This was a result of me examining some of the A Support dual character epilogues some of the games have. Particuarly, the ones that resulted in one character leaving for another nation so they could stay with some other character. (Kyle/Syrene's joint ending from FE8, for example) I mused to myself a little over what kind of Culture Shock they might go through when they do that, and it resulted in this fic.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Caeda sat at one of the pews, one normally reserved only for Altean nobles. Having been invited to live in Altea with the nation's prince, she was awarded all the amenities the nobility received. That wasn't particularly important to her, and she would have been content to have been sitting among the people of no special standing on this day.
Now that the war was over, a service was to be conducted for those killed under Dolhr's occupation. Caeda was sitting in a church, quite possibly the only non-Altean present, and was holding a candle in her lap. It was already lit, and it represented the life of someone who died. She somewhat shielded the flame with her hand, in case a cold wind might try to snuff it. The church was packed with other people holding identical candles, and she knew that the mass of people had also gathered outside the church, due to a lack of necessary seats for all of them.
Elice, princess of Altea and older sister of prince Marth, was presiding over the service. Caeda thought that somewhat odd. She presumed some high priest or bishop would oversee this. Though Elice was a Cleric, she did not strike Caeda as an overly religious woman. She seemed to Caeda to seem more like someone who enjoyed reading the latest novel, not holy text.
The princess of Altea had a very spiritual mindset, there was no doubt about that, and the nation's beloved princess doing this was likely a symbol of some sort. She presided over the service well. She had a lit candle in her hand, just like everyone else. Despite being a princess, her candle didn't have any decoration, it was the same simple wax that everyone else was holding.
"It is good to honor the efforts of those who stand as conquering heroes." Elice said, beginning the service that was the less savory side of the celebration of Altea's freedom. She herself looked somewhat somber, giving the nature of this service that was understandable. "It is just as important to remember those forever lost to the nightmare we have only just freed ourselves from. Not only those who fell in battle, but those who were dragged from their homes and butchered for no reason." She bowed her head and gathered her thoughts while focusing on the candle she was holding. "Each candle in this church, and gathered outside this church, represents not one, not ten, but one hundred people murdered by Dolhr."
Caeda blinked, then looked down at the candle she was holding. This was just one of many candles, altogether they had to have accounted for one hundred, no, maybe nearly two hundred thousand lives. She didn't know Altea had hosted a population like that. The nation she was the princess of, the island nation of Talys, only just barely numbered over a thousand people. She inhaled, she had seen the aftermath of the horror Dolhr had visited upon Altea, but knew nothing of just how many people had suffered Dolhr's wrath.
Elice continued to talk, Caeda stopped paying attention. Her eyes were focused on the candle and its burning light. She had never been told the exact death toll, and was shocked to learn that so many people had died. She focused all of her senses entirely on the flame of the candle… perhaps it represented the flame of a soul? She was familiar with Altean etiquette and traditions, but knew little about the nation's cultural beliefs. She would have to ask Elice about that when the ceremony was over, before Caeda might unwittingly make some kind of social error.
The service continued for another hour. Elice spoke of the price Altea and the other nations had to pay to see peace restored. She spoke of what Altea had to give, and in some cases, forever lose, to return to the nation it had been.
Elice motioned to her candle. Raising it level with her head, she blew the flame out. The others in the church did likewise, Caeda followed suit. Those nearest Elice were the first to blow their candles out, followed by those behind, until finally all those in attendance only held a warm stick of wax with a burnt wick sticking out.
The church became noticeably darker with the candles blown out. Servants entered and lit a few braziers, not all that was in the church, but enough. Elice turned to the side and placed the wax of her candle on a nearby tray. "Everything we have now, and some of us have precious little at this point, we can only claim because of brave heroes. But for many, those heroes came too late."
Caeda reflected back on the war. There was a time or two that the act of marching to Altea had been considered, but was ultimately rejected for various reasons. That they didn't have the necessary manpower, or that something more pressing had come up. She recalled why the army had not immediately gone to Altea after the battle in Gra. The two nations were right beside each other, but the need to acquire a very precious weapon resulted in them immediately marching to Khadein instead. Khadein had ended up a wild goose chase in the end, the holy blade Falchion nowhere in sight.
Had they come to Altea sooner, some lives might still be intact. They could have still liberated Altea if they had come months earlier, and put an end to the daily executions that much sooner. She thought for a moment, and knew that her father would have chastised her for wondering 'if only'. He would refer to those fantasies as 'cruel thoughts that start deceptively pleasant'. And he was certainly right about that.
She became dimly aware that Elice was still talking, and was wrapping the service up.
"-always remember what we lost forever to this war, even if we gained much in some ways. Those who perished will never return, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise. We can only remember them, and look forward in honor of them." Elice bowed her head, muttering something. Those in attendance, except for Caeda, repeated whatever it was the Altean princess had just said. Caeda looked around, thankful that she wasn't getting any looks, and decided she'd take her first chance to ask Elice what that small word meant.
The people in the crowd that weren't already standing now stood up, and they collectively turned and began to leave. Caeda continued to sit, staring at the candle while waiting for her chance to talk to Elice.
As the people poured out, Elice turned to the altar at the back of the church and sighed deeply. The damage to the nation was severe, generations from now the occupation would still be known, and the scars it made upon the land would likely always remain. Despite all the damage that had been done, she made a prayer of thanks to the gods that the nation was still intact and had a future. She turned around and-
"Caeda. The service is over." Elice said, not using the Talys princess' title, she was among those who was able to address the island girl casually.
"I know." Caeda stood up, dusting off the fabric covering her legs. "I was… hoping to talk to you."
Elice tilted her head slightly. "About what, the service?"
"I don't know much about Altea's beliefs, yes. I… wouldn't want my ignorance to someday embarrass you or Marth."
Elice looked hard at Caeda at the mention of her brother. Caeda felt her insides lurch a little. She knew she wasn't quite yet done convincing the slightly protective Elice that she was the right girl for Marth. Caeda hurriedly moved to ask a question.
"What was that you said at the end?"
"I invoked Naga's name." Elice turned and looked at the altar. "He's considered a guiding light to Altea. His only heirloom to us is the Falchion, and we look to him as our savior just as much as we do Anri. All services end with a mention of Naga."
"He's still guiding Altea?"
Elice's eyes were focused on a small design on the altar. It looked just slightly like a dragon head. "I don't know. He disappeared shortly after the Dolhr Emperor was defeated in the ancient war. Regardless, Altea would not exist without him, and we always honor him for forging a tooth into Falchion. Without it, Medeus would have never been defeated in antiquity."
Caeda nodded. That story wasn't new to her, but she was surprised that Naga was a part of Altea's culture. For all the time Marth had spent in Talys, Caeda had never really asked him things like that. Talk of Altea, she judged, would have been a sour point for the prince during his necessary exile. She learned a little about the Altean nobles just from her interaction with Marth. The actual nobility had many upstanding and virtuous members, but some had such a sad system of values that Caeda wondered why Marth and Elice tolerated them.
Elice indulged her further questions. Caeda took in… much new information about Altea's system of beliefs. Some of it seemed unrealistic to her, but she wasn't about to voice such sentiments.
"And Marth believes all of this?"
"Marth is… respectful to his nation's traditions and honors its beliefs." Elice said. She continued with a frank tone. "If you cannot show the same respect and honor, then there will be certain… difficulties, in you having a relationship with him."
Caeda's head jerked back. She knew that Elice didn't threaten, but the words sounded like one. "I'll prove myself worthy of your brother, Elice. I tried my hardest to be his guardian during the war. Now I want to support him as his… emotional support."
Elice nodded, feeling that the words were honest, but she would remain slightly wary. She had seen Marth be the subject of attraction before, but those women had no real interest in Marth, they were scheming for a throne. Elice knew that Caeda's interest weren't so shallow, but her brother's best interests simply came.
She walked past the Talys princess. Caeda looked up at the altar. If Naga was really watching over Altea… she made a small prayer, something she did not do very often, and asked that she could be someone Marth deserved. After that, she straightened up and turned, the last to leave the church.
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