After Lars’s death, Arst’s name had become some sort of taboo that created an uneasy atmosphere in the Long Dau castle every time it was mentioned.
“Lin.”
Nils was extremely worried about Lin, who had just lost his father. He was destined from the start to become head of the clan, but he was only eleven and still grieving his father. It was far too soon for him to assume the succession.
“Are you all right?”
“Am I all right? Define ‘all right’.”
“…Don’t push yourself. Lord Lars was so strong, and yet he was killed in battle. We should have listened to you that day.”
Lin’s eyes, which until then were looking in the distance, suddenly focused on Nils.
“But I’ll protect you, I promise. If Arst Outway comes to get you, he’s definitely going down.”
He smiled awkwardly, trying to cheer him up, but his words did not have any effect on Lin, who looked down again.
“My uncles are completely obsessed with the idea of slaying that man. They won’t listen to anything I say. I will probably have to fight too in the near future.”
When Lin looked up again, his face, illuminated by the moonlight, looked like he had suddenly aged ten years.
Wingul and the Flower - Excerpt from Side Story Wingul
One year, Lin headed for Shang Du with Nils and a few guards. The Kitar tribe, founder of the city, was in disorder ever since their patriarch had been killed by a young man of the clan. The tribe was shaken by internal struggles which had Gaius worried. Lin, however, had more expectations for the tribe than strictly political ones.
Like the Long Dau, the Kitar were respected as one of the Brilliant Seven, the most powerful tribes in Ajur. According to the legend, their origin dated back to two thousand years ago, though there was no proof of their existence dating back to more than a few hundred years. Still, it was quite clear that their history was much older than that of other tribes. They settled on the soil of Ajur a long time ago and forged its prosperity and culture. This was an honor both the Long Dau and the Kitar shared.
However, while Rashugal was walking on the way to prosperity thanks to measures introduced after it became one single big “nation”, Ajur was slowly falling into decline.
Lin suddenly turned to Nils.
“Nils, can you see that building over there? Close to those two summits.”
“Yes. I can’t believe they built something like that up there. It’s the coliseum, right?”
“When he was twelve, Gaius achieved victory of the tournament of that year.”
“When he was just twelve… That’s why he was so strong in the Fayzabad war?”
“His opponent in the finals was the heir of a large tribe, so his victory was never officially recognized. Unlike the Outways, that tribe had power and influence.”
At the time, Gaius’s life had been ruled by his name and his fate decided by others. He must have chosen his way in life because of all these experiences. Hearing Lin talk about Gaius’s past as if he empathized, Nils felt a pang of jealousy.
“Do you know the name of this flower?”, Lin suddenly asked.
“…No. It looks a bit weird, doesn’t it?”
The flower had clusters of colorful petals attached to the stem.
“It is called a ‘Gladiolus’, and is also known as the ‘sword lily’,” Lin explained as he dismounted from his horse. He walked to the flower and picked it.
“A Kitar tradition is to offer this flower to the warriors who go to fight in the coliseum.”
Nils and the guards stared at Lin, waiting for the rest.
“The bell of battle that resounds through the battlefield. The cries of frenzied souls. The bitter grudge of the girls who, unable to bear arms themselves, bury their sons and husbands. For a very long time, the land of Ajur was governed by blades and blood. I think that this flower should become a tribute to the memory of those who have lost their lives thus. Gaius is seeking a new Ajur, not one that is built on a mountain of swords but one that lies beyond the tears and the carnage of war.”
When he was finished, Lin attached the flower to his horse’s bridle. The horse shook his head in discontent at first, but eventually resigned itself to sporting this decoration.
First Impression of Gaius - Excerpt from Side Story Wingul
Skillful and robust warriors from hundreds of tribes rallied under Lars’s banner. The Long Dau capital was overflowing with men in heavy armor and feasts for victory were being held every night at the castle for the patriarchs.
Blending with the more famous tribes were the Outways, a small tribe from the north. It was only a few days before they all departed to the front that a boy only twelve years of age came to an audience on behalf of their aging patriarch. As the Outway clan was small, it did not have enough warriors to fight on its own and would therefore enlist under the Long Dau banner, following the command of the young patriarch substitute.
Since Nils was a commoner, he was only allowed to watch the audience from afar. The boy, Arst, was the same age as himself. He was tall—perhaps the size of a small adult—but lean and quite clearly still in his growth phase. He did not look very reliable. He would probably look more like a true warrior in a few years after his muscles develop, but for the time being they were still hiding under his war attire.
Lin’s father and uncles were listening to Arsts’s words with a serious look, but could not help laughing inwardly. To oppose Rashugal, they would need to dispatch everyone regardless of standing, but the boy would be nothing more than a decorative leader, they thought. He would be surrounded by faithful guardians and after swinging his sword a little, he would go back to camp to play commander. That way he would be able to say he participated in his first campaign.
“Look at them, a small clan that fell to poverty a long time ago, trying to put on airs… And all they can send us is a kid. This is ridiculous.”
“We could assign him to Lord Yang or Lord Ying’s unit and let him learn the hard way what a true battlefield is.”
“Hey now, if he runs from us crying, we’ll be regarded as poor babysitters!”
After the audience was over, the four brothers and other court officials were freely sharing mockeries of the boy and delighted laughter could be heard everywhere in the room. Lin, however, did not share their mirth, keeping silent instead. His face was paler than usual. Even though he was often trying to act mature, he was still an eight year old kid. He must have been intimidated by the rough atmosphere.
“Oh my, it seems that this was a bit too much for Prince Lin. Do not worry, my prince, all you will need to do during this war is wait for reports on your mother’s lap.”
The laughter resumed. But Lin did not pay any attention to the mocking adults and grabbed Nils’s arm with a trembling hand.
“You must be tired. Don’t worry about all this.”
“Nils. That person from the Outway clan… I have a bad feeling about him.”
Nils stared in disbelief. “He’s only twelve, like me,” he almost said, but the look in the young genius’s eyes silenced him.
No one at court took Lin’s worries seriously. But it would not be long until they would pay the price for their arrogance.
That night, Lin and Nils were resting in one of the tents they managed to salvage from the avalanche.
“Nils. The Long Dau will submit to Ars—to Gaius.”
“Lin, no! If you do that, what will become of the Long Dau tribe? Think about the court, Lord Lars’s legacy, your beautiful language… You can’t do that!”
“It is not like everything will be lost. However, the tribe has already fallen. I could not protect my father or stop my uncles. This is my responsibility. Only a fool believes blindly in his superiority and endangers his tribesmen pursuing a goal for the sole purpose of self-satisfaction. It is like waving a flower in the darkness and deriving glory from its torn petals. Such a commander is only worthy of disdain.”
“I’ll fight! Even if I’m the only one left standing, I’ll fight to protect the Long Dau’s honor! You can’t bend your head to that arrogant guy. Please order me, Lin! For you, I’ll kill him, even if I have to die in the process!”
Nils had unconsciously grabbed Lin’s shoulder when talking, but Lin shook his hand off and replied.
“Nils, I’ve made my decision. …If you are not happy with it, leave.”
Lin’s words seemed cold, but Nils felt as if he was apologizing.
Apologizing? To whom? To his father Lars, who used the tribe as he pleased? To his mother, proud and wise, who encouraged his education? Perhaps to the countless nameless soldiers who lost their lives on a battlefield?
I don’t need your pitiful repentance. All I want is to protect you. You, my precious master who brought your clan to an end at such a young age.
Lin.
Nils knelt and took Lin’s small hand into his own, then brought it to his forehead, crying.
Various things mostly about Gaius and his cats and his sister. Cut for length.
Gaius
Has a habit of feeding stray cats. As a result, there is always an increase in cat population wherever he happens to be staying. There’s a certain number of them roaming around his castle, and at first attempts were made to remove them to Gaius’s protests but now everyone has resigned themselves to their presence.
Used to be envious of Nils’s closeness to Lin. At the time, he was yearning for a close friend and often felt sad that circumstances had made trying to get closer to Lin nearly impossible. But he got his wish in the end x)
Wingul used to have beautiful long hair, but Gaius, otoh, liked his short because he didn’t like it when it got in his way. When Wingul implanted his booster, though, he had to be shaved for the operation, and from that day Gaius stopped cutting his (except to style it), as if he was compensating for Wingul’s loss. When Wingul went on vacation, he started styling his bangs on the side because that’s how Wingul had his hair (albeit on the other side).
That feather thing he wears in his school outfit… He totally made it from Wingul’s coats.
Part of the reason he goes to Elympios is because he wants to get away from his castle and the memories of Wingul that dwell there.
Wingy
His relationship with his father deteriorated after the Febreeze War, partly because he lost respect for him when he learned he had left his men to die and partly because Lars became obsessed with making him stronger when Lin himself had no interest in physical exercise.
Nils was his confident for everything, though talking to him about love and attraction was tricky because he had to hide his feelings for Gaius. This led to a fair share of misunderstandings that he could never really clear up.
Though he won’t admit it out loud, he is quite attached to Agria. Her ridiculous antics and tendency to try and provoke him on any occasion aggravates him, but in a way he enjoys the fun that it provides. Despite her often antagonistic attitude toward him, he is the one in the Chimeriad she is the most open to.
He comes back from his vacation with what he claims is a nice tan but everyone can see he’s just sunburnt. Not that he’ll ever admit it.
Presa
I think the one who decided to recruit her was Wingul.
She was doing an amazing job unveiling Rashugal’s secrets, and in a way you might wonder why she was called back to work directly for the king when she was so useful as a spy… but it’s probably because she was so useful - that made her dangerous. The Aktau tribe could have easily used her to spy on Gaius if it had wanted to, and I can see Wingul trying to remove the threat before they can even think about it. So I can see him suggesting to Gaius to break her ties with the Rats and bring her near.
Chimeriad
I have this headcanon that when Gaius and the Chimeriad first arrive to the Xailen temple (a night or so before the party arrives) after the events of Febreeze Marsh and can finally rest, they just sit there at the altar not knowing what to say or do - not daring to speak, really.
Then Agria finally loses it and starts cackling about how stupid this all is and insults Jiao for dying on them like that but her laugh soon turns into sobs and she’s half-crying half-laughing manically and destroying furniture. Presa leaves quickly and after he and Gaius exchanged a glance, Wingul follows her, but Gaius just sits there in silence observing Agria and finding her violent outburst soothing in a way - as if she was embodying the feelings he can’t let out himself, because he has to stay strong for them.
That night Gaius and Wingul sleep holding tight to each other.
Karla
Karla and Gaius are twins.
She may laugh at her brother’s tastes, but she’s exactly the same. She loves chocolate and hates spicy food.
She loves animals, and especially cheagles. Gaius once offered her a cheagle doll that she still owns to this day.
When they were little, they were either playing pranks on each other or teaming up to prank others. They’d often argue with each other but the moment you picked on one of them the other would immediately take their side, even if they were fighting mere moments before. Gaius also often took the blame alone when they were caught causing mischief. It made her sad to see him punished in her place so she often gave him her candies as a thanks.
Anyway they were really close.
But when Karla got engaged, their relationship started to change. That’s because she was infatuated with her fiancé, while Gaius didn’t approve of marrying his little sister off to some random Long Dau guy, and he didn’t try to hide his opinion. They started getting into more disagreements. Then the events of Trames 2273 happen and they grow more and more distant.
Karla heard about the rumors of Gaius killing her fiancé, but didn’t believe it at first. However, the more Gaius refused to tell her the truth, the more doubts she felt.
She tried to join Taurus near the end of the revolution to be close to Gaius. She joined them as a cook or something, used a fake name and dyed her hair and put on glasses to try and hide her resemblance to her brother. He of course did not know about her presence in his group, but he eventually discovered it. Obviously he didn’t approve but there was nothing he could do to make her leave (she’s as stubborn as him when she wants to).
Once it was established she would stay, it became hard to Gaius to resist the temptation of interacting with her and they’d see each other often. This lead to rumors about them. Of course Wingul noticed too that his boyfriend was seeing a girl often and that didn’t sit well with him. Gaius was afraid of telling him her identity because he wasn’t sure how Wingul would use the information. Eventually (like, after taking a good look at her eyes lol) Wingul put two and two together though. But he didn’t use her against Gaius. He, however, strongly advocated that she stayed away from him once he became king.
As those are mostly about Gaius and Wingul's sex life, they might be nsfw. So under cut. Reread at your own risk ;-)
- Gaius originally wanted to learn Long Dau to be able to understand what Wingul says in bed.
- Back in Taurus time, Gaius and Wingul once spent the night before a battle drinking. The next day, they went into battle with a terrible hangover and trying to hide it so as not to scare their troops. Once it was over, they silently vowed never to repeat the experience.
- They would usually stay up late in Gaius’s tent planning strategies (and doing other things) and Wingul would often fall asleep there and spend the night. This lead to rumors but no one was ever able (or dared) to confirm them.
- Gaius didn’t particularly care if people knew but Wingul was more self-conscious. Once Gaius became king, though, they tried to be a little more discreet.
- They tried to do it in the throne room once. Not the best of ideas. Agria laughed at them for three days straight afterward.
- Wingul is good at oral. I think the song proves that.
- Gaius’s fondness for long swords is not compensating for anything. He just likes long swords (take that as you will).
- They tried sex with Wingul in booster mode once. The experience was quite different than usual and Gaius enjoyed it but since the booster puts a strain on Wingul’s health, they can’t really repeat it safely.
- Don’t tell Gaius but the reason the song was leaked despite him forbidding Wingul to sing it to anyone was that Jiao once heard Wingul hum it. When he asked him what he was singing, Wingull replied innocently that it was the Gaius Dumplings CM song and taught him the lyrics. And from there, the song spread~ Gaius never realized until he heard Gnome sing it in Xillia 2.
- When they started sleeping together, Gaius started slowly because Wingul was inexperienced, but Wingul was more eager to try new things than he’d anticipated.
- The first few years, Wingul was rather passive because Gaius still intimidated him, but he started to take the lead more and more as he gained experience.
- Gaius is sometimes rather forceful but can be gentle and tender too. That side won Wingul over when he was angsting about whether it really was a good idea to sleep with his father’s killer.
- Wingul once asked Gaius if he wasn’t afraid he’d try to assassinate him while he was “distracted”, but Gaius just laughed and proceeded to “distract” him to show him he wouldn’t leave him the leisure of thinking about assassinations. Wingul still doesn’t know if he was angry at himself for being so easily manipulated or if he didn’t care because the experience was worth it. It was probably a bit of both.
- As Gaius is a master at keeping a neutral expression, he’s good at hiding when he’s horny, but Wingul has learned to notice the signs.
Some thoughts about those two. Spoilers for the whole game.
<Headcanon> Among the military literature Wingul read as a kid, there were probably a few books written by Rowen. I think little Wingul admired him and his brilliant tactician mind and really looked up to him, and so was hugely disappointed in him when he learned he ran away. That would explain his almost spiteful aggressiveness toward Rowen. It always stings when a star you admire does something you don’t approve of.</headcanon>
I think the main reason Wingul sounds so obsessed with Rowen’s failures is that he projects himself in him. It’s not surprising, really, given how similar their positions are: they’re both genius tacticians and the closest person to their respective kings.
Wingul likes to think that he will strike Gaius down if Gaius ceases to be worthy of the throne. This is partly why he got his booster, to try and catch up to his incredible strength.
Rowen is someone who’s had to go through that situation. His king strayed from his path. But Rowen wasn’t able to stop him. Instead, he fled, he ran away from his responsibilities. And let Nachtigal turn into a tyrant.
Wingul is angry at Rowen and keeps mocking him and putting him down because he is disappointed in his cowardice, but also because he is afraid of making the same mistake. By claiming again and again that he is superior to Rowen, he is convincing himself that he’s different, that he will be able to do what must be done if it comes to it.
I think their sort of rivalry is interesting and would have loved to see them interact as colleagues once the game is over. (I’m still in denial about Wingul’s death okay)
The Battle of Mon Highlands - Excerpt from Side Story Wingul
With Gaius’s rise, the Long Dau, who used to be respected as one of the most powerful tribes of Ajur, were on the verge of collapse. Despite this, more than a thousand soldiers stayed under Lin’s command and wished to retake the honor of their clan by fighting Gaius alongside their young patriarch.
To Lin, this war was especially a way to avenge his father, uncles, and even his mother who had chosen death willingly. One year had passed since their first defeat, and Lin had perfected his strategy, to the point where he managed to corner Gaius’s army in the steep mountain ranges of the Mon Highlands. Under the skillful command of the young patriarch, whom his men had taken to call ‘The Little General’, the tactics of Lars’s time, which relied exclusively on force and were often nothing but a waste of resources and endangered the lives of the soldiers unnecessarily, were deemed useless and abandoned. The morale of the men going into battle was high.
Nils was standing near Lin and was looking at his slender face as he was waiting for the enemy’s move, observing the formation he had built on the snowy land. It was a little hard to believe that Gaius would let himself be surrounded so easily. He probably had a plan. But then Lin had probably already foreseen that possibility. He could not possibly think of ending it with a draw...
The wind was getting stronger. Thinking to fetch a fur coat for Lin, he turned toward the officers’ tent, but at that moment he felt a presence. To his surprise, he saw Gaius himself appear on a small hill with a few soldiers.
He looked brazenly defenseless for a young man now at the head of a big army. Gaius still bore some resemblance to the boy he caught a glimpse of five years ago, but the way he made his presence felt was completely different, and Nils felt overwhelmed. Lin, who had noticed him as well, simply said to wait. The time when they exchanged formalities through messengers was over.
Gaius eventually entered the enemy lines and approached Lin. If Lin threw away his honor, it would be possible to take him down here. However, Gaius looked like he did not fear such eventuality.
“Lin Long Dau.”
Gaius’s voice was imperious.
“Call back your troops. The ground here is soft. If your men continue advancing northward in large numbers, they will definitely cause an avalanche.”
“Lin, he's probably just trying to get out of a difficult situation. Don't listen to him,” Nils warned, forgetting his place.
But Lin simply asked coolly:
“I don't understand. If you are speaking the truth, why aren't you using the situation to your advantage?”
“I am not one to be blinded by victory and cause the death of excellent soldiers through underhanded tactics. They are precious warriors who will one day support my country and help me forge a path for the good of the people.”
Nils heard Lin draw a sharp breath. He, too, understood what Gaius’s words evoked–the terrible tragedy of Fayzabad from five years ago.
“I do not wish to adhere to an old-fashioned system that clings to name and birth. I want to build a country where the strong show the way to the weak and help them achieve happiness. I do not wish to lose the people who would become the foundation of my country simply because they are currently my enemies.”
“Are you telling me to trust the words of a seventeen year old boy?”
“Yes. I am talking to you, who are now facing me at barely thirteen years of age. To you, Lin of Long Dau, renowned descendant of the Seven Sons of Ajur, who succeeded your father at the young age of eleven.”
Nils felt Lin tense at the evocation of his father’s death, and unconsciously stepped between them to shield him –or was it to contain his murderous impulse?–, but the imposing youth was not finished speaking.
“Your father was blinded by glory and came back home having lost many men to the tsunami. All because he had discarded my words as the whining of a child and ridiculed me.”
“...If I had participated to that battle, it would not have ended in a painful draw. I would have led Ajur to victory. And I would have killed you there and then.”
“If you had been leading instead of your father, the outcome of the battle might indeed have been very different. And the more you corner me with your brilliant tactics, the further ahead you push me.”
Having said everything he came to say, Gaius turned on his heels. Nils called out to Lin but received no answer. Eventually, Lin issued a single order sharply.
“Call the troops back to the Dargu Gate.”
The troops were confused. Gaius’s army was right there. Did Lord Lin lose his nerve?
The officers did not bother to hide their bewilderment and their complaints as they urged the soldiers to rebuild their formation and retreat. As if it had been waiting for this moment, a wave of snow started sliding down the slope, as if a part of the mountain itself was collapsing. It destroyed the tents easily and engulfed the carts and wicker trunks. The mountain’s rage eventually subsided after what seemed like an eternity. In the distance, one could see Arst’s red armor, shining vividly in the color of blood.
