Disclaimer: Fire Emblem and all related characters, concepts, and names belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
Characters and Pairings: Eliwood/Ninian, Roy, mentions of Rebecca and Wolt.
Warnings: Epic spoilers for Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword regarding Ninian's identity and secret.
Author's Notes: I do so love me some Dragon Roy. I like the idea of him sporting some decidedly non-human limbs and traits that he can hide later in life but not as a newborn. Fortunately for Eliwood, I don't kill her off until Roy gets a grip on the basics of his heritage. I'd like to thank my friend Double (The-Blue-Double on Tumblr) for proofreading this as I wasn't sure about a few things. Enjoy!

Mother's Legacy

Ninian sighed, putting down her quill and looking at her work. Her handwriting would never be as beautiful as Eliwood's was, but it was presentable. Considering that five years ago, she had had to learn reading and writing almost from scratch, she was just happy it was legible. ...wait, was that... Suppressing the strong urge to scream, she crumpled up the paper and tossed it with the other ones. Every single time, she made some sort of mistake that caused her to have to start over from the beginning. She was so focused on her handwriting and the spelling errors that she had already made, that something else kept slipping in.

She buried her face in her hands, groaning in frustration. She was Lord Eliwood's wife, Marchioness Pherae, and she couldn't even write a simple document. It would be laughable if it weren't so sad. Lowering her hands, she closed her ink pot and set it aside, deciding that trying again when she was worked up would be no use. As she left her desk and looked out the window at the snow-covered city surrounding the castle, she briefly considered looking for Lord Eliwood and asking if he would take her for a ride; however, she knew he was in an important meeting with Biranese representatives, trying to work out a disagreement regarding the mountains that formed the border between Biran and Pherae. Interrupting them would likely influence negotiations badly, especially considering that many nobles, both inside and outside of Lycia, would have preferred a… more noble wife at Marquess Pherae's side.

Well… as improper and questionable as she was, she thought to herself as she turned around to leave the room, she had done one thing right. She had given her lord husband a son; a male heir to carry on his name and blood. There was nothing his peers could use against her that would form a compelling enough reason for him to abandon her, now that she had done her duty as his wife. But more importantly, little Elroy was both their pride and joy. He was only a few months old, but already had the markings of taking after his father, with his crystal blue eyes and the red fuzz on his head.

Their duties forbade them to spend their days raising him, so they had enlisted the help of Dame Rebecca –wife of Sir Lowen and herself an archer in their service- to watch over him and nurse him along with her own son, a few weeks older than Roy. She smiled to herself as she thought of it. Eliwood had insisted on formally naming their son Elroy, in keeping with a family tradition he claimed was as old as Ninian was –something she doubted, considering House Pherae had not existed at the time of the Scouring, but she had not protested- but had relented when Ninian had in turn insisted that they should at least call him Roy in day-to-day situations. Whenever she held the boy, realizing how quickly he was growing already, saw him reach out to grab and snuggle her long hair, and heard him laugh, her insecurities were gone. She might not be a good marchioness or a good peer to Lord Eliwood's fellow nobles, but she could be a good mother.

She was most of the way to the nursery when she was jarred out of her musings by the green-haired archer's voice. "Oh, Lady Ninian!" She looked up, seeing Rebecca rushing towards her. Immediately, concern washed over her. She looked so distraught… surely, nothing had happened to the children?! "It's good you're here- I was just about to come looking for you," she said, turning on her heel and gesturing that Ninian had to follow.

"What's happened?" Ninian asked, following behind her son's wet nurse, now almost panicking. "Are the boys- is Roy alright?"

"I think so," Rebecca replied, "But there's something, ah… you'll know when you see him, milady. It doesn't seem to bother him, but I figured you would know better than I do…" She led her down the hallway and opened the door to the nursery, walking in quietly. Ninian followed, noting how quiet it was- the boys must have been napping. Well, if Rebecca was so concerned about waking them up, then they couldn't be hurt…

She followed Rebecca to Roy's crib, looking at her son- and immediately seeing what had scared the poor girl so much. Roy was slumbering peacefully, on his back with one thumb in his mouth and his head slightly turned to the side. Rebecca had covered him so he would be warm, but what he was nuzzling to himself and peeked out from the blanket was definitely not what she had expected. "How long has he been like this?" she asked.

"I don't know," Rebecca whispered. "He didn't have it last night, but I saw it on him this morning… like I said, it doesn't seem to bother him- he fed and played normally, he didn't cry any more than usual even when Wolt accidentally crawled over it." She shook her head. "He was holding it like that this morning, too. I… thought you might know what to do, considering your, um…"

"Parentage?" Ninian finished for her, smiling reassuringly when Rebecca reddened and stammered apologies. "Don't worry, you were right. This is normal for… someone like him." Rebecca noticed the pause, but didn't protest. "It's harmless. He might hit Wolt with it at most, but even then, it should be soft enough that it shouldn't hurt much." She sighed. "Just… make sure no one who doesn't know sees it for now. I have to talk to Lord Eliwood about this and what to do about it…"

"I can tell people he has a cold," Rebecca suggested, "and you don't want him exposed to anything that could make it worse. That might work, what with winter around the corner…"

"We don't get colds," Ninian muttered before she realized it, "but the people of Lycia don't know about that… I think that will do." She turned back towards the door. "I'll speak with Lord Eliwood at the first opportunity I get. Let's let them sleep for now… I have work to get back to, as well."

The opportunity came a lot sooner than she had anticipated; when she returned to Eliwood's study, he was inside, looking rummaging the papers on her desk and looking up when she knocked on the open door. "Lord Eliwood?" she asked, "Shouldn't you be with the Biranese representatives?"

"Strictly speaking, yes," he said, smiling broadly and putting his arms around her. "But we've been at it for so long my head is spinning and I'm getting tired, so I called for a break in the negotiations."

"You can do that?" she said, surprised. He'd never done that before.

Eliwood grinned deviously. "I can if I cite health-related reasons for needing rest." She laughed, giving a little shove to his arm.

"Lord Eliwood!" she said, mockingly indignant. "Since when do you spurn your duty?" But she laughed, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He did need to rest every once in a while. "Well, I would dance for you, but this dress is a little too restrictive for it."

He smiled, taking her hand and kissing it. "That's alright. I suspect you have other ways to share your power, anyway…" With that, he dipped his head to capture her lips with his, to her surprise.

She laughed when they separated, pushing him away. "That is not how my power works!"

"Then why are your voice, your touch, and your kiss always so refreshing?" he teased, not letting her shove discourage him and embracing her tightly, running a hand through her hair and nuzzling her head. "Ahh, Ninian, you will always be my strength." She couldn't suppress a giggle. He was such a hopeless romantic. She liked that about him, but at the same time, she was glad to hear Marcus coughing at the door.

They turned to see the aging knight, and Eliwood nodded his permission for him to speak. "With respect, Lord Eliwood, the representatives wish to continue soon. It would be wise for you to return to the conference hall."

Eliwood sighed, shaking his head. "Looks like my respite has run out."

"And mine with it," Ninian said, patting his arm in a comforting gesture. "I have work to get back to, as well." He took off, escorted back to his meeting by Marcus, and Ninian took a new sheet of paper to attempt to finally get that document copied. With so little time to talk, and being caught off-guard by her lord husband's affection, she hadn't seen a chance to bring up Roy. It'd have to wait until later that night, seeing as it wasn't something they could discuss within earshot of the servants.

As she waited for Eliwood to come to bed that night, she gathered the rings Nils had collected over the course of the conflict between Eliwood and Nergal- some of which she hadn't even been alive for. All of them were forged with mystical power, and not the least of them was her mother's heirloom, Ninis' Grace. She enjoyed looking at them and polishing them when she had a quiet moment. Just as she placed Ninis' Grace down among the others on their bed, Eliwood walked in. "Oh, Ninian. Still up?"

"Yes," she said, folding her legs beneath her and leaning against him as he sat down next to her. "There is something we need to talk about." He put an arm around her and kissed her temple, but didn't interrupt her. "Have you seen Roy at all today?"

"Urgh, no, I haven't." He rubbed his forehead. "Biranese despots kept me occupied all day. At least we've got a global idea of what we want now." He looked back down at her. "Why? He's not ill, is he?"

"Oh, no," she said, smiling, "It should actually be quite harmless. He's grown a tail over the course of last night."

"I suppose that happens at his age-" Eliwood had almost finished his sentence when the realization dawned on him. "Wait, Roy has done what now?"

"Grown a tail." Ninian said it matter-of-factly as she put the rings away, but shook her head. "I had hoped he wouldn't. He looks so much like a younger version of you, I had hoped he wouldn't share any of my draconic traits."

"I… see." He didn't let go of her, even as he sighed. "Did you say it should be harmless?"

"Yes," she assured him. "Having the tail in and of itself poses no threat to him, and he doesn't seem to be bothered by it, either." She recalled how the boy had pulled it to his front between his legs and nuzzled it against his face as he slept. That was normal behaviour- she had done the same with her own when she had been a hatchling, although her draconic form had made it a lot easier than his human body did.

"He's not freaked out by it?"

"Rebecca says he recognizes it as part of his body."

"That's good," Eliwood said, relief obvious in his voice. Ninian studied his face, feeling immensely sorry for him. This had to be so confusing for him. Of course, he had known what he was getting into when he had married her, but he couldn't have planned for this. "So at least he won't hurt himself trying to chase it away." He shook his head. "I want to see it for myself tomorrow," he said. "I'll tell Marcus to let the representatives know I have personal obligations before our meeting."

She nodded, kissing him. Something would have to be done –Roy couldn't go about the castle in a country filled with dracophobic humans while dragging a tail behind him- but she couldn't decide until she had seen him awake and observed how he dealt with it for herself. "So…" Eliwood pulled her closer to him, the tone of his voice becoming more playful. "If Roy grew a tail because he's a dragon like you… does that mean you have one too?" She only gave him a meaningful look with one eyebrow raised, and he nipped at her neck. "Can I see it? I'm curious now."

"No," she said, leaning into him more. "I couldn't even turn into that form if I wanted to, and I would have to in order to show it to you." She'd given up much of her old life when she'd decided to stay with him. And she wouldn't have it any other way, even if her human body was much less familiar and comfortable.

"Don't be so serious," he said, and she felt his smile in her neck more than she saw it. "Come here, Nini." He pulled her closer, but Ninian tried to hold him off.

It was no use, and within seconds he'd pulled her onto her back and was upon her, fingers seeking out sensitive spots on her body to tickle her into submission. Ninian squirmed, fighting him with everything she had- but it wasn't much, compared to the knight. "Eliwood!" she cried between laughs, "Stop! I can't- can't breathe!"

"So much for the mighty dragonkin," he said, laughing, but he interrupted himself with an 'oomph' when she got an arm free and smacked him in the face harder than she had meant to in an attempt to push him off of her.

"Bad husband!" she said, still smiling even as she desperately struggled to catch her breath. "Down!" She held him at an arm's length, and much to her relief he did as she said and let her recover from his assault on her skin.

"I bet you're wishing you had that tail now," he teased, grinning, and she shot him a glare.

"The extra limb would have been useful to smack you with right now, yes." Taking a deep breath, she calmed down. In a way, she liked his playful side. He could only really show it when they were alone, as he was otherwise too concerned for his image as the ruler of a large Lycian territory. It meant he was completely at ease with her, and that meant she could provide him much-needed relief from his stressful and demanding responsibilities. But he was so much stronger than her, and sometimes it seemed he didn't know when to stop. "I swear, sometimes I feel I have two children."

"Well, you -are- old enough to be my mother a few hundred times over."

"Eliwood! Stop saying things like that," she protested, even as he pulled her closer towards him again, "What if someone were to hear you- hmmmm…" He covered her lips with his own, making it impossible to continue her protests, and she gave up, relaxing into his arms. For all his flaws, he was so, so sweet. He had managed to convince her, years ago, that he genuinely did not care one whit that she was of draconic blood. If ever there was a noble human male who would not be upset by his son having a tail, she thought, it would be him.

That thought was confirmed the next morning, when before they even had breakfast, she led Eliwood to the nursery and he picked up their already-awake son. "Well I'll be," he said. "He really does have a tail." He did- and he had some control over it. As his father held him up to eye height so he could see him better, the appendage didn't hang down limply; instead, the boy had lifted it and it wagged faintly as he laughed. It was almost as long as he was and as thick as Ninian's arm, a small bundle of muscles covered in blueish green scales and a yellowish green furry frill. "Well, at least it doesn't bother him, but it will bother his peers," Eliwood mused as he set the boy back down into his playpen, where Wolt immediately crawled over to him.

Eliwood turned to Ninian. "Is there anything we can do about it?"

She hesitated, finally shaking her head. "Not really… all we can do is have it removed." Eliwood studied her face, and she frowned. "But that's supposed to be an incredibly painful process, and there's a chance he will miss it later." She sighed, shaking her head. "Still… it's the only way we can immediately hide it from other nobles."

"I will not mutilate my son because my peers can't deal with someone different in their midst," Eliwood said. His voice was hard enough that one thing was obvious- he would not tolerate any arguing on this point. Ninian looked at him in surprise. Even as understanding and kind as he was, she had not expected him to feel this strongly about the matter. It was as if he didn't think twice about his son being completely different from him, he had just wordlessly accepted it without so much as a second thought. "Is there really nothing else that can be done?"

She smiled, relieved. "There actually is… but it will take time." She looked at the boys playing, Wolt trying to grab Roy's tail (presumably to investigate it since he had no idea what it was) and Roy laughing as he kept swishing it just out of his milk-brother's reach. "If my own experience is anything to go by, then he's just growing into his draconic power. He's so young he doesn't know how to control it either consciously or subconsciously, which is why his tail shows. He simply has too much power for his small body to contain otherwise."

"So what do we do about that?"

"There's nothing we can do- he has to do it himself." Ninian touched the pendant she wore, grabbing hold of it to show it to Eliwood. "Do you know about Dragonstones?" When he didn't answer right away, she unclasped the pendant and gave it to him. He studied the aquamarine, which shimmered with Ninian's own power. "Their name is kind of misleading. They're not really stones- they're crystallized power. OUR crystallized power."

"So basically," he said, putting the pieces together, "Any surplus of power that would result in things like your tail showing, you put into your Dragonstone?"

"Exactly," Ninian said, glad he understood. "There were those dragons that were against the creation and use of them, but that's an entirely different debate for an entirely different time…" she paused as Eliwood returned hers to her and she put it around her neck again. "Regardless, that's why every dragon who assumes a human-like form has one, why we need them to transform, and why we get a little jumpy and uncomfortable if we don't know where it is." She turned back to the children. "So all Roy has to do is form a Dragonstone, and his tail will vanish on its own." Of course, that would bind him to always having to carry it on him or at least have it nearby, but that was better than openly showing his heritage.

"Does he have to do that on his own?" Eliwood asked. "How long will that take?"

"That, I don't know." She sighed. "Nils and I were well over a year old when we wanted to assume human forms like our mother did. It didn't take us longer than a few hours to form our Dragonstones once we figured out how to do it, but we had Mother to help us… and a lot less pressure, since the world around us was still… well…"

"Can you help him, then?" he asked, putting his hand over hers. "I.. really don't want to pressure him and ideally he wouldn't even have to hide what he is, but Lycia is simply not ready for it. The sooner he learns to hide it, the better… we can't hide him until he's that old. People will notice."

"I can try," Ninian said, pondering if her help would be any use. Roy was so young. Would he even understand anything she told him? This was happening far too early, she thought, but she held back her exasperated sigh. Eliwood knew less of this than Roy would in the long run, and relied on her for his information and understanding of the situation. She didn't want to worry him more than necessary with her concerns.

If he saw the turmoil on her face, he hid it well, smiling and kissing her cheek. "Thank you, my love. Now, I'm sorry, but I really must go." She nodded, watching him leave the nursery, and turned back to her son, an idea forming in her mind as she played with the pendant around her neck. Maybe…

It was only a few days later that Eliwood walked through the halls of his castle, papers in hand, when his attention was drawn by his wife's voice. "Eliwood!" she called, hurrying towards him with their son in her arms. He was momentarily alarmed, looking behind him to make sure there was no one with them who could see Roy's tail. As he looked at her again, though, he saw the pride and excitement on her face. "I think I've done it! Look!" He put the papers on the floor so he could take their son from her, immediately realizing what she meant.

"It's gone," he said, voice a little uncomfortably loud because he had to talk over Roy's cooing. "How did you do that so quickly? Do you have his stone with you?"

"No," he said, shaking her head, and pointed at Roy's arm. At a second glance, Eliwood realized that the boy had a small cloth band wrapped around his arm, the aquamarine that had been around Ninian's neck sown into it. "He's too young to make his own," she explained, "So I just… used my own to suppress it. He can use it until he has his own."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, handing Roy back to his mother and putting his arms around them both. "Won't it cause trouble for you?"

"Not at all," she said, still smiling. "My power is gone. I only still have the stone out of habit and sentimentality. Besides, he's always close by…" She bent down to kiss him on the forehead. "…so I'm not worried about losing it."

Roy obviously had no idea what had his parents so excited above him or what the meaning was of the cold, soothing stone pressed against his bicep, and he wouldn't understand until over a year later, when he finally formed his own Dragonstone. What he did know was that it felt nice, like mama was with him even when she really wasn't. So honestly? He was more than fine with this development.