"Did we complete the task earlier than before?!" Guinevere asked, panting, as she glanced at the last human village, now seized from the fairies.
Altria, charging forward with all her might, glanced back at her companion. For her, such relentless effort was routine for a knight, but for Guinevere, it was an exhausting endeavor. Despite this, Guinevere kept pace, her determination unwavering.
"Yes," Altria responded, genuinely touched by Guinevere's perseverance. "If you're tired, you should take a break."
"I'm not tired," Guinevere declared, instantly energized by Altria's concern.
Altria, unsure how to respond, watched her friend with a mixture of admiration and confusion. After a moment of contemplation, she asked, "By the way, what would you do if, one day, I suddenly turned into a woman?"
"Why are you thinking about something so strange? What girl have you ever seen with your appetite?" Guinevere exclaimed in surprise.
"But I haven't seen any man with such a big appetite either," Altria countered.
After a brief pause, Guinevere conceded, "Well, you do have a point."
"So, what's your answer?" Altria pressed, her tone curious.
Guinevere gave her a suspicious look. "Why does it seem like you're really concerned about this?"
Then, with a light-hearted shrug, she continued, "I don't know what I'd do. It's like asking if my father and you both fell into a river, who would I save first? But I think, neither Lott nor Her Majesty Morgan would let something like that happen."
Lott's influence had brought many changes to the people, sometimes posing philosophical dilemmas that even troubled Altria. She had encountered many who were fond of her, especially those who had benefited from Lott's efforts in the city of chalk, and these thoughts often weighed on her mind.
"True, Lott and Her Majesty Morgan wouldn't allow it," Altria agreed with a smile, though she couldn't shake her unease. Would Guinevere never suspect the truth? What would happen if she found out?
Altria felt a pang of worry but couldn't voice her thoughts. After all, Lott and Morgan were unaware of her true gender. She dared not reveal it.
Though both were fair-minded, being a knight was a different matter. Only her teacher, Merlin, knew the truth. Yet, the image of his enigmatic smile made her dismiss the idea of confiding in him. His unpredictability was as unreliable as saying she would only eat one loaf of bread at a meal.
Pushing her thoughts aside, Altria decided to focus on the immediate task. "We've arrived at the entrance to the fairy kingdom earlier than planned. Now we need to set up defenses to prevent the fairies from escaping," she instructed the soldiers.
"Yes, my lady," they responded promptly, setting up their positions.
Meanwhile, the Wind Clan fairies were retreating.
"What if the Tooth Clan manages to lead the other clans to victory over the humans?" the Wind Clan leader murmured anxiously as they moved away.
Despite her earlier confidence, uncertainty gnawed at her. What if they failed?
She turned to Melusine, voicing her concerns.
But Melusine, after a moment of reflection, answered calmly, "I don't believe they will win. At least, not the Tooth Clan."
"Why do you think so?" the Wind Clan leader inquired curiously.
"Because some fairies won't bow to others," Melusine replied candidly, thinking of Lott and his unwavering spirit. Even the reckless Tooth Clan wouldn't stand a chance. She suspected Lott's hand was behind everything that had transpired.
Sharing her thoughts with the Wind Clan leader, she saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"That's wonderful!" the leader exclaimed, her joy palpable.
Melusine, however, clenched her fist. How could the defeat and death of fellow fairies bring such happiness?
Suppressing her frustration, she reminded herself of her current situation. The Wind Clan had sheltered her, and she owed them. But the thought nagged at her: Would she face such issues if she were under Morgan or even the visor-wearing fairy?
No time to ponder. With a heavy heart, Melusine pushed forward.
As they neared the entrance to the fairy kingdom, the Wind Clan leader's face lit up.
"We're almost home! Soon, I'll rally our forces and strike back at the humans!"
Her excitement was abruptly cut off as Melusine raised her hand. "Don't celebrate just yet."
"What is it?" the Wind Clan leader asked, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice.
"Humans are ahead," Melusine warned.
And then, the sky erupted with a burst of light as Altria's forces appeared, their light beam blazing a path through the Wind Clan fairies.
Even Melusine hadn't anticipated such a bold move.
"Is there a problem with launching a full attack when the enemy is unprepared?" Altria murmured after unleashing the light beam, recalling the strategy Lott and Morgan had taught her.
In battle, surprise was key to victory. And so, her cannon blasted through the ranks of the Wind Clan fairies, scattering them like leaves.
The Sword of Promised Victory, now Excalibur, was not only a symbol of power but, in this era, a formidable weapon capable of devastating cities. As it blazed through the air, Melusine could only pull the Wind Clan leader aside, shielding her from the deadly beam. Many fairies, however, weren't so lucky, disintegrating in the blast.
"Damn it!" the Wind Clan leader cursed, pounding the ground in frustration. "These humans are infuriating!"
But Altria's forces didn't relent. As soon as the light beam ceased, archers drew their bows and rained arrows down on the scattered fairies.
The English longbowmen, renowned during the Anglo-French wars, were now armed with Scottish longbows, courtesy of Lott and Morgan's innovations.
The battle was far from over.