The Kingdom of Solm was a sight that made Nanami's jaw drop. In the giant desert, was an oasis, surrounded by stone walls and a giant behemoth of a kingdom and castle. The structure of the castle reminded Nanami of the giant middle eastern castles built with arches and domes. It was a beautiful sight, unlike anything she had ever seen. But most of all, she could also spot villages that were nearby.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Arisa's voice made her snap back to reality and saw the forest-haired woman floating next to her, "Looks like you got the hang of handling horses, quick." She turned to her, "I'm going to have to return to the ring but we can still talk to each other telepathically. Now, remember what I told you?" Nanami nodded, "Good. Good luck." And disappeared in a shower of blue dust.
Nanami took deep breaths and nodded to herself, then gently snapped the reins for the horses to move. They made their way to the gates that led to the city where more carts were doing a check-in. The wagons and carts were all filled with things, so she suspected they were all merchants. Thankfully it did not take long and soon her cart was at the entrance.
"Name?" A Solm guard said and Nanami spoke.
"Hello, I'm Nanami. I'm a mercenary. I saw a poster about a wagon that was recently stolen by bandits. I am happy to report I was able to recover the stolen goods." She said and the guard's eyes widened a bit.
"Wait, seriously?! We thought those goods were lost forever!" The guard said and quickly turned, "Hey, call in Bunet! Looks like the goods that were stolen might be back!" He yelled and then asked Nanami to ride her cart to the area he pointed.
"Bunet...Bunet..." Nanami muttered as she rode the cart to the place the guard told her to, "Where have I heard that name before?" She thought as she jumped off the seat of the carriage.
"A bit of memory loss?" Arisa's voice rang in her head, making the woman jump, "Sorry about that..."
"No...it's fine. Just going to take some time to get used to." Nanami said and turned hearing a set of footsteps approach.
"Hello there!" A blonde-haired man waved, "You're the mercenary that said to have recovered the stolen goods, correct?" The man said and now Nanami remembered where she heard the name.
"Ah...I said I would stay away from the game's main cast but look at me now..." Nanami thought as she smiled, "Correct!" she answered, "Now I remember. Bunet is the name of Fogado's retainer and the pretty orange-haired woman next to him is Panette..." she thought.
Bunet was a blonde-haired man dressed in white knightly clothing with tick sleeves of gold and on his left solder wore armor. Panette was a woman with orange mid-waist hair wearing a checkered teal and blue ridden on the left side of her head two flowers, one orange, and the other red. She wore a black dress with a colorful skirt. Both wore metal armor boots. The woman also had stich-like makeup on the side of her lips. Panette had a calm expression while Bunet had a warm and sunny smile.
"We will be checking the contents in the cart if you don't mind," Panette said and Nanami nodded as Bunet went to the back of the cart.
The knight moved the flap and was shocked to see multiple axes, tomes, and weapons, making him raise an eyebrow as the two women joined him.
"Um... well...those are the bandit's weapons." Nanami explained, "I managed to disarm them in their sleep and took the weapons away." She explained.
"Oh! Impressive, I must say." Bunet said and jumped up and started looking through the wooden crates till he spotted the pink box.
"Wait! Wait!" Nanami quickly said as the knight pulled out her suite case, "That one is mine! Those are my belongings!" The girl screeched and quickly grabbed it, hugging it protectively.
"Oh? What's in it? Nothing...suspicious, I suppose." Panette said with narrowed eyes.
"Believe me, you do not want to see my undergarments," Nanami said and that quickly made the orange-haired woman cough and whisper an apology.
"I checked the contents." Bunet said as he jumped out, "Everything is there. From the silk, produce, and new tomes and weapons that were recently ordered." He said and Nanami let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, marvelous! Princess Timerra and Prince Fogado are going to be so happy to hear this!" Panette said and turned to Nanami, "Thank you for bringing these. Also, apologies about earlier." She said.
"It's alright." Nanami said, "But, a sudden change of topic, I love your makeup. It reminds me of the dancers in my home." She said and Panette smiled brightly, putting her hands on her cheeks.
"Thank you!" The woman said and Bunet chuckled and held out a pouch to Nanami, "Here you go. This is the payment for recovery. And thank you again." He said.
"No problem! Have a nice day!"
And she waved goodbye as she left.
[—]
The cart and horses did not belong to the people that the goods were stolen from but originally the bandits. Because of this, she was allowed to keep the cart and horses. Nanami was happy because at least she now had something to live in instead of the streets. At the moment, she had the wagon and horses in the public stables where people had their horses and other mounts at. It was the first time she was seeing wyverns, griffins, pegasus, and to her biggest surprise, camels, alpacas, wolves, and kinshis as well.
But at the moment, she was sitting near the fountain at the plaza. The people of Solm had either fair, dark, olive, tan, or russet reddish-brown skin. They wore clothing that was in colors of beige, yellow, brown, orange, or blue, and that was perfect for staying cool in Solm's desert heat but also, protected them from the sun. Nanami opened her pouch and took out a gold coin, seeing the universal symbol of Elyos on the front side and Solm's on the back.
"How many gold coins?" Arisa said while Nanami was confused but answered.
"I counted about 20 of them." Nanami said and a squeal from Arisa made her wince in pain, "Ow."
"Sorry! But that's good! You just got paid 20k!" she said and Nanami's eyes went wide.
"Wait, wait! 20k?! Explain!" Nanami thought and Arisa began to explain the money system.
"So the universal money system in Fire Emblem's game is gold. However, in real life, a copper coin is worth a dollar. A silver coin is worth one hundred dollars. And a gold coin is worth one thousand. Those stolen goods must have been worth a lot because of the amount of gold you were paid. Any other coins in there?" Arisa said Nanami was surprised to hear this but went on to check.
"I see about 40 silver...so...an extra four thousand." Nanami awed, and looked back into the pouch, "This would pay for my first year in culinary school..." she awed.
Nanami had never received so much money in her life. She was amazed by it. Honestly, there was a part of her that wanted to spend it on some goods but the cheapskate within her told them she needed every penny to survive. She gulped and put the pouch in her purse before she balled her hands into a fist.
"I need a place to live and survive. And I have 24k on me." She said and left out to the marketplace, maybe she could find some information about a place she could rent.
[—-]
"A place to rent?" The lady that was in charge of a flower shop said, "Hmm...Ah!" She looked back to Nanami, "Mr. Dolres is currently having some spaces available for rent. It's near the palace. Talk to him there." She said and Nanami thanked her, after her asking for directions.
"Sigh...Near the palace." Nanami sighed heavily as she looked at the piece of paper the directions the woman wrote, "Well, better than nothing. Beggars can't be choosers."
"It's alright." Arisa's voice spoke again, "Look, I know you want to avoid the main cast as much as possible but running away will do you no good." She said as Nanami walked, "I have an idea. I heard you mention culinary school. Were you a student at one?"
Nanami raised an eyebrow and made a turn to the left.
"No. I was applying to enter before all this went down." Nanami sighed and made another turn, she can now talk a bit out loud, "And if I wasn't accepted, I was planning to open a small business using my skills. I think I will be doing that now in this world once I am properly informed of how things run here in Solm. Also, I need new clothing." She said and soon arrived at a woodwork shop that also looked like it was part blacksmith workshop.
The signs she, unfortunately, could not read but based on how there were workers in the shop working near furnaces and, oh, there was a glassblowing shop next door! Nanami remembered that about a semester ago, she used to do glass blowing for one of her classes. She wasn't an expert but she had the basics down. She walked up to the blacksmith shop and received a few funny looks.
"Hello, lass!" She turned to an older man who looked in his late 40's walk up, "Anything we can help you with?" He said.
The man had olive brown skin, wore goggles, a dark green shirt with an apron, tick pants with boots, and had green eyes, and grey hair tied in a ponytail.
"Hello." Nanami said, "I'm looking for Mr. Dolres. I spoke with Miss Lily and she told me that he had a space available for rent. I was interested in looking at the place." She explained and the man looked at her surprised.
"Ah, so that's why you are here." The man said, "Nice to meet you, lass. I'm Mr. Dolres, but my name is Wallace. Alright, I'll take you to the place. I'm surprised Lily sent you here." He said news the two walked.
"I'm Nanami. I'm a mercenary and I'm going to be staying in Solm for a while. So, I was hoping I can find a place to settle for a while." She said as she pulled out her suitcase.
"It's rare to see a young one like you already on your own." Wallace said as they soon arrived at a small house, "Alright, this is the place."
The small house was built similarly to her grandparent's home, a house made firmly of stone and the inside had a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom as well as a small area for a backyard. She took a look around the place and she liked it.
"I like it. I'll settle here." She said to the man, "How much is the rent each month?"
"Five silver," Wallace said and Nanami nodded going into her pouch and taking out two gold.
"I'm paying four months in advance if that's alright?" She said and the man nodded, taking the coins, "Also, you aren't hiring if by any chance?" She said and the man chuckled.
"Already looking for a job?" Wallace laughed, " Ah, at the moment, no. We already got enough people. And kid," he held up the key and handed it to her, "good luck here."
She thanked the man as he walked out and closed the door. Nanami just remained still and took deep breaths as she turned the lock on the door then turned back to the room, looking around. The living room was a dark brown color due to the sandstone structure, and it had some of the walls bright orange. There was some furniture, a couch, a coffee table, and some curtains already covering the windows. As well as a potted plant. She walked down to the hallway and to the kitchen, an old-school-style kitchen with a fireplace, two areas she could cook, and even a small wall oven with an iron lid. As well as shelves and drawers. Next, she walked to the bathroom, she was thankful there was plumbing.
The bathtub was more a like little hot springs pool for two people as well as a sink and toilet. Lastly, the bedroom was simple. A queen size bed with orange bed sheets, and blankets. A closet, and two empty shelves along with a desk. Nanami was silent as she walked up to the bed and sat down, she stared at the ground for a while, and finally...the tears fell. The tears she had been holding back finally fell. She had never been alone without her family. Being alone...should not feel painful. After all, that was how her teen years were. Alone as her brother was away to keep a roof over her and her sister's heads. Alone while her sister studied to become a professional surgeon. Being alone...should not hurt.
The last time she cried so much was at the death of her great-grandparents. The last time she cried was the death of her parents. And lastly, the true blow, was when her grandparents died. She only had her brother...she only had her sister. And now...she was alone. Her siblings were out there somewhere in Elyos. She knew the world and its future but they did not. How are they doing? Are they safe? Did they suffer as she did? She prayed and prayed they were alive. Even as she cried, she opened her suite case and took out her things. The money she had...it wouldn't last long. She needed money to survive. She was an adult now. She needed to be an adult again, just like when she was alone.
"Hey." She felt gentle hands wipe her tears and saw it was Arisa, looking at her worried, an expression that reminded her of her mother, "it's going to be okay. I promise."
"I...I don't know if I can make it." Nanami sobbed, "I've always been independent the majority of my life but...this is the first I've truly been alone like this." She said and Arisa smiled sadly.
"I know being independent like this is difficult. It will take some time to get used to but I'll be here to help you out." Arisa said and Nanami nodded.
"Thank you..." Nanami whispered, "Also...my name is Natalie." Arisa blinked multiple times, "Nanami is my nickname...My real name is Natalie." She said and Arisa smiled softly.
"Do you want me to call you by your real name or nickname?" Arisa asked and Nanami smiled softly.
"Nanami. Just call me Nanami."
[—]
"Hmmm..." Perla's eyelashes twitched and she began to stir, but, "ULP!" A shock of pain ran through her body, feeling as if she was struck by lightning.
"Ah, you woke up." She heard a female voice say and a hand was placed on her chest, "And deep breaths. Three, two, one. One, two, three. Now release." And her hands glowed a soft and warm green light.
Perla felt she could breathe again, the pain in her body melted away as she took deep breaths and carefully sat up. It took a while for her eyesight to adjust but once it did, she looked around. A giant fancy magic medieval, Harry Potter-style magic library of a room she was in. Shelves and shelves of books were tall as the eye could see. Stain glass windows with floating books in the room along with potted plants. More shelves were built as Chinese medicine cabinets, way too many to count, and it even had a ladder that could move with force. A giant celestial globe near a fancy big desk that was made of possibly black maple wood. But most of all, the scent of lavender, cherry, and pine needles was soft. But Perla also spotted an owl, a fox, a husky, two chunky cats, and...some type of lizard with wings.
"Hmmm..." She heard and looked up to see a pink-haired woman looking down at her with a stern expression as she held her chin, "You look like Maria when she was young..." Perla noticed her pupils were gold and a Diamond shape, "Hello there, I heard from Alcryst you are the one that saved him and the village." She smiled but there was something about the smile, that did not feel genuine.
"Where...am I?" Perla asked and the woman's eyes squinted a bit, "Who are you?"
"Before I answer your questions, what is your name? And I mean your full name." The pink-haired woman said as Perla looked at her puzzled but nodded.
"My name is Perla." She put her left hand over her heart and lightly tipped her head forward, "Perla Lycinth Sanchez Delgado. Military Doctor." She said and the woman's parted lips were hidden by her fan.
"Nice to meet you, Perla. My name is Martha von Carnelian. Court Mage of The Royal Family of Brodia, and part of House Carnelian, the royal family." Martha cocked her head and closed her fan, "Thank you for saving my nephew's lives as well as the village."
"Keep your guard up." Sophia's voice suddenly rang in Perla's mind, making the woman jump a bit, "Sorry about that...But keep your guard up! That woman is not ordinary! She's an alchemist! And on top of that s—!"
"Ara~" Perla's right hand suddenly glowed and a purple chain wrapped around the ring, "Can't have you spoiling my fun, Emblem of Crystalized Flames." Martha smiled sly and "AARRGHH!" Sophia's cry rang in her head.
"Don't hurt Sophia!" Perla quickly got off the bed but gritted her teeth as the purple chain around her hand got tighter.
"You have a ring that should not belong to you." Martha said as placed her fingers on her chin and tilted her chin up, "I wonder what Lumera would think should she learn that someone has stole Aunt's ring? Lumera may be merciful but she won't hesitate to kill someone who has taken something precious." Martha grinned but suddenly blinked feeling the chain in her hand heat up.
"Un...Un..." Perla held the ring close to her chest, "UNHAND ME!" She yelled and the chain exploded into blue flames.
"WHAT THE?!" Martha screamed and quickly let go of the chain, "These flames!" She said and looked at the flames surrounding Perla, who gritted her teeth despite if she was in pain again, "Foolish girl! Stop now! You're going to kill yourself if you keep burning!" She yelled but Perla did not listen.
"Perla stop! You broke the chain! PERLA!" Sophia yelled unfortunately, Perla could not hear her.
SPLASH!
Perla blinked multiple times and noticed she was dripping wet and slowly looked up to see the one responsible for drenching her in water. A man with crimson eyes, red glasses, long red hair with top spiky and wore crimson warlock clothing with a red cape. The man looked down at her and then turned to look at Martha.
"Love, how many times have I told you not to bully our guest." The man sighed heavily and looked at Perla with a soft gaze, "It's alright. My wife just needs a scolding." He said.
"Sweety! You're home!" Martha's terrifying attitude turned 360 and pounced at her husband, who caught her and spun, the two huggings each other tightly, "Oh my beloved, Albert! You're home! Oh, how I missed you, my love! Every night without you in our bed is so cold!"
"Oh my sweet wife, I have returned home." Albert said and the two looked deeply into each other's as an aura of roses surrounded the couple, "How I missed you and our children. How I missed you all! I have returned from my expedition and tonight, I will make love to you as long as you, please! Do we prepare for possibly a seventh child to be made tonight?" The man said.
"Oh, my love! I would be more than happy to bring another life!"
"I feel I shouldn't be seeing this..." Perla sweat dropped as Sophia just gawked.
"So that's how she would have been in my world if her husband was alive..." Sophia thought as the couple coughed and quickly remembered that Perla was there.
"Apologies." Martha said snapping her fingers, making Perla dry, "Back to what I was saying earlier," Perla's eyes went dark, "Don't worry. I won't tell Aunt Lumera. But, I'm going to need to know how you have that Emblem."
"Emblem? Is that what the ring is called?" Perla said, "Sophia...said she was Emblem Sophia but never told me what she meant that she was an Emblem." She said, "And...just who exactly are you? Why...I...why did you say, my great-grandmother's name?"
Martha remained silent as she looked at Perla with wide eyes. Albert quickly spoke up.
"Let's settle down first." The man said, "Love, I'm going off to inform my brother I have returned from the expedition. I'm sure the kids are going to be over the moon seeing me. And Martha," his wife raised an eyebrow, "Please stop bullying our guest. You do this every time."
"You're asking the impossible."
"I am not." Albert chuckled and kissed her forehead softly, "I'll be back soon. Take care." He said and warped away.
"Sigh." Martha swooned, "I'm looking forward to tonight." The woman licked her lips and coughed again before turning back to Perla, "Now then, let's have some tea. And proper conversations."
[—-]
"And that's the report." Albert said to King Morion, "The mysterious island that rose from the sea was an ancient ruin. Still..." the man held his chin, "There was...something ominous about it."
"What else did you find?" King Morion said, looking at his younger brother worried.
"Well," Albert waved his hand and made a dome glass case appear in his hands, "this." And placed it on the table.
In it were spider-lily-shaped flowers with blue petals yet they glowed purple and green. Its leaves were diamond shapes and its veins glowed a bit white. The king looked at his brother with an unimpressed look.
"A flower? You found flowers?" King Morion said and Albert held a finger up.
"Nah, nah, nah! Not just any flower!" Albert said, "You know the old stories that our lands were created from soil brought from other worlds?" The king raised an eyebrow but nodded, "Morion, the island I went to was said to be where an Emblem was hidden by The Lycinth Clan." He said and now the king was looking at him shocked.
"This flower," Albert gently placed his hand on the glass, looking at the flower fondly, "was said to be extinct. I say this a rare discovery because supposedly it was a flower born from the tears of a Holy Saint." He said and Morion pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Brother, while I appreciate you and your wife's work, what is the point of this?" Morion said, "You are digging into territory that should not be walked on! You know very well that the history of The Lycinth Clan was sealed away for a reason! To respect the wishes of the final guardians that gave their lives to end The Fell Dragon." The two brothers glared at each other.
"Oh, so you aren't interested in learning that this flower has medical properties?" Albert said and Morion wanted to strangle him but just let out a frustrated groan.
"Let us change the topic," Morion huffed, "did you see anything going in Elusia's borders?"
"If you mean civilians running for their lives while our soldiers set fire to their villages, yes." Albert glared, "Yes, I did see the horrors our people did!" Said, "Morion, I understand our rage towards those that worship the fell dragon, and them accusing us of killing Queen Rose, but trying to conquer land for more territory is out of the question! You're following father's footsteps!" He said and the king snorted.
"You know very well why. The territory that Elusia has is fertile and can be used for farming. You know Brodia does not have many fertile lands and its environment makes it difficult to grow crops." Morion glared as Albert now pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Brother, we could have negotiated! We could have tried to negotiate a trading route as we have done with Firene! Lythos, and Solm!" Albert said and Morion held his hand up, making him stop talking.
"Enough. I will hear no more of this." Morion looked at his brother coldly, "I understand your concerns but for now, we need to focus on the real problems going on. We're going to have to put the conquest on hold." Albert was surprised to hear this, "Were you informed of what happened recently?"
"Sigh..." Albert let out a frustrated sigh but nodded, "Yes. Elder Brother Beryl informed me when we arrived at the docks. That two weeks ago, monsters suddenly appeared and attacked randomly all five nations. I know very well what that means..." he said and it did not need to be said among the two brothers.
The Fell Dragon is awakening.
[—]
Lavender tea was served in front of her in a pink porcelain cup that had rose and gemstone designs. The fragrance of lavender made her tense shoulders relax a bit but Perla was still on guard. Her hand gently rubbed her other hand as Martha sat down across from her, crossed her legs, and then remained silent. Perla didn't know if she should start the conversation or wait. But looks like Martha beat her to it.
"As I said before, My name is Martha von Carnelian. Court Mage of The Royal Family of Brodia, and part of House Carnelian, the royal family. But I am also the second head of the Alchemy and Magic Academy of Brodia. My husband is in charge of The Magic Department and I of the alchemy department." Martha said as she picked up her cup and took a sip of her tea.
"I could have revealed to the king that you possess something of legends. But also," Perla blinked multiple times to make sure she wasn't seeing anything, "I never thought I see an Outworlder come into this world again. Let alone, someone who is related to Nana, who was a friend of my mother." The woman had a sad yet fond smile on her face as her gaze had become half-lidded.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," Perla said and Martha let out a heavy sigh, and glared lightly at the Emblem.
"It's become quite clear to me, that you know absolutely nothing about this place." Martha said, "you said that the name I mentioned, Maria, was your great-grandmother's name, correct?" Perla nodded, "Then, is your great-grandfather's name Ermos Lycinth, correct?" The woman nodded, "Then, is their son's name, Gabriel Lycinth Sanchez?" She said and Perla nodded, a bead of sweat running down her cheek.
"Did...they ever mention where they came from?" Martha said and Perla shook her head.
"I'm sorry but all this is just so confusing." Perla spoke as she held her hands tightly, "You claim to know my great-grandparents and grandfather they never once mentioned where they came from. Not even my grandfather knew, and it was something he asked about but they did not answer." She said as Martha looked at her with a half-lidded gaze.
"And...it should be impossible, for you to be so young because, in my world, it has been 107 years since they arrived in the nation I and my siblings have lived in our whole lives," Perla said firmly, and again, Martha remained silent.
The woman let out a deep and heavy sigh as she placed her hand over her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed, looking as if she was glaring at the ground. Had it...been truly only 107 years in the world Ermos and Maria left with their son? It was a one-way trip. They said that they would never be able to see them again and that it was goodbye. She was a teen back then. Martha will never forget the tears that fell as she watch Maria, Ermos, and Lumera hug each other one final time. She will never forget she kissed little Gabriel's forehead one last time before she watched the family of three walks through the gates, never to be seen again.
And she and Lumera, along with the people of that time, watch the final Outrealm Gate of Elyos, shattered to pieces, ceasing from existence. 107 years it had been in the world that the three left to, 1,000 years it had been in Elyos. Time and space were fickle things, one that was cruel just like fate. Ermos, Maria, and Gabriel...have long passed. And now, the woman sitting in front of her, was their descendant, their granddaughter. If she heard correctly, Perla also said she had siblings. How Perla arrived in Elyos, she does not know...but one thing is for sure, the woman also mentioned she had siblings. If she is here, that meant the others were here in Elyos as well.
But another question ran through Martha's head, why did Ermos and Maria never speak of their past? Gabriel was a child when they left. How could they keep their origins hidden after everything they went through? Her gaze traveled to Perla's left wrist, where she spotted the bracelet. The bracelet used to belong to Maria, a bracelet handed down to her by her mother. Martha pinched the bridge of her nose and spoke.
"Are you sure they mentioned nothing about where they came from?" Martha said and but this time, Perla was the one in deep thought.
"...No...it couldn't be." Perla whispered and Martha's ears perked up, "The journal Nanami inherited..." she looked at Martha, "Our great-grandparents told us that... if we can decipher their journal, then we would learn about the origins of our family. My grandparents, parents, and my siblings tried to decipher it but...no results." She said and flinched when Martha let out a biting laugh.
"So three generations and not a single one was able to learn." Martha spat bitterly, "Fine. And the role now falls onto me and Lumera. Great, just great." She said and looked at Perla.
"I'm giving you two choices." Martha held up to fingers, "Stay here and be under my watch, or...leave and have the enemy in charge of the corrupted come after you. What will it be?" She said and Perla looked at her offended.
"What about what I want?" Perla growled and Martha laughed, "What's so funny?"
"Look. If word gets out you have an Emblem, people will start flocking to you like ants, wanting a piece of the cake. Nobles will fight over your to gain your favor. Or, you will be seen as a thief who stole something holy." Martha said and stood up walking, behind Perla's chair.
"I have the answers you want. I can give you protection. Also," she put her hands on Perla's shoulders, making the woman stiffen as she leaned down, pink eyes meeting brown, "you can't exactly use Sophia. After all, if you use Sophia's Emblem form again, you will die. Sophia has a fell curse." She said and...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN A FELL CURSE?!"
Sophia's voice boomed in the room, scaring the daylights off the two women and animals in the room. The ring glowed and Sophia quickly appeared in all her glory, but instead of crimson hair, it was all white, her right eye was a milky white, and the right side of her face was scarred like cracked glass. Sophia glared down at Martha but the pink-haired woman only glared.
"It's been a while, Emblem Sophia." Martha said and Sophia gritted her teeth as Perla was suddenly terrified, "Hm...Your appearance changed again."
"It had been one thousand years...the last time I saw you, you were 13 years old..." Sophia said and Martha snorted.
"The last time I saw you was when my mother sacrificed herself," Martha said as guilt weighed heavy in Sophia's heart.
"Hold up!" Perla said as she held her hands up and two looked at her, "You two...know each other?" She said, absolutely gobsmacked by the situation.
"It's a long story." Sophia said, "Ha!" Marth let out a bitter laugh, "Look, do not bring the girl into this. This problem is between you and me. Not Perla. Keep her out of our problems." Sophia said and Martha clicked her but nodded.
"Right." Marth sighed and summoned a long-stem smoking pipe to her hands.
She lit it up and took a inhale before slowly blowing out. The scent of strawberry and another scent Perla could not make out, hit her nostrils. Tabacco she easily recognized. Martha remained silent as she tapped her feet and looked at Perla before looking away, taking another inhale, and blowing out.
"Long story short, 1,000 years ago, there was a war. Sophia's wielder was my mother, and she fought a follower of the Fell Dragon. Before the follower retreated, they cast a curse on Sophia." She said and fully turned to her and pointed her pipe at Sophia while maintaining eye contact with Perla, "Anyone that uses Sophia's Emblem form will be drained of their life each time they transform."
The color drained from Sophia's face and the woman slowly raised her hands. She staggered back, her hands trembling.
"No...No...Not again...Not again..." Sophia suddenly started whimpering, "Not again...Not again..." and Martha snapped her fingers, making Sophia disappear back into her ring.
Perla took it off and gently held it in her palms, looking at her sadly.
Martha sighed, the shadows casting over her eyes.
"Sophia is a doctor. Her power is meant to heal. To hear that her abilities have been cursed...made horrible memories of her past resurfaced." She said and looked at Perla, "She's...going to be like that for a while. Just keep the ring with you." Martha sighed, "So, what's your answer? You saying or leaving?"
"I still have...many questions." Perla said, "But I know when it is not the right time to ask. So, I'll stay. I'm also a doctor like Sophia so, I would like at least to put my abilities and knowledge to good use while I am here." She said as Martha smiled a bit.
"Alright. You made a good choice."
[—-]
Perla followed Martha as they went down the hallways of Brodia Castle. The inside of the building was built in a medieval style made of stone walls, stained glass windows as well as red curtains. As well portraits of the royal family displayed on the walls, it reminded her a bit of King Arthur's castle with a mixture of Roman architecture. Still, despite the place looking like a fortress, there was an air of comfort in the place.
"How long...was I asleep?" Perla asked as Martha chuckled a bit, remembering the panic her nephews were in along with their retainers.
"Oh! She shouldn't have tried to save me! It was a waste!"
"Is she going to be alright?!"
Having now bath, cleaned and a new set of clothing, Perla looked good as new. Her once choppy hair was combed neatly and tied in a bun with her bangs lose, framing her face nicely. The dress she wore was that of a mage. Except, she had politely asked for it to be modified because she did not like just how...overly fancy it was. The top portion was now a long sleeve shirt with slightly puffy sleeves and a short red cape. She wore a black long skirt that was easy to move in, black tights, and shorts underneath with knee-length brown boots. She also wore her medical bag.
"You were asleep for two weeks." Martha said, making Perla shocked, "It's a good thing too because you needed to heal, a lot. Sophia's power comes from her will to fulfill her oath as a doctor. To save lives. She gives and gives...I wonder if that is why you ended with her ring." She said as they stopped in front of another door.
"They say an Emblem reflects its wielder. Perhaps you and Sophia are more alike...both in the best and worse way." Martha thought as she knocked and was allowed to come in.
In they went, and the room was...chattering away. There was a warm atmosphere but the room quieted down once they saw the two women come in. Perla suddenly felt like a mouse surrounded by cats, observing her every move. The childish side of her wanted to hide behind Martha but the adult stayed firm in place. Perla spotted Alcryst along with the girl Lapis, and the blonde girl that protected them. She also spotted Martha's husband and three young adults standing near him. A woman with pink hair with shades of red like Martha, with red eyes. A man with red hair, and brown eyes, and another young man with red hair and one red eye and one pink eye. Lastly, a tall bulk man, dressed in armor, and next to him was also a man that was a bit shorter than him but the armor he wore was of a bow knight, and he also had crimson hair and red eyes.
"Sorry, I'm a bit late." Martha said as she stood at the end of the table, "Had to get something. Now, everyone, I want you all to meet my new apprentice that I have been keeping a secret for a while." She said and had Perla step up, "This is Perla, a doctor from Solm who will be working with us from now on the front lines to heal our soldiers." She said and nodded for Perla to introduce herself.
Perla automatically stood straight, brought their right hand to a point slightly above their right eye, and her expression became serious.
"Hello! My name is Perla, military and traveling Doctor! It's an honor to meet you all!" She said firmly and the room was stunned by her introduction.
Perla's lips were trembling a bit before the tall man in red burst into boisterous laughter but grinned, nodding in approval.
"Welcome to Brodia! Looks like you'll fit right in." The man said, "My son, Alcryst, told me about your work in the village. Thank you for saving our people." He said and Perla remembered that Martha told her that he was the king of Brodia, King Morion.
"No need to thank me, your majesty." Perla said, "I am a doctor. I have to help those in need, regardless of their status. Regardless of where they come from." She said as a few people looked at her stunned.
"I think it's going to get more lively here..." the young woman with pink hair whispered to the redhead with brown eyes and the one with heterochromia eyes, just snorted, "I'm looking forward to chaos."
"Shibra, shut up..." the redhead with brown eyes whispered back as everyone in the room started to introduce themselves one by one.
First, was King Morion, and she had already met Alcryst but he had properly introduced him as a prince this time. Perla nearly went into a panic and quickly began apologizing for the way she treated him two weeks ago. The king had raised an eyebrow at what she meant but Alcryst beat her to it and explained that he dislocated his shoulder and the woman popped it back into place. There was Lapis, and the blonde girl was named Citrine. Next was Prince Diamant, who she felt looked familiar because of his eyes. She can't remember but she felt like she had met him before. Looks like he was quick to see her confusion.
"I am Prince Diamant. I am the one that brought you here after you passed out." The prince said and Perla gasped.
"Oh! I-I apologize for the trouble you had to go through, your highness! A-And thank you for bringing me here!" Perla said as her ears turned red but the first thought that went through the prince's mind was, "Cute..." her stuttering was cute.
Based on what Alcryst told him of what happened along with Citrinne's and Lapis's report, along with the serious introduction, he expected the woman to be someone serious, even cold. But before him was a small petite woman of 5'5 who was stuttering. How is a small woman like her can...kill corrupted like a barbarian and heal like a saint? Even more so...his gaze trailed to her right hand, where he saw she was wearing gloves.
"To hide the ring..." he thought and saw her now talking to Martha's children.
The red with brown eyes was named, Eden, he was the same age as Dimant. The pink-haired girl was Shibra, who was the same age as Alcryst. Lastly, there was the one with heterochromia eyes, his name was Ajax. They were the three oldest of six children. There were still three more but Martha would introduce them later on. Jade, and Amber, were introduced, and next was Count Beryl, Citrinne's father, and Grand Duke. And last but not least, Martha's husband, Albert, was regent. King Morion, Grand Duke Beryl, and Regent Albert were siblings.
The king was the oldest, the regent was second, and the duke was third. Unfortunately, Queen Opal could not be present, due to her poor health. The introductions were nice. The place felt, welcoming in a way. But Perla could feel someone kept looking and when she would turn, the gaze was gone but would return a few minutes later.
"Oh, Diamant! Why don't you show Perla around the castle? She should learn to know the place before she ends up lost like a certain someone~" Martha sang and Count Beryl shot her a glare.
Citrine snickered at her father's situation.
"Alright." Dimant smiled and walked up to Perla, "Come. I'll show you around." He said and Perla nodded, following but quickly turned back to those in the room, and politely bowed.
"Thank you all for welcoming me. I swear on my oath, I will not let you down." She said and they nodded, and the two left.
The room was silent for a few seconds but the first to speak was Eden.
"I like her. Mom, can she move in with us?" Eden said and Shibra quickly spoke up.
"What?! You want to cheat on Oniyuri!?" The girls said and Eden looked at her horrified.
"WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT?! I WOULD NEVER CHEAT ON MY WIFE!" Eden yelled and the siblings started to argue with each other as the rest of the room only shook their heads.
"So!" Martha called out quickly to shut them up, "what do you all think of my new student?"
"I'm not going to lie." Duke Beryl spoke, "I was under the impression she was going to be the second incoming of you. A terror."
"Pfft!" Alcryst along with his father and uncle laughed but quickly tried to compose themselves as best they could after Martha gave them glares.
"Instead, she is a woman who takes seriously her job. Still, what is the reason she's away from Solm? Don't tell me you bribed Queen Seforia to give her to you?" The Duke said as Martha looked at him offended.
"Alright you two, don't start an argument." King Morion sighed, "For now, let us continue the reports. And Martha," the woman looked his way, "make sure to introduce her to Ethan and Oniyuri as well."
"Of course."
[—-]
The walk through the castle was lovely but there was this strange feeling in Perla's chest as the prince showed her around. He kept glancing her way, as if he wanted to say something but was hesitant. The tour around the castle was interesting, to say the least. Many of the servants and maids were a bit wary but once she got to talk to them, they were kind. Perla noticed that they looked at Prince Dimant with so much respect and admiration, but even more, so that the man knew their names. Most people would not go that far. He showed her the stables, kitchen, as well as the hallways that led to the rooms, and last but not least...
The royal library.
"Incredible!" Perla gasped seeing the library, "This is...much..much bigger than I anticipated." She said as the woman felt a bit overwhelmed by the scale of the place.
The best way she could describe was a giant medieval library with the walls all shelves lined with books and scrolls, the room having stone pillars that supported the place, and a spiral staircase that led up to a second and third floor. As well as tables set up with benches for people to sit and read. Along with orange-colored stones that glowed a soft yet bright orange. And multiple candles floating around the place.
"This is Brodia's Libary. My mother, Martha, and Duchess Adeline (Citrinne's mother) came together and built this place. They call it their Crown Jewel. There is a public library in the city for the people. Martha's first apprentice is in charge of it." Dimant explained as the woman was awed.
"It's incredible! And I thought Martha's office was amazing!" Perla said as she looked at the place and pull her arms close to her body, "I'll have read every book here!" She said and kept looking around, "If I can use magic..maybe...maybe I can combine my knowledge of modern medicine with magic to create new methods of healing!" She thought and turned to see Diamant by her side.
"You seem excited. Is the library a place you like?" He asked and the woman chuckled a bit embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"The library is where I spent the majority of my time studying medical history and techniques. As well as for exams I had to take before I became a full-fledged doctor. Sigh, brings back memories." Perla said as memories of when she had dragged her brother and sister with her to the library to help study came back to her.
"I see." Diamant said and noticed there was a distant look in her eyes, "Miss Perla." He said and the woman turned to him, "There is something serious I wish to speak to you about." He said and Perla nodded.
"I'm sure Martha informed you I was the one that brought you to her room, correct?" He said and the woman shook her head, "I see. Then I should tell you. I was the one that found you in the alleyway and brought you to Martha." He said and Perla looked at him stunned.
"No wonder your eyes looked familiar!" Perla said and the prince blinked at her response, "Pardon my rudeness but you have a stern and gentle gaze. Not something I see often." Perla said, "And, thank you. I apologize if I got any blood on you." Perla said, "But, that's not what you want to talk about, is it?" Her gaze became half-lidded.
"You catch on quick." Diamant said as the woman let out a small sigh, "What gave it away?"
"I kept feeling someone kept staring at me when I wasn't looking. I also noticed how your brother and his retainers kept looking at me as if they wanted to say something but could not because Martha was present. Not to also mention, your body language." Perla said as the prince's eyes widened a bit.
"I'm a doctor. We observe and study people and situations before we decide to engage or not. I know what you want to ask." Perla said as she removed her right glove and held up her hand, showing the Emblem.
"Correct." Diamant said and held out his hand, he open it to reveal a gold ring with a red gem, its design was simple yet held an aura of pride, "Do you recognize this ring?"
Perla was confused as she looked at it and then back at him.
"No. I do not."
"This is The Ring of The Young Lion, an Emblem, like the ring you are wearing," Diamant said as Perla's eyes widened but, she spoke.
"I...must confess. I...do not know what an Emblem is." She said as the prince listened, "I know it's a different form of a Fire Emblem, but what specifically Emblems are, I do not understand. Can you explain?" Perla asked as and Prince nodded.
"One thousand years ago, there was a war against the Fell Dragon Sombron. Heroes from other worlds were called upon to aid us. Heroes are known as Emblems." Diamant explained and then looked down at the ring in his hand, "With them, the warriors of that time of all nations, fought as one. The Divine Dragon Alear, my ancestors fought beside him and helped him strike down the fell dragon. The Fell Dragon was imprisoned and sealed away." He said as Perla listened to him quietly.
"The ring you possess," he looked at her, "is said to be a ring that was lost. A powerful ring, known as The Ring of The Dark Saint, a healer who would take the pain of others onto herself and then heal all." He said as Perla looked at Sophia's ring, shocked, "What we witnessed...was it truly a power of legends?" He said and looked right into her eyes, "Only The Divine Dragon should be able to summon an Emblem." His eyes narrowed.
"How did you obtain the ring?" He said, "I need to confirm your intentions. Are you a friend, or foe?" And the atmosphere became tense.
Perla smiled bitterly as she held her hands close to her chest, her lip trembled mask she looked down to the ground,
"I'm sorry, but I don't know myself." She said, "I have...no idea how I even obtained the ring." Her voice cracked, "The last memory I have...is that my siblings and I were on our way to a vacation. There was an accident...the carriages flipped over and over till they fell into a lake. I was drowning, desperately trying to reach out to my siblings before everything went black." She let out a shuttered breath, "When I woke up..."
The place was dark. She woke up in a dark cold place. Its walls are cold and wet with moss. She was wet, gasping and panting for air, believing she had died. When she got up, she walked and walked, till she arrived in some sort of place, and her hands reached out, touching it. Before she knew it, roars and growls were heard, monsters rose and she screamed before the blinding light of flames engulfed the place. And before she appeared what she believed was the embodiment of a fire goddess, Sophia's flames burned all the monsters away and rescued her. But suddenly, she noticed a strange ring in her hands.
"I was surrounded by monsters and Sophia's ring was in my hand. I have no idea how I ended up there but I swear to you," she looked up at him, "I will not harm you or anyone! You said this ring is a power of legends. I know very well such power comes with great responsibility. I won't use it for wrong. I am a doctor, I swore an oath to save lives." Perla said as she looked at Dimant firmly.
"You may be suspicious of me, even doubt me. But if I must, I will prove I am a friend through my actions! You have my word!" She said and looked into his eyes, never breaking eye contact.
Dimant remained silent as he looked back at her. Her eyes, now that he had a close look, in the light they reflected a honey color but in the poor lighting, her eyes were dark brown. Firm, serious, but also confident, her eyes were filled with those emotions. There was fear but it was overpowered by a gentle touch he saw in them.
A small smile graced Diamant's lips and he took a closer step, making the woman blink. He gently took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. Which...sent the woman looking like a scared cat as her face became redder by the second.
"I apologize for earlier. And, thank you for being truthful. This time, I will introduce myself properly." Diamant said, "My name is Diamant, the first prince of The Kingdom of Brodia. And, I look forward to working with you." He said and Perla looked away.
"R-Right..." the woman muttered and took a step away from him.
"Um, did I do something wrong?" Diamant said and Perla placed her hands on her cheeks, avoiding eye contact.
"No! No! It's just...I am not used to being kissed in the hand like that...T-The gesture caught me off guard completely." Perla said and now the prince could see a bit of her flustered face.
"O-Oh..." Diamant said, "Cough! I apologized if I made you uncomfortable. I won't do it again."
"It's alright." Perla said, "Y-You were just being kind."
They looked away from each other, one with red ears and the other with red cheeks.
[—-]
"...Sigh..." Sophia sighed from her ring as she watched the interaction and subconsciously touched the ring that she wore, "It seems I am about to witness something that may bloom to more..." she whispered.
Still...not much was explained today, especially on Martha's end. No, the whole damn conversation was a mess. Perla got more questions than answers. Sophia only prayed that she would answer Perla's questions and slowly reveal the truth about who truly were Ermos and Maria. As well as, why she was cursed. But she had an idea…the one responsible. Being in the form of her white hair brought memories of what happened to her to have such hair. Now...she only hoped for the best.
"Slow...Slow and steady..."
[—]
In Solm, Nanami looked up to the sky. From the sea, so did Miguel, and lastly, from the balcony of the room she was given, Perla looked up as well. The stars, back in their world, had never seen such a beautiful night sky. The green, purple, and blue hue of the clustered stars and milky ways were all so clear and visible in the sky. This was the first time they had ever been so far apart.
"I'll find you guys..." The three muttered, "That's a promise..."
- ? -
"Let's make two promises."
The dream was repeating. A voice of a female, her appearance was blurred, yet she held up her hands, stretching out her pinkies. The warmth of them...
"Here is my first promise." The voice said, "When we reunite, don't lose sight of me. I'll run and run, but I want you to find me. I'll be scared, I'll be terrified, but at the same time, it's proof that you didn't give up on me. That you did not give up on your future." They said as they intertwined their right pinkies.
"My second promise..." The dream was fading, "It's..."
And the dream was gone... He won't remember it when he wakes up.