Hi everyone, if this is your first time finding this story, I welcome you, if it is not, and you got an update after a very long time, I can already feel your hatred. First of all, let me tell the newcomers that this story was abandoned many years ago, but not long ago my now wife (which is one of the reasons of why I abandoned many of my stories), grew interested in the Fire Emblem games, mostly because I use Ike as a third main in Smash Bros Ultimate. You see, my wife was never into videogames, only Pokémon ones, but once Smash Bros Ultimate arrived, she got hooked, and she began wondering about the characters, who they are, what games they come from, and since I had most of the games, well, we have been playing old games, and we are currently playing Fire Emblem Path of Radiance.
Only, when I began playing once again after so long, I felt the need to read my old Fire Emblem stories, and felt horrible for not finishing them. I placed too much care to this stories, even if it is something you people can't notice, I certainly did, so I couldn't help myself, so I resurrected this old project of mine, the After Dawn Series.
So, what is, or was, After Dawn Series? It was a series of short stories I used to call "sister stories", that were supposed to continue the endgame of Radiant Dawn. Most of these "sister stories", were supposed to be one shots, but one, was supposed to be something else, and it is this story: "After Dawn Series - Sanaki", the one you are currently trying to read.
After Dawn Series – Sanaki, was supposed to center on Sanaki, and oddly enough in a possible relationship with Ike. Inside the games, there is unused data of an Adult Sanaki, what was her purpose? We surely will never know, but I want to believe she was going to be an even bigger character, or there was going to be a third game. Now everything that is left, is our imagination, and so, this story was born.
I understand many of you feel, displeased with my abandonment of this story, but I really feel like continuing it, now more than ever thanks to my wife. So, for you who want to give this story a first chance, you are very welcomed, and for my old readers… if there is one left somewhere… I don't know what to say, but sorry. When we are young, and carefree, we want to eat the world and do it all… when we grow up, our hobbies become faint memories, only sometimes, the kids inside of us, wants to return… this is one of such moments.
Enjoy, and if you want to know more about the whole "After Dawn Series", feel free to visit my profile, the English section is in bold colors.
Fire Emblem – After Dawn Series – Sanaki.
Chapter One: The Pavise Scroll.
"Ike… don't tell me you suspect Sephiran!" Even if he got the facts right, he had no right to suspect her most trusted advisor. She knew that. But still, she couldn't help it but hear his words and accept them. "Do not trouble your mind with that thought! He would never betray me." She was annoyed, even more than ever. She always found it intriguing how Ike could actually step on her nerves so easily because of his lack of etiquette and manners. She could remember their discussion continuing, something about the goddess not being perfect and Sephiran being innocent. However, her mind was telling her to recall more important moments, those about when the Empress of Begnion actually let her guard down. "I almost forgot! I have something for you!" She added with a blush on her face, facing away from him as she did, and delivered the object she fought so hard to find. An object she wanted Ike to have, so he would survive this madness. She had held such an object for a while already.
A Pavise Scroll, surrounded with a magic strong enough as to protect the wearer from deadly damages, only it worked occasionally, not always. Still, it was a perfect skill for a warrior like Ike, who always placed his life in danger. She remembered him asking what the object was, and her blush grew even wilder, to the point she couldn't even control her lips from doing waving-like movements while trying to find the proper words to address him. "Um…uh… well…" she started, failing miserably to find those words. "You are my trusted aide." She had a hard time not saying 'must trusted' to him. So, in order to hide her intentions, she added to it in both annoyance and while facing away from him. "Just like Sephiran. You have to live! So protect yourself with this!"
"A mercenary with a contract to act as an aide to the Empress of Begnion?" He said to her. She cursed herself. Ike was just too insensitive, and it took her a great amount of effort to even think about a nice present for him. "Who'd have thought? But thank you, Sanaki." She felt her heart freezing despite the fact that she was hugging her precious book, Cymbeline, close to her chest out of embarrassment. She did it. She finally did it! Even though Ike was too cold, oblivious, or arrogant to notice it, she was able to give him a present. One he wore around his neck as a good luck charm, and she was glad to know he didn't just give it away to anyone else.
"You're welcome, Ike" She replied to him. Her heart complained to her, and she told herself over and over again not to stop there, but to continue on, give him a hint, and make sure he realized her feelings toward the seven years older than her mercenary, who she had a strong crush on by the way. Instead, she just swallowed her feelings and replied. "And thank you."
With that, she finally woke up. It was that dream again. That damn dream that was always repeating itself every morning before she could wake up. The Empress of Begnion once again greeted the arrival of a new day with her hair being a mess. Her eyes and lips were reflecting tiredness, and a beautiful blush was adorning her face. "Again? Why again? Why is it always that damn dream? I'm an Empress for Ashunera's sake! I can't be thinking all the time about him! Blast it!" She yelled and buried her face inside of her pillow. She missed him. They never actually had much of a friendly relationship, as it was more like the relationship between a mercenary and his employer than anything else. Anyone could tell they weren't even really friends. After all, they didn't start in the best of terms. "Stupid Ike!" She yelled in frustration. Not only that, she would never admit her feelings for him anyway.
"Empress, are you awake?" Opening the door leading to Sanaki's room inside the Mainal Cathedral, Sigrun made her way inside, a caring smile was drawn on her face when noticing that, despite Sanaki's room being clean and perfectly ordered, the young 14-year old Empress was a mess as every morning. "Another nightmare?" She added while entering the room. Despite being the Commander of the Begnion Holy guard, Sigrun's only interest was to be close to her Empress and be the mother Sanaki could never have. "Or perhaps it wasn't a nightmare, but a very interesting dream." She added to her statement. Sanaki blushed and kicked her covers away, burying Sigrun below them.
"What are you, a heron?" She complained and went inside a room next to her own; there she found a fancy looking bathtub already waiting for her and ready for the Empress to take a bath. The Empress of Begnion made it inside of the bathtub, carefully taking off her sleeping robes while entering the water. Being raised as an Apostle, she was told that her body was sacred. She couldn't even see herself naked, or so she was told. However, she was no Apostle. She could never hear the voice of the goddess. Yet, her people still believed in her as being sacred, mostly because of her actions during Ashera's Judgment. She was now holy to them, and so, her behavior changed little. She still needed to be the example of perfection to her people.
"Empress, without the senators to interfere in your affairs, you are now the only ruler of Begnion." Sigrun informed her. Sanaki nodded and buried her face under the warm water until her lips were buried. She then began blowing bubbles against the water, a signal of both annoyance and a childish nature she possessed and was never allowed to show. "Even when most of Begnion acknowledges you as their Empress, some still call you unholy, and our intelligence says a rebellion could erupt anytime soon. Perhaps we should mobilize the Holy Guard, Tanith is growing impatient."
"And so am I." Sanaki pointed out. There was no rest for her. Crimea and Daein were currently at peace. Their kingdoms were being rebuilt, and their people trusted their rulers entirely. With Micaiah as the new queen of Daein, there were no complaints about her orders. With Renning's return, and acknowledging Elincia as his queen, no more doubts were left to cloud the minds of Crimea's citizens. Both kingdoms found peace, and even Galia was having no problem in sharing the Laguz-Beorc ideals. Kilvas and Phoenicis were abandoned instead of being rebuilt, and the bird clan moved to Serenes Forest, with Tibarn as the new king of the bird clans. As for Goldoa, it was as neutral as ever, but dragons were no longer isolated. Instead, they were building new homes for the future generations in Kilvas and Phoenicis, as their civilization wouldn't remain isolated anymore. But at Begnion, doubt still existed, mostly because Sanaki was said to be too young to be a ruler, something no one ever complained at first at because of her supposed rule as an Apostle and the existence of the Senate. "Wherever I point my ears to, I hear the same things." She started and then started quoting from what she had heard over the last few days. "Sanaki isn't a true Apostle! She never had the right to rule! The goddess gave her back to her! Zelgius is dead! Begnion is powerless! Prime Minister Sephiran abandoned the Empress! Begnion is now a kingdom with no ruler!"
"Empress, you shouldn't say such things. Those are only words from the confused ones. A lot has happened, but you mustn't give up. After all, you are the heart of Begnion." Sigrun said to the frustrated Empress. Sanaki stood up abruptly, only to have Sigrun place a purple colored towel around her before she could see a thing. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with it as she was like a mother to Sanaki. But to her eyes, she was still sacred. "Empress, your body isn't just anything you should expose so easily."
"Enough! I'm tired of being treated like a holy Apostle when it is evident I'm not! Some changes need to be done!" She complained, grappling the towel around her. She walked out of her bathroom in search of her wardrobe. There was nothing inside but her Apostle's clothes, nothing princess-like or ruler-like. Only holy robes bathed in sacred waters and made of silky materials. With that, Sanaki closed her wardrobe in annoyance. "I want new clothes! I refuse to wear anything sacred-like!" She yelled out. Sigrun just stared at her with concern. "I will lead my people… I will lead them in this world without a goddess… Yune, Ashera, nothing matters to me anymore… only my people… I don't want to be sacred…" She sobbed. Sigrun noticed that not being an Apostle, not hearing the voice of the goddess. It was heart breaking to Sanaki.
"Am I interrupting?" A male voice was heard entering the room. Sanaki quickly curled inside of her long and purple towel, preventing the heron prince Reyson, who had just arrived to her room, from seeing her exposed. "I apologize. I just felt the Empress may be in need of someone to speak to. It was never my intention to find you this exposed." Reyson then began walking away, but Sanaki quickly stood up while hugging her towel, which forced Reyson to stop his march. "My Empress?"
"We will speak; just give me time to get dressed." She added, and the heron excused himself, giving the Empress of Begnion some time to herself. It didn't take long for Sanaki to get dressed in her holy robes and leave the room for her and Reyson to share a talk. The heron prince and the Empress of Begnion now shared some kind of friendship, mostly because of them both feeling guilty for the pain of the other; Sanaki for the Serenes' Massacre, and Reyson for the assassination of the Apostle before Sanaki. "I'm sorry you had to sense my pain." The Empress began. Reyson just smiled when noticing the citizens of Begnion being impressed while the Empress and the heron walked by the streets of Begnion. Her Holy Guard wasn't with her, as she ordered them all away from her side. She needed some time for herself, and she also refused to be treated like a holy one, preferring to be close to her kind; the common beorc who now accepted the laguz as their equals.
"It is me who should apologize. As ambassador of the bird tribes, I asked for you to allow me to live at the cathedral, since I wanted to stay close to Serenes Forest and the bird clan, only not too close for my sister to believe I'm keeping Naesala under my vigilance. Best friends or not, the former Crow King did step on our friendship and spit on it more than once." Reyson added. But despite his words, a soft smile was drawn on his face, one which impressed Sanaki.
"Naesala's intentions always puzzled me. I always thought he would refuse Tibarn's idea of a unified bird clan and remain at Kilvas with his people. I never thought he would suddenly leave the leadership of his people to Tibarn. Perhaps it got something to do with the blood pact he signed." Sanaki wondered. She knew there had to be another reason for Naesala's behavior.
"Naesala is going through many emotional changes; and even if he weren't, he had to fight Tibarn for the right to be king of the unified bird tribes." He explained. Knowing Naesala, he would avoid any conflict with Tibarn if needed be. "And of course, Tibarn wasn't the only reason. Thanks to Leanne, he placed his kingdom aside for the first time ever, and followed his own selfish believes." Reyson added. Sanaki once again wondered. "After all, he couldn't leave two eggs without a father."
"Eggs?" Sanaki began. She then blushed madly. "What? Seriously?" She was so surprised that she lost her coolness, allowing herself to be surprised even to the eyes of the many citizens staring at her and vowing whenever she walked close to them. "Naesala and Leanne?" Reyson nodded. Sanaki then found something odd. "Eggs?" She asked again.
"I was surprised to. I suppose it was because Naesala and Leanne both hatched from eggs." Sanaki still wondered, but she was happy for Reyson's happiness. "As I told you, I wanted to stay close to my sister, only not close enough; Naesala would surely make an act out of it and give Leanne worries that she doesn't deserve to have at the moment." She nodded. Reyson just continued. "You miss him that much?" He asked. Sanaki took a moment to realize what Reyson was talking about, and once she did, she blushed madly. "Thought so."
"It's not like that! I just… never got the chance to… it's nothing!" She began. Reyson just smiled for her once again. "I wish I were a heron, that way I could have known more about him without having the need to actually have to get to know him. I was an Apostle so I was supposed to keep my distance."
"He thought you were cute." Reyson pointed out. Sanaki felt her heart stopping, and her face flushed even more. "Between other things, but I'm certain that he thought you were." Sanaki stormed away, not wanting to hear anymore. "He is going to pay us a visit at Serenes, I though perhaps you should know!" He yelled as Sanaki had left him behind.
"A visit? Ike is coming?" Upon hearing the name, everyone in Begnion began talking about the hero of the Mad King's War and the terror of Begnion during the Laguz-Beorc War. There was no way for them to know for sure if Ike was or was not a hero to Begnion or an enemy, but Sanaki cared little. She just wanted to know more about Ike's visit. "Are you certain?"
"Ike has been living at Hatari for a while already. I know because I have been in touch with Rafiel thanks to the sending stones. It was me who informed him about Leanne's eggs." He added. Sanaki nodded. "Rafiel and Queen Nailah will pay Serenes Forest a visit, and not only that, they are planning on slowly introducing the wolf laguz race to the rest of Tellius. Ike will be leading a large pack of wolf laguz across Tellius until they reach Gallia. His group will be arriving today."
"Today? Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Sanaki asked. Reyson said nothing. Sanaki just breathed out in annoyance. "Seriously, it could be my only chance to tell Ike about my feelings and you just keep it all to yourself…" She added in a whisper, not wanting anyone to know their Empress had a crush in the man who led the laguz alliance during the last war.
"Will you tell him if I take you to Serenes with me?" He asked. Sanaki moved her head in negation several times; her embarrassment was just too much. However, she couldn't take Ike away from her mind. "I have seen your dreams; you are curious as if Ike still holds to that Pavise scroll you presented to him."
"How rude! Reading an Empress' dreams should be illegal… I will surely write a law about it." She added coldly. Reyson just moved his head in negation. "I want to go… I want to see him… but I don't have hopes in him actually feeling a thing for me, I'm sure the thought had never crossed his mind… how annoying."
"Beorc are really complicated creatures. You should just tell him and accept the answer, no matter what it is." But Sanaki thought different. "Lehran would have liked it that way." Reyson added. Sanaki flinched. "He also got a sending stone, he kindly asked me to keep an eye on you." Sanaki smiled. She even had Sephiran's support. However, even with it, she just couldn't speak to Ike about how she felt. "I have said more than what I needed to. Feel free to join us at Serenes if you like. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will be leaving. I really don't like to enter the Senate. Even if the senators were all killed, there is one still roaming this building."
"You mean Duke Tanas? Despite my dislike over the Duke, he helped us during the Laguz-Beorc war, so his crimes were forgiven." Reyson moved his head in negation and began flying away. "It's no easy for me either. As Empress, I can't just execute a war hero." She added and then walked inside the Senate, where the meetings between the Empress and her citizens were now celebrated.
As the only ruler of Begnion, Sanaki made some changes to the political procedures of her country. She now held daily meetings between her and the citizens interested in the welfare of Begnion. She listened to their needs, and tried to solve any kind of conflict. Although, she was always accompanied by a group of advisors, sometimes laguz ones, most notably were Reyson and Muarim. Sometimes even Naesala when he wasn't with Leanne at Serenes. In some other times, she was joined by her new generals and senators, such as Haar, who was the new general of Begnion's Central Army, asked by Sanaki herself to take the lead after Zelgius died. And sadly, Duke Tanas, who was the new Prime Minister of Begnion. She was never with her Holy Guard now as she was placing her barriers between them and her supposed holy heritage. The Holy Guard was now in charge of different duties, such as preventing a rebellion from taking place in Sigrun's case, and training the new recruits in Tanith's one.
"Empress! You are late!" Duke Tanas exclaimed. He was more than happy to be forgiven by Sanaki, and swore loyalty to her, with his beauty to be stripped from him if he were to be false to her ever again, which didn't help Sanaki feel any better with the idea of having him as the replacement for Sephiran. However, he was the only person who could take his place since he was of noble birth and also knew the procedures. "I have tried to keep your people busy by leaving them speechless with my beauty, but they still demanded your presence."
"How many times do I have to tell you that you are not beautiful? I would cut my other eye off in order to avoid eye contact with you, Duke Tanas." Haar pointed out in annoyance as he would rather be asleep somewhere else than having to take part on these daily meetings in favor of Begnion. But Jill ordered him to be more responsible, and she was now Haar's soon to be wife, which forced him to obey and accept the job Sanaki offered to him, as well as Zelgius' old armor. Although, it was only temporal, at least that's what he wanted to believe. "This isn't worth what I'm being paid."
"I will double your pay, so just quit complaining. I do need a Central Army General." She added. Haar let out a deep breath in annoyance. "Don't blame me, Ike killed all my generals. I had to find new replacements. I had a position for your bride as Begnion's Dracoknight General, but she decided to stay at Daein with General Tauroneo and serve Micaiah and Sothe. Astrid barely accepted to return to Begnion and lead the Northern Army as Duchess Damiel. The condition was to give her useless boyfriend, Makalov, a noble position in her army. Thus I was forced to knight him for Begnion. Marcia just couldn't be convinced to leave Crimea. I got no idea as to why."
"I understand the need of me to lead your armies… the one I can't get is Jill. We haven't even gotten married yet, and right now she is at Daein and I'm here at Begnion, and she still wanted for me to be a general. We had a nice delivery service back at Daein. I was planning on never fighting again, just carry cargo in Talrega." He added. Sanaki understood what Haar wanted, but she couldn't release Haar from his responsibilities just yet. Without Haar to be an image of authority, the moral of her army would die down. Even when there was no war anywhere, minor skirmishes were in need of the military attention. Someone to lead those armies, and not allow her men to lose control and break into an international conflict, was needed.
"I promise, once I find a proper replacement, I will release you from this responsibility." Haar nodded. The meeting then began. For a while, Sanaki heard the complaints of her people and gave them all immediate solutions, but since Sanaki's mind was lost in her thoughts about Ike, her attention to her citizens began lacking to the point where she just spaced out and was unable to answer her people's needs.
"Empress?" Haar began. Sanaki never reacted, and it wasn't until Haar began pulling her hair when the Empress finally noticed. "My apologizes. You spaced out, and if I can't get some sleep, neither can you." Haar added, perhaps a little annoyed.
"My apologies… I'm afraid I'm not feeling well, but pull my hair like that again and I will punish you." She ordered. Haar nodded in reply. "Seriously, you and Ike are almost the same; your lack of manners is unbelievable." Haar blinked twice. Sanaki just blushed. "It's nothing!"
"The Empress may want to have some beauty rest. It is much acceptable. After all, beauty is the source of everyone's happiness!" Oliver added. Sanaki and Haar just gave the Prime Minister an odd stare. "Worry not, my Empress. Duke Tanas has got beauty to share and spare. I will place my beautiful ears in place, and allow your citizens to hear my angelical voice. I will gladly take your place for today." And Sanaki didn't know if it was right to thank him or not. She couldn't concentrate, that was a fact, but leaving Duke Tanas in charge wasn't at all easy to deal with.
"I will keep a vigilante eye on him…" Sanaki nodded. "With one condition." He demanded. Sanaki waited. "I want weekends for myself, I rarely see my bride, and when I do, I can't help but fall asleep. Give me two days a week without the crimson armor, and I will keep an eye whenever Duke Tanas needs to replace you in your duties."
"It's not like I have much of a choice." She added and carefully stood up. Her citizens complained, but Oliver and Haar took over, allowing the Empress of Begnion to skip her royal responsibilities and worry about a blue haired mercenary she couldn't take away from her mind. "Seriously, as if there could ever be something between him and me…"
"You aren't my type either!" Sanaki bit her lips in annoyance. Not him again, not now, or so she thought. If there was someone worse in etiquette and manners than Ike, that was Tormod, an ambassador of the beorc to the eyes of the laguz, such as Muarim was to the eyes of the beorc. Tormod was a valuable ally to Sanaki as he was Begnion's laguz advisor, and even had his own army of laguz protecting the eastern borders between Daein and Begnion, but he was always a pain to Sanaki. His manners were lacking, and he just visited Sanaki for one purpose other than politics. "Get your tome ready, this time I won't lose to you."
"I'm surely not in the mood, shorty." She added. Tormod was the only one who could manage to break her temper and bring her out of her noble self. Tormod just bit his lips in annoyance and began reading his Rexflame tome in the ancient language; only he was stopped by Muarim, as usual by Tormod's side. "At least I can be glad to know my trusted laguz advisor will not allow you to behave improperly."
"Little one, challenging the Empress of Begnion may be a delight to you, but respecting her is your duty." Muarim added, and Tormod rudely pulled his arm away but obeyed Muarim's commands. "My apologizes, Empress Sanaki, I swear to you to teach the little one some manners, even if it kills me." He added.
"There is no need for you to place so much effort into something fruitless, Muarim." Sanaki added with a smile. Tormod just complained. "Just like Ike, Tormod really can't learn manners." And both Tormod and Muarim stared at Sanaki oddly. Upon noticing, Sanaki blushed and faced away. "Forget what I said! It's nothing! Stupid Tormod!"
"Now it is my fault?" The Fire Sage complained. Sanaki just moved her face several times in negation while trying to escape her thoughts about Ike. "Whatever, you don't look like yourself today. Normally, nothing stops you from giving me a lesson in anima magic, what's wrong?"
"I believe it is more than obvious, little one." Muarim interrupted, Sanaki blushed. "The Empress is letting out a comfortable smell. This is the odor of a female looking for a male, what you beorc call love. The Empress may be looking for a mate." Tormod flinched, Sanaki blushed madly. "Did I say anything out of place?"
"Of course you did!" Sanaki yelled. Muarim just excused his behavior with a reverence. "I don't know how you laguz look for your partners! We beorc do it differently! Such rudeness! Such embarrassment!" But the Empress quickly calmed down. She never lost her temper like this, but thankfully, regaining control wasn't hard in the less. "It's nothing!" She added, and with that last said, she walked away calmly.
"Sanaki is in love? That is scary!" Tormod yelled out. Sanaki of course heard him but decided to ignore him and continued her walking. "Letting out such smell, what if it is me who she likes? After all, you smelled nothing until we arrived! Could it be that Sanaki actually likes me?"
"Little one, I'm afraid you are mistaken, the Empress let out such smell just after she mentioned Sir Ike's name." Muarim explained, but Tormod was daydreaming with the idea. His ears were red with embarrassment, and his eyes spaced out. "Little one?"
"Sanaki likes me?" Tormod began while walking away, and once again Muarim tried to explain the situation to him, having no luck in the less, since Tormod now had a crush against Sanaki. "Maybe I should care more about my manners, or maybe she likes that rude side of me, that's it! From now on I will be even ruder!" And Muarim slapped his own forehead hard as reply.
Sanaki was calmer now, and she reflected it by speaking to her citizens and smiling to them, giving the still trusting ones to the Empress' rule more reasons to place their hearts in belief to her. She was glad her people still trusted her, but wondered if it was because of her being a former Apostle and still being considerate as a holy ruler, or because of her political influences. Whatever the reason was, she knew staying close to her citizens would give them different reasons to trust her, and perhaps, one of those reasons would be her kind heart.
The evening was just beginning. Sanaki knew it because of the heat, and so, she thought Sigrun may be worried sick about her, and with a wave to her citizens, she excused herself and continued walking toward the Mainal Cathedral, only she didn't find Sigrun or Tanith waiting for her arrival, but the heron prince Reyson and the raven laguz Vika.
"Empress, it is always a pleasure to see you." Vika vowed for Sanaki. The young ruler of Begnion just smiled. Vika was a close friend to Micaiah, as well as a valuable ally in the laguz liberation still searching for laguz slaves among the members of high society. But sometimes the raven girl liked to visit Begnion in order to get to know Sanaki better, as well as to see Tormod and Muarim. "Reyson spoke to Leanne about your wish to travel to Serenes, and Naesala ordered me to come for you as he would not leave the Empress of Begnion without proper protection." She informed, and Sanaki was glad to hear it.
"Perhaps Naesala is no longer the Crow King, but his influence to the crows is as strong as ever. I will kindly accept his invitation." Sanaki added, and Vika called some of the laguz now working for Begnion to join her. Several lion laguz then morphed to their beast forms, and were kindly tied to a royal carriage. The laguz were handsomely paid for this job, and so, they weren't annoyed when tied to the beorc vessel. It was also their way to reflect their superiority against beorc's horses. But Sanaki in the other hand, thought different. "I still believe we shouldn't use the laguz for transportation."
"We don't see it as slaving or a poor job, but as protection, we are all the Empress' bodyguards; and a bodyguard who can find the proper route to follow, and avoid conflict with any group of beorc still wishing any harm to the Empress of Begnion, is safer than having a large group of beorc escorts." Vika had a point as the laguz were far stronger than the beorc, and were in better synchrony with nature, but what the laguz though as a job to be proud of, was perhaps an insult they weren't noticing was taking place.
"In order to be in the safe side, I will have my Holy Guard training your men into knowing how to ride horses, I don't want beorc or laguz to have any wrong ideas." She instructed, and despite the laguz disliking the idea of riding horses, they had to admit Sanaki was right. "I need to speak to Sigrun about this first; she would be worried if I just left."
"The Empress wishes to see Commander Ike." Reyson began, Sanaki nodded while feeling her cheeks burning. "With this thought in mind, I kindly asked Sigrun to leave you under our care. And without much to consider, she accepted." Reyson then offered his hand to Sanaki, helping her inside of the carriage and then sitting next to the Empress of Begnion, the group then began their trip toward Serenes, home to the unified bird clans.
Sanaki was amazed once her carriage arrived to Serenes. Not just because of the lion laguz proving to be a faster way of transportation than horses, but because Serenes was now full with life with laguz from the hawk and raven clans. All of them talking and working together to create nests on top of the beautiful trees and sometimes houses for the beorc who visited with the help of fallen trees or rocks since laguz disliked the idea of cutting down trees, much less in Serenes.
"It is good to see you again, Empress Sanaki." During the trip, the Empress was greeted by some winged friends, so she couldn't help it but allow a soft smile to appear on her lips when hearing the familiar voice of a member of the hack clan. "Although I could see you all the way to Begnion, under orders of Hawk King Tibarn, we always keep a close watch on you, Empress." Janaff added while flying around the royal carriage, Ulki was as usual by his side.
"Fear not, Empress, it was Tibarn's orders not to point my ears in direction of Begnion, the King of Hawks trusts you." And Sanaki was glad to hear it. "Unfortunately, the king must apologize to you, Queen Nailah form the Hatari arrived just recently; the king is currently having a meeting with her, and thus won't meet you for the time being."
"Queen Nailah arrived? That means Ike did as well?" Janaff and Ulki exchanged looks; Sanaki just moved her head several times in negation. "It's nothing!" She yelled hard. Reyson just smiled at his friend's reaction, and at the way Sanaki pressed her Cymbeline tome hard toward her chest. "At any rate, you two are no one to judge me, is he here or not?" She asked boldly.
"Commander Ike is indeed in Serenes, so are Soren and Ranulf, but due to their contract with Queen Nailah, they must remain at her side at all time." Sanaki lowered her head at such reply. Both Janaff and Ulki noticed. "We are sure Queen Nailah will understand if we ask her for you to meet the Commander." Sanaki flinched and was about to speak out in self-defense to Ulki's words, but Janaff butted in the conversation before she could.
"Sure! Ike mentioned he wished to pay the Empress of Begnion a visit." And upon hearing such words, Sanaki's heart stopped. "We will ask for Queen Nailah's permission then. Worry not, Empress Sanaki, we will see Ike comes to see you!"
"There is no need for such a thing! If Ike was planning on visiting Begnion, I'm sure he will do." But Janaff and Ulki ignored her and they then transformed and flew at high speed around Serenes and to the only castle it had. "Am I that obvious?"
"You really are." Reyson added. Sanaki just lowered her face when noticing; her crush on Ike was strong enough as for her not to notice she was behaving abnormally in comparison to her usual self. "I suppose it is something beorc and laguz share in common, both behave oddly when in love. So did Naesala when he found out Leanne had laid a couple of eggs."
"I actually can't wait to see it myself. Naesala being a father? Who would have guessed it?" Both Reyson and Sanaki laughed at the idea, but the laughs were over once Vika stopped the royal carriage in front of a tall tree, in front of which Sephiran was waiting.
"Lehran?" Reyson asked upon leaving the carriage. Sanaki just faced away, not knowing how to address Sephiran anymore.
"Reyson, as usual it is a pleasure." Lehran, the black winged heron, spoke out. He then directed his eyes toward Sanaki, whom he knew was glad to see him, only she was too shy as to admit it. "Sanaki." He began, and the Empress of Begnion finally directed her eyes to him. "Welcome." Was everything he said, and Sanaki allowed a soft smile to be drawn on her lips as Lehran helped her down the carriage, and then accepted the warm hug he gave to her.
"I have missed you, Sephiran!" She added happily, and the black winged heron laughed at her. He was now happier than ever, since the world, despite still being forced to war because of beorc and laguz differences, was now Ashunera's favorite diversion. She loved both beorc and laguz, and influenced by her Yune-self, enjoyed it even when they were at war, since that made both cultures more enjoyable to watch. Sanaki was always in the wrong, Sephiran knew it, while Sanaki wanted nothing to do with gods and demanded not to be treated like an Apostle, the reality was Ashunera was there now more than ever, to watch, to protect, and to keep equilibrium between beorc and laguz, and she was keeping a very special watch over the young Empress of Begnion as well as the person she was in love with. "When will you return, Sephiran? I need someone to take Duke Oliver's place."
"But the Duke is very funny." Lehran added. "But please, Sanaki, call me Lehran, my days as Sephiran are now over." But Sanaki refused. For her, even if Lehran was his true name, even if he was as old as a black dragon, Sanaki knew him as Sephiran. "As you wish. At any rate, I'm afraid I can't return to Begnion yet. I'm needed here. With me here, the citizens of Begnion believe the grace of the Apostle and her royal advisor Sephiran, will forever bless these woods. If I were to return to Begnion, your holy influence would leave Serenes with me."
"I'm not an Apostle!" She complained, and Lehran lowered his head for a moment before smiling for Sanaki once again. "Seriously, I was never the Apostle to begin with, why does everyone think they can keep calling me Apostle?"
"Yune believes in you, and to her eyes, you are her Apostle." Lehran added. Sanaki doubted. "You will see. Yune may be gone, but she now lives in Ashunera. Do not deny her church, soon you will be needing her." Sanaki was confused, but Lehran said no more, and instead, he faced the top of a tree, where Naesala was resting, his eyes forever vigilant. He already knew the Empress and her escorts had arrived, but as a husband and soon to be father, he was endlessly vigilant. "Naesala will grow impatient, you should meet him already."
"Climbing is something I'm not good at." Sanaki added, but soon felt Lehran's hands around her waist, and then he jumped toward the top of the branch Naesala was at. Lehran then placed her down carefully, and after her arrived Reyson and Vika. "Naesala?" She added while in the middle of the surprise.
"Invading my nest? How bold of you, Empress Sanaki." He added. Sanaki smiled. Lehran just left the tree and went in search of something to do, he knew Naesala disliked him. "Vika, your services are no longer needed, you may return to Muarim and the little beorc." Vika vowed and then left, Naesala then faced Reyson. "My prince." He added.
"Naesala." Was everything Reyson said. Best friends or not, Reyson was still cold to Naesala for everything he did in the past, but the hostility toward the former Crow King was seriously dying down.
"Naesala!" Leanne then came out from a hole at the tree, where Sanaki found out her nest was. The crow laguz quickly stared at Leanne, he was, as usual, worried about his heron wife. "…Hatching…" Was everything Leanne said. She was still having a hard time learning beorc language, but no more words were needed. Naesala quickly flew his way inside of the hole, and Sanaki and Reyson followed him inside alongside Leanne. "Fast!" She yelled and pushed Reyson inside rudely, the group then found a comfortable looking home, with a nest inside, where Leanne and Naesala slept, and a smaller one, were a couple of eggs were moving.
"Curses, damn brats! Couldn't they wait for a more private moment?" Naesala added in annoyance, and Leanne pulled his wing hard in annoyance for calling their children brats. "This isn't the moment, Leanne, our eggs are hatching." It was the first time Sanaki saw a bird laguz being born. She actually never knew how to react, she just placed a lot of attention to it, and saw how a black beak shattered one of the eggs, and then a few black colored feathers made it outside of the shell, revealing a crow laguz was being born. "A crow! As expected, told you it was going to be a crow." Naesala added proudly, just then the other egg was shattered by another beak, this one was a little greyer, and Leanne, despite being happy, was a little disappointed to know her child were both born crows and not heron, or so she though before white feathers made it out of the second egg.
"Heron!" She yelled happily, and Naesala had to smile. "Girl!" She added, but Naesala defied his wife, he wanted a baby boy, not a girl. The argument continued, and after a while, the hatching was over, revealing a raven boy and a heron girl, both transformed into babies once their hatching as laguz was over. Sanaki was amazed, little were the beorc who had witnessed a laguz birth, if there was any, and this time it was the birth of a heron girl. Now there were five royal herons. "Happy!" Leanne yelled out, and Naesala couldn't help it but laugh at her.
"And now I suppose I'm a father, Tibarn would laugh at me if he happened to see this." Naesala added, and then a strong and almost fake laughter was heard. Tibarn had witnessed it, only Naesala never noticed. Reyson did but remained in silence so Naesala would be embarrassed. "I got this feeling you will never allow me to hear the end of it."
"Of course I won't! Making fun of you, Naesala, is way better than tearing you apart." Tibarn added, and then made a reverence toward Sanaki before approaching the former Crow King and offering his hand to him. "Congratulations, damn crow, Nealuchi would be glad."
"Tell me about it. When that old crow is done with the grapes gathering, and returns to find out the eggs already hatched, he will be awfully teary-like for missing their birth". Tibarn laughed hard, and then he noticed how Sanaki stared at Leanne's babies. For the young Empress, this was a memory that would forever be in her heart.
"Sanaki is enjoying the moment quiet a lot." Tibarn added while staring at Sanaki, the girl was already rubbing the heads of the sleeping newborns. She truly liked babies a lot, which was something which won Tibarn's attention.
"Of course she is, I invited her after all, only these brats decided to hatch before she was gone." Naesala added coldly. Sanaki just directed a cold stare to him before returning her attention at the sleeping babies at Leanne's arms, especially to the heron girl sucking her finger.
"They are beautiful." Sanaki added, Leanne nodded several times while rubbing her chin against her babies. "So this is what it feels like, to be a mother." Sanaki added, Leanne then blushed when feeling what Sanaki was feeling, she then smiled at her. Reyson did as well. "What?"
"Too young!" Leanne mentioned, and Sanaki blushed. "Does Ike know this?" And now even Tibarn and Naesala stared at the young Empress now blushing stronger than ever. "Sanaki?"
"It's nothing!" She yelled out of embarrassment, which woke up Leanne's newborns, who began crying hard like birds instead as common beorc child. "Ah? Oh no, I'm sorry." Sanaki added. Leanne just began singing a galdr and lulling her babies into sleep once again, the beautiful song was the one which was taught to Sanaki ever since she was a ten years old child, a song she couldn't use to wake up Yune, but felt comfortable while hearing it. Soon, Sanaki began singing the galdr of release as well, and the trio of laguz from the different bird tribes smiled at them, and at the way the two newborns returned to their sleep.
Reyson then felt something odd, and directed his eyes toward the entrance of the tree. There was no one there, but Reyson knew he had felt something, a feeling which would place a smile on Sanaki's young lips, and still, it was a feeling he couldn't speak with Sanaki about, since beorc were complicated, and he, as a laguz, shouldn't interfere in their affairs, at least not more than what was needed.
"Empress." He interrupted once the shared song was over, and Sanaki redirected her stare toward the heron prince. "I believe there is someone waiting for you out of the tree." Reyson continued. Sanaki just made her way out of the tree while everyone else enjoyed the view of the once again sleeping newborns.
"Hello?" She asked, but no one replied to her words. Instead, she found an empty branch, strong enough for her to walk on top of it without falling down, and wide enough for her not to need to find any equilibrium while standing on top of it, but still, high enough for her to be careful during her walking. "Why can't birds live closer to the ground?" She asked herself, only there was someone down the tree to hear her.
"Empress?" She blushed upon hearing the voice, and she waved her head several times telling herself it was only her imagination, she would be awfully embarrassed if it were him. "Sanaki, over here!"
"How rude! You shouldn't address me with such familiarity, call me Empress!" She yelled out of annoyance as reaction to hearing her name being spoken out so informally, but she quickly felt her heart skipping a beat when she noticed it was Ike the one she was yelling at, her embarrassment just grew wider. "I-I-Ike? Is that really you?" She wondered, a tear already falling down her golden colored eyes. She couldn't believe it, but she quickly cleaned her tear away. "How dare you address me like that?" She yelled.
"You never change." Ike added. He looked exactly the way he always looked, dirty, buffed, and arrogant, but Sanaki still loved him that way. "You are still a royal brat." He pointed out with a smile on his lips, but Sanaki was awfully pissed off by his words and stepped hard at the branch, which let out a cracking noise, and shortly after, broke and forced Sanaki to fall down the branch. "Sanaki!" Ike yelled, but then everything went dark for the Empress of Begnion.
"Ow, my body hurts." She reacted a couple of seconds later, something had stopped her fall, and that something was Ike, she noticed when she opened her eyes only to find Ike's ones staring back at her. "Eh?" She reacted and tried to push herself away, only she was in a very uncomfortable position, from which she couldn't stand up easily. "I… ah… Ike!"
"You are lighter than I expected." Ike added, Sanaki blinked twice at that last. She was indeed on top of Ike, but she expected him to be rude toward her, call her a brat perhaps, or push her away rudely while saying she was as fat as a lion laguz. Instead, he just smiled; he wasn't even showing her that emotionless stare he was famous for. He was truly smiling, and that only drove Sanaki more embarrassed at him, and when she thought her embarrassment had reached the limit, she noticed an object tied around his neck. It was the Pavise scroll she had presented to him, and that proved to be too much for her, since her whole face went red in embarrassment. "Sanaki?" Ike wondered. It was the first time he had seen her showing such weakness; it was unnatural in the Empress. "Sanaki?" He asked again.
"You have the scroll." Was everything she said while still being embarrassed and unable to take her eyes away from him. "You kept it… even after the war was over… you kept it…" She mentioned, Ike just gave her an odd stare, and not just that, she was still on top of him and not trying to push herself away anymore, it was as if the girl was in a trance.
"It was a present from you, Sanaki, I wouldn't just throw it away." He added calmly. His intention none other but to please the Empress of Begnion with his words. Their relationship had grown over the years, for Ike, Sanaki was someone he cared for, just as Elincia, Micaiah, or even his friends at the Greil Mercenaries. He cared for them all, he never thought about Sanaki or anyone else in a different light than that one, not until that happened at least.
The last thing Ike knew was that Sanaki had pressed her lips against his own. His eyes widened. Sanaki was kissing him! A girl seven years younger than him had just kissed him, although Sanaki didn't seem to have noticed. Her eyes were shot, her lips only softly pressed against his, it was as if she had fallen asleep on top of him and the kiss was an accidental one, and yet, upon opening her eyes, and noticing what she was doing. Sanaki never pulled herself away, but pressed the kiss a little and allowed a couple of tears to fall from her eyes. She then pulled herself away, staring at the surprised Ike, who still couldn't believe what had just happened, while blushing oddly at him and having her eyes half shut as if she was waking up from a great dream. "I finally made it… I finally, gave him a hint… of my true feelings…" Was everything she said before falling asleep, leaving behind a confused Ike, and a group of bird tribe laguz whispering to one another while making fun of him.