Fire Emblem: The Great Divide

Cairbre walked alone in the woods towards where the Heron village was located, whistling a little tune as he prepared to meet up with the Sage and Keeper. To his surprise, he was quickly awed by a stunning armored maiden with black wings descending from the trees in front of him.

"Ello! Um, where am I?" Cairbre feigned ignorance of his location to the Heron.

"A very long ways from what must have been your destination, friend. Civilization, at least of the sort you're looking for, is beyond the forest. There's nothing out this way." Halcyon stood her ground like a castle wall as she instructed the strange beorc.

"Then why is a beautiful maiden like yourself here?" The bearded soldier answered coyly.

"To point those who have lost their way back to the path they need to follow." The redheaded Heron replied with the same stubborn demeanor as before.

"But what if I'm not lost nor I want to go back? I think anyone would find it hard to turn their back to a lovely maiden."

"When that lovely lady has wings to fly away from any clingy traveler, the traveler may find themselves forced to wander in the wilderness and die or to take the path the lady suggested. And if you weren't lost, why did you ask me where you were?"

"Because I wasn't lost. I just didn't know where I was. What should I call you?"

"I'm the Keeper." Halcyon responded. "That's what everyone calls me."

"Maybe that wasn't the right question. Keeper doesn't sound appropriate for a beautiful Heron of... 160 years?" The beorc didn't even try to be subtle with his compliments.

"Haven't you realized that flattery is getting you nowhere? If I was distracted by it I would say I lacked discipline, but that's obviously not happening, nor will it ever. So are you going to stop wasting my time now, or is there something you're actually dying to say?"

"Well I sort of need somewhere to stay..."

"Why not resume your journey after a rest? You are less than a day from a town with an inn."

"I am? Where would I rest though?"

"Just past those red flowers there is a pool of fresh water and some trees that grow fruit this time of year. It is a quiet place where you can rest easily. You are welcome to stay there for some time until you can resume your journey."

"Well, if there's some fresh water, I have some tea that we can make and some flint to heat it up. Quiet is nice, but so is talk. So, Keeper, do you have a name?"

"Not one that matters to anyone besides the one I already gave you. You've now asked me twice for my name without so much as once offering your own."

"Well, you never asked. I can tell you over a cup of tea of course." Cairbre nodded with a smile.

"I like to know what to call the people I have tea with before we even sit down to make the tea. It makes things less awkward than asking who someone is during tea." Halcyon didn't even need to roll her eyes with the sass in her voice.

"That's reasonable. I feel the same way. My name is Cairbre Ahearn."

"Well then, shall we have tea?"

"Of course." Cairbre didn't bother to hid his smile as he began to walk towards the freshwater pond that Hal told him about.

After a short walk, the two sat down on a small mat that Cairbre provided and began to make tea. The morning sunlight glimmered off of the peaceful pond, providing a soothing backdrop for the pair's conversation.

"So, what is your name, Ms. Keeper?" Cairbre asked her again.

"Halcyon is my given name. But I am simply referred to by 'Keeper' or some variation thereof now."

"Halcyon seems like an unusual name. Do you like it?"

"Is it unusual? Where I'm from that is not so. But it is a fair enough name."

"Where you're from? Does that have to do with your title?"

"Somewhat. My title refers to the duty that I alone can carry out for the good of my village's people. I protect and 'keep' things from harm."

"And from your armor, I can tell that you 'keep' things from harm by kicking ass and taking names." He replied earnestly. "I can respect that. So, do you have any family?"

"No." She answered bluntly.

"Really?"

"Truly."

"Have you ever thought about a family, or does your job keep you busy? Is it just a lack of handsome men?" The beorc teased the Heron as he chuckled a little.

"Neither." She deadpanned, clearly not amused by his witticism.

"A family would be nice." Cairbre said to no one in particular. "I've never seen a Heron warrior before. Would you care to have a sparring match?"

"It would do no good for us to spar if you are injured in the match and thus unable to continue your journey. Though I must note that your willingness to spar has revealed that you yourself are a warrior, and your intentions for coming to this place and asking me these questions are potentially dubious."

"That's a fair assumption, and an accurate one as well." Cairbre sighed that his ruse was seen through, but knew it was an eventuality as he stood up. "In truth, I came here on behalf of my lady to secure our relationship and ensure the safety of the Herons in this region. We have reason to believe that there might be rebel activity nearby, and my superiors were concerned that they might attack here. Though I became too enamored with conversation in order to establish that beforehand, and for that, I am ashamed. Would you prefer to discuss this out here, over some more tea, or with whoever leads your tribe?"

"Let us discuss this now, so that I can decide whether or not I shall risk taking you to the sage." Halcyon spoke to him sternly, but not angrily.

"My lady was given information by a commander in the military to send someone to help ensure the safety of the Herons, as we've received reports of suspected rebel activity nearby. The commander and her adviser, Sellen, whom you may know, both believe that the rebels may endanger the Heron village. I was sent to ensure the safety of any lives that could be lost as the result of a rebel attack." He explained carefully to the Heron.

"Did you come here alone?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have four men stationed in the nearby town in order to assist the people there in the event of an emergency, but we're the only two people here that I'm aware of." Cairbre nodded in honesty and then slightly out of shame. "Forgive me for my obfuscation earlier. I shouldn't have indulged myself by talking with you, though I can't say that I regret the experience."

"Will your men move towards this area after not hearing from you for several days?"

"They should not. I gave them orders and they, like many beorc, hold the belief that Herons are peaceful and would not wish to bring me harm."

"After we finish our tea, I will take you to speak with the sage."

"I'm sorry for not telling you why I was here earlier." Cairbre apologized. "You piqued my curiosity, and I let it get the better of me. Forgive me for that, will you? I'd like to speak to you some more while we finish the tea."

"Then speak." Halcyon was clearly irritated at Cairbre again.

"If only your demeanor was as sweet and lovely as you appear, I'd think you were an angel." Cairbre poked a bit more fun at Hal. "The wings support that picture as well."

"You would never picture an angel with black wings. You are proving for me just how shallow your complimenting words really are, confirming my suspicion. Do you really wish to have a conversation of some merit, or will we continue with halfhearted and idle chatter?"

"In truth, I am unsure of what to talk about. Though there was truth in my words. An armored angel in black wings sounds like an angel of death, does it not?"

"Perhaps so, but I still hold my opinion. That you would mention an angel, but not specifically an angel of death because of the negative connotations simple reaffirms my belief in the nature of your words. They are for flattery, nothing more serious than that. By flattering me you are hoping to positively influence my perception of you. But I base my perceptions on the actions of others, then on the honesty of their words."

"How does an angel of death hold negative connotations? After all, death is a necessity." Cairbre sat down to sip some more tea. "My flattery was in all honesty, and my words are all I have. After all, you've only seen a brief glimpse of my life. Even then, I wouldn't think someone as stalwart as you would give in to flattery to begin with."

"Stalwart." Hal scoffed at his words. "You've only changed the type of flattery you are trying to use on me. It is almost amusing that you haven't given up. You're quite persistent."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment. Maybe stubborn was better? Like a brick wall? Boring?"

"There you go, that's much better. I think you'll find that I like conversations to be straightforward. It's more likely to be genuine that way."

"But your beauty is genuine." The beorc kept up his teasing, but this one was obvious.

"Well, if you think I'm beautiful, then I'm sure you'll nearly faint upon seeing our most revered sage, who is beautiful beyond compare, even by heron standards." The devious Heron faked a blush in order to fool Cairbre.

"I find that hard to believe." He replied, seeing through her sudden bluff.

"But surely you know that among my people the sage is recognized by being exceedingly fair throughout their life, a sight that could make one's heart leap with delight, as a sign of the divine gift given to them by the goddess."

"But such beauty would be blinding! Impossible! Being that beautiful would be dangerous!" Cairbre put his hands up in feigned shock, clearly having fun with his intentional overreaction.

"The responsibility of being the sage is a great burden. Their beauty is the only recompense given to them by fate for the burden they bear."

"Do Herons desire such great beauty?"

"In what ways?"

"I mean, is it considered to be a proper compensation for the responsibility?"

"No, it is not. But you must also remember that their beauty has many benefits." The warrior Heron explained. "The people recognize the sage as their leader from the moment of their birth. They are more receptive to the words of the sage. The sage is universally loved by our tribe. They can go to the outside world and they are loved there. Outsiders listen to the words of the sage, recognizing their powerful gift on sight, as the phenomenon of such is not limited to the herons of this tribe. One sight tells of how the sage has the blessing of the goddess. Only a royal heron of immense beauty could come close to capturing the same devotion the sage captures. The beauty is the sign of the miracle that is our sage."

"Herons are the keepers of peace after all, and beauty is often equated with goodness." Cairbre accepted her reasoning but proposed another question in suspicion. "How come I've never heard of this sage though? Does she not make appearances in order to perform her duty?"

"The sage is always among the public in this village. Sages only venture into the outside world in times of such instability that they can no longer recieve their visions in the village, which happens only rarely and only due to a war raging nearby. The last three sages have never left the village, according to our records."

"But they'd make excellent diplomats! They could help us!" Cairbre's tone was clearly concerned and excited, but his poor choice of words could have betrayed him.

"Who are you referring to by 'us', pray tell?" Hal questioned him further, but was not angry, just concerned.

"My people. Your sage could help the beorc more than I ever could. Though, I'm unsure of whether an attempt by the sage would be acceptable with the talk of a rising rebellion."

"You should discuss it with them." She instructed Cairbre.

"With whom?"

"Discuss it with our sage."

"Hopefully she understands." Cairbre sighed with concern as he looked down at his tea for a bit. "So, Halcyon, what do you do in the village, besides guarding it? There can't be too many travelers who near it."

"I check for disturbances in the surrounding areas." Hal answered stiffly.

"Do you ever get bored? I know I do." Cairbre was genuinely curious as he began to snack on one of the biscuits he had brought as well.

"I always have something to do, so I'm never bored, but it does become tiring at times."

"How long have you been Keeper?"

"Not very long. I haven't even completed all the rites I am expected to complete in order to become a proper Keeper as far as the historical records and traditions of my people are concerned."

"I meant how many years. Though what are the rites?"

"Very complicated measures that I have been required to commit to memory, as no one will tell me them again, that are too hard to explain to someone from the outside world. Regardless, as for how long it has been since I was given the mantle of the Keeper... Two years and six months, I believe it has been."

"And how long have you been training in combat should the need ever arise?" His tone became a bit lighter and more interested.

"I'm a very peculiar breed of heron that can handle battle without the steep consequences my other brethren are so crippled by. That you can tell by the color of my wings. Herons with black wings fight. It came naturally for me. I have fought for as long as I can remember."

"Then you are my senior in combat." Cairbre smiled. "I'd relish the chance to spar with you."

"We shall see about that."

"In what way?" Cairbre was caught off guard for a bit.

"Whether or not we have the opportunity to spar."

"We have an opportunity now." He was clearly excited by the chance to spar with this enamoring beauty. "I came with a sword in my pack for self-defense in case I was attacked by wild animals or bandits. It's not my preferred weapon, but it's of good use."

"You should speak with the sage sooner rather then later, Cairbre."

"Then we should go to her." Cairbre bottled up his excitement as they went back to the matter at hand.

"I will take you to the sage's doorstep. There I will explain the situation, and then take my leave. You are on your own after this, Caibre. But whatever you do, do not threaten or cross my people, or you will face swift retribution."

"I swear on my honor and my life that I will not do so." Cairbre's tone became deathly serious with his oath.

"Good. Keep that oath so that those things are not forfeit."

Instead of the petite royal heron, it was a giant, dark skinned man who answered the door. His long, reddish black hair was damp and shiny as if recently washed, and it fell down to his lower back, wild and untamed. His golden eyes were highlighted by dark circles, as if he had only recently woken up. His chest was bare, save for a white towel slung over his shoulder, which partially covered the massive scar on his chest. He wore only a pair of simple black pants, and he didn't seem bothered in the slightest about appearing before a guest so underdressed. While that probably could be interpreted in many ways, in truth, it was just because he was still only half awake.

"Hm," Caderyn greeted. "You must be the new Keeper. Rena's been expecting you. Come on in and have a seat. I'll get her."

He turned and walked back into the cabin, leaving the door open behind him. The cabin was small, and Caderyn had to duck slightly in some parts, but it was quaint and homey, and well furnished. The right side of the cabin was closed off by a single bedroom, and the rest of the cabin was comprised of a decent sized living room and a small kitchen. A small, crackling fire burned lightly in a red brick and iron fireplace, bathing the cabin in a warm, gentle heat, neither too hot or too cold.

Caderyn vanished into the bedroom to wake Rena, then reappeared a moment later and walked over to the kitchen. "Rena's awake. She's just getting dressed. Would you like a glass of water?"

Cairbre walked through the door leading to the Sage and saw her kneeling on a mat with her back turned. The shoulder length hair was silky, and the room smelled of incense and other aromas.

"Greetings, Ms. Sage." Cairbre bowed his head a bit before taking a few steps closer. "I'm here to discuss the possibility of a rebel attack."

Inside the sage's home, the silence persisted, as the sage's head shook in disbelief. In the heron tribe's traditions, when one came before the sage they spoke of all their concerns before they would get any response, and although Cairbre was an outsider, the traditional rules still applied.

---

"It is harder for I than it is for most, Lady Rena. But now is not the time to sulk. What about you, my lady? Have you recovered any more of your memories?" Halcyon asked, though she made no effort to hide her curiosity about Caedryn, whom she had never met nor heard of previously.

"Did Halcyon not explain to you the traditions that are involved with having an audience with the sage?" a decidedly masculine voice said, then gave a light laugh. "Or anything about the sage, for that matter?"

Halcyon nodded, then bowed her head slightly. "Yes, Lady Rena, that is the purpose of this visit."

"Really?" the sage said with interest as he slowly turned around, revealing a fairly good humored man, about Halcyon's age. "I would say you got off quite easy if that is the meanest thing she did, given her record."

"That is just her way. She has been very stoic ever since we were children. Do not take it personally."

Rena nodded, then stifled a yawn. "I thought so. I may have someone in mind... But I'm not sure I like the idea of him spending all his time in that shrine. I kinda like him living with me. Irritating dragon habits and all."

Rena gave a knowing smile. "You know more about our traditions than I do, Hal. Would the Sage be willing to make a few... Concessions, if it meant having a Black Dragon as Guardian? My husband is a creature who enjoys his freedom, and we've only recently found each other again."