The Masked General

Collywobbles

Avira's legs shook as she squinted at the Wayollen palace. Part of the castle had been burned down, parts of the roof caved in.

She limped forward furiously, "Ivelle! Sawyer? Eleanor!" She cupped her hands to her mouth, shouting.

Claude rode forward, "I looked around, I can't find anyone."

"No," Avira's shuttered.

"No, that's a good thing, there aren't any bodies, they could be alive," Hiroshi attempted to comfort her.

"No bodies? Yeah, cause they turned to ashes!" Avira threw her hands up.

"No, there isn't that much damage, it barely reached the medical area, that means they probably got out in time," Hiroshi pushed her hands back down.

She called out one more time, then she looked up. Coming down from the reddened sky, a bird flew towards them. Zippy flew down, and behind the bird was Ivelle, Andrew, Eleanor, Sawyer, and other maids and servants.

Avira's knees buckled, she fell to the ground, she let go and cried. Andrew got off his horse, and carried Ivelle to her sister. He set her gently on the ground next to Avira, then he went over to Hiroshi. Ivelle leaned forward, reaching for her sister. She wrapped her arms around Avira, the general sobbed into the princess' shoulder.

"Is Samuel..." Ivelle's voice shook. Marc only nodded. The cries grew louder.

Marc walked over, and got on his knees, "I'm so sorry, I was a coward, I should have found a way to contact you. We could have stopped Samuel, maybe he could have been here with us."

"No," Avira sniffled, "it doesn't matter anymore, what's done is done. At least we still have each other." She wiped the tears from her cheeks, but they kept flowing from her eyes. "I really could go for a bath, and maybe some cake." She chuckled through her sobs. The three siblings embraced each other tightly.

"I can take care of the cake!" A voice came from the crowd.

Avira looked around, "Layla! What are you doing here?" She blew her nose into a handkerchief.

"I was worried about you all, I followed the knights as you passed through our town," Layla curtsied slightly. She walked back to Eleanor, letting the siblings enjoy each other's company.

They laughed and cried, in sorrow and in relief. Sawyer ran up to Sylvia and hugged the big wolf, Claude's voice shook in laughter. And for just this moment, they forgot about everything, the war, the hate, the feuds, and ended friendships, there was only peace.

Marc looked down at Ivelle who still sat on the ground, "What are you doing?"

"I can't walk," Ivelle's lower lip quivered, she smiled sorrowfully.

"How did that happen?" Marc's eyes narrowed, his nose scrunched.

"We have a lot to catch up on, but we have plenty of time to do that later," Ivelle grinned.

Andrew pushed a wheelchair over to her, "Look what I got!" He helped Ivelle into the chair, and pushed her towards the siblings.

Layla, with the help of Eleanor and a couple knights, prepared a feast. They celebrated deep into the night, for there had only been one casualty that came from their little war. King Samuel was dead, and although the siblings danced and ate heartily through the evening, their hearts were a little heavier than the rest around them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

Dawn came, and the time came for the celebration to end. Avira walked quickly to Hiroshi's office, his office happened to be on the side of the castle that was still intact, more importantly, so was the kitchen. The sound of pounding hammers and shouts of working knights carried through the halls. They had quickly begun repairs. She pulled her long hair up, attempting to put it in the usual bun while beginning to jog. It ended up in a halfhearted attempt of a messy ponytail. She walked in to find her siblings, Eleanor, Andrew, and Hiroshi already waiting for her. Her stomach twisted in knots, she didn't like the way they looked at her.