Gently rocking along to a smattering of waves in the early morning light, a large merchant ship drifts away from the Brigid Archipelago with purpose.
Aboard, as a gaggle of bare-chested men and scantily clad women work the ropes and sails under the watchful eye of a young cherry haired woman, an explosion of raucous laughter reverberates from a group of mercenaries relaxing on the lower deck.
"You did what?" a voice asks, mirth clear in his tone.
Leaning against the railing surrounded by a number of fellow sellswords, a young man with close kept black hair raises his arms up in a shrug.
"How was I 'pposed to know what she meant? 'Sides, you didn't hear the way she said it. I could've sworn she wanted to see my sword, not the hunk of metal on my waist."
Another round of laughter ensues while an especially muscled merc wraps his arm around the man's shoulder, "You're kind of an idiot Klein, you know that?"
On the opposite end of the deck, two men watch the goings on with mixed views.
"Those idiots are being too loud, they're going to distract Gráinne and the others."
Hopping off his seat and taking one step forward as his voice builds in his throat, a firm hand on the shoulder stops Zane in his tracks.
"Let them be. It's been a rough past few days and this is the first chance they've had to unwind. Driving them into the ground too much will only do more harm than good."
The ginger relents, returning to sit on a wayward barrel beside his captain. His gaze scrutinizes the offenders a moment longer then inevitably returns to the beautiful red-haired woman walking along the planks, hazel eyes following her every movement as she stops to talk to people or do some occasional menial work.
In his view she looks absurdly beautiful with everything she does, each casual movement as graceful as Seiros herself. When she bends down at one point to observe the knot on a particular length of rope, his focus is instantly drawn to her shapely rear, firmly outlined in the tight brown pants she tends to wear.
The young man's cheeks lightly redden as a plethora of shameful thoughts shoot through his skull, as well as memories of a particular encounter. Just the mere thought of that shared newfound experience makes his spine tingle with pleasure. Her skin had been so soft in his hands, her divine yet oh so devilish lips were…
A small shake interrupts his thoughts, "Are you listening to me?"
He looks dumbly at Jeralt for a moment, then straightens and averts his gaze, "S-sorry, you were saying?"
A beat of silence stretches between them.
"You've got it bad, huh?"
Looking back, Zane awkwardly scratches the side of his cheek, "What do you mean?"
The grizzled warrior's flaxen eyes bore into him with a harsh intensity before he sighs and his gaze returns to normal.
"Listen, I'm not your father, nor am I some devout priest that plans on lecturing you about the sanctity of communion or whatever unnecessarily complex words they use, but I will say this: this isn't an easy life we have, we're constantly on the move, not to mention that no sunrise is ever guaranteed. So, before you go stumbling into anything make sure you're thinking with this," reaching over he taps the young man's forehead, "and not with this," he gestures between his legs.
Zane's expression momentarily morphs into an easily discernable bout of shame as he averts his gaze.
The wheat haired man's face goes into his hands, "These fucking kids, Cichol strike me down."
Hearing the mutterings, the archer can't help but wince.
Another long sigh escapes his superior's lips as he speaks up.
"Whatever, it's none of my business. Just be smart. Brigidian women take matters of the heart seriously."
Zane stiffly nods.
"So don't die kid," the grizzled veteran adds after a moment.
The youth's head snaps to him, eyes widening.
"What do you mean," he asks, louder than intended.
The former knight flashes a teasing grin, "Who knows…"
The bearded mercenary lets out a hearty laugh as his companion's eye twitches.
"Zane!"
Jumping in his seat, the freckled archer looks up to see Gráinne staring at him in the near distance, waving him toward her with a smile. An awkward smile plays on his face as he waves back.
Then a strong clap on the shoulder pushes him off his seat.
"Go on then soldier," Jeralt says, motioning to the girl.
Zane grumbles under his breath as he walks away, desperately trying to ignore the chuckling behind him.
Turning his attention to the tall mountains and plethora of islands getting smaller and smaller in the distance, Eisner thinks on his time in the tropical archipelago. It was certainly a wild ride for sure, but ultimately, he's glad to have gone despite his initial reservations.
He's now able to recognize many of his failings more clearly and seeing that blue haired bastard wasn't the worst thing in the world. Annoying he may be, but it's undeniable he's a good man, especially with how he treated his son.
Thinking of Byleth, his eyes wander over to where the lad is relaxing on a railing, similarly watching the lush land disappear. He'll have to try harder from now on, ensure that he grows up right. Previously he thought that forging the boy into a warrior that could put himself to shame would be enough, but now he knows better.
For the love of the goddess, even Sitri in all her gentleness might have given him a smack on the head if she saw how things have been lately. The mere thought of his angelic wife waving a wooden spoon in chastisement is enough to bring an odd chuckle to his lips along with the ever-present stab of longing and loss that's stewed in his gut since the day he lost her. His precious Sitri…
The creak of the barrel next to him breaks his musings of green hair and a smile as bright as the sunrise. Looking over, he's surprised to see Zane taking a drink from his canteen.
"Back already?"
The ginger's eyebrows creak upward.
"Already? I was gone at least twenty minutes. Would've liked it to be longer but Gráinne's actually rather busy with everything. Were you aware that the sails need const…"
As his deputy begins to regurgitate the odd seafaring facts he learned from the trader, Jeralt is still stuck on how long he had sat daydreaming about his dead wife.
'God I must be getting old, not that I didn't already know that…' he inwardly muses.
"… so that's why it's called a poop deck. I always thought the name odd, but I suppose it makes sense."
The mercenary captain simply grunts in acknowledgment, letting the conversation fade into a comfortable silence. At least until Zane perks up with a lightly shy tone.
"Say, Captain. I… need to discuss something with you."
Sensing the seriousness undertone, Jeralt nods, "Go ahead."
"Right. Well, it's regarding your duel with King Lóegaire a few days ago."
He seems almost hesitant to say more, so the older man does it for him.
"Everyone saw, I know," he acknowledges quietly.
"Specifically, Captain, Byleth saw. Now, he hasn't said anything to me yet, but I'm sure once we're back home it's going to come up. How would you like me to handle it?"
For a long moment there's no reply.
"Even if he doesn't ask, I want you to start teaching him about it."
He looks deep into his subordinate's eyes.
"For him especially, it's important to know these things. I've kept him in the dark for too long already."
"Speaking of keeping him in the dark…," Zane trails off again.
The former knight begins to feel a headache coming on but waves the words onward anyway, "Out with it kid."
"Byleth… asked me what group of knights you used to belong to."
A beat of silence.
"What?" Jeralt whispers, disbelieving.
"He told me that you had said something about training with knights back in the day."
"Fuck."
Eisner is silent for almost a minute as he contemplates the matter. Then he sighs.
"I suppose… that you can mention them as well. In truth I'm probably making it more dangerous for him by not teaching him. Just keep it basic and don't go wading into the muck that's all that religious crap."
"As you say Captain," the ginger promptly responds.
"Zane?"
The younger man tilts his head to the side, "Yes?"
"Thanks."
Closing his eyes, Jeralt tries to calm his burst of worry and nerves. 'Who'd have thought it would be my loose tongue, not the battlefield, that would be the end of me.'
Perhaps, in some fashion, this is for the better. This secret keeping he's made a habit of in recent years has weighed heavily on his mind, so relieving some of that burden, while it may be nerve-wracking, might actually be a blessing in disguise. With that thought in mind, he decides to lay it all out on the proverbial table.
"Y'know Zane, seeing as we're clearing the air, I suppose that I need to be honest with you."
"Captain?"
"Let's not beat around the bush Zane. Lately I've been absent almost as much as I've been present, and my headspace hasn't been the clearest either. You deserve to know why. So… listen up."
Leaning forward, he rests his elbows on his knees.
"As you know, I have a vested interest avoiding the Church and any who represent it."
The lieutenant nods in his seat.
"Well over the past few months a knight that goes by Brennig has been annoyingly persistent in finding us. I guess he's heard whispers and is keen on investigating. This guy… I worked with him for a long time and if there's one thing he's good at, it's tracking. Keeping him off our scent was a right pain in the ass and my usual tricks were barely slowing him. Him breathing down my neck was putting a toll on me and I was more absent that I should've been, both in body and mind."
Digesting the lengthy confession, Zane's brow furrows.
"What's changed? Is this Brennig fellow not after us still?"
The flaxen leader grunts while a wry smile grows on his lips, "I should hope not. Let me tell you what happened before we left for this place."
***
Staring down at the bald innkeeper, Jeralt's eyebrow quirked upward, "And you're positive they believed you?"
The man nodded assuringly, "Aye sir. Heard 'em talkin' 'bout which towns in Gerth you might show up in."
"Did you physically see them go northeast?"
"Not me, but me lass that watches the stables told me so."
Nodding, the mercenary captain placed a few coins on the table.
"Very well. Thank you for your help."
Quickly reaching out, the man pushed the coins back toward him.
"Ahh, don't worry 'bout it. I owe you for helping us out. Me lass might not-"
"Take the money Kirk," Jeralt interrupted.
"You do right by me, and I return the favor. Simple as that."
The innkeeper, Kirk, stared at him for a moment, nervously fiddling with his mustache before yielding and sliding the coins off the table and out of sight.
"You be too kind, lad. Safe travels then."
"See you Kirk."
Raising the brown cloak above his head, Eisner headed out the door.
Mud squelching underfoot, he looped around to the side of the inn, toward the stable just next door. Walking there, he couldn't help but think on what the innkeeper had told him. If Brennig had truly left… well it was best not to get his hopes up too soon. Besides, Zane's been doing well without him and he's sure Byleth's the same.
Realizing he had stopped outside the entrance, he steeled himself and stepped under the roof. The scent hit him immediately: a combination of hay, shit, and the unique earthy smell that most equines emitted.
Scanning the relatively dark interior, he didn't see the girl nearby. Moving further back, soft mutterings caught his ear.
"Takes good care o' ya, don't he boy?"
A deep neigh reverberated amongst the wooden stalls, a soft giggle sounding just after.
"I bet."
Coming to an open stall in the rear he leaned against a beam of wood and watched as a young lass with braided dirty blonde hair ran a large comb through his horse's mane. She was in her own little world as she continued to groom and chat, his presence completely unnoticed.
"He must like you; I've never heard him talk so much."
As his deep voice filled the stall, the merc had to stifle a chuckle as the girl jumped, eye darting up to him as her cheeks quickly reddened. Her expression was adorable, if only it wasn't marred by the bandages wrapped around her head, covering her left eye.
After an awkward moment, she remembered to do her job.
"Are you leaving now Mr. Jeralt?" she asked, trying hard to not meet his gaze.
"Soon. Can you get Pike ready for me?"
"Yes sir."
Shyly nodding, the innkeeper's daughter, Lainey, stepped back while patting the animal's side. Understanding, the steed swiveled his head over to his owner, gazing at him with large brown eyes before snorting and slowly lifting himself onto his hooves. The jet-black stallion lazily rose to his full height, his muscled back as tall as his owner. Luckily the stable had a single oversized stall for horses of his caliber, or the duo would have been in trouble.
As the ostleress went to put her comb away, Jeralt motioned for Pike to follow him out of the stall.
"Wait, you ought to get a halter on 'em first!" Lainey exclaimed, noticing them. "Don't worry about it kid, this guy's not gonna go anywhere."
To her surprise, the stallion calmly followed him out of the stall and to an area more open and suitable to being saddled. Trailing behind them, the budding horsekeeper blinked her brown eye in surprise, an excited hop in her step.
"Wow, how'd you get 'em to listen like that?"
"Years and years of practice," he replied simply, chuckling.
Going to a corner, he grabbed the fashioned wooden steps there and placed them down next to Pike. Nodding her thanks, the still rosy faced girl happily climbed the steps to get closer to the horse's back and sides. However, even with their support she had to stretch her arms all the way up to barely reach the top.
Watching her do her work brought a smile to his lips, the image reminding him of Byleth looking awfully the same whenever he saddled Pike.
"Lainey?"
She hummed a response, not stopping or looking his way.
"Your father told me that you saw the knight and his squire leave. Is that correct?"
"Hmm, the knight left for Oxton yesterday, but big sister Alicia stayed behind to buy more supplies."
Nodding, he resisted the urge to laugh as a large weight lifted off his shoulders. If they left for Oxton then they truly think he's up in Gerth. 'Good riddance Brennig, you pesky bastard.'
Despite the sudden urge to go and take a long rest, he didn't forget to confirm all the details.
"So the squire left this morning?"
"Nope, that's 'er colt there," she replied, roughly indicating a closed stall nearby.
What did she say? He must have misheard.
"Sorry could you repeat that?"
Lainey glanced at him before responding.
"Her horse is right there, she ain't left yet."
Blinking at the words, Jeralt stretched his neck to look through the mentioned bars and spotted a young brown equine munching on hay in his bin. Suppressing the urge to curse, he whipped back to the would-be filly, already feeling a headache coming on.
"Did she say where she was going and when she was expecting to leave?"
He attempted to mask the urgency in his voice, but to little avail, his words coming out quicker than earlier.
"Lemme think… we were talkin' last night 'bout the stew Mamma Mabel cooked up."
The girl giggled, "Shoulda seen 'er, she was downin' bowl after bowl. I ain't even see Mister Wren's hogs pack it 'way like that…"
Nodding along, he tried not to rush her and let her get to the point.
"Anyways, I think she mighta' mentioned somethin' 'bout… um can you please move this to the other side?"
Hopping down from the stairs Lainey lightly tapped them with her muddy boot while looking up at him with her good brown eye.
Quickly picking up the portable steps he moved them to the other side of the impatiently twitching stallion.
"So Alicia…"
Trailing off he prompted her as she stepped up and began brushing again.
"Said she was gonna go shoppin'. The knight left in a rush, so she had to stay behind."
At that the wheat-haired mercenary leaned back against the wooden wall, thinking on the situation. 'Should I leave now or stick around to confirm?' In the end, as much as he would like to call it a day and depart with the best peace of mind in recent months, he really ought to see it through.
'Okay… there's not exactly many places to buy necessities here, so I could find her that way, but maybe it would be better to watch the stables…'
As he pondered on his options a voice rang out, the owner just out of sight.
"Lainey, are you here? I'm ready to go."
Turning to look at the girl in question who paused brushing the underside of his pad, she mouthed two distinct words. It's her.
Jeralt's adrenaline spiked as he quickly pulled his hood back up, grabbed the pad from the ostleress's hands, and began to lead Pike toward the rear of the stable where his stall was.
Glancing behind, he spied a young woman wearing brown leather armor come around the bend and enter the stable from outside, several sacks in hand. It was definitely her, he recognized her from a previous outing.
Her hair made her stand out in a crowd, a rare golden yellow louder than any blonde. Over his many years he'd only seen a few others with something similar and they'd all belonged to a now defunct noble family from Leicester. Whether she was a descendant was none of his business. What was, is why she had to show up at the worst possible moment.
"I'm right here big sister."
Walking up to the older girl, Lainey lightly waved her hand while flashing a smile. Upon seeing her, Alicia immediately dropped her bags and lunged forward to scoop the slightly smaller lass into a hug.
"Ahh my sweet Lainey. How're you feeling, any better?"
Pressed tight against the young woman's decidedly flat chest, the stablehand let out a loud giggle a rosy hue building in her cheeks.
"I feel the same as in the mornin' silly."
Humming an affirmation, Alicia stepped back and looked at the kid from top to bottom, taking in her intricately braided blonde locks down to her muddy work boots with bits of hay stuck to them.
"Well, I have something that should make you feel even better! Just give me a minute…"
The squire turned and began digging through the sacks she had hastily dropped by the entrance.
Sneakily watching the interaction from the far side of the stable, Jeralt shook his head in amusement. The position of squire seemed bound to draw interesting characters. A brief image of his own chatterbox, Alois, flashed in his mind before he put it aside, preferring to study the woman more in depth now that he had the chance.
If he had to put an age to her it would be in her late teens, though it was hard to tell due to her diminutive size, not being all that much taller than the pre-teen caring for the horses. She was also lacking the more pronounced aspects of a developed woman, at least on her upper half, but wouldn't be mistaken for a boy due to her decidedly endearing face framed by a short bob of sunshine hair.
His eyes also didn't miss the thin but well-trained musculature hidden under her attire, nor the dual daggers strapped to her hips. Those and the thin scar along her left cheek likely displayed a preference for getting in nice and close. Not unlike how Byleth does things he supposed, utilizing his smaller frame and speed to his advantage.
For his son it was something he would inevitably grow out of considering his own generous height, but for this Alicia, a viable tactic indeed, if not exceedingly dangerous. To be Brennig's squire she must be quite talented.
"Oh, here it is!"
Exclaiming loudly while pulling a small bottle out of a large brown sack, the knight in training twirled around and presented her findings with a beaming smile.
"Ta-da!"
"Um, what is it?" Lainey asked gingerly as she took the bottle from the woman's outstretched palms.
Placing her hands over the younger girl's, Alicia's smile transformed into a gentle grin while her voice became softer and quieter.
"This is a special salve that I like to carry with me."
Reaching up, she ran her fingers through the back of the child's hair and gently thumbed the bandages covering the upper left side of her head.
"It should help you heal faster and reduce the scarring. A girl as sweet as you deserves as much."
Gaily stepping away from her shocked companion, she proudly presented the top of her right wrist, where a small patch of lighter skin was present.
"See this? I got burned a few years ago, but a bit of that salve and I healed up nicely! I'm sure it'll do the same for you."
"This, but I can't… I can't accept this, it's too 'spenive!"
Reaching out, the woman lightly wracked her knuckles on the child's forehead.
"Hush now girly, you're going to take this gift from your big sister and that's final."
Without much warning, the stable girl threw herself into waiting arms, the sound of her blubbering filling the space. For almost a minute they shared that embrace, Alicia gently stroking the child's hair while smiling down at her. When they eventually parted Lainey rubbed her damp eyes and stashed the bottle in her pocket.
"Just remember to put a little bit on every night before you go to bed and you'll be right as rain in no time. Cethleann approved, promise."
Nodding with an embarrassed blush, the girl mumbled her thanks.
"Great! Now that that's taken care of, can you please bring Vaike out for me? I really need to set out soon or Sir Brennig will get mad at me."
As the stable girl scampered off to collect the brown colt, Alicia's hazelnut orbs began to wander, eventually meeting Jeralt's. The man quickly turned, resisting the urge to pull his hood tighter across his face, but the damage was already done.
The young woman called out to him in a cheerful voice and he could distinctly make out the sound of her footfalls coming closer.
"Hey there, I didn't notice you. Sorry for the commotion, I'd hate to have disturbed you."
Keeping his back turned, he made a show of shaking his head.
"It's fine," he replied simply.
Hoping she would let him be after her pleasantries, a loud exclamation directly behind him had his minor headache grow fiercer.
"Holy mother above, that's a huge horse! What are you feeding this guy, Noa's hair?"
Her sudden shout made his right hand involuntarily clench into a fist, but a twinge of amusement also flickered to life in his eyes.
"Hair?" he asked after a moment, confusion evident in his tone.
For a moment there was only silence, prompting Jeralt to sneak a glance. What he saw was an adorably embarrassed face on the young woman as she twirled a finger through her short hair.
"Um sorry, that was quite crass of me."
Stepping forward she eagerly began examining Pike in all his glory. The steed for his part didn't pay the squire much mind, content with his owner's steady left hand stroking his face.
"A-anyway, this might just be the largest stallion I've ever laid eyes on. His coat is so pretty too; I didn't even notice him due to the shadows."
The mercenary debated staying silent but ultimately decided it might draw her attention more.
"Yeah, Pike is one fine horse, bred from the best Bergliez had to offer."
Nodding sagely, the girl's focused gaze never left the warhorse's visage.
"Bergliez eh, that makes se- wait… what did you just say?"
A round of curses rested on the tip of Jeralt's tongue as she reacted to the name. He shouldn't have mentioned it, what if it was a known quantity to her? If she connected the dots…
"Oh. My. Goodness."
Punctuating every word, she twirled around to face him, flashing a beaming smile while her eyes similarly glittered in the darkness.
"This is unreal. My partner's name is Vaike and yours is Pike, they're practically the same!" she said with rapid excitement.
"Do you think they'd get along? Mine is over there, what if-"
As her face flushed and a veritable avalanche of words began flowing from her lips, a high-pitched reprimand from the entrance of the stable halted her in her tracks.
"Alicia, please don't pester my other customers."
Turning to look, Jeralt saw Lainey standing with her left hand on her hip and her right holding onto a lead connected to a lively brown colt. She would have looked quite stern if it weren't for her childish features and the constant jostle of being almost dragged off by the young horse.
"Ah, sorry Lainey, I got too excited. I'll come help you with that brat."
Turning to him, she lightly bowed her head.
"I apologize sir, if I inconvenienced you."
"It's fine."
Giving an apologetic smile, the girl trotted off to help reign in her young steed. His eyes briefly followed her before looking over at the juvenile ostleress, giving her a nod which she subtly returned.
Cute. Little girls sure are adorable, it almost made him wonder what it would be like if Byleth had a twin… But no, he could barely raise one as it is, and a girl would just be a whole other jar of worms that he'd very much rather not deal with.
Shaking his head to rid himself of that spontaneous line of thought, his eyes wandered back to the squire while the tenseness in his muscles slightly dissolved.
What an excitable brat. That sure wasn't how he was hoping things would go but there's nothing for it, he managed to pass muster and not be discovered.
Quietly saddling his own steed at a slow pace, he watched the two short girls doing the same with Alicia's, Vaike. Luckily, he wasn't nearly as large as Pike, but damn did that colt match his owner.
He just didn't want to sit still, constantly twisting and turning as the girls tried their best to brush and saddle him. Eventually the squire broke out a few carrots from one of her bags and managed to occupy the beast long enough for them to take care of the matter.
When all was said and done the two spoke a bit longer, though Jeralt did his best not to eavesdrop. Then after a long hug and a tearful farewell from the young girl, Alicia was on her way, slowly trotting out of the stable and into the wider world.
Almost immediately as he saw her depart, the sellsword nudged his mount and similarly made his way to the entrance, or rather exit in this case.
"I'll be heading out now Lainey."
At his voice the small blonde quickly turned, wiping the tears from her eye. She was sure getting emotional today, but he supposed it was expected.
Grabbing the hem of her brown work shirt in a twisted grip, she seemed ready to say something but paused as the former knight held out his hand.
"This is for you kid."
Blinking, she reached out and felt a few heavy coins drop into her hands. Taking in their luster, she rapidly raised her head but was again halted as the man's large hand ruffled her hair, an admittedly pleasant feeling if her expression was any indication.
"See you around, and get better soon you hear?"
Without waiting for her response, the tall sellsword put one mud encrusted boot in his stirrup and hoisted himself up. Wiggling around to get comfortable, he eventually grabbed the reins, prompting Pike to begin their trot out. Snorting, the sleek black horse complied after lowering his head and offering a gentle nudge against the side of the child's face.
The clatter of hooves against the ground and the imposing visage of a large man made positively enormous atop the back of the grand warhorse broke the small girl out of her trance. Feeling the weight of the coins in her palm and a gentle yet powerful warmth in her chest made the ever-present dull pain on her face fade.
"Be safe Mr. Jeralt," she called out, tears spilling to the ground once more.
***
Even with the size the pair of them made, staying out of Alicia's sight as they followed her through the surprisingly larger than expected town was rather easy.
It was a dreary day and not many people were out to draw attention to him, though then again not many people ought to be anyway, what with the next trade group another week away. In any rate, sticking close to corners and peering around buildings did the trick just fine, the novice squire clearly not displaying exceptional observation or wariness at being followed.
He was eventually pleased when he followed her out of the northern gate and onto the dirt road that inevitably lead toward Ochs territory. By all accounts he could have probably stopped there, safe in the knowledge that she wasn't headed for the western coast, but too many months of restless sleep and her and her knight's pursuit left him compelled to follow a bit longer.
An hour later and the landscape had changed rather considerably. Gone were the large boulders and mountainous rises of Fodlan's Fangs, instead was an increasingly dense forest that covered the gently sloping downhill.
Overall, it was an exceptionally boring tail.
The rocks and terrain on the mountains, the large trees of their current surroundings, and the winding path they've been on, coupled with Alicia's lack of scrutiny, made things much easier than they had any right to be.
Another few minutes and he's ready to turn around. She's likely headed for Oxton, just as Lainey had told him, and even if that's not her destination it's of no consequence as it's still nowhere near where he's going. Besides, who knew where Brennig was camped out? It would be quite the blunder to stumble upon the man simply because he got too eager in following his squire.
About ready to pull back and make the long ride to his encampment, Jeralt's eyes suddenly narrow, peering through the trees. Whereas before the lass's horse was contently trotting along the path, the colt was now twitching restlessly, refusing to move forward.
Despite not being able to hear her at this distance, he passively noticed the lass unsuccessfully attempting to reign in her steed. His focus wasn't on her however, it was on something in front of her.
For a moment he was tempted to do nothing, recalling the weeks of sleepless nights and headaches caused by Alicia and her knight doggedly tracking him to the ends of Adrestia. Then he saw trees toppling like dominoes as something big headed directly for the girl, the girl who despite being an immense pain in the ass, is a wonderful person only doing her job. A job that he used to embody.
Cursing under his breath for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Jeralt swiftly urged Pike into a gallop, his companion responding immediately with a ready eagerness. Swiftly darting across tangled roots and moss, a fierce roar resounded in front of them, along with the scream of a horse.
As his surroundings blurred past, he saw the commotion play out in near slow motion. Barreling out of the nearby foliage was a massive bear, its fur mottled with blood and the broken shafts of a dozen arrows protruding from its back.
The beast's small brown eyes looked crazed as it spotted the rider and her colt, a deep growl churning in its throat. Standing up to its full height it towered over the two and unleashed a bestial roar, Vaike rearing up in fright and throwing her to the ground.
Fingers tight around the metal pole gripped in his right hand, Jeralt's thigh's clenched tight against Pike in his saddle, momentarily stilling even as the warhorse flew forward in a wild dash.
As he brought his arm back, muscles rippling with power, he decided to go that extra step, a faint blue leaf like symbol materializing in front of his hand as he launched his lance toward the bear. In the blink of an eye it cut through the air, digging deep into the beast's fur and knocking it away as it was about to land a devastating swipe on the dazed woman.
Roaring in pain and anger, the beast pawed the side of the lance protruding from its fur, uncaring of the damage it did to itself as the weapon was ripped out and thrown to the ground. Looking around it quickly spotted the man and horse coming out of the trees and with a roar of challenge, barreled forward on all fours in a mad rush.
Eyes narrowing, Jeralt lowered himself further in the saddle, moving in conjunction with the fierce gallop to gather more speed as they moved to meet the bear head on.
Then, as the two monumental creatures were going to collide, the jet-black warhorse pushed off the ground in a mighty leap, sailing over the bear. Coming crashing back down, the two didn't slow or look behind even as a loud crack and even louder roar resounded, instead racing toward the startled girl.
Alicia was just lifting herself up off of the ground, a small trickle of blood descending from her forehead.
"Your horse ran to the west but he's still nearby. Get on Pike and move back!"
Calling out to the squire on his approach, she looked up at him dumbly as he swiftly dismounted and glanced behind to assess the situation.
"You're that man… you were following me?"
Hearing her question and incredulous tone, Jeralt looked at her with steely eyes and a set jaw.
"Now isn't the time for questions kid. You can't do anything here and you'll just be in my way. Now get on and move!"
The lass acquiesced as his commanding voice snapped her back to the ongoing situation. She'd been in her fair share of trouble and knew how to keep a clear head. Unfortunately, her diminutive size made it difficult for the woman to find purchase on the stirrup.
Without a word Eisner strode over and effortlessly picked her up at the waist, raising her high enough to get her foot in and climb atop the mount. To her credit, Alicia didn't comment on it, instead glancing toward the rapidly approaching mass of anger before urging the stallion onward.
"Don't die," she said simply, her eyes showing thanks but also a litany of unanswered questions.
The mercenary didn't respond, watching her and Pike go as he released a deep breath and turned back to the dilemma at hand. A massive bear soaked in blood and mostly shallow wounds running at him with the intent to turn him into mincemeat.
Right, just a normal day then.
Eyes narrowing at the rapidly approaching beast, Jeralt reached down and unsheathed his sword, hopping to the side and swinging the blade in the very next moment as the bear charged past and through the trees in its path. It's shallow, but he managed to cut into its flesh, drawing blood.
Grinding to a stop in a shower of dirt, the beast turned to face him, its eyes burning with ire as the ground boomed with the weight of several trees toppling to the ground. In the next second the former knight backstepped a heavy swing that tore through the air and rustled his hair.
Rolling out of the way of the next one, he seamlessly equipped the shield strapped to his back, calm and focus etched on his features.
Kicking off of the tree next to him, he moved just in time as a mighty paw obliterated the thick trunk.
Furious at being constantly evaded, the beast lunged and snapped at him with large yellow teeth, but Jeralt calmly faced the jaws of death and bashed its snout with his shield. Twisting in pain, the bear briefly disengaged, it's hunter taking the breathing room to circle around, trying to keep some trees between him and the beast.
When the bear came back to its senses a few seconds later it furiously searched it's surroundings, no longer seeing the man. Then, it let out another roar of pain and anger as an intense pain blossomed on its body, Jeralt having jumped off a tree and tried to impale the bear's head.
Unfortunately, its skull was much tougher than anticipated. Senses screaming that he should move, the veteran tried to quickly pull the blade out, but found it too deeply lodged inside.
Instead of moving as he should have, the mercenary found himself grasping onto the mottled fur of its neck for dear life as the bear threw its weight around and rolled to the ground in an effort to throw the man off. Luckily for both him and it, the beast was smart enough to not slam its head into the ground and both crush Jeralt as well as likely plunge the blade deeper.
As the bear twisted back onto all fours, it's hunter, stricken by the inspiration, grabbed his shield in both hands and raised it high. Blue light highlighting the shield as a magical symbol again materialized, he struck down onto the pommel of his sword as if hammering a nail.
In an instant the raging beast stilled, then collapsed with a dull thud.
Panting from the exertion as his muscles complained, Jeralt lowered himself to straddle the beast's thick neck and caught his breath. Tired eyes observing the blood spilling out of the newfound hole in the bear's skull, he reminded himself that things weren't completely done with yet.
Taking a moment to gather strength, the former knight popped himself on his knee and wrenched forth the gleaming blade, slick with blood. Rubbing it off as best he could on the soaked and filthy fur, he sheathed the sword and hopped down. A dull ache in his knees hit as his boots struck the ground, but he ignored it with a practiced ease, surveying his surroundings.
He could still see the poorly kept path in the distance, not having wandered too far off. His immediate vicinity was a mess though. Upturned dirt from the charges and halts of the bear, felled trees littering the ground and dangerously sounding ones ready to join them, things weren't pretty.
'Not too bad,' he thought to himself, nonetheless. Not many could take on a regular bear alone, let alone a magical beast like this one.
In any other instance he would have had his men harvest it for parts, but he still had a headache to deal with. It wasn't long until a clatter of hooves signaled someone approaching. Looking back as he picked up his discarded and bent lance from the ground, two horses and Alicia greeted him.
Her silence spoke volumes as she took in the surroundings with clear shock and awe present on her face.
"You… how did you…"
She looked at him and he saw something click after a few moments and resisted the urge to sigh.
"You're Jeralt, the Blade Breaker," she stated, not at all a question.
He had taken off the obscuring cloak he was wearing, deciding he didn't want to have the blood-soaked garment sticking to him.
"I am," he replied simply.
She sucked in a breath, staring at him hard before her gaze again wandered the scene. Slipping down off of her colt, Vaike, who she had evidently calmed, she walked forward until she stood only three feet away.
Seeing as the top of her head didn't even reach his shoulders, she had to crane to look up at him. It wasn't hard for him to read her emotions, her face cycling between confusion, thanks, anger, and finally settling on determination.
"You abandoned your post Captain."
"I did."
At his straightforward admission, her lips froze, her next words dying in her throat. He chuckled. He couldn't help it really; it had been a long day and she looked too adorable with that flabbergasted look on her face.
If it was Brennig in front of him he would likely have been in a very different state of mind. Something about this girl though, her innocence perhaps, made him feel as if everything was going to be fine in the end.
Hearing his chuckle, Alicia's lips turned into a pout as she glared at him before she realized what she was doing and tried to regain her serious demeanor.
"I-I see."
Taking a breath, she gave him as hard of a look as she could muster.
"Well then are you aware that a knight has been following your trail for months? Sir Brennig-"
"I know, I've been avoiding you guys."
Her stern eyes went round. "O-oh."
This time he laughed, he laughed hard. All the stress from months of evading, the fear of him and his son being dragged back to the church, it seemed so funny in the moment. This is what he was running from? A little girl playing soldier?
As his chest rumbled in amusement, her pout returned.
"Hey, I was trying to be serious there," she complained.
Taking a few steps forward Jeralt reached out and tussled her golden yellow locks, "Yeah kid, I know."
Stepping back, her eyes shot daggers at him for a moment, then softened as she shook her head.
"I don't know what I'm doing," he heard her mumble.
Looking up, she lightly bowed.
"Thank you for saving my life. If you weren't here… well, that would have been it for me."
Her voice was nothing but sincere as she flashed a warm smile. Nodding, Eisner crossed his arms.
"You're welcome kid. If you want to repay me then you can do me a favor."
Tilting her head to the side, her bob of hair hung down.
"Simply put, don't tell Brennig about this. Specifically, don't tell him about me. As far as you guys know I might still be dead, and your next lead is taking you to Oxton."
Humming in thought for a second, Alicia sticks out her hand.
"Okay, deal."
He knew it would be easy with her. He grabbed her hand and gives it a firm shake.
"I know I'm Sir Brennig's squire but as you said I owe you one."
She looked over at the dead bear, "Not just for this but also for saving those townsfolk and Lainey."
Her fists clenched at her side.
"The church can't be everywhere, especially not when the emperor seems keen on pushing us out."
She looked up into his eyes with more spirit that he saw earlier, "I joined up to help protect people all over Fódlan, but I know it's impossible. This world needs people like you Sir Jeralt, and I'm not going to prevent you from helping people by dragging you back to the church. I don't know why you left, but everywhere we've went looking for you I've heard stories of people you've helped, people that the church never would have gotten to. So yes, I'll do this favor, it's the least I can do."
Well, although unexpected, the long monologue wasn't the worst thing to hear. Jeralt took a long moment to look at her. It was refreshing to see such unwavering faith and dedication to helping others. That was perhaps what he missed most about his time with the Knights.
This new generation wasn't so bad.
"Thank you, Alicia, but don't call me Sir. Those days are behind me."
Walking over to Pike, he securely attached the bent lance before stepping up into the saddle. He noticed her watching his every move with rapt attention. Her gaze brought back memories of leading the Knights, thousands of eyes looking upon him with reverence and determination.
He never felt he deserved such respect. At the end of the day he was just a man, as fallible as any other. He may be stronger than most, and may have acted under the Goddess's name for much of his life, but he was in no way divine. For him, Fódlan's fate has always lain in the hands of men and men alone.
That was always his belief anyway.
Taking a long look into Alicia's warm brown orbs, he saw something there, something worth nurturing. Under him, the jet-black stallion was eager to get a move on, but he kept him still, having one last thing to say.
"You have the makings of something great in you kid. There's a fire in your eyes that can't be faked, a fire that wants to grow and be let loose. When you catch up with Brennig, ask him to teach you Finesse Blade."
Turning to trot toward the path, he turns one last time and grins, "Just don't tell him you heard about it from me."
The blonde woman's face lit up and she yelled her thanks as Jeralt moved on, Pike speeding through the broken trees. It was time to get back, a bed was calling his name.
***
Taking a long drink of water to wet his parched throat, the mercenary captain looks over at Zane who was still processing all of the information.
"Alicia sounds like an interesting person," he says after a while.
"Whoa now, are you already gunning for another woman pretty boy?"
Zane quickly shoots the bearded man an annoyed look, ignoring the sound of his chuckles.
"I mean that perhaps it's rather fortuitous that you ran into her. She can keep hers and other knights away from our trail should they catch a whiff."
"That's the dream kid, that's the dream."
A rock of the waves sends a spray of water aboard the deck, the droplets of water glinting in the sun now firmly in the sky.
"Seeing as we don't have any immediate plans once we dock, it may be wise to head further into Menja territory before coming out in Hevring. We also haven't been to Eastern Adrestia in some time."
Jeralt waves his hand, "We were gone for a good while, and I have some trust in that lass all things considered. Even if we went back up to Ochs I'm sure it would be fine. But," he says, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to play it safe so I'll give a tentative okay to that."
Standing up, Zane nods.
"In that case I'm going to go take a look at our maps and ledgers, I can start planning a potential route."
Not going to be left behind, the captain similarly rises and does a light stretch.
"I'll come with you, I've been wasting away on this barrel long enough."
As the two begin to make their way to the door that leads below deck, an odd crowd blocks their path.
"What's all this?"
Zane shakes his head, "I don't know, I wasn't paying attention."
Moving his men out of the way, they seem completely distracted, staring at something he can't see yet.
"Where'd she pop up from?"
"Look at 'er. Do you see the size of 'em…"
"Oi, that's me wife, stop lookin' at 'er!"
As they push through, a litany of mutters about some woman reach the two's ears, making them curious as to cause.
All of sudden, the crowd breaks out in a chorus of cheers and whistles as the boat again lurches.
"Atta boy lad!"
"I taught 'em that you know."
"No, you didn't Klein, shut your trap."
Finally having enough after a merc inadvertently jostled into him during their cheer, Jeralt lost his temper.
"Enough! Stop standing around like drooling idiots and let us through, we need to get by."
Turning to look at him, several men mumble an apology and move out of his path.
Now having room, the leader takes one step forward before pausing at the unexpected sight in the near distance.
A curvaceous woman in a form fitting green dress talking with Byleth by the railing.
Bringing up a hand to rub his eyes, the father can't believe what he's seeing.
Why were the boy's hands buried deep into the woman's breasts while she hugged onto him? He watched as the two calmly separated from each other and the woman ruffled the boy's hair.
In that moment, one thought dominated his mind, "Who the hell are you?"
*****
Hey Folks! My longest chapter yet done and dusted. I hope you enjoyed it! By the way, I'd be pleasantly surprised if any of you can figure out why I decided to name Jeralt's horse Pike, a hint is that it relates to another character from another story entirely, in a world overrun by monsters... Lol it's not anything super deep, just a subtle connection I thought would be fun.