Madelyn's Choice
By Becki
© Fire Emblem
Characters and ideas copyrighted to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems
Nuuu... Xx; I'm already close to the last chapter ..; I know there'll be lots of protests to lengthen it, but I haven't the time. School has already started and I don't have much time for ANYTHING. And in the first chapter of this, I did say it wasn't going to be a very long fic.
claps hands together and begs for forgiveness Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm sorry for such a long wait to update this thing.. I got eh.. sidetracked ..; (not to mention writer's block hit me hard, I haven't written much in the last two months --) But to make up for it, I have two chapters in this update ; Thank you everybody who continued to support me! I appreciate it so much! And now, for the end of my second multi-chapter Fire Emblem Fanfic!
Becki
Chapter Nine: Unfailing Friendship
"Madelyn. Look.." His fingers traced the outline of the misted mountains. She looked up sleepily as the horse clambered on. They were so close, just beyond the range, awaited their destination. Kasha rode close by, his sharp gaze piercing the misty darkness of dawn.
"It's beautiful." She breathed, watching how pastel-like the purple and bluish colors were. Then she coughed dryly, covering her mouth as her haggard breathing returned.
"It's not long now." Hassar said encouragingly, his arm around her waist to steady her on the horse, his other hand at the reins.
"I'm sorry." She apologized as her coughing subsided. "I'll be strong." The silence was thinly greeted by a loon's mourning call in the distance. There was a veil of humidity which clung with dewy affection in the cool air. It was breezeless, the air comfortably cool. Fog blanketed the earth with gray. Two shadows of lithe framed deer frolicked across the clearing as they neared the mountains.
Kasha seemed at-edge, he occasionally looked behind them, into the thick mist. His hands rested on the sword at his waist, fingers lingering on the hilt.
"Listen." He said, tone breathy. Hassar looked towards the sky, eyes distant as he listened intently.
"I hear nothing. What is it?"
"The clambering of men. It's far now, but with each step they gain on us." The younger plainsman said. Hassar frowned. Madelyn's face was troubled as she cast down her eyes.
"It must be.." She started, but Hassar cut her off.
"Come, we must make haste." He dismounted and surveyed the area. "Kasha, you take Lady Madelyn through the woods by foot. I will ride forward as a distraction. We'll meet on the mountainside of the highest peak."
"Hassar.." Madelyn said softly, not finding any enthusiasm in the idea.
"I am the fastest rider." He said helping her down. "There is not need to cause worry." Kasha dismounted and took the reins of his horse.
"Then Lord Hassar, we will meet on the Sacae Plains." With that, he released the bridle and slapped the horse's flank. The steed bolted into the mists, engulfed by the fog.
Kasha aided Madelyn through the woods covered in fog. His sharp senses proved crucial as they wandered through the thick layers. Madelyn was silent, her pace as quick as her strength would allow. The dark arms of the trees branched out, the olive colored leaves still. Everything seemed silent and happened so quick.
"You should not have to worry." Kasha said, reassuringly, sensing her doubt. "It is as Lord Hassar says. He can outride the fasted eagle on the plains."
"I.. have faith in that. But even speed may not outwit fate." She said with a frown. "There is something that troubles me so. I am not certain of why, however."
"All will be well." The swordsman replied. And he changed the subject so that the trek through the woods may seem less long. "The Chieftain's wife will surely be surprised."
"Because of me?" Madelyn said, with a trace of fear.
"Yes, but you mustn't be concerned. Lord Hassar wanted to understand this world better, he had declared suddenly that he was going to go on a journey. This was after.. after his sister had passed."
"Oh?" Madelyn looked at him with a questioning expression, which then melted into sympathy. "I.. I didn't know."
"Yes." Kasha said almost apologetically, sorry for bringing the subject up. "He left the Lorca just last year on this uncertain quest. Nobody expected for him to bring home a bride. It would be quite a surprise" The way he said it was so casual, with no hint of being biased.
There was a lingering silence which followed. Madelyn stepped over a gnarled root and tried to look ahead. The frames of trees shuddered but thinned, to mark the end of the woods.
"We're almost there, lady." Kasha said as they passed the last row of trees. Madelyn stole a look over her shoulder.
"We're being followed."
Hassar, in the moment of dilemma and the tightness of time frowned severely. His back was arched as he bent over the horse's neck as they bolted across the clearing. He had already been spotted by Caelin's search party. Cavaliers were sent after him, with their long lances and sharp swords.
But what was worse was that they had divided. Half of the pursuing group had filtered towards the forest while the other half rode after the Sacaen. With each step the mare took, it flew. Clippings of grass flung in the artificial wind, and Hassar narrowed his eyes.
It was not far.
But it seemed so far.
How cruelly dilemma distorted time. The sun was just over the peaks of the mountain, glazing the land in orange. Shadows danced across the grass, traced by the orange light. As the light peeked through his eyes, he turned his head to one side, trusting the horse to keep its path.
And finally the sun could no longer be seen. The mountains eclipsed it with its mighty face, and the shadows left a damp coolness upon his face. The path through the mountains was clear, no travelers to Sacae lingered.
And he prayed to Mother Earth that she would be kind to Kasha and Madelyn as they made way through her lands.
They climbed the rugged side, the lowest mountain that led to the path to Sacae. Madelyn suppressed her coughs and tried to maintain her breathing as she clambered on.
I must be strong. She told herself over and over. I told Hassar I would be.
She dare not look back, to see the number of pursuers and their might. She feared what she could see, so it was better that she could not see. And Kasha, if he had been nervous, he showed none of it on his face. He helped her over the roughest situations, his eyes only forward.
It was not long before the first arrow flew over their heads. It was carefully aimed at the plainsman. Madelyn shut her eyes tight and held his hand tightly for guidance. She could hear the clambering of armor, their heavy footsteps on the ground.
"Roland.." She breathed. Great fear and surprise filled her as Kasha stopped suddenly without warning.
"Lord Hassar!" He whispered urgently. She forced her eyes open to look down towards the east, where the sun threatened to blind her. His figure bolted across, so close to the path. Men on horseback followed after him, naked weapons at hand. His plan had failed, the attempt to divert the attention of the Caelin army was unsuccessful.
More arrows struck the earth around them. Kasha suddenly took Madelyn by the shoulders, unsheathing his sword. She was too dazed to understand what was happening. She was turned around and faced the approaching archers and other fighters of Caelin that had caught up with them.
"Drop your arrows." Kasha said loudly as a threat, his sword glittering a hand span from her neck.
"Wha-.." Madelyn began.
"Do not fear. If they believe I am a threat to you, they will not advance." He said so soft only she could hear. "Forgive me, lady."
"No, think nothing of it." She said grimly. The archers loosened their arrows, but did not put them away. "Hurry, let's go." Madelyn pleaded, turning her head to search for Hassar. He grasped her by the hand again and led down the other side of the hill where they could see the path. The scrambling of their pursuers came up behind warily.
It was far to late. The road ahead had been blockaded by Araphen's cavalry. Madelyn tensed as she recognized their seal on the saddles. The Marquess of Araphen would not give up so easily. Hassar halted his steed and dismounted as Madelyn and Kasha approached. His face was completely emotionless, it was like him to be calm at a time as this.
Madelyn stumbled and fell, but was soon caught by Hassar. She looked up at the soldiers surrounding them, faces wet with perspiration and armor gleaming in the early light. She gripped his arms, breathing raggedly.
A gruff hand parted through the crowd of warriors. And to both Madelyn and Hassar's astonishment, Wallace stepped out before them, his expression mirroring theirs. The knight looked as Madelyn was in Hassar's arms in a protective manner, her eyes troubled.
"L...Lady Madelyn." He forced out.
"Sir Wallace." She returned. Kasha stood behind them, watching the riders of Araphen. Wallace paused, but then as he made the slightest movement of his hand, the tension in the soldiers of Araphen tightened as the took a step forward.
Madelyn stepped out from Hassar's protection, her hands spread out.
"Please wait! This is the fault of mine alone. Do to me what you will, but swear that you will not lay a hand on this man." Her voice had a trembling vibrato as her hands shook.
"No Wallace." Hassar interrupted, trailing his eyes around as he recognized the many other men from his training group in Caelin. "I am to blame. Let no harm befall her." Madelyn shot a glance at him, her eyes clearly displaying the pain as she mouthed the word 'no'.
He had a family and a tribe looking up to him. If he did not return to Sacae, the Lorca would be leaderless.
Wallace looked desperately from the noble's daughter to the plainsman. Closing his eyes shut, he tried to think. So, this was the reasoning for Madelyn's light step and happy demeanor for those months. He had felt terrible about being forced to drag her home, but now that it involved his best of friends, it was all that much worse.
There was a strained apprehension as Wallace contemplated his next actions. Madelyn coughed and stepped back, covering her mouth. Hassar was instantly to her aid.
"Hurry Wallace." One of the swordsmen growled. "The lady is ill. We can take both back to Caelin." Madelyn winced between her coughs, her head down towards the ground. Although her skin was so pale, the sun gave a lively glow on her complexion.
Wallace made up his mind.
With his palm stretched out, he waved it back. In surprise, the men in his command stepped back. He turned around and closed his hand.
"Go." He said so soft they hardly heard him. The soldiers were stunned into silence. They knew there was a price to pay for this insubordination. As he heard the runaways' steps fade away in the distance behind him, a brief, reminiscent smile flickered on his broad features, as if remembering an old joke.
"May we meet again, my old friend. But cowardice.. is far worse than laziness."