The tingle of excitement was heavy in the air. The scents of decadent food wafted through the village, and even the youngest children were anxious, though they most likely didn't understand why. Women bustled around, preparing the village for the celebration as hunters sharpened their swords and skinned monsters. A new seeress was being born.
The only person who was not overwhelmed with anticipation was a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, with short purple hair and violet eyes. The same man who would bring about the death of the world, hundreds of years in the future, and he man that would became the shepherd of souls in place of a rose-haired warrior. But he was not that man yet. He was not Caius Ballad; He was Caius of the Abaven clan. That evening, he had made his way to the outskirts of the village and was practicing his swordplay. He had recently been called from his native village to the capital of the nation of Paddra because his skill as a swordsman was desired among the ranks of the new seeress's protectors. Initially, he had been reluctant to leave, but his friends and family had been so proud and excited that he didn't want to disappoint them. As such, he had made his way to the nation's capital, not because he was keen on being one of the protectors of the seeress, but because it would give his small village some renown.
In all honesty, he was rather unimpressed by the reason for the festivities, and was bored by the excitement that had been mounting for the past few weeks. It's just another birth, he thought, a cloud of dust following in the wake of his sword. Another mouth to feed. What does it matter that she will be able to see the timeline? The man would never have voiced these thoughts aloud, of course, but to him, the idea of fussing over a seeress seemed to be more trouble than it was worth. He swung his sword once more, startling a few birds out of a bush, when he heard someone call his name.
"Caius," a voice yelled from the village, "Hurry and get over here!" The swordsman sighed, shouldering his sword, and he stalked back to the village.
"What do you need me to do?" said Caius once he had found the man who had called for him. The man was a small, stout fellow with a deeply tanned face, and Caius recognized him as an irritable hunter named Wolchom.
"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "Arenth was looking for you." Caius nodded, irritated, but having anticipated the response.
"Where is he?"
"With Ara. They seem to be having trouble." Wolchom's voice was laced with anxious excitement, just as everyone else's was. Caius nodded his understanding and headed in the direction of Ara's home.
He would not have been sure which it was had it not been for the small crowd gathered around the building. He firmly pushed his way through the crowd and was about to enter just as a scream pierced the air, coming from within the house.
"Caius!" bellowed a voice from inside. "Get in here!" Caius obeyed, and even he felt a surge of urgency after hearing the scream. Within the house was a rugged, scarred man pacing back and forth: The seeress's Guardian, Arenth. Caius had been lodging with him since arriving, as he had not yet had time to find his own home. The Guardian was rather ornery and demanding, but aside from that he treated Caius well, and Caius, proud though he was, was grateful for the older man's assisstance.
"You took your time, boy. Hurry and fill a tub with warm water," growled Arenth. Caius did not appreciate the man's tone, nor did he appreciate being called "Boy," but he did as he was told quickly and without error. "Fetch the towels from the cupboard over there," demanded the Guardian once Caius had returned. The younger man nodded again, still silent, retrieving the towels and passing them to Arenth. He hesitated a moment before he spoke.
"In my old village, I had experience with birth," he said slowly. "I could help with the procedure if need be."
Arenth looked at him amusedly. "You are a swordsman, not a midwife," he scoffed. "I'm sure that it will not be necessary." Shortly after Arenth spoke, however, another cry of agony came from within the room. Caius was immediately alert.
"Something may be wrong," he said urgently. "Please, let me help."
Arenth looked conflicted for a moment, but finally nodded. "Fine." He opened the door, gesturing for Caius to go inside. Caius did so, followed closely by the Guardian. Paddra Nsu-Ara lay on a cot in the corner of the room, her teeth clenched in pain. She held tightly to another man's hand, presumably her husband's, and the doctor and some nurses sat near. They're clueless, Caius thought despairingly, appraising them both.
"This man says that he can help," said Arenth with a hint of derision that Caius chose to ignore. The young doctor looked relieved as Caius examined Ara, giving gentle but firm instructions. Even Arenth looked impressed by Caius's clarity and composure. Caius himself made his best effort to comfort the woman and her husband, both of whom were anxious to the point of tears.
It was true that Caius was not thrilled by the idea of a seeress. However, such was inevitable, and in any case he would rather be of help than of hindrance. Thus he spent the next few hours aiding in the delivery of a child that would change his life far more than he could ever have imagined.
The baby didn't cry. She was quiet, serene, something Caius had not seen before. Her mother cradled her closely, humming an old lullaby. Tears welled in the corners of her father's eyes, and Arenth half-smiled. Caius himself felt strange. As he looked at the child, the wisps of blue hair on her small head, the tiny fingers, he felt a strange sense of fondness, something he had not felt before nor expected. Perhaps it was because he himself had delivered her, or because of the way her large green eyes had first looked at him, or because he had never had a child of his own. He didn't know why, but in that moment, he decided that he himself wanted to protect this girl, this seeress.
A grin finally split across Arenth's face. He clapped Caius on the shoulder, startling the younger man out of his reverie. "What are you waiting for, boy?" he said happily. "We must celebrate!" Caius nodded dumbly. He had forgotten all about the feast.
"Yes, of course," he said absently. Offering a slight smile to the woman and her daughter, Caius followed the Guardian out of the house. The sudden sunlight made Caius blink.
"Our new seeress is born!" cried Arenth above the murmur of the crowd. A loud cheer arose. "With the aid of our newest swordsman here!" Arenth planted a sturdy hand on Caius's shoulder that would have buckled the knees of any other man. Caius was surprised at his mention, and not altogether pleased. He was not a man who appreciated attention.
Arenth spoke once more after the thunderous applause died down a bit. "There will be time for thanks later. For now, we feast!" The cheering rose up once more, and the mass of bodies headed back to the area filled with the awaiting feast. Arenth turned back to Caius, a more serious look now in his eyes. "That was impressive, boy," he said. "I wouldn't have expected that from a countryman like yourself."
"Thank you," said Caius. He didn't know what else to say.
"You're an impressive swordsman, too, I've heard," said the Guardian.
"I do my best," said Caius modestly. There was a brief period of silence until Arenth spoke again.
"You would make an excellent Guardian," he said. Caius was taken aback by the seriousness that Arenth spoke with.
"It would be an honor, to be sure," he said carefully.
"Do you want to protect her?"
Caius was beginning to realize that the Guardian was almost brutally straight forward. "Of course," he said, tentatively but honestly. "Why else would I be here?" The Guardian shrugged.
"I was only making sure," he said nonchalantly. "But for now, we may indulge ourselves!" Arenth grinned again, seeming almost overly cheerful after his brief bout of seriousness. Caius had, however, already noticed that Arenth was decidedly odd, even if he were the seeress's Guardian, and decided not to question him further. Instead, he let himself be guided to the area of the festivities, his mind far away.
Caius didn't eat or drink much, despite the merriment around him. He felt odd, distant. He didn't know any of these people well, and they barely knew him. Keeping to the fringe of the festivities, Caius found himself wondering how the new seeress and her mother were doing. The child had been small, frail even, and Caius hoped she was doing all right. He shook his head to himself. This morning, you were just thinking how useless the child is, he chided himself. And now you're worrying over her? He laughed softly at himself, at his fickle heart, and decided to retire for the night. He brushed off a few compliments, a few thank-yous, and one red-faced young woman who was a bit more interested in him than he was comfortable with, finally reaching the path that led away from the festivities.
It had been a strange day, to be sure. All of a sudden people knew him as the man who had all but delivered their precious seeress, and Arenth now seemed almost to respect him. Most strange, however, was the near complete turnaround of emotion he felt towards the new baby. Part of him wondered if the sudden care he felt for the girl had only come from the adrenaline of her birth and would soon fade. But the other part, the instinct that had so often aided him on hunting trips, felt as though the child's birth was the beginning of a new story, one in which Caius would be heavily entwined.
A raucous voice made Caius jump slightly. "Where do you think you're going? Are you not having fun?" Caius spun around to see Arenth, who was staggering slightly, a bottle sloshing at his side. Caius shrugged, calming his nerves.
"I am... not really one for festivities," he said apologetically. "It was becoming tiring, so I decided to return home."
"It's no concern of mine, boy, as long as you aren't getting into trouble." Arenth was once again speaking to Caius as if the he were a rambunctious child. Caius resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Arenth's expression changed; a thought seemed to have struck him. "You know, seeing as you helped her so much, you may want to pay Ara a visit soon. I'm sure that she and Evan would like to thank you."
Caius was slightly taken aback. He hadn't really thought about that. "I suppose I could stop by at some point, if I were allowed. Aren't there rules regarding the seeress and her family?"
Arenth shrugged. "I'm sure they would make a special exception for you, after all you did."
Caius shook his head. "I only helped the doctor with the procedure," he said. "Shouldn't he be earning the praise?"
Arenth looked incredulous. "He nearly killed the woman!" he said emphatically. "You are the one who stayed calm the entire time, and you are the one who did the most work. So, you earn the praise. I oughtn't have to explain this."
Caius nodded slowly. "Alright, I understand. Shall I check on them in a few days?"
Arenth rolled his eyes. "That's what I've been getting at. You're a bit thick, aren't you?"
Caius let the insult slide, preferring not to get into another argument. "I understand," he repeated, itching to return home.
"Good. Now get on home, I can see you fidgeting."
"Yes, sir." Caius turned once more, at last walking the rest of the distance to his living quarters, feeling Arenth's black eyes on his back. He immediately went to his bed, a wave of exhaustion hitting him. Despite his tumultuous mind, he fell asleep within minutes of touching the pillow.
Hey, author here! I had an idea for this fic a long time ago, and finally decided to start working on it. I wanted to write a story detailing Caius's earlier years before becoming immortal, including his experiences with the first Yeul he knew. The idea came somewhat from my other fic, "I Will Save Her," but I'm definitely planning on expanding this one far beyond a oneshot! I'm not sure how long it will be, but count on at least a few chapters. Reviews are always appreciated!
