Dragon's Tears
Chapter Five - Coming Home
A/N: In this fic, as of this chappie, six years have passed since Ramza learned of Rin's "death". The Lion War is over, Alma and Ramza have fled Ivalice, and it is just prior to Ovelia's murder (Delita kills her out of jealousy). Bear with me, if I recieve requests, I will write a separate side story on what Rin did during the War. Thank you, and R&R!!!
It had been six years since Rin had been saved by the dragon. The Lion War had just ended, and the quiet young woman had recieved news of Ramza's death, on the heels of her celebrating Dycedarg's demise. Heartbroken, Rin returned home on the back of her black dragon, Lynsi. Lynsi was the last of the eggs to atch, and had Rin not intervened, the hatchling would have died. The black's devotion to her master was complete and total; Lynsi would have gladly walked through the gates of Hell for the dark Dragoner. Having traveled extensively since the eggs had hatched, Rin had trained as a Sorceress, an Archer variation of a Magic Fencer. Her fortune had been made as a mercenary, and in her spare time, she had delivered little dragonets to the new Dragoners that Onyx led her to. Rin admitted the temptation to find and kill Dycedarg had been strong, but every time she thought of it, Onyx or Lynsi would trap her in the Dragon Isles. The loyalty of the mighty reptiles had brought Rin back from doing something drastic many times.
This time, Rin had been allowed to return to Ivalice to fulfill a two- fold purpose of finding the True Dragoner, and her private reason of avenging and mourning Ramza. To this latter end, the black haired mage- warrior was determined to reach Delita, with damning results at the end of the road. After all, excommunication was the punishment for murder, and separation from the Church was supposed to send you to Hell. In her soul, Rin didn't care if she was damned, as long as she could find Ramza, in this life or the next. Lynsi had sensed her mistress' distress, and the young dragon sought to ease the torment in Rin's heart. All her efforts failed; deleting Delita was the only thought in Rin's mind.
Lynsi landed in an open patch of meadow near the Royal Igros Cemetery. The strong clawed forefeet sank into the muddy, wet ground, making a disgusting "squish" sound. The stabilizing wingbeats sent sprays of water out, shaking the dripping trees. It had been raining for days, and the overcast, clouded sky showed no sign of easing up in the forseeable future. The wind had fled before the dark promise in the dragon's presence, and the sprinkle of rain fell steadily downward, monotonous, dead, and complimenting Rin's mood adequately. It weighed heavily on Lynsi's optimistic nature, seeming to herald an end to their newly grown happiness. But it might just be Master's depression, Lynsi reasoned. Nothing alive could separate them...yet...could the ghost of Rin's unspoken love eradicate what self-confidence and joy Onyx had worked so hard to instill in Rin?
What of this "Alma" that Rin seemed to think of so often? Was an old human friendship capable of damaging the steady devotion between the dragon and her Dragoner? Since the first sentient dragon had been bonded to the first little girl that hadn't been afraid, the relationship between Dragoner and dragon had been the most important friendship between the two. Any violation of this unstated contract -dragons chasing after new Dragoners, Dragoners valuing humans more, material wealth taking precedence- and the Dragoner loses control of the reptile, and the dragon reverts to its primal nature. Very few cases of such stupidity had been recorded, but the knowledge was there, and with the Dragoners finally returning from their genetic retreat, they needed every compatible pair to be ready. The church had lost much of its power, the plot to ensconce one of their toadies on the throne having failed terribly, and the return of Bloody Angel being averted by the sacrifice of sweet Alma and dear Ramza.
Lynsi pushed her jealousy out of her mind and focused on Rin's distress. The mage-warrior had entered the cemetery in perfect silence, going first to Dycedarg's grave, filled with such despair that she didn't bother casting a curse on the vile Duke's soul. She brushed the ornate headstone and marble tomb once with her emerald eyes, then moved on. Alma's grave was next, decked out and designed in the fashion the Church deemed proper for a devout young virgin taken before she could marry and pop out a small army of children, to be raised as devout believers in the teachings of Glabados. The icy green gaze hardened further, lingering on the hand-carved religious symbols and spinster-clad angels with faces like hungry dogs, revealing the bottomless scorn and loathing in the soul of the common-born woman. Whispering a silent prayer she had learned in a far distant land, where no one had ever heard of Saint Ajora, Rin choked on her tears, but refused to cry for Alma. Her misery was over, yet Rin's would not be for centuries to come; Dragoners lived as long as their dragons, who could enjoy a youth spanning millenia.
After leaving Alma's pious shrine, Rin slowed her steps, dreading the visual confirmation of seeing Ramza's grave. At last, she came to a small, dingy commoners' grave, consisting of a spindly headstone above a plain, if defiled, grave. Rin knew Church policy; Ramza would have been buried without a casket, facing downward, since he had been a condemned heretic at the time of his death, thereby being sent to Hell, in church theory. Suddenly overcome by the graffiti, dead flowers, and false offerings surrounding Ramza's grave, Rin sank to her knees, finding herself at eye level with the inscription on the headstone. With a soft gasp of sheer pain, the ebony haired girl felt the sobs being torn from her by total grief.
"To my beloved Rin, I believe I shall find you, either in life, or later in death. Your honor has been avenged by my sword, my only goal the defense of the heart you stole from me."
Rin cried herself to sleep, left alone as Lynsi flew off to hunt. When the dark haired mage woke hours later, her throat sore, her lungs congested, her usually sharp mind fogged.
End Chapter Five-Coming Home
Chapter Five - Coming Home
A/N: In this fic, as of this chappie, six years have passed since Ramza learned of Rin's "death". The Lion War is over, Alma and Ramza have fled Ivalice, and it is just prior to Ovelia's murder (Delita kills her out of jealousy). Bear with me, if I recieve requests, I will write a separate side story on what Rin did during the War. Thank you, and R&R!!!
It had been six years since Rin had been saved by the dragon. The Lion War had just ended, and the quiet young woman had recieved news of Ramza's death, on the heels of her celebrating Dycedarg's demise. Heartbroken, Rin returned home on the back of her black dragon, Lynsi. Lynsi was the last of the eggs to atch, and had Rin not intervened, the hatchling would have died. The black's devotion to her master was complete and total; Lynsi would have gladly walked through the gates of Hell for the dark Dragoner. Having traveled extensively since the eggs had hatched, Rin had trained as a Sorceress, an Archer variation of a Magic Fencer. Her fortune had been made as a mercenary, and in her spare time, she had delivered little dragonets to the new Dragoners that Onyx led her to. Rin admitted the temptation to find and kill Dycedarg had been strong, but every time she thought of it, Onyx or Lynsi would trap her in the Dragon Isles. The loyalty of the mighty reptiles had brought Rin back from doing something drastic many times.
This time, Rin had been allowed to return to Ivalice to fulfill a two- fold purpose of finding the True Dragoner, and her private reason of avenging and mourning Ramza. To this latter end, the black haired mage- warrior was determined to reach Delita, with damning results at the end of the road. After all, excommunication was the punishment for murder, and separation from the Church was supposed to send you to Hell. In her soul, Rin didn't care if she was damned, as long as she could find Ramza, in this life or the next. Lynsi had sensed her mistress' distress, and the young dragon sought to ease the torment in Rin's heart. All her efforts failed; deleting Delita was the only thought in Rin's mind.
Lynsi landed in an open patch of meadow near the Royal Igros Cemetery. The strong clawed forefeet sank into the muddy, wet ground, making a disgusting "squish" sound. The stabilizing wingbeats sent sprays of water out, shaking the dripping trees. It had been raining for days, and the overcast, clouded sky showed no sign of easing up in the forseeable future. The wind had fled before the dark promise in the dragon's presence, and the sprinkle of rain fell steadily downward, monotonous, dead, and complimenting Rin's mood adequately. It weighed heavily on Lynsi's optimistic nature, seeming to herald an end to their newly grown happiness. But it might just be Master's depression, Lynsi reasoned. Nothing alive could separate them...yet...could the ghost of Rin's unspoken love eradicate what self-confidence and joy Onyx had worked so hard to instill in Rin?
What of this "Alma" that Rin seemed to think of so often? Was an old human friendship capable of damaging the steady devotion between the dragon and her Dragoner? Since the first sentient dragon had been bonded to the first little girl that hadn't been afraid, the relationship between Dragoner and dragon had been the most important friendship between the two. Any violation of this unstated contract -dragons chasing after new Dragoners, Dragoners valuing humans more, material wealth taking precedence- and the Dragoner loses control of the reptile, and the dragon reverts to its primal nature. Very few cases of such stupidity had been recorded, but the knowledge was there, and with the Dragoners finally returning from their genetic retreat, they needed every compatible pair to be ready. The church had lost much of its power, the plot to ensconce one of their toadies on the throne having failed terribly, and the return of Bloody Angel being averted by the sacrifice of sweet Alma and dear Ramza.
Lynsi pushed her jealousy out of her mind and focused on Rin's distress. The mage-warrior had entered the cemetery in perfect silence, going first to Dycedarg's grave, filled with such despair that she didn't bother casting a curse on the vile Duke's soul. She brushed the ornate headstone and marble tomb once with her emerald eyes, then moved on. Alma's grave was next, decked out and designed in the fashion the Church deemed proper for a devout young virgin taken before she could marry and pop out a small army of children, to be raised as devout believers in the teachings of Glabados. The icy green gaze hardened further, lingering on the hand-carved religious symbols and spinster-clad angels with faces like hungry dogs, revealing the bottomless scorn and loathing in the soul of the common-born woman. Whispering a silent prayer she had learned in a far distant land, where no one had ever heard of Saint Ajora, Rin choked on her tears, but refused to cry for Alma. Her misery was over, yet Rin's would not be for centuries to come; Dragoners lived as long as their dragons, who could enjoy a youth spanning millenia.
After leaving Alma's pious shrine, Rin slowed her steps, dreading the visual confirmation of seeing Ramza's grave. At last, she came to a small, dingy commoners' grave, consisting of a spindly headstone above a plain, if defiled, grave. Rin knew Church policy; Ramza would have been buried without a casket, facing downward, since he had been a condemned heretic at the time of his death, thereby being sent to Hell, in church theory. Suddenly overcome by the graffiti, dead flowers, and false offerings surrounding Ramza's grave, Rin sank to her knees, finding herself at eye level with the inscription on the headstone. With a soft gasp of sheer pain, the ebony haired girl felt the sobs being torn from her by total grief.
"To my beloved Rin, I believe I shall find you, either in life, or later in death. Your honor has been avenged by my sword, my only goal the defense of the heart you stole from me."
Rin cried herself to sleep, left alone as Lynsi flew off to hunt. When the dark haired mage woke hours later, her throat sore, her lungs congested, her usually sharp mind fogged.
End Chapter Five-Coming Home