Gensosuikoden: Paths of Idleness

By: Chii Motosuwa

Disclaimer: Suikoden and its characters belong to their respected companies (Konami and such) and no money was made in the production of this Fanfiction.

It had been a few hours since they had thrown him in the darkness of the dungeon. The smell of festering flesh and whatever else was left down there to rot had become almost unnoticeable. His sense were adapting to his surroundings... and even the silence.

But the silence was an old friend to the young man. As was this pain... this loneliness...

Oh gods... why must this happen again...?

The taste of regret was fresh in his mouth. It lingered with a vengeance since everything finally settled into his mind. A moment of relief came when he passed on the burden, for the sake of protecting it and keeping it from that witch. But now, the one person he considered a friend carried the weight of his curse. It would grow heavier by every passing minute... every second... Soon enough he would know the same feelings he felt then. Even now...

The silence... the pain... the loneliness...

Please... be safe...

The favour was simple. Come in, heal the bugger, go home and pretend nothing happened. Once the job was done, it would be back to the books and try his best to avoid going back to this damned place.

He could have honestly easily said no. But since he came into her care, he swore to himself that he would follow her every bidding, every single request. For he, had a debt to repay. The debt alone was far too great in value for just a small thank you. The debt was even greater than his life. That woman... she had given him the one thing he could not get for himself.

His freedom.

"So my sister decided to send you in her stead?" the blonde woman grimaced at the young boy as they walked down the wide halls of Gregminster castle. "I didn't know she hated me that much."

"My Lady is busy at the moment. Especially since you sent the McDohl boy to the tower." The boy replied almost immediately. "It has nothing to do with shame for any of your recent activities."

"Somehow, the tone of your voice says otherwise, dear child."

The boy smirked, but kept his gaze ahead of him as they moved closer to their destination.

"It's just I heard rumours that the General's son had given you some trouble lately." Emerald eyes glanced at the much taller woman for a quick moment before turning back down the hall. "I found it almost hard to believe."

"Indeed. I didn't expect him to get in the way." The woman sighed heavily. "It's just a minor set back. I'll rid of him soon enough. But such a smart child you've become since I saw you last, Luc. It has been less than a few hours and already you're well aware."

"The walls whisper quite loudly even when one is not interested to listen."

"I see..." the woman said quietly. "So, child... Did you know?"

"About?"

The woman suddenly stopped. She held her hands together and the kindness she first tried to show Luc had vanished. All was left was the cold piercing stare of those ice blue eyes.

"Do not play me for a fool, boy. You know what I mean." She said sternly.

Luc finally came to a halt as well. His glance fell to the well-polished marble floors beneath their feet. He was sure she would ask this question.

"I did." He confirmed, and then began walking again. "But my Lady didn't."

"I should hope you're not lying, child." The woman followed after him, the look on her face suddenly changing to one that was obviously irritated.

Luc stopped again once he came across a solid metal door where two soldiers were standing on guard. The fact that the door leading to the stairwell down to the dungeons was closed meant someone of value to the castle, in this situation it would be this blond woman, was being detained. Down in the depths of that stairway were the cages to the wretches and fools of the kingdom.

The woman gestured for the guards to open the doors and allow the boy to go down. They weren't so surprised to see him. He had been in the castle before, doing trivial errands for both his ladyship and the blonde.

"I wouldn't have a reason." Luc glared at her. "Perhaps it's time you remembered that half-runes don't do as well as full runes."

The woman's face fell.

"How dare you."

"Keep in mind that if that ever gives you a sudden urges to take the other half from my lady... Even if you just try..." He began. "I won't take a second thought to cause you a number of 'misfortunes'."

It was such a wonder that the eyes of such a young boy could ever be so cold, especially him. To the woman, this was definitely a surprise. They boy was very strange to begin with. When her sister had taken him from Harmonia, not a word escaped his mouth for a full year. And just one day, he decided to speak. She glared back at the boy but kept quiet. It appears that her sister's pet had become protective of his mistress.

"The one I need you to meet is down there. Make him well, only enough so he won't die." She held he pride back and spoke to him in a stern voice. "Once he isn't bleeding himself to death, you know what I expect you to do."

Luc snorted and made his way down the stairs.

"What a cruel woman you are."