Chapter Four- Alrischa, and The World Beyond
It had amazed Vex that a man of such faith and strength, of such resolve and righteousness had the ability to feel as much as he did. They had fallen back into a dark alleyway while Soleil wept for his fallen Brother. After he had composed himself, they wandered about the market, buying supplies which they hadn't already possessed. Afterwards, they ventured to the harbor, in search of a ship to charter and decide where they wanted to journey.
They walked along the pier until Soleil's eye was caught by a particular man, a rather happy looking man in fact. He stood almost as tall as Soleil, and had captivating, violet colored eyes. He wore the traditional clothing of a sailor, although he also wore a tattered looking coat belonging to an Imperial Naval Captain.
"Excuse me, Captain?" Soleil asked.
"Yes, friend! What can I do for ya?" the sailor replied with the most welcoming smile Soleil had ever seen.
"Are you an Imperial? I can't help but notice your coat, though the rest of your attire doesn't match."
The sailor discreetly waved Soleil closer with the wave of a finger.
"I'm not much for the Imperials myself, friend." the sailor whispered after Soleil had closed in very close. "Me mates and I...shall we say...requisitioned an Imperial ship transporting prisoners from Aerameth. This coat belonged to the Captain of that ship, I wear it as a sort of trophy, if you will. Now, are you an Imperial, friend? 'Cause if you are, I'll make this quick so's nobody will have to cause a scene."
Soleil stepped back and smiled.
"Nope, I, good sir, am not an Imperial. I am Soleil! Soleil De Minuit. This is Vex." said Soleil joyfully.
"Vex Azumaki, Captain." said Vex.
"Well, I, good sir, am Ralthas! Captain of the Veritas! Very nice to meet you two." said Ralthas with a smile.
"It's a pleasure, Ralthas. Are you headed anywhere in particular for your next voyage?" Soleil asked.
"No, sir, nowhere in particular. We like to think of ourselves strictly as a charter ship."
"What are your rates?"
"Well that depends entirely on where you wanna go! If you want to go somewhere that the lads and I fancy visiting, then there isn't much reason to charge you to go there, hmm?"
"I suppose that's true, if that's how you look at it." Soleil laughed.
"Tell ya what." proclaimed Ralthas as he rolled up his map. "You take this map, come back tomorrow morning with an 'X' on it, and I'll take you there!"
"That's very kind of you, Ralthas. We will speak again in the morning."
"Wonderful!" shouted Ralthas happily.
The two shook hands and parted. As Soleil and Vex walked away, he could hear Ralthas shouting to his crew.
"Oy, lads! Head to the market and get supplies, we're heading out tomorrow!"
Soleil couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. After a bit of curious exploration of the market and its restaurants, they came upon the harbor inn, and promptly checked into their rooms.
"So, I'll be right next door if you need anything during the night. Otherwise, get some good rest, it'll take some time to get your sea legs tomorrow." said Soleil as he dropped her pack in her room.
"Sea legs?" she asked.
"That's right, you've never been on a boat before." Soleil laughed. "Tomorrow is not going to be a very fun day for you at all."
"Oh, wonderful."
"Now, don't go running off on me in the middle of the night. I've grown quite accustomed to having a travelling partner." said Soleil as he stepped outside of her door.
"Now why would I do such a thing? As it so happens, I've grown accustomed to it as well." she replied. "I'm impressed by you Sol. Keep it up."
She smiled at him as she slowly closed her door, and his heart went mad. He had never had feelings for a woman before, but what was it about her that captivated him so much? After the door had shut, he stood there silently for a few seconds, lost in thought.
"Goodnight, Soleil De Minuit." she said playfully and softly through her door.
Soleil smiled and turned towards his room. He walked slowly down the hall, enjoying the prospect of spending his first night indoors in weeks. In just a few short minutes, he was out of his armor, undressed, and fast asleep, lost among the stars and thoughts of his intriguing companion, Vex Azumaki.
The next morning, Vex awoke to the sound of the softly rolling waves outside of her window. She opened her blinds to reveal the open ocean, extending as far as the eye could see. It was brilliant to her, the idea of this forever extending body of water, a seemingly never-ending beauty. By the feel of the air, it must have been the middle of the morning, and as such, she decided to wake Soleil next door. She walked to his door, pack in hand, and knocked. And knocked again. And once more. After a few seconds of thought, she decided to pick the lock to his door and surprise him. After the lock rotated free, she slowly crept into his room, and over to his window.
"Wake up, Soleil!" she shouted as she threw open his blinds.
But, when the light bathed the room with its essence, it revealed that he was not there. Instead, there was a note laid on his pillow.
Vex-
I know you will have come into my room in an attempt to jar me awake, but as you may have found out, I am not here.
I am waiting for you outside of the cafe across the street from the inn.
-Soleil
She smiled at the note and headed to the lobby, then outside. She spotted Soleil sitting at a table on the large deck hanging over the sea.
"Hey, stranger, headin' my way?" she asked playfully.
"I have no idea where to start, actually. I'm not really getting any feeling as to where we should put that 'X'." Soleil replied.
"Well, let's take a look at the map and see what we can come up with." she said as she took the seat next to him. "There's Aerameth to the west, out in these islands, I bet that would be fun. Or we could go to Theitlan on the southern continent?"
"I'm not much for deserts, Vex. Too dry." Soleil quickly replied.
"Ok. Well, hmm. Wait, here's an idea!" she proclaimed. "Why don't we sail to Arimathea up north? That way you could show me Darimar! It sounds like such a wonderful place."
Vex's smile was all the motivation Soleil needed.
"Well then, that sounds like a plan to me." Soleil replied, returning her smile. "Have all of your things?"
"All except some rations for the voyage."
"Then let's get going! We'll stop on the way down to the pier and grab enough to last us." said Soleil happily.
They walked slowly together through the market and down the pier, after buying rations, to Ralthas' landing and handed him the map.
"Ah, my friends Soleil and Vex! You have returned with my map! Now let's see where we're going." said Ralthas as he unrolled the map. "Arimathea, eh? I've actually never been to the northern continent, myself. I've heard that the northern kingdoms are beautiful!"
"We brought enough rations for ourselves, if you would prefer, we can go get some more." said Vex.
"Ah, nonsense! We have a very wonderful chef in the crew, and we would be honored to have our guests join us in the dining hall!"
"Well, Ralthas, thank you for your hospitality!" said Soleil. "Now, if we could talk rates?"
Ralthas stared inquisitively at Soleil for a moment before a smile returned to his face.
"Ya know, mates, I've always wanted to see the northern kingdoms. I hear there's snow in those mountains! Unlike the ones in this godsforsaken realm. The voyage is on me, friends!" exclaimed Ralthas.
"We couldn't be more appreciative of your hospitality, Ralthas." said Soleil as he shook Ralthas' hand. "Permission to come aboard Captain?"
"Granted! You two make yourselves at home in the passengers quarters, and I'll get the lads crackin' on preparing the ship."
Vex led the way up the gangplank to the deck and entered the cabin to find that it was no ordinary ship, but rather an exquisite network of hallways and rooms, some for eating, others for entertaining. They finally came upon the passengers quarters, and entered to find one room with only two beds.
"Hmm, that can't be right." said Soleil as he entered.
He walked around the ship more, searching for another room and found nothing.
"It looks like this is it, Sol." said Vex.
"Well, it'll have to do I suppose. I think we can get along for a while, yeah?" Soleil joked.
"It'll have to. I just didn't bring anything to sleep in. Didn't think I'd be sharing living quarters with anyone, let alone on a boat."
"Well, here, you can wear these!" said Soleil as he rifled through his pack and produced some clothes. "I normally wear these under my armor, they're just basic underclothes. I know it isn't much, but it beats sleeping in your clothing."
"Well, they won't fit properly, but like you said, it beats sleeping in my clothes. Or being naked in front of someone I hardly know." Vex laughed.
Soleil found himself imagining, before a knock on the door interrupted him.
"Come in." said Soleil.
"Forgive me for intruding, friends." the man said. "I am Jema, Ralthas' first mate here on the Veritas. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to request your presence on the main deck. It would be an honor to personally introduce you to the crew."
"Absolutely, Jema. We will meet you topside in 20 minutes, is that satisfactory?"
"Of course, sir."
"We would like a little time to acclimatize to our quarters and discuss a few things."
"Ok, we will meet you there shortly, Master Soleil."
"Jema, could I make a request of you?"
"Anything."
"Myself and my companion are guests on your ship, Jema. Simply 'Soleil' and 'Vex' will surely do."
"Of course, Soleil." said Jema with a smile, followed by a small bow as he left.
Almost immediately however, he was replaced by Ralthas, who had a rather nervous look on his face.
"Ralthas, you look as though you've seen a ghost!" said Vex jokingly.
"I think you lot should come up top. We have visitors." he choked out.
Soleil stepped out of the cabin and into the warm sun, blinding him for a moment. When his vision returned, his heart again fluttered. For all the wrong reasons. A platoon of Imperial troops stood upon the deck of the Veritas, each wearing full combat equipment. One wearing an ornate helmet stepped forward to speak.
"Soleil De Minuit of The Order of The Lionheart, your companion and yourself are responsible for the unwarranted death of five Imperial soldiers and their leader, Captain Azrael Tiberius. What say you?" he said strongly.
This prompted the stares of Ralthas and his crew.
"Soleil, you're a Lionheart?" Ralthas whispered.
"Well, go on! What say you?" the soldier again asked.
"I don't believe there is anything to say, friend." Soleil replied. "My friend and I did indeed dispatch your comrades."
"And what reason did you have, you murderous dog?" he retorted.
"It is my duty. Surely if you know of The Order, you know of our duty to Heironeous. He was an evil man, his friends along with him. He tortured and killed innocents. Not just men, but women, and children."
"All those who side with the Republic shall be destroyed, that is our creed, and it has been since the Republic settled on lands it did not have the right to!"
"The Pandoran settlers called that area home before the Empire had even ventured past the eastern mountains."
"The Empire laid claims to all lands of the central continent, that land belongs to us."
"What right do you have to claim land which does not belong to you?"
"The Emperor has rights to whatever he pleases!"
"But only in his own Empire..."
"Choose your next words carefully, weakling."
Soleil shot Vex a glance to inform her of his intentions, and noticed Ralthas taking off his coat, revealing a rapier.
"Lads, prepare the Veritas for launch." said Ralthas.
"This ship isn't going anywhere until I have these dogs in custody!" said the soldier.
"I have a scheduled launch time of 2 hours past high noon, and I'll be damned if I don't make it."
Soleil stepped forward slightly.
"What is your name soldier?" he asked.
"What is it any of your concern?" he replied.
"I'm just curious."
"I am Colonel Fernando Alonso, Commander of the western Imperial Legions."
"Oh, my dear. Where you at the Battle of Pandora?"
"I was General Tiberius' second in command, as a matter of fact!"
'So, I killed the highest ranking general's son?"
"Yes, you murdered him in cold blood."
"Oh, but of course. Did you see what was left of him?" Soleil asked as he slowly drew his longsword. "I cut him in half, shoulder to waist. With this very sword no less."
Soleil could feel the evil anger seeping from under the mask that Colonel Alonso wore. But then he also felt something else. They were moving. A quick peer over Alonso's shoulder revealed that they were indeed being carried away by the current. Ralthas' crew had pushed off, and the Veritas was now going out to sea. A smile came over Soleil's face.
"Well, boys, looks like there's only one option now. Was our bounty dead or alive? Because I would hate to spoil your families' futures." said Soleil tauntingly.
No longer than a second after the words left Soleil's mouth, Alonso drew his sword, and charged him full force.