Chapter 40, Good advice

War chief Supinelu took up his usual meditating spot as the winds of night rolled across the plains, making a soft moaning sound. The Garif believed these were the spirits of the earth to which they were so close to warning them of some impending danger. A pang of guilt went off in his stomach. Should he really have let them stay? Well, it didn't matter, they were here now. Both his and their paths had been set, all that remained was to help them however he could. His people were famous for giving help, and apparently advice. Somehow he had never understood that. All the Garif ever did was tell people what they thought, was that the same as advising? Maybe he should give it a try.

Balthier wandered up the hill, staggering from foot to foot, his long coat caked in dust. He was clearly intoxicated on something.

"I advise you to stop drinking so much," The chief called to him. "Maybe you would find your tent a little easier."

Nice, simple, with a touch of philosophy to it. "Not bad." He said to himself.

Balthier stared at him blankly before wandering off back down the hill in the direction of the nanna paddock.

"A shame he won't remember anything when he wakes up." Supinelu sighed. To be honest he had forgotten what he'd said to Fran all those years ago. Whatever he'd done it had given her new drive.

Basch strode out of the grass carrying his bundle behind him, he seemed to be sweating a lot and there were even a few bloodstains on his arms.

"Carrying enough for two is too much to ask of any man" The Garif tried again. "Why do you put yourself willingly in this position?"

Basch's head snapped up. "How did you know?" He said wearily sitting down next to the chief.

"It's easy to see, when you carry so much you don't do it for yourself." He said gently. "Whose luggage is that?" He gestured towards the bundle.

Basch shrugged. "A friend of mine."

"Why can he not carry his own luggage?"

"Because he's dead."

"Then why bring it? Why disturb the soul in that bundle trying to rest?"

Basch paused, and then rose to his feet.

"Goodnight war chief." He said blankly and wandered off towards his tent.

Once again the night was quiet. "Ah well," Whispered the Supinelu. "At least I planted the seed in his head."

He sat back in his position and began thinking about taking up mantles as this Hume was trying to do. He himself had been forced to take up the mantle for his own brother. His own arrogance had lead to his brother's death. This was not something he liked to think about but how could he not now another person was in the same position.

"Oh, good evening Supinelu."

The chief turned round to see Ashe standing a few feet away looking asleep on her feet.

"Good evening princess." He replied uncertainly.

"I was just... Oh!" As Ashe answered she stumbled and almost fell over, the chief caught her in his great arms.

"You're tired." He said simply. "You give yourself too much to do. Come on, I'll take you back to your tent." He scooped her up and carried her as easily as a child.

"Thank you." She yawned. "You won't tell the others will you."

"I won't, but you should."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone has weakness, it's unnatural for someone to be strong all over. Even the rocktoise has its weak spots."

Ashe sighed. "I cannot afford weakness if I'm to save Dalmasca."

The Garif eyed her. "You would do anything to free your country?"

"Of course." Ashe replied sleepily.

"Even destroy Jahara?"

"What?" She sat up and almost fell out of his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Theoretically speaking, would you be willing to destroy my land to save yours?" The Garif's iron stare cut into Ashe from behind his mask.

"Of course not." Said Ashe firmly lying back down.

The chief shook his head. "I'm not sure I believe you, besides..." He gestured to the crystal round her neck. "You have plenty of power already."

Ashe held the little gem in her fingers. "It didn't help when we were attacked by the wyrm." She muttered.

"Perhaps you were not calling him properly. An Esper is a powerful spirit. It will not come if the master wants to sit back and let it do all the work, you must fight with him if you want him to come."

They reached the tent and Supinelu set the princess down.

"Goodnight chief." She said hurriedly, and vanished into the entrance.

The Garif began striding back to his rock. "I cannot speak for her." He thought. "I have not lost what she has lost, but she needs to see things other than her country."

As he reached the crest of the hill he caught sight of Fran and Penelo walking back from an evening's training, Fran's ear twitched, she turned her head.

"Fran?" Penelo asked, running to her teacher's side.

Fran caught sight of the chief and their eyes met for an instant, then they broke contact. Supinelu smiled. There was no need to advise her, her path was set straight and true. He beckoned to her young apprentice however, overpowered by curiosity. He patiently waited until she took a seat next to him.

"My dear you are a mystery to me." He said at last.

Penelo looked taken aback. "How so?"

"Every one of your group has a reason to be here. The princess wants to save her country, the pirate wants to gain profit as usual, Fran would not be parted from the pirate, the knight wishes to hold onto his very meaning and the boy wishes to emulate one of you." He turned to look at her. "You on the other hand, have no reason at all to be here. Why do you embark on a dangerous and potentially life threatening mission such as this?"

It took Penelo a long time to think of an answer. "My magick." She said finally. "I need to follow Fran to learn magick."

"Which you learn in order to be useful for this mission." The Garif quipped.

Penelo squirmed uncomfortably. "I... I just want to help lady Ashelia. And poor Basch, they're both alone now."

"So you do all this, you risk your own life for the sake of providing a little extra help to these people."

"Vaan tries, he doesn't always make a difference but he tries."

"So you do this to be like him?"

"Yes!" She snapped.

Silence between the two parties, then Supinelu chuckled softly.

"I see, it's all very clear now. For both of us."

Penelo got up and stormed back to her tent.

"She'll learn to accept her own feelings." The chief muttered.

He sat down on his rock and finally began to separate his mind from this world. As he sat there talking with the spirits Vaan strode up the hill. The boy stared at him for a moment, then carried on towards his bed.