First Love In Banner
By Windy McDohl
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Konami CE's Genso Suikoden. Stealing is prohibited.
Note: This is a story of romance between Lady Nanami and Young Master McDohl. It takes place after the war, when the Hero was roaming the world with his beloved sister and bosom friend.
"Soft, soft wind, from out the sweet south sliding,
Waft thy silver cloud-webs athwart the summer sea;
Thin, thin threads of mist on dewy fingers twining,
Weave a veil of dappled gauze to shade my babe and me."
- 'Maiden on the ship,' The Water Babies, by Charles Kingsley
_________________________
The gentle breeze rustled the soft, silken threads of the auburn hair of an amiable young lady, clad in a pretty shade of cherry pink. She had a charming air and sweet demeanor, gentle and bright was her laughter that it would bring smiles even to the lowliest of men. Cheerful and straightforward in personality, she was liked by the many people who met her.
She was a plain, darling, simple girl, caught in the tide of fate, thrust into the bloodthirsty world of war by destiny.
Farther down on the docks, a young man sat fishing quietly, basking in the warm sunshine. Seeming rather stern and shy, he had shut out the world around him… for reasons yet unknown to men. He had fought for what his beliefs; the beliefs shared by countless men and women… He had set them free.
He was a strong young freedom fighter, and as fated by destiny, he had paid the ransom for freedom with the lives of his loved ones… with the life of his own.
Two young people with something in common,
And they had met once,
But parted on their different ways,
Yet Hope had somehow arranged that they might meet again someday.
_________________________
"Nanami! Wait up!"
The youth ran after the girl, puffing and panting as he came up to her. She grinned at him, and patted his head fondly. Feeling that touch, the youth looked up sharply and hurriedly drew back, embarrassed.
"Quit that!" the blond youth stormed in mock anger. "What are you up to now, dragging us ALL the way to Banner, just to eat some silly fish specialties? Don't you know that your brother needs a rest after running up and down all over the world just to collect some obnoxious people to raise you from the dead?"
On hearing that, Nanami giggled. "You're just jealous. And besides, you're the one who caused me to 'get killed' anyway!"
"………." The blond was slightly taken aback, looking completely lost for a while. Nanami's grin grew wider at that, and she skipped of happily, glad of the chance to escape. The youth soon realized the situation, and hurriedly recomposed himself.
"Hey! You tricked me!" He rushed after her, laughing as he did.
"Well, catch me if you can, Honorable Sir Jowy Atreides-Blight!"
"WHAT?? You'll pay for that, you little ruffian, you! I'll catch you! I will! Just you wait!"
_______________________
Soon, the people had to jump, dodge or skip avoid the two youngsters who were tearing through the village like the wind. They had had a good time for a while. But just as Nanami was about to dash into the inn, she crashed into someone.
"Oof!"
"Oops, sorry!" the young man apologized humbly, picking himself up quickly. He extended a hand to her, and helped her up. Nanami shouted when she saw his face.
"Young Master McDohl!" she exclaimed; "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, it's you, Miss Nanami," he feigned a smile as he looked at her. "I'm here to fish, of course."
"Really? Where's Gremio?" she asked, scanning the horizon in search of the subjected person. "Isn't he here with you?"
"No, unfortunately," he answered, sitting down again to resume his sport. He picked up the rod in his hands, and looked up at her. "Are you looking for him?"
"Oh, no… I mean, he's always here with you, right? So, where is he now?"
"He's at home, in Gregminster," his reply was monotonous. She blinked at him.
"He is? What happened? How did you get here without him?"
"Oh, I just learnt a few good lessons from an old friend of mine concerning tea…" he managed a half-grin. "Especially tea served with a sweet smile with good intentions."
Nanami giggled to hear that. She could hardly imagine the serious Young Master and hero playing such a joke like that. Oh, my! Whatever would Gremio say when he returned home?
_____________________
They chatted for a long time. Nanami had completely forgotten about her poor playmate who was hunting high and low for her. As for McDohl, he had felt at ease with her presence, and little by little, revealed a bit about himself. It was a wonder that they had not but exchanged only a few polite words with each other during the war. However, they now found themselves enjoying each other's company, exchanging stories about their homes, their experiences in life, the various people they have met… They remained by the docks till late in the evening.
"It's getting rather late, Miss Nanami," McDohl stopped the flow of chatter at last. "You should return to the inn now. Your brother and friend must be worried about you."
"They might," she agreed. "What about you?"
"I'll continue fishing for a while more," he replied. "Good day, Miss Nanami. Have a pleasant trip."
"I won't go back if you still insist on calling me Miss Nanami," she said, grinning all over her monkey face. "I'll just sit here and pester you, until you give up or go back to the inn with me…"
"All right, then, Miss Nanami…" He got up and holstered her over his shoulder, grinning widely as he did so. Not a violent, lusting touch it was; it was gentle and kindly, like a hug or a pat a brother would give a sister he was fond of. With that, he carried her all the way back to the inn. Before they entered, though, he put her gently down again.
"Aw, no more rides?" she mock-sulked. McDohl laughed.
"No, no more rides," he said. "Now, let's get in. It's rather scary outside here in the dark like this…"
"The great Hero, Sir Young Master McDohl, scared?" she teased him mercilessly. "Now I've heard it all!"
"Indeed you have," he replied kindly. "Now, let's get in…"
"Wait!"
"…Yes?"
"I've got something to give you…"
"What is it?"
Nanami grinned. "Close your eyes."
"………………"
"Do it! Close your eyes!"
"Okay…" he shut his eyes. "Now wha-"
A quick peck on his cheek cut him off. It was chaste and friendly, but all the same, it warmed him all over. His eyes snapped open, and he stared at her in amazement. Nanami grinned back.
"Thank you for the ride, Young Master." And with that, she strode in through the door.
He remained blank for a moment, and then a smile replaced his features. Quietly, he moved his fingers to rub the spot on his cheek where he had been kissed.
It was his first love in Banner.
____________________
The End
____________________
By Windy McDohl
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Konami CE's Genso Suikoden. Stealing is prohibited.
Note: This is a story of romance between Lady Nanami and Young Master McDohl. It takes place after the war, when the Hero was roaming the world with his beloved sister and bosom friend.
"Soft, soft wind, from out the sweet south sliding,
Waft thy silver cloud-webs athwart the summer sea;
Thin, thin threads of mist on dewy fingers twining,
Weave a veil of dappled gauze to shade my babe and me."
- 'Maiden on the ship,' The Water Babies, by Charles Kingsley
_________________________
The gentle breeze rustled the soft, silken threads of the auburn hair of an amiable young lady, clad in a pretty shade of cherry pink. She had a charming air and sweet demeanor, gentle and bright was her laughter that it would bring smiles even to the lowliest of men. Cheerful and straightforward in personality, she was liked by the many people who met her.
She was a plain, darling, simple girl, caught in the tide of fate, thrust into the bloodthirsty world of war by destiny.
Farther down on the docks, a young man sat fishing quietly, basking in the warm sunshine. Seeming rather stern and shy, he had shut out the world around him… for reasons yet unknown to men. He had fought for what his beliefs; the beliefs shared by countless men and women… He had set them free.
He was a strong young freedom fighter, and as fated by destiny, he had paid the ransom for freedom with the lives of his loved ones… with the life of his own.
Two young people with something in common,
And they had met once,
But parted on their different ways,
Yet Hope had somehow arranged that they might meet again someday.
_________________________
"Nanami! Wait up!"
The youth ran after the girl, puffing and panting as he came up to her. She grinned at him, and patted his head fondly. Feeling that touch, the youth looked up sharply and hurriedly drew back, embarrassed.
"Quit that!" the blond youth stormed in mock anger. "What are you up to now, dragging us ALL the way to Banner, just to eat some silly fish specialties? Don't you know that your brother needs a rest after running up and down all over the world just to collect some obnoxious people to raise you from the dead?"
On hearing that, Nanami giggled. "You're just jealous. And besides, you're the one who caused me to 'get killed' anyway!"
"………." The blond was slightly taken aback, looking completely lost for a while. Nanami's grin grew wider at that, and she skipped of happily, glad of the chance to escape. The youth soon realized the situation, and hurriedly recomposed himself.
"Hey! You tricked me!" He rushed after her, laughing as he did.
"Well, catch me if you can, Honorable Sir Jowy Atreides-Blight!"
"WHAT?? You'll pay for that, you little ruffian, you! I'll catch you! I will! Just you wait!"
_______________________
Soon, the people had to jump, dodge or skip avoid the two youngsters who were tearing through the village like the wind. They had had a good time for a while. But just as Nanami was about to dash into the inn, she crashed into someone.
"Oof!"
"Oops, sorry!" the young man apologized humbly, picking himself up quickly. He extended a hand to her, and helped her up. Nanami shouted when she saw his face.
"Young Master McDohl!" she exclaimed; "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, it's you, Miss Nanami," he feigned a smile as he looked at her. "I'm here to fish, of course."
"Really? Where's Gremio?" she asked, scanning the horizon in search of the subjected person. "Isn't he here with you?"
"No, unfortunately," he answered, sitting down again to resume his sport. He picked up the rod in his hands, and looked up at her. "Are you looking for him?"
"Oh, no… I mean, he's always here with you, right? So, where is he now?"
"He's at home, in Gregminster," his reply was monotonous. She blinked at him.
"He is? What happened? How did you get here without him?"
"Oh, I just learnt a few good lessons from an old friend of mine concerning tea…" he managed a half-grin. "Especially tea served with a sweet smile with good intentions."
Nanami giggled to hear that. She could hardly imagine the serious Young Master and hero playing such a joke like that. Oh, my! Whatever would Gremio say when he returned home?
_____________________
They chatted for a long time. Nanami had completely forgotten about her poor playmate who was hunting high and low for her. As for McDohl, he had felt at ease with her presence, and little by little, revealed a bit about himself. It was a wonder that they had not but exchanged only a few polite words with each other during the war. However, they now found themselves enjoying each other's company, exchanging stories about their homes, their experiences in life, the various people they have met… They remained by the docks till late in the evening.
"It's getting rather late, Miss Nanami," McDohl stopped the flow of chatter at last. "You should return to the inn now. Your brother and friend must be worried about you."
"They might," she agreed. "What about you?"
"I'll continue fishing for a while more," he replied. "Good day, Miss Nanami. Have a pleasant trip."
"I won't go back if you still insist on calling me Miss Nanami," she said, grinning all over her monkey face. "I'll just sit here and pester you, until you give up or go back to the inn with me…"
"All right, then, Miss Nanami…" He got up and holstered her over his shoulder, grinning widely as he did so. Not a violent, lusting touch it was; it was gentle and kindly, like a hug or a pat a brother would give a sister he was fond of. With that, he carried her all the way back to the inn. Before they entered, though, he put her gently down again.
"Aw, no more rides?" she mock-sulked. McDohl laughed.
"No, no more rides," he said. "Now, let's get in. It's rather scary outside here in the dark like this…"
"The great Hero, Sir Young Master McDohl, scared?" she teased him mercilessly. "Now I've heard it all!"
"Indeed you have," he replied kindly. "Now, let's get in…"
"Wait!"
"…Yes?"
"I've got something to give you…"
"What is it?"
Nanami grinned. "Close your eyes."
"………………"
"Do it! Close your eyes!"
"Okay…" he shut his eyes. "Now wha-"
A quick peck on his cheek cut him off. It was chaste and friendly, but all the same, it warmed him all over. His eyes snapped open, and he stared at her in amazement. Nanami grinned back.
"Thank you for the ride, Young Master." And with that, she strode in through the door.
He remained blank for a moment, and then a smile replaced his features. Quietly, he moved his fingers to rub the spot on his cheek where he had been kissed.
It was his first love in Banner.
____________________
The End
____________________