In The Name of Love

Sunlight filters through the trees, turning standing water to mist that creates hazy mirages before Fifi’s tired eyes. She hasn’t dared to make camp or rest for more than a few moments at a time since she got away from the Aethyrozian delegation, fearing that she might be found and captured if she and her allies stop moving. The sun has set and risen again twice since then, and it’s all Fifi can do to stay on Kyastan’s back. The horse is also weary, stumbling through the trees and making clumsy hops over obstacles, but their red squirrel guide Eya’kollo is tireless, chittering at them every time they fall too far behind.

The squirrel chirrups at them again, and Kyastan releases an angry snort, as if to say that Eya’kollo had better be grateful that horses don’t eat meat. Fifi has reprimanded him for being churlish before, but this time only a heavy sigh slips from her lips. Try as she might, she can’t manage to keep her eyes open in the steamy afternoon heat.

A few moments later, Fifi groans as she slides off Kyastan’s back, twisting his saddle askew and making him grunt in pain. She lands heavily in an awkward heap of limbs and cloak and skirts on the muddy earth. Kyastan nickers and nudges her, but she doesn’t move. Eya’kollo runs around them, squeaking and scolding, but still Fifi remains limp. Kyastan huffs and lies down on the narrow deer-path next to his fallen rider, one eye fixed on their squirrel guide with a meaningful glare. Eya’kollo stops and cocks his head to one side as he examines horse and human, then takes off into the treetops at a dead sprint.

Once he can no longer see nor hear any sign of the squirrel, Kyastan snorts and lays his head down. Moments later, his snores mingle with the leaves rustling and birdsong around them.

***~O~***

Kai urges Varsel on as fast as the horse will run, following the grebe through forest groves and across meadows in the general direction of the Syazonian border. It said it’s been flying for a couple days, with short rests to eat and sleep, and that she was following on horseback with a squirrel guide, Kai reflects, watching his feathered messenger closely. Every nerve in his body is alight with a sense of urgency. It didn’t look like she had provisions or supplies to last even that long comfortably. What made her decide to ride here alone? He’s never been worried about someone like this before, but the competence of his guide gives him some reassurance. Every time the grebe sees another bird, they speak to one another in twitters and squawks that Kai only half understands, and then the grebe takes off again, usually adjusting its course based on what the other bird said.

At nightfall, an owl joins the grebe in front of them. To Kai’s surprise, its hoots are directed at him, rather than his guide.

“Rider fallen in Kvestri Grove,” it tells him. “No fire, no movement.”

Kai’s heart thuds in his chest with painful intensity. Is it her? Or some other traveler in need? It shouldn’t matter. Whoever it is, they need help.

“Take me to them, and I’ll do what I can,” he tells the owl after a moment frozen with indecision. The owl flies off into the trees, and the grebe settles unbidden on Kai’s shoulder. But following the owl is difficult in the fading light, and despite his best efforts, he keeps losing sight of the new guide, making for slow progress. With a sigh, Kai jumps down from Varsel’s back and spends a couple minutes searching amongst the trees for a thick branch he can use as a torch. Once he finds it, he mounts Varsel once again and rides a short distance with one hand on the reins and the other holding the branch aloft.

“Should be manageable,” he mutters before focusing his attention on the end of the branch that points into the air. “Ahm’ten-dah!”

The skyward end of the branch bursts into flame, startling the grebe into taking flight and circling with agitated cries before settling on Kai’s other shoulder.

“Sorry,” Kai tells the bird through gritted teeth as he concentrates on remaining in the saddle while Varsel follows the owl with dogged persistence and a jolting gait. “My eyes don’t work in the dark like hers.”

Only the light of a crescent moon and myriad stars shine down on Kai and his avian friends by the time the owl alights on a branch some distance ahead of him, hooting a warning to slow down. Varsel complies with the owl’s instructions without prompting from Kai, slowing to a careful walk and then coming to a halt as he catches sight of a chestnut horse lying next to a pile of muddy fabric and tangled red-brown hair, just a few paces ahead of them.

Kai’s breath catches and he’s on the ground in an instant, somehow managing not to catch any trees on fire with his makeshift torch. “Fifi?” he calls, keeping his voice low.

The chestnut horse looks up at him, suddenly on high alert. “You’re the one she’s been looking for,” he sighs, then nudges the fabric next to him with his muzzle. The hair shifts and then bleary brown eyes meet Kai’s, registering first confusion and then relief and delight.

“You came for me,” Fifi mumbles with a sleepy smile.

“Of course I did. As soon as I could.” He comes to her side, wishing he had somewhere to hang up the torch. “Are you hurt?”

She doesn’t answer; her eyes are falling shut again.

“Exhausted and overwrought,” her horse companion tells Kai with a low whinny. “But no blood.”

“Then we’ll stay here ’til morning, and then go home,” Kai decides, snuffing his torch. The owl hoots at him, its question lingering in the air. “Yes, if you can, fly to Sigurd and let him know. We should be there by sunset tomorrow.”

The owl takes off with noiseless wings. Kai carefully picks his way through the dark to take saddles and blankets off the two horses and hang them in the trees, then settles himself on the ground next to Varsel. The urge to hold Fifi while she sleeps is almost overpowering, but Kai resists it, instead steeling himself to keep watch. We will have plenty of time for that once she’s recovered, now that we’re together again, he tells himself.

***~O~***

Fifi wakes up with the sun, sore and dirty but elated to find that Kai’s presence wasn’t a dream and that he’s still with her, leaning half-asleep against Varsel. She rises unsteadily to her feet and walks a few tottering steps before all but falling into his arms.

“I’ve missed you,” she tells him as his eyes fly open with surprise.

He smiles and holds her close. “I’ve missed you, too,” he whispers, and then their lips meet.

When they break for air, he asks, “What happened? Why did you decide to come alone, rather than going to Lyrnola—”

“Partly to keep King Ansgar from suspecting you or your family,” she explains. “And also….”

She tells him, as they eat a small breakfast and prepare their horses to ride, about Minna’s wedding and the assassination attempt. They’re halfway to Sigurd’s grove before she’s finished telling him how she healed King Celestino and what happened after, their plan and her goodbyes with Minna. Kai’s astonished interruptions make the telling take longer.

“Once the mercenaries attacked, I had to act. That was my chance, and I took it,” she finishes. “And then, once I was safely away, I asked the forest to help me find you, and these friends have, and here we are.” Although she’s road-weary and in desperate need of a bath, she’s never looked happier as she smiles into Kai’s eyes.

“I’m glad you made it. Glad you’re safe,” Kai replies. “I have to tell you, too….” And he recounts how King Ansgar came to the manor house to prosecute his father and stepmother and how his friends helped him escape, how he’s been living in the forest with Sigurd since.

“I’ve been visiting the staff, especially Albin, once every few days,” he says, “but I can’t go back there, not permanently. Not for a long time, if ever.”

“And not with me, anyway,” Fifi adds. “This was always the plan, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t know that our plan ever got much beyond this point, other than introducing you to Sigurd.”

“So once I meet Sigurd, then what? I’m sure my father will be looking for me, and there’s likely to be a war….”

“I guess it depends. On what you want.”

“Being free from my title, and here with you, able to practice Cybarein…this is all I’ve wanted.”

Kai smiles. “Then we take things one step at a time, figure it out as we go.”

“That’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Maybe. But people have done crazier things…in the name of love.”