Disclaimer: Fire Emblem and all related names and concepts belong to Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.
Characters and Pairings: Eliwood/Idenn, guest appearance by Roy.
Warnings: Spoilers regarding the end of FE6 and Ninian's secret in FE7.
Author's Notes: Crackfic for the Crackfic prompt of Fanfiction Friday on r/fireemblem. I once jokingly tossed up the idea for this pairing, but because of how my brain works I started thinking more and more about it, and now I actually ship it. C'est la vie. It was either this or Naga/Anri, and this pairing is better developed in my mind.

Blue Flowers

It was no secret that Eliwood had a keen interest in dragons. Well, to a certain degree, perhaps; while most of his attendants knew he had a scholarly interest in the creatures humans had driven away from Elibe, none knew about his… intimate… interest in them. Hector had known –since Hector had known him better than even his own parents had- but Hector had been slain during the war with Biran. And of course, anyone who knew of Roy's heritage knew that the lad's mother had been of draconic birth, but even Roy didn't know that his father had never had any sort of interest in human women.

Perhaps he had been alone for too long, Eliwood thought as he let the carrier pigeon land on his wrist. Perhaps he was too eager to jump on the first dragon he'd met since Ninian. He had barely known the woman and she had barely been there when they had first met, after all. Part of him felt guilty, but he always succeeded in shaking the thought that he was just using her for his satisfaction. Since Ninian's passing, his life had been lived in service to the people of Lycia and, more importantly, to his young son. On this one aspect of his life, he felt he could afford to be selfish. That was certainly what he told any counselor or noble who insisted he remarry.

As he pondered these things, he skimmed the note attached to the pigeon, and had reached the final paragraph. His eyes widened in shock and he dropped it, hurriedly bending over to pick it up and confirm he had not imagined the words in the letter. His eyes lingered on the final sentence and he realized that, in fact, he had not imagined them.

She would visit in less than a month.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Eliwood was at work, looking over the same tolls and taxes for the umpteenth time –he swore he forgot what was in the top half by the time he got to the bottom half- when Marcus knocked on his door and informed him that his guest had arrived. Eliwood wasted no time in using this excuse to leave his work for what it was and hurry to the room where she had been told to wait for him.

Wouldn't it be ironic if he were hurrying over to meet what turned out to be some pompous noble, he wondered as he marched through the halls of his castle. He had to confess he wasn't always aware of when to meet who, which was why Marcus always reminded him. Still, no matter how he wracked his brain, he could only think of one person coming to visit…

When he opened the door and she turned around at the noise, his hesitance vanished like snow under the sun. In the room stood a tall, slender woman, garbed in a thin, dark purple robe with a hood that covered her features. Admittedly, she looked a little ominous and eerie like this, but she was quick to lower the hood when she realized who had entered- revealing long, pastel lilac hair, pale skin, and sharply pointed ears. "Idenn," he said, closing the door behind him. "You haven't changed at all in the years since we met."

"You have," she said, walking over to him and studying his face.

"Yes," Eliwood said, pretending to be upset. "I'm afraid that, being human, I age in the blink of an eye."

She shook her head. "That's not what I mean. You seem… better. Healthier, than last time I saw you." He looked at her, only mildly surprised. Ninian had always known things she couldn't possibly have known if not for some sort of foresight, either. He figured it was something all dragons had; his surprise was at her ability to have seen how ill he was when they had met.

He smiled. "That's true. I've been more healthy in the past months than I have been in years." He gestured for her to sit down with him. "My workload has lessened greatly since Roy and Lilina married and the responsibility over all of Lycia shifted back to Ositia. I've been able to eat and sleep at more reasonable hours." He reached out, gently putting a stray strand of lilac behind the dragon's pointed ear. "But you! Last time I saw you, you were barely conscious. You've made leaps of progress in just a few years."

"It is… tiring," Idenn said. "It takes effort to be like… people." People. Eliwood remembered that term; Ninian had used it in lieu of 'humans' when she had questioned his kindness towards her, expressing how different she was without admitting she wasn't human. "But at least I can be normal, even if only for a little while."

"I see." Eliwood drew his hand back. "Should I let you rest, then? I've had a room prepared for you when I received word of your arrival. I can take you there if you'd like."

"I would love to see it," she said, following him as he stood up and held out his hand to her. However, he didn't miss that she hesitated before taking it. Was he being too forward? Perhaps… He had to remember that for all their similarities, Idenn wasn't Ninian.

The room that had been prepared for Idenn was not far from his own- a conscious decision on Eliwood's part. "You can sleep here," he said as he pushed the door open, "Or retreat here if you need time to yourself." She walked in, her eyes a little glazed until she blinked, seemingly forcing herself back to reality. "It's the same room you slept in before Roy took you to Arcadia," he offered. "I thought the familiarity would help make you comfortable."

"It does," she said. "Thank you…" She put a hand to her forehead. Eliwood figured she was at her limit, so he walked back towards the door. "When is… dinner?" she struggled to ask.

"Don't worry about that," he assured her. "I'll either send Merlinus or fetch you myself for that. You just rest, alright?" She nodded and he left her to her rest, setting back to work.

Idenn would stay for a few weeks, so Eliwood delegated some of his responsibilities to his council in order to free up time for his guest. Her condition made it impossible to take her far away from the castle, so they often settled for walking through the gardens instead of going for rides around the shoreline, as he had often done with Ninian. They didn't speak much, Eliwood giving Idenn time alone in her mind, but he noticed her gaze wasn't so glazed as she looked at the various flower patches, bushes, and trails.

"I think you're doing better and better," he said one day as he watched her look at a nearby flower bush. "You haven't zoned out for at least an hour."

"It's… easier when I'm with you," she admitted. "You're a…" she hesitated and frowned, as if wracking her brain for the correct word. "Patient man," she decided, touching her fingers to the soft blue petals. "You don't push me to make progress," she continued to explain. "And you made time for me… but when I relapse you're not angry."

"Why would I?" Eliwood asked, "You've not fully recovered from whatever foul rituals you were subjected to as a child." He had spent years communicating with the Elder of Arcadia, slowly but surely learning of Idenn's past. He felt for her… she'd been subjected to more horrors than she deserved. "I'm very impressed with any progress you make. That you're here holding a conversation with me is nothing short of amazing."

Idenn didn't respond. She was still focused on the flower bush, so Eliwood figured she had trouble concentrating on two things at once and had forgotten about their conversation. Suddenly, however, she spoke again: "These are beautiful. We don't have flowers like these in Arcadia."

"They're not native to Pherae, either," Eliwood admitted, walking over to get a better look at the blue-betaled flowers. "I believe my mother had them delivered from the border of Lycia and Etruria- she said they reminded her of home."

"I see…" For a moment, Idenn mused over something, but then she looked back at him. "I wonder… do you think I could grow them in Arcadia, too?"

"Eh…" That threw him off. He didn't really know much about the flowers in the gardens; he didn't tend to them, he just admired them when he walked by. "I'm afraid I'm no botanist. But I can ask one of my gardeners what they need and inform with your Elder about whether or not Arcadia has it, if you want."

"You would go into that trouble for me?" she asked, surprised, as she rose to her feet. Suddenly, she looked insecure and troubled- an expression Eliwood had not seen on her face before. …an expression he immediately wished would go away. "I don't understand. You've been nothing but kind to me… Don't you know what I am? …what I did?" She almost whispered the last three words, but Eliwood heard them.

"I'm well aware of what happened during the wars," he said, leading her to a nearby bench and sitting her down. "But Idenn, you have to understand. Your own kind did terrible things to you during the Scouring, and King Zephiel took advantage of that. They were the ones at fault; not you." He smiled at her, carefully wiping away the single tear that escaped her green eye before taking her hand. "As for what you are… You are a beautiful woman and a gentle soul. And I would happily ask a few questions here and there for you." She didn't resist when he lifted her hand and pressed his lips to it. When he looked up at her, he realized why; she had zoned out.

He escorted her back to her room, wondering how much of what he had said she had consciously heard.

A few days later, as he reached for his glass, she studied his hand, looking confused. "You're wearing a ring," she pointed out, taking his hand and rubbing the black metal ring on his finger. "I've never seen males wearing jewels before."

"I guess you could say it's part of our mating rituals," Eliwood explained, looking at the ring himself. "When a man and a woman decide that they want to spend the remainder of their life together, they exchange rings." He smiled. The memory of Ninian still filled him with warmth, and he had refused to take off Ninis' Grace out of respect for her. "This one belonged to Roy's mother. She's long gone, but I cannot bring myself to take it off."

"She was a dragon, too." It wasn't a question. Idenn simply stated a fact, and she knew it. She must have been able to sense the draconic blood within Roy when they had fought or when he had taken her to Arcadia. "Why do you not hate dragons like other humans?"

"Should I?" he asked, still smiling.

Idenn shook her head. "I don't know. The dragons in Arcadia warned me that outside the village, all humans hated dragons and were to be feared. You… you're different. Your mate was a dragon… and you've been nothing but kind to me…" She looked up at him. "Why?"

That was not an easy question to answer. In a way it was, of course: I have a bad habit of falling in love with every dragon I meet. She was beautiful and vulnerable and I wanted to protect her, and the same is true for you. I can't seem to be interested in women of my own species and I don't want to be alone any longer. But he couldn't give her any of those answers. They would make him look like a lustful beast, and did her no justice. Fortunately, that was when servants came in to serve their dinner, and Eliwood had to wait until they were out of earshot to answer: "I've never believed in judging people for how they were born. I much prefer to let the individual prove themselves, and I'm fond of the benefit of the doubt and second chances."

"That attitude may prove dangerous some day," Idenn remarked. Eliwood chuckled.

"You sound like my late best friend," he said. "He often told me I was too gentle for my own good." He turned to his plate. "Don't worry, Idenn. I'm not so naïve that I will be taken advantage of, and I won't put myself in any danger. I do still have a son to watch over, even if he thinks he's an adult."

Hours later, he sat at his desk, meaning to get the last of the day's work done. However, he consistently found himself distracted, staring at the ring on his hand. Finally, he sighed, slipping it off his finger and holding it up to examine it closely. Part of him felt guilty. He had not forgotten Ninian, not in the slightest. She hounded him in his mind and in his dreams, as beautiful as she had been kind and wise. Falling for another woman… was it right?

"Loving someone is never wrong," a familiar voice said behind him. "A wise man once told me that." Eliwood almost dropped the ring in surprise –he hadn't realized he'd been thinking out loud- and turned around as quickly as he could to see the door to his study open, his younger self leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed under his travel cloak and a wide grin on his face. He blinked, and realized that he wasn't looking at himself but at Roy; his adult son who had recently married his childhood friend Lilina and been crowned king of a united Lycia. "It's good to see you healthy, Father," the lad said, walking over to him and waiting until he stood to embrace him.

"I should say the same to you," Eliwood said. "You've grown, Roy." He meant it- seeing how tall his son had gotten in a short time had startled him as much as his sudden appearance in Pherae had. Owing to his mixed blood, he aged more slowly than normal humans did, and he had always been bothered by how particularly his height had never caught up to Wolt's after the archer had had his growth spurt. "I'd never expected you to visit unannounced. I thought you didn't have the time."

"And I don't," Roy said, holding him at an arm's length. "I'm not visiting. I'm on my way to Biran for a meeting with Queen Guinevere. I'd assumed and hoped I would have a bed for the night in Pherae."

"Of course you will!" Eliwood struck an arm around him. "You're always welcome here, Roy. You know that."

"Thanks, Father." Eliwood drew his arm back so Roy could remove his heavy cloak. With it over his arms, he tilted his head. "So… what was that all about? The falling for another woman thing?" Eliwood didn't know how to respond. He was a little embarrassed Roy had overheard him. The lad shrugged. "Well, I'm happy for you."

"Beg… pardon?"

"For having someone in your life again," he explained, smiling. "I don't think I've ever seen you with a woman other than Mother in my life. Lilli and I were afraid you'd end up terribly lonely with me not around."

"Rest assured," Eliwood said, "I have plenty of work to keep me company. …you're not at all upset about me replacing your mother?"

"You'd never replace Mother." Roy said it as if the very idea was ludicrous. "Father… let yourself have this. It's been so long since she died, you deserve someone new in your life."

"Maybe I will." Eliwood put the black ring back on his finger. "Now, you should get down to the dining hall while I tell Merlinus to get your room in order. I'll be with you shortly for dinner."

Idenn ate with them, as she had been doing since she had arrived, and judging from the looks Roy periodically gave Eliwood during the meal, he must have caught on to who it was that his father had developed feelings for. If he disapproved of the match, he hid it extremely well; he was friendly to the dragon, commenting (much like Eliwood himself had) on her impressive progress on regaining her soul, and did not approach Eliwood later to voice disapproval or question him. Instead, he took off for bed, promising that he would be gone early in the morning and he would cause no trouble.

Eliwood spent that night in bed staring at Ninis' Grace and weighing his options. He had taken his time. Idenn had been with him for longer than they had planned, and he had made sure to spend part of each day in her presence. She was beautiful, inspiring, and strong in her own way… Roy was right, of course: Idenn would never be Ninian. No one could measure up to his first love, wife, and mother of his son. But that was because Ninian had been so exceptional, and Idenn was a wonderful woman in her own right. He was certain of his feelings, but what he was not sure of was hers. He feared her rejection. Or her zoning out as he confessed, much like she had done when he had kissed her hand in the gardens.

Still, when he blew out his candle and turned over to sleep, he had decided; he would let her know what he felt.

When he found her the next morning, she was already in the garden, near her favourite flower bush. "I got around to asking the gardeners and the Elder," he said, prompting her to jolt up and turn around to him. "As it turns out, it's a pretty hardy type. The Elder is confident it can thrive in Arcadia."

"Really?" she asked, looking back at it when he nodded. "That's wonderful. …and a little funny."

"Funny?" Eliwood asked, confused. He knew Idenn had recovered her sense of humour over the years, but hers was a humour he did not always understand. "What's funny about it?"

"You," she said. "You said it's a hardy type of flower and should thrive in Arcadia. But you- Roy told me, you know." She suddenly became serious. "About your…" Instead of finishing her sentence, she placed her hand over his heart.

"Ah." He didn't know what this had to do with the flowers, but he nodded. "Yes. It's innate, and I'm glad Roy didn't inherit it."

"You don't have much time left," she said, sadly. "Five years, maybe ten…"

"Human lives are fleeting compared to yours," Eliwood said, taking her hand. "You know that. Whether my life ends naturally, in battle, or from a cardiac episode, what difference does it make? Either way, I was only a part of your life for the tiniest fraction of it."

"I don't want that." Idenn squeezed his hands. "You're right- I haven't known you for long, not for dragon standards. But I- I… I don't want to forget you. I've already forgotten so much…" She turned back to the bush. "That is why I want the flowers… they remind me of you."

"Of me?"

"Yes. The colour of the petals… it's the same as your eyes." She let go of him to gently lift one of the blooms, taking care not to snap it. "It's the same gentle, sweet blue…" She trailed off, lost in her thoughts. When she finally spoke again, her voice quivered. "When you… go… Elibe will lose a good man. The Elder would read me your letters, you know." Eliwood perked. This was news to him. "They taught me that not all humans are like the ones who tried to murder my people. That they can be kind and generous. That there was someone, so far outside the village, who cared so much for my well-being that he would make time to faithfully reply to the Elder's letters, despite the exhausting workload he bears…"

"Idenn… I had no idea."

"You were such a big part of my recovery," she continued, coming back to him. "It was my idea to visit Pherae… to visit you. I wanted to see the man behind those heartwarming letters once more, consciously this time. I wanted to believe that such a human could truly exist." She put her hand on his cheek, looking up at him. "And then I found you… you did exist. You were kind to me. You forgave me the horrors I brought upon your kind." The fingers of her free hand laced through his. "I think I loved you long before I came here. But now that I know you, I am certain."

"Me too, Idenn." Eliwood wrapped one arm around her waist, barely realizing he spoke. "I'm so happy you decided to visit me. You see, I have been… alone since my wife died. I was too engrossed in my work, my son, and my illness. But now…" He squeezed her hand, "Now that Roy is King of Lycia and my health is better than ever, I think I can afford to let a woman into my life again. You came around at a good time, Idenn." With that, he bent down to kiss her. He had meant to peck her on the forehead, but Idenn was faster, angling her face up towards him and capturing his lips.

They stood there, together, for a little while- even after breaking the kiss, they embraced in silence for a few seconds. "I cannot offer you my wife's ring," Eliwood then finally said, Idenn's head firmly tucked under his chin, "But I can offer you a place at my side. Will you stay in Pherae with me, Idenn?"

"I will try," Idenn replied. "I would love to…"

Sadly, after more careful consideration of her situation, both Idenn and Eliwood decided that it would be better for the dragon to return to Arcadia, where she could continue her recovery and where she wouldn't have to be afraid that her identity was found out. For her own well-being and safety, Eliwood saw his draconic lover off as she returned to the desert, but their good-bye was not without tears and mutterings of 'I wish it were different.'

Still, as he watched her ride off with her escort, Eliwood took comfort from one thing; Idenn's promise that she would do everything in her power to return before his time was up.

Additional Author's Notes: This is one of my longest one-shots. WHY IS MY LONGEST ONE-SHOT A CRACKFIC