FONDNESS

Chapter 1

Disclaimer : I DO NOT OWN Fire Emblem

Sofiya, the priestess of Nabata Desert stood on the tallest cliff on the grassy plain, meditating and focusing her power, hoping to earn some premonitions for the army's next battle, against the strongest and most elite of Bern's troops – the Etrurian Army had already secured Sacae and Ilia, which left Bern as the only foe left standing. The army had been preparing for a week to invade The Dragon's Gate, which houses the Sword of Seals.

After quite a long while of focusing her energy, Sofiya was able to get a brief glimpse, a towering man, with a massive Axe, will bar the path of the Etrurian Army. He is very strong, in her vision, Sofiya saw the man dispatches their talented fighters easily, even though the odds are against him.

With the end of the vision, Sofiya opened her eyes and stood up from her meditating place, she turned around, walking slowly to the camp. Along the way, the prophetess seemed to have lost in thought—which had came on a few while ago. A visage of certain person appeared in her thoughts, in which he drove away quickly.

Not for long, she arrived at the entrance to the camp. The soldiers of Etruria and Lycia recognized her and bowed their heads, which she returned. It was a quite of walk… but apparently the thoughts distracted her so much that it does not feel that far. She looked around the busy campsite, around the soldiers training and carrying supplies for Bern-invasion, the mages and clerics healing the wounded as they escorted them to the healing wards, and Master Merlinus scolding the soldiers helping him packing the weapons. But she had to find Roy, to warn him about the upcoming enemy.

As Sofiya look around the camp for Roy. She thought she heard a familiar voice, she looked further to see Ray, Lugh, and Chad talking with each other, with Lugh and Chad apparently embarrassing the Shaman, making him furious and left in anger. Sofiya smiled at the sight. She was first afraid of him—well, like the others, but she sensed, as they got to talk more, he has a very kind and gentle heart, like his twin brother, just he dislikes to show it. To be said, she had grown fond of him, and his company—they studied together, practicing dark magic together, it was almost that everything is…normal.

Though she admitted, perhaps too fond of him. And what is troubling to her, it's not the same emotion she had with Igrene or Fa. She sensed it has more similarity to what her mother and father gave to each other.

Sofiya got lost in her thoughts, that when she went back to reality, she noticed Roy was walking at her direction. She breathed deeply, to calm her nervousness, and approached the young lord.

"Master Roy."Sofiya called.

"Sofiya. What is it? Is it…another premonition?" Roy asked. It was not rare to see Sofiya giving battle premonitions. And he couldn't be more grateful, thanks to her, even though it's merely a glimpse, her visions saved many from big trouble and dying in the past.

"Yes… in the next battle, a man with massive Axe, will bar the path to the Bern Capital, in the shrine of seals, where Bramimond's Apocalypse is also stored.

Ray winced at her premonitions. It is definitely not a good sign. "General Murdoch, the greatest Bern Generals… I know we'll fight him sooner or later. I have to fight him personally to minimalize casualties…" Roy whispered to himself.

"Master…Roy?"

"Ah, yes. Sofiya. Thank you for your premonitions. It has to be Murdoch. A formidable one indeed. Your premonitions is very helpful in this time. I thank you."

Sofiya nodded solemnly before Roy stopped her again. "And, Sofiya?"

"Yes…?" She asked nervously.

"Are you…are you alright? Since the start of this week, you have been very…different. Like going through some searching. Could I be of help?"

Sofiya was mildly surprised. Roy is sharp, but she didn't think he could peer this much into her own mind. But it does not concern him…and he does not have to know.

"No…It's just the battle, maybe…I missed Nabata." Sofiya replied.

"Ah, homesick. Yes. Lilina talked her mind to me last evening. Well, we are all almost there. So, all we have to do is to keep the spirits up. I think what we need to do is to put on a smile. It helped a lot in this troubling times." Roy explained.

"Smile...?" Sofiya raised her eyebrow slightly.

"Yes. Well, it was what my father said anyway. In difficult times, smile is good to keep your spirits up. Supposedly, it's good, for both of your body and soul."

Sofiya nodded. "Yes…thank you, Master Roy... Now, I must excuse myself. Good day." The female shaman bowed her head to the young lord before walking away.

Smile. The words Roy spoke made Sofiya think. She was never the one that often smiled. Though, to be more correct, used not to. She smiled a lot in her childhood, in about 20 years of her first life, she smiled a lot. That was before her father passed away and her mother sacrificed herself to stop the great earthquake that will change the landscape of Nabata. Since that event, she almost never smiles.

But she felt she changed recently, as if she somehow began to feel like the younger years of her life. Lately, she had smiled often, not just to Fa, but also to many people. And she stuttered less, she felt more comfortable in speaking her mind. As if the tragedy in her life had never happened before.

She had seen her father died, her human friends, everyone who is not a dragon she befriended…even her best friend—all died a long ago. Since her power is connected to her emotions. She frequently see the visions of her loved ones, sometimes their death, without her could do anything about it. It was the most painful tribulation to her mind.

And feeling this kind of fondness with a human… it will only serve to open her old wounds. It will never work. She has a blood of dragon inside her. It gave her a very long age and immunity to almost any disease that mankind could contract. She will outlive him for a very long years, and go through those same pain and loneliness over again.

Sofiya shook her head. No, it's better if she stop feeling those kind of fondness for Ray. Even though she have to break her own heart, she would never want to feel those pain again, and she don't want him to worry about her. It was for the best. She have to distance herself from him, avoiding him as much as possible, until the end of this war. She'll went back, and have all these things forgotten.

But probably luck will not be on her side in this day.

"Hey! Yeah, you! Wait!" A familiar voice snapped Sofiya out of her thoughts and made her heart jump. It was him, Ray. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see him. Sofiya pondered what she would do next, should she ignore him and keep walking? Or make excuse for not talking to him? Though whatever she would do is too late. She could already see a reflection of his shadow in front of her.

"I've been looking all over the camp for you! Finally!" Ray half-shouted as he touched Sofiya's shoulder. "Look, I want to talk things with you. Like, why did you seem to avoid me recently?" Ray said with a demanding voice.

So it was that obvious? Or Ray is sharper than he look? But She wasn't sure what she would answer him. She couldn't say that she was too fond of him and had to forget him because he's a humankind. So, she decided to do the thing she rarely do : Lie.

"I'm …not avoiding you." Sofiya said with rather forced indifference. "I just…i…" She stuttered, at lost for words to tell him.

"What? C'mon speak up! Did Nabatans have a law against using high pitch sound or something? Look, it's not like I care or anything, but you have things I wanted, so it's going to be a trouble if you really are avoiding me."

No. She can't talk to him anymore. Lest she grown too fond of him. She have to do this. It will be painful, but it'll be nothing compared on what is in the end for this.

Sofiya, for the first time, looked firmly at the shaman's eye. "Ray…stay away from me. I…have no wish to interact with you any longer." It took every effort in her mind to pretend it was real. It was fruitful, though. The Shaman was taken aback by her sudden firmness at him.

"What? What do you mean? Did I do something to offend you? Or does our last practice make you hit your head?" Ray asked. He was taken aback, but he still tried to keep his cool, though he couldn't hide his concern and confusion behind his tone.

"It's…complicated to say the least. Just please…don't talk to me anymore. It's for our own good." Sofiya bit her lip before continuing. "It's better if we just part and forget we ever met... after this war ends." She said coldly before turning her back to walk away from him.

Ray, on the other hand, is not letting this go without any clear explanation. He had considered her a friend (a rare trait for him) for some time now. Though he would never admit it, he'd never let go a friend that easily.

"Look, just tell me what's wrong." He said as he instantly grabbed the female Shaman's arm to pull her back. But in the same time, Sofiya gathered a minor amount of magic energy and used it to push him back, making him fell on the grassy soil.

Sofiya tried her best not to look back after assaulting him with her magic. She hoped that he would hate her now for this. It was for the best. She rationalized her actions.

"Goodbye, Ray..." She muttered those words silently. To make sure he will never heard it. The prophetess walked to the outskirts of camp, leaving the confused and bewildered young shaman behind her in wondering what kind of predicament they both are in.

A/N :

Sorry if there is a little OOC in Sofiya's part. In this story, I put a background on Sofiya's past. Sofiya has a melancholy portrait, and I used her personality to make a plot that will develop Sofiya's character. It's canon btw, that her father is a human.