Finally we're at chapter 4. This is a bit of a interlude before the main story kicks off. So now I get to have fun with chapter 5 ^_^

Enjoy!


Chapter 4.

Some months later.

Allen didn't know what was worse. Having sword lessons with his teacher Howard Link or taught how to rule a country by his uncle Marian Cross. Either way he was in for a rough time. Nineteen year old Link was his private teacher in various subjects: math, geography, history and literature being some – Allen couldn't believe he would have a teacher so young, but he didn't question it. Even though Link was so young he was already skilled with many different weapons. This was why Cross appointed him to also teach Allen how to swing a sword, to shoot an arrow with a bow, throw knives, and throw javelins or fight with spears and axes or clubs or just about anything that could be used as a weapon.

"This is a time of war, you must be prepared", Link said this to him every time Allen complained about it being too hard or asking Link to go easier on him. Allen stood up but left the sword on the ground, Link raised an eyebrow – clearly expecting his student to start arguing against continuing training.

"Can't we stop for today, Link? I'm tired and hungry and the sword's too heavy and I'm hungry and I'm warm and want to get out of this stinking chainmail and go inside and eat because I'm hungry", Allen said in one breath, Link sighed and rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"We've only trained for an hour, and you ate lunch two hours ago, it's soon winter and not as hot as you make it sound like and do you want me to tell the king that you rather want to spend time being taught by him?" The last comment hit a nerve in the soon to be thirteen-year-old boy Link noted smugly.

"At least do me the decency to cut off my hair with your sword or knife or whatever is best", Allen muttered and took up the neglected sword. His long, white hair, which was up in a ponytail for the occasion, flung in front of his face as he bent down. Annoyed he flung it over his shoulder and stood up straight. Link shook his head.

"Your Highness, you know that the king has forbidden your hair to be cut. I think there's actually a law that states that it's forbidden to cut…"

"Screw that stupid law, uncle can go screw himself, how the hell can one fight with this long hair? Seriously, my hair goes past my shoulder blades. Can't I at the very least have it shoulder length?" Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"That, you'll have to ask your uncle about, Highness", he said then he went into a battle stance, "shall we continue?"


"Please uncle! It would be much easier to train or fight if I have short hair. I can't do anything with this!" Allen pleaded to his uncle.

"Allen, look at me", and Allen did, "my hair is just as long as yours, if not longer, and I do not have any trouble at all when training or fighting", Cross said and ran his left hand through his long, red hair. "And the women love it!" He added and laughed. Allen hung his head, he felt frustrated and angry. Why is it so important to have long hair? Then he heard his uncle clear his throat before he talked again.

"When was the last time you cut your hair short? Two years ago?" The king asked.

"Something like that", Allen answered recalling the last time he had short hair; he remembered the nice feeling of the wind blowing on his exposed neck during the summer and how it didn't get in his face when he played with Lenalee and the others. He came out of his stupor when Cross started talking again.

"Alright, I make you a deal. I have your hair cut today but then tomorrow you have to go with General Sokaro on his rounds, and you have to let your hair grow long again. No cutting it."

"Why is it so important for me to have long hair?" Allen asked.

"The same reason to why I had you dress like a girl every summer", Cross said and put his feet on his desk, when he sat comfortable he lit a cigarette.

"Yeah, about that, why is that?"

"For some reasons I cannot tell you about", Cross answered and Allen huffed in annoyance.

"Why do I have to go with the General?" Allen asked after a moment of silence.

"Link is good with weapons but he doesn't have experience in fighting battles like Sokaro. So from tomorrow onwards Sokaro will be your teacher as well."

"Alright…" Allen said hesitantly – he had a bad feeling about the next day.


Screw who was the worst to be taught by; Sokaro was the worst. Allen could never have imagined that Sokaro would take him, a small guard of three soldiers and Link out on a 'quest' to find enemy soldiers. Allen was a prince, he was the one heir to the throne of Aederia, and here he was out in the open trying to find enemy soldiers who want to kill him! Sokaro could at least have brought more soldiers – Allen was in no way ready for real battle, he'd just started learning how to use a sword for crying out loud!

But Sokaro apparently thought that more soldiers weren't needed, that the six of them could handle anything. And Allen certainly hoped that they could. He wouldn't have minded to accompany Sokaro when he could at the very least defend himself! But as Sokaro said when he voiced his opinion:

"Highness, you don't need to worry. And if we want an enemy troop to attack us then it would be best if it looks like you, as the prince, don't have a too powerful guard…" then he laughed like the mad man he was before putting his iron mask on. Allen couldn't believe that his uncle Cross actually appointed this man to be his General – even less that he on purpose threw his nephew in danger to teach him how to battle before Allen could even defend himself.

Allen shook his head as the party of six continued riding south from the capital Aed Sorh. But, Allen thought amusedly, uncle kept his promise about cutting my hair. He had his doubts when Cross proposed the deal but when he took up a pair of scissors, intent on cutting it himself, Allen believed him straight away.

And the feeling of fresh air blowing on his neck was worth it. Though, he still couldn't fathom why Cross found it funny for him to have long hair like a girl. Or why he couldn't keep it short. He couldn't come up with anything that could explain it. Then he remembered that when he grows up and come to age at the age of seventeen he could do whatever he wanted – including cutting his hair.

He knew that he was focusing too much on his hair and that made him sound like a spoiled brat or something, but he wanted to decide something on his own. Cross didn't give him any freedom like Mana did. Allen's eyes burned when he thought about him. Cross wouldn't let him outside the castle whenever he wanted, and Allen was to never be alone so Link had to follow him everywhere. Cross decided every aspect of Allen's life; it was like he wasn't allowed to think for himself. And Cross never put him in any danger… well at least before today.

Allen observed the other people in the group. Link rode next to him on his brown horse which Allen couldn't remember the name of. The three soldiers rode around him, creating a barrier – Allen couldn't help himself but to think that they were doing a big show that they were protecting someone important. And Sokaro rode in front of them all; his frightening weapon on his back and his big, black horse seemed to have no problems carrying both its own armor and Sokaro who was wearing his armor and his weapon.

They were on an open field with many hills which, Allen realized, could hide a lot of enemies, who might have just been waiting for them to pass by. His eyes darted around the suspicious area, looking for anything abnormal. His trustworthy, beige/dark yellow horse, Timcanpy sensed his uneasiness and became nervous as well. The horse was only two and a half years old and was not used to the scrambling of weapons and armor. Allen noticed the nervousness and patted Tim, as he called the horse, on his head; Tim seemed to calm down a bit after that.

Then he heard the thundering of hooves and he saw the soldiers and Sokaro bringing out their weapon. Link did the same and told Allen to stay close to him. Allen nodded as he tried to see where the sound came from. He found the source from his right side, which Link rode on. There were around fifteen men with armor and drawn weapons riding towards them. Sokaro and his three soldiers quickly rode to shield Allen and Link and the General said, with the hollow voice he got from wearing that iron mask:

"Finally something to play with…" Allen swore that the General was smirking in mad delight under that mask. But he couldn't keep being immobile and drew his own sword – not that he thought he could use it against men whom had trained for years.

Sokaro rode towards the attacking troop holding his weapon firmly in his right hand. Two soldiers followed him with drawn swords while the third stayed with Allen and Link with his bow ready.

After a few seconds Sokaro and his two men and the enemy troop clashed. Sokaro swung his weapon fiercely effectively killing the men and frightening the rest. Allen observed the fight and counted that Sokaro had killed eight of them himself.

It didn't take long before the few survivors dispersed and fled the crazy general's nonstop slaughtering. Allen never doubted Sokaro's fighting skills ever again. He was a force to be wary about.


Allen's birthday passed without much notice. Allen didn't really want to celebrate it and Cross didn't care. Spring went by quickly as well, Link kept teaching Allen everything he could, Cross drilled into him how to rule a country and Sokaro... was as crazy as usual.

The Earl attacked often and viciously; from the west: through the mountain passes on the Zenwia border, from the south: doing siege on the desert city of Aed Balh – though he gave up on that quickly when the unbearable heat and the soldier's water reserves were drained. Cross didn't really understand the Earl's intentions. Attacking from the west was given; since that wasn't too far from the Earl's base, which was in the vast forest to the north, the whole area was now called Akumaron, and it had for a long time been the base for bandits and the like. What Cross didn't get was why Earl actually sent an army around the land of Zenwia on the ocean to then attack the city in the south. It didn't make any sense.

Cross had gotten letters from Tiedoll saying that there have been a few skirmishes on Ligoun's northwestern border, in the mountain passes behind the city Li Mep, but Tiedoll had managed to drive them off – probably thanks to his lovely general Cloud Nyne, Cross presumed.

That summer, one year after the death of Mana, King Komui Lee and princess Lenalee came to visit in Aed Sorh. Cross had been anxiously waiting for them to come, going as far as to meeting them himself at the port. The first thing Lenalee did when coming to the castle was to hug Allen long and hard, Allen didn't mind at all, he'd missed her terribly during the year that's went by. Komui on the other hand immediately went to show Cross his newest invention on the courtyard, Cross motioned for Allen to join them when Lenalee finally let go of him.

"I call this baby a 'rifle'; it shoots fast moving projectiles which could, if not too far away, pierce through armor", Komui explained and motioned for one of his soldiers to shoot an armored doll about ten meters from him. The soldier aimed and then pulled the trigger, the loud bang that was suddenly heard shocked Cross and Allen. When the dust had settled a bit they saw that the doll had been knocked back, the armor had a hole around the chest area.

"I like it, how soon can you send these on a regular basis?" Cross asked, a smug smile slowly forming on his face.

"I've already brought a batch of the rifles and I can send more as soon as I get home", Komui answered, obviously excited that Cross liked his invention. Allen walked up to the soldier and politely asked if he could hold it, the soldier nodded and gave the rifle to him, while telling him to not pull the trigger. Allen inspected the weapon and then he turned to Komui and asked:

"Is it okay if I try it out?" Cross raised an eyebrow but shrugged and Komui nodded in approval.

"Could you show me?" Allen asked the soldier.

"Of course, your Highness. First you hold it like this, make sure that you steady it with your shoulder or the kick-back will hurt you. Then take aim, you should have the top of the pipe a bit higher than what you're aiming for or you will miss."

"Alright", Allen carefully took aim and then slowly pulled the trigger. The kick-back took him off guard and he fell to the ground, and he missed the target.

"Woah, didn't realize it would be so hard..."

"With some training I think that your Highness will be a great shooter!" The soldier said as Allen stood up.

"Perhaps so..." Allen answered and gave the rifle back to the soldier. Cross got a thoughtful look and then he turned back to Komui.

"Can you make one exclusively for me? A smaller one if possible?" Komui thought for a moment and then nodded.

"I'll do my best."


And that he did. The second shipment from Zenwia came late fall, and there was a special package for King Cross. In it was a small white and silver gun with small crosses as ornaments, Cross immediately tried it out and what distinguished it from ordinary rifles was that it could shoot several bullets without reloading. Cross instantly loved it and named it Judgement.

Allen had also taken a liking for the rifles and he proved to be a fast learner: hitting the target on his seventh try. Cross had a small band of soldiers specialize in rifles, and ordered the other soldiers to learn the basics as well.

One could see the difference in the battles immediately. Earl's soldier's were completely surprised by this new weapon and could do little to overcome it – making the Earl's next focus to be acquiring such weapons as well.

Allen's fourteenth birthday – and perhaps also a party to celebrate the many victories in the past years battles – went by in a huge and extravagant party where all of the nobles in Aederia were invited. Tiedoll had also sent a present which was a painting of Kanda, who by that time was seventeen, Allen had no idea why Tiedoll sent him a painting of that guy, though he did notice the snickers from Cross when the king saw it.

When the snow had melted and leaves appeared on the trees again, the Earl began to attack more regularly and fiercer. This time his troops also had some of Komui's rifles – probably from hi-jacking some of the shipments - and as such no sides had any real advantages over one another.

Another year went by like this, and another. But then in the spring after Allen's sixteenth birthday the attacks suddenly stopped. It was as if the Earl and his troops had just disappeared. Cross knew that something was going on, the man calling himself the Millenium Earl wouldn't accept defeat that easily. But on the other hand he welcomed this sudden cease, since it was finally the year he'd been waiting for.

Oh, he will have so much fun.

It was just in the beginning of the summer, the heat had been really kicking in and people usually just sit around basking in the sun, not caring to do work – especially Cross, though today he could not, he had so much to plan...

The door to his office opened and Allen came in, his hair was long again and braided – courtesy of Link, who didn't follow Allen into the office but waited outside.

"You called for me, Uncle?" Allen asked and unceremoniously sat down on a chair in front of the desk. Cross glanced at him and lit a cigarette, he took one drag before throwing his nephew a letter.

"Came from Tiedoll this morning", he said casually, Allen frowned and opened it.

"It's a party invitation to Li Sar..." Allen said, not getting the point.

"Exactly, Tiedoll doesn't expect us to come because of the war but since there haven't been any battles for the last few months I thought that we could visit them..."

"Then why sending us an invitation?"

"Froi's polite like that", Cross said, "now go to your room and pack, we're leaving tomorrow!"

"Huh? Wait... what about the Earl, what if he...?" Cross interrupted Allen's protests by raising a hand.

"No fucking buts, brat! We're leaving tomorrow morning."

"I get seasick!" Allen attempted to change his Uncle's mind by reminding him of all those times when they traveled to Li Sar when Allen wouldn't stop throwing up. Cross shuddered at the memory but he held his ground.

"Link will look after you, you'll be fine."


Allen hates being on a ship, with all the squeaking and the waves crashing to the sides, the crews endless swearing, his Uncle ceaselessly drinking all the wine he's offered, the rocking back and forth. Allen never left his room – and he always had a bucket in his lap. Three more days of throwing up and then he'll be safe on land again.

Just three more days.


Allen and Kanda will be in for such a funny suprise in the next chapter. I'll try to write it as quickly as possible (so you don't need to wait several months for an update again -.-)

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