A/N: My apologies for taking so long to update! However, I just recently read through chapter seven that I wrote and realized how horrible it is. This made Yoshimi an unhappy author. So he didn't feel like editing this chapter, either. So he was lazy, as usual.
I'll do my best to get updating more often, but my wrists have been too sore to use the computer for a while (they're still in poor condition, so I'm not going to be on the computer too much) and I'm rather busy (for once in my life).
So, to the reviews, my poor, neglected readers!
Avari wind seer: Thank you very much! Pax Tolbi is supposed to be exactly like pax romana, because I'm too lazy to make up new civilizations for this. Although this means that I have no excuse when I make historical errors. Uh-oh.
Mysterious Al: Thanks! Sorry for being a little cranky. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to updating Weyard Weekly. I really, really should, because I think that I'd only have to update it three times and it would be done. ;;;; Oops.
Rallalon: Yay! Thank you! Simon requires some concentration, as occasionally I write things like "Simon looked" before I catch myself. ;
Umm . . . it looks like I forgot to prepare a glossary and stuff. If there's anything someone wants explained, I'll edit this chapter to do so.
Before the chapter begins, I'd like to thank the people who have looked over my chapters on my Livejournal and told me where I was stupid. This includes, if I recall correctly: Tetra Seleno, Vyctori, and Avari. Thank you! Also, thanks to my reviewers, as always.
Chapter 6: Jerk Of All TradesIn the light of the early morning, Camellia scrambled over a large boulder. Standing tall, she shaded her eyes and looked around. Having satisfied her curiosity, she called to her two companions father down the slope.
"I think we're starting to head in the right direction again!" she told them.
"Thank goodness," Simon murmured. "I think we've been scrambling over rocks in this Fate-forsaken maze for several days."
"Normally, the scenery would be nice," Maura agreed. "But several days of it without actually knowing where we're going gets tedious. Where did all these rocks come from, anyway?"
Camellia grinned and gestured pointedly at the cliffs that had hemmed them in throughout their journey across the Dehkan Plateau.
"Rhetorical. The question was rhetorical."
Camellia jumped down from her perch. "Don't worry. The cliffs are moving in the right direction now," she said, her arm sweeping towards the long grass that disappeared around a corner turning south. She began walking towards it, adding, "As long as we don't have any unexpected delays, we soon should be arriving . . ." Her voice trailed off as she found herself facing a giant pillar of rock. "Where did this come from?" she asked angrily.
"And if we have some unexpected delays," Simon said dryly, his hands going over the stone pillar as high as he could reach, "we should be lost in the plateau forever. All we need is a hoard of bloodthirsty bandits to complete this picturesque scene."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that rocks are naturally shaped that way," Maura commented, looking at the pillar that stood on its own in the middle of the narrow pass between two of the cliffs. Even without the mineral obstruction, it was barely wide enough for them to pass.
"Well, at least the place looks good," Camellia said with more cheer than she felt. The idea of going all the way back and starting again was not pleasant. "You know, blue sky, windswept plains, majestic trees, rocks." The last was said without as much enthusiasm.
"Trees?" Maura asked. "We haven't seen a tree, let alone the plural, since we left the temple a week ago. Maybe more. I've lost track."
"There are a few over there," Camellia replied, pointing towards a small forest that was between two cliffs. "Hey, wait a second. It looks like there's a space between those trees. I think there's another valley down there! Hey, I'll bet this one leads to the Madran League! We're safe!" She took off down to the woods.
"Great," Simon remarked as Maura helped guide him along the rocky ground. "As long as we're here, we might as well stick our heads out farther."
They made their way to the forest, where Camellia was waiting impatiently. They walked down the gentle slope through the quiet forest. The crunching beneath their feet sounded loud against the silence that was unbroken except for the occasional bird chirping.
EDIT:
At one point, Maura asked, "Um, Camellia, where did you put the bag you were carrying?"
"It hasn't mo-" Camellia made an impatient motion with her hand, then realized that it was the hand she had been carrying her bag in. "Er. Well. That's a surprise." She looked around and noticed someone walking nearby. "Excuse me, sir," she called. "Have you seen a bag around here?" Her hands started to form the shape of the missing bag. "It was about so big. . . ." The space between Camellia's hands ranged in several attractive sizes, some that seemed large enough for Maura to sleep in while others appeared to be just right for socks.
"It looks very much like that bag you're carrying," Maura added helpfully.
"Yes, it-wait a second." Camellia did not seem impressed with the solution that she had come to. "Hey, stop, thief!" she shouted at the retreating back of the man, starting to chase after him.
Just as all hope seemed lost and that our heroes would be forced to face the fate of wearing the same clothing for a long time, there was an ominous creaking sound and a voice shouted something that, seeing the results, was probably along the lines of "Timber!"
Camellia reached the thief, who was currently residing underneath a freshly fallen tree, first, thinking that Fate must be a sadist.
A boy about her age came out behind where the tree once stood and grimaced. "I warned you," he told the thief.
Luckily for the thief, it was a small tree, for a tree, and he was still capable of responding with something unprintable.
"Not in front of a lady," the boy reprimanded.
Camellia pointedly ignored this in a fashion that said clearly that, yes, she did hear that and hated him and his ancestors for it, but was going to ignore it to annoy him. She reached over the fallen tree and snatched her bag back.
"Hey, wait a second," the boy protested. "You can't just take that." He tried to grab it from her.
"Oh yes, I can!" she replied. She tugged on it.
"Oh no, you can't!" The boy pulled back.
"Oh yes, I can!"
"Oh no, you can't!"
This proceeded in such a childish manner that one expected that someone was going to threaten to tell their mommy.
By this point, Simon and Maura had reached the place where Camellia and the boy were still pulling on the bag. Hearing the argument, which had retained its original form, Simon sighed.
"What's wrong?" Simon asked.
"This boy tried to tell me that I couldn't take my bag back!" Camellia reported.
"Did you tell him that it was your bag?"
"Of-well, not in so many words. . . ."
"If it wouldn't be too much bother," the thief asked, still under the log.
The boy blinked and closed the mouth that he had opened to argue so more. "What? Oh, right. You, guy, could you help me with this?" He leaned back against the trunk until the thief underneath protested.
"Well, um . . ." Simon seemed to be taken off guard. "I'm not really that. . . ."
"Well, you're the man," Lugh said. "You have to take the responsibility for the work that requires a man's strength."
Simon, having been friends with Camellia long enough to know what it took to set her off, backed up and gestured to Maura to do the same thing.
"What do you mean, a man's strength? I could do twice as well as any man!" Camellia shouted.
"But you're a woman," the boy replied, as if that explained everything. To nearly everyone in Weyard, it did explain his reasoning. To Camellia, it was a declaration of war.
"I think you're just scared to see what a woman would do to you in a fair contest."
"What would you consider a fair contest? Spinning?"
"Yeah, spinning you around by that red bush you call hair!"
"My hair has nothing to do with this! You just-"
Simon stood back until there was a lull in the argument. He stepped forward and said, "Why don't you just both do it and then we can see."
"Fine!" they both declared and began pushing immediately. The log did not move.
"You have to push from the same side, you know," the thief pointed out grumpily.
"Oh, right," both said, more or less together. It took a while before they could agree on a side ("Your side is obviously inferior!" "Oh yeah? My side has a better view, or it would if it wasn't for you!" "You wanna make something of it?" "I am making something of it!"), but finally, the log rolled off.
"Finally," the thief muttered. He brushed himself off and started walking away.
"Thank goodness that's over," Camellia muttered. "Let's see. . . ." She began listing off the things inside of the bag. "It looks like everything's here!"
"Weren't you the one carrying our money?" Maura asked.
Camellia looked at Maura as the gears turned in her head. "Uh-oh . . . you get back here!" she shouted at the suddenly quickly moving thief, who disappeared into the forest.
"Huh, a man would have been level-headed enough to not have his stuff stolen," the boy taunted.
Camellia was about to shout when she noticed something. "Hey, weren't you carrying an axe?"
"I still-" The boy suddenly realized that he was holding a lot of air in his hand.
"Boy, that thief is good," Maura said, almost admiringly.
"Hah, there goes your theory about men being superior," she said.
"That's just because you all distracted me!"
"Neener neener neener!"
"You stupid-who was it that lost their stuff in the first place?"
"That doesn't count!"
/EDIT
Simon, trying to prevent an argument, walked forward with his hands raised. "Okay, you two, that's enough . . ."
"Not until he admits his fault!" Camellia shouted, while the boy chimed in with, "Not until she admits her fault!"
"Oh boy," Simon muttered, adding in a louder tone. "We're wondering if you know any way to the Madran League?"
The boy snorted. "Everyone knows that! It's just down near the edge of the forest." He pointed in the direction that they came.
"We tried that, but the way's blocked. Any other exits?"
The axe fighter scratched his head. "You could ask for directions at the village," he suggested helpfully.
"Which village?" Simon asked.
"There's a village just down that way. I could escort you there," the boy suggested helpfully, reaching back to take the axe strapped to his back.
"What?" Camellia sounded offended. "You think we can't protect ourselves?"
"Well, the only man in your group isn't a fighter, so. . . ."
"What was that supposed to mean, weakling?"
"Weakling? I'll have you know . . ."
Simon sighed, beginning to despair of ever reaching anywhere, let alone the Madran League.
Finally, with the combined efforts of Maura and Simon, the two warriors stopped arguing and they headed towards the village. Nothing, however, could convince the two to stand within several metres of the other. They ended up in a long line with the boy in the lead and Camellia trailing behind. For a while, there was no sound from the group, other than the mutterings of the boy and the audible grinding of Camellia's teeth.
"So," Simon asked their guide to break the silence. "What's your name?"
"I'm Lugh!" he replied cheerfully. "I am an axe fighter of feared reputation . . ."
He was interrupted by a snort from Camellia's direction.
He frowned. "Fine. I'm an apprentice lumberjack from a small village. Happy?"
"An apprentice lumberjack? How pathetic is that? What's there to know?" Camellia was unimpressed.
"That's enough, Camellia," Simon warned.
Before Camellia could launch into another argument, Maura said hesitantly, "Um . . . I can't help noticing that you don't look like most of the people of this region. . . ."
Lugh flashed a grin. "Got it in one! I'm from a Vail from Angara. Women can't resist a foreigner."
Maura turned bright red and muttered something unintelligible. Simon place a hand over his face and sighed. Camellia snorted loudly.
Lugh smiled wryly. "To be truthful, that's what my brother told me. Hasn't worked for me yet . . ."
"I can see why . . ." Camellia remarked under her breath.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing."
Simon looked thoughtful. "A Vail . . . aren't those the people who live just outside of the Tolbian borders?"
"Got that right!" Lugh answered, cheery as he always seemed to be when he wasn't arguing.
"You mean, you're a barbarian?" Camellia asked innocently.
"I suppose you could say that . . ." Lugh said evasively, scratching behind his headband.
Camellia's lips twitched as she suppressed laughter.
"Here's the village, I think!" Maura said quickly, seeing both a house and an argument approach.
"Yes, that's it! And. . . ." Lugh's cheerful expression appeared to fall from his face to be replaced by a look of despair. He added quietly, "And that's my brother."
The handsome young man approaching looked about three or four years older than Lugh. His clothing was similar, although it didn't cover quite as well as and was in better condition than Lugh's shirt and trousers.
He walked up and towered over the group, even Lugh who, before that point, Simon had thought was tall. "Well now, here's my good ol' bro, home from slacking off!" he said cheerfully, squeezing Lugh's shoulder a little too strongly.
Lugh clenched his teeth to stop from making any noise to tell the pain. "Hello, Bricriu," he muttered.
Bricriu didn't seem to notice the greeting. "Well, what is it we have here?" he asked, tossing his long blond hair. "Let me guess. You lifted a rock and these crawled out." He looked over each of them in turn while fingering the tie that held his hair back, his eyes stopping when he saw Camellia. "Well, well, who's this?"
He walked over, stooped, and snipped a flower growing by the road with his axe. Picking it up between his thumb and index finger, he said, in the tone of one used to having girls be deliriously happy at any show of affection, "For you, beautiful." He placed a one hand on Camellia's shoulder and offered the flower.
Lugh expected a blush, an acceptance of the gift, or at least a flattered expression. It happened often enough with his brother. No doubt Bricriu was expecting the same.
What Bricriu had not expected was to have a sword thrust towards his face, stopping just short of his nose.
"If you don't take your hand off me," Camellia told him coldly, "then I will have to cut it off."
Bricriu carried it off well, surprise showing only in his eyes for a moment. He shrugged elegantly. "As you wish," he said gallantly, sounding as if it was his idea in the first place. He walked back to Lugh, who rapidly stopped rubbing his sore shoulder. "I must be off," he told them over his shoulder as he left for the village. "I really ought to practice in order to win the contest by an even greater margin. If beauty changes her mind," he added, winking, "then I can be found in the village centre." He turned back to the road, a hand raised in farewell.
Camellia snorted. "What a jerk!" she muttered. "I see it runs in the family." She looked meaningfully at Lugh.
"Wha-what?" Lugh exclaimed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Um . . . how about we get to the village?" Simon suggested nervously.
Lugh considered arguing for a moment, but finally said, ". . . Fine. This way."
He led the way sulkily through the small village. It was an ordinary lumber town in every respect. Men were chopping wood while some women could be seen placing laundry out to dry from the windows of some of the taller buildings that housed several families. Most, however, had only a single floor, except maybe an attic. Camellia grew sour as she watched the gender-specific roles so common around the streets. When one of the men called a greeting to her, calling her "little lady," she nearly bit his head off. Simon apologised to the confused man as she stomped past, her face a study of annoyance.
She was so absorbed in her anger that she didn't hear Lugh's warnings and walked straight into a tall man. She was about to apologise when she saw his face. She groaned aloud. "Not you again . . ."
Bricriu smiled broadly. "Has the little beauty changed her-"
"I did not change my mind," she growled. "And I am not little!"
Her companions caught up with her, manoeuvring around the small knot of drooling girls that had gathered around Bricriu. To Camellia's disgust, she found that he worked with the lacings that held the top part of his shirt together undone. Sitting on a platform nearby was a large round log.
Simon walked as quickly as he could without tripping over something towards Bricriu. "Please accept my apologies for us disturbing your work. She was just-"
"-so overcome with her emotions that she had to see me again?" he suggested. "Don't worry, it happens often."
Growling, Camellia drew her blade and brought it up towards Bricriu. Bricriu twirled the large axe he held and sliced sideways in an offhand movement against her sword. Camellia's sword was hit with a resounding clang. It flew across the clearing, scattering love-stricken girls as they rushed to avoid the danger.
Bricriu smiled and placed the axe over one shoulder. "What was that?" he asked in a careless tone of voice. "I thought I heard you say something."
She looked at where her sword had been for a moment, then threw a punch. Bricriu caught her hand.
"Nice hands," he remarked pleasantly, pushing her back a little while releasing her hand and causing her to stumble. "Be glad that I am too honourable to hit women." He turned back to his work.
Simon placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's just get out of here," he suggested quietly as Bricriu's admirers squealed compliments.
She allowed herself to be led out of the village centre. Lugh followed and, after watching them for a moment, so did Maura.
After they had been walking for a while, Lugh tapped Simon on the shoulder. "Here. This is my house. We can stop in here."
Simon nodded. Releasing Camellia's shoulder, he followed the sound of Lugh's voice as he walked towards the house.
"I have to share it with my parents and my little sister," he explained. "Luckily, my brother moved out. Thank goodness. I've had to live this long with the knowledge that behind every curtain, there's probably a girl looking for my brother."
He stopped suddenly, causing Simon to run into him and fall backwards. "What is it?" Maura asked, but then stopped as well. "Oh."
Down the front steps, Lugh's father came with a face that did not bode well for anyone within a twenty-seven kilometre radius. What was especially worrying was the way he swung his large axe around as if it were nothing.
"So." His quiet voice was a little too quiet. "I see our slacking son has yet again left for a vacation. Would you please inform the rest of us about the new holidays you've founded?"
"But I was working!" Lugh protested.
"Oh? And do you have any proof?" His voice steadily got louder. "Did you ever think that, if you had done any work, you'd have brought something home to prove it?" He was now shouting. "When I think about all the-"
"Um, excuse me," Simon called. "He did cut down a tree, but things got a little confused after he and Camellia fought off the bandits."
"Oh." Mood swinging appeared to be normal, because Lugh didn't even twitch whenever his father suddenly was cheerful. "Well, that's good. He'll just have to cut it into pieces and bring it home."
"But-" Lugh protested.
His father loomed over him with a most scary expression. "He'll just have to cut it into pieces and bring it home."
"Er, yes, sir."
"Good!" The man now had the most benevolent expression in the world on his face. "Who's your friend?"
"Don't you mean 'friends'?" Lugh asked turning around. He frowned as he saw only Camellia standing there. "Hey, where did?"
Maura and Simon stuck their heads out from behind Camellia. "Is it safe to come now?" Maura asked timidly.
"This is normal for my dad," Lugh reassured them.
His father looked confused. "What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" the children chorused.
He was confused for only a moment longer before grinning widely. "Well, come in! We can talk over. . . ." His face fell. "Wait a moment. We've just finished lunch." He smiled despite the audible growling from their stomachs. "I guess you'll be able to do without! Now, you four can go and get that tree cut up."
They were about to protest, but then his scary expression snapped into place. "Yes, sir!" they said in unison, running away.
He smiled and waved farewell. "Nice to meet you!" he called after their retreating backs.
"Is your father always like that?" Camellia asked.
"Oh, no," Lugh replied. "Usually, he's worse."
"Be serious."
"I am."
They walked through the forest towards the fallen tree silently, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Lugh had brought a cart that he and Camellia dragged along. Not surprisingly, they were as far apart as they could get while still dragging the cart. The group was nearly at the clearing when Simon spoke.
"Your brother . . . Bricriu. He mentioned some kind of contest when we met him first," Simon inquired. "What did he mean?"
"There's a contest held every year in the village," Lugh answered. "My brother's won it for the past three years straight, which is one reason he's so popular."
"What does one have to do?" Simon pressed.
"This." Lugh walked up to a tree that had a diameter equal to himself, taking the axe he had with the longer handle and smaller blade. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in a breath and letting it out. Then he opened his eyes and struck the tree with his axe. It went clean through, dropping it to the ground.
Simon clapped, but Camellia looked scornfully at him. "How hard can that be?"
Lugh looked at her, annoyed. "Harder than you'd think. The winner is the one who can split the thickest tree."
Camellia glanced at the tree on the ground. "I can do that." She walked up to another tree of the same size. She looked at it, drawing her sword at the same time. "Stand back," she warned.
Adjusting her stance first, she swung with all her strength. Unfortunately, this only cut the tree partway. She stared at it for a moment, but then struck again. On her third hit, she was able to chop it down.
"Great job," Lugh congratulated her sarcastically, but added in a kinder tone, "That's actually very good for a beginner."
Camellia looked at the fallen tree. "When is this contest?"
"Three days from now," Lugh informed her.
Camellia sheathed her sword. "I will grow stronger," she vowed. "I will get better until I can beat that . . . that jerk in the contest."
"A noble sentiment," Simon commented. "However, there is one thing the two of you missed."
Camellia looked at her friend sharply. "And what might that be?"
"Now that you've cut down those trees, we have to take them back to the village as well," he answered calmly.
The other three looked at the trees, which didn't seem so small anymore.
"Arrrrrrrrrrgh!" Camellia's shout startled several birds into flight.
After the meeting, the woman on the throne dismissed the Bringer of Truth, Shadow Walker, and even her bodyguard. She needed to do this alone. She opened a hidden door placed in the wooden walls that surrounded the room and walked up the brown stone steps.
At the top, she found a complex etched design on the floor. Reaching into the pocket of her robes, she produced a small stone. Using it as a focus, she cast the Teleport Psynergy. Coloured lights swirled around her, covering her completely. She knew that it appeared that the spheres scattered, but as it always did, she felt nothing but the warm light pressed against her. In moments, they disappeared, placing her in a small room.
The sole light in the room, coming from an uncovered window that was completely open to the sky, fell upon her. She flicked her brown hair to fall halfway down her back. Her large brown eyes surveyed the room. Many had learned, too late, that her warm eyes did not mean she was vulnerable, naïve, or even very gentle. Her black robes hung loose, belted at the waist with a multitude of hidden pockets.
"Who calls?" a voice asked from within. The voice seemed like that of a young girl, but, unlike any girl that the woman had ever met, her voice was completely emotionless.
The woman bowed her head respectfully, but did not speak. She knew the seer's ways.
Then the owner of the voice stepped into the light.
I was going to put something here in place of my muse skits, but I can't think of anything. So, I'll just say: Tales of Symphonia is love.