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Snippet #2789519

located in Fódlan, a part of Fire Emblem: Apotheosis, one of the many universes on RPG.

Fódlan

A continent divided into three different factions: The Adrestian Empire, The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Leicester Alliance.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Senka Rinaldi Character Portrait: Amalthea von Kreuz Character Portrait: Mercer von Riegan Character Portrait: Vridel von Hresvelg Character Portrait: Sorcha Blaiddyd Character Portrait: Jeralt's Journal
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I.Y. 1181 - Lone Moon - Tuesday the 9th
Garreg Mach - Late Evening - Clear
Sorcha Blaiddyd


How?

How had the evening gone from what they'd all planned to this?

Part of Sorcha still refused to accept the reality of it. Could not reconcile the fact that mere hours ago she'd been trying to distract Mercer from his surprise birthday party and now... now she was holding her best friend in her arms, numb with the knowledge that their teacher was dead, Lady Rhea was a dragon and possibly also dead, and that within the hour the Imperial Army would storm into Garreg Mach and probably kill anyone left inside.

Lady Lyanna was doing her best to direct the evacuation—there were many secret tunnels and chambers beneath the monastery which would apparently aid in this. Some number of knights would have to stay behind to officially surrender. If that surrender was accepted, that would be one thing, but... it was most likely that those knights would be staying behind to die.

She exhaled a shaky breath, rubbing Sen's back. She was well aware that there was nothing she could do for her friend right now. She doubted her physical presence even registered much, if at all, but all she could do was not leave her alone. And if that was the case, well... she would make sure Senka wasn't alone.

“I have to go out there," Vivi said, looking grim. He had several scabbing wounds from the battle, evidence that powerful healing magic had been applied to him—probably Lady Lyanna's. “I'm immediately recognizable, and the Death Knight aside, imperial soldiers aren't going to just attack me if I announce myself. Maybe I can take over the army, slow them down... at least make sure they accept the surrender."

Thea immediately shook her head. “What if they don't? What if they just take you, instead, and still attack us? There's no... there's no guarantee that they'll do that," she stated, her eyes red as if she'd been crying, as well.

“He has to try, though, Thea. Even if it's to stall them for an hour longer, that would mean more time to evacuate everyone safely, and... and for everyone to decide who gets left behind to surrender," Mercer spoke, his voice eeriely calm for the situation. He too, looked to be dealing with the loss of the Professor just as much as the rest of them.

“I'll stay behind," Senka spoke so softly that it was almost as if she didn't speak at all. Sorcha was close enough, however, to hear the words.

“You're not allowed to, Senka. You need to ensure Sorcha gets out alive with the others," Mercer spoke, perhaps harshly, but his eyes were soft in understanding. Senka merely lifted her eyes to meet Mercer's, but Sorcha could see there was little behind them.

“Is that it, then? Are we just... are we just going to abandon everything and let them win!?" Thea nearly shouted. Mercer shook his head, though.

“No, Thea. We live so that we can gather what resources we can to fight back. We can't do that; not now as we are."

“The young Lord is right." That was Lady Lyanna. She placed a hand on Thea's shoulder. “I hate this as much as any of you do, but it would be completely pointless for all of us to die here. Those of you with countries to lead especially must escape; I do not believe these people intend to stop at Garreg Mach. It could be that even now Faerghus and the Alliance are in gave danger—and you might be our only chance of delaying that fate." The last, she said to Vivi, who nodded.

“I understand. Thea, Lady Lyanna... if you prefer to escape with the others, I understand. But if you're willing to take a chance on me, to wait just a little longer... I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure those who surrender, survive." He pushed a breath out through his nose.

“Foreign royalty and nobility, however... I don't think I'd be able to convince them to do anything less than imprison you, if that. The rest of you need to get going. I'm... I'm sorry. If I'd just been—"

Sorcha shook her head fiercely. “This isn't your fault, Vivi. It's not any of our fault, but... we're the ones who have to make it right, now." Because no one else was going to.

“I'm not going anywhere, Vridel von Hresvelg. For better of for worse, I'm going to always be by your side. No matter what," Thea spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly in Vivi's direction. Sorcha could feel Senka tense slightly at Thea's words, but she merely kept her gaze forward, as if seeing nothing at all.

Mercer nodded his head in agreement, though. “Sorcha's right; none of this is anyone's fault but... Thales. We need to make things right, and the only way we do that is if we all survive," he spoke, his eyes softening in Sorcha's direction before he glanced away.

“If you're planning on staying, Thea, then take care of Vi. He'll need you more than ever, now," Mercer stated. Thea responded with a firm nod of her head as he turned towards Sorcha. “We need to get going, then. Sylvi, Devon, Sofia, Deirdre, you're coming with us, too. You're not staying behind," he directed the statement towards the others. Sylvi looked slightly hesitant but nodded her head. Deirdre merely stared at Mercer before she too nodded.

“Understood," Sofia said. Her voice was calm, but her face lacked its usual level expression. “I suppose... there is not time for lengthy goodbyes, but... it was an honor, all of you." She pursed her lips, then shot a look at Deirdre, Devon, and Sylvi.

“We'll prepare the mounts." She looked to Lady Lyanna for a moment, but the other woman's nod was immediate.

“Please—take them. I regret that I cannot give you more promise of safety than that." She gave them all a solemn look. “You have all endured so much already—he was so very proud of you." A call of her name forced her away—it seemed Manuela needed her help with more of the injured.

Sylvi, Sofia, Devon, and Deirdre left, too, presumably to ready for the departure like they'd said.

“Thea," Sorcha said softly, nodding slightly at where she still held Sen. “Could you—for a moment? I need—I need to talk to Mercer." And as much as she loved her friends, what she had to say was for his ears alone.

“Of course," Thea stated as she moved towards Senka. Softly, she wrapped her arms around Senka's shoulders. Senka merely looked like she barely even registered what was happening, and Thea nodded in Sorcha's direction. “I'll do what I can; you go talk to Mercer," she stated, already white magic at her fingertips as she applied it to Senka's temple.

Mercer, however, arched a brow at Sorcha, though his brows were furrowed. “We should make this quick, Sor," he spoke softly, placing a hand on her cheek before he dropped it to his side.

He was right, of course; that didn't make it hurt any less when he said it. Pursing her lips, she took his hand and led him a little away from the group so they'd have privacy. As much as they could get in a situation like this, at least.

She swallowed thickly. “I know there's no stopping this now," she said softly, her voice cracking. Some part of her almost reflexively looked down, but she wouldn't—couldn't—tear her eyes from his face. She wanted to burn it in her mind forever, the way that for as weary as they both were, as grief-stricken as they both were, they were at least alive. She thought—she thought maybe she could get through anything, as long as she knew he was alive somewhere.

“I can't ask you to promise to live," she murmured. Much as she wanted to, much as she wanted to hear him promise it, she knew it wasn't in him to pretend something like that was true when he didn't know for sure. He might tease and prod, even mislead sometimes, but he didn't lie or deceive. Not to her. “But I... I need you to." And she needed to do everything she possibly could to make sure it would be so.

Reaching up to the clasp at her neck, she undid the necklace, extracting the engagement stone from its place beneath her shirt, against her heart. “This has always brought me good luck, you know," she said softly, half smiling in a wry sort of way. Even now, she could look at his eyes, the same vivid color as the stone, and it felt like everything else all but ceased to exist. “And I don't even believe in luck, really. So—so until we meet again, I want you to have it back. So it can protect you."

She extended it towards him.

“No," he spoke abruptly as he pushed her hand back towards her. “Like you said; it gives you good luck, whether or not you believe in it," he continued, his eyes calm and narrowed. They softened, though, as he brought up his hand, back showing towards her where the ring he'd had fashioned from the geode, rested. “I have my own good luck charm from you, remember?" he spoke softly, taking in a deep breath.

“I want you to keep that, so that you'll always remember my promise to you. That once all of this is over, once all of the territories are under control, that I will come back for you. That is my promise to you. Even if I have to transcend death in order to be with you, I will come back. I don't... I don't plan on breaking your heart like that, Sorcha, like..." he paused abruptly and swallowed thickly.

“I want you to know that I love you. No matter what, I. Love. You. So... stay alive, and... when we meet again we can fulfill our promise," he stated, smiling wryly at her.

Part of her wanted to insist, to make it so that he had to take it, because she was so afraid of what could happen that even the loosest and most superstitious of protections were the kind of thing she needed to heap on him.

But she couldn't—not when he said it like that. Sorcha swallowed thickly. “I love you, too," she whispered, like it was a secret. But then there was no holding it back anymore, and she wrapped him in a hug, still clenching the stone tightly in her hand. She wanted to kiss him, but some part of her knew that if she did that just now, it would break her, make her long too keenly for things that could not be. It would also feel too much like an end, and she couldn't let it. Not even a little. Because she was terrified that the moment she turned even one more page in this—in them—it would somehow turn out to be the end of the story, and she couldn't bear it.

“Don't die," she whispered. “Don't leave me." Her eyes blurred, hot and stinging with tears, but she refused to let them fall. He was the only one allowed to wipe them away, and so she could not cry again until they were reunited. Until there was time enough for him to soothe them, and time enough for everything else that still lay between them.

“I won't die, Sorcha. I'm not going to leave you. No matter what," he spoke gently, placing a kiss on top of her hair. He hugged her tighter, as if he were afraid of letting her go, too. But he pulled back, holding her out in front of him at arms length, and smiled at her.

“It won't... it won't be forever, you know. And you have to promise to stay alive, too. You're not allowed to die, either. Just... I'm always going to be with you, Sorcha. Look at the gem whenever you feel lonely, and I promise you, I'll be there. And here," he stated, placing two fingers gently over her heart.

“Take care of yourself, alright?"

“I will," she swore. And in the moment, she truly believed herself. “I'll stay alive, Mercer, I promise I will. So don't waste your time worrying about me, okay?" She placed a hand over his heart, too. He had to be able to feel the way hers pounded, furious as always, just because he was near.

He huffed lightly as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and smiled at her. “Don't blame me when I do, alright, love?"