I wake up on the floor. A pillow has been put under my very sore head. Everyone is kneeling around and fussing over me. When did I end up on the floor? I don't remember moving to the floor. All I remember is reading my mail and-

"Forgive me. Return to me."

... I don't say those words, but they come out of my mouth... My head hurts, everyone is staring at me, Xena reaches out and moves her finger above my eyes. My gaze follows it, I'm not sure why exactly, it isn't even a conscious process. My head really does hurt, what is that about? Xena finally moves her finger away and I am free to look around the room under my own power again. A crying Theophania is being held back by a terrified looking Pasche, while Lucretia is running out of the room. Lazierte is reading a letter... I thought she didn't receive any mail... I should have written to her when I was in Germany. No matter how hard it was to find the words, she deserved to know that someone was thinking of her.

"Serena, where are you right now?" Xena speaks with utter professionalism, I guess I’m a patient right now.

"The former Royal Palace of Ravenna. It's being fixed up and turned into a parliament building." I reach up a hand to rub my head... I seem to have a small lump. "Xena... What happened?"

"You fell off your chair and passed out. Or perhaps you passed out and then fell off your chair. You were reading one of your letters at the time-"

"I know what we must do..." Where are these words coming from, why are they coming out of my mouth?

"Serena... Might I read that letter? I worry it may have affected you."

I reach around me, and find a letter in my jacket pocket, but I quickly remember what that is. I can't seem to find my second letter for Xena to read. Shaking my head hurts a little bit, I’m rather concerned where my mail had disappeared to.

"I can't find it... I'm sorry."

"Can you remember what it said?"

"Not a word. I don't even remember who it was from."

"... You worry me sometimes, Serena..." Xena very carefully strokes my head, making sure to be mindful of my little bump. "Anyway, I don't think there's any brain damage, I think that memory loss might be a psychosomatic reaction. Some bedrest will sort out that bump. You'll be okay."

I sigh with relief, as does Theophania and Pasche. Xena's diagnoses are utterly trustworthy and they allay some clear and present fears. I worry the people I love a lot, don't I? I want to make it up to them, somehow... Lucretia returns in a hurry, with a pair of Cotton Priestesses behind her. And looks just a little useless in the face of Xena having taken on her usual role of doctor. But Lucretia did try her best... All this for little old me, I wish I could be this useful to my loved ones.

At least I can give them all a smile, and try to lean upwards to face them. It hurts, and I feel a little dizzy, but I manage it. I can tell Xena is seriously considering flicking my head and forcing me back down again, but she resists the urge given my current wound...

I look around to everyone, and try to be cheery. "Sorry, I think I may have ruined breakfast."

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Xena flicks my forehead. Pasche only barely stops Theophania from trying to do the same, or possibly from trying kissing me. They make an interesting pair, especially knowing that Pasche is likely just as tempted as Theophania is... Lazierte wanders back over, looking... Just a little distant. She reaches out and offers me a hand up. Her face bears one of the most bizarre smiles I have ever seen.

"You haven't ruined anything, Serena... You don't ruin anything..."

I gingerly reach up and allow her to pull me to my feet, much to the shock of everyone around me. I even manage to stay upright, struggling for a moment but quickly getting my bearings... Lazierte doesn't look too good, she honestly looks a ill despite her smile. I try to rub my thumb over her hand, but she withdraws it before I can do so, still smiling... Whatever this bizarre behavior is caused by, it’ll need something dramatic to fix it.

"L- Lazierte?"

"Yes, Serena?" She’s being polite... I want so badly for her to call me names and poke fun at me right now.

"... I promised to share a bed with you like the old times. Do you want me to make good on that tonight?"

Lazierte twitches, something in her is begging to break... But gets a handle on it and nods, in her new and dissonant way. "If you wish, Serena."

Not a reaction I want... And not a thing that anyone else here wants me to offer, Theophania looks ready to cry again while Pasche looks horribly conflicted. Lucretia almost passes out and has to be propped up by the Priestesses of Cotton she’d brought...

Katarina bursts into the room, with a pillow in one hand, and a second messenger in the other.

"Magyars. Moving. Here soon." Katarina tosses the pillow to me as gently as possible, and then drops the messenger like a sack of potatoes, or perhaps a sack of severed human heads.

The messenger quickly adjusts his uniform, gets his bearings back after being carried, and gives his report. "Scouts have confirmed a large force of Magyar troops marching here from the Carpathian Basin... It appears to be the Magyar First Army."

I blink, the messenger seems to think I’d have a reaction to that. "... Am I supposed to know what that means? Surely we'll just rout them like any other horde of conscripts, won't we?"

"... That's just it, General Pollineux. The Magyar First Army is the cream of the crop of Magyar troops. They don't have any conscripts. It's an army of purely native Carpathians, all troopers. And their very finest too. 50,000 of the best soldiers the Empire has at its disposal are coming to sweep us out of Samnia."

I was really hoping that name didn't mean that. "... I need to speak to my brother. We must assemble the troops immediately to face this."

Theophania of all people shouts at me after that, head poking out from over Pasche's shoulder. "Xena said you need rest! The Magyars can wait!"

I ignore her. And I immediately feel terrible, but I still have to keep everyone alive, and that means being a general right now. I turn my attention to Lucretia, knowing she’ll do miracles for me if I ask.

"Dear, how many Samnian troops do you think you could assemble on short notice? We might need every man..."

She isn't quite used to hearing terms of endearment yet, and she’s almost overwhelmed by a smile before she remembers I made a request. "Ah! Well, I've sent messengers to the remaining garrisons in the Tuscan midlands to let them know about the Kingdom's capitulation, but I don't think most of those troops would make their way here in time to be useful. Were I to mobilize the militia again, pardon the soldiers who we arrested instead of sacrificing them, and start a recruitment campaign then... Maybe three thousand additional troops?"

"Light infantry, irregulars... Maybe they'd be better as a garrison for Ravenna, in case the worst happens and... And they beat us, and come for you-"

"I won't let that happen!" Lucretia really is trying to give Pasche a run for her money on the ‘noble knight’ thing. "I'll assemble anyone I can, I will support you as best as I am able! ... I promise, Serena."

I can almost hear Theophania and Pasche grinding their teeth at my one-twelfth-wife being so wonderful. I really wish I could be good to someone without upsetting everyone else I know. Maybe I need to set-up a schedule, give everyone a month... But I want to be with everyone all of the time! I don't want to leave anyone behind ever. I'd even be tempted to take Lucretia with me if she wasn't the first president of a country in the history of the world.

... I can't be thinking about this now, I have to see my brother. We have to formulate a plan. And we need to destroy the finest troops the Magyars can send at us. We need to humiliate an Empire.

We need to protect this new world we’ve built.