Falcon's Flight

Fourteen

Odsar led her to the edge of the camp. There was the beginning of a forest, sparse trees scattered around that became more dense farther away from the camp. Shan Yu sat where there was a gap in the tree branches above him. He was gently stroking the black feathers of his falcon.

“I’ll leave you to it, find me if you need anything,” said Odsar with a small smile before she turned and walked away. Fen watched her for a moment before turning to Shan Yu. Slowly, she approached him.

“Would you like some company?” she asked. He stopped stroking Hayabusa and looked up to her. He nodded before returning to what he was doing. Fen nodded as she walked over and she sat beside him.

For some reason, she had expected him to be angrier. Other than that, Fen wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Looking at him, she could tell he was upset. He had lost a lot of people.

“What were they like, your Elite?” she asked.
“They were loyal men,” he said. His voice wavered, like he was on the verge of tears. “Loyal and brave. They were good fathers and brothers too. One of them was my cousin, he was Odsar’s husband. They shouldn’t have died how they did.”
“I’m sure they’ll be missed,” said Fen, not sure what else she could say to him.

“What was your mother like?” he asked quietly. Fen’s eyes widened and she looked to her right at him.
“She was lovely and kind,” she said. “She wanted the best for me. She figured that if the matchmaker didn’t think I was good enough then it was just because there wasn’t a good enough man.” Fen tried to blink away the tears but it very quickly became clear that they weren’t going to go away. “She was the best mother I could have asked for, she was so understanding. I’m only alive because she told me to leave her behind. I sort of wish I hadn’t left her behind.”

She could hear him crying and then she felt warm tears on her own cheeks.
“It’s okay to miss them,” she said softly. “And you’re probably blaming yourself but those men chose to go and fight with you.”
“Because they trusted my leadership and they trusted that we would win.”
“I think they trusted you to do the best that you could,” said Fen as she reached out to stroke Hayabusa. The falcon leaned into her touch. She sniffled and wiped her cheek with the sleeve of her new clothes. She hoped it didn’t ruin them. “And I think they followed you despite the risk of death.”

“Would you stay here with me?” he asked, looking at her. Fen nodded without hesitation. “To sleep here too, beneath the stars?”
Fen nodded again. “I’m kind of used to it now.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “For what we’ve done to your home. Some of it was pointless, we only needed to destroy their army.”
Fen leaned her head on his shoulder. “It’s too late to go back now,” she said. Shan Yu nodded. “We just have to remember them and honour their memories.”