A Precious Bow
Note: This story begins 2 years before chapter 1 of FE6, it will eventually reach the timeline of the game.
Warning: This fanfic will contain spoilers for Fire Emblem: The Sword of Seals.
This is my first fanfic, so enjoy!
Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.
Chapter 1: Prologue
"Don't hesitate…focus only on the target...and nothing else…!"
FWOOOOOOSH!...THWACK! The arrow from the young archer's bow pierced the practice target with such speed that it still made a whistling sound even after it reached it's destination. The young archer relaxed his stiff shoulders that were decorated with the purple garments of the Etrurian nobility. While brushing back his cool, parted blonde hair, he checked his bow to make sure his shot didn't cause any severe strains in it. If so, he figured his mother wouldn't be too happy with his carelessness. A young trainee girl had been admiring the Etrurian general doing his daily practice...
"Wow! Right on target…nothing less is to be expected from you, General Klein!" the young trainee observing nearby exclaimed.
"…Thank you...although, I'm still not as good as the other generals…" Klein replied calmly.
"That's not true! Even though you are the youngest of the generals, your skill with the bow is unmatched…by even the highest ranking officers in the Etrurian army!" the young trainee was now full of excitement.
"Haha…thank you…I am flattered...Amy, was your name?" Klein questioned the young girl.
"Yes, you are correct…do you practice like this everyday?"
"Almost everyday, sometimes I have other duties I must attend to, which eliminates any free time I have."
"Oh..."
"...It's not that bad..." muttered Klein reassuring the girl. "..you told me you were from...Ilia...?" Klein said hesitantly, trying to recall what she had told him earlier.
"Yep."
"What are you doing in Aquleia?"
"The squad I am training under is doing some work here, and I have to keep an eye on the equipment!"
"Sounds pretty tough--"
"Oh! That reminds me, I have to get these lances polished before I go back!" She started to panic, going around frantically gathering her equipment. "...I'm sorry General Klein, it was nice meeting you. "
"It was nice meeting you too, have a safe trip back." Klein waved back. The young Ilian soldier ran back holding the bundle of lances in an awkward manner that caused her to lose her balance many times, resulting in the lances swinging around in all directions. Various soldiers were forced to maneuver out of the way in fear of getting clobbered by the young girl. Klein couldn't help but smile at the spectacle.
"...Well than, I better get going too..." Klein picked up the remaining arrows he had planned to use and started his walk back to the main hall. Aquleia, the castle capital of Etruria, was a prosperous city full of flavor and richness. It was the home of the Late King Mordred and his son, Prince Mildain, who resided in the palace walls. The Etrurian army was also stationed here, the academy, the place that Klein was currently residing in, had produced many top notch generals, including the three famous Etrurian generals: Great General Douglas, Knight General Percival, and Sorcery General Cecilia. Klein was currently assigned under the Knight General Percival, who was actively dealing with local bandits and keeping the general area safe. However, there were some rumors a conflict starting up in the Western Isles...
Klein had reached the main hall, and was about to make his way towards his room to drop off his equipment, when someone from long past approached him.
"Excuse me, would you happen to be...Lord Pent's son?" a man who looked to be in his thirties asked, drawing Klein's attention.
"Yes, I am General Klein Reglay under the Knight General Percival…you know my father?" Klein replied as he took a good look at the person addressing him. The man had long flowing purple hair that dropped down all the way to his waist and he sported an outfit that was quite similar to the ones the mage generals wore. Behind him was a pink haired woman who had her hair in a similar fashion, and was wearing a silken white dress. In her hands was a large unmarked box that seemed to be a hassle for the young lady, as one can tell from all the fumbling she was doing.
"Your father was my teacher when I was growing up…" the purple haired man said reminiscing about it. He gave a slight chuckle while looking at Klein, "I take it you don't remember me do you?"
"…I'm…sorry…I cannot recall exactly…" Klein replied holding his hand up to his chin trying to search his memories.
"No need for apologies, it is understandable, your father had a number of students…and I left his care when you were only about 3 years old…" the man gave a chuckled again. "I am Erk, a mage general under Sorcery General Cecilia, and this is…" Erk turned to the young lady to find her desperately trying to keep the box in her hands. "Serra! Watch out!"
"AAAHHHH!" Serra screamed as she slipped on her own dress, causing her to fall backwards onto the floor. The package she was holding had opened up upon hitting the polished marble tiles, and the contents of the package scattered across the hall. Books, arrows, and all kinds of meats and vegetables were now sprawled across the floor.
"Are you alright?" Klein reached out a hand to the young woman offering to help her up.
"T-Thank you…" she said embarrassingly.
"SERRA! LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" Erk screamed trying to contain his anger. "I ask you to do one tiny little menial task…and look what happens!"
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" Serra retorted, trying to hide back her embarrassment. "My delicate hands are just not suited to carry such laden things!" Serra quickly muttered as she started picking up the items that had dropped.
Erk gave a heavy sigh, "I'm terribly sorry…my wife is a little clumsy."
"Hey! I'm not clumsy!"
"Oh…it's alright…the package did look pretty heavy." Klein smiled back. He began to assist them in cleaning up the mess.
"Lady Louise asked us to deliver that package to you. Now, it's all ruined!" Erk sighed while giving a mean glare at Serra.
"Mother asked you?"
"…I-I'm sorry, General Klein." Serra apologized while gathering the last of the food products and putting them back into the box.
"No need to apologize, it was an honest mistake." Klein replied.
"I told you that the package was too much for you to handle, Serra."
"Humph! Well, why don't you go and do everything yourself than, Mr. frumpy face!" Serra shoved the package into Erk's arms, causing him to be a little surprised. "I'm going to the dressing room to wash up, I'll meet up with you later Erk!"
"Serra…" Erk said as she ran off in the opposite direction.
"…Wait…now I remember…" Klein interrupted recalling his memories again. "…Erk…the student who would study all day and all night long…my parents would always talk about you!" Klein said, diverting Erk's attention from Serra.
"Haha…is that so?" Erk laughed to himself and put his hand on Klein's shoulder. "I can't believe how much you have grown…how old are you now?"
"17, my birthday is in two weeks."
"Wow…it's been so long…say, while my wife is cleaning up, why don't we get something to eat? Since the lunch that Lady Louise now packed is dirty from being on the floor." Just as he finished the sentence, Klein's stomach emitted a faint growling sound.
"You've read my mind, General Erk." Klein answered. The two made their way to the dining hall of the academy, which was now mostly empty for lunchtime had passed. The two took a seat at a nearby table as the waitress took their orders.
"I'll have today's special."
"I will have the same."
"Very good choice, General Klein and General Erk, your meal will be prepared shortly." The young teenage waitress said giving a quick smile towards Klein. Taking their menus and making her way back to the kitchen.
"I see that you are quite popular with the girls around here, Klein." Erk laughed, teasing the blonde haired archer.
"I fail to see where you draw that conclusion from." Klein replied, shifting a little, obviously embarrassed by the comment. "Anyway…what brings you here? I take it my mother's request isn't the only reason."
"Yes, I currently reside in the northern parts of Etruria, with my wife, and I was asked to deliver a message to General Douglas regarding the safety of Prince Mildain."
"Prince Mildain!" Klein became curious, as he was quite close with the young prince.
"Yes…it seems that there is an unknown group that is targeting the prince's life. General Douglas is in charge of the prince's safety…numerous threatening letters to the prince were found in various places." Erk explained, now with a serious expression on his face.
"Who would want to kill the Prince…?" Klein questioned, quite shocked at the news.
"We do not know yet, General Cecilia wanted General Douglas to know of what we have discovered so far…"
"Prince Mildain…"
"Come on Klein! I bet you can't beat me to the courtyard!"
"Hey wait up!" the two young boys were running full speed through the palace surprising many of the workers along the way.
"Prince Mildain, be careful!" shouted one his maids.
"Hehe…don't get left behind Klein!" Mildain had already reached the courtyard leaving Klein in the dust.
"ack….huff….puff…wait…up…."
"Klein you're too slow, I've been waiting for hours!" Prince Mildain said mockingly.
"huff…puff…"
"Well, what are you two doing here?"
Klein looked up at the two dark figures that were addressing them. The bright sun that shined directly on Klein's face, eventually lightened up allowing him to make out the two silhouettes that were talking. It was his father and King Mordred.
"Mildain…try not wear out Klein, he is still very young after all." The king of Etruria stated.
"Yes, I
know father…" Mildain replied, he hated being scolded by his
father. "Count Reglay."
"Yes? Young Prince?" Pent replied.
"I want Klein to stay here…in the palace!"
"Mildain…he can't stay here, he has his own family." The king scolded him for his sudden outburst.
"Well...than…I will make him a part of our family! Lord Pent, from this day on…your son shall now be my younger brother!" The prince cried, he was standing straight up, trying to look all disciplined and commander like in front of everybody.
"Well…uh…" Pent was so shocked at the prince's sudden statement, he didn't know what to say. He didn't want to offend the prince after all.
"Mildain!" King Mordred now angry at him.
"He must live in the palace from now on—"
"That will not do!" cried a young boy from the side.
"What?" Mildain was thrown off from Klein's interruption.
"I'm going to be your knight, so that will not do!" Klein was now standing the same way that Mildain was doing before, trying to look professional.
"When I become a knight, I am going to protect you!...I am sorry, Prince Mildain, but you must choose someone else for your brother!"
"Klein…"
"Here is your
order!" the young waitress brought out the brightly colored entrees
that were filled with all kinds of delicacies.
"Thank you." Klein replied smiling back. The young waitress giggled and skipped back to the kitchen.
"Hmm…the sauce looks kind of funny…" Erk said examining the discolored gravy that drenched almost everything on the plate.
"I'm sure it's fine." Klein reassured Erk while putting a spoonful in his mouth.
"…if you say so…" Erk was still a little suspicious, but seeing that Klein's expression did not change from eating it, he figured it was safe. Erk slowly picked up a portion and placed it in his mouth. However, his expression would change in a matter of seconds as he spit the food out.
"Something wrong General Erk?" Klein questioned, bearing the same unchanged smile on his face.
"S-S-SOUR! I-I NEED WATER!" Erk screamed holding his throat. He quickly got out of his seat and sprinted toward the kitchen knocking over many chairs in the process. Many of the other patrons that were dining were quite startled at the mage's actions.
"General Erk---"
"Klein!" came a sudden interruption. A blonde haired man was running towards him at an alarming rate. He was quite tall and was decorated with the highest ranking, and most prestigious armor in the Etrurian army.
"G-General Percival!" Klein was now startled, Percival usually never seeks out lower ranking officers personally. The seriousness of Percival's look, was also a rare site, although he always looked serious, his seriousness this time looked direr.
"Klein, I have picked you and a few others for a very important assignment, which you must get ready for right now." Percival said with urgency.
"Huh? But…"
"I'm sorry to interrupt you like this, but Advisor Roartz requests that all the people I have chosen to report immediately to the briefing room."
"Advisor Roartz?" Usually advisor Roartz would never talk to someone such as Klein, as he was much too important. Roartz would tell the message to lower ranked generals who would than relay it to everyone else.
"Yes, he says it is very urgent."
"Understood, General Percival." Klein began to follow Percival out of the dining hall. He tried to take a look into the kitchen on the way out, but Erk was no where in sight. He hated to leave a good meal like that, and not telling General Erk would be very disrespectful. However, he couldn't forego his duties for some leisure time. "Looks like General Erk will have to wait…" Klein muttered under his breath as he made his way to the briefing room.
To be continued...
Author's note: Thank you for taking the time to read this, I appreciate any feedback on my writing and what I can do to improve my writing. Don't hold back on the comments! Let me have it. Thanks!
