Well, here I am again. It's another holiday season, and I came up with the idea of another oneshot. Much like my first one, Snows of Change, it is Ike and Zelda centred though they aren't the only ones in the limelight. There is a lot of Fire Emblem lore in here (it does take place in Crimea after all). But there are a few shout outs to the Super Smash Bros in here.
It may be a bit sappy, but then again, it is Valentines day coming up, or similar festivals. Anyway, please review once you finish reading to give me criticism because romance scenes are still new to me.
Also, this is a gift fic to three very important writers in my career. Purple Mercenary, concisponci and Total Romance Fan. You three have helped me become so much as a writer with your help. I appreciate you and what you do very much.
Thank you very much. Enjoy.
Ike looked in the mirror again and shook his head as he tossed aside his regular armor. He was down to his dove white and sky blue head band. He had saved them for last as he wanted to see how the remainder of his clothes looked. He made a mental note about it as he threw his shirt and trousers on as the moon emitted a deep, crisp light. It wasn't every day he came back to Crimea and be invited back to the royal palace. At the very least, he would not be spending the time back home alone.
As if to reinforce what he just thought, a pair of slender arms wrapped around him, taking him back with a small gasp. Her scent and perfume met his nose before he laid his eyes on her. Jasmine and lavender filled his air as he hear a small chuckle come out from behind him. "And they say the princesses have the longest time to pick out their clothing." The voice of a young princess, her hylian accent filling his heart with the playful tone.
Ike finished the last button on his shirt and took her hand. He spun around and gazed upon the brawler who would accompany him to the gala. Tall, though shorter then he, long flowing brunette hair and deep welcoming eyes. "I only wanted to be sure you were ready as well, Zelda. Yune only knows how long you take." She playfully slapped him and tossed him his cloak.
It was then that Ike noticed the dress she was wearing. Unlike most of her dresses she usually wore, this one was... puffy, for want of a better term. While no way the size of some of the ball dresses he had seen Peach wear, in which she could probably hide seven of her Toads, it wasn't her standard slender dress. It was virgin white like his, with crisp ice blue lines running across it. She wore a crown of mistletoe on her head and long white silk gloves. Her dancing shoes looked as if they were carved of ice and on her bodice she wore the rose he had given her many months ago when they first met.
"You... look like a candle. All white, bright, and beautiful." She leaned in close and sealed his mouth with a passionate kiss. Mint was on her breath, giving him pleasant surprise.
"Well, if the mighty Lord Ike would hurry along, we may be able to hear our names be read for the gala. This is my first time in Crimea, and I do not want it to be one remembered as being unfashionably late." Ike chuckled and after putting on his polished leather boots, he grabbed Ragnel and took the hand of the excited Hylian Princess. After closing their shared room door behind them, they walked it through the candle lit castle. The sounds of merry making could be heard all the way from their room in the towers. As the two lovers walked together, hand in hand, they recalled how they cam here in the first place.
It was very generous and considerate of the Master Hand to issue a brief, which three weeks was to him, reprieve from the brawls to refuel their desire to fight and win. Ike was grateful, as he could return back to his home world and see those he missed for so long. It was uplifting to see his little sister, Mist, once again after so long. His other mercenaries, namely Titania and Soren, were pleased to see him and even Mia welcomed him back with a sparring match. As usual, he came out on top, though she was proving to be quite a challenge for him to beat.
After his visit to his mercenaries, he decided to pay a visit to Geoffrey and Elincia. The latter was especially surprised to see him after so long and even the former General, now King of Crimea, welcomed him back with a bear hug. After pleasantries were exchanged and a a few goblets of wine downed, Elincia mentioned the auspicious time that he returned. It was the Lunar Festival of Lovers, more commonly known as Valentine's Day back at the smash mansion.
The Queen asked that he attend the ball and gala to welcome him back. Ike, being the helpless sap that he was when Elincia asked him, agreed after a moment of thinking. Geoffrey asked if he was going to bring any one special to the dance, and playfully mentioned that Bastian was out of town and Lucia was going crazy for not being around him. Lucia, who was well within arms reach, delivered a well powered punch to the arm of Geoffrey. Ah, sibling rivalry at it's finest.
Ike still could get a laugh out of Geoffrey's reaction, as well as Lucia's when he mentioned he had someone special to bring to the dance. The two made wild guesses on who it was going to be. Lucia claimed that he was going to bring Mia, while Geoffrey's coin was placed on either Titania or his sister Mist, so that she would not be left out of the festivities as a single lady. Elincia tried her hardest to keep a straight face, as the letters exchanged between the two. When asked to desctibe her features, a new voice spoke up.
"Young, wise beyond her years, charismatic, and she looks as if she fell from the heaven above to be my angel." Zelda spoke as she emerged from the shadows of one of the pillars. The two siblings wer caught off guard as the Hylian appeared as if from nowhere. Zelda chuckled and wrapped her slender golden arms around Ike as she repeated his confession of his love for her.
"She is everything I ever wanted, and though we have our disagreements, she is Zelda of Hyrule. I wouldn't change who she was for anything in this world." She smiled as he said the words and Lucia blushed at the words. "Nothing could wrestle me away from you."
"And, Ike?" When Ike looked up, Zelda pulled a knife from his waist and held the tip of it at his chin. "I have every intention of keeping it that way."
Oh how Elincia and Geoffrey laughed. Ike smiled to Zelda, and she did the same. It would appear as if they were thinking of the same thing. They walked down the last of the halls leading to the main hall. As they made their way, other nobles and the like were filing in. Some, dignitaries from the nations surrounding Crimea, to other nobles themselves from the sovereign kingdom.
Ike and Zelda took their place, while the warmth of the halls drifted to them. They reached the marble stairs and were greeted with the sight of of the great hall. To call it great was quite a damed understatement. The tall walls with arcane candles, a few of them emitting rose pink flames. The golden chandelier spun by magical means in the air, but maintained an equal proportion of light through the room. It was large enough that perhaps half the army could stand in perfect formation to fill it. Many of the guests were talking quietly amongst themselves, drinking from rose colored glasses of light crisp wines or helping themselves to the snacks prepared for by the chefs.
The two cut their gaping of the hall short as they realized they were at the front of the line. The herald looked to them and back to the list in his hand. "Lord Ike Greil and Princesses Zelda of Hyrule." He announced with a deep voice that carried through the great hall. Many of the nobles quit their chatter and applauded the return of the Radiant Hero. Zelda smiled and hug the arm she had on Ike. Queen Elincia applauded and gestured for them to join her at the head table. Ike navigated through the crowd of nobles and countesses. While they weren't gawking at Zelda, they were welcoming the hero of their nation back home.
After saying polite words to the nobles, Ike and Zelda went to their seats beside Elincia. She herself was dressed in a white pinkish dress, much like the one Ike saw her in when they first met. Granted this one had many more laces and ruffles, it was simplistic in design. Lady Lucia was on her right, though she was a little less full of cheer then everyone else. She was wearing what she usually did, thigh high boots and all. Geoffrey was wearing his tradition polished black plated armor. Ike took his seat on the left side of Elincia and Zelda nest to him. "My lord Ike, I did not know you had such clothes available in your wardrobe. And Lady Zelda, you look rather lovely tonight ." Zelda giggled under her breath. The herald read off several other notable names, but most nobles didn't really notice. She looked around. It would appear as if there was plenty of the other Greil Mercenaries, Boyd, Shinon, Titania and even Soren was there, though he was moping around for some reason. It wasn't like Soren was the most chipper lot, but he was down more then usual.
Relaxing in his chair, Ike looked over to Zelda, who began to enjoy her first glass of Crimean wine of the night. "Lunar Festival of Lovers, interesting name for a holiday. Care to educate me on such matters?"
Ike chuckled. Even far away from home or the Mansion, Zelda's thirst for knowledge never wavered. "Well, I am not the most knowledgeable of the season. It derives from when Crimea was still young and not a unified nation. Many of the kingdoms were war weary for the constant dominations on the battlefields. Legend goes that one night on the last full moon of winter, the two armies that made up different parts of Crimea were to clash on what appeared to be the crucible of the war. Their leaders, one man and the other a princesses met underneath the moon-"
"And then the lions and the unicorns came from underneath the snowbanks with rainbows all around them. Yune Ike, you need to work on your story telling skills." Ike almost jumped out of his seat as Ranulf, the cheeky bastard he was, popped in unannounced. Zelda couldn't control herself and began to laugh. Ike took a moment to compose himself, realizing his fist was balled in a fist ready to strike him.
The laguz was dressed in a five silken suit, one that made Ike remember of the bet Snake loss and was forced to wear a suit all day, though significantly darker and with a hole cut out of the rear for the tail to remain out. Ike sighed as his anger subsided, and her shook the hand of one of his oldest friends. "It is good to see you again, Ranulf. I see his majesty had other important activities and sent his chief aid ?"
Ranulf chuckled. "Well, yes and no. Yes I was going to be here on the accordance of my lordship, but there is yet another reason I am here."
"Oh?" Ike asked. Ranulf gestured to a young lady dressed in a very large, and very fluffy dress. Ike thought it might have been another laguz he had fallen for, but Ike noticed there was no tail. Then he looked at her long golden brown hair. His blood froze in his veins and did a double take to Ranulf, who had hiss hands up in a guarded position. "No, I just took her because she wanted to come, no other reason. Please don't be mad with me."
It was Ike's turn to laugh. "Upset? Ranulf, I am very thankful that you did that." Zelda looked over to the two with a complexed look. The figure turned back to Ranulf and smiled as she noticed Ike. Zelda looked at the face of the newcomer and began to see the face she had seen at the mercenary camp. It was Ike's younger sister Mist.
"Ike!" She rushed over to the Mercenary commander and wrapped her arms around him, the black silk gloves the same feeling as Zelda's. Out of the corner of Zelda's eye, she noticed the Soren's face light up momentarily at the sight of her. Zelda dismissed and rose from her seat, feeling the need for another glass of Crimean wine. As she poured it from another table, she stood next to what appeared to be a lesser minister of the court. Feeling the urge to make small talk, Zelda looked and gestured to the rotating chandelier.
"Isn't it unique that they managed to produce not only arcane lights but also to have it always be the same in sync? Truely it is unique."
The minister looked over to her with an indifferent face as if he was addressing a fool. His eyes peered to her ears and reached for his own glass. "Yes, but it was nothing like last year."
"What did they have last year?" Zelda asked, wondering what would top that which was above her.
"Standards that didn't allow sub-races in." The minister said, threw the contents of his glass on her and turned away from Zelda in disgust. Taken back from the rudeness, she snarled and decided to head outside to clear her head. She didn't even make mention to Ike where she would be.
She left for the massive open patio, the chilly air greeted her with a blast. She drew her arms closer around her and scowled at the Ministers words. Not even her first night in the castle and already there were those who despised her. It wasn't her fault she was born Hylian, it wasn't her fault... She scowled at the words and the timing. Some festival of lovers, she thought bitterly.
She looked down to her dress and saw that the white was stained a light pink shade and she felt tears swell in her eyes as she tried to forget the rudeness. "Not one for parties, eh?" A figure spoke behind her. She spun around and saw a young man with long blond hair and a trimmed mustache and patch of hair. She smiled at the face Lucia spoke so highly about.
"My Lord Bastian." Zelda responded with a curtsy and he with a bow. "I was told you would be away from the castle for this event. It is good to see the man Ike spoke so highly about.
"Princess Zelda of Hyrule, you are everything Elincia mentioned in her letters. And to answer your first conundrum, it would be very uncharacteristic and rude of me not to attend such a gala. Here." He gave Zelda the glass of wine she put aside, it was chilled to the touch, signifying that she had been out her for quite a while. He raised his glass and she did to his.
"To Crimea, may it endure in this golden age!" Zelda announced with a mighty voice.
"To Hyrule, may it forever prosper!" Bastian followed and the two drank to it. After emptying his wine glass, Bastian tossed it at a stone wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Zelda looked him and he shrugged. "Old tradition, you break the glass so no one else can make a promise on the same goblet." She nodded and did the same, breaking her glass on the walls of the castle. He looked at her and noticed the faded pink of the wine. "How much as such a young lady like you has dunk this evening?"
She scoffed, "Apparently not as much as I should be. A minister didn't agree with my race and..." she stopped as she felt anger bubble up in her. Bastion nodded sadly and raised an outstretched hand. He murmured a few words and slowly the crimson blemish on her dress faded away.
"Forgive his actions, milady." Bastian said as he looked out to the moon. "Many old habits in our race die hard, and our diplomacy takes a while. It was terribly rude and unfitting of any noble to treat you in such a way."
She nodded, realizing that it was wrong for her to let someone get the better of her like that. "I... thank you Bastian. Is there anything I could do to repay for your kind words?"
He thought and nodded slowly. "There is young Zelda. Send out spring's azure rose, its summer glory and autumns embrace. When you see the flower of beauty, send her to this cold night so I may comfort her."
Zelda roller her eyes mentally. Obviously referring to Lucia, she agreed that she would to the overly enthusiastic noble. She decided that she might as well join the party and make the best of it. She opened the door and made her way back through the winding doors and hallways. She was going to continue when she heard a sound. She stopped and wondered who it could be. She noticed the door on her left was slightly ajar. Zelda noticed two figures inside. She couldn't see them but she wasn't going to tempt fate by pushing it open a little more to see the figures. Their voices however drifted to her first.
"Soren... does he know?"
"No... if he did, he would rip me in half. We need to remain quite about this."
"But why should we? It is the Lunar Festival of Lovers, he would understand. I may be his sister, but I am a grown woman. As such," the sound of clothes rustling filled the room, "I can make my own decisions. Let's make most of the night."
Zelda covered her agape mouth with one of her spare hands as she recognized the voices of the figures. She continued her way back to the dance pondering on what to make of the discovery. If she was correct, Ike safeguard Mist like a hawk since their father died, and on more then one occasion delivered a well placed punch to those who he deemed unworthy of his sister. Oh well, if they were discovered …
She made it back to the main hall and saw that Ike was looking around and when he laid his eyes on her, he seemed to relax. "Where were you? I was beginning to get worried." He held on to her arms and noticed how cold she was.
"I was powdering my nose and I decided to get some fresh air." She told him, and Ike nodded, satisfied with the answer. The music began to pick up again and Zelda looked to Ike. "Well, since I seemed to have missed some of the party, care to test your foot work on the floor?"
Ike chuckled and took both of her hands with his. "Like I'm going to say no." They exited out to the ballroom floor, and is a medium speed tempo song. Ike and Zelda each put one of their hands together and began moving in a circle, occasionally flipping hands and changing movement. "So you have a question, say it?"
Zelda smiled oddly as Ike was able to read her mind. "I didn't know being my lover gave you the ability to read minds."
"Minds, piff. Your face is like an open book. Living in a mercenary camp with four gossiping women gives you the ability to read faces. I picked up a few tricks along the way."
Zelda nodded, "Ike, is Soren in love with someone?"
Ike laughed at this. "Soren is the last one I would be expecting to find lasting love. As far as I know, Soren isn't the slightest interested in girls."
You are in for one hell of a surprise Ike. Zelda thought to herself. The dance continues and this time Ike brought Zelda closer to him, and then their chests were practically touching each other. "I was just wondering." She responded.
Ike nodded and their dance continued. The music changed and they stayed with their chests pinned to each other. Zelda looked into Ike's sapphire eyes and noticed that they were awash in deep thought. Odd, they were only like when Ike was having a deep inner battle with himself on what to do.
Eventually Ike broke away and looked Zelda in the eye and asked for her to come with him. Zelda nodded, though when she spied Lucia, she told her that someone wanted her at the deck. She looked weird at the princess but went the way to the patio. Zelda noticed that Ike was taking her the same direction. Her heart began to pound as she realized what Ike was going to do as they stopped at the same door she did. He rapped hard against the door, and she felt as if she was going to pass out from fear. "Ike please, you don't have to do this." she quietly begged him.
Ike shot her a look and when the door opened enough for Ike to reach in, he grabbed and there was a yelp of pain. He dragged Soren out of the door and looked deep into his eyes. He was dressed in a black robe and his eyes were wide with fear, very unlike him. He was sweaty, both from what he was more then likely doing with Mist and from looking into Mist's brother's eye. "Commander..pl-please-please don't kill me."
Ike looked dead into his eyes and it was as if Soren made one move, his neck would be broken. "Soren, do you have any idea how protective I am of my sister? Do you know how many suitors I had to deal with that would have taken her down like a whore?"
Soren swallowed hard and closed his eyes as he expected the worst. Ike shook his head and did something neither Zelda nor Soren expected. He laughed.
"Would it kill you to ask first, Soren?" Ike said as he dropped Soren down on the ground. ''If you want to court my sister, would it kill you to ask?"
Zelda looked to Ike, two actually seemed to be serious about it. Soren stood up and cleared his throat. "So you aren't mad?"
"Yes, and no. Yes, I am mad that you are courting my sister behind my back. If you would have asked, I would have laughed for a few minutes before letting you. No, I think you are god for her. Mist needs a counterpart to off set her cheery attitude."
Soren bowed his head and Ike stopped him once. "Though if she does get pregnant out of wedlock, you can be sure that I will give you a rude visit."
Nodding slowly, knowing that Ike would very well carry out that threat. Soren returned to the room and zelda turned to Ike. Ike cocked an eye brow. "You were saying?"
Zelda stammered for a moment before composing herself. "Ike, that was very kind and polite of you. You respected their wishes and... I lke that. You can be warm and caring when others would have lashed out in rage." Zelda leaned in and kissed him. He renatured it with a feverish passion.
"Come, the queen must be wondering where we are right now." Ike smiled, "Let them have their moment in peace."
It was almost an hour before midnight as they returned to their quarters for the evening. Both of them felt slightly intoxicated due to the wine the consumed. But they were happy and content. And while the warm feeling embraced their bodies, it was nothing more then that thankfully. "So, it was your first royal Crimean gala. What did you think Zelda?"
She shrugged as Ike opened the door for them. "Besides having wine thrown on me by a bigot minister, in which Bastian promised he would remain the rest of this year shoveling out a horse stall, it was a rather pleasant event."
Ike nodded. As they entered the room, the candles were almost melted away. They laid down on the bed together, Zelda's head on Ike's chest. "Yes, Bastian always carries out his word. Still, I would have paid a queen's ransom to see Lucia's reaction when she saw him tonight. Which brings me to another tradition of Lunar Festival's of Lovers." He rose and went over to the nightstand. "It is customary that lovers share a token of their appreciation."
He turned around to see Zelda again, and she was smiling with a small glint in her eyes. "How did I not see this coming?"
Ike chuckled and produced a green emerald for her. Zelda's eyes grew wide, "Ike, you shouldn't..." She lost her ability to speak as he opened his palm completely, revealing a diamond and Tiger-eye triangles along with the emerald in the triforce design. On top of a silver locket that bore iconography of the history of the kingdom of Hyrule. In it was a picture of her, Peach, Link, and Ike himself standing as the top four in the brawl season.
"I needed their help with this. Link knew what colors you loved and Peach helped me make the design of the locket." Ike explained carefully. Zelda smiled with tears forming in her eyes. She knew Ike wouldn't settle for chocolate or roses. He was a man who when he expressed his affection, he would do it in a way that would last. Like giving this locket.
Zelda kissed him on the forehead and rose. "I will get your gift in a moment." She rose and began to blow out the dying candles. "What do you think the others will say of their Valentine's day?"
Ike relaxed back on the bed and took of his head band, boots and cape. "Well, Peach would take Link out to see the mushroom kingdom and they would say of a romantic dinner under the stars. Samus and Snake will more then likely say collecting a bounty was romantic enough for them. The others I am unsure about. Though what could we say about ours?"
He looked back to Zelda, who had extinguished all but two candles. She opened the blinds, letting the revealing moon light shine over them, her hair was undone and she was wearing her gown that she wore beneath the dress. She moved back to the bed and sat down next to Ike, running her fingers through his azure hair. "That we found true love, that I found the man to steal my heart. And you found your princess."
She kissed him deeply and passionately. Ike returning it with renewed vigor. Through their trials, their love would endure through the highs and lows. That was the meaning of the Lunar Festival of Lovers, that love is eternal and is not bound to a single day. Love changes and grows.
Their love would blossom and grow with them.