Flower of Bulann

Chapter 18

Kuan spotted him first, and before the maiden guard could wheel their horses around, he was on the rider.

He put himself between the now identified Hyenta warrior in his blue armour and Vior, levelling his Yari at him and halting the charge.

Kuan then kicked Windrush into a gallop, using his spear as a lance. The rider wheeled his horse and Kuan's yari glanced the warrior's shoulder plate, the force enough to throw him from the saddle and into the dirt.

Kuan leapt from Windrush, drawing his katana and putting it to the fallen warrior's throat as he levelled his yari, with more riders approaching. It was now plain to see that the warrior was a lord, his armour being of far greater quality than those coming to his aid.

"Halt!" he bellowed out as the maiden guard rode in to back him up. "Or your lord dies here."

The mounted warriors slowed immediately, and with their charge curtailed the peasant soldiers that followed Vior emerged from the group to take them prisoner.

The fallen lord got to his feet slowly, Kuan noticed the left half of his helmet had a fixed faceplate over it.

"I assume you are lord Hirro Hyenta?" Kuan said, fairly confident in his guess.

"I am, lord Kuan. Please, tell lord Faden I only wish to bring my sister home, I want her to be healthy again" Hirro replied, stooping down with a stiff leg to retrieve his sword.

"You need not keep your blade upon me, lord Kuan. I concede my defeat, I am your prisoner" Hirro admitted, offering him the blade once he had cleaned away the mud and sheathed it.

"Very well, lord Hirro, But please, stay away from Kinna for now, she currently seems to believe you and your father are on good terms with Vior. It has left her... fragile" he cautioned him, taking his blade away from Hirro.

"I understand, lord Kuan. I suspect you are heading for the old Faden fortress?" Hirro asked.

Kuan saw no reason to lie and nodded, mounting Windrush once more as Hirro retrieved his horse.

Kuan had known the journey was going far too smoothly, and now the fox was amongst the chickens.

They travelled for another four days before the fortress came into view, the scouting maiden guards reporting that a bandit lord had abandoned the castle upon news of their approach. A bandit's severed head tied to her saddle proof of where she'd obtained the information.

Kuan dismissed her and rode back to Vior and Kinna, the young girl sleeping peaceably in his arms as was becoming a frighteningly regular thing.

"The fortress is reliably empty" he informed his brother, falling in next to him.

"I am glad there will be no need to fight, my brother," Vior replied with a forced smile, dark bags clear under his eyes. Kuan feared for his health as much as he did Kinna's at this point.

"Do not speak so confidently yet, my brother" he smiled back. "There is every chance they lie in ambush."

Several hours later they were soon within sight of the village that sat at the base of the fortress, passing by many rice paddy fields and livestock farms. It seemed to Kuan that this bandit lord had been attempting to establish a true lordship and not a source of repeated plunder, though the farmers and peasants looked genuinely happy at the black armoured form of Vior.

"Why are they so happy?" Hirro wondered aloud as Kuan fell back, the first son of Hyenta genuinely perplexed.

"They have been living under the constant threat of retribution from the lords, is it any surprise that the black dragon returning emboldens them so, lord Hyenta" Kuan explained, it was just as well they couldn't see Vior's face though.

They ascended the winding road around the fortress' base that had been the killing ground for so many of his and so many other family members in years gone by.

After a twenty minute ascent, the gates came into view, the great oak barriers open but still intimidating to gaze upon, the black steel dragon studs looked as if they would breathe fire upon them all as the group passed into the courtyard.

Leaving their horses with the maiden guard, Vior lay Kinna down in the wagon with Ovinna and Hinata. Tanahashi, Tai'ishi and Rassan joining them as they checked armour and weapons.

"We sweep the castle from base to top, be thorough, my grandfather had a love of secret passageways. Or so I am told" Vior told them, drawing his katana and leading the way. 

Entering the towering fortress, Kuan couldn't help but admire its robustness. The structure had stood for over fifteen years without maintenance and still looked sturdy enough to withstand a siege.

They split into five groups, each of the lords leading a group comprised of a few maiden guards and armed peasants.

The search proved to be long and laborious, though no enemies were found. Many secret rooms were discovered along the way, with several containing treasures long hidden that would fund the reconstruction of the fortress and village.

Kuan found himself to be the last one into the lord's chamber, the old throne had been kept in good condition and Vior sitting upon it seemed right somehow, beside him lay something covered with a black sheet, threaded with a silver dragon head.

The maiden guard knelt as he entered, the peasants following suit as Vior stood and opened his arms to Kuan.

"My brother, the fortress is ours. And with that, we have discovered caches of weapons and treasure. Faden shall rise again" he declared, beckoning Kuan to come forward.

Kuan went to him and Vior embraced him, Kuan wondered what exactly was happening.

"My brother, I know you are now of no family but mine... so, as lord of Faden once more, I give you my name," Vior told him, holding him at an arms length now.

Vior removed the cloth to reveal a set of lordly black plate, akin to his own.

"Take your place as my brother now, not only by oath but in name also. Lord Kuan Faden!" he declared to all present, placing the black kabuto helmet upon his head.

Kuan's eyes began to well up with tears as Vior turned him to their gathered followers, a roar of approval filling the great chamber, the black oak rafters seeming to shake with the noise.

"We will rule together, my brother. Now, and always" Vior whispered in his ear. "But Kinna will be my wife, no sharing."

Kuan smiled, though he knew to speak of her hurt Vior. Kinna would return to them soon, and perhaps she would return to her senses and pick him. 

But for now, they were home, and the land of Faden had two lords.