神秘の森 // Mysterious Forest (Gensui - fic)
神秘の森 // Mysterious Forest for Gensui 108 Themes #25
Disclaimer: Konami
Character(s): Roland, Nei
Timeline: Suikoden III
It was a joy for Roland to meet his kind in the midst of war. The pleasure defeated his other feelings, like confusion; so that when he’d seen Nei and she had seen him, the urge of having simple talk about simple things and current affair was stronger than questions about their backgrounds…
They had talked about the weather, Nadir’s plays, or development of the war. When they started to share opinions, Roland hadn’t been surprised that Nei comments’ on several things were not too different from him. After all, they were elves.
When Roland felt that it was finally the right time to ask, he did. “Why did you leave the forest?”
Nei stared at him for a while.
Roland didn’t respond to the stare. He had prepared for a blank answer from Nei. There were rarely elves who decided to leave for away from their home. Elf was a creature of the forest. Forest was like an air they needed to breathe. Towns like Vinal del Zexay or Budehuc were like pollutions for them.
If she hadn’t left by her own choice, it meant that she was cast away by the people. Being cast away from the forest was a penalty of a crime that no elf wanted to receive.
“If I answer that, would you answer the same question too, Sir Roland?”
Roland felt silent for a while, before answering, “of course.”
“Then, I guess I’ll answer.” Nei smiled. “And it’s free for you if you feel disgusted of me, after you listen, Sir Roland.”
It wouldn’t surprise Roland if Nei answered that she had done a crime to receive an exile as punishment, but instead, Nei answered that “I’ve never been a child of a forest.”
“What?” The unexpected answer surprised Roland. “You’ve never been a child of the forest? Does that mean…”
“I was raised by human. The people I’ve always known as parents are not a creature of the forest.” Nei paused for a while before looking at Roland. A little doubt in her voice, but her eyes were watching his straight. “I’ve never found any of my kind in Grassland, especially except you, Sir Roland. Can you tell me?”
Why are you not in the forest?
The unspoken question was echoing in his ears.
Roland took a deep breath, thinking about the long road from his forest; how he hated the smelling the scent of bare land; how he despised the smell of iron mixed with blood; how he detested bricked roads; how he hated Zexen.
He then remembered Sir Galahad and his fellow knights… Lady Chris…
He remembered his loyalty to the one he trusted…
“Because I exist for Zexen.” It was not a lie. It was a reason why he was had been sent away from the forest in the first place.
The conversation about their past ended right there. Nei didn’t ask for more and Roland did not speak any word since. They only stared at the horizon, where the sky met the sea.
It was dark. Roland offered to walk Nei back to her quarters. Nei smiled as an acceptance to the offer.
While strolling back, Nei shattered the silence with, “have you ever wonder, Sir Roland, how does it feel to be in the forest? How does it affect us? What kind a power does it have over us?”
Roland closed his eyes, a nostalgic view came into his mind, but he put it away by shaking his head slowly.
Nei never got her answer, but she didn't mind. Even though they were elves, they were not children of the forest to begin with. She felt a little bit of emptiness when she'd thought about that. That was why she didn't mind... she didn't want to dig up more and fell into a deeper abyss of questioning her identity.
She was sure Roland felt the same way too...
When they met again the day after, they talked about what was on Budehuc Times.
Disclaimer: Konami
Character(s): Roland, Nei
Timeline: Suikoden III
It was a joy for Roland to meet his kind in the midst of war. The pleasure defeated his other feelings, like confusion; so that when he’d seen Nei and she had seen him, the urge of having simple talk about simple things and current affair was stronger than questions about their backgrounds…
They had talked about the weather, Nadir’s plays, or development of the war. When they started to share opinions, Roland hadn’t been surprised that Nei comments’ on several things were not too different from him. After all, they were elves.
When Roland felt that it was finally the right time to ask, he did. “Why did you leave the forest?”
Nei stared at him for a while.
Roland didn’t respond to the stare. He had prepared for a blank answer from Nei. There were rarely elves who decided to leave for away from their home. Elf was a creature of the forest. Forest was like an air they needed to breathe. Towns like Vinal del Zexay or Budehuc were like pollutions for them.
If she hadn’t left by her own choice, it meant that she was cast away by the people. Being cast away from the forest was a penalty of a crime that no elf wanted to receive.
“If I answer that, would you answer the same question too, Sir Roland?”
Roland felt silent for a while, before answering, “of course.”
“Then, I guess I’ll answer.” Nei smiled. “And it’s free for you if you feel disgusted of me, after you listen, Sir Roland.”
It wouldn’t surprise Roland if Nei answered that she had done a crime to receive an exile as punishment, but instead, Nei answered that “I’ve never been a child of a forest.”
“What?” The unexpected answer surprised Roland. “You’ve never been a child of the forest? Does that mean…”
“I was raised by human. The people I’ve always known as parents are not a creature of the forest.” Nei paused for a while before looking at Roland. A little doubt in her voice, but her eyes were watching his straight. “I’ve never found any of my kind in Grassland, especially except you, Sir Roland. Can you tell me?”
Why are you not in the forest?
The unspoken question was echoing in his ears.
Roland took a deep breath, thinking about the long road from his forest; how he hated the smelling the scent of bare land; how he despised the smell of iron mixed with blood; how he detested bricked roads; how he hated Zexen.
He then remembered Sir Galahad and his fellow knights… Lady Chris…
He remembered his loyalty to the one he trusted…
“Because I exist for Zexen.” It was not a lie. It was a reason why he was had been sent away from the forest in the first place.
The conversation about their past ended right there. Nei didn’t ask for more and Roland did not speak any word since. They only stared at the horizon, where the sky met the sea.
It was dark. Roland offered to walk Nei back to her quarters. Nei smiled as an acceptance to the offer.
While strolling back, Nei shattered the silence with, “have you ever wonder, Sir Roland, how does it feel to be in the forest? How does it affect us? What kind a power does it have over us?”
Roland closed his eyes, a nostalgic view came into his mind, but he put it away by shaking his head slowly.
Nei never got her answer, but she didn't mind. Even though they were elves, they were not children of the forest to begin with. She felt a little bit of emptiness when she'd thought about that. That was why she didn't mind... she didn't want to dig up more and fell into a deeper abyss of questioning her identity.
She was sure Roland felt the same way too...
When they met again the day after, they talked about what was on Budehuc Times.