The Laying of Boundaries

Author’s Notes: I’d like to thank everyone who reviewed on the last chapter of this. You guys are seriously my fuel, without any reviews I think I’d just stop writing, ahahaa. Anyway, so yes…clearly, everyone who reviewed really wanted this to go on, so it would seem that this story is now going to become very very AU. I don’t really know how military in Ivalice is, but oh well, I’m guessing, so we’ll just have to see how this pans out xD

As always, I hope you enjoy.

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“You’re kidding, right boy?”

“No! I’m not joking! I have to join the army, now!”

Vaan tried to punctuate his words with narrowed eyes, unfortunately, it had backfired and the small gaggle of guards had only laughed at him, which of course gave him only more frustration.

They were gathering the last of what was to become the army for Dalmasca, it was being conducted in a lesser known guild-hall, after all guilds were always a good place to find willing fighters.

“Come on, just let me in,” The blond said impatiently as he tried to force his way through the blockade of three men dressed in the military’s garb. He was pushed back roughly and landed back on his rump firmly, Vaan could hear the laughter of the other two guards.

“You know the rules, kid,” He spat out rudely, “Seventeen years of age, or you can’t join,” Vaan’s breathing went low as the man continued his lecture, “We can’t have whelps fighting for our country,”

“I’m not a whelp!” Vaan protested as he pushed himself up to his feet, dusting his pants off with the palms of his hands, “Besides, at least I’m willing to help fight, all you guys do is stand around!” He shot back, obviously falling victim to his short fuse.

“Why you…?!”

A hand was sent flying directly towards Vaan’s face, it was nearly going in slow motion and Vaan could nearly spot out every hair that moved on the man’s arm. However, it suddenly came to a stop.

“Huhn?”

Vaan looked forward and saw a hand stopping the fist of the guard that was about to hit him.

Who was this?

Vaan’s eyes flickered up and he saw a new figure there; not a militia, not a civilian, and no one that he recognized.

The blond could only spot out a few things about the man. This man, whoever he was, had long white hair the color of clouds on the most perfect of days, it looked soft but was extremely choppy on the back – to the point where the shorter strands swept up to the sky, the rest however hung below his waist while bangs were pulled from one side of his head and covered his right eye. From this angle, Vaan could vaguely see the figure’s face, his skin was darker than Vaan’s and was almost too smooth for it’s own good.

However, it was the other’s uncovered eye that was the thing that caught his attention the most. The color closest to the pupil was the lightest shade of cerulean imaginable, however, the iris was not a solid blue. As the iris grew away from the pupil, the soft blue morphed into the most delightful shade of violet.

Vaan had never seen anything like it.

Trapped in a mystified state, Vaan took one step back. He could see a bow of black wood mounted on the other’s back, only later would he admire the delicate carvings on the weapon. The figure was lean and shapely, built through many years of training and hard work, however he looked as though he was only a year or two older than Vaan’s brother. How unusual.

Vaan’s eyes fell to the figure’s feet. He began to notice a pattern immediately, everything that the man wore was black and appeared to be made of animal hide, and was all exquisitely shaped. Designs of birds and flowers were etched into the armor on his scantily clad chest and even his gloves. The hume continued to allow his eyes to sweep up the figure, going over his hair again and then resting on the very top of his head.

Vaan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A Viera!?!”

A Viera was rare enough, but unless Vaan was mistaken, this Viera happened to be male. Male Vieras were unheard of, he didn’t understand. Sure, he’d seen a few Viera women in Rabanastre before, but not often and he’d even managed to ask one of them about men, he wasn’t able to get an answer from her. But it would seem that he’d finally gotten his answer after all.

The boy slapped a hand up to his mouth and stared at the guards in astonishment who happened to look just as shocked as he did. However, they were alarmed for a reason other than Vaan’s.

“There’s a problem? Why are you blocking this child’s path?”

Vaan’s gaze snapped back to the Viera, staring lightly at the lofty ears that were nestled amongst the veil of ivory-shaded tresses. Unlike most Viera, his ears had no black upon them and were colored in nothing but swirls of snow-white and wisps of the lightest and smokiest of grays.

The Hume swallowed at the sound of the stranger’s voice. His words were so calculated and careful as if each word could have spelled his doom. Then again, A Viera venturing away from the wood couldn’t have much longer to live.

“*Archine, there’s…there’s nothing, we were just…about to let this boy in,” The guards stammered in distress and fear.

Fear? Over this man?

But how?

The figure now known as Archine only nodded once and released the hand that he’d been blocking; the Viera then turned on his heels and looked over Vaan’s figure. At this moment, Vaan bit his tongue. This man, he had an eyepatch on, it covered his right eye and was hidden well beneath the fringe of his hair. Vaan didn’t question it as he saw the guard part like the red sea for the Viera.

Archine didn’t say a word, he only stepped to the opening arch-way of the guild and lifted one dark hand, gesturing for Vaan to follow after him. Vaan only ran after him, stepping quickly and disappearing into the guild.

Only when Vaan’s attention fell onto Archine’s back did he glare.

“Hey, Get back here!” Vaan called after him, but Archine didn’t look back, he only slowed his steps as the rest of the crowd began to stare over at him and the ears that set him apart from the others in the spacious guild. “What was that all about? Who do you think you are calling me a child?” Vaan demanded obviously unhappily.

Archine turned and glanced over Vaan once more, “You weren’t able to help yourself…you are a child,” Vaan growled lowly at the soft and indifferent sound of the other’s voice.

“Ngh, It’s not like that at all,” Vaan tried to protest but didn’t know what to say.

“Not like what?” Archine countered back, “Do you mean to tell me that you had all in your control? That your struggling was part of your plan?” Archine sighed, “For who do you wish to join the ranks of these fighters and killers? Surely you have other things more peaceful that could occupy your time?” The Viera glanced through the guild hall where everyone was settling down, “Do you simply wish for glory, as all children do…or do you have a true purpose?”

“A true purpose?” Vaan looked perplexed, “Why should you care? It doesn’t have anything to do with you,”

Archine hummed, “If your only intention is glory…then you’ll be killed in battle, men with nothing but pride in their hearts never last long,”

“It isn’t like that!” Vaan insisted, “I don’t want glory or any of that crap! I just want my brother back!” Vaan swallowed and closed his eyes when he caught what he said and how offended he’d sounded. He had to be careful about this, what if this Viera was able to spot out why he was so desperate for his brother, for Rex.

“Your brother?” Archine paused and lifted one hand to his chin as if he were considering Vaan’s answer, “A noble cause indeed…” Archine looked unusually pleased, but it was hard to tell what was really going on in the Viera’s head. Just as Vaan opened his mouth to speak, Archine hushed him with a gesture, “The orientation is about to begin, hold your tongue,” He said calmly.

Vaan rose his attention upward toward a scale of stairs where a group of men stood, all adorned in royal armor. One stood taller than the other’s and was in even finer armor, glistening brightly in the dull light.

“There’s no time to waste men! Your country needs you. This is the time to fight for honor, and pride, and freedom. Raise your hands against the Imperials and take back what is yours! We fight for our king! No mercy shall be held for the weak, we will crush the Imperials and we will defend Dalmasca!”

That was the only part of the speech that Vaan had actually bothered to listen to, shortly after those words were said, he found his attention on Archine again. Questions bubbled fiercely in his brain.

Were there other male Viera and where were they? Was Archine the only one? Why did Archine leave wherever male Viera came from? Why was he here? Why were the guards so afraid of Archine? Also…he wondered how Archine had lost his right eye.

Even with all these questions barreling around in his skull, he looked up when Archine touched his shoulder, “It’s time for you to sign,” He said simply before the Viera led Vaan to a crowded table with a large scroll draped over it. Everyone was signing it with quills and scribbled signatures.

“It’s time for you to show how much your brother means to you. Sign your name here and you sign away everything; your humanity, your mercy, your morals, your feelings…and you will become a soldier,”

Vaan swallowed and grabbed one of the quills, dipping it into a well of ink and holding it over the paper shakily as he narrowed his eyes. He was ready for this, right?

A drop of ink landed on the page and signaled his hesitation.

“Your brother is worth it…I trust?”

When those words left Archine, Vaan nodded once and quickly signed his name.

There, on the worn and dotted paper right beneath Archine’s name was a swirling line of ink that said ‘Vaan Ratsbane,’

Vaan had done it, finally, he’d done it.

The first step to being reunited with Reks.

Vaan was now a soldier.

~~~

Author’s Notes: Wahahhaaa, An original character! Now, who was expecting that? Probably a lot of you >///<; Oh well, and yes…a Viera, cus I LOVE Vieras and there just HAD to be at least ONE male somewhere. I mean…C’mon, as much as I LOVE girls *Lesbian* I just couldn’t help it.

So what do you guys think? To keep Archine or to dump him in a ditch?

*Archine -> Pronounced ‘Are-shin’ Ahahaa