Beginning to consider just aiming for a later upload time on Fridays, as I always miss my target by a few hours. Doesn't help that Fridays are always crammed full of meetings for me. Had six back-to-back telecons today with no break. Such is life.
We're officially moving into the second arc of the story! Would probably be more exciting if I hadn't just killed off a major character. Bit of a transition chapter this week as we get things moving for the next part of Adam's story. Anyways, I won't hold you up any longer. Funeral time!
"Father Bernard was a good man. A man who spent more time in our hearts and homes than behind this pulpit."
Brother Wilde's touching words echoed through the solemn sanctuary, earning a few respectful nods from the assembled villagers. Everyone in Shizukana was familiar with Father Bernard, but only Brother Wilde had volunteered to say a few words at his funeral. No one else had taken the time to truly know the man. To them, he was a minister and nothing else. Someone who served the community. For the rest of the room, the passing of Father Bernard would mean a sad day and an inconvenience until a new preacher arrived. They'd mourn his passing, then move on with their lives.
Except for the small child in the front row whose eyes were fixed on the open casket.
Adam sat through the ceremony with a blank expression. No tears fell, but only because he had already cried them all. The handful of well-wishers who'd bothered to speak to him before the ceremony barely even registered. Kind utterances and caring eulogies proved nothing but empty words to Adam. Words couldn't bring his father back. Their reassuring touches couldn't replace the warm embrace of his father's arms. All he could do was sit there, a spectacle for the detached masses to pity before they moved on without him.
"Whether he was bringing medicine for our children, taking supplies to our shut-ins, or just lending an ear when we were hurting, Father Bernard spent his life serving others. And he never asked for anything in return. He loved each of us as if we were family."
And yet, none of them responded like family. People bowed their heads respectfully. They dressed in black. But no tears were shed for the corpse at the front of the room. They'd comment on what a shame it was for the man to die so young. Many came up before the service to visit the casket, but their words rang hollow.
"He was a good man."
"You're in a better place now."
"We'll miss you Father."
Not one of them spared more than a passing thought for the young boy whose life had just been shattered. Their passing pleasantries did nothing for the wrenching pain in Adam's chest. Only Brother Wilde had made any real attempt. He'd walked with Adam up to the casket and stood by as Adam deposited a single rose across his father's chest. He'd sat silently with Adam before the service, only leaving the broken boy's side when he was called up to speak.
Brother Wilde tried harder than the rest, but even he couldn't relate to Adam at the moment. Like the others, he was an outsider. Tomorrow, they'd all wake up and carry on as they always had. They'd fall back into their routines and relegate Father Bernard to nothing more than a distant memory. Life would move on.
And Adam would be left behind.
"Father Bernard may be gone, but his spirit remains with us," Brother Wilde continued, desperately trying to find a positive note to end on. "Let us all honor our dear friend by carrying on his legacy and continuing to support one another. Shizukana would not be the place it is today without his generosity. And so, let us live each day as Father Bernard taught, with a helping hand and a loving heart. Let's pray."
Everyone in the room bowed their heads as Brother Wilde thanked the Gods for everything Father Bernard had done. The cheery, hopeful conclusion failed to alleviate the grief that threatened to crush Adam at any moment. Part of him wished it would - overwhelm him in an instant and end his suffering, even if only until he woke up again. The small mercy never came, and he was forced to sit through more well-wishers. Their flowery words meant little as each hastily departed, eager to leave the commemoration of death to return to their lives.
The only one who earned any words was Brother Wilde.
"How you holdin' up?" the man innocently asked.
Terrible. Awful. Miserable. Adam didn't really feel like answering. His eyes remained locked on the wooden casket ahead. Swallowing some of the pain that threatened to spill forth once more, Adam tried to find anything to take his mind off the here and now. The past proved too painful, so he instead grasped at the future.
"What happens now?"
Brother Wilde waved away the next person awkwardly waiting to give their obligatory visit to the young boy, earning Adam's gratitude in the process. "Next, we'll go to the gravesite for the burial. It's a lovely spot by the church. He…he wouldn't want to be far from his flock."
The thought of a dead man caring where his body was laid drew an irrational, short-lived smile. Adam hated himself for it, but the feeling passed as quickly as it came. "N-no. I mean…after."
That one question had been eating at him all day, lurking in the back of his mind through funeral preparations and adults talking. With Father Bernard gone, where would he go? Would he live alone in the house he'd found his father's body in? Would someone in the village take him in as their own? Would he even want that? What would be the next step in his life?
Adam despised the thoughts, even as his mind kept returning to them. He didn't want to think about next steps. He didn't want to move on and get over it.
He wanted his father back.
Brother Wilde seemed even less eager to discuss the future at the moment. "We'll talk about that after," Brother Wilde assured him before standing up. "I have to help with…well, you know."
"Ladies and gentlemen," the mayor announced from beside Father Bernard's casket, drawing all eyes to him. "Thank you all for coming to commemorate Father Bernard's life and service. At this time, I ask that any of you who wish to stay for the burial proceed outside to the gravesite." Father Bernard held his hand low, signaling for Adam to wait as the sanctuary quickly emptied. "Men, if you would."
Taking their cue, Brother Wilde and the Captain of the Guard took positions at the front of the casket, with two more men on either side behind them. Adam recognized three of them as guards he had trained with. The last was the town blacksmith. As one, they carefully lifted the casket and began a slow procession out of the building.
"Come along, Adam," the mayor instructed. Adam did as ordered, following close behind his father's final journey. The warm sun as they exited felt wrong. It should've been raining. Dreary. But nature remained uncaring of his plight.
There were far less people waiting outside than those that crammed into the auditorium before. The mass departure somewhat angered Adam, but at the same time, he was grateful to have a much smaller gathering to deal with. A short message and a simple prayer heralded the end of the ceremony and the lowering of the casket. The thud of dirt on the casket below struck Adam's chest and threatened to bowl him over. Each shovelful threatened to suffocate him as he watched them seal his father's body in the ground.
He watched them smooth the mound of dirt out at the end. One by one, the remaining attendees slipped away, recognizing they were no longer needed, leaving only Adam, Brother Wilde, and a few others lingering behind. The simple grave marker summarized Father Bernard's entire life in four words.
Loving Father and Preacher
It was both fitting and cruel to see so many years reduced to such a simple phrase. Adam felt Father Bernard would approve of the message. He really had loved them all. He'd even gone so far as to take Adam in as his own son all those years ago. He was the only one to really love the boy.
And now he was gone.
"Adam will be staying with me tonight." Brother Wilde's mention of his name drew Adam's attention away from his father's final resting place.
Mayor Watterson nodded along as they decided Adam's future for him. "And in the morning?"
"I'll take him myself," Brother Wilde sighed.
"Take me where?" Adam asked.
Brother Wilde hesitated, but Mayor Watterson seemed more than happy to take the lead. "To Katai."
The words slammed into Adam. "Katai? Why?" Katai wasn't home. Aside from Brother Stirling, he didn't know anyone in the larger town. Shizukana was where he belonged. "Why can't I stay here?"
"Because there's no one here to take care of you, boy," the mayor explained. "You're not old enough to be on your own."
"But Brother Wilde could check in on me."
"Brother Wilde has his own family to care for," Mayor Watterson pointed out. "Plus, that house belongs to the church. The next pastor will live there, and we can't demand that he look after you as well. That wouldn't be fair to him."
Fair? Sending him off to another town by himself hardly sounded fair to Adam. Taking him away from everything and everyone he knew wasn't fair. His mind raced to find any alternative. The problem was, even if he knew a lot of people in Shizukana, he didn't really know them well enough to ask them to take him in. With Brother Wilde unavailable, only one name came to mind.
"Mazarin!" The thought brought on a far less pleasant realization. No one's told Mazarin. She was still away on a job and wouldn't be back for a while still. She and Father Bernard had become so close lately. How could he tell her that Father Bernard was dead?
"The caravan escort? What about her?" Mayor Watterson recognized the name, but didn't seem to fully understand the connection.
"She'll take me in." Adam didn't doubt for a moment that she'd adopt him, just as Father Bernard once had. He'd been hoping she would eventually marry Father Bernard and become his mom. Surely she'd still take him, even without his father.
"She and Father Bernard were…close," Brother Wilde added for the mayor's benefit.
"Ah. So where is this Mazarin?" Mayor Watterson looked around, but aside from the lingering Captain of the Guard, no one else remained. The others had slipped away while they spoke.
"She's…not here," Adam admitted. "But she'll be back soon!"
"And when she gets back, we'll tell her where to find you," Mayor Watterson offered. "But until then, I think it would be best for you to go to the orphanage in Katai. That way, you'll be looked after until she comes back."
And just like that, they were back to square one. As callous as it sounded, Adam was grateful he wouldn't have to be the one to break the news to Mazarin. And once she got back, she'd come find him in Katai and rescue him.
But what if she doesn't? Adam banished the treacherous thought immediately. There was no way Mazarin would abandon him like that! All he had to do was wait for her. While it wasn't home, maybe the orphanage in Katai wouldn't be terrible. He could vaguely remember having fun there, and Alyssa had been really nice to him. Besides, it would only be for a few weeks. He wasn't going to live there. Just a visit while he waited for Mazarin.
Not that he had much say in the matter anyways. "It's settled, then." Mayor Watterson declared, eager to bring an end to the matter. Or maybe just to get rid of Adam. "Tomorrow, you'll take him to Katai, and when this Mazarin returns, we'll tell her where to find him."
"I'll look after him," Brother Wilde promised, somehow sounding far more caring than the all-business counterpart as he agreed. Content that he'd done his job, Mayor Watterson happily departed with the captain, leaving the two alone. "Let's go gather your things," Brother Wilde said as he started for the house. "Make sure we pack anything you want to take with you. Anything you want to keep."
Sorting through an entire house in a matter of hours proved a daunting task. They started with his room, but everything there felt special to him suddenly. The toys he hadn't played with in years. Books well below his reading level. Clothes that didn't fit as well as they used to. None of them worth keeping, yet each of them a memory of happier times. Each a gift from his father.
With Brother Wilde's urging, Adam painfully selected the most important items with the reminder that they couldn't bring everything. His book on Huntsmen. Photos and letters from Sona. The small chess board Father Bernard bought him in Katai. Little reminders of home to take with him.
When Brother Wilde took him to Father Bernard's room to see if there was anything he wanted to keep, Adam froze in the doorway. His hands trembled as he stared at the spot beside Father Bernard's bed. The image of his father's cold, dead eyes staring through him shook him to his core. His foot instinctively slid back as he prepared to run.
"It's okay, Adam." Father Bernard's arms caught him, wrapping around him before he could flee. Protecting him from the horrors of life for a brief moment. "I'm here. It's gonna be okay."
Adam desperately clung to the man, relief flooding through him. But something was wrong. The voice. The feel. The smell. Everything seemed off.
Reality cruelly rushed back in as he realized it was Brother Wilde holding him, not his father. Startled, Adam let go. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize," Brother Wilde assured him. Thankfully, he chose not to say anything further about the incident. "How about I take a look around here while you go to the living room. Maybe you can find a picture there you want to keep?"
Adam seized on the easy out to escape the haunted room. He knew just the picture he wanted. Just beside the fireplace hung a small photo of him, Father Bernard, and Mazarin that Brother Wilde had taken for them only a few months ago. Father Bernard wore his jacket and the biggest smile with his arm around Mazarin. Adam stood in front of them, his father's other hand resting on his shoulder. They looked just like the family he'd always dreamed of having. If he could only bring one thing with him, this would be it.
"Alright. I think that's it," Brother Wilde announced, tugging a suitcase behind him. "We can put your stuff in here for now, then head for the house. You ready?"
How could he be ready? Adam took a longing look around at the only home he'd ever really known and now had to say farewell to. Everywhere he looked were signs of the life he would be leaving behind. The stain in the carpet where he'd spilled an entire pitcher of juice. The chipped corner of the fireplace Father Bernard had dropped a log on. Little things that marked the house as his home. He tried to take it all in, committing each little detail to memory one last time, though he knew most would be forgotten in time.
All too soon, it was time to leave. His hands trailed along the wall of the hallway, passing over the rough patch that had once been Carina's hole. He lingered in the doorway, holding tightly to the frame as he fought for one last second of his past before surrendering it to the merciless march of time. Brother Wilde let him take a moment in the garden and even grabbed a few tomatoes, saying Mrs. Wilde would love to have some fresh vegetables for dinner. Adam plucked a single, small bloom from his rosebush before a glance at their training ground had him running back to the house.
"I forgot something!" Adam shouted as he sprinted away and back inside. He threw open the hall closet, reached inside, and pulled out the short swords Mazarin trained him with. I can't give up on my training, he thought as he carefully pulled out both swords. He wouldn't leave his dreams behind with his home. He'd promised Father Bernard that he'd become a hero, and he intended to see it through, now more than ever. He'd make his father proud someday.
"What did you forget, Adam?" Father Bernard's breath came a little heavier as he caught up to the speedy boy. His eyes quickly latched onto the twin blades that Adam wielded. "I don't think they'll want you bringing swords to the orphanage."
"But they're for training!" Adam protested. He couldn't just leave them behind. "I won't use them with the other kids. But when Mazarin comes to get me, we'll need them to keep training."
"How about this? When Mazarin comes back, I'll make sure she gets these." Brother Wilde slowly took the swords from Adam and returned them to the closet. "Then, she can bring them with her when she comes to Katai. Sound good?"
Adam stared at the swords for a moment before relenting. "Fine." Mazarin would take care of everything. Besides, they could always come back and pick up the swords after they left Katai. With a resolute nod, Adam grabbed his father's knife, sheathed it on his hip, and closed the door.
"I'm not sure they want knives either," Brother Wilde tried.
"I'm not leaving this," Adam stubbornly insisted. "Not if we're traveling." He'd been defenseless on the trail before. Never again.
Brother Wilde realized this was a battle he wouldn't win and gave up. He finally managed to lead Adam away from the house and back to the Wilde's home. Adam kept to himself, grateful that the family gave him his privacy as he sat and stared at the picture of his family. Even at dinner, Dorian and Mrs. Wilde remained civil, setting aside their dislike of the boy in his hour of need. Brother Wilde did his best to keep a conversation going to distract Adam, but aside from a few short replies, Adam merely picked at his food until it was time for bed.
Sleep did not come easy that night. Adam lay awake, staring at the ceiling as thoughts swirled through his mind. What would the orphanage be like? When would Mazarin return? Where would they go afterwards? His life had held few mysteries until this point. Now, only the unknown waited for him.
Memories plagued his dreams. Happy moments of his life faded in and out, cheering him briefly before slipping from his grasp each time. Each one served as a painful reminder of what he'd lost. He woke in the middle of the night, pillow moist from his silent tears. He thanked the Gods when morning finally came and heralded an end to the merciless parade of his past. At least now he could try and distract himself.
A quick, quiet breakfast was all that stood between them and the trail. Riding Eve brought a small comfort, even if the sight of Brother Wilde atop his father's horse felt wrong. Apparently, Abel would be returned to the church for use by the next pastor. The mayor had also ordered that Eve follow suit. Brother Wilde proved himself a better man than most when he explained to Adam that he would conveniently forget to bring Eve back from Katai. After all, Eve belonged to Adam. They'd see about making arrangements for her boarding before Brother Wilde returned home.
Adam didn't miss the pitying looks from the merchants during the trip. Each of them knew of Father Bernard's passing and were well aware they were taking his son to Katai. Their caravan soon felt more like a funeral procession. One tried to chat with him, but quickly gave up when Adam made it clear he wasn't interested. Their cheery tales of all the places they'd visited had one thing in common.
None of them were home.
Neither was Katai, but it would have to do for now. The sizable walls served as a solemn greeting to the party. As with every visit, Eve and Abel were handed over to a stablehand at the inn, though Adam made sure to take a moment to say goodbye to Abel before they started across town. The large orphanage did little to cheer him up. Nor did the imposing form of Madam de Thom coming out to welcome them.
"What can I do for you?" she asked Brother Wilde, barely even glancing at Adam.
Brother Wilde hesitated, unsure of how to respond at first. "This is Adam." Brother Wilde waved him forward. "His father passed away recently. I was hoping you could take him in."
"Always room for another," Madam de Thom promised. "I'll have my daughter prepare a bunk. Alyssa!" The golden-haired angel Adam had met on his first visit came out to greet them. "We have a new boy here. Find him a bunk in room two."
"There's an open one with Erik," Alyssa said, accepting Adam's bag.
"That'll do. Gods know he could use someone." Madam de Thom whispered some instructions to her daughter, who hurried off to make arrangements while her mother led them to a large office inside. She pointed to a pair of chairs before claiming an oversized seat on the other side of a sizable desk. "Are you a friend of the family?"
"Yes. I helped at Father Bernard's church."
"The good Father passed?" The name clearly rang a bell with Madam de Thom, though her reaction hardly registered. She took a moment to study Adam. "Ah. You came with Bernard one time, didn't you?"
"Y-yes, ma'am." Adam gulped as her attention shifted to him. "A few years ago."
"Your father was a good man," she summarized. Despite the number of people to say so, it still felt good to hear how many revered his father. "Shame to see him go. Any other family we should notify?"
"None."
"What about Mazarin?" Adam offered alongside Brother Wilde's answer.
"Who?"
"Mazarin," Adam repeated. "She's practically family."
"A close friend of Father Bernard," Brother Wilde clarified. "Very close. She's away on travel, but we'll inform her once she returns."
"Very well." Madam de Thom made a quick note that he couldn't see. "If she wishes to claim him, she'll need to pay the standard adoption fee. We aren't a daycare."
"O-of course," Brother Wilde agreed. "I'll make sure to let her know."
The meeting droned on for at least an hour as Brother Wilde and Madam de Thom discussed specifics and rarely involved Adam. He would have limited space for his belongings. The rest would be kept in storage in the basement. The orphanage would take care of Eve's boarding costs so long as he did chores to earn the equivalent cost. Madam de Thom insisted there was plenty of work to go around, and some businesses in town even allowed the children to work with them to gain valuable experience for later in life. Many of the orphanage's expenses were funded by the town, but having the children work limited hours at various businesses served as a sort of repayment to the taxpayers. Meanwhile, Alyssa taught most of the classes for the children so they didn't fall behind in the basics.
Everything was taken care of by the orphanage, though only until they turned seventeen. "Most end up getting jobs in town and finding an apartment, but we can't house them forever."
"Mazarin will come for me," Adam assured her. If all went well, he'd barely have time to settle in before he'd be leaving.
"Regardless, while you are here, I expect absolute obedience," Madam de Thom instructed. "I run a tight ship."
"How tight?" Brother Wilde questioned defensively.
"All in good measure, I assure you," Madam de Thom promised. "Misbehavior may result in a meal being withheld, just as you might send a child to bed without supper. We may impose a small monetary penalty to be reimbursed through extra chores, especially if any property is damaged. We also use timeouts or detentions, though mostly on the younger children during their playtime."
"That sounds reasonable," Brother Wilde agreed, relaxing as his concerns were addressed. Adam appreciated being looked out for, even if the man had no obligation to do so. Brother Wilde was easily his favorite person in Shizukana right now.
"Quite. Now, if you'd like to join us, lunch should be ready." Madam de Thom rose and started for the door.
"I'd hate to impose."
"Nonsense," Madam de Thom insisted. "You've watched over this child and brought him here safely. The least we can do is give you a hot meal before you head off."
The two of them followed Madam de Thom to a large cafeteria at the end of the hall. The ceiling rose a full two stories, with a balcony stretching the length of the room on one side dotted with a few closed doors. Tables were lined with children of every age, eagerly scarfing down large plates of steaming food. Their voices mixed in a swell of discordant sound, though it quickly tapered off as the trio entered.
"Children!" The final murmurs of conversation silenced with the single word from Madam de Thom. Every eye focused in on their group. "Children, we have a new arrival. This is Adam." She stepped aside to reveal a suddenly nervous Adam. He'd never had so many people looking at him before. "Mister Wilde brought him from Shizukana this morning. He'll be moving into room two after lunch. Erik?"
A boy about Adam's age came scurrying over at the woman's command. He stood only an inch or so shorter than Adam, but the large, bushy tail rising up behind him somehow made him look smaller in comparison. The reddened fur matched the short hair on his head, making him blend into the tall tail somewhat as it twitched behind the bespectacled boy.
"You c-called, Madam de Thom?"
"Adam will be bunking with you," she informed the young faunus before them. "Take him to get some food, then show him around after lunch while I talk with Mister Wilde."
"Yes, ma'am," Erik dutifully replied as Madam de Thom and Brother Wilde split off for an empty table in the corner. "I'm Erik," he said, pushing his glasses further up his nose before offering his hand to Erik.
"A-Adam," came the reply as Adam shook the boy's hand.
Erik took Adam through the serving line before leading him to the table where his own food still waited. A younger girl with a tall pair of rabbit ears scooted over to make room for Adam without a word.
Adam couldn't believe the meal before him. There was shredded beef, potatoes, carrots, fresh bread, and even a piping hot brownie for dessert! And in such a large quantity that Adam barely had room for it all! He had to wonder how more of the children weren't as big as Madam de Thom with meals like this.
Afterwards, Erik showed him to their room, which turned out to be a large space with at least a half dozen bunk beds. According to Erik, all of the dorms were like that. They each had drawer space for their clothes, but the limited desk space was shared between all occupants. Erik pointed him to a bottom bunk near the corner of the room, explaining that the top one was his.
While Adam quietly put his clothes away, Erik explained, "There's still two open beds right now." Sure enough, the mattresses on the bunk next to theirs sat bare. The rest were neatly made with matching sheets. "The room can get pretty cramped when everyone's here, but it's not too bad most of the time." Erik glanced at a clock on the wall. "I've got to get to class. You can come too, if you want."
When the alternative meant being alone with his thoughts in a strange place, class didn't sound too bad right now. With a nod, Adam followed Erik into the hall once more, though this time they made their way up a nearby upper floor had a lot more doors than downstairs. According to Erik, most of the classrooms and offices were up here, as well as the girls' dorms. Most of the rooms were off-limits to them, but there wasn't much to do up here aside from classes anyways. Otherwise, most of the kids spent as much time outside as possible.
Only one door stood open in the hall with the word Elementary printed on the glass panel. Adam could see a few similar doors further down, but they were all shut with the lights out. The class times were staggered to allow Alyssa to teach them all. Based on the schedule, Adam would be spending a lot less time in lessons than he had at home, which suited him just fine. He was used to learning most subjects on his own and would prefer to have more time to himself.
"You're late, Erik," Alyssa commented from the front as they entered, her back to them while she wrote on the large whiteboard at the front of the room. She turned to see the pair waiting at the back of the class. "Oh! You were showing Adam around, were you? Never mind then. Go ahead and take your seat." Erik did as commanded, leaving Adam alone with every eye in the room fixated on him. "Everyone, start reading chapter twenty-two. I'll be right back."
Alyssa slipped through the aisle to the back of the room, guiding Adam back into the hall. They walked further away, passing two other classrooms before Alyssa finally stopped.
"First of all, welcome to our home," Alyssa cheerfully began, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know it's never easy moving to someplace new, but if you need anything, just come find me." Adam gave a short nod to show he understood. "Good! Right now, we're studying history. Have you had much schooling before?" Another nod. "Now I hate to ask, but…can you read?"
Adam swallowed nervously as he finally spoke up. "Y-yes. I can read."
"Excellent! I wanted to ask you away from the other kids, since everyone who comes here is at a different level. Didn't want to embarrass you or anything." Adam appreciated the thought. He'd be living with the other children for the next few weeks and would prefer to make a good impression. Or no impression at all. While he felt he could probably keep up with them easily enough, he'd rather not risk finding out they were all ahead of him in front of everyone. "I'll get you a textbook when we get back to class and find you a desk, okay?"
As promised, when they returned, Alyssa pointed him to a seat in the front row, right in front of Erik, who fetched a spare textbook from a cabinet at Alyssa's instruction. He quickly flipped through the book, resisting the urge to stop at some of his favorite parts of history on his way to chapter twenty-two. When he finally reached the desired chapter, Adam's eyes widened.
The Great War. Possibly his favorite subject in history. Wars and combat always made for the most engaging subject matter. Great feats of heroism. Strange coincidences affecting battle outcomes. Generals and tacticians striving to outwit each other. The excitement and intrigue could keep his attention for hours.
"Last time, we talked about Vacuo's betrayal of Mantle and Mistral, which marked the turning point of the war. After ten years of combat, the war finally came to a sudden stop. Who can tell me how it ended?" Alyssa asked. A few hands shot up, but Alyssa called on Adam instead. "Why don't you give it a go, Adam?"
Caught off guard at being volunteered, Adam took a second to gather his thoughts. "The King of Vale proposed a treaty after his victory in Vacuo," Adam explained. "It ended the war, returned lands claimed through conflict, and established the four Huntsman Academies, recognizing Huntsmen as protectors of all people, rather than servants of their Kingdom."
"Very good," Alyssa replied. "The Great Treaty also forbade any type of law curtailing public demonstrations or means of expression, so long as they remained peaceful, though there were exceptions made later to these rules. Mistral was forced to abandon their experiment of drawing Grimm away from the settlements by using the capitol as bait and focusing defenses there." Father Bernard had always taught it differently, saying how the two Kingdoms tried to control the settlements with limitations on expression, despite such rules not applying to the capitol city. "Speaking of the Treaty, do any of you know where it was signed?"
More hands this time, but once again, Adam was called upon. "The island of Vytal, just north of Vale. It was considered to be neutral territory."
"Which is why we celebrate the Vytal Festival," Alyssa added. "All four Kingdoms join together to share their culture and achievements in a show of cooperation, along with a tournament between the Academies to commemorate their establishment and demonstrate the talent and skill of the next generation of our protectors. Now, who can name one of the first headmasters of the newly formed Academies?" Alyssa laughed as Adam's hand shot up a third time. "Maybe someone else this time. You must've had quite the teacher."
The best, Adam thought as he lowered his hand. The reminder soured his mood again. He didn't bother participating the rest of class, quietly following along until they were dismissed. While the other children went outside to play, Adam trudged back to his new room, pulling out his precious photo and studying the three happy faces again.
This isn't home. And how could it be? Father Bernard was gone. Mazarin was away. Brother Wilde had already left for the evening and would be heading home tomorrow. Despite the friendliness of Erik and Alyssa, he felt utterly alone. Maybe he'd make some friends in time and fall into a routine, but for now, all he wanted to do was go back to Shizukana. Back to the only home he'd ever known. Back to his family. But those days were gone.
At least this new chapter of his life would be a short one. "Just a few weeks," he whispered as he stared at the photo. Mazarin would come for him. Maybe they'd travel together. Maybe they'd find someplace to settle down. Either way, they'd make a new life together and he'd never have to see the orphanage ever again. He'd train harder than ever and become a great Huntsman. He might even get to fight in the Tournament someday.
I'll do it, Dad. You'll see. I'll help people just like I promised you.
With those thoughts, Adam settled into his bed, the small frame clutched close to his chest. He ignored the eventual call for dinner, still full from the large lunch they'd served earlier. The lack of sleep the past few nights, combined with everything that happened today, had exhaustion creeping in and his eyes drifting shut.
I'll make you proud.
Adam has finally left Shizukana and taken his first, shaky step away from the happy-go-lucky child of the first ten chapters. Plenty of steps between him and endgame Adam, though. Having a little fun plotting out this coming arc's specifics, including things that I want to preface within the coming chapters for later.
Was tempted to spend more time on the history lesson. I always loved studying war history, especially WWII. So much random stuff happened that isn't often taught. The sub that sank itself with their last torpedo by accident. Churchill's multiple moments of seeming precognition. All of it fascinated me, so I figured the same would be true of the Great War for Adam. Naturally, I figured Mistral would teach a bit of a skewed version, painting their oppression as a positive. If I had gone further, the King of Vale would've been a tyrant to them and stepped down after the Treaty because of his war crimes in Vacuo or something, but it would've become too distracting here.
Also excited to have the return of Madam de Thom and Alyssa. Later on, I'll have some more obvious hints as to their allusion. Bonus points if you can figure it out early!
Next chapter: Adam gets settled into his temporary home while he waits for Mazarin to return.