***Author's Notes***
First off: I've gone back and proofread Chapter 06 (as well as formatted it for ff.net). For those of you who would like to see what it should've been, check, otherwise, you haven't missed out on much (a lot of it was just formatting that got deleted by ff.net).
Some trouble still. Be warned, the following scene is going to read pretty slow. Battle-free, of course. The differences I've made have been growing and conflicting with the in-game storyline to the point where I'm wondering if battles might have to be cut out. . .
If there is to be a theme, I'd say it'd be 'vignettes'.
Nothing too blatant in this chapter, but the devil is in the details.
***Author's Notes***
Chapter 02-07 "Slowdown" (Chapter Two: The Manipulator and the Subservient, Scene 07)
***
***January 4th, Year 2. Zaland Fort City***
After looking over at Ramza quickly, seeing that his wound was minor -she refused to allow herself to think otherwise- Agrias continued to be by Ovelia's side, making sure that everything was being done to ensure her safety, even with the knowledge that they were at the mercy of the Lionel troops. On Ramza's side, the group of soldiers and mages that intervened turned out to be the local constabulary, consisting mainly of ex-soldiers who remained in a martial role, preferred or having no other choice.
The ones that Ramza and the young man -Mustadio was his name, fought were either corpses, or have escaped. The lone swordsman was still unaccounted for; the archer that escaped was slain as she resisted arrest. The affair had been quickly settled, with the royal party being rushed off to the constabulary building where they would stay.
The basic message was already apparent to the soldiers at Zaland: Princess Ovelia is seeking protection in Lionel's leader, Draclau, who was a zealous royalist. Full cooperation was being granted, the soldiers taking Agrias and Ovelia at their words, not even asking for any papers even as Agrias handed over the documentation and the royal seals of the Atskascha.
It was settled. They would stay in Zaland until tomorrow, where they would be escorted by a contingent of soldiers to Lionel Castle, a marcb of two days at a relaxed pace. Once there, they would rest, but no sooner. Even the possibility of a rogue brigand harming Ovelia would be considered by an act of war in Lionel against Gallione; the Hokuten's home province.
Now, Agrias wanted to settle another matter, the young man Ramza had rushed headlong into battle to save, not knowing what the reason for the fighting was, simply siding with the underdog, blindly following what he saw as his conscience, his truth. To a small degree, it made her feel jealous, a sentiment she quickly denied and rebuffed as something else.
Leaving Princess Ovelia in an underground chamber with Alicia and Lavian to safeguard her, Agrias went to the room across the stone tunnel that served as a subterranean hallway. Quickly, she took Ramza with her. Alicia had assured her that his wound was fine, even with the muscle damage, the quick potion infusion healed most of it, though Ramza was not supposed to use his left arm for the next few days. A matter Agrias was not so confident about, not having examined his wound herself, unable to make sure in her own eyes and intuition that he was fine.
Now they were in the room with Mustadio, alone. Nervously Mustadio, his thick ponytail cut short, gave them both weird glances, resigned, yet hopeful.
The questions began.
***
"They were troublemakers hired by Bart Company," Mustadio told them after being asked about the fight.
"Bart Company?" Agrias repeated, thinking, "the importer?" He tone was almost impassive, callous as she examined Mustadio.
"You know them?" he continued almost eagerly in his nervous countenance. "They're just not traders," he said, his voice awkward, almost erratic. "They're a criminal syndicate into everything from smuggling and slavery."
This set Agrias thinking some more. She wanted to disbelieve the boy outright, but she knew that everything he said wasn't a lie. The best ones were almost complete truths.
"Why were they after you?" Ramza asked, finally bringing up the golden question. His tone was friendly, but Agrias saw coldness in his eyes -casual, yet intense focus and detachment- she knew was reminiscent of a leader, something she was sure others saw in her.
"You know why they call us 'mechanics?'" Mustadio asked in return, responding to a question with a rhetorical one.
It was obvious that the boy was a mechanic, he seemed to be the type. Odd clothing with lots of pockets, and an obvious social ineptness that Mustadio displayed. Agrias had already dismissed him as mentally unstable -mildly, but still someone she naturally looked down upon. It certainly explained why he had such a weapon.
Taking the initiative, Agrias inserted her own comments in. "I hear a 'lost civilization' is hidden under Goug. . ." she paused, watching his reaction. True enough his posture shifted, indicating that she had found something. "When St. Ajora was alifve, airships were in the sky," she retold the stories, "and human robots in town. But time passed, technology was lost, and nobody knows if it ever really existed." The story depressed Agrias, who detested it, since it told of humanity's decline.
"But the civilization must have existed." Mustadio took the bait. "Parts from many airships and machines are buried under Goug. Mechanics," he said with pride," are the ones who restore the 'past legacies.'"
Taking a sidelong look at Agrias that she caught, Ramza nodded. "That weird thing you used in the battle, was that one of the machines?" It was a rhetorical question.
Carefully, Mustadio opened up the leather holster he had on his left hip, and retracted the clumsy-looking tubular weapon with a perpendicular handle. "Oh, this?" he said almost off-handedly. "This is called a 'gun.' A metal 'bullet' is propelled by gunpowder," he lectured, and Agrias tried to remember what she knew about such technology. "This is the most simple one," he remarked, shrugging. "They say you used to be able to put magic in it and shoot it."
(As if its not lethal enough,) Agrias thought.
"Hmm. . ." Ramza said, taking another look at Agrias.
Returning his open gaze, she asked again what they wanted to know. "Why's Bart Company after you?" she pressed, her voice firmer.
"You said you were going to see the cardinal." Mustadio countered, evading the question. "He was a hero of the Fifty Years War. People in Lionel still think of him as a hero." His voice faltered. "My father too. The cardinal is the only one who can unite this country." That caused Agrias to raise her brow. "I know he'd grant your wish. Then the princess would be safe."
Annoyed, Agrias wished that the young man had not overheard so much of the discussion with the Lionel soldiers.
"Yeah," Agrias responded bluntly, almost annoyed, "and. . ."
"Can you take me with you?" Mustadio begged, gesticulating. "I want to meet the cardinal."
Agrias only replied, "Why?" She almost refused outright.
"To save my father!" Mustadio blurted out. "The cardinal's the only one who can rescue him from Bart!" he exclaimed. "But he wouldn't want to meet some mechanics like myself," he remarked dejectedly. "So please. Take me with you!"
Unmoved, Agrias was only annoyed. "You still haven't told us why they're after you!"
Mustadio continued to stand there, just staring at them, pleading. ". . . I can't tell you now," he said tiredly.
Agrias didn't even stare at him, turning to Ramza instead. Feeling that she wanted to some assistance, even though the issue was completely in her hands, she still wanted to have some support. Without hesitation, Ramza nodded, indicating that he would back whatever she decided. Sternly, without mercy or regret, Agrias replied, "Then, we can't take you."
"I beg you!" Mustadio almost yelled. "Trust me!" he pleaded, failing to rouse her sympathy, "I must see the cardinal!"
As Agrias was about to dismiss him, the door opened. Both her and Ramza turned around. She noticed his reaction was faster than hers, and more fluid, his hands still empty even as she instinctively grasped the hilt of her sword, inverted in its sheath. Agrias relaxed as she saw the plain face of Lavian, before it ducked back out and Ovelia appeared at the doorway, giving both her and Ramza a light nod.
Immediately, Agrias matched Ramza as they each fell to one knee, bowing their heads. Whilst Agrias did not trust Mustadio, she knew that she could trust Ramza to make sure she was safe. Something that surprised her, realizing that by extension, she not only willingly laid her life in his hands, but the princess' as well.
As soon as she walked up to Ramza and Agrias, Ovelia stopped. Already she was changed into a fresh set of robes, and it was obvious that she at least had washed her face already. "All right," she announced softly, "you can come with us."
Training built into her, Agrias refrained from protesting. She saw Ramza turn his head to look at her -again, and she gave him a small smile. (I'm fine) she thought, wondering if he could understand. The light nod he gave her in return almost startled her.
"Really?" Mustadio said, uncertain, his voice changing to jubilant. "Thank you, Highness!" he praised.
Taking a look back, Agrias glared at him. "Remember!" she said harshly," You're in the presence of a princess!"
Clumsily, Mustadio dropped to one knee, embarrassed.
Ovelia kept herself from giggling. Hoping that she would not offend her overzealous knight, she intervened. "It's all right," she told them, "Please stand up."
All of them rose, and Agrias faced Ramza as she said, "All right then. I trust you."
Ovelia wondered who it was Agrias addressed.
***
Together with Ramza, Agrias sat at a rectangular table in a meeting room inside the building they were in, which was actually a fortification built within the fort city, which had no central keep, but instead a network of semi-independent strongpoints. It had its weaknesses, but it kept the enemy from completely decentralizing command and communications with one well-placed barrage or mass-assassin. Ovelia was at the head of the table, in between the two.
The tapestries helped keep the room was enough, and Agrias was pleased at their content. All of them were of the fields or of the inner working of the fort city. Of all things. Not some 'glorious' battle, nor some 'epic' hunt, simply scenes of labor, of buildings, of people existing. Somehow, such plain literalness was appealing to her.
With them were several of the Lionel soldiers, knights in charge of the local units, as well as the mayor of the fort-city, a civilian. Ramza was with her for support, something which Agrias appreciated, even if he really did not belong in this forum. (Not unless he was still a noble), Agrias pondered.
"Messengers have been sent ahead of you to Lionel Castle," a knight told them, dressed in plain linen clothing. "The cardinal should be able to receive you properly when you arrive, Excellency," he reported to Ovelia while truly telling Agrias.
The hesitation in his voice was palpable. "Its all right," she told him, "whatever he decides, I am sure it is the right thing," Ovelia finished.
The mayor made his statement. "You seem to be tired," he phrased thinly, nervous about breaching the obvious. It didn't take much intelligence for one to figure out that this was no state visit, especially with the small contingency that was insufficient for the purpose.
"We appreciate the hospitality," Agrias spoke for the group's interests -ensuring the safety of the princess, "but we will be taking our sojourn at Lionel Castle."
"Ah. . . I understand," the mayor replied, playing along. "I noticed that you did not have enough chocobos for everyone?"
Another knight stepped in, or so he appeared to be one until Agrias noticed the draconian crest he wore on his ceremonial gorget. (A dragoon. . .) she pondered. Armored soldiers to be sure, but they came from the archer class - combining maneuverability and accuracy with heavy protection and melee weaponry to become lethal at longer ranges than their sword- bearing equivalents. Where knights were known for their cool temperament and skills, dragoons cultivated aggression and speed. "We have a shipment of chocobo due for Lionel Castle," he told them, "if you would like, they are yours to use on the way there."
Pleased, Agrias accepted. "That would be appreciated," she told them. She wasn't much for protocol when it came to martial matters, but technically, the mayor ran the town, and she could hardly talk to him as bluntly as she would another of her profession, that of war, regardless of the motive, something which she had come to bitterly admit.
Ramza was the one who asked the obvious, saving her the trouble. "Will we have company?" he inquired.
***
The unofficial meeting finished, and plans made for tomorrow, the mayor dismissed them, and Agrias took the princess back to their subterranean quarters. It wasn't that she worried for the allegiance of Lionel as a whole -they'd be dead already if these soldiers weren't, but she still considered the possibility of an agent; a potential assassin was always a threat that could never be taken lightly, especially in lieu of who she was.
Ramza stayed behind, presumably to find Alicia and Lavian, the two having visited the armory to have their equipment looked over, and if necessary, repaired.
Agrias opted to lag behind the princess, letting a squire who remained nameless lead them through the tunnels built during the war. Getting to their room took little time, and as the squire closed the door as he left, Agrias sighed.
"Tired?" Ovelia asked her.
Understanding that the princess wanted informality, Agrias granted it to her, a small bit of irony. "Yes. We haven't had enough rest," the Holy Knight told Ovelia. Agrias stopped there however, before she began to list off all her concerns as a leader for those she was responsible for, a duty independent to that of protecting Ovelia. "With those chocobo, the trip to Lionel Castle might only be a day. A long ride, but its better than being in the field for over a night.
"Ah. . ." Ovelia replied, remembering what she was learning of such matters. Truth to be told, neither of them wanted to talk about what they would do upon reaching Lionel, not now at least. They'd worry about it later, of course, but for the moment, a distraction, any distraction, would be a blessing. "Agrias, what do you think of Mr. Ruglia?" As Agrias blinked, seeming caught off-guard, and Ovelia continued to question her, albeit at a more indirect angle. "He was one of those mercenaries. . ."
"His loyalty cannot be doubted," Agrias replied crisply, retracting into a shell, that of duty. "His allegiance is as unquestionable as one of my own knights," she continued.
"In battle," Ovelia said, "both at the 'falls," she paused, thinking back of another figure, "the way he fought. . . its different from. . ."
"How he seems otherwise?" Agrias asked, finding that she was smiling, even in bemusement at somebody else being baffled at Ramza's behavior.
Ovelia didn't mean to say that he fought well, combat being something she abhorred. "Yes. . . it is different from what I would expect." Ovelia thought for a moment. "I remember now, his bearing, its that of a noble," she brought up, wondering what else about Ramza she had noticed.
"Yes," Agrias replied, not paying attention to her voice, "he is. . . it is," she corrected herself.
The princess did not comment, wanting her stern quasi-friend/guardian to reveal more of what she felt, even if her methods were not so honest.
***
In the quarters assigned to the knights, Ramza talked to the two, having gone there, finding that Alicia and Lavian had already left the armory. He had taken a side trip to the mess, where he had picked up for the three of them a simple meal. The room served as a buffer in the suite. If an intruder wanted to take a chance at Ovelia, then they would have to go through this room first.
"So we're forbidden to go into town," Alicia repeated, the tone of disappointment in her voice lacking sincerity, as if rehearsed poorly.
Ramza just shrugged. "It makes sense, the princess is not supposed to be here, and the Hokuten must be looking." Alicia just pouted at him, she wanted more of an argument, not simply a rationalization.
"I am sure they already know where we are," Lavian told him, and he nodded his head in agreement.
"Being blatant is asking for them to try something," Ramza replied. "In fact, if we had gone to an inn tonight, someone may have made an attempt there."
"You're thinking too much like lady Agrias," Alicia told him, wishing that he would just play along and be argumentative with her. "How much of that paranoia is valid?"
"That's a relative point," Lavian told her partner, as she bad Ramza to put the food on the table she had dragged right beside the bunk bolted against the wall. Alicia pulled up a chair on the other side of the table, while Lavian sat herself down in the bottom bunk.
Politely, Ramza did not stare as they ate. It was a simple meal again, one with bread, but this time with a different entrée: soup, something they had not have in days, which seemed long enough after the days long march-fighting they had done. The experience wasn't comparable to what they endured during the few weeks they spent in war, but it was grueling enough. Not as complicated, not as chaotic, and the theater revolved around them, adding another type of strain they had not experienced before. In the war, Alicia and Lavian knew that they mattered little if they personally won or loss, but in this series of conflicts, individual failure would mean civil war at the worst.
Curiously, Ramza looked over at the door on the other side of the room, the one that lead to Ovelia's -and Agrias' chamber.
***
"Where's Ramza?" Agrias asked her subordinate when Lavian entered Ovelia's chamber, Alicia on the floor of the room that was the knights' half of the suite, medical supplies strewn around the chemist / knight.
"The stables," Lavian replied, "he's checking the chocobo. I think he's just passing the time," she commented, explaining her interpretation of Ramza's motives.
"Oh." Agrias blinked. "Our plans tomorrow are simple. With a small complement from the soldiers here, we'll set out -on chocobo," she added, bringing in the details of the meeting her two subordinates missed. "With luck, they say we'll make it there within a day, maybe two."
"Who'll be coming with us?" Alicia asked, poking her head through the door. When she noticed Ovelia staring at her intrusion, she bowed hastily, embarrassed.
"A group of rangers lead by a geomancer-" Agrias began, trying to recall the complement of their 'escort'.
"-Archers?" Alicia almost groaned, bringing up their recent experiences with that class of fighter.
Agrias shrugged. "A few; I've only seen the group's leader."
Lavian brought up what was beneath the layer, "Do you expect trouble?"
"No," Agrias replied, unsure. "If we are to be attacked, it won't be by the Hokuten."
"I thought the farmer said that highway robbery wasn't a problem," Ovelia remarked, a little confused.
"It isn't," Agrias agreed, "however, I think we might encounter problems because of that boy. . ."
"Ramza, or Mustadio?" Alicia asked, impatience getting the better of her, annoyed at how someone as direct as Agrias was so nebulous and evasive when it came to Ramza.
"Mustadio. . ." Agrias replied in a tone that implied surprise and confusion. Regaining her confidence, she continued, without explaining her answer, "there's nothing left to do tonight but to rest. We're all exhausted. Even if we tried, we can't wake before the sun rises." For a moment, she thought, before concluding, "Good night."
"Sleeping in sounds nice," Ovelia joked, breaking the tension.
***
Ramza leaned up against the stalls within the chocobo stable. The straw was freshly changed, and the place did not smell as strongly as it normally was. In this moment, he was examining Boco, who in turn, studied him. Briefly, Ramza opened his mouth to talk, but thought better of it, catching himself halfway and instead reaching out with his hand towards Boco.
The hand was slow, but it was resolute, firm in its determination. Even as Boco grew agitated, Ramza did not withdraw. If it came down to it, even if the chocobo snapped at his arm, Ramza would not pull back.
Stupid on the long run, but in that moment, it is what Ramza would allow.
Boco cocked his head back. The hand continued forwards. Boco's beak came down as Ramza winced.
Ramza's hand began to ruffle the smaller feathers underneath Boco's left orbit. Slowly, as Boco continued to grew angry again, his bluff being called, Ramza withdrew. (If everything was this simple. . .) Ramza thought.
***
Restless, Ramza stared up at the ceiling of his room. The tunnel carved in that provided air from the outside only brought in the draft, which Ramza found more bothersome now in 'civilization' than in the field. The candle in its post on the wall lit the room with a steady glow. Ramza only wore a tunic and an aging pair of trousers.
His personal articles -armor and weaponry, lay on the table beside him. Steadily, his equipment had suffered, and Ramza found it unfortunate that they would not stay here long enough for any significant maintenance to be performed. He preferred to use the same items, even if there was something else better; there was a utility with familiarity. (After this is over. . .) Ramza told himself, wondering what 'this' was.
He looked over to where the door was, a chair being stuck under the knob. An unnecessary precaution, as he knew that nothing would happen to him here.
Flexing his arm, he was surprised that he could feel no more ache. Agrias had taken him aside -just for a moment, as Ovelia had excused herself to do something private -which Ramza wisely did not take interest in. During that brief reprieve, he saw that Agrias had wanted to say something to him, just as he wanted to talk to her. "Promise me?" she asked him softly. He had paused, before answering in the affirmative, wondering what she had meant. (To talk again whenever we have the time? Promise her never to leave her behind in a fight? To force her to choose? Or. . .) In his bed, Ramza smiled as he sought to remember the sensations he felt as she had examined his arm, healing him simultaneously. Ramza felt nostalgia as he wondered since how long had he felt such tender loving care from someone.
In the present again, Ramza found himself startled, wondering why his thoughts had wandered onto that path.
From where his right hand drooped on the floor beside his wall- mounted bed, Ramza could pick up the mithril dagger he had placed there, one of the many things he had come to pick up in his brief career as an independent mercenary, before Gafgarion had been sent to keep him in unofficial guardianship. Those few months he had spent alone were harsh, teaching him things that would never have been gone over at Gariland's academy. Lessons learned from people that he had helped exterminate in his first assignments: the annihilation of the Death Corps.
Ramza found it curious that he was not scarred. Even as a swordsman, his hands were still tender, soft and sensitive. True, he was gaunt now, the baby fat he'd had was gone, yet the only muscle he had was conditioned sinew in his arms and legs; his stomach was soft, not sculpted. Whenever it was cold he froze, feeling the chill easily in his bones. His appetite was still there, never having departed him since he began to change into an adult. Always hungry, never satiated, and perpetually receptive.
Thoughts continued down the past until it dwelled on the events that lead him to where he was now: the pursuit of the Death Corps, the beginnings of his doubt on the noble system, and the loss of a friend that he could call a brother, the sacrifice of Teta, and in turn, Delita.
It was a series of events that kept Ramza's attention imprisoned in the few moments of rest that he found during the following months. A series of thoughts that he had explored all to well. A series of conclusions of which he tired.
The inability to accept such things as life was what caused Ramza to keep running away, continuing to widen the gap that one day he would need to bridge again, knowing that unless he could bring himself to discard who he was, only return was his option.
For all the trouble it brought him, Ramza would not abandon who he was. He no longer wore the name Beoulve, but he believed that he had it in spirit still. Unlike those who sullied its name with their actions, Ramza removed it from himself rather than continue with the dishonor, the indignity, the injusitice.
Teta slain by Zalbag's own order to Algus to shoot her in order to reveal Golagros; Zalbag, who less than two weeks before had escorted Teta as his own sister along with Alma.
Yet, Ramza knew he could do nothing. How could such a thing be rectified? Unable to find a reason, adding more to why Ramza ran.
His dead friend, his betrayed friend, his living friend; Delita was in his life again. Ramza wondered what he would do with that knowledge, confused at what role he now served. Delita was involved in something big, something unknown, something that concerned Ivalice's future. A future that Ramza, by birth, had silently been sworn to protect, simply by being a Beoulve.
Not from the cold, Ramza shivered. He was tense now, unable to rest. The ache would begin soon if he didn't start moving and let his body unwind.
Ramza did not want to be involved, but his conscience and sense of duty compelled him to be, even indirectly. Integrity governed most of his actions, but he still considered the other factors. By helping Ovelia, he helped Ivalice. Believing that Delita's nature must still exist, he knew that Delita was also helping Ivalice. By helping Agrias to protect the princess, Ramza knew he was fulfilling the spirit of the name he had shunned.
(I'm as tense as her. . .) Ramza thought, finding some humor to dull the anxiety that had accompanied the tension. A nervous chuckle escaped from him. Feeling his thoughts center on the Agrias, Ramza felt himself growing confused as he began to arrange the snippets of interpretations and questions concerning the Holy Knight. Images of her angry and stoic visage were outnumbered by the other faces he had seen her display. (At least I got her to laugh,) Ramza noticed, happy now, the shivering beginning to dissipate, forgetting that her moments of lightheartedness were all at his expense.
Taking a small break from contemplating the world around him, and inevitably bearing the burden for so many things out of his control, Ramza thought back to the times he had seen Agrias being tender to the chocobos.
***
In Alicia's and Lavian's half of the suite, both were already asleep, neatly squared away in their wall-mounted beds. The princess' room was lit only by a single candle now: Agrias'. Ovelia was already asleep, having changed into bedclothes. The princess wasn't exhausted from ride, but the mounting mental strain sapped her energy. Agrias was also tired, but she could not go to sleep. Finally retiring the attempt to organize everything that would be going on tomorrow in her head, Agrias tried to relax enough to sleep. The irony was not appreciated.
While the princess had been given the large bed in the room, Agrias had taken a cot and placed it by the doorway, as if to guard the entrance, the final line of defense should an assailant make it past her remaining knights. Even as she took this precaution, Agrias had not locked the room to Alicia and Lavian. It irritated her a little that she would take such half-hearted measures.
Irritation turned to a strong disturbance as a topic would not leave Agrias be. It was something that fascinated her and also infuriated her. (Ramza,) she concluded. Curling up underneath her linen blanket, wearing an oversized tunic as a nightshirt, Agrias felt too resigned to scowl. She didn't even care as she let a mewl escape her. Feeling that she wanted as little turmoil as possible on this night, Agrias gave up the fight and let her imagination do as they will.
As she drifted away, Agrias saw herself in her mind's eye, talking to Ramza. It was that night in Dorter again, and as the two figures in her mind conversed in silent words, the only other detail she noticed was that they held hands.
***
***January 5th, Year 2. Zaland Fort City***
Morning found Ramza awake before it had arrived. Having already eaten, Ramza was dressed. Changing his mind, Ramza had visited the armory to have his damaged cuirass looked over. The deep purple-dyed bronze armor had not been repaired. It had simply been patched, providing temporary restoration of coverage. The pieces of welded metal were dull, without luster, so as to not attract attention -more than it already did. He was returning to his room to ready the rest of his belongings.
He decided that he would not wake the others. They needed the rest, and even if Agrias argued against it, he knew that she agreed that the extra sleep was necessary. Hypocrisy or saving face, Ramza didn't care. It made sense, and it helped take some of Agrias' personal burden.
The sword smith had confirmed his opinion; his weaponry was in need of repair. A battle or more of the same caliber as he had recently fought, and Ramza's equipment would begin to fail. Ramza could see where the mithril sword he used had been wearing away, the edge becoming visibly uneven.
Briefly, Ramza wondered about everyone else's materials. Taking a mental note, Ramza decided that he would bring this up to Agrias once they reached Lionel Castle.
"G'morning Ramza!" Mustadio's cheery voice came from behind him.
A little surprised, Ramza turned around and gestured for the mechanic to be quiet. "They need more sleep."
The mechanic shrugged. "Didn't mean any harm." As his stomach growled, Ramza only pointed him down the hallway, towards the stairs, which lead up to the mess. "When do we leave?" the mechanic asked as an afterthought.
"Too soon. . ." Ramza said to himself.
"Huh?"
"Some time before noon," Ramza said louder. Giving the suite's closed door a sidelong glance, Ramza went into his room.
***
The morning preparations were dull in the sense that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Everyone was thankful.
When Agrias had gone to wake Ramza up herself, she found his room devoid of everything that had marked his presence. He was gone, his belongings were gone, and the beddings and furniture was as before Ramza set down his things after being shown to his room along with her. Yet, Agrias found herself trying to smell the room's air, disappointed when even his scent was gone. (You weren't sleeping next to him last night. . .) her mind threw in, already souring her morning.
Still a little surprised, Agrias dismissed the matter, concentrating on getting her subordinates ready.
"Where's Mr. Ruglia?" Ovelia asked her as she stood outside the room's doorway.
"I think he's already prepared," Agrias replied. As her back was to the princess, she missed the odd look Ovelia gave her.
***
Agrias found Ramza as everyone had assembled. Everyone was mounted on a chocobo. All had standard saddles, meant for comfort, not for utility in combat. Agrias quickly realized that no one there was cavalry. The chocobo would serve as rapid transportation, not as a weapons platform. Ramza had a plain chocobo as his mount, the lavender Windfall in tow. Finding herself disappointed when he did not greet her with his usual smile, Agrias remembered who was with them: a detachment of Lionel soldiers. She appreciated keeping up some protocol between the two of them, wishing that such displays wasn't necessary.
There were three baggage chocobo this time, one from their group lugged their supplies, another had their escort's provisions, and the last one carried messages from Zaland and the northern villages, being sent down towards the heart of Lionel.
Agrias' group was the centre, the geomancer and two archers serving as the van, while an archer with two squires were the rear. Not an impressive force militarily, but enough to ward off any highway bandits that may exist.
Letting the geomancer do his job as their guide, Agrias simply lead her group, her chocobo besides Boco, whom Ovelia rode on. Lavian, Alicia, and Ramza were right behind them, towing the cargo-laden chocobo, Windfall forgotten, in between the center and the rear, having only Mustadio as company.
The group experienced one problem. Not everyone's saddle was properly fitted, and both rider and chocobo suffered discomfort. Agreeing with the geomancer, Agrias had the group stop at the ruins of a church. Without being asked, the archers fanned out taking posts, leaving the geomancer and the squires to secure the harnesses properly this time. The stable hands would receive a stern reprimand when word came to Zaland.
***
Agrias was pleased at the distance the Lionel soldiers gave Ovelia. It was as if those soldiers did not notice the Royal guard at all. Besides Ovelia, Agrias stood in front of the fallen church's door. The place may have been a thriving village at one point, this church would've been a centerpoint. But, something happened, be it war, famine, or plague -some mix of the three, Agrias thought cynically, and the people were no longer there. A few foundations still stood, and the front arch of the church's façade still stood, a collection of tombstones in a viridian graveyard of overrun rubble.
Wisely, Agrias kept her thoughts to herself. As she noticed Ovelia begin to look towards her, the silence beginning to grow uncomfortable, Agrias tried to start a conversation. Pointing towards their destination, obscured by yet another range, Agrias spoke. "Princess Ovelia," she addressed her war, "see? Lionel Castle is over that mountain."
Almost indifferent, within her own thoughts, Ovelia nodded, keeping from shrugging. "Its still far from this fort," she commented, thinking this was an old base.
(It probably was,) Agrias thought.
"I wonder if Cardinal Draclau will really helps us?" Ovelia brought up.
It wasn't a question that should've appeared, since Agrias had gone over this before. The Holy Knight knew that Ovelia would still be doubtful. It wasn't as if she could scold a princess after all. Settling for gentle repetition, Agrias replied with an answer already given some time ago. "I hear Cardinal Draclau is very loyal to the royal family." Her tone was as casual as she could make it while still being polite. "Right now, he's neutral in the dispute between Prince Larg and Prince Goltana," she continued, being docile in her statement. "I'm sure he wouldn't defeat justice by turning you over to either of them."
"I hope so. . ." Ovelia murmured, still distracted. Agrias noticed her continuing to stare at a tree, alone on a small hill.
Agrias knew that Ovelia was putting some of the blame on herself. Of all people, Agrias was knowledgeable of how that felt. (Where's it written that compassion and conscience follows logic?)
Ovelia began to walk towards the small hill, the crest of which was not even taller than Agrias. Others would've considered it impolite, Agrias knew Ovelia needed the distraction, and she was obviously troubled if she was as unaware as she was now.
"Besides," Agrias continued, "he is a man of popularity at Glabados Church. They'll accept you if the cardinal asks them." For a moment, Agrias wondered why she was getting so involved in state affairs. (Somehow, if this turns into a three-way war between Larg, Goltana, and the Church, I'm going to be partially responsible.)
"I wish I weren't a princess."
"Princess Ovelia. . ." Agrias replied, her sympathy beginning to be balance out by exasperation as to how nothing she said seemed to make an impact on Ovelia. (Almost like how some people leech off sympathy. . .)
***
Ramza had helped them adjust the harnesses and saddles properly onto the chocobos, and was returning to tell Agrias and Ovelia that it was time to leave; he had already told Alicia and Lavian, and they told him that they'd trust him to escort them back. Ramza was still thinking as to what they meant by that as he walked through the church's rubble. Without knowing it, Ramza almost kneeled as he entered the ruin, and he automatically crossed himself.
He heard Agrias' voice, beginning to see her past the church's open doorway, below the barren arch. He opened his mouth to call out to them, but as he began to make out words, he had the urge to stay silent.
Feeling conflicted, Ramza walked quietly besides the doorway, staying on the other side, listening in.
***
Hearing Ovelia sigh as the princess picked at the leaves of the tree, Agrias had a feeling she knew what would be coming.
"I was always surrounded by the convent walls. . ." Ovelia began, in a reflective voice, one that belied strain, "and have only seen the sky through them." She continued to talk with her back to Agrias. "I don't think you know, but I was at another monastery before I went to Orbonne."
Which would make sense, Agrias concluded. Most likely she had been sent to a convent instead. (Which made a convenient bank to keep daddy's little unwanted girl 'innocent') Agrias cynically thought, finding that she made a pun.
Taking Agrias' silence as cue to continue, Ovelia talked louder, gaining confidence. "Even after hearing about the adoption by the deceased king," Ovelia referred to the dead Denamunda, whom Agrias never had any warm feelings for. Loyalty was one thing, devotion was another, "I stayed there for a long time." Ovelia paused, "No, I'm not complaining about that. Just. . ." another pause, "people are dying because I'm the princess."
(It took her this long to get that out. . .) Agrias wondered.
"It's so painful," Ovelia said simply.
Suppressing the sigh, Agrias tried to straighten out Ovelia. "Please don't blame yourself," Agrias told her. "Its not your fault. Those who are trying to take advantage of you are the ones to blame." It was sincere, though not as clear as Agrias wanted to be.
Again, Ovelia changed the subject. "I met a girl at Orbonne. She said she had also been living in the monastery since birth. We used to laugh at how similar our lives has been," Ovelia said, sounding rueful, a light, though sad tone evident in her voice. Nostalgia was what Agrias would've called it. "Isn't it funny?"
Through this, Agrias had been thinking back to the dossier they had given her about the princess. "She was the daughter of the Beoulves, Miss Alma, wasn't she?"
Ovelia nodded. "She is my only friend. . ." Agrias winced at that. "I wonder if Draclau would use me?"
That set Agrias thinking. (Well, I have heard only good things about him, but, what's that worth?) ". . ."
"Ramza!" Mustadio's voice yelled out, causing Agrias to whirl.
(He's here?!) Agrias thought, wondering why she didn't sense anyone nearby, (Some guard I am. . .) her mind spat out, before being annoyed at the notion that Ramza -of all people, would be spying on her. (If he wanted to join us, he should have just have come out and told. . .)
"Where are you?" the other youth continued, causing Agrias to regret why she didn't like the idea of multiple males -adolescent males, around. "Shall we go?!"
Agrias spied the mechanic through the doorway. Giving Ovelia a look back, Agrias walked into the church As if to snub Ramza, she refused to even acknowledge his presence even as she saw him give her an apologetic glance. (All he has to do is say something. . .) Agrias told herself, (then I'll acknowledge what he wants.)
"What have you been doing here?" Mustadio asked Ramza.
"How was it?" Agrias asked the mechanic, wondering if the nuisance was worth anything.
"Fine," Mustadio told her. "It doesn't seem like the Hokuten has been here yet," he reported, bringing information from the Lionel soldiers that had ringed the area.
Now Agrias gave Ramza a look as if to say, 'did he have to know that?'
Agrias' senses were tweaked when she heard a small noise from where Ovelia was. It sounded like an instrument. . . a poor instrument.
Ramza beat her in going out the door, and he even walked up to Ovelia, making Agrias curious.
Ovelia looked embarrassed as she noticed Ramza looking at her, less than a pace away. "My friend taught me before," she said dejectedly, "but I can't seem to do it right."
Ramza gave her a small smile, one that Agrias caught even from the church's doorway.
"This is how you do it," he told Ovelia cheerfully, taking some leaves of his own from the tree. The sound he produced by blowing through the leaves wasn't what Agrias called music, but it was distraction enough.
It got the princess to smile, even if it was at Ramza.
"Like this?" the princess remarked, trying it for herself. Her instrument's bleat was smaller and more shrill, but she was happy. "There! I did it."
Not caring what the Lionel soldiers would think of the delay, Agrias let Ovelia continue to practice with the 'reed flute' the princess took a liking too. (Whatever keeps the gloom' n' doom attitude away,) she thought. When she noticed Mustadio shrugging as she turned to look at the mechanic, Agrias wished that she was there too. (No sense intruding in their fun,) Agrias told herself. (Why don't you?) she asked herself. ('All you have to do is come out and ask') her inner voice paraphrased Agrias' earlier thoughts. Still, Agrias stood there, compelled to watch, unable to step up and voice what she wanted.
***
***Author's Notes***
Yes, its a small collection of scenes. Not quite vignettes, though.
Not meaning to insult anyone here, but emphasis was on Ramza and Agrias' budding relationship, and how they have some space to think now that there is the artificial wall imposed between them again. Not love at first sight, oh no. . .
Be it a good thing or a bad thing, I'm prone to repetition, so redundancies are blatant and intentional.
Also, no battle scenes in this one. The Bariaus Hill battle (next chapter) will be different from the game:
Ramza and crew have escorts, plus they are all on chocobo. Granted they have to dismount to fight, the terrain issue will be less of a concern since the chocobos can tackle the jags.
Why the escort? Since Agrias wants to seek shelter from Draclau, it'd make sense for her to make early contact with the Lionel soldiers to send word ahead. A single trained courier (or a tame steel hawk?) would be able to relay their demands faster than traveling there and surprising them all at once. Also, the Zaland-based soldiers would never leave a royal party unguarded. Not only does Draclau openly support the royal family, but its what duty to the crown demands.
***Author's Notes***
***Readers' Response Corner***
To the guy/s I've offended - explain! Was it I was abrasive? That I did not agree with 'yuri-content'? The fact that I can't really address what someone did in their game as relevant to the storyline? (I've already decided against turning him into a dragoon, full-on at least. Thanks for THAT input. Yet, I don't know how to respond to comments about what class Ramza is on your save.)
Unable to take criticism? Damn right! Give them to me and I shall try to rationalize WHY(read: excuses, excuses, Marsha-Marsha-Marsha!). Ping me with something I can't dispute or justify - Kudos to you!
Pardon the lack of battle scenes. Right now, the effort invested into them is half-hearted to begin with and they ruin the flow of the storyline. All the battles will still remain, but I'm still deciding on how to tackle things.
***Readers' Response Corner***
***Intermission***
Mounted on her chocobo and on the road again, Agrias checked herself from laughing. One on hand, she was annoyed at what had happened, but on the other she couldn't help but find it one of the funniest things that she had ever witnessed.
Failing to keep a straight face, Agrias glanced over at Ovelia, beyond whom was Ramza. Both had sullen looks. Dejected expressions that matched the puffiness of their lips, swollen and engorged.
"Well," Agrias remarked, trying not to burst out laughing, "at least everyone knows that those leaves will give you a rash."
"Mrm-mrmph. . ." Ramza muttered.
Unable to hold it in anymore, Agrias doubled over laughing.
***Intermission***
First off: I've gone back and proofread Chapter 06 (as well as formatted it for ff.net). For those of you who would like to see what it should've been, check, otherwise, you haven't missed out on much (a lot of it was just formatting that got deleted by ff.net).
Some trouble still. Be warned, the following scene is going to read pretty slow. Battle-free, of course. The differences I've made have been growing and conflicting with the in-game storyline to the point where I'm wondering if battles might have to be cut out. . .
If there is to be a theme, I'd say it'd be 'vignettes'.
Nothing too blatant in this chapter, but the devil is in the details.
***Author's Notes***
Chapter 02-07 "Slowdown" (Chapter Two: The Manipulator and the Subservient, Scene 07)
***
***January 4th, Year 2. Zaland Fort City***
After looking over at Ramza quickly, seeing that his wound was minor -she refused to allow herself to think otherwise- Agrias continued to be by Ovelia's side, making sure that everything was being done to ensure her safety, even with the knowledge that they were at the mercy of the Lionel troops. On Ramza's side, the group of soldiers and mages that intervened turned out to be the local constabulary, consisting mainly of ex-soldiers who remained in a martial role, preferred or having no other choice.
The ones that Ramza and the young man -Mustadio was his name, fought were either corpses, or have escaped. The lone swordsman was still unaccounted for; the archer that escaped was slain as she resisted arrest. The affair had been quickly settled, with the royal party being rushed off to the constabulary building where they would stay.
The basic message was already apparent to the soldiers at Zaland: Princess Ovelia is seeking protection in Lionel's leader, Draclau, who was a zealous royalist. Full cooperation was being granted, the soldiers taking Agrias and Ovelia at their words, not even asking for any papers even as Agrias handed over the documentation and the royal seals of the Atskascha.
It was settled. They would stay in Zaland until tomorrow, where they would be escorted by a contingent of soldiers to Lionel Castle, a marcb of two days at a relaxed pace. Once there, they would rest, but no sooner. Even the possibility of a rogue brigand harming Ovelia would be considered by an act of war in Lionel against Gallione; the Hokuten's home province.
Now, Agrias wanted to settle another matter, the young man Ramza had rushed headlong into battle to save, not knowing what the reason for the fighting was, simply siding with the underdog, blindly following what he saw as his conscience, his truth. To a small degree, it made her feel jealous, a sentiment she quickly denied and rebuffed as something else.
Leaving Princess Ovelia in an underground chamber with Alicia and Lavian to safeguard her, Agrias went to the room across the stone tunnel that served as a subterranean hallway. Quickly, she took Ramza with her. Alicia had assured her that his wound was fine, even with the muscle damage, the quick potion infusion healed most of it, though Ramza was not supposed to use his left arm for the next few days. A matter Agrias was not so confident about, not having examined his wound herself, unable to make sure in her own eyes and intuition that he was fine.
Now they were in the room with Mustadio, alone. Nervously Mustadio, his thick ponytail cut short, gave them both weird glances, resigned, yet hopeful.
The questions began.
***
"They were troublemakers hired by Bart Company," Mustadio told them after being asked about the fight.
"Bart Company?" Agrias repeated, thinking, "the importer?" He tone was almost impassive, callous as she examined Mustadio.
"You know them?" he continued almost eagerly in his nervous countenance. "They're just not traders," he said, his voice awkward, almost erratic. "They're a criminal syndicate into everything from smuggling and slavery."
This set Agrias thinking some more. She wanted to disbelieve the boy outright, but she knew that everything he said wasn't a lie. The best ones were almost complete truths.
"Why were they after you?" Ramza asked, finally bringing up the golden question. His tone was friendly, but Agrias saw coldness in his eyes -casual, yet intense focus and detachment- she knew was reminiscent of a leader, something she was sure others saw in her.
"You know why they call us 'mechanics?'" Mustadio asked in return, responding to a question with a rhetorical one.
It was obvious that the boy was a mechanic, he seemed to be the type. Odd clothing with lots of pockets, and an obvious social ineptness that Mustadio displayed. Agrias had already dismissed him as mentally unstable -mildly, but still someone she naturally looked down upon. It certainly explained why he had such a weapon.
Taking the initiative, Agrias inserted her own comments in. "I hear a 'lost civilization' is hidden under Goug. . ." she paused, watching his reaction. True enough his posture shifted, indicating that she had found something. "When St. Ajora was alifve, airships were in the sky," she retold the stories, "and human robots in town. But time passed, technology was lost, and nobody knows if it ever really existed." The story depressed Agrias, who detested it, since it told of humanity's decline.
"But the civilization must have existed." Mustadio took the bait. "Parts from many airships and machines are buried under Goug. Mechanics," he said with pride," are the ones who restore the 'past legacies.'"
Taking a sidelong look at Agrias that she caught, Ramza nodded. "That weird thing you used in the battle, was that one of the machines?" It was a rhetorical question.
Carefully, Mustadio opened up the leather holster he had on his left hip, and retracted the clumsy-looking tubular weapon with a perpendicular handle. "Oh, this?" he said almost off-handedly. "This is called a 'gun.' A metal 'bullet' is propelled by gunpowder," he lectured, and Agrias tried to remember what she knew about such technology. "This is the most simple one," he remarked, shrugging. "They say you used to be able to put magic in it and shoot it."
(As if its not lethal enough,) Agrias thought.
"Hmm. . ." Ramza said, taking another look at Agrias.
Returning his open gaze, she asked again what they wanted to know. "Why's Bart Company after you?" she pressed, her voice firmer.
"You said you were going to see the cardinal." Mustadio countered, evading the question. "He was a hero of the Fifty Years War. People in Lionel still think of him as a hero." His voice faltered. "My father too. The cardinal is the only one who can unite this country." That caused Agrias to raise her brow. "I know he'd grant your wish. Then the princess would be safe."
Annoyed, Agrias wished that the young man had not overheard so much of the discussion with the Lionel soldiers.
"Yeah," Agrias responded bluntly, almost annoyed, "and. . ."
"Can you take me with you?" Mustadio begged, gesticulating. "I want to meet the cardinal."
Agrias only replied, "Why?" She almost refused outright.
"To save my father!" Mustadio blurted out. "The cardinal's the only one who can rescue him from Bart!" he exclaimed. "But he wouldn't want to meet some mechanics like myself," he remarked dejectedly. "So please. Take me with you!"
Unmoved, Agrias was only annoyed. "You still haven't told us why they're after you!"
Mustadio continued to stand there, just staring at them, pleading. ". . . I can't tell you now," he said tiredly.
Agrias didn't even stare at him, turning to Ramza instead. Feeling that she wanted to some assistance, even though the issue was completely in her hands, she still wanted to have some support. Without hesitation, Ramza nodded, indicating that he would back whatever she decided. Sternly, without mercy or regret, Agrias replied, "Then, we can't take you."
"I beg you!" Mustadio almost yelled. "Trust me!" he pleaded, failing to rouse her sympathy, "I must see the cardinal!"
As Agrias was about to dismiss him, the door opened. Both her and Ramza turned around. She noticed his reaction was faster than hers, and more fluid, his hands still empty even as she instinctively grasped the hilt of her sword, inverted in its sheath. Agrias relaxed as she saw the plain face of Lavian, before it ducked back out and Ovelia appeared at the doorway, giving both her and Ramza a light nod.
Immediately, Agrias matched Ramza as they each fell to one knee, bowing their heads. Whilst Agrias did not trust Mustadio, she knew that she could trust Ramza to make sure she was safe. Something that surprised her, realizing that by extension, she not only willingly laid her life in his hands, but the princess' as well.
As soon as she walked up to Ramza and Agrias, Ovelia stopped. Already she was changed into a fresh set of robes, and it was obvious that she at least had washed her face already. "All right," she announced softly, "you can come with us."
Training built into her, Agrias refrained from protesting. She saw Ramza turn his head to look at her -again, and she gave him a small smile. (I'm fine) she thought, wondering if he could understand. The light nod he gave her in return almost startled her.
"Really?" Mustadio said, uncertain, his voice changing to jubilant. "Thank you, Highness!" he praised.
Taking a look back, Agrias glared at him. "Remember!" she said harshly," You're in the presence of a princess!"
Clumsily, Mustadio dropped to one knee, embarrassed.
Ovelia kept herself from giggling. Hoping that she would not offend her overzealous knight, she intervened. "It's all right," she told them, "Please stand up."
All of them rose, and Agrias faced Ramza as she said, "All right then. I trust you."
Ovelia wondered who it was Agrias addressed.
***
Together with Ramza, Agrias sat at a rectangular table in a meeting room inside the building they were in, which was actually a fortification built within the fort city, which had no central keep, but instead a network of semi-independent strongpoints. It had its weaknesses, but it kept the enemy from completely decentralizing command and communications with one well-placed barrage or mass-assassin. Ovelia was at the head of the table, in between the two.
The tapestries helped keep the room was enough, and Agrias was pleased at their content. All of them were of the fields or of the inner working of the fort city. Of all things. Not some 'glorious' battle, nor some 'epic' hunt, simply scenes of labor, of buildings, of people existing. Somehow, such plain literalness was appealing to her.
With them were several of the Lionel soldiers, knights in charge of the local units, as well as the mayor of the fort-city, a civilian. Ramza was with her for support, something which Agrias appreciated, even if he really did not belong in this forum. (Not unless he was still a noble), Agrias pondered.
"Messengers have been sent ahead of you to Lionel Castle," a knight told them, dressed in plain linen clothing. "The cardinal should be able to receive you properly when you arrive, Excellency," he reported to Ovelia while truly telling Agrias.
The hesitation in his voice was palpable. "Its all right," she told him, "whatever he decides, I am sure it is the right thing," Ovelia finished.
The mayor made his statement. "You seem to be tired," he phrased thinly, nervous about breaching the obvious. It didn't take much intelligence for one to figure out that this was no state visit, especially with the small contingency that was insufficient for the purpose.
"We appreciate the hospitality," Agrias spoke for the group's interests -ensuring the safety of the princess, "but we will be taking our sojourn at Lionel Castle."
"Ah. . . I understand," the mayor replied, playing along. "I noticed that you did not have enough chocobos for everyone?"
Another knight stepped in, or so he appeared to be one until Agrias noticed the draconian crest he wore on his ceremonial gorget. (A dragoon. . .) she pondered. Armored soldiers to be sure, but they came from the archer class - combining maneuverability and accuracy with heavy protection and melee weaponry to become lethal at longer ranges than their sword- bearing equivalents. Where knights were known for their cool temperament and skills, dragoons cultivated aggression and speed. "We have a shipment of chocobo due for Lionel Castle," he told them, "if you would like, they are yours to use on the way there."
Pleased, Agrias accepted. "That would be appreciated," she told them. She wasn't much for protocol when it came to martial matters, but technically, the mayor ran the town, and she could hardly talk to him as bluntly as she would another of her profession, that of war, regardless of the motive, something which she had come to bitterly admit.
Ramza was the one who asked the obvious, saving her the trouble. "Will we have company?" he inquired.
***
The unofficial meeting finished, and plans made for tomorrow, the mayor dismissed them, and Agrias took the princess back to their subterranean quarters. It wasn't that she worried for the allegiance of Lionel as a whole -they'd be dead already if these soldiers weren't, but she still considered the possibility of an agent; a potential assassin was always a threat that could never be taken lightly, especially in lieu of who she was.
Ramza stayed behind, presumably to find Alicia and Lavian, the two having visited the armory to have their equipment looked over, and if necessary, repaired.
Agrias opted to lag behind the princess, letting a squire who remained nameless lead them through the tunnels built during the war. Getting to their room took little time, and as the squire closed the door as he left, Agrias sighed.
"Tired?" Ovelia asked her.
Understanding that the princess wanted informality, Agrias granted it to her, a small bit of irony. "Yes. We haven't had enough rest," the Holy Knight told Ovelia. Agrias stopped there however, before she began to list off all her concerns as a leader for those she was responsible for, a duty independent to that of protecting Ovelia. "With those chocobo, the trip to Lionel Castle might only be a day. A long ride, but its better than being in the field for over a night.
"Ah. . ." Ovelia replied, remembering what she was learning of such matters. Truth to be told, neither of them wanted to talk about what they would do upon reaching Lionel, not now at least. They'd worry about it later, of course, but for the moment, a distraction, any distraction, would be a blessing. "Agrias, what do you think of Mr. Ruglia?" As Agrias blinked, seeming caught off-guard, and Ovelia continued to question her, albeit at a more indirect angle. "He was one of those mercenaries. . ."
"His loyalty cannot be doubted," Agrias replied crisply, retracting into a shell, that of duty. "His allegiance is as unquestionable as one of my own knights," she continued.
"In battle," Ovelia said, "both at the 'falls," she paused, thinking back of another figure, "the way he fought. . . its different from. . ."
"How he seems otherwise?" Agrias asked, finding that she was smiling, even in bemusement at somebody else being baffled at Ramza's behavior.
Ovelia didn't mean to say that he fought well, combat being something she abhorred. "Yes. . . it is different from what I would expect." Ovelia thought for a moment. "I remember now, his bearing, its that of a noble," she brought up, wondering what else about Ramza she had noticed.
"Yes," Agrias replied, not paying attention to her voice, "he is. . . it is," she corrected herself.
The princess did not comment, wanting her stern quasi-friend/guardian to reveal more of what she felt, even if her methods were not so honest.
***
In the quarters assigned to the knights, Ramza talked to the two, having gone there, finding that Alicia and Lavian had already left the armory. He had taken a side trip to the mess, where he had picked up for the three of them a simple meal. The room served as a buffer in the suite. If an intruder wanted to take a chance at Ovelia, then they would have to go through this room first.
"So we're forbidden to go into town," Alicia repeated, the tone of disappointment in her voice lacking sincerity, as if rehearsed poorly.
Ramza just shrugged. "It makes sense, the princess is not supposed to be here, and the Hokuten must be looking." Alicia just pouted at him, she wanted more of an argument, not simply a rationalization.
"I am sure they already know where we are," Lavian told him, and he nodded his head in agreement.
"Being blatant is asking for them to try something," Ramza replied. "In fact, if we had gone to an inn tonight, someone may have made an attempt there."
"You're thinking too much like lady Agrias," Alicia told him, wishing that he would just play along and be argumentative with her. "How much of that paranoia is valid?"
"That's a relative point," Lavian told her partner, as she bad Ramza to put the food on the table she had dragged right beside the bunk bolted against the wall. Alicia pulled up a chair on the other side of the table, while Lavian sat herself down in the bottom bunk.
Politely, Ramza did not stare as they ate. It was a simple meal again, one with bread, but this time with a different entrée: soup, something they had not have in days, which seemed long enough after the days long march-fighting they had done. The experience wasn't comparable to what they endured during the few weeks they spent in war, but it was grueling enough. Not as complicated, not as chaotic, and the theater revolved around them, adding another type of strain they had not experienced before. In the war, Alicia and Lavian knew that they mattered little if they personally won or loss, but in this series of conflicts, individual failure would mean civil war at the worst.
Curiously, Ramza looked over at the door on the other side of the room, the one that lead to Ovelia's -and Agrias' chamber.
***
"Where's Ramza?" Agrias asked her subordinate when Lavian entered Ovelia's chamber, Alicia on the floor of the room that was the knights' half of the suite, medical supplies strewn around the chemist / knight.
"The stables," Lavian replied, "he's checking the chocobo. I think he's just passing the time," she commented, explaining her interpretation of Ramza's motives.
"Oh." Agrias blinked. "Our plans tomorrow are simple. With a small complement from the soldiers here, we'll set out -on chocobo," she added, bringing in the details of the meeting her two subordinates missed. "With luck, they say we'll make it there within a day, maybe two."
"Who'll be coming with us?" Alicia asked, poking her head through the door. When she noticed Ovelia staring at her intrusion, she bowed hastily, embarrassed.
"A group of rangers lead by a geomancer-" Agrias began, trying to recall the complement of their 'escort'.
"-Archers?" Alicia almost groaned, bringing up their recent experiences with that class of fighter.
Agrias shrugged. "A few; I've only seen the group's leader."
Lavian brought up what was beneath the layer, "Do you expect trouble?"
"No," Agrias replied, unsure. "If we are to be attacked, it won't be by the Hokuten."
"I thought the farmer said that highway robbery wasn't a problem," Ovelia remarked, a little confused.
"It isn't," Agrias agreed, "however, I think we might encounter problems because of that boy. . ."
"Ramza, or Mustadio?" Alicia asked, impatience getting the better of her, annoyed at how someone as direct as Agrias was so nebulous and evasive when it came to Ramza.
"Mustadio. . ." Agrias replied in a tone that implied surprise and confusion. Regaining her confidence, she continued, without explaining her answer, "there's nothing left to do tonight but to rest. We're all exhausted. Even if we tried, we can't wake before the sun rises." For a moment, she thought, before concluding, "Good night."
"Sleeping in sounds nice," Ovelia joked, breaking the tension.
***
Ramza leaned up against the stalls within the chocobo stable. The straw was freshly changed, and the place did not smell as strongly as it normally was. In this moment, he was examining Boco, who in turn, studied him. Briefly, Ramza opened his mouth to talk, but thought better of it, catching himself halfway and instead reaching out with his hand towards Boco.
The hand was slow, but it was resolute, firm in its determination. Even as Boco grew agitated, Ramza did not withdraw. If it came down to it, even if the chocobo snapped at his arm, Ramza would not pull back.
Stupid on the long run, but in that moment, it is what Ramza would allow.
Boco cocked his head back. The hand continued forwards. Boco's beak came down as Ramza winced.
Ramza's hand began to ruffle the smaller feathers underneath Boco's left orbit. Slowly, as Boco continued to grew angry again, his bluff being called, Ramza withdrew. (If everything was this simple. . .) Ramza thought.
***
Restless, Ramza stared up at the ceiling of his room. The tunnel carved in that provided air from the outside only brought in the draft, which Ramza found more bothersome now in 'civilization' than in the field. The candle in its post on the wall lit the room with a steady glow. Ramza only wore a tunic and an aging pair of trousers.
His personal articles -armor and weaponry, lay on the table beside him. Steadily, his equipment had suffered, and Ramza found it unfortunate that they would not stay here long enough for any significant maintenance to be performed. He preferred to use the same items, even if there was something else better; there was a utility with familiarity. (After this is over. . .) Ramza told himself, wondering what 'this' was.
He looked over to where the door was, a chair being stuck under the knob. An unnecessary precaution, as he knew that nothing would happen to him here.
Flexing his arm, he was surprised that he could feel no more ache. Agrias had taken him aside -just for a moment, as Ovelia had excused herself to do something private -which Ramza wisely did not take interest in. During that brief reprieve, he saw that Agrias had wanted to say something to him, just as he wanted to talk to her. "Promise me?" she asked him softly. He had paused, before answering in the affirmative, wondering what she had meant. (To talk again whenever we have the time? Promise her never to leave her behind in a fight? To force her to choose? Or. . .) In his bed, Ramza smiled as he sought to remember the sensations he felt as she had examined his arm, healing him simultaneously. Ramza felt nostalgia as he wondered since how long had he felt such tender loving care from someone.
In the present again, Ramza found himself startled, wondering why his thoughts had wandered onto that path.
From where his right hand drooped on the floor beside his wall- mounted bed, Ramza could pick up the mithril dagger he had placed there, one of the many things he had come to pick up in his brief career as an independent mercenary, before Gafgarion had been sent to keep him in unofficial guardianship. Those few months he had spent alone were harsh, teaching him things that would never have been gone over at Gariland's academy. Lessons learned from people that he had helped exterminate in his first assignments: the annihilation of the Death Corps.
Ramza found it curious that he was not scarred. Even as a swordsman, his hands were still tender, soft and sensitive. True, he was gaunt now, the baby fat he'd had was gone, yet the only muscle he had was conditioned sinew in his arms and legs; his stomach was soft, not sculpted. Whenever it was cold he froze, feeling the chill easily in his bones. His appetite was still there, never having departed him since he began to change into an adult. Always hungry, never satiated, and perpetually receptive.
Thoughts continued down the past until it dwelled on the events that lead him to where he was now: the pursuit of the Death Corps, the beginnings of his doubt on the noble system, and the loss of a friend that he could call a brother, the sacrifice of Teta, and in turn, Delita.
It was a series of events that kept Ramza's attention imprisoned in the few moments of rest that he found during the following months. A series of thoughts that he had explored all to well. A series of conclusions of which he tired.
The inability to accept such things as life was what caused Ramza to keep running away, continuing to widen the gap that one day he would need to bridge again, knowing that unless he could bring himself to discard who he was, only return was his option.
For all the trouble it brought him, Ramza would not abandon who he was. He no longer wore the name Beoulve, but he believed that he had it in spirit still. Unlike those who sullied its name with their actions, Ramza removed it from himself rather than continue with the dishonor, the indignity, the injusitice.
Teta slain by Zalbag's own order to Algus to shoot her in order to reveal Golagros; Zalbag, who less than two weeks before had escorted Teta as his own sister along with Alma.
Yet, Ramza knew he could do nothing. How could such a thing be rectified? Unable to find a reason, adding more to why Ramza ran.
His dead friend, his betrayed friend, his living friend; Delita was in his life again. Ramza wondered what he would do with that knowledge, confused at what role he now served. Delita was involved in something big, something unknown, something that concerned Ivalice's future. A future that Ramza, by birth, had silently been sworn to protect, simply by being a Beoulve.
Not from the cold, Ramza shivered. He was tense now, unable to rest. The ache would begin soon if he didn't start moving and let his body unwind.
Ramza did not want to be involved, but his conscience and sense of duty compelled him to be, even indirectly. Integrity governed most of his actions, but he still considered the other factors. By helping Ovelia, he helped Ivalice. Believing that Delita's nature must still exist, he knew that Delita was also helping Ivalice. By helping Agrias to protect the princess, Ramza knew he was fulfilling the spirit of the name he had shunned.
(I'm as tense as her. . .) Ramza thought, finding some humor to dull the anxiety that had accompanied the tension. A nervous chuckle escaped from him. Feeling his thoughts center on the Agrias, Ramza felt himself growing confused as he began to arrange the snippets of interpretations and questions concerning the Holy Knight. Images of her angry and stoic visage were outnumbered by the other faces he had seen her display. (At least I got her to laugh,) Ramza noticed, happy now, the shivering beginning to dissipate, forgetting that her moments of lightheartedness were all at his expense.
Taking a small break from contemplating the world around him, and inevitably bearing the burden for so many things out of his control, Ramza thought back to the times he had seen Agrias being tender to the chocobos.
***
In Alicia's and Lavian's half of the suite, both were already asleep, neatly squared away in their wall-mounted beds. The princess' room was lit only by a single candle now: Agrias'. Ovelia was already asleep, having changed into bedclothes. The princess wasn't exhausted from ride, but the mounting mental strain sapped her energy. Agrias was also tired, but she could not go to sleep. Finally retiring the attempt to organize everything that would be going on tomorrow in her head, Agrias tried to relax enough to sleep. The irony was not appreciated.
While the princess had been given the large bed in the room, Agrias had taken a cot and placed it by the doorway, as if to guard the entrance, the final line of defense should an assailant make it past her remaining knights. Even as she took this precaution, Agrias had not locked the room to Alicia and Lavian. It irritated her a little that she would take such half-hearted measures.
Irritation turned to a strong disturbance as a topic would not leave Agrias be. It was something that fascinated her and also infuriated her. (Ramza,) she concluded. Curling up underneath her linen blanket, wearing an oversized tunic as a nightshirt, Agrias felt too resigned to scowl. She didn't even care as she let a mewl escape her. Feeling that she wanted as little turmoil as possible on this night, Agrias gave up the fight and let her imagination do as they will.
As she drifted away, Agrias saw herself in her mind's eye, talking to Ramza. It was that night in Dorter again, and as the two figures in her mind conversed in silent words, the only other detail she noticed was that they held hands.
***
***January 5th, Year 2. Zaland Fort City***
Morning found Ramza awake before it had arrived. Having already eaten, Ramza was dressed. Changing his mind, Ramza had visited the armory to have his damaged cuirass looked over. The deep purple-dyed bronze armor had not been repaired. It had simply been patched, providing temporary restoration of coverage. The pieces of welded metal were dull, without luster, so as to not attract attention -more than it already did. He was returning to his room to ready the rest of his belongings.
He decided that he would not wake the others. They needed the rest, and even if Agrias argued against it, he knew that she agreed that the extra sleep was necessary. Hypocrisy or saving face, Ramza didn't care. It made sense, and it helped take some of Agrias' personal burden.
The sword smith had confirmed his opinion; his weaponry was in need of repair. A battle or more of the same caliber as he had recently fought, and Ramza's equipment would begin to fail. Ramza could see where the mithril sword he used had been wearing away, the edge becoming visibly uneven.
Briefly, Ramza wondered about everyone else's materials. Taking a mental note, Ramza decided that he would bring this up to Agrias once they reached Lionel Castle.
"G'morning Ramza!" Mustadio's cheery voice came from behind him.
A little surprised, Ramza turned around and gestured for the mechanic to be quiet. "They need more sleep."
The mechanic shrugged. "Didn't mean any harm." As his stomach growled, Ramza only pointed him down the hallway, towards the stairs, which lead up to the mess. "When do we leave?" the mechanic asked as an afterthought.
"Too soon. . ." Ramza said to himself.
"Huh?"
"Some time before noon," Ramza said louder. Giving the suite's closed door a sidelong glance, Ramza went into his room.
***
The morning preparations were dull in the sense that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Everyone was thankful.
When Agrias had gone to wake Ramza up herself, she found his room devoid of everything that had marked his presence. He was gone, his belongings were gone, and the beddings and furniture was as before Ramza set down his things after being shown to his room along with her. Yet, Agrias found herself trying to smell the room's air, disappointed when even his scent was gone. (You weren't sleeping next to him last night. . .) her mind threw in, already souring her morning.
Still a little surprised, Agrias dismissed the matter, concentrating on getting her subordinates ready.
"Where's Mr. Ruglia?" Ovelia asked her as she stood outside the room's doorway.
"I think he's already prepared," Agrias replied. As her back was to the princess, she missed the odd look Ovelia gave her.
***
Agrias found Ramza as everyone had assembled. Everyone was mounted on a chocobo. All had standard saddles, meant for comfort, not for utility in combat. Agrias quickly realized that no one there was cavalry. The chocobo would serve as rapid transportation, not as a weapons platform. Ramza had a plain chocobo as his mount, the lavender Windfall in tow. Finding herself disappointed when he did not greet her with his usual smile, Agrias remembered who was with them: a detachment of Lionel soldiers. She appreciated keeping up some protocol between the two of them, wishing that such displays wasn't necessary.
There were three baggage chocobo this time, one from their group lugged their supplies, another had their escort's provisions, and the last one carried messages from Zaland and the northern villages, being sent down towards the heart of Lionel.
Agrias' group was the centre, the geomancer and two archers serving as the van, while an archer with two squires were the rear. Not an impressive force militarily, but enough to ward off any highway bandits that may exist.
Letting the geomancer do his job as their guide, Agrias simply lead her group, her chocobo besides Boco, whom Ovelia rode on. Lavian, Alicia, and Ramza were right behind them, towing the cargo-laden chocobo, Windfall forgotten, in between the center and the rear, having only Mustadio as company.
The group experienced one problem. Not everyone's saddle was properly fitted, and both rider and chocobo suffered discomfort. Agreeing with the geomancer, Agrias had the group stop at the ruins of a church. Without being asked, the archers fanned out taking posts, leaving the geomancer and the squires to secure the harnesses properly this time. The stable hands would receive a stern reprimand when word came to Zaland.
***
Agrias was pleased at the distance the Lionel soldiers gave Ovelia. It was as if those soldiers did not notice the Royal guard at all. Besides Ovelia, Agrias stood in front of the fallen church's door. The place may have been a thriving village at one point, this church would've been a centerpoint. But, something happened, be it war, famine, or plague -some mix of the three, Agrias thought cynically, and the people were no longer there. A few foundations still stood, and the front arch of the church's façade still stood, a collection of tombstones in a viridian graveyard of overrun rubble.
Wisely, Agrias kept her thoughts to herself. As she noticed Ovelia begin to look towards her, the silence beginning to grow uncomfortable, Agrias tried to start a conversation. Pointing towards their destination, obscured by yet another range, Agrias spoke. "Princess Ovelia," she addressed her war, "see? Lionel Castle is over that mountain."
Almost indifferent, within her own thoughts, Ovelia nodded, keeping from shrugging. "Its still far from this fort," she commented, thinking this was an old base.
(It probably was,) Agrias thought.
"I wonder if Cardinal Draclau will really helps us?" Ovelia brought up.
It wasn't a question that should've appeared, since Agrias had gone over this before. The Holy Knight knew that Ovelia would still be doubtful. It wasn't as if she could scold a princess after all. Settling for gentle repetition, Agrias replied with an answer already given some time ago. "I hear Cardinal Draclau is very loyal to the royal family." Her tone was as casual as she could make it while still being polite. "Right now, he's neutral in the dispute between Prince Larg and Prince Goltana," she continued, being docile in her statement. "I'm sure he wouldn't defeat justice by turning you over to either of them."
"I hope so. . ." Ovelia murmured, still distracted. Agrias noticed her continuing to stare at a tree, alone on a small hill.
Agrias knew that Ovelia was putting some of the blame on herself. Of all people, Agrias was knowledgeable of how that felt. (Where's it written that compassion and conscience follows logic?)
Ovelia began to walk towards the small hill, the crest of which was not even taller than Agrias. Others would've considered it impolite, Agrias knew Ovelia needed the distraction, and she was obviously troubled if she was as unaware as she was now.
"Besides," Agrias continued, "he is a man of popularity at Glabados Church. They'll accept you if the cardinal asks them." For a moment, Agrias wondered why she was getting so involved in state affairs. (Somehow, if this turns into a three-way war between Larg, Goltana, and the Church, I'm going to be partially responsible.)
"I wish I weren't a princess."
"Princess Ovelia. . ." Agrias replied, her sympathy beginning to be balance out by exasperation as to how nothing she said seemed to make an impact on Ovelia. (Almost like how some people leech off sympathy. . .)
***
Ramza had helped them adjust the harnesses and saddles properly onto the chocobos, and was returning to tell Agrias and Ovelia that it was time to leave; he had already told Alicia and Lavian, and they told him that they'd trust him to escort them back. Ramza was still thinking as to what they meant by that as he walked through the church's rubble. Without knowing it, Ramza almost kneeled as he entered the ruin, and he automatically crossed himself.
He heard Agrias' voice, beginning to see her past the church's open doorway, below the barren arch. He opened his mouth to call out to them, but as he began to make out words, he had the urge to stay silent.
Feeling conflicted, Ramza walked quietly besides the doorway, staying on the other side, listening in.
***
Hearing Ovelia sigh as the princess picked at the leaves of the tree, Agrias had a feeling she knew what would be coming.
"I was always surrounded by the convent walls. . ." Ovelia began, in a reflective voice, one that belied strain, "and have only seen the sky through them." She continued to talk with her back to Agrias. "I don't think you know, but I was at another monastery before I went to Orbonne."
Which would make sense, Agrias concluded. Most likely she had been sent to a convent instead. (Which made a convenient bank to keep daddy's little unwanted girl 'innocent') Agrias cynically thought, finding that she made a pun.
Taking Agrias' silence as cue to continue, Ovelia talked louder, gaining confidence. "Even after hearing about the adoption by the deceased king," Ovelia referred to the dead Denamunda, whom Agrias never had any warm feelings for. Loyalty was one thing, devotion was another, "I stayed there for a long time." Ovelia paused, "No, I'm not complaining about that. Just. . ." another pause, "people are dying because I'm the princess."
(It took her this long to get that out. . .) Agrias wondered.
"It's so painful," Ovelia said simply.
Suppressing the sigh, Agrias tried to straighten out Ovelia. "Please don't blame yourself," Agrias told her. "Its not your fault. Those who are trying to take advantage of you are the ones to blame." It was sincere, though not as clear as Agrias wanted to be.
Again, Ovelia changed the subject. "I met a girl at Orbonne. She said she had also been living in the monastery since birth. We used to laugh at how similar our lives has been," Ovelia said, sounding rueful, a light, though sad tone evident in her voice. Nostalgia was what Agrias would've called it. "Isn't it funny?"
Through this, Agrias had been thinking back to the dossier they had given her about the princess. "She was the daughter of the Beoulves, Miss Alma, wasn't she?"
Ovelia nodded. "She is my only friend. . ." Agrias winced at that. "I wonder if Draclau would use me?"
That set Agrias thinking. (Well, I have heard only good things about him, but, what's that worth?) ". . ."
"Ramza!" Mustadio's voice yelled out, causing Agrias to whirl.
(He's here?!) Agrias thought, wondering why she didn't sense anyone nearby, (Some guard I am. . .) her mind spat out, before being annoyed at the notion that Ramza -of all people, would be spying on her. (If he wanted to join us, he should have just have come out and told. . .)
"Where are you?" the other youth continued, causing Agrias to regret why she didn't like the idea of multiple males -adolescent males, around. "Shall we go?!"
Agrias spied the mechanic through the doorway. Giving Ovelia a look back, Agrias walked into the church As if to snub Ramza, she refused to even acknowledge his presence even as she saw him give her an apologetic glance. (All he has to do is say something. . .) Agrias told herself, (then I'll acknowledge what he wants.)
"What have you been doing here?" Mustadio asked Ramza.
"How was it?" Agrias asked the mechanic, wondering if the nuisance was worth anything.
"Fine," Mustadio told her. "It doesn't seem like the Hokuten has been here yet," he reported, bringing information from the Lionel soldiers that had ringed the area.
Now Agrias gave Ramza a look as if to say, 'did he have to know that?'
Agrias' senses were tweaked when she heard a small noise from where Ovelia was. It sounded like an instrument. . . a poor instrument.
Ramza beat her in going out the door, and he even walked up to Ovelia, making Agrias curious.
Ovelia looked embarrassed as she noticed Ramza looking at her, less than a pace away. "My friend taught me before," she said dejectedly, "but I can't seem to do it right."
Ramza gave her a small smile, one that Agrias caught even from the church's doorway.
"This is how you do it," he told Ovelia cheerfully, taking some leaves of his own from the tree. The sound he produced by blowing through the leaves wasn't what Agrias called music, but it was distraction enough.
It got the princess to smile, even if it was at Ramza.
"Like this?" the princess remarked, trying it for herself. Her instrument's bleat was smaller and more shrill, but she was happy. "There! I did it."
Not caring what the Lionel soldiers would think of the delay, Agrias let Ovelia continue to practice with the 'reed flute' the princess took a liking too. (Whatever keeps the gloom' n' doom attitude away,) she thought. When she noticed Mustadio shrugging as she turned to look at the mechanic, Agrias wished that she was there too. (No sense intruding in their fun,) Agrias told herself. (Why don't you?) she asked herself. ('All you have to do is come out and ask') her inner voice paraphrased Agrias' earlier thoughts. Still, Agrias stood there, compelled to watch, unable to step up and voice what she wanted.
***
***Author's Notes***
Yes, its a small collection of scenes. Not quite vignettes, though.
Not meaning to insult anyone here, but emphasis was on Ramza and Agrias' budding relationship, and how they have some space to think now that there is the artificial wall imposed between them again. Not love at first sight, oh no. . .
Be it a good thing or a bad thing, I'm prone to repetition, so redundancies are blatant and intentional.
Also, no battle scenes in this one. The Bariaus Hill battle (next chapter) will be different from the game:
Ramza and crew have escorts, plus they are all on chocobo. Granted they have to dismount to fight, the terrain issue will be less of a concern since the chocobos can tackle the jags.
Why the escort? Since Agrias wants to seek shelter from Draclau, it'd make sense for her to make early contact with the Lionel soldiers to send word ahead. A single trained courier (or a tame steel hawk?) would be able to relay their demands faster than traveling there and surprising them all at once. Also, the Zaland-based soldiers would never leave a royal party unguarded. Not only does Draclau openly support the royal family, but its what duty to the crown demands.
***Author's Notes***
***Readers' Response Corner***
To the guy/s I've offended - explain! Was it I was abrasive? That I did not agree with 'yuri-content'? The fact that I can't really address what someone did in their game as relevant to the storyline? (I've already decided against turning him into a dragoon, full-on at least. Thanks for THAT input. Yet, I don't know how to respond to comments about what class Ramza is on your save.)
Unable to take criticism? Damn right! Give them to me and I shall try to rationalize WHY(read: excuses, excuses, Marsha-Marsha-Marsha!). Ping me with something I can't dispute or justify - Kudos to you!
Pardon the lack of battle scenes. Right now, the effort invested into them is half-hearted to begin with and they ruin the flow of the storyline. All the battles will still remain, but I'm still deciding on how to tackle things.
***Readers' Response Corner***
***Intermission***
Mounted on her chocobo and on the road again, Agrias checked herself from laughing. One on hand, she was annoyed at what had happened, but on the other she couldn't help but find it one of the funniest things that she had ever witnessed.
Failing to keep a straight face, Agrias glanced over at Ovelia, beyond whom was Ramza. Both had sullen looks. Dejected expressions that matched the puffiness of their lips, swollen and engorged.
"Well," Agrias remarked, trying not to burst out laughing, "at least everyone knows that those leaves will give you a rash."
"Mrm-mrmph. . ." Ramza muttered.
Unable to hold it in anymore, Agrias doubled over laughing.
***Intermission***