Disclaimer – I don't own Fire Emblem. All of its properties belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
Warnings for some disturbing content
Interlude 3
Why does scouting have to be so boring? There's a million things I could be doing better right now! Instead, those stupid toadstools have me running recon! If that wasn't bad enough, Letum has me doing this without Morgan! The only reason I can get through his dumb tasks are if my brother is here. Separating us means infinite boredom!
I guess it gets me closer to Mom. That's nice. But I don't like being ordered to do so! Who does Letum even think he is? Just because Mom freed him first doesn't mean he can just boss me around! I'm the great and terrible Marc, Terror of the Skies! Lady of Darkness! Scourge of Humanity!
"Stupid general and his stupid superiority issues!"
I catch the stone I had been throwing up and down. Pulling back, I let it fly off the edge and listen to it bounce between branches as it falls to the floor beneath me. The discomfort in my arm returns from the sharp action. Sitting up, I stretch out and raise the limb before me. I push up the sleeve tucked into my glove to expose the wrappings beneath it. My skin itches horribly under these bandages. It's getting harder to ignore the urge to scratch these scabs off, but then I'll just start bleeding again and dad will get all disgruntled.
I rub the bottom of my palm vigorously over the white bindings with hopes that will ease up the stupid irritation underneath it. The wound I got during the last battle is small but deep. I was stupid not to pay attention and now it's taking forever to heal.
But this scouting duty is far more painful to endure than any cuts I have.
"This stinks," I mumble in annoyance. I yank my sleeve back down as I nestle in deeper between the leaves. Tucked up deep above the ground in a tight cluster of trees, I watch the human army continue to settle in for the night. They had set up camp promptly an hour before nightfall. It's sort of fascinating to watch the little creatures run around doing their menial tasks. Sometimes I can understand why Morgan is so fascinated with them. For being the inferior species, they sure know how to improvise.
Tiny little specks of light go up as their fires burn for cooking. Unlike dragons, humans can't breath fire. And only a small portion of them have the magic to summon it from their hands. They have to rely on chipping rocks or wood together. It's pretty sad.
I suppose that's hypocritical of me to say. I'm as good as human myself. For some reason, I've yet to be able to manifest my power into dragon form like my nest mate. I can hold the dragonstone and focus with all my might but nothing happens. Why did Morgan have to get all the good traits? All I got was a stupid brand. Yeah, it's special, but I'd rather be able to fry my enemies alive with dragon fire!
My leg swings idly over the edge of the branch. Back and forth it goes with each boring second that goes by. I wrap my hands around the spyglass resting in my lap and raise it once more. The lens blurs as I whip it around to the familiar tent in the center. The canvas sags slightly thanks to the poles hammered in at differing angles. It leaves the front flaps intersecting at a slant thanks to the lean. I suppose Mom can't be the master of everything.
She's been inside her space for a while. She might be sleeping. I haven't seen her all that much. Mom is always moving this way and that for people. Even in her human form, she's still an important person. I suppose someone like her can't conceal her greatness no matter who she tries to be. She just exudes awesomeness! You'd be silly not be impressed by her aura!
I wish I could get closer though. I could cloak myself but it's hard to keep up the magic without Morgan. He's far better at it. I'm afraid I'll drain myself before even making it half way to Mom. That's including if I can successfully stay out of every magic-sniffing mage hanging around. I nearly compromised myself over runes marking the perimeter earlier. It's just safer to hang back here and keep an eye out on her.
I suppose I could be watching the leaders like I was told to. Nah, that's also boring. They move in the same pattern all day. Same bodyguards, same riding position. The army keeps the leaders in the forefront but centered for protection amid the ranks. At night, they're heavily guarded in the middle they pitch their tents around. Ylissean and Feroxi forces segregate themselves with each encompassing one half of a semi circle around the leaders. Incidentally, they freely mingle outside of that. They eat, drink, and train together. A lot of books we found in ruins described humans as being very isolated in their ways. Especially since Mom's first rebellion, the humans preferred staying in their own realms. The fact that they banded together to fight our master only happened because of their primal urge to live overriding their selfish desires of pride.
These humans are a lot different. They made an alliance back when Mom fought that mock battle with the Feroxi. It's too bad she couldn't show them her full might then! Those in the stands would have trembled to see her glory! I can't complain though. It's always a good day when Morgan and I can aid in our master's progress. Still, if that woman with the ax had actually harmed Mom in any way, I would have jumped in the Arena myself. It was a bit too close for comfort. It's hard to see her so weak and squishy like she is.
Our poor Lady. She's no where near what she once was. I just wish I knew what happened.
Letum said everything was going to be alright. All we had to do was wait! But Mom never showed even after we arrived in the past. I trusted Letum the first time and then again when he got that woman to help us. But when he brought our Lady back...
She wasn't the same.
I don't get it. Why can't she remember us? Letum wants us to believe him when he says he'll fix things, but I don't. Neither does Pervitus. I heard him talk to Algidus that one time. He thinks something has gone very wrong and Letum won't be able to fix it. Even though I hate his creepy guts, he has a point. Evidence is beginning to support him. Why was she through an Outrealm gate to begin with? Why can't she remember?
But she still has moments where she's her old self again. Especially when she got upset with the others while we had her bound at the square! The aura of anger we both felt was the same familiar rage she always exhibited to her foes. And just when we stand by her, my brother and I can tell it's her just as easily as we can each other. But if she looks and feels like Mom, why do I feel so off about it?
Oh, look! Movement!
A small figure approaches her tent. The woman has long, ash colored hair and a pegasus knight uniform. I know her. She's one of the Shepherds. She stands outside of Mom's tent, probably calling her for something. Most people do.
I feel a tiny spot of warmth in my chest and wiggle in a burst of glee when Mom pokes her head out. It's still strange to see her hair like that. Not just how she cuts it but the fact that it still has color. I've only known it to be pure white. Just another strange thing about her. It's not bad though! We share the same shade now, so I don't hate my hair as much anymore. My fingers tug at the ends and I can't help but smile. With how short both our hair is, we look much more alike. It's nice. We feel a lot closer.
Turning my attention back to the camp, I see Mom walking off with the Shepherd. They talk a lot together and I see them often cooking over the fire. Are they...friends? That's odd. If she were in her right mind, she'd probably be sick over the idea.
The two make their way to a newly made fire pit where a large group of people gather. It's the same thing she does every night. The Shepherds have a place all to themselves where the majority of them sit together to eat. It's always very animated there. I like watching the one with short red hair. Whenever she goes by the pot, something explodes.
It's a bit quieter there today. It's probably because they're going to be attacking the fort. Letum said to immediately tell him if they change course from their current plans. He isn't making any moves yet since they're still healing, but no one wants to lose sight of her again. I know I don't.
I lower the spyglass back to my lap and rest my head to the trunk of the tree. This is going to be another long hour. While Mom eats and enjoys herself, I'm stuck here with nothing but leaves and a pocket full of cookies crumbs. I suppose I could have stretched the snack out but I splurged after the first five minutes of boredom. I groan in protest and throw an arm over my eyes. Did I mention this sucks wyvern eggs? Cause it does!
It wouldn't be half as bad if they had just let Morgan and I stick together. Instead, Algidus decided to use him for her own needs. Morgan likes her because she's nice to him but I don't trust her. Sometimes I catch her staring at him in a way that makes me mad. It's not like Pervitas does when Mom isn't looking. But it's still...I dunno. She talks too much to him and I hate it. He's not your blood kin. He's mine!
My arm starts to itch again from all the healing salve on it. I turn it over and start rubbing it back and forth against the bark. That feels so much better! It's like when I got poison ivy that one time stalking the last of the East Khan's rangers. Maybe if I rub just a little harder the sensation will stay away longe-
Ouch!
I don't have to see my arm to know something just tore. The stress ripped open the skin again. Darn.
Rolling back my sleeve again, I see red starting to spot the source of pain. Well curse my impulses! Now I'm going to have to get slathered up in herbs again. That stuff is so gross. We obviously can't go out and buy human goods so we have to make our own. It always smells so bad and the texture is slimy. We took some goods from the dead bodies in Ylisstol when Plegia attacked but Dad wants to save them for emergencies. So instead I'm stuck with this primordial goo that looks like it leaked out of Letum's crusty arse.
A heavy tapping against the tree alerts me to someone below. Closing my eyes, I fade out into the magical pulse of the world. Pushing past the shallow veins of the plane around us, I plunge in deeper. Dad's familiar reassurance pulls at me from the base of the trunk. Mingled in is the faint trace of Mom's own power. The core that keeps him moving. He's been that way ever since the accident. Lately, her presence has been growing dimmer. It may be a coincidence, but it seems his energy has dropped too. He didn't react to the fact when I mentioned it so I hope it means nothing.
Dropping down to a lower branch, I hook my legs around it and push back. I hang upside down just behind him and tap him on the shoulder.
"Hey Dad!" I greet merrily.
His helmet turns and the red of one eye peeks at me over his shoulder. He lets out a raspy, quiet chuckle seeing me as I am. I know he's smiling even if I can't see his face. He hasn't shown it since we first saw him after Mom fixed him. The scars scared me and Morgan started to cry. That was the only time she saw my brother do it and not punish him. Instead, she got angry herself and broke a bunch of windows.
His armor makes the familiar rustles and clanks as he turns. Both of his arms come out and reach for me. Laughing myself, I reach back and we clasp hands. He steps in as I slip off the branch. Dad helps catch me before twisting me upright. For getting so big, I'm still surprised how effortlessly he can handle us.
I free my one hand and brush away the leaves and twigs tangled in my clothes and hair. There's some sap on my cloak and it's going to take forever to wash out later. I go to pull my hood up but find my other arm still held tight in his own. Dad gives a low rumble of disapproval that causes me to pause.
Looking over, he's got my reddened bandages out for display. His two eyes narrow to thin slits and the growl gets even lower. My skin pimples up from the vibration of his anger. My grin is only half full as I try to brush him off with my good one.
"Dad, it's fine. Just itched it a little too hard. I'll put something on it later."
There's a deeper flare of red that conveys his lack of acceptance at my words. I place my hand on my hip and lean up on my toes with my own stubborn annoyance. He's being such...such a dad right now!
"C'mon! Stop babying me! I said I'll get it taken care of. I mean it."
He holds his glare, the wheeze of his breathing coming forth in long and even breaths. Finally, he exhales deeply and lets his head hang. The deepened lights of his irises extinguish in defeat. The fingers on my arm slide down and gingerly encase the stained area in a delicate grasp to convey the depths of his concern. He raises his other palm and places it gently on my head. A sign of apology. He's just afraid for my well being and he doesn't mean to be so harsh. Aw, Dad...
I shuffle both feet under the weight of his hand and look up through my bangs. There's an equal mix of fondness that flows back and forth between us. The strange feeling of warmth meaning love. It's a foreign, forbidden sensation we aren't suppose to feel. Obedience? Yes. But love?
It's not something we can tell Mom, not at all. But Dad? With him we can say it as freely as the wind. Even when we had no idea what it was, Dad would always say he loved us. It's probably the best gift he taught us. And he taught us a lot of stuff! This is my favorite though. It means someone is going to be there waiting for you. Someone wants to protect you.
If I didn't have Morgan, I wouldn't have these bandages wrapped around my arm. If we didn't have Dad, we'd have a lot more cuts from trying to escape the rapid Risen left wandering around. If I didn't have Mom...
I wouldn't have life.
Dad slowly eases my wound down and glances back to the camp. He hums with question. What are the humans up to?
"Nothing new on my end," I answer while tugging off my glove. Biting into it, I hold it between my teeth while pulling my sleeve as tight as I can down the arm. "All the same. S'all boring."
Bunching up the edge in between two fingers, I slowly try to slip the glove back on while catching the cloth in it. I battle with tucking the remaining bit in. "Mom's good. Still stuck among the humans. She's eating dinner with those Shepherds after an hour of tactics in the meeting tent."
That word causes him to stir. Shepherds. Dad's got a great interest in them. I experimented once. I spent twenty minutes talking mindlessly about the Feroxi actions. He barely looked my way while we stalked the army. I then spent twenty minutes talking about Ylisseans and he was more intrigued. An extra amount went into the Shepherds and Dad watched me the whole time I spoke. Not sure if he realized his change in attentions but I did.
We tried once, Morgan and I, to get Dad to open up about things. We pushed and pushed even though he would never answer us. Once he got so tired our asking that he snapped at us. It was the only time he ever had and it surprised us all. We ran away, scared Mom would hurt us for making him so upset. She's always been so protective of him. That's why she kept him away from everyone else I think.
Now that I think about it, that was probably the first time she found out we had been sneaking in to see him. We didn't even know he was there until I dared my brother to follow me to her forbidden rooms. One day we're snooping around and then BAM! Suddenly we find a human in our home! Morgan was always so curious and it's a good thing he was. If he hadn't forced me to talk to Dad, I would probably have killed him, just like Mom said we should when we see humans. I was tiny then so I don't know if I would have succeeded, but I would have tried. Took us a while to communicate with him. He was just as curious about us as we were him after all. He said he never expected children to be there.
I thought we ruined everything after Mom found out. She banned us from seeing him after our punishment. My one toe still can't bend all that well after she broke it. It was sort of depressing for a while. We had gotten used to sneaking in to see him. This is back before we knew who he was and when Mom was still summoning her generals. Sitting with him would pass the time between waiting for Mom to come back.
But one day, she took us to visit him. Mom said she realized it was actually a good idea for him to see us, especially how we looked right then. She even told him who we were.
I remember her presenting us forward. She was real careful to avoid touching our wounds as they were still healing. Made a real big display about them too. She also made it a point to keep emphasizing our privileges and what happened to those who disobeyed her. Dad sort of ignored her and just kept staring at us. He must have been in shock over finding out about us. Either way, she left us alone after that. We didn't talk at all that day though. Every time he looked at us, he would just start crying. We got scared and left quickly after because we aren't suppose to cry and Mom just told us about breaking her rules. We didn't want to get banned again. Or hurt. So we waited a few days before trying again. After that, Mom said he started behaving more. He stopped trying to leave his room unannounced. As a reward, she would let us visit whenever we wanted.
So, the mysterious human became Dad. I learned the word for brother and he became Morgan...until he started this stupid rebellious thing a few years ago and demanded to be called something cooler. And I? I became Marc. Marc with a "C" because no one like their name misspelled. Especially when Dad picked it out.
Dad's gaze lingers for a long time on the encampment situated beyond the tree line. As much as the desire to ask burns in me, I bite it back. Instead, I hang behind him and let him look. I never thought of it before but a lot of the recent changes have me thinking things. I wonder...I wonder if Dad misses his past life. We never did question before why he was with Mom. We always thought it was because they had love like he did for my brother and I. Maybe he betrayed his people to be with her? There are tales of dragons betraying their kind for humans. Why can't humans do the same for us? He's an exception to their wretched existence. Maybe he understood our plight and sympathized with us!
Our Lady kept him away because the others would want him dead. And they did. Pravitas tried to break Dad. Bad. Mom locked him away to protect him. She only wants what's best for us.
But sometimes I wonder why he looks so sad or why he hesitates to even fight. Dad doesn't seem like he wants to fight to save our Lady nor fight for our freedom. I ignored it at first. We were alone in the past with nothing to guide us. Everyone separated and we had to fend for ourselves. Some of us had been here for a long while. In the time Morgan, Dad, and I roamed, I didn't really think anything because it was so nice to be what Dad calls a family.
Nothing ever really bothered me until we tried to rescue our Lady from the humans. Dad began to act more funny than usual. He seemed agitated when we were in the city. And when Naga's little playground went up in flames, he was clearly distressed. Shouldn't he have been glad?
And then Mom...
There's a tug at my collar. I blink out of my thoughts to see Dad urge me along with a quick pull. He probably wants to settle in to our own camp. It's not that far off. We found a nice cave that overlooks the plains from a rocky outcropping. We can still watch the army without compromising our comfort. Dad and I stick to the shadows and skirt through the trees in an easy silence. We take shelter briefly deeper in when the last of their pegasus knights fly by. The minor stop causes us to reach our camp just as the sun slips away.
We can't light a fire for fear of giving ourselves away. That means a cold dinner tonight. Not the best but whatever. Dad takes up a seat near the entrance. He rests back with arms crossed and eyes returning to the humans below. He remains in his silent sentry post while I do a quick patch job on my arm. My stomach starts to gurgle as I finish and I quickly abandon the healing implements to pull out a small meat pie from our supply bag. I stole it earlier from a supply cart and have been salivating over it all day. It's better than the dried meat and bread I've been gorging myself on.
It's cold as a dead dragonstone but I couldn't care less at the moment. The pie is baked in a really heavy crust and it slips easy into my grasp. I support it with both hands and take in the flaky crust. It's rare to get something like this! If there's one thing Morgan and I can both agree on, it's that the one redeemable feature humans have is their culinary experimentation.
I bite into it like I would any roast I've had in the past. I crash into an explosion of spices and sugars that nearly overload me with glee. I just munch and munch and munch until my cheeks are bursting!
Dad lets out a disgusted sounding 'hrm' that causes me to look up from the mess in my hands. I can feel the pie sauce dribble down my chin and I tip my head into the crook of my shoulder to wipe it.
"What?" I sputter, crumbs flying from my mouth.
He glares at me, red irises switching between the supply bag and my hands.
Oh.
I chew and chew in my attempt to reply but end up swallowing way too much. The lump catches in my throat and I end up coughing harshly. Dad starts to rise but I shake my head wildly as I force it down. The choking subsides and I stare mournfully at the side of the pie I accidentally crushed during the fit. The insides ooze through my fingers and splatter to the floor.
Dad's loud grunt is long and chiding. He points to the bag again.
"Fine," I whine through gritted teeth. He's such a pain sometimes. Just let me eat!
I scoot over and start poking at the bag with my shoe. I tip it over and hear the rattle of dinnerware inside. I continue to prod the bag until the insides poke out. The edge of the plate is just out of reach and I try to nudge it over toward me and the sopping pie in my hands. The second my toe touches the plate, Dad rises up. He swiftly walks over and snatches it up for me.
He growls lows and squints at me. Thrusting the plate forward, he waits for me to drop the pie on it with a loud plop. Before I can grab it, he slams a fork into the top of it.
My face falls into a great frown. I can feel my brow furrow into a pout as my face scrunches up. Manners. Boo.
I grab the fork and stir around the mess before wagging it at him. My voice is heavy in sarcasm to make my annoyance more apparent. "Happy Dad. Now I'm eating like a civilized human."
He stares, eyes flaring. Before I can regret the insult, he turns to the bag. Reaching in, he calmly extracts the last of the butter cookies. No way! Wait a minute!
I set the plate aside in panic and rush after him. "Dad? Dad, wait!"
They disappear beneath his cape as he tucks them away.
"Dad!"
He sits down and ignores me. Oh, I am in so much trouble now!
"Dad?" I try again.
He's...he's got my cookies...
I can't believe he's punishing me like this! Doesn't he know how old I am? I'm not a baby! You can't just take my stuff away like that!
He's not even budging. Well, if I can't get it back by whining, I'll have to change tactics! Morgan isn't the only one good at that! Time to activate operation cuteness!
I clasp my hands behind me back and twirl around on my heel into his line of view. Blocking out the landscape, I lean forward and put on my best apology face.
"Dad?"
He stares impassive at me.
"Did I ever tell you you're the greatest ever?"
Still no reaction.
"Like, ever in the history of evers?"
He snorts loudly, unimpressed. He slides over the rock and peers around me.
"The best times infinity? You can't get much better than that!" I press as I shift to block him again. This has to work. You can't get much better than forever-ness. What father can resist the charms of their daughter's compliments?
Apparently mine can.
And he moves away again. Why did my dad have to be the most unstoppable emotional boulder on the planet? I drop down beside him and lean against him tugging frantically at his cape.
"Dad! Come on! You can't keep my cookies. They're the only thing I look forward to in this bleak, lifeless world we live in. You wouldn't deprive me of my sole joy, would you?"
Another deflated hiss of air. I catch a wave of disappointment. I forget sometimes he can get sensitive when we badmouth humans. I suppose it isn't fair. I just hate apologizing. It means I'm wrong and I rarely am. But this is Dad and there's an exception to everything. I don't like making him feel bad even if humans are a bunch of jerk-faced usurpers. He's an exception.
Fine. I guess I have to move to the last resort. Grovelling. Urgh.
All my charm falls away and I look down morbidly. I nudge a pebble with my foot back and forth in the dirt. I try to force out the words.
"Okay, fine. Sorry Dad. I'll make sure to eat with a fork next time like a civilized mortal being. Not like a wild wyvern."
I repeat the same chastising he's given me once before. His exact words in fact. Dad knows we hate being compared to our lesser kin. He'd use them as an example all the time. It pains me to even utter the words. Like I'd ever act anything close to one of them! I'm of dragon blood!
I glance up hopefully from the corner of my eye. He's watching me, head tilted in contemplation. Dad's taking extra long because he knows it's causing me to squirm. I try not to stick my tongue out at him. Instead, I draw into my shoulders and stare at the floor. I just want my cookies.
Dad reacts by reaching beneath his cape again. I hear the rustle of the cloth bag. Slowly, his hand comes out with a single cookie in it. He holds it out between us as a peace offering. His eyes are big and bright with acceptance.
I pounce! One hand goes for the cookie while the other snags around his torso. I'm careful not to headbutt myself against his armor as I go to hug him. "Thanks, Dad."
The breathy laugh that falls out of him confirms our standing. Phew! I was worried for a second. Just a bit.
I sit beside him and throw both legs out. I munch on the large cookie and we both watch the twinkling of the fires both below the sky and inside it. Everything looks like a star from here.
For a while, we just sit together in the quiet night air. We weren't ever able to do this before. We could never leave the castle. Now that we're out in the world, we've been able to do so much more. It's a lot bigger than I thought. It's weird to think dragons once walked over all these lands. Fire Dragons. Ice Dragons. Earth Dragons. And so many more! We once ruled the earth and could fly wherever we chose. Now humans control it all and a dragon can't even show their face for fear of being massacred. So bad were we hunted that we're on the brink of extinction. It's all because of humans.
Even though the cookie is delicious, it sits sour in my stomach. I pause mid-chew. If this is all because of humans, why is Mom suddenly befriending them? I know she doesn't remember anything but doesn't her gut tell her not to trust them? She's not like them. Doesn't she sense that?
Worse yet, she doesn't want to leave them. There's a reason we revealed ourselves to her. We had hoped our master would recognize us upon our arrival. Or, at least, I dunno. Remember something? But each time we did, nothing happened. Instead, she's gotten closer and closer to the humans. Worse yet, she's spending all that time with Lucy-lu and her friends. She's not just among the enemy, she in fraternization with them! If she was in her right mind she'd be disgusted with herself! She'd be burning the whole congregation of Naga's priesthood alive to cleanse her of this!
Morgan had hoped that we would stir something in her. A tie to our shared blood. We believed that it would cause her to try to find us. We've spied on her a few times outside of Letum's supervision and we were overjoyed when she expressed a wanting to talk to us. When she finally did, it was the opposite of what we thought. She spoke to us not out of remembrance but something else. I've never felt that feeling from her before but the symptoms made it easy to identify.
Our Lady pitied us.
And then she asked us our names. She accepted the names. Called us our names.
I don't know about Morgan, but in that second I felt the same way I did when Dad first used the word love on us.
Warmth. Appreciation. Something stronger than the devotion I felt for her and the mission. Or maybe my loyalty just grew stronger.
It's not right. She'll regain her memories and everything will go back to how it was. How it should be. And that's fine. It doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed the moment. I treasured it and tucked it away forever. My own guilty secret.
I might have sounded joking when I abruptly said that I liked our master's new personality. I was serious though! I won't forget the mission and I won't forget my place. But if she remembers and still stays a bit like she is now, maybe Mom can become Mom and not Master Grima.
She used to say there was no point to dreams. Dreams are the excuse for those too lazy to pursue ambition. But I really, really want to believe for once she was wrong. I want to dream about a possible future where she does become herself again but maybe...maybe keeps a tiny part of her new self?
Yuck. Listen to me getting sentimental. This isn't worthy of a general of the mighty Grima!
I harden my face and square my shoulders to sit up straight. I can't sulk! I have to look tough and foreboding!
Dad lets out a snort and cocks his head in confusion toward me. The built-up air in my chest exhales in one long rush as I sag forward. I poke at him. "What are you laughing at?"
He gestures to his face and lets out a good humored grunt. In a rare show of humor, he crosses his eyes and gestures in a way to mock me.
I swing both palms at him, battering him in protest. "Dad, come on! I'm trying to perfect my war face here! How else am I suppose to strike fear into the hearts of my enemies?"
He gives another huff in mockery of me and then turns away. He ignores my griping until I finally give up. Defeated, I slink off of the rock. I step around him and throw myself over his back, arms resting over his shoulders. He's very warm with the magical energy in him radiating out. It makes him a perfect pillow to lean on. I prod his cheek with my one hand in an attempt to annoy him for his earlier joke which was not funny.
"You know it's not nice to make fun of me Dad. I'm trying to be scary, just like Morgan. How am I suppose to do it without claws and teeth though?"
Dad groans in annoyance and catches my hand. He turns his head to glare and finds me resting my chin on his shoulder plate, cheek puffed out and eyes squinting in anger.
"I'm so boring compared to you three. How can I be intimidating like you?"
He emits a low, desperate whine of sadness that comes from deep down inside him. I can feel it crushing me with its negativity. Dad looks away. When his sight comes across my bare hand, he takes a second look. Now he sighs in agitation and gently shows me the mark a top it.
"Do I have to?" I grumble, enjoying feeling the air on my skin for once. His persistent stare tells me I have little choice but to go and cover it. It's a rule I can't break.
"Right, right. If they see it, they'll try to kill me. I'll go cover it up again," I crab, freeing myself from his grasp. I sulk back to the inside of the cave and find my discarded glove. It gets itchy and sweaty from always keeping it on but I don't have a choice.
I find my plate of food and bring it back over with me. I stab at the pieces with my fork and put one in my mouth. The taste of metal is strange. Forks are weird.
Whatever. As long as it keeps Dad from riding my knickers, I'll endure it.
I eventually finish my smooshed meal and toss the plate aside. I kick back and try to imagine what Mom is doing now.
"I wish she was here with us," I can't help saying a loud.
If Morgan were here, he'd answer right away. But Dad just stays quiet.
I dip my head and stare at my hand again. "Don't you miss her?"
Stiiiill nothing. Did he fall asleep on me? Ha, like that's possible. Dad doesn't sleep ever.
"I do," I continue. "Morgan too."
The sound of his name causes a tired and annoyed reverberation to come forth from Dad. I think he's tired of putting up with Morgans' dumb rebellious stage. It upsets him that Morgan keeps wanting to change his name and be all edgy. My brother is already a general for the greatest being in the world. There's nothing more impressive than that! So why does he want to feel like he has to be more awesome than that? I don't get it.
I tap both heels up and down in rhythm as I share our belief in his lameness. "I hear ya, Dad. I know exactly what you're thinking. Morgan's just being a dumbarse right now. He better get out of this phase soon or I'll force him to."
I bash my fist in my other hand. "I'll wrestle it out of him if I have to! A dragon should be proud of their lineage! It's his name and he should be honored by it!"
My enthusiasm flairs like an ember before fading just as fast. The spark leaves me cold and empty without my blood here.
"I hope he's okay," I whisper miserably.
Dad feels lonely too. He reaches out and puts his arm on my shoulder. He pulls me in against him and I nestle in the best way I can against his armor.
I think about the other generals and how they've always monopolized her time. They all want something from her. I know we're just tools for our Lady to use to further her cause. But they're bad and broken ones. She can't trust them to produce the results she wants. At least that's how I feel.
"I don't trust them. You don't either, do you Dad?" I ask, looking up into what I can see of his face.
His grip tightens and his eyes close with a deep inhale that rattles his whole body. Why's he seem like he's in pain? He's not injured.
I continue, eagerly looking out to where my master waits unknowing, yet alive. "When we meet Morgan again, we should make some plans. Something to work around different scenarios. Preferably they all end in those dumb generals' lives. Painful ones," I end with extra malice.
"And how long do you think we should wait before we absolutely have to take her away? Do you think Mom needs time to get stronger still?"
Dad's gone extra quiet. Usually I get a grunt or something. He's gone still. Even the thump of his heartbeat is slow.
"Dad, why did you lead the humans to her? Shouldn't we get her back?"
More silence. It's starting to make some of my doubts more scary. No one knows her best besides him. Is something wrong?
"Does she does need more time or is it something else? Me and Morgan thought maybe it's because she's still a little broken in the brain. Maybe time will naturally heal her. Forcing her through the Ascension could hurt her maybe. Or anything else."
My voice shakes just a little. I hate it. Fear makes me useless and I can't be a good general if I'm not effective. "I'm sort of worried that things won't go back to normal. What if she can't remember everything? What if Letum gets her and then starts telling her stuff that isn't true? And Pravitus tries to replace you and...and Mom's weak right now and super vulnerable. She's gonna need you to help her! We can't lose her when we're so close."
"You won't let that happen to us, will you Dad?"
Dad shifts beside me with little more than the faint traces of his breathing. He turns his face away just slightly. His free hand curls up and grips tightly against the rock, the metal scraping painfully together with force of his strength.
Is he upset? Does even he have doubts about this?
Oh.
…...
You know, when we were littler...
Dad would get super sad for days sometimes. He said the only light he could find, the only way he got better, was when me or Morgan smiled. That should make him happy again, right? And confident.
I-I'll do that! But he needs to see my charming grin in all its glory!
I jump up before him and grab the edges of his helmet. He startles but I quickly warn him to sit still. He can't see my belief in him with that bucket in the way. Dad blinks rapidly in surprise as the armor comes away. He doesn't like taking it off much since Mom put him together again. He does look different but he's not that scary anymore. I'm used to it. Besides, beneath it all, Dad is still Dad. Scars and stuff don't change him.
His hair has lost a lot of its color, turning more gray and dull than before. But there are still strands here and there that shine the same way Morgan's does. It flips in different directions and lays matted in others from his helmet. He looks like a scruffy scarecrow.
Dad raises a patchy eyebrow at me, a wordless murmur of question directed at my actions.
"I had to remove your helmet or else you wouldn't see my soul-inspiring smile!"
I grin so hard my cheeks begin to hurt. I pour ever last ounce of my determination into it!
"Don't give up now Dad! We can't let these weak feelings deter us! I have faith in you! We'll make everything go back to the way it was again! Our Lady will go back to how she was and we'll win the war again! I know you can do it!"
His red eyes open wide as I conduct a rousing speech to boost his spirits. Slowly they close and the bright glow in them burn to a soft light. His breathe hitches and he takes hold of me very gently. My words cut off in surprise at the hug. His grip grows tighter and tighter until I feel smothered in his bear hug. His shoulders start to shake and I can feel his chest rise and fall in broken increments. His breathing has turned to short gasps of breath.
If he still could, he'd be crying I think.
…...
Did my...um, speech really move him so?
…...
My smile flickers because he doesn't feel like hope and the urge to fight. I catch myself and try to keep up the feelings of positivity for us both. He'll catch them eventually.
Yep.
Soon.
Any minute.
…...
Please?
A/N: Hey! Two updates in one month. Nice! Here's a simple interlude to round out the generals, specifically the twins. Morgan's intelligent, curious, and more passive. Marc's more emotional and aggressive, yet highly observant. They're both equally devoted and delusional about their mother. It's a toxic life they led and their poor, broken father's done everything he can to make sure they don't end up like Grima. Yeah. Ha...ha...Now excuse me while I go deposit myself in the closest garbage bin.
Review Responses:
Forgetful Dreamer – Ha ha, good guess but no unfortunately. That's Kellam's son, the one Lucina encountered back in the first Interlude. And thank you for reading again!
FastAsleep – The pleasure's all mine! Feel free to comment whenever you like. I think it's awesome to speak with folk from all walks of life. That's one of the great things about connecting on the internet. You can communicate with just about anyone if you try.
Take your time getting to "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, whether it is the books or movies. They're worthy investments. They set the bar for a lot of fantasy authors so they're classics in a sense.
I enjoyed starting with the letter. Actually, writing both points of view in one chapter was an interesting challenge. Robin and Lucina have different vocabularies and attitudes so the clash between their strong personalities made me chuckle quite often. The bit with Laurent is just a fun little thing right now. While Lucina perhaps has a great admiration for him, Robin in general is just being an overbearing tease like she usually is. Nothing to worry about yet. And yes! Villains! A bit more back story on them! I suppose the twins are the saddest part, especially since Lucina is partly right. There's a lot of risk to befriending them. They're an all or nothing package deal. Either the twins find out the truth and won't care or they'll turn on her for lying. Nobody likes getting lied to, especially when it's suppose to be your mother. Of course I'll continue to sprinkle bits of Robin's life around. You're right. There's a whole history before this and she'll never forget where she came from. But the sense of loss is easing and she's adjusting to the new present. How that affects her in the future remains to be seen. There's a lot that can change her mind on going back or staying.
Having the siblings come back was inevitable, it just took time for the plot's movements to show. I made sure to have them tied very deeply to their Feroxi heritage because we only have the Ylissean culture to explore. Despite having Lon'qu and Olivia, there isn't' much exploration into their respective culture. I figured this was a great opportunity to do so. It really makes the whole world more alive!
Ha! Why would anyone, I wonder? I suppose dark magic may have its uses depending on the hex or curse. Risen or Deadlords could be a good example I suppose. Luckily Asche is not a dark magic user. His humor, which I would unfortunately use myself, is as ominous as he'll get. He really the biggest pushover ever. Too kind, too sweet for this world.
Kai'kel the Fereldan Magister – Oh, I'm aware of the game. I know little to nothing about it, but I saw some designs here and there. Ha, I'll just let you theorize whatever you'd like! I couldn't confirm or deny it anyway.
Yes, I'm horrible! But I think this chapter challenges who needs a hug the most in this story. The twins' father has, by far, had the worst luck ever. One lifetime of his suffering equates roughly to Lucina's depending on how you view Grima's deprivation versus Lucina's eternal time looping.
To save you some time, Asche is the stranger from Lucina's Interlude. Also know as one of Kellam's children. He and his younger sister are an interesting byproduct of Robin's actions at the wall. Completely original characters with no references to anything else.
Animeseris – Yep, you guessed right. Asche is their son. He's actually inspired by the vǫlva and the magic known seiðr. There's male practicioners too (the god Odin considered among them!) but our history gives them a lot of grief. Luckily Ferox is more progressive. Asche can practice as he likes. And yep, his sister is searching for something. She'll come back around eventually, hopefully with her quarry.
Letum's an earth dragon. Algidus is ice and Tantibus is fire. Pravitus is a magic dragon.
Your theories are always fun to read, and always changing! I think when Katarina is summoned you may get some answers. But congratulations! You got the paintings right! The interpretation is suffering from unreliable narration, a writing mechanic that's used to sometimes befuddle the readers and reward those who think outside the box. The first is Grima's conception and the second is the birth. The baby is not going in but rather coming out of the woman. What that means for the rest of the paintings is up to you all to interpret further. :)
Even crazy theories may hold weight. But why so suspicious about her mother? She seems like an upstanding indivdual to me. Though you never know. I'll rub my hands and laugh eviliy as you ponder further.
3liManning – Ha, Lucina's roster entry says she is the least likely to get a joke out of everyone. Of course she wouldn't get it!
Robin seems to believe there's a chance to save everyone, from Nowi to Emmeryn. Usually having the faith to do so is half the battle. Working for it is the other half. Lucina is exceptionally hesitant to alter things so they might even butt heads over future possibilities.
The generals were dragons...once. But they are all from different clans. A united force of sorts representing their kind. Lore does state that the divine dragon species were the only ones to wholly embrace the manakete lifestyle. Nothing else is really said on the others except the earth dragons rebelled the most and Medeus is alledegly the only one to accept Naga's bargain. Medeus also had some magic dragon manaketes in his employ if I remember right. But...you know, history is old and also covers only the continent of Akaneia. Sometimes the text books aren't always accurate. I found it kind of silly to think an entire species was too prideful that not even one of them would choose a manakete lifestyle. That includes catagorizing accounts from other continents not included in Akaneia's history. The generals are small abnormalities who surived from the ancient times because of their own cowardice and desire to live. They were lucky enough not to be hunted down by humans and eventually came to Grima's side during the war. I wouldn't expect anymore to appear though. Divine dragons will remain the only ones to have survived in numbers to this point. Anything else I would consider to still be hiding or compeltely wiped out.
This chapter should show that their father does have a great deal of influence on the twins. He may be the only thing standing in their way if they do grow angry with her should they ever find out. How he and Robin interact in the future will probably shape how much further he goes to help and what he's willing to do with the kids. Suffice to say, they seem to be his greatest priority right now.
Lucina may have not met him but that doesn't mean he may not have been forced to fight at some point. Papa Risen can stealth about quite easily. Grima's rather attached to him too and it'd be a gamble to send him to fight anywhere near her, especially with Falchion. Or maybe it's like you said, she either kept him locked away or near her side. No outcome is all that flattering.
Actually, you may be on to something. Lucina did say the dragon was acting out of the norm. In human form, Grima reaaally like to party and do questionable things. That mentality sounds like it carried on after the truth was revealed. Hm.
Considering how things are never as straightforward as they seem, I wouldn't discount or confrim anything concerning the mother until you hear the answer from the source herself. Whether she wants to or not seems to be the big question. And well done jab with ASOIAF. If Jon Snow's mother isn't who we all seem to believe at this point, I'll eat a lemon.
Did you ever read Kellam's ending when he isn't paired with someone? Perhaps he disappeared originally and did things when no one noticed ;)
Oh no, Signý is not going down any incestous paths. Aside from the appealing name, it's more of an allusion to the fact that . That's all!
I'm not sure if was an inconvience or not but thanks all the same for the long reviews. I really do love the inquisitive readers who stare at everything and wonder. You are welcome to send me a wall of text whenever you feel it.
ArcherShirou – Thanks, as always!
KingKeith – Yes, exactly! Robin is realizing that her line of logic is not infallible! Actions have consequences and she needs to look at all the elements to it. Much like Asche said, actions are due to their past, present, and future. Think about all of them before making a decision. Spoilers, as usual, prevent me from answering proper but I'm glad you broke the silence. I always enjoy theories. You're the first I believe to bring up the possibility of the endings affecting Other Robin's judgment. Could be worth thinking about.
Robin's mother was pretty rad. A rare type of individual. Robin's disposition means she won't ever be as selfless but having a mother like that helped temper her later in life. A strong parental presence and just the fact that she was involved in her child's life helped shape who Robin became. I think the same can be said about Lucina, Chrom, and the others.
Are we taking about the "he" she mentioned right before the assassins came in Ylisstol? The one she got all mysterious about? I wonder too. And no need to guess! I've straight up told who the brother and sister are the children of back in the first interlude. Our resident Shepherd and a surly Feroxi general. Good times.
Never heard of the song but I looked it up with English lyrics. Not bad. It does fit well with the overall theme and struggles at play here. Always nice to add more music to the writing playlist of Cycle.
robotortoise – Hey, thanks for reviewing! And thanks for the praise! Fanfiction is about exploring alternatives so that's exactly what I did! The potential is there and I've tried to blend it with respect to the original plot as best I can. It's been a fun ride, let me tell you!
I can certainly aim to add in some Einherjar bonding time with their descendants. And Anna is always waiting and watching for the perfect moment to take advantage of. Of course there will be more of her! Same with the last part. Katarina still needs to be summoned after all! Hope you continue to enjoy future chapters! :)
timewastin – o hai.
Hm, now sure what you mean by Lucina exhibiting apprehension on the twins being murderers. She doesn't doubt they are, she flat out admits it to Robin. She exhibits apprehension over allying with them because they are murderers of her countrymen and allies. Someone who has openly slaughtered and mocked the dead bodies of your cohorts in the name of your greatest enemy is probably not one to usually try to befriend. If I misinterpreted your point, I apologize. That's how I read it. Feel free to clarify otherwise.
Otherwise, thanks for reviewing again. Right back at ya! Youdabomb!
The Night Gaunt – Thanks, I figured it would be good to get a bit of Lucina's rational in there. She does have her reasons after all. The princess has been through lifetimes' worth of experiences and why she's so guarded about everything deserved to be explained. I'll apology for the pacing as well. It seems this really is just a slow-build sort of story. I appreciate the patience you all have with it.
I think that's a great comparison. Other Robin's actions are a reflection of game mechanics like soft resetting and whatnot. Comparing her 'experimenting' to players messing with supports and different game options is pretty accurate. Scary to think about.