Journal: Gray
397 V.C. 90th of Avistym
Gray and I wasted the day away. We went down to the stream and talked about life and girls. You know, the important subjects.
Mycen found us. That man has an unnatural sense for finding where I am.
He began to yell. He must have had a bad day, because I learned some new words to call myself. Some I'd only heard the older villagers say, and tell me never to repeat.
I'm getting off track.
Gray stood up for me.
He told Mycen to stuff it, to leave me alone.
I…was in shock. No one has done that for me. Not even Faye would oppose Mycen directly. But Gray did.
That earned him Mycen's wrath. The same kind of wrath he applies to me. Gray and I managed to speak briefly after the fact. We had this moment, where I think he understood everything Mycen put me through.
I swear this now, should for some reason I forget my vow. I will risk everything for Gray. I will repay him for what he did for me.
-X-
Chapter 8
Cause
They made camp along the road. Tents were set up with subtlety in mind, hidden from the main road. Night had embraced the land with its cold touch, and most of the Deliverance had gone to bed.
Alm remained awake, watching the fire. The dying embers provided him with meager light, but enough to see Gray return from the woods.
"Nothing," the tan man said, "I must have been imagining things."
"Good," Alm said. The other man resumed his spot on the ground next to him.
"Is Clair asleep?" Gray asked, casting an eye towards her tent.
Alm nodded. "Everyone is asleep."
"I wanted your opinion," Gray began. He paused, thinking about his words for a moment. "If the Deliverance is filled with jerks like Fernand, did we make the right choice to join them?"
No.
"We can't judge them all until we arrive." Alm's reply was neutral, meant to not give anything away as to his true opinion.
Gray had known him too long for that. "Bullshit, Alm. You're having second thoughts."
"Can you blame me? You heard what he said about us commoners. Is that the kind of person we're risking our lives for?" The smirk on the white haired fool's face echoed in his mind. Fernand. The word bubbled in poison within Alm's mind.
His companion nodded. "I hear you. If I had known what kind of person I'd be fighting for, I'd have stayed back at Ram. You?"
Thoughts of Mycen appeared in his mind. "I'd have still left, but I wouldn't have joined the Deliverance."
"Fair enough," Gray said. He took a look around to make sure no one was watching. "If we arrive at the Deliverance Headquarters and aren't satisfied, I say we just leave."
"Leave the Deliverance?"
"Yeah. What reason is there to stay otherwise?"
Alm tried to think of an answer, but only could come up with a blond haired woman. He shook his head, and lied. "I can't think of any."
-X-
Faye and Alm had fallen back behind the others. She'd been sending him looks the entire morning in camp and along the road.
When they finally were out of earshot of the others, he turned to her. Perturbed, he asked, "What?"
She smacked him across the face. "I've been meaning to do that for a while," she smirked. He smile turned to a frown in a second. "I can't believe you just snuck off on your own! Are you completely insane?"
Alm laughed. "It worked though, didn't it?"
"That's not the point," Faye damn near screeched. "The point is that you could have died."
"The important part is that I didn't."
Faye clawed at her hair. "That arrogance is going to be you killed, Alm. You're my friend and I want to support you, but I can't save you from yourself."
Alm stopped walking and faced her. His hands clasped onto her shoulders and he stared into her eyes. "Faye…" Words didn't come to him. He reached for what he wanted to say, but the language eluded him. "Just…trust me. I'll figure it out."
Her eyes met his. "Promise me, Alm. Promise me you'll take care of yourself. I won't lose you too."
Arms swung around his torso and his clung to her body. "I won't die. I promise you that on my life."
"Don't promise me on that!" she chastised.
Alm laughed and broke their embrace. He looked up and saw Gray and Clair giving the pair a glance. Seeing Gray gave him a thought. "Faye, what do you think of the Deliverance?"
"Their cause seems just, if you ask me." Her reply was quick.
"Is that all you think?"
"Lukas is nice. I'm not sure about Clair. She seems…too nice."
His head cocked to the side. "Why do you say that?"
Faye bristled. "Never you mind. I take it we think the same of Fernand?"
Alm opened his mouth, insults pouring out. His anger was so focused on Fernand that he didn't even realize his question was deflected."
-X-
Lukas ordered a short break. He claimed they weren't too far out from the base, though Alm was skeptical. After all, there were no castles or forts of any kind within eye-distance.
Clair took a seat next to him, offering him her water skin. "A copper for your thoughts?"
He accepted it and drank deeply. "Well, I was just thinking about the Deliverance."
"Anything in particular about them?" she asked.
"I'm sorry if you think lower of me, Clair, but I can't help but think if the people of the Deliverance are like Fernand. If they are, what's the point in fighting for them?" Alm refused to meet her eyes.
He could feel her hesitation at the question, and her frown. "I'll admit Fernand is not the most…likeable people at first, but I beg you not to pass judgement too quickly on him. He has his reasons for acting as he does."
Alm waved a hand. "Perhaps he has a valid reason. I can't claim to know. But are the other nobles in the Deliverance like him? Is the leader?"
"My brother is one of the best people in this world. Clive cares nothing for the divide between nobles and commoners. You would be hard pressed to find a better leader for the Deliverance," she said, affronted.
"Clair, I didn't mean—"
Her sigh interrupted him. "I know you didn't. I apologize, but I'm far too used to people attacking my brother for the decisions he makes. His love for commoners…has not lead to the best sort of talk amongst our peers."
"Clair, if your brother is as good as you say, I promise I will fight for his cause. If he is on the side of the common people, then he is a just man." Alm met her gaze and felt a spark. As if the two of them had reached an unspoken understanding, tension washed out of their shoulders.
"So," Alm said, happy to move onto a new topic, "where's the castle the Deliverance is holed up in?"
"A castle? Foolish boy, a castle would simply be too conspicuous! Our base is in an ancient underground shrine."
"What?"
Author Notes: This took a while. I'd make excuses, but in reality I was just being lazy. This chapter was terrible. I'm still not happy with it, but I've started it over too many times and I just need to move on. Yeah, it's short. I am sorry about that, but this chapter just needed to be put behind me.
Now, I am currently back at school. 'Tis the season, you know the drill. This will no doubt change my updating pace. Besides this, I have oneshots to write for my fic dump in December that I do every year. I have to prepare for that, but I will still be updating this. I ask you for your patience, and understanding at how chapter length will constantly be fluctuating.
Writing Tunes – Metal Gear Solid OST
