Author's note: Inspired by the list of removed supports for Radiant Dawn. I would have loved to see what Shinon would have to say to commander of the Holy Guard.
It wasn't until the tent's entryway flapped closed, shielding her from the army, that Sigrun allowed herself to collapse. As commander of the Holy Guard, it was her duty to portray a controlled demeanor, especially in the midst of disaster. But Daein's tactics were beyond immoral. Oil and fire? Sigrun didn't need much convincing to detest Commander Micaiah.
She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists, trembling uncontrollably. Calm down, Sigrun. There is still work to be done. She pushed aside the tent flap and sighed heavily, determined to find that sniper.
The one who had saved her.
Under normal circumstances his actions would have gone unnoticed; he was simply a mercenary doing his job. But everything had flashed before her when she watched that black oil pour down the cliff. Her first thought: Get the empress to safety. Her second: What a waste for that man to have saved me, if I'm to die here anyway.
The walk to the mercenary's camp soothed her a little. She was conscious of the movement of her limbs, the stretching of her thighs as she walked, so long immobilized by the hours seated upon her pegasus. She found their campsite tucked away from the rest of the army. They socialized around a small firepit, their casual chatter helping her to forget her anger. Some were laughing, facing the big, blond-haired marshall, Gatrie. Someone had roasted meat; despite the slightly charred scent it made her stomach rumble.
She shuddered as she approached, her shadow looming before her. It reminded her too much of oil, the darkness spilling over their camp. A few of them turned their heads in her direction.
Sigrun crouched beside the mercenary closest to her, the young archer. Rolf, was it? "Pardon me," she said. "Do you know where I could find Shinon?"
"He's right there," he said enthusiastically, pointing across the firepit. She should have seen him right away—he shared a fallen log with Gatrie, who was now the center of attention. Shinon gripped a piece of blackened meat in both hands, ripping at it with his teeth. She thanked Rolf before sauntering over.
"Shinon?" she said. He swallowed hard, eying her up suspiciously. "Do you have a moment?" Gatrie elbowed him in the ribs as he stood; Sigrun looked away, pretending not to notice the suggestive grin. Shinon dropped the gnawed meat on Gatrie's lap which, to her surprise and horror, he eagerly picked up and ate.
It wasn't that she was hiding anything from the mercenaries, but Sigrun didn't feel comfortable talking until they were out of earshot. Shinon seemed to understand as they walked side-by-side in silence, and she was surprised when he spoke first.
"What can I do for you, commander?" Given his usual hostile appearance, his voice held a hint of intrigue. Not that he was excited, but it wasn't often a common mercenary was called aside by the Holy Guard's commander.
She stopped walking to face him, but had trouble maintaining eye contact. Why was such a simple task so difficult? "I wanted to thank you. For taking down that sniper earlier." The more she thought about the solider with the crossbow, the more she feared him—even though he was dead. His death replayed in her mind, again, Shinon's arrow lodged in his neck.
When she met his eye, Shinon was frowning. It was likely he had no idea what she was talking about. Like he's going to remember one soldier of thousands, she thought, feeling foolish.
But then his face lit with recognition. "Oh, that guy? Yeah, just doin' my job—orders to protect the apostle. The Holy Guard's included in that, right?" He chuckled softly, but his expression was severe. "But that was a shitty move on Daein's part, that business with the oil. I was ready to shoot that commander's pretty silver head off."
Where were the Greil Mercenaries during that maneuver? Sigrun had been focused on the cliffside overhead and the empress clutching her, not the retreating soldiers below. She hadn't planned on discussing it, but her curiosity was piqued. "But the army had already withdrew. You were able to see that?"
"Sure. Could've hit 'er, too, if our commander hadn't ordered a cease fire." He spat out the word commander, and she thought better than to ask why. "This ain't even my war, and that cowardly move riled me up."
"Not your war?" She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling her natural pseudo-sweetness return. "You're a Crimean citizen, aren't you? We're all part of this."
Shinon grunted. "I guess, but I don't care about none of that. It's just a job."
She broke his gaze, fixating instead on the remnants of the mercenary's campsite. While the rest had retreated to their tents, Gatrie seemed to be stalling. He leisurely stamped out a dying fire as he glanced in their direction. A smile formed at the corner of Sigrun's lips.
"But you know," Shinon said suddenly, "I've got nothin' against you or your apostle. Sure, Begnion's got some crazy customs I don't like, but I'm not gonna let a follow soldier die. Especially when her boss is the one paying me. I may not be tied to any country, but I've still got a sense of honor."
The monologue threw her off-guard. The Greil Mercenaries had been good to them, certainly—during both wars—but she never expected them to care for something such as honor. Didn't he say "It's just a job"only a moment ago? She stammered in reply. "Shinon, I—"
He causally waved a hand to cut her off. "It's nothing. Get some sleep, commander. Who knows what dirty tricks Daein will pull tomorrow."
Sigrun placed a hand on Shinon's shoulder as he turned toward the empty camp. Before she had a chance to change her mind, she kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"What in the…" He screwed his neck around, eyebrows arched in surprised, too stunned to pull his arm back. Sigrun smiled. She didn't know him well—or at all, really—but she guessed he wasn't the sort of man to get easily flustered.
"That's for your friend there," she whispered, jerking her head toward the campsite. When they simultaneously turned, Gatrie's face disappeared behind a tree trunk.
"That idiot," Shinon mumbled, but she could see his smirk amidst the shadows of nightfall. "Thanks a lot, commander. I'll have some explaining to do."
Sigrun released his shoulder. "Good night, Shinon."