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Lady and Knight
If there was anything about Erika's army that made it stand out, it was how it's soldiers came from all walks of life, and hailed from Renais, Frelia, and even Grado. It is understandable, perhaps, that bonds developed amongst the troops that would normally never happen. Once such bond found an unlikely start in the throes of battle….
Cormag gritted his teeth as an enemy Grado wyvern rider wielding an ax managed to inflict a gash on his arm. His own wyvern, Genarog, roared in fury as it tried to fly it's rider to safety. The enemy followed in hot pursuit- Cormag couldn't use his lance due to his injured arm, so if he couldn't evade this enemy he was in trouble.
"Halt, foul enemy!"
Both Cormag and the enemy wyvern rider froze at the sound of this sudden exclamation. A healing aura wrapped itself around Cormag, closing the wound on his arm. Since there wasn't anyone else in the air, Cormag looked down on the ground.
The source of the voice turned out to be from the blonde-haired princess, L'Arachel, riding below the fighting wyvern riders on her horse. L'Arachel now brandished a tome of light magic at the enemy wyvern rider.
"You are misfortunate enough to face against me, Princess L'Arachel!" L'Arachel declared. "And for trying to harm one of my comrades, your life will end here!"
The enemy wyvern rider turned his attention to the L'Arachel, and instead of verbally reacting to her statement he dove down at her, getting ready to swing his ax. Cormag instinctively flew in to intercept the blow, blocking the ax with his spear. Cormag could feel his arms tremble but he held firm.
In the time that all this transpired L'Arachel finished preparing a spell with her tome, which she sent at the enemy wyvern rider. The light magic hit the Grado soldier straight in the chest, causing him to fall to his doom.
Now that the battle was over Cormag could see more enemies off in the distance- there was no time to stop. So he urged Genarog onwards to the middle of the conflict, ignoring what sounded like indignant shouting coming from below him.
It perhaps shouldn't have come as a surprise when in the barracks, Cormag found himself approached by a very angry L'Arachel.
"Greetings, Princess L'Arachel. To what do I owe this visit?" Cormag asked.
"Never in my life have I been treated as rudely as you treated me earlier today!" L'Arachel shouted, her hands on her hips.
Cormag found himself feeling incredibly confused, as he couldn't remember doing anything that would have earned him such ire. "What is this about?"
"After our encounter on the field of battle earlier, you just left without so much as a thank you," L'Arachel said, her cheeks puffing out from her indignation. "I thought a knight would have better manners than that towards a princess such as myself!"
After hearing this Cormag couldn't help but sigh. He'd heard that the princess of Rausten had a rather overwhelming personality, but it seemed like even that turned out to be an understatement. Even so, L'Arachel and he had saved each other's lives in battle. After such an event, the least he could do was hear the princess out.
"I do appreciate what you did for me in that battle," Cormag said. "So if it's my thanks you want, you shall have it."
"I was only fulfilling my duty as a healer in Erika's army, but I appreciate any and all thanks that I get!" L'Arachel said cheerfully.
Wait, why is she acting so humble about the thanks that she requested? Cormag wondered to himself.
"I just realized I haven't introduced myself yet. I am the sparkling heroine of Rausten, Princess L'Arachel!" L'Arachel declared. "And I'm not mistaken, you are one of our recent recruits from Grado, correct?"
"Correct. My name is Cormag," Cormag stated.
"I can't imagine what it must have taken to defect from your homeland," L'Arachel said. "And now you're fighting against your own countrymen. You should know you're just as much a member of this army as anyone else!"
It wasn't a very comfortable thought, but the sentiment was clear. "It gives me no joy to cut down my countrymen. However, I will do what I must in order to see Grado restored to it's former glory."
"Is it true that you also used to be a knight?" When Cormag nodded in the affirmative L'Arachel grinned. "Then I've got a wonderful offer for you! Once this war is over, I'd like for you to become a knight of Rausten! As the country's future Queen, I'm interested in recruiting the best people for my land."
The offer was utterly insensitive and tone-deaf. At the same time, Cormag found he could understand the motive behind the offer. So instead of becoming angry, Cormag said, "I refuse. After the war, I have every intention of returning to Grado to rebuild my country."
"So you're so devoted to your country that you'd refuse even an offer most people would would jump at the chance to accept?" L'Arachel said, sounding genuinely surprised. "Then I will wait for you to complete your work in Grado, and then I will have you become a knight in my land!"
Before Cormag could say anything in response to this L'Arachel left the barracks. Cormag shook his head bemusedly. The former knight had a feeling that L'Arachel was going to be true to her word.
The next time they met was at the practice ranges for the army. Cormag was recently assigned a new role in Erika's army, so now he found himself having to practice with a sword as well as a spear. The sword did make sure Cormag had an easier time against ax wielding enemies, so he made sure to practice both weapons equally.
Not too far away, he could see L'Arachel practicing with her light tome, but also going up to the training dummy every so often and whacking it with her healing staff. The sight was so baffling that Cormag couldn't help but approach the princess.
"Why do you feel the need to use your staff as a weapon?" Cormag asked. "Aren't you a healer?"
"I'm more than just a healer! I'm a righteous warrior that banishes the evil demons that haunt every corner of the world!" L'Arachel exclaimed, as she swung her staff at the training dummy's head, nailing it. "Wherever evil lurks, I want to be ready for it!"
Cormag had to admit that he was becoming rather impressed with L'Arachel's enthusiasm. Many different members of this army had more than one role, but L'Arachel was the first person he'd ever seen to approach her duties with such… zeal.
"You told me before that you are going to become the Queen of Rausten," Cormag said. "Is that the reason why you fight so hard?"
"Oh, it's far from the only reason! I want to help every person in need out there," L'Arachel said. "So that my name can become even more well-known than that of my parents!"
Back when he and his brother was prominent knights of Grado, Cormag learned much of the surrounding countries, including Rausten. So he knew that the previous King and Queen of Rausten died while saving a village from pillagers.
"So that's why you fight," Cormag said. "I can understand that."
"So what drives you, Cormag?" L'Arachel asked curiously. "Do you fight for any other reasons?"
The subject of Glen was something that he didn't speak about too often. Since he learned about L'Arachel's motives, however, it was only fair that he shared information about himself to the princess.
"I fight in this army for one of the same reasons that I defected from Grado," Cormag said. "Some time ago, my older brother Glen was slain. I was fooled into thinking that Princess Erika was his killer, but she helped me discover that it was one of my own countrymen. So I wish to find Glen's killer and kill him."
L'Arachel naturally looked shocked at learning this story. For a few minutes there was a silence as L'Arachel processed what Cormag said. Then, of all things, she started smiling.
"So you're trying to avenge a beloved family member? What a noble cause!" L'Arachel exclaimed. "Then I must help you do this!"
"What?!" For the first time, Cormag was truly surprised by the princess. "Why would you care about this, Princess L'Arachel?"
"It's the least I can do for my future knight," L'Arachel said. "So I'm going to join you on your quest for vengeance!"
L'Arachel's statements caused Cormag to crack a smile. The princess always found a way to make everything about herself, didn't she? Even so, her desire to help him avenge his brother also seemed to be genuine. Cormag was not about to refuse any help- and maybe this could help him understand Princess L'Arachel's mind better.
Now bound by a common cause and a better understanding of each other, Cormag and L'Arachel spent more time with each other, both on the field of battle and in the barracks. As Erika's army steadily approached Grado, the two of them practiced together in anticipation for the battle against Glen's killer.
Even so, they had their personal lives- L'Arachel, for example, spent many days with Rennac and Dorza on her continuing adventures to cleanse the world of all it's ills. However, whatever Cormag did in his personal life was something that L'Arachel didn't know much about. Until the day when one of her adventures happened to cross with one of Cormag's.
L'Arachel was riding her horse through a town near the border of Grado, keeping an eye out for anything that was out of place- a mugger she could take down, or a civilian in need of her healing services. The last thing she expected was to hear the sound of flapping wings somewhere above her.
Looking up, she saw Cormag flying on his wyvern- Genarog, he was called? L'Arachel wonder what the blond knight was doing flying at this time of night, so she urged her horse forward. As she got closer, he could hear Cormag talking.
"Please, do not be alarmed. Just jump into my arms."
The tone that Cormag was talking in was far more gentle and soft than anything else L'Arachel had ever heard him speak in. Looking around, L'Arachel spotted what was speaking to- what appeared to be a small kitten stranded on the roof of a building. It was clear that the kitten was stranded, and too small to survive a fall from it's current height.
Cormag was doing his best to coax the kitten to his arms, but the kitten was clearly frightened, most likely by Genarog. Whenever Cormag tried to get closer, the kitten backed away. L'Arachel received a divine vision of what was about to happen, so she commanded her horse to gallop to the other side of the house.
In the sky, Cormag made another effort to approach the kitten, but Genarog got too close, which caused the kitten to freak out and flee. Unfortunately the kitten was so panicked that it ran too far and found itself slipping over the edge of the roof on the other side. However, L'Arachel was already waiting for this to happen.
So L'Arachel stood on her horse's saddle, managing to catch the small kitten before it could fall so much as a foot. Cormag flew Genarog to where L'Arachel was just in time to see her sit herself back down on her horse's saddle while gently holding the kitten in her arms.
"Princess L'Arachel! I didn't expect you to be here," Cormag said, looking at the princess in wonder.
"Clearly, it was providence that guided me here tonight," L'Arachel said as she petted the small kitten. "But what surprised me is seeing you here trying so hard to save this cute little thing."
This time Cormag had enough sense to dismount Genarog from a fair distance before going towards where L'Arachel was. L'Arachel herself carefully dismounted her horse while still holding the kitten in her hands. When Cormag reached L'Arachel, he reached for the kitten. "May I hold onto this kitten?"
"I don't see why not," L'Arachel said, gently placing the kitten in Cormag's hands. Cormag looked the kitten over to make sure it wasn't injured, and once he saw that it wasn't he held it to his chest.
"I never imagined I would see you treat something so gently," L'Arachel said.
"To protect the small and weak is one of the the most important duties of a knight," Cormag said. "Even so long after breaking my oaths, I carry that with me."
Unexpectedly, L'Arachel narrowed her eyes. What exactly was he implying here? "Am I that kitten to you, then? Something small and weak to protect?"
No, just the opposite," Cormag said, wondering where exactly L'Arachel got that impression from. "You've proven yourself to be a stalwart partner on the field of battle, and even off of it as well. You saved this kitten's life."
"I must do everything in my power to keep you from entertaining such a thought ever again, then," L'Arachel said, getting an idea she personally felt was brilliant. "I'd like to accompany you on all future patrols!"
"So I would be covering the sky and you would be covering the ground, just as we have in battle," Cormag said. "Very well then, Princess L'Arachel."
"That's another step closer!" L'Arachel exclaimed, already imagining personally knighting Cormag. "No one will be able to escape us!"
Before long, L'Arachel and Cormag found themselves spending the most time with each other during their patrols together. Their teamwork, already based off of very strong foundation, soon become completely seamless, covering each other's weaknesses just as Cormag said they would. The day inevitably came, however, that Erika's army reached the heart of Grado. When they had to prepare to lay siege on Jehanna Hall, where Valter waited….
"….You're right, Cormag! I was the one that cut your brother down. He was just like you, a weak, pitiful fool."
At Valter's words, Cormag couldn't help but laugh.
"Why do you laugh, dolt?" Valter asked.
"How can I not? I've dreamt of revenge, chased it for days... And now it's here before me. Oh, Valter... Your death will be slow and agonizing," Cormag said, a grin forming on his face as he prepared his lance. The former knight of Grado had fantasized of this day for a long time for now.
This battle was playing out almost exactly as he'd always imagined, except for one huge, important difference. Cormag wanted to do this battle himself. At the same time, he was filled with a feeling of reassurance. A reassurance that if he needed aid, there was someone he could could count on to have this back.
Without another word, the two wyvern lords flew at each other, their lances clashing against each other. Cormag's trusting bond with Genarog meant he could command his wyvern to do whatever he wanted, granting Cormag superior, precise movement in the air. What Valter lacked in movement, however, he made up for with raw strength.
Cormag managed to inflict many, rapid blows with his spear onto Valter's chest, but none of them were able to penetrate the latter's armor. In contrast, Valter couldn't land a blow onto Cormag early in the battle- but when a strike did hit, it dented Cormag's armor.
As the battle wore on, Cormag managed to slowly gain an edge, Valter's armor weakening and even breaking from where Cormag kept striking it. However, Valter's successful blows against Cormag kept the latter on his toes. Valter urged his wyvern to start flying downwards, hoping to inflict a fatal upward strike on Cormag's wyvern-
When suddenly, Valter could feel hear his own wyvern roar in pain as something hit it from below. Valter looked down- to see a blonde-haired girl riding on a horse, wielding a tome of light magic. Now that he had a good look of her, Valter recognized the girl as Princess L'Arachel of Rausten.
"You! What are you doing, little girl," Valter said. "Interrupting a duel?"
That train of thought was interrupted by Cormag chuckling. "Whatever gave you the idea that this battle was ever a duel? I intend to avenge Glen's death in whatever way I can."
L'Arachel raised her healing staff, which healed Cormag of all his wounds he'd had. "And I'm not going to let you lay a single finger on my beloved, you cruel demon! So prepare for your righteous punishment!"
L'Arachel sent another bolt of magic towards Valter, who dodged it- but this left him wide open for a strike from the back by Cormag. And as soon as Valter tried to parry Cormag's attacks, L'Arachel cast light magic at him instead. Even a hardened warrior like Valter couldn't stand up to two attacks at once- Cormag stabbed his spear at a spot of armor where L'Arachel hit with her magic, and the spear point sank effortlessly inside. Valter fell off his wyvern and hit the ground, dead.
There were a swirl of emotions going through Cormag's head as he landed Genarog on the ground. At long last, Glen's death was avenged. Surely, his spirit could finally rest in peace. Now that Valter was dead, there was still the matter of the current King of Grado, as well as rebuilding the country afterward. There was also the matter of…
"'Your beloved?'" Cormag asked L'Arachel as she dismounted from her horse.
"My beloved knight, of course!" L'Arachel exclaimed, her words belied by her red face. "It would just be a shame if my valuable knight died now of all times."
"Whatever you meant by your words, they will need to be addressed later," Cormag said. "This war is still not over. You stayed true to your word, however. My brother is avenged."
That was not the only reason that Cormag wanted to save this conversation for later. Cormag himself didn't know what kind of answer he wanted to give to the Princess L'Arachel just yet.
The war ended shortly after the siege of Jehanna Hall. Cormag personally made sure that his country was freed from the foul influence that had plagued it for so long. Soon enough, it was time for Erika's army to leave Grado, and Cormag had every intention of staying. Before that, however, there was one last conversation he needed to have with Princess L'Arachel.
"You don't need to tell me," L'Arachel said as Cormag approached her. "I already know you're going to stay to rebuild your homeland. Your love of your country is always something I've admired about you."
"And you must return to Rausten, to prepare for the day you become Queen," Cormag said. "I'm sure you will make a wonderful Queen. I regret that I will most likely not see your coronation."
"And I'm just as sure that you'll make Grado just as great as you've always believed it to be!" L'Arachel exclaimed. "I'm going to ask you one more time- when you finish rebuilding Grado, I'd like for you to become a knight of Rausten!"
"I will have to refuse you one last time." Cormag said. When L'Arachel froze in shock, Cormag continued, "Because on the day I arrive on Rausten, I want to remain by your side as much more than just a knight."
L'Arachel's eyes widened as she understood Cormag's words, but just as quickly she smiled. "I will hold you to your word, then. I expect you in Rausten the day after you finish rebuilding Grado- even if I have to drag you there myself!"
The end