I've been on a Sacred Stones kick recently, and I just needed to get this out of my system. SethxNatasha has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, although I love SethxEirika and JoshuaxNatasha as much as the next person. Anyway, I hope you give this monster of a one-shot a chance, even if this isn't your favorite pairing in the world. Also, I apologize for anything in here that isn't consistent with the game, the background of the characters, or the epilogue; I have not had a chance to work my way through the game again to clarify any hazy details.
Note: Despite all in-game evidence to the contrary, I have a hard time believing that Natasha would so easily abandon the clerical vows that she obviously takes very seriously and has followed for most of her life. To justify a relationship for Natasha in my head, I've come up with the idea of a chaste marriage, very similar to the ones that some royal Christians partook in during the early medieval age.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.
Enjoy!
Early spring had reached the hills of Renais, bathing the royal castle in gentle rays of sunlight. Flowers had started to bloom outside the castle walls, dressing the land in brilliant pinks, purples, and oranges. The songbirds had come back from the south and were now focusing on making joyful sounds in the same forests that offered the castle protection from the bitter northerly winds. Animals could be heard scurrying around, awakened from their winter slumber and in a desperate search for food. Baby mammals could be seen taking their first shaky steps out in the world, their protective parents keeping a close watch nearby. South of the castle, where no forests stood and few animals dared to expose themselves, a troop of new recruits for the Knights of Renais was practicing with wooden swords, marring the peacefulness of the landscape with their grunts of exertion. The sweat dripping off their shirtless bodies fell onto the newly uncovered grass, bowing the blades slightly before they finally dropped to the dirt.
Overlooking the exercises was the Silver Knight, Seth of Renais. Ever since the conflict with Grado earlier that year, a record number of recruits had piled into the castle, answering the call of duty to replace their country's many fallen soldiers. Many of these recruits came from large cities and knew very little of hard manual labor, but Seth couldn't blame them for wanting to help their country—after all, the war had hardly touched the cities in comparison to the smaller villages, and the tales of the heroics of the conflict were largely exaggerated and romanticized there. It was no matter; Renais's officers would whip them into shape quickly enough.
As Seth observed the practice, occasionally barking orders to slacking recruits or praising one for a good move, he was approached by a messenger from the castle. It wasn't odd for Seth to receive mail frequently; his position as general gave him many responsibilities that required correspondence with other cities, towns, and sometimes nations. He turned to amiably greet the messenger, a young man and a very good runner named Ty, who had always seemed to be a little intimidated by Seth's presence.
"General Seth, a letter has arrived to you from Grado's southernmost region," Ty announced, breathing lightly from his run from the castle. "It's from a certain Sister Natasha." He extended the letter toward the general, keeping his eyes nervously downcast.
Seth took the letter gently from Ty's outstretched hand and sent him on his way. Ever since he had told Natasha of his feelings for her during the Grado conflict, they had been writing to each other in an attempt to keep in touch. Although their duties called them to different parts of the world, through her letters, Seth could pretend that Natasha was right by his side, just as she had been during the war. In order to read the letter that she had sent him without any interruptions, he ordered that the recruits be given a short break. Satisfied that he would have a few minutes to himself, he broke the wax seal and began to read:
General Seth,
I hope all is well with you and that Renais is rebuilding quickly. I know that King Ephraim and Princess Eirika have taken their duties to heart, as we have received many supplies from Renais in the wake of the recent landslide that claimed the lives of thousands. As their most trusted general, I am sure that you are pleased with their hard work and sacrifice for the good of all nations.
The reconstruction here in Grado is slow-going at best. My duties call me to help at all hours of the day, and I always return to my bed completely drained. However, the Everlasting has blessed me with patience and strength during these trials, and so I can continue on each day. There are many civilians who offer their services to those affected by the landslide, and I see the work of the Everlasting in each of their actions. Of course, there are clashes with bandits, but people watch out for each other, especially for those who have taken holy vows. Do not worry for my safety, for my status as a cleric keeps me well-protected here.
I apologize for the brevity of this letter; my duties wake me at odd hours, and I must take every moment to rest that I can. Please give my best regards to the royal twins, and please thank them for their help in Grado. I know that relations between our countries are still unstable, but I believe that the Everlasting appointed such gentle people to power for a reason. Despite everything, I remain optimistic.
I often think of you. Please stay safe. Until our duties are finished and we can be reunited, I wish you the best.
May the Everlasting bless you and keep you, may Her face shine upon you with favor and be gracious to you, and grant you peace.
Sister Natasha
Seth finished reading the letter and unconsciously smiled to himself. Natasha was safe and was following her life's calling, as treacherous a path though that may be. He was proud of her for not backing down from her mission, instead staying to help the country that had betrayed both her and her master. He found comfort in the fact that she had not forgotten the promise they had made to each other all those months ago, but really, how could either of them forget? Toward the end of the conflict, he had asked her to marry him, despite knowing that such an action would go against the vows she had taken early on in her life. To his surprise, she had agreed, but it wasn't until later that she clarified her meaning. Natasha had taken a vow to love the Everlasting more than any human or material thing, and she was unwilling to renounce a vow that she had lived with for most of her life. However, she was allowed, through a very specific interpretation of the Rule of Sisters, to live with a man in a chaste marriage. It was highly discouraged and hardly ever practiced among the Sisters, but it was a compromise with which both parties could live. Natasha could keep her vows, and Seth could keep her by his side. He wouldn't lie to himself and pretend that he wasn't slightly disappointed, but he cared for her enough that her happiness and comfort came first, well before his own selfish desires.
Returning to the present moment, Seth called for all the recruits to continue their sword practice. He would be able to pen out a response to Natasha later, perhaps that evening, after all his other duties had been completed. Until then, he had the rebuilding of a nation to keep him occupied.
As the months passed, Seth and his immediate squad of soldiers were called on many times to assist in the protection of small villages from bandits. Usually, he was able to come out of the battles relatively unscathed, but he would occasionally take a hit that required medical attention. The clerics and priests that the Renais castle employed were very skilled, but they lacked the gentle softness that Natasha carried with her in her healing. Although he would be able to return to his duties fully recovered, he found himself missing the way that Natasha could seem to heal his soul as well as his body.
About one year after the conflict, the safety of most of the villages in Renais had been assured, and the army had been rebuilt substantially. Although the reconstruction was far from complete, King Ephraim saw that Renais was safe and prosperous enough that more soldiers could be sent to Grado to help keep their citizens safe from bandits and to help in their reconstruction however possible. Seth, because he was Ephraim's most trusted general, was placed in command of the troops heading into Grado. Ephraim commanded that the majority of the forces head into the southern region of Grado, where the landslide had taken its largest toll on the population. Seth could only imagine what kind of destruction awaited him there.
With as many troops as were with him, the journey took almost a week to complete. Along the way, Seth had dropped off soldiers in groups of five or less to help nearby villages. He wished he could have sent more, but the southern region needed as many people as it could get. The travelling was often mindless, and Seth found himself frequently wondering if he would see Natasha in the south. He knew that the chances were slim, as the south was a large region, but he harbored his hopes nonetheless.
Seth knew when his caravan was approaching the city they were to use as their base, as the level of destruction increased greatly from the rest of the nation. All around him lay broken houses and destroyed villages, impromptu graves piling high into the dried mud the landslide brought, each marked with a wooden stake. The stench of death permeated the air, and vultures circled menacingly overhead. In places, the road was completely buried in mud and sand, making travel difficult. The entire land seemed to exude a certain sadness, the sun not even able to shed a ray of hope onto its barren surface. Here and there solitary flowers sprung up, but they were vastly outnumbered by dead plants and the carcasses of animals that lined the road. Seth pushed the soldiers faster, calculating from his map that they would be able to make the city by nightfall if they hurried—he had no wish to prolong the suffering of these people any longer than necessary.
They arrived at the broken gates of the city just before dusk and were greeted by ten ferocious-looking men. One of them, apparently the leader, snarled out, "Soldiers from Renais? What do you want? We've women and children here, so don't even think about messin' around—"
Seth held up a hand to cut him off. "We come in peace. I sent a messenger a while back to inform you of our arrival; perhaps he was delayed somewhere. I am General Seth of the Knights of Renais. I have been commissioned by King Ephraim to assist your city and the surrounding area in defense and reconstruction. What we do will largely be decided by the person in charge of this city. Will you accept our offer of help?"
The man's features did not relax at all. "And how can we be sure that you're sincere?"
Seth reached into his saddlebag and handed the letter he found there to the skeptical man. "This is a letter of introduction from King Ephraim; notice the official seal of the throne of Renais. You should know by now that Renais has offered its support to Grado in all manners of rehabilitation. If you need more proof of our good intentions, I have an olive branch to present to you." He went back into his saddlebag and removed the symbolic branch of peace. "Please take these to your mayor. I assure you this has all been prepared in good faith."
The skeptical man glared at Seth shortly and was about to retort again when a voice suddenly boomed out from behind him. "Gate guards! Who goes outside our city?" The guard turned around, clearly shocked by the arrival of this new person.
"Mayor Reingard! These here people say they're from Renais on some sort of reconstruction mission, but I don't trust 'em," the guard reported to the man behind him, handing him the letter. The mayor took the letter and pushed to the front of the group.
"Let me see for myself. Stand down, guardians of the gate." The guards around him fell back, but still remained wary of the group just outside their city, ready to jump into action if the need arose. The mayor approached Seth, carrying a torch in his hand. Upon reading the letter of introduction and seeing the general's regalia, his face broke into a wide smile. "General Seth, it is you! I was afraid you were never going to arrive!" He laughed joyfully before continuing, "I apologize for the attitudes of my guards; we never know who we can trust anymore. I received your message, but I thought it best to keep your arrival a secret. No need to attract unwanted attention to a broken city like our own. But please, come in, come in! Your soldiers will be provided for. We have much to discuss."
Seth bowed respectfully before motioning his soldiers into the city. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mayor Reingard. Thank you for your hospitality." He then turned and issued a few orders to his soldiers before retiring to the mayor's home to discuss what actions they would be taking in the upcoming weeks. Whatever their tasks were, they would be arduous, Seth was sure.
The upcoming day, he and his troops were charged with the protection of the city from bandits. As it so happened, the city was accosted frequently, and the bandits took and killed with little discrimination. Seth was making his rounds around the different vantage points, checking in with each of the soldiers he had placed in charge at each location. As he was travelling between two of the points, he was ambushed by a burly axman who was clearly looking for trouble.
After drawing his sword and exchanging a few blows with the man, Seth successfully cornered him near an abandoned house. He meant to question the axman, but he instead found himself suddenly surrounded by four other axmen, all just as strong as the first. They shared the looks of common mountain bandits, all unkempt hair and crooked teeth and rotted nails, but they moved in a much more orderly fashion. Seth pulled the reins on his horse back, causing it to rear up, scaring the bandits nearest him and causing them to fall back a little. As his horse placed its feet back on the ground and began to charge, Seth swung out with his sword, striking the handle of the axe of one man. The axe broke cleanly—it was a poorly designed model compared to Seth's expertly forged silver blade—and clattered to the ground. Upon seeing this, the axmen began to cluster together, hesitation evident in their eyes.
Seth spoke loudly, in the commanding voice he usually reserved for his recruits. "Tell me, are you bandits? If so, from where do you come? Why do you harass this village?"
One of the axmen stepped forward, holding his axe defensively. "An' what if we are? You'd take a village ripe for the pickin', too, wouldn't ye? You act like yer better than we are, all struttin' 'round on yer horse in yer fancy armor suits. But I know you'd do the same thing we do if you were presented with such a golden opportunity: food just waitin' to be ate, valuables of all kinds lookin' fer a good price tag, women all defenseless and lookin' fer a good time—"
Seth had heard enough. He had not wanted to kill unless necessary, but he didn't need to hear about these men's tales of pillage and rape. Without any second thoughts, he charged the axmen and proceeded to silence two of them forever before he found himself in a tricky situation. These bandits were obviously trained in the art of warfare, and the formations they took around him attested to that fact. Two of them always remained in his blind spots, while one acted as a decoy in front of him.
Unfortunately for the bandits, Seth had also been trained in warfare, and he was rather good at it. Employing a variety of feints and thrusts, he managed to disarm two of the remaining three bandits. He finished them quickly, but not before the third axman caught his sword arm in a glancing blow. Seth grimaced in pain as blood began to trickle down his arm. However, being a man of duty, Seth never let injuries get in the way of his objectives. He charged the man, quickly disarming him before turning around and dispatching him.
It was only after the rush of battle was completed that Seth truly began to feel the pain coursing through his sword arm. He carefully wiped his blade clean and placed it back in its sheath, and then attempted to wrap his wound in a makeshift bandage—difficult to do with only one arm—so he could find a healer before he lost too much blood. He rode quickly to the center of the city, stopping a civilian, who was clearly frightened by the look of his injury, to ask where he could find a healer. The civilian pointed him to a small hut not far from his present location, which was covered in a white tarp and had no door. Seth thanked the civilian before riding swiftly to the entrance.
He stopped before the tent and managed to get down off his horse. He attempted to tie his horse to a nearby pole, but found the task to be difficult with only one useable arm. Nevertheless, he made a somewhat passable knot before entering the tent, where he was immediately greeted by women in white robes and loose hoods—clerics of the Order of Sisters, by the looks of them.
Seth was led to a cot near the back of the hut, where an older sister began to inspect his wound. She sighed heavily and called over the nearest Sister. "I don't have the proper staff with me to treat this wound; it would appear that whatever made it was poisoned. Fetch Sister Natasha; she can do much better with this type of injury than can I." Seth's mind stopped. Sister…Natasha? Could it be? Nevermind that he was apparently poisoned—that explained why his injury hurt so much despite its shallowness—but Sister Natasha could very well be here? It was almost too much to hope for.
Thankfully, Seth did not have to wait long for his answer. He saw a rush of blonde hair and worried eyes enter the hut and hasten to his side. The woman did not even stop to look at Seth, instead hurrying to remove his shirt sleeve so she could better view the injury and heal it. After a quick inspection, she selected a staff and finally looked up at her patient, calmly speaking, "This will sting a little, but"—she paused suddenly, an awestruck look taking over her features—"Seth?" The general turned his head to meet her eyes properly, smiling gently when he had confirmed that it was truly her.
"Hello, Natasha," he said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Natasha smiled, but a short flash of pain through Seth's eyes reminded her of her current duty. "Ah—General! We will catch up later. For now, I need to heal your wound." With that, she returned to her previous state of mind, gently flitting around his injury, healing and stitching and wrapping until she was satisfied. Seth watched her work, amazed by how much he had missed her subtle touch. He also noticed how much she had improved since the conflict, as well. By now, he would venture to say that her healing was nearly flawless.
After Natasha was done, she helped Seth to sit up in the cot. "One of the Sisters will give you something to eat and some additional medicine before you leave. I wish I could stay and talk with you, but I have other duties to attend to. Meet me after sundown; I should be on my break then." She affixed him with a worried look, quietly commanding, "Please be careful."
Seth gave her a look of affection and pride, nodding his understanding. "I will meet you then and explain everything, good Sister." He watched as she walked out of the tent, nearly five healing staves in tow. Before he could even reflect on what had just happened, another Sister came into the tent, handing him two bowls, one of soup and another of medicine.
Seth took the two bowls gratefully, setting them down on the cot. He thanked the Sister, but before he could start to sip at the bowls, she advised, "Drink the medicine first. You'll need the soup to help wash it down." He nodded his gratitude and set to drinking the medicine. It was a nasty combination that teased at his gag reflex, but he had taken many such concoctions before. Finishing it quickly, he moved on to the soup, doing his best to rid the flavor of the medicine from his mouth.
Sundown approached rapidly, bringing with it the cool of the night. Few stars were able to poke out from behind the clouds, and the crescent moon offered little in the way of light as Seth approached the healing tent he had been in previously that day. His duties were done for the day, as another soldier took up the position of night commander to ensure that Seth got some rest.
He peeked inside the tent, witnessing Natasha finish healing a wounded civilian. She stood and turned toward the entrance of the tent, catching sight of Seth and smiling. After gathering her few possessions in her travel bag, she bid her Sisters—and the guard that was watching over the tent in the back—a good night before venturing out to Seth, almost shyly.
Seth knelt halfway before her in a respectful bow, before straightening up again and motioning toward the street with his hand. "Good evening, Natasha. Where would you like to go to talk?"
Natasha returned his gesture with her own slight bow. She thought for a moment, then said, "I know of a clearing in the woods not far from the outskirts of the city. We'll be safe from anyone trying to overhear our conversation."
Seth glanced at her uneasily. "Outside the city? Surely you must know that's not safe."
"On the contrary, General, I've found it to be safer than the city."
Sighing his defeat, Seth offered his arm to her, motioning for her to begin walking. "If you say so. I suppose you would know best."
Natasha smiled as she took his arm and started to lead him through the night. "We can't just go past the gate guard. They have a tendency to trust no one, even when they know those trying to enter or exit. To get around them, I usually sneak out through a hole in the wall…it's somewhere near here…" She began to search around by the nearby wall, testing the looseness of different stones with her free hand. She stopped, however, when she felt Seth's arm tighten around her hand, which had been resting near his elbow.
"You've been sneaking out at night?" Seth hissed, his voice growing protective. "Grado is hardly a stable country at the moment, and you've been heading out without any form of protection? I assumed before that a member of the gate guard went with you, but I can see now that that's not the case. Have you gone mad?"
Natasha dropped her hand from his arm in shock, her head moving to stare at the ground and her voice retreating back into near silence. "Are you…are you angry, Seth? I-I'll explain everything, I promise, just…"
Seth interrupted, keeping his voice low. "Angry? No, I'm not angry…just worried. All this time, in your letters, you said you'd been nothing but careful, that there was no reason for my concern. I think, Natasha, that there is a very good reason for me to be concerned about you, especially if this is what you've been doing." He managed to catch her eye as she glanced up at him again, noticing the pain and sorrow hidden within its depths. Forcing his voice to be gentler, he spoke again. "My apologies, Sister. I came off harshly. You're safe, so there's been no harm done. Please, let's continue."
Natasha nodded and continued her search for the loose stones silently. Once she found them, she pulled them out from the base of the city wall, careful to put them in order so she could reconstruct the defunct wall. She slipped through the wall, motioning for Seth to follow her. She replaced many of the rocks, but left one of them out so that she could find the place in the wall easily for their return. Silently, she began to lead the way through the surrounding forests until they reached a clearing, where an old, abandoned convent stood. The roof was partially caved in, and part of it looked to have been burned at one time.
Natasha stopped in front of the door, turning to face Seth. "This is what I wanted to show you. We'll be in private here." She moved to open the door, but Seth grabbed her arm lightly, causing her to stop.
"Hold on," he instructed. "You can never be too careful. Let me go first." Drawing his sword, Seth slowly opened the door, carefully inspecting the foyer room before motioning for Natasha to join him. "…All right. I think it's safe. Do you have anything to light the lamp with?"
Natasha shook her head. "We'll be safer in the dark."
Unsatisfied, Seth moved closer to Natasha so she would be easier to protect should anything happen. "So, Sister…care to explain why you've brought me here?"
Natasha took a seat on the ground and motioned for him to do likewise. Seth sat across from her, still on guard to any potential threats. Finally, Natasha spoke. "Seth, this is…this is a convent I used to visit frequently. Before the conflict, my master and I, along with other clerics, lived in a temple next to the Grado castle, and this was our sister abbey. I spent a lot of time here, learning from some of the most wonderful Sisters…I wonder what happened to them all. Did they escape, or…?" Moisture welled up in her eyes, and she shut them forcefully, pushing the tears back.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Seth's hand extended toward her, a handkerchief held between his fingers. She took it gratefully and wiped at her face, hiding gray sorrows in white cotton. Finally, Seth broke the silence. "I don't know what happened to the Sisters living here, but I am glad you brought me here. It's nice to learn parts of your past, to see remnants of it. If you don't mind, Sister…would you tell me about your past? Your childhood?"
Natasha smiled and nodded. "I would…I would like that very much." And so she began to talk about her childhood, about life during peacetime, about living with her parents, about when she decided to take her vows, about moving to the castle, about learning from her master and the other Sisters, about places she'd been and people she'd helped, about her mission work in eastern Grado, and finally about her life leading up to the war. Her eyes glistened happily as she reminisced about the happier parts of her life, and Seth soaked up every word she spoke. Natasha wasn't huge on speaking, so hearing all the wonderful details pour from her lips lifted Seth's mood and made him almost forget that they were in an abandoned abbey in the middle of the woods, prone to any of the dangers of the night. Natasha's voice grew softer as she approached the details surrounding her master's execution and her escape from the imperial guard, until she finally grew quiet. "You know the rest, Seth. But, now that I've shared so much with you, would you care to share your childhood with me?"
And on they continued for the rest of the night, learning the stories of each other's lives, each taking comfort in the other's presence. The wind brushed the trees around the abbey softly, creating a serene atmosphere as the leaves rustled against one another. In the distance, two wolves howled in harmony, and an owl hooted in response. Night critters scurried along the forest floor, searching for food and shelter. Overhead, the clouds parted, allowing the moon and stars to shine their light fully onto the earth, casting a ray of hope that the night, no matter how hard it tried, would never be able to overcome.
Hours had passed when Natasha's eyes started to droop heavily, and her body swayed dangerously to one side, willing her to give into sleep. Seth reached out to steady her, placing his hand firmly on her shoulder. "Maybe we should head back, Sister. You need your rest in order to do your job properly." He stood and offered her his hand. Natasha took it and used it to help herself to her feet.
"You're right, Seth. You need your rest, too; your men are counting on you." Seth smiled and exited the abbey, holding the door open for her. Once they had started along the path back to the city, he offered his arm to her again, which she gladly took. Arm in arm, they headed back to the city and their duties, but they always looked forward to their occasional excursions to the privacy of the abbey, where they would always remember the past and look forward to the future.
Two years passed before the southern region of Grado was able to support itself enough for the Renais troops to return to the homeland. The mayor had declared that Grado troops would now be sufficient for the upkeep and protection of the city. King Ephraim had agreed, and the troops joyfully began to march out, fewer in number than when they had begun, but with an extra clerical addition. The city gates had been repaired, and many of the buildings had been renewed. People had been healed, bandits had been nearly eradicated, and economic life began to take place once again. Seth and Natasha were glad to see the region returning to its former prosperity, but both were somewhat sad to leave the place that contained so many memories for them both.
Seth and Natasha had kept their relationship, and thus their intent to wed upon their arrival at Renais, a secret, so Seth had made up a story about the king wanting to meet the famous "healing spirit" of the southern region in order to put the soldiers' questions about Natasha to rest. Of course, King Ephraim already knew Natasha, but the troops didn't need to know that.
One night, when they had finally been able to catch some privacy as they camped on their journey north, Seth asked Natasha if she wanted to try to find her parents to ask for their blessing. He hadn't expected that such a question would lead her to tears. After calming her down, Seth asked what the matter was. It was only then that he found out that her parents had been killed in the aftermath of the conflict by the bands of brigades that briefly flourished in the chaos. Over the years, they had learned to trust each other instinctively, and while Seth was surprised to learn this only now, he remained focused on his long-term duty, which was to make Natasha happy. With that logic, he held her close, comfortingly stroking her arm and back until she felt comfortable retiring to her solitary tent. It was the first sleepless night Seth had unintentionally spent over Natasha. He found that he really didn't mind all that much.
It was spring when they finally arrived back at the castle, and the troops leaped for joy at the prospect of a couple days off before returning to reconstruction efforts in Renais. The General brought Natasha to be briefly reunited with Ephraim and Eirika, and all were clearly happy to see each other once again. After they had caught up with one another and all necessary reports had been made, Seth requested a few days leave, revealing his intentions to marry Natasha outwardly for the first time. Overjoyed at the arrangement, Ephraim happily granted Seth the days off, and Eirika also gave her blessing, noting that Seth had "made a good choice."
Both Seth and Natasha wanted a quiet, private ceremony, where they could be wed quickly and without any of the disturbances and obligations that normal weddings would often bring. After all, they had waited long enough for this opportunity. They went into the castle town to purchase rings—not overly expensive or fancy ones—and went in search of Seth's mother and father, who lived in the castle town. Upon arriving at the place where they lived the last Seth saw them, they knocked on the door, praying for an answer. After a few tense moments, the door opened to reveal Seth's mother, who was getting on in her years. Her mouth dropped upon seeing her son, and she began crying as she stepped outside the door and encompassed him in a speechless hug.
Finally, Seth spoke as he returned his mother's embrace. "Hi, Mother. I'm home. I'm finally home." After sharing a few more moments with her, Seth chuckled and said, "Is Father home? I've got a surprise for the both of you."
Seth's mother pulled back and wiped at her eyes, motioning for her son and his companion to enter the house. Seth immediately went toward to back to search for his father. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Seth's mother said once she noticed Natasha. "What a lovely woman my son has brought home with him! What's your name, dear?"
Natasha smiled and gave a slight bow in greeting. "That's fine, madam. My name is Natasha. I'm a cleric from Grado."
Seth's mother's eyes narrowed slightly, but she forced herself to smile pleasantly at the woman in spite of her misgivings. Most people's feelings toward Grado were still bitter, but Seth's mother always tried to remind herself that it was the emperor that had caused the damage, not the civilians, although it was difficult to not hate every part of Grado. No, she needed to keep an open mind.
"So, Sister Natasha, what brings you to travel with my son? I assume he met you in Grado when he left to help with the reconstruction," Seth's mother said pleasantly, trying to start a conversation that would last until her husband and son joined them in the entrance room of the house.
"Actually, we met during the conflict. I joined forces with Princess Eirika early on in her journey," Natasha stated. She was aware that Seth's mother didn't fully trust her yet; perhaps this information would ease her mind. "My master had been branded a traitor, even though he wasn't, and I was running from the imperial guards…and that's when I met Princess Eirika and General Seth. They saved me. They were so kind…"
At that moment, Seth returned, laughing heartily with his father. "Oh, Natasha," he said joyfully as he rounded the corner of the house. "You speak of me too kindly. You know that those of the Order of Sisters are protected by law in Renais." He moved to Natasha's side, extending his arm toward his father. "This is my father. And, Father, this is Natasha. I wrote about her in my last letter." He left out the fact that the last time he had sent a letter had been well over a year ago; he had been busy.
Seth's father grunted, but it was more of an affirmative sound than a displeased one. "So, my boy, is this girl aiming to be the next addition to the family?"
Seth's mother interrupted. "Oh, that's silly. She's a cleric! She can't possibly get married to Seth. That would go against her vows to the Everlasting!" she exclaimed.
"Actually, Mother…Father…" Seth broke in, his usually steady gaze now looking somewhat unsure. "I've already asked for her hand in marriage. She's agreed—with your blessings, of course."
Seth's father looked unfazed, but his mother stepped forward menacingly. "And here I thought you were a General, a Knight, Seth! How dare you take this woman away from her vows of holiness! Have your years of serving the castle taught you nothing of the ways of the clerics? What on earth—"
"Let him explain," Seth's father's voice rang out, effectively stopping his wife's rant.
Seth relaxed a little, thanking his father silently with a quick glance. "I won't break her vows, Mother. There's a provision in the Rule of Sisters that allows for chaste marriages…that is what we've planned, what we've had planned since the end of conflict over three years ago. I apologize for not telling you sooner, but…we thought it best to wait until we could truly be together in Renais."
Seth's father grunted again. "You're serious about this, aren't you, son?" Without waiting for a response, he grinned and held his hand out to Natasha for her to shake. "Well, I couldn't be happier. It's about time you settled down…no grandchildren, though, eh? What a shame." Suddenly, his face blanked as he realized something. "And what do her parents think of the arrangement?"
This time, it was Natasha's turn to speak. "Ah, they—they've gone to join the Everlasting in eternal peace." Her eyes darted toward the ground, and she willed her sorrow to the back of her mind. A hand gently squeezed her shoulder; looking toward the movement, she spotted Seth's hand as it fell back to his side, his face full of concern. Natasha gave him an encouraging smile.
"I understand." Seth's father spoke softly, Seth's mother nodding in agreement. Wishing to avoid an obviously touchy subject, he continued, "Why don't you all join us for supper? We can talk more."
Overall, the evening continued in a lovely fashion for all parties. Seth's mother was sad to learn that Seth and Natasha were going to have a private ceremony, but ultimately, she understood. It would do no one any good to have stories of a knight marrying a cleric—scandalous to begin with, but made even more so by the fact that Natasha hailed from Grado—spreading around the town. Seth and Natasha intended to live in the married quarters for knights provided by the castle, and both would be under the king's direct instruction in aiding in the continued reconstruction of Renais. As they talked, Seth's parents grew ever prouder of their son, and they grew to rather like the timid Sister as well.
Afterwards, Seth and Natasha returned to their quarters and decided to go to the head castle priest the next day to perform the ceremony. Before they retired to their beds, Seth captured Natasha in a soft hug. "Thank you," he whispered.
Natasha pulled back slightly from his embrace, giving him a confused look. "For what, Seth?" she enquired just as softly.
Seth smiled, his eyes growing soft, reflecting the dim light from the candles around the room. "For everything," he breathed. Natasha smiled and pulled herself closer to him once again, resting her head on his shoulder as she felt his lips find her hair thrice before he pulled away. "Blessed rest, Sister," Seth smiled as he let her go, aiming to give her some privacy while she prepared for bed.
Natasha returned the ancient benediction in her characteristically poised manner. "Blessed rest, General."
Ten years had passed since the day they had taken their formal marriage vows together, and their work had clearly taken a toll on both of them. Their eyes had formed new bags and their skin new wrinkles, they found their strength to be only part of what it once was, and they were now more prone to aches. Neither minded, for such was the process of aging, the effects multiplied greatly from the stressful positions they had undertaken for the good of the nation. The reconstruction of Renais was finally completed, and King Ephraim's three children could often be seen running joyfully around the palace. Seth and Natasha had been named as their godparents, and they remained grateful to Ephraim for the chance to have something as close to children as they could get.
Since their duties with the reconstruction were now complete, they had taken on lesser roles within the castle. Seth was still a general, but many of his duties now comprised mostly acting as an advisor to the King and Queen, although he did still take on roles in both internal affairs and the training of recruits. Natasha, now that her duties outside the castle were complete and in the capable hands of the Sisters in Renais, had joined the castle's temple, devoting the rest of her life to the wellbeing of the bodies and souls of those residing in the castle. After so many years of hectic, exhausting work, it was nice to take on more relaxed roles.
Though their marriage had its rough spots, as all marriages do, they had both managed to remain faithful to their promises to one another and to Natasha's vows. Their story became a common tale within the castle's walls, and many took inspiration from the deep love they shared.
Even after all these years, Natasha still found comfort in her husband's embrace. There was one spot, right below his chin, where, if she tucked her head in its shallow hollow, she could forget all that was wrong in the world. In a world full of tragedies even in peacetimes, she appreciated the comfort that Seth was able to give in such an intimately chaste action. Every kiss she received only served to strengthen her devotion to him, and she did everything she could to make him as happy as he could be.
Seth, likewise, found an incredible peace when he was with his wife. There was just something about the way that she fit his arms, fragile, yet never frail. She was a constant source of support and companionship, always ready to help him even after her long days spent helping others. In addition to a faithful and loving partner, he had found a bottomless well of indiscriminate charity. He hoped that he was able to bring as much joy to her life as she had brought to his.
They lived out the rest of their days in the castle peacefully, working toward making sure a tragedy like the conflict with Grado could never happen again. As they watched the nation prosper around them and the children of their liege grow into happy, healthy adults, they knew they had served their purpose on this earth. No matter what came after they departed, they could rest well with the knowledge that they had done everything in their power to serve the people of the world.
As it happened, an illness, which often took its victims to their graves, swept through the castle and the surrounding town. Both Seth and Natasha managed to contract it, and, despite all the efforts of the castle's medics and clerics, both were lost to the natural way of the world within two days of the other. Sorrow filled the castle at the loss of two amazing friends. However, the day after they were laid to rest together, even in the face of this disturbance, the sun rose again, just like it always did. The animals came out to feed, the flowers extended their daily blossoms, and life went on for most things as normal. The only difference was that the world continued to grow into a brighter place than it was before. Even without the presence of these two candles in the dark, the aftereffects of their actions continued to resonate in the world around them, as they had inspired others to take on the calls of kindness and love.
Over time, they were forgotten, just two adjutants in the larger game of kings and queens. But their deeds could never be undone, and the lives they had touched could never be untouched. Even after all the pain—all the struggles—they had gone through, they had found lives worth living.
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