Lena and Julian were the first real Fire Emblem couple I really liked and my very first OTP too I guess, so I wrote this 3-part story awhile back. Now though I've revised it and will be posting it on here for your enjoyment!

Note: *I took a lot of liberties with Julian's background, since it's not made very clear where he comes from*

Also, I don't own Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon...otherwise Camus would be playable and marry Nyna (like he totally should have!)

"Who was that man you were talking to on the battlefield today?" Julian asked Lena.

They were sitting off by themselves at Prince Marth's camp. Night had fallen and most were preparing to get a good night's rest. Lena, as a cleric, had been busying healing the injured and only just bow finished her dinner. Julian stayed, as always, by her side. He had earlier rescued Lena and had fallen in love with her, though he'd yet to tell her so. She made her give up his ways if thievery for good, he now helped the Altean Prince and his quest to save the continent of Archanea.

"That man on the battlefield?" Lena asked in response, "oh Julian!" She then giggled, "are you jealous?"

"No way! I just don't want you getting into any trouble, honey." He replied suavely, "Now would you care to tell me who he was...?"

"He was my brother, Matthis. I convinced him to join us. Though really he never wanted to fight for Macedon, but if he didn't...they would've killed him."

"Ah, I see." Julian said, "Didja tell him about how i rescued you and...Ya know, us?"

"No... I-I thought it would be better if I didn't." Lena replied hesitantly.

"Why?" Julian asked, "you're very important to me Lena... I-... Er... I uh... Want you to be happy and- er- your brother should know. Uh-"

"Julian." Lena interrupted gravely,

"he told me to beware of thieves who would steal a girl's heart. Not everyone sees you the way...I do. And er- Marth and Caeda and the rest do. So I don't think Mathis would understand...just yet."

"Can't we both just tell him?" Julian said, "I'm sure if we both go, he'll understand."

"Well... We could try..." Lena said. Suddenly Lena heard call her name. Quickly, without a single thought she shot up and asked, "Does someone need my help?" "Yes Lena-" Marth said, quickly running by, "I believe it was Norne. She was hit by an enemy Paladin and needs healing." "I'll come right away." Lena, "Our matter will have to wait Julian." Lena then followed Marth into Norne's tent and Julian was left alone.

He didn't really know Norne but he hoped she would be okay. But why worry? She was being taken care of by the best of the best, Lena, his true love, his perfect angel. But they were so opposite each other, it almost didn't make sense, but their love was true.

Just then Julian noticed another figure step out from the night's shadows. He resembled Lena and Julian assumed this must be Matthis. "What were you doing with my little sister?" He asked. "nothing you'd be ashamed of!" Julian said, "We were just talking. We are good friends after all. You must be Matthis, she told me abo-"

"Never mind that." He said, "Stay away from my sister." "But-" Julian said but Mathis interrupted again.

"Lena is a respectable girl, she doesn't need to be wooed and courted by a lowly Soothsire. Prince Marth may think you have changed but I don't. I know your kind isn't right for my sister, she deserves better. So stay away. I hope I made myself clear." And with that Mathis left.

His remarks hardly left Julian surprised. he was used to it after all. That was he had heard throughout his life, "thief" "scoundrel" "low-life" "worthless" and so on. But then he met Lena, and everything had changed. Yes, sweet gentle Lena, who called him "good" "brave" "courageous" "valiant" and even, "hero" she told him once, "I like Julian the hero, a lot better than Julian the thief."

However, he found those words still hard to believe. All he had ever been in his life was a lowly thief, with no home or family, stealing because he could not afford. They just didn't understand. They couldn't understand, unless they to had to grow with nothing, not a penny to your name, not even a family. He was trying to change, trying to be the hero Lena needed. But it always brought up painfully memories from his past:

When Julian was a young boy he lived a poor rundown orphanage. No his parents weren't dead, they just didn't want him. They were renown thieves who realized, a child just got in their way. They had abandoned him at the orphanage doorstep one day and he's been living there ever since.

the young Julian had a roof over his head a steady source of food but it was hardly acceptable living. The workers hardly cared for him. He had a few friends but they all were adopted out not long he met them. Why not him?

Wasn't there a family out there that would love him too?

All of his friends would spend their days in the comfort of a loving family. they could sit in front of a Warm fireplace and listen to their grandfather tell stories. They could watch as their father left to work and then help their mother clean house. They had brothers and sisters to play with.

But not Julian; he was alone.

He had no warm fireplace, no cozy home, no mother, no father, no siblings, He had been told his parents died but once he got older it was decided he should know the truth. At one point Julian thought, if his own parents didn't want him, why would anyone else?

Year after year Julian had to watch all of friends go to live with a nice, happy families while he wasted away in that rotting old orphanage. Was it something wrong with him? What would it take for a family to want to take him home? When he was 8 years old he couldn't take the loneliness ans helplessness any longer and so in the middle of the night he ran away. He didn't know where he was going but anywhere was better than there.

He could remember that night that he was running. The Archanean rain was beating down hard and fast, but for the most part Julian could ignore it. The moon was only half full but little light it did provide helped guide him toward the quiet, sleeping town. When his little legs could no longer carry him he had to crawl up in a backstreet ally and try to sleep as the rain continued to pore down upon him. And he cried, he couldn't stop crying. Why didn't anyone care?

Why couldn't he get adopted?

Why did his parents give him up? It was truly a pitiful sight.

That next morning he woke up to the sounds of a bustling city. He peeked around the corner to see many shops filled the street selling everything from jewelry to meat. There was lots of food to be seen and the sweet smells of freshly baked goods found their way to Julian's nose.

And in truth, Julian was hungry. He had not eaten dinner last night, he was too busy running. Maybe he could go and buy some of it, but them he remembered; he had no money. The orphanage always supplied him with a good breakfast, but he couldn't go back. He just couldn't. What family would want to adopt a run away child? He sighed a stared straight ahead at a cart full of bright, shiny, red apples, the best Julian had ever seen. He wanted one, but he couldn't buy one. He definitely wasn't going to beg for one, beggars were often looked down upon and no one wanted to help them. "I bet if I just take one no one will notice..." He decided upon. He crept up to the stand while the owner had his back turned. Carefully and quietly he pulled an apple from atop the cart, but that was the very moment the owner turned back around. "What are you doing?" He asked, "You must pay for that!" Julian didn't expect to get caught so he froze, he clearly was afraid. He had never stole in thing in his life, surely this man would punish him! Not knowing what to do, he just ran, and kept right on running. He ran until he was sure the store owner stopped chasing him.

He breathed heavily as he finally stopped in an alleyway, he had made it. He looked down at the apple within his hands. He felt terrible and guilty, but what could he do? He needed to eat and this was the only way. He then took a bite of the apple, which to his delight, was the most delicious he had ever tasted. He sank down onto the cold ground beneath him.

This was how it would have to be from now on; Julian against the world. He was 8 years old and fending for himself. He took another bite of the apple and the taste was even better than before. Just then he noticed an older boy come up with a few others behind him.

"Nicely done." He commented, "you didn't even get caught..." "W-who... Who are you?!" Julian asked, taken aback. "Relax, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to offer you a job...of sorts."

"What do you mean...?" Julian asked.

"Well I come from a band of... 'Misfits' you might say by the name of Soothsires, or at least that's what people call us. And we're all just like you. Orphans with no families, no one wants us and so we fend for ourselves! "

"and... You want me to join you?" Julian asked curiously.

"Yes!" The older boy said, "it's like a... Family... Ya know."

Family!.. Just what Julian had always wanted! "Yes!" He quickly answered, "I will join you!"

"Great, come back with me." The boy said with a smirk, "What's your name?"

"Julian!" He proudly replied. "Ah, Welcome to the club Julian!" He said, "I'm sure my boss Navarre will be more than happy to let you join. 'Finally!' Julian thought, 'Somewhere where I can belong. I won't want to sleep on the street or die of hunger.' And that was the day he unknowingly joined the Soothsires, Archanea's most feared band of thieves.

Ever since that day he never had been satisfied with his occupation. He didn't like taking what rightfully belonged to others, even if he himself had so little. Nor was joining the Soothsires all that glamorous. They were a band of ruffians, delinquents, things Julian wasn't. The type of people he didn't want to be. But he saw no way out of it now.

He ended up getting promoted, he was in charge of looking after some of the younger members and ordering them around. One in particular, Rickard, looked up to Julian like a older brother but really he often got on Julian's nerves. More importantly, Julian didn't want Rickard to end up like he did. Still, this was the closest thing Julian had ever had to a normal family life.

One experience in particular was memorable for him. He was told one night to rob a wealthy couple's house. The wife's husband was out of town for the night and wouldn't be back 'til morning and Navarre knew it would be the perfect time and order Julian to take all her valuables. He didn't want to hurt the poor woman that way but he did as he was told. For if anyone disobeyed orders, it usually meant death.

He picked the lock on her window, which even though he was still young, was easy. Then quietly crawled into her room. It was equisiate! She was indeed very wealthy and even the tony details of the room reflected her status. He noticed right away her gaudy jewelry box and silently headed there first. He opened it to find many valuable gold items. He opened up his satchel and began to put them inside. He felt worse with every pendent and trinket that fell into his leather satchel, but not doing it would be even worse for him. Just then while fumbling with the bottom drawer he accidentally knocked over one the lamp next to the box. The loud sound alerted the woman who instantly sat up in her bed and nearly shrieked at the sight of Julian.

"W-What... What are you doing?!" She asked, "Those are mine!"

Julian froze instantly, having not expected this. He did manage to say, "I-I'm sorry... Really, I... Don't mean to hurt you."

"You're sorry?" The woman asked confused, "but aren't you a Soothsire!?"

"N-not... Really..." Julian said and he threw the satchel over his shoulder and quickly began to leave.

"Wait!" The woman called, "You're not like other thieves, are you?"

"...no..." Julian mumbled.

"They would've killed me but you didn't. Why?"

"Because I didn't!" Julian replied, "Now I'm makin' off with your jewelry! Don't try and stop me!"

"That's fine. Take it." The woman said sadly, "I know you need the money more than I need the jewels. Tell me, is it for your family?" "I-I don't.. have a family..." Julian said sadly stopping before he opened the window, "I'm an orphan, I live on my own! ...and... besides no one wants me anyway...I'm better off on my own!" "Oh you poor thing!" The woman called as she rose out of bed and she put her arm comfortingly around Julian.

This certainly wasn't how it was supposed to go, he should've been out of here by now. Or she should at least told the authorities. But yet, she seemed to feel sympathy for him...? Just who was this woman? "It must have been terrible to lose your parents." She said.

"I never knew them..." Julian said, "They abandoned me at the old Hawkthrone Orphanage. But I ran away from there and joined the Soothsires. You see I didn't want to become a thief but... Now I have no choice. It's my only way of making a living..."

The woman appeared genuinely concerned by the look on her face. "Look, my husband returns in the morning. You may stay here with us. I will have to ask him but I'm sure he would agree. We have been wanting a child of our own for some time now but haven't been able to have one. We would be glad to welcome you in our family. What's your name?"

"It's Julian."

"Well Julian, come with me, you can sleep in our guest bedroom tonight and feel safe, warm, and loved." Julian smiled and thanked the woman for her kindness.

He found her guest room the most wonderful room in the world- like his own little piece of heaven. He was able to take a proper shower, get a change of clothes and sleep on a real mattress. It felt so good to under a warm blanket and in real household! He fell asleep fast and slept in late. He even dreamt of being able to live in a house like this all the time.

When he awoke the morning, he heard the woman's sweet voice talking to her husband. She must be telling him about Julian. He leaned close to the wall listen. "Tessa I've told you a thousand times never to trust a Soothsire!" the man said. "Oh but Walter!" Tessa pleaded, "He's a nice boy, an orphan who's never known a family. He hasn't come to steal anything. He's a honest child. He must be only about 13!" "The answer is still no Tessa I'll never feel safe with that little brat under our roof." 'Little brat?' Julian thought, 'Is... Is that what they think of me?' His smile had faded to a look of distress, he knew this place was too good to be true.

"Then I cannot make you change your mind." "No Tessa, tell him he must leave at once. I cannot believe you even let him stay for the night! The boy clearly had only come to rob us blind!" Sure enough Tessa came into the room but Julian had already gone. "Oh that poor boy..." Tessa said dishearteningly to herself, "do take care Julian wherever life takes you..."

It was true, no one wanted Julian. He returned with all of Tessa's gold jewellery. "Nice work chief!" Rickard commented, "What took ya so long?" "The lady caught me." Julian said, "she locked me up in a room and told me to wait 'til her husband got back. But i snuck out. Ha! Guess I showed her!"

"Ya sure did!" Rickard said, "I want to be as good a thief as you one day!"

"Yeah..." Julian said, "...But I hope not." "Yeah you probably don't want me Breaking your record!" Rickard said.

"Yes that's it..." Julian said, "I can't have you turn out to be more a thief than I am."

It was true now, Julian would never find a family to love him the way he saw it. He would be alone, always alone. It was Julian against the world, that's the way it would have to be.

But then he met Lena.