Fire Emblem: Before Awakening

Tactician

Anna
Seven Months Later...

I hummed to myself as I turned a page in my book, fingers drumming on the table. Mom should be back, soon. I finished my duties a half hour ago and she shouldn't be so far behind. Well, maybe her leg is bothering her and slowing things down. The cold air really does make the injury act up. Perhaps I can help her with her work, but I know she'll refuse. Oh, well. We'll see.

Like normal, we took shelter working in a tavern for the winter. I was a bit more adamant about having us stay put this cold season due to Mom's leg injury. Nothing was wrong with it, I just didn't like the idea of us moving so often, not to mention the fact that it bothered her more than usual. I begged and pleaded for her to find a place to stay in early November.

The months passed, the New Year came, and the biting frosts of late January were more than unforgiving. However, we were spared from the brunt of the storms in the warm atmosphere of the tavern. Here, I was able to focus more energy on different things like studying, tactics, fundamentals of magic, and even music (the tavern owned a piano).

The door to our room opened, Mom stepping inside. "Gods, I swear, the days get colder and colder," she sighed, shucking off her coat and sitting down on the bed. Strangely enough, she hasn't been wearing her tactician's robe as of late. She never wore it when she worked, but she would always put it on once we were in the privacy of our rooms.

I closed my book, turning to her. "It'll get better, soon. I promise." I smiled. "How's your leg?"

As if on cue, she crossed her injured leg across her lap and began to rub her sore muscles. "It's as fine as it can be. Once this chill settles, it won't bother me as much."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said, fidgeting in my seat. "So...what about work? How did that go today?"

Mom spied the setup chess board on the table and smirked. "Why don't I tell you over a game of chess?"

My heart leaped with excitement. Sure, we played chess all the time, but my eagerness to play never ceased. In fact, it only grew as soon as I started beating her some rounds. "Ok!"

I moved the table so the both of us could sit, adjusting the board so the black pieces were on my side. I'll let her go first. I need her to so I can deploy this new strategy I thought up! She'll never see it coming!

As the game went on, Mom started talking. "I can't believe you're almost eighteen..."

I moved a pawn, listening to her but focusing all my attention on the game. "In eight months, yeah."

"I can barely believe it! I was your age when so many events in my life happened! They still feel like they were yesterday!" she exclaimed, moving her knight to claim a piece.

Dammit. Should've calculated that better. Well, no matter. I can still use my strategy no problem. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well...the loss of my parents and my brother joining the army," she said. "Although, I think I was exactly eighteen when that happened. I can't really remember accurately. Gods, the days and years really get to ya..."

We played in silence for a little bit. Damn! This is a lot harder than I thought! I have to reformulate my strategy! I can't lose any more pieces! Each one is important to this plan!