Show Your Loyalty

Momme paced in circles around the main room of the cylindrical tower he lived in. The news of the war were devastating. Even though he was safe in Maquette, tucked away securely within the forest of a hidden valley, he knew this war was affecting him. He knew he was lucky, though. His home was not threatened. He could, in theory, decide to simply not visit Aerius and continue living here as if nothing ever happened. But that would be wrong. Every bit of himself refused to indulge in this ignorance. He had friends on that planet. Some of his friends were part of the verdant Kingdom. He could not abandon them like that. He also knew that the idea of relocating everyone he cared about to his place was foolish. They had other people they cared about, and he could not bring the entirety of the Verdant Kingdom here. Also, there were things you simply could not take with you. What about houses, or places that held a special place in his friends' hearts, or those of their loved ones? No, asking them to abandon everything was foolish. He knew he would never be able to leave his home, he would miss is terribly. 

But what was the alternative to running away? Obviously, this would mean to fight back, and he was a Lockette, after all. Fighting wars was technically what he was made for, what his entire species had once been created for. Other Lockettes were probably already taking the opportunity to join the ranks of the Verdant Kingdom or, Momme shuddered, the Corrupted Court. Why anyone would intentionally support the very clearly evil royals was beyond him.   But he generally did not understand the appeal of fighting to begin with, despite being a Lockette and everything that entailed. In fact, he hated fighting and violence. He did not consider himself a fighter by any means. He stopped and looked over at the old-fashioned stove in the corner, which also served as heater for this room. Knytt and Calcifer, two creatures that had followed him here from Aerius, were fighting over some crumbs in the corner, which Momme has missed when sweeping the room earlier. He really loved Aerius and the kind people he met there. A lot of them were living in the Verdant Kingdom.

With a sigh, Momme summoned his weapon. It was a simple pocket knife. Not a very impressive weapon, and he mainly used it for wood whittling. The only combat it had been involved in had been against a very sturdy vine. It was by no means a weapon of war. Momme himself was by no means a weapon of war. But he knew that staying out of conflict was not an option either. Plus, just because he had no idea what use he could bring to a war didn't mean nobody else could. Surely, Queen Iola and King Nero would be able to figure something out. From what Momme knew, a full-grown war required more than just fighters at the front line.  Perhaps he could make himself useful in the provisions lines.

“It's decided!” he announced and as if this had been a signal, Knytt and Calcifer came over to him, sensing that something was about to happen.  They always climbed all across Momme when he was preparing to leave the house, and this time was no difference. Momme did not have the heart to tell them that this time, the adventure they were going on was much more dangerous than collecting shells at the beach, or wandering through the dense forests of Aerius. But with some luck, everything would turn out okay. 

He took a deep breath as he left the tower. Calcifer and Knytt were occupying his shoulders, making their little noises in protest as Momme bent over to bury the key to his home near the porch.  This way, it would not get lost on Aerius, considering that there was no way to predict what events were going to happen, and if he didn't return.... He shook his head to get rid of that dark thought. He was going to come back. Probably not very soon. Perhaps not before the winter, or only after spring. But there was no other way, not for him.  The Verdant Kingdom needed him.