The Sacred Hearts (Fire Emblem: Ephraim x reader) #Wattys2018

Chapter XI The Mad Prince

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(Y/n)'s POV

"(Y/n), have you seen Myrrh?" Ephraim asked in a frantic voice.

"No, why?" I asked.

"She disappeared after our battle in Taizel ended." He sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll help search for her!" I declared offering my assistance.

"Thank you (y/n)," he smiled.

I hope Ephraim would be this concerned if something were to happen to me. I asked some of the nearby townspeople if they had seen a young girl with indigo hair, and said that they saw her heading east of Taizel. I reported this back to Ephraim who was elated to hear this news, and he lead the army east. We ended up in an area called Za'albul Marsh.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by none other than Grado's soldiers lead by Dame Selena, also known as one of the imperial three. Eirika and I had met her back when we were searching for Ephraim, she seemed like such a nice lady, but it's a shame that she's blind to Grado's wrongdoings.

"Myrrh, don't ever leave like that again!" I heard Ephraim yell at the girl as she flew over to us with her wings.

"I'm sorry, but I sensed my dragon stone and I instinctively flew to it. I found it, but that lady over there has it." Myrrh explained pointing to Selena.

Ephraim tried to get Selena to surrender, but she refused. So we had no choice but to engage in battle.

"Are you tired (y/n)? Do you want to sit out this fight?" Ephraim asked me.

"No, no I'm fine! Are we teaming up again?"

"Negative. If Tana has recovered I'm teaming up with her for this fight because she has a pegasus and I'll be able to get to Selena quicker. If I can take her out then we can force the rest of her army to surrender, retrieve Myrrh's dragon stone, and press on to Grado Keep."

"Oh alright, be safe." I said with a hint of disappointment in my voice.

I really wanted to team up with the prince once more. Now I do wish I had taken up his offer to sit out and stay in the reserves for this fight. Enviously, I watched as Ephraim rode on Tana's pegasus, with his wrapped his arms around her waist to hold on.

At times like this, I wish I had took pegasus flying training, but then again fighting while navigating a creature in the air seems like hard work. I think I'll stick to my trusty bow and arrow for now. As our battles always turnout, we won because Prince Ephraim doesn't pick fights he can't win.

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We finally arrived at our destination: Grado Keep. An earthquake shook us, and I accidentally fell face first on Ephraim, who caught me in his muscular arms.

"I-I'm s-so sorry!"

"It's not your fault (y/n), Grado is known for hosting tremors and earthquakes...is everyone alright?"

Everyone was fine and we proceeded into Grado's castle. Of course, we were bombarded with Grado soldiers, whom we were forced to fight. I have to say, Emperor Virgarde doesn't look himself. I know he's sick, but he almost looks as if he's actually dead. Ephraim teamed up with me instead for this skirmish, because flying units are useless in this brawl because it's not outdoors and there's a lot of archers that can shoot them down.

Unlike the rest of our duels we've been in thus far, this one didn't go as smoothly. A druid used a berserk staff on Ephraim, and it was successful in possessing him. Prince Ephraim attacked his ally closest to him, which happened to be me since we initially teamed up. I was barely dodging his lance.

"Ephraim, please snap out of it's me, (y/n)!" I tried reasoning with him, but I was unsuccessful.

General Seth asked all the clerics if they had a restore staff, and unfortunately for me they didn't.

"Blast! Hang in there (y/n)!" Seth said as he defended me from the prince.

Both of their lances clashed, but Ephraim surprisingly bested General Seth, our best paladin in Renais, and injured him. Ephraim cold royal blue eyes refocused on me.

"Come on Ephraim, you're stronger than this! You can just let yourself be possessed that easily!" I cried only provoking him more.

With his lance, he managed to gaze my cheek and sever off a few stands of my hair.

"I apologize Ephraim, but if you're not going to listen to reason, then I guess I'll have to fight you." I declared as I took a bow out of my bag of bows.

However, the prince was too fast. When I was about to shoot, my face almost met with the tip of his lance. The only other weapon that I had on me was a dagger, but with something as small as that I couldn't possibly defend myself. To die by the hands of the one I whom I love is so tragic. I think I now know how Tana felt when she felt she was going to perish. I too would want Ephraim to know how I feel before I part with this world. Instead of verbally proclaiming my love to Ephraim like Tana did, I ran towards him despite the fact that his lance would pierce through me, and I kissed him on the lips. It seems the kiss broke him out of the spell because his eyes widened in realization of what he did. Blood leaked out of the laceration on my side, and when Ephraim removed his lance, more blood came out at a faster pace. He held me in his arms as I collapsed from losing so much blood, and his watery eyes peered into my fading ones. Ephraim yelled for on of our clerics to come immediately.

"Ephraim...I don't think I'm going to make it." I managed to say in a faint voice.

"Don't speak rubbish (y/n), you will survive!" Ephraim wept. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"I-it's okay Ephraim." I said as I fell unconscious.

"No (y/n)! Open your eyes! (Y/n)!"

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To be continued in chapter 12, make sure to vote and comment!

I hope you liked this chapter! Also, be sure to read my other books if you're a fan of Kuroko no basket and/or Nanbaka! I am the author of Area 51 (Jyugo x reader), Arrested (Aomine x reader), Kuroko no short stories, Star Crossed (Akashi x reader), and the sequel to Star Crossed called Vengeance and Lust (Akashi x reader)!

Written May 22nd,2017
Published August 1st,2017
Next Update August 4th,2017