And I'm back with the next chapter of this story!
I first want to say thank you to everyone for bearing with me and waiting patiently as I wrote this out.
Next I would like to apologize for making all of you wait another week, on top of what I already said. The day after I released the previous chapter, I learned some unfortunate news that left me gloomy for the rest of that week.
Thank you so much for the review, GrimmSoul1! I'll take a gander and say that you're a Marianne fan as well. As for the language barrier: It's just something that I wanted to give a whirl, and it made sense to me since I want James to feel alienated right now.
I seem to find that most of these self-inserts have the language of Fódlan be exactly the same as English, and while it's perfectly fine for people to do that, I wanted to have fun with going around a language barrier.
A special thank you to AmanoRyo for reviewing as well, though I was a tad confused by your review. If you mean to say that literally, then you're mistaken, though I can't defend much on a figurative interpretation of Marianne having a pet dog. Hopefully this chapter helps clear the air on what the relationship between her and James is like.
For those who aren't too familiar with the calendar in Three Houses, it goes as follows:
Great Tree Moon-April
Harpstring Moon-May
Garland Moon-June
Blue Sea Moon-July
Verdant Rain Moon-August
Horsebow Moon-September
Wyvern Moon-October
Red Wolf Moon-November
Ethereal Moon-December
Guardian Moon-January
Pegasus Moon-February
Lone Moon-March
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Speech in Adrestian
Thoughts (or speech in English)
Non-human speech
Non-human thoughts
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16th day of the Lone Moon, Imperial Year 1179
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It's been six months since the time I wandered my way out of Maurice's forest, and came to be under the hospitality of Dantes Edmund.
I wake up and groan as the first light of dawn makes its way into my room. My eyes, despite being accustomed to light again, aren't the most appreciative of it as their sensitivity to light is still high. I'm grateful that that very same sensitivity to light allows me to have my sharp night vision, since I've never really liked not being able to see, but it only makes me less fond of light than I was back on Earth. And don't even get me started on what it's like going from the dimly lit manor, to the bright outdoors.
I sit up, and stretch-feeling relieved as my neck and back audibly pop.
Putting my clothes on, I give myself a look in the small mirror sitting on the nightstand next to my bed. My body has filled out, and I don't look anything like the bag of bones I arrived as. I've had to change the way I dress in order to fit in better, but it isn't too different from what I'm used to-a navy, long-sleeved tee-shirt that I keep tucked in my brown, loose pants, a black vest that I would get rid of were it not for maintaining professionalism, black boots, and my brown scarf. Additionally, my belt was replaced with a new one, where I still keep my borrowed dagger and camera looped.
My hair, which I've cut to shoulder-length, is brushed in a side-part to ensure that my ears stay covered. I'm not sure if there's anything like elves or dwarves in this world, but I'd rather not get anymore strange looks than I already do for my tanned skin.
Content with the state of my appearance, I walk out of my room and brush my teeth before heading out the manor.
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The walk to the beach where I passed out is only a fifteen-ish minute walk from Edmund Manor.
Being so early, and so close to the shore, the quiet town is still enveloped by a thick blanket of fog that brings a chill to my skin. The only sounds that I can hear at this time are the chirping of the birds, the soft thud of my boots as they come into contact with the gravel-paved road, and the rustling of the trees as the breeze blows through them.
It's a completely serene moment, but I still feel as if there are things missing, despite already having been away from Earth for over a year. I still feel that something isn't right with the lack of humming motors, the screeching of trains, and the thundering of planes passing above me. I was never too fond of those sounds, but I was used to always hearing them in the background.
I pass the trade port, and the road turns into dirt. Not too long after that, it slowly transitions to sand and I've reached the beach.
I sit down on a piece of driftwood that I moved away from the surf a few days ago and my mind drifts off to my life here over the last six months.
After I met Marianne, she taught me how to speak, read, and write Adrestian, the language of Fódlan. Thankfully, while I still had to learn a new language, the people of Fódlan use the exact same letters and numbers as I was used to back home, which made things easier on Marianne and me. Of course, that still didn't really help us too much back then.
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Flashback
One day after I met Marianne
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For whatever the reason, Dantes felt the need to completely usher me towards the upstairs lounge this evening.
Much like most of the manor-I'm not sure what else to call it since it's too big for a house and too small for a mansion-this room is rather luxurious, though not overwhelmingly so. It has a small table, some ornate chairs, and pieces of decoration hung up on the walls, in addition to mounted candle holders.
I would have continued to take in the details of the room, were it not for the mumbled "Um," that reached my ears.
I turn around and find the girl from yesterday behind me, a nervous look on her face, and a small book and some papers in her arms.
"Good evening, Miss Marianne." I tell her as I bow down.
She quietly returns my greeting in her language and bows her head down in place of the curtsy. I'm rather perplexed as to why she still won't look me in the eyes, but I guess it's just how she is around strangers.
She tells me something while moving towards the table, then places her things down there. Not knowing what she told me, I just continue to look at her like an idiot and hope she'll make tell me again in a way I can understand. Thankfully, she gestures towards one of the other chairs at the table and I get her point.
Taking my own seat, I wonder why she asked me to sit with her. She doesn't seem like the social type, but rather the kind of person that would feel more comfortable alone.
Marianne opens the book to reveal that it's a blank notebook, and writes something down before sliding it to me. Taking a look at what she's written, I read it aloud before she tells me what it is: "A"
Her eyes widen a bit, and she raises her face to look at me for the first time. I don't know whether I should feel proud of myself for having surprised her, or insulted that that was enough to surprise her. I've decided on letting pride win since she probably also wasn't expecting for me to recognize what she wrote. If the rest of the alphabet here is like mine, then I'm only going to surprise her even more with this next bit. I can't wait to see the look on her face!
I grab the quill that Marianne used, and continue where she left off, writing both the upper and lower case versions of each letter. When I finish writing, I slide the notebook back to Marianne and she looks it over.
I take a great deal of satisfaction as I watch her brow slightly furrow, before she looks up at me again in curiosity. I send a smug grin back to her as my response.
Looking back on things, that was the only easy victory that I had the entirety of that night, because once Marianne got over her shock we went all-in. I learned how to say "good morning," "good afternoon," "goodnight," "please," and "thank you" after struggling to learn how to imitate the sounds.
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End Flashback
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I'm fluent in English, Spanish, and took French through three years of high school, but none of them could help me make sense of Adrestian at the time. I was, and still am, learning a whole new array of words that sounded like nothing I could already speak. And the way words are spelled is really strange too. They may be spelled as they sound, which does make it easier, but I still sometimes need to ask Marianne how to spell a new word when I come across one.
As opposed to what I had thought, Marianne's social awkwardness isn't just in regards to strangers, but everyone. It sometimes made our lessons frustrating, especially when I started to gain a better understanding of what she said. She's a good teacher, but her self-esteem issues-for whatever reason she has them-get in the way of that.
I've tried to ask Dantes about it, but he told me that it was connected to how she came to be under his care. He also told me that it was unrelated to my job, but I don't particularly agree with that.
On that note, it's about time I start heading back to the manor.
When I could understand enough Adrestian, Dantes summoned me to give me the only job he wanted from me in return for living in his home: To act as his adoptive daughter's retainer. Having been grateful to the both of them for all they've done for me, I promised to do it until I could get home.
I know that I can get home. My abductors were able to find a way to get there from here, so I can too. I just need to find a way.
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I return the greeting that a man gave me as I head back to the manor.
Contrary to the culture back in San Francisco, people here are more connected to each other. It's probably on account of the far smaller population of this town, but it's nice to have that feeling of community-even if my place in it is nonexistent for the most part.
Here, I'm the stranger that showed up out of nowhere. I didn't come in through the gates, nor was I a trader. I was an obvious foreigner who had been taken directly to The Margrave's home on his horse, unconscious. My dagger didn't help with first impressions at all, either.
I've heard a few interesting rumors from time to time-like being an invading Almyran who fell overboard, or an assassin who was sent to kill Dantes, but failed.
Still, I've gotten the people to warm up to me a bit. Instead of the scathing, accusing looks I used to receive, I'm now only getting wary side-glances. There are even some people who became cordial after a while and treat me well-like the old man just now.
I just hope that the rest of the country isn't so cold to foreigners.
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When I return to the manor, everyone else is awake and going about their days-Dantes is preparing to go out on his morning fishing trip, Marianne is eating breakfast, and the staff are all busy with their work.
"Good morning, James. Do tell me: how is the water today?"
"Good morning, Margrave Edmund. The ocean is fair today-I think you can bring back some fish. What time is it?"
"It's a quarter past eight last I checked."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Think nothing of it."
Another beautiful stroke of luck, is that time is measured the same way here. The calendar is set up a bit differently, with the year starting in what would be April back home, but the progression of the months, and the amount of days they have, hasn't changed at all.
I am kind of bummed about April being the start of the year, though. Having been born in January, I used to be the oldest of my peers and friends. Now, I'm one of the youngest people among my age group. Oh well, at least it sounds cool to be able to say that I was born under the Guardian Moon.
Dantes snaps me out of my thinking. "Ah yes, that's right. I have something that I need to share with you and my daughter at a later time today, so do be sure to inform her of this."
"Of course, Sir." And with a set of farewells before he leaves, Dantes goes out the door.
As for me; I'll go get some breakfast, then look for something to do.
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I'm so bored. There's nothing to do around here in my free time but go over my studies, read children's books, and try to build up my sketching. The staff are all too busy with work, Dantes went out, Marianne is immovable in her desire to avoid interactions outside of tutoring me, and I can't leave the manor if Marianne doesn't. Although that can't stop me from going to the garden, so I'll tend to my flowers.
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The garden is a place of tranquility and beauty to anyone who visits it. It's located in the area behind the manor, and though small by the standards of its residents, it's bigger than any other I'd seen.
Walking out, the first thing I'm greeted to is the scent of the aromatic flowers that hang above the doorway. Following that, is the paved walkway that leads to the dining area used on fair days and festive occasions. Facing opposite of the dining area, on the other side of the walkway, is the garden proper.
At the heart of it lies the fountain, spraying a stream of water into the air, and surrounding it in rings, are the different flower arrangements. Going from the center out, the flowers get progressively bigger, though the largest of them only reach a meter and a half.
My flowers are located on the very edges of the manors garden space, far from the normal areas people would look to go.
When I had made the request to Dantes for a space to garden, he was rather surprised by where I wanted to have it, but gave me permission regardless. I didn't want my space to be right in the middle of everything, but to be something along the lines of my own piece of heaven.
My garden is a small patch of sixteen irises that I set up in rows of four based on color-those colors being violet, crimson, white, and black. I planted them a couple of months ago, and the first bloom came earlier this week. As such, I've made it a point to come out and see them a few times each day.
Though today it seems I'm not alone in visiting my flowers.
"Good morning, Miss Edmund. I hope it's not a bother if I join you, is it?" I greet and ask her as I approach.
The small smile she had vanished in a flash. Her eyes widened as she saw me before she turned her gaze to the ground.
"Um, good morning, James. It isn't, I was just going to leave now actually."
That's a lie. She looked quite comfortable sitting there until now. Then again, I suppose I'm the problem.
"No, you stay Miss Edmund. I can tell that my being here discomforts you, so I'll leave. Besides, you look quite happy right now, and I can't say I've seen you smile very often in all my time here."
"No, I don't want to be a bother to you."
"And you won't be. So how about this instead: You stay here as I look over the flowers, and then once I'm done, I'll leave. I won't talk to you either as I do it. Is that okay with you?"
Marianne adopts a pensive expression for a few moments before she gives me her response to my proposal. "If you're sure that I won't be in the way, then, um, okay. I apologize, I'm not very good at talking with people."
"You have no need to apologize to me for that, so don't worry about it."
With that said, I start my work. Looking over each plant for signs of bugs or diseases, I talk to them in English much the same way one would a pet. I praise them for their growth, express my happiness towards their health, and ask them if they need anything from me. It's an odd quirk that I developed growing up, but I wouldn't change it, even if it can be embarrassing in front of others.
True to my word, now that I'm done with my garden, I'll leave. And now I'm remembering what Dantes told me before he went out.
"I apologize for going back on my word, Miss Edmund, but there was something that your father wanted me to pass down to you. He said that he has something to tell us later today."
"Um, thank you. I'll remember that."
With my piece said, I give my liege lady a half-bow and leave.
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For the last while I've just been reading my current book. It's not overly challenging, but at the same time, it isn't a walk in the park either. It's a myth about the golden deer that the Leicester Alliance revere, and the role they played in protecting it after secession. I find it to be rather touching, though a tad too unrealistic. Then again, much of everything is unrealistic to me now.
And I'm going to shut that train of thought down now. Getting down in the dumps won't help me any, and it's still too early to be reminiscing to the point of tears. If I really want to look back on things, then I can make some charcoal sketches that I'll find repulsive to look at, or get back to writing about my life on Earth.
It's funny though. Now that I'm far away from everything, I'm surprised by just how easily I can remember all the good things I experienced. I suppose that's what happens when it's all taken away from you.
I'll just pull out the one book I still have from home-it's been a while since I read Crookedstar's Promise anyway. Now there's something that can bring me to tears I won't feel tired of shedding.
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After some more time I spent killing time, I have my lesson with Marianne. Today we're going to specifically go over my accent. How fun.
While my grammar is all well and dandy, and my range of vocabulary is-though embarrassing to me-passable, my accent is still prevalent. But what can I say, English doesn't make me do some of the things Adrestian does.
The main issues with my accent are that I'm still not making a throaty-enough sound, and that I occasionally butcher the sounds when I open my mouth too wide. There's also my issue with tripping over my tongue when I speak quickly, which makes me feel like a child trying to learn how to say "gratuitous."
Good news for me: Marianne isn't the type to make fun of people.
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After an hour of embarrassment going over my faults in pronunciation, Dantes decides that it's time to tell us whatever it is he's been wanting to say.
"Marianne, James, I have an announcement that pertains to the two of you." He says from his spot at the table we're sitting at.
The natural reaction from the two of us is to continue looking at him-yep, Marianne is comfortable with looking Dantes in the eyes-and wait for him to continue.
"Having enrolled the two of you earlier this year, you will begin your studies in Garreg Mach monastery the next."
I start to ask him something. "Sir-"
However it would seem as though Marianne also has something to say about this.
"But Father, what about my crest? I am a harbinger of misfortune for all who are near me."
My mouth drops at the revelation of Marianne having a crest.
While I spent most of my studies going over Adrestian, I also put time towards learning the basic events of this world-specifically those of Fódlan. So now, to find out that Marianne has a crest is big news to me. But which one does she have? My hands course through my hair as I ponder on which it could be.
"James."
My attention returns to the conversation as I hear my name be called. Ah boy, Dantes is giving me the same look my own dad would give me when I was about to get roped into some secret.
"Your knowledge of my daughter having a crest is private. As her retainer, it is now your duty to ensure that that knowledge does not spread."
"Sir, I don't understand. Are crests not blessings that were bestowed upon by your goddess? Why hide Miss Edmund's?"
"Because, were it known, then she would be incapable of living a normal life. All I desire for her is that-in addition to elevating the status of this house. It is for that reason that I am sending her to Garreg Mach-that she might be wed into a prominent house."
I internally roll my eyes at that last point. Stupid medieval customs. One of my hands slips out of my hair.
Turning my gaze towards Marianne, I find her looking miserable and detached from the conversation. Not that I can blame her.
"While my point of view differs in the final regard, Sir, I will do my best to ensure her crest remains a secret." I reply with the driest tone I can manage.
"As I would expect." That unoccupied hand is now tapping its fingers against the table in irritation.
"However I have my own concerns, Sir. Am I not at risk of being revealed to be a foreigner by being in the central church? And how do you plan on keeping your daughter's crest in the shadows?"
"You are now more than capable of covering yourself, or have you forgotten the story we created?" Ah yes, the one in which I was the son of an Alliance trading ship's crew mate.
"As for the matter of Marianne's crest, I have covered that as well. I have paid a large sum of money to not have a crestologist test the two of you-as is custom for those entering the Officer's Academy." Well snap, money really can let you avoid problems.
"Father," Marianne nervously begins, "when do we start?"
"The tenth of this coming Great Tree Moon is when you need to have arrived. Though your studies do not begin until the twenty-first, it is of importance that you be punctual. As such, I suggest the two of you make haste and begin your preparations."
"Sir, is it necessary that I attend? The Officer's Academy has a long standing history of accepting children from the wealthy, affluent, and well known, but I don't fit into any of those categories." If I can avoid going to a crazy military school, then I'll do my damned best to.
"While that may usually be the case, there are always exceptions. By acting as a sponsor for you, I am capable of having you enrolled as well."
"However, if you have any further reservations, then I think this may warm you up to the idea. Garreg Mach Monastery is home to one of, if not the largest library across all of Fódlan. If returning to your home is still your goal, then it would be in your best interest to be able to access the library as a student."
"That was an underhanded method to convince me, Sir, but I'll attend the academy."
After all, if there's even a chance that I might find my way home, then I won't stop looking for it.
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And that's a wrap people!
I know this was another filler-ish chapter, but I promisethat it will be the last one for a good while. I mainly just wanted to go over what the relationships between James and the Edmunds was like, in addition to giving all of you a better idea on what he's like as a person.
While I said it in the beginning, I just want to thank all of you again for waiting on me. I'm hoping to go back to releasing the next chapter this coming Sunday, so expect it then.
I want to give a thank you to everyone who has given this story a follow, favorite, or review-they're the notifications that make my day.
Next chapter you'll get a look at James starting his studies in the academy along with the start of the Three Houses story.
What house do you think the newest professor will teach?
How will the three houses stack up against each other in their first mock battle?
How much will James' integration change the outcome for the Golden Deer?Will superior numbers give the edge for a victory?
Until the time comes that you find out, I ask you all to take care of yourselves, those you care for, and cherish every opportunity to grow.
-T.I.S.