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saratogaroadwrites · 1 year ago

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For King and Country (27/122)

For King and Country | saratogaroad rating: T total wordcount: 280,466 characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Batu, Tani, Lofty, Leander Aristidies, Bracken Meadows relationships: Roland Crane & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Aranella & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane & Aranella, Batu & Tani, Batu & Evan, Tani & Evan, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum & Lofty, Rolander other tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Mother-Son Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Place Slowly Becomes Home People Slowly Become Family, Found Family, For Want of A Nail warnings: none

Pulled from his world by mysterious powers, former president Roland Crane finds himself caught in the middle of a coup meant to take the life of the young King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum. Joining forces with Aranella, the pair of them set out to aid Evan in making his dream of a kingdom where everyone can live happily ever after a reality.

But the road to peace is a long and treacherous one and there is no promise of success in a world where darkness spreads ever thicker with each passing day. If they are to stand a chance, they must stand together, for king and for country.

(A retelling.)

““Don’t worry,” said Oliver, ”I’ll be real careful. And if we all work together, we’ll make it through this! Just like we made it through the trials!””

Someone was reading to him. The voice of a child as they acted out the parts of a storybook, the voice was familiar to him. Trevor? A page turned, crisp and new sounding. Trevor had his e-reader. Why would he be using a paperback? Did they even have any paperbacks that weren’t worn soft by the years? Blearily, Roland wondered if Alex had gotten nostalgic again and given Trevor one of her old books of fairytales.

He rolled his head towards the sound and tried to open his eyes. It took more energy than it should have, but he was eventually able to force his lids to open and he found himself not staring at his office or bedroom, but at half-familiar dark wood walls and a window that overlooked pale gray clouds. Rain pattered against the glass, the dim sunlight casting odd shadows around a plush armchair and the boy within.

Not Trevor, but Evan.

That was right. He wasn’t in his world.

A wave of nearly overwhelming sadness flooded through Roland’s body. He closed his eyes to try and push it back, but it swept over him and left his throat tight. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Beside his bed, having not noticed Roland’s slow waking, Evan was still reading.

“And so the three friends began to climb Old Smoky as fast as they could. Esther held tightly to Oliver’s hand, not daring to let go as the ground shook beneath their feet. Even she, so used to the desert’s heat, found this place frightening. But she was with her friends, she told herself, and together they could overcome any obstacle.”

Another page turned. With a deep breath, Roland managed to push through the sadness and took careful stock. It felt like he’d gone five rounds with a Manticore and lost. His limbs were heavy, the inside of his head stuffed with cotton wool. There were crusts gathered at the corners of his eyes, itching and sharp. How long had he been asleep? His hair was loose, fanned out on the pillow, and his mouth tasted oddly of…toothpaste? Mint and sweetness that almost made it easier to breathe, though a bit of congestion remained. He opened his eyes again and had to smile softly.

Evan was sitting in a chair at his bedside, a large book laid open on his lap. His head was bowed to read in the gray light, his hair drifting in front of his face. He reached up to hold it back and Roland was struck by the odd thought that not having human ears must have made that more difficult. He huffed out a quiet laugh, and sure enough, one of Evan’s Grimalkin ears twitched in his direction. A second later, Evan’s head snapped up.

“Roland!” He shouted, leaping to his feet. The book clattered to the ground, but he didn’t seem to care. A relieved smile spread across his face. “You’re awake!”

“Seems that way,” He rasped, grimacing at how hoarse he sounded. Good grief…he hadn’t been that sick since he’d actually been this age! He raised a hand to rub at his throat. “How long was I out?”

Evan shook his head, clambering onto the bed. His tail waved quickly behind him, close to lashing but not there yet. “A week,” he said, “Ever since we got back from the Sundown Woods.” He sniffled quietly; a pang of guilt flared up in Roland’s chest. A week, huh? Poor kid must have been scared. “We got you medicine, but Auntie Martha said it needed time to work.” Dashing a hand across his face, he smiled tiredly at Roland. “I’m so glad it worked.”

“Have you been here the entire time?” He asked. Evan looked well rested, but Roland had no doubt that was in part Aranella’s doing. He was even more convinced when Evan shook his head.

“Nella and I have been taking turns. She went to get something to eat, and I, well…” He braced himself on the bed with one hand, bending over to pick up the book. One of the pages had folded in on itself when it landed and he unfolded it with care, closing the book and running his fingers along the cover. He smiled fondly, hugging the book to his chest.

“Nella used to read to me when I was sick,” he admitted softly, turning to offer Roland a sheepish smile. “I thought that it might…” he looked aside, a dusting of pink across his cheeks “I thought that it might help you feel better too.”

A warm feeling spread through Roland’s chest, pushing back the lingering sadness, and he smiled softly. “Thanks,” he said, hoarse voice full of warmth and gratitude. “But I’m feeling a lot better now. You should go and get something to eat, too.”

Evan shook his head a bit, glancing down at the book. “I-if you don’t mind,” he said, slow at first then picking up speed, “I’d like to stay and read to you a little longer?” He glanced at Roland, oddly hopeful. “This is the story I was telling you about, the one that Nella used to tell me. About the boy from another world.”

“Really?” Roland raised an eyebrow. That unassuming little book was…huh. Maybe… “How does it end?” He asked. “Does…”

"Sage Oliver goes home, yes,” Evan glanced down at the cover, “But the journey he takes to get there is the most important part. It might help explain how you came to this world, too, so—” He took a giant breath. “Can I keep reading?”

“Sure,” Roland said, yet more warmth uncurling around his heart. Evan was a good kid. He sank back into his pillow, eyes too heavy to keep open any longer. “But I might fall asleep on you.”

“That’s alright,” Evan’s voice was light. The book binding crackled as he propped it open one more time. “You get your rest. Now…where was I—ah!”

Though he tried to stay awake, Roland soon fell back asleep to the sound of Evan reading about a boy and his friends climbing to the top of a volcano. Oddly enough his sleep was dreamless, and when he awoke again, night had fallen. In the light of several candles, Aranella sat on the chair by his bed, working a needle through a pile of pink fabric. He got the feeling that she had spent a lot of time with that thing in a similar position over the last few days.

“…Hey. Too late to say good morning?” he asked, catching her attention. She peered at him through her lashes, unsurprised.

“Considering it’s nearly midnight, I would say so.” She replied, raising an eyebrow. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” And it wasn’t a lie. He still felt too heavy to get out of bed anytime soon, but his mind was clearer. There was no doubting where he was this time. He blinked a few times, finally able to raise a hand and rub the sleep from his eyes. “Sorry to worry you.”

“You ought to be,” She said, returning her attention to her work. Her voice was calm, almost too calm. Roland tensed up; he’d heard a tone like that before. “Considering how foolish of a decision it was to head out there when you were sick.”

Yep. He knew that tone. Sighing quietly, Roland closed his eyes.

“I had to,” he said softly, “Evan needed backup.”

“Which he had,” She said, “Batu and Tani were with him.”

“You trust Batu with him?”

All motion stopped. Roland cracked open an eye to find Aranella staring at him, hands paused mid-stitch. Slowly, she lowered her needle to her lap.

“I do,” She said in a firm voice. “And I know that you do, too. Batu has proven himself many times over by now, and whether or not we approve of his methods or madness, he is as trustworthy with Evan as you or I. Perhaps even more so.”

It would have stung less if she’d slapped him. Roland fought not to flinch, gritting his teeth so hard his ears began to ring. Aranella continued speaking.

“But we both know that this has nothing to do with Batu, Roland,” She said, leaning forward and resting a hand over his wrist. “What is it? Why do you insist on taking so much onto your own shoulders?”

“I…” The simplest answer was that he was used to it. How many times in his term had he had to strong-arm someone into doing something for the people? To force them to set aside party lines and just do the right thing? Too many. And here, Evan needed guidance. He still had so much to learn that there was no way he could handle everything alone and—

He wasn’t alone. Neither of them were. A lump clogged Roland’s throat, forcing him to look away.

“It’s just…” The words failed him. Aranella waited patiently, squeezing his wrist. “I…”

What was the real issue here? He could be honest enough with himself to admit that he knew what was really going on. Guilt had been eating at his insides for weeks, thick and heavy in his gut. He didn’t want to fail anyone else. He’d failed his people, his country, his family, and even long before then he’d…Trevor had…

He hadn’t been able to help Trevor, but he could help Evan. If there was anything he could do, he would do it. The cost to his own health was so irrelevant to him that it almost didn’t register because he couldn’t let another child down. Not while he still drew breath.

But that…would that really help anyone? He took a deep, steadying breath.

“…I guess I’m just…used to doing things myself,” he finally said, unable to get the truth out of his mouth. “Even when I shouldn’t, I just…I just do.” He swallowed hard, his throat hot and scratchy. He’d never told them about Trevor, or Alex. Bringing them up now…he couldn’t. All he could give Aranella was a half-truth. “I don’t want to let him down now.”

“None of us do,” Aranella said, “But, Roland, you’re not alone.” She got up from the chair, and without releasing his wrist, sat beside him on the bed. He rolled his head to face her as she met his eyes and refused to look away. “You don’t have to do everything to support him all by yourself. We’re here, too, and you can lean on us when you need to. No one would fault you for taking a day or two off to recover.” She made an amused sound. “Quite frankly, we would have all preferred it!”

Roland couldn’t help it: he laughed. It was a tired, hoarse thing, but it was a laugh all the same. Lifting his free hand, he covered his eyes. Sometimes Aranella really did remind him of Alex. So much that it hurt, twisting in his chest until it was too hard to breathe.

“I know,” he said thickly, sniffling back tears. He couldn’t explain those now. “I’ll…try and remember that.”

“See that you do,” Aranella said, squeezing his wrist again. She sat back. “And see that you apologize to Evan, too. You gave him quite the scare, you know.”

He knew. Coming around to Evan’s pale, panicked face had been a wakeup call he hadn’t been expecting. He knew precisely why his collapse had scared the poor kid so badly. He really did owe Evan an apology for it, and for being so stupid.

“I will,” he said, clearing his throat. He lowered his hand from his face and wasn’t surprised to find Aranella watching him knowingly. “I’ll talk to him in the morning, alright?”

“I was hoping you’d say that, since I already sent him to bed,” She said, patting his hand and standing once more. “It’s gotten quite late.” Gathering up her sewing materials she paused for a moment, glancing over her shoulder at him pensively. Roland frowned. What was that face for? If she had something else to say, she knew she could say it. Clearly thinking better of it, she shook her head. “You ought to go back to sleep. I’ll be back with breakfast in the morning and you’d best have an appetite for it.”

Roland chuckled softly. “I make no promises.” He said. She left the candles going, but as she walked to the door he called out, “Aranella?”

She turned around. “Yes?”

“Thanks,” Roland said with a soft smile. “For taking care of me. I know I’m not an easy patient.”

“On the contrary,” Aranella said with a prim smile. “All you did was sleep. Still,” She bowed her head. “You’re welcome. I hope you feel better in the morning.”

“Me too. Goodnight, Aranella.”

“Goodnight, Roland.”

With a quiet click, Aranella pulled the door shut behind her. Roland closed his eyes with a sigh, and for a moment lay still in his bed. It was true that all he wanted to do was go back to sleep, but for some reason sleep didn’t want to come.

No, he knew exactly why sleep wouldn’t come. Unable to quiet his mind he stared at the walls, candlelight flickering in shadows and light across the wooden paneling and cover of a book laying on the nightstand.

Wait. He didn’t have a book there before.

Evan had left his book behind. Roland levered himself up to a seated position and slid the heavy hardcover off the nightstand. The embossed golden title gleamed in the candlelight.

The Tale of Sage Oliver stared back at him. Sage Oliver, huh? Evan had said he’d gotten to return to his world at the end of his journey. Would there be any hints of how to return in this story or…was it just that? A story made for children to get lost in.

There was only one way to find out. He opened the book.

Once upon a time, there were two worlds…

#nnk2 #ni no kuni 2 #nnk2 fic #!fic #fic: for king and country

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