Wow. This chapter was supposed to be short - a small break between battles and global events. But no! It's the longest chapter I've written. Isn't it strange?

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

Chapter 5. Ties.

"How do you feel?"

Elmao glared with great surprise… and suspicion.

"… Why are you asking?"

The carefree Hero crossed his arms behind his head.

"Well, I was curious about where Ranulf had been yesterday evening and so I asked him-"

"What?" she exclaimed. "How dare he talk about-! The curiosity killed the cat if he doesn't know it yet!"

"But…" Ike looked puzzled. "It was me who asked-"

"That doesn't matter," Elmao assured him with a very promising grin.

Ike stared at her face finding that that grin on her lips was pretty unusual. As she turned her back on him and started her way to find one certain cat laguz, Ike flapped his forehead when he realized what he was thinking about. Elmao – lips – pretty? Ike shook his head to get rid of those odd thoughts.

"Elmao!" he called out unintentionally. She stopped and glanced at him. "So what's your answer?"

Elmao blinked not figuring out what he meant at once. Then she shrugged her shoulders and continued her way in the deep of the camp.

A sudden rush of wind brought her reply:

"Don't worry! I'm okay!"

Soon Elmao's back covered by her brown shirt disappeared among the tents. Ike didn't move until he could not see her any more. Then he shrugged, too, and began walking in the opposite direction.

'Well, isn't she rather pretty?' his injurious alter ego wondered in a derisive tone.

'Oh, shut up, please,' the Hero moaned inwardly. His own consciousness had been playing tricks on him lately, mostly on the occasion of females and Elmao especially. What else could he do to make his own mind stop scoffing at him like that?

Their camp was in Telgam now and the whole Army could have some rest before the northern nobles could react.

xXxXxXx

Of course Elmao did not find Ranulf – he had been warned by Ike. Instead she decided to go to the kitchen. But she hadn't passed a half of the way went she ran into… Oscar. The lance Paladin looked like several different feelings were boiling inside him. Elmao immediately recalled Ranulf's yesterday words: 'What's the matter with both cooks? … First Oscar, now you!..'

"Oh. Sorry, Elmao, I didn't notice you." Oscar smiled with guiltily, his eyes squinted as always.

"No, nothing," she muttered then tilted up her head. "Where are you going?"

"I'm… Well, haven't you seen Rolf?"

"Rolf?" Elmao paused for a couple of instants, reflecting. "No, I haven't yet, but he must be heading to the clearing. Where our favorite bulls-eye is, you know. We decided to practice there this morning."

"Thank you." And Oscar began walking towards the said clearing.

Elmao caught up with him and looked into his face.

"What's wrong, Oscar? I hear, you've been like that since the storm of Mugill."

"Ohh… Okay, I will explain but a bit later after I find Rolf."

Elmao fell silent as she followed the Paladin. Soon she spotted the grass-haired head and shouted making Oscar wince:

"Hey, Rolf! OVER HERE!"

The young sniper stopped dead and turned round; a wide smile appeared on his face as he saw his brother and Elmao. Despite Shinon's often curses about Elmao Rolf treated her kindly.

Oscar didn't smile for some reason. He walked up to his brother rapidly and began telling him something in a low voice so that Elmao couldn't hear. She glanced at the two brothers and suddenly realized that she had nothing to do here. So she was about to take her leave when she heard Oscar speak louder:

"Are you sure? Are you sure you don't want to see her?"

Elmao stopped and turned round slowly. Lively curiosity was winning over caution inside her. Though she remembered her own recent words 'the curiosity killed the cat' she couldn't just go away now.

Rolf shrugged.

"Yeah. I don't even remember her face. She's just another stranger to me."

Oscar frowned.

"Rolf…"

The boy smiled softly saying that he had his own family – his brothers and the Greil Mercenaries – and he didn't want anyone else.

The Paladin sighed.

"… Then I'll ask her to go home."

Rolf nodded and added something. Then his brother walked away. Almost immediately Boyd appeared behind Rolf's back hugging him. Elmao eyed them seeing not just the two brothers' uniting but something more – one family. She sighed and followed Oscar's example – vanished.

She didn't know what to do about the scene she had watched. Her heart was beating in a strange way: now slow, now too fast. Elmao even stopped to calm down. However, it did not help. Moreover, her vision blurred, the ground seemed to shake under her feet and so did the sky; Elmao froze watching visions which only she could see.

I still see them…

I remember them…

Their kind faces and warm smiles… Their calming hugs and soft voices…

Elmao had been a child then – not older than five years. She recalled one particular feature about her foster-parents – big grey wings.

And after that there were several special people who were dear to me…

General… no, my Master Alan…

There was a vision of a tall man in dark clothes with a long heavy sword sheathed on his back and lots of daggers hidden in his sleeves. He had brown hair and strict brown eyes. He was the man who had taken care of her long ago and taught her a lot. He was General Alan. He was her General.

Then…

One chance meeting, and – voila. I've got a friend.

An impatient annoying mage who needs almost constant protection – but at the same time loyal self-sacrificing and ready to help girl called Shiki.

I didn't even notice when I saw necessity to be always at her side because she was… was just Shiki…

Another vision came. Short dark-green hair, bright golden eyes, purple dress unfit for such a journey, a shabby old bag where important pacts, treaties, contracts and magic tomes were usually kept. Shiki Lavender, that only person who had managed to make Elmao's once ice heart melt.

Yeah, once upon a time there lived a Sun Shadow whose heart was meant for only herself.

Several years of protecting and accompanying each other wherever any of them went. Learning to understand and trust each other. Who said it had been easy?..

Stop. The time for you to know the rest hasn't come yet.

A splitting headache absorbed the girl suddenly so that she couldn't even realize if she was standing and lying. Her sight was now clearing, now blurring again; heaven and earth making round dance.

The last vision Elmao managed to catch a glimpse of, were four laguz. Bird laguz. Raven-black, hawk-brown and snow white, like a heron, wings. Smiling (one of them smirking) friendly – dear – faces.

Who… are they?

Are they my family? Those who can help me and never leave alone anew?

I want to know that.

You, however you are, do you hear me?

I – want – to – know!

And she finally fainted.

XxXxXxX

Too bright light. She could feel it even through her shut eyelid.

'Hey… why are they keeping the candle lit? It isn't night yet.'

Elmao tried to open her eye but immediately closed it again.

"Ike!" It was Mist. "She's awake!"

'Mist, you're a traitor,' Elmao bantered inwardly. 'Why do you all worry about me so much? I just want to sleep a bit…'

"Elmao, don't pretend to be asleep." Ike spoke up trying to sound strict and failing. "I saw you open you eye."

The girl mumbled something under her breathe wanting only to fall asleep again.

"Elmao." This time his voice seemed even rude. "If you don't wake up I'll call you the name you hate most of all." No reaction. The all-mighty Hero of Tellius sighed. "Okay. Get ready. You are the shortest-"

SLAP!

"!"

"You!-"

Elmao rubbed her face.

Ike did the same with his left cheek where Elmao's slap had landed.

When an instant later he glared at the cot she was lying on nobody was there. The Shadow had dissolved among shadows.

Ike cursed. He still could not give up those odd thoughts about Elmao.

xXxXxXx

'How dared he, how dared he, how dared he, how dared he, howdaredhe!'

It was still day. Well, more afternoon than evening.

Elmao was making her way through the camp trying to find a quiet lone place. She was hugging herself with her arms and bending her head to her chest.

Her mind was bifurcated: one part of her wanted to join a hilarious company and the other desired solitude. Which one should she follow?

Unfortunately (or the opposite) for her, one could never find a lone place in the Alliance Army's camp. But Elmao did not feel like going to a crowded place where her friends would spot her. She sighed and decided to wander around the camp a bit avoiding anybody who she knew by sight.

'Hm? Why is it so noisy over there?' she thought looking at the crowd.

"A merchant caravan came here. Didn't you know?" An unfamiliar voice told her.

Elmao turned round to face the speaker. She turned out to be an attractive blonde woman in blue roguish garments.

"Yeah, they came, and we with them," the woman continued. "Oh! I'm Heather, by the way. And you, pretty girl?"

Elmao blinked not knowing how to react at first.

"Elmao," she muttered almost silently.

She eyed Heather carefully trying to ignore the fact that her new acquaintance was several inches taller than her.

"A nice name," the rogue concluded. Then she frowned. "D'you know where the kitchen is? I've promised Ilyana, the girl who accompanies the caravan, some tasty food."

The Shadow smiled almost joyfully.

"Of course! Let's go; I'll show you the way."

Several minutes later the two females entered the kitchen.

"Hello, Oscar! Could we take some food-?"

"What? Is Ilyana starving again?" The green-haired man chuckled.

"Yeah!" Heather replied.

"Okay." Oscar turned to the cauldron to full an empty bowl to the brim with food. "Here, bring this to our poor thunder mage and don't forget that slice of bread!" This was shouted into the females' backs as they took their leave.

As soon as they were outside Heather turned to the Shadow:

"Thanks, Elmao. You've come to my aid."

"Not at all-"

"Can I count upon a training fight tomorrow morning?" Heather smiled with a pleading look.

"… I guess so."

"Settled!"

And the happy rogue stormed away. Elmao followed Heather with her eye and shrugged.

'She's a bit strange but it can be said about all of us in different ways…'

She returned to Oscar.

"Oscar, why is a caravan's arrival so important?" she asked bluntly.

The Paladin glanced at her not interrupting his cooking.

"Help me with cutting those vegetables first, please."

Elmao obeyed. In a couple of minutes (in fact, she could do it even faster but didn't want to shock him) everything was cut perfectly and the Shadow made herself comfortable on a stool, now sitting in an almost impossible and inconvenient pose of 'lotus'.

"So? Oscar, don't try to deceive me – I remember you owe me an explanation."

The cook sighed putting food aside.

"Okay. Everyone's among the Greil Mercenaries is happy because now they can buy any weapon or another stuff they want instead of old ones."

"… So I can get a new dagger now? And a new knife?"

"Sure – if you've got enough money."

Elmao's face darkened.

"Oh. I haven't thought of it."

Oscar patted her on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. You can take some gold from our shared funds."

"Really?" Her eye lit with joy.

He nodded.

"Just speak to Ike about it."

"…"

"Elmao, I'm beginning to worry about you. You're now smiling, now frowning."

"…"

"Oh no. You're scaring me. What's there between you and Ike-?"

"NOTHING!"

Oscar smiled but only inwardly – Elmao was able to punch him heavily of grief. But he was surprised to see a smile on her lips one more time.

"Oscar," she began ingratiatingly, "you haven't told me yet why you needed Rolf in the morning."

The Paladin glanced at her and Elmao smirked. Now it was Oscar's turn to frown.

"Okay, okay, I see that I'm prying into something I shouldn't. Forget about my foolish question and let's get down to work."

"Agreed." A sigh.

XxXxXxX

Elmao managed to find Ranulf only in the evening. By that time all her anger had faded away.

She fell on the grass near him.

"Good evening, Elmao."

"Hi."

Silence.

"… Why did you tell Ike about it?"

"I don't understand-" he tried to pretend innocent.

Elmao took a deep breathe of night air.

"No, Ranulf. You understand everything well. Even too well. But still why?"

"He asked. I answered. We're friends – how could I refuse to tell him? Mm, are you really angry with me?"

"Well… in the morning I was furious but now I'm indifferent."

"Why so? What else so important bothers you?"

"The same. My past. Today I've realized that family and friends have inexplicable, sacred ties which can't simply be broken." A long pause followed. "You know, Ranulf, I miss them."

"Eh?" The cat looked dumbfounded. "Who do you mean?"

Elmao placed her chin on her bent knees and hugged them; her gaze directed somewhere far, far away.

"My friends. I mean not only Shiki but the laguz, too."

"Laguz? You- they-" Ranulf couldn't find words to express his great surprise.

"Don't look at me like that." Elmao looked slightly offended. "I've spent half of my life with laguz – bird laguz, actually. I like laguz even more than beorc – sometimes. You don't need all those fancy manners, ceremonies, intrigues and the stuff only beorc can invent."

"Hehe… Thanks!" The cat smiled lazily. "I can reply that I like you – you in particular – because you treat us as equals. Some of you comrades among the mercenaries never do that and use the dire 's' word."

"You mean sub-"

"Oh, Elmao! You're intolerable! Don't even pronounce that filthy word!"

"Oops, sorry! I never meant to be like Shinon," Elmao sneered.

Ranulf glanced at her finding that sneer unsuitable for her. What on earth was happening to her? Ike had told him about the morning incident and he thought it was very strange.

xXxXxXx

Though Elmao felt a bit tired and odd the war had just began and it wouldn't wait for her to pull herself together. So the young Sun Shadow was even glad that Heather had challenged her to a training duel. They both used daggers and knives (Elmao bought herself new steel ones) and were almost equal. As they two were the only who could wield those weapons Elmao was happy to fight someone with alike abilities.

Despite the three first victories at Flaguerre, Mugill and Telgam, the war was only starting. The main forces were in Sienne but only for now. The northern nobles were gathering their own armies and the Alliance would fall if the Central Army came just in time to help the northerners and surround the laguz.

Those were Ranulf's words at another council.

Elmao could hardly resist irrepressible laughter as she heard the cat say that this time THEY had a plan. The girl gave a whistle of surprise while listening to the new strategy.

'Well, it can work,' she thought. 'Using birds like that… is an oddly familiar tactics.'

And soon they moved out for Sestohl Plains. It was cloudy that day. Elmao felt bleak because of the sun's absence and the empty – with only a few trees – plain. The mercenaries were to deal with one of the northern Generals – Istvan – while the laguz were supposed to take the other north forces.

The wyvern Lord did not last long – he finally fell to Ike's Ettard.

"The enemy General is down!" he declared. "Let the fleeing soldiers go. Everyone, fall back!"

Elmao frowned at him with mixed feelings as he turned to leave. She shook her head and followed him. Of course, covering his back wasn't a simple task but she didn't earn those odd looks he gave her sometimes.

Soon the mercenaries ran into the Alliance Army. They had finished already, too.

"The soldiers were well-equipped and well-trained but their commanders were terrible," Soren chuckled darkly.

Ike, Soren and Ranulf began to discuss the battle and their future plans and Elmao was wandering around, when a Gallian's shout interrupted them:

"E-enemies to the south! It's the Central Army!"

"WHAT?" the four gasped.

They ran up on a hill to see the whole Central Army.

Wyvern riders, armored knights, paladins, falcon knights – hundreds, no, thousands of them…

"Oh my Goddess… there are so many of them…" Elmao whispered not believing her own eye.

"Tibarn failed in stalling them. Does that mean he's… dead?" Ike muttered.

Soren shook his head in doubt. Ranulf growled something inarticulate.

Titania approached them reminding them of the enemies to the north.

"It's quickly turning into our worst-case scenario."

Ranulf turned and rushed away to find Skrimir and convince him to retreat. But no wonder the lion didn't listen to his right-hand man's opinion. He was eager to challenge the whole Begnion Army. But the cat could see clearly that then all the Alliance's warriors would be killed in an unequal battle.

He stepped forward and suddenly transformed with a loud hiss. The lion eyed him all over.

"Are you joking? You can't beat me. You know that."

Ranulf wasn't going to give up so Skrimir shifted, too. The two laguz met each other fang-to-claw.

"Ike, stop them!" Titania and Elmao shouted almost at the same time.

"No. They need to do it," he answered simply sending the Shadow an apologizing look.

After seeing the huge enemy army Elmao couldn't bear any more fights. And when the laguz broke apart for the second time readying for another couple of blows, she burst in-between them, her arms reached out in two opposite directions gesturing the cat and lion to stop. Skrimir's reflexes inhibited, and fangs sank into flesh through the thin cloth painting it dark-red.

The observers gasped.

Skrimir slowly pulled his fangs out of Elmao's shoulder and backed, reverting forms. Behind her Ranulf, while transforming, fell on the ground.

"Elmao! Ranulf!" Ike ran up to them.

"Do not worry about him. I might have broken some bones, but he will heal quickly."

"And what about Elmao?" Ike wondered in a dangerous tone.

The lion looked at the girl who was holding her wounded shoulder with her good arm trying to stop the bleeding.

"Hmph! It's suicide to interrupt a combat between such strong opponents!" he concluded passing by Elmao and picking up the cat.

"It's even more suicidal to challenge the whole Central Army, Skrimir," Elmao muttered trying not to curse aloud.

The Gallian General said nothing and walked away slowly, ordering his army to retreat.

Ike helped Elmao to stand up and led her to Rhys.

"Sorry, but it looks like you aren't able to fight for some time," the Hero said.

The Sun Shadow only hissed from pain and annoyance.

"Don't worry. We'll manage even without you."

"Ike, what is this nonsense you're talking about? How many times have I got to tell you that I want to fight further?"

Ike groaned in irritation.

"Why are you so stubborn? Why do you want to fight? I just can't understand that!"

She kept silence for a couple of moments in a faint attempt to bear the pain, and said in a low voice:

"Because I want to find all the answers to my questions."

Somewhere in the Central Army's camp

"So the enemy does not persist when the situation turns against them," concluded the most famed Begnion General eyeing the recent battlefield. "I'm impressed. They're flexible and adapt quickly to a changing environment."

"Shall we pursue them?"a soldier asked.

"No, first we'll join our allies to the north. I hear they've taken heavy losses."

… When General Levail left, a man in a green cloak appeared before Zelgius.

"We've been waiting for you, General Zelgius."

The General looked at the man with keen eyes.

"I am Luscious, the commander of Duke Gaddos's special detachment. In fact, we came from a distant land to help the Duke."

Luscious handed him a parchment; an evil grin distorted his face.

"Shadows?" Zelgius glanced at the Commander not believing the words written on the parchment.

"Yes. Now we're under your command. But still we have the Duke's orders. By your leave, General Zelgius."

Luscious backed and… vanished in the darkness. Only tracks on the ground showed that somebody had been there an instant ago.

'Hm. This war doesn't seem to be easy. As always, however.'

Thanks to Iline for her reviews! By the way, do you know Edward Elric from "Fullmetal Alchemist"? He's got a peculiarity about his height, too)) And I promise I'll reveal Elmao's age in the next chapter!))