Legend of Ransera

The twins were, if anything, in shock. The Shokaze dead; the Shinsei taken. Savien had blessed them on their Warren March. Talon was, in fact, a God. Nothing made sense. And yet, they were unscathed. For all his youth and slight build for his race, he was a terror with his blade. If Baudric had doubted him before, seeing him in action ought to change that, though Baudric seemed wrapped up in a reality of his own when battle descended upon them.

"We are unharmed," she managed, dazed, "but—" She looked after the retreating pirates. It didn't make sense. None of it made sense.

There would be a lockdown; she was sure of it. While she wanted to get word to her mother and brother at Starfall, she didn't know how she could just yet, but she would have to figure something out if this was the beginning of a war. They would be vulnerable.

As Kala had spoken for both of them, Kaus pulled his pact weapon out of the air now that the strange gas had been scrubbed from the air around them by Kala's artifact-wrought stormburst. He nodded to himself, relieved that its manifestation was as sure and true as ever—so the effects of the gas were temporary, and that was good to know. Even so, it had been successful.

His twin turned back to Baudric, blinking as she realized he was injured.

"You are bleeding," she declared, and immediately dipped to rip a strip of silk from her dress so she could bandage him. Acting more on instinct than conscious thought, she scanned him through one Rune and deemed his wounds not quite serious enough to require her to engage another Rune to cauterize them. "Please, let me help." But even acting almost without thought, she waited for his consent to touch him. She needed to do something, though, and binding his wounds would give her momentary purpose in a world gone suddenly mad.

A part of her appreciated the trust he showed her, though she couldn't think about it quite rationally just then. When she was done, she put her hand gently over the silk binding his blood to his body. It wasn't a perfect job, but it would do until he could get proper medical attention. She looked around, trying to make sense of what she saw and what Baudric was saying.

"Perhaps Bryony will hear of this before they lock the city down and she can get word to Mother," she mused aloud. "Baudric — you must stay close to me now. You are an Imperial soldier and there has been a royal assassination and abduction. Any xenophobia you have felt so far will be raised to a fever pitch. I will protect you to the best of my ability, but my power to do so will be reduced if you are out of my sight."

Kaus was helping someone over to them, knowing in that core bonded way that she would need people to help and they had to stay close to their Imperial guest.

"Here, sit, please," she said to her new patient, helping Kaus sit him down on the floor with his back to a pillar. Again, she assessed with her eyes as well as her Rune, hands already shredding more of her dress to make impromptu bandages. Kaus gripped the injured man's hand, responding to Kala's needs.

"Grit your teeth," he said, "squeeze my hand as much as it hurts."

The man's scream ripped through his teeth as she cauterized his wound with Fire, immediately cooling it with Water and Air. His injury had been more severe than Baudric's and she didn't know how long it would take for medics, but he couldn't afford to lose blood at that rate.

"It's over," she said, brushing the man's hair back as tenderly as if he were a child. "You were very brave. I'm sorry it hurt, but I had to stop the bleeding."

When she looked up, Baudric could see the tears on her cheeks though she was unaware of them. Sometimes, one had to be cruel to be kind, but cruelty went against her nature.

Triage after a battle was certainly different from the tranquility of the Tranquil Gardens. Kala only did what she could, stabilizing who she could, comforting those she could not. Kaus moved with her as though they were one creature, anticipating her needs as if he could read her mind. Perhaps he could. Core bonds were strange to those outside them.

She stood, hands at the small of her back as she arched it, stretching the muscles after being bent over patients. Her dress was tattered as the hem had been torn so many times for fine bandaging, and while Kaus hovered at her shoulder, the slight woman stepped between the guardsmen and Baudric.

"Those won't be necessary, sir. The Kathar Baudric is Shinsei's guest at the party and House Leukos' guest in Kalzasi. I will vouch for him." She turned to Baudric and raised her hand as if she wanted to touch his forearm, but didn't, knowing he preferred not to be touched. "Silence might be the better part of valor now, my friend. Anything you say may be misconstrued or taken out of context. I will advocate for you in the meantime."

Most resident aliens were treated with due respect, but citizenry did confer certain rights and privileges. Kala seemed intent on using her privilege to help others, and Kaus followed wherever she led. Other medics had arrived, probably better trained than her, so she didn't feel too guilty about leaving the scene of the assassination.

"Lead the way, sir."

The twins bore the guards no ill will either, and didn't give them a hard time for doing their job. Kala could only imagine what would happen now that the Shokaze was assassinated and his heir presumptive captured. She wondered if House Senue had been complicit in this; with Talon Novalys out of the picture, it would be much easier to get the votes necessary to make Lord Senue the next Shokaze. She didn't know that it would be a terrible thing to have a new Great House in power, but it would be a terrible thing if it were to come about from treachery. But she had no evidence of this, and she had fought alongside Karam Senue. It was difficult to know what to hold onto now, and so she had done what she could: triage for the injured and advocate for Baudric.

The twins flanked Baudric so that the guards were forced to flank them; they were a physical shield between them and the Kathar. Perhaps it would seem silly; Kala was tiny compared to him, and Kaus was small for their race. But their guest was in iron and they would do what the rule of hospitality required, and while Kala had spent more time with him, they both considered him a sort of a friend.

When they stopped, something passed between the twins' bond.

"I will go home and rest," Kaus said. "When I come back, Kala can do the same."

"One of us will remain to advocate for you, Baudric," she said, addressing the Kathar instead of his guards.

Too much could happen if he were left without an advocate; good people might do bad things in these circumstances. It was best not to give them an opportunity to do so. The guards seemed uncomfortable, but they didn't gainsay the young nobles. The twins hadn't prevented them from doing their duty, and so they had no authority to deny them this. But their eyes popped out when they opened the cell door and Kala preceded Baudric into it.

"Right, well..." one said. Another nudged Baudric into the cell after her. The door was locked.

"I'll bring you some books," Kaus promised before giving his sister and their friend one last look, then he departed.

When Baudric made room for her on the cot, she accepted his small act of kindness with a weary smile. The adrenaline was wearing thin and the enormity of what had befallen their city-state and its royal family and, hence, the rest of them, was crashing down into her awareness.

"Oh, they will think I am an idealistic child or they will think I am currying favor with a citizen of the Imperium in case things go poorly for Kalzasi... I don't know. I don't care. You are my guest and my friend, so I will stay with you through this."

She smiled at what else he said, then tore another strip of silk from her dress to offer him to wipe the blood from his face. The dress was already ragged, but there were many layers between her and the cold, so she had fabric to spare.

"Knowing you has been a privilege and a pleasure for us as well," she assured him. Then he shifted into what she assumed was Kathalan, and she could only imagine that it was some sort of prayer from the tone of his voice and the posture he took. Taking her cue from him, she let her hands rest calmly in her lap, her posture still straight.

In Synskrit, she prayed, fingers running over a relic that hung from her wrist, "Lady Saedene, Mistress of Midnight Mourning, a noble soul has flown to Wraeden on this day. Mourn with me for Savien Praetus Novalys, thirteenth Shokaze of Kalzasi. The father of our nation is gone from us. Turn your face to him, and to those of us who remain behind."

What followed was an ancient litany for the dead. She didn't weep, but there was a hollowness to her voice, a fear for what the future held, but a dedication to do her part no matter what came.