Wow, seven reviews for only the first chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and here's what I have to say about it….

Lao Who Mai: Thanks very much for your lengthy review! Indeed, I scoured the site for a fanfiction about Hector/Lyn, and I found very few. :/ I just love the pairing. Serra is awesome, you can look forward to seeing her more in the story (probably not adding to the plot, though). While I wrote up Hector's lines, I was thinking about Rebecca, mostly. Priscilla and Serra are healers, and I think Hector was referring to the fighting part of it. But yeah, I see your point. I was going to make Eliwood introduce them originally, but it turned out it didn't flow very well so I scrapped it. And I forgot about Eliwood and Hector's discussion about Lyn. :/ Guess I should have researched better, huh? And don't apologize for being picky, I love constructive criticism. :P The love relationship will take quite a while, I believe. Thanks!

Derra: Thanks for your review, glad to see you liked the first chapter, albeit short…

Aquatic-Idealist: Thanks for your comments. I am very interested in your stories, but none of them are based on FE7. D: Shame on you!

Lupi-Loop: Yes, I know he was a bit OOC. Sorry bout that. D:

Nintendo4ever: Thanks for your review. Seems a shame there aren't more HectorxLyn stories, huh?

Kitten Kisses: Thank you for your long review! And don't worry, I'm fine with constructive criticism. And yes, I know the chapter was needlessly short. It's my usual style, but looking at the other stories on the site, I saw that most of the chapters are much more extensive. This one will be much longer, hopefully.

Naming chapters, yes….I've never really been good at naming chapters. :/ But, I suppose I should. About capitalization, etc…didn't I capitalize Wolf Beil? Ah well, I meant to at least. And yes, I know that referring the character by their name over and over gets repetitive. Thanks for your suggestion about referring to Hector by other things rather than his name. I do indeed do this, as I look back to stories I've written years ago. Just not….as much as you do, perhaps.

When I looked back on the chapter, the characters did seem a bit OOC, as you pointed out. However, I couldn't really think of a revision that seemed acceptable, so I went with this. Hopefully you'll have less of a problem with the conversation in this chapter.

Just so you know, I'm probably older than you think I am….I hope. :/ Again, thanks for your review! I hope you'll share your opinions on this chapter as well. :3 I've seen your stories, too – they're very good! Just not too fond of the LynxKent pairing….

Ralf Jones: Thanks kindly!

Oh, and just an FYI. This story is more based on Eliwood's Story.

And, now, what you've all been waiting for….er, maybe. But anywho, here you are, the next chapter.

Bernard paced back and forth on the stone floor. A Mercenary stood silently near the doorway after informing him of the recent events.

"Blast!" the red haired General shouted. "They've already broken past Bauker's men. What was he thinking?"

He looked around for a moment before talking again. "Still, they don't know this castle as well as us! We have the advantage here! We can't be beat!"

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Hector walked forwards. The castle corridors were quiet, but….too quiet. Hector knew all too well that because the enemy was fighting on their grounds, it would be harder for his group.

It was dark inside the castle. Not pitch black, but the castle had few windows. Well, on this side of it at least. The castle's floor was a shade of green, albeit a bit dull. The walls were made out of countless bricks of stone. Some parts of the walls had apparent cracks in it, looking easy to break apart. The castle was old, that was for sure. What also caught Hector's eye were the pillars. There were many of them, and on them were carved ornate patterns, which looked very beautiful. Hector thought that they must have been made with great skill.

Hector whirled around when he heard a voice, which appeared to have come from Eliwood.

"A Shaman!"

True to Eliwood's word, Hector could see the familiar black and red robes and the hood customary for Shamans to wear. The Shaman's hand was in the air, and under one arm, Hector could see a book of dark magic. The Shaman's hands glowed a sinister black as he cast the spell.

Guy was knocked backwards by the impact of the black magic. He fell backwards as he was hit by the spell. He did not look badly injured, though.

Hector was readying himself to slay the Shaman, when Lyn ran at the Shaman, sword outstretched. She hit the Shaman with full force, hitting him in the site with a devastating blow from the sword. His body hit the stones beneath him, a small stream of blood forming beneath him. His book lay beside him, laid open. It was obvious that he was dead.

Hector arched an eyebrow. While he tried not to show it, he was impressed. The girl's skill with a blade was exceptional. He turned when he saw the sound of a staff being used. It was Priscilla, healing an injured Guy, who seemed to be doing much better. Fortunately, the Shaman had been inexperienced, so the damage was not what it could have been.

The battle continued. The inexperienced soldiers that Bernard had on his makeshift army were no match for Eliwood's group. Still, Priscilla was kept nearby in case anything happened.

The group battled through yet another hallway of enemies, although they felt as if they were closer to their goal. Finally, in one last room filled with enemies, they saw the large, ornate door that could only lead to the throne room…undoubtedly where the enemy's leader would be.

The blue haired Lord was tired and injured, but Priscilla offered to heal him. Hector felt most of the pain seep away from his body as the blue aura surrounded his body. The wounds he had had tingled with a strange sensation as the scratches had disappeared. He was sure a Mend staff would have been better for him, but Priscilla only had the Heal, which was still fine for him. His wounds felt much better, though some not all the way gone.

"Eliwood," Hector said, as the young man turned towards him. "I think I can take care of the leader by myself."

Eliwood nodded briefly before he spoke. "Judging by all the Knights around here, that's most likely what their leader will be. Your axe works well against heavy armor. We'll take care of the ones in here, then join up with you soon. Just be careful."

Hector walked into the room. It was by far the biggest room the group had been in thus far, with a high ceiling and a spacious interior. There were two windows on the side of the wall with the throne, as well as two pillars, on either side of the throne. The enemy General rested himself upon the throne, not looking particularly worried. He had an air of self-confidence to himself, Hector could tell. He had red hair, with a thick red mustache that covered his mouth. The rest of his body was covered in heavy armor. The General had three knights by his side, none of which Hector could tell their emotions.

The General raised an eyebrow. "So, you managed to get past my defenses. Very well. But now, you must bet me! I am Bernard, the Knight Commander of Laus! You may have defeated Bauker, but you'll be no match for me."

Bernard nodded his head, almost imperceptibly. However, the Knights saw it and moved towards Hector.

Hector swung his axe at the first knight, piercing his armor. However, as Hector turned around, he felt a sharp pain in his back. One of the three Knights had struck him in his back, on a location unprotected by armor. The other Knight was headed towards him, and Hector just managed to block the blow with his axe's handle. While Hector could easily take care of a General by himself, the odds were four to one, and he wasn't sure he could take them all on. Sweat ran down Hector's brow as he swung his axe again.

Hector spun around. He saw a glimpse of blue out of the corner of his eye. As he watched, he saw one of the knights fall to the ground with a sickening thud. The others had caught up. Eliwood brought his sword down again on another Knight, striking him where his armor was the weakest. Hector swung his axe down on the Knight, finishing him. It had taken all his effort, though. He felt weak; he was battle-worn and weary.

The last knight was taken down easily enough. Hector saw the familiar shape of Guy, who brought down the Knight with his Killing Edge.

Eliwood barely stepped out of the way as another lance, a much longer and decidedly more dangerous one was swung at him. The Lord turned to see Bernard with a cruel smile on his face. He seemed intent on killing them, and although he had no chance of defeating them, he would take as many of those with him as he could.

Hector saw a purple haired Mage step forward holding a yellow book in his arm. It was obvious he was a Mage, as he was wearing the traditional clothing of one schooled in anima magic. Hector recognized him, as he had seen him around the camp – yet when he looked for a name, his mind came up blank.

The young Mage used a devastating Thunder spell on the General. Magic was especially effective against armored units, for it overrode the General's defensive capabilities. The General let out a shout as he drove his lance at the Mage. The point hit deep into the chest of the red clothed figure, driving him to the ground.

"Erk!" Eliwood rushed at the fallen ally.

The fate of the Mage unknown, Lyn delivered the final blow to Bernard. Bernard fell to the ground, and he seemed to be dead. The man's chest was still.

The purple haired Mage appeared as if he was alright, but still, the grave wound in his chest dampened the otherwise victorious moment. Eliwood strode over to one of the Cavaliers and talked to him for a minute. Hector couldn't make out what he said, but the red haired Lord hefted Erk onto the man's horse. The Mage and the Cavalier disappeared from sight down the hall. Eliwood looked to be a bit more relieved as he turned around and walked towards Hector.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," Hector gave a dry smile. "I guess I was just tired from fighting, but I think I'm fine now."

Hector walked beside Eliwood, and while the young noble's face remained calm, he saw that Eliwood's eyes were worried for his friend.

"Grandfather!" came Lyn's voice, sounding slightly panicky. "Where is he?"

"Look," said Hector, his voice grim. "On the throne….it's blood."

"No…" the girl cried. "It can't be…."

Hector couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, as she knelt next to the throne. Still, he tried to cheer her up. "It….doesn't necessarily mean he's dead, he could be just injured."

Eliwood pulled out his rapier. "Who's there?"

Instinctively, Hector turned to see who Eliwood was referring to. He could see the silhouette of someone pressed against the wall, but he didn't pull out his axe…because he had a strange feeling that he knew this person.

The person stepped out of the shadows. It was a young woman, with red hair that covered her face. Hector recognized her almost instantly.

"….Leila," Hector said.

"Lord Hector," the red haired girl replied. "I haven't seen you in quite some time."

"So you two know each other?" Eliwood asked.

Hector paused. "Yes, she's been working with Ostia as…er, a spy of sorts."

She turned to Lyn and Eliwood. "You must be Eliwood and…Lyn. I've heard about you. Glad to finally meet you. Lyn…about your grandfather, the Marquess. He's alive, and he's being taken care of in the next room."

"Oh, thank heavens!" Lyn cried, emotion filling her voice. She ran out of the room, and Hector almost did too. But Leila turned to Eliwood. "I would like to see you in private, please."

---

Hector walked out of the castle, with Eliwood behind him. It felt good to breathe the outside air again; he had spent too much time inside the castle.

"So, Eliwood, your father is alive?" Hector asked.

Eliwood smiled a bit. "Yes, if Leila tells us the truth."

"Don't worry, I've known her to be truthful," Hector said as he walked past several of the tents. He detected a hint of mistrust in his friend's voice. "She wouldn't lie to us."

The pair was silent for a minute before the blue clothed lord spoke. "Leila told me….that my father was on the Isle Valor."

"Of all the places, it has to be Valor…blast!" Hector shouted.

Eliwood nodded grimly. "Well, I suppose that's where our next destination must be. Perhaps we can find a ship sailing that way."

Eliwood walked off. Hector thought there must have been a lot on the young man's mind. He saw that Eliwood had reached his tent, and he disappeared inside.

Hector saw Lyn over by a quiet stream next to her tent. She was situated on the grass, with her legs against her chest. A small wind happened by, blowing her hair as well as Hector's cape. He walked up to the girl.

"Lyn," he said as the emerald haired girl turned her head. "Marquess, er, your grandfather…is he alright?"

Lyn gave a small smile. "Yes, he's doing fine. He's injured, but he spoke to me. He said he's recovering well."

There was silence. Hector saw the brash young girl he had met up with earlier as a new person. She was much calmer, as he could tell. He knew her mind must be heavy with thoughts, about her grandfather's condition, and while she had told him that he was doing fine, he could tell she was worried still, although perhaps not as much as before. He knew that if this sort of thing happened, it could certainly happen again. He could remember that Eliwood had acted like this just a few minutes earlier. Ties to family were strong, and not knowing if your family was alive or dead was a horrible experience.

Hector broke the silence. "Your grandfather, are you planning on staying with him?"

Lyn's reply was louder than last time, as if she was gaining confidence. "No. I heard, while Leila and you were talking….these men, they must be stopped. Or else, they might target grandfather again. And Eliwood, I feel sorry for him. It's hard to lose a parent…I want to help him."

Ah, finally done with Chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully the characters weren't too OOC this time. :/ Oh, and a special bonus for you all. I was going to include Serra in this chapter, but I simply couldn't find a way to put her in the story without it seeming awkward. So, I just decided to leave her out. But, I though you all might still be interested in what I was going to put in, during the castle scene…

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Back outside the castle, Serra fumed. She had been left behind with Merlinus and Lowen, the two most boring people ever! Or so Serra thought.

"That so-called tactician Mark, what was he thinking leaving me behind?" Serra shouted.

Merlinus sighed. Why Serra was ever allowed to join up with the group was beyond him…

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The next update probably won't be as quick as this one was. The next chapter might be done when I get un-lazy, whenever that might be.