Oh... this is hard, but it's starting to get fun! Thank you Amethyst Bubble, extremely, for updating! And thank you RianneHime, for telling me about Renault and for your new wonderful story!
(Kicks Renault)
And thank you EVERYONE for reviewing! I haven't read everyone's stories yet... (smiles broadly) I need to save stories so I have something to read once in a while. Fire Emblem shonen-ai is almost non-existent... (cries) But there are non-slash stories that are sweet too, like... Serra/Erk! (Got to love that pairing.) I'm sorry I'm not putting in Hector/Eliwood... there are some pairings that are too hard for me... and I guess that's one of them. (sad sigh) Plus, my friends and I have declared that Hector either belongs to Lyn or he belongs to Florina. So, I'm sincerely sorry to say I'm too pathetic to put Hector/Eliwood in here, and I'm really, really sorry I took so long to update.
(Kicks Renault)
Oh, and just a warning, so I don't get complaints, this chapter does jump a lot, so... One minute, it'll be Lucius's point of view, the next it's Serra's point of view, than it's Guy's point of view, than it's Heath's point of view... you get the idea. And, uh... this chapter doesn't have as much slash as I hoped it would have... it's mostly Serra/Erk (which most of you probably don't support anyway...) and has Raven/Lucius in the beginning.
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Once again, the authoress of this story is too lazy to copy the warning from Chapter One... not that it matters anymore, because if you're reading Chapter Three it's pretty likely you don't mind these couples... right? Heck... I think I'll just stop writing these warning things.
(Kicks Renault)
If I owned Fire Emblem, Guy would be a lord and Matthew would be engaged to him. And if I owned Fire Emblem, there would be a scene in Chapter Sixteen in which Lucius and Raven give each other a 'good luck' kiss. If you don't understand by now that I don't own Fire Emblem, you are either officially idiotic or don't know Fire Emblem that well.
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Chapter Three
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The next morning, Nino ran hurriedly out of her room and downstairs toward the dining room. She had stayed up too late making plans on how to put Uncle Legault and Uncle Heath together, and ended up sleeping in. Jaffar would have her head on his breakfast plate if he found out that she hadn't slept properly. She had also taken to calling the wyvern rider 'Uncle Heath' in her head, because she was already picturing the wonderful wedding ceremony.
She slid down the railing of the last stairway and ran to her seat at the breakfast table. She picked up her bread and goat's milk and began eating, but halfway through the milk she noticed four seats empty. If her memory hadn't failed her, that was Lucius's seat, Raven's seat, Sain's seat, and Kent's seat. It wasn't surprising that Sain would sleep in- his personality told Nino and anyone who cared to notice that he would have slept in sooner or later- but Lucius and Kent were too big on punctuality, and it worried Nino that they were late.
She poked Jaffar's shoulder. "Jaffar, where are Lucius, Raven, and Kent? They would have shown up by now."
Jaffar shook his head. "I wouldn't know."
Nino hung her head. "Oh, sorry... I just needed to ask. They usually would be here by now. I... I..."
"I love you, Jaffar..." Jaffar fantasized. Underneath the table, he pinched himself.
"I... I..." Nino sighed. "I worry too much. After all, it's not my business why they're late... maybe Kent is trying to wake up Sain and Lucius is brushing his hair."
She caught a glance of slight disappointment from Jaffar's expression and was about to ask what it was about, when all four of the missing men entered the room, all with uncombed hair (even Lucius) and ruffled clothing. Nino ran up to Kent. "Kent, why are you late to breakfast? And if you have any idea, do you know why the other three are late?"
Kent's slightly clouded mind registered the question, and he blushed a deeper shade of red than his armor, which he had forgotten to put on. Sain heard the question as well, and leant down to Nino. "Sorry for worrying you- we were... occupied with something." He smiled at Kent. "Wasn't it fun, though, Kent?" The more serious cavalier blushed even deeper and nodded, a guilty shadow of a smile on his lips.
Nino didn't understand what Sain did that could have convinced Kent to be late for anything, so she skipped back to her seat. "Now, how will I get Uncle Legault and Uncle Heath together...?"
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Heath sneezed.
"Bless you, Heath," Priscilla said. "Are you well?"
Heath nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. There's no need for you to heal me."
Priscilla nodded and got back to her breakfast. Erk, who was sitting on the other side of her, glanced over at Heath, an odd expression on his features. His expression became one of annoyance when someone tugged on his sleeve.
"Erk! Are you doing anything beside reading this afternoon?" Serra asked, smiling over-cheerfully. Erk rubbed his forehead, trying to ease his headache.
"No, Serra, I do not. What is this about?"
Mentioned cleric smiled even wider. "Lady Priscilla wanted me to ask. She didn't say why, though..." She pouted at the thought of being left out of a secret. "She hasn't asked you to go out on a stroll with her yet, has she? She should, I just know she wants to..."
Erk slapped Serra on the shoulder. "Please hush up..." As expected, his face had lit up bright red at the mention of Priscilla.
"Oh, but you know you want her to!" Serra whined, rubbing her sore shoulder. That mage was stronger than he thought he was. "She's pretty, she's gentle, she's quiet..." Her voice shrunk as Serra listed off Priscilla's virtues. "... She's a real healer... unlike me..."
Erk looked over at Serra, confused and feeling slightly guilty. "What are you talking about?"
Serra answered the question, forgetting whom she was talking to. "I'm ugly, violent, loudmouthed, annoying, I can't heal without causing a headache with my chatter..." Her finger was drawing circles in the tablecloth without her knowledge. "... The list goes on... I can hear people say these things..."
"Serra...? What are you... " Erk began, but Serra started her next sentence before he could continue.
"Nobody cares, nobody understands, nobody ever stops to appreciate my efforts, nobody... nobody..." She raised her head slightly, giving Erk a good view of her expression: sadness. "... Nobody loves me..."
Erk felt bad. All of a sudden, his stomach had butterflies, his arms tickled, his legs had lost feeling, and his heart went crazy. He felt horrible. "Serra, I'm sorry..."
"No, you're not!" Serra shouted so loudly, everyone at the table turned to look at them. "You were the first to say I was ugly, violent, loudmouthed, and annoying! You were the first to complain of headaches! If anything," she glared at him. "If anything, you hate me! Just... just go talk to Priscilla!" She slapped him very hard on the face and ran out of the room.
Erk sat, thunderstruck, and almost didn't notice Priscilla cleaning up his bruise. He turned to her, eyes still full of hurt. "P-Priscilla..."
Priscilla looked down. "Serra... her mask has been slipping lately. She can't seem to take insults as well as she used to, and... I feel I am to blame..." She glanced at Erk. "... Please apologize sincerely to her."
"But she didn't listen last time; what makes you believe she will the second time?"
"Serra..." Priscilla continued. "You might not have realized it, but she's been playing matchmaker for the last couple weeks. She..." Priscilla stared into Erk's eyes. "She only wanted you to be happy. By the slipups she's made these days, I think she actually likes you. She only set you up with me because- "
"-Because she felt that she was too annoying, that I hated her, and that I would be happier with you," Erk realized. A head of red hair bobbed up and down in a 'yes'. Erk stood up in his chair, looking at the place Serra had disappeared off to. "Oh, flux." He ran out of the dining room, yelling "Serra!" as he went, but the pink-haired healer never gave a reply.
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Lucius had heard the whole argument, as most of the party had, and felt he could have done something about it. He was running his fingers through his soft, blond hair, and looking over at that side of the table. He started getting up, but felt a hand on his wrist. It was Raven.
"... ... Do not bother trying to solve the situation. You will only get yourself into trouble." He suggested this more out of habit than real concern, as his tone of voice indicated that he didn't expect Lucius to listen to him anyway. Lucius smiled his kind, gentle smile. He then leaned over and gave Raven a light kiss on the forehead.
"I won't be long- I promise."
After those six words, Lucius gave a nod and ran out the dining room, where he had seen Serra and Erk run. Raven sat in his seat, and stared at the doorway that Lucius had disappeared through, only those last words echoing in his mind.
"I won't be long- I promise."
"I promise."
"I promise..."
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As Serra ran, she occasionally glanced back, to make sure that she wasn't being pursued. She made it outside, to one of the training grounds, and collapsed in exhaustion. That was it; her world was over. She had just messed up everything that mattered in her life, and there was no way that Erk was going to forgive her for having that yelling fit. Sure, she had always yelled before, but she had never yelled at anyone with sincere anger, and certainly never frustration. She sat in the grass, for St. Elimine knows how long, and was so absorbed in her mournful thoughts that she didn't hear the pair of footsteps walk up to her until the soft hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up, expecting to see Erk, with an angry face filled with hate. Instead, it was Lucius that she laid eyes on. The young monk's eyes were filled with concern, as his eyebrows were drawn together in question.
"Serra... I'm so sorry."
Serra looked into his blue eyes and read the sincerity that clouded them. Her eyes were watering, and before she could stop herself, she had started crying on his shoulder. Lucius, being the understanding person he is, gave her a comforting pat on the back to try to sooth any leftover anger.
They stood there in that position for several minutes, before Lucius's eyes suddenly widened. "Serra... do you hear something...?"
Serra pulled away from Lucius, looking around. Several yards away, she heard footsteps. They weren't running, like someone who had been looking for them, nor were they walking, like someone who was out on a casual stroll. These footsteps were very quiet, but they were hurried. After awhile, the footsteps stopped, and they were replaced by the sound of ruffling leaves.
Lucius looked toward the forest not far from their position. "Be on guard, Serra. It might be an enemy spy."
Lucius placed a finger on his Aura spellbook and readied for attack, while Serra edged slightly behind Lucius, left fist balled and Heal staff raised in a defensive position. They both stood there, waiting for whomever it was to show themselves. After a long time, Serra lowered her staff. "Maybe it was just a squirrel or something, Lucius... you're being a little too superst- KYAAAAAAAAA!!!"
From the right, an assassin flew, seemingly from nowhere, toward Serra, knives drawn. Serra screamed, and Lucius stood between her and the assassin. Quick as a Thunder spell cast by Erk in a bad mood, Lucius's Aura book was open, and he had started collecting the light energy necessary for the attack. The assassin, however, was quicker than a Thunder spell cast by Erk in a bad mood, and kneed the shocked monk in the stomach, effectively knocking him out. By then, Serra had stopped screaming, quickly managed to pick up the Aura book that Lucius had dropped, and tie it to her back, where it was well hidden by the complex folds of her scarf.
The assassin slung an unconscious Lucius over his shoulder and glanced at Serra just as she had finished hiding the Aura book and tucking her Heal staff into her belt. She panicked when he stepped toward her direction. "Ah... ah..."
From behind, another figure, who had snuck in unheard while Serra was screaming, held up a Sleep staff and had started chanting the spell. Serra heard the chant and recognized it, having used the same thing countless times in battles, and started calculating how much time she had until the spell took effect. Running would be no use, as the spell could be affective even from a long distance away. She could only think of one solution at the moment, and it was to put her famed talent to use.
Serra raised her head toward the castle and shouted as loudly as she could. "HELP!!! THERE ARE ASSASSINS IN... in... the..."
The figure with the Sleep staff smiled in satisfaction as the pink-haired cleric collapsed to the grass, sleeping soundly as if she had simply gone to bed after a nice day of picking berries. The assassin, with Lucius still slung over his shoulder, watched as the figure gently gathered up Serra in his arms.
"No need to be so gentle to a prisoner, Mint."
The figure looked at the assassin. "Oh, but Rade, can't you be just a little more kind to them? They aren't even our enemies."
"I know, Mint, but they have befriended that cobra who murdered our mistress's beloved." The assassin, Rade, raised a fist in anger, being careful not to drop Lucius. "If you recall, Mistress was heartbroken when Lady Lyndis ended Lord Lundgren's life. These two fools were even present during the battle; I remember watching this very monk on my shoulders murder my father."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Mint commented. "It's true that they have done a lot to Mistress. But they weren't doing it for themselves. They were doing it because they were being told to, as we are being told to bring them to the Hidden Fort. I, for one, choose to treat them with kindness, and wait until their commanding officers, along with that cursed tactician of theirs, pay the price."
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"KYAAAAAAAAA!!!"
The scream came unexpected, and Erk's head turned at the sound, resulting in a head-to-head collision with none other than Canas.
"I'm sorry!" the nerdy druid quickly apologized. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and- "
"Serra!" Erk cried, not having heard a single word Canas had said. "That sounded like Serra!"
Canas blinked. "Why, now that I think about it, yes it did. Do you suppose she's in trouble?"
Erk hadn't waited for his reply; he had already gotten up, and was now turning his head every which way, trying to identify where the sound had come from. Canas got up and dusted himself off. "Well, I suppose you would be rather concerned with her well-being; you've been looking for her for two hours, and skipped breakfast in the process. It was delicious, too. Lowen was very proud of it..."
Erk frowned. "Pipe down, you're talking almost as much as Wil does. I can't hear myself think."
Canas was about to utter a sincere apology, but another sound echoed throughout the castle, again in Serra's voice.
"HELP!!! THERE ARE ASSASSINS IN..."
Erk panicked, and started trying to think of where Serra could be that would allow her to be caught by assassins. Canas, however, had noticed how Serra's voice had grown weaker and weaker until it couldn't be heard, and started to wonder why that was. They both stood there for a couple of seconds, frantically guessing and casually pondering, until two different voices interrupted the silence.
"I told you, it's most likely another joke she's playing, just to get people to worry about her- you know her! She'll do anything to get attention! Sometimes, she even embarrasses us to get what she wants! Haven't you heard her prayers?"
"Well, all I'm saying is, we can never be too cautious, right? I mean, it's not as if spies couldn't get here; they could easily have taken her away, and by the way you're thinking, we won't be able to find her until it's too late!"
Lyn turned around the corner, quick-stepping like she needed to get somewhere; she was quickly followed by Hector, who seemed to have a hard time keeping up with her wide strides. Hector looked very angry, while Lyn's face held concern.
"Well... well... this is Serra we're talking about, okay? We might even be better off with a replacement!" Hector fumed. "Look, I- "
The heavy axe-man stopped talking when he noticed that his cape was being tugged backward. He had walked right past Canas and Erk, and upon hearing Serra's name, Erk had grabbed onto the blood-red cloth. "Lord Hector, I have decided I want to resign. I believe that working in this group is too stressful; I want to head back to Castle Wrigley. What do you think of that?"
Deep blue eyes widened, filled with shock. "What are you talking about? You are very important part in our team! What would we be able to do without you?"
Erk shrugged. "That wouldn't be my problem. You could easily find someone to replace me, right? Pent can use neutral magic too, and I believe that if you train Priscilla hard enough, she would be able to figure out some of my old spells." He glared up at the taller man. "Am I right?"
Hector blinked, getting more frustrated by the minute. "No, you're not! Pent has different statistics, and Priscilla will never surpass your skill in neutral magic! You're unique, Erk; there's no way we could find a replacement for- "
"You are saying milady Serra is not unique also?" Erk glared. Hector swallowed. "Serra is a cleric; she could easily be replaced by Lucius, that is true... but how many clerics do you know have the extreme fire of determination in her eyes?"
Canas, Lyn, and Hector stood there, dumbfounded. Erk sighed in defeat, letting go of Hector's cape. "I am sorry, I... haven't been myself lately. If you'll excuse me..." he shuffled down the hall, toward the stairway. He placed a foot on the first step, and then turned around, furious again. "I'll want to know your decision with Serra as soon as you decide; keep in mind that if you do not decide to bring her back, than I myself will resign from this group and set out to find her myself."
He scurried up the stairs, red cape billowing behind him. Lyn watched as the material disappeared from sight, and sighed. "Poor Erk... he's been very sensitive about Serra since this morning... I think something finally got him."
Canas cleared his throat, and the two lords turned his direction. The druid placed a finger on his monocle and his thumb on his chin, and placed the other hand on his hip, fitting in the last pieces of his puzzle. "Erk and I were much closer to the general direction Serra's scream came from, and I have noticed this; on her cry for help, her voice indeed was very loud, as it usually is; but, as the sentence went on, her voice grew dimmer and dimmer, until it was incoherent." Canas's eyes went toward the ceiling. "It is curious that she would do that, if she had been pretending; most people would have found it more convincing if she had completed her sentence in the same volume. Would you not agree?"
"Hmm... yes, that does make sense," Lyn agreed, nodding. "Though, I have no idea as to why her voice would weaken like the way you described."
Canas twirled his hands in a circular motion. A white mist formed from his movement, and when he stopped the circular motion, a swirled, blue-gemmed staff was suspended in midair next to his sleeve. The aura it emitted made Lyn rub her eyes tiredly and Hector suspend a yawn. Lyn's concerned look deepened.
"Don't tell me... they used a Sleep staff...?"
Canas nodded. "The logic fits, does it not? I come to the conclusion that Serra is no longer within these castle walls, nor in any field or forest that is tended by the castle."
Lyn's breath intake became louder, and Hector's eyebrows drew together. Canas waved away his Sleep staff and crossed his arms. "That is why- "
He was interrupted by an object that flew from an open window. He barely managed dodged it in time, and the object stuck to the wall with a loud thunk. It appeared to be a knife, with a message stabbed onto it. Hector pulled out the dagger while Lyn gently removed the message, careful not to destroy it. She read it out loud as Canas read over her shoulder.
"To Lady Lyndis, Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector, and respectfully, the Tactician:
We have... how should we say this politely, hmm... visited your castle this afternoon, and we've taken several people with us. We currently do not know their names, but we will describe them to you:
A young, pink-haired and loud lady, equipped with the skill of staves
A young blonde lady, skilled in the arts of light magic
A fairly young bright green-haired girl, apparently skilled in the arts of neutral magic
A purple-haired thief with a painful-looking scar on one eye
A green, white haired man with heavy armor and several lances
A brown-haired young man, carrying a Longbow
A young redheaded lady, again equipped with the skill of staves
A young Sacean male, dressed in blue and carrying a sword
We have invited them over to our castle, the Hidden Fort. We would appreciate if the rest of you came and paid us a visit... there are people who are just dying to see you.
Good day to you, and may St. Elimine's praises hold your desires."
Lyn nearly dropped the message in shock. "They... they've not only abducted Serra, but they've taken a large portion of our party, too... there's no way we could just let this slide."
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Ack! When did my odd, random, uninteresting story develop a plot? (Is shocked) Well... err... ... um... ...
(Kicks Renault)
I am almost absolutely sure that I got some information wrong here. (Sighs) If you ask about (in the first paragraph) what Kent and Sain were doing, well... (Cough) Yeah... I you can't figure it out, I'll just let someone else explain to you. (Cough cough cough)
(Kicks Renault)
Oh, and I'm making a Fire Emblem shrine, and there's going to be a part that specifically exists to list people who kick Renault! (Grins from ear to ear) So if you want me to add you on the list fast, email your penname to tacticianofsacaeyahoo.com. (Don't ask about the address; all the other addresses I could think of were taken...) That's the email for the future site. Please do not visit the site yet. Be sure to list the subject as 'Kicking Renault' so I know what it's about. Thank you!
(Kicks Renault)
Corrections are appreciated, flames are welcomed, compliments are loved, another chapter in 'The Troubles of Matchmaking' would make me jump in joy (and possibly hit my head on the ceiling); pennames for the 'Kick Renault' page and reviews will fill me with guilt and make me want to write the next chapter as quickly as possible. (Sniff sniff) This chapter was longer than the others, I guess to make up for it coming so late... so yeah. Until next time.
(Kicks Renault)
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And thank you EVERYONE for reviewing! I haven't read everyone's stories yet... (smiles broadly) I need to save stories so I have something to read once in a while. Fire Emblem shonen-ai is almost non-existent... (cries) But there are non-slash stories that are sweet too, like... Serra/Erk! (Got to love that pairing.) I'm sorry I'm not putting in Hector/Eliwood... there are some pairings that are too hard for me... and I guess that's one of them. (sad sigh) Plus, my friends and I have declared that Hector either belongs to Lyn or he belongs to Florina. So, I'm sincerely sorry to say I'm too pathetic to put Hector/Eliwood in here, and I'm really, really sorry I took so long to update.
(Kicks Renault)
Oh, and just a warning, so I don't get complaints, this chapter does jump a lot, so... One minute, it'll be Lucius's point of view, the next it's Serra's point of view, than it's Guy's point of view, than it's Heath's point of view... you get the idea. And, uh... this chapter doesn't have as much slash as I hoped it would have... it's mostly Serra/Erk (which most of you probably don't support anyway...) and has Raven/Lucius in the beginning.
(Kicks Renault)
Once again, the authoress of this story is too lazy to copy the warning from Chapter One... not that it matters anymore, because if you're reading Chapter Three it's pretty likely you don't mind these couples... right? Heck... I think I'll just stop writing these warning things.
(Kicks Renault)
If I owned Fire Emblem, Guy would be a lord and Matthew would be engaged to him. And if I owned Fire Emblem, there would be a scene in Chapter Sixteen in which Lucius and Raven give each other a 'good luck' kiss. If you don't understand by now that I don't own Fire Emblem, you are either officially idiotic or don't know Fire Emblem that well.
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Chapter Three
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The next morning, Nino ran hurriedly out of her room and downstairs toward the dining room. She had stayed up too late making plans on how to put Uncle Legault and Uncle Heath together, and ended up sleeping in. Jaffar would have her head on his breakfast plate if he found out that she hadn't slept properly. She had also taken to calling the wyvern rider 'Uncle Heath' in her head, because she was already picturing the wonderful wedding ceremony.
She slid down the railing of the last stairway and ran to her seat at the breakfast table. She picked up her bread and goat's milk and began eating, but halfway through the milk she noticed four seats empty. If her memory hadn't failed her, that was Lucius's seat, Raven's seat, Sain's seat, and Kent's seat. It wasn't surprising that Sain would sleep in- his personality told Nino and anyone who cared to notice that he would have slept in sooner or later- but Lucius and Kent were too big on punctuality, and it worried Nino that they were late.
She poked Jaffar's shoulder. "Jaffar, where are Lucius, Raven, and Kent? They would have shown up by now."
Jaffar shook his head. "I wouldn't know."
Nino hung her head. "Oh, sorry... I just needed to ask. They usually would be here by now. I... I..."
"I love you, Jaffar..." Jaffar fantasized. Underneath the table, he pinched himself.
"I... I..." Nino sighed. "I worry too much. After all, it's not my business why they're late... maybe Kent is trying to wake up Sain and Lucius is brushing his hair."
She caught a glance of slight disappointment from Jaffar's expression and was about to ask what it was about, when all four of the missing men entered the room, all with uncombed hair (even Lucius) and ruffled clothing. Nino ran up to Kent. "Kent, why are you late to breakfast? And if you have any idea, do you know why the other three are late?"
Kent's slightly clouded mind registered the question, and he blushed a deeper shade of red than his armor, which he had forgotten to put on. Sain heard the question as well, and leant down to Nino. "Sorry for worrying you- we were... occupied with something." He smiled at Kent. "Wasn't it fun, though, Kent?" The more serious cavalier blushed even deeper and nodded, a guilty shadow of a smile on his lips.
Nino didn't understand what Sain did that could have convinced Kent to be late for anything, so she skipped back to her seat. "Now, how will I get Uncle Legault and Uncle Heath together...?"
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Heath sneezed.
"Bless you, Heath," Priscilla said. "Are you well?"
Heath nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. There's no need for you to heal me."
Priscilla nodded and got back to her breakfast. Erk, who was sitting on the other side of her, glanced over at Heath, an odd expression on his features. His expression became one of annoyance when someone tugged on his sleeve.
"Erk! Are you doing anything beside reading this afternoon?" Serra asked, smiling over-cheerfully. Erk rubbed his forehead, trying to ease his headache.
"No, Serra, I do not. What is this about?"
Mentioned cleric smiled even wider. "Lady Priscilla wanted me to ask. She didn't say why, though..." She pouted at the thought of being left out of a secret. "She hasn't asked you to go out on a stroll with her yet, has she? She should, I just know she wants to..."
Erk slapped Serra on the shoulder. "Please hush up..." As expected, his face had lit up bright red at the mention of Priscilla.
"Oh, but you know you want her to!" Serra whined, rubbing her sore shoulder. That mage was stronger than he thought he was. "She's pretty, she's gentle, she's quiet..." Her voice shrunk as Serra listed off Priscilla's virtues. "... She's a real healer... unlike me..."
Erk looked over at Serra, confused and feeling slightly guilty. "What are you talking about?"
Serra answered the question, forgetting whom she was talking to. "I'm ugly, violent, loudmouthed, annoying, I can't heal without causing a headache with my chatter..." Her finger was drawing circles in the tablecloth without her knowledge. "... The list goes on... I can hear people say these things..."
"Serra...? What are you... " Erk began, but Serra started her next sentence before he could continue.
"Nobody cares, nobody understands, nobody ever stops to appreciate my efforts, nobody... nobody..." She raised her head slightly, giving Erk a good view of her expression: sadness. "... Nobody loves me..."
Erk felt bad. All of a sudden, his stomach had butterflies, his arms tickled, his legs had lost feeling, and his heart went crazy. He felt horrible. "Serra, I'm sorry..."
"No, you're not!" Serra shouted so loudly, everyone at the table turned to look at them. "You were the first to say I was ugly, violent, loudmouthed, and annoying! You were the first to complain of headaches! If anything," she glared at him. "If anything, you hate me! Just... just go talk to Priscilla!" She slapped him very hard on the face and ran out of the room.
Erk sat, thunderstruck, and almost didn't notice Priscilla cleaning up his bruise. He turned to her, eyes still full of hurt. "P-Priscilla..."
Priscilla looked down. "Serra... her mask has been slipping lately. She can't seem to take insults as well as she used to, and... I feel I am to blame..." She glanced at Erk. "... Please apologize sincerely to her."
"But she didn't listen last time; what makes you believe she will the second time?"
"Serra..." Priscilla continued. "You might not have realized it, but she's been playing matchmaker for the last couple weeks. She..." Priscilla stared into Erk's eyes. "She only wanted you to be happy. By the slipups she's made these days, I think she actually likes you. She only set you up with me because- "
"-Because she felt that she was too annoying, that I hated her, and that I would be happier with you," Erk realized. A head of red hair bobbed up and down in a 'yes'. Erk stood up in his chair, looking at the place Serra had disappeared off to. "Oh, flux." He ran out of the dining room, yelling "Serra!" as he went, but the pink-haired healer never gave a reply.
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Lucius had heard the whole argument, as most of the party had, and felt he could have done something about it. He was running his fingers through his soft, blond hair, and looking over at that side of the table. He started getting up, but felt a hand on his wrist. It was Raven.
"... ... Do not bother trying to solve the situation. You will only get yourself into trouble." He suggested this more out of habit than real concern, as his tone of voice indicated that he didn't expect Lucius to listen to him anyway. Lucius smiled his kind, gentle smile. He then leaned over and gave Raven a light kiss on the forehead.
"I won't be long- I promise."
After those six words, Lucius gave a nod and ran out the dining room, where he had seen Serra and Erk run. Raven sat in his seat, and stared at the doorway that Lucius had disappeared through, only those last words echoing in his mind.
"I won't be long- I promise."
"I promise."
"I promise..."
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As Serra ran, she occasionally glanced back, to make sure that she wasn't being pursued. She made it outside, to one of the training grounds, and collapsed in exhaustion. That was it; her world was over. She had just messed up everything that mattered in her life, and there was no way that Erk was going to forgive her for having that yelling fit. Sure, she had always yelled before, but she had never yelled at anyone with sincere anger, and certainly never frustration. She sat in the grass, for St. Elimine knows how long, and was so absorbed in her mournful thoughts that she didn't hear the pair of footsteps walk up to her until the soft hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up, expecting to see Erk, with an angry face filled with hate. Instead, it was Lucius that she laid eyes on. The young monk's eyes were filled with concern, as his eyebrows were drawn together in question.
"Serra... I'm so sorry."
Serra looked into his blue eyes and read the sincerity that clouded them. Her eyes were watering, and before she could stop herself, she had started crying on his shoulder. Lucius, being the understanding person he is, gave her a comforting pat on the back to try to sooth any leftover anger.
They stood there in that position for several minutes, before Lucius's eyes suddenly widened. "Serra... do you hear something...?"
Serra pulled away from Lucius, looking around. Several yards away, she heard footsteps. They weren't running, like someone who had been looking for them, nor were they walking, like someone who was out on a casual stroll. These footsteps were very quiet, but they were hurried. After awhile, the footsteps stopped, and they were replaced by the sound of ruffling leaves.
Lucius looked toward the forest not far from their position. "Be on guard, Serra. It might be an enemy spy."
Lucius placed a finger on his Aura spellbook and readied for attack, while Serra edged slightly behind Lucius, left fist balled and Heal staff raised in a defensive position. They both stood there, waiting for whomever it was to show themselves. After a long time, Serra lowered her staff. "Maybe it was just a squirrel or something, Lucius... you're being a little too superst- KYAAAAAAAAA!!!"
From the right, an assassin flew, seemingly from nowhere, toward Serra, knives drawn. Serra screamed, and Lucius stood between her and the assassin. Quick as a Thunder spell cast by Erk in a bad mood, Lucius's Aura book was open, and he had started collecting the light energy necessary for the attack. The assassin, however, was quicker than a Thunder spell cast by Erk in a bad mood, and kneed the shocked monk in the stomach, effectively knocking him out. By then, Serra had stopped screaming, quickly managed to pick up the Aura book that Lucius had dropped, and tie it to her back, where it was well hidden by the complex folds of her scarf.
The assassin slung an unconscious Lucius over his shoulder and glanced at Serra just as she had finished hiding the Aura book and tucking her Heal staff into her belt. She panicked when he stepped toward her direction. "Ah... ah..."
From behind, another figure, who had snuck in unheard while Serra was screaming, held up a Sleep staff and had started chanting the spell. Serra heard the chant and recognized it, having used the same thing countless times in battles, and started calculating how much time she had until the spell took effect. Running would be no use, as the spell could be affective even from a long distance away. She could only think of one solution at the moment, and it was to put her famed talent to use.
Serra raised her head toward the castle and shouted as loudly as she could. "HELP!!! THERE ARE ASSASSINS IN... in... the..."
The figure with the Sleep staff smiled in satisfaction as the pink-haired cleric collapsed to the grass, sleeping soundly as if she had simply gone to bed after a nice day of picking berries. The assassin, with Lucius still slung over his shoulder, watched as the figure gently gathered up Serra in his arms.
"No need to be so gentle to a prisoner, Mint."
The figure looked at the assassin. "Oh, but Rade, can't you be just a little more kind to them? They aren't even our enemies."
"I know, Mint, but they have befriended that cobra who murdered our mistress's beloved." The assassin, Rade, raised a fist in anger, being careful not to drop Lucius. "If you recall, Mistress was heartbroken when Lady Lyndis ended Lord Lundgren's life. These two fools were even present during the battle; I remember watching this very monk on my shoulders murder my father."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Mint commented. "It's true that they have done a lot to Mistress. But they weren't doing it for themselves. They were doing it because they were being told to, as we are being told to bring them to the Hidden Fort. I, for one, choose to treat them with kindness, and wait until their commanding officers, along with that cursed tactician of theirs, pay the price."
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"KYAAAAAAAAA!!!"
The scream came unexpected, and Erk's head turned at the sound, resulting in a head-to-head collision with none other than Canas.
"I'm sorry!" the nerdy druid quickly apologized. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and- "
"Serra!" Erk cried, not having heard a single word Canas had said. "That sounded like Serra!"
Canas blinked. "Why, now that I think about it, yes it did. Do you suppose she's in trouble?"
Erk hadn't waited for his reply; he had already gotten up, and was now turning his head every which way, trying to identify where the sound had come from. Canas got up and dusted himself off. "Well, I suppose you would be rather concerned with her well-being; you've been looking for her for two hours, and skipped breakfast in the process. It was delicious, too. Lowen was very proud of it..."
Erk frowned. "Pipe down, you're talking almost as much as Wil does. I can't hear myself think."
Canas was about to utter a sincere apology, but another sound echoed throughout the castle, again in Serra's voice.
"HELP!!! THERE ARE ASSASSINS IN..."
Erk panicked, and started trying to think of where Serra could be that would allow her to be caught by assassins. Canas, however, had noticed how Serra's voice had grown weaker and weaker until it couldn't be heard, and started to wonder why that was. They both stood there for a couple of seconds, frantically guessing and casually pondering, until two different voices interrupted the silence.
"I told you, it's most likely another joke she's playing, just to get people to worry about her- you know her! She'll do anything to get attention! Sometimes, she even embarrasses us to get what she wants! Haven't you heard her prayers?"
"Well, all I'm saying is, we can never be too cautious, right? I mean, it's not as if spies couldn't get here; they could easily have taken her away, and by the way you're thinking, we won't be able to find her until it's too late!"
Lyn turned around the corner, quick-stepping like she needed to get somewhere; she was quickly followed by Hector, who seemed to have a hard time keeping up with her wide strides. Hector looked very angry, while Lyn's face held concern.
"Well... well... this is Serra we're talking about, okay? We might even be better off with a replacement!" Hector fumed. "Look, I- "
The heavy axe-man stopped talking when he noticed that his cape was being tugged backward. He had walked right past Canas and Erk, and upon hearing Serra's name, Erk had grabbed onto the blood-red cloth. "Lord Hector, I have decided I want to resign. I believe that working in this group is too stressful; I want to head back to Castle Wrigley. What do you think of that?"
Deep blue eyes widened, filled with shock. "What are you talking about? You are very important part in our team! What would we be able to do without you?"
Erk shrugged. "That wouldn't be my problem. You could easily find someone to replace me, right? Pent can use neutral magic too, and I believe that if you train Priscilla hard enough, she would be able to figure out some of my old spells." He glared up at the taller man. "Am I right?"
Hector blinked, getting more frustrated by the minute. "No, you're not! Pent has different statistics, and Priscilla will never surpass your skill in neutral magic! You're unique, Erk; there's no way we could find a replacement for- "
"You are saying milady Serra is not unique also?" Erk glared. Hector swallowed. "Serra is a cleric; she could easily be replaced by Lucius, that is true... but how many clerics do you know have the extreme fire of determination in her eyes?"
Canas, Lyn, and Hector stood there, dumbfounded. Erk sighed in defeat, letting go of Hector's cape. "I am sorry, I... haven't been myself lately. If you'll excuse me..." he shuffled down the hall, toward the stairway. He placed a foot on the first step, and then turned around, furious again. "I'll want to know your decision with Serra as soon as you decide; keep in mind that if you do not decide to bring her back, than I myself will resign from this group and set out to find her myself."
He scurried up the stairs, red cape billowing behind him. Lyn watched as the material disappeared from sight, and sighed. "Poor Erk... he's been very sensitive about Serra since this morning... I think something finally got him."
Canas cleared his throat, and the two lords turned his direction. The druid placed a finger on his monocle and his thumb on his chin, and placed the other hand on his hip, fitting in the last pieces of his puzzle. "Erk and I were much closer to the general direction Serra's scream came from, and I have noticed this; on her cry for help, her voice indeed was very loud, as it usually is; but, as the sentence went on, her voice grew dimmer and dimmer, until it was incoherent." Canas's eyes went toward the ceiling. "It is curious that she would do that, if she had been pretending; most people would have found it more convincing if she had completed her sentence in the same volume. Would you not agree?"
"Hmm... yes, that does make sense," Lyn agreed, nodding. "Though, I have no idea as to why her voice would weaken like the way you described."
Canas twirled his hands in a circular motion. A white mist formed from his movement, and when he stopped the circular motion, a swirled, blue-gemmed staff was suspended in midair next to his sleeve. The aura it emitted made Lyn rub her eyes tiredly and Hector suspend a yawn. Lyn's concerned look deepened.
"Don't tell me... they used a Sleep staff...?"
Canas nodded. "The logic fits, does it not? I come to the conclusion that Serra is no longer within these castle walls, nor in any field or forest that is tended by the castle."
Lyn's breath intake became louder, and Hector's eyebrows drew together. Canas waved away his Sleep staff and crossed his arms. "That is why- "
He was interrupted by an object that flew from an open window. He barely managed dodged it in time, and the object stuck to the wall with a loud thunk. It appeared to be a knife, with a message stabbed onto it. Hector pulled out the dagger while Lyn gently removed the message, careful not to destroy it. She read it out loud as Canas read over her shoulder.
"To Lady Lyndis, Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector, and respectfully, the Tactician:
We have... how should we say this politely, hmm... visited your castle this afternoon, and we've taken several people with us. We currently do not know their names, but we will describe them to you:
A young, pink-haired and loud lady, equipped with the skill of staves
A young blonde lady, skilled in the arts of light magic
A fairly young bright green-haired girl, apparently skilled in the arts of neutral magic
A purple-haired thief with a painful-looking scar on one eye
A green, white haired man with heavy armor and several lances
A brown-haired young man, carrying a Longbow
A young redheaded lady, again equipped with the skill of staves
A young Sacean male, dressed in blue and carrying a sword
We have invited them over to our castle, the Hidden Fort. We would appreciate if the rest of you came and paid us a visit... there are people who are just dying to see you.
Good day to you, and may St. Elimine's praises hold your desires."
Lyn nearly dropped the message in shock. "They... they've not only abducted Serra, but they've taken a large portion of our party, too... there's no way we could just let this slide."
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Ack! When did my odd, random, uninteresting story develop a plot? (Is shocked) Well... err... ... um... ...
(Kicks Renault)
I am almost absolutely sure that I got some information wrong here. (Sighs) If you ask about (in the first paragraph) what Kent and Sain were doing, well... (Cough) Yeah... I you can't figure it out, I'll just let someone else explain to you. (Cough cough cough)
(Kicks Renault)
Oh, and I'm making a Fire Emblem shrine, and there's going to be a part that specifically exists to list people who kick Renault! (Grins from ear to ear) So if you want me to add you on the list fast, email your penname to tacticianofsacaeyahoo.com. (Don't ask about the address; all the other addresses I could think of were taken...) That's the email for the future site. Please do not visit the site yet. Be sure to list the subject as 'Kicking Renault' so I know what it's about. Thank you!
(Kicks Renault)
Corrections are appreciated, flames are welcomed, compliments are loved, another chapter in 'The Troubles of Matchmaking' would make me jump in joy (and possibly hit my head on the ceiling); pennames for the 'Kick Renault' page and reviews will fill me with guilt and make me want to write the next chapter as quickly as possible. (Sniff sniff) This chapter was longer than the others, I guess to make up for it coming so late... so yeah. Until next time.
(Kicks Renault)