Entrusted Hope/Harken: Troubled Warrior

Harken: Troubled Warrior - C

Harken	Ha! Yaaah!
Harken	Was that the last of them?
Pretty impressive. You block a foe’s view with your shield, then end them with a single blow from their blind spot. What band of mercenaries do you belong to?		Dieck
Harken	Actually, I’m not a mercenary. I am a knight in service of House Pherae.
That so? I was sure you were an experienced merc by your fighting style. So you’re a knight, huh?		Dieck
Harken	...
Not trying to insult you or anything. How you fight is your business.		Dieck
Harken	No, I don’t mind. I apologize for not introducing myself yet. I am Harken.
I’m Dieck. I’m from Elibe too, but I lead a band of mercenaries. It’s good to know we have such a skilled fighter on our side. Looking forward to working with you.		Dieck
Shanna	Commander! Prince Alfonse is looking for you!
Well, looks like duty calls. Talk to you later.		Dieck
Harken	Hm. It seems I cannot conceal my origins... At least not from those with mercenary experience. Perhaps a man’s past is not so easily erased...

Harken: Troubled Warrior - B

Dieck	Oh, hey. We meet again.
Hello, Dieck. So you were sent to this front as well.		Harken
Dieck	Sure was. Glad to have you to watch my back. Let’s give ‘em our best.
Yes, let’s. But I would like to share something with you before the battle begins.		Harken
Dieck	Yeah? You’ve got that stern knightly face on all of a sudden.
The other day you said I fight like a mercenary, did you not?		Harken
Dieck	I did. There’s no wasted movement in your style, no form or decorum. It’s meant for slaying enemies. It’s a style an experienced merc would hone through years of combat.
Before I joined the knights of Pherae, I worked for another master. I was...naive. My sword arm held no integrity or purpose. I just did as I was ordered, bathing in the blood of my master’s foes... I did truly unspeakable things.		Harken
Dieck	I see. So I was correct in assessing your fighting style.
My former master betrayed me in the end... He abandoned me for dead. If Lord Elbert, Lord Eliwood’s father, did not take me in, I would have met a gruesome fate...		Harken
Dieck	I’ve heard tales of Lord Eliwood of the Lycian League. I imagine his father was a great man.
He was a greater man than I ever deserved. And yet, I still...		Harken
Dieck	Sounds like your old employer was a real scumbag. I’ve also gone through hell due to a cowardly dirtwad of an employer. I get how you feel in that respect. Why’d you feel the need to tell me all that, anyway?
A man of your station is bound to see through to my past eventually. It is best that I be forthright.		Harken
Dieck	A man of my “station”? Hey now, be careful you don’t think too highly of me, Harken. And, man, that foolish honesty... You’re a knight, no doubt about it. But I kinda like that about you.

Harken: Troubled Warrior - A

Dieck	Hey, I meant to ask, does Lord Eliwood know about the stuff you told me before?
No, I’m sure he does not. But he does have faith in me, so I will strive to do whatever I can to become deserving of that faith.		Harken
Dieck	Got it. You’re lucky to have a decent employer.
I am a knight of House Pherae. I must fight my foes courageously and not sully the good house name. However, I’ve found that when I am on the battlefield, I return to my old fighting habits subconsciously...		Harken
Dieck	Yeah, but why does that matter? Can’t say I know much about knightly etiquette, but isn’t protecting your liege the priority? If you adopt a more prim and proper style and you or your lord die, what was even the point of fighting? It doesn’t matter if you’re a merc or a knight. The goal is to fight, win, and survive another day.
You may be right. If my actions do not yield results, if I cannot protect that which I must... My efforts are meaningless.		Harken
Dieck	I mean, don’t overthink it too much either. That’ll only dull your blade.
Commander! You’re going to be late for the war council meeting!		Shanna
Dieck	Well, you heard her. We’d better go.
Hm...		Harken

Harken: Troubled Warrior - S

Eliwood	The enemy’s offensive line is thinning now. Those of us who can should rest or tend to the wounded. Harken, you fought spectacularly. Many of our comrades owe their lives to you. Thank you.
I do not deserve such kind words, Lord Eliwood.		Harken
Eliwood	However, this battle is not yet over. I must ask you to continue watching over our allies.
Yes, sir! I will not fail you.		Harken
Dieck	I saw you in action back there, Harken. Nice work.
Ah, Dieck. I am pleased to see you came through the fight unharmed.		Harken
Dieck	It’s pretty incredible that you were able to push back such a large force before they reached Lord Eliwood.
I simply performed my duty as a knight.		Harken
Dieck	Looks like you’ve overcome that self-doubt from earlier. I respect the way you fight. You have a strong determination to protect what’s important to you, and that comes through in your style.
It is as you said. Winning, surviving, and protecting those I must is the duty of a knight. I am neither the protagonist in a story nor a chosen warrior destined to accomplish great things. I must use any and all power at my disposal to safeguard those to whom I have dedicated my life.		Harken
Dieck	Any and all power, eh? In that case, use my strength in the next battle.
Your strength?		Harken
Dieck	Yeah. I’ll watch your back. You can fight with everything you’ve got knowing I’m there. Trust me.
That is reassuring indeed. I will gladly accept your aid, then. Thank you.		Harken
Dieck	I’m no saint or anything. I gain from this too, y’know. What they call a mutually beneficial agreement.
Commander, we’re going to start advancing again soon!		Shanna
Dieck	Ah, perfect timing. Shanna, when the battle begins, we’ll join this knight of Pherae in the advance. If you don’t wanna die, stick with him!
I must not fail them. I will summon every ounce of my strength for this. Lord Elbert, I will not waste this life that you saved... I will dedicate it to the future of Pherae and Askr, and to the companions I hold dear.		Harken

Scenario
← Hector		Isadora →
Entrusted Hope
Harken	Wil	Nino	Isadora

---