External winds
“Whered Carmilla go?” Senarre asked as she threw a piece of fried onion into her mouth. “Said she went out to look for some food.” “Then why didn't she just come to eat with us?” Rosario said more quietly, “You know her condition, she needs some food with some more vitality than cooked steak and a lobster tail.” Senarre said, “oh right.” Paulida cut into a large lobster tail with his fork and pulled out the meat before dipping it in a small cup of butter sauce. “What did you get, Lorea?” Rosario pointed at his plate, “Country fried chicken with collard greens and mashed potato” “You came to a steakhouse and got chicken?” Paulida said to him, “I don't like red meat that much; plus it's five whole marks cheaper than a steak.” Senarre laughed, “For someone who probably had a private chef before, you sure are frugal if that's your argument.” “I didn't have a private chef mom used to cater for most events, and also the maids used to cook for us all the time. I still miss Ophelia’s casserole, and give me some slack. At least I didn't get chicken tenders and fries.” The three of them turned to Kian, who was quietly dipping a piece of fried chicken into gravy
“That was a good meal, we should get some desserts. I nominate you go get something for dessert, you know the drill, something sweet, perhaps a chocolate cake. I saw a bakery near the town square where those gallows were set up, you should like go and get a cake or something and bring it back to the ship.” Senarre said to him, Kian immediately shot up, “I can go get something, I can get it back faster,” she said back to him snapily. “Yeah, but you don't know what I like, so I think he should go get it for us.” “Why don't you just tell me then, and I can go get it?” She slightly tapped on his shoulder. “Were playing a game and I'm trying to see if he remembers something I told him last month.” Rosario, sulking, said, “Fine.”
Rosario walked through the town square that was unusually crowded for the cold weather. Suddenly, in the crowd, he saw a face that bore a passing resemblance to someone he knew. He walked through the crowd to the scaffold that held the gallows. Cutting through the crowds, he came to the front of the line of stanchions blocking off a further approach. Two armed guards with guns led a woman with a wolfcut with white highlights and golden brown eyes up to the gallows. They fastened the rope to her neck and prepared to speak. The woman shouted out, “Aquilachry?” Rosario looked at her closely and shouted out, “Peregrine?” She shouted out, “Oh i knew it was you, Aquilachry i could recognize you anywhere.” The guard with a gun at her side said, “Quiet.” He pointed to Rosario in the front line, “You there no talking to the accused unless you'd like to join her.” Peregrine frowned. “How dare you talk to my Aquilachry like that?” the guard said. “Silent prisoner until we ask for your final words,” Peregrine said, “I don't like your tone.”
She leaned backwards, slipping her head out of the noose. The crowd panicked and began yelling. The guard to her left raised his rifle and prepared to shoot, but she kicked the weapon up, causing the man to fire the chambered round. She forced her palms together behind her back, causing the bindings to come undone. She reached for the other guard's belt, pulling him closer and removing his pistol from its holster, turning her back on the now disarmed man, turning to the one who had just rechambered his weapon, she aimed at the man, firing two rounds into his chest before aiming up and putting a final one between the eyes the man behind her ran forwards to attack but she kicked sideways in a horizontal arc across his throat the man walked forward slowly clutching his neck crimson seeped out through between his fingers he fell to his knees and subsequently on the ground Peregrine walked over to where he was lying on the scaffold and said “this one is for your itchy fingers when you guys grabbed me” She raised the pistol to the man and fired it three times until it no longer fired. She dropped the pistol at the newly made corpse's side and dusted her hands off. “Now to handle this situation,” She dropped off the gallow with a thud and ran over to Rosario. She grabbed his hand and ran off, leading him through the crowds.
“So you wanna tell us who this is?” Senarre said in an inquisitive and slightly annoyed tone. The woman known as Peregrine said, “My name is Vera Peralta-Lorea, and who might you be?” Senarre said, “How many of Lorea are there? You seem to be pouring out of the woodwork every time we stop anywhere.” Rosario cut into their conversation, “Shes not a Lorea.” Vera ran over to him and wrapped her arm around his neck. “Aww, are we getting a divorce?” almost in unison, Senarre Kian and Paulida said, “You're married?” Rosario threw off her arm. “No, she just misinterprets playground banter.” Vera held her hand out, putting on an exaggerated frown. “Aww, you mean our love wasn't real?” Rosario visibly angered by this point, “We were like nine or something, I don't remember.” She lowered her fingers, showing one with a ring on it. “What about this ring you gave me?” His eyebrow twitching, Rosario reached over to her she raised her hand out of the way. He wrapped his arm around her torso and pulled her close while reaching for the ring, struggling, he said, “That's from a stupid piece of candy, give me that.” Vera, moving her other hand over her face, said, “Oh no! Not right here in front of the people, what kind of animal have you become? Can you not restrain yourself until we are in a private space?” slightly laughing under her hand. “You know what, I give up,” Rosario threw his hands in the air in defeat and walked over to the ladder and slid down into the observation deck.
Senarre Kian and Paulida were bewildered. Paulida said, “Who are you then?” Vera walked over to a jump seat and lay across it longwise. “I'm a friend of clan Lorea. My mother and Yaren were good friends, and subsequently, I was good friends with little Lorea. We were inseparable as children; we were even born in the same hospital, less than a week apart. My mother and Yaren used to have tea most days of the week, so as a result, I spent a good amount of my childhood with Little Lorea. We would do everything together. He's always been easy to fluster like that.” Kian said, “Are you really big bro’s wife?” Vera smiled, “No, not right now, much to my mother's dismay.” Senarre said, “Why would your mother dismay?” “The Peraltas are a branch family, and my older sister Coco, who is about the same age as Ryvr Lorea, is the type that doesn't prefer the company of men, and also the fact that after the northern wars, one 17-year-old Ryvr Lorea was instrumental in ending the war almost a year earlier than projected and for that got the distinction of being the king consort to the queen at the time so my mother and Yaren couldn't rightly force a marriage there because respective parties pulling in different directions but when my mother was expecting again she hoped she would be able to marry her prospective child into clan Lorea again” Senarre curiously said “Why is marriage so important to the nobility” Vera sat back up on the jumpseat “Its important because for a lower noble house to marry into a higher ranked one it increases their status privileges and the likes alongside just serving to reinforce political connections so in mothers ideal world we would've had a nice wedding three years ago and Little Lorea would be wrangling some little Loreas of his own”
“I can clearly tell that didn't work out as planned,” Paulida said. Vera stood up and walked over to the kitchenette, poured off a glass of water, and began sipping it. “Hope you don't mind,” Paulida said, “Go ahead im sure he wouldn't mind,d it's his ship anyway,” with a slight smile at the thought of the one who, in his eyes, was difficult to anger. “Yeah, the reason that the wedding didn't happen was because Little Lorea went off to the Birdcage,” Senarre said, questioning her, “The birdcage?” “It's a so-called university in Dreynas, but here's the kicker: it's locked to the extremely wealthy, main families, or the occasional extremely high-scoring student; it's a cesspit for the elite and powerful.” She drank from the water. “After that, I joined up with the first fleet,” she raised her hand and looked at it. “I don't know why I did it, but I did”. She pulled a patch from her pocket and handed it over. The design featured a cloaked figure holding a scythe with pale green eyes, with the words written underneath “Mortem Taum Prope Videre.” She smiled, “I've come a long way though since then.”Paulida said, “Don't recognize this patch, where's it from?” Vera crossed her arms in front of her chest. “First Fleet Special Operations Command,” she replied calmly. Paulida said, “I thought all of the special operations teams were consolidated after the northern wars?” Vera exhaled, “They were for like a year tops, but then the higher-ups decided they were more efficient as smaller units with more individual freedom.”
“Anyways, I need a ride. I got some important information carved onto sealstone that's currently working its way through my small intestine, and I gotta get it somewhere that's where I'm hoping you guys come in, since you've got a pilot you'll save me the trouble of having to sneak out of the city or changing my identity again, my employer if it wasn't obvious can of course pay you very handsomely” Paulida cut her off “were not looking for any money but perhaps we can play a little quid pro quo i need information and the Lorea needs his name cleared” Vera rubbed her hands together and smiled “perfect we got a deal then” Kian said “where is it you need to go?” Vera said, smiling, “Lorategia.”
“Ooh, we're going to Lorategia?” Carmilla said, walking down the stairs, she arrived at the bottom of the stairs and said, “Who's this?” Vera smiled and said, “I am the future Lady Lorea, and who might you be?” Carmilla, with a bored expression on her face, said, “One of the former Lady Loreas.” Vera put on an exaggerated expression and yelled out, holding back laughter, “How could you, little Lorea, you're such a homewrecker even after I told you could have concubines, you still bring home more brides.” Carmilla walked over to Senarre and whispered into her ear, “What's her deal?” Senarre said back quietly, “She likes to enrage Lorea, and he flusters easily whenever she does whatever she's doing.” “Cousin has an enraged side?” asked Carmilla. Senarre replied, half giggling. “I know, right? He seems pretty put together most of the time?” Vera noticed them talking quietly amongst themselves, “yea he's like that sometimes, he's also sometimes tries to play the hero even when he knows he can't win or feels like he can't win, but he's surprisingly clever, but I guess that's what happens when your parents are some of the individually strongest people in the kingdom.” Senarre said, “Lorea has a dad?”
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“Pfft, of course he has a dad, his mom didn't just spontaneously create him, the real question is who is his dad?” “What do you mean, who is his dad? It's not who his mother married?” “Yaren never married, and never made the father of her children public, so we literally don't know who their father is. We can assume that since little Lorea and Ryvr look very similar, their father was the same person. The same goes for Hana, but we don't know. Some of the Peraltas think that maybe he was the swordsaint because he has black hair, as they do, but so does Yaren, for that matter. Obviously, they have the Signature Lorea greens, my money on a steamy affair with a butler, I think, but the only one who actually knows is Yaren herself.” Rosario came climbing up from the hatch. “Why do you keep calling my mom by her first name?” Vera looked at Senarre and Carmilla in the eyes and winked and smiled, “I think it's a beautiful name, perhaps our first could be named that.” Rosario's eyebrow twitched, and he closed his eyes and walked up to the deck. “I'm going outside.” “see it gets him everytime” “Why do you intentionally anger him like that?” Senarre said to her with a curious expression
“Because we used to play like that as kids, I used to get angry easily, and he would fluster easily, so we kinda counted each other out personality wise he was a strategist, and I was the frontliner.” Senarre said back to her, “You don't look much like a frontliner. How do you fight?” She pulled on the bracelets on her wrists, and a garrote wire slid out. “Silversteel threaded for unparalleled density and these,” she tapped her foot on the ground, on the ground and a blade slid out of her boot. “I am in charge of covert operations after all, so I need my equipment to remain discreet. That handsy guard took my gun, but it's whatever. I'll just submit a new requisition form for a new one.” “Senarre said, “No offense, but you really don't look like you are a frontliner.” Vera raised her hand in front of her chest, raised two fingers, and forced her hands down. In an instant, the mana shifted, light and airy yet bearing the force to split mountains. “What is that?” Vera smiled and said, “I deactivated my Physical enhancement, since you're friends of little lorea ill tell you how I did it, basically the amount of mana i have is considered stupid high which is also another one of the reasons mom wanted to marry me off because if you paired the sheer amount of mana i have with the Loreas mastery of using both their bodies and intelligence and weapons among other implements you'd have a child that would probably rival the elven queen from the stories”
“You can keep a physical enhancement running all the time?” Senarre asked, scratching her head. “Theoretically, yes, but unless you have a stupidly high amount of mana, it's not feasible because it would be like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it.” The pair continued their conversation as Paulida said, “I'm gonna go check on Lorea up on the deck.”
Paulida climbed the stairs and walked out to the deck. Rosario was leaning against the safety rail, the pink scarf with pompoms on it wrapped around his neck, and he was twisting the pompom between his thumb and index finger. Paulida put his hand on his back. “You ok, Lorea?” Rosario stopped messing with the pompom. “Yeah, kinda, I don't feel right.” “From your nightmares ?” “No, not that. Can I ask for some advice?” Paulida leaned over the railing with him. “Shoot, I'll try my hardest to answer; they don't call me number 1 dad for no reason.”
Rosario laughed slightly under his breath, “I'm afraid of Vera. I feel like I got too close to her then, and now I feel awful about it. I have feelings I can't quantify, but to speak them would make me more afraid than to leave them be.” Paulida said back to him calmly, “So you're afraid to feel anything towards her?” “Not just her, in general.” “I'm so used to the status quo as a noble being bearing your heart for a knife in it, its always who's out to get you and watching your back I fucking hate having to be on guard all the time watching out for a scheme or a trap, that's precisely why when I met you and Senarre I told you guys my real name, i couldve just called myself something else entirely, but I chose for you guys to meet Rosario Lorea the youngest of the tribe the one with no future, thats why these six or so weeks ive been on the road with you guys have been some of the best i love you guys i think i dont want to leave you guys i feel like you Senarre and Kian are some of the people who’ve seen the real me” “No we arent, If youre holding back your feelings are you really being genuine?”
Rosario pondered his statement for a moment and exhaled disappointedly, “no i guess not, I'll try to act on my feelings now, I guess.” “So you're gonna talk to her?” Rosario frowned “I have some other stuff to work out first, then she'll be my next order of business” Paulida patted him on the back “Ill be there for you mutual trust is being able to rely on others, i know i can rely on you for the miracles you pulled for Senarre back in Forge so i want you to rely on me on her on everyone, well be here to pick you up if you fall so i hope that you can do the same for us” “Thanks Paulida” “No problem Lorea” Paulida said “Ill be there you need me and i hope youll be there when i need you, im heading back down to the cabin” “ill head down soon too” Rosario exhaled disappointedly and returned to twisting the Pompom in between his fingers and looking at the pink scarf listfully he said quietly “what am i gonna do now” disappointedly.
Vera laughed and said“One time we went to a ball for the young nobility, and I got a devious plan, and I bit his lip trying to mess with him, and I bit too hard, and it was a bloody mess.” Rosario came walking down the stairs, his mood slightly lighter. He pulled down on his lower lip, revealing a small scar on it. “Still got the scar,” he walked over to the ladder and slid down, opting to head for the bedroom.” Kian said, walking over to them, “All right, I've checked the maps, and I think our best shot for Lorategia is just cutting through the storm. ATC said it's probably gonna be in the region for a couple of days, so I'll just fly slow and under visual contact only ill need some eyes in the back of my head, so I need someone to watch from the boarding door porthole
“Lorea, get out onto the deck and flick the bypass lever. The damn electrical storm is gonna hit us again, and all we'll be able to do is scream while we're falling to our deaths.” Kian screamed from the cockpit, fighting to keep the pilot's wheel under control while the ship rocked back and forth, shaking the whole craft. Rosario put on a harness and walked out onto the rear deck. “On it already,” he yelled before stepping out onto the deck. The wind blew cold droplets of rain onto his face like daggers. He pulled the pink scarf higher, covering his mouth and nose, the pompoms hanging from it blowing in the wind. He walked carefully out of the panel on the deck near the engines, pulled open the heavy grate, and stuck his arm in and pulled a lever “Lor-a S-m—ng b– on –onitor” He raised two fingers to his neck around the radio “What?” he shouted “S–p” came back through the radio in Kian's voice. He turned around to see the front of the ship, a massive ship, peeking through the clouds, lightning arcing off it as it struck its hull, a large emblem of a key on its bow. “What the” Rosario said before the ship was rocked by another patch of turbulence. Kian screamed on the radio, “Get back in here right fucking now, we flew into a battle.” As he finished speaking, a series of parasites flew by their engines roaring, followed by gunfire from the crafts. Rosario got to his knees. “Fly for the big one with the key if they hail you on the radio, say Romeo Yankee Victor Romeo,” Kian said back through the radio, “On it, get back in here now.”
He got to his feet, stumbling forward and turning the handle on the door, and opening it, he stepped forward, but a golden barrier stopped him. He cursed under his breath, “Now, now, where might we be going ?” A man with golden brown hair stood behind him. “What a surprise, the luxury ship on my scanners was indeed someone of importance, hello there lorea, do you mind?” The man rushed him, and he barely managed to conjure a blade of black stones before the man made contact with him. “Good reaction, but I need you to lure out the traitor; his head will surely get me a position amongst the Tensai.” Rosario readjusted his stance, preparing for the next strike. The man rushed him again. He hid his left hand behind his back, waiting for the man to get near. The man closed the distance, and Rosario threw a series of three needles of ice at him to no effect. The man caught the needle and forced it into Rosario's hand, causing him to drop the stone sword. He punched Rosario, sending him skidding across the deck, soaked in rainwater. He got to his feet and conjured a new blade in his left hand. He lifted his right hand to his neck and said, “I need some help out here.” Senarre and Vera ran up to the door and stopped by the barrier. Senarre raised a gun to the barrier, but Vera placed her hand on the barrel and pointed it down before pulling back her fist and punching at the barrier. A small crack appeared on it.
Rosario rushed forward, the man caught his blade between clasped hands and twisted it out of his hands, and unleashed a flurry of punches before sending him flying into the door. Vera screamed out the sound muffled by the barrier, “Hold on, I'm coming.” The man walked over to Rosario, bruised and battered, and pulled him by the hair, lifting him to the barrier. “I'll be taking your friend now if you don't mind.” As the words left his mouth, a bolt of lightning struck the stern of the brujeria. A man was illuminated in its casted shadows. He stood tall, his long braided hair flowing in the wind, his face was lightly bearded with a small scar on his cheek. He wore a long olive green trench coat; on its breast, there was a symbol of a laurel wreath with a black and green flower on it. His right hand rested against two swords sheathed at the hip, one with a white scabbard and rose detailing on the guard, and the other was an eastern-style sword with a whirlpool pattern on the tsuba. The lightning struck again, casting its shadow large across the body of the ship. The man with golden brown hair turned around, his eyes met the pale green of his opponent. He shouted, “you” he lunged forward. The man in the coat stepped aside with no effort, his hand still resting on his pair of swords.
The man in the coat said coldly, “I'll give you three shots, then we'll end the fight after that. Sound good?” The man with the golden brown hair said aggressively, “I won't need three, I only need one.” He lunged for the man in the coat again, and he stepped aside again with little effort. “Three,” he lunged again to no avail, “two.” he lunged a final time, “one.” he lunged again, the man in the coat dodged with little effort once again “Ill give you the chance to go home right now take your ship and leave call back your parasites and everything go ahead wanna take my deal im not a fan of killing for the sake of senseless bloodshed” the man with the golden brown hair yelled out “No i will take your head” the man in the coat frowned and placed his hand on the sword with the whirlpool tsuba “unfortunate” the man lunged forward for a second and then stopped stumbling. The man in the coat sheathed the sword he had drawn in less than an instant. He stepped forward, another lightning strike casted shadow along the deck. The man who formerly had golden-brown hair now lies on his knees, head rolling on the deck. The man in the coat walked forward towards the now rapidly disintegrating barrier and the battered Rosario.
Senarre, Paulida, and Carmilla all stood on the deck, weapons drawn. Vera stood behind them at ease, hands in her pockets. Paulida yelled out, “Who are you?” The man in the coat smiled, “I am the stormchaser, the throneless king, the Siegebreaker of Izotza, Warlord of the Lorea, but you may call me Ryvr.”