“What a vicious look you have within your eyes, young man,” the tall figure stated, feeling the way Adam’s eyes glared up towards him. He wore the only golden sun among the group. “What is the meaning of this, Sister Vonda?”
Vonda’s eyes were almost wide, having not expected to see him here. She had prayed hard, and the answers had gone seemingly unanswered, but to see the tall figure here, surrounded by seven Rays, a sudden torrent of relief filled her.
“There are still those who are dying,” Vonda quickly replied, urgency slipped deep into her voice.
“Rays!” called the lead figure, clenching his fist in the air, before the seven heavily armoured priests rode their steeds forward, swiftly making to heal the half dead guards who were trapped under their dead mounts.
Adam quickly picked up his axe, watching as the priests worked, having dismounted from their steeds. The sounds of clashing had stopped, Jurot and Jaygak holding still as the newcomers had arrived.
The lead figure rode up towards the Marshal of the East, pulling up his visor to reveal his wrinkled face. “Lord Gravesea.” His voice still held authority, but there was something else mixed within it, almost a playful familiarity.
“Hope Robert,” came the response, stern, with a hint of just enough respect once the Marshal had pulled aside his visor. “What brings the First Hope so far from home?”
The trio of snakes’ eyes snapped to the new figure, though the Iyrmen had been the first to take the First Hope within their sights when he had arrived.
“Am I so far from home?” Hope Robert asked, still playfully familiar. His lips formed a wider smile, polite, in the way that was smug and eager. “I had heard a Sister of our order was in trouble. I had not expected to see you here, Marshal.”
‘So the priest informed them of their charge,’ the Marshal of the East thought. “The boy has been claimed by the Marquise.”
Hope Robert remained silent for a moment, still smiling politely. “Sister Vonda.”
“Yes?”
“Please inform the Marshal of the order’s position in the matter.”
‘Does he not know?’ the Marshal thought, refraining from making any expression.
“The children, and adults, who are currently escorted by the United Kindom, are under the protection of Life’s Rose.”
“Is that the official position of the order?” the Marshal asked, his voice clear and stern.
Hope Robert’s steed took a single half step forward and the Hope, leaned in only the tiniest amount, almost perceptively so. “The position of the order… is not problematic, would you not agree?”
“Hope Robert, the knight has fallen,” a Ray called, checking on the knight Kitool had crushed with her staff.
The pair of mounted knights continued to glare at one another, the pressure of their authority clashing against one another. One, a Marshal of the East, who held sway across all of East Aldland with his prestige. The other was the First Hope of the Order of Life’s Rose, which may have been one of several orders within East Aldland, but held even the awe of those from distant lands.
“I would agree,” the Marshal replied after a momentary pause.
“I had hoped so,” came the playful response before the Hope held out his hand, in a particularly awkward salute in Adam’s first world. “There is much death on the field. Bring all those back that we can.”
Vonda stepped forward, before watching a blur of a hand reaching out for her, and she turned to see Adam, who had reached for her shoulder, but had instead clenched his fist in annoyance.
‘Damn it…’ Adam thought, before letting out a sigh. ‘No, this way is fine.’
“The souls have been claimed by Baktu,” Jurot said. “Their deaths will serve as nourishment for the people.”
“You are no longer within the Iyr, Iyrman,” Hope Robert said, his eyes falling across Jurot. “The death here was needless.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“They should not have drawn their blades if they did not wish to die,” Jurot replied, though he made no motion to stop the Rays from resurrecting the dead.
“The scene is ambiguous, but that matters not, for we are of Life’s Rose,” Hope Robert stated, his voice full of pride.
“I will inform the Marquise of your grace,” the Marshal stated, the veiled threat floating at the back of his voice.
“Mother Soza has blessed her guards with life, and the cost was merely thousands of gold,” Hope Robert stated, his lips forming a smug smile once more.
“My troop is wounded, may we share your camp?”
“By Mother So-,”
“Absolutely not,” Adam replied, cutting off the First Hope. “I don’t know what you’re smoking, Lord Benjamin, but you cannot come and threaten to kidnap children under the business’ care, threaten to kill its Executives, and then when you realise you are woefully outmatched, and then ask another’s permission to camp near the business.”
“It seems there is bad blood between your business and the Marshal?”
“The boy misunderstands the situation,” the Marshal said. “It is by your order’s grace I have allowed him to live.”
“It’s by my grace you aren’t cut down like the dog you are, Marshal,” Adam replied, his entire body flooding with heat.
“To speak impolitely to a noble is grounds for death, boy.”
Adam raised his hand, before Vonda stepped forward, holding onto his shoulder, blocking the Marshal’s body from view. Her eyes pleaded him to stand down at this moment, but she could see the utter fury within his eyes. It had only heightened at the Marshal’s last words, which had flipped a switch within Adam.
Laughter filled the air, that of a hyena, and following by the dragonly cackle of another.
“Where was this side of you last year?” Vasera asked. “You stepped back so eagerly when it came to the tournament.”
“I stepped back only when I got to show them up,” Adam said. “I made sure they tasted blood before I stepped back.”
“Haven’t you cut them enough?”
“I’ve cut them enough, they just need to be bled more before they realise their place,” Adam replied.
“Adam, please,” Vonda said.
“I’ve shown more than enough mercy, Vonda! I-,”
“Sister Vonda,” Hope Robert said, his voice cutting through the air. “You will show your respect, young man.”
Adam cleared his throat. “Manager Vonda, I-,”
“Sister Von-,”
“Manager Vonda, you have seen how much mercy I have shown them. Again, and again, and again. Each time, they come back to threaten our lives. At which point, Manager Vonda, will you begin to care about the lives of the children instead of the nobles?” Adam asked, his eyes piercing into her eyes.
“You know I care about the children, Executive, it is why I called for the First Hope to assist us.”
Adam’s eyes flicked towards the First Hope. “I appreciate your assistance, First Hope, but this matter has to be dealt with appropriately.”
“What would you suggest, young man?” The First Hope’s eyes were dark.
Adam inhaled deeply, calming himself. As much as he wanted to teach the Marquise a lesson, Vonda had pleaded to him far too much. Of all the people Adam didn’t want to offend, Vonda, who was definitely the best of them, even if she was more naive than Adam in matters of life and death, was the one he didn’t want to offend the most. It was not because he believed Vonda would do anything terrible to him, but the fact that she wouldn’t do anything bad to him caused his heart to tremble with guilt.
“Though I wish to treat them in the same manner as they have treated me, out of respect for the Order of Life’s Rose, I will show them true nobility. I will not take them prisoner and ransom them back, for the business does not need pennies from the Marquise. Though we have shown them mercy previously, we shall, for one last time, and I swear upon my faith in Lord Sozain that it shall be the last time, show them mercy again. They may leave, their pride wounded, their honour no better than the mud their blood accompanies, but with their lives, and the knowledge that they-,”
Vonda reached out for Adam’s forearm, holding it gently, causing Adam to pause. He glanced towards the priest for a moment, before slowly bowing his head.
“The knowledge that the good people of Life’s Rose, whose honour gleams greater than their armour, have saved their lives. I would ask you to make sure to pay the gods their proper respects, but-,” Adam paused upon feeling Vonda gently pull her arm towards him.
“…” Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ‘Damn it. Vonda’s right, I should keep my mouth shut.’ “Manager Vonda, don’t you think it’s a little untoward to be flirting with me so openly.”
Jaygak coughed, refraining from snorting, while the tension in the air gently began to dissipate, while Vonda was glad her helmet hid her face.
“I shall inform the Marquise of your grace,” the Marshal said.
“You may also inform her that she is banned from ever procuring an item from our business,” Adam said, his eyes glued to the Marshal.
It was then it struck him.
Adam’s lips began to form a sly smile as he realised what had happened. The Marquise had sent a small army of Experts to deal with them, only to have them come home licking their wounds like sick pups.
“I hope to see you again, Marshal of the East,” Jurot said.
“I have no doubt we will meet again, savage.”
“Sir Ivy, do you know what an Iyrman’s greatest pleasure is?” Jaygak asked.
“…” Sir Ivy remained silent.
“Adam,” Jaygak called, her lips wide with a smirk. “What greater pleasure is there but to kill an Aldishman twice?”
Adam burst out into laughter, the laughter of the Iyrmen soon drowning out the sounds of the area.
“Is death so humorous?” Hope Robert asked, his voice pressing upon the air once more.
“Only if it is of the Aldish,” Kitool said, her voice clear.
“No,” Adam said, before his eyes met Kitool’s. Then his lips formed a smile, winking at her. He felt Vonda pull his arm again, and Adam decided against putting his foot in his mouth.
‘Only if it is of the nobles.’