It will get better I promise, first of the recognisable characters
Chapter Two: Towards the Rising Sun
Ulrich was thankful that the day's journey was finally over, it was sunset and he had made it to the inn. The stable hand of the establishment took care of Antja and the bags so the Senator only had to concern himself with a mug of ale and a warm meal.
His body ached more from the cold rather than the long ride on Chocobo back, he sat close to the comforting hearth to warm him through. Closing his eyes, he leaned back into his chair, waiting for his order to find its way to his table. The smell of pipe tobacco and ale was thick in the air, making it difficult to breath but not entirely unpleasant.
"Sir, your order," a mature woman said, carrying a tray with both hands.
"Thank you, miss," he replied, dropping a few Gil into her hand and she placed the tray before him.
She nodded and left, back to the kitchens. Ulrich sipped his ale and began to tuck into his meal, a slow roasted bore leg with roasted vegetables and gallons of gravy.
Music began to play in the next room, a playful jig, which was accompanied by cheers and laughter as the occupants began to dance. The Senator envied their energy, but concluded that they had not travelled as he had. He watched through the glass pane in the door to the room; the swirl of people enjoying themselves lifted his spirits. He smiled as he bit into the joint of meat, the tender flesh practically falling from the bone.
"So you're the bastard who got the last hog leg!" came a gruff but familiar voice, over his shoulder.
Ulrich was shaken from his daze, met the jovial gaze of an old friend. "Blood beard!" he cried joyously, "Good to see you!"
"And I, You!" the red headed man collapsed in the chair across from him, "A bit early for travelling to the Capital i'n'it?"
"Called back early I'm afraid," the Senator explained, "They'll tell me why when I get there."
"Tell me, how fares the old dragon?" Blood beard teased.
"Aptly put my friend, the bitch wouldn't even wish me a safe journey," Ulrich's face darkened. "I can't make her happy; she pesters me to take a bride and refuses to consent to any I present to her! She is just difficult."
"You don't want a bride, their more hassle than your dear old mum," the man chuckled, "See this?" he pulled his tunic aside to reveal a fresh axe wound, "the missus did this!" he laughed at his injury.
"Why would she attack you with an axe?" Ulrich queried, feeling quite sure he knew where this would lead the conversation.
"A little indiscretion with the milk maid," he mumbled into his ale.
"Is the poor girl alright?" the Senator's compassion clear.
"Aye, a little shaken though," the man chuckled again, "the make up sex was worth it!"
Ulrich cringed as the visual of his friend and his portly wife copulating danced across his mind's eye, he instinctually reached for his ale and down the remaining contents.
The man revelled in his comrades discomfort, "You never change," he stated warmly. The rest of the night deteriorated into drunken madness as the two reminisced their wartime escapades and obscene drinking chants echoed the room. Eventually the manager requested the two of them to leave. Blood beard left, staggering and occasionally doing the 'one leg walk' on his way home.
Ulrich made his way to his room and flopped, face down on his bed, unconscious.
The following morning found the Senator hung over and nauseous, Damn that Blood Beard! He thought to himself as he wearily pulled himself onto Antja, whom would not cooperate with him; shifting her weight, making him fall several times.
"Antja," he yelled … and regretted it, his head pounding, "Not now!" he continued, now a lot quieter.
"Kweh?" she replied.
"Don't 'kweh' me missy," he chided, "or I'll be feasting on Chocobo flesh this eve."
The brilliant white bird ruffled her feathers, sending a cloud of fine dust in Ulrich's direction. The Senator began to sneeze as the tiny particles found his nasal hair, tickling him in the most annoying way.
"Kweh!" Antja shot back arrogantly.
When the sneezing stopped, Ulrich glared at the bird, "You'll get yours, my dear," he reproached.
Finally, mounting the giant avian, he continued his journey to the Capital. The frigid night before gave birth to a crisp, frosty morning. Much to Ulrich's disappointment, it looked like winter had indeed come early. It would not be long before the snowfalls; at least he would be at his destination that night, providing Antja assists by moving a bit faster. His breath forming vapours before his eyes, hindering his sight.
"Bloody bird!" he exclaimed under his breath, "move it!" he dared not say it too loud, as Antja would do the opposite. He tried in vain to spur her on, but failed, that was until the distinct sound of a hungry lone wolf called. The haunting call made Ulrich instinctively reach for his axe, strapped to his back. Antja hastened her step, finally, leaving the wolf behind them. The Senator kept the axe in hand, if the wolves were out in the day, there could be trouble ahead. The woodland grew thick into a full, thick forest, blotting out the majority of the light.
With the exception of Antja's laboured pants, the forest was completely silent. The frost had not made it into the area, but something was there and it was BIG. Ulrich felt a pair of large eyes, borrowing into him, he turned to try spy the beast, but to no avail, maybe he was imagining it. Antja knew differently, she broke into a gallop, forcing Ulrich to hold on for dear life. Then it happened, like a blurred shadow flying through the air, colliding with the Senator, knocking him off Antja, who continued running.
Dazed, Ulrich climbed unsteadily to his feet, only to be knocked back to the ground, this thing was unbelievable! Quicker than before, he climbed to his feet once more, finally seeing the thing that attacked him. The creature resembled a Wrym of some variety, black with a sickly yellow underside; its teeth were needle like and looked painful. It aimed Ulrich in its sights again, but the Hero of Landis was ready, raising his axe, stance ready to swing. The dragon focused on him, flying with full speed. In a flash, the blade cut through the air, slicing the creatures head clean off, its body's continued momentum, sent it crashing into the nearby trees.
Our hero collapsed to his knees, relieved that he had, once again, cheated death for now, but he also had the task of finding Antja. The forest returned to it's silent state, the corps steaming and the red blood pooling underneath it.
Frustrated, he gave a heavy sigh and took a step in his intended direction. Squelch! He stopped again; looking down he saw a steaming pile of Wrym muck and he had just stood in it. "This is not a good day to travel," he muttered to himself, "whoever decided that the Senate would convene early will have an introduction to Painless." He squeezed the handle of his axe and continued on his way. He trudged along, hoping that someone in the nearby village had caught Antja, so he could continue his journey in peace.
The hours passed and Ulrich began to get the feeling he will not make it to the Village by nightfall let alone the Capital. With so many hours of solitude, broken by the occasional fiend encounter, he let his mind wonder. His intimate run in with Ingra sent bolts of guilt through him, her response to his parting seemed cold and distant, but this soon disappeared as he thought of those muffins she made for him; Damnit! His stomach grumbled; he had skipped breakfast due to his hangover and now his lunch, as it was neatly packed in the saddlebags.
With no visible signs of food in the vicinity, he tried to force the sensation down. His brain teased him with illusions of berries, small animals and so on, but it was too late in the season for berries, the edible ones anyway and the fiends he battled scared of the small animals.
Gradually the fiends dropped away and there it was, it neared dusk and the nocturnal creatures stirred to life. A hare with a large cottontail hopped across the ground, it was pale grey and fat. Ulrich, overwhelmed by hunger, began to stalk the creature. Oblivious to his advances it continued to hop about in search of food.
He pounced on the mammal, landing his body weight on top of it, the animal squealed in panic, violently wriggling to free its self. He struggled to his feet, preparing to neck the pending meal, but it had fight left in it, sinking its teeth into his hand. "AAAaagghhh!" Ulrich growled, belligerently tightening his grip around its neck. "You rotten little piece of sh … AAAaagghhh! Son-of-a…" the hare now clawed his arm, leaving non-life threatening scratches behind. Determined not to let this fluffy cute thing get the better of him, he finished the job, swiftly twisting the hare's head and with a sickening crack, it slumped lifeless in his hand.
He assembled a small fire for a camp and began to skin the hare, pocketing the fluffy tail, as its value would compensate his troubles. The pale fur skin was large enough to make a pair of women's gloves from, a peace offering to Ingra perhaps. He set aside the fur to cure later, focusing on now gutting the feast he desperately needed. Finally, the fire died down, the red coals shimmered ready to accept the hare for cooking; he tossed the carcass into the coals and waited.
He reached for the hide, slicing away the remaining sinew to leave just the dermis. He used handfuls of gravel to smooth and dry the underside, occasionally inspecting his work by moonlight.
His meal in the coals gave a most pleasant odour, making his stomach grumble loudly. He placed his work down and collected more wood for the fire, piling it next to the coals.
After what seemed like an eternity, the hare was finally ready to eat, he dug it out an allowed it to cool as he stoked the fire back to life. Satisfied by the welcomed heat, he sunk his teeth into the gamey meat. He wondered if Antja was all right, though the bird annoyed him, she was the prize of the estate, his Father's legacy to thoroughbred Chocobos everywhere.
Meanwhile, in the little village Ulrich aimed for, a boy of eighteen years wrestled with the very strong Antja, trying to pen her in the inn's holding yard.
"Günter!" a shrill woman called to the boy, "Stop playing around and come in for dinner!"
The boy rolled his eyes, "But mum!" he protested.
"Don't you be talking back, boy!" she snapped, "It's getting cold."
The teen march in; as per his Mother's orders; Antja, only now entering the holding pen, feeling like she too would incur the wrath of the feisty woman inside. "Kweh," she called out despairingly for her missing master. She paced the pen, visibly sad to her lose.
Ulrich tried to find comfort next to the fire, wrapping his travel cloak around him for warmth, but the bitter chill managed to get in, "Why do I even both?" he uttered to the night, his cloak in dire need of an upgrade. He rolled onto his side, closing his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Ulrich found himself in the Senate, the chancellor conspicuously missing. The Senators appeared to be arguing about something when a large ship eclipsed the sun. A whirling noise echoed above from the ominous object, followed by a blinding orange light, fire and screams of the men and women of the Senate burning alive.
Ulrich jolted upright, never before had he dreamed like this, his violent and disturbing dreams usually of past events, from battles he would sooner forget, not something new.
The dawn's light peaked through the trees, distracting his thoughts. The fire had died sometime in the night, but none of that mattered. He knew the village was not to far off now; he should make it there by midday. He collected his things together and set off, heading ever east towards his duty.
Günter tended to his morning chores, mucking out the stables and feeding the cockatrice. He spied Antja pacing morosely in the pen.
"What's up girl?" he asked, leaning against the fence.
Her sad eyes looked up, meeting his, "Kweh!" She said, and then shifted her gaze west to the forest, "Kweh." She sounded quite sad, her actions emphasising this with downcast eyes.
"Your rider?" the boy asked, "did something happen to them?"
The sorrowful bird continued to stare at its feet, "kweh," she cried.
Günter watched on, not knowing what to do. The beautiful creature began to pace the pen again, head down and dragging her feet. The breeze shifted, moving from the north to the west, the breeze was now blowing from the forest.
Antja froze for a moment, sniffing the air, "Kweh?" she uttered, catching Günter's attention, "KWEH!!!" she cried out, running towards the western edge of her holding pen and paced excitedly on the spot. "Kweh, kweh kweh kweeeh kwal!" she was not the same bird, dancing excitedly at the gate, she wanted out.
"What's up girl?" the boy asked, puzzled by this strange behaviour. "Is something wrong?"
The Chocobo stopped, staring into his eyes, she understood him. She rolled her eyes, "Kweh!" she exasperated, moving her head to the direction of the forest. "Kweh!" she snide; the birds arrogance hard to miss.
"Did you just call me stupid?" Günter queried, not sure what was going on.
"Kweh!" she snapped. She took several steps back and took a running leap over the gate. This action shocked the young man; she trotted to his side, borrowing her gaze into him, "Kweh!" she snapped again, nipping at his sleeve, enticing him to mount her so she could go.
"What?" he cried at the realisation to her intent, "we're not going in there, it's dangerous?"
Her gaze darkened in silent demand, Günter reluctantly agreed and the two of them rode off into the dark forest.
The wind now at his back, Ulrich found his journey to be easier, the chill now gone from the breeze. He trudged along, the ground mushy from humus and mud, the faint smell of sulphur wafted up with each step, not that he minded, it was the smell of death and rebirth in the forest.
The last of the hare made an adequate breakfast but did nothing to aid his energy; the village was still half a day away on foot. He pushed himself forward until the pace was right, with a long gate. "Hay!" he heard a short distance in front of him, "Slow down!" it sounded like a scared kid. Curious at the impending spectacle, he moved to the side of the path. "Kweh!" squawked a familiar Chocobo. His heart leapt to his throat, she came back with help!
The sight before him was comical, a lanky brunette clinging to his Antja's neck as she raced in his direction. "pl-le-lease!" the boy begged Antja, his behind bumping on her back as she ran, "Sl-low D-own!"
The white beauty spotted Ulrich and squawked with delight, sliding to a halt before him, spraying mud up and forcing the boy to fall from her back. The muddy thump at Ulrich's side gave an indignant scoff.
The excited bird nuzzled her master's shoulder, "easy girl," was all the Senator could say.
The now muddy boy climbed to his feet, "I take it that this bird's yours," he said casually, brushing the muck from his body.
"Aye, she is," Ulrich proudly stated, stroking her neck.
"I'm Günter by the way," the kid introduced himself, "I found her last night in a panic." The boy eyed the large axe that hung from Ulrich's hip, "You a warrior or something?"
The Senator chuckled, "Once, I'm now a politician, Senator Ulrich Fon Ronsenburg," he introduced himself.
"The Ulrich Fon Ronsenburg?" the boy gasped in disbelief, "the Hero of Landis?"
"Aye," the man responded, anticipating the usual fan mugging.
"Wow," was all the boy said, "you hungry?"
Ulrich did not know if he should feel happy or disappointed by the reaction. "I'm peckish," the Senator grinned. The two climbed on to Antja and made their way quickly to the village.
The boy seemed to want to ask something, he kept opening his mouth to ask it but shut it as his nerves dominated him again.
"Your going to ask about that battle aren't you," Ulrich finally said, amused to how many people do this.
"Yes Sir," he shyly uttered quickly.
"It was luck, Keln Margrace just happened to be before me and we battled until I found this axe," he grasped the handle of his weapon to emphasis his point, "imbedded in his skull. He wouldn't have felt a thing."
The boy shuddered at how casually the Senator recalled the event; "Is it hard? To fight in a war I mean," His questioning changing course, "Do you get the resurgence?"
Ulrich knew what he meant, "When I sleep, sometimes," his demeanour darkening at the memories of horror, "why do you ask?"
"My Dad was at the battle of Galtea," the boy explained, "he said he fought near you, he made it sound much more heroic than you did."
"Your Father's a veteran?" he inquired, a man he would like to meet, see if he remembered him.
"Was; he killed himself to make the images go away," the boy sounded disappointed rather than sad.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he tried to comfort Günter with his words, "War is not glamorous and should be avoided at all cost." Failing miserably, his words sounded more like a lecture.
The boy grunted apathetically, he did not care anymore, "you heading for the Capital?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Yes," he replied, "there's a lot to deal with this year."
"I've never been to the Capital," Günter stated in a matter-of-fact way, "I've never been out of the village before today."
Ulrich was charmed by the young man, "After my run in with the Wrym yesterday," he confessed, "I realise my ego is too big for my own good, I should stop travelling by my self."
The boy turned his head. "I'd love to travel; to be a hunter, not a warrior," he sighed, his dream coming to life in words, "to roam Ivalice, hunting exotic creatures, claiming rare treasure … I want to see the world!" his eyes lit up with aspiration.
"Come with me," the Senator asked before he could stop himself, what? "I could do with the company." Good one dip shit, now you have done it!
"I don't know if I can," Günter replied hesitantly, "me mum probably say no."
Taken back, "how old are you boy?" he retorted.
"I'm eighteen, Sir," the boy meekly replied.
Who was he kidding; Ulrich liked the kid, "I'll talk to her," he reassured him and continued their journey.
They arrived in the village at noon, just one day late. The midday sun hidden behind clouds of steel grey; an impending storm with the first of thunderous rumbles echoing through the deserted square.
"GÜNTER!" Ulrich's mistake, the thunder was the irate screams of Günter's Mother.
The boy shuddered, "Oh I'm dead," he said in a comical yet serious manner, "I'm gone with rigger-mortise setting in fast."
"Surely your Mother could not be that angry with you, you weren't far from home, nor were you gone long," Ulrich questioned.
"Both reasonable arguments which would work only with the reasonable people, unfortunately, that does not apply to my mum," the boy's cynicism reminded Ulrich of his own when it came to his Mother.
A woman of stout nature came stomping out of the inn; Ulrich swore he felt the ground shake as she approached. "Where the Bloody Hell have you been!" she roared as she marched to the pair on Chocobo back.
"Mum, I can explain…" the boy begged.
"Shut up you little toe rag!" she yelled, oblivious to her son's companion, "You have a lot of work to catch up on!"
"Ma'am," the Senator started, "if I may interject…"
"No you may not!" her steely gaze shifting from her son to the newcomer, "he is my son and nothing to you."
"Madam!" Ulrich now roared. "This young man is now in my service and as his employer, I am responsible for him."
"How dare you!" she argued, "who are you to take my son me!"
"Mum," the boy cut in, "I was trying to tell you, this is the Ulrich Fon Ronsenburg! Hero of Landis!"
The woman's demeanour changed instantly from a spitting she-cat to one of a warm loving Mother, "why didn't you say so," she cooed, brushing her hair back.
Is she flirting with me? Ulrich thought. She winked at him, trying to make herself look appealing…and failing miserably. "Madam," the uneasy Senator spoke, "the boy and I hunger; please may we eat? And perhaps rest?"
She smiled a black stumpy set of teeth at him; the bile rising in his throat; "This way my lord," she smoothly beckoned.
Ulrich felt a shudder shoot through to his extremities. Reluctantly, he returned the smile …or was it more of a grimace? Günter jumped down from Antja, offering his new employer a hand.
The woman shuffled inside to prepare a quick meal, "Thank you," Günter said, his gratitude evident, "I guess I'll be coming with you to the Capital." He looked scared at the concept.
"She is a beautiful city, Günter," Ulrich explained, "You will love her as much as I."
"Do…" the boy, asked reluctantly, "do I have to go into the Senate with you?"
A hearty laugh erupted from Ulrich now, which ceased as quickly as it came at the boy's expression, of hope fading.
"Oh," Günter flatly said, "I should have realised."
"I would not subject you to the horror that is the Landian Senate," Ulrich chortled. The boy's expression warmed once again. "Now," the Senator continued, "let's eat!"
The two of them entered the small establishment for the well-earned meal.
The new associates set out shortly after lunch, Günter had rapidly packed his things and they left. Ulrich appreciated the company and Antja seemed to be happy with the new situation too. That evening they arrived through the outer west gate of the city, the elaborately decorated bridge towered over them.
The inner gate was guarded by the most beautiful and dangerous looking women Günter had ever seen, "Who are they?" he asked in awe.
"They are Valkyrie Guard, guardians of the Capital and decorated heroines of the battle field," the Senator explained.
"Why does their armour look like a naked woman's chest?" his eyes fixed at the erotic sight.
Ulrich laughed, "For that reason, it draws attention away from the task, rendering an enemy defenceless!" his eyes now focused on the sight, "And ally."
The boy looked around to his employer, "Sir?"
A tall, slender red head approached the duo on Chocobo back, carrying a nasty looking spear and a mirror shield. Ulrich bowed in greeting. "Senator!" the woman called authoritatively, "Fashionably late are we?"
"Lieutenant," Ulrich responded, "My apologies, I had trouble with a wyrm."
"You always have all the fun, Sir," she jested, waving them through.
Günter was stunned, such a beautiful woman was so close and he froze from fear.
"Don't worry boy, she's harmless," he chortled, as they sped through the bustling streets of the Capital, the city of Landis.
Every day was market day, carts in the forum under the gigantic shade sails and brightly clothed people shuffling from stall to stall, women mostly as the men tend to dress in more sedate colours and clad with vicious weapons and protective gear and stayed off the streets in taverns.
"My town house is this way," Ulrich, pointed towards the large beige building.
Antja reared up, evading a cluster of small children who accumulated to see the Hero. She settled when they backed away. Antja knew the way to the stables; she swiftly made her way there to avoid any more run-ins with children.
The Senator and his new manservant found their way to his apartment. The staff had prepared a change of clothes, a meal and the paperwork needed for the commencement of the Senate in four days time.
Many days to the south, General Malger Azelas of the Order of Dalmasca, cradling his newborn son, Vossler. The infant clung to his Father's finger. "He is you my love," his raven-haired wife remarked; still sweating from the child's birth, "Your eyes; your nose." Shoshannah traced her husband's features, lovingly with her finger.
"He has your hair," he smiled, tenderly placing a kiss on his son's forehead.
Shoshannah looked down at her son, "Must you go to Archadia? On the day of your son's birth?" she asks, saddened.
"I must, King Dayaram will trust no other," Malger explained, caressing his wife's cheek, "Fear not my little phoenix, I will return within a month."
"A month? Why so long?"
He sighed, "I know not, but being a diplomatic envoy to Archadia is not what I wish to be doing. I'm a soldier; I should not be flattering the egos of the Archadian Senate."
The infant cried, "He's hungry," the babe's Mother informed her husband, reaching for newborn and pressing him to her breast. "If our King trusts you with the peace of Dalmasca, nay Ivalice, I too must trust you: return swiftly to your family my love."
Her eyes fill with tears, and a jolt of guilt shot through him. "As soon as I can," he kissed her tenderly, before leaving in haste.
I don't trust them Azelas, the King's words echoed in his head, they have been silent since the war's end, why ask for contact now?
"I know not my lord," the General thought aloud as he marched towards the aerodrome. He will travel via Bhujerba; the only port Archadia will travel too directly in this part of Ivalice.
The day was already late, his son's arrival that afternoon had already delayed him, but it was worth it, another son to the Azelas clan. He expects his wife to return to the manor in Giza within a few days. Another bolt of guilt, but he reassured himself that his eldest, Tal, would help his Mother with running the Cockatrice station. He is almost thirteen now and proven himself to be a man, saving his Father's life from an alpha hyena, only weeks ago.
Before Malger realised it, he arrived at the aerodrome. With ticket in hand, he boarded the transport to the floating Isle.
I hoped everyone enjoyed this chapter.