Winds of Change (Part One)

[solhiryu]

Title: Winds of Change
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Ike/Volug
Summary: When Ike finds that his newly found status as a hero is making him miserable, he seeks to rectify it. On a whim, he journeys to Hatari, and meets up with a friend that he had made a promise to in the war.
Notes: Notes moved to part two.

===

Traveling the world wasn't something he had ever considered seriously doing before. Sure, there had been a passing wanderlust from time to time, but he had never given thought to actually going back to traveling around the continent. All he had wanted was to make sure everything was peaceful before settling back into his old lifestyle as a mercenary. At least, that had been the plan.

And just like all plans, it was subject to change.

While he had known ahead of time he was going to be revered as a hero throughout the continent after the conflict with Ashera, he had severely underestimated the reaction. Many locals near his group's fort came by daily to catch a glimpse him, or-if they were lucky-talk with him. Stories about him and the Greil Mercenaries had spread like wildfire throughout the continent; about how he had led his small group through two wars and managed to turn bleak battles into complete victories.

Yet oddly enough, work was at an all-time low after the war. Bandits in the area were nowhere near foolish enough to try their hand against the legendary hero and his elite mercenaries. Those that were quickly found themselves dead. The continued peace, while a blessing to everyone, didn't really make life easier for the mercenaries.

If it were only the lack of work, however, he would have been fine. They had been stuck doing low-paying jobs before; they'd find some way to get by. However, the company would be the least of his problems in the following weeks; in fact, they would seem like a trifle compared to what he was dealing with.

Many travelers wanted to meet the Greil Mercenaries, more specifically their commander. People from Crimea, Gallia, Begnion and even Daein all wished earnestly to see him. It got so overwhelming at times that he would temporarily move their base of operations elsewhere so they could take a breather. It would only work for a while until they were inevitably found, but the respite was nice while it lasted.

But that wasn't even the beginning. Every so often, someone would challenge him to a duel. Some of them wanted him to teach them the way of the sword, to teach them to be strong like him. Some of them wanted to see how they fared in a battle against him, just for the sake of pride. Others would try outright just to kill him, even though they knew they stood no chance. He had emphatically refused each request, and in the event of the final scenario, ended the fight before it could begin.

And then came the missives from the nobles. Time and time again, they received offers-jobs with lucrative pay, often as a personal armed force for the lord in question. The surprise was not in knowing that the Greil Mercenaries were being offered employment as a personal army; the surprise was in knowing how many nobles expected them to be their army.

All of it had created a large amount of stress within the company. Shinon, disgusted with this new "undeserved praise," had threatened to leave the Greil Mercenaries once more. It was only through Gatrie's intervention, coupled with alcohol, that got the sniper to stay. However, they all knew that the company wouldn't be able to continue like this if it kept getting hounded by citizens.

Thankfully, it had all tapered off after a few weeks, and things had settled into a relative peace. The mercenaries were starting to get steady work again, and the amount of people wanting to see him had dwindled. Indeed, life was almost pleasant again; it would have been wholly pleasant had the memories of the people's reverence not remained.

And so, he had started to try and figure out what to do. He thought that he could have settled back into his old life, but that had proved impossible. Too many people wanted too many things from him, and he couldn't stand it. No, there had to be a better way to deal with it.

That was why he had consulted with his best friend. That was when things started to change for him.

He was Ike, the Savior of Tellius, and the Hero of the Blue Flames.

---

"And that's why you want to get away, correct?"

Ike nodded. "You should know me better than anyone, Soren," he replied, settling back in his chair. Soren gave him a small smile, moving some parchments from his table to the bookshelf. "I want to say that I can stick it out, but...you've seen it. It's slowly driving me up the wall. Hell, Shinon's not taunting me as much because he thinks I'll snap or something."

"And I daresay that it would be an amusing thing to see him beat into a pulp, in my opinion," Soren said dryly. "Regardless, everybody here has been concerned for you. While they might not like all the attention themselves, they've seen that constant exposure for you has been wearing you down. I don't think anyone would blame you if you took a break."

Ike chuckled. "As always, you know my mind," he sighed. "You're absolutely right. I want to get away from all of...well, all of it," he exclaimed with a gesture of his hand, unable to sum up his troubles in one word. "Wasn't the end of the war supposed to be peaceful for all of us?"

"Yes, but the conclusion of most wars don't end with someone slaying a delusional goddess," Soren pointed out, returning to his desk. "I can understand their reasoning for wanting to meet you, Ike. It's for a foolish reason, but I can understand why they would do it."

The blue-haired man rolled his eyes. "That makes me feel so much better. It really does," he replied sarcastically. "But I've had it up to here with all of it. It isn't working out."

"What isn't working out?" the sage questioned, glancing at the cover of his book.

Ike was silent for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts so he could convey what he was feeling. "Everything," he finally murmured, getting Soren to look up in slight surprise. "The mercenaries. Living like this. Just...everything. You know what I'm talking about?"

Soren slowly put his book to the side, gazing at his hands. "I do," he answered quietly. "It's hard not to see it."

"And that's why I'm trying to figure out what to do!" Ike growled, his frustration showing itself. "I can't lie to myself. I can't keep going like this. Hell, the company can't keep going like this...Something has to give."

As if those were the magic words, Soren grimaced. While Ike wasn't able to read facial expressions all that well, he knew from the way Soren looked at him that the sage was going to say something ominous. "Ike..."

Ike sighed. "Lay it on me."

Soren bit his lip, trying to figure out how to best word it before deciding to just be blunt. "The simplest solution would be to remove yourself from the company," he said quickly, watching as Ike looked at him in shock. "I can't see any other choice at the moment. As long as you remain in one place, anyone will be able to find you."

For a long while, Ike didn't speak. "You...might have the right idea," he finally said after a few minutes of deliberation. "Still, how can I just leave? There are still so many things I want to do. And I can't just leave without making the right preparations."

"Then make those preparations," Soren stressed, looking slightly exasperated. "Ike, don't be foolish. I know you want to do a lot of things, but you also know that if this whole farce continues, you're never going to be able to do anything. You know it'll be for the best if you stopped everything right here and left. Despite how much it will hurt, it'll make everyone's lives better in the long run."

"If I had known this ahead of time, I wouldn't have become a hero in the first place," Ike muttered, although he said it half-heartedly. Soren was completely right; his status as a legendary hero was starting to make everyone else's lives uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, he rubbed his temples. "So I'll have to leave then."

Soren nodded. "That's the best way, unfortunately."

Shaking his head, Ike looked out the nearest window. The sky was dark and the stars shone brightly in the night. Years ago, he would always look out his window and dream of the day he would become a mercenary in his father's company. But now, times had changed. To help his company, he would have to leave it. "Life was just so much simpler back then, wasn't it?" he wondered, still looking out the window.

"...yes, it was," Soren answered, not looking at Ike. His gaze was averted elsewhere, a frown on his face.

---

Ever since that night, Ike had taken Soren's words to heart and wearily made his preparations for leaving. He had told Mist, and unsurprisingly, she had begged and cried and pleaded with him not to go. However, she eventually saw reason when she heard exactly why her brother was leaving, reasons that she reluctantly acknowledged as valid. In any case, Ike was reassured that Boyd would watch over her from now on, so she would be safe.

When he had announced his intentions to the rest of the group, reactions varied. Some didn't want him to go. Others understood why he was leaving, and respected the sacrifice he was making. Shinon, of course, made a big show about how glad he was that Ike was leaving. Of course, from what Rolf had told him later the next day, the sniper was actually going to really miss him for reasons left unsaid.

As he prepared to hand down the leadership of the mercenaries to Mist, he idly wondered what he was going to do after he departed. While he did have an occasional wanderlust, he usually ignored it. But now, with no more attachments to one place, he could go wherever he liked. Upon that realization, things had started to look up; perhaps leaving wouldn't be so bad after all.

He had shared this little tidbit of information with Soren, who only nodded and looked pleased. However, to Ike's eyes, something was off about the sage. He had been more distracted as of late, and had been keeping his distance. At first, Ike had thought it had to do with the fact that they were both leaving; he had known very well that the sage would follow him anywhere. That fact alone had kept his spirits up through such a depressing time, and he was actually looking forward to the road ahead.

He hadn't been counting on the confession that came so unexpectedly.

---

"...so, I was thinking after we checked out Gallia, we could move onto Serenes, and then Begnion. Daein would be last before we got a boat and..." Ike stopped as he watched Soren out of the corner of his eye, the tactician not even paying attention. "...Soren?"

"Huh?" Soren mumbled, looking up. "Ah, sorry. I got distracted," he apologized, sitting up straighter. "Could you repeat that?"

Ike frowned. "Soren, what's wrong?" he asked seriously, sitting down in the chair beside him. "You've been acting so distracted lately. Has something been bothering you?"

The sage looked hesitant, clutching at his robes. "Ike...no. No, it's not...anything at all. Nothing to concern yourself with," he said hastily, trying to seem impassive. "Please, go on."

"Soren!" Ike said sharply, frowning. "You're not fooling me! Tell me what's the matter...please. It isn't like you to be like this."

Soren looked back and forth before sighing, nodding. "Very well," he mumbled, regaining his composure. "A few weeks ago...while you and some of the others were out, I had a visitor."

"A visitor?" Ike repeated, confused. Soren never took visitors. The only people he had ever talked to willingly were him and...

From the look of comprehension dawning on Ike's face, Soren nodded again. "Yes. Stefan actually came all the way out here to talk with me. I couldn't...just turn him away, you understand."

Ike nodded. He and Stefan had great respect for each other; he owed the man a lot for helping him refine his technique while Stefan thought very highly of him for treating the Branded like ordinary people. He also knew that Stefan was the only other one that Soren actually talked to normally, considering their situation. "If he came all the way here, why didn't he stay? I would have liked to talk with him a bit, maybe even spar..."

"Because he felt that what he was going to talk about was best kept private...and upon further thought, I agree with what he was thinking that day," Soren explained, looking at the book in his hands. "Anyway...I've been thinking about what he had told me for a long time. This was before we discussed you leaving, to let you know."

"I see," Ike muttered. "What...did you two talk about?"

"About us. The Branded," the sage clarified. "Our lives were ruined by one person who had used a lie in an attempt to protect the laguz. Because of that, we've suffered."

Ike knew full well he was talking about Dheginsea, the former King of Dragons. From what both Kurthnaga and Micaiah had told him, he was the main reason why history had been so twisted. Why the laguz had hated the beorc, the beorc the laguz, and both the Branded. While he only had the chance to speak with Stefan after he had left the Tower of Guidance, Ike could see that the man had some sort of vindication after what he had been told.

"Okay...but what about after that? I can't imagine him just coming here to speak with you about that," Ike remarked, causing Soren to sigh again.

"Ike...he asked me to go to the Grann Desert with him. He wants to work to prove that the Branded are not a crime against the goddess. He wants to make a country made of like-minded individuals," the sage finally explained. "He needs a lot of help, but he's certain he'll get Tellius to recognize it...in time."

Ike really didn't need to be told how much time would be needed, but he knew it would happen eventually. "What did you tell him?" he asked.

Soren remained silent, not daring to look at Ike's eyes.

"Soren," Ike pressed, a gentle expression on his face. "It's alright. Please tell me."

"...I don't know what I want to do," Soren finally admitted. "I swore to follow you wherever you would go. But...every time I think about it, what Stefan said makes sense. Would it be possible for the Branded to live like ordinary people in the future? I can't even begin to describe it... the possibility."

"Now I get it," Ike said, chuckling to himself. Soren was torn between his duty to him and what his heart was telling him what to do. Before the whole war, Soren wouldn't have cared one whit about what happened to anyone but Ike. But now that the truth had been revealed, it seemed that he was reevaluating his stance, truly realizing the implications that one lie had caused to a whole class of people-people like him. Ike knew that Soren had suffered grievously in his life, and perhaps now that he was thinking on it, maybe the sage didn't want anyone else to experience his pain. "What is it that you want to do, Soren?"

Soren looked up in surprise. "What I want to do?" he repeated, somewhat dumbfounded. "I want to stay with you, Ike! I swore that!"

Ike shook his head. "That's not what I'm asking," he said gently. "I'm asking...what do you really want to do?"

"I..." For the first time in a long time, Soren had been struck speechless.

Ike smiled. "Soren, you're my best friend. That said, whatever you want to do...I'll support you, like you've supported me all these years. Do what you feel is right. Don't let me stop you," he assured the smaller man, placing his hand on his shoulder.

Soren blinked rapidly. "Ike...you...I..." he sputtered, unable to find any words as Ike pulled him into a hug. Tears flowed from Soren's eyes; words could not express the gratitude for the man he called his best friend.

--

A week later, Soren had said his goodbyes to everyone as he and Stefan prepared to leave. As he was doing that, Ike had found himself alone with his former sparring partner, both of them staring at each other, unsure of what to say.

Ike finally held out a hand to the green-haired man, smiling sadly. "Take care of him, Stefan," he said, watching as Stefan took his hand and shook it. "With Soren with you, you'll definitely succeed."

Stefan smiled back, although it was just as sad. "You won't have to worry about him. I'll make sure he's fine. And for what it's worth..." He then brushed back the parts of his hair that covered his face, revealing a black mark that ran across it. His mark. "Thank you for everything. I've never witnessed someone becoming so strong after these last few years...and to be quite honest, I dread ever facing you in combat."

"Same here," Ike responded, and the way Stefan laughed made it seem like he didn't believe him. "Just...make sure he's happy, okay?"

"I will," the Branded man promised. "Ike, Hero of the Blue Flames, and friend of beorc, laguz, and the Branded...I've been truly honored to meet you."

The mercenary nodded and, with a heavy heart, watched as both Soren and Stefan departed from the fort, off to do what their hearts told them to do.

---

Not even two weeks later, Ike had said his own farewells to his company, transferring leadership to his sister and Boyd. After some tearful goodbyes and some veiled threats to his other best friend, who swore to keep Mist safe, he departed for his journey around Tellius.

His first destination was Melior, where he would speak with Elincia and everyone else before departing. He made it a point to make sure that all the nations were well on their way to recovering from the war. And, much to his delight, they were. Crimea's and Gallia's ties had become near inseparable, and both Queen Elincia and King Skrimir were making plans to have more beorc-laguz interaction in the foreseeable future.

After he had visited Melior and explained to Elincia what he was doing, she had nodded before coming up and hugging him, much to his (and her retainer's) surprise. While he knew that Elincia had had feelings for him at one point, they'd both known that it wouldn't work out. She said she would miss him, and bid him a good journey. Bastian had gone into a long poem about Ike's heroic acts, which everyone completely ignored. Both Lucia and Geoffrey also wished him well, thanking him for everything he had done. He managed to leave before anyone could give him a hero's farewell, which was something he definitely didn't need or want.

He spent a bit more time in Gallia. Skrimir made a surprisingly good king; the young ruler was pouring all of his energy into making his land prosper with relations to the other countries. Ranulf seemed tired by everything Skrimir wanted him to do, but Ike couldn't think of any other time where his friend looked so fulfilled. All of his other laguz companions had been doing well, having either retired to the great forest or continuing in the army, despite the peace.

As he promised Caineghis, he had his duel with him as many other laguz watched. The former lion king was monstrously powerful, and it took all of Ike's skill just to keep standing under his blows. In the end, it had been declared a draw; neither Ike nor Caineghis could move due to mutual disabling blows. They shared a laugh as they recuperated, Caineghis telling him that he was beyond honored to have faced such a powerful beorc. That comment, coupled with the amazement on Skrimir's face at what he had done, made Ike feel really good.

Eventually, he had said his farewells there as well and made his way into Goldoa. True to his word, Kurthnaga had indeed opened up Goldoa's borders, and many people had been traveling to see what lie in the land of dragons. The land only had a few cities, each one far away from another, but the whole country seemed to give off a serene and peaceful atmosphere that many found intensely comforting. Ike figured it was due to centuries of isolation, and wondered if it would still be like this after outsiders began settling in.

Meeting with the dragons had been enlightening, to be sure. Kurthnaga was definitely busy, making sure that the history of both his nation and of Tellius was correctly revised. Gareth was always one step behind his lord, both protecting him and giving him needed advice when necessary. Ike also saw Nasir around the palace and had chatted with him for many marks, only deciding to retire to his room after the sun had gone down. According to his former companion, Kurthnaga had been making great strides in opening up Goldoa, despite initial resistance from his people. Scholars had flocked to the country the moment they heard the borders were open, and the king had been gracious in dealing with all of them, despite his lack of knowledge of beorc.

Ena had been her usual passive self, greeting Ike and, much as he expected, figuring out the reason he was traveling. Though he never said so, he found it incredibly hard to believe that the red dragon had been pregnant during both wars. Thankfully, Ena didn't say anything about it, other than that everyone outside of Goldoa would have found it just as shocking.

After his business in Goldoa was concluded, he journeyed towards the newly-established Kingdom of Serenes, where all the bird tribes had been united. Up to that point, he had been little more than a tourist, seeing what was going on before leaving a few days later. He had given no thought to what he was going to do after visiting all the countries, though he'd entertained the thought of buying a ship and looking for new continents. Given how Yune had said that she (by which she meant Ashunera) hadn't been perfect, other continents could very well be thriving across the sea. Perhaps he would journey out there to see if that were true.

However, his brief stop in Serenes would jolt some memories of his, and give him a new destination he hadn't thought of before.

---

"Ah, Ike. Haven't seen you in a while!" Tibarn greeted, holding up a hand in greeting.

Ike offered him a small smile, leaning against one of the many trees. "Same goes for you, Tibarn...or should I call you King Tibarn now?"

The hawk laughed. "Tibarn will do. But what brings you all the way to Serenes? Last time I checked, you were off playing at being a mercenary again," he commented, getting a wince from the blue-haired man.

"Yeah, about that..." Ike chuckled humorlessly. "Let's just say being a hero isn't really that great for the sanity of your company."

Tibarn nodded in understanding. "Well, it can't be helped. You are highly revered by pretty much everyone on the face of Tellius. I'd be more surprised if you were actually left to grow old in peace."

"Gee, thanks," Ike said sarcastically, getting another laugh from the hawk. "Anyway, as to why I'm here...I'm just checking around the kingdoms. I want to make sure that each place is getting along before I actually decide to leave."

Tibarn frowned a bit. "You're really leaving the continent?" he asked, getting a nod from the other man. "Hm. Well, it's possible other continents might exist, but no one has dared ventured outside Tellius since the Great Flood. But since we know Hatari exists, there could well be other places..."

Ike blinked. "Hatari?" he repeated, curious. He had only heard bits and pieces of the country across the Desert of Death, and in all honesty, had forgotten about it. Nailah hadn't actually talked about it much during their travels, so he had no idea what the country was like. "Have you been there?"

The hawk gave him a surprised glance. "Why the sudden interest?" he asked before shaking his head. "No, I haven't been there. Rafiel recently went back there, however. Given how long he's been living there, I suppose he feels more at home there than the forest..."

Ike nodded. "I ask because I've never seen it, that's all," he answered, his mind mulling over the possibility of going there. "Now that you've mentioned it, I guess it wouldn't hurt to make a side trip over there before I left, huh?"

Tibarn raised an eyebrow. "Quite the curious one, aren't you? Well, I don't blame you. Everyone's been flocking to Goldoa recently, so not many people have heard about Hatari. Not that many people want to cross the Desert of Death, after all."

"Yeah, that is a problem," Ike responded, sighing. "Do you think there's any way for me to cross the desert and find it?"

Tibarn looked thoughtful. "Perhaps..." he murmured, looking off into the forest. "You'd have to speak to Reyson about it. He and Rafiel still have the sending stones the dragons gave us, so they'll be able to communicate."

Ike nodded. "Thanks. I'll consider it," he said with a grateful smile. "So, aside from Hatari...did you ever figure out the meat issue?"

"Meat issue?" Tibarn questioned, looking slightly confused before a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "Ah, that! Ha, of course we did. Took a while until I could convince Reyson to let me do it, though."

"Really? What did you two do?"

"Well..."

The two then talked for a few marks as they walked through the forest, exchanging stories of what had happened in the past few months. Ike learned that the integration of all the bird tribes hadn't been as easy as everyone said, as there were still a lot of hawks that distrusted the ravens. However, Tibarn had learned of Naesala's reasons for betraying the alliance-and of everything before that. Though it had still bothered him, he had told his hawk brothers to stand down and had welcomed the ravens.

As for Naesala himself...well, Tibarn had told Ike that the former Raven King refused to live in Serenes Forest, opting instead to travel around the continent and act as a diplomat for various countries. Ike felt a bit sorry for the laguz; only Naesala knew for sure how long he'd been suffering under the Blood Pact. But with Lekain and most of the other senators dead, he was free from the tyranny of the senate, and had entrusted his people to a ruler he thought better suited than he was.

Leanne was in high spirits when Ike met her, chatting excitedly with another heron that Ike hadn't personally met, but had heard about from Reyson. It was Lorazieh, their father and the former king of the herons. While he looked frail and somewhat pale, he was doing a lot better than before, from what Tibarn had told him. The oddest part was that Leanne was talking to her father in the modern tongue-very slowly, but the modern tongue nonetheless.

"She's still learning, but she figures that if she attempts to speak it everyday to everyone, she'll get the hang of it," Tibarn had mentioned to him, and Ike merely nodded. It made sense to him, and it also brought up a memory of his back during the war, where a certain wolf laguz had given him an elixir as a sign of friendship.

Ike started, cursing himself for forgetting. We were going to teach each other our language, he remembered. Sadly enough, there had been no time for it other than a few lessons, and ever since then, he had been too busy. In any case, Volug had returned to Hatari with Nailah shortly after the war, so it had become a moot point.

But he was still interested in learning the old language. He had taken Mordecai's words to heart all those years ago-if people could understand each other, they wouldn't have to fight. Elincia had proved that when she stopped both the Laguz Alliance and the Central Army from warring in Crimea. Though Ike was a warrior, he had enough kill-or-be-killed situations to last him several lifetimes. The ability to talk to someone and to understand them was indeed a great gift, and if Ike could learn the ancient tongue, he would be guaranteed to know how to speak with anyone.

Suddenly, it seemed like a new purpose had been ignited within him. The desire to learn the ancient language was surprisingly strong, and it suddenly seemed like that wanting to journey to find new lands was somehow insignificant. I did promise Volug that we would teach each other, didn't I? I can't believe I forgot about that! Well, I can't actually start a journey until I fulfill that promise, so it seems that I'll be going to Hatari, he thought, instantly making plans in his mind. He didn't know if the wolf would be as eager as he was, but back then, his violet eyes had shone with a willingness to learn when he had mentioned it.

He didn't know why, considering that Volug had all the time in the world before the war. So why did he only want learn with him?

---

After meeting and talking with Reyson, the heron prince had agreed to contact his brother so they could make preparations to receive him. Grateful to the prince, Ike had spent nearly the entire day just talking with both him and Tibarn, each of them discussing what they were planning to do in the future. Reyson was surprised that Ike was going to be searching for new lands, and had wished him the best of luck in doing so. "Who knows?" he had said, looking a bit wistful. "Perhaps there are other lost heron royals out there somewhere."

It was intended as a joke, but from the looks of sympathy on both Ike's and Tibarn's faces, Reyson could tell it had fallen flat.

After spending a few days within the forest, Ike said his goodbyes and left for Begnion. Unlike the other countries, his stay was brief there, only lasting two days. Sanaki was incredibly busy, and had only enough time between meetings for hurried conversations. From what Ike could infer, the Empress was having slight troubles in abolishing some of the ancient edicts, but she was slowly working past those and creating laws that everyone could respect.

When he had offered to give back Ragnell, she had emphatically refused. "We're going to move on from back then," she told him firmly. "Even though both Ragnell and Alondite are our national treasures, we're moving on from the past. Besides, everyone thinks of it as your blade now. It wouldn't do it justice to lock it up in a storehouse somewhere."

He was grateful to the Empress for the consideration, especially since he had placed Alondite at Zelgius's grave. The man had deserved that much, despite how Ike felt about him.

Talking with both Sigrun and Tanith had been enjoyable for the short time he had been able to, as they were just as busy as Sanaki, if not more so. They had been busy rebuilding the ranks of the Holy Guard and had been given temporary control over the army until a new general could be found to head it. Training so many people was no doubt exhausting, but the gratified looks on their faces as they spoke of Sanaki and her efforts told Ike all that he needed to know.

Amazingly, he had seen both Tormod and Muarim within the halls of Mainal Cathedral. Upon speaking with them, Tormod had excitedly told him about how the Empress had made them the new officials to help bridge the gap with the laguz, with Muarim being the first laguz official ever. After talking with them for a mark or so, they had to depart on business, leaving Ike alone in the grand halls. He decided to rest up and head out for Daein the next day, although he took care to avoid the Grann Desert. It would be better for Soren to settle down first before he visited again, he thought.

Daein was as chilly as ever, even in the warm months of the year. While the people were wary of him, they still greeted him normally. Meeting with Queen Micaiah and King Sothe-King Sothe, something Ike never thought he would say-was quite interesting. Especially with the way Sothe kept revering him, much to the astonishment to the court officials, though strangely of no surprise to Micaiah. According to the Queen, everything had been going on well enough, despite the slight struggle to regain the trust of the other nations. Even though everyone who had been at the Tower of Guidance knew of the Blood Pact and its effects, the rulers of the other countries had to convince their own people that Daein was no longer a threat-something that was far easier said than done.

He had found Tauroneo after his meeting with the couple, and the two had sat down over a meal so the general could tell Ike old stories about his father, of when he was one of the Four Riders. Ike had found it very interesting, especially considering that Tauroneo had remarked that Gawain had not been unlike him at his age; hotheaded, a bit dense, and possessing knowledge of what was right and wrong. From the way the general talked about him, it made Ike feel ever closer to his father, knowing that they weren't so different when they were the same age.

Ike spent a few days in Nevassa, hearing tales of what his old companions were up to. As his stay came to an end, he journeyed towards the edge of the Desert of Death, knowing Hatari was beyond the wasteland.

---

"Sand, sand, and more sand..." Ike muttered to himself as he gazed out at the sandy expanse. The sun hung high overhead as sandstorms whipped up in the distance. Traversing the desert at the moment was out of the question, so he had set up a small campsite at the very edge of the desert, shielding his eyes from the constantly blowing sand. "Hm. I wonder how to get across here..."

The obvious option was to travel at night, when the desert was a lot cooler and a lot more tolerable. However, it still left a few problems, such as him not knowing how to get to Hatari in the first place. If he lost his way within the desert by the time the sun rose, he was as good as dead. No, he had to think of something else. He needed some sort of guide through the desert...

"You look like you've been well since we last parted. I trust that your journey so far has been a pleasant one?" came a sudden voice, and Ike looked up to see a familiar tanned woman standing not that far away from him, smirking. Next to Nailah stood the ever serene Prince Rafiel, looking completely out of place in the desert wasteland.

Ike chuckled. "You could say that," he remarked, standing up from where he was brooding. "Good to see you again, Queen Nailah."

The wolf queen nodded, staring back out at the desert. "You should have imagined my surprise when Rafiel told me that you wanted to visit Hatari. No one else has ever crossed the desert to see my country."

"Although you two have, right?" Ike questioned, getting a nod from her. "Heh. I'm actually curious as to what Hatari is like. I haven't heard anything about it at all," he mentioned, getting a slight smile from Nailah.

"Are you now? Well, given that you seem to be traveling the world, Hatari would probably be a good place to start, hm?" When Ike nodded, she chuckled. "I thought so. It might be better if Rafiel explains it for you, because he's been the only outsider to visit in a long, long time."

Rafiel nodded, brushing a blond lock of hair out of his eyes. "Hatari is quite the lively place," he explained to Ike as the man listened. "While I wouldn't quite say that it is anywhere near the population size of somewhere like Crimea, it boasts a rather large populace full of both beorc and laguz."

"And some of them are also Branded?" Ike asked.

"Of course. The people of Hatari see the relationship of the two as normal," Nailah spoke up, leading both of them towards another spot near the edge of the desert. "They accept that the laguz parent will lose their powers when their child is born. Everyone sees it as the next step of life. Even though it's rare for a child to be born between them, there is no prejudice against the Branded."

Ike smiled. "That sounds wonderful," he sighed. It sounded like the exact sort of thing that both Stefan and Soren would be working towards. Although their situation was radically different, if their nation could end up like how Hatari was... "I just can't believe there was another country across the desert."

"Likewise, we couldn't believe there was anything out there either," Nailah acknowledged with a nod, looking at Rafiel. "Not until Rafiel showed up."

"Mm..." the heron mumbled before deciding to continue. "While the weather is fairly warm all year round, there are several forests and lakes in Hatari, despite how odd it might seem. It's a very serene place, despite the heat."

"Sounds good," Ike replied as he and the other two started to make their way into the desert. "So, how do we get there?"

Nailah smirked. "Once you've found your way through the desert, crossing it is far too easy. Just make sure to follow me and remember the path you followed." With that said, she howled and shifted into her wolf form, sniffing at the air. Rafiel sat on her back as the wolf queen started to make her way through the sands, Ike following closely behind. Shielding his eyes from the sandstorm while following Nailah proved to be no easy task, but he kept up fairly well, as the wolf queen only had to stop once to make sure he was still within distance.

They rested in some ancient ruins after a mark or two of traveling, waiting for the sandstorm to die down a bit before continuing. Even Nailah couldn't navigate correctly with such a fierce storm in front of her, so the three decided to wait it out before continuing onward.

"Reyson had told me you returned to mercenary work," Rafiel commented as they were talking. "But why are you alone now?"

Ike shrugged. "Too much fame," he said honestly. The heron would know exactly why he left, but was far too polite to gaze into his heart without permission. "Although it brought us some work, it was starting to fray everyone's nerves. I thought it would be for the best if I had just left."

Nailah nodded in understanding. "Everyone wants to meet a hero," she remarked, her tail swishing along the ground. "But when the hero himself gets fed up with all of it, he disappears. You never wanted to be a hero in the first place, did you, Ike?"

"Of course not. All I did was stay true to my beliefs and help those that I wanted to," Ike responded, crossing his arms. "I can see why people would call me a hero, but I don't want any of it." He paused again for a moment before looking curious. "How did you know that though, Queen Nailah?"

"You'd be surprised at the number of tales my people have," Nailah said with a smile. "Yours is oddly reminiscent of one of them. I wonder if I have enough time to tell you about it?"

"Queen Nailah, the tale wouldn't make sense unless Sir Ike has read all about it in our archives," Rafiel reminded her, still smiling.

"Ah, that's right. A pity."

Ike blinked. "Is it all written in the old tongue?" he asked, getting a nod from both of them. "Wow, what a coincidence."

"What's a coincidence?" the wolf queen asked, looking perplexed.

Ike chuckled. "Well...remember back when we were in Duke Tanas's estate?" he asked, getting nods from the both of them. "And remember how Volug was trying to talk to me?"

"Yes, I do...ah, now I see what you're getting at," Nailah realized, a slow smile coming to her face. "You want to learn the ancient tongue."

"And I want to teach Volug the modern language," Ike finished, getting a nod from the wolf queen. "I did promise him, after all."

"That is definitely a great idea," Rafiel commented. "Volug has been...fairly stubborn in refusing to learn. Yet when you told him you wanted to teach him while learning his..." He silenced when Nailah gave him a sharp glance. "Oh, my apologies. That's not for me to say."

Ike had the feeling that whatever the heron prince was saying was a private matter, so he ignored that part. "Anyway, do you think he'll be up for it? I know I've made him wait a while, but now I'm ready to commit myself to it."

Nailah nodded, and to Ike, she looked oddly satisfied. "Volug will be more than willing if I have anything to say about it," she promised. "After you get into Hatari, we'll discuss the specifics a bit more."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ike muttered while bowing his head.

The wolf queen shook her head. "No, don't thank me. Rather, it is I who should be thanking you, Ike." She didn't say any more than that, even as Ike gazed at her curiously.

Deciding to drop the matter for the time being, Ike talked idly with the two for another mark or so before Nailah determined that it was safe to cross the desert again. The sun had begun to set, and much of heat that was present during the day had vanished, making it much easier to move without it being stifling.

It continued like this for the next two days, stopping every so often to rest and hydrate themselves. Each night, they would go as far as they could before they rested for the day, finding the shade of nearby ruins to sleep under. The three had made great progress as they moved across the desert each day, and to Ike, the landscape seemed different. Sure, it was just sand all around him, but it was like there had been a change in the terrain that he hadn't been aware of.

"There are more ruins around here than the area closer to Daein," Rafiel had told him as he caught up, answering his unvoiced question. "As such, the whole expanse looks slightly odd, doesn't it?"

Ike nodded. There had been more broken pillars and stone structures than he could count, and he had been wondering why it seemed so concentrated in one area. "Are we getting closer to Hatari?" he asked, brushing sand off his clothes again. It was night at the moment, meaning they were pushing themselves to continue on. The Desert of Death had been large and expansive indeed, and it was quite easy to get lost in it. He was very lucky he had the Queen of Hatari to guide his way.

Nailah shifted back into her beorc form, nodding while stretching. "We are. We're about...oh, not even half a day away. However, it's important that we take the time to rest at the moment." At Ike's curious stare, she chuckled. "Oh, it's not because I'm worried about you, Ike. I know you can keep up. Rather, I think we need to let Rafiel rest after such a long journey."

To Ike's surprise, Rafiel actually looked somewhat exasperated. "Queen Nailah, I assure you that I will be fine. A long journey like this cannot easily exhaust me," he insisted. "I will be fine. Let us continue, and I will rest once we are in Hatari proper."

"I've got to agree with Rafiel. It's better to move while it's cool enough to do so," Ike mentioned.

"Mm. Alright, if you insist," Nailah conceded before she changed back into her wolf form. Rafiel got on her back again as they made their way across the dunes, intent on getting to the other side of the desert.

It was another few marks until Ike could finally see some greenery ahead of them, and inwardly rejoiced. "Finally," he let out, rubbing his eyes. "I've seen enough sand to last me a lifetime."

Nailah let out a growl that Ike interpreted as a snicker, and she did seem amused.

"It is very tiring to travel so long through the desert," Rafiel mused, still sitting gracefully on Nailah's back. "But we are in Hatari now. We shall be where we need to be shortly."

Ike nodded and continued to follow Nailah, and for the next half-mark, she led him out of the desert and into a grove of trees. Even now, he sighed in relief as he wandered into the cool shade of the leaves, even though it was dark out. Anything was better than the desert, he found. The wolf queen wordlessly led him through the trees, and Ike had to marvel at the growth around him--who knew that there was something like this across the desert?

Eventually, she led him out of the forest and along a path for a few miles before they finally reached a village late at night. It was moderately sized, with houses built all around, but what struck him the most was the large palace looming in front of him, stationed right in the middle of the village. While it wasn't anything grand, it was still fairly large and had quite a regal look to it.

Nailah shifted out of her wolf state and chuckled. "Welcome to Hatari."

---

Sleeping on a bed was almost heaven to Ike after traveling through the Desert of Death. The constant days of travel through the wasteland had really worn on him, and he had to force himself to rest just so he would feel better. Thankfully, after half a day or rest, he managed to get himself up and moving so he could start exploring around. Nailah had given him permission to venture wherever he wanted, excluding her room. Just like the exterior, her castle wasn't by any means grand or extravagant, but it held a sort of regal feel to it that still conveyed the presence of royalty. In Ike's eyes, it was just fine.

As soon as he rested enough, he knew the first thing he wanted to do. He wanted to find Volug and say hello, just to let the wolf know he was there. However, he had the small problem of trying to find him, considering that Volug wasn't the only wolf laguz to live in Hatari. Just from walking around, he could see the numerous beorc that inhabited the village, each one not so different from the people he had seen beforehand. There were also numerous wolf tribe laguz wandering around, talking with the beorc and interacting like two people should have, without prejudice.

I can only hope Tellius will be like this in the future, Ike thought with a wistful smile. Everyone's efforts to mend relations between the two races looked like they had been paying off, and it looked like even Daein would be accepting the laguz with a little time. Deciding to look for Volug later, Ike wandered around the village, taking note of where each place was. There were shops, food markets...there was even an armory, amazingly enough.

However, Ike did notice one thing as he was touring the place. Everyone was speaking in the ancient tongue, and quite fluently at that. It wasn't a big surprise to him as he thought about it, considering that all of them had assumed they were the only survivors of the great flood for many centuries, but it was still a bit disconcerting to know that he was a stranger among them in this case. He'd occasionally come across someone using the modern tongue, but whatever use of it was brief before they continued using the ancient language.

Hearing all of it just made his desire to learn it all the more intense. He didn't know why, but he was determined to learn it perfectly. But to that, he had to find Volug first...

Another few marks found Ike still wandering about the village. It was fairly large, and he was surprised to see that a lot of the buildings weren't that much different than the ones in Tellius. The town was moderately populated, and there certainly were quite a number of wolf laguz along with the beorc. Of course, everyone stared at him every time he passed, whispering to each other in the old language. It was no surprise to him; after all, it wasn't everyday that someone crossed the Desert of Death.

Eventually, he got tired of looking around and decided to retire back to the palace, putting off looking for Volug until the next day. Perhaps Nailah or Rafiel had a better idea of where he was. As he wandered into the palace grounds, he looked off to the side to see a meadow of sorts, surrounded by numerous trees and a small pond. It looked like the sort of place Rafiel would come down and sing in.

Absentmindedly, he walked closer to it, intent on just taking a quick look before going back to his room. "Rafiel wasn't kidding about it being serene," he murmured to himself, walking into the small glade. "Definitely looks like a good place to relax."

As he looked around, his gaze settled on one figure laying underneath the shade of one of the trees, apparently resting. A slow smile came to Ike's face. "Well, what do you know? What a coincidence," he said to himself, walking a bit closer. It looked like the figure was resting, apparently liking the shade of the tree. However, his ears perked up the moment he heard Ike approach, and he raised his head to see who it was.

Ike stopped as he saw the wolf stare at him, and for a brief moment, he didn't know what to say. "Hey. Nice to see you again, Volug," he finally greeted, waving.

The wolf stared at him before standing and shifting back to his beorc state, violet eyes wide as they stared at him. "What are you doing here?" he asked in the old tongue, looking somewhat shocked.

Ike frowned. He was still no closer to understanding the ancient tongue, so he had to try and feel out what the wolf was asking. "I just came from the Desert of Death. Nailah and Rafiel guided me here because I wanted to see Hatari," he explained, feeling that at least telling Volug how he got there was a good start. Looking around, he chuckled. "Nice place to sleep, by the way."

"Not exactly what I asked, but okay." Volug stretched a bit, which Ike figured was because he had been laying down too long. The wolf's tail lazily swayed from side to side, and Ike got the impression that the wolf was a bit annoyed he was bothered.

"So...er...how've you been?" Ike asked, trying to make conversation. He knew it would be difficult because of the language barrier, but he wanted to try and understand the wolf. Idle chatter seemed the best way to do that...or, at least, he hoped so. "It's been a while since the war, so I was wondering how you were doing."

Volug snorted. "Fine. Swell. Okay. Is that good enough?"

"Er..." Ike really didn't know how to answer that, because he still had no idea of what Volug just said. "Well, you seem fine, so I'm glad that everything's going well." He paused for a moment, thinking up another question. "So...were you really just sleeping just now?" he asked lightly, teasing the wolf.

Volug seemed to sigh in annoyance. "Do I have to spell it out in another language for you?" he asked in exasperation before he froze, his next words dying on his tongue. "Oh...I guess I do. Sorry...I forgot," he muttered before taking a deep breath. "I was...tired. Resting," he tried to explain, but to Ike's eyes, he was visibly struggling to form the words he needed to.

"Hey, Volug, you don't have to do that!" he insisted, placing his hands up in placation. "I know it's hard for me to understand you, but I think I can get by for today. I mean, it's okay if you don't want to talk back to me."

"It's...not that," Volug responded, slipping back into the ancient tongue. "But I can't just sit here and keep listening to you while I do nothing. You'd look foolish." Taking another deep breath, Volug shook his head. "I will...list..en. Listen."

Ike smiled. "Wow, you're making progress. Unlike me," he chuckled. "Maybe once we begin to teach each other, we'll be better off, huh?"

Volug blinked. "Teach?" he repeated. "What do you mean, Ike?"

"Yes, teach," Ike clarified. "To be honest...one of the biggest reasons I came to Hatari was to keep my promise. Remember how we said we'd learn each other's language? It might have taken me some time to get my affairs in order, but I'm here now, willing to learn."

Volug reared back, eyes wide in disbelief. "Wait, you...actually meant it back then?" he sputtered out, and Ike knew that the wolf was shocked. "You actually want to do that? With me? You really came here because of that promise?" Shaking his head, Volug forced himself to remain calm, his normal composure returning. "That is...fine."

Ike nodded, smiling a bit. He decided not to ask Volug what the problem was, considering that he probably didn't want to talk about it. "Mm. Queen Nailah said she was going to discuss it further with us, so I think she means to talk with us tomorrow or something. At least I hope so." Scratching the back of his head, Ike realized how awkward the conversation had gone. "Well, uh...I guess I'll leave you alone now. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"...yes," Volug grunted, turning away after catching Ike's nod. The former mercenary frowned a little bit, but bid him a good night before leaving.

He didn't catch it as the wolf turned away, but Volug had a deeply confused expression on his face, his eyes gazing off at something in the distance. "He really meant it? I never thought that he would be serious about it..."

---

Nailah indeed called them together the next morning, meeting outside in one of the secluded clearings in her "garden", which was nothing more than a grove of trees. It still amazed Ike to see such growth on the other side of the desert, which brought even more wonderings to him. What else was out there? Beyond the seas?

"I see you two have joined us," the wolf queen acknowledged with a nod to both Ike and her retainer. "Good. I'll cut to the chase. Since Ike has expressed a great interest in learning the ancient tongue, I've decided that you'll be teaching him, Volug. Is that clear?" Ike was surprised at the tone in Nailah's voice, and he knew full well that she wouldn't brook any sort of objection to her demands.

Volug seemed to shrug, seemingly impassive. "Crystal," he grunted, merely sitting down on the mat provided to him.

Nailah gave him a curious glance before turning to Ike. "Ike, you'll also be teaching Volug as well. While it will not be easy, I expect that both of you will be able to be fluent in each other's language eventually. It's up to both of you to dedicate yourselves to learning it," she instructed, getting nods. "To give you an example of how hard it might be, it took me a few months just to feel comfortable with talking in the modern tongue. It took me nearly a year to achieve actual fluency with it. Whether or not you'll be able to do it faster depends on how determined you both are."

Ike glanced at Volug, who was paying strict attention to everything Nailah was saying. He knew it would be difficult, but he wasn't going to give up learning it. "Just a question, Your Majesty," he interrupted, getting looks from everyone. "How do you want us to work this out? You said Volug understands most of what I'm saying, but it's difficult for me to understand him."

Nailah nodded. "I've thought of that. While I'll leave both of you to work out all the details, I'd advise that you teach him in the mornings," she suggested, drumming her fingers against her thigh. "He can then use whatever lessons you've taught him to use when he's instructing you. Is that satisfactory?" When Ike nodded, she smiled. "Good. To make it easier for you, Rafiel and I will guide you for the first few days, just so you have an idea on how to proceed."

Ike let a small smile of relief show on his face. "Thank you. I was worried that we would start off without an idea of what to do, honestly," he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Volug snorted. "Not like that would be a surprise," he huffed, getting a glare from Nailah.

"Stop being so obstinate. I know how much you want to learn the language, so now that Ike has approached you about it, I thought you would act a bit happier considering," she snapped, getting Volug to look down at the floor to avoid meeting her gaze. Sighing, she turned to Ike, who merely looked confused. "I ask that you please forgive Volug for any...comments he tends to make at times. They tend to be blunt."

Ike shook his head. "It's alright. Even if I can't understand him, he's more than likely telling the truth, right?"

Volug turned his head to stare at him, an unreadable expression on his face. "You would believe I would be telling you the truth, even though you really can't understand what I'm saying?" he asked in disbelief.

Nailah shot Volug another look, and the wolf silenced. "As I said, Volug sometimes gets carried away," she explained, still looking at the wolf. "He means well, but sometimes he overdoes it."

"That's fine. People sometimes say the same about me," Ike replied. "Anyway...when should we get started?"

"Right now," Rafiel spoke up, finally saying something for the first time since they convened. Everyone watched as he unfurled a scroll, and even from where he was sitting, Ike could see the complex symbols of the ancient language written on it. "Since for today we'll just be easing you into this, I thought it would be prudent to fetch this."

Nailah smiled. "Ah, good idea. I hadn't thought of that," she remarked, ushering Rafiel to sit down in the chair next to her. "As he was saying, the scroll he is holding is a direct translation of the two languages. Since the modern tongue of Tellius was derived from the ancient language, there actually hasn't been a change in the fundamental structure of it. Just like how the modern tongue has twenty-six letters, so does the ancient tongue."

"Really?" Ike asked. "Sometimes it doesn't seem like it, with how it sounds."

Rafiel nodded. "Which was one of the main reasons that the modern tongue was invented. The ancient tongue was very complex, and the pronunciation was very difficult between several tribes. But don't be discouraged; once you become comfortable with it, speaking it will be second nature."

"Then why is the modern tongue difficult to learn as well, for us that have had...problems?" Volug asked, and Nailah gave him a sympathetic look, and Ike definitely had the impression that something was wrong.

"While the modern language was created to be easier for the tribes to interact better with each other, it was still not easy to learn, by all means," Rafiel answered. "Just like the ancient language, it all lies in the pronunciation and syntax; once you are over that step, it'll come naturally to you."

"He speaks the truth. I fumbled with my words a few times before I managed to speak properly, and I never had a problem since," Nailah added. "Still, getting to that point will be difficult. But I know both of you will succeed."

Ike bowed his head. "I'll be just as determined to learn, like Volug is."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the wolf muttered dryly.

Nailah sighed before she settled back into her chair. "Alright, let us begin."

---

The beginning lesson extended all the way into afternoon, as both Nailah and Rafiel made sure to point out all the differences between the two languages. Some of it made Ike's head spin; a lot of the symbols in the ancient tongue looked similar, but were actually completely different. Nevertheless, he paid rapt attention to everything they said, only asking a few questions every so often.

Volug, on the other hand, was completely silent for the whole session, only speaking when Nailah ordered him to. Ike had no idea why the wolf was so subdued during the session, but he could tell that the tanned man was paying just as much attention as he was. Nailah seemed to have been expecting his silence, continuing on without interruption. It got Ike curious however, and it still had him wondering why Volug didn't take the time to learn it before they ever met.

As for the lesson itself, Rafiel hadn't been kidding that both languages were closer than he thought. In fact, they were essentially the same, with only slight modifications. However, while the word structure was identical, Nailah pointed out that the pronunciation made it seem like both languages had completely different syntax. It was quite easy to read something in modern and try to say it in ancient, only to badly mangle it, she explained.

And the pronunciation itself was very difficult. While he had heard the language many times, learning how to pronounce each letter of the ancient tongue was far more difficult than he imagined. It had been somewhat embarrassing to stumble over each of them as Rafiel led him through it, being corrected every few seconds by the heron prince. For a brief moment, he thought Volug had snickered, but he had caught no signs of humor on the wolf's face when he glanced back.

On the other hand, Volug seemed to have a better understanding of the modern language, yet just as much difficultly speaking it. From what Ike gleaned that morning, the wolf had a bad tendency to revert back to the ancient tongue while attempting to speak modern, which caused him to say something that no one could make out. While neither Nailah or Rafiel looked surprised at it, it still caused Volug to sulk a bit, for reasons unknown to Ike.

After Nailah dismissed them, Ike retrieved Ragnell and went to start training for the day. He found that swinging a sword daily not only helped him sharpen his skill, it also allowed him time to think clearly. It had certainly been a lot of information to absorb, and it had only been the first lesson! However, he knew with enough time, he'd get it, and he was determined not to falter.

Taking a deep breath as he swung his blade, he focused his mind. It'll be difficult, but I'll be able to speak it in time. I just have to think of it as like training with a sword; you have to get the basics down before you can begin fighting at all. Perhaps that was the key to tackling the issue; to think of it like the only other constant in his life at the moment.

A sudden rustling caught his attention as he stopped, turning around to see Volug in his beorc state, staring intently at him. "Oh, hey Volug," Ike greeted, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "What's up?" He wasn't surprised when he didn't get an immediate answer, watching as those violet eyes bore into his own. "Interesting start to the lessons, huh?"

"You could say that," Volug responded, before he flinched, frowning. "They were," he then replied, forcing himself to speak in the modern tongue. "I wish...to...learn."

Ike chuckled. "So do I. I have to admit that I'm really awkward with all of this," he admitted, causing Volug to look at him curiously. "I mean, you can already understand most of what I'm saying, and I can't understand what you say at all. I feel bad because of that."

Volug blinked. "Understand...different from speaking," he said slowly, wincing at how broken it sounded. "Only when speak...can I understand."

"Yeah...if two people really want to understand each other, they have to be able to speak to each other, huh?" Ike sighed. "But I'm going to work at it so we'll be able to do that. We'll learn a lot from each other, I think."

"Why?" Volug suddenly questioned, a confused frown on his face as his ears twitched.

"What do you mean?" Ike asked, taken aback at the sudden question.

"Why are you going through so much effort?" was the first question before Volug realized he spoke in the ancient tongue. "Coming...here. Just to lea...learn with me?"

The former mercenary looked thoughtful for a few moments before giving him a small smile. "Well, it's because...back then, before the tower, you were really interested in learning, weren't you? When I had mentioned it, you just looked so...I don't know, eager. Like you really wanted me to help teach you."

Volug looked surprised. "Did I really seem that way...?" he wondered. "Um...that's all?"

"Well, besides wanting to see Hatari, yeah," Ike admitted, placing Ragnell off to the side as he sat down against the side of a tree. Volug followed, sitting cross-legged in front of him, his eyes still locked to his own. "I've been traveling the countries recently. I was planning on leaving for a journey to see new lands, but I realized I never saw Hatari. I remembered that we still had that promise to teach each other...and, honestly, I don't really have anything else I can do peacefully. I can't be a mercenary, and I can't stay on Tellius, so..."

"I understand," Volug muttered. Ike might have had a slightly selfish reason for wanting to learn, but to be honest...he was the only one that the wolf wanted to learn from. "Please...teach. Teach me...to speak like you."

Ike raised an eyebrow. "A lot of people think my way of speaking is crude," he remarked with good humor.

Volug snorted. "What's wrong with being like that? Nothing at all," he seemed to huff before nodding. "Don't care."

Ike actually laughed. "Alright then, it's a deal! In return, I ask that you be patient with me as I try to speak like you. The ancient tongue is a lot more difficult than I imagined."

This time, it was Volug who looked amused. "And you say that you're the one that's crude?" he asked with a light smile. "...okay."

They didn't know it yet, but their talk right then and there created the bond of friendship between them.

===

Arcana XIII - DEATH - Arcana 0 - THE FOOL - Arcana VII - THE CHARIOT - Arcana VI - THE LOVERS