Chapter 628: An Elf’s Tale, Part 3
And so began the most exhaustive period of Eshwlyn’s entire life.
Without pause, and barely even brief chances of respite, she wandered and journeyed across the province in the namesake and guardianship of her Master.
Even long before gaining their great reputation, the House of Hendrick had always dutifully served the Kingdom of Astra. In the past century, humanity had only managed to colonize the western lands of Frieden Rike, with most of the east still remaining mostly uncharted and unventured.
Wilvur, along with many others, had taken the pledge of pioneering the rest of humanity, finding fertile unoccupied grounds, establishing and spreading humanity’s influence across the unknown frontier... and with the given nature of such an ambition... it was not without its great and many dangers.
It was to the King’s great aspiration that humanity denote itself as the sole ruling race of the vast country. And so to the many already presiding civilizations encountered during mankind’s ever-growing expansion, that entailed either being a willing subordinate to men, or otherwise become completely subservient by force.
The Reno were an intelligent race possessing beastlike properties, a diverse and well-capable people that had evolved from their more primal ancestors. Then there were the scattered tribes of Demonkind, the Sik, the Nyemers, even the more reclusive Vampires. Littering the coastlines, the Hermelians and Aquien ruled the seas. And then of course, there were the occasional Elves... the enemy to all.
A fight, a feud with either one or several of these races was always an inevitability, and in places where their numbers ran rife and rampant... warfare was not an uncommon approach to drastically turn the tides over.
.....
The fiercest battles, against overwhelming oppositions, amidst the chaos of a blood-strewn battlefield, was where Eshwlyn oftentimes found herself of use, and it was here, fighting a diverse array of opponents, that she quickly learned the proficiency of the kill. Through painful, arduous trial and error, she learned to exploit the weaknesses of her foes. The type of terrain, weather, and time of day where the odds played in her favor. The precise locations she should strike to quickly render her opponents incapable.
Finally, Eshwlyn understood the reason for Wilvur’s long absence away from the Manor. A single conquest of an entire region easily took months of exploring, attacking, defending, repeating interchangeably, before the process of settling could even begin.
In every clash, they sustained great casualties... at times, Eshwlyn found herself returning from the end of battle alone with only a sparse few others that had once numbered in the hundreds. And always among the survivors, emerging unscathed, was the distinguished shimmer of a crimson-haired Knight in her pristine armor, traversing the countless pile of bodies at her feet that all fell victim to her dual blades.
Tilina was a true force to be reckoned with, the most efficient, the most formidable. For every opponent Eshwlyn slew, she would amass double, or perhaps even triple the amount. But despite this clear disparity between their abilities...
“You are keeping par,” Wilvur remarked one day at the tail end of the conquest, his voice dripping with pride. “Not yet a Knight, not yet Converted, and yet with just your skills and sword alone, you’re almost at equal footing with the best Knight I’ve ever produced. You’ve proven this before with Remelda, and you’ve proven this once more with Tilina. If this is truly you to your extent as you are now, then I’m almost frightened to bear witness to how you’ll be after you are Converted.”
In the rare periods of time where they ceased battle, and the days were spent focused on cultivating the foundations of a settlement, Wilvur had allowed her to be escorted back to the township of Ulian under the close supervision of TIlina in order to spend a brief few days together with her sister before returning back to her Master’s side once more.
Eshwlyn cherished those moments, those scarce fleeting intervals, where she got to be with Lenora again. To be able to pretend that she held no obligations, that her hands did not know the grip of a blade-with her sister, laughing, talking, simply indulging in one another’s company. it was almost a believable illusion.
At times, Terra would even join them if she could, materializing from across the swaying green plains, a kindly smile on her face... delighting them with grand feats of magic she had learned in her time as a Magus.
Magic was both a common hazard and aid on the battlefield, with users on either side. But where the other Magi held no qualms about using their abilities to aid the conquest, Terra deliberately chose otherwise...opting instead to tutor novice sorcerers on how to harness their magic at the same academy she once enrolled in.
“But I hate leaving this tower, much too inconvenient,” Terra said, a relaxed expression indulging in the cool breeze. “So I teach remotely, appearing as a spectral figure over there, while I’m relaxed and content in the comfort of my own home. If nothing else, magic exists precisely for this luxury, I’m telling you.”
Over the months, Eshwlyn noticed Lenora’s smile gradually fading more and more; when she returned from battle, her greeting became more reserved, and inversely, when she departed, her farewells were becoming more sullen with every instance.
“Is there something bothering you?” Eshwlyn asked her in the advent of autumn, and around them, the landscape of the room had drastically changed to better suit the season. The trees were slowly stripped of their leaves, falling slow sways and layering the grass in a boundless blanket of red and gold, with the sky above shining a more vivid blue hue.
Lenora was greatly immersed in making another crown to occupy her sister’s empty head, and did not answer, not having heard her... or perhaps merely pretending to not hear at all.
“Oh, Lenora...” Terra said on approach, conjuring a draft to blow a clear space for her to sit upon. “This again? Showing this mood again? Have we not already talked about this?”
“About what?” Curiosity bolstered now, Eshwlyn turned her gaze over to the Magus. “What do you refer to?”
“Well, I suppose it’s about time that you were let on...” she said, then briefly flickered a glance at the little Elf. “What about it, Lenora? Should your sister finally know what you’ve been discussing with me in private all this time now?”
When Lenora refused to answer once more, Terra promptly began to explain. “Your lovely little sister over here, Refusing to think of herself, and as well as the repercussions, pleading to me for a way to help you escape your servitude to your Master.”
Lenora’s fingers stopped moving, perhaps feeling the sudden intensity of Eshwlyn’s widening stare.
“She suspects, and as do I, that Wilvur intends for you to finally be Converted into a full-fledged Knight come the end of your campaign,” Terra slowly went on. “And while... you know... you still retain a semblance of your independence, perhaps you could take your chances, the both of you, and try to escape while you still can.”
A heavy silence filled the air... and Terra almost seemed to regret speaking out as she did.
“Of course, I earnestly do wish to help you both in any way I can... you’re both near and dear friends to me...” She said, “But that would mean exposing myself in order to aid you... and I cannot turn traitor to my own people... besides, knowing you, Eshwlyn, I know for a fact that your answer is-”
“Absolutely not,” Eshwlyn cut in a firm instance. “That is not happening. It is not safe, and a foolish venture.”
“Exactly.”
“But you will be trapped forever!” Lenora finally spoke, looking up at her sister with her eyes strained with worry. “For as long as you live, you’ll be serving him! And people like him too! I don’t want you to live a life like that! That’s not living... you’ll just be a tool... you’ll just be used over and over and over... and you can never disobey. You’ll have no wants, no desires-and I don’t want that for you, sister!”
“And what is your alternative, Lenora?” Eshwlyn asked. “To be hounded, to be hunted for, for the rest of our lives? Human greed and desire cannot be so easily bested. Rest assured, they will come for us, they will find us. But at least this way, one of us may still roam free. Lenora, you’re still free.”
“And what if they make you do something you don’t want to do? If they’ll have you do something that’ll just tear you apart from the inside?”
“If it makes my Master happy, and if it keeps you safe...” Eshwlyn raised a hand, gently stroking her sister’s cheek. “Then I don’t care what happens to me.”
“But I do.”
“I know...” She smiled. “Which is why I am able to find the strength to keep carrying on as I do.”
Then taking Lenora’s crown of leaves from her hands, Eshwlyn placed it on top of her head.
“So, please, this is my only want, my only desire, just keep caring for me as you do, alright?” She requested. “And I’ll just keep caring for you too.”
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