The Young Warrior: Fortuna's Promise

by Melody Song

The Meaning of War

Fortuna watched Pharynx carefully, assessing his form as he lunged and stabbed at the training dummy with his dagger. She nodded in approval, reaching a hoof to stroke the head of the second nymph hiding under her - Pharynx’s little brother, Thorax.

“Brillaint job Phary, come take a break.” Fortuna called, and he stopped, blushing.

“S-Shut up, ‘Tuney.” he muttered, as he walked over. Thorax yelped and pressed against Fortuna, who giggled. Pharynx smirked and waved the dagger in front of his brother. “What’s wrong, afraid ‘lil Phary’s gonna send it through your skull?”

“Eek! S-Stop it Pharynx!” Thorax whimpered, hiding between Fortuna’s forelegs.

“Phary, let your brother be for a bit.”

Fortuna picked up the smaller nymph, examining the bandages on his body. She felt nothing but concern inside her as she checked him out, though anger also flashed for a moment. He had been hurt by someone who was supposed to look after him no matter what. His mother.

“How could she do this to him? To her own child? How could anyone hurt him? He’s too young, too innocent…”

“Tuney!”

Fortuna blinked, realizing she’d been spacing out. “Y-Yes Phary?”

Thorax giggled at the nickname, but his brother ignored him.

“I asked you what that was.” Pharynx pointed at something around her neck. Fortuna blinked, then looked down, realizing what it was he was gesturing to.

“Ah, I’d forgotten I put this on.” Fortuna set Thorax down, touching a hoof to the golden diamond around her neck, set in a thick silver band that seemed to shimmer in the light. Thorax blinked up at it, reaching a hoof out to touch it.

“It’s so shiny!” he exclaimed, and Fortuna chuckled.

“Yes Thory, it is shiny.” Fortuna beckoned for Pharynx to come closer. This might distract them from Thorax’s injuries for a bit. “This is Felix Monilia.”

“Necklace Lucky?” Pharynx translated, tilting his head in confusion.

“Yes Phary, brilliant job remembering the old tongue. It translates to Necklace Lucky because that’s what it is.” Fortuna rested a hoof on the necklace and closed her eyes. “It’s magical, and while I’m already gifted with a natural ability to see cause-and-effect-”

“What’s cause and effect mean?” Thorax interrupted, and Fortuna opened her eyes.

“It means I can see what will happen if I do a certain action. Like, if Phary and I were to spar, I can tell that I’d win-”

“Hey!”

“-If he was distracted.” Fortuna ignored Pharynx’s exclamation. “You see, this necklace enhances that ability, so much that while I wear it, every punch I throw or arrow I fire in battle lands true, and any attacks on me bounce off harmlessly.”

“Then why don’t you wear it when we train? I could beat you even if you were wearing it!” Pharynx said

“Maybe once you’re a little older and more experienced I’ll wear it during a sparring match.” Fortuna told him, and he huffed in disappointment. “It’s for your own good Phary.”

“Sure…” Pharynx grumbled.

“Can I hold it Forty? Please? Just for a bit?” Thorax asked. “Maybe it will give me luck too!”

Fortuna chuckled and unclasped it with her golden aura, levitating it down to Thorax. He took it in his hooves carefully, touching the golden diamond. Fortuna smiled at the nymph sadly. He shouldn’t have to wish for luck, he was so innocent and young. It should already be flooding off him, in dreams and wishes unknown to anyone but himself.

“So are we going to keep going, ‘Tuney?” Pharynx asked, and Fortuna looked down at Thorax. He seemed fine, despite the number of bandages on his body.

“But Pharynx… he thought this was normal… he thought this was okay…”

Fortuna looked at Pharynx, then Thorax. “Thorax, why don’t you go to you and Phary’s room and have a lie down?”

“B-But what if Athrex-eques c-comes looking for me?” Thorax asked nervously, and Fortuna nuzzled the frightened nymph.

“I sent him out on an all-day patrol, and if he comes back, just come find me, okay? I’ll send Phary along to join you in a bit, he knows where my room is.”

“O-Okay.” Thorax stood and gave Fortuna back the necklace before walking out. Fortuna smiled softly and put the necklace back on as she watched him go, making sure he left completely.

“What did you do that for?” Pharynx asked, but Fortuna didn’t answer right away. “Uh, ‘Tuney?”

“Pharynx, do you know why we go to war?” she asked finally, looking back into his dark lavender eyes.

“To prove we’re the strongest and best.” Pharynx said at once.

“No.” Fortuna gestured for him to sit down, and he did. “The real reason we go to war is so creatures like Thorax don’t have to.”

“What…?”

“The battlefield is no place for the faint of heart.” Fortuna began, and she could tell she had his attention. “The sad truth is that there’s always war. No one likes thinking about it, which is why many distract themselves from it with other things. But there are always those out there that have to think about it. They must put themselves on the line and leave their homes and families so that others who can’t stomach it don’t have to.”

Pharynx was listening intently. Fortuna took a breath and continued.

“Not everyone is cut out for it. But those that are do because they know they must. They must travel miles away from any place familiar to them, knowing one day they might not come back. They do this to shield the innocent, defend the defenseless, and protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

“Like Thorax?” Pharynx looked out the door where his brother had gone.

“Exactly like Thorax. One day, Pharynx, it shall be your turn to enter the battlefield. Do you know what you’ll do when you get out there?”

“What?”

“You’ll be terrified. Your heart will be racing and your legs about to give underneath you.”

“No I won’t. I’m not scared of anything.”

“Everyone is scared of something. It might even be something you don’t realize you’re afraid of.” Fortuna pressed.

“...Alright, I’ll bite.”

Fortuna sighed and continued. “You’ll be scared, on the battlefield. But then you’ll remember why you’re doing this.”

“Because victory is strength in a nation?”

“Pharynx, have you heard anything I’ve been saying?”

“I’m listening, I’m listening.”

“...The reason you are doing this is because you’re fighting for the ones who don’t have the ability to. The defenseless, whether they chose to be or not. The ones who shield themselves from the harsh truth of the world that you are willing to face so they do not have to.”

Pharynx nodded, eyes serious, and Fortuna could tell he was taking in every word.

“You must always remember the true reason we fight war. We always say it’s for glory, for riches, for our nation. But it’s never the real reason war is fought. Do you understand this, Pharynx?”

“Yes, Fortuna-domina.” Pharynx said after a minute. “I understand.”

“Then I ask you again. Why do we go to war?”

“To fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.”

“Brilliant.” Fortuna smiled at him softly. “Now remember Phary, battlefields come in all shapes and sizes.”

Pharynx nodded. “I understand, ‘Tuney.”

“Good. Now, run along to your brother before he gets worried.”

Pharynx nodded and collected his dagger, then left the room. Fortuna smiled after him sadly, standing and going out a new entrance to the room, which closed behind her as quickly as it had appeared.