Whirlwind Chapter 3
History Lesson
By Danny Ascencio
Ramiuu approached the Duke's mansion at about midday. He had been there once or twice before on guard duty when he had been a lower ranked archer. Now he was the commander of his own legion of archers that gave support to the Red Riovanes knights. The Red Riovanes knights and their counterpart the Red Archers where both trained at Riovanes castle. Much had changed there since the days of the Lion War. Riovanes was no longer a castle for housing nobility, but an extensive training center for warriors of every type. It currently housed fifty of the best knights and fifty of the best archers in all the province of Fovoham. That is why the Duke did not reside there, because it was not very luxurious or comfortable. Ramiuu wondered as to the reason for his being summoned to the Dukes home. Never before had the Duke summoned him or the knight captain. If the Duke wished to speak to his soldiers he always rode out to Riovanes. Ramiuu wondered if a war was brewing, and if the Duke's finest warriors were to prepare themselves for it.
The front gate to the Duke's mansion was open, so Ramiuu walked right in. As he passed through the gate he saw a strange old women out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be studying the mansion intently, but Ramiuu paid her no mind. After all an old women couldn't possibly do any harm. He strolled casually through the front yard and noted all the large, thick oak trees that dotted the landscape. The warrior in the back of his mind noted these as defense weaknesses that an enemy could use for cover. When he arrived at the entrance the lancers that were guarding it told him that he was expected and to go on in. When he stepped in he was immediately greeted by a manservant and escorted to the Duke. He followed the manservant through the well decorated, yet not over luxurious reception room. They made their way upstairs to the Duke's study.
" Welcome my friend," the Duke greeted Ramiuu, "Come and join me, we have many things to discuss." Ramiuu entered and sat down in front of the Dukes small desk. " You are probably wondering why I had you come here, since I normally travel myself to take council with my warriors."
"Yes, It did seem unusually odd to me, but… might I ask a question of my Duke," Ramiuu asked but did not bother waiting for a reply, " Are we going to war?" Ramiuu waited as patiently as he could manage for the Duke's reply but it was several seconds before the Duke answered him. The Duke took his time answering as Ramiuu squirmed impatiently in his seat.
" We are going to war but not openly," the Duke replied, " Our enemy is strong but unable to attack us because he does not yet know that we oppose him." At this point Ramiuu wanted to interrupt the Duke with tons of questions, but held his tongue until the Duke was finished. " Our enemy is the King himself," the Duke continued. Ramiuu gasped in surprise and was unable to speak. " I choose to tell this to you because you have reason to hate the King with a passion. "
"I have no reason to wish the King's death," Ramiuu started to say, but was cut off by the Duke.
" Yes, you do… King Delita II killed your father," the Duke said quietly, so as to emphasize its effect on Ramiuu. Ramiuu stood stunned for what seemed like an eternity. A million thoughts and emotions had swirled through his head. He had been raised in an orphanage near Orbonne. How did the Duke know his parents?
"How could you possibly know who my father was. I am a Lion War orphan," Ramiuu said quickly after regaining his composure. Then he began to become overexcited. "Sir, you were only a grunt when the Lion War…Uhhhh, I mean you…oh shit."
"Hahahaha!" The Duke laughed good naturedly at Ramiuu's obvious mistake in calling his Duke a grunt.
"Don't worry about it kid, but yes, I was only a grunt when I served during the Lion War. However, it is well known that Ramza Beoulve, the heretic, once had a love affair with a common girl whose name is unknown to me, but if you check your right calf, you will find a small scar…am I correct? The Duke needn't have asked, because the expression on Ramiuu's face told him enough. That scar is the Beoulve family crest. It was given to you; legitimate child or not, to prove that you are a member, indeed the last member, of the Beoulve family."
Ramiuu was now so shocked that he had lost all his powers of speech. The Duke then continued to tell him of how Ramza was hunted for years by Delita I, and finally caught and killed in his old age by Delita II. Then the Duke showed something that was even more amazing. The Lost Scriptures of Alazlam, which told the truth of the Zodiac Brave story and the Lion War, where revealed to Ramiuu. After reading the Lost Scriptures Ramiuu retired to the guest quarters for the night, with a lot on his mind.