Barcacion

Note: A short, somber piece that was inspired by an idea from miraculousWolf17. We didn't get to see much of Count Barcacion in the series so this was an opportunity to delve deeper into his connection with Étoile.

Anyway, enjoy and please let me know what you think!

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Étoile was devastated by the loss of Count Barcacion and after her initial rage at his passing, she mourned his loss deeply.

For the past several years, he had been the only family she had ever known, taking her under his wing and making her his squire. He had provided for all her needs and allowed her a freedom she never would have known in another family. And he was one of the few people in her life who had treated her with genuine kindness. She owed so much to him.

Although he was a member of the Lusitanian military, Barcacion was averse to war and bloodshed and did not quite share the religious zeal of his young ward. They had often argued over this topic, with Étoile passionately declaring that war was necessary to cleanse the world of heathens while Barcacion calmly advocated a less violent approach. But despite their disagreements over principle, between them was an earnest and enduring bond. Barcacion admired his ward's headstrong nature though he did sometimes try to temper her righteous fury with reasonable words.

Towards him the young squire had the utmost respect, not only because of her debt of gratitude towards him for taking her in, but because he treated her with respect as well. He listened to what she had to say and though he did not always approve, he always considered her arguments and encouraged her to speak her mind. He valued her opinions and took her seriously and she sometimes feared that no one else would ever treat her in the same way. So she struggled to distinguish herself among her fellow soldiers, to gain their respect and trust, so that she could somehow carve her place in the mad, crowded world.

Barcacion understood her well and saw in her restlessness, a desire to explore the places around her, to go beyond the walls of her home. He knew that being a soldier would afford her many opportunities to see more of the world and to hopefully open her mind to different ways of life. She was destined for something great; he was sure of it. And he knew that she had had a hard life so he cherished the hope that she would find happiness someday, that she would survive the horrors of war and live to see better times.

She had such fond memories of the old man. In fact, most of few happy memories she had in her life were of times spent with Count Barcacion. Before the war, he had spent a great deal of time showing her the endless volumes of knowledge from the Lusitanian library. Though not the bookish type, Étoile was able to appreciate the value of education. And since she was so adventurous, she was able to use some of what she had learned from Barcacion's books to help her survive in the army and in the guise of a man.

He always had such a warm smile and a soothing voice. He knew just how to calm her down whenever she was in a fury. And he was never afraid to admonish her whenever she went too far. He knew her better than anyone and always treated her like the daughter he could have had.

But he was gone. Forever.

The only family she had left had hurled himself off a tower because of his beliefs. And though she shared the same faith, somehow, she found this abandonment hard to forgive. It was selfish, she knew, but she could not help it, so great was her sorrow. Because once again, she was all alone in the world.

As she grieved in her prison cell, these were the thoughts that were weighing heavily on Étoile's mind when she received an unexpected visitor.