I know, I know. I need to be working on Tale of the Tactician, and War, but this Idea suddenly popped into my head, and I had to post it. I have no idea how many chapters this will wind up being. Maybe a four-shot, maybe not. This is AU, and set post-PoR, as if GoD never happened, becuase the game isn't in english yet, and I like this pairing. Anyway...

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

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"Well, I've been to Begnion, Gallia, and even Phoenicis. I guess I had to come here sooner or later. Might as well be now." Zihark said to himself as he entered the simple farm village. Fraedlum, the sign has said. It looked peaceful, with thatch houses and farms dotting the landscape. It had been two years since the war against Daein, and Zihark had yet to visit his old friend Brom. He saw the general pulling a cart out of some mud. Zihark walked over and began to push, not caring about the mud splattering all over his clothes. Brom smiled at the Swordmaster, huffing and puffing as he did so.

"Howdy Zihark, You finally comin' fer a visit?" Brom asked with his rustic accent as he continued pulling on the front of the cart.

"Yes. I thought I would come and say hello, come see your family..." Zihark said, grunting slightly as the cart rolled out of the thick mud.

"Marry my oldest daughter?" Brom asked, grinning. Zihark started.

"No! Not right now at least. I want to meet her first."

"Fire! Fire!" Screamed a farmer some distance away. Brom and Zihark both took off.

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Zihark tossed another bucket of water on the massive fire.

Sometimes I wish I was a mage, I could just blow this fire out, and be done with it. Too bad Ilya- No! I won't think of her! She... No!

"Swordsman! Brom! There's someone inside!" A green-haired man yelled. Zihark cursed under his breath. Brom went to run to the house, but Zihark stopped him.

"I'll be faster!" The swordmaster said as he took off, ramming the burning door open with his shoulder.

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Zihark coughed and swung his arm, clearing the smoke in his immediate vicinity. Another burning log hit him in the shoulder, but he shrugged it off. He had to find the person who had screamed. If only she had screamed again! He heard a cracking noise, and jumped back as a shower of logs and flame fell in front of him.

"Can't go that way." He said, backtracking over the path he had just covered. "Got to find a different one."

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Zihark climbed the stairs, hoping that he had checked the lower floor well enough. He jumped over another pile of burning logs, his left leg catching slightly as he did so. That's when he saw it. The patch of blue hair trapped underneath one of the logs.

Blue?

The identity of the trapped person hit Zihark like a hammer.

"Nephenee!" Zihark threw himself onto the pile. He began lifting and throwing boards, hoping to Ashera that Nephenee was all right. Zihark dug through the pile, searching relentlessly for his comrade. Finally gripping a hold of what he supposed was her shoulder, he pulled roughly, dislodging her from the pile of burning wood. Zihark checked her pulse.

She's alive, thank Ashera, but only barely. I need to get her outside.

Zihark lifted Nephenee into his arms, one arm under her knees, and the other her neck. Knowing that he couldn't use his arms while carrying her, Zihark bulled his way through the smoke, trying desperately to find a way out.

The smoke isn't as thick here. There must be a window nearby...

Zihark spun around, and saw the open window, his only means of escape. Zihark ran for it, building momentum for his suicidal leap ahead. He jumped from the window, rolling in mid-air so that Nephenee would be safe upon landing.

This, is gonna hurt.

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Author's Notes: Not very long for a first chapter, and kinda brief in some parts, but, it sets the stage. Let me know what you think.

-Raptor, out.