"Dessy sweetie time to come inside for dinner!"
"Okay Mommy!"
Desdemona quickly finished feeding the chocobo chicks. Petting one upon the head she held out her hand as the baby comfortably strolled upon it.
"Hello chicky"
Kissing the chick upon it's head she gave it a nice long neck rub before putting it back down with the others.
"Okay chickies, make sure you find your ways back to your mommies and daddies."
She smiled and turned around, her small tail wagging swiftly back and forth happy with herself. Heading towards the house, she stopped and looked up to the sunset. Behind her she heard foot steps, her ears twitching at every step. Stopping to her right, her father kneeled down and smiled upon her as she gazed up to him.
"Enjoying the view again?"
"Still pretty every time I see it daddy."
Her gaze turned to the empty field that now remained the chocobos free roam.
"You are a farmer right daddy?"
"Ah, I use to be love but the fields burned up! A friend of ours gave us a few eggs to restart our new life as chocobo raisers. I don't regret it any, she did not have to after all. Good lass that Sophia."
"Sophia?"
Desdemona turned her head a bit confused, she did not recognize this person he spoke of.
"Heh, believe it or not you met her once yourself! She touched your nose and welcomed you as an infant. Blessed are we to have had such good friends amoung this land. They took good care of us when we were in need."
From behind us we heard mommy shouting to us for dinner again. Looking at each other I smiled and opened my arms looking for daddy to pick me up. He smiled and did so. Holding me close to his chest he walked us all the way back to the house for the night.
********************
I lay in my bed sleeping soundly until a loud noise awoke me. Something strange made my ears twitch from outside. Footsteps, marching, many of them at once. Getting up I looked outside to see many men and women marching in a formation upon the farm land.
"Mommy!? Daddy!?"
I screamed out to my parents whom had already been awoken. They rushed to my room and took a look outside.
"Blast it all."
My father said out loud before us. Looking over at me and mother he nodded to mother. Gently touching her arm, he whispered into her ear.
"Get yourselves to the cellar, Garlean Soldiers often want one thing out of women."
Mother picked me up and I looked upon my father with concern as she quickly dashed us to the cellar. The outside doors to the cellar remained shut but I still peaked outside to see what was happening. My father walked outside to meet with their leader. Listening close I waited, horribly worried for my father.
"This is a fine stable you have sir-"
"Aensland, Stable Master of these gentle chocobos."
"Right, well, I'm sure you have heard Ala Mhigo is now allied with the Garlean Empire yes?"
"I hear very little out here sire, none the less I will do what I am willed to as long as my contracts remain."
"That is the problem, you see we have very little Need for stable chocobos. However we do have need of engineers, and machinists, soldiers. If you can be taught for something of the sort then you are more then welcome to be part of our Empire."
"I must admit I am not particularly interested in your empire sire. Though I am a humble man, I have much understanding upon engineering. These chocobos however are my life's work now. They can help your soldiers get around the land without worrying to much about your machines breaking. A little feed and nurturing is all they ask."
The man seemed to stay quiet for a little while before nodding in agreement with my father.
"I will consult with the Legatus upon this matter soon. In the meantime I intend to build an outpost aside from these stables. I request you, and your family see to the needs of the soldiers with our field medics should you be required."
"My Fam-"
"No need to hide them, we know as about them. We scanned the area much earlier in the day. You have nothing to worry about. Our soldiers are not allowed to touch children nor mated women. They are also on duty while incursion."
"I see"
My father bit his lip wanting to protest the situation. Instead his ears bent backwards as he bowed his head in acceptance.
"If I can assist I will sire, I merely beg for my daily routine and family to remain unhindered."
"Hindrance may be unavoidable, but I will inform the Legatus. He is a man of understanding, I assure you."
With that the man dismissed himself, the others moved further into the forest and began to chop down the woods. Father walked into the cellar and motioned for us to come up quietly. We did as he suggested, little could be done to help us at this point. Resting in the living room I listened as my parents talked quietly, hoping I would not hear them.
"We can not just do what they request."
"We have no choice, If we don't they'll kill us. They have no interest in those who would stand against them. Less then such in undisputed territory. Gods have mercy."
"Their has to be something we can do! Flee, head further into Eorzea, we can get to Gridania in a few days time!"
"They are everywhere in the woods at the moment. If they spot us and question us they will kill us for treason."
"We are not theirs to play with!"
"We are now love, just stay calm, we will make it through this."
*******************
The soldiers kept busy outside for nearly two weeks. With no one to oppose them, they leveled most of the woods around the farmland. Mother remained on edge for all the time. Father would rarely let me leave the house. To be honest, I was afraid to leave myself.
A horn was heard from afar in the distance. Looking out my window again I witnessed many people rushing at the soldiers! Before I knew what was happening the soldiers were being cut down left and right. Closing my eyes I tried to ignore what I had seen. Mother rushed into my room and grabbed me bringing me down the stairs.
We rushed out of the house as the last soldier fell dead. Keeping my eyes closed I merely heard his neck cut. My father approached from the stables and held us gently as he looked around.
"So comes the cavalry?"
I very tall man stood before us looking down and smiling.
"Aensland, I apologize it took so long to get here. We had to secure many areas before we could attempt to take the stables."
"Take?"
Father looked upon the man with worry.
"Yes, Aensland, you are a loyal soldier of Ala Mhigo-"
"Was Bull, I have not been for years."
"They have Sophia, Aensland. We have to get her free. I need your help, She needs your help!"
Father shook his head disagreeing with the tall man, standing firm.
"Where I would jump at the occasion Bull, I can not. You may have the stables and my chocobos. Take good care of them, However I must see to it that my family gets far away from here, safely."
"How quaint, you're going to just turn your back on your people? For what?!"
A rather rude man approached from behind the tall man. His hair slicked back, his face full of hatred. The tall man put his arm before the smaller man and shook his head at him, denying his hatred.
"No Ilberd, Aensland is right on this. He must get to safety, for his family. We must honor family first, all of us."
Father nodded to the tall man letting us go as he headed to the stables. Coming out of the stables on top of a carriage he had built quietly. Strapping up one chocobo he smiled over at us. Many of the new people continued into the stables and began to claim their own. Father approached me and hugged me close as he brought me to the carriage.
Mother rushed inside and grabbed some supplies to eat and hunt as we needed. Getting into the carriage she came up to me and held me close as she nodded to my father whom was awaiting us for ready. He looked towards the tall man and approached him again. Holding out his hand, the tall man took it and shook it smiling.
"We will see to it you and your family make it out of this territory safely Aensland."
"Bull, if their was more that I could do, I would I-"
"No my friend, you have done quite enough already."
"Save her Bull, Sophia is hope for Ala Mhigo."
"I will my friend, We all will."
Father nodded as he turned around and mounted upon the chocobo. Petting it the chocobo began to move us away from our home. Four people escorted us along the way. Looking to the forests as we began to leave, I saw a strange looking man with red and black armor and red hair. His eyes appeared red from here as well, though I could barely tell.
He looked over at me and a thought I saw a tear in his eye.
Part 1 End!
TOC
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/2469857/blog/2514726/Heya everyone! So yus yus this is a bit different I suppose. I felt I would get this little origins story out of the way before I continued in on Espers story. No Des Des has not been fully informed on the tale and has left it all up to me to choose! Not Entirely sure how many parts their will be. I suspect only 2 but this will be a good intermission for now as I continue to map out the chronicles of ARR for Espers story :3
Hope you all enjoy it so far! <3 <3 des des Hope you enjoy it so far :D
