Prologue 2: War and family
When I was born, Ishgard's gates had already closed to outsiders. The only ones who were allowed in and out of the city were the Holy Knights. Tensions were rising among the people. I soon started hearing things of Garleans and the lot. I would ask my parents yet they would tell me nothing. Presumably not to worry me.
Around my tenth year, was the most drastic change to my family though. I remember it was a chill, snowy afternoon. We went to the town square to shop around and buy groceries. My mother went off to buy the food and my father was browsing a collection of weapons at one of the vendors. As Jannette and I were playing tag, we soon heard a scream coming from my father's direction. A Hyur, around my age or so was standing off with my dad, a small sword in hand. I heard my father cry out "THIEF" and knocked the boy to the ground. The boy quickly got up and lunged at my father. He parried the attack and knocked him down again. He was about to deal the fatal blow when my mother stepped in. She asked what in the Twelve's name was going on. My father explained that this "street rat" had tried to steal from him while he wasn't looking. He told my mother to move so he could finish the young hyur off, but she would not budge. She turned to the boy and asked his name. He kept silent. She decided to skip the question and ask about his parents and their whereabouts. I could then see at that moment his eyes starting to tear up. He tried to sprint away put my father caught him by the collar and thrust his lance into the boy's stomach. He asked again where his parents were. The hyur started to cry again and spat out that his parents were dead. It seemed that they had been dead for a while, and the boy had to resort to petty thievery to survive. While my father was not moved. My mother took pity on him. She offered our house to him, which my father objected to, but she would not have it. The boy would live with us from now on.
I remember the walk home too. My father kept a considerable distance away from the child, while my mother gently cradled his hand in hers. Janny was another story. She was ecstatic about having a new playmate! She kept pestering and asking questions about the boy all the way home. As for me.... I don't really know. But I was interested in him none the less.
In the following days things began to warm up around my house. The boy announced that his name was LeRoy, but did not have a last name. So my mother just said to use ours. It was not long after that Janny started to give him nicknames too. Leo, Leon, Roy. She called him whatever she thought fit at the moment.Â
It was not long after that my father became aware of my new brother's skill with a sword. After Leon came, Father slowly forgot about me and started training Leon instead. I have to admit I was a bit jealous, but soon that jealousy was soon forgotten. We soon became more than brothers. Something beyond that. We often sparred with each other, and tested our strength in 1 on 1 matches. He would usually beat me when it came to strength, but sometimes I would catch him off guard and win the round myself.
Those days I will never forget. The days in Ishgard.... they seem only like a dream now. But I will never forget those fateful days, the days when the Garleans destroyed everything.
When I was born, Ishgard's gates had already closed to outsiders. The only ones who were allowed in and out of the city were the Holy Knights. Tensions were rising among the people. I soon started hearing things of Garleans and the lot. I would ask my parents yet they would tell me nothing. Presumably not to worry me.
Around my tenth year, was the most drastic change to my family though. I remember it was a chill, snowy afternoon. We went to the town square to shop around and buy groceries. My mother went off to buy the food and my father was browsing a collection of weapons at one of the vendors. As Jannette and I were playing tag, we soon heard a scream coming from my father's direction. A Hyur, around my age or so was standing off with my dad, a small sword in hand. I heard my father cry out "THIEF" and knocked the boy to the ground. The boy quickly got up and lunged at my father. He parried the attack and knocked him down again. He was about to deal the fatal blow when my mother stepped in. She asked what in the Twelve's name was going on. My father explained that this "street rat" had tried to steal from him while he wasn't looking. He told my mother to move so he could finish the young hyur off, but she would not budge. She turned to the boy and asked his name. He kept silent. She decided to skip the question and ask about his parents and their whereabouts. I could then see at that moment his eyes starting to tear up. He tried to sprint away put my father caught him by the collar and thrust his lance into the boy's stomach. He asked again where his parents were. The hyur started to cry again and spat out that his parents were dead. It seemed that they had been dead for a while, and the boy had to resort to petty thievery to survive. While my father was not moved. My mother took pity on him. She offered our house to him, which my father objected to, but she would not have it. The boy would live with us from now on.
I remember the walk home too. My father kept a considerable distance away from the child, while my mother gently cradled his hand in hers. Janny was another story. She was ecstatic about having a new playmate! She kept pestering and asking questions about the boy all the way home. As for me.... I don't really know. But I was interested in him none the less.
In the following days things began to warm up around my house. The boy announced that his name was LeRoy, but did not have a last name. So my mother just said to use ours. It was not long after that Janny started to give him nicknames too. Leo, Leon, Roy. She called him whatever she thought fit at the moment.Â
It was not long after that my father became aware of my new brother's skill with a sword. After Leon came, Father slowly forgot about me and started training Leon instead. I have to admit I was a bit jealous, but soon that jealousy was soon forgotten. We soon became more than brothers. Something beyond that. We often sparred with each other, and tested our strength in 1 on 1 matches. He would usually beat me when it came to strength, but sometimes I would catch him off guard and win the round myself.
Those days I will never forget. The days in Ishgard.... they seem only like a dream now. But I will never forget those fateful days, the days when the Garleans destroyed everything.
