Ninian

"I play this one with my brother sometimes, and I like it, but...I should warn you I'm terrible at it. Are you any good?"

There was a small cot, a basic wooden chair, and a small desk made from a crate inside. There were plenty of books and strange instruments strung throughout the tent and across every surface, even the bed.

Suddenly it all made sense. The Dragon's Gate was just one gate of many, leading to two worlds of many. She, Nils, and Nergal had the power to open it, but to all others, it must have been an entirely lost art. And now somehow she had stumbled through a different one. She gazed around the tent at all the books and instruments, still feeling a little dazed.

"I’m afraid it isn’t that simple… I’m the drama, not him. I just have too much going on right now. He deserves something more…normal."

The young lord awnserd her with a clam voice. "Worry not about father he is a strong men, and we won the war soo my task now is to rebuild Pherae and Elibe from the war."

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple... I'm the drama, not him. I just have too much going on right now. He deserves something more...normal."

"Roy," she breathed, "how do I even begin?"

"I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to help you both," she said, and pulled away to push Roy’s hair out of his face. She paused a moment to look around. "But darling, I don’t think we’re on Elibe at all, right now. I suspect we’re somewhere else entirely. I’ve heard people talking about ‘outrealms.’"

"Roy," she breathed, "how do I even begin?"

It didn’t matter where they were or how or why; all she cared about was reuniting with her son: “I know you can’t remember me, and this will make me sound like an absolute madwoman, but…I’m your mother. Oh, you must believe me. There must be proof of it, somewhere. Did Eliwood not keep a portrait of me? Or…or these?” 

the young lord looked at her with a curious look and then took the ornaments from her and stood closer to her looking at the ornaments and after that looking into her red eyes. as the yound pheraen lord looked into her eyes deeply it stroked him. like a flashback he closed his eyes then starts to grope the ornaments and sudenly he rose his hand gently caressing her cheek.

He believed her! A laugh burst out of her, and then she was hugging him around the neck and crying too.

He wasn’t listening. He sat down by his horse at the edge of the clearing, saying something about guarding her, and clearly with no intention of leaving. She felt heat rise in her face.

It confused him that she seemed so flustered. What sort of dances would one perform that others couldn’t see? Wasn’t that the point of dance? It didn’t make sense to him.

"I can’t just leave you out here alone, but if you wish it…" Rath got up, changing sides of the tree so that he was not directly watching her. He could still keep an eye on her, but without actively staring. Besides, he was on the watch for anything dangerous.

"Some are...sacred," she finally answered. "For worshiping my gods. And...they're very personal, so I would prefer to practice them alone. One in particular can be..." She paused to search for the word. What had Eliwood said? "Special. Very special. I'm afraid I would be quite mortified if someone were to see it before it's ready. It looks very silly if not done properly..."

And it was a little sensual, besides. Nothing overt, but still something she'd be uncomfortable performing before someone she hardly knew. Now that there was a tree between her and Rath, she went back to her slow warm-up poses, intending to lead into her regular dance. 

Close? Ninian wanted to pry, but Lucius changed the subject too quickly. And to Eliwood, of all things. She was glad she was sitting behind him so that he couldn’t see her blush.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'll take your word for it. It must be wonderful to have such a good friend."

"Roy," she breathed, "how do I even begin?"

It didn't matter where they were or how or why; all she cared about was reuniting with her son: "I know you can't remember me, and this will make me sound like an absolute madwoman, but...I'm your mother. Oh, you must believe me. There must be proof of it, somewhere. Did Eliwood not keep a portrait of me? Or...or these?" 

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could thank her for his kindness Ninian had caught him off guard as she put a grape in his mouth. He paused, closing his mouth to chew and stifling a laugh. A wide smile spread across his lips, and he picked up another grape from the bunch. “Please don’t apologize, Ninian. You made me smile, see? I should be thanking you.” he chuckled, holding the grape up to her lips. “Here, open wide!”

After placing the grape in Ninian’s mouth, he leaned back. He looked down at their food, smiling just slightly as he recalled his youth with Hector. “Hmm, how we met?” he though only momentarily. How could he forget? “It was only ten to eleven years ago, if I recall correctly. The lords of Lycia held a conference that day. It seemed they all decided to bring their children along, too. Perhaps hoping we would become friends.” he laughed. “Unfortunately it didn’t turn out as they had hoped. None of us seemed to grow fond of one another easily.”

Eliwood raised his head, smiling even wider. “Hah, Hector and I… Were were like opposites. I felt as though he was a boy I’d never find friendship in…” he shook his head. It was amazing that such a guy had become his dearest friend. “It was in schooling when I really came to know him. I realized how loyal a friend he could be. I don’t regret spending so much of my childhood with him at all.” 

This is definitely flirting, then, she realized as she swallowed. The thought made her so giddy that her fingers shook. She wasn't sure why Eliwood would pay such attention to her, and knew she should discourage it, but she couldn't bring herself to. He was overwhelmingly wonderful, and she'd already promised that the afternoon would be nothing but pleasant.

So she listened happily to him describing his childhood with Hector, and when he covered her hand, she didn't pull away. His question startled her, however.

The time had come again. News of Ninian’s pregnancy came to Eliwood’s attention by word from his trusted friend and adviser, Marcus. Worry was a feeling troubling many in the castle that day, and with plenty good reason. Eliwood stumbled through the back doors of the castle, out of the courtyard and into the halls of his longtime home. He hurried for his and Ninian’s chambers where he hoped to meet his beloved wife. 

This will be it. This will be the time. The marquess assured himself over and over that there would be no troubles with their child’s birth. No, not this time… not again. The two had desperately wanted a child since not long after they were wed. It had been a dream of Eliwood’s for such a long time that when Ninian’s first pregnancy was lost to a miscarriage he believed the pain he felt would never go away, and a pain that would never be topped by any other. That is, until the second miscarriage. Then the third.

Knowing too well the struggle that Ninian had been suffering with the loss of each unborn child, Eliwood felt his hope of becoming a father begin to dwindle. He hated nothing more than to see his love in such pain. He had gone as far as hesitantly suggesting that they give up. But Ninian was strong; she would see to it that one day they would hold in their arms a child of their own.

She moved his hands to her stomach so he could feel for himself. For the past few weeks It had been easy enough to attribute her new shape to weight gain, the lofty lifestyle of a marchioness finally catching up to her, but soon it would be all too obvious to Eliwood.

It had been imperative to them both, after they wed, to have a child right away. Ninian had been warned that she'd only live a decade, at most, and she knew that Pherae needed an heir--and she didn't want to leave Eliwood alone when she passed. She'd hoped to give him many children first, and she wanted to have enough time to watch them grow and have them remember that she loved them. But she had been too foolish to consider what being half-dragon might mean--half reptile, she thought, hating herself--and the years had made it all too obvious. Her body could not sustain a human life like a fully human woman's could, it seemed. Perhaps her temperature was too cold or her womb was too foreign; none of the healers seemed to know what to do and she couldn't very well tell them the extent of it. By now she was constantly on edge, wracked with guilt over all she'd lost, knowing it hurt Eliwood just as much as it hurt her. But, despite what he'd once tentatively suggested, how could she give up? How could she fail at this--what she wanted most?

She then froze, before calling out. He had relaxed, and given away his position. The fear present on her face was enough to make him feel quite guilty.

He stepped out from the brush to reveal himself. “My apologies… You wandered from camp…. It’s not safe out here, especially for someone without a weapon.”

While they thankfully had avoided any sort of attack in a while, it would be foolish to leave her safety to chance.

"…… Others would be upset if something were to happen to you… I’ll stay to guard you."

He wasn't listening. He sat down by his horse at the edge of the clearing, saying something about guarding her, and clearly with no intention of leaving. She felt heat rise in her face.