A/N: So sorry for the wait, the holidays had me quite busy, and then I had to dig up some info on Lyn's past, which made this chapter a bit difficult to write… Also, there's a bit of harsh violence in this chapter, you have been warned. I hope you enjoy. =)
EDIT: The scene with the bandits is now correct; thanks to a reviewer who reminded me it was actually poison that let them not be able to fight back. (Thanks Guety!)
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Lyn couldn't believe it; she was right back where she started in life, the plains of Sacae.
She thought she would never see her lost tribe again, she thought she would never see her parents again either.
"Lyndis, are you alright?" Her father dismounted his horse and hugged her.
His embrace felt so warm and caring, it had been so very long since she felt a loving feeling like this.
"F-father… I don't ever want you to go away…" She hugged back, not ever wanting to let go.
Madelyn smiled, "Lyndis, we aren't going to leave you, and you know that."
Her husband, Hassar, grinned as well. "You're mother's right; even when we die, we will always be with you, watching from father sky."
'When we die…' The words echoed in Lyn's head. She knew it was only a matter of time before it happened, before the bandits came. She didn't want to let go, she had forgotten what this felt like, having a family was something Lyn had thought she had.
She saw family in Florina, Kent, will, Sain, and even Eliwood and Hector.
But this felt different; it felt closer. But she loved the others just as much, so why was it that she didn't feel this way with them?
Lyn looked up into her father's eyes. "Father… You have to get our tribe out of here…"
He looked at her with concern. "Lyndis, why? Is there something wrong?"
"Its bandits, there is going to be a surprise attack, I know this because-" Lyn stopped speaking, her parents wouldn't believe she was from the future, she couldn't tell them.
"Bandits, Lyndis? I'm sure there is nothing to worry about." Hassar informed his daughter.
Madelyn smiled, "Oh, I just remembered; we need more water to drink. Lyndis, would you mind getting some for us?"
Lyn paused, not wanting to answer. "I…"
It was the water; she remembered how her people were so weak and ill; powerless in combat and left to be slaughtered.
"You can't drink the water…" Lyn mumbled
Unfortunately, her parents would not believe her. Who would, really, time traveling is impossible and her people did not have much knowledge of magic.
"I'll go." Her father declared, turning to leave to the small drinking spring.
Lyn felt helpless; there was no way of telling anyone what was going to happen, not without them labeling her as insane.
What concerned Lyn more was how she got here, and why? The ring obviously had the power to travel through time, but what is the purpose of bringing her here?
-x-
Hours later, the sun had set peacefully behind the mountains of Bern that could be seen from the camp.
Lyn sat quietly inside her family's gurt, clutching her legs close to her chest in comfort.
""Mother…" Lyn called to Madelyn, who was stewing something in a pot that stood over a fire in the middle of the room.
"Yes, Lyndis?" She answered, not turning to see her and keeping focused on the pot.
"What if… What if you were poisoned?"
Her mother turned around, looking skeptical. "Well I- I don't know… I would feel very ill; I probably would not be able to defend anyone…" She looked thoughtful, turning back the stewing pot.
Lyn nodded silently, knowing it was only a matter of time until the poison from the water had started to take effect.
Hassar entered the gurt, looking rather tired.
Lyn stood up and hugged her father. "Father, how is everything? Are you well?"
He nodded, smiling. "Yes, yes I… I just a feel a bit tired, Lyndis."
"Tired?" Lyn knew why, of course. The poison from the water had started to take effect on him already.
He patted her shoulder, "I'm sure that it's nothing to worry about…" He coughed after finishing his sentence. Lyn appeared worried.
Suddenly, there was a lot of noise outside. Hassar, Madelyn, and Lyn looked outside to see what the commotion was. People were lying on the ground, looking very ill. Others were tending to the sickly with soup and medicines.
"What is going on?" Hassar addressed one of his tribe members, looking worried.
"Chieftain, it seems our tribe has consumed poison somehow…" The old woman, who was tending to a young boy, looked very weary herself. She was also poisoned.
Hassar looked distressed, "Poison? How?"
Lyn stood close behind her father, listening in on the conversation.
"They say it was the water, sir…"
Hassar clenched his fist, who could do this to his tribe? Poison was a cruel way to erase an entire tribe from existence.
"Chieftain!" A young man ran up to Lyn's father, a grave expression on his features.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Its bandits, there's large numbers of them from all sides of the valley!" the young man that came to report already looked bloody and wounded, Lyn noticed.
"They say they are responsible for the poison in the water, sir!"
Hassar glared off to the hills. "D-damn it…" he cursed weakly, the poison making him ill by every second.
Lyn's heart began to beat rapidly into her throat, she couldn't believe it.
'This ring is cursed!' She thought, glaring at the ring Sain had given her, she angrily tried to pull it off, but no matter what, the ring would not move. It was stuck, and Lyn was stuck as well. Lyndis was stuck in the past to relive the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Tears began to fall from her eyes while she watched the men of the tribe ready their weapons, trying as hard as they could to fight, even though they were very sick. Heading into a loosing battle. Just like before…
"Madelyn, take Lyndis and hide in the gurt, keep her safe!"
Madelyn nodded at the order and turned to Lyn.
Lyn pushed her mother away. "No! No, I won't go, I won't! I'll stay and fight, father, please!"
Madelyn gripped Lyn's arm and led her into the gurt with a fuss.
She yelled and cried as she saw her father unsheathe his sword and run off into the distance.
"He'll be okay, Lyndis, everything will be-"
"No! It won't, nothing will be okay if you don't let me help!" She heard screams from outside, Lyn looked around.
It was terrible.
There were flames engulfing the entire camp. She saw people, her people, falling to the ground and eaten by flames where their bodies were charred to ashes.
Others were slain by sword and axe, and left to bleed until the plains were stained crimson. They were all too ill to fight back; to defend themselves.
She couldn't handle watching it once, now she had witnessed it twice.
Lyn turned around, shaking form the shock.
And then she saw her mother, Lyn couldn't help but scream- a rugged man with a large, sharp axe had sliced through the fabric of the gurt and was advancing on Madelyn.
"No!" Madelyn screeched.
Lyn closed her eyes, within seconds, she heard her scream again and then the terribly innerving sound of iron cleaving flesh filled her ears and sent a chill down her neck.
Her mother was dead.
Lyn started to cry hard, 'how could this be happening. Again!?'
She was so distraught, she didn't realize the bandit had slain her mother had his axe pointed at her.
Her eyes widened in fear, this was it, maybe she survived the first time, but this time...
The attack was quickly blocked by a sword held in weak, scarred arms. Her father saved her and killed the bandit swiftly.
"There is too many!" He yelled, his voice was hoarse and strained.
He gripped Lyn's arm and pulled her along to his horse, when he reached it, he lifted her up onto it. Lyn remembered this moment all too well.
"Now, Lyndis, I want to go. Go far away from here and don't even think about coming back." He was speaking slowly and sternly, making sure she understood.
"But father, I!-"
"GO!" without giving his daughter any chance to say goodbye, his horse sped away into the hills. Lyndis looked back to see her father, she swore that she saw him smile before the flames around engulfed him.
-x-
Lyndis couldn't stop her tears from falling as she sat underneath a large oak tree in the forest nearby, once again trying to pull the ring from her finger.
"Why!? Why won't it come… Off…" She said between sobs.
Hassar's horse stood by Lyn, nuzzling his snout into her neck affectionately, she knew this horse well and knew it would protect her the best it could.
She pet its snout and smiled warmly, letting the tears begin to dry. She couldn't cry forever, where was the point in that? She thought she would just have to do what happened last time; go back, clean up, and try to move on.
Soon, a light emitted from the ring, like before.
"What?" Lyn squinted her eyes from the light as it grew bigger.
Without notice, she fell unconscious and was consumed by darkness.
-x-
Florina looked around, confusion on her face. Kent and Sain were there, sitting at the breakfast table but, where was Lyn?
"Good morning, Florina!" Sain greeted once he noticed she had entered the room.
Kent looked up and gave her a nod before continuing his breakfast.
"Where is Lyn?" she asked in a barely audible voice.
"I assumed she just hasn't woken up yet." Sain shrugged, answering the question.
Kent stood up from the table and gave him a stern look. "Lady Lyndis is usually the first to wake up before anyone else."
Florina smiled, agreeing with him. "R-right… So maybe I s-should… Check on her?"
"Wonderful idea, Florina!" said Sain before returning to his egg breakfast.
Florina turned around and disappeared down the stone hallways of the Castle to Lyn's room.
"… Sain," Kent gave his companion a look, San didn't like when Kent had given him that look. It was always the 'you've done something wrong again,' look.
"…Yes, Kent?"
"That ring you gave Lyndis, … Shouldn't you have told her about its power?"
Sain shrugged. "Of course I would have! If I only knew what it was myself."
Kent folded his arms over his chest and eyed his companion firmly.
"What if it poisoned her?"
"Poison? Kent, please, I am sure that woman told us it had amazing powers just so we would give her coins."
"Correction- YOU would give her coins." Kent cut in.
Sain slumped in defeat. "Ah, that's not the point-"
"And what if she wasn't 'just saying that'." Kent raised his voice now, trying to get through to Sain.
"Alright, I know nothing more than you. What do you say we find that woman and ask her ourselves?"
Kent sighed, but smiled. "That is the smartest thing I've heard from your mouth in a long time…"
Sain glared at him before they both left the castle and headed for the stable where their horses awaited.
-x-
Florina slowly walked up to Lyn's bedroom door, she put her ear to the door to listen for movement.
"Lyn?" Nothing responded, so she called louder.
"Lyn? Are you awake?" She grew worried after hearing no sounds.
She opened the door quietly, slowly stepping up to Lyn's bed and checking underneath the covers.
She gasped loudly at the result.
-x-
Sain and Kent had saddled their horses and were about to take leave when they heard Florina's shouting.
"Sir Kent, Sir Sain, Lyn has been…" she ran out to the two men as quickly she could.
"Ah, Florina what is it?" Sain noticed the lavender-haired girl's panic.
She finally reached the two men, panting from running down two flights of stairs and out the large castle doors.
"Lyn… Has been… Missing… Since last night…" She gasped between pants.
Both Kent and Sain looked alert.
"What do you mean, Florina?" Kent inquired.
"H-her bed sheets… They a-are just the way t-they were the other day and Lyn is missing!" Kent noticed her eyes tearing up; he patted the girl softly on her back to console her before glaring at Sain.
"What did I do?" Sain exclaimed, throwing his arms to his sides.
"We will find Lyndis, but first we must find the woman who sold Sain that ring."
"I'm coming with you!" Florina's tiny voice rang.
"Then I'll make room for you on my horse." Kent told her, a small blush appearing on his face.
Sain rolled his eyes. "Yes, everything is just my fault. How did I know the ring was going to kidnap Lyndis somehow, hmm?"
The two knights mounted their horses, with Florina in tow, and began their hunt for the mysterious woman in red.
Kent only prayed that she were still in town, or else no one may see Lady Lyndis ever again.
To be continued…
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A/N: Remember, this story takes place after the events of FE7 and the woman in red is not a real character, she's an OC. Somehow I don't feel like I portrayed the bandit attack well, but that's just me… Reviews, flames, critique, anything, just gimme some feedback, people! ;)
