Well, it's winding down. My only fear right now is that the ending is a bit rushed, but it's the one I've always had planned.
Soren had read the signs right. With a heavy heart, Erian and Teo had been ordered to take troops with them to the islands nearby, in an effort to stave off an upraising against their allies. As the time to depart drew near, Vasso had Erian bring him to the barracks for one last time.
"I just wanted to thank you," he began to Ike. He held his hand out and Ike shook it. "You shared your country with me, which I will probably never get to go to. It's just a shame you have to leave. I feel like there's so much more I could learn."
"Maybe we can come back."
Vasso smiled and nodded. "Perhaps one day we'll meet again. You'll have even more to tell me, I'm sure."
"It's a deal." Ike had grown fond of the prince and their talks. It would be something he would miss as they traveled, and it would be a reason to return. But it was not a reason to stay. Vasso nodded then allowed himself to be led away.
Ike returned to Soren, who said little as they packed. They would leave at first light, march south, and catch a ship. Soren found the march pointless, as there had to be a port somewhere closer. But he was not the tactician of this army. What they chose to do was not his concern. He would march and fight, nothing more, nothing less.
"Got everything?"
Soren patted his bag and nodded. "Though I'm not sure if I'm up for a long walk."
Ike chuckled. "Going soft on me, Soren?"
"Perhaps I am," Soren said. He had gotten in little training, spending his time quietly in the barracks, reading or writing. Twice he had written a letter, then burned it. It was not his place to contact Mist. That would be up to Ike. And there was no guarantee the letter would arrive safely in Tellius. It was not something he had mentioned to Ike, nor would he.
"You'll do fine, you always have." Ike sat down next to him and sighed. Soren raised an eyebrow and waited for Ike to continue.
"I'm a little worried Selyne is going to be angry with me. It's been quite some time since we've seen each other."
"She knows you plan to travel and do what you're meant to do, but you'll come back. You always come back." After a pause, Soren added, "I haven't said it, and I don't claim to know how you feel about relationships, but I think if we were to leave, you'd find some way to bring her with you."
"I've thought about it," Ike admitted. "I didn't think you would like that."
Soren did not say such out loud, but the idea of traveling with a third person would be something he would have to get used to again, as he did not know Selyne enough to be comfortable around her. But he would not tell Ike that. "It wouldn't matter if I did or not. I didn't like working with some of the people in Tellius, but I dealt with it. I'm not completely fragile."
Ike had to laugh at that. "Sorry, I'll stop thinking of you as such."
Soren considered the matter closed. He and Ike tucked their belongings away where they could reach them easily in the morning and went off in search of dinner.
Some troops were eager to march, having found themselves quickly growing bored awaiting orders. Many bemoaned the fact that they had been having fun, taking it easy and getting things given to them for serving under the princes. Even a couple were disappointed their unit was not marching out.
Ike was aching to start the journey. He had trained among Erian's men while they awaited instructions from the king to keep himself sharp. He was itching for a fight, just sparring had become boring. The boat journey was not something he was looking forward to, but everything had to come at a price.
Sleep came quickly to him that night. Morning actually came too soon, he felt. But he and Soren were up and ready to join the ranks. From afar, they could see the royal family saying their goodbyes before Erian and Teo joined their troops. They would be accompanied by the envoys who had brought word of trouble in their home. Ike wanted to meet them, but they would stay close to the princes. All too soon, they started down the street and away from the castle.
As Ike and Soren started the journey back south, Selyne was starting to hate the women around her. Her inn had become a hen house, with women talking around her instead of to her. She heard nothing negative, except from Lena, which was a blessing, but everything else she was tired of.
Almost half of the women around her swore she was going to have a son, due to the way she was carrying him. The other half swore she would have a daughter. The idea amused her a little, as she just could not imagine Ike with a daughter.
But when she commented that half of the women had to be right, they ignored her.
One positive she could see was that she was not alone, no matter what time of night. Someone was always up with her when she could not sleep. And someone was bound to cover her with a warm blanket if she fell asleep anywhere that was not her bed.
But the talk of names and nurseries, of baby clothes and baby blankets, and how terrible the first few months could be were really getting on her nerves. She had hoped all that would stop once the baby, son or daughter, was born.