A/N: I do not own the Fire Emblem franchise ;)

Innocence

Even on the precipice of Nevassa's infamous winter, the city streets were warm and humid with a constant flow of human and livestock bodies. The crowds moved like a flock of starlings, parting and shifting as one organism, adjusting to activity or trauma with a flow that could not be matched anywhere on Tellius.

It took a certain level of courage to weave through these streets, but Mist had been born here, and it was here that she spent every hour of daylight, delivering herbs and checking on her mother's house-bound patients until her legs were numb from running. She went through shoes quicker than a traveling merchant and knew every street and alley like the veins that ran over the back of her hand.

"Evening Mist," she almost tripped at the unexpected interruption to her rhythm, but smiled nonetheless as the gate guard offered a friendly wave.

"Good evening to you too, Gatrie," she jogged over, thankful for any excuse to catch her breath, but especially when that excuse was an old family friend, "Are you well today?"

He shrugged, his heavy armor clanking in the process, "Pretty bored, really. But my shift's almost over, thank heavens."

"Will you be coming to the mess hall for dinner?"

"Does Shinon still have an arrow dug deep in his rear?" he grinned at her giggle, "Who's cooking tonight?"

"Probably Oscar," Mist mused, "I can't help out tonight, not with this recent epidemic."

"Probably Oscar then," Gatrie agreed, "The epidemic really that bad?"

"Well yes and no, the biggest problem is how fast it's spreading, and keeping a lot of folks in bed for a few days. But so far it doesn't seem to be fatal."

"I'm sure in no small part to your dedicated care," he gave her a wink and she chuckled again. If Gatrie could, he would always go out of his way to make a lady laugh. She had appreciated that about him, more so as she grew older and began to see the more grim realities that surrounded them. Yet, there were still some things that even a teen growing up in the last truly free beorc city on the continent could be innocent of.

"Do you suppose sub-humans ever get sick," Gatrie mused, completely honest in his query.

"I don't see why they wouldn't," she shrugged.

"Well good. The world could use less of the-"

"Gatrie…"

"I don't expect you to understand yet."

"Everyone says that," she put her hands on her hips, "I'm still not convinced. Nothing they could do—"

"Fine, fine. Have it your way," he interrupted, clearing his throat, "I guess it's no harm done."

Mist gave him a curious look, shrugged and regained her smile, "Well I'd better get going. Stay safe and see you soon?"

He chuckled, "Of course. See you around Mist!"

The guard waved until she vanished into the crowds. Then he slowly let his smile drop as he settled back into his station.

"She's lucky she's never lost someone to them," the other guard who had watched the exchange in silent amusement, state softly. Gatrie nodded.

"A little innocence isn't going to hurt her at this point. It's nice to see someone who still believes there's good in the world…or even believes in the Goddess for that matter."

His fellow guard, Nolan, looked at him from the corner of his eye, "What do you believe."

He hung his head, "At this point…I'm not sure what I believe anymore but…I am willing to do whatever I can to keep her believing."

A scoff was heard on the battlements above, "Of all the things you could have to fight for, you choose that one?"

Gatrie's thick armor made it difficult for him to look straight up, and so he was forced to back up a few steps before a wisp of crimson hair came into view. Shinon was always the rain on every party it seemed. Not that the knight minded much, he knew the sniper was a dedicated member of the guard. If anything, the man was Mist's polar opposite; jaded by suffering and intimately aware of all the misdeeds a sub-human could be accused of. He was a wretched, spiteful man, but as previously stated, a committed one. Few had the nerve to take as many guard shift's as he did, or offer to join as many raiding parties on outer Gallian settlements.

And so, it was with no difficulty that Gatrie was able to smile up at his bitter companion, "I thought it sounded quite poetic, actually."

Nolan snickered as the sniper rolled his eyes, returning his attention to the distant horizon, "I just hope you don't go out of your way. She'll have to learn eventually."

"Of course. All children grow up in time."

Nolan gave a nod of agreement, "I still remember the first time I was directly under attack by sub-humans. Still just a lad then and oh how it changed my perspective," he sighed, "Seems like a long ways off now."

"Yeah…" Gatrie looked off distractedly, "It hits us all eventually. Either we meet their ferocity first hand, or they steal away someone dear to us. I only wish that weren't the case."

"We all do," Nolan acquiesced, tilting his head just enough to give Shinon a side-long glance. The sniper ignored him.