Sorry everyone, I've been so busy and sick. Actually I'm still sick but I didn't want you to think I forgot about my story.

I don't own any fire emblem characters

-PG

)(

"She's really pretty don't you think?"

"I guess so, if you like that sort of thing."

"Oh, stop trying to play it cool Rolf, you're blushing bright red."

"I am not!"

The hum of whispering filled the small room with life and broke the early morning silence. Aeyori moaned through her sleep and turned over as if the voices she heard were part of a fading dream. She didn't recognize either voice as she began to feel around on the bed she was resting on. With her eyes still closed she frowned at the unfamiliar sheets and pillows.

"Now look what you did you're waking her up Rolf."

"I didn't do anything. You were the one…" Rolf trailed off in his sentence as his eyes noticed the girl staring up at him. Her own eyes were still clouded from sleep as she glanced between the two youths before her. There was a boy and a girl around the ages of eleven or twelve sitting at the foot of the bed. The boy had moss colored hair and sharp green eyes and the girl had short brown hair, blue eyes, and a warm smile like a caring mother would have.

"We are so sorry, we didn't mean to wake you." The girl waved both hands in front of herself apologetically, "We were supposed to get you for breakfast; but I didn't expect you to still be asleep."

Aeyori sat up quickly, "No it's fine, I shouldn't be sleeping so late into the day."

"It's actually still early." The boy added in, "Maybe only an hour after sunrise."

"Is that so?" Aeyori said through a long yawn as she stretched, "I feel like I've been sleeping forever. Maybe that's why it feels so late."

She had to admit to herself that all the resting she had been doing the past day was throwing off her time judgement. Along with that, there were no windows in the room so it was impossible to use light as a determining factor.

"That's true, you did sleep all day yesterday."

Aeyori nodded and then blushed at the question she next asked, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." Mist quickly interjected. She placed a gentle hand on Aeyori's shoulder, "We all know you needed your rest."

Aeyori returned the kind gesture with her own smile. The tender moment was interrupted by a low gurgling sound from under the bed sheets. Aeyori felt her face instantly burn red.

"Sounds like you're more hungry than tired now." Rolf said through a laugh.

Aeyori nodded sheepishly while cradling her murmuring stomach. "I should get something to eat."

"That's actually what we came up here for." Mist said cheerily, "Breakfast is ready. You can come down and eat with us."

The light mage bowed her head in appreciation and slowly eased herself out of bed. She felt sore all over her legs and arms, she was alive ,though, she gratefully decided. The bed creaked softly as she placed her feet gingerly on the ground. Her feet instinctively recoiled at the cold sting of the stone floor.

"Your shoes are right here." Rolf said as he pushed her flat gold sandals toward her feet.

"Thank you." She whispered shyly as she slipped them on.

"Come this way." Mist said why grabbing Aeyori by the arm and pulling her toward the door. The girl had a lot of strength for someone so small Aeyori thought as she was tugged down stone hallways. Mist finally released her captive's arm when they arrived in an open room with a large wooden table in the center and lamps hanging from the ceiling.

A group of around seven people were sitting the table excitedly chattering with each other. Almost everyone at least. One boy was sitting quietly among a lively conversation between a red-haired man and another with bulky blue armor. Aeyori's eyes instantly locked on to the familiar face.

His sharp nose and defined chin outlined his surprisingly boyish features that rested under short cerulean hair. She found herself mouthing the name Ike as her mind recognized him.

"Hey you guys, we have a guest here. At least break away one second from your eating to say hello." Mist said in a scolding tone. Each head turned towards Aeyori and she felt the sudden urge to shrink and disappear.

"Hey! You're awake!" A lively girl rushed to Aeyori and grabbed her hands. A pair of sparkling blue eyes peered at her.

"How do you feel?"

It took a few seconds for Aeyori to find her voice but she finally managed to stammer out, "I'm fine…thank you. And you are?"

"Oh right." The girl smacked her own head with a laugh, "I'm Ikyna. I'm the sister of the guy that saved you."

Aeyori nodded in understanding as she suddenly realized that Ikyna did share a slight resemblance to Ike.

"He wasn't the only one that saved her. I helped too!" Aeyori turned sharply to the voice that belonged to a buffed green-haired young man.

"Yeah yeah, whatever Boyd. Do you need some attention or something?" Ikyna shook her head and began guiding Aeyori by the hand toward the table. There was an empty seat across from Ike and Ikyna sat her down in it.

"Of course not, I just think all the credit shouldn't be given to Ike. Oscar and Titania helped out too."

"Then why aren't they making a big deal about it?" Ikyna said while rolling her eyes. Boyd huffed loudly and mumbled something bitterly under his breath. Aeyori lifted her gaze up to Ike. His eyes met hers and he looked like he was about to say something when Aeyori felt a sudden heavy weight against her shoulder.

"So you're the girl that they saved." Aeyori turned to the man she saw early dressed in navy armor. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes that were eagerly watching her. "It's a shame I wasn't there. I would have definitely saved you."

He snorted haughtily and gave a hearty laugh, "The name is Gatrie." He grabbed her hand, eliciting a small yelp, before saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you beautiful lady."

Gatrie planted a light kiss on the back of her hand and flashed her a toothy grin. She nervously smiled back and cautiously withdrew her hand.

"There you go again." Said someone sitting on the other side of Gatrie. It was a thin man with slanted intelligent teal eyes. He glared suspiciously in her direction. "I wouldn't waste your time on her. She's too closely related to those Daein troops from what I hear."

He roughly shoved a spoonful of lentils into his mouth.

"She's not affiliated with Daein." Boyd interjected from across the table.

"Then why were they chasing her?"

"Give it a rest Shinon." Ikyna said as she sat down. "She's not with Daein. They were attacking her."

" When you've got something worth saying rookie, let me know" Shinon said with a critical raised eyebrow.

"What did you call me?"

"Oh that's right, didn't you take up archery to be like me?" his smirk was obvious and Ikyna fumed in response.

"Not a chance!"

"That's probably best, because you can't touch my skills."

"Trust me nobody wants to touch anything of yours." Ikyna retorted.

Shinon smiled smugly at her, "That's not what the girls at the bar said last night."

Ikyna spat out the food she had in her mouth and the rest of the table members shot Shinon shocked glares. "You shouldn't speak like that in front of a lady." Oscar reprimanded Shinon with a scowl.

"Nothing about Ikyna resembles a lady." Shinon said.

"Why you…" Ikyna shot up and nearly lunged across the table, "I'll show you just how much I don't resemble a lady you pompous…"

Before Ikyna could lay her hands across Shinon's neck, Ike grabbed onto her shirt and shook his head to signal her to calm down. Ikyna twisted her face in frustration but let out a disgruntled sigh instead of strangling the redhead.

"I think things are getting a bit too lively in here how about you milady?" Gatrie questioned Aeyori. "Would you like me to show you the grounds?"

Aeyori hesitated, she wasn't sure how to answer him. Shinon roughly pushed the armored man on the shoulder, "Leave it man."

Then with a gesture with his head he signaled for Gatrie to follow behind. "Perhaps another time then." Gatrie said with a wink and then followed behind his archer friend.

Slowly one by one the remaining members at the table filed out of the room until only Ike and Aeyori remained. Neither one spoke. Aeyori was too nervous to say anything, and Ike, from what she gathered, didn't talk much as it was.

So the two sat in near silence except for Ike's steady chewing. Aeyori felt a mixture of anxiety and hunger churning in her stomach. It seemed like she should start a conversation but the words to start one weren't there. Instead she stared down at her lap and wrung her hands together.

Suddenly through the silence Ike cleared his throat. Aeyori looked up to meet his glance. His eyes were staring at her with an apologetic note to them, "I'm sorry I'm not much good at small talk." He confessed.

A wave of relief fell over her; she had not been the only one at a loss for words. "It's okay, neither am I."

Both fell silent again and sat in quiet. Aeyori inhaled loudly as she mustered up courage to speak again. Before she could finish her sentence Mist ran in and excitedly called her brother's name, "Ike! Ike! You'll never believe it."

Ike held a hand up to motion for his sister to calm down, "There's no need for so much racket this early in the morning."

"But I have to tell you something!" she insisted.

"Well what is it?"

"Soren's back!"

)(

Okay hopefully I'll feel better soon and can write. Sorry again.