- ? -
The sky had become a crimson red like blood. The clouds once white, now nearly black. Th scent of burning smoke always lingered in the air. Civilians no longer had smiles but frown and eyes of despair and sorrow. Slowly losing hope as each day passes by. The boy let go of a tried sigh as he looked over to the gates. A single woman standing there, waiting. The boy gave her cold look from a distance while the civilians always muttered to each other about her. She has cared for them all and tended their needs. War had brought so much blood shed, yet the woman did not let it stop her. To the boy, he could only look at her in disgust because of her always voidless eyes. A guard at the tower began yelling out that army had returned. The boy, along with his lord and friends, scurried over to the gates. The woman watched open, the boy saw her twitch. Soldier carried the bodies of those that has fallen and those injured sat in the wagons. Yet, they all stopped, a single soldier stepped forwards towards the woman. He looked tried, hungry, sick. But the soldier could only close his eyes as one his other men stepped forwards, holding something covered in blood in his hands. Many could only watch in horror as the soldiers that went to war returned with only a blood covered weapon. The guard couldn't look at the woman in the eye as she took a few steps forward, and gently held the weapon in her hands. A drop of blood dripped onto the ground, the sky only darkening as realization hit him like wave. The boy next to her shook with rage, sorrow, and anger, but knew the woman would not cry. She didn't cry when her friend died. She didn't cry when the mage died. She didn't cry when each of her friends, one by one, died and never returned. But...
"...Urgh..."
The boy's eyes slowly went wide as the woman began shaking as she held the weapon close to her chest. Drops of water began to fall from the sky as the wind picked up. Thunder roared through the sky as the gates closed. The woman grip tightens on the weapon. Falling onto her knees, shaking. Then, the woman raised her head, her mouth wide. The scream that left her lips was unlike anything he had ever heard. It was unlike anything anyone had ever heard. It was a wail of pure sorrow and despair. It was like she became the very embodiment of it. The screams became a wail. And the wail became the screams of sorrow and despair. Tears fell like a river from the woman's eyes as she held tightly the blood covered. She began wailing the names of each of her friends, one by one. The boy realized he was a fool.
"I'm such a fool..."
The sentence kept repeating in his head when he realized the idiot he was. He thought he knew the woman well. But he didn't. None of his friends did. They all believed she was a heartless woman but all this time, she held her own emotions back for their sakes. The children and soldiers could only watch as the woman's wails and screams did not die down. It was far too late...for now he understood why the woman was the way she was.
Truly...he was a fool.
- Present Time -
Sophia chewed the nail of her thumb as she, Lysithea, and Khan Basilio watched from the audience seats of the arena. There were also other warriors, muttering among themselves as to who these two fools were, challenging the West Khan's best swordsmen. Sophia remembers that in the game, Basilio mentioned to the Shepherds that Marth just showed up one evening and beat Lon'qu. To think she would now witness it...it made her skin crawl. But she had much bigger questions. Who was the boy with the wyvern mask? She's never seen or heard of him before. Much less, in the game. The first thought that came into her head was that he may be an NPC. After all, she's met many people these past three months and there have been changes. This world was real. She accepted that because she forced herself to adapt. But now...
She looked back to the arena and saw Marth looking up their way and then back to men. The boy with the wyvern mask only briefly looked up and then back to field. The boy unsheathed the sword on his waist, along with Marth, the two stood side by side, their sword's crossing. Falchion on the right, and...
"Wait, that sword looks familiar." Sophia muttered as she stopped chewing her nail.
It looks far too familiar, but she can't but her finger on it. She looked to the two knights and two swords master, all four lunged at each other. The boy charged at Felix while Marth charged at Lon'qu. Their movements were swift, perhaps too fast for Felix's and Lon'qu's liking.
Sophia wasn't liking this. Felix and Lon'qu were getting overpowered easily and she can tell the boys were holding back. The boys' steps were grateful and calculated while Felix's movements were of wanting the battle to finish quickly but also to finish off the job.
"Alm!" Marth yelled and the boy now named Alm, quickly jumped back to stand by Marth's side.
"We should finish this quickly." Alm says and Marth nodded.
"Shall we do that then?" Marth turns to him a bit.
"In front of her?" He says, referring to Sophia, "Sure. Why not?" He says.
The two lunged at the men once more. Their swords clashed viciously, almost as if it was a dance. Each performer moved with grace but with their own unique character. The two jumped back and lunged again, but what threw off the adult men was that they both spun and threw their swords in the air, then...
"HA!"
"WHO THE FUCK TAUGHT YOU THAT?!" Sophia screamed as she literally just watched Marth and Alm use martial arts, on Felix and Lon'qu.
The poor bastards didn't see it coming as they tried to dodge the punches and then Alm did a kick with his left leg at Felix and Marth with her right leg on Lon'qu. The males' shocked as they were forced to stumble back, only barely witnessing the two knights catch their swords and then cross slash them together. Silence took over the arena as Felix and Lon'qu fell unconscious to the ground.
"FELIX!" Lysithea screamed and jumped down 8 feet from the seat to the battle grounds.
"What the hell did I just witnessed...?" Sophia shook as she barely managed to jump back to her senses and jumped down.
She ran after Lysithea, who had slid quickly on her knees, neck to Felix.
"Felix! Felix!" Lysithea yelled as she picked him up in her arms, lightly smacking his face.
"They are only unconscious." Marth spoke as Sophia knelt to check Lon'qu.
Her hand glowed a bit green and scanned it over him and then did the same to Felix.
"No wounds. No blood. They are only unconscious." Sophia sighs a bit and looks over to the two warriors.
It was obvious to Sophia that the boy Alm was most likely Martha's retainer. But what made her worried was the movements of martial arts they did. They were the same ones she did to Arca about 2 months ago. She used that trick on the girl but... unlike her, she felt no killing intent from either of these two. She saw Lysithea used a cotton ball with alcohol, wafting over the men's nose to wake them up. Felix groans but frantically sits up, touching his armor and checking repeatedly, making sure he is alive. As for Lon'qu...
"GHHAAA!" The bastard screamed and jumped away from Sophia like a cat, "AWAY, WOMAN!"
"Oh, come on!" Sophia flung her arms in the air pissed but got up with the rest.
"Very impressive!" The group turned to see Basilio clapping as he made their way to them, "That was a very Impressive battle! You two beat my best swordsmen!" He laughed.
"What the hell was that technique?!" Felix turned to them, "I swore that sword of yours cut me in half!" He growled.
"What?" Lysithea gasped and Sophia's face became blank with half lidded eyes.
"I cannot tell you." Alm answered and Felix glared at the two.
"Anyhow," Basilio sighs, "I am very impressed. Because you two beat my best swordsmen, I have decided to hire you both to compete for my side. What are your names?" He grins.
"I am Marth." Marth says and Alm then spoke.
"I am Alm." Alm spoke in a monotone voice though it could not be seen because of his mask, he briefly glanced over to Sophia.
The woman was having an internal mental breakdown.
[-]
It's been two hours since the fight and Sophia were still shaken. She paced back and forth in the medical office, alone. She was chewing her nail, muttering to herself at what the hell she witnessed. First of all, that technique both Marth and Alm used was one that was passed down in her family. She was the last person her grandmother taught it to. The purpose of the technique was to unleash your killing intent, not at the person but onto your blade. Thus, creating a temporary feeling to your opponent like if they were about to get killed. This allowed you to then strike them down.
"What the hell..." Sophia muttered as she quickly went into her bag and pulled out a chocolate with liquor in it.
She ate it, her nerves calming down a bit. As for Felix, Lysithea took him out to the tea shop to try and help him relax. She did feel a bit sorry for them. She can tell that Felix and Lysithea have something between them. That's good. As for Lon'qu, he's still out training. Sophia let go of a sigh as she looked back to her desk. It was the black book with the red gem she brought from Plegai. She's been studying it in her free time as well as taking notes. The text in the book was a combination of runes, the native language of Archanea as well as some other unknown language. Only a few words she's been able to decipher as well as one spell. Honestly, she wants to test one but doesn't want to risk it backfiring on her.
Knock knock.
"Come in." She turns to the door, hearing someone knock.
The wooden door opens and in comes...Marth...better yet to say, Lucina. It felt like someone poured a bucket of ice over Sophia as Lucina opened the door a bit more to let Alm come in. The door closed, a silence filled the room, yet Sophia let go of a sigh before she composed herself and spoke.
"Can I help you two?" Her voice became professional as she held her hands together.
There was only silence as the two warriors just stared at her and she was trying to keep her eye from twitching.
"Yes." Alm spoke, "My Lord wishes to speak about something important." And Marth just looked his way.
Too bad Sophia could see the glare the blue haired woman sent him. Sophia had had to cover her mouth to hide the smile that threatened to form on her lips. She can tell by the way the two were whispering back and forth between each other, there was a possibility of something between. Oh, she can imagine poor Chrom sulking if he learns his baby is interested in someone. Which brings another question to her mind? Who is Lucina's mother? Her own it's either Robin or Sumia.
"Ahem." Lucina coughed and looked back to her, "I shall be forward. You know who I am." Her tone became serious and boy, Sophia was glad her mouth was covered.
Or else Lucina would have seen her jaw dropping. The woman's eyes became void of emotion, something that made Alm twitch, but for the woman, her composure was back to normal.
"I believe you are confusing me for someone else, child." Sophia removed her hand from her mouth, "I know many people but certainly not you."
"You know who I am." Lucina repeated once more and the emotions just leaving Sophia's face.
"Child, I already said you are confusing me for someone el-" she stopped when Alm held out a bottle of peach sake.
She recognized it. It's the same bottle from the hot spring she was at a week ago. Then...
"Ah. So, you're Erika." Sophia muttered, still playing the ignorant one, "Did you like the peach sake?"
"I honestly don't understand how you drink that abomination." Lucina says and Alm gave her a hurt look.
"Abomination?! In her defense, this sake is the best!" Alm says and quickly coughs.
"Well, I'm glad you like it kid." Sophia smiled a bit, "But anyhow, if you kids aren't injured or anything, please do not waste my time. I am very busy." She says and turns her back.
"You kept silent." Lucina's tone suddenly went cold, "You never spoke a word. You never spoke of the knowledge you knew." Her right hand turned to a fist; it shook.
"To the flames of damnation...so my future self never said anything..." Sophia thought and glanced back at them for a bit.
She stared at them for a few seconds and spoke.
"I'm assuming..." she shook her head, "You're wasting my time kids. You really are confusing me for someone else." She waved her hand to dismiss them.
"Leave Plegai!" Marth growled and Sophia gritted her teeth, "You are making a big mistake staying there. You will regret it." She said.
Sophia's nails dug into the desk, slightly splintering the wood. She now was getting angry.
"Leave Plegai...?" She muttered, her nails digging more into the wood, "Tell me child." She turned to her, the aura of authority rising that Lucina wanted to take a step back but held her ground, "Who are you to dare try and command me?"
The woman's eyes held fury yet coldness, her face composed but her nails digging deeper into the wood.
"You!" Lucina snarled and suddenly gasped when Alm placed his hand on her shoulder.
She looked at him, confused and he gave her a slow nod before letting go and walking up a bit to the older woman. The two stared at each other for a moment and he spoke.
"Grimleal is making their move." He began, "They are still searching to decipher the ancient Loptyrian scrolls of the deadlords. However, we fear there is something worse. Lady Sophia, you know we come from the future." He said seriously.
Sophia only stared at him with confusion in her eyes.
"We mean you no harm Lady Sophia but please listen to Lord Marth's warning. Nothing good will happen if you remain in Plegai. The people you care about will be endangered if you stay." He says and Sophia took a deep breath, then let it go.
"Even if I left...those people will still be in danger." Her voice shuttered a bit as she spoke.
She turned and quickly opened her bag, digging through it till she found what she was looking for. It was a small red book that she wrote. She turned back to Alm and handed it to him.
"Make sure to have Brady, Laurent or Owain study this." Sophia sighs as she turns back to her desk, "Now go."
"What is this?" Alm asked, she could feel their eyes boring into her skull.
"If my future self-kept silent...then I'm sure she had a reason. But if my future self was a bitch and didn't share her medical knowledge with you kids, then I'm pissed. Make sure to study the book at least 3 hours a day and take 20-minute breaks in between. Now go!" She said a bit angrily, her back still facing them.
Alm was silent for a few moments but spoke, a small smile on her lips.
"Thank you...Lady Sophia. You know..." he crossed his arms, a bit and smirked, "despite acting all cold, you're really kind."
"Am I?" Sophia muttered, "Heh. Flattery will get you nowhere kid. Especially because I can tell you don't mean it. A word of advice to you and Marth." She glanced at them a bit, "All fate...remains unknown. It isn't meant to be seen. But...break free from it's chains. Alter it to what you want it to be. That's all." She looked back to her nails digging into the wood.
"Noted." Alm says and turns to leave along with Lucina, not looking back.
The door now closed; a heavy silence filled the room as Sophia let go of a sigh. She sat down at her chair and buried her face into her hands.
"What have I done?" Sophia muttered to herself.
The way Lucina spoke to her, her biggest fear just got confirmed. She will eventually have to get involved with the main cast. Still, she wondered why her future self chose to remain silent.
"Just what did I do...? Why did I remain silent?" Sophia muttered as she had covered her mouth again.
She had many questions running through her mind. First off, to think that Erika was Lucina this whole time. And based on the girl's reaction, there is a chance that her future did not have a good relationship with her. Another sigh left Sophia's lips and grabbed her bag.
She needs a bit of space.
[-]
Walking through a street market always made her day. The street markets in Ferox reminded her of the ones from her home. She would go out on the weekends with her grandmother and father to enjoy it. Buying fresh waters and food to eat. The bliss of seeing a different variety of foods sold. She walked around for a few minutes till she arrived at a shop. The building was made of black stone, the scent of burning coals surrounded it, as well as a bit of heat. Carefully opening the door, she peeked inside. There were tools for forging on the walls, hammers, pins, and such. The fire burner was on, but it was burning weakly. There was a desk littered with sketches. She walked in carefully, seeing no one around.
"Hello?" She called out a bit, just to make sure someone was there.
But there was no response. She let go of a sigh and decided to look at the weapons on display. There was a Sword of Zoltan, she remembered from Three Houses as well as his other weapons. She had to admit, she was impressed but the craftsmanship. The man cared deeply for his works.
"Can I help you?" She turned and saw an old man who looked to be in his 50's.
Despite being old, he seemed quite fit and strong.
"Ah. Hello." She politely bows to him, "My name is Sophia. I was recommended this shop by a merchant named Anna. I have heard that you forge weapons and even custom ones." She says and the man raised an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah. It's rare hearing Anna recommend my shop to someone. She never does that unless she's taking a liking to you." The old man says, "Here to buy a weapon?"
"Actually..." she took a deep breath and released, "I was wondering if I may commission you for a weapon."
"Ah! It's been awhile since someone asked politely. Haha! Let's hear it, what do you have in mind?" Zoltan chuckled and Sophia nodded.
"I am thinking of a pair of chakrams. And..." she pulled a notebook size box from her bag, "I have a specific material I wish to be used."
She handed him the box and the man opened it carefully. The man did not know that this material was actually bone. He took out a piece, observing it and then looked back at her.
"Where did you get this? This some really damn high-quality material." He says.
"Plegai. Got it as reward for helping a village." She says and the man nodded.
"Hmmm..." the man stared at for a moment then spoke, "This is enough material to make two chakrams and a dagger. So, any design on mind?" He asked.
"Actually, I was thinking of letting you decide." She answered.
"Well..." the man smirked, "how do you know I won't screw up your order and rip you off?" He says.
"Because you won't." She smiled, "You're Zoltan, aren't you? I can tell when I was observing the weapons on the wall, you care about your work. It's your life. The weapons in a way have their own life. Their own story. They are forged with care. You see your work also like a form of art. I respect that." She explains and the man bursts into a hearty laugh.
"Gods! It's been awhile since I heard someone speak so honestly. The last person that spoke to me that way was the lass Olivia! A stuttering mess she was but she is honest. You hold that same honestly. Alright lass, I'll do it. Anything else?" Zoltan asked and Sophia nodded.
She took out a small wooden jewelry box. Opening them, inside were two stone jewels. A dark green one was an emerald cut beautified into a diamond shape and the other was a red colored gem in the shape of an opal. She smiled fondly as she looked at the gems.
"Please find a way to incorporate these two gems to my chakrams. They...mean a lot to me." She said and the man sighed.
He knew that look. The look of someone losing loved ones.
"They'll be done next month. I send an owl your way when they are finished." He smiled softly and she nodded.
"Thank you."
[-]
"Sigh..." it's been a few hours and she returned back to the arena to finish her paperwork.
She's glad she will have the weapons done, especially since she literally gave Zoltan fragments of Grima's bones to him. She was honestly looking forward to the weapons, but she stopped. She stopped near an open area of snow, where a few benches were. Children were playing with their parents, laughing, and cheering. Sophia didn't want happy scenes like this to become an apocalypse inferno. She walked up to the bench and sat down, closing her eyes. More thoughts ran through her head about her future self. Other than she chose to remain silent, she wondered what else her future self did. One, it was possible she doesn't have a good relationship with the children. Maybe at some point in time she joined the Shepherds? Honestly, part of her is hoping her future self didn't but who knows what fate has in store. Another question that was in her mind was if she shared her own medical knowledge and other things. With the battle she saw today, it was obvious to her that she taught the boy Alm and Lucina martial arts from her old world. Then, the one question that her cousin would always ask her came into her mind.
"Hey Sophi! When will you start dating?"
Sophia was glad she bought a mug of hot chocolate that was spiked with alcohol. She took a big gulp from it and then wiped her lips.
"Who the hell would date me?" She muttered as she took another sip of the hot drink.
Dating in her old world never worked out. She would always be busy with work and found that pursuing a relationship with someone was nothing but a hassle. Yes, there was that fear that she could get hurt. But her main thing is if a person is worthy of her trust. The only two people she currently trust are Henry and Lysithea. No one else. Sophia doesn't trust people easily because of her past experiences growing up. She's cautious and wary. At times, she could be a schemer. She doesn't let down her guard at all. Even if she is with people she trusts. Sophia let go of another sigh and thought. The vision of being a parent never came across her mind and honestly, she couldn't see it. But she does remember speaking a bit on the subject with Iris. That was all. Sophia can't see herself as a parent because she fears she will become just like her mother or worse. She much rather give the child to adoption and have them live a happy life than with her. And if she did have a child and she became a horrible parent, she hopes that child grows up to be a better person, cuts her off, and disappears from her life. To leave her. She doesn't want that child to suffer by her hands.
"Just what did I become?" She muttered as she closed her eyes again, taking small breaths.
The snow gently fell from the sky, a calming sensation filled her. She heard someone sit next to her and turned her head a bit, her face became blank when she saw it was Alm. The boy had his arms crossed along with his legs as he leaned back on the bench, his lip was a thin line. There was a tense silence for about five minutes till he spoke.
"You got questions. I'll be nice and answer a few. You got 10 minutes. Start." Alm says and Sophia burst out laughing.
Alm gritted his teeth and Sophia could tell he was sending her a glare from behind his mask.
"I'm so sorry but you doing that reminded me of something I did when I was younger! Hahahaha!" Sophia laughed and tried to calm herself down a bit.
"Tch." The boy just clicked his teeth and waited for her to calm down.
Sophia laughed and calmed down as she wiped a tear from her eyes but coughed.
"Sorry about that. I rarely laugh." The boy just gave her a grunt, "First question then, did I become like the wench of my mother?" She smiled.
Alm glanced at her, a frown on his face.
"Is that how you view yourself? A wench?" He asked and Sophia shrugged.
"I've always viewed myself as a demon with no heart. Probably because of how people view me." She answered and his frown only deepened.
"You were emotionless. But I don't know about your mother. You never spoke of your past. Only a few knew and no matter how much were asked they always told us that it was your story to tell, not theirs." Alm answered as she hummed.
"I'm glad my privacy was respected." She says, "I'm guessing I became a bitter old woman."
"What the hell is up with you always referring to yourself like you're the biggest mistake in the world?!" He snapped at her suddenly and she just raised an eyebrow at him.
"Kid, I am not answering that." She says and he just growled, "Let's ask you this, do I have a partner?"
"The hell! I'm not answering that!" He snarled.
"I'll take that as a no." She sighs, one of relief.
"You sound like you are relieved." Alm looked her way and she chuckled.
"That's because I am. First off, who on earth would want to be with me? Second, I am glad because that means a child won't suffer. If I did become like the wench of my mother, and I did give birth to a child, I hope that child grew up to be an amazing person. But also...that they cut me out of their life." She says and Alm froze.
"You...are happy if they cut you out of their life?" He slowly turned to her and she nodded, her eyes on her hands.
Her vision flickered as she saw them one minute painted with blood, another with multiple cuts, and lastly, just normal.
"If I did become a parent...and I became a horrible person...I hope that child grew up to be the opposite of what I became. I hope that child grew up to be strong, kind, brave, and most of all, filled with emotions. Someone who cares about their people. I hope that they cut me out of their life, so they no longer suffer. They don't need toxicity in their life." She says and he covered his mouth.
Sophia couldn't see, and he was glad she couldn't right now because she was busy staring at her hands. His lips were quivering.
"Hey kid." He only turned his head just a tad bit, "One final question. Who is Lucina's mother?" She asked.
"Robin. That's all." He says and stands up, "My time is up. Just to let you know, what we discussed here, is going to be told to my Lord."
"Alright." She smiled softly, "Say kid...I hope my other self at least taught you that." She muttered.
"Taught me what?" He looked at her confused.
Sophia smiled softly as she looked up to the sky, a small reminder of the things she loved.
"In time flows~ See the glow~ Of flames ever burning bright~" she sang and the boy's breath hitched, once more covering his mouth, "On the swift~ River's Drift ~ Broken memories align ~" she finished the lullaby and turned her head towards him.
But the boy was gone. Sophia let out a dry chuckle as she stood up and took out the small pocket watch she always carries.
"Time to head back."
- Weeks Later: July 5th -
The Ferox Capital has become lively over the past few weeks. People preparing and rushing putting up decorations for the tournament. Stalls where bidders were getting ready to bet who would be the winner this year. Word got out quickly of the warriors Alm and Marth. The mysterious duo that took down Lon'qu and Felix. Yeah, someone's pride was hurt. But Sophia had seen the four spar. To be honest, the four looked like they were having fun and the adults would give the kids pointers and how they could improve their technique. Sophia kept her distance for obvious reasons. The only reason she ever talked to them was because Alm had the tendency of overworking himself. Like the warriors she must tend, she scolded the kid. Sophia didn't know why but when it came to Alm, her anger rose just a tad bit. She felt like an older sister scolding her younger brother. No, the best way to describe the feeling was like a mother scolding her child. Then again, she was always called the mom of the group back in her old world. Lucina, despite wearing a mask, looked like she was reliving some memories watching Sophia scold them. Speaking of that subject, Alm refuses to say who his parents are. It's understandable. With the way he's acting, it's possible he didn't have a good relationship with his parents, whoever they are. As for Lucina, she knows her mother is Robin. So, she internally cheered that she made the right guess.
"Now, when a deep wound is like this, your first priority is making sure the main veins were not damaged." Sophia explains as she pointed her staff at a poster on the wall of the human body.
The four mages that will be fighting in the tournament have asked her if she could teach them some healing magic. Honestly, Lysithea would have been the better choice for that but she already had enough dealing with paperwork. The girl has been teaching Sophia more advanced spells and has been having Sophia leaning towards combining her medical knowledge with her magic. Sophia gladly took that opportunity and has been researching ways to do it. The tome she made has all her formulas written as well as other spells she's been taught. But...there was something off.
"Oh shoot!" Sophia's bag accidentally fell onto the floor, her things spilling out.
One of them was the black covered book with the red gem she brought from Plegai. Instantly, a wave of nausea hit the mages and Sophia ran to them worried.
"The...book..." one mage managed to croak out and the woman quickly grabbed it and put it away along with her bag.
The mages felt a wave of relief as it was now put away but Sophia, she was still worried.
"All of you," she turned to them, "can you explain to me what happened?" She says and they looked at her confused.
"Wait, you didn't feel it?" A female mage looked shocked and Sophia shook her head.
"That tome...we don't sense any of the elements of magic from it yet...for us mages...we immediately feel sick. Do you seriously not feel it?" Another asked.
"I'm sorry but I don't. And I'm a mage also." She sighs and looks back at her bag.
"Changing the subject!" She clapped her hands together, "Good luck out there tomorrow! And don't overdo it on the alcohol tonight!" She warns.
"Speak for yourself! You drank an entire three mugs the other day!" One man laughed and his friend smacked him on the head.
Sophia chuckled a bit as she waved goodbye to them as they left the small clinic. She turned back to her desk and heard the door to the clinic opening again.
"The new shipments should be on the way soon Thea (Lysithea)! Just make sure not to overdo it on the cake again. I had to have Lon'qu find you and Felix last time." She hummed but heard no response.
"That's weird..." she thought and turned, "Lysithea why aren't you-!" Her eyes went wide, nearly dropping the box of medicines she was holding.
"I beg your pardon." The voice of a male spoke, "I was told by Khan Flavia to look around the place. Also, I am searching for my Lord who... unfortunately, he has wandered off." The man bowed politely to her.
Sophia was too stunned and couldn't answer as she looked at the man before her. Brown hair combed back, a stern face, brown colored eyes, royal blue colored armor the man wore. From the tie on his neck, Sophia could tell he was wearing a formal suit underneath the armor.
"Milady, are you alright?" The man asked and Sophia's face went blank of emotions as she nodded and placed the medicine box back on the desk.
"Pardon," her voice void of emotions, immediately putting the man on guard, "I was just surprised. We rarely have new visitors." She says.
"I see." There was a bit of an awkward silence and she spoke.
"If you are looking for your Lord, I recommend the training room. That's where the warriors of the west and east Ferox train. As for the medical unit here, we are neutral. We are with no side." She says and turns back to her desk, opening the box.
"I see. Thank you." He says, "May...I know your name?" He asked.
"...Sophia. I'm a doctor." She says and turns back to him.
"I see. My name is Fredrick, I serve as a retainer to my Lord." Fredrick bowed politely and she nodded.
"It is good to meet you. Have a nice day." She says and turns her back on him.
Fredrick had an offended look but shook his head, leaving the clinic. Sophia waited a few minutes till he was gone and let out a load groan. Her face dragged down her face and covered her mouth.
"Chrom, Lissa, Robin, Frederick and the rest are here then...and the tournament starts tomorrow...I need to be careful. Based on the conversation today, Frederick already has me on his "need to be wary" list." Sophia muttered as she bit her lip.
The door opened again and in came Lysithea, who looked like she ran the mile. She quickly locked the door, looking like she'd seen a ghost.
"Whoa! What happened?!" Sophia gasped as she walked up to the girl.
"I just found out that Ylisse Royalty is here! And guess who else?!" She yelled and it clicked.
Virion.
"Did he see you?" Sophia asked and Lysithea nodded.
"I barely managed to get away! Please hide m-!" The girl nearly screeched when the door knocked.
"Pardon! May I come in?" A Male voice spoke and Lysithea turned back to her friend, her hands clasped together.
"Please, I'm begging you, hide me!" Lysithea pleads and Sophia nodded.
"One moment!" She yelled out to the door and quickly ran to her bag, taking out the Warp tome.
"Here!" She quickly handed it to her, "It's the tome, Warp. Get out of here!"
"Thank you, Sophia! I swear I'll pay you back!" Lysithea says and quickly activated the tome, warping to know where.
Sophia let go of another sigh and went to open the door. Of course, the first person in her vision was straight up overly top blue haired noble that would like a bloody prick in her eyes.
"Good day Miss! My, such blue hair is like the sea. Eyes of emeralds and rubies! Such a beauty I have never seen before! I am the Archers of Archers! For I a-!" And Virion did not get to finish because she closed the door in his face.
"Wait Milady!" Virion cried out and Sophia just let out another groan and opened the door, "Virion! Er...My name is Virion." He muttered and Sophia just rolled her eyes.
"Good. You said your name instead of rambling on shit." Sophia days and Virion choked on his spit, "Anyhow, what do you want? I don't need some pompous noble screwing up my schedule. If you're here to waste my time, go suck a lemon and buzz off." She says.
"My such words!" Virion gasped, his hand over his heart, "But such a beautiful sea of course can become deadly like a typhoon. Pardon, me my lady. I saw a Maiden of violet hair run in here. I wish to speak to her." He says and Sophia just sighs.
"Unfortunately for you, I didn't see anyone run in here. Are you sure you didn't see a Leánnan sídhe? Actually... " Sophia smirked as she looked him up and down.
He was dressed in a dark grey coat with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath. A blue sliver armor shoulder plate covered his right arm and he wore brown colored gloves. He wore black pants that were easy to move in with brown boots, a leather shield on his waist and strapped on his back was his bow and arrows.
"Ha! Not even the Leánnan sídhe would go after a lecherous man like you!" She laughed and Viron looked like he was getting teared apart.
Unfortunately, Sophia didn't notice that there were others gathering on the side lines. And those just so happen to be the Shepherds and Khan Flavia. Lissa was going to speak up, but Sully whispered for her to just watch. Boy, the red head knew a good show was about to start.
"M-Milady...such... boldness." Virion whimpered and Sophia knew, the moment she's been dreaming of, has arrived.
"You look like a snub of a noble with the speech. Your attitude and looks make me want to bleach my ears and eyes! Your looks need work as well as stance! Your facade of a leacher will only get you killed. You need to work on etiquette and your words and actions come out unclear!" She says clearly and Virion looked like he was getting stabbed by swords for each word she spoke.
Those in the sidelines were desperately trying to hold back their laughter while a few gave looks of pity to Virion. Sophia just kept going, not a care in the world.
"Before me stands a coward who used sweet words as a facade! One who breaks hearts and throws them away! A coward and liar, unfit to speak to me! Begone and away with you, leacher, for your pompous noble ass just got whipped! Shoo! Shoo! Go eat wyvern shit and suck a lemon! Bye!" And she slammed the door closed in his face.
Virion looked like he had just been massacred while everyone else had burst out laughing. For Sophia, she let out a satisfied sigh.
"Man, that felt good."
[-]
Outside the clinic, Sully and Vaike were howling along with many others. Virion crawled weakly back to the group; his confidence completely shredded to pieces at the moment. Donnel gave the poor man an awkward pat on the shoulder to try and reassure him.
"My, I never seen someone tear a man apart with just words... Interesting..." Miriel fixed her glasses while Chrom shook his head.
"I think for now we better avoid the clinic. I spoke to some of the warriors here, but I did not think that the rumors of the arena's doctor being a terrifying person when crossed, were true." Robin cringed while Flavia laughed.
"Who would have thought a woman like that be here?! Wish she joined us." Flavia sighs.
"Well, at least we know now where the clinic is." Lissa muttered and the others turned to leave.
For a while, Robin stared at the door of the clinic. Something about the woman...felt familiar.
- Later at Night-
The taverns in Ferox were always lively during the night and even more with the tournament going on tomorrow. Sophia sat in the bar with Anna, who she had learned arrived in Ferox in the morning. As much as the two women tried to convince Lysithea to join them, the violet haired girl did not want to risk being seen. So right now, it was just Anna and Sophia, drinking buddies.
"And then I teared that fucker apart!" Sophia cackled madly as Anna was laughing along.
"Boy, I wish I was there to witness it!" Anna laughed as Sophia took a shot of liquor.
She was glad Ferox sold tequila in this world. Well, it was just called alcohol, but she'll go by the name they call it in her old world.
"So, how have things been for you so far?" Sophia asked, feeling a slight buzz.
She had drunk 5 shots so far, and still isn't wasted.
"Sales have been pretty good! That information you gave me, the best decision I ever made! I made a lot of coin and managed to help the village strike a deal to open a trading route!" Anna grins as Sophia nodded.
"Glad that helped you out." Sophia smiled a bit, "So, anything new?" She asked, referring to information.
"Well..." Anna frowned a bit as she swirled the liquid in her cup, "Tensions between Plegai, Ferox, and Ylisse are rising. There has been an increase in attacks, and I got reports of Grimleal doing suspicious activities. But the biggest news is...rumors." her red eyes looked up to her.
"What rumors...?" Sophia whispered, suddenly sober.
"Thankfully just that Ylisse and Ferox are becoming allies but... there are rumors of a woman who can cure others with no magic... people are calling her, The Saint f Archanea because she is affiliated to no one." Anna muttered as she stopped swirling her cup.
A sense of dread fell over Sophia as the eyes of the red head returned back to her cup. This was what Sophia feared. Rumors about her starting.
"The rumors have not reached Grimleal, so you are safe. But...they have reached the ears of the Exalt, Emmeryn. As well as the Khans. But if no one knows their identity, you should be safe." Anna muttered and Sophia nodded.
"Still, I am worried. Question, do you know someone I can trust so I can hire them to gather information for me?" She asked and Anna gave her an offended look.
"What am I?! Chop liver?!" She says and Sophia shook her hands frantically.
"No! No! That's not what I meant!" Sophia sighs, "The reason I asked that was because who knows when you and I will be able to see each other again. I need someone who can move quickly and get back to me fast." She explained.
"Oh! Then...well...hmmm..." Anna thought for a moment then spoke, "I know someone. They may be a bit on the rugged side, but they are reliable, and you can trust them. Can I have your address?" She asked.
Anna handed her her small notebook and Sophia wrote down where she lives.
"Another thing..." Sophia muttered, "Where can I buy an owl?"
"Owls?! Well...hmm... There is a magic shop here in the capital. I think they got you covered there." Anna shrugs, "Anyhow, it's getting late. I'm heading off. And you?"
"I'm going to stay here for a bit." Sophia muttered and Anna nodded.
- 2 Hours Later -
Her mind was a bit fuzzy, but she was still sober enough to head to her inn. Sophia wore her cloak and black veil over her face to hide her identity. At times, she worried someone would recognize her. It was paranoia from her old life, but she would always be cautious. It was late at night and for some reason, she decided to go to the park. It had been awhile since she's been there. It took a few minutes to arrive, but she let go a small sigh of relief when she saw there was a lantern lit nearby. She went to sit down at the bench, relaxing a bit. These past few weeks have been hectic but today just made her stress levels grow even more. She heard footsteps approaching and turned her head a bit, seeing it was Fredrick. It was odd seeing the man out but then again, Ferox is still very lively during the night.
"Pardon to disturb you. You seem...lost in thought." He muttered and Sophia just shook her head.
At least he couldn't see her face, so she guessed talking to him normally wouldn't be so bad.
"It's alright. What's a guy like you doing out here? Swept away by the celebration?" She asked and the man chuckled a bit.
"Yes and no. Unfortunately, my Lord and colleagues have all gone to the celebrations. I lost them in the crowd." Fredrick sighs and Sophia smiled a bit.
"Why don't you sit down?" She says and he raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm sure your Lord and allies are fine. Based on your expressions, you seem to care about them a great deal. Besides, the Capital is a safe place."
"Sigh...very well. Please excuse me." Fredrick sighs and sits next her, around 3 feet apart.
"The snow is lovely tonight." She held her hand out to the sky, letting the snow fall, "It had been a long time since I've seen snow."
"Are you not from Ferox?" Fredrick asked.
"No. I'm not Ylisse or Ferox either. I'm a foreigner traveling the lands." Sophia says as she brings her hand down, seeing the small snowflakes that dropped on it.
"I see. I recommend visiting the capital of Ylisse, Ylisstol, when you have time. The place is very lively and during this month, the flowers are in bloom." Fredrick smiled a bit as he spoke of his homeland.
"Your homeland...you speak fondly of it." She muttered and he nodded.
"It is where I was born. As a knight, I serve my Lord and his family but also to protect my people. With tensions rising between Plegai, more people are at risk." He says and she nodded.
"Make sure not to overwork yourself. Occasionally, it's good to relax." She says and he frowned a bit.
"I do not understand." He says and she chuckled.
"You'll figure it out one day. Until then, watch over those you care about. You are lucky...for me...I am no longer able to return to my loved ones." She frowned a bit.
"Forgive me if I may sound rude...but...were they lost in war?" He asked and she shook her head.
"No." Sophia muttered, "You have a home to return to. I don't. For I can never return back to my homeland. It's path to return does not exist. It has been difficult these past few months to adapt to the environment here in Archanea." He looked at her hands, "I made an oath to save lives...here...I have to kill in order to survive..." she looked up to the sky.
Fredrick could hear sorrow in the woman's voice as he watched looking up to the night sky. Even if a hood and veil covered her face, he wondered if perhaps, she was holding back tears.
"It is never easy to take life. You do not have to get used to it. Do not force yourself to become numb to it." He says and she turned her head just a tad bit to him.
"Thank you..." she muttered, and stood up, "Seems my time is up. Good luck at the tournament." She says and begins to walk away, disappearing into the dark.
Fredrick was silent and then blinked.
"How did she know I was taking part in the tournament?" He muttered and stood up to go the direction she went but noticed something glint on the ground.
He walked to it and knelt to pick it up. It was a gold colored circular shape device with spider lily design engraved on it. He was confused. He had never seen such a magic tool before. He noticed a bottom on its top and clicked it, nearly throwing the thing away when it opened like a clam. His eyes narrowed as he looked inside it. It made a strange ticking noise as he saw some sort of miniature stick making the noise. There were also numbers, seeming as if they told the time of the day and night. But what caught his attention was the picture that was inside. It was so clear and detailed, unlike any of the pictures in books he had seen. The picture had an old woman with light orange colored hair laughing in joy as the young man next her was holding a cake with candles. Sitting on a chair with a look of pure joy, was a little girl with orange red colored hair, her eyes on the cake.
For tomorrow is the tournament and the gears of fate started to make the first turn.
Chapter 7: Twisted Face
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Hey guys! It's me! The new semester is starting in a few days so Updates will be a lot slower. The same case will be for Shattered Songs of Faith, which I am taking a temporary break from. The heat over here is horrible and really kills my motivation. Add that the fact the PG&N is going to be cutting off power for certain days, it's hell.
Now onto updates. Shattered Songs of Faith will either be updated by the end of this month or next month. A Dark Saint's Heart next update won't be till next month.
As for your guy's question on Sophia. She was inspired actually by Santos, a character from a story called Stolen Remedy by Stormtide Leviathan. She was also inspired by Edelgard and Mercedes. Strange combination, I know.
If you guys want to talk and hang out, or even advice on how to improve your writing, join the discord, Fanfiction Tree House! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a