Chapter Fourteen
Eoroqu
I had loved the tales of Eoroqu. I would always dream of the majestic mountains and running rivers cutting through the plains. I would always dream of mysterious dwellers. But my dreams were nothing compared to the true continent. As I swam across the small "ocean" that separated the majestic land from the Mist Continent, I could barely believe the sheer beauty that the continent held. It made me wonder what could've happened to make this continent hide its beauty from the world.
Soon the water level receded, and I found myself on a small yet beautiful coast. I slowly rose to my feet and looked around. In the distance, about a mile away, I could see a massive desert. Many more miles away to my left was a cavern. And directly in front of me, far in the distance, I could see a building. Taking a deep breath, I allowed myself to smile. This just seemed too wild. I was living in my dreams.
I turned slowly to face the desert. It was so flat I could see for miles. I could see the trees of an oasis, and beyond those trees, I could see tents – no doubt the Dari Tribe. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the water and onto the dry sand. It felt soft against my feet. I knelt down and picked up some of the sand. It wasn't granular. It felt as soft as velvet. I rubbed the soft sand against my hand, and instead of feeling a scratchy feeling, I felt as if my hand was being massaged. I reluctantly allowed the sand to drop to the ground. Sighing softly, I rose to my feet.
"God, Freya, you would love this," I muttered softly.
With another sigh, I headed in the direction of the desert. I looked at the lovely scenery with a silent sadness. I suddenly felt lonely. I felt as if I should be sharing this beauty with someone. And I wished that someone was Freya. But she was back in Burmecia, probably sick with loneliness. I shook the thought from my head. I had to keep together. I was on an unfamiliar continent. All I knew about it were the tales that I had heard as a child, and now barely remembered.
After many long minutes of walking, I found myself within the desert. As I walked, I tried desperately to remember the name of the desert. My slow memory refused to remember.
"God damn it!" I muttered angrily under my breath in a low hiss.
"Who speaks that name in vain?"
I quickly stopped moving and looks around, wondering who had spoken. The voice had been feminine and loud. It echoed around me. I felt a swoop of air above me. I looked above myself, and gasped. Flying over me was a translucent dragon-shaped, massive water form. Slowly it landed in the sands of the desert. It stared at me with watery blue eyes.
"Why are you angry?" the creature asked.
My memory immediately told me what this creature was. I could scarcely believe it. It was the legendary Water Dragon! For a few seconds I could only gawk at the massive creature before me. The Water Dragon snorted and flapped her wings irritably.
"Speak, warrior. I cannot read minds," the Water Dragon snapped.
"Oh, eh, sorry," I said quickly. "I'm just honored to meet you, Hyaline."
The Water Dragon Hyaline's eyes widened with pleasant surprise. She let out a pleased growl while she stepped closer to me.
"You know my name, warrior. How so?" she asked, her face inches away from mine.
"The legends," I managed to say. "They spoke of you as the – the—"
"The Protector of Oceans," Hyaline supplied for me. "Yes, yes, of course. But these legends were loss to Eoroqu many a year ago. How do you know of them, warrior?"
"Lost? The Mist Continent did not lose the legends. We still have them," I told the dragon eagerly.
"Mist Continent? Oh, you're an immigrant!" Hyaline said, understanding. "Now I understand. So you took advantage of Eoroqu's exposure?"
"Well, yes," I admitted. "But I'm not really an immigrant. I don't plan on settling here. I'm here to try and find dangers."
"You're looking for danger?" Hyaline asked. A chuckle started deep in her throat, and it soon made it out of her jaws. "How fascinating! You're looking for trouble! Well, you won't find much trouble this way. You want to turn around and head to the Fire Cavern for that." Hyaline chuckled once again.
"No, no. No trouble. My home is in trouble, and I want to find the sources of trouble. I want to get strong enough to fight the main trouble," I explained.
"Oh. A hero," Hyaline said with a snort. "Well, you should still turn around, but this time you should go east and head to the COL. They are trouble for you, that is for sure."
"The COL?" I asked.
"'Collaboration of Leviathan.' They want your race to be extinct," Hyaline explained.
I could only stare with shock. Hyaline lifted a large, translucent talon and tapped me lightly on the head with its sharp tip.
"You alive in there?" Hyaline asked.
"That trouble – is a bit too strong for me right now," I managed to say. "I need to get stronger before I take them on."
"I agree. Julius would tear you apart," Hyaline growled. "But how will going this way make you stronger?"
"Well, the Cleyran High Priest suggested that I go to the Dari to 'gain knowledge'," I said bitterly.
Hyaline chuckled. "Knowledge? The Dari have more than knowledge, you know. They have customs, traditions, and many more amazing things. A trip to them will indeed do you wonders, warrior."
"But do they fight?" I asked.
"They believe in the Paladin of Heaven. Of course they fight," Hyaline snorted. "They fight in Her name."
"Paladin of Heaven?" I asked.
"A majestic creature, part dragon, part bird," Hyaline said. "She is said to lead the good to Her domain once they pass, and Her brother the Paladin of Evil leads the bad down to hell."
"So she is basically the Great Dragon?" I asked.
"Yes, I guess so," Hyaline said. "She appears everywhere. I dare say everyone worships Her in some way."
"Do you?" I asked curiously.
"Yes. She is the Guardian of Dragons to me," Hyaline said happily. "She is my guardian, my instructor." "The Great Dragon is said to rest in Eoroqu," I suddenly remembered out loud.
"Yes," Hyaline said, winking. "The entrance to Her domain is on this continent. If you really want to gain power, that if where you want to go."
"Really? An entrance to Heaven? Here?" I asked, excited.
Hyaline chuckled once more. "I think I said too much. But yes, there is an entrance to Heaven. And so far you are on the right track to gain access to it. Go to the Dari. Learn from them. Then head toward the place that you see in your dreams."
Suddenly Hyaline's wings spread out. With one massive leap, and a quick flapping of her wings, the Water Dragon was airborne. She growled at me lightly, nodded her head in farewell, then headed off in the direction I had originally been heading. I quickly began to run after her, but she was far too fast for me to keep up.
Hours of running soon led me to a natural wonder. I find myself faced with a mile-long patch of green land, square in the middle of a desert. Palm trees bowed lazily in the soft wind. White rocks lay scattered in not-so-random positions near the trees. In the center of the land was a large pool of crystal blue water. The water was the same color Hyaline had been.
It was an oasis. I stepped carefully into the beautiful land, looking around carefully. Soon I had reached the water's shore. I was surprised to see that the water seemed to be within a cliff. The land simply dropped from sea level and the bottom of the pool was lost in darkness. I knelt beside the water and began to drink, understanding that the water was clean.
After a long drink I leaned against a palm tree and stared at the blue sky. There was no mist on Eoroqu, and I was able to admire the sky and its soft clouds that were drifting lazily in the sky. I sighed softly and closed my eyes. I had almost fallen asleep when I heard something move.
I leapt to my feet and searched for the source of the movement. Soon I found the source, and stared with shock.
Standing in front of me was a Burmecian with chestnut fur. She wore a white robe that ended a few inches above her feet. Her tail was dark brown, while her hair was roan. She cocked her head slightly, staring at me with brilliant green eyes. I stared in return, having never seen a Burmecian with fur that wasn't white.
"Hello," I said quickly, using a Burmecian accent.
The girl smiled. "'Ello."
Now I was surprised. The girl spoke with Aireff's accent!
"Where did ya come from?" the girl asked. "I've neve' seen ya 'round."
"I don' live 'ere," I replied, switching to my natural accent. "I'm from Burmecia."
The girl looked surprised. She soon smiled, though.
"Really? You don' speak like one," she replied. "Look like one, though."
"My papá was Dari," I told her.
"Ah. That explains it," the girl replied. "Neve' knew Dari and Burmecian could actually get 'long."
The girl walked over and held out her hand.
"Name's María," the girl said.
I took her hand in mine and shook it.
"Fratley," I said.
María nodded. "Nice ta meet ya."
"Same ta ya."
"So ya came from Burmecia? 'Ow's the weather up there?" María asked.
"Wet, as always," I said, rolling my eyes. "'Ow about ye weather?"
"Dry, as always," María said, giggling. "Funny, 'ow different our weathe' is. Buemcia's wet, Cleyra's sandy, and Dari's dry."
"Not really that odd. We live in different places," I pointed out.
"Exactly. We're the same people, but we're all so different. I mean, look at ya. Ya are not even capable of 'aving any othe' color than white."
"Well, we can get a little gray."
"We can get black."
I could only stare with shock. María giggled. She then began to walk away.
"Come on," she said, looking back at me. "I'll lead ya to the Tribe."
I stood blinking for a few seconds. I then began to follow María to her home.
The walk to the Dari Tribe was long, but María proved to be an interesting companion. She liked to talk about many odd things. She spoke of my clothing, then compared it to hers. She then spoke of my hair, and how it was similar to hers. Soon I got bored with her talk, and I didn't even listen. I don't think she really cared.
Soon I could make out every single tent within the Dari Tribe, and I was surprised at its size. The variation of the colors of its inhabitants surprised me even more. It looked as if not one Dari was white. I saw grays, browns, roans, blacks, and, to my surprise, a blue.
"Do ya 'ave any whites?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, there's," María began, and she began to rattle off names. I ignored her, and instead found myself distracted.
Approaching us was a blue-furred male. He had black hair that reached his shoulders. His tail was black. His eyes were blue, and he wore white pants with no shirt. He smiled at me.
"'Ello, traveler," the male said.
"'Ello," I said, glad to get away from María and her constant chatter. "I am Fratley, a Dragon Warrior from Burmecia. I was directed here from Cleyra."
"Ah, I see," the male said, smiling. "I am Ronde, spelled 'R-O-N-D- E', not 'R-A-N-D-Y'. I am the leader of the Dari Tribe. I welcome you to our humble... Whatever-it-is."
I chuckled. "It's a community."
Ronde laughed. "It's too small to be a community!"
"Who are ya speakin' too, Ronde?"
Ronde and I both turned around to see a woman approaching. She had dark gray fur with a black tail. Her hair was also black, and her eyes were a very dark brown. She wore a white robe and from what I could see, she appeared to be pregnant. She crossed her arms across her chest and viewed Ronde with a mischievous look.
"What are ya doing?" she asked. "We are supposed ta be holdin' a ceremony and there ya go, wanderin' off..."
"I was welcomin' a Dragon Warrior, which ya should've been doin'," Ronde replied, smiling.
The woman rolled her eyes and let out a fake cough. "Puh."
I couldn't help but grin.
"Ya will 'ave ta excuse 'er. This is Lizzy, my wife. She's expecting, but she won' tell me when the kids are supposed ta be born," Ronde said.
"That's because I don' even know," Lizzy spat.
I shook my head. "I don' need ta excuse anythin', sir. I'm used to women like 'er."
"Oh, and 'ow is that?" Lizzy asked me.
"My mothe'," I muttered. Ronde laughed, and Lizzy grinned.
"She a Dari?" Lizzy asked.
"No, that's the funny part. My fathe' is the Dari," I replied.
Lizzy laughed. "'E must've done stuff ta 'er."
"Last time I checked, she was always like that," I replied.
"All right, then the Paladin of Heaven did somethin' ta 'er. There," Lizzy said with a snort.
Ronde shook his head. "Be nice, Liz."
"Not today. I'll be nice tomorrow," Lizzy replied.
Ronde sighed. "Unbelievable."
"What ceremony were ya holdin'?" I asked.
"Oh, just a simple one," Lizzy told me. "We were merely askin' blessings from the Paladin of Heaven, asking 'Er to bless us with a good 'unt. Nothin' much."
"Yet she gets mad ove' it," Ronde muttered with a sigh.
"Well, we could starve if She decides not ta bless us because we're more concerned with a Dragon Warrior than food," Lizzy growled, putting her hands on her hips.
I laughed. "Uh oh. She's mad."
"And that's not a good thing," Ronde muttered. "Liz, be a good girl and lead 'im to 'is room, would ya? I'll go back ta the ceremony and take ove'."
"Oh fine," Lizzy snorted. "Come on, whoever-ya-are. I'll show ya ye room."
"I'm Fratley," I supplied for the woman.
"Oh, fine then, Fratley-ya-are. Let's go," Lizzy said with a smirk.
I smiled sympathetically at Ronde, understanding how hard having a woman just like Rose for a wife must be. I then followed the woman into the camp.
"So, where are the ceremonies 'eld?" I asked.
"Depends on which one we're 'oldin'. If we're 'oldin' one for a 'unt, it's held near the 'Untin' Grounds. If we're tryin' to bless a birth, it's held in the tent that the birth 'appened in. That I'm not lookin' forward ta. I really don' want people blessin' me right in my face when I'm being concerned with childbirth," Lizzy said with a snort.
I chuckled. "That sucks. No privacy?"
"Nada," Lizzy said in agreement.
We walked through the center of the Tribe until we approached a highly decorated tent. Lightning designs were painted on the otherwise plain leather tent. Lizzy slipped into the tent, and I followed. I was shocked to find the tent to be much larger inside than it had looked. Slips of fabric acted as walls, and you could push them open to get to the other parts of the tent. It was just like a moveable house.
"This'll be ya tent," Lizzy said. "Everythin' ya need is in 'ere for now. But be ready ta 'ave ta trade for stuff."
I nodded, exploring the tent with interest. In the center was a fireplace, and a small hole was in the top of the tent to allow the smoke out. As I continued to explore, I found a kettle along with pots, pans, utensils, and other things needed to cook.
"Ya probably won' need those," Lizzy said. "We usually cook a large meal in the cente' of the Tribe and ya jus' take what ya want."
I nodded. I then slid into another "room". Within it was a large pile of blankets and pillows on the floor.
"Bed. Well, a make-ye-own bed," Lizzy said with a soft chuckle.
I nodded. Everything in the house was simple, and it contrasted greatly from Burmecia. Yet somehow it seemed homey. I turned to Lizzy.
"Thank ya," I said.
"Don' mention it," Lizzy said with a smile. She then turned around and left.
I looked around and sighed softly. It suddenly seemed awfully cool within the tent. I looked down at the blankets. I then tried to make a cozy bed. Eventually I succeeded in making it cozy, if not bed-like. I lied down on the blankets and made myself comfortable. Soon I fell asleep, and I found myself dreaming of home.
When I woke up, I woke to find darkness. Night had descended. I waited until my eyes had adjusted to the darkness. I then rose to my feet and left the tent. I was surprised to see a large fire set up in the middle of the Tribe. A few Dari were gathered around the tent. In their hands or nearby they had woven cups. I could see a dark liquid within the cups. Quickly I jogged over.
"'Ello," a black-furred, blue-eyed Dari said.
"'Ello," I replied. "What are ya all doin'?"
"Stayin' up late," a roan-furred, yellow-eyed Dari replied. "Sit down. 'Ave some wine. Stay up wit' us."
I sat down next to the black-furred Dari, and he gave me a woven cup full of the dark wine. I took a sip, and found it to be far stronger than Burmecian wine. I wouldn't allow my surprise to show, though. I instead looked at my companions. There were four of them: the black-furred, blue- eyed male, the roan-furred, yellow-eyed female, a white-furred, orange-eyed female, and a light brown-furred, blue-eyed female.
"So, who are ya all?" I asked.
"Rex, but my friends call me 'Haunted'," the black-eyed male said.
"Sarah," the roan-furred female said.
"Ana María," the white-furred female said quietly.
"Sky," the brown-furred female said. "Though where m' parents got that I don' know."
The group laughed softly.
"Mus' be ye eyes," Rex said.
"Bette' be. If it's m' fur, I'm scared," Sky replied.
The group laughed softly again. I sipped at the wine, listening intently.
"Yeah, well where'd 'Rex' come from? Do I look like a 'Rex'?" Rex asked.
"Well, ya are 'haunting', so why don' ya jus' change ye name ta 'Haunted'?" Sky asked.
"'Cause it's bette' as a nickname, not a name," Rex replied.
"I was named Sarah, though. Oh! So creative!" Sarah said sarcastically.
And again, laughter spread through the group. I noticed, however, that Ana María didn't make a sound. I mentioned this to Rex in a whisper.
"Fathe' died two days ago," Rex whispered to me. "Kind o' 'asn' gotten over it yet."
That explained it. I watched her with sympathy as she sipped absentmindedly at her wine. Her eyes were sad, as was her manner. She sighed softly, clearly not noticing anything around her. The group continued to laugh and joke.
Soon I fell into my own world as well. As I stared at the flames, the flames showed me home once more. It showed me the fireplace of my house. It showed my family joking merrily. And of course it showed Freya. It seemed to focus on her.
"Ya all right?"
Rex's voice merely floated through my head without ever making it through my thoughts. I sipped at my wine, but didn't notice its taste. I only noticed the visions in the fire.
"Leave 'im alone. 'E's jus' 'omesick," Sarah said quietly, and her voice too was filtered through my mind without making it through.
But she was right. I was homesick. I was missing home, and wishing I hadn't had the burden of saving my home. I was wishing someone could've understood my worries, and at least had gone to do something so I could stay home. I wished I could've brought someone with me.
I wished Freya was with me.
--------- Oh m' God, I updated! Hmm, the end of this chapter sucks. Oh well, I was getting Writer's Block near the end of it O.o I'm so sorry about the slow update; once again, it's because of Writer's Block. But now I'm back, and hopefully I'll stay back! =D Yay!
Please note that this story is full of slight inaccuracies – Some of you have already noticed them. I apologize; I'm not perfect
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, events, and Gaia in general are all copyright to SquareEnix.
Eoroqu
I had loved the tales of Eoroqu. I would always dream of the majestic mountains and running rivers cutting through the plains. I would always dream of mysterious dwellers. But my dreams were nothing compared to the true continent. As I swam across the small "ocean" that separated the majestic land from the Mist Continent, I could barely believe the sheer beauty that the continent held. It made me wonder what could've happened to make this continent hide its beauty from the world.
Soon the water level receded, and I found myself on a small yet beautiful coast. I slowly rose to my feet and looked around. In the distance, about a mile away, I could see a massive desert. Many more miles away to my left was a cavern. And directly in front of me, far in the distance, I could see a building. Taking a deep breath, I allowed myself to smile. This just seemed too wild. I was living in my dreams.
I turned slowly to face the desert. It was so flat I could see for miles. I could see the trees of an oasis, and beyond those trees, I could see tents – no doubt the Dari Tribe. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the water and onto the dry sand. It felt soft against my feet. I knelt down and picked up some of the sand. It wasn't granular. It felt as soft as velvet. I rubbed the soft sand against my hand, and instead of feeling a scratchy feeling, I felt as if my hand was being massaged. I reluctantly allowed the sand to drop to the ground. Sighing softly, I rose to my feet.
"God, Freya, you would love this," I muttered softly.
With another sigh, I headed in the direction of the desert. I looked at the lovely scenery with a silent sadness. I suddenly felt lonely. I felt as if I should be sharing this beauty with someone. And I wished that someone was Freya. But she was back in Burmecia, probably sick with loneliness. I shook the thought from my head. I had to keep together. I was on an unfamiliar continent. All I knew about it were the tales that I had heard as a child, and now barely remembered.
After many long minutes of walking, I found myself within the desert. As I walked, I tried desperately to remember the name of the desert. My slow memory refused to remember.
"God damn it!" I muttered angrily under my breath in a low hiss.
"Who speaks that name in vain?"
I quickly stopped moving and looks around, wondering who had spoken. The voice had been feminine and loud. It echoed around me. I felt a swoop of air above me. I looked above myself, and gasped. Flying over me was a translucent dragon-shaped, massive water form. Slowly it landed in the sands of the desert. It stared at me with watery blue eyes.
"Why are you angry?" the creature asked.
My memory immediately told me what this creature was. I could scarcely believe it. It was the legendary Water Dragon! For a few seconds I could only gawk at the massive creature before me. The Water Dragon snorted and flapped her wings irritably.
"Speak, warrior. I cannot read minds," the Water Dragon snapped.
"Oh, eh, sorry," I said quickly. "I'm just honored to meet you, Hyaline."
The Water Dragon Hyaline's eyes widened with pleasant surprise. She let out a pleased growl while she stepped closer to me.
"You know my name, warrior. How so?" she asked, her face inches away from mine.
"The legends," I managed to say. "They spoke of you as the – the—"
"The Protector of Oceans," Hyaline supplied for me. "Yes, yes, of course. But these legends were loss to Eoroqu many a year ago. How do you know of them, warrior?"
"Lost? The Mist Continent did not lose the legends. We still have them," I told the dragon eagerly.
"Mist Continent? Oh, you're an immigrant!" Hyaline said, understanding. "Now I understand. So you took advantage of Eoroqu's exposure?"
"Well, yes," I admitted. "But I'm not really an immigrant. I don't plan on settling here. I'm here to try and find dangers."
"You're looking for danger?" Hyaline asked. A chuckle started deep in her throat, and it soon made it out of her jaws. "How fascinating! You're looking for trouble! Well, you won't find much trouble this way. You want to turn around and head to the Fire Cavern for that." Hyaline chuckled once again.
"No, no. No trouble. My home is in trouble, and I want to find the sources of trouble. I want to get strong enough to fight the main trouble," I explained.
"Oh. A hero," Hyaline said with a snort. "Well, you should still turn around, but this time you should go east and head to the COL. They are trouble for you, that is for sure."
"The COL?" I asked.
"'Collaboration of Leviathan.' They want your race to be extinct," Hyaline explained.
I could only stare with shock. Hyaline lifted a large, translucent talon and tapped me lightly on the head with its sharp tip.
"You alive in there?" Hyaline asked.
"That trouble – is a bit too strong for me right now," I managed to say. "I need to get stronger before I take them on."
"I agree. Julius would tear you apart," Hyaline growled. "But how will going this way make you stronger?"
"Well, the Cleyran High Priest suggested that I go to the Dari to 'gain knowledge'," I said bitterly.
Hyaline chuckled. "Knowledge? The Dari have more than knowledge, you know. They have customs, traditions, and many more amazing things. A trip to them will indeed do you wonders, warrior."
"But do they fight?" I asked.
"They believe in the Paladin of Heaven. Of course they fight," Hyaline snorted. "They fight in Her name."
"Paladin of Heaven?" I asked.
"A majestic creature, part dragon, part bird," Hyaline said. "She is said to lead the good to Her domain once they pass, and Her brother the Paladin of Evil leads the bad down to hell."
"So she is basically the Great Dragon?" I asked.
"Yes, I guess so," Hyaline said. "She appears everywhere. I dare say everyone worships Her in some way."
"Do you?" I asked curiously.
"Yes. She is the Guardian of Dragons to me," Hyaline said happily. "She is my guardian, my instructor." "The Great Dragon is said to rest in Eoroqu," I suddenly remembered out loud.
"Yes," Hyaline said, winking. "The entrance to Her domain is on this continent. If you really want to gain power, that if where you want to go."
"Really? An entrance to Heaven? Here?" I asked, excited.
Hyaline chuckled once more. "I think I said too much. But yes, there is an entrance to Heaven. And so far you are on the right track to gain access to it. Go to the Dari. Learn from them. Then head toward the place that you see in your dreams."
Suddenly Hyaline's wings spread out. With one massive leap, and a quick flapping of her wings, the Water Dragon was airborne. She growled at me lightly, nodded her head in farewell, then headed off in the direction I had originally been heading. I quickly began to run after her, but she was far too fast for me to keep up.
Hours of running soon led me to a natural wonder. I find myself faced with a mile-long patch of green land, square in the middle of a desert. Palm trees bowed lazily in the soft wind. White rocks lay scattered in not-so-random positions near the trees. In the center of the land was a large pool of crystal blue water. The water was the same color Hyaline had been.
It was an oasis. I stepped carefully into the beautiful land, looking around carefully. Soon I had reached the water's shore. I was surprised to see that the water seemed to be within a cliff. The land simply dropped from sea level and the bottom of the pool was lost in darkness. I knelt beside the water and began to drink, understanding that the water was clean.
After a long drink I leaned against a palm tree and stared at the blue sky. There was no mist on Eoroqu, and I was able to admire the sky and its soft clouds that were drifting lazily in the sky. I sighed softly and closed my eyes. I had almost fallen asleep when I heard something move.
I leapt to my feet and searched for the source of the movement. Soon I found the source, and stared with shock.
Standing in front of me was a Burmecian with chestnut fur. She wore a white robe that ended a few inches above her feet. Her tail was dark brown, while her hair was roan. She cocked her head slightly, staring at me with brilliant green eyes. I stared in return, having never seen a Burmecian with fur that wasn't white.
"Hello," I said quickly, using a Burmecian accent.
The girl smiled. "'Ello."
Now I was surprised. The girl spoke with Aireff's accent!
"Where did ya come from?" the girl asked. "I've neve' seen ya 'round."
"I don' live 'ere," I replied, switching to my natural accent. "I'm from Burmecia."
The girl looked surprised. She soon smiled, though.
"Really? You don' speak like one," she replied. "Look like one, though."
"My papá was Dari," I told her.
"Ah. That explains it," the girl replied. "Neve' knew Dari and Burmecian could actually get 'long."
The girl walked over and held out her hand.
"Name's María," the girl said.
I took her hand in mine and shook it.
"Fratley," I said.
María nodded. "Nice ta meet ya."
"Same ta ya."
"So ya came from Burmecia? 'Ow's the weather up there?" María asked.
"Wet, as always," I said, rolling my eyes. "'Ow about ye weather?"
"Dry, as always," María said, giggling. "Funny, 'ow different our weathe' is. Buemcia's wet, Cleyra's sandy, and Dari's dry."
"Not really that odd. We live in different places," I pointed out.
"Exactly. We're the same people, but we're all so different. I mean, look at ya. Ya are not even capable of 'aving any othe' color than white."
"Well, we can get a little gray."
"We can get black."
I could only stare with shock. María giggled. She then began to walk away.
"Come on," she said, looking back at me. "I'll lead ya to the Tribe."
I stood blinking for a few seconds. I then began to follow María to her home.
The walk to the Dari Tribe was long, but María proved to be an interesting companion. She liked to talk about many odd things. She spoke of my clothing, then compared it to hers. She then spoke of my hair, and how it was similar to hers. Soon I got bored with her talk, and I didn't even listen. I don't think she really cared.
Soon I could make out every single tent within the Dari Tribe, and I was surprised at its size. The variation of the colors of its inhabitants surprised me even more. It looked as if not one Dari was white. I saw grays, browns, roans, blacks, and, to my surprise, a blue.
"Do ya 'ave any whites?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, there's," María began, and she began to rattle off names. I ignored her, and instead found myself distracted.
Approaching us was a blue-furred male. He had black hair that reached his shoulders. His tail was black. His eyes were blue, and he wore white pants with no shirt. He smiled at me.
"'Ello, traveler," the male said.
"'Ello," I said, glad to get away from María and her constant chatter. "I am Fratley, a Dragon Warrior from Burmecia. I was directed here from Cleyra."
"Ah, I see," the male said, smiling. "I am Ronde, spelled 'R-O-N-D- E', not 'R-A-N-D-Y'. I am the leader of the Dari Tribe. I welcome you to our humble... Whatever-it-is."
I chuckled. "It's a community."
Ronde laughed. "It's too small to be a community!"
"Who are ya speakin' too, Ronde?"
Ronde and I both turned around to see a woman approaching. She had dark gray fur with a black tail. Her hair was also black, and her eyes were a very dark brown. She wore a white robe and from what I could see, she appeared to be pregnant. She crossed her arms across her chest and viewed Ronde with a mischievous look.
"What are ya doing?" she asked. "We are supposed ta be holdin' a ceremony and there ya go, wanderin' off..."
"I was welcomin' a Dragon Warrior, which ya should've been doin'," Ronde replied, smiling.
The woman rolled her eyes and let out a fake cough. "Puh."
I couldn't help but grin.
"Ya will 'ave ta excuse 'er. This is Lizzy, my wife. She's expecting, but she won' tell me when the kids are supposed ta be born," Ronde said.
"That's because I don' even know," Lizzy spat.
I shook my head. "I don' need ta excuse anythin', sir. I'm used to women like 'er."
"Oh, and 'ow is that?" Lizzy asked me.
"My mothe'," I muttered. Ronde laughed, and Lizzy grinned.
"She a Dari?" Lizzy asked.
"No, that's the funny part. My fathe' is the Dari," I replied.
Lizzy laughed. "'E must've done stuff ta 'er."
"Last time I checked, she was always like that," I replied.
"All right, then the Paladin of Heaven did somethin' ta 'er. There," Lizzy said with a snort.
Ronde shook his head. "Be nice, Liz."
"Not today. I'll be nice tomorrow," Lizzy replied.
Ronde sighed. "Unbelievable."
"What ceremony were ya holdin'?" I asked.
"Oh, just a simple one," Lizzy told me. "We were merely askin' blessings from the Paladin of Heaven, asking 'Er to bless us with a good 'unt. Nothin' much."
"Yet she gets mad ove' it," Ronde muttered with a sigh.
"Well, we could starve if She decides not ta bless us because we're more concerned with a Dragon Warrior than food," Lizzy growled, putting her hands on her hips.
I laughed. "Uh oh. She's mad."
"And that's not a good thing," Ronde muttered. "Liz, be a good girl and lead 'im to 'is room, would ya? I'll go back ta the ceremony and take ove'."
"Oh fine," Lizzy snorted. "Come on, whoever-ya-are. I'll show ya ye room."
"I'm Fratley," I supplied for the woman.
"Oh, fine then, Fratley-ya-are. Let's go," Lizzy said with a smirk.
I smiled sympathetically at Ronde, understanding how hard having a woman just like Rose for a wife must be. I then followed the woman into the camp.
"So, where are the ceremonies 'eld?" I asked.
"Depends on which one we're 'oldin'. If we're 'oldin' one for a 'unt, it's held near the 'Untin' Grounds. If we're tryin' to bless a birth, it's held in the tent that the birth 'appened in. That I'm not lookin' forward ta. I really don' want people blessin' me right in my face when I'm being concerned with childbirth," Lizzy said with a snort.
I chuckled. "That sucks. No privacy?"
"Nada," Lizzy said in agreement.
We walked through the center of the Tribe until we approached a highly decorated tent. Lightning designs were painted on the otherwise plain leather tent. Lizzy slipped into the tent, and I followed. I was shocked to find the tent to be much larger inside than it had looked. Slips of fabric acted as walls, and you could push them open to get to the other parts of the tent. It was just like a moveable house.
"This'll be ya tent," Lizzy said. "Everythin' ya need is in 'ere for now. But be ready ta 'ave ta trade for stuff."
I nodded, exploring the tent with interest. In the center was a fireplace, and a small hole was in the top of the tent to allow the smoke out. As I continued to explore, I found a kettle along with pots, pans, utensils, and other things needed to cook.
"Ya probably won' need those," Lizzy said. "We usually cook a large meal in the cente' of the Tribe and ya jus' take what ya want."
I nodded. I then slid into another "room". Within it was a large pile of blankets and pillows on the floor.
"Bed. Well, a make-ye-own bed," Lizzy said with a soft chuckle.
I nodded. Everything in the house was simple, and it contrasted greatly from Burmecia. Yet somehow it seemed homey. I turned to Lizzy.
"Thank ya," I said.
"Don' mention it," Lizzy said with a smile. She then turned around and left.
I looked around and sighed softly. It suddenly seemed awfully cool within the tent. I looked down at the blankets. I then tried to make a cozy bed. Eventually I succeeded in making it cozy, if not bed-like. I lied down on the blankets and made myself comfortable. Soon I fell asleep, and I found myself dreaming of home.
When I woke up, I woke to find darkness. Night had descended. I waited until my eyes had adjusted to the darkness. I then rose to my feet and left the tent. I was surprised to see a large fire set up in the middle of the Tribe. A few Dari were gathered around the tent. In their hands or nearby they had woven cups. I could see a dark liquid within the cups. Quickly I jogged over.
"'Ello," a black-furred, blue-eyed Dari said.
"'Ello," I replied. "What are ya all doin'?"
"Stayin' up late," a roan-furred, yellow-eyed Dari replied. "Sit down. 'Ave some wine. Stay up wit' us."
I sat down next to the black-furred Dari, and he gave me a woven cup full of the dark wine. I took a sip, and found it to be far stronger than Burmecian wine. I wouldn't allow my surprise to show, though. I instead looked at my companions. There were four of them: the black-furred, blue- eyed male, the roan-furred, yellow-eyed female, a white-furred, orange-eyed female, and a light brown-furred, blue-eyed female.
"So, who are ya all?" I asked.
"Rex, but my friends call me 'Haunted'," the black-eyed male said.
"Sarah," the roan-furred female said.
"Ana María," the white-furred female said quietly.
"Sky," the brown-furred female said. "Though where m' parents got that I don' know."
The group laughed softly.
"Mus' be ye eyes," Rex said.
"Bette' be. If it's m' fur, I'm scared," Sky replied.
The group laughed softly again. I sipped at the wine, listening intently.
"Yeah, well where'd 'Rex' come from? Do I look like a 'Rex'?" Rex asked.
"Well, ya are 'haunting', so why don' ya jus' change ye name ta 'Haunted'?" Sky asked.
"'Cause it's bette' as a nickname, not a name," Rex replied.
"I was named Sarah, though. Oh! So creative!" Sarah said sarcastically.
And again, laughter spread through the group. I noticed, however, that Ana María didn't make a sound. I mentioned this to Rex in a whisper.
"Fathe' died two days ago," Rex whispered to me. "Kind o' 'asn' gotten over it yet."
That explained it. I watched her with sympathy as she sipped absentmindedly at her wine. Her eyes were sad, as was her manner. She sighed softly, clearly not noticing anything around her. The group continued to laugh and joke.
Soon I fell into my own world as well. As I stared at the flames, the flames showed me home once more. It showed me the fireplace of my house. It showed my family joking merrily. And of course it showed Freya. It seemed to focus on her.
"Ya all right?"
Rex's voice merely floated through my head without ever making it through my thoughts. I sipped at my wine, but didn't notice its taste. I only noticed the visions in the fire.
"Leave 'im alone. 'E's jus' 'omesick," Sarah said quietly, and her voice too was filtered through my mind without making it through.
But she was right. I was homesick. I was missing home, and wishing I hadn't had the burden of saving my home. I was wishing someone could've understood my worries, and at least had gone to do something so I could stay home. I wished I could've brought someone with me.
I wished Freya was with me.
--------- Oh m' God, I updated! Hmm, the end of this chapter sucks. Oh well, I was getting Writer's Block near the end of it O.o I'm so sorry about the slow update; once again, it's because of Writer's Block. But now I'm back, and hopefully I'll stay back! =D Yay!
Please note that this story is full of slight inaccuracies – Some of you have already noticed them. I apologize; I'm not perfect
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, events, and Gaia in general are all copyright to SquareEnix.