gallia's valkyrie

[velvettaguel]

If I See a Light || Panne and Lethe

[velvettaguel]

Panne felt her anger diminish as Lethe spoke to her. There was a strange calmness in her voice. She spoke with care. She spoke as though one of her own stood before her.

In all her years, never had Panne felt so… alike another. They may have appeared very different to others, but the two of them had suffered much of the same hate. They watched those they love be harmed by the hands of man.

You don’t have to be alone again.

Those words meant more to Panne then she could have ever anticipated. And for once in her life, she felt as though she could believe them.

"…Thank you."

[warriorofgallia]

The simple words of gratitude made Lethe feel, well, glad. Glad that someone she considers to be a sister was able to trust her like this. It also didn't help Lethe to show one of her rare, genuine smiles. She could get used to calling Panne her now new friend.

"Now that we got all that out of the way, where are you from?" She asked. "It's a no brainer you're not from Tellius at all." She's only known beasts, birds and dragons but never rabbits, of course this would spark her curiosity.

[warriorofgallia]

They Know Me ♦ Ranulf & Lethe

[friendofnations]

"No problem. Follow me."

Morphing into his full beast form, Ranulf glanced at Lethe before running ahead. She’d catch up, he figured.

—-

It was a while before the two arrived at the gate. Ranulf ran up, slowing to a stop and changing shape back into his more human form. He looked up at the mass before them as Lethe caught up beside him.

"Well, this is it." He motioned at the massive doors before them. To be honest, he didn’t quite understand them himself. There was nothing on the other side if you just walked around them. But if mages existed, he figured other odd forms of magic could as well. He walked over to the heavy doors, grabbing hold and struggling just a little as he slowly pulled them open.

[warriorofgallia]

Lethe transformed immediately after Ranulf, managing to keep up with ease.

Finally they had approached the gate after, to Lethe, what seemed to be an eternity of trudging through the forest of Gallia to make it here. She was beginning to think Ranulf was pulling her tail if they didn't come to the gate any time sooner!

It was rather impressive- and by that meaning she had never seen a gate like this before. And here she thought she's been at every inch of the country and knows it like the back of her hand. Well, she wasn't going to give Ranulf the satisfaction that he was right about it just yet. Her pride wouldn't let her.

When returning to her human form, as did Ranulf, she gazed at the gate once more before hearing Ranulf's voice again.

She rolled her eyes as she watched him struggle. "Can't you do anything on your own?" Lethe grabbed at the door, next to Ranulf now and pushed. She wouldn't admit she was struggling herself, but the doors did seem to budge a bit more with her help. "Shit... how the hell did you manage to do this the first time...?" She spoke under her breath, irritated.

[warriorofgallia]

"Ah, it's you! The little laguz from camp! Er... what's with that angry expression?" He didn't seem to realize that it was her usual expression he referred to.

"Excuse me?" She huffed in annoyance, her eyes narrowing at him. "It’s none of your business. So just what is it you want, beorc?"

[warriorofgallia]

They Know Me ♦ Ranulf & Lethe

[friendofnations]

Ranulf stood silent as Lethe questioned him. While he wasn’t what he’d call a defender of the beorc, he sometimes did find it difficult to speak of their violent actions against his race. At this point it may have been his fear of breaking Lethe’s hear further, rather than lessen his faith in the humans any further though.

The moment Lethe spoke up with a different subject in mind was a huge weight brought off of his shoulders.

"Sure thing, Lethe. From the sounds of that tone, I don’t think I could get away with saying no. Follow me, alright? I’ll show you to the gate.”

[warriorofgallia]

Well that was easier than she thought.

"Gate?" What gate was he talking about anyway? "Ha, of course you couldn't. Even if you did I wouldn't let you off the hook that easily!"  If there really was a gate that leads them to another place far from Gallia, then she better see a damn gate when they get there.

"Alright, Ranulf. Lead the way."

[friendofnations]

the actual valentines pic for my neko wife! i love you

[warriorofgallia]

i love you too! happy valentine's day my kawaii neko husband.

[friendofnations]

happy valentines day neko wife

[warriorofgallia]

"Watashi so glad I could have the best neko husband a neko wife could ever ask for..."

[friendofnations]

"There is one issue, though." Ranulf paused. Considering Lethe’s sensitivity on the subject of beorc and laguz relations, this was no easy subject to step around. Even if he did not tell her now, he knew she’d discover the truth one day.

"There’s only two of them left." He sighed. Yarne’s story wasn’t an easy one to take in the first time he heard it, and it sure wasn’t easy to retell either. "The way they put it, they thought the rest of our kind were dead too… He sure was excited to hear about an entire nation of us."

[warriorofgallia]

"What do you mean by that?" It would be a matter of time for Lethe to catch on what Ranulf doesn't want to say to her. The more vague he was about it, the more she wanted to get more information out of him.

Although Lethe didn't wait for him to reply. Instead she thought of a better idea. "You know what, I'd like to go to Ylisse right now and you're gonna take me, got it?" She wasn't going to take no for an answer either. "I wanna meet your new friend personally!"

[velvettaguel]

If I See a Light || Panne and Lethe

[velvettaguel]

Knowing there was no chance for their conversation to move away from the truth, Panne swallowed. It was never an easy subject to talk about. But in this case, she was with another. A sister, in a way.

"If beorc is a word fit to man spawn… then you are correct. My warren was hunted by their kind… Murdered one by one. They treated us like monsters, taking no time to attempt to understand who or what we were…"

As Panne opened her eyes, the anger and the pain she felt were visible. “I was the last to survive… But… you’re right. We have not known one another for longer than ten minutes, but you’ve already given me courage in knowing that… we don’t have to be alone any longer…”

[warriorofgallia]

She knew it. From the moment Panne was relieved to have seen someone much like herself, she knew humans had something to do with it.

"And to think I was starting to forgive them for what they've done..." Lethe looked just as angry as Panne was. No, she couldn't forgive them. "Yet at the same time it's not surprising to me... You and I are from different continents and yet we're still treated like we're less no matter where we go."

The last few words that came from Panne felt warm to Lethe, as if it soothed the anger she felt from hearing the taguel's story. She only wished she knew Panne sooner.

"Don't worry, you don't have to be alone again."

It felt strange to be this nice to someone she's just met yet at the same time she didn't mind it. They had so much in common after all.

[warriorofgallia]

[warriorofgallia]

(M!A romance the Laguz I'm so sorry.) "You know, you're pretty obnoxious with your pointless human hate. But I guess you're kinda cute at the same time if I ignore those ears of yours."

"Do you have a death wish, human?"

[velvettaguel]

If I See a Light ll Panne and Lethe

"Laguz…" Panne repeated. She’d never heard such a word before, but Lethe’s description of herself matched what had been described to her in the past. There were Taguel… Those which could transform into felines and birds. This girl was one of them.

She was not alone.

The cat taguel smiled to her, but Panne struggled with her emotions. All these years… Running, fearing for her life. She never knew that there were more. 

"Y-yes… I am a- …I’m known as a Taguel. A rabbit breed… I’m the last of my warren. I…" Her voice sounded weak, but she knew she couldn’t stop talking yet. "I had thought there were none left like me… I do not mean to sound foolish, but I’m- My name is Panne. I’m thrilled to meet you."

[warriorofgallia]

It was only a matter of minutes and Lethe has taken an instant liking to the rabbit laguz- or taguel. It didn't matter what they called themselves, they were one and the same and that's all that Lethe cared of learning about.

Noticing the sudden meekness in her voice, the smirk on Lethe's face faded into concern. She approached her now, respecting the space they had still. "What do you mean none? I'm standing right here, aren't I?"

"Don't tell me that... that beorcs were responsible for this," she nearly spat out the name. Even after fighting alongside Ike, her views have soften; although, she still could not forgive what humans have done to the laguz. It was her pride mostly at fault with this. If she were right, she would immediately lose any little respect she had for them.

[friendofnations]

"The Halidom of Ylisse."

Ranulf began to wonder if Lethe would believe any of his story once he got started. It was definitely a hard one to believe. He decided to let it go for now.

"I’ll have to bring you one day soon… Or bring the Taguel here to visit. I promised the boy that I would someday."

[warriorofgallia]

Ylisse? Where in the world was that located and just how far was it from Tellius? Lethe couldn't be bothered to ask right away, she didn't want Ranulf to know how eager she was to learn more about the unfamiliar nation.

Lethe shrugged, "I... guess that sounds good." She really would like to visit and meet these Taguel. The more Ranulf talked about them, the more they sound similar to laguz. "If they're anything like us, they're welcomed in my book."

[velvettaguel]

Lethe stared at her, having a bored expression when deep down, she was curious about her. "Odd... It's obvious you're not human, but you don't look like any kind of laguz I've seen before." Her voice was strangely softer than how she would normally speak, and that most likely is because of the fact she isn't a beorc. "What are you, anyway?"

Keeping a safe distance from the stranger, Panne observed the other carefully. Feline ears… The tail… Those markings on her face. The taguel’s eyes widened. Could she be?

"I am… a Taguel…" Her voice was soft, sounding almost unsure of her next words. "Are you by chance… a shifter?"

[warriorofgallia]

"It's laguz, not shifter," she hissed, her nose in the air. While she'd still take that over 'sub-human' anyday, she would prefer it if the proper term was used. Beorc or not. "A cat laguz in case you couldn't tell." Lethe did the same and kept her own distance from the other, eyes focusing entirely on her.

A small, playful smirk was on her face seconds after. "... But I can transform into a cat, if that's what you were referring to." Lethe took one good look at her before continuing. "And what about you? Are you a 'shifter' too?"

[friendofnations]

"Laguz. There are more of them where I went! I met this young boy named Yarne… He believed he was the last of the Laguz. I’ve never seen someone so excited to meet me before."

"He looked sort of like a rabbit, and said he was called a Taguel. Or something of that sort."

[warriorofgallia]

Well now he has her full attention. "Taguel...?" she repeated, the word at the tip of her tongue. She has never heard of a phrase like that in her life.

"If they're not from Gallia or any other part of Tellius, then what's this place called?"

[warriorofgallia]

friendofnations replied to your post:"Lethe, glad you've finally showed up. It's not like you to wander in so late, you know. I was a little shocked."

"The tone of your voice leads me to believe otherwise." he smirked. "I’ve been exploring a land unfamiliar to us in Gallia… I feel like you may be interested in hearing about it."

Her tail twitched, how she would love to wipe that smirk off his face. "Believe what you want about it!" At least, she would like to think she doesn't care.

Lethe's glare soon softened at the mention of Gallia, she still didn't look too impressed about it. Are there really places where she's never been to yet? That's hard to imagine. "Oh? Well go on, amaze me."

[warriorofgallia]

"Lethe, glad you've finally showed up. It's not like you to wander in so late, you know. I was a little shocked."

"It’s none of your business where I run off to, Ranulf. I can handle things by myself just fine," She scoffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Not like I care, but what have you been up to?"

[warriorofgallia]

ROBOTS OR DINOSAURS?

She curled her lip in disgust. "Come back to me when you have a question worthwhile to say. This sounds like something only a beorc would be able to answer."