Scion of Legend

Sorry about the numerous threads I've left hanging. If/when I do return to these muses, I'll be sure to catch up, however!

—-

To my dearest cousin,

     I was hoping to do more for you on Christmas, since you’ve been there for me during my dark times and my entire life in general, but I hope this will do for now. I will do my best to pay your kindness back entirely.

     You’ve been too kind to me, cousin. I still must repay you for visiting me on my, er, anniversary with the general. I was planning on spending it alone, but… your company eased the pain just a bit. So, thank you for that. I’m sorry to have burdened you.

     Your dedication and friendship is truly appreciated. Without you, I don’t think I would be here. You were my only family back in our time, and I will continue to protect you. I love you very much.

     Happy Holidays, Owain.

                                                         ❀ Lucina

-

Quietly, Owain sits on a chair in his house, turning the letter over and over in his hands. The scarf already adorns his neck, secured firmly yet comfortably. He sighs, shaking his head, with a wan smile on his face.

"Dear, dear cousin... even in your darkest days, your thoughts are still with others, more than yourself..." he muses, softly. The poor girl.

... not that he particularly minds. Lucina, after all, knows his likes almost better than he knows himself. Placing the food before him, he claps his hands together.

"Hmm? … otters… holding…"

"Pardon me, good sir. I'm afraid I'm a touch lost in this city... might you be able to direct me to a place where I may stay the night? I will, of course, pay you for your troubles."

The thug looks Owain up and down. Unarmored, in princely attire, and rubbing two very real-looking gold coins together in his hand. In fact, the way the man jingled when he walked had attracted the attention of just about every ne'er-do-well in the vicinity.

...

It doesn't take long for Owain to be lured into the trap. Directed along paths and roads, he eventually finds himself at the dead-end of an alley.

"... hmm. A dead end. I have to say, I am not impressed by your pathfinding skills, sir."

Faster than humanly possible, snaking around at an impossible angle, all of a sudden, Owain's sword hand is on the man's own. The man's knife, so ready to threaten Owain, is now at the throat of the hapless thief.

"I counted at least three on the way here that would have been more than sufficient for this," he whispers, softly, into the ear of the troubled man.

1. A song.

x

6. An element.

Definitely fire. Roaring to fury and cracking with heat at one moment, and then sizzling to embers the next.

8. A flower.

"Hmmmmmmmm."

"HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM."

"Of course. How trivial!"

"..."

"... hnngh..."

"Hnnnngh...!"

"HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN"

"Don't write yourself off yet, young page. One day, perhaps, you will be as glorious a warrior as I!"

"Cousin… know that you can always count on me to help you, no matter how far away I may be. A thousand miles seems pretty far, but they’ve got planes and trains and cars. I’d walk to you if I had no other way.”

Uh oh. It's the fuzz.

Owain looks casually left and right, as though trying to pretend that nothing was wrong... but then sighs, loudly, extending his hands towards the detective for the expected handcuffing.

"... a-alright, I'll turn myself in," he grumbles, softly, "B-But it was an honest mistake, I swear! How was I supposed to know that was a publicity stunt? That dragon looked really really real!"

Even as the words fall out of his mouth, he feels his credibility somehow slipping away.

"Come on, we're going to play a game of foot-the-ball, right? We have to take our clothes off to have a good time!"

The ball's already in full swing. The music is pleasant, and the atmosphere is cheerful, while the chill of winter blows outside.

But then, slowly, slowly, eeeever so slowly...

The most stealthy of the ball-goers makes his appearance.

This ball is, of course, a trap. Owain isn't sure who has planned this trap yet, but he knows that he has to stay constantly on-guard. For now, he's been subtly moving around like a wolf among the flock, industriously scoping out the ballroom floor for potential locations for incoming enemies.

Well, that, and creeping around, pretending to be a super-spy.