Forgotten Royalty

Chapter 5

Larsa sat away from the others as they ate in silence, away from the remains of the refugee camp, with his legs pulled up and his arms around his knees. His eyes, so flat and lifeless, looked at nothing while the others planned what was to be done. As the night wore on, Azier was able to put together the pieces of what had happened.

Larsa's father, the Emperor Gramis, had died while the boy was traveling with them. A judge, Ghis the others called him, had come to try to take the boy back to his home, and when Larsa refused, the man attacked. He killed the Gran Kiltias, and the refugee camp was fired into. Sitting there, she made up her mind to go with them to the outside world. She had never been anywhere other than the mountain, Nabudis, Landis and Archadia. The most important reason being only one thing.

The ones who did this had to pay…

She looked over at Larsa and sighed.

But first, there was a person who needed help.

She stood and walked over to the young noble, leaving her spear beside Penelo, who was sitting close to Vaan. She sat down and reached out to Larsa, resting her hand on his shoulder, half smiling when he looked up at her.

"Hey, Larsa…" she wasn't sure what to say. Nobody had said anything when her mother and nurse died, so how would one comfort somebody after the loss of a loved one? "I'm… sorry. But there is nothing that can be done for your father now. You gotta move on."

From the glare she received from both Larsa and Penelo, she figured that this was one thing she wasn't supposed to say. But it was true, so she kept going.

"I mean, seriously. The man was sick, and he was the one who caused all the destruction. Dalmasca, Landis, Nabradia… He did all that. There aren't many who will mourn for him long."

Larsa's face darkened and he stood up angrily and stalked off into the shadows. Penelo went to get up and go after him, but Azier put a restraining hand on the younger girl's arm and stood.

"You're going after him?"

"I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt. Whether he will talk to me is his choice."

Azier stayed several paces behind the angry mourning youth, her spear still at the small camp. She coughed softly to let him know she was there, and was rewarded with a cold glare.

"What?"

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said. But there really is nothing to be done to bring back your father."

"What do you know? You're a wanderer, proud of your lack of ties."

Azier's eyebrows rose, one of her hands tightening into fists. She was glad for the darkness that hid her face, which was probably red from anger. Also, he would not see how much the jab had hurt. Her voice was even when she spoke, even light.

"A wanderer I am, but that doesn't mean that I am heartless or stupid. At least you had him. There are people who have lost everything, and don't spend their time moping. Is it what your father would have wanted you to do?"

"…no."

He looked back at her shadowy shape and the words she spoke earlier came back to him. She had been trying to anger him, he realized, to try to give him an opening to let out everything that he had been holding in. She put a hand on his shoulder and cast a spell to allow them to see better in the gloom.

"When my family died, I had nobody. You have Vaan and Penelo. And the others…"

Larsa nodded, wondering if she was going to say goodbye and send him back to the camp alone while she left them forever. She turned to smile at him, releasing his shoulder and taking a step forward.

"I realized I couldn't hide for the rest of my life, or just give up… I have the scars to prove it…" she let out a sigh and turned to him again. He saw a single silvery tear roll down her cheek. "Don't walk the same dark path I did, Larsa. You're bigger than that. Stay with them, fix this mess."

"What will you do?"

"I'll stay with all of you. I think… I may have found somewhere I belong again."

Larsa felt his throat go tight, his eyes burning. He was losing his grip on the cool mask he always wore. His sadness and confusion tearing at his heart. When the first tear escaped, Azier held him, stroking his hair while he cried. He noticed that she felt like an older sister or an old friend, and that helped the mask come off more.

"Do you understand now Larsa?"

He wasn't entirely sure he understood her entirely, but he nodded anyway. He liked being held, feeling like he didn't have to hide his heart, feeling… safe. He continued to cry while she hummed softly, as though she were comforting a child, which was a little embarrassing.

When he finally had calmed and gotten his cool mask back, she smiled and walked with him to the camp. Penelo asked what had happened, but Azier shook her head.

"Not now, Penelo. Later."

The blond noticed that as she spoke, the older girl would reach up and rub her neck, which was covered by her shirt collar. She would leave her questions until later, then. She suggested that they pray for the souls of the dead, and then turn in.

To her surprise, all agreed. They even prayed for the soul of the late Emperor.