❜ RADIANT.

               there exists a sprinkle of truth to the other’s words,  alighting the agreement in his eyes before he might even say a word.   to be born a prince is to accept the lifetime endeavor of striving for perfection,  all in the hopes that everyone may see fit to follow him and he might fail none in turn.   his expectations were endless,  his responsibilities more solemn than the grave   –   but perhaps the hero before him would understand!   whether a leader of mercenaries,  a general,  or heir to the throne;   their duty extends mutually beyond the single life that they call their own.   naturally,  he need not share a royal title or the gold trim on his tunic with another to revel in similarity.

              “     indeed.   in order to fulfill my obligations to the people and kingdom,  i am to become a great many things.   a promising ruler,  commander,  diplomat,  swordsman,  and more..   the requirements are certainly endless.     “     the hero king gives it no second thought,  how the longer he speaks to tellius’ renown savior,  the more comfortable he inwardly feels;   the easier his mind is revealed.   (   perhaps the man’s forthright manner of speech is effective–   or would it be his lack of any noble station that places him at ease?   )   if there remains any certainty,  it is that in their similarities   –   of both responsibility and age   –   he feels as if he can freely share all that he has!   just as he might unto a friend he has known for years.   𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒.

               “     there are few who might boast of an effective style mostly their own.   i can only think you impressive.    “     his admiration reads in the matter of his earnest tone.   ike’s reality genuinely is impressive:   there are many who would hone themselves by experience,  just as war compels them all to quickly learn,  but to be largely self – taught is a feat like no other.   when tribute is deflected back at him,  however,  an influx of startled blinks ironically ensues.   palms upraised humbly,  marth shakes his head.     “     you think too highly of me!   but,  i am no less glad to hear it.   to clash with you on the battlefield would be a bitter waste.   you are as likeable as they come,  sir ike.     “ 

              there is no such reliance on clothing for status.     noble status serves as point of differentiation,     yet their ideals aligned,     their paths similar,     though not the same.     a prince must take charge,     must honor these responsibilities that beckon him,     burden the shoulders of a kingdom to serve his people.     such is the recipe of an affable ruler,     one not led by his greed,     nor by a lust for power or conquest,     but a golden heart whose ambitions remain resolute,     furthering naught but a reign of peace.     forsaking these fundamentals could conjure another mad king,     yet there is no worry,     no concern.     marth's demeanor,     his manners,     his tacit love for his kingdom,     they serve to nurture his people.     he is a man cut from the same cloth as princess elincia,     he appears trustworthy.

“Yuri. House leader of the Ashen Wolves.” They very well could include having been in the Abyss, but of course it wasn’t anything new that other students who hadn’t traversed down there wouldn’t know of them or their house. Yuri replied prideful. “Admittedly, it’s been awhile since I’ve hung out here. It’s obvious we haven’t met before.” Which is why he felt his comment was necessary. Yuri had his own too in hand, plucked from the wears and weaponry. “My apologies if I intruded in on anything. I couldn’t help myself — I haven’t come across a fighting style like that before.” Unlike their own which Yuri could argue, too, that it was unique. But, Yuri thought there was some truly hard-hitting yet effortless about theirs. “Oh, but you are….?”

               the quicksilver dart of his rapier through the air,  paper – thin edge winking elegantly against the light,  halts its excursion.   returned instead to its gold – glittering scabbard,  mindful of new company.   (   noble falchion does not roost at his hip on this noon,  dulled by no unworthy use of its blade.   )   ah,  amidst all his shining compeers   –   the radiant hero himself!   a few times already they have fought and bled alongside one another,  but he has never before noticed the young man’s observant eye tracking the dance of his steel.

               “     𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋   flatters me,  sir ike.   my swordsmanship is not particularly special,  but i have honed it tirelessly since the days of my boyhood.   my teachers served doubly as knights and they did not allow their prince to shirk in swordcraft.      “     despite his natural humility,  the hero king’s polish as a swordsman and his intricate footwork are deemed the results of his long days of training without rest.   a crown prince’s essential schooling,  sparing no effort in teaching him the skills that might one day save his life:   safeguard his kingdom’s future,  in turn. 

               smiling,  the prince lends his voice to the kindly thoughts that have risen to mind during their past joint forays under askr’s banner.     “     but i,  too,  would admire your skill for myself.   thus far i have encountered few who might parallel the might and daring of your sword hand.     “

              there is no doubt he is of noble blood.     his manner of speaking,     having knights serve as guides     (   not to say he didn't have one by all technicalities,     skills bestowed onto him under the guise of different name,     only one he knew   ),     the general atmosphere surrounding marth     ...     if one were to proclaim him as incarnation of blue blood itself,     such would become perceived reality for ike.     despite that,     he is not pompous,     his sophisticated mannerisms do not serve to alienate those lacking his knowledge    ;    rather,     they felt welcoming.     perhaps that is deserving of his gratitude,     as marth felt like he was one of the easier nobles to speak with.

              ❛     i can only imagine.     ❜     natural was subsequent grin's form,     corner of lips curving without prior thought    &    though may it be slight,     a smile is a smile nonetheless with one like ike.     ❛     being a prince probably brings a lot of expectations,     right   ?     no wonder you worked tirelessly.     ❜     though he,     too,     held expectations for himself,     they were self - imposed.     any    &    all external expectations had been forsaken,     the approval of others was not a necessity.     was it the same for marth   ?     pondering on it wouldn't do him any good.     he is a mercenary,     marth is a prince.     minute differences by naught but one word,     yet it is the distinct line that separates them.     regardless of titles,     as forthcoming battles draw nearer,     embla does not care for their worlds.     all under askr's banner fight together as one,     uniting forces from different worlds alike,     where one's nobility or lack thereof did not matter.     leveled battlefield where all were equal.     how strangely reminiscent.

unprompted.     /     always accepting   !!

@ettards​ said :   "your father," zelgius tastes his own words before speaking. they should taste of guilt, but they don't---has he truly been absolved? he doubts it. this may just be a lapse, a mistake---his hands still had his blood, his hands were still stained crimson, years later. "gawain. he wasn't greil, then---he was a different man when we met, when he took me under his tutelage. i am not sure how much of what i know of him should matter to you now, commander."

              an underlying warning laces his words.     don't meet your heroes,     as the old saying goes.     it is not as if ike did not know his father growing up    ;    rather,     frequent exposure to him granted opportunity to inherit all of his knowledge,     the swordsmanship that commander greil was renowned for.     /     a mercenary he was,     forsake familiarity of a daein general,     so as to protect what he deemed dear    :    lehran's medallion     (   accursed thing that brought about their downfall   !!   ),     &    his beloved.     /     ike knows naught of a time where his father revealed his origins,     that he is of daein blood,     that he was the one who trained zelgius.     no,     all such information had been acquired once adulthood had been reached     ——————     once masked culprit was identified    &    fought.     now   ?     they are comrades.     yes,     comrades,     no matter how peculiar the word,     it is considered adequate description of what they have.

              as one that attuned himself to gawain's teachings,     therein lies a certain curiosity that beckons him.     is such a call benevolent in nature   ?     zelgius's point stood in his way,     but is it an obstacle,     or is it his method of protecting him from cruel truths that his mind is yet to fully ascertain   ?     negating any possibility that there exists cruel truths is naivete at its finest,     he refuses to fall for a honeyed lie that dictates he must keep his mind pure.     hell has been experienced.     shadowed truths of the past have come to light,     no matter how atrocious these truths may be,     no matter how astonishing they were    &    difficult they were to accept,     they are an obstacle he has come to accept.     it is the foundation for his curiosity,     he is prepared to know of this dreaded past.     as commander,     acknowledging every aspect of idolized role model is key to making peace with insatiable curiosity.     this is the only way to know of gawain.

“I must say, you’re a lot more agile than you look.” Yuri was ever keen. He didn’t exactly make his presence unknown at all. He had become quite curious. “Those muscles certainly aren’t for show.”

@radiantias·

unprompted.     /     always accepting   !!

@ettards​ said :   "your concern for me is touching, but unnecessary." there's a distance in the way zelgius speaks as he polishes ettard, eyes on the sharpness of the regalia sword. "besides, their desire for revenge is not senseless. let them berate me for whatever they want, i killed their commander---/your father/. their anger is justified."

              there was truth to his words.     to deny such is to deny the reality    :    zelgius,     no matter how much he integrates himself into the greil mercenaries,     he will never be truly welcomed.     is it unreasonable   ?     no,     far from it.     though a man like he is within his right to find a new beginning,     just like it is within ike's own right to facilitate this new beginning,     one cannot forget the past,     the pain of loss,     realized    &    brought forth by no other than zelgius's hand.     he should hate him.     this is his father's murderer,     not some innocent bystander that has done no wrong.     up until his recruitment,     they were sworn enemies,     destined to fight on the battlefield,     one victorious    &    the other a failure,     he was the black knight that was meant to fall.     that was destiny's decree   !!     

              he doesn't hate him.     that is not to say there are no negative feelings deeply rooted at the base of ike's heart,     far from it.     years of growth allowed him to better understand himself,     better understand the techniques needed to become as great a man as his father,     better understand emotion itself    &    have stronger grasp on it.     /     an outburst like that towards the empress was a mistake,     one he is lucky to have survived.     /     there are a certain set of emotions reserved for zelgius,     not quite hatred,     though not quite any level of fondness.     it could be described as camaraderie,     yet not close to it,     not nearly,     they're both comrades,     but friends   ?     who knows.     in truth,     he respects zelgius.     he understands.     more importantly,     he does not regret his decision.     bringing zelgius along was no mistake,     any doubts that were conjured in the tower as he took daring steps closer,     they were all left there.     they died with ashera.

              there is no movement on his part.     he remains still,     hands at either side,     gaze piercing,     uncertain if his lips are pursed or not.     ike attempts to steer towards a more neutral expression,     mask his own anger     ———     face it,    their anger is justified.     titania's looks of disapproval towards zelgius,     no matter how subtle she thinks they are,     no matter how much she insists she has no problems with this,     they were real.     soren's evident distaste with zelgius,     hidden to moments whenever he believed ike wouldn't be looking or hearing,     it was real.     shinon's derogatory statements    &    blatant threats delivered towards zelgius for robbing them of the best damn mercenary this content had ever seen,     it was all so real.     a neutral expression is never reached,     it's an impossibility    ;    his hands clench into fists,     teeth grit behind pursed lips,     brows furrowed.     it's a remnant of who he was three years ago,     a reminder that,     even in his age,     he still has much growing to do.     he's thankful zelgius's gaze is affixed onto that sword.

              growth's path was never deemed to be an easy path,     to hold such a belief on it would be erroneous on his part.     growth may be positive inherently,     albeit the losses that come from it are,     at times,     a necessity.     the makings of a commander were never bestowed unto him with him having experience in it    ;    no,     a commander was forged through experience itself at the cost of a father.     revenge had been sole determiner that allowed him to walk this path,     no matter the thorns that made him bleed,     no matter the rare times that tears were evoked by despair,     this guiding light did not blind him,     it motivated him to become as close as he could to him.     to become a self perceived successor to greil     ———     to his father.     by blood they may be connected,     yet his skill,     no matter how forged,     no matter how meticulous his swings are,     no matter the countless battles that have earned him title of radiant hero,     he will never live up greil's legacy.     

              a passion for revenge was an electric fire burning within him,     shadows growing larger    &    larger,     but he knows.     he knows.     if he were to let it grow,     he would be blinded.     to be blinded by rage    &    revenge is to continue his fall    &    impede any hope for growth.     he relents.     now,     it is an ember,     shadows quelled as he continues each day,     hoping to becoming as great as greil.     here,     ike sees a man before him,     precarious in extending any sort of hand.     there is no definitive way of accessing what lies in zelgius's mind.     what haunts him,     what makes him,     what breaks him,     what keeps him up at night.     there should be no sympathy for the very man who threw him into this position.     for him to be called commander by others.     a blessing insofar that acquired experience has shaped him into who he is today.     a curse by robbing him of his father.     he should remain resentful.     he should turn,     he should leave him,     he should allow sin itself to drown him in any sort of guilt that plagues him   !!

              ———————————————————     he doesn't.

unprompted.     /     always accepting   !!

@ettards​ said :   meet me in the parking lot for a 1v1, punk