Hello everybody! If you're hopping over from Glib Banter, welcome back! If you're curious to why this story is getting reposted, also welcome back! If you're new, you're going to be really confused. I recently finished an Avatar (Una) x Inigo story called Glib Banter, which ended in a cliffhanger that picks up here. These first few chapters are going to be world-building, so you might be able to pick up the pieces of what's going on, but I'd strongly recommend reading Glib Banter first. Another heads up: Una is not a Corrin stand-in in this story. She is more of an added character, which means that the game plot is going to be altered slightly. If you're cool with that, then welcome aboard!
I didn't really like the direction this story was going in when I wrote it. There is a lot of world building that I wanted to get to, but the way that I set things up wasn't making much sense to me. So, after sitting on this story for literally a year (sorry guys), I'm going to try and pick things back up again! Wish me luck, haha. I'm really excited for this next part to go up, so I hope you all enjoy chapter 1!
"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING."
"What do you propose we do?"
"I... I dunno..."
Una felt herself stir, her eyes fluttering open to see a familiar prince and princess standing above her. Their armor was gone, leaving them in clothes identical to the ones she met them in. It was only when she propped herself up that she was able to take the lush, grassy field in. The purple haired girl took a deep breath, sighing blissfully at the smell of dandelions in the air. She was home," I see you're awake now."
She sent a grin towards Chrom, only to get her attention pulled away by Lissa," Hey there!"
"There're better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know. Give me your hand."
Una giggled, reaching up to slip her hand in his-
One second, she was looking up at Chrom's face glowing in the summer sun. The next, she was facing a gray sky. Una blinked a few times before reaching up to rub her eyes. Her hand felt heavy, nothing like the feather-like joy that bundled in her chest when she reached up towards Chrom. Was that all a dream?
The tactician shifted into a sitting position, taking in her new surroundings with a pinch of salt. Gone were the soft, summer winds, replaced with a dead weight hanging in the air. The grass surrounding her was crackled and dead, coated with specs of what looked like dust.
Una used the decaying tree behind her to help get onto her feet, mind reeling and blank at the same time. The last thing she remembered was Chrom holding her in his arms until her vision faded to black. She had died, hadn't she? Una gingerly pinched her forearm, frowning when she felt a tinge of pain coincide with it. She had always assumed that the limitations of the human body didn't follow into the afterlife. Either she wasn't dead or this was some sort of cruel purgatory.
"H—p!"
Una's eyebrows furrowed at the distant sound, immediately distracted from the matter at hand. Her fingers fluttered over her harness, pleased to find that a tome was still strapped on. At least my belongings died alongside me, she thought with a touch of chagrin.
The tactician's ears perked at the sound of hoofs stampeding in the distance. It wasn't long before the horse came into view with a young, blonde girl seated on top of it. She seemed to be running away from something, but as soon as she made eye contact with Una, she abruptly steered her horse towards her," I-I need help! Can you help me?"
"What's wrong?" Una asked as she took in the child's ragged appearance. Her blonde and purple streaked hair was already unrolling from her twin ponytails, and parts of her black dress were streaked with tears. She managed to come out of it thankfully unscathed, but the fear in her eyes were unparalleled. Gods, she couldn't have been older than twelve," Are you alright?"
"I-I'm okay," She slid off her horse and steered it behind the tree, either oblivious to the fact that the bare trunk couldn't hide the creature or doing some serious wishful thinking," We need to hide! H-He's coming!"
That was hardly enough information to go off of. After ping-ponging strategies back and forth in her head, she decided that it would all be rendered useless if she didn't know what she was up against. With a sigh, Una knelt down next to where the girl had burrowed herself," It will be okay," She assured, hoping that keeping a level tone would keep the blonde from spiraling further," Who is coming after you?"
Una felt almost as if someone had whipped her worlds away when she caught the terror in the girl's watery irises. She knew that look; it had been burned into her memory the second she received it from Morgan in the middle of the snowy battlefield.
She had to bite her lip to force the tears back. She had made her sacrifice. If being away from her family meant they were finally safe, she was happy. She…She had to be happy. Una felt a lump grow in her throat: Why was it so hard to be happy?
The purple haired girl was thrust back into reality when a gentle hand laid against her shoulder. Una's eyelids fluttered, brought back to the real world by the same frightened gaze that sent her into a frenzy. As much as she longed to be back with her son, this girl needed her now.
Force it back.
Reel it in.
Una stole a couple of deep breaths to steady herself, sending the blonde a stable nod to give a silent okay," My-," Her breath caught, cutting herself off with a terrified whisper when her eyes spotting something in the distance," Oh no! He's coming!"
She fought the urge to swear under her breath. She couldn't go anywhere without chaos following, could she? Una mentally threw together a quick distract-and-redirect strategy before turning back to the young girl," Stay down. I'm going to handle this."
"But-," Una hushed the girl with a finger to her lips, shifting her hands to give her a thumbs up. The child thankfully sensed the confidence her protector radiated and backed further into the brush.
With that out of the way, Una pushed herself to her feet and guided the girl's horse out from behind the tree. The movement seemed to gain the attention of their guest, because the blurry figure began to become clearer as he approached. The man sported a darkening purple bruise on his face, no doubt produced by the girl's escape attempt. A javelin was prepped in his hands, blood speckled on his gauntlets. He had to have at least ten years on the girl, and judging by how decorated his armor was, far more experience. He barely paid Una any attention as he trotted forward, his focus zeroed in on the animal in her possession," Where did you find that horse?"
Una shrugged, her head tilted towards the horse but her stare never leaving the man," I was on a walk when I found it. It seemed to have been abandoned," She used his silence to her advantage, taking advantage of the time to gather more information," Are you the owner?"
The man's upper lip curled up in disgust," I would never mount a creature so dainty. No, that steed belongs to-," The brunet stopped himself short, schooling his face into something nonchalant as he began again," It belongs to my master. A young girl—a street rat—stole it from me. She needs to pay the consequences for her actions."
A street rat? Una had seen many homeless children before, and the clothing the girl wore was far above the scraps she was used to seeing. She was at least from a wealthy merchant family, though her lineage was more likely in line with nobility. Her demeanor was also a dead giveaway. This girl was far from the rough and tough bunch she was used to passing by.
Una let out a neutral hum," That's unfortunate. I shall keep an eye out for her."
The cavalier finally brought his gaze down to meet Una's hard-set stare, his knuckles turning white from his grip on the weapon," Tell me this, stranger," He began, dropping down from his steed to stalk forward," Why would a wench such as yourself travel this far from Windmire?"
The eighteen year old had to bite her tongue to keep from spitting back," As I stated before, I was merely out on a walk when I spotted this animal. Now if you must excuse me, I'll be-."
She was cut off by a vice grip snatching her upper arm and yanking her so close that she could see the hairs in his nose," I find that unlikely. Now, are you going to talk now or after some convincing?"
Una grit her teeth. There was going to be no coaxing him out of this one. He outweighed her in terms of mass and he had the advantage of a mount if she tried to run. However, he hadn't even taken notice of the tome attached to her side. In fact, the concept of her challenging him at all seemed out of the question. A small smirk snuck across her lips; he underestimated her. She would have to aim for his armor with her Thoron bolt; shocking the metal would act as a conductor. She could at least immobilize him while they made their escape.
She just needed to get him off of her.
Una held her hands up in mock surrender, adding a stutter on for added affect," I-I apologize, sir. I didn't mean to offend. I'll tell you where the girl went, just don't hurt me."
"Good girl," Una fought the urge to gag at his foul smirk and equally foul belittlement. He dropped her arm, replacing it's hold with a javelin pointed at her chest. Her fingers itched for her tome," Where is the princess-."
Without warning, Una flipped her tome open and sent out a streak of Thoron powerful enough to send him flying backwards. She pursued after his body and went to shoot another spell, only for her hands to come up empty. She glanced towards the side and blanched as the last page denigrated, leaving her with the empty shell of her book. Her eyes flickered towards the man as he struggled to sit up, a string of curses accompanying him," You filthy bitch," He seethed," You'll regret that."
With the speed of a lightning bolt, the javelin once in his grasp spiraled at her. Una instinctively leaned back just in time to see it whip centimeters above her nose. She huffed out a startled breath, gaze snapping back towards her opponent.
If the javelin hadn't surprised her, the sight of the man charging her certainly did. Shit, shit, shit! They were both weaponless and both defenseless, meaning the only means of combat between them was hand to hand. The last time she tried to get in a fist fight, Frederick had her on her back in seconds. There was no way that the outcome with an opponent twice as large as her wouldn't end in the same way.
He was four feet away. Her skin tingled, nerves alighting her body as if it was shocked by an electric current. She was a goner. She was-
Two feet away. Una highly doubted ducking out of the way would work again. She should have held onto her tomb. At least then she could have thrown it at him.
One foot away. He let out an estranged battle cry. Her hands flew out in front of her.
Her breath was sucked right from her as a bolt of thoron peeled straight from her hands into the enemy's chest. His eyes popped open in shock, sputtering at the magic piercing his body. He only had time to look from the surprise defense to her face in horror before collapsing onto the ground.
Una swallowed thickly. What…the hell was that?
She turned back to the girl with the intention of consoling her, only to find her starstruck from behind her horse. Hadn't she just been on the verge of tears a second ago? Una scratched her head in confusion as the girl gushed," Wow, you are so strong! Where did you learn to do that? You took him out with one hit! It was like—Kablamo! And he was like—ahh!" The blonde giggled," I wish I was as strong as you!"
"Uh…thanks?" Una couldn't help but think back to the first time Lissa had been attacked by a risen. She was shaking like a leaf, and although she didn't cry in front of Marth, she broke down with Una later that night. To see someone so young recover so quickly was honestly jarring. If anything, Una felt as though she was the one that needed comforting, not the girl.
She coughed to cover her perplexed state. She could always revisit conjuring magic from nothing later. Right now, she needed her attention to be on the stranger," I apologize if I'm overstepping, but did he say you were a princess?"
"Yup!" She skipped forward and, instead of holding out her hand for Una to shake, encapsulated one of her hands with both of hers," My name is Princess Elise Belin of Nohr! What's yours?"
Una could only blink. This girl practically glowed with rainbows and sunshine, which would have been endearing if she wasn't so confused. Wasn't this supposed to be purgatory? Judging by the way her fingers tingled with electricity, she wasn't dead quite yet," My name is Una."
"Just Una?" Elise tipped her head," No last name?"
Shoot, she was right. Last names weren't as prominent in Ylisse and the Shepherds, only really being used when it came to marriage vows and legal paperwork. Being close with Chrom meant she never really had to choose one. The idea had slipped her mind until now," Uh…," She could always borrow Inigo's last name. She was sure he wouldn't mind," It's Zhao."
The girl froze, the fear she was starting to think she imagined back in a second," Are you Hoshidan?"
Hoshidan? What did that mean? There was no way it could be good judging by Elise's negative reaction. Una strategically shook her head," Of course not."
And just like that, Elise was back to her bubbly self," Yay! I didn't want us to be enemies; we should be friends!" Enemies? Her prediction was correct. The more time she spent her, the more confused she became," Hey, I just had an idea! Do you want to accompany back home? I don't want to get ambushed, and someone like you could protect me!" She beamed," I'll make sure father rewards you for your efforts if you do!"
Una sent a sidelong glance towards the fallen man on the ground and quickly decided that hanging around was a bad move. Besides, traveling alongside Elise might give her some insight on what was going on," Okay."
0-0-0
Elise talked her ear off the entire ride home. One minute she was going on about how she was going to learn to use staves, the next she was relaying a story about her brother wearing his clothing inside out. Her conversations bounced around just as much as her pigtails, and while it may have come across as overbearing to most people, Una thought it was cute. She didn't get to spend a lot of time around children when she was at war, so seeing someone so wide-eyed and positive was a welcome change. Once she returned to Ylisse, she would have to talk to Inigo about having children of their own.
She wondered how far Ylisse was," Hey Elise, can I ask you a question?"
"-and then I said—hmm?" The blonde trailed off in the middle of another one of her stories before chipperly replying," Sure! Is it about Jeremiah?"
"Jeremiah?" Una floundered, praying that this person wasn't someone mentioned during their ride back to Elise's home. She didn't want to crush the girl by letting her know she hadn't fully been listening.
The princess stuck her thumb behind them with a grin," The man you knocked right off his feet!"
So that was Jeremiah? She tucked that nugget of knowledge away for later," Actually, yes," Learning about Ylisse would have to wait until later. This was the first time Elise had given her an opening all day, and she was going to take advantage of that," Why exactly was he trying to kill you?"
She puffed her cheeks out, and while she tried her best not to show it, Una noticed her demeanor deflate a little," Oh, right. He's a part of the Hauteclocque House, and I guess he sided more with Lady Tilda than my mother. Not a lot of citizens know this, but our family was split in two after the execution. Half of them sided with Camilla and Lady Tilda, and the other half sided with me and my mother," The blonde sniffled," I always thought that Jeremiah was my friend."
Una dropped her eyes onto the beat down path they trotted on," I apologize, Elise. I should not have pried," Interrogating a twelve year old turned out not to be the best plan, and she needed to seriously backpaddle if she was going to keep this trek from becoming awkward," It is not my place to say, but someone like Jeremiah does not deserve a friend like you."
"Yeah," She wiped her nose with her sleeve," I guess he was a crummy retainer for doing that."
"That's what I—Hold on, did you say he was your retainer?!" Oh no, now Una was furious. That man had sworn his life to protect her, only to turn around and try to kill her! She could only imagine the turmoil Chrom and Lissa would go through if Frederick betrayed them," Forgive me if I am overstepping, but you are in desperate need of a new, much better retainer."
Elise fell silent for a few seconds before perking up like a daisy," I know! How about you become my retainer?"
The purple haired girl blanched. That was not at all what she was implying, but now that the princess requested it, was she allowed to turn it down? She didn't know this new world she was in yet, and she really wanted to get back to Ylisse. Yet, if she didn't say yes, Elise would probably burst into tears," Let me think about it?"
0-0-0
When thinking about Windmire, Una had pictured a lush city booming with activity similar to Ylisstol. Elise had informed her that it was the capital of Nohr, after all, so it was only natural that it stands as an opposition to the dry lands they had been trekking on the last hour. According to the princess, they would be residing in Clarkenstein until Una decided whether or not she wanted to take Elise's offer. The villa was where the royals stayed instead of Castle Krakenburg due to her father's wishes, so Elise assured her she wouldn't feel intimidated. Why intimidation came up, Una didn't know.
This thought was further cemented when they arrived at Windmire, only to find the city nestled in a crater in the ground. Una stiffened as she glanced down, paling at how steep the drop was. How could thousands of people live somewhere where one misstep could leave you hurtling to your death? Ylisstol had been so friendly and open; what kind of place did that make Nohr?
As soon as they trotted into the heart of the city where Clarkenstein resided, they were accosted by a young blond man. Una gave him a look over as she hopped off the horse, surprised to find someone so young dressed head to toe in ornate armor," Elise! Where have you been?" He chided, though Una spotted him sneak his tome back into its halter.
"Leo!" The twelve year old dove forward, tackling him with enough force to make him stumble back. He groaned as she tightened her hold around his waist, but eventually moved his hand up to pat her head begrudgingly," You wouldn't believe what happened! Jeremiah—he tried to kill me!" She pulled her head out, revealing a small indent where her forehead had been pressed against his armor," I was so scared! I would have been toast if Una hadn't stepped in and saved me."
The fifteen year old's eyes finally slid up from the Princess to make contact with the stranger she had brought along," You rescued my sister?"
So Leo is her brother? She felt herself stiffen; that meant he was a prince. Just her luck that she'd run into two royals in the span of a couple hours. She was starting to believe meeting royals after waking up in a field was her special talent. Una opened her mouth to reply, but Elise beat her to it," Yup! You should have seen her! Now that Jeremiah is gone, I'm gonna make her my new retainer! I just know that she and Kostas will get along!"
Una huffed out a sigh before reaching her hand out towards Leo. The twelve year old had already told both the guards and one of the maids they passed that Una was going to take up Jeremiah's mantel, and she was frankly growing tired of explaining herself. She decided that starting off with introductions would be a much better tactic," I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Una Zhao-."
"She's not Hoshidan," Elise cut in," I already asked."
The purple haired girl sent the Princess one last warning look before blurting out as fast as possible," I helped your sister and she offered me a place to stay for the night so here I am and no, I am not her retainer though I am honored that she offered me the position," She took a deep breath before sending him a warm smile," It's nice to meet you."
Leo only eyed her outstretched hand, instead using the opportunity to push his little sister away," Thank you on behalf of the Belin Family. If Elise promised you shelter for the night, the least we can do is arrange for a room in exchange for your services today. I'll send someone to help you," With that said, he lightly bumped into Elise," We should tell Xander that you're okay. Kostas was found in critical condition just a few minutes prior. He was the one that warned us that Jeremiah was planning the attack."
Una watched Elise's face fall, the usual spark in her eyes dulling as she processed the news," Is he going to be okay?"
Her older brother stiffened, obviously uncomfortable with the weighty emotions stifling the room," Yes. Kostas was only beaten because he was caught off guard. Olga is with him as we speak," Leo awkwardly placed a hand on the top of her head, his voice low as he uttered," Would you like to visit him?"
Even though she had only really known the girl for about an hour, the silence following the news felt much heavier when it came from Elise. She stared straight ahead, her watery irises trained on a nook in the wall," B-But why would he hurt Kostas and I? Mother did all those things, not m-me. That's what you said."
Leo went stiff at the mention of their mother," You are not responsible for Lady Trinette's actions."
Lady Trinette? If she was Elise's mother, didn't that also make her Leo's? Una furrowed her brow as the exchange played out. What kind of place had she ended up in?
The princess sniffled," I-I don't understand. I-If it's not my fault, then w-why do they want to hurt me?"
"…Let's go find Xander," Leo quietly held his hand out for Elise to take. She did, but with much less vigor than earlier. Kostas must have been someone important to her, because Jeremiah's betrayal earlier didn't hit as hard. Before they left the stable, he uttered a soft," Someone will come for you. Until then, make yourself at home."
Una could only watch in shock as the pair of children left.
0-0-0
True to Leo's word, a maid named Simone came and fetched her shortly after the siblings left. She was a bright, green haired girl that could not have been much older than Elise. She didn't chatter as much as said girl, but she kept a healthy one sided conversation going as she lead the tactician through the halls of her villa. They eventually ended up in a small room towards the end with a comfortable looking bed and a small bath Una eyed longingly.
Simone seemed to be on the same page, because she was pushing assorted blue fabrics into her hands and turning the faucet on in unison," You're absolutely filthy! No way can we present you to the court like this! How are you supposed to become Lady Elise's retainer if you're dressed like a prostitute?"
Una unconsciously pulled her short, dark flier skirt down a little lower," Wait, who told you I was going to become Elise's retainer?"
"Lady Elise, of course!" The maid giggled," It was one of the first things she said to me when we ran into each other."
She puffed her cheeks out; At least the Princess was recovering fast," I see. Well, I should tell you that I haven't decided-."
"Ooh, the bath's the right temperature!" Una let out a small shriek as the maid spun her around to undue the buttons on her back," Oh, stop fussing! There's nothing you have that I haven't seen before."
"I-I can undress—hey!" Una quickly crossed her arms over her chest to keep her dress from draping onto the floor. In all her years living with Chrom and Lissa, never once had she seen a maid be so pushy," I can undress myself, thank you very much!"
The green haired girl simply rolled her eyes," For a prostitute, you sure are self-conscious."
Her ears heated up," I am not a prostitute, and I can bathe myself," Una waved her towards the exit," How about this? I'll come get you if I need anything. Go enjoy yourself," When Simone didn't budge, she shifted her fingers to point towards the exit," I'm serious."
The last thing she expected to see was the girl tip her head in curiosity," Your ears…why are they shaped like that?"
Una's hands self-consciously flitted up to cover the accused subjects. This girl really didn't have any limits, did she? First she criticized her clothing, now she was coming after her ears? The purple haired girl dropped one of her arms to wave to maid off," I'll fetch you if I need you, okay? Take a break."
The young girl finally held her hands up in defeat," Alright, but when you have trouble with your petticoat, don't come crying for me!"
Una didn't move a muscle until the door shut with a click, a grumble sneaking from her lips as Simone's footsteps faded down the hall," Psh. What a brat," She stripped her dress from her form and slipped into the bath with a satisfied hum. Who did that girl think she was anyway? Una pouted," My ears aren't odd. They're-."
A startled yelp sprung from Una's lips when she caught her reflection in the water. Yes, her purple hair and features were just as she had left them in Ylisse, but sticking out from behind her wet locks were a pair of pointed ears. She gingerly reached up to touch them, flinching as they fluttered underneath her fingertips," How is this even…," Her words fumbled in her throat when one last surprise caught her attention," Oh my…," She squeezed her eyes shut for several seconds before forcing them open again with a whine," Naga, what happened to me?"
Staring back at her from her reflection were a pair of piercing, yellow eyes.
0-0-0
Simone ended up picking a powder blue blouse for her to wear, layered with a navy vest on top. The skirt she picked for her was a lot longer and wider than what she was used to—hell, to Ylissian standards it was conservative-but Una didn't want to be mistaken for a wench anymore. At least the fabric was pretty; the navy base with thin, silver lines admittedly made her look taller. With her knee high brown boots traded out for a black pair of ankle booties, Simone finally deemed her presentable enough to go. Before she left, Una tactfully hid her new ears underneath her purple bob.
Now that she was washed and dressed, Una took it upon herself to take in her surroundings. The courtyard was the only place in sight that had a lawn, though standing on it made Una feel a little guilty. She highly doubted that anyone in Windmire was allowed in Clarkenstein, meaning that all they were used to was the dust beaten fields she had woken up in. She cringed; Even Plegia, a desert, seemed to have more life than Nohr.
Una had just wandered up to one of the lone trees on property, pressing her palm against the rough bark. She could feel a light course of magic pulse through its wavy pattern. She should have known that the tree couldn't support itself. Clarkenstein may have given off an air of luxury, but the air was just as stale as it had been in the dust.
"So you're Lady Elise's new retainer?"
The purple haired girl spun around herself to confront the man who snuck up, only to come up empty. She flipped back to her original position and came to the same conclusion. She heard a low sigh before the man hinted," Up here."
She tipped her head up, finding a white haired man situated in the crook between the trunk and one of the bigger branches. His tan skin stood out starkly from his snowy locks, though the eyepatch streaking across his face was what really grabbed her attention. The man barely paid her any attention as she observed him, instead focused on twirling an arrow between his fingers," Really? She told you too?" Una pouted," Does everyone know?"
"Not everyone," The archer replied lazily," Lord Leo informed me that you were the one that brought Lady Elise back safely. Apparently you were just waiting in the fields and happened to save her from Jeremiah," His good eye flickered down to glare at hers," I don't buy that, so I came to check you out for myself."
Una opened her mouth to defend herself, but fell short. Jeremiah had the same reaction when she told him she had gone out for a walk. Was it really that uncommon for people to wander around Nohr without reason? There wasn't anything appealing about the hordes of dead grass, but people must travel from time to time. How else would they get around? She dug through her brain for an excuse, but this man looked ready to jump on her shortcomings. One wrong move, and that arrow might be through her chest. She had to put off this conversation until she at least had more information," I feel like we're getting off on the wrong foot," The purple haired girl started off slowly," My name is Una Zhao."
He tipped his head," You Hoshidan?"
"No," Una clapped her hands behind her back to hide how fidgety she had just become," I'm from Ylisse."
"Never heard of it."
"Never-," It took every fiber of her being to keep her eyes from popping out of her head. What did he mean, he's never heard of it?! Her voice cracked as it came out," I guess it's pretty far from here."
The archer scoffed, pushing himself off the tree to nimbly land in front of her. Once he stood at full height, he had at least a head on her," What did you say your name was again?"
She did her best not to back down," Una."
This time when she answered, something in the air shifted. The white haired man held his arrow up so that the point was just underneath her chin, using it to tip her head up," Well isn't this a surprise. You're the girl Laslow's been dreaming about."
Una could only blink. Laslow? Who was Laslow? More importantly, why was he dreaming about her? She wanted to say she didn't understand, but quickly rethought her approach. This was the least hostile his tone had been towards her since they met, and she didn't want to say the wrong thing with the tip of his arrow so close to her neck," That's me."
She choked when she felt the sharp edge dig into her skin," You're the girl that's been tormenting him."
What?! First she was in his dreams, now she was tormenting him?! Una wished her tome hadn't disintegrated after one use, because getting pushed around by this guy was definitely humiliating. She stretched her hands to try and reconjure the miracle magic from earlier, but the only product was the sound of her knuckles cracking.
"Now Niles, leave the poor girl alone," A silky voice cut in. Her opponent, Niles, gave her one last glare before retreating back to lean against his tree. Una swallowed, her hand absently tracing the light spot of blood on her neck. Why wasn't her magic working now? She had to get a tome on her, and fast," Aww, poor thing," Una barely had time to recover before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her torso," Was Niles bullying you?"
"No, I'm fine," She wheezed as the hug suffocated her," Thank you."
"Be careful there, Lady Camilla," Niles slid his arrow back into its holster," You're fraternizing with your cousin's new retainer."
Una felt the woman, Camilla, freeze before letting her go. The tactician stumbled a bit out of the grasp, wracking her head for why that name sounded so familiar. Camilla…Camilla…She scanned the young woman in front of her, taking in her long purple locks and shoulderless dress. If Elise was a few years younger and lacked blonde hair, she would look exactly like-
"Not a lot of citizens know this, but our family was split in two after the execution. Half of them sided with Camilla and Lady Tilda, and the other half sided with me and my mother."
Oh gods. Camilla was Elise's rival.
She suddenly felt being in a room of Grimleal would make her safer than how she felt right now," U-Uh, well it was nice to meet you both, but I should get going. Have a lovely day!"
Una could not get out of that field sooner.
0-0-0
By the end of the day, Una was exhausted. She spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding pretty much everybody until she ran into Elise once more. The girl seemed much perkier when they reunited, and seeing the blonde was the only one not suspicious of her, Una deemed it much safer to be in her presence. She sat in on Elise's violin lesson, ate dinner with her, and learned a new board game before Simone returned and insisted the Princess get some sleep.
She strolled down the maze of halls, the weight of the day's events finally taking a tax on her. How did she even end up in a place like this? Nohr was nothing like Ylisse, and to make matters worse, she didn't know how to get home. Her throat caught; could she even go home? Was this the gods' judgement on her?
And poor Elise. She had barely spent an entire day with her, and the princess was already growing attached. Hell, she was already telling whoever she could that Una was her new retainer. Earning a title like that was nothing short of an honor, but Una didn't have the heart to take it.
She needed to leave, no matter how much she needed to be in Nohr. Ylisse needed her more; Chrom and Lissa were probably worried sick, and Morgan needed a mother to guide him through his new world. And Inigo…
She brought a fist to her lips. The thought of never seeing her son again had been nothing short of unfathomable. Being forever separated from Inigo was unbearable. She wanted—no, she needed to stay strong for him. He promised to wait for her; the least she could do was refuse to give up hope.
Una shook the tears from the corner of her eyes, resolve deep in her heart. She would have to tell Elise the news tomorrow and leave for Ylisse. She wasn't sure how long it would take her to get there or if she would even make it, but she needed to try.
The purpled haired girl sighed, stopping her walk to press her forehead against the stone windowpane. She would have to return the clothes Simone lent her, thank Elise and Leo for their hospitality, and try and find some source of information that could lead her back to-
"It's about time you learned some new steps!"
Una blinked.
It…It couldn't be.
She yanked her head away from the wall to search out the window, only to find herself facing a practice field riddled with soldiers. Most of them were packing up for the night, but if she ran quickly enough-
Una didn't give hesitation a second thought and took off down the stairs, skirting down the halls to try and find the exit. She nearly ran over a girl with light blue hair, sending back a quick apology before speeding away. She was only able to place her surroundings when a group of soldiers walked past from her left, all chatting about sparring. They had to be coming from the field! She sent a glance behind them, a small whine coming out when she realized how long the hallway was. Of course it wasn't easy; nothing today was giving her break.
The tactician rubbed her sore side before tracking down their trail, her heels clacking against the stone floor. Every time she passed a window, she would send a quick peek to make sure she was headed in the right direction. She nearly cried in relief when, at last, she found a door. Una pushed it open and tore into the field, navigating the assorted soldiers for a familiar head of brown hair and cheeky smile. She swore she heard his voice. He had to be here. He just…
Una's body deflated as the last of the warriors tapered off, leaving only a small group of soldiers situated in the corner. She peered over at them, knowing the result but hoping just the same. One girl, one blond, and one gray haired man. No brunets. Her legs gave out on their own, unresponsive as her back slid down the trunk of the tree.
How could she be so stupid? Of course Inigo wasn't here. That man from earlier, Niles, was so quick to say he hadn't heard of Ylisse. Besides, it had only been one day since the final battle with Grima. Even with Naga's help, Inigo couldn't travel that fast. How could she have allowed herself to humor the idea that he could be by her side again? She was an idiot. After everything her father—hell, everything the other version of herself had done—she deserved this. If being trapped in Nohr was her sentence, then she was just going to have to live it out. Una dropped her head into her hands, her throat restricting to try and keep the tears at bay.
She vaguely processed the grass crunching under the feet of the final group as they took their leave, voices heavy from training," What a splendid day!" A bombastic man declared," Lady Luck is on my side for a change!"
"You should jump on that!" The woman giggled, something almost childlike about her tone," Haven't you heard? Jeremiah is on the chopper's block! You could become Lady Elise's new retainer!"
"There's a rumor she already has a new retainer," The man replied, though he seemed intrigued by her suggestion," Simone told me that the woman served justice and defeated Jeremiah with one blow!"
Even from behind her hands, Una suppressed a groan. Now Simone was on it? By the end of the day, everyone would know she was offered the position.
The woman scoffed," If you don't want the competition, just find the room she's staying in and kill her in her sleep! Right, Las-," Her voice cut off," Oh goodie. He's found another girl."
Una shifted her knees a little closer, though she knew the act to make herself smaller wasn't going to make her disappear. The last thing she wanted right now was to talk to someone, especially since at least two of them viewed her as competition. There were few conversations that happened that day that didn't end with a weapon pointed at her neck.
"You go on ahead," The third man replied briskly," I'll meet you inside."
The first person, Arthur, snorted," Going to strike out again, Laslow?"
Laslow? Wasn't that the name Niles mentioned earlier? Una quietly spread her fingers apart get a blurry peep at the group in front of her. Arthur must have been the blond, which meant the gray haired man was Laslow," What? There's nothing wrong with comforting a distressed maiden!"
…Wait a minute. That voice sounded familiar.
"Uh huh. Comforting," The blue and pink haired woman pouted," I'll tell Lord Xander if you don't leave her alone!"
"I'm only going to bother her for a second," He assured airily," Nothing ails me more than the sight of a wounded lady," His two friends shared an unimpressed look before deciding he was a lost cause and bidding him goodbye. Laslow waited until his two friends faded into the distance to turn around, Una's fingers snapping shut in time to hide the fact she had been eavesdropping.
She didn't have much time to think up an excuse, because she felt his warm hands encapsulate her wrists and gently guide her hands away from her face," There's no need to cry anymore," Her eyes widened, the voice much clearer now that it was right in front of her," You're safe now," Una let him take her hands, watching as he curled them around to place a soft kiss on her knuckles. It couldn't be. The hair was different, the build was different, and even the accent was different. How could something be so contradictory, but so familiar at the same time? Her breath caught when he brought his irises up to meet hers," How about a smile?"
The moment their eyes met, Laslow's cheery demeanor vanished, replaced with complete and utter disbelief. One of his hands was cupping her cheek in a second, rubbing small circles on her temple as his eyes danced over every inch of her face. She watched his lip begin to wobble, almost as if seeing her was too much to handle,"…Inigo?"
Laslow choked out a small laugh, tears streaming out with the joyful noise," Una? You—You're here. You're really here," His other hand bounced up in a flash, holding her entire head in his grasp. That only lasted for a second, though, because he finally gained the composure to pull her into a crushing hug," I thought I was never going to see you again!"
She tightened her fists into the fabric of his quilted tunic, relief pouring in like floodgates. He was here! Her Inigo, who she was starting to think she lost forever, was holding her in his arms just like he used to do. Una sniffed, wanting to say everything and not knowing what to say all at once. Hell, what could she say after she just sacrificed herself to the god of death and made everyone think she was dead? She floundered," Your hair is gray."
"And yours is still purple," He chuckled, absently weaving one of his hands through the very locks he was talking about," I'm envious he let you keep that."
"Well, my eyes are yellow now so…," Within a second, all the confusion and anxiety bottled up from today flooded back to the surface. She gently pushed Laslow away, searching his face for some kind of explanation," Inigo? What's going on?"
Laslow's relief slowly melted to match hers, the only difference was his very visible concern," Don't you remember?"
Remember what? Una was starting to get Deja vu. Yes, she had woken up in a field again, but her memories were still intact…at least, she was pretty sure they were. All she knew was that Inigo used to have brown hair and a youthful energy; the sight of him was something she had burned into her consciousness a long time ago," Why don't you look like yourself?"
He blinked, his face riddled as he took in her question," He did that to all of us when he told us what we had to do. Right after we left-," She shook her head, only adding to Laslow's nerves," Oh gods, he didn't tell you anything, did he? That dastard," The gray haired man huffed from underneath his breath," Alright, listen to me Una. I will explain everything, but I can't do it here."
"Why not?" Una's face crumpled," I don't understand-."
"Oh, Laslow!" The dancer practically soared away when his friend skipped back into view, looking oddly pleased with herself for intervening," Lord Xander wants to speak with you!"
Laslow's face became incredulous," Peri, you actually told on me?!"
The cavalier, Peri, shrugged as innocently as she could with her devil-may-care expression," What? You know what he said about flirting."
"I'm off the clock!" He whined, the very sound bringing a surge of warmth to Una's chest. Never in a million years did she think she'd miss his immature complaining," You cannot be serious."
Peri met his stare challengingly," Do you want me to get him?"
His irises flickered briefly with fear before he sighed in defeat," Go ahead, I'll catch up-."
"You said that last time-."
"Well, I mean it this time," Laslow waved her off impatiently," Now shoo," Peri was much more hesitant to leave the second go around, but eventually tapered off smugly. Laslow didn't wait as long as he did the first time, taking both of Una's hands to heave her onto her feet the moment Peri's back was turned," Where are you staying?"
"The guest room," The purple haired girl sputtered," I'm not sure which one, but-."
"That's alright, I'll find you," He pressed a brief kiss against her forehead. Her chest warmed at the action," Wait outside your room after midnight. I will meet you there and explain everything," Laslow softened," Do you trust me?"
As overwhelming as this all was, Una never felt more resolute than when she replied," Of course I do."
"Good," With one last peck onto her cheek, Laslow was on his feet," Wait for me there, Una."
"I will."
Haha, lots of questions and very few answers! So Una is in Nohr now! How did that happen? If she didn't travel over with Laslow (and Odin and Selena, of course), how did she get there? Why does she look different? Let's start from the beginning, shall we? Elise is here! Elise is definitely one of my favorite characters in Fates, and I always found it so weird that her other siblings got an Awakening Retainer but she didn't. No worries! Arthur and Effie are coming eventually. This story sort of picks up about three years before the actual events of Fates, so we've got time for them to come in. For now, Elise has (or more accurately, had) Jeremiah and Kostas. This is where things get a little confusing. If you read the first draft of this story, you're probably thinking," Wait. Isn't Kostas the bad guy?" I'm not confirming or denying anything, but he is playing a MUCH bigger role in the story this go round. Jeremiah is kind of his fill in for his original role. The game mentions some serious family politics between the Belins (Garon and his children), so I wanted to delve into that a little bit. So far we've met Elise, Leo, and Camilla (briefly). I gave some hints here and there about what their relationships to each other are, but they're not super friendly with each other yet. Oh, and the whole in-joke with Elise telling everyone Una is her new retainer is my favorite running gag of the chapter. Simone is my first added character! Jeremiah isn't super important to the plot, but Simone is here to stay. As I mentioned before, Kostas is the other new player in this story. I wanted to address the style change of Nohr in comparison to Ylisse where I feel fashion is a bit more conservative (except for armor, I guess). So short-skirt-Una is going to have a hard time adjusting to that. Just wait until she learns there are no Pegasuses in Nohr, lol. Also, why does Una have manakete ears? This goes back into me changing the plot that I mentioned before the chapter. I can't really get in my head to think of what role I wanted Una to play a year ago, but I feel that this version will make a lot more sense. However, that's a big ole' spoiler! Niles plays a surprisingly big role in this story, and I think that will become more evident the further in we get. Don't worry; he's not the bad guy. He's just one of the many wary people Una will have to work on. We got a short mention for Arthur and Peri, but we all know the star of the last part was Laslow! His reaction may have been a bit confusing to Una, but since the next chapter is going to be entirely in his perspective, we're going to get a lot of insight to his motivations.
This is all super new and probably not what you expected right off the bat, so I'd love to hear what you guys think so far! I'm purposely leaving a few things vague because this is Una's perspective we're in right now. She has no clue what's going on. Also, unimportant note, but I'm naming my chapters now! Yay! It was a fun thing I wish I had done with Glib Banter. I have re-edited chapters 1-5 and am posting them all at once, so you'll get to relook at how things have changed. I don't know what my posting schedule will be or even if I'll be able to kick myself out of writers block, but I have a good feeling about this. Wish me luck!
-Uprisingdragon