Here we go. This chapter marks the end of the 'prologue arc.' With it, Idunn's first day in her new life is complete.
As always, big thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and/or favorited the story!
"Miss? Miss Idunn? Are you in there?"
"I am here." Idunn responded, walking over to the door and opening it. Outside was a young woman wearing plain but well-kept servant's clothes.
"Oh, good! You seem to be ready… Do you know where the great hall is, or would you like me to guide you there?"
"I will follow you there, if it is not too much trouble."
"No, not at all! I am one of the servants of the castle, so showing guests like you around is part of my duties!"
As Idunn stepped out of her room, she was dimly aware of the much smaller woman looking her up and down. Idunn was no stranger to odd looks, even back before her heart and soul had come back to her, the 'Dark Priestess' of King Zephiel had been a mysterious, eerie figure within the royal court of Bern. The kind of figure that people spoke about in hushed whispers.
She was no longer the Dark Priestess, but Idunn knew that there were plenty of other reasons she stood out.
Departing her room and following behind her guide, Idunn listened in silence to the rather talkative young woman.
"Is it true you're joining the castle staff? I don't know all the details, but Millie- she's my best friend, see- heard from Anais- she's one of the other maids- that something happened this morning- I don't know what exactly- but the knight commander came back to the castle with a mysterious stranger! And not half a day later, Anais and two of her other friends were told to prepare one of the guest rooms for a young woman! But not a temporary room- someone who'd be living here! That's you, isn't it?!"
Idunn blinked, taking an unconscious step back as the bubbly girl turned to her, eyes shining. Poor Idunn's head was almost spinning from the unfiltered torrent of words that had poured out of her guide's mouth. Doing her best to replay the 'conversation' in her mind, Idunn answered as best she could.
"I… found Roy this morning in the woods and stopped a bear from attacking him. The knights brought us back to the castle, and Roy's parents wanted to thank me for saving him. I didn't have anywhere to go, so Eliwood offered me a position at the castle. I have some skill with healing magic, so Eli- Er, Lord Eliwood has kindly allowed me to stay here at the castle, where I will serve as a healer."
The servant, who was a maid at the castle, Idunn gathered, widened her eyes.
"A BEAR?! Oh, that's just awful! The young lord is such an adorable little boy… it would just break everyone's heart if something happened to him! OH! But it does my heart good to know that there's finally a trained healer at the castle again. I KNOW there's rarely a need for one, but you can never be too careful, you know?"
Idunn nodded in agreement, though she tried not to let her confusion show. Frankly, she felt a little overwhelmed at the sheer quantity of words coming her way courtesy of the maid.
Idunn did her best to politely listen to the younger girl continue talking as she guided Idunn through the castle, down to the ground floor. Finally reaching a large set of oaken double doors…
"And we're here! You can just head on inside, they're probably waiting for you! Uh… sorry about that. I think I got carried away talking to you and lost track of time. Anyways, nice to meetcha, Miss! I hope you like living here!"
And with that, the maid sped off. Did she rush everywhere as quickly as she talked? Turning to the doors leading to the great hall, Idunn's face fell. Oh dear, was she late, as the maid had implied? Hopefully her host wouldn't be disappointed with her.
Idunn placed a hand on the heavy door. A shaky breath left her lips- Idunn hadn't even realized it, but… she felt very nervous right now! There were people waiting for her behind this door, people she'd never met who would be expecting to talk with her.
What if she said something wrong, and they didn't like her?
No, she couldn't let herself think like that. Marquess Eliwood had given her a chance. She'd need to make a good show of herself, to prove to the rest of Pherae's influential figures that she was a trustworthy woman- a perfectly ordinary human woman, and not at all an ancient, terrifyingly powerful dragon in disguise!
Phew…
Idunn let out the breath she'd been holding and pushed the door open, heading into Pherae's great hall.
The 'great hall' of Castle Pherae was a large, well-lit room in the center of the castle's ground floor. It was neither the largest nor the most ostentatious of dining halls Idunn had been in, but she found that she liked it more than any other.
Pherae's great hall was smaller than its counterparts Idunn had seen in Ostia and Juteaux, and barely a fraction of the size of the massive, opulent dining halls of Etruria and Bern's capitals, but it held a warmth and comfort to it much like the rest of the castle did. Recalling the great hall in Bern's royal castle, Idunn distinctly remembered how the table meant for the royal family had been elevated above all others. Zephiel had rarely dined in public, but when he had, he and Idunn had quite literally been placed above everyone else present.
In sharp contrast, the lord of Pherae and his wife sat at the same table as their retainers did. Eliwood's chair was not a gilded throne adorned with jewels, but a humble wooden chair outfitted with comfortable padding- the same as every other chair at the table.
At his right side was his wife; Idunn immediately recognized the presence of the only other Dragon in all of Lycia. At Eliwood's left side was a kind looking older woman with deep purple hair that had begun to turn steel gray in places. She had clearly been a beautiful woman earlier in her life, and even by Idunn's limited standards of beauty, the dragon woman could tell that this woman had aged into her early fifties with a rare grace. Were it not for the grey in her hair and the extra lines on her face, Idunn would've estimated her to still be in her forties.
This mystery woman was one of the oldest people present in the hall other than Marcus and one other man. Idunn tried not to flush in embarrassment as everyone's heads turned towards her as she entered the great hall. Nobody said anything, but Eliwood smiled and waved, and Ninian smiled at Idunn as well, as did the older woman sat on Eliwood's other side.
Idunn took a seat at one end of the table, next to a friendly-looking woman in her late twenties with green hair. Now seated, she looked around, taking stock of who else was present.
She knew Eliwood, Ninian, and Marcus. Of the other older humans present, there was the noble-looking woman with purple hair, and a balding man with dark blue hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.
The other people present at this important gathering all seemed to be around Eliwood's age. There was the young woman on Idunn's left, and to her left was a man perhaps a few years older with what Idunn could only describe as a 'shaggy, unkempt mop' of light green hair.
The last two people at the large, wooden table were a man and woman. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and blonde-haired, looking to be in his early forties. Judging by the matching rings on his and the woman's ring fingers, she must have been his wife. Even on the cusp of 40, she was still a beauty, with ivory skin and flowing locks of dark blue.
"Idunn! I hope you'll enjoy tonight's dinner. Lowen helped in the kitchens tonight personally, which is a rare treat. Cooking might be his passion, but his duties keep him out of the kitchens most of the time."
"How could I not, Lord Eliwood? It's not often that you have us all gathered here! We only meet like this a few times a month, and not only that, but we're also welcoming a new resident to the castle! I would be remiss if I didn't make this a special night!" Those words came from the shaggy-haired man a few seats down from Idunn, who Idunn believed the marquess had referred to as 'Lowen.'
"Everything… Everything looks wonderful. I… I hope you didn't go to any trouble just because of me…" Idunn murmured, though her eyes widened at the assorted dishes spread out before her.
"Think nothing of it, milady! In truth, we're all immensely grateful to you. You brought lord Roy home safe and sound, and every one of us owes you a debt for that! I won't rest until you've been properly rewarded for your good deeds!"
"Er… that's very kind of you…" Idunn replied to the rather loud knight. The food looked wonderful, but in truth… she felt a little uncomfortable having everyone's attention locked onto her.
Fortunately for Idunn, Eliwood spoke up at that moment, drawing the group's attention onto himself.
"What Lowen says is true, and though you've heard our thanks already, it can't be understated just how much of a service you've done us. Roy is the heir to Pherae, and more importantly, my son. You saved his life, and part of me feels that no amount of words is enough to express just how much gratitude Ninian and I feel towards you. More than that, by now Marcus and I have informed the other influential members of Pherae of your good deed, and you'll find that each and every one of them is grateful to you."
Oh… Oh dear. Idunn could feel her cheeks starting to warm, both from the attention she was receiving as well as the praise being sent her way.
"Now, before we start eating, I'd like to introduce you to some of the other members of the Pheraen court. You've already met Marcus and Ninian, and this lovely woman is my dear mother, Eleanora- you'll have to forgive her if she spoils you later; she positively dotes on Roy," At those words, the purple-haired woman rolled her eyes, but that didn't stop her from beaming at Idunn. The marquess moved on, introducing the next member of his court.
"This fine fellow is Merlinus, who has been serving Pherae for the past ten years. He's the castle's quartermaster, and is the one seeing to it that the infirmary you'll oversee is fully stocked with everything a healer needs." The balding, middle-aged man gave Idunn a polite nod. There are a few members of Pherae's court not present; but these are the people I think it's important that you be introduced to. The lady next to you is Rebecca, she's Lowen's wife, and like him is one of the most respected knights of Pherae." The now-named Rebecca offered Idunn a friendly smile before her marquess continued speaking.
"And the others present are Harken and Isadora. They're two of Pherae's most senior knights, and Dame Isadora has been the head of my mother's personal guard for over fifteen years!" Well, that accounted for the blonde man and the blue-haired woman. Now that she observed them, both knights carried themselves with the air of experienced veterans- particularly so in the blonde man's case.
"Now, I believe that accounts for introducing you to everyone. Would you like to say anything to your new colleagues, Idunn?"
Oh bother… she really wasn't used to speaking to other people. Zephiel had always done all the talking for her! Idunn sincerely hoped that she didn't say or do anything to embarrass herself in front of everyone. Just… just keep it simple. Phew…
"I am Idunn, and as LordEliwood has told you all by now, I will be serving Pherae as a healer here at Castle Pherae. I… I have some experience with elder magic as well and can defend myself if needed."
Everyone was still looking at her expectantly. O-oh… had she forgotten something important? Wait… Ah!
"I'm very grateful to Lord Eliwood; he has been very generous to me, and I am looking forward to my time at Pherae." Idunn hoped everyone wasn't expecting her to say anything more, she really didn't know what she was supposed to say. How on Elibe had Zephiel expected her to rule all of mankind when she felt uncomfortable speaking barely a few sentences in a room with less than ten people in it?
"And we're all glad that you're here, miss! You couldn't have found a better home in all of Lycia; there's not a ruler kinder than Lord Eliwood in the entire league!" Those loud but encouraging words came from Lowen; and while his volume drew some reproach from those next to him, no one disputed the claim he made.
Eliwood himself just laughed at his knight's words.
"Well, I'm glad that you all have such a high opinion of me. Not a day goes by that I'm thankful to have the support of such dedicated, loyal companions!"
Companions. That was a word that Zephiel never would've used to refer to any of his servants or soldiers as. Truly, Eliwood of Pherae and Zephiel of Bern couldn't have been more different people. Zephiel had been cold to those around him at best, while in sharp contrast Marquess Eliwood treated those around him with a kind of warmth that was almost as if they were family themselves!
As Idunn was caught up in her thoughts, a low, loud rumble, not unlike the growling of some great beast echoed throughout the great hall. Idunn's cheeks burned as she felt everyone's eyes drawn to her once again and realized to her mortification that the noise had emanated from her stomach!
"Ah... pardon me. I… I am hungrier than I thought I was, and the food looks very appetizing…" Everyone around her watched the tall woman trying to hide the rosy blush on her face, a brilliant hue of color that stood out from the paleness of her skin.
"Hah hah! My apologies, milady! Indeed, I don't believe Lowen would be happy with us if we let the food he helped prepare grow cold before anyone can actually eat it! Please, serve yourselves, everyone!" It seemed that no further words were necessary. The people sat at the table eagerly served themselves from the spread of food prepared for them, though with the manners one would expect from a nobleman's court. Idunn felt very glad that her limited 'education' on how to live (provided by Zephiel's aids and retainers, not the man himself) had at the very least included the basics of table manners and how to use silverware.
Idunn's 'breakfast' had been simple but enjoyable, but this… this was something entirely different. This was food prepared with love and care, a meal shared with people who cared about her and viewed her not as a tool but as an ordinary woman.
Idunn's hands shook. It took everything in her power to school the expression on her face into a blank one, masking how emotional she truly felt. Was… was this what it was like to enjoy something as simple as eating a meal in good company? Her experience eating her breakfast earlier had been peaceful, but this was simply incomparably better! Would… would she be allowed to live like this from now on? Just… enjoying her time in peace and quiet, surrounded by countless happy souls? It… it almost felt wrong, knowing that she was getting the chance to live in peace when she'd ended so many lives, and helped Zephiel end many more.
"What's the matter, Miss Idunn? Is the food not to your liking?"
Idunn started, realizing she'd been caught staring at her plate without touching the food on it.
"Oh, no. I'm sorry, I was… lost in thought." Hoping to drive away suspicion, Idunn cut herself a slice of whatever roasted meat was on her plate. Probably venison. She'd eaten it before, but…
If Idunn had seen herself in a mirror at the moment she'd bitten into the expertly prepared venison, she would've seen her eyes sparkle in delight!
"Well, dear; it looks like she's quite taken with your cooking. Dig in, Miss Idunn! There's plenty for everyone!" The friendly woman seated next to Idunn urged her.
And in that moment, surrounded by people she would soon think of as friends, Idunn's worries and concerns over her past were swept away as the incognito dragon focused on filling her stomach with the delicious food!
"Oh…"
Dinner had ended a short while ago, and Idunn now found herself in her room once again, slumped back in the comfy armchair she'd taken a liking to earlier; the book she'd been reading earlier about the red-clad swordsman discarded at her side.
"What's the matter, Miss Idunn? Did you not like the food? I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't like Uncle Lowen's cooking..."
"Oof… The food was excellent, Roy… but I believe I may have… ow… eaten too much of it. Sir Lowen is a wonderful cook, though it seems I will have to take care to restrain myself on nights where he is participating in the kitchens…" Idunn sighed, rubbing her aching stomach with one hand.
"Oh, that's not good! Do you have a tummy ache? Do you need me to get you some medicine?"
"I will be fine, Roy. All I need is a good night's sleep. But… thank you for coming to visit me. I hope you had an enjoyable dinner as well." Roy squirmed in place on the chair next to Idunn, an uncomfortable look on his face.
"Mmm… Mama and papa made me eat dinner in my room. Wolt wasn't even allowed to come and see me! They were so upset that I went out into the woods this morning!"
"I believe their worry is justified, given what almost happened to you."
Roy huffed and hopped out of his chair, walking over to stand right in front of the seated woman.
"But I met you! That makes everything better, doesn't it?" Oh, Roy… Idunn felt such a strange warmth in her chest when Roy looked at her so earnestly. She had, mercifully not been called on much to speak further during her 'stately dinner' earlier, and Idunn had been content to listen to the others present speaking while she enjoyed her dinner (a bit too much, as she was finding out the hard way.)
Roy had turned seven years old only two months ago; she'd heard as much from Eliwood's mother Eleanora.
He'd been fifteen, perhaps nearing sixteen in her old world. Which meant she'd gone back in time… roughly 8 and a half years.
It was hard to believe that so much had changed so horribly not even a decade from now. Cities pillaged, villages burned, populations decimated…
But enough of those thoughts, there was no room for them in such a happy place! Her overfilled stomach was still protesting her attempts to hoist herself out of her seat, so instead of hugging Roy- which Idunn found she enjoyed immensely- she settled for patting him on the top of his head. It helped that even seated she was quite a bit taller than him.
Idunn couldn't fault Roy for being confused over his 'punishment.' His parents clearly loved him dearly and had been worried sick about the near tragedy their family had suffered. But to Roy's seven-year-old mind, the 'bad' had been outweighed by the good. He hadn't gotten hurt at all, or at least nothing that Idunn hadn't been able to fix in a jiffy! And even better, he'd made a new friend, and in his mind Idunn was someone who very clearly needed a friend!
"Can I come visit you tomorrow? There's still so much I want to show you around the castle!"
A week ago, Idunn wouldn't have believed it possible for her to smile so brightly, but never had her once-empty heart been so full.
The gentle but genuine smile on her face would've warmed the heart of all but the coldest of people.
"I'd like that, Roy."
Roy suddenly rushed forwards, and Idunn squeaked as she found Roy snuggling into her torso in a warm embrace. The pale woman gently closed her own arms around the small child, nestling him close for a few moments before Roy broke the hug.
"I better get going, Miss Idunn! Uh… actually, I'm pretty sure mama said I wasn't supposed to leave my room for the rest of the evening, so I'd better get back to my room before she and papa come to tuck me into bed and realize I'm gone! I'll see you tomorrow, bye!" And once again, Roy turned into a little blur of red and blue before he sped out of the room.
Oops. Idunn hoped that Roy's mother wouldn't be too cross with him if she found out he'd 'escaped' his punishment, even for a little while.
Looking out the large, clear window in her room, Idunn could see that the sun had nearly set by now. It was getting late in the day, and what a day it had been! Somewhere deep inside her, the dragon woman desperately hoped that this was all really happening, and it wasn't in fact some feverish, frantic dream of hers.
So much was different from the world Zephiel had shown her. So much was better than the world he'd shown her!
A year and a half she'd spent at his side, her dragons burning their way across the continent, while the king's mighty blade and her devastating magic had slaughtered their way relentlessly through all who had opposed them.
A year and a half being awake, and not once had she seen Zephiel show even a hint of remorse, pity, or regret for the countless lives lost because of him.
What would have happened to Pherae, in that awful world? Idunn had been at Pherae for only a single day, and already she knew she would've been utterly distraught if anything tragic befell the good men and women living here. It was such a picture of peace and prosperity that something just felt inherently wrong about the notion that anything could disrupt the happiness of the people here.
Eliwood didn't deserve to be cut down by Zephiel, just for standing in the mad king's way.
The knights didn't deserve to fall in battle one-by-one attempting to defend their home and their lord.
And above all else, Roy…
Idunn desperately tried to put the image of that broken, dying child out of her mind.
Roy hadn't deserved the fate that had befallen him. He deserved to live a long and happy life, surrounded by his friends and family!
Idunn had resolved herself to protecting Roy from anything that might harm him the very instant she'd realized it was him she'd found in the woods this morning. That decision hadn't- and wouldn't change. But… something was troubling her.
There had never once been a mention of Marchioness Ninian in her past life. As far as Idunn knew, the Marquess Eliwood of eight years in the future had been a widower.
To a human, eight years was a significant amount of time.
But to a dragon? That should've been nothing more than the blink of an eye. Which brought up the question… what had happened to Roy's mother in that amount of time? Idunn recalled that the marchioness had looked visibly sickly, and though she'd seemed a bit better off at dinner, she had still looked quite weary.
Idunn was certain of one thing; Marchioness Ninian was gravely ill, though what illness she had Idunn had no idea. Alas, her skills as a healer were suited for treating wounds, the sort of injuries one would expect to see from soldiers limping away from a battlefield. Human illnesses were far beyond her.
Idunn's brow furrowed, and she recalled something she'd heard in passing earlier.
"She's the very jewel of the province!" Idunn distinctly remembered the old knight saying that, regarding Ninian. Despite being a dragon- whether or not that was known to the people of Pherae (and Idunn sincerely doubted that any of them knew,) Ninian wasn't just a respected public figure, but a beloved one.
How would the people of Pherae react to the passing of the Jewel of Pherae? Because if her poor health persisted, Idunn couldn't see any other outcome for the poor woman. She didn't need to be a healer to see just how poor the marchioness's health was.
Oh… despite how much joy little Roy had brought her in a single day, Idunn knew that her new friend would've been heartbroken if he lost his mother, especially at such a young age! There had to be something she could do, but what? Idunn was a competent battlefield medic, but she didn't know the first thing about treating diseases.
Still, there had to be something she could do. For Roy's sake, she had to at least try to heal his mother!
After all… How would she ever be able to face her new friend again if she let his mother die without even trying to help her?
Idunn hadn't spent much time around ill people. In fact, now that she thought about it, Zephiel had likely purposefully kept anyone ill far away from her, on the off chance that the Demon Dragon was able to fall victim to human illnesses.
But… she couldn't help Ninian if she didn't know what was wrong with her, and in order to get more information… well, the easiest way to do that would be to spend time with her.
That, and asking around the castle. Surely, she couldn't be the only one to notice just how frail the marchioness was looking?
Finally moving her sluggish body out of her chair, Idunn padded over to her bed. The sun had finished setting while she'd been lost in her thoughts. Between the long, eventful day and the oversized dinner she'd eaten, Idunn was feeling quite exhausted.
A nightgown had been left for her on her bed, no doubt placed there by the maids who had been instructed to prepare a room for a woman they had been notified had arrived at the castle with nothing but the clothes on her back.
Idunn removed her robe, letting the flowing garment pool on the floor at her feet, before changing into the nightgown. The white garment was light and soft, and just a tad breezy, if Idunn was being honest with herself. It had clearly been made for a much shorter woman and came up quite a bit higher on her legs than her robe had, the hem of which had touched the floor.
Taking the item that had been concealed in the lone hidden pocket within her robes out, Idunn cradled it to her chest as she slipped under the covers of her bed. In truth, Idunn didn't know what to do with her dragonstone now. It represented a past that she wanted to leave behind, but it wasn't like a sword or axe that she could just cast aside! To a dragon, their dragonstone was closer to another organ than a weapon; it was something that was a part of them!
Mmm… Idunn couldn't stop the loud yawn from leaving her lips. Her pillow was nice and soft, the mattress comfy, and her covers warm and cozy. She'd… ooh… her eyelids were growing heavy. She'd think more about what to do with her dragonstone tomorrow.
The sleepy dragon would be out like a light in minutes.
For the first time in many, many nights, Idunn's dreams were free of nightmares. The faces that had haunted her dreams attempted to plague her once more, but Idunn found herself safeguarded by a warm flame of a strange bright red color, hovering around her protectively. Despite its small size, Idunn took such comfort in it that a smile appeared on her face even as she slept.
It took a little longer to get this chapter out than the other ones, but it's been super busy for me IRL, so I'm glad I was still able to keep to my 1-2 week window. Let's see... specific author's notes below.
The motor-mouthed maid in the beginning scene is an OC, she doesn't have a name yet. I'll try not to include too many OCs, and the ones that I do make up will likely only exist to fulfill roles that it wouldn't make sense to give to existing, canon characters from FE6/7. Pherae's not the largest province/castle around, but it still has to have staff working at the castle, so... OC maid, yay. Not sure if she'll ever show up again, I mostly just needed someone to take Idunn to the great hall, and she was a useful plot device for sharing some insight into the gossip spreading around Castle Pherae thanks to Idunn's arrival.
Regarding the dinner scene: I could've gone into more detail here, but I honestly struggled to think of how Idunn would believably talk with people she's not (yet) comfortable around in a public setting. Glossing over the details by having Idunn purely focus on her food (which she's never been able to enjoy until now) was an easy, (somewhat) logical way to bypass that. There will be scenes between Idunn and the other people present at the dinner in the future, but for this chapter the purpose was just to introduce them to her, and let the reader know out of universe who from FE7 is currently present in the story.
Regarding Idunn's thoughts on Ninian... this is a case of the 'unreliable narrator' trope, plain and simple. Idunn has extremely limited information to work with. We all know the truth. Poor Ninian, dying young even though FE6 established that dragonkin could live long lives in Elibe. That's an interesting thought; who from FE7 actually knows Ninian/Nils were dragons? Did everyone in the party find that out? Or was it just the lords and a few other major characters? Eh, regardless of how many people know, it's a secret held by a tiny handful of people at most.