Age of Destruction: Fire Emblem CYOA

"I'm sore everywhere.  You've got your work cut out for you." Lily answers.  A wry grin spreads across her face and she continues with a dark humor.  "If your little poison stunt interrupts us, you'll just have to finish after the big escape."

Isana giggles uncomfortably as she begins.  "Yes, of course."

"Mmmph.  That...  Is it supposed to hurt?"

"Your muscles are knotted and stiff.  This will be unpleasant until they loosen, but you'll feel much better and much stronger after they do," Isana promises.

Lily laughs.  "I imagine I will."  She tries to relax and let her mind wander.  She running through possible scenarios, plans, contingencies...  And trying to remember anything she's ever learned about locks and how to deal with them.  She doesn't even notice when Isana starts to slow and gradually stops.  Isana thudding on top of her unconscious, on the other hand, snaps her out of it.  Lily shrugs her off and checks on her.  She seems to be breathing fine, but any efforts to wake her seem pointless.  Lily groans as she realizes she's starting to become sluggish herself.  Looks like Isana wasn't kidding.  "Dammit..."

---

Lily's vision is swimming.  Everything's so blurry.  She's lying outside of her tent.  Shadowy figures surround her.  She recognizes the closest form as Zenia.  A long-haired figure that Lily decides must be Isana is passed out on the ground beside her.  The others are unfamiliar.  They're talking about something.  Whispering.  No, not whispering.  Lily just can't hear.  She concentrates, trying to force herself out of her stupor.

One of the figures gestures towards her.  It - he? - starts walking towards her.  He reaches for his belt, draws a sword.  Lily pieces together a few words.  "...ordered... kill... waste..."

Lily tries to do... something.  Anything.  But her body refuses.  She keeps trying.  With great effort, she manages to slightly twitch her arm.  It's enough to stir up the crowd of figures.  The one with the sword advances faster.

As he walks past, Zenia grabs him by the throat, hoists him up a few inches, throws him to the ground, stomps on his hand, and kicks his sword away.  "...taking her alive... anyone else... any objections?"  Maybe it's just because she's closer or maybe Lily's waking up, but Zenia's words seem more clear.

The one on the ground chokes something out.  "Your orders were... kill...  That traitor... fake orders..."

Zenia gives him a swift kick in the ribs, then bends down.  She scoops Isana up and tosses her over her shoulder.  "...ask the Great... if she did... find out why..."

One of the group motions towards Lily again as if reminding Zenia she exists.  "...waking up..."

Zenia glances over her free shoulder, then unceremoniously drops Isana.  She thuds to the ground.  Zenia points to the motionless dancer, then one the other figures - obviously Feroxi troops, Lily realizes.  "...your responsibility... if she escapes... you personally."  The threatening tone in Zenia's voice is obvious, and the troop quickly runs to collect Isana.  She points to a few other tents.  Lily can't see which ones, but it sounds like she's describing a few of the others.  "...take them... sure she'll behave... leave the rest..."

Zenia walks calmly over to Lily.  "Haaaaa..." Lily rasps, trying to speak.

Zenia looks down at her with a hard expression, then smirks.  She kneels down beside the princess.  Lily only makes out one word.  "Cute."  Zenia presses a thumb lightly against the side of Lily's neck and her vision begins to fade again.

Everything goes back.

---

Skip X chapter?
(A) Yes.  Wait, no.  Do the X chapter.
(B) Uh...  Wait, did we even do the actual chapter yet?  (nope)
(C) So the X chapter's... before the actual chapter.  (yep)
(D) And this was like an intermission? (pretty much)
(E) Then what was that last decision about? (it'll be pretty obvious later)
(F) Fine.  But skip the X chapter.

Yes. Why would we skip it?

But but its a chapter named after me. Of course we are doing the Floofing chapters.

Because this might be the one with the overpowered secret boss that will kill everyone's underleveled, under optimized, drugged asses.

I highly doubt Crow would even let us choose this option if we were basically screwed from the beginning.

By the way Just I voted yes for the X chapters.

Yes but it was my idea first.

Lez do dis chapter.

If I had to guess, Hawke being ex-mercenary could mean that he might be more suited to out-the-box thinking in rough situations in order to survive. Slight strength advantage can also help in physical things. Plus he has a wyvern.

Or maybe I'm reading too much into what might only affect support points.

...None of those characters can heal. Go with Hawke. He might be able to help,us,out of this.

Hawke grunts with annoyance as Lily tugs on the chain binding them together.  Then his eyes snap open and he shoots up and leaps out of bed.  Lily shrieks as it pulls her over.

"Princess?"  He looks to his arm, flapping it experimentally.  "...Are you alright?"

Lily picks herself up as gracefully as she can.  "Yes, I'm fine.  Relatively."

"Where... a ship?  I thought we were just taking Zenia as far as the port?"  He shakes the chain a bit more.

"Zenia betrayed us.  She had Isana slip us all some kind of poison, and now she's taking us to meet the Great Khan."

Hawke stares silently.

Lily sighs.  "Well, she was under orders to just kill us, so there's that.  Maybe I'll return the favor once we break out of here."

"We're going to escape, then?" Hawke asks.

"There's not much point in doing anything while we're at sea," Lily points out.  "We've got nowhere to go.  And I doubt we can take all of them, especially like this.  And even if we did, I don't know much about sailing.  Do you?"

"I know enough to crash the ship."

"Let's hold off on that for now, but it's definitely something to consider for a backup plan..."  Lily laughs uneasily.  "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Hawke tries to fold his arms, then stops when the chain goes taut.  He settles for putting his free hand on his hip.  He's clearly not impressed by Lily's false bravado.  "Hm.  Alright then.  I'll leave the planning to you and focus on keeping you safe."

Hawke falls silent, and Lily spends the time taking stock of the situation. She's unsurprised to find her weapons have been confiscated, including her hidden knife. They even went so far as to take her belt, headdress, cape, stockings, and shoes. All they left was her tunic. Hawke seems to have received much the same treatment. And probably everyone else they took... Lily hopes they're all still alright, and none of them are too panicked. Hopefully, if they gave Lily company, they're at least letting the other hostages stay together.

It's a few hours before a few pirates show up with some food and water.  They leave it on the desk while Zenia appears in the doorway.  She leans against the frame with her arms folded.  "Princess.  I see you're awake.  Again."

Lily emulates her pose as best she can.  "Zenia.  I see you're being a *****.  Again."  It's not very effective, seeing as she can't even get out of the bed with Hawke holding her back.

Zenia smirks.  "I suppose it's your dragon blood that gives you such resilience?  Such a shame it doesn't let you become a dragon."

Lily smirks right back.  "So far as you know."

"Fighting a dragon would be quite a challenge.  I would enjoy it."  Her smile fades.  "Enough chatting.  Tell me.  Why did we find Isana in your tent with you?"

(A) I caught her eavesdropping on me.
(B) That's for me to know.
(C) She was telling me everything about your little plan.
(D) I was having her give me a massage.
(E) ...
(F) Go **** yourself, Zenia.