Well, it’s finally done. Not necessarily well, but it’s done. I had to take a break for various things (Trigun! <3) and now it’s occurred to me that Sinterklaas is coming up, so I should probably devote some attention to that. Also my brother and his friends are diverting with their multiplayer games. Also it’s freakin’ snowing now.
…Expect the AU sequel to start coming out soon.
Epilogue
Eliwood stood in the little cemetery of Dorborough, the tiny village where Ceniro’s family lived. Behind him stood the rest of the group, including Eliwood’s mother Eleanora, the pirate captain Fargus, and Ceniro’s Ostian friend Renee. Lyndis, Hector, and Ninian stood at Eliwood’s left, and Ceniro’s family, his father, mother, sister, and brother stood to his right. All around him was the sound of muffled sniffles. Hector’s face was like stone, and Lyndis’s face was white but composed.
The villagers were in attendence as well, some of them for Ceniro’s family’s sake, but most of them to be of service for the unusual gathering of lords, ladies, and knights. Eliwood imagined the village had never seen such a gathering, from the way the people looked in awe at the lords and ladies and with apprehension, not to mention confusion, at the tough mercenaries who were half of their group.
They’d arrived in Badon from Valor a few days prior. Hector had sent a fast messenger to Ostia, and they had set out southeast towards Santaruz immediately, sending messages ahead to Dorborough and Pherae. Captain Fargus had insisted on accompanying them, after his sailor Dart had given him a full account on the trip over. Eliwood was grateful.
Lyndis spent much of the journey to herself, riding a little away from the others, though Florina tailed her. She hardly ate, and though she was normally emotional, she hardly cried. Eliwood knew how she felt. It was the same way he felt when his father died. It was almost the way he felt now… although Ninian at his side tacitly reminded him that he wasn’t alone. He wished he could remind Lyndis of that somehow.
It was Hector, surprisingly enough, who was making inroads on Lyndis’s mute grief. He didn’t have much to say, but he stayed near her through the journey, and Eliwood could tell she appreciated him being there as much as she appreciated Florina being there. Although Florina was still shy of Hector…
They’d arrived in Dorborough at the same time as Renee and Eleanora that afternoon, and the villagers were ready for them. Eliwood had gone to the family, saying small words of support and sympathy. Lyndis had told him a little of what Ceniro had told her of his family, so Eliwood knew something of what to expect. The mother was passionately inconsolable, the sister was grieving but composed, the father was silent, and the brother was apathetic. But they followed him, as Marcus gathered the rest of the villagers, to the little cemetery where Merlinus, Kent, and Sain were setting everything up while Dorcas and Bartre dug Ceniro’s grave.
Now, in front of Eliwood was the plain, polished casket that their dear friend was laid in. He was laid with his staff, and the farseer, and Lyndis had placed her earrings in his hand. Eliwood would have given him a more richly decorated casket, but he knew Ceniro wouldn’t have wanted that.
At least he could say something for him. “Family… Friends… Honoured companions… It’s time to give our farewells to Ceniro, son of Caro, son of Conrad.” Already he had to pause and take a deep breath to restrain his emotions. “He was one of the most brilliant tactical minds of our generation, or perhaps in the world today… but he was also a man of great integrity and inner strength. In my recent journey to find my father and avenge his death, Ceniro was always at my side not only as our strategist, but as one of my closest friends. He always did his best for us, and sought to keep all of us safe through our many perils, and not only that, but to make us happy and to strengthen the bonds that already existed between us.” He reached down and took Ninian’s hand, and she squeezed it. “He has always done this for everyone he traveled with.”
“He was a quiet man, a patient man, with his own doubts and fears and loves, and he was taken from us far too soon. We were so close to the end of our journey, but through no fault of his own, he was slain on the battlefield by an arrow before any of our healers could-”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t want him to go!” his mother burst out, sobbing. “I always knew he’d come to a bad end, messing around with his learning and his traipsing about! Carrying on with wild Sacaean women and all these fancy warring lords…” Lyn didn’t react, though Hector raised an eyebrow. “If only he’d been content to stay home and be a carpenter like his father, I wouldn’t have lost my s-s-s-son…” Eliwood turned to her and caught her as she fell to her knees, embracing her warmly.
Ceniro’s sister looked uncomfortable. “Mom… he wouldn’t have wanted…”
“Don’t tell me what my boy wanted, Anlie! How could a quiet boy like him have ever survived the life he chose? If it wasn’t this, it would be something else. And now it’s too late, it’s too late…”
Pent shuffled a bit and looked slightly guilty. Louise patted his arm comfortingly.
“Patsi?” Eliwood said softly. “I know you and Ceniro didn’t always get along about his profession…”
“And you and your noble friends dragged him to his death, Marquess Pherae!”
“Patsi,” said Ceniro’s father Caro soothingly. Eliwood saw the resemblance between him and Ceniro quite clearly, in his quietness and patience, and in a physical resemblance, although Caro’s face was weathered and lined, and his shoulders broad and strong, and Ceniro’s face had been smooth and youthful with only a couple creases in the corners of his eyes, and his shoulders were, like the rest of him, thin. Perhaps the father was even quieter than the son.
“…But I know that he loved you and the rest of his family very much.”
“Oh, he didn’t say that. He always hated that I didn’t want him to get his schooling in Ostia or wander around as a penniless vagabond. What sort of a life was that? He was always doing his own thing, his family forgotten.”
“He never forgot you,” Lyn said, finally. “He didn’t say much, but I know he thought of you. He spoke to me of all of you, and how he hoped you were doing well. He wanted to see the world, but he also wanted to see you and hoped that someday you would accept what he was.”
Patsi stared at Lyn with wide, tear-streaming eyes, and bowed her head, sobbing and clinging to Eliwood’s arm. “And I… I-I drove him away… with my nagging and scolding… Maybe he would have stayed at home and been safe if I hadn’t pushed him so…”
“I don’t think so,” Eliwood said. “I think he wanted to go, and only regretted that you didn’t like it. But he was forever stopping to see the view, to look at the sky, the trees, the rivers, even in the midst of battle. He wanted to see everything; only everything was large enough for him.”
Patsi only cried. Anlie came forward. “I’m sorry, my lord,” she said to Eliwood, her own eyes red as she helped her mother up and away.
“Don’t be,” Eliwood assured her. “I… think my mother feels exactly the same. But the fact is… without Ceniro, we would not have come through to the end, and you know… he was as good as they come. We never lost anyone in battle, and while he couldn’t control or foresee everything, he is one of the reasons we can all stand here today alive and able to keep living.”
“So my son’s death was an ‘acceptable loss’, or whatever you fighting people call it?” Patsi said bitterly.
“No,” Eliwood said. “No loss is ever acceptable. He thought so too, and that is why we all owe him a great debt, a debt that cannot be repaid. But if there is anything that any of us can do for you or your family, it shall be done. You have my word.”
“He helped save the world,” Lyndis said flatly.
Patsi laughed hysterically. “You can’t say that. That only happens in fairytales. The world’s not in any danger.”
“It’s good you think so,” Hector murmured, quietly enough that she didn’t seem to hear him.
Ceniro’s sister Anlie stepped forward. “Lord Eliwood… Lady Lyndis, um, Lord Hector, I do thank you for your kind words about my brother. I… wish I could see him again, when he turns up unexpectedly the way he does, all tired and hungry and skinnier than ever… with his large glad eyes and his smile… but I know you took care of him, and I do thank you for that too.” She sniffled. “I miss him. But I know he was doing the right thing, wherever he was. Please… let’s lay him to rest.”
Eliwood nodded. “Let’s do that. Together.”
When the casket was finally lowered into the ground and covered with earth, then Lyndis fell to her knees and began to cry. Hector knelt beside her, an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. Eliwood and Ninian wept together, hand in hand, and Ceniro’s sister began to cry almost as hard as her mother.
When all was done, and the villagers and the soldiers began to disperse, Anlie recovered herself as much as she could and came over to Lyndis. “Lady Lyndis? Um… I… well, earlier this year, when my brother came home last, he told me about you. He talked about a lot of things, but I could tell that you were very special to him.” She almost burst into tears again, but stopped herself with a great effort.
“Yeah, they hooked up eventually,” Hector said, and Lyndis punched him in the leg. “Ow! Woman, I’m only telling what happened!”
“Shut up, Hector,” Lyndis said, and Hector shut up.
Anlie looked surprised at their banter. “Oh… well… that’s good! I was wondering. But he said you were the most beautiful woman he knew, and not just because of your face or your hair or your eyes, but also because you were strong in arm and spirit, and graceful and determined. Though… you know… knew Ceniro as well as I do… when I asked if he would marry you, where you would live with his wandering ways, he laughed and said he wasn’t good enough for you, that you were spending time with your family but you really belonged to Sacae…”
Lyndis hiccuped. “He got over that eventually, I think. Thank you for telling me this.”
Anlie considered her quietly. “I can tell you loved him back. I can tell you’re a good person, whatever my mother may say, and I know it’s not the time to say it, but I wish… I wish you to find happiness someday.”
“Thank you,” Lyndis said.
“I agree,” Pent said, coming over as well with Louise. “You already know this, but Ceniro… well, he didn’t speak of you much, but I could see how much he cared for you in every word.” He turned to Anlie and bowed. “Pent of Reglay, and this is my wife, Louise. We worked with Ceniro last year.”
Anlie’s eyes opened wide. “You’re THE Count Reglay? Oh my word, Ceniro almost talked of you more than Lady Lyndis when he visited.”
Pent chuckled. “He did seem taken with my skills and interests.”
“Not only that, but he looked up to you almost as… as an older brother, the way he spoke. He was so happy to find another person who spoke to him as himself and not as… a peasant boy.”
“Of course,” Louise said. “He was so dear to us, we couldn’t do otherwise. I wish we could have done more for him…”
Anlie curtseyed low. “You did so much for him already, all of you. On behalf of my family, and my brother, thank you for everything.”
Louise stepped forward gracefully and hugged her. “It’s all right, my dear. You don’t have to be so formal. It’s all right to grieve for him, even in front of us.” Anlie clung to her.
Eliwood had gone over to Ceniro’s brother. “Drew, wasn’t it? I understand you were serving at Castle Santaruz when I passed through a couple months ago.”
“What of it? …My lord,” Drew said, not meeting his eyes.
“I wondered if you would like a similar position at Castle Pherae? As a way of showing my thanks to Ceniro, because I can’t give them to him directly…”
“No thanks, my lord,” Drew said, and bowed and walked away abruptly.
Eliwood scratched his head. “What was that all about?”
Ninian joined him. “I think he’s been influenced by his mother to see outside influences as corrupting. Castle Santaruz is a safe, dull place, where he can be more than a boy from a small village, but not likely to come to harm… I think. But Castle Pherae is too far away, and in a different canton…”
Eliwood stared at her. “You’re brilliant. How did you know that?”
“Ah… I just listened? That’s what the subtext told me…”
“I am going to need your help in ruling Pherae, certainly,” Eliwood said with a small smile. “Ninian, have I told you that I love you?”
“Several times, Lord Eliwood,” Ninian said, smiling back. “But more often doesn’t hurt.”
He smiled and embraced her.
A month later, most of the mercenaries had gone, but the Ostia, Pherae, Caelin, and Etrurian groups were in Ostia for Hector’s Ascension to Marquess. It hadn’t taken long for Hector to be acclaimed the new Marquess Ostia, but somewhat longer to make preparations for it. But now, the day had arrived, and Eliwood and Ninian were speaking privately to Hector beforehand.
“Ugh,” Hector groaned, slouching in a chair in his navy-blue best dress uniform. “If only it was over and I could get to work…”
“Hector, sit up,” Eliwood scolded. “You’ll wrinkle your beautiful coat.”
“You sound like Oswin,” Hector said, and slouched further. “I hate these clothes. They’re so uncomfortable!”
“They look good on you,” Lyndis said, leaning on the arm of the chair. “But Hector? Wanting to get to work? What is the world coming to?”
“I never thought I’d be leader of all Lycia – at least, not so soon!” Hector groused at her. “But… now that everyone knows my brother’s dead, the throne can’t be left empty forever.”
“What does sitting on the throne have to do with work?” Lyndis asked.
Hector looked unusually serious, standing and going over to the window overlooking the courtyard. “My brother let me play around for quite a while.”
“Fighting Nergal wasn’t exactly playing around…” Eliwood said.
“No, but… If I don’t grow up soon and accept that I can’t just be a glorified mercenary-lord, he might start screaming at me from beyond the grave…”
Eliwood and Lyndis laughed heartily.
Hector snorted. “What? I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“You’re going to be just fine,” Eliwood said. “Remember, you have the support of Pherae and Caelin. Not to mention of the heirs of the defunct House of Cornwell. And friendly ties to Etruria.”
“You made a lot of connections, didn’t you?” Ninian said. “You’ll be a fine Marquess, Lord Hector. You are honest and compassionate, and stern enough that your lords and knights will listen to you.”
“Yeah, but they also know me as an incorrigible, violent goof-up,” Hector said, grinning at her. “Thanks, Ninian. I’m going to do my best, of course. I can steer this ship.”
“I thought you didn’t like ships,” Lyndis said.
“I don’t mind ’em. It’s you who doesn’t like ships,” Hector answered. “By the way, you meant what you said, about visiting?”
“Of course I did,” Lyndis said. “It was part of our deal, wasn’t it? And Sacaeans never go back on their word.”
“Sorry, what?” Eliwood said. “You made a deal?”
“Yeah,” Hector said. “When her grandfather retires, or passes away, or whatever, Caelin will be put under Ostian protection. There’s no distant family close enough to inherit, surprisingly, so I guess it’s becoming an Ostian protectorate – at least until your kids decide they’d rather be Marquesses than Sacaean nomads.” He made a face, and Lyndis made a face back at him.
“But what was the deal?” Ninian asked.
“That in exchange, I’d visit Ostia now and then,” Lyndis said.
“Once every two years!” Hector cried. “You said every two years, and I’m holding you to that.”
Eliwood looked at them both. “I feel that this is something you both would have done anyway.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Lyndis said, and shrugged. “But making it a ‘deal’ is more interesting and binding. Anyway, yes, Hector, I will come and visit. I might even come and visit next year, if I miss you all enough.”
“If you miss us enough? Who’s this ‘us’?” Hector asked suspiciously.
“Well, Serra, of course. She wants to give me fashion advice,” Lyndis said wickedly, and Hector choked and bent over coughing violently.
“You wouldn’t consider traveling south to Pherae as well, would you?” Eliwood asked. “We’d certainly be happy to see you too.”
For a moment Lyndis’s eyes were clouded, but then she smiled. “Yes, of course, I can do that. Ceniro said it was a very lovely place, and I’ve never really been, except that one time when Athos teleported us there and then we had to leave the next day in such a hurry…”
“Come when you can,” Ninian said happily, and Lyn smiled and nodded.
And a month after that, an even smaller group was gathered in Castle Pherae for Eliwood’s Ascension to Marquess Pherae. As Eliwood had done for him, Hector was with him in the hour beforehand. “Lookin’ good, Eliwood!”
“Does it?” Eliwood asked doubtfully, looking at the blue-white silk jacket and fidgeting with the hems of the sleeves. “I feel… awkward.”
“You look splendid,” Ninian said happily, straightening his cloak. “You look even more lordly than usual.”
“This is also when you’re formally announcing your engagement, right?” Hector asked. “Took you long enough.”
“Well, I spoke with Mother, and she said I might as well wait for today,” Eliwood said. “Anyone of any importance already knows, anyway.”
“Okay, so, well…” Hector said.
Eliwood and Ninian waited. Bells could be heard outside, tolling joyfully for the new Marquess.
“When are you guys gonna bang?” Hector said finally, a giant shit-eating grin on his face.
Eliwood almost punched him, but settled for awkward, near-hysterical laughter. “H-Hector!”
“Lord Hector, you are terrible,” Ninian said, but she, too, was smiling, though blushing.
“I know,” Hector said unrepentantly. “But hey, now you’re less nervous about the ceremony, right?”
Eliwood coughed. “Er… yes. So, have you heard from the others?”
“Which ones of the others? I’ve only heard from a few.”
“Me too,” Eliwood said.
“Well… Lyn and her friend Florina and Florina’s boyfriend Wil are all going together… And I think Fiora and her boyfriend Kent are headed up to Ilia, which means that Sain fellow is now Commander of Caelin.”
“Indeed,” Eliwood murmured. “I’m sure he’ll do well.”
“You think?” Hector said. “With all that flirting he did as a married man?”
“It’s his way of being silly,” Ninian said calmly. “It’s a terrible habit, I’m sure, but I met his wife, and she’s just the same. He’s a very good knight underneath.”
“If you say so,” Hector said, shrugging. “My people are all still in Ostia, of course, although you know Oswin’s with me. Pent and Louise and Erk went off to Etruria shortly after my Ascension, though they sent you best wishes.”
“I know,” Eliwood said. “They also sent a letter. Let’s see… All my knights are here, and so are some other people… Lowen’s marrying Rebecca, did you know that? Dorcas is here with his wife, and since Merlinus’s new merchant venture already failed I’ve asked him to help Marcus run the castle.”
“He does good work?” Hector asked.
“You would know,” Eliwood said. “The best. Oh, and little Nino is living somewhere in Pherae with her guardian.”
“Right,” Hector said. “It’s a good place for her.”
“I haven’t heard much from the others. I think General Wallace is wandering again, St. Elimine only knows where he’ll end up this time. Lucius has started an orphanage in Araphen, and Canas has returned home to his wife.”
“You’re much better informed than I am,” Hector complained. “Maybe I should kick Matthew again and make sure I’m getting all the reports… I know that Hawkeye went back to the desert. He has a daughter, doesn’t he? Priscilla’s gone back to the Caerleons in Etruria. And… I don’t know the rest.”
“Me either,” Eliwood said. “But they’re out there somewhere, doing whatever they do. …You ever think about Lord Athos’s last words?”
“Yeah,” Hector said quietly. “An evil star rises in Bern? You don’t suppose there will be more trouble with King Desmond?”
“I don’t know,” Eliwood said.
“Even I don’t know,” Ninian said. “I’ll only know when it grows strong, and by then it might be too late…”
“We have Armads and Durandal, right? So we can fight against whatever happens, keep the peace, whatever needs doing.”
“I don’t think we should use them,” Eliwood said. “We’re strong enough to, yes, but they’re too strong to be used against normal people. We shouldn’t even use them as a deterrent. I… think we should hide them again, where we found them.”
“The traps are gone, and the spirits, too,” Hector said.
“I know,” Eliwood said. “But it’s better than having them in our castles. Besides, Lord Athos didn’t say when this evil would rise. We might be too old to fight by the time it happens.”
“So we teach our kids to fight,” Hector said. “Which I’d be doing in any case, because it’s not a safe world out there, and I wouldn’t want my son to be less of a fighter than I was!”
“And who are you having kids with?” Eliwood prodded his friend, grinning almost as wide as Hector had been before.
“Shut up! I’m still young, and I’m not going to die in some silly skirmish before I’ve had time to marry some lady. Anyway, I think you’re probably right. As usual.”
“About what?”
“I’ll go hide Armads again sometime. Maybe I’ll ask Lyn to come with. It’ll be our little groups, just like our journey. Could use you, too. You have to put Durandal back in the north of Ostia, right? Come with us to the Western Isles!”
“That is tempting,” Eliwood said. “I’ll consider it carefully. Next year, when Lyndis is in Ostia?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Hector said.
“Wait… You and Lyndis?”
“What about me and Lyndis?”
“Well… you know…”
Hector folded his arms and stared at Eliwood, who was slowly turning as red as his hair. Ninian giggled.
Eliwood pointed at his fiancee. “See, she knows what I’m talking about!”
“Well, I don’t,” Hector said airily. “But yeah. I know I can’t keep her around forever. Like Ceniro said, she belongs to Sacae. But I’m glad she visits.”
“I think she will stay with you more and more,” Ninian said. “She likes you too, but she needs time.”
Hector nodded. “I understand that. I can wait. And she can visit Sacae whenever she wants.”
Eliwood smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “I think you have nothing to worry about.”
“What!? Me? And here I was, trying to tell you the same thing. Isn’t it about time?”
Eliwood blinked, and then gasped. “Oh! It is! My mother is waiting. Come, Ninian!”
“I’m here!” she said, and took his arm.
Hector chuckled. “Have fun, you two.”
For the AU sequel, click here: Anima’s Seal: Prologue: Alive