Yet another unfinished ... thing
Title: Tabularasa ~ Guide My Hand
Warnings: Suikoden III spoilers, Tabularasa spoilers
Series: Suikoden III
Pairing: None
Summary: The sequel to The Pieces of You, which was never finished either. Wonderful, huh?
“Tabularasa ~ Guide My Hand”
Chapter 1: Departure
He stared out the window to look at the river. He never tired of the sight, leaning one hand on the sill as his eyes followed the flow thoughtfully. There were young boys out on the bridge now, casting their fishing poles out enthusiastically. From time to time, he would see merchants or other travelers cross the bridge, but he mainly kept his gaze on the rushing water.
A knock on the door was not enough to jar him from his reverie, but he straightened when a younger man-his brother-entered the room and came to stand by his side. His expression was closed off and barely readable. “I’ll be going home soon.” There was a slight pause. “Apple suggested we leave you here, and I think it’s probably the best choice for now.”
“Is it?” Albert Silverberg tilted his head slightly, watching his brother. Somehow, he was not surprised that Caesar was leaving; the teenager had his own life and could not be focused on him forever. It was enough that he had spent an entire month in the city while he began to recover.
“We’re … not that far from Toran,” Caesar began, his lips twitching into a frown. He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking pensive. “Look, I… I don’t really want to do this--”
“Then don’t.”
A flash of frustration crossed the younger Silverberg’s features. “It’s not that simple. I don’t want to just … write a letter to tell Mom and Dad about this.”
Albert returned his attention to the river. “Will they come and visit me?”
“I don’t know. Probably.” It was now Caesar’s turn to watch Albert, and he took in the noticeable differences that defined his brother now. Ever since his exile from Harmonia and the leaving of the Beast Rune, Albert had been … redeveloping as a person. He smiled and laughed more easily, but his professional skills had all but vanished because of a spell used by Bishop Sasarai. Whatever interests he had in the past had to be rediscovered, and that by itself was a daunting task; the brothers had not spent any time together since they were children, and even then Caesar did not pay attention to Albert’s hobbies. The one hobby he recalled Albert taking special interest in was chess.
It had hurt deeply teaching his brother how to play the game. It had hurt even more winning against him.
“It’s going to be winter soon.” Albert sighed and glanced at Caesar out of the corner of his eye. “Will the river freeze?”
Caesar shook his head. “I don’t think it ever gets that cold around here. Gregminster, definitely. But not here.”
A wistful smile appeared on the other’s face. “I’d like to see snow sometime.”
“You will.” Though Caesar spoke with conviction, he could feel niggling doubt in the back of his mind. He really needed to stop making promises, especially concerning his brother. After all, he still felt like this shadow of a man could always disappear without a moment’s notice.
After all, he was still Albert Silverberg, and thus was haunted by demons.
Or, more specifically, a demon.
* * * * *
“Thank you for taking him in.”
“You’ve said that several times already, Apple.”
“I just want you to know how grateful I am.”
Somehow, she always managed to feel a bit like a schoolgirl around Shu. Thirty-three years old and she still managed to feel that way. It certainly did not help matters that Shu was still as handsome at 41 as he was at 18. Setting down his quill, Shu looked up from his papers to regard his old friend. “I suspect you wanted to tell me something before you left?”
When Apple looked decidedly abashed, Shu knew he had inquired correctly. “I … I was hoping you would teach him strategy while we’re gone.”
Shu, more understanding in his older years, smiled in amusement. “The teacher asks the trader to teach? An interesting notion.”
“I know you’ve studied some of Leon’s methods; you certainly didn’t derive all of those war strategies from Master Mathiu’s teachings.” Apple arched a brow when Shu continued smiling. “What?”
“I’m just amused that you noticed. When did it occur to you?”
Apple did not immediately answer, instead coloring around the ears a little. “When I started preparing myself to become a teacher.”
Shu began to chuckle, making Apple wish Caesar was around to slap upside the head.
* * * * *
Albert was always intrigued by his sessions with Apple; the woman had many stories to tell about the places she had traveled to, and would pepper her history lessons with them. He imagined she was a very good teacher back home, and hoped he would get the chance to learn more. Apple had been relieved by his interest in studying; apparently he had enjoyed absorbing information as a child, and the trait had stayed with him despite his amnesia.
He had asked Doctor Huan about amnesia during one of his visits; Shu had asked the doctor to visit and assess him for any types of treatment. Huan’s answers had been vague and largely unhelpful, since the Harmonian spell originally used to destroy his memory had been affected by the Beast Rune’s presence.
He wished he remembered the events leading up to his awakening in Vinay del Zexay. All he knew was that he had been exiled from Harmonia following his part in a large war, and that he had been pursued through the Grasslands by what seemed to vary between a handful of hunters to three Grassland tribes, a battalion of Harmonians, and armed assassins.
Warnings: Suikoden III spoilers, Tabularasa spoilers
Series: Suikoden III
Pairing: None
Summary: The sequel to The Pieces of You, which was never finished either. Wonderful, huh?
“Tabularasa ~ Guide My Hand”
Chapter 1: Departure
He stared out the window to look at the river. He never tired of the sight, leaning one hand on the sill as his eyes followed the flow thoughtfully. There were young boys out on the bridge now, casting their fishing poles out enthusiastically. From time to time, he would see merchants or other travelers cross the bridge, but he mainly kept his gaze on the rushing water.
A knock on the door was not enough to jar him from his reverie, but he straightened when a younger man-his brother-entered the room and came to stand by his side. His expression was closed off and barely readable. “I’ll be going home soon.” There was a slight pause. “Apple suggested we leave you here, and I think it’s probably the best choice for now.”
“Is it?” Albert Silverberg tilted his head slightly, watching his brother. Somehow, he was not surprised that Caesar was leaving; the teenager had his own life and could not be focused on him forever. It was enough that he had spent an entire month in the city while he began to recover.
“We’re … not that far from Toran,” Caesar began, his lips twitching into a frown. He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking pensive. “Look, I… I don’t really want to do this--”
“Then don’t.”
A flash of frustration crossed the younger Silverberg’s features. “It’s not that simple. I don’t want to just … write a letter to tell Mom and Dad about this.”
Albert returned his attention to the river. “Will they come and visit me?”
“I don’t know. Probably.” It was now Caesar’s turn to watch Albert, and he took in the noticeable differences that defined his brother now. Ever since his exile from Harmonia and the leaving of the Beast Rune, Albert had been … redeveloping as a person. He smiled and laughed more easily, but his professional skills had all but vanished because of a spell used by Bishop Sasarai. Whatever interests he had in the past had to be rediscovered, and that by itself was a daunting task; the brothers had not spent any time together since they were children, and even then Caesar did not pay attention to Albert’s hobbies. The one hobby he recalled Albert taking special interest in was chess.
It had hurt deeply teaching his brother how to play the game. It had hurt even more winning against him.
“It’s going to be winter soon.” Albert sighed and glanced at Caesar out of the corner of his eye. “Will the river freeze?”
Caesar shook his head. “I don’t think it ever gets that cold around here. Gregminster, definitely. But not here.”
A wistful smile appeared on the other’s face. “I’d like to see snow sometime.”
“You will.” Though Caesar spoke with conviction, he could feel niggling doubt in the back of his mind. He really needed to stop making promises, especially concerning his brother. After all, he still felt like this shadow of a man could always disappear without a moment’s notice.
After all, he was still Albert Silverberg, and thus was haunted by demons.
Or, more specifically, a demon.
* * * * *
“Thank you for taking him in.”
“You’ve said that several times already, Apple.”
“I just want you to know how grateful I am.”
Somehow, she always managed to feel a bit like a schoolgirl around Shu. Thirty-three years old and she still managed to feel that way. It certainly did not help matters that Shu was still as handsome at 41 as he was at 18. Setting down his quill, Shu looked up from his papers to regard his old friend. “I suspect you wanted to tell me something before you left?”
When Apple looked decidedly abashed, Shu knew he had inquired correctly. “I … I was hoping you would teach him strategy while we’re gone.”
Shu, more understanding in his older years, smiled in amusement. “The teacher asks the trader to teach? An interesting notion.”
“I know you’ve studied some of Leon’s methods; you certainly didn’t derive all of those war strategies from Master Mathiu’s teachings.” Apple arched a brow when Shu continued smiling. “What?”
“I’m just amused that you noticed. When did it occur to you?”
Apple did not immediately answer, instead coloring around the ears a little. “When I started preparing myself to become a teacher.”
Shu began to chuckle, making Apple wish Caesar was around to slap upside the head.
* * * * *
Albert was always intrigued by his sessions with Apple; the woman had many stories to tell about the places she had traveled to, and would pepper her history lessons with them. He imagined she was a very good teacher back home, and hoped he would get the chance to learn more. Apple had been relieved by his interest in studying; apparently he had enjoyed absorbing information as a child, and the trait had stayed with him despite his amnesia.
He had asked Doctor Huan about amnesia during one of his visits; Shu had asked the doctor to visit and assess him for any types of treatment. Huan’s answers had been vague and largely unhelpful, since the Harmonian spell originally used to destroy his memory had been affected by the Beast Rune’s presence.
He wished he remembered the events leading up to his awakening in Vinay del Zexay. All he knew was that he had been exiled from Harmonia following his part in a large war, and that he had been pursued through the Grasslands by what seemed to vary between a handful of hunters to three Grassland tribes, a battalion of Harmonians, and armed assassins.