The Scarlet Paladin

Lily was thankful the children didn't notice Samira's absence until they reached the village. For an hour, she kept the fake smile going, but once the first kid asked about Samira, she dropped it.

Ursa did her best to keep them calm, helping the parents reunite with their children, but most of them were crying anyway, children and adults alike.

Lily glanced back at the forest and silently prayed for Samira.

"Lily… was all that a distraction?" Jasmine asked weakly. She was still hurt, but didn't want to lie down while everyone else was working through the pain. "The screaming? The celebration?"

Lily just silently nodded. Her shoulders slumped, and she offered her arm to Jasmine. Jasmine leaned against her, wincing as her shoulder throbbed. "Yeah… I-I wanted to honor her decision…"

Jasmine took a labored breath and a moment to think. "Right. I just hope she's okay…"

"Me too." Lily mumbled. "I can't imagine the blame she must feel for all of this… I'm just glad those women didn't hurt any of the villagers."

"Yeah, it truly could have been worse…" Jasmine said. She winced after stepping on her formerly broken ankle. "I hope we meet her again or… facilitate her returning to this village. She was truly loved."

The two watched as even some of the adults joined the kids. Crying over their lost friend and the destruction of their village. It felt bittersweet knowing that the villagers had survived but their home hadn't.

Ursa stepped away from the crowd, visibly overwhelmed by the number of people. She made her way to Jasmine's other side and offered more support.

"I-I'm going to contact my tribe… inform them about this. Hopefully, they heed my call… these villagers need protectors, and it's clear the knights refused to do so." She said, her voice shaking.

Ursa's voice was surprisingly full of emotions, as if she too were about to cry. Something that made Jasmine chuckle despite the pain of doing so.

"Thank you… Samira would be happy knowing that." Lily whispered, her own tears beginning to flow.

"Claire's asleep. Otherwise, she'd make a speech…" Jasmine said, rubbing Lily's back. "That can wait… let these people mourn their friend and the time they lost. I just wish we could stay and help rebuild…"

"Maybe send word to the Carpenters… " Lily let out a weak laugh, thinking of their own village. "They've been itching for a new project…"

Jasmine chuckled, then groaned in pain. "Yeah, maybe… Elizabeth would also want to know about the Knight's negligence."

"We'll discuss it tomorrow…" Ursa said, wiping her tears. "We'll see what my people say and formulate a plan. I-I just don't want them to suffer anymore…"

Jasmine leaned in closer and whispered into Ursa's ear. "Didn't expect you to have a soft spot for children…"

"Shut up…" Ursa scowled. "They're innocent. They deserve a shot at a good life… and well, they are fun to play with."

"Maternal instincts kicking in?" Jasmine teased. "Maybe Lily's potions don't work on you."

Ursa let out a tired sigh, but a smile formed on her face. Ursa picked Jasmine up, ignoring her protests. "Alright. Enough from you. You need sleep."

That left Lily by herself, with her thoughts. She'd gone into the day with excitement, giddiness and anticipation. She would finally get to fight back, to return what was stolen. Lily finally had the opportunity to help, not just from the carriage, or from her clinic. But now?

Yet it felt so empty.

They won, but the village was in ruin. Nor will it bring back the time they had lost or the hardships they had to endure. Then, they lost someone so dear to them. Was this truly a victory?

An older woman, one of the village elders, approached Lily. She had a kind smile that did its best to hide the sorrow in her eyes. She must have noticed Lily's turmoil.

"Thank you, young lady. For everything… freeing us, ridding this land of those bandits." The older woman paused. "For saving Samira."

Lily's tears returned. "What does it matter if this is what you return to? A broken village, six months of lost time… how is this a win?"

The woman gently placed a hand on Lily's shoulder, her voice warm but firm. "The village can always be rebuilt. Time, though it can't be returned, is ours now. We have time now because of your party. We're alive because of you ladies. That's worth more than a thousand villages."

Lily's knees weakened, and the older lady caught her. She wept into the woman's shoulder, her heart still aching. "Bu-but… your village…your homes…"

"Shhhh, it's okay…" The woman whispered as she rubbed Lily's back. "You saved us. Those potions that you used… they kept us from being used as shields. Your warriors worked around us, even to their detriment… Other parties might not have… And the knights..."

Lily's heart swelled with guilt and gratitude. She hated how excited she'd been that morning, hated how small her pain felt compared to theirs, but this woman's words helped steady her. She straightened up, wiped her face and tried to compose herself.

"Apologies…" Lily said, her voice cracking. "You should be with your people… not comforting me."

The woman flicked Lily's forehead with a smirk. "No. It's the least I could do for our heroes."

Lily wanted to argue. She wanted to deny the woman's words, to fight the weight of gratitude that felt too large for her to carry. But she stopped. The woman looked too stubborn.

Then, the woman embraced Lily. A tight, motherly hug that made it impossible for Lily to feel bad.

"Thank you. Thank you." The older woman whispered. It was her turn to cry and use Lily's shoulder. "For sparing her too… sh-she's so kind a-and had the knights come instead..."

Though their time with Samira had been short, Lily felt the weight of her loss as if she'd known her forever. She had a home, somewhere she belonged, even for a little while. Only for it to be taken from her.

"I pray that we meet her again…" Lily spoke without thinking. "I want to bring her home. Bring her back to the people who loved her."

"I hope so…" The woman took a labored breath, sniffling slightly. "But more than that… I hope she finds peace. She's been through too much."

"I can only imagine…" Lily whispered, watching as the villagers finally began to compose themselves. Parents cradled their children. The crowd slowly began to disperse.

Yet Lily stayed. Despite her fatigue, despite her body craving sleep. She stayed with the older woman, letting her lean on her shoulder and cry in silence. Lily rubbed her back gently, grounding her in the moment.

"I-I lost my children ages ago," The woman finally said, her voice ragged. "The same flu that took out my wife… I thought the grief would kill me…"

"Then I found her. Curled in the cold. I named her… sheltered her… raised her like my own." Her fingers trembled as she wiped her tears. "The pain she was in, the way she looked at me… she was so scared. But I promised I'd keep her safe."

"You did." Lily said gently. "You gave her a home and your love."

She pulled back from Lily's shoulder, composing herself. "Thank you. I should be comforting you, bu-"

"Nonsense." Lily cut her off. "You lost someone dear to you… I shouldn't have been crying in the first place."

The older woman smiled weakly. "I'm Jolder… if you do cross paths with her again. Ju-just tell her that I love her… That I already miss her…"

Lily nodded slowly. "I will. I swear it."

Lily felt a warmth overcome her. Her chest swelled with heat as her body glowed. A scarlet light radiated from her body, enveloping the two in its light. "On the Goddess, I promise to bring her back."

Jolder's eyes widened. Her words were caught in her throat as Lily glowed with the divine light of a goddess. She could feel the divine power, a comforting power. She blinked rapidly, unsure of what had just happened.

Lily staggered. Her knees buckled, and her vision darkened. The power surged within in her too fast. Her body wasn't ready.

Lily woke slowly with a splitting headache. Her limbs were too sore to move and she could barely think. But the ache in her heart was gone. A faint warmth filling its place.