(no subject)
Author: wolfraven80
Title: Moments
Fandom: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Character: Eirika (Seth/Eirika)
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Seth/Eirika Modern-Day AU (Takes place after events of Seven but works just fine as a stand-alone)
Link to Table
Also on ffnet here
Day Nineteen: Lovers
As I walk the halls of L’Arachel’s chateau, pausing in a grand dining hall with a high ceiling and tall windows, I catch myself twisting my engagement ring around my finger. I stop and hold out my hand to admire the ring as the diamond glints in the sunlight that pours into the room. The stone is smaller than what I’d have received if I’d married one of my peers, someone like Innes or Joshua, but I know Seth spent what was, for him, a small fortune on it, and I love the ring, and him, dearly for it. It’s a solitaire with a plain gold band- classic, and very much the sort of thing Seth would choose.
I’m happy to be able to call him my fiancé and soon, husband. ‘Boyfriend’ sounds too prosaic and ‘lover’ too grandiose for our day-to-day life. But as I crane my neck to peer at the frescoed ceiling (scenes from the tale of Cupid and Psyche, if I’m not mistaken), I can’t but think that here, in a place like this, ‘lovers’ would be better suited.
A long oak table dominates the room, where once banquets would have been held. There’s a hearth at each end, encased in ornamented oak and marble, with the family’s coat of arms hanging above. In this world I would have been something else entirely- a duchess perhaps or a baroness. And Seth... Seth would have been my loyal retainer- or better yet, my knight! It’s easy to imagine him in shining armour on a white horse, a sword at his side and a lance in his hand.
I walk on through the far doorway into a ballroom, where my footsteps echo on the recently restored parquet flooring. I imagine dancing with him. I’d be wearing one of those complicated dresses you see in movies, the ones made of silk and lace that take an hour to put on. When the music stopped we would sneak out into the gardens and embrace in the moonlight, and then, hidden away by the drapings of a curtained bed, we’d make love on silken sheets.
My idle fantasy melts away as I hear approaching footsteps. I return to the dining hall and see L’Arachel.
"Ah Eirika! It’s so good to see you," she says, her voice echoing through the long hall. "My staff said you were exploring the chateau."
"I was curious. I’ve never stayed in a castle before."
"It is a glorious edifice, full of history. My family has taken great pains to keep it in good order."
"It’s lovely."
"Now," she says, hooking her arm around mine, her face full of good humour, something she seems to have a limitless supply of, "what can I do for you? You said something about Carcino..."
I nod and try to steel myself; just the thought of what’s going on is enough to send my stomach roiling. "Can we speak somewhere privately?"
"Of course."
I follow L’Arachel back into the real world, trailing fantasies like a tattered train on a wedding gown.
Also on ffnet here
Day Eighteen: Moon
"Tu es dans la lune, Eirika."
"What?" I start at L’Arachel’s words. I was brooding over what I’ve learned about Carcino Ltd. and Pablo in particular. Rausten has had dealings with them for years, but recently L’Arachel’s family has heard rumours that suggest conflict within the Carcino’s ranks. There have been disputes among the board members, especially between Pablo and one of Carcino’s founding members, Klimt.
"You’re in the moon, it means. Your head is in the clouds, I think is how you say it in English."
"Oh. Yes," I say, my cheeks feeling warm. "I’m sorry. I was just thinking of... what we talked about."
She pats my hand. "All will be well." She has a slight French accent and there’s a noticeable difference in the cadence of her speech, but the effect is charming and I do appreciate her concern. "You should be thinking of your wedding, ma chère- et non pas des imbéciles à Carcino."
"Tu a raison. Je le sais." I know she’s right and say so. I should be thinking about my wedding and not fretting about Carcino. We have so many allies- our friends at Frelia, Gerik’s team, Lute and Artur. And others as well. In fact L’Arachel is expecting a source of hers this very evening.
I start as the door swings open rather violently. I look to the doorway only to find a man in a slick suit and sunglasses with longish brown hair. "Your highness," he says with a mock bow and a mirthless laugh.
L’Arachel sniffs. "Eirika," she says, turning to me, "this is Rennac."
"It’s nice to meet you," I say, offering my hand and trying to hide my discomfiture.
He takes my hand. "Charmed, I'm sure."
"Do you have what I asked for?" L’Arachel says.
"Do you have my money?"
"What is money is the face of injustice, Rennac? Cannot you see the importance of..."
As L’Arachel continues, Rennac heaves a sigh and slumps into an easy chair across from her. He pulls a disc out of his jacket. "Happy?"
"Of course. I am alway happy because, unlike you, I treasure what I have rather than constantly lamenting what I do not."
Rennac snorts. "That’s easy to say when you own a castle."
I clear my throat. "About the disc..."
Rennac glances over at me. "It’s got the records I promised from Carcino. I may not work there anymore, but I still have some... friends, shall we say, on the inside. Seems Pablo’s been a busy boy. Channelling funds to untraceable accounts- that sort of thing."
"You see, Eirika?" L’Arachel announces, looking rather stately in a red velvet high backed chair. "Rennac may look disreputable, but even he has his uses."
"Unlike some of us," he mutters.
"What was that, Rennac?" L’Arachel asks with a raised brow.
"Oh nothing, your highness." He glances- I should say, stares- at me for a moment then. "Can I assume the reason you haven’t gone to the authorities has to do with your stock?"
I nod, surprised by his insight. "We’d like to avoid another scandal. Things are precarious enough as is."
"Well I wish you the best of luck with that. For a small commission I’ll be happy to keep an eye out."
"Rennac." The way she says his name you’d think she was addressing a dog that had piddled on a very expensive rug.
He sighs and his shoulders droop. "I’ll let you know if I hear anything."
And with that he goes on his way.
L’Arachel shakes her head. "What a vexing man he is."
"Thank you," I say quietly, clutching the disc. We’re this much closer to putting an end to this mess.
"It’s late and you’ve an early start tomorrow," L’Arachel says gently. "You should rest."
I nod and soon I’m back in my room. But even under a silk sheets and down comforter, it takes me ages to get to sleep.
Title: Moments
Fandom: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Character: Eirika (Seth/Eirika)
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Seth/Eirika Modern-Day AU (Takes place after events of Seven but works just fine as a stand-alone)
Link to Table
Also on ffnet here
Day Nineteen: Lovers
As I walk the halls of L’Arachel’s chateau, pausing in a grand dining hall with a high ceiling and tall windows, I catch myself twisting my engagement ring around my finger. I stop and hold out my hand to admire the ring as the diamond glints in the sunlight that pours into the room. The stone is smaller than what I’d have received if I’d married one of my peers, someone like Innes or Joshua, but I know Seth spent what was, for him, a small fortune on it, and I love the ring, and him, dearly for it. It’s a solitaire with a plain gold band- classic, and very much the sort of thing Seth would choose.
I’m happy to be able to call him my fiancé and soon, husband. ‘Boyfriend’ sounds too prosaic and ‘lover’ too grandiose for our day-to-day life. But as I crane my neck to peer at the frescoed ceiling (scenes from the tale of Cupid and Psyche, if I’m not mistaken), I can’t but think that here, in a place like this, ‘lovers’ would be better suited.
A long oak table dominates the room, where once banquets would have been held. There’s a hearth at each end, encased in ornamented oak and marble, with the family’s coat of arms hanging above. In this world I would have been something else entirely- a duchess perhaps or a baroness. And Seth... Seth would have been my loyal retainer- or better yet, my knight! It’s easy to imagine him in shining armour on a white horse, a sword at his side and a lance in his hand.
I walk on through the far doorway into a ballroom, where my footsteps echo on the recently restored parquet flooring. I imagine dancing with him. I’d be wearing one of those complicated dresses you see in movies, the ones made of silk and lace that take an hour to put on. When the music stopped we would sneak out into the gardens and embrace in the moonlight, and then, hidden away by the drapings of a curtained bed, we’d make love on silken sheets.
My idle fantasy melts away as I hear approaching footsteps. I return to the dining hall and see L’Arachel.
"Ah Eirika! It’s so good to see you," she says, her voice echoing through the long hall. "My staff said you were exploring the chateau."
"I was curious. I’ve never stayed in a castle before."
"It is a glorious edifice, full of history. My family has taken great pains to keep it in good order."
"It’s lovely."
"Now," she says, hooking her arm around mine, her face full of good humour, something she seems to have a limitless supply of, "what can I do for you? You said something about Carcino..."
I nod and try to steel myself; just the thought of what’s going on is enough to send my stomach roiling. "Can we speak somewhere privately?"
"Of course."
I follow L’Arachel back into the real world, trailing fantasies like a tattered train on a wedding gown.
Also on ffnet here
Day Eighteen: Moon
"Tu es dans la lune, Eirika."
"What?" I start at L’Arachel’s words. I was brooding over what I’ve learned about Carcino Ltd. and Pablo in particular. Rausten has had dealings with them for years, but recently L’Arachel’s family has heard rumours that suggest conflict within the Carcino’s ranks. There have been disputes among the board members, especially between Pablo and one of Carcino’s founding members, Klimt.
"You’re in the moon, it means. Your head is in the clouds, I think is how you say it in English."
"Oh. Yes," I say, my cheeks feeling warm. "I’m sorry. I was just thinking of... what we talked about."
She pats my hand. "All will be well." She has a slight French accent and there’s a noticeable difference in the cadence of her speech, but the effect is charming and I do appreciate her concern. "You should be thinking of your wedding, ma chère- et non pas des imbéciles à Carcino."
"Tu a raison. Je le sais." I know she’s right and say so. I should be thinking about my wedding and not fretting about Carcino. We have so many allies- our friends at Frelia, Gerik’s team, Lute and Artur. And others as well. In fact L’Arachel is expecting a source of hers this very evening.
I start as the door swings open rather violently. I look to the doorway only to find a man in a slick suit and sunglasses with longish brown hair. "Your highness," he says with a mock bow and a mirthless laugh.
L’Arachel sniffs. "Eirika," she says, turning to me, "this is Rennac."
"It’s nice to meet you," I say, offering my hand and trying to hide my discomfiture.
He takes my hand. "Charmed, I'm sure."
"Do you have what I asked for?" L’Arachel says.
"Do you have my money?"
"What is money is the face of injustice, Rennac? Cannot you see the importance of..."
As L’Arachel continues, Rennac heaves a sigh and slumps into an easy chair across from her. He pulls a disc out of his jacket. "Happy?"
"Of course. I am alway happy because, unlike you, I treasure what I have rather than constantly lamenting what I do not."
Rennac snorts. "That’s easy to say when you own a castle."
I clear my throat. "About the disc..."
Rennac glances over at me. "It’s got the records I promised from Carcino. I may not work there anymore, but I still have some... friends, shall we say, on the inside. Seems Pablo’s been a busy boy. Channelling funds to untraceable accounts- that sort of thing."
"You see, Eirika?" L’Arachel announces, looking rather stately in a red velvet high backed chair. "Rennac may look disreputable, but even he has his uses."
"Unlike some of us," he mutters.
"What was that, Rennac?" L’Arachel asks with a raised brow.
"Oh nothing, your highness." He glances- I should say, stares- at me for a moment then. "Can I assume the reason you haven’t gone to the authorities has to do with your stock?"
I nod, surprised by his insight. "We’d like to avoid another scandal. Things are precarious enough as is."
"Well I wish you the best of luck with that. For a small commission I’ll be happy to keep an eye out."
"Rennac." The way she says his name you’d think she was addressing a dog that had piddled on a very expensive rug.
He sighs and his shoulders droop. "I’ll let you know if I hear anything."
And with that he goes on his way.
L’Arachel shakes her head. "What a vexing man he is."
"Thank you," I say quietly, clutching the disc. We’re this much closer to putting an end to this mess.
"It’s late and you’ve an early start tomorrow," L’Arachel says gently. "You should rest."
I nod and soon I’m back in my room. But even under a silk sheets and down comforter, it takes me ages to get to sleep.