Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The New Caravan ❯ A call to action ( Chapter 1 )

DISCLAIMER::: all races, themes, places and names

other than the names created by me are

property of the owners of the “Final Fantasy” series.

I do NOT claim ownership of the series. (nor am I a fan of it)

Story characters and plot modifications made by me.

This story is made for MediaManier and does not

in any way make me money. If found any where else it is stolen

 

Crystal Chronicles

The New Caravan

CALL TO ACTION:::

 

It was early, around eight in the morning. The fog was thick and the village was asleep. The caravan had returned home about a month ago and most of the festival decorations were still up. The smell of salt was in the air, freshly blown from the waterfront of town. Next came the sent of fish, then wheat. All mixed into one. But there was another sent in the air. The smell of metal. The steady beat of steel on steel. The village elder seemed to step with caution as he poked his huge nose around a large apple tree. The mild fog made the air seem to glow with a fiery orange. The old man soon found his target. A middle aged man, thin as a bone waring leather pants and a fur rag over his lap and no shirt to speak of. His semi-long silver blue hair was covered by a bright red bandanna keeping it out of his face as he thew his hammer into a red hot piece of alloyed steel. The air was cool around the village but the man was covered in sweat. The blue haired man stopped his perpetual hammering and looked up at the large nosed old man.

 

“Good morning Roland” the man said with a smile. “Natasha is still sleeping so I thought I would keep working on the steel fittings.”

 

“SLEEPING?” said Roland with a raspy burst of breath. “ How any one can sleep through such noise is beyond me. That wife of yours must have Bannock in her ears. But never mind that So-tto, I have a favor to ask of you.”

 

So-tto noticed the old Clavat had a wrinkled look like he was the odd man in the room. “Something troubles you? Come, sit. Whats on your mind. The caravan leaves in a few days and I know it is hard, but you must trust this new group.” says So-tto.

 

“Some times you jump to conclusions too fast.” says Roland as he sits on the other side of the black smith's bench, “ And true that this involves the caravan but not the way you think. As you well know, Tipa is a village of Clavats and Selkies so naturally we have an even number of each per caravan. However, you know that this new caravan has no such balance. Two of them are Clavats, boy and girl. The other one is just a young Selkie girl. She is mentally insecure after her mothers death. You know this right?”

 

“Yes I do, she was my wife's sister and a good friend of mine. Ni-hoo hasn't had any parental figure other than her drunk of a father. She doesn't speak much english either. Why do you ask?”

 

“Well the young Clavat girl is proud of her heritage and sees the girl as a mockery to the town. The boy isn't as abusive but he wont step in much either. The poor thing cant speak a whole lot of english witch only makes things worse.”

 

“Well, I'm not the girls parent, and I can't knock some sense into her. What would you have me do?”

 

“You still know the old Selkie language don't you?”

 

“Yes, every self respecting Selkie knows it.”

 

“Well, I hate to ask this but would you please join the caravan for a year and help the girl out. See if you can change their minds about her. She is only twelve and...”

 

Roland was quickly cut off as So-tto jumped up from his seat with a burst of rage. “How dare you ask me to do that!” he said, “I am retired now and wish to enjoy the rest of my life with my family, get fat and grow old. I know this will be hard for the girl but she is a Selkie, she can handle them. And even if she cant you know its just the way balance is worked out in these caravans.” The man threw his hammer hard into the street. It hit a lamp post and made a loud ring. He let out a sigh and in a more calm voice he said “I know our history, and I don't want to see her go through this. She needs to stand high like any other Selkie. Once she meets a few others of her kind she...”

 

Now cut off him self, Roland cut in with his counter response. “But thats the problem. They don't let her into towns because they think she will shame our village.” He stood up and put a hand on So-tto's shoulder “she will never get the chance to bloom at this rate. She needs a guardian. You can speak to her and help her through tough times. And if nothing else, a fault like this could tear the caravan apart. And you know what that means.”

 

So-tto looked at the Selkie mark tattooed onto his lower arm. “I'll talk to her. See what she thinks. Ill talk to Natasha and see what we are going to do for my son. I haven't lifted my racket in a while. I am growing old. Fifteen years more I have and I want to spend it with my family. Hell, even now, my dad is in his death bed and I at least want to be there when he passes.” With that he walked back into his house. Roland let out a sigh and wondered back to his home.

 

****

So-tto threw the towel and bandanna over the sink. He untied the laces on his leather pants and walked out of them. As he walked into his room he was greeted by the sight of his wife sitting up in bed. She was partly covered by the animal skin blanket and had a sad look on her face. Her whole body was pale, witch was unusual because she was normally tan, as all Selkies are. “So you heard then?” said So-tto. “Are you going to go?” said Natasha.

 

“It depends. That girl might need me, and by blood alone I can not turn this cry down without looking into it. Those Clavats are abusing her. She is chained down and I can not let that pass. But I gave up that life to be with you. It was hard to let it go, and will be hard to let it go again. If I start again, I may be out their until I die, and I can't put you through that.

 

The Selkie had a small tear in his eye, torn my morals and honor and family. He rolled into bed and pulled the skinned blanket over him. He rolled to face the girl in bed. “However, what ever happens, I hope you keep this spot warm for me. It would be nice to return to, whether I go or not.” He placed a hand on her bare stomach. “and with another one on the way, I would hate to miss that too. Ra-tou. Hows that for a name?.” Before she could respond, he leaned in to kiss her and rolled back over and fell asleep.

***

A few hours passed and around noon, a loud bell rang through the town. The Selkie boy rose up and draped a fur sleeveless tunic over his chest, and found his bandanna and leather pants in the room. He got dresses and walked into the next room. There stood the Selkie girl, holding a tiny silver haired infant. “Afternoon you lazy bum” said Natasha. So-tto didn't pay any attention to the remark. Instead

he turned his attention to what Natasha must have been looking at before he crawled out of bed. Not ten feet from the house stood a blue and white oxen attached to a wooden, and a canvas cover. The space was large enough to hold a months worth of supplies and 4 people comfortably. “I see the caravan is getting stocked. I guess that means I need to get a move on with it then.” he went over the door and grabbed a set of laces leather sandals and fur gloves. He said a few things to his wife and walked out the door.

 

There were at least 20 people around getting the caravan loaded with the las few needs. The elder and of course, the caravaner's. There stood 2 Clavats, boy and girl, the girl was dresses in a dark, long baggy sleeved shirt and a small plate mail over her chest. She had short, blond hair that was pulled back behind her head. She carried a standard steel sword and shield and and a look of superiority. “What a bitch” he thought to him self. The boy Clavat wasn't much better. He was dressed in the same baggy cloths only the shirt was white and he had shorts that you can see because the long front of the gown was replaced by a much larger plate that covered his chest and shoulders. His hair was a dark black and was held back by a thick head band in a typical Clavat fashion. Again with the basic steel shield and sword. Both weapons and armor the Selkie had made for them.

 

However the only one of the caravaner's to be doing any kind of work was the Selkie. Even for a Selkie she was under dressed. A small strap of fur and leather covered her chest. Her pants covered what they needed to, but that was it. She had sandals but but she had no stockings to speak of, so they were badly torn. Unlike most Selkie girls, she had no skirt, shoulder pads, or gloves. Her hair was a light purple and went down to the middle of her back. The weapon that So-tto had made for her on their first year was no where to be seen. She only had a small wooden racket with animal skins pulled over the loop. He couldn't Imagen how she was expected to fight with such a tool.

 

Disgusted at what he saw, So-tto knew he would be going. He made a loud whistle and called the girl over. “Hello Ni-hoo. I have been hearing a few things about your time in this caravan. Sounds like you could use a hand.” He grabbed the sack she was holding and threw it into the wagon. He looked down and saw a confused face. “How you help? Can food bring me? Help Clavats not hurt me?” she said in her broken english. “Oh ya” said So-tto as he remembered she couldn't peak english that well.

 

He gave out a grunt and started to speak in another language that sounded like gibberish to the other Clavats. “<Hows this? Can you understand me now?>” he spoke in the old Selkie tongue. “<Yes, much better, thank you. How can you help me? Once we are on the road they will treat me like dog again.>”

So-tto gave her a smile. “<Thats simple, I am going with you. Ill be looking out for you.>” the young Selkie girl smiled a toothy smile as tears came to her eyes. She jumped up and hugged him, almost knocking him over.