A/N: With 40,000 Eirika/Seth romances out there, I figured there had to be at least one universe where they follow Seth's advice, and the world doesn't end in angst. BE WARNED: IF YOUR UNBREAKABLE OTP IS SETH/EIRIKA, please, save yourself (and me) the trouble and don't read this fic.
The story takes 6 chapters to tell, and will be updated each Saturday.
A princess must pass through great loneliness, and sometimes be content with it, if she is to rule well... but you aren't really alone. -Crown and Jewel by Jeri Massi
Chapter One: Which is really more of a prologue
It's a grey day in Renais when the bonfires are lit to celebrate the triumph of the royal twins over the crazed Sir Orson. The skies are threatening to rain, but it won't dampen the spirits of the town folk or the military entourage encamped within the castle's bailey. Orson is dead; his misrule is at an end. Young ladies wave ribbons in the street, old ladies cook up traditional dishes, young men take turns proving their valour by leaping over the bonfires, and old men sit around smoking and prophesying the future of Renais. Princess Eirika will dance.
"Sir Seth," she calls to him amid the revelry, "General! Come dance with me! Today is a good day!" She laughs, tipsy with ale, and pulls him away from the small circle of cavalry knights with whom he is conversing. The knights raise their mugs with a cheer to toast their general's good fortune, and Eirika leads her favourite knight across the lawn towards the sound of the fiddler and the stamping feet.
"Celebrate you must, my lady," Seth smiles, "but if you wish to remember this day, or to set a good example, you should dance more and drink less."
"Of course, you're right," she responds, "But you're cold sober. And so is my brother, so I must drink something on both of your behalves."
Together they dance, clapping and twirling and laughing. She is unsteady on her feet, and nearly trips over his, but his strong arms are ready and close, and they steady her. For a moment Eirika forgets the hollow pit in her stomach. From today, her brother is king in all but in name, though he has never wanted this duty. And with the trading of power from the hands of Orson to the hands of Ephraim, everything between Ephraim and Eirika has begun to shift, too. She feels it, already. He is the king, and she is only a princess - hopefully, one that will never need to be queen. Perhaps it is this gulf opening up between them that makes Eirika all the lonelier and drives her to Seth's side during what should be the single happiest day she's experienced all year.
The reel ends to the loud applause of both dancers and onlookers, and the fiddler nods his head before starting up another tune. "Again!" Eirika commands, but Seth shakes his head and drops her hands, gesturing to the ogling gaggle of captains she pulled him away from.
"Not with me, my lady. You must share your cheer with all your loyal servants. They await your pleasure." He raises his voice and calls to his subordinates. "Hark! The lady wishes to dance! Which of you will please our princess?"
Eirika schools her features to hide her disappointment, though she is hardly surprised. And of course, Seth is right: she must celebrate with all her people, not only her dashing hero. She takes the hands that are offered to her, and she smiles into the eyes of the devil-may-care young captain who offered them – Forde, she thinks his name is – but the rest of the afternoon she feels far too wooden to truly laugh.
The following morning, the festivities are more sedate and the grass a good deal wetter, but Eirika is refreshed enough to be hopeful. She pulls on her boots and a thick wool cloak and joins others around a cauldron of hot breakfast gruel. They fill her a bowl, then cheekily wish good morning to a late-arriving Seth.
"I'm running a bit behind," he admits as Eirika offers him a bowl. He takes it but doesn't eat. "There was a security matter to attend to last night."
"I hope you'll still have time enough to spare for me, General," says Eirika. "I'd like to spar."
"I'm sure that Sir Kyle will be happy to see to that, my lady. I expect to be in council with the king for most of the morning."
"I have questions about the technique you showed me recently. It needn't be a long session."
"Very well," Seth nods, "but first I must speak with you inside a moment." He leads her into an empty place. She can still see the tell-tale marks of battle and neglect under Orson's treachery. The ornamental suit of armour lies fragmented on the floor, the beautiful wall covering that once proudly displayed Renais's founding has been slashed through, and blood will stain the stones for some time. Seth's words are no more heart-warming.
"My lady, you have many men and women who serve you," he begins, "and all of them aim to keep you safe and happy. I apologize, as this will sound harsh, but it is in poor form, and unwise, to show me so much preference above all the rest of those who serve you."
Eirika blinks. "But you are above the rest of them. You're the general."
"Indeed. But dancing and sparring is hardly the exclusive skill of a general. You should not be seeking me out on personal matters like these. It will only incite resentment in the ranks."
"I danced with you only once last night, and you seemed happy to oblige."
"I am not speaking about last night only. You have been too close to me lately, Princess."
She tosses her head. "If the ranks have sworn to serve me, then how could they require me to form no attachments to any among them? How unrewarding – for both of us!"
"They've sworn fealty to the crown, and will die to serve you. But if you clearly favour one subject over another, then you are betraying their loyalty. Especially now, in wartime. If you order your troops to battle, they must trust you with their lives. They must not believe that you are willing to sacrifice one person more readily than you are willing to sacrifice any other."
"But-"
He holds up his hand to silence her. "This is one of the basic tenets of ruling well. If you cannot uphold it, you are not fit to rule."
She folds her arms and attempts to scowl, though she is stung.
Seth softens his tone. "Your father is dead, Lady Eirika. You are, in essence, a queen, and must treat your subjects impartially."
"My mother was a queen," she whispers to hide the tremble in her voice, "I'm not. Maybe I almost was for a while, before we found Ephraim. But since coming back to Renais... you called him 'the king' just now around the fire. I am only his sister."
"You are royalty, Lady Eirika. You are a queen in spirit, if not in law."
She draws herself as tall as she can pretend to be. "I'm sorry Seth, you're right. The night we escaped this place together... you held me tight, and I felt safe. And I imagined so much more. But it was improper. I will lead well and we will finish this war."
He nods. "I know you will."
"You should go and get some breakfast," she says.
Seth doesn't argue, but after he's gone a couple steps, he turns back. "My lady, if I might – that night you mentioned... it wasn't only you. I also forgot my duty. I wanted to protect you, not as my queen, but as someone I could... whisk away... just the two of us."
Eirika blinks hard.
"Please forgive me," he continues. "I will not travel that path. I will not forget my duty again. I am a knight of Renais, and I will lay down my life to protect its queen." Then he's gone.