Madelyn's Choice
By Becki ^___^
© Fire Emblem
All characters and ideas copyrighted to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems
Myahahaaa XP More Fire Emblem fics! Ehehe.. I'll finish my Zelda One-shot soon, I promise ^^; It's just that I get.. sidetracked a lot ^__^;; It's not my fault I had sudden inspiration to write this! Really, truly, honestly! (*cough* Shim... .__o) So.. yes. That's that. This won't be a one-shot (*halleluiah chorus starts in background*) but it won't be very long either.. (*music skips*)
Also, this is one of my very rare romance fics. I think this is the second one I'm writing ever. So.. if I suck, don't kill me, okay? I'm not so good at this x.X
All right, all right, I'll stop wasting your time (you can just skip this part and go straight to the fiction ya know..) Let's go ^__^
~Becki
Chapter One: Noble Lady of Caelin
Stretching out, Madelyn leaned against the long chair, reading the book in a horizontal position. Her deep chestnut hair fell down from the red cushions lingering close to the marble floors below. Her legs folded up against the part of the chair where her back was supposed to be, shoe-less feet against the smooth edge. After her teal eyes skipped through the pages and lines, she sighed and sat up, her head causing a sudden dizziness. Sighing, she spoke to herself.
"Sitting so inappropriately." She scolded herself softly. Her attire was simple and loose, not the long dresses for outing affairs but a creme colored blouse tied with a sash. Setting her book aside, she rested her head on her hand, elbow resting on the table beside her. Noble life was more difficult than it seemed to most. It was not truly the politics that would tire her, but something else..
The exulted daughter of Lord Hausen, the Marquess of Caelin. Madelyn was any ideal noblewoman, beautiful and well mannered. She intelligent and witty like her tutors had always said, but she suffered tremendously from a sickness.
This sickness was called boredom.
There was a soft knock upon the door. Madelyn looked up and called softly, voice gentle.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal the young steward of Caelin. He was dressed in green like most under the services of Caelin were expected to. Bowing his head, he kept his eyes downcast for respect.
"It is time for dinner, lady. Lord Hausen expects to dine with milady this eve."
"Very good. Thank you Reissmann, tell my father I shall arrive shortly."
"Should I send in the dressing maids?"
"Hm.." She looked up briefly and turned away again. "Oh, no that's quite all right. Thank you." As the door shut with a gentle click, Madelyn came forward and locked it with the long key that was tied with a simple cord around her neck.
Deciding to dress quickly, she pulled a sea-green overcoat cut at the shoulders over her blouse. Clasping a brooch elegantly at the neck, the coat was tied under the gold sash and fell to her knees with a gold embroider. Last, she tied her long hair back out of her face and let it fall to her back.
When she unlocked the door and stepped outside into the halls, servants had already been waiting to escort her to the dining hall.
This was how it was every day. Every day first started with the morning lessons of politics, dancing and etiquette, followed by brunch and afternoon studies. But as the heir to the throne of Caelin, they could afford no mistakes in raising the ideal leader. And then there was the idea of marriage...
At the thought Madelyn frowned.
Such an ugly word. The word that was a tool to bring a male leader to the picture. A word which was hoped to add to the wealth and power that the nobles already had. Madelyn had not yet eighteen years, and already suitors across Elibe had shown themselves.
When the familiar halls faded into the grand room and long tables, the scent of food already began to seep into the air. But there was nobody there. As it was expected to be. Madelyn had made it a custom that when the family was to dine together, it was out on the balcony with the garden beyond. As a child she had always loved to play amongst the flowers and the trees. There, her mother, the late Lady Lyndis, would teach her of the world and tell her stories.
As she stepped out outside into the walled garden, the table had already been set. Her father waited on the opposite side of the empty chair, his head down and hands writing on a parchment. Madelyn sat down quietly and waited for him to finish. As he folded it and let the wax with Caelin's seal dry, he looked up at his daughter.
"Ah, Madelyn, I have been desiring a word with you." He smiled fondly at her, and she returned it with a smile of her own, bowing her head slightly. He had sandy brown hair which had already started to gray, flecked with white in the growing years.
"My apologies, father. The late studies make the hours seem so short." She replied with a gentle tone.
"And I've been told you have been following your studies obediently and even surpass most noblewomen your age."
"I.. I am honored to have those that think so highly of me." Humble Madelyn said. She expected Lord Hausen to say something more, but the servants had already come in with the steaming plates. As their dinner was served on the elegant table, Madelyn's eyes strayed across the garden. From the patches of flowers to the crystal creek, then lingeringly at the tall willows with lamenting arms.
The dishes were uncovered, and Madelyn looked back at the table. Watercress soup and seasoned fowl decorated with almonds waited as the servants retreated back into the castle. Lord Hausen handed the letter to one of the soldiers which were there to guard them as they ate. The soldier took the letter and left also. Madelyn noticed the anxiety instantly as the letter was being passed.
"Father.." She asked, on edge.
"Hm..?"
"That letter.. who is it to?"
"Oh, yes, it relates to what I wished to speak to you of. But first we should eat. I have been out in the courtroom all day and could use a bite."
"...." Madelyn frowned slightly, her face falling. But she complied. "Yes, father."
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As soon as she entered her room, she kindly dismissed the servants. Then, she slammed the door as she was sure they turned the corner. After turning the key on her lock, she sighed and held her forehead. Her father.. was he so blind to her reluctance? She knew he only wished the best life for her.. yet.. She recalled his words..
"Marquess Araphen has requested your hand, Madelyn. It seems he has admired you for so long, and now that he was recently titled the Marquess, he has impressive power and is a decent young man."
And her reaction.
"M-marquess Araphen, father? But I have only met him once on occasion. I don't believe I am ready.."
"Don't be ridiculous, child!" He laughed lightly. "I believed that would be your reply, so I had already written a letter to him."
"Ah.... f-father, please allow me to talk to him myself.."
"You'll get the opportunity soon enough. I am arranging a banquet here at the castle. Many of the other lords will be invited. Perhaps you may meet him there."
"..When is this event, pray tell?"
"Tomorrow." He replied, quite pleased at the statement.
Covering her face with a hand, her hair spilled over her face freely. Breathing delicately, she closed her eyes. So little time. Quickly approaching her desk, she opened the mahogany cabinet and withdrew fresh parchments and black ink. She had to figure out what to tell the Marquess of Araphen. Even as a witty lady with quick words, she was lost and did not know what she would say. Dabbing the feather pen into the bottle of ink, she began to brainstorm.
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She found herself the next morning asleep at her desk. The blank sheet of paper before her was pale in the fading moonlight which fell through the window. It was early, a few hours before dawn. Tired and lost in blank thoughts, she dressed unconsciously and tied her hair up. As she was pinning the loose strands up, there was that knock on the door and the voice.
"Your morning lessons have been canceled, milady." The gentle maid spoke through the door.
W-what..? Madelyn thought.
"What is it I should do this morning?" She pursed her lips.
"The Lord says you are free to do as you will." Madelyn's mind grew skeptical, but she answered hastily.
"Thank you, you may leave." Distant footsteps followed her dismissal, and she sank into a chair. The servants must have already started the preparations for the party. Snapping up in surprise, she came approached her tall wooden wardrobe and cast the doors aside. Her dresses hung neatly from the racks, free from the moths and other creatures. There was more to worry about than what to wear for the party, she decided, and shut the door. She would deal with it later.
Then an idea came to her. Opening her wardrobe again for the last time, she fingered through the fabric and her hands made their way through each robe, each dress. Then they came to the simple dark purple tunic. Pulling it out, she was happy to see that it was all intact, and looked to fit her perfectly. It was a hunting tunic to practice falconry in, given to her on her sixteenth birthday by a distant relative. However, her father was unpleased with the gift, but careful not to be rude made sure it was never used in a subtle manner.
Hunting through the closet, she pulled out a navy cloak with a high hood. It was embroidered with violet decorations, the intricate knot-designs sewed neatly on the hem. It was perfect. The clothing was not so rich that she could be distinguished as a noble, and it gave her the guise of a wanderer.
A smile crept onto her face. Perhaps...
She turned, holding the tunic and the cloak as she came to the wide doors leading to her balcony. Pushing the glass doors open, she looked over the side and confirmed that she could indeed climb down with a safe landing, as her room was on the first story.
And a plan quickly wove itself on the loom of her mind. Quickly re-dressing into her carefully chosen disguise, she undid her hair and let it fall loosely with graceful curls down her face. Tying the cloak at her neck with a knot, she examined herself in the mirror. A lithe figure of a young maiden stared back at her. The clothing was slightly faded and was scented of old perfume. Raising the hood of her cloak, she let the lip fall over her brow. Surely nobody could recognize her.
After she made sure her door was locked, she came out on her balcony and closed the glass doors behind her. She was not used to walking for long distances or jumping for that matter, but she did have keen balance and high grace. Swinging both legs over the banister, she pushed her hands against it and fell to the ground which was a few feet above. And she landed on both feet, knees bent and hands down to distribute the landing evenly.
And she stood up. She would return soon.. but perhaps there was something she could do that would bend the situation to her will.
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Comments? Questions? Just plainly hate it and want to flame? Be my guest ^__^ Please review!
...Yeah, I don't mind flamers, I take it as welcome compliments and/or criticism. But you don't have to cuss at me, okay? I may be a bad writer, but my self-esteem level is too low for you to do anything about it. (except review? ^__~)