Chapter 2 – The Familiar Squire – Journey through Daybreak

“Historians remain at loss as to the origin of Dame Kaede Nikita Konstantinovna Suvorskaya. Though it is common for Samarans to live an unassuming life, not a trace of the girl could be found before Year 566 of the Faith Age. The earliest record shows that she appeared in Alisia Academy in the autumn of that year. And despite the girl’s quiet demeanor which could easily pass for a wallflower, her actions have carried consequences that have since reverberated through the history of the West.”

– Yue Yuling, Journey to the West, Part II: Thunder of the Great War, written after her embassy to Western Hyperion from the Dawn Imperium in the Far East.

 

They’re late…

Laetitia turned towards the busy docks as she played with her braid in the strong headwind from the lake. The skies were clear and the sun was at its highest point at half past noon. But the person she waited on had yet to arrive.

The girl absentmindedly twirled the spear in her hands as she stood near a stone gatehouse built like a keep. The guards there kept a watchful eye on both sides as they watched both the docks district and the small bailey that housed the teleportation beacon obelisk.

Several of the soldiers eyed her cautiously as she wasn’t part of the city’s garrison or militia. Nevertheless, she wore a gambeson in Lotharin blue beneath her steel cuirass and spaulders, while the shield on her back bore the phoenix crest.

“Hey girl,” the gruff sergeant in command of the checkpoint called out. “Who are you waiting…”

His cry trailed off as a clear ringing chimed from the magical wards linked to the teleportation beacon outside. A small group of four suddenly materialized from thin air around the stone obelisk. The soldiers on watch immediately grew alert as they spotted the four figures who unlinked their hands. One of them wore the feathered blue cape of an Oriflamme Armiger which helped to put them at ease.

The new arrivals included two young men, one tall and one short, plus two petite girls. The young woman who wore a noble-looking dress then bent over with a sickly pale face. She covered her mouth as she ran to the nearest parapet facing the lake before leaning over the wooden battlements.

Laetitia could only see the girl’s long snowy-white hair as she heard retching sounds from the girl throwing up.

A Samaran? She pondered.

Laetitia had met a Samaran only once before — a travelling merchant from the Grand Republic of Samara who stopped at her hometown. They were known by their distinctive unblemished white hair, which was quite rare among other human sub-species.

“I think you need to slow down with the teleports.”

A deep voice which Laetitia recognized as Gerard’s suggested from among the remaining three. The tall young man looked quite dashing today in his blue gambeson and a one-sided shoulder cape. It was the uniform of the new model army that Laetitita had recently heard about. And it made quite a difference from Gerard’s usual well-worn clothes.

Perched atop his shoulder cape was a black raven with white feathers above its neck. It was Gerard’s familiar, though Laetitia rarely saw the bird with its master.

“We already took two extra breaks,” another familiar voice came from a short man in the group. He frowned with a mix of concern and exasperation before he shrugged: “you’d think she’d be used to it by now. It’s like she’s pregnant or something.”

The redhead who spoke was a lean young man who clearly stood shorter than the average Lotharin male. Nevertheless, he seemed exuberant with energy as he stretched from side to side even as he stood in place. Beneath his short red hair were a pair of vivid-green eyes, lightly freckled cheeks, and a narrow, delicate nose above his open lips. His features combined for an innocent, boyish look better suited to an apprentice than an Oriflamme Armiger — decorated men-at-arms who directly served one of the twelve Oriflamme Paladins of Rhin-Lotharingie.

Meanwhile, the other girl, who wore a maid’s dress beneath a green cape, scurried to the bent-over young lady before giving the still-vomiting girl several sweeping strokes down her back.

“There, there, Milady,” she spoke in a soothing tone.

It took a minute before the white-haired girl straightened her back. She wiped her lips with a handkerchief offered from the maid, then took several deep breaths and drew out the time between each inhale and exhale as if doing breathing exercises. Only after that did she turn back around. Her face still held a sickly pallor as she retorted in a soft and airy voice:

“Who are you calling pregnant!”

“That’s rude. Her Ladyship is a proper virgin,” her slightly taller maid declared as though she had personally verified it.

“AHHHhhh don’t announce that either!”

The petite lady cried aloud — though ‘loud’ was relative given her wispy voice — as she covered the maid’s lips with her small hands. Her pale cheeks had gone from ghostly white to burning scarlet in the span of seconds. Her entire face grew flustered and burned as though she was about to start giving off steam.

Meanwhile, both of the men had unsuccessfully tried to stifle their mirth before bursting out laughing. Even the maid had a merry look in her eyes as though she was about to start giggling, which her lady did not fail to notice.

“You’ve only met for a day and you’re ganging up on me already!?”

“Ah, sorry, Kaede. You’re just too fun to tease, and I wasn’t even trying this time,” the short armiger wiped a tear from his eyes. “But look on the bright side, at least you’re not feeling sick anymore.”

“My mouth still tastes rancid.”

The snowy-haired girl reached into a messenger bag slung over her shoulder and pulled out a furry waterskin. The large, utilitarian leather bag looked completely out of place with her fancy dress, but she didn’t seem to care.

The girl’s outfit was a combination of white, bright blue, and soft pink. The garment was centered on a built-in corset that wrapped tightly around her narrow waist. A long and wide skirt that came in multiple layers descended down to ankle-level and almost hid her wedge boots. The skirt’s sectioned outer panels displayed the Empire’s phoenix heraldry. Meanwhile, her thin shoulders were wrapped in a tight bolero jacket and a ‘blouse’ attached to the corset, both with straight trim and stiff lines to give the air of a military uniform.

“I didn’t get any on my dress, did I?” She then asked before rinsing with several mouthfuls.

“A little here, Milady,” the maid pointed out.

“Ehhhh!?” The petite lady grew concerned. “This is the only formal dress that I have!”

“Here,” Gerard walked over to her before kneeling down and placing his right hand over her lower dress. His casting glove glowed briefly as he enunciated in ancient Draconic: “Cleanse”

The simple spell easily expunged the small vomit stain from her dress.

“Thank you so much, Gerard,” the lady said. “Her Highness will get mad at me if I meet nobles in a soiled dress.”

“Think nothing of it,” the tall officer stood back up with a gallant smile as he replied.

Can’t she cast it herself? Laetitia wondered as she watched them.

After all, Cleanse was a simple cantrip taught to every mage. Sure, not everyone could learn magic — affinity for it had to be inherited — but noble families all traced their bloodlines back to magical stock. A noble without magic was unthinkable, as magical talent was one of the chief markers of status. It was why commoners who did possess the gift, like her own family, were referred to as ‘yeomen’ to distinguish them above the rest.

“You know both Her Highness and Pascal would be happy to buy you more outfits,” the shorter redhead grinned.

“Don’t you say anything,” the white-haired girl almost pouted. “I don’t want to give either of them any encouragement, nor waste money on more clothing than I need.”

“Your ‘need’ is like four outfits, Milady,” the maid protested. “Might I suggest that we at least do better than that?”

Did she grow up impoverished or something? Laetitia’s imagination leapt to a young girl who lived off scraps of food scavenged in back alleys. It certainly explained the girl’s short height and small stature in her mind’s view.

Poor thing.

Nevertheless, the destitute girl’s life had clearly changed, as the quality of her clothes alone made apparent. Her outfit was custom-tailored to her exact size and used only the finest fabrics and trim. The girl also wore several jewels — rose-quartz floral earrings, a turquoise ring on her right hand, a brilliant star-sapphire brooch beneath her collar — all of them in the highest quality.

Furthermore, Laetitia could tell from the light radiating from each gemstone that they were all enchanted. Magic items were invariably expensive, as they could only be made by a mage with an affinity for object enhancement — many of whom were nobles.

But how could she sustain her magic items with mana if she’s not a mage? Laetitia wondered.

Regardless, before she could speculate how the girl achieved such a huge leap in social status, Gerard walked over towards her and greeted:

“Morning, Laetitia, I’m glad to see you’ve been doing well since we last met.”

“Afternoon, Sir Fournier,” Laetitia smiled as she corrected him. “Glad to see you again as well!”

The tall engineer then moved past her and towards the gatehouse where he began talking to the sergeant on watch:

“I’m Captain Gerard Fournier, commanding officer of the new model army engineers, 1st company. With me are Sir Reynaud and…”

He was still talking when the armiger named Reynaud called out to Laetitia.

“Afternoon, Laetitia, meet your new charge,” he announced as they walked up. “This is Dame Kaede Nikita Konstanstov, Konstantinov, novna–? Surkorska…” His eyes crossed as he struggled with the names before pivoting to the girl he was introducing. “Your name’s too long!”

And foreign, Laetitia thought as she had never heard of a name like that.

Kaede merely giggled before she reached out with a gloved hand.

“Just Kaede is fine. Reynaud has already told me loads about you.”

Laetitia’s eyebrows rose slightly as shaking hands with someone you’ve just met was a male custom among equals. However, it wasn’t a female one, and certainly not between a noblewoman and a yeoman’s daughter.

Nevertheless, she accepted the invite with both hands and vigorously shook Kaede’s.

“Pleasure to meet you, Milady!”

I didn’t know fabric this smooth existed. Laetitia marveled as her fingers felt Kaede’s silky white gloves. Is this how she keeps her skin so pristine?

“This is Laetitia Leclerc. I met her on my last mission,” Reynaud then introduced. “Never seen a girl who’s so eager to become an armiger in service. But she’s good, very good. So I’m assigning her to you as your bodyguard.”

Slightly taller than the average Lotharin woman, Laetitia had a lean and sinewy physique common to martial arts practitioners. Her light-blonde hair had some tousled curls and would have reached halfway down her back had it not been pulled over her right shoulder in a loose braid. She had large peridot-green eyes with a delicate nose that people often complimented as pretty. Though her mother always complained that she’d be a true beauty if she just applied a little more daily care and makeup.

Laetitia carried a spear half again her height and bore a diamond-shaped bouche shield on her back. Her armor was almost form-fitting as she wore a shortened cuirass that went down to only her waist, emphasizing a greater need for agility than coverage. She had more steel covering her limbs and tassets over her layered and sectioned over-knee skirt. Her dress, however, was homesewn as it featured a combination of brightly layered cloth and gambeson-like padding.

“Why do I need…”

Kaede objected almost in reflex before trailing off into a scowl as she seemed to recognize the answer herself. However, that didn’t stop Reynaud from lecturing her:

“Because you’re useless when ambushed in close combat, to quote Her Highness,” he said. “Becoming the Grand Squire means you now have a responsibility to keep yourself safe, as it would trouble others if something happened to you. And even if you weren’t, there’s still an incentive to kidnap you for your blood during such conflict-laden times.”

She really is Samaran then.

Laetitia had heard that Samaran blood was a panacea that could cure any disease and even reverse aging. Though it was mostly used as a spell focus by healers as it improved the effectiveness of curative spells.

Meanwhile, Kaede looked a little down as she clearly didn’t like being called ‘useless’. Nevertheless, the petite girl kept a smile on her lips as she presented the maid beside her.

“This is Marina, my lady’s maid.”

“Delighted to make your acquaintance,” Marina dipped down in a slight curtsy.

“Mine also,” Laetita returned a friendly wave as she had never curtsied in her life.

The late-teen maid was a hint taller than Kaede and wore a classic frilled black-and-white dress. She had spring-green eyes and brunette hair loosely tied in two tails that slung before her shoulders. Her face was pretty and cute in a plain, village girl sort of way, which looked still innocent to the world at large. Regardless, with her unassuming appearance she could easily melt into a group of servants without being noticed.

“You and your companions are clear to enter, Sir,” Laetitia then heard the sergeant declare from behind her as he handed a scrollcase back to the tall engineer.

“Come on, everyone,” Gerard gestured for them. “Let’s not loiter outside the gates.”

“Let’s go then,” Kaede said as she led Marina towards the city’s entrance.

Meanwhile, Reynaud moved closer to Laetitia until his brigandine pressed into her shoulders and he could whisper into her ear:

“Remember, you asked for this, so don’t complain to me later when the hours suck.”

The young man then pulled back slightly with a playful grin. “Kaede could be a bit handful at times, as she doesn’t know her limits and doesn’t follow common sense.”

“I heard that!” Kaede’s soft cry came from beyond the gate.

How? Laetitia’s eyes swelled as the girl should be well beyond earshot of Reynaud’s hushed voice.

However, the redhead merely chuckled as he added:

“But she’s a good person.”

Laetitia’s expression lit up in a sunny smile that beamed with appreciation. The twenty-four-years old girl from the boondocks thought back to the conversation they had a month ago, when Reynaud asked why she wanted to join his mission group. She had brought her grandfather’s spear and shield. But almost every piece of armor she wore had been paid for by the young man standing before her.

“Thank you. I appreciate this so much,” she lauded. “It’s like a wish come true for me.”

“Don’t say that until you’ve lived the life, because it’s not that easy,” Reynaud smirked with a wink. “But welcome aboard, Laetitia. We’ll be working together often from now on.”

…

 

“I’m sorry, but that’s all I can sell you with the new rationing in place,” Laetitia heard a merchant cry outside a grain warehouse. A crowd had already gathered around him as others protested which forced her group to detour around.

“How are things here at the capital?” Reynaud then asked as they trekked through the open area in front of the docks.

The city of Alis Avern might not be a bustling center of commerce or an overpopulated metropolis, but it was nevertheless the capital of the Empire of Rhin-Lotharingie. Situated on the northeastern tip of an island in the middle of Lake Alise, the largest lake in Western Hyperion, the city was built on a south-facing slope and enveloped by water and cliffs on three sides. It was on this excellent defensive position that the Averni tribe built the settlement many centuries ago, after they fled from Imperial forces in the aftermath of a catastrophic uprising.

However, aside from the famous Oriflamme Citadel which dominated the city from atop its rocky crag, the capital had no other impressive structures that truly stood out. Most buildings were wooden with thatched roofs raised two stories high. Most alleys were narrow and meandered between buildings with no pre-planning. Homes were crammed onto the hillside like stepping stones. And even the single main avenue that zigzagged uphill could barely manage two wagons passing side-by-side.

It’s honestly disappointing, Laetitia thought, as she had left her hometown in hopes of seeing the world and experiencing its wonders.

“Nervous, to say the least,” the girl replied to Reynaud as she glanced around.

Most of the residents of the city were either rushing about, or murmuring quietly to each other as they looked upon the small group of officers, armigers, and one young noble with her maid.

“News about the Imperium’s declaration of war has spread among the civilians this morning,” she continued. “Many seemed pessimistic if not frightened by what this means for our battered country. However, Her Highness the Princess opened the castle’s great chapel to residents this morning for the Resurrection Day service. And at its conclusion, she addressed the residents with quite an inspiring speech.”

Laetitia thought back to the church service that she attended along with thousands of others. It was the first time she had seen the elegant ‘Cerulean Princess’ in person.

“The mood seems to have calmed a little after seeing the Princess’ composure. Many people are working hard today despite the holiday to support the war effort,” she said before looking towards the city’s docks.

The harbor infrastructure had been expanded over the past month under Gerard’s command. Hundreds of laborers, many of them women and older children, were busy transferring supplies between boats and loading equipment onto barges even as they spoke.

“Nevertheless, there are many rumors flying around on what’s happening, such as how the Imperium and the Caliphate are preparing a joint offensive.” Laetitia frowned as even she couldn’t help feeling worried about that claim. It would easily doom any possibility that the Empire could emerge victorious from this conflict.

“There’s no way that’s true,” Kaede replied before diving into an impromptu historical lecture.

“The Imperium and the Caliphate are mortal enemies who have hated each other since the rise of the Tauheed Prophet. The Caliphate could even trace its origins to a revolt against the Imperium on the southern continent of Euryphaessa. Between the Southern Suppression Campaign, the Wasteland War, three Trinitian Crusades, two Tauheed Holy Wars, and numerous other conflicts, the Imperium has far more Tauheed blood and genocidal atrocities on its hands than they could ever accuse our Empire of. It would take an outright miracle for those two to work together.”

Laetitia zoned out a little as the speech dragged on. Though it didn’t escape her notice that the more Kaede talked about history, the more lively and animated the petite girl became.

“The only problem is that they just happen to have a mutual enemy in us at the current moment,” the snowy-haired Samaran added with a frown as her voice grew thoughtful. “Which we really need to resolve as quickly as possible.”

“Much easier said than done,” Reynaud countered. “The Caliphate is occupying more than six duchies’ of our land in the south, which we must first retake.”

“If we can retake them,” Kaede murmured quietly.

“How can you doubt our soldiers at a moment like this?” Reynaud rebutted.

“I’m being realistic,” Kaede replied in a faint but serious voice. “We must examine only facts when considering strategy. And if trading land would give us the peace that we desperately need to develop our nation’s strength…”

“That’s traitor talk–” Reynaud’s voice was fast rising when Gerard interrupted him:

“Not again, you two. You were at it for two whole hours yesterday. Give it a rest!” Gerard insisted as he led the group. He then changed the subject: “by the way, Reynaud, why didn’t we use the upper teleportation beacon? The one just outside the castle? You’d easily get permission.”

“Because it’s inactive today,” the redhead replied. “The wards there are being adjusted.”

Laetitia knew that teleportation beacons were used by mages, especially Wayfarers, to lock onto their destination, even those they had never visited. With a beacon, the risk of mishaps vanished; no chance of arriving with one’s feet embedded in stone. But inside a fortified settlement like this, the small area around a beacon was also the only place where teleportation was permitted. The rest of the urban sprawl within the walls would be warded by a Lockdown spell, which bounced off inbound teleportation magic.

As the group turned around a corner and made their way towards the city’s main gates, a hauntingly long yet melodic sound resonated across the air. A series of loud clicking noises followed which drew everybody’s attention skyward. A humongous flying creature in the distance then emerged into view from behind the gargantuan rock that the Oriflamme Citadel sat on top of.

The colossal beast looked more like a creature of the sea than a bird. Its long gray body was sleek and hydrodynamic and it had a tail that looked appropriate for a giant fish. It had two short fins which reached down to the sides just behind a massively bulky head. Tentacle-like appendages ran around the front of the head like long mustaches, while below them was a thin jaw that opened to emit another beautifully haunting melody.

A steel-framed wooden structure was also strapped beneath the belly of the beast. Its size rivalled that of a wealthy family’s home and could easily accommodate a dozen or more rooms. Support beams wrapped around the sides and back the monster which held the gondola in place. It was clear the animal was being used as a tamed beast of burden.

“Is that… a skywhale?”

Laetitia whispered in awe as she stared up at the gargantuan animal that she had only heard about in her grandfather’s war stories. Meanwhile, her legs suddenly halted as though she forgot how to walk.

“That looks like Marianna,” Reynaud smiled as the others stopped to look as well.

“Your father’s skywhale?” Kaede asked.

“Yep!” The short armiger nodded. “Which means King Alistair is likely onboard.”

“Why doesn’t he ever arrive by Wayfarer like a normal person?” Gerard pondered aloud.

“Because he has to travel in style,” Reynaud swung one arm excitedly across his chest as he clearly approved. “Besides, it’s good for the city’s morale.”

“Can I ride on it later?” Laetitia asked with a starry-eyed gaze.

“Of course,” Reynaud answered. “I’ll even give you a tour.”

“Yes!”

Laetitia pumped both hands as she returned to admiring the gigantic beast. The skywhale flapped its tail as it descended towards the city from several hundred paces up. The girl could just make out the weapon ports that opened to the side of the skywhale’s gondola. There were also two ballistae mounted towards the front of the structure, just behind an observation deck lined by glass windows.

“Is that a baby flying beside it?” Kaede pointed.

“A baby!?”

It took a moment before the ecstatic Laetitia noticed the much smaller skywhale which flew alongside the parent. Their dark-gray bodies blended together in the distance as the calf laid in close contact against the mother’s side.

“That’s Priscilla, my familiar,” Reynaud beamed like a proud father. “She’s almost nine months old now.”

“I thought mages usually kept their familiars with them?” Kaede asked as she looked towards Gerard’s raven.

“Pascal doesn’t with you,” Reynaud jokingly replied.

Laetitia’s eyebrows rose slightly as she wasn’t sure what he had meant. However, the girl was too entranced by the adorable baby skywhale to even ask. Familiars were widely considered a nobles’ tradition, as maintaining a large or exotic familiar could be quite expensive. But at this moment, she couldn’t help wondering what she might summon if she tried.

“Besides, I realized I couldn’t substitute for a skywhale’s nutritious milk,” Reynaud added. “Best she stays with her mother until she grows up more.”

“Breast-envy, huh?” Gerard commented flatly. “It’s no wonder you prefer girls with big boobs.”

“I like big breasts and I cannot lie.” Reynaud smiled with his palms raised in a shrug.

“Does that apply when you dress as a girl too?” Gerard asked next. “Like when you almost did during our last mission?”

The mere thought of the short young man with stuffed breasts the size of cantaloupes made Laetitia chortle. She wasn’t the only one either as both of the other girls started laughing.

“That was only so we could infiltrate an enemy camp!” Reynaud retorted. “Don’t give the girls the wrong impression of me!”

“Bit late for that.” Kaede beamed a mirthful smile.

Nevertheless, the young lady refrained from picking on him further. Then, as another melodic song rang out from the skywhale, the maid Marina asked:

“I’m surprised you can summon a baby for a familiar. I’d feel bad for its mother.”

“Not normally. But I knew Priscilla before I summoned her for my familiar ceremony. Though it did still spook Marianna,” Reynaud gave an apologetic shrug. “The only way to tame a skywhale is by binding it as a familiar while it’s still very young, before they develop their own ability to channel magic during puberty, which is what allows them to fly — though Priscilla is floating on Marianna’s magic right now. Once they do that, the mutual repulsion from different mana sources makes it impossible to bind them as a familiar.”

After all, what separates the magical from the mundane is the presence of mana. The ability to gather ether, which could be found throughout nature, and refine it into mana was what defined mages. And mana in turn could be shaped to create miraculous phenomenons through the process known as ‘spellcraft’.

Laetitia never fully understood the process, but she knew mana always dissipated back into ether over time when not stored within a special receptacle. Mages and magical creatures alike use their own bodies as such a receptacle, to ensure they’d always have a reserve on hand for spellcraft. However, with few exceptions, mana that came from different sources also repelled one another like same-pole magnets. This gave every mage and magical creature resistance to direct physical-altering or mind-affecting magic, which included the binding of a familiar ritual spell.

“There are even people who believe the skywhales’ singing and clicking is actually a spoken language, and not merely animal noises,” Reynaud continued excitedly. “Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone has been able to decipher it to confirm.”

That’s still amazing!

Laetitia was still staring at the skywhales alongside the others, when she felt a faint breeze as the petite lady walked away behind her.

“Cecylia?”

The armiger turned around just in time to glimpse Kaede ask a girl in a nun’s habit. The sister had a quill and parchment in hand as she stared at a wooden price board in front of a nearby warehouse. The name from Kaede’s wispy voice immediately drew the attention of the nun. She spun around to look at the white-haired girl. And within a split second, her eyes, which had been a tranquil blue, flashed a crimson-red glow that accentuated a pair of tiny crosses in her irises.

A dhampir?

Laetitia thought back to the sermons from her Church pastor on how the dhampirs were the descendants of demon-tainted vampires. They had crosses in their eyes from the Church’s seal which allegedly quenched their thirst for blood. Nevertheless, they bore the guilt of their ancestors who whored themselves to evil during the Demonic Invasion. And even today, it’s said that few of them would ever live a clean life as the corruption in their blood pulled them towards sin.

Alarm bells began to sound in the armiger’s head as she clenched her spear. But the sister had already grabbed Kaede by the wrist and began to sprint. The petite girl seemed to offer no resistance as the nun yanked her towards an alley between two warehouses.

“Milady!?”

Laetitia thought of how she had only become an armiger for a few minutes yet her lady was already being abducted! She gripped her spear shaft and ripped it off the cords that held it on her back. The young woman immediately gave chase just as Kaede and her assailant vanished around a pile of large wooden crates.

It wasn’t hard to grasp why a blood-drinker would want to kidnap a Samaran. Laetitia’s mind imagined Kaede being suspended and tied up like a hog, while her blood slowly drained into an ornate wine glass.

She’s going to become literal ‘health food’!

The bodyguard had to get her charge back and quickly at that.

“Cyclone Lift Burst!”

Laetitia pointed her casting glove down at the ground as she spoke the mnemonic phrase in Draconic. Her nerves tingled and she felt mana coursing through her body. She had previously rehearsed each spellword a thousand times until the process became ingrained. A cool, rushing sensation began from her lower ribs before spiraling up to her neck and then coming back the center of her chest.

The drawing of mana shaped the three-word spell before she forced the magic to pass through the casting focus of her right glove — which helped to concentrate the spell’s mana so it didn’t quickly dissipate back into ether.

A blast of wind battered the stone-paved ground as the expelling force launched Laetitia into the air. Within seconds, the girl found herself fifty paces above ground as she looked down upon the rooftops of the harbor district. She spotted Kaede’s brightly-colored dress with ease as the young lady was still being pulled by the sister. Laetitia shifted the lingering vestiges of her wind spell to adjust her parabolic trajectory before she fell towards the ground.

“Smiting Dispel. Air Cushion.”

The armiger cast a second spell to infuse her spear with antimagic to break through any wards that her opponent might have. Her third spell followed after to slow her landing before she could crash into the ground. The timing was perfect as the magic slowed her just enough for a soft landing without delaying her much. Laetitia came down right in front of the escaping dhampir and slashed her spear straight at the kidnapper’s throat.

The sister raised her left arm and a blade ejected from her sleeve to block with a steel clang. However, the dhampir’s guard was weak and came late. And Laetitia’s speartip almost reached the nun’s neck before she stopped.

“What kind of a sister carries a wristblade?” Laetitia challenged. “Surrender, villain.”

Yet, the girl in nun’s habit showed no sign of acquiescence as she stared back calmly despite her heavy breathing. Her blue eyes fell away to a crimson-red as the Dispel spell ripped away the illusory glamor that disguised the girl’s true visage. Gone were her brown bangs and the freckles on her cheeks. Even her lips seemed to change slightly, as she smiled in just the right manner to reveal a small fang that was too sharp to be the canine of a regular human.

And most telling of all — there were two tiny scarlet-red crosses in her dark-ruby eyes which lit up once more.

Laetitita broke eye contact just in time as she noticed the dhampir’s pupils glow. She still caught an inkling of the evil eye magic and felt disoriented for a moment. Nevertheless, the armiger pulled back her spear and prepared to thrust again. And this time, there would be no warning strike.

“Stooop!”

A soft voice cried out as Kaede stumbled forward. The young lady placed herself just in front of the fake nun which immediately stopped Laetitia’s attack.

“Milady, step aside. She’s a dhampir!”

“Y-yes, I-I know,” Kaede replied as she doubled over panting with her lungs completely out of breath. “Ju-just wait…. and l-let me… explain.”

It took a half minute before Kaede could recover enough to where she could properly speak. She stood back straight as she turned to the fake nun in the empty back alley.

“Sheesh, Cecylia… couldn’t you at least… let me get a word in…?” Kaede gasped breathlessly in between phrases. “You know I can’t… run when I’m wearing a corset!”

Meanwhile, the dhampir named Cecylia retracted her wristblade back into her tight sleeve. She pulled a ruby pendant from her neck and tapped it. The nun’s habit she wore began to glow before it vanished into a glowing cloud of crimson-red mana. The magic was then drawn into the gemstone even as another wave of red mana poured out. They solidified around her thin figure into a black military uniform with an ankle-length wide skirt.

A hint taller than Kaede and looking about twenty years in age, Cecylia had glossy black hair that reached her shoulders in front but was tied back by a large red ribbon in the rear. She was below average in height and had a fragile-looking figure as well. Her skin was fair to the point of bearing a translucent silky sheen, which laid in sharp contrast to her black uniform. Her dainty nose and lips might have looked cute, but her vibrant, dark-ruby eyes held two crossed pupils which gave off a dangerous yet alluring gaze.

“How did you notice it was me?”

“Your footsteps plus… the way you twirled the quill… drew my attention,” Kaede said. “And I noticed… the faint traces of the cross… seal in your pupils.”

“Your senses are way too sharp, Kaede,” the dhampir sighed with a wistful smile as she whined with the lighthearted soprano of a teenage girl. “And who’s the spear-carrier?”

“Laetitia. Reynaud had assigned her to me as bodyguard… like literally ten minutes ago.”

Kaede then turned around to face the armiger, just as Reynaud rushed into sight behind them before he calmly slowed to a walk.

“Laetitia, this is Captain Cecylia Renata von Falkenhausen, military attaché to the ambassador from the Kingdom of Weichsel, our allies to the east.”

“Major now, actually,” Cecylia added with a bright smile.

“Congratulations,” Kaede beamed.

“What’s an embassy staff doing spying?” Laetitia finally raised her speartip skyward and took a more neutral pose.

“All embassy staff are technically spies,” Cecylia wagged a finger as her smile turned quirky. “Don’t they teach you anything in this country?”

Laetitia could only look confused as she didn’t understand what the girl was talking about.

“Embassies, by their nature, are used by the sending nation to collect information on the host country,” Cecylia began to explain. “It’s why embassies are always a quid-pro-quo exchange, as they’re used to establish networks of both legal and illegal residents.

“I’m what you’d call a ‘legal resident’,” she proudly placed a gloved hand on her chest. “The Empire knows who I am and what I’m doing here — collecting information for my King to facilitate decision-making back home. However, the fact that I’m here openly doesn’t stop me from doing some clandestine information gathering from time to time.”

Legal spy or not, the girl seemed remarkably frank with Laetitia about her status. Nevertheless, the bodyguard tightened her grip on her upright spear as she thought:

You’re still a dhampir, and not to be trusted.

“Hello, Cecylia,” Reynaud finally greeted as he drew near, while Gerard and Marina followed some distance behind them. “Why are you always around when there’s commotion in the city?”

“Hiyo, Reynaud, Gerard,” Cecylia greeted like old acquaintances. “It’s my job.”

“Laetitia, you don’t have to be so on-guard with this one.” Reynaud noticed the girl’s grip. “She’s actually a friend of our Princess and Prince Consort.”

Why would Her Highness associate with such sinners? Laetitia frowned.

“What were you doing earlier anyway?” Kaede then asked.

“I was collecting data on commodity prices, to track inflation and identify those who shamelessly profiteer from the war,” Cecylia replied. “It’s easier when nobody pays attention to me. I dragged you off as I was hoping to keep my cover. Though I doubt that after what you’ve all done.”

Then, in that moment, the dhampir girl seemed to recognize Marina walking in behind Gerard and narrowed her gaze. Laetitia had barely caught it, but Cecylia’s dark-ruby eyes shot a warning glare at the innocuous maid. And the latter virtually froze midstep in fright and turned pale as though she’d seen a ghost.

There was clearly a history between those two girls as well. Perhaps the maid also wasn’t as innocent as she appeared to be. Though regardless of what the story was, Laetitia felt certain it was the dhampir’s fault.

 

—– * * * —–

 

“Welcome to Oriflamme Citadel, Your Excellency.”

The officer at the gates saluted as Laetitia followed Kaede into the castle.

“Thank you,” the petite lady nodded with courtesy.

The Oriflamme Citadel was built atop a single, gargantuan rock that formed the northernmost tip of the island. Built entirely from blue granite, the stone fortress was almost boring in its utilitarian design which looked nothing like an imperial palace. It had a curtain wall with twelve towers, each devoted to one of the twelve sacred phoenixes of the Empire of Rhin-Lotharingie. And within its center was a huge, hexagonal keep about four stories tall.

Their trip to the citadel had taken longer than expected. In addition to the incident with Cecylia, they also ran thrice into crowds that argued about the new food rationing policies outside local shops — two of which had blocked off the narrow road. It showed that despite the relative calm on the surface, there were deep-seated anxieties from the city’s residents about the war.

Even Laetitia felt rather nervous as she stepped into the castle, though her reasons were entirely different. Sure, she had been inside during this morning’s service. But that was alongside thousands of others who overflowed into the courtyard from the great chapel. Meanwhile, she had little doubt that her new liege, Dame Kaede, would be meeting the Empire’s dignitaries in person.

Nevertheless, as the group emerged from the gatehouse, Laetitia heard a calming aria beginning to reverberate through the air. It started with a viol and was quickly joined by a harpsichord. Both sounds came from some distance away, yet they rang with perfect clarity as though their notes were carried by the wind.

— And the more she listened to the soothing melody, the more she felt her nerves mellowing away as though she stood in a gentle breeze.

“There’s mana laced into the music,” the armiger muttered in astonishment as she finally realized. “I didn’t even know there’s a spell that could do that…”

Thanks to the repulsion property of mana, all mages had a natural resistance towards spells of the enchantment school which affected the mind. Yet, somehow the magical melody seemed to calm her nerves without being diminished.

“That must be Vivienne.” Kaede turned to her bodyguard with a reassuring smile. “She’s the youngest of the Oriflamme Paladins, and known as the Winter Siren for good reason.”

“Also your twin,” Gerard chuckled.

Kaede looked at him like he should know better.

“She only looks like me… Well, almost exactly like me,” the young lady responded sheepishly before a low, whistling chirp drew their attention skyward.

Laetitia looked up and saw two birds with burning-blue feathers flying towards the music. Like every child born within the Empire of Rhin-Lotharingie, she had learned about the phoenixes who were considered the guardians of the realm. They chose the twelve Oriflamme Paladins of the Empire by becoming their familiars, with one phoenix always selecting a successor to the crown.

“They’re so pretty…” the young woman admired.

She had always wished that she could summon a phoenix and become a paladin just like her namesake. But… What were the chances of someone like her passing the test of a phoenix?

“That’s Hauteclaire and Almace,” Kaede observed before turning towards Reynaud. “King Alistair must have arrived with Marianna.”

“I’ll go meet my father once you’re off then,” he replied.

Laetitia recognized the smaller of the two birds as the Princess’ own phoenix. She had seen them this morning from a distance during the church service. The familiar was the reason Sylviane was called the ‘Cerulean Princess’, as a phoenix merged with its master during combat and enshrouded them in a flaming aura of its color.

Regardless, since the passing of the late Emperor Geoffroi the Great at the hands of his traitorous brother Gabriel, Rhin-Lotharingie had only nine paladins. The Crown Princess had avenged her father’s death at the conclusion of the civil war a mere month ago, but she had yet to formally take the crown.

After walking across the paved plaza just inside the gates, Laetitia’s group took one of the stone paths heading east. The road wound through a sparse grove of apple trees in spring bloom as it headed towards the keep’s south entrance. And as they drew closer, Laetitia began to hear two male voices in conversation:

“–Her Highness has already approved your proposal then?”

“Yes,” a younger voice replied. “Sylv has already pushed it through the council with 7:2 approval and signed it into law under the name ‘Military Adoption Act’. It will be announced throughout the Empire starting tomorrow.”

But rather than sounding pleased, the speaker seemed wistful about the news.

“Rhin-Lotharingie will never be able to afford military orphanages in the same way Weichsel does,” the first man counseled as his figure came into view. He was in his late ‘forties’ with a large and balding forehead. Though his body was still quite fit as he wore a tightly buckled black uniform with crimson highlights and black leather jackboots.

“The Empire’s finances are stretched thin as is,” he added. “To subsidize the adoption of orphans left behind by soldiers who died in service is the best option that you had. And it was a good call to add a bonus when the adoption is done by a war widow, considering how little they receive right now.”

“It is not enough,” replied the other in a mournful voice that mixed oddly with his aristocratic drawl. “The Empire is losing ten thousand men a month in this war. Entire banners recruited from villages are being thrown into the grinder and wiped out. Those soldiers fought bravely yet do not even have assurances that the families they leave behind are properly taken care of. It is a travesty that I cannot and will not tolerate!” He finished as he clenched his hand into a fist.

The speaker was a young noble around twenty years of age, who looked like he had stepped out of a painting of military romanticism. He sat regally atop the granite steps leading into the castle like it was his throne. His build was lean and fit with broad shoulders clad in an immaculate crimson-on-black military uniform. His graceful features were framed by golden wavy hair which ran just long enough to obscure his ears. A black cross with white edges hung between his folded collars as a medal of valor, while a single gold star decorated his crimson shoulder insignias.

Yet, despite his apparent youth, the young man already looked scarred by conflict. Laetitia noticed his right hand trembling faintly as he unravelled his fist. His left eye was a stormy turquoise filled with turbulence as he scowled, while his right eye was covered by a black eyepatch which gave him a rather dangerous look.

They’re Weichsens.

Laetitia realized as she noticed the similarities between the two men’s black uniforms and Cecylia’s. Though the dhampir’s outfit did not have crimson highlights like the two male officers. All three were clearly visitors from the Empire’s ally, the Kingdom of Weichsel.

She also remembered seeing the young noble with the black eyepatch from this morning. Didn’t he sit next to the Princess during church service?

“The Lotharins are tough people. And speaking of, Your Grace has visitors.” The older officer smiled as he raised a friendly gesture towards Laetitia’s group. “I’ll leave you be then. Say hello to Kaede for me.”

He then walked away into the castle as though he didn’t want to intrude.

At the mention of Kaede’s name, the young nobleman immediately spun his head around to face Laetitia’s group. His good eye widened as he saw the white-haired girl, and a faint shine of yearning entered his turquoise gaze as he cried out:

“You are late!”

“I’m sorry.”

Kaede scurried forward as the young nobleman picked up a walking cane from beside him. He pressed his weight into it as he slowly stood up. Meanwhile, the snowy-haired girl ran up to his side and gave him a hand.

“I felt you enter the city over an hour ago!” The noble added with an impatient frown. “What were you doing taking your sweet time?”

“Some of that’s my fault, sorry.” Cecylia smiled but she didn’t sound apologetic at all. “I kind of kidnapped her.”

“Were you waiting outside for me this whole time?” Kaede asked.

“Yes!” The young nobleman scowled. “I had not expected to be kept waiting for so long. It was good of Lieutenant-Colonel Ostergalen to keep me company, so we could at least discuss policy and strategy.”

He must have been recovering from wounds. Laetitia considered the young man’s stiff motions looked more like those of an elderly man than someone in their twenties. It was sadly all too common a sight these days.

Kaede also held supportively onto the noble’s arm which looked more than a little awkward. The short girl was trying to lift the arm of a man who was noticeably taller than the male average. There was enough height difference between them that he could easily use her shoulders as an armrest.

“Hans is a Lieutenant-Colonel again?” She beamed genuine joy as she helped him find a steady footing. “I’ll need to congratulate him later. But in the meantime, how’s it feel to become the youngest general in Weichsel’s history? You’ve made brigadier at only age twenty!”

“As it should be,” the self-assured nobleman responded with a haughty smirk. “Any later and I would have been disappointed.”

“I’m informing the King that you said that.” Cecylia giggled.

“His Majesty is the one who wrote that he ‘expected great things from me’ in his personal letter,” the young nobleman proudly announced. “And you need not support me, Kaede. My recovery has gone well for the past month and I can walk without a cane again. A return to my daily regime surprisingly works wonders.”

Laetitia briefly closed her eyes to concentrate. She pointed towards Reynaud, who was already gesturing to Gerard towards leaving, as she silently spoke to herself.

Telepathy.

Her spell formed a connection which was immediately accepted by the receiver. And she took advantage to ask him over their private channel:

“<Who is he anyway?>”

“<Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz,>” the redhead’s voice spoke directly inside her mind. “<He’s the Landgrave of Nordkreuz in Weichsel — treat him as you would a duke. He’s also the Crown Prince Consort, or will be, as he’s betrothed to our Princess.>”

The Dusklord?

Laetitia blinked in surprise as she stared at the noble with the eyepatch. The handsome young man was a far cry from the cruel and villainous tyrant that she had imagined. She had heard stories of how he had slaughtered over 10,000 men, enemies and allies alike, with a single spell of such destructive power that it blocked out the midday sun.

Yet, the Pascal before her was all smiles as he rubbed Kaede’s snowy-white hair with a gentle hand. Then, perhaps even more surprising, he leaned down and gave the petite girl an all-encompassing hug around the waist that almost picked her off the ground.

“Welcome back, Kaede.” His voice was so tender and affectionate that it sounded like they were lovers.

“I’m back, Pascal.” The girl stood on her tiptoes as she accepted his embrace and leaned her cheek against his chest.

Are they…?

Laetitia had heard that royalty and the nobility often kept mistresses. But surely the future Prince Consort wouldn’t flaunt such a relationship before he was even married? It made her raise an eyebrow as she looked towards Reynaud once more.

However, the royal armiger who directly served the Princess was also smiling as he watched the two embrace, and so were Cecylia and the departing Gerard and even the maid Marina.

Am I misunderstanding something? Laetitia thought before asking: “<Just what is their relationship anyway?>”

Reynaud looked back at her and almost chuckled before he explained it over telepathy. Though the words themselves made no sense at all and left even her imagination unable to fill the gap.

“<Kaede is Pascal’s familiar.>”

 

 

Tauheed – Based on the Arabic word Tawhid, or ‘oneness [of God]’. It is Islam’s most important concept, that there is a single universal God and a single absolute truth. The Tauheed Prophet is of course analogous to Islam’s final prophet Muhammad.

Hyperion and Euryphaessa – The two major continents of this world are named after the Titans Hyperion (‘he who goes before’) and his spouse Euryphaessa (‘wide-shining’). Many of the Dragonlords in the setting’s history are also named after the titans. This is due to the fundamental question asked in the Daybreak setting – How would humanity develop if the titans won the Titanomachy and bestowed humanity with the gift of magic?

Whale Language – Biologists in recent years have noticed that whales use sequences of clicks, or Codas, similar to that of how humans use vowels and diphthongs. And they occur in similar statistical distributions as in human languages, leading to the theory that whales have an actual complex language.

Embassies and Residents – Residents are leaders of intelligence units stationed in foreign nations, usually at an embassy. They manage individual networks of agents and assets. They’re divided into legal residents (who have official diplomatic cover and immunity) vs illegal residents (deep cover).

Landgrave – A title from the Holy Roman Empire that roughly means ‘territorial Count’, except answering directly to the Emperor.