The Open Book
By: KellyCRocker59
Chapter Nine: Homecoming
Yeah, I finally got another chapter up. Anyway, this is a bit long, and please tell me if the ending is a little quick, please.
The journey back to Renais was long and uneventful. Everyone talked a lot on the way, getting acquainted once more to one another. Forde spoke with the reserved sage Saleh, who Gerik seemed to be very protective over.
"What's his deal?" Forde asked the sage, who rode a horse that had been given to him by Gerik.
The mercenary was currently speaking with Prince Innes, but his eyes kept a light watch on Saleh. The man sighed.
"He…is just worried about me."
Forde raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something to be worried about?"
Saleh looked down, and Forde lowered his head to look up at the man.
"It's just…I am rather fragile, and in that last battle at Jehanna I was struck by a lance pretty hard. He's just more afraid then he needs to be."
"What, are you two together?" Forde asked jokingly.
Saleh blushed.
"I knew him before just yesterday, if that's what you think. No, I don't believe that we're…together."
Forde chuckled, and Saleh looked over at him sharply.
"You don't have to be ashamed of it, Saleh. Do you see that green-haired knight up there?" Forde asked, pointing to where Kyle spoke with Duessel not too far ahead.
Saleh nodded.
"He's my boyfriend." Forde said, smiling childishly at the sage.
"To be with another man is…"
"I'm in love, Saleh. It doesn't matter if I'm in love with a man or woman; I'm just in love."
The sage bowed his head in thought, and Forde set a hand on his shoulder.
"Just think about it, Saleh. Don't let your mind sway your heart."
The blonde removed his hand suddenly and laughed.
"Man, I never thought that I'd hear myself giving advice like that."
Saleh looked up at him and smiled. Maybe it wasn't wrong for Gerik and him to be together. Suddenly Vanessa, Tana, and Cormag rushed through the skies toward the army, heading for Ephraim and Erika.
The army stopped and Forde saw Kyle leave the front to go back with him.
"What is that about?" Forde asked.
Kyle shrugged.
"I don't know. Sounds like bad news, though."
Gerik walked back to where Saleh was and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
"This could be something dangerous. After that last wound it's probably best that you stay near me."
The sage nodded and walked with Gerik to where the mercenary stood with Innes and Marisa. Kyle looked over at Forde.
"What's their deal? They just met yesterday."
Forde shook his head.
"I guess they're old friends. I don't know, but you should have heard me; I sounded like a bishop counseling some troubled old maid."
Kyle smiled and reached out, gripping Forde's neck with a gloved hand.
"You're a lot smarter then you take credit for, Forde."
The blonde blushed slightly at the brief tender look that Kyle gave him, only to have the other knight pull away and turn to where Ephraim stood at the head of the army.
"Everyone, I need your attention!" The prince ordered.
The entire army instantly grew silent, and Ephraim continued.
"The castle of Renais has been taken by some unknown army. We believe it to be from Grado, but we aren't sure."
Soft murmuring erupted throughout the army, and Ephraim called for silence once more.
"We will be taking eight members with us to infiltrate the castle. We will not be taking any airborne units, for the closed areas might be to tightly packed. We will announce in a few moments who we will be taking besides myself, Duessel and Erika."
The army erupted in talk as the prince and princess spoke with Duessel about who to take into the battle. Forde turned to Kyle, only to see him turned toward Lute. The mage had been traveling with Erika, so it had been a while since they had seen one another. Forde decided to give them some space, no matter how jealous he was, and rode over to where the young mage Ewan stood, looking over a tome.
The boy looked up as Forde came closer and smiled.
Hi, Forde; how are you?"
The blonde shrugged.
"I'm fine. Just…I don't know, I guess kind of worried."
Ewan raised an eyebrow and looked over at where Kyle and Lute talked.
"Jealous of Lute?"
Forde shook his head quickly.
"No, of course not!"
"Well, you don't have anything to be jealous of; Kyle seems very dedicated to you."
"I told you I wasn't jealous!" Forde snapped.
Ewan sighed.
"Whatever. Anyway, do you think that you'll be picked to go into the battle?"
Forde shrugged, glad to be off of the previous subject.
"I don't know. I…hope so."
"Yeah, because he'll only pick one mounted unit, and that means Kyle won't have to go."
"No, that's not-"
"Shut up, Forde; you're an open book. Kyle just doesn't know how to read." Ewan said.
Forde sighed heavily.
"You know, you're kind of annoying."
Ewan smiled.
"Yeah, I know."
At that point, Ephraim called everyone's attention once more.
"Okay; we have chosen who will participate in the following battle."
The entire army grew deathly silent, and Kyle made his way slowly back to Forde.
"The member will be Lute."
Lute stepped forward with a tome clutched firmly against her, Ephraim motioning for her to stand behind him.
"Marisa, you will be in this battle as well."
The myrmidon walked forward quietly, standing beside Lute.
"Rennac and Colm, you will both be in this battle."
The thief and the assassin walked forward, standing beside Marisa.
"Gerik and Saleh, you will also be joining the group."
Gerik seemed mad that Saleh had to go, but didn't voice his objections as the two went to stand behind the others.
"And the last two soldiers that will be in the battle will be Forde and Dozla."
Forde rode forward, feeling Kyle's gloved hand on his before drifting away. He realized that this would be his first battle without the other knight.
The small group infiltrated the castle with ease. However, there was an overwhelming number of troops in the palace. Forde was sent east toward where the main sum of enemies were. Marisa, Lute, and Dozla joined him, the four fighting through the hordes of enemies with little difficulty. And then they reached the throne room.
A druid and shaman appeared around the corner, the druid raising a staff quickly. Forde knew that he should have run, but his mind was in shock as his mind hazed over and his eyes darted around wildly. All that he could think of was blood. He needed blood. He heard a sickening cry and tear, and his heart beat madly; he needed to hear that again.
But then he felt something press against his mind, like a candle in the fog. It cleared his mind and he blinked several times, looking around. However, as he returned to the sane world, he looked down and saw the beheaded body of Lute, blood pooled around it.
Marisa and Dozla kept fighting, but Saleh stood a few feet away, holding a recover staff. The sage looked at Forde and sighed, turning back to where Gerik was trying to defeat several generals. Forde stared at the dead body. He had been the one to kill her. He had killed Lute.
His mind swam as the battle continued, forcing himself to fight. But he was truly far away, his thoughts coming back to the image of the dead mage each time he tried to avoid it. He had been berserked, but had he killed her out of jealously? If he hadn't been jealous of her, would he have been able to control himself? He was a monster.
The battle ended and the rest of the army entered the castle, Kyle immediately seeking out Forde.
"How did it go?" Kyle asked, dismounting his horse as he approached Forde.
Forde couldn't look up at him as he stood with his head bowed, clutching the reins of his steed tightly.
"What's wrong?" Kyle asked, concerned.
"Everyone, stay here." Seth ordered from the head of the crowd, Ephraim, Erika, Duessel, and himself all going down a passageway in the throne room.
The army began to talk, but Forde just stood there, Kyle standing in front of him.
"Forde, just tell me what's wrong! Isn't that what people do in a relationship?"
He didn't know what came over him. He began panting, his lungs feeling too big for his chest. He ran, stumbling down the hallway as he tried to get outside.
"Forde!" Kyle roared, chasing after him.
The blonde fell against the castle wall, clutching the stone tightly with his forehead pressed against the cool stone. Kyle reached out and spun Forde around so that they were facing one another.
But before he could say anything, Forde fell against him, tears streaming down his cheeks. Kyle wrapped his arms around him, holding him close.
"Forde…"
"I killed her, Kyle! I didn't mean to, but I killed her!" Forde cried.
"Who? Who did you kill? What are you talking about?"
"Lute! There was a druid and my mind clouded over and-and…I just killed her! She's dead all because I couldn't control myself, couldn't control my jealously!"
Kyle arms went limp against him, and Forde clung tighter to the knight. But Kyle threw him off, the blonde hitting the wall and falling to the ground.
"Kyle, I'm sorry." Forde whispered, reaching up to him.
Kyle turned away from him and headed further along the outside of the castle.
"I just…I need time to calm down." He said.
Forde let his hand fall to the ground and sighed, clutching his knees to his chest and burying his head in them. What had he become? He had let his emotions take over; he should have had more willpower. He should have been able to control himself. But he didn't. He had killed an innocent girl, and he had to suffer the consequences. If that meant losing Kyle, then maybe he deserved it.
