The Missing Stone

Unconsciously Familiar

Neither of them move. Mildred assesses her opponent. From what she's seen briefly in battle, Felix is not about strength, but about agility, speed, and cunning.

A difficult opponent, she thinks as her tail swishes low to the ground in response to the tension. He holds the sword at eye level with his left side tilted towards her, a stance that leaves no openings on the front or right. Mildred narrows her eyes, digs her heels into the dirt, and dashes.

She feints to the left, and Felix lets his weight fall on his back foot and swings the sword down, the momentum allowing him to effortlessly pivot in her direction, leaving his right flank unguarded. Mildred parries the swing with both daggers and digs her feet into the dirt.

He overshot, she thinks as Mildred pushes hard to her right, unbalancing Felix and pushing him off. He leaps back with wide eyes.

"Impressive." She internally preens at the praise, but doesn't let her guard down when it's Felix this time on the offensive, each swing precise and well balanced. Mildred feels sweat stick her hair to the back of her neck as she barely manages to parry. One would hate being against this swordsman.

The next swing is aimed at her left shoulder, and Mildred feels the tips of the sword brush against her armor as she ducks. She thinks Felix must've expected her to parry again when she easily slips around his unguarded side and kicks hard on the inside of his right knee, forcibly bending the limb and sending Felix into the dirt. Mildred hurriedly pins his sword arm with her boot and bends his other arm around his back, pressing a dagger to the back of his neck.

He struggles in an attempt to break her hold, but she remains firm. "Yield," Mildred says, breathless, pressing the dagger harder. Felix lets out a wheezing breath and leans his forehead against the ground.

"I yield," he pants, dusting the dirt off when Mildred releases him, sheathing her daggers. She jumps at the sudden sound of clapping.

"That was amazing, Mildred!" Ashe cheers from the side, Annette waving a healing spell over a grumbling Felix. Mildred relaxes and returns Ashe's enthusiastic grin.

"To think I lost to a cat," Felix says, shaking his head. "Let's spar again." He holds out a hand and Mildred takes it, shaking it firmly. Annette grins at them.

"Aw, look at how Mildred makes Felix smile," she coos teasingly, and Felix groans aloud. Ashe snickers behind his hand.

"I'll defeat you next time," he promises and stomps off, ears tinged pink. Mildred wonders why they keep doing that. The pair calms and leads Mildred around the camp to the fire, where a large tent emits familiar voices. She recognizes Gilbert and the duke discussing provisions. A thought pops in her head.

"I wonder why Felix wears those weird boots..." she trails off, tilting her head up at the grey sky. Annette giggles beside her and Ashe turns a bright expression at her.

"I've always thought the same!" The archer's eyes twinkle, and Mildred turns her attention to him. "In the books I read, he would be described as a 'tsundere in thigh highs'!" Mildred raises her brows and Annette giggles harder.

"Anyways," Annette breathes slightly through her amusement, "are you hungry? I'm starving!" Mildred's stomach rumbles in agreement. Ashe chuckles.

"I'll take that as a yes then." He sweeps into another tent and comes out with three rations and hands one to Annette and Mildred. She takes a bite, ignoring the bland flavor and texture in favor of satiating the minor discomfort that is her hunger. The trio sit by the fire and listen as Ashe tells Mildred a tale of "Loog and the Maiden of Wind" until the professor asks for Mildred's presence.

She ducks into the large tent occupied by a large table and several chairs, like the one at the monastery. The professor seats her in a chair at the end, and he joins Gilbert and the duke on either side of her. Mildred feels her ears flatten slightly in nervousness. Gilbert clears his throat.

"Is it true that you are an amnesiac?" An easy question. Mildred nods.

"What do you know of current events so far?" So it is an interrogation. Mildred knows it's just for cautionary reasons.

"I know that there is a war going on, and that people are suffering from it," she says simply, sliding her hands under her thighs as a nervous habit. Mildred winces from an incoming headache.

Gilbert nods, the professor writing something on a piece of parchment. The duke sits partially shadowed but Mildred can see him easily, his blue eyes different from Felix's amber ones, but still possessing the same biting edge. She gasps internally. The duke is Felix's father. It makes sense, considering the appearances and all, but then why was Felix saying such degrading things about him, his own father?

"Do you know why there is a war?" Gilbert's voice snaps her out of her thoughts, and Mildred shakes her head no.

"I know all from what I've heard him," Mildred nods at the duke, "say. About there being a spy among you, and a traitor selling out the Kingdom for the Empire," she elaborates. She feels the professor's gaze narrow on her. Her palms feel sweaty inside her gloves.

The duke sighs. "I suppose you deserve to know the truth." He splays out a hand across a map on the table. Gilbert turns wide eyes on the duke and the professor glances at him with a questioning gaze.

"Are you sure about this?" Gilbert asks. "We cannot sell out the possibility of her being a spy-"

"She's only been among us a matter of days," the professor interrupts him, placing the parchment and quill on the table. "There is nearly no chance that a spy could decipher our plans during that time when we've planned for this nearly a month ago."

Mildred stares. She hadn't expected him to do anything in her defense. Whatever the reason, she is grateful. Gilbert sighs.

"Well," he says, standing from the chair. "If both the professor and Duke Fraldarius trust you, then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have an additional ally among our ranks." Mildred lights up, relieved that she's been accepted.

A/N: This is a good place to stop for now. Get some rest, eat some food. The story will wait for you :)