Crossroads of the Heart

Author's Note: Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.

Chapter 4: Aftermath


Their journey together had reached its end, and though for the moment the army that had saved the world remained united in celebration, it was inevitable that they would be scattered again across Elibe before long. Yet, friendships had been formed over the events of the past months, bonds forged that would remain strong over any distance, across any length of time. Serra knew that she would be returning to Ostia, and as her compatriots clapped themselves on the back and offered congratulations to any that would listen, she set herself about the ever-amusing task of picking out those who might be returning home together.

"You see, Sain, sometimes it's just obvious -- I mean, look there, Kent and Florina's sister... Fiora. There's no mistaking that look!"

"How is it," Sain began, an utterly crestfallen look on his normally bright features, "That Kent leaves this affair with an absolutely stunning lady by his side, and I am left with naught but a broken heart?"

"Tsk. It's like I tried to tell you -- you must lavish your attentions on only one woman at a time, Sain!" Serra scolded him, crossing her arms and adopting a lecturing pose. "It doesn't make anyone feel special when the time you spend with them is merely nothing but what you would do for any other girl!"

"That lovely little archer, Rebecca, mentioned something like that," Sain recalled, frowning. "And then she turns around and falls for that miser, Wil!" He sighed, hanging his head in defeat. "Wil!"

"What, are you blind?" Serra laughed, incredulous. "Honestly, Sain, you amaze me sometimes..."

"If it please you, beauteous angel of Elimine, I could show you just how amazing I truly am..."

"Sain!"

"Wh-what? Ah, I apologize. Your beauty simply is just so compelling..."

"Hmph! I am a holy sister of Elimine, need I remind you? Chaste... pure..." Serra teased, clearly enjoying Sain's lavish praise, though she would never admit to it.

"Oh, you simply exude purity, my dear Serra. Why, I always think to myself, 'that Serra, what a terrible thing it is that she's dedicated herself to the church!' It's a tragedy to mankind, I tell you!" Sain winked at her, his earlier morosity forgotten. It figured, Serra thought, that all he needed to cheer himself up was a willing recipient for his flirting.

"It is a tragedy, isn't it?" Serra giggled, girlishly toying with a lock of her hair. "As I always have said, my beauty should truly be a crime! Why, I could have anyone I wanted... you know, even Lord Hector himself is completely smitten with my charms!"

"I don't doubt it," Sain agreed, sounding impressively sincere, slyly taking her hands into his own.

"But, you know, Sain, it'd never work between us..." Serra pouted coquettishly, batting her eyes.

"What?! Why ever not?"

"Because... I am a gorgeous, generous, practically perfect sister in the service of the church of Elimine... and you're just a slightly cute rogue knight of Caelin who chases every skirt he can get his hands on!" Serra whirled away from him, shaking a finger at him scoldingly. "Honestly, Sain!"

"Whoa! Wait, Serra! ...Hey, what do you mean, slightly cute? Surely I'm better than that!"

Serra sighed, slipping away from him into the crowd. He actually was rather handsome, but she did find his woman chasing ways quite abhorrent. Besides, there was already another man on her mind... where did that silly mage get to? She had a sneaking suspicion that she might find him with a certain mounted vixen... a suspicion she soon confirmed, much to her irritation. What was his fascination with that woman? Anyone with half a brain could see she was far more interested in that wyvern rider from Bern...

"Erk... our contract expired weeks ago." Was it her imagination, or did Priscilla sound somewhat impatient?

"I understand that, milady... yet, the journey back to Etruria may bring with it many dangers. I would be more than happy to accompany you back."

Oh, no, no, no! This had to be stopped! Erk couldn't run off to Etruria...! Serra racked her brain, trying to think of something, anything to prevent him from doing so.

"...Erk... I appreciate your sentiments. I truly do. Yet, I have no more money left to give, and..."

"That's not necessary. I offer this service completely free of charge," Erk insisted.

"...and, I have already secured an escort home, besides."

"Oh? Will you be returning with Lord Pent and Lady Louise?" Erk inquired, surprised. "In that case, we will certainly be traveling together. I have my studies to return to with Lord Pent, after all--"

"No, that's not it," Priscilla interrupted, and Serra noticed the blush on her cheeks, though it seemed Erk did not. "You see, I..."

Erk eyed her expectantly, an inquisitive eyebrow raised. Priscilla stuttered a bit, clearly at a loss to explain, and Serra was suddenly graced with an epiphany. Of course!

"Oh, Priscilla!" Serra exclaimed sweetly, bounding between the two, smiling broadly.

"Hm? Serra...? What is it?" Priscilla looked almost suspicious, yet genuinely curious. Undoubtedly she had picked up on at least some of Serra's hostility toward her in the past.

"Heath was looking for you," Serra declared, her conscious rumbling slightly. Sure, the teachings of Elimine said that one should not lie, but... Heath probably was looking for her, right? And it's not like a little fib would hurt anyone! "Yes, he wanted to discuss something about your arrangements; he is escorting you back to Count Caerlon's residence, is he not?"

"Oh, I... yes, he is. Ah... thank you, Serra..." Priscilla stammered. She glanced once more at Erk, a truly apologetic look on her face, then dashed away to seek out Heath. There were several moments of silence; Serra studying Erk to gauge his reaction and Erk staring dumbly after Priscilla.

"...Heath?" He spoke finally, sounding more subdued than usual, if that were possible. "Heath? Is she mad?!"

"Oh, come now, Erk..." Serra began, sauntering up to him. "They are a cute couple, after all--"

"That has nothing to do with it!" Erk exclaimed, and Serra blinked at him, dumbfounded. He sounded angry... no, furious! What was his problem? "She can't possibly think that... she is the stepdaughter of the Count of Caerlon!"

"...Yeah? So?"

"Serra, that man is a deserter from Bern! He has no rank, he is lowlier than the most common peasant in terms of social standing. They have no chance!"

"Hmph! That is certainly the Erk I know," Serra sneered. "Always seeing the down side of things, never giving anything a chance! Why are you always so dark, so negative?"

"You--! I don't have time for this," Erk exploded, turning away, furious.

"Oh, come on!" Serra ran to catch up to him, determined to have her say. "You know it's the truth! Don't tell me -- you're just upset that the beautiful, refined, picture-perfect princess from Etruria turned you down for a mercenary!" Serra yelled at him, tears springing to her eyes, entirely unexpected. Why should she care if Erk would rather have Priscilla than her? She could... she could have any other man in the world, she could!

"What would you know about it?!" Erk yelled back, whirling around again, this time to face her. "I don't know why you're always pestering me so, but I will not abide... I will not abide this! What I feel... what I think... It's none of your business, you understand?"

"Pestering?! I put my life on the line, day in, day out, following you into the heart of battle sometimes, always there to patch you up when you're injured, always there to make sure you're not lost, hurt, alone! And all you can say is that I pester you?!" Serra shrieked, aware that she possibly sounded hysterical, but she was after all absolutely livid with fury. How could anyone be so ungrateful?

"I never asked you for that!" Erk exclaimed, eyes narrowing. "You followed me when I expressly asked you not to. You bothered me when I told you time and again I found your presence unwelcome and distracting. You're like a disease, woman! A plague with no cure in sight!"

"What did you just say?!" Serra gasped, horrified. "Well maybe I should have just left you alone to die! Perhaps I should have just let you disappear, or do you think that your precious Princess Priscilla would have come to your rescue time and again? Are you that stupid?!"

"Death would have been preferable to this constant torture! And don't you try and take all the credit here!" Erk growled, ignoring her comments concerning Priscilla. "Without me there, who else would have looked out for your well being? If I hadn't been ordered to protect you all the time, I doubt anyone would have jumped to your defense! Likely, they'd have let you perish, good riddance to a blight on decent mens' nerves the world over!"

"...You..." Serra whispered, her eyes filling with tears. That wasn't true! People did not hate her! She was very well loved! "You don't mean that..."

"It's no worse than what you said!" Erk shouted, still furious. Furious with Priscilla, with Heath, with his rotten luck...! He breathed heavily, waiting for her retort, perhaps even anticipating it. His heart raced.

Serra, however, had nothing left to say. And to think, she had considered falling in love with this ungrateful, loathsome, utterly foul example of a human being! She ignored the pain her chest, the tears that were now freely falling down her face. Without a sound, she turned away from the man she had considered freeing herself from her vows for -- what a stupid girl she was sometimes -- and walked in her practiced gait, head held high, back toward where her fellow Ostians waited to board the ship that would take her home. Alone.


After assuring her knights that she was, in fact, uninjured and perfectly well, Lyn had found herself with little to distract her thoughts from a rather pressing issue -- the dilemma of what she was going to do now that their adventure had reached its end. Her grandfather had been alive when she left Caelin, but his condition... though it hurt her to accept, she knew he would not last much longer. Even if he recovered from his injuries, it was likely his health would never return to what it had been. When he did eventually pass on, Lyn knew she would have quite a decision to make, but her heart had already decided for her long ago.

As she had often told Florina, she did not wish to succeed the throne of Caelin. She loved Caelin, and all of Lycia... but her heart, her soul lay in the plains of Sacae. The life of an aristocrat did not suit her, and it undoubtedly never would. Caelin would suffer under her unpracticed rule, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. Not so very long ago, she had been certain of her course of action; she would abdicate the throne of Caelin upon her father's death, consolidating the region with either Pherae or Ostia. Eliwood and Hector were born and raised Lycian nobles; either of them would suffice in ruling the province in her stead.

Yet now... things had been complicated further.

"Lyn." She jumped; how was it that Rath was always able to approach her so silently?

"Rath," Lyn greeted him, smiling warmly.

"It is as you said it would be," he continued, his gaze holding her eyes to his. "You are the strongest woman I have ever known, Lyn of the Lorca."

"Ah..." Lyn blinked, unsure of how to respond to that. "That is... it is an honor to hear that, Rath."

He nodded, seeming to gauge something in her reaction.

"You... you were planning to return to the plains, were you not?"

"I have certain obligations in Caelin," Lyn replied quickly, wondering if he had read the concerns directly from her mind. "I must return there first..."

"I understand," Rath spoke quickly, reigning his horse. "And after your... obligations have been taken care of?"

"Truthfully..." Lyn sighed, dropping her eyes. "I am no longer certain of what..."

"You will not be returning to Sacae?" Rath inquired incredulously, showing an unexpected hint of emotion.

"Rath?"

"...Nothing. No... Lyn. That look... it is unmistakable. I have seen it reflected in my own eyes, and the eyes of all who are born on the plains... it is the desire to return. I do not feel that I am mistaken."

"...You are not," Lyn assured him, yet she sounded troubled still. "You're exactly right. I would like nothing more than to return to the plains, and yet..."

"Whatever it is," Rath assured her, his face again an unreadable mask, "it will make no difference."

"What do you mean?"

"When I left my tribe, I was young. I was confused, even angry. I did not fully understand why I had to leave. I thought that I would find happiness elsewhere; however, I soon found I could not. You and I... we have much in common."

"Rath..." Lyn looked rather unhappy. She had heard of his past, how he had been sent away as a boy by his father, the famed Silver Wolf of the Kutolah. How hard it must have been...

"I am going back," Rath continued calmly. "I think that you and I should--"

"Hey! There you are!" Both Lyn and Rath turned in surprise; Hector approached from the shore, armor clanking characteristically. Rath stepped back, unfamiliar with this ungainly man, and wary of Lycian nobles in general. Lyn, of course, being the exception... yet she hardly counted as a Lycian noble at all.

Lyn turned to fix Rath with an apologetic look, then gasped in surprise as Hector grabbed her shamelessly from behind, holding her close against his chest. Her heart raced, and she reached up to grab his arm... she didn't notice Rath's expression, which was rather shocked to say the least.

"Hector! Wh..what are you..."

"Hey, Lyn." She could feel his breath on her neck, and she realized that she did not want him to let go. "You ready to go? Fargus is bellowing left and right over how he's ready to get out of here, and I'm not sure he's joking when he says he'll leave the stragglers behind..."

"I can't imagine Fargus making a joke, but he's surprised us before," Lyn replied breathlessly.

"Yeah, well." Hector released her then, and she turned to face him, wondering if she should smile or scold him... the former won. He smiled back... "Let's get going, then... or do I have to carry you?" He grinned, and Lyn did glare at him then.

"Don't you dare try it," she warned him. She turned to ask Rath what he had meant to say, and to apologize for Hector's rudeness... but to her surprise, he had disappeared. I wonder how he does that, Lyn thought, shrugging.

She turned back toward Hector, and blinked when he held out his hand.

"I suppose if I can't carry you..."

This dilemma was growing more distressing by the moment, Lyn realized. But she found herself taking his hand regardless; would living the rest of her days in Lycia really be so terrible?

Rath watched them as they returned to the ship together, finally understanding her hesitance. It was her decision to make, and he would respect whatever she decided on in the end. He truly believed that even if she did love that coarse Lycian lord, she would always hold the plains in her heart. She would have to discover for herself if the loss was worth it.

"...return together," he finished his statement at a whisper, as they disappeared from view in the trees ahead. "I'll be waiting for you, Lyn of the Lorca..."


"What are you looking at, Florina?"

"Oh? Ninian!" Florina exclaimed, whirling around to meet her friend. "Ninian, I... oh! I..."

"Oh, don't cry, please!" Ninian exclaimed, throwing her arms around the sniffling pegasus knight. "Florina, I can't... oh, look, now you've got me started..."

"I thought... I thought you were..."

"Well, I'm here now," Ninian assured her, hugging her tightly. "I... you don't... you're not angry with me?"

"What?" Florina stepped back, staring at her in bewilderment. "Ninian, how could I be angry with you?"

"It's just... I... I lied to everyone, and..."

"Oh, Ninian!" Florina laughed, wiping away her tears. "No, no... it's just like you said. We're friends, and nothing will change that. I don't care if you're a... a dragon..."

"...Thank you, Florina..." Ninian sniffed, smiling happily. "I was so worried you'd never want to speak with me again..."

"No... No, I... I'm so glad you're all right! Where is Lord Eliwood...?" Florina inquired curiously. "I didn't think he'd ever let you out of his sight again!" They giggled at that, and Ninian shrugged in response.

"He's speaking with Fargus... I told him I was going to find you."

"Oh, Ninian, I'm so happy for you! Has he proposed yet? Don't tell me he hasn't!"

"Well, no... but I'm not too worried about that," Ninian smiled.

"Knowing Lord Eliwood, he's probably too worried about not having a ring or something silly like that," Florina giggled. Ninian agreed, laughing along with her.

"I'm going back with him to Pherae... I'm a little nervous," she admitted. "I met Lady Eleanora once before, but..."

"Oh, don't be silly!" Florina scolded her. "I'm sure everyone will love you, Ninian. It's plain as day that Lord Eliwood adores you... that should be good enough!"

"Well..." Ninian blushed, but her eyes were shining with joy. "I hope you're right!"

"We should be heading to the ship," Florina pointed out. "I wouldn't want them to leave us here or something..."

"Yes... Florina? Why were you out here? You never answered my question!"

"Er... it's nothing," Florina assured her. "I was just out here to gather my thoughts... it's been a hard day..."

"Yes, I understand," Ninian agreed. But... something told her Florina wasn't telling the whole truth...

It's all right, Florina thought. I was silly to think such things, anyway.

It wasn't long before everyone had boarded Fargus's ship, finally, for the last time. They would be returning home soon, and what would happen then... only time would tell.