Melody of War 4

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!~♪ You’re like a little ball with a head Link~ ♪”

“Shut up Melody! I swear Elliot, I’m going to kill you when I get out of this.”

“How is it that I ended up having to carry her again?”

Elliot did not mean to offend but the scene that unfolded as they prepared for travel amused him to no end and he could not contain his laughter. Laying on the ground Chain had despite her protests indeed had ended up swaddled like an infant before having her knees pressed to her chest and being even more secured in a manner resembling a ball as Melody had claimed. Varen had a disgruntled look on his face with a fair amount of worry mixed in as he prepared the unique sling that Chain would soon occupy and be hung from his back in. Wiping the tears from his eyes Elliot attempted to calm the riled chaimmail clad maid.

“We should just be glad that we have our nap slings. Had you not insisted on our retreat Chain at Melody’s mention of a Hero you would not have a reasonable means to sleep while the rest of us travel during the day.”

“I still want to know why I have to carry her.”

“At least you’re not the one being shoved in a sack. I feel like I’m being abducted here.”

“It’s nothing so serious Chain. The Lumirest army has used these slings in countless campaigns rotating between soldiers sleeping on their comrades backs to carrying our supplies and their fellow soldiers and back again to allow for marching without rest. As we are not afforded such luxury with the size of our current group I ask that you bear with us by being the only one sleeping during the day and not make Varen’s troubles in carrying you more than they need be.”

“As long as he doesn’t do anything creepy the only person I have a reason to be angry with is you.”

“What do you mean by creepy.”

“You think I haven’t noticed the way that you’ve been looking at me since we left the city.”

“You may be pretty but don’t get too full of yourself, I was simply studying your chainmail since I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Well that’s disappointing. How can I mess with you if you won’t even give in to your base instincts?”

“I don’t see how that can be entertaining Chain. It’s one of the reasons I prefer wearing a uniform and wonder how you and your harpy can possibly be comfortable on full display like that.”

Straining to look back from where she lay in a ball on the ground Chain could not help but smile at Mail’s discomfort.

“Honestly, I haven’t really dressed conservatively since I was a girl of only seven springs so I can’t relate with your discomfort. On the other hand the reactions most people outside of this lumbering idiot have always been entertaining.”

“Honestly you’re absolutely the worst. I think at this point it’ll be better for everyone having you out of sight.”

“Hey watch we’re you’re touching you idiot!”

“Don’t think I’m going to fall for that after hearing what you had to say.”

Fully fed up with Chain, Varen unceremoniously worked the bundled up maid into the nap sling and buttoned down the flaps around her despite her struggles. Demonstrating his own strength with Chain put away Varen lifted her with one arm and secured the sling to his back making sure all of the straps were adjusted properly so Chain would be minimally harmed by the position she was dangling in. Satisfied with his work Varen Lifted up his travel pack and secured it on his back next to Chain.

“With that done we shouldn’t waste anymore time here. We’re for the Vanished Sea are we not Lord Elliot.”

“Of course. Lead on Varen.”

With Elliot’s permission Varen led the group out from where the group had set up camp and back to the jagged grasslands below the teeth of the mountains. As they put their campsite well behind them and Chain seemingly having settled in within the sling on Varen’s back the trip seemed as though it would be uneventful. Melody however remembered something and skipped over to Elliot and fell in stride beside him as she posed a question.

“I just remembered Elliot, you said you were going to fill me in while we ate but I don’t remember you doing so~♪ I didn’t get too absorbed in breakfast did I? ~♪ Though that horned wolf was so good, I could have eaten the whole thing by myself!~♪”

“Honestly, where would you have put it?”

Elliot burst out in laughter again as Varen looked back and questioned Melody’s appetite in comparison to her size. Not wanting to leave Melody’s concerns unaddressed however the Hero calmed himself and posed her a question of his own.

“The beast was surprisingly flavorful I admit, but I should delay no longer in providing you the answers to your questions. So tell me Melody, where would you like me to begin.”

“Hmmm…”

Melody tilted her head in thought for a moment as she looked up at the blue sky overhead and the great bird of light that served as the sun under the boughs of the tree that covered the sky. Noting the time of day Melody settled on a question and brought her gaze back down to Elliot.

“Well, we’re heading east right?~ ♪ I thought you were heading to Raptoria which is to the north isn’t it?~ ♪”

“That it is. Initially I should have been on a Junk Bird airship this morning and arriving in Aperture, capital of Brightrift, by nightfall.”

“Then why are we heading east? And what’s this about a vanished sea?”

“The Vanished Sea actually. It’s were Raptoria found and claimed a Tear of Automina as their own and where his Majesty, King Talon Raptorius currently resides. Further, it is where the Stormroot Mountains end and the Northern Kingdoms meet the Eastern Kingdoms. As my mission required me making for Raptoria for negotiating an alliance that will hopefully stave off what is looking like an imminent invasion of Lumirest by the Elkhaust Empire, meeting King Talon rather than his son Prince Welkin should serve to reach that goal regardless.”

“Won’t you get in trouble for not going where you’re supposed to? I know Link and I would~♪”

“On the contrary harpy.”

Melody looked away from Elliot and further ahead to were Wherks and Mail made up the center of their group as the Rattama made himself a part of the Hero and the harpy’s conversation.

“There are a great deal of politics at play right now and I am rather much at the heart of them.”

“Really?”

“Quite. As I told you once before I am one of the most renowned Rattama Song Smith in all of the Five Great Theatres of Civilization and that makes me rather important.”

“Quite important Master Wherks. It is after all why our whole trip has been fraught with quite a deal of trouble. Just getting you onto the Brass Line from Illumn could have been disastrous for Relations between Lumirest and the Empire of Light.”

“Is that not one of the reasons for Lady Mail accompanying us?”

“Huh? She’s not from Lumirest? Then why is she dressed like a soldier from there?”

“It would seem you’ve said too much Master Wherks.”

“Well…”

Caught having revealed a secret he was not meant to Wherks adjusted his spectacles and looked away from the group. Knowing she wasn’t likely going to get anymore answers out of the Rattama Melody turned her attention back to Elliot.

“So why is she wearing the uniform of your soldiers if she’s not from Lumirest?”

“As Master Wherks said, it is all heavily political. But to keep matters simple it is to hide her identity and keep any unwanted attention off of her.”

“Some good that did. Our assassin last night nearly offed her regardless of whether or not they knew her identity.”

Chain’s voice rising up from the sling on Varen’s back drew the whole attention of the group. Elliot was perhaps the least surprised and sighed as he commented on Chain’s involvement in the conversation.

“I believe you were supposed to be sleeping Chain.”

“I can’t help it if you’re talking about something so obviously distracting. Besides, dressing her up in your uniforms will only work on anyone who doesn’t know about the Concubine Heir’s of the Empire of Light. To everyone else her violet eyes are a dead give away to her relationship with the Holy Emperor of Light.”

“That number should not be as great as you make it out to be Chain, though I will admit to being surprised that you know about them.”

“Um, what’s a Concubine Heir?”

“They are legitimate illegitimate heirs to the throne of the Empire of Light and a powerful bargaining tool that has allowed peace to reign for many generations. Though their existence is typically kept secret from the masses their role within the Central Kingdoms is invaluable.”

“A fact I’ve only learned recently myself Master Elliot.”

Melody had noted that Mail was especially quiet up to this point but as the conversation leaned in the direction of the Concubine Heirs of the Empire of Light the maid found her voice. Looking back at where Elliot and Melody brought up the rear she shared her own experience on the Concubine Heirs.

“When you say our existence is kept secret from the masses that is an understatement. Our existence is kept secret even from ourselves so you can only imagine my surprise when imperial messengers came for me while I was on my appointed route.”

“Appointed route?”

“I was living the life as a member of the Central Kingdom Parcel Agency before I was elected to become part of a rather massive political engagement between The Kingdoms of Light of the Northern, Central, and Eastern Kingdoms. The worst part is that I’ll never be able to return to my old life and due to the dangers of parcel delivery no one will think twice about my disappearance. It’s honestly disheartening to think I’ll never see any of my friends again or the kind people in the cities and towns I visited along my route.”

“You have naught but my sincerest apologies Mail. It was never my intention to bring you such harm.”

“Harm you say. I think the both of you are taking this out of perspective Sir Elliot. As long as she arrives safely in Raptoria she will be wed to a noble of respectable standing and will have a life of comfort wanting for nothing.”

“Except the sky overhead and the road underfoot.”

Wherks’ attempts to highlight the benefits of the life that awaited Mail did not seem to take into consideration the freedom the Maid brought up she would be losing. Wherks found her phrasing underwhelming however and provided a prompt counter.

“Both greatly overrated in my opinion. Look where travel and adventure have landed us right now; the middle of nowhere. The security of a life of comfort, and the level the potential mother of the next Holy Emperor of Light will be afforded is nothing to turn your nose up to.”

“It sounds to me like she has adventure lust~♪”

Melody was not oblivious to the pain Mail was faced with but offered the maid a smile as she attempted to both acknowledge her feelings and cheer her up. Mail looked with honest surprise at the harpy who was the last member of their group she expected to understand her plight. Realizing she did though Mail offered Melody a smile of her own drawing an even wider one out of the harpy. Melody’s smile did not persist for long however as her thoughts drifted to the group on a whole.

“But honestly, you’re all pretty amazing people~♪ I would have never expected to ever travel with such a group when Link and I set out on our own~♪ Though I guess Varen isn’t very important compared to everyone else.”

“Honestly? Thanks a lot.”

Exasperation dripped from Varen’s voice and Melody could not help but laugh in response. Despite his exasperation Varen did allow himself a smile that none could see as he did not turn around to face the group as he complained. Keeping his eyes on the road ahead of the group he offered them some advice instead of choosing to take place in the conversation.

“Still the nice thing about not being anyone important is that I don’t have anything interesting to say to keep our friend here awake. In other words if we’d like to get some sleep ourselves tonight I recommend you find something more boring to talk about until we settle in for the night so she can get some sleep.”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater