DUN DUN DUN! It is time for the FINALE! That's right, give it up for the… EPILOGUE!
Guy: Ouch! Someone get that megaphone away from her!
Matthew: One… two… three… TACKLE!
FireEdge: AHH!
Reviews:
Emarista the Torturer: It's okay, I'm sure that your death isn't really going to be that horrible… I hope…
The Blazing Blade: Thanks for the review!
Ragnarok-legend: You're very welcome for your cameo! And yeah, I'm happy that you'll be here for my other stories too!
TheOneAndOnlyT: Wow, I guess that that was lucky. Yeah, I can't seem to make anything exciting after the end. But thanks for the compliment! Yes, I'm starting to get cheesier my the chapter. :P Yes, I figured that someone had to have the lavender hair, and why not make a twist and have the MAN have purple hair?
Baka KitsuneBri: Thanks for the compliment and review!
Hamano Ayumi: Aww, don't feel stupid, you just read too fast. Thanks for reviewing!
Wyrmseeker: Hmm, you really think that line was underdone? Oh well… I'm glad you managed to dig up a comment from that chapter anyway.
Fox Yukai Aara: Thanks for the review!
Good Eye Sniper: Thank you for reviewing!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem.
Stray Arrow
Epilogue
A young girl stood in the middle of a forest. Her big round, light blue eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Curly brown locks of hair fell down to her shoulders. She held a small toy bow in her one hand, the other scrubbing at her face, trying to keep them dry.
"Daddy?" She whimpered out, looking around her. But her father was no where in sight. She sniffed again, wiping away more tears rolling down her cheeks.
"D-Daddy? Wh-Where are you?" Suddenly a crunching noise came from behind her. Turning around, eyes wide with fear, she saw a shadowed shape approaching her.
"Daddy!" Wailed the little girl, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Flora!" A deep voice erupted from the shape looming above her. The man kneeled down and picked up the little girl.
"Daddy…?" Flora whispered, looking up at the man. There staring down at her with a broad loving smile was a middle-height man. He had short brown hair and cheerful auburn eyes. A bow was slung over his back and a quiver hung at his side. A string of rabbits was gripped in his hand.
"Flora, sweetie. I told you to stick next to me." Wil said, hugging his five year-old daughter close to him, stroking her hair.
"I did… But there was a bunny, and it was hurt." The little girl sniffed, holding onto her father's wool shirt as he began to walk forward.
"Tsk, how can I take you hunting with me if you go running off after little rabbits?" He scolded half-heartedly. "Now, let's go home and give these to your mother. She's waiting for us. Remember, your aunts are visiting today."
"They are?" Flora asked, her sniffs starting to sub-side.
"Yes, it's the first day of the New Year, remember?" Wil said to his daughter, as they reached the border of the woods. There, up ahead, was a small village.
"Will they bring sweets with them?" She asked with a cute little smile that she had inherited from her mother.
"Yes, you silly girl, there will be plenty of candy for you! But promise that you won't eat them until after supper." He replied, approaching a small house surrounded by flower gardens. A small stable was out back, which housed Florina's pegasus. She hadn't been able to part with him.
"Florina! We're home!" Wil announced, shutting the door behind him with his booted foot. Florina peeked her head out of the kitchen, her cheek smudged with a bit of flour. Florina, like Wil, hadn't changed much really. Her hair was longer, and her face less baby-like. Her body had grown, though she still possessed a delicate frame.
"I'm glad you're back, Wil. My sisters, and Lyn are coming soon." She said a smile spreading on her face. Looking at her daughter, she picked her up out of her husband's arms.
"Flora, could you set up the table for me?" She asked. Her daughter smiled and nodded fervently and skipped to the kitchen to retrieve the silverware. Standing on her tiptoes, Florina kissed Wil lightly on the cheek before towing him into the kitchen to help her finish with the cooking.
Wil opened the door as a brisk knock came at the door. There stood three women, two Ilians and one Sacaean.
"Hello, Wil, it's wonderful to see you!" Cried Lyn, giving him a hug. She had not changed much from before, though her eyes seemed to hold a weary light. And for the occasion she wore her long dark green hair in an intricate plait with an emerald green ribbon twined throughout it, hanging over one shoulder.
"It's great to see you too, Lyn!" He smiled in return, turning to the other two, he shook hands with the two of them. "We're glad you could come, Fiora. Farina."
"Of course, Wil. We don't get to see Florina much anymore, now that she's living in Pherae. So we must come at least every year." Replied Fiora with a serene smile. Fiora had cut her hair shorter now, hanging just above her shoulders.
"Anyway, how else am I going to spoil my only niece?" Farina piped in. Farina's hair was longer now, but still relatively short, it was the same length as Fiora's was. Her face was older and her eyes wiser. She was just as thrifty as before and just as quick-tempered.
"Hi, Auntie Farina!" Flora chirped, hugging her aunt's leg. Looking up at Lyn and Fiora, she greeted them too, with a big grin.
"Hello, sweetheart. Look what I brought you." Farina knelt down and gave Flora a small package, kissing her on the head.
"Thank you!" She immediately bounced to the kitchen to fetch her mother. Florina came out moments later.
"Fiora! Farina! Lyn!" She cried joyously, hugging each of them in turn. "It's been so long!" They then all sat down at the table, catching up. Laughter rang throughout the house as they told story after story of what had happened during the past few months.
They even recounted the stories of more than six years ago. Of when they had travelled with Eliwood and Hector. Some where very sad, yet some where happy. But they mostly talked of the present.
The afternoon then dwindled away as they feasted and light-headed from some wine they had been drinking. The bunch of friends soon found it to be night, and Flora was tucked unwillingly into bed.
Wil walked down the stairs, after putting his daughter to sleep. He resumed his seat at the table as Farina continued about a story of when she had been escorting a silk merchant. The story ended with them making it to Eturia, but all the supplies had been ruined. Apparently, the merchant had blamed his escorts.
They continued to talk for at least a few more hours. But soon stars were starting to show outside. And the three guests stood to leave.
"Be careful, heading back!" Florina cried, as her sisters flew off on their pegasi.
"We will! Take care, Florina! Good bye, Wil! Say farewell to Flora for me!"
"Good luck with your return back to Sacae, Lyn. We know that the trip is harder on horseback instead of pegasi." Said Wil to the dark green-haired woman.
"I'll be fine, Wil. I can take care of myself, remember?" Lyn smiled. "You take care." She embraced both tightly before swinging a leg over her horse's back.
"Good bye!" Florina waved, the horse racing away. As the hoofbeats faded off into the distance, Wil wrapped an arm around Florina and turned towards their house. Stopping just outside their doorway, they looked back outside.
Everything was so peaceful, it was hard to imagine that Elibe could have been in utter chaos if not for what they had achieved so many years ago.
"I love you, Wil." Murmured Florina, leaning against his chest.
"I love you too…" He replied, kissing her gently on the lips. Releasing her, they entered into their house and closed the door.
Etched on the beautiful dark wood was a drawing. A heart struck through with an arrow. A stray arrow.
Oh my god! It's finished! It's really the end this time. I'm amazed…
Guy: Wow, I never expected it to be this… quiet…
Matthew: Well then…
FireEdge: Anyway, I'm sure that the epilogue was unbelievably boring and probably corny (and short). But I don't really care, since this was the way I had envisioned it from the beginning. And I just had to put that last line there :)
Guy: I'm so sure.
FireEdge: Anyway, you're all probably wondering what I'm going to do next, right? Well, I'll be finishing up Midnight Visit, since I've long promised my reviewers in the ToS section that I would finish that.
Matthew: Which will take her a few months… But hopefully, she'll finish it before the summer is over.
FireEdge: And then, I'll be starting my new story. Which will be a KentLyn romance. Even though there will be a new FE game coming out in a few months, I'm adamant on finishing at least one or two more multi-chaptered fics. I'm not sure why, but there's so many stories that I still want to write with this game.
Guy: Wow, that's scary… But for now, please review, and "patiently" await her new FE fics.
FireEdge: Bye for now! And thank you for sticking with me until the end!
:FireEdge: