As soon as I'm out of sight, I stumble to the ground and start to sob. I hate all of this. There is no way, I suppose, to have a battle of proportions like these with no lives lost, but I feel as though I've died myself. My soul feels like it's retreated to a tiny hollow in my chest, where it's shaking and shivering and sending terrible throbs of heat through me. I curl into the fetal position and let myself cry like an infant. I feel a warm touch on my back, but just barely. It sends a peaceful shiver down my spine, but the touch only feels like a feather. I lift my face from the dirt and look up to see Mayestika crouched next to me, one wing wrapped around me like a soft blanket. I gaze at her, never blinking. Her powerful, beastly voice softens to a whisper, and she uses her wing to stroke my back.
"It's alright, Lorelei. It'll be okay. I know this sounds trite, but everyone who dies here will be in a better place now." She points up to the dimming sky, at the first winking stars that have begun to appear. "You see those stars? Those ones that are coming out right now? That's where they are. Everyone becomes a star when they die. And then, sometimes if a really great hero is born, they become a constellation. So, a long time from now, I'll look up into the sky and see your constellation. You are a hero, Lorelei. Raise your head high, and be proud of the wonderful little heroine that you are."

I look at Maye, and her face is sympathetic and beautiful in the rising moonlight. She purposefully lays down on the dirt, and I clamber onto her back. I've gotten fairly decent at riding bareback. She rises up, and we fly around, to the dragon entrance of the castle. Our army will be bunking in the castle, with my father's blessing, until dawn. I walk up the spiral staircase and head to my father's study. I rap softly on the door.
"Come in," he says, his voice weary. I carefully open the door and walk over to my father. I know that I look nothing like the daughter he is used to. My face is covered in scratches and a thin trickle of blood is running from my forehead. I'm in my armor, and I look a bit like a male.
He sighs. "What do you need, sire?"
I laugh a little inside, and then take off my helmet. My braid whips out, and I smile at him. "Hello, Father."
He gasps, and rushes over to embrace me. "Oh, Lore, I thought you were dead! Don't ever scare me like that again!"
I sigh. "I didn't do it on purpose, Father. Everett kidnapped me. But don't worry, I'm fine. And I found Mother in the palace! She's here now, in the quarters downstairs."
He smiles weakly. "Lorelei, I have something important that I need to tell you."
"What, Father?"
He closes his eyes and exhales. "Don't call me that, Lore. I-I-I'm not your father. Your mother had you before she even met me." He takes a deep breath, as if reassuring himself that it's okay to explain this to me. "Your birth father, is also Everett's father."
My eyes about bulge out of my head. "No. No. It's not true. You're a liar. You're lying to me!" I burst into tears all over again. But these are angry tears. My face is red and burning with heat, and my tears feel like acid on my skin. Impulsively, angrily, I lash out, punching a window. The glass explodes everywhere, and I can feel shards stinging my face and the heel of my hand. I run out of the study and down the stairs, tripping all the way. I have to rely on my instinct to steer me, because I'm so blinded by tears. I run into the room where everyone is bunking. Ignoring all of the curious looks, I run straight to a bed and begin punching the pillow, screaming my heart out. My mother comes over and places a hand on me, but I swat it away. I just need to be as alone as I can be until I'm done with my rage.

I feel a cold, damp hand on my shoulder, and I push it away. But I suddenly feel a cold, hard slap on my face. Cheeks stinging, I sit up to see Ularia next to me, her eyes angry.
"Come quickly, it's important," she urges. I drag myself off of the mattress and follow Ularia like a scolded dog. She brings me over to where Aigua sits on the floor like a melted puddle of blue. She's crying so much that I'm amazed she isn't dehydrated already, but then I remember that she's a water being. Her hands with their tiny webbings are pressed to her face, and she's just wailing and crying and generally carrying on.
"What's the matter?" I ask.
"Craaaaaaaaaaaald!" Aigua wails, her eyes overflowing.
Ularia sighs. "She's been like this for an hour and a half. Crald was stabbed by a Green soldier, and he didn't make it. He was engaged to Aigua, so she's crying like the world is going to end."
I wrap my arm around Aigua's shoulders, and we both let loose a flood of tears. I've been crying often lately. It may be the stress, because I think I've cried more in two days than I ever have in my entire life.