Her Birthright Chapter 21: New Boulder and Careful Ripples, a fire emblem fanfic

A/N: We're hitting the non-ranked Interlude Supports once more! Hopefully as filled with as much coded discussions as the last time we got to see it!

Timeline Note: This is set after the battle at Fort Jinya, but before Yasei arrives at the lake with Rinkah, Jakob, and Kaze.

Name, Language (Translation) [Notes]: Yasei, Vallite (Wild) [Corrin's name]. Purotekutā no Kyōdai ai, Vallite (Protector of Sibling Love) [Corrin's Naginata]. Hoshizora Seiza, Vallite (Starry Constellation [Lilith's Mother]. Firechaser, Common [Hinoka's M!Pegasus]. Jiyū, Vallite (Freedom) [Lathna's F!Pegasus]. Kanpeki, Vallite (Perfection) [Subaki's M!Pegasus]. Katáktisi, Nohrian (Conquest) [Xander's Stallion] Ouranós Trómos, Nohrian (Skyterror) [Camilla's M!Wyvern]. Μαύρο άλογο, Nohrian (Dark Horse) [Leo's Stallion, though his siblings call him Alastor). Baranotsubomi, Hoshidan (Rosebud) [Elise's Mare].

Consort: It would have been... in due time. It's just too early, but Yasei will get access to her father's defensive magics against Wyrmslayers. Oh, but Rinkah had been drawing out her power herself, Yasei just happened to be her latest and toughest challenge.

Ah, but that's the power of having a fighting style that your opponent hasn't quite figured out, but that kind of advantage won't last too long. Oh... Kaze and Jakob, bonding over lecturing Yasei about her life.

Antex: Oh yes, and I still have more Hoshidan Royals to get to! Rinkah is the granddaughter of Delilah, who is the wife of Altuin, the father of Sumeragi. Or maybe… Rinkah simply doesn't believe that she's Half-Manakete? She's probably been taught all of her life that the power she has is called 'Rage'.

So begins the concepts of distrust and suspicions… this is only the beginning.

Namu Rosutoai: Hrm... I'll keep that in mind, and see if I can find a reason for Rinkah to do just that!

In reference to Lilith wanting to make Yasei another Dragonstone? I will only confirm that it is... NOT jealousy. Good, I want people to be wary of certain characters... not everyone will be instantly trusting of Yasei, she does not have the benefit of 'canon Corrin charm'.

Hey, sometimes you just gotta put your foot down and stop 'asking', but do keep in mind that Kaze is right with a previous statement: There is a limit to what a liege can have their retainer do.

Azura gazes upon the lake's waters with a clear uncertainty. She watches as a single leaf falls onto the lake, creating a ripple effect that collides with the ripples from the wind, the fish, and even that frog who is cruising on his lily pad. "Ignis." She says.

"Our new rock?" He smoothly replies, moving over to take a seat next to her on the edge, whilst Azura is thigh-deep.

"Boulder… at the least." She says in a strangely detached manner.

"Truly? Not that I doubt your judgement, of course."

"The boulder summoned a barrier of waves without as much as a strain… and I can sense a power that is far beyond ours… as well as a power that is different. Yet… the boulder is weakened, in a sense… as if it has pebbles scattered out among this world." She muses… "Or rather, other worlds."

"Ah, it's not like our boulder tried to hide that fact."

"Where do their rivers cross, though? The reflections... it didn't account for two boulders."

Ignis plucks a grass leaf and begins a tune, not to ignore Azura, but to contemplate with a bit of clearer mind… "Perhaps the reflection was distorted?"

Azura rounds on Ignis, in a rare display of anger, but not so much as to redden her face or raise her tone, no… "Countless other reflections were formed, why is this one different?!"

He raises his hands calmly, all the while gently holding his grass, "With all due respect, my liege… this was the only reflection that rippled off of the earth."

The two pause, and Azura takes a breath… "Apologies. You're right… but, I'm afraid that's not my only concern…"

"This new boulder is sensitive to ripples…" Ignis picks up.

"Correct, I will need to control my ripples… our boulder is relatively easy to guide, due to its frequency of guiding others… but this new boulder?" She hesitates, looking upon the lake. "Not to mention, our bou-..."

She is cut off by Ignis playing a suddenly sharp and out-of-tune note. She knows… and she's wary.

"Oh, sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt." The sound of her… Lady Yasei says.

Azura fakes a startle, then turns around, "No… it's alright. Come, Ignis…" She nods and smiles at Yasei, before traveling past her, Jakob, Kaze, and Rinkah.

"Of course, my liege… do have a good day, Lady Corrin." Ignis smoothly bows.

Once out of earshot and eyesight, Azura adds, "We need to re-think our ripples… the new boulder has thrown almost everything into disarray."

"And we shall… we didn't wait this long and plan as much as we did to get deterred…"

"Yes…" Azura hums, pressing a hand onto her amulet. "I swear, those thirty years will not have been wasted… Mother, Father." She chokes on a breath, and a single tear drops from her eyes… yet, before Ignis could say anything…

A/N: Ah, more cryptic 'water and 'rock' talk! Has anyone deciphered who or what the general references are for their terms such as 'ripple' or 'boulder'? Don't need to guess the exact term! I also dropped the bomb. A big bomb.

Azura and Ignis are over 30 years old. Chew on that for a bit.

Also while I did make the Ice Tribe song that Felicia and Yasei shared… I did not make up the song Azura sang here. I put them in italics for a reason… those are from the Symphonic Metal (genre) Nightwish (band) off of Imagenarium (Album) called Turn Loose the Mermaids (song).

I got one more Interlude Support before the next chapter, let's see who talks this time, eh?