Through fire and flood
This is just an idea that came to me the other day, after reading The Hill of Swords again by Gabriel Blessing, and the pseudo sequel The Prince of Swords by another author named v03-R.N. As such, this fanfic is centralized around Sheffield, and the possibility of her having a son.
I find Sheffield to be a very interesting character. Her history details that she's the daughter of a priest from the other side of the Sahara Desert, with the land having technology beyond what the Halkeginians have. She's an incredibly powerful character by ZnT standards, her magic is insane and if it weren't for her loyalty to Joseph I think that the author could have done a lot more. As such, I have taken it upon myself to try and fiddle around more with her character, and this is what I came up with. R&R!
*Story Start*
Gandalf POV, Alternate Reality
"We did it." I whispered to my master. We did good work tonight. Looking over the plains beyond the forest we hid in, I watched as the army of Reconquista retreated, successfully held back by my master, Louise, and myself. Louise currently laid her head on my lap, her heavy breaths breaking her words as she gave me a heavy smile. Originally she had been ordered to hold the enemy line on her own, but I encouraged her that we do the task together, as master and familiar. Bodies of countless soldiers, ogres, orcs and dragons littered the plains. Louise and I played our hand tactically, with myself handling the main forces from the inside, aiming for the arms and legs of the mages and soldiers, while Louise collected her magic to cast her signature void spell, explosion, to finish off those who attacked me from behind as I retreated to rest. It was a long game of keep away, with Louise and myself switching every so often to recuperate. The night was nearly over, and dawn was at hand.
"We... Sure... Did," she panted.
"I said it before, and I'll say it again partner. You are an uncanny fighter. Never have I seen someone with as much guts as you," said my sword, Derflinger, his hand-guard mouthpiece clanking in the silent wilderness. He was planted blade first into the ground, acting as a back rest for myself, my second short sword on the floor beside me. We chuckled, silence falling once more. I looked up as the last air ship passed over us.
Pushing herself up, Louise tried to stand to her feet, only for me to catch her as she fell. She gave me an embarrassed glare, but said nothing otherwise.
"You're welcome," I replied, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. Settling her on her feet, Louise muttered a soft 'thank you'. I smiled.
"Come on. Let's go home. Tabitha would kill me if something happened to you," said Louise. I chuckled, wondering to see how angry Tabitha would get when they returned. She's probably furious right now, not happy that I tricked her into drinking wine enhanced with a sleeping agent.
"You have done well, Gandalf."
Whirling around, I immediately pulled my blades from the ground, standing protectively in front of Louise. The Gandalf runes engraved into my left hand began to shine, my stamina and strength returning to me. From the shadows, dolls emerged. The dolls were small, going no higher than four feet. They wore red, pointed hats, red leather vests, red boots, and had three fingers. The body was a blank, faceless manikin, armed with tiny swords and shields. Alviss. Which could only mean one thing.
"Sheffield." I snarled. An echoing chuckle followed, the sound coming from seemingly everywhere. But I knew her. This was just another one of her tricks.
"Now, now, my dear Allen, is that any way to greet your mother? The Gandalf's power may give you the ability to wield any weapons you hold, but surely you do not believe you can defeat me in your current state? Aren't you tired after fighting all the big bad villains? Don't you want to see your little master safe, and sleep in the arms of our little watchdog?" I could feel the smug coming off her, but her words stopped my retort. Watchdog?
"…Charlotte?" I whispered as Sheffield emerged from the shadows, another figure walking beside her. I knew her as Tabitha for a time, before she shared her heart and her real name with me. Gone was her school uniform, consisting of formal black shoes, a black skirt, and a white buttoned up shirt with a black mantle. Now she wore dark grey hood, dark leather armour with black pants and boots. Her wooden shepherd's crook staff was gone as well, replaced with a metal staff as tall as her, a round wind stone firmly attached to the head.
Sylphid, Tabitha's dragon familiar, was nowhere to be found. The Moyznitnirn familiar runes engraved into Sheffield's forehead shone with a foreboding light, the magic coming from her flowing into her Alviss, giving her full knowledge and control over them, as well as all the magical artifacts in her possession. She smiled.
"Indeed. Our good little watchdog has finally returned to her rightful master. You could learn a thing or two from her, child of mine," Sheffield cooed, stepping behind Tabitha and stroking her hair gently. Tabitha's expression remained blank, but her eyes were enough. I could see the desperation in her eyes. She wanted me to run. And she knew that I wouldn't. Tabitha's gaze cast downward.
"Tabitha!" Louise shouted, lifting up her wand. I put my hand in front of her. No. Sheffield was mine.
"I'm going to kill you for what you've done, and this time I won't hesitate." My eyes locked on Tabitha's, her crystalline eyes shining with tears she desperately held back. "I'm going to save you!"
Sheffield cooed at the sight.
"Aww, love is it? Such a beautiful romance. She truly does love you, and even defied me to prove it but I'm sure you know that. All I wanted was for her to do a little task for me; to kill you, by order of her uncle, the king of Galia. But in the end, I had to discipline my master's pet." She began chuckling again, grabbing Tabitha's face with a vice grip, forcing her to look at me.
"K-king of Galia...? Tabitha, you're a princess?" Louise whispered at the revelation. I gave her a grieving look as she turned her shock towards me. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Oops, my apologies. Did I spoil that for you? No matter. You would have found out eventually. This little girl here is our assassin. She was supposed to infiltrate your country Tristain and bring back intelligence, but the heroic Gandalf stole the lonely girl's heart instead. How romantic! They should make a play." Sheffield sighed, acting faint. Louise frowned, not noticing the exchange of glares between Sheffield and I. This woman really got on my nerves. Sheffield pulled Tabitha closer.
"Louise, take care of the Alviss. Sheffield is mine."
"Tut, tut, dear Allen. Do you really think your little master will be able to fend off my Alviss long enough for you to save dear Charlotte? Or are you going to sacrifice your master for the sake of your darling? You've been sacrificing a lot of lives lately. What's your body count become now, by the way, with all the soldiers and mages you put down tonight?" My grip on Derflinger tightened again, the shame in my heart stopping my blade from slicing her open.
"Partner, you only did what you needed to do. That professor Colbert understood that. That maid Siesta understood that." His voice fell into a serious whisper, for the first time since I found him. "What would your best friend Guiche say?"
The thick silence stretched on, the strain in the air almost palpable. The wind blew as Sheffield and I exchanged glares. Tabitha stood at the ready, and Louise warily looked between Tabitha and myself.
Then, the silence snapped.
Louise lifted her wand, attempting to cast an explosion. Tabitha however, was faster, and in turn shot icicles at us. Destroying them with Derflinger, Sheffield sent the Alviss forward.
"Kill him dear watchdog." She announced. Spinning wildly, I cleared the entire area in front of me, channeling the magic within Derflinger and my short sword. The magic within me hummed with my blades as they absorbed the magic inside the Alviss, taking away their energy, rendering them inert. Unleashing the absorbed energy, I lengthened the reach of my swords triple fold.
"Partner, be careful! Louise can't handle this many!" shouted Derflinger. The remaining soldiers split into three groups, took a formation and charged at Louise. We were forcefully separated, and Louise backed away, moving and casting, just like we practiced. But before I could move to help her, Charlotte intercepted me, her staff swinging at my head. I ducked on instinct. We had a standoff.
"Why Charlotte?" I asked, my eyes following Louise behind her. She said nothing.
Tabitha raised her staff soundlessly, firing icicles in my direction. Reacting quickly I dodged, but did not pursue her. I circled around her attacks, attempting to reach Louise. When it became clear I was not fighting back, she took the offensive and attacked me with her staff, matching my speed with her wind magic.
"Mother," she whispered as we exchanged blows. It suddenly became clear. Sheffield must have taken Tabitha's mother, and blackmailed her into servitude. I felt a wave of relief that Tabitha wasn't doing this willingly, but the problem still remained. Gritting my teeth, I tried to keep my eye on Louise as she fought the Alviss, manoeuvring across the forest and climbing trees in order to get away. With a furious assault, Tabitha attacked me with both ends of her staff, expertly twirling it in her hands. I parried her strikes with my swords, diverting her lethal strikes.
"But why? We can save her together!" I replied, parrying another series of blows. I retaliated with my own attacks, using an alternating combination of swings, flowing from one form to another. The look in Tabitha's eyes wavered, her eyes flickering downward as she retreated. We locked our weapons together, struggling to push each other off balance, but soon backed off and entered another standoff.
Had I been so focused on saving Louise, I would not have seen what it meant.
She placed her hand on her stomach. My eyes widened.
"Tabitha... you're...?"
Holding back her tears, Tabitha took advantage of my momentary shock, rushing forward and pushing me off balance. She tackled me to the ground, attempting to pin me down. I quickly twisted my body as I fell, kicking my feet out and preventing Tabitha from mounting me. I flipped back to my feet. My eyes met hers, and it became clear. Her resolve was sure. It was either kill me, and perhaps save our child and her mother, or fail and lose everything.
Why?
Even after all I've done, after all I've given up for more power…
Why am I still so weak, that I can't even fulfill my vow to the one I love?!
Suddenly she was on the move, attacking with astonishing speed behind a furious diversity of well-timed strikes. Derflinger screamed for me to focus, and I managed to barely keep up, my mind trying to settle on what needed to be done. What I wanted to be done.
Enough. This was enough.
Tabitha swung her staff, clashing with Derflinger. I let him go, and her eyes widened as I made no move to retaliate. I smiled as Tabitha came forward, forming a dagger of ice in her hands. I tossed my short sword aside, the realization set in, and her tears finally fell.
"I love you Charlotte."
Closing her eyes, she thrust her knife forward, plunging it into my heart.
-Mother and Son-
Third Person POV
Charlotte softly whimpered as she choked, her breathing painful and heavy as Allen fell backwards, his body collapsing onto the floor. She stared at his body, his lifeless eyes open slightly, the light of the sun shining on his face as she fell on her knees, her shoulders sagging in defeat. Tabitha cursed herself internally, blaming everything on her weakness. Her indecision. She did not deserve the love that he had given her. He always thought himself a monster; pursuing power by any means necessary. But in the end, he was more human than she.
She wept.
The Alviss in the forest froze, and Louise turned to see if he was alright.
"No... No! Tabitha, why?!" She cried out, disbelief telling her this wasn't real. She rushed forward, kicking her way past the Alviss dolls that stood silently, their movement ceased. As Louise ran, tears streamed down her face, the cruel truth hitting her heart like a hammer. She tripped onto her knees as she reached his side, Tabitha weeping loudly beside her.
"You can't be dead... You just can't." Whispered Louise, but fate was against her. As if to answer her silenced doubts, the Gandalf runes, the ancient markings on his left hand, and proof of his status as her familiar, faded away. Louise let out an anguished cry. From the shadows, Sheffield felt disappointment as she watched her son die. So that was his decision? She couldn't help but sigh in annoyance. All that work wasted.
"No matter. His brother will have to suffice. The girl has done her part… I'll leave her for now."
With a flourish of her cloak, she melted into the shadows, leaving the girls to mourn. The Alviss surrounding them backed away, disappearing with their master.
Louise's fists clenched tightly, and with a loud, angered roar, she punched Tabitha across the face. Tabitha did nothing to stop it, her body crashing into the ground.
"WHY?! Why did he have to die?! Why did you have to kill him?! What could that damned woman possibly offer to you, that you would actually be able to go out and kill the one that you love?! The one who helped you accept who you are, the one who made you smile like no one ever could?!" Louise's emotions burst forth, and she began to hit Tabitha over and over, her punches becoming weaker each time. Tabitha took her onslaught, still crying. As Louise's anger slowed, leaving only the pain, she became silent. Tabitha, getting back up onto her knees, sat beside Louise as they stared at his lifeless body.
"Sheffield has my mother. And… I'm pregnant. With his child." Tabitha said. Louise's eyes widened with shock.
"Y-y-y-you—what?!" Louise shrieked. Tabitha nodded, repeating what she said. Dumbfounded, Louise couldn't help but begin laughing.
"I see. It all makes sense now." Her eyes lost in memories, Louise took the hand of her former familiar, feeling the callousness of his fingers. "He was always so stupid, recklessly putting his life on the line, wanting 'more power', but when he met you everything changed. He always spoke about what you and he were doing, to the point where I started to get really jealous." Louise smiled at Tabitha, despite her grief.
"He deserves a proper burial."
They brought his remains back to Tristain, Louise reporting what had happened to Princess Henrietta. Tabitha turned herself over to Henrietta, atoning for her sin by giving everything that she knew about Galia; all the dirty secrets and all the inner workings of the government.
When the day of his burial finally came, only a select few attended. Henrietta, Louise and her family, Tabitha, Kirche, and Osmond grieved as he was laid to rest beside Colbert, Siesta and Guiche. Louise felt a swirl of emotions within her, wanting to cry and scream and yet all she could do was stare blankly. What was she, without her familiar? The one who had mentored her into mastery over her magic? Who would she summon, if she were to call another? Would she be able to?
Inside Louise felt empty; truly, unbearably empty, just like her element.
Silently crying, Louise watched as her familiar's coffin was sealed, his remains lowered into the ground.
"Rest in peace…"
-Mother and Son-
Unknown
It seems you have gotten yourself in quite a mess yet again.
I opened my eyes, finding myself no longer in the forest lying on the floor, but instead standing, surrounded by a thick fog. My eyes searched my surroundings, but it was an instinctive reaction... I already knew where I was anyway.
"Damn it."
A four pairs of eyes emerged from within the fog, surrounding me on all sides. One pair was blue, another yellow, another red, and the last green.
"Such a tiny pup… still wet behind the ears," said the same voice, coming from the red eyes. The deep, masculine voice let out a sigh. Why didn't you use my power? You could have saved yourself.
"Can you blame him, Ifrit? I sympathize with his plight; his mother is a dangerous adversary, to use methods even we didn't predict," said the blue eyes, her soft, feminine voice soothing. The yellow eyes answered next.
"But even then, logically with our combined power he could have defeated her and saved the girl."
"I agree with Gnome, Undine," agreed Ifrit. The green pair of eyes, silently observing, finally answered.
"The path you walk… You walk it alone. That is what we said to you. You did this for her sake."
Realizing I was holding my breath, I let it all out. "Yes, Sylph," I replied. The elemental spirits of Halkeginia fell silent. "This is something that I've been considering for a long time now."
"But now you are without the power of the Gandalf. Another will take your place; such is the law of the void," answered Undine. I nodded.
Is being a mercenary a job worth wandering these lands, polluted with the selfish expanding territories of men? And what of the human wretches you've protected? What of the woman you gave your heart to? What does she do instead of expressing her gratitude?" Ifrit retorted, but I snarled back at him.
"Leave her out of this." I fell into a whisper. "She made her choice, and we made ours."
We all remained silent, before Sylph took charge.
"Are you truly willing to do this, Allen? Wherever we send you, you will lose our powers. You will have to find us again." I shook my head.
"I can't stop now, I've come too far. Send me forth; to a world where the Ancient Dragon still exists. I will take its power for myself, and destroy Sheffield."
…
AUTHOR'S NOTE
So as you can see, this takes place during the end of the second season of the anime. I wanted it to be here strictly because so I have more time to develop my character, Allen, if I did choose to pursue this. He's still a bit incomplete, but with this much time before the Ancient Dragon arc in Season 4 I'll have lots of time to adjust. Also, Tabitha is my favourite character, and I have so many plans for the struggles between Tabitha and Allen. A more emotionally strained "will they, or won't they?" relationship really.
Season 3 is also where we see most of Louise's inner thoughts regarding Saito as her familiar, and her doubts and fears as her feelings build up. I'm not going to judge Saito for being unaware of her feelings and the conflict itself will add a lot more room for character development.