Chapter 2) A Brief Diversion
You would think I would know, because of what happened to Father, that helping beorc was nothing more than another way to get yourself in trouble. But because I refused to be like the laguz who turned away, helping a beorc was what I did and now, I was stuck in trouble. I don't understand most of the political stuff, but I do understand that there is a war and I am now leading a group of mercenaries and a princess through the thick forests between Crimea and Gallia.
The last time I was around so many beorc, they burned my home and killed my father. Wasn't it nice that I didn't have anything to lose anymore?
Was constant complaining something common to beorc or just this group of beorc? Not to mention how they were always so damned loud… every time it felt like I was going to have blessed silence, one of them would start talking or complaining. It was absolutely maddening, really. But accidental or not, I did say I would lead them through the forest and damn it, I couldn't just leave them in the middle of everything. Even if I was tempted to lead a couple of them straight into a bear's cave. We were at the time of year where cubs would be crawling all over the place. Would be funny watching them try and fail to outrun an angry mama bear. Especially when I could just watch from the branches like I was now.
"Why does it have to be so damned humid?" Gatrie complained for what had to be the fiftieth time. Over the past few days, I had put their names and faces to memory, to my grief. I didn't want to remember any of them. Some more than others, of course. "If we weren't on the run, I'd strip off this armor here and now!"
"Well, if there was ever a reason to be thankful for pursuit," Titania deadpanned. Though she had her horse, she didn't ride. Instead, she had Mist ride while she led the horse carefully through the trees. Rolf also rode, but on his brother's horse. "Grin and bear it, Gatrie. The heat is appalling enough without your griping or putting horrible mental images in everyone's heads."
"Hey, it's not that bad of a-"
"Stop there, Gatrie, because we all know you are about to give yourself too large of an opening and it's too hot to deal with," Shinon sighed. He fixed his ponytail again, grimacing at how his hair stuck to his neck. "Ugh… dense forests like this aren't made for us delicate humans. Subhumans love them, though." Though Elincia was up front talking with Greil, I thought I saw her tense up at the words. I know Greil frowned. "Never thought I'd look forward to being in beast country, but anything is better than this." I disagreed. Heavily. "Thalia's insane."
"Shinon, for once, don't be rude," Titania scolded. She barely even paid attention to him, though, focused more on helping her horse over some large roots. "Think of how much harder this would be."
"Commander would've gotten us through."
"Yes, he would, but we would be going much slower. Meaning more time in this heat." It wasn't that bad. We were still in spring, after all. Summer was much worse. "You want to spend more time in the woods?"
"Tch…"
"So, these… subhumans…" Ike began, changing the subject. This time, I definitely saw Elincia tense, and Greil frowned even more. This time, Titania did as well. "Are they really so different from us?"
"You've never seen a beast-man?" Shinon scoffed, rolling his eyes. He then sighed, like he was annoyed he had to explain. "Hairy bunch, the lot of them, and ugly as sin. Fangs and whiskers, and claws as sharp as daggers. They speak our language to pretend otherwise, but they're beasts through and through. Savages, every last one of them." As if beorc were any different.
"That's… huh."
"They sound like the monsters in the stories we heard in the villages," Mist noted, leaning forward slightly to participate in the conversation. Titania frowned even more. "Are there different kinds?"
"There are three groups, each named for their physical characteristics," Soren explained calmly. I saw his fists clench at his side, though, and Ike's worried look showed he saw it as well. "The land we are going to, Gallia, is the land of the beasts. There are also birds and dragons, but the dragons are notoriously isolationist."
"Wow, Soren, I swear you know everything!"
"That is basic knowledge that all mercenaries should know," Shinon scoffed. He scowled at Ike, who became impassive. For some reason, Shinon hated Ike. No clue why. Didn't care either. "You know even less than I thought. Good job."
"I'm personally impressed that your brain can remember anything with the amount of alcohol you down," Soren retorted, expression stoic. Ike sighed and Mist grimaced. Titania facepalmed. I saw the three brothers (Oscar, Boyd, and Rolf) noticeably put some distance, while Gatrie quickly went to help Rhys to conveniently get away. "Perhaps the pickling process preserved things? It certainly would explain your complete lack of adaptability and your inability to learn even new insults."
"What was that, you little…!"
"Shinon?" Greil suddenly called, cutting the potential argument short. Shinon immediately turned to face him, annoyance disappearing for a stoic scowl. "Scout ahead for us, will you? And if you see a good deer or something, go ahead and hunt it. We're likely going to stop soon and I think if we don't have fresh meat tonight, we're going to go mad." If they wanted meat, they could've just said something. I'd been eating it on my own this whole trip.
Shinon nodded once and quickly stepped off the path before moving ahead, following the order without complaint. That was another thing I had noticed. While Shinon griped and challenged everyone in the group, he listened to Greil with barely any complaints at all. It was a very striking difference, really. I wondered if all beorc groups had dynamics like this. If so, I was glad to stay away. They gave me a headache.
"Everyone's nerves are definitely fraying," Greil murmured, falling back a bit to walk with Ike and Soren. Titania led her horse (and Mist) up ahead to take point, with Oscar joining with his own horse and Rolf. Boyd fell back to talk with Rhys and Gatrie."Ike, how are you holding up?"
"I'm just fine, Father… I mean, Commander," Ike replied with next to no expression. He was clearly used to Shinon's insults by now. "You don't have to treat me like a kid, you know."
"Pup, you can be old and gray, and I'll still treat you like the brat you constantly disappeared in the woods to fetch sticks to practice swordsmanship with. It's a parental right." Greil grinned and ruffled Ike's hair, and Ike made a face. "But if you're going to complain, I'll carry you like I used to. You refused to learn how to walk, after all."
"I-I did not!" Ike began blushing furiously and Soren quickly muffled a snicker. "He's exaggerating, Soren. Don't listen to him."
"Fine thing to accuse your father of." Greil laughed, though, and Ike just looked away, terribly embarrassed. "Well, I suppose I'll have some mercy on account of the trip. How are you doing, Soren?"
"I am well," Soren replied, shaking his head. He then scowled, just a little. "Do I look as if I am having difficulties?"
"Soren, if there is one thing I've learned in the three years you've been with us, it's that you are probably the only living being who can out-stubborn me," Greil replied, with just a smidge of dryness. Ike hid a smile behind his hand. "Meaning I know better than to trust my eyes when it comes to your health."
"...I am fine still." Soren looked away, uncertain unease crossing over his face briefly. Ike caught his eye and smiled to reassure him. "I've dealt with worse."
"Doesn't mean you're fine, but I'll back off. Just let us know if you need to be carried or ride or something, all right?" Greil patted Soren on the back. "Your health is important, you know."
"...Thank you."
I thought about eavesdropping a bit more, because there wasn't much else to do while I waited for them to trudge their slow way down the path. But I noticed Elincia was still tense, her expression almost stony save for the frustration in her eyes. I waited to see if anyone else would notice, but they were too busy talking with each other. So, I jumped down to walk beside her. Just sorta… being there? I wasn't sure what else to do.
But it was apparently enough, because after a moment, Elincia whispered, "Laguz." She bit her lip like she was keeping back a flood of words. "Laguz. They're called 'laguz'. Not sub-human. That is a term crafted by those with such an inferiority complex that they must don a mask of superiority in order to feel good about themselves. But that doesn't change that they are pathetic, and that the laguz are laguz. They are our equals, and always have been. Not lesser or beneath us. So much horror in this world has come from the lack of understanding between beorc and laguz."
"I suppose that is true," I replied, uncertain if I should even say anything. But she was right. That Serenes kingdom was burnt because idiotic beorc didn't even understand that herons were incapable of fighting. Well, heron laguz. I had heard Heron-herons could attack just fine, and ate fish. Not sure why the heron laguz were so frail. "Still, quite the lengthy rant."
"And… well, I know from my parents that Crimea's friendship with Gallia tends to be restricted to just the royal family. My father wanted to help bridge that gap, and I… I had wanted to help so much, even hidden as I was." All anger faded for pain and sorrow. "It's no wonder Daein attacked us…"
"Oh?"
"Daein is known for massacring laguz in regular hunts. Their hatred of laguz is well-known, even to me." She smiled bitterly. "The attack was unexpected, but the motivations are obvious. It's not the first time Daein and Crimea have clashed either." She sighed and rubbed at her eyes. "I've noticed you use 'laguz', though. Thank you for that."
"That's… not something to thank someone for." It wasn't… well, I did think beorc and laguz as 'equals'. As in I hated them both equally. Saying that one was beneath the other was like saying one was better, and that was just nonsense. Being horrible in slightly different ways didn't mark one as morally superior or anything. "I think Greil and Titania are of similar mind to you."
"I hope so. I like both of them."
Silence fell… sort of. Both of us walked silently, but everyone else continued to chatter about this and that. Plants, weather, old stories, someone's plans to try and charm Elincia… things I was quickly associating with this group, loud enough to scare most animals away. But not all. A flicker of movement in the corner of my eye drew my attention to a deer leaping through the undergrowth. Distant, probably far enough to feel safe, but within my range and well-within my sight. Given what Greil said to Shinon earlier, I aimed and fired without thinking about it, threading the arrow through the trees to catch the deer in the throat. Then I left the path to confirm the kill (and put it out of its misery if it wasn't dead). One deer probably wasn't enough for a group like this (especially given how much Ike seemed to eat), but if Shinon was half as good at hunting as he was at being surly, he'd bring back another or two. That… should be enough, right? I'd only ever hunted for myself. And there were a lot of people.
"Thalia?" Startled, I whirled and saw Elincia had followed me. Why, I had no idea. But there she was, pulling her skirts away from the brambles that had latched on. "That's… a deer," she commented. "We're quite a distance…" She looked back to where the path was… well, still well visible for me. "Wow… um…"
"We'll carry it back to the others," I said, checking the deer over. Male, and nothing that looked like signs of sickness or anything. Some fleas and ticks, but those could be easily dealt with and, more importantly, it was dead. "Should help with the food tonight, right?" The blood looked okay too as I dug into the wound to wiggle the arrow out. Certainly flowed right. "And… there." Arrow free, I petted the soft fur on its neck before patting its head. "Thank you, deer."
"Um…" And Elincia was staring at me like I was crazy. Well, by beorc standards, I probably was. "Are you… thanking it for dying?"
"Sort of?" I shrugged, not quite sure what to say. As was quickly becoming 'normal' for my days. "It's more that I'm thanking it for feeding me. The fur will be very warm and soft as well, which is nice because the nights are still cold despite it being spring." I stroked the fur again, this time on the flank. "It's just a habit. I used to feel bad for hunting, even though it was the only way I could survive." Was that too much information? I…
"Oh." After a moment, she crouched down next to me and petted the deer's neck, uncaring of the bright red blood on her hands. "Thank you then, deer."
I… didn't expect her to do that. Was it a polite thing to mimic or something? Beorc were weird.
Shinon returned with a campsite location and a deer, so we had cooked deer for dinner. Or 'venison' as they called it. For some reason. Why use a different word for it? That made no sense to me. But it did to them apparently, so whatever. Food was food, and since they handled the cooking, I didn't complain. But I couldn't get why they all insisted on talking while eating. And talking around a fire afterwards. Talking, talking, talking… seriously, were these people ever quiet? Worst part was that their voices were all distinct, so I couldn't ignore really ignore them. And the information was useless. Fascinating, sure. But useless.
"Hey, thanks for fixing it, Soren," Ike mumbled sheepishly, easily heard despite him being on the other side of the fire from me (and conveniently away from where Gatrie and Shinon were chatting with Oscar by the horses). Soren, seated next to him, shrugged off the gratitude and continued to mend a tear in the stuffed lion toy Ike apparently owned. I thought it was a lion, at least. Looked like a lion laguz. Of course, I'd never seen a child's toy in that shape before, so maybe I was wrong. "It must've caught on something while we were heading out."
"Seriously, Ike, it's fine," Soren dismissed, focused far more on his sure and even stitches. I had to admit that it was interesting to watch him sew. I mean; it was so weird that you fixed something by stabbing it repeatedly with a sharp object. "Though, when did you get this anyway? Some of the cloth is worn, so I know it's been a while."
"Like most thing involving the past, the answer is sadly 'I have no idea'." Ike shrugged, and Soren smiled just a little sadly. Wondered if the reason why Soren was so loyal was in those lost memories. Not that it was my business. "Mist, however, doesn't remember a time I haven't had it, and Father told me that I got it when I was small. So, before Mist was born, maybe?"
"You would've been very small, then. There's only two years age difference between you?"
"Yeah, and both of us are 'late bloomers' for extra fun. Father says we got that from him." Ike shrugged and nodded to the toy. "Is it weird for me to keep holding onto it?"
"I wouldn't know." Yeah, Soren probably didn't have many toys growing up. "However, I will say that it suits you."
"...I think you're making fun of me now."
"Of course not." However, Soren smiled faintly, still sewing. He was going back over the tear, maybe to make it more secure? I had no idea. "What gave you that idea?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the mischievous smile."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I swear; it's only when Soren talks to Ike that he acts his age." Strangely, Greil sat down next to me, tearing me away from my eavesdropping. Of course, I could only blink at him in 'reply', because what the hell was I supposed to say to that? "How are you holding up, Thalia?" he asked, as if that had anything to do with what he was saying before. Was this normal for conversations? "Are your feet okay? We didn't have time to snag you some spare shoes."
"I can't remember the last time I wore shoes," I replied, because it… was true? I had been barefoot the night Father died. No reason to wear shoes in the house, and we had been getting ready for bed anyway. I mean; logically, I had worn shoes that morning, but I didn't… never mind. "It's fine."
"You've lived in the forest for a while, then."
"Since I was eight, yes."
"I see." He studied me a bit, focused on my hair. "A while ago, I saw something white in the woods. Mist said it was the 'forest fairy', but…"
"Yes, it was me. She and Rolf had been captured recently, so I wanted to make sure."
"They had, but how did you know that?"
"Happened to be near. Shinon is a good shot." I had been prepared to shoot, just in case, but thankfully, I hadn't needed to get involved in that. I couldn't wait to get back to my solitary life. It was much more peaceful and less confusing. "People started attaching that old story to me because I have a habit of keeping an eye on people."
"That's kind of you."
"Not really." If people went missing, then more would come through trying to find them. Meaning they'd tromp about with no regard to anything, chasing away potential prey and trampling wild vegetables and berries. Plus just being loud and annoying. "Did you need something?"
"I was curious about how much farther." He shrugged, still focused on me. He had very sad eyes, I noticed. No wonder Mist worried. "I can take a guess, but I've never gone to Gallia through the forests before."
"You lot move slower than me on my own, and you need more rests, but if I had to guess…" I bit my lip, trying to think. "Two more rests. Maybe three."
"We'll make it three. More than likely, Daein has soldiers on the border, so we need to be rested."
"If you say so." I glanced over to where Elincia was playing some sort of game with Rhys, Rolf, and Boyd. "Why are they after her anyway?"
"There's many reasons. One is, of course, making sure the people have no one to rally behind for a rebellion. Another is, of course, killing the king and marrying an heir to turn the conquest into something 'legitimate'." He sighed heavily. "Knowing Ashnard, it's the first, but we can't ignore the second."
"...I don't understand any of that." My head was spinning. "All the political stuff… I don't get any of it." It all just seemed like nonsense beorc made up to have more excuses to kill each other.
"Sadly, you're hip-deep in the political bullshit for now, like the rest of us." He looked over at the group by the campfire, focused on Ike (still talking to Soren) and Mist (who was having her hair brushed by Titania). "I had hoped to keep them out of things like this."
"Your children?"
"Of course." Ike and Mist are my everything. I have no need of anything else, so long as they are happy and alive." He rubbed at his wrist, and I noticed quite a bit of scarring there. So, I frowned, paying attention, and I noticed he couldn't bend his fingers properly. Specifically, his pinky and ring finger couldn't bend fully. "Well, that's not quite true. All of us are family. I'd prefer it if we were all fine. But I know better than to ask too much from the goddess. She doesn't think the same way mortals do." ...Well, that was the first time I had ever heard of something even somewhat derogatory about… wait, no, not quite true. Father had as well. Or maybe he had just disagreed with the priests? I couldn't remember. I think he was part of a temple once, though. Maybe.
Thankfully, Greil left me be then, and began walking around the fire, talking quietly with everyone. Making sure they were okay. He had done that during every rest, and for some reason, I was no exception to that. It had been the first time he had sat with me, of course, to have an extended conversation, but he kept watch over everyone. Reminded me of Father when we had patients in the back room...
"Thalia!" Mist skipped over, freshly brushed hair bouncing with the movement. "Thalia, Titania was wondering if you'd mind if she brushed your hair," she explained, giggling at me. Behind her, Titania was trying to get her attention, like she had been wondering… but hadn't actually intended to ask. "Come on! She's really good!" She grabbed my hands and pulled me over before I could think of how I was supposed to refuse. Meaning that I was in front of Titania before I could blink. "You have such pretty hair, Thalia!"
"She's quite right, but I've noticed you never do anything with it," Titania murmured, carefully dividing my hair into sections. She was much gentler than I usually was; I typically just ripped tangles out when they got annoying. "Goodness, so many tangles… why keep it so long?"
"Hard enough stealing bows and arrows without finding knives?" I answered, not sure why it was a big deal. Or why it was important. "What I did have, and what sharp rocks I could find, were used to skin animals and things like that." Fur tasted bad, as did some organs. Others were fine, though.
"Steal?" She began carefully brushing my hair, starting with the ends before moving up. I considered asking why, but… but then I had a flicker of a memory. Of Father brushing my hair and fending off Mother's attempts to steal the brush because 'you are too rough, Kali!' or something. So, instead, I just pulled my knees to my chest and focused on that memory. I had so few… "I suppose that solves the mystery of the disappearing shirts."
"Most of that was whoever was pinning the laundry not doing it well or something and the pieces flying off in the wind. I rarely took from you lot." Stealing from well-armed and highly skilled fighters just seemed stupid. I didn't spend so many years surviving just to get stabbed over a shirt. "I only stole when I needed to, though."
"That is kind of you."
"No, not really." Why did these people default to 'kindness' as an explanation? I didn't want anything to do with beorc. Stealing from beorc required having something to do with them. Simple, yes? Not to mention I'd seen what beorc do to thieves who got caught. I liked having my fingers. And my hands. "Do you brush everyone's hair?"
"When they let me. So, mostly just Mist. And Shinon when he's too tired."
"Or hung over?"
"He's much better than he used to be." That didn't answer my question? Oh, maybe it had been rude to bring it up at all? "Ah, but I've been meaning to say that your feather is very pretty." She continued brushing my hair, easily getting the tangles out, and then carefully braided my feather into my hair, nice and tight. "It is a bit larger than I am used to seeing, though." Well, that was because it was from a laguz. Even their smallest feathers were large. "What kind of bird is it from?"
"I got it from my mother." Though, it had sort of been on accident. It had stuck to my clothes after I buried her and I had held onto it for comfort in the cold days afterwards. Even now, the soft feather hitting my cheek was a reminder of her and Father.
"I see." Titania went back and braided it even more securely. She even tied it there with a small hair tie. "What were your parents' names, by the way? Do you remember?"
"I…" Names… what had been their names? I vaguely remembered Father calling Mother 'Kali'... and it was short for her full name… ah, that was right. Her name had been Kaliana. Father's name had been… um… Percy? Mother had rarely used his name, always endearments. 'Percy' actually might've been a shortened form of his name too… "Why do you ask?"
"I'm an orphan myself. I know how hard it is to remember anything without some sort of prompting or question." ...Oh. "Most of us here don't have parents to speak of. Rhys is the exception to that." She chuckled and tied off my braid. "I've gotten into a habit of asking those sorts of questions to help other remember. And myself, because it always makes me think of my own parents. Sorry for being nosy."
I had no idea how to reply to that, but thankfully, I didn't have to. Mist dragged a hesitant Elincia over and before long, Titania began brushing her hair as well, the two soon chatting over something that had been in Melior or whatever. I just quickly returned to the outskirts of the camp, away from everyone, and went back to watching. This was way too much interaction for me...
Just a little longer… then I'd be back to my quiet life. I couldn't wait.
Surprisingly, my estimation skills were decent. Three rests later, we made it to the edge of the forest. Through the branches, I could see the river that served as a natural boundary between Gallia and Crimea. And soldiers. I assumed they were soldiers, at least. They were heavily armored people.
"Why do they all wear the same color?" I asked quietly, frowning a bit as I waited for the others to catch up. It was difficult to count because I half-swore I was looking at the same person, who had multiplied. Maybe they budded, like fungi. Growing all over the place… could also be like those fungi I saw in ants sometimes. Where the fungi burst out of their body. "It isn't even a very subtle color." Black and red, with the emblem of a wyvern. Same as the ones who tried to kidnap Elincia, and the ones who attacked the mercenaries in their home.
"You wouldn't think you're hard to find, Thalia, but I suppose I need to remember to look higher than most would climb," Greil commented from below. I glanced down and saw he had walked ahead, probably to catch a bit of sunlight and cooler winds. Those two things, more than anything, showed that we were near Gallia at last. "So, do we have company?"
"Um… yes?" I frowned and pointed to the others coming down the path. "Are they not company?"
"Sorry, that was a figure of speech." Greil shook his head and nodded to the exit. "I was asking if Daein's soldiers were here."
"Oh." Well, that was weird. Why not just say that? "They're the ones with black and red armor that stand out, right? Why are they like that anyway? Are they trying to proclaim themselves as 'poisonous'?"
"Nothing so complex. They wear similar armor as a show of unity, and Daein's colors are black and red." He turned to the others, signaling them to stop and wait, so I didn't get to ask why they would want the 'show of unity'. Or why the mercenaries all wore different things. "So, we have soldiers. Big surprise. Everyone, arm up." Everyone scrambled to do just that, and Greil focused his attention on Soren. "Soren, we need a plan."
"Without knowing their numbers, it would be difficult to advise a course of action," Soren murmured, absently flipping through his tome. He then looked up at me, and I shrugged, catching the silent question. I could try to count, but I already knew it wouldn't be accurate. There were too many places to hide. "I'm not sure…"
"Just give me your best guess, Soren," Greil replied. Though his expression was stoic, I felt like he was smiling anyway? Just something about the certainty in his tone. "I know it will be exactly what we need."
"...Some of our number cannot fight, so we absolutely cannot be caught. We will not be able to defend them." Though Soren's own expression didn't change, his posture became a little straighter. "Thus, I propose we split into two groups. A small fighting force, three or four at most, to engage the enemy and hold their attention while the rest head for Gallia at full speed."
"And you believe this is best?" Greil held up a hand to stop others from protesting. Not that many were. Most were double-checking their weapons and armor. "We are a small group as it is."
"But a small group can act like a larger force, and we already know the enemy is expecting a small group of mercenaries escorting the princess." Soren closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. The wind blew a little, playing with his hair. "Gallia's close ties with Crimea are well known. Princess Elincia escaping to there has to be a scenario they have considered, so we have to assume there is some sort of ambush. We are risking being caught between that ambush and our pursuers, which would be the end of us all. Thus, I believe this plan will minimize casualties."
"We'll give it a go, then." Greil nodded and glanced briefly at Titania. She nodded back, catching some sort of silent question. "All right, distraction team is Shinon, Gatrie, and me. The rest of you will continue on." There was a minor bit of 'arguing' between Ike and Shinon, but Greil ignored it. "Now, listen up everyone." Instead, he kept on talking and made sure to look each of them in the eyes, and all of them stood a little straighter for it. "This will probably be the biggest battle we've ever faced, so I will remind you of two things. One, you only have one life. Two, we are a family. So, here's an order to all of you." His expression became even more serious. "Live. I don't want any of you dying on me, and I know none of you want to cause your family grief. So, live." Greil nodded at Ike. "Ike, you're in charge of the main force. Titania will be your support." Though many in the group frowned, Titania was unsurprised. This was what she had agreed to earlier, then. Had to be. "All right, get moving. We'll meet again in Gallia."
Almost everyone followed the orders, splitting up to head off the path. However, Mist and Ike didn't. Instead, they both went straight to their father, and Ike gestured for Mist to go first. So, I sat on the branch I was on, and watched her hug him very tightly.
"Here!" she said, quickly tucking something into Greil's pocket. Too quickly for me to get a good view of it. "For good luck! You can give it back when we see each other again!" Despite the cheerfulness of her words, she was frowning, and that frown only softened when Greil hugged her and kissed her head. "No losing it!"
"Of course," Greil reassured. He then nudged her towards the others, their path easily visible thanks to all the broken shrubbery and branches. "Love you, Mist. See you soon." Mist nodded and rushed off, not looking back once. "Ike, I would've thought you'd go on ahead."
"I had a question," Ike replied, frowning. He fiddled with his sleeves, trying to hide his nerves for some reason. "Are you sure you should put me in charge? I'm…"
"Titania prefers the supporting position, you know to rely on her, and you get the quickest answers from Soren." Greil narrowed his eyes as Ike tried, and failed, to smile. "All right, pup, what's really bothering you?"
"Just… worried. All of this is..."
"You are nowhere near old enough to be worrying about me, and I'm not old enough for you to anyway." He rested his hands on Ike's shoulders. "Ike, this is just to help you get some experience. You'll lead this group one day, after all."
"I'm half-convinced you're immortal, so…"
"Who said anything about me dying? I plan to retire eventually, and then cause all sorts of trouble for you." Greil smiled and Ike managed a quiet laugh. "It's less controlled experience than I'd like, truthfully, but this all accelerated a lot of things. But you have people to rely on."
"...Okay." Ike took a deep breath and rested his head briefly on his father's shoulder. Then he straightened and nodded. "Until we're together again, Commander."
"Until then." Greil watched Ike leave and then looked up at where I was sitting. "I apologize, Thalia, as I'm sure you're in a hurry to get away from us crazy idiots, but can you guide them for a while longer?"
"...Yeah, I can do that," I replied after a moment. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to, but I appreciated that he understood I was here under mild protest and… well, he reminded me a little of my father. Just in how he did his best by the people around them, and made sure they were safe. ...And in how he did his best for his children. I hadn't seen either trait in other beorc before. "I'll stay with them until you get back."
"Thank you," he murmured, smiling faintly. Then he abruptly turned and left to follow Shinon and Gatrie. And I jumped from branch to branch to catch up to the others.
It wasn't hard or anything. Titania's hair could practically be a beacon in the dark, not to mention Rhys's clothes (how they stayed so pristine white, I had no idea) and Elincia's dress. And, you know, how there were two horses who barely knew how to walk through forests on beaten paths, much less while tromping through the undergrowth. When I did catch up, I began leading them again, to another good 'exit' point I knew. It wasn't the best, because there wasn't a village near, but it was still good and was near a couple of bridges. Unfortunately, though, the bridges were… occupied. Those soldiers were there. Did these beorc really have nothing better to do? Like stabbing babies or something?
"Well, they're in the way," I noted, frowning as I did a quick count. And then counted again, to be sure. "There's at least thirty. I think there are still a few hiding in the trees past the river." I looked down at the others, seeing how grim their expressions were. "I can do another count if you want.
"No, that's fine, but there are so many…" Soren murmured, unease creeping onto his face. Ike rubbed his back to reassure him. "I would've thought them more spread out. They must've anticipated where we would exit… and the conquest of Crimea is proceeding more quickly than ideal."
"That or they snuck people ahead of time," Ike pointed out, glancing at Elincia. She was pale, and maybe a little green. Rhys handed her some ginger to suck on. "Regardless, though, they're here. Should we rethink our strategy?"
"No, we've already split up." Soren sighed and fiddled with his hair. "It's too late to reconsider now."
"So, we modify," Oscar murmured, patting Soren on the back. He then nodded to Rolf, Mist, and Elincia. "We need to make sure they get across first. How?"
"There are two bridges…" Soren began, frowning. He glanced up at me, and I nodded, confirming. They were fairly close together, but not so much that you couldn't divert attention. Or so I thought. "And these thickets extend to the westernmost bridge."
"Diversion again?"
"Yes, we can launch a quick surprise attack and hold their attention while Mist and Rolf take the princess to the eastern bridge."
"Why hide, though?" Boyd asked, frowning a bit. He shrugged off Soren's scowl. "Won't we be a better distraction if we're out in the open?"
"I'm sure you'll be a great distraction with arrows sticking out of your corpse," Soren drawled, back to being completely amused. Boyd grimaced. "Besides, they will be slowed by the branches and it'll make it harder for them to guess our numbers. That should allow us to distract more of them in a shorter amount of time."
"Soren, we really need to work on you showing respect to your elders."
"When you actually act older than me, I might consider it." Soren looked to Titania then. "I will admit to being worried about you and Oscar. Horses are not suited to this sort of terrain."
"We're not, but I can focus on keeping Rhys safe," Titania reassured, gesturing to him for emphasis. Rhys smiled and nodded. "Oscar can focus on either Boyd or you. That'll keep us from getting too tangled until we're out of the trees."
"Sounds like we have our plan," Ike noted. He rolled his shoulders and drew his blade. "Okay, so…"
"Um… my lord Ike?" Elincia began hesitantly. She waited for him to look at her before continuing. "I… I can fight with you, so…"
"...No, you won't." Ike shook his head. "I can't expose you to such danger. Not when everyone is risking their lives for your safety. Please, understand."
"I… no, of course…" Elincia looked down, biting her lip. I thought she looked ashamed or something, and didn't know why. "I'm sorry. Forgive my selfishness."
"It's fine. Just leave the fighting to the mercenaries."
"With that said, here." Titania stepped in and gave Elincia a… surprisingly dainty looking sword, considering that she favored axes. "It's old, but it'll serve," she explained. "I actually received that from Duke Renning during my training. It no longer suits me, but it should work for you."
"It's almost hard to imagine you wielding such a thin weapon, Lady Titania," Elincia murmured, holding the sword up to inspect it. Her grip was hesitant, but she did seem to know what she was looking for. Whatever it was. "Actually, I never would've thought you would wield a rapier, if I may be honest."
"I used to be as frail as Soren, one time. I wasn't born this strong, after all." She rested a hand on Soren's head, who scowled. "That's just in case something unexpected happens. I hope you won't have to use it."
"Of course."
Might've just let them talk a little more, but movement caught my eye, so I instead looked out again, frowning when I noticed the movement was some retreating. "We got some heading down the river, towards where Greil, Shinon, and Gatrie went," I told them, doing a quick count. "Eighteen now."
"Sounds like it's time to move, then," Ike noted. He then looked to Mist and Rolf. "We're counting on you two to help Princess Elincia, okay?"
"Don't worry, we've got it!" Rolf reassured, smiling confidently. I saw his hands shake at his sides, though. "We'll pretend it's like hide-and-seek. Mist and I are the best at that."
"That you are," Oscar agreed. He walked over to squeeze Rolf's shoulder, no doubt having seen his nerves too. "Make sure you scare Boyd when you pop out, okay?"
"Okay!" Rolf laughed, and then everyone joined in when Boyd squawked in protest. "See you soon!"
There wasn't much talking after that. Instead, we all just got into our groups and went to work. My job was very simple: shoot anything I could. Which lead me to a conclusion I never thought of before. Battles were strangely like hunting, except the 'prey' was too stupid to run away from danger when one of theirs fell. Though, I supposed beorc would look down on you eating the people you shot. Not really sure why, since beorc were made of meat and water just like animals. Of course, given how vile they were, that might affect the taste… meh, not something I wanted to try.
Regardless, it was like longer hunting with more targets that ran into danger without regards to any sort of sanity. Because of that though, it was messier. A lot messier, actually, with all the blood gushing all over the place and churning up mud. Plus, it was horribly loud too. Hunting was often very quiet, or at least, my hunting was. Here? Seemed like everyone was screaming and crying. And blech, the smell. In what felt like a handful of blinks, the air was rank with a stench equivalent to a thousand or more animal carcasses left to rot. How people adapted to such conditions to fight and kill over stupid reasons was absolutely beyond me.
So, I focused on other things, picking my targets and making sure I didn't accidentally shoot one of the mercenaries. And adjusting my position to keep the light out of my eyes. Water reflected light well, and we were by a river. But there were plenty of trees and branches to shoot from, and I could even keep an eye on Elincia, Rolf, and Mist as they snuck along the edges of the battle, creeping ever so slowly towards the far bridge.
When I saw them cross, I jumped down from my perch and made my way over to where Ike was distracting an axe-wielding soldier for Oscar to skewer. Apparently, he had trouble against axes, unlike Ike. I wasn't sure why, since Oscar was on a horse and had a long reach with his lance compared to Ike (on his own feet and wielding a sword), but I supposed it didn't matter. They killed the guy, and that was what mattered.
"Ike," I called, walking over. Funny how mud made from blood was little different than mud made from anything else. Well, maybe it was a little redder. But it felt the same on my feet, cold and squishy. "The three are across."
"Are they? Good," Ike replied, sighing in relief. He had blood smeared on his face and neck, and was bleeding from a couple of gashes on his arms. "Then it's time we also cross and escape." He looked down at my feet and sighed again. "And we need to get you some shoes."
"Why? I'm fine."
"You… uh… actually, never mind. Don't look down." He facepalmed then. "Wait, why did I say that? Now you're going to look down."
"Am I supposed to?" I did, curious, and saw I was standing in between the two halves of a person. Probably cleaved by Boyd, since he wasn't far away getting treated by Rhys, but I supposed it could've also have been Titania, who was far ahead with Soren. No idea when she and Oscar left the trees. I was more focused on not shooting allies. "Oh. Huh."
"...No reaction to standing amidst organs?"
"What's the difference between beorc and animal organs?" These people confused me. "But you said we should leave?"
"Ah, yes, right." He nodded. "Follow me across. Archers aren't good in close range, right?"
"I can punch people." Though, I supposed I never punched anyone in armor. Probably more difficult. "Or… ah, wait, this is where I'm supposed to thank you, isn't it?"
"Hell if I know. Manners isn't my area of expertise." Still, Ike smiled, so I guessed I wasn't too far off or anything. "This way."
"Behind you."
Ike cut down a couple more enemy soldiers, and I decided as we ran across the western bridge that either I had miscounted or reinforcements arrived because there seemed to be more than eighteen soldiers. Including the bodies stuffed underneath the bridge itself, twisting and contorting as the water tried to force them past, but they couldn't roll or anything because there were just so many. Would've thought they'd sink with the armor, but I supposed the things weren't as heavy as they looked. As I passed, I stepped on one's chest to help them under. And used the next couple of bodies as stepping stones to get closer to a tree and climb up for a better vantage point. After all, Ike was charging forward to go after a noticeably more trained and armored soldier who was tried to decapitate Soren. Titania was dealing with someone trying to cut off her horse's leg.
"Are you the leader of this rabble?" better-armed-soldier demanded, catching sight of Ike and ignoring Soren. Thinking that was stupid, I just focused on shooting the one giving Titania a mildly difficult time. "I will not allow you to take one step more!"
"Then I've no choice but to cut you down and walk over you!" Ike retorted Why bother with talking? He could've killed him thrice by now. Which Soren proved by casting a wind spell to slice off their arms. "Thanks, Soren!" And Ike took advantage of their shock to kill them. "That should do it. Everyone! Move!"
Ike didn't even need to say anything. After all, with the enemy leader dead, the soldiers were in disarray. It was like they were sheep or something, except with more screaming and panic. So, we were easily able to escape in the chaos, quickly putting distance between us and the river. We didn't stop until the river was out of their sights. I could still see it, but there was no reason to bring that up. It wasn't like we were being followed. They were running back towards Crimea.
"We got everyone?" Ike asked, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his face. Most raised a hand weakly or something, exhausted by the fighting. Titania and Oscar were checking over their horses, with Rhys helping them. "Good… I don't know how, but we made it…"
"Ike!" And just to prove his words, Mist appeared from some nearby trees to tackle Ike with a hug, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Oh, thank goodness," she murmured, clinging to him. Ike just hugged her back, patting her head. "We made it! We're in Gallia!" She stepped back and smiled at everyone before looking a little curious. "You know… I thought it would feel different, but it actually feels a bit familiar?"
"Well, our home was just on the other side of the forest." Ike ruffled her hair and looked at the others, before focusing on Elincia. Rolf was having to help her extract her skirt from the brambles. She seriously needed less 'catching' clothes. "Princess Elincia, are you well?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Elincia reassured, smiling at everyone in relief. She still held the rapier, and when she tried to give it back to Titania, Titania only shook her head. "I am pleased to see you are all well."
"...No, not all of us yet." Ike looked over everyone, and there was some sort of determination in their eyes. Like they knew, and agreed, with… something. "As such I am afraid we're parting ways here."
"Pardon?"
"We're going to aid our companions. So, I want you to continue to the castle with Rolf and Mist."
"But that-"
"No way!" Mist protested, glaring up at Ike. Ike, however, was unmoved. Nearby, Rolf was having a similar argument with Oscar and Boyd. "I'm staying with you, Ike!"
"Mist, we have to do it this way to ensure we all get home alive," Ike replied sharply. Mist immediately winced and looked down. "Hey, it's Father and me. Have we ever broken a promise to you? Have we ever not come back?"
"...Well…" She sighed. "Oh, fine. We'll go ahead. But if you're not back soon, I'm coming after you."
"Probably with a lecture or ten." Ike looked to me then. "And you, Thalia? What will you do?"
"Me?" I asked, startled. I had kind of assumed they'd… I don't know. "I'll head with you. Greil asked that I would, after all." And even without that promise, I couldn't just leave them. Yes, I wanted to get away from their loudness and weirdness, but… "So, where do you want me to guide you?"
"Firstly, back to where we separated from the others," Soren answered. He raised an eyebrow, the only indication that he thought I was being stupid for not seizing the chance to get away. I just shrugged. "From there, we'll guess. There should surely be some sort of fortress or something. Or a patrol who hopefully won't eviscerate us or ignore us. Not likely on either, of course, but weirder things have happened." Like getting caught up in all of this. "If we're quick, we can catch up and hopefully not get caught in protracted battles."
"Then we're moving out," Ike ordered. He ruffled Mist's hair again. "We'll be together again before you know it, okay? Stay safe."
I walked a short distance away then, thinking of where Greil, Shinon, and Gatrie might be. I expected the group to do extensive goodbyes, like what I had seen in the villages, and I was the outsider. However, to my surprise, they… didn't. Instead, it felt like I had blinked and they were all going down their separate paths, ready to go. And 'go' they did, with the mercenaries quickly passing me on the way back to the forest.
But I couldn't immediately follow. Mist snagged my sleeve before I could, and waited for me to look at her. "Be careful, Thalia," she whispered. Her normal smile wasn't on her face, but the earnestness in her eyes showed she truly meant the words. "And thank you for watching out for them. We'll see you soon, okay?" She turned and ran then, joining Elincia and Rolf down the road, none of them looking back. It took me a couple seconds of staring to properly process that despite my being the outsider, despite not knowing her for but a handful of days… she had wished me well just as she did the people she called 'family'.
What the hell was I supposed to make of these beorc? Did all the weird ones congregate into a pack or something?
Ike, 17
The son of Greil and his pride and joy. He's grown up in the mercenary environment, and helped by tending to everyone's weapons and armor prior to being on the field. He's noted for his kindness and his easy acceptance of everyone, with an adaptability that works well with the mercenary life. However, he hasn't traveled that much, so he's still learning a lot about the world and relies on the others to make up for his lack of knowledge
He fights with an unusual style of swordsmanship, one not seen anywhere in Crimea. In fact, no one seems to be able to identify where it is from at all, but it was taught to him by his father and further refined by Titania's training. The result is a well-balanced fighter who will likely be a force on the battlefield just like his teachers, once he gets some more experience.
He has few memories of his mother or of life before his mother's death, losing them due to the trauma of bearing witness to his mother's brutal death at 'the hands of a madman', or so his father has told him. Though he is curious about it, he doesn't ask questions due to the cold ache in his chest whenever he does try to remember.
Author's notes: I don't think Ike's age is officially mentioned in game, but it's from the questions section on the official site. His lack of memory involving his mother and early life is, surprise-surprise, actually a minor plot point, and I'm using trauma as a reason for why no one really questions it. Why does Ike have a lion plushie? You can blame a random comic I saw briefly on tumblr.
Also have Elincia reacting to Shinon's use of 'subhuman' for the laguz, because I thought that would be fun, and Mist being in the conversation about laguz. Ike's swordsmanship being unique is something that is mentioned in… at least one person's recruitment convo later in the game. Ike's supports with Titania mention that she helped refine the swordsmanship.
According to the official timeline, Daein asked both Begnion and Crimea for aid in invading Gallia in the year 410, and eventually waged war on Crimea when both refused. Crimea managed to hold them off, though, and the war ended in 425 (having 'officially' started in like… 420 or something, based on the notes). For context, FE9 takes place in the year 645.
The tendons along your forearm, wrist, hand, etc are known as the flexor tendons and extensor tendons, and if you injury them they a) don't often heal well on their own (because tendons are often under tension) and b) can lead to a whole mess of problems, including an inability to bend your fingers or thumb. The flexor tendons are also located near some important nerves, making even surgery risky.
Next Chapter - Shades of Evil
