Of Peasants and Nobility
Chapter 1
Southern Zofian Outpost, East Tower
As Renaux watches over the horizon, the gentle sun setting down towards the sea, he scanned once more at the horizon. No signs of the scouts once again, which means that most likely the enemy was coming this way. Hand clutch tightly to his spear, he turned towards Feroux, who simply nodded at him. They understood their duty well; they must defend this point at all costs.
SNAP!
"Who goes there?" The guards shouted, as Renaux scanned below. The sound came from the nearby woods. Was it the enemy at last? Feroux was ready to blow the alarm the instant they saw them. Time slowed for those few minutes, as Renaux started to descend the steps, his spear pointed at the wood. A rustling sound could be heard more clearly now, and as he stepped ever so slightly, he prepared for the worst.
A squirrel came out of the nearby bush, and he sighed. So that was what noise was, so he thought. He backed up, eyes still looking towards the woo-
The suddenly something touched him. It was something hard and fast, beyond his range of vision, slicing the side of his neck so that he couldn't scream. Renaux fell to the ground as he saw his own blood fill the floor he was helplessly looking at. His vision fading, he tried to scream once more, but to no avail. His throat was ripped and all he could manage was a light wheeze.
The last things he heard were what sound like a warning before a loud thud. Then all of his thoughts cease, his final one lamenting about his child back at Castle Zofia.
"Whew, that was too close." The brown-skinned swords man whispered jokingly, looking below at the two bodies below them, one charred by fire and one limping from his earlier slash. "He almost gave our positions away."
"You think so?" His silver haired partner said in his normal tone, though a stranger wouldn't know it by how aloof and almost condescending the tone usually is. "Someone might have heard his scream before he fell, and is running to tell the others. We're lucky this outpost is so lightly garrisoned, or that chance is basically a guarantee in that situation."
"Always the downer, huh? You know, you can try being a little happier sometimes?" Gray said, smirking at him.
"Hmph, as if I answer to you." Kliff hissed nonchalantly.
"Yeah yeah, anyways let's go." Gray said, smirking as he crouched down to not be seen on the ramparts, Kliff doing the same. Taking the East tower was only the start of their mission. Quietly sneaking their way, the duo from Ram Village quietly moved towards the Eastern Wall, looking down at the soldiers below.
A stroke of luck, the soldiers inside hadn't noticed that the eastern, and hopefully, the western tower were taken from them. They expected to have a defensive advantage, but they instead they would be cornered. All they had to do was wait for the signal.
Commander Gareth was enjoying a nice dinner in his keep, drinking from fine Zofian wine procured from his own vineyards. He had heard reports that all was quiet, and that no sign of the so-called Deliverance had appeared. They must have fled like the cowards they are, peasant and farmers who were no match for true nobility. And even if they did try, they had a hostage of their own to bargain with, so no need to do anything but stay here and let Desaix crush them with the help of the Rigellians.
Suddenly a soldier went in just as he was finishing his meal, annoying him. Didn't he ask not to be disturbed? "What is it, speak."
"Sir, there is someone waiting outside the gates. H-he claims to be a Deliverance Soldier."
"WHAT?" Gareth shouted as he stood up, clutching his sword. "Is anyone even with him?"
"Only a priestess from Mila, sir" The soldier replied, a tone of slight confusion. "He claims he wants to bargain with us."
"Ah, surrender then. Good, good. I shall go see him then." Gareth said, clutching his sword. "These farm folk are all the same, once they see who their betters are; they'll come flocking to us again."
The boy outside the gates stood quietly as he looked at the wall, shining almost like gold from the orange light of sunset, waiting for the enemy commander to come out. Behind him, Silque was quietly uttering a prayer to Mila for protection.
The gates opened as the commander, a stout man with a red mane stood forth, flanked by two soldiers carrying lances. He looked at him with disdain. He is but a boy, the commander thought, barely old enough to wield a weapon.
"What do you want boy? Have you come here to surrender to us?" He said immediately. "If you reveal the location of your friends, I suppose I can give you a reward that might appease one as common as you are."
"No, commander, I have not come to surrender myself." The boy said, his voice matching his age, but the resolution behind it felt like it came from a man but a boy. "In fact, I strongly advise that you surrender, sir. If you do, no harm will come to you or this garrison."
A moment of silence passed before the commander laughed and spat at his face, the boy dodged the spit, but his face remained resolute. "Are you mad, boy? You are but one man, and common-born at that, what can you possibly do to make us surrender, much less harm us? Guards, get rid of this knave."
The boy steeled himself and drew the sword from his hip. "I had hoped it didn't have come to this. Deliverance, NOW!"
The moment he uttered the command, all hell broke loose at once. Kliff revealed himself and cast off a bolt of fire at one of the guards, hitting him square in the back. Just as the other guard turned around, a well placed arrow from the western side caught him in the eye, and he fell as well, leaving the commander, who was still in shock.
"Go deal with the soldiers inside." The boy, Alm, said to his fellow soldiers, who nodded back and disappeared back into the walls, working their way through the outpost. He pointed his sword at the commander. "It's just you and me now, commander. I offer my surrender once again."
He didn't even bother to respond before swinging his sword down, Alm drawing his to block the blow. Clangs and shouts were exchanged as steel clashed against steel, but thank to Alm's superior training, he was getting the upper hand. Soon he found a hole in the enemy's defense and stuck true, slicing the commander's stomach open. He limped to the floor, muttering a soft curse before finally collapsing.
He sighed, it was finally over. Now that he was done taking lives, it was time to save those few that remain.
"Soldiers of Desaix, your commander is dead. We of the Deliverance do not wish to spill any more Zofian blood. Lay down your arms and surrender."
That statement stopped the remaining resistance. Ambushed, surrounded, and without a leader, they threw down their arms and surrendered. Lukas and Tobin were seeing to their imprisonment. Fellow Zofians they may be, but they were not allowed to escape and inform the enemy of their progress.
"Looks like the battle went as good as expected." Lukas told Alm as he approached him, counting the last of the soldiers who were gathered in the courtyard. "Not a single one escaped, so suffice to say, the momentum and surprise are still solely in our hands."
"Heh, looks like a job well done, won't you say, Alm old buddy?" Gray remarked cheerfully, wiping off the bits of blood left on his blade.
"Indeed, though it pains me to fight our fellow countrymen. It should be Rigellian blood that was spilt." He said with not an insignificant amount of resentment.
"We will have our chance later." Lukas assured the Ram Villagers. Through his calm and stoic mask, even he was eager for the chance to fight Rigellians. "For now, we'll rest here for the night, procure any supplies and weapons we need for the journey ahead, and liberate any imprisoned Deliverance members. Speaking of which…"
He gestured to the archer and the swordsman "Go to the brig and find any prisoners you can, with any luck, lady Clair will be held there."
The two nodded respectfully and headed off to the keep, Lukas and Alm continuing to deal with the surrendered soldiers in the meantime.
"Hey, that isn't yours, you know." Tobin mumbled as they passed a weapons supply room, stopping only because his companion saw an elegantly crafted sword, and couldn't keep his hands off it.
"Well, yeah. But it's mine now." Gray exclaimed, staring at the sword in splendor. It had a smooth leather pommel and a straight hilt, but what caught his eye most was the blade. It glinted yellow in the torchlight, and seemed to emit a bit of light itself. It was jagged, with edges sticking out almost like a lightning bolt.
"Lukas said we can procure any weapons and supplies that we need. And I need this." Gray said, holding the sword up high, a grin on his face while Tobin simply sighed.
"I can't believe you. Let's go already; we don't have time for your fantasies." Tobin said, walking towards the brig.
"Ah, I was wondering when I would be eventually liberated from my unseemly situation." The blonde haired girl said as she looked at the two men before her. "Though admittedly you two aren't what I imagined my saviors to be. Regardless, would the two gentlemen help the lady out of her cell?"
Unbeknownst to her, Tobin and Gray were currently too shocked at the moment to respond. They had seen girls before back at Ram Village, but this one makes them all look…ordinary. Long blonde hair tied up neatly, with a near flawless face. Not just her looks, but here mere presence exudes grace and beauty.
"Uh…"
"I…"
"If the men would stop their gawking, the lady would be happy to get out of this cell." Clair said, annoyed.
"R-right!" The duo said at once as they searched around the brig, trying to find the key. They searched high and low for it; every second wasted making the already annoyed Clair even more annoyed.
"Hey guys, I was wondering what took you so long." A voice came from the entrance. All three turned towards the voice, who turns out to be Alm.
"Ah, it seems a man of competence has finally arrived." Clair said. "These two bumbling fools have yet to find the key to this cell. Would you be so kind as to assist their search?"
"The key? You mean that one?" Alm said confusingly, pointing at the table, the ring of cell keys in plain sight. Grabbing it, he passed his mortified friends and unlocked the cell door. "Sorry that took so long. I'm Alm, from Ram Village."
"Clair." She replied, taking her hand and lifting herself up. "A pleasure to meet you, though for one who claims to live in a village, you look so…dignified."
Alm let out a light chuckle. "Well I wouldn't know anything about that; I'm just in this to protect Zofia. We march north tomorrow."
"Very well, we shall aid you. I would definitely like to know more about you, Alm. But for now I am rather famished, so if you'll excuse me…"
Clair walked out of the brig, not passing Gray or Tobin a second glance. Alm looked at his friends, slightly befuddled. "Is…uh…anything wrong?"
"No Alm, nothing's wrong." Gray said before leaving, his head looking sullen. Tobin followed suit, not saying anything, leaving Alm more befuddled.
"Uh…"
"Man, that was so embarrassing." Gray exclaimed in his temporary quarters, placing his stuff haphazardly as he sat on his bed. "We were like idiots there."
"We WERE idiots back there." Tobin said as he tapped his feet irritably. "That Clair chick though, she definitely was something."
"Yeah, she was." Gray sighed as he smiled, remembering how beautiful she looked. It was like he was lost in another world by thinking of her.
"Hey, try not to get too fond of her, huh? She's way out of our league." Tobin warned. "She's noble, so chances are she won't even think of guys like us as an option, and even if she does, Alm's still around, so…"
"Come on, isn't Alm still head over heels over Celica?"
That just led Tobin to sigh. There were times when his best friend really was thick headed, or maybe he was just deluding himself into thinking he could woo someone like her.
"It's been years, man. Alm might still remember her, but I doubt they're still…you know. Besides, Clair might just make Alm swoon like he did with you. Just give up, dude."
"Come on, what's the point in giving up now. I just got to make a better impression of myself the next time I meet her. After all, who doesn't love a strong and confident man?" Gray said with a wide smirk on his face, still in his own little world.
"Whatever, man. Just don't come crying if it crashes down on you. Anyways, it's late and I doubt we can sneak our usual session today, so I'll be heading to bed. Night, Gray."
"Night, Tobes. I'll see you tomorrow." Gray said before lying down and closing his eyes, wondering if he'll dream of her.
Outside in the hallway, Tobin spotted Kliff leaning on the wall, and nodded to him. "You…uh…been standing there long?"
"Long enough." Kliff responded. "What's this about Gray and a girl?"
"You know, if you wanted to join the conversation, you could have just knocked." Tobin groaned exasperatedly, to which the mage replied with a simple shrug. "I don't like small talk."
"You know Clair, the brother of the Deliverance leader? That's the girl he's so wrapped up over."
Kliff flashed an amused smile. "Man, he's done some stupid stuff before, but this might just take the cake. He knows he has no chance, right?"
This just caused Tobin to rub his forehead. "One look at him and you'd think he has all the chances in the world."
This only caused Kliff to laugh softly, which Tobin eventually joined.
"Oh brother, we're in for a one hell of a ride with him, aren't we Kliff?"
"With that idiot, most likely."
They both knew how that little pursuit would most likely end, and they would certainly laugh at him now. But they'd be there for their friend when it inevitably fails. That's what friends do after all.
Gray was never certain of most things when he decided to join the Deliverance. He wasn't certain if he was doing the right thing, if he'd be able to hold his own with seasoned warriors, or that'd he even be alive by the time this was all over. But he was certain of one thing.
He is, above many things, head over heels for Clair.
He wasn't sure what it is about her. She was beautiful, that was certain, but he had seen his share of beauties as well, and comparing her to them was like comparing a candle to a forest fire. It was more the way she moved, her heavenly voice, and the way she carried herself with absolute confidence. But even that wasn't enough reason for him to be so infatuated with her. Perhaps it's because it has no reason that it is love.
Since their first meeting up until their early march out of the Southern Fort, Clair hasn't paid him any attention at all, instead spending her time grooming her pegasi and talking with either Lukas or Alm. Alm especially, and it was quite clear where her interests lie.
Still he wasn't about to let something like that stop him. As he continued to walk down the dirt roads leading inwards into Zofia, he silently prayed to Mila for luck, for in war for peace and the war for her heart.
So I guess I should get a few things out of the way first.
This is technically an AU fic, but it will mostly follow through Alm's route rather faithfully, but with one major change to the overall canon. You'll see what I mean later on.
This will be a focus on Alm's group, particularly the Ram Villagers (I didn't have time to put in Faye because I didn't know where I would place her but she'll appear, rest assured).
If you're wondering, Alm will have a few scenes, but he'll mostly be out of focus for this fic. I feel like making this widely involve Alm would be redundant considering SoV is from his point of view (and Celica's but I'm not doing her route.)
With that said, I'll see you next chapter where we try to meet up with the rest of the Deliverance and Gray starts his initial attempts to woo over Clair. -ArcanaHermit