Langbalt/Family (761 Grann)


At any point in someone's life, they might realize that everything they have done was all leading up to a giant mistake. It might be when they, or someone they love, die(s). It might be when they lose everything important to them, and it might be when the people they love leave them.

In my case, it was neither, and yet all of them.

It had started when Byron had been found, and I had just sent a messenger to Andrei with a letter asking to help ambush him.

I hated him. No, I loathed him. It took everything in me to even ask for his help. In any other situation, I would never have asked Andrei, but at that point, it was my only option.

'Damn that insolent worm,' I thought angrily. I had hated Kurth, Byron and Ring for years - I was even the one to kill Prince Kurth -but even I still admitted that this wasn't how Ring deserved to die, at the hands of a son who didn't care at all. 'To think he isn't even the slightest bit remorseful for killing his own father! Duke Ring, may you be at peace.'

Across the room, I could feel Helswath vibrating, as if it was agreeing with me. Years ago, this might have surprised me, but not anymore.

My ancestor, Neir, had made some type of contract with the twelve dragons, along with the other Twelve Crusaders. That had given him and his descendents the ability to be almost completely unaffected by most physical attacks, among other things. The dragons had also given the Crusaders the Holy Weapons, twelve weapons that had the power of dragons. So it wouldn't surprise me if people with Major Holy Blood had a connection with their Holy Weapon, other than the ability to use it.

I sighed. This was a mess that even Holy Blood, as powerful as the stories said, couldn't get me out of. And in an effort to get rid of Kurth, Ring and Byron, I had abandoned my sons. I should have been a better father to Lex and Danann years ago, and now my past decisions were taking their revenge out on me.

I sat down. At this point, the only thing I could do was wait.


Almost a day later, I received a message from some of my soldiers saying that Byron was now dead, but had been able to pass Tyrfing on to Sigurd. And now, Sigurd and his army were marching towards Lubeck, where I - along with a section of my army - was stationed. In short, the situation I was in was so bad that it was almost amusing.

At that second, I heard yells and screams coming from outside. I quickly stood up and grabbed Helswath, preparing for any attack. If they wanted a fight, I would be defeated that easily.

As I stood there, wondering who would come in to attack me, Lex walked in, along with the princess of Isaach, Ayra.

"L-Lex," I managed to say, shocked.

Lex nodded a little shakily, and tears started filling his eyes, but he still looked determined.

"Yes, Father," he responded, trying to remain calm. With each word, he grew more confident in what he was saying. "At first, I wasn't sure whatI should do, but then I realized that I had to. You and Reptor killed Prince Kurth, and framed Duke Byron and Sigurd for it; you betrayed Grannvale. You killed King Mananan, the father of the person I love. But," he said, tears threatening to break free, "please forgive me, Father."

Several feelings spiraled throughout my head. Anger. Betrayal. Disappointment. But at the same time, I felt guilty and I understod. I felt the now-strange, fatherly instinct to congratulate him on finding someone who cared for him, who was meant for him.

But now, I couldn't. It was too late now, and both of us knew it. But still, I would fight. If I wanted to prove my past self wrong, I had to show that I didn't underestimate him. Not anymore.

It was the only thing I could give him now, and therefore my only choice.


Notes:

So, this is the shortest chapter I've written so far. I was thinking about making it longer, but decided not to stretch in the end.

I was worried about writing this in the beginning, because Langbalt is at least in his late 40s, which is the oldest character so far (I think Eldigan was the oldest up until now, in his mid to, at most, late 20s).

I wanted to take something from the Oosawa manga, but ended up making him closer to the game instead.

If you're wondering why, in the manga Langbalt "surrenders" in order to infiltrate Zaxon, and before he reveals this, Lex talks to him, while he is in a cell. Langbalt convinces Lex to let him out, which leads to Lex on the ground, asking his father why he won't kill him now, so he won't kill him later.

Langbalt basically tells him that he should just rot on the floor while he kills everyone else, because he thinks that there's no way Lex can or will kill him. Yeah, he trusts people he either barely knows or are strangers to him more than he trusts his own son.

Not to mention that he leaves Lex thinking that it's all his fault, and that he just failed their family again.

So instead, I made him a combination of the game version and the way I thought made sense.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, or the people who make the games in the series.