by Billy Wong
"You hardly seem damaged by those wounds," Sean said while he struggled to keep up. "You're healthier than me, by my estimation!"
She shrugged, wondering if she was falling apart inside like the terrible pain she often felt suggested. "I heal pretty well, and I'm good at handling old pains."
"It must've been terribly hard to see all those good people die around you," he said with genuine concern, but also a strange enthusiasm. "How do you deal with it?"
The question shocked her into silence for a moment. She wasn't angered, though it brought back unhappy memories which made her heart ache. Rather, she felt impressed; she couldn't remember ever meeting someone who showed such insight into her hard life, so fast. Collecting herself, she answered, "I just endure the pain, that's all. There's no real trick to it, I don't think—nothing that really makes it easier. The best thing I can do to comfort myself is to tell myself the pain will pass and I'll be happy again. Unfortunately, once one hurt passes, another often replaces it. But I still love life. I never stopped looking for a bright future, and I still am now. Why do you ask?"
"I'm sorry if I hurt you."
Rose shook her head. "No, it's okay. Talking about it won't do me harm. I just want to know why you're so interested in my negative emotions. It's not a common subject for a first meeting, you know. Though I've had many, many uncommon first meetings!"
To her surprise, she saw tears in Sean's eyes. "I have a friend who's destroyed with grief, and just wanted to hear from somebody who's so used to pain, if you'd know any way to help him..."
Inwardly, Rose sighed. Maybe she shouldn't have accepted the king's offer of a guide after all. She was getting depressed! But she put her hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know how to deal with others' grief, except to talk and hope to take some of their attention away from the pain. But everyone heals at their own pace. Bear with him and I'm sure he'll come through, if you let him know you care about him."
"Thanks, I think that's helpful. Sorry for ruining your mood."
Rose turned her frown into a grin. "My mood's malleable. Let's talk about something happy, and I'm sure our cheer will return in no time."
Sean walked in thoughtful silence for some time. "So, uh, what was your happiest moment?"
"Oh, there were lots! I don't know if I could choose—but it'd be one I had with my Finn, for sure!"
Continuing their journey, Rose soon learned that Sean was a soldier in the army, if not an experienced one, and had a pregnant fiancee waiting for him in Sorin. No wonder he had been chosen to guide her in lieu of fighting. She impressed him with her cooking skills when they stopped to camp for the night, and he asked her where she got the spices she carried in her pack. When she informed him they were condiments from Sevria, he began asking her questions about the island republic. The conversation soon turned into her recounting battles against the Sevrians who had invaded her homeland a couple of years ago. After giving him his fill of stories, she took the first watch. When it came her turn to sleep, he awakened her earlier than expected, to her mild annoyance.
"Listen to that rumbling, Rose!" Sean said in an excited voice. "An army's coming—our army, no doubt!"
Why would the army be marching north, when the enemy was to the south? Unless they had defeated the Fanteians... but last she'd heard, things seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. More likely they were retreating, and in that case, the enemy could be close behind. Already? Even she hadn't expected her bad luck to strike this soon. "Let's go meet them. There's safety in numbers, at least more than alone."
"What..?" Hearing her grim tone, he realized what must be happening, and his face drooped. "If the army's retreating, then the whole city's fallen—Sorin's entire populace must be headed this way. I hope Katie's okay."
Rose hoped so too, for she hated seeing innocents hurt through no fault of their own, as happened far too often in war. Fleeing an enemy army would be tough on a pregnant woman. That wasn't her only concern, though. She felt a bit miffed that King Gregor had invited her to discuss opening a branch in his territory, only to lose his capital before she even got there. It was understandable to try and conduct business as usual despite a current crisis, but she didn't like being the victim when that failed.
Still, maybe the Terlonians could secure a new border north of the mountains, and then allow the establishment of a center there. But if the Terlon army hadn't been able to hold their capital in the mountains, how likely would it be that they could stop the enemy on less readily defensible turf? Whatever. Rose would decide what to do after she spoke with the king. Though she didn't go around looking to fight other people's wars, and Finn had warned her not to join this one, it might be hard for her to sit by idly watching people suffer under the threat of warlike invaders. After all, she thought it pretty clear which side was the aggressor in this case.
Though once of a similar size to Terlon, Fanteia had gained much from selective aggression against its neighbors, making alliances against immediate threats only to discard them when its allies became tempting targets. Slowly, most of the continent had fallen under Fanteia's rule, much to its ruler's delight. From what Rose had heard of Emperor Regis, he was vain, arrogant, and extremely strong. She smiled slightly at the thought of fighting him. It'd been a while since she'd last humbled the proud champion of some strong nation out to bully weaker ones, and she wouldn't mind doing it again. On the other hand, the rank and file Fanteian soldiers likely weren't any more inherently "evil" than their foes, and she'd hate watching comrades die if she were to fight in another war.
Rose and Sean soon met up with the marching mass of soldiers and refugees, their exhausted faces and postures raising Rose's desire to help them. Leaving her guide to look for his fiancee, Rose sought out King Gregor. She found him in the center of the melancholy sea of humanity. About fifty years of age, Gregor looked lean and healthy tiredness aside, with well tanned skin and lush reddish-brown hair that showed no sign of fading. But Rose only regarded the king for a moment before her gaze shifted to the tall young woman beside him. The circlet on her head, matching Gregor's, identified her clearly as his daughter—the great warrior, Princess Danica.
Though they shared little in common Rose knew of except their large size—Danica was about the same height, but not as wide—she couldn't help but feel a sort of kinship with the other female warrior who, if the stories were true, was more than a match for most any male fighter in her region except maybe Regis. She admired women who shared her will to fight for what they believed in, unless what they believed in was wrong. Too, the unique black armor Danica wore drew her eye. Rather than sporting the usual bulky look, it artfully fitted the contours of the princess' body. Rose figured she could use a suit like that, if she wasn't so bulky in the first place. She'd be massive even if her armor did match her build. But she didn't lament her hulking form; the only man whose opinion mattered thought her beautiful, and besides, she liked being big and strong. Still, Danica did have a good sense of style.
Her good feelings evaporated as soon as Danica spoke. "Who the hell are you?" the princess demanded with ready hostility, sinewy hands on her hips.
She kept her cool and said nonchalantly, "Rose Agen, co-founder of the Center for Magical Study. I was supposed to discuss opening a branch here—guess that'll have to wait, huh? Looks like you have rather more serious issues to deal with."
"You're the Iron Flower?" Danica asked with a dubious expression. "You're certainly big, but it looks kind of like fat."
What was her problem? This wasn't the way Rose would've expected anyone with a halfway decent rearing to greet a guest, let alone a princess. Hopefully Danica would open up to her once she realized her attempts to pick a fight weren't working. "Yes, I'm a little chubby. That's just the way I am, but it doesn't hurt my fighting ability. Think it might even give me some extra endurance, and help against the cold, and some blows."
Danica sneered. "I'd like to see just how strong the Iron Flower is. Maybe
I'll find that you would be a valuable ally in our fight. But I doubt it."
Rose had begun to draw her huge broadsword, only to show off how easily she wielded it, when Gregor, who'd been talking to a slender middle-aged man at his side, turned to them. "Stop! No violence now! Danica, what are you doing? Who is this large woman you are trying to start a fight with?"
"Your Majesty, she was just trying to test my strength," Rose said. No need to stir up family tensions in such a tough time. "I'm Rose Agen. You contacted us asking to speak with me, remember? So what should I do? It's obviously not the time to be discussing new institutions of learning."
Uncharacteristically of a king, Gregor bowed his head. "I'm sorry for deceiving you, but I didn't ask you here for the sake of magical study. We need your help. The Fanteians have, as you can see, driven us from our home, and continue to dog our tail. Our situation is grave, and we desperately need aid. Even here, you are known to us as the greatest of warriors, a woman who has always fought the worst of odds and prevailed no matter what. Will you help us?"
All of a sudden, Rose's perception of the situation changed. She glared at him. "Why didn't you just tell the truth and request my aid, instead of lying to us?!
He wouldn't meet her eyes as he replied, "I was afraid you wouldn't come knowing what I needed from you, considering that you're a mother now and have many other responsibilities besides. Again, I'm sorry."
She was still upset that she'd been deceived, but remained sympathetic towards the Terlonians' plight. She always felt disdain towards imperialistic ambitions and how those who held them fed their own lust for power while ignoring the suffering of others. While the soldiers such rulers commanded might be relatively innocent themselves, the cause they served was still wrong and she felt justified in opposing it.
"So do you think you can get to shelter before the army chasing you catches up?" Not likely, she figured. The horde of refugees moved far too slowly to outpace a decent military force for any length of time.
He confirmed her fears, and Rose pondered the dilemma. In a similar situation back in Kayland, Rose's friend Count Brandon of Resnick had considered allowing his noncombatant subjects to flee first while staying with his troops to hold off a horde of attacking monsters. Though circumstances had prevented that from happening, Rose thought it a worthy choice for any good ruler in such a situation, and told Gregor so.
"Maybe you can lead a force to hold them off while the rest of your people get away."
"I am not much of a fighter," Gregor said sadly, "and even if I was, would the sacrifice of their king really be in the interest of his people?"
"I didn't mean you should throw your life away, only fight long enough to let your people escape before retreating yourself."
After a moment of somber reflection, Gregor decided, "All right, we'll go. Though I don't think I'll survive, if it's what the people need..."
Hearing the words, Rose knew Gregor to be no coward, but a pragmatist aware of his own limits. "You don't have to go yourself. But send someone to slow the Fanteians down, at least. Personally, though, I wouldn't make my men do anything I wouldn't."
Danica spoke. "If the king isn't suited to it, would his daughter not be the next best thing symbolically? I'll do this. I'm usually at the forefront of the army anyway."
"It's too dangerous," Gregor said frightfully. "I don't want to lose you."
Rose understood his parental concern, and knowing how outnumbered and imperiled the defending force would be hesitated to say any more. But Danica argued, "If we keep going the way we are, the Fanteians will catch up to us and we'll all be in danger anyway. Let me take the soldiers who can still fight and meet them at Tapeworm Pass. Don't worry father, I'm not that easy to kill."
Gregor slowly nodded. "Fine, I suppose we cannot simply hope to outrace the enemy. I just wish you didn't have to be there. We could just send the soldiers..."
"Yes, but like Rose said it's better if one of their leaders is with them. If you and I weren't there, they'd feel abandoned, and I doubt their morale would hold out for long. I told you, I'll come back."
"I love you."
The king didn't say any more to them, but returned his attention to the man he'd been conversing with. Rose smiled gratefully at Danica. "Thanks. I'm glad you're willing to do what's best for your people."
"Shut up," the princess snapped. "I didn't mean to help you. I just want my chance at Emperor Regis. He led the last attack himself and wreaked havoc on my men, but I didn't have time to meet him. I'll make him bleed and beg for mercy, but I won't give him any." She paused long enough for Rose to get used to staring at her, then added, "So are you coming too, or are you a coward?"
Rose thought briefly about it. On one hand, she still wasn't sure this was really her fight. On the other, she had suggested the very dangerous course of action Danica prepared to take, and though she didn't much like the woman, felt some responsibility for her continued well-being. In addition, her strong arm could mean the difference between success and failure...
"Uh, fine. What will a few more scars be?" Rose was surprised to see Danica's frown deepen in response, but didn't think to take back her offer of help. Personal misgivings carried little weight before the greater cause; and besides, somewhere inside, she knew she wanted her shot at Regis too.
Chapter 2
Sean scratched the back of his itching neck as he listened to his new friend explain what had been decided. How could she throw herself into such danger without a second thought, already risking her life for people she didn't even know? "I bet you're going to get a nice story out of this. And maybe you can bring Regis' head back for us!"
Though she grinned, her voice was serious when she said, "I might do it. I've faced worse, I'm sure... although I'm not really one for taking heads. So, I see you found your fiancee."
Standing at his side, Katie, a slender brunette growing rounder of face and body with pregnancy, greeted Rose meekly. "Hi, I'm Katie. Pleased to meet you."
"You too. Take care of your man, he's a good one."
"If I'm going to be taken care of by a woman while you're fighting Regis," Sean said, "it's going to be you. I'm coming too."
Her eyes widened with surprise. "You are?"
"You need every able fighter you can get, and I think I qualify as one. And I want to make sure Katie gets away okay."
Rose's smile returned. "So how do you fight? I'd like to think of some ways we could help each other out better, before we go into battle together."
Now it was Sean's turn to be surprised. "You want me to be your partner? I figured you'd rather be with your fellow master warrior, Princess Danica."
"She may be a great fighter, but not exactly pleasant company—and I doubt she's much for teamwork, either. Besides, you're my friend now. I want to keep you safe." She didn't mention the other friends she'd lost in battle, but the brief flash of pain in her eyes reminded Sean of them anyway.
He patted the longsword at his belt. "I was trained first with this and a shield, and that's the way I still prefer to fight. I notice you use a sword and shield, too."
"Yes, though that wooden shield of yours lends itself to different techniques than my steel one. You can catch and slow opponents' weapons in the wood, sometimes, but you have to be more careful of heavy hits that could break through. I'm sure you're aware of that already, but I'd like to show you some techniques that go with it."
He looked curiously at her. "I didn't think you'd know so much about a weapon you didn't use."
"I've had to use tables as shields, more than once. Besides, I'm interested in the nuances of just about any weapon. Never know when you might have to pick one up to replace your own. Say, is that a flail on your belt?"
"Yeah, why? You like them?"
Rose chuckled. "They're not bad, though I haven't used one in a while, in real combat at least. But it's more that seeing yours reminds me of something. One time, I knocked the head of a flail into the face of its wielder's compan
ion with my shield. Come to think of it, I don't think I actually killed that guy. I wonder how his face looks now? Anyway, I might be able to show you a trick or two with the flail, but let's concentrate on your sword and shield in the time we've got. Knowing your primary weapon is probably most important, though you can never be too versatile either."
They practiced for the rest of the day while Danica and her troops made preparations. Sean found himself amazed by Rose's skill, which dwarfed his old teachers'—and her incredible strength. She was big, probably around two hundred fifty pounds, but seemed much stronger than even her size indicated. When she called a halt to their training session, she showed not the slightest sign of fatigue, while Sean was exhausted despite her slowing down for his sake.
Panting, he breathed, "Wow, you're amazing. How'd you ever get so good? You're no older than me."
"Oh, you're not bad yourself. How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
"I'm older than you. About one year."
Sean chuckled. "That's not much at all. And you look younger."
Rose gave a dubious frown. "Younger, with my scars? Eh, maybe it's the fat. But I just had to get good, to survive. Though by all rights, I shouldn't be alive anyway."
"What do you mean?" He figured she must be feeling guilty again about surviving, when so many people she cared about hadn't been as fortunate.
He was wrong this time, and realized it when Rose lifted her shirt to reveal a huge scar which he knew meant she'd had her lower belly ripped wide open in the past. It overlapped over tons of lesser scars, mementos of smaller wounds that still could've easily killed a normal person. "I don't usually show these things easily," she said softly, "but I'm already comfortable around you, so... Sean, my wounds would've killed me a hundred times over if I was anywhere near normal. They didn't, and though it hurt like hell to take them, I always got back up. Somehow. I've been skewered on one pointy object or another so many times now..."