Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem. Rest assured, if I did, then Fire Emblem 1-6 would have been given an English language release by now. This will be the only disclaimer in the story.
A/N: I hope for this story to cover all of the events involving Eliwood in the game, from his brief involvement in Lyn's story right up until the end of his own. Some bits that only feature in Hector's mode may be included, at my discretion. I'm going to keep the pairings a secret, simply because I believe it makes the story a bit more dramatic, but rest assured, all of the pairings are logical.
To all American readers, you may come across some words that appear to be spelled incorrectly. This is because I use Australian English, which is closer to British English than American English. Hopefully, this won't cause any big problems.
That said, read, enjoy and (hopefully) review!
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Girl
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Two figures on horseback could be seen riding along the edge of the mountain range that divided Lycia from Bern. One was Eliwood, son of the Marquess of Pherae, a territory in the Lycian League. He was a red-haired young man in his late teens. He wore blue clothes, a symbol of his nobility, with light armour in a similar colour. The young lord rode a white stallion called Zephyr, famous for being the fastest horse in Pherae. The other man was Marcus, head of the Knights of Pherae. He was a middle-aged man whose purple hair had started to grey. Ironically, his stallion, Old Faithful, was also grey. Marcus wore bronze-painted armour.
Eliwood was headed for Khathelet for his bimonthly sparring match with Hector, brother of Marquess Ostia and a lifelong friend of Eliwood. Marcus was headed to Santaruz to represent Eliwood's father at an emergency meeting of the Lycian Council. The meeting had been called to discuss an inheritance dispute that was brewing in Caelin, but Marquess Pherae had had important business to attend to. Marcus had agreed to go instead, and had decided to take a detour to Khathelet to make sure Eliwood was safe.
"These lands are no longer as safe as they once were," Marcus had said. Eliwood knew that was true, but part of him still wished Marcus wasn't constantly watching him. He wanted to make his own decisions sometimes. The fact that they hadn't run into any trouble yet had done nothing to stifle Marcus' paranoia.
By this time they had gone past Tania and were within an hour's ride of Khathelet. Looking up at the sky, Eliwood could tell that he was probably going to be late. The sun was already low in the west. Eliwood spurred his horse on, and Marcus did the same. These horses were two of the finest horses in Pherae. Eliwood's had been chosen at a young age because of its speed, and it had provided sterling service in its lifetime. Marcus' horse, on the other hand, was a warhorse, and was much hardier than Eliwood's, able to move quickly even with armour on, although it was neither as fast nor as graceful as Zephyr.
As Eliwood looked towards the horizon, he thought he saw a faint dust cloud in the distance. He raised his hand, bringing his horse to a stop as Marcus did the same. "What's that in the distance?" Eliwood asked, indicating the cloud of dust.
"It's difficult to say," Marcus replied. "But at a guess, I'd say it's a group of horsemen. A fairly large group, by the looks of it."
Eliwood realized that he could just see a dark mass on the western end of the cloud, and both the mass and the cloud were headed in that direction. "I think you're right," he said. "But whoever they are, they look like they're in a hurry. I don't like this at all." He repositioned himself in the saddle. "Come on, I think we can catch them."
Marcus' face looked grim. "Lord Eliwood, are you sure that's a good idea? It could be dangerous. Besides, this is Khathelet's business, not Pherae's."
Eliwood laughed to himself. "Do you doubt your abilities, Marcus?"
Marcus wasn't laughing. "I wouldn't wish you to come to any harm, Lord Eliwood."
"Your concern is appreciated, Marcus, but I think we can handle this. Besides, if things turn against us we can always retreat." With those words, Eliwood rode off toward the mass of horsemen. Marcus sighed and followed, shaking his head as he went.
It wasn't long before they had picked up some speed. "I think we can intercept them by that small forest if we hurry, Lord Eliwood!" Marcus shouted. Eliwood could see the forest quite clearly, but he couldn't tell how closely the group was going to pass it by. He hoped Marcus' hunch was right.
"Agreed," Eliwood replied. He gave Zephyr a light kick and held on tight as it sped up. The horses traveled like lightning, and it wasn't long before Eliwood was able to clearly make out the group. They were indeed on horseback (and Eliwood was grateful, for he certainly didn't want to pick a fight with anyone who could move that fast on foot). The group was all garbed in black robes, making it clear that they were an organised group, rather than simply common bandits. All except for one. Eliwood could just make out the figure of a woman in a blue-green dress, with long hair to match. She shared a horse with one of the black-robed men, who held her in a tight grip. She was squirming, and Eliwood could swear for a moment that he heard her cry out. The black-robed man took his hand off the reigns for a moment and delivered a swift chop to the back of her neck. Her struggles ceased.
Eliwood flinched, and watched for any signs of life from her. There were none. Had that blow been enough to kill her? Without thinking, he gave Zephyr a light kick, even though it was going as fast as it could.
Eliwood knew that Marcus had seen what had happened, but the knight was as calm as ever. "We're near the forest, Lord Eliwood," he said. "They don't seem to have spotted us yet, so we can move around the other side and intercept them, taking them completely by surprise."
Eliwood turned away and focused on the matter at hand. He saw a low branch and ducked down. The branch skimmed the top of his head, but did no major harm. He rode his horse further out, just in case he wasn't so lucky next time. He should have been more careful. He had to be more careful. He could just hear the horses on the other side of the forest. Eliwood and Marcus steered their mounts around the edge of the forest
They passed the forest and in instant, the scenery changed. For every tree that had been in that forest, there now seemed to be a black-robed man in horseback to replace it. Eliwood and Marcus brought their horses to a stop suddenly on seeing them; the black-robed men did the same. Eliwood spotted the young woman sitting limply in one of the saddles, but he forced himself to look away from her and focused on the main body of the group.
For what seemed like an eternity, the two groups remained still, simply staring at each other. Maybe the black-robed men simply expected Eliwood and Marcus to step aside to let them pass: Eliwood would never know. Eventually, one man rode towards Eliwood: he had probably not moved more than a metre, but it was enough to show that he was the leader.
Eliwood took a good look at him. Unlike the others, this man did not wear a black robe, or even any other aspects of what appeared to be their uniform. Instead, he wore a light-weight suit of black-painted armour tinted with gold. The armour, much like the rest of him, looked ragged and worn. However, the man's face was his most distinguishing feature. His hair, including his thin beard, was a dirty blond. His face showed no emotion, unlike the others, whose faces (or what little could be seen of them) showed what could only be interpreted as a cruel sneer. Indeed, if Eliwood had met this man in any other situation, he would have thought of him as an honest mercenary. As it happened though, Eliwood knew that this had to be a facade.
The ragged man was the first to speak. "What do you want?" he asked in a calm but raspy tone, still showing no trace of emotion.
Eliwood pointed at the young woman. "Let her go," he said, matching the other man's calm tone.
There were cruel snickers of laughter among the black-robed group, but the ragged man remained as emotionless as before. "Why should we do that?"
"Because she doesn't want to be here," Eliwood replied, with more conviction this time. "I saw her trying to get free; I saw you knock her out!" Eliwood hoped that he was right about that last part.
Eliwood's conviction had done nothing to faze the ragged man. "And what business is it of yours what we do with her?"
"If she doesn't want to be with you, then you have no right to take her."
"Do you even have any idea why we've taken her?"
Eliwood was silent. Truly, he had no idea. "It doesn't matter. No one deserves to be taken away from their home."
"Perhaps I am taking her back to her home. Perhaps I am doing what is best for her."
"I think she's old enough to make her own decisions."
"But what if her decisions caused untold suffering? How can you tell? Did you just instantly jump to the conclusion that we were the villains, and she was a damsel in distress?" The ragged man closed his eyes for a moment. "You nobles are all the same. Don't think I don't know who you are, Eliwood of Pherae." Eliwood opened his eyes wide. How did he know that he was a noble, yet alone what his name was? The ragged man continued. "You and your fellow nobles in your big castles think you're the heroes in some knightly romance. You fancy yourself as the new Roland, Eliwood?"
Eliwood knew of Roland as well as anyone else. He had been one of the legendary heroes known as the Eight Generals, who had fought against dragons in the war known as the Scouring. He was also the founder of Lycia. Why anyone would think it was a bad thing to be like him was beyond Eliwood's reckoning. The thoughts swirling around in Eliwood's mind were summed up with a shake of his head. "I am not a legendary hero. I couldn't kill a dragon. But I do know the difference between right and wrong, and you are in the wrong!"
"There you go again. You don't even know who she is. And yet you ride to her aid anyway. Fool."
"That's enough!" Eliwood yelled, unable to control himself. "Maybe I don't know who she is or what she's done to get your attention. But I know that if she's done something wrong, then you are no better! You send all these men to kidnap a helpless woman! You've forfeited any right to pass judgment. You try to pass yourself off as vigilantes, and yet you are no better than common thugs. Now let her go." He pulled his rapier from its scabbard and said firmly, "Or I'll cut you all down." Marcus drew his own sword shortly after.
The black-robed men burst into laughter, and even their leader smirked. "Well," he said, that smirk still spread across his face, "it seems to me that we have you slightly outnumbered, and, regardless of your opinion of our morals, we're professionals. We weren't instructed to kill you specifically, but we were told to kill anyone who gets in our way. No, we'll be the ones who'll cut you down if you don't run away now." Eliwood and Marcus stood their ground. "Very well." The ragged man drew his sword from its scabbard. "Attack."
Eliwood quickly nodded at Marcus. Simultaneously, they slapped their saddles. Their horses instantly leapt at their foes, covering a distance of several metres. The black-robed men had no time to react. Horses were knocked to the ground, and men were crushed, either beneath the sheer weight of their own horses or beneath the hooves of Eliwood's and Marcus'. In mere moments, they had ridden right through the group, dividing it in two. As they passed through, Eliwood had seen Marcus grab a lance from one of his victims, which he now held instead of his sword. The pair turned their horses around, preparing for another pass.
As they faced the group of black-robed men, Eliwood could tell that the plan had worked. The tactic was an old one, used by the Knights of Pherae to settle conflicts quickly. The actual charge caused little in the way of casualties, but the sudden manner in which it was delivered could strike fear into the hearts of any enemy. Although it wasn't as effective when outnumbered as badly as Eliwood and Marcus were, the point had been made. Some of the black-robed men were literally shaking in their boots, and even their leader was sweating. No one said anything.
Suddenly, the ragged man grinned. "Big mistake," he said. "You just let us past. Retreat!" He immediately turned his horse around and sped away, with his comrades following. "You'll rue the day we crossed paths, Eliwood of Pherae!"
Without thinking, Eliwood gave chase. He heard Marcus shout something to him, but didn't register it. His eyes passed over the group, looking for the young woman. He spotted her with her captor near the back of the group. He spurred his horse on. Marcus sped past him, heading for the right-hand flank. Eliwood saw some members of the group look back over their shoulder. He was very close now.
Five of the black-robed men pulled back from the main group to engage Eliwood. One swung his sword, but Eliwood ducked, and the sword passed harmlessly over his head. A swift thrust with his rapier finished that one off. Turning to his left, he parried an incoming blow, and countered with a punch that sent the second one to the ground. The horse carried on, crashing into two more horses, sending another two black-robed men to an early grave. Seeing that he now had a clear path to the man who held the young woman, Eliwood spurred Zephyr on to even greater speeds. In moments, he was alongside them, but he made no move to strike. He knew that he couldn't attack his foe without running the risk of striking the woman by mistake.
"Look out!" Eliwood heard a voice to his right cry out. Looking to his right, he saw Marcus riding towards him. As he turned around further, he saw an axe coming straight for his head. Eliwood ducked as the axe missed him by mere inches. Suddenly, he felt himself being pushed. He lost his balance, and fell off his horse, hitting the ground with a thud. Winded, Eliwood didn't bother to rise. There would be no catching them now. He had failed.
Eliwood was brought back to his senses by the sound of hooves. Pushing himself off the ground, he turned to see Marcus atop his warhorse, with a black-robed man on his knees a few metres away, facing away from Eliwood. A dead horse lay nearby with a lance in its side. Eliwood recognized the lance as the one Marcus had taken earlier. Eliwood breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the young woman lay between Marcus and black-robed man. He just hoped she was alright. Marcus moved his horse toward the woman. In a swift motion, the black-robed man grabbed her and held a dagger near her throat. "Don't move," he snarled, "or she dies." He pressed the dagger against her skin, as if to make the point clear. Marcus didn't move.
"If your leader had wanted her dead, he would have killed her already," he said calmly. "By killing her, you would be disobeying your orders."
"By letting her go, I'd be disobeying my orders too. Now, cast aside your weapon."
For a moment, Marcus did nothing, but he soon let his sword drop to the ground. Eliwood knew that he had to act fast. He looked around him, trying to find his rapier. Spotting it, he picked it up, being careful not to make a sound.
"Now get off your horse," the black-robed man said to Marcus. Marcus did so, but he was very slow in doing it. In the meantime, Eliwood had snuck up behind the black-robed man. "Now walk to that tree over there and stay there." Marcus slowly backed away, not taking his eyes off the black-robed man, whom Eliwood was now directly behind.
Eliwood struck. With his left hand, he seized the arm that held the dagger. Before the black-robed man could turn around, Eliwood stabbed him in the back of the throat with his rapier. Blood gushed out from the wound, and the man's body went limp, letting go of the young woman. Eliwood pushed the black-robed man aside and grabbed the woman as she fell. Eliwood and Marcus simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.
"Are you okay, Lord Eliwood?" Marcus asked as he walked towards him.
"Yes, I'm fine," Eliwood replied absentmindedly. At the moment, he didn't care. He was far more concerned about the woman in his arms. He gently lay her down on her back. He was relieved to see that she was still breathing steadily. However, her skin looked very pale, especially her face. For the first time, Eliwood noticed that the woman's clothing resembled those of a dancer. Her dress went down past her feet, and the colour appeared to have been chosen to match her long, light blue-green hair. A thin white cloak was worn around the dress, but it appeared to be more for show than protection. Some simple jewellery was adorned around her. The combined effect gave her an almost angelic beauty, but Eliwood could tell that there was something… different about her, although he couldn't quite figure out what.
"Is she alright?" Marcus asked, looking at the woman.
Eliwood snapped out of his daydreaming. "She looks fine," he said. "But I'd like to get her looked over by a healer."
"Well, we're not far from Khathelet now, and since her kidnappers were coming from that direction, it's logical to assume that she was taken from there. Perhaps she even has friends or family there." Marcus's face took on a more grave appearance. "I regret to inform you, Lord Eliwood, that your horse was killed shortly after you were knocked from it. I found its body not far from here, but I advise you don't go and look at it. It's a rather bloody sight."
Eliwood frowned. "My father's not going to be happy." The loss of Zephyr struck a blow to Eliwood's heart. He had had that horse ever since he was young. He had never ridden another horse before, and he doubted that any other horse would match up.
"I think Lord Elbert values a human life more than that of a horse, Lord Eliwood, even one as fine as Zephyr."
"I suppose you're right Marcus," Eliwood said, but he was still frowning. He didn't like the idea of walking all the way to Khathelet. The sun was starting to set now, and he would much rather get there before dark. Bandits ruled the night, and the last thing he wanted now was more battle: he had had quite enough for one day.
"Lord Eliwood," Marcus said, "feel free to take my horse."
"I couldn't do that. You would be late for the meeting of the Lycian Council."
"Lord Eliwood, I must insist. I would feel much more at peace if I knew that you and the girl would be in Khathelet before dark. I will pick up a horse from one of the farmsteads if need be."
Eliwood knew there would be no convincing Marcus. "Very well." Eliwood lifted the woman up gently and carried her over to Old Faithful. Hoisting her gently into the saddle, Eliwood climbed on behind her, gripping the reins in one hand and holding her close to him with the other. He turned his head to face Marcus. "Thank you, Marcus."
Marcus shook his head gently. "Thanks are not needed, my lord. I am simply doing my duty." He stepped away from the horse. "May you have a safe journey."
Eliwood smiled. "And the same to you, Marcus. Good luck at the council." With those words, Eliwood turned his horse towards Khathelet, and rode away. As the horse gathered speed, Eliwood took a quick look back at Marcus, who was already walking away towards the south-west.
Facing forward again, Eliwood held the woman closer to him. It was strange. He had only just met her. He didn't know anything about her, not even her name. And yet, in spite of all those things, this somehow felt right.
The first stars were appearing in the night sky as Eliwood reached the outer homesteads of Khathelet. Even though the ride was short, it had been a rough ride, and Eliwood's body was now very sore. Clearly, warhorses were not bred to give gentle rides. Eliwood now understood why Marcus wore all that armour whenever he went riding, although he had a feeling that he had been slightly spoilt by the gentle rides that Zephyr had given him.
For now though, Eliwood had more pressing matters than his own comfort. He had to find someone who knew the woman he held in his arms. She still hadn't regained consciousness, but her breathing was still steady and some of the colour had returned to her face.
Riding up to a nearby house, Eliwood saw an elderly man heading for the front door. The man looked up as Eliwood rode towards him, a look of suspicion on his face. Eliwood wasn't surprised. He doubted that this sort of thing happened every day. "Do you know this woman?" Eliwood asked.
The elderly man stared at the woman for a moment, before saying, "Never seen her in my life." And that seemed to be the response at every home Eliwood went to. He couldn't help but notice that some people seemed to say it very hastily, almost before Eliwood had finished his sentence, before slamming the door in his face. Eliwood could only assume that they did know the woman, but were unwilling to say so for some reason. There were only two possible reasons: either the group who had kidnapped the woman were dangerous, or she herself was dangerous. Eliwood sincerely doubted that the latter was true. Apart from anything else, if she were so dangerous, she probably wouldn't have gotten kidnapped in the first place. That, and the fact that she hardly seemed to be the type to harm anyone, removed any suspicions that Eliwood might have had. No, it must have been the group who had kidnapped her that were the dangerous ones. But that still didn't solve the immediate problem of finding someone who would admit to knowing her.
Eliwood was about to give up when he noticed a small fortress not far from the outskirts. There were some fresh tracks headed towards it. Some tracks were made by horses, while others were made by people on foot, but all of them seemed to be made by a group that was in a hurry. Eliwood rode quietly towards the entrance of the fortress. As he reached the fortress, he saw a body on the ground. Eliwood gasped upon seeing that the man wore black robes of the same design as those of the men he had fought mere hours before. The body was glowing slightly, a sure sign that he had been killed by light magic. Eliwood was sure there must be someone on the side of right in that fortress right now. No evil man could have used that magic.
Eliwood drew Old Faithful to a stop and dismounted. Strangely, there were three other horses tied up outside the fortress. Two of them were a dark brown colour, one with a red saddle and reins, the other with green. The third horse was a lighter brown, and the rather dirty equipment attached to it made it look out of place next to the other two horses. Whatever group these horses belonged to, they must have contained an odd assortment of people. Eliwood tied up Old Faithful a good distance away from them, just to be safe. He picked the young woman up off the saddle. She was still unconscious. Eliwood held her in his arms, her head against his chest, as he walked into the fortress.
The inside of the fortress was dark. Only the dim light from outside allowed Eliwood to find his way through the halls. At first, the fortress seemed utterly abandoned. The cobwebs that covered the corners of the rooms seemed to back up that theory. But then, Eliwood heard something. At first, he thought it was the wind, but then he recognised the sound as that of voices. Eliwood followed the sound, and as he came towards an exit he could hear snippets of conversation.
"A villager saw some men riding south," he heard a stern, masculine voice say. Eliwood wondered whether those were the men whom he had seen.
"The boy's dear sister… they must have her!" said another, sadder voice. This intrigued Eliwood further. Could the brother of the woman he was carrying be here? Eliwood quickened his pace.
The voices became very clear as Eliwood came closer to the doorway. A feminine voice spoke. "We must give chase," the voice said, causing Eliwood to stop for a moment. The voice was clearly that of a woman's, but never before had he heard a woman speak with such courage or conviction.
Eliwood's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of sobbing. Eliwood stopped just in front of the doorway. In between the sobbing, he heard what could only be the voice of a young boy. "But we'll never catch them! What if they've already…"
Eliwood couldn't wait any longer. Walking through the doorway into the courtyard beyond, he shouted, "Is this the girl you're looking for?"
The sobbing instantly stopped, and Eliwood saw a young boy running towards him, crying, "Ninian! Ninian!" Eliwood saw the boy's blue-green hair and realized that he must have been the woman's brother. He was definitely the one who had been crying before, as there were still tears in his eyes, although they had now turned to tears of joy. As the boy reached Eliwood, his eye's darted toward Ninian's face, and then back to Eliwood's.
"She'll be fine," Eliwood reassured him, "she's just lost consciousness." Eliwood took a look at the other people in the courtyard. Standing behind the boy was a young woman with long dark green hair that was tied into a ponytail. She was garbed in a simple dress that was split along the side of each leg, presumably for ease of movement. Eliwood was sure that he had seen her, or at least someone who had looked like her, somewhere before. Regardless, the woman was very striking, possessing some sort of quality that he had seen neither in the female Lycian nobles he had met before nor in the common villagers. On her right stood a young man in red armour, who had hair to match. He had a rather stern expression on his face that reminded Eliwood of Marcus, although he did seem glad that Eliwood had brought Ninian here. On the woman's left stood another young man, but this one wore green armour, had brown hair, and had a very jovial expression on his face. Eliwood couldn't help but wonder why these two men, who were clearly knights, were with a woman who did not appear to be of noble birth.
But if they were an odd combination, the ones who stood behind them were even stranger. In the shadow of the green-haired woman stood a man who was clearly from the plains of Sacae: his tanned skin, dark hair and the simple hunting gear he wore were clear signs of that. His face portrayed no emotion whatsoever. There was a muscular man who wore ragged pants, a singlet and sandals, and had a large, single-headed axe by his side. His face showed very little emotion, but there was a slight smile on his lips. Not far from that man stood a young girl, for she hardly seemed mature enough to be called a woman. She had pink hair, which she wore in pigtails. She wore the white garb of a cleric, and carried what Eliwood could only assume to be a healing staff. She had a bright smile, but Eliwood got the feeling that she would be smiling even if he had brought in a corpse. Next to her stood a small young man with dark purple hair. He wore an orange cloak that suggested that he was a mage. He looked very worn out and frustrated. In a far corner of the courtyard stood a rather frail-looking young girl with light purple hair. She wore a short, white dress, dark blue boots that went up well past her knees, and light armour. She was avoiding making eye contact with Eliwood. A young man with brown hair stood near that girl. He wore a light green shirt and long brown pants with simple gloves and boots. He carried a bow over his shoulder and had a quiver filled with arrows strapped to his side. His expression was rather vague. Finally, not far from that young man there was a young man with blonde hair, although he appeared so feminine that Eliwood thought for a moment that it was a woman whom he was looking at. The man wore white robes that suggested that he was an Elimine monk, but Eliwood couldn't be sure. He had the appearance of a man completely at peace with himself.
Remembering why he was here, Eliwood said, "She was with a band of ruffians. She looked in need of rescuing. Was I wrong to involve myself?"
The green-haired woman stepped forward. "No, you saved her life," she said. Eliwood tried to keep his composure and make it look like he did this sort of thing on a regular basis, but he failed miserably. Being honest with himself, Eliwood was surprised that he had done it at all. The green-haired woman ignored this and asked, "Who are you anyway?"
Eliwood stood up straight. "I am Eliwood of Pherae. My father is the Marquess."
The green-haired girl suddenly seemed very distant. "The Marquess' son…," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, and Eliwood swore that she saw a tear trickle down her face. She soon regained her composure. Speaking in the strong tone that Eliwood had heard earlier, she said, "The woman you rescued is called Ninian. The boy in front of you is her brother, Nils. They are traveling performers." Eliwood looked down at Nils, who stood at least a foot shorter than him, but the boy's gaze was fixed purely on Ninian. Eliwood could understand: it was only natural to be worried about a sibling in this situation. Eliwood noticed a flute strapped to Nils side, and he assumed that Nils was a bard and Ninian was a dancer. It certainly seemed to back up his earlier notions.
The green haired woman spoke up again. "The man on my right is Kent, and the one on my left is Sain." Kent bowed to Eliwood. After a quick glare from Kent, Sain made a noticeably smaller bow towards Eliwood. "They are both knights…" the green-haired woman seemed distant again for a moment. Eliwood noticed that she hadn't mentioned what house these knights served, but he didn't press the matter.
The green-haired girl moved aside so that Eliwood could see the man behind her. "This is Rath," she said. Rath made eye contact with Eliwood, but gave no further recognition. The green-haired girl pointed to the large man with the axe. "This is Dorcas," she said. Dorcas nodded at Eliwood, but that was all the recognition that was given. The green-haired girl pointed to the pink-haired girl. "This is Serra. She's a cleric of St Elimine."
Before anyone could continue, Serra had spoken. "Oh, Lord Eliwood!" she said in a cheery, high pitched, almost inhuman voice. "I remember where I've heard of you! You're a good friend of Lord Hector's, aren't you? Don't bother answering, I should know. I mean, I do serve House Ostia! What are you doing in Khathelet?"
"Well actually…" Eliwood said before trailing off. He was about to say the real reason why he was in Khathelet, but then he remembered something Hector had said some time ago. He had told Eliwood about an annoying cleric in service to House Ostia. If Serra didn't know Hector was in the area, then there was a good chance that Hector didn't want her to know. "Just business for my father," Eliwood finally said, being the first thing that he could think of.
"Really?" Serra replied. "Marquess Pherae sends his son off to do the business of the house? Doesn't he have vassals to do that sort of thing?" Before Eliwood could reply, Serra shrugged and said, "Pheraeans are weird."
The green-haired girl nodded at Eliwood, and he got the feeling that Serra was always like this. The green-haired girl spoke again. Pointing at the purple-haired young man next to Serra, she said, "That's Erk, he's a mage and Serra's escort." Erk nodded at Eliwood.
Serra kicked Erk in the shin, and he howled in pain, before muttering some incomprehensible words under his breath. "Show the proper respect, Erk!" Serra exclaimed, poking Erk with her staff. "He's the son of a marquess!" Reluctantly, Erk bowed to Eliwood, who was hard pressed to keep himself from laughing.
The green-haired girl just smiled. "This is Florina," she said, pointing to the purple-haired girl in the corner. "She's a Pegasus knight in-training."
"Um, hi," Florina whispered, briefly making eye contact with Eliwood.
"Well met, Florina," Eliwood replied.
Florina opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words came out. "She's a little shy around men," the green-haired girl whispered to Eliwood. He found it very odd that such a shy girl could ever have become a Pegasus knight, but he supposed that her skill in battle more than made up for her shyness. Next, the green-haired girl pointed to the young man with the bow. "This is Wil. He's actually from Pherae, but he's been traveling for quite a while, so he may not have heard of you."
"Of course I have!" Wil exclaimed in a jovial voice. "Well met, Lord Eliwood."
"Well met, Wil," Eliwood replied. "Tell me, what caused you to leave Pherae? Hopefully it wasn't any problem you had with my father." Eliwood sincerely doubted that this would be the case, as his father was beloved by the general populace, but it couldn't hurt to be sure.
"Not at all, Lord Eliwood! I just wanted to see more of the world. But I may return to Pherae some day."
"I look forward to it."
Meanwhile, the eyes of the green-haired girl had been darting around the room. "Where has he gone?" she muttered. In a clearer voice, she said, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid a member of our group has snuck off. He does that sometimes." Eliwood raised an eyebrow at this. What sort of person would have reason to sneak off on a regular basis? Eliwood decided that it would probably be best to keep his suspicions to himself. This group didn't look like fools, so they must have had some reason to trust that person, whoever he was. "And finally," the green-haired girl said, pointing to the feminine-looking man, "this is Lucius. He's an Elimine monk."
Lucius raised his hand. "May the blessings of St Elimine be upon you, Lord Eliwood," he said.
"And the same to you, Lucius," Eliwood replied. "Was it your handiwork I saw on the body outside?"
Lucius' face took on a grave look. "Indeed, the man was a shaman, a practitioner of the dark arts." The room fell silent. Shamans and druids were a rarity in Elibe, and they usually only showed up when there was evil afoot. Eliwood wondered whether all of those black-robed men had been shamans, but he knew that couldn't be the case. If it were the case, he would be dead now. Very few people could resist dark magic.
It was Eliwood who broke the silence. "Tell me," he said, looking at the green-haired girl, "what is your name?"
"I am Lyn," she replied. She paused for a moment, and closed her eyes. As she opened them, she added, "I am Marquess Caelin's granddaughter."
"Marquess Caelin?" Eliwood gasped, so shocked that he almost dropped Ninian. "Then we have much to discuss." Eliwood never would have guessed that he would have encountered the very woman at the centre of so much controversy.
"I'm sorry, Eliwood," Lyn said, "but I don't want to talk about it." She turned around and began to walk away. Kent and Sain followed.
"Lyn," Eliwood said, "they're holding a meeting of the Lycian Council to decide the best course of action in this matter." Lyn stopped. "It would be best if there was someone who could represent you in this matter. And even if you don't want me to be that person, I still want to know the truth."
Lyn turned around and looked Eliwood in the eye. "Very well, then," she said. "We will discuss this in private. Kent, can you take Ninian and find a place for her to lie down?"
"Certainly, milady," Kent replied. Walking towards Eliwood, he held out his arms. Eliwood gently passed Ninian to Kent. The knight then proceeded to carry Ninian's unconscious form back into the fortress, with Nils jogging behind him. The rest of the group got the message, and followed the pair into the fortress. Eliwood and Lyn were now alone.
"So," Lyn said, "what do you already know about my situation?"
"Well, I know that your mother, Lady Madelyn, eloped with a Sacaen nomad," Eliwood replied, focusing his mind on remembering the details. "Your grandfather, Lord Hausen, was very upset, and after awhile he simply pretended that he had no daughter." Lyn looked upset by this, but Eliwood continued. "Then recently, he received a letter from your mother, which said that she was living happily on the plains and had a daughter, who would obviously be you. That's all that's known with anywhere near certainty, everything else is just rumours."
Lyn nodded. "Well," she said, "I might as well start with my upbringing." She looked out, away from the fortress and towards the northeast, and Eliwood realized she was looking towards Sacae. "I was raised on the plains of Sacae, as part of the Lorca tribe. My father, the nomad with whom my mother had eloped, was the chieftain. We lived in peace for many years. Then, one night, we were attacked by the Taliver bandits. Everyone in the tribe died that night, except for me and a few others. My parents were among those who died." Lyn was silent again.
"I'm sorry," Eliwood said. "I had heard rumours that Lady Madelyn had died, but I hoped they were unfounded."
"You don't have to be sorry, Eliwood. Some day, when I'm stronger, I will go back there, and I will kill every last one of those bandits. They will all fall beneath my blade." Lyn was scowling now.
"Lyn," Eliwood said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "revenge won't bring back those who have died, or heal your broken heart."
Lyn turned around to face Eliwood. The fire in her eyes seemed unquenchable. "Eliwood, you know nothing of how I feel," she said. "When you've had your entire family, everyone you've ever cared about, everyone who ever gave your life meaning, hacked down without mercy until their blood stained the earth, then we'll see if you can still say that."
Eliwood said nothing on that topic. This was Lyn's issue, and she would have to resolve it herself. "So what happened with you and the last few surviving members of your tribe?"
The fire in Lyn's eyes was fading now, and they seemed strangely empty without it. "As the daughter of the chieftain, I considered my duty to try and lead the tribe, to help it pull through this ordeal. But no one would follow me. Some said I was too young, others were simply too old-fashioned to follow a woman. I was left alone." A tear trickled down Lyn's face. Eliwood knew that, if such a strong woman shed but a single tear, then the pain she was going must have been beyond words.
"Well, I think we've cleared up the matter of your upbringing," Eliwood said, hoping to change the subject. "Would you mind telling me the details of your journey here?"
Lyn wiped the tear from her face. "I was going into the town of Bulgar one day to buy some supplies. I had been running low ever since the attack. It was there that I met Kent and Sain, although at that point I assumed that they were nothing more than two pestering knights, especially due to the fact that Sain was trying to flirt with me. It was only later that I found out that he does that to every woman he meets." A slight smile spread across Lyn's lips. Eliwood was glad to see that, for now, she seemed to be over the pain of what happened to her tribe. "Anyway, as I left Bulgar, I was attacked by bandits. Kent and Sain caught up with me and aided me in the battle. After the battle, they basically told me what you know. While they were telling me their tale, I remembered that one of the bandits had called me by my full name: Lyndis. Kent and Sain told me that they might have been paid by my great-uncle Lundgren to kill me."
"That does sound quite possible," Eliwood said grimly. "Some corrupt nobles have hired common brigands to perform assassinations before, so as to make it look like an accident. Lord Lundgren certainly had the motive. He's wanted the throne of Caelin for some time. Before Marquess Caelin knew of your existence, Lord Lundgren was next in line. But I'm surprised that he was able to arrange a contract from so far away."
"That's what Kent and Sain said. Despite the fact that I have no interest in inheriting any title, that all I want do is see my grandfather, Lundgren still seems to want me dead." Lyn sighed. "But we have no proof, so we can't use that against Lundgren. Anyway, I decided to go to Caelin with Kent and Sain. Before we set out for Caelin, I decided to visit a shrine near Bulgar. It is tradition for people of Sacae to go there before the start of a long journey. When we arrived, we found it under attack. The attackers were trying to steal the sword that was housed there: the Mani Katti. We fought them off, and the priest there allowed me to touch the Mani Katti, and wish for a safe journey. When I touched the sword, it glowed. The priest said that it was a sign that I was destined to wield it." Lyn unsheathed the sword that was strapped to her belt and held it up. It was glowing. "This is the Mani Katti."
Eliwood stared at the sword. It looked so light, and yet the glow was surely a sign that it possessed great power. "I have heard legends of this sword. It is said to be a blade without equal." Eliwood looked up at Lyn. "That you would be the one destined to wield this sword surely means you are destined for great things."
"All I know is that it has served me well battle." Lyn buckled the sword to her belt again. As soon as she let go of it, it stopped glowing. "Along the way to Lycia, Florina, Wil, Dorcas, Serra and Erk joined us. Florina is an old friend of mine, and had hoped to join up with our group as part of her training. Wil's an archer, and he joined up at first to help us fight some bandits, and then decided to stay. Dorcas joined us to earn money to pay for a cure for his wife's illness."
"That is a noble goal."
Lyn nodded. "Yes, and I would have given him some of our money without him having to work for us, but he insisted that he earn the money himself. Anyway, we ran into Serra and Erk very much by accident. Both of our groups had gotten into a fight with the same group of bandits, and we decided to join forces. Afterwards, Serra decided that she and Erk would join our group, as they were both headed for Ostia, and Caelin's more or less on the way."
Eliwood grinned. "I notice Erk didn't get a say in the matter."
Lyn laughed. "No, he didn't. Soon after Serra and Erk joined us, we arrived in Araphen. Kent had arranged a meeting with Marquess Araphen, to discuss whether or not any aid could be given to us. Before the meeting could take place, the castle was attacked, and Marquess Araphen was taken hostage."
Eliwood's eyes opened wide in shock. "How could that happen? Castle Araphen is one of the most well-defended fortresses in Lycia. It has to be, due to its position."
"I don't know how they pulled it off. I assume it was a covert operation. Those present all agreed that the group responsible must have been sent by Lundgren to kill me. But none of them would admit to it."
"That's only to be expected. Lord Lundgren would only have used those most loyal to him for an operation such as this. But how did you defeat this group if they so easily took the Marquess hostage?"
"Rath, who was the captain of the castle guard at the time, had somehow escaped the castle. He actually saved my life when one of the enemies attacked me."
"Well, I suppose that's part of his job."
"Well that may be the case, but that's not the reason he gave. He is one of the Kutolah, another of the tribes of Sacae. He said he saved me because I was from Sacae." This information surprised Eliwood. Marquess Araphen was well-known for his hatred of the people of Sacae. To have a nomad in his employment seemed like a very odd decision. Still, perhaps that had something to do with why Rath was here now. Lyn continued speaking. "Rath told us that there was a secret path that led into the throne room, that he and his men could use to ambush the enemy and free the Marquess. However, gaining access to the path required that some doors be unlocked, and we didn't have the tools to do it. Fortunately, we ran into a thief called Matthew who offered his services to us."
"And you accepted them?" Eliwood asked. Lyn nodded. "I'm surprised, given your clear hatred of bandits."
"Well, we needed the assistance. Besides, he seemed honest enough for a thief. He definitely didn't seem like the sort of person who would kill anyone like bandits do." There was a brief pause. "With Matthew's help, we were able to gain access to the secret passage, and Rath and his men were able to rescue the Marquess. I was then able to meet with him."
"And how did the meeting go?" Eliwood asked, although he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Lyn was silent for a moment. When she finally did speak, her voice was much quieter than it had been before. "Well, when he saw me, he said that I looked a lot like my mother, and that I was probably telling the truth about my heritage. However, he refused to give us aid. The reason he gave was that I was 'tainted' with the blood of the Sacae." Lyn seemed near tears now, although she didn't cry. As Eliwood looked into Lyn's eyes, he knew he had seen them somewhere before.
Eliwood put a hand on Lyn's shoulder. "Lyn, I know why Marquess Araphen refused to give you aid, and let me assure you that is not your fault," he said. "Many years ago, Marquess Araphen was in love with your mother. When she left with your father, Marquess Araphen was heartbroken. But rather than accept that your mother had made her decision and move on, he blamed it on your father. It wasn't long before Marquess Araphen's hatred of your father had extended to all nomads. When he saw you, I imagine it brought back a lot of ill feelings. It doesn't excuse what he did, but it does explain it."
"Yes, I suppose it does," Lyn replied. Eliwood had a feeling that his answer didn't satisfy her.
Eliwood could tell that this subject was hurting Lyn deep down. In an attempt to change the topic of conversation, he said, "What happened after your meeting with Marquess Araphen?"
"There's not much to tell, really. We decided to leave Araphen and head for Caelin through Khathelet. Matthew and Rath both joined us. Matthew's the one who's snuck off at the moment. We ran into Nils not far from here. He told us that Ninian had been kidnapped. We agreed to help him. We then met Lucius, who also wanted to help Nils. We fought our way towards this fortress, but most of the black-robed men had already left, taking Ninian with them. And then you came." For a while, the courtyard was silent. Then Lyn said, "And that's my story. In know it's hard to believe." Lyn turned away, as if expecting rejection.
"No, I do believe you," Eliwood replied. Lyn turned back to face Eliwood. "At first, all I saw was a girl of the plains folk. But as I listened to your story, I realized that you have your grandfather's eyes."
"You know my grandfather?" Lyn replied hastily.
"Your grandfather, Lord Hausen, is my father's good friend."
"What's he like?" Lyn was now gazing intently at Eliwood.
Eliwood thought for a moment, trying to find words to adequately describe Lord Hausen. "He's hard to describe. He's quiet, and yet when he can speak with great conviction when he's passionate about something. He cares greatly for the people of Caelin, and often puts their wellbeing above his own, which admittedly has led to a decline in his health in recent years. He can be proud, stubborn even." Eliwood could tell by the look on Lyn's face that that had come out wrong. "But let me tell you this with certainty: after he got that letter from your mother, he was happier than I had ever seen him."
These words seemed to comfort Lyn somewhat. "Thank you Eliwood," she said. "You give me hope that my grandfather may accept me, even if the other lords of Lycia may not."
"Lyndis," Eliwood said, being sure to use Lyn's full name, "Lycian nobles aren't all as old-fashioned as Marquess Araphen." Eliwood smiled at Lyn, and she smiled back. "Tell me, it looks like you're going to have some problems before you reach your grandfather. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Lyn's face became grim once more. "Thank you Eliwood, but no. This is my problem, and I must settle it alone. I would hate to think of Pherae getting involved in Caelin's politics: it might lead to war. I couldn't bear that, especially not after after what you did for Ninian."
Eliwood knew that there would be no convincing Lyn, and she was probably right. If he started taking sides, then other territories would use it as an excuse to start taking sides, until Lycia was in a state of all-out war. That was the last thing he wanted. "Very well," Eliwood said. "But I shall be staying in the Khathelet Inn for the next few days, if you change your mind." As a cold breeze blew by, Lyn shivered, and it was only then that Eliwood realized that it was now very late. "Now if you'll excuse me," he said," I have to go meet a friend." Eliwood turned around and began to walk away.
"Goodbye, Eliwood," Lyn said.
Eliwood turned his head around to get a last look at Lyn. "Farewell, Lyn. And good luck."
"Where in the world have you been?" were the first words Eliwood heard as he walked into the house. The words had come from Hector. "I was thinking about sending out a search party." He was a tall, muscular man, an image that was only exaggerated slightly by the heavy riding armour that he wore. The armour was painted in the dark purple of the ruling family of Ostia. Beneath the armour, he wore black pants and a blue shirt that matched the colour of his hair. In spite of the formal nature of his attire, his overall appearance was almost brutish, and few would have guessed that he was the brother of Marquess Ostia.
Eliwood knew Hector well, however, and knew that he was at heart a good person, even if his manners weren't the best he had ever seen. "Sorry, Hector," Eliwood said, "I was delayed."
"Care to tell me what delayed you?"
"It's complicated." If Eliwood told Hector about Ninian, then he would probably have had to tell him about Lyn, and that wasn't a good idea. Hector might already have his own opinion on the issue, and he didn't want to risk any conflict with his good friend. He also had a feeling that Lyn would rather her whereabouts remain secret.
Hector clearly wasn't satisfied by this answer, but he didn't seem to have any interest in pressing the issue. "Very well," he said, "keep your secrets." He stretched and let out a yawn. "Do you mind if we have our sparring match tomorrow? I think it would be best if we both got some sleep."
Eliwood couldn't argue with that. It had been a long day. "I have no problem with that."
"Do you have a place to sleep?" Hector asked. "There's a spare bed here if you want to stay."
"No, I'm staying at an inn not far from here. I would take up your offer, but I already told someone that I would be staying at the in if they needed to contact me." Realising that Hector would probably ask who needed to contact him, Eliwood added, "That, and I don't want to deal with your snoring."
Hector glared at Eliwood for a moment. Then they both laughed loudly and jovially. Once they were finished, Eliwood walked out of the warmth of the house and into the cold night. As he got up onto Old Faithful, he looked towards the fortress where he had been not too long ago. He could just make out a group of people leaving the fortress. They were heading south. Eliwood wondered who they were. Surely Lyn and her group weren't planning on traveling by night. Surely they knew the dangers.
But Eliwood soon received his answer, as, for a brief moment, he saw the unmistakable glow of the Mani Katti. Then it stopped, and Eliwood lost sight of the group amidst the darkness.