Asura: Man, I completely blanked out when trying to write this chapter. I forgot what it was about… for about five seconds. :D It didn't help that I've been playing a lot of different games in one sitting… let's see, I think my record is six different games in one day. Me, I just can't play one game for too long, so I usually switch to another. Yesterday it was… Legend of the Dragoon, Legend of Zelda, Gears of War 2, Super Mario Sunshine, Final Fantasy 9, and Harvest Moon. Man, I need a life…

Anyway, here's the second chapter of WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT THE RIBAHN RIVER. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: … Didn't Fire Emblem come out before I was born? Then how the hell am I supposed to own it?

Warning: Read the first chapter. It's essentially the same.

Chapter Two: What Did You Just Say?!

By: Asura Mori

Throughout history, the cause of war has always been because of someone else. What they don't tell you in your textbooks is that it is almost always because of some weird reason, like sugar prices.

In this case, at the Ribahn River, it was all because of someone's mother. Or the insult of someone else's mother. Yeah, this war actually started a couple of months before the confrontation at the Ribahn River. In fact, it started at a tavern in Crimea… with Zelgius and Skrimir. Why they were there… nobody knows.

~Flashback Time~

It had been a really long day and Zelgius was really fucking tired. But first, he needed a drink, something to get that copper taste out of his mouth. The blood that was circulating throughout his mouth wasn't from any injury… well, not from one caused by another person. More like it was caused by him biting his own tongue, so as not to cuss those stupid ass senators out.

He knew it was all part of the plan, but that didn't stop him from wanting to kill the ignorant assholes. So he bit his tongue. And now he was going to get a drink… cause somewhere, way up high in the never-ending abyss called the sky, that made sense to him.

Why it was a tavern in Crimea…? Well, he was bored of Begnion. Goldoa, Kilvas, Phoenicis, and Gallia were just out of the question… and he really didn't want to be seen in Daein at the moment. After all, he was Begnion's top general and had helped to destroy Daein just three years ago…

No need to stir up old resentments… for the moment.

So Crimea it was. He sat down at a table near the bar and motioned to the bartender, wanting something akin to hard whiskey. Anything to get that copper taste out of his mouth... anything to dull his quiet fury at the idiotic squabbling of the senators. I mean, who gave a fuck about who owned what and who owed who money? It was all just fucking nonsense…

A commotion near the entrance drew his attention then and he turned to see a group of Gallians standing in the doorway, the leader a big, barrel-chested redhead. Zelgius recognized this Laguz as the only son of the great Lion King, the one and only Skrimir… a hot-tempered and hasty fool, if ever Zelgius saw one.

The General couldn't help but laugh as Skrimir pushed a beorc, causing the man to fall. A fight was bound to break out… But no, the blunette Laguz had stepped in, putting out a hand to stop the Lion Prince. Zelgius recognized this Laguz as Caineghis' right-hand man, Ranulf… who had also been present in the Mad King's War three years back, assisting Ike in the battle to reclaim Crimea…

How very dull.

He knocked back his drink with a neat flick of his wrist, never taking his eyes off the small group of Gallians. Ranulf was helping the man up, apologizing for Skrimir, but the man wasn't having any of it. The beorc was gesturing at the Gallian Prince, his mouth moving with furious speed, most likely insulting the Laguz.

Suddenly the man was flying through the air, landing in a heap on the ground near the bar. Skrimir's face was as red as his hair, humiliated and angry. The Laguz strode over to the man and picked him up by the scruff of his shirt, ignoring Ranulf, who was trying to stop him.

The Lion Prince swatted the blunette away easily, causing him to hit the wall rather hard. He was out in seconds. Skrimir pulled his fist back as if to punch the beorc that he was holding, and Zelgius knew it was time for him to step in.

Begnion's finest general stood, placing his empty glass carefully on the table, and went over to where Skrimir stood, his hand reaching out and grasping the laguz's wrist, stopping the other man.

"Is there really a need for this?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Skrimir glared at him, taking in his armor and build, before shrugging the general's hand off. "Back off, beorc. This man insulted my good mother's name and I will not stand for it." He growled, baring his fangs and making the man whimper.

"It's not as if I don't understand, but… well, he can't really fight back, now can he? Why don't you fight with someone who can actually hold his own… someone like me, for instance?" Zelgius answered quietly, but firmly, his hand finding the redhead's wrist once more.

Skrimir bared his teeth at Zelgius, showing him how he felt about the general's suggestion. Zelgius, who had hoped negotiations would actually work, let out a sigh. And then Skrimir was flying through the air, shock just barely registering on his face before he crashed into the wall near the entrance… and going straight through it and out in the night.

"This is a thing I like to call 'negotiation denied.'" Zelgius sighed as he came out of the bar, his sword drawn and by his side. "It's not what I wanted, really, but you were just being so… difficult."

"What business is this of yours, Begnion scum?" Skrimir spat, leaping to his feet and facing off against the General, "You and your corrupt senate need to keep your damn noses out of Gallian affairs."

"How right you are." The general agreed amiably, tilting his head to consider the Laguz in front of him. "But sadly, politics never work out that way."

"Fuck you and your skirt-wearing beorcs. Especially that damn Sephiran!" The Lion Prince snarled, changing into his beast form. He didn't notice the dark look that passed over Zelgius' eyes, nor the dangerous lilt that entered his voice.

"Come then, you ignorant beast, and face my blade. You shall not walk away unscathed after such a statement."

"It is you, beorc, who shall not walk away."

Regardless to say, that battle NEVER took place. Ranulf woke up just in time to stop all of it, explaining to Skrimir later that Sephiran was actually on the Laguz side. Of course, by the time the incident at the Ribahn River happened, it didn't matter anymore.

And Zelgius had never liked Skrimir since… all because he insulted Sephiran, his Master and secret lover. :P

To be continued…

Asura: Been a while since I updated this… Huh. Anyway, hope you liked it. Read and review please.