Author's Note: May contain some graphic violence. Forgot the disclaimer last time. I own nothing from Fire Emblem.
Severa has been to the church in Valm before.
There's something about the glass windows in the building that filters the sunlight into a dull light that turns everything a shade of grey. The beams vault high above, like the rotted, creaking bones of some ancient carcass while at the front, a pulpit with peeling black paint stands alone while the pews sit before it, made of darkened wood and carved with extensive skill. If not for the ashy cast of the light through the windows, the inside of the church would almost look bearable instead of looking like some place long forgotten and abandoned. The outside was a moden white building with wooden panelling and solid, tall doors that require two men to open. Her father decided to take her mother and her there to visit an old friend of his—the deacon who runs the church.
They visited on a Saturday, as they knew it would not be busy then. Their car blows out a tire on the way there, and it's only through the miracle of Naga that they didn't spin out into a nearby tree with the speed they were going at. Or so her father says.
A pair of men stop to help them. One had blue eyes and an easy smile while the other had short, close-cropped hair and grey eyes with a tight expression that only relaxed when he looked at the other man. The friendly one introduces himself to her father, shakes both his and her mother's hands, and offers the spare tire in their trunk. He laughs at the story of the tire blowing out and ruffles her hair when he spots her. She hates that and swats at his hand when he tries to do it again.
His eyes soften when she does that. He mentions how he's always wanted children.
When her father gently asks why he doesn't have any, he glances at the man beside him and merely replies that life had other plans for him.
The serious man gives her a nod in acknowledgement before shuffling off to the trunk to retrieve the spare.
Her parents thank the two men profusely for replacing their tire, and the men invite them to a large celebration happening on the main streets of Valm this evening for people of their persuasion. Her mother's taken back while there's a faint smile on her father's face. Severa's about to ask what's so strange when the laughing man with the blue eyes ruffles her hair again while the serious one drags him away. She huffs and states that she doesn't like him, though his friend seems all right. Properly dignified and serious, like a real man should be.
The stranger grins and cheekily remarks that he hopes to see her there. He and the other man take off in their car, and her father has his hands clasps together as if in prayer for them. When her curious mother prompts him on what he was praying for, her father answers that he doesn't know. He just felt like he needed to ask Naga to watch over them.
They get in their car and make it to Valm without anymore incidents.
_
Deacon Matthews was a portly man with greying, close-cropped hair and glasses. He smiles often and at Severa with a pain in his eyes whenever he looks at her that makes the young girl wonder.
The deacon invites her family to the back room where the walls are stacked with shelves filled with books and two plush armchairs sitting in front of mahogany desk. Her mother and father sit down with her mother trying to lift Severa into her lap, but the girl squirms.
Severa hops off her mother's lap. "I don't want to sit in here and listen." She points outside towards the front of the church. "I want to go out there."
Her father frowns and is about to reply when the deacon chuckles. "Father Gregory is out there. He would be able to take care of her if she wants to wait outside."
"Very well. Severa, you can go but stay inside the church until we come get you," her father says while her mother kisses her on the top of the head and gives her a brief hug.
Severa wipes the kiss off from her hair and leaves the boring meeting to her parents and the deacon. She exits from the side of the pulpit and her eyes catch on the leather-bound book sitting on its dark surface, looking much used, save for the polish of gold worked into its cover.
"Hello there. Are you lost?" A solemn-looking priest with grey eyes and reddish-blond hair surfaces from her side, nearly startling the young girl out of her skin. He doesn't look unkind at least. "Are you looking for your mommy and daddy?" His accent is thick, though Severa doesn't know where it comes from.
Severa shakes her head and skips away from him to push herself onto a pew. "They're talking with the deacon here, and I got bored so I came out here." She begins kicking her feet while sitting on the wooden seat.
The man smiles. "So, you're Father Libra's and Miss Faulkner's."
"And you're Father Gregory," Severa guesses.
The priest looks surprised. "Father Matthews must have told you about me." He smiles as he sits down on the bench, giving her some distance. "Did he tell you I came here recently by myself?"
Severa frowns. "No mommy and daddy?"
Gregory laughs, "No. They're no longer with us. I do have a younger brother, though he's a bit of hothead and his English isn't as good as mine. I'm hoping he'll settle down with a fine lady to calm his temper."
Severa thinks of the helpful men her family met earlier and how much them looking at each other reminds her of the way her mother and father do. "What about a man? Can two men marry?"
He pauses, thinking. His words are slow in coming. "I believe that marriage is only between a man and a woman in the eyes of Naga. The answer is the same for two women."
"Oh." Severa doesn't understand why it feels like her stomach is sinking down towards her shoes. She watches the plastic tips as they swing up and down. "How come?"
The priest hesitates. "Naga's teachings have only mentioned a union between men and women. Though they inspire us to have love for everyone, they also teach us to hate sin. And any marriage that is not between a man and woman is a sin against Naga's intentions."
Severa opens her mouth to respond, trying to remember her father's lectures. "But doesn't Naga teach us to love everyone? Why would she tell us to love some but not others that she made?"
The man looks uncomfortable. "I'm afraid that question may be too much for our talk. Why don't you ask your father, little one? He knows more about Naga's teachings than even I do."
Severa makes a defiant sound in her throat and turns away. Father Gregory shakes his head and looks up at the entrance to the back room where her parents are emerging. "Looks like they're done." He pats her back and gently shepherds her towards them. "Your girl is sharp of mind. And I suspect sharp of tongue too." He claps her father on his shoulder. "You'll have one heck of a conversation on the way back."
Her parents look between Father Gregory and her curiously, but the deacon ushers them out with a hearty laugh before either can comment.
"My apologies for the hasty goodbye, friends, but our church must make preparations for the celebrations happening tonight in downtown Valm. You should drop by when you get the chance." He bids them farewell, standing at the opening of the two great doors. "Oh, and Libra. Remember what I said. You can only bless her with as much of Naga's guidance as she's willing to follow. Some cannot be helped until they learn to help themselves for their own good." A sad expression comes on his face as he waves to them, becoming a small, lonely figure at the top of dirty white stairs.
Severa peers at her parents' faces as they speak quietly under their breaths.
Her father taps a finger to his forehead in thought. "I don't fully agree with him."
"Nor do I, but you do have to admit that she is making things hard for herself, arriving so suddenly and with a young child." Her mother shakes her head. "I'll bring Severa over next weekend to see if they can be friends. Her little girl looks like she could be scared of her own shadow."
Severa stops in the middle of the street and thrusts her hands on her hips, mimicking her mother's pose from a few nights ago when Libra kept Severa up too late from reading bedtime stories. "I can hear you!"
Libra smiles at her. "Yes, it seems like your mother forgot to ask your permission before making her own plans. Do you want to make a new friend?"
The young girl sniffs. "I guess, but I say when we go."
Her father looks amused while her mother sighs. She says, "We can talk about that later. For now..." She and Severa's father grab the surprised girl by the hands and begin walking forward towards some streets filled with bright colours and ornate architecture. "...let's go have some fun."
Her father and mother take her down, to her surprise, to the celebration the two strangers spoke of earlier in the day. When asked why, her father smiles and says that Naga encourages love in all forms, and he wants her to see that for herself.
Severa is confused. Especially when Father Gregory told her otherwise. She holds her parents' hands as they make their way towards the suggested place, and the young girl frowns, feeling that something isn't right. The streets pass before her eyes, and her father reassures her than the main place for the celebrations is few moments away.
"Daddy," Severa's grip tightens on her father's hand, "can two women marry? Or two men?"
Libra looks at her in surprise. Before he can answer, screams ring out around the corner from them, and her mother and father both look at each other. Severa hears the yells again accompanied by jeers, and she breaks free of her father's hold and darts ahead to their terrified shouts.
Figures dressed in black robes congregate in the middle of the street, their hoods heavy on their faces. There's a strange white patch on their back that looks like three pairs of eyes marked with dark lines that makes the young girl feel like she's being watched. Of course, that doesn't compare to the shouting and screaming as people flee from them while the figures sneer and haul them back, the huddle of terrified young faces in the centre of the mob, or the streak of blood across grey cobblestones as two men are pummelled with thick batons, the teeth of one man scattering across the ground as a blow strikes him across the face.
A tall man in the dark robe plants his foot on the broken man's back. His voice comes out flat, low, and loud. "Disgusting." He raises his baton, and the other figures follows his action.
Severa watches as the mob nearly beats them to death. They look terribly familiar.
Her father's grip on her shoulders tightens before he pushes her to her mother. "Cordelia, watch her. Call the police."
Her mother glances at him before her eyes dart to the crowd. "Watch yourself too." She flips out her phone and begins to call.
He smiles grimly before pushing through to the centre of the mob. Severa feels fear spike down to her stomach. She tries to chase after him, but her mother holds her back. "They'll hurt him."
"No. They won't lay a finger on him." Severa feels her mother bring her close and slide a hand over her eyes. "I'm sorry, Severa. I don't want you watching this." She begins to haul her daughter backwards while talking into the phone in her hand.
She squirms and tries to buck off of her mother's hold until she hears the mob roar while two men scream in the background. There's a clamour rising ominously until there's a sudden sharp snap, a man's whimper, and sudden silence from the crowd. Her father's voice rises in the quiet, so angry and sharp that each bite of his words feel like hammer blows to her senses.
Severa's mother tugs her away and doesn't let go until they're in some part of town where the lights are cranked up so high that it blinds them as police cars speed past them on the streets. Their headlights shine on her mother's face, and she can see the tight set of her jaw, the narrowness of her eyes.
Severa looks up in her mother's exhausted face and wonders what's happening. "Where's Daddy?"
Her mother hums, tonelessly. "We'll see him in a few hours, honey. He's going to be busy at the police station for a bit to help those two men." She sweeps the strands from Severa's face. "Let's go get something to eat while we wait for him, okay?"
They paw at their food at a diner far away from the scene before her mother checks her watch with a worried look on her face. She sighs and takes them back to the car parked by the church, and Severa throws a fit because she doesn't want to leave without her father.
"We're not leaving him. I just need to drop you off at a friend's before picking him up, since it's getting late." Her mother looks tired as she drives into the suburbs of Valm. "We're going to see a close friend of mine from...before. You'll like her. Her name is Cherche, and she has a boy named Gerome around your age. You'll make a new friend."
Gerome and her do not become friends. The silent boy glares at her from behind his mother's legs at the front door as if blaming her for invading his space. Which she technically is, though not of her own volition.
Cherche hugs her mother warmly. There's the start of lines forming around her eyes. "It's been ages since..." She trails off as Severa's mother shakes her head. "Well, since we last saw each other. Where is your husband?"
"He got involved in stopping a fight downtown." Her mother's words come out slowly, hesitantly.
Cherche's eyes narrow. "A fight? Was it with people in hoods and dark robes?"
"Yes!" Severa pipes in. "And they were hurting the two men who helped us!"
"The Grimleal." Cherche pales and glances at her mother. "Cordelia, be careful getting involved with anything to do with them. They have people in a lot of public and powerful places. They caught two girls last week and—" Her breath catches. "Where are you going?"
Cordelia says, "I'm going down to the police station where Libra will probably be." The pointer finger on her right hand twitches for some reason. "Can you watch Severa for tonight?"
"Of course." Cherche smiles at the young girl, though her something in her expression wavers when she glances at Severa's mother. "We have a spare bedroom that you can use. Come on in." She fusses over Severa before stepping out to the front yard to whisper a conversation with Cordelia. Whatever they're talking about seems serious as the pair wear grim expressions and their utterances are sharp and pointed.
Cordelia shakes her head while Cherche looks very worried. She pulls Severa's mother into a tight hug and whispers something into her ear. Cordelia nods and comes back to embrace her own daughter for so long that Severa wonders what's wrong.
"Be good, Severa. I'll grab your father and see you soon." Her mother smile, though there's something tight in her eyes.
As Severa watches her drive away, she has the distinct feeling of terror as if she's would never see her again. She's inconsolable, though Cherche stays with her in the spare bedroom until she falls asleep. Gerome, begrudgingly, gives her a spare blanket that helps her calm her nerves.
When both her mother and father come to pick up her in the morning, she launches herself into their arms, holding onto them so tightly, they have to pry her off a few minutes later in order to thank Cherche and her husband properly.
Her mother whispers something in Cherche's ear, and the latter blanches. "Gregory was involved?" She glances at the doorway to see Severa listening in, and moves the conversation with her mother farther into the yard. Which is fine, because Severa turns her attention to her father who approaches her.
There's a dark bruise on her father's face, and the knuckles on his hands are red and scraped. He looks tired, but he smiles so brilliantly when she runs up to him as they are leaving the Valmese home.
"Daddy, I missed you. Are you okay?
"Nothing that being with my wife and daughter cannot fix." He reaches out to kiss her on the top of her head. "Are you okay, heart?"
Severa dodges the question. "What happened to the two men?"
Libra's smile slips off of his face. "They're being taken care of."
"And the bad ones?"
Something clenches in Libra's jaw. "They will be too."
"Why did they want to hurt them?" Severa drops her eyes. "Were those two men who helped us bad?"
"No. They did nothing wrong." Libra's tone is sharp. He relaxes and turns her daughter around to face him while Cordelia glances at them before moving ahead to give them some space. "There is only evil in those who choose to harm others. Remember that evil has no future. They will be wiped out by Naga's light when the time comes."
Severa remembers the brutal swings, the sheer hatred in the hunched figures. "But why did they hurt them?" she repeats.
"Sometimes, people cannot tolerate what they don't understand, and fear what they don't know." Her father rubs a hand over his face. "I'll tell you about it when we get home, because it's a long talk. Is that all right, Severa?"
He never does tell her, because they find out when they get back that Owain has been missing for two days.
_
Severa wakes up from her nap behind the school lunch building in a nearby stand of trees. A young girl with a nervous expression and a strange charm consisting of polished round objects in her hands peers over her, biting her lower lip.
The recently sleeping girl sighs and sits up, stretching as she does so. "Did I miss class, Noire?"
"Almost." The word is whispered, shyly. Noire glances at Severa before looking away. "I thought you'd be here, so I came to wake you up before lunch was over. You wouldn't want to skip the first day of classes." A frown crosses her face when she peers at her friend's face closely. "You look like you had a nightmare."
Severa rubs a heel of one palm into her eye. "Just some memories." She stands. Her neck feels sore. "Please tell me we have something easy next class."
"Biology."
Fuck. Why is Severa taking that again?
She makes her way towards the school with Noire close behind. "I hate Mrs. Clearwater. She's all about for science this and for science that. And last year, she gave out way too much homework." Also, she insists on wearing a hat with an overly large brim to teach. What was up with that?
"She was really nice about helping you if...if you go after class to ask about the assignments." A flush courses across Noire's cheeks. "Sometimes, I ate lunch there...for help." Her eyes drop, and something like shame floods into her face.
Severa bumps into her friend gently with her shoulder. She can't stand it when Noire looks like that. "I'm not going to judge you about wanting better grades. Naga knows that my mom would love a daughter with your work ethics."
Something in Noire's eyes still burns, and she looks away. "It's not about the help."
Severa glances away, uncomfortable. She knows. "How's your mom's shop?" she ventures, carefully.
Noire lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "We're getting by." She's almost tearing apart the charm in her hands. "How are things with your parents?"
Severa has never been so glad to arrive at the class doors. She signals to Noire that she'll answer the question later and takes a seat near the windows. No one says hi to her, which is as it should be.
Noire casts her an apologetic look and sits closer to the front with the studious Nah. Severa waves it off with a careless gesture. She's not going to blame her friend for wanting to see the board better than where Severa's sitting. Thankfully, that moron Inigo and his buddies seem like they aren't taking this course, otherwise Severa is certain that she'd have torn out their throats by the second class, since they have a tendency to be obnoxious and stupid. And incompetent. So terribly incompetent.
Severa's attention catches onto the class ace walking through the door. She flips her long blue hair behind her and takes a seat in the second row, close by for some reason. Several of the other girls go up to greet her immediately, eager like puppies who haven't learned to be independent. Severa scowls at the scene, turning away to take her books out of her bag.
When she turns back, the girls are gone and Lucina is staring at her. Severa has no idea why, which causes something in her stomach to clench while something hot grips at her throat. She snarls without thinking as she always does. "What are you looking at?"
Lucina starts. Her face goes slightly pink. "Oh, sorry." She runs a hand through messy hair, frowning. "I was just thinking about the soccer team."
"While watching me?"
Lucina's face flushes. "I was just wondering...I heard that you're a good runner."
That much is true. Severa can outrun anyone in the school, save for Yarne. And even then, she can still catch up to him in longer races. "What does that have to do with the soccer team?"
"We could use more players, since one of our forwards has moved to Ferox. I thought it would be a good match, since it would also help round out your extracurricular activity requirements for university," Lucina says.
And be coached by her mom after school in addition to seeing her at home? No thanks.
"Yeah, I'm going to have to decline." Severa waves off Lucina's disappointed look. "Look, why would you even want me on the team? No one likes me, and I pick fights with everybody."
Lucina points out, "You don't pick ones with me."
Severa feels heat rush to her face. She hopes that no one notices. "Who picks fights with you, Miss Perfect?" she says quickly to cover up her lapse.
Lucina sighs and mutters something that sounds like "You'd be surprised." She clears her throat. "Would you at least give it a chance?"
"Absolutely not. Besides, you'd have to be good at soccer to be on the soccer team."
Lucina's eyes light up. "I could help train you. After practice to help catch up, I mean."
Some of the other students turn to look at them with the announced offer. Severa can practically feel their glares drilling into her head. "I'm pretty sure most people don't want me on any team."
"But I'm not most people." Lucina sighs. "Just think about it, please."
Severa nods, because she's afraid that if she talks, she'll reveal how her insides have tangled themselves into a mess from Lucina's words.
Lucina stares at her for a few moments longer before grabbing her books from her desk and moving to sit besides Severa. While the redhaired girl is having something short of a heart attack, Lucina finishes organizing her things and turns to her. "I've been thinking about you a lot since you drove me home a couple of weeks ago."
That catches the attention of everyone in general vicinity. Heads have snapped towards them, and Severa can feel sweat start to bead down her back. And not from the heat.
"Can you not say things like that?" Severa hisses. "It sounds wrong!" She raises her voice so the others can hear. "And me drive you home? You must have been dreaming.
A baffled expression crosses Lucina's face. "I don't understand. You'd rather not have people know that you're actually ki—"
Severa slams a hand over Lucina's mouth. Which unfortunately causes people's eyebrows to raise around them. "Not here." She is not good at this not-attracting-attention-thing.
Lucina nods, gingerly removing Severa's palm from her face. "Can we talk about it later?"
"Whatever."
Lucina smiles. "I'll take that as a yes then."
"Stop talking to me," Severa whispers. When Lucina looks hurt, she adds. "It'll damage your reputation."
Lucina goes quiet. "Do you really think that others think of you so little?"
"I don't have to think. They tell me it!" Severa snaps as Mrs. Clearwater walks into the room, precisely on the hour. One look from her, and the entire class shuts up immediately. She starts the class with a review of the last year where it becomes very clear that very few students aside from Lucina, Nah, and the teacher's own son actually recall the past year's material.
The amount of homework she assigns to make up for the forgetfulness makes Severa wonders if it's too late to drop the class. Her thoughts are interrupted by the appearance of someone unexpected at the entrance of the doorway.
Principle Flynn stands at the doorway, and Mrs. Clearwater arches an eyebrow in surprise. "Is there something you need, Robin? Like your daughter?"
Lucina starts to stand when the principle shakes her head. "No, I don't need to talk to her today." She smiles warmly at Lucina before turning her gaze to Severa. "Although if Miss Faulkner could accompany me to my office right now, that would be greatly appreciated.
Severa grips the edges of her desk. Lucina stares at her, as does everyone else in the class.
Shit. What did she do now?
The principal signals her to follow as she pulls back from the doorframe. Severa crams her books into her bags and and strides towards the exit, hearing the growing murmurs of her classmate at her back as she leaves.
They make their way towards the principal's office without a word spoken. When the principal opens the door and gestures towards a seat in front of her desk, Severa doesn't move. She stares at the principal who returns the gaze firmly before sitting behind her mahogany behemoth.
"Please sit, Miss Faulkner."
Severa's throat burns with words she's struggling not to say. She has some manners after all. She just chooses to use them sparingly.
"You're not in trouble, so please relax," the principal sighs. "Although I suppose that is my fault for calling you out so suddenly."
"Then why am I here?"
"To the point, I see. The short answer is that you're not. Yet." She leans back in her chair. "I'll extend you the same courtesy and keep this concise. I've looked over your career planning report that you turned in last year, and I thought that I would check the requirements for the university you wanted to apply for. The good news is that your grades are passable, but they've changed their admission standards this year to find students who are more well-rounded." Her eyes meets Severa's. "Which includes clubs and extracurricular activities of which you haven't had many."
More like none. "So, what are you suggesting? You seem like you have something in mind for me already."
The principle's eyes light up. "I do. I've taken the liberty to calculate the club that would maximize the most out of your skills while taking the least amount of time, and I would highly recommend the soccer team to round your skills out."
"The soccer team," Severa repeats flatly. Lucina and her mother came together this morning to team up on her, didn't they?
"Yes, getting onto the team demonstrates athletic ability, teamwork skills, perseverance, discipline, and if the team makes it to the nationals, there is a chance that the members of the team may be offer a scholarship to their university of their choice, depending on how far they make it." Robin gives her a calculating look. "And there are some people on the team who would greatly benefit from a scholarship."
Severa's knuckles tighten. "What does that have to do with me?"
Robin gazes at her. "You have a lot of potential in you, Severa. But you're afraid to use it."
Severa shoots up onto her feet. Propriety be damned. "I'm leaving if that's all you're talking about."
Principle Flynn becomes stern. "Do you plan to live here forever, Miss Faulkner? Your behaviour suggests otherwise. A scholarship would be your best bet to leave."
Severa pauses halfway out the door. Mostly because it was true.
"I suggest you talk it over with someone you trust before you come to a conclusion."
Severa's halfway through her signature shrug before she stops and turns to face the principal properly. "Whatever," she says as flippantly as possible, though she waits nervously to be dismissed.
The principal evaluates her for a long moment and smiles. "Just think about it, Severa. It's all I ask of you." She waves Severa goodbye, and the redhead feels oddly rattled. She skips the remainder of her biology class and makes her way to her car in the parking lot behind the school. Her hand's bringing out her phone before she's even out of the school, and she fires off a quick request to Noire to fill her in if more homework was assigned. The bell rings and quickly afterward, Severa's phone lights up with a response from her friend, a panicked question about where she went during class along with the additional pages meant for reading. The redhead groans. She's texting up a storm when she senses someone approaching.
Lucina stands before her, tucking a lock of hair behind her hair. "Hi, do you have a minute to talk right now?"
Severa scowls. "Don't you have something else to do right now?"
The Shepherd High star shakes her head. "Clubs are still setting up right now, so they don't need me right now. Actually, I was hoping that we'd get a chance to talk somewhere more private."
"If it's about soccer again, no thanks. I got the drill from your mom too." Severa opens her car door and narrows her eyes at Lucina moving to the passenger side door. "Hey, did I say you could come along, Princess?"
"Please don't call me that." Despite her reluctance of the title, Lucina waits with such certainty that Severa would open the door that redhead has to snort at the absurdity of it all. And at the fact that she actually reaches over to let her in. After checking that no one was around, of course.
"Thank you." Lucina has a second to buckle herself in before she's slammed to her seat as Severa reverses backwards so sharply, her tires could be heard squealing as she tears out of the parking lot.
Severa winces at the sound. That can't be good for her wheels. "So, spill. What did you want to talk to me about?"
Lucina peers at the scenery passing by them. Her eyes open in recognition. "You're driving me home?"
"Duh." Severa rolls her eyes. "And before you accuse me of being a stalker, I'd like to remind you that I drove you home a couple of weeks ago."
"I wasn't going to accuse you of being one." Lucina glances away. She coughs. "I wanted to talk about the possibility of us watching a movie together sometime."
"...why?"
"Because you're clearly someone other than what people make you out to be. I doubt that a girl who is actually deserving of your reputation would stop to help a stranger."
"You're not a stranger," Severa mumbles. She adds, a little louder. "You're welcome. No need to hang out as thanks." She pulls up in front of Lucina's house, a three story monster painted a dark red and built with stone older than their fathers. "See you."
Lucina hesitates. "I just want to get to know you better. That's all."
That, if possible, only made Severa more suspicious. "I'm not joining your dumb soccer team. So, you can forget about getting to know me."
Lucina's face flicker with hurt. "That's not why I want to..." She sighs before pulling out her notepad out of her bag and tearing off a corner of a sheet. She scribbles on it with a pen from her pocket and passes it to the stunned driver. "We can talk about things besides soccer, you know." She glances at the redhead one last time before shaking her head and getting out of the car. "Thanks for the ride, Severa." She sweeps into her house without a glance back.
Severa stares at the number written carefully across the torn paper in her hand. After a few moments' thought, she crumples it up and tosses the wad into her backseat before turning around and driving back to her own house.
She's caught speeding by Lucina's father on her way home.
Severa curses as he approaches her car, a ticket pad in one hand while his shiny sheriff's badge gleams in the sunlight. Since when did the sheriff handle traffic duty?
"Hi there, I think I know you." He leans down to look at her, tipping his hat. "You go to the same school as my daughter, don't you?"
"Everyone does." There was one freaking high school. "Can I help you, Sheriff?"
He smiles at her. "You can just call me Chrom like everyone else."
...no thanks.
He continues, "Anyway, you were over the speed limit on that stretch of road back there, and I'm supposed to give you a ticket. I'm not a fan of unnecessary discipline, so we can settle with a warning if you swear to stay within the speed limits. Well, at least when any officers are watching you." His eyes twinkle.
Severa mutters a vague sort of promise, and the sheriff takes that easily. It helps when he's being distracted by whatever he's watching for as his eyes dart around the intersection. "Is something wrong?"
Chrom snap his eyes back to her. He smiles, but it seems a little strained. "Not at all. Enjoy the rest of your day." He walks back slowly to his car, and as Severa watches him, she catches something sticking out of his pocket that looks a flyer with three pairs of eyes stacked on top of each other, marked with black lines connecting them as if they were crying.
And for some reason, that makes her uneasy.