The irony of Fenrir and its associated tales was laughable.
The myths were intended to represent that of expectation; something those involved in the incident of Loki's pup seemed to lack knowledge of. The adolescent who came across these thoughts idly flipt past the tattered pages of a novel he knew far to well beneath the oak.
"The wolf was tamed, threatened to be maimed, once the truth came; he set others to great pain. Once chained down, the river was famed. He bore his fangs...and caused a claret stain."
It was an extra segment the author had shoved into his rendition in a fairly pathetic attempt to "Identify" from the others. An attempt to show his originality no doubt; yet the few who took notice to this poem used it as a source of ridicule towards the writer.
The boy had harshly tossed the book aside; tearing it more so as it made contact with a crisp patch of soil. He pondered on those previous thoughts for a moment. He chuckled; with the pungent aroma of doubt passing with his quiet laugh. Fair enough. The boy wouldn't long on the impossible. It was a positive factor, right? Just another shadow of a figure. A passerby who strives for the epitome of their skills holds no more relevance than those aforementioned shadows. Destined for failure. Failure only caused by longing.
"That is the result of ambition." His lips tilted upwards into that of a satirical grin.
"Right Eirika?" His grin was short-lived thereafter, seeing as the smirk soon turned into a grimace of pain as an object hastily made contact with his side. "Wha-!" As if to give a simple response to the boy's knee-jerk reaction, the world felt as if to reveal the perpetrator of the newfound stinging upon his shoulder. The oak. But a branch of the oak.
"Ephraim...if you t'were ask that question with a straight face and mindset...what do you believe you would receive in a response?" The teenager chuckled at the reply he had earned.
"If a stick to my arm was in punishment to jesting? I wouldn't be surprised if you threw me off of it Eirika." He didn't bother to peer back at the figure he was conversing with. He had known purley by repetition, she had smiled.
1
"Off of that? The fall would be longer than that of Renais." The girl felt a tinge of guilt after that remark. Only which was added to once he grimaced. She needn't gaze down from her perch on the oak however. She had already known.
"Eirika?"
"Yes?"
"If I were to fall for a day; The same time span our land fell in...who would catch me?"
Harsh breath was felt upon Ephraim's neck; luring him at last to avert his attention towards the other figure, still positioned atop the branches.
"Eirika, you've been a ray of hope 'till this point...so may I ask-" The hot, rough air proceeded it's attempts to wrap itself around his spine. "Ahem, may I inquire...why you scoff at such a proposition?"
"I don't scoff at noble men."
"So what was-"
"I scoff at fools."
Dark caverns seemed to be of a commodity in current state of many's situations.
The jagged exterior of the previously mentioned landscape complemented itself with that of nothingness; a dark void in which only embers could offer combatance. And so it did. The shadows stood no chance, seemingly not even given time to prepare itself.
As if to charge forward with a glowering gaze, light shown throughout; the inferno spreading from a seemingly calming yellow in comparison to the frightening blue.
Color was treated as if an insolent child. In their eyes, it was a miracle of the heavens as the fierce flame made an attempt to lick itself at the tip of a cleuren calic; atop Ephraim's head.
"Excuse me m'lady Eirika. Did this fool start a bonfire?" He positioned himself aptly, joining the young women beside himself. The remark was countered by the rarely visible distaste
shown upon Eirika's expression. He merely grinned at the women's reaction; idly waiting as if fisherman, rod, and bait at once. Would the trout clench on?
"Ephraim, although I am grateful for the dim lighting you offered...you've no right."
An index finger prodded at it's lightly plated target with haste, offering a quaint chuckle from the one who bore the iron plating. She once again gestured to the breastplate Ephraim wore, shades of metal blended throughout met in the center of the aforementioned armor; as did remembrance, as did a Griffon. "From my knowledge on the situation, I assume you hold awareness to what this sigil represents." She grimaced in what could either be anticipation for an answer, or the seemingly creeping pain of the fire's blistering heat.
"Yes, I'm certain of its meaning. How does this correlate with the question at hand?"
"The Griffon we refer to; the creature of myth which stands for what was formerly known as Renais, was painstakingly sewn within each of the Knights of Renais' armor." She stated in a serious tone.
"And yet I am no servant to the house, Queen." He spat the final word with great intensity, removing the opposing royals palm from his own. "Though-" He paused; contemplating his words which were to follow. "I believe i'll still listen."
"You believe such a baseless statement?" Formerly invested in such a conversation, flashes of doubt skimmed through Ephraim's mind; his interest declining as if in association with the diminishing fire.
"Indeed. Though all advances in life have come to fruition by that of mere theories; correct?" Eirika turned not only a mental, but a physical one-eighty from her original position. "Lyon may hold our answer. In verbal form at the very least." She bent over, before tossing an assemblage of luggage in the general direction of her companion.
"Fine; credit is admittedly due. Your way with words your majesty…" Ephraim nervously rubbed at the nape of his neck, paying no mind to the bounds of supplies being launched mere inches from his head. "Though I must inquire...in what feasible situation would we be offered an audience?" Eirika conceived a slim grin of sorts at the question.
"Offered? Ephraim, you of all people should know the solution."
"Tsk-tsk. I've ought to wonder now…where's a lance when you need it?" Ephraim reached forward, grasping at the air as if to mock gripping his previously mentioned spear.
"Not by virtue of action…or combat..." Eirika scolded. "But through conversation. Come."
"The Espire Villa will be our first stop." Eirika noted, handing a scroll of parchment to her companion.
"Great. I'm near overflowing with the anticipation of immediately entering their territory." Ephraim left his comment hanging in the dry air; essentially a verbal eyeroll...only to be jabbed in the ribs by his superior, as she began in a satirical tone.
"Yes, oh i'd so cherish the thought of heading directly to Grado Keep, but I do believe we are lacking supplies. It's not like there was communication of this prior!" Eirika smirked, waiting.
"Understood. Southwest to Espire it is. Six miles."
"It is of utmost importance we pay mind to the location of Grado's post's, in the event we approach them at an adjacent position." Ephraim lept from a short patch of stones as he spoke, offering his companion a hand as she went down them herself; passing out the cavern once more.
"I-...Ephraim, dare you even think of engaging soldiers of Grado in a direct conflict-"
"Ah, yes. You've mentioned this before Milady Eirika."