Fire Emblem: Children of Light

Prologue: Girl from the Ocean

  The moon hung brightly in the night sky, cascading down in misty rays of ivory light off the icy ocean and onto the white sands of beach. A couple sat by the water's edge, letting the cool waves kiss their feet. A young child sat between them--no older than a year or two--trying his hardest not to fall asleep as the lullaby of crashing waves danced around his ears. It was Arturo, Adalia, and their son Aurelio.

  "Isn't it beautiful Aurelio?" Adalia scoops Aurelio into her arms. He coos softly as she cradles him against her chest. "Perhaps one day you'll have a fine lady to share its majesty with."
  "Until then you're stuck with her." Arturo laughs jokingly and pats Aurelio's head. Adalia playfully hits Arturo on the arm and Aurelio giggles softly. "It is a wonderful night though. Why don't we spend the night here? It's not every day we get a chance to leave the castle, a chance to get away from everything for a little while."

  Arturo and Adalia remove their cloaks and spread them on the sand across the sand like blankets. The two lay back and gaze up at the shining night sky. Aurelio rolls over and sits between his parents before curling up and falling off to sleep. Arturo and Adalia follow suit, drifting off as the waves licked at their toes and sung them to sleep.

  As the moon drifted down across the sky, the sun rose high up into the air, ridding the horizon of its lazy purple hue and replacing it with gentle shades of pink and orange. Aurelio had awoken just as early and was crawling about, playing in the sand as sea gulls began to cry. The crashing waves had started to die down, becoming no more than a sleepy ebb and flow. However, Aurelio could faintly see an object floating in the distance, and it caught his attention. He patted gently at the water, waiting, and soon enough, the gentle lull of the waves had brought the object ashore.

  It was a straw basket with a baby swaddled inside.

  Aurelio crawls back over towards his parents and begins to pull at their feet, babbling softly in hopes of waking them up. Adalia rolls over groggily and opens her eyes.

  "What is it Aurelio?" Aurelio continues to babble. Adalia sets up and now, fully awake, she could see the basket. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

  Adalia scoots over and pulls the basket close. She was surprised to see a baby tucked inside, one that was sleeping like a rock amongst her mass of silken blankets. The baby had soft olive skin and black hair, much like Arturo and Adalia. Her ears were pointed. Adalia lifts the basket and nudges Arturo awake.

  "Arturo, Arturo wake up! You have to see this!"
  "What is it?" Arturo sits up and rubs his eyes. He was just as surprised to see that a baby had washed ashore. "Is that..?"
  "Mm. It must've washed up here during the night. Aurelio woke me up and showed her to me."
  Arturo looks over at Aurelio with a smile. "What a smart son I have." Aurelio smiles back. Arturo looks down at the baby and then back to Adalia. "But what are we to do with her? Where did she come from and who does she belong to?"
  "Well, whoever had her didn't seem to want her." Adalia sighs sadly. She reaches over and scoops the baby out of the basket. "I mean, who just tosses a baby aside? Especially via the water, how cruel... Arturo, I say we keep her."
  "Keep her?" Arturo chuckles. "Are you certain?"
  "Well we can't just leave her here. Besides," Adalia smiles. "Aurelio needs a sister to keep him company. Isn't that right Aurelio?" Aurelio looks up at his mother and babbles. "That sounds like a yes to me."
  Arturo chuckles reluctantly. "Very well. Hm, I suppose we'll have to go to the church and have her christened, won't we? What shall name her? Traditionally, the initials of everyone in the Arqferian royal family are 'AAA,' but why don't we change that? What about Callista? Callista Alicia Arqferious?
  "That sounds lovely." Adalia smiles and lifts up Aurelio with her other arm. She holds him and Callista close. "Say hi to your new sister Aurelio." Aurelio looks at Callista and at the same time, Callista opens her eyes and looks at Aurelio. The irises of her eyes were golden yellow. Aurelio coos softly and smiles, and Callista smiles back, laughing softly. "Aren't they too cute together?"
  "My little prince and princess..." Arturo smiles. "I can't wait to see them make us proud..."