Part 20: I never sleep well when I'm sober

The morning after the battle in Sol-Falena...



...the news has already reached the East Palace.

Young Woman: It's all because the Dawn Rune went missing! I told you something like this would happen!

There is no music here, just crowd chatter.

Old Fellow: How could a Queen's Knight do such a thing...?! The rotten traitor!

Middle-Aged Lady: The poor Princess... What will she do now...?



The man in the red jacket has heard enough. He leaves the crowd...



...and heads into the palace. (music)



Inside, the prince and his party are waiting.

Good work.

Everyone but Zegai has changed clothes, and come with new portraits to match.

So? What did it say?

Official: Well... It said that Sol-Falena is virtually under the control of Lord Godwin now... B-But, thankfully, the Princess is apparently safe.

So... the Princess wasn't able to escape, huh?

But she's alive...! That's what matters. We'll find a way to rescue her later, somehow.

Official: There is... one more thing... It pains me to even say this, but... a certain despicable lie was also written...
"Queen's Knight Georg Prime murdered Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty ferid, then took the Prince hostage and fled."

Oh no... That's horrible...

Trying to put the blame on Georg... How dirty can they be?!

Official: They intend to send a search party out this very morning. Your Highness, this isn't a safe place to hide anymore. Might I suggest you go to Lunas and seek Lady Haswar's help, sir?

Yes... That's a good idea.

Official: I'm sorry... We don't have the strength to avenge Her Majesty and His Majesty... We can't even fight to protect our Prince or Lady Sialeeds! Please forgive our uselessness...

Don't say that. Just hiding us until this morning has been a huge help.

Official: Oh, what gracious words! Prince! Lady Sialeeds! An atrocity like this must be punished! Please, please survive! And, someday, please return justice to our fair Falena! We beg you!

Nothing we'd like more.



But for now, we have to run again. The world map music has changed to a much more sombre tune, well fitting the mood.

Prince, they'll come here soon, too! We must escape to Lunas!

We can't get back inside the East Palace. Lyon stops us if we try.


Come on, let's run! Hurry!

Going back to Sol-Falena is, of course, an even worse idea. The Sun Rune is still shining from the highest tower of the palace...



Battles are still on, and that gives us a chance to look a little closer at our party's new stuff. It's another Fuck Yes, Actual Effort kind of thing. They didn't have to do this, but I like that they did. Though, for a bunch of people trying to look inconspicuous, Frey's new clothes still stick out quite a bit...



People tend to think his new look is like a reference to Young Master McDohl's outfit in the original Suikoden. There is certainly a resemblance. Perhaps more interesting, however, Georg's civilian outfit is more or less identical to what he wears in Suikoden II.



Another change...



...is that Raftfleet seems to have vanished during the night.

Where... did Raftfleet go...?

They must've figured out something was happening at the Sun Palace. They don't have any soldiers, so they'd be helpless if someone decided to attack Falena's allies as well. Raja will have the town hidden somewhere safe.
But we don't have time to dawdle around here, either. Let's hurry to Lunas.

There is nothing for us here but a few extra lines of dialogue.



Including one from Lyon.



We can't even get into the revolving bridge.



Lunas is the only location left.



Isato comes running as soon as we get inside.

The Oracle is quite distressed over your well-being. Please come see her right away.

You mean... the news has already traveled all the way out here?

Only the vaguest details. This morning, a mounted messenger back from Sol-Falena told us of an attack, but it was hardly more than rumors. But--

Let's save the chat for later. Right now, the Prince and Lady Sialeeds need some rest.

Y-Yes. Of course. My apologies. This way, please.



Just like last time, we can talk to the clerics, but they will only tell us to go see Haswar.

The Godwins haven't reached the holy land yet... Thank goodness for that, at least!

Lyon has nothing of interest to add.



Not even Haswar can manage to look cheerful under these circumstances.

It's so good to see you both alive! You are all right, aren't you? Oh, I've been so worried!
We heard such horrific rumors... But they aren't true, are they? Right? Nothing but awful lies!
Oh, no...

Haswar...


At least... all of you made it...!

But... the Princess...

I wonder what happened to... Miakis... and Galleon... and Kyle...?



One of the first things I learned as a warrior was this. A sword not in use should be sheathed. Otherwise, the blade will rust and dull. Worrying now will only wear you down. Take this chance to rest, and save yourselves for battles to come.

Y-Yes, you're right. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm a terrible hostess. You probably haven't gotten any sleep since the attack, have you? I'll get a meal ready for you all, but you'd better rest in the meantime.



No need to thank me. I just wish I could do more for you right now...

My eyes just won't stay open anymore. I guess I'll take you up on that "bed" offer.

There is a room prepared on the second floor.

All right. Thanks.

Zegai, feel free to use the second floor as well.

I don't need a bed. But if you're saying I'd be in your way, I'll go upstairs.


It will be difficult to hide them here for long.

I know. But for now... I'd like to let them get some rest, even if it's only for a little while.

As you wish.

---



We regain control outside, but there is little point.



Both exits are blocked, so all we can do is head upstairs.



The message is the same for both doors. Zegai only punctuates at us.



Lym's room is empty...



And the last one is Frey's, once again.



Oh... Yes, sir. I'll be on my way.

Lyon bows and exits the room.



Frey sits down... (music)



...and thinks back.





(music)



There's nothing he can do right now.



But that will not always be so...



Congratulations, Gizel. You've made the Tenkai star mad as hell.



Meanwhile, the senior Godwin arrives at the Sun Palace. (music)



I was feeling a little anxious...

There's no need to worry. As you can see, we have complete control of the Sun Palace.

I heard there were a few... crucial problems.



There may have been a few unforeseen obstacles, but it all turned out fine. The only thing worth noting is that the prince and Lady Sialeeds managed to slip away. But thanks to that, we were able to make Georg take the blame, so, in the end, it wasn't a complete loss.

Hmm, I see...



(music)

Don't mind us. Continue your research.

Scholar: Y-Yes, sir!

At last... it is mine!
...And how did it go?

Pardon?

Don't be coy. I assume you already tried it. It's what I would have done at your age.

Ah, you see right through me as always, Father.
The Rune is still here, isn't it? What more needs to be said?

Just as I thought...

Would you like to give it a try?

There's no need for that. We both know it wouldn't work.



Scholar: Y-Yes, sir!



(music)

She's still quite upset and unreasonable. I shut her in her room to spare myself the headache.

And you think she can be left alone? It would create a significant inconvenience for us if she committed suicide.

We don't have to worry about that. Miakis is with her. Besides... It's not in the Princess' nature to give up hope so easily. She's stubborn, to the point of foolishness.

Yes... I suppose she's just like Arshtat and Sialeeds in that regard.


If they get to Barows, things could get complicated.

Don't worry. We know where they are. It won't be hard to catch them.



Watch this.



(music)



No!!

If... If I saw Mother and Father in my dreams... I think I...



Oh, Princess... It's all right to cry, you know...



I won't cry! I won't give them the satisfaction!


If I cry... it's like admitting the defeat of our family -- defeat to the likes of them! And that's why... that's why I can't cry!

Oh, Princess...


*sob*

Oh, Frey...



---



Frey is able to move about on his own for a short while. (music)



But there is nothing for him to do except track down Lyon.



Oh, dear. You could've slept a little longer, you know.



No, I don't think he could. Frey sits down next to Lyon.

Did you get enough rest, Your Highness?



M-Me? W-Well, I took a little nap, so I'm fine now.

She's lying.



Lady Haswar! I asked you to keep that a secret!

But, Lyon...!



Sialeeds... don't you want to sleep a little more?


Where's Georg? He can't still be asleep. That's not like him.

Maybe Georg is suffering more than you think. They've put the blame on him for everything, after all.

Nah... That man doesn't give a damn what other people think of him, as long as he knows he's doing the right thing. If he is suffering... it's because of what I said to him.


Georg, you were with them!! How?!




Cousin Haswar, is there any news? If anybody else managed to escape the Sun Palace, I bet they'd come here, too.

No... Nobody has come but you.

So that must mean Kyle and Galleon got caught, too... They stayed behind to protect Lym...
And the Godwins must have the Sun Rune in their greedy hands by now, too.
They've been after the Sun Rune forever. They think they can use its power to make Falena the greatest empire in the world. Under their control, of course. That's why Arshtat decided to bear the Rune herself. To protect it. It had nothing to do with punishing Lordlake.
But in the end, even that wasn't enough to stop the Godwins.

Sialeeds...


They've sent a search party out from Sol-Falena! I'm told more than a hundred armed soldiers are heading this way!

(music)

What?!

What do they need so many soldiers for...?

???: Sounds like a search party that knows what it's gonna find.



Yeah. They know we're here.

They couldn't have found us so soon. Not without help.

A-About that... I made some inquiries, and it seems a few of our clerics are... missing.

Isato! You can't mean...!

Y-Yes, Oracle. It appears to be the case...

They betrayed us and fled. Cowards.

Oh, no... How could they? I'm so, so sorry.

Not surprising, really. We met at least one who obviously wasn't fond of us.
Anyway, you can do all the hand-wringing you want later. Right now, we have to get out of here.

Y-Yes. You're right.

Isato, guide them to the woods, will you?

But, Oracle! That would be...!

Isato, it's the only way. Please. For me.

As you wish...

In the woods out back, there's a sacred path that only the elves know. If you follow that path, it'll take you to Barows territory.

Barows territory?

I know Lord Barows isn't the most reliable, but his family is the only one that can rival the Godwins. And... if the Barows family can't help, you can go east to the port town of Estrise. And from there...

No! I'd never abandon my country just to save myself!

But what if you can't fight them? You can't just let the Godwins kill you. You have to be prepared for the worst. Otherwise, you might as well just let yourself get caught right here.

...

Go! Quickly!



I'm seriously tired of this shit.

Enter the woods out back, and Isato will guide you from there. Hurry!

But we don't have much of a choice.



We head out the back and get about halfway up the path where we met Logg and Lun.

That way? But that's a dead end.

Just follow me. Quickly!





What's going on?


Come on, now. Let us hurry!



And so we emerge on the other side. (music)



There is nothing new on this path, except for the ladders. I don't like ladders. First Lyon has to merge with Frey, and then he has to grab on and climb, and then they have to split up again when he's done. It doesn't take that much time, but when there are several of them in one place - such as it is here - it gets annoying.



It doesn't look like there's a miniboss here right now, but there is this thing again. Sadly it gives out much less stuff than when it was a boss.



Isato comes with a Hawk Rune which lets him hit the entire enemy party for half damage in exchange for unbalancing him. It might be worth it if we had more people who could do the same thing, or if Frey and Sialeeds' unite just barely fails to kill things, but generally not very good - certainly nowhere near as nice as it was in Tactics.



We don't get to keep it for long, either. The path is pretty short.

We're in Lord Barows' territory now. If you keep going south, you'll reach Haud Village. A little further, and you'll reach the hometown of the Barows family, Rainwall.
Your Highness, Lady Sialeeds. This is as far as I can go. It would be prudent to be careful on your journey ahead.

What?! You're going back, Isato?

I have done as Lady Haswar wished.



Thank you, but I am bound by oath to Lady Haswar. I must return to my place at her side. She was confident that the soldiers would not harm her. Still, being this far from her makes me uneasy.
Lord Barows is a very crafty person. I cannot say what move he'll make in a situation like this. Please, don't let your guard down.

Frey nods.

We won't. Thanks for coming with us all this way. It would've been tough without you.

And now I must take my leave.



Well then, we should be safe here, for a while.



But what's going to happen next...?

---



Georg artwork for both his current and Suikoden II appearances.



Also, we'll now sometimes get a little Georg sprite on the loading screen.