AN: Hello all. Welcome to my story. This story takes place immediately after the end of Fire Emblem Engage. As a result, it is RIDDLED WITH SPOILERS. Don't read this if you haven't finished the game. If you're okay with spoilers then by all means ago ahead. It takes place under the assumption that female Alear (rightfully so) gave the pact ring to Alfred (best boy). There will be multiple pairings in this story. The main focus will be f!AlearxAlfred, CélinexAlcryst, and some DiamantxIvy sprinkled in here and there. I have not written fanfiction in over 10 years so I apologize in advance for poor writing. I am horribly out of practice. Hopefully writing this story will help me get back in the swing of things.
Story cover image is by the amazingly talented chouxrain on twitter. I take no credit. Go follow her! :)
Chapter 1: Coronation
Alfred
The search was on to locate the missing Divine Dragon in the sprawling corridors and endless rooms of Lythos Castle. Today marked the day of the Divine One's official coronation. A day of celebration, signifying the end of the war and the beginning of what Alfred hoped would be a long period of peace for all people in Elyos. Alfred was nothing but an optimist. He sincerely felt that their efforts and the bonds they formed along the way would forever change political relations. Alfred was looking forward to the future, no matter how short his might end up being.
The sound of his footsteps bounced off the high ceilings of the castle as he opened door after door.
"Divine one! Are you in there?" Alfred hollered into each room. He let his voice boom through each room, whether it was a spacious library with books climbing the walls or a cramped broom closet.
As he searched, his mind wandered to when he first met the Divine Dragon following her long-awaited awakening. Alfred arrived ready to fight the night Lythos Castle was attacked by the soldiers of Elusia. Standing among the rubble with split red and blue hair cascading down her back was the most important person to him, the Divine Dragon Alear. He blinked his green eyes a few times, unsure if the stress of his nation being invaded by the corrupted and lack of sleep was getting to him. Could it really be her? Could she be awake after all these years? Or was he hallucinating?
"Prince Alfred…of Firene, you said?" she asked, appearing equally confused by his arrival. Alfred felt his heart skip a beat hearing her speak his name. How he longed to hear her voice. It was as beautiful as he imagined, clear and candescent.
"Could it be? Are you the Divine Dragon, Alear? You finally woke up?!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.
"I did, yes."
"That's amazing! You know, I've waited ages for this to happen." It took everything within him to keep himself from rushing over to her and taking her hand. He wanted to touch her to make sure she was actually in front of him and not a dream.
Alfred sighed as he came back to reality. While not a dream, the events of that evening soon turned into a nightmare as he watched her cry over the body of Queen Lumera. He wanted to comfort her. She felt like his oldest friend when he was nothing but a stranger to her. All he could do was help bury the body of the Monarch he loved as much as his own mother. At the time, he shed a few silent tears himself.
"Happy thoughts, Alfred. Happy thoughts," he muttered to himself as he continued his search.
Then it hit him. Of course! Where else would she be before the coronation other than the ring chamber? Despite the emblem's departure, it made sense for Alear to spend a quiet moment there. Alfred imagined she felt closest to them there. He wondered how lonely she might feel being the only emblem in Elyos now. It was easy for him to recall the deep bonds he had developed with them, Sigurd especially. Alfred promised himself that for as long as he lived, he would not let Alear be lonely. He would be there for her.
Alfred could hear the close booms of fireworks, signifying the start of the celebration. Alfred quickened his pace, running at a near sprint to the ring chamber. On the way, he saw that Diamant, Ivy, Timerra, and Veyle were already ahead, approaching the entrance to the ring chamber. He smiled to himself, pleased that his friends had come to the same conclusion he had.
Alfred pushed himself to catch up to them. He felt a painful throbbing in his chest, telling him to slow down. Clutching his chest, he kept running. He could see Alear standing facing away from him in the middle of the ring chamber. She was surrounded by the rings sitting on their designated pedestals. Her majestic figure grew closer as he approached.
"Aha! I knew we'd find you in here!" Timerra exclaimed triumphantly upon their arrival.
When he made it, he doubled over and rested his hands on his knees.
Don't look weird, Alfred. You're the man she knows to run 10 laps around the Somniel every morning. You shouldn't be so winded after a short sprint. Don't let them know. Act natural.
"We must have looked everywhere," he managed to get out in between labored breaths. Panic flooded through him that she would suspect something was wrong. He silently took a deep breath to slow his out-of-control heart rate.
She turned around at the sound of their voices. Surprise grew on her face as she took each of them in. "Everyone…"
"The coronation is going to start any minute now," Diamant gently reminded Alear. Leave it to him to get straight to business. Alfred was grateful to him for averting her attention.
"Alright. Time to get changed. Unless you're wearing that," Ivy lovingly teased as if Alear were her younger sister.
Alear bashfully rubbed the side of her head. "Yeah, I guess I should, huh?" She left out a giggle that warmed Alfred's heart. It was so good to hear her laugh after everything she went through. After losing her mother for a second time, the final battle with Sombron, and having to say goodbye to the emblems.
Veyle approached her and grabbed her hand. "Well, hurry up! Come on!" She pulled her away from the rings and towards her friends.
"Woah, okay! I'm coming, I'm coming!"
Alfred was relieved he regained his composure, and no one seemed to notice how out of breath he was. He could keep up with their brisk pace while Veyle hurriedly pulled Alear along. The pain in his chest was beginning to fade, and he tried to ignore the nagging reminder of his illness.
They wandered through the halls until they reached an area of the castle Alfred assumed was the private quarters. The halls were decorated in warm colors contrasting with the gray and white of the rest of the castle. Beautiful flowers and paintings of past Divine Dragons lined the halls in elegant frames.
"Thank you, everyone. I will see you all after the coronation," Alear stated after stopping in front of two large double doors that Veyle slipped in first. She was eager to help her sister get ready for her big day.
"Looking forward to it," Ivy smiled and leaned forward to give Alear a gentle hug. Alear's eyes widened in shock before wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on her shoulder. Ivy wasn't particularly known for affection.
"We'll see you soon, Divine One! Let's hurry so we can get a good spot to watch," Timerra exclaimed before running off down the hall.
"We already have our areas reserved, Princess Timerra," Diamant tried to explain, but the girl had already taken off. "Oh, well."
"Today's the day of the Divine One's coronation!" Timerra could be heard singing long after she was out of sight, her voice echoing through the castle.
Diamant turned to Alear and gave her a gentle smile. "Congratulations on your coronation, Divine One."
"Thank you, Diamant," Alear smiled and waved as he turned to leave with Ivy.
Alfred was left alone, with Alear standing before him sheepishly rubbing her arm. He reached out to take her hand in his own.
"What's on your mind?" he asked, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I don't know the first thing about having a coronation or being a queen. I wish my mother was here to guide me through this. I have so many questions," Alear sighed, looking down at her feet.
"You're going to do amazing. Vander is going to be there supporting you. If you have any questions about being a queen, my mom is an expert on the subject. I know she would be willing to help you out." Alfred reached up to tuck a strand of red hair behind her ear. Her red and blue eyes gazed up to meet his.
"Alfred…thank you. I-"
"Alear! What is taking so long?" Veyle inquired as she peeked her head out from the other side of the door. Her eyes quickly locked on to their clasped hands, and she raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Alfred. He quickly, although reluctantly, dropped Alear's hand. He could feel his face turning red at her unspoken questioning.
"I'll let you get back to getting ready. Sorry for keeping her, Veyle. I will see you after the coronation. You've got this!"
Alear gave him a gentle smile and a small wave before disappearing into the room with Veyle.
Alfred made his way out of the castle and into the sunny grounds where the coronation ceremony was held. Hundreds of people who had journeyed from their respective realms were sprawled across the land. They were talking excitedly, eager to see the Divine Dragon in all her glory. Most of them were from Firine due to their close proximity to Lythos and their devout worship of the Divine Dragon. Alfred chuckled to himself upon seeing some individuals wearing "Divine Dragon Fanclub Member" patches sewn to their clothes. The efforts of Framme and Clanne had clearly paid off.
In fewer numbers, Alfred saw scattered groups of people from Solm and Brodia. The people of Solm were more social as they intermingled with people from both Firine and Brodia. The majority of the Brodians kept to themselves. Brodia was accustomed to being isolated, whereas the free traveling spirits of Solm were culturally ingrained in their people.
Unsurprisingly, Alfred was unable to identify any Elusians. Their people suffered significant losses in the war. They were busy trying to rebuild their realm and come to terms with their crisis of faith. They had been betrayed by the Fell Dragon they worshiped. It would be too soon to jump ship and start worshiping the Divine Dragon. With Princess Ivy, soon to be Queen Ivy, openly showing support for the Divine One at her coronation, Alfred was optimistic her people would change their beliefs. The Elusian people would also not be found anywhere Brodians would be. Ivy and Diamant had a long road ahead of them in repairing relations between their realms.
Alfred's people-watching was interrupted by a quickly approaching Céline. Alfred could see the severe irritation on her face.
"Alfred, where have you been? Mother and I have been looking everywhere for you. The coronation is about to start! What message would it send to our people if the future King of Firine was late to the coronation of our deity?" Céline lectured, pulling Alfred along by his sleeve.
"I'm sorry! I was with the Divine One, helping her not be late for her coronation. You know I would never miss this," Alfred tried to explain to his sister as she led him into a roped-off section exclusive to royalty and those who serve them.
The sections were divided with Firine in the middle, Solm to their right, Brodia to their left, and Elusia next to Solm. There was seating available for the royalty in the front row and their retainers behind them. About 10 feet away from the royalty was also a seated section for the nobles of each realm. Behind them was the most densely packed standing area for commoners. The servants of Lythos castle were doing their best to maintain order and direct people to their designated areas.
When Alfred arrived at his seat next to his mother, he saw that Ivy, Hortensia, Diamant, Alcryst, Timerra, Fogado, and Queen Seforia were already in their seats. Their retainers were seated behind their respective royalty. Etie and Boucheron were sitting behind him. Boucheron looked relaxed while Etie was fidgeting in her seat. She had too much energy to patiently wait for the event to start. Cholé and Louis sat next to them behind Céline.
"Oh, I am so excited to attend the coronation for the Divine One. I'm sure she will look beautiful. A beautiful queen straight out of a fairy tale." Cholé intertwined her hands in front of her chest and gazed starstruck at the balcony where the Divine One was due to appear.
"I agree, Cholé. There are also so many people here. So many people to observe," Louis remarked while scanning the crowd behind him.
Alfred was pleased to see Jean and his family sitting behind the retainers. As expected of the Divine One, to ensure that members of her army could sit together despite their class. Alfred spotted Seadall in Solm, Yunaka looking nervous in Brodia, and Anna with her family in the Elusia section with Lindon.
Alfred assumed that Mavier was likely guarding Veyle during the ceremony. They had planned on keeping a lower profile due to understandably unfavorable public sentiment. Alear had insisted that her sister stand beside her, but Veyle vehemently declined. This moment was about Alear, and she did not want to distract from that with her presence. Veyle would be showing her support off-stage but nearby.
"You nearly missed the ceremony, Alfred," Queen Ève cooly remarked upon her son's arrival. The Queen was sitting straight up in her chair with dignity and poise. Seeing her made Alfred improve his posture as well.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, mother. And no need to worry; Cèline already lectured me. I was actually providing support to the Divine One," Alfred explained.
"Is she okay?" Queen Ève's voice was filled with concern.
"She's fine. Just some nerves before her big appearance. It would do her a world of good for you and her to chat sometime. Maybe over tea?" Alfred suggested. He wanted to stay true to the support he offered the Divine One earlier.
"I would love that," Queen Ève beamed at him and nodded affirmatively. "I dearly miss Queen Lumera. I feel that spending some time with her daughter would give my soul a world of healing. It would please Queen Lumera too."
Before Alfred could respond, the sound of french horns and flutes indicated that the event was starting. Alfred directed his eyes to the balcony above him. First appeared Vander, who was dressed in a frost cassock. The silver of the cassock matched the silver in his hair and beard. The sunlight reflected off the smooth fabric, making him look otherworldly. Everyone who was seated rose to their feet at his appearance.
"Thank you all for attending the coronation of the Divine Dragon Alear, daughter of the late Divine Dragon Queen Lumera - may her soul rest in peace. I am Vander, 32nd generation Steward of the Dragon. It is my honor to present to you Divine Dragon Alear!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd as Vander moved to the side and bowed. Alear stepped out from the shadows behind him and made her grand entrance into the sunlight. She wore a dress nearly identical to what her mother used to wear. The form-fitting cream mermaid-style dress flared at the end. The ends were dyed a gradient light red that transitioned to blue. Matching red and blue ruffles billowed out from her waist down the length of the dress. Draped over her shoulders was a gold cape accented with white flowers. Around her neck lay a crossed ribbon with a red jewel in the middle of their intersection. She was absolutely radiant.
Alfred felt his mother's gentle hand apply pressure to the bottom of his chin.
"You're gawking, dear," Queen Ève said with a slight chuckle. It was the first time she had seen her son look at a woman that way.
"Sorry…" he muttered, still taken away by how beautiful Alear looked. She always looked stunning, but this was his first time seeing her in such formal attire.
Alfred watched as Clanne and Framme appeared behind Alear. They both held a purple pillow with a gold crown resting atop. It was significantly smaller than the one Queen Lumera wore, but it was no less grand.
"Divine Dragon Alear, do you swear to uphold the title of Divine Dragon Monarch?" Vander asked, his voice booming over the now hushed crowd.
"I do," Alear responded steadfastly.
"Do you swear to provide guidance, protection, and loyalty to the people of Elyos?"
"I swear."
"Do you promise to continue the legacy of Queen Lumera in both spirit and action?"
"This I promise."
Vander picked up the crown from the offered pillow. He raised up to the sky before setting it atop Alear's head.
"People of Elyos. I present to you the Divine Dragon Monarch, ruler of the holy land of Lythos, Queen Alear!"
The cheers were deafening. Alfred found himself clapping and cheering along with everyone. Fireworks were lit in the distance, and the crowd drowned even their booms. He could hear multiple AROOOOOS erupting from Solm's section. Alear was beaming down at the people below while waving.
He lost track of how long people were cheering. When the crowd finally silenced, Alear was able to address them for the first time as Queen.
"People of Elyos. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to gather here today for my coronation. I am touched by the outpouring of love you have shown me. My mother, Queen Lumera, was devoted to the people of Elyos. Upon the return of the Fell Dragon, as she lay dying in my arms, she asked me to fight on. To protect the people of Elyos," she paused and took a deep breath. A moment of silence to remember her mother. "With the help of my friends, the Fell Dragon was slain by my hand. Elyos will no longer be subjected to darkness. This is the beginning of a new era of peace and light!"
Just when he thought the cheering couldn't get any louder, it did. People were crying tears of joy for the war's end and grief for their loved ones who had perished. The crowds were filled with people embracing one another. People tossed flower petals in the air and clapped with all their might. The AROOOOOOS amplified in intensity as the people of Solm began to dance. It was a joyous sight to behold. For a moment, Alfred locked eyes with Alear. He gave her his biggest smile and waved up at her. She waved back at him, and for a second, it felt as if they were completely alone. The world around him began to vanish. All he could see was Alear's smiling face looking down at him from above, the sun creating a halo of shining light behind her.
Alfred snapped back to reality when Vander signaled to Alear that she should return back inside.
"Thank you all for coming! I will see you again soon!" Alear promised with one last wave. She disappeared off the balcony, and the crowd began to disperse. Many spoke of the parties they would be holding back in their realms upon their return.
"Speaking of parties, when does our party start?" Prince Fogado asked Queen Seforia as they stood and moved toward the castle's entrance. Following the coronation would be a lavish party held in the great hall of the castle. It was exclusive to those seated in the royalty section. Alear explicitly expressed only wanting to celebrate with the people she was closest with.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Fogado. We still have a few hours before the festivities begin. Allow the Divine Monarch some time to rest before making another appearance," Queen Seforia said, reigning in her excited son.
As the group entered the castle, Alfred felt a light tap on his shoulder. Standing behind him was an older male butler of the castle who appeared to be trying to be discreet. He had a stern face with a prominent nose. His gray hair was well-groomed and combed to the side.
"Queen Alear has requested your presence, Prince Alfred," the butler whispered. Alfred could understand the secrecy. There would be many people vying for Alear's attention after the coronation. "Please follow me."
Cèline and his mother were close enough to hear what was said. They eyed him suspiciously as he walked off with the servant toward the private quarters. Alfred hadn't told them yet about giving the Divine Dragon the royal Firinese heirloom embroidery. Giving the heirloom embroidery was how they proposed in the royal family. Alfred knew that his mother would want them to be wed as soon as possible if she knew. Cèline would likely spill the secret to everyone she knew out of sheer excitement. Alfred hadn't told them because he didn't know if he would even make it out of the war alive.
The servant led Alfred back to the double doors he had previously left Alear at. The servant stood beside the door and waited as Alfred knocked. Alear quickly stuck her head out and looked both ways to check that the coast was clear.
"Thank you, Jaq," Alear said as she pulled Alfred into her room.
Alfred took a few seconds to take the room in. It was a large bedroom with a queen-size four-poster bed made of dark mahogany wood. Dragons were carefully hand carved into the wood. Two bedside tables were on either side of the bed with oil lamps atop for lighting. There was a matching wardrobe and dresser set with similar carvings. On top of the dresser sat a large mirror that Alfred could see his reflection. Alear had pulled him onto a soft rug in the middle of the room depicting a scene of dragons flying in the sky among clouds. It was so stunning, Alfred felt bad standing on it. It was a room fit for the Divine Dragon Monarch.
"My pleasure, your highness," Jaq responded dutifully before bowing and departing.
Alear shut the door behind them and turned to face Alfred. Her face was flushed with excitement. Alfred noticed a few strands of damp hair framing her face from nervous sweat. She looked beautiful and full of life.
"I'm sorry for pulling you away from the others. Our conversation earlier was cut short. I wanted to thank you for your encouragement. I could stand up in front of everyone thanks to you," Alear sincerely expressed as she took a step closer to him.
"You can request my company at any time. I am yours to summon," he quipped with a playful bow. Upon his return to an upright position, he also took a step closer. They were so close he could feel Alear's warm breath on his chin. He longed to kiss her. "You were amazing. I am so proud of you."
"Oh, Alfred," Alear said as she wrapped her arms around him.
He embraced her tightly and settled for kissing her on top of the head. They had yet to share their first kiss. It wasn't that he didn't want to. Quite the contrary, he thought about it on a daily basis….multiple times a day. He just wanted to wait until the moment was right. With so much melancholy and fear surrounding the war, he wanted their first kiss to be filled with happiness.
Alfred buried his face into her hair. He deeply inhaled her sweet scent. He felt her fingers tighten on the fabric of his shirt under his cape. Alfred could feel the pounding of her heart steadying the longer she held onto him. He brought his hand up to the back of her head and began gently stroking her long locks. She had embraced him on a few prior occasions, but never for this long. Neither of them was ready to let go.
As all good things must come to an end, a knock at the door sent them jumping apart and blushing madly.
"C-coming!" Alear squawked out while rushing to the door. She opened the door wide enough for the visitor to see her but not Alfred.
"Sorry to interrupt your rest, Divine One. I was sent to help you prepare for the party tonight. It's going to be so much fun!"
Alfred recognized the cheerful voice of Framme and let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't his sister.
"Oh, yes. Please come in," Alear said as she stepped aside to let her in.
"I'm so sorry, Divine One! I didn't know you had company!" Framme exclaimed upon seeing Alfred standing awkwardly in the middle of Alear's bedroom.
"It's okay, Framme. I was just congratulating the Divine One on an amazing coronation. I was just on my way out," Alfred explained, doing his best to sound natural.
Framme tilted her head and looked back and forth between Alear and Alfred. "Are you two feeling okay? You're both looking really red in the face," Framme asked, genuinely concerned.
"We are absolutely fine! Alfred and I were just having a good laugh before you came in. Laughing really gets that blood pumping, you know? Haha!" Alear forced out as she eyed Alfred and then the door.
Alfred took the nonverbal direction and made his way to the door. "Our Divine One is too funny! Well, I'll see you both later at the party. Bye!"
Alfred quickly escaped and let out the breath he had been holding once he shut the large doors behind him. If he was this bad about concealing his feelings for Alear, he had a long night ahead of him.
AN: If you made it this far, thank you SO much for taking the time to read the first chapter! I had so much fun writing it (aside from the coronation scene. I never want to write a coronation again in my life). Please leave a comment with any thoughts/feedback/suggestion/critiques/encouragement. I will do my best to have chapter 2 out soon. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day full of love.
-Val