Note: I do wish I own Fire Emblem and its characters, but sadly...I don't...I own the name of the tactician though...
This part happened two months later after the talk between Eliwood and Hector prior to the first chapter. Enjoy. n_n
Hector sat in his study, scribbling nonsense on a parchment paper he found lying in one part of desk. It was just another boring day at Castle Ostia, with no real fun going on, except for the times when he and Oswin will cross swords during practice. But that time will only come when the General has time, and it's next to impossible. Presiding over Lycia's defense is what was ordered to Oswin, and which he will fulfill until his death. Hector sighed, putting his pen down. Will there be anything will liven up this sad, empty castle? Social parties are just a nuisance and a headache for his Head Chef, for every nobles has different tastes towards foods. And what's more, those nobles will just push their daughters onto him, in hopes of marrying into the Royal Family. But Hector only has his eyes on one woman, though he had lost sight and contact with her the day before his coronation.
"Why so glum, young master?" he heard the familiar voice of Matthew from the doorway. The Lord of Ostia looked up.
"Were you not taught to knock?" he said as Matthew closed the door behind him.
"I did knock several times. And since you do not answer, I came in to check on you."
"Why are you here, anyway?"
"I just thought that you might want any help about Saei's background."
"And why would I want to know about Saei's background? She's not working for me anymore, isn't she?"
"Yeah, well...It won't hurt to know a comrade's background, right?"
"Why suddenly bring this topic up, Matthew?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary." the thief shrugged. But he said to himself, "I already know that you like her, so I'll help you learn more of the woman you love..."
Hector only raised a suspicious eyebrow on him. "Really now, Matthew. I know you're not doing this without any reason."
Matthew blinked. "I'm not doing this for any favor, unless you want to put it that way."
Hector sighed. "I know you want it, why don't you just say your end of the bargain?"
"Very well..." Matthew pursed his lips together, pretending to think. He let the little lord of Ostia wait for his reply for a minute before he replied, "A few weeks off, with pay of course. And keep that cleric away from me. She's starting to irritate me."
"You're talking about Serra? But I thought you like her?"
"Like her?" Matthew almost screamed. "Like the hell I would. You know that Leila is my only love. And why would I fall for someone so loud and...vulgar...and..."
"Okay, okay. I got your point. No need to get into the specifics." Hector sighed. "I'll take your bargain. Just make sure that you're going to give me a good report."
"Of course, my Lord." Matthew bowed. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He turned to leave.
"When will you give in your report?"
"Make it around three weeks." Matthew said. "Or shorter, if my journey will go fine. And if the people will be willing to say anything."
"I'll be counting on you then. And give your report to me personally."
"Yes, my Lord."
Matthew traced back Saei's footsteps, from her departure from Ostia and back to where Lyndis had found her, a year and some months ago. He's quite surprise that the people he came across the way talks about the tactician with jovial faces and tones. They talked about her as a cheerful, yet a clumsy girl who is willing to help everyone. Matthew pondered on this for quite a while. The Saei he knew is calm and collected, distant and quiet. Quite the opposite of the Saei they are talking about. He came across a village somewhere at the border of Bern, where he learned that Saei took her time teaching the children of what she knows before she was found by Lyndis at the Sacaen plains without consciousness. For the past days he'd been travelling, asking around about Saei, he didn't get much informations about her. He was about to return to Ostia when he remembered the conversation between Eliwood and Hector: Saei was working for Bern as their top strategist, but renounced her position and turned to a vagabond. Matthew resolved to pay a visit at the archives of Bern.
"What took you so long, Matthew?" Hector said, irritated. "Your report was suppose to be here two weeks ago."
"I'm sorry, Lord Hector. It was hard to get into the place where all the valuable informations were being kept." Matthew said apologetically. He handed in his report.
"Very well." Hector took out Matthew's report and read through it. He was silent for a moment when he was reading, and Matthew could see that the young master doesn't like what he's reading. When he was finished reading, he placed the report down with a heavy sigh.
"So in the end, I still have no way of winning against you, Uther..." Hector thought.
Matthew pitied his young master, whose only love was snatched by his own brother several years ago. Matthew had uncovered the truth behind Saei's false background she had given them: she said she doesn't have any memory of her past, and is just a travelling tactician, trying to earn money but in truth, she was Ostia's top tactician several years ago before Hector was even born, though her age doesn't show on her face. She was also the promised wife of Uther, an engagement the two of them agreed upon, with the blessings of Uther's parents. However, she had to leave Ostia for a long time, under the orders of Uther's father, and proceed to Bern. For what reasons, Matthew didn't have the time to unearth...