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31_days2020-05-02 02:15 pm
gershom_onyx) wrote in 31_days2020-05-02 02:15 pm
Entry tags:
[05 / 02 / 20] [Fire Emblem Heroes] Blood Curse
Title: Blood Curse
Day / Prompt: 02 / Deep Breath Deep Breath
Fandom: Fire Emblem Heroes
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Sharena, Veronica, Xander
Rating / Warning(s): Mature / Vampirism.
Word Count: 1,090
Notes: This takes place at the same time as the previous story. Taking a little creative license here as to what the canon 'thirst for the blood of Askr' means. Also features a Wholesome Xander ™.
The biggest obstacle facing the alliance between Askr and Embla was the fact that the blood of two opposing Dragons flowed in the veins of the royals of each nation, dooming each side to seek the destruction of the other. The rulers of Askr managed to overcome that curse, but the rulers of Embla instead embraced it, turning it into a source of power and legitimacy.
Prince Alfonse of Askr discovered, in his research, that one of his ancestors had developed a method of temporarily suppressing the curse of Embla, though it carried a cost that he was uncertain he was willing to pay ... until he learned that neither he nor his sister, Sharena, might have a choice.
* * * *
Xander closed the door and paused to take a deep breath before turning to Sharena and saying, "This is one of the worst episodes I've seen, and your brother is still in the World of Shadows. Are you sure about this, Princess?"
Sharena nodded, setting down her spear and loosening her collar. "I can't let Alfonse be the only one to carry this burden, Prince Xander. And you'll be in the chamber to make sure that nothing about this gets out of hand, right?"
Xander nodded. "You have my word. Your life will not be in any danger."
"All right." She turned to face the door. "Are you ready for this?"
"This never sits well with me." He narrowed his eyes and rested his hand on the door latch, pausing before he turned it. "I hate seeing her like this."
Sharena touched him on his shoulder. "You care about her, don't you? That's why you're still here, even though we defeated you and voided your contract."
"All she has is her brother, and he's no better off than she is. She needs at least one person in her retinue who can always be counted on to be himself." He grimaced. "That being said, let's not delay this any longer."
The door opened, and Xander and Sharena walked into the chamber. Veronica lay on the bed at the center of the room, her breath short, her eyes dilated to the point that they seemed almost black. She seemed unaware of her visitors.
"I'll restrain her," Xander said softly. "Once that's done, approach."
Veronica sat up upon hearing him speak. "Xander?" Her gaze seemed empty. "Did you kill them for me? Did you bring me their bones?" Suspicion filled her voice as he approached. "What are you doing, Xander? Stand back."
"Forgive me," he murmured as he expertly pinned her arms behind her back. As powerful as she was, she was still physically small compared to him.
"How dare you, you –" She noticed Sharena walking up to the bed. "Oh."
"D-Do you remember what my brother did for you, Veronica?" Sharena tried to project calm, but there was no avoiding the reality of the situation.
"Is he afraid to come back?" Dark amusement lurked in her eyes. "Is that why he sent you instead?" A cruel chuckle. "Sacrificing his sister. Lovely."
"I'm not afraid." Sharena swallowed in spite of that statement. "So –" She tilted her head to one side, baring her neck. "Is this what you want?"
"Hmm!" Xander eased his grip enough to let Veronica lean forward. "I wonder if your blood is sweeter than his? Let's find out!" She opened her mouth wide, but Sharena shied back from her. "Oh, so you are afraid to do it."
"I won't let you tear my throat out." Sharena produced a thin-bladed knife from her belt. "You get to have a little. Just enough. That's all." She lightly touched the blade to the side of her neck, and a line of red appeared on her skin as she did her best not to flinch. "H-Here. Come take it."
"The blood of Askr –" Veronica pressed her lips to the cut, gently sucking at it for what seemed like eternity, though it was only a moment. "I –" Her eyes became heavy as her pupils returned to normal. "I-I need to ... sleep." She faded quickly, breathing softly as Xander laid her back down upon the bed.
A moment later, Sharena and Xander stood outside the door again, Xander applying ointment and a bandage to the cut as Sharena stood very still.
"It takes a little more each time," Xander admitted as he double-checked his handiwork. "You don't need me to tell you this method won't work forever."
"I-I know, but it's all we have for now." Sharena sighed. "I'm ... a little dizzy, I'm sorry. I need to sit down." He gestured to a stone bench next to the door. "Thank you." She took a seat. "So ... where will you two go?"
"We're going to Nohr – that is, the World of Conquest. It won't be the same as my Nohr, if I'm reading the map of the gates correctly, but I'm certain the royals there will still listen to me." He nodded. "And you, Princess?"
"I'll have to get a detail together, but it looks like I'm headed to the World of Radiance. If Alfonse thinks Celica's going to help us, no matter what, then I'm sure Ike will, too." She paused. "I don't know if I ever thanked you, Prince Xander. I know you've had a lot to do with the Emblians accepting my family as refugees here, and I'm sure it hasn't been easy for you."
Xander shook his head. "They don't have a king, Sharena, and no one in their royal family is well. They need someone who can at least act like a king, even if it's only for a little while." His face turned grim. "Many of them do not accept me, but the ones who do are loyal to a fault. If you need soldiers to accompany you, I will see to it that you have only the best."
"You don't have to do that –" The determination in his eyes did not escape her. "– but I'm not about to turn down your help, either. I promise that I'll repay you, no matter what." She smiled. "And you know I'm not joking."
The smallest hint of a smile passed across his face. "I'll hold you to that promise, Princess. For now, you need to rest before you leave."
"You're right." She inclined her head, and he bowed and went back into the chamber to sit with Veronica. Before she turned to leave, she thought, touching the bandage on her neck, You're ... a good person, Xander.
END.
Day / Prompt: 02 / Deep Breath Deep Breath
Fandom: Fire Emblem Heroes
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Sharena, Veronica, Xander
Rating / Warning(s): Mature / Vampirism.
Word Count: 1,090
Notes: This takes place at the same time as the previous story. Taking a little creative license here as to what the canon 'thirst for the blood of Askr' means. Also features a Wholesome Xander ™.
Prince Alfonse of Askr discovered, in his research, that one of his ancestors had developed a method of temporarily suppressing the curse of Embla, though it carried a cost that he was uncertain he was willing to pay ... until he learned that neither he nor his sister, Sharena, might have a choice.
* * * *
Xander closed the door and paused to take a deep breath before turning to Sharena and saying, "This is one of the worst episodes I've seen, and your brother is still in the World of Shadows. Are you sure about this, Princess?"
Sharena nodded, setting down her spear and loosening her collar. "I can't let Alfonse be the only one to carry this burden, Prince Xander. And you'll be in the chamber to make sure that nothing about this gets out of hand, right?"
Xander nodded. "You have my word. Your life will not be in any danger."
"All right." She turned to face the door. "Are you ready for this?"
"This never sits well with me." He narrowed his eyes and rested his hand on the door latch, pausing before he turned it. "I hate seeing her like this."
Sharena touched him on his shoulder. "You care about her, don't you? That's why you're still here, even though we defeated you and voided your contract."
"All she has is her brother, and he's no better off than she is. She needs at least one person in her retinue who can always be counted on to be himself." He grimaced. "That being said, let's not delay this any longer."
The door opened, and Xander and Sharena walked into the chamber. Veronica lay on the bed at the center of the room, her breath short, her eyes dilated to the point that they seemed almost black. She seemed unaware of her visitors.
"I'll restrain her," Xander said softly. "Once that's done, approach."
Veronica sat up upon hearing him speak. "Xander?" Her gaze seemed empty. "Did you kill them for me? Did you bring me their bones?" Suspicion filled her voice as he approached. "What are you doing, Xander? Stand back."
"Forgive me," he murmured as he expertly pinned her arms behind her back. As powerful as she was, she was still physically small compared to him.
"How dare you, you –" She noticed Sharena walking up to the bed. "Oh."
"D-Do you remember what my brother did for you, Veronica?" Sharena tried to project calm, but there was no avoiding the reality of the situation.
"Is he afraid to come back?" Dark amusement lurked in her eyes. "Is that why he sent you instead?" A cruel chuckle. "Sacrificing his sister. Lovely."
"I'm not afraid." Sharena swallowed in spite of that statement. "So –" She tilted her head to one side, baring her neck. "Is this what you want?"
"Hmm!" Xander eased his grip enough to let Veronica lean forward. "I wonder if your blood is sweeter than his? Let's find out!" She opened her mouth wide, but Sharena shied back from her. "Oh, so you are afraid to do it."
"I won't let you tear my throat out." Sharena produced a thin-bladed knife from her belt. "You get to have a little. Just enough. That's all." She lightly touched the blade to the side of her neck, and a line of red appeared on her skin as she did her best not to flinch. "H-Here. Come take it."
"The blood of Askr –" Veronica pressed her lips to the cut, gently sucking at it for what seemed like eternity, though it was only a moment. "I –" Her eyes became heavy as her pupils returned to normal. "I-I need to ... sleep." She faded quickly, breathing softly as Xander laid her back down upon the bed.
A moment later, Sharena and Xander stood outside the door again, Xander applying ointment and a bandage to the cut as Sharena stood very still.
"It takes a little more each time," Xander admitted as he double-checked his handiwork. "You don't need me to tell you this method won't work forever."
"I-I know, but it's all we have for now." Sharena sighed. "I'm ... a little dizzy, I'm sorry. I need to sit down." He gestured to a stone bench next to the door. "Thank you." She took a seat. "So ... where will you two go?"
"We're going to Nohr – that is, the World of Conquest. It won't be the same as my Nohr, if I'm reading the map of the gates correctly, but I'm certain the royals there will still listen to me." He nodded. "And you, Princess?"
"I'll have to get a detail together, but it looks like I'm headed to the World of Radiance. If Alfonse thinks Celica's going to help us, no matter what, then I'm sure Ike will, too." She paused. "I don't know if I ever thanked you, Prince Xander. I know you've had a lot to do with the Emblians accepting my family as refugees here, and I'm sure it hasn't been easy for you."
Xander shook his head. "They don't have a king, Sharena, and no one in their royal family is well. They need someone who can at least act like a king, even if it's only for a little while." His face turned grim. "Many of them do not accept me, but the ones who do are loyal to a fault. If you need soldiers to accompany you, I will see to it that you have only the best."
"You don't have to do that –" The determination in his eyes did not escape her. "– but I'm not about to turn down your help, either. I promise that I'll repay you, no matter what." She smiled. "And you know I'm not joking."
The smallest hint of a smile passed across his face. "I'll hold you to that promise, Princess. For now, you need to rest before you leave."
"You're right." She inclined her head, and he bowed and went back into the chamber to sit with Veronica. Before she turned to leave, she thought, touching the bandage on her neck, You're ... a good person, Xander.
END.