Worlds Apart

Allegiance

"Eadric!"

A frantic voice shouts for the young ruler the second we have emerged from the alleyway behind us. Eerika. Her cheeks are flushed from her exhaustive efforts when she reaches us, her hands ringing the leather straps set diagonally over her chest from the swords strapped over her shoulder as she eyes us angrilly. "Where the hell were you two?" She bursts, panicked. "I have news from our men on watch over the main gate."

"What's the news?" Eadric questions, his form straightening as he takes a pointed step forward.

"Aqua Cantavit."

"What about them?" I follow, keeping to my position slightly behind the pair.

"They've arrived," she confirms with a pointed nod of confirmation sent my way. "But from what I've seen..." she trails, looking to her brother, "they've brought half of their entire damn clan here."

"What on earth would compel them to pull such a stunt with us?" Eadric questions, mind surely reeling with unanswered questions and concerns.

"Best we find out as soon as possible rather than stress over it." I insist with a hand grazing his bicep as I already begin passing him. By the time I have raised my eyebrows expectantly, he has jutted his chin down determedly before following after me at once. Eerika hustles up to meet us before maintaining a steady jog a little ways behind us.

"For the last time, do not come any closer!" One of the guards posted along the main gate demands.

Eadric, Eerika and I shove through the crowd until we make it to the front. We are immediately appalled by the sight unfolding before us.

"Please," a man grunts, personally carrying a young woman in his arms as he and a couple of his guards seem to be the only members out of the lot of fifty or so people to be unaffected by whatever sickness is lingering here. "We've heard of the healing miracles Aer Cantavit is capable of. We couldn't make it there but these people need Aer Cantavit medicine."

"Stand down." Eadric voices then, palm raised. The guardsmen before us spare him somewhat unsure glances before dropping their spears and bows and arrows at once.

"Ambassador." I note as I recognise the rookie leader from previous meetings who, aside from I, is the youngest Ambassador currently ruling over a clan. His thick, brunette hair is shaved over both sides of his head that lead back to the nape of his neck, the rest pulled back into a series of intricate dutch braids that lead back into a knot over the crown of his head. However, a lack of hygiene takes any life out of the hairstyle as it is weighed down by evidence of sweat and grime. His youth is apparent through the pleading expression of his deep blue eyes, unfamiliar stubble now shading the lower half of his face with nothing more than his tinted attire revealing the origins of his clan due to the various shades of muted blue tones covering his bulky armor.

Regardless of his evident exhaustion, formality does not seem to be lost by the young man as he stumbles back to bow despite the young woman in his arms hindering proper execution. "My Lady," he grunts, ducking his head back before two guards at his sides help him to stand once again, "I apologize wholeheartedly for our manner, but we need your help. We lost over twenty on the way due to the sickness and it is only a matter of time before these forty or so individuals meet the same fate."

"Who exactly are these guys?" Jackie asks once she and the rest of the few members of Aer Cantavit here have pushed to meet the rest of us at the front of the crowd. I am surprised to see Kyle and a couple others have joined the ranks of those before them, not limited to John and Nichols who I had presumed dead a long while ago. All of the guys look well groomed, their hair short and cleancut while Jackie and Alice's hairstyles and complexions are cleaner than ever. Kyle is dressed in standard Superior workwear while the other two men both bear guards uniforms. A single glance down I notice Nichols and Kyle are actually holding hands. Oh.