Eliwood: Lying is bad….it makes people mad! And if you're paying money to read this, then you've been had!
Arianna: Darn you, confounded muse! They lead me in one direction and then tug me in a completely different one a few days later.
Muses: ……huh?
Arianna: I began working on DADs but then I started getting ideas for PTD and now I'm working on it instead! Oh, my poor, confused mind!
Erk: ABOUT TIME YOU WORKED ON SOMETHING.
Arianna: Hey! I just said I started on the next chapter of DADs! And I finished FEI.
Ivan: With a short chapter.
Arianna: There wasn't anything left to do but announce a winner! Why drag it out?
Latisha: My, Arianna, I think you may be losing your touch…
Arianna: But-….I…..
Eliwood: HAHA! Arianna is a loser now!
Arianna: You guys are so mean…..
(A/N: Anyone besides me think it's a little pathetic that I not only talk to myself and argue with myself, but I insult myself as well?)
DISCLAIMER: I can't even make a proper bridge in tech class…..how would I make a video game? I wouldn't, that's how. So FE isn't my creation, just my inspiration.
As long as the stars shine down from the heavens,
As long as the rivers flow to the sea,
I'll never get over you, getting over me.
'I'll Never Get Over You' by Selena
-: OUTER POV :-
As you may very well remember if you are reading this after just having read the last chapter, or may not-so-well remember if you've been waiting for this chapter for months, when we last left off Sain had just pulled his horse to a stop after Erk 'accidentally' let loose Serra's false secret. And Sain's response was rather typical of one who has just found out the girl he had been flirting with is engaged to his higher-up.
"Whaaaaaaat?" Sain demanded in shock, with that exact amount of a's and with his jaw dropping in disbelief. Serra first thought of jumping off the horse and making a run for it, then she thought of running to Erk and beating his head in with her staff, and finally she decided on trying to explain.
"I'm NOT!" she insisted, and used her ever useful tool of lying once more as she went on to say, "Erk just got that stupid idea in his head and now he's convinced himself it's true! He's lying! Just Erk being touched in the head, that's all!" Serra said easily, since making up lies was something of a talent of hers. Although when it came to getting herself out of messes her lies created….her abilities were yet to be proven.
"Well!" Sain replied, "I always told Kent that I thought that Erk was crazy! He's quiet and says the strangest things that sound suspiciously like insults, but aren't. And he's always falling down for no reason when people talk! And what is with that purple hair? A bit odd looking, hm?"
"I like his hair!" Serra defended indignantly, speaking before she realized exactly how it might sound. Sain gave her a strange look, but she was spared further awkwardness when Erk finally caught up to the two. Panting and wheezing, Erk didn't look too much like the hero of this story.
"You-" Pant. "-are-" Pant. "-being-" Wheeze. "-unfaithful." Erk managed to gasp out before he went into a coughing fit and collapsed on the ground. Sain looked to be holding back chuckles at the pathetic stamina of the young mage, while Serra was concerned. Of course, she had to put on an act of complete disdain.
"For the last time, you crazy boy, I am not engaged to Lord Hector!" Serra told Erk sternly and he looked up at her, startled.
"What?" he asked. Sain finally broke out in laughter.
"Oh, you strange mage! As if the beautiful Serra would be with a brute like Lord Hector!" Sain said, and Erk grew quite flustered.
"But….you said…" he stammered to Serra, quite confused.
"Excuse me for breaking this lovely social up-" a loud voice suddenly boomed at the trio. They turned to see Lord Hector striding quickly up the hill. "-but are we or are we not in the middle of a battle?" he snapped. Sain nodded his head respectfully at the lord.
"Of course, your lordship. Forgive us." he said, and rode after Hector up to the castle entrance. As they moved further from the mage and cleric, Sain's voice could be heard saying "Guess what that mage down there was saying about you and Serra?" Serra turned back to Erk to see that his face was no longer showing puzzlement, but anger. Erk began walking quickly up the hill, brushing right past Serra. She chased after him.
"Erky! Mind if I walk with you?" she chirped cheerily, as if nothing had happened and she hadn't just lied straight to Erk's face and made him look like a fool. He did mind, but he had vowed not to speak to her ever again so he couldn't say so.
"Erk, I'm not engaged." Serra admitted.
"So I've gathered." was his cold reply.
(A/N: Wow, that vow lasted long, huh?)
"Look, Erky, I only lied to you because you wouldn't pay any attention to me!" Serra exclaimed, finally stopping to catch her breath. Erk stopped as well and turned sharply on his heel to glare at her in a mixture of bafflement and anger.
"Not pay attention to you? A year ago I spent weeks only caring about your well being! And these last couple of days, can you deny that I have talked to you? No!" he exploded and Serra averted her eyes.
"Yes, but…." she said sadly, and Erk moved closer to hear her better.
"But what?" he snarled, crossing his arms.
"But…you never treated me like a girl….like a lady…." Serra mumbled very softly, and Erk strained to hear the bizarre explanation. "You always just treated me like a hindrance….like a spoiled brat…." Serra was blushing slightly at admitting so much to the mage, but after lying to him he deserved to hear some of her truths.
"Serra…." Erk softly said, and Serra looked back up into his deep brown gaze. It was now gentle and almost looked to be (to Serra) sympathetic and understanding.
"You are a spoiled brat."
Serra blinked a few times as the words registered in her mind, and then she screeched with all the fury of an insulted woman. "You JERK!" she screamed, slapping him across the face. Then she stormed her way up the hill, screaming back to Erk, "How dare you judge me when you don't know anything about me!" And as she grew distant, her shrill rebukes still echoed down the hill saying things like "You were named Erk because if you put a J at the beginning it's jerk" and "If you only knew how many men I'm going to sic on you for saying that!" Erk didn't take any of them to heart. He just sighed an Erky sigh, gave an Erky shrug, and followed the loud cleric upward.
-: ERK'S POV :-
It was a little later, and we had now stormed Caelin Castle. I was running through a hallway with Priscilla close behind, frying everything in my path. I'm going to have to apologize to that Caelin knight when this is over. The corridor we were currently in was longer than the first few, and it had less torches to light it, making a spooky effect. I assumed this meant we were near the dungeons.
"Erk, where are we heading?" Priscilla asked.
"Lady Lyn said that an old friend of the legion is being held prisoner by the enemy. We're going to the dungeon to free him and any Caelin soldiers." I replied, although it looked like the Caelin knights had already made a break for it.
"Well, I hope we get there soon-EEEEK!" she broke off with a loud scream and I turned around……and looked down at the sword that was being held to my neck. Following the sword up to its wielder, I saw a dark red-haired man with frighteningly smoldering eyes.
"I hold no ill will towards you, I do this for the sake of avenging my family and protecting a friend." the man said and pulled back the sword to prepare the thrust that would end my life.
"No! Wait! Sir!" Priscilla screamed and the man, thanks be to Elimine, actually looked back at her.
"You…." the sword-wielder said and began walking towards my client with a strange look in his eyes. Priscilla was startled by this sudden change in his demeanor.
"Hm?" Priscilla said nervously, backing away. I readied my spell, trying to fry the man before he attacked Lady Priscilla.
"You will not hurt her!" I yelled heroically, but the man just punched me in the gut and down I went. "ACK!" I gasped, holding my injured body. I looked up with watering eyes to see the man drawing close to my employer!
"Can it be?" he asked himself, actually daring to reach out a hand and brush Lady Priscilla's hair. His eyes were wide with fright, but there was curiosity as well. I struggled to stand.
"Get away from her!" I demanded and tried to move forward, but that punch had really hurt! I gave up and just collapsed on the ground, glaring at the man's back in hopes that I would somehow magically gain the ability to cast Fire spells out of my eyes. I didn't.
"You don't…recognize me." he said and stepped back, to my relief. Looking to Priscilla, I was shocked to see she had tears in her eyes. But she was smiling!
"Are you….Raymond? My brother, Raymond?" she suddenly said excitedly. The man replied softly and my ears couldn't catch his words, but apparently it confirmed Priscilla's suspicions for she then began crying and hugging this 'Raymond', saying "Brother!" over and over. I felt like I had to vomit, but I wasn't sure if it was from the sappy scene before me or the hard hit to my stomach.
"What are you doing here?" Raymond asked, grabbing his sister by the shoulders so that she was forced to release him and look him in the face. "It's been ten years Count Caerleon of Etruria took you in as his foster daughter….."
"That's right." she replied, wiping away some stray tears. My adopted father has treated me with much kindness. But I am of Caelin's House Cornwell by birth. I still remember Father and Mother. I've never forgotten them. Or you, Raymond." she told him with obvious fondness. I made a show of loudly retching some stuff that had finally found its way up onto the stone floor, but the siblings didn't even turn around! They continued talking about what the two had been up to this past decade. You know…."Oh, is that a new haircut? How are you doing in school? How are our parents? How many people have you killed since I last saw you?" Normal reunion stuff. I just stayed patiently lying on the floor, watching them. I noticed that "Raymond" gave an odd reaction when Lady Priscilla mentioned Lord Hector.
"Priscilla, we must keep our relationship secret, ok?" he told her and she relented, although her eyes were silently questioning him. Priscilla's no fool, she had to have seen his expression at Hector's name as well.
"Another thing…" he continued, backing away from his sister and resuming his stoic posture. "My name is Raven now."
'Hello!' I thought. 'If he gets to be Raven, I'm changing my name to Ernest! Or does that sound too nerdy? Maybe Erick? No, no, I don't want to have the same name as that fool of a lord! Hmmm…'
"Brother, this is Mage Erk." I heard Priscilla say and I broke from my thoughts to look up. "He's my escort." she continued and Raven moved to stand over me.
"Hmmm….not very reliable, is he? Knocked down by one punch?" he sneered and I GLARED up at him. Then I pulled myself into a sitting position so I didn't look quite so pathetic.
"I am a mage, not a mercenary, sir." I retorted hotly. I could already tell this guy was gonna be loads of fun to be with. "I'm not one for physical attacks. However, if you would like, I would gladly battle you in a duel of magic." I said and displayed my tomes. The jerk actually sniffed at me and walked away!
"Goodbye for now, Priscilla!" he said over his shoulder. "Lucius…you remember him?...well, he and some Caelin soldiers are being held in the room down the hall. Go see to them." I twitched angrily at being ignored. What gave him the right to order us around? Er…well, I guess he could order me around since technically he's a noble…but why should he be bossing around his sister? You might be able to tell that I was already having a few problems with this Raven guy.
"Oh, and Erk." he said, turning back to look at me. Priscilla was helping me to my feet and preparing her staff to heal my aching body. "If you tell anyone about mine and Priscilla's relationship, I will kill you." he told me very calmly, then having gotten the last word, he turned back and ran away before I had time to yell one of my scathing and witty remarks after him.
"Nice to meet you too, sir." I muttered under my breath as I was surrounded by the warm glow of Priscilla's healing staff.
"I'm so sorry Brother hit you, Erk." Priscilla apologized, looking so sincere that you would think she was the one who had punched me.
"Oh, it's alright." I replied, taking a few test steps to make sure I could walk. "I won't judge you by your family. Actually, if I remember right, I used to have an uncle who was quite the ass himself, if you'll pardon my language, mi'lady." I said in what I thought was a comforting manner, but I guess wasn't because she became riled. Or, as riled as Priscilla gets.
"My brother is not an-an-a rear!" Priscilla said, not managing to say the foul word. "He is very kind! You just haven't…you haven't really talked to him yet! You'll see!" she promised, and what could I say? This troubadour seemed set on defending her brother at all costs.
"If you say so, mi'lady." I said, bowing politely. Then I walked down the corridor. "Now, that room your brother mentioned….."
-: OUTER POV :-
'GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Why do my plans always go awry? You don't see Arianna's plans getting all messed up! And I'll bet no one else gets yelled at for one stupid, little lie! Oh, the poor, sad fate of the beautiful and charming...' Serra thought. It was the night after the battle and the castle had been reclaimed. While the lords were discussing their next move, the rest of the ever-growing group had gone to celebrate the victory at a tavern. Serra, however, was not much in the mood for partying. Now that the fighting was done, she had time to think about what had happened and how, er….for lack of better words, screwed over she was as far as her relationship with Erk.
"V-I-C-T-O-R-Y! Victory! Victory for you and me!" Wil and Sain were singing drunkenly as they swayed from side to side. "V-I-C-T-O-R-Y! Victory for you and I!"
"Would you two cut it out? You're annoying me!" Serra snapped at the drunken duo. Their raucous attempt at singing was agitating her and interrupting her thoughts. Kent put his mug down and gave Serra a withering look.
"Elimine forbid Serra be the one annoyed, for once." he said sarcastically and both Wil and Sain laughed. A few people sitting nearby chuckled as well. Serra scoffed at the remark and left the tavern, making sure to whack Kent in the head with her staff on the way out.
Meanwhile….
In a corner of the tavern, at a small table for two, sat Lucius the monk and Erk. Erk was, shocker of shockers, getting drunk. And strangely enough, Erk turned out to be a talkative drunk. He was complaining to Lucius about his rather rough day. "I mean, can you believe she just lied to me like that? Does she want to drive me away?" he was saying. Lucius looked at the mage sympathetically and shook his head, taking a sip of his water. (It was forbidden for monks to drink alcohol)
"Of course she doesn't! Maybe she wanted to make you jealous? You did say she wants you to pay more attention to her." Lucius suggested. Erk shook his head, but suddenly stopped because it made everything spin. He put a hand up to his face.
"No, no! She hates me doesn't she? Yes, it seems she hates me!" he said a bit too loudly. A few people turned to glance at the two magic users. "Not that I care, of course! I don't care one bit! NOT ONE BIT, YOU HEAR ME!"
"Of course not." Lucius comforted while taking Erk's cup away from him and setting it on a passing waitress' tray.
"And then, you see this? This right here?" Erk said, lifting up his shirt (WHEE!), to Lucius' alarm, to point angrily at a large bruise on his mid-region. "Some enemy bas-"
"Watch your language!" Lucius interrupted. "You're in the presence of a holy man!"
"-ilisk punched me! And then he turned out to be Lady Priscilla's brother!" Erk exclaimed, gesticulating enthusiastically to somehow add to his point.
"You mean Lord Raymond?" Lucius asked as, to Lucius' relief, Erk finally dropped his shirt.
"Don't you mean Raven?" Erk hissed and tried to catch a waitress to bring him another drink, but every time he raised his hand it made him lose his balance on his seat, so he gave up.
"Yes, I told him it was stupid to change his name, but he just told me 'It's not your business, monk!' in a very rude tone." Lucius said, putting a finger to his chin in thought.
"Yes, he seemed like the charming sort of fellow who would say such things to a monk." Erk said sarcastically, slowly gaining back some of his usual composure. Lucius completely missed the sarcasm in Erk's comment.
"Like you!" Lucius replied cheerfully, glad to hear that Erk liked Lord Raymond even though their first encounter left Erk in quite a bit of pain. Erk just stared at Lucius like he had said something stupid…which he had. It was at this time that Lucius noticed Serra get up and leave. "Erk, if you don't mind, I think I'll…." he started to excuse himself but drifted off when he noticed the mage had fallen fast asleep on the table. As quietly as he could he got up and left, although I doubt that any noise that Lucius could make would wake Erk if all the sounds of the tavern didn't. He quickly made his way down the road after the bubblegum-haired cleric.
-: SERRA'S POV :-
"What a jerk!" I screamed loudly as I stomped down the street, not caring who I woke up and not looking to see where I was going. I just wanted to vent over my awful day. But I probably should have been looking up, because I suddenly ran into something—or someone, actually.
"Hello there!" the guy said with a sleazy grin. He had three buddies behind him and I didn't like the way they were looking at me.
"MOVE IT!" I screeched and all four men covered their ears.
"Wow, she's got a heck of an annoying voice!" one of them yelled. I tried to make a run for it but the one I had run into grabbed my arm.
"Doesn't matter! We can gag her!" he said.
"LET GO OF ME! GET OFF! GET OFF!" I screamed, but it was to no avail. My beauty prevailed over my 'special' voice. Apparently Erk was wrong when a year ago he said, and I quote, "Even the most hardened criminal would flee in terror after five minutes in your company." Oh yes, that was back in the days when Erk was still so sweet to me...
"Excuse me, good sirs, but may I speak to this lady here?" said a familiar, light voice. I turned my head to see that blonde priestess from a year ago! I had thought I had seen her earlier, but I hoped it was just my imagination. Was she the reason why Erk had been so cold to me lately?
"I've got a better idea, sweetheart, why don't you join us?" one of the men said and made a grab for the woman, but she quickly drew a book from her robes and hit him with a Lightning spell, surprising me. This girl was already able to use light magic tomes? The men quickly released me and ran for it. I rubbed my arm where the man had been holding it so tightly. I refused to meet my rival's eyes, even if she had saved me from peril.
"Sooo…. you're Lucius, right?" I said, the name suddenly coming to my mind. Maybe Erk had mentioned her strangely masculine name at some point?
"Yes. I am indeed, Sister Serra." she replied politely and I looked up to see her bow. Strange….did this girl….respect me?
"Hunh…this is the first time we've spoken." I brushed at my clothes and then finally met her eyes. They were the purest color of blue I've ever seen! "Do you know why?" I asked. The innocent girl actually thought about it before she answered!
"Um…why? No, I do not." she finally admitted. Inwardly, I began to laugh. How could I have ever felt threatened by such a timid creature? My outgoing personality surely wins more hearts then her quiet, shy one!
"I just make it a policy not to make friends with girls who are as adorable as I am. I don't need anyone else drawing attention away from me!" I explained. It might sound a little self-centered, but it was a compliment to her, right? "So stay away from me, got it? Is that all sinking in?"
"Y-yes…." Lucius replied, but she still looked a bit baffled, like something I had said had confused her. I nodded my head, smiled, and turned to leave, but then I remembered one more very important thing.
"Oh, and I forgot one thing!" I announced, turning back around. "You can't come near me, but I expect you to fully back me up as your senior cleric, all right?" I half asked, half ordered. "We serve St. Elimine, right? I mean, we're the same?" I asked and got a slow nod in response. "Well, you're much older, but you still need to follow the code!"
"Well…yes, but…" the beautiful Lucius protested, proving that she does, in fact, have a backbone.
"What? Do you have some complaint?" I demanded, and she shook her head no.
"No, no complaints….it's just….I'm…." she stumbled and stuttered and took a decade and three quarters to just spit it out and I grew REALLY ANNOYED. Patience has never been a strong point of mine.
"Why do you have to be so horribly annoying? Just tell me, already!" I snapped.
"I'm not a cleric. I'm a monk, so…..so…."
"A m-monk?" was all I could manage to stammer out. This woman was taking tomboy to a new level! Not only did she have a male name, she was in a male profession? "But….to be a monk, don't you have to…be a…well, a guy?" I asked incredulously, thinking that for sure this girl was lying.
"Yes. Yes, you do." she said so very surely. I stared at her. The realization was somewhere deep in my mind and had begun clawing its way to the surface. I thought of her name, her occupation, her odd reactions to some things I said, and with each thought the realization grew closer to becoming a revelation. Then, finally…
"OHMIGOSH! I AM SO SORRY!"
-: ERK'S POV :-
I was making my way down a hallway in Caelin castle in a peculiar fashion. By bracing myself with a hand on the wall, and only taking a few steps every five minutes, I could actually walk! Although it would be awhile before I made it to my room. When I had woken up, everyone from my group had left the tavern and the only people around were a few rough looking men who I'd rather not hang out with. The tavern owner very nicely pointed out that I should probably go on home and "if ya throw up in muh place, I'll wring yer neck like the little purty boy ya are!" I managed to make my way out of the building and down the street, all the way to the castle. But as soon as I hit the doors (and I do mean hit, I stumbled and fell right into them), it felt like something busted in my brain and I was sent tumbling over. Pulling myself to my feet using the very handy bushes nearby, I opened the door and began my long journey. Unfortunately, there were some obstacles. Forgotten weapons, lost tomes, passed-out drunks, and the rubble from the day's battle littered the floor. But despite the death-defying odds and the excruciatingly difficult act of walking I had made it all the way to three doors from my door……only to run into someone.
"Hello, might you know the way to the lavatories?" this guy asked. He had long, black hair that was tied back in a braid. He looked to be Sacaen. I put my free hand up to my head.
"Trust me, I wish I knew." I answered, suddenly realizing that sleep wasn't the only thing I was overdue for. The man startled me by sticking out his hand.
"Forgive my rudeness……I am Guy, and you are Erk, aren't you?" he asked. I shook his hand, glad that someone in this army had manners.
"…Guy? My, your parents were quite the creative ones, weren't they?" I joked but he must have missed it because he launched into an explanation.
"No, no! It's pronounced Gee like geese! Its origins are from France, part of Tactician Arianna's world." he lectured to my complete lack of interest.
(A/N: It's true! Guy is a French name and it is pronounced like 'gee' in geese.)
"Okay, Guy." was my reply, purposely saying it like 'Gee, that's nice.' He just gave a loud sigh. I felt a strange feeling of bonding to this "Guy" who sighs like me.
"Never mind…just call me whatever you like." he said.
"Right, Fred. So, could you help a poor mage to his room?" I asked in what I hoped was a friendly and polite voice.
"Nope, I'm busy." Guy said and continued on his way. So much for bonding. I steadied myself to begin "walking" again, but before I got two steps I ran into yet another night walker, this one much more familiar to me.
"Lady Priscilla, can't you sleep?" I asked, startled to find the lady wandering the halls at this hour. It was unsafe! Not to mention what lack of sleep can do to your skin! Er, not that I would know about those sort of things…
"I grew worried when you never came to check on me before going to bed, so I was trying to find you." she explained. I was touched. Truly. Finally, someone who cared about my well being!
"Thank you, mi'lady. I'm sorry I worried you. I sort of…well….I passed out in the tavern." I said, figuring that the truth couldn't hurt that much. "I'm fine now, please get your rest."
"Do you need help getting to your room?" the sweet creature said and offered her arm, and just as I was about to take it and thank her profusely, two voices echoed down the hallway in unison, coming from both directions.
"Well, aren't you two the cute couple?" came Serra's voice, sounding sickly sweet and rather annoyed. She stepped forward looking rather flushed in the face.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH PRISCILLA?" came the other voice at a roar that shook the castle on its foundation. And, like a scene from a horror novel, Raven stepped out of the shadows with the fury of a thousand demons glowing in his eyes.
Arianna: HOORAY! I finished something!
Latisha: Good, now hurry and end this before pigs freeze over.
Arianna: Uh, I think you've got your sayings a little mixed up there….
Eliwood: Hell can fly!
---------------
Q&A
-----------
:timmycheese: What's your brother's name and why are they eating the poisoned pizza?
Canas: Which brother? And the pizza isn't really poisoned….we hope.
:Inferno-Hero: WHAT DO YAH MEAN BY NOVACAIN TESTER?
Canas: Well, it sounds like a dangerous occupation….and….oh, I give up.
:Evergladelord:
Canas: No, I believe that tomatoes are completely harmless.
Erk: Tell that to Erick.
Erick: They're coming for me! I can sense it!
:Chaos Knight Malik: How do I know this?
Canas: I don't know but you seem to be a lot smarter than me….want a job? All you have to do is answer pointless questions! It pays-
Latisha: -WHACK- Get back to work! And stop being ungrateful!
BIG THANKS TO: Rose-Wisteria, Jefepato, timmycheese, Inferno-Hero, Evergladelord, no name, Chaos Knight Malik, ThuhGamefreak, RWT, Min the Noodle, and all readers!
NOTE: After the story is over I will go back and revise it, cleaning up all errors, so until then please try to look over them!
Arianna: Am I free to go?
Latisha: For now….
Arianna: Yay, off to new, exciting, air-conditioned places!
(This room is really stuffy….)