Mmm, today was fun. Although most of my friends cancelled, two of them still came, and we went to Forbidden Planet, Orbital Manga and Wagamama. XD It was awesome. I ended up with 8 volumes of manga, and I still have three waiting for me at Waterstones. Still, my cheap thirst for shojo has been quenched (Beauty Pop), and I also have the second volume of .hack//XXXX (yay Cubia!). Not to mention I bought volumes 4 and 10 of AirGear, because I'm determined to get the entire series in English as well as French. Mm. =3 I'm happy.

So happy that I'm just gonna read another volume of Beauty Pop, and then I'll write you another chapter for Sellsword. How's that, hm?

"T…tactician?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem? You don't have to, it was just a suggestion." Ike scratched at his neck.

Soren paused, swallowing. "It's not that I don't appreciate being asked. I just don't think such an appointment would be particularly wise. I'm still new to the company. I doubt people are willing to listen."

"I'll tell them to," Ike said simply, as though there were nothing more to it. And, as the commander, Soren reasoned, there probably wasn't.

"Very well then. If you feel it will benefit the company."

Ike smiled. "I think it will."

----

The horizon glinted a dangerous red as the sun slowly sank from the skies. They were in Gallia now - they had been for a few hours. The laguz escorts, a tiger and a wolf, had been thoroughly irritated at the slow pace of the beorc mercenaries, and made little attempt to hide this. Nor did Soren attempt to hide his distaste at having to travel with halfbreeds. It was mutual, at least.

They had been walking for nearly six hours, judging by the length of their shadows. Surely it couldn't be too much further now. Soren couldn't help but notice how tiny his shadow was. It had never truly registered before quite how much impact his laguz heritage had. For most of his life, there had been few, if any, beorc around with which to compare himself. Now that he found himself in an entire company of them, the only ones of whom shorter in stature were children, he felt slightly lost, as though something crucial were amiss.

"Are you all right, Soren?" Once again, Soren found the commander beside him. "You look rather flushed. Is it your wound?" Soren shook his head irritably. "I suppose the heat must be a bit unbearable under all those layers."

"It's not that, Ike. I just…" He broke off, unsure of the right way to phrase his thoughts. Why did that always happen when he spoke to the commander?

"Hey!" A loud yell disturbed their conversation, and Soren looked up to find a blue-haired laguz running towards them.

Ike laughed despite his evident exhaustion. "Ranulf! You have no idea how great it is to see you and not more Daein soldiers."

Ranulf grinned. "I aim to please, Ike. The king sent me out to get you. The castle isn't far now, just over that hill."

"Thanks, but a couple of laguz already came to guide us there."

"Oh, I know that!" Ranulf's grin widened. "I'm the welcome party!" Ike laughed again, but Ranulf frowned slightly, sniffing the air.

"Ranulf?" Ike looked at him in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's fine," Ranulf replied, though his gaze lingered on Soren for a moment too long. "I just thought I smelled something funny, that's all." His cheerful demeanour quickly returned. "Nothing to worry about! Come on, let's get to the castle. Can't keep the king waiting. And you beorc are so sloooow!"

Ike rolled his eyes. "Give us a break! We've been walking for hours." All the same, he smiled.

Soren, on the other hand, was nothing like as good-humoured. His stomach was twisting into knots. He had known that Ranulf had guessed from the very brief moment that their eyes met. He hadn't needed that spoken implication to warn him that he wasn't safe. Why their 'welcome party' had decided to keep silent was a mystery, but an altogether disconcerting one. He closed his eyes. He ought to have known that travelling to Gallia was a bad idea.