The Red Glaive

“He’s not at the shrine.” Niko’s voice came from the grey lynx.

Caius frowned.

The parade had long since been over and Aeria had yet to appear. They had returned to Adelaide’s mansion but didn’t find her there. Caius sent Telfer to the caverns to search for her and Niko to the shrine but neither had had any luck.

“Try the Oasis.” Adelaide said just as her other sister, and her husband arrived.

Aget, she must’ve come from the parade, though Caius couldn’t remember seeing her. She looked vaguely like Adelaide, where Adelaide was voluptuous, Aget was slender. Aget’s hair was darker than Adelaide’s light brown, almost blonde hair. Where Adelaide had hazel eyes, Aget had brown.

“Sister!” Adelaide called as she, her husband and their small escorts walked through the gates.

“Adel! It’s been so long!” Aget said after racing up to hug her sister. Caius glanced at Videl and nodded and they both turned to leave for the Oasis. “It’s been so long. . .”

“It sure has, I’ve much to tell you.”

“As do I. . .” She trailed off giving Caius and Videl a passing glance. “Videl?” The ginger froze as if being caught doing something nefarious. Aget marched up to them. “Videl?” She asked one final time before hugging him. “But you’re so tall.”

Videl smiled. “It’s been a while, my lady.”

“My lady? Since when have you called me that!” Aget said with a laugh.

“I’m a knight now and that’s what’s appropriate” Videl said stepping back as Aget reached up to tussle his red hair. “Stop that!”

“Well I’m not calling you Ser.”

“He takes his duty very duty very seriously,” Adelaide said coming up to the pair. “he’s no fun at all.”

“You have to tell me how you two found each other again.”

“I have somewhere I have to be...” Videl said glancing at Caius. He was duty bound to protect Aeria, now she was missing.

“Nonsense, Caius can go to Oasis without you. Come on in, I’ll have Fides prepare us a platter. You can find the Oasis on your own?” Adelaide asked.

Videl stared at Caius with a frown and a look that screamed out save me. Those two would talk circles around him. “I know exactly where it is.” Caius said with a smile and Videl slumped his shoulders resigned to his fate.

The Oasis wasn’t hard to find at all. It jutted out of the Ivory Bastion like an ugly wart. A tall log wall enclosed the space next to prestige white walls of the castle. Green foliage poked out of the top. Caius walked in through the space between the logs. It had no gate.

Once inside the light of the setting sun was drowned out by the tree canopy making it look almost like night inside.

“They said it’s supposed to glow,” a pair of women was saying. They wore expensive dresses, and gemstones in their hair. “Most beautiful sight in all the territories, they said, what a bunch a hogwash for a silly pond of water.” They walked past Caius without giving him a second glance.

Once they were gone, a silence filled the oasis. The trees were dark, and none of the light or sound from outside penetrated though. There was an eeriness to it all, like the feeling of being watched and Caius found himself hastening his steps.

He followed the path till he found the pool. It’s waters were dark. Caius swore he could see shadows moving within.

A priest silently prayed at its edge. Off to the side, sitting on a rock with her knees to her chest, was Aeria.

Caius took a seat next to her. She inspected a gold bracelet that she held in her hand. “You missed the end of the parade.” Caius said. It had just been the Glacies Lord, though he did hand out strange cool to the touch crystals. Caius and Telfer managed to catch one.

Silently, she handed the bracelet to Caius. “Know what this is for?” She said her voice monotonous.

It was made of gold, with diamonds and birds engraved on the side. The Talbain sigil. They had just seen it on the parade. “Looks like some lord lost something expensive.” Caius said handing it back. “You should sell it.”

“I don’t think that’s what it’s for.” Aeria said her brows furrowing as she thought. She looked troubled. It made Caius stomach churn to see her this way. Always, she had made him feel better when he wasn’t feeling his best. Not Niko, or Telfer, could pry into his moods. Just her.

He needed to do the same for her.

What, or who, had she seen to cause her to vanish that way? Caius too had seen someone he would much rather not see ever again.

“Was the man you ran away from down there?” Caius asked feeling a knot in his throat. Aeria had never told him his name, didn’t give him details only that he had hurt her. It probably for the best, Caius would hunt him down if he knew.

“No not him.” Aeria said, her eyes still fixed on the gold bracelet.

“Ah, so it’s your other man. “ This made her gaze snap to him. Was that a blush forming on her cheeks. How could this stranger garner such a reaction? “Adelaide screamed it out the window, everyone within that district knows.”

Aeria groaned and hid her face in hands before nodding.

“What’d he do to make you leave?” Caius said sounding more eager than he wanted to. Perhaps, if it was something she didn’t like, he could use it to drive a wedge between them.

Stop it. Set’s voice came in his ears. The red fox emerged from the bushes and sat next to Aeria. She didn’t seem to see him.

“I realized that I’m too low born.” She said barely above a whisper.

“But you’re a Baron’s daughter.” Caius found himself saying.

“Even amongst Barons there are different social tiers. Pap-, my father is a made Baron, he wasn’t born one. Made or not, I still don’t think Baron is a high enough title. . .”

“Huh.” Caius said sitting back. She sounding all but defeated.

“What.”

“It sounds like you’re giving up.” she didn’t respond, but her face was telling. “Does this person feel the same way about you than you do of him?”

“I,” she hesitated, her face flushing. “I think so.”

“Then?” Caius said with a shrug. “You take your man, and tell him that if he doesn’t like your title he can shove off.” What was he doing? Divide, divide, divide! He wanted to drive that wedge, but he couldn’t stand to see her so defeated. He would make her feel better, even if he shut and locked the door to himself. “Or tell him that titles mean nothing because what you feel for them is the only thing that matters. You hold them and never let them go. . .” because it’s what I would do for you. He almost said it. Almost.

The doubt in Aeria’s eyes had faded, before she sighed and it returned again. “It’s not that simple.”

“Simple?” Caius said. “Simple is living your life in the shrine, safe. You know what’s not simple? Making your way, on your own, all the way to Duowell, then living there on your now on the streets, as a woman no less! Simple isn’t convincing one of the hardest headed glaives to recruit her, the only female recruit ever! Simple isn’t fooling some of the most magically adept people in all the kingdom with a glamour spell! Aeria, you don’t live your life simply, since I’ve known you, you’ve chosen the hardest path.”

Aeria remained silent for a long time. Pensive. Before she said, “Alright.” she stood. “Alright.” Caius smiled standing next to her. There she was, strong and resolute. The woman he had grown to care about above all else. “I have to, at the very least, talk to him. What ever comes after that will come either way. First, we need to figure out what this is for!” he held the bracelet in her hand.

“I told you to be honest, not drive her away.” Set said.

Caius ignored him and instead said: “I bet your sisters will know.”