Note: Albert is a late eight years old, and Caesar a baby. This is during the Unification Wars.
Expatriot
a brief foray into Genso Suikoden II and III
by Mithrigil Galtirglin
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The Principality of Crickets has declared war on me.
Their leaders have decided to take advantage of my position as an expatriot from the Kingdom of Grandfather. It is a good decision. I am vulnerable to attack. I am deep in enemy territory. My escape route is cut off because Mother is dead and Father will be very shortly.
The Principality of Crickets wants to destroy my knowledge. I know things that could benefit the enemies of the crickets, and the enemies of the crickets' allies. The Principality of Crickets is working for Harmonia and for that girly Bishop, but the Bishop is supposed to be working for the Kingdom of Grandfather and has hired the crickets to make it look like they aren't in cohorts.
They're loud and I don't like them.
The girly Bishop knows that I know that Caesar killed Mother. He speaks to birds and cats and crickets, and he knows I know that too. He thinks that because I am an expatriot that I will sell the knowledge to the Republic and all them and the Republic will use it against Harmonia. I could. I could, but I don't want to tell the crickets. I mean, unless they can make it good for me too, and crickets can't, because they are evil. They do nothing but keep me awake and get me in trouble with Grandfather when I don't see clearly in the morning or get too tired to mind Caesar. And then he makes me an expatriot and throws me to the enemy.
I think Cousin Mathiu must be working for the crickets. It is very smart of him to hostage me. But Cousin Mathiu is a gentleman, even though he's a dirty Rebel. He wouldn't come after his own family, even if it was very smart of him. I think the crickets must have hired one of his students, like the Republic did. It is a very good strategic move to declare war on me, because I am a Silverberg and would be a good hostage. So they can have the crickets kill me and then pretend I am still alive, because the girly Bishop does dirty things like that and can get away with it. He could hide my entire body inside his funny hat. I have gotten skinny since Mother died, everyone says.
I would not mind hiding inside his funny hat. I could hear many interesting things that way. It would mean I'd have to be nice to the girly Bishop, or at least pretend to, but the good outweighs the bad. I could even hear the demon Grandfather summoned. His voice is better than crickets. I think the crickets are afraid of him. I am too, a little, but it is smarter to be afraid of demons than of crickets, so I do not mind. Only a fool knows not fear, Grandfather says. I think he is also afraid of the demon. I think it is a different kind of fear than mine. He is afraid of the demon the way I am afraid of the girly Bishop. I am afraid of the demon the way Grandfather is afraid of couriers. One day, soon, a courier will tell us that Father is dead, and Grandfather will not have to be afraid of couriers anymore.
I want the crickets to shut up. They are encroaching on my encampment and I am on fatal terrain.
It is too hot for a sweater but I feel very cold. I don't want to be an expatriot anymore. I want to go inside and away from the crickets even if I have to listen to stupid Caesar crying instead. He's so stupid he doesn't know he killed Mother. Maybe that's why he cries. Maybe I should use that to make the crickets go away. I will make Caesar cry and he will scare away the crickets because even crickets are afraid of murderers. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well, my brother. But Grandfather says it's supposed to be 'friend'.
There. That is my plan. I shall infiltrate the Kingdom of Grandfather and get an alliance with the Howling Little Murderer. I think I shall take his security blanket for collateral. And he will drive the crickets away, so maybe next time they'll come after him instead. Or even better, the girly Bishop will realize how very smart I am and hire me to destroy the Principality of Crickets. And I will be the best man for the job because I really do want to destroy the crickets. Because they are keeping me awake. They are loud and everywhere and make me feel cold and I want Mother back.
Stupid crickets.
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