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[RedMageCole]

Unfortunately for the commander, she just about picked someone who had finally been waking up and just found the strength to start talking. However, she had basically no strength— all of it was expended looking up from her place on Cedric's horse at the commander; angry, but mostly tired.

"F... fuck- what do you want me to do, give you a song and dance? Luitgard's a bunch of bullshit, the Seven Sisters are all a bunch of bullshit, the piece of shit on the horse that hit me with his stupid cheating magic is a bunch of bullshit, everything's just... bullshit... I wanna stop being on the run, I'm so fuckin' tired and I want to go lay in a decent bed and I don't even have a decent sword..."

"...Wait, when did I get on a horse...? Fuck, everything hurts... Sylvianne, can you just blow something up already?"

[Solymr]

Lucas moved next to Cedric's horse to get a better view of the bowman.

: Let's try using our words this time. Who was your brother?

[Haspen]

"Ludger Maertens! Brutally murdered by this man while serving the Queen! Let me at him! I clam vengeance!"

"Enough, Albus." The heavily armored knight rode a tiny bit forward.

"I am Emeric von Rotenstein. I speak with authority of the Queen of Angeborten. Who is in charge here?"

"I-"

"I am in charge here. Ebrietta van der Deler. And I speak with the authority of King of Tatalia."

"You are harboring Angebortian rebels, criminals, and murders in your midst, Lady Ebrietta." He lifted his axe in Cedric's direction. "This man, Cedric, in particular, is guilty of these crimes."

"Angebortian?" The woman looked all over Cedric's group. "What I see is Tatalian citizens, being chased down by you and your men. Crimes? What crimes?" The knight stared down at Cedric, while Ludger's brother rode forward.

"I could simply-"

"You could simply ride back and let me talk, which is what you will be doing right now, Albus." The bowman gritted his teeth and rode back obediently.

"Lady Ebrietta. You're clearly a reasonable woman. We can send you the documents and deeds of these rebels written down, but I can also briefly explain them in word."

"I am listening."

"Thank you. First of all, they've been plotting to overthrow the rightful Queen of Angeborten. A crime of highest rank. Secondly, they've attacked a merchant caravan en route to Lufin, slaughtering the guards and pilfering the goods. Thirdly, then they had returned to their so-called rebel camp and, which I assume must've been a spat over their actions, killed all their fellow rebels, down to women and children! A single survivor, an old man named 'Hans' bore witness to this."

"I see."

Then, while in flight from justice, they massacred a small camp of lumberjacks who, I assume, earned the rebel's wrath by refusing to lodge them. And finally, just few moments ago, they've killed Ludger Maertens, Commander from Lufin who, in pursuit of his noble duties, tried to apprehend them. As you see, the list of their deeds is quite long, and quite bloody! I ask once again that you hand over those rebels and murderers to my men. Justice will be swift!" Lady Ebrietta was silent, and simply glanced over Cedric, Lucas and Marietta, who were the closest.

She didn't say anything, however.

[Gaterhyme]

"That's wrong!"

Grietje rode up beside the others.

"Cousin Ebrietta," she said, pausing for a moment in acknowledgment before turning to Rotenstein. "Lord Rotenstein, I don't know if you say these things because you mean to lie or because you don't know, but that isn't what happened."

"That merchant caravan you claim we raided was a military convoy. That camp of lumberjacks you mention were bandits who we were forced to fight in self-defense - just ask Volk."

"And Ludger Maertens himself was involved in massacring the civilians at our camp at Lufin!"

[Solymr]

Lucas produced his trusty notebook and presented it to Ebrietta.

: I've documented it all here myself, for what it's worth. Including our cleansing of the swamp to the south from undead, though I expected our opposite here to have claimed them to be innocent skeletons.

: As for the claim that we're plotting to overthrow the Angebortian Queen, that's the wrongest claim made here.

[Wolfhunter107]

Marion had joined the two Tatalian healers in fussing over Cedric's wounds, but when Rotenstein mentioned Hans - the vagrant she had fed in the ruins of the rebel camp - a strange feeling came over her, and all fear, all doubt and hesitation fell away.

She rode out a little, squaring her shoulders and straightening her back. Nodding to Lady Ebrietta, Marion spoke in a formal register that none of the other rebels had ever heard her speak in before.

"Lady Ebrietta, I am Sister Marion of Angen. I do not presume to speak for the Seven, but I am their faithful servant, and I can only pray that you hear my words for the truth they are."

"I spoke with the man named Hans when we discovered that our camp had been destroyed. He testified to me that he saw soldiers of the Consort, including Ludger Maertens, killing everyone inside the camp, even the women and children. I have no reason to doubt what he said was true."

[Haspen]

Lady Ebrietta looked at Grietje, Marion and Lucas.

"Lady Ebrietta! Surely you will not side with them? It's obviously a vile ploy to get away, pretending to be innocent of their crimes and playing to be perceived as a victim, not the offender!"

"So where's your proof?"

"Proof?"

"You've accused them of five crimes, yet brought no proof. You have told me of a witness, but where is that witness now? I do not see any old men with you. What I see is an attempted killing of a Tatalian citizen, given I have seen the wound and the arrow plucked from it first-hand." There was a moment of silence, before the knight grimaced and hoisted his axe towards her. The five pegasi behind Lady Ebrietta quickly drew their lances in anticipation of a fight.

"Lady Ebrietta! I have all the authority and the orders to bring the rebels with us back to be judged. If you do wish for battle, then so be it. But I shall offer you one more way out of it. I will let you keep all the rebels - except Cedric, the ringleader. He alone will bear punishment for crimes! And if you will not hand him over, then so be it, we will do it by force! I have fifty men with me, mages, cavalry and all of them professionally trained and well equipped. Be reasonable, Lady Ebrietta!" There was another moment of rather tense silence, before Lady Ebrietta moved her pegasus in front of Cedric's horse, hiding him from the knight's sight completely.

"Is that so?" She pointed with her left hand at the walls.

"I have a dozen mages lined up there, and another dozen waiting for my command. A quartet of ballistae, all loaded and their bolts pointed at your face." With right hand, she pointed at her pegasi.

"A squadron of elite pegasi at my side. Cedric and his friends, whom I assume are no strangers to fighting either. And there's a hundred or so soldiers and swordsmen, my fort's garrison, awaiting battle, lined up behind the gates." She clasped her hands together.

If this was an episode from an anime series, the camera would now pan to the nearly empty courtyard of the fort and just two squires carrying boxes around.

"Me, being requested to be reasonable? No, it is you, Lord Emeric, who should be reasonable! You wish to try fighting to seize Cedric? Fifty men against thrice that number? Do you, whilst pursuing your orders, wish for gruesome death at the hands of Tatalian soldiers, then?" The heavily armored knight glared at Ebrietta, then the pegasi, then at the men and women on the top of the wall.

He mulled his options silently.

A gust of wind blew some dirt across the road.

Tails

After a long moment, which probably felt like eternity to some, Emeric slowly lowered his axe and then placed it at his side.

"I'm not getting those under my command killed just so I can fulfill my duties... very well, then. Keep those 'Tatalian citizens', as you call them, in Tatalia." A certain angry bowman rode forth.

"Emeric! We can't let him escape! They must be killed! Ludger must be avenged!!" The mounted knight turned to his fellow.

"Go on then, Albus, fight them if you will. I just wonder how you will explain it to Ludger when you suddenly show at his side in the afterlife."

"I- I- I just, gghghhrrrhhh..." Emeric turned to look at Ebrietta, Cedric, and others, once more.

"We will be returning to our side of the border, then, Lady Ebrietta. I wish you... a pleasant day."

"And safe journey back home to you, Lord Emeric." Another moment of silence was soon broken by the armored knight turning his horse around and shouting at his soldiers. They soon began turning around as well and begun a ride home. Lady Ebrietta turned to Cedric.

"Do you need-"

"CEDRIC!!" The mounted archer turned his horse and rode forward, pointing his finger at Cedric. The rest of the Angebortians, including Emeric, stopped to look at the commotion.

"I am Albus Maertens! Remember my name, you scoundrel! You better not show up ever again in Angeborten if you value your life!! Else I will find out, and I will hunt you down, and I will empty my quiver in your face, arrow by arrow, you hear me!? ARROW BY ARROW!!" With the threat delivered with as much anger as possible, the bowman rode away, to rejoin Emeric and the throng of cavalry, who resumed their slow ride home.

Soon, entire group was out of sight.

Lady Ebrietta let out a deep sigh of relief.

"_{Oh, Sisters, thank you for your protection on this fine day...}"

[Solymr]

Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.

: Albus Maertens... The book did not forget your brother, and it will not forget you either.

: Thank you for your help, Lady Ebrietta. But I must ask, how close were we to having a situation in our hands?

[Haspen]

"I have maybe twenty-five people in the fort right now. The rest left for a daily patrol or has dealing with local bandits for past few days, as requested by local nobles. You people couldn't have chosen worse day to arrive, I must say!"

[Blade Master Model 42]

"I'm sure. Then again, we've been having 'worst' days for some time now."

[Solymr]

Lucas shuddered at hearing that once again disaster was avoided but only narrowly.

: We certainly have been skirting the line between "very lucky" and "cursed with doom" these times.

[Chevaleresse]

The magic clutched in Sylvianne's fist flickered and faded, and with it the last of her energy. The mage-soldier visibly slumped as exhaustion began to take hold. She clawed at the part of the mask over her face, it coming free with a groan and a snap as one of the clasps holding it in place snapped.
"Cedric, are you okay? I need some good news."

[RedMageCole]

It wouldn't have been enough to get Marietta to really tick her off that she had been blown off after some asshole magically rode in on his horse to save her a whole bunch of words. No— it was what happened afterwards. She wanted to yell at the about three people healing Cedric's one stupid wound— was that an arrow?— and leaving her gaping wound alone. But that was just it— one of them was a Sister.

Idiots, the whole lot of them.

Marietta practically used her whole body to throw herself off of Cedric's horse— she had enough agility to land on her feet, but only just barely. Without a single word, and her ponytail almost completely undone, she silently moved away from the group; not inside, outside, but at the very least sticking by the walls. Her hand brushed against the wall of the fort as she walked, supporting herself as she walked.

[Haspen]

With Cedric patched up, the rest of people were graduated tended to as well.

"I'm fine... I just need to get off the horse." And he did, almost falling off it. Lady Ebrietta helped him stand up.

"You're not fine, you're exhausted. And I assume hungry as wolves too. Someone tell the cooks to prepare some hot food and drink! I will eat with our guests. I need to get better picture before I send a report northwards."

[Wolfhunter107]

Marion saw Marietta stagger away from the group, and she knew instantly why the other girl was leaving. She knew it would be stupid to follow the swordswoman, who hated the Sisters after what Luitgard had done, probably hated her too now, and would never again-. But she decided to follow Marietta anyway.

...

She swung off of her horse, landing heavily, and waved off one of the Tatalian healers. Then she half-ran after Marietta.

"Maritetta, wait!"

She almost tripped over herself when she stopped.

"I'm- I know- you must- I, I... Aaarghh!

She shook her head violently.

"Please, at least just let me look at your wound! You shouldn't be walking around like this..."