Chapter XXI – Absence makes the Hearts grow Fonder
Alstar walked out of the doors of the hospital of his own accord, he'd felt like a caged animal over the two and a half weeks it had taken his body to heal, the only thing making it bearable was the fact that it was Y'Fran looking after him. "Alstar!" Shouted a Miqo'te. With a sigh Alstar stopped and turned to face Y'Fran's apprentice a smile gracing his lips. "Yes?" "Your leaving?" "Well Y'Fran says that I'm fighting fit, so yes I am returning to my camp, why do you ask?" "Surely she would want to see you off" Stated D'Lorau. "Unfortunately she has more pressing matters to attend" "Oh, right.." The Miqo'te started "Good-bye" She finished as Alstar began walking away. The Hyur waved his hand instead of saying a goodbye, the plan was to leave now while Y'Fran had something occupying her mind and while none of his family was visiting. "Sad good-byes are the worst" Alstar mumbled to himself as he headed towards one of the city gates. Over the course of the two and a half weeks, numerous people had came to visit him, there was; Mother, came to see her son. Varz, came to apologise that the convoy's guard was underestimated, and to tell Alstar that he had taken it upon himself to inform the families of their losses. Lilia, came to see her brother. Fae, came to see her captain and apologise for the losses they had sustained, thinking it was somehow her fault. Genva, came to apologise for being the cause of the injuries. Rhuya, came to check up on her captain and to cry about Ze. Balthier, came to apologise for his inability to protect his captain, before being rushed back into his own room where he was healing. Vossler, came to argue that the mission was a set up. Luitfrid and Black, came together managing to sneak a bottle of whisky in with them. Each of them had lost something due to the lack of information that they had been given, in Alstar's mind it was the higher-ups that had killed his men. "I'll never let this happen again" Alstar promised to himself as he walked out of Ala Mhigo. "Did y'say somethin' mister?" Asked a young boy leaning against a wall just outside the city. "What?.. Oh, no.. I was talking to myself" "Y'know that's a sign o' madness right mister?" "Madness?" "Yea' y'hear o' them people that gone mad an' start talkin' to 'emselves, y'look like you've lost something, need a 'and?" "What I have lost my boy, cannot be found in this world" "Not in 'this world'.. Oh y'mean you lost someone to death then?" "Your quick for a youngster" Stated Alstar as he scruffed the boys hair. "I want to be a soldier, just like you mister, I don't believe what people say about the monks" The statement took Alstar a back for a moment. "How did you know I was a soldier?" "I can tell from what y'wearing, most normal folk don't go carryin' massive spears like that on their backs" "Smart boy, here.." Alstar knelt down placing a small coin pouch in the boy's hand ".. Take this home, get your family something nice.. If your going to become a soldier then spend as much time as you can with your family now, while you still can" "But mister, if I take this bag of coin home, mother will think I've stolen it" "Then give her this note" "What does it say?" "It simply says that I have given this coin pouch to you and that if they have any problem believing it then they can send a message to my camp" "Thanks mister!" Shouted the boy as he ran off back into the city. "Ah, sir" Spoke a voice a short distance behind Alstar. "The others went on ahead I assume?" "Yes sir" "I see, and how are your wounds Balthier?" "They are much better thank you sir" "Well, lets not keep them waiting" "Yes sir" The two Hyurs spoke as they headed off towards their camp.
"So is this the way you and your girlfriend walked sir?" Questioned Balthier in a fourth attempt to make idle conversation. "Balthier now is not the time for chit-chat.. But to answer your question, yes this is the way me and Y'Fran walked" Answered Alstar sharply. The two soldiers continued to walk in silence, until they reached what had once been their camp. "Sir!" Shouted Genva as she spotted Alstar walking into the ruins of their camp. "What in the seven hells happened here?" Ordered Alstar. "We were attacked sir, a force of Garleans came out of nowhere and caught us off guard" Answered Vossler. "S.. Sir" Coughed Fae, as she moved with the help of Rhuya and Luitfrid. "What happened Fae?" Questioned Alstar further. "Garleans.. They said.. Were from.. Kah.. Camp nearby.. Got.. Fawkas.." Her wounds.. "Everyone get everything together and wait outside the camp for me" "Yes sir" Replied the remainder of his squad. "Rhuya, Luitfrid, I'll take Fae, you two help gathering anything we can use" The two nodded their response after passing Fae over to Alstar. Fae was putting almost all her weight on Alstar's shoulder but still pulled herself to his ear. "Al.. Alstar.. I'm glad.. I died serving.. Under you sir" Whispered Fae, her breathing became more and more unnatural as blood pooled in her mouth. "I.. I'll say.. Hello to Kayne.. F.. For You.." "Goodbye Fae.." Alstar silently pushed one of his daggers into Fae's chest, killing her instantly. ".. Rest well in Hydaelyn's embrace.. I will avenge you.. All of you! Fae, Fawkas, Kayne, Ande, Ze, Roze.. I promise I will make them all pay.. One hundred times over!" Shouted Alstar as he laid Fae's body down, covering it with part of a nearby tent. "S.. Alstar.. We are with you" Spoke Vossler as he knelt an arms reach from his captain. "We will follow you to the gates of the seven hells" Finished Luitfrid. "Well, lets go.." Alstar stood, taking one last look at what had once been his camp. ".. Kill ourselves some Garleans" The air was filled with roars and shouts as everyone walked away from their camp for one last time. "Rhuya, take point, you are our eyes.. Vossler, Luitfrid, you two are our wings.. Black, Balthier, you two are our claws.. Genva, me and you are our fangs.. Luitfrid from here on out, you are my second-in-command" "Of course sir.. Come on, you lot heard the captain.. Get to your positions!" Another wave of shouts filled the air around the seven-man squad.
Rhuya silently knocks an bloodletter arrow, pulling the bow string as far back as she could, release. The arrow instantly found it's mark in the Garlean's chest, puncturing his heart and before the second Garlean could react Rhuya had already released another two arrows. The second of the three arrows hit him in the shoulder, binding him where he stood while the third ended his misery. "Rhuya, what's going on up ahead?" Asked Alstar. "Just another two-man patrol sir" Came the reply. "Good work.. Scout.." The word came as a shock to Rhuya, it was Ze's title.. Not hers.. "I know you'll do us proud Rhuya, Ze had faith in you, as do we" Alstar comforted. "Thank you.. Everyone" Whispered the Miqo'te. "Any trouble on the wings?" "No sir" Came from the left. "This is boring" Came from the right. "Oi Vossler, watch your mouth" Ordered Luitfrid. "Yeah yeah.. Whatever" Vossler replied as the squad continued to move forward. A few hours later and Rhuya came running back to the rest of the squad, she'd moved further ahead while everyone rested. Alstar was applying the remainder of the paste that Y'Fran had made for the last few persistent wounds on his torso. "S.. Sir" Gasped Rhuya as she caught her breath. "Scout's salute.." Spoke Luitfrid as he patted the Miqo'te's back ".. At the end of their report" Finished Alstar with a smile as he ruffled up Rhuya's hair. "S.. Garlean camp about four malms north.. Sorry sir" "You ran eight malms?" Vossler asked shocked at the Miqo'te's achievement. "Yes?" Replied Rhuya calmly. Her confused response made everyone laugh "W.. What's wrong with that?" Questioned the confused archer. "Nothing.. Your doing Ze proud" Stated Alstar as he patted her head. "Luitfrid, what do you think? Should we go now and surprise them with a sudden counter-attack.." "Or?" "Or we could wait until nightfall, when the majority of them are sleeping" "Well both options have risks, the first has the issue that we don't know how organised they are.. For all we know they could be prepared for retaliation, could even be wanting us to counter their attack from before.. The second plan has the problem that surely the soldiers that attacked the camp are now resting and if we attack during the night most of them will be well rested, although we would have the cover of darkness on our side, and with Rhuya's lust for revenge her arrows are hitting their marks every time, I've counted eight of the nine arrows she has used punctured the target's heart, the last seemed to have been a binding arrow so that she could adjust her position to get a clean shot at the targets heart" "So your saying she's a heart breaker?" The two Hyurs chuckled amongst themselves at the joke. "But seriously sir, both options have pros and cons, but personally I would go with the night assault" "Then it is agreed.. We attack at nightfall" Alstar spoke loud enough that everyone in the squad could hear.
Aye, I know it's another short chapter but work has had me in for the past 12 days, so I've been rather tired when I get home. Well I hope that the quality makes up for the lack of quantity.
This chapter sees Alstar return to find his camp in ruins, and his lieutenant deathly wounded. After ending Fae's suffering he promised to avenge his dead. The group set off for what could possibly be their last fight. Are the Garleans expecting them? Or will their suprise attack work without a hitch?
I'll try to update again within a fortnight, hopefully I'll get some time off soon to do some solid writing instead of just a few lines before bed.
As always I wish that you have a perfect day!
Much Love
01L