Chapter 2: Joining

As Lady Lucia led me towards Duke Renning's office, my mind wandered into memories of that battle three years ago against one of Dain's Four Riders – Bertram. I can still remember the exhaustion I felt after that long battle, the Dain troops just kept coming, and for some reason General Ike was having trouble taking down Bertram. I remember being with Brom and Zihark east of the castle, holding off a bunch of paladins.

I never got a good look at Bertram, plus, I never met Duke Renning during his brief time with our army. I honestly have no idea of how he looks; apart from the obvious – tall and noble. Back when I was a little girl, the women used to fuss about how handsome the young future king of Crimea looked. When Duke Renning earned his fame as an excellent knight, all the men in my village envied him, but that envy was born out of respect.

Apart from good looks and skill in the battlefield, I've also heard he possess a shrewd political mind equal to Count Bastian's. Everybody expected great things from him as our king.

Then Dain invaded, our king died on the first day of the invasion, our army was decimated within days, yet people still had hope that Duke Renning would save the day. The news of his "death" was the blow that struck most Crimean citizens into submission. People that lived far away from the castle didn't care about this stuff, but Ohma was really close to Melior.

When Dain marched towards Melior, my country hamlet was a stepping stone for Dain to come and destroy our fair capitol. It was then that I joined the militia. Worst decision I've made so far!

Duke Renning hadn't fallen when I joined the militia. I thought as long as we had him, we still had a fighting chance. I was dead wrong. The militia that I joined was filled with inexperienced teens that had their head filled with adrenaline... like me. If it hadn't been for Brom, I wouldn't have lasted long.

My earlier anger at Duke Renning was slowly disappearing. I'm the simply country gal that's meeting one of the most prominent men Crimea has brought to the world.

Wait! What am I thinking? I'm the poor country gal that's been bribed into being into joining something I don't want to be part of by a politician. Stay angry, Nephenee! They will walk all over me if my first impression is one of a pushover. I am, but they don't know that. I want to keep it that way.

I'm angry at Lady Lucia too! She is a couple of steps ahead of me. I glared daggers at the back of her head. Miss I'm- so-pretty-and-I-can-walk-all-over-simple-country-folk-because-I'm-friends-with-the-Queen. I bet she's real proud of herself for convincing me, with her smug smile on her... scared face... because she was tortured... protecting Queen Elincia...

There goes my anger at her. Her beautiful long hair had been cut during her imprisonment, not that it diminished her appearance in any way. Why did such good woman was so cold to me just a couple of minutes ago? Maybe hanging around all these politicians can make any person sour.

"Miss Nephenee," Lucia said as we walked, "do not think ill thought about Duke Renning, he just wishes the best for Crimea."

"How does recruitin' me help Crimea?" The war is over, Brom and I hung up our weapons, we aren't needed anymore. "I ain't big on politics, but I'm pretty sure all your efforts should be goin' to helpin' the queen sing treaties and stuff." Not my best speech.

"My thought exactly." I'm confused, you agree with me, yet you're going through with it? "But Duke Renning thinks differently." I wanted to say that he isn't the king, but it isn't my place to argue.

Lucia and I reached the entrance of the duke's office. It had one of those doors that said 'someone important is here', not literally - it was implied – by the golden Crimean Royal Family insignia. Lucia said that I should go in, and then told me she had to go to attend to her duties. I found that very rude; the least she could do was introduce me. I've never met Duke Renning, I wouldn't blame him if he would be suspicious about my claim to be... me.

I just stood there, staring at the door – to my embarrassment – fidgeting. I'm about to meet a noble, I want to make a good impression – despite my anger at him.

Stand straight, check. Clean dress, umm, almost. Hair... I like it. Don't say ain't, be respectful, speak when spoken to, and hide my thick country accent. I inhale a large breath to prepare myself.

My composure crashed when I noticed someone behind me. I quickly turned around and saw the tall man that has startled me. He is as taller as me, which is odd, because I'm taller than most people that I've met; only Boyd and General Ike were taller than me during the last war. He had broad shoulders, he was dressed in a black silk tunic with matching trousers and boots, he had short dark-green hair, he had a thin moustache and beard, and something about his eyes seemed very familiar.

His clothing gives him away. This man must be a noble, although, physically he looks more like a knight.

"Excuse me, miss," he says with a culture accent. "I need to enter my office."

His office? Then he must be Duke Renning! I expected him to be... smaller. Queen Elincia is so small and thin. I guess I expected her uncle to look more like her.

"Y-yes, sir," I suddenly find the carpet very interesting. "My name is Nephenee..."

"Ah! Yes, the lancer Ike recommended." I mustered the courage to lift my head. "I hope you've decided to join the Crimea Knights."

I must remain strong. Lucia isn't here to present my demand. I wish it didn't sound so bad. I'm going to accept his offer only if my family gets the benefits Lucia told me they would get, plus, if my Ma gets the treatment she needs.

"I will," I said.

"Let's go to my office to make this official." I stepped out of the way so he could enter. Once he did, I followed.

His office was a large round room with a beautiful view of the gardens. It's filled with bookcases filled with books of all sizes. Has he read all of these books, or does he intend to? The middle of the office held an oak desk with several parchments lying disorganized at the top. There was a comfortable looking chair behind the desk, and two thinner chairs in front of it.

"Forgive the poor state of my desk," he said as he sat down. "I've been gone for years. I'm catching up." He looked up, "Please sit down," I did.

"Lady Lucia told me told me I would get some benefits," I told him. I know what he is doing, acting all friendly. I'm in this for the things my family will receive; there is no reason to drag this conversation.

"Straight to the point," he sounded amused, "just like a soldier."

"I want to add something else." My throat feels heavy. I can't believe I'm talking like this.

"Go on," he doesn't sound angry or irritated.

"I want my mother to be well taken care of," that was hard! The country gal making demands to the powerful duke, it's a miracle I'm not shaking.

"Gladly," he said. He took out a piece of paper from one of the drawers. "I'll fill in the necessary paperwork, Captain Nephenee."

"Captain?" Damn! My surprise brought out my accent. Why is he giving me such a high rank? General couldn't have written that I was an experience platoon leader, because that never happened. I'm a frontline soldier. In fact, I like not having a rank - it means I have to hear speeches – not give them.

"General Kieran lacks a second-in-command, and he really needs one." Isn't Kieran Geoffrey's second-in-command? "Sir Oscar is now Geoffrey's advisor; you will be Kieran's advisor." Making Oscar Kieran's advisor would've been a horrible mistake; he would never listen to him.

No offense to Kieran, but he shouldn't be in charge of an army. He's a superb knight, though I haven't heard any praise about his tactical skills.

"From what Sir Ike informed me about your behaviour, I'm sure you will keep Kieran from doing anything... irrational." I'm really curios to see what Ike wrote.

"When do I start?"

"You can start once your family is settled," you are making it real hard for me to stay mad at you.

"Then if you'll excuse me," I stood up. I'm feeling rather uncomfortable. All of this, it's too much for me to handle. I need to go outside and breathe the open air.

"Captain, please stay a moment," I'm not sure I like the captain thing. "I'm in no way, bribing you to join us." Did they change the meaning of the word? "All I ask is that you stay with us for one month. If you want to leave, then leave, and you will keep all what I'm offering you. Consider it your payment for your extraordinary service to Crimea."

I'm... you see... what? No strings attached after one month. I was ready to sign my future away. He's telling me I can keep it. Or! He could be a trying to guilt me into staying. The snake!

"One month is more than enough time for you to witness just how much Crimea needs men and women like you." Duke Renning began organizing some papers. "By tomorrow morning, I will have everything you need to your family moved. There will be a coachman waiting for you at the gates."

"Thank you, sir," I left the room. He had been nice... Well, all I have to do is bear it for a month. I know it sounds awful. I'm taking advantage of the situation, but it would be foolish to just let it pass.

I'm already twenty-one years old. The few skills I have are the only ones that I can depend on for the rest of my life. With this opportunity, my brothers and sisters will have the opportunity to broaden their chances of success, unlike their sister, who is only good with a stick with a metal point. They may become musicians, chefs, doctors, and whatever else they want to be.

So taking advantage of them for the sake of my family is selfish, but I've done worse. One day I picked up a spear and went to kill others so I could protect them.

I guess Duke Renning is more of a knight than a politician if he gave me such flexible conditions.

I was escorted out of the castle by one of the servants. Once outside, I noticed it was mid-afternoon. Calill gave me the day off, so, I decided to walk through the city, with no rush to go anywhere in particular.

It's funny how fast life can change. This morning I was waitress, a couple hours later I became a Royal Knight. I shouldn't be surprised, one time I was a prisoner condemned to death, then I was rescued and became part of the Crimea Liberation Army.

It's cold, so very cold. It wasn't this cold when I first entered this damn cell. But this cell wasn't empty the first time I came in. Three prisoners were with me, I knew all of them by name and face, I grew up with all of them, and I was there when they died.

The warden is a sick man. He treats us like... like sub-humans. He has taken a special liking to me. It makes my skin crawl just thinking on what the warden is thinking every time he looks at me with those lustful evil eyes. He said that if I resisted, I would die, and he would enjoy seeing the life taken away.

But I will remain strong, I have to. I can't die here; my brothers and sisters are waiting for me.

Hours seemed like days in this dark cell. Only extreme exhaustion is the only thing that makes me fall asleep ever since I came to this hellish place. I'm too afraid to sleep; the warden might come for me while I'm in my most vulnerable state. As I'm slowly loosing consciousness, I hear painful cries coming from the other. All of my exhaustion is gone in an instant.

I can hear the sound of metal clashing. I've realized that those aren't sounds of prisoners being tortured. A battle is going on! It must be the Royal Knights.

While the battle continues, I see a man dressed in dark clothing approach my cell. He picks the lock so fast, it make me believe he had the key with him. Before I have a chance to speak, a soldier clad in ebony armour attacks the man with a lance from behind. The man sidesteps to the left, turns around, and grabs the soldier's extended arm. He then takes out a knife from his belt, he pulls the soldier by the arm he seized, and digs the dagger into his throat.

The soldier's lifeless body fell, and his killer vanished to who knows where.

"To think that Titania didn't want him to come with us," said a male that sounds like a teenager.

"Soren, it's her job to be cautious. We wouldn't have lasted this long with her years of experience," said another male voice. This one sounded older.

A blue haired man entered my cell. He doesn't look like a Royal Knight; actually, he looks like a mercenary - a young mercenary.

He tells me that his name is Ike, that he is a mercenary hired by the princess – whoever she is – and that he is here to liberate the soldiers of Crimea. Yes, that makes so much sense! We have a princess I've never heard of, apparently our rescuers are mercenaries, and I'm supposed to follow him. There is no way that this is a trap.

Nevertheless, I'm given few options. Who knows, this guy might be one of those rare mercenaries that are good. I have decided to take a leap of faith and follow this guy out of here... I should have never left home.

I remember how naive I used to be before I joined General Ike. I was so naive I actually believed laguz were evil sub-human creatures. Also, I doubted General Ike's motives when we first met. I thought that the most virtuous man in Tellius was going to trick me into a life full of misery. I am so much different from what I used to be, at least on my way of thinking. My mannerisms haven't improved a whole lot.

That night, I returned to Calill's bar. I told her I would be joining the knights. She had a mixture of happiness and sadness. She was happy for me, and sad that I would not be around as much. I told Calill that I would repay her kindness.

She wanted to have a party for me. I told her I wasn't feeling like celebrating. I just wanted to get some rest. I wanted... just wanted to rest.

XXXX

Last night wasn't the best night I've had. In fact, it could be compared to one of the worst I had during the Mad King's War. My guilty conscience kept pestering me to either stay with the Royal Knight, permanently, or decline everything they had offered me. Since I already had accepted, that made the second option harder than the first.

I had toyed with the idea to go pick up my family with the coachman. I'm sure Duke Renning wouldn't mind, since he did say that I could start once my family was settled in. Ultimately, I decided against the idea, I've also decided to start today. There is no point in dragging the inevitable.

Beneath my med laid four trunks. One of them holds my halberdier armour; another one had my sentinel armour. The other two trunks held spears. I took out the one with my halberdier armour and put it on. If I showed up with my sentinel armour, I would stand out. I also armed myself with a custom made silver lance that Ike gave me when we invaded Daein to take on the maiden's army.

I never disregarded the possibility of me wearing armour again, hence why I didn't sell my armours when the war was over. I just didn't think I'd have to wear it so soon after the war.

This is the first time I'm clad in armour and have no intention into going into battle. I know that to Royal Knights have to wear their armour all the time, which might take some getting used to. I really shouldn't complain too much about my armour, it was custom made. I don't think there are too many female lancers around; the regular armour people slap into the regular lancers wouldn't fit me at all.

I took a deep breath and looked at myself. I guess it's funny every time I see myself under all this armour. The boys back home used to tease me, they always said I was the most un-girly girl in all of Crimea – I wasn't feminine, even by country standards. There's no sense in me just staring at myself and pointing out how I've failed as a proper woman, which would just delay the inevitable.

I spun around and headed for the door, on the first few steps, I noticed the familiar sound of my armour clanking. I can't believe I actually missed this annoying sound.

XXXX

When I reached the castle's gates, I was stopped by the same guards that stopped me yesterday. This time they let me pass without question, thought there was some hesitation on their part. Both of them stared at my legs, which made me angry at them and at myself.

When General Ike had asked Daniel to forge my armour during the Mad King's War, he had asked if he could design the armour so that it wouldn't hinder my speed too much. General Ike kept saying that my speed was my greatest asset. Being the master craftsman that he is, Daniel made me an armour that would fit me perfectly and wouldn't slow me down. The downside was that it reveals too much leg for my liking.

I thought it would be petty on my part to complain to General Ike about this little problem, after all, he was paying for the armour that would replace the piece of junk that the Crimean militia had given me. Now that I think about it, that piece of junk was more revealing than this armour. Maybe I should be more grateful to Daniel.

Brushing off this little incident aside, I kept walking towards the castle. I think that the first thing I should do is report to Kieran. I don't want to deal with Duke Renning, and the high ranking General Kieran could eventually go to Duke Renning and tell him that Captain Nephenee reported for duty much earlier than anyone expected. I'm sure that will make him so happy.

Just before I reached the entrance to the castle, I heard the flapping of large wings followed by a pegasi landing behind me. I think that there are only to Pegasus riders in all of Crimea, and I have a fifty percent chance on being right when I guess that Marcia is right behind. I turned around.

"Hiya, Nephenee!" Marcia greeted me with her usual cheerful attitude. "The last time you came in here with that armour you were the brought news of a revolution." I'm glad to know that Marcia associates me with bad things like pointless revolutions.

"I'm here to start my career as a soldier. Sorry, no revolutions are brewing up," I told her.

"Welcome to the army, private!" before I could tell her the rank that Duke Renning had given me, she took my arm. "It's about time we got another woman amongst us. Astrid and I were getting sick of being the only women in the army." That can't be right, right?

She tried to drag me off to somewhere like Kieran had done yesterday, but I remained rooted to the spot. No one's dragging me today, her and Kieran need to learn a lesson in personal space.

"If ya don't mind, I would like to see General Kieran. I'm supposed to serve under him." To my relief, she didn't look offended.

"Sure thing," she beamed. "I'll take to him right away." Thankfully she let go of my arm and led me like normal people do. As she led me through the courtyards, her pegasi followed from behind.

There has been a question that has been bugging me since yesterday. I think Marcia is the perfect person to get the answer I need.

"When did Kieran become a general?" anybody that's not from the Crimean army and knows Kieran must find this little fact a tad odd.

"Not to long ago," she began, "Once Duke Renning returned, he started making changes to the army. I overheard him tell General Geoffrey that the reason a pathetic band like Ludveck's had been able to create a revolution was because we only had one general.

"I think he was scolding Geoffrey, telling him he had repeated Duke Renning's own mistake during the Mad King's War." I think I know the mistake he refers. When Duke Renning went down, Crimea fell with him. Had Geoffrey died during the revolution, there wouldn't have been anybody to take his place when he was needed most.

"Since Kieran has an outstanding record, and serves Queen Elincia faithfully since before her reign. She naturally chose him as the leader of the second army Duke Renning is building. Not everybody was happy with her choice - even Kieran protested at first – saying 'I'm not worthy of this honour' and all that selfless knightly junk he always spews."

"I'm sure he'll do just fine," I told her. After all, we are living in peace at the moment.

"That's true, he might not be the greatest military mind of the century, but you should hear his pep talks. He really knows how to get the soldiers blood pumping." Loud and obnoxious shouting would make anyone a little bloodthirsty before a battle

"Is he equal to Geoffrey?" I asked.

"Not by a long shot. General Geoffrey retains his post as Commander of the entire Crimean Army. I guess you could say that Kieran is Geoffrey's extension." I'm sure Kieran doesn't mind being called that.

Marcia looked up ahead, "Speak of the devils." In front of us was what I think is the training area for squires, it seems they were training some archers. General Geoffrey and Astrid were shooting arrows at targets made of hay. A moment later, Oscar joined them. Behind them stood dozens of what I think are raw recruits, and behind them stood Kieran. Probably making sure they paid attention.

"Meathead!" Marcia called out. I know I'm new to this soldier stuff, but I'm sure you aren't supposed to address your superior in that way. "Nephenee is here to see ya!"

Kieran faced us once we approached; he had a huge grin on his face.

"Captain Nephenee! I was told that you wouldn't join us for about a week or so," Kieran was certainly happy to see me. Marcia looked shocked.

"Captain! I've been with them for three years and all I've earned is scout commander," I can't tell if she's shocked or disappointed, maybe both.

"Don't worry about it," I told her. She should have this position, not me. "I'm sure that after a week, the duke will realise his mistake."

That seemed to alleviate the blow she just received.

"Come," Kieran said, "I'll show you the great army of sweet Crimea."

Kieran sounded genuinely proud. Maybe he was ignorant to the truth. Or he was in denial. Either way, what I remember seeing that day was a weak army. I remember seeing just how vulnerable my homeland really is.

A/N: Happy 2011 everybody! First of all, I want to thank the people that have shown their support for this story and for the praise I've gotten from writing Nephenee's character. I really want to give her the development and characterization that was not delivered to us in Radiant Dawn.

I know it took me a while to deliver this chapter, but the reason wasn't laziness, far from it. I re-wrote this chapter a couple of times.

You see, on the first two chapters, all I did was dance around the plot. Then I wrote this chapter and I kept dancing around the plot. I didn't want that. I think I might've stumbled into the plot in this chapter, but at least I got there and there's no stopping me from now on (except the every day life problems that affect all of us) but no writers block will hit me anytime soon.

I think I owe you guys a little spoiler for the wait. For this story I plan to make good use of the majority of Radiant Dawn's huge cast of characters. I'm just throwing that out there. Thought the main characters will be the Crimeans, especially Nephenee (duh), Renning, and Kieran.

Why Kieran and not Geoffrey? All I can say is... comic relief. Had I made Nephenee, Geoffrey's second-in-command that would just create more drama. I think our capacity of drama is full, right?

Anyway, please R&R.