Wild Birds
Summary: New additions to the crew bring and old friend, and troubles.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile, no money is being made from this use
Ruffled Feathers
"Do you remember Sophia?" Alex asked Claus and Lavie watching them carefully.
The two thirteen-year olds looked at each other in confusion before Lavie gasped. "I remember! She used to come play with us all the time when we lived at the academy..." She paused for a moment then added tentatively. "She's Auntie's cousin isn't she?"
Alex smiled at the old nickname Lavie still sometimes used for Euris. He nodded. "She just graduated from the academy and is coming here to be out new first officer. There are two girls not much older than you coming with her."
Lavie's face brightened, there weren't that many people aboard close to her and Claus' age. While everyone was friendly with them, it was still a little lonely. The prospect of having more friends around her own age was exciting.
"A pilot, Tatiana Wisla, and her navi Alister Agrew. They're both fifteen. Tatiana was expelled from the academy for some reason, but Marius assured me in his letter that she's far too talented to let it go to waste, so you already have something in common." He looked a bit annoyed about not being given all the details about the girls.
Claus frowned thoughtfully. "I guess Mister Edgar isn't going to come back then?" He asked quietly. Alex sometimes wondered how in the world Claus had managed to retain all the etiquette, and manners Justina had taught him aboard the ship. He certainly wasn't learning any from the crew.
Edgar Litely had been until about three months ago the XO of the Silvana. He'd been badly injured in battle with Disith forces. "No, he won't be returning. He might fully recover eventually, but he's decided to retire. He's gone to stay with his sister in the capital." He paused thinking a while before he continued. "They'll be here in three days... If there is... anything else you recall about Sophia it is very important that you come to me first. Do you understand?"
Frowning they both nodded.
Alex was in his quarters catching up on some paperwork he had neglected for too long when the vanship carrying the three girls arrived, and therefore missed quite a show.
Claus and Lavie had been in the hangar at the time having just returned from a courier mission. While they were both still young, far too young for Claus to help in battles as he wished; something Alex was adamant about. They had proven themselves to be excellent couriers however. Especially for important messages Alex didn't want intercepted, no one ever even considered the two friendly kids in their beat up old vanship who were willing to go out of their way to help someone who needed it, even if it meant getting back late, and getting another lecture from Alex, could possibly be involved with the "Kill-'em-all Silvana."
Lavie jumped down and rushed over as Sophia stepped out, and hugged her before she could even say anything. Sophia laughed returning the hug. Lavie stepped back grinning. "Wow. You're even taller than Claus now!"
Claus walked over smiling. "Hello Miss Sophia, It's nice to see you here."
Sophia smiled. "It looks like you two haven't changed at all. Where is Captain Row?"
"He's probably in his room pretending to work on stuff." Lavie said scratching the side of her nose.
A dour faced girl with blond hair had followed Sophia out of the ship, she frowned at them. "Wait you work here?" She interrupted, narrowing her eyes at Lavie and Claus. "You're just kids." The girl behind her looked apologetic and embarrassed.
Lavie had visibly bristled. "You aren't that much older than us!" Claus, and the rest of the crew present were anticipating the expected fire works in various states of apprehension.
Sophia sighed, Tatiana had become a dear friend while they were at the academy, but she could be.. Frustrating at times. "Tatiana, Alis, This is Lavie Head, and Claus Valca. They are Captain Row's wards. They also do a lot of courier work for him."
"You mean he sends them out with important messages in that piece of junk?" Tatiana said pointing to the vanship. That was the last straw for Lavie who lunged at her.
Half and hour later Kostavi was leading Sophia to the captain's quarters. They paused at the door and Kostavi scratched his head nervously. "Er...eh..Don't worry about Miss Wisla too much, Sybil will get her patched up, and she'll be just fine in no time... I guess Lavie paid more attention to our 'boxing' lessons than we realized..." He saluted, and headed back to the hangar grumbling about what the captain was going to do to them when he found out.
Trying to snuff out her own nervousness Sophia knocked. "Enter." Came the muffled reply of a familiar voice. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside. He looked.. different, older of course, he had let his hair grow out, and apparently forgotten how to use a comb at some point, he seemed...more at ease than she remembered, but then managing a wild crew, aboard a rogue ship was probably easier for someone like Alex than looking after three children. She'd forgotten how handsome he was, or perhaps she had never considered it before. She desperately hopes she hadn't started blushing as she saluted. "Sophia Forrester reporting for duty, Sir. I am honored to be serving.." Without a word Alex reached over and snatched her glasses right off her face. "..Here..?"
"What are these, part of a disguise or something?" He said looking at them. Sophia tried to take them back and he lifted his arm so that they were out of her reach. He used to tease her, Lavie, and Claus like this when they were little but she hadn't expected it to happen now.
Trying to remain professional, she was not a little girl anymore after all she stopped reaching and cleared her throat. "If you will excuse me Captain, this is hardly professional behavior for.."
Alex put her glasses up to his eyes and pulled them away quickly trying to blink away the sudden headache. "They're real? You poor thing you're not even twenty yet. You'll be walking into walls by the time you are my age."
"They are reading glasses, Sir." Sophia replied through gritted teeth.
Sensing he was going too far, Alex turned to give them back to her and apologize. He stopped staring, whatever he was going to say caught in his throat. Suddenly feeling awkward Sophia tired not to look back at him, she knew she was blushing now. "I'm sorry." He said eventually, quietly as he handed them back to her. He turned away afterward. "It's been so long. I'd forgotten ...how much you look like her.."
"Really?" She asked, when he turned toward her again looking confused her blush deepened and she looked down nervously putting her glasses back on. "No one ever talks about Euris at home... Not even Uncl..Prime Minister Marius... There aren't even any pictures. Not where I can see them anyway." They were both silent for a long time Alex sat on the sofa, Sophia eventually followed sitting beside him shyly. "You... You know why I'm here don't you?"
"Because Marius wants me to keep you safe." He thought to himself. "Do you know why you are really here?" He wondered watching her. Finally he answered. "Because your father wants to know everything about how the Silvana operates, because he never trusted me, and doesn't trust Marius anymore." When he looked at Sophia again, she looked nearly as miserable as she had they'd left her behind with Marius. "Do what you have to, Sophia." She looked up at him shocked. "I remember what His Majesty is like... I can't imagine there is anything you could tell him that.."
He was interrupted as the door flew open, one of the medics stood there out of breath. "Sybil want's you down at the infirmary quick! Lavie's fighting with the new girl again."
Alex stood up. "Right I'll be... Wait... again?"
Still on the sofa behind him Sophia groaned putting her head in her hands.
AN: If I remember right in the Japanese version of LE, Lavie during the flashback when she talks about Alex and Euris she uses the words for big bother, and big sister. I thought Auntie sounded better than Lavie calling big sister here.