A Chance for Sunshine by Wordsworthy
Disclaimer: I obviously do not own the Suikoden series since obviously Konami does, along with all other references made over the course of the story. This is, after all, just a fanfiction written for the sole purpose of entertainment and not profit motive what so ever. So please just enjoy the story and do not sue me for this. If you wish to know more about the series, please support the companies producing them directly and purchase their merchandise if you like.
Chapter 1: The Departed
The vague chirping of unseen birds and the blurred slivers of fresh light struggled to make its way through the thick curtains of an otherwise unlit room. It was one of the several bedchambers, wrought of marble and alabaster and furnished with rich fittings of oak and cedar. In it stood a bed fit for two, yet only one laid prone upon its satin covers. Long unbridled hair splayed out across its surface, the tresses of fine silver seemingly rippling in waves as its owner turned in uneasy sleep.
A waking dream passed within the weary mind, as though an entire lifetime had passed within the blink of an unseeing mental eye, however short it might be for the young man. His story began as all stories did; mundane, uneventful, taken for granted. His large, rough palm that enveloped his own, her kind loving smile that looked upon him with pride, the nearly frenzied gaze of adulating admiration from the precocious one, her chidings that had always held an unique worldly wisdom, and… her.
Like all reminiscences however, the happier times seemed to pass all too quickly for one's liking. What followed was some of the darkest moments in his day; the rumbling of the storm that was their run in with their nemesis, the mangled web of entrapment that cost him of two dearly loved ones, and the precious hostage that hung defiantly just out of reach. At his lowest point, by some inexplicable miracle, he found the strength to pick himself up and press on, to face both demons and nemesis, and wage a war that would resound for countless later generations… no, it wasn't a miracle that supported him. Right to the very end, even upon the peaks of biting ice and cold, he was supported by nothing as intangible and flimsy as a miracle. His support could be seen, that earnest smile that always hid the honest pain from him. His support could be heard, giving him advice and proclaiming some groundless confidence that things will be alright, when they obviously were not. His support could also be touched, a small lithe frame that he regretted not holding for the longest time, save then when he desperately tried to stave the cold from invading the warmth that was finally in his hands…
And then, there were the events from the previous day, which seemed to play out once again with the most painfully minute details. Riding slowly ahead, playing the part of the eldest surviving offspring, he led the way eastwards for the solemn procession that snaked out of the great white city. Judging by its sheer size, it was as though the whole city had emptied for the long overdue proceedings, albeit the numbers had swelled just for the occasion, particularly from all the other towns in the country. For these people's sake, as well as the grieving younger sibling that had insisted on walking alongside their precious cargoes, he had to be strong. He had to restrain himself, fighting desperately to keep his pain private, even as his seemingly calm gaze swept back towards his loved ones.
There were three important carriages. The largest of the three was a majestic ivory vessel meant for two, even though only one really laid within, alongside the favored sword that stood in for her partner. It mattered not however, they were together in every sense of the word then, and will definitely be together regardless of all else now. Flanking either side of this carriage were his sister, her personal guard, their aunt, the representatives from the towns and various envoys from distant lands. It was a fitting tribute for the ones who had led before them.
The middle of the three was a more modestly sized carriage, one draped about in fabrics and trimmings of darkened purple. Within it rested the other aunt, one who had always acted in the best interest of her family and by extension of that, her country, even though she was frequently misunderstood. Not that she cared for the understanding of anyone that she did not value, of course. That was just how she was, and taking a leaf from her book was just how she came to be there as well. Her assertiveness had evidently rubbed off enough that all objections to the notion were impeccably silenced. She would have been proud of the two. Accompanying this carriage were the knights of the land, although for the three that remained, it would be their last act of service as well.
The last of the three…
Cerulean orbs revealed themselves, weary of sleep and fatigue, when a loud noise erupted into being from the oaken desk by the window. A particularly strong breeze seemed to have caused the thick velvet curtains to billow out, knocking over something quite nosily in the process. Nevertheless, the distraction was more welcomed than grating. Sitting up slowly, the young man gradually registered his surroundings in a mind still thick in the haze of after-sleep.
Right… the East Palace…
Raising a slender pale hand upwards, the young man ran it through his mangled silver mane, smoothing out the kinks in both hair and thoughts once over before he sighed. Her clothes had ended up strewn all over the floor once again. He shook his head ruefully. Somehow, some way, he was still expecting a healthy greeting, followed by a gentle reprimand by a certain someone for something sloppy like that, replete with that ruddy cherubic face and all.
Pushing aside the covers carelessly, the young man gradually got to his feet despite the dull drone in his head, his body evidently demanding more than what his mind would allow. Shaking the last of the cobwebs in his head, he made a beeline towards the window, stooping low to pick up her clothes before folding them fastidiously and placing them most carefully into a box on the desk. The next thing that caught his attention was the piles of papers that were weighed down by various sporadic ornate paper weights. Sifting through sea of papers, the young man eventually put together a new pile of his own and was about to leave when he caught himself in the standing mirror.
The unfamiliar figure staring back in the reflection looked far too aged and sallow for his years, a very marked difference from how he remembered himself to be. Then again, he had stopped braiding his hair of late, citing a lack of time and attention to those concerned enough to ask, allowing the silver tresses to spill over and swim about him naturally. He had also filled out his frame a little more than the last he noticed, becoming nearly as tall as his sire, but not yet as muscular. The young man immediately began patting out the creases in the attire that he had fallen asleep in as he made his way out of the room, in particular the silken fabrics that peeked out of the black and gold leather that made up the mainstay of his uniform. He had to look presentable to her after all. Not that she was usually one to mind, but he did.
As he moved swiftly through the halls towards their now usual meeting place, he returned the overly cheerful greetings and bows from the few who woke early enough with polite nods and that weary smile that seemed to have nestled permanently on his features. It was his way of saying "good morning", "nice to see you" and "goodbye" all at once. Inwardly, his conscience berated himself for exploiting his inherent charms for such callous intentions, but the stronger need to see her, to seek her won out. After all, he reasoned, she had always been seeking him out one way or another before. It was his turn now to do the seeking. And with that, he finally made his way to their designated point, a small, secluded glade to the north east of the main palace. It was quiet and unassuming, yet never failing to catch the first rays of the dawn. He knew she would have liked it, and thus he chose it as a place to mark the start of their daily routine, their first rendezvous of the day. He heaved a thankful sigh of relief, having successfully reached the location just as dawn began to break.
"Good morning Lyon. Looks like it'll be another fantastic day again, doesn't it?"
There was no response, save for the chirping of the birds in the moist coolness of the dew-laden air. The young man smiled nonetheless however as he knelt down before her, brushing the slight dust from her top with the most gentle of touches.
"Are you angry with me? I did make it in time today, didn't I? Well, I didn't exactly sleep as much as you wanted me to, but I've got a great excuse… I mean reason for that."
The young man shifted slightly into a sitting position and inched his way closer to her, leaning his back intimately on her smooth, cool disposition. Tugging free the pile of papers that he had compiled earlier, he began thumbing through them as he spoke on.
"As you may well know, there are many things that require the attention of the acting commander of the Queen's Knights. See, with the Georg and Kyle's imminent departure and Galleon's retirement confirmed, we're really down to the very bare minimums in terms of manpower with Miakis being the only other knight we have. Guess I'm more the commander of the Queen's Knight than the Queen's Knights huh? Haha. There are just so many things to do; recruiting, training, restructuring our combined armed forces…"
As the young man continued to list out his various tasks and grouses in a demeanor and mirth far too sanguine than how he had actually been feeling away from her, the dawn had finally reached its full strength, casting its radiance over the land with the brightness that was day. And just as the young man had planned, the small glade seemed to brighten much earlier than the rest of the land, casting the shadows aside as though the veil of night was just lifted from everything nearby. In particular however, the large marbled stone that the young man was leaning on stood out as the light made it glisten with a surreal gleam, along with the emblazened golden inscriptions that read as such.
Shed not for her the bitter tear
Nor give the heart to vain regret
Tis but a mere vessel that linger here
The gem that filled it sparkles yet
For valor beyond measure and service to the Crown
The epitome of duty, knighthood and sacrifice
Herein lies Lyon
Our Beloved Dawn Star
A/N: A little teaser for things to come.