A/N:
Wow, what is up with me? Why am I updating so quickly? Sigh... I guess I shouldn't be complaining. This is a little chapter I'm pretty proud of though. Something one can really relate to, and that's why it's one of my personal favorites. Anyway, do enjoy. R&R. Word Count (1,678)
A little girl of rusted hair, proudly showing the mark of her family, which had recently surfaced on her neck, to the world, raced over to a playroom. Her dress did get in the way, the girl often stumbling over its length, but always managing to catch herself before falling completely. "Grah!" The girl soon found herself swept up in the arms of her father as he carried her forward with him.
"Daddy! Put me down!" The girl cried out as she felt herself being carried along much too swiftly.
"Not quite yet." He teased, carrying her all the way along to where she was originally headed.
"Let me down!" She cried once more.
Gangrel lifted her up once more before finally setting the girl down. "Ha. There ya go!" He said, ruffling her hair.
Little Harena put her hands up defensively over her head, backing away from her father before he could do more. "Don't…"
"And what might be going on here?" A woman now stood in the doorway. She wore a simple, white dress, her azure hair falling over her shoulders. A look of exhaustion crossed her face, but she still held the same caring smile she always did around her eldest daughter.
Harena rushed over to her mother, burying her face in the fabric of her dress. "I don't wanna be a pegasus knight." She cried.
Lucina had placed a hand on her daughter's head, kneeling down to bring her in close. "Well, your father needs to accept that you don't like heights." She said, casting a glare up toward Gangrel.
The Plegian king kept his gaze on the two in front of him, seeming to have accepted defeat. "Okay, okay." He admitted.
Harena looked over her mother's shoulder, seeing some figure standing in the shadows outside the room. "Mommy," she cried, not receiving any response. "Mommy!" Again, she received no response, instead only being able to watch as her mother dissipated in her arms.
The shadowed figure stood before her, a smirk on the woman's face. She crouched down next to the girl, her icy glare cutting straight through Harena. As much as the girl wanted to move, as much as her body screamed at her to, she couldn't. She could only stand, frozen in place as this shadowed woman stood before her. "Let's play a game." The figure said in a distorted voice. "A little game of… hmm… hide-and-go-seek. You hide, but…" She drew her fingers across the girls face, bringing her head back every time the young girl tried to turn away. "If I find you… I end you." She stood up, letting the girl out of her grasp. "Now go."
Harena still found herself frozen in place, unable to move as she listened to the wicked laughter of the one in front of her seeming to echo in her mind. She was alone, her parents were gone.
The girl stayed still, looking around for anyone. Foreign soldiers filed past the terrified girl as she was left out in the streets. She was lost among a sea of steel now, being carried along as the soldiers trod past. She looked up to the buildings above, to the terrified faces of mothers and children, watching as their homes were taken from them.
Harena was finally pushed into an alley where she was completely alone. Her mother, her father, even her little sister, they were all gone. For what, some game? She cried. Harena cried, though no person paid her any mind.
A chill ran up the girl's spine as she felt herself being watched. Turning her tear-streaked face toward whatever she felt was watching her, her eyes widened as she found the shadowed figure before her. The figure approached, slowly, coming to a stop just before the girl. Her red eyes aimed down at the girl, the same smirk across her face as she held when Harena's parents disappeared. "Game over." She whispered. With dark magic gathering, she aimed directly for the child in front of her.
Harena awoke with a shriek. She was in the tent she shared with her mother in the Shepherds' forces. Lucina was quick to her daughter's side, taking the girl in her arms. "Are you alright?" The princess asked.
Harena looked around to make sure everything was real. She was still partially covered up in the bedroll she had been granted, and still wore the simple shirt and trousers Frederick had given her some hours ago. It was a strange feeling to be rid of the leather gloves, belt, and tattered clothes she had acquired on her own, but it was an even stranger feeling to be back in her mother's embrace. Harena leaned into her mother, letting tears she had been holding back finally escape. "I-I… I can't… lose you again…" She sobbed as her head rested upon Lucina's shoulder.
Lucina awkwardly moved a hand to the back of her daughter's head. "You won't." She said in an awkward attempt to calm her daughter. "I promise, you won't lose me again."
You have no idea… Harena let out a few sniffles as she stayed in her mother's embrace. It had been years… how she missed this feeling, even if it wasn't her mother. The her of this timeline hadn't even been born yet, and wouldn't for near another year. She was still nervous about telling anyone her birthday though, she figured she'd be born on time. Her mother was, after all.
Harena held onto her mother for quite some time, not wanting to let go, for some fear that she might disappear again. Once she finally let her grip loosen, she felt her mother back away slightly. Looking up, she found Lucina's sapphire eyes gazing into her own. "Um… do you mind if I show you something?" The Ylissean princess asked.
Harena nodded slightly. "Yeah. Of course." She quietly let out. Harena watched as her mother pulled back, and headed to prepare her boots. "It's… outside?"
Lucina let out a small chuckle at her daughter's statement. "Yes. It's a rather clear night. Perfect for events like this."
Events like what? Harena nervously reached out for her scarf, wrapping it back around her neck as habit forced over the years. "Okay…" She commented, reaching for the boots she left nearby. "Where are we going?" Harena asked once she found herself adequately prepared.
"It's something of a surprise." Lucina said with a slight laugh before heading out of the tent.
It was certainly an odd event for Harena. The girl was left in puzzlement at her mother's statement. A surprise? Was that supposed to make her feel any better? Letting out a sigh, Harena followed her mother out of their tent. As she took her steps outside, she spotted her mother staring up into the sky. It really was a clear night. The waning gibbous moon cast its glow upon the valley below. Stars cast down their light, each constellation of this month, the bands of color, though only a portion could be seen through the trees which towered above. "Wow."
"We haven't been here very long," Lucina started, "but I think I know a place where the view is even more spectacular. Come on."
Harena followed her mother toward wherever they were now headed. They made their way through a forest, leaving Harena questioning Lucina even further. Eventually though, the two seemed to have made it to their destination. Harena looked out at what now lay before her, an undisturbed clearing, illuminated by the light of the moon and stars in the clear skies above. A smile crossed her face, as thoughts of so many peaceful nights as a child, came into her thoughts.
"I found this place a few days ago." Lucina said. "I haven't had the chance to come out at night yet. I guess I was just waiting for something… I guess Naga had plans for me after all." Lucina moved ahead, looking for a place to settle down.
Harena stood by, watching her mother search for a spot. Right… Once she had noticed Lucina finally choose a spot, Harena moved forward to sit right next to her mother. "So… stargazing? I must admit, I never really paid very much attention to that."
Lucina let out a small hum, her lips forming a smile. "Yes. I spend quite a bit of my time watching the stars. They seem brighter now than they did in my future." She paused a moment, leaning back as she rested her elbows on the ground. "Tell me, Harena, what was your future like? Um… if you don't mind my asking."
My future… The girl's face contorted to a frown. "I wouldn't exactly say it was like yours but…" How do I even describe it…? "I mean… you defeated Grima, but…" Harena looked over to her mother during this. Lucina seemed to accept this, but there was something else that she seemed to be fighting back. "There was another war, and that's when I lost everything." Harena finally admitted. "I spent most of my time traveling between Plegia and Ylisse, I met people who helped me learn how to survive on the streets, but I'd been on my own for so long…" She let out a sigh, looking up toward the sky. The bands of stars above, they just seemed to go on forever. It was oddly calming. "Heh. I've never been to anywhere in Regna Ferox 'til I came back in time. Funny, huh?"
"You don't have to be afraid, you know." Lucina commented. "I learned that lesson how many months ago?" Harena turned her attention back to her mother, waiting for whatever else the swordswoman had to say. "Me, your father, well, I don't know how much about your father… but you can go to any of the Shepherds. We take care of each other, and it would do you some good to open up more. Okay?"
"Okay." Harena turned her attention back to the stars above. They spent the rest of the night out there in peace.
A/N:
So there you have it. A nice, peaceful night under the stars (Let's ignore the fact that there was also a nightmare sequence, but it's important). :) May be one of the reasons this is a personal favorite. Anyway, yeah, a Harena perspective one. Different. I still need to get used to writing in her POV, but that's something I should get soon enough. She is my character after all. She's been in my head since February 2014, so yeah.
Heh. So, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure to leave a review.
This is Squish, bidding you a good day. :D