The Missing Stone

Hidden Longing

Help, Maris thinks, dodging Glenn and Holst's mighty strikes. He isn't a close combat person by any means, but he likes to think he's skilled enough with the sword to not cut himself or his allies. But then the last time he'd sparred with Glenn with a sword he'd told him to not be so humble and to 'take pride in his skills'.

Leaping backwards and casting wind spells is more of Maris' style. His braid swings around him as he moves, Holst charging with a war cry, his axe clanging against Glenn's lance. Glenn grits his teeth with the effort of holding back Holst's strength, but he doesn't seem angry about it; he looks exhilarated.

Holst backs away after Glenn pushes him off and attempts to swipe him in the chest with a wide swing, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Either you've gotten better or I've gone rusty," Holst pants, raising his axe again. Glenn grins.

They charge at each other again, and, despite the trio unanimously agreeing that there would be no sides, Maris decides to be biased and throws a wind arc in Holst's way. He dodges, predictably, but it gives Glenn the opening he needs.

Holst isn't able to block both Maris' spells and Glenn's lance, soon just ignoring the latter altogether and pursuing the former. When Maris sees the Gonriel general turn his sights on him, it's safe to say he is more than just "intimidated". Maris turns tail and runs, Holst hot on his heels. Glenn shouts at them in confusion, chasing them around the fields like they were all young naive children and not experienced warriors plotting in the dark to stop more than just a war.

The further they run, the thicker and taller the grass becomes, tangling around their legs. Maris casts the last wind spell he has to flatten the grass down in front of him, making it far easier to sprint across. Stumbling forward through the thick grass, Maris drops his spellbook, but is unable to retrieve it as Holst gains distance on him, Glenn right behind him. Maris yelps, Holst nearly yanking him backwards by the end of his scarf, but he is able to slip away just in time.

"C'mere!" Holst yells, having long discarded his axe and is now reaching forward with both hands to catch Maris, a light of determination in his eyes. Glenn puts on a burst of speed and leaps forward, tackling Holst to the ground.

"Haha! Gotcha!" Glenn's celebratory victory is cut short when Holst rolls over, pushing Glenn off. Maris stops some yards away, panting. Holst looks out of breath too, chest heaving as he picks himself up.

"Was more of a game of chase than an actual sparring match..." He mutters, snorting. "But I've sure had a lot more fun than I've had in a while! Thanks for the reprieve."

"You're...welcome..." Glenn says weakly from his spot on the ground. Maris wheezes slightly, still out of breath. He drags himself over to help the former-knight up, snickering at his disheveled state. Glenn rolls his eyes before straightening to brush himself off. Maris backtracks through the field to find his spellbook.

"I should be heading back," Holst grimaces, pointing out the sun's low position. "I've already been labeled ill last month, wouldn't want to be labeled missing too!" He laughs heartily, shoulders free from stress, at least until he gets back to his office. Glenn winces at the time.

"Maris!" He calls, the mage's red head popping up like a groundhog a few yards away.

"What?" Maris yells back, readjusting his glasses. "I'm looking for my book, give me a second!" Glenn sighs as Maris disappears under the grass once more, pushing down his anxiety. Alliance plains are fairly large, but there's always the occasional farmer to watch out for, and who knows what to expect when the current area is about to be invaded by Imperial armies...

"Got a map we could use?" Glenn asks Holst instead, knowing that Maris is probably not going to find his spellbook, which isn't a big deal considering they could just visit a tomestore, but then neither Glenn or Maris know where to find a tomestore in Almayra. Holst nods, motioning with his head back towards the large fortress.

"As soon as we head back I'll make sure you get one." When Maris doesn't appear for the second time Glenn sighs, walking over to where he last saw him and tugging him up by the scarf.

"Come on we need to go," he urges, turning away from Maris' unconscious pout. This man is too much. With the way the sun is setting right now, they will have no choice but to camp somewhere in the wild. While staying in an inn sounds way more tempting, they can't risk leaving a trail. Such is the life of living the facade of death.

The trio eventually find their way back to the Gonriel fortress, located right next to Fodlan's Locket. Holst asks for them to wait by the stables for a moment, disappearing into the fortress to most likely request a servant to fetch a map. Maris ends up staring at the horses, still not used to being this close to live animals. The horse closest to him sniffs his hood, looking for treats. Glenn smiles at the two, amused.

"What do you want?" Maris coos at the horse, unable to help himself. It's just so cute! The horse stares at him for a moment before nosing his hood again, displacing it slightly. Maris grins, pushing the horse's nose away. Glenn shuffles his feet awkwardly.

"Do you want a horse?" Glenn blurts out, instantly regretting his words. Maris looks at him in surprise, looking like that of a child about to receive a present.

"Really?" He asks, voice tipped high in disbelief. Then, to Glenn's amazement, Maris averts his eyes, cheeks reddening. "I don't know how to ride a horse."

"I-I could teach you," Glenn offers, only registering his words right after they tumble out of his mouth. He's never really thought of that: a life after the war. Glenn has always thought that when he's accomplished his mission he'd fade away from existence, but Maris has always been there to give him a reason otherwise. After all, he still has to pay his debt to Maris for saving his life at the Tragedy of Duscur.

To Maris, the thought is an unreachable concept. Sadness rises up and tightens its cold fingers around his throat. He knows his purpose, and will someday have to return to his destiny. Escaping from them is nearly impossible, and Maris knows he won't be able to do it again, so when he does eventually return, it will be after he's lived as long and as much as he could. When he had seen all the death and suffering in the field that is now Kleiman Territory, Maris knew he wasn't where he belonged.

That was the day he rescued Glenn, bloodied and on the verge of death all to protect his liege. He had dragged him out of that field and hid him somewhere. He had returned to them, to try and explain that he did not want to be a part of them any longer after witnessing their true intentions. They were upset, and had lashed out, imprisoning him on the lower levels.

Of course, Maris has a reason to live; he escaped to find Glenn, and to stop his own kin from destroying the wonderful idea of life. While the two of them work together to stop the conspiracies behind the cause of this war, their true reasons are different. Glenn's is a noble motivation: to save his friends and family. Compared to Glenn's, Maris' reason to live and experience things he's always wanted to try is selfish, and all in the name of himself.

He's never told him why he fights alongside him, so why does he trust him so?

"Um...Mister... Fluffy?" A young servant girl asks, looking up at the two men. Maris breaks into raucous laughter as he leans against the stable wall, Glenn looking very annoyed as he gently takes the map from the servant girl, thanking her quietly.

As they bid their farewells to Holst and head on their way, Glenn sighs tiredly, "Claude is going to have to drop that name." Maris laughs again.

In the Gonriel fortress, Holst muses to himself, "They're practically meant for each other." He shakes his head with a grin, preparing a letter to be sent to Nader and one addressed to Hilda.