Of Wyverns and Brands

Chapter 12

Who is this?

I ask myself this question several times as I look down into a basin of water. I had washed away the grime of my travels as well I could and am wearing a temporary set of plain brown clothing while they washed my old sets. But even after all that, I still can not recognize the face that is staring back at me from the water.

My hair, once a light brown, was now darker in hue, something I was previously marking off as dirt. Yet it was definitely darker and closer to black now. Around my face, facial hair had grown in, giving me a much more mature look. I knew it had been growing subconsciously, but to finally see it was something else.

But the biggest difference were the eyes. They were strange; alien. So different were they, that I thought I was seeing things at first. The eyes that stared at me seemed worn and jaded. I could no longer see the carefreeness and excitement that I once had but a month ago.

And it was only once I saw those eyes staring back at me that I realized just how much I had gone through in such a short span of time. I had been flung into a foreign world, almost died repeatedly, experienced rather extreme racism, killed others, and even lost a close friend. I couldn't have imagined most of that happening to me in a lifetime. One month of Tellius had sent me on more of an emotional roller coaster than even my first crush.

No longer did I appear as young as before. People would often say that I had a 'baby face', though not as derogatory, but simply meaning that I looked really young. People would usually guess my age to be around fifteen. Even in college, they just assumed my high scores meant I had skipped up the ranks. Now, I would guess that I appeared to be in my mid-to-late twenties.

I can't believe I took things so lightly before. I was really living the life back on Earth. I had a small income, was getting through college with easy grades, and even had one or two friends that I didn't mind hanging out with. I could take every day easy, eat what I wanted, and know I would have a place to return to at night. I was on the easy road to a simple, easy life.

And then, Tellius.

The differences were so great that they didn't even seem comparable. One moment, I was finally trying to escape my introvert shell, the next, I'm hanging onto a wyvern for dear life. Such a drastic change, from one world to the next, and now I feel as though I do not belong to either of them. Thinking on it, I feel as though I am a small, helpless, lost soul, swept up in something I don't understand.

How did I get here? Why am I here? Before I thought on these in terms of a gamer, of an earthling. Now I want to know for real, as a living soul. What was the purpose to all this? Why was I placed in a world that worked fine without me? And why me?

But thinking on these things so early in the morning would not help me. For now, I need to focus on the here and now and prepare for what to say to Commander Greil.

Disliking the facial hair, I decide to shave. I stare at the few items they left and came to the conclusion that the strange, little 'knife' was what they used as a razor. And there is no shaving cream or aftershave here. Clean shaven or pain free? …Oh boy. This is definitely going to hurt.

Well, on the bright side, I got a close cut and managed to only nick myself once. And on the downside, I bit my tongue so hard that I starting bleeding. I think that was the most physically painful experience I've had so far, even more than when I got stabbed in the side during one of my spars with Daren. I rub a little vulnerary on the wound to seal it quickly; yeah, that almost made me throw up. I've never been good with taking medicine.

Fully ready, I simply wait in the small, spartan room to be called on. Besides a shelf on the wall and the bed, which is an actual, real bed, there isn't anything else in here. Well, there's the wash basin and supplies and my gear, too.

My hand was uncovered once more, now, though only Soren probably knows of my mark. I do plan to tell the rest of them. If Ike's upbringing is any indication, then I don't believe that Greil would hold anything against me for it.

After a while, a knock sounds at the door. "You can come in," I call, getting up off the bed.

Titania opens the door and nods in greeting. "You seem a lot more refreshed. I hope you slept well?"

"Like a rock," I admit. Well, I did wake up rather early, but I think that's just enforced habit from my stay with Daein.

Titania smiles at me, and I only just realize that she isn't wearing her armor, but only a simple, dull green dress. It gives her a much more humble and motherly aura than I ever thought of her before. Well, this is like getting to see behind the scenes of the production.

"The Commander wishes to speak with you if you're available," Titania informs me.

"Of course," I answer, following her into the hall. "How is Elincia?" I ask as we walk.

"You mean the woman you brought?" Titania asks. Oops. I need to watch myself here. "She's still out of it. But if she was involved in that battle we saw, then I'm not surprised. She appears to have had a noble upbringing. As have you."

Me? "What do you mean?" I ask, curiously.

"You lack the physique of someone accustomed to a life of hard work," Titania points out, her gentle smile taking any sting out of the statement. "Also, you do not appear to have much experience as a mercenary. Both your skills and your eyes tell me that much. This is still all new to you."

Geez, she's good. Then again, she's a Crimean veteran if I remember right, so she knows how soldiers are. "You sure are intuitive."

Titania continues to give me that same, kind smile as we stop at the end of the hall before a door. "I'll give you a piece of advice about the Commander. He's stern and holds an air of command, but he is also quite understanding. If you two are in trouble, I would let him know up front."

"I understand. Thank you," I reply, stopping myself before I almost say her name. Have I been told her name yet or not? This is going to get tiring remembering who I have and haven't met.

With that, Titania opens the wooden door and leads me in. I guess this is the briefing room or strategy room or something. Maps can be seen rolled up on the large central table, and while there are a few chairs and a window, the room seems to be meant for short discussions rather than extended gatherings.

Greil is standing at the table looking at a spread out map of Crimea with Soren and Ike nearby. Unlike Titania, they were all in their 'regular sprite' clothing. They all look up as we enter, and I follow Titania over to the table. The map looks like one of those old ones that people buy just for looks, like me. I love old maps like this. Plus, this one seems pretty detailed with names and landmarks all over the terrain.

Now that I'm here, Greil begins the discussion. "I am Greil, Commander of this group of mercenaries. With me are my Deputy Commander, Titania; our tactician, Soren; and my son, Ike."

"I am called Drake, a rather fresh mercenary at the moment," I reply, giving a slight bow.

"I hear you have word on how the war is going at the moment? We have little information ourselves at the moment," Greil admits, gesturing to the map.

I nod and begin to tell them of what I know. "Daein began to invade Crimea a few weeks ago, but managed to keep word of their march minimal until reaching the main goal of Melior. They captured Riven Bridge and razed any villages they passed, taking no prisoners."

"Dear Ashera," Titania murmured as they heard this.

"King Ashnard's attack on Melior was so unexpected that his main forces were unable to gather or put up any resistance," I continue. "The battle lasted maybe four or five hours before Daein raised its flag over the palace and claimed victory. Both the King and Lord Renning were reported killed in battle." Well, Renning is actually still alive, but no one can know that yet.

"It seems Crimea's hope has been snuffed out, and so easily at that," Titania commented.

"Why is that?" Ike asked. "Can't an army still be raised to fend them off?"

Soren shook his head. "Lord Renning was given the position of heir because King Ramon had no children. Lord Renning has no children as well, so with both their deaths, the royal line has been crushed. Crimea has definitely been defeated."

"What do you know of the battle just east of here?" Greil asks me.

"A group of Daein soldiers were chasing after some of the royal guard, hoping for an easy catch most likely. The fight was already over when I arrived.

"Other than that, all I know is that there are rumors of an army being drafted to the west, though troops have already been sent to quell any rebellion."

"This is disturbing news," Greil comments, mulling over what I had said.

Soren steps forward and places a hand on the table as he asks, "And how are you privy to all of this information?"

"Because I saw it firsthand," I answer honestly. "I was drafted into Ashnard's army and forced to join in the fight for the capital."

Ike seems to be the only surprised one at the table, while Soren smirks at me. "So you really are one of the mad king's men. I knew we shouldn't have taken you in yesterday."

"Hold on, Soren," Titania says, stepping in. Good cop, bad cop time. "We haven't heard the whole story, yet. You say you were forced to fight, Drake?"

"I was taken in as a possible spy by General Shiharam, leader of the wyvern riders," I explain. "I was given the option to fight in order to prove my innocence. Once the fight for the capital was over, I was given leave from my temporary position as a Daein soldier."

"Why did he believe you were a spy?" Greil asks me.

Taking a deep breath, I pull up my loose sleeve and raise my right hand for all of them to see my mark. This time, it was Greil and Titania who were surprised. "Because of this," I answer, anxiously waiting for how they would respond.

"What does that symbol mean?" Ike asks, confused.

"It is a mark," Soren answers. "The mark of the Branded. It is the sign that they are the cursed child of a human and sub-human, an abomination that is said to bring catastrophe wherever they go."

This doesn't seem to clear much of Ike's confusion, as I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember meeting any laguz before.

"Those are unfounded myths, Soren," Titania warns, an edge of anger in her voice this time.

"Yet he appears just as a war suddenly breaks out," Soren retorts.

Greil holds up his hand, stopping the argument. "I'll place my trust in those rumors when I see it. However, I know that Daein holds a deep discrimination against both the laguz and the Branded, so your story is very likely.

"What about the woman? If she was traveling with the Imperial Guard, then she must be nobility of some kind. How are you two connected?"

And here's where I would have to twist the truth some. "One of the Imperial Guards was my friend. He was still passing when I arrived at the field. He told me of her and to protect her, so I've decided to do just that. I no longer have a home to return to, anyway, so now I've become a mercenary. After seeing Daein's destruction firsthand, I would stand against them anyway."

Soren snorts in derision, but Titania glares at him to keep him silent.

"So who is she? Why is she so important?" Ike asks.

"I will leave it to her discretion to divulge that information," I reply.

Greil nods and folds his arms as he stares at the map. "That tells us a lot we didn't know before. If the war is really that bad, then we will have to act one way or the other soon."

"Crimea has become a lost cause," Soren immediately points out. "We will have nothing to gain by siding with Crimea now."

"Nothing to gain!" Titania exclaims. "Crimea is our home!"

Greil puts up his hand and the argument stops once more. "We'll discuss this later tonight when everyone's here. For now, let's gather our thoughts and think on what would be best.

"Drake." Yes, sir! "You are free to stay until your companion has recovered. There is food available in the mess hall, and provender will be readied for your wyvern as well. Dismissed!"

With that, the others begin to mill out of the room, but I hesitate at the table, catching Greil's attention. "Was there something else?"

"Well, yes, but something that I would like to discuss in private," I say. Titania seems to be giving me an approving look while Soren is definitely giving me a disapproving look, both of them probably having the wrong idea of what I wanted to tell him.

Greil nods and motions for the others to head out. On the door closes, Greil gives me an expectant look.

"The reason I was captured as a spy was not just because of my mark," I start, ready to give my spill. "I am a seer, and not just some traveling fortune teller. I have actual visions of the future. After receiving a vision of Ashnard's attack on Melior, I tried to flee and got caught by General Shiharam. My mark is more of the reason that he didn't trust me rather than the reason I was captured."

Greil was silent for a few moments, giving me a searching look. "I take it you've had another vision, to tell me of such a power?" Sharp.

"I don't know when, but Daein will eventually attack this fort," I tell him. "I saw this fort being surrounded by Daein soldiers during the early night hours, though I didn't know where this fort was until last night. But this is definitely the fort I saw in my vision.

"I also know that it seems really suspicious that a former Daein soldier would tell you that, but I decided to because I've had a vision of you before in the past, something that will help me prove that I'm a seer."

Yeah, he doesn't seem to believe me, but at least he's still listening. Alright, here goes nothing.

"I saw the moment when you touched the medallion, and how a young woman sacrificed herself to stop you."

Greil didn't say anything for a while. "How much do you know about that?"

"Only what I saw. You went on a rampage, killing several people, before a woman bravely confronted you and took away the medallion."

Greil closed his eyes, likely remembering the moment. "That is one memory I wish I could forget. …Is there anything else you wish to tell me?"

"No."

"Then you are free to leave."

I walk to the door, looking back at Greil as I slip out. He's back to staring at the map, but his back seems a little smaller now. A sudden pang of guilt hits me as I wonder if I could have used something else, anything else, to convince him of my abilities. But it's too late. I had opened my big, fat mouth, and now his mind is dwelling on possibly the worse moment in his life. Why, Drake? Why didn't you think this through fully? Especially with what you've gone through, idiot.

Needing a distraction, I wonder to the other end of the hall that opened into the mess area. It was empty, but I could hear some noise in the connected kitchen.

"Hello?" I call, sticking my head into the room.

"Hmm? Oh, good afternoon, Drake," Oscar calls, standing in front of a pot of food. I'm a bit startled at how…medieval the kitchen looks. Well, everything looks medieval, but I guess the kitchen and restrooms are the most glaring differences from Earth. "Come looking for some food? It's not fresh and hot, but we still have some left from lunch."

"Yes please."

Taking a bowl of…something, I sit down at one of the tables and begin to eat. And once I do start to eat, I don't need to know what it is, just that Oscar cooked it. In comparison to the army rations I'd been on for so long, his food truly is divine. It actually reminds me of my dad's cooking back home, before he had passed away. This might not get far on a place like Earth, but it's amazing in relation to here.

A scream followed by laughter echoes in through the open doorway. I glance at the door curiously, and in walks Boyd. He is covered in dirt and some kind of liquid.

"Your wyvern isn't very friendly, Drake," he says, wiping some of the stuff off of his face.

And for the first time in what seems like forever, I laugh. My normal, expressive laugh that leaves me with tears in my eyes. It isn't that funny, but it is. I don't know how to explain it, but the sight of Boyd standing there in disarray suddenly seems hilarious.

Boyd rolls his eyes and continues on to the hall when he realizes I'm not going to stop anytime soon. It takes me a moment before I fully recover from my laughing fit. I don't think I've been able to laugh like that since before the battle for Melior, but I suddenly feel a lot better, like a heavy weight has been lifted off of me.

"That's better." I look behind me to see Oscar standing in the doorway of the kitchen smiling at me. "You looked like you were carrying a lot for someone so young before, but now you seem more like yourself."

"Some real food and a real bed helped a lot," I reply.

Oscar nods in agreement. "Those two can solve a lot of problems. Just make sure you don't take too much on yourself. There are always others who will be willing to help." Oscar heads back into the kitchen, and I'm left with my food once more to ponder his words.

For the first time since arriving in Tellius, I believe that I can truly say that I am comfortable. This place, these people; I feels like I've reached the end of a long journey, but in reality, the journey is only about to begin.

After finishing my late lunch, I move into the courtyard and to Midnight who is licking a bucket clean. She is still in the corner of the courtyard, her saddle and bag on the ground next to her. I pull out the special rub I had and begin to pass the time rubbing Midnight down. Unlike the first time when Midnight tried to bite me for this, she now enjoys it as the discomfort of riding all day is soothed. A low rumble from Midnight, the equivalent of a purr, made me smile as I worked. I guess we're finally starting to get along.

Eventually, I'm interrupted when I notice Mist slowly approaching, wide eyes on Midnight. She seems more in awe of her rather than fearful, though. As she gets closer, I ease myself between them, not wanting her to get hurt.

"Oh, hi!" Mist says sheepishly with a smile, her attention finally taken from Midnight as she notices me. "I'm Mist, Ike's younger sister."

"I'm Drake," I reply, falling silent afterward. I never was good at talking to people I was unfamiliar with.

"She sure is beautiful. What's her name?" Mist asks.

"Midnight," I answer, patting her side with pride at the compliment. Even if I had had nothing to do with it.

"Can I pet her?" Mist asks, stepping forward, her eyes on Midnight once more.

"Well, she's not the most-" I'm cut off as Midnight brings her head around me to stare at Mist. This isn't good. I feel my whole body tense as I just know what is going to happen.

And then, before I can do anything, Mist reaches out and begins to rub Midnight on the snout.

…

What?

I stare in confusion as the temperamental beast suddenly becomes gentle as a cat for Mist. How? Why!? After all that time it took to win her over, Mist does it without batting an eye.

This just isn't fair.

Mist giggles as she continues to bond with my mount. The scene is rather relaxing as I watch the two of them. And maybe this would help for Midnight to begin to open up to others more. Though part of me kind of hopes she won't.

After a while, Mist suddenly gasps. "I forgot! I was supposed to tell you that your clothes are all ready."

I laugh at her sudden realization, which only increases when she gives me an annoyed look. Following her back into the fort, I find my few set of clothes now washed and clean, though none of the pants were unstained. Which is what I get for wearing white, I guess. I never did get my Earth clothes back from Daren, though. I wonder what happened to them.

I change back into my normal clothing, leaving my armor off much as Titania had done. For the rest of the day, I stay outside lounging with Midnight. Now that I had so much free time, I don't really know what to do with it anymore.

It's evening when Mist finally comes running out of the fort to tell me that Elincia had awoken. I guess it's time. What little peace I had enjoyed is about to vanish. I find myself hoping to return to this place when this was all over, though, as I head inside. Just one day was all it took to get attached to the place. Goodbye, little fort.

-o-

AN: A wind down chapter from all that heaviness previously. I also wanted to allow some interactions with the other characters. Plus, I just feel sorry for my other self. Well, until next time, R&R.

Update: Several corrections. How did I miss so many!?