Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Squaresoft Enix
I thought the characters of Final Fantasy VIII would work well in a Robin Hood style story, without the modern weapons of course. The places still feature in this story, but of course there is a slight twist. Without the use of trains the actual land mass is slightly different as Balamb is joined to the continent between Timber and Dollet. This is my second story in progress so please let me know what you think.
THE HOODChapter One – Return to madness
Off the shores of Balamb, a single sailing ship weighed anchor in the early evening light. Crossing the calm sea a small rowing boat headed towards the sandy beach. When the boat reached land, two figures could just be seen stepping out of the craft, wetting their feet on the outgoing tide. One of the men reached into his pocket and pulled out a brown leather pouch. Removing two silver coins that were then tossed to the boatman, who caught them both with ease. He nodded his thanks before turning the boat around and rowing back towards the awaiting ship.
"Home at last!" Said the spiky blond haired man.
"Home soil Zell! I will not consider myself truly home until I have walked through the front door of Balamb Garden House." Stated the brown haired man with the stormy blue eyes.
"Yes Squall I agree, but it is good to be back in our homeland."
"Indeed. Come then my friend let us head back up to the town of Balamb, get some horses and ride home" said Squall as he patted his friend on his left shoulder.
The two men walked up from the beach to the grassy bank, where they could see the lights of Balamb Town beckoning them on the left. They headed towards the walled archway that lead into the town and walked along the familiar cobbled streets and past the timber framed buildings. Balamb was always a busy town. Even it the middle of the night, peddlers would try to sell you their wares of fine fabrics, clay pottery or gold and silver jewellery. They had no time restrictions on selling their goods and while customers were present they stayed open. Every penny counted. Sleep would only be taken while another family member stepped in.
At the darkened alleyway entrances women of the night would offer their services for a few coins. More women than ever had been forced into selling themselves to the many soldiers that now frequently visited the town. For they were the only ones that had the money and the women often needed to feed hungry children as well as themselves.
The smell from the local bakery wafted through the street as another batch of bread was removed from the clay oven. Placing the hot tin tray on the side with his wood handled oven tool that looked like a flat spade. The baker placed another tray of dough lumps into the oven, while his assistant added more wood to the bottom of the fire.
Two fishermen sat in a corner smoking clay pipes as they repaired nets that they would soon use on the next catch, while another opened a salt barrel and added it to a barrel of already caught fish.
The local Inn tried to entice you in with the smell of home cooked roast and plenty of flowing ale for those that could afford it.
After three years away from home these smells became too much for Squall and Zell to resist. So they opted to have a good meal and a drink of fine ale. Reaching the old oak door of the 'Balamb Inn' the smell of roast ox cooking on the spit of the open fireplace greeted them as they stepped inside.
The busy inn was full of people sitting down on oak benches at large oak tables, either eating from metal plates or supping from metal tankards. All deep in conversation or laughter. Such a friendly place.
"Greetings good sirs….what can I get you?" Asked the innkeeper.
"Bring us some of your fine ale and food my good man" said Squall as he put a silver coin on the bar.
"Certainly sir, please find a table and I will bring the food and ale to you" said the innkeeper.
They looked around the inn and saw a quiet alcove near one of the windows.
"We will sit over there," said Squall to the innkeeper.
Walking to the alcove and sitting down. The two men had an excellent view of both the outside and the inside of the inn. They also discovered that sound travelled quite well too, as they could hear the conversations of two of the other patrons on the table next to them.
"I don't know how I will pay my taxes this month to the sheriff, but if I do not they will take my farm, put my family into slavery and sentence me to death!" said one man.
"I know, but what can we do. The Sheriffs men are everywhere and he lives in that Balamb Garden House lording it up. The original lord long dead and the King off on his crusade. Nothing can ever be the same again." Said the other man.
"Careful friend, you know if you even metion the King you can be hanged!" said the farmer.
"Dark times" said the other man.
"They think you dead" whispered Zell.
"So I gather, but who is the Sheriff I wonder that lords it up in my home?" whispered Squall.
"And why can't we mention the King?" Asked Zell.
As the innkeeper approached them with hot food and tankards of ale.
"My good man, we have been away for three long years only to return to our homeland and find everything is changed. What has happened here? Who is the Sheriff that rules this land that we have heard of?" asked Squall.
The innkeeper sighed and whispered
"Lord Seifer Almasy is the Sheriff of Balamb. He came here two years ago after the original Lord was declared dead during the crusade. The Kings own brother Prince Norg put him in place here. He rules us with taxes that are great of which many have opposed him but found their homes burned down and forced into a desolate life on the run with no food and no hope. There is talk of a man in Galbadia Wood that causes the most problems to the sheriff and his men. He is the famous Irvine the Archer. But alas he is one man …"
'Irvine the Archer?' thought Squall.
The innkeeper stopped talking as two soldiers had entered the Inn as a general hush went around the room.
"You there innkeeper!" said one of the soldiers.
"Yes wh-what is it?"Asked the innkeeper. The look of fear apparent on his face.
"The Sheriff demands a keg of ale, fetch one from your stores immediately!!" said the soldier.
"Yes sir" the innkeeper replied as he rushed to his cellar to retrieve a keg.
When he returned and passed the keg to the soldiers.
"You can consider this a gift to your Sheriff of which he is grateful." The soldier said as they both exited the inn to the waiting cart outside.
The cart was already loaded with sacks of grain, barrels of wine, baskets of vegetables, baskets of fruit and loaves of bread.
"I bet everything on that cart has been obtained in the same way," said Zell.
Squall turning from the window to place a spoon of food in his mouth replied.
"Yes indeed, this is not right. Without payment it's nothing but thievery. How can these people pay taxes when they are being bled dry by these actions."
As Squall and Zell looked out of the window once again, they saw a young lad sneak up to the cart and try to steal a loaf of bread. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers saw him and quickly grabbed his arm.
"No you don't lad. Stealing from the Sheriff is like stealing from the Prince and is punishable by hanging.!"
"No please sir, I have no food and me family is starving. Me mother will die if I don't get some food to her!" said the boy.
"That's too bad. Were going to take you to the Sheriff now and he'll decide your fate now!" said the soldier.
The soldiers had tied the hands and feet of the boy and bundled him on to the cart. Shoving a rag in his mouth to keep him from screaming. The soldier leaning over the back of the cart didn't hear the two men approach from behind. It was only when a tip of a sword was felt in his back did he turn slightly to see stormy blue eyes staring back at him through the covering of a dark hooded cloak.
"You will release that boy immediately!" said Squall.
The soldier said, "You'll never get away with this!"
Zell had already knocked the other soldier out with a simple blow to the back of his head.
Mounting the cart and picking up the reigns he said
"Let's take this as transport. The boy did say he needed food for his mother!" stated Zell.
With a quick blow to the back of the head, the second soldier was quickly knocked out and Squall jumped onto the back of the cart and removed the gag from the boy. As he cut the ropes that bound his hands and feet he asked
"Where do you live boy?"
"In Balamb Wood sir, please I must get this food to me mother before she starves"
"Let's go quickly Zell before any more soldiers arrive" said Squall.
With a flick of the wrist the two horses pulling the cart began to move, heading through the entrance to the town at speed. They continued swiftly along the dirt track that led to the woods of Balamb. Thankful that no soldiers had followed them and that they did not encounter any soldiers as they entered through the first trees that led into the wood. Zell slowed the horses as they went deeper into the tree line. The sight that greeted them was very grim indeed. Twenty small family groups were huddled together leaning against the trees, dressed in nothing but rags. With nothing but desperation and fear on everyone's face.
"Please stop sir!" Cried out the boy.
Zell pulled on the reigns to stop the horses as Squall and the boy jumped off the back of the cart.
The boy ran over to a woman lying next to a tree.
"Mother!"
"My son, you are safe. You should not have gone into the town it is too dangerous."
"I've got food for you, These men helped me escape. "
"Here madam, have some nourishment," stated Squall as he handed her some bread and fruit.
"Zell, help me to hand out food and drink to these people.
"What is this madness?" asked Zell "Did the world go to hell in that time we were away?"
"I'm beginning to think so Zell," replied Squall.