Title: Calamity

Chapter: 4/5

Author: Lizzy Rebel

Disclaimer: One day, pigs shall fly and on that day I shall become owner of Fire Emblem! Until then, however… DON'T SUE ME!

Keywords: Rath, Ninian, Nergal, angst

Couples: now with Rath/Ninian

Rating: PG-13 for sexual undertones and some scenes of violence

Genre: Romance/Angst

Teaser: Rath wanted Lyn, Ninian wanted Eliwood. Sometimes things don't work out as we plan them chapter version

Feedback: oh please?

Timeline: Chapter 25 and onward

Author's Notes: Not so late, is it? That makes you happy, non? Christmastime gave him lotsa extra time to edit this chapter. I wanted to add another scene XD Anyway enjoy.

Story Notes: This is kinda angsty. After all, anyone who's gotten this far knows this is where Ninian died. It was also kinda hard to right. I wanted to make it more Ninian/Rath influenced while remaining true to the actual scene. Well, I got it that way I like!

Warning: Ninian dies… kinda… that's sad… sorta

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The One with the Nergal

The next day, Rath and Ninian traveled in silence on their scouting mission from Lady Yuki. The tactician didn't seem to notice how awkward they had been around one another that morning and had sent them scouting together—like she had came into the habit of doing.

They came up to the precipice Lady Yuki had wanted to see. The tactician thought the high rock edge would help them spot Black Fang members or the king's men. The queen may have promised to stop the Bern soldiers from chasing after them, but the king of Bern had his own secret armies.

Rath dismounted Khan, being sure not to look over at the dancer standing quietly behind him. He wasn't ready to look at her. After all that happened between them, he needed time to think. It would have been better if he had gone alone.

Lady Yuki didn't seem to get that…

He had the urge to look at Ninian. To wheel around and pull her into his arms, wondering if she would protest. He bit his lip hard and banked the urge.

He had almost kissed her. He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea. Yesterday he would have kissed her had Lord Eliwood not intervened. Ninian hadn't been protesting, but she hadn't given him any hint that she wanted it as well. She had simply stared at him with her ruby eyes and accepted.

Why had she simply accepted and why did he care? Why had she suddenly become so important to him? Most importantly, why did he have the urge to kiss her? Even now?

It shook him hard, and Rath did not like to be shaken. Everything he had told Ninian yesterday was the absolute truth. He hadn't even thought about Lyn when he had rushed to save Ninian. Lyn had been pushed back in his mind when Ninian had stood at the feet of the Black Fang shaman. All he could think about was that she couldn't die. He hadn't spared Lyn at thought.

Why? He loved Lyn, didn't he? Why had the dancer become more important to him than the Sacaen noblewoman? Was it because he felt like he owed her or because she was a friend? Nothing seemed to answer the question why he had rushed to rescue Ninian and not Lyn. He had once dreamed of saving Lyn like that—a knight in shining armor, even if it was a disgustingly Lycian thought—but he had turned around and saved Ninian instead.

He couldn't understand why.

"Rath?" Ninian's soft voice flowed through his ears, a chorus of silver bells. "W—we need to ta—talk…"

"So talk," Rath muttered, still not facing her. He was afraid if he did nothing would stop him from finish what he had started to other day.

"Oh Rath…" Ninian gave a deep, mournful, sigh. "wh—why are you so ang—angry with m—me? Won't you—you tell me?"

"Nothing to tell," Rath said gruffly, stiffening his shoulders. He would not turn around and look at her. He would not look at those ruby eyes and beautiful face. He wouldn't be able to look away.

"Yes there is," Ninian said firmly and he heard the swish of her dress as she moved closer. "You have to tell me, Rath. We're in this together, remember?"

Rath wheeled around, eyes blazing, and Ninian jumped back. "Did you want me to kiss you yesterday?" he demanded hotly. "Did you?"

"Rath…" Ninian looked away, fire on her cheeks. "I—I don't kn—know… I don't know if I—I did…"

He looked away, feeling disappointed. Of course, she was unsure if she wanted him to kiss her or not. She still loved Lord Eliwood. It didn't matter that he was doubting his own feelings towards Lyn, Ninian was still deeply in love with Lord Eliwood. The disappointment almost made him sick.

"I—I…" Ninian stepped closer, looking up at him. "I think I di—did, though…" When he just stared at her, she continued, "I th—think I wanted you to kis—kiss me… I just don't understand."

Rath placed his hands on her shoulders, drawing her closer, brushing his fingertips across her smooth skin. "You are sure?"

"I—I don't know…" Ninian admitted. "Ca—can we see?"

He nodded, speaking no more words, and lowered his head. This time nothing stopped him as he pressed his lips firmly against her own. Ninian's hands rose and cupped his shoulders, fisting in the fabric. His hands lowered to her waist, drawing her as close as he could.

The kiss was gentle and sweet. He was pretty sure it was her first kiss and wanted her to remember him by it. Her lips were warm and firm underneath his, opening, parting, sighing. Her hands moved from his shoulders to push aside his bandanna and twine in his hair. She moaned softly.

He pressed his tongue just lightly against the seam of her bottom lip, not wanting to frighten her. Ninian, however, wouldn't be frightened. She opened mouth, accepting him, and used her own tongue.

Finally, the need for air was too great, and he broke away from her. Panting, Ninian pressed her head against his shoulder, her fingers still twined in his hair. His own hands rose from her hips and rested against the flowing locks.

"I—I didn't know it would be li—like that." Ninian finally muttered, confirming Rath's belief she had never been kiss before. "I'm glad i—it was you…"

Surprised by her words, Rath pushed her gently away so he could look at her. "You… don't wish it was Lord… Eliwood?"

She shook her head, "No, I—I always thought i—it would be Lord Eliwood… but now, I'm glad it's no—not… I don't wi—wish anything about Lord Eliwood any—any more."

"Good," Rath muttered and dragged her into his arms again, holding her close. Ninian sighed contently and molded into them. After a few minutes of standing like that they released each other. Rath mounted Khan and Ninian scooped up his bandanna that was flapping against a rock.

He pulled her up on Khan and Ninian placed the bandanna on his head. "I knocked it off…" she said sheepishly.

He allowed the smile to tease his feature before he clucked his tongue and they bounced back to the camp.

--&--

Everyone seemed to realize how close Ninian and Rath had become. Even Lady Yuki had remarked on it—you guys really like teaming together don't you?

But Ninian didn't worry too much. Not even as she watched Serra approach her with fire in her eyes, a sure sign she was determined to do something.

The cleric halted in front of the dancer, eyeing her squarely. "You've been spending a lot of time with Rath." She placed her hands on her hips and sent the young woman an accusing glance.

Ninian smiled softly, seeing no point in denying the truth, and shrugged. "Yes."

Serra blinked in surprise, as if she had suspected Ninian to go into a tirade of denial, but said in a calm voice, "Well, it's not a bad thing or anything. Rath is a kind person… even if he needs a little teaching when it comes to socializing. Kinda like my Erky! That Rath's awfully handsome, isn't he? Tall, strong, silent. Not my taste exactly but very, very handsome. You don't have to worry about me stealing him from you, Ninian, I'm perfectly happy with my Erk, even if he isn't much on conversations."

The pale dancer stared at her, unsure of how to answer. "Ah… thank you?" She must have said the right thing for moments later the lovely face broke out into a wide smile.

"I always pegged you to be in love with Lord Eliwood," Serra muttered, to Ninian's upper most surprise. "I was always waiting for you to break down and cry whenever Lord Eliwood and Lady Lyndis were together, but you never did. Guess you've been after Rath all along, huh? I really need to talk to Sain about this… he and I had a bet on who you loved. I said Eliwood and he said no."

Ninian wondered absently if she should tell Serra that she had loved Eliwood, though she didn't think she did anymore, just to make the cleric feel better about being wrong. But her face still had a strong smile and Ninian doubted she was sad at all.

"Well, I'm off!" Serra said brightly, clapping Ninian on the shoulder once and spinning around. "Good luck with Rath, Ninian!"

She stared at the cleric for a long time, until she had disappeared from view, chasing after her purple-haired mage. She didn't say anything, didn't move, until she heard Khan move up besides her. Smiling serenely, she turned and looked into Rath's dark eyes.

"Lady Yuki says we're closing in on the Shrine of Seals. We all have to press on together." Without a single moment of hesitation, Rath scooped her onto Khan's back, "Stay with me, Ninian. The Black Fang is sure to be guarding it. I will protect you at all costs."

A warmth flooded through her at Rath's words. The fact that he was willing to throw his life on the line to protect her made her knees weak. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

Rath looked surprised at her kiss—other then the passionate one they had shared on the precipice they had done nothing else intimate—but it didn't stop him from twisting his waist and capturing her mouth for a much more satisfying kiss.

"We must go Ninian and join Lord Eliwood…" Rath paused and stroked her cheek, looking deep into her eyes. "But I wish to ask something of you."

"Yes, what is it?" Ninian whispered. She would be willing to give her soul to him if only he asked it. Her eyes were wide and filled.

"Before… you spoke of wanting to see Sacae… well, I wanted to know if you would be willing to go to Sacae with me… you and your brother Nils. I would take you both to Sacae and you could… see it…" he hesitated over the last few words, as if he had wanted to say something completely different.

Ninian's first thought was to say 'yes', but then she thought about what Nils had said. He wanted to go home. He might not be too keen on traveling with her and Rath across Sacae, even if she wanted to do that more then anything. Especially with Rath. Rath had become a large part of her world.

"You know I want to, Rath," Ninian said softly. "I wa—want to see Sa—Sacae… with you… and only you… an—and Nils wo—would love it, I know… but… but what when this ba—battle ends? What i—if you change yo—your mind?"

"I will not change my mind," Rath said, cupping her face again. "I know this, Ninian. You have become very important to me in a mere few days. Such things can not be turned away. I cannot forget you or what I feel…"

"What you feel…" Ninian repeated, pressed her hands to his, "Rath, I think I—"

"Ninian!" Lady Yuki shouted, rushing over to them. "Rath! Come on, the Black Fang is up ahead. We need you."

"Another time," Rath promised her and dug his spars into Khan's sides. The horse snorted and they took off towards the battleground.

--&--

Ninian watched Rath's small figure in the horizon. He was currently chipping away at the armor of a knight, setting Jaffar up for a finishing blow. He was nothing more then a tiny dot in the sky.

It had been Lady Yuki's idea to send the nomad into the front lines of the battlefield. Rath hadn't voiced any complaints but he had looked at Ninian purposely and asked who would be looking at her. Hawkeye had taken up the job.

It made her heart jump to know Rath cared so much about her. It was a pleasant feeling, a feeling she had never felt before when she thought of Eliwood. But then Eliwood had never been overly concerned with her safety like he had with Lyn's. She wondered vaguely if Lyn's heart jumped like hers and if she should ask.

She wondered why she had come to care so much for Rath. Surely not because he had simply been there when she was a crying mess. No, these feelings where much too strong for that. It had to be different.

"Oh," Ninian said softly, raising a hand and pressing it to her chest as it jumped beneath her fingertips. She realized what she must be feeling and it almost made her fall. Her legs felt soft and boneless as the realization fell on top of her.

Do I love, Rath? She wondered, rubbing her heart, is that what I'm feeling? Love for him? She knew it had to be true. What else could cause these feelings in her? She had to be in love with Rath and somehow she didn't mind very much. This new love was so much stronger than what she had felt for Eliwood.

She smiled softly, thinking how wonderful it felt to be in love. Love was an exquisite pleasure. Even if the love was destroyed or rejected later it was worth it to feel these few moments of indescribable pleasure.

A shadow floated across her eyes and she looked up as Florina the Pegasus Knight flew overhead. "We've won!" she shouted giddily. "We've won! Lord Eliwood has defeated Lloyd of the Black Fang. We can enter the Shrine of Seals."

Ninian waved to the Pegasus Knight and picked up her dress. She made a mad dash across the plains, towards the entrance to the shrine. She knew Rath was there and with her newly realized feelings she couldn't wait to see him.

She reached the shrine's entrance quickly. Rath was just feet ahead of her, watching as Eliwood leaned over the bloody and broken body of Lloyd. Jaffar was holding Nino as she cried softly in his arms, sobbing over a brother she had loved and had watched die.

A feeling of remorse spread of Ninian as she watched Nino sob helplessly. She was the cause of this. Despite what Lord Eliwood or Rath or even Nils argued, she and her brother were the both the cause of this. If they had not come through the gate would any of this have happened? Would Eliwood's father be dead? Would the Black Fang be evil? Would Nino be sobbing over her brothers?

But then she would not have met Rath. She looked back at the nomad and felt the pang in her heart. Could she really regret coming to this land knowing if she did not she would not have met Rath? She loved him, could she go back in time and never come here, never met him and never love him?

Sadly, she made her way softly towards the nomad, wanting his arms around her. In his arms everything was much clearer. She was only two or three feet away from Rath when she felt a presence behind her. Gasping she spun around.

Nergal smiled at her evilly, reaching out and grabbing her shoulders before she could run away. She heard a voice scream, but wasn't aware it was her own. Nergal's dark magick swarmed over her and she felt her body grow weak. Unable to do otherwise she slumped against him, her eyes drifting shut.

She heard Rath scream her name before everything went black.

--&--

Rath watched in horror as the dragon Eliwood had slain with his legendary sword moments before took human form. Ninian lay in the ice dragon's place, gasping for breath and barely alive.

Nergal's laugh floated in his ears as the Dark Druid disappeared, leaving a devastated Eliwood in his wake. The Lord turned blindly towards the dragon-girl, his hands shaking as he realized what he had done.

After Ninian had been taken by Nergal, Lady Yuki had shaken all three Lords—who were completely shocked by the girl's kidnapping—and had said they must press on. She believed Ninian could still be saved, but only with the legendary sword Lord Athos had spoken of.

She had been wrong… a first…

Rath had said nothing to Eliwood or anyone else since Ninian's kidnapping. He had lost the will to speak. He noticed Serra looked like she had wanted to say something to him, but he had been careful to avoid her.

He had sat down on the cold, hard stone only feet away from Lloyd's broken and dead body and stared. Lord Eliwood, Lady Lyndis, Lord Hector, Nino, and Jaffar went into the Shrine of the Seals to obtain the legendary sword. Everyone else just sat around, staring, waiting, hoping. Most thoughts where on the missing dancer. Whether she was okay or what Nergal was doing to her.

As he sat there, thinking hard about Ninian he realized how much he missed her. The thought of her being hurt or injured or scared was enough to drive him insane. The thought that he might never see her again throw him off the edge.

Where was Ninian now? Was she trembling in the bastard Nergal's clutches or was she already dead? Rath shuddered, swearing that if that druid had hurt a hair on her beautiful head he would personally kill him.

But he also had done a lot of thinking. Where had his and Ninian's relationship been spiraling? He would have asked her to come with him to Sacae with her brother had she not been taken. No, he was sure he would have begged her to come with him. He didn't know why but he thought he couldn't go on without having her by his side. She had become more important than Lyn to him. He had chosen Ninian over Lyn… what did that mean?

And then it had hit him, like a ton of bricks dropped from the sky. He loved her. He, Rath, loved her, Ninian. And he had taken him only five days to fall. With Lyn his love had been a gradual thing, slowly forming out of his respect for her determination. With Ninian he had fallen and hard, to her kindness, her warmth, the secrets in her eyes, and the flickering sadness.

He had been so sure of his feelings for Lyn, never once had doubted them, but why had it taken him so little time to realize he loved Ninian?

And now she lay on the ground, dying…

Blindly, he dismounted from Khan and made a mad dash for her, but Eliwood beat him to it. The Lord gently picked the dragon-girl up in his arm and rocked her, his face shifting between anguish and guilt.

Lyn rushed over to his side, her face as mask of pain for her friend. Tears were streaming openly down her face, but Rath took no notice of them as he stepped closer toward Eliwood and Ninian. They were having a conversation in Ninian's last bit of energy. She was saying something about being glad he was well, but her voice was too soft for him to hear.

Finally he reached her, just a foot away from Eliwood. The conversation had ended and he watched in pain as she raised her eyes to his. He tried to smile reassuringly at her, but he couldn't muster the fake smile. He just stared at her, for once the emotions he felt on his face. They was all there: the pain, the sadness, the anger… but most of all the love. He made sure there was the love in his eyes because he could not say it.

Ninian seemed to have got it because she smiled softly, shutting her eyes. "Ra—" Her voice died and she fell limp against Eliwood, no longer breathing.

As Eliwood howled in guilt and Lyn sobbed helplessly behind him and Hector stood there numb, Rath groped his way over to Khan. He was blind now. He couldn't make out the faces of his as he mounted the horse and kicked him in the thighs.

Nils rushed passed him, awake and freed from Nergal, and numbly looked at Ninian's dead form. He fell to his knees, his lips parted in horror, but Rath didn't stay around to hear the little boy scream.

As he rode across the fields of the Shrine all he could see was Ninian in her final moment, the love in her red eyes when she had looked at him. The dying syllable on her lips…

Once he was sure he was far enough from the Shrine he howled so hard that Eliwood's screamed seemed like no more then a child's whimper. He screamed until his throat was sore and raw and tears that he hadn't known where there fell across his cheeks. He fell from Khan's saddle and lay helplessly on the ground, thinking only of Ninian.

After a long moment of laying still on the ground, Rath managed to mount Khan again and they rode farther. The horse's footfalls were slow, sluggish. Rath wondered if he was mourning Ninian as well. The horse had seemed to take a shine to her.

Finally they came to a thicket of dead woods. Rath slid off Khan's saddle and entered them, crunching the decaying forest beneath his boots. He pulled himself onto a large root sticking out of the soil and sat down, the root giving no protest to his added weight.

He stared into nothing, his hands held limply in his lap. His couldn't get around the fact that Ninian was dead… gone, lost… he had never told her he loved her. He would never get to show her Sacae.

"Ninian…" he whispered, somehow hoping saying her name would bring her back to him. He wasn't surprised when it didn't.

For a long while he sat there, thinking about Ninian and his love for her and what he could have done different. He also made vows. He would look after Nils, because Ninian would want that, and he would make Nergal pay. Oh yes, Nergal would wish he had never heard of Ninian when he got through with him. Rath could already see Nergal's blood running down his hands. He would kill that druid with his bear hands, he swore, even if it wouldn't bring Ninian back.

There was movement besides Khan, even though the horse didn't whiny, and Rath watched as Lady Yuki moved over to him, slowly. Her eyes were guarded as she halted in front of him and stared for a moment.

"Can I sit down?" she asked, her voice just as slow as her movements. She seemed different somehow, weaker. Her voice was deeper, as if she was fighting back tears.

Rath didn't want her sitting down with him. He wanted to be alone, wanted to share his memories of Ninian with no one. But Lady Yuki looked like she was about to collapse at any given moment and he didn't want to have to carry her back.

Wordlessly, he scooted over, making room. Lady Yuki sighed deeply and took her spot next to him. She curled her knees under her chin and stared like Rath had. Finally, she turned her head to look at him, even though he wouldn't look at her.

"I'm sorry." Her words fell hard on his numb ears but he couldn't seem to understand them. "I'm so sorry, Rath. When I put you two together I had no idea you would fall in love with her. Ninian needed a friend is all and Eliwood loved Lyn so it couldn't be him without Ninian being terrible hurt. And then I realized that you loved Lyn and didn't realize she loved Eliwood. I thought if I made you two be together in battle you would help each heal… and then move on."

Rath said nothing, couldn't. Should he be angry at Lady Yuki? Wasn't it her fault he fell in love with Ninian? Isn't she the tactician? He couldn't look at her, not sure how he felt about her and her plans.

"I never thought Ninian would die… or fall in love with you. Funny, huh? I'm the tactician; I'm supposed to come up with those ideas." Lady Yuki chuckled humorlessly. "Guess I really screwed up…"

He had the strangest urge to point out to Lady Yuki that while she hadn't had the foresight to protect Ninian as she had done in the past, she wasn't the one who had wielded the sword that struck Ninian's heart. Nor was she was the one to turn Ninian into her ice dragon form. Those positions were reserved for Eliwood and Nergal, two names he never thought he'd find a trait in common. Now, he did and he wasn't sure if he hated Eliwood more then he hated Nergal, it was a close call.

Eliwood wielded the sword that killed Ninian…

But he didn't tell Lady Yuki about that. He wasn't sure he could handle to look at her. He didn't even turn to her when she began to tremble.

"Oh… I killed Ninian… I as good as killed her… I always protected her in battle, but not this one time… this time I figured Nergal would be more concerned with the Shrine then the girl…" She began to sob, her hands reaching up and cupping her face, "but I was wrong! I had never been wrong before. I as good as killed her!"

Rath listened numbly as Lady Yuki sobbed uncontrollably. He titled his head back and concentrated on breathing in and out. The sobs of the tactician fell into the background as he forced his chest to rise and fall when it just wanted to stop.

He then became aware of the sounds of approaching hooves. He looked up as Sain galloped towards them, his normally cheerful face drawn and sad.

"Lady Yuki, Lord Eliwood wish to—" He suddenly was aware that the tactician was sobbing and he shot Rath an accusing look. "Why did you make her cry?"

"I didn't," was all Rath answered and turned away from them both, disgusted beyond anything he had ever been before.

Sain hopped down from his horse and patted Lady Yuki on her back soothingly. "Come on, love, let's get you some sleep." Without a word he picked the still sobbing tactician up into his arms. She gave a half-hearted protest.

"Leave me alone, Sain." She slid boneless into his arms. "I don't want to deal with you… or anyone else right now."

"Come on, you need to sleep. Eliwood wanted to head back to Ostia in the morning so you need your rest." He looked over at Rath. "I'll tell everyone you're scouting… or something."

He didn't face them, not even when Sain galloped away, Lady Yuki clinging to him like a lost child. He was shaken deeply by the tactician's outburst. If she felt hopeless after Ninian's death then what chance did they have? Lady Yuki had always been strong, even after so many things had happened, but Ninian's untimely demise had been the last straw for her. Would she ever reclaim her calm again?

He sat there a long time, thinking…

--&--

Calmly, his eyes never flickering, Rath loaded his silver bow and shot the archer down, keeping the morph from entering the throne of Ostia.

Eliwood stood besides Lyn, now mounted on his silver steed, but his eyes were dull. Lyn patted his arm and Rath didn't even fell a twinge of pain at the gesture. He felt numb, and angry. Eliwood had lost all reason to fight, the guilt consuming him. He only put up the pretense of being alright for Lyn's seek but the Sacaen woman was obviously not fooled at all.

Lady Yuki stood inside the throne room, having declined her normal position with Eliwood. She gave orders that were up to their brilliant standards, but to Rath's ears they were half-hearted. Like Eliwood she was being consumed by her guilt of what happened to Ninian and not even cheery Sain could pull her out.

Rath was unaware that his hands had clenched into tight fists around Khan's reins, to which the horse whinnied in protest. He loosened his grip, not wanting to hurt the only friend he had left.

He looked over at Eliwood and felt his features tighten. He had been fighting it for days but he didn't feel like holding back the anger anymore. He was angry at Lord Eliwood, angry enough to load his bow and strike the Lord down. He was the one, after all, who had slammed his blade into Ninian's heart. He was the one who had made her bleed, who had made her die. He was to blame, not Lady Yuki who blamed herself. It was all Lord Eliwood's fault.

Lord Eliwood would never be forgiven. Not for what he did. Lyn may have claimed that he was simply doing what he believed to be right at the time, but Rath saw Eliwood as a murderer. Maybe he always would.

Would Ninian like that? He wondered, plucking at the strings of his bow. Would she have wanted him to hate Lord Eliwood? Of course not, she didn't want anyone hating anyone… but that didn't mean he would.

There was a fierce battle cry at his side and Rath turned his head to watch just in time as Hector slammed his tomahawk into Denning's skull, splattering the blood and brain across the marble floors of the palace. Florina floated uncertainly by his side, knowing her Lord was in pain but unsure how to help him. Exhausted, mentally and physically, Hector dropped to his knees still clutching the legendary tomahawk he had gotten from the Shrine of the Seals. The red blood of Nergal's morph dripped from it onto his hands, but the Lordling didn't care.

Rath turned away. Somehow, without Ninian, they were all breaking apart…

--&--

"Before—before we go after Nergal," Lady Yuki said softly, twisting her wrists so hard she could've broken them. "We need supplies. Hector has been kind enough to lend us some money so we'll go shopping in Ostia. I need volunteers. Anyone? Alright, Kent and Fiora, you two. And you Priscilla… and Heath can come along as well. Ah, Rath?"

Rath sent the tactician a look that said he had no plan on coming, even if ordered to do so. He didn't do much of anything in the way of helping the camp. He fought just as hard as before but he was otherwise a dead lump sitting on his steed.

"Okay… Florina can come…" Lady Yuki struggled to maintain her voice level, not wanting to break down and cry again. "Everyone else… just—just wait. Rest, we all need it…"

As they started out for the shopping area in Ostia Eliwood walked past him, having dismounted his stallion. Automatically, Rath's hand groped for his bow, rage almost blinding him. All he could see whenever he looked at Eliwood was Ninian's blood on the sword he refused to wield now.

But then Lyn rushed past him, pulling Eliwood aside to speak to him, and Rath forced himself out of his trance. No, he couldn't harm the Lord. Not yet, anyway. First, they had a battle to win. Then he could deal with the anger inside of him.

He dismounted Khan and walked blindly through Ostia, not even looking up. Lyn and Eliwood were speaking in low voices besides him, Lyn obviously trying to get Eliwood cheered up. Something that was near impossible.

Suddenly, Nils moved up to his side. His eyes were blind and glazed and cold, most likely mirroring Rath's. The boy was careful not to look at the redhead Lordling, as if afraid he would lash out like the nomad feared.

"Rath…" The boy's voice was weak. "I—I need to talk to you… about Ninian…" He lowered his head and waited for the nomad's answer.

Without a word, Rath grabbed Nils's arm and guided him to a quiet section of the town. He looked at Nils squarely in the eyes and said, "Talk."

"I—I kno—knew about you and Ninian…" he began slowly. "I mean she did—didn't tell me, but I kn—knew the first time yo—you looked at her after we defeated Jerme. I just never saw her so—so happy ever. Not even when we were dra—dragons. After Eliwood's relationship with Lyn came out I—I thought she would be devastated… but she was—wasn't that upset. Sh—she had you so I—I… thank you… for what you did…"

"I needed her more then she needed me…" Rath muttered softly and then spoke louder, "Nils, I told your sister I would take you both to Sacae when this battle was over… the offer still stands… if you have nowhere to go… you can come with me back to… to Sacae. I would look after you…"

"You would… would do that?" Nils whispered in disbelief as Rath nodded. "I would… would like that if I—if I cannot go home. Ninian always wanted to see—see the plains, Rath."

"I know…"

--&--

The rhythmic motions of the ship did little to soothe him. The seas were rough that night, attacking the ship with relentless lashes. It was almost as if it knew the destination of the large pirate ship and it was trying to stop its progress.

Rath wondered—not for the first time—why Fargus would take Eliwood's troupe to Valor, again, when he knew that doing so would mean nothing but danger for him and his crew.

Perhaps it had something to do with Dart, but Rath doubted that. Fargus's occupation was considered lawless by most people, but none would deny that Fargus had a heart and he used it when it counted. He knew that Eliwood was on a mission to save the world and the goodness that burned in him would not allow him to ignore that.

Eliwood…

Rath's fingers dug into the wood on the railing of ship. He had been avoiding the redhead Lordling, afraid that if he was alone with him than nothing could stop him from placing an arrow in his chest.

Lord Eliwood didn't deserve that. No matter what Rath wanted to think, he could not deny the fact that Eliwood was inherently good. He had killed Ninian without truly knowing it was her. If the Lord had he would have certainly not killed her.

All Eliwood had seen—all Rath had seen, damnit—had been a dragon. A dragon that would have killed them. The legendary sword Eliwood had just earned had acted before anyone could think, doing what it was created to do. Destroy.

"Rath?"

Speak of the devil.

He turned and watched the as the Lordling approached. The moon shone on the red hair, giving it a silvery tint.

Rath didn't say anything and he was thankful that it didn't seem uncharacteristic of him to be so silent. If he didn't say anything to Eliwood than he had a better chance of letting the Lordling walk away intact.

"I could not sleep." Even though Eliwood was technically talking to Rath, it seemed like he was speaking to himself more. "Lyn will be upset but I do not think I could sleep… not until this is done."

I do not think I could every forgive you, Rath thought and still remained silent. He had never been friends with Eliwood before, but now there seemed to be an even larger gap between them. Rath couldn't, nor did he want to, fix the gap.

"You must do what you have to," Rath told him and turned away. That is why I let you live, Lord Eliwood, because you are the only one that can avenge Ninian.

It made a sour taste clog his throat. To know it was only Eliwood that could avenge Ninian. He wished he could avenge Ninian, make her death worth meaning, but his strength was nothing compared to Nergal's. It was Eliwood, and Eliwood alone, that could.

"You are right," Eliwood agreed and looked out into the sea. "I will do what I have to do. I will not lose anyone else."

Rath did not answer. He could not. Instead he walked back to his bed. Sleep would not come there, he knew, but he could find silence and silence was all he what he coveted the most at that moment.

Even the harsh rocking of the ship didn't bother him. He turned onto his side and buried his head and his body in the thick blankets of his bed. Above him, Wil snored away.

For Ninian, he would do what he had to do. Even if it meant letting Eliwood avenge her.

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A/N: Yup, Ninian's dead and she's gonna stay dead… not! Really, I didn't like how they brought Ninian back from the dead. Kinda a little predicable. And since when did Brimmon (or however the hell you spell his/her/its name) care about humans? It didn't really flow with the already set-up characters.

Next Chapter: The final chapter! Yay! Ninian's revived, Rath isn't sure how to handle it, Nergal gets the ass-kicking of his life, and everyone gets summed up in a nifty little epilogue. Now, doesn't that sound fun? Stayed tuned for The One with the Epilogue.

Reviews:

Red Cell: and I love that you love it!

Kratos Aurion: Hey, isn't that a ToS name? Sorry, I just got that game for X-mas and have had it on the brain! XD And despite the fact what? I care! I wanna know let's her curiosity get the better of her oh please!

Angel White: I am so glad that I am not alone in my love of Rath/Ninian. Now I can totally think of a 'name' for the pairing. How about Ninath? Does it not work. And we can call it the S.S. Dragon Arrow! Oh yeah!

Narugurlee: Actually, I rewrote this chapter from one-shot because I wanted a Rath/Eliwood conflict scene. Of course, I had to keep them in character. I had originally planned Rath to have big explosion and almost kill Eliwood, but that wouldn't work. Rath doesn't loose control of his emotions and Eliwood had to remain unaware of Rath's feelings for Ninian. So we got the last scene instead. Not what I wanted, but much has to be sacrificed to stay true to the creator's vision. And yes, I have gotten Nino/Jaffar's A support. I squealed! Lizzy Rebel does not squeal, but this made me!

Amber: When you review to liking the couples I take it you mean the normal ones? Like Eliwood/Lyn (not as popular as Ninian/Eliwood, but still normal) and Fiora/Kent?

Person with cookies: can I have a cookie? No seriously, thanks! It means a lot to me that you like it!

NoMads are MAD: Thanks you so very much! When you shouted at me I couldn't help but think 'wow, they want this updated… a lot' XD

"You're only jealous because the voices talk to me'

–Lizzy Rebel