Chapter 10

In which Narlafayn gets seasick again and Sir Cedric gives her a temporary cure.

She was shook from slumber the next morning by a stern-faced teacher, who ordered her out of bed and outside with the students for morning exercises. Narlafayn groggily attempted to protest that she wasn't a student, but that didn't seem to exempt her from school regulation.

She yawned greatly as she stood Leon amid a group of students packed up for the trip to the mainland. At the head of the group, on a raised platform next to the stairs stood Sir Cedric himself, giving the graduating students a speech on honor and discipline. She recognized him as one of the teachers that had been overseeing the students who had participated in the skirmish outside of the harbor. He was a muscular older man, his hair and beard almost completely white. He had been wearing large yellow hakama pants and lacked a shirt when she had seen him previously, but now he was decked out in grand silver armor from neck to toe. He had a commanding presence, and Narlafayn could tell that this man had seen a fair share of battle. If she had been standing there alone, she thought for sure that she would've trembled in fear at the sight of him, but since she was standing close enough to Leon to feel his protecting aura, she felt at ease.

"You will face the most terrible of hardships," Cedric was saying, looking out among the students. "But you will also face the most honorable and enjoyable times you will ever know. Some of you may die, I will not lie to you, but it is how you die that will make the difference. Fight honorably, not because someone has told you to do so, but because it is what you chose to do." Narlafayn glanced at the solemn faces around her, a few students suddenly looking away from their headmaster, thinking twice about the path they had chosen. Narlafayn watched a student slip away and make his way sullenly back to the school, a teacher waiting for him at the door to lead him back to his dorm. She turned back around with a pitying expression only to jump as she found Cedric staring directly at her. "Do not let someone's will influence the path you wish to take." He said, his steel gray eyes boring into her violet ones. "Your decisions are your own, but remember that as you shape the world you wish to live in, you are shaping the world of those around you. Act as if you were a king, a god of the land, and honor those around you as if they were your own family." A cold stone suddenly appeared in Narlafayn's stomach at his words, although she couldn't understand why. He broke his gaze from her and looked around at the rest of his students. "You are going out there into the world as adults, not as children. Make me proud to say that you were my students." With that he stepped down from the podium and led the group down the stairs towards town.

"That was a long speech; does he usually go on forever like that?" Narlafayn asked Leon as he shifted his travel bag on his arm.

"Sir Cedric is heading to the mainland himself today. He's been called back to Aden to serve there, and it's highly unlikely that we'll ever see him outside of the castle once he's there." Leon said, watching the back of his teacher with a faint half smile. "I suppose the speech was his way of an emotional goodbye." Leon sighed and turned to look over his shoulder at the school, which grew smaller as they walked away from it.

"You look like you don't want to leave." Narlafayn observed, watching him. Leon gave her a sad smile before shifting his bag again and focusing on the path ahead of him.

"A little. This place was my home and my class my family in a sense. I'll miss it." He said softly.

"What about your real home and family?" she asked curiously, tilting her head at him. Leon glanced away to look at the ocean and didn't answer her. Narlafayn huffed at his reaction and folded her arms over her chest, walking the rest of the way to town in silence.

A crowd of villagers and students who were not leaving for the mainland stood along the path Cedric took them, handing them provisions for their journey. Before they cleared the town wall, Narlafayn found herself with a new travel pack full of food, clothes and a little bit of money. She looked between the satchel and Leon, confused.

"Maybe I should give this to someone else…" Narlafayn murmured, glancing at the students around her. "Maybe Sharmin…" she squinted as she looked among the teens walking around her, but didn't see Sharmin's familiar figure.

"Fish-Eyes isn't coming with us on the boat, she needs a lot of training yet." Ryonai said as he moved to walk next to them. "Just keep the bag; I'm sure everyone else is well-stocked, so you don't have to worry." He grinned. Narlafayn lowered her eyelids at him, still annoyed by his words to her the previous night. Ryonai sighed in exasperation and tilted his head to the side to accentuate it. "Fine, I'm sorry for insulting you. Geez." He groaned. Narlafayn instantly broke into a smile and patted him lightly on the head.

"You might be a good boy after all." She said in a babying tone. Ryonai dodged her hand and glared, smoothing down the hair she had mussed.

"Hi Ryonai!" a girl with shaggy black hair exclaimed, bouncing up to them. She frowned as she saw Narlafayn and Leon. "Leon." She greeted sullenly. She turned back to Ryonai and latched onto his arm. "Guess what! I've finished my classes too! I'm headed to the mainland to become a Cleric!" she said excitedly, hugging his bicep.

"That's nice, Koyori…" Ryonai said, distracted. "Where's Komugi, she's finished up hers too, hasn't she?" He began to scan the heads around them, looking for the pink-haired girl. Koyori frowned and huffed, sticking out her chest, which Narlafayn couldn't help but notice was rather developed for her age. She looked down at her own small chest and frowned, poking at a breast as if to encourage it to grow. What do they put in the water here? she wondered, shutting her eyes. And in the Dark Elf Village's water for that matter too…

"Cedric made it so that Komugi has to stay on the island as Sharmin's personal healer." Koyori said with evil glee. "He thinks it'll help Sharmin advance quicker if she has support." She giggled cruelly, raising a hand to hide her mouth. "That idiot will never advance past wooden armor, just watch." She smirked.

"That's not a nice thing to say, Sharmin's trying her hardest." Leon cut in, his mouth a thin line. "She had a pretty traumatic experience a couple of months ago, it takes a lot to get over that sometimes." Koyori rolled her eyes and returned to clinging to Ryonai.

"What happened a couple of months ago?" Narlafayn asked curiously.

"Some guy bopped the headmaster of Einhovant's Magic School." Ryonai answered, pointing in the direction of the school. Following his hand, Narlafayn could see a roof and a pointed steeple through the trees. "Sharmin was the one who caught him in there, and he tried to kill her for it I guess. DiValmont here saved the day as always and she got away without being hurt too bad." Ryonai rolled his eyes, as if Leon saving the day was a normal occurrence.

"Just shows how weak she is, unlike Ryonai." Koyori sniffed. "Swords people are supposed to be able to endure stuff like that; not dissolve into a frightened Elpy the instant they get poked. She should just go back to being a commoner and leave the bravery to people who can actually be brave." Narlafayn's eye twitched; she was finding this girl to be extremely annoying and full of herself.

"There was a strange atmosphere in that place that night. I don't blame her for being frightened of it." Leon said in a low voice, his face dark with memory. "It was like…. Gran Kain was present there himself, the way the shadows lingered." Narlafayn's skin broke out in gooseflesh as she remembered the hooded man, and how the shadows seemed to linger around him. She shut her eyes in a wince, willing the image away. Don't be silly, she told herself firmly.

The crowd from town followed Cedric and his students all the way to the harbor, where a grand farewell took place. Tears were shed, lips were kissed, and promises of visiting home soon were made. Ryonai disappeared behind some crates with Komugi, and Narlafayn was certain that his promise of not kissing girls four years younger than him was being broken. Sir Collin himself was present, saying farewell to his nephew and Leon. Narlafayn sighed and slipped away from the press of bodies to stand by herself, grateful for some air.

In the corner of her eye she caught sight of a lone figure making their way down a hill that lead to the beach not far from where she sat. She tilted her head curiously and pushed herself off of the crate she had seated herself upon to follow them.

As she crossed over the curve of hill, she now recognized the person as Sharmin. She sat in the sand, her legs drawn up to her chest and her arms folded over the top of them, staring out into the ocean without expression. Narlafayn smiled faintly at how lonely of a picture she made.

"Oh hey, what are you doing all the way over here?" she asked, making her way over to her. Sharmin looked up at her in surprise, not hearing her approach. "Uh oh...you're wearing a dress...did you give up after all?" Sharmin shrugged and leaned her chin on her knees. She wore a short-sleeved, high-necked blue dress that she had hiked up around her thighs.

"No. I'm just wearing it for today." she mumbled, returning her gaze to the ocean.

"Oh." Narlafayn said, shifting her shield on her arm. She paused, waiting for Sharmin to continue explaining as to why she had separated herself from the others. Her heart sank, realizing the girl had dismissed her. "I suppose this is goodbye then." Narlafayn said, holding out her hand to shake Sharmin's. She stared at it in surprise for a moment as if confused as to what it was doing there, then took it cautiously. Narlafayn pumped it happily, a smile growing on her face.

"You're leaving too?" Sharmin asked as she withdrew her hand. "You weren't here for long."

"Nah. I didn't have much to do here." she said, standing up straight. She looked towards the harbor to make sure they weren't boarding yet. "Besides, I made a friend who's leaving today, so I figured I'd accompany him along, take him back to the Elven Forest. It's a much kinder place to train, in my oh so humble opinion. Leon's a good kid, but much too serious for someone so young. He really needs to lighten up" she sighed; not seeing the bug-eyed stare Sharmin was giving her. The ship bell began dinging, signaling the ships' departure in five minutes time. Narlafayn's heart began to thud in her chest with anxiety, despite there being no reason for worry. "Well, there's the bell. I hope I'll see you again sometime. Hurry up and train so you can come to the mainland!" Narlafayn said quickly as she waved and ran off towards the harbor.

She boarded the boat with time to spare and stood at the railing with the students as they waved to their parents and called out their farewells. Sir Cedric took up a post at the head of the ship, in a small crow's nest on the bough, and folded his arms over his chest as if going into battle.

As the ship moved away from the harbor, Narlafayn saw Sharmin suddenly stand up on the beach and climb up a ledge, following the boat's movement. As soon as she reached the top, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted. Narlafayn strained her ears to listen to what she was shouting, but two rowdy teens bumped into her, knocking her off balance and into Gatz' side.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized, looking at him. He was staring hard at Sharmin's figure, his jaw clenched so hard that the muscle in it twitched. His hands gripped the ship's railing in a way that turned his knuckles white, but his face remained expressionless. A light bulb went off inside Narlafayn's head as she remembered their conversation the night before. "Oh dear." She said to herself, shutting her eyes as the pieces fell into place. Gatz liked Sharmin who liked Leon. It was plain to see from just talking with him that Leon had no clue that any romantic drama was happening around him. She glanced over her shoulder at him to see if he had heard Sharmin as well, but he stood near Sir Cedric, staring out over the water. If he had heard her, he gave no visible sign of it. Narlafayn sighed, the bittersweet feeling that most of the passengers felt finally seeping into her, and watched the island disappear into the horizon.

Seasickness didn't hit her until she'd been on the boat for a few hours this time. Leon stood next to her as she hung her head over the side of the boat, holding her hair out of the way. He looked away as she heaved, focusing on the sails with an aloof expression.

"What's going on over here?" Cedric asked, pushing his way through the students who kept their distance from them. He stood on the other side of Narlafayn, assessing the situation with a professional eye. "What's wrong with her? She drunk?" he asked, looking at Leon sternly.

"No sir." Leon answered, his face expressionless again.

"It's no big deal, I just get seasick." Narlafayn managed to say between heaves.

"You should've saved some money for the Gatekeeper then. What kind of loon are you to take the boat when it makes you this sick?" Cedric asked, putting his hands on his hips. Narlafayn managed to push herself up enough to cast him a glare before another heave hit her. "No matter then, what's done is done. Finished?" he asked as she stood, wiping her mouth. She nodded and sniffed, as Leon released her hair. "Good." With that Cedric landed a restrained punch to her already aching stomach, causing her to double over in surprise before unconsciousness claimed her. "There." Cedric said, picking her up gently and carrying her towards the cabin, "Now she'll find travel easier and we won't have to listen to her heave her guts out." He placed her gently on the bed that had been reserved for him and pulled the covers over her. On his way back out he stopped next to Leon and Ryonai, who stared into the cabin in shock. "She shouldn't wake up, but if she does again, one of you give her a knock on the head to put her back out, ok?" he commanded, patting Ryonai on the shoulder as he walked past.

Narlafayn groaned as consciousness returned to her, and opened her eyes wearily. She found herself staring at the familiar ceiling of the room she had rented with Sprissa in Gludin. Hit with a sudden burst of adrenaline, she sat up quickly, then winced and doubled over as her stomach throbbed angrily at her. A tray was set roughly at the foot of her bed, and Narlafayn looked up slowly to find an annoyed Koyori staring down at her with her arms folded across her chest.

"Eat." She commanded, pointing to the soup that had slopped all over the tray. She let out a frustrated noise as Narlafayn stared at her blankly. "Eat it already! God! Sir Cedric made me stay here and watch over your brain dead ass, and now I've missed the chance to travel with Ryonai!" she shouted.

There was a short knock on the door before it opened without prompt, Leon sticking his head around the doorframe to look at her. "Oh good, you're awake." He said, entering. Koyori stomped out of the room as he came in, slamming the door behind her and causing a picture to fall off of the wall.

"I'll have to pay for that I hope she realizes." An acidic voice came from the corner. As Narlafayn's eyes fully focused, she found the red-haired Dark Elf that had prompted her to take the boat seated at a table, a journal open in front of him. "Children are so ungrateful these days…" he mumbled, leaning down and scratching something on the page with an inked quill.

"We're grateful to you sir, for lending us your room." Leon said in an apologetic tone. The Dark Elf sighed lightly through his nose, and didn't look at him. Leon glanced down at the tray of food on the edge of the bed, her soup being soaked up by the bread that had fallen into it. "I'll go replace this for you." He said grimly, lifting the tray and taking it downstairs, leaving Narlafayn alone in the room with the unhappy Dark Elf.

All was silent save for the muted sound of a bird chirping somewhere outside and the scratch of his quill on the paper. Narlafayn fidgeted nervously for a moment, wanting to start a conversation to break the silence, but not sure how. She pushed herself from the bed and stood carefully, making sure she had her land legs back. Clasping her hands behind her back she approached the Dark Elf slowly, leaning over to peer at the book he wrote in.

"Whatcha writing?" she asked curiously, standing on tiptoes in an attempt to read his scribbles. He slammed the book shut quickly, his fingers still on the page to mark his spot, and cast her an annoyed glance.

"It's a private journal, if you don't mind." He stated, not looking at her. Narlafayn huffed and stood, walking back to the bed and sitting on the edge. As soon as he saw her sit, he opened the book back up and began writing in it again, pausing only to take a sip of tea from the cup set to his right. She watched his movements intently, the fighter in her memorizing them.

"You're blind in one eye." She observed, noticing the difference in movement from one side of his body to the other.

"Very perceptive for a novice." He said, mildly surprised. Her hands clenched the sheets on either side of her as her temper flared. "Not many learn to notice something like that until they've become a bit more seasoned in battle." He continued, making his compliment more apparent. Silence enveloped them once more, as he finished writing in his journal. He shut it with a snap and sighed, then unrolled a parchment near the book and began looking over it with a pensive expression.

"Um…thanks for letting me use your bed…" she began awkwardly. The Dark Elf glanced at her again, a half-smile touching his face for a moment before returning to seriousness as he studied the scroll.

"It's not the first time I've had someone take over my bed without my consent." He said in a soft voice, as if remembering something. "Your loud human friend came barreling into the inn when the ship docked, demanding a room. The Inn is booked full right now, I was rather lucky to get this room myself, but the innkeepers seem to be afraid of or respect that man. They ushered him in here right when I was in the middle of a bath and plopped you in the middle of the bed." He sighed bitterly in memory and rolled the parchment back up and placed in a bag hanging off of his chair. Narlafayn stared at the floor hard, her cheeks pink in embarrassment.

There was another knock at the door, and Leon poked his head inside once more. "There's better food waiting for you downstairs instead of soup, why don't you come on down?" Leon said lightly, smiling. Narlafayn nodded and pushed herself to her feet, walking slowly to the door, as her abdomen still was sore from bruising. She paused as she reached the doorframe, and looked over her shoulder at the Dark Elf who hadn't moved from the desk.

"Thank you." She said, giving him a friendly smile.

"You already thanked me once, no need to do it twice." He said, waving a hand to dismiss her.

"My name is Narlafayn, by the way." She introduced, staying stubbornly rooted in the doorway. Antisocial people always bugged her, and she wasn't going to leave until she had gotten some sort of universal friendliness from him. The Dark Elf stared at her for a moment, as if sizing her up, before returning to the book he had opened up on the table.

"Amari." He grunted, turning a page. Familiarity struck her at that moment, and she frowned, trying to remember where she had heard that name before.

"Narlafayn, food." Leon reminded her, touching her arm. Narlafayn stepped through the door and shut it softly behind her, casting one last glance at the man at the table before latching it.

Leon treated her to as hearty of a lunch as she could handle before taking her to Koyori, who healed the bruise Sir Cedric had left on her abdomen. The Mystic grumbled the entire time, still upset about Ryonai leaving before she had a chance to latch on to him, but healed her to the best of her ability anyway. Keeping his promise, Leon followed her as she had the Gatekeeper send her to Gludio, and from there they began the long trek back to the Elven Forest.

The journey was over a month long, as they had to travel the length of the Neutral Zone and through the Elven Forest. Narlafayn grew comfortable enough in the teen's presence to tell him of the other world she knew, and became distressed as she realized more memories of it were missing from her mind. She could no longer remember the name of the city she had lived in, or of the man whom she distinctly remembered having feelings for.

Leon taught her only a portion of what he knew of sword fighting, claiming that if he taught her all he knew, it would influence her current style too much to the point where her teachers would not advance her because of the vast differences in it. She pouted a bit at this, but made him promise to teach her what he knew later, when it came time for her to advance. It was the first day of fall, on a chilly, rainy mid-morning when she and Leon finally reached the Elven Village.