Fall of the Stars Book 2: Victory's Wing

Susei Turner I

Sapsaddle was not particularly remarkable in comparison to Lady Skewer's tower. Susei actually preferred to stay at the inn in the town, but she spent most of the day in the castle with Mary. Two weeks ago, Mary gave birth to two children by Sir Rynn. She named the girl Nina, after her own mother, and she named the boy Gilionas, after the Erian god of nature.

Whenever she saw the children, her thoughts always wandered to Gerey and Rynn. Since they arrived at the castle they had been getting nothing but bad news. First, Sirestar, the castle where Gerey was recovering, was attacked by a gryphon, then Rolly Hill and Little Hall followed suit. Then, Bluffet and Ashtop were taken in the same day. Each time the castles were attacked, no survivors were left behind. Eventually, they stopped fighting back and just surrendered. Starwater, Stinnow, Dankwater, the Blackfort, Quellith, Flat Castle, and Belder all surrendered without dispute. Edwas Ment of Green Castle tried to defy them and died. Susei worried. She worried for Rynn. She worried for Gerey. She worried for Richye. Every night she prayed to the Star for their safety.

Lady Catherine, or just Catherine as she liked to be called, had welcomed them into her father's castle, though he did not seem too enthused to have them over. Lord Jaxon was a very fearful and cowardly man. Every time news arrived that some castle or the other was being attacked by gryphons he would go mad, believing Sapsaddle is next. He even refused the Queen's call to arms despite his advisors telling him not to do so. Sapsaddle would likely fall without despite when the bird worshipers eventually happened upon it, Susei predicted.

That morning Catherine was sitting on a bench in the town feeding sea pigeons bread. Susei approached apprehensively, but when Catherine saw her she motioned for Susei to join her.

"Come, my friend," she said. "It is not so often that you seek me."

"I apologize if it seems like I am avoiding you, Catherine. I just..."

"Speak your mind, Susei. You have no need to fear me."

"... Where do we go from here?" Susei asked. She sat next to Catherine. "Mewood is in ruins and nowhere in the kingdom is safe with the gryphons flying about. I cannot return to my old village, and I do not believe Mary will be welcome in your castle for too long if your father has any say. I'm sorry, but I doubt it will even be safe to stay here either. The gryphon riders will soon set their eyes on this place as well..."

"Your fears and concerns are mine as well... And you have naught to worry about. When Mary is well enough, I plan to send you two and the babes to Bastard Town."

"Bastard Town? Is that...an insult?"

Catherine smiled in amusement. "No, sweet Susei. Bastard Town is the capital city of the Altarlands. You won't enjoy the riches that your status brought you in Mewood, but at least you will be safe. I will supply you with money and food for your voyage, but once you leave our shores you will be on your own. But you are in God's favor, Susei. You will be fine under his protection."

As the days passed, more bad news poured in, yet at the same time good news was going around. Windmoor had been attacked and destroyed, but the gryphon riders could not take Starlake. It was even said that Lord Jonath Starfront killed one of the beasts with his own sword...or mace, or hammer, or lance depending on who told the tale. At the same time, Lord Vince Blueford's army had been gaining traction in the Eastlands, taking the Gold Ford, Astra, and Cole Castle. Unfortunately, the king managed to escape before he arrived. If he had the king, he could negotiate a peace. All Susei wanted was peace.

"Susei, what troubles you?" Mary asked. "Do you not want to leave?" Mary had recovered enough to be able to walk about on her own, though she stayed in the room with her children most of the time. The babes were asleep.

"It... It is not that I do not want to leave. I just worry... I worry about Rynn, about Gerey...about Richye. With all of this madness going around, are they safe?"

"I worry too, Susei. All we can do is pray. We don't have swords to fight with like thickheaded men, so we fight with prayer."

After praying with Mary, Susei left the room and descended the stairs to leave the castle. On her way through the courtyard she ran into Sir Cassidy. Sir Cassidy was a household knight under service of Lord Jaxon, and, like many of the other men in that castle, constantly vied for her attention. He was not bad looking. He had long white hair tied into a braid and big green eyes that reminded her of grass. His cheek bones also reminded her of Richye's. They smiled the same way...

"Good day, my lady," he said, bowing.

"Good day, Sir Cassidy."

"I heard that you and Lady Mary will be leaving soon. It saddens me to hear so."

"Saddens you? Why?"

"Please, my lady Susei. This seems an inappropriate place to make such an announcement, but I fear if I do not say this now I may never be able to tell you." He got to one knee and held Susei's hand in both of his. "I am madly in love with you. Each day I passed you only speaking in greetings, I have always wanted to let you know how much you have swayed me. You do not realize how much it pains me to learn of your imminent departure. Please, I beg of you, stay here with me. I am a man of modest means, but I promise I could treat you like a woman of your astonishing beauty deserves to be treated."

Susei stared past Sir Cassidy's face, indifferent to whatever it was that he just said to her. They were wonderful words, she believed, but there was something distracting going on at the castle's gates. There were people there. It was...

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Sir Gerey. He looked pale and unhealthy, and the right sleeve of his green tunic was tied into a knot where his arm was supposed to be. His hair was wild and dirty and long, but she could tell it was him. He was accompanied by some tall lady with scratches all over her face. She looked very pregnant.

Susei did not know what to do. Slowly approaching, she tried to think of what to say to him. Should I ask what happened to his arm? No, I should ask him about Rynn. Or Richye.

"My lord, it joys me to see you in good health," she said, wishing she could slap herself. Good health? Really, Susei?!

"I am not your lord, Susei. But I guess I am also not a knight anymore, what with this missing arm."

"What...w..." No, I will ask. "What happened to it...? Your arm, I mean."

"I lost it when Sirestar collapsed on me," he said so frankly as if it did not matter.

"That is saddening news."

"Aye, it is, but these things happen." He shrugged. "I was instructed to board a ship for Bastard Town with Trisha here," he said as he pointed to the pregnant girl.

"Truly?" Susei's face brightened. "That is where I and Mary will be going on the morrow. I would feel much safer in your company, Sir Gerey."

"I will not go," he stated firmly.

"Yes, you will," the tall woman shouted at him.

"I will not. I will find Rynn and go fight with him, even if it costs me my life."

"Don't be ridiculous, Gerey. All of our friends are dying or dead! What good would it do for you to follow them to the grave? You saw with your own eyes what happened...what happened to Richye... I will not let you die like that. Even if I have to grab you by that stump of an arm and drag you onto a ship."

"Richye is dead?" Susei interrupted their argument, bewildered by what she just heard. She shouldn't be so surprised, she tried to tell herself, but she was. "How...? When did he die?"

Gerey and the tall woman seemed discomforted by the question. "I will spare you the details, but he was slain in battle," Gerey said. "This woman here is Trisha. She is carrying Richye's child."

At once, Susei's breakfast leapt from her stomach and onto the grass. She felt dizzy, woozy. She fell to her knees, Sir Cassidy dashing to help her. I feel sick... I feel... And then she closed her eyes.