Chapter 2

The sun rose in the sky, burning away the mists that concealed the mountain peaks. Still the valleys were in shadow as the pair of golden-feathered chocobos made their way through the mountain pass. The giant birds were wearing leather harnesses and blinders that kept them calm. The mountains were made of white granite, covered with green grass and trees that thinned out to summits covered with snow. Germonik for once was glad for his cloak and scarf to fight off the cold. He wondered how Hilde could cope wearing so little clothing, but her dress seemed typical compared to the Viera he had seen in Archades.

"Mount Germinas," she intoned pointing with a long finger. He followed her gaze to a tall majestic mountain that loomed to their left.

"I'll bet the view is lovely," he ventured.

"Seen it I have not," she admitted.

"Why not then?" he suggested. She looked at him blankly for a moment and then jerked the reins. Her chocobo began scaling the steep trail that led up to the peak. He quickly followed, finding the thinning air was winding the birds. Eventually they reached the top, where a staircase had been carved out of the rock. Germonik dismounted and led his mount up to the remains of a wooden platform and foundations. While he was still puzzling over their purpose, Hilde walked over and tied up the chocobos and left some greens for them to eat.

"Guard post," she explained, "The border of Zeltennia."

"What lies beyond?" he asked staring down the valley. The view was certainly magnificent. It was like they were on an island in a sea of clouds. Far below to the east he could make out a shimmering lake with a small village on the shore.

"Poeskas Lake," she said, "And beyond lies Limberry."

"Another kingdom?" he mused, "How many are there?"

"Seven," she explained.

"Another set of squabbling states," he sighed, "Just like Nalbradia and Dalmasca."

"Better than Imperial vassals?" she countered. He looked at her and then chuckled softly.

"Perhaps you're right," he admitted. Together they watched the sunrise.

It took them hours to ride down from the mountains into the flat plains of Limberry. Germonik finally spotted the village he had seen from the summit. It had a sad dilapidated air to it, like it would soon fall down. Although that would be a favor to everyone; ramshackle huts leaned into each other and fishing nets were stretched out along the shore. The smell was wood smoke mixed with dried fish.

As their chocobos reached the center of town they noticed the crater. It was off to one side the size of a house, with steep pitch-black walls. A small crowd of townspeople were gathered around the edge, carrying garbage and fish bones. One by one they began to hurl trash into the center.

"Horrid beast!"

"Filth!"

"Spare us from your poison!"

"What's going on?" demanded Germonik. The villagers looked up in surprise; most of them quickly retreated to their huts.

"Not expecting company?" wondered Hilde as they dismounted. An elderly man emerged from the largest house and hobbled towards them using a cane.

"Who are you?" he wondered, staring agog at Hilde's ears.

"Hilde," she replied then inclined her head, "Judge Germonik." Germonik opened his mouth to object, but decided to play along.

"I'm Gras," said the old man, "I'm the mayor of this village."

"What happened here?" inquired Germonik, trying his best to look dignified.

"That accursed alchemist!" snapped the mayor angrily, "He got blown up in one of his crazy experiments!" Germonik walked over to the edge of the pit and peered down. The bottom was dark, but he could make out a pile of decomposing trash.

"And you use it as a garbage pit now?" he wondered. He froze in his tracks when he saw movement in the pit.

"We deposit all our refuse in there now," said Gras, "And our hatred."

"Hatred?" asked Hilde.

"Yes, we use it as a scapegoat. Things are much worse since the explosion. The fish are dying and our livelihood is in danger."

Germonik jumped into the crater, sliding down the steep walls. At the bottom he found himself knee-deep in garbage.

"Hello?" he called out. He pulled out a stick and cast a fire spell on it to make a torch. A small shape stirred to life and retreated to the far end of the pit.

"Your Honor!" protested the mayor.

"Don't worry," said Germonik defensively, "I won't hurt you!" He waded carefully through the broken furniture and bones to see a small girl cowering under half of a fish rack. She was dressed in filthy gray rags and her right eye was covered in a bandage.

"Horrid beast," she whispered.

"Sorry?" he said, blinking.

"I have sinned," she added, touching her bandaged eye.

"What crime?" he asked.

"Father wanted to learn things," she said, "Forbidden things." Germonik could hardly contain his disgust; he almost wished that Judge Bergen would pay a visit to loot and burn this place. He knelt down and held out a hand.

"What is your name?"

"Megara," she replied, "Although Father just called me Meg."

"I'm Germonik," he said with what he hoped was a smile, "Let's look at that eye."

"No!" she screamed, flames erupting around her. The fires spread to all the old wood and Germonik staggered back, coughing heavily. He fell over backwards and slumped against the wall, shielding his seared face with his hands. As quick as they had appeared, the flames dispersed, leaving a smoldering crater behind. Sometime later Germonik came to, and looked up and saw Meg looking fearfully down at him with an emerald eye, her ratty auburn hair streaming behind her.

"Please don't die!" she was begging.

"I'm not dying," he said as he sat up with a sigh. As he inspected his singed cloak he couldn't help but notice that his burns were gone.

"Did you do that?" he asked, "You're far too young to get a License." She just stared at him mutely. He bent over and picked her up and began to climb out of the pit. As they reached the top, Hilde leaned in and took his hand.

"I found her down there," he said, trying to contain his fury. Hilde and Meg inspected each other curiously. Then the Viera closed her eyes.

"I sense Nethecite in her body," she explained analytically, "Shards embedded in her chest and eye."

"It's that damned Alchemist's fault," moaned Gras, "We need her to punish in his place." Meg clutched desperately at Germonik's arm.

"As a scapegoat," said the Judge coldly, "Very well, I'll give you one." With that he shoved the mayor into the pit, where he screamed as he toppled down into the garbage. That brought out the other villagers, carrying cutting tools and spears. Hilde drew out her gun as Germonik drew out a Deathbringer sword. Meg hid behind his cloak.

"Let us pass," she warned.

"You can't take away our scapegoat!" protested a young man.

"There is no justice in revenge," snapped Germonik, "She has committed no crimes here."

"Her powers are killing our fish!" cried a young woman.

"It's the salt," explained Hilde, "Water leaves, but salt has stayed."

"We'll take a dozen of you down," stated the Judge grimly, "Before you kill us." With that the villagers backed off. Hilde and Germonik mounted their chocobos and then he picked Meg off the ground.

"Please leave me," she protested, "They need someone to punish."

"Let them find someone else," he said as he snapped the reins. The birds galloped off to the setting sun, back toward the mountains. It was time to call in a favor.

It was dark outside when they reached the gate of Zarghidis Trade City. Meg had long ago fallen asleep in the saddle in front of Germonik. They reached the main square and returned the birds to the Moogle on duty at the stable. He carried Meg is his arms as they made their way down the back alleys that were mainly deserted. Hilde led the way to a row of tall houses with narrow gables fronting the street. She opened a wrought iron gate and they entered a magnificent garden of flowers and medicinal plants that glowed in the moonlight.

"Why is she a Madam?" he wondered out loud, "She should have been a gardener."

"Ask her," suggested Hilde standing at a covered porch. They entered through double doors into a luxuriously appointed parlor. Several men were lounging there, some of whom gave them a guilty look. Violet glided in, followed by several of her girls.

"Ah gentlemen!" she said, "So sorry to keep you waiting." She stopped in her tracks when she saw Hilde and Germonik. "Ladies, please take of our guests."

As her girls dealt with the clients, Violet led them into a back room where Germonik laid Meg in a large bed. After he carefully tucked her in, they then walked out into the corridor. Hilde wordlessly headed out to the kitchen out back.

"Orphan is she?" she inquired as she shut the door.

"Yes," he replied, "How did you know?"

"I was one myself," she replied with a strained smile, "It shows in the soul."

"I'm sorry to ask yet another favor," he began.

"Another mouth to feed," said Violet with a faint sigh as she put a hand on her hip, "I suppose it can't be helped."

"Violet!" he snapped his anger flaring up, "I mean…I…." She held up a hand and waved it dismissively.

"It's okay, I deserved that. Don't forget that I'm a businesswoman, and I have to think of profits." He stared at the wall and then suddenly turned back to her.

"Why sell yourself though?" he demanded, "Surely you could be selling flowers or herbs or jewelry." She laughed and unfurled her fan.

"Of course I should," she retorted, "But I'll need something from you first."

"I told you I have nothing to offer," he stated morosely.

"I want your name," she said, shyly taking his hand. It took him a moment to understand what she meant and even longer to realize she wasn't kidding. He pulled his hand away forcefully and turned to face away from her.

"T-that is the one thing I cannot give you," he stammered, "Not after what happened to my family."

"You're married?" she wondered, looking crushed.

"I was," said Germonik sadly, "But Celeste died after a plague struck Archades."

"And you had a child," guessed Violet glancing at the door where Meg slept. He couldn't speak, but his distraught expression answered that question for her. She reached out and touched his face gently as she placed her other hand on the back of his neck.

"Consider it a business arrangement," she whispered, "You get funding; I get respectability." He was flabbergasted.

"How could we?" he wondered, "Surely you're well known in Zarghidas."

"We could leave together," she suggested, "Start over somewhere else."

"You'd really do that," he stated flatly. It wasn't a question; he knew she meant it.

"Few decent men come to knock on my door," admitted Violet, "This may be my, no, our last chance."

"Redemption," he murmured, "It may be too late for me."

"But not the rest of the world," she countered, "You still want to bring justice to this land." He had to laugh at that.

"Guilty as charged," he said with a defeated smile, "I suppose I can't refuse."

"Let's just say it would be unwise," she said with a smirk.