And so it begins...

I wonder if I'll actually be able to muster the willpower to finish this, or if I'll just cut it off at the end of Lyn's tale. Either way, a very important note:

THE SALEH IN THE STORY IS NOT THE ONE IN FE8!! THE NAME IS THE ONLY THING THE SAME!!

Anyways, this is my first attempt at a long-term fic, so sorry if updates are infrequent.
-SalehOnasi

I don't own Fire Emblem.
--

Prologue: A Girl from the Plains

There were many things in life that sucked.

Having people trying to kill you, that sucked.

So did rolling in the mud. Well, unless you were into that sort of thing.

Losing your sword- that sucked too.

'In summary,' Saleh thought dryly, 'this really, really sucks.'

The sound of the brigands pushing the tall Sacaen grass aside was getting closer and closer to the patch of tall grass he had flattened himself in. He didn't dare look up, but he knew that the archer was probably still there too.

It was an odd job for a mercenary, really. But, the Marquess of Araphan had offered a large sum for his precious painting, and so Saleh had agreed to retrieve it from the bandits who had hijacked the wagon carrying it.

'Course, he probably should've kept a firmer grip on his blade while fighting.

He had taken down two, but soon found that there were several more that were rather annoyed at his- well, stabbing of their friends.

So here he was, flat in mud from last nights rain, nothing but his knife to defend himself with, and three fairly well coordinated bandits, one with a bow, intent on disemboweling him.

His thoughts of self-pity were disturbed as the grass in front of him parted, and one of the brigands stepped through. They both froze, and then, with a snarl, the axe-wielder raised his weapon and hacked downward. Saleh, snapping out of his surprise, rolled to the side, the iron weapon making a squelching noise as it buried itself in the ground. Seeing his chance, Saleh leapt up as the brigand tugged his weapon out, and buried his hunting knife into the brute's chest.

An arrow whirred past his head, and he turned to see the archer pulling another arrow out of his shaft, and the second brigand bearing in with weapon raised. 'No element of surprise. I should've learned how to throw knives.' As he dropped into a combat position, he noted a blur of green by the archer, and saw a figure slash with a sword. The archer dropped his shaft and sunk to the ground. Saleh blinked and squinted, trying to make out the new arrival.

Then the closing brigand's hand axe smashed into his head, and darkness took over.

--

'Pain. Pain. Pain.'

There wasn't much variety in Saleh's thoughts as he returned to consciousness. Groggily, he opened one eye. The first thing he noticed was that his green cloak was gone. The second thing he noticed was his clothing, newly washed, drying by… a hearth? He was inside. He began to prop himself up with his arm, and he noticed a third thing. Namely, that his right arm really hurt.

He collapsed back onto the bed, flinching. 'Okay, let's look around without getting up.' Tilting his head forward, he checked his surroundings. He appeared to be in a small, one room hut, simply furnished. There was a table, cupboard, the hearth he had noticed, and the bed he was currently reclining in.

"Are you awake?"

Saleh whipped his head around, seeking the source of the voice. A bad idea. His vision blurred for a few seconds, then slowly refocused on the girl standing by the entryway of the hut.

"I am Lyn, of the Lorca tribe. Who are you?"

He looked the girl-Lyn, apparently- over. She was young, and looked to be close to his age, though a perhaps a year or two younger. Sixteen, seventeen maybe? She was of slim build, and had long, tied-back green hair. She was wearing a blue dress, the kind Saleh had seen in some of the other tribes he had passed by. Not bad on the eyes, he supposed.

"Can you remember your name?" She looked concerned.

"Hnnng." His dry throat refused to cooperate.

"Hyung?"

"...Saleh."

"Saleh? What an odd sounding name…but pay me no mind. It is a good name. I see by your attire you are a traveler," She said, motioning to his drying clothes. "What brings you to Sacae? Would you share your story with me?"

Saleh shuffled to a more comfortable position in the bed, facing Lyn. "I'm a…soldier of fortune, if you will. The nearby Marquess of Araphan hired me to get something back for him, and, well, I got sloppy. I take it you took out the brigand attacking me, then?"

"Yes, though he had already thrown his axe, so it wasn't very hard. You got lucky- it was the haft that hit your head, not the blade. Are you feeling better?"

Saleh frowned. "My arm hurts. Why?"

Lyn winced. "Well… take a look."

Saleh pulled out his arm from under the woven blanket. It was in a splint, and hung loosely. Even holding it up hurt. He turned back to Lyn. "Say… are a follower of Saint Elimine?"

"No, why?" She asked, sounding puzzled.

"Oh good."

After he had finished swearing, Saleh took a breath and said, "I take it the axe clipped me?"

Lyn began to nod, then stopped and frowned, and intent look on her face. Saleh, straining his ears, thought he could make out raucous laughter.

"I'll go see what's happening. Wait here for me," Lyn said, motioning as Saleh began to rise. She disappeared out the doorway, her dress flapping behind her.

Saleh fell back into the bed, brushing his dark bangs out of his eyes. He sighed. There wasn't much work for a crippled mercenary. Maybe I should just take a nap…

Suddenly Lyn rushed back in, panting slightly. "Bandits! They must have come down from the Bern mountains to raid the local villages. I have to stop them!" She straightened up, then walked over to the table, where Saleh now noticed his knife lying next to a long, slightly curved saber. "I only saw two… If that's all of them, I think I can handle them on my own. You'll be safe in here."

"Wait- Pass me my knife."

"You want to help?"

"Well… not really. But, if they come in here, I kinda sorta die."

"Oh… well, can you use a weapon?"

Saleh held up his arm.

"Right…"

"I've still seen a lot of combat, and I can advise you."

"So, a tactician? An odd role, but very well." Lyn stood up and lightly ran out the door, grabbing a satchel hanging on a hook. Saleh straightened, retrieved his shirt from the fireplace, then flung his cloak on. Grabbing his knife, he started out after Lyn.

"Over here!" Lyn waved him over, and he ran in her direction through the grass.

The first bandit seemed to be preoccupied with something as peered through the grass.

"Well, this should be easy. Nail 'im from behind."

Lyn nodded, and quietly stole up behind the brigand's back. Then, with a cry, she plunged her sword through the bandits back. Saleh winced, then hissed as the axeman, with a roar of rage, gave a wild swing that clipped Lyn's shoulder before sinking to the ground, dead.

Saleh got up and jogged over to Lyn. "You okay?"

She grimaced. "I will be. Could you get a vulnerary out of my pack?" Saleh pulled one out and passed it to her. "Thanks." She poured the healing solution over the cut, and waited as the mysterious poultice did its work. Once the wound had disappeared, she straightened and turned toward another hut in the distance. "There's another one over by that Ger to the west."

"The what?"

"You don't know what a Ger is? It's what I live in, the round huts. They're common here is Sacae."

"Right, sorry. Anyways, let's start over."

A voice boomed out from the west, "YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE BATTA THE BEAST? COME OVER HERE AND TRY ME!"

"Okay, we'll be needing a different strategy here. Uhhh, we don't know how strong this one is, so play defensively until he makes a mistake. Use your speed and the weapons triangle to put on pressure if he doesn't."

"Right." Lyn took off at a graceful lope, sword drawn, with Saleh following as fast as he could without making his head spin.

As Lyn arrived, Batta made his move. With a howl, he slashed sideways with his weapon, Lyn barely dodging. She moved in under his guard, but the bandit backpedaled, bringing his axe around to bear before rushing in again. As Saleh arrived, he saw Lyn duck under another strike, but then stagger back as Batta slammed forearm into her stomach. Gasping, she came up in a ready position, standing her ground.

"Lyn, careful!"

"I know… Saleh, if this doesn't go well, get back to my Ger. My horse is tethered in the back, ride for Bulgar, you should be safe there."

"Very well." 'I was kinda planning on that anyways.'

"Har har! How cute! Come on, girly, come fight so your boyfriend can get away." The bandit threw back his head and laughed- but his amusement was replaced by worry, then fear, as Lyn crouched, and suddenly seemed to split into three. Two images whipped by the brigand, then with a flash, Lyn appeared, standing in front of Batta, her sword buried to the hilt in his chest. "He's not my boyfriend." Saleh heard her hiss into Batta's ear before she pulled the blade from his lifeless body.

'Your loss.' Saleh felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Come on, Saleh. We should take a rest. We can continue talking in the morning.

"Coming." Saleh turned, then stopped, peering at the body of the first bandit. 'Say…' Walking over, he turned the body over with his foot, revealing the rest of the blade he had been examining when Lyn had killed him.

'Hello.' Picking up his lost sword, he turned and followed Lyn as she called him towards the Ger.

--

And there it is. The prologue.

Reviews appreciated, flames as well to a degree. It tells me I'm doing something wrong.
-SalehOnasi