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Cyril walked near the now lifeless pond. As he looked it over, he could recall the times he had worked by it years ago, back when he lived at Garreg Mach.
Now however, the lake was a dirty mess. He wondered if the fish died out during the initial invasion, or if it was a slow death from a lack of caretakers.
Yes, it had now been four and a half years since the siege of Garreg Mach, in which the Black Eagles Strike Force decimated the monastery, scattering the Knights of Seiros, throwing the Kingdom and Alliance into chaos, and leading to Rhea's disappearance.
Since then, Cyril had traveled through Fodlan searching for her. Occasionally he was accompanied by Shamir or other Knights, but often he was on his own. Despite how long he'd spent, her whereabouts remained unknown, and he couldn't stand it.
I wonder if the cafeteria has any food.
However, twice a year he returned to Garreg Mach for a day. Sure, it had been abandoned and was now crawling with bandits and thieves. But there was something about it that kept him coming back. Maybe it was because he'd spent so long there that it almost felt like a home to him. Maybe it was because he associated it so much with Rhea's presence. Or maybe he just liked having some kind of constant in his life, something he could hold on to and look forward to in the chaos and madness that Fodlan had become.
Whatever the case, Cyril was once again here, quietly making his way through to ensure he didn't run into any trouble.
After rummaging through the cafeteria to find nothing of note, he made his way to the student's quarters. On his return trips he would sleep in one of the rooms, and it was getting late. He remembered having to clean them up one at a time, back when he lived here. He never liked that. Some students would get so offended at having a foreigner cleaning their room, with him bearing the brunt of their annoyance rather then the Knights who assigned him the job. He also never liked seeing what lavish lifestyles the students at Garreg Mach lived. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Pushing those thoughts back, he made his way through each room, searching for any sort of treasure, he paused before entering one.
…A voice!?
He could hear someone inside the room he was about to enter. It was quiet, but it sounded almost like a lost animal...was it sobbing?
Cyril slowly peeked inside, gasping at the sight before him. He wasn't expecting to run into someone here, let alone a familiar face. There, lying face first on the bed, was a girl with beige hair, a grey robe, and a torn brown jacket. There was no mistaking it.
"Mercedes!?"
Slowly she lifted her gaze to meet Cyril's. Her eyes were red as they opened wide.
"Cyril!?"
She quickly got up, pulling herself together and rearranging her position to be one of sitting on the bed. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same! I...I come here every now and then, but I’ve never run into someone before!"
Mercedes pondered his words. "I suppose you would feel a connection to this place. You were always the one who kept it nice and clean..."
The former student looked down and covered her face, a quiet cry of anguish escaping her.
"Mercedes? Were um, were you crying?"
He waited while she slowly put her hands down.
"Cyril, would you mind closing the door? You should sit down."
"Yeah. Better so no one can hear us."
He closed the door slowly, making sure no one was around to hear them. He then removed his quiver, bow, and axe, placing them against the wall. He took a seat on the bed next to the former student. As he got comfortable, he noticed worrying signs. Mercedes’s jacket was more torn then he’d thought, and he noticed dirt marks all over the bottom of her robe. When she shook her head to get comfortable, he instantly noticed her hair. No longer flowing, it was now short but uneven, as if whoever cut it was in such a rush they barely bothered to give it any sort of consistency.
Concern filled him. “What um, happened to your hair?”
Mercedes ran her hands through her haphazard hair in response, trying not to be too ashamed. “It’s…a long story.”
A gulp was all that escaped Cyril’s mouth.
She faced the door. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this Cyril. I...I'm not sure why I came back here. I guess I thought I'd find something here. I thought I'd be able to move on, finally accept this new Fodlan we live in. But returning to my room, seeing my bed, it brought back so many happy memories...it made me so sad just thinking about it, about what it was like beforehand, about all the friends we had...just talking about it is..."
Cyril could see small tears beginning to run down her face as she covered it. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen someone cry. What do you do in a situation like this?
He gripped his hands tightly. “I’m sorry.”
Mercedes recollected herself, wiping tears away. “Oh Cyril. I’m glad to see that you are okay at least. I thought the war would…consume you.”
He shook his head. “I can’t die. Not until I find Lady Rhea.”
She smiled. “You really haven’t changed at all, have you?”
Cyril nodded with a smile, happy to see her doing a little better.
It did not last however. Mercedes gazed up as her smile faded.
“I have been searching for someone too.”
“Yeah?”
“I know it’s been a while but…do you remember Professor Jeritza Cyril?”
“Hmmmmm,” he thought about it long and hard, but… “Not sure I do. Sorry.”
She let out a quiet chuckle. “That’s all right. That sounds like him. He never liked making his presence known…he’s a lot like you.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded, followed by a sigh of despair.
“I’ve heard stories about him on the battlefield, but…I still haven’t found him…”
Cyril once again found himself debating what to say, nervous about how to approach the distraught girl.
He thought of Rhea. “He must mean a lot to you.”
“He does. I’ve…missed him. If I can’t find him, or worse, he doesn’t remember me…I don’t know what I’d do…”
“I can keep an eye out for you.”
“…thank you Cyril, I…” she wiped her face again, pausing to sob quietly.
Once she could talk more calmly, she resumed.
“Cyril?”
“Hm?”
“Do you have a place you return to after searching for Rhea? A home, like this place used to be?”
He frowned. “Not really. I try to find a cave or tree to hide in if I need to rest. If I’m with Shamir or the Knights they can usually help me find a place to stay.”
“I see. Gosh that sounds awful…but I guess I’ll have to get used to that…”
Cyril was afraid to ask. “Do you not have a place to return to? I thought all the students came from a noble or wealthy family?”
“…it’s a long story.”
That doesn’t help. “I was planning to spend the night here, so I have time.”
Mercedes closed her eyes, taking a moment to organize her words and collect herself. “Are you sure?”
Cyril nodded, doing his best to appear calm, despite that being very far from the truth.
She took a deep breath. “When war broke out, I desperately wanted to do something. I wanted to help the churches in the Kingdom, especially the one I grew up in. I wanted to search for my brother. My adoptive father…wouldn’t have any of it. I was too valuable for the future of his family he said. He forbid me from leaving…”
She paused. “As the war grew worse, I grew desperate. Eventually I threatened to leave by force, cutting and destroying my hair to convince him of my resolve. He said if I left I would never be welcomed back, thinking that would stop me…so I ran away. I was able to stay with Annie for a while, but when the war reached her territory…we were separated, and I had to run.”
Her voice started to lower as Cyril could tell she was on the verge of bawling.
“I tried staying with various churches…but they were in such a sad state. No one would help or support them. Many said the Church was evil…it was horrible.”
Mercedes began to cry once again as Cyril flinched at his lack of power. He couldn’t stand to see her like this, but he had no idea what to do.
“I tried to help, I helped some to escape, but…there were so many I couldn’t protect, and I just…I couldn’t think of anywhere else to run, so I-”
Cyril pulled Mercedes into a big hug, closing his eyes and squeezing her tight.
She was not expecting that. “Cyril?”
He didn’t know what to do, so he started speaking whatever entered his mind. “I’m sorry Mercedes. I’m really sorry. I don’t know what to say. I’m sad too. I know what it’s like to lose everything in a war…to lose your family, and I hate it so much. I hate that war is ruining the lives of so many people again…and I can’t take it. I don’t know what to do. But I…I don’t like seeing you so sad. You…you were there for me. I’ll never forget the times you helped me out, gave me blankets…gave me a big hug to help when it was cold. I…I don’t know what to do, but, you’re the only one to ever share your warmth with me, so…here’s some of my warmth for you.”
He held her tightly, shivering himself.
She wiped her eyes and smiled. “I…I thought you might have forgotten all that.”
He opened his eyes and gazed up at her. “No, I can’t forget everything that’s happened here. I…it was the closest thing I’ve had to a home, and knowing that…it keeps me going and searching, despite everything that’s happened.”
She wrapped around Cyril and squeezed him equally, sobbing while smiling. “I’m so glad I’m not alone.”
They sat there together for a moment, savoring the warmth. Cyril hadn’t felt such physical contact in so long, the last time might have actually been Mercedes during the academy days. It was…nice.
But after a few minutes, “Um…” it was starting to feel a little too warm. Mercedes picked up on Cyril’s discomfort, and the two let go.
“Sorry Cyril. It’s…been so long since I’ve gotten to hug someone, as sad as that is to say…”
Cyril frowned.
She noticed, missing his smile. “But thank you Cyril. That…means so much to me. I can see why you continue to search despite everything. I…could learn from you.”
His smile returned. “Thanks Mercedes. Or um….Mercie was it?”
She giggled. “You remembered that too?”
“Yeah.” He paused to take in her words before continuing. “I’m sure I could learn a thing or two from you as well. I…I’ve focused so much on finding Rhea, I guess I haven’t tried to help many people. If the churches are suffering so much…maybe I and the Knights should be doing more to help.”
“I would certainly feel safer knowing we had the Knights of Seiros with us.”
Yeah…there are probably people like me out there that need help… “Then let’s find them.”
“Together.”
They both smiled, a renewed comradery filling them with hope.
“I think I know how to find Shamir, and from there we could find the others.”
“Let’s do that then first thing tomorrow.”
Mercedes had brightened for the first time that night, smiling as she leaned her head onto Cyril’s shoulder.
“Mercie?”
She let out a yawn, and Cyril knew what that meant. Sensing his own tiredness growing, he nudged her off his shoulder, got up, and checked outside, finding the sky as dark as can be.
“Where are you sleeping?”
She stretched. “Well…this is technically my room. I thought sleeping here might cheer me up. But…”
“But?”
“You know what would really help?”
“Hm?”
“Cyril, you may decline, but would you like to sleep with me tonight?”
The boy froze at the offer, closing the door behind him to make sure that absolutely no one heard that.
She chuckled softly. “Sorry sorry, as I said you do not have to. It’s just that…I find I sleep better with company nearby. I haven’t slept well in a while and…it would help.”
Cyril frowned. “I guess I didn’t have anywhere to sleep as well. But, you’re sure it’s all right?”
She smiled. “Positive.”
The two then did their best to clean up the room, returning it to a state that somewhat resembled their life before the war.
“Imagine if the whole monastery looked as nice as this,” chirped Mercedes. She seemed to be doing better, and for that Cyril was grateful. It was nice to see her again. He’d missed it, missed the students of Garreg Mach. Well, a few of them.
“Yeah, maybe if we bring all the Knights of Seiros here we could fix it up.”
“Mmm…” she hummed.
As they got into bed and got comfortable, they starred at the ceiling, still taking in the events of the night.
“Hey…Cyril?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you remember the promise our class made on the night of the ball?”
“Our class?...oh yeah, we both joined the same class didn’t we?”
“Mhmm. We promised to meet here during the Millennium festival…that’s in about six moons.”
“Right…”
“Do you think everyone will come? Do you think that on that day…Rhea might appear? Or the professor? Or?...”
“Hm…” Cyril was never one for superstitions. He wasn’t a devout follower like Mercedes. Nevertheless…
“Guess there’s only one way to find out.”
“Yeah…so let’s be sure to come back here when that time comes.”
“Mhmm. For Lady Rhea.”
She smiled, slowly drifting off to sleep. “For those without a home like us…”
As he lay in silence, Cyril could hear Mercedes fall asleep. Her breaths were quiet, yet easy to hear when next to her. She was right, she fell asleep quickly with me here.
This whole visit worked out better then he expected. He was glad to run into her, and glad she remembered their time like he did. Yeah, he felt like he wasn’t alone. It was a nice feeling…
So why can’t I sleep?
He asked himself, fulling knowing why. While Mercedes was an affectionate person, Cyril was the opposite. He liked his space, and wasn’t sure he’d ever slept so close to someone before. It was…unnerving, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t fall asleep. At one point Mercedes turned and pulled him into a hug, and he had to slowly push his way out while not waking her. After freeing himself, he grabbed a teddy bear and placed it next to her, which she happily held during slumber.
Giving up, Cyril decided to head to another room to get some sleep. He could use it.
As he peered outside at the broken monastery, he turned to give one last glance at the sleeping girl. Her messy hair and torn clothes fit with the mess that was Garreg Mach, but her soft smile was noticeably out of place. It was that of someone not necessarily free from the scars of war, but someone who despite all that, was able to have a peaceful rest, a recovery, no...someone was who healing. Cyril wondered if some day, Fodlan would heal as well.
Maybe if I focused less on Lady Rhea, I could focus on helping those who need it, like this place…or other people...or myself...
He glanced at the sleeping girl one last time before heading to the next room.
“Thanks Mercie.”
*
Cyril would end up sleeping in due to how late he went to sleep, but he woke up feeling refreshed. Leaving his room, he found a lovely breakfast put together by Mercedes, allowing both to start their new journey on the right foot. The war would continue to affect them, but since their meeting, they were able to manage it much better.