CHAPTER 7 - III -
The emissaries immediately set out for the kingdoms still untouched by Seirna’s curse: Nerfes, Colveente, Calabria, Galad, Hareth, and Shent. Savoy and Nerfes had already sent in a few of their militias they could spare from their cities, and the Holy Palatial Gardens had the Paladin Corps and several levies from its villages to augment the remnant of the coalition forces.
We also considered a truce with the Empire, so we sent an ambassador as well. However, we’re not that hopeful for their favorable reply.
Until the first replies had come back, we had no other choice but to wait.
“…”
It was one of the rare moments where we had an empty time, and of course, we took the chance to take a rest from all the stressful events that happened to us lately.
The nobles who evacuated from Stadtsberg were invited by the Duchess of Henristone to her residence in Colveente. I think most of them took up the invitation; only the Prince of Stadtsberg, who would rather stay with his men, and the Count of Brooke, who was not inclined to any joyful occasions because of his family being trapped in Amarth, remained.
Lily remained with Maddie, of course, doing her usual duties as the Head Maid, and I, since I’m not a noble, did not go as well.
“But you’re invited too, Kuro.” Maddie reminded me.
“Hmm…I’m just not used in the company of nobility.” I told her, “A few weeks ago, I was just a commoner. It just didn’t sink to me yet, and I’m afraid it never will.”
“Well, it’s all fine to me.” Maddie laughed, “After all, Lady Sylvia Henristone is very interested in you.”
“Don’t worry…she just wanted me to be her knight.”
“I wonder if that’s really the case. For now, it must be that.”
“If you’re worried that I might marry her, again, it’s not in my culture to have several wives.” I was amused at her display of jealousy, “Besides, you know yourself that you’re the one in my heart.”
“O-Of course!”
We laughed together, as we shared a personal moment of peace over a cup of tea…and cookies, too. She was busy painting something while I just read a book. I looked at Maddie; she was too beautiful to behold. But then again, I realized, she’s so young and yet, she’s burdened by the weight of the entire world on her shoulders.
Maddie’s fortitude is something I admire…
Makes me wonder why Seirna was so hell-bent on making her fail on her dreams for humanity.
“Hm…if you’re wondering about that, Kuro, then you’ll have to understand, I love Cassandra David even when I was a little child.”
“Hoh? The summoned hero?”
“Yes.” Maddie smiled as if she remembered something, “You know, Cassandra David believed all races were created equal, and so she endeavored to harmonize the relationship between the races, especially the Humans and Demons.”
“So Seirna wanted you to fail because her god believes that humans are superior?”
“Well, that’s what she thinks of Lord Gaius’ vision. As far as I know, our god wanted what’s best for humans. That’s what the previous Saint told me before.”
“She might’ve misinterpreted it then.”
“Possibly. Lady Seirna’s a mystery to me.”
“You saints are a mystery to me as well…”
Maddie laughed, “I didn’t expect that from you, Kuro. Well, I guess you’re right, I’m still a mystery to you. I’m Madelaine Ann, Duchess of Rubinforth and a former general under Princess Lilyhaven Tamriel von Leese, the Iron Princess.”
“Well, don’t you have a moniker like her?”
“I did. I’m the Flower of Dawson Valley.”
“Flower, huh?” I suddenly remembered that back in the last human war before this one, she led an army into the Dawson Valley, where she fought against Eris’ father to a stalemate. I think she did something embarrassing there as well?
“Tch. Of all the things you would recall, it’s that event!” Maddie pouted, “Of course, I’m afraid of getting killed during that time that I wet myself.”
“So maybe that’s where your moniker came from!” I jested, “You caused some flowers to bloom in that valley after urinating—OW!”
A branch of a nearby tree broke off and hit me in the head. It’s been a while since I got that punishment from her, huh?
“It’s for my bravery in the Dawson Valley campaign, you idiot!” she jokingly got mad.
“Well, I agree with that part. You’re one brave lady, Madelaine.” I’m not just praising her, I’m telling her the truth. I mean, come on. Looking at her, I’d say she’s still in her teenage years and yet, she could bend the stubborn human kings to her will…though not as often as one would think, considering her title of Saint.
“Or is it?” Maddie put up that rhetorical question, “Isn’t the title of ‘Cruel’ befitting of me? I committed a lot of sin during my days as a commander. I killed multitudes of people, destroyed families, extinguished bright futures…all in the name of glory.”
“You know we have our times when we are full of immaturity. That you’re aware of those things is proof that it’s not in your nature to do those.”
“Maybe…but the sins are still there. That’s why I understand why Lady Eris betrayed me.”
“Ah…we could do nothing about that anymore. Like what I’ve learned in the past, we humans could only move forward, and repent for everything we have done wrong.”
“Hopefully. But there’s one thing that has kept me from moving forward so far, Kuro…”
“And that is?”
“The former Prince of Amaranth, Umberto Benicci. You know, that ‘Traveler’ guy you and Lily fought in Hagena. I saw him in your memories.”
“That’s him?”
“Yes…he’s originally a royalty of Amaranth…” Maddie had a nostalgic look in her eyes, “…and a friend to my mother, as well as my godfather. Yet, I betrayed him and killed his family.”
I could feel the air of sadness in Maddie, that’s why I stopped reading and came to sit beside her.
“Maybe it’s because of that reason he’s now fighting for the Empire.” Maddie sighed, “I think Prince Umberto’s trying to destroy everything I had built so far.”
Well, that makes sense. If I were her enemy, I’d do the same, too.
“Kuro…because of my foolishness, I caused his house’s downfall. Seeking for glory, I sought to overthrow his father, who was king of Amaranth before the von Alberts.” she explained, “I didn’t intend to destroy his entire family, but the events came and I couldn’t do a single thing to stop it. The blood of his wives and children are in my hands…”
Well, that’s certainly heavy. When someone close to you betrayed you, it’s the ultimate pain one could inflict on you. But, it’s war, and like all everyone else, humans had foolish ambitions that led them to stupid acts. Not everyone was exempt from that fact.
“I don’t think I could ever be forgiven, maybe that’s one of my reasons I took up the mantle of sainthood.” Maddie sighed, “But at least, I wanted to try asking him…”
Hmm…now that connects the dots. So that’s why Maddie was so serious in her duties as the Saint, doing her best to promote her ‘peace’ among the Chersean nations. She sees her sainthood as something as an atonement for everything she had done before…
Well, while it is nice, it didn’t have to stay that way…
“Want to do it?” I asked.
“I don’t even know if he’s still alive…”
I could vaguely remember that guy. While it’s true that there’s a chance that he could already be dead by now, if ever I came across him—or possibly his tombstone, I’ll tell him about Maddie’s sentiments.
“Don’t worry Maddie…I’ll do something about it,” I reassured her.
By the 5th of April, the first of the emissaries arrived carrying back some news.
“Your Holiness, the King of Galad refused to send men to our cause, claiming that he wanted them in defending his territories.”
“The King of Calabria has stated that he maintains his neutrality over this conflict, Your Holiness.”
“My liege, the King of Colveente wishes to express his support for our cause. However, he also said that his men are now stretched too thin in defending his kingdom, and so he can spare no one aside from those he had already sent before.”
Maddie and Lily were both massaging their heads in the War Room, for it sure was a stressful situation. Our allies in Huirot needed help as soon as possible, but our men lacked the numbers to mount a successful relief operation. And with the kings refusing to cooperate, the undead problem was threatening to get even worse, as Maddie’s barrier was barely holding up.
“These fools don’t even know that I’m at my limit.” Maddie muttered, “I’m afraid that, eventually, I’ll have to lift that barrier I put in place.”
“James’ forces were also stretched thin in Nerfes.” Lily told us, “He has a long border to watch after all.”
“What do you say, Kuro? Should I punish these kings for not cooperating?”
“By sending them plagues?”
Maddie nodded jokingly. Perhaps she was just physically tired that she was saying such things, however, her words were proof that she was getting mentally exhausted with those capricious royals. I don’t know, but if pushed to the limit, Maddie might’ve made true of her jest.
“Well, I have a solution.” Lily then suggested, “How about we appeal personally to these kings?”
“What’s the difference between that and the emissaries?” Maddie asked, “They won’t cooperate now, so we only waste our time by appearing to them personally.”
“Hmm…I don’t discount the possibility of appealing in person though.”
“See?” Lily triumphantly teased Maddie, “Even Kuro had seen that my suggestion is plausible!”
Maddie, who was a sore loser, pouted.
“But, we won’t talk to those stubborn kings!” I got a paper and began listing down some names.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m writing the names of those people we knew personally. If talking to their kings won’t work, maybe we could appeal to these individuals to send men instead!”
“Ooh! That’s a great idea!” Lily exclaimed, “I’ll prepare my list as well!”
“But if they sent men, they might go against the orders of their monarchs.” Maddie raised a valid point. Indeed, while medieval authority depended on the cooperation of the nobles to their king, the king could also punish an erring noble by confiscating his lands and other properties, provided that the royal was popular with the other officials and nobles within his realm.
And with time running out for Huirot, we can’t afford the effort to know who’s king is popular or not.
“I guess this is where you would come in Maddie.” Lily suggested, “You could force the kings not to punish their subjects for helping us.”
“Hmm…that could work.” she agreed, “Alright, I’ll prepare some letters as well.”
“So am I!” I told them, “I got a few noble friends of my own.”
***The Royal Palace of the King of Calabria, in the city of Sekhtem, April 8 in the first year of the Saint…***
“Chancellor! There’s a letter for you.”
The chancellor of Calabria, Sir Dane Bellingstein rose from his chair to receive the letter that was brought to him by the royal messenger. There were disturbing reports of the dead rising in the western kingdoms of Chersea, as well as the light in the sky darkening, and so he sent a few spies to Savoy to check on the truth about these rumors.
However, instead of seeing the Calabrian royal seal on the paper, what he saw was a strange, yet familiar seal of Her Holiness, the Human Saint of Chersea.
Sir Dane wasted no time. He carefully opened the paper and read its contents.
