Once again promotional posters for the next gauntlet have been pinned all over Askr.
It was now the sixth gauntlet, the so called Choose your Heroes gauntlet, and Tharja was yet again invited to participate.
Apparently the people of Askr have voted their favourite soldiers and the eight most popular ones were now supposed to compete for the title of most popular hero.
Tharja took a quick look at her opponents. All of them were royalty or otherwise very important leader-figures in their respected armies. She on the other hand was just a common soldier.
She felt a little out of place in this gauntlet. Why did so many people vote for her? It didn't make any sense. She wasn't really important and she definitely wasn't a people-person, so the reasons for her popularity were a mystery to her.
Well, whatever, it was already time for her to face her first opponent. She stepped into the arena that was already filled with an excited audience. The person on the other side of the battlefield was a Malig knight with long purple hair named Camilla.
„Oh what do we have here? What an adorable little dark mage. You must be Tharja, right?."
Tharja couldn't tell if the tone of Camilla's voice was genuine or mocking, but in either case she was already bothered by this woman.
„Can we just start the fight already?" She asked, not trying to hide her annoyance.
„My, my, looks like someone is a little grumpy today. There is no need to be so impatient. Can't I have a nice pleasant conversation with my opponent before we fight?"
Rather than answering, Tharja just shot a mean glare at her, yet Camilla just kept calm and continued talking.
„Well aren't we impolite today. Fine if it is a fight you want, then that is what you shall get."
Finally, Tharja thought to herself. She had feared Camilla's bantering would never end. Tharja pulled out her Raudrblade tome and readied herself for the upcoming battle.
This battle had been harder than any battle Tharja has faced before. And for the first time she went out of the battle as the loser.
Camilla had been too tough and Tharja could not find any openings in her attack-pattern. So she had to accept defeat.
Camilla smiled at her triumphantly, yet her face switched into slightly concerned in a matter of second.
„Oh, don't be sad because you lost. All that matters is that you did your best and I have to say you put up a good fight."
Suddenly and without any warning Camilla pulled Tharja closer to herself and gave her a hug, not giving Tharja any chance to do anything against it.
And seeing how Camilla was about a head taller than Tharja it meant that she was pressing Tharja's face into her bosom.
„Shhhh. Don't be mad about your loss. Just let your worries go away."
„Ugh… Unhand me, frivolous woman!" Tharja protested and managed to free herself from Camilla's embrace.
Camilla meanwhile had a guilty expression on her face.
„Sorry, I just couldn't resist. You remind me too much of one of my retainers. She is also always cold and asocial and she even sounds a lot like you.
I always try to give her as much of my love as possible, so when I saw you like this, all upset about the battle, well, I couldn't help myself."
Tharja didn't want to hear her excuses, but she was too exhausted to be mad at Camilla right now.
So she just nodded as a silent sign that she got Camilla's explanation, said her goodbye and left without a second word.
At the very least she could now go early and didn't have to fight in any more battles.
Maybe she had time to practice some of the spells Linde taught her. She had done a decent job reciting them so far, but there was still a lot of room for improvement.
There were a few specially tricky ones, that frustrated Tharja a little, but she knew that this would just make it all the more satisfying when she would eventually get the hang of them.
Practicing Magic would not be nearly as fun at it is, if you wouldn't have to work for it, she thought to herself as she left the arena, not wasting any more thoughts on the gauntlet.
A/N: I like to think that Tharja would remind Camilla of Beruka. They have a similar default expression and share a voice actor.
Also, am I the only one who thought that Tharja was pretty out of place in the Choose your Heroes gauntlet? I mean you have 7 story-significant characters and then there is Tharja, the one optional unit. Not really surprising that she lost. But hey, out of all the optional characters in Fire Emblem she is by far the most popular one so that is at least something, right?
