Author's note: Thanks everyone for reviewing so far! I am not sure how many more chapters there will be, but I'll figure it out soon. The exciting thing is, school is over for me this Friday! So that means, more updates, and more fics! Yay!

And finally, I don't own any of these characters. Big N does.

Plegian Courters and Ylissean Borders

Luke looked around the little building and sighed. "How am I going to sleep here? I feel really creeped out here!" He noticed a little hammock and decided to set up camp. As Luke laid there in the swaying hammock, he shivered. Compared to the hot Plegian sun in the day, it was freezing cold.

Luke eyed his surroundings curiously. The dried plants swayed randomly, with no apparent force pushing them. "Odd..." Everything didn't seem natural. Luke sank into a rather weird sleep. When he woke up, his throat was parched, and he felt like he never slept at all.

Luke jumped out of the hammock and decided to take a look around the village before everyone woke up. He took a couple of steps, but then felt a horrible chill down his spine that spread out through the rest of his body. Luke tried to run, but he couldn't move. It was almost like he was cursed.

"What are you doing?" Tharja asked. "Are you trying to get caught?" Luke sighed in relief and shook his head. Tharja mumbled something and Luke was able to move again. She walked around him and held out her hand. "Follow me." Luke followed her wordlessly.

"So, I never got to hear your name. I'm Tharja by the way."

"My name is Luke." He replied.

Tharja smiled. "Luke... nice name." She started giggling, making Luke feel creeped out again.

Tharja and Luke walked for about a minute when Tharja stopped near a nice looking house. She walked up to the door and motioned for Luke to walk in. Luke looked around the interior of the house with great intrigue. There were portraits of several people on the wall with strange-looking dark magic tomes.

Noticing Luke's face, Tharja turned to him. "My family and my ancestors before them have practiced and studied dark magic. I myself am a natural at hexes, as you found out."

"W-Well...this is very neat!" Luke managed to say. "Dark mages? What have I got myself into?"

"Listen." Tharja spoke up. "You owe me one right?" Luke nodded in reply. "Well...everyone thinks I won't be able to find someone I like in the future."

"Where is this going?" Luke thought panicked.

"Maybe, when we're older, we could be together?" Tharja asked. Luke just stared at her dumbfounded. Tharja blushed and looked down. "I like you, okay? And I know we're just kids, but until we grow up, I am going to keep tabs on you. Mark my words, you will be mine."

Luke gulped. He realized that she probably was going to live up to her promise. "Can I ask you for one more favor?" he asked.

"I guess..." she replied.

"I want to go to Ylisse, but I have no idea how to get there. Would you be able to help me?"

Tharja looked at him like he was insane. "Do you have a death wish? Plegia and Ylisse are still recovering from the war! You'll be hard pressed to get there."

Luke looked down. "I-I realize that, but I have to run away." He then looked at Tharja. "The people that were chasing me? They will kill to get me! And if they do, the world as we know it will end. Don't you see? I will be doing the world a favor!"

Tharja nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can do... Stay here." She then ran down the hall and turned into a room. A couple of minutes later, she returned with a bag in her hands.

"We'll be leaving in a couple of hours. Take these supplies. They should last for a week."

Luke took the bag. "Thank you, Tharja."

Tharja giggled. "Anytime. Just remember, I will never forget you, even if you forget me."

Luke chuckled nervously. "R-Right!"

A couple of hours later, Luke was in a horse-drawn carriage bound for Ylisse. Luke was scared yet excited at the same time. "Is it hot over there? What are the people like? Is their new Exalt nice? I heard nothing good of the former Exalt..."

Minus occasional stops to let the horses rest, the journey was without trials. When they reached the border, Luke jumped down and thanked the driver.

"Thank you for the ride! And tell Tharja that I said goodbye." The driver nodded and rode off.

Luke looked at the halidom ahead of him, curious to see the adventures ahead of him.

Author's note: This chapter was way shorter than I would have liked it to be, and probably not too great. But I was losing focus and could only think of other points I want to cover next chapter so I ended it here. Sorry everyone. Until next time!