Coming of Age
A Geneology of the Holy War/Seisen no Keifu/Fire Emblem 4 Fic
Note: Dew is one of my favorite characters in Seisen no Keifu, and I don't know why. Maybe it was because he was a thief. Maybe it was his sort of underdog status. Whatever the case, there are exactly zero Dew fanfictions out there. I'm not sure if I've seen one that's even mentioned his name. This is here to fix that, and up the number of Seisen no Keifu fanfics in general.
Chapter 1: The Blonde Lady
He was born in a small village, just south of the Spirit Forest.
His pop'd been gone as long as he could remember. His ma was a pretty blonde lady with the bluest eyes that side of Verdane. Her hair smelled like raspberries in summer. When he thought of her, he couldn't help but smile. He always smiled.
Smiling was all you could do, sometimes. If you smiled on the outside it was easier to smile on the inside. If you smiled they might let you off easy, even when they caught you with your hand down their pockets.
Though he was getting old enough that that wouldn't work so easy. Pats on the head were fewer and farther between. He'd taken to dragging a sword 'round with him, just in case.
The coppers, though, they didn't like that. So they'd thrown 'im in the lockup.
Couple days later they came 'round again. Two of 'em, with big ugly mugs.
They had a pretty blonde lady on 'em. Big wavy hair, like a lion or something. She was all crying and struggling, sayin' something real low-like under her breath. My dale? Midi? Too mumbly.
They shoved her in and slammed the door. They didn't need to treat 'er so rough.
He gave her an arm. He wasn't no gentleman, but he had some decency.
"Hey lady. Why ya cryin'?"
She sniffed a bit and looked at 'im. He tore a piece a' cloth off his tunic and handed it to her. Never did like to see a pretty lady bawlin'.
She took a while. Prob'ly shock, or too choked up. Didn't belong there anyhow. Not that dingy ol' place.
"Because they... Mideel..." She swallowed, wiping her eyes.
Looked up at 'im. Eyes went all wide-like. "Dear Lord, have they no compassion? Only a child!"
He grinned. "Nah, lady, I ain't no kid. They locked me up real good fer a reason, y'know. But you, you ain't got no place here. What's a nice lady in here for?" He stretched his arms out wide, casual. Didn't like being a hardened criminal 'round a lady like that, though. Made him feel all shamed and such.
She wasn't so easy there, though. Stood all stiff. "I... Verdane attacked my father's castle while he was away. My men put up a valiant fight, but in the end they all perished, and I was captured."
"Yer a princess?!"
"Well, not quite. My father is a lord, so that would make me a lady..." She buried her pretty face in her hands. "Ah, my poor men! Mideel! Forgive me!" She starting sobbin' again. He felt real awkward.
"Hey now lady, don't be cryin' now. No worries, it'll be alright."
She was still bawlin'. He stood up.
"No, see, I'll get us outta here. I'm a thief, y'see? Real good at pickin' locks and suchlike." He yanked a long ol' piece a' metal from his belt.
"Now lesse... a lil' twist an'..." The lock clicked real easy. He turned back to look at the lady. "See? Toldja, nothin' to worry 'bout."
That washed the tears right off her face. "Oh, thank you! I'm indebted to you, Mr... uh..."
"Dew. That's what they took t'callin' me, anyhow. An' dun need ta give me that mister stuff now. Dew suits fine."
She giggled.
"Hey, what?" Dew cocked his head sideways at her.
"Nothing, it's just... you're adorable!"
He turned red all over. "Lady, you tryin' to make me blush?"
"Ah, no need to call me Lady. My name is Edin."
He held out a hand to shake. He winced. It was all grimy an' unclean. "Nice ta meetcha Edin."
She took it anyways. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Dew."
He jerked, hearing real close thumps. Footsteps, he figured. "Hold on Edin, someone's comin'."
She hurried back into the cell. Dew followed, trying to jam the door back enough to still open.
"All right, I'm going to check on the prisoners. No need to follow me."
He had to think of somethin'. That door wasn't jammin' so good. "Stand back, Edin. Don't wantcha to get hurt or nothin'." She looked real scared-like. Did step back though.
This guy wasn't so much like them other folk, though. Had some weird dot on 'is fore'ead. Didn't look all mean an' ugly. Was a shame, really.
"How're you two doing down here?" Strange question t'ask.
He had to act quick. "Sorry!" He whipped out his long piece of metal.
The guy blocked it with one of his arm-things. He winced. He was really in for it now.
The guy didn't slice out his innards, though. "You're not going to get very far with that. A sword, on the other hand..." He tossed Dew an old iron sword wrapped in cloth.
That was right 'bout the last thing he expected. "Why're you givin' this to me?"
"You might not be so lucky with your next cellmate. Think of it as protection." He smiled at Edin, handing her a big fancy stick. "You're free to go."
Edin shook her head. "We can't leave Dew behind."
The guy sure didn't smile at him. "Why not? He's just a little thief."
"Prince Jamuka, please! He tried to save my life. And he's still too young to be in a place like this." Edin looked up at Jamuka with big watery eyes.
Dew knew better than to argue at a time like that. He gave Jamuka his best starving kid look.
Jamuka sighed. "All right, all right. But only because Edin asked."
He looked at the door. "Already unlocked, huh? They've really gone lax with security around here." He swung it open. Dew and Edin stepped out.
"Sorry it took so long, Edin," Prince Whatzit said. He was real nice, apologizin' like that. "I couldn't get my father or Gandolf to let you free, so I'm doing the next-best thing."
"It's quite all right. I'll never forget everything you've done for me, Prince Jamuka."
"And I'll never forget you, Edin." He looked daggers at Dew. "Now, you're not going to be stealing anymore, right?"
"Nah, I... uh... promised Edin I wouldn't. Plus Gandolf'd rip out my tongue if he caught me 'gain, right?" He grinned.
The bluff worked. "I'll take your word for it then."
They were outside the castle now, surrounded by real tall grass. A big ol' forest sat not too far ahead. "If you go through the woods you should be able to get to safety. Now Dew, you protect her with your life, got that?"
"Prince Jamuka, you're not coming with us?" Edin asked.
He shook his head. "No, I can't go against my father, not even with all the mayhem my brothers are causing. I've got to get him to see the wrong in all this, though."
Edin nodded. "Indeed, this war has gone on far enough. Please, Prince Jamuka, do your best to persuade the king to end this conflict. You're our only hope."
Jamuka thumped his chest proudly. "That's a promise. Now, Gandolf's probably going to find out I freed you soon enough. You two get going!" He started heading back north, to Verdane.
Was just him and Edin now. Felt like one 'a those big brave knights, princess an' all.
"No worries Edin, I've got us covered. I'm real good with a sword!" He smiled in his voice, and on the outside. Helped him feel a little better, and prob'ly her too. Hoped it wouldn't come down to a real fight, though.
He took her arm to keep her steady. "Anyhow, there's lotsa branches and roots about, so careful where ya step, alright?"
Meanwhile, a force of axe-users was headed towards that same forest...