A/N: Since we only get the backstory of the einherjar in Valkyrie Profile 2, I decided to write a story about them. It revolves around the time of the most wars,after 570 C.C. I will make OCs from time to time, but only because it's needed, and they will play minor roles, in case you're worried about Sues. This story focuses completely on the einherjar. I will try to keep them in character from what I have gathered from their backstories and battle quotes. Each chapter will probably center on a different character, to view every angle of the war. There will be NO yaoi or yuri in this story. Also, note that english is not my first language and my first language is nothing like english, so I might make mistakes. Feel free to review!!

Chapter 1:

A Time to Remember

Capital of the Arkdain Kingdom, Year 566 C.C.

The city was unusually busy. The last traces of melting snow were being swept from the streets by the shopkeepers. It was the time of year when the city became filled with travellers, after the harsh winter. Although the capital of the Arkdain Kingdom was close to the sea, the winter was still chilly. In spite of the climate here being much warmer than Crell Monferaigne located in the east or Gerabellum in the south, there had been tons of snow this year. However, after the winter period, shops were finally able to refill their stock thanks to the overwhelming amount of merchants. Trading flourished in Arkdain, mainly because of a type of special crystal which grew only there.

''Let's go!! Come on, Fraudir!!''

A blonde boy, no more than thirteen years old, was brandishing a long, wooden replica of a sword. The weapon was barely appropriate for his size, and he certainly wouldn't be able to support a real sword of the same size. Fraudir, a girl with brown curly hair standing opposite to him, was even smaller and looked younger, but the wooden sword she held wasn't as disproportionate to her size. A handful of other children had formed a small circle around them, rooting for one or the other, as the two were preparing to fight. A nearby shopkeeper glared at the group and snorted, before resuming his sweeping. However, the other shopkeepers didn't show any sign of annoyance, as they were used to the small ones who were trying to train to one day become soldiers in the king's army and serve their country. The road that led to the castle gates seemed to echo with the clashing of wooden swords and high-pitched voices that had been trying to master the art of swords (in their own way), for over a decade now.

Although the sword Fraudir used would normally only require one hand, she was holding it tightly with both hands. She knew Aaron was strong, but she was confident in her skills as well. ''No problem at all.'', she taunted him.

Aaron let out something like a war cry and charged. Fraudir was ready and used her sword to block his attack with her blade. It was just like him to attack head on..... She stepped aside, dodging the attack but he almost immediately turned around, this time trying to slash her horizontally. It was very easy to duck and avoid him, as she was shorter and faster than him. Deciding it was time for a counterattack, she tried to slash him in the legs, but Aaron blocked her attack with his blade. They struggled for a few moments, until Aaron pushed her back and charged again. Although a little taken aback by that, Fraudir stepped aside clumsily and Aaron found himself charging towards.....no one. Fraudir was right behind him, but found it unfair to attack him from the back. However, the moment he turned around she charged at him at full speed. Aaron wasn't prepared for this and barely managed to block her with his sword. But at the next moment, he seemed to loosen his grip and grunted. On his right arm, a big, black bruise extending from his elbow to his shoulder, held him back. Knowing he was about to lose, he made a desperate attempt to throw her off and pushed her back with whatever strength he had.

Fraudir's weapon left her hands and was shot in midair. After spinning for a few seconds, it landed away from them, in the middle of the street. Fraudir was left bare-handed and fell back on the ground, from the force of his attack.

Everyone looked around, from one to the other, evidently confused by what had happened.

''Y-you won!'', said Fraudir, with a wide smile, still on the ground. ''You're really good, Aaron!!''

She got to her feet and went to pick up her sword, leaving her confused friend with a group of younger, excited kids who were now pestering him to tell them how he had managed to win. Aaron could make a good teacher one day. But his dream was different. He wanted to become a knight and fight in war and serve the king. Fraudir, on the other hand, wasn't sure. Her parents always encouraged him to follow that path, while they said that she would make a wonderful lady of the aristocracy. Grown-ups always said ''war is brutal and unbefitting of a lady like yourself, Fraudir''. But what does ''brutal'' mean? When she asked about the word, they would always hush her and tell her not to ask questions.

She finally spotted the wooden sword . The street was already packed with traders heading for the shops. She ran and tried to pick it up but a hand bigger than hers swooped it up skillfully.

Fraudir raised her eyes. A tall woman was standing over the ten year-old, holding the wooden sword in one hand. She was pretty. Her hair was a light blue colour and she had kind-looking eyes. She wore a grey armour that looked like it could use some polishing and grey boots to match. Although she looked like a giant in Fraudir's eyes, she wasn't any older than sixteen.

''You should be careful with this.'', said the woman and handed the wooden sword back to the girl. Her voice was soft and sounded kind. Fraudir took it back, but her gaze remained on the woman.

''Fraudir?'', came a voice from behind her. Aaron and the rest of the kids had caught up to her. They were all staring at the woman in awe, for no apparent reason.

'''Lady, are you a swordsman?'', asked a little boy called Jin, pointing at the scabbard strapped around her waist.

''She's a woman, stupid!'', whispered Mena, the smart, down-to-midgard girl of the company. ''She can't be a swordsMAN!''

''W-well, that's beside the point Mena....''

''I am.'', answered the woman kindly.

''Wow, could you show us some of your moves?! Can you, can you?'', pleaded Jin excitedly and many of the kids nodded vigorously in the idea, but Mena had to interfere and ruin it again.

''Jin, she obviously doesn't have the time, so let's not bother her......''

''Yes, why not.'', smiled the woman politely, surprising everyone. She turned to Fraudir again. ''May I borrow your sword?''

At first Fraudir didn't understand as she was completely taken aback by the woman's approach. What sword was she talking about? Then, she realised the woman was refering to the wooden substitute of a sword she was holding. She handed it to her, curious as to why she wanted it, and ran back to her company, to give the woman some space.

The blue haired lady executed a series of complex moves that involved spinning her sword, dodging blows from non-existent enemies and generally required her to wield her sword skillfully. She was very nimble and managed to make her moves gracefully, as if she was dancing. Her ''sword dance'', as Fraudir dubbed it in her mind, earned her many ''wows'' from the kids and the curious glances of many onlookers. When she finished, the company started clapping and whistling in admiration of her skills. She seemed flattered.

''Lady, are you in the army?'', asked Jin yet again.

''Well, not yet. But I'm on my way to enlist.'', she answered.

''Wow, they're definitely going to let you join! You're amazing!''

The rest of the kids made comments of agreement and continued commending the woman's skills. She beckoned Fraudir, who went to her immediately, unable to hide her admiration. The woman brought her lips next to Fraudir's ears.

''You let him disarm you on purpose.'', she whispered.

And as the wooden sword was slipping into her little hands, and as the kids were waving the blue haired woman goodbye and wishing her luck, Fraudir stood watching her, befuddled. How had she known?

*****************************

''Fraudir, have you finished with your dinner?''

''Huh?''

Fraudir felt her mind wrenched back to reality by her mother's voice. She was sitting at the luxurious evening table, eating some sort of supposedly expensive soup. Actually ''eating'' wasn't the right word, since she hadn't taken a single gulp but simply kept stirring her soup unappetizingly. Apparently, she had been staring into space, lost in thought.

''Well, I see you have not laid a finger on your soup! That is truly disappointing!! Your father will be returning in a few days. It won't do for him to find his daughter has grown as thin as a scarecrow now, would it?'', her mother scolded her.

Eat THAT thing?! Even if Fraudir was starving, she wouldn't touch it. It looked disgusting, as it resembled more a mixture of mud and spaghetti rather than a soup. HOW was she expected to eat it?

''Have no fear in consuming this delicious treat! I myself cooked it.'', said the mother. That certainly explained its muddy appearance.

''I don't want to eat this.'', complained Fraudir.

''What????!!!'', reacted the mother angrily. ''And just what do you mean by that, little lady?!! You are inobedient, Fraudir!! I saw you talking to those lowborn children again today. And wielding a weapon, too!!! That is unacceptable for a lady like yourself!! Aaron can do that, but not you. You are heiress to our noble bloodline. What business have you with the common?''

''Well, if I don't learn how to fight, how will I be able to defend myself?'', retorted the girl, trying to avoid the whole noble-common prattle.

''You needn't learn such things! You are a noble! You will have servants and possibly a knight to protect you!''

A sudden knock on the door brought the conversation to an abrupt halt.

''Ah, that servant of mine is away tonight..... I will have to open the door!!'', snorted the woman, as if doing that was inappropriate for a noble. ''Fraudir, start eating!!!''

As her mother headed for the door, Fraudir grabbed the chance and quickly emptied the contents of her plate in a nearby pot. She had the slightest impression the plant itself was complaining for the unhealthy mixture.

''Ah, Keira, will you join us for dinner tonight?'', Fraudir heard her mother say, as she walked back into the dining room, now accompanied by another elegantly dressed woman.

''Were you the one that cooked......?'', asked her friend cautiously, when she spotted the muddy soup in her plate.

''Oh, yes. Though it does not befit a woman of my class, I decided to put my cooking skills into use. And it appears I am quite talented. Oh, Fraudir how did you eat it all so fast?'', asked her mother suddenly.

Fraudir tried to come up with an excuse, but it wasn't necessary.

''Oh, I see!! Once you tasted how delicious it was, you just couldn't hold yourself!! Isn't that right?'', smiled the mother and her daughter nodded in agreement. ''I daresay this masterpiece tastes like Ambrosia, the very treat of the gods!!!!'', she boasted again.

''If the gods ate this kind of thing, they would no longer be immortal.'', Fraudir whispered to herself.

''Did you say something dear?'', the woman called from across the table.

''No.'', answered Fraudir quickly. ''May I go to my room?''

With her mother's consent, she got up from her chair and left the dining room. However, she had no intention of going to her room. She headed for the kitchen and opened the back door as quietly as possible.

It was even chillier now that darkness had fallen. The magically lit lamps faintly illuminated the back alley. And then she saw him. Beyond the fence that separated their houses, Aaron was practising under the moonlight with a real sword.

As I thought.

She had been suspecting that Aaron was practising with a real blade for some time now. However, it was too heavy for him to wield properly and he made many clumsy moves, often losing his balance. Apparently, the bruise she had spotted earlier on his arm was a ''side effect'' of his training.

Although Aaron was an aristocrat as well, both his parents were simple and held no contempt towards commoners. His father being a knight in the army, Aaron was expected to follow the same path and worked hard to live up to everyone's expectations. It was just like him not to tell her about it so she wouldn't worry or hold back when they were practising together. Quiet. Low profile. Stubborn. And that's why she had let him win.

However, SHE was destined for nobility and didn't need to pick up arms. Others would have to protect her. But was it really all about her? What she wanted to see, was a time when no one would think of the poor the way her mother did. Could she really do all that without knowing how to use a weapon? The woman she had met this morning was holding her weapon firmly to fight. She could protect both herself and others. How would Fraudir save herself if she had to fight alone? And how would she save anyone else if she couldn't just save herself?

No. She had to learn how to fight. It didn't matter what her mother said, her father would surely listen. She didn't want to be only a noble, she also wanted to be a warrior. If she had to rebel against her mother, she would. For herself, for others and for what she believed in.

That was the day she came up with it.

Those who cannot save themselves, cannot save others.

Arkdain Kingdom, Count Leon's Domain, Year 574 C.C.

Fraudir, now 18 years old, was waiting for her superior under the shade of Count Leon's manor. Today was a very important day. Soldiers were roaming around the manor and the surrounding gardens, awaiting Lady Richelle's orders. The troops were soon going to head for the city of Gerabellum, where war had been raging for quite some time.

After a series of fierce arguments with her mother, Fraudir had managed to convince her father to teach her the fundamentals of combat. For the past two years, she had been a member of the Knights of the White Lily, Count Leon's royal guard. She had decided to join Count Leon' troops because he looked like a more reliable leader than the king. The count controlled the western part of the kingdom and greatly influenced political decisions. There had been a debate between him and the king as to who would be sent to the front line to aid Gerabellum.

For some reason, Fraudir had spent these past few days reminiscing. With war looming in the horizon, she was hoping to fight in order to end the bloodshed. Although the details were still unclear, it appeared that the conflict had began without warning. Such an act was despicable and it had plagued Gerabellum for four years. It was only natural for Arkdain to answer its call for help, since Paltierre and Dipan had already unofficially joined the struggle.

At last, Fraudir caught a glimpse of Lady Richelle's blue hair as she walked out of the mansion's front gate. Rushing to her side, she realised the older woman had already changed into her armour.

''What news, Lady Richelle? Have they reached a decision yet?'', she asked as they walked down the garden path to rally the rest of the troops.

''I am to head for Gerabellum tomorrow. My soldiers and I will represent Count Leon in this conflict.'', answered Richelle, sounding somewhat worried.

''So the king does not object to his brother representing Arkdain?''

''Not quite.'', sighed Richelle.''His Majesty will dispatch his own force, the Knights of the Bloodsword. It appears we will have to fight together with them.''

''Are you worried?'', asked Fraudir. ''Could they hold us back?''

''Not really. I have heard he is more than a capable commander. We could make a powerful team.''

''So we are departing tomorrow?'', asked Fraudir.

''Yes.'', answered Richelle. She stopped walking rather abruptly and looked at Fraudir. ''But I'm afraid......you cannot come.''

For a moment, Fraudir was sure she had misheard. But when Richelle kept staring at her with an uneasy expression on her face, she realised she was serious.

''But why not? I am a proud member of the Knights of the White Lily!! I can support you in battle! I am perfectly capable of fighting! Why not let me join you?!''

She felt neglected, pushed aside. Why was her commander suddenly saying that? Lady Richelle had praised her many times for her skills in battle, and had even trained Fraudir herself. She had also been Fraudir's inspiration, she had motivated her to join the army. Why leave her behind as if she was some kind of nuisance?!

''You are a rebellious type, Fraudir.'', smiled the older woman kindly, as if she was expecting that reaction. ''And someday, I hope you will do something to help this kingdom. But in battle, my first priority is to do what I can for my soldiers.''

''War and death walk hand in hand. But you walk alone.''

Fraudir seemed to calm down after hearing that. Could it be that Lady Richelle was trying to safeguard her life.....?

''You are still young and full of potential. If something happens to me, I want you to be my successor. I'm sure Count Leon will pick you as well. That is why I want you to stay here and let me fight this battle.''

Richelle headed for the silver gates of the manor, leaving Fraudir behind to think. No sooner had she taken a few steps, than she heard the brunette say:

''Lady Richelle. May I ask you one question?''

Richelle avoided looking at her but nodded.

''Eight years ago, how did you know that I had let Aaron win?''

Richelle supressed the laughter that spontaneously came to her mouth and answered enigmatically:

''I just did.''

As she watched Richelle shrink in the distance, Fraudir thought that she would be happy to have an older sister like her. She would try not to be rebellious for now. There would come a time when she would have to rebel against corruption, of that she was sure. But it was not now.

Little did any of them know, Midgard would soon be thrown in a turmoil it had never faced before.

Disclaimer:I do not own Valkyire Profile.