(Your name's) P.O.V
"And where are you going?"
I turned my cheek, facing my old friend.
"To town Guts. What do you need?" I asked, saddling up my horse as he approached me, crossing his arms.
"What are you going to town for?"
"Just to get more supplies for myself."
"This early?"
"Yeah."
"When will you be back?"
I saddled upon my horse now, holding the reins gently as I looked once again to Guts.
God, why is he so interested in where I am going?
"I don't know Guts. Anything else you wanna know before I take off?"
I scoffed, a sly smile present on his face as he spoke.
"Yeah. Why are you such a dumb ass?"
A rhetorical question.
Of course.
"I don't know. I learned it from a bigger dumbass named Guts. If you don't know him now I'm sure you'll recognize him soon enough. He has a big ass ego, thinks he's the shit, and carries a sword bigger than him."
He started to laugh, smiling a lot as I did as well.
Teasing never gets old with him.
"Hehe~ Bye." I said as he quickly grabbed my arm to hault my movement with my horse.
"Hey hey-" he spoke. I looked to his chestnut colored eyes, staring deeply into them as he spoke sternly now. "Be careful. And come back quick. If you don't-"
"You'll go looking for me. Yeah, I know. I'll be back in like...two hours at most." I assured as he let go of my arm now, nodding.
I started to trod away on my horse.
"Be safe...idiot."
I looked back hearing his insult as he waved, my horse now picking up it's speed as I saw the camp now recede behind me.
Our camp...Griffith was right, our numbers are increasing probably by the day.
All the more important to do this job.
Turning my body to look back forward, I rode straight for the Midland Kingdom.
This...is my home.
Well,wasmy home.
I never as a child took into the great vastness of just how big this Kingdom really is.
I wonder...how things would have played out if I would have never left with my aunt Leigha...
God...I miss her.
For those few moments in my early life, her warm hand holding mine was the only comfort I ever received since my mother's probable death.
Not until Guts that is.
I remembered our shared nights at Inns, checking in to stay for a bit, getting warm, eating, talking about battles or our interests.
I was back then always reading some book, and he back then always had something to say about it.
He...now that I recall was around my age of course, back then in my eyes...he seemed like a full grown adult, wielding a greatsword.
The constant thought of how much time had really passed by between us irked me till no end. One minute, we were young, free; there was no time of day for us that we disliked and there stood no chance that me and him would ever separate.
But, now...now we're Captains of our own squads. We have soldiers' lives on our hands, their blood staining us. Every move we make is critical for Griffith's social standing, every war fought is now not just for survival, but rank, prestige.
Everything has changed...so quickly.
The more I thought as I rode, the more I felt more distracted than ever. The ride seemed less long and tiring the more I contemplated of my times with Guts.
Guts... no matter what, I couldn't bring it up to myself to ever truly disobey his wish, his command. It's not even that he's some big strong guy and he'll knock me down, it's... I suppose that same light Casca sees Griffith in. A superior light, one that leaves no room for disregard. It was since he saved me that faithful night, I felt I had been indebted to his life since then.
But...do I now still obey him more than I do Griffith?
My eyes enclosed on the Kingdom ahead of me, seeing the entrance to the castle as I rode forward.
I can't answer... no matter how much I think.
Getting off my horse now, I led him to the stables to lock him in the pin. Turning my attention to the small cabin, I walked there, going to the wooden door to knock three times.
"Ah, just a second~" The old man replied.
"Hey Sir, I'm one of the mercenaries from the Band of the Hawk that you met last time. I left a coin bag of money on the fence in the horse's pin where my horse is. I hope it's enough, but I have to go, my horse is in there. I'll be back in less than two hours." I spoke, not letting the man even get a chance to open the door as I walked off the porch.
I never wanted to give him a chance to reply because I knew he wouldn't have taken my money.
Going passed the entrance of the castle's gates, I walked the busy streets of the morning city. People hustling to church with their kids as others shopped at market stands outside.
I walked around, looking to the houses, old estates, new estates, mansion homes or farms nearby.
It took about thirty minutes to truly see what I wanted to see.
The rich homes that held the lords' family in.
In this city, the rich folk lived secluded away from civilization. Period. They live so far that the nearest market is more than ten miles down the road.
I spotted their individual homes on private hills away from the market areas where the poor houses are.
Hm.
Scouting out several houses in the next hour, I placed my hood over my head as I walked through the crowded street again.
Maneuvering passed the people, a man suddenly bumped into my chest hard. Stunned a bit, he looked to me angered.
"Hey shit head! Watch it!" He warned.
My eyes stared to his unsightly dark brown ones.
Hate.
That's all I see in his eyes.
I never said a word back to the man as I turned to leave, deciding that I didn't want to draw any attention.
"Oh? So you think you can just walk away without apologizin'? Tch, now you've done it." Grabbing my shoulder harsh, I quickly turned around as he pulled down my hood.
Grabbing his wrist, I bent it the way Griffith taught me as the man fell to the ground in pain, on his knees. I held his wrist at a painful angle as he screamed.
"Fucking shit!"
Grabbing my cloak, he ripped it down for it to fall to the floor, revealing my simple shirt that had cut shoulders, my pants with my daggers strapped to my thigh and plain boots.
"Let go! Please!" He begged, his eyes watering in pain as eyes started to look in my direction from everywhere
There were whispered now.
Shit.
I could disgrace Griffith's name if they find out who I am, all for this dumb idiot.
Letting go of the man's wrist, his arm dropped impulsively as I turned, running to the other direction away from that crowd.
(3rd Person) P.O.V
"Hey did you see that Steven?" A man spoke, looking to his partner for a reply from the scene they had just witnessed.
"Yeah. She's alive." Steven replied, lighting his cigar to take a few puffs.
His eyes focused on the girl's back as she ran. The only thing in his viewpoint was her plain dark birthmark, clad on her right shoulder blade.
"The King's daughter is alive. Antoinette's girl." He spoke, moreover to himself. "Leigha's niece."
His dark charcoal colored eyes stared to the girl manuevering around the town's people in the light of day.
"Follow her." Steven ordered to his subordinates next to him as they nodded, sprinting passed the crowd to pursue the female running away.
Steven walked, looking over the street as he exhaled another breath of smoke.
"Can't believe the rumors are true."
(Your name's) P.O.V
I had run away from the scene, only to be chased by two men.
What the hell?! Did this guy have buddies or something?! Can't they just leave me alone?! It's not like I started it!
I ran through the small alleys, going back to the crowd of townsfolk to run passed everyone once more.
Damn, I hope I don't get lost.
"'Scuse me, 'scuse me, 'scuse me." I repeated continuosly as I looked back seeing the two men getting stuck behind a passing merchant cart being pulled by an ox.
Taking this opportunity, I ran straight to the nearest building I could get to.
Opening those white doubled doors to shut them immediately as I panted, holding closed those doors.
"Hah~ hah~ hah~" I huffed as I heard a sudden resonating gasp fill my ears.
"The...the child...the sun and moon child. You... you have returned! Oh my Lord!"
I quickly looked back, seeing that priest from a couple days ago from when I was in town with Guts. His voice echoed the empty battered cathedral.
Ah, this was the man who was chanting about prophesies and almost got arrested.
Fuck...
I looked around the white wooden old building, pews in my suit as a podium stand stood at the other wall of the building.
This...is a fucking church...
"My child!" He repeated as he quickly approached me, drawing my attention again.
Wait...what did he just say?
Sun and...moon...child?
Ah no. Wait, did he see my birthmark?
Suddenly gripping my shoulders, the old man pulled me forth to a tight hug as I quickly stepped back, away from him with wide eyes.
"Look, you're mistaken. It's just a birthmark."
"No, no my child! Please, h-have a seat!" He stuttered as he quickly walked to grab a black book from the stand, his greyish robes dragging on the wooden floor as I stood by the door, unmoving.
"Look!" He flipped to a page, ushering the book to me to show me a symbol forcefully.
There were scriptures all around.
Royal family lineage stuff.
My eyes narrowed.
"This is just a picture of I guess a sun and a moon. But... my birthmark doesn't have rays like a sun. It just has like-"
"Look-" The old man said again, flipping another page to show me another image of his worship.
"Okay...that kinda looks like my birthmark without the rays...I-I suppose."
"Again." He spoke.
Another image. My eyes scanned the picture as he flipped to the last one.
My eyes widened.
This one...looks like my birthmark...
My mark consists of a crescent moon looking image over a circle.
The half moon and sun...
"See... you are the prophesy, my child. You're here to restore peace. Faith and destiny has brought you before me to show you to the right way. You are the rightful throned!" The man placed his hand to my shoulder as I stepped back on accord, shaken up a bit at the claims he was making to me.
"N-no. I'm not. I'm not no savior, no prophesy, nor...nor anything. It's just a damned birthmark, do you understand me?" Looking back, I sprinted to the doors.
"N-no wait!" The man called as I forcefully opened the double doors, running out the church to leave behind this mess of a religion.
What the flying fuck is up with everyone in this damned town?!
I sprinted to the exit of the Kingdom, running through the gates to run to my horse. I quickly opened the pin, getting him out to ride away fast.
"Hey! Miss!" The old man called as I didn't look back.
I...I needed to get the hell outta there.
Continuosly sprinting to the front of the Kingdom where my horse was, I practically jumped on my to try to race away from the castle.
Too many things to happen this morning.
Too many fucking things.
Currently laying in my tent after lunch, I yawned, looking to my satchel in the corner of my space. I was over thinking the morning's events a bit, staying quiet for most of the day around my underlings or friends like Judeau or Rickert. I avoided Guts too practically to avoid questioning.
I was relaxing on my futon, waiting for sundown as I bit my lip in thought.
Those man's words...
Were nothing but claims and mistakes.
I am nothing of the sort. Just some mercenary. And that's all I'd ever be.
They could never make me to be something I don't want to be anyways. It wasn't destiny, it wasn't faith, it wasn't foretold that I would come to that church and he would somehow notice my mark.
It's all just...coincidences.
Just a series of them.
Slowly closing my eyes, I relaxed my breathing enough to put me right to sleep in less than five minutes, the sound of the men talking outside to make background noise to fill my senses.
(3rd Person) P.O.V
"Good job on finding her." Steven noted to his two men aa they nodded. "Now, leave." He spoke to his followers as the men looked to eachother, nodding as they got on their horses to ride away.
Steven stayed a distance away from the camp, scouting out the area.
"Ah, so she's a mercenary for the...Band of the Hawk I suppose. What a fighter she's grown to be. Tch, little thing survived longer than I anticipated, that's for damn sure." Steven noted as he scouted out the base of the camp. The sun slowly went down behind him, birds flying over the horizon as he watched her tent.
Seeing (your name) emerge out, he noted the bow strapped to her back and arrow holsters to her shoulder. Resting on her right hip was her sword sheathed perfectly and a hood now over her head. She quietly walked to her horse, all the other mercenaries asleep in their private tents as she led her horse silently away from the camp and the others' eyes.
"Just...where is she going?" He studied her as she got on her horse now, galloping away into the closing night. She had on a dark grey cloak with a hood, her destination Steven seeing was the Midland Kingdom again.
"Why is she going back?" He questioned, getting on his horse.
He followed her slowly, keeping a wide distance between the two.
It wasn't until some long moments later where she rode into the Kingdom with her horse swiftly, riding passed the clothes market shops in the dark starless night.
Following her to a lord's estate, his eyes widened as he saw her get off her horse, tieing it to a discarded tree by a small wooded area.
"She's... no way." Steven spoke under his breath, watching the girl take out a small sharp dagger as she sprinted to the back of the estate's entrance.
Robbery. He concluded.
Stealing from a lord's estate?
But for what?
Well...can she pull it off is a better question.
He closed his dark eyes to think upon the situation.
No, no, she'll be captured, and then killed right on the spot.
Nothing he could do to save her.
Tch, who cares anyways. She's just some girl he met once in his past life. The life he left along time ago. The life where he used to care for others, but now, he won't make that same mistake again.
Not ever.
He only cares for himself, his daughter, his wife.
His eyes followed her to the back of the giant estate, seeing her go to the door to use her dagger to unlock it quietly, opening it and then looking around to then walk in.
"She's really going through with this." Steven whispered to himself in disbelief.
His eyes focused on that house for quite some time. Maybe even ten minutes had gone by without her coming out.
Finally, his ears perked up to the sound of foot steps as he quickly looked to see her coming out of the back door of the lord's mansion. She had a satchel on her shoulder, holding it close to her body with one hand as she sprinted across the dark fields.
His eyes followed her profusely. Seeing her run, she sprinted to her horse, untying the creature from the discarded tree away from the mansion.
Getting on his own again, he rode after her, going now through the Kingdom, and out the front. He kept her distance from her until she was a good distance away from the Kingdom.
He slapped the reins of the horse, making it go faster towards her as she looked back, hearing another horse's hooves.
"What the hell?!" She questioned, seeing the man pull up close to her as she pulled out her sword.
"Hey! I'm not your enemy girl!" Steven yelled, riding next to her now with a good enough distance between them. "I need to talk to you!" He yelled over the sound of the horse's hooves.
"I don't know you! Gimme a God damn reason why I shouldn't kill you!" She looked, still holding her sword tightly.
"It's Steven you twat!"
"Steven?..." She spoke to herself, trying to recall.
"Michael's friend! Leigha's husband's friend! I was protecting you once when you were a child!" He tried to trigger her memory as she suddenly stopped her horse.
"Michael...and Leigha." She reminisced upon that night as she slowly got off her horse. Steven stopped his, the older male jumping off to approach her as she did the same, dropping her sword to the ground. Her eyes seemed dazed, unfocused, thinking.
"I'm the guy who saved yo-"
(Your name) had punched Steven straight across his jaw, sending his head to turn in the other direction with such a force to make his teeth nearly knock out.
"Saved me?! You should've saved her! You should've saved them! You fucking bastard!" Her eyes watered as she approached him again with blind rage, swinging her fist left and right to try and knock him.
"Hey! Calm down!"
"Fuck you!" She yelled, swinging her hardened fist to his abdomen as he groaned.
"Aghh... Fuck-" he held his stomach in pain as she then kicked his forehead, sending him down on his back. Her (h/c) strands of her hair over her fiery eyes.
"You motherfucker. How dare you show yourself to me after all these years." (Your name) walking to her discarded sword now picked it up by the hilt to aim it to Steven, walking to the slightly prickle bearded man.
"Look, don't fucking kill me (your name). I came to you for help and seeing the way you fight really makes me want your assistance even more." He exhaled, silently speaking, "I know of your family. Your true family. And I know of your mark."
"What?" (Your name) aimed her sword to his throat as he sat up against his hand, putting the other up to shield him.
"Leigha informed Michael before they died on why she was so contented on getting you. You were her sisters daughter, and the King's daughter. I was with Michael, travelling to meet her and you until we were ambushed by the Midland's Knights. I was badly wounded while they...they were dead. In a last stance, I killed them, making myself back to you hiding in that shed. Look girl, you're the fucking illigitimate daughter of that King! Do you know how much power you have just showing people that mark?! They fucking prophesized you! You're basically the next in line!"
"I am fucking not! I'm a Captain for the Band of the Hawk! I am no prophesized leader of any fucking thing! Nor will I ever be! Now give me a damn reason why I shouldn't slit your throat right here and now! You fucking left me for nothing with-with strangers! All for money!"
"(Your name), don't you understand?! I didn't want a damn thing to do with you! Of course I left you, my best friend and his wife died because of you! Because we had to go back to get you!"
(Your name's) eyes widened, her face looking stunned as she contemplated her aunt's few moments left in her life.
"It...was my fault." Her voice cracked suddenly, her eyes looking up to the older males. "But you were there to fight. I was only five. Tell me why you survived and not them."
"I survived because I didn't run infront of an arrow to shield Leigha. Michael did. And even after he did so, they still got her. I survived by doing the only thing you have been doing your own fucking life. Swinging a damn sword."
(Your name) slowly lowered her sword, letting Steven stand as she stared absentmindedly to a tree.
"Why...did you come back to Midland. Weren't they after you?"
"The Knights that saw my face I killed. I wasn't going to leave my wife and kids. They live here."
"Then why go with Michael knowing the Midland Knights were just going to be after you?"
"Because..." Steven touched his sore jaw from her punch earlier. "I owed him my life. And during that time my daughter wasn't born...it was my last way of repaying my friend. Defending the thing he wanted to protect. You. But-" he clenched his fist, his eyes staring to the now grown women before him as he spat out blood.
"-I couldn't bring it to myself to keep you with me. Everyday, seeing your face reminded me of the friend I lost. I couldn't bare it. Not at all."
(Your name) swallowed whatever contents were in her mouth, feeling a sense of guilt rush over her as Steven spoke again, his raspy voice entering her senses.
"I came to you only because I felt you were the only one I could call for help to."
"Call for help? From what?"
"The rulings of the damned poor Kingdom. The King is a horrible ruler, a tyrant and idiot. His own army can't even defend us, that's why they hire the Band of the Hawk, to defend us for them. We're constantly in wars, in need of help, resources, weaponry. It's getting so bad that they're raising the taxes upon us every damn chance they get. They even started demanding our sons to serve in the army for them."
Her brows furrowed upon the news.
"Well...what the hell do you expect me to do? Go up to the King and say, 'hey remember me? I'm your first born from eighteen years ago. I'm ready to take the throne. So gimme~'"
"Tch hardly. Everyone from the moment you were first born knew of you. They knew you were his, but never did they say anything for probable fear of getting executed. The more you grew the more certain they became that you were his. You have the royal mark. Only the royal family has possessed that. And not even just royal blood, only blood that was surely meant to rule. They have a practical damn religion of this shit. Something like the sun or...-"
"Sun and moon child." She spoke remembering the old man's words.
"Heh...yeah. That shit." Steven's eyes averted to the girl's satchel on her waist. "What, you robbing lord's houses now?"
"Hey, keep your damn mouth shut. That's my business."
Steven's eyes averted down in thought as (your name) sheathed back her sword safely.
"How about I give you a reason to help me. I can help you do whatever job you need to do. No judge."
"I don't need your help."
"Well I sure as hell need yours. Look, I can provide intel on your victims. I know already that you're not killin' them. You're just in it for the moment, right?"
(Your name) nodded, walking to her horse as Steven did the same. She then rode up to him slowly.
"I can be of use to you. Just tomorrow morning, come to that church you were at yesterday. I'll meet you there and from then on, we can discuss the plan. In return, I just atleast need you to hear me out of my plan."
(Your name) stared to the older man in thought.
It took a moment, but she held out her hand for Steven to shake.
"Deal then."
"Okay, meet me at that church at eleven. I'll see you then." Steven said, turning his horse around.
(Your name) stared to him in thought, nodding once before riding away back to camp in thought.
(Your name's) P.O.V
I...still can't fucking believe he found me.
How long was he following me before he even made himself known?
Damn it. Now I'm in this mess
But, I suppose...learning of the Midland's Kingdom current situation idn't bad. I could always report it to Griffith to expose this knowledge to his good use.
Riding away, I was less than a few minutes away from the glowing fires of the camp.
My thoughts turned back to think about Steven once more. He looked to be in his early fourties or late thirties. I think it was the slight beard to make him appear that way.
His eyes, even back then still hasn't changed. His eyes always seemed to he judging your every move, watching as close as he could to find any faults in you. He never changed.
I must admit, seeing him again wasn't apart of my plan on being here, nor was it to agree to his proposition.
My mind continuosly wonders how this man came to be after all these years. Steven, once he saved me let me go. He, just like probably any other may have felt that I wasn't their responsibility.
But still, I resent him for letting me live with complete strangers for practically my whole life.
How was I able to forgive him?
Is it that remorse I feel for Leigha and Michael's death that I feel I need to atleast hear this guy's cry for help? He went through this all because of me...
He was right.
Leigha would have never came for me if she wasn't notified of my birth by my mother.
My heart ached a bit at the rememberance of it all.
Arriving at the camp, I had already put up my horse as I made my way to my tent to hide the stash of gold coin bags in my satchel.
The robbery was a success, I knew exactly where their safe was. Not that it wasn't easy, it was hard to break in and come out silently. I'm sure Steven was probably watching me do it the whole time too.
Damn, I need to be careful next time.
My tent flap opened suddenly. I looked back to see Guts in my tent, standing there with his arms crossed.
"It was more than two hours. Where were you?"
I looked away from his eyes, trying to formulate a lie quickly in head.
"I was...taking long walks. Thinking."
"And what supplies did you get?"
Fuck.
"Uhm, the markets weren't open. So that's why I decided to walk in the first place."
Guts eyed me, staring me down as I bent down to light my lantern.
Looking back I saw him still staring to me thinking as I got annoyed.
"What Guts? Do you need something more?"
"Tch, I'm trying to figure out why'd you still think you can lie to me and make me think I'd believe it."
I groaned, taking off my belt of weaponry to place on the ground.
"Look, I'm tired. Now if you want, considering how cold it gets at night. You can stay in here or you can leave. I'm fine with either." I now layed down on my futon, going under my covers as I closed my eyes, ignoring Guts' presence in my tent.
A moment of silence passed until I snapped my eyes open upon the feel of being lifted.
"H-hey-"
"I'm going to my tent with you. Mine is bigger."
He carried me bridal style as I still had my cover wrapped around me thinly. The chilly air touching my skin as I balled up into my covers. Guts arrived to his tent, laying me on his futon as he took off his holster for his own sword now.
I opened my eyes, seeing him come closer to finally lay down.
Once his back was to the futon, I turned, laying close to his arm as he looked up to the ceiling. I balled in the sheets against his warmth. No words to be said, only the sound of crickets or the small nocturnal animals to fill our senses.
Slowly his calm breathing rocked me to sleep, my heavy eyes closing and muscles relaxing finally after yet another long day.
Guts' P.O.V
I layed there in my basic bed, asleep with the girl I've been thinking about all day.
We have an upcoming battle in a few days, and just like the last, my thoughts every day bedore it is consumed by her.
Why do I always do this?
I get so worried, as if she can't handle herself.
All these of living and surviving together should have internally proved that she is capable of surviving. But no, my mind won't ease up.
And the idea of her being gone this late at night does nothing to ease the oncoming headaches as well.
Just what was she doing that she had to lie to me about?
Is it something dangerous? I mean, she had on weaponry before she left so...
But we're always prepared with weaponry. I'm forgetting we're mercenaries. We must always be armed.
I turned my head slightly to see her bunched up under the covers and against my arm. Her breathing was steady as I lifted that said arm to place on her back, letting her rest on my torso instead.
I just hope, whatever she is doing isn't harmful.
That's all I ask.