Tell me, do you remember the feeling when the Heroes returned with the Crystal Blood? The hope that this girl would restore the Empire? That we would once again be able to stand tall? I remember. But what happened? Ask anyone who has served in the Crystal Palace. The girl is just as bad as her father, or even worse. She doesn’t care about the common people. All she cares about is her own comforts. She’s even corrupted the Heroes who play petty politics to protect their spoiled princess. – Street crier for Purist recruitment team

SASHA

Princess Illana stepped up to the edge of the balcony. Below were several thousand people. Many were men and women who volunteered to fight. Some were just curious. Some were Purist sympathizers. Sasha longed for her armor as she stood next to the princess. She envied Kurt and Marteen who were in full combat attire. Of course, as the Imperial Regent, she was barred from acting in such a common manner. Stupid traditions of nobility.

“I am heartened to see so many of you here. I cannot tell you how touched I was when Heroes Madrigal and Volker told me how many volunteered to fight to save our city from those who would tear it apart. You are truly the finest this city has to offer.” Princess Illana beamed as the crowd roared. The princess let her smiling demeanor drop.

“It is because of that regard I speak with you now. Many of you have heard rumors of what is marching on our city. I am here to tell you the truth. When Heroes Madrigal and Volker asked you to fight, you were told we faced two thousand Purists. We were wrong. We face ten thousand Purists. Even in the light of this new and larger threat, the Diet has refused to order the Capitol Army to return to Lisandra.” There was dark murmuring from the crowd.

“The Crystal Blood will fight. The Crystal Guard will fight. The Heroes will fight. Because we must fight. Because the Purists have come to purify the Crystal Blood. Because they want to purify me. Ten years ago, a madman attempted to sacrifice me for his mad schemes, and I will not let that happen again.”

“The constables will fight. They have a duty to protect this city and its citizens. They must protect its streets from those who would do its people harm. All of us will fight – regardless of what odds we face because we have a duty to do so. You do not.” There was questioning and more dark murmuring.

“You do not have a duty to defend Lisandra. You have a duty to defend your families. To defend your homes. To defend your neighborhoods. Some in the Diet may say you have a duty to fight and die for them or for me, but I will not ask you to do so. I know what the Crystal Blood and the Diet has done in the recent past. The Crystal Blood does not deserve that allegiance. Not yet, but I will.”

“I need your help, and I ask for your help. I am not asking because of your duty to me. I am asking because of your duty to each other. We need to stand together against this threat. If we stand together, we can protect this city TOGETHER!” The crowd roared as the princess spoke the last word.

“If you wish to fight alongside the Heroes, the Crystal Guard, and the constables, I welcome you from the bottom of my heart,” Princess Illana continued after the roar subsided. “We need everyone and anyone willing. If you decide to stay with those closest to you and defend them, you have every right to make that decision. I will pray to the Goddess you come through this without injury.” The princess’s face grew dark.

“To those of you who sympathize with those outside our city, I will make this pledge. Do nothing to aid them and the Crystal Blood will do nothing against you. I ask you watch our actions in the coming days. Let us prove we are worthy of our ancient lineage.” Sasha was impressed at the princess’s deftness with the last. Sasha would have been more threatening. However, as Sasha looked out among the crowd, leaving it unsaid was more effective.

The princess went down. A flash of fear went through Sasha until she realized the princess was kneeling. The crowd was shocked by the sight of the princess kneeling before them. It wasn’t how things were done in the Empire. The common people were expected to kneel before the nobility, not the other way around.

“Goddess of Light, please watch over these people in the coming days. Protect them, guide them, and give them the strength to endure. Please allow your clerics to be filled with your Grace to defend, to heal, and to comfort your children. For those who you must call to your embrace, please let their calling come peacefully. We give thanks to the Goddess.”

THANKS TO THE GODDESS OF LIGHT. The crowd replied as one. Sasha shot a glance over to Kurt. He looked just as surprised. He wasn’t a follower of the Goddess, but he understood the significance of the Crystal Blood praying in public. Not just praying, but leading a prayer. In public. Before thousands. Did the princess realize what she was doing? As the princess stood up and smiled at her people, it was clear the princess was fully aware of how her actions could be seen by the Sacellum. The princess waved to her subjects and stepped back from the balcony. Cheers followed her as she walked back into the hotel.

“Why, under all that is holy, did you have to do that for?” Sasha hissed as they walked through the hallways. The circle of Crystal Guards gave them a small bubble of privacy.

“Do what?”

“Don’t give me that innocent look. Do you want to see what little support we have from the Sacellum removed because you decided to provoke the Suprema?”

“There are several reasons for my actions – including the simple fact that it was genuine plea to the Goddess.” The princess’s tone wasn’t quite reproachful, but it was damn close.

“If you wanted to ask the Goddess’s protection, you could have asked one of the clerics in the crowd do it. You didn’t need to lead the prayer.”

“Yes, I did.” The princess quickened her pace down the hotel stairs. Sasha expected to continue the discussion when they entered the lobby, but stopped when she saw the princess’s face. It could wait a few moments to ensure Princess Illana had some privacy. They crossed the lobby and out into the street. The Crystal Guard fanned out and surrounded the Imperial Carriage. The princess smiled at the people as she stepped into the carriage. Sasha motioned for Kurt to stay with the volunteers. She needed to speak with the princess alone.

“He’s out there somewhere,” the princess breathed, looking out the window.

“Rin?”

“I can’t pray for his safety. Not openly. All I can do is pray for the safety of others. I can’t help him, so I help those who will support him. I can’t go where he is, so I go where I hope I can feel him.”

“It’s very hard to watch the ones we love go into danger. It’s especially hard when we can’t go with them – or do anything directly for them.”

“At least you were there with Marteen when you rescued me,” Princess Illana said.

“I was then, yes, but I can’t now,” Sasha replied. “Now, I have to stay behind and watch him go into battle.” The princess studied Sasha for several long moments.

“I thought you were done with Marteen,” Princess Illana said. “I thought that was why you sent him away.”

“I can love someone and still realize that our relationship is not good for either of us,” Sasha said. “I love Marteen. I know Marteen loves me. It took him so long to figure that out. Unfortunately, love isn’t always enough. Not when one of them is so very broken – and refuses to heal.”

“What happens when both of them are broken?” The question was barely audible. Sasha looked at the princess. There was fear in the young woman’s eyes.

“Is that what you think? Both Rin and you are broken?”

“I know how I was before Rin came back. How horrible I was to you and to Pallus. Rin’s told me how about the anger he felt before coming back. We’re both broken.” The princess’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Sasha smiled at the princess.

“You aren’t broken. You were just lost.”

“What does that mean? All of the sudden everything that was important to me just a few days ago are – not meaningless, but less important. I’m ashamed of how I acted. So many years of putting you and the others through turmoil. It’s like…”

“The moment Rin walked in, the haze lifted? Suddenly everything was clear?”

“Yes! I can see how horrible I was. I don’t understand how I could be that person.”

“Because you and Rin share something very special. You have since he found you in that cave. We all knew it was something unique, but I don’t think any of us realized exactly how important it was to the two of you until Rin returned.”

“I need him. I can feel the woman I was a few days ago in the back of mind. It’s hard to keep her away when he’s not here,” Princess Illana said.

“He needs you too,” Sasha said, putting a comforting hand on the princess.

“Then why didn’t Rin say anything when Pallus said he would go back to the Republic when he kills this sorcerer?” Princess Illana demanded. Sasha stopped her normal retort. This wasn’t the lashing out of the old Illana. This was a fearful Illana who was dealing with new, or at least returned feelings, and a sudden shame. Sasha silently cursed Pallus. Why couldn’t he stop digging at Rin? Especially when they need Rin so much? Sasha moved across the carriage and sat next to Princess Illana. She embraced the crying princess.

“Sometimes life makes horrible demands on us,” Sasha said. “Sometimes those we love have duties that take them away from us for a time. We must have faith they will return to us.”

“I don’t know what I will do if Rin leaves,” the princess said.

“We’ll face that if it happens,” Sasha said. It was at that moment she realized what Pallus was trying to tell her. Sasha looked down at the crying young woman. She couldn’t leave Princess Illana. Sasha spent too many years preparing the princess to become the woman the Empire needed. Rin coming back wasn’t the only thing Princess Illana needed. Perhaps the most important, but not the only thing. Princess Illana needed Lady Sonya. Damn it.