The siege of Faron’s Crossing dragged on for several more weeks. The rain didn’t let up at all, and if not for how the town had dredged the river Caradec, Yuriko was sure they would have flooded everything already.

The battlefield had gone from being a mud plain to a pond. Or a lake, more like. A shallow one with water a dozen inches deep. There were even dartlings swimming in the water, and tadpoles, frogs, tiny little sharp-toothed fish, and a few of Zarek’s descendants, turtles. At least, there weren’t any of the river lizards that tried to eat her back in Kogasi. But on the other hand, their meat was quite tasty.

The Federation continued to bombard them with cannon shells, and the attacks grew more frequent. Once every ten minutes now, rather than once every few hours in the beginning. From the trajectories she could trace, there were more bunkers.

Their reinforcements had been enough to tip the balance towards the town, but not enough to drive the Federation away. Yuriko heard Tara Andersen one time, in the Moonlit Night Cafe, muttering about the Watchtower hoarding all of the powerful people.

“What do you mean?” Yuriko asked.

“Oh, you know,” Tara chuckled nervously. “Your friend has a powerful guard, and they’re all staying in the Watchtower. That place is a natural fortress and doesn’t need as many people… We could certainly use more power so we can push the invaders away.”

“My friend.” Yuriko tilted her head in thought. “You mean Finan?”

“Yes.”

“I doubt his guards would separate from him,” Yuriko said easily.

“Well, he should come back here to town.” Tara gave her a side eye and a grin. “You’re here, after all.”

Yuriko’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to say?”

The older woman rolled her eyes. “Yuriko Davar, you don’t have to act ignorant. I know who he is,” she continued in a whisper, “and I fully support your union.”

“I have no intention of doing so,” Yuriko said sharply.

“You don’t?”

“No.”

“Then why do you entertain him?”

“Huh? Because I do enjoy playing Shatran with him?”

“Aren’t you sending the wrong message then?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“You’re toying with his affections,” Tara said intensely. “If you have no intentions, then you shouldn’t keep him close.”

“I…” Yuriko shook her head. “It’s a bit complicated.”

“Oh?”

“Family politics. My mother’s side.”

“Are they…forcing you?”

“No, it’s not that. Just…” Yuriko stopped to think.

The Mishala Clan was oathbound to the Empire, to the Empress’ clan specifically, and there were duties that they must fulfil. But she had already severed that chain, the one that bound her to the Empress’ Will. At least, she thought it was that chain…it certainly involved her loyalty to the Empire.

Only, even though she’d severed it, she still felt loyalty. She still loved her home and she would do whatever she could to protect it. So what had really changed? Choice? It was certainly her choice to protect Faron’s Crossing.

So how did that tie in with Finan’s suit? He had sent an engagement request, but he wasn’t the only one. The others she had rejected out of hand, and it was only the rules of the Clan that forced her to accept his. If not for that, she would have rejected it too.

However, she did enjoy playing Shatran with him. She enjoyed the chocolates, too. He was a sly young man, but that also honed her strength in other matters.

Did she toy with his affections? Perhaps she should make it clear that she didn’t want to be engaged to him.

Although she didn’t mind other things…

Eh?

She didn’t?

It was the same with Heron, she realised. And Gwendith. She didn’t want a romantic relationship. Not now. Maybe in the future. A decade or so from today. Maybe.

But a romantic relationship was certainly different from a physical one. What she enjoyed with Gwendith now, spending time together, talking and gossiping at night, sometimes cuddling at night before bed. Those were…nice.

Was she attracted in that way to Gwen? A bit.

Was it the same for Heron or Finan?

She wasn’t sure.

The memories of her third incarnation, of all of her incarnations, actually, rose up. She'd certainly had physical relationships then, and she knew she enjoyed it. But she was a bit too young for that right now. Even if she was already a Knight, socially.

“Yuriko?” Tara waved at her, and she started. She had drifted into her thoughts and had been rude.

“Apologies. Your words made me consider a few things.”

“Oh. No worries. Ah, I think that’s your order.”

The waiter served her a tall glass of lavan berry juice, along with a cake. She had chosen to eat here since it was the only establishment that served actual food rather than ration bars. And only the Knights were normally allowed inside.

She felt a tinge of guilt for indulging in such while the rest of the populace had to make do, but after several weeks of ration bars, she just couldn’t take it anymore.

Tara had left her in silence while she ate. Yuriko returned to her thoughts. While the idea of a physical relationship wasn’t repugnant to her, she knew that it was only because of her Actualisation and the World Trials that the concept and idea had come to her. For one thing, she should probably talk to Mum about it.

Er… Mum’s a Mishala and considering how the rest of the Clan acted, she’d probably say that it was the natural thing.

Romantic love…did she even feel it? Did she even want it? Did she want to have children someday? That was a yes, honestly. But who would she have them with? Was it something she had to decide now? Certainly not.

Her Mien twitched with her every answer, and it was with some trepidation that she realised that every time she cleared up a few things, the Mien grew stronger. A little bit at a time, but the clearer her ideas were, the stronger her Mien could express itself. But this was also the path to control it.

Already, she could choose how intently her Mien affected those around her. She couldn’t close it off, no more than she could stop the instinct to breathe. Not yet, anyway. It was why people no longer stared at her all the time. She could live with furtive glances, but staring… with her perception aura, she knew if people were looking at her. She knew if they had any physical reactions, and it was rather uncomfortable knowing it.

Perhaps confronting her feelings and instincts was the path to taking full control. The Ancestors knew that none of the methods the Clan taught her worked. Her hand lingered over her tummy. The fertility control technique Aunt Kiyo taught her was still active there. Not getting bloody and crampy every Moon cycle was quite convenient after all.

Afterwards, she resumed her duties. With the legionnaires and the Colossi, she had enough time to teach the kids again. Not just the kids though, but the reserve warriors. They all needed a refresher course on fighting, and at the same time, they taught her knowledge and procedures of being in the militia.

Small unit tactics, hand signs, protocols, and other things that she could have learned if she continued her schooling. Well, she would have learned such things in Agaza, but much more valuable was the first-hand experience the old militiamen had. She’d soaked up such stories for Da from when he had been in Vagaris, and now she listened to stories that were a bit more mundane and steadfast.

Most of the retired militia didn’t serve here in Faron’s Crossing but in Rumiga City, or even a couple from a different frontier plane. Most of the trouble here in Rumiga came from the Wyldlings but that wasn’t true elsewhere.

Raids by the Xylarchy or by factions of the Coalition. Human against human. It was more brutal yet restrained at the same time. Humans fought for land and resources while Chaos dwellers fought for sustenance and territory. It just so happened that if a plane was conquered by a Chaos dweller, it became completely inhospitable to humankind.

Days of odd tranquillity passed. She somewhat missed the duel with Zagara. Her skill with the perfected attack did not progress at all. She needed a serious fight to practice, otherwise, it didn’t really work. In a spar, she could see that her opponents wouldn’t really follow through with the attack, and that ruined that miraculous feeling.

She met and trained with her childhood friends every day, too, along with Gwendith and Desire. Gwen’s Anima reach had gotten to about twenty inches and she was halfway to the World Trials. But her growth had stagnated. Faron’s Crossing’s ambient Chaos wasn’t thick enough to stress her. Yuriko thought about tossing her friend into the Chaos Sea, with her protection of course, but that would be incredibly dangerous.

As it were, she had to use her Animakinesis to press down on Gwendith’s Anima to strain it. They were also limited by the amount of distilled Chaos either of them manufactured. Fri’Avgi ate up most of the motes Yuriko produced, while Gwendith could barely create enough for her own training. Thankfully, Yuriko’s need for distilled Chaos wasn’t much. Unless her Anima got cracked in battle, which didn’t happen as often now.

As for Heron’s Body Forging, hmmm. His physique had reached a good state. It was a pleasure to behold actually. However, the two of them didn’t spar as often now. He knew his skill level was too low to challenge her and he admitted that he didn’t want to waste her training time. She still spent an hour every day training with her friends, though it was mostly her teaching them now.

Other than that, Heron often invited her for a leisurely stroll or a meal. He couldn’t get inside the Moonlit Night Cafe though, so the food was mostly what he or his sister could pretty up. Mostly, the four of them talked about their parents, and always, they wondered when they would return.

Yuriko’s tears had long dried up, and only the knowledge that Mum was already looking for them comforted her. She shared that with the others, but it was little comfort to them. If not for the siege, Yuriko would have left to go look for them already.

Hmmm, actually, it wasn’t just the siege. Her intuition told her that she shouldn’t leave Rumiga plane anytime soon, or if she did, she shouldn’t stay away for long. Otherwise…well, she didn’t know. But if she based it on her incarnations, then something quite dreadful. Even if those incarnations would never come to be, the danger it warned her was still present. If only she knew what it was then she could head it off.

Come to think of it…

“Two hundred Chaos Lords.” Veran Jake brought it up during the Knight’s council. “That’s an unnatural number. We have to find out what it means, where they came from, and how they can live in the planes without wasting away. This is far more important than anything else. If they multiply further, then they could overrun the entire plane, with or without the Gemheart.”

“They’re coming from the south,” Saki volunteered. “I’ve noticed them. I’ve seen them come in with the logistical supplies. They’re from the Federation, possibly through their Chaos Channel.”

“We need to find out,” Veran reiterated.

“Should I go?” Yuriko asked hesitantly.

Her instincts were pointing there, and her curiosity was making her itch. Besides, ever since she used her perfected strikes against Zagara, the woman hadn’t come back to continue the challenge. She was getting bored and her Davar wanderlust was making her feet itch too.

“You want to infiltrate?” Veran, Sheamus, Marron, and most of the younger Knights yelped. “You? You’d stick out too much!”

“Wait, that isn’t such a bad idea,” Sheamus said. “If I remember correctly, some people who live in the Federation have attires that cover their bodies and faces.”

“Yes, but Knight Davar is our strongest Knight,” Tara Andersen protested.

“It’s not as if I’m fighting anyone now,” Yuriko said mildly, “or in the past few weeks. Besides, with the Colossi and the Chainbreaker Century, Faron’s Crossing is fairly secure.”

“I understand that,” Tara said. “But I’d be more comfortable with you infiltrating the Federation after we’ve broken the siege.”

“We have all of their encampment locations and bunkers,” Veran said. “We can assault those positions and push them off. No need to slaughter every last one of them. We just need to break their fortifications, or destroy their supplies.”

“Let’s build the plan then.”

And that occurred a couple of days ago. Today was already the 45th Day of Water. They’d been besieged for nearly sixty days. They’d also fallen into a routine, and it was only a matter of time before things changed. It was better to try and push the Federation away, even if it looked like the town wasn’t their primary objective. Indeed, Saki reported that most of the troops had actually moved farther west, making it clearer that the Watchtower was the target.

And, on that afternoon, a Chaos Ship made its way to Faron’s Crossing and landed in the town centre.