A golden glow was radiating from Sagitta's body as she stood guard by the campfire. Athos and Omri were peacefully resting inside the tent, and Sagitta had volunteered to keep watch so the two of them could catch up on their sleep. She was aware that her companions were completely exhausted after constantly leaping through the dense treetops of the forest.
"That should do… hopefully, not even monsters and animals would detect us here." A relieving sigh escapes from Sagitta's mouth as she finishes activating the last of the protective wards around the perimeter of the campsite. The golden glow around her body faded and she sat down on the grass to rest.
'If the Seditio were able to reach Parte in a short amount of time, they might be in Sequi already… We can't be careless once we reach the city.' Sagitta groans as she contemplates what would be their plan of action once they enter the Sequi.
As she stared at the flickering flames of the campfire in front of her, a bitter memory resurfaced from her thoughts. The embers reminded her of the Palace siege that took place almost a week ago. A scowl was etched on her face as she recalled the night when the Palace was being burned to the ground.
---
The sound of explosions echoed through the audience chamber of the palace. The walls and floor shook and dust and debris would fall from the ceiling as the tremors intensified. Emperor Lucis and Empress Florestella had barricaded the hall with a multitude of protective barriers as they bought time to regroup themselves and recover their stamina.
Eventually, the Emperor had decided to split their group into two, one group would stay with the monarchs and help deal with severing the Blackened Threads of Fate. While another group would need to escape the Palace grounds and rally up support from surviving Moira kin in the city.
The monarchs had advised their surviving subjects to pick a group, however, all of them had insisted to stay and serve them to the very end, even if it led to their demise.
Turris, however, thought differently.
"Wait! I'll go with you and their majesties!" Sagitta sat beside Turris, as she applied pressure on his left leg. It bled profusely from a deep arrow wound. She then grips Turris' arm as she begs him. "Your leg is still bleeding! You can't possibly keep up with Their majesties in that state!" She then started to initiate a high-level healing spell on Turris.
"It will be safer if we go together, I can't lea-"
Turris interrupts Sagitta's spell and cuts her off by wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. He then gently kissed her on her rosy lips.
"My dear, you must leave the palace and help rally up our fellow Moirais." He then held onto Sagitta's cheeks and caressed them gently. "I'll aid their majesties while you reach out for help…"
Teardrops soaked Sagitta's cheeks. "But you're injured! You can't possibly keep-"
"Sagitta!" Turris' voice had become stern, he then released Sagitta from his embrace and looked at her, his face was full of resolve. "I can bear the pain."
A gentle smile slowly formed on his face. "I'm also a doctor, so I know my body's limits." Turris took out a small vial of healing draft from his spatial inventory and poured it on his wound to stop the bleeding.
"Our people outside will also need a capable doctor like you… I'll stay and help their majesties while you help our kin beyond the Palace." Turris then removes his signet ring from his left index finger and places it on Sagitta's palm.
"This ring… has been engraved with the Insignia of the House of Monte. Should you need to cross the Ocean of Ius, show them the ring and they will allow your entry to Orto's territories." There was sorrow in Turris' olivine eyes as he gazed at the ring. "It's also been imbued by a special enchantment that allows you to send a sealed swift letter to my twin brother, Tuerri."
Turris stroked Sagitta's cheeks to soothe her. "Unfortunately, my brother never answered back to my letters ever since I left Orto… Still, I'll leave this with you, should you need to travel to the east." He then kissed Sagitta on the forehead. "I'll come and see you once all of this is over, I promise."
---
Sagitta had been staring at Turris' signet ring, she had taken it out from her spatial inventory. Whenever she would catch a glimpse of it, Sagitta would always be reminded of the final moments she shared with Turris. Her mood would turn gloomy as she would recall her husband's unkept promise.
"I guess that's the only thing you broke…" small beads of tears swelled from her eyes as she tried to hold back her emotions, she then took notice of the blue mana stone that was set on the ring.
"... Sending a sealed letter to Tuerri." Sagitta's brows furrowed and her face darkened as she remembered Turris' family.
~~
The House of Monte was the richest and the most influential family in the entirety of the Eastern Continent.
The Montes had expected their youngest heirs, Turris and Tuerri to become prolific diplomats of Orto. The twins were sent to Anima's Imperial Academy to learn Diplomacy, Economics, Arithmetic, Philosophy, History, Swordsmanship and Languages. Tuerri, the older twin flourished with his academics, but for Turris, he suffered as he was dispassionate about becoming a bureaucrat.
Instead, Turris had decided to delve into subjects that genuinely piqued his interests; Literature, Mana Research, Pharmacy, Botany, Alchemy and the Arts.
When the twins reached their second year at the Academy, Turris met Sagitta Cura by chance during Pharmacy class. Both of them had the same interests and would spend time together studying in the library, they were also passionate at performing experimentation in the Academy's laboratories.
Turris enjoyed Sagitta's companionship and would tag along with her every day. They would meet up during lunch or dinner to eat together. Every time the Academy held its seasonal promenade, Turris would always ask Sagitta to be his beau. Their constant interactions sprouted feelings of affection, this kept on for months. And four years later, just a month before their graduation from the Academy, Turris confessed his love to Sagitta.
Sagitta accepted Turris' sincere feelings with a happy heart and Turris started to woo Sagitta. Eventually, fellow students in the Academy noticed their skinship and rumours spread like wildfire. A wealthy Orto nobleman was pursuing a pharmacist from Anima.
Word of their courtship reached Orto and the news was not received well by the Montes. They had expected their twin heirs to return home, serve their country after graduation and be betrothed to the prominent noblewomen Orto. The Montes promptly arranged for the immediate return of the twins and their hastened summons did not sit well with Turris.
Eventually, a week after returning home, Turris went missing. The House of Monte scrambled to find him, they searched throughout the city for his whereabouts and on the 8th night, Tuerri received a swift letter from Turris.
To his shock and dismay, he found out that his twin brother opted to stay in Anima to further pursue Medicine and Pharmacy with Sagitta by his side. Turris didn't want to walk on the path laid out to him by his family and chose to leave instead.
Tuerri felt betrayed by his twin brother's actions and shut him out from his life.
The incident sparked bitter resentment towards Turris and Sagitta. In retaliation, the House of Monte disinherited Turris, they sealed their blood bonds with him and revoked his citizenship in Orto. Branding Turris as a commoner and leaving him stateless. The Cura family welcomed their daughter's suitor with open arms, eventually, Turris was granted citizenship in Anima. He then married into Sagitta's family, allowing him the use of the Cura name.
~~
"I only met Tuerri thrice in the past… all of them didn't end up warmly too." Sagitta groans and scratches her head as she contemplates whether to activate the ring's enchantment.
"But still… I think he needs to know at least… about what happened to his brother."
Sagitta activates the enchantment on the ring, the mana stone that was set on it radiated a cold, blue light. Gradually, the light materialized into a blank sheet of Mana, a small quill appeared shortly after.
"I should inform him first about Turris and what transpired in Anima… I hope Tuerri finally replies." She then wrote a lengthy letter explaining Turris' death and their current predicament. Eventually, she finished writing the letter an hour later.
"Please send this to Tuerri."
The sheet of mana slowly transformed into a blue falcon and flew away quietly into the night. Sagitta watches as the bird vanishes to the darkness.
"I guess it's time for me to rest as well…" Sagitta stands up and heads into her tent to sleep.
~~~~~
To be Continued.
~~~~~