Work Text:
The Invitation
Three riders galloped through the dark forest in an arrowhead-like formation. On the left side riding atop a stormy-gray horse sat a man dressed in a mix of lime and emerald armor. On the furthermost right and atop a white horse rode a fiery haired woman adorned in matching red. At the center was a tall man clad in heavy blue and white plate. The middleman sat upon an armor-clad horse and bore a stern expression upon his face. His cold eyes never strayed from the center of the path. The left man gazed nervously at the dark and decaying scenery. The woman seemed more annoyed than anything.
“Frederick,” called the woman to the middleman. “Tell me again why the Hell we’re out here in the middle of nowhere.”
“Sully,” said the green-clad man, “Frederick explained it before we left. We’re delivering an invitation, you know, to Lissa and Robin’s wedding.
“I know that much Stahl,” Sully snapped back, “but that doesn’t tell me why we’re in the middle of this creepy forest.” Her eyes darted to the treeline. She could swear she saw eyes meeting her own from behind the darkness. “Seems like every squirrel, deer, and owl is watching us…”
“I-well fair enough,” Stahl conceded. He failed to recognize the paths they had ridden down thus far, and he figured Sully floated in the same boat as he.
“We’ve just crossed the Plegian border,” Frederick finally said. “Fear not, Sully, we shall exit this forest shortly and you’ll not be bothered by it again.”
“I wasn’t bothered…oh never mind. Why the Hell are we in Plegia?” Sully asked indignantly.
“Yeah, we’re supposed to be delivering invitations to the wedding. Who’d we be inviting from Plegia. Unless…” Stahl stopped himself. That was not a possibility he wanted to think about, considering…
“We’re going to the home of our, shall we say…ally. The invitation we are about to deliver is for Tharja.”
At the name of the dark mage both riders’ eyes widened as their jaws dropped.
“THARJA!” Sully screamed, nearly startling her horse. “You took us all the way to Plegia to invite that psychopath to another wedding!”
“Be careful Sully, she might be able to hear you,” Stahl glanced rapidly about once again at the gnarled trees and patches of dark leaves. The rest of his body sat petrified, his hands gripping his reigns tightly. “Why is she even invited to Robin’s wedding of all things? We all know how obsessed she is with him. You think rubbing it into her face that the princess is marrying him is going to do anyone any favors?”
“I understand your hesitation, Stahl,” Frederick replied. “I expressed the same sentiments with the princess and the tactician when we discussed this. The princess felt that Tharja should be invited on account of her service in the war. Robin feared that not telling her would only incense her wrath. That is why we three are here. Ah, there it is.” The three passed through the forest onto a plain. Across the plain was a large hill with what appeared to be a shack or small dwelling.
Stahl looked out at the hunt and gulped. Surely Frederick was not serious. How could Robin of all people think this a good idea. Then again, he could just imagine the barrage of hexes and curses that would befall Ylisse if Tharja learned of the marriage after the fact.
“Okay, fine. Robin and Lissa invite the crazy lady. Why the Hell do we have to be the ones to do it?” Sully questioned. The house on the hill grew nearer.
“Firstly, it would be rude to send a stranger to break her heart, no matter how deserving of it she is,” Frederick spat as his sentence ended. “Secondly, as she is familiar with us, she may prove more unwilling to try to kill us. Thirdly, all three of us are here so that, if she does attempt something, we can end things quickly.”
“Yeesh Frederick. She might be scary but she’s still our friend.” Stahl commented. Sure, he found the Plegian turncoat terrifying, but she never once gave him or anyone he knew reason to doubt the sincerity of her actions during the war.
“We shall see,” Frederick replied stoically as the trio rode up the hill, stopping just in front of the medium-sized shack at its peak.
The Great Knight dismounted first, followed by Sully and Stahl, and grabbed from his pocket a small envelope stamped with the royal seal. The three walked up to the door. Sully and Stahl stared at each other, then to Frederick, and then to the door. Frederick cleared his throat and knocked, hardly with the same force Stahl had come to expect from the man.
After a few moments, faint rustling could be heard from inside the hut as slender legs approached the door. “Go away,” commanded a dark voice.
“Tharja, it’s Frederick.”
The door swung open suddenly, and a clearly incensed dark mage stood in the doorway, staring menacingly at the three.
“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?” Inside the hut, smoke puffed from a variety of different potions and brews. Books of forbidden magic lined the shelves of Tharja’s home.
“We come with a delivery. An invitation.” Frederick extended his arm and placed the paper in her hands.
“Is this another wedding invitation? I was already at the Prince’s last month. As much as I appreciate the offer, I’m not going to another one.” Tharja said as she snatched the paper. She unrolled the scroll and began muttering its contents aloud.
“Tharja of Plegia, for your services in the war and your friendship with its people…blah blah blah… you are cordially invited to attend the wedding ceremony of Princess Lissa of Ylisse and…Grandmaster Robin?!” Tharja’s eyes adjusted to the text.
The three looked at each other with bated breath.
“WHAT!” Tharja roared at the revelation, her hands shaking with rage. Immediately, she took the piece of paper, crumpled it and tossed it to the ground with a huff, stomping on it repeatedly.
She was actually taking this a lot better than expected, Stahl thought. Then Tharja extended her hand and incinerated the scroll with a blast of fire magic.
That was more like it, Stahl corrected himself.
“Do you think this is funny? Is this some kind of sick joke?” Tharja stared daggers at the riders.
“I assure you this is no jest,” Frederick replied calmly, although his eyes betrayed his inner terror.
“HOW DARE SHE!” Tharja began to scream. “I’ll rip her throat out! No! Fill her bedroom with snakes! No! I’ll stab her in the eyes, skin her, and wear her entrails as a shawl! She thinks she can take my Robin away from me, does she? I’ll show her!”
“Tharja, you need to calm down,” Stahl finally worked up the courage to say.
“Don’t you tell me to calm down you emerald oaf! I’ll make that blasted princess’ skin fall off and then rip her limb from limb!” Tharja spat back. “Robin is mine, MINE! You hear me? He’s the only reason I joined you in your blasted war. I betrayed my people for him. I saved all of your lives for him! And that damned little brat, no, that harlot believes she can just waltz up and claim what’s rightfully mine?”
“Mind your tongue, witch,” said Frederick, cutting through the shrieks. “It is in recognition of your services to our cause that I don’t slay you where you stood for threatening my lady.”
Stahl began to sweat, praying to the gods that something stop the two from killing each other.
“Tharja, you are not going to do anything to Frederick, or Lissa,” Sully said plainly, sensing the oncoming collision between the two warriors and unknowingly answering Stahl’s prayers.
“You just watch. She’ll wish she’d never been born when every plague in the land ails her at once!”
“No, you aren’t going to do that.”
“Do you plan on stopping me?”
“You’re lucky Frederick here hasn’t killed you on charges of treason. But that isn’t why. You’re angry now, and I understand, but deep down you know you would never harm a hair on Lissa’s head.”
“And why, pray tell, is that?” Tharja spat.
“Because you would never do anything to make Robin unhappy.” Sully said with an assuring smile.
“You…you don’t know me! You don’t know what I’ve done!” Tharja stopped for a moment, realizing that she had little else to say. She grumbled and then sighed, letting the anger leave her body. “Fine, I’ll leave the princess alone, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to that damned wedding.”
“Maybe not, but if you truly do care for Robin, you should at least support him by being there.” Sully continued.
“Yeah Tharja, Robin values you as a friend, and that should be reason enough to go. And hey, we’d all love to have you around. Your habits can be a little…off-putting, but we all still think of you as a trusted companion and ally.” Stahl affirmed. “Except maybe Frederick.” Stahl made a small note.
“And what do you think of me, oaf?” Tharja asked of Frederick, who had remained silent.
“Personally, I would not trust you to walk a hundred yards behind me. I don’t know what crimes you have committed in the past, why you defected to the Shepherds, what you want with Robin, or why he should even bother with someone like you. But what I do know is that the princess herself requested that you be invited, and, against my better judgment, I have come here at the behest of my princess and of my friend. If that is not reason enough to come out of your unholy hut, then perhaps I should retire as your insanity is clearly contagious,” Frederick finished.
After a long silence, a very frightened Sully and Stahl looked at each other, and then to Frederick, and then to Tharja.
“Fine, I’ll attend your accursed wedding.”
“The bride and groom will be ecstatic to hear,” Frederick replied casually, as if the prior conversation never occurred.
“Before you go, when is the wedding? I sort of…burnt the invitation.” Tharja stared at the ground in embarrassment.
“It’s a month from today. Same location as Chrom’s. Slightly shorter version of the long-winded ceremony and then a grand reception,” Stahl said with a friendly grin.
“That’s where the real fun starts,” Sully smiled knowingly. She could hardly wait for another round of drinking into the night, even after the bride and groom left the hall.
“I’ll be there. Now leave me before I change my mind,” Tharja said, her eyes not leaving the ground.”
“See you there,” Stahl grinned nervously as he and his companions mounted once again, turning their horses down the hill.
“The previous day, Robin will be officially elevated to Grandmaster of Ylisse,” added Frederick. “Remember that should you address a letter or present for the couple. Please remain on your best behavior throughout the day. Embarrassing Robin on his big day with your forceful removal would be most improper.”
“Worry not, Frederick. It’ll be as if I were a frivolous Ylissean lady-in-waiting,” Tharja replied. “Don’t be surprised if I don’t bring a wedding gift. Not tearing Lissa’s body asunder with my magic is reward enough for the groom breaking my heart,” she called as the three rode away. As they descended the hill, Sully and Stahl waved. Tharja simply went back into her dwelling.
“You know, that was not nearly as bad as I feared,” said Stahl with his usual smile. “Sully, that was the most ladylike thing I’ve ever seen you do.”
“Can it, emerald oaf! You’ll speak not a word of this.”
“Even to Kellam?”
“Shut up,” Sully blushed and looked away.
“So, Frederick, are we heading back home?” Stahl inquired.
“Yes, my friends, back to Ylisse.”
“I’ll be looking forward to a nice long bath,” Sully smiled dreamily.
“And an excellent meal as a reward for risking our lives.” Stahl nodded in agreement.
“Not quite yet,” Frederick interrupted.
“Beg your pardon?” Sully said.
“First, we need to track down Gaius. I’ve heard reports he’s gotten into trouble with some thieves in the east. Then there’s Gregor, who seems to be going from village to village rather quickly, leaving empty ale barrels in his wake. And finally, there’s the business of making sure Panne agrees to attend.”
“I’ll, uh, handle that one,” Stahl half-coughed/half-chuckled.
Sully muttered something about rabbits under her breath, and then breathed a heavy sigh. “You think Tharja will ever get over Robin?”
“Not sure,” Stahl replied. “Maybe she’ll find someone as crazy as she is,” he said with a laugh.
“If that should ever happen,” Frederick interjected, “then this world is as dark and twisted as I have feared.”
The three rode off through the dark forest. Though their hearts were lighter, the paladins knew there was still much work ahead of them.