The chapel was cold and damp, but when wasn't this little hovel of a building like that? This wasn't the great church in the center of the city, this was the Soldier's Chapel, the place the weary enlisted man laid bare his soul. She didn't look too different from one of them, dressed in her plain blue uniform as she was. Approaching the small altar alone, the girl of 17 years knelt upon the floor. She knew the words she was to say well, but she hesitated for a moment. It used to be so simple to do this, there used to be no hesitation in her voice. Why now did she break with that? Maybe it was because she knew that this would be the last time in a long time that she would come to this place to pray. Or it could not be, for the choice was still her's, it had always been hers. Eventually, she found her will again, and the words came back to her lips.
"Father above the skies
Your name we honor with our deeds
Your Kingdom we fight for
Your will we die for
On the Earth, the Sea, and the Sky
Give unto us good harvests and clear skies
And Pardon the transgressions we make
As we must also forgive transgressors
Lead us not towards dark deeds and dark ways
But bring us salvation against the dark
For yours is the eternal Kingdom, the everlasting power, and the unending glory
Amen"
She could've said more, could've offered more than the most simple of the Father's Prayers, but it didn't feel like saying ore would bring her answers, she needed quiet and some thinking space. For a moment the youthful warrior contemplated the importance of this little place, this Soldier's Chapel of a type so common throughout the land. Against the darkness that was the Grimm, the light of faith could keep a people strong. That was the idea at least, the idea that was imbedded into the mind, heart, and soul of everyone she knew, soldier and civilian. That was the idea that she was supposed to embody, in theory anyway. Fearless faith and courage in the face of danger, a unity of such would keep the negative emotions of the Grimm, keeping the people safe.
Safe was in short supply in the Kingdom of Carolean, standing alone and mostly ignored by the rest of the world. Oh sure they had a CCTS receiver, just so Atlas could say they recognized them, but most people apparently thought the continent of Fafnir home to nothing of importance. Well, to the people trying to eek out a living here, it was certainly of importance. Folks used to say that it was those too crazy to try settling the Northern Continent of Solitas that tried to settle the continent of Fafnir. Well, they were probably right come to think of it. The weather wasn't Solitas cold, but it was cold enough to make farming difficult, and just warm enough for the Grimm to be relatively unbothered.
However, it seemed like the people didn't know when and how to quit trying to build a life out here for themselves. The Grimm attacks bred more resolve rather than more panic, and as the Grimm pushed the people that would become the Caroleans pushed back. Hard times bred a hard people, and when the hours seemed darkest, the people turned to their belief in the Father to keep them strong during the cold nights.
Where was the Father's guidance now though? Where was the guidance and the sign that was supposed to show her what to do? The young woman continued to stare at the altar, where three candles representing the Father and his two Sons burned brightly. Today was the day, today was the day she would have to choose whether to stay with the familiar, or venture towards the unknown in search of new horizons. For the longest time she thought there was no choice, she would go across the sea to the Kingdom of Vale. It would be an adventure, a new experience, a chance to learn from some of the best Huntsman and Huntresses and become one herself. With the day at least here though, the choice was not so clear, not anymore.
Crystal Graka would have to make a choice soon though, the boat would be leaving soon. Dangerous waters meant that only a select few ships ever wanted to make the journey to Vale. If she missed this boat who knew how long it would be before she would be able to take another one. That was not even bringing up the fact that Beacon Academy's year was starting soon, if she lost out now it would be another year gone by. She had been accepted, her papers were in order and the Headmaster even sent a note it was a privilege to have someone from such a faraway place as Carolean to attend Beacon.
Crystal Graka looked to the weapon she had placed at her side, the Lion's Fang. The heavily modified musket design was considered antiquated by most, but the Caroleans had made due with this weapon. Her's was a more advanced design, a muzzle modified for shooting various Dust rounds. That wasn't even counting all the tinkering she'd done to the bayonet. Normally the size of a long knife, Crystal's now was almost the size of a shortsword. All the better to run Grimm through. The Carolean picked up her weapon, the familiar weight of it comforting somehow. When she held her weapon it wasn't about choices, there was only one choice. Gå–På! Go on. For a Carolean soldier, there was no retreat, you moved forward with your brothers and sisters in arms or you all died together. Common faith, common goal, common victory. Gå–På... Gå–På...
"It would be nice to have some sort of sign, Father." Crystal uttered to the empty chapel, hands still clenched in prayer.
Through the open windows, the wind blew in from the west snuffing out the candles upon the altar. The chapel grew colder somehow, and the already weak light of the sun seemed to darken outside. Crystal didn't know if she believed in omens, but it seemed almost as if she had gotten one right here. The wind had blown in from the west, a good wind for sailing to Vale. Humph Gå–På. Those words were supposed to guide her thoughts in battle, and what was this if not a battle in her mind to decide her future. Or something like that, maybe she had been spending too much time thinking and not enough time doing. Going to Beacon would be to look forward, staying would only mean staying back, not advancing as a Carolean was supposed to do. Picking up her weapon and resting it on her shoulder, Crystal left the chapel, but not before relighting the candles for the next potential parishioner. She had a ship to catch. Stepping out back into the streets of the city, Crystal was greeted by a familiar face and smile. A man of 43 years and old eyes was he, his blue uniform roughed up in many places, but there was no one under her command she trusted more.
"Befälhavare," He addressed her always by her rank, familiar as he was he never dropped that.
"Enough of that Himmel," Crystal tried to counter by using his first name rather than his rank or even his last name, "We're going to the docks."
"So you finally did make a decision while you were in there?"
"I have," The streets of Havsvakt were alive with the sounds of people going about their lives, and few paid attention to what appeared to be just two soldiers heading for the docks. "I am going to Vale, I will attend Beacon Academy."
The look on Himmel's eyes suggested he wasn't surprised by her decision. The old soldier shrugged as he stepped around a puddle leftover from last night's rain.
"I figured you for it, didn't think that my Befälhavare would shirk from challenge."
"It's not that, Himmel, not entirely at least," She wasn't sure if she was trying to tell herself that or Himmel.
"Aye, what happened was a tragedy no doubt can make a person rethink a lot of things. Still, I think he would've wanted you to make this journey even if he was no longer here."
"You're right, as usual Himmel, how is it you never made it past the rank of Huvudchef? Surely you could've made it into the Officer Corps?"
"I choose to avoid the paperwork of a commission. The extra pay would not have been worth the sleepless nights." Himmel laughed as they reached the docks where two figures in particular were waiting for them.
A woman of surpassing grace and elegance stood next to a man standing larger than life on the docks her brown hair and fair features reflected in her child. Gustavus and Christina Graka were flanked by a small procession of the Old Guard, their uniforms distinct from the others by the golden trim that adorned their arms and legs. Gustavus Graka gazed upon his daughter with a discerning air about him, grey eyes that matched her own held firm for but a moment before they softened. A laugh then escaped his lips easier as he moved to stand directly in the path of his scion.
"I knew that this would be your choice, my daughter," The bearded man had a deep and booming voice to accompany his large physical stature, "Even if you yourself did not."
"Perhaps you are right," Many was a time that Crystal wished she was taller so that she need not crane her head upwards to look into her father's eyes, "You made all the arrangements then."
A statement more than question, one which her mother answered with a nod.
"Did your father father not say already that he knew?" Her mother's voice was chastising in a way, but not overly so, "The preparations are all in hand, you need now only make your way to Vale."
Crystal gazed upon the ship and saw her few bags waiting for her on the docks. Indeed, it had seemed things were prepared well in advance for her. A Carolean going to study in Vale, when was the last time that happened? Before she could say more or do more however, her father took from his own bag a book that made Crystal's eyes widen. Simple red leather bound a book very similar to one that Crystal herself had in her own pack. Gingerly she took it in her hands and then gazed back at her father. Small tears began to well in her eyes as she recognized the signature on the front of the book, they were held by a soldier's discipline if barely.
"Your brother's prayer book was his journal as well as his guide," Her father explained with a look of quiet sadness he dared not vocalize loudly. "Take it with you, my daughter. In this way, he might go with you across the sea."
Placing the book carefully into her pack, Crystal thought to say something but failed. Instead, the practiced austerity of a Carolean soldier broke as she rushed forward to embrace her father. At first he was unprepared for such a display, but quickly he composed himself and wrapped his arms around the young girl who would be going off to a distant land. His wife moved close to this gathering as well, her face protecting an image of calm though internally she too wished to drop the facade. Still these things were expected of her, of her husband, and of her daughter.
After all, were they not the royal family of Carolean? Was Gustavus not Carolus and his daughter now Christus with the passing of her brother? They of course were those things, but they were a family like any other, and there were times family had to let feelings out.
"Daughter, Soldier, Christus, Carolean," Gustavus brought his gaze back to his daughter's eyes directly, "You are all these things Crystal, remember each part of yourself when you are in Vale. Keep the Father of Heaven close to your heart at all times, and do us and your Kingdom proud."
Crystal clutched her musket tightly as returned her father's gaze, mind steeled once again, falling back on training years in the making.
"I am a Carolean, father," The thin smile upon a young face showed a maturity unlike most of her age group, "My words, first and last, are Gå–På. I will make you proud. And I will honor our name."
"Go then, Carolean." This was not the wishes of the father that spoke now, but the order of a proud king towards one of his loyal soldiers, "Do great deeds, and come home greater than you once were."
"The Carolus commands, and I obey," Crystal bowed and the gave her parents and then Himmel one last look before grabbing her bags.
Marching as if in lockstep, Crystal walked up the gangplank and onto the ship. It's captain was a man rather young looking for a commander of his own vessel, but who was she to judge? It was likely he had earned his rank, while she had been born into her's. As soon as Crystal was aboard the captain gave orders to cast away and the crew got to work preparing for launch. Crystal turned once again back to the docks to see her parents standing with the Old Guard, and Himmel having removed his hat and saluting to her. She smiled and waved, glad that her departure had not been a scene of pomp or commotion. Ceremony had never been comfortable for her, though a royal upbringing meant that such things were inevitable many times; that didn't mean she had to like it. Before she went down to her cabin she turned to face the captain still standing on the bow.
"How long until we reach Vale?" She asked, trying to remember if she already had been told the answer at some point but came up with nothing.
"Depending on the winds, a week, maybe? Less than that if we're bless with better tides and winds." His head turned to the flagpole where the flag of the Kingdom of Carolean, a Blue Cross on a yellow field, whipped high in the winds. "It seems we're in luck mi'lady, we've got a good western wing backing us up. If it keeps 4 days it will take us to reach Vale."
"Good to hear Captain, I leave the task of sailing to you then." Four days, that would be good time to read up on Vale and the customs of that land.
She had a great deal of information on her scroll, but it was always nice to have the feel of paper in her hands and take in the knowledge written before her. It probably also wasn't guaranteed that her scroll would get signal out on the open waters such as they were. All in good time though. By now the ship properly casted off, and soon enough the shores and the people on them grew smaller and smaller in the distance until only the tallest of buildings were visible to the unaided eye. Home was behind a new world ahead, there would undoubtedly be new paths to tread in a land she had no real experience with before this point. Beacon Academy, Vale, these things were brand new and exciting to the Carolean. The skills of a Huntress were to be learned upon the distant shore, a new legend to forge and a new saga to write. Yes, or hopefully, maybe, well that was the idea at least. Who knew what would actually happen when she got there. For now though there was only the waiting for arrival, waiting, reading, and prayer. Four days... Maybe she should've brought more comic books.
A/N: My first foray into RWBY Fanfiction, this story follows mostly my team of OCs as they try and make their way in the chaos that is Beacon during the timeframe of Vol 1 and 2. That's not to say I'm not gonna write a decent chunk of stuff for the Canon Characters either, but we'll have to see how things go.
If it isn't too obvious, Crystal and her people are based off the Swedish Empire and its soldiers circa mid 1600s and early 1700s. Bringing a mostly forgotten soldier like the Swedish Carolean into a story has always been something I've wanted to do. The Next few chapters are going to be made sort of like the canon character trailers before jumping to them all arriving at Beacon. I'm in the market for a Beta Reader as it were, as well. If anyone is interested make a note of it in a review or over PM. Well, hopefully people are interested by this, and I'll try and get up the next chapter soon.