AN: I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this, but I surely wasn't in my right mind…Usually, I'm not in my right mind anyways, so this doesn't matter much… Ok, shoujo-ai content ahead, containing -EirikaxAmelia-, and maybe a bit of -TanaxMarisa-
This will probably be a two or three part fic, depending on my mood and moderately busy schedule ;)
Standard Disclaimer applies…
State of Affairs
Chapter one:
Out of the Blue
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The Grado lancer couldn't have been having a worse day. First of all, she had spent the day comforting Neimi over her thief troubles, ending up having her favorite tunic ruined-soaked in the poor archer's tears. Then, Franz had told her that Princess Eirika, the monster she had always heard about, wanted to see her. Last but not least, she had walked into a pole. It was in the middle of town, while she was buying supplies for their next mission. She hoped Franz wasn't around to see her take such an unladylike tumble…Unfortunately, some one else witnessed the entire thing…
"Oh my! That was an awful fall. Are you alright?"
Amelia blinked at the pain that had erupted in her head, slowly opening her eyes to the blurry image that belonged to that worried voice. It was like she had died and gone to heaven.
'She must be an angel' thought Amelia. The woman's blue eyes held an unfathomable kindness, her eyebrows knit in genuine concern. She was just stunning, the way her teal tresses gently framed her face, and her skin was flawless. It had seemed that, her fall wasn't the only thing that left her breathless, but also this rare beauty that had appeared over the lancer girl. The woman's lips were perfectly small and pink Amelia noted, and they formed words, though the blonde caught nary a sound.
"-wondered if you were okay. You seem to have been out of sorts…and…Pardon me…but is there something on my face by any chance…? The girl inquired, nothing but innocence laced her voice. Amelia snapped out of her reverie, flushing a bright red as she had realized the dazzling young lady was indeed talking to her. "It's just that…you were staring at my face so intently…I wondered if there was something wrong with it…"
"A-ah no, of course not! Your face is perfect! I-I mean-I apologize for my uh- unsightly manners, I-I was in quite a state of shock…." With this, Amelia sat up strenuously, rubbing her aching head. All the while, she attempted to avoid the stranger's gaze, her cheeks already colored a deep red.
Much to Amelia's surprise, the mystery girl had moved closer, and reached out. The blonde nearly yelped when a soft hand laid itself across her forehead. "It doesn't seem too warm…but your color doesn't look too healthy…you're far too flushed… Do you feel unwell?" Amelia swallowed hard. The girl was far too close to her… Her doll like face was barely inches away and a light vanilla scent flooded Amelia's senses.
She wasn't like that…
Jerking away from the girl's touch, Amelia loudly protested being the least bit sickly. "I assure you, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about some one like me." A sheepish grin flitted across the lancer's face, embarrassment and nervousness written all over her countenance.
The teal haired girl shrugged, getting up off the ground as she brushed of her ridiculously short skirt, which Amelia noted as well… "Nevertheless, Amelia, we should get back to camp soon with the supplies. Nightfall is approaching quickly." At that, she extended a hand out to Amelia, who was still sitting on the dirt road, a perplexed look upon her face.
Taking her hand, Amelia asked, "Wait…h-how do you know my name? I haven't told you my name…and…" The lancer stopped, looking over the girl they stood there. Teal hair, Renais' emblem emblazoned on her chest plate...weapon: rapier… All these attributes stuck a chord in her memory somewhere, but her brain was still a bit rattled from its collision with the pole.
"Oh my…I've forgotten my manners as well… I believe this is the first time we've met, and I've heard some much about you, but I've yet to introduce myself. I'm Eirika of Renais. "
Amelia nearly dropped her jaw in surprise. Not only did the heir to Renais' throne know her name, she was a gentle person and…not to mention…a stunningly beautiful woman. Despite all that…Amelia had given her the impression that she was an absent minded person, having the ability to walk into poles of all things. Not knowing what to do, the Grado lancer dropped to her knees, kneeling in front of Eirika, head bowed low. "Forgive my insolence your h-highness!"
Chuckling lightly, Eirika pulled Amelia up, clasping her hand in the younger girl's. "Come now, forget all those formalities. Let us just get all our tasks done before nightfall." Amelia nodded wordlessly as she let herself be dragged off by the Princess Eirika, their hands still intertwined.
By the time the two got back to the inn on the outskirts of Carcino, General Seth wore an intimidating frown upon his youthful features. Amelia and Ei9rika walked through the doors with an armful of heal staves and what not, chatting animatedly with each other. The Silver Knight cleared his throat quite obviously as he strode over to Eirika. He bowed politely in greeting to his liege, a disdainful frown drawn across his lips. "Milady Eirika…Where have you been for these past hours? I had inquired you to be back by night."
Amelia could see by the look on Eirika's face that she was attempting to hide her indignant feelings, masking it with a stiff formality. "My apologies General Seth, I was caught up in other matters and had lost track of time. It has only been dark for a short period of time and yet, you constantly badger me as if I were a child."
The general raised his voice a notch higher, not daring it to get any louder for fear of attracting some unwanted attention. "That was certainly not my intention, but I must stress further the point that you have enemies, Milady. They will not hesitate to eradicate the obstacle that has been standing in their way for these past few months. Also…your safety is of the utmost priority. Do you understand that, Princess Eirika?" Seth's voice had just dropped below a whisper; his eyes had darted around nervously, very unlike the strong and confident Silver Knight.
Eirika sighed, "I-I'm sorry, Seth…I didn't mean to cause a commotion. I understand your concern for me, but it is unnecessary. I believe I am capable of taking care of myself and also, Miss Amelia had accompanied me to town, so you have nothing to worry about. So, if you'll please excuse me…" Eirika had dismissed the matter quite quickly, dragging Amelia away with her, leaving the general to brood on his own.
After dropping off their newly purchased things in the supply tent, the two proceeded up the stairs to the inn's vacant rooms. As Eirika bid a good night to Amelia, she added one more important thing that would be of some help to the lancer later. "I'll see you tomorrow, Amelia. If you need anything just come to me. I'll be willing to help you with any predicament….If I can that is." She smiled sweetly at that, eliciting a light blush from Amelia as she said her good nights as well and stepped out of the doorway. Eirika closed the door, and Amelia didn't know if it was her imagination or not, but the princess seemed a bit reluctant to let her go… Shaking her head and disregarding that as a figment of her mind, she walked into the hall.
It was nearly two hours later that Amelia found herself face to face with Eirika's door, a hand raised to knock; an inch away, but the indecisiveness eating at her mind. 'I'm sure Eirika will resent it if I wake her from her fitful slumber and for a request as ridiculous as this.
She needed a room to sleep in.
Everyone she asked had a reason to refuse her. Neimi had already been housed up with two other girls, and not to mention a room with Neimi would invoke some unwanted feelings, ones they both agreed to set aside and to categorize as "misunderstood". She had tried Tana and Marisa's room, but she heard some incriminating sounds upon reaching the door. Therefore, she had come to the conclusion that they sure had gotten to know each other pretty quickly… Rooming with the opposite gender was completely out of the question, but she had tried Franz and unfortunately…General Seth was the one sharing the room with her blonde rival. With that last option however, taken away form her by that man Seth-she had begun to develop a secret hatred for the Silver Knight-. And that was the end of her wanderings as she wound up at Eirika's door again, with a burlap bag containing all her most precious possessions.
Brushing the blonde locks out of her face, Amelia swallowed nervously and wiped the away the beads of sweat that were rolling down her forehead. She raised her fist again, ready to knock this time. However…all her hand did was tremble as it kept its position, a mere inch before the wooden door. Deciding to clear her mind before she made such a life altering decision, she thought to herself, 'This is really not a big complication. I'm in need of a place to lodge is all…and no one would accept my appeal and I've taken it upon myself to sound as apologetic as possible, right? Right. Now…here we go.' Taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, she raised her fist again and was about to knock…when the door suddenly opened.
"I- uh…." Amelia forgot what her objective was as soon as the door swung open so unexpectedly. Also, to Amelia's surprise, Eirika was fully clothed, armor and all, her hair prim and proper. While inadvertently peering inside, she saw that the bed hadn't even been used yet. It was becoming to be stranger as Amelia added one and one together. It was already late into the night and Eirika didn't look the slightest bit tired, whereas a normal person would have fallen asleep hours ago. Concern struck Amelia deeply for reasons unknown to herself. The thought was perplexing in its entirety for the teenage girl.
Standing at the door, Eirika was as equally surprised as the blonde lancer was, her eyes widening a fraction, also at a loss of words however, Eirika recovered more quickly than the speechless blonde, voicing her astonishment. "My, Amelia, what are you doing here at this time of night?"
"I-well, I need a room to sleep in…as all the other ones are already full…And I was…wondering if I could share this room with you…if it's not too much trouble." Amelia shuffled her feet, nervously looking at the inn's hardwood floors, hoping Eirika would agree.
"I'd gladly consent, but there's one small problem…there's only one bed and there are two of us." Eirika sounded…dare she say, embarrassed about this predicament. Amelia looked up and she didn't know if the lighting was at fault or not, but she even saw a hint of red plague Eirika's fair cheeks.
Amelia answered guardedly, not letting her enthusiasm slip through her calm and neutral façade, while in fact; she wanted to jump at the prospect of sharing a bed with the Princess Eirika. "That's not a problem with me, but are you sure you're fine with this arrangement?" Eirika nodded with a smile and led her into the small room. Amelia stepped in and hurriedly shut the door behind her. Remembering something that had piqued her interest earlier, she asked Eirika, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what were you planning to do when you opened the door? Were you going to go out?"
Eirika tucked a strand of teal behind her ear as she sat down on the bed, facing away from Amelia. "Well, I was planning on taking a little stroll or even do some training before the sun came up. I really can't seem to sleep these days…I always ask Lute to concoct a little something for me so I can focus during the day, even with my severe lack of sleep…"
The blonde set down her things and sat on the opposite end of the bed, her back turned to Eirika. The lancer was generally astonished at the fact that Eirika had revealed so many personal matters to her at the drop of a pin. She seemed like she really needed someone to console all her worries. "I'm worried about you, Princess Eirika. Is there something on your mind that's been keeping you up all these nights?"
Amelia could hear the covers rustling as Eirika flopped backwards, half lying on the bed. "As a matter of fact, something has been haunting me for quite a while now…and since Tana's been too busy making friends with that mercenary Marisa, I haven't anyone to talk to. I have so much in my heart I want to bear to someone…"
Amelia felt compassion for the young leader, since her homeland had been ransacked, her father killed and a possible invasion was imminent. "I'd be glad to lend you an ear if you needed it. I'm willing to listen to whatever ails you."
"In that case…the thing that's been plaguing me these many nights is…my brother. Ephraim went off gallivanting across the countryside while Castle Renais gets battered down. Now, I don't even know if he's safe…With his brashness and impulsiveness, he can get himself into so much trouble. He always picks the situations which are especially hard to get out of, just to prove a point to the opposing side. He nearly got himself killed at Castle Renvall…" Eirika exhaled deeply at this point, and it seemed like her fervor escaped within her sighs.
Amelia tried to think of a way to comfort the Princess, having much experience in consoling people, thanks to her tearful archer friend... The Grado girl's voice was understanding and soothing as she talked, "I don't know Prince Ephraim personally, but from what I've heard from you and Franz, he'd make a wonderful ruler. He's dedicated to his goal. His battle strategies are amazing in the way he commands his troops to operate with stealth and power, striking the enemy brutally as well as making sure that there will be no casualties. His kind of character is one that will not give up, one that will hold onto life with all tenacity. I'm sure he wouldn't fail, since he has you to count on him…and to come to…"
Eirika sighed again, "Yes…you're right…but I can't help but wonder how he's doing. He is my brother after all…"
Amelia retorted, "But, I don't think Prince Ephraim would like it too much if he found out you were losing sleep worrying over him…I'm sure he wouldn't want you to undergo something like this…"
The lancer felt the bed move as Eirika stood up. Amelia cracked a smile at the imaginary sight of the Princess pumping her fist into the air as she made her declaration. "You're absolutely right! I shouldn't brood over this much longer."
Amelia turned around to face the princess, who was simply beaming with positivity. "That's the spirit, Princess Eirika!"
Eirika smiled widely. "Thank you so much for your advice, Amelia! I really enjoy your company…but I'm afraid it's getting late now. If we don't catch up on some rest, tomorrow's battle will be even more dangerous for the two of us sleepyheads."
"Yes, you're right, Princess. I guess we should turn in for the night…" Amelia stifled a yawn at this, rubbing her eyes tiredly. As she opened her emerald eyes again, she resisted the inexplicable instinct to close them again. It was just a little bit rude to stare…but it was like laying eyes upon the perfection of an angel. Eirika's perfectly shaped chest, her flat and toned stomach, and her creamy alabaster skin was simply radiant. The princess was still turned away from Amelia when she began to slide down her ruffled skirt and high leggings. The lancer merely caught a glance of Eirika's pink, frilly undergarments before she had finally had enough. Stripping off her armor and clothes in an inhumanly fast pace, she dived underneath the covers, trying to calm her spinning head.
"Amelia? Are you ok?"
'She must have heard the clattering of my armor.' Thought Amelia. The blonde quickly thought of an excuse to cover up her strange behavior. "Oh, I-I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired…I need to get as much shut-eye as possible if I want to fight effectively tomorrow!" The quavering of her voice gave her up a little, but the princess didn't notice. Eirika merely chuckled as she continued to disrobe. The rustling of her clothes seemed to be taunting Amelia, as the young recruit pictured what Eirika would be doing. In a way, this was worse for her mental health as her imagination went askew with the impossible details.
Amelia had been squeezing her eyes shut so hard that she nearly jumped when she felt the sudden weight on the other side of the bed. Her green eyes snapped open and darted around in the now pitch darkness.
"Good night, Amelia. I'll see you in morning." Eirika's voice came from beside her, sending shivers up her spine as if the princess had whispered it into her ear like a lover would.
"G-Good n-night, princess." Amelia willed to control herself, but her breath was caught in her throat, her pulse erratic and her heart was thumping loudly against her ribcage.
A yawn came from Eirika as she reprimanded Amelia lightly. "Please…stop with the formalities…Call me…Eirika…" With that, the teal haired lord drifted off to sleep, her deep breaths confirming the fact.
Amelia swallowed, shutting her eyes and forcing herself to think about things that didn't pertain to a certain teal haired princess whose presence just made her heart beat faster, made her words catch in her throat, and made the blood rush to her cheeks. In her mind, the lancer repeated a mantra over and over, trying to get it through to her senses. 'Eirika is a princess, a lord I am bound to serve by contract, one I must protect with my life. A princess with the grace of an angel, the beauty of a-' Amelia stopped there, finally realizing what inarticulate nonsense she spouted, even though those were the thoughts running through her mind. Suddenly, all thought seemed to cease in the young girl's mind when a slender arm snaked across her waist and drew her close.
The blonde's breath began to come in short intervals as her panic escalated. It was neither the fact that Eirika was embracing her in her sleep nor was it the fact that Eirika had just moaned Tana's name a second ago, but it was the princess' assets that were causing her a great deal of guilty displeasure. With her generous bust pressed right up against her back, it truly was a weird and foreign sensation, one that the recruit would have to endure until morning. That is, if she could last that long.