"I didn't realize that the Lady of the Lake had a jealous side, honestly, it makes you a bit more endearing." Ulrich joked as he stood up from the stair he was sitting on. Excalibur seemed to be radiating a warm aura, however, the aura exuded was beginning to gather on the flat side of his blade, albeit a bit distorted and small.
"Don't be silly my dear. Since I cannot project a mortal body into thy world just yet, I thought I'd give thee a small kiss on that ear of yours. Those two young ladies sure are bold, to kiss a mighty king such as my beloved." Ulrich smiled at her words, but began to notice that her way of speaking had changed from their previous meeting, it seemed she was beginning to understand the difference in the way the two spoke. "The knight whom kissed you earlier should be thankful of yours truly." Viviane's voice was full of pride and it was painfully obvious she was seeking a compliment from Ulrich. Ulrich then remembered how Bryn had left earlier, taking note of her reactions before she decided to leave.
"Ah, I see, you were the reason Bryn left. You seem to have given her quite a scare, so I can't commend you on that. However, I do appreciate you thinking so highly of me Viviane. As for Maria, I don't think she'll believe me when I tell her that my sword was the reason Bryn left the two of us alone." Ulrich sat down on his throne again, while grabbing Excalibur and holding it flat with both of his hands. "You know, you didn't have to give me a cut on my ear. I'm sure there were many different ways for you to express such a gesture." Viviane didn't reply to Ulrich's words, which gave Ulrich his answer. "You know, it wouldn't hurt you to just admit that your jealous." Viviane made Excalibur emit a wave of magical energy that made Ulrich's hands numb. He let out a big laugh at her reaction. "So, are you going to tell me why you can speak to me like this?"
"I'm not sure if I feel like divulging that to thee, after thy jokes about my love." Viviane let out an audible huff, "Those little children could never match the amount of love I have for my beloved, so their attempts will be futile in the end, so I suppose I'll tell thee my secret." Though Ulrich couldn't see her, his mind imagined a young lady winking at him at the end of her sentence. "It has something to do with the seal that was broken. I only just realized, recently, that I was able to overhear some of my darling's conversations and, most importantly, I was able to hear thy rousing speech." For some reason, a smile began to emerge on Ulrich's face the longer Viviane spoke. Knowing that she heard his words brought him comfort, and even more comfort that she found it "rousing". "While I enjoy this ability and find it amazing, it does take a bit out of me. Our conversation now is pretty draining on your darling sweetheart's magical power." Viviane spoke in her usual flirty and playful manner.
"Well, there is a celebration taking place outside, and I think it would just be a shame if you weren't able to enjoy it with the man whom you consider your beloved. Oh, whatever will we do?" The teasing tone Ulrich spoke in wasn't one that very many people were privy to. Even Viviane knew that. The aura that was distorted earlier, began to take shape on his blade. The shape was a miniature Viviane, made up completely of the aura that Excalibur had been exuding. Viviane posed with her arms crossed, her head facing away from him, and with one foot tapping in place. Despite her haughty posing, and the fact she was made up of aura, Ulrich could tell that Viviane had a pleased smile on her face. Ulrich smiled and let out a sigh, "Since it drains your very small amount of magic energy, I'll allow you to siphon my magic so that you can accompany me around Camelot. How does that sound Viv?"
In Avalon, Viviane's face became beet red and her heart began to beat fast. A slight sense of embarrassment came over her, she thought that Ulrich would offer her his magical power to continue their conversation. However, what he proposed and the name he called her by, exceeded any kind of expectation that she may have had. If she had awoken to another wielder, would they have been so kind to her? Would they even have acknowledged her presence? The truth that lay deep inside of Viviane's heart, was that she had decided to act in such a manner when she first met him, because when she awoke with his magical energy, she was alone. All that she had, were distant memories of being the Lady of the Lake, memories that seemed as if they belonged to someone else entirely. However, despite awakening alone, she could feel the aura from her wielder, the one who had awakened her and granted a shape to her soul. It was warm and filled with passion and love.
She was still very young, though, so was her wielder. She was able to watch him become a great king who united Camelot and the many different races who called it home. She also observed the moments when his aura became cold and heavy, or like an uncontrollable flame that burned everything it touched. Each time this occurred, she would try and ease the aura, hoping that he would notice. She took note of how he treated Excalibur and, by extension, herself. Always seeking to complete the weapon, while also taking great care to make sure that it was cleaned and sharpened. She watched patiently, lending her power to him whenever he called for it. She felt their bond deepen the more he began to train and try to become one with his sword. For her, when they were in sync, like when they fought Aresh, it was as if they were entangled in a dance.
It was during that fight, that she decided to make her presence known. She had looked forward to meeting her wielder, the man she had admired since she awoke, the swordsman who didn't look at her as a tool or weapon. Instead, he viewed her as a piece of himself, an extension. She didn't want to be the Lady of the Lake, so she searched throughout her memories for a name, and found that she had been called Viviane at one time. That was the name she wanted to use to meet Ulrich. She acted in a flirty and playful manner around him, so as to entice him. She didn't want to be left alone, to be forgotten, or rejected by the man whom she admired so deeply. However, he treated her as a young lady, even after finding out she was a sword spirit. He didn't push her away or reject her. When she kissed him on the cheek after their first meeting, he didn't recoil.
Now, he was treating her as a treasured friend. He wanted her to accompany him to the celebration and he even shortened her name into a nickname. Viv, it was a simple nickname, but Viviane didn't care, because she knew that it only meant their bond had grown stronger. She was jealous of Brynhildr and Maria, because they could interact with Ulrich physically. When she cut his ear, it was simply to be able to have the same interaction as they did. She didn't expect him to tease her and to joke with her about her jealousy. She had made him laugh, something that she didn't see him do all that much since awakening. He even acknowledged her feelings towards him, she found such comfort in hearing him acknowledge that he knew she loved him. She didn't know if it was the bond between a swordsman and his sword, the bond between the Lady of the Lake and the Pendragon bloodline, or the bond between two friends.
However, right now, he was offering his own magical energy so that she may come with him to enjoy what he enjoyed and to see the people whom he loves. Right now, she didn't care about whatever bond they shared, Ulrich had made her feel like the bond between them was that of a woman and her beloved. She uncrossed her arms and turned directly at Ulrich with a big smile, "I think that sounds wonderful, my love! However, thou mustn't complain if it begins to bother thee, because I'll be sure to make thou feel much better after the celebration is over, my dear." Ulrich smiled, even though he was used to her flirty attitude, he didn't expect such a response from Viviane.
His cheeks slightly reddened just before her aura completely returned to the sword. He felt a strong bond with Viv, whatever it was, he felt that it was his duty to, at least, allow Viv a chance to see what is outside of the Garden of Avalon. She felt so strongly towards him that he didn't want to disappoint her, but there was also a strange feeling he had towards her as well. It was clear that she was important to him, however, he hadn't figured out in what way. For right now, he could only acknowledge her feelings. As soon as those thoughts crossed his mind, he felt a burning sensation on the back of his left hand.
He removed his glove and saw a strange, glowing rune branded onto his hand. The magic imbued within was blue, much like his aura. As he winced at the pain, he heard Viviane let out a small cry. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you alright?" He asked, while trying to use a healing miracle on his hand. However, it didn't work, much to his dismay. Maybe it was his lack of proficiency in miracles, or so he thought, until Viviane replied.
"Yes, I think so. Ow! That really hurt! I am a bit perplexed as to what kind of glowing sigil or alphabet has marked my fair skin?" Ulrich's eyes widened, he couldn't understand what had just happened. He further studied the rune, taking note that it looked like an X. It was unmistakably a rune as he could feel the magic radiating from it. It was most definitely a rune, however, one written on the skin? That was almost unheard of in this period of time. "Thy beloved has an X shape on her left hand, my dear. Did thou perhaps add a rune to Excalibur's blade?" She had the same marking as him? Whatever was happening, was definitely not normal. He checked Excalibur but found no traces of any new runes. Whatever was going on, it wasn't caused by either Viviane or himself.
"No, I didn't do anything Viv, but I have the same mark on my left hand. It seems to be some sort of rune." Ulrich clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Sadly, I only know the fairy runes, so if this is indeed a rune, it may be of Valkyrian origin. Use my magic and stay connected, I'm going to try and see if one of the valkyries may have an explanation." Ulrich put his glove back on, stood, and strapped Excalibur to his belt. He noticed that his magical energy wasn't feeling weakened, in fact, it was quite the opposite, it felt as if his magical energy was increasing rapidly, in potency and amount. He decided to ignore it and began to walk outside. The smell of cooking meat and an aroma of herbs, alcohol, and something sweet, quickly filled his nose as he made his way out of the door.
The city was well lit and as lively as ever. He knew that the whole city was celebrating this night, whether it be in the streets, halls, taverns, or in homes. He noticed that people of all races, were all gathered together in harmony and happiness. It brought a feeling of happiness to Ulrich's heart, his dream of uniting the races had finally taken it's first steps. People soon began to notice King Ulrich walking through the city, all stopped and offered their own words to him. Some were of thanks, some admiring his speech, and some were even offering their services to the cause. The words brought a smile to Ulrich's face. Ulrich then noticed that it wasn't just the citizens of Camelot celebrating, as even the soldiers and guards of Camelot seemed to be taking a break from their usual routines. Normally, this would be considered careless, especially because of the threats of spies and assassins. However, Ulrich wasn't worried, as he noticed the many different valkyries patrolling the city.
While Bryn would be a good person to speak to about his dilemma, he thought that she may not have much knowledge on runes. Ulrich decided that Hilda was the one he should seek out for information, since she was one of the few that had the ability to use runes. "My dear, why must thou seek out the valkyrie's help with this rune?" Viviane had been quiet since they left the throne room. Ever since they left, she had been observing the surroundings and people of Camelot. The strain she felt while previously interacting with Ulrich had disappeared, even with her using Ulrich's magic to sustain the connection, she should have felt some kind of strain. Since she was enjoying seeing Camelot, she hadn't noticed until she began to actively focus on it.
"There are two sets of runes, they add up to twenty-four. Twelve belong to the fairy race, they are mainly support runes and have no real offensive capabilities. The other twelve that belong to the land of Valkyria, well they are used for offensive maneuvers. They offer different uses depending on the rune used, the best way to explain would be, fairy runes can magically enhance clothing, making it like armor. While the Valkyria runes can add flames to a sword or, if a rune is drawn on a rock, can be thrown and turn into a high class fire spell." Ulrich looked at his hand and made note of the design. It definitely wasn't of fairy origin. Also, why would one suddenly appear on both Viviane and his own hand?
Runes must be written and imbued with special magic. Rune masters like himself and Laura, were few and were considered very rare. Ulrich was able to master the use of fairy runes completely, which was unheard of outside of the Fairy Forest. Even in the Fairy Forest, being able to use a few runes was considered talented, that being the case with Alicia, who Ulrich taught rune mastery to. However, as of now, she was only capable of using a handful of them. Ulrich and Laura were considered prodigies, as they could fully control and use all twelve runes. Valkyria citizens had a higher rate of users, since they were similar in function to regular spells. They were used for combat rather than support. "I see, thou believes this rune belongs to the Valkyries. Well, I suppose it is worth the trouble of finding out, though I do find it to be special, considering we both have the same one." Her voice became soft as she finished her sentence. Ulrich shook his head, he wanted to make sure that it had no ill side effects.
After wandering past the inner gate, he finally saw Hilda, who was making her way towards him. She seemed surprised at his appearance, before she smiled and quickly made her way to him. "King Ulrich, while we have been sent to assist you, our Lady Freyja, also asked us to gift these to you upon our arrival. I was just making my way to your throne room to offer it to you, but since you are here now, please, tell me what you think of it." Hilda had a commanding presence, much like Artorius, however, much like him, she had a parental nature about her. Hilda bowed while stretching out her arms, in her hands was a box. Ulrich quickly took the box and smiled.
"I appreciate your Lady's gift, I'm sure it will be great. However, I must ask you about a certain matter." Hilda stood up and tilted her head at Ulrich's words. "Well, I have a question about your runes. I have come across a certain rune and I was wondering if you had any knowledge of it?" After Ulrich's question, Hilda smiled and let out a laugh.
"Why don't you open up that box King Ulrich? I'm sure that will be of great help with your question." Ulrich quickly unlatched the box and opened it, in it he saw a scroll, along with eleven smooth stones with runes written on them. He placed the box underneath his arm and opened the scroll, on the scroll were instructions and illustrations for the twelve runes of Valkyria. Ulrich's eyes brightened, finally, he thought that this would answer his question. His mind quickly began racing, not only would he now have his answer, but he was also entrusted with the knowledge of the runes of Valkyria. The complete set of twenty-four runes were now at his disposal. He grew excited to test out the new runes, as the knowledge and ability to use the Valkyria runes were considered a treasure by many. He then noticed a special note written at the bottom of the scroll, it was concerning the use of all twenty-four runes in an array and the effects of it. He decided to save that for a later time, his focus was on the rune on his hand.
"This, well, I must say that this gift is truly invaluable. I wouldn't have imagined that goddess Freyja would allow me to study and use these runes. Thank you Hilda, for delivering this to me. I will be sure to repay this gift to you all." Hilda could see the look of excitement on Ulrich's face, it was the same look that Brynhildr made when Hilda would teach her. The memory brought a smile to her face.
"I appreciate that King Ulrich, for now, don't worry about repaying anything. Simply being able to enjoy this celebration with your people is enough for now. However, if you truly wish to repay us, then I will come and make a request of you at a later date. For now, I am sure that you will want to examine the gift we have given you. So, I will bid you farewell." Before Ulrich had the chance to respond, Hilda quickly spread her wings and flew into the sky. Ulrich looked down at the scroll, put it into the box, and decided to look through it. He made his way onto a nearby rooftop, there he laid out the contents of the box while tuning out the noises from the city. He further studied the scroll and soon found the answer he was searching for.
"Well, has my darling found the answer to our dilemma." Ulrich unsheathed Excalibur and laid it on the ground in front of him. Suddenly, Viviane once again appeared on the flat side of the blade as a magical projection. She then noticed the smile on Ulrich's face. She looked down at the page and noticed the marking that matched the one on her hand.
"Yes, the incantation is Gewa, Gebo, Gifu or Giba, the meaning of the rune is, the act of unity or the bond between one and all things. It is one of the few runes that has no reverse, making it incapable of being erased or used as a curse. In fact, in most cases, people cannot use such a rune. A bond must be in place in order for the rune to even be created. The study of it shows, that as long as the rune is active, the strength of the user and whatever the user is bonded to, will act as one. If I were to write this onto a tree, I would be able to use it as a druid does, though it will be far more limited. I'm guessing, the case with us, is that it showed up on our hands because of how I use you in battle. We act as one, connected, as if by a string."
"But thou had no knowledge of this rune. How did it suddenly appear on our hands? I mean, thy explanation makes sense, ever since thou walked out into the city, I have been able to share the sensations that thou has felt. I just remain puzzled as to why it appeared." Ulrich didn't look away from the scroll, he continued to study the rune and it's findings.
"Apparently, it isn't a rune that is used all that much. When bonded between two people, if one is injured, it will appear on the other who is bonded. Double strength, but also the risk of getting both bonded people killed increases. Not a lot is entirely known about it, however, it has been written that sometimes, people who are attuned with runes can sometimes manifest this rune randomly. I'm guessing, when we stop sharing magic, or when you cut off your connection, the rune will disappear from both of our hands, until we become connected again. I'll have to do more studying on this matter, however, we have a slight answer to our question. So, I hope that you don't mind when I begin practicing it's different uses with Excalibur." Ulrich smiled at Viv, who blushed but quickly returned the smile.
"Well, as long as I can be of use to my dearest beloved, I shan't complain. I got to see a lot of the city today. The city that you have maintained is truly marvelous, as are its people." Viviane began to remember the many different sights she had seen and even the smells that she experienced. She didn't know why she was able to sense, smell, or see as clearly as she did, but she figured it may have something to do with the rune. She then began to wonder about the negative effects of the rune. "Ulrich, I believe it is best if I cut off the connection now, we still do not fully comprehend the rune, so I believe that we should be cautious. Don't be saddened, as I will make sure to keep the promise I made thee earlier, for now, I think thou should enjoy the celebration with thy subjects. Maybe, thou can find the other maidens and explain thy situation to them." Ulrich was surprised at Viviane's sudden desire to depart, but simply smiled and decided to not ask about it.
"I am glad that you got to enjoy the city, as for your fears, well I don't think that's such a bad idea. However, what situation am I supposed to explain to them?" Ulrich began to roll up the scroll and began to store the contents back into the box. He noticed that Viviane's aura had fully returned to Excalibur as she spoke her final words to him.
"That thou is my beloved and belongs to me." Ulrich let out a small laugh and sheathed Excalibur. He took a deep breath and thought about all that had transpired. This celebration will likely be the last for a very long time. He knew that both Bryn and Maria would act as if everything were normal, though he knew that, at least Bryn, would be a bit embarrassed. He began to traverse the rooftops, looking for everyone on the Council. Nina and Laura were celebrating with the dryads and fairies. Artorius, Richard, and Barric were spending the celebration among the valkyries, Barric for his duties, the other two seemed to be smitten with certain members. Aurelius and Savaris were discussing magic with their respective units, albeit drunkenly. Gerald was celebrating with his family in his home, Boudica could be seen in the yard of their home, practicing her techniques with her spear. Robert and Leanna were seen in a tavern engaging in a drinking contest. Ulrich then returned to his castle as he saw everyone he wished to see.
He slowly crept through the castle, making his way to the garden to confirm a suspicion of his. In the garden were Alicia, Maria, and Brynhildr, all conversing and drinking tea. With things being tense earlier, and knowing his sister, he half expected them to be arguing amongst themselves, or sparring. However, what he saw actually made him happier. Alicia may not have had the best relationship with Bryn, however, they were both princesses of their kingdoms. Maria was knight from birth, so her guarding and conversing with the two made sense in his mind. It seemed the previous hostilities were all gone and Ulrich had nothing left to be worried about. Ulrich then froze in place, he was able to move his head slightly to see his sister's shadow grabbing onto his.
She knew he was there, even if the other two didn't. She let out a small smile towards her brother, making a motion to go with her finger. Apparently, his sister decided to solve his problems for him. Ulrich made a mental note, knowing that she hated having to be an ambassador of goodwill between people for him all the time. He felt that he had to take some time out of his duties to spend with her, now that she did this for him. He snuck through the walkways of the garden to his room without being noticed. He sat on his bed and let out a deep sigh. He removed his glove and saw that the rune was no longer glowing blue, instead, it looked like a simple brand on his hand. He placed the box on a nearby table and decided that it was time for a rest. It was going to be the last sound sleep he would be getting in a while, knowing that next on his plate, was making the Federation kneel before Camelot. Ulrich smiled, he was very much looking forward to hearing about Nina's exploits on her mission, as he was the only one who knew what she was truly capable of.
A man with multiple reports was sneaking outside of the gates of Camelot. He made it past the guards and was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh, well look what we have here? It seems a rat managed to avoid those birds' gaze." The man looked behind and saw a visible green aura in the blackness of the night. He turned and began to make his way to a nearby stable. As he reached the stable, vines and weeds began to grow and cover all entrances to the building. An arrow then pierced the man's shoulder with such force that he slammed into the wall of the building, dropping the reports he carried.
The figure walked up and picked up the reports. "Seems like someone was spying on my little cousin. The only question is who, Federation? Holy Empire?" Another arrow then hit the other man's shoulder causing him to yell, before having vines cover his mouth completely. "Shhh, you're screams will ruin the party happening on the other side of the walls." Nina let out chilling laugh. "Cousin Ulrich will be upset if I torture you to death, so be happy with that knowledge." The vines then slowly receded. The man's clamored breathing began to slow down, before an arrow then hit his heart. An amulet then fell to the ground, depicting a red cross in the middle. "Empire huh, well, that sucks. I coulda used your body if you were Federation." She then covered her mouth with one hand. "Whoa, I've been hanging around Leanna to much, her accent is gettin' to me."