[June 16] [Fire Emblem] Practical Lessons
Jun. 16th, 2008 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
runiclorePractical Lessons
Author: Amber Michelle
Day/Theme: June 16 - Practically perfect in every way
Series: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Character/Pairing: Sanaki, Sephiran
Rating: K; innocent
Words: 754
Notes: n/a
.............................................
Sanaki watched her bird hop from branch to branch, sitting with her legs folded beneath her in the shade of a maple near the center of the cathedral garden. Sephiran sat beside her on their blanket, a journal open on his lap and not a hair was out of place even in the breezy summer heat. Her own hair clung to her neck and her cheeks, damp and heavy as a cloak on her shoulders. Her linen dress was long-sleeved at her mentor's insistence - for modesty's sake, he told her, though she was only nine and didn't think anybody was looking at her like that. If they were, he would surely have them beheaded.
She glanced at him again, shifting her weight from her legs, and wondered if asking to go inside would make her sound petulant. That lecture came practically every day: you should not expect everyting to be given to you just because you are Begnion's Empress, et cetera and thank you. She knew the moral limits to the position. But it was hot, even if Sephiran made it look like they were sitting in the cold, stony depths of the cathedral.
How did he do it in that coat? And could she learn to do it, whatever he did, and look comfortable in her ceremonial robes while the senators sweated their misery out in the audience chamber?
The bird refused to descend even a little closer. Its shape was right, as far as Sanaki could tell from the ground, but she didn't want to answer his question without being absolutely positive.
"Well?"
She frowned. It didn't look like the picture in their book; the feathers were mottled with green, and the combination of that olive and its red plumage was awful. "A Scarlet Tanager," she said. "I think."
"Speak with more confidence, Empress."
Her lip puffed out. She bit it back. "But it's a strange one, Sephiran. It's too high to see properly."
He hmmed softly, rose with a command to stay there, and walked several paces away until he looked up at the bird from a different vantage point. His hair moved with the breeze as one entity, flaring with his pale coat. "You must be quiet," he said, "and move slowly if necessary."
Sanaki nodded, and tried to quiet her breathing when he spoke to the bird in words she couldn't understand. It sounded like the magic in her tome - it's a spell, she thought, he's trying to enchant the bird. There must be an entire body of magic on such things, and of course Sephiran would know it; he knew all manner of magics, everything she had ever heard of, even in his stories. He knew amazing epics. He spoke of Altina and Ashera as if he'd met them. She could imagine the empress laying about with her twin swords, and the Tower of Guidance humming as it bled into being at the will of the goddess. Lehran's song, he said, locked those doors forever. Ashera sleeps inside and waits for him to return.
The bird hopped down, first hesitating on one branch, then fluttering down twig to twig until Sephiran lifted his hand. Sanaki wanted him to sing, but the bird was sufficiently lulled by his magic, and leaned closer to him until it fell from its branch and scrambled for purchase on his fingers.
"Be very still," Sephiran said to her softly, cupping his other hand around the bird. He brought it down to his chest and returned at an infuriatingly slow pace, kneeling finally at the edge of the blanket and lowering his hand with the same care.
It's molting, she thought immediately, watching its head swivel back and forth. Its underside was green and its back scarlet, the tail and wings black just as the journal told her they should be. The feathers looked so soft up close she wanted to touch them and stroke them down like Sephiran was doing, telling it something foreign - she understood the word still. Or it might have been tranquil.
The bird shot away in a sudden beating of wings. Sanaki fell back with a squeak and glared when Sephiran laughed, standing up and shaking his hair out. "You scared it away!" she said.
"I told you not to move, Empress." He offered his hand, pulled her up. "Now. What kind of bird was it?"
"A Scarlet Tanager, of course. Don't waste my time repeating questions."
.....................................................
Author: Amber Michelle
Day/Theme: June 16 - Practically perfect in every way
Series: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Character/Pairing: Sanaki, Sephiran
Rating: K; innocent
Words: 754
Notes: n/a
.............................................
Sanaki watched her bird hop from branch to branch, sitting with her legs folded beneath her in the shade of a maple near the center of the cathedral garden. Sephiran sat beside her on their blanket, a journal open on his lap and not a hair was out of place even in the breezy summer heat. Her own hair clung to her neck and her cheeks, damp and heavy as a cloak on her shoulders. Her linen dress was long-sleeved at her mentor's insistence - for modesty's sake, he told her, though she was only nine and didn't think anybody was looking at her like that. If they were, he would surely have them beheaded.
She glanced at him again, shifting her weight from her legs, and wondered if asking to go inside would make her sound petulant. That lecture came practically every day: you should not expect everyting to be given to you just because you are Begnion's Empress, et cetera and thank you. She knew the moral limits to the position. But it was hot, even if Sephiran made it look like they were sitting in the cold, stony depths of the cathedral.
How did he do it in that coat? And could she learn to do it, whatever he did, and look comfortable in her ceremonial robes while the senators sweated their misery out in the audience chamber?
The bird refused to descend even a little closer. Its shape was right, as far as Sanaki could tell from the ground, but she didn't want to answer his question without being absolutely positive.
"Well?"
She frowned. It didn't look like the picture in their book; the feathers were mottled with green, and the combination of that olive and its red plumage was awful. "A Scarlet Tanager," she said. "I think."
"Speak with more confidence, Empress."
Her lip puffed out. She bit it back. "But it's a strange one, Sephiran. It's too high to see properly."
He hmmed softly, rose with a command to stay there, and walked several paces away until he looked up at the bird from a different vantage point. His hair moved with the breeze as one entity, flaring with his pale coat. "You must be quiet," he said, "and move slowly if necessary."
Sanaki nodded, and tried to quiet her breathing when he spoke to the bird in words she couldn't understand. It sounded like the magic in her tome - it's a spell, she thought, he's trying to enchant the bird. There must be an entire body of magic on such things, and of course Sephiran would know it; he knew all manner of magics, everything she had ever heard of, even in his stories. He knew amazing epics. He spoke of Altina and Ashera as if he'd met them. She could imagine the empress laying about with her twin swords, and the Tower of Guidance humming as it bled into being at the will of the goddess. Lehran's song, he said, locked those doors forever. Ashera sleeps inside and waits for him to return.
The bird hopped down, first hesitating on one branch, then fluttering down twig to twig until Sephiran lifted his hand. Sanaki wanted him to sing, but the bird was sufficiently lulled by his magic, and leaned closer to him until it fell from its branch and scrambled for purchase on his fingers.
"Be very still," Sephiran said to her softly, cupping his other hand around the bird. He brought it down to his chest and returned at an infuriatingly slow pace, kneeling finally at the edge of the blanket and lowering his hand with the same care.
It's molting, she thought immediately, watching its head swivel back and forth. Its underside was green and its back scarlet, the tail and wings black just as the journal told her they should be. The feathers looked so soft up close she wanted to touch them and stroke them down like Sephiran was doing, telling it something foreign - she understood the word still. Or it might have been tranquil.
The bird shot away in a sudden beating of wings. Sanaki fell back with a squeak and glared when Sephiran laughed, standing up and shaking his hair out. "You scared it away!" she said.
"I told you not to move, Empress." He offered his hand, pulled her up. "Now. What kind of bird was it?"
"A Scarlet Tanager, of course. Don't waste my time repeating questions."
.....................................................
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 04:54 am (UTC)Anyway, this sweet little moment made made my day. ^^
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 09:23 pm (UTC)I'm surprised there isn't more heron fic, not to mention Naesala and Tibarn. And I'm frankly shocked Lehran doesn't get more attention. >_>;