royal representative of Vermeil too!" She added.
"Imagine the rare monsters you'll be crossin' paths with." Ogden said. "You'll need someone to
help identify them."
"I hope you don't plan to leave Pookie and I!" Thea chirped excitedly.
Bolt was stunned, she did not expect this kind of reaction from her rangers. She looked to
Simon. He was smiling.
"You don't even have to ask Captain. I'm by your side till the bitter end." He said.
She wiped away incoming tears. "Alright. We rest, and then first thing in the morning, we're off
to Vermeil to let them know, and then from there we cross the Meridian. To the Sacrosanctum!"
"To the Sacrosanctum!" The rangers cheered.