Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

The couple for this one-shot is FordexNeimi and a little KylexLute.

Neimi's Choice

Neimi took a deep breath, pulled back the string on her bow and let the arrow fly. It soared across the practice field and hit the wooden target. Bulls eye. She took another breath and repeated the process. Another bulls eye. She became so caught up in her target practice that she didn't notice someone creep up behind her.

" Hello, I don't believe we've met in person before," a voice said from behind her. Startled, Neimi abruptly turned around, bow ready for launch. " Whoa! Careful its just me, Forde. Like I said, we probably haven't met in person because the only time we've seen each other is in battle."

" Oh, hello," Neimi said quietly. She took a closer look at Forde and decided that he didn't look that bad at all. She was very much attracted to his long dirty blond hair tied in a ponytail and maybe even more attracted to his dazzling brown eyes.

" You seem to be quite good with the bow, its not everyday that an archer can hit a bulls eye multiple times in a row, but it seems you can easily manage it," Forde complimented. Neimi blushed uncomfortably. It was hard for her to stop staring deep into his eyes, and him complimenting her made her feel even more uneasy, though it left a strange good feeling in her too.

" Thanks," she managed to say.

" Are you okay? You look a little red. I think you should take a little rest, hey! How about you and me go get some lunch," Forde suggested. This, of course, made Neimi turn even redder.

" Okay," she said barely above a whisper. She picked up her bow and strapped her quiver to her back and started walking toward Renais castle. Forde held open the door for her once they got there. " Thank you," she said.

In the hallway Neimi and Forde past Kyle and Lute locked in a kiss. Neimi gasped in surprise making the two break apart and look at her, while Forde chuckled.

" Took you a while, Kyle," he teased. Whenever Forde had ever mentioned the topic of romance to Kyle ever since the battle against the demon king, he would tell Forde to stop and think about more important things. Kyle blushed and opened his mouth, but was cut off before he was even able to start. " I understand, don't your time arguing with me."

Kyle looked at Lute and she did the same and in a moment they started kissing again, oblivious to everything else at the time.

Neimi followed Forde into his room and told one of the guards outside it to order two lunches for his room. Once inside, Forde and Neimi took a seat on his bed and began to talk.

" I suspected that Kyle liked Lute, and I was right!" Forde said triumphantly. Neimi blushed at the subject of Kyle and Lute kissing and Forde noticed. " What? Its only a kiss," Forde told her.

" I guess I'm a little uncomfortable because I've never actually kissed anyone like that and it seems a little…" Neimi stopped talking, she turned a dark shade of pink, almost red. Forde laughed a laugh that made Neimi happy to hear.

" You just need to experience it, then I'm pretty sure that you will change your mind," Forde said confidently. Neimi finally turned a true shade of red, the thought of her kissing anyone like that seemed unreal to her, yet there was a longing in her that ached to be able to express herself in that way.

" Your lunches are here," a guard said from outside the room. Forde opened the door and the guard walked in, putting the plates filled with meat, potatoes and salad on a table with two chairs tucked under it. Forde took a seat as the guard left and beckoned for Neimi to do the same. Neimi put her bow and her quiver on the floor and then sat down in one of the two chairs at the table. She picked up a fork and started to eat her salad. She ate slowly, savoring every tasty bite, she then ate her potatoes and finally the meat. Neimi then guzzled down the glass of water and noticed a strange leaf that was inflated with some sort of liquid.

" What's this?" Neimi asked, picking up a leaf.

" That's a leaf filled with berry juice, it tastes good and makes your breath smell fresh too, they grow naturally on some trees that bear a certain kind of fruit, but some of them are manually filled, the one you're about to eat looks natural," he told her. Neimi cautiously lifted the leaf to her mouth and bit it.

Berry juice erupted from the leaf and the sweet flavor filled Neimi's mouth. " You swallow the leaf," Forde said adding one last detail. Neimi chomped up the rest of the now deflated leaf sending a couple drops of juice flying in her mouth, she swallowed and with in seconds missed the fruity sensation, but she could taste her breath, still filled with the taste of the juice filled leaf.

Another guard walked in and took the dishes away. " That was tasty!" Neimi said to him once they were alone again, " Wahhhhhhhhhhh!"

" What's wrong Neimi?" Forde asked quickly.

" My… My mother used to make good sweet treats," she said. Forde patted her on the back.

" I heard that you and Colm are the only survivors of you're village," Forde said sadly. Neimi reluctantly nodded. Forde sighed, " That's very sad…, but Neimi, if you ever need anyone to talk to I'm here."

" Thank you, " she said again. She looked into Forde's eyes not caring anymore about how shy she was. She leaned in and started kissing Forde on the lips, but instead of rejecting her, Forde leaned in more. Forde and Neimi stood up and Forde pulled her into an embrace. A tear of happiness rolled down Neimi's cheek and onto the ground. They pulled away and went to sit down on Forde's bed. Neimi looked into Forde's eyes again and put her head on his shoulder and started sobbing. Forde took out Neimi's hair band and matted down her hair which made her look very beautiful to him, he then kissed her cheek.

Neimi tried to stop crying and looked up at Forde. In seconds, her lips met his again. Forde pushed her now shoulder length hair out of the way for it was sliding onto Neimi's face. They kissed for several more moments. They pulled away and stared into each others faces and were closing in again when Neimi pulled away.

" I'm sorry… I can't do this… Colm… I had liked him for so long… its so… strange… to have a sudden change… in feelings… I'm sorry Forde," Neimi said.

" I understand… you probably still do like him, but were just to confused with a mixture of-" Forde was cut off with Neimi kissing him. He was a bit surprised at first, but not nearly as surprised as Neimi was. They broke away once again after several moments.

" I've made up my mind…," Neimi told him.

" And…?" Forde asked.

" I like you better, Forde," Neimi said.