Fire Emblem: Realm of Darkness

Chapter Two

Again thanks to Schizzar for being my beta and applying your wonderful skills to improve my writing!

Suppressing another yawn that morning, Ike blinked against the rising sun that peeked over the high cliffs. Warm rays of sunlight kissed the tips of the green leaves as they danced in a gentle breeze. It had been less then four days since the trio had left Gallia and already the young man was missing his late afternoon naps under a large tree with the sun beating down on him.

No, he would not get distracted. This trip was for Mist and he would not deny her a much-needed get together with familiar friends, because deep down he wanted to see them to. It wasn't even under dire circumstances like a war meeting! Just a simple anniversary festival that celebrated his aid in the rid of King Ashnard along with the Black Knight. Squaring his shoulders, the young man took a deep breath and concentrated on making sure his horse walked in a straight line. Wait, since when did he have to concentrate on something so trivial? Sighing, Ike shook his head and lifted his eyes to the path ahead of them. To his right, he could hear Mist's deep breathing and silent sleepy murmurs, draped as she was over the neck of her horse. It was just one of the ways she liked to sleep.

'Heh, cute as ever,' he thought despite himself, knowing well the angry and dangerous woman she could become in an instant.

"Homesick already, Ike?" drawled Soren from his other side.

Snorting in denial, he did not have to look at the sage to see the crease of his brow in concern. Who was he kidding? He couldn't hide anything from Soren anyway. The hybrid was too observant, his laguz senses too sharp, his strength in magic able to rival even Bishop Sephiran and his knowledge steadily growing. Back in Gallia, using whatever information he was accessed to, Soren would try to find out as much as possible. Yet the beast tribe wasn't much into writing things down but instead repeated heartfelt stories that were filled with laguz pride and adventure. Yet despite that, Ike was sure his friend was merely researching his laguz background. Trying to decipher what he was.

"I guess I shall take your silence as a yes."

Sighing, Ike shook his head. "I can't hide much from you, can I?"

Chuckling, the sage gave a half smile yet his eyes stared straight ahead. If he remembered right, Soren had a hundred-degree vision apparently. At least that was what Lethe said from the results she reported after some trial that she had Soren undergo. Yet that was before Soren had started to really get into using his laguz senses.

"To be honest Ike, I have known you for a while now. Since you were the young boy that found me in the forest to this day we are heading towards Begnion. Why? Is there something troubling you?"

The sage was met with silence but he knew to wait patiently.

"I just," started Ike as he raised one hand to comb through his untamed blue bangs. "I don't know what to think about this really. Of there being a chance in seeing Elincia again I mean. A lot of people wanted to see me rise up in the ranks when all I wanted to do was make sure Elincia was secure in her kingdom then sort of silently slip away unnoticed. Let her influence and capture the loyalty of her people but everyone was still stuck to me, giving me all the credit. I still remember the frustration with having to explain that all the credit should have gone to her, not me with the nobles and advisers in that accursed castle."

"The only thing I could think of was leaving. Considering that some greedy nobles were still left, they tried threatening me to stay so their ties to me would get them recognized in society. However, going to Elincia to command me to stay was the last straw. I'm sure you remember the rest."

Soren nodded and grimaced at the memory of Ike stomping through the halls, eyes ablaze as he bellowed orders for soldiers to get out of his way as he prepared to leave Crimea Castle. Just moments before, he had announced he was no longer a General of bestowed noble status and was taking a long needed absence. Also that day, Queen Elincia was no where to be seen at his hurried departure though the castle gates despite their well known friendship.

"I still say you should not have gotten drunk," stated the sage as he flicked some stray hair from his eyes. Ike blushed lightly but but did not turn his face away.

"So I had one to many drinks that morning. Leave it to Boyd to suggest that weird looking wine that actually tasted quite good."

"Still that was no reason to insult her Royal Highness after everything you went through together, only to run off with a tail between your legs like the young pup you are."

"Sore-" Ike started but immediately clamped his mouth shut when the sage suddenly became stiff, his eyes narrowed as he calmly raised a hand for silence. Reaching over to steady Mist's mount, Ike tried to look through the wood at the figures that were silently moving behind the trees from where the sage pointed. What were they doing?

The hybrid dismounted and slowly began to advance towards the figures in the distance. As he got closer, he began make out three manly shapes surrounded some sort of lump on the ground. Behind him, he could hear Ike make his way stealthily beside him. Looking over the young man's shoulder to Mist, his noticed the young cleric wipe her eyes that were still foggy with sleep. 'She'll be fine,' reasoned Soren, nodding to Ike as they made their way closer towards the men. 'Looking innocent is one of her advantages.'

The three men looked to be of Begnion origin from the symbol etched at the end of their sleeves and on their backs. Ike turned his eyes toward the lump on the ground only to find the men kick at it, poking sticks and jeering. Blood could be seen trailing from the lump. A wounded animal of some sort. Turning his head to Soren to ask what it was, he did not get a chance when two loud voices met his ears.

"Stupid sub-human bitch! Think you can threaten us huh? We'll teach you!"

"Heheheh! Look at her squirm! No one growls at me!"

They were abusing a laguz, and even dared to do so in Begnion country. Ike saw red as his breathing hitched at these thoughts. Not able to take it anymore, Ike propelled himself from his hiding spot. The pounding rage fueled the energy he needed to attack these lowlifes. Skidding to a stop behind the nearest one, he reached out and pulled one of the men roughly backward from the small form on the ground, only to swing the man's body around in order to throw him against his partner. Both went crashing to the ground in a tangle of limps and howls of pain. Soren went for the third, his approach much more calmer than Ike's rushed approach.

Raising one hand, wind seemed to appear out of no where and lifted the third man up. His eyes grew wide with panic as he scrambled around in the air with only the wind holding him up. Soren glared silently at him as he waved his raised hand towards the other two on the ground. The third in the air was suddenly propelled towards them, knocking the other two back down just as they were getting up. Groaning the men looked up at Ike as he stepped towards them, one hand on his waist as his feet were spread in an authoritative stance. Soren smiled grimly despite the thrumming adrenaline coursing through his veins.

'Even though he denies it, leadership is in his blood.'

Icy blue eyes glared down at the three men, his limp hand itching to have a sword in his grasp if only to intimidate these pathetic idiots that he was going to kill them. As if he couldn't, it's just he would rather step away from the path of bloodshed.

"You said sub-human. Why?" Ike demanded as he knelt down to grab the front of one of the man's shirt. The man seemed to shake under Ike's stony gaze, rage radiating off him in waves. Growling, Ike let him go and looked to the other two behind him. None spoke for their mouths had gone dry.

"Leave before I do something I'll regret which requires the loss of your lives. I don't like the abuse of laguz and you're testing my patience if you stay in my sight a moment longer!"

At his roaring voice, the men seemed to snap to their senses and began to scurry away into the underbrush and beyond. Soren knelt down beside him and turned the laguz gently over. It was young female, probably no older then ten summers or so. Tangled orange hair stained with blood stuck to her cheeks contrasted with her tanned skin. Light yellow marks graced her face and arms along with bandages and raggedy leather straps. Her clothes were caked with dirt and mud, the original color a faded combination of gray and brown. Curled around her dirty ankles was a twitching tail, dust covered and with fiery fur. This young laguz belonged to the Gallian cat clan.

Whistling a high tune to signal, Ike reached into one of his back pouches that were connected onto his belt as he waited for his sister to arrive from his call. Taking out some dark black slimy weed, he crushed open part of the leaf, which gave off a strong sour onion type smell. Moving the weed under the laguz's nose she seemed to snort and her eyes fly open to reveal blood shot yellow eyes. Meeting her gaze, he lifted his hands slowly to show he wasn't going to hurt her.

Smiling gently, he put the crushed weed back into his back pouch.

Mist arrived moments later, her gasp telling both men they did not need to explain. Rushing over, she immediately took out an elixir vial and opened it.

"She might fight. They were beating her pretty roughly for who knows how long," murmured Soren as he motioned for Ike to hold down one side of the young laguz as he held the other.

Mist nodded and calmly waited until both had a good grip on the laguz before she could pour the healing liquid into her mouth. The young female struggled as her eyes looked about wildly. She tried to open her mouth to speak but all came were stuttered mumbles of growls and strangled mewls. Ike's sister paused as she held the vial to her mouth then started to soothe the young laguz with a series of growls and purrs of her own. The young Gallian's eyes seemed to widen even larger and in response, relaxed her form. Ike and Soren released her but did not move from their spots. After all the elixir in the blue vial was gone, Mist put it away and began to feel along the young laguz's arms and legs to check the status of how the body frame was healing. As she worked, Ike stood up and brushed away the dirt and grass on his tan pant legs.

After some time with soothing the young laguz and speaking to her, Mist bit her lip lightly as she looked up at her brother. Soren had gone back for the horses and Ike was pacing beside her, eyes narrowed with concentration.

"Um, brother?" Mist asked tentatively. Ike grunted for her to continue as he kept on pacing.

"She was a slave to a Begnion family," Her brother stopped pacing instantly and swung his head to look at her. Mist sighed and brushed some dirty bangs away from the laguz's face gently, "Her parents were lost during the war and she has never seen them since. Those men earlier were paid to dispose of her considering the master of the house was nearly discovered of breaking the law and several peace treaties. Little Syris here knows very few English words but knows the Begnion layout very well."

"She would be very useful if she knows the layout of the city, especially the routes to Mainal Cathedral," said Soren as he returned with the horses. Ike took the reins of his mount as Soren led the other two over towards Mist.

"But Syris is scared! She doesn't want to go back to Begnion. She's afraid her old master would try and have someone hurt her again!" said the young cleric as she mounted her horse then opened her arms for the little laguz. Syris immediately jumped into her arms and weakly leaned into the woman's embrace. Looking at Soren who shook his head, Mist frowned.

"He can't get rid of her so easily. Former laguz slaves were branded on their skin with the seal of their master's family emblem. If you look under the bandages that cover her hands Mist, you should find a seal on each hand."

Sure enough as she lifted the bandages that covered one of Syris's hands, there was a symbol burnt into the skin on the back of both hands. Tightening her embrace around the young laguz she purred sounds of comfort. Forever will she have a reminder of what she was.

Ike grunted. "If I'm correct, the nobles should be celebrating at Mainal Cathedral while the other of lower classes will have their festivities out in the streets. If she can lead us to her master in Mainal, we should be able to exploit him to the Apostle. His punishment is pretty obvious."

"It may be obvious Ike but there's no one who has discovered that he even held laguz as slaves in his possession. Besides, since it's a serious crime to hold a laguz as a slave, what would the family have used them for? Clearly they were either sworn not to say anything or they weren't in the open at all."

Mist blinked at Soren then looked down at the small laguz in her arms. What the sage said made sense. What could the family have used the laguz for?

"Even so," Ike said, mounting his horse. "This may give us an advantage. Since he thinks his last trace of evidence is gone, we may be be able to use this."

Ike's younger sister groaned as she tapped her heels into the flanks of her horse. What was her brother scheming now?

Nothing answered but the chirps of birds.

At noon, Mist smiled as Begnion came into sight. Reaching towards the skies were slim intricate towers and decorated roofs as well as large buildings carved out of stone, wood and metal that were decades old. A blessed city that worshiped the great Goddess Ashera without question with their Apostle to guide them. A wondrous city with a shaky past that was slowly healing with its future generations. Checking if Syris was still asleep, Mist gushed at the city before her.

"Oh, what a fitting place for the festival! I'll dance and eat all night if I must!"

Her brother was also looking at the city, his face covered by his moppy blue hair.

"Yeah. It is but before we even think of participating, we have to prepare first."

Mist glanced at her brother uneasily. "Brother, we know the plan. Don't we just go in?"

"No. We'll need temporary disguises. I don't want to be recognized right now, I'm sure Soren doesn't either. Since he's done it more times then I, he's our best choice for help. Right Soren?"

The sage rose a brow towards his friend then sighed. "I know where some good places are that are very cheap. Depends, will they be temporary?"

"Pardon?" asked the young swordsman who had just torn his gaze away from city they were fast approaching.

"I'm asking if our disguises be temporary or longer?"

"Temporary. Just long enough to last about a couple of weeks."

"All right. Follow me then. Mist, please don't stray off. Begnion is too big a place for me to starting teaching myself tracking skills."

"Hmph. If we're disguising ourselves, I'll be more then happy to add my vote that Soren dresses as a woman. He would fit the part, would you agree brother? All that long hair and stern feminine looks. Why if you dressed similarly, you could be cousins!"

Both siblings began to muffle their laughter as Soren glared darkly in their direction. It was not his fault he had been mistaken for a woman so many times back in Gallia. So he was thinner then most men. At least he would smell them approaching faster then normal mortals could. At the thought, Soren clenched his fist. He wasn't mortal, not even close. He was half. A half breed, a hybrid. A half ling who was wondering if beorc will ever accept his kind.

No, he would not let such thoughts rule his mind. He was what he was.

Raising his red eyes towards the towering city, he began to run though which shops would be adequate for the disguises Ike would need. Soren smiled despite himself as he thought of just the one.

"Ike, which do you like better? Lord or count? Both would be such wonderful titles for you to get easy access into the cathedral, wouldn't you say? Oh, what about General? Or Sir? Oh wait, how about Master or Great? All sound so regal and demand respect."

Silence.

"Dare I say it? How about a Prince?"

"ALRIGHT! You win Soren, blast you!"

"Ike?"

"What?" snapped the young man irritably to his sister.

"You need to be an noble of some kind in order to get into Mainal considering the Apostle herself is hosting her own event. You'll have to think of a good high rank if we're to get in."

"Tch!"

"I'll let you simmer on those thoughts while I look for the shop we need." Soren said as he smirked over at his friend.

The sage could feel the annoyance radiating off the man at his side. If there was one thing Ike didn't like, it was nobility and anything related. Licking his lips, Soren chuckled softly to himself. Serves his friend right for agreeing with his sister. Him feminine? Bah!

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