Woodcastle

by Kell Inkston

  There’s a short pause as Law mulls it over. After a few seconds, he nods. "You're right, ma’am; I'm sorry. It must be hard, not being able to leave the Western Kingdoms in the case he should attack," Law says, stealthily eying the lady next to him; it’s hard to blame him, after all. Few knights ever get to talk to Order personally, let alone go on a mission with her.

  "It's been a long life to live in one place,” she says. “I've seen much of the world, almost every corner and nook, but sometimes I wonder how much more I would have seen if I weren't waiting for Chaos."

  "I suppose it's a job someone needs t'do. Thank you for your service," Law says with a slow, methodical nod.

  "And yours," She says with a nod back.

  "But unlike you, I'm allowed to go on leave. You sacrifice much more than any of us."

  "You're wrong there, I'm still here after almost seven thousand years, in this waiting room we call life. There are people who have given much more than I and have moved on."

  Law squints at Order. “Do you seek death?"

  "No, I’m happy, I suppose, but I think anyone would get a little bitter about millennia passing once you start forgetting people. You meet someone, shake their hand, fall in love with them, and then the next thing you recall is headstone. It was so strange, being young; it's like a dream now."

  "I… I'm sorry if I came off as disrespectful, I didn’t mean to make you sound less than you are." Law says.

  Order shakes her head. “Think nothing of it,” she says.

  Not a word is spoken for half a minute, as both struggle to find something to talk about that the other would appreciate.

  "You're in your eighties now, right?" Order asks turning again to Law.

  "Yes. The challenges of being a Dragon-Kin in a society of humans is... unique."

  "I'd imagine. How's Meeo been?"

  "We haven't talked," Law says. Order hums.

  "For how long?"

  "A few months. I have no idea what she's doing; probably something petty and childish as usual."

  Order crosses her arms with a surprising modicum of sass. "I understand you find her a bit flippant, but that's no reason to say such things about the person who raised you."

  "Don't remind me. Her love was smothering. I'm not a human, I can take care of myself."

  "I don't doubt you can, but I'd say she did a fairly good job raising you those fifty years."

  "Thank you, ma’am."

  "My pleasure, Law."

  "Yes, I suppose it's just irritating being around her. Still treats me like I'm a hatchling, and a Dragon-Kin finishes adolescence at around sixty. I just hate it that she still gets on my case about things like finding a girlfriend or studying for my knight exams. We've sort of… drifted apart, I suppose."

  Order nods in thought just before she feels a very unique presence approaching them. Being magically attuned to a level that most archmagi can only dream of, Order can easily pick out specific people within a kilometer radius based solely on their personal magic signatures. She smirks.

  "So, what would you say to her if she were here now?" Order asks, looking down the hall intently.

  "I'd tell her to grow up. Adults, let alone adults thousands of years old, should act as if they grew out of being a child. I'd tell her that coloring books are for children, that people grow out of lullabies and bedtime stories, and that people who refuse to become adults refuse to improve themse-"

  "Oh, Hosy, Ran! Hello!" coos a friendly, almost motherly voice from behind Law, who cringes and slowly turns his head about.

  The two spot the pixie-like hair and dreamy, cloud-set eyes of an old acquaintance. As usual she has a whimsical, aloof smile across her face and carries the overpowering smell of incense. Along her practical side-slit tunic are her usual several satchels, each filled with tricks and magics confounding to all but the most sincere of magicians, and her bow, Worldloss, sitting snuggly without a quiver at her back.

  Order smiles and Law promptly scowls.

  “You’re kiddi-” Order cuts off Law by shoving him lightly. Law sighs.

  “Meeo, hello!” Order greets Love with a nod that is almost long enough to be a bow.

  “Good afternoon, Knight Love,” Law grumbles, looking away slowly in disgust.

  Meeo Letlind, titled “Love” by The Royal Knights of The Old Kingdom of Reinen Titles Committee, steps up to them, looks about a moment as if there is a ghost flying around in the room, and then focuses in on her two fellow Knights.

  “Hiyo! Are you both good this peculiar day?” Love asks.

  Law pushes out a breath of hot air as if he were getting ready to cook Love alive. “Have some respect, Knight Love. Call us by our titles unless you intend to discredit yourself,” Law warns with a scowl, showing off his sharp teeth. Love looks at Law with her usual, unchanging smile.

  “Oh?” she coos, as she places a hand on her hip, “Okay then, Mister Lord Sergeant Knight Commander of the Royal Knights of the Old Kingdom of Reinen, I.D. number 3,982, Fourth-in-Command in the Yellow Company of the Eastern wars held upon the Gaingr-”

  “Funny, just my title,” Law interrupts.

  Meeo places her fingers against her lips in mock surprise. “Ohhh~,you must mean Mister Lord Ser-”

  “Nice to see you too, Meeo,” Order cuts in with a smirk, hearing another distressed huff from Law. Knight Love hums, moves her head about in thought, and nods.

  “Very well,” Love says as she takes a seat next to Law, who groans. She snuggles up to him embarrassingly with a giddy smile.

  “So, you didn’t answer my question,” she reminds while delivering a kindly poke.

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “How are you, Law?” she says.

  “I’m fine.”

  Love grins and hugs Law. The dragon-kin shudders on contact.

  “Ohhh! I’m so happy to hear that! You know I’ve been worried about you, all of the other Knights seem so happy to talk, but you never seem to have the time!” Love says as she rubs her soft cheek on Law’s shoulder pauldron. Order grins crassly.

  “Let me be, Knight Love. I don’t have time for your childish shenanigans.”

  “Oh, what? You were always so playful when you were just a little hatchli-”

  “I see you haven’t changed in the past year at all, Knight Love,” Law says, doing his best to defend his image in front of Order before Meeo tarnishes it with an embarrassing story about his childhood, like the time he locked himself in his room for two days and did nothing but play guitar like the moody hatchling bitch he was. Law pushes Love from him and crosses his arms as he turns away.

  “Mmm? Fine, if you insist, Hosy-Po-“

  “Order, please make her stop! She’s disrespecting the honor of her fellow Knight, yet again,” Law pleads, interrupting Love the moment before she could utter his childhood nickname.

  Order leans back as she gets comfortable in her seat, “Love,” Order begins. Love hums and nods to Order, well aware of what she is going to say.

  “Alright, Ran’, I’m done. I just miss him so much,” she says with a long, knowing smile as she sits properly with her feet to the ground.

  “Thank you, Meeo,” Order says. Love giggles lightly.

  “Of course- of course. So how have you been, Order?”

  “I’ve been very well, thank you. And yourself?”

  “Oh, oh I guess I’m okay, just been reading, various things about various things,” Love says, shuffling about one of her many pockets and in armor compartments to locate a piece of paper, crumpled up and stained with a liquid smelling of chamomile.

  “Reading what, might I ask?” Love restores the note to readability by unfolding it and holds it up to Order with both hands.

  “This, along with a novel series I’ve been checking out recently using temporal-anomaly object collection. I was only able to find two books in the series, but I’m sure if there’s others I’ll find them soon enough. Really do want to find out what happens to those poor folks,�
� Love says with a glint in her eye.

  “Just like you to use realmancy to find books that haven’t been written yet,” Order says with a smirk as she looks at the piece of paper.

  Law squints. “Realmancy is the craft of the insane.”

  “And a lot of fun!” Love rebuts with a wink.

  Law shakes his head as he just crosses his arms and turns away.

  Order takes this moment to read Love’s note. She only needs to glance to recognize the formatting and handwriting.

  “A summons, same as mine,” Order says, returning the letter. Love raises a brow in interest.

  “Oh? I wonder why…. Might he have something for the three of us?” Love guesses, tilting her head just a bit to the side.

  “That’s what Law heard. We were both called from the war too. What were you doing?” Order asks, leaning forward to look across Law to Love. Love hums and lightly pokes her cheek in thought.

  “I was spending time with the nice people in black company, actually,” Love says, receiving looks of surprise from Order and Law, sitting at her left.

  “No way,” Law says, looking aside.

  “Really now? Didn’t think you would be... you know...” Order pauses, trying to come up with the correct words for someone who’s been placed in the most brutal, murderous company, tasked with high-class assassination and espionage missions.

  Love nods with a broad smile. “I’ve been getting that a lot, actually. I don’t find much of a problem with it,” she says as she scratches the side of her cheek.

  “Yeah, sure. What did they have you do, read the operators bedtime stories?” Law asks with a wry scowl.

  “Hmm, I did a thing or two. Nothing very special,” Love says with a smile, “I presume you were read to in your company? Was anyone there to tuck you i-” Love halts her question the moment the doors open to the office. Knight Sensitivity steps out, his raven black hair, smooth Spirakandrin skin, and armor looking as well-groomed as usual. Order’s certain that’s never seen him unkempt, not even during Operation: Void Arm a few centuries back. She’d swear she’s never seen someone run frantically for his life with more grace.

  “Order, Law, Love,” he greets with a smile and a nod as he passes them.

  The other three greet him back. Sensitivity disappears into his own office with his new assignment. The three pause expectantly. They can hear the sound of papers rustling.

  “Alright; get in here,” a kind though controlling voice instructs from inside the office. The three knights rise from their seats and enter the office of their leader, Lord Knight Captain Redemption, the man most responsible for the safety of the millions who live in the Western Kingdoms.

  Chapter Three: New and Old

  The three knights step into the clean office laden with shelves of neatly organized books and ledgers. Sitting behind the desk is Redemption, dressed not in armor but in clothing of nobility.

  “Afternoon,” Redemption says, his brow arching enthusiastically which causes one of his scars to bend at the side of his eye. Order and Law promptly salute, while Love just sort of pleasantly bows her head.

  “Everything going well, Daniel?” Love asks out of turn, quickly receiving a death gaze from Law. Redemption, a muscular, elegantly-built Ragnivanian smiles back with the utmost courtesy as he returns the salute with a quick flick of the hand. His shoulder-length black hair is tied up into a ponytail as usual, Order sees, but Law thought he would look different. This is the first time he’s seen Redemption in person, but amidst all of his nervousness, the first thing he notices is how much Redemption’s office smells like cinnamon. He peeks over to the corner of the office to find a long stack of teas of identical flavors, one brewed and ready in the pot.

  “Well enough to keep the countries from exploding, sure,” he says with a grin. Love nods as if she understands. “So I understand you’re the newly titled Law, yes? Hos’Rayull?” Redemption asks while looking the scaled titan up and down.

  “Yes, sir!” Law says, still holding his salute to ensure he doesn’t come off as disrespectful.

  “Very good, nice to have you with us. I’ve heard quite a bit about you from Meeo... you can stop saluting now.” Law’s arm causes a slight breeze in the room with the speed at which he lowers it to his side.

  “Y-yes, sir.”

  Redemption reaches up to his desk and knocks upon the wood top casually as he spins to the side. “Now then, business. I’ve been incredibly busy, Ranalie, with the war to the East, the unrest in the Fairy Kingdom, and the pos- yes, Knight Order,” he says, noting Order’s raised hand.

  “Beg your pardon, sir, but what unrest? I haven’t heard anything about this at all,” Order asks with a direct gaze. Redemption is about to answer when Love nods her head to the side.

  “Apparently the Fairy Kingdom thinks we’ve sent some nasty agents to kill their royal family,” she says gently, winning a shocked look from everyone.

  “No one was supposed to know outside of the messenger corps; how did you know?” Redemption asks. Love’s smile stretches warmly as she clicks her tongue in thought.

  “Oh, well I found a history book that hasn’t been written yet and flipped through it a little. Couldn’t get too far into it before it disintegrated due to inconsistency, though,” Love says with a hint of humor. The other knights look at Love with a mix of fascination, confusion, and just a hint of terror. Law had always thought Love just lied about reading books before they are written, but how else would she know?

  “Interesting. So, tell me, what happens with the war? Do we win?” Redemption asks, leaning into his desk. Love shrugs.

  “I didn’t get that far ahead; I just read we had a conflict with the Fairy Kingdom around this time,” Love says with a smile, as calm as ever- she considers herself a fantastic liar.

  Redemption nods. “You’ve always been a... specialized Knight, Meeo. Let me know if you find out anything we could use.”

  She nods slowly. “Gladly.”

  “That aside, I’ve brought you three in here for a specialized assignment of a highly political nature. It turns out that there have been several deaths in Liefland as of late, and they’re pointing fingers at the Western Kingdoms. There were two incidents: one with a Knight dressed in Ragnivanian arms claiming the lives of twelve fairy-folk, and another with an unknown assailant claiming seven victims. The wounds were said to be caused by assault magic- which would suggest Kanvane. Lord Pitch, the fairy king, has contacted us to investigate the matter and prove the innocence of Ragnivan and Kanvane. I’m certain the three of you can understand how serious this is, considering a conflict for either of those kingdoms is a conflict for all of the W.K.D.R.. I feel it goes without saying a war for the Western Kingdoms is a war for us knights as well.”

  “If I could speak, just for a moment, sir,” Law interrupts.

  “Sure,” Redemption says with a nod.

  “Thank you, sir. I would like to know why you have chosen us in particular for this mission. It seems apparent, if not obvious to me that some of us you have selected might not be very competent in-”

  “Knight Law,” Redemption interrupts.

  “Sir!”

  “I selected each of you three specifically for this task, and I know you six will do fine together.”

  “Sir! If I m-… six?” Law grunts.

  Redemption nods. “That’s right, you three will be accompanied by three other Knights. They will present a writ from me identifying them to you once you find them. You six will take the space gate to Kanvane and enter Fairy Kingdom territory through the sunken forest, and there you will meet the envoy sent for you. You will give him this writ to identify yourselves. He will then lead you into their kingdom without conflict. You will meet with Pitch, inspect the crimes, resolve the situation, and return. Do you understand?” he says with a glare as he pushes forward a letter that Order promptly takes. Law, the tallest in the room by far, straightens his stature and salutes, yet again.

  “Sir, yes sir,”
the half-dragon says with a slight grumble.

  “Very good. The three of lower knights have already been briefed and will meet you at our space gate once you’re ready. Lord Knight General Order will be considered the leader of this mission, so if there are any more questions, you both are to defer to her. You will be cut off from contacting us as the Liefland border-control does not allow the use of external chat-stones, so you will have to leave them here or it’ll cause trouble. Just give them to me and I’ll make sure they’re well taken care of.” After the explanation he takes a quick breath. “Are you all ready to depart? The sooner, the better, I’d say.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Oh, I think so.”

  “Yes, sir!” Order, Love, and Law reply as they relinquish their glimmering gems, most of them connected to small chains or bands for safe keeping.

  “Very good. Then you will depart immediately. May Rayda’s Ghost guide thee,” Redemption says with a bow of the head.

  “And you,” Order says with a smile as she starts off.

  The three step out of the office, and walk back down the hall to the space gate.

  “Unbelievable,” the dragon-knight grunts with a scowl the moment they are out of ear-shot from the office. Love gently pats him on the arm but is promptly shoved off.

  “Oh, Law, it’ll be okay. I’m sure the people we’ve been matched with are perfectly phantasmal,” Love says with a smile, well aware of what Law’s displeased about, but doing her best to be a good, positive example. Law sighs, says “right,” and follows Order down the hall.

  Outside by the space gate, a very excitable, white-haired young lady has almost recovered from the sight of her lifelong idol and object of fascination walking right past her.

  “I... I can’t believe Order just walked out of the space gate, that gate right here next to us, and totally looking in this direction!” the fit, rather tall girl says, slightly out of breath. The youngest-looking of the three, a black and wavy-haired lad, sighs as he massages his temples- his diminutive stature leaning over himself.

  “Yes, Aoline. You can stop saying that. We know!”

  “And to think, just imagine; the three of us will be talking to her any minute now!” Aoline exclaims again, waving her hands about in frantic annunciation.