Intermission - Broken Heart

He grits his teeth to keep silent as the wound on his back throbs. He can't let himself look weak. He can't let himself be anything but the confident, foolhardy prince. ('It is good that you can feel pain still, your highness, though I know the words are poor comfort.' A kind and worried smile that reassures nonetheless. 'I'll be done in a second. Promise.') There's too many people looking at him for support. Morale is already low, thanks to… thanks to…

"Your highness." Forde's voice has none of the chipper calm it normally does. It's unusual enough to make him pause and lift his head to greet his friend, his knight, and the lack of a smile on his friend's face only adds to the pain. "I need to look at your injury," Forde whispers, the words worn and tired. Still, he nods and turns to make it easier, and bites back a hiss when his friend barely touches the wound. "Damn, there's still necrosis. I'm sorry, your highness, but..."

"There's no need to apologize, Forde," he reassures. It takes all that he has to keep his own tone even. Everything hurts. His body, his mind, his heart… all of it. "Without you, I would've succumbed to the poison days ago." He needs to make sure he tells Kyle the same thing. After all, without Kyle's quick reaction, Orson's dagger would've killed him near instantly, before he even knew what had happened. ('You must be aware of your surroundings, your highness.' Chiding, yet supportive words that makes him want to do better far more than any scolding ever could. 'Not everything is straightforward.')

Orson… he still can't believe it. Even though he had witnessed the betrayal and still bears the injury, he cannot believe it. Orson had been 'his knight' since he had been a child. ('My name is Orson, your highness. I am here to serve and protect you.' A flash of a smile, emphasizing sincerity and warmth. 'You can rely on me. I promise!') His babysitter, really, and always kind and reassuring. Supportive, and rarely scolded. Though he knows he is a poor prince and worse heir, Orson had always been there with him, to explain why others were mad or to listen whenever he needed to rant. ('There is no reason for you to keep everything bottled up, Prince Ephraim. Scream, cry, laugh… whichever you want.' Gentle words paired with a warm and kind smile. 'I am here and I always will be.')

Orson had been the first he had approached with his idea: to head south and ideally split Grado's attention and buy more time for evacuations. Orson had been the first to agree. Now, though, he wonders if it had all been a poor idea and Orson just setting him up…

"Your highness, Kyle and I agreed too." It doesn't surprise him that Forde knows where his thoughts have traveled. He and Forde have known each other since they were both small. Forde had known Orson even longer. "I thought the distraction would've helped." That had been their hope. Now, though… ah, how to fix this mess… the answer eludes him, but still, he must… "Kyle, what is it?"

"There's a visitor," Kyle answers, hidden by the closed flap of his tent. Kyle had insisted on standing guard ever since Orson betrayed them, and he's not sure if Kyle has even slept since everything happened. "One of the Serafew guards we picked up."

"That so?" he 'asks', trying to remember just when and how they had found those soldiers. He can only remember that it had been after Orson's betrayal, and after breaking through Valter's forces. "Let them in, then." So he says, but Kyle doesn't open the flap. Instead, Forde does after placing a temporary bandage on his wound. Thus enters his visitor: a young man still wearing the armor and garb of a Renaisi soldier, with a damaged and faded emblem of the Seventeenth Infantry Regiment. "You are?"

"Daniel, your highness," the soldier answers, saluting tiredly. He's not surprised; Serafew had been hit hard in the initial attack. Now that he pays attention, he can see the bandages on the soldier. "I wanted to ask… wait, hold on, I need to be more formal, don't I?" The soldier smiles sheepishly; he relaxes a little at the sight. Daniel… the name is familiar, for some reason. "I'm sorry. I've grown up with stories about you."

"Stories?" he repeats, curious. The way Daniel says it, it seems different than the rumors that burrow and feast on his reputation. "What stories?"

"Well, your highness, I'm from Rosewatch." That answers everything. Rosewatch is Orson's home, where he grew up after his parents' deaths. "I'm sure you can imagine from there. Orson always happily shared stories." That is an understatement. Though he had never actually visited Rosewatch himself, Orson had always been quick to tell him about the people there, and always 'threatened' to drag him to a festival. ('You can't say you hate festivals, little prince, until you've been to one of Rosewatch's!' Proud words paired with a bright smile. 'Only then will I accept that answer!') "So, I know what everyone is whispering. But I need…"

"You need to hear of Orson's betrayal directly from me." He can understand that. It doesn't feel real at all, but he has to pretend otherwise. After all, he knows this is reality. He never could've imagined this in his worst nightmares. ('What's wrong, little prince? Did a nightmare monster scare you?' Gentle words and a gentler expression. 'Here, I'll fight it off so that you can sleep.') Never. "Is that right?"

"...Yes." Daniel's expression crumples briefly, but he shakes his head abruptly to stop the tears and protests no doubt bubbling close to the surface. "I wonder why. He was always so proud to be a knight." That's what he had thought as well. Had thought he had seen. Now, though… "I wonder if it has to do with Emma."

"Emma?" He knows her. He knows her fairly well, though their relationship is only acquaintances. Eirika's lady-in-waiting and dearest friend, 'little sister' of Orson, daughter of one of Father's knights and one of Mother's best friends. She had retired to Rosewatch after Monica's death, while Orson had remained in service. If she had been in danger, a hostage, then… "Yes, I suppose that would make sense." He has no delusions that Orson would choose him over Emma. Orson's loyalty had always been his greatest strength and weakness, and if forced to choose, then of course Orson would choose Emma. He might be Orson's prince, but Emma is Orson's sun. Truthfully, Emma had been quite the light in the dark for most in the castle, particularly Eirika. Hell, she'd even been a light for him… "I find it hard to imagine, but stranger things have happened."

"You're telling me. I grew up with Emma, and I remember her most as the girl who hit a bear with a frying pan to protect Maddie." Somehow, the description doesn't surprise him, based on the stories he had heard and what he had seen. "And, of course, as the girl who teased me silly when I tried to ask for help proposing to Emilia." That also doesn't surprise him. "Still, it's the only thing that makes any sort of sense to me. Even if..."

"Yes?" Still, it doesn't quite sit right with him. Maybe it's simply because nothing feels real. "What is it?"

"Well, Emma was in Rosewatch." ...Ah. So, if she is somehow hostage, then perhaps Rosewatch… Orson's home… "So, I worry that…"

"Perhaps Emma tried to return to Ivroria after hearing what had happened." He's not sure how much he believes the words. But he can at least use what tactical prowess he has to generate some sort of plausible scenario to try and reassure. ('Politics and diplomacy are not so different from tactics and battles, your highness. Both rely a great deal on the ability to read people.' A gentle laugh that is warm and not mocking. 'Though, you need to work more on your tact whenever you pursue the former!') It's all he can do. "I'm sure Rosewatch is okay."

"I hope so, your highness." Daniel bows, signalling an end to the conversation. Thank the gods, because his nerves are at their limit. "I… don't know what all happened with Orson, but if any of you need assistance, I learned poisons and antidotes from him."

"Thank you." The wound on his back throbs, but he ignores it. He can't show any sort of weakness, especially in front of a soldier who has already suffered so much. "I'll keep it in mind." He waits until Daniel leaves before he lets out a long sigh and covers his face with his hand. Too much… yet what else can he do…?

"I'll probably ask with the excuse of comparing notes," Forde murmurs, returning to his side to tend to the wound. The knife in his knight's hands hints he has to cut away the necrotic tissue. As one could expect from Orson, the toxin on the blade had been vicious. ('Why do I use poisons? Because I will do whatever it takes to protect those I love.' A kind smile, accompanied by a squeeze to his shoulder. 'It is more than my duty to protect you, but my choice.') The sharp 'thorns' of the Knight of Thorns knew no mercy. "I learned from Orson as well."

"Thank you," he whispers. He can think of no other words to say. "Kyle, step inside. I want to confer about our next move. Have the scouts returned with any new rumors?"

He wishes he could just throw himself into battles and not have to think anymore. Then maybe he'd feel real and alive again.

Author's notes: Sooo, what's this? Well, in FE8, after Chapter 5, you get access to the lone side-chapter of the game, where you control Ephraim, Forde, Kyle, and Orson for a single battle. I didn't want to write that whole chapter out, but thought it would be interesting to explore the immediate aftermath of Orson's betrayal. So, here? The title is a reference to the side-chapter's actual title: "Unbroken Heart". In case it wasn't clear, the stuff in parenthesis/italics are Ephraim's memories of Orson.