Chapter Text
The cold air whipped violently around, nipping at what skin it could lay its sharp teeth into as a pair of cloaked individuals made their way across the storming snowy landscape. Bitter cold temperatures had become an all too well known experience for the young man, having had to traverse them to avoid pursuers, though that didn’t stop him from silently cursing as he trudged ahead. Trailing behind him closely, he could hear his companion crunch through the snow with every step, keeping in time with his own. No doubt they were feeling the exhaustion after both of them being on the run for so long, but no, they couldn’t stop here, not in the middle of a storm. Keeping his eyes focused on the path ahead, the winding pathways through the mountain finally giving way to a welcomed sight in the distance. A small shack, likely built as a rest point for hikers in the olden days, but now seemingly lay abandoned amongst an untended mountain path through the northern territories of Garlemald. With a quiet sigh of relief, he glanced back at his travel companion, who was bracing against the cold winds by keeping their hood held fast against the piercing chill.
“We’ll rest up ahead. Come. I’d rather not give anyone an opportunity to catch a glimpse of us should this weather prove to grow fairer suddenly.”
A quiet nod. That’s all he needed to turn his focus ahead to the small recluse ahead. Upon approach, it was obvious no one had been to this place in a long time. All well and good for a couple of fugitives on the run. Enemies of Eorzea and to all who would stand against Garlemald. The strategic tyrant and his willing accomplice. As the wind whipped once more, ripping the hood from its place, white hair bristled from the cold and nipped at the shaven part of his neck. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he focused his cold gaze ahead, his darkened blue eyes tired of the wind’s persistence to afflict his exposed skin with frost bite. Thankfully the shack could offer at least some respite from the winds continued assault at the very least. If this had been better circumstances, one where they didn't need secrecy, he might build a fire, but such luxuries were not at their disposal. Not only for a lack of fire wood, but also due to the pursuers that were hot on their trail.
Upon entering the abode, the creaking of the wood against the wind’s persistence to mock him made him narrow his eyes. It was dark inside, but at least they could get a bit of rest before continuing the journey northward. Once his companion had entered behind him, he gave a stern order.
“Close the door and lock it. Better to not become prey during our brief respite from this infernal storm.”
Another quiet nod. He had grown used to this behavior, a side effect of the tempering the spell he had affiliated his companion with. At first, such obedience had amused him, proving effective in making them his willing puppet, the emotions that came after whatever he ordered them to do often bringing plentiful amusement. Kill a primal here. Execute an enemy there. A willing pawn. Though, after a few winters, they had stopped reacting in post with their own emotions. Completely resigned, unable to resist, numb to whatever horrible act of cruelty they had been ordered to carry out. All at the behest of their master who now stifled a shiver from the still cold air around them. Taking a seat in a corner, he beckoned them closer, pulling them into a needed embrace for maintaining warmth. After all, given there was no time to prepare when both had to take their leave of the capitol, it wasn’t like they had the luxury to pack additional insulation. Cloaks were a fortunate blessing to find at the settlement, but they did little to maintain heat given their poor condition. Though what choice did they have? The capitol had fallen to the resistance, it wasn’t like they could do much else but flee with the clothes upon their backs.
Ah yes, the day Garlemald fell. A once proud nation of conquerors, one that he swore allegiance to prior to the bloody banquet in Ul’dah. They had promised him the power he needed to save all of Eorzea, and with the Warrior of Light at his behest that may have been very well possible had the resistance not managed to overtake them. It came as a shock to all when the very nation that had placed such a firm boot upon the neck of its enemies suddenly fell over night, the royalty and loyalists put to the sword with a rapier wielding leader at the forefront. All without the Warrior of Light at their side no less. If he wasn’t so bitter about it, he might even have been able to feel pride in the fact that his sibling managed to achieve such a lofty goal. Having seen her burst forth into his office that day, her weapon at the ready, those pained eyes filled with feelings of betrayal once she fully confirmed that he had indeed turned traitor against the scions in earnest. Out of all of them, those whom use to call him friend, she held out hope that he was just a prisoner, being used against his will, but for her to see him in a commanding officer uniform, staring coldly back at her with a plastic smile, it was as if he had shattered her world entirely.
Smiling bitterly, he held his companion close, the welcomed warmth allowing him to drift through the memory of that day. The way she screamed out at him, asking him to deny it, to tell her that it was all an act. Foolish. She truly loved her brother, he knew this, she would defend him forever to all the naysayers had she not seen it with her own eyes. When he greeted her as any high-ranking officer of Garlemald would an enemy, ah yes, it broke that fragile dream of hers to see her precious brother strip away all the doubt she held in reserve for the testimonies that she had been given. Everyone knew, she just stubbornly refused to accept. Absent-mindedly, he reached up to the gash on his left cheek, the reminder of the blow he barely managed to dodge once she had that precious little dream of hers shattered to pieces. Surely she would have finished the job had another fear not been confirmed with the appearance of his companion. The Warrior of Light, having “disappeared” one day many moons prior, was there, quick to his aid in defending against her next onslaught of blows.
If it had continued, no doubt they would have been the victors, but with the whole of the resistance right around the bend, they had little choice but to flee the scene of his sister screaming out for his companion. Telling them to stop, of which of course they didn’t, as they were quick to teleport them both away before reinforcement could arrive. Naturally, there was little choice as to where they could flee to, having arrived at an aetheryte in a northern settlement, one which had been mostly abandoned due to the harsh weather that pelted the land. A perfect place to flee from pursuers given its less well known location. It took little effort between him and his faithful pawn to shatter the easiest method of reaching them, but of course they couldn’t stay grounded in this location. They had to continue their trek northward, as to stay still would be the same as accepting death at the end of a rapier.
Continuing to let his mind wander, he thought back to that faithful day in Ul’dah when he had tempered the Warrior of Light using forbidden magic. Subjugation spells were outlawed outright, but there was little stopping him from learning such a useful tool. His companion surprisingly was cooperative, trusting in the lie that it was to protect them, to show they could not disobey the Captain of the Crystal Braves while investigations into the assasination of the Sultana were carried out. Alphinaud told them, with a plastic smile, he lied to them outright that it would be temporary. The trust his friend had in him, he used it against them, allowing him to implement a particularly potent subjugation spell, one that time and time again had provided the young elezen with great amusement, their reactions being the source of many bouts of his cruel amusement. They only realized what they had agreed to, that their trusted friend and ally had lied to them, not long after they had sealed their pact. Complete obedience, no possibility to resist his commands, unable to show mercy unless instructed. It broke this would be hero in not long after.
Though that didn’t mean they lacked emotions, they just carried out their orders with no post-reaction, no entertainment following, much to his dismay. No, there was still that annoying look of pity they held whenever they watched him. There were times he’d catch them glancing, eyes meeting briefly to reveal that sadness in their soul. Some manner of hope still lingering in the pools of their soul that he had tried countless times to stifle. He would not be pitied, he would not be cared for. They would hate him ere long, come to find his very essence in their world deplorable. He didn’t want them to treat him as they had done before. The countless times they’d rush to him with a beaming smile, having completed a task he had given, eager to earn his praise. Honestly, it was enough to make him feel sick. Entertaining the thought that they had held him in such high regard even now, despite all he had put them through, he had tried to crush it many times, and yet it persisted. Why? They should hate him, perhaps they do and refuse to admit it, much like his sister kept holding out hope until her eyes confirmed her worst fears.
Shivering slightly in his arms, they kept as still as possible, continuing to serve as a source of warmth as the winds beat and howled against the walls of the small shack. It brought him back from bitter thoughts to gaze downward at them, their gaze not meeting his. Even now, he could see that infernal kindness held for him in their eyes. Gripping them tighter to his chest, Alphinaud scoffed, earning a curious perk of his companion’s head as they glanced up at him.
“...have you nothing to say to me?”
His words pushed out with a bite almost as sharp as the cold air nipping at his ears.
“The resistance finally managed to crush their oppressors. The heroes won the day. A mastermind of Garlemald is being made to flee into this godsforsaken wasteland to the north with pursuers close at the heel, dragging you along in tow. Do you not wish to admonish me for my choices? Laugh in my face at my failure?”
Again. That pity again! Their eyes practically glazed over with tears as they kept their gaze locked with his own. Then, finally, they spoke.
“...I’m glad I could at least save you.”
He froze. He wasn’t sure what their situation currently amounted to ‘saving’ him. Seeing his confusion, they pressed forward with their words.
“I didn’t want you to die.”
Forcefully shoving them away, his companion fell backwards with a hard thud, letting out a quiet yelp upon impact with the floor. Alphinaud shook in place, not because of the cold, but due to a boiling rage.
“YOU IGNORANT HAPLESS FOOL! When are you going to get it through your head that I used you?!”
Standing up, he tremored furiously, glaring down at them. They should hate him. They have to. This act they put on, he wouldn’t buy it.
“I made you kill countless times over! I tempered you into servitude! Lied to you! Used you as a pawn in my own game! Why do you continue to ignore the reality of your situation?!”
Slowly they sat up, not meeting his gaze as they stared at the frozen floor boards below them, the shack now quaking with the reprimands of the furious elezen as he glared at them. His companion shivering in place, they pressed to speak.
“...I still didn’t want you to die.”
His mouth hung open slightly, eyes wide in disbelief of the words that had left their mouth, having trouble accepting the lack of hate he had been expecting all this time. The air was quiet for a moment before he started to chuckle, proceeding into his usual cold laughter as he grinned down at them.
“Even now, you’re still as dedicated as ever. How fortuitous that I have such a willing pawn.”
He stepped closer to them, giving a quick snap of his fingers to demand their attention, their eyes instantly meeting his own as he loomed over.
“I order you to tell me the truth. Tell me exactly what you feel in regards to me and what I’ve made you do. You will not lie to me any further with those looks of pity!”
A faint glow from the magic enscripted upon their neck indicated activation of the spell of tempering. He would have his answers here and now in earnest. He’d often held what he made the Warrior of Light do above their head as a form of amusement in the past, but in this moment he needed to hear their true words of hate and vitriol for the man he had become. He would not be lied to, not by them. Once the magic had activated, the words came from his companion without restraint, their eyes glazed over showing no resistance given to the order. However, he was not prepared for them to continue to gaze with the same expression as before, unwavering in their determined care of him.
“...you’re my dearest friend. It…hurt…so much to do what I did…but…if it meant you would live…”
Tears began to fall down their face as they spoke. They felt so much regret for the lives they had slain, for all the damage done, but if it meant he would live to see another tomorrow, that somehow made shouldering all the dirty work worth it. Alphinaud had sullied their name, made them an instrument of death, and yet here they sat, not exactly happy for the horrible crimes they were made to commit, but rather satisfied with the one peace they found in him being safe and sound before them. This revelation caused Alphinaud’s expression to fade from fury, to irritation, to an almost mute calm. The Warrior of Light likely would have followed him into hell if he so wished, with or without the spell that was cast upon them for insurance purposes. His shoulders relaxed with a sigh as he dismissed the spell’s influence, light returning to their eyes indicating their free will had returned once more.
“Ridiculous.”
For a moment longer he stared into those eyes, the ones that were filled with concern for him, before turning away and walking over to the corner of the shack once more. The storm would take some time to pass yet, and he would not be suffering to waste what little respite they would find here continuing to question them further, as if they were even capable of lying to him. Sitting in the corner, he once again beckoned his companion to join him, his expression blank of emotion. They offered no resistance to the command, not even needing the tempering to urge them to join Alphinaud in retaining what heat they could in this bitter cold. Arms wrapped around them once more as the elezen held them close, as they resigned themselves to rest for a time. Soon they would have to be on the move once more, lest the rapier of justice find their hearts ere long.