Nino: -whisper- She's very forgetful.
Miss Daisy: Yes. And intakes WAY too much sugar.
Winteress: ¬.¬ I heard that!
Quickening: Stop ARGUING!!! Read the story already!
Disclaimer: I do not own FE, blah, blah, blah. This was done in the last chapter, and this is the last chapter I'll be doing it in. -sigh- You get the deal.
Sonia's golden eyes glittered coldly as she surveyed all of us, the Four Fangs; she tossed her long mane of dark hair, crossed the room and took a seat, Brendan following her. We stood, attentive, ready to hear our orders.
"Jaffar," she said, and the assassin dipped his head briefly. He acknowledged her with barely a nod, yet she seemed satisfied.
"Ursula," she continued, eyes flicking to me. Her expression softened a bit more than it had for Jaffar; that was a good sign.
"Lloyd . . . and Linus." She looked at the Reed brothers distastefully, and they shifted slightly, uncomfortable under her piercing gaze.
"That's all of you, is it not?" she asked. A pointless question, if you had cared to ask me, but perhaps it was more for effect.
A pleased smile twisted across her red lips. "If I have you, the Four Fangs, together, I need no one else.
"I have need of you to eliminate a man whose living plagues me."
Yes, it must be important, if we, the Four Fangs, were to be sent to kill this man, instead of lesser Black Fang members. This was most likely an order from the mysterious Nergal.
"His name is Eliwood, noble of Pherae."
"Pherae's located in Lycia, is it not?" I asked carefully. One must never be too curious with Lady Sonia, nor too quiet. Her patience wore thin easily; she was not one to be trifled with.
"Correct," replied Sonia, glancing at me. "But he is no simple country lord. He has friends. Other Lycian lords. Individually, they are no match for you, and yet . . ." She paused, and those cold, cold golden eyes fixed upon me.
"Carelessness invites death."
"Do not make that mistake," I replied politely, perhaps a little too rushed. It was not that I was frightened, just . . . startled, I suppose, by the way she had directed that comment at me.
Still, I was relieved when she turned to the Reed brothers.
"Lloyd, Linus. I have work for you, the Reed brothers, as well. Agreed?" Her eyes glittered dangerously, as if just asking Lloyd or Linus to try and argue with her.
"One question," said Lloyd calmly, or at least he looked calm; no one could tell what he was thinking on the inside. "Are these our father's ord –" He stopped mid-sentence, remembering who he was talking to, and quickly subsituted: "Orders from the head of the Black Fang?"
Sonia laughed, a mocking sound that echoed through the chamber and bounced back off the walls.
"Why, naturally," she said scornfully, and turned to Brendan Reed. "Isn't that right, my beloved?"
Brendan, who had not spoken a word since the beginning of the conversation, muttered something barely distinguishable, but I could hear "yes" somewhere.
"There!" said Sonia smugly. "Are you satisfied?" she demanded. "Remove Eliwood. Your orders come from the head of the Black Fang, Brendan Reed. As members of this group, you will follow that order, yes?"
She paused, and turned her gaze to Lloyd, meeting the swordmaster's brown eyes with her own unnatural golden ones.
"Or . . ." she said, drawing out the word, "does your opponent frighten you into immobility, Lloyd?"
Lloyd opened his mouth, but Linus was faster.
"Sonia! How dare you speak to my brother in such a –"
I admired Linus's bravery, that was for sure. Not many would dare to stand up to Lady Sonia, less would dare to contradict her. That part of him hadn't changed.
Lloyd stopped his brother, with a quiet "Linus."
The younger looked down at the ground. "I know."
Sonia regarded both of them with contempt.
"Sonia," began Lloyd carefully, "we do not need to be chastised by you. Under our father, we are the ones who have carried out the law of the Fang."
And many others have, too, I thought bitterly, but remained silent.
"If Eliwood is an evil person, there is no need for us to hesitate."
Yes, but what if Eliwood was not an evil person? The Black Fang was once an honorable association, but since Lady Sonia's arrival, they no longer targeted only nobles that abused their positions, but whatever Lord Nergal ordered.
"The Fang lets none escape," stated Linus proudly. I looked at him, knowing I shouldn't, but watching him silently.
What had changed him so that he did not care for me anymore?
"We, the brothers Reed, dispense the Fang's justice," said Lloyd quietly. He, despite being older, had always been more calm, always thinking through situations.
Sonia watched them a moment longer, then turned to Jaffar and I, face unreadable.
"Ursula, Jaffar, you understand your orders, yes? Once you find the target, you eliminate him immediately!"
"It will be as you say, Lady Sonia," I said respectfully. "Anything for you."
Jaffar was silent a moment, then spoke in a low, quiet voice. "I've received my orders. I will do my duty."
"Your target's name is Eliwood, lord of Pherae!" ordered Sonia, harsh voice resounding through the bare chamber. "Bring him down! On the Black Fang's honor!"
Eliwood. Eliwood of Pherae. The name echoed through my head again and again as I left the meeting chamber. Sonia and Brendan disappeared down a dark corridor; Lloyd and Linus exited the chamber. I didn't know where Jaffar had gone; he had vanished into the shadows again.
I was untying Taelia from the hook on the wall when I heard muffled voices from around the corner.
"Eliwood . . . Sonia . . . Father . . ." I could hear, just barely.
I dropped Taelia's reins and flattened myself silently against the wall, edging towards the corner. Knowing it was a risk, I peered around the corner of the building.
It was Lloyd and Linus.
Lloyd was leaning against the wall not twenty feet away from me. Linus stood across from him. They were conversing swiftly and quietly, but unfortunately, they were quieter than they had been before; I couldn't hear them anymore.
What were they talking about?
"No!" yelled Linus, quite loudly and plainly. "I will not let that woman –"
"Shh!" Lloyd hushed him quickly, then glanced around. I pulled hastily back around the corner, heart beating fast.
They were talking about Lady Sonia, that was clear. I knew they did not like her. But would they go far enough to refuse her orders?
The next few days were relatively uneventful. Just as we had prepared to leave the fortress in search of Eliwood and company, spies had arrived from Ostia, reporting that the young lord of Pherae was heading to Nabata. We couldn't track them that far; Sonia and Brendan could not afford to send the Four Fangs across the continent. No, we would have to wait until they returned to Bern . . . and no one knew how long that would take.
But being the noble lords that they were, perhaps they would catch wind of the Fire Emblem plot.
And, then, perhaps, the Four Fangs would strike . . .
Next update!: Ursula has some rather interesting conversations with the Reed brothers; Eliwood comes to Bern...
Miss Daisy: Haha! I know what Ursula's conversations are!
Quickening: -thwacks- Shut up!
Miss Daisy: -sulks-
Winteress: Well! Please review! Thankies!