Riku: Riku is talking in 3rd person 'cause Riku can do anything she wants! Riku has written next chapter... Hah! ^_^

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Roy placed a hand on the cape that was acting as a bandage. "What happened? I don't remember a thing."

"I found you here... I don't know." Marth looked down at the other's clothing that laid on the ground. The markings seemed familiar. "I don't suppose you'd mind telling me your name?"

Roy smiled, "Roy... Jus' call me Roy."

"Roy..." Marth threw a piece of firewood into the fire.

Roy glanced down at his injury, "My wound is not..."

Marth lifted a hand, the back facing Roy, "Healing spell, but it'll take more time with an injury like that."

"Sugoi...!" Roy stared at Marth in amazement.

"Nani?"

Roy pouted, "I can't do healing spells."

Marth's eyebrow rose inquisitively.

"I only destroy..." Roy looked down solemnly.

Marth squinted curiously, "Destroy...?" He pried, after deciding Roy's statement was more than just an impulsive rambling from his concussion.

Roy placed a hand on his head in agony, pain throbbing in his temples. Marth shifted uneasily, looking at the anguished redhead.

"Gomen, I can't remember..." Roy gazed up into the night sky. "I can't remember anything."

*           *           *

Inside the dark walls of Altea, the congress sat in the large council hall, nervously discussing the recent battle. Oji-san, positioned at the highest level of the stands, sat calm and silent as the others fidgeted and muttered anxiously.

"How could this have happened!?"

"Prince Marth hasn't returned..."

"He couldn't be..."

Freu stood, looking down slightly. His eyes held a glint of distrust within the dark irises. "Our seekers found no trace of Prince Marth." He looked up at Oji-san who frowned. "I personally organized the investigation and we've searched... constantly."

Oji-san stood and there was silence, "The Prince would not approve of this disorder. He would want us to fight on, to live true and sound for Altea."

*           *           *

Morning arrived too quickly for Marth, who groaned as the rising sunlight peeked through the trees. He sat up drowsily and glanced at the boy, who still slept peacefully, wrapped in his cape.

Marth stood, wobbling, as he peered about his surroundings. He remembered seeing a river close by. He headed in the direction he thought he recalled, listening for the soft, flowing sound of water. As he left the underbrush, the sun's rays beat down on his face and glittered in the small body of water ahead.

Marth collapsed to his knees to dip his hands into the water, then dunked his whole head in, cleaning off most of the dirt and blood. His mind drifted.  He couldn't leave his country without a leader for long. What am I doing? I... He would have to leave for Altea right away.  Well, as soon as he figured out which way it was from here.

A low, muffled voice sounded from above the water, "Marth."

Marth jerked from his daydreams, emerging from the water. He spun around to see Roy, who limped a little, clasping his injury.

"Ohayou, Roy." Marth's face was drenched, his hair falling in his eyes as water dripped down his neck. Marth stood, flicking the strands of hair from his eyes.

Roy's cheeks reddened in the awkward moment and smiled, "Good Morning."

Marth's sudden urge to leave for Altea faded and he nodded back.

"Marth... I understand if you have something else to..."

Marth stepped forward, "It's alright. I feel I should help you somehow." Marth reached forward and took Roy's hand from his wound.  Roy blushed slightly, but tried to hide it by looking down slightly.

Roy tensed, "Um... I..."

Marth placed a hand on the wound, "Calm down. It's just a healing spell..." A soft, blue glow appeared around Marth's hand and the injury on Roy's chest.

Roy closed his eyes as he was filled with warmth. The pain lessened.

The light faded and Marth removed his hand, "We should get going then." He started back to his gear, as if he intended to go separate directions.

Roy watched him sadly, unsure of where he should be heading.

Marth paused and glanced at Roy. "... Where is it you live, exactly?"

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Miles to the south, stood the Pharae Principality, where soldiers returned in parallel lines. Even though the battle was a victory, no one wished to remember the event.

They passed the gates with dismal faces.  Many came to greet them, among them a short, brunette boy known as Kaito. He seemed to feel the dread among the troops.  He searched frantically for a familiar face.

Kaito approached a lieutenant and asked, "Where is... Commander Roy?"

The lieutenant lowered his head in pain and walked on. Kaito's heart jumped and a shiver ran up his spine as his fears assumed a concrete form. Kaito stared straight ahead in disbelief as the soldiers passed, the marching a rhythmic pounding.

*           *           *

Roy and Marth had begun ambling along the river, hoping for an indication of civilization. They had been walking for hours and the sun was getting irritatingly warm, even partly shaded by the large trees overhead.

Roy hobbled behind Marth, struggling with the slight pain in his chest. His crimson cape trailed behind him, tied around his waist.

"Um... Marth?" Roy piped up. He hesitated. "Do you know where we're going?"

Marth shrugged, "No."

Roy sighed, "I'm hungry."

"There should be a spring ahead. We can rest there."

"Is there food?"

"I don't know."

"Then why did you mention that? That was entirely out of context."

"I'm tired..." Marth confessed.

Roy sighed and began staring at the back of Marth's head. The soft breeze whisked his blue hair, which was surprisingly silky for being unwashed so long. Roy peered down at Marth's belt where a scabbard without a sword hung, lightly hitting the boy's thigh with every step. Roy contemplated that mystery, and Marth in general, to keep from thinking about his hunger.  Suddenly, before Roy noticed the time passing, they stood before a spring.

Roy beamed at the sparkling water and slipped off his boots, flinging them to the side. He stepped forward and gently dipped his toes into the water.

Roy shivered, "Cold..." He looked back at Marth unhappily.

"What did you expect? A hot spring?" Marth snapped, harsher then he meant it to sound.

Roy pouted, stepping away from the spring disappointedly.

Marth sighed and began stripping himself of his soiled clothes. Roy turned his gaze, a faint streak of crimson across his cheeks and nose as he occupied himself by watching the trees sway gently in the wind.

"You know..." Marth piped up. "It'd do you good to get that wound cleaned."

Roy turned to Marth, who stood before him, now completely naked. Roy's blush deepened and he tried to keep his eyes… away.

Marth looked at him oddly before slipping into the water. When he finally situated himself against a rock, he looked over at Roy who sulked and sat on the ground stubbornly.

"Too cold?" Marth asked teasingly.

Roy huffed, "No, I just... Don't feel like getting wet." He looked down awkwardly and began gently running his fingers over the grass blades.

Marth shrugged and took a deep breath before letting himself sink into the water. Roy peered over at Marth's reflection through the water, leaning forward curiously. He sighed, placed a hand on the azure cloth that bandaged his injury, and began removing his clothes.

Roy carefully crawled to the edge and slid into the water, feeling the tingling of cold water hitting warm flesh. He positioned himself on the other side of Marth, who emerged from the water, his hair soaked and falling in his eyes.

"Changed your mind?" Marth asked, pushing his hair from his eyes.

Roy smiled sheepishly, nodding briefly. They silently exchanged glances and gazing awkwardly into the sky.

"Roy," Marth began. "I can't help you if you can't remember anything..."

Roy stared at his reflection rippling in the water.

"How did you get here?"

Roy glanced at Marth, then looked ahead solemnly. He thought back to a battle, the blood and killing. "Fighting..." Roy closed his eyes. "Then I was falling..." He tensed, frustrated for being unable to think clearly.

Marth noticed his distress, "Stop." He placed a hand on Roy's shoulder gingerly.

Roy woke from his thoughts, and turned towards Marth.

"Don't worry about it," Marth relented.  He returned to the other side of the pool. "Let's keep moving. Perhaps we'll find something useful."

*           *           *

Kaito of the Pharaen royal family, a bright eyed boy in his early teens and rather mature for his age. He and other respected men and women of nobility, seated around a table, discussed the previous battle uneasily.

"Commander Roy disappeared during the ambush," An older man stated.

"There was supposed to be men making sure that didn't happen."

"When in war, you can't focus on one man alone. There are so many lives. We can't save them all."

Kaito shifted in his seat restlessly, "I do not believe Commander Roy is dead." Everyone turned to the young boy questioningly.

The older man leaned forward, "With all do respect, prince, our sources have found confirmation that…"

"I don't care," Kaito exclaimed agitatedly. "Roy-san isn't dead and I won't think otherwise until we find a corpse."

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Riku: Oh... and just so you know; Kaito and most of the other characters besides Marth and Roy, I created. Just so you don't get confused when watching the anime and stuff. In fact, the story itself is completely random and has nothing to do with any Fire Emblem plot! Wheee! I'm on sugary cotton candy clouds of fluff! ^_^