[ Let's start. ]

This dude obviously wouldn't stop talking.

"Ever since I can remember I did."

"Ever ? You must me very good ! I'm glad I didn't fight you ~. Anyway, a sword against a bow, it's not a really interesting fight. But it must be a good training to learn dodge. But I have a long experience too !"

Be old is have a long experience for him. Why did he choose bow already... ? Don't remember exactly.

"If you know someone's style, you won't get hit in the end anyway.
..
Can I ask something instead? As a Branded, then how old are you?"

"The thing is that anyone has a different style. There are also smart fighters and really dumbs guy. You look like smart if you want my view ~"

He wasn't surprised by the question and answered :

"Old enough to be your father ~ Even more I think. I'm 58. But you know, as a Branded, it's different. 58 years can be like... 30 years old for a Beorc. And all depends of the laguz blood you can have. ~"

Thinking about that, he felt too old...

The usage of the word 'father' bothered him for a moment, but he didn't respond to that.

"You're really old." He stated, and quickly counted; "About.. 3 times older than me."

"... I am, but don't mind ! No one expect me to have this age, so it's good. Imagine I have a twenty ~. ..."

He tried to count but numbers had not his cup of tea.

"Are you... close to twenty ? 18 or 19 ? I'm not sure..."

"Yeah. Almost. Next spring I'll be 18."

"Oooh, younger than I expected. Great, you have all your life front of you ~ and spring... one thing at least we have in common actually. 41 years difference... No age for fr..." he stopped because he was about to say "friendship" while they're not even friends. Stop being so impulsive, Zeph. "Never mind.

"Depends how long I'll survive under the bothersome conditions of a person that doesn't have a home."
Why was he speaking so freely? Maybe the wine got into him.

That was probably the most logical reason.

"Hmm... Yeah, it's annoying, but things can change ! And I understand you, I don't have a house too. I don't really care... Sleeping outdoors can be cool sometimes. It's boring at the end."

Finally, they had more things in common than expected.

"Some employers offer a home for a day or two, but that's about it."

So, what is happening. He's probably tipsy, and thus 'becoming friends' with a 58 year old Branded. Oh Ashera, what the heck can go more wrong.

"I could they're nice if one of them didn't want me and other branded to be killed ~ I'm surely bothering with that, but with satbler job, you might be able to buy a house ? ... I guess it should be hard but... Soldiers aren't hosted in the castle ?"

Yeah, the castle. He'll can become a soldier too, masking the brand... No, it's unacceptable.

"As I said, I don't like being in a group. So becoming a soldier would be an awful idea.
And the expenses I'm paid for the mercenary jobs are mostly enough to keep myself alive for a short while."

"Yeah... But when you're soldier, you're not exactly in a group, just for training, and you're not forced to stay with a lot of others soldiers, right ? Anyway, what kind of jobs you have usually as a mercenary ? The most recurring ?"

Maybe he could become a mercenary too. He have still enough money for the moment, but that won't be for eternity. It seems that the Greil's Mercenaries's tactician was a Branded.

"As I am.. 'skilled' with the sword, I am asked to hunt down criminals and wanted people at times. And other times when I just need some money anyway I just.. help... farming...and...such...odd jobs."

Yeah, that's all the reason why he only says 'mercenary jobs' at times. Really.

"Farming ? Sometimes it might be calmer than hunt down people. What kind of... "odd jobs" ? Sounds crazy ~. And how long are you mercenary ?"

The art of asking a lot of question in a short time. Zeph is pro and have always a lot of questions.

Elidran found the questioning more like a total annoyance. This beloved 'art' of Zeph was merely going to cause him brain damage, because he wouldn't even be able to answer them all. But hey, it might be on his side that he can easily skip questions that way.

"I am since... well, a year to the last war, three years before,.. Well, four or five years, I guess. And don't complain about starting as a young kid."

"You were .. 12-13 ? I guess that while you're skilled with a sword since ever, you were already good for mercenary's jobs. Hmmm... Maybe I can become one ? I'll shortly need money and I have to find a job."

A job... He didn't really have one, just temporary jobs for few coins. None job interested him enough.

"Dude, you're 58. Getting mercenary jobs at such an age?"


He spoke without thinking.

"Eeeh, respect your elder, boy ~ don't forget I'm a Branded. I pretty young actually ! Anyway, I have still time to find what to do. I'm bored, but I don't know how make the things better, so annoying."

During all the walk, he kept the smile. For him, all was alright at this moment.

Zeph noticed there was something wrong with Elidran and helped him to recover.

"Are you okay guy ? I think you drank to much earlier."

He gave him a gourd full of water.

"Drink it, you'll feel better soon. We also can take a break if you want to."

"Nah, I'm fine." With these words, he rejected the water and gave it back.

"Okay okay ~."

He arrange the gourd and kept walking with no specific aim. Time to be curious again.

"Do you have a family around here or at Daien ?"

"Would you even talk while you'd be sleeping?" He asked, ignoring the question about his family.