Phoenixfire: You knew it was going to happen…
YamiPhoenixfire: Doesn't mean I wanted it to… god, the sappiness that must await us…
Phoenixfire: Take a look at the skeleton script.
YamiPhoenixfire: (reads) …NICE! Wow, I'm a believer! Now, if only you could do something this deliciously evil with an Eliwood/Ninian pairing, maybe I'd like that too.
Phoenixfire: …Stow it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem… I only wish I did. Damn you Intelligent Systems, why won't you sell it to me?
Summary: Chapter fourteen, Eirika's story. Eirika speaks to Lyon for the first time in a year and a half. What if a little more had happened at that meeting than the exchange of words?
(Eirika/Lyon. There's not enough of this paring out there, and I loves it to death.)
Okay, before I start… It seems a tad unreasonable to me for Ephraim to turn over his retainers to Eirika and take on the Grado empire alone. I mean, he's an awesome fighter, but NO ONE is that good. So, here's the breakdown
Ephraim's army – Ch 14:
Ephraim
Kyle
Forde
Tana
Duessel
Amelia
Geirk
Marisa
Tethys
Ewan
Knoll
(Myrrh: noncombatant at this point)
Eirika's army – Ch 14:
Eirika
Seth
Franz
Moulder
Gilliam
Vanessa
Innes
Ross
Garcia
Lute
Artur
Neimi
Colm
L'Arachel
Dolza
Rennac
Joshua
Natasha
Saleh
Cormag
If I forgot anyone, they're with Eirika. THERE, now we are within the realms of possibility. We shall start in Chapter 14 from Eirika's story. Enjoy!
Nightshade
Other Names: Deadly nightshade, Belladonna.
First Chapter: It Was Only a Kiss…
Two years before the war…
"…I yield. The point is yours, Eirika." Lyon sighed, throwing down his own rapier with a rueful half-smile. "You're swift, aren't you? Compared to you, I'm – I've been bested by a woman. Pitiful Crown Prince, am I not?" He laughed, but it sounded strained in her ears. She knew after having spent a great deal of time in Grado that Lyon was sensitive about his… frailty.
" That's not true…" she started, beginning to regret her win.
" Oh no, Eirika. It is," he sighed. " The people need a strong ruler. They don't want a weakling like me. They want the strength that you and Ephraim share. My body is frail. I prefer to spend my time locked away in the castle, reading… I think my farther would be better served if someone else took my place. I'm sure all of our retainers feel the same…"
"You're wrong, Lyon. An emperor without compassion will never hold the people's love. And, One day, your compassion will surely save us all. I believe that.," Eirika replied. Though she spoke softly, her words had the strength of conviction behind them.
" Eirika… Thank you. Yes. I… I will do my best. Even though I lack your strength, there must be some good I can do." A small smile graced the face of Grado's Crown Prince.
" There is."
" By the way, Eirika… If it please you, would you accept this?" Lyon produced from a pocket in his robes a aquamarine no larger than Eirika's pinkie fingernail, hanging from a gold chain. "Think of it as an early birthday present."
"Th-Thank you, Lyon," Eirika stuttered, fumbling with the clasp.
"…let me help you," Lyon offered. He took the necklace and fastened it for her.
"Again, thank you," Eirika said, turning to face him. She was suddenly stuck by how close they were to each other, their faces being only about an inch apart. All she had to do was lean forward a little, and…
"Eirika, Lyon! Where are you two?" called her twin brother, Ephraim. They leapt apart quickly, and just in time, for Ephraim came to their part of the practice yard not three seconds later. "Hey, why are you two blushing? Did I miss something?"
Present day, Throne Room of the Hall of Jehanna
"Odd. My reports stated that Ismaire was being held in the throne room," Innes muttered, looking at the empty and blood spattered throne. Joshua was cleaning his bloody blade, glaring at the swordmaster's corpse with a mix of anger, hurt, betrayal, and worry on his face that Eirika couldn't understand. Joshua had been unusually agitated since hearing that Jehanna hall had fallen under siege, making Eirika wonder if he had family in the royal guard. Yet when he had attacked the swordmaster… it had just been too personal for Eirika's taste. Who are you, Joshua?
Eirika paused for a few moments as the others filed out of the throne room, her thoughts wandering to a familiar face as they often had these past weeks. Lyon… I miss you…
Why? Why do our countries have to be at war? Why did Grado invade my homeland? What is your father really up to? I have so many questions…
Suddenly, a magical circle appeared on the floor in front of her, and Eirika leapt back a pace, drawing her rapier. A dull flash emitted from the circle…
And, suddenly Lyon himself was standing in front of her, blinking in surprise
"Ah…" he murmured, still blinking owlishly. He looked absolutely adorable when he did that. Like a lost puppy.
"Lyon!" Eirika exclaimed happily.
"Eirika…" he murmured, taking a step back and starting to trace several rune patterns in the air.
"Wait, Lyon! Don't run away!" Eirika pleaded, grabbing his arm to stop him from teleporting again. "My brother and I have been so worried about you… We know more than anyone the gentleness of your spirit. This war… it must have been so hard on you. Your father is deranged, isn't he? That's why Grado invaded Renais, right? Tell me, Lyon… Please… Tell me what has happened." Eirika watched her friends face closely as she spoke, and noticed guilt creeping into his beautiful amethysts eyes.
"I'm sorry, Eirika. I've wanted to see you and Ephraim for so long now… I wanted to see you so that I could apologize. The invasion of Renais… I couldn't stop it. I'm sorry," he murmured.
"Lyon… I don't blame you for what your father has done. I'm sure that you did everything you could to stop this war…" I also know how you idolize your father… Oh, Lyon, this war must have been harder on you than anyone else…
"I… the cause of the war… it's complicated… I can't talk about it, not now…" he looked at his feet.
"You… you have a reason, don't you."
"Mm… I can't talk about it now, but I promise I will tell you everything someday," he replied, still refusing to meet her eyes.
"I see… I believe you, Lyon. I must tell you, I'm a little relieved. I was afraid you'd changed as much as your poor father has. I'm so glad." He looked up at her at this point, gazing directly into her eyes. He seemed to like what he saw there, for a slight smile appeared on his face and his eyes lost their haunted look.
"Me too, Eirika… No, you have changed. You're even more beautiful than you were before."
"L-Lyon…" Eirika gasped, suddenly noticing exactly how close they were now standing to each other, their noses barely an inch apart. Then, almost impulsively, Lyon leaned forward and kissed her. Eirika tensed in shock for a moment, then responded. However, after a few, far-to-short moments, they broke apart again, both blushing furiously. For a moment, Eirika thought she saw a dark shadow across Lyon's features and a cold glint in his eyes, but she blinked and the darkness had vanished, leaving only her childhood friend.
"Eirika!" L'Arachel called out from somewhere close by, and they both jumped apart hastily.
"Always something interrupting us," Eirika said in an attempt at a joke, referring to when he had given her her birthday present two years ago. If anything, the comment made them both blush even redder. I can't believe… we just…
"I-I'm sorry, I have to go," Lyon stammered, still blushing furiously but looking a tad worried at the same time.
"But the others… Surely, I can persuade them to…" Eirika pleaded, suddenly not wanting Lyon to leave. She had the oddest feeling that if he left now, she'd never see him again.
"No, Eirika. Your friends won't understand. However, please remember this. This war started because I was too weak to stop it, but… I'll always be your… friend," he finished lamely, his tone sounding as if he wished to say something more. "Ah… Before I leave, I must warn you. You must leave the Hall as quickly as possible. It will soon become unsafe." With a few hand gestures, Lyon was gone.
"Lyon…" Eirika muttered. What was he trying to warn me about? Are Grado soldiers coming?
"Eirika, what are you doing?" exclaimed L'Arachel as she dashed back into the throne room, panting slightly. "It… why on earth are you blushing? What happened?"
"N-Nothing," Eirika said a little too quickly, resisting the urge to cover her lips with her hand.
"If you say so…" L'Arachel muttered, with a dangerous 'we're going to talk about this later' look in her eyes.
"Forget about me. What did you have to say that was so urgent?" Eirika asked, trying to compose herself.
"Yes, right… It seems Queen Ismaire has been found. This way!" L'Arachel urged.
"Y-yes. Coming!" The young Princess of Renais threw one wistful look at the throne room, at the spot where Lyon had vanished, before following her friend out.
"What did you do?" Lyon hissed at the presence in the back of his head, the one that had seized him the day that he had resolved to use the power of Grado's Sacred Stone to resurrect his father.
"Do? I did nothing. As I recall, you were the one who kissed the princess of Renais, not me. Her brother's probably going to be even angrier at you when he finds out."
"N-not that! You did something while I was… Don't try to change the subject, Demon King! What did you do to Eirika? And don't lie, I sensed you do something! What did you do?"
"My, my, my… it seems that you have a backbone after all, Prince of Grado. However, it's far too late to start trying to defy me now. There's not enough of 'you' left for that. As for what's going to happen to your precious Princess… well, we're just going to have to wait and see, aren't we? Now, I think we should be on our way to Rausten. There's a Sacred Stone there. I want it shattered."
Lyon hesitated. Really, he didn't want to obey the Demon King, he didn't want to shatter the Stones, he didn't…
"Do it now. Or I'll do it for you."
"Very well. I'll go borrow half the force from Caellach, and we can move out."
Eirika, forgive me for being so weak…
So? Love it? Hate it? Feeling a burning desire to lynch the authoress? Please tell me.
Later...