#Inheritor of the Wind;Ced

[caraidean]

First Flirtations || Ced & Tine

Participant(s): Ced of Silesse, @sireneia / Tine

Words: 3,500

Type: C-Support

Summary: Ced saves Tine from a nasty fall, and finds himself with a genuine, deep attraction to her that neither expected to find. 

        MENTIONS OF WIND magic brings Tine’s mind to images of her brother excitedly talking about the home they had supposedly once shared. A bit of that love had rubbed off on her; how could it not when he seemed so happy speaking of Silesse and its affinity for the sky and all that made it up?

She’s thinking of that home as she squeezes her eyes shut, wondering if maybe in the afterlife if her mother is enjoying a place like that. Soon she could be joining her, she thinks— find out on her own. Tine hadn’t taken a step back into that wondrous land herself so she wouldn’t be able to recognize anything like it, only match descriptors, but she could learn to love it, she thinks.

She doesn’t get that chance— at least, not yet. Though she had been bracing herself for a horrible fall when the earth of the cliff cracked beneath her ( her fault for wanting a good last look at Alster but not knowing the lay of the land, what terrain was safe and what was not, due to her lack of… really going out anywhere ), there’s a curious floating sensation unlike anything she’s ever felt. Her eyes flutter open, her hands still clasped around the red pendant looped around her neck in a prayer that betrayed her thoughts, and the sky floods her sight.

The mage feels herself smile before she looks down and yelps. The fantastical feeling of flying wears off and she’s back to drawing inward towards herself in fear. She does notice the man who seems to be directing the wind, guiding her back to even ground again and it’s only when she’s standing back on her feet that she eases up, though her hands still remain closed tightly around her necklace.

“ I um… thank you. ” Her eyes hover over the tome in his possession, and she finds her voice again to ask, “Did you save me with that ? I’ve never been able to do anything like that with my magic… ”

Ced was having a hard time fitting in with the rest of the Liberation Army, if he could speak frankly. He’d spent the last several years alternating between working alone or leading his own group, only pausing for that brief allegiance with Leif towards the end of the last year. It had been a relief, certainly - finally getting rid of the sense of responsibility, the crushing self-doubt that had been following him around.

But something so mundane as scouting with two or three of the other members of the army? It just felt so strange to be doing this instead of lurking in a tent planning, or forcing himself to give some moral raising speech. He stood on the cliffs and sighed, looking back at Alster and feeling his eyebrow quirk up a little - and then he heard a sharp crack, and the starts of a scream. He whipped around, knowing instinctively what must have happened, and thrust out his hands–

Got her

Ced let out a sigh of relief when he ‘felt’ Holsety’s winds wrap around the girl, curving his fingers back into his palm and tugging her upright before setting her carefully back on solid ground. He extended his hands in case she needed to steady herself, but the poor girl seemed to be clutching her pendant too tightly to notice.

“It’s fine.” Ced assured her quietly, following her eyes to his tome. He shifted his cloak to cover it instinctively, before remembering what Seliph had told him - no more secrets. Not after the damage secrets had caused to their parents. So he reluctantly let her look, even tugging it out of his cloak and holding it in his hand.

“Holsety is…special.” He glanced at her hair and blinked for a second in surprise. “You…you’re from Friege, aren’t you? I would have thought you knew the Holy Weapons can do things most can’t.”

That came off as too aggressive, so he sighed and put it back in the pouch on his hip. “Are you alright? Sometimes the fright of a fall can cause as much harm as the fall itself. You’ve not gone into shock, have you?”

        THIS THEN MUST be Holsety. Legendary weapons truly were something else, that much Tine was aware, but to give humans the ability to defy gravity? Wind, in her mind, was either light or something that could cut your very flesh— so she had been warned as a mage proficient in thunder magic herself. But what Holsety just displayed to her was neither the gentle breeze nor the deadly tornado.

It was a tender strength she had never known ‘til now.

“ …Of course. ” She surely must have looked dumb with her question, and her throat feels as if it is closing up with her shame. Still, she can’t leave him without a response when she asks about her state— surely coming off as ignoring him would only make things worse for her. “ I’m fine. Sorry about the trouble I’ve caused… ”

Her head tilts down slightly, and she is about to keep herself in check, not to speak back or say anything more than necessary, until she remembers where she is now.

Memories of her apologizing to Seliph only for him to forgive her so easily flash through her mind. She didn’t need to fear as much as she had in days past. Her wavering gaze moves upward, back to try and meet Ced’s own. Perhaps Silesse’s prince would not be as surprisingly gentle as Seliph was, but he did save her. She did not imagine the wind that granted her both exhilaration and safety, and maybe she was deluding herself in hoping so, but she wanted to believe that that wind spoke for the man who controlled it– that he too could be kindand she need not fear him.

“ A-About earlier, um… what you were saying… ” She loosens her grip on her necklace, though her posture is still very much so reserved as she gathers the courage to speak again. “ I’ve seen Mjolnir a few times, yes. It is strong, can strike anything down and protects us… but it makes Ishtar a feared goddess. I’ve only seen Holy Weapons as things that can cut down people but you’re different. You saved me without bloodshed… Mjolnir can’t do anything like that. You and Holsety are something wonderful and… ”

You made me feel safe without being family.

She cups her hands over her mouth, that bravery seeping out of her rapidly now and her voice grows softer as she averts her gaze. “ I’m sorry. I said too much, didn’t I ? ”

“It wasn’t any trouble. You just…need to be more careful.” Ced said quietly, trying to reassure her. He paused and glanced at the poor girl walking behind him, slowing his pace so they fell into step together - although considering how much taller he was than her, his current pace was actually quite uncomfortable for him. He resisted the urge to just pick the girl up and carry her, either with Holsety or just physically.

She didn’t look like she weighed much. She looked…slight, and delicate almost. Ced’s brow furrowed for a second after realizing that, for the first time in a while, he was attracted to someone…outside his taste. Still, it would be incredibly poor form to start flirting with her now. If he could remember how to flirt in the first place.

Gods knew what his sister would do to him if she thought he was trying to pressure a poor girl after saving her life. So instead he focused on the conversation proper, listening to her slight rambling about Mjolnir and raising an eyebrow.

“I’m sure it could do something similar, if they just…experimented.” He said quietly after a few moments, unsure how to speak about Tine’s family. “All too often, people forget that magic doesn’t have to just be a weapon-”

And he found his words snatched away by her frantic apologies, Ced raising an eyebrow slightly in what was almost disbelief. Someone had done a number on this poor girl, that was for sure. Gods. What was it that he was feeling now? Not the surge of pure attraction from earlier, but…not quite pity, either. He didn’t know what to think.

“You didn’t say too much.” He assured her, quietly. “We have quite a distance left before we get back to camp. Please…keep talking.”

          HER FACE IS a canvas, one repeatedly painted in different shades of confusion every time that the male replies to her. She thinks her hunch at least was right however, that he could be kind. His voice is a foreign sound both literally and figuratively — a far cry from Hilda’s scoldings.

Tine realizes that she would very much like to continue hearing him speak that way to her, to draw out whatever gentleness she could from him, though she had not even the first idea of how to.

Somehow, his claim that magic ( besides Holsety ) doesn’t have to just be a weapon seems believable to her despite more than a decade of her life spent not knowing anything like it. She wishes she hadn’t cut him off, taking away that voice she so wished to hear more of right now.

How ironic it is that her babbling was what stopped it, yet she can’t make herself implore him to continue. She really does think she’s said too much now, though not because she’s offended him. If she’s done anything, it’s deprive herself of something nice.

“ …Okay. ” She inhales, trying to think of what even to say. She’s not used to this much freedom, but could she at least take this to mean he might not find her horrible to listen to? Could she be hopeful that he would talk to her again after they stopped today?

Ah. What was she doing, being so hopeful about this? Regardless of that, she was supposed to be filling in the lull between them now. It looks like she hadn’t blundered this as badly as she had initially thought.

“ I wonder… when you say that magic doesn’t have to just be a weapon… could even I be capable of that ? I don’t have anything special, ” she looks down at her Elthunder tome attached to her belt, an attempt at mimicking how her cousin wore her own holy tome, “ but… I would love to be as kind and dashing as you to others if I could. All I know is magic, and that’s about all of what I’m useful at. ”

Sometime along when she was sharing her honest thoughts, she had begun to break out in an unconscious smile. It was small, but it was definitely there and likely to grow as she said whatever came to mind from her heart.

“It doesn’t have to be a certain kind of magic.” Ced said after a few moments of quiet thought, considering her words. He’d always felt a need to use his to help people, one way or another - and perhaps wind magic was the second best inclined in that direction. Beside healing magic, his wind let him do a great deal for the common people, even before he discovered the sheer elemental force that Holsety brought with it - he had broken storms, carried supplies over chasms to build bridges, granted pegasus riders a tailwind to move faster. Holsety had amplified that…thousandfold. Thunder magic, however, proved difficult.

“If someone knows one kind of magic, they have two options.” Ced spoke carefully with these thoughts in his mind, falling back into step with her when he noticed he’d pulled ahead. Not by any deliberate design, just…the height difference that he was growing increasingly aware of. His legs were longer, so he walked faster.

It had been almost adorable, watching her suddenly up her pace to make sure she didn’t fall behind again. She was all…eager energy, a desire to speak and spend time with him. Or at least, that’s what he thought.

She was endearing - and he was a hopeless romantic at heart. He’d gotten that from his mother and father both, as much as he wished to deny it.

“You can learn a form of magic that might be more useful, outside of fighting.“He said, gesturing towards the cleric in their group. “Or you can think outside of the box, growing creative. In Silesse, during the winters, Fire mages are some of the most desired to help combat the chill that can set in. I’ve heard rumors in Thracia proper that Thunder and Wind mages have been trying to combine their magics to bring about rainfall, to try and fight the droughts that plague their lands. For my part, I can move supplies, break storms, hold back disasters…catch pretty women who stumble off of cliffs.”

He cursed himself for that last line, feeling himself slipping into how his father talked almost instinctively - but he looked over at Tine and smiled reassuringly anyway, nodding his head. “Just think about it. You can figure it out.”

    Two options, huh? Where some might find being limited to just two as restricting, it was very freeing for Tine on the other hand. It meant a choice, something to try and wrest, and from the look of things, neither option seemed terrible or utterly confusing! Difficult, perhaps, but if being helpful to others in ways she hadn’t been before was the consequence, then the price was more than worth it.

“ Thunder and wind mages working together… Southern Thracia must be full of very resilient people. ” Word of mouth was all she could rely on as a cooped up princess, and even then all she had heard of Thracia was how they were dogs that had no choice but to take the mercenary life to survive. It was always so derisive, sountrusting of them whenever there was commentary — to hear of the steps they were taking to help against their fates was inspiring in a way and so very personal in a way it had been lacking before. Her voice as she mused her thoughts out loud to herself had a dream-like quality, one that shattered when when her mind finally registered the rest of what her walking companion had said.

“ Oh… ”

Her heart skipped a beat. That… meant her, right? She was pretty? Honest to goodness? And as a woman and not just a cute child!

But as quickly as she let her thoughts run with her, they took a turn for the greener. Pouting a bit, she says with much delay, “ I bet you catch a lot of pretty women then. ”

It was dumb, and she’s unsure if the blush high on her cheeks at this point is due to the warm feeling from earlier or if it’s from her current shame at making such a comment. She speeds up slightly, a small attempt to run away from what she had just said.

"So far I’ve only managed one.” Ced was amazed that that line had worked at all, even if it had apparently struck her confidence. What had happened to the poor girl…were her guardians like his father was? Worse, even? From neglect to abuse?

He couldn’t dwell on it for too long, turning on his foot and deciding to clear the air. A hand reached out as he stepped down a ledge, offering her support, and when she took it he smiled at her.

“I hope you didn’t take any offense.” He said calmly, even as a part of his head started to scream at him. Gods help him, he was acting like his father - but he refused to play it out like he would. He wouldn’t toy with the poor girl’s heart. “But, yes…the Thracians are very resilient. Like you, from what I’ve heard.”

   She stops, face stuck in its beet red shock. Though she had been slow to realize at first the flirtatious implication of his words from earlier, it was like noticing them at all made her hyper-sensitive to any future thing he said.

Her timing is fortuitous with how they reach the ledge, and she gently lays her hand in his. Even if she had thought herself rather foolish for her little show of envy, she was no match for this downright princely gesture. His smile was just the icing on the cake really. The moment was so short, yet for that small time of support, she feels a little bit like a princess out of one of those tales she would read on her lonesome when her mother was too busy being the focus of Aunt Hilda’s wrath.

“ No, I didn’t… No offense taken, I mean. ” She bites her lip, unsure how to dissuade him with her meek voice. However that was not at the front of her mind. Instead, her thoughts lingered on where they were connected, and perhaps with more daring than she would have had at the start of their conversation, she moves her fingers to wrap around his hand and tighten their hold. “ Um, sorry to say something that won’t make me sound so resilient then, but… may I hold your hand until we get closer to camp? It’s a bit hard to keep up with your legs…”

In the end, it was a bit of an excuse, and maybe this was a bit much to spring onto him. He surely didn’t intend to lead things this way, did he? Yet here she was, being too clingy…

“Why not. It’s not that far.”

Ced gave her a gentle smile, squeezing her hand to assure her. He noted just how much shorter than him he was for the first time, a somewhat intrusive thought that made him raise an eyebrow and blink in surprise. She seemed so small, so…delicate. But she’d made it through a life which he could only assume…ah, well. He’d said that she was resilient. It might not be clear to the eyes at first, but there was something about what he could see past the nervousness in her eyes, something…

No matter.

Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to her…if the Magi Squad were here, they’d laugh at me for finally straying away from my ‘type’. I suppose it’s harder to get any more distant from tall, brash dark-haired warriors than a cute, tiny and timid mage girl. But…

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the camp came into view, letting go of her hand with a small amount of reluctance - before clearing his throat and coming to a stop, tugging lightly on her forearm to get her attention.

“Before we return, I…would like to see you again. Other than on patrol, if you’d allow it.” He smiled, although this one was a little more nervous, a little more wary. “I know a place in the next city, well, hopefully it survives the battle intact at least…I’d like to take you there.”

   Her worries prove for naught. She doesn’t dare lace her fingers through his but she finds herself content enough with the warmth of his hand meeting her palm. For a few minutes, she could live a little dream and maybe tell her brother about it– sigh in reflection of how she looked like a fool in front of a handsome hero within their army’s ranks.

The time is fleeting. Tine expects this, yet she still feels disappointment when his hand leaves hers. Her gaze falls back down to the ground until she feels his touch again beckoning her focus to him, both a little curious and a little afraid of what he could want to say.

“ …You want to? ” The emphasis falls on the second word, and it’s clear she hardly believes what she’s heard. When Ced continues, adding details to his invitation, she can picture this as more than just a jest or fantasy.

“ I’d… really like that. I promise you I’ll go! ” She realizes she’s raised her voice unintentionally, and she covers her mouth with her other hand for a few moments before releasing herself of worry. So what if she got carried away with her excitement there a little? She lowers her hand to over the center of her chest, revealing the smile that’s formed on her face now. “ Um, you can find me anytime. If I’m not doing something for Seliph or my brother at the time, that is. ”

She’s the one to put some distance between them now, but as she resumes her walk to the camp, she turns back to Ced and waves her temporary farewell, her heart feeling a little lighter than when she initially came out here.

[four-loose-screws]

FE4 Suzuki Novelization Translation (Gen II) - Chapter 15 (The Grand Finale!)

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———————————

Chapter 15 - Wind God Forseti

The entire text is under the cut for spoilers.

The war was over.

However, the storms of conflict had ravaged Jugdral twice in just twenty years, leaving huge scars across the continent. Reconstruction would probably take many times the amount of power needed to win the war.

Those who fought alongside Seliph, as well as those who now needed to bear the burden of reconstruction, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.

-

Shannan, who was next in line to become king, returned home.

By his side was the future queen, Patty. As the Sword Saint, Shannan was nearly always scowling, but that front cracked whenever he was talking to her. Even before the final battle, he was shy when he accepted the lunch she packed for him. The two will undoubtedly become a good husband and wife to each other.

-

Leif inherited the title of King of Leonster, but at the same time, many wished he would also take on the role of unifying the Thracian peninsula.

Those who went with him to Leonster were Finn, the knight who'd vowed to protect him ever since he was orphaned until the very end, and Nanna.

Nanna was in love with him, but because she was from Augustria, she'd told herself that she must part with her beloved when the war was over. However, when the time finally came, Leif took her hands in his, and passionately shared his desires for her to come with him. They too decided to marry one day.

Though Altena was of the Leonsterian Royal Family's bloodline, she returned to southern Thracia, where her memories of her beloved remained. There, it was decided that she would work with Leif to unite the peninsula.

-

Ares, together with the dancer Lene and his cousin Diarmuid, decided to go to Augustria, where the battle between the imperial army and the local liberation army still raged on. Ending that war and unifying Augustria was the next duty bestowed upon him. 

After he married Lene, he mellowed out. So long as they have the aid of the calm and collected Diarmuid, they will likely be able to carry out even the most difficult of their duties.

-

After the kingdom fell in Verdane, it had been taken over by bandits. The bow knight Lester traveled to those remote lands to establish a new government. By his side was the falcoknight Fee.

-

The six dutchies of Grannvale were inherited by their next in line.

The tactician and paladin Oifey succeeded Chalphy,

The wielder of Holy Bow Yewfelle, Febail, succeded Jungby, 

The axe knight Iuchar succeeded Dozel,

The mage knight Arthur succeeded Velthomer,

High Priest Coirpre succeeded Edda,

And the thunder mage Tinny succeeded Friege.

(Iuchar's beloved, Larcei, went with him as his perfect match; and it went without saying that Coirpre was accompanied by his adoptive father, Hannibal.)

And, of course, Belhalla was succeeded by Seliph, and he was crowned King of Grannvale at the same time. Lana, who'd fought alongside him from the very beginning, became his queen.

The inheritors of the duchies, and even the inheritors of the surrounding countries, all walked up to the new king, raised their swords, and swore their loyalty to him before leaving Belhalla. From that day forward, the Jugdralian continent would change from a land of power and fear, to one connected by a new bond of trust. 

-

The last person they said goodbye to was wind mage Ced.

"Seliph, I will return home to Silesse with Father. Thank you for everything."

"Yeah, you helped us out a lot! We'll never forget you!” Then, he turned to Lewyn. “And Lewyn, I don't know how I could ever thank you…"

"There's no need to, Seliph. Everything we accomplished was because of all your hard work."

"Now, Father, let’s…"

"No, Ced. I will not go to Silesse. You are the only one who can rule Silesse."

His father's unexpected words pushed Ced to put pressure on him to change his mind. "But why, Father!? The war is over. Please return home with me."

"No, I have played my part. Just like the other countries, Silesse must also be reborn. For that to happen, she needs a power of youth like yours."

"I don't understand. Silesse needs you, Father! Please, please, come back home."

"You've said more than enough. I don't want you to speak another word. Fee realized everything from the very beginning. You should have already as well. Isn't that right, Ced?"

"Father!"

"I won't say anything more. Now go! Silesse is counting on you!"

Ced bit his lip and stared at his father for a long while.

But when he realized that Lewyn's resolve was firm, he turned towards Seliph and bowed his head. "Then this means goodbye, Lord Seliph. Good luck. You too, Lady Lana… and you as well, Father…" With that said, Ced bowed his head deeply, then left.

"Seliph, Lana, though it pains me to leave, I am going to go on a journey."

"Where will you be going?" Lana asked.

"A bard has no set destination. I will travel wherever the wind may take me."

"Lewyn, thank you so much. You watched over me and guided me when I knew nothing. I am so grateful to you from the very bottom of my heart."

"I was merely fulfilling my duty. Silesse's royal family is one of wind mages. Wherever I am, I am there simply because the wind took me there. And you humbly took that wind in."

"I know that, Lewyn. And I also know that your true identity… is not really Lewyn."

"..."

"The Lewyn my father fought with really did die during the Battle of Belhalla. Some of the female soldiers survived, but all of the men died during that battle. So I wondered, then, why you are the only one they failed to find.

"You are actually one of the dragon tribes, most likely the god who made the pact with Crusader Ced at Darna Castle, and granted him the powers of wind magic. You knew that the path leading to Loptous' revival was opened at the Battle of Belhalla, and took Lewyn's form to try to stop it."

Lewyn did not deny Seliph's words, nor did he affirm them.

"I've heard that the dragon tribes fear participating in the human world. But you went so far as to break that rule to guide us. So long as this land exists, we will never forget all you've done for us. Lewyn… no… Forseti of the wind, and warrior of a distant land."

Lewyn raised an eyebrow and smirked. Then, he bowed in a manner fitting of a bard, and tried to leave the room.

"Wait, Lewyn!"

When Lewyn turned around, it was only just a little bit, but he looked uncomfortable.

"I want you to tell me one thing, Lewyn. Did you know that Arvis had given Julia the circlet? And were you trying to tell us that Manfroy hadn't killed Julia?"

The bard paused for a minute, then said, "No, there was no way that I could have known. I knew what the darkness' goal was, but none of the intricate details. All I knew was that even they had a weakness."

"And that weakness was?"

"That they do not sympathize with the human heart. And that you would have become proud of your own power."

"..."

"That if we did our best, then one day, that weakness would be revealed. I only believed in that. You did not win with power. You won because you are considerate and humble. That is why everyone stayed with you until the very end, despite how harsh the battles were. That will also be important for your future rule. You two should remember that."

The bard said, then waved his right hand to say goodbye. His gesture also conjured up a light breeze.

“One more thing, Lewyn! The bard in Peruluke, was he a dragon? Or…"

But the bard had already begun to fade away, little by little. He disappeared without giving an answer.

-

The Thracian Peninsula was unified.

The region, made up of many small countries and plagued by perpetual war, finally welcomed peace with the restoration of the Leonsterian Royal Family’s power and the death of the Kingdom of Thracia.

The first king of this new country was Leif, chosen by the people and their passionate hopes for him.

Leif entrusted Altena with the reconstruction of the territory that previously belonged to the Kingdom of Thracia.

Altena never left Thracia ever again. For the rest of her days, she protected the land she was raised in, as well as her memories of Arion, with a love so strong it would last her entire life.

-

The Kingdom of Isaach had been the first nation to be freed from the empire's oppression, but the inheritor to the throne was not there at the time, so the peoples' days were filled with uncertainty.

Because of that, they welcomed Shannan's return home. Once he was crowned, he worked tirelessly to rebuild his country, and proceeded to implement trade with the other nations. Isaach was previously called the barbarian land of the east, but the latter half of his rule achieved unprecedented development, and Isaach transformed into a rich land that rivaled the other countries.

-

After the civil war ended in Augustria and the country was annexed by Grannvale, it had been put under a strict, tyrannical rule.

Because of that, all of the people had wished for their own liberation army and the establishment of a new, unified country, and those wishes were directed towards the hero Eldigan and the Nordion Royal Family. They were wildly excited to welcome Ares home, because he reminded them of Eldigan in his youth.

Under Ares' rule, Augustria's reconstruction progressed quickly. After that was done, the country continued to develop as Grannvale's greatest ally.

-

Because Verdane was a remote country, the empire did not meddle into their affairs very much. However, after the death of their king, each tribe had gotten into disputes time and time again, public order was in distress, and thieves went around looting as if they owned the place.

Amidst all of that, Lester's homecoming, as one of the hero Prince Jamke's bloodline, gave the people courage, and many young people gathered around him. The war to unify Verdane ended in less than a year, and Lester was crowned king. He earned the cooperation of both Grannvale and Augustria, restored the lands, and returned Verdane to the country his grandfather Batu had created.

Verdane, the forested land of the lake… Where Sigurd’s prayers are granted in the beautiful greenery, and the clear water is made up of Deirdre's tears. Or so the people believe…

-

Silesse, which had long been under the empire's control, crowned Ced once he returned home, and poured its energy into restoring the country's utterly destroyed lands.

The people loved their beautiful land and peace that had returned to it. The kingdom that Lewyn had given his life trying to protect was finally trying to finish his work.

-

And so, Seliph, as the new king of Grannvale, poured his energy into restoring the country, bringing peace to the continent, and creating a rich world without discrimination or oppression.

Through it all, he was always accompanied by his queen, Lana, who was always snuggled up next to him and smiling; and Princess Julia, who always watched over him with a kind, warm gaze.

-

Many years afterwards, the people would say.

"Within Jugdral's history, there was a holy king.

His name was Seliph."

-

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - End

[caraidean]

"I have to be better than him." He croaked, visibly upset as his composure finally started to crack a little. He hadn't intended to mention his father in such a manner, hadn't intended to make his fears so clear. The blow to Arthur's shoulder had been a step too far, forcing Ced to withdraw and try to fight his own impulses back into control as he took a deep, shuddering breath to secure himself. "I can't - I need to help fight. I just won't be able to look myself in the eye if anyone else in my blasted family dies."

The ring in his breast pocket felt like it was burning a hole in his skin, the green-haired Silessian turning away from Arthur with tears in his eyes. He slowly shifted away from him, refusing to look back at the man from Friege as he sat on his cot, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I have to do something." He said after a few more moments of awkward quiet. "My father - he managed to avoid a massacre unscathed. I always thought he should have been able to save more people at Barhara. I don't know if he was cowardly or too untrained, but he fled the field with my mother instead. I think living with what happened there destroyed him - I don't want to end up like that, Arthur. More afraid and ashamed of myself and what I've done than caring about my own safety."

caraidean‌:

“It’s not a death quest-”

Ced growled, shoving Arthur’s arm back away when he thrust it out. He didn’t need help and he wouldn’t let the Friege heir stop him - he’d invested far too much in his life now to deal with that. His words struck another vein, sending Ced reeling for a brief second when Arthur suggested he needed time to rest.

“I can’t just sit by and do nothing again!” He raised his voice a little, not quite shouting as he tried to rein himself in and failed. “I don’t care that I can’t walk, I will not let anyone else die because I stood to the side! I grew sick enough of that in Manster!”

He made to shove past Arthur again, his palm impacting the silver-haired man’s shoulder and a light ripple of wind tearing at the clothes there as Ced’s emotions channeled through his divine weapon, threatening to lose control again. “I am not going to sit here and wait for a better time like my damned father!”

He’d stood his ground against the majorblood so far, firm and unflinching even when Holsety’s wind had started stirring the first time - but when Ced shoves at him once, twice - it is then that Arthur flinches, eyes squeezing shut for just a moment as he freezes. The only good thing about it is, with his muscles locking up and feet planting themselves more firmly into the ground in anticipation for another, heavier blow - he’s more of an obstacle that way.

Hopefully.

“I didn’t - you’re not your father,” he says, voice thick with emotion - worry, and just the twinge of fear - he swallows, takes a breath, and tries again, to keep it from actually cracking. “You’re not your father, Ced - but you are human. A majorblood, yes, but still a human, with human limits. You can’t be an infallible wall of protection for everyone, at all times.”

Somehow, his hands make their way to twist in Ced’s shirt, the distant logic thrumming through his head saying that if Ced was going to be physical with him, then he may as well grab right back. “Think, Ced, I am imploring you. If it were anyone else here in this tent, barely able to stand, with blood in their mouth - would you send them to the frontlines to fight?”

Arthur gazes up at the other man, eyes wide and imploring. “I would hope, with all your talk of saving lives and not letting others die, that the answer to that is no. Otherwise, I don’t think I know you - and I don’t think I’d want to.”

Slowly, his hands release their grip on the majorblood’s shirt, until they’re loose enough that Ced could easily pull away. Arthur glances down towards the floor and grits his teeth, unable to keep looking the other man in the eye, not with all these vulnerable emotions. “You shouldn’t be any different from that - and don’t argue holy blood and weapons and usefulness with me. You’re badly injured, and whether you think so or not, fighting on the frontlines would be like a death sentence.” He looks back up at Ced, one last, desperate glance. “And I’m not going to be the one who stands aside and lets you die.”

[nintendo]

A new Fire Emblem Heroes summoning event, Doorway to Destiny, has begun! It features Quan: Luminous Lancer, Lewyn: Guiding Breeze, and Silvia: Traveling Dancer.

Quan: Luminous Lancer Prince of Leonster and inheritor of the lance Gáe Bolg. Husband of Ethlyn, the younger sister of his close friend Sigurd. Appears in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Lewyn: Guiding Breeze Prince of Silesse. A descendant of Ced, one of the 12 legendary crusaders, and inheritor of the wind tome Forseti. Appears in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Silvia: Traveling Dancer A dancer who travels the world. She looks sweet, but she doesn't necessarily act that way. Descendant of the high priest Bragi. Appears in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Play Fire Emblem Heroes on iOS and Android today! https://fire-emblem-heroes.com/en/

[caraidean]

Ced & Ishtar’s Rivalry [Ishtar Survives AU]

In this blog's main continuity for Ishtar, she surrenders instead of following through with her original suicide-by-cop esque plan thanks to Tine's pleading. Moments before this, she was involved in an extended and vicious fight with Ced, one of the few people on the Liberation Army's side with the same level of Absolute Nonsense power in order to throw down with her effectively. The fight ended with Ishtar lowering her defenses and accepting her imminent death, but on several occasions she'd managed to wrestle the upper hand away from him - as a result, once Ishtar starts to pull herself out of her depression, the question of who would actually win that fight is raised again by a few mutual friends. 

Ced and Ishtar need to talk on a fairly regular basis, thanks to his marriage to Tine - it would be impossible for them to ignore the elephant in the room forever. As they manage to move past the awkwardness of the confrontation in their past, they never quite manage to become friends but they at least form a level of mutual respect and understanding for each other, as well as feeling a small, undying drive to get better with their respective Holy Weapons. 

For Ced's part, it's just a further extension of his insecurities regarding his status and his powers. He uses the Ishtar fight, the one time he almost lost a direct confrontation, as a measuring stick for his own abilities in combat above and beyond anything else (despite knowing that, for example, Julia with the Naga tome could absolutely wipe the floor with him - and Saias with Valflame is a similar situation). So he agrees to spar with Ishtar when they see each other, always under the nervous eyes of his wife and whichever healer is closest in the capital. 

For Ishtar, it's something she feels she needs to come to terms with. In her mind she needs to reclaim part of her identity again, being the unbeatable Goddess of Thunder, the one thing she was always sure of and secure in by her own creation until her 'defeat'. While in the final moments she lowered her guard to let him kill her, she was still overpowered in several other moments of the fight, leaving herself feeling unsure in what the actual outcome of the fight would have been. At first, that's her only reason to continue the fights - to regain control of another part of her identity, which is the majority of her character arc post-FE4. As time goes on she accepts herself again, and instead the spars continue so that she never loses a step in her abilities, rededicating herself to protecting her new family so that she wouldn't repeat her failures with Ishtore, Liza and her father again. 

To everyone else, it mostly looks like the two are stubborn and completely unable to let go of a fight that happened so many years ago. It does always produce a memorable spectacle for those who decide to watch, however, and with a record of 12-11 in Ced's favor nine years after the events of FE4, it's likely that they're never going to stop until one of them is no longer physically capable of participating.

[caraidean]

Plots Call - February

It’s time for the obligatory monthly “these are thread ideas I have for these characters, who’s interested” post

Cynthia

During FE13 / Platonic / Humor

Shortly after recruitment, Cynthia grows fed up with being teased over the Ruger incident, despite the man’s actual talent with disguises. She drags her comrades shopping, determined to prove that even she could pass for her father with a thorough enough costume. 

Mia

Between FE9 and FE10 / Platonic / Misc.

Mia adjusts to life with the Greil Mercenaries, reflecting on how strange it is to finally be settling down with a group. 

Early FE9 / Platonic / Serious Convos

Shortly after arriving in Begnion, Mia slips away to visit her parents for a few days. On returning she ends up being questioned about her disappearance, and eventually relents before opening up about her childhood.

Tanith

Immortal AU / Platonic / Angst

Shortly after the truth of what Sephiran did to her becomes clear, Tanith leaves Begnion for a short while - seeking refuge in another nation, refusing to speak to her ‘former’ husband over her anger at her transformation. Whoever granted her asylum tries to talk her around to being less actively angry at him over it. 

Modern / Platonic / Angst  

Forced to retire from the special forces following a horrific helicopter crash, Tanith tries to adjust to her new life - teaching gym at a prestigious boarding school, currently attended by the two underage heirs to the country in Micaiah and Sanaki. Frustrated with her turn in life and starting to deal with a painkiller dependency, she turns to a local community group in an attempt to start socializing again and find something else to do with her life.

Tana

Post FE8 [Ephraim Route] / Platonic (Tana/Eph Mention) / Angst

With her due to be wed to Ephraim in a few weeks, Tana takes to the streets of Renais to attempt to get to know her future citizens better. She returns to the castle slightly haunted by the suffering she saw, throwing herself into plans for charity work at the expense of sleep.

Igrene

Heroes / Family / Angst

Igrene, having seen many families that were once broken by violence reunite but with no sign of her own child or Gorlois, retires to the keep’s bar and bitterly vents with whoever proves sympathetic enough to listen. 

Ced

Late FE4 / Platonic / Serious Convos - Taken by @irewindrising​

Recuperating from his fight with Ishtar, Ced tries to leave the medical tent before fully healed. Whoever confronts him goes out of their way to make sure he stays, even as he tries to convince them to let him fight.

Ishtar

Near-End of FE4 / Platonic / Angst - Taken by @irewindrising

Ishtar’s attempt at a peaceful surrender goes south following her attempts to strike out at Shannan for Ishtore’s death, resulting in her imprisonment. One of the soldiers is taking her food, and discovers how broken she is at the time. 

Swanhild

Heroes / ??? / Humor - Taken by @gaileon​

Unused to being in the shadows of people who aren’t her parents or their friends, Swanhild feels the pressure of her much less significant contributions to history compared to the other Heroes present. She decides to challenge herself to a gauntlet, setting out to defeat the heroes in whatever their main talent is - tactics, swordsmanship, even magic if it comes to it. 

She’s in over her head.

[caraidean]

New Years Kiss Mini-Drabble Dump

Mia & Ike (@radiantxhero)

“One, two-” Mia stepped backwards, barely dodging one of Ike’s swings. She managed to slip past his guard, Ike’s blade shoving hers away as he expected a strike - instead of her lips crashing against his for a brief moment, her knife slipping up and bumping against his ribs.

“Happy new year! Also, I win. Round two?”

Tanith & Sephiran (@of-invisible-ties) -- Immortal AU

“I’m surprised we’re all still alive.” 

It was their curse, she supposed - immortal, to the end of everything else. She’d lost so much...but they still had each other. Even with everyone else buried. 

“I’m glad I still have you.” She confessed, pressing her lips to Sephiran’s in the quiet of the courtyard. “For a hundred years...and for a hundred years or longer more since now.”

Titania & Walter (@bloodthirstymoonstone)

“Bold bringing me to this so soon, hm?”

Titania’s eyes sparkled with rare mischief as she wrapped her arms around Walter’s waist, dipping the slighter man as she pressed her lips to his and pulled away after a long minute. 

“Happy new year, Walter. Good luck handling me, hm?”

Finn & Lachesis

“Lachesis...”

Finn sighed, staring at the picture of his wife. He pressed his lips to it briefly before turning back to the celebrating young children, smiling wanly at Eyvel as he stepped away and muttered under his breath.

“Happy new year.”

Nanna & Leif (@sireneia)

“And you set this up for me?” 

Nanna laughed at the lights in the sky, turning and pressing her lips to his in excitement. “You didn’t have to do this. Really. You spoil me...”

Ced & Tine ( @sireneia)

“I’m glad you agreed to this.” Ced said quietly, laying back in bed and pressing a kiss to the top of Tine’s head. He’d never enjoyed crowds - and getting to retire peacefully away instead of having to mingle with the others in Silesse’s crowded halls, retiring away with her in quiet was much better.

“I love you. Truly.”

Ishtar & Seliph ( @f-ortuity)

“Stand up quickly. Turn to them.”

Ishtar was giving him panicked, hissed instructions on how to act out the ceremony - mortified that nobody else had told the Emperor. Thankfully she had been through this at least three times before, and could walk him through it without blinking. 

“Wave. Smile. Turn away and-”

Ishtar’s voice stopped as she felt his lips on hers, freezing up before melting slowly into his arms and sighing. 

“That was...not part of it.”

Cynthia & Robin ( @fiat-ignem)

“Wow, I still can’t believe we got away to be alone.” Cynthia laughed, arms flung around Robin’s shoulders. She beamed, staring down at him with soft eyes before tugging him into a long, gentle kiss. 

She hated keeping their relationship secret. But moments like this...they were so sweet, either way.

“Happy new year, Robin. Being with you...it makes me feel special.”

Tana & Ephraim (@flamelance)

“We’re getting better now, aren’t we?” Tana pressed her lips to Ephraim’s once, and then two more times in rapid succession. She finally pulled away, beaming as she gestured out over Renais from the balcony at the gathered commoners. 

“They’re happy. Everyone’s happy, and safe. We’re doing better, right?”

Adult!Sanaki & Azel (@azelfire)

“Tradition is important.” Sanaki shrugged, an arm wrapped around her best friends’ shoulder. She knew the man was a hopeless romantic, even if she couldn’t return the same feelings. She pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth, the brief display affection enough for her as she stepped away.

“Happy new year, Azel. It’s strange to say, but...I feel like we can really start to make a difference this time. Don’t you?”

Clair & Alm (nobody i cry ;_;)

“Ah ah ah. Like I taught you.” Clair chided him. Alm let out a small groan, rolling his eyes before getting down on one knee and taking her hand in his, brushing his lips against her knuckles. 

Clair gave a soft smile, kneeling down to his level as well to press her lips to the surprised man and lightly laughing when she pulled away. 

“There. Happy new year, Alm.”

Mist & Jill (nobody i cry ;_;)

“It’s always so lovely out here.” Mist sighed, wrapping her arms around Jill’s waist. The two of them stood there in a quiet embrace, the quiet of the empty Retreat making them feel so alone.

“Happy new year.” Mist muttered, pressing her lips to her lover’s. Her brother might be gone, along with so many others...but they had each other, and perhaps that would be enough.

Catria & Marth

“I don’t deserve you.” Catria said quietly, ignoring the raucous of the Askran crowds as she pressed her lips to Marth’s quietly. Seeing herself, so many versions of herself...she was so glad that she could be happy in at least one. 

“I love you. I’m glad I could work up the courage to tell you.”

[caraidean]

all i could think while writing that last reply

Lewyn: Who are you?

Ced, halfway through sweeping Tine off her feet: I'm you but smoother

[caraidean]

Hair Headcanons

I missed assorted talk about hair this morning, so have this last-minute thing far too late. 

For the currently active roster. 

Tanith’s hair is actually incredibly smooth, kept well-maintained out of a strict sense of duty and somehow unharmed by the constant exposure to wind and sun that being a pegasus knight brings. It is, however, slightly dull instead of shining. 

Mia’s hair is incredibly straight as it gets long, but becomes unruly when short - resulting in her needing a headband to keep her bangs under control, but not so much for the rest of it. It’s also surprisingly resistant to split ends and the like. 

Ishtar’s hair is almost perfect, being easy to style and always looking healthy. There’s a surprising amount of volume to it, resulting in caring for it or styling it taking an impressive amount of time. 

Ced’s hair is more like his mothers than his fathers’, being far easier to control and much straighter. However, the actual shade of it is closer to Lewyn’s, and it has the same dull appearance as well. 

Nanna’s hair is bright and almost silky, and would be incredibly beautiful if she ever grew it out. However, she finds it gets in the way too much, keeping it in a range from her chin to her shoulders instead. 

Swanhild inherited her father’s hair color but her mother’s traits, resulting in silky and voluminous hair that she keeps deliberately thinned down and cut relatively short to avoid issues in combat or training - as well as to keep her visual similarity to her father first and foremost. 

Igrene’s hair is coarse and dull, damaged from a lifetime outside in the desert with a hair colour that isn’t necessarily conducive to such an area. As a result it becomes dry and brittle, with many split ends - and she’s long given up taking care of it beyond combing each morning and night, mostly out of habit to remove sand that may have gotten caught during her travels. 

Cynthia’s hair is naturally curly and unruly - resulting in her needing either pigtails or a short haircut to keep it under control without a massive amount of work each morning. It seems to keep a healthy shine no matter the rest of her physical state. 

[caraidean]

Plotted Starter for @nonpareiltactician

"I never meant to."

Ced's voice was quiet as he knelt in front of the altar, his eyes sunken and bloodshot. The prince rested his forehead in one hand, his light breathing filling the room as he shuddered with the cold. He didn't even know why he was here, why he'd just stormed out of the inn that the Magi Squad had been laying low in for the last few days. 

Well, he did know. But it wasn't a truth that he wanted to accept. If anything he'd been hoping that the images caught in his mind now would be cast aside, his mother's pleading voice fading from his ears as it kept echoing inside his mind. He'd failed to find his father in time. He'd failed to return home to her when she was dying, despite swearing that he'd be better than him. He was failing to stop the empire, he was failing to save lives-

"I should have gone home." Ced's voice grew sharper, the hand that had been resting on his forehead suddenly lashing out and punching the stone of the altar. He felt his knuckles crack a little, the sudden lash of pain making him hiss as he tucked the wrist against his chest and squeezed his eyes shut. 

"What am I meant to do?" He asked as he opened them again, staring at the windows and the tapestries both in disbelief. He'd never been a religious man, never had the tongue for prayer or the kind of heart that believed in a Divine power. But he'd been sent spiraling into despair, his perceived failures and the haunting images of his mother's ghost starting to send him mad. He'd been brought here by desperation, and didn't know what to do next. 

Ced had never felt so helpless before. For someone with the kind of power at his fingertips he had, the feeling was alien and more deeply terrifying than he could have imagined. But he was snapped from his spiral by the sound of footsteps, standing abruptly and turning to look at the approaching...priest? He had never been good at identifying iconography or symbols such as that of the clergy. 

"Forgive me, father." He said automatically, trying to compose himself while keeping his hand cradled to his chest. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

[caraidean]

azelle: you're sure you're lewyn's kid?

ced: yes

azelle: ...how?

ced: i ask myself that question every day

[caraidean]

WENT DOWN IN HISTORY for ced!

WENT DOWN IN HISTORY- Your muse’s story is passed down through the ages, sometimes being stretched or exaggerated in places until it becomes a legend told in storybooks and campfires as poems, tall tales, etc.

A small, strangled noise escaped Ced’s throat as he stared at the open book in his hands. Next to him Sumia hovered awkwardly, the pegasus knight taking a few timid steps forwards and poking him in the shoulder.

“Are you okay? Did they…get something wrong?”

“In…broad strokes, no. Not really.” Ced relented, even though he still felt vastly - incredibly - embarrassed by what it was claiming he’d accomplished. Even if parts of it were true - well, fine. Most of it was true, but the way it was put was just…perhaps he’d have been better off doing what most of the others who came to Askr did and not asking about how they were seen later in life.

“Was the love triangle really necessary? Larcei’s going to kill me if she finds out.” Ced griped, getting a nervous laugh from Sumia. He sighed and shook his head, closing the book and handing it back to her with his own chuckle. “Thank you for showing me, Sumia. At least I’m remembered fondly, if at all.”

“Just one question, though.” Sumia said after a few moments, getting a questioning glance from Ced as he gestured for her to continue. “About Manfroy…did you really bring down the building on him and his twenty priests after you found out what he’d done to your father?”

Ced frowned and rubbed his temples. “No…no, there were only five minions, and it was really Fee who finished him off…actually, I wish I had brought the roof down on him. Damn.”

[caraidean]

🗣+ Erinys and Ced pls

Send me 🗣+ the names of 2 muses on the blog, and there will be a random conversation written involving them. || Open

Takes place in my still-not-finished ‘Ghost of Silesse’ au

“I’m sorry.” Was all Ced could choke out, on his knees in front of the throne. Erinys stared down at her child, pity and love in her eyes as one hand rested just above his shoulder. 

“Don’t be.” The ethereal being said quietly, kneeling next to him as well. She hesitated before resting her hands on him properly, the semi-corporeal matter she was made out of since her death unnaturally warm. Ced glanced up at her, confused as he choked out his own words.

“But I left you here. I went looking for father and then I got - I looked for anything to do instead of come back here. I deluded myself with lies that I was doing it for the good of the people, and- I’m no better than he was!”

“You are.” Erinys said sharply, catching her son off guard. One green hand shifted, wiping tears away from her son’s eyes, the ghost trying to comfort her child as much as she could. “Ced, I love your father, but when the two of you ran from your responsibilities - he did it for himself, and had to learn the hard way. You helped people, and I am so proud of you for that.”

“I couldn’t be here when you died.” Ced said miserably, pressing his forehead against his mothers. The specter closed her eyes and pressed one hand to the back of his neck, rising to her feet and bringing him with her. 

“I wish you had been. But...”

“...you can’t let your regrets rule you forever. You might have been running from what you were meant to do - but you did something greater instead. There’s no shame in that.”

[caraidean]

i just got off work and my brains are a bit scrambled, but here’s a thought i had on the bus anyway - Ced’s a very specific blend of Erinys and Lewyn’s personalities and motivations when you first meet him in FE4. He’s dodging his responsibilities out of a fear of being a let down or not talented enough, much like Lewyn did - but rather than becoming a bard and running away, he’s trying to bury himself in helping other people so he doesn’t have to think about what he’s doing or the damage he’s causing himself, like his mother post-Lewyn’s departure. It’s like he’s trying to build up a wall of being a selfless, ‘good’ person fighting for the ‘little guy’ so that he doesn’t have to confront the arguably more important responsibilities he’s left behind, or the family his absence undoubtedly hurt

[caraidean]

× ceeeeeeeeeed

× what does your muse smell like? what perfume/cologne are they using?

Ced shies away from perfume or cologne, even after the world settles down from the events of FE4. But the man is so closely linked to wind as an element through Holsety, that unless he’s almost drenched in sweat he’s got this vague scent of cut grass lingering around him most of the time. 

[caraidean]

👍 & 👎 for ced about lewyn!

Multimuse Grape Vine || ClosedSend 👍 for something Muse A likes about Muse B

“...a hard question.”

“I heard him sing and play his flute many times as a child - he certainly chose a good career as a bard. I don’t know if he still has those talents, but from what I remember he was quite talented.”

Send 👎 for something Muse A dislikes about Muse B

“He has no sense of loyalty, not truly.”

“He abandoned Silesse as a young man, and then he abandoned my mother, Fee and I. He is self-serving and moves to avoid pain, no matter how much his actions cause.”