Chapter Text
"You're... Dew, aren't you?" Dew turned around to see the Nordion princess they'd rescued staring at him suspiciously. "The thief."
"Former thief." He insisted. "I've completely reinvented myself."
Lachesis wasn't convinced. Her expression said that loud and clear. She warned Dew not to touch anything in Castle Nordion and walked away huffily.
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"Is there... any particular reason you're hanging out down here?" Lachesis asked slowly. "I would have thought that you'd have been following Sigurd to rob Heirhein and Anphony."
Dew gave her an exaggerated look of disbelief.
"Are you doubting my sincerity?" Dew gasped. "I can't believe you would insinuate that my decision to make a new start on my life is anything other than genuine!"
"Dew, I could see everything from the tower when the army came to rescue Nordion." Lachesis groaned. "I literally watched you steal the Thief Sword you gave me from Elliot. You're not fooling anyone."
"Well it was worth a shot!" Dew dropped the faux-outrage and smiled cheerfully. "The truth is, Sigurd saw me give the sword to you and asked me to help keep an eye on Nordion in case Mackily tries something while they're dealing with the bandits."
"I see."
"But speaking of the Thief Sword, how's it working for you?" Dew grinned at her. "Notice anything special about it?"
"I've figured out its special effect, yes." Lachesis smiled in spite of herself. "I don't know if it'll help me get strong enough to save my brother, however. It's not very good at... killing."
"That is not the intended use, my good lady." Dew wagged his finger. "A good thief doesn't kill the people he robs."
Dew paused at his own words. He looked away from Lachesis mumbling that a good thief isn't supposed to kill people. His gaze wandered toward the hills that led to Anphony, and Lachesis understood his unease. Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Did you kill anyone before you met up with Sigurd's army, Dew?" She asked quietly.
Dew turned to look at her in alarm, quickly stating that he hadn't. The first person he'd killed had been standing over one of the guys with Sigurd, about to finish him off when Dew sneaked up behind him to stab him. His intention had been to distract him, but he hadn't noticed that the guy had already been weakened and was covered in burns. It may not have been self-defense, but he'd certainly been defending the guy lying helpless on the ground, and Adean had been really happy that they were able to save him.
"And you've been with Sigurd's army ever since, right?" Lachesis nodded. "So any of the people you killed were either working for the man who manipulated King Batou, or Heirhein. I wouldn't call that wrong, since you were just defending your king or... well, me."
Lachesis straightened her posture and looked at Dew with an almost haughty expression.
"Really, defending a lady is one of the most noble things a man can do." She declared.
Dew stared at her for a few seconds before giving her a mischievous smile.
"What lady?" He asked. "I don't see any ladies here."
"Hey!"
"I'm just teasing." Dew playfully stuck his tongue out. "You said you wanted to try getting strong enough to save your brother, right? There's an arena near the castle."
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"Wow." Dew whistled as he watched Lachesis cut through another opponent.
It was pretty impressive considering how weak she'd been when they first met. Now, Dew was almost sure she was nearly the strongest in the army, second only to Sigurd himself. It almost made Dew feel a little inadequate, given that he was still rather weak himself. Seeing the sheer determination she had to get stronger in order to protect her brother made him want to try harder, too.
"By the way, how is your brother doing?" He asked as she departed the arena with the reward money. "He sent you a letter recently, didn't he?"
Normally, getting Lachesis on the subject of her brother put her in a pleasant mood, but her face seemed to fall at the mention of him today, and Dew had a suspicion he knew why. Eldigan had rescued King Chagall after Sigurd's army marched onto Agusty. Almost immediately after, Grannvale sent administrators ordering Sigurd to remain in Agustria despite his wishes to return home. That alone would have raised tensions between the army and the Agustrian people, but the fact that the officials Grannvale dispatched to Agustria were abusing their power was only making things worse.
"Lord Brother is... frustrated." Lachesis finally found the words and shook Dew from his thoughts. "He and Sigurd have been close friends for a long time, and he knows that Sigurd would never deliberately try to harm Agustria or her people. Lord Brother has spent the past several months trying to keep things smoothed over with Chagall so he won't make the situation worse, but the tensions just get higher by the day and even he's beginning to lose patience with Grannvale.
"Sigurd has been able to spare Agusty of Grannvale's abuses, and the people of Anphony are grateful to him for deposing Macbeth, but the rest of Agustria isn't as happy with him." She continued. "If push comes to shove, it's likely to erupt in a civil war. My brother finally told me in his most recent letter that it's gotten so bad that he's having his wife and son sent to Leonster where her family lives."
"And he didn't send you with them?" Dew raised a curious eyebrow.
"He wanted to, but I refused." Lachesis shook her head. "If Agustria falls, my brother will doubtlessly go down with it, regardless of how he feels about the situation. And I... want to be with him when and if it does."
Sensing the subtext behind her words, Dew placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I don't know your brother very well, but I think I know enough about him that I know what he'd say if he heard you talking like that." He said firmly. "And it wouldn't be anything good. He wouldn't be happy if you threw your life away like that."
Dew gulped, swallowing the words "And it wouldn't make me happy, either", in his throat.
Lachesis frowned, but said nothing for a few minutes. Finally, Dew pointed out that there was no guarantee a war was going to break out. Sigurd had been negotiating with Grannvale to let them return home, or at least to Evans. With any luck, they'd be able to leave and ease some of the tension between Agustria and Grannvale. Lachesis seemed to cheer up slightly at this suggestion, but it was at that moment that Jamke came up to them and told them to get ready for battle - Chagall had forces mobilizing in Madino.
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Lachesis wasn't sure why the sun was shining so brightly. Why Sigurd and the others were discussing their next move. Why Dew kept staring at her with a worried look on his face.
She wasn't sure why any of them were alive when her brother was dead.
They had confronted Chagall at Silvail and finished what they should have done six months ago, but that just left her feeling empty. Her brother was dead, her country was collapsing around her, and the only thing she could think of to do was deliver the Mystletainn to Ares, who was all the way over in Leonster. And what would she do after that? Where would she go? She doubted Grahnye would be happy to see her.
She felt Dew squeeze her tightly, and for a split second, it all felt okay.
"It might not mean much to you, Lachesis, but..." He trailed off for a moment. "But I'm here for you."
Lachesis could feel his heartbeat quickening as he hugged her. She had suspicions as to why, and decided to wait for his next move to see.
"You're really great, you know that?" Dew grinned at her as he brought his face closer to his. "You went right up to your brother and confronted him! You even got him to back off!"
He gave a hollow laugh.
"I gotta tell ya, my heart kept pounding when you did! I was pretty terrified that one of his Cross Knights would try to-I mean, I was thinking that there was no way I'd be able to do something like that!"
Lachesis knew that Dew wasn't lying when he said he didn't think he'd be able to do what she had, but the way he kept bringing his face closer and closer until his lips faintly touched hers told her all she needed to know. He quickly pulled away and stammered an apology, but Lachesis was already reaching for his collar to pull him back, and their lips soon crashed together once more.
Dew seemed surprised, but not displeased, and quickly began to kiss her back. It started off innocently, but it soon began to grow more sensual. When they finally broke away, Lachesis quietly asked,
"Hey... Sleep with me?"
Dew blinked at her.
"...What?"
"You like me, right?" She giggled, no longer caring how undignified she sounded. "So sleep with me!"
"You're kind of weirding me out here, Lachesis." He laughed weakly. "This is kind of out of nowhere."
"I just..." Lachesis frowned. "I want to forget for a little while. I want to forget that he's not here anymore and-"
"How is us sleeping together going to make you forget?"
Dew frowned.
"I'm not going to be your brother's replacement, Lachesis."
Lachesis fell silent, unsure of what she wanted to say to him. Dew's face tightened, and he stormed out without another word. Lachesis resisted the urge to chase him and resolved to try to sleep, ignoring the storm of feelings raging inside of her.
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Dew walked briskly, not really caring where he was going when he felt himself crash into someone.
"Woah there!" Jamke scolded. "You need to be more careful, Dew."
"Sorry."
Jamke frowned at him, but his expression quickly melted into one of concern. He asked if Dew was alright.
"What's it to you?"
"Because you look like you're about to cry."
The acknowledgement was nice, but it unfortunately broke the dam holding the tears back. Jamke quietly took Dew back to their tent and sat him down, suggesting that Dew's attempt to comfort Lachesis went badly.
"I don't get it." Dew groaned. "This whole time I've known her, she kept talking about how no guy was as great as her brother, and she'd never get married because no one else is good enough. Then I kiss her by accident, and she suddenly wants me to take her right then and there! Because she wants me to help her "forget" that her brother is dead!"
Jamke listened quietly for a moment before offering the suggestion that Lachesis was confused about her own feelings. Dew scoffed and said that that sounded like an understatement, but Jamke told him that he was misunderstanding.
"Think about it from her perspective: She's had... very strong feelings for someone she can't ever be with for some time now." Jamke explained, choosing his words carefully. "Then she starts falling in love with someone else, but her first love dies before she can confirm it. To be honest, I'd be a wreck, too."
"Someone else? Who?"
"You, dummy." Jamke sighed. "Sylvia says she talks about you a lot."
"During your pillow talk?" Dew allowed himself to grin, but Jamke's scowl quickly made him switch back to the original topic. "What does she say exactly?"
"I'm not a messenger bird." Jamke shook his head firmly. "Ask Sylvia. Better yet, ask Lachesis yourself in the morning."
His advice was sound, but Dew didn't think he could strike up the nerve to talk to her so soon after what just happened. He needed a bit more time to clear his head. And he had just the right idea of how to do it. Once he was sure Jamke was asleep, he slipped out of the tent and made his way toward the bridge separating Madino and Orgahill. He bumped into Finn, who asked where he was going, and he answered honestly, saying he'd be back in a few days. Just as Finn was about to protest, Lewyn and Holyn both spoke up, offering to go with him. Ferry, Lewyn explained, had already gone to survey Blaggi Tower, and reported that there were indeed pirates in the area. She'd returned to help Father Claud and Tailto of Freege, but they'd need all the help they could get. As much as Dew preferred to work alone, if it got Finn off his back, he'd agree to go with them. He could just ditch them when he found a chance.
Once they'd gone a certain distance, they found a safe, secluded spot to set up for the night. He hadn't had time to grab something to use as a tent, so he simply stared up at the stars as he touched his lips, remembering when Lachesis kissed him. He felt a bit guilty: She was hurting from the loss of her brother, and Dew knew that, but he'd felt overjoyed in that moment. It was like there was nothing else in the world but them.
But of course, that wasn't true. Both Dew's and Lachesis's homelands were in turmoil, the army was still facing a threat from Orgahill, and Dew was still in love with a girl in love with someone else.
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Lachesis's horse couldn't move fast enough.
When she'd awoken the next morning, she'd asked Jamke where Dew was. Jamke seemed confused and said that he'd thought Dew was with her. Finn walked up to them and explained that Dew had gone with Lewyn and Holyn to Blaggi Tower in the event that the tower was attacked. Jamke seemed pacified, but Lachesis was filled with dread. Didn't they know Dew would sneak away from the other two the moment he could!?
She'd quickly grabbed her horse and set off for Blaggi Tower. She rode around the pirates she encountered, stabbing those she couldn't, remaining focused until she saw a familiar patch of green hair.
"Lewyn!" She shouted. "Where's Dew!?"
"Ran off before we woke up." Lewyn scowled. "He left a note thanking us for getting Finn off his back, but that's it."
"That idiot!" She swore to herself before taking off toward the tower, ignoring Lewyn and Holyn's shouts, and nearly running over a woman with the distinctive lilac hair of House Freege and a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Adean. Noticing a shadow, she looked up to see Ferry on her pegasus with Father Claud riding behind her, but she shrugged and continued on her path, praying she wasn't too late.
Her mind ran through a number of ways this could go. She could find him and he wouldn't be upset about the night before. She could find him and he would hate her now. She could find him in trouble. She could find him wounded. She could find him-
Lachesis shook that thought from her mind. She was going to find him. She was going to protect him. She hadn't been able to protect her brother, but she could still save Dew. She wouldn't lose him, too.
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Blaggi Tower looked far bigger up close than from a distance. Dew was impressed. With any luck, it was going to be full of treasures to steal.
He looked around to make sure there weren't any more pirates in the area, and unfortunately, there was one trying to sneak up behind him. Once the pirate realized he'd been spotted, he lunged at him. Dew quickly pulled out his sword and prepared to attack...
Only for the pirate to be caught off guard by someone behind him. When the man fell dead, Dew realized that his savior was someone he hadn't wanted to see for awhile and scowled despite his gratitude.
"What do you want, Lachesis?" He demanded, mentally wincing at how he must have looked, but Lachesis's answer surprised him.
"You."
She dismounted her horse and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. Despite his anger, Dew felt himself freeze up.
"I woke up and you weren't at the camp any more." She explained. "Finn said you'd run off to the tower, and I panicked."
She seemed to be shaking slightly, and Dew reluctantly wrapped his arms around her, too. This was getting a little intimate, but Dew was afraid to let himself hope as Lachesis continued, saying that she knew he'd ditch Holyn and Lewyn, and that he could get so focused on treasure hunting that he sometimes ignored what was going on around him.
"If you'd gotten killed, I wouldn't-" She hesitated. "I'm not sure I'd have been able to handle it."
"I've been in worse scrapes." Dew chuckled, pretending that he wasn't flustered. "And even if I got killed, you'd be fine. Plenty of other fish in the sea and all that."
"I don't want any other fish. I want you."
The confession threw Dew for a loop. He stared up at the sky, trying to figure out how to respond. Finally, he suggested that they explore the tower together, and Lachesis was quiet for a moment before agreeing. Despite its size, Blaggi Tower was not as filled with treasure as Dew had hoped. Not only that, but there were inhabitants who would doubtlessly be displeased if they'd known why they were there, so they were only there for a few hours before leaving. Still, Dew had managed to pick up a nice Wind Sword. Lachesis hadn't been sure what to make of it, but she smiled slightly when Dew mentioned that it would make it easier for him to attack from a distance.
"It's getting dark." Dew frowned when they got outside. "We'll have to set up camp and head back in the morning."
"I only had room on my horse for one tent, so we'll have to share." Lachesis said matter-of-factly.
"That's... okay by me." Dew nodded as they set the tent up. It was a decent size, with enough room that they didn't have to touch each other, but Lachesis gazed at him for a moment before asking,
"Is it okay if I... sleep next to you?" Her face was flushed and her eyes were so sincere and full of something that Dew was scared to name that he gulped.
"I..." He gulped again. His face was turning redder than hers, but he felt the edges of his mouth curl up. "I think I'd like that."
Dew slowly wrapped his arms around Lachesis's shoulders. She gently began to lean over so that their lips could meet for the third time.
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A storm forced them to take shelter, delaying their return for a day, but they didn't care very much. Even when their comrades scolded them, they didn't have regrets.
Captain Mahnya of Silesse's Pegasus Knights arrived almost immediately after Grannvale's forces arrived to arrest Sigurd. She explained that Queen Rahna was willing to offer asylum to them, an offer that Sigurd accepted. They boarded the passage and made their way to Silesse, where they were personally welcomed by the queen, who they soon discovered was Lewyn's mother. The army was welcomed into Sailane's castle, and it was there they waited for things to blow over.
Three months after they arrived, Lachesis asked Dew to come to her room so she could tell him something. He arrived, kissed her and sat on the bed at her request.
"I'm just going to get right to the point." She said slowly as she placed her hands on her lower abdomen. "I... might be..."