Chris: Well, this is my submission for Lemurian-Girl's fanfic contest that she posted in her forum. Yes, I just heard about it today. Yes, I finished my entry in one day. What can I say? Just came up with an idea. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem.

Ragged String

Hector doubled over, clutching his chest and staggering forward a couple of steps. Frantically taking in deep, heavy breaths of air, he felt the pain in his chest lessen and slowly fade away. Straightening himself, he looked around, hoping that no one had seen his moment of weakness. When he saw that he was alone at the moment, he sighed in relief.

'Good…No one saw that…' Hector thought to himself, placing a hand to his chest. In the last couple of days, his heart and lungs were paining him, sending in waves of pain at the most random of moments. He would feel just fine one second and in the next, he would be coughing and sinking to the ground. 'Damn this disease…It already took my brother away from me.'

"Hector? Is that you?" Lyn pushed aside a stray branch and walked into the clearing where Hector had taken his unexpected break. The teal-haired maiden from Sacae took a glance at the serene landscape, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "What are you doing here? I wouldn't have thought that someone like you would have enjoyed staying in a nice place like this."

Hector inwardly winced. She was right. Well, partially right, at least. Calm and quiet places weren't what he treasured most. Hector loved action, noise, and excitement. Sitting down in a quiet, forest clearing usually had nothing in the way of action or excitement and as for noise, there usually wasn't any noise either.

"Well, there are still some things that you don't know about me." Hector replied, folding his arms. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" The blue-haired lord eyed Lyn suspiciously, but he made his tone light enough for her to interpret it as a joke.

"Fine, fine!" Lyn laughing backed away. "If you don't want me here, then I'll leave you alone to your somber moods and thoughts. As a matter of fact, why don't I send Serra here so she can cheer you up?"

"Oh, that's going too far, woman!" Hector laughed and grabbed Lyn's hand, dragging her back into the clearing. "Threatening to call Serra was uncalled for." He sat down on a lumpy mass of stone and motioned for Lyn to join him.

"Hehehehe…I couldn't resist." Lyn returned, her deep-blue eyes sparkling happily. "So, tell me Hector, what are you doing here? You're missing out on the festivities." Her voice became serious and Hector knew she would keep pressing the issue until she had found out the truth.

"I was just taking a break." Hector answered, not looking at the teal-haired girl. "There's nothing you should be worried about, okay?" He abruptly stood and faced her. "And why'd you come looking for me?"

"It's just not the same without another loud drunkard stumbling around and yelling gibberish." Lyn smiled wanly. "But don't lie to me. I know there's another reason why you came here. We're about to go to the Dread Isle to defeat Nergal and you're sitting here and moping. That isn't you, Hector. I should know."

"And how should you know?"

"Hector, stop being such a child!" Lyn's eyes flared and she faced the taller lord angrily. "We've traveled together for quite some time, at least a year, and you say that I don't know anything about you?" She stood up as well and poked Hector hard in the chest. "Now tell me, Hector, what is wrong with you?"

Hector evaded the question, not bothering to answer. His family disease was his business alone and he had no right to drag anyone else into his problems. His brother would probably call him stubborn for that attitude, but Hector was a stubborn person. "I'm going to party now, okay? Sheesh, don't bother me, Lyn. I don't have the time for that."

"Don't have the time?" Lyn shouted, shocked. "Hector, how can you say that to me? I thought we were friends…"

Hector spun around to face her, his patience finally snapping. "You want to know why I was here? I'm sick, Lyn! It runs in the family! Now, whenever I push myself too hard, my heart starts pounding in my chest, my lungs feel like they've suddenly shrunk to half their size, and the only thing I am able to do is just sit there! This disease was the one that killed my parents and it's the one that will kill me! That's why I was here, Lyn!"

"I see…" Lyn mumbled. "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Why? I just didn't want to. My problems are my own and while you are my friend, I don't drag my friends into my personal problems." Hector sighed and rubbed his temples with his hands. "I'm sorry, Lyn. I shouldn't have talked to you like that. It's just bothering me so much now."

"…" Lyn crept closer until she came behind Hector and hugged him tightly to her.

"What are you doing?" Hector asked, confused.

"Shh…Don't say a word. I never knew, Hector…I'm so sorry. It must be terrible to know that you're going to die by some sort of sickness…" Lyn sniffed and felt small tears begin to creep out of her eyes. She closed them and just held onto the blue-haired lord. "Please…"

"Lyn? What do you mean?"

"Please…just tell me when you feel bad…I'll be at your side, Hector. You shouldn't have to suffer alone. Let me help. You've always been a tower of strength for the rest of us…Let me help support you, okay?"

"…Okay, Lyn. Thank you."

---

"Perhaps you would like me to make a morph of your brother, Hector? I'm sure you would enjoy having him back in your life, wouldn't you?" Nergal laughed, his deformed eye sparkling madly. "You mortals are so weak! Did you cry when you found out he was dead, Hector?"

Hector staggered backwards, looking stricken. He placed a hand over his heart and fell to his knees. Struggling, he glared at Nergal, his eyes blazing with fury. "You will pay for your words, Nergal! I will destroy you like the scum you are!"

"Brave words, Hector!" Nergal laughed again and disappeared. "Brave words…"

Hector fell to his hands, coughing roughly and trying to steady himself. Small flecks of blood flew out of his mouth and splattered on the stones below him. He tried to take another breath but it got caught in his throat and he released another sickening cough.

"Hector!" Lyn rushed for the blue-haired lord, her eyes wide with fright. "Please, get better! Don't push yourself!" She turned towards Eliwood. "We can't let Hector fight! He's too sick!"

"No!" Hector grabbed Lyn's arm tightly and struggled up. "No, I'm going to fight."

Lyn gazed up at him, her teary eyes full of worry and alarm. Hector smiled reassuringly at her, wiping blood from his lips.

"Don't worry, Lyn. I'm not going to die. I'm made of stronger stuff. Come on, let's wipe the floor with that bastard." Hector stood up and lifted his axe off of his back. He grinned and looked at the others that had accompanied him. "Are you all ready? It's time to save the world!"

---

"So you made it…" Nergal hissed through clenched teeth. "Who would think that weaklings like you could defeat my splendid morphs?" The turban-wearing man brought his hands back, charging up a huge ball of energy in his hands. He fired it out of hands, directing the blast of dark energy at the closest target, which happened to be Lyn.

The teal-haired maiden jumped to the side, but the dark magic followed her, staying on her heels as she frantically tried to evade the blast. However, just as she was about to get struck by the magic, Hector intervened and shoved her out of the way. Unfortunately, this also meant that he was directly in front of the attack and Hector got launched across the room, landing with a heavy thud on the opposite wall.

"Hector!" Lyn shrieked as she ran to his side, feeling his neck for a pulse.

"Ow…That hurt…" Hector moaned as he propped himself up on the wall. "Oh, hey Lyn. What are you doing here?" He grinned.

"You idiot! What are you doing? You could have been killed!" Lyn cried as she wrapped her arms his neck. "Don't do anything stupid like that again!"

"Um…Lyn? Can you please get off? We still need to fight, you know." Hector mumbled as he pushed himself up and gently pried Lyn off of him.

"If you guys are done, I would really appreciate your help now!" Eliwood shouted as he used the Durandal to cleave a blast of magic in half. The red-haired lord shouted a war cry as he charged at Nergal, swinging the heavy blade in a wide arc.

"We can talk later, okay Lyn?" Hector asked gently as he picked up his axe from where he had dropped it. "For now, staying alive takes priority." He flashed a smile at Lyn. "I'll keep staying alive as long as you're with me." Directing his attention back to the battle, he roared as he swung his axe at Nergal's head, ignoring the fact that the pain in his chest was slowly becoming stronger.

---

Three years later, Hector was now Marquess of Ostia. With the news of his brother's death now out in the open, the people clamored for one of the heroes of the Three Lords War (as people were calling it) to take up his rightful place at the throne. And so he had. Even though he had no mind for politics and would have dearly loved to throw any wicked marquess into the ocean, Hector took the throne and managed his city with care and knowledge.

And right by his side sat Lady Lyndis, formerly of Caelin. After the fight against the dragons, she had consented to be his wife under the pretense that Hector was too reckless and stupid to take care of himself. To almost everyone else, it seemed to be a required marriage, especially since Ostia had been given governance of Caelin after Lyn gave up the throne. However, inside the castle, people could hear their merry laughter and know that the two truly loved each other. But such happiness couldn't last forever.

The time had come and Hector knew that he was going to die. There was no fighting it. He had been able to fight against the disease when he was younger and because all of his friends were there…But now, the years had passed and his friends had other more important things to do. Although he was in no doubt that they would have immediately tried to find him a cure for the disease, he was loathe to interrupt their lives.

He gave a loud, racking cough and sank to his knees. Lyn was immediately at his side, but even she knew that his time was up. Lyn held him again, just like she had done so many times before. "Oh Hector…Why'd you have do this?"

"I'm sorry, Lyn." Hector smiled wanly, but broke into another coughing fit. Unlike the others, which lasted for only a couple of moments, this one lasted for much longer. He kept coughing, blood spurting out of his mouth and falling in little dribbles onto the cobblestone pathway. "I thought I could handle it."

"You big idiot…" Lyn murmured brokenly, laying her head on Hector's back. "You can't do this…"

"I don't want to do this, Lyn." Hector replied and Lyn saw some of the old Hector back. "I would like nothing more than to go to the armory and have a fun sparring session with you. But my body isn't letting me, Lyn." The blue-haired marquess smiled in remembrance.

"But what can I say to our daughter? Lilina will be so heartbroken…" Lyn sniffed, tears falling from her eyes and mingling with the blood on the ground.

"Tell her…Tell her I'm visiting my brother." Hector said before breaking into another coughing fit. His skin slowly turned pale as more of his lifeblood leaked onto the floor. It was ironic. The disease that had brought the both of them together was now going to split them apart. Another pain settled heavily into his chest. It wasn't fair, not only to him, but to everyone he loved.

"Heh, I never thought I'd be regretting something…But I do now." Hector coughed, spilling more of his blood onto the floor. "I wish that more of my friends were with me…But you can tell them I died peacefully…"

"Even if you didn't?" Lyn asked, her voice choked with tears.

"Lie…" Hector grinned. "I just regret…That I'll be leaving you, Lyn. I never wanted to do that, you know. It was never in my agenda…" He let out a wheeze and placed a hand over his chest, where he felt his heart's beat growing fainter.

"I know…I know, Hector."

"My second regret…" His vision started to get fuzzy and Hector struggled to get another breath. "Is that…I won't be able…to see my daughter grow up…Take care of Lilina for me…" Hector closed his eyes and slowly sank into Lyn's arms.

"Hector! Hector, you big oaf! Don't die…Please…Please don't die!" Lyn cried as she slowly rocked her husband's body. She buried her head into his still chest and continued crying. 'Doofus…Why'd you have to go and die…?'

And so, Hector's lifestring finally snapped, worn by the burdens of responsibility and strengthened by the bonds of friendship and love. Slowly becoming frayed as he watched the death of those who meant a lot to him. Becoming thin as more and more responsibility was heaped onto his shoulders. And finally, broken by the disease that ate away at his family, and finally at himself.

Chris: Uh…Yeah. There you go. I don't know if it's any good (since I don't write tragedy that often), but drop a review and tell me whatcha think! And yes, I am well aware that Hector did not die this way in FE 6. I'm taking creative license.