Interlude: Fae and the Greil Mercenaries

An enormous red lion and blue cat with different color eyes sped past the plains. Approaching the stone palace beyond the gates, Dheginsea and Kurthnaga awaited them. A golden glitter enveloped the red lion as his clothing reappeared and his figure began to be more beorc-like. Out came a hulking red-haired man with large lion ears protruding with luxurious robes and blue mantle while his attendant morphed back with a brown vest, blue pants, and orange flapping headband. Ranulf, the king's trusted vassal, had his green and purple eyes peering at his king and the fellow royals saluting to one another with their right arms raised horizontally and bent, aligned near their chest.

"Greetings, King Dheginsea. You've arranged this meeting in short notice. Is something the matter?" Caineghis inquired to the King of Goldoa.

Just as Dheginsea was about to answer, the sound of a child's voice interrupted him.

"Wooooowww!" Fae exclaimed with widened eyes. She had been watching their arrival ever since The group saw the young girl on top of the wall where a group of attendants including Gareth were running towards her location.

"Lady Fae, please! You must-" The man's pleading was cut short as the girl's wings were revealed and she jumped off the wall, flapping her wings to where the royals and Ranulf were. The pair of visitors had their eyes widen what they believed to be a bird tribe laguz present with them.

Dheginsea shook his head in exasperation as he inhaled and exhaled while closing his eyes. Kurthnaga hurried to Fae to have her descend safely. After she gave an appreciative smile to Kurthnaga, she quickly ran up to Caineghis and Ranulf, circling and marveling at the pair. The beast tribe pair were puzzled as to why they didn't sense the bird-tribe laguz child. Perhaps a guest that managed to meld in with the scent of the Dragon's present?

"You must be a beast-tribe laguz, Fae really wanted to meet you! You must be Ca...Cai...Ceg..." Fae had difficulty pronouncing the King of Gallia's name. She couldn't pronounce the Goldoan King and Prince's name either. Ranulf snorted at the child's attempt and spoke it for her: "Caineghis."

"Ah! Fae thanks you!" She then looked at Ranulf curiously, most specifically his tail that was wagging about. "Are you a cat-man?"

Her inquiry earned her a nod of the head from Ranulf. "That's right, I'm a kitty-cat man. My name is Ranulf. And your name is Fae, right?"

Fae nodded enthusiastically. "It's Fae's first time seeing a cat, let alone a cat-man!" She then peered up at his heterochromatic eyes. "C-can I play with you?"

Ranulf patted the girl's head and nodded. He then transformed into his blue cat form of which she grew even more excited. He gestured her to ride on his back, to which she safely climbed on.

"Yay! Let's play, let's play!" And thus, she rode off with the cat laguz into the nearby plains.

"Hahaha... things are much livelier with Fae around." He then bowed to Caineghis and went off to where Fae and Ranulf's direction. Gareth and the others guards soon followed, not before bowing to their King and running in the same direction.

A moment of silence passed until Caineghis turned to the Black Dragon King.

"That child... is she...?" To which Dheginsea shook his head.

"Allow us to speak in my throne room..." Dheginsea announced.

"How peculiar... So this girl came across Greil's son where you suspect may have been beyond or part of the Desert of Death?" Caineghis asked of the Goldoan King, who was standing in front the middle throne.

He met Greil's son when he was young and invited to the palace. Ten years ago, Greil and his family left Gallia after his wife was killed. Greil and Elena's children were born in Gallia, but spent the rest of their childhood in Crimea. Lately, he's received a missive from Greil about his son's disappearance.

Apparently, Caineghis received this sudden invitation because Dheginsea wanted to know more about the beorc whom was mentioned to have met the Beast King as described by Fae.

Dheginsea nodded in response. "And thank you for informing me of this beorc who caught my attention. To think he was reported missing a year ago in Crimea... Fae also appeared under mysterious circumstances. Likely magical means." Caineghis nodded his head while closing his eyes.

At least there was some clarification to the identity of the young beorc. It probably seemed less likely that this Ike was a trafficker who preyed on laguz. Why he was there in some unknown desert, that was the real question.

"In any event, my old friend will be relieved to know his child is alive and well according to this girl." He then opened his eyes up to stare at Dheginsea. "So... is Fae truly a dragon?"

That was a mystery that he thought was rather peculiar. Dragon laguz only have wings in their transformed state. But this child had a wings almost like a bird-tribe.

"Rather strange variant, in which I doubt she is a mixed child of dragon or bird tribe. But I assume a split-off of dragon brethren from our country went on to live in the desert and made a colony... with beorc living peacefully with them. Some even having children together without prejudice..." Dheginsea uttered to the fellow king.

It was then that Caineghis looked flabbergasted. Dragon laguz were largely isolationist, arguably less tolerant of beorc than Gallia. To think the people in the Desert of Death or beyond might hold a welcoming community of beorc and laguz, and even communion with one another.

It was a far cry from the relations between Crimea and Gallia, which were still not as ideal despite the cultural projects they initiated together. Even Caineghis felt distrust towards beorc except for the Crimean royal family and Greil (and Titania).

But another thing was odd from the fellow laguz king, Dheginsea did not seem apprehensive towards the idea of beorc and laguz having branded children. Caineghis took note of this peculiarity.

Just as he was about to inquiry more, a young girl's voice resounded in the throne room.

"-And that's what Fae's real name is!" Fae exclaimed excitedly. Ranulf and Kurthnaga were beside her, almost speechless. They were approaching the throne room.

"I-I think I heard some of it..." Ranulf voiced out. He then turned to Kurthnaga who seemed slightly shaken. "Prince Kurthnaga, did you hear that right?"

"Surprisingly, yes. Although repeating it is another matter." Kurthnaga promptly replied while slightly confused.

Fae's name was so long... and likely incomprehensible to the average beorc. As Fae mentioned... her name contained sounds that humans/beorc cannot hear except for maybe fellow laguz to some extent. Perhaps even Ulki, the Hawk King's ears, could hear it.

"Ah, Ranulf, did you have fun with Fae?" Caineghis queried to his attendant, who finally snapped out of his stupor.

"Oh, yes, your Majesty." Ranulf responded with a bow.

Kurthnaga turn to the fellow kings and announced: "Gareth and the others went off to prepare a meal. If you'd like to discuss and inquire more with one another, please, continue further with food and libations at the table." He bowed his head as he finished his statement.

Dheginsea nodded at his son's initiative. It was likely Caineghis would ask more questions from their honored guest.

On the other hand... how satisfactory Fae's answers were was an entirely different story... Somewhere in the vestiges of Ike's mind and a wise old man within a shrine, they would sometimes be dumbfounded by what Fae would state, as if knowing it can easily be misconstrued.

"Well... Ike is apparently alive and well." Although Greil was personally relieved as he set a letter at the meeting table.

Mist, Oscar, Boyd, and Rolf looked visibly excited. Soren did not show it, but he was amongst the most relieved of his best friend alive. Shinon, however, clicked his tongue as he looked annoyed, but was personally happy that his commander finally looked like he stopped aging rapidly over the past year. The boy he hated and wished was gone was still important to the commander and everyone. However, instead of his commander's state being of complete relief, something else seemed mixed in. It was more confusion than anything, or maybe uncertainty?

Rhys has never met Ike, but knew he was very important to everyone present. Knowing he was still alive, made him feel happy for everyone. Gatrie did not hate the lad like Shinon, even thinks fondly of him. But something was eating away at him, as if a bad premonition towards Ike... Titania came in through the door, having finished speaking with some villagers after a task was done. Excited for the news about Ike.

"Titania! You've made it!" Mist exclaimed.

Titania smiled at the girl. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, Mist. Now, how is your son, Greil?" Referring to the commander by name, Greil did not mind.

Looking at the letter sent by Caineghis and his personal attendant, Ranulf. But who they heard from was somewhat of a dubious sort.

"Ike may have had contact with people who my sources have described to have met him. Apparently finding a community somewhere beyond or within the Desert of Death. There, Ike found a little girl while traveling to find an elder of hers which she called Grandpa who was a great magic user. My sources are second-hand accounts after they met the girl..." Greil recounts.

The letter did not contain any mention of the girl being a dragon or currently in Goldoa, at the behest of Dheginsea. This was to hide away the girl who also seemed to be connected to Yune. Along with the truth of the community that Fae came from. He did permit Caineghis and his attendant to inform Greil of his son's whereabouts, albeit in a vague manner of where the source came from. But what made Greil uncertain was that Ike seemed to remember meeting Caineghis as mentioned by the girl in the letter. Did his memories recover?

"What's he doing in that desert, Commander? Did he run off after the heat got to his head? And then proceed to ask for more within the desert?" Shinon asked exasperated. Mist then glared at the sniper, who ignored the commander's daughter.

"What was Ike trying to find in the desert? Why find this magic-user?" Soren inquired to the commander, who shook his head.

"That... is the strange part. Apparently, he was traveling with a group to find this elder. The girl did not specify. But according her, he was traveling with... and I quote: 'so many pretty ladies and pretty men along with pirates, knights, and nobles'..." Greil repeated as he put down the letter on the table.

Everyone became silent at the news... a little girl was indeed an unreliable narrator. Apparently, the girl had no concept of Tellius and was told by Ike about laguz just recently (the matter of which was not spoken from the letter to Shinon and Soren). And the people Ike was traveling with...

"What's Ike doing with pirates and nobles!?" Boyd shouted out in confusion.

"Pretty ladies...? Tell me more, Commander! And how did Ike come across them?" Gatrie asked with a sense of envy.

"I can't believe it, Commander..." Everyone looked to Shinon who spoke out. "I can't believe your son would stoop so low to engage in piracy and human trafficking... A shame..."

His conclusion earned him a glare from most present. Ike couldn't become a ruffian. He wanted to be a proud mercenary.

"Shut up, Shinon!" Boyd yelled out. Rolf also shook his head in disapproval while adding: "Uncle Shinon..."

"Putting aside Shinon's outrageous conclusion... " Oscar's squinted eyes looked towards Greil. "Can you tell us why Ike was affiliated with them?"

Everyone looked towards their leader with expectant eyes. Even he managed to scratch his head at the girl's description repeated through his contacts.

"Well, apparently Ike has been leading his own mercenary group," Some eyes were raised at the mention of the 16-year old leading. "Which included a pretty red-haired lady with a wing clip above her ear along with her brother, who is said to be handsome. Then she met another boy with long braided green hair who seems to like the red-haired lass. A quiet man who is an archer with a bandana on his head who let her ride on his horse for a bit. A light blue-haired pretty pegasus knight and green haired wyvern knight with silver eyes. A purple-haired mage who was apparently her grandfather's visitor's, son. The last member being the prettiest among them... a blonde man... or woman... she said she was confused."

That earned Greil a few strange stares. What on earth Ike doing with these people? He managed to snag a few fliers as well? Why hasn't he come back yet?

"And the pirates?" Boyd asked.

"He was just there with a fellow crewmate, looking for treasure in the desert. Apparently, someone else found his treasure for him. His sister was also traveling with the group of nobles as a fellow archer along with a knight archer who the pirate called, 'Squid-bait'." Greil explained while also visibly confused.

What's with the random assortment of knights, pirates, and their relatives? Was this girl even reliable or trustworthy?

"And the nobles and their supposed retainers?" Titania queried, to which Greil obliged.

"Ike was said to have been contracted to them with his group, acting as guard with his men. The girl described that they wanted to find her... Grandpa, and obtain something from him. One green-haired pretty noble was said to have been close to Ike most of the time, looking in his direction..." Greil repeated on what the letter stated.

Ike? Pretty noble? Watching him? Gatrie seemed relatively envious that someone described as pretty was out pinning for Ike. Even Mist was wide-eyed at her brother attracting and interacting with girls when he showed not much interest throughout his puberty.

Boyd began to be frustrated at Ike for playing around with women when his sister, Mist, and many others, including himself, were waiting for him.

"Commander, how do we not know Ike is playing a theatrics with actors? Is he even taking things seriously by trying to find home? To you, his father, and little sister." Shinon pointed out.

Shinon had a point, surprising after all his cynicism he displayed throughout the meeting. Assuming this was no make-believe, then why was Ike going about making no visible effort to get back to Crimea?

Some of the people present looked to Greil with an expectant expression. They've been worried for Ike for the past year.

"Because, according to Ike's group as described by the girl, he's been trying to earn money for a trek back to us for the past year, and he wants to finish up his job by keeping his contractual obligations." Greil explained, somewhat surprised by his son's determination to uphold his contract to people.

If he was trying to earn his way back home, that could excuse Ike's actions. But that led to another question.

"Pardon me for asking as a new member." Rhys spoke up, bringing everyone's attention to their healer. "But assuming that the desert is far too perilous to cross and require alot of resources for a trip back, that would explain a few things. But where did your contacts come across this girl who met him? By that logic, shouldn't your son come back to you faster if they managed to meet someone across the Desert of Death?"

That was a good point, how did Greil's contacts come across this girl? Why was she suddenly found by them all this time?

"That's the thing... they did not specify where they got the girl's testimony. Apparently, that was omitted, as well as specifications of where exactly she came from. I could tell they were told not to probably for protection or secrecy. Wherever Ike is, it's not likely he's within any of the countries we know here in Tellius... as Ike's group came from a plethora of other places called Lycia and other unfamiliar names of places." Greil explained as he closed his eyes.

Was he mentioning Ike may be somewhere else beyond the desert? Was there other places that they did not know of besides this girl that may have come from there?

This was the point where even the Dragon King and Prince were confused, as Fae excitedly described the people she met. They seemed to interpret the names of entirely different countries or nations from Ike's associates for being nations beyond the desert.

Greil then opened his eyes at everyone to respond. "Besides, my contacts only came across her after she was spirited away, where her grandfather was supposedly was transporting Ike's group with a spell, and she accidentally got caught up in it. Wherever Ike is, we only hope that he comes back home, safely. And soon."