A little bird told me...

“I… regret it all…” He shrinks in on himself, shame washing over him in waves. Guilt will always tear at him, but it was meant to be his burden to bear- not hoisted onto others. How else would he understand the true weight of his sin?

So why do these tears still flow?

“You should, Goddess…” Words spill unbidden to one of two he could offer all his woes to, even if he should not. “I am not like you- it is so difficult to change.”

He is still weak, after all that has occurred. All the second chances granted to him only for him to fumble, letting others take the fall. The loss and regret- the blood that still flowed and the heart that still beat, the miracle that was life that she had granted him again and all the mistakes he had made with it-

Beorc, Laguz, they were always full of contradictions. They made mistakes, they regretted them, they repeated them. Change would make sense, but it was rarely so easy. 

Of course, a god was not exempt from this. Ashunera loved her creations, yet her sorrow killed more than the wars that gave her grief. Splitting herself in two only exposed her flaws. Yune and Ashera were born of the same being, but Ashunera’s contradictions meant they would never see eye to eye. 

Though they would one day be whole once more, the separation brought relief. So Yune could scarcely imagine the agony Sephiran must feel, with no sight of relief. 

Yune believed in him because it was her nature to do so. It was Ashera’s nature to destroy imperfections, so she Yune must accept and forgive them. 

So she would let him cry for as long as he needed. Perhaps he would find it in himself to change. Perhaps one day, he would consider himself worthy to stand by Ashunera’s side once more… 

Perhaps he wouldn’t. 

But she would stand by his.

The routine of helping with the med tent during this year’s Battle of the Eagle and the Lion was a comforting one; especially, after everything that had happened with Pasithee.

She had enjoyed her time fighting for the Black Eagles last year, but now any thought combat - even in good sport – made her stomach curl.

She focused on being in the here and now, and teaching steadying breathing techniques to any of the newer students, still shaky, who needed such lessons. Things were alright here, and she was in good spirits.

Though upon passing one of the tent’s cots and seeing a familiar shock of red hair Micaiah wondered if she had been caring her herself properly. Surely, she was just seeing things; surely this could not be –

“Yune?”

Micaiah bends down to take a look at her, although it’s clear she’s already been seen to; she holds a hand out, and then wavers. She has never touched Yune in her non-avian form before, never had the chance.

“I’m fine now.” She says, brushing off her concern. “It was an interesting experience, but not one I am eager to repeat.” 

And that was quite enough of that. She did not need to worry Micaiah with the details of her injury. 

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐑 !

rivalries are put aside, and camaraderie takes their place. and for the golden deer, pulling neck and neck with the eagles and lions despite having the fewest contestants in the ring is all the reason to celebrate! or so rosado and hortensia thought. at the post-tournament grand banquet, the elusian pair have set up a golden deer corner, complete with yellow and cervid decor and drapery, and both hosts arrayed in house colors and face paint. "three cheers for knoll! three cheers for hilda! three cheers for eliwood!" "fear the deer!" a celebration lifting up the class heroes who'd carried them from underdog into the spotlight, and for all the deer who cleared the way valiantly to let them get there: —hip-hip hooray!

FOOD & DRINK:

—  CUPCAKE DECORATING  ╱  from yellow-sugar icing to pretzel antlers to cookie toppings shaped like deer, there's no shortage of supplies to make your cupcakes look any which way you want.

—  CARAMEL MERINGUES  ╱  a triple layer of chocolate and caramel in glass containers, tied off with a bit of string attached to a spoon. perfect to grab and take with you, or feed to a loved one.

—  DOE POPS  ╱  cake pops shaped like deer heads! and something sticking out of each one. a paper fortune? what does yours say?

—  GOLDEN SPICE CIDER  ╱  a warm and buzzy autumnal drink, perfect for the season and sure to banish any chills. both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties available.

—  CROUCHING CHOCOLATE, HIDDEN STAG  ╱  a culinary minigame? a table is arranged with a terrarium-like miniature woodland display, complete with moss, trees, golden deer flags, and a herd of deer themselves. one item in this display is made of chocolate. how many things are you willing to bite to find which one it is?

ARTS & CRAFTS:

—  THIRTY-POINT CROWN  ╱  craft your own glorious headpiece with paint, twigs, and twine to show off your deer pride! who can boast the most impressive rack? ( of antlers, duh. what were you thinking? )

—  WOOD CARVING  ╱  for the dexterous and crafts-minded, a setup with display and instructions to carve your own wooden deer to take home. organizers are not responsible for injuries.

—  DEERLY BELOVED  ╱  a stack of deer-shaped paper and pens greet you. "write a compliment and stick it onto its recipient!" the instructions say. if you're fast, maybe they won't even know it's you.

—  READY-TO-PAINT CERAMICS  ╱  a station of unfired bowls and plates and small vases invites you to decorate them however you want! several stencils are provided for the uninitiated, or you can go where your hart takes you.

—  DECORATE A FRIEND  ╱  from washable paint to stick-on sequins, glitter bombs and pinnable deer tails. find a willing victim to array in deer spirit — or make one.

GAMES:

—  FÓDLAN CHESS  ╱  a traditional strategy board game using a triangle-shaped board that can be played by two to three people. the objective is to be the first to move all your pieces to one of the other corners by jumping over your opponents' pieces. are you up for the competition?

—  LIMBO  ╱  everyone knows that being a deer isn't just about strength or smarts, but flexibility. challenge mode: wear an antler crown while playing, and don't let it fall off your head!

—  ANTLER TOSS  ╱  you have five tries to land as many rings on the tines as you can for a prize. if a friend is willing, they can wear the antlers on their head for you to aim at instead!

—  DEER PONG  ╱  the classic party game, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. some say that the non-alcoholic one misses the point of the challenge, but at least it lets everyone play, right?

—  HEADLOCK  ╱  in a classic show of strength, stamina, and bravado, it's time to wrestle like the stags do! put on a headdress of real oaken antlers ( not light, that ) and lock heads with your opponent to throw them to the ground! no use of other body parts or implements allowed.

GUIDELINES:

reblog this ask meme to indicate that your muse is participating! anyone who's reblogged the meme is automatically accepting asks, so no need to double-check. 　

please be mindful of not only waiting for interactions to come to you, but try to be proactive about sending to others too. it's not quite polite to always expect others to do the work! 　

muses from any house are welcome! it's a celebration meant for everyone. 　

It's a new month at the monastery, and with that brings new hopes, dreams, and whispers. Not that Finn is interested. It's mostly for the students who scuttle back and forth from classes and linger in the hallways, eager to learn anything they can. He can understand, in a way, the immaturity and freshness of youth. As a fruit ripens the colors grow brighter and sweeter. But such a thing is long past him. He is only an observer. 

The monastery comes to him with a new course to assist with. Luckily enough, he does not have to teach the entire escapade by himself, only to help out. A breath off his shoulders to be honest. The knight is busy enough as it is and hardly has a desire to instruct...Finn narrows his eyes at the parchment.

A rock-smashing competition.

A hand is thrown up in the air in frustration. Where does the monastery get the idea for such foolishness? He thought these children were being prepared for the likes of political will and war! But whatever. The knight grabs the few things he needs and heads over to the scene.

Armorered gloves had been handed out and Finn watches various students attempt to smash the surface. What idiocrasy. Is that going to save their lives? His eyes wander across as students compete and laugh and then land on a little girl who is armored up as well.

Is she not....out of place? Finn knew that the monastery housed quite a variety of strange people but she was a little girl every way you looked at it, right? Her chestnut curls cascaded down simply and a small smile laid on her face. Even if she was nobility, this was a very harsh task to undertake for one so young. She was remarkably small for a student enrolled here. How would he feel if Nanna was doing this at that age?

"Do you need help?" Finn asked, leaning his awkward posture slightly lower. "Don't push yourself to complete the activity if you can't. There's no weakness in understanding what you can and cannot do." 

But that doesn’t mean she can’t try! 

The people running this rock smashing event seem to agree with her. Each of them, with muscles as big as her head, smile down at her, telling her “You’re a gutsy kid.” and “Do your best out there!” as they help her strap on her tiny gauntlets. They give her a quick run-down of how to not break her hand as she punches, and tell her she’s free to ask for help with her stance.

For now, she wants to give it a shot on her own. Clearly, she will not be able to smash the biggest boulder. It is possible she will not be able to smash any boulders at all. She starts on a piece of debris from another warrior’s attempts. It’s vaguely spherical, with a diameter of about Yune’s wingspan (in bird form, obviously). 

As she’s about to punch it, a blue-haired man approaches her. He doesn’t seem like the rest of the instructors here, but there’s a clear energy of authority. “I’m fine, I think.” She smiles at him. She appreciates the care, but doesn’t think she needs it right not. Would this be fun if she weren’t pushing herself? She winds up her fist. 

Three! Two! One! Punch! 

The rock remains intact, as Yune thought it might. Some of it was chipped away, where her gauntlet connected, but it is far from the triumphant result she was hoping for. 

“Dheginsea, G-” He catches himself, making his way over as he calls out to them. Just Yune, now. The arrow he was shot with still in his hand, but quickly discarded in favor of grabbing a roll of bandages. “Yune. Are you alright?”

It was a mock battle, so none of the injuries sustained should be life threatening, but still one could worry, seeing the state of the both of them. He gestures towards a makeshift cot, already eyeing both of their conditions. 

He tuts, handing the dragon a small swatch while he turns his attention to the Goddess. “Hold that against your side, first, to stop the bleeding.”

Bandages were unraveled and brought to temporary use before the nurses were able to arrive. Not perfect, but serviceable. “Why, what happened out there? I had expected you to last at least another round.”

“So, you’re alive.” She turns to the man, dropping all pretence of being an ordinary girl. “I must thank you for carrying me here, despite your injuries…” Perhaps a ‘it’s good to see you’ or a ‘how are you alive?’ would be appropriate, but Yune does not find the words, finding herself increasingly unable to ignore the pain in her chest. 

She turns to Sephiran. “I am… not doing well.” The bleeding was not as bad as it had been, but she would not be fine until a healer arrived. “I entered this tournament to support my house, and to try and understand why people enjoy these war games…” She sighed. “But I cannot understand it.” 

“There was a boy, an archer. He shot me with his bow, so I attacked him with my magic. He looked horrible, as if he were going to freeze to death, and I had done that to him…” They all knew it was far from the worst thing she’d done, but it still felt wrong. “If he had been a real enemy, had I no choice, I would be able to accept it. But he wasn’t.” 

She does not know if her words make sense, and it is unfair for a goddess to thrust her feelings onto mortals, even if these men are less mortal than most. 

Someone’s eyes opened, and they were greeted by the face of a long-lost friend. (Friend, enemy, it was difficult to tell.) Dheginsea, King of Goldoa, one of Ashera’s three heroes, was carrying them in his arms. They did not turn their head, so it was difficult to tell where they were, their eyes remained transfixed on the dragon.

Is this another memory?

Yune did not feel like she was in her body. That was right, she’d been knocked unconscious by that girl’s axe… perhaps this was a dream. It was her first battle in this form, perhaps this was what people went through when they put their lives on the line.

I wonder whose memory I’m in now…

Dheginsea looked down at them. If he said something, Yune did not hear it. She was lost in thought at this vision. When she’d last seen this man, he’d given up his life in service to Ashera. The man above her seemed different, kinder perhaps.

Yune blinked a few times, feeling her senses return. She could feel the large arms around her, the sounds of battle all around. She felt a sharp pain in her chest. Yes, the axe…

For a moment, Yune dared to think this was reality. But it couldn’t be, that old scalebag was dead… wasn’t he?

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm useless-- Oh, fine."

She sighed. Quick as a whip, she launched towards the opposing Eagle and slashed her blade upwards in a precise, deadly motion.

Hilda 5/5HP critically hits Yune 3.5/6HP with Iron Axe [Roll: 20; -7HP] Yune 0/6HP

The resounding blow reverberated up her arms. The child flew, oddly birdlike, backwards and came crashing down with the full force of gravity. She did not rise again.

Yune has been defeated!

It is this false confidence, perhaps, that leaves her open to the girl's attack.

Hilda 5/5HP critically hits Yune 3.5/6HP with Iron Axe [Roll: 20; -7HP] Yune 0/6HP

Yune is reminded of those warriors back in Tellius, able to take out soldier after soldier in a single hit. Yune does not think she can die, but she cannot continue this battle.

Hopefully... someone will... carry her to the...

m o r t i f i e d.

She had missed her swing on a man frozen still...! Please, O please-- I beg that Rosado and Hortensia didn't see--!

Wait. Get ahold of yourself, Goldmary. She is not yet beyond redemption. She calms, studies the field, nods curtly as Nel directs them once more.

"On it!"

There. The mysterious one in the mask, currently positioned across from her. She would seize the opportunity in true Elusian fashion - with flair and aplomb.

Goldmary 6/6HP critically hits Niamh 5/5HP with Armorslayer [Roll: 18; -3HP] Niamh 2/5HP

The smile she flashes as she strikes speaks to something behind her docile façade. She hasn't gotten this far just by being a pretty face!

(...Although it most certainly has not hindered her progress any.)

From here, she could counter the woman who'd just attacked her, or attack the archer again.

He readied an arrow. Yune readied her spell.

Yune 3.5/6HP hits Fogado 5/6HP with Blizzard [Roll: 11; -1HP] Fogado 4/6HP Fogado 4/6HP has been inflicted with Freeze.

"Hello..." she voices, turning towards her opponents. "I will now begin....let's do our best..." With an experimental twirl of her wrist, a glob of dark magic is lobbed forward...

Niamh 5/5HP barely hits Goldmary 6/6HP with Mire [Roll 5; -0HP]

...and fizzles before making contact. "...how strange..." Niamh comments, her voice quiet, but intrigued. These were no simple opponents. She'd have to consider how to adjust this.... especially towards the one with the shield. It wouldn't be easy to take her own without wearing her down.

As she recalculates, her eyes glance back to her partners - and the arrow that narrowly flies past her.

"Good luck to the both of you." Yune smiled, finding herself with unfamiliar teammates. The group she was in seemed full of strong fighters, she hoped the enemy didn't go easy on her just because she looked like a child.

(An attack from the enemy archer soon dissuaded those worries.)

"Let us see if you can take a hit as well as you give one." Yune prepared her tome, and sent off an icy spell.

Yune 4/6HP hits Fogado 6/6HP with Blizzard [Roll: 8; -1HP] Fogado 5/6HP Fogado 5/6HP has been inflicted with Freeze.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." The words were out of her mouth, speaking on instinct. Was this the first time she'd raised a weapon against another? Directly caused someone harm?

It didn't feel right.

Though for how long that will remain true, he could not say. In her eyes, he would not know if this name became as fleeting as a few seconds were to others- or one used in play, to be discarded when he found it within him to return to the truth.

“Goddess Ashera is still asleep, then…” He does not know whether to be disappointed or glad- there is much he must apologize for, to her, but in this state he finds himself far too emotional to appear before her. He tries to force a smile, “You would… enjoy it here at the monastery. It is chaotic and so full of life- even if now, it is…”

He glances at his surroundings, takes the handkerchief absentmindedly. He remembers the flames and the screams, the burning infirmary, crowding the injured here was only setting up for disaster- they will die, the enemy will find them. “There is much to tell, I-”

He starts to sob, and she puts an arm on his back, leaning against him. She doesn’t know the full circumstances of these deaths, but she must say something. Words come to her, the same words he said to her so long ago.

The grass feels different in Fodlan. She idly runs her hand through it, thinking about the differences. It’s short, deliberately cut rather than trampled in battle. And the texture is superb, she feels as if she could walk around barefoot without issue. 

She watches the students exiting their class for the day. Some she recognises, most she does not. They wander off in different directions, and Yune wonders where they’re going, why they’re going there, what their stories are. Of course, there’s plenty of time to learn…

One student does not wander away, in fact she approaches. And introduces herself! “Nice to meet you Hortensia!” She smiles, standing to meet her. The girl is short, but she’s still got several inches on Yune. “My name is Yune.” 

“it’s dyed,” hortensia answers, oozing confidence. “where i’m from, we have enchanted dyes. isn’t it so vibrant? oh, is your hair natural? i bet it is.”

she doesn’t crouch to the other - isn’t tall enough to crouch - but she does lean over, just a smidge. head tilts as she appraises the other.

“do you have any siblings, yune?”

Pink eyes stare into hers, and Yune blinks back. This Hortensia didn’t care for personal space, did she? Not that Yune minded.

“I uh… I have a sister.” The question throws her for a moment. It is difficult to explain her relationship with her other half in terms the average person would understand. “We’re not that close though, she’s um, a lot older than me.” 

She’s not. By all accounts she and Ashera are the same age. But for the time being, Yune is playing the role of a child. 

What else can be said about her? “It’s been a long time since I last spoke to her. I miss her… though I doubt she feels the same…” 

‘Your main deck must have 40-60 cards. You can have an extra deck and side deck which-’ Something something different conditions, something something multiple duels in a row. Yune was just starting off, she’d worry about that later. ‘You can have up to 3 copies of the same card in your deck.’ So if she found 14 cards she liked, she could just make a deck out of them, that made sense. 

‘Types of cards…’ She could get back to that later. 

‘How to win…’ Reduce your opponent’s health to 0, your opponent has no cards to draw (that explained the deck limit), or special win conditions. Hmm, those sounded interesting, she’d have to look into those. 

‘How to play…’. Aha, she understood now (or at least, she thought she did). Now it was time to find some cards and put them together until they worked! All she needed were 14 good cards, hopefully there were enough copies around…

Somehow, she found everything she wanted, 3x12 cards she thought were good, and 4 random monsters she picked up along the way. A lot of her plan depended on random chance, but she supposed you could say that about a lot of things. Now, to test it out! 

“Excuse me.” She approached a boy who was sitting alone. “I’m Yune, would you like to duel?”

hortensia takes her time leaving class - unlike the others, she feels no need to rush brutishly to her next destination, especially when this is her final class of the day. besides, it wouldn’t do to have her papers crumple or pencils clatter to the floor. it would be unsightly, even. papers are thus tucked away in folders, folders tucked away in a bag she’d found for exactly this occasion, and when she stands she hardly even winces as the horrific squeak of the chair! politely and properly she pushes it back in, and then heads out for the evening.

the sunset gleams over blades of grass - this bright weather is still an acquired taste for her. such sunny days were a luxury in elusia, but here they happen as if they don’t have to fight for it at all. it’s odd. her hand closes around the strap of her bag, cross-body over her chest, and surveys the crowd.

 she doesn’t quite want to return to her dorm yet.

a puff of orange-gold hair stands out to her - a girl far smaller than her, a girl who looks like a ghost, a girl who is the cutest thing hortensia has ever seen. with conviction she approaches the girl - is she even old enough to be here? - stopping just shy of her with her ever-present grin on her cheeks. 

“you’re just the cutest thing i’ve ever seen!” and she really is, braided hair and wide eyes. “what’s your name? i’m hortensia.” 

she can’t help but be drawn to the cuteness. maybe she could take this girl in, have a little sister or a pupil… already her head swims with grand plans.

The grass feels different in Fodlan. She idly runs her hand through it, thinking about the differences. It’s short, deliberately cut rather than trampled in battle. And the texture is superb, she feels as if she could walk around barefoot without issue. 

She watches the students exiting their class for the day. Some she recognises, most she does not. They wander off in different directions, and Yune wonders where they’re going, why they’re going there, what their stories are. Of course, there’s plenty of time to learn…

One student does not wander away, in fact she approaches. And introduces herself! “Nice to meet you Hortensia!” She smiles, standing to meet her. The girl is short, but she’s still got several inches on Yune. “My name is Yune.” 

Seminars are encouraged at the monastery. They help others learn from their peers while strengthening friendship at the same time. Well… most seminars. This seminar, on the other hand, is on… the basis of keeping one’s composure? That’s what the paper says, after all. “Learn how to withstand interrogations that may test your emotional and physical strength.” What wasn’t included in the description was that the instructor would attack you the moment you arrived at the meeting place! By their words, they’ll chase you and your partner through a booby-trapped forest to raise the tension, but if you’re caught… Well, they only smile at you and count down. [Grants Sword +1]

“It enhances the atmosphere” was the only explanation of why this seminar was being held in an abandoned shack in the middle of the woods, but Yune wasn’t complaining. While it would be faster to fly, the walk gave her the chance to appreciate the beauty of nature, the grass beneath her feet, the beams of the setting sun through the trees, the… random pieces of rope on the ground?

“Hello?” She called, as she entered the wooden hut. Inside, no one, and very little besides a couple of rotting chairs, some crates, and a selection of weaponry. Yune picked up a dagger, and admired it. It was nothing special, but the metallic glint reminded her of Micaiah’s shadow. 

Her musings were interrupted by another person’s arrival, a silver-haired lady with… horns? How curious. The other strange thing was her aura, which Yune didn’t understand yet. Yune smiled at her. “Hello, are you the instructor? I’m Yune, nice to-”

Her greeting was cut short when an arrow hit the wall beside her, narrowly missing them both. 

She quickly ducked behind a crate, and heard a call from outside. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you cause you’re a child. Your first challenge is to get out of that shack, my next arrow won’t miss.”

Yune’s eyes found the horned lady’s. “Nice to meet you.” She finished her thought. “Any ideas?”

"Oh-- Youre not the enemy-- Wait, Watch out!" Freyja yelled, luckily the archer missed and she watched the other hide as well.

So escape. The door was a no-go, unless they could cobble together a shield. The windows, whilst broken, would be too small for the other lady to get through (and really, it would be no fun if she just flew away, would it?). So next… 

“This shack is pretty worn-down, perhaps there’s a hole in the wall somewhere?” Yune shuffles towards the wall opposite the door, dragging a crate along to block any arrows. She then presses against the wall, trying to feel any loose planks. 

“Aha!” Hidden behind the crates, was just what she was looking for. Yune beckons her comrade over. “Do you think you could fit through there?” She asks. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to outrun him, but the trees will provide natural cover.”