Authorbabble: This is un-edited from my dA, cause wasn't working. that's why mah authorbabble is like that.
Authorbabble: This is a super lame idea I had a few days ago. So, with no beta-ing and probable loads of typos, I'm just gonna submit it now. I dunno if any of my watchers will read this (or understand it, at ALL) because it's FIRE EMBLEM 8: SACRED STONES. Ok? Okay. Pairings: Anyways, here you guys go... Enjoy.
Seth x Eirika (durr de durr)
Joshua x Natasha (slight, so if you hate them, read anyway)
Franz x Amelia (very slight)
Neimi x Colm (very slight)
-FIRST DAY-
The Druid was chanting something, and as soon as Eirika saw the dead lamb in the center of the pentagram, she knew something was wrong. The chant wasn't one she'd heard before, and it sounded horribly sinister. Then flames rose up from the lines of the pentacle and the Druid pointed at her. Eirika shouted in fear and turned tail, unashamed of running from this horrific scene. Just as she reached the door and got the attention of the main army, the spell hit her. The princess collapsed, shaking, to the ground, her eyes rolled up in her head.
Seth reached her first. "MILADY!" he shouted, but Eirika didn't respond.
Ephraim was second. "Eirika!" he cried, horror-struck, and stared at Seth. "Seth, what happened to my sister? Did you see?"
"I saw her run to the door. She was panicked. Whatever is in there, I don't envy the man who volunteers to kill it. Of course, if needed, I will, but that's beside the point. A spell hit her from the back, and she collapsed, shook, and then passed out, milord. I don't know what spell it was; any like this is new to me-- she's waking," he finished, looking at Eirika, who blinked and groaned quietly.
"Eirika? Eirika, what happened?" Ephraim asked, concerned.
"D-druid. Pentagram. He had... a sacrificial... lamb. I... ran..." she finished, sitting up.
"Milady, Natasha is coming. She has Ivaldi, and no Druid's spell can harm her when she's in a rage like this. She's been forgiving to the users of the Dark Arts, but when they are used for evil, she has no mercy at all," said Seth reassuringly.
Sure enough, Natasha blazed by, and a flash of white light followed by a smell of burning flesh came from the room. Natasha bustled out and to Eirika's side. She sent a probe of magic to sense the damage, and gasped. "Oh, my..." the Bishop murmured. "This is... this is horrid."
"What happened?" asked Ephraim.
"All her organs. They're slowly shutting down. Even now I can sense the Dark magic lingering in them. Even Latona's stave can only prolong this, and I would break it trying to save her, Prince Ephraim. I... this is a magic just as old-- if not older-- than the Sages of Rausten and their light magic. I can only stop her pain as the curse progresses..." she confessed, looking down at the Princess, who looked perfectly fine.
Seth asked it first. "How... how long does she have?"
"Four days, give or take a few hours..." said Natasha, hand to her mouth.
Joshua came and bore her away, and Seth nor Ephraim had the heart to stop him. They both would have liked a shoulder to cry on, but neither would weep. Eirika sighed slightly, shaking her head to clear it. "I... I think I fainted again. What did Natasha do...?" she asked.
Ephraim and Seth looked at one another helplessly, and Seth murmured, "The curse is simple, but horribly effective. It will just... shut you down, slowly. Lungs, heart, all will be weaker and weaker, until they just... go..." he finished, staring at his feet. "This is my fault. I should have attacked the Druid instead of you."
"Nonsense," said Eirika, standing. "If you start going soft on me, Seth, who am I to rely on in these last few days? If I am to pass away soon, then we have less time than ever to win this war. Let's go," she finished, all business. Ephraim and Seth were amazed. Inside, she was shaking with fear, but she showed it not a whit.
"E-eirika," said Ephraim helplessly.
---
Eirika sat on sentry duty with Seth, gazing at the stars. She coughed lightly, and Seth glanced over. "Milady..." he said softly.
"It's nothing, Seth," she replied.
"Not yet..." he whispered, and then said louder, "Milady, what is it that you plan to do these few days?"
"Well, I wanted to spend time with you-- as Eirika, not 'milady'-- but you know that already and have spoken your mind on this, so I gave that idea up. I suppose, I simply want to end this war before I go," she finished simply, staring up at the stars, head cocked slightly to the side.
Seth sighed. "Milady, what you choose to do with your days... I will not object. If I am included, so be it. You should be happy now more than ever, whatever makes you happy," he said, looking into her startlingly blue eyes.
Eirika smiled, and choked out, "S-seth..."
He clasped her hands in his, and then murmured, "Princess Eirika. This is... tragic... and I feel that I should have protected you better, that I erred in judgement, that somehow this is my fault. That I could have prevented it. Were it that I could take your place, milady..."
She laid a hand on his cheek. "Seth, no. You made no error in your judgement. You are not to blame for my... predicament. Please don't think that you could have stopped it. You are not to blame, Seth, never you," she said, and Seth had to smile at her.
"Thank you for your kind words, Milady," Seth replied.
"... Seth. I have a request of you," she said suddenly.
"Anything, milady," he replied.
"Please... call me Eirika, at least when it's just us," she said softly, hesitantly, as if waiting to be reprimanded.
"I... yes, Prin-- Eirika," said Seth, stumbling on the word slightly.
"Seth, thank you," she said, clasping his hands in hers and beaming at him.
"It is nothing, to make my lady Eirika happy," he replied.
"Seth, you did it again," she persisted with a laugh.
"Oh," he said eloquently, then, "I'm just not used to being so casual, honestly."
She looked back up at the stars and watched them for a minute. Still not meeting his eyes, Eirika murmured, "Seth, I'm... I'm frightened. I can't fight this. It isn't an enemy I can defeat, or debate with. I... I'm afraid."
Seth hesitantly put an arm over her shoulders, and murmured back, "Please don't be."
Eirika gazed up at him, and then put her head on his shoulder. "How can I not be, Seth? How can I not be afraid of this...?"
"I don't know, Eirika..." he whispered, pulling her closer to him.
Eirika put her arms around him hesitantly, then tightly, as if holding onto him could keep her in this world. He smoothed her hair in a slow rhythm, and Eirika slowly fell asleep. Ephraim found them that way at dawn, and sat down next to the Paladin. "Well, it took you long enough..." he remarked weakly, a poor excuse for a joke.
"Yes," Seth replied simply.
Eirika murmured something in her sleep and Seth whispered to her something Ephraim didn't catch. The prince smiled. "I can't help but wonder, Seth, is this somehow my fault?"
Eirika coughed, as if to prove his point, and Seth replied, "My views are the same. I spoke them, and Princess Eirika reprimanded me quite pointedly."
Ephraim chuckled. "That's just like her... Well, although you two look very sweet now, we should probably wake her... She's a grump in the mornings, Seth, just to warn you... GOOD MORNING, EIRIKA!"
"Snrgplhah... hmmf?" she groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Ephraim, quiet, I was sleeping!"
"I know. That's why I woke you, Sister dear," he said with a grin.
Eirika stretched, extricating herself from Seth to do so, and then shivering. "Ah, it's cold out here," she remarked.
"It's not, though," said Ephraim. "You were just very warm, I suppose."
Eirika flushed, and Seth smiled slightly. "I... I suppose," agreed Eirika with a smile at Seth, who realized that her smile truly was contagious, and smiled back.
---
Eirika hummed to herself, meandering through the Jehannan prairies near the edge of Rausten, their next destination. She plucked a few fuschia coneflowers and some sweetgrass, carrying them with her. Next the Princess picked sprigs of grapevines that grew over the trees, arranging them into a small bouquet. She found small bluebells and picked some of those as well. Then she turned, because someone was calling her name.
Seth walked towards her and asked, "Milady, for what reason do I find you here?"
"I would ask you the same, Seth," she replied with a smile.
"Ah... I woke early and decided to take a walk before the camp woke up. And you?" he smiled back slightly.
"Oh. I was picking flowers for Natasha, since flowers are supposed to ease the minds of the sick or injured," she replied, showing him the bouquet she held in her hands.
"It's very nice, milady," Seth replied. "Did you do this just now?"
"Yes, I did. And haven't I asked you to call me Eirika?" Eirika said, laughing.
"Oh! Yes, you did, Eirika. I apologize, I'd forgotten..." he said with a soft chuckle.
Eirika turned to pick a sprig of sweetgrass, and placed it gingerly in the bouquet. Seth took in a breath and then remarked, "It smells wonderful."
"Sweetgrass, yes. I'd never seen it before Jehanna. Natasha told me much about the herbs that grow here, and I decided to pick her some in thanks," Eirika murmured, coughing lightly. "Ah, it must be the smell. I'm not used to it."
"Eirika, I don't think it's the smell. You should at least go back to camp," Seth said, putting a hand on her shoulders to support her as she coughed again, loudly and followed by more.
"Seth, I'm fine!" she retorted angrily, frustrated at all the attention she was given as the result of the Druid's curse.
"Eirika," Seth said hesitantly, then fiercely, "You are not fine. Please do not pretend that you are, for it does pain me to see you unhappy."
She coughed again, rather painfully, and then nodded. "Seth... I will go back to camp with you. I should have thought more about my present... condition... before I snapped at you. I apologize for my behavior," the Princess replied, shuffling her feet, embarrassed.
"It isn't a problem, Eirika. Here, lean on me, you seem to be unsteady on your feet..."
She obliged, and they walked back to the camp in silence, punctuated by Eirika's soft coughs. Ephraim took one look at them and shook his head, saying, "Eirika, what were you doing?"
"P-picking flowers, Brother," she replied with an embarrassed smile.
"Ah... Well, take someone with you next time, all right? In case you get hurt," he replied, arms crossed, the very image of a worried brother.
Eirika flushed. "I... I will," she replied.
"Thank you. I worry, especially--" he cut off as she burst into a fit of coughing, then said to Seth, "Bring her to Natasha. Ask if she has anything for the coughing."
"Yes, milord... Lady Eirika, please come with me," he said, taking Eirika's arm gently and leading her to the healers' tents.
Ephraim sighed. "Oh, Sister... Why did it have to be you?"
---
-SECOND DAY-
Eirika's condition had steadily worsened over the course of the day, much to Ephraim's discontent. He ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it up. Seth entered the tent, saying, "Milord, you asked for me?"
"Yes. I just... I wanted to speak with you, if only because I know you feel the same way as I about this whole situation with... my sister. I just feel as if it's somehow my fault, Seth," he murmured, pacing the large tent around the folding table with strategy plans on it.
Seth put a hand on his king's shoulder. "Milord. It is not your fault. I had been thinking, and I know that though we cannot undo the spell, something, somewhere in a book-- or known by one of our mages-- could at least prolong Eirika's remaining time... I was going to begin searching by asking Lute for the use of her books. I think, in light of this, that you might like to join me?"
Ephraim's eyes brightened and he nodded, pushing the tent flap open. "Let's go, Seth!" he cried, and the Paladin had to trot to keep up.
Lute agreed (reluctantly) to let them use her portable library. She'd enchanted them to fit all inside her pack, and so when they opened it, book after book after book poured out, amazing both the men. "Ah... where do we start...?" asked Seth.
"How about this? 'Magicks Most Arcane and the Effects and Counter-effects of those Magicks' seems likely... although I do hate doing research. This reminds me too much of the days when Eirika would nag me for not completing a history essay..." rambled Ephraim, then opened the book. "Ah! This is... these spells are... horrid! Who would use these?!" he cried, tossing it unceremoniously to Seth, who caught it and flipped through.
"This curse seems likely-- no, it takes a few months to set in, that can't be..." and many other variations of that were said over the next few hours, from both Ephraim and Seth, as the pile of checked books grew larger and larger.
Finally, Seth flipped to a page. "The Maiden's Bane curse... eugh. I really dislike this book, milord-- ah! Wait, these symptoms... They're... Prince Ephraim, I think I may have found it!"
Ephraim promptly stood and knocked over all the books around him with a resounding crash. "What?!" he cried, and looked at the spell Seth was reading.
"Oh, Light... This is a horrid, complex, evil spell, Seth... Who would just do this for an attack on any of our party? It takes months to prepare, this says, because the miasma of evil needed to produce effects cannot be procured without many ingredients, unless one has-- oh, no."
"Sire?"
"Unless one has power beyond mortal ken,' that's what it says. This isn't just a Druid we're dealing with here. Maybe that's why Eirika could have killed him so easily-- it wasn't a true Druid. Just... a Phantom... or a monster, in Druid's clothing... oh, no, no..." spoke Ephraim slowly, recognizing the power behind the curse.
"Sire, there... it says there is no countercurse but for the killing of the caster-- by the one who has cursed blood in their veins. Unless we defeat the Demon King-- before Eirika... passes... there is no hope..." he murmured, closing his eyes in silent horror.
"But Eirika can't be brought into battle, can she? She may be strong-willed and athletic, but she is frail, especially in this state. She would be killed long before she had the chance to break the spell," Ephraim replied, re-reading the passage.
"Ah, wait... Sire... I think I've an idea," said Seth suddenly, as he got to the part about the counter-curse again.
Ephraim stared at him. "Yes?! Yes, what is it?! Anything, Seth, anything could help. Speak!"
"It says that the one who has cursed blood in their veins must kill the caster. Have you heard of a blood oath, sire? Wouldn't that... that would spread the curse, but also enable someone else to go in Eirika's stead to kill the Demon. It would have to be done right before the battle, but... I don't even know if it would work, sire, please don't get that look in your eye. You wouldn't be allowed to perform it either way," Seth finished, a gleam in his eyes.
"I know, Seth, I know. But who else-- oh, no, you can't. You simply can't, Seth," the prince gaped at his Paladin, and saw steely determination. "Oh, you do truly love her, don't you, Seth..."
Seth considered for a moment, and then replied, standing and closing the book, "Yes, sire. Now we need only to inquire of this with the mages, and if their consensus is positive... then Eirika."
"Yes. Let's go, Seth."
---
"This... I think it would work," said Natasha quietly, wringing her hands.
"I agree," said Lute, "it is a good idea, almost worthy of my genius!"
"Dark magic, while strong, has weaknesses... And you have found one, General," Knoll agreed, staring at the ground.
"How simply lovely! The powers of justice and love will certainly prevail, although with my might at your side, how could it not?" exclaimed L'Arachel passionately, standing up and clapping her hands.
Saleh simply nodded, deep in thought, and then said, "I believe this plan may work."
Seth smiled, slightly, and then excused himself to speak with Eirika. He walked inside her tent, where she lay, obviously bored, and spoke quietly, "Hello, Eirika. Are you doing well?"
"Well as can be expected, Seth. The grin on your face speaks more than you do-- what has happened?" she asked, sitting up and smiling back.
"Your brother and I think we may have found a way to cure your ailment, but... it certainly is not without risk," he started, and after Eirika finished coughing, continued, "It would entail a blood oath of sorts between you and I, before we battle the Demon King. That way, the curse would run in my veins also-- don't look so saddened, Eirika!-- so that I may kill the caster and therefore lift the curse upon both of us. The catch is that Ephraim and I believe the caster to be the Demon King."
"S-seth, I cannot allow you to put yourself in such danger for me. I simply cannot condone this course of action... oh, you aren't going to be dissuaded, are you?" she tapered off weakly, coughing again. "Ah, my stomach is beginning to hurt... I... If it's the only possible way, Seth. I just.. I don't want to see you hurt again on my behalf!"
He sat down next to her on the side of the bed and said, "I will not fail you, Eirika. I could not, not when your life hangs in the balance."
Eirika flung her arms around him, shaking slightly. "Seth, please, don't die on me. Promise you won't."
"I promise, Eirika. On my honor as a Knight," he replied, taking her hands in his to make the vow.
---
-THIRD DAY-
Eirika was hard to move, for it pained her to take a breath now. Natasha was beginning to wonder if she could even help, but Eirika told her it was. She rode with Seth, in front of him, trying not to doze off. "Eirika, we're soon going to reach Darkling Woods. You must stay with me at all times, that I may protect you as best I can."
"Yes, Seth, I know. How could I not, since I am riding with you? I only hope I will not be too much of a hindrance-- ah! There. There are the monsters, already..."
"Yes. We line up to the fore now. Be ready, Eirika, for soon this ground will run red..." he murmured to her, and she nodded, gripping her rapier as tightly as she could.
The enemies charged, and the army charged as well. The resounding crash of metal against metal, tooth to flesh, flesh to sword, drowned out all else. Eirika had one arm around Seth, and one arm wielding her blade, a silver flash in the fray. Seth used a Silver Lance, spearing anything that got in his way as they fought to reach the Black Temple.
Eirika's arm was slashed, but not severely. Her scream tugged at Seth's heartstrings, but all he could do was wait until Natasha healed it with her Physic, which came in a few long minutes. She had worse things to tend to, he reminded himself, there is always someone worse off than you.
Eirika was breathing heavily, and when she broke into three successive coughing fits, he gave her sword over to the convoy and asked that she not exert herself. She nodded, but refused to dismount the horse and stay with the convoy. He was glad later, for her sharp eyes spotted arrows and mages that he could dodge or take down quickly, while he was fighting other enemies. They always went for her-- why was it always her?! Eirika was a magnet for trouble, Seth noted to himself.
After what seemed like (and well could have been) hours, the battle was over. The corpses of Riev and Morva were shoved aside, and Natasha said prayers over both of them. Myrrh clung to Ephraim's side, bawling, and he and Saleh comforted her in vain.
They set up a makeshift camp, guarded by dozens of Lute's spells and Saleh's cleverly-disguised traps, were anyone to try to gain entrance. Nobody slept well, especially Eirika.
---
-FOURTH DAY-
Seth awoke and went to the healers' tent again, and asked quietly to Natasha, who was awake as ever, "What time."
"Sundown," she responded wearily, mixing a poultice together and bottling it. Her hand slipped, and Seth realized she'd been up all night.
"Sister Natasha, you should have some herbal tea. It's what my commanding officers always gave us for exhaustion. You haven't made any yet because...?"
"Too busy," she said quickly, finishing another poultice.
"I'll make it. Many in the army are in need of some rejuvenation. I'll be back in a few, then, Sister," he replied, leaving the Bishop to work.
Joshua snuck in after him and murmured, kissing the woman on the top of her head, "G'morning, Natasha. You look horrible, didn't you sleep at all?"
"N-no," she replied with a small flush, and Joshua chuckled. "Oh, 'Tash, that's just like you... I heard Seth is making a tea. Good, means I don't have to do it. Any recipes I know are bound to work, but taste like city sludge."
---
Eirika awoke with a groan. She ached all over, and was laboring to breathe. She looked at Natasha and Joshua, sitting together and drinking tea, and whispered, her voice cracking, "Good morning..."
"Princess Eirika! I-- I mixed you these poultices. Take them with your tea. I know you refuse to stay here, and General Seth has agreed to take you with him, so we have to have you fixed up for the day before it even starts. Drink up, then," she exclaimed, setting a cup of tea by the other woman's hand and giving her three bottled elixirs of one sort or another.
Eirika grimaced, but did as she was told. Joshua said, "Sorry. Those things taste like muck. I know, she made me drink some too. Just down it quickly, that's my advice, don't sip."
---
Eirika sat in front of Seth once again, and as Ephraim watched, drew a small cut on the back of her arm. She pressed it to a similar one on Seth's, and he winced. After the required minute, Eirika turned pale and fainted. Natasha rushed to them and healed her, reviving her quickly. "I'll stay near you two if I can..." she murmured to Seth, and then looked at Ephraim. "May the Light surround and protect us all..."
Eirika wavered and blushed, saying, "I... I'm sorry, Seth, Ephraim. I must have startled you..."
Both men told her it was nothing, loudly, and she smiled weakly at them. Then the charge began, into the Black Temple. Lyon spoke to them for a moment, and Eirika fought the urge to dismount and embrace him when he spoke of always having loved her. She was crying now, full-blown tears onto Seth's armor. He held her close to him, and the Princess sensed the pang this brought her old friend. She only cried harder for this, and then the whimpers changed into hacking coughs. Seth hushed her softly, and she bit her lip and tried not to start crying once more.
Then the Necromancer teleported away, to the back of the temple, and the monsters began attacking. Eirika was faint, and Seth felt her slowly drifting away. He only fought the harder for it.
Then a booming voice sounded, and all who heard knew it was the Demon King. It cackled maliciously and then shouted, "At sundown I will be complete! I will begin the rite! And it is soon to come! Hahaha!"
Eirika was struck by an arrow and passed out, and Seth had no choice but to leave her with the convoy and their rear-guards for protection. He hated it, but he knew that he had to be on the front lines, not carrying her. She'd hate it when she woke, as well, but he would take that risk.
After what seemed like an eternity, Seth looked up through the crumbling ceiling to see that the only light was ethereal in this place-- the sun had set.
He wheeled his horse around and thundered to the convoy, maddened with fear, to see Eirika pale and still in the wagon. Seth bit his lip. She could almost have been asleep, he thought, but her chest didn't move-- or was that a motion? No, he decided, it couldn't be. It couldn't be that she breathed on. But he refused to come closer, for then he knew he would lose all control.
The Paladin turned his stallion and charged the Necromancer, spearing him clean through in one fatal blow. They knew the Demon King was not in him anymore, and broke through the wall to reach the inner sanctum. L'Arachel held the Stone of Rausten high, but Seth paid no attention to the details. All he wanted was that thing to be dead. It would serve the beast right, he knew.
Tana handed him a lance, and took his from his clutches. He looked at it and saw that it was Vidofnir-- he would have protested, but she was gone. Then he charged the beast, not caring if anyone else followed, and stabbed it in the eye. It swiped at him, and narrowly missed.
He sliced its chest open, and instead of bleeding red, it seeped a blue-black sludge from the wound that coated the tip of his lance now. He wiped it off on his cloak and attacked again, nearly severing its arm in one neat slice. The Demon King howled in agony and attacked with a brand of magic he didn't recognize. It hit him, and he nearly fell from his horse. He shook it off, though every cell in his body was crying out for an end to the exhaustion, and attacked, stabbing through the neck of the Demon.
It howled, tapering off into a gurgle as its airpipe was severed, and fell from the lance. Seth turned his horse, and rode back through the army-- who'd all parted to let him throgh-- to the convoy.
The paladin threw his lance to the ground (Innes shouted for him to "Be careful, blast it, that thing's a Sacred Twin!") and removed his helmet. Nobody followed him. Even Ephraim would wait for him to finish his grieving before he would visit his sister-- he'd only realized what time it was when Seth turned from a calm and collected vassal to a man maddened with grief. Only one thing could change him so completely, he knew, and it took all his will to keep from wailing with stricken grief right in the middle of the battle.
Natasha was sobbing on Joshua's shoulder, Franz and Amelia were holding each other and Franz was patting her on the back with shaking hands, Neimi was wailing-- Colm didn't have the heart to tell her to shut it-- and the party generally was in disarray, women crying, men wanting to but refusing, and couples holding each other while one sobbed on the other's shoulders.
Seth sat beside her, and he shook with rage and grief. He wanted to cry, but his eyes were drier than Jehannan sands. He brushed her hair out of her face and, voice shaking, murmured, "I could have saved you, Eirika... I could have paid attention, rushed to the front, broken down the wall earlier... Or just struck Lyon down while he made you cry... Anything... And where was I while you breathed your last?!" he hit the side of the wagon, shaking it jarringly, "Attacking! Defending! Anywhere but blasted here!"
He swore he felt something on his hand, a farmiliar pressure. He murmured to himself, "She's not coming back, Seth, don't decieve yourself..."
The red-haired man turned to convince himself he was right and gasped. Eirika's eyes fluttered open, and she was holding onto his hand. "I..." she started, then trailed off at the look in Seth's eyes.
"How?" he asked.
"I knew... that you would prevail. I felt myself falling, but I wouldn't go, I fought so hard to stay here... And then I felt better, just a few minutes past, and fell asleep, I think..." she murmured, eyes watering.
Seth smiled. "Eirika... My brave, resolute princess... You... I... Well-- we can't let everyone go on thinking you've passed," he stuttered, then strung together a feeble sentence.
"I.. I'm not sure I can walk yet. My legs feel like jelly," she confessed.
He lifted her up gently, as if she was made of porcelain, and exited the wagon. Most of the army averted their eyes, wailing, but Ephraim shouted, "BLAST IT, EIRIKA, YOU HAD ME SO-- I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!"
Franz and Amelia looked up first, then Natasha, and after them the army as one stared at the very much alive-- if pale-- girl in Seth's arms. They broke out into a resounding roar as people surged forward. Ephraim kissed his sister on both cheeks as was the custom, and grinned at her. She only had eyes for Seth, however, and he was the same. Forde started it, but was quickly joined by nearly every man-- and most of the women-- in a loud chant, "KISS HER! KISS HER! KISS HER!"
Eirika grinned, and Seth smiled back, provoking gasps from some of the Knights of Renais, and kissed his princess on the lips