After completing a large Valkyria Chronicles transcript, I was extremely intrigued by the universe that the game introduced. Really, VC is such a lush game and so ripe for development that I had to take it upon myself to go where SEGA did not go and has not gone. What they have developed past VCI, I've been pretty disappointed with (namely, VCII, and by the looks of it, VCIII). I have some very detailed outlines of the expanded universe I've created, and if this story seems confusing at first, consider that everything will be revealed in due time.
There are three stories in the saga: Beginnings and Ends is chronologically the first story in the saga, detailing the exploits of Belgen Gunther and others in EWI; Peace Breaks Out tells the events of the year after the end of the Gallian conflict in EWII through the eyes of Welkin and Alicia; and Vicissitudes relates the stories of the Gunther family thereafter. I plan to concurrently update the three as we move along. I'm very excited about this, since this has been the first time I've planned something of this scale. I hope I will make things interesting for you, reader.
Peace Breaks Out
Chapter 1: Pomp and Circumstance
Randgriz
October 25, 1935
It had been a long seven months. The Empire's assault had been beaten back, though not without great cost: Almost half of the Gallian armed forces had perished. There was no one who had not lost someone—a friend, a brother, a parent—in that conflict.
And yet, there was hope and joy as the people of Gallia streamed into Randgriz through the gap that had been formed by the Marmota's destruction. The people could sense the triumph of this day. They wanted to be the ones to tell their grandchildren, in times of peace, that they had been there on the Treaty Day.
A blue carpet led from the ruins of the gate down all the way to Randgriz Castle. In the week since the Marmota's destruction, the rubble had been cleared from the streets with the help of the Militia. At the castle, there was the platform where history would be made. A table was prepared, as well as a podium bristling with microphones.
The Royal Guard now kept the crowd funneled into two sides to make room for the carpet in between, as well as a large space in front of the platform. The crowd was curious at this, but inside they knew what it was for. There was just the anticipation left.
The clock tower rang ten times, and all of a sudden the crowd seemed to hush. As soon as they did, they heard the loud crash of cymbals and the pounding of drums from the gates of the city. The procession had arrived, headed by the Gallian Military Band. The band members marched through, playing such familiar jaunty tunes as "Song of the Militia" and "The Lance's March."
Behind them was the EWI Veterans' Association. It may have seemed strange to see this group of middle-aged and elderly men march, but no one gave complaint. They marched with the order and precision as they had seventeen years ago when the Great War had ended.
Behind them marched the elements of the Gallian Army that had not been with the main body in that ill-fated mission at Ghirlandaio. A slew of tanks wheeled through, the 4th Armored Brigade, followed by the 6th and 14th Infantry Regiments, as well as the 3rd Support Brigade.
The next regiment that went through received an unusual volume of cheers: the 15th Light Infantry Regiment, known as the "Darcsen Defenders." Their role in supporting the Army's capture of Fouzen and covering the retreat during the Battle of Naggiar had been the subject of a series in the Gallian Chronicles newspaper. There were many who stayed quiet in the crowd, but many more roared in approval.
Two marching bands cameafter the procession of the Army, the Lanseal Anthem Corps and the Randgriz Guard Band. Following them were the surviving elements of the Gallian Militia, and the crowds cheered wildly for the surviving heroes of the War. Squads 6, 8, and 10 marched forth (their counterparts had been wiped out at Naggiar, at Ghirlandaio, or at the hands of the Marmota), but the best was saved for last.
A red flare shot up into the air just outside the gates, streaking over the skies of Randgriz. Welkin smiled at the gasps of the crowd, audible from the other side of the walls.
"7s, I'm proud of you! Let's show Gallia what we've got! Squad 7, move out!"
The Edelweiss, bedecked with Darcsen shawl and the porcavian insignia of the squad, led the procession, followed by the Shamrock. Welkin and Zaka were standing on their seats with the hatches open, waving to the crowd outside.
The scouts were close behind, with Alicia leading at the head of the column.
"Look at all the girls," Hermes remarked.
"Eh, whatever. I just don't like the feel of these paved roads, is all. Give me a trench any day," Musaad replied.
Ted was much more jubilant. "Look at this cheering crowd…these people love me!"
"This parade could not be going any slower. C'mon, let's get a move on here!" Montley's step was very impatient, but at least he was doing better than Nancy, who always stumbled in the most unfortunate potholes through the carpet.
Behind the scouts were the shocktroopers, headed by Rosie.
"Ugh…that woman. I should be leading this parade!"
Lynn sought to comfort her. "Oh, it's all right, Edy. I mean, isn't this grand?"
Salinas looked fondly ahead. "I wish I was just behind those tanks."
"Now this is the way to end an adventure!" Vyse remarked.
The supports came next, with the medic triplets, Marina, and Nadine at the head.
Knute made some chat with Homer, who was marching right next to him. "See all these people? They'll be enjoying my business once I'm out of here."
"Man, are we almost there yet? My legs are killing me," Herbert complained. Dallas gave him a bit of a disgusted look. Next to her, Claudia was tripping all over the potholes that had previously stumbled Nancy.
"All this crowd just to hear a speech and see a paper getting autographed. For shame," Cezary muttered.
Finally, bringing up the rear were the lancers led by Largo.
"I'm really enjoying the view back here!" Jan remarked, marching directly behind Largo.
While Jan may have been staring off at the view, Nils seemed to be combing the crowd, curtly nodding now and then to the people. Yoko pointed excitedly to the building that used to house her eatery. The space had not been occupied by anyone.
As Squad 7 marched down the road to Randgriz Castle, the city seemed to tremble with a roar of adulation and approval. Though it would be years before a full account of their exploits would be written, everyone already knew the glorious victories that they had rightfully deserved. But there was one luminary missing in all of this…
Fingers started to point at the skies of Randgriz, and faces turned up, eagerly scanning the great blue. It approached, and the crowd gave a renewed shout: It was Hans the porcavian, riding along in the Isara biplane, flying when no winged pig had ever flown. The Isara zoomed over the procession and over Castle Randgriz, disappearing off into the distance.
Squad 7 joined the rest of the Armed Forces and the bands in the area right next to the platform, and the noise of the crowd seemed to simmer down as the procession was at an end. The bands, now combined, started to play the theme of Princess Cordelia, "Scion of the Valkyrur."
This was her cue. Cordelia and her retinue proceeded down to the platform from the castle. Walking briskly next to her was the delegate from the Empire, Duke Fallschirm of the state of Fhirald, the only state that had assented to signing the official peace treaty.
Cordelia approached the podium, scanning the sea of people before her as the anthem played. These were her subjects, who had fought, lived, and died for the continued independence of Gallia. She whispered a prayer to herself that Gallia would forever be a haven for these free and independent souls.
Finally the music stopped. A profound silence reigned as the people waited for her to deliver her speech.
"Citizens of Gallia, my loyal subjects. I appear before you at the peak of joy, for I have looked into your labors by which the continued freedom of Gallia is assured. I have looked into them, and I am filled with pride, the same pride you feel for your country. I pray that the freedom of Gallia, watered by the blood and sweat and tears of its people, shall not only continue to live, but to flourish and provide an example to all free nations in the world…
"And so, my people, as you appear before me without guile, so must I also appear before you all without guile."
Cordelia grasped the royal headdress that concealed her hair and cast it to the ground. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment and enjoyed the feel of the wind through her dark hair.
"My people, let us learn to live together in love—man and woman, city-dweller and country-dweller, noble and commoner, Darcsen and non-Darcsen—without love we are nothing, and without love we should never have the unity that has held this nation together through every conceivable obstacle. On my part, I apologize for the deception of my ancestors, in which I have been complicit. Not a drop of Valkyrian blood flows in the veins of House Randgriz, but Darcsen blood. For centuries, the secret has been kept on the grounds of it being for the good of the people. But how can we, in good conscience, indefinitely keep this lie towards the people who trust us and sustain us?
"Therefore, I submit myself into the hands of you, my people, for judgment. May the sins of my fathers and I be atoned in the eyes of the Gallian people."
She stepped off the podium, and stood in the center of the platform for all to see, her head bowed. In this time, the crowd had remained deathly quiet. This was the vulnerable time; this was the gamble that she was taking. Vox populi, vox dei, as the saying went, and if the voice of God was that of condemnation, then all would be unraveled. But she trusted that they would choose the path of mercy.
All of a sudden, a loud shout seemed to erupt from the middle of the crowd. It radiated from the center all the way to the very edges of the crowd, but it was unanimous in its declaration:
"Long live House Randgriz! Long live Princess Cordelia! Gallia forever!"
She looked up at her people and smiled genuinely, for the first in a very long time. It was time to sign the treaty. The document had already been placed on the table. Taking the quill, she signed her name: "Cordelia gi Randgriz, Princess of Gallia."
The quill was passed to Duke Fallschrm, all while the Gallian crowd continued to chant. As he bent down and signed the document, the shout became louder and louder until it exploded to its highest height as Cordelia and the Duke shook hands. Cordelia turned to the people and bowed deeply, humbly, before turning back to Castle Randgriz.
The clock tower sounded eleven times, but not a person heard it, so loud was the celebration of the masses. In Randgriz the shouts and applause did not cease for a very long time. The people listening to the broadcast in the streets and plazas of Bruhl and Vasel exploded into cheers. All throughout Gallia, there was the unbounded expression of joy. Peace had finally broken out.