The prison that the Lightning Battalion was guarding was actually one of the banks in Erlenberg, with its vaults and offices repurposed to serve as cells. They didn’t lock the prisoners in the vaults of course, but replaced the vault doors with a grated gate and exploited the fact that the vaults only had one entryway.

The former “Gilded Bank,” which had been a holding of House Voidsailor, also had a fancy front lawn, which provided a perfect place for the Lightning Battalion to continue training. Martin and Elizabeth were overseeing these drills, maneuvers and firing drills, whilst Ginger, still on crutches, gave tips and advice from the sidelines.

Ayax and Frances however were tackling a far more complicated task.

Faced with two mages, the prisoners were impeccably behaved. The mix of trolls, ogres, goblins and orcs tried no tricks, or attempted any backtalk. Frances and Ayax made sure their soldiers fed them and provided them with basic amenities. The prisoners took them and did their own thing. When they exercised within the bank’s now empty foye, they didn’t try to force their way out.

The problem was that they didn’t talk to Frances, Ayax, or any of their guards. The girls had already tried interrogating them, but unwilling to threaten them, the prisoners had refused to say anything. They’d occasionally apologized for being rude, but they said nothing about the army’s state.

“It’s like talking to a wall,” said Frances during lunch with her friends. It was a simple lunch of sandwiches made with salted pork and grilled vegetables. Since the Alavari had surrounded Erlenberg on land, strict rationing had been introduced to make supplies last longer. They were still getting food by ship, but only in convoys.

Ayax nodded. “We can’t threaten them, and they don’t like us.”

Ginger chuckled. “Well you could threaten them, but Ayax you’re more stern than scary and Frances you are… um.” The redhead frowned. “How do I say it?”

“Cute,” Elizabeth supplied.

Frances couldn’t stop herself from pouting a little. That brought a fresh round of giggles and chuckles from her friends, which she couldn’t help but join in. It was always nice to be good at something, even if it was being too cute to intimidate someone properly.

Her hand mirror began to vibrate. Reaching into it, Frances flipped it open, expecting Alexander or Elowise. Instead, she was met with green eyes.

“Mom!”

Edana smiled. She seemed to be in a carriage that from how it shook, was going quite quickly. “Frances, it’s been too long. Are you free?”

“Of course.” Frances waved goodbye to her friends before running to an empty room and grabbing a chair. “I’ve missed you mom.”

“Me too. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. It’s been quite busy.” The carriage ran over something and Edana almost hit her head on the ceiling. Someone in the background however muttered mutinously.

“Is that Igraine with you, mom?” Frances asked.

Edana’s cheeks acquired a dusting of red as Igraine snorted in the background. “Yes, dear. We’re heading to Vertingen and into Gestoch where Earl Forowena’s army is. General Berengaria is making an attempt to dislodge her.” She waved her hand. “But enough about the war, I heard you were unharmed, but I also was told you were in some very dangerous fighting. What happened?”

Frances smiled. “We’re fine, mom. Ginger, the convict I told you about, got badly hurt, but it’s mostly just stress.”

Edana arched an eyebrow. “Just stress?”

Swallowing, Frances averted her eyes. She didn’t want to make her mom worried, not when she was so far away she couldn’t do anything but worry. Edana was far too perceptive for her to hide it, though.

“Mom, don’t worry too much, but my friends are having a hard time with the war. I’m… I’m…” Frances grimaced and cupped her face with her hands. Her heart was suddenly pounding, a wave of feeling barely held back by the salient fact that she had managed to help her friends. “I did manage to help them, but it got kind of scary for a moment.”

“What happened?” Edana asked, alarm in her voice.

“I had to restrain, Ayax.” Frances waved her arms as her mother’s eyes narrowed. “She wasn’t in a good place! She was feeling guilty about Ginger being hurt and honestly just needed a hug and the hard truth.”

Her mother didn’t look entirely convinced. After a moment, though, she sighed and nodded. “I’ll trust you on that, Frances. How are you feeling, though?”

“Tired.” Frances didn’t know how else to explain how her hands just started to shake when she was alone. Or how she would sit in her bed, staring at the ceiling, tears in her eyes, and yet unable to cry.

“And this is where I get out,” said Igraine. Frances heard the carriage door open. From how Edana glanced off to the side, she suspected the athletic ranger had hoisted herself out of the carriage and onto the roof.

“Thanks, Igraine.” Edana turned back to Frances, leaning closer to the mirror’s surface. “Dear? You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I know. I—It’s hard. Not because I don’t want to tell you. I don’t know how to tell you.” Wiping her eyes, Frances swallowed. “I feel like I want to cry, but I don’t feel like I want to, or get why. My friends are alive, but it hurts to see them like this.”

“Oh Frances, I’m so sorry you feel that way. But you know… that’s kind of a good thing.” Edana smiled proudly, her eyes moistening. “How kind you are, and how much you care for your friends and family is your best quality. It’s something you should take pride in more often.”

Frances sniffled, and dabbed at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. “Thank you, mom. I have to admit, I am kind of glad I can be the one to help my friends now, instead of just being helped by them. I just wish it wasn’t because of this.”

“Oh I can understand that feeling.” Edana wiped her own eyes, took a deep breath and smirked wickedly. “So, I also heard you visited a House of Light. What services did you sample?”

Frances gulped. “Um, I visited because I needed to talk to someone, mom. I… I was just feeling lonely and sad.”

Edana’s smile vanished. “Oh no. I’m sorry—”

Frances shook her head. “Don’t be. You didn’t know and well, I understand you expected it. I’m just not ready for that step yet. But it did help and Renia, the harpy I talked to, is working for our battalion now as our counselor. Our troops absolutely love her.”

Saying that the Lightning Battalion loved Renia was a bit of a simplification. After Renia was formally inducted into the battalion and saw her first round of patients, the harpy was met with an adoring reverence and respect that quite bewildered her. There was of course, those whose interests were more carnal or romantic. Yet, even those individuals valued Renia not for her looks, but for the kind ear she’d lend to them, and the words of wisdom and comfort she’d impart.

That and Frances and Elizabeth had made it quite clear in their formal introduction of Renia that she was to be treated with utmost respect and they would be disappointed if they heard otherwise.

“Speaking of your troops, I can’t believe you and your friends are leading a battalion now, and so well at that. I’ve even read some of the dispatches Alexander and some of the Erlenberg staff have sent back to us.”

Frances blushed. “Thanks mom. We just… we just try our best.”

“And you should be proud of your best, especially with how all you were given were convict soldiers.” To Frances’s surprise, her mother’s smile twisted into a wry grimace. “Some of your fellow Otherworlders are not doing so well. Jim and Nicole, who Earl Forowena picked up, are showing exceptional promise. So is George under Alice Trollhammer’s tutelage. Quite a number of the others are better off just as exceptionally talented fighters, though.”

Frances hesitated. She’d never seen such a ugly look from her mother and her curiosity was well and truly piqued.

“Mom… what’s wrong? I know the war is not going very well, but I thought the situation got better.”

Edana shut her eyes. “I don’t like you being there, Frances,” she stammered, her voice choked. “You know that the Alavari army at Erlenberg got reinforced. You’re also getting reinforcements, but the situation’s gotten so dangerous and I hate that I can’t do anything to help you other than that.”

Frances flinched, but if she thought about it from Edana’s perspective, it made all too much sense. “Mom—”

“You’ve already gone through so much and yet the war keeps asking more of you. I know you said you wanted to help, dear, but I’m… I’m scared.” Edana sniffled, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s just… just an old woman’s ramblings—”

“Mom, thank you, for worrying about me.” Frances sniffled, pressing her own sleeve to her eyes. “It’s—I can’t tell you how much it helps, knowing that no matter what, I know you’ll be waiting to see me again.”

That brought another round of fresh tears and sniffles from both Edana and Frances. They weren’t sad tears. Mother and daughter took comfort from the fact that they would be there for each other. Yet both could feel so intensely, the danger they were of being torn apart.

“So, what are you doing now?” Edana asked after they both had composed themselves somewhat.

Frances sighed. “We’re guarding some prisoners. We can’t seem to get them to open up, though. I mean, I’m not surprised that they don’t want to talk to us, but it’s frustrating. I suppose the best thing we can do is exchange them.”

Edana nodded. “The sooner the better I hope.”

Something about how her mom said that made the back of her neck tingle and Frances sat up straighter. “Why do you say that mom?”

Edana hesitated. She wanted to shield her daughter from her thoughts. Yet, as she looked at Frances, she remembered that her daughter had demonstrated her strength countless times.

“I’m worried about how long it’s been since the siege started, and yet the Alavari haven’t asked to exchange the prisoners they took at Aijin. They have had to feed them too, and yet they’re just keeping them?” Edana steepled her fingers. “I’ve already advised Alexander, but I think they’re planning something.”

The room was warm, but Frances felt cold. “They wouldn’t use them as shields, would they?”

Edana blinked. “Sorry? Shields? What do you mean.”

“Human shields. I read about it somewhere. You march prisoners in front of your army to absorb fire so you can close on the enemy,” Frances whispered. She made a quick calculation and shook her head. From what they knew the Alavari had only around a thousand prisoners. Not enough to pose a distraction. “Sorry, they probably don’t have enough.”

“Hmm, it’s still a possibility. I was just worried they might kill them.” Edana regarded Frances with a sad look, remembering that her daughter knew human and Alavari darkness.

Suddenly, Edana felt her stomach drop into a pit. She bit back her tongue, but Frances could see the color drain from her face.

“Mom?”

“Frances if—if you… if they capture you? What do you plan to do?”

Try not to die. But that wasn’t the main problem. Frances knew why her mother was asking this question.

“I’ll try to hold out.” Frances chuckled humorlessly. “I do have experience.”

“Frances, hitting you is not the only thing that an Alavari can do to hurt you.”

Frances froze. The anguish in her mother’s voice caused a warping, twisting pain in her chest. To hear her mom make that kind of sound… What could she even say to Edana? Who cared for her and wanted to keep her safe? What kind of reassurance could she give?

Especially when Frances knew with cold certainty that what her mother was implying was a distinct possibility.

“Mom, Durannon is my home.” Frances knew the words sounded pathetic, but there was nothing she could say. It was the plain truth.

Edana winced and sighed. She knew Frances was right and that made her feel completely helpless.

“I know. I just want to let you know, no matter what might happen, no matter what you decide, I will always love you.” Edana placed her hands on her lips and pressed them against the mirror. Frances did the same. “Love you.”

“I love you too mom, and… I know you’ll worry, but I plan to stay.” She nodded and set her jaw, hoping her confidence would ease her mother’s teary eyes.

“I know,” said Edana. “Talk to you later.”

Serving meals to the prisoners had taken on something of a routine. Frances and two other soldiers would bring meals to the impromptu cells with a polite, “ Good morning!”

The prisoners would greet them back, politely, even with a smile on occasion and line up for the food. The guards and Frances would give the food out. Frances would try to make some small talk with the prisoners, who’d just nod, or stand awkwardly quiet. On occasion, a few would converse with Frances, but there was nothing she could get out of them.

Today started similarly. Frances, the guards, and Ayax, who decided to accompany Frances, distributed the stew and bread that was for lunch. The prisoners took their meals and ate quietly.

That is until one of the prisoners, a grizzled veteran ogre captain who’d introduced himself as Nikolo inquired if he could ask Frances and Ayax a question.

“Of course,” Frances replied. “What would you like to know, captain?”

Nikolo coughed into his six-fingered hand. “Well, miss, we were wondering if any offer has been made to exchange prisoners.”

Frances glanced at Ayax, who shook her head. “None. We’re honestly not sure why.”

The ogre gave the pair an appraising look. “That doesn’t sound like the General. He cares for his troops.”

She wanted to poke at that statement more, but Frances decided that any harder and Nikolo might clam up. She wasn’t sure why the ogre was talking to her, but she didn’t want to squander the opportunity.

“Captain, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask… why are the Alavari fighting the humans?”

Nikolo frowned. “What do you two think?”

Frances hesitated. “I’m not sure. All I know is that your King Thorgoth made a declaration at the start of the war about redressing an insult the humans have made and that they needed to submit. I’ve talked to T—to an… Alavari friend, who said that King Thorgoth has good reason for the war, but I’ve yet to hear what it is.”

Nikolo blinked. “You truly don’t know?”

Ayax shook her head. “No, and I’m curious too because I… I was born in Alavaria, and lived there for years.”

That turned a couple of the prisoner’s heads. Nikolo crossed his arms, eyes wide. “Where?”

Ayax shut her eyes, her tail drooping to the floor. “It was a small village called Everglenia, near the town of I… Inglenis? I think we were in the province of Resdal?”

The ogre spluttered, “By Galena… I’m from Inglenis. Why are you fighting for Erlenberg then?”

Ayax glared unflinchingly back at Nikolo. “They took me in after I lost everything. I think by Lapanterian raiders. This is my new family’s home.”

“My condolences, but surely, you realize the humans were responsible right? You could have tried to take revenge.”

Frances arched an eyebrow. She had thought that the idea that ogres weren’t intelligent might be a stereotype. None of the ogres she’d met had seemed particularly dumb. In fact, most she’d met perform fairly complicated tasks such as coordinating logistics and carrying out complex orders. Yet, this ogre captain was trying to turn her friend against her, right in front of her.

Perhaps it wasn’t that ogres weren’t intelligent, but they had a different way of thinking that didn’t always help? Frances shook her head from that musing as Ayax had, after a moment, started to speak.

“I’ve already taken my revenge. My father and I didn’t let the raiders get away. He was a retired war mage.”

“Oh? Who was he?” Nikolo asked.

“Allanial…” Ayax swallowed her lips twisting. Stepping beside her cousin, Frances touched Ayax’s elbow, squeezing it gently. “Allanial Charook. Mom used to jokingly call him Allanial the Valorous.”

It was like a thunderbolt had gone off in the room. Those prisoners that weren’t watching the conversation, were now staring at Ayax with wide eyes. Those that were watching were on their feet. Frances’s fingers touched Ivy’s Sting, but as she communed with her wand, she noticed that the expressions the prisoners had weren’t hostile.

“You’re Allanial’s daughter?” Nikolo stammered.

Ayax had locked on her stoic mask, but her eyes were flicking around the room to her new onlookers. Frances debated calling for help, but decided to not escalate the situation.

“Why is that important?” Frances asked instead, keeping her voice as calm as she could.

Another of the prisoners spoke up. “Allanial was one of the Black Banner Army’s war mages before the war started, and a good friend to General Antigones. He told us he was retiring eleven years ago to raise his daughter and his wife.”

Ayax nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Mom was raising me for a time before dad came back to take care of me. You… you all knew him?”

“Not all the young’uns do.” Nikolo chuckled as some of those ‘young’uns’ whined. “But all the veterans do. He’d visit once in a while too before the war started and we went on campaign.” The ogre’s smile suddenly drained as he looked at Ayax. “Your father and mother are dead.”

Ayax nodded once. Several of the prisoners groaned, and Nikolo’s face fell. “I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a good troll.”

“The best,” Ayax croaked. “Do you mind telling me more about him? Cuz, I’ll be—”

Frances squeezed Ayax’s shoulder. “Take as long as you need. I’ll let you know if you’re needed.”

“Thank you,” said Ayax, taking a seat on the floor. Frances left her there, sitting down with the Alavari prisoners, her eyes wide as the veterans began to tell their tail.

As the old veterans told Ayax about her father, she wished that she’d brought a notebook because there was a lot. There weren’t many veterans that they captured, just Nikolo and ten others, but they were all the officers who’d been in the army forever.

It was a side of her father that she’d never expected. Allaniel had talked about his military service, but not to such detail and it was usually in the context of teaching Ayax magic. The colorful stories Allaniel’s colleagues told her were like a private look into her father’s mind at a different time of his life.

“Wait, dad was gay?” Ayax stammered.

A one-eyed goblin veteran cackled. “Kinda difficult to say. He always preferred men, but it wasn’t like he didn’t appreciate women. I remember him talking about his wife, Kinea right? She seemed like quite the woman.”

"Yeah, though, she also went by Theodora. I'm not sure why," said Ayax, pursing her lips.

“Might be her stage name. She was a dancer after all. You must take after your mom I think because your dad was a prankster.” Nikolo clapped Ayax on the back, sniggering. “Did you know he pranked General Antigones once? Turned his skin red! Antigones didn’t know whether to laugh or yell at him. He was so confused!”

“Maybe that was the point. He might have just wanted to see the general confused.” Ayax giggled. “He did prank mom a few times. Usually changing the colors of her hair. She really hated it. One time he got me involved and mom was so mad!”

“There’s your dad in you!” chuckled a centaur.

Ayax smiled fondly at the memory. “I never understood when he joined the army, though He never seemed to like fighting, or talking about his fights. Maybe he thought I was too young.”

Nikolo’s smile faded into a thoughtful frown. “That’s true, but he… well, Allaniel was never really in favor of war.” Leaning back on his wrists, Nikolo looked up at the ceiling. “He was an honorable warrior, but he preferred to talk, not fight. Truth be told, I think that’s the real reason he retired.”

“What do you mean?” Ayax asked.

“Back then, we disagreed about the possibility of war with the human kingdoms. He thought that we could make peace with the humans. I, and many others thought humans are warlike, dangerous and they have a Hero System that they have lorded over us. That they’ve even used.”

“But they are dangerous,” stammered a younger soldier.

“Yeah, and they did use the hero system!” cried out an orc.

A larger grizzled troll snorted. “And we launched an attack on the Temple of Heroes to start the war, raided Erisdale, are raiding Roranoak and we’re attacking Erlenberg. We kept our raids focused on property and supplies, but don’t tell me you didn’t hear of some of those morons killing children and civilians, or worse.”

The newer recruits quieted and Nikolo sighed. “It’s ironic. Allaniel who believed humans could be reasoned with was killed by them. And we, who believed in what our King and others are telling us, are tired by this war.”

Fiddling with her hands, Ayax couldn’t meet Nikolo’s eyes as she recalled a memory. “He never mentioned this. He just said that hurting people always has consequences, no matter how just.”

Nikolo smiled. “Aye. That sounds like Allaniel.”

A serene silence settled over the Alavari, mournful, and yet comforting. A moment of quiet remembrance that wasn’t so much forced by emotion, as much as it was simply needed.

“Who is this Frances you call cuz, by the way? I recall her being that lightning mage, but she’s… she’s not like most humans,” said Nikolo.

“Frances? Oh, she’s my cousin by adoption. I got adopted into the Windwhistler family, same as she. Except she’s an Otherworlder.”

“Seriously?” Nikolo gasped. “But I thought the Otherworlders wanted to go back to their home.”

“She wants to stay.” Nikolo looked at her expectantly, but Ayax shook her head. “Not my business to tell.”

Nikolo shrugged. “Aye.”

“Wait, Frances Windwhistler… isn’t she the Firehand’s daughter?” asked one of the prisoners.

Ayax hesitated. “Yes.”

“Wait, how can she be the Firehand’s daughter? She’s so nice!” exclaimed a goblin.

“The Firehand actually is a rather nice woman once you get to know her,” said Ayax.

“You met the Firehand!?” the entire cell squawked.

Ayax swallowed, there were going to be a lot of questions for her.

That dinner, the five teens were clustered around a table in the upper floors of the bank, talking about the day as they set the table. The conversation shifted, though, when Elizabeth sat down next to Ayax, a wide grin. “I heard you were in the cells for a while, Ayax, what did you learn about your dad? If you’re happy to share that is.”

Ayax swallowed her bite of chicken and put the bone down. “A lot actually, but before I get, I also learnt some things about the orc army.”

That got all the teens attention, and before they could bombard her with questions, Ayax raised a hand. “I’m going to say my piece first before you all blast me. They had a lot of questions too, and I made sure not to answer them with too much detail, but I also learnt a lot.”

Frances, Elizabeth, Martin and Ginger exchanged glances, with Elizabeth and Ginger looking the most sheepish.

“We good? Alright, so I learnt that most Alavaria think that humans are monsters. They think that they had to go to war with us or else the Human Kingdoms would eventually unite against them. The reason they say we might is because humans have the Hero System, which they’ve used to threaten Alavaria. That and the wars between the Human Kingdoms made them think that you’re all bloodthirsty maniacs.”

Ayax turned to Martin and Ginger, who both looked utterly poleaxed. “I know you both have something to say about that. I find it a little crazy myself, but this is the tail spun by King Thorgoth, the bards in Alavaria, and the nobles. Not all the prisoners believe this by the way. It’s mostly the rookie soldiers. Any questions about that?”

The teens exchanged glances, with Elizabeth drumming her fingers on the table. “I don’t have any. It answers a lot of my questions.”

Ayax smiled. “Great! So, onto what I’ve learned—cuz is that pencil and paper?”

Frances looked up from her note-taking material. “... Yes?”

Ayax grinned, “Good idea. Anyway, General Antigones might be planning something, or he might be sending an offer to exchange them soon. The prisoners have mentioned offhand or outright that he cares about their wellbeing and has conducted prisoner exchanges in other battles. Now this is going to sound strange, but Antigones generally has a code that he follows. He has conducted raids into human territory, but focused on destroying property. He doesn’t target civilians on purpose.”

“You mean, he wouldn’t do something like, use our prisoners against us?” Frances asked. She coughed. “Sorry for interrupting, Ayax. It’s just Edana and I were discussing the possibility.”

Ayax frowned. “If the general did do that, then it’d be the first time. He is a ruthless commander that is brave and smart. He’s made similar strategic and tactical tricks like the switcheroo he pulled at Vertingen. And I think we can all recall Aijin Fields where he used magic to blind our ships.” The troll crossed her arms. “But he’s never done something we’d think would be dishonorable. Cunning and sneaky, yes, but not dishonorable.”

“Anything about his army?” Martin asked.

Ayax winced. “Nothing detailed, but I get the sense that they’re all loyal to him, not to the Kingdom. I think you’ve also noticed too, but they’re all very close-knit.”

“Hmm, supplies?” Ginger asked.

“I have heard them mention that the food they’re getting here had a lot more variety, even if it wasn’t as much. I think they’re alright for supplies, but it’s not like they’re swimming in them.”

Elizabeth pursed her lips. “I wonder how another army arriving in the area would impact that. They don’t have control of the sea.”

“They’re close to their territory, though, and Antigones did widen that road,” said Martin.

Ayax sighed, “Sorry, I wish I got more.”

“No, this is very enlightening, Ayax,” said Frances, looking at her paper and her notes. “Let’s review it before we send it to your father.”