Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem

Chapter 7: The oracle stone

The sounds of battle could be heard from inside the small inn, where Nathan had decided to spend his time with a meal. He sat under a table like the rest in the mess hall, cursing his cowardice. Here was a chance to finally have a taste of battle, to finally prove he was more than a valet for some oaf in black armor. And what did he do? He hid under a table like a mere civilian. A coward, he cursed himself again.

He thought of his older brother, the eldest of his siblings. He was a spy for Daein, now that was the life! Action and adventure with each passing day! Never knowing who to trust, whom to kill. Always ready for an attack, ah! How Nathan longed for such a life! The life of an adventurer, the life of a hero. The path paved with the blood of enemies and everlasting glory! Yes, that was truly the life.

Oh, how he longed to be his brother, if only just for a day. How he longed for glory and adventure to be added to his dull and boring life. How he longed to be someone who mattered, whose name would be feared by enemies and praised by his people. All his life he had dreamed of being like his brother and going on adventures, but alas it was not meant to be. He cursed his father, cursed him for having that embarrassing accident. The accident that put him in the service of that, that, that wretch! That blasted knave! Who had always treated him like a servant, no, a slave! A slave and a boy, he hated him. Oh, how he loathed him. How he wished he could avenge himself on him for every act of misery he had forced upon him.

"Hello there boy, may I interest you in a reading?"

Nathan turned and suddenly there was an ancient woman behind him, very old and ugly.

"Excuse me?" he asked

"A reading, my boy." Replied the old woman

For a minute, Nathan had no idea what she was talking about. The old woman just stared at him, her with her wrinkled skin, beady black eyes, and dusty old hair. Then it came to him, "Oh, you mean like a fortune-telling reading."

The old crone gave a wide, three toothed smile and nodded.

"No thanks" said Nathan, trying to hide his disgust.

The old crone frowned, "Well that just great, I come shuffling my old bones here thinking that this kind young boy would give me at least a few spare coins so's I could maybe make a decent living. Just a few! All I asked, just two or three. Can't even humor an old crone in the last fading years of her life? Well aren't you the considerate one? Honestly, what ever did you mother teach you about manners?"

"Shhh, be quiet!" Nathan whispered. The old crone was speaking so loud she was starting to cause a scene.

"Eh, what's that?"

"I said hush!"

" 'Hush', I'm seventy years your senior boy. You can't tell me what to do! I'll hush when I want to hush!"

Nathan winced at the loudness of her reply; already a few heads had turned to see what was happening. "Shhh! Alright! You can have the reading!" he whispered.

The old crone ceased her ranting and her tone suddenly changed, "well, so you've changed your mind? Good, now let me see your hand sonny."

Nathan gave her his right hand, "No no! The other one!" said the old crone.

Nathan gave her his left; the old crone took it in both hands. Her skin felt wrinkled and dry. " Now let's see…" she closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

For a few moments, Nathan sat quiet trying to hide his annoyance lest the old crone bust out in rants again. Finally, she said something.

"Interesting…you're in the service of the Black Knight." She said

Nathan rolled his eyes, any of the dozens of people who were at the gate at the time of their arrival could have told him that.

"Your master…he is speaking with someone very important…a much higher ranking official…"

Nathan began to worry, a higher-ranking official? Surly she did not mean Ashnard, for that the Black Knight would have had to leave him behind here.

"I'm getting a face…it seems to be…the prime minister of Begnion…"

Nathan sighed in relief, what would the prime minister be doing here?

"Now…to your future…"

Nathan leaned forward, "go on" he said

"…Yes…I see…Sub-humans…"

"Sub-humans?" asked Nathan, confused. What would his future have to do sub-humans?

"…They walk in a town square…all of them sub-humans…beast warriors…"

"Gallia" Nathan said

"So it would seem…"

Nathan held his breath, than let it go.

"…Now I see…tents…many tents…men in black armor…your master and others of his rank…and many weapons…"

The old crone let go of his hand, "That's it"

Nathan was a bit annoyed, "that's it?"

"Yep, I would do more but I grow weary. An old lady needs lots of rest, you know? Now, I believe the price is fifty gold."

"You said you only wanted a few coins."

"I did, and I define fifty gold as a few."

Nathan heaved a sigh and handed her the fifty gold coins, "Nice doing business with you." Said the old crone, her eyes gleaming. She turned and began to crawl away; Nathan looked around and saw that he and the old crone were the only ones left in the inn. The sounds of battle had ceased and everyone was outside.

Nathan scanned the room, and his eyes caught a gleaming object. It refracted the light of the sun like a prism, in different colors all distorted. He came out form under the table to pick it up, when the old crone snatched it from the ground.

"Ah-ha! Got you!" she said to the gleaming object now in her palm, "thought you could get away eh?"

Nathan stood up and dusted himself off, "um, what is that?" he asked.

The old crone cackled, "This, my boy, is the oracle stone."

"Uh-huh"

"It is the source of my power, it let's me see into the future."

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Where'd you find it?"

The old crone smiled, "oh, around"

There was a moment of silence, before the old crone sighed and said "Yes, but sometimes I wish I hadn't. This fortune-telling business is tough kid. So many customers, so many people. Day and night, night and day, gives me shivers just thinking about it. Yes, sometimes I wish someone would just take it away."

No response

"Take it away," she repeated.

No response, the old crone turned to the boy, who was looking out the window.

"Boy!" she yelled.

"Huh?"

"You don't have much of an attention span do you? I said 'I wish someone would just take it away." She repeated once again, holding the stone out.

"Oh…I'll do it"

"Great, ten thousand gold"

"What!"

"Well I didn't say you could relive me of my life long burden for free." Said the old crone.

Nathan was about to take back his offer, but glanced at the stone again. It shone a white light, as if it had it's own aura. And, he could not be too sure at the moment, but it seemed to call his name.

Sighing, Nathan pulled out a bag of gold coins, "All I have is one-thousand-"

"Done!" said the old crone, snatching the bag and replacing it with the stone.

The old crone put the sack of money to her ears and listened to the gold coins jingling inside. Nathan looked at the stone in his hand, it still shone brightly, but he did not feel any different.

"Hey, are you sure this thing works?" he asked the old crone.

"Don't look at me like that boy! I would never swindle you," she said as Nathan gave her a quizzical look, "I am a woman of my word, just put it under your pillow at night."

Sighing, Nathan pocketed the stone and turned to leave, when the old crone called out to him.

"What?" he asked

"There was a blue haired boy in the visions, your master just defeated him in a duel. But be wary, your master will fight the boy two more times. On the third time your service to him will end."

Nathan looked at her as if wanting her to clarify, but she just went back to jingling her gold.