Guiche de Gramont blinked groggily in the early morning light as he spurred his horse to follow alongside his two companions. They had departed the Port of York not but an hour ago, following a road that ran sloping down from the high cliffs heading North towards Newcastle. Midori rode beside him, displaying her characteristic charming lack of grace in the saddle while attempting to take a bite from the loaf of bread they had purchased when they had set off. The swordswoman seemed to think there was no time to waste, and at her insistence, they had departed just before dawn after staying the night at an Inn near the docks.

Since Midori had confronted him aboard the Lady Gallant, Guiche hadn't quite known how to act around her. Naturally, he had to act in accordance with her wishes, she was a taken woman after all, to continue to pursue would be to spit upon her honor. But her comments had stuck with him. She couldn't respect him? He sickened her? They had been delivered so calmly and with the same note of disappointment as . . . 'As father', Guiche thought. That similarity had bitten in a way that simple anger had not.

But afterwords, Midori had behaved as if the whole thing hadn't happened. She hadn't responded like the other girl's he had scorned, shunning him and peppering him with insults, instead, she continued to treat him cordially if somewhat distantly as a traveling companion. It was as if she expected their talk to have settled the whole matter. It left Guiche quite confused. In his experience, women didn't forgive such transgressions easily.

Was this some sort of second chance? He wondered. Midori had said his conduct would make her mission more difficult. The mission . . . Yes he had been quite a heel, the mission had to come first!

Casting Midori another sideways glance, he supposed Miss Midori was simply being a professional. It was conduct he should seek to emulate. Of course, that wasn't to say he couldn't continue to admire, he was a Gramont after all, but only from afar. As a conquest, he decided, Miss Midori was sadly as unattainable as the fair Princess.

"Its hard to believe this country is a war zone." Midori commented after swallowing her bite of bread. "It looks so peaceful."

Captain Wardes gave a small shrug. "This area is of vital importance to Albion's commerce. Even during war some places will continue to thrive."

Guiche gazed about the countryside. He had to agree. The port city had been as lively as any Guiche had ever visited. As they traveled, they were stopped for inspection by troops in Rebel Army uniforms. The men had been polite but quite thorough, even insisting that Miss Midori remove the hood of her cloak.

When questioned about the measures the infantry Captain who had stopped them at the checkpoint had delivered surprising news.

"Are you just arrived on the Isle?" The man had asked, casting his glance between Wardes, Guiche, and Midori as if sizing the three up. "Strange times to be arriving for business other than war."

"Our business has to do with the war." Wardes assured. "My half sister here is betrothed to an officer in the Good Lord Cromwell's army."

The infantry Captain looked over to Midori who simply lowered her head demurely, as if trying to hide beneath her cloak. "The arrangements were made some time ago of course, before this whole business started. In his last letter, we were informed that Wesley was serving at one of the Forts ringing Newcastle. We are here only to confirm the wedding arrangements, and to give the betrothed some time together, and will then be returning to Gallia."

The Captain seemed to be weighing the story before Midori spoke. "Please Sir." The swordswoman said in a small voice. "I just want to see that he's safe. Brother promised we could get there before nightfall."

The look on that innocent face softened the Rebel Officer's expression, he looked old enough to have a daughter Midori's age, he gave the girl a reassuring nod. "I understand. Fear not, the Royalists are well pinned in Newcastle and the field commanders have been ordered to postpone any further offensives for the time being. I'm sure you'll find him safe. But be warned, it is dangerous ahead, if you wish to approach the Forts you must remain on the roadways."

"Is there a problem?" Wardes asked.

The Rebel Captain turned to Wardes and nodded again. "By order of Sir Dunwell, commander of the 4th Dragon Knight squadron, anyone found off of the roads or open fields is to be treated as a Royalist soldier and killed on the spot."

"What!" Guiche spluttered in surprise. "Isn't that a little harsh?"

"Harsh, but necessary." The Officer said. "We received word only a short while ago that just last night, a team of Royalists managed to slip through the siege and sabotage a gunpowder mill outside of the town of Wallsend. And it was not just mages loyal to the Royalist's cause." The man's eyes narrowed, causing a scar beneath his left eye to pucker. "They had Faeries in their company."

'Faeries?' Guiche didn't miss the sharp intake of breath from Midori. In any other girl he would have taken it for a gasp of fright as did the Rebel soldiers who looked on solemnly.

"Faeries?" Wardes asked. "You mean like those spied in Tristain?"

So the rumors they'd heard around the docks were true? Guiche wondered. It did seem the Fae had a tendency to get themselves in trouble.

"Aye." The Officer said, letting out a heavy sigh. "I've not heard but rumors but people seem to think they're the same ken. Other stories have that they are Elven agents sent to aid the Royalists, but if that were true I'd have to think we'd all be dead by now. They're allied to the Royalists in any case. Not but a week ago they aided the Royalists in heinous sabotage at York. There have been spottings of them since, most recently at the powder mill last night."

"Then we will have to be on guard." Wardes said seriously.

"That you will." The officer agreed. "But worry not, the roads are safe from here to the Newcastle siege. Sir Dunwell is a fine officer, he'll have the Royalists and their Faerie allies bottled up soon enough. Just head along straight from here, you'll have to explain your business once you reach the siege."

"We understand, thank you." Wardes gave the infantry Captain a small tip of his hat and they departed quickly, continuing down the road at a distance eating gate.

Once they were out of sight of the soldiers, Midori spurred her horse faster, forcing Guiche and the Viscount to keep pace. Behind them, Verdandi let out an indignant squawk at having to keep up with the horses.

"Miss Midori?" Wardes asked.

"We have to hurry." The swordswoman said, eyes not meeting those of the Viscount.

"Does this have to do with the Faeries?" Guiche asked, receiving a suspicious look from Wardes. Midori's expression turned bitter.

"Would you care to explain, Miss Midori?" Wardes pressed. "Or would doing so risk your mission?"

The swordswoman was silent as they settled into a canter. The girl's normal awkwardness in the saddle had vanished, she seemed completely focused on simply riding. Silence was all the answer that was needed. Even Guiche could guess that Midori's mission had to do with the Faeries. Was she here to smuggle them from Albion? Perhaps it was at the request of the Faerie Lords.

"All you need to know is that I have to make it to Wallsend to investigate." Midori said.

"Then I'm afraid we will have part ways when we reach the next town." Wardes said. "Our own mission awaits us in Newcastle.

"Fine." Midori said without hesitation. "If need by I can make it the rest of the way on my own."

Guiche looked between his companions, alarmed, "But Captain Wardes, weren't we ordered to aid Miss Midori if possible?"

The Captain gave Guiche a small nod. "That we were. But this is her mission, we have our own. We mustn't endanger it." Looking back to Midori. "You heard that officer, a powder mill was destroyed, sabotaged during the night. The Rebels will be on high alert."

"I know." The swordswoman said, a grim look overtaking her.

They road hard in silence from then on. It filled Guiche with anticipation and a healthy feeling of dread. They would be parting ways at the next town and suddenly the future didn't seem so certain. How exactly were he and the Viscount to make it past the siege? And what of Miss Midori? Surely she was strong and amazingly skilled, but she was still just a lone girl. Would she be alright on her own? If not for his commitment to the mission, Guiche might have offered to accompany her without a second thought.

Running their horses and the Captain's Griffin at a full canter, they made the town of Gateshead in just under two hours, placing them a mere fifteen leagues from Newcastle and just beyond the perimeter of the siege. Gateshead turned out to be a less prosperous place than York, a small town of no more than a few hundred, watched over by a sullen looking fort set high on the nearby hill. They entered the town through its namesake gate, all that was left of a larger defensive fortification that judging by the grass grown foundations had once stretched past the town in both directions.

"If we are to part ways here, then I should at least wish you luck." Captain Wardes said as they entered the town square and he brought his mount to a halt. A few onlookers seemed curious to see such an exotic beast. Griffins were not particularly common outside the service of Tristain, but they were not unheard of either. Most would likely think that the Viscout was a mercenary here to pledge his services to Reconquista. "Mister Gramont, we will be staying her until nightfall, see to a room at the tavern."

"Y-yes Sir!" Guiche said, dropping down from his own horse. "And what will you be doing? If I might ask?" Guiche added quickly.

The Captain glanced swiftly from side to side. "I will be making arrangements for our infiltration this evening." He said softly. "We will need to know the lay of the besieging army if we are to slip past.

"Oh, yes, very good Sir." Guiche nodded quickly. Naturally they wouldn't be able to sneak by in broad daylight. "Then you can leave it to me!"

The Viscount gave Guiche a small nod and departed across the town square. Turning back to the matter he had been entrusted with. Guiche stopped as he noticed Midori had dismounted. The girl had produced a map from her her small traveling satchel and appeared to be in the midst of examining it. Curiously, she seemed to sound out whatever it was she was reading under her breath, like a child. It was again painfully endearing, testing the limits of his honor as a Gramont son.

"Is something wrong Miss Midori?" Guiche asked.

The girl frowned. "I need to find the way to Wallsend, its to the North, but its not on my map." She said as she returned the map to her satchel. Guiche caught a glimpse of strange markings scribbled all over the more delicate cartographer's script, as if the map had been marked up with notes.

"Ah, well, there's a signpost just over there." Guiche pointed to where a tall wooden poll was affixed with the names of towns and their directions. "It should be as easy as reading the name off of that."

Midori squinted at the signpost, and then her expression soured.

"What is it?" Guiche asked. He couldn't imagine that the swordswoman's eyesight was bad given how easily she had spotted the ambush two days ago. He started feeling a little worried, had he already done something else to upset her? Wait, he thought, she was moving her lips again as if trying to sound out . . . It couldn't be . . . "Miss Midori?" Guiche asked cautiously. "Are you, perchance not literate?"

Midori suddenly looked intensely flustered. "I can read just fine." She said with a hint of irritation. "Just not . . . this script."

'This script? The Romalian alphabet?' Guiche thought, how was that possible? Even in Germania, which used it's own bastardized writing system, a noble would be expected to be able to read in at very least one of the Birmiric tongues. He shook his head, that wasn't important right now, what was important was that Midori needed to know something so that she could see to her mission.

Scanning down the signpost, Guiche pointed. "There, that's it, the third one from the bottom." Midori followed his hand and then nodded. "Got it. Thank you, Guiche."

It wasn't much, but the words were so sincere that they made the young Gramont son's heart flutter. Midori was already spurring her horse when Guiche called quickly. "Wait!"

Midori cast a look over her shoulder. "What is it now?"

It had actually just occurred to Guiche, but if Midori didn't know the alphabet, it might be hard to memorize the written name of Wallsend. "You should probably copy the name down, in case there's a fork in the road along the way." He offered, hoping he didn't sound too foolish. Surprisingly, Midori gave a small nod of agreement.

"I'm afraid I didn't bring a pen." She said.

"Quite alright!" Guiche said quickly, fishing through his own satchel he found what he was looking for, a graphite pencil, useful to write or make note while traveling. "I have something to write with, if you happen to have anything I could . . ."

"Use the back of this." Midori said quickly, fishing out her map and offering it to him. Guiche nodded, taking the folded piece of paper. He took the opportunity to note the oddly angular text that marked one corner, written neatly beneath the name of a town. He didn't know what it was, but it wasn't Romalian, nor Germanian either.

"There." Guiche said, handing the map back, 'Wallsend' written neatly in pencil at the corner. "You shouldn't have any problems now."

Suddenly, a cry of "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!" was heard across the square, accompanied by the tolling of a bell. Standing tall in his colorful robes, a town crier was beginning an announcement. "By order of the Holy Army of Reconquista, all good citizens of the town of Gateshead are asked to listen and obey! In connection to the matter of Sabotage announced just this morning at the powder mill at Wallsend which claimed the lives of many good soliders, the army requests the assistance of the citizenry in running to ground dangerous fugitives."

At Guiche's side, Midori was suddenly completely focused on the announcement, the map held tightly in her hand all but forgotten. "Miss Midori?" He asked, receiving no answer.

"The first among these fugitives is Prince Wales Tudor, Crown Prince of Albion, third son of King James of Albion, wanted on charges of heresy, piracy, reckless endangerment of the public, and resisting the lawful forces of Reconquista. The Prince was last spotted last night at the site of the powder mill explosion. Any information leading to the Capture of Prince Wales will be rewarded with a sum of up to five hundred silver marks!" The crowd of gathered towns people began to mutter among themselves and for good reason, five hundred marks, even with the questionable financial practices of the Rebels, represented enough silver for a commoner to live comfortably for the rest of his days.

This was terrible news! Guiche thought quickly, looking every way for any sign of Captain Wardes, but the Mage Knight had already vanished. They were here to retrieve a letter from the Prince. If he was captured . . .

The town crier continued. "In addition to the Prince and his Royalist forces, a number of the illusive Fae, first spotted in York, are believe to also be at large. First among them is a Faerie girl wanted on charges of aiding enemies of the Kingdom, inciting heresy, murder, and sabotage. She was last spotted before dawn traveling South from Wallsend towards the siege and Gateshead. This girl is estimated to stand two and two thirds mails in height with a weight of eight and half stone. Defining features are long hazel hair, a pair of gossamer wings, and elongated ears likened to those of an Elf. She is believed to answer to the name Asuna. Any information leading to the capture of this enemy of the Kingdom will be rewarded with a sum of up to four hundred marks!"

Guiche was dismayed by the number. Reconquista would offer almost as much for a Faerie who couldn't have been in Albion for more than a few weeks as they would for the head of the Crown Prince who had been fighting them for over half a year? It only reinforced his assessment from earlier, the Fae had a knack for getting themselves in trouble.

"Miss Midori, I apologize but I need to go find Captain Wardes, he'll want to hear of this! Miss Midori?" Guiche finally looked back and realized that his companion had vanished without a trace. Guiche looked down at his familiar who was busy sniffing the ground at her feet."Do you have any idea where Midori went my pet?"

Looking up at him, his lovely and remarkably intelligent familiar gave a small shake of her head. "Well that's quite odd." He hadn't heard her leave. And strangest off all, he looked down at the pair of reigns that had seemingly materialized in his hand in place of the map, she'd left her horse.