Part one of two- Delita's Anger
It was as though' some nightmare had somehow roused itself, as even the highland winds seemed to reflect the rage in the young man's eyes. Invisible frost-tipped fingers ripped the dust from the cracks in he castle wall, clawing their way through' the resilient hill-grass with feral screams not unlike Delita's howls of fury.
In the face of this mad storm, Ramza , either out of strength or out of ignorance, stood composed.
"Calm down, Delita."
With the sun dying at Ramza's back, Delita's amber eyes flared almost red as he turned to face the young noble.
"Calm down?? I can't calm down, Ramza! Teta is my only sister! " Something in the unchanging deep blue of Ramza's eyes unsettled Delita, and he turned away.
"I'm going after her," he said to the wind.
"Delita, no..."
A silent gasp escaped Ramza as Delita turned on him with a snarl, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and lifting the smaller youth clear off his feet.
"You would abandon Teta?!"
"Never! You know I wouldn't!!" Ramza's tone reflected some of his friends fury. " And neither will Dycedarg! Have some faith, Delita..." The youth's soft eyes began to tear. " You don't even know where to start looking..."
"...Delita, Delita I can't...breathe..."
Ramza was released suddenly. He tumbled, then got onto his knees, choking on the first few breaths of cold air.
"I...I'm sorry. Ramza...are you all right?"
"Urgh...y-yeah...I'm fine," relief was in Ramza's voice as he stood slowly.
I only hope you are.
"Faith is for fools, Ramza."
At the sound of Algus' voice Ramza winced, and the snarl was back on Delita's face.
"Do you mean to say my brother is lying?" Ramza's words were soft, a warning.
But the proud noble lacked the sensitivity. "Well I certainly wouldn't send troops to rescue a common girl."
Delita's teeth were showing now. "What did you say?"
"I said I wouldn't waste my time helping you, commoner!" There was an ugly gleam in Algus' eyes as he made his way toward the two friends.
Ramza didn't move fast enough. Delita's fist slammed heavily into Algus' stubborn jaw, and his proud G.I. cut thudded into the turf at least five feet from where he was first standing.
"How dare you!!" Delita sounded crazy. Ramza got to him then, locking his arms from behind.
"Stop it, Delita!"
"Let go! Damn you! Let me go!!" Ramza almost lost his grip as Delita's stiff hair grated past his eye.
He really did use too much gel.
"Heh! Commoners are all alike. How you earned the privilege of staying with the Beoulves I can't imagine! You don't belong here, commoner!"
You should've hit harder, Delita.
The peasant youth lunged forward with a force that nearly took his slight friend off his feet.
"Damn you!!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" He'd screamed next to Delita's ear, which helped cease his struggling for as long as it took his head to stop ringing.
Algus hadn't had enough. "Why bother with the animal, Ramza? Can't you see? He's not one of us. He never will be."
The smirk on Algus' slightly-bruised face was infuriating, and Ramza finally took his stand.
"Lies! Delita is my friend...no, my brother!"
On his feet now, Algus was laughing. "The son of a family distinguished as the Beoulves has better people to associate with. I'm sure your brothers would agree."
Arguing with the thick-headed lout wasn't going to get them anywhere, and at the moment Delita had more on his mind than status.
Ramza was thrown off his feet as Delita wrenched free. Turning to leave he glanced at Ramza just long enough for the young Beoulve to read the apology in his tired eyes.
"Not all nobles are like you. I trust Ramza."
The words were wasted on Algus, but they would burn long in Ramza's memory.
Watching Delita leave, Ramza was left with the unpleasant task of getting rid of Algus. To any other, Ramza's quiet eyes would have said a lot more, but the Beoulve youth had to resort to shouting this time.
"Get lost, Algus! I never want to see you again!'
Algus' smile did not diminish. "Don't say that. We're friends, aren't we?"
"I won't say it again. Get lost!"
The smile turned dangerous. "If you're so intent on sticking your neck out for those animals, then you can go ahead and try. Your brothers were right, your father did spoil you." He walked past Ramza, towards the fields. Delita had made a turn to the castle's back entrance. "Their main base is at Fort Zeakden. To avoid the cordons you have attack from the rear. Do your best, little boy!"
"Get out!"
(continued in second chapter)
It was as though' some nightmare had somehow roused itself, as even the highland winds seemed to reflect the rage in the young man's eyes. Invisible frost-tipped fingers ripped the dust from the cracks in he castle wall, clawing their way through' the resilient hill-grass with feral screams not unlike Delita's howls of fury.
In the face of this mad storm, Ramza , either out of strength or out of ignorance, stood composed.
"Calm down, Delita."
With the sun dying at Ramza's back, Delita's amber eyes flared almost red as he turned to face the young noble.
"Calm down?? I can't calm down, Ramza! Teta is my only sister! " Something in the unchanging deep blue of Ramza's eyes unsettled Delita, and he turned away.
"I'm going after her," he said to the wind.
"Delita, no..."
A silent gasp escaped Ramza as Delita turned on him with a snarl, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and lifting the smaller youth clear off his feet.
"You would abandon Teta?!"
"Never! You know I wouldn't!!" Ramza's tone reflected some of his friends fury. " And neither will Dycedarg! Have some faith, Delita..." The youth's soft eyes began to tear. " You don't even know where to start looking..."
"...Delita, Delita I can't...breathe..."
Ramza was released suddenly. He tumbled, then got onto his knees, choking on the first few breaths of cold air.
"I...I'm sorry. Ramza...are you all right?"
"Urgh...y-yeah...I'm fine," relief was in Ramza's voice as he stood slowly.
I only hope you are.
"Faith is for fools, Ramza."
At the sound of Algus' voice Ramza winced, and the snarl was back on Delita's face.
"Do you mean to say my brother is lying?" Ramza's words were soft, a warning.
But the proud noble lacked the sensitivity. "Well I certainly wouldn't send troops to rescue a common girl."
Delita's teeth were showing now. "What did you say?"
"I said I wouldn't waste my time helping you, commoner!" There was an ugly gleam in Algus' eyes as he made his way toward the two friends.
Ramza didn't move fast enough. Delita's fist slammed heavily into Algus' stubborn jaw, and his proud G.I. cut thudded into the turf at least five feet from where he was first standing.
"How dare you!!" Delita sounded crazy. Ramza got to him then, locking his arms from behind.
"Stop it, Delita!"
"Let go! Damn you! Let me go!!" Ramza almost lost his grip as Delita's stiff hair grated past his eye.
He really did use too much gel.
"Heh! Commoners are all alike. How you earned the privilege of staying with the Beoulves I can't imagine! You don't belong here, commoner!"
You should've hit harder, Delita.
The peasant youth lunged forward with a force that nearly took his slight friend off his feet.
"Damn you!!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" He'd screamed next to Delita's ear, which helped cease his struggling for as long as it took his head to stop ringing.
Algus hadn't had enough. "Why bother with the animal, Ramza? Can't you see? He's not one of us. He never will be."
The smirk on Algus' slightly-bruised face was infuriating, and Ramza finally took his stand.
"Lies! Delita is my friend...no, my brother!"
On his feet now, Algus was laughing. "The son of a family distinguished as the Beoulves has better people to associate with. I'm sure your brothers would agree."
Arguing with the thick-headed lout wasn't going to get them anywhere, and at the moment Delita had more on his mind than status.
Ramza was thrown off his feet as Delita wrenched free. Turning to leave he glanced at Ramza just long enough for the young Beoulve to read the apology in his tired eyes.
"Not all nobles are like you. I trust Ramza."
The words were wasted on Algus, but they would burn long in Ramza's memory.
Watching Delita leave, Ramza was left with the unpleasant task of getting rid of Algus. To any other, Ramza's quiet eyes would have said a lot more, but the Beoulve youth had to resort to shouting this time.
"Get lost, Algus! I never want to see you again!'
Algus' smile did not diminish. "Don't say that. We're friends, aren't we?"
"I won't say it again. Get lost!"
The smile turned dangerous. "If you're so intent on sticking your neck out for those animals, then you can go ahead and try. Your brothers were right, your father did spoil you." He walked past Ramza, towards the fields. Delita had made a turn to the castle's back entrance. "Their main base is at Fort Zeakden. To avoid the cordons you have attack from the rear. Do your best, little boy!"
"Get out!"
(continued in second chapter)