Eliwood of Pherae

While Hector struggled with understanding how Eliwood was feeling and what those feelings meant, that didn’t mean that he was unable to provide him with support. He knew what it was like to fail at trying to catch a meal and wanted to be able to encourage the other since that was something that he wished that he had when he was teaching himself how to catch fish. Even though he learned how to catch his own food when he was younger, that didn’t mean it was any easier the older someone was. Hector still got frustrated with himself when he was having a hard time catching food for one reason or another, even though it was something that he had been doing for years.

He made sure that he tucked himself behind some rocks that were nearby after he had released his hold on the other, hiding himself amongst the varying dark brown hues but also making sure that he was able to keep an eye on Eliwood. There were some fish that had poisonous barbs on them or were toxic when they were ingested, and he wanted to make sure that he didn’t try to go after any of them. He looked around the area, scanning the fish that had been nearby and relaxed a little when he was able to see that all of them were safe to eat. He wasn’t sure specifically if Eliwood had any fish that he wasn’t able to eat but the other hadn’t mentioned being allergic or disliking any particular type of fish before he went off to try hunting again.

He felt his lips turn up slightly as his tail swished back and forth in the water. He didn’t understand why, but he felt happy and proud watching the other try his hand again at catching his own food. He rarely had ever been happy enough for his tail to swish as violently and excitedly as it was, but he knew if he wasn’t able to settle himself down that he would startle the fish that were around. He drew in a breath, lowering himself further against the rocks and letting his body almost touch the sand in an attempt to ground himself physically but also mentally as well. He wasn’t even the one who was trying to get food, but he felt just as excited as if he were out there next to the other catching his own fish.  

He dug his nails into the sand beneath him as he watched Eliwood start to slowly make his way towards a fish. Hoping that this would be the one that he was able to catch. His form seemed to be right and he wasn’t making any noise as he started to come up on the fish. He felt his excitement mount as he watched the other lurch out and extend his hand towards the fish. From where he was hiding, it seemed as though he had caught it.

He let out one of his deep, boisterous laughs as he swam over to him, eager to see his first catch. “Did you catch it? From where I was at it looked like you did. You did really great, Eliwood! You picked up what I told you pretty easily.”

One might say Eliwood had lived a significantly privileged life within the community of his birth, never once needing to hunt for his own meal, undertake any chores to keep the colony afloat, nor experience hardship. But to the merman, the life he had been living had been largely unfulfilling. Day after day, he felt he were nothing more than a burden to his family and peers; a necessary but inconvenient weight. To him, this modest opportunity to catch his own meal was his first true step to achieve the fulfillment he sought, and to gain a small bit of the independence he craved. When he had thrust his arm forward, he wasn’t certain as to whether or not he would be successful. He had numbed himself in that moment, both body and mind, to allow his instincts to drive him. And so, it wasn’t until he dumbly stared at the fish wriggling in his hand that he realized his victory.

“I…I did it.” He murmured to himself in disbelief, shocking piercing through his numb limbs. Soon to follow was the quickened beat of his heart, which returned feeling and warmth to every inch of his form with each passing moment. Nothing could describe his feelings other than pure joy. Finally, he had proven to himself that he was capable of overcoming his status as a burden; to perhaps one day become abreast to his peers. Embracing his feelings of pride, Eliwood turned to the sound of Hector’s voice, a smile of his own spreading across his face.

“I…I couldn’t have done this without your guidance, Hector. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” He paused, realizing his words may sound far too serious for the situation at hand, “to you, this many seem to be of little significance…just a daily chore. But to me…this is exactly what I’ve been hoping for so long.” Eliwood’s gaze only fell for a few short moments to admire the fish in his grasp, before returning to the shark with a new surge of excitement.

By the time Eliwood returned, Artur had already fed the fern its blood meal. He quickly bandaged up his hand using a strip of upholstery from the chair at the desk, “When we take this thing home, we’ll need to stop and get a supply of bandages and disinfectant.”

His amber eyes laid upon the box. That precious box that would save their lives in that moment, but it first had to be pried open. He let out a small whimper as the claws of the beast began to scrape at the door, nearly ripping it off then and there. Unfortunately, it appeared the door was made of a rather weak particle board - the giant bird was able to shove a claw through.

“The box appears to be wooden, but a tough wood. We’ll need to smash into it with something. I thought I saw a hammer around here. I’ll go look for it while you guard the box. Even a lockpick would work in this circumstance.”

He started his search for a lockpick or a hammer, whichever reached his hand first.

Frustration loomed beneath Eliwood’s crumbling calm countenance. Despite successfully locating the lockbox, it seemed that acquiring the tools necessary to obtain their victory would not be so easily accessible—an unfortunate circumstance given the urgency of the situation. Anxiety he had been desperately trying to suppress had already begun to creep upon his expression, eroding away his confidence. The beast would not wait for them; it was already clawing through the door, and would soon begin to tear apart the barricade they had created within. They had minutes, maybe even seconds, before they would have no choice but to repel the beast with force.

Though Artur had instructed him to guard the lockbox until he returned with something suitable to bash open its lock, Eliwood could not rationalize doing nothing. Instead, while remaining within close proximity to their precious resource, he began searching for anything he could use as a makeshift weapon. Among the rubble and clutter, he found a two-by-four. It was hardly anything remarkable, but it would, at the very least, do a bit of damage.

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #5. || 💍- They see their spouse?

A soft sigh escaped Eliwood as he continued to read over the trade agreement before him, sentences and words beginning to blur together with exhaustion. He had undertaken and crafted many successful agreements in the past, but this one was particularly complicated. He was fatigued after spending a few hours writing and he wondered if perhaps a break was in order, or if he should persevere until completion. 

That is, until the sound of a familiar voice immediately drew Eliwood from the lull of his paperwork. Straightening in his chair almost immediately, his pulse heightened in excitement, and he rose to his feet. At a brisk pace, he exited his office and entered the hallway, coming to an abrupt stop when he recognized Hector standing at the end of the hallway. In seconds, his fatigue melted away, becoming replaced with a contagious, energetic joy.

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #5. ||  💣- They are given a gift they dislike?

Delicately, Eliwood untied the ribbon that adorned the wooden box with care, and placed it on the table before him in a relatively neat pile. He was never one to tear through gifts quickly, instead choosing to admire the time that had been invested in the wrapping. Now that the box had been freed from its silky bindings, he carefully removed the wooden lid, and revealed the contents of the gift: licorice. It was a sweet the Pheraen disliked greatly, a treat that he couldn’t stomach even if it meant it would somehow preserve his life.

Rather than express his discontent or admit his dislike, he only smiled sincerely.

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #4. || 8 and 10.

8. favorite constellation and why?

“Ever since I was a child, I have always been amazed by the blanket of stars that lay above us. There is much unknown about the lights that dazzle alongside the moon, or the meaning of such constellations,” Eliwood reflected, “my favorite is the centaurus, for its meanings and connections to wisdom.”

10. do you prefer the ocean or the mountains?

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #4. || 10. do you prefer the ocean or the mountains?

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #4. || 1, 3, and 15.

1. what languages can you speak?

“As much as I would like to answer that I speak a variety of languages, I’m afraid I only speak Lycian,” Eliwood admitted, scratching his cheek somewhat sheepishly, “I would very much like to learn a second language, should the opportunity ever present itself.”

3. who do you love most in your life?

“It is...quite difficult to narrow my answer down to a single person,” He confessed, wringing his hands together thoughtfully in his lap, “I suppose the furthest I could narrow it is my mother, my husband, and our children. There is none I deem dearer.”

15. chocolate or strawberry milk?

Had it not been for the others whose job it was to upkeep the castle, Hector knew that it would have fallen to ruin. After the death of his brother, there had been no reason for him to want to upkeep it or for it to even look inviting. He would have much preferred to let it fall to ruin, for the outside of the castle to reflect the internal conflict that he was feeling. He hated whenever they came up to the front and he was confronted with how the castle used to be. How his brother would be out in the courtyard, scolding him for running through the roses. Now the roses were simply a reminder of what he didn’t have anymore and would never have again. 

He knew that taking the other wasn’t right, but Hector hadn’t gotten the name that he did by being a benevolent ruler. He didn’t care that everyone always shuttered away from him in fear because he wanted them to know how empty he felt. All of the riches in the world wouldn’t give him his family back and seeing everyone going about their lives, coming home to a family instead of spending nights abandoned and alone allowed for envy and rage to fester. He was their king and if they were going to flaunt their happiness in front of him, Hector was going to remind them who truly held the power to create happiness in their lives. 

After getting out of the carriage after the other, he noticed that he was looking over at the rose garden. It was comedic to him how he kept attempting to refuse him and act defiant, but he would soon learn just who he was dealing with. There were no secrets in this kingdom and even if he wanted to continue with this game of keeping his identity from him, it was only going to last so long. He had people who worked for him that knew if they didn’t do as he asked, regardless of what it was, that it would be far worse for them  if they failed to do as he asked. 

He roughly grabbed the other’s arm, leading him towards the entrance of the castle. Looking over at the part of the garden that he hated the most instantly lit his temper and he wanted nothing more than to get away from the offending flowers as quick as he could. “Did I permit you to look at those flowers!? I don’t remember saying that you could!” He hissed out as he pulled the other towards the doors, watching as the guards hastily opened the doors for them as Hector stomped inside the castle with his unwilling consort. 

Though they did little more than sway in the gentle breeze of Ostia’s wind, the roses decorating the garden offered Eliwood a brief respite from the crushing stress of uncertainty. Being dragged from his home, forced into a position he did not wish to fill, and under the eyes of the tyrant countless feared was more distressing than he could have ever imagined. Though childish, the roses offered him a moment of peace, and hope, in a bleak situation. Eliwood’s eyes remained fixated upon the roses until he was roughly yanked away from them by the king himself, and dragged toward the interior of the castle. For a reason he didn’t understand, his actions had surged fury within the man, causing him to lash out at him over something utterly ridiculous. Before he could respond to Hector’s assertions, he was pulled through the doors of the castle, his feet occasionally tripping on the royal blue rug from the speed and force alone of the sudden movement.

In an effort to ease the strain on his arm, Eliwood’s free hand grabbed a hold of his arm snared by Hector, holding onto it tightly. The King’s grip was painfully tight and equally frightening, as he was unaware o their destination. Would he be imprisoned until the king took interest in him again? What would he ask of him? Was there hope of his escape? The lack of answers to these questions left him with doubt, only serving to further distress him.

“Shall I remove my eyes until you deem I am able to see my surroundings?” Eliwood replied sarcastically, his tone cold as he grew impatient with the king’s childish behavior. As even-tempered as he was, he was under great stress, and being thrust into a situation in which he was stripped of his autonomy made him rash. In an act of defiance, Eliwood ripped his arm away at the moment he had the opportunity, cradling it close to his body.

All aboard! | Eliwood & Deirdre (modernAU)

“I do like some of the weapon designs… Sigurd took me to a fair once, and we bought a staff. It looked like the staff Gandolf used in the films. I told Sigurd that we’ll have to put the sharp items in a storage facility. Putting them high and out of reach won’t work if Seliph likes to climb things as much as I used to climb trees…”

When Eliwood mentioned knights, Deirdre stared at him in surprise. “This may sound strange or silly, Eliwood, but that chivalry… The day I met Sigurd, I was walking down a quiet street. It was the middle of the day, but I noticed two men were following me.” She paused for a moment. “One pulled a knife on me, and said to give them anything I had in my bag… But Sigurd swooped in, chasing them off. He asked if I was okay, helped me file a report, and took me out to eat afterwards. All this for a stranger! He is like my own knight.”

Deirdre involuntarily made a fist with her hand and brought it to her mouth. “Oh, the thought of Seliph being hurt, and not being able to protect him… It must have been so easy for your parents to wonder and worry. Roy is so lucky to have you. I’m not sure that most people could think of their childhood that way. It’s very… Hm; I think the world is ‘empathetic?’”

She was beginning to wonder what her own father was like. Surely he would have been as wonderful as Eliwood!

Deirdre’s story warmed Eliwood’s heart. A day that could have been remembered as a terrifying event had been transformed into the faithful day she met the love of her life as a result of a stranger’s kindness. Rather than receiving a long-lasting scar, it was now instead beautiful tale not only detailing the spark of love, but also showcasing the good that resided within humanity. It gave Eliwood faith that good of the world outweighed that of the evil, even as the news stories were rampant with negativity.

“If I may be so bold...I would very much consider Sigurd to be a knight,” Eliwood replied with a thoughtful, warm smile, “he may not don the armor of the medieval ages, nor serve a lord, but if he rescued you without regard for his own safety, then surely he embodies the values of chivalry. He even went beyond the call of a hero by treating you to a meal after ensuring your safety. It seems he’s quite the gentlemen! Had I been in your position, I would have been smitten with him as well.” He said with a chuckle, watching as the scenery began to slow with the braking of the train.

“That may be so,” He stated, turning toward her, “some say I spoil Roy, but I do not believe one can be spoiled by too much love. I would rather my child know he is loved, than him be filled with doubt. The parenting style of ‘tough love’ is simply not for me.” He admitted as the train came to a halt.

Artur eyed the room carefully, “Our best bet to look for gold is to see if he has a safety deposit box somewhere, anywhere. Once we find it, one of us at least will have to become a beast to be able to break it with brute strength, as none of us know the combination. That is, if we even find a safe in here. Even gold plating might work…”

He continued to flip through the notes, “Doesn’t say exactly how much, but it does say the mere touch of it was enough to cause a reaction.” He looked to the fern, “I volunteer to feed it first. I loathe the idea of this, but it seems we have no choice. It says that the fern has to reach the phase where it sheds spores. It seems to be well on its way - it’s at the fiddle head form.”

Artur put down the notes and sorted through the materials so everything was ready, “We will need to see if the man has any honey or sugar in here, since the plant is bitter to the point of emesis, much like ipecac, and the extract will lose its curative properties if cooked into anything.”

A shriek and clawing startled him from his thoughts, “Ah, we better do what we need to quickly, lest the old man tear into the house somehow. In this form, it’s impossible to tell how strong he actually is.”

Avoiding rotting clumps of feathers encrusted with blood, Eliwood stepped to the center of the room, considering Artur’s suggestion carefully. Where might the old man have stored a safe box? He wondered, scratching his cheek thoughtfully. Though normally he would have easily assumed the location would be none other than the bedroom, there was a uniqueness to this situation. Unlike most who stored away their precious metals and gems to safeguard them from thieves, the old man was instead locking them away for his own protection. With that in mind, Eliwood concluded that he would not have concealed it in his sleeping quarters.

The ginger-haired man instead traversed one of the previously unvisited halls, flinching as the floorboards creaked beneath his feet, as if a monster would launch itself from beneath. A lone closet at the end of the hallway captured Eliwood’s attention, and he rested his hands on the knob positioned on each side. Taking in a deep breath, he opened the doors quickly, relieved to find that no monsters or pests poured out from within. Shuffling a few boxes and linens aside, he located what he was looking for: a safe box. Sealed shut with a lock, as expected, and no key in sight. Retrieving the box from it’s home, Eliwood returned to the makeshift laboratory.

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #3. || temperance: have you found a comfortable balance in your life?

Seated on an elaborate stone bench within the grounds of Castle Pherae’s courtyard with his guest, Eliwood’s attention was focused upon the garden before him. With his chin resting in his palm, his cerulean eyes observed the various blooms with languorous interest. Beautiful, iridescent flowers were surrounded by an incomplete raised platform, meant for dancing and other performances. The flowers appeared as though they were made of ice, gleaming in the streams of sunlight that peeked through the shade of the white flowering trees above them. He wore a languid smile, and his eyes retreated to his guest upon hearing a question.

From FERP Biweekly Ask Meme #3. || wheel of fortune: do you feel like you are a victim of fate?

“No.” Eliwood replied, his answer simple but certain, and given without a shred of hesitation. Though the lord had faced great hardship throughout his life, tragedies that nearly broke his spirit, he never once considered himself a victim of such circumstances. He did not believe that he had been subject to misfortune unfairly or beyond his control. It was a difficult truth to swallow, but he had failed to rescue his favor. He had made countless mistakes that had horrendous consequences. But despite the hardship, despite the gravity of the pain, he had been in control of his destiny. He believed that doubtlessly.