Lethe, Mordecai, Lyre, Ranulf, and Muarim were glancing at the enemy formation. "Those Begnion fools, strutting along as though they have nothing to worry about, I will show them the might of us laguz!" Lethe snarled.
"It might not be a good idea to go hunting them down as of yet. Who knows what weapons they may have?" Muarim spoke.
"Lethe, you are being too eager. Killing should not be a pleasure. It is too terrible." Mordecai sighed.
"Mordecai, I do not mean to hurt you, but you are not meant for battle. You are a kind Laguz. These beorc we are fighting do not understand that. They will not hesitate to kill you. That is why my sister and I do not mind killing all of them. We'd rather protect our friends and loved ones than keep them alive. People like them, who show no desire to lessen the bloodshed, have no right to live if they wish to prolong this war." Lyre hissed.
Ranulf looked at all of them, and smirked. "Well, Muarim, let's just leave them and their bickering. I mean, don't you feel sick of Lethe's constant growling? Seriously, girl, get a hold of yourself!"
Muarim glanced at Lethe, and muttered: "Lyre, forgive me, but Ranulf is right about your sister."
Lyre smirked and replied softly: "I know he is, but don't let her hear anything."
Lethe glared at all of them. "Fools... Mere fools..." She scampered off.
"There she goes. Looks like Soren's the only one willing to put up with her."
"You know, Ranulf, sometimes you go overboard."
"Really, now, Lyre? I thought you used to like it when I'd speak up for you."
Lyre smirked. "Well, that was then. Now, I don't feel beaten anymore. Anyways, don't you think my sister is also right? Those Begnion troops seem to disregard our very existence. Look how cocky they are! They aren't even setting up ballistas or anything."
Ranulf sighed: "Still, she's so annoying. Can't she at least try to lighten up for once? I mean, Soren did it, and he..."
"You seem to know a lot about Soren." Lyre muttered.
"Well, kind of. We fought together in the Great War. Back then, he was a lot more tense and untactful. It was kinda difficult to get along with him, yet Ike managed it. So did Stefan, but Stefan was always crazy." Ranulf sighed.
"It worries me to think that Stefan is still out there... But I doubt he could really hurt any of us. I mean, he did tell Mordecai that he hated his own nation. I would bet money that he's not helping the Begnion army right now." Lyre glanced at Ranulf.
"Well, anyways, you seem a lot more curious about Soren." Ranulf observed.
"Of course. Of all the years I have been with my sister, I have never seen any other male able to have any effect on her, yet, Soren alone has proven to be quite an influence on Lethe. I'm curious as to how he did it." Lyre purred.
"I'm hurt! Wasn't it me who bought her that green ribbon?"
"Well, yeah, but you haven't seen her change much because of you, has she? You might be a close family friend, but other than that, she doesn't seem willing to consider your objections about her behavior. But his Soren fellow suddenly comes in and changes her... How did he do it?"
"Well, Lyre, I guess that is one of life's greatest unsolved mysteries..." Ranulf chuckled.
Lyre nodded, but spotted something in the corner of her eye: "Hey, you two, why are you guys leaving? Stay and chat with us!"
Muarim and Mordecai exchanged glances: "Well, we figured that the two of you might want some time alone." Muarim replied.
"Wait! We're not..." Lyre was cut off by Mordecai.
"It would not be right for us to stay. Besides, it's about time that Ranulf and you were... Alone together. We will not bother you." Mordecai spoke. The two quickly scurried away.
"Gah! Those two, making such assumptions... No wonder why Lethe always seems so irritated."
"It's funny, Lyre. You are sometimes more mature then Lethe, yet you don't complain about her comments as much as I do... As long as they aren't directed at you." Ranulf purred.
"Well, she and I are quite similar, really. We both detest so many idiots out there, and neither of us are willing to take other people's manure. We are both so headstrong and determined. Some may call it obdurate, but I call it resolute. Besides, we're siblings. Of course we are similar. Should we be anything else?" Lyre glanced at Ranulf.
"You know, both of you kind of humor me. I've known you two for how long now? Fourteen years? I was barely a kitten when I first met Lethe. To tell the truth, you two have always inspired me to think about practically everything. Both of you seem so well-versed in your studies, and share such passion for Gallia. I mean, I might be patriotic and all, but I'm not nearly as willing to stand up and howl the pack into a frenzy, but the two of you seem just perfect here. It's as though this is your niche or something." Ranulf purred.
"Don't give me that! You always told me that you thought I wasn't ready for battle, not like Lethe. That's why she scolded me for joining the army. I'm much more comfortable back at home, caring for everyone and helping out with chores. I might be strong compared to most females, but I'm just not built for war as well as Lethe. But that won't stop me from killing these Begnion fools and saving Gallia!" Lyre growled.
"Yeah, well. I think we ought to give Muarim a proper look around Gallia. We should let him see what kind of place his kind lives in." Ranulf spoke.
Lyre had a mischievous look on her face. "Not only that! Maybe I could set him up with Kyarah."
"Kyarah? Are you kidding me? Kyarah would annoy him to death!" Ranulf laughed.
"I'm serious! They are both tigers, and I think they're perfect for one another. Muarim always looks so sad... Even worse than Mordecai at times. Maybe if he had a mate, he'd feel better." Lyre sighed.
"You and Lethe both seem to fret over Muarim. Don't worry about him. The big cat can take care of himself." Ranulf replied.
At that moment, Relane appeared and ran over to the pair.
"Relane! It's been so long!" Lyre greeted her.
"Indeed it has." Relane smiled.
"Relane, I never knew that you and Zihark actually were a couple... Once upon a time..."
"Well, Ranulf, I really did not want anyone to know. I did not know how you would react. Yet, all of you have been so supportive! Especially Lethe! And I used to think that Lethe hated Beorc. She has changed."
"Well, I think she changed BECAUSE of Ike and Soren."
"Ike? Soren? I barely know those two. Could you inform me about them?"
"Well, Relane, Ike is the leader of this Crimean army. Soren is
their main advisor. During the Great War, Ike was quite a polite
fellow. He showed no sign of animosity toward laguz
whatsoever. Soren, on the other hand... Has always been
moody. He once called Mordecai a 'sub-human.'"
"What?!" Relane glanced at Ranulf in shock. "But... But why? Why Mordecai?"
"Upsetting, I know, but regardless, Lethe saw how Ike and all of his comrades, including Soren, began to change their views about Laguz. I think Lethe was touched by Ike's conviction, which is why she invited him to Gallia."
"Wow. Lethe invites this Ike fellow to Gallia? He must have won her respect indeed." Relane nodded.
"As for Soren, well, Soren has shown a remarkable change in personality. First, he has shown himself to be much more tactful, caring, respectful, and tolerant, all in only four years. Furthermore, he and Lethe have, well, become involved... Zihark knows about them, and he's devoted himself to helping them."
"This Soren fellow is Lethe's chosen?"
"Yes."
"Interesting..."
"Furthermore, he is a Branded."
"Really? Then Lethe truly has changed..."
"Well, Relane, you can't expect people to stay the same forever. I anticipated that Soren would be the same, but I was dead wrong. It's inevitable that Lethe would change as well." Ranulf replied.
"True... Perhaps I should speak to Soren."
"I wouldn't advise it, not when he's studying, or mad..." Lyre replied.
"Regardless, he is Lethe's chosen! Surely, he must be a good person. I know Lethe. She is quite intelligent. She would not choose a mere handsome brute or a rich and cunning snob. Of all the males of Tellius, Beorc, Laguz, and Branded alike, she chose Soren. That fact proves that Soren must have great good in his character. I would trust Lethe's judgement with my life. I am certain that she has not betrayed my trust in choosing Soren." With that, Relane bounded off.
"Wait, Relane! Darn it! Soren 'll get annoyed at her and make her cry or something... Oh, Ranulf, what are we to do?" Lyre sighed.
Relane ran as fast as she could for Soren's tent. She saw the
tent flap open, and Lethe emerged. Lethe saw Relane, and her eyes
nearly bulged out of her sockets. Lethe gestured to Relane to be
quiet, and the two of them scurried into a meadow some distance
away. There, several yards from Soren's tent, they could talk
without him hearing.
"Soren may have good ears, but he can't hear us here. Relane, why have you come?"
"What do you mean, Lethe? I want to speak to Soren."
"Hah, I'm sorry, Relane, but Soren isn't like Zihark. He's a little... Difficult to deal with at times. You... You're so different from me. You are kind, considerate, loving, and passionate about people. I'm not saying that Soren's never like that but, it's just that, knowing how you are, you two might not be able to get along. " Lethe told Relane.
"Lyre said the same..."
"Then listen to her! She's not always wrong, you know."
"I think, as Soren's chosen, you are not giving him much of a chance..."
"No, Soren is the way he is. You are how you are. I am your dear old friend. I have no intention of having your feelings hurt by him."
"Lethe, I am not weak."
"No, but your threshold for insults is not sufficient to deal with Soren."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's put it this way: if everyone you knew in the past treated you as though you were nothing, as though seeing you was a curse that blinded their eyes for eternity, how would you feel? How would you deal with the world? From an early age, Soren, being a Branded, was despised and left to die by many of our laguz siblings in Gallia. Later, when he gained some strength and went to Crimea with Greil, Ike's father, he was still feared by a large amount of people who could tell what a Branded looks like. Soren's life has been rough, Relane, but he is not like you. He is not optimistic by any means. He is quite cynical and reserved at times. You are quite the opposite.
"I have seen firsthand how Soren has dealt with optimists who prove to have conflicting views to his own. He has shown them cruelty, the same kind of cruelty that others readily threw at him. But who can blame him? Only a handful of people outside of the Greil Mercenaries and the warriors of the Great War have shown him kindness. When Soren snaps at you, it is not intended to be an insult to your worth as a living thing. Rather, he cares enough about you to inform you of your error, even if his expression is quite untactful. When he sees that people whom he cares about are extreme optimists, he fears that they will get themselves hurt, or killed quite easily, so he wants to inform them of their error. Of course, his attempt is 'rewarded' with cruelty, since the person he tried to convince interprets his goodwill as malevolence.
"You, Relane, are not like Soren. You are kind and friendly to all people, but knowing Soren, he doubts people's kindness. For too long he has seen cruelty, and he still believes that those who are kind are actually trying to use him for their own devices. Only when they prove to have no ill intent does he trust them. Though he may not think the same for you, I still worry that you have not seen one who has suffered like him. I've seen how you are when people make fun of you. You can hardly handle it. Soren's harsh phrasing may easily make you feel insulted, and I fear that you two would not get along. You would not know how to deal with him, so I'd advise you to keep your distance."
"Lethe, if you would think of an old friend like this, then I'd better leave."
"What? Are you mad at me for trying to help you?"
"No, and yes. I understand that you wish to keep me from harm, but I can care for myself. I am no kitten. You need not worry about me. Zihark has told me of the vision the three of you plan to uphold, a vision that I am quite eager to support. Why do you insist on stopping me from speaking to Soren? Zihark has told me about Soren, that he is quite a smart fellow, though he is quite stern. I know you, Lethe. You tend to assume the worst about people, yet Soren is your chosen. I know that he must have many virtues in order to earn that right. I am not afraid. Besides, I am doing this for your own good. You might need plenty of people to observe Soren to see if he truly is worthy... Let me go see him."
Relane scuttled over to Soren's tent. There, the sage was still studying Calill's Thoron tome. Relane tapped her foot on the floor.
"Hmn? And you are?" Soren glanced up.
"Pardon me for not introducing myself earlier. I am Relane, a corporal in Lyre's unit."
"Relane... Are you engaged with our Colonel Zihark?"
Relane blushed slightly. "Yes..."
"Very well. Why are you here?"
"I need to speak to you about Lethe."
"Lethe? What is wrong? Is she well?"
"Yes, but..."
"Well, I'm busy, so could you make it quick?"
"Soren! I am no threat to you! Zihark, Lyre, and Lethe have told me everything! Open your eyes. Try to see this world for what it is: a world of both evil and good. If you blind yourself from seeing the good in the world, you will never know how many comrades are waiting in unfamiliar areas. You were hurt, Soren. You were despised and abandoned by many who knew you, or assumed to know you. But what about the people you have met in the last five years? Would you have won Lethe had you remained so stubborn? Would you have found friends like Rhys, Lyre, Zihark, Muarim, Ranulf, Calill, and, perhaps, Stefan had you retained your hatred for the world? It's time to move on, Soren! How can you help the Branded if you yourself do not get over your own pain? How can you make anything better if you refuse to allow people to understand you, to sympathize with you, and to be willing to stand beside you? Open your heart. Open your mind. Fix your ego. You are a man. Lethe, who used to make torturing suitors and potential mates a sport, chose you to be her mate. You are a wise man. Whole armies depend on your mind alone to keep them alive and victorious. You are a good man. Entire nations become benevolent and glorious when you are the main advisor for their thrones. Look at how far you've come, little branded! From that hurt child in Gallia to the great scholar of today. Lift your head up high, Soren. Show the world who you are: Soren, Prime Minister of Crimea, Chief Advisor for both the Crimean Royal Guard and the Daein Liberation Front, Laguz Friend, and an irreplaceable comrade to all who know him well." Relane practically shouted at him.
Soren looked at her, too shocked to move. Relane's eyes seemed so maternal, it shocked him. "So this is Zihark's mate, and Lethe's dear friend. I see why." Soren thought. Zihark had always acted as though Relane was lovable and kind but emotionally weak. But he seemed to be too paranoid. Relane was just as resolute and passionate as Lethe or Lyre. He continued to gaze into her eyes. Little did both of them know, Lethe, Lyre, Ranulf, and even Zihark had overheard them.
"Wow... Relane... She's grown so much stronger. Enough to scold Soren." Zihark chuckled softly.
"Yes... It's amazing. Relane, too, has grown." Lethe glanced at the tent.
"... Well, I guess even I underestimated her. I'm her commanding officer, too!" Lyre spoke.
"Well, should we bother them?" Ranulf asked.
"I would be glad to." Lethe purred as she approached the pair.
Soren was still stunned, and Relane could only stare at him as Lethe herself entered the tent. Before either could speak, Lethe purred: "I heard everything."
"Lethe... And you were worried that I couldn't speak to him!" Relane beamed.
"Well, I personally can't blame her. After all, the last thing I'd like to see is you unhappy." Zihark smiled as he, too stepped into the tent.
"Let's take this outside. I have plenty of things here that
cannot afford to be messy." Soren spoke as he approached the
tent's entrance.
"So, Lethe, Soren, you know of what happened to Zihark and I.
Soren, I understand that you suffered dearly as a child. I do not
want that to happen for mine. The four of us will have to come up
with a plan, to allow the branded to have some dignity in this new
world. If we were to find the branded that Stefan lives with in
the desert, than perhaps we can work with them to try to help people to
become more tolerant." Relane spoke.
"But, with Stefan missing, and Bastian missing with him, I'm worried that something must have happened to the Branded. Stefan wouldn't allow Bastian to follow him if he wasn't planning to use Crimea's government to help him with some scheme. It must be something serious." Lyre spoke.
"Whatever it is, we'll have to worry about it later. Now, we have a battle to win." Ranulf spoke as he saw the Crimean Royal Guard flag begin to emerge from the gate.
"They're beginning the fight already? Quick, everyone! Let's go see what Ike wants us to do." Soren said.
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