Title: To Waver
Fandom: Fire Emblem 6
Pairing/Characters: Roy, Elphin, Marcus
Warning(s): None
Genre: Gen
The Sealed Sword sits on a pedestal, watching- and waiting- as he nervously steps towards it. Makeshift tents have already sprung up within the temple walls where the healers are tending to the wounded, the mounted soldiers are tending to their mounts…but no-one dares leave this place, for fear of missing what is to come.
"Go on," Elphin says, gently pushing him forward. "It would be of great help in the trials to follow."
Roy is frightened, of course, more frightened than he's ever been- of a sword, at least. It's a sword that killed dragons; Mother died when he was young, but he overheard Father and Hector, and he's sure there's some dragon somewhere within him.
There's been a lot of Promotion within the army lately. It seemed as though money was flying out of their hands and a steady stream of rings and crests and bolts and whips was filtering in and disappearing for the longest time, but none for Roy. He didn't let it show, of course, because he was a noble, but it was frustrating when everyone seemed to be getting stronger and he was just the same old stagnant kid. It was his world, too, and he wanted to save it just as much as anyone else.
So why, then, should he take the Sealed Sword?
"Give it to Fir," he says, wavering. "She'll handle it better than I could."
Marcus strides up behind him and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Lord Eliwood had the same insecurities, but humility does not do well in a time of war, Master Roy."
He imagines Father and Hector and Lady Lyndis, red and green and blue on a battlefield, and wonders what it was like for them. But Eliwood had Durandal and Hector had his Armands and Lyndis had the Sol Katti, so maybe there's a sword for Roy as well.
He breathes in, reaches out, and wraps his hands around the hilt.