Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the poem.
Nowi
Written by: InvaderSunshine
Edited by: vaguekiwi
I grasped rattling keys in my left hand. This was it; the day of my escape. No more humiliating tricks for leering humans. Freedom was finally within my grasp, assuming my plan worked.
Naga, please let it work.
I couldn't afford any slip-ups today! If I was to flee, I would have to be as sly as a thief.
Shifting my weight, I slid my wrists between the bars. Careful to not make any noise, I shoved the copper key into the lock.
This was the key I saw my 'master' use the other day, when he thought I was sleeping. I happened to be playing dead, only looking when his eyes were focused on the keys. I was playing dead for the sake of playing dead. There wasn't much for me to do in the oversized birdcage I was contained in. My original plan was to play dead until somebody tossed my body in a dumpster, but I ran out of air. To my good fortune, one of the workers dropped the keys in my cage.
I thought it was silly of them to make such an error. After all, I was in no way, shape, or form a dumb manakete. If you had lived for as long as I had, you'd know an awful lot of useful stuff.
My drunken captor was asleep, blissfully unaware of my escape. I fought a giggle at the sight of him leaning back in his chair, snoring like a fully grown grizzly bear, hibernating for the winter.
There was no winter in Plegia, so I kind of missed snowball fights and fort building. Anything was preferable to the desert climate I had endured a bit too long for my wandering tastes.
Maybe after I got out, I would teach myself self-defense. Then I could travel the world with ease, and I wouldn't have to worry about fools like him. I could go to Regna Ferox, or Ylisstol. Or maybe even Valm. I hadn't been there in some time. Plegia wasn't an option, I was already in Plegia and I hated the hot, stuffy air. It was the last place I wanted to stay.
The cage opened with a rusty squeak, and I froze until I knew the snoring man had not noticed.
Perfect!
I hopped out of my prison, making sure to land on the man's table so I wouldn't break a bone falling. I stayed silent, peering around for my dragonstone. If they caught me, the slavers could do more harm than the splintered, wooden floorboards.
Giving the dining room a quick scan, I found the green orb on the counter. I slid off the table and scampered outside, snatching the stone as I went, while simultaneously knocking over a cup of ale.
Oops.
As I closed the door behind me, I heard the man give a yell.
Double oops.
He was awake, and knew I was escaping. Scrambling through the crowded Plegian marketplace, I blessed my tiny form. Crowd weaving was simple when you were as small as me. I slipped under arms and legs, weaseling my way to freedom.
Shouts sounded behind me, I giggled. All I had to do was get to the border, then I could transform and just fly off into the sunset.
When a calloused hand clasped my shoulder my blood ran cold. I yanked with all my might but the man didn't give. I couldn't possibly transform here, I could hurt someone. Panic laced into my veins.
The man pulled me down another street, leading me away from the market. Now I was confused. This wasn't the way to the bar where I was forced on display.
"Hey!" I yelled, holding my feet down in a feeble attempt to make him stop. "Let me go!"
Surprisingly, the man stopped and I immediately recognized him as Gregor. He was the fool who dropped the keys into my cage. He was a sellsword, who worked for my boss. Which meant he was going to try and take me back.
And I couldn't possibly go back. No, that would not do at all. Not today. Not any day. Especially, not when I was within freedom's grasp once more.
Without another thought, I punched Gregor in the groin. "Get away from me, you pervert! I'm sick of you lot!"
Gregor yelped, bending over. "Come back, wee one!"
I dashed through the crowds again, heading back toward the marketplace. I needed the throng of people to hide.
Gregor put a damper on my plans, because when I got within a foot of the entrance to the market, I found a barrage of guards blocking the entryway. There was no way I was getting through. My plan had failed, and I had to improvise my way to freedom. Without a second thought, I swiveled on my feet, crashing right into another, much larger body.
"Sorry!" I gasped, getting out of the way, and making my way into the flow of traffic bound away from the market.
Things just weren't going my way, because another calloused hand grabbed my wrist, leading me through the street. Unfortunately, when I looked up it was Gregor's orange shock of hair bobbing in front of me. There was no way I could get out of his grasp without turning into a dragon, and that was out of the question at the moment. There was no room to transform in the crowded street. I could end up hurt myself.
"Worry not!" the sellsword yelled over the buzzing crowd.
I was worried. Not only was I being dragged by someone who associated with the likes of my 'owner', Gregor was drawing attention to us. It was one thing for me to book it through a crowded street, but another for a big man like Gregor. As I expected, Gregor drew the guard's attention, and they were on our tail. Pedestrians were being toppled in this confusing chase. The poor civilians were having almost as bad a day as I was. They didn't even know what was going on.
Gregor turned a corner, dragging me behind him. We dashed through the packed Plegian streets, guards hot on our tails. After making our way through the third street, he stopped to catch his breath.
I was about to punch him in the groin again, but he picked me up by the armpits, leaving me hanging in the air.
"Why so mean to Gregor, little girl?" He frowned, still catching his breath. "We be done running soon."
"Let me go!" I hollered, drawing the attention of a few people.
Seconds after my holler, I heard the guards' shouts, and Gregor threw me over his shoulder. He barreled through another two streets, while I hammered my tiny fists into his back, his shoulder guard digging into my bare stomach. But he never stopped. If possible, he went even faster, jogging his way through the emptying streets.
Eventually, we reached the town's outskirts. This would have been fantastic news, if my chosen destination wasn't now a warzone. Gregor and I had barreled our way straight to Chalard and his men. Another unknown army awaited them at the other side of the border sands. Hopefully, they wouldn't want to enslave me, but safety was only an if at that point. Through the swirling sands, I couldn't be sure who the other soldiers were, or who they fought for. And if I was to find safety in their ranks, I would have to get away from Gregor and Chalard's army.
Tired, Gregor let me down, catching his breath. The desert probably wasn't the best place to run a marathon.
I stumbled when I hit the loose sand, landing on my bottom. Tilting my head back, I tried to catch my breath as well. Gregor may have carried me for a bit, but my hurried escape made me tired. My human-like form felt so weak and flimsy.
Ignoring the stiffness in my legs, I got up and scurried towards the unidentified army as fast as my legs could carry me. Squinting, I attempted to see through the lifted sand. Ylisse! The other army was from the kingdom of Ylisse! Despite my joy over having found a possible escape rout, I sunk to my knees. I couldn't keep running any longer. If I was to flee, I would have to wait for the army to reach me.
"Have… Have I lost him?" I huffed in exhaustion. The last thing I needed was for Gregor to drag me to Chalard. The Grimleal are nothing but cruel. They were the ones who wished for Grima to return and bring despair to the world. They pretty much breathed death.
I was too young to die!
Well, sort of.
"Wait, I say! Why you no comprehending, wee one?" Gregor shouted behind me, running to catch up. He was doing better than me, but the sweat pouring down his face said he could have been better.
"Augh! Get away!" I screeched. "Everyone just leave me alone!"
"Please, be keeping down with the voice!" he yelled back, obviously very distressed himself. "You give away position! Very bad!"
"My throat is dry, my shoes are full of sand, and some big weirdo is trying to kill me!" I groaned. If things were going to get worse, I had no doubt they would. Nothing seemed to be going well for me that day.
He frowned. "Oy, you break Gregor's heart! Why you treat like villain?"
"You there!" a voice from the Ylissean army yelled from across the sands. Through the desert haze, I couldn't be sure of who he was. I could only make out a splotch of blue, and the outlines of a fluttering cape. "Keep your hands off that maiden!"
You said it!
"Who is fiend...?" Gregor asked, confused. "You mean Gregor? No, fiend! You have idea wrong!"
"Yeah, right! ...Creep!" the yellow girl beside the blue figure piped. She grasped the outline of her healing staff, as if she was about to use it as a weapon to strike Gregor. Whoever she was, she was definitely on my side.
"This day has been nothing but insults and punches to groin. And all for doing good deed...! Listen, friend! Gregor only want to-"
"Gotcha, you slippery scamp! Prepare for a dose of Grima's wrath." Chalard's voice slithered from the other side of the sands, making me cringe. He had always been a creepily odd fellow, not the sort I'd want for company. He was also not the sort I'd want to face in battle.
"Oy, this is most terrible! Do you see now? They make with the catching of us!" Gregor exclaimed, seeming as distressed as I was. Chalard was way too close for comfort by now.
"Why are you all after the girl?" the caped figure demanded.
"All? What is this 'all'? Gregor is not one of 'all'! Look close! Maybe you not see from so far? Gregor have innocent-baby face!" my attacker lied.
"Hmm…" the other man mumbled.
"Well…" the healer droned.
"Yeah… Not sure 'innocent baby' is how I'd describe it…" a third figure scoffed.
"Gah!" Gregor exclaimed, a scowl taking over his face. "Never be minding! Gregor is not enemy! You must believe!"
"...This is making my head hurt. We'll sort him out later. Right now, we need to protect the girl." the man ordered.
"Y-you're going to help me?" I gasped, a sliver of hope welling in my chest. Maybe there was hope of safety after all…?
The man in blue was determined to help, "We'll do everything in our power to keep you safe. Just hold on until we can reach you, and we'll drive them off!"
That was enough for me.
I was going to have to fight my way to freedom. Although I'd prefer flying my way there, a chance at freedom was better than no freedom at all. I clutched my dragonstone in both hands, waiting for the nearest attacker to make his move. Gregor positioned himself behind me, sword ready to strike.
"Wait…" I started, puzzled by his actions. "You aren't going to drag me back?"
"Gregor no lie! Gregor wish help little girl, not hurt!" he replied, slightly annoyed.
Oh…
It seemed I had completely misinterpreted a lot of things. I had some apologizing to make after this. The war hardened myrmidon coming at me didn't seem keen on letting me live for those apologies though. Chalard must have ordered them to kill me.
Before he could reach us, I held my dragonstone up in the air and tugged at the well in my chest. The tightness in my muscles faded into sheer power, and even though my eyes were closed, I could see the brightness through my eyelids. When I opened my eyes everything was crisp and clear. I knew I was in my most powerful form, and nothing could stop me. Not gravity. Not Chalard. And definitely not the petty myrmidon in front of me.
"Get away from me!" I screamed.
He was going down.
The man charged at me, his sword rang and deflected off of my hide. I opened my jaws wide and streamed a roar of ice at him. The man groaned and stumbled back, trying to fend off the cold flames eating his body. Gregor swooped in and cut into his heart, leaving his body bleeding in the sand.
We made quite the team. Through my freezing onslaught of dragon fire and Gregor's whirling blade, our enemies were toast. Slowly, but carefully, we fought our way through Chalard's men, making our way to the Ylissean army.
We were making good progress until a dark mage and rider attacked us. Not only was I hit with a powerful blast of dark magic, the rider managed to pierce my scaly stomach. I killed the rider with a single roar of fire and Gregor cut the dark mage in half with a savage cut, but the damage was done.
I reverted back to my human form, almost collapsing from the strain. My injuries hadn't affected my human form, but I was no longer able to transform and was left weak and helpless. Fighting wasn't an option any longer. I had to depend on Gregor to get me to safety. Retreating behind the Ylissean lines was my only chance at survival.
So I gave him a pleading look, asking the silent question.
Luckily, Gregor decided to continue to help me, carrying me in his arms like a child. The barrage of enemies had been diminished by the others, leaving a clear path to safety. But it wasn't until we were well past the Ylissean lines that I finally allowed myself to lose consciousness.
I thought somewhat numbly, laced with exhaustion. Even if I died tonight, at least I could say I fought my way to freedom.
A/N: So, how was it? I'll post the next chapter when it's all finished and edited. Please let me know what you think!
