Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem, or any of the characters, except for Rossana, Draganos, and their father.

Boom! The walls at the castle in Altea Castle shook as a cannonball hit them. A blue haired warrior slashed prince glanced at the direction from the sound and swore, grabbing his sword. "That is it," he hissed and stormed for the doors. But two blue haired women stopped him.

"Marth, no!" the younger of the two begged, clasping Marth's hand. "They will surely kill you." Marth let out a dark chuckle.

"And let them storm the castle and surely kill you, my darling Shiida, and Elice? I think not," Marth replied, giving Shiida a quick kiss. "Now, wait here. The battle will surely be won, and then life will hopefully return to normal." With that, Marth ran out the door, into the battle, but in his haste, he left the door standing wide open. Shiida and Elice looked at each other, and started running after Marth. However, they didn't notice the cannonball that was flying straight to them…

Marth turned at the sound that was the most unpleasant thing he had ever heard. There was his fiancée and sister, lying on the ground, with all their limbs broken, dead. "No!" Marth screeched, but he had to fight. Marth gave it his best shot, but his heart wasn't in it. He was taken prisoner easily. Like I care anymore, Marth thought bitterly. I just want to be back with Elice and Shiida. The guard who was taking Marth away looked at him sorrowfully.

"I have a boy back home whose 'bout your age," the guard said. "Crazy prankster, but he does his work as long as his sister forces him. Best kids a man could have, 'specially since their mum died when they were only young. But Draganos and Rossana helped me pull through it, and I helped them in return." The guard took a quick glance at Marth, and leaned in to whisper to him.

"I could make out that I was taking you to solitude, but I'd really be taking you back to my cottage. Rossana would care for you. She has a natural talent when it comes to healing people, 'cept she don't use no healing stave. You'll have to have to heal in your own sweet time. I better move; you look done in." Marth just closed his eyes. The pain in his heart and the injuries he had received when he was fighting were too great. So, in short, Marth had passed out. When he was aroused, he was shirtless, in a strange bed, and there was a girl in peasant clothes tending to his wounds.

The girl was, well, beautiful. She had thick straight black hair that fell to her waist, and her eyes were glittering like emeralds. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, and her skin was the color of porcelain. Her lips were a rose color, and there was a cheeky grin on her face as she talked to the boy behind her. The boy was quite muscular, except there was a leaner side to him as well. His hair was the color of honey, and it fell just below his ears. His eyes were a hazel, and his skin was more of a golden color than his sister's. When he caught sight of Marth, his eyebrows raised.

"Look, Rossi," the boy said. "Girly boy's woken up." The girl's eyes slid to Marth's face and back to the wound on his torso.

"I noticed, Draganos," she replied simply. "And I wouldn't be one to call others 'girly boy'. Must I remind you how long your hair is getting?"

Draganos sputtered before replying. "I will…find some way around that point, Rossana. But in the meantime, he was wearing a tiara when Dad dragged him in. Does that not prove that he's girly?"

"So?" Rossana replied as she finished cleaning out the wound and began wrapping it. "It could be a sign of royalty, you numskull. Honestly, there's royalty in this household, and you put the poor boy down because he was wearing a tiara. Now, get. Go finish making the broth or do something useful. Just leave me alone!" Draganos shot a glare in Rossana's direction before stomping off to do what she told him, slamming the door in his wake. Rossana snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," Marth mumbled. Rossana slapped him. "OW!"

"Just because you're injured, pretty boy, doesn't mean I'm going to take pity on you," Rossana said, finishing the wound on his torso, and moving to the one on his shoulder. "You're royalty, so obviously you're going to look down your nose at us. Well, I'll tell you one thing: none of us in this household are going to stand for it. You'll be out on the streets, even if you are injured."

Marth was stunned. He hadn't expected this type of temper from one so fragile looking. He really shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and now he had gotten Rossana mad. Her cheeks were a bright pink, as if she was the one who was slapped, and not him. Marth sat up a little bit.

"Could I…could I perhaps tell the lady two things?" Marth asked tentatively.

"What two things?" Rossana replied sharply.

"Well…first of all, my name is Marth Lowell, prince of Altea," Marth responded. "That's one thing. And the second thing…"

"And the second thing…?" Rossana prompted.

"And the second thing is that you're extremely beautiful."