章 7: Chapter 7 - Resolutions

The sky approaches the new dawn, inking its canvas of clouds with the pigment of a morning twilight. The few stars yet to vanish, sparkling with relish as they bid dusk's ascent, persisting, yet also resigning themselves to their unwanted, inevitable departure.

Underneath the succumbing stars, a lone carriage continues its trek across a broad meadow of flowers and grass, slowly swaying along with the soft gust of the nippy wind. An extravagant ostentatious design that propounded royalty, pulled along by an elegantly raised ground dragon, portraying a feat of impressive exuberance as it galloped forth on an expedition void of any howls of protest.

Inside, deprived of sleep, a half-elf leaned, facing the window. Strands of silver hair poking out to the sides, alluding to a recent experience stressful in nature, drooping lifelessly at her sides. An expression that projected gloominess, a blight on a face brimming with beauty in all sense of the word, with her violet-colored eyes absent of awareness, gazing dreamily away towards the scenic greenery contrasting with the flames of the heavens above.

Yet Emilia paid little regard to this stunning view. Had she did, perhaps the somberness that had tended to her spirits all this time would have been cast aside, in favor of a peaceful serenity she had not known of for what seemed like ages. Each day continuing to instill a mindset of misery, its attempts at indoctrination proving to be quite effective in the midst of her monarchical plight.

Her elf blood only garnered her preconceived opinions and disdainful prejudice when her reason for absence was presented to the council for question. They sat there, overseeing the throne room, her standing in place before them, awaiting their conclusion as they bicker in great volumes as to whether her reason should be accepted or not.

As the gathering she had failed to attend to earlier before involved the compatibility to the Dragons and to their covenant, it was almost guaranteed her expulsion was immediate, if not for this request to appeal before the sage council, a request Roswaal himself had to painstakingly make, aided further by the fact that the mansion had failed to be notified earlier about the event due to a suspiciously lethargic messenger.

To say it went poorly, would be to extremely understate it.

She lost count at the number of insinuation directed towards her resemblance of a great evil. It took all her energy to deter them away from this subject, stating with accentuated politeness that it had nothing to do with the purpose of the meeting, however, that didn't stop the provocative mutterings they shared between themselves. Her candidacy hinges solely on their decision, and they were fully aware of the fact, taking pleasure at the unjust leverage they had against her, save for the representative of the sage council. A bearded old man with long hair, both a snowy white, whom Emilia hoped had appealed to enough to continue her role as a potential candidate.

Ultimately, she was sent away, the matter still resting unresolved, having no choice but to book a room in a nearby inn as she awaits their next summon and their final verdict, alone in the barely furbished space, with no one but Puck for company. As much as she was greatly entertained by the conversation they had, it did little in easing the pang that burrowed itself deep into her consciousness. An uninvited resident, one that arrived a little less than a month ago.

"You're thinking about Subaru again, right?" Puck had said to her after a moment's silence ended their quick chattering.

Indeed she was. Whenever she could, always she would think. No matter the stress, no matter how encumbered her predicament was, always he would find a way into her occupied thoughts until she could think of nothing else but him forevermore. Ridden so, by a relentless guilt that clung to her closely, following their last and quite possibly, final confrontation.

Perhaps I was too harsh on him back then...

She would say to herself, again and again, unable to draw any other conclusion besides that.

No... I was too harsh...

When she closed her eyes, she could see, a dark, murky apparition of the look he had. So madden, so filled with pain, shouting himself hoarse with no restraint, desperate, deranged... His sudden outburst still continues to baffle her to this day.

Maybe if I had tried to understand him...

That was her regret. She had been too impatient with him, too angry. Thoughtless was the better word for it. Having just been beaten senseless, naturally he would have been a little dispirited, a little moody. Had she been a little more understanding, more sympathetic, perhaps none of this would have happened. He would still be by her side, energetic and lively as always, smiling at her with a fondness she couldn't fathom. Each time she would think of the latter scenario, it was as if time itself stood still, as she contemplated with solemn remorse on what could have been, instead of what was.

Nevertheless, the day's eve came, followed by a spontaneous knocking originating from the timbered door belonging to her room, halting the detrimental thoughts that riddled her idleness with great hindrance. She got up from the bed she sat, expressively curious as regards to her unknown visitor, and answered the rapping of wood.

What greeted her, was a woman of exceptional beauty. Her piercing amber eyes carrying itself with an air of discipline. Expression, lacking elation of any kind, instead stern, as if permanently etched on her oval-shaped complexion, with long, flowing emerald-colored hair that rested, wavering slightly, against her back that wore an outfit befitting that of a general.

A melancholic sigh escapes her lips, closing her eyes and harkening her memories back to this assemblage between two candidates of the royal throne.

"Crusch..." She called her name, taken aback by the unexpected drop in. "What are you doing here?"

A thought then suddenly arose in her head.

"I'm not being summoned, am I? It's already so late..."

But instead of opening her mouth to speak, Crusch, defying expectations, gradually arched her body forward, bowing, with a gloved hand crossing against the sleekness of her dignified uniform. A bundle of green falling, hiding the sincere, close-eyed expression on her face.

"Forgive me of my ineptitude." She spoke to an already puzzled Emilia.

Behind the strangely apologetic, leaning figure of Crusch, Emilia noticed a figure bearing an outfit of the royal guard, with furry triangular ears protruding out atop a flaxen hued head. Hair, streaming to the sides of a face that implied reluctant resignation.

"Ferris..."

Emilia's eyes darted back and forth between the two unlikely figures she expected to find standing between her doorway, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before finally asking, "Forgive... you? Why? And of what exactly?"

"Subaru's desertion. I am entirely to blame."

"Crusch-sama, as I've said before, Subaru's fleeing had nyathing to do with you, please raise your head already." Said a heavily disgruntled Ferris.

"No, it had everything to do with me." She insisted, her head remaining low. "It was contracted we were to care of him for the remainder of his time with us, his leaving is my responsibility."

"He left on his nyown discretion, voiding the terms of the contract."

"Be that as it may, Subaru in his state at the time was unstable, as you are well aware of yourself. Naturally, he will be more susceptible to hasty decisions, if I had watched him closer, been more attentive, I could have stopped him. It is my blame, the discussion ends here."

Ferris looked greatly annoyed, lips trembling with restraint words he relished to say, but as a mark of the loyalty he had towards his lady, he funneled them out in the form of a long, subdued sigh and fell silent.

Meanwhile, Emilia, who had been caught too off guard to speak, finally did so, saying with haste, "It wasn't your fault, I am to blame as well for what happened, even more so actually, than anyone else. Come, enter, and raise your head please."

They entered the room in silence, Ferris slightly reproachful in his pace as he headed towards the dreary translucent window, his eyes shining a bright gold, glowing under the fluorescent of the night sky.

Emilia mulled over with deep thought of the courteous offer to have Crusch sit by her side on the plain piece of mattress, but realized through her firm demeanor, though unuttered, expressed an intention to remain standing where she stood, facing the stationary half-elf.

"I have come to do more than just apologize actually." She said. "I'm willing to offer compensation. A compromise to our previous contract."

Frowning, Emilia stared in continued bewilderment, speculating her of a more ulterior motive in private.

"Compensation? What do you have in mind, exactly?" Emilia asked.

"You may not know, but the loss of a follower is one I can greatly sympathize with. Even more so, when it's someone close to heart. I can see by your behavior today with the council, that you are deeply bothered by his disappearance. I understand, he displayed notable loyalty towards you during our first congregation. I too would be devastated by the loss of such strong devotion."

A snort of amusement puffed out of Ferris' nose, beneath it, manifested a slight smile in the shape of a condescending smirk, plastered across his face, laced thoroughly with contempt.

"For such unwavering loyalty, he sure was quick on abandoning his master's side." He said.

A hushed silence followed the snide remark, one that was quickly broken by Crusch, her tone quiet and strict.

"We are not here to insult our peers, Ferris. Keep your thoughts to yourself."

"Nya, I'm just saying... to proclaim yourself as a nyight like that, he really shouldn't have shown such cowardice as he had. It just goes to show how lacking his devotion actually was. A bit hypocritical, really."

"Ferris-"

"Do you hate... Subaru?" Asked Emilia, interjecting upon the beginning of what was a reprimanding spiel.

"Nyaa..." He began dubiously. "I wouldn't say I hate him. His actions are the ones that are detestable. I just think he shouldn't deserve such concern over him, well, I wouldn't be anyway."

He finished with an impassive shrug of the shoulders, proceeding to survey the desolated roads outside once more. However, his engrossment of the outdoors was quickly shifted back to Crusch, who spoke, "Well then, I must apologize to you afterward for what I'm about to say."

She ignored the muddled, inquiring look that formed on his face trailing her ambiguously cryptic statement, and turned to Emilia whom too had an equally befuddled expression.

"As a means to redeem my negligence..." She said. "I pledge to have Ferris look for him alongside you, no matter the duration."

The astonished reaction Emilia had, couldn't compare to Ferris' own, thunderstruck beyond belief, with his mouth gaping wide open with incredulity.

"C-Crusch-sama? What do nya mean... look for him?"

The bated question was also ignored by Crusch, seeming to not have noticed the aftershock her words have instilled onto Ferris.

"With him to assist, I have no doubt a lead will surface. He's an exceptional tracker along with being a healer..."

"Crusch-sama wait-"

"Kararagi was it, he fled to? Ferris has visited the country on more than one occasion under my orders, he knows the city's whereabouts and landmarks with amazing accuracy."

"We haven't--Crus-"

Another attempt at interjection.

"Every nook, cranny, I assure you, Ferris will find him. It will only be a matter of time. When you depart, I shall also provide you with a carr-

"Crusch-sama!"

The increase in urgency momentarily muted Crusch's elaborated declaration. Ferris, now standing closely at her side, eyebrows scrunched up, gaping at her with incriminating betrayal inscribed deeply in his wide-open eyes.

"You haven't mentioned--You nyaver said I would be the compensation. We were only supposed to provide a carriage, you said--what's the meaning of this?"

"If I had told you beforehand, you would have never agreed to be here. I have done what I've deemed as necessary, I apologize for having misplaced your trust, but it was the only way." She explained calmly, tilting her head slightly.

Emilia could only look on, as knight and master bicker, while also feeling a wave of pleasant shock purge the parasitic depression that strove to tear her apart. All those days requesting a search party, a huge sum of gold she even offered, to be rejected each and every time. Forced to rely on Beatrice, and Rem to provide the magic to sustain her... How useless she felt.

Now help was offered, instead of asked. Help arrived, not sought after. For a moment, only for a moment, the aching lessened, tension oozing away and her heart, once burdened, felt as light as a feather.

But why do this?

She looked up towards them once again, her senses rejuvenated and found them at the end of their quick but heavy debate.

"Ferris, I understand your reluctance. But rest assured, I will be fine, Wilhelm will see to that. I only need you to do as I ask and help her... can you do that?"

"But--But....-" Ferris' eyes searched with quick darts all around for a reason to protest further, sputtering clumsily and desperately, "the royal selection! How will I nyow what's become of you? How will I support you from so far away?"

"A two-way mirror, of course, I will ask the royal guard to provide four for each of us. Two for you, one for me, the other will be Emilia's. That way, you can update the both of us of your status, and you'll be able to check-in at any time to ease any worries you may have of my own well-being. So, will you do this or no?" Crusch firmly repeated the question.

Ferris's unwillingness persevered, choices at war, waging a battle that resided only in his flustering thoughts, resulting in a face of overlapping expressions, staring deeply into those striking amber eyes of hers, lips thinning between conflicting decisions. An elongated noise of indecision slipped through the gaps of pursed lips, as his mulling gaze switches from Crusch's, to Emilia's, who was also staring at him with anxiety equivalent to his own, asking, almost begging.

"Fine! Alright! I'll do as you say." He exclaimed, arms in the air in conceded defeat, a sigh of resignation following soon afterward. "I'll look for him, as much as I will rather be at your side... It is your order, I'll see it through to its end."

A ghost of a smile fleetingly shot through the mask of formalities that was Crusch's, eyes glimmering with approval at his words.

"Alright then." She said, with a tone no longer strict, nor taut. "Now, Ferris, if you will?"

Ferris nodded, an imprint of displeasure still lingering, though only mildly. Taking a step forward and stopping in place where Crusch once stood, whom withdraw several steps to the side. He stared at Emilia, the both fully aware of the proceeding that was about to take place and drew an open hand out towards her, bidding for her own.

But her hands remained motionless atop crumpled sheets. Still, perplexingly so, earning a look of bemusement from Ferris, arm still outstretched.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Well, it's just..." She started, then stopped, shifting her attention to the green-haired instigator of the situation, before continuing once again.

"I'm grateful, but... why are you helping me? We are rivals for the throne, and the contract has been null and voided. You have no reason to do so... In fact, my troubles should be an advantage to you along with the other candidates, shouldn't you be tending to your own business?"

For a while, no one spoke. The silence enveloping the atmosphere permeating with unsettlement. Giving Emilia precious time to grasp her spoken mishap, as she added with haste, "I am thankful, do not get me wrong, I really, truly am. I just... simply want to know why you would help me when your time and resources would be better spent on something else."

To that, Crusch partook in a long quiet sigh, one that made noticeable the chirping of insects, lulling away the kingdom to sleep.

"Put it simply..." She finally responded. "Honor is something I revere highly above most things. It would not sit with me to have someone suffer due to my own blatant disregard. No matter the status, rival or no, It wouldn't be right of me."

"I see..." Muttered Emilia.

"Make no mistake, though." Crusch continued, lapsing back to her steely ways. "This will be all I have to offer. Anymore will fall onto deaf ears. The selection is still underway, so with the exception of this moment, you will forgive me if I resume treating you with the same indifference as I have before."

Her words came as a slight blow to Emilia's already dampened spirits, the slight ease she felt not long ago dissipating in a flash, but understood nonetheless, responding slowly with a silent nod.

"Then, with your question answered, may you raise your hand now?"

"Alright." She said, turning back towards Ferris, and clasping his hand with her own.

Immediately soon after, a warmth began to pervade, felt from all corners of the room, which too had a sudden changed of sight, blazing dimly by the radiance of colored spheres glowing with diversity, casting shadows onto the walls of three hushed figures. Streaks of orbs, blue, green, and red, trailing the unified hands, encasing them in rays of shaded light.

Illuminated by slow phasing colors, Ferris uttered in quick succession, whispering a chant audible only to him and her. Then as quickly as it had appeared, the lights vanish, plunging the room into dimly lit darkness once again.

"It's done." Announced Ferris, releasing hold of her hand and stepping back. "The contract has been made."

"Well, I suppose we're done here." Proclaimed Crusch, her steps creaking the floorboards in her march towards the door. Stopping once, with Ferris following suit, to say,

"As Ferris has said not long ago, a carriage of my own will be coming for you once your matter with the council has been resolved, transportation will be hard to come by if you were to use normal means. I shall also send Ferris to Kararagi at the earliest opportunity I can manage."

But before they could move again, however, Emilia spoke, still situated on the bed.

"There's a means of transport faster in Roswaal's mansion, Ferris should come with me, he'll be able to reach Kararagi quicker there."

Crusch raised a questioning eyebrow at her, assumably doubting the unknown means of transportation.

"Then..." She said, turning towards Ferris. "Ferris, you shall accompany her after her inquiry with the council is over."

"Nya... I understand, but if I hear the slightest bit of trouble--"

"I'll be fine." She reaffirmed.

He remained unconvinced, unassailable by assurance, but submitted to her will either way. Exhaling another doleful sigh interlacing with disheartened assent.

"Till next time then, Emilia. Have a good night."

Through moonlit skies, the doorway that stood this voice's silhouette bade a farewell of proper form. The luminous golden glow of eyes right beside it gave a begrudging wave before closing the door behind them. Their steps, muffled, fading gradually, deafened by the other sounds of the night until finally, Emilia could hear them no more.

The carriage gave a slight jolt, trumping a rather large pebble in its path, snapping herself back to times more recent. She blinked, wondering of the eccentric darkness that suddenly befell upon the carriage. To realize, with small surprise, that a thick shadow, gargantuan, loomed over their journey, a shadow of a tree, which soared high above the clouds and beyond.

They were here... Which means...

"We're almost to Roswaal's domain, Lady Emilia." A voice called out from the front. "You can sleep you nyow? I'll wake you up when we get there."

"No, it's alright, Ferris. I'm fine." She answered the voice nearing the verge of imperceptibility by the constant gusting of wind. "I still have a lot of stuff to think about..."

Ferris made a conjecture at her sleepless condition, but under the intense blowing of the breeze, it failed to reach Emilia's pointed ears.

What she said was no lie. Her mind was saturated by the events that followed their initial encounter. Two days was the time it took to solve her overblown dispute. Two long dreary days of political babble, empty threats, and unfounded accusations. A pattern that repeated in hourly intervals, a roundabout cycle with little progress being made. Again and again, monotony in every waking moment, every pointless declamation, every fruitless argument, an unmerited consequence of one missed meeting.

At the end of it all, Emilia, after much frustration, emerged victorious. All claims of removing her from the candidacy dropped on hesitatingly short notice, on the condition she never misses one again. A condition she needn't have to be told of. Yet despite all this, with paranoia, worry and doubtful distress infesting her thoughts in the times of much-needed rest, constant, everlasting, it hardly felt like a victory at all.

Although she held the bested situation with immense dislike, a small part of her, a minuscule fraction of herself, felt it was all well deserved. A punishment predetermined by the choices she made, the things she said... to him.

Again, his image, a face full of agonizing suffering originating from places unknown, morbidly vivid in her ever grimful thoughts. Wondering, as her burdensome eyes stare at the morning sunrise, how well he was coping without her by her side.