Tales of an adventurer: Meeting Alberic #1

The day had begun like so many before. He woke up early, made himself a small breakfast, sat on his smallish, handmade porch and enjoyed a nice, warm tea. He would sit there every day, listening to the birds waking up in the woods next to his home.
The sun would rise between the tall trees and warm his stiff muscles. He was getting older. He could sense the strength he once had diminish. But there was no time for stiff muscles and old age today. Today he had to go to work, just like every other day, for as long as he could remember. From the day he was born, he would be a botanist. His father was one, and his father was before him. It was in his blood, so to speak. Born to be a botanist. And he liked it. Wandering the woods for all these years, he knew every tree, every plant. Every day seeking the bounty of nature. He stretched his long legs and closed the door, shutting the whistles of the birds out. He made himself a hearty lunch of some boiled eggs, bread and dried meat. He packed everything up, slapped his axe on his back and went on his way. Time to go look for a mature tree to chop.

After a few hours of wandering and chopping trees it was time for his midday lunch. He sat down near the river that flowed through the Nine Ivies and made a small fire to heat up some fresh water for a cup of tea made from the herbs he found that morning. And there it was. An almost undetectable crackle in the dense shrubbery behind him. He quietly reached for his axe, expecting an Ixal to jump at him at a moment’s notice. He slowly turned around and there he saw them. Two almost identical sets of eyes staring at him from behind the bushes. They were small eyes, but the colour was so deep, he was mesmerized by them.

 As if he knew he had nothing to fear, he let go of the axe and turned around completely. “Hello there” he said with a soft voice. Immediately one set of eyes disappeared, as if they were becoming one with the leaves. The other set, however, they kept staring at him. And then, with the smallest movement they gazed at the bread which was lying next to the fire on a wooden plate. He saw the movement and looked over at the bread and back to the eyes again. “Are you hungry?” The eyes grew bigger for just a second and the disappeared. Not knowing what to think, he took the plate and broke the large piece of bread in three pieces. He put the plate on the log of ash wood next to him and again, with a soft voice said “It’s fine, there is enough. You can have some if you want.” The second he said that there was movement behind the leaves. Being terribly curious to see what was behind the shrubbery, he took one piece of the bread and placed the plate with the other two pieces on the floor just in arms reach of him. If they wanted to come out, they had to show themselves.

Slowly he started eating his bread and again the leaves began to move. And what he saw next, rocked him to his core. A small cat-like girl emerged from the bushes. A human-like face with eyes big as marbles, pointy ears covered with fur, lay flat against her bewildered long dark hair. Her clothes were nothing more than rags, holes and patched up pieces, barely holding it together. Small bare feet came out of trousers that were three sizes too big for such a small creature and rolled up till just above her thin ankles. And wait, did he just saw a tail peek out of her trousers? Slowly and scared she moved ever so softly towards him, looking at him with those piercing eyes, watching his every move. All he did was look at that tiny little girl and nodded. She stopped in her tracks and crouched down towards the plate. He saw her dirty, muddy fingers slowly reach for the bread, all the while not letting him out of her eyesight. With her tiny hand she grabbed the bread and started to smell it. He wanted to laugh, but he knew that would be a bad idea. So all he did, was break a piece of his own bread and put it in his mouth. He let out a soft sigh, while clearly enjoying the delicious homemade bread. The girl looked at him, slightly tilted her head and just like that, she took a bite of her own piece.

As soon as she did that, there was a moan from behind the shrubbery. He looked up, almost forgetting there was another set of eyes. The little girl turned round, let out a sigh or a moan, he wasn’t sure and just as sudden as the first girl appeared, there was another one. But this one was different, though. Yes, it was also a cat-like girl, but this one was taller, a little paler, just as skinny and her hair was shorter. It seemed to him, that she was older than the little girl. She had more pronounced features, her eyes were almost more mature. And a lot more suspicious. She looked at the little girl, let out another moan and shook her head. The little girl looked at him, looked at the other girl and nodded yes, but he had no idea what she meant. Then all of a sudden the tall girl grabbed the little girls arm and pulled her towards her. It happened so fast he couldn’t even see the small girl grab the second piece of bread and they were gone.

It was a strange feeling the man had. Those two girls, coming out from the bushes like that, in rags, covered in dirt, skinny as bones. But eyes as fierce as he had never seen before. He shook his head, ate the rest of the food he brought with him, but he knew he would not have enough to fill his stomach for another afternoon of hard work, so he decided to call it a day and just go home. He looked around if he could spot the girls again on his way home, but he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. At night, when he was in his bed and all was dark around him and he could hear the midnight sounds coming from the woods, he wondered… Where are they? Where will they sleep? What will they eat? And what about the bread? How long had it been since they had eaten something? He shook his head, clearing his mind and went to sleep.

The next morning he had his same routine as every day. Eating breakfast, making tea, listening to the birds, stretching his aching muscles. But today he packed a lot more food for his lunch. He took some extra bread, put more meat in his backpack and boiled two extra eggs. He even put two wooden cups in his bag for his herb tea. Somehow he had a feeling it would be useful. After a few hours of work he found himself at the same spot as the day before. He did the same things, made a fire, boiled some water and laid out his pieces of bread on his wooden plate. And just like he expected, there she was. The little girl. This time she came from behind the bushes without hesitation. “Oh, hello there” he said again. “Would you like some bread?” Almost undetectable she nodded to him. He took his extra piece and broke it in two, placed it on the plate and set it out for her. Now, more at ease as yesterday the girl slowly walked over to him and sat on the ground next to the plate. As soon as she did that, the taller girl emerged.

The small girl looked at her, her mouth already full with a big chunk of bread and gave her the second piece of bread. In the meantime, he was making his herbal tea ready, in a way as if nothing was strange about the whole situation. He took out the wooden cups and filled them up, all three. And as if he had done it a million times before he placed the two extra cups next to the small girl and began drinking his own tea. The little girl looked amazed as if she didn’t expect this gesture. She glanced over to the other girl, but couldn’t resist the cup with it’s warm cup of tea. She slowly wraped her obviously cold hands around the wooden cup and softly blew over the water inside. The taller girl, who was still standing a small distance from the small girl, looked at the bread in her hand. She could feel the crusty layer and smell the undeniable scent of fresh baked bread. You could tell she was fighting against herself not to eat it, but the growling, hungry feeling inside her won the battle and she took a small bite. The little girl saw her eating and while the man was looking from one girl to the other, the little one began to smile at the taller girl. It was an amazingly lovely smile. There was an almost childlike innocence in it. She took the second cup of tea and held it out to the taller girl, who was still chewing on her small bite of bread. Her eyes went to him immediately, when the cup was held out to her. But again, just like before, all he did was nod. Nothing more, nothing less. As if to say, it was okay to take it and drink it. With her eyes fixed on him, she took the cup from the small girl.

Slowly but surely she sat down on the floor covered with leaves and branches. And there they sat. The three of them. Eating bread and drinking tea. The ground was wet from the rain in the previous night, but through the tall and high branches of the ancient trees in the forest the sun peeked through. It was nothing more than a peaceful moment. They did not speak, the only sounds came from the birds and the wind softly blowing through the leaves. He could sense the taller girl was observing him. She looked at his sack, where he put his tools and food, she glanced to his axe, which to them, being so small and young, must look terribly big. He finished his bread and tea and reached to his sack and took out the meat he had wrapped in a small cloth. The small girl almost jumped up at the sight of the food, but her companion stood up and grabbed the small girl’s arm. She shook her head and looked at him. With a piece of bread still in her hand, she squinted her eyes a just a little, and then nodded. It was the first form of communication between him and her. He smiled and nodded back. Then she pulled the small girl away and into the shrubbery and disappeared, just like the day before.

 That afternoon his work in the woods was different than usual. He was having difficulty finding a mature tree to chop. To his own shock he almost swung his axe into a not yet fully grown tree. Something that had never happened to him before, being the careful and thorough botanist that he was. But somehow, his mind was occupied with the two girls. Everywhere he walked, he looked and observed the trees, the bushes, everything that moved. Wondering if he would see them. Yet he did not.

The following night, when he prepared his evening meal he looked out of his window into the woods, thinking about the fate of the cat-like girls. It was a damp evening, the humidity made the air thick and warm. He decided to eat his meal outside, to be able to enjoy his small garden. He had lived in his small cottage for as long as he could remember. His father built it for him and his mother, after they were married. He himself never married. He was the kind of man, who enjoyed his own company. Never really able to connect with other people. But he was alright with that. He had accepted his loneliness and embraced it. He was fine being just by himself. Even though he was quite fond of the chocobo Kestrel he bought five years ago, to accompany him on his travels around Eorzea. Not that he travelled much, but every now and then he would visit his nephew who lived in Ul’dah, a grand city not too far from Gridania. His nephew was the only family he had left.

His parents died years ago and his only sister became ill soon after his nephew was born. To him, his nephew was as close as it came to having children of his own. So every now and then he would visit and they would drink a few beers in a nice place in the central area of Ul’dah, called the Quicksand. He was always looking forward to those visits. Not only to see his family but also the grandeur of such a large and populated city. He loved to sit there at a table in the corner, talking to his nephew and just look around at all the different people he would see. He would use those visits to buy new tools, new clothes, special treats for home. Even though he would only go for a day or two, to him it felt as if he would be away from home for weeks. Just to be able to get out of his normal daily life was something special. To him, the woods surrounding Gridania were his world. His home. He never knew much about what was outside the borders. His was a simple life, but he liked simple. He did not need anything more.

 The days following his second encounter with the girls were just as interesting as the first two days. He went back again and they were there again. The next day, same thing. Only the fourth day they did accept the meat he offered them. And he noticed the little girl becoming more and more comfortable in his presence. At one point, when he was boiling his water for tea with the herbs he always collects, the little girl went up to him, looked in the little iron pot and took out a few leaves from her oversized trousers and just like that threw them into the water. And he had to admit, his tea tasted a lot better. It was less bitter and a little sweeter. After he tasted it, he looked at the little girl, smiled and nodded. She gave him the most beautiful smile. It was as if something woke up inside him. A warmth spread inside his soul. The emotions he had shared with his nephew all those years, the sharing a bond with him, like a father and son, it was as if they all doubled with that one smile from that tiny little girl. He never had children of his own, and his nephew was the closest to him to having a child of his own. He wanted to do something for them, help them, make sure they were okay. But how? He didn’t even know their names, their background, where were their parents, where did they even come from? And why, why were they living in the woods like animals?

He looked at the other girl and saw something in her eyes he had not seen before. She was looking at the little girl and he saw genuine worry. A sort of hopelessness. In that moment he knew she was the one keeping them both alive. She was the one taking care of the little one, even though she was maybe just a few years older. He knew, that if he was to help these two girls he would have to gain her trust. And as he was thinking about all these things, she looked up and stared straight into his eyes. He wanted to say something, he just couldn’t find the right words to say. He opened his mouth, but there were no words. She knew he had seen her desperation. She knew he had seen her weak spot. There was so much going on in his head. Who are you? What are your names? Where do you come from? I want to help you! Tell me what I can do to help you. But there was only silence between the two strangers. Silence and the sounds of the little girl, munching on her bread, enjoying the warmth of her tea. He closed his mouth again and let out a small sigh. Just enough to let her know he understood. That he knew she was taking care of her, at her own expense. All she did was look away. She obviously didn’t want him to see her vulnerable. And he understood that, so he glanced over at the little girl and had to smile. The sight of this small little creature, sitting there on the cold, hard ground, baggy clothes, muddy and dirty feet, nibbling on a piece of bread and still she had a childish behaviour. As if it was natural for her to be there. If she actually enjoyed it, despite the fact that they would probably sleep in the open air again that night, on a cold floor, covered with leaves and sticks. He wouldn’t be surprised if she would just start to sing, she looked so happy and content.

 About a week after their first meeting in the woods, he was still packing more and more food for the girls. He packed vegetables, more bread, fruit, more than he could eat by himself. The merchant at the market had given him strange looks the day before. He was the kind of man, who would always have the same amounts of food to buy. The merchant knew him so well, after all these years, he was surprised when all of a sudden the man wanted more. But, as was normal for him, he just paid for his food and went on his way. No questions, just buy, pay and leave. Oh, he was friendly, he would ask the merchant about his wife and children. He knew the wife was currently with child again, so he enquired about her well-being. But he never really became very personal. Everyone in the city knew him to be a gentle, sweet man, but to himself. It had been that way since his childhood and never changed. He always greeted his neighbours, respected the highly colourful men and women from the Twin Adders.

He was just a man, blending in the city. So when all of a sudden he wanted double the amount of fruits at the merchant, yes, the merchant was surprised. But he also knew not to be nosy. He had been a customer for many years and these days your customers were very important, because of the dark times. So that morning, with his sack and axe, he went on his way again, as every day. Only his sack was getting heavier the last week. He began to work, that early morning on the trees surrounding him. It was a nice, cool day. The sun was peeking through the leaves, the birds were fluttering and singing, but softly. As if they were just waking up and enjoying the sun and the woods. He loved these days in the forest. He felt as if he was one with the forest. He could sense the elementals guiding him in finding the right tree and the right plant to harvest. When all of a sudden, it was halve way the morning, he heard something. In the bushes behind the tree he was working on. He thought he was hearing things, so he went on his way. But at the next tree he heard it again. And the tree after that. At the fourth tree he almost unnoticeable glanced over his shoulder to see what was behind him. And there he saw the tip of a small tail. He knew that tail. It was Little Cat’s tail! They were following him around the forest! He had named the girls in his head.

Little Cat and Big Cat. In his head he thought about them so much over the course of the last week that he named them. That they existed and weren’t just two animals living in the wood. They were beings, just like him and just like he had his name, he wanted them to have a name too. And now he noticed them lurking in the bushes, following him around the woods. How they had found him, he had no clue, but then again, there weren’t that many tall, big men around chopping trees. You could have hear him a mile away, chopping away. He didn’t show to the girls that he had seen them. Maybe it was a sign that there was some sort of trust between them and him, or maybe they wanted to know more about that strange man with the food. But he just went about his business and around midday he arrived at the usual spot next to the river. And just like the days before, he started making the fire. And there they were again. Little Cat came out the shroud of the forest first. Tiptoeing towards him. She looked at him, smiled, and settled on the floor next to the log where he would normally sit. And she actually made herself comfortable. Big Cat came a few seconds after.

Slower, still suspicious, looking around, scouting the area. But he could see that she too was more at ease in his company. She was hesitant, but this time she too sat down on the ground, even though a little farther away. He put the small kettle on the fire to make tea and looked at the small girl. He looked at her and nodded with anticipation for the herbs she brought the day before. She immediately smiled and took some herbs out of her trousers. As fast as a mouse she was on her feet and threw the herbs in the water. She then took the small wooden spoon he always used and began stirring the water. They were just sitting there for a few minutes when Little Cat suddenly looked up from the kettle. She looked at Big Cat and it seemed as though she was in deep thoughts by herself. But then she just nodded with a certain confidence. He had no idea what was going on, but Little Cat looked from Big Cat at him and just like that, without any warning, she pointed at herself and said “Mikki.”

That was all. He looked at her totally amazed. Did she just speak? Could it be? Yes, she did speak! She said her name! He was a little in shock, but after a few seconds Little Cat pointed at him! She wanted to know his name! This was certainly a very important step in the trust between them. So he slowly pointed at himself and said “Alberic” Instantly Little Cat, or actually Mikki began to smile and laugh! She clapped her hands and almost started dancing. Alberic looked from Mikki to Big Cat. How would her reaction be? Mikki was more childlike and more open and enthusiastic, he guessed that a few days ago, but Mikki made a huge leap of faith just now. He saw the same shock in her eyes as the shock he felt when he heard Mikki’s voice for the first time. He just looked at her and again pointed at himself and said with a certain yet soft voice “Alberic”. She looked at the ground, but apparently Mikki felt she needed to share too. She let out a soft, kind of upset cry and almost stomped her feet on the ground. Big Cat looked up at Mikki and then to Alberic. She let out a sigh which almost felt desperate to him and said with the softest of voices, he could barely hear, “Caelia”. His heart jumped in his chest. This was big! This was a giant leap forward. Maybe now he could work on getting more of their trust. But he didn’t want to go too fast, scare her off in any way, so just like the days before, he just nodded and said to her “Caelia” and then looked at Mikki and said “Mikki”. Mikki started laughing again, she was almost giddy and said to him “Alberic” with a strange accent, but she said it.

Then, as if nothing had happened she went on to stir the tea and he unpacked the food he brought. At the sight of the fruit the girls eyes grew bigger that the wooden plate he had with them. It was obvious they hadn’t had fruit in a long time. The sight of those two little girls enjoying every single bite of the precious fruit made him almost cry. And then to think he wasn’t the emotional type. He was rather stoic, but this moment was beyond special.