Chapter 2: Meeting of the Five Kingdoms; Discussion in Etherthien!
Five Kingdom Summit Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.
Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Morale Fades" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST. Scene 3 (First Half).
In a shocking movement indeed the empire, oldest nation in the continent, has opted to move in attacking other countries with its imposing military might. Led by their general Guskov, the intimidating force of numbers are surprisingly easily batted away by Aselian might of their own. With the return of their missing king, Selthris Vikeruce, Aselia's morale is able to shake off the dark-amber of Sohantha. Opting to spare their enemy commander, Selthris gleans several and perhaps worrying pieces of information from him.
Meanwhile in Etherthien and Coremond, king Alaric and the Coremondians' elder, lady Salnarra, have thus been informed of current events. Operating immediately, king Alaric sends out messengers, hoping to put an brief end to the fighting. His message is a request to each country leader to, for the first time in some of their lives, meet up together to discuss these important issues. Coremond, under lady Salnarra's guidance, have opted to agree having already sent their reply however, Sohantha and Naerith have yet to send any kind of word back.
In Aselia, relatively new king Selthris Vikeruce, fresh from his successful defence of his country, deals with other issues as well as the rising concern of war. Having just barely won his nation back from his old enemies, king Alpheus of Naerith and their lead general; the Masked Man, Selthris finds himself in the same shoes as his god-uncle, king Alaric. Wishing no more blood to be shed, he sends his own acquiescing reply before swiftly readying himself for the destination he had once travelled to in his earlier journey.
To Etherthien.
Scene 1
Even as he ran his arms around the winter coat he wore, Selthris couldn't help wincing from the sheer weight of it. Leo, on his right in the barracks, couldn't help but put on a grin as he spied the younger male from his side of the room.
"Bear with it, Sel," the Mercenary advised as he spun his own arms 'round the coat he wore. "Where we're goin' we're gonna need 'em."
"I know...," Selthris grumbled as he narrowed his eyes down at the material, clenching his teeth with his fingers as he did so. "It's just less movement than I'm used to...," he admitted in a low sigh through his nose as he re-raised up his head. "That's all."
His closest companion grinned back at him before edging his head backward, toward the exit of the men's barracks. Following his silent gesture, the young Lord shook his head of his own infernal thoughts.
"Gotta learn how to switch off...," Leo finally replied with, a grin on his face as he turned briefly to face the young adult, index finger pointed at the side of his head. "Yer highness." He added in a growing grin; Selthris couldn't help but shake his head as he chuckled lowly, regaining the cheer he always carried around his confidant.
"Let me through!"
The pair, surprised by the sudden interrupting voice, turned their heads almost simultaneously to the entrance and exit doors that they were sauntering towards. Though Selthris narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the doors, as if trying to remember who the voice belonged to, Leo merely winced.
"Oh no," he murmured lowly. "Not her."
"M-Miss this is the men's barracks, you can't-"
"Urgh! I don't care; I just need to see-"
The obviously heated woman on the other end of the doors shot her head up mid-sentence as soon as the pair of young men walked on through. The man holding her back, wearing the classic Aselian sky-blue colours of armour, turned his apologetic and sweating frown on the pair.
"I'm sorry, Lord Selthris but..."
"It's... fine, George," Selthris finally answered the tired blonde Cavalier in response, shaking his head dismissively. "Just head on out to join us outside."
With that, the dutiful Cavalier bowed in respect before turning to head off towards the exit of the barracks, leaving them with the glaring black-haired woman before them.
"You!" She suddenly called out rudely, thrusting one of her fingerless gloved fingers at Selthris accusingly, advancing on him as she did. The Lord in question could only rise a silver eyebrow up in his own query.
"Yes?"
"Your enemy is Sohantha... right?" The Swordmaster questioned in a hard furrowed brow stare. Selthris watched her silently for a second to allow her to continue. "I want to join."
Taken aback this time, Selthris' eyes blinked and he exchanged his curiosity with the listening Leo before turning back to face her.
"You were on the battlefield yesterday... weren't you?" He asked, a similarly notable expression on his face and all.
She merely nodded wordlessly back at him.
"You were...," he began again in reply, narrowing his own eyes and furrowing his own brow as he spoke. "Very wild."
Her low scowl twitched as she listened but quietly.
"I'm sorry... but I can't use you," the Lord disinclined as he shook his head softly at her before swiftly pressing forward past her. She didn't even bat an inch as she waited for the two men to pass her before swiftly reaching for her sword. In a nanosecond her sword clashed against his in a surprising show of sparks, Selthris with his back to her and her hard glare on him from his seemingly undefended rear. "Put it away," he advised in a gentle but firm, suggestive tone of his voice. His hard frown intensified as he stared ahead of himself. "I'm not spilling any blood that I don't have to."
"That's your problem," the Swordmaster finally opened her mouth to reply before expertly twirling her steel sword back to her side. Selthris, his defence successful twisted his own blade back to his sheath quietly as he listened, unmoving in his position. "You're too delicate for this."
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Leo interrupted in a good-natured but mildly miffed reply as he shook his head at the woman. She turned her blemished scowl on him as she replied.
"Sevrenna," she finally answered them. Her words managed to get the Lord ahead of her to half-turn his head. He stared back at her wordlessly with one silver eye from the side, listening further. "My name." The Swordmaster finally gave claim to as she lightly leant her head forward, as if to get her point across.
"I don't recognise you," Selthris claimed, staring at her through his right eye. "Do you live in Aselia?"
"Yes, once," she answered as she twirled her steel sword once, placing it in its sheath noisily. "I've been travelling for a long time."
"Oh yeah?" Leo queried curiously, raising an eyebrow up.
"Yeah," she shot back sarcastically, scrunching her face up lightly in emphasis before re-asserting her expression. "I can handle myself in a fight."
"You been by yourself?" Selthris spoke up, eliciting a raised eyebrow from her in response.
"Yeah," she repeated, this time in a full, serious tone. "Why?"
"That explains it." Leo grinned lightly, more to himself than to her; his arms folded as he spoke. She turned her annoyed scowl on the Mercenary and growled at him.
"Explains what?"
This time Selthris opted to turn his body around to face her, his slim body leant to the side. "He's talking about your teamwork skills," he answered, eliciting a surprised expression from her in response. His own eyes narrowed contrastingly, as if hitting a bullseye. "You've never worked with many people before, am I right?"
"I-" The Swordmaster suddenly shot out with in reply but caught herself mid-speech. Though she scowled at him angrily and twitched in thought, she could not conjure up any more words to hit out with.
"Mm... I thought as much," the young Lord frowned out. "The Aselian military and my unit in particular utilise certain strategies to keep ourselves alive; each man next to the other is the source of our strength," he explained briefly before shaking his head at her for the second time. "I'm sorry," he repeated before turning on his heel and heading for the door. "I cannot use you."
Though Leo exchanged a singular frown with the pair, he could only turn and follow his close companion. The duo left the scowling Sevrenna all on her lonesome, staring after the pair wordlessly.
The snow crunched noisily under his boots as he walked on, ever forward, leading the small number of soldiers behind him. It had already been a few days since he had left Aselia with his crew-of-old; knights Ulric, Kay, George, Sabine, Gerard and, of course, Leo joined him in his march to Etherthien. The climb through not just Coremond fields but through Etherthien's frozen hills and mountains were not an easy feat. Even as seasoned as he felt after his journey three years past, he still felt the exertion that he used to.
His mind couldn't help but wander back to his old friends in Coremond when he was passing the plains as well as the companions he had made in the very nation he was travelling to. The young Lord could only sigh through his nose as he returned his attention to the glaring matters in his mind.
Sohantha and a possible second war in his lifetime.
He could appreciate king Alaric's thoughts in this gesture; perhaps the first Five Kingdom Summit since the days of his father, Sathryon Vikeruce.
"Feels like a million years ago..." He mouthed, more to himself in deep thought than to anyone else.
"Whassat?" Leo called out from his side, ever dutifully next to him. Selthris blinked out of his surprise before turning to face the Mercenary. He shook his silvery head in a dismissive smile however.
"Nothing," he answered half-honestly, eliciting a lightly satisfied smile from the older youth. "I was just thinking."
"Too much again, huh?" Leo laughed good-heartedly, his hands in his pockets. He leant his head to his top right side as he did so, drawing a light chuckle from his companion.
"Something like that."
"Lord Selthris!"
The young man turned his head curiously to find his ever loyal captain, Ulric, walking behind him, facing him with his two vassals. When Selthris raised an eyebrow upward voicelessly at him, the Paladin opted to gesture to his right with a point of his index finger. Selthris and Leo exchanged a surprised frown before tracing his gesture to find a sight he never thought he'd see in years.
The smiling lady Salnarra of Coremond, dressed in full fur coat gear stood with two familiar men at her sides. The scowling form of slim Bernhard stood wearing a similar coat, his arms folded. The contrastingly tall and stocky Gorlin stood directly next to the pair, a conflicting toothed smirk to his expression, wearing similar green clothing to his companions.
"Gorlin!" Kay suddenly exclaimed out in amidst the falling snowflakes of Etherthien's light weather. She suddenly took off toward the Coremondian trio before crashing into the laughing Gorlin in question. George couldn't help but shake his head in a chuckling sigh as he watched and Ulric exchanged his good-natured smile with the hard-frowning Bernhard. Selthris and Leo exchanged their own smiles before following their blonde companion to join the group of three.
"It is nice to see you again, Prince Selthris," Salnarra greeted in a respectful bow, her long brown hair drooping over her face as she did so. Before she could finish herself however her eyebrows lifted in light surprise as she shot her head back up. "Oh! But that's King Selthris now, isn't it?"
"Kid grew up!" Gorlin suddenly exclaimed as he advanced on the group, the similarly beaming Kay next to him. The huge Coremondian swordsman laughed as he slapped the young noble across his back, drawing a surprised cough from him. "You're so tall now!"
Selthris couldn't help but laughing back at the man, smiling up at him. "I'm still no-where near as big as you Gorlin."
"Ain't that the truth." The Nomad Trooper grinned out pridefully as he re-folded his arms, eliciting a comfortable laugh from within the group.
"It's nice to see you too, elder Salnarra," Selthris finally managed to greet back in response as he also bowed in respect before continuing. "You too, sir Bernhard." The Lord smiled lightly in the hard-frowning man's direction. Bernhard merely grunted back at the youth; his own kind of greeting.
"Never one for words, eh my old friend?" Ulric welcomed happily, his moustache creasing in the snowflakes as he smiled widely at the contrastingly faced swordsman.
"So...," Salnarra began again before gesturing to the Aselian and Coremondians with them to continue on through the mountain. Selthris turned to walk alongside her, regaining his own frown. "You also received king Alaric's letter, yes?"
The Aselian noble nodded in response. "Yes."
Salnarra noted his retort with a nod of her own. "I had heard Sohantha attacked you but mere days ago."
"Fucking bastards," Bernhard chimed in with a low growl as he marched alongside the frowning Ulric. "It's a numbers game to them."
"Bernhard..." Salnarra chided in a miffed sigh as she turned to face him in her walk.
"It's fine," Selthris waved the matter off with a patient laugh. "Yes, they did attack us."
"Fought 'em all off I bet though, eh, eh?" Gorlin nudged from the back in a brotherly grin, poking the youth with his large elbow softly. Selthris chuckled in his direction with a nod.
"We did, actually," he responded before continuing on with a frown as he faced the Coremondian's leader. "They timed it well on their part."
"Oh yeah?" Bernhard called over, seemingly curious.
"Yeah; they went for us when Sel was gone," Leo answered for his close companion, turning to face the nomad as he edged his thumb in the younger adult's direction. "I feel like they did that on purpose."
"Well, with his reputation from Naerith's Burning War it would not surprise me," Salnarra added on as she folded her fur coat arms in a knowing smirk. "And... speaking of Naerith..."
"Yeah we're not sure either," Kay offered in from the back, next to her annoyed younger brother. "Since their king's disappearance three years ago we've seen nor hide nor hair of 'em."
"It's downright bizarre," Gerard murmured, his voice just barely loud enough for the group to hear around them. "Especially after how desperate they were in that fight."
"Could just be the same reason we've been quiet," Edgar claimed objectively as he shrugged alongside the frowning and marching Sabine. "Could be rebuilding."
"Promote that man," Salnarra joked in a low grin as she turned to face the long haired Axe Fighter. Edgar blinked at her cluelessly, drawing a group laugh from the listeners. "But seriously, we all should be fine," the nomad leader chuckled well-naturedly. "This will be healthy I think; not only will we get to meet king Alpheus' rumoured orphan but we may finally get some answers from the empire."
"I definitely want those above anything," Selthris murmured in response as he turned his firm gaze on the far off but sky-piercing castle of Etherthien. His mind drifted back to the strange empress of Sohantha in his meeting with her three years ago. "She owes us those at the very least."
"Quite right," Salnarra agreed in a smiling nod. "I am sure things will go along better than you would have thought," she began again, her smile soon growing to a grin as she leant her expression down toward him knowingly. "Especially if you're still as negative as you used to be."
Selthris shot the woman back a silently quipping low smirk of his own, as if in silent agreement. The group behind him laughed boisterously once more, tickled by the Coremondian's sense of humour.
"Safe bet on that!" Kay exclaimed in her own laughter as she joined the smirking pair.
"Sel...," Leo whispered, this time on his left side. The Lord lost his smirk as he turned a quizzical frown on his best friend, blinking. He caught the Mercenary staring up at the snowy mountains on their right; he traced his stare and squinted to see what he was possibly looking at. "See her?" He whispered on, edging one of his thumbs up to trace his eyesight. Selthris had to look a little more to see it but Leo was right on the money as he usually was; a notable figure scaled the dangerous mountainous range next to them, turning to watch them every now and then. "She's been following us since-"
"Aselia," Selthris sighed out in soft interruption. Leo turned to face his superior with an assenting, frowning nod. "I was afraid of that."
"It's her, isn't it?" Leo asked, raising a curious eyebrow before swiftly turning back to watch the monkey-like young woman leap across the hills. "Sevrenna." He answered his own question with a suspicious narrow of his eyes.
"Yeah," the Lord replied in an agreeing nod as they marched. "I don't know what she hopes to gain... but...," he began before lightly shaking his head as he stared up at her in thought. "We should be fine if we leave her alone for now."
Leo turned to face him for a second or two before nodding in obedience, opting to shift his vision back 'round to the woman in question.
–
2
"Greetings, and welcome, my son!" King Alaric addressed in a grand opening, a wide smile upon his face as he watched the frowning Selthris walk in with the Coremondian force tagged along with his own.
The recent Aselian king could only smile warmly back in response; a genuine one as he advanced on his god-uncle. He took the man's hand in his own and smiled up back at him; Alaric, unchanged through the years, could only lay a gloved hand on the Vikeruce's own as he continued.
"You have changed so much since I last saw you," Alaric chuckled good-heartedly, drawing a lighter smile from the young adult in response. "Ah!" The Etherthien king grinned as he shot his head up to regard the rest of his guests. "And of course our great Coremondian guests! Please, come in, come in!" The man warmly welcomed in a respectful bow.
"Always one for showmanship, eh Alaric?" Salnarra grinned over at him as she advanced toward him, arms folded.
"Always," the king bantered with as he recovered from his bow, joining his gloved hands behind his long coat. "It is so very nice to see all of you once again after all this time," he greeted as he regarded the smiling faces in the Aselian and Coremondian military. "Were it only under... happier circumstances." He lamented only as he tilted his head briefly in his new frown. Selthris lost his own smile in his agreeing nod before double-taking when he caught the similar faced Tina standing next to her king wearing her full Pegasus Knight gear, alongside a similar looking knight next to her that he did not recognise. When she caught his eyes, the teal haired woman greeted him in a silent smile, unable to move from her position.
Selthris couldn't help but smile wanly back at her, a guilty feeling running down the back of his spine.
I'm sorry, he thought.
"How was your trip?" Alaric interrupted his train of thought, turning his smiling face down to the youth. "All well I hope?"
"Um... y-yes, it was uneventful," the Lord stammered out in response, caught unaware. Perhaps surprised, Alaric raised his eyebrows up as he listened. "A good journey."
"Quite right," Alaric chuckled good-naturedly, standing back up straight as he did so. "I imagine there have been worse trips."
"Far worse," Salnarra offered in with a bantering grin before edging her thumb down at the folded armed and scowling Bernhard on her right. "A trip with a growler can be trying."
Bernhard turned his scowl up at his leader, clearly annoyed at her.
"Trying indeed!" Alaric couldn't help but erupt into a small fit of laughter in response, strangely cheerful. "I am sorry to hear it." The man chuckled as he wiped away at a tear on his expression.
"Um... king Alaric, sir," Selthris greeted in light and soft interruption. The monarch of Etherthien turned his curious frown down on the young man in response. "There's a woman outside and she-"
"A woman?" Tina suddenly interrupted sharply, pulling the pair's attention. Though she initially furrowed her brow suspiciously at them she winced when she realised what she had done before avoiding their eyes altogether and staying silent. Selthris frowned back at her in a zig-zag like, guilty frown before mixing it with Alaric's chuckling head-shake.
"Go on." He urged softly.
"Um... yes, there's... a woman that's been following us since Aselia," the Lord finally managed to explain, however briefly, raising his coat and gloved arms to gesture with in his words. Salnarra, Gorlin and Bernhard all snapped their eyes in his direction, as if shocked by this new revelation. "And I don't want her to freeze out there, so..."
"Say no more my son," Alaric chuckled again good-heartedly as he briefly shut his eyes, raising up a soft gloved palm of his own. "She shall be a guest alongside the Aselian forces."
"A woman? How long was this for?" Gorlin rumbled over in his folded armed frown.
"Yes, I'm surprised I never noticed myself, in all honesty," Ulric stated out in a surprised frown as he briefly turned to watch the closed doors to the castle. He swivelled his head around to frown back at his new king however and opened his mouth to continue. "Is she an-"
"No," Leo interrupted with gently but firmly, frowning next to the much older man. Ulric blinked over at the younger Mercenary, raising a curious greying eyebrow. "No, she's... definitely with us than with Sohantha or anyone else."
Satisfied with the reliable youth's answer, the group turned back around to their discussion.
"Speaking of Sohantha...," Salnarra began, this time in a questioning frown, leaning forward lightly as she did so. "Have they arrived yet...?"
"No," Alaric responded with in a deft but firm shake of his head. "We are still waiting for Naerith's ambassador as well."
"Naerith," Selthris parroted, his eyes shooting back up to face his god-uncle with, brow furrowed in sudden suspicion and all. Alaric turned in general curiosity to face him, waiting. "Do you know who...?" He trailed off as he nodded lightly at him, as if waiting for him to interrupt. King Alaric merely shook his head in unsure disinclination.
"No, I'm sorry," he apologised briefly before elaborating further. "We know, essentially, what you all know."
"Absolutely no-one seems to know who this person is...," Selthris thought to himself in temporary frustration, bringing his right thumb up to bite at the nail. "Maybe if I..."
"I have made several rooms for all of your forces," Alaric smiled lightly as he clapped his hands gently, roughly pulling the youth from his internal thoughts. "Lord Selthris, your Aselian force should be staying in the east wing. I shall inform your nameless friend when we find her roaming the mountains." The king explained briefly in a light chuckle, eliciting a frowning nod from the youth in response.
"Lady Salnarra you and your men shall be staying in the west wing; directly opposite," the man smiled once more as he turned to face the similarly smiling woman. "I hope your stays shall be pleasant ones."
"Hey yo what do we do about food?" Kay interrupted suddenly with a raise of her hand, frowning over at the surprised Etherthien noble. "I'm starving." She moaned lowly, her long blonde ponytail dropping over her shoulders comically as she did so. Though Selthris and Leo couldn't help but chuckle, even if silently to themselves, the frowning George brow-furrowed Ulric turned their ire on her.
"Kay!" The veteran Paladin admonished angrily, inducing a comical wince from the listening Cavalier.
"It's quite all right sir Ulric," Alaric laughed good-heartedly before turning his smile back on the young woman. "Go get settled with your companions; dinner shall be served in the main hall in about an hour." He explained briefly, drawing an excited grin from her in response.
"Oh yeah!" She exclaimed in growing enthusiasm.
"Though I will be busy in doing many things over the course of this visit, please do not hesitate to ask me any questions that any of you may have for me," the hospitable king smiled in his informing explanation. "And, with that, I shall hopefully see you all at dinner."
Selthris frowned as he stared out at the snow infested mountains of Etherthien through the window provided to him. His arms were folded as his brow furrowed in thought.
"Sel, come on," a voice interrupted, causing his expression to drop; he swivelled around to face the Mercenary, surprised, finding him resting on his bed with his legs crossed on it. "Ya gotta learn how to switch off, remember?" He asked in a grin, through the piece of grass he chewed on; an old habit. Selthris couldn't help but smile back weakly in response, nodding before turning back to the window.
"I guess I'm just anxious," he admitted gently as he turned his smile-turning-frown back out at the window. "After that battle and even with Naerith, I..." The Lord mumbled, seemingly more to himself as he shook his head, lowering his eyes.
"Come on," Leo grinned over at him audaciously, his arms resting around his neck, propping up his head. "Chill for the next few days; we're in Etherthien!" He claimed boldly as he chewed on his blade of grass. "No-one'll start anythin' here-"
KNOCK-KNOCK
The pair of young men stiffened and snapped their heads around to the exit of their room, surprised. Swiftly exchanging curious looks, Leo opted to make the first move; with a light grunt he took the grass from his mouth and pushed himself up off his bed, walking over towards the door. Selthris returned his attention to the outside of the castle, frowning. When he heard the door opening he did not budge his stance, attempting to return his thoughts to current matters.
"Oh Sel!" Leo's sarcastic but jovial call came from behind him. The young king turned his lightly sighing frown around to face him before widening his eyes in surprise at the sight. Though he grinned at the door, hand still resting on it, a familiar messy haired woman stood in the hallway. "You got a visitor." The Mercenary grinned over at him suggestively. Selthris shot his close companion an annoyed look before putting on a smile as he swivelled his body 'round to address his said visitor.
Tina.
As he advanced on the pair, he couldn't help but exchange his frown with Leo's grin, his boots thudding quietly against the soft carpet.
"I'll leave you two kids alone." He shot in casually in his confident grin before doing just that; opting instead to walk over to Selthris' old position at the window. As he watched him go, Selthris couldn't help but grow a small smile on his face, feeling thankful for having a friend like Leo.
What did I ever do to deserve him, he thought to himself.
Ridding himself of any more negative thoughts he opted to turn back to the Pegasus Knight at his door. He greeted her with a silent smile as she raised up her white gloved hand to wave at him in her own. The Lord stepped out into the hall to join her, softly closing the door behind him with an audible click.
"I wasn't sure if you were willing to talk with me." Tina began finally, a nervous chuckle on her lips as she stood opposite him.
He smiled wanly back at her before edging his spiky-silvery head to his top-right, as if to gesture for her to follow. The pair started to walk together down the long hall, joined only by the light outside the windows and by the crackling of the torches around them.
"It's... nice to see you," the Pegasus Knight began bravely as she joined her gloved hands together in front of herself. "You look... taller," she said in her smile. Though he frowned wordlessly back at her, he put on a smile of his own as he listened to her. "I hope things go well for your country here today."
"So do I," Selthris finally opted to respond with, a tired but hard frown on his face as he stared down at the ground below him. He placed his hands in his pockets as he continued on before turning his eyes up to smile back at her. "You look nice too." He complimented her in his warm smile. She lost her own in response, her teal eyebrows lifting upwards as if in shock before suddenly returning as quickly as she lost it.
"Y-You look just like he did," the Pegasus Knight claimed boldly even if she stammered uncertainly. "Your father, I mean," she corrected in her smile. However, when she suddenly spied the frowning wince on his face as he turned away from her, her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no shouldn't I have-?"
"It's... fine," the Lord chuckled good-naturedly, dismissing the matter off with a light shake of his head as he re-faced her. "It's been three years; get over it!" He joked with as he tilted his head in a direction with a grin. She laughed with him, sharing the smile for a few seconds before silence won the day again between them. The elephant in the hallway that they walked through loomed over them before, finally, Tina opted to open her mouth.
"I'm sorry about-"
"I'm sorry that-"
Their voices both almost immediately fell flat and they stopped moving entirely to stare at one another, similarly sheepishly. When they realised they had spoke at the exact same time and had even interrupted one another they gradually turned their heads back to examining the ground or the walls around them, continuing their march forward.
"No, you shouldn't be apologising," Selthris began this time, cutting through the tension like a blazing poker. Though his voice was soft and low it seemed to carry astounding weight; the Pegasus Knight listening winced lightly as she waited, swivelling her head around. "I should."
"What do you...?"
"Three years ago, how I treated you; how I spoke to you," the Lord started again as he frowned back down at the ground in remembrance. "It was how I was with most of everyone but... I was a bad person back then," he explained briefly before slowly turning back his head to face hers. "I had no time for anyone but myself... and I led you on; I didn't even think about it," he admitted in his firm frown, a tired expression in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Tina," he finally apologised. She stopped moving entirely and he had to stop a few steps after her, surprised, staring at her. "Tina?"
"You're not a bad person," she mouthed over at him, taking a daring step forward. She placed one of her gloved hands on his tenderly. Though she stared directly into him, he couldn't help but avert her eyesight, ashamed. "You were just... distracted." The Pegasus Knight breathed in a low smile.
"Too distracted I bet."
The pair, shocked by the voice's interruption, widened their eyes; Selthris wrenched his hand away from hers and placed it on his mouth, as if to emphasise his brief scare. A long black-haired woman stood down the stairs to the foyer, her arms folded at them. She wore different clothes than he remembered; unusually ladylike for her indeed, a simple purple dress and she was even cleaned up but it was definitely her. The woman from the battle at Aselia.
Sevrenna.
"Sevrenna," Selthris managed out in a lightly annoyed gasp. Tina's eyes narrowed and darted between them, as if suspicious. "What are you doing here?"
She shrugged up at him, scowling as she always seemed to. "King sent me up here to your room; there's no more space left in the west wing."
Further annoyed at her interjection, Selthris let out a low but very quiet sigh through his nose, running his hand down his face in a show of his frustration.
"I'm sorry, who is...?" Tina began as she shook her head between them, folding her own arms this time. Her tone, completely shifted from her earlier gentle one, caused Selthris to raise his silvery eyebrows at her, surprised.
"Um, sorry," he apologised for the second time, shaking his head before introducing the pair. "Sevrenna, Tina, Tina this is Sevrenna," he gestured between them. The black-haired Swordmaster in question merely glowered at the pair, seemingly forever grumpy. When Tina stared back at him in an annoyed frown of her own, Selthris double-took in her direction. "She's the one that helped us when Sohantha attacked." He informed her quickly in a light shrug, shaking his head dismissively.
"Um... right," the Pegasus Knight murmured as she turned her eyes back down on the similarly hard-faced woman. "I'm sorry why is she on her way to you room?" She questioned angrily, turning her fast-growing ire on him. His brow furrowing at her quizzically he raised an eyebrow, unable to sense her unstated intentions in her words.
"There's no space left...?" He attempted to reason with her in an open-mouthed, frowning shrug.
Her low glower grew even worse when she darted it down on the similarly grimacing Sevrenna. The ebony haired Swordmaster merely raised a curious eyebrow back up at her in response. The woman's flippant, wordless reply seemed to push the Pegasus Knight over the edge and she almost immediately turned to storm down the rest of the steps toward the foyer. Even as she pushed past the scowling and curious-faced Sevrenna Selthris took a few steps to catch her, arm outstretched.
"Tina," he called out simply in his brow-furrowed frown before narrowing his eyes after her. "Tina!" He repeated, loudly this time. His voice bounced off the walls of the castle's insides harmlessly as she stormed off on her lonesome. "Not again..." The Lord lamented in frustration, pulling his arm back before turning his silver eye on the scowling woman standing next to him.
"Girlfriend?" She suddenly probed him, hard-frowning and all in her folded armed expression. Selthris double-took for the second time that day, surprised at her inquisitive and forward nature.
"N-No I-" He began as he revolved his head back around to stare after the walking Pegasus Knight. "I don't even know anymore." The young swordsman sighed, shutting his eyes temporarily in a show of his fatigue.
"Hmph," she merely grunted back in response as she swivelled around to trace his stare before swiftly twisting her head to scowl back at him. "I want a word with you when you're free."
The Lord re-opened his eyes to face her and frowned back at her before nodding lightly. "Go introduce yourself to Leo."
"Who the hell is Leo?"
"You'll know him when you see him," the young king began in a loud exclamation, scowling this time in a show of his growing anger. She growled angrily and similarly back at him, clearly not amused. "Last door on the right." He muttered over his shoulder before stepping down the stairs. She watched him leave with her solid scowl still attached to her face as always before swivelling 'round to head off, presumably for their room.
Selthris threw around the notion of following after the enraged Tina as he placed his hands inside his pockets, stepping down into the castle foyer. Opting to shake his spiky-haired head however he could only frown, the swallowing despair from that interaction dredging his very soul.
–
3
"Now... please place your country's proof on the table." King Alaric began as he walked into the staff room he was utilising for the meeting place.
His arms were joined behind him in his usual business-like frown, sauntering toward the gathered five. Selthris watched him from the left side of the table, standing next to the unnamed black-haired woman on his right. On his left stood the frowning Salnarra, her arms folded and on her left stood the similar faced Jenice Sohantha of the empire, impeccably dressed as always. His silvery eyes narrowed at her suspiciously; she opted not to let her aimless gaze wander, as if uncaring. Selthris did as he was asked however and placed the necklace he once wore three years ago, the Fire Emblem itself, on the crescent shaped table. The three women around him placed their own items down in response, allowing king Alaric to walk over toward the seat in the centre of the room, overlooking the other four.
"Good," he began lowly as he frowned at their curious eyes. "In this meeting... I shall be your invigilator," Alaric explained briefly before placing his coat across the chair he was about to use. Gesturing down to his own table, he frowned at the four. "Please, take a seat," he spoke softly and they listened, their chairs squeaking as they pulled them out. Selthris let his left arm rest on the table aimlessly, his right elbow also on the surface, bent upwards. He turned his hard staring frown on the empress a few seats across from him, intently waiting. "Now," Alaric spoke once more before pulling out his own chair and taking a seat himself. "Let's begin..."