Note: Completely re-written from start to end for this chapter. Xx
Disclaimer: Suikoden and its characters belong to their respected companies (Konami and such) and no money was made in the production of this Fanfiction.
GENSO SUIKODEN: Atonement
By: Chii Motosuwa
Chapter Ten: Rumors
"How is she…?" Nanami asked calmly as she approached Leona with a small basin of water.
"She'll be fine. She's just a little roughed up." Leona replied as she dipped the towel she previously placed on Sarasa's forehead into the basin. "They were lucky you all came by when it happened."
The younger woman laughed slightly.
"It probably would have been hopeless if that lady and Luc didn't show up."
The bar keeper smiled at the girl lying on the bed gently. There was a trace of regret on that very smile.
"If I hadn't let her go, she might not have ended up this way."
"Ms. Leona..."
The dark-haired woman was the first to accommodate them when Nanami and the others appeared at the castle gates. She ran to assist Akia with Sarasa and immediately helped the unconscious girl's guardian take her up to the Inn. After that, Akia would not let anyone else come near the younger girl. She refused to leave her side or let anyone touch her until she was satisfied that all that could be done with her own power was made. Through that hectic few hours, all Leona could do was apologize.
"… It's okay… She's fine. That's all that matters." Akia told her reassuringly as she could manage with her mono-toned voice.
The guardian looked extremely pallid to Leona. Her attitude was calm and collected as before, but her exhaustion was visible. There was sweat on her face and her eyes were weary.
"She looked troubled..." Leona said quietly.
"Who are these people anyway?" Nanami suddenly asked.
"They're travelers from Harmonia." The bar tender turned to her and took the basin from her hands. "This small one was actually asking for Riou's whereabouts."
"Riou?" The younger woman blinked.
"Where is your brother anyway?"
Nanami placed her hands on her hips and frowned.
"I have no idea! Even Jowy and Luc disappeared."
Riou leaned against the door that led to his former tactician's room, pressing his ear closely on its surface. Beside him was Jowy, standing with arms crossed in front of him.
"I don't think that's such a good idea." The elder of the two chided.
"Hush! I can't hear." Riou hissed to his friend who merely shrugged.
"You should have never left. You know well enough that they can find you here easily!" Luc's voice boomed from the other side of the door.
"He already left a long time ago. The pact holding the barrier was broken already." The woman calmly replied.
"So you would risk it?" the wind mage snapped back. "If you were going to put all the effort he did to protect you to waste, then you should have left with Yuuhi to begin with!"
"You have no right to judge me." She growled.
"Why? Why did you come here? For that girl!"
"She wanted to see the grandson of Genkaku. That is what she wished for and she is all I have!" the woman retorted, sounding quite irritable. "She's all that ever gave the effort to know me. Right from the start and I'm not belittling that."
The door suddenly flew open, sending Riou falling forward. He looked up at Jowy, who had apparently opened the door.
"That's enough." The older man muttered grimly and looked at the pale stranger and Luc.
Riou dusted his clothes and got up from the floor, bemused by Jowy's sudden outburst.
"We can hear you from the hall." He said to them in a tone oddly similar to a father scolding his children. "If you're looking for Riou, he's right here."
Jowy then grabbed Riou by the collar and nudged him forward. Luc turned away and muttered something under his breath.
"It's not for me to say what reasons we came here for... It would be better if you heard it from her instead." The woman openly replied.
"Her...? You mean the girl Leona's watching over now, right?" Riou asked. "Sarasa was it?"
She nodded.
"And that would make you...?" Jowy inquired immediately.
"Her.. guardian." She muttered. "The purpose behind our travels all depends on her. I am only here to assure she finishes what she intended to do. When her business here is done, I plan to take her back to Harmonia with haste."
Riou glanced at Jowy with a frown.
"If... you don't mind, I would like to return to her before she wakes up."
"Very well…" Jowy sighed. "We'll speak when she's able then... Miss...?"
"Akia... Akia Voliere."
Jowy's eyes widened slightly which Riou quickly noticed. He waited for the woman named Akia to leave the room before he spoke to the taller blonde.
"Do you know her?"
"Voliere... if I'm not mistaken..." Jowy began, thinking profusely as he spoke.
"...Is the only female bishop in Harmonia by record." Luc finished for him.
"A female bishop?" Riou said in surprise.
Harmonia was well known for their strict rules and code of ethics. Having a woman as a bishop within the theocratic kingdom was almost impossible to believe.
"Voliere was originally owned by a high ranking noble family in Crystal Valley, but I heard they died off. The lineage ended abruptly and the only person holding that title was the 'Knight of Chaos'." The elder boy explained. "The last name was granted to the soldier by a Bishop who went by the name of Leon Orfield."
"I know Bishops are considered important in Harmonia and all..." Riou said to them. "But... why do you two seem so serious about this? There's more to what you're telling me isn't there?"
Jowy sighed. The young Hero of Scarlet was never much into politics. He was practically used as a figure for his charisma, and most of the political plotting was done by the tactician, Shu.
"Leon Orfield was a carrier of a True Rune called the Rune of Fidelity. At least that was the fancy name for it. But it was in fact only half of a true rune. Harmonia is well known for its interest in collecting all 27 of the True Runes." The blonde took a seat on the chair by the desk in the middle of the room. "Originally, they agreed to help me during the war because Highland had a True rune as well. Highland and Harmonia were allies for a long time because of it. Then consider the fact that I also had half a true rune. If Highland won, they'll have two true runes under close watch, and if Highland lost, they would have probably taken the True Runes back themselves..."
"The beast rune is already back in their possession." Luc said to Riou. "Magical wards and tricks isn't enough to keep Harmonia at bay..."
"And the only reason they didn't come after us is because we ran." Jowy added. "They lost track of us, so they let it be."
Riou scratched his cheek. He understood what they were telling him, but he still did not understand how this led to the young woman named Akia, or that Leon Orfield. Reading his best friend's face, Jowy continued his explanation.
"The Knight of Chaos has a True Rune as well. The title originated for more than anyone can remember, even before the war of Aronia."
"She's lived that long?"
"No one actually knows if the current Knight of Chaos is the same one they spoke of in the books..." Jowy sighed. "They spoke of a pale demon with daunting scarlet eyes and an unreasonable lust for violence and war... but as you can see..."
"This Sarasa puts it in question..." Riou muttered.
"Right. A blood thirsty war mongering demon wouldn't be protecting a noblewoman with that much effort. And the fact that the 'daunting scarlet eyes' spoken about in the books are actually just one scarlet eye, and a deep violet one... There's a lot about the Knight of Chaos that isn't very well known. In fact, not many even know about the knight's existence unless you came from the North or part of nobility. The seriousness of her appearing before us is this though..."
The younger man looked at the blonde curiously as the wind mage continued looking quite surly at his part of the room.
"Leon Orfield died at the final year of the War of Chaos." He looked at Riou and held up his hand. "It's a well-known war in the north when the Queendom of Lorrianne declared war with Harmonia for the murder of the Queen. After it ended, the Knight of Chaos took responsibility for Leon's death and she was imprisoned for it. They couldn't kill her because she was carrying the rune and due to complications on how that rune worked, they didn't think executing her would do anything. Rumor has it is that the Knight of Chaos sealed and hid the rune somewhere in the ruins of Lorrianne and that she planned to take it for herself once she gets free. She did get free from the looks of it and still a bishop from what I know. I heard she's still leading Leon Orfield's former regime. It's a little ironic."
"Oh... so you think she's after our runes in secret?"
"Maybe... or she's just taking advantage of her freedom. You never know"
Luc snorted at Jowy's remark, catching Riou's attention.
"So Luc... was that why you two were arguing? You two were arguing about a barrier breaking. Are you old friends?"
For a moment, the brunette mage remained silent, his gaze averting themselves automatically from his.
"...No." the wind mage finally muttered, then turned and disappeared in a flash of light.
(to be continued...)