Interlude: Support Convos Part 1
A lone scout looked out from his spyglass at the fort within the sea of trees. Several others have set up a perimeter with him and would signal one another without letting the targets know, even with snipers scoping the area. They were confident in avoiding being detected... until now.
"Farewell..."
The scout immediately turned his head behind him to the source of the voice, only for his mouth to be covered and his throat to be slashed open. His eyes rolled back and bled without the ability to utter a single word. The one behind him was a brown-haired figure with a red cloak. Although he could barely hear the sounds of struggle, similar sounds of thuds echoed throughout the forest.
Soon, a dark-cloaked figure appeared; his red hair and sharp amber eyes stared back at the spy. Matthew closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled before opening his eyes. Jaffar remained unresponsive but soon turned to his left, revealing the silver-haired colleague with scars over his left eye. The pair were just done eliminating other scouts watching the company.
There was also a third party in the vicinity, but they chose to leave him since he was an ally to Greil and assisted in killing off any fleeing enemies. The "Fireman" could hear and observe as much as he wished. There wasn't much to hide in the first place.
"Nice to have a friendly reunion, eh?" Legault spoke with not an ounce of genuine elation in his tone. He then turned to Matthew with a slight grin. "Didn't think we'd meet again under these circumstances... we have enough on our plate as is..."
Legault sighed as Matthew responded with a nod. The fellow spy never anticipated being sent to this land with his lord and many others. Now they needed to wait for Anna to return them to Elibe and maybe the others if they wished to avoid the ongoing war.
While mercenaries tend to thrive during war and conflict, the Greil Mercenaries were known to not be like other companies. From what Matthew and many others learned from Ike throughout their journey, everyone seemed content with their current lives as a group that helped struggling villages and defended people even without pay (with Shinon and Gatrie occasionally complaining that the company should do more to stand out and do more lucrative jobs). But even war seemed way beyond their scope. With the actions committed against the Daein army, they may need to flee to another world.
The Angel of Death said nothing, but his eyes and subtle body language showed he was notably more tense. The pair noticed he hadn't cleaned the bloodstains on his blade yet. The Prince of Bern being present was something that made his emotions turbulent, as he was worried for Nino's well-being. Murdock's gaze didn't help, either.
Legault shrugged, then turned behind him and called out, "All clear, Fireman?"
It took a moment for the masked individual skulking in the trees to decide to give a response. He might as well act as a relaying messenger and be in contact with fellow spies... and assassins who were in league with Greil's son and therefore trusted by Greil. Whatever information these people hold and skills they possess to gather information, be involved in espionage, or their ability to kill may be valuable in the end... It would be the start of a working relationship, perhaps.
Besides, Volke also had to give a message to some of the others from their employer; no matter how crazy most would consider the orders to be... Whatever, he received a large sum of payment to deliver a message anyway... Plus, the Anna Merchant Company intersected with Greil's company, making it convenient to inform either party. He would begin the start of a new spy-to-spy network between Elibe and Tellius starting now.
"These scouts were unlikely to be part of a retaliatory force. Prince Renning has fallen, and the Daein army is currently recouping their losses. But they seem to be in search of a female noble, likely a royal relative." Matthew's eyes flickered upon the mention of a noble; the pair of former Black Fang members took notice of this. Volke continued, "There's no platoon coming your way. However, I would not stay long. The army led by Petrine and Bryce of the Four Riders appears to be marching and setting up a blockade around the Begnion and Gallian borders. So if you or some others are heading down south or southeast, I'd consider taking a boat, but that will take longer to reach whichever destination you have in mind, not to mention a potential Daein naval force arriving at the Crimean ports soon. But that won't arrive until next week or so."
They had no time, as the Greil Mercenaries needed to reach Gallia. Although some parts of Crimea were not yet occupied, like certain port towns, it would take too long to reach a place like Gallia, as it could take weeks to reach their shores. That's if there was a ship willing to take them there (as many Crimeans were not willing to sail to Gallia), and the only merchant that may be willing to take them was a dragon Laguz named Nasir, who was said to remain in Crimea for certain reasons. They couldn't request him after the latter told them to rush to Gallia and relay the message.
When Legault first heard of such news from the others, he knew that everyone should remain out of this war. The last thing anyone needed was a second Scouring. He couldn't imagine an entire country of dragons laying waste to an entire country, and maybe the entire continent if collateral damage was considered. But everyone else seemed insistent on delivering the message, even at their peril. The Reed family didn't want more lives to be destroyed by this war, and that was why they planned to stay and help.
However, even after all of that, now there was another problem to deal with in the form of Bern royalty, Lycian lords, and their retainers being forced into this land just like Ike was forced into Elibe two years ago... Everyone had enough on their plates, from surviving after provoking an entire army to getting civilians to safety and finally preventing a mass destruction event from taking place.
By this point, Legault prayed to whatever providence, whether it be in the form of Elimine, God, or even the goddess that Ike has an odd connection with, to create a miracle that would solve even a single one of their problems. For now, he could only hope his employer, Anna, could alleviate some of the burden. It was odd that they disappeared in the outpost but they said they would come to the fort eventually. Now was the time, and some of the others could return to Elibe safely with maybe some of the non-combatants and mercenaries in tow.
"That is assuming you had a choice in the matter..." Legault and the others quickly turned their heads at Volke as he suddenly snapped everyone from their thoughts. "Anna told me to tell you that she needs more time to figure out the problem, and she won't expect you to remain at this base. Therefore, she'll wait for everyone to clear up the Daein forces that might be set up at the Crimean-Gallian border. By the time you're all finished, you'll meet her in an abandoned place called Gebal Castle in a couple of days. She says you all have to do it. Even if there will be a Daein Rider or two blocking your path. And that there is no worry about acting as her escorts or bodyguards for the time being. Don't think that returning to your homeland is urgent at this moment. So good luck, she says."
At one of the usual info-gathering spots in a bar that the assassin frequented, Volke received a message of what appeared to be orders for her bodyguards from their employers. It was certainly among the craziest orders to engage in battle and clear an entire blockade. Especially when there were, in fact, two Riders of Daein leading the operation. It wasn't impossible, given that Volke was aware of the feats that some of the people back at the capital had done as well as the matter of Greil's real identity. There were plenty of skilled individuals in this entire group; he could only wish them luck, not that he would do so. Whatever foreign land they came from was not a place to return to at this time, for whatever reason.
With that, the man went off in an unknown direction, leaving a stunned trio of spies and assassins. Jaffar held unusually widened eyes, and Matthew appeared to panic at the situation. Legault in particular had a gaping mouth and an incomprehensible expression on his normally calm and collected face. He was beginning to regret working under Anna in this foreign land. What kind of mess did they get wrapped up in?
Whatever problem Anna mentioned was likely related to the lords and retainers being present in this land. Moreover, how was returning to Elibe not the most important task to do at this moment? The future new marquesses of Lycia as well as the prince of Bern beg to differ. They all had duties and responsibilities to tend to in their respective territories. These were dire circumstances...
"We're screwed," Legault muttered under his breath. Matthew agreed with him with a nod of the head.
"Yup," he added.
"Definitely."
The pair turned to the source of the voice only to find that it was Jaffar who had spoken. The two looked at Jaffar as if he had gained a second head. Since when did he start agreeing with others vocally? Things were turning upside down by the second...
Oscar swiftly swirled the pot of cream stew. Taking a sample, he nodded in approval. He only hoped it would suit the palate of some of the people. A merchant and eldest sister of a pegasus knight trio soon took a sample and were quite pleased with the dish.
"Your dish is incredible as always, Oscar." Fiora complimented the man.
She had assisted Oscar in cooking duty for what would likely be their last meal in this mercenary fort. They had many mouths to feed, and Oscar took it upon himself to prepare a meal for everyone. Merlinus also joined midway as an experienced cook, allowing Oscar to take the lead. The cooks were thoroughly impressed with how the stew turned out. It would go well with the bread that needed to be eaten by tonight.
"Indeed, your cooking skills are as splendid as young Lowen's," Merlinus remarked with a smile. He then cupped his chin and observed Oscar more closely. "Come to think of it, neither of you have visible eyes... no offense. No one could ever see his eyes beneath his unkempt hair."
It was an oddity and somewhat of a pattern seeing young cavaliers whose eyes were not visible. Both individuals possessed great culinary skills as well. There was already a womanizer in their midst who could easily be mistaken as Sain's long-lost brother based on his mannerisms. Oscar took no offense to the comparison and even smiled.
Oscar quickly adapted to their new guests, as many of them were mentioned beforehand. He never anticipated that some of Ike's former employers, which included nobles from the territory of Lycia and the territory of Bern (unaware of the prince and princess of Bern), would appear here in Crimea. To think they were all taken away from their homeland so suddenly... He hoped that such a phenomenon wouldn't occur again in their company or anything related happen to others, as they'd already received enough grief from Ike being missing.
With that in mind, Oscar was familiar with some of the details and key people during Ike's journey in Elibe whenever the new members or Ike fondly mentioned them. He'd hoped to temporarily leave Crimea one day to visit and meet some of the people there. If only it were under different circumstances... For now, he was going to give them the best hospitality he could offer and recall many details previously spoken, starting with Lowen. His father was mentioned to be an official chef, with Lowen attaining some of his parent's culinary skills. His cooking was said to be well-received by everyone, and many have compared Oscar's skills to Lowen's.
"Lowen's father is the cook for the Marquis House of Pherae, is he not?" Oscar queried the merchant, who nodded in response. "I'm glad to receive such compliments for my cooking. I've started cooking more often since we've received new members. I was worried that my culinary skills may not suit the nobility here."
Oscar held a tinge of worry if his dish would not be satisfactory in front of the nobility. Then again, Lyn was a noble (former) as well as some others, but the majority of the members complimented his food or ate it with gusto whenever the opportunity came up. Even to the point where the Sacaen woman hoped to gain Oscar's recipe to try on her own.
To be compared to a proper cook and be called exceptional was an honor. Although he never met Lowen, he knew that the latter was a cavalier and a good chef. Oscar knew Ike was said to feel nostalgic and reminded of himself throughout the latter's journey whenever he ate Lowen's food. During that entire time Ike was stuck in Elibe, he hoped to partake in Oscar's cooking once more. It was a sentiment that Oscar appreciated, and he was glad for the fact that Ike missed him. He was always worried for Ike's safety like the others and hoped Ike never forgot anything about them. Ike treasured everyone in the company, and they would treasure him in return (save for Shinon).
Merlinus shook his head and said, "Nonsense. This dish would please the lords. Even royalty will be pleased to partake even a bit of morsel that you provide..."
Oscar reciprocated Merlinus's compliment with a smile. He hoped everyone would enjoy this last supper within the fort that has been a home to everyone for years. He felt sad, but family was far more important than any building. Even... if it meant leaving his beloved homeland.
"Well, we should start serving. Should we not?" Oscar was quickly snapped from his thoughts upon hearing Fiora's voice. "We can have the others take the food and help deliver it to the others in the guest rooms."
Oscar agreed with a nod of the head. "We'll have to eat and prepare rations soon after. I still need to preserve the meat in salt."
To get to Gallia, they'll need to prepare accordingly. With that in mind, rations will take priority after their meal. It would be difficult to make meals during the trek, and that is why salted meat and biscuits will be essential. However, the two items weren't the best delectable snacks or ideal rations for most people. Yet it was the best they had while they had no supply carriage or Anna to assist them.
The latter pretty much informed the trio of spies and assassins that the lords from Elibe may be stuck here for a while. This would require everyone from Elibe to accompany the mercenaries and Anna Merchant Company employees to reach Gallia. All the while dealing with an invading army out for blood... Merlinus felt it was only just yesterday that everyone was being attacked by assassins, living corpses, and manufactured creatures that resembled humans...
Merlinus then looked at the pile of dough made for travel rations as he dreaded poor snacks being made. "I think I have a way to make the biscuits more palatable... We have a long trip ahead of us... Oh, I wish I had my carriage..."
It was a sentiment that everyone shared. Without a convoy, they would have to pack everything onto their mounts or carry it. For the slightly cowardly and out-of-shape man, it was a dreadful experience. Yet, this was an opportunity to once again serve his companions well. Merlinus would have to check to see if there was a supply tent and require helpers if anyone needed their wares mid-combat. Merlinus's role as a transporter and supplier can prove to once again be invaluable for his employers and comrades.
"I just hope Farina is doing well," Fiora added. "I don't know if wherever she sailed could have the news travel to the Davros..."
Who knows if all the Laguz nations have learned of the war? Fiora had recently learned that her sister had safely departed Gallia some time back. By now, she and the rest of the Davros should have entered a different Laguz nation.
However, assuming that they do learn of the war, it is likely that the Davros would attempt in whatever way they could to assist the companies. In what way? No one would know during these times of crisis. Fiora and Florina prayed for their sister's safety and hoped with the rest of their comrades that the Davros could safely convince the Laguz nations to let them be and even be cordial. But there was a very small possibility of that happening, even if Caineghis attempted to vouch for the pirate crew.
"Well, we could discuss that later after we've eaten. We need everyone to keep their health." Oscar turned his head out the entrance of the kitchen and called out, "Boyd! Rolf! Mist! Help us deliver the food to everyone!"
Hopefully, everyone could enjoy this last good meal in the days to come. He hoped Titania, his captain and fellow royal knight, held hope for their homeland. While she chose love, he chose family. But they helped the people one way or another, whether they were knights or mercenaries. Whatever happens, they will stay together as a family.
By now, some of their guests should have awakened. Perhaps supper will ease the high tensions from current events? He'll also have to make his dishes more presentable for the nobles in their care...
Zephiel and Guinevere sat on the bed within the room meant for guests, with Vaida and Murdock situating themselves near the entrance. Vaida allowed Heath to tend to her wyvern, Umbriel, and catch up with the others. While Vaida remained fairly optimistic (to some extent), Murdock's expression was grave. After being informed by Legault, the latter's morale was at an all-time low. He remained vigilant against all potential threats and even against the people who were involved in this incident. He even considered taking a ship from a nearby port that could take him and the lords back to Bern, but Vaida and Heath advised against it, as the pair knew where they were. Murdock had to reluctantly accept the current conditions, no matter how suspicious everything was... For now, the current conclusion was that he and his lords were transported to a new continent that was also Ike's homeland and that it would require special means to return to Elibe. It was not reassuring in the slightest...
"Are you sure this is not some sort of trap?" Murdock quietly queried Vaida, who shook her head in response. "How do we not know if this is all some farce that the Lycian alliance and the Greil Mercenaries have concocted to entrap His Highness and the princess using a sorcerer going under the name of the Enigma?"
The Wyvern General felt the entire situation to be dubious. While he and Ike left on decent terms a while back, that sentiment quickly soured upon entering this new land that endangered his prince and princess. They needed to return to Bern before Zephiel's position as heir was at stake with both him and his half-sister missing.
Moreover, Murdock was reluctant to believe that two of the heroes of Elibe were involved in the incident. While his suspicion is warranted, given the circumstances, Vaida trusted this group. Murdock's paranoia at this time worried even his liege. Zephiel remained observant of his surroundings and his retainers.
"By that logic, we would have been in a worse setting or dead." Vaida turned to face her fellow general as she spoke. "Heath and I have worked together with the others, and we can safely say that we could trust this group with our lives. Arguably, we are in the safest company, not that we need it with the two greatest generals of Bern (and Heath) protecting our lords..."
It was then Murdock turned to Vaida with an incredulous look. He didn't expect his colleague to trust this group this much. "Are you completely sure we can trust them?" Murdock whispered to which Vaida nodded. "I thought you told me that whatever business you and Heath had with the Greil Mercenaries at the time was to go after those who could threaten Prince Zephiel's life..."
Although the pair whispered, the royal siblings still overheard the conversation. Guinevere gave a worried look to her brother as he was mentioned. Zephiel gave a reassuring smile to his younger sister but was more concerned for everyone's safety at any rate. For now, he listened in on the talk between the two.
Before Vaida and Heath returned to their duties, they had one more task that Zephiel and Murdock assumed to be involved with the Prince's assassins. While they were somewhat on the mark, the conclusion was far from what was expected as Vaida soon found out. Some secrets were best left alone, as the rest of Elibe would have panicked being under the threat of dragons.
She mulled on the matter, debating whether to reveal to her colleague the entire truth. Then again, they were in Ike's continent; being open and telling the truth would somewhat prepare them for what was in this new land. There was an entire race of animal people that most would consider ridiculous or just complete fantasy. Vaida remembered from Heath that there were also dragons included among that race (not counting Nils and Ninian)... For now, they had to adapt to their new surroundings and go to a castle to wait for Anna. The castle was located within a country of beast-like people. It would be a sight that her lords, colleagues, and even Vaida herself would be flabbergasted to see. With that in mind, she decided to ease them in, little by little.
"We did. There was indeed a threat... and maybe the rest of Elibe had we not dealt with it..." Vaida admitted to which caused Murdock to repeatedly blink at his colleague. "I'll regale you with the entire tale sooner or later... This land holds many wonders; if the tales that Heath relayed to me about Ike's homeland are true, then seeing is believing. I hope you like cats, Murdock..."
Murdock suddenly became confused and stared at Vaida as if she had grown a new head, with Zephiel even joining in on his retainer's expression. What was just revealed was nothing short of ludicrous. Elibe was threatened by an unknown sorcerer who wanted to bring back the dragons. Just as Murdock was about to inquire further, a knock on the door of the guest room cut off his line of questioning.
"Hello, Rolf and I are here to bring some food for everyone!" A young girl's voice called out. Vaida recognized the voice to be one of the younger girls living at the fort.
"If you're ready, we can give them to you." Another young voice added, assumed to be Rolf.
Everyone lost their vigilance for a moment, and Vaida turned to her liege, who nodded. She then took the initiative to open the door. They were greeted with the sight of bowls of stew and bread on platters. Holding the platters was a chestnut-haired girl with bright blue eyes, while the younger lad had yellow-green short hair and dark green eyes. They were delivering supper for everyone, including the retainers.
While it was a simple dish, the aroma stimulated the appetite of everyone in the room. They had not eaten supper the entire time they were here in Tellius. Even partaking in a peasant's meal (not that Murdock and Vaida minded) was something that they had to compromise on for themselves and their royal siblings' health. Then again, the meal looked delectable in the eyes of most people in the room.
"By all means, you can set them on the table," Vaida told the pair, who obliged.
Setting the food on the table, Zephiel seemed glad to even be given food. However, Guinevere's eyes and expression seemed to be sullen. As if she was disappointed by the current standard.
"Will that be our only meal...?" Guinevere muttered in a depressed tone.
"Guinevere!" Zephiel called out to his sister, who flinched upon hearing his scolding tone. She sniffled and immediately felt remorse for her thoughtless words. Mist appeared visibly worried that the dishes prepared were not suited to the tastes and aesthetics of nobility.
While Guinevere was given the best education and taught manners, her thoughts seemed to have slipped when given a simple meal. The father spoiled the daughter with a lavish lifestyle, love, and luxurious food that the average civilian would never partake in. Murdock and Vaida sighed as the huge contrast of being served at a palace versus a humble abode are vastly different worlds, which caused the young princess to say rude things. In other words, the lifestyle of a commoner versus a noble existed a huge disparity.
Just as Zephiel turned to Rolf and Mist to apologize, Rolf did not appear offended. On the contrary, Rolf remained smiling, as if expecting the best to happen.
"It's OK!" Rolf assured the siblings, who appeared surprised by the former's optimism. "I'm not too sure about everyone's palate, but I'm sure you'll love my oldest brother's cooking! He made everything from scratch, even the bread! Everyone who's eaten Oscar's food has always loved it! Try it!"
Zephiel and Guinevere were stunned, and their attention quickly turned to Murdock, who suddenly dipped a silver needle (that he carried with him at all times) into every bowl and nodded to verify that the meals did not contain arsenic. He and Vaida then took their respective spoons and scooped up from the bowls intended for their lords and ate. Murdock raised a single brow while Vaida's lips tilted into a slight grin. They then pulled apart some of the bread and sampled it. As they ate, there was a sense of satisfaction written on the expressions of Bern's greatest generals, as if they savored every bite (Vaida was far more visibly pleased than her colleague, who was far more controlled in his facial expression).
"It is safe and satisfactory. You may eat, Lord Zephiel and Lady Guinevere..." Murdock bowed and offered the meal to the siblings after the poison check.
It took a moment for Zephiel to nod, and he prayed for a brief moment before taking his spoon. Scooping up a spoonful of stew, he brought his food into his mouth. Guinevere watched her brother close his eyes as if in deep thought while the latter's mouth moved ever so slightly to chew his food. He opened his eyes to face Rolf, who held an expectant look.
"You said your brother made this?" Zephiel queried Rolf, who nodded with confidence.
"Yup, my eldest brother is the best chef in the company!" Rolf answered truthfully. "Mist still has a lot to catch up on if she wants to try to match him in cooking."
Mist then pouted and lightly hit Rolf with her elbow. She did not appreciate the comment that Rolf gave. Her father complimented her cooking every time (even though he appeared to be sweating more than usual when answering). Still, she knew that Rolf was right when it came to the difference between her and Oscar's culinary skills. She hoped that everyone could smile and enjoy her cooking someday.
Zephiel lightly chuckled at the display and enthusiasm exuding from the pair. He gave his ever-pleasant smile to address the hospitality given to himself, his sister, and his retainers.
"My compliments to the chef," Rolf appeared bashful at the praise from the Prince of Bern to Oscar. "A very simple dish, yet I could tell your brother used a light amount of spices to bring a subtle and pleasant aftertaste. The cream brings out a rich and savory flavor within the beef. I'm afraid I'm a tad bit envious you enjoy such wondrous cooking from your elder brother."
Rolf nodded and gave a great big smile to the young lord. "Yup! My brother Oscar's the best!" He then turned to Guinevere, who jolted slightly from Rolf facing her. "You should try it, too!"
Proper mannerisms aside, the dish given to Guinevere started to look more appetizing by the moment. She then looked to her brother, who gestured for her to try it with a smile. She nodded happily and prayed for a moment, repeating the same action as Zephiel. Taking a spoon, scooping her food, and taking a mouthful of stew, her eyes gleamed the moment it made contact with her tongue. Like her brother said, it was savory and not heavy on the seasoning. She enjoyed the stew, and while it was not quite as extravagant as a royal meal, it was not inferior in any way in terms of taste.
"It's delicious! Your brother's a great chef!" Guinevere exclaimed with a smile. Rolf nodded in agreement with the princess as she complimented his brother's cooking. However, the next moment she became sullen, worrying everyone in the room. "I'm sorry for being rude earlier. I didn't mean to insult your brother's cooking."
She regretted saying thoughtless words earlier when looking at the food brought to her. She was used to the lifestyle back in the castle, where her father, Desmond, would lavishly give her and her mother a lifestyle most would envy. Guinevere had grown used to being showered with love, amenities, and food throughout her life. However, in retrospect, it always felt lonely without her brother there to enjoy such things as her.
Then again... here she was, eating beside her brother. Even though this was an unknown land, every moment that her brother was with her was something that she cherished. There was a silver lining to this situation, something for the young princess to consider...
As she mulled over the matter, her thoughts were cut short with the sound of Rolf's voice the next moment. "It's OK." Her attention went to Rolf when he spoke up. "My brother was concerned for everyone before serving this food. Moreover, he hoped that after this meal, you could give some input for him to improve or change anything on the dishes, whether it be the appearance or the flavors. Just say the word, and he'll do his best to cater to your tastes!"
It was true. Oscar requested to see if there was anything to improve to suit the palate of the nobles present. From aesthetics to taste, anything he could do to suit their demands at this time. Zephiel shook his head while retaining his kind smile.
"That will not be necessary. But his meals are splendid. I do hope we can eat it often, even though I doubt we'll have the chance to do so while traveling to our destination. Although..." Zephiel's expression turned neutral, and he addressed the pair with expectant eyes. "Have some of the others decided to meet with me? Particularly, Sir Ike?"
There was much to discuss regarding the situation at hand. For that, they had to meet with the Lycian lords and Ike, the former having undergone similar circumstances as far as he could tell. Mist and Rolf blinked owlishly in response before the former decided to speak up.
"My brother?" Everyone turned their attention to her, with Vaida tapping her chin as if attempting to remember certain details. "My brother's not one for formalities or titles. If you keep addressing him like that, he'll become all bashful and awkward! On the other hand, maybe you should! Tee-hee!"
They weren't aware this girl was Ike's sister. Putting aside her lack of manners, she was not at all offensive to the royal siblings. Her way of teasing her brother was expected of a girl her age.
"Yup!" Rolf nodded in agreement with Mist. "I can't say I know about noble customs, but I can only imagine the look on Ike's face if you do that. Then again, everyone in the company might feel uncomfortable if you go ahead with formalities, save for Oscar. He's a former knight."
Murdock suddenly coughed into his fist, as if reminded of the time Ike met Queen Hellene. His mannerisms were far from the ideal, and that becoming a noble or knight would only garner trouble. His crude response and boorish manners to the queen were suddenly remembered by Zephiel, as it gave him a good laugh when his mother relayed what was spoken to her. Most would see Ike's way of addressing the queen as an act that should receive harsh consequences or mockery, yet his mother would fondly thank the sincerity and reassurance Ike gave her.
"Let me guess, would the idea of your brother acting like a noble or even bowing cause him to shudder from how itchy or cold it is?" Zephiel queried the pair in a curious tone, who immediately nodded.
His mother was right. His savior would abhor the idea of becoming a formal knight or noble. Formalities would make the young mercenary ill. Murdock would normally address any kind of disrespect or offense to his prince with hostility, but he remained docile around this time (although he seemed more tired to the point of avoiding having to list all the problems in mannerism). Perhaps a slight bit of jest would lighten his servants' spirits...?
"Hahaha..." Zephiel chuckled in amusement, with even his retainers and sister looking at him in surprise. "Surely the act of bowing cannot be that painful... He should be aware of all our customs before making that complaint; there are much worse rigid practices that I'm sure he'd faint from the amount to list and memorize." The pair laughed at Zephiel's statement, knowing Ike would hate committing to being prim and proper.
The work of a nobleman was never finished. Especially for the prince of a nation. Keeping up with formalities and appearances was a given. Even now, such frivolous behavior that Zephiel displayed just now would not be permitted in the presence of his father. While he was saddened by the lack of his father and mother in these circumstances, he was given a slight reprieve from the aristocratic way of life.
Unbeknownst to Zephiel, Vaida and Murdock knew that the king secretly wished his son would slip up even just a slight bit to discredit him. All the more reason he must remain the perfect heir, and his retainers be vigilant against all threats. Even so, everyone must learn to relax and be open every once in a while. Lest they break from the tensions or be overworked... But Zephiel brought up a humorous point to allow his bodyguard to loosen his tension. So far, it worked, with Murdock's expression softening.
"At any rate, my brother will inform you soon. By the way..." Mist trailed off her sentence, bringing the attention of the royal half-siblings to her. "What kind of nobles are you? I know that my brother is speaking with those from... Lycia, was it?"
"We're from Bern!" Guinevere replied with a cheerful expression. "My brother has the best generals in our land!"
Mist mulled for a moment before snapping her fingers. She was reminded that her brother worked in Bern for a while to act as a mercenary. He was assisted by Guy, Raven, Rath, and Lucius at the time when he continued his business there (along with arena fights). Eventually, they worked with former knights in Bern, who regained their status as knights after conducting a big operation.
The gist of the story told to everyone was that Heath temporarily was a member of the Greil Mercenaries in Elibe until the final battle and fondly enjoyed his time working alongside the entire group. He and his commander were accused of attacking citizens when the accusers were the real perpetrators. Their names were cleared after Ike helped them retrieve an artifact and helped someone from being assassinated.
"Oh right," Mist turned to Vaida, who was a wyvern rider mentioned by Ike. "You must be Vaida! My brother said that you and Heath are the best wyvern riders he's ever seen in action."
Vaida snorted and smiled at Mist's recollection. "And not the best flier? Though those sisters riding pegasi are not too shabby, I'll give them that..." With a prideful tone and confident grin, she said, "Remember the name of Vaida, the Dragon Fang General. Heath is my soldier. He will be the one to either succeed as a Wyvern General like Murdock here or become my equal."
Murdock sighed at his colleague's proud behavior. At least the young ones were marveling at the titles revealed by Vaida. Suddenly, Mist and Rolf paused for a moment.
"Wait a second..." Rolf trailed off as if suddenly reminded of something.
"You and Heath were said to return to your duties as knights... The Prince and Queen of Bern, along with the top-ranking general, vouched for your return... That means," Mist turned to Zephiel with widened eyes. Her mouth gaped in astonishment at the two before her. "That means both of you are—!"
Murdock sighed and pinched his brows. "Did he not reveal the identity of our liege? Then again, we should consider making a cover or alias in this land, no matter how unlikely we'd be recognized..."
Vaida wanted to speak up on the matter, but she went back to holding her chin. She pondered whether it was wise to reveal that the prince and princess of Bern were present in Tellius. Then again, this was a new world and continent. Their titles and names meant ultimately nothing to the inhabitants of this world, as their world and continent held no real connections aside from this current group.
All the while Zephiel's retainers were left to their thoughts, he watched the pair become frozen at their realization, amused by their reactions. They assumed that the group was from Begnion (based on the wyvern riders present), with the nation of Daein out of the question. Guinevere sat beside him, tilting her head as to why the two suddenly became shocked.
Zephiel then gave a playful wink and smile to the pair. He brought a single finger up to his lips as if to make a shushing gesture. He entertained the idea that he should make a false cover to hide his identity.
"I hope I can count on both of you to keep a secret... Call me, Zephyr..."
"I didn't think we'd reunite so soon..." Priscilla said with a smile to Heath, who nodded as he gave some provender to Umbriel and Hyperion.
The pair of wyverns growled in satisfaction upon being fed. They needed to obtain as much rest to prepare and leave with the others either by the morrow or tonight. Having just been informed by Anna that she would be unavailable, they needed to compromise by marching into the land of the beast tribe, Gallia. In any event, Ike's homeland was an oddity to those who had just arrived from Elibe.
With that in mind, he and Vaida would enjoy working alongside their fellow Elibeans to return home. The safety of the prince and princess was of utmost priority. Until then, Heath would diligently work alongside the people he knew would stop at nothing to assist everyone who would return home. Rath, Guy, Raven, Florina, and the Reed family were present in the stables with him.
"It will just be like old times, right, Heath?" Guy asked his former companion, who nodded.
"It's good that we are fighting together again," Florina added, but her expression was one of concern as she spoke. "We... We might fight against another nation..."
With how much trouble they've caused for the Daein army, it was unlikely they'd be let go for their offenses. They will likely blockade the Crimean-Gallian border to prevent their escape. It was pointless to avoid an altercation, even if there were non-combatants in the company.
"We've dealt with worse dire circumstances. We'll prevail..." Rath reassured the pegasus rider with a slight smile. "Besides, many of our comrades are present. The Daein army is no match for our forces."
The confidence exuded by the Sacaen, who rarely spoke, gave morale to the young pegasus knight. Despite being a target of an aggressive nation, they still held hope to survive this ordeal and succeed in returning their friends to Elibe. They couldn't admit defeat at this time...
"Instead of worrying about the army," Raven spoke up with an impatient expression, causing Priscilla to become concerned for her brother. "I'm more worried about why Heath and the others are here. Why have Athos and Bramimond worked together to send you all here?"
That was the major root of this entire debacle. Why would two of the Eight Legends conspire to summon them all here? Everyone present became stumped by the question presented by Raven. They could not wrap their heads around the issue.
Linus then clicked his tongue, as he was hoping for Anna to arrive by now. But now, they had to create a route even when it was to be swarmed with enemies. All to reach an abandoned castle near the Crimean-Gallian border. He was just about ready to tear into someone upon being informed by Legault of the issue (in which Lloyd had to restrain his younger brother's fury). At least Anna left behind a good amount of tomes and weapons before disappearing...
At any rate, they had more people to protect at all costs. They only hoped there wasn't too much chaos in Elibe over the disappearance of the major lords of Lycia and Bern. Then again, they were told that returning to Elibe was not urgent... as if it wasn't dire at all. Such a remark was something the entire Elibeans wanted to argue and dispute but couldn't, given the circumstances. For now, they had to accept in good faith that Anna had the solution to their predicament, with Jan and the other underlings to provide them with the full context.
"Lloyd... Linus..." Nino muttered in a sad tone, to which her elder brothers immediately turned their attention to their sister. "The prince... Jaffar and I... We..."
She and Jaffar were sent to assassinate Prince Zephiel. Though she and her lover abstained in the end, she still felt guilty for the incident. She didn't know how to approach the situation.
"Nino..." Lloyd's eyes filled with worry for his younger sister. Just as Linus was about to speak up, someone else cut him to the chase.
"You're not alone, for my commander agonized for being on the wrong side at one point..." Heath reassured the young girl whose attention went to him. "We are grateful for your mercy. You do not need to confess before our prince. We worked together and left on favorable terms. Murdock has agreed to not pursue the matter beyond what has already occurred."
While it was reassuring to know that Heath and the others kept the secret, Nino nevertheless felt the guilt settle deep in her heart. While the others were relieved, Nino's conscience did not give her any form of consolation.
A guilt that will give her grief for days to come...
"Think he's alright?"
Erk felt groggy as the aroma of food awoke him from his unconscious state. It seemed like it was time for supper. If he could recall, the voice he heard belonged to Boyd.
"Who cares..." Shinon's voice seemed slightly muffled with his mouth filled with food. "Why don't you wave your sweaty, used clothing over his head? That will wake him up."
"Oh shut up, Shinon!" Boyd told off the sniper, who shrugged in response. Boyd then turned his head to see Erk slowly getting up. "Hey, he's waking up!"
"Thank Ashera!" Rhys exclaimed as he was worried about Erk suddenly collapsing. "I'll get more medicine for you, Erk!" And the priest went off to obtain some more herbs and water.
"Oh, what a dream it was..." Erk moaned as he got up from his temporary bed.
Then again, it was no dream; it was a nightmare. Seeing Serra again was something no one anticipated. He dreaded meeting her again, whether it was in Elibe or Tellius.
"I know, right!?" Erk froze as he heard the familiar voice. "To think you were so happy to see me that you fainted... I'm happy to see you again too, Erk!"
Erk inhaled and sighed as his head turned to the source of the voice, creaking every moment as he turned. There she was, still enthusiastic, yet annoying to the studious mage. Yup, this was his reality now...
"Rise and shine, Erk!" Serra exclaimed in an excited tone. "We have a big day ahead of us. I'll need you to cater to all my whims from now on alongside Matthew..."
Erk felt as though his soul was sucked out of him. Now he felt sorry for Matthew, who seemed to be wrapped in all this mess for months... A mess or menace named Serra. While the pair were left to catch up, the people from Tellius watched the scene with a pained look as Erk was suffering from being in the cleric's presence.
"Sheesh," Marcia commented with a disgusted expression. She then turned to Gatrie, who was hesitant about flirting with Serra. "No wonder you stopped flirting with her after knowing her personality."
Marcia had just integrated into the group just recently, as having another pegasus rider would be helpful. As she just joined the company, there were plenty of nobles and retainers who arrived at the fort. The wyvern riders were not ones that she recognized from Begnion.
Meanwhile, Gatrie preferred women who were not so standoffish. While Serra was certainly cute to the armored mercenary, her personality was much left to be desired. Marcia was more desirable in that regard. Gatrie's eyes held a slight glint upon Marcia's attention going to him.
"What's that, beautiful?" Gatrie asked with a flirtatious grin. Marcia cringed at his attempt at flirting with her. "Already worried about me?"
"Oh, crackers... Knock it off, will ya?" Marcia replied to which Gatrie respectfully backed off. "By the way, I never thought that this group would be acquainted with wyvern riders. Most of 'em tend to be from Begnion and Daein, but I reckon they're not from either of them. I would have recognized someone wearing a pegasus knight attire to ride a wyvern any day."
Vaida's habit of not wearing comfortable, plain pants was an oddity. An act that would undoubtedly be painful for the rider. Then again, she appeared to be a veteran and exceptional rider. Marcia had no idea where they were all from, other than the fact that they all came from a place called Elibe.
Shinon clicked his tongue and scoffed. "All I know is that the whelp brought back more noble blue stockings. He's going to run this company to the ground if he thinks we can afford to bring back a bunch of pansies and escort them..."
No one anticipated that they would meet the pair of wyvern riders who worked with Ike and the others at one point, let alone the nobles who employed Ike. But Shinon held his suspicions towards the new group as they mysteriously arrived, and Ike conveniently was within the vicinity. He found the entire affair to be fishy, as the excuse for their appearance in Crimea was a terrible spell gone wrong. Not only that, they got into a skirmish with the Daein army, which may further aggravate and paint a bigger target onto their company.
"Oh, stop complaining! They were Ike's employers back in Elibe! So we should help them out," Boyd pointed out with a growing sense of frustration towards Shinon's attitude.
"Ha! Keep up with the bleeding heart, and you'll get dragged into the mud, whelp! We already have enough on our hands after a certain group decided to provoke Daein forces!" Shinon then grumbled as he fumed with anger. "Now we have to go to a damn beast country... Bunch of sub-humans..."
"Cheer up, Shinon!" Gatrie added, not flinching from the glare from his friend. "Wherever we go, we'll have lovely new comrades at our sides."
Boyd, Marcia, and Shinon rolled their eyes at Gatrie's behavior. His flirtatious attitude was worrying.
"Don't forget, Gatrie." The man's attention went to his best friend, who responded to him with a smirk. "The lovely new ladies you mentioned include a kid, an engaged woman, a scarred woman who looks like she'll spear you at a first attempt at flirting, and a sleeping beauty. Don't think you have many options, and I think Fiora is warming up to Oscar as we speak..."
Gatrie immediately felt a jolt and realization from Shinon's words. Lyn, Priscilla, and Nino (not that he would have flirted with the latter) were also taken. Titania, while admittedly beautiful and still young for a woman her age, was off-limits and enamored with Greil (not that he blames her; he respects her regardless of her feelings for the commander). Mist was completely out of the question and off-limits (he didn't want to die, and she was too young for him). Not to mention the fact that Sophia has been accompanying Soren, his options only included Florina and Marcia, and he hasn't introduced himself to the new guest (the one with green hair and orange dress).
He then turned to Marcia with an eager smile, only for the pegasus knight to raise an unimpressed brow towards Gatrie. Shinon and Boyd sighed at their friend's antics. All the while, they were watched by a beautiful acolyte who observed the group and the pair of Etrurians with a fond smile.
"Saint Elimine, may we continue undaunted by this perilous journey. Bless us as we have the greatest comrades that both worlds can offer..." Lucius muttered solemnly as he closed his eyes in prayer.
AN: By the time I realized it, I had a long chapter. This is meant to be a support base convo. One more interlude before reaching combat/main story chapter, in which the more important dialogue between major characters occur.