Title: The Chess Game
Author: Rosetta Stone
Date: November 24, 2005
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Suikoden III. They are the property of Konami.
Summary: Taken years before the game. Caesar, bored out of his mind, visits his older brother Albert. Through an interesting game of chess the two brothers learn what it means to be brothers, Silverbergs, and human.
"I'm so bored!" A voice yelled out suddenly. The called echoed off of the bright white walls of the empty hallway until it was nothing but a soft rumble.
The owner to the sudden cry was a young lad who looked about fifth teen years old. He was short and skinny with unruly red hair and dark emerald eyes. The boy had his arms crossed in an angry matter, as a scowl covered his face. He stood at one end of the hallway, with his body facing the other. Standing there, with the same angry posture, he waited. Waited for someone to come and take this boredom away form him.
No one came.
"You have got to be kidding me." He muttered softly as he looked around. With a heavy sigh the lad relaxed his posture in a lazy sort of position. This time his body was slouched and he had his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets. Looking around one last time the boy began to rant.
"Are you seriously telling me that in the famous manor of the Silverberg family there isn't one person who is able to play with me?"
The boy paused at this deduction and began to ponder over what he said. With a small tilt of his head he began to contemplate his choice of words.
Caesar Silverberg was not like most children, and the use of the word "play" had different meanings to him than to others. While most boys his age are at school learning about basic knowledge, and spending their time outside playing catch and running around, Caesar was forced to stay in his family study, learning about long past family history and complex strategies that he would need to know in his future.
Being the grandson of the great Leon Silverberg was no cake and ice cream that's for sure. In fact it was more of a pain than what Caesar wished for. He never really wanted to be a strategist, the position seemed…boring to the young heir of the family. He would rather travel the world, and take in all the sights that it had to offer. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to get a choice in the matter.
Caesar sighed once more and began to make his way down the hallway. The hall was a simple one in the Silverberg manor. The tiles were of a pale white, as well as the walls and the ceiling. On one side were four large wall size windows that allow the noon sunlight to easily filter in. Between each window were large candleholders that were lit during the nighttime. On the other end of the room were six small tables. On each table there was a different pot or plant. Above those tables and pots were portraits of different members of the Silverberg family. These ranged from the late 1800 so Caesar didn't know anyone in them. Well in person always, he knows them through the family history that his tutors are always cramming into him. He could tell that they all had the same thing in common; they were strategist, probably the best of their time, who died heroically while defending their land from the enemy. It was all repetitive nonsense to him, so he really didn't care, or pay attention.
By the time Caesar made it to the other end of the hallway he was ten times as bored, as he was when he first started. It seemed like everyone was too busy to play with him and that made him annoyed. Turning the corner, Caesar found himself in another hallway. Unlike the one before, this one had doors on either side of it leading to different rooms of the Silverberg manor. Looking down the hallway, the young Silverberg saw that one of the doors was partly open and that there was someone inside. Letting the curiosity to get the best of him, he made his way over and peaked in.
Inside the room was a single person. The person was a young man, looking roughly four or five years older than Caesar. He was sitting at a medium size oak desk that was arranged to one side of the room. This allowed Caesar to get the side profile of the person. He was much taller, with short, well kept reddish hair. His eyes were of a similar emerald color that Caesar has, but his were much colder and intense than the sleepy eyed, always smiling boy. He wore a long white coat and a black shirt and a pair of black pants. A small golden earring was in his right ear, and it glistened in the small sunlight that was peaking though the blinds closed window to the other side of the person. A small smile appeared on his face and Caesar pushed the door open and entered the room.
"Hey Albert!" He called cheerfully to the person.
"Caesar, have you ever heard of knocking before barging into another persons room. I swear, we should be teaching you some manners instead of strategies if that's the way you're going to act." Albert Silverberg said without raising his eyes from what he was doing.
"What are you working on?" Caesar asked, ignoring the comment about manners. I mean, whom is he kidding, the boy really didn't have any.
"A strategy for my field battle analysis class." The older Silverberg answered with a sigh.
Caesar, even though always told himself that he would never get involved with tactics and such things, made his way across the room. Standing behind his brother, the boy looked over the order's shoulder at what he was writing on the piece of paper. Scrunching his face into a frown he shook his head and took a step back.
"How can you believe that you idea would be a good strategy? Its too complex and confusing."
"What do you mean? This is a fool proof plan to stop the enemy in his tracks way before they can reach the front lines." Albert responded in a dull tone, moving his eyes towards his frowning brother.
"I bet, but the way you have it written out is too confusing."
Albert looked at the piece of paper with his neat handwriting and very detailed direction of his plan and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? It looks fine to me."
"Too confusing." Caesar repeated stubbornly.
"Well genius, how would you write it out?" Albert asked curiously. Part of him wanted to see how far his lazy brother was in his studies, and another part was curious to see how other ways it could be done.
"What's the situation and what are the requirements?" Caesar asked curiously.
Albert was mildly surprised and pleased that his brother was smart enough to learn all of the facts before planning anything.
"Alright, you're defending a small castle. The castle is near a large lake, so you only have one way in and out for transportation. Nearby to the castle there is a small village. You are defending that too. The castle and village have an estimate of 200 people living there. There are two armies on their way coming to attack you. One from the north and another from the south. You only have a small but well fit army defending you. There are about seven units with five members to each unit. What do you do?"
Caesar acquired a tense and serious look on his face that seemed foreign for the young boy. Resting a hand under his chin, and the other crossed underneath it, Caesar began to pace the room as he though of a plan that would prove him right over his older brother. Something came to mind suddenly causing him to smile happily.
"I got it!" He called out as he made his way to the desk. Taking the offered quill and paper from his brother he leaned over the desk and began to scribble some things down.
Albert leaned back as he allowed his little brother write out his strategy with lots of space. Tilting his head back and raising his eyes to the ceiling he silently went over his own plan through his head as he waited.
He didn't have to wait long, in a few minutes his brother straightened up from what he was writing and smiled at his brother.
"I'm done!" He announced proudly.
Albert leaned forward at this and looked down at the piece of paper that his brother was scribbling on. He had to blink and star blankly at the paper for a moment as he took in what he saw. In a way he was expecting and not expecting what he was looking at.
When the oldest Silverberg family writes strategies, he puts all of his notes in bullet point format for easy understanding. Well it's easy for Albert to understand. When the youngest of the Silverberg family writes, well he doesn't write. Instead of writing out steps and ideas of a strategy, Caesar had actually drawn out the mock scene and drew in his units and pathways they would take. There was also mapping of what the enemy units would be doing and how Caesar would counter them.
"Well what do you think?" Caesar asked curiously. He was waiting for his older brothers praise, something he doesn't get easily.
"Well you are still very much of an amateur at this." Albert announced after a long pause.
Caesars face flared up at this and he glared angrily at his older brother. Albert regarded him with the same cold, emotionless face that Caesar was used to. Annoyed as hell when he was on the receiving end, but use to it nonetheless.
"What do you mean by that? This plan is fool proof!" Caesar yelled angrily.
"If you were to walk into a strategy meeting with that piece of paper in your hand, everyone in the room would laugh at you. It's a drawling, not a strategy plan. Its childish and messy." Albert explained.
"It makes sense to me, and with that I would be easily able to explain it to the others."
"I can easily understand mine too, little brother." Albert countered with a soft calmness.
Caesar openly gapped at this. In his attempt to prove better than his brother, he was just beaten. And in the most annoying sense ever, but contradicting himself. With a frustrated scowl he turned away from his brother.
"My strategy is still better." He answered stubbornly.
Albert regarded his brother calmly. Caesar didn't exactly have all of the qualities that defined him as a Silverberg, but the boy still had potential. So maybe he wasn't about to become the best strategist in the world, but there was something there that seemed to be missing in all the members of this wacky family anyways. A spunk that made him more himself, and not another spawn of Leon Silverberg's genes. Standing up suddenly, Albert made his way across the room where a small table and two chairs sat. Picking up a box that was next to the table he turned his head towards Caesar.
"Let us tests our theories, to see whose is better." Albert suggested.
"How?" Caesar asked curiously as he walked over to his brother.
"Chess." Albert declared as he placed the box on the table. Opening it up, he began to set up his chessboard that was a gift form his grandfather when he first started studying to be a strategist.
Once the board was set up the two Silverberg brothers sat down at opposite ends. Caesar was on the white side, and Albert sat on the black side. Caesar stared down at the board, planning his game play and almost missed his brothers next comment.
"Now, I hope that you have enough sense in you so that I don't need to explain the game to you."
"I know how to play Chess. I'm not a little kid you know." Caesar snapped angrily at his brother. "I go first."
Albert didn't respond but only nodded his head toward his brother. Caesar looked down at his pieces and though for a moment. Finally deciding on what to do, he picked up a white pawn on the far left side and moved it forward two spaces. The older Silverberg took this into consideration and moved a black pawn from his right forward two spaces. Caesar watched this and moved another pawn out.
"Why are you so against being a strategist?" Albert suddenly asked as he moved his bishop to take the pawn.
"Why are you so for it?" Caesar countered as he moved his knight to take the bishop.
"It is in our blood to be…"
"Our blood flows differently for each member of the family. Just because I'm a Silverberg doesn't mean I am destined to be a strategist. I have no desire to be a part of war."
"Caesar, you are still a child." Albert declared with a sigh. Absently he moved his knight out to block any moves Caesar might have. "When you get older you will better understand."
"If growing up means to turn out like you I want no part of it." Caesar snapped as he moved a rook out into play.
"What do you mean by that?" Albert asked surprised. He knew that after studying away there has be a distance between him and his little brother, but he didn't believe it was as bad as Caesar made it out to be.
"You changed Albert." Caesar replied. His face took on a more serious look as he stared at his brother. "Ever since Crystal Valley you have been more distant and colder to everyone, including me."
"I can't always be a child." Albert replied as he moved another one of his pawns. "I had to grow up at one point."
"I didn't realize that growing up meant turning into an ass." Caesar muttered as he took his brothers pawn with his own.
"You should really watch that tongue of yours." Albert calmly said as he moved his knight.
"Why? Is it about to dance?" Caesar questioned wittily as he took moved his bishop out towards Albert's knight.
"You are such a child." Albert replied as he took out his brother's knight with his other bishop.
"And you are a jerk." Caesar countered as he took his brother's bishop out with his queen.
Albert moved another one of his pawns out.
"Why do you hate being a Silverberg? It can't all have to do with not fighting in wars. You like violence; hell you fought against me all the time when we were little. So what are you so against with studying to be a strategist?"
"I hate the fact that I am known for being a Silverberg. Like the moment they hear my name they assume that I'm some great strategist who will save them from all harm. It sickens me that I will never be myself; I will always be a Silverberg. An heir to the name, and the grandson of the renowned Leon. They never see me, all they see is a name." Caesar replied bitterly. Releasing a small amount of breath between clenched teeth he reached over and moved his other knight into play.
Albert paused on his next move and he raised his eyes to his brother. In truth it has been a while since the two of them have been able to sit down and enjoy a pleasant conversation with each other. Even though the conversation at the moment seemed tense and bitter, it was one of their better ones in the last month or two. Albert took in his brothers concentrated face and stiff shoulders and noticed how much the boy has grown. It almost panged him to realize how much of his brother he didn't know anymore.
"Do you really hate us?" Albert asked quietly. "Do you really hate me?"
Caesar jerked his head in surprise at this. Without meeting his brothers gaze, Albert moved his knight towards his brothers rook.
"What? No…I don't hate you…." Caesar looked suddenly ashamed and hastily moved his rook to take out his brother's pawn. The hasty move was quickly in vain as he lost the rook to the knight.
"I would not be surprised or angry if you did." Albert muttered as he leaned back in his chair.
"I don't hate our family, as people. More Like I hate them as a name. Does that make sense?" Caesar asked as he moved his bishop to guard his king.
Albert understood this well but didn't say anything. The game continued quietly for a few moves as the two brothers concentrated on the game. In that time Caesar lost his other rook and a bishop, and two pawns. Albert lost four pawns, a rook and a knight in that time too. Even with the drastic lost, the game was still in the older brothers favor.
"How can you handle it Albert?" Caesar asked at one point. He moved his queen towards the black king. "How can you accept the fact that you will be used against your will? Never praised for what you have done but blamed for everything that goes wrong. How can you become another Grandfather Leon and be perfect fine with it?"
"I am not alone, and neither are you." Albert told his brother as he moved his queen towards Caesar's king. "We have each other, if that's enough."
"I don't want to fight in a war. I don't want to fight you." Caesar whispered as he moved a pawn.
"Neither do I." Albert replied as he moved his knight. "But sometimes destiny has other things planned. And we must follow them, no matter how much we hate it all."
With this said the older brother stood up from his chair. Looking down at the board he tapped his brothers king twice before meeting his gaze. No words were passed between them. Only a simple nod and then Albert left the room. Caesar stared at the board for a moment before he knocked his king over.
"Checkmate." Caesar whispered before he too stood up and left the room. It was to be the last time the two brothers would play a game of chess together, the last time they saw each other before they were split apart and forced to fight each other in a war that would forever be known as the Second Fire Bringer War. The last time they would be brothers.