Lannie:I own nothing, except Arthiel and Lunar. Their storyline is mine but the Fire Emblem storyline and all characters belong to Nintendo.

Chapter Nine: More Than a Lesson to Fight

Knock, knock, knock!

Arthiel muttered into her pillow as she got to her feet, finally deciding the answer whoever had been knocking without end for the past minute or so. She stumbled around her room quickly, found her cloak and put it on. She scurried over to the door grumpily as the knocking persisted.

She swung the door open to reveal Matthew standing there, smirking. "Gee, took ya long enough! Man, you do ever sleep like a rock!" he laughed.

"Sleep…tired…what are…late time…you here….Matthew?" Arthiel mumbled incoherently but Matthew got the gist of it.

"I know it's late and I know you're tired, but I've arrange Nils to revitalize you so we can begin your first lesson," Matthew explained. At this, her eyes shot open and she looked up at him with a shocked expression.

"Excuse me?" Arthiel blinked repeatedly.

"I've got to train you to defend yourself when Lunar can't protect you right?" Matthew inquired.

"Yeah but—"

"Well I figured, since we're going to get that ring tomorrow and we're kind of going to their stronghold, you're going to be in definite need of defending, whether we can cover it or not," Matthew interjected.

"Oh…," was all she could muster before Matthew grabbed her arm and pulled her along. They found Nils and Ninian awake in the same room they'd been in that evening, sitting on the couch and talking together.

As per Matthew's previous request, Nils got up and played Arthiel a tune to give her energy. Before Arthiel could even say anything, Matthew thanked the boy and waved to them as he dragged her off outside.

"Alright," Matthew smirked. "Time to begin your training."

He went over to a boulder and unclipped his red cloak, sliding it from his shoulders and placing it delicately on the rock.

"You make it look like it's fragile," Arthiel mused.

"No, but it's my trademark cloak, so I never let anything happen to it," Matthew smirked.

"Just like that smirk?" Arthiel inquired, walking over to him.

"Yes actually," Matthew laughed. "Now, off with the cloak."

"What?" Arthiel frowned.

"I'm teaching you speedy and quick maneuvers here, your cloak slows you down," Matthew explained. "It's why I removed mine."

"But I always wear it, isn't it smarter to train with it, just like in battle?" Arthiel asked.

"Just trust me," Matthew sighed, shaking his head. Arthiel mumbled unintelligibly but complied, unclipping her black cloak and placing it beside his.

He unsheathed his main dagger, the one with a slightly curved blade and the intricately carved line, and held it in one hand while he tossed her the extra matching one from a hidden part of boot.

She caught it and walked a few feet away, ready for his first instructions. As a slight wind blew by, she shivered, cursing her mid-thigh length short and thin t-shirt. This is why I always wear my cloak…because I freeze without it.

Matthew looked her over and couldn't help but stare, for he had never seen the petite frame that lay beneath her large black cloak. As many curious thoughts raced through his mind, he shook them clear and decided to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Alright, like I said earlier, we're going to start with a few quick maneuvers, most of which test your hand-eye coordination and reflexes," Matthew told her. "Whatever happens, don't worry, if either of us get hurt, Serra's inside and I've warned her about frantic knocking in the middle of the night."

"That sounds so positive Matthew," Arthiel said sarcastically.

"I try," he replied, smirking again. "Now, I want you to attack me, see how you would do this and we'll go from there."

"Deal," Arthiel nodded. She took a deep breath and streaked towards him, dagger close to her side. A few paces from him, she directed herself left, reaching out her right hand that held the blade. Matthew sidestepped it and turned to face her as she skidded to a stop.

"Not bad," Matthew smiled. "Pretty quick. You'd catch a bandit or soldier with that easily any day."

"But that's not all we're facing anymore now is it?" Arthiel sighed.

"Nope," Matthew shrugged.

He then proceeded in teaching her different ways to make an approach on an enemy, different ways to handle her blade, various in-close attacks as well as working her hand-eye coordination by throwing at targets (all of which were surrounding trees).

After an hour and a half of non-stop teaching, Matthew called for a break, knowing they were both a little tired. They walked over to the boulder where their cloaks lay and sat on the ground beside it, leaning back on it

--------FiRe EmBlEm--------

"May I ask why you're spying on the girl?" Sain asked as he stepped into the main room where Kent was up keeping watch. The room was empty except for the red knight, and it looked out onto the front entrance of the fortress, where Matthew and Arthiel were training. He had been sitting there for almost and hour and a half now, although he would not admit it.

"I am not spying on her," Kent replied indignantly. "I'm keeping the night watch, you know that."

"Yes, but the night watch consists of watching our surroundings in case of attack," Sain reminded him, sitting down as well. "I don't remember "babysitter" being part of the job description."

"I'm not being a babysitter," Kent said sternly. "I am merely keeping an eye on them to make sure no one gets hurt."

"Kent, Kent, Kent," Sain repeated, shaking his head. "You worry too much about her, she can handle herself, that's what he's teaching her about anyway. And from what we've talked about so far and seen, you and I both know he would obviously not let anything happen to her."

"I know that Sain it's just I…I…," Kent trailed off, burying in head in his hands.

"I know Kent," Sain smiled thoughtfully, patting his friend on the back. "She really reminds you of your sister that much?"

"Everything about her reminds me of my sister," Kent sighed, looking up. "Her hair, her eyes, her speech, the age difference it's just…so similar."

"I never met your sister during the time we knew each other before the accident but…from what you'd told me…," Sain pondered, watching as Matthew and Arthiel finally sat down for a break, "they really are similar."

"Sometimes, when times like this arise, and we talk my sister…I…I really do wish that it's her," Kent told him friend, something that did apparently not surprise him.

"Well, everything would fit I suppose," Sain commented, looking at the other man. "Your sister never was found. Perhaps the people that killed your parents took Arthiel and trained her as a tactician all these years and the reason she does not remember is because of her memory being blocked my the magic of those that had her."

"It is a strong possibility…," Kent nodded, looking out the window at the orange-haired girl in question. "One that I dearly wish will be proven true.

--------FiRe EmBlEm--------

"You're a pretty quick learner," Matthew commented as they sat there, looking up at the black sky. A few stars poked out here and there.

"Yeah, I don't know why but it just felt natural," Arthiel explained, shrugging.

"Ever learned before and you're just not telling me?" Matthew mused. He frowned when Arthiel's face darkened and she stared at the ground in front of her. "What? What is it? Did I say something wrong?"

"No it's just that…well I…I don't know if I've learn before or not," Arthiel replied, looking up at him.

"What do you mean? How can you not know whether you've done something or…," Matthew trailed off, an idea coming to mind. "Oh…you can't remember can you? It's not…um…"

"It's not amnesia or anything," Arthiel chuckled a little darkly. "No…it's um…whoever trained me to be a tactician…whoever taught me what I know…they didn't want me to leave. I can't remember who they were or anything but, I know that I did something against them or refused to follow some big order and…I ran away. Lunar and I left, and for that, to make sure whatever I had known about them wouldn't be found out, they magically locked my memories."

"Well that bites," Matthew commented, making Arthiel giggle a little.

"Yeah…it does," she nodded. "The worse part is, not only have they taken my memories of my time with them but…if there ever was any life I had before them, that's been sealed off too."

"What makes you so sure you had a life before them, maybe you were always with them," Matthew pointed out.

"There isn't anything to tell me I had any kind of family or anything before them but…actually it's just hope that I did, after something Sain told me," Arthiel smiled thoughtfully. When Matthew looked at her questioningly, she sighed. "Promise me you won't say anything to anyone? Especially the person involved."

"Thief's honor," Matthew promised, placing a hand over his heart.

"You have honor?" Arthiel giggled, making Matthew stick his tongue out at her.

"I swear I won't tell, I keep secrets very well," Matthew told her.

"Well, you know how Sain always teases me and Kent about being long-lost siblings or something?" Arthiel asked and Matthew nodded. "Well…that's why I hope that I had a family side from those who trained me."

"What do you mean?"

"Sain told me that…and this is the part you can't tell anyone…he told me that when they were younger, about thirteen, Kent lost his family. His parents were killed and…and he had a younger sister…one with orange hair and crystal blue eyes," Arthiel explained, causing Matthew's eyes to widen. "Yes, you see the coincidence. Well it's just that, his sister was never found. For that, Kent's always been so protective of me and…"

"So you were hoping that if those that blocked your memory and hurt you took you from a home, it was Kent's family?" Matthew inquired.

"Yeah…," Arthiel nodded. A little ways away, inside the main room of the fortress, a very shocked red knight stared at the two, while another knight, one in green, merely smiled.

"Well, care for another round?" Matthew asked, getting up.

"Sure, but don't go easy on me this time, I wanna try an actual fight," Arthiel told him, accepting his hand to help her up.

"You sure?" he inquired, taking a few steps back from her.

"Yeah, you said Serra had been warned right?" she smiled, causing him to laugh.

"Alright then, bring it on," Matthew taunted, unsheathing his dagger and standing his ground.

She smirked and streaked forward, dagger close beside her.

"Didn't you try this the first time?" Matthew chuckled, waiting.

She reached him and turned left, like she had done previously. However, she quickly changed her course and sidestepped as he did, catching him on the right arm with her dagger. He skidded to a stop a few feet away and examined the cut on his forearm.

"Nice one," he smirked. "Quick learned and applier."

"What can I say, I have such a good teacher, he even lets me beat him up," Arthiel giggled.

"Beat me up? Oh, you're on now," Matthew challenged, waving her forward with the hand that did not carry his blade.

She nodded and rushed at him. She swung her right fist with the blade sideways, trying to catch him in the chest but he ducked it easily. He thrust out his own blade to just barely catch her on her right side, for her shirt had moved just enough to show skin. He then pushed her past him, sticking out his foot and causing her to fall forward

"Now we're even, we've both bled," Matthew smirked as she thumped onto the sand. Before he could even react, her legs shot out and curled around his, causing him to fall and eat sand beside her.

"No, now we're even," Arthiel laughed.

He stood up and held out a hand to help her up, which she accepted.

"Hey Matthew," Arthiel began as they dusted themselves off. They checked to make sure their wounds weren't too bad.

"Yeah?" he looked over at her.

"Now that you know something I've kept from the others, would you mind me asking something of you?" she inquired.

"You just did," he laughed. She regarded him seriously and he stopped laughing. "Sure, go ahead."

"How did you know Eliwood?" he asked.

"What?" he looked shocked, calculating how she would suspect this.

"Earlier today, I saw you talking to him before he left," Arthiel explained. "You two knew each other, right? And you were talking about someone else too but…I didn't quite catch their name or anything."

Matthew' face dropped and he looked away from her. "I can't tell you."

"What? Why not?!" Arthiel exclaimed.

"It's a secret," Matthew shrugged.

"That's it? Matthew, you just found out something I'm keeping from nearly everyone. Lyn, Sain and Kent are the only ones that know about the magic blocking my memory!" she snapped. "And…no one even knew that I secretly wished Kent's past and mine to be the same!"

"I know it's just…," Matthew sighed.

"What, you don't trust me? Is that it? I can't keep a secret as well as a thief can?" Arthiel inquired, irritated and Matthew looked up at her.

"No I just…I really can't tell you Arthiel," he stated.

"Fine," she said flatly. She turned on her heel and went to grab her cloak but he grabbed her wrist, whirling her back around to face him.

"Look, please don't be mad I just…I'm not allowed to tell you," Matthew explained. "I would if I could, I really would. But I can't."

She raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. "Really, I swear it."

Thinking quickly, he raced over to his cloak and reached into his pocket. "I know I may not be able to repay your trust in confiding in me but…I can give you something I know you'll be happy with."

He pulled the blue ribbon with the two bells out of his pocket and Arthiel's face lit up with shock. She streaked over and took it from him, examining every inch of it like a little kid getting a new toy. "How…what…you had this?" she asked, her face contorting with anger again.

"Yeah but…,' Matthew began but Arthiel glared at him, turning to stalk off. "Wait!"

She paused, turning back to face him. "When you and Lunar chased me into that alleyway and I disappeared, I was only on an upper ledge, I was still near. So…when that bandit…Cajiga…came after you, I saw it happen."

"And you didn't think to maybe stop him or help?" Arthiel inquired crossly.

"Well that's my style as a thief you know," Matthew smirked, but his grin soon faded when he noticed his jokes weren't helping her mood. "I figured Lunar could protect you, so I didn't step in, and you were already mad at me anyway for stealing your money."

Arthiel seemed to calm down a little since her shoulders relaxed and she crossed her arms, listening as he continued.

"When he stole this ribbon and left, he said he intended to sell it, and I figured that sure as heck wasn't fair, since I had stolen your money and it was all you had left," Matthew went on. "I…I kinda just got mad, feeling I had to help. I tracked him down quickly and deftly stole it back. By the time he reached the vendor's market and explained his prize, I was long gone to find you and give it back. You know the rest, since when I did find you it was when I pulled you outta that fight."

"I…I'm…I'm sorry for getting mad at you," Arthiel said sadly, staring at the ground. "It's just…with everything I told you, you wouldn't tell me anything and then…then this…thank you for getting it back and returning it to me."

Matthew smiled and patted her on the head. "Don't worry about it Ary."

"Why did you keep this all this time?" Arthiel asked, taking the blue ribbon and bells from his hand in her own and lifting it between them.

"Uh…um…well that is…," Matthew stammered, knowing even he couldn't think of a plausible excuse this fast. So, he simply chuckled sheepishly. "Actually…I don't know."

"Alright then," she smiled, shaking her head and laughing. She then became serious again. "Um…one more thing…" His face darkened slightly, thinking it was about Eliwood again.

"About what you wouldn't…or couldn't tell me…," she hesitated, looking up at him. "Everyone is entitled to their secrets, just as long as they don't become too heavy to bear alone. If…if ever you feel the need to confide in someone about them um…well I…uh…"

He smiled (a genuine one for once) and leaned over, kissing her on the cheek, making her eyes widen. "You'll be the first person I go to when that time comes," he told her before ruffling her hair. He grabbed his cloak and put it on before passing her hers. "I think that's enough training and conversation for one night, you?"

"Agreed," Arthiel nodded, putting on her own cloak. He extended a hand towards the ribbon.

"May I?" he offered. She nodded and passed it to him, turning around. He slid the ribbon into place around her neck and tied it securely. She turned back to him.

"Thank you, again," she smiled.

"No problem," he returned the smile before starting towards the door. "Better see Serra so she can patch up these wounds before we go back to bed.

--------FiRe EmBlEm------

Knock, knock, knock!

"God do you know what time it is?" Serra asked irritably as her door swung open. Her eyes widened slightly seeing the state Matthew and Arthiel were in. "Lord what in the world did you two do?"

"He taught me how to fight," Arthiel smiled as Serra grabbed her staff from over by her bed.

"You two are insane," Serra complained. "You could've seriously hurt yourself you know! God this is almost like the time—"

"Serra, will you just shut up and heal us, I'm tired," Matthew stated, his eyes narrowing at her.

"Like the time two kids from my village had a bad sparring match!" Serra squeaked.

As the pink-haired girl whispered prayers of St. Elimine and began working on Arthiel's injuries, the orange-haired girl couldn't help but eye the two strangely. The cleric then patched up Matthew and said a rather quick goodnight before darting back into her room and closing the door.

Matthew and Arthiel walked back through the hall to their corridor and Arthiel stopped in front of her door as Matthew bid her goodnight and went by.

"Just another thing you can't tell me huh?" Arthiel inquired, making him turn around, a confused expression on his face. "The reason you and Serra seem acquainted as well."

Matthew sighed and walked back to her. "I promise you, that someday, I'll tell you about all this. The secrets I'm keeping, there's a reason, and it keeps me from confiding in you, even though I know you'd never tell," he explained. "Someday, when this is over, I'll be able to answer all of the questions you asked me tonight that I could not. Deal?'

"Deal," Arthiel nodded, smiling. She opened her door and turned inside.

"Goodnight Ary," he smirked.

"Goodnight Matty," she replied before smiling once more and closing the door behind her.

Matthew's face darkened and he shook his head before walking off down the hall to find his room again.

Lannie: And a filler chapter! I wanted at least one of their lessons to be portrayed for a reason, the things that would be exchanged and said. Anyway, hope you liked it, R&R like always. ...My thanks to Lady DragonStarr for suggesting to just take out "Blazing" from the title, it's shorter and it works. Thank you also to Sandy for your suggestion :).