Fire Emblem and characters associated belong to Nintendo. GrimGrave owns nothing.
Commissioned by J053D4N13L35C083D0
How Not to Romance a Fellow Mercenary
In the world of Zenith in the kingdom of Askr, heroes from across worlds were summoned to aid in the battle against the Emblian Empire and Byleth had been no exception; his days as a mercenary gave him the strength to aid his allies and his time as a professor, though relatively short by comparison, had given him leadership and management skills that made him a valuable captain alongside many others of his peers.
Life in Askr had been kind to him – despite the complicated nature between him and Kronya – and with his father around in Askr and being able to talk to him again Byleth was more at peace. Together, the father-and-son duo had been a tremendous boon to the kingdom, leading soldiers on one of many frontlines alongside other heroes. Much like Byleth, Jeralt was a battle-hardened veteran with sought-after skill that attracted soldiers and heroes alike for pointers or hands-on practice.
One of which was a certain young woman – a mercenary from a now wiped out mercenary company— who came from Fòdlan like the father-and-son duo, but from a different time entirely where events had happened differently. While at first she had been hostile, over time she had come to appreciate Jeralt's insight and words of wisdom and frequently tried to spar with him at any given time.
And it wasn't just Jeralt; Byleth was also sought after by this stubborn woman, thought it seemed more out of a sense of "settling the score" than sparring. At least that's what she had kept stating, but Jeralt wasn't entirely convinced from what he had seen.
"Keep at it, Shez! Lances have an advantage over swords in terms of reach, so focus on your footwork!" Jeralt shouted and thrusted his training lance in an attempt to "stab" Shez's abdomen.
The young woman narrowly avoided the attack with a quick sidestep, the wooden tip barely scratching her armour in the process. This was her opening—
Jeralt swiftly pulled back and slammed the blunt shaft against her abdomen instead in one quick movement, and knocked Shez flat on her back.
Somewhere in the background, Arval chuckled. Though they had a body of his own, they liked to float around and often followed Shez out of habit.
Before Shez could push herself back up the wooden tip of Jeralt's spear pressed against her throat. "You're going to have to be quicker than that, girl."
He withdrew the weapon and held out his hand instead. Shez scoffed, but grabbed the proffered hand nonetheless and was instantly hoisted up to her feet; it was that kind of physical strength she desired. "Duly noted, Jeralt."
"You'll get the hang of it. You're a strong warrior, but you tend to neglect your footwork and that makes you easier to pin down," he replied with a dry chuckle. "Is there something on your mind, lass? You always glance around and while it's good to check your surroundings, it's distracting you."
"It's nothing, sir," Shez quickly said. "Let's just continue."
"Is it my son by any chance?"
Shez instantly tensed. "…No."
Jeralt chuckled at her. "Girl, you're not hiding it well. I've seen the way you keep looking at my boy when you think no-one is watching. Kind of like that other woman…" He trailed off for a moment before shaking his head. "And you seem to frequent my son's usual spots too now that I think about it."
The colour drained from Shez's face. "I don't know what you're talking about. We just have similar habits I guess."
The veteran mercenary eyed her up and down incredulously for what felt like a lifetime. Then his stoic features suddenly soften as he guffawed, loud and heartily. "Hahahaha! If that helps you sleep at night! Honestly, if I didn't know any better I would say you're enamoured with the lad."
A hot wave washed over Shez right then. She being enamoured with…the Ashen Demon?! That couldn't be even remotely true; she just wanted to settle the score and prove herself as the better warrior! So what if she tried to find him at any point in time or followed him around? That didn't have to be romantic in nature! If anything it would be downright creepy! It wasn't like she was trying to keep female Heroes away from him because she liked him either, Shez just wanted to make sure she could fight the Ashen Demon alone.
"Perhaps that'd be good for him though. Help him come out of his shell so to speak," Jeralt commented, his gaze wandering aimlessly. "Ah, ignore that. I'm just rambling. My boy can take care of himself, but in the end he's still my child. I want him to be happy." He shook his head. "Ugh. More of my ramblings. Do pardon. I just meant that the lad would be better off with an actual friend."
Shez heart skipped a single beat, her face now even hotter despite with the sun now hiding behind the clouds. Her mind was racing and her fingers were struggling to properly grasp around the pommels of her blades.
"Oh my, Shez! You're positively red as a ripe strawberry!" Arval commented, their inflection barely hiding how snarky it came off.
"Shut it, Arval." She shot him a glowering glare, but the sting of their comment lingered.
Enamoured or not, hadn't Jeralt just blatantly given Shez his blessing?!
"So the young mercenary girl had you spar with her again earlier, huh?" Sothis, like Arval, kept floating around her previous `host´ out of habit despite having a body of her own, and was certainly not afraid to chime in whenever she pleased.
"Ah. Yeah she did—"
"What?! Again?! What's her deal, she already has years of experience under her belt!" Leonie cried out in a huff, arms firmly crossed over her chest. "And to think that I missed out on sparring-time with the Captain too…"
"You were busy helping Kiran, and Shez was stubborn. As usual," Jeralt replied and let out a heavy sigh. "And yet she keeps looking for you, lad."
Byleth offered a wave in greeting as they passed Palla and Sumia, the Pegasus-rider duo making their way to the training grounds he and the others had just left, before turning to face his father. "Hm? She does?"
Sothis rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you never noticed."
He shrugged. "I can't say that I have."
Then again, he wasn't all that knowledgeable in romance. The life of a mercenary didn't make such a life easy either and in most cases it was one night and then you moved on with your life. You were constantly moving from one area to another, always uncertain if you'd live to see the next day. Not that it was impossible what with Jeralt's previous live-life, but in Byleth's case…
He simply didn't know.
Rapids footsteps against dirt broke Byleth's train of thought; the sound got closer and closer still at a swift pace from behind him—
A blurry shadow briefly covered him. Byleth spun, blocked the incoming attack with his training sword before he riposted with the sheath in one lightning-fast, flowing movement, and struck his assailant in the solar plexus.
Shez let out an ungodly sound from the strike and fell right back down to the ground and tumbled backwards, kicking up dust in her wake.
"Shez?!" Sothis practically shouted. "Again with this?!"
The mercenary gal pushed herself back up with a groan, only for the sound to morph into a frustrated sigh. "Damn it…You're as keen as always, Ashen Demon… I honestly thought I had you this time for sure."
"You've definitively gotten quicker." Byleth offered a hand and pulled Shez back up with little effort, much like his father...though she seemed hesitant to take the proffered hand at first. "But I could hear you coming ahead of time."
"That's what I said!" Arval agreed as they floated over. "I told her she'd make a lot of noise, but she's so stubborn."
"Ugh! Be quiet you, it was close!"
Jeralt and Leonie chuckled, and the younger mercenary smirked. "I don't know about `close´ all things considered."
Shez huffed and crossed her arms at the crowd. "Shut up, Leonie. I almost had him."
"It certainly was close, I'll give you that. If I hadn't heard you I likely wouldn't have blocked your attack in time," Byleth told her, the corners of his lips barely curving into a smile. "You would've had a better chance if you hadn't tried to ambush me in such an open area too, but you've come a long way since last we met. Good job."
"Hey, professor, don't stroke her ego like that!" Leonie then exclaimed. "We don't need Shez to start boasting about this when she didn't even succeed. Let her learn her lesson."
Jeralt simply chuckled in the back whilst Sothis and Arval exchanged sceptical looks, fully aware that the mercenary girl would definitely take this in stride—
…except Shez didn't boast; her face was a noticeable shade of crimson and she was averting her eyes completely.
If Arval didn't know any better he'd comment about how bashful she looked right now.
She began rubbing her neck somewhat sheepishly, still avoiding meeting Byleth's gaze and muttering; "…Thanks. Means a lot coming from you."
Puzzled, Byleth merely looked at her, expecting an elaboration of what she meant, but Shez quickly shook her head and stepped back. Picking up her swords, she pointed one at him with a grin.
"Next time, Ashen Demon," she exclaimed, her face still scarlet, but at least she had her energy back. "I won't fail! I'll catch you by surprise for sure and finally settle the score between us! So look forward to that!"
"What's the point of telling someone that they will be ambushed? Aren't you just warning them to stay alert?" Sothis asked and reclined as she floated about.
Shez recoiled, flustered. "S-Shut up! It won't matter! Just watch your back, Ashen Demon!"
"Again, you're not supposed to—"
With a frustrated groan Shez stomped off in a huff with Arval trailing behind her.
"…I don't mean to take sides here, but Lady Sothis is right; Byleth isn't meant to know that you'll ambush him, Shez," Celica told her whilst she nursed her drink. There was no shortage of taverns in Askr, but `The Primrose Path´ was the closest one that also allowed for a modicum of privacy…which Shez desperately needed as of now as she vented. And Celica had been roped into going drinking with the mercenary, a result of the two getting to know each other from when the princess was appointed a captain and was in need of able-bodied soldiers.
"I KNOW, thank you!" Shez downed her tankard far too quickly, resulting in a coughing fit. "Uugh…Why is it so damn difficult to just talk to him without trying to challenge him…Or trying to ambush him." She took another swig of her drink, this time more moderately. "Damn it Jeralt!"
"Mr. Eisner?" Celica inquired.
"Mm…" Shez drank some more. "I sparred with him earlier today and he said something and now I can't stop thinking about it."
An understatement of the year; how was she supposed to process the fact that Jeralt was low-key giving her his blessing? It had been so out of the blue! Granted, Byleth was easy on the eyes, but she hadn't exactly ogled him like that…and now that Jeralt was basically supporting it, the thought had firmly taken root in She'z mind.
"I see…" Celica tensely glanced around, uncertain. "So, did you try to talk to Byleth after that first, uhm, ambush…?"
Shez let out a groan and slammed her forehead against the wooden table.
"Oh. It didn't go well I assume—?"
"I tried three more times."
Celica blinked, taken aback. "Three more…? You mean, as in ambushes?"
"Mhm."
"Oh, Shez." The priestess shook her head solemnly. "So what happened?"
"Well…" the mercenary began.
/ Byleth and Chrom were having a mock battle when Shez first found him again. It was perfect; he was preoccupied and she had the cover of trees to mask her presence. All Shez had to do was wait for the right moment to strike! It wasn't like she was playing dirty either! You never knew when another enemy soldier would come for you while you were still engaged with another! And as the victor she would be able to—
Chrom was getting the upper hand and pushing Byleth back! This was her chance!
Shez grabbed both of her swords and rushed forward. She closed in on the Ashen Demon with gathering speed, ready to swipe at both his legs and back to trip him-
Chrom, with a loud, mighty shout, lunged at Byleth with an overhead strike and swung downwards.
The professor swiftly sidestepped and swung back, striking Chrom's training sword with such speed that it redirected his attack into the ground, right in front of Shez; the force behind the strike sent the mercenary gal hurtling backwards and tumbling a good distance away.
"G-Gods! Shez?!" Chrom immediately froze. "What are you—? A-are you okay?!"
"Shez?" Byleth canted his head, puzzled. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't think she'll hear you when you speak that softly," Chrom mildly chastised before he jogged over. "Are you hurt, Shez?!"
The mercenary, face down on the ground, didn't bother to respond, and opted instead to suffer in silence...until Arval entered the scene and once more had a laugh at her expense./
"Oh. I see. That's unfortunate…but you really shouldn't interfere with other people's mock battles unannounced like that." Celica sighed and took a light sip of her drink. "Dare I ask about the other two attempts?"
Shez slammed down her tankard on the table, her face notably hotter, and groaned. "So. After that-"
/By the time she found Byleth again the professor was helping with patrolling the castle grounds. The sun had just dipped below the horizon and allowed the starlit darkness to emerge.
Byleth was walking along the outer wall, lantern in hand. Shez spotted him from afar from her hiding-spot atop a rather tall stack of boxes and crates, and waited. The plan was flawless; wait until the Ashen Demon walked by the boxes, get the drop on him and pin him down. Then she'd be the victor!
The lantern light was getting closer. Any second now…
The tapping of footsteps came from right in front of her.
`Now!´
Shez leapt from her hiding-spot like a striking serpent, but the structural integrity of the stack of boxes and crates was unstable, as she soon found out; it crumbled and fell forward, the shabby wood catching her clothing as Shez moved forward. And while Byleth braced himself against the impact of the boxes, the mercenary gal overshot and arced perfectly above him…
…And over the castle wall, her shrill, panic-induced screaming alerting every guard on duty as she plunged downwards with gathering speed. /
Celica shot Shez an incredulous look. "I…I'm glad you fell into the moat at least."
"After that absolute blunder I kind of wish there hadn't been one there," Shez dryly replied.
"Oh Shez…am I right to assume it gets worse?"
/ Seth, ever the exemplar knight, always put duty before everything else, including himself, and where Eirika went he followed: Askr was no exception. His workaholic tendencies only worsened once he had arrived in this new world and, despite Eirika's pleas, always lent a hand or two to whoever was in need.
He strode towards the stables as part of his usual routine, not only to tend to his own horse, but to aid anyone who happened to be there. It was in Seth's nature to watch over the welfare of others back home and that had since expanded over to other people from different worlds in Askr.
"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Eisner," he greeted as the mercenary-turned-professor walked in the opposite direction of him. "Can I assist you in any way?"
"Good afternoon, Seth," Byleth greeted back with as little expression as usual. "I'm not in need of help at the moment, thank you. Perhaps someone at the stables might though. I'm in a bit of a hurry, so if you'll excuse me…"
"Of course, Mr. Eisner. I won't keep you then." The two politely bid farewell for now and went their separate ways, with Seth continuing towards the stable. Everything seemed to be in order as he arrived, but curiously enough the closer he got, the more he swore he could hear someone cussing.
Puzzled, the knight headed inside to investigate, and immediately stopped dead mid-step.
Hanging from the ceiling by rope around one leg, Shez was thrashing about, cussing up a storm, while she desperately attempted to reach for said rope. She was reaching for a dagger that lay on the ground beneath her and her other hand was trying to keep her skirt up…and for whatever reason, she was covered in what looked like marmalade.
In all of his years as a knight, this scene in front of him had got to be the most nonsensical, incomprehensive one Seth had ever come across. As he took his time to aid the poor mercenary, Seth decided against asking what had happened here. /
Celica pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "Oh, Shez…" she repeated with increasing frustration. "I'm glad you omitted about why you were covered in marmalade. I mean no offense when I say that I don't want to know your thought process behind…whatever that was."
Shez merely threw her head back and groaned.
"Look, I feel sorry for you. I do, truly. But whatever it is about Mr. Eisner that makes you want his attention, you're going about it in such a convoluted way." The priestess-princess reached out and tenderly caressed the mercenary's hand as she met her gaze, and offered a smile. "Why don't you just be direct with him? Ask him out to a drink like you did with me? It's not that difficult."
"It is that difficult!" Shez retorted! "I don't know why I suddenly can't even look him in the eyes, much less talk to him! And even if I managed to do so, what then?"
"You could talk about something you have in common. You're both mercenaries after all and you two did fight together for a while even if it was an alternate version of him."
Shez crossed her arms with a sharp scoff. "You're making it sound so easy and simple."
"Because it is, assuming you haven't scared him off that is. Although I can't imagine this `Ashen Demon´ would be scared of anything," Celica jested and giggled. "Or you could try to keep ambushing him until he actively wants to stay away from you."
Now that was a depressing thought. And that thought itself was surprising; why did it bother Shez if the Ashen Demon hypothetically didn't want anything to do with her anymore?
And with Jeralt's words still fresh in her mind Shez had to wonder if the reason she kept trying to get the Ashen Demon's attention really was because...
No. That couldn't be it, right? But hearing of the Blade Breaker's approval had made her feel a little bit happy.
…and if it was indeed that, then how was she even supposed to go on about it? Her whole life had been one of training and fighting, of killing for coin. Romance – Shez shuddered from the word – had never crossed her mind.
When had she even fallen for the Ashen Demon to start with?
She cursed under her breath. This was going nowhere.
"…Fine. I'll try to `simply´ talk to him then the next time I see him."
Celica giggled. "Atta girl!"
"…and from what Seth told me she was covered in marmalade for some reason. He wouldn't ask and she didn't explain why," Byleth said and took a sip of his tea.
"…I see. That's…curious," Dimitri replied incredulously as he turned to Lissa.
The princess of Ylisse snickered. "Oh Byleth. Marmalade aside, that girl is definitely just trying to get your attention!"
The professor shot her a curious look. "She had it and then she left."
"She obviously wants to talk to you, but I guess she's even more inept at striking up a conversation than you are," Lissa then commented with a playful grin. "You're easy to talk to, but you almost never initiate the conversation you know. Maybe Shez don't know how to casually talk to you either? In another world, she was once your enemy, no?"
"That's true." Byleth sipped some more tea. "But we're on better terms now. I think. I suppose I should try and talk to her properly the next we meet."
"Good!" Lissa then exclaimed! "Because I bet she's not the only one who has trouble approaching you. Dimitri here already knew you, but for me it was…" She hesitated for a second. "Kind of daunting at first, honestly."
"Oh. I see. Noted." He sipped some more. "I don't fully understand, but I get the gist of it."
Dimitri and Lissa both raised their teacups. "Good to hear, professor. And please be sure you talk to her before she gets another idea of ambushing you."
Shez marched away from the training grounds in a sour mood, the practice dummies destroyed and their pieces scattered. The day after her talk with Celica had been fruitless; the Ashen Demon had been nowhere to be seen and when someone actually pointed her in the direction of where they had last seen him, Shez had been unable to muster up the nerve. For some reason!
Frustrated, the mercenary gal had vented on the training dummies for hours to the point that she had even neglected lunch. Starving as a result, all she wanted to hit the tavern for a generous plating of food, a good drink, and NOT having to think about—
"T-The Ashen Demon?!"
"Oh, there you are." Byleth offered a small wave. "I was told I would find you here."
"Tch." Shez straightened and forced herself to meet Byleth's gaze even as her heart curiously drummed like crazy. "Y-Yeah, what of it? You need something?"
"Well, I figured you wanted to talk to me. That's why you've tried to ambush me time and again, right?" He said bluntly. "It would probably be for the best for both of us if we talked things over instead."
Ugh. She was so not ready or prepared for this…but if what Celica had told her was true…
Shez took a deep breath. Thankfully the Ashen Demon didn't seem to mind her taking her time.
That helped, actually.
"…Yeah. Look, I don't get this – whatever this is, I'm not sure – but I'd like to, you know. Get to know you. And stuff. Like over a drink or something. Do you drink? `The Primrose Path´ has got some really good service and even better drinks and uh…" She let out a long groan. "Do you want to go and grab a drink with me…Byleth?"
There. She had said it – she had followed Celica's advice.
For a second, Byleth seemed taken aback. When he didn't respond right away Shez immediately regretted not turning away when she could, but then he smiled. It was small, but it was there. "I'd like that. Are you free tomorrow?"
Her heartrate accelerated immensely.
"Huh?! Uh, y-yeah! Sure! Tomorrow evening then?"
"Yes, tomorrow evening."
"G-Great! She held out her fist and thankfully Byleth understood, and bumped his fist against hers! "It's a date then!"
He blinked. "Date?"
"Ah. Uhm." Her face suddenly was as hot as a roaring flame. "I-I mean, as in, it's set in s-stone! Ahaha right, yes, that's it! Not a date as in romantically- shit! Forget that! Not that I'm a-against it- I mean NO it's not-!"
Oh if only the ground could swallow her up right now.
Frustrated and hot with shame, Shez groaned yet again (and doing that so often could not be healthy) before she shimmied around Byleth and backed away. "I'll just see you at the bar tomorrow evening, okay? Okay, yes, good, great, bye!"
As her slow walk escalated into a sprint, Byleth simply stared at the retreating mercenary, arms crossed over his chest. "What a curious woman."
FIN