A Dark Dance (A Fire Emblem Awakening Story)

Chapter 14: A Good Cry Can Heal

"My lady!  I'm glad you are unharmed.  I was so worried when they took over Ylisstol."  Her eyes were watery when she said.  She was so joyful.

"But Lyra, why are you here?  Why didn't you escape?"

"They came in through the kitchen where I was and captured everyone in there.  They're forcing the servants to be slaves for them.  It's rathe..." Just then, Lyra was cut of and pushed to the ground.  Her face hit the tray of food she was holding.  Her pretty face was soiled by food bits. 

The man who pushed stood above her.  In his hands were chains that held Brady.  He grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet.  "How dare you socialize with the prisoner!" he yelled.  Lyra whimpered.  Brady and I looked on the scene with empathy.  We were all prisoners and dogs to the Plegians.  They didn't care about us.  If I wasn't locked up, I would have been putting all my energy into regaining Ylisse. 

"Especially since you are both Ylissean, we can't let this go unpunished.  What if you were planning to break her out?  I think a week without food will teach you a lesson."

"Please don't punish her," I begged.  "I was the one who started to talk.  It's my fault that she spoke.  So if you should punish anyone, punish me."  I looked down.  It hurt that I was the one caused people close to be hurt. 

If I was Exalt, no one that I love would be hurting.  In fact, I would probably would have chose Plegia like my siblings.

"Ha!"  he laughed.  "You think you can just take away her guilt?  If you truly think so, you have much to learn about the world."  He, then, threw Lyra out the door and brought Brady in.  "Here's your new roommate.  Don't try to do anything you aren't supposed to."  For some reason, I blushed.  He slammed the door and left me with Brady.

We stared each other for a while.  I didn't want to speak, not even to him.  I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.  All hope had abandoned me.  Brady was just someone I had hurt. 

Then, I couldn't contain myself.  Tears rolled down my cheeks.  I closed my eyes, embarrassed that I had shown weakness.  "It's okay."  I felt a soft hand against my cheek, wiping away my tears.  My eyes opened and I saw Brady with the same depression as mine.  "I know you have been trying to hold your cries in.  I could see it.  You try to be strong, but in the end, your mask falls. At least, your mask is stronger than mine. I started crying the minute I heard my mother died, but you held your cries in when you found out that your family had betrayed you." At this, I started crying even harder. Brady made me feel comfortable. I felt like it was okay to cry. "I'm just glad you are getting a good cry. It becomes easier after that.

"The truth about the world is that everyone hides their true self. Only a select few throw away those masks and let the world see. Those masks are the lies we tell. With each one, the masks becomes harder to take off. I just that one day, everyone's masks will fall, and no one has to hurt from those masks."

"What about the people that have to wear masks?" I kind of yelled at him. "I can't just take it off! My people need to know that I'm strong, so they can have hope!"

"When there are no masks, those people have to wear them. It will be like Naga's palace, Heaven." My tears slowed down and I laid my head down on my pillow. I fell asleep to the faint sound of rain.

But, before I fell asleep, I swear I heard someone say, "I wish to change the world for you."

When I had awaken, I saw Morgan sitting in a chair, reading a book, Dragons of the Archanean Era.  When he saw I was awake, he closed the book and stood up.  He walked to my bed and looked at me.  His eyes were bloodshot. 

"Lucina," he spoke coldly, "I suggest that you collect your wits and get ready to travel again.  Be happy that I let you sleep later than you supposed to."  At that, he left.  I stared blankly at the door, trying to figure out what the hell happened.  'Why wait for me to get up?  And why wait in the room?  Maybe he was trying to figure something out himself.'

I woke Brady up, who was not happy at all.  I dragged him out of bed and forced him to stand.  That morning I was feeling better.  A good cry really was what I needed. 

We were still in our clothes from yesterday, so there was no need to change.  I brushed through my hair with my fingers, untangling it the best I could.  

"Hey Brady," I said.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think they are going to do to us?"

"I don't know.  We know we are heading into Plegia.  Maybe they want a public execution.  Maybe the Grimleal want a sacrifice."

"Both those options won't end well."

"But they're logical.  Who's know if something else more devious is happening?"

"From the look on the Queen's faces when she said she had 'plans', I pretty sure that it won't be good thing."

"Are you not going to refer to your own ma as 'Mother'?"

"They banished me from the family.  I don't think I have the right to call her that, anymore."

"Do you still think of Morgan and Alex as your siblings?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure.  Sometimes, that's all I can think of them as.  But, when they threaten me or display hatred, they become my enemy.  Most of the time, though, they are my enemies."

"Will you ever love like family, again?"  I was taken back by this question, but I already knew the answer.

"No, never.  Not like I used to."