Completed The Battle of the Banicks

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair turned and looked to Kristen with a soft smile, but it quickly fell to a slight frown. As he rested his elbows on his knees.

"Unfortunately, I feel more like the last light of the sun before a wrathful storm covers it."

No matter how much he wished to bring hope to the situation, this somberness would not leave him.

"Get all the rest you need. Just be careful. I would not put it past Garron to attempt something."

With a prolonged sigh, Alistair forced himself to his feet. He needed to keep himself moving, otherwise, those feelings of uselessness, anger, and depression would overtake him.

Yet, he could not bring himself to be far from Logan...or Kristen, so he found himself simply pacing around the fire.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

THE PARTING​

At last came the turn in the southward road, one path leading toward the Academy, the other toward Ostia Anir and other settlements more so to the south. The two armies had been slowly disbanding over the course of travel, as men neared the villages, the towns, the cities which they called home, and thus were given leave to return. What was once two large groups had become, in effect, one, still large as many men had their homes farther south. At least among the common soldier, all possible sense of uneasiness or hostility had been left behind in somewhere in the north. The Battle was done, and both the victorious and the defeated alike shared the common wish of going home.

For Kristen, it wasn't quite home to which she would be returning. But in these past years, the Academy did serve as a home of sorts, perhaps most charitably described as a home of tough love.

Kristen rode alongside the wagon that carried Logan, her horse beside Alistair's. Foot soldiers in their procession marched to their front, to their rear, still numerous enough to stretch as far as the eye could see and the bends of the road and visibility of the trees allowed.

"It is almost time," Kristen said.

Even now, she couldn't help but remember what Alistair had said days ago. The last light of the sun before a wrathful storm covers it. When would that storm come? When?

Alistair Krixus

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair had remained silent for much of the trip, lost in his thoughts. He couldn't help but be amazed at the quick integration of the two groups. It just proved that he lived in a different world from them. These men were quick to ignore their defeat. After all, they were alive, that was its own victory. The defeat would only sit with the leaders and Dreadlords. This was their way of life.

His head looked over to Kristen and just gave an imperceptible nod.

"I know...I expect your analysis of the battle when you return."

Analysis, yeah right. That was just Alistair's way of telling her that he would write to her. Hopefully, their separation will not be as long as the last, but given the recent events, he was worried just how much his upcoming work would keep him from her.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Analysis," Kristen repeated, smiling mildly beneath her visor. She found a spot of welcome mirth in it now that the time to part had come so close. It was good that correspondences were now more openly allowed in the Academy; certainly noble Initiates like Caeso had no significant trouble in keeping outside correspondences during the old days. But with the turbulent politics of the Houses, who knew if Kristen, a Pirian, might not encounter some trouble in that regard in those times.

Mirth faded, and the solemn air returned.

"I do not know how, or on what day," Kristen said, making sure to keep her voice low, "but all due retribution that Garron justly deserves for his crimes unpunished will come to him. All the better, too, if Aionus blesses me with the chance to have some part in it."

Alistair Krixus

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"We will be."

It was going to have to be them. In Alistair's estimation, the only ones who could possibly hope to bring Garron to justice now would be the two of them, but...was that what was best for his family?

"I will be there with you."

His mouth was moving without even thinking about it all. A part of him doing the talking was confident, of course, he would be next to Kristen when she needed him. However, that small part of him would not go away that told him he needed to really consider Garron's offer.

"For now, just finish your time at the Academy. Things will be fine."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"I will. This I have endeavored to do even without the shadow of Garron looming over, and I should not allow him to consume my thoughts and make tormented each passing day of the present. Simply for the pleasure of Aionus, for the pride of House Pirian, and for my own honor should I finish what I have dutifully began."

The branch in the road neared ever more.

"Soon shall it be when I have earned the privilege to be called a proper Dreadlord, and so will have joined your company in the same, Alistair."


Alistair Krixus

 

[Alistair Krixus]

A smile finally split onto Alistair's face as he looked at the armored Kristen. With everything that was going on, her hopefulness was enough to lessen the weight of defeat, if only slightly.

"I'm looking forward to it. I will admit. It will be far less strange when we are on equal footing in our ranks."

As they neared the split in the road, Alistair felt his horse stray from the remaining soldiers as he stayed by Kristen's side for the moment while the rest began to bend to the right.

It was a very brief moment of privacy between the two, while Al could still keep an eye on Logan's wagon.

"When we are both free of the Academy. We will be free to control our future."

Alistair whispered the words. He did not know why he said them, but he just wanted to show that he would fight for her. They would not have to fear for the likes of Garron, or anyone.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

There on the cusp of departure Kristen felt a strong urge to simply stay, to continue in her disguise as a common soldier, if only to remain by Alistair's side. But such would be an indulgence unworthy of them both. Far better to dutifully carry on, return to the Academy, to reach that equal footing in the ranks as he said.

And what better punctuating point to bury that girlish urge than what Alistair said next, difficult though it was to hear it in full. But she did hear this quite clearly:

Our future.

Her heart soared.

And quietly, warmly, she replied, "I would face it with none but you, Alistair. Eagerly, do I await."

Alistair Krixus

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair just looked at her while he heard more of the soldiers marching away. He wanted so much to pull her in close and give her one last kiss, but he had to control himself. Instead, he released a short sigh before nodding his head.

"Soon."

Those words were as much a promise to himself as they were to him. He looked back to the soldiers and knew that their time had finally drawn to a close.

"'Til next time I am graced with your company. Farewell."

He moved his horse to catch back up with all of the retreating soldiers, already regretting the limited time he had spent with Kristen.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Farewell," Kristen said to herself as Alistair rode off to rejoin with the column proper. Though the word graced her ears alone, she knew Alistair need not even hear it, for he had departed with something far better: her sentiment, the well-wishing of her heart, and the keen knowledge of her longing to be reunited once more.

Kristen dutifully bid her own horse into motion, separating from the marching army, and setting out on that path which would see her returned to the Academy.

For now, she could leave the disastrous Battle of the Banicks behind. And when the time came when Garron would inevitably exercise his newfound power for ill, Kristen could be all the more ready. She and Alistair both.

Alistair Krixus