Fire Emblem: Path of Wyverns
Chapter 7
The rest of the army took a whole week to gather on the other side of the bridge. However, if King Ashnard's command was that really that unexpected, I guess this response time is rather good.
Seeing a real medieval army organizing was simply awesome, with all the tents and drills going on as well. If I had to estimate the numbers, I would have to say…no clue. Yeah, I have no idea of how to even get close to an actual count. Daren helpfully told me that there was probably four to five thousand footmen, a thousand cavalry, and a few hundred wyverns. As a reader of epic fantasy and historic battles, those numbers didn't impress me too much, but I had to remind myself that Ashnard took over Crimea and fought both Gallia and Begnion with this group.
During the week stay at the bridge, I found out I was not to get any rest. The first day, Daren brought me out to courtyard and had me spar with him. Though Daren was a trained soldier, he was wielding a lance. Fire Emblem says lances beat swords, but in my mind, all you had to do was sidestep a jab. Lances were rather simple, and therefore, I had a chance.
Wrong.
In a twirling display, Daren not only disarmed me, but had me on the ground in an instant. The next few bouts proved just how little experience I had, much to the amusement of the others. One month of easygoing practice meant squat here.
After that, I had a strict set of drills with Daren, focusing on getting the very basics down. And not just with the sword, either. He also drilled me in the basics of the lance, which I personally found to be quite unwieldy. He also sparred with me each day, to both prove that I'm not as fast a learner as I thought and to provide a heaping serving of entertainment for the rest of the platoon. Yeah. Laugh it up guys.
My day didn't end until a few hours past sunset, either, as Daren also began to teach me the basics of riding Midnight without using the leg restraints. I have never been so petrified as the first attempt. I really don't have a death wish guys. However, Midnight oh so thankfully did not try to buck me off, so my lessons continued. Complex maneuvers had to wait, which I was also thankful for. I felt sick just hearing the list of things they did without being strapped in. My first proposed invention for Tellius is the parachute.
So by the end of the week, I only learned that my body bruises really easily. I only got healed at the end of the day to learn to deal with the pain, too, unless I did something really stupid in our sparring and required immediate attention. Which happened more than once, since we didn't use fake weapons like in the Prologue. So no real progress toward hero status here, unless you count learning how to hold a lance correctly. I sure don't.
When I wasn't being drilled to death, I spent my time lounging with Midnight, who was slowing getting used to me. I did manage to get her to let me remove her saddle. She had several saddle sores from wearing the worn out thing so long. I also almost lost a hand the first time I tried to rub some salve on said sores. But, at least I was making visible progress with her, a small thing to comfort my precious ego that kept being torn to bits each day. Now, she only growled at me half of the time.
As for the rest of the Black Platoon, I found out that they were the General's number one platoon. As a platoon consisted of nine riders, I can see the reason that Jill and Daren took pride in their position. On top of that, Commander Haar led the group, so extra awesomeness there. It was a team made mostly of veterans, which made the greenhorn Jill the youngest member. Even if you count me, a sort-of pseudo member, because I found out that Jill is actually seventeen, two years younger than me.
However, running this small fort took most of everyone's time, especially to keep any word from getting out. While everyone had learned of me and referred to me as the rookie, I didn't get a chance to really meet any of the other members formally. Even Daren had duties when not training me, which left only Jill to talk to. While she didn't seem to hate me as much, she was still her abrasive self, and I was still an introvert. At least the glaring stopped. Mostly.
Anyway, when the order came to march into Crimea, I was relieved. Flying on Midnight would be restful compared to Daren's schedule. In fact, staying pace with the army is the slowest I've ever flown on Midnight. I could almost nap at this speed. Daren took this time to give me scenarios of when and how to attack a enemies while on wyvernback. Compared to his physical torments, this intellectual pursuit was stimulating and enjoyable. I've always enjoyed discussing battle scenarios, fiction or not.
While we flew near the supply wyverns over the main army, many of the platoons acted as scouts, seeking out and killing anyone that might take word of the approaching army to the capital. With letters and word of mouth being the only means of communication here, this method was proving to be quite successful in keeping the army's movements hidden. We were like an undetected submarine in enemy waters. I had wondered how Ashnard's attack at the heart of Crimea had been so unexpected. Now I know.
And the scouts were rather thorough. I flinched with each razed village that we passed, the work already finished by the time the army reaches them. No prisoners were ever delivered to us.
On our fourth day, I decided to finally question Daren after flying over yet another razed village, "Are you really okay with all this?"
This had first begun to bother me when I briefly saw the pile of corpses at the fort, but each eradicated village sat like a rock of guilt in the pit of my stomach. During this time, I had gotten to know Daren, who I considered my friend even if he was just an NPC to this game. He was a cool guy that could handle both his duties and helping me out all the time. Yet Daren didn't seem fazed at all with any of this, something that didn't sit well with me.
"We've gone to war, Drake," Daren replies, growing serious. "This is what war looks like. If you can't stomach this, you won't be able to handle the aftermath of a battlefield." This was the guy who had just been making a joke to me a few minutes ago. He seemed so…callus to it all.
"Do you even know why you're fighting?"
"For King Ashnard." With that, Daren moved away, ending our conversation. Really? That's all? Yet, his answer seem so serious and cold as to be final. Why did Ashnard deserve such loyalty? The game always pronounced him to be a madman and warmonger, not a respected leader. I know from the game that Jill fought for glory and honor, but Daren's reasons seemed so different. Neither of us brought up the subject again for the rest of the trek.
After another week of marching, during which I finally got used to riding Midnight without pain, we received important news. We would reach Melior the next day. The camp was a storm of activity as the men made last minute preparations to their weapons and armor before trying to get a little bit of rest.
While the rest of the army was a den of activity, the wyvern portion of the camp was much calmer. Already ready, most of the riders either sat near the few bonfires or headed to their tents.
The air didn't seem as tense here, as though most of them knew what to expect tomorrow. I was the opposite as I sat next to Midnight and tried to calm myself. This trip had seemed so unreal before, but now reality was starting to set in. We were about to attack Crimea's capital, and while it was an easy win for Daein, the place would probably still be garrisoned with trained soldier. I would be expected to fly into battle. Tomorrow. Yeah, I don't think I'm calming down any here.
Originally, I had planned to fly off at the first opportunity and do my best to find Ike and them. Probably at Port Toha, since that's the only town name I can remember here in Crimea that they pass through. However, I had forgotten that in the time I had spent with Daren and the others. It had been exhausting and hard work, yet enjoyable enough that I had even forgotten I was among enemies at the time. Or at least, soon to be enemies.
Now, I was stuck here. I let out a long breath and placed my head against my knees. What do I do now?
I jump when something bounces off my legs out of nowhere. Lifting my head, I see a lance lying on the ground in front of me.
"Pick it up." Standing a few feet away, just out of Midnight's no-go zone, is Jill, who is pointing a second lance in my direction.
Confused, I pick up the lance and stand.
"Now fight," Jill orders, taking a sudden step forward.
Yeah, not ready for that at all. The lance slaps my leg painfully, but I focus on is the fact that her lance is coming at me again. As I barely block the blow, Midnight irritably gets up and moves off, leaving a space for our sudden bout.
Having sparred with Daren several times, I will go with the assumption that Jill is holding back quite a bit, which is sad since I'm still having a lot of difficulty keeping up. Mostly on the defensive here, the few attacks I do send her way are easily batted away. It isn't long before I'm exhausted and bruised up, but Jill continues on until attacking, leaving me completely on the defensive until she finally tires.
Out of energy, I crumple to the ground and try to catch my breath. Jill falls to the ground nearby. After a minute or two, she simply says, "Tomorrow will be my first real battle."
"It will be my first battle as well."
"That's a given." We both chuckle a little.
After another moment of silence, Jill admits, "I'm confused. I've been preparing for this all my life, yet I still feel nervous. I'll finally be able to show my father how far I've come and make him proud."
"I'm just hoping I won't die," I admit. That, and that I'll be able to get away.
"What did you mean, when you mentioned my past?" Jill suddenly asks. Her past?
Quickly sorting through the few short times we've talked, I finally realize she probably meant whatever tumbled out of my mouth before being dropped into Midnight's cell. I don't even really recall what I said. "Well, I just know that you guys are originally from Begnion." And that's really all. Ashnard gave them Talrega and that's that.
"I've spent my whole life in Daein," Jill explains. "Others have described what Begnion was like to me, though. As far as I am concerned, Begnion has no ties to me, which is why I want to fight for my father. King Ashnard doesn't use a lot of conniving politics to trick others into secret schemes. He simply rewards strength and results. If I can win honor in tomorrow's fight, the other leaders of Daein will have to recognize our loyalty and position."
"Don't you comprise the entire aerial army, though?"
"Yes, a few hundred Begnion deserters flying over everyone's heads," Jill comments dryly. "Aside from King Ashnard who openly welcomed us, the rest of the leaders of Daein still disapprove of us even after eighteen years of service."
So they've been treated as outcasts this whole time. Is that why Jill suddenly apologized before? It also explains why Jill tries so hard, and a bit of why Daren needed no real reason to attack a neighboring country.
Stretching, Jill sat up. "I feel a bit better now."
Surprisingly, I did as well. That bout has successively diverted my attention from tomorrow's battle to tonight's bruises. It was a welcome distraction, though. "Thanks, Jill," I say, sitting up as well.
Jill slowly got up and took her time picking up the dropped lances. She started to head out, then paused and said, "Don't die tomorrow."
Who plans to? Sighing, I laid back down, not quite recovered from Jill's beat down. Hmm. Does that rank as a support conversation here? And what kind of bonus would I get?
Eventually returning to my tent, I find that sleep comes much easier than I expected just an hour ago. Tomorrow, I go to battle.
-o-
AN: And with this chapter comes some new cover art. The picture is the artwork for one of Jill's cards in Fire Emblem Cipher trading card game. Yes, they have a trading card game which I plan to buy once I have a little saved up for it. While it is in Japanese, the FE wiki site has printable English half-cards to slide over the Japanese text. If you have a favorite FE character, you might check it out just for all the awesome artwork.
So, we're almost to the capital and the true start to the war. As well as Drake's first battle. I considered adding the battle in here, but I wanted to give it focus within its own chapter, and not detracted from the first chapter with some real characterization. Short and sweet, but two updates in one day will hopefully keep you guys happy for the moment. Enjoy!
9/5/17: Retconning Jill's age to her correct age.