"A Knight of Dancing"
In which the twins fight over who gets Seth. For crimsonmorgan, without whom the plotbunnies might never have attacked.
Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is owned by IS and Nintendo. I merely own my ideas and the worlds created from such.
~O~
She refused to wear a dress for the occasion; it was impractical to move in and would catch on the landscape around her should it become necessary to move quickly. Never mind that plants did not exist inside of a ballroom, nor would there be any logs or stones to trip over. And never mind the fact that she wasn't strictly on duty for the evening and that her mentor had instructed her to enjoy it. Dressed in trousers and tunic beneath the dress armor and riding boots, Seth lightly touched the sword securely fastened by her side. Assured of its proximity, she felt prepared for almost anything.
That illusion remained until the royal family entered.
Snapping to attention with the rest of the knights stationed about the perimeter of the room, Seth caught sight of the twins as they followed behind their parents. The king and queen took their places on the raised dais and for several moments the twins remained with them. Visiting nobility paid their respects, approaching within speaking distance of King Fado and conversing in low tones that failed to carry to the outer limits of the room. His highness seemed to take pleasure in whatever had been mentioned, for he broke into laughter and nodded to his guests.
As the delegation moved away, more petitioners stepped into the gap and Seth lost sight of the royals in the swarm of people. She could still see her mentor standing beside the throne however; his stance remained relaxed and she fought down the reflex that sought to take her through the crowd to stand in their way. These were loyal citizens of Renais, not assassins or brigands. Never mind the quiet rumors of activity amongst the assassins guild in Carcino.
Busy scanning the crowd, Seth was almost caught unawares by the short figures darting around the crowd to her position. Only the flash of movement out of the corner of her eye saved her from the being blindsided by the audacious assault of Renais' royal twins. Pivoting smartly on her heel, Seth dropped to one knee in a deep bow as Ephraim skidded to a halt in front of her. Eirika, her cheeks flushed from running, skipped into place beside her brother a half pace later.
"Almost!" Ephraim seemed to be reigning in his frustration well, Seth noted. She held her position for a moment longer before she straightened and looked at the twins full on.
"Prince Ephraim, Princess Eirika."
Ephraim sketched a quick bow, while Eirika put more effort into her curtsy, reaching almost courtly perfection in her movements. When they finished, Seth rose to her feet and tweaked the prince's ear with her left hand. "You'll have to be quieter than that if you wish to take me unawares."
"I almost had you this time! How did you know?" Ephraim promptly moved on to another topic, turning to address his sister. "I got here first, so Seth has to escort me."
"Brother!" Eirika made her displeasure known. "We never agreed to race and you know I can't run well in these shoes. Besides, I'm the one who needs an escort."
"Then you should ask a man to escort you, Eirika."
"I don't want to. I want dance with Seth."
The twins argued back and forth while Seth looked on. Finally they turned to look at her and the knight was struck by pleading gazes from both. With a sigh, Seth offered a hand to each. "Would you care to escort this humble knight for the evening?"
Smiling, the twins each grabbed a hand and tugged Seth along with them into the crowd. The forward momentum only ceased once they broke free of the crowd and stood in front of the throne. With her arms captive, Seth could only manage a slight bow in respect; Fado cracked a smile as he took in the scene. "I see you two managed to find yourselves an escort without any help. Just make sure you show her a good time tonight."
When the monarch's gaze returned to her, Seth swallowed reflexively and had to stop herself from bracing her body against whatever words would be directed to her. She relaxed when King Fado spoke in a serious tone, though his eyes still held a gleam that hinted at hidden levity.
"Please enjoy your evening, Sir Seth, despite the fact that my children are clinging to your arms like a lifeline." If Seth had blinked, she might have missed the quick wink that the king gave to said children.
"I am honored to have such distinguished escorts this evening, your majesty. They will give no trouble, I think." Twin hands clutched harder on her arms at her words; Seth didn't have to look down to know that both children were smiling. Her mentor nodded subtly from beside the king and Seth was grateful for the acknowledgement; apparently her reply was suitable for the court.
The children were tugging on her again; Seth hastily bowed even as she was dragged away from the throne and back into the throng. Belatedly, Seth realized that most of the assembled were drawing away from the center of the floor to make room for dancers even as the music drifted in from the strings and flutes that had been hired to provide entertainment for the occasion.
There was another brief scuffle betwixt the twins when they remembered that Seth was only one person and could not properly dance with both at once. The dispute was solved with a quick hand of Rock, Sword, Wall. Ephraim claimed his prize with much exuberance, while Eirika faded back to stand beside one of the knights who had moved forward from the outskirts. Seth was grateful for the assistance; without it, she would not have been able to concentrate upon the matter at hand.
She needed all of her concentration.
Dancing with the twins was a unique experience; Ephraim led boldly, skipping what steps he found too inconvenient and forcing Seth to improvise constantly as she tried to keep them in some semblance of the current dance. By contrast, Eirika moved with subtle grace and precision; what the princess lacked in sheer passion, she made up for with intelligence. The twins swapped off on each dance, sorely testing their knight's endurance.
When at last the children tired of dancing, Seth was more than willing to follow them to the tables set with refreshments. Ephraim snitched sweet cakes and slipped them in his pockets for future nibbling before actually settling down and eating one of his prizes. Eirika followed her twin's example by selecting her favorite sweets. Turning, the princess offered one to Seth.
The knight accepted, seeing naught but the simple gesture that any child might offer to one of their elders. Eirika flushed when her gift was accepted and looked extremely pleased with herself, causing Seth to wonder what secret competition the princess had seemingly scored at by her actions.
Selecting a glass of wine, Seth was surprised to turn and find King Fado once again in front of her.
"My lord?"
Fado smiled and looked past her at his children momentarily. "Might I steal away your lady for one dance?"
The twins might have latched onto her had they not been mollified by the assorted foods that drew their attention and the king drew the knight back onto the dance floor with a disarming grin. Startled by the suddenness, Seth barely had time to set the goblet down before she was whisked away.
As the music began again, Fado grasped her firmly and began to whirl her around the dance floor. His steps were powerful and precise; Seth had nothing to do but follow his lead as she danced. They continued to sweep about the floor in time with the music and Seth caught glimpses of the twins watching from the sidelines; once she noted passing her mentor and the queen on the dance floor.
When the dance finally came to an end, Fado bowed to her and led her back to her escorts who received her with joyous acclaim. Seth flushed and said nothing as she parted from her liege; Fado was a charismatic lord and a strong man...but Seth found her attentions focused solely on his heirs. Not that any would deny the king's attractiveness!
No, her choice was simply based upon her own desires- until such a time as the twins could inherit their father's throne, Seth would be there to protect them. As the pair dragged her off again, their hands now sticky from the sweets that they had devoured in her absence, Seth smiled.
Perhaps in time she could teach them to share.
~o~
AN: The plotbunnies made me do it. Yes Seth retains his/her own name. They made it work in Trinity Blood, so there! Praise is welcome. ^_^