Author's Notes: It wasn't supposed to happen like this! But we need it and I am bored so I've got to do it! Please, read and review this first chapter. You need to know where she came from and why guys with longer hair and the name Drew always make me feel so warm inside.... faints and laughs I'm gonna just put up a bit of this in a new point of view, the only major characters that I've really ignored so far: Prince Drew and Crysil Mercale. So I bring to you my two favorite characters behind the oh-so-huggable Drew Kinneas and Reyn Almasy. And I'm not forgetting about Reyning Down or its sequel. So... Bye Bye.
Chapter 1: Ancestors of Warriors
My name is Crysil
Mercale and I am 17 years old. My father is Tiran Mercale, one of the
best smiths that the city of Loire, or the country of Esthar for that
matter, has ever seen. At one point I had a mother, and her name was
Sayn, but she died after I was born. I have no brothers and no
sisters, and the trade of smiths is a much desired one, especially
with the skill my family has reputably had since the first modern
forge was created. That means one thing, I am all that is left to
learn the skills my family so that it is not lost to the flow of
time. With my father ill I must do my best to learn quickly so that
he still has time to handle the shop. So many noble families chose to
ask father for his skills above others, and even some from the
distant land of Centra, a province of our nation that was across the
ocean would pay handsomely for the weapons created by my father. One
day we will live comfortably from the money we make, but right now it
costs so much to buy the metal and leather and coals and everything
we need for me to practice with both common and rare metals, the fine
stones, gems and woods, and even the delicate etching. As of late
I've even been able to work in new ideas for form and style to suit
nobles and work in extra strength for the warriors.
I've
heard of what happens in the outside world, of the war against a
female with great magical powers and beasts that were far stronger
than the ones normally encountered like Bauls and Bombs. Now many
people come in to ask for pendants with the symbol of Hyne upon them
to protect them from the enchantment of the sorceress, while others
want the symbols of Griever and Tiamat to strengthen them. At this
point I am seated at a work bench, carefully etching Griever's
likeness into a small bangle of silver. From the tiny workspace that
doubles as my room I can see the front of our store, the secondary
forge in the back and the main forge for larger things through a
window in my room. Carefully I place the bangle onto a rough iron
bowl and put it in the coals of the mini forge in my own room used
for softening metal and heating the space. After a few moments I pull
it back out, place it on the iron work plate on the wooden table and
pulled out a fine spike to continue my work. On average it took me an
hour to just etch this basic image into the silver, but today's
work went surprisingly fast as my mind wandered to thoughts of the
next task at hand. At noon the proper things would arrive for her to
do the major work of the day. I can hear my father running about in
the front room, exaggerating another one of his adventures to the
neighbor and his old buddy from the military. Sometimes I had to
wonder if those stories were true, how could a supply man and weapon
repairer get into so much trouble?
"Master Mercale?" a voice came clearly from the doorway, "I have a delivery for you. I believe you are expecting it."
"Well, come in.
Would you like some tea? I'm sure it's been a long run from Loire
Palace," my father's chipper voice came as he limped over to the
man.
"No Master, the family is vacationing in Loire Manor
in Centra," the messenger informed my father as I shifted in my
seat so I could get a better look.
"OH! Well, I guess you
are staying in the city until the ring is repaired," my father's
friend Kire observed. The Royal family's manor was across the sea
and in the mountains of Centra, a large place filled with fountains
and statues and many servants.
"No, the Prince Drewel
Loire is still present in the palace; I will be staying there to
watch over him. How long do you believe this will take?"
There was a moment of silence as my father pondered this, "I'm sure my daughter can have it finished in two days. It really is rather simple, and she is good at such things."
I smiled to myself at my father's confidence in my skill. This would be my greatest work.
"The King has sent me with a message as well, if the ring or any of the gems are damaged you WILL be thrown into the dungeon. Send a message when they are done, the Prince desires to pick it up himself," the messenger said with a smile and a bow. Handing my father a box, he slipped out of the room and into the busy city roads and ways.
My father entered my room just as I feel sideways out of my chair and onto the cold floor face first. This of course brought a chuckle from Tiran and Kire who had followed him to congratulate me on such a big job I suppose. They probably should have guessed that I would end up like this, if only because of the fact that it IS Prince Drew who is coming to pick up the finished signet ring. Thirty years ago my father created this ring, one that the King himself designed as an engagement ring for this second wife, Lady Mayun of Centra. Now the fate of my father was in my own skill with such a delicate thing. While Kire helped me from the floor my father fetched the package. Everyone who knew anything knew how the precious ring of the royal family was damaged. After Mayun died giving birth to the Crown Prince Drewel, the King went into mourning. Trying to rid himself of the memory of his most beloved wife he wed again swiftly, and his new wife was not fond of the constant reminder that she was not really loved by the King. In a bit of vengeance before leaving, the female stole the ring and threw it down a well, throwing heavy rocks upon it. Now the ring was scratched and cut, part of the band snapped off, the ruby eyes missing and the diamond once held in the jaws of the head of Griever had fallen out. It would take a while to fix the once dazzling ring.
"Do your best," my father said, sensing what I was thinking, "Come on Kire, there are things I need to get in town, and you can carry them back for me."
With a deep sigh I watched the gray haired man leave the shop with the dark skinned Kire. There was nothing left for me to do but get to work. Carefully I pried open the wooden box and took out the silver ring. It was so hard to find good silver to work with these days. War stopped most industry that did not benefit our fight against the mighty Sorceress. My eyes lingered a moment on the ring of the royal family, such a wonderful thing. No man would ever spend so much on a ring for me. More likely than not I'd end up wed to another blacksmith's child and teach that man my family's secrets. In the time of war so much depended on money. With calloused fingers I reached out to touch the large diamond, perfect in every way. Each faucet reflected back a different color when hit by the light of my mini forge. Never again would I see such a diamond wasted upon a ring. Gems like this were found in the holy items that the churches locked away and hired men to guard at night. I took the liberty of enjoying a sigh before I resigned myself to my work, carefully tying my long hair back as to not end up burning it all off. Yet my work could not begin so soon... Still the forge had to get hotter and I had to get out my smaller hammer and anvil.
Before I was able to even heat the metal I was interrupted by a soft voice from the front singing out, "Crysil? Are you home Miss Mercale?"
"Nitasha?" I said, suddenly standing in shock, causing my chair to again fall over.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
Gilgamesh cut in, "Who is Nitasha? How come I've never heard of
Nitasha?"
"Will you let me get to that?" I shot back
at my husband and lover.
This little lover's spat had
Seifer and Ifrit cracking up, and the other GFs here for this part of
the story glaring at the two. Shiva, once a woman named Sara and my
own great-great-granddaughter, seemed about to freeze Seifer in a
giant icicle but Squall elbowed her.
"Please continue,
ignore Seifer's laughter M'lady," Siren, who was long ago a
famous singer named Marie, said in her honey sweet voice. "Who is
this Nitasha?"
"The closest thing she ever had to a sister," Alexander with a smile.
"Why did you never tell me?" my love asked before shifting to his most basic form, that of the man I've loved for over five millennia.
"You never asked,"
I shot back with a smile.
Squall and most of the others
looked away as I kissed the man that had created this life for us.
Left alone for a few moments I can't help but steal another kiss, "You need to be patient my love. I will tell you everything. All things in their time."
When finally our descendants returned with their snacks I cleared my voice and sat in Drew's lap. It was about time to continue.
One hit to the hot metal, two to the anvil to keep my beat. That was a thing about working with metal, there was a rhythm to it. Nearby Nitasha was carefully heating a slender silver wire to near the melting point. I would use this softened metal to work into the deeper scratches of the ring to make it whole again. Nitasha was the youngest child of the royal chef, so whenever she was over meant sweets for myself and dad. Impressed quickly by the fact that I'd be doing something that the Prince would remember my name for the vibrant teen had instantly volunteered to help me with the hard work. In no more than an hour I was beating the soft metal carefully in, shaping, changing and sculpting the metal to become the once great royal ring of the Loire family. All the while the apprentice of the palace's head chef filled me in on the newest and hottest rumors around the town.
"The BIGGEST news around town is that the Prince Drewel is finally coming of age. That is why he's staying at the palace. Soon the test will be preformed and then he'll have to get his first real weapons... The King has suggested that Drewel come to you for the things he needs for the testing! Think about it, you could be the first girl to really catch the Prince's eye."
"I doubt it," I said before really considering the idea, her heart fluttering, "No prince will ever marry a commoner. Don't even suggest a thing!"
"Oh, don't be se pessimistic dear, it has been known to happen. Some nobles were once commoners too Crysil," Nitasha scolded me.
"And this commoner would stay that way. Nobility is over rated and would take my trade from me."
"Doesn't mean you can't dream silly."
"I'm not a
dreamer," I said while cautiously picking up the diamond and
placing it in the jaws of the ring.
"Crysil," Nitasha
started before being cut off by a stranger's voice.
"What
a shame," the male voice said, "Everyone should dream. Dreams are
what this world is built upon. Even I dream."
"Who do you think you are barging into our private conversation and into my home?" I growl while placing the ruby eyes into the ring.
How can I not flinch when my friend hissed at me? "Crysil that is the Prince!"
The man chuckles as I
look up at him in shock. Yes, there is no doubt about it that is
Prince Drewel Loire. I can't stand now; I can't act as if I
noticed before now. So I look back at my work hoping he'll let me
finish in peace. Never before had I actually seen the prince this
close. He's more handsome than I believed. The brown eyes and
darker hair both shone, probably from that great diet most people
didn't have. Right now the teen wasn't dressed as was befitting
royalty, but in riding clothes that weren't piped with silver or
any other rare or precious thing. If I didn't know better I'd
actually think that he was any other person, not the next in line to
rule two countries and take up arms against the far off Galbidia.
"Yes, I guess I am," Drewel admitted with a chuckle.
"And you're
early," I growled and finally looked up at him.
"I
desired to meet the man that my father would trust enough with such
an important family heirloom," he spoke with a smile.
"My father is not only not present now but he is not the one doing the work on the ring," I said with a frown.
"You're in charge of it? They trust a girl?"
I stood suddenly, toppling my chair, "How dare you!?" I growled, "How DARE you?! I am a far better smith than any other in the kingdom except for father! And you think you can insult me like this! Take your damn ring and see if you can find someone more capable of restoring it than I am!"
The Prince backed up a step as I threw the royal ring at him. Though he easily caught it he seemed to get my point. The taller teen moved over to me, right past Nitasha and paused close to the cat that was prowling around the shop. Holding his hand out me he smiled softly. When I refused to take the ring back he took my hand and pressed the ring into it with a grin.
"Finish the work... I was just wondering if you were capable," he chuckled.
"I'm more than capable."
"Feisty," Drewel smirked, "I expect that you'll be at the palace ball this year."
"What? No... I never go," I said in shock.
"I'd like it if you were there," leaned close and whispered in my ear, "I'll provide an adequate bonus so that you can get what you need for the ball."
With that he left, not waiting for my reaction. Hell, I'm not even ready for it.