Relena and the three knights-in-training snapped to attention as Lord Gabriel finally entered the room, followed by his two escorts. The two were other members of the council which had sat in for Remiel's hearing, Lady Claire and Lord Pierre. Lady Claire had blonde hair and a smile that never reached her eyes. She looked as if she were very weary, but meant to do as much good as she could. Lord Pierre had short salt-and-pepper colored hair and very kind eyes. Remiel had seen him in several meetings translating into many languages, and he was also one of Remiel's professors who taught him how to use a sword.
"There have been reports of strange activities at the White Peak of Royaume du Chevalier. Heavy snowfall and avalanches have been reported in the area, killing several villagers of the nearby village. Team Relena, your mission is to find the source of these occurences, which we believe to be the work of a Water adept." Lord Gabriel commanded. "Should it be necessary, you have permission to neutralize the adept."
The team bowed to the Knight Commander, and he saluted them before leaving the room. Beatrice turned to leave the room, and Relena stopped her. "Aren't you going to stay behind and help us plan?" She asked.
"I've been preparing my whole life for this moment, and I have to meet with Claire for swordplay lessons in ten minutes. I'm sure that we'll have more than adequate time for you to tell me the plan on the way." Beatrice said flatly as she continued on. Relena clenched her jaw but said nothing. Remiel could tell that the team was already falling apart.
***
The next day, Remiel met with Klaus and Relena at the front of Saint's Cross to depart, but Beatrice was not yet there. He went over in his head the plans, which basically consisted of he and Klaus creating a barrier of Water and Wind magicks if the adept chose to attempt an avalanche. If the heavy snowfall became a problem, both Relena and Beatrice were capable of Fire magicks and could hopefully keep the group from freezing.
Beatrice came from the girls' dormitory walking very quickly. Though she obviously knew she was late, she said nothing. The bags under her eyes had gotten darker, and Remiel could tell she hadn't been sleeping well.
The knights had prepared two horses and a covered carriage for Team Relena, and as they climbed inside, Relena sat in the front to guide the horses and Remiel sat in the back as Klaus explained the tactics they had agreed on to Beatrice. She nodded wearily, and Klaus sat back. The two knights-in-training soon fell asleep in the caravan and Remiel climbed over them to sit up with Relena.
"So I heard an interesting rumor." Remiel said cautiously.
"I shouldn't have to tell you to be careful what you listen to." Relena chided.
"I know, but this was interesting... I heard you had a title." Remiel continued. Relena nodded, keeping her eyes in front of her.
"Most knights have titles from their more famous moments. It's mainly for the people of Royaume de Chevalier. Hearing the names of their knights with such titles inspires hope and a sense of pride. My title, for example, comes from me being a lady knight who wears pink armor, which makes a rose appropriate imagery. And when I fight, I often surround myself with a fire elemental aura. As such, I gained the title Relena of the Blazing Rose."
"What about the other knights?" Remiel asked.
"Well, there's Vega of the Screaming Dark, named because of his sword having a dark aura and having holes so that it makes sound when he strikes. There's also Jiron the Silver Cross, named for his silver armor and his personal technique, which slices two perpendicular lines, forming a cross in his enemy. There's also Blue Heart Annique, who creates water shields and water magicks in the form of hearts, and Mina the Golden Whirlwind, whose blonde hair and rapid speed make up her namesake." Relena began. As they continued to the White Peak, she told him as many titles as she could remember, and he listened with great interest.
"Is that the peak?" Came a voice from behind them. Beatrice had awoken, and was pressing her way between Relena and Remiel.
"We'll be there in about an hour," said Relena flatly. "We need to be prepared for anything.
Beatrice laid her head against the side of the carriage and sighed. Remiel and Relena kept their eyes ahead and watched as the great snow-capped mountain rose to meet them. Soon they could see the small village nearby and stopped the carriage, paying a stableman to rest their carriage before heading up toward the peak. An old man stopped them on their way out, his frame shaking, resting on a small wooden cane. "Thank you for helping us, Blazing Rose." He said, eyes full of sadness. "There have been several deaths over the past month or so. My son went up that mountain and was buried alive... we found his body just last week. Our hearts can't stand much more of this."
Relena smiled and nodded. "It's our pleasure, sir."
The team continued on in silence, up to the first plateau where they could rest. Remiel was having difficulty breathing, and had to sit. Beatrice stood facing him, arms crossed, and Klaus looked up toward the top of the mountain. Relena walked over to a small barn on the side of the plateau and walked inside. She came out with a man wearing a wide brimmed hat, who eyed the three knights-in-training before grunting and giving Relena four whistles. He continued back inside and Remiel could hear gates opening.
Relena handed each of the three a whistle and kept one for herself, and blew on the one she kept. A shrill noise filled the air, and a large hairy creature with round tusks lumbered out from behind the barn. Beatrice blew her whistle, and another followed. Remiel and Klaus looked at one another, shrugged, and they both blew their whistles. Four of the large beasts stood in front of the group and the man came back out of the barn.
"Now I'm not gonna tell you to be gentle with these here White Peak Goats, but don't be stupid. They'll go wherever you tell them, even if that means off a cliff," he said. "Saint's Cross will be held responsible if any of my beauties are killed, so like I said, don't be stupid."
Relena spoke. "I'll take it upon myself personally to replace them should anything happen."
The man grunted and walked back into the barn, leaving the four to go on. Relena stopped the others before they got on their mounts and gave them each a steel rapier. Remiel looked at it and asked if it was a Knight's Blade, to which Relena shook her head. "These are standard issue blades that all knights-in-training use for missions. I'd like you each to keep these with you for missions."
They mounted onto the large goats and continued on. As they got higher up, Remiel noticed Beatrice looking behind them nervously and humming to herself. He chuckled quietly, realizing that she was afraid of heights. Finally it got to the point where her face was nearly buried in the back of her goat's neck.
They arrived at another plateau and stopped. There was a strange noise that they could hear coming from nearby, and they stood quietly to listen. Klaus led his goat toward the sound, and was thrown back by an icy blast. His goat was thrown into the air with him and they tumbled back down the mountain.
Remiel saw Relena swerve her goat's head around and race down the mountain. "Hurry, let's go help!" He yelled to Beatrice. She shook her head.
"She's in there. Go back if you want, but I'm taking her out right now."
"Beatrice, we should fight her together."
Beatrice's eyes flared with anger. "Don't get in my way, Delacroix. Remember what I said to you? Blazing Rose and Lord Jiron will be thrown in prison along with you if you should interfere with my mission."
Remiel bit his tongue and turned to see whether he could see Relena or Klaus. He turned again and Beatrice had left her goat as she dashed into the cave. He followed after her, his conscience getting the better of him. Leaving her to fight alone would get her killed.
As he entered the cave, he saw that it was one big rounded room fashioned from ice out of the side of the mountain. In the center of it was a woman seated in a small seat made of snow. She stood to face Beatrice, who was standing before her. Remiel could feel the intensity between the two women, and began to walk to Beatrice's side.
"I told you not to get in my way, Remiel. If you insist on coming, you can bear witness to my victory. Otherwise I demand that you leave." She said cruelly.
Remiel nodded, and stood near the entrance.
"You are a fool to abandon your help, young one." Said the other woman. "I am Laneige, the snow witch. I will freeze you to the bone."
Beatrice held her rapier parallel to her face and slightly to her right, responding to the witch's taunt by preparing herself for the battle. Remiel felt the cold wind rushing toward the witch as she weaved magicks to form an icy halberd.
At the same time, the witch forced an icy wind around the two of them, forcing Remiel to warm himself by rubbing his hands together. The entrance froze over, and they were trapped inside together. Remiel set to work immediately on changing the substance of the water so that he could wield it, but before he could even get started, the two combatants rushed towards one another and he saw them clash.
Looking first at Beatrice, Remiel noticed that her offhand had become completely coated with ice. This continued nearly to her neck, and he could see puffs of her breath as she heavily exhaled. Laneige, on the other hand, had only three small red marks on her, as she smiled broadly at Remiel. He summoned the water energy that was abundantly flowing around him, pulling the snow and ice off the walls and floor, even freeing Beatrice's arm. The entrance was uncovered, and Remiel saw Relena and a shivering Klaus just outside of the door, but he had gathered all the energy in his arm.
The witch's face, already pale, now became filled with horror. Remiel situated himself so that a blast of energy wouldn't damage any of his teammates, when suddenly Laneige's chest exploded. Remiel, shocked, began rapidly releasing the water energy back into the atmosphere. Another explosion sent the witch reeling back into the wall, and Remiel realized that the explosions were a part of Beatrice's attack. With a third explosion, her body fell limp to the floor, and Beatrice dusted the snow off of her tunic.
"Mission complete." Beatrice said, as she walked out of the now clear entrance. She mounted her goat and began down the hill. Klaus followed behind her and Remiel began to do the same, but was stopped by Relena.
"That was amazing!" She said to him. "I don't throw that word around, Mr. Delacroix."
"It was Beatrice who defeated the witch, not me." Remiel said as he attempted once more to leave. Again Relena moved into his way.
"No doubt, her defeat of the witch was also impressive, but even I was unable to get through that wall of ice, and with that ice encompassing her, she would have frozen to death if you hadn't stepped in."
"I have to beg you to keep this off the record, m'lady."
"But you'd be able to advance if this became known."
"Please promise me, Relena. I promise that I'll make it into knighthood and repay my debt to you, but not like this. I can't take credit at all for this mission."
Relena regarded him suspiciously, but relented. "I think I have an idea of what's going on here. You'll get another chance to prove yourself, I'm sure. Without your magick, and without Beatrice."
Remiel bowed to the lady knight, and the two returned down the mountain.
As they began to leave the small village after getting their carriage back, the elderly man who had stopped them earlier was standing in the town square. With him stood several dozen people, who Remiel assumed must have been nearly the entire village. "Thank you, Lady Relena of the Blazing Rose," he said to her, smiling broadly. "Our village is indebted to you."
Relena held her hand up to stop him. She looked at Remiel and quietly asked him to explain to the people what had transpired.
"This young lady is the one who defeated the witch." Remiel said, gesturing to Beatrice, who looked a little suprised to see Remiel giving her total credit. "Lady Beatric, of the Amber Burst." He continued to explain her rapid victory over Laneige, and told them of her three point exploding burst technique. The people listened in awe, then let out a cheer.
"Lady Beatrice!" Came several voices, and she smiled as she coyly brushed her hair out of her face. Remiel smiled, forgetting himself as he realized that her shyness at receiving the cheers was the most human thing he had seen in her.
Beatrice continued looking back longingly as they continued back to Saint Cross, and Remiel saw a tinge of sadness in her smile.
Not sure what to make of that Beatrice character.
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