Well, the most obvious question for Ojene is, what if she didn't go to Ala Mhigo in 1557 to help the resistance?
...Then she'd have gone another time. Another way. There's no way she could have stood to hear of all that suffering and done nothing. The thought would have eaten her alive!
Now, if for some reason she hadn't heard about Theodorac's tyranny? Or the Garlean atrocities? She'd have stayed in Aleport. And over the course of the two decades she was there prior to the Calamity, she would have continued con her mercenary track to become something of a renowned hero. Even if she was still a bit of a curiosity as a foreign Duskwight in La Noscea!
She'd probably have gotten married in another few years after 1557. Would've had a couple of half-Roe kids. But then again! She always had a penchant for doing things the hard way. Chances are, she'd have found something else to get sucked into. Now that she's 52, she looks back on what could have been with wistful eyes. But at the time, in her 20s and 30s, she wasn't likely to ever slow down long enough to have the happy familial life.
So there's a second question I could ask that seems a little more plausible to me.
What if, after she spent her first year in Ala Mhigo, she'd never gone on the secret mission in to Garlemald?
She'd have likely remained in Ala Mhigo for about 3 or 4 years. She'd have stayed until she sustained a grievous enough injury that she couldn't fight there anymore. And at the urging of the rebels, she'd have left. Gone back home to Aleport. And in a good few years, she might have been able to start making that happy familial life. Just a little... delayed.
But her mercenary days would still have been over. And she'd still carry the mark left behind of the atrocities she'd seen. But she'd still have had a very different life! The Garleans wouldn't have had it out for her, so she wouldn't have to lay low. She'd have found a way to make a career fighting them. Even she wouldn't have lifted the arms herself.
...Of course, this is assuming that, in those 3 or 4 years, the object of her affections wouldn't have come find her. Because he would have been the only person who would have been able to convince her to leave all that behind.
...Then she'd have gone another time. Another way. There's no way she could have stood to hear of all that suffering and done nothing. The thought would have eaten her alive!
Now, if for some reason she hadn't heard about Theodorac's tyranny? Or the Garlean atrocities? She'd have stayed in Aleport. And over the course of the two decades she was there prior to the Calamity, she would have continued con her mercenary track to become something of a renowned hero. Even if she was still a bit of a curiosity as a foreign Duskwight in La Noscea!
She'd probably have gotten married in another few years after 1557. Would've had a couple of half-Roe kids. But then again! She always had a penchant for doing things the hard way. Chances are, she'd have found something else to get sucked into. Now that she's 52, she looks back on what could have been with wistful eyes. But at the time, in her 20s and 30s, she wasn't likely to ever slow down long enough to have the happy familial life.
So there's a second question I could ask that seems a little more plausible to me.
What if, after she spent her first year in Ala Mhigo, she'd never gone on the secret mission in to Garlemald?
She'd have likely remained in Ala Mhigo for about 3 or 4 years. She'd have stayed until she sustained a grievous enough injury that she couldn't fight there anymore. And at the urging of the rebels, she'd have left. Gone back home to Aleport. And in a good few years, she might have been able to start making that happy familial life. Just a little... delayed.
But her mercenary days would still have been over. And she'd still carry the mark left behind of the atrocities she'd seen. But she'd still have had a very different life! The Garleans wouldn't have had it out for her, so she wouldn't have to lay low. She'd have found a way to make a career fighting them. Even she wouldn't have lifted the arms herself.
...Of course, this is assuming that, in those 3 or 4 years, the object of her affections wouldn't have come find her. Because he would have been the only person who would have been able to convince her to leave all that behind.
