Read The Etiquette of War :: Chapter IV- Fighting Spirit

The Etiquette of War

Chapter IV

Glory to the beholder of the sacred rite. Bellowed in the reigns, grandeur of new heights. Hold thee on high, on this golden pedestal. A new idol begotten, so sombre and incredible. Wake thee to no mither, meek as a lamb. Heart of the creator and tender in hand.

My hair was pinned back with a new comb, today that of the yellow rose and only a bit of tinge to the bridge of my nose. Yvette didn’t bring up Aymeric further and instead, helped me dress before following me down for breakfast. There I saw Alois eating a bit of toast and jam.

“Don’t have a heavy breakfast Alois. We’re going out to the garden. I want to show you something.” I said, tossing an orange over my shoulder to Yvette who was already starting to peel it.

“You’re not sitting down for breakfast?” Alois asked as he shuffled to get up. Yvetter passed me a slice of orange to eat wordlessly.

“No. It’s best to have a light stomach.”

Alois looked uncertain, but stuffed his mouth with the remainder of his toast.

“Manners Alois.”

“Don’t scold me on manners, sister, when you’re eating from your maid’s hand.” He said, trotting out the back doors that were intricately decorated with windows to allow a clear view of the garden.

“Touche. Since when did he gain such cheekiness?” I said as I took another piece of orange and followed the boy outside.

“He’s about that age, I think.”

“Shame he couldn’t share it at the academy.”

“Nothing you can’t teach, yes?”

“Very true.”

It was a sunny day with a bit of clouds overhead. The weather has been mild as of yet so we didn't need heavy fabrics. This also gave us room to practice in more comfortable weather. It also kept the flowers vibrants; roses are very delicate to harsher temperatures.

Alois stepped out to the grass, going to pluck one of the roses, careful of the thorns.

“Alois, you wanted to know what you’re to do as head of the house. I’m going to show you.” I said, as I got the boy’s attention. “Come look.”

I sat out on the grass with my legs folded beneath me. Reaching over, I held my hand just above grown level, a blue light emanating from beneath my palm. When I moved my hand away, little wild flowers took its place. Alois had crouched down in front of me to watch closely and gasped at seeing the light.

“Magic?!”

“That’s right. Magic.”

“But . . . It’s forbidden.”

The Church of the Immaculate Light forbids the use of magic that’s not divine. Any magic not provided by the Radiant Light was seen as black magic. While true, some magic, blue magic, is used by knights, often described as Aura instead of magic.

“Not this kind. This is called Aura. It comes from a source of mana, true and natural to yourself. It can’t create miracles like magic, but it can enhance natural states. Every living thing has a life force called mana and this mana can be nurtured to be strong, allowing you to do things like lift a boulder or prevent you from getting sick. It can't make the skies rain or cure the sick like divine magic can.”

Alois looked mesmerized. “But you created flowers.”

“No, I put a little bit of mana into the ground and it nourished the land to cause the grass to grow.”

He was clearly speechless so I continued.

“Alois, our people are slowly starving. Our fields have lost their sustainability. But if we nourish those fields with mana -”

“-We can grow them food!” Alois completed my sentence in excitement. “I can do that?! I can feed our people. I-I . . . I can help them like a leader.”

I give a nod. “Precisely.”

“How do I do that? The mana thing.” He wiggled his finger at me and then the ground.

“You breath-”

“I breathe?”

“-Yes, you breathe and draw mana into your body;into your core.”

He looked down at his stomach. “I suppose that’s why you said a light lunch.”

“Yes. Doing it for the first time can make you queasy.”

He brushed off the idea however. “What do I do then?”

“You concentrate on a point and what you want to do. Controlling and executing the use of mana is all about controlling and utilizing your body and mind.” It was much more complicated than a child could really understand, but Alois didn’t seem perturbed by it nor did he question me. At his age, my father had told me about mana. I spent that summer and many years after practicing until I was able to sprout a singular rose.

Alois sat there staring at the ground for a long time. In the meantime, I ate my orange piece by piece. I didn’t like sour white lining so I always enjoyed Yvette peeling it for me.

Alois held his hand out. In an instant, blue light erupted from his hand, and Yvette and I were suddenly overcome and surrounded in a field of wildflowers.

I dropped my orange.

“I did it!” Alois jumped on his feet before he promptly crumbled onto the ground unconscious.

Yvette and I stared at each other wide eyed. This time it was us who were speechless, but it was Yvette who broke the silence.

“ . . . Didn’t it take you three years to sprout a fl-”

“Oh, shut up Yvette.”

The battle of wit is no milder than the clashing of swords. The harrowing malice is that of bloodshed even in words. Sworn to battle, a knight's honor abound, beholden in courtesy. Fell not to trivials, no cowardice, simply mercy. Tread deeply, the ghoulish still crave and haunt. A purse of nihil to be given at the behest of the debutante.

Mana exhaustion can be rough to overcome, but only if you have enough mana that’s used to circulating through your body. Alois has no such things, but at the expulsion of almost all his mana, his body was overcome with shock and he lost consciousness. Despite a bit of exhaustion, he was relatively fine. After waking up from his impressive feat, he was ready to scour the estate and revitalize the lands regardless of his condition. It was admirable, but unnecessary. His lesson of mana was not so he could complete the job himself, but understand it so someone else can tend to it; directions - like a leader. Once he understood this and with his expressed hope, I went about establishing his order while he rested.

I gathered our soldiers in the courtyard of our barracks, still wearing my lovely day dress.

“Is this necessary?” Yvette asked as she passed me my rapier’s scabbard. “Do you want to change shoes?”

“I don’t know if that is even necessary yet.”

Yvette nodded. She didn’t argue. Instead, she gave a light courtesy to be excused before I turned back to the men that were gathering.

Soldiers weren’t knights. They were villagers, young men who chose to enlist as a part of our estate’s standing army in exchange for accommodations and coin. While they simply trained during peace times, there’s no telling how they fair in swordsmanship.

“Hurry up. Armor and all. Show some respect to our fair lady.” General Dante Antonio; another wolf.

With our father’s passing and our rising debt, it is possible for what’s left of our estate to be turned over to him and House Du’Constantine abolished in favor of the creation of his own at the behest of the king. However, General Antonio was no such man. He wasn’t a wolf because he was out for riches or prestige. He was a wolf because he doubted me. He’s a very traditional and conservative man. While dutiful and honorable, he believed brutish activities were not meant for women. My accomplishment in the academy granted me no favor with him. If I am to impose any direction, even at the order of Alois, I must gain his quarter lest he become an obstacle or worse, an enemy, in the future.

General Antonio was an older gentleman with dark hair and few silvers brushed back in a short mane behind his neck. He had deep-seeded frown lines and crows feet from what could only be from stress. While not burly, his body was thick and carried well in his armor with his pike secured on his back. He was about the same height as Walter. The two were often seen together when Walter tended to the grounds. I imagined they would get along by their stoic and staunch personalities.

“Thank you for humoring my request, gentlemen. On behalf of your lord, a couple of you will be sent to the towns and villages of our estate to revitalize our farm fields. If you don’t know how to do that, you may return to your regular duties without scorn nor insult.”

More than half of our meager 1500 men left to return their duties, leaving only about 80. The fact that not more even knew about mana was appalling. Regardless of our numbers, our army was in no position to defend itself to a more capable house. This must be corrected, but that’s a later issue in my books.

For now, I draw my sword. Yvette had suddenly returned, already ready to take my scabbard before shuffling back behind the general, giving him a bit of a grin. The man only rolled his eyes and ignored her.

“Mana is necessary to revitalize the ground. The fact that you all are still standing here tells me that you understand this. I will test your mana strength. If your vitality is good, you will be one of the ones sent out. If not, you will return to your duties here. With that being said, those who succeed will be remembered and granted a just reward upon completion of your mission.”

“What’s the reward?” One spoke out from the crowd.

This man drew my attention; I recognized him. He enlisted five years ago despite the decline in our house. He stood out among the crowd because he was a foreigner to the empire. This man came from our neighboring ally across the Annalie Broach in the country of Solturias; a coastal peninsula known for its inner harsh desert but paradisal coastlines. He stood about 6’1’’, deep tan skin and long curly hair that was undercut to the sides. Yet instead of leaving it down, he has some of it pinned up. He had some facial hair that framed his face neatly, brown eyes with a bit of mirth in them, but most of all, a salacious neck tattoo that would make even the pious General Antonio infuriated. Though dawned in his armor, he held his helmet at his side.

“You mentioned a reward, my fair lady, but didn’t say what it was. The fact that you don’t present it now, tells me that you don’t have it to give.” He explained.

“ . . . I don’t.” The men groaned. “But by the time you complete your mission, I will. I promise you that on House Du’Constantine. We have never done you wrong thus far.”

“But you mean to test us. What right does our fair lady have - let alone the ability?”

“I suppose you shall see.” I poised my rapier. “It is for I to gauge and any doubt you all may have shall be cleared if by your own judgement you see me fit to do so.”

There was no point in lying to these men. I have nothing to give them except the clothes off my back and yet for the mission I have planned for them to do, no such thing is valuable. But my issue of wealth is not a circumstance I’ve been blind to.

“Kick their ass, my lady!” Yvette shouted which prompted a scolding look from the general, and a meek apology from Yvette who then, quietly gave me two thumbs up.

“Well then my men. First one, step forward and en garde!”

The men were hesitant, even the cocky one. It was not per se out of fear, but of persecution. They could humor a young woman’s whim, but if I was to get hurt and change my mind, they risk execution by my dear brother’s mercy.

“You heard the lass. On with it.” The general spoke up. “That’s an order.”

The men then acquiesced on behalf of the general’s order. At least this way, the only head in danger would be his own for the order. I suppose he too wanted to gauge my ability. I gave him a nod of thanks but he didn’t return it.

One of the men stepped forward, fully armored and brandishing his long sword. “Perhaps we should use training swords, my lady?”

“This is fine. If I were to be injured then it would be just so for my own hubris.”

The man only paused a moment longer before he launched himself at me, sword ready to sweep over head. I grabbed my skirt to lift it and step to the side, jabbing my rapier in front of his face and right at his eye between the slit of his helmet.

“ . . . Next.” I said.

Some of the men snorted and laughed. The gentleman's swing was too wide and he left himself wide open. There was no clear feat I made to defeat him and some of the men knew that.

Another approached. This time more on guard, but I was ready. I parried his saber and ended with my rapier poised his throat beneath his helmet.

“Next.” I said.

I am no pinnacle of athleticism nor chosen by the light like perhaps Sir Aymeric is, but I do possess a natural affinity for the sword. Despite my obligations as a lady, my father allowed me to train in fencing because he understood acutely my talent for it. I loved fencing as he did and we often sparred together before I went off to the academy. Making the choice instead of courting was perhaps a blessing on my part and I would have stayed if I could. With that being said, and the 46 men I left on the ground, I can surely say only a handful have a modicum of talent thus far.

My mother would be appalled if she saw me out in the sun like this, but I surely can not have Yvette hovering over me with a parasol.

“Let us make this quick. It is dreadfully warm out here.” I said flourishing my rapier with a bit of a cheeky smile. By this point, it has become a bit of a sport; the men finding entertainment in their challenge to overthrow me. They even took up gambling at the odds, groaning, cheering, and laughing with each attempt. I’m glad they were having fun at my expense. I was having the workout of the century. Part of me wish I hadn’t ever cut short my calisthenics routine.