Join me as we follow Gieve through the Heroic Legend of Arislan series...

Volume One

Ho-hum, Gieve's not in the first 24.8 minutes of this movie, so we'll skip right over those. Lalala, bye Palsian army, bye Daryoon's uncle Vaphreze, bye... Oh! Narsus-sama! ::stops for a moment; sighs:: Okay, now let's keep going.

Ah, there's my Gieve-san, pinning Jon Bodan and mercifully killing that soldier whose brother shows up later with his arrows when none of the archers could because of the strong winds.

And what a flip off that high tower! It would have killed any other man, but not my Gieve-san. Tossing his bow and quiver to an onlooker, Gieve proudly strodes away. Yeah, you'd better be cheering, minna-sama.

Ha-ha, look how pissed Bodan is!

Now our gallant Gieve is being escorted by two Palsian guards to meet with Tahamenay, queen of Palse. She wishes to thank him for delivering the soldier.

Gieve-san: This is such a thrill. I'd better get at least 500 gold pieces.

Ah, Tahamenay is lovely, ne? Here is the scene:

Gieve-san: I'm honored. [he looks up and is taken aback by her beauty]

Tahamenay: Please take your reward, musician.

Hmm... So, he's a musician, eh? Judging from what I've seen, Gieve is much more than that.

A servant is just bringing his reward to him when one of the queen's maids steps forward:

Maid: Wait! You mustn't believe him! He's a fraud!

Tahamenay: Explain yourself. Do you know this man?

Maid: [looking dejected] He's a liar! He said he was a prince, wandering the world in search of knowledge and military skill. [to Gieve] That's what you said the other night!

Gieve-san: I hope that I phrased it somewhat more elegantly. That was our dream, and we created it together that night. But when the darkness of our dreams met dawn's light, the dream, like the morning dew, evaporated. It can never return. Only our beautiful memories remain. Isn't it foolish to destroy such a fragile creation? Instead, enrich your charming life by cherishing that memory.

Tahamenay: Your eloquence is well appreciated. [maid backs up to where she was before, bowing slightly; Gieve looks up at the queen] Considering that, and your crime of lying to my maid, I'll reduce your reward to 200 gold pieces.

Yeah, yeah, Lusitania is getting ready to take Ekubatana. Let's cut to a few scenes later where Gieve-san is escorting the "queen" through the sewers under the palace. (Don't ask why this scene is in black and white, it just is.)

Gieve-san: I'm grateful that you'd trust a wandering minstrel with a mission of such great importance. Are you tired? Shall we rest?

The "queen" does not answer and they walk on some more in silence.

Gieve-san: Maintaining this pretense as queen must make you weary.

Lady: [surprised, stops] How did you know?

Gieve-san: [turns to look at her, grinning, points to his nose] Your sent. The aroma of your skin differs from the queen's. Even with her perfume. [the audience is left wondering how he knows this]While you serve as decoy, she has a chance to escape. That's the plan, isn't it? [crossing one arm across his chest] The nobility is born to use people. They expect it. They expect you to sacrifice your life for a moment's convenience. And they're not even grateful. What paragons of virtue!

This is the first mention of Gieve's despisement of the nobility. Believe me, there will be more! Oh, yeah. The "queen" is now shown as having a rather large dagger and she is preparing to attack Gieve if the need arises, eyes narrowed.

Lady: I won't let you slander Her Majesty!

Gieve-san: Oh yah, oh yah [or something like that, it isn't translated, but he seems to mean "oh yeah?"]

Lady: Whatever you may think of the queen, I'll do anything I can to help her! [Gieve looks bored]

Gieve-san: Oh, what a fine slave! The nobility can afford to be arrogant, [as can some other people apparently] because they have such loyal, devoted slaves. [turns serious] But they give nothing back. Suffering is your only reward. [tosses his head and folds his arms with out dropping the torch he's carrying, bravo!] Excuse me if I refuse to be a part of that.

Lady: Does this mean that you won't take me any further?

Gieve-san: I'm sorry. I was hired to guard the queen. Nothing was said about ladies of the court. I see nothing wrong with stopping right here. [hand on hip]

The woman then narrows her eyes, pulls out the dagger, twirls it, and lunges at Gieve.

Lady: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Gieve dodges to the side and backs up. Clearly, she isn't very good at this stuff, despite the twirl thing she does with the knife.

She attacks him again and he grabs her hands (she is holding the knife in both) much to het annoyance. He then knocks the blade away and she grabs for his face. When that doesn't work, the ungrateful wench knees him in the... ah, well... you know, and my poor Gieve doubles over, dropping the torch, then collapses up against the wall, all the while making strange gurgling-gasping-groaning noises. The woman picks up the torch and runs.

Gieve-san: Wait! Not that way!

But he is no position to stop her, so she continues on and eventually gets herself killed, yada yada, and we her body go floating by, blah blah blah, which is when Gieve comes back (yatta!) and halts Silvermask and his party.

Gieve-san: Stop there. What kind of creature slays a beautiful and defenseless woman? [certainly not you, Gieve ^-^]

Silvermasks men draw their swords and prepare to fight Gieve; Silvermask blinks.

Gieve-san: You must have mercury in your veins instead of blood. That would explain your striking visage.

Does anyone else see the irony in that line? Mercury? C'mon! Anyway, Gieve then draws his sword and wades out into the icky water stuff toward Silvermask, whose men (5 of them) wade out to meet him.

Silvermask: Deal with this loud-mouthed fool! I'll find the real queen!

And they all move off. Here we find that Kharlan has magically teleported from the sewers with Silvermask to the assault outside, ordering troops around. Go figure. Back to Gieve! He soon dispatches the men in the sewers yelling "First! Second! Third! Fourth! Fifth!" as he kills eachone - one blow each. My, my, excellent with a bow and a sword! I'm not surprised. There are some great shots here, btw, unfortunately, I don't have them (hint, hint, hint).

Gieve: I hadn't expected it to be that difficult. [sheathing sword] It's time to exploit this chaos, and relieve the castle of some of its minor valuables.

And he does, and Silvermask gets Tahamenay, and Lusitania gets Ekubatana, hai, hai, hai... Boring, ne?

Comment on the preceding scene: here we find that not only is Gieve a wandering minstrel (and a very poetic one at that), but he is also a thief. While we're waiting for Gieve to make his next appearance, let's watch Elam dressed in drag, because it's so funny and so worth mentioning.

Ah... Watashi no Gieve-san... Gieve is now out of Ekubatana and meandering around the wilderness. We come upon him as he is asleep. ::sigh:: Ahem, where was I? Oh yes. He hears shouts and soon awakens. (Y'know, he is just so kawaii when he's sleeping and I really wish that I had a pic of that... (hint, hint, hint))

Pharangese: Filthy thugs! [Gieve wakes up and looks annoyed] I'll permit you to escape now, in case you value your lives.

Thug: I'll make you apologize for that! [fighting is heard]

Gieve-san: [to himself] I'm struck by a vision! I must save this raven beauty! She'll doubtlessly shower me with thanks, afterward, bestowing her lavish affections on me. [I would...] And, of course I'm far too polite to refuse. [see why i like him?] Yes! I cannot deny fate!

Gieve then sits up, runs down the hill he was napping on, and helps to dispatch the ruffians. (The shots of Pharangese are great here.) Pharangese then remounts her horse, after checking for any more threats, and begins riding away. Gieve resheathes his blade and hurries after her calling:

This finally makes her stop and she turns to face him. He stops also, not far away.

Gieve-san: Your beauty is exceeded only by your martial skills. I'm Gieve, a traveling minstrel. [he bows]I once thought nothing could exceed the splendors of royalty. But now, my poor poet's heart spaks in admiration of you: Her magnificeant grace puts the panther to shame, Hair so black like evenings sky-

Pharangese: For a minstrel, you could stand a bit more originality. [starts off again]

Gieve: [following her] Why would a vision such as you be involved with savages? At least grant me your name.

Pharangese: Pharangese, a servamt of the goddess Misra. Our high priestess has sent me to the capital, Ekubatana.

Gieve: Misra? I follow the goddess Ashi, who serves Misra.

It would appear Gieve does not hold the same contempt for gods as he does for the nobility. Could there be something from his past...?

Gieve: Surely it's destiny that's brought us together! What business takes you to the capital?

And she tells him about how she has to protect Arislan.

Gieve: But if you don't believe in your mission, why bother to continue?

Pharangese: I have to. I hate Lusitania. They would force their god on everyone. Someone has to push them out of Palse.

BTW, Pharangese has apparently talked all night b/c it is now day and they are resting by a lake.

Gieve: My own feelings are much the same. It's difficult to tolerate those who force their beliefs on others. For example, some claim that the only beautiful women have blue eyes, golden hair, and skin like snow. But I disagree.

Always back to the women... ::shakes head:: At this point, Pharangese pulls out her flute and plays it to the wind. The music is beautiful and the scene is awesome! And Gieve is cute too.

Pharangese: The spirits tell me that your hatred for Lusitania is genuine.

Gieve: I'm afraid I didn't hear anything.

Pharangese: Of course not. Can a baby understand its elders? [Yes.] You hear the wind's sigh, but miss the whispers of the spirits.

Gieve: So I'm a baby? [No, just a babe. ~.^]

Pharangese: No, you're too malicious to be a child.

Gieve: At least you recognized my sincerity. Chance meetings may be destiny in disguise. I'd like to accompany you, if I may.

Pharangese: You must pledge loyalty to the prince. [I distinctly hear "Arislan-denka", though it isn't translated.]

Gieve: I'm having enough trouble pledging myself to you. [And I hear "Pharangese" here.]

Pharangese: I don't need your allegiance.

Gieve: Your words wound me.

ANd then it switches to Arislan who does some stuff when Pharangese and Gieve show up to help out. Nifty hero music plays. ^-^

Pharangese: I'm Pharangese, follower of Misra. I've come to aid Prince Arislan.

Gieve: And I'm Gieve, her companion. We'll handle the small fry.

Kharlan recognizes Gieve from the sewer (must've seen him before he teleported out of there).

And Daryoon thanks them for the help.

Then more stuff happens and Kharlan dies and Arisaln yells like an idiot. Andragoras is still alive *gasp* and Silvermask is Hermes. (Now do you get my joke about the mercury?) Back to Gieve! He and the rest of Arislan's party ride up to a cliff and overlook the land. They talk a little bit and Gieve asks:

Gieve: So, how many do we have?

Arislan: Including you, there's six.

The "camera" zooms out and you hear someone say something about there being 300,000 Lusitanian troops and Gieve comments:

Then the narrator guy talks and that really awesome song plays!