41author's note: "futatsu boshi," or "a pair of stars," is the last planned installment in my three part series of HubertxPascal fics. I say "planned" because my brain likes to do crazy things sometimes, and I'm already writing random drabbles and other pieces that take place during the same timeline.
This is the first chapter of three and is set six months after "negai." Not a lot of romance in here, but it's the setup for something good, I promise. I would appreciate any critique of dialogue anyone could offer because I spent quite a bit of time writing two characters I'm not familiar with and one of my own creation. Raymond and Marian just don't talk enough in-game for me to hear them in my head the way I do Hubert and Pascal. But anyway, any comments are always appreciated, no matter what they have to say. I'll be following up with the next two chapters soon.
Title is taken from the CHARCOAL FILTER song of the same name; chapter titles inspired by Owl City. Arnauld is my own creation and I wish I could draw because in my head he is a TOTAL QT. :)
Enjoy!
futatsu boshi
part one - gold
In the nation of Strahta, February was an unexpectedly beautiful month. While Windor found itself covered in snow and Fendel's citizens braced against a bonechilling cold, the usually hot cities of Yu Liberte, Oul Raye, and Sable Izolle grew cool and comfortable. Their clear, sunny days and mid-range temperatures attracted tourists, vacationers, and even residents who were otherwise reluctant to venture outside in the other months. This difference was especially appreciated by one Hubert Oswell, whose birthday fell on a date in early February. Hubert had experienced his first few winters in Lhant, more often than not shivering outside in the snow as his older brother cavorted about and made lopsided snowmen. In Strahta, his birthday had always been on a temperate day - and though it had not been celebrated, he had always made a point of enjoying the beautiful weather.
Hubert's nineteenth birthday had come and gone with as much fanfare as he could have expected. Pascal had baked a clumsy attempt at a birthday cake, and although it had proven inedible, the gesture had been appreciated. A few of the men in his unit had known of the date, and had wished him their best in passing. He had pretended to be annoyed, at first, but their kindness had been too much to ignore. And he had received a letter from Asbel and Cheria, whose wedding he had attended only a few days before, wishing him well as he grew a year older. There had been no parties, no loud celebrations - but he hadn't wanted them, hadn't felt any urge to turn the day into anything more than it had been. He had been happy enough sitting outside on that evening, perched on the roof of his rented home, enjoying the cool night with Pascal by his side.
Since that day, he had scarcely had time to breathe, much less enjoy the weather. There was a major military operation going on in the desert, and the task had fallen to him to command it. With foot traffic resuming between all three nations, Dylan Paradine had sought to resolve complaints that the monsters in the deserts surrounding Yu Liberte were too vicious for casual travelers. He wished to promote tourism to the region, and that meant removing as many monsters as necessary. It was a dangerous task, but Hubert and his men had been ready for the challenge. And for the ten days following his birthday, he had spent nearly all of his time in one section of the desert or another, assisting his troops with the task of eradication.
On the eleventh day, Hubert stood on the front steps of the capitol building in Yu Liberte, his blue eyes fixed on the group of thirty men gathering before him. It was late in the afternoon, nearly five o'clock, and he was eager to address the men before they departed for their final night of duties. They had made great progress, prior to that day, and had only a small area of the desert east of the city to cover. The most vicious attacks had been reported there, thanks to an apparent nest of Stormheart Dragons - but they'd had no luck in finding the nest, and had even begun to wonder if the dragons hadn't somehow eradicated themselves. Even so, Hubert had decided to make one final overnight camp in the desert, upon which they would do a thorough sweep for any remaining monsters and take the appropriate measures.
"Alright," he called to the group, watching as each of the men quieted and shifted their attention to him. He scanned their faces, all now familiar to him, until his eyes met those of his former cousin's. "Raymond," he spoke, motioning to his side, and the aide hurried to climb the stairs and stand beside him, turning to face the crowd as well. "Tonight," Hubert began, raising his voice, "will be our last in the deserts of Strahta."
The group erupted into cheers. The blue-haired man chuckled, allowing them a moment of celebration before he continued. "Our hard work has already paid off," he said, "and will continue to have an impact for many months, if not years, to come. Our eradication efforts have already resulted in an increased flow of foot traffic between the cities of Strahta, and soon, we can expect an increase in visitors from Fendel and Windor." He nodded firmly, folding his arms together. "Our final mission will be to investigate the deserts east of Yu Liberte for any remaining signs of vicious beasts. Although we have not located the dragons reported to be roaming the region, I feel that it would be safer to perform one final sweep of the area prior to declaring our mission a success."
There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd at this, and Hubert was relieved to hear them. He glanced to the man beside him, adjusting his glasses once before speaking, raising one hand to gesture to the brunette. "Raymond will now review the offensive and defensive formations at the site of our camp. Afterwards, please ensure you are fully stocked on supplies and prepared for an evening in the desert. We will depart in an hour." He scanned the faces of the crowd again. "Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Very good." He nodded. "Raymond?"
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Hubert's former cousin bowed slightly to his commanding officer, then turned to address the soldiers in front of him. "Should we meet with any monsters this evening, we will rely on two basic formations. With regards to our offensive tactics..."
The rest of Raymond's statement was lost to Hubert's ears as he entered the capitol building, shutting the door tightly behind him. The blue-haired man smiled to himself as he walked quickly in the direction of the stairs to the second floor, his mind already moving away from the subject of his mission. He was glad that he was able to rely on Raymond; despite his uncle's movement to disown Hubert, the older Oswell man had been surprisingly nonchalant about the matter, insisting that such a personal thing would not affect the way he operated as a member of the military. Though he lacked any kind of rank above the menial aide-de-camp title - mostly because he hadn't yet acted in a way that would merit a promotion - he had moved past his questionable actions and re-dedicated himself as a member of the younger Oswell's unit. Being able to rely on someone was a comfort to Hubert, who had become all too used to the idea that if a man wanted something done correctly, he would simply need to do it himself.
He climbed the stairs and moved swiftly up the hallway on the left side of the second floor, past several open and closed doors that led to a variety of offices and meeting areas. As the day drew to a close, many of the government and military employees who worked in the capitol building had already departed for home, and the usually bustling hall was completely empty. He reached his destination at the end of the hallway, arriving at an open door with a simple gold-plated label on the front that read "research & development." Knocking wasn't necessary - it never was - and the blue-haired man simply entered, clearing his throat as he did so. "Hello?" he called, his eyes sweeping the seemingly empty office. "Pascal - "
"Oh, Lieutenant Oswell!" A soft voice sounded in his ear, and Hubert jumped, startled, as a tall young man seemed to materialize out of thin air beside him. "I'm sorry," the teenager apologized immediately, motioning to a bulletin board on the wall immediately beside the door. "I was updating this..."
"Apologies are not necessary, Arnauld." Hubert chuckled, shaking his head. Arnauld, Pascal's assistant, was an unusually tall, stocky Amarcian teenager with long layers of green and white hair that all but covered his golden eyes. Although he appeared built for combat, thanks to his build, he was a gentle, soft-spoken young man of sixteen who had no interest whatsoever in fighting. Pascal had chosen him specifically as her assistant, although the story of how he'd come to live and work in Strahta was a long and interesting one. "I had hoped to speak to Pascal before I departed for the evening," Hubert explained, nodding once at the unoccupied desk that sat near the back wall of the large office. "Have you seen her recently?"
"I think she went to talk to Mr. Paradine about something." Arnauld pinned a sheet of scribbled notes to the board in front of him, bending slightly to examine its placement. "I thought you'd already left, Lieutenant Oswell. Miss Pascal probably did, too."
"Not just yet." He put a hand to his chin, examining the board. "What is it that you're planning this week?"
"Well, we're hoping to go ahead with the audio communication system." The young man's voice brightened. "Miss Pascal's been testing it with Miss Fourier, and after we worked out some of the interference problems, and isolated the source of energy - "
"I'm afraid I have no need for a technical explanation, Arnauld." The lieutenant waved one hand at him, chuckling again. "But I am glad to hear that it is moving forward. Pascal has been very adamant about implementing this particular project, even if only in public places. It could truly revolutionize the way we communicate."
"Yes, but..." Arnauld sighed. "To be honest, I'm not sure if it will work on a larger scale. We're just not able to generate enough electricity from the cryas. And then there's the problem of quality loss after a period of time..."
"You will figure it out." Hubert nodded. "Between the two of you, I highly doubt that anything could be considered impossible. It is amazing how many of this world's problems a mere two Amarcians can resolve - "
"Huuuuuuu!" He never finished his sentence: a flash of blue, white, and red flew at him from the hallway, and he barely avoided toppling to the ground as Pascal sprang on him, hugging him tightly. "I thought you left again!" she exclaimed, apparently oblivious to the fact that he was struggling to stand upright. "I'm sooooo glad you're still here!"
"Pascal," he uttered, immediately impatient, "what have I told you about doing such a thing in public - "
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But there's like nobody here." She detached herself from him, rolling her eyes as she took a step back to straighten out the coat of her Strahtan uniform. After her appointment to the head of Strahta's newly formed research and development department five months prior, Pascal had become an invaluable member of Dylan Paradine's personal cabinet. With the help of her assistant and various other volunteer personel, she had spearheaded a surprising number of projects and developments, including solar-powered energy, cool and warm air systems, water purification and reuse, and - most recently - a long-distance audio communication system. She remained as vibrant and energetic as ever, but her energy had been put to good use improving the quality of life in Strahta, not to mention Windor and Fendel. "I saw all the soldiers running around out front, so I was sure you had left already, or were out there commanding them and stuff," she remarked cheerfully. "But here you are!"
"No, we are not prepared to leave just yet. But we will be departing for the desert east of the city very soon, so I thought to come say goodbye until tomorrow." He glanced to Arnauld, who had already turned away to shuffle through a stack of folders on Pascal's messy desk. Hubert had to smile at this: the teenager knew full well what kind of relationship his superiors had, but was too respectful to stare or comment on it. Although it was a small thing, it was something the lieutenant greatly appreciated. "I will return in the morning," he continued, bending to press a kiss to the top of Pascal's head. "Afterwards, I should return to a more normal schedule."
"That's good." She beamed up at him. "It's been totally boring without you around. I mean, Arn's kept me company and stuff, but... it's just not the same, you know?"
"Yes." He nodded. "Who would have thought that a mere ten days apart would cause us such distress?"
"Well, I kinda figured." She sighed, lowering her voice slightly. "I really have been missing you a whole heck of a lot. It's not like I can't take care of myself, but it totally sucks going to bed alone and everything..."
"It will all be over soon." He bent to her again, and - sparing another glance at Arnauld, whose back was now turned - this time placed a kiss on her lips, carefully twining his arms around her slender waist. She leaned into him immediately, lifting her hands to rest against his shoulders, and they shared another long kiss after the first one was broken. Hubert released a sigh of his own when they parted, reluctantly releasing her from his embrace. "But it is exactly as you said," he told her, softly. "Sleeping alone is... difficult."
She gave him a slight smile, patting him gently on one cheek. "It's okay. Being away from you makes me love you more, and stuff."
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, is what I believe you mean to say." He turned his head to kiss her wrist, cupping her hand in one of his own, and his fingertips brushed across something cold and metallic on one finger. He blinked, pulling her hand around into his line of vision, turning her fingers over until he saw what it was he had felt. "What's this?" he asked, nodding at a golden band on her ring finger.
"Oh! Yeah! I totally forgot." She laughed excitedly, pointing at the ring. "Remember when we were on Fodra, and I made those rings out of derris ore for me and Captain to wear so we could use Sophie's power like the rest of you guys? I stopped wearing mine as soon as I didn't need it, but I kept it in my stuff all this time. I was cleaning up my room a couple nights ago and found it again. I thought I'd wear it for a little while, for old time's sake."
"... you were cleaning?"
"Hu..." She made a face up at him. "Come on. I'm not that irresponsible."
"I beg to differ." He snorted, lifting her hand to more closely examine the ring, ignoring the annoyed look she sent him. "I do remember this," he remarked, "but how in the world did it become so... filthy?"
"Oh yeah, I guess it is kinda dirty." They both looked down at the golden band, which was dull, worn, and even seemed discolored in several places. She tilted her head to one side, looking from him to the ring. "I guess it's because I wore it the whole time we were traveling and fighting with monsters and stuff. As soon as I didn't need it anymore, I just kinda tossed it aside." She laughed. "And not a minute too soon, 'cause Cheria still thought it was an engagement ring even after I told her it wasn't. As if Captain and I would ever get married!"
"Cheria's thoughts on marriage have always been somewhat... skewed. But that is of no matter, now that she is the Lady of Lhant." Hubert laughed to himself before bending to carefully slide the ring off of Pascal's finger, turning it around in his hand to inspect it. "I will be passing by Marian's shop on my way to purchase supplies for the evening," he remarked, squinting at the band that rested in his palm. "Shall I ask her to polish this on your behalf? I am sure it would be something she could do."
"Ooh..." She blinked up at him. "You think? I mean, it's got some sentimental value and stuff, but it's probably not worth very much..."
"Not in its current form, perhaps." He closed his fingers around the ring, a slight smile forcing its way onto his mouth. "But such a thing may have more value than you realize."
"... huh?"
"I only mean to say that this type of metal does not exist on Ephinea. It may have significant value to a collector of rare goods and gems." He slipped the ring into a pocket on the inside of his uniform's coat, glancing over the top of Pascal's head as Arnauld moved away from the desk to a large filing cabinet against one wall. "I should be going. I will see what Marian can do with your ring prior to our entrance into the desert. I expect to return by the time you report to the capitol building tomorrow morning." He cleared his throat, raising his voice. "Arnauld?"
The teenager spun on his heel, golden eyes wide beneath a few errant strands of his pale hair. "Yes, Lieutenant Oswell?"
"If I could ask for a favor..."
"Of course!"
"Please keep an eye on Pascal for the rest of the evening. I fear that going so long without my supervision has caused her to become somewhat crazed, if she has resorted to cleaning her room." He smiled, pretending not to notice the frown that immediately appeared on Pascal's face. "Although she will not admit it, I am certain she is feeling lonely right now. So you are more than welcome to keep her company for the evening."
She shook her head at him. "C'mon, Hu, don't tell him that..."
"He's right, Miss Pascal. You've been acting a little less like yourself since Lieutenant Oswell first left last week." Arnauld crossed the room to meet them, smiling. "Actually, for the first two or three days, it seemed like all you were able to do was sit at your desk and mope..."
"Arn..." Pascal gritted her teeth, abruptly jumping up to sling an arm around the tall Amarcian's neck, yanking him down to her level. "Don't say things like that in front of him!" she commanded, pointing at Hubert. "I wasn't moping at all! I was thinking about how to get stuff done, and... and stuff!"
Arnauld smiled despite the tight vice that Pascal's arm was making around his neck, coughing once before he spoke. "Sorry, Miss Pascal..."
Hubert sighed, shaking his head. "Pascal, don't be so hard on the poor boy. It must be taxing enough being your assistant. There is no need to strangle him on top of that."
She narrowed her eyes up at him. "You're next, mister."
"And for what reason?"
"I am not lonely!" She jabbed a finger into his face, apparently not noticing her arm tightening around Arnauld's neck, causing the teenager to wince and gasp for air. "In fact, I'm glad you've been gone! I get a ton more work done when you're not walking around here distracting me!"
"I am the distraction? I beg to differ!"
"M - Miss Pascal..." Arnauld gently patted Pascal's arm with one hand. "Could you... let go, please?"
"Whoops! Sorry, Arn." She released him immediately, watching as he straightened up to his full height, rubbing at his neck. After a moment she shifted her attention back to Hubert, and the anger fell out of her face completely when she saw the smile that had made its way onto his mouth. She breathed out loudly, shrugging, and leaned up to plant a kiss on the lieutenant's cheek. "You better get going, Hu," she said. "I can strangle you when you get back, yeah?"
"If you still feel the need." He patted her on the head once before they drew away from each other, and they shared a short smile before Hubert stepped back, nodding to both Amarcians in turn. "I will see you both sometime tomorrow morning," he said. "Please do your best to stay out of trouble until then."
"Yes, sir," Arnauld answered, cheerfully. "I'll keep an eye on Miss Pascal tonight."
"Oh, whatever." Pascal waved a hand at her assistant, dismissing his remark, but the smile remained on her face as she looked up at Hubert. "Stay safe out there, alright?"
"I will." He nodded to her again before turning on his heel to leave the office, walking out into the hallway. He was halfway down the hall before he thought to look over his shoulder, just in case - and he saw Pascal peeking out of the door, her amber eyes fixed on him. He stopped in place, sighing softly, raising his hand in a wave. The look she gave him at first was a concerned one, but she gradually smiled again, returning his wave with one of her own. "I will be back," he said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear. "I promise."
She nodded once without speaking, apparently reassured, and then disappeared back into her office. With that, Hubert began walking again, picking up his pace as he reached the stairs. He still had to purchase supplies for the evening, and make a detour to speak with Marian. He had no time to waste if he wanted to ensure that his men left the desert on time.
"Hey, Hubert!"
"Hello, Marian." Hubert nodded politely at the dark-haired woman as he approached her stall, a canvas bag of supplies slung over one shoulder. The young woman leaned forward to give him a grin as he arrived in front of her, folding her arms together on the counter, and he offered a slight smile of his own in return. "I trust you have been well?"
"As well as I was the last time you stopped by. We've been seeing a lot of each other lately, haven't we?" She laughed. "Did you come to pick up those gems you left the other day? I've been done with them for a while."
"Oh, yes. I had all but forgotten about those." He reached into the pocket on the inside of his coat, ensuring that Pascal's ring remained safely tucked away there. "But I have something else to leave with you, if you are not too busy."
"I'm never too busy for you, Hubert." She winked at him before turning away from the counter, moving into the back of the shop. The lieutenant waited quietly as she rummaged through shelves of merchandise before returning to the front with two small cloth bags. "This one was pretty normal fare," she said, upending the first bag on the counter. "You just found these sitting around in the sand, right?"
"Yes." He nodded, reaching forward to lift one of the gems into his hand, turning it around in his fingers. "During the eradication missions. They originally looked as if they had been discarded for many years, but..." He looked over the others before placing them back in the small bag. "As usual, you have greatly improved their appearance. Are they of any value?"
"Not really." She shrugged. "They are old, but that's about it. Most of them are too small to be dualized with any equipment or anything. But this one..." She eagerly grabbed at the second bag, pulling open the drawstring. "This was really interesting."
He lifted an eyebrow, watching her. "Oh?"
"I've honestly never seen anything like this. When you brought it in, it was caked in dirt and sand, and only a little bit of the side was showing - remember that one?" He gave her a nod, and she opened the bag, carefully withdrawing a flat, fist-sized stone that was deposited before him. "Honestly, something like this shouldn't even exist. As best as I can tell, it's crystalized water cryas, but..."
Hubert squinted at the stone, blinking a few times as he lifted it into his palm. The gem was a pale blue, almost transparent, and he recognized its color as similar to the pieces of water cryas he had seen in the past. But there were fire red swirls running through it, and as he turned the gem around in his hands, he seemed to recognize what they were. "Fire cryas?" he asked. "Within the water...?"
"That's what I'm thinking." She folded her arms, looking skeptically at the stone. "But that kind of thing shouldn't be stable at all. How would pieces of fire cryas get all the way to Strahta, much less exist inside a piece of water cryas without causing some kind of chemical reaction? The only thing I can think of is that it's a similar looking gem, but even so..."
"It is certainly unique. Perhaps I can ask Pascal about this when I return." He looked down at the stone for a moment, thinking, and an idea slowly made its way into his mind. There was something that he had been considering, prior to taking Pascal's ring, or being presented with this gem... but this seemed, to him, to be the kind of situation that could force him to take action. It had been more than six months since his initial proposal to Pascal, and marriage was an ever-present thought on his mind. He had lacked, however, the time or resources with which to act. He wanted to propose to her again, but he hadn't known how to bring up the topic. And now, sitting before him...
He placed the gem on the counter beside the bag containing the others before reaching into the pocket of his coat to retrieve the worn golden ring there. "Marian," he began, "may I ask if you have any experience with jewelry?"
"Oh, yeah, of course!" She smiled brilliantly. "I get women dropping by here to get their rings and brooches polished all the time. I've done a bit of jewelry making, too, in my free time."
"Then perhaps I will have you take a look at this." He motioned for her to hold out her hand, and when she did, he placed Pascal's ring there. "This material is very rare," he explained, watching her bend to study it. "In fact, it does not exist on our planet. This is something that was crafted during my travels."
She blinked down at the band. "Hmm. Whatever it is, it definitely needs a good cleaning..."
He nodded, folding his arms together. "Yes. However, there is something else I would like you to do with this ring."
"Something else?"
"Although I am not sure how well the material will lend itself to such a thing..." He nodded at the pale blue gem sitting on the counter. "Might I ask you to somehow combine these two items together? I would like to see this ring transformed into something beyond its current state. I feel adding a rare gem such as this to the band would be an ideal solution."
"You're telling me to cut up this hunk of cryas for a ring?" She stared at him. "Hubert, you know I'm not one to doubt your judgement, but this could be invaluable, not to mention completely unstable. Shouldn't you have someone look at it before I go hacking it to pieces?"
He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "The value does not concern me. I can think of nothing better to suit the wearer I have in mind for this particular piece of jewelry."
"The wear..." Her mouth abruptly shifted into an "O" shape. "You're thinking of finally proposing to that Amarcian girlfriend of yours, aren't you?"
"I said nothing of the sort."
"You didn't have to say it. You're already as red as a tomato." Marian laughed, and Hubert abruptly turned his head away, feeling the blush that had risen into his cheeks grow hotter. "Come on, don't deny it," she continued, her voice taking on a teasing tone. "Everybody knows you two are practically inseperable. You turned down the president's daughter for her, didn't you?"
"How - how do you know about something like that?"
"Everybody talks around here." She laughed again, and out of the corner of her eye he saw her shake her head. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We should all be so lucky in love."
"I will refrain from making any comments on my relationship with Pascal, but..." He sighed, looking reluctantly back at her. "This ring belongs to her, and I would like to give it greater value than it has at the moment. Whether or not that means anything regarding our engagement is no one's business but my own."
"I think your intentions are a little more obvious than you realize, Hubert." Marian leaned forward, smiling brightly, plucking the gem from the counter and closing her hand around both it and the ring. "But I can see it makes you uncomfortable to discuss this, so I won't push you."
He eyed her warily. "So you will take on the task?"
"I'll do my best with it. Polishing the ring shouldn't be a problem, but the stone might give me some trouble. I'll just have to be careful." She nodded. "How quickly do you need this?"
He cleared his throat, glancing away. "By tomorrow, if possible."
"Tomorrow? But - "
"I'll pay you double the costs of labor and any parts you may require." He lifted his eyes back to hers, speaking confidently. "Triple, if you feel it is necessary."
She looked at him for a moment without speaking, one dark eyebrow raised, but then she sighed, shrugging. "Alright. For double the normal cost, I'll do it. I should be able to finish it tonight, as long as I don't get any other pressing business. But - " She pointed a finger at him. " - don't expect perfection. I'm not an expert on jewelry, and I'm only doing this for you as a favor. And if this hunk of cryas explodes my shop when I try to cut it down, you'll be the one buying me new tools."
He chuckled. "I ought to buy you new tools as it is, Marian. But I will agree to that."
"Alright." She stuck out her hand and he shook it firmly, watching as the smile graced her lips again. "It's a deal," she said. "Come back in the morning, once you're done out there in the desert. I'll be waiting."
"Thank you." He picked up the small cloth bag containing his other gems and tucked them into the pocket on the inside of his jacket before bowing to her, his hands linked together behind his back. "I greatly appreciate your assistance."
"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand at him. "Now get going before you're late."
He nodded once, turning on his heel to leave her stall and start in the direction of the governmental district again. After he had traveled a few paces away he heard her voice behind him once more: "Oh, and Hubert?"
He stopped, looking over his shoulder. "Yes?"
Even from a distance he could tell that the smile she wore was a wide one. "You're going to invite me to the wedding, right?"
He had nothing to say to that, and as he stormed off up the street, he could hear her laughter behind him for several seconds, and felt the burning of another hot blush on his face.
Hours later, after night had fallen in Strahta, Hubert sat cross-legged in front of a campfire in a desert to the east of Yu Liberte. Scattered around the area were several small blue tents, and small clusters of men stood around the camp, speaking to each other quietly. The troop had settled down in the middle of the desert after more than three hours spent combing the area for any sign of trouble; they had located and exterminated a few weak monsters, but nothing that would have presented any travelers with significant trouble. Hubert had called off the search until the middle of the night, commanding the group to make camp and rest until the early morning hours when any creatures that remained would be more docile, or even asleep.
The lieutenant looked for a moment at the quiet campsite, ensuring everything was at peace before allowing his mind to turn to what had gone on earlier in the day. He had struggled for hours to push aside the thoughts of what he had allowed to be implied upon leaving Pascal's ring with Marian... but now that he was alone, it was time for him to come to terms with it. He stared into the burning fire before him, thinking, allowing his mind to wander as it pleased.
Over six months had passed since his initial proposal to Pascal - five months since she had become a permanent resident of Strahta, and taken her new position with the government - and yet their mentions of marriage had all but stopped. During the first two months, Pascal had seemed flattered by his proposal, and had been sure to tease him about their future at every opportunity. In December, when he had finally found himself ready to take their relationship to the next level, it had been on the condition that they would refrain from excessive intimacy until they were properly married. They had grown close, almost inseperable... but yet, after the new year had started, they had ceased to mention the upcoming six month anniversary of their agreement to each other.
He recognized one particular emotion in his heart that had caused him to hesitate: fear. Although he had promised her not to be scared, and not to allow fear to impede his actions, he was worried about what she might say or do upon a second proposal. They had become closer than ever, and he truly loved her with all of his heart. But even though she had implied on multiple occasions that they would be married... over the last two months, those hints, those little remarks she had loved to tease him with, had come to an abrupt stop. And so the fear had re-entered his heart, and caused him to grow silent as well.
When he had taken Pascal's ring from her, it had been on a whim. He had been considering bringing the topic up with her again - even jokingly, even in a casual setting. But he had also wanted a way to follow through on such a topic, if she had proved receptive. Her ring had given him an opportunity that he could not pass up, and the appearance of a gem that reminded him of her, of their relationship - unstable fire and water, an uncontrollable force by his side - had only seemed to seal the deal, so to speak. But he worried, as he sat staring into the fire, that she might not prove receptive at all. What if, he wondered, she had changed her mind? What if she had decided that her feelings did not match his? What if -
"Lieutenant?"
A familiar voice brought him immediately out of his reverie, and Hubert looked over his shoulder, lifting his eyes to those of Raymond's. The aide stood behind him, arms folded together, his head tilted slightly. "I do not mean to disturb you," the older man began, "but I was hoping that I could... speak to you, for a moment."
"Yes, of course." Hubert motioned to the space in the sand beside him, shaking his head free of the thoughts that had been plaguing him, watching as Raymond settled down into a sitting position. "But, Cousin," he said, allowing a slight smile to crease his mouth, "you do not have to address me so formally in private. I have told you this before."
"I am still shocked that you continue to think of me as family, despite the actions of my uncle."
"You will always be my cousin, Raymond." He nodded slowly. "My foster father's denouncement of me has no bearing on the kind of relationship we have. If anything, we are both victims of his poor judgement, and have a connection due to that." He allowed himself a slight chuckle as he saw a wry grin appear on Raymond's mouth. "What is on your mind?" he asked.
"Well, I..." The brunette bowed his head. "I was thinking about Cheria."
"... again? Cousin, now that she is wed, you must - "
"Not in that way." Raymond shook his head rapidly, his voice surprisingly stable and free of the usual whine with which he spoke of the woman who was now the Lady of Lhant. "I was thinking about her relief organization," he continued. "Now that she is married, it... well, it is lacking a leader of any kind. She still intends to participate, but her duties to Lhant will interfere." He breathed out a loud sigh, staring into the campfire. "At the same time, the need for such an organization is lessening. What we're doing here, eliminating the monsters... it may even make the army of Strahta useless."
"I wish you would not say such foolish things."
"But Lieut - Cousin," Raymond corrected himself, "it is the truth. With all three nations at peace, even temporarily, the need for relief work, or for a fully staffed army, is rapidly decreasing. And I - " He brought a hand to his chest, his voice rising. " - I lack a place in this world. I am neither a lover nor a fighter. I have no wife and no political or military aspirations. And my uncle's hopes to continue the Oswell legacy died when you were disowned. He has no faith in me whatsoever."
Hubert watched the older man speak in silence, pausing for a moment before replying. "And you are unsure as to what you will do now. Is that correct?"
"I wish for your guidance." Raymond's eyes closed behind his glasses. "You are far stronger than I am. I wish for you to help me recognize my future. Thanks to Cheria, and the graciousness she has bestowed upon me, and the rest of the world, I - I know that I wish to somehow help people." He shook his head. "But I am afraid. All I have known in life is my uncle's conniving and my mother's... errant behavior. You are the only one I can turn to."
"Cousin..." Hubert chuckled softly, surprised. "I hadn't realized that you... looked up to me, in such a way."
"How could you not?" Raymond's eyes opened. "I envy you. Your position is secure, and you have Miss Pascal by your side. Everyone admires you. But I am..." He glanced away as if the admittance was painful. "... I am nothing compared to you. It is no wonder that my uncle despises me so."
"I am certain that my former father is merely taking out his anger on you." The blue-haired man clasped his hands together. "But I fear that I cannot give you a definite answer. You must find your own path. We all experience fear, Cousin, but the only thing that I have been able to do in such a situation is - " He hesitated, suddenly, coming to a realization that answered his thoughts prior to Raymond's interruption. "The only thing I have been able to do," he began again, his words softer now, more sincere, "is face that fear head-on. Otherwise... you will never find the answer you are looking for."
The older man sounded unsure. "I am certain that you have experience with such a thing, but... how do I even begin?"
"I'm afraid I don't know." Hubert exhaled, straightening up, locking eyes with his cousin. "I am, in some ways, undergoing the same thing at the moment. There is something I fear, but I have been avoiding it. I know I must face it, but I have been struggling with the details." He glanced away, at the rest of the camp, before returning his attention to the man at his side. "All I can tell you is that the opportunity will present itself. And when it does, you must not hesitate. You will know it, when the time is right."
"You always speak so wisely." Raymond reached up to adjust his glasses. "It is no wonder that I am so envious of you."
"There is nothing to envy, Cousin." The younger man chuckled. "We all have our demons. Perhaps I simply hide mine better than yours."
"But I - "
"LIEUTENANT!" A loud cry sounded from somewhere off in the camp, only to be followed by a bone-chilling roar. Hubert gasped, snatching up his dualblade from the sand before scrambling to his feet. Raymond was immediately beside him, sword in hand, and the two men bolted away from the fire in the direction of the noise. It only took a moment before they met an out of breath soldier, his military uniform torn across the front and blonde hair messy, a dark blue hat crumpled in one of his hands. "Lieutenant Oswell," he panted, "we found - "
Another roar met their ears, and over the top of the soldier's head, Hubert caught sight of a large, bulky beast with a rocky form slowly advancing on a group of two men. He drew in a sharp breath, hearing Raymond do the same beside him. "A Stormheart?" he asked. "Where did it come from?"
"It came out of nowhere! We were standing about a hundred yards north, and all of a sudden - " Another roar came faintly above their heads, and all three men looked up, suddenly gasping in unison. "Shit!" the soldier cursed, taking a step back, "they're flying in!"
Raymond sounded nervous. "St - Stormheart Dragons can fly?"
"Apparently so..." Hubert watched as a group of the bulky beasts slowly circled their camp, flapping their wings as they lowered themselves close to the sand, letting out angry roars that sent chills up his spine. He gripped the weapon in his hand tightly, counting them - there were ten in the air, eleven counting the one already on the ground - before looking to the blonde man in front of him. "Are you injured?" he asked.
"No, that one just got a good swipe at me, I - I didn't see it coming." The soldier looked over his shoulder, unsheathing his sword. "I can still fight!"
"Good." Hubert nodded. "Go back to the others and fend them off the best you can. Do NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to work alone. Between all of us, we should be able to take them down. Hurry!" The blonde man clapped his free hand to his chest before spinning on his heel and running back to where all of the men were now gathering, watching as the dragons came to land in the sand on the edge of their camp, just behind the scattered blue tents. "Stormheart Dragons normally do not fly," the lieutenant said after a moment, frowning up at the aide by his side, "nor are they this large. I fear we may have stumbled upon something unexpected..."
"What should we do?"
"If they will attack us, we have no choice but to fight." A dragon had caught sight of the two men, and Hubert watched, alarmed, as it changed its flight path, beginning to dive in the direction of where they stood on the sand. "Run!" he called, abruptly, "away from the camp!"
"No, Lieutenant!" Raymond braced himself, sword held out in front of him. "I can take this one! There is no need to run away!"
"Raymond, do not be stupid!" The dragon landed only feet away from them, and Hubert dove to the side, rolling twice in the sand before righting himself again. "Raymond!" he shouted, watching the aide stand firm in front of the monster, weapon still held aloft. "What are you doing? We must move to another area; we are too close to the camp - "
The brunette stood firm. "I will do as you told me! I will not run from my fears!"
"That isn't at all what I was telling you - " Hubert began, but it was too late: the dragon punished the aide for his lack of action with the swipe of a massive talon across his chest. Raymond was flung into the sand as limply as a rag doll, and as the blue-haired man watched, his mouth open, crimson began to appear on the edges of his torn uniform. "Raymond!" Hubert shouted, picking himself up off the sand, running to where he had fallen. "You fool - !"
"L - Lieutenant..." Raymond's voice was strained and barely audible as his cousin arrived by his body. "I didn't mean to... sacrifice myself, for you," he murmured, pressing a gloved hand to the bloody front of his shirt, "but if this is my purpose in this world... if this is the way I have to go, it will be honorable - "
"Stop saying such nonsense, Cousin!" Hubert held his dualblade up high, staring hard at the monster in front of them. "I can't possibly take this thing on by myself, but I have no choice, now that you have acted so rashly..." The dragon roared, leaning close, and he gritted his teeth, turning his attention away from the fallen aide. "You wretched beast," he began, "I will make you pay - "
A sudden explosion of fire erupted in front of his eyes, and he took a step back, alarmed. The creature in front of him roared, arching its neck as it was briefly engulfed by flames, its legs buckling. He watched for only a moment before he spun around in place, gripping his weapon tight. "I know that spell - !"
"Backup has officially arrived!" A tall metal staff landed neatly by Hubert's feet, and he sighed heavily as his eyes met Pascal's. She grinned up at him as she landed in the sand by his side, reaching up to adjust the dark blue hat she wore to match her Strahtan military uniform. "Hey," she greeted him casually, winking, "looks like you could use some help, huh?"
"What on earth are you doing here?" He glanced over the top of her head and saw a familiar figure behind her, a tall teenager with white and green hair, a wooden staff strapped to his back. "Arnauld!" he exclaimed, "not you too!"
"Relax! We're not gonna get in the way." Pascal plucked her weapon from the sand, spinning it in her hands once before taking her place close beside Hubert. "Arn," she called over her shoulder, "can you get that guy out of the way? He's gonna need a healing spell or two... or five."
"Yes, Miss Pascal!" Hubert watched out of the corner of one eye as Arnauld bent and looped his arms around Raymond's shoulders, dragging him almost effortlessly away from the battlefield. "We'll be over here!" he called, nodding in the direction of the tents.
"Good." She grinned again, facing forward. "Now, about this nasty old monster..."
"You still haven't answered me. What are you doing here?" Hubert frowned down at her, glancing back at the creature as it struggled to rise again to its feet. They had at least one more minute to spare before it went on the attack again, he calculated - maybe less. "This is a military operation, not some open season for attacking monsters without rhyme or reason - "
"It's fine!" she cut him off, waving her free hand at him. "Arn said he wanted to see some more of the desert, and I thought I'd stop by and say hi. But when we were headed this way, I saw the dragons start to rush at you guys, so we decided to help out. He can heal and I can fight, so we'll be of some use to you, yeah?"
He sighed, sparing a quick glance at the other men, all now fully involved in battles with monsters similar in appearance to the one in front of them. "I won't stop you, knowing full well how strong you are," he remarked, "but if I hear a single word of complaint from you..."
"The only thing you're gonna hear is the sound of this dragon getting its butt whooped." She winked a second time, swinging her staff forward in front of them. "Let's boogie!"
