It was late at night, the sky covered in dark clouds, rain violently chilled the air and loudly splashed on the tarps. Gangrel leaned on a pole, contemplating. If he were a hopeful man, working with these people may have been a type of redemption. But even now he could feel it, he hadn't really changed. Something about that made him feel empty. He couldn't trust himself. And maybe, that was pathetic.
It had been so long since he lost control, he didn't want to feel guilty but its just... that look on her face. It was familiar, he wasn't quite sure how many times he saw that look. There was no real description for it but if he had to call it something it could be hate.. or disgust. Usually what people thought meant nothing, but for someone who knew... Emmeryn... Oh gods that name. It changed things. He couldn't tell you how but it did. It was just a pirate though... it was just a pirate. IT was just a damned pirate. Gangrel felt rage boil again. He had no reason to feel guilty. No reason.
"Just forget about it. It means nothing, I haven't the need to care."
"IT DOSE'NT MEAN ANYTHING. I just need to do my job and be their dog. I just need... Gahahah.. GAHAHA."
He couldn't hold in the laughter anymore. Gangrel had no idea what he needed, and that was absolutely ridiculous. Hilarious. The frustration caused him to pull at his hair, the pain was distracting.
Robin violently sneezed, all of her books dusty and disorganized. You would think that because of her personality she would be an organized person. But the reality is that she was useless at a lot of things and had the worst memory. She lost her roster again. Just how did it manage to escape her? It was right here, she could have sworn it was. But no matter how deep she dug into the pile , it failed to turn up. Letting out a deep sigh, she closed her eyes in an effort to fight off the irritation and keep her natural calm.
If she thought about it logically, perhaps it wasn't all that much of a problem. What more could she put down other then his name? She only knew his past, and from what she saw, he didn't act all that different. The same ruthless man. But, Chrom must have seen something beyond that... maybe, honestly she felt her commander was a bit to whimsical at times. Maybe that's what made him great though, she could learn something from him. Looking at her own situation, did she really have the right to judge Gangrel? Robin was this army's tactician, she had to make the effort to understand him, find that something more.
"Robin?"
Henry peered his head into her tent, breaking her thoughts, smiling his usual smile.
"What is it Henry?"
"Well, I've found this on the ground near some beautifully mangled bodies."
Relief coursed through her as she looked at the dirtied roster. Henry was a strange one. few may call him charming, most would call him unnerving. At first Robin was disturbed by his personality, but after some time she discovered that he was simply an honest soul. Robin gently took the book from his hands, noticing a foul red liquid running down his fingertips that she would rather not describe.
"Thank you..."
"Ooh its nothing, try not to loose it this time... or better yet, try to lose it somewhere bloody again."
Robin snickered a bit. She wasn't exactly sure when his sense of humor, if you could call it that, grew on her. Though to be honest, Robin couldn't really tell you rather he were joking or not. Henry smiled, a little more gently then usual as she watched her laugh, before something loud began to yell in pain outside. He looked off toward his tent and bit his thumb, perhaps worried. Looking back at her he quickly said "Alrighty then, I have to go deal with something fun right now, so I cant stick around to play."
Henry bolted out before Robin had a chance to question him. She would have been concerned, that is, if this wasn't a normal occurrence. Though perhaps the real reason she failed to act was that she had a few experiences with him that would scar a normal person. And the possibility of having disfigured body parts flung around in her face was just really unappealing. Henry's hobbies... they were disgusting.
Deciding to forget about it she clawed her way trough the mess to a table set in a small clearing. There she placed her roster down and sat, carefully wiping off the dirt and grim from the cover. Robin turned it forward and back, looking for any serious damage. Fortunately, any damage was only surface. After a few more quick examinations she began flipping through the pages till she hit a blank section and began to write.
"Gengrel"
"The wild and ruthless former king of Plegia..."
Robing paused, strange. It should be obvious what to put down, but just writing what first came to mind was... it felt wrong. Perhaps tomorrow, maybe she will attempt to partner with him again.
The next day was unpleasant, sleeping in a chair while resting on the table was a bad idea. Her body felt aged and her head pulsated furiously. She sat near Tharja and Virion during breakfast, which was a mistake on her part. They were, as some could say, a funny couple. It was almost refreshing to be near them. Personality wise, the two contrasted in an almost beautiful way. But in Robins case, both had very irritating quirks.
"Oh come now my dear, its her eyes. That's what really makes her irresistible."
"Foolish man, its not just one thing."
This augment. It was stupid in a number of ways and it had been going on for thirty long minutes.
"... why did I bother to marry someone as blind as you Virion."
"Tharja, my heart. Please."
Robin had finally reached her limit and she began to fear for her sanity. Slowly she crept away into the shadows, hopefully to find some form of solitude. But mostly she just really needed to get away from these two.
"Ah. Greetings, Gangrel."
Gangrel did not expect to run into Robin here, and according to the look on Robins face, nether did she. "Robin." he replied stiffly.
"Why the solemn face?"
He was reluctant to speak with her, but, the words still slipped out.
"...I was reflecting on times past."
"You mean, when you were king?"
The question shocked him, he was inclined not to answer, but there was a look of curiosity that he didn't feel the right to deny. "Yes... Thinking back, I realize that perhaps my rule was overly harsh." He paused thinking a bit, "...Wicked, even."
"That's fair. Perhaps a bit of an understatement, but..." she trailed off. Lost in some unknown conflicting thought. Gangrel found her matter of fact way of answering ... maybe amusing but mostly it made him feel bitter. A short and harsh laugh escaped him.
"Hah! Don't mince words, do you?"
Robin smiled, her attitude almost cocky. "It would be silly to deny it. We fought and overthrew you for that very reason."
"I would expect a woman of your caliber to say nothing else. But I had my reasons you know." He began to walk closer, each step echoed on stone floors,"We were threatened by Valm and Walhart but if I could some how unite us..."
Robin stepped away from him, finding his advancement into her personal space uncomfortable, threatening. "By 'we'. I assume you refer to Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and Plegia?"
He suddenly halted, looking away, an almost guilty glint in his eyes that contrasted the estranged smile that spread."It was a desperate time. None of us knew how far Valm might go. But if I could subjugate the continent and build one mighty empire..." carefully he turned back to her, "Then maybe we could halt their advance..." For a moment Robin thought she read sadness in his expression, but it was dissipated so quickly that she could swear it was her imagination. "...Or at least, that's how I saw it."
How dare he. As if that justified what he had done."Yours was a brutal reign that terrorized your subjects and you neighbors. An alliance built on intimidation and threats is doomed to failure form the beginning."
Gangrel sneered, his fist slamming a near by crate, it painfully splintered. "Don't you lecture me, you arrogant whelp! I didn't say I was right!" He leaned forward, his intense glare only inches away. By all means Robin expected to see wrath, but what she found was something entirely unexpected... self loathing. "I was blinded by circumstances and unable to see any other way..." He then began to pace, frustrated with all of it, running his fingers through his hair "Bah! Why am I explaining myself to you ? What do you know of running a nation?!" He demanded.
Robin wanted to snap back, but she stopped upon realizing she really didn't know anything really. "Well, I suppose I don't."
They came to a stand still, an awkward silence seemed to streach on. It wasnt long before Gangrel broke it.
"Pff... Enough of this." he replied quietly before he quickly left the room, unable to stand another moment with her.
"Emmeryn?!" Robins voice was soon fallowed by the others, all shocked at her appearance.
The moment Gangrel heard that name he wanted to hyperventilate. She was alive. Its... impossible. She couldn't be. But no matter how much he tried to deny it there she stood and that terrified him.
"What magic is this?! Do you not recognize us?!" Chrom asked her.
"I... Wh-why..." Emmeryn held on to her head, and closed her eyes. Confused and scared.
The elder villager quickly spoke, pleading "Please, sir. I fear you're upsetting the girl. She doesn't comprehend as you or I."
"Explain."
" I... I know little about the situation, sir. The girl doesn't hail from here. She's been like this ever since the night she arrived in our village. When she speaks, it's with the words of a small child. It pains my heart to imagine what horrors drove her to such a state.."
This was to much. Every word making whatever he felt worse. Gangrel stalked off, unable to listen to anymore. He feared that if he stayed any longer he would break.
Even brain dead that woman was unbelievable. He was enraged, shocked. All alone she waited... to die. She forgot everything but that nasty self sacrificial attitude. He couldn't stand it.
"Gangrel!"
He turned to find Robin shouting his name as she desperately shoved him out of the way from a near fatal attack. He was shocked, not comprehending why she saved him.
"Gangrel! Get up, we need to go. I need your help! We need to hurry and save her!"
She was desperate, he could tell, and honestly so was he. More then anything, more then everything, he wanted Emmeryn to live. Without a word he got up and grabbed her hand, rushing past everyone. Some how some way they would save her.
They were just ten feet away when time seemed to slow, they were to late. He watched as an assassin launched an arrow at her, blood spilling on contact. Emmeryn's body fell, and the liquid stained the grass below. Rage, pain, guilt, he ran to murder and screamed.
Blood. Blood. Blood. BLOOD. There wasn't enough, there will never be enough. He carved and stabbed as hard as he could. The feeling of arms grabbed him from behind, and he vaguely heard his name being shouted. He shoved them away and continued screaming. Vowing dark promises that he was unable to keep, because the man was already dead. She... was already dead, and it was his fault again.
SLAP.
"YOU IDIOT!"
Robins voice finally managed to break through. He stared at her, completely stunned. "... Tactician.."
"We need to hurry, she can still make it but we need to hurry! MOVE! PLEASE!" She begged, tears flowing. Her voice shaking violently.
Slowly Gangrel turned to where the womans body layed. To his surprise, Emmeryn was staring back at him. Her eyes were in pain, but they weren't empty... they weren't dead. He quickly scrambled, stumbling to the body. His hands shook as he lifted his staff. Her breathing was so haggard... she was so pale. Blood trailed down from her lips to her chin. Slowly the staff began to glow he put all he had into it. His energy quickly drained, but even when he felt like he was about to faint he continued till every thing turned black and the staff broke. Somewhere Gangrel thought he heard "Thank you." but it must have been his imagination.
When Gangrel woke up, he wasn't alone. Robin was sitting at his side, reading a book.
"Tactician? What are you doing here?"
Her smile surprised him. It was unexpected, gentle...
"I see your finally awake. Its about time." She said.
Memories soon flooded his mind, slowly, uncertainty he asked "Did she..."
Robins smile brightened, "She made it Gangrel, you saved her."
"I... "
She laughed, grabbing his hand. "Come on, Chrom wants to see you."
He wasn't able to reject her, for some reason. Could be because he hadn't quite gotten over the shock of him actually some how saving someone.
It wasn't long till they found Chrom, he was in the comanders tent, sitting near Emmeryn's sleeping form. He looked back at them. He was... he seemed happy to see them, though that didn't hide the dark circles under his eyes. He probably didn't sleep all night.
"Robin thanks for bringing him. Something like this is best said in person."
Something about his tone made Gangrel paranoid, uncomfortable.
"No problem."
Chrom got up and placed a hand on Gangrel's shoulder, and said something that froze him in place.
"Thank you."
He swallowed hard, not quite comprehending what that man had said, but when he did Gangrel's outer most thoughts slipped out. "... I think I'm going to be sick."
AUTHORS NOTE:
Aww geez, more quotes. I couldn't help it though. The original writing is much better then anything I could fart out. Im sorry about the lazy ending but, you see, Im just a lazy person.
Anyway, cause it seems some people liked it. I decided why not. As always If they still like it I can continue or end it here. Ill write each chapter as if it were to end just for that purpose. And holy shit, DemOnLight, thanks for the awesome sauce, but seriously your story drives my anticipation insane. MAKES ME DESPERATE. And Gunlord500, damn man you gave me such a boost of confidence. Also for some reader. Your awesome, first person to show any interest. Stamp of approval is given.
Sorry that this chapter was short 300 words. In fact, if I wasn't lazy each chapter would be 25,000 words...