Chapter 82: Oasis

By SodiumChloride12, derived from Fire Emblem, owned by Nintendo.

A/N: Wholesome chapter time. This one's a bit experimental, but I think you all will like it. I don't intend to write another one like it again, so if you're disappointed, don't fret. It's a one and done thing.

N: Our tale takes us to the hidden civilization in the desert. In this oasis of Arcadia, Lyn recovers from her injuries. Little does she know of the other-worldly history dwelling within it borders.


"...Lyn?"

"...Come on. Wake up, honey."

Lyn opens her eyes, and is surprised by the bright light shining off the aquamarine walls. She's in a bed, and the blankets snuggle comfortably against her worn body. Confused, she locks gazes with the person sitting next to her bedside. Samuel.

"Where...am I?"

Hearing his spouse's voice brings a light smile to Samuel's face. He replies, "You're in Arcadia's hospital ward, Lyn. You made it out. We made it out alive."

Lyn looks around her, and she finds that Samuel's words are true. She is in a small room covered with tables littered with medical equipment. The walls are wide and ornate, and the air cool. She's the sole occupier of this room meant for three patients, if the unoccupied beds nearby are any distinction.

Confused, she asks, "I...made it out alive? Where's Florina? Where's...Wil?"

Hearing Wil's words causes Samuel to lower his head. The sorrow in him is clear. "Florina...woke up several days before you did. She's with the others...and she's okay. But Wil? We buried him last week...in accordance with the Eliminite religion."

In the Church of Elimine, once a person has deceased, it is expected for the body to be buried as soon as possible. For the body to linger is considered unclean and incredibly sinful. This detail startles Lyn, who wonders how long she's been unconscious.

"How...long was I gone?"

Samuel digs into his pocket and retrieves his watch. Evidently, Lani has given it back to him. "...One hundred twenty-four hours, thirty-five minutes, and thirty-six seconds, give or take one. Or, about five days. It's morning now."

Lyn rolls her eyes. "There you go with the numbers again. I feel you were waiting all this time just to say that."

Samuel shrugs his shoulders. "Well, what's to be expected? I didn't have much time to dote on my spouse over the...almost month and a half. If I recall...it's the Day of the De— I mean November 1st."

November 1st. Lyn thinks. Has it really been that long?

Samuel asks, "Can you walk? You weren't out for too long, so you should be able to."

Lyn nods and shifts her body so she can step onto the ground. "I think so, let me just...can you move?"

"Huh? Oh—of course. Allow me to..."

To Lyn's shock, Samuel doesn't walk away. Rather...he rolls backwards on a chair possessing wheels at its sides. Lyn looks at him in a silent wonder, too astonished by the sight of his chair alongside the large braces on his knees to say anything. Samuel notices this, and he lowers his head out of shame.

"I...uh...yeah. I...got a lot of damage in my knees. Nergal...he...the torture. It was bad...he completely destroyed the bone. I can still walk...but it gives me a debilitating amount of pain. I...I'm so sorry...Lyn."

"...Why are you apologizing? Are you disappointed that you didn't survive?"

Samuel shakes his head. "No, but I'm less useful to you now. I can no longer fight as well as I used to, and I've lost much of my mobility. To be honest with you...I don't consider myself worthy of the battlefield. Forgive me...as I cannot defend you..."

He lowers his head, tears forming around his eyes. His sorrow ceases when he feels a warm finger on his chin. Lyn says, "Lift your head, my love. You are forever useful to me with your presence alone. Besides, you are a tactician. You mustn't fight on the front lines, but you may be our superior mind." She uses her finger to lift his head closer to her. "I will still love you, regardless. I am your fiancé. The fire in my heart continues to burn with the same intensity it always had. If I must defend you, I will. Just as I promised a long time ago."

"Lyn..."

Samuel raises his hands and places them on the underside of Lyn's face. He brings her close and then meets his lips with hers. They push into one another and wrap in each other's embrace, their warmth morphing into a combined front against the surrounding cold. They release only to take in gasps of air, partaking in a shower of kisses.

Samuel says, "I...love you."

"I love you too, Sam."

After several minutes, they finally release. Samuel clears the way for his spouse to get off her bed, and she jumps off it. There's a hint of energy in her step, an indicator of increased motivation within her.

Lyn asks, "Tell me, how did you survive? I thought I saw you die..."

Samuel waves the question away. "I'd talk about it, but we haven't the time. Come, follow me. There's much for us to do today. There's a lot of information for you to take in here...in this oasis we call Arcadia."


Samuel and Lyn leave the ward and are led to a chamber by an official. On the journey, this official explains to them that the great sage, Athos, had sent for them. The pair are unsure of what Athos wants to tell them, though they are sure it regards their quest.

Entering the chamber, Samuel notices the ornate, vast nature of the chamber. The walls are composed of aquamarine, and the air feels much colder than the ward. The echo effect is much stronger in this place, and their steps resound loudly with each footfall. It resembles the interior of a cathedral, save for the pews or religious objects.

They see Eliwood, Hector, Pent, Hawkeye, and an older man standing in front of them. He has a long, gray beard, and wears a simple blue robe. His face is incredibly wrinkled, and his appearance suggests he is incredibly wise.

The older man notices their arrival and raises his hand to greet them. "Ah, Samuel, agent of chaos. You've brought the child of Hanon and Roland. I am pleased."

Hector raises his brow. "What are with these riddles, old man? How do you know of our...tactician?"

Athos replies, "He had been our guest for about a month. We provided him treatment for his wounds, and he provided us with valuable knowledge of the natural world. It was an even exchange, and I'm glad to have met him."

Eliwood nods, "Athos possesses wisdom we can only hope to understand, Hector. I'm glad to see you are well, Samuel. Your explanation has covered much."

Samuel blushes and awkwardly smiles. "Heh...you flatter me too much. Thanks...for keeping me around..."

Athos nods his head. "Yes...this man...will serve you well. Now, children of Roland and Hanon, we will begin."

Hector says, "There he goes again. We're from Lycia, old man."

Eliwood nudges his friend on the shoulder. "I think he's talking about the Eight Legends, Hector. I'm sure you've heard of the stories. We all have."

Lyn scratches her chin. "Roland was the hero from Lycia, while Hanon was from Sacae. Is...that why you refer to us as their children, Athos?"

Athos smiles, elated at their success. "Indeed."

Hector asks, "Then why did you refer to Samuel as an agent of chaos?"

"That...I cannot say. You all will find out in due time."

"...Bah. It's probably just a bunch of bull–"

Hawkeye stares at Hector from his position nearby. It doesn't do much to intimidate him, but it does remind him to hold his tongue. There will be no swearing in this chamber.

Athos clears his throat. "As you may all know, my name is Athos. Many call me the Archsage..."


"That...was a lot to take in at once..."

Samuel sighs as he takes a sip of his tea. Raising his head, he looks at Lyn with tired eyes. They're in a cafe residing near the center of town, a simple structure with light furnishings. It's in the style of a Mediterranean coffee house, an unusual reminder of his one semester abroad in Barcelona. The pair are sitting at a table by the establishment's open entrance.

They take in the information given to them by Athos. He'd told them of Nergal's terrifying strength, and his inhuman nature. If allowed to act unopposed, the dark sorcerer's actions will eventually bring about the destruction of the world. However, with their current capabilities, the allied army possesses no means to eliminate him. They were instructed to head east, towards Bern. The Shrine of Seals await them there.

With the scope of the disaster at hand, Hawkeye, Lord Pent, and his wife Lady Louise join their ranks. The latter two hold a relation to the coming-of-age prince in Bern, and were to request an audience with Lady Hellene, the prince's mother. It would be some time before they arrived there, though they couldn't leave until one of the rest of their wounded heal up the following morning...

Lyn looks around the establishment, noting its unfamiliar architecture. "This place...it's called a coffee house? It's been so long since I've last had coffee. I wonder how they get the beans if they're so isolated..."

Samuel shifts his gaze towards the street. There, he spots man and dragon freely walking at their leisure. The day is a Saturday, an allocated day of rest for followers of the Eliminite religion all throughout Elibe. The sight is utterly baffling to behold for a regular observer, though Samuel has since acclimated himself to it. Lyn, too, looks over, and her eyes widen when she sees a man holding the claw of a much bigger being.

"Is that...?"

Samuel chuckles, "Yup. That...is two human beings in one happy relationship. That's not the end of it, either. They're...a bit more accepting here of non-traditional relationships than other places. Welcome to the most liberal town in all of Elibe."

Lyn blinks once and then shifts her gaze back towards Samuel when she realizes she was staring. Her face turns red with fluster. "Believe me, this town is filled with all sorts of mysteries. Not only do dragons inhabit this place, but humans live in harmony with them. They've done so for hundreds of years now, oblivious to the hostility shown towards their species on the mainland."

"...It's almost like the events of the Scouring don't affect them. I'm sure you could draw a completely different history for these people."

Samuel shrugs his shoulders. "You don't know how right you are with that. Anyway, I think now is a good time to tell you how I managed to survive."

Lyn takes a sip of her coffee and nods her head. "Yes, please do."

Samuel clears his throat and motions his hands like a vivid storyteller. "Well, it all started when I traded myself for Laniakea. They took me into one of their cells and...I didn't...have a good time. Anyway, after that, Nergal decided that he wanted to kill me and harvest my quintessence. He delegated one of his cronies to do the deed, and right when they were about to plant their knife into my heart..."

"You...got away?"

Samuel shakes his head. "Kinda? Well, it turns out Kishuna had a mole within Nergal's morph ranks, who just so happened to be the goon tasked with killing me. This morph let me free and left enough quintessence laced with my DNA to make another morph in my image. Then, he took me to Kishuna's temple, where I met him for the second time."

"Second time? I assume the first was when we were on the Isle, right?"

Samuel nods, "Yup. When I met him the first time, he took me and Florina to a small subspace in the void. It was a rather...crude exchange. He didn't tell us much, but creeped Florina out a lot. I hadn't much opportunity to explain to her what went on, though, I was hoping you could help me with that."

"What happened?"

Samuel sighs, "He tied us up to a couple of chairs and went on about some crap about confidants and stuff. I don't really understand what he hoped to accomplish. He could have just...sent us a letter or something for correspondence. What a...convoluted old man."

Samuel pushes away memories of that less-than-optimal experience and continues. "Anyway, I spoke to Kishuna again. We did it in another void realm 'cause...you can kinda already figure out the man's mute. He told me...about his plans. He told me that Nergal was plotting to take over the world with dragons, but would be unable to harness the strength and bring about the world's destruction. He asked if I'd like to help him in this endeavor, and I would've said yes...but he told me what he intended to do. His motivations were...disturbing as well."

Samuel takes a deep breath, and his expression turns stone cold. Evidently, he'd been preparing for this moment for a long time. "He...wants to save the world. But...his plans are too extreme. He doesn't think we can defeat Nergal on our own, and he wants to harvest the army's quintessence so that he could create another army with the strength to not only challenge him, but retrieve the Divine weapons needed to do the task. I...I couldn't agree to do that. This army...it's filled with my friends...and you. It's too much for me..."

Samuel reaches over and lays his hand over Lyn's. He applies a little pressure onto it. For a moment, Lyn ponders about the fear Samuel must have felt when he heard Kishuna speak about killing his friends. All the people he cared about and loved. Lyn, Canas, Erk, Serra, Rebecca...the list goes on. To know that not just Nergal, but Kishuna desired to do that...must have been unbearable.

"You...said no?"

"...Of course I did. I wasn't going to decide your fates for you. Nobody should have the power to do that. I...I love you and Lani too much. If I were a colder person, more ambitious, then maybe. But, I'm not. He told me that even with the weapons, we have a virtually zero percent chance to succeed as we are...but I think I want to try. There has to be something we haven't thought of yet."

Samuel looks down towards his hands. His left is heavily calloused, while the other is covered with a white glove. Lyn extends her hand and pats Samuel firmly on the head. She says, "I have faith in you, Sam. I know you can figure something out."

"Yeah...if you think I can...I'm sure I'm capable." He grabs Lyn's hand by the wrist. "You...just wanted an excuse to play with my hair, didn't you?"

"No..."

Samuel rolls his eyes. "Come on, I know you better than anyone else."

Lyn blushes and looks away like a mischievous squirrel. She hesitates, "...But it's so curly..."

Samuel sighs. He'd have to let Lyn play with it to her heart's content later. She'd likely been dreaming about it for ages now, always wanting, but never receiving. That's the consequence of being someone's fiancé. Occasionally, you have to submit to being their plaything.

Samuel mentally cringes. That's a weird thought to have. I just hope it goes both ways...

"So...what happened next?"

Samuel returns to his original train of thought. "Right, next. I flat out rejected him and Kishuna responded by saying I didn't have a choice. Although he didn't have the nerve to torture me like Nergal, he locked me up in solitary confinement to persuade me to change my mind. However, despite the guard and restraints, I've fancied myself as an escape artist ever since I busted out of that boot in the desert. I escaped and hobbled my way towards a piece of rock nearby. Now, this was a special rock..."

Samuel spends the next few minutes explaining the concept of seismic currents and geysers to Lyn. The girl with a nomadic background nearly falls asleep during the presentation.

"So, I the last of my remaining mana and created a shock wave that destroyed the weak point of the rock, managing to release the pressurized water underneath. The geyser shot me up to the surface in an instant, and I took some more damage when my body smashed through the limestone and other layers of rock. But, I pushed through...despite breaking half the bones in my body. I landed on the surface in the middle of the night and started crawling for any sign of civilization before the morning heat cooked me like a goose."

"Cooked you like a goose?" Lyn asks. "What type of analogy is that?"

"Eh...that didn't land like I wanted it to. Anyway, by dawn, I had already lost hope of finding help. The heat was setting in, and I was starting to feel faint from shock and blood loss. However, right when I was about to pass, a savior appeared. It was Hawkeye, who was on his morning rounds through the desert."

"...And he took you here?"

Samuel nods, "Yup! They patched me up real good, but it's still taking more time than usual for me to heal up."

"Hence, why have those bandages all over you."

Samuel gives a thumbs up. "Right again! I've spent this past month healing, making these braces, and reading up all I can on knowledge I can't get anywhere else. I've also acquainted myself with the locals and built up quite the amicable reputation. They know me as the friendly local mechanic...always ready to fix something!"

!

"Bah, there you go again, Sammy. You're not that friendly."

A voice appears from behind, of which possesses a scruff attitude. They turn around, and find a mustached, older man wearing an apron. He is the house's barista, an acquaintance of Samuel's named Rafael. His skin is olive and well taken care of, and his eyes radiate the same brown as Samuel's left eye.

Samuel says, "Aye! Rafael! Don't be saying such things around my date, okay?"

Rafael chuckles, "You're in my coffee house, passed down since my great-grandfather first founded this place. I can act as I please." He leans in closer to Lyn and smiles as he uses his hand to cover his mouth from Samuel's prying eyes. "I take you're satisfied with the coffee? The formula's been passed down in my family since the old world."

"Y-Yeah...the coffee's great. What do you mean by...the old world?"

Rafael raises his brow. "Surely, you jest? It's the same world we all come from! Samuel, too."

Lyn's eyes widen with shock. The old world? Does he mean...Earth? Lyn finds this conversation to be baffling, but holds her tongue in the hope of an explanation. She has no idea what's going on, but she'll let it run its course.

Samuel takes his gloved hand and lightly pushes Rafael away. "Get away from my woman, you coffee man. You got that Columbian vanity coursing through your veins. It's evident in this tea!"

Rafael rolls his eyes, "If you wanted good tea, you should have gone to the tea shop across the road. The owner has Chinese ancestry, if that catches your taste."

Samuel pouts, his lip making him appear smug. "I will...if you keep talking like that."

Rafael smiles. There's clearly no animosity in this relationship, despite their heightened voices. Lyn finds this Latin banter to be particularly intriguing, if unusual to anything else she's seen in Elibe.

Rafael says, "Tell me, Samuel. Today is a special day. Will you be going to Paulina's home?"

Samuel nods and puts his cup of tea onto the table. "I will. I hope to see you there, as well."

Rafael bows. "It will be done, then. May God keep you in good health."

Samuel grows noticeably uncomfortable from his friend's well wishes, though it's only obvious to Lyn. She, too, is unfamiliar about this..."God".

Samuel replies, "Erm...thanks. I'll see you around."

Rafael leaves, and Samuel breathes a sigh of relief. He looks towards Lyn's way and notices from her facial expression that she has a lot of unanswered questions. Her eyes glow with a curiosity he hadn't seen in a long time, eager for a taste of the world Samuel had left.

"Ah...I can see that you're curious what that was about."

"Very."

Samuel nods and rolls his chair away from the table. He offers his hand to Lyn, who takes it without thought. "All right then, I'll explain it to you on the way. There's...someone I'd like for you to meet. Let's go get Laniakea, first. I've been dying to see her today."


Later...

"That wheelchair is so mobile...did you make it yourself?"

Samuel nods as he pushes his wheels forward with his hands. He skids freely on Arcadia's only paved road, a cobblestone pavement with a methodical order to its composition. Samuel knows that this road was likely built by an Italian who held some knowledge of Rome's road system, though he chose to not share this detail with Lyn. Her mind's shaken as it is, and there's no point in burdening her with any further culture shocks.

He replies, "Yeah, I made it myself. Apparently, I'm the first engineer to have shown up since a Venetian appeared here nearly eight centuries ago." Samuel frowns when he notices the look of confusion on Lyn's face. "Ah, you don't know what nationality that is. Well, in the modern country of Italy, there used to be this thing called the Venetian Empire that reigned eight to six centuries before my time. They...traded a lot...I think. Had a lot of boats...too."

Samuel strains his mind, working hard to remember what he could from history class and several playthroughs of Europa Universalis IV. Truth is, history was one of his worst subjects, and he never played an Italian nation-state outside of the Holy Roman Empire. Lyn lays her hands on Samuel's right shoulder.

"It's okay, I think I understand."

"Ah...that's good–Lani! Put that down!"

Samuel extends his hands towards Lani, who'd picked up a scorpion with a stick she found on the road. The little girl smiles mischievously, unaware of the poisonous creature in her possession.

"But why? Sammy, you never let me do anything!"

Samuel rides over and knocks the insect off her hand, along with the stick. He points his finger at her, raising his voice to be authoritative, but not too forceful. "I do let you do things, Laniakea. I care for your safety. I'm not going to give you my last name so you can go out and get yourself hurt."

Lani pouts, but Lyn stares at Samuel in response to what he just said. "Give you my last name? What do you mean by that?"

"Ah...well, it's a custom from where I'm from. It's kinda like how people will change Houses through matrimony. In my country, the United States, there's so many people that you can't just identify people with just one name. Everyone has at least two, maybe three or more. Usually, your first name is given to you by your parents, while your second is a familial name passed down. You can change your second name by marrying into it, or in Lani's case, getting adopted by a guardian."

Lyn nods her head in understanding. "I see. Does...that mean I can claim your last name right now? Is that how it works?"

Hearing that makes Samuel's face turn cherry red. He fails to pay attention to a stray rock standing in front of his wheel and nearly hits it. Composing himself, he says, "Erm...no. Technically, we're not married yet...just engaged. You also don't...have to take my name if you don't want to. You can keep your solo name...or claim the Caelin one...or—"

Lyn smiles as she grips the handle on the back of Samuel's chair. "I think I'll take yours. I'm planning on relinquishing my claim to the Caelic throne, anyway."

Samuel nearly jumps from his seat. "Wait...what?! You're going to relinquish your throne? But...the people. Who will lead them?"

Lyn frowns, more than disappointed by Samuel's reaction. "I think the people can lead themselves if they want...but I think I'd leave the crown with House Ostia. I...I want to go home, Samuel. I want to return to Sacae and live my life there with you."

Samuel feels his heart sag, but he shakes his head. There's no point in fighting about this now. "We...will talk about this later. No matter what you do, I fully intend to stay with you. Whether as your husband on the plains, or your advisor in court."

"I think I'd prefer the former."

Samuel nods slowly, "Then it will be done, my love. Now, I'm sure you still have some questions for me. Fire away, you have my ear."

Lyn scratches her chin. What do I want to talk about first? There's two things I need to address, though I think I should bring up the easier topic first. The second might bring upon some controversy...

She says, "Now, I understand that this place...Arcadia is a place where dragons and humans live together in peace. I also understand that these humans...are unlike other humans from Elibe. They're...different."

Samuel replies, "Indeed. Every human you see here is a descendant from either one of the local tribes, a dragon, or an Earth human transported here. You see, I'm not the only Earther here. Every century up to this point, there had been anywhere from one to a dozen humans transported from Earth, most from varying backgrounds and cultures. The date they hail from usually corresponds to the date here by a factor. For instance, this year is 982, while in my time it is 2020. That means that a person from...say...1920 would have appeared in this world's year of 882."

"...I see. But, they appear randomly across Elibe. Some die, some never discover Arcadia. But for the ones that do, they stay here so they may stay among their own."

Samuel raises his finger into the air. "Exactly. Since most of the people who come in are ordinary people, they don't understand the deeper intricacies required to bring in my world's more advanced technologies and health advancements. Hence, why the standard of living here is only marginally better than the rest of the continent. Even so, this town still has its quirks. For instance, about this woman we're about to see. She's...from my parent's ancestral land. She's the elder of this town, a woman named Paulina."

Samuel stops in front of a small abode at the side of the street. Its architecture is near identical to the other well built, standard medieval style homes on the block, with the noticeable difference of a bright green roof instead of the usual red. Near the door, there's a yellow sun with the face of a man, a decoration that Lani instantly recognizes. She points her finger at it. "That sun! I've seen it before in Sammy's house!"

Samuel nods and knocks on the door. Addressing both girls, he says, "All I ask is that if Paulina offers you food, and she'll most certainly will, please accept it. It's considered a grave insult in my culture to not eat someone else's food when offered. So...please..."

Lani and Lyn frantically nod, just in time for the door to swing open. They find a young adolescent with the same curly hair as Samuel opens the door. He shares many of the same features as the man, except his skin tone was considerably lighter. He stares first at Samuel with his brown eyes, and then at his companions.

Samuel says, "Hey, Bastien. Good day to you. Is your grandma here?"

Bastien nods and extends his hand forward for a shake. He takes it. "Absolutely. She's already in the living room setting up for the All Saint's Day party. Come on in."

Samuel rolls past him, and Lyn and Lani follow suit. However, to their shock, they realize that Bastien has his hand ready to shake theirs as well. Samuel, embarrassed, facepalms when he realizes he hasn't told them about that custom yet.

He says, "Oh, forgive my companions. They're foreigners and aren't used to greeting everyone personally."

Bastien shrugs his shoulders. "No offense to me. Erm, nice to meet you, my name is Bastien. Son of Emile and Amelia."

Lyn awkwardly extends her right hand to shake his. To her further befuddlement, the young man's grip is tight. "Uh...likewise. My name is Lyn, daughter of Hausen and Madeline."

Satisfied, he switches over to Laniakea, and repeats the same greeting. Lani hesitates on what to say for a moment, before finally committing to an answer. "Hi...uh...my name is Laniakea. My parents are my mommy Lumina...and I don't know who my father is."

Bastien quips, "Huh. Well, my mom doesn't know who her father is, either. Suppose you two have that in common."

Laniakea's eyes light up, and Samuel breathes a sigh of relief for what could have been a potentially traumatizing situation. They continue on to the interior of the house, eventually reaching the location of the party, the living room. The room is homely, with sofa, chairs, and seat pillows bunched close together to encourage discussion. Hispanic and French decorations litter the room, with the inclusion of a detailed chimney, friendly potted plants, a painting of a parrot, and a long sword hanging on the wall. There's also a series of flags displayed prominently on all four walls, representing lands unfamiliar to Lyn or Laniakea.

Samuel mutters, "The United States, The Kingdom of France, The United Kingdom, Canada, Ethiopia, a bunch of Germanic principalities, Mexico...a bunch of them are all here." His focus shifts over to a familiar sight. His country's national anthem rings in his mind, summoned by pure nostalgia. "My oh my...never in a million years did I think I was going to see the stars and stripes again. They need to update a bunch of these, though. The US flag has fifty stars now, not forty-eight."

The voice of an older woman appears behind them. "Ah, mijo (son). You're here...I am pleased."

The trio turn around, and a smile appears on Samuel's face. There's an old woman standing in front of them, and she wears a blue dress shirt paired with shorts and apron. "Abuelita (Grandma)! You're here!" They embrace in a hug, a telltale sign of a close relationship. Lyn and Lani standby awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Samuel rolls back and waves his hand at them both. "Paulina, this is my fiancé, Lyn, and niece, Laniakea."

Paulina looks over at Lyn, and she smiles. "No manches (Unbelievable)! She's so pretty!" She lightly punches her on the shoulder, astonishing her at her openness. "Tell me, how did he do it? He's not all that handsome. Does he have money?"

Lyn replies, "Money? I'm actually richer than him. I happen to think Samuel is wonderful."

Paulina laughs and then shifts her attention to Laniakea. She asks, "How about you, seniorita (little lady)? Do you think he's wonderful?"

Lani nods without hesitation. "Yeah! Sammy is the best! I love him!"

"Ah...well. I suppose that's fitting for him. There's only two of us left, here. We need to do what we can for La Raza. I know I've already done my part."

Lyn asks, "La...Raza? What is that?"

She replies, "It means the Mexican race, or community. It was a term my people used for a very long time. It's important that our bloodline continues for generations, and I've done that by mothering six children with my late French husband." Pauline looks away in reminiscence. "Ah...he was a good husband. He fought in the First World War, while I was a courier in the Revolution when I was a little girl. That time was chaotic for the both of us, so coming here was a welcome relief to that."

Samuel's face turns bright red again, while Lani raises her brow, intrigued at the possibility of a cousin. Meanwhile, Lyn clears her throat. "I...can see your people are quite prideful. That's no different from my own. I am proud of the Sacaen blood that courses through my veins."

Paulina replies, "As you should be. Tell me, Lyn. Do you believe in the afterlife?"

Lyn tilts her head. "What do you mean? Personally, I'm not sure. The Eliminite Church teaches the existence of a heaven and hell, but the Lorca's druids taught that our spirits become one with nature. I'm sure you and Samuel think differently, but I don't discriminate based on belief."

Samuel says under his breath, "I actually don't believe in anything..."

Paulina replies, "Well...my belief is a bit of both. We believe that a heaven and hell do exist...but our spirits may return to the planet to visit us. Samuel and I...we made a little something to encourage these souls to see us today. As you may know, today is November 1st. In our world, most people called in All Saint's Day, a religious holiday. But for Samuel and I? Today is the Day of the Dead."

She motions over towards a shrine located at the corner of the room. It is decorated with three paper-mache skulls, alongside colorful draping, a cross, flowers, and candles. It's covered with offerings such as bread, wine, and oddly, toys. There's also a few small drawings depicting the likeness of several people, three of which Lyn recognizes belong to Oswin, Wallace, Wil, and a white-haired woman that held an uncanny resemblance to Laniakea.

Laniakea walks towards the drawing of the woman and drops on her feet. Tears begin to form from her eyes, and her voice reflects sadness. "M-Mommy...Mom...it looks just like...her."

Lyn walks over and wraps her arm around Lani to hug her. She's surprised by the accuracy of the four drawings. They cover nearly every detail of the four people, down to their hair color, build, and jawline. The artist was clearly decently skilled, though Lyn understood only one person could have done this work.

He rides over and pats Lani on the head. He says, "I'm sorry, Laniakea. I didn't think...I was too caught up with this whole thing. I didn't think about your feelings."

Lani shakes her head and wipes her sorrow from her face. "No...it's okay. I'm...okay. I miss my mommy, but I'm glad to see her again. I'm...so glad."

Samuel smiles and reaches over to kiss his niece on the forehead. He'd have to give Lani this drawing after the day was over. He knew she'd keep it as her prized possession, as she would never have to worry about losing the memory of her mother again. Lyn would also likely appreciate the drawings of Wallace and Wil, as well.

Paulina turns her back towards the pair after hearing her grandson greet another guest. There's a glimmer of ambition in her eyes, like she's ready to get this party started. "Well...make yourselves at home. The others will be here soon, so make sure to hit them with a shower of questions. Who knows when you'll get another chance at this opportunity again...?"


That night...

Samuel wipes some sweat from his brow. He's utterly exhausted, though he's glad the bed underneath him provides some respite to that. The blue moon shines light through the open window, which allows him to look down on his legs. They're bare of the bracings he'd made for support...a necessity for him to sleep.

I can hardly move like this...but that's okay. Everything...is okay...

He shifts his head and looks at the two other people sharing this space with him. Lyn and Lani. The latter's sound asleep, relaxed to be spending another night with her treasured guardian. The former is still awake, her hands stroking through her lover's curls to her heart's content.

Samuel says with his buzzed lips, "You having fun there?"

Lyn smiles and lowers her hands to touch Samuel's face. "Plenty of fun. Go to sleep, dear. You're drunk."

The trio were in a house lent to them by Athos somewhere in Arcadia's residential district. They, and the rest of the army, had opted to sleep before Athos sent them back to Lycia tomorrow morning. The others were in homes nearby, and the trio managed to procure this place for themselves. It was a good thing, too. During the party, Samuel had drank a bit more than he could handle, and privacy was important to keep his reputation intact.

Samuel takes his arms and brings his two favorite closer to his body, one for Lyn and the other for Lani. He begins to mutter things in his mind, resembling a leaky faucet since the alcohol numbed his mind.

"We saw...people who had ancestors from France, Mexico, Manchuria, Malaysia, Germany...and America. It's crazy how people's descendants will acclimate into the dominate culture...don't you think? At one point, their parents, grandparents, or whatever were aliens in this world. Now...they're just like the rest of us."

Lyn replies, "There's a hint of they used to be, usually. Where was that fancy gentleman come from? He had a top hat and spoke funny."

"...He was born in this village, but his father was British. His father was the last man to come from my world until Paulina and her husband came around. At least, of the ones that managed to arrive to Arcadia."

Lyn finds this detail to be baffling. Of all the people in Arcadia at the moment, the only ones that held memories of the old world were Paulina and Samuel. It was a difference of almost one hundred years...so much had happened during that time. The two were from completely different eras of existence. Lyn's only glad that she, Lani, and several members of the army were able to witness it.

She says, "I'm glad that you invited Erk, Canas, Florina, Lowen, and Rebecca. They...were so confused by the sight. But...I think they had fun. It was pleasing to see Florina open up more...in front of all those strangers."

"Yeah...everyone deserves a break. But..." Samuel yawns. "I'm really tired...I think I'm going to..."

Samuel closes his eyes, and he rests his head against Lyn's chest. The gesture takes Lyn off-guard, as he'd never done it before. But she chooses not to pry him off. Samuel had spent a long time evading death and mental collapse. This comfort residing within the intimacy of her person is something he needs, and it doesn't hurt that she silently enjoys it.

"I...can hear your heartbeat. That...makes me so happy. I...can't tell you...how...so many dreams. So many dreams where I came upon your still body. How...wonderful life is...while you're in the world."

Lyn's face turns hot. She strokes Samuel's hair again, reminding him of distant memories with his mother. The young man smiles and his breathing slows.

He whispers, "I...had to fight so hard. Lyn...there was a big fight when you were out. I had to...convince everyone it was okay to keep me around. There was pushback...a lot of pushback. Someone...even swung at me. But...I did it. I convinced them to keep me around..."

Lyn frowns. She'd been meaning to ask Samuel about this, but she was enjoying herself so much today that she didn't want to. It was a topic of conflict...a stark reminder of the distrust some people in the army held for Samuel.

Lyn says, "It's okay...Sam. I know you did. Just...let's talk about this tomorrow. Today was an amazing day. We'll deal with it, then."

Samuel nods softly. He says several things before falling sleep. "Lord...Eliwood. He...saved me. He vouched for me...said he trusted me. Said...I deserved another chance at life. I...owe him everything. He's such a good man...I hope...we can stay friends..." He turns his head and sighs. "Florina...too. She...stood up for me...when neither had the strength...or the reason to. I'm...grateful for her. Lyn...we're lucky...to have such good friends..."

Then he falls asleep. For a moment, Lyn allows herself to get lost within her thoughts. She thinks about her protective subordinate, Kent, who'd made it his mission to delegitimize Samuel at every opportunity. Then she thinks about Eliwood. She remembers the warmth in his eyes, and unshakable good nature within him. Lyn doesn't understand what happened for him to support her fiancé...though she surmises it wouldn't hurt to ask. Finally, she thinks about Florina. What words did she say that swayed the army's hearts to profoundly?

She reaches into Samuel's pocket and takes out his watch. She takes a brief glance at the time before laying it on the nearby table. Then she closes her eyes. Slumber came quickly, as it always did for wary souls.


A/N: I got some extra content coming soon. I had some leftover days to write, so look out for that.