Fire Emblem: Before Awakening

Rise From the Ashes

Chrom

I landed on the ground, all the air rushing out of my lungs. Yep. I was wrong. Can't beat her.

"C'mon, Chrom! You can do better than that!" Sully barked at me, helping me back to my feet. "Is all that secret training really for nothing?"

I quickly put my finger over her lips. "Shh! Someone might hear you!"

The red-head rolled her eyes. "We're play fighting in the gardens. Who really cares?"

"Sully, it...it's a lot more complicated than you think," I sighed. "If Emm finds out what I've been doing, I'm dead meat."

Sully was the only other person who knew about my training. Her family consisted of well-renowned Ylissean Knights, so she was given her fair share of combat training. Like me, she didn't receive formal training, but she learned from those around her.

Training or not, she always knocked me flat every single fight. She and I were able to spar without getting any second glances. It was Sully's main form of entertainment and as the prince, it was only my duty to indulge the lady of her wishes. Still, it sucked that I had to dial down my true abilities so I didn't make anyone suspicious.

"Sure, like Emmeryn will kill you," Sully retorted, picking up her wooden sword. "She's an angel incarnate. I bet you'll only receive a stern talking to and you'll be on your merry way."

I retrieved my own sword from the dirt, looking down. "That may be true, but then she'll also take every precaution that I wouldn't train in secret again." The thought of being constantly watched gave me chills. I couldn't let that happen.

She shrugged. "Whatever you say. I still think it's bull crap that she's making you do this."

"You and me both!" I complained. "I love Emm, but I really don't like how she's forcing all of these rules onto me. She told me that I was allowed to live my life the way I wanted."

"She's controlling you how your father would've."

My face twisted into a snarl as I glared at my friend. "Never compare her to that man!" I growled. "Emm is not Father!"

Sully held her hands up in defense. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, really." Her eyes shined brightly with kindness. "I just... I'm mad, ok? I'm mad at everything. You have the greatest potential to be a warrior and everyone is forcing it back."

I sighed, shaking away my anger. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have snapped." I ran a hand through my hair. "But what about you? Don't you want to become a warrior?"

She let out a breath, staring up at the sky. "Yeah." A cool breeze blew by, ruffling her long, red hair. "My family has no complaints about women becoming knights, so I have no need to be worried there. Still, they want me to wait a few years before I really make a decision."

"Why?"

She set her sword down and sat down on a bench. I joined her. "Noble and political stuff, I guess." She swung her legs back and forth. "I really want to start formal training now, but they won't let me."

I frowned. "Seems like we're in the same position, then."

"Yeah, it does," she cracked a smiled. "But hey, both of my brothers are already respected knights. They've been training me in their spare time so I'll be fully ready when I join the Ylissean Knights."

I chuckled. "I look forward to the day you become a true knight."

"And I look forward to when you can keep me in a fight for longer than ten seconds!" she countered. I playfully nudged her side. "I look forward to when we can train side-by-side, is what I meant to say."