A/N: Didn't get this put in my first chapter, sorry 'bout that! A few explanations…
Her name is pronounced KAT-ya, it's a German name because her dad's name is also German in origin. Yes, she is my own character (Are they called OCs?)
I didn't "choose" any characters from Fire Emblem because I'm not entirely sure who is or is not going to be in the story at this point. Some "for sures": Tormod, Sothe, Micaiah, Ranulf, Volke. No Ike or Soren because Ike and Soren left at the end of Radiant Dawn (if they had an "A" support. If you did not do this… I have nothing to say. I'm that flabbergasted.). My story takes place after Radiant Dawn. Unfortunately, they are not coming back. Much as I love Soren, I can't wrap my head around that much complexity (yet). I may change my mind about this, if I can increase my IQ enough to come up with a legitimate reason for them to come back.
My character is a "synesthete" In case I'm not using the correct noun or you aren't sure what I mean, she has a condition that we call synesthesia, meaning her senses work differently- she can literally "feel" voices. She was born this way. Make of this what you will.
Anyone confused about her wings will be receiving an explanation eventually, if you haven't already picked up on contextual clues. I hope you haven't- that means more fun torturing you! Mwahahaha! Also, updates will most likely not be regular. Inspiration hits me in sporadic fits that can be anywhere between a few seconds to a few months apart. Hopefully, by writing bits and pieces in advance, I can solve this problem.
Sorry for my rambling! More info as we go along- and veterans of this site, pretty please don't be offended by me if I hit a wrong button or ignore you or block you- I am technologically impaired, and probably don't know that I have done such action, or are currently attempting to remedy the problem!
On with the show!
"Ugh."
I open my eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light at their own pace. I'm wearing the same top as last night, with long sleeves that flare at the end and a turtleneck collar, but my trousers and the shorts I was wearing underneath are both gone. Instead, I've been left with only my underwear to cover my lower half. The shirt is long enough to cover me, so it really can't hurt for me get up, now can it?
I roll off the bed slowly- I haven't forgotten my injury, there is a soreness to remind me- and make my way over to the dresser across from the bed. I open the note on top, and read it twice. Basically, it's an apology for what happened with the staff, not that he knows it was the staff, and a warning not to do anything at all strenuous.
I throw the note on the floor and look in the mirror.
Goddess, I'm a mess. My short, black hair is in a horrible rat's nest, and I have tear stains on either side of my face. Blech. I hate crying.
And the scar on my stomach… actually, it's not so bad. The staff healed it into a starburst shape, and it's smooth, not raised like some of my other scars. Kind of cool, I must admit.
"I see you're finally up."
I whirl to face the door, hand flying to my hip, reaching for my knuckles. They aren't there.
The man facing me is not much of a threat though. His orange hair and pale skin remind me of a female laguz I saw a while ago, but that's where the similarities end. His face is kind, innocent, unmarked by hatred or anger of any kind. And his voice…
"Are you feeling better?"
Hmm. Sweet, but more like clean water sweet than sugar sweet.
I nod my head slowly. Better to look stupid, until I find out exactly what's going on.
He smiles. It's genuine- I can tell because it's inviting, but with sadness behind it. He looks at my shirt, and his smile is gone. He looks… ill. Strange, that a healer would be sick at the sight of blood, but there isn't much else he would be able to do from the look of him.
He comes into the room, rifling through the dresser drawers, eventually pulling out some clothes. They're about my size.
He waits outside while I change. When I come out, he leads me to a room with a table. The hawks and the heron from last night are sitting there, talking amongst themselves. The muscled one with the dull knife voice nods in my direction.
"You're up," he says. "Want to tell us what happened three nights ago?"
Three nights ago? Have I really been asleep that long? But that means-
"Oh my Goddess! Jessob!"
"Whoah, hold on, calm down."
The hawk stands up now, coming over to lead me to a chair and make me sit down. But I don't want to sit down, I need to leave, I have to find Jessob-
"Sit."
The dull knife turns sharp, and I do as I'm commanded. He pushes in the chair, then grabs another- he put me in his chair. Smart, since it means the rest of them and the table are between me and the only door in this room, and running around when you don't know the terrain is foolish.
"When you found me- which was three nights ago, according to you- I was trying to get in touch with some friends," I say. The lie comes easily enough; one of the differences between my father and I is that he just withholds information. I lie.
"Someone else was waiting there instead. People I had refused to work with before. They were angry, and had scared off my friend and waited there for me. There were four of them, one of them stabbed me and they all ran off. I heard your confrontation with them after."
I pause. Hopefully, that will satisfy them for now.
It does. Sort of.
"Interesting. It's strange that a bunch of people would just come across your friend beside a road in basically the middle nowhere," the hawk says.
I just shrug. "Do you believe in coincidence?" I ask him.
He doesn't even consider the question before answering a negative.
"Smart man. I don't either, but sometimes, the significance of an event isn't apparent for a while."
This time, they are satisfied.
"Fine. But what happened with the staff? People don't just scream in pain when they're being healed."
I shift uncomfortably. Goddess, he is nosy! I don't have to tell him anything, and yet I feel like I should. I don't want to, but I should. Like making my bed.
But I don't make my bed. So there, mister nosy hawk man.
"Maybe we should get her name before we ask her anything else?" the priest interjects. All eyes turn to me, and my cheeks turn red. Well, red with a white spot in the middle- my cheeks look like an archery target when I blush!
"Um… Katja. My name is Katja. And… I don't like staves. They hurt me when they heal me- it's like I feel all the pain I would have felt during the natural recovery, but all at once."
Why are they all staring at me? I'm not just some- some- freak for them to stare at!
"What are you looking at?" I snap at them. They just keep looking at me, trying to decide what to do next, I guess. Now that I'm actually looking at them all, the really muscular hawk seems kind of familiar…
"What are you thinking, Tibarn?" the heron asks him.
Oh, for the love of Altina! My. Luck. Sucks. It's completely abysmal. And absurd. And… I hate my life. Period.
"I'm thinking we should get moving. We're already late. We need to start making good time or we'll never get there."
"Where you going?" I ask, maybe a little too quickly. Tibarn doesn't answer me. Nobody ever answers me, except Jessob, and he technically can't answer me.
"Please- let me travel with you. I'm fairly light, especially with your strength, and I don't need to pack anything, I can travel as is." I look at his face. His scar holds my attention for a while, and I wonder how he got it. He was never a slave; that fact is painfully obvious to me, and I envy him for that. When he finally looks me in the eye, though, I have to look back. Not because I feel compelled to or because he makes me want to, but because that's the essence of a good lie. If you can look them in the eye, you're set for the rest of the deception.
"Please," I lower my voice, forcing tears to my eyes and a tightness in my throat, "I have to find Jessob- my brother. I have to get back to him. He needs me." Not strictly a lie- I do have to find Jessob. And he is a brother of sorts. All good lies contain a bit of truth- my father taught me that. Funny, because he hardly ever lies, just holds back the one piece of information you can't possibly live without…
"We can't take you with us- not all the way to Daein. But if we can find a caravan for you travel with, we'll drop you off with them. If not, we'll leave you at the next town."
My heart beats wildly- I've never flown before, not while coherent anyways. Looking down on the scenery from so high… I bet I'll be in ecstasy! It'll be like the first time I climbed a tree… or the time I jumped out of the tree… or the time I went over the waterfall…
I may have found my next high!