Madelyn's Choice
By Becki
© Fire Emblem
Characters and ideas copyrighted to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems
Thank you to all who reviewed burningpheonix (I'm so sorry that I forgot to add you in the list of the last chapter! begs forgiveness), gentleness28, hyliansage, Alice Kaiba, Nevian, Kiyoko-chan and R Amythest! (Haha, Hassar seems like Rath? Well, I suppose that's what happens when you write a Rath fanfic and try to write about another Sacaen)
Ack! I thought Lyn was sixteen when you first met her, but when I rechecked it, it said 18 . And then I calculated that Eliwood was seventeen from the Hector and Eliwood SC -- Argh. Oh well --; Thanks for clearing that up, R Amythest ;
Becki
Chapter Four: Bonding Friendship
Madelyn woke up that morning with a light heart. The sunlight streaked through the decorative windows above her bed. She lay with her hair sprawled like a fan on the pillow, hands palm up by her neck. She felt tired. The training she forced herself to go through was catching up, as she was not yet used to such vigorous, physical action. A month had passed since her first lesson.
Her eyes followed the same path as she looked about her room. When her eyes fell upon the sword leaning against her vanity, she closed her eyes and tried to remember.
Sitting up, she looked around again. There was a serene silence in her room, a quiet peace that allowed her thoughts to process. She had completely forgotten about Marquess Araphen through the wekks, for her thoughts were scattered like the winds. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she set her bare feet on the silk rug. Pulling a cloak over her nightgown, she opened the door to her outer room.
The distorted colors which flooded through the stained glass windows mixed and swirled with the veins in the marble of the floor. Her shadow followed obediently as she pulled aside the satin curtains. Pure gold poured through the glass, warm upon her face. Satisfied with the warmth, she took off the cloak and dropped it to the ground.
Unlatching the gold clasp, she pushed the glass doors to the balcony. Humid air rushed in, taking her by slight surprise. Stepping out towards the banister, she listened intently to the bird's song. Two birds which sung upon the light bough of the towering trees. Both sang a song of grace and happiness.
The day was sweetly warm. The drops of dew caught the sunlight on the ground, sparkling with a rainbow's defiance. Madelyn touched the hard spots on the skin of her fingers and palm, the roughened places resulting in handling a sword.
Retreating back into her room, she decided to leave the doors open. She traveled to her wardrobe, opening the doors with ease. Digging through the dresses, looked to the back of the wardrobe to retrieve her daily study attire.
She managed to fit the fencing lessons into her schedule.. or rather, she missed an hour of sleep in order to fit it in. After her daily lessons she would have dinner and quickly dress to report at the abandoned training grounds.
But her mind would often stray from the books and the tutor as her excitement and anxiety was kept at bay. Groping in the wardrobe, she made sure her disguise for leaving the castle was still there.
And she could be seen smiling as she made her way to the library.
The knights were a rough bunch. But to his surprise, he found that not all the knights were male, and there were women who trained as well. Hassar fit in quite easily with the knights despite his Sacaen heritage. Wallace was a good friend, they often spoke and joked with one another. Hassar could figure out within the first week that Wallace was not very popular among the ranks.
"Ignore them, Hassar." The knight had muttered to the nomad as he saw the others laughing. Hassar had frowned.
"Why do they laugh? Is their mirth because of me?" He asked him.
"No, it's no matter. Now.."
Hassar remembered that Wallace had completely changed the subject after then. Some sniggered at him, but he most often ignored them or gave them death glares.
This morning Hassar got up early and went to tend to his horse. He saw Wallace at the stables early, and they greeted each other normally.
"Good day." The knight said pleasantly. The nomad nodded and filled the trench up with water. Wallace watched this and remarked. "It is the job of the stable hands to tend to your horse, Hassar."
"I know that." The Sacaen said simply. "I'd rather do my own work rather than it having done for me." Wallace took a lance down from the racks and laughed doubtfully.
"You're a hard worker." He said with admiration. "But don't work yourself to the point that you collapse."
"I've been more laid back here than I have ever been in my life."
"Oh? Is life on the plains require that much more work?" His friend replied as he tied a metal gauntlet on his wrist. Hassar's face was grim.
"Yes. On the plains, we say that laziness is next to cowardice."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Wallace said with a frown. Hassar stopped, and looked straight at the knight with a serious face.
"I'm not sure." He said finally, and turned back to his work.
"Are you sure that you didn't make that up just now?" Wallace joked. Hassar raised an eyebrow and turned back again, but Wallace was not finished. "It sounded somewhat poetic. 'Laziness is next to cowardice.' I like the sound of it as well. You should write a book, Hassar."
The nomad snorted.
"And what do you know of poems? I don't suppose you've written any recently."
"Oh, you'd be surprised." It was impossible to tell whether he was joking again or not.
"Then here's an idea, we could write a book together." It was Hassar's turn to joke. "Let's see.. 'The Volume written by the two fools who have nothing better to do.' How's that for a title?"
"It's a bit long."
"True."
"Or, 'The Manual of Knightly Prowess.'" Wallace suggested. Hassar considered it.
"Right. Lesson One: Laziness is next to cowardice. Satisfied?"
"Quite." Wallace grinned. "Hassar, you and I are going to be some rich writers."
"Oh, for some reason Wallace, I highly doubt that."
"..." Wallace took his lance in between his hands. "...Well enough of this. We're to meet Commander Narien at the south gate. He has some drills prepared for us. I'm going to leave now, so don't be late. You know how the Commander hates waiting."
"Sure thing." Hassar replied as he went to take his saddle from the side of the stalls. He could hear the clanking of Wallace's armor as he left.
The mare nickered and turned her eyes to her rider. Hassar sighed gently and tossed the saddle gently over the horse's back.
"Today we work with endurance." The commander said out loud. He was a middle-aged man with dying blond hair. He was an experienced paladin, a sword on the sheath by his saddle and a lance which balanced precariously on his hand. Narien looked at the mixed array of soldiers.
"If war ever hits, it is more than essential to have it. You must have the endurance to walk or ride all day and still be able to fight when battle arrives." Hassar didn't find it as much of a problem. He was, after all, a nomad of the plains. He was used to moving place to place, and his horse was only used to constant movement as well. But he noticed that many of the training knights around him were uncomfortable at the thought.
"Silence!" The Commander ordered. The murmuring halted. He reared back on his reddish-colored horse. "Remember, you are not in charge of your own pace. All ranks must travel as a group. We will circle the domain at a constant pace. Starting.. now!" The commander kicked the side of his horse with the stirrup and the horse went at a gentle gallop ahead.
Without hesitation, the group lumbered on.
"Lady Madelyn!"
Snapping her eyes which had meaninglessly scanned the book up, she looked at the frustrated teacher before her. The tutor his book open on his palm, his spectacles lowered so he could see her clearly.
"Lady Madelyn, I don't understand how you are learning anything when you're head is in the clouds."
"Roland of the Eight Generals was of Lycia and a fond friend of Athos of Nabata. Elimine lived in present day Etruria as Durban lived in the North-western Isles. Bramimmond studied in Valor in his early years as Barigan hailed from northern Ilia. Hartmut founded Bern and Hanon..." She paused at this moment after reciting her entire history lesson. "Hanon came from the Sacae plains." The tutor looked at her skeptically and turned back to his books, apparently satisfied that she had proven her knowledge.
Madelyn shut off the drone of her teacher's voice from her ears as she stared subtly out of the window. This was a miniature private library that she sat in, the room that was high in the tower which could see Caelin and its roofs. She could see the knights below training, the sunlight which reflected off the armor. She tried to seek either Hassar or Wallace within the cloud of people, only to find it a fruitless effort to do so.
She closed the book on the table and tried to listen to the rest of her lesson.
An exhausted group sat against the walls, legs sore and head spinning with movement. The Knights were complaining about the weight of their armor or weapons, or the pain in their legs as the metal leg guards rammed into their shins. The mounted units were beginning to get stiff on the saddles and the horse's wanted just as much rest.
Wallace, however was more annoyed with the complaining as he was with his exhaustion. Hassar remained on his horse, preparing for the next set of drills.
"Listen to the lot of you." He noted out loud. "After a few miles you all beg for a water break."
"Shut up." A sour archer replied. "You were no better. Clanking in your armor breathing like a dog."
"Since a few years you haven't changed. You may be bigger but your strength can still be comparable to a girl's." A cavalier agreed. "You don't think many remember, but who was it exactly that had always clung to the leg of his knight as a squire?"
Hassar felt his anger bubble beneath the emotionless mask on his face. How could they call Wallace of all people a girl..? Wallace sensed the tension and looked at his friend.
"It's nothing Hassar." He said bitterly, as if used to the verbal abuse. "I'll just have to prove these whelps wrong." He dropped his lance and stepped out of the shade.
"What are you.." Hassar started, but Wallace cut him off.
"I'll run a lap around the domain." There were rueful snorts.
"Will you be back before dawn?" An unknown voice said sarcastically from the crowd. Wallace frowned.
"Scratch that, I'll run three laps around the domain." He said to Hassar. The Sacaen suddenly dismounted, and stepped up by his friend.
"Very well, will you allow me to join you?" Wallace looked surprised at him, but then gave a laugh that cause everybody there to tremble.
"Ha! Of course. Full speed?" He taunted. Hassar smirked.
"I'd have it no other way."
Madelyn returned to her room and locked the door. Quickly changing to her swordplay guise, she swiftly grabbed the sword by her vanity and went back to the balcony. She had mastered the art of jumping off of her balcony. Swinging her legs over the side, she jumped to the ground below. Keeping in the shade of the trees to be unseen by the guards, she made her way to the designated area.
The sun was setting when she arrived at the abandoned training grounds. She was a little late this day, her numbers tutor had kept her late. She pushed aside the gates and entered.
Hassar was not yet there. Figuring that he must have been kept behind as well, she started to train first.
Unsheathing her sword, the metal emitted a high pitched sound as it slid away from the scabbard. Throwing the sheathe to the side, she began to weave patterns with the sword. Right, left, up down. One hand on the hilt, than two. Turning every so often, she gave half-thrusts and quick slices in the air. She was learning rapidly. Swordplay was an art to her now.
She heard voices outside, and lowered her blade. She could pick out the sentences.
"We showed them, Hassar." It was Wallace's voice.
"No doubt that we have to add this to our 'Manual of Knightly Prowess'?" Hassar's voice. Then Wallace laughed.
"Commander Nerian would agree that it would be essential to a Knight's training." There was a pause. "Hassar, where are you going?"
"You need some sleep Wallace. Running those three laps, in full speed no less, in full armor must have taken its toll. I'll return before midnight."
"...sure." Wallace replied, but did not ask any further. "I'll retreat back to the quarters then. But I'm not tired."
"Of course not." Hassar said sardonically. "Good night."
"Good night!" And she could hear him no longer.
Hassar appeared through the gates, but his horse was not with him. He held his sword and looked up at her.
Madelyn smiled weakly.
"Did you have a long day?" Hassar let out a breath and unsheathed his sword.
"You have no idea."