Author's Note: I wrote this more than a week ago, but I really didn't feel like posting it up until now. This is Theme 17, Big Brother and Little Sister. Please, read and review, and point out any mistakes you find. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Nintendo and Intelligent Systems own Fire Emblem, I don't.

This is FE8.

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Ever since they had been little, it had always been "Tana, you can't" or "don't Tana, you'll get hurt!". It had been years of listening to her brother, never able to do anything on her own, or without his permission. Of course, he could do what he wanted; he could run off and fight battles with assistance from only two people, but she had to stay back at the palace, away from harm and danger.

But she wasn't weak! She was anything but it; for years now she'd trained with Vanessa and Syrene, but Innes continue to upkeep his opinion that Tana could not fight on her own, that she had to protected and cared for.

What was it that he could do that Tana couldn't? She was strong too; just because she was a girl, just because she was his little sister, that didn't make her weak. Was that it?

When Innes had found out that Tana was also fighting, he had become angry; he'd lectured her for at least an hour (or so it had seemed), and had tried to force her to return home. She could still remember his rage, the way he'd yelled at her, "the fighting is too dangerous for you Tana! Go home!". And the way she had yelled back, too, "I can take care of myself! I'm not a child!" After she had said those words, Innes had given up, and she simply walked away.

Even as Tana participated in increasingly difficult fights, even as she performed spectacularly, Innes stood by his opinion that she was unable to fight. After most fights, he would still come talk to her, trying to convince her again that she should go home. It was always the same thing; either "war isn't for you, Tana", or "you'll get hurt if you keep fighting, go home". But Tana continued to stand her ground, and continued to fight.

In his attempt to bring Tana home, Innes soon found himself talking to Vanessa; perhaps she could talk some to sense into his sister.

But when he approached her with his opinion that Tana should return home, Vanessa simply said,

"Prince Innes, Princess Tana is a fine fighter; she is strong, and wants to help protect Magvel, just as you do."

After hearing that comment, Innes stopped pestering Tana for a while.

During one fight, Tana was injured badly. A sniper had fired a shot at her, and she was unable to dodge it, leaving her with a critical wound. After Tana had seen Moulder for healing, Innes had been the first person to visit her.

"See, Tana? I told you that you would get hurt, and here you are! I'm not joking around, this is too dangerous." He was angry, again; but he was worried, too, so very worried.

"Brother... Innes... I want to help. I don't want to watch from the sidelines while Eirika fights, while Ephraim fights, while YOU fight. Is that so much? Please, don't worry over me any longer."

Innes was silent as he stared at Tana, but she understood.

"Thank you, Brother."

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