To all of you wondering if I would ever post another chapter in Surviving Victory, Sorry! I got caught up in an anime and this just sort of happened. There are a LOT of issues with spelling, my beta and I aren't on speaking terms right now and I dont have spell check, so please, bare with me. -Brigid
Rygart was overwhelmed, Vorcues was dead by his hand, and them Rygotts was alive, that had filled him with so much joy he thought his heart might have burst within his chest. Now, Sigyn was trying her best to strangle the life from him with her hug, and her tears were staining the front of his shirt, wetting the blood that had dried on it. "Oh Rygart!" She just kept crying his name while she wept with relief.
Had she not been holding him up so tightly, the un-magician was sure he would already have collapsed from the exhaustion that had overcome him the moment Vorcues' golem had fallen. The soft whir of a bike caught his attention and Rygart looked up from Sigyn's golden locks to see General Boulder heading towards him with Hodr behind him. He tried his best for a smile, but he knew all he managed was a crook of the lips.
The bike shook and jumped down the battle-torn road to them at speed, and screeched to a stop before them, Boulder and Hodr leaping off to embrace the hero of the day. The General stayed himself while the King grabbed both his wife and his friend in a bear-like hug. "You did it Rygart, were saved." Was all he said, giving him a smile. Rygotts, not to be ignored, piped up then, "Who are you people?" he demanded, pointing his diminutive finger at Hodr and Sigyn.
General Boulder was taken aback, as were the royal guards milling about, on watch for enemy stragglers. Rygart gave his brother an exhausted smile, "Rygotts, these are my friends, Hodr and Sigyn, King and Queen of Crisna." his voice was drugged with tiredness, but he managed a wry twist of the lips at the end. Opposed to the shock and awe, Rygotts scrunched his face up in thought for a moment before speaking and directing an accusing finger at the King, "So you're the asshole that made big brother leave?"
The question had jaws dropping all the way to the north gate. The guards flexed hesitantly at their press rifles, while a deep belly laugh rolled from Hodr. "Thats me, you're just like Rygart, you know that?" The king said, wiping a tear from his eye. Rygott's response was cut off by the grating thump of quarts on stone as a heavily damaged Athens Golem trudged up the road, limping severely from a leg riddled with holes.
The stark white golem was closer to a pin cushin than a war machine, sporting only one hand, massive chunks of it's body armor sheared off, and half of it's head torn away. So many bullet holes it had, Rygart wondered how it still moved. The golem was un-armed, but he lurched towards the Delphine anyway while the royal guard surged to surround the king and queen. Two of the surviving fafnir's that had been standing sentry stomped before the royalty, weapons raised, and their voices, amplified by quartz, rang out, "Enemy unit, halt! We will shoot!"
It was a rare moment of compassion from Crisnan soldiers, not to be ignored. The white Golem raised it's hand and nub, but didn't stop, instead lurching up to Vorcues' fallen mech and peering down at it, the Delphine's massive weapon still embedded in it's shoulder. With a horrifying shriek of grinding quartz, the golem knelt/fell down before the group and it's pilot's hatch opened. From the golem dropped Cleo, missing her Athens officer's jacket, and with a small cut oozing blood from her forehead.
She landed steadily and looked from the Delphine to Rygart and back a few times, shock growing on her face. She finally looked to the pilot with stars in her eyes, she was in awe. Soldiers of Athens loved and respected their Generals, but Vorcues was a well hated and feared man, a butcher and a perpetrator of crimes against humanity. For Rygart to have slain this devil, and to walk away whole, even though he was a savage soldier, he would be loved in Ilios for his actions.
Cleo had to admit, the pilot was definitely attractive, and for his actions he was now a hero, she couldn't help the love that was quickly forming in her heart. And he had been a friend of Zess', and after reading over his after-action reports, she had discovered that he had pulled his punches not t hurt Zess. She loved Zess, and it wasn't a secret, but she knew he was happily married, and that she could never have him, but what about Rygart? As far as she knew, he wasn't married, didn't have anyone waiting for him where he came from. There was Sigyn, who clearly loved him, but she was the Queen! She couldn't exactly leave the king for him.
"C-Cleo?" Sigyn asked, confused, "I thought you were going back to Athens?" The golems relaxed their stance, but kept vigilant. The royal guard however, kept their charges surrounded and their weapons trained, not trusting the enemy soldier. "I- well- um- The army retreated, and your golems have the gates locked down..." Cleo stuttered out, turning a bit red in the face. Hodr's expression was distrust, he was moments away from ordering her executed when she read it, "I-I can help! I can help with the golem repairs! D-don't kill me!"
The King wasn't sure how to respond, an enemy soldier was offering her expertise in repairing and retrofitting golems for th next battle, it was a tempting offer, one he couldnt refuse, given the circumstances. "Very well, you may live, but..." he trailed off, looking her up and down and stroking his barren chin for a moment before continuing, "Rygart, you will look after her, she is your charge." He finished with a wicked grin, his school days sense of humor making a return at the strangest time.
Cleo went beet red and Sigyn gave Hodr a withering look. Rygart made a half-assed surprised look, really to tired to complain about anything. "What about Rygotts?" Was his response, "My quarters are tiny for just me, no way I can have three people in there." His speech was getting slurry wth sleep, any longer and his exhaustion would have him sleeping n his feet. "I will arrange for larger quarters for you tomorrow, but now, I think you need some rest." Hodr shouldered past his guards and pulled his friend's arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight, much to the surprise and indignation of the royal guard and his advisors who had suddenly appeared.
"B-b-but your Majesty! you cant be seen carrying a soldier! Its-" Hodr cut the man off with a withering glare that made the old man actually sqeak with fear, for the king's anger was rare and difficult to incite. "Rygart just slayed General Vorcues, he saved every last one of us from certain death and worse, and he is my friend. You would deny him aid to his bed that he may rest?" The King's voice was low and dangerous, clearly, if the man spoke again, it would mean his execution, by the king himself.
The adviser merely squeaked loudly and backed away, his head bowed, allowing Hodr to support the pilot back to the castle. Cleo ducked under Rygart's other arm and helped Hodr while Rygotts followed after them, Sigyn beside the child. General Boulder had slung hs officer's jacket over Rygart's shoulders and now led the small procession through the ruined streets, calling out to fallen golems and gathered soldiers along the way, proclaiming their victory to all who hadn't heard.
By the time they reached the Royal Castle, Binnonten rang with cries of joy and the one name, Delphine, Delphine, Delphine! Many cast a side long glance at the Athens soldier supporting their hero with their king, but none made any move, the king trusted her, they reasoned. Once within the un-touched walls of the castle, another set of cries rang out for the Delphine's pilot, most of the royal aids and servants having been watching the miraculous victory.
Hodr demanded they leave Rygart to rest for the day, and Sigyn took no time in ordering her aids to collect the Delphine and begin repairs immediately. Rygart was infinitely grateful, he didnt have the energy for fans, all he could imagine doing for the rest of his life was sleeping. Hodr seemed to understand this, and with Cleo's help, nearly dragged him to his small quarters. The door swung open with the slightest touch to reveal the tiny, spartan room.
Cleo was pleasantly surprised, she herself didn't really keep many personal possessions, other than her family's pendant, her diary, and a couple of books, she didn't really own anything. All that Rygart kept in his room was a simple traveling pack, a beautiful, ornate, officer's sword, a spare pair of boots, and his uniform manniquin. The only other things in the room were the bed and desk, the latter of which housing only an ink pen and a sheaf of paper. All said, he was very organized, something she liked about him immediatley. And his quarters had a breath taking veiw of the Binnonten and the port.
She and Hodr helped him ease onto the bed, and the king turned to his friend, "Rest Rygart, you have well earned it, I wont call on you for a few days, I think, so enjoy your down time." The pilot Yawned thankfully and gave his old friend a grateful smile as the man left him. Once the door had closed, Rygart struggled to his feet and began to disrobe sluggishly, hanging his- General Boulder's, he noticed from the general's bars on the breast, on the mannequin. As Cleo wathed, her face turned deeper and deeper red, Rygart seemed to have forgotten she was there, and Rygotts was watching him silently, not sure what to say to his suddenly famous brother.
Before her eyes, Rygart stripped, firts off with his shirt, just a ragged fieldhand's burlap thing, but the thick clothe covered his thick, chorded, muscley body, the body of a famer, of a soldier. The shirt sailed into the corner, then he slumped onto the bed wearily and bega unacing his boots. Rygotts spoke up then, "B-big Brother, your so muscular now!" He seemed shocked, his brother had always been strong, but never defined, his time away had him looking like a strong man. "Yeah, its all the trainng I've been doing!" He weakly flexed his arm, putting the thick chords of well definied muscle on display.
Cleo was sure that if she blushed any harder, she would faint, and she nearly did when Rygart's boots clunked against the mannequin and he struggled to his feet, trousers falling limply down his legs. He was wearing boxers, mercifully, but Cleo still felt a little light-headed from all the blood rushing to her face. His legs were incredibly muscled, she doubted that anything could withstand a kick from him. The pilot had collapsed into the bed and was already asleep, one leg hanging off he bed and one arm pinned underneath him, the covers still tucked neatly into the matress.
"Wow..." she murmured as he began to snore lightly, completely oblivius to the world. "Yeah, Big Brother has always been like that, completely gone once his eyes close." RYgotts said, smiling at his brother. The boy really was pissed at his brother fo leaving him and not coming back, but he had missed him, and his love would always out weigh his anger towards his brother, every time. A knock at the door interupted the conversation and Cleo jumped up to answer it. It was Sigyn, with several of her guards loaded down with what looked like clothes and bedding.
"Cleo." Sigyn addressed her nuetrally. "M-miss Sigyn!" almost a squeak, almost fearful. The Quen passed the bundle in her arms to the girl and pulled her from the room, then motioned to the guards, "Set it in their for them." She commanded, the guards carrying the bedrolls int and unrolling them on the floor. "Cleo, there is a lavatory through that door that you an change in, that bundle has pyjamas and a set of clothes for you to wear until you buy something more to your liking."
Sigyn was warm and neutral to the girl at the same time, it was a strange combiation. "I, umm, thank you, M-miss Sigyn." Cleo stuttered out, quickly going to the bathroom and changing into the pyjamas, she may have just been avoidiing combat and running from cover to cover, but still, it had been a long, exhausting day. She trudged back to Rygart's room, the soldiers were done with the bedding, and Sigyn had tucked the pilot in. Rygotts was waving his brother's sword around, marveling at how it caught the afternoon sun in it's engraved surface.
Rygotts saw her come in and quickly put the sword backon it's rack. He sat on the window ledge and fixed her with a questioning glare. "W-what is it?" She asked hesitantly, his glare putting her on edge. "Who are you?" He asked her pointedly, he couldn't hate te king and queen of his country for keeping his brother from him, but this girl, he culd direct his hate at, if she had anything to do with it. "M-me? Im Cleo Seburefu of the Seburefu family of Athens." She said proudly. The boy's eyes twitched towards the sword again, making Cleo very nervous.
"You're a soldier, from Athens?" His hand began to edge towards the large blade, setting the girl on edge. So intent were they on their stare-down, that they were completely caught of guard by the entry of a new voice. "She was a soldier of Athens, technically, she is a prisoner of war now." Rygart's sleepy but alert voice emanated from the tangle of covers and pillows that was his bed, causing Cleo, who had just sat down on the bed to shoot off of it to alert feet with an "eep". Rygotts too was shocked, that they had been almost whispering were his thoughts as he scrambled back an inch or so on the wide sill.
"B-Big Brother!" "R-Rygart!" were their shouts of surprise. "You two talk too loud, go to sleep... And quit playing with my sword Rygotts." Rygart said, his pile of covers shifting before a lite snore drifted up from the mound. "I thought you said he was a heavy sleeper!" Cleo whispered harshly, sitting back down lightly on the corner of the matress. Rygotts' face was still painted with shock, he had never managed to wake his Big Brother before, ever. The boy jumped down from the window sill and peeled off his clothes, quickly getting beneath the covers and dropping off into sleep.
Cleo laid down on her mat and tried to get comfortable, but found herself... lonely. She fell asleep, but it was an un-easy rest that had her tossing and turning. Her dreams turned to nightmares and she couldn't help but cry out in her sleep.
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"Your Majesty, a report on our forces!" A messenger from General Boulder announced, bowing almost till his forehead scraped the floor. "Very well, proceed." Hodr said with a sigh, the report would be dismal, he knew, they had been beat, their saving grace had been that Rygart had killed Vorcues and Boulder had Killed Neo, if either of the enemy generals had lived, they would likely be swinging from the rafters by their necks now.
"Majesty, 23 Fafnirs remain ready to fight," this was met with gasps and groans from the chamber a large, "The Delphine is undergoing repairs as we speak, but it will take time, Queen Sigyn has insisted on some kind of addition that set the rapairs back three days at least." Grumbles of interest and displeasure sounded, but no one objected, "Our foot soldiers suffered surprisingly few casualties, their number currently stands at just over 250." sounds of approval, "The number of Golems retrieved and deemed repairable: Fafnirs stand at 35 easily repaired, and 19 too severly damaged for repairs, consigned to scrap and parts." Their were more groans at his news, their forces were decimated.
"We have retrieved approximately 60 of the enemy Taulus Golems, all six of their new model Artemis golems, and three command golems, one identified as the "Hychilian" piloted by General Vorcues, the golem piloted by General Neo, and the golem piloted by Colonol Ioe, although Ioe's body was not found, so it is suspected that he fled his golem and retreated with Athen's main army." As the messenger finished and bowed to Hodr, there was a clamor rising in the chamber, all of his advisors fighting to be heard and arguing over possibilities.
"SILENCE!" Hodr yelled, for the first time raising his voice. The chamber became dead silent, a mouse might have been heard breaking wind. "Messenger, can the Command Golems be repaired? The "Hychilian" and Colonol Ioe's in particular?" Hodr asked the quaking man. "Y-y-yes, Highness, Q-Q-Queen S-Sigyn h-has already egun repairs on b-both of them along with the D-Delphine, she s-says that the "Aster", as she has named it, will be ready tomorrow, and that the "H-Hychilian" will be finished shortly after the Delphine." The messenger almost managed to quell his quivering and stuttering.
The news was well met by the council, a bit of good in the shit storm of bad. "Very good, dismissed." Hodr sent the messenger scurrying away, then he addressed the council himself, "Very good, The Aster, Delphine, and the "Hychilian" will be repaired and ready for parade by the time Orlando's envoy arrives for negotiations, and, if all goes well, a goodly portion of our Fafnirs should be repaired and some of the Artemis's as well, we should be able to make a pretty good presentation of ourself, if all goes according to plan."
The council held various murmurs of agreement, until someone asked the inevitable question, "Who will pilot the Aster and the "Hychilian"?" Hodr had been thinking about the "Hychilian" at least, since he watched Rygart take it down. General Tru would have been the ideal pilot for such a golem, but he was no longer an option. "That... is a good question." Was the king's response.
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"Rygart woke to a strange new sensation, there was someone with him in his bed, ensconced within his personal tangle of pillows and blankets. He didnt want to open his eyes just yet, so he used his ther senses to figure out who it was. He could feel the warmth of the other body starting just above his ankles, up to his chest, soft, warm skin, covered in a sheath of soft, warm cotton, long, silky hair tickled his abdomen and chest.
Two orbs of lush, warm flesh pressed into the bottom of his ribcage, and his nose was filled with the scent of flowers. Rygart went rigid, his eyes snapping open to look down at his companion, Cleo. She was wrapped around him tightly as a vine on a trellis. He could feel himself rising and wassure he had flushed from head to toe. 'Nononononononononononoooo!' he screamed in his head, preparing to shove her off and sprint to the nearest cold shower available.
Then he heard his fate being sealed, the brisk knock on the door and Narvi's voice calling out to him as the door opened. He froze up, knowing that she might leap straight to removing his balls the moment she drew back his covers. "Rygart, are you awake?" Narvi asked, not ounding herself. He wanted to get up and ask her what was wrong, for he could hear distress in her voice. When he didnt respond, he heard her footsteps begin to withdraw, 'thank the gods!' he silently praised his chosen deighities in hs head.
Then the clarien of his doom sounded, "Waaah? but I caaaan Leeeeee..." Cleo talked in her sleep. The footsteps abruptly stopped, then there was a rapid clack of heels on stone and the covers were dragged from him, exposing his bare, beet red flesh to the chill morning air. The sequence of expressions that crossed Narvi's face was rapid fire and unreadable, then suddenly settled on rage, her fist drew back, and Rygart found his voice, "Wait Narvi please no!" He rushed out, lurching back, but bogged down by Cleo, who shift on him, the neck of her sleeping gown falling open.
Through a massive exertion of self control, his gaze stayed firm on Narvi, who had granted him a few moments to speak his final words. "I-" Rygart didn't even comlete his sentance, the change in expressions on Narvi's face caught him off guard. Pure sorrow engulfed her features and she let her fist fall. "I'm sorry for interupting you sir, forgive me." The pilot was so taken aback by her deference to him that his mouth fell open. "Narvi?" He asked, confused. Her eyes, having lost focus for a moment, snapped back to him and her face colored, bewildering him.
Then he remembered, "Cleo! Wake up!" He said, shaking the girl and prying himself free. Then he rememered that he was also almost completely naked, and he flushed. "Please wait in the hall, Captain." He managed out, swallowing his embaressment in gulps. The woman nodded and withdrew from his room. "Cleo what the hell!" He yelled, jumping ut of bed and rushing to the chest of drawers recessed into the wall beside the mannequin. Cleo just groaned sleepily and nestled back into the warm blankets.
Rygart scowled and hurried to dress himself, pulling on his dress slacks and shirt, then pulling on his-General Boulder's officer's jacket. 'I really need to get this back to him...' He thought to himself as he straightened it and then belted on his sword. He almost tripped over Rygotts, who was still sleeping like a hibernating bear. He opened the door and stepped out, composed as he could manage. Narvi was waiting for him, at attention, her face serious, but clouded with un-fathomable sorrow.
"N-Narvi? Are you ok?" He asked her, concern scrunching his face. He had never seen her so sad, although he hadnt known her all that long. "Nothing, sir." She rattled off, trying to seal her emotions, and failing with the tone of her voice. "Narvi, Why are you calling me sir? and whats wrong, you can tell me you know?" He said gently, not wanting to pry, but not likeing his captain like this. "Rygart, you were promoted, Brigadier General, you out-rank me, by a lot. And, General Tru, he was... he was... he..." SHe trailed off as tears began streaming from her eyes and her whole body sagged.
"General Tru is- Oh Narvi!" Rygart was shocked, the confident old man was dead, he didnt think such a stubborn man could die. With out hesitation, he wrapped the sobbing woman in a hug. She went stiff at the contact, but relaxed after a moment, fresh tears pouring from her eyes like a fountain. Rygart just held her, rubbing her back and humming soothingly, hoping to calm her soon, but not minding to wait, he knew the pain of losing a father, he had just lost his last year, and he still felt the bitter bite of loss even now, and a few tears of his own began to flow.
Narvi's tears finally subsided some ten minutes later, and she pulled away from Rygart, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket ad swiping at her cheeks and eyes, puffy and red. He followed suit, wiping away his own tears with a kerchief of his own. "Thank you Rygart, I needed that- hey, why were you crying?" Narvi asked him, confusion on her face, she knew that he had never met General Tru, why wuld he morn the man's death? "Huh, oh, its just, my dad died last year, and General Tru was like a father for you and Nile, it ust reminded me of my own dad is all." Rygart said, finishing and stowing the kerchief in his pocket once more.
"Oh, Rygart I-" Narvi was cut off by a waved hand, "Dont worry about it, I have had time to grieve my father, you havent, I understand, and Il be here if you need smeone to cry on." Rygart told her wanting to move quickly away from the topic, so as to avoid more tears from him, but not wanting to sound callus or leave her to greive on her own. "I- thank you, Sir." She said, real gratitude in her eyes. "Now, are you hear in an official capacity, uh, Captain?" Rygart said, trying his best to sound like the general he now was.
Narvi smiled, "Yes, Sir, I am here to inform you of you're promotion and of the official ceremony later this morning." She said, giving him a crisp salute, which he returned in kind. "Thank you Captain, is their anything else?" He asked, surprised at the speed at which Hodr had sprung this on him. "No sir. But Rygart, what would you say to a little training before the ceremony?" She asked him, relaxing from her at-attention posture. The General smiled, "Sure, lead the way."
The two walked down to the training fields, passing a few guards and soldiers that saluted to them, Rygart was finding it a hassle to salute back to every soldier he passed, until Narvi told him that he didn't have to, "Sir". At the fields, Rygart shed his-Boulder's jacket, and sword, and followed Narvi, who had done the same, out onto the field with training blades. The duo took up positions abut ten mil from eachother and bowed, holding their weapons out towards their opponent, the ready for battle.
Narvi started the fight, leaping forward with a massive over-head swing, aiming to beat him in one strike. Rygart flicked his training blade up and easily deflected Narvi off to the side, following up with a slash to her exposed ribs, and scoring a hit. "H-how?" She cut herself off mid-question, instead moving into her next attack, much more cautious now. "I asked Jirga to train with me." Was Rygart's reply as they began to trade blows, Narvi taking few hits and landing less, Rygart either dodging and parrying eloquently, or taking the captain's strikes indifferently and lan ding painful blows to her ribs.
They continued like this for a while, gathering a crowd of new recruits watching them with awe. Truly, it must have looked like art in motion the way Rygart and Narvi moved together in this dance of flesh and steel, this flurry of movements, so much more intimate than any couple experiences, the embodiments of earth and fire, strong, un-moving, biting and consuming, and air and water, light and fluid, slipping through fingers moments before impact, going head to head and mixing together before smashing apart and rejoining, again and again and agian and again.
A bone-jarring clang rang out and the blades fell away, Narvi and Rygart having disarmed themselves simultaniously. The field went quiet, no one speaking, the crowd's thoughts: a draw? Two forces, on one hand, Captain Narvi, a great leader, incredible Golem pilot, top of her class in the academy, and protege of the late General Tru. On the other hand, this blond-haired beast whom seemed to match her in every way on the battlefield, oe maybe even surpass her. Who is this guy?
Both Rygart and Narvi began laughing, so hard tears ran down their faces, so hard that it ceased to be a response to the draw, and more to their situation. The crowd grew un-easy, the laughing becoming a bit unnerving. "Well done Rygart, well done." She said, wiping her eyes and crouching to grab the practise blades, now sporting numerous chips and cracks along them, ready to shatter at the next blow they took. She tossed one to him and they turned towards the weapons racks, finally noticing the crowd that had gathered.
The crowd quickly began to disperse, not needing the scowl that Narvi gave them anyways. They dropped their ruined practice blades onto the rack and gathered their jackets. Narvi led them to the barracks to wash off the sweat and dirt that had gathered on them durring their match, and soon they were back outsde.
"Narvi, where does General Boulder stay?" Rygart asked suddenly, fixing her with a look of curiosity. She was surprised at the suddeness of the question and it's topic, and looked at him accordingly. "I- This is his jacket, he gave it to me after I beat Vorcues, and I would like to give it back to him is all." Rygart explained, scratching the back of his head wryly. "Mine got tore up pretty bad in the fight."
She understood, "Ok, I'l take you there." She said, leading him back to the barracks portin of the castle. As they walked, a thought came to Rygart's mind, "Narvi, how dod you and Nile and Loggin make it back? I didn't see your golems anywhere?" The Captain had a strange laugh at that. "A headless Fafnir." She told him, remembering the reliefe of finding her squad still alive, and then running back in Nile's decimated Golem.
"What? A headless Fafnir?" Rygart asked, confused and trying to imagne one in his head. "We were attacked by Ioe and his men when you ran after Jirga, my golem was cut in half by the psycho in the golem wit the bladed arms, Loggin's was shot up and his cockpit was breached, and Nile fought Ioe. He almost beat the bastard too, but then his Fafnir's head was sheared off and Ioe drove his giant sword straight through the middle of it." Her expression was one of witnessing a miracle over and over while she described the attack.
"Narvi, by that description, you all died!" Rygart said, confused as hell. "I know! The hatch on my cockpit burst and I fell out just before my golem was crushed, Loggin only has sratches, and Ioe's blade missed Nile by inches!" Narvi said, not quite believng the situation herself, but thankful for it anyway.
They had reached General Boulder's quarters and refrained from continuing their conversation, instead, Rygart knocked on the door. It was still early-ish, so there was a possibility that the General would still be in his quarters, and as luck would have it, he was. There was a grumbling from teroom and a few moments later, the door opened. Generl Boulder looked discheveed, his hair ruffled, clothes wrinkled and unsightly. His glasses were gone, revealing vibrant maroon eyes, a perfect match to Jirga's.
His eyes were puffy and red from crying, and Rygart suddenly felt awkward being there. He shrugged the General's jacket off and held it out to the man, "Thank you General Boulder-" He cut the pilot off with a waved hand, "I am not in uniform Rygart, pleasem just call me Marten, and besides, I hear we are equals now, though I doubt you will be leading any troops." He said with a wry smile, taking his jacket from the boy. "O-of course Gen- Marten." Rygart said awkwardly, unsure wha it meant that the General was being so friendly.
"Umm, Marten, I just want to say, about Jirga," The general tensed, hated tears treatening to overwhelm him once again. "He... He was sorry." Rygart said, feeling the lie sting his lips as it came out, even though it wasn't exactly a lie, more half of the truth, but Marten didn't need to know that. The General's tears fell, endless at Rygart's words. "Thank you, General Arrow, please excuse me." The man said in a soft, broken voice, closing the door gently.
No sooner had the lock clicked than Narvi and Rygart heard a ragged howl from the other side of the door. Both the Captain and th General were shocked, but they left him, he had to work through his grief himself. As they withdrew from the hall, Narvi checked the time, "General, your ceremony will begin in just over half an hour, you should return to your quarters and prepare yourself." She told him, pointing to her pocket watch. "Oh, right, walk me to my chambers, Captain?" Rygart asked her, posing the question as a polite request, but in reality, he didnt actually know where he was in the castle. "Of course, General." She said, starting off down a hall, seemingly at random.