Yo people. It's nearly Christmas/Hannukah/whatever you celebrate! So in... Celebration... I am going to write a ToS oneshot! Review with your ideas and the one with the most mentions/the one I like best if there are no repeats will be oneshotted, hopefully in time for Christmas!

I love competitions :D

So I wrote this chapter during my brief stay at Oxford Uni for interviews... I SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVISING. So if I fail spectacularly at getting into Oxford, blame ToS XD.

I should know in a week... *Nervous jitters*

SoS - Um, actually A2's are the second half of an A-level. In England. I'm doing Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths. Plus a Further Maths AS... *shoots self in head*
Freaky - Ahahaha, yes, I DO promise winged Lloyd soonish. I also have that fetish :D
Nightfoot - mind in the gutter? My mind was totally not in the gutter when I wrote that, how can you read that into it... *shifty look**runs* Heh...

Disclaimer - even after ten chapters, I have still sadly failed to acquire ToS... *sigh*

Chapter ten: Dwarven Vow #2

Lloyd didn't get a chance to question Forcystus for another three days. The Cardinal left him alone – being careful, perhaps, because of Kvar – and he was looked after by disdainful Desians who brought him his food and occasionally made snide remarks. It was beginning to frustrate Lloyd. If it wasn't for the fact that there were a lot of security fields and Desian guards between him and the most likely places for the Cardinal to be, he would have gone and demanded some answers himself.

Just as Lloyd's patience was starting to reach a limit, Forcystus came to see him again.

"Lloyd," he greeted. The teen looked up from where he had been resting on the bed – the cell offered very few opportunities for things to do – and instantly sat up.

"Lord Forcystus!" He exclaimed. "Wh-what are you here for?" He was hoping it would be something that took a long time. That way, he'd have an opportunity to question him about the mysterious feather.

"Oh, have you missed me?" He asked with a slight chuckle, turning away from Lloyd to type in the passcode. Lloyd glared.

"D-don't patronise me… L-lord Forcystus!" He demanded. Forcystus laughed.

"Very well. Come, Lloyd, I am sure you have been sorely deprived of exercise."

Training! Lloyd realised. That's perfect! He nodded and jumped off the bed, going up to Forcystus as the cell door opened. Forcystus smiled slightly.

"Hopefully the… Disturbances have ceased now," he remarked. Up close, Lloyd was surprised to see that he was paler than usual, as if he was worried, or had been ill.

Perhaps it's whatever caused him to collapse in front of Kvar? Lloyd wondered. "I-I hope so, Lord Forcystus," he replied aloud. "Kv-… Lord Kvar will not be visiting again, will he?" Forcystus seemed to find the contempt in Lloyd's voice for Kvar amusing.

"No, not in the near future," he replied. "He crossed a line. He is not coming back without a highly valid reason." Lloyd could see the anger on Forcystus' face. Clearly he had not appreciated being hit. "He is of equal rank, he had no right…" He murmured under his breath as he walked off, Lloyd following hurriedly. "Although he is still attempting to acquire you. I am quite concerned, actually. I was very careful, there's no way he could know who you are… You are not that similar to your mother that it would be openly apparent…"

"Did he know my father?" Lloyd asked. Strangely, Forcystus laughed.

"Oh, yes. You have his eyes. I met him once," he replied. "Events lead where they will. I don't think he would recognise you without actually having some reason to think you are who you are. But I will look into it. He has little reason to want a human so badly, especially since you're not exactly wonderful for use in one of his Kharlan-forsaken experiments!"

"Kharlan…" Lloyd murmured, thinking about what Forcystus had said about Derris-Kharlan. Not a place for humans. Forcystus gave him a look.

"What do you expect me to say? Martel?" He laughed softly. "I think not… Ah." They had come across a security field. Lloyd knew the drill, he took off a glove so Forcystus could touch his skin and make the chip work for both of them, but he rubbed his hand on his trousers before he put the glove back on. Kvar's comments still stuck in his mind, about 'attachment', and the pet comments were still sore. Forcystus made no comment about it, positive or negative, which did reassure Lloyd slightly.

"Why don't you believe in Martel, Lord Forcystus?" Lloyd asked once they were well past the security field.

"Because I make a point of not believing in lies, Lloyd, that's why," Forcystus replied. "I won't deny that she existed, exists, even, in a… Special way, but she is no goddess. You are free to believe what you wish, however." Lloyd frowned.

"The hero Mithos ended the Ancient war with the Desians by forming a pact with the Goddess Martel, and sacrificed his life to bring peace," he murmured, reciting the small amount of Genis' notes that he'd actually managed to learn. He heard Forcystus chuckling under his breath, which irritated him, so he frowned and tried to remember the rest. "And the Goddess left the angels with the edict… Um…"

"You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world will be destroyed," Forcystus replied. "And so the angels bore the Chosen One, who headed towards the Tower that reached up unto the heavens. And that marked the beginning of the Regeneration of the World." Lloyd just stared at him. "And you missed a bit out. Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of all mana."

"That's… The tree you sometimes swear by…" Lloyd realised. "Why do you know the legend if you don't believe?" Forcystus laughed bitterly.

"Everyone knows the legend, Lloyd. But we Desians started no war. In fact, the Desian organisation hadn't even been formed prior to the Kharlan war; it was formed afterwards by our leader, Lord Yggdrasill."

"So who was the war between?" Lloyd asked, completely forgetting what he had been intending to ask in light of this new source of information.

"Sylvarant and Tethe'alla," Forcystus replied, coming to a halt outside the room they often used for training and keying in the code. "They were split in two to stop such a devastating war ever happening again."

"What sort of creature has the power to… To split worlds?" Lloyd wondered softly. Forcystus sighed.

"That, Lloyd, I am not allowed to tell you. Stop thinking about legends and focus on what you're here to do."

"Still learning," he mumbled, a bit put out. One of the few things he actually took an interest in, and Forcystus wouldn't tell him? That was so unfair!

He noted that Forcystus locked the door before he did anything – he still didn't trust Lloyd completely. Well, that was only fair, since Lloyd did plan to escape as soon as possible. It just irritated him the Forcystus seemed to know it.

"Grab your swords," Forcystus told him as he took his cannon off. Lloyd did just that, keeping a careful eye on Forcystus as he did so. Last time, he hadn't, and had been Wind Bladed for his trouble. That hadn't been nice at all. "Guarding techniques," Forcystus murmured. "I figured – since you seem to have some aversion to dodging magic – that you need to learn to guard against it. After all, simply holding up your swords is going to do very little. Lloyd nodded, still keeping an eye on him. He knew full well what he was like for surprising him.

It took Lloyd a while to learn Guardian. Forcystus was as patient with him as always, teaching him all the small things to do with it, how and when to use it, how it was used, why he shouldn't overuse it. Apparently, Guardian was a projection of the body's mana, like a shield, and overusing it was never going to be a good thing. Eventually, Lloyd got the hang of it, managing to guard against a Wind Blade without even feeling the spell. He was extremely pleased with himself, and even Forcystus smiled at him. "Bear in mind, Lloyd, that if a spell is long, you will not be able to keep your shield up for all of it unless you time it well. I don't want to expose you to a Cyclone when you've only just learned, but maybe in the future." Lloyd nodded, grinning, pleased with his success. Woe betide any Desians who got in his way when he had his swords with him! "Alright, then," Forcystus murmured, pointing his sword at Lloyd. "Show me what you've learned." Lloyd nodded, getting into a ready position. He was not going to let the Desian floor him so easily this time!

Forcystus seemed to not be fighting as effectively that day, and Lloyd took full advantage of it. He remembered what Forcystus had said about not overusing the special techniques, about the best time to block, about how to evade and block cast magic – not that Forcystus ever used anything that would really harm him.

Lloyd was actually surprised when he started to get the upper hand. He was even more surprised when he managed to floor the Cardinal.

"Ha!" He declared, pointing his sword at the downed Forcystus.

"…Alright, alright, I give," he panted, and Lloyd frowned, noting how pale he was. "…But don't get overconfident. I'm not at my best today." Pushing Lloyd's sword to one side, he got to his feet.

"…Are you alright, Lord Forcystus?" He asked, honestly concerned. If something happened to Forcystus he'd be left at the mercy of the rest of the Desians, and that would not be mercy of any kind.

"…Fine. I'm fine," he replied, leaning his sword against the wall. He clearly wasn't.

"Is it because of Kvar… Lord Kvar's visit?" Lloyd asked. Please don't collapse. I don't want to go back to being the human Desians play with. Please…

"Kvar? …Possibly," he murmured, pushing the bangle up his arm. It was giving off a soft glow.

"…Doesn't that hurt?" Lloyd asked, indicating the bangle. It had hurt him when it glowed. Forcystus frowned, shaking his head slowly. He was starting to look very out of it, and Lloyd walked towards him, confused.

"I'm fine…" Forcystus murmured. Lloyd shook his head.

"Dwarven Vow #2: Never abandon someone in need," he told him firmly. "Is it related to this?" He took the feather out of his pocket and held it up. Pure fear flashed in Forcystus' eyes, even if it was for only a second, and that was all the answer Lloyd needed.

"Where did you get that?" He demanded. "You haven't been sneaking around again, have you?" Lloyd shook his head, affronted. He'd been good, mostly because he'd been worried about Kvar's visit.

"I found it on the floor after Kva… Lord Kvar hit you," he replied. Forcystus snatched it off him, and he protested slightly until Forcystus glared at him.

"Lying little…" He muttered. Lloyd made a noise of dismay as the feather proceeded to dissolve in Forcystus' hands. How did he do that?

"I did! It fell to the floor, I thought maybe it was Yggdr-"

"Lord Yggdrasill. How many times?" Forcystus snapped. "What gives you reason to presume things about Lord Yggdrasill?"

"He's an angel, though, isn't he?" Lloyd asked. "I know he is, I saw feathers. A Cruxis angel!" Forcystus sighed.

"…Put your swords away, we're done here," he replied eventually.

"Answer me!" Lloyd demanded. The look in Forcystus' eyes told him that he would have been hit, had the Cardinal the strength.

"Put your swords away," Forcystus repeated. Lloyd considered disobeying, but eventually went and put his swords back. "You shouldn't stick your nose in where it doesn't belong. I've obviously told you too much," Forcystus murmured.

"Why can't I know?" Lloyd demanded. Forcystus sighed.

"…It's not for humans to know. That is Lord Yggdra- Ah!" He fell to the floor, one hand on his arm over the bangle, and Lloyd rushed over to him, not that he could do much. "…Lord Yggdrasill's wish," Forcystus finished, looking up at Lloyd.

"Why do you follow a cruel Lord?" He asked. Forcystus laughed, standing up, apparently unaffected.

"Why? Why do you think?" He replied. "You, spying little nuisance that you are, have seen how my Lord is. Does it look to you as though I have the option to leave?" Lloyd bit his lip. He seemed to have brought up a sensitive topic. "…Dwarven vows…" Forcystus murmured with a laugh. "Raised by a dwarf…"

"Don't you dare insult my dad!" Lloyd growled, taking a step back, intending to go for his sword.

"I meant no offense," Forcystus replied, walking over to the opposite side of the room. "How old were you when you were found? Three?" Lloyd nodded uncertainly. "It must have been… Hard, to grow up without parents." Lloyd shrugged.

"I miss them, especially my mom, but I've always had my dad… Dirk. It's not like I've been lonely. I've had Noishe with me, too." Forcystus sighed, sitting by the wall and closing his eye. Lloyd noted what looked like it could be another feather on the floor and went for it then, picking it up. It was. Either Forcystus had been playing tricks on him before, or… It had come from Forcystus…

"You're luckier than you know," Forcystus murmured. Lloyd looked from the feather to him. What was he hiding? "At least you had a father, even if he isn't related by blood…" He stood up, and Lloyd frowned, confused, until something Yggdrasill had said came back to him

"Slave, orphan, what next?" Forcystus… Had lost his parents. He'd been lonely. How long had he been held in Sybak? Lloyd frowned. Since he was seven, he'd said… So his parents must have died around that time. Lloyd looked over at him again.

He must be so lonely, he realised with a jolt. He's never even been loved… At least dad takes care of me, and to me, he's my dad, despite the fact that he's a dwarf… Why should that even matter, anyway? But all Forcystus has had is… Prejudice…

"Give me the feather, Lloyd," Forcystus murmured suddenly. Lloyd was stunned. How…? "It's the eyepatch, it's magitechnology. Give it to me."

"Not unless you tell me where it's from," Lloyd replied stubbornly. "I'm sick of the secrets. I'm sick of not knowing! I want some answers! Don't evade my questions!" Forcystus stood up.

"Answers, Lloyd? You want answers?" He replied. "You don't want answers. Some things are better off left unknown."

"No! They aren't!" Lloyd replied. "If you're going to hold me here I have the right to know why, at least! What does Cruxis want with me?" Forcystus started to laugh. It was hollow, bitter.

"Cruxis? Cruxis doesn't want you, Lloyd. If anyone, it's me they want. I was asked to keep you safe for reasons that are more than my life's worth to reveal. And I've done it, haven't I? Haven't I suffered enough to keep you away from Kvar? Haven't I tried to make sure you at least learn something? Why do you demand so much from me, Lloyd? I'm a Desian, I'm a Grand Cardinal, I am your enemy." Lloyd sighed, letting the feather fall from his fingers to hit the floor. It made no sound.

"…You're not," he mumbled. "Because of what you've done. Even if it's out of duty… You've still kept me safe. You've made time for me. You've treated me… Like I'm human. Which is… More than any other Desian would have done." Forcystus shook his head, walking over to Lloyd and picking up the feather. He pressed it back into Lloyd's hands.

"Keep it. It may come in useful to you," he murmured. "But for Kharlan's sake don't show it to anyone else. I'll take you back to your cell."

"Am I going to be abandoned for three days again?" He asked. Forcystus shook his head.

"That was due to unusual circumstances," he replied.

He was having attacks like the one he just had, then, Lloyd surmised, watching Forcystus carefully.

"Although I don't know what I can do, now. You can't learn magic. Perhaps I could teach you how to operate a computer, although Kharlan knows what you'll get up to if I do." Lloyd looked hopeful.

"Really?" He asked. Forcystus smiled at him.

"Sure. If it doesn't bore you." He laughed softly, not bitterly this time. Lloyd smiled at him.

"I-it won't, Lord Forcystus!" He promised. Now he was definitely one step closer to being able to steal a Rheaird!

A/N - In the next chapter, we have a (brief) appearence from Yuan! Believe it or not, he's actually my fave charrie from ToS...

I have also recently discovered the absolute awesomeness that is Muse recently. Expect some Muse-inspired oneshots in the future XD