monthlysupergo | August 2018 Pick-a-Number fic

This is for prompt number 11, which was snow had fallen, snow on snow.

Title: Knight in the Intermittent Snow
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade
Character: Isadora-centric, with appearances from and mentions of others
Rating: T (some violence, mentions of killing and Kenneth's sadism)
Summary: In the intermittent snow at the Black Fang's stronghold, Isadora fights on for her own reasons. Set during chapter 25.

-

Snow had fallen, and now snow was falling yet again. The fresh snow laid on top of the snow that was already there, adding to the sheets of white on the fortress grounds.

In this intermittent snow, Isadora fought on.

Her main role here was to protect Legault and escort him to the back of the main building, where the Black Fang were alleged to have kept some particularly valuable treasures. Along the way she'd largely refrained from directly engaging any enemies, both for Legault's safety and her own, instead leaving the fighting to those of her allies who were better equipped to deal with the foes before them. Now that they'd finally reached their intended destination, she was standing guard and helping to take out whatever enemies she could as Legault set to work on picking the locks on the door and then the chests, while also being ready to whisk him up at a moment's notice if anything posed a serious threat to him.

Under normal circumstances, she would not have volunteered to be on the front lines in this kind of battle; the thick forests around the fortress made it difficult to get very far on horseback even without the weather making such matters worse, and the sheer number of wyvern riders and powerful magic wielders among the Black Fang's forces here left her at a marked disadvantage in terms of combat. However, even while knowing that her specific talents were ill-suited for these conditions, there was one reason why she felt she had to join the fight no matter what.

She could not forgive the likes of Kenneth.

While she did not consider herself to be a particularly pious woman, Isadora nonetheless believed in the teachings of Saint Elimine. To hear that this bishop could forsake the gods in favour of a devil like Nergal –- the man who murdered her lord Elbert –- incensed her more than she ever thought she could be. She couldn't stand that he dismissed the gods as weak-minded lies when she knew that such faith in them had brought strength to so many people, herself included; it was that faith that kept her going no matter how dire things seemed, for it gave her the hope that maybe, by some miracle, he was still alive and out there somewhere, regardless of how unlikely that should by rights have been.

Kenneth's claim that there was nothing more blissful than the suffering of men made him doubly despicable in Isadora's eyes. The death and agony of human beings was never something to take pleasure in; she understood that as well as any good person, if not better than most. She'd cut many enemies' lives short in her line of duty, and not once had she taken any joy in doing so. Even the Black Fang members she'd slain here at this fortress weighed on her conscience –- not least because she knew Legault used to be part of the very same group. No amount of snow could ever truly disguise the blood she'd spilled for her cause.

That anyone could actually enjoy the act of killing made her sick to her stomach.

Whether or not her own actions carried any sin was a question she would save for another time, but Isadora had no doubt at all about Kenneth's sins. As a knight of Pherae and as a believer in Elimine, she was resolute in helping to ensure that he would be judged for them.

However, a more immediate concern suddenly became apparent.

A rapid clashing of blades unlike anything she'd heard on these fortress grounds reached her ears from the west, even over the howling winds. More disturbingly, the clashing was quickly followed by a pained scream that she knew to be from one of her own allies.

"Lady Lyndis!"

Lyn came into her field of vision then, clutching her sword arm as blood trickled down it. Beyond her, the tall, masculine silhouette of what appeared to be a knight with a sword and shield was just barely visible in the heavy snow.

Isadora could only give the briefest regard for what a knight like that would be doing here at the Black Fang's stronghold when she knew she had to act right away. "Master Legault!" she called out. "Someone approaches from the west! I'm heading out to hold them, so take care until I return!"

As soon as he shouted back his acknowledgement of her words, she started to ride out of the fortress's rear entrance. As she did, she was relieved to see Lyn being bathed in a soft bluish light; she'd been healed just in time, apparently from a safe distance. That aid hadn't come a moment too soon, for the instant Lyn let go of her freshly-mended arm to ready her blade again, the knight went on the attack once more –- and now that Isadora was closer to the scene, she realised there was something familiar about the way this mysterious enemy fought. His skilled, swift swordplay was a match even for Lyn's speed, and it was all Lyn could do to dodge his strikes without suffering any further injuries.

The need to intervene welled up in Isadora all the more now –- both because she wanted to protect and support her comrades, and also because she had a half-apprehensive, half-hopeful desire to know for sure who this knight really was.

First, she had to prioritise Lyn's safety. "Lady Lyndis, please, fall back for now!" she urged. "Allow me to handle him!" She thought she saw the knight move a little at the sound of her voice, but because of the limited visibility in these conditions, she couldn't be entirely sure.

"All right, be careful!" As Lyn fled the scene –- perhaps to regroup, perhaps to take on a less risky adversary, just as long as she wasn't in danger anymore -– Isadora rode her horse to between where Lyn had been and where the knight currently stood, her sword at the ready to fend off any further attack he might have tried to make.

To her surprise, no such attack came. Instead, the knight made wary steps towards her with his sword held out to one side and his shield raised before him -– and now he was this much closer to her, enough that she could truly see him for the first time, her earlier suspicions were confirmed before her eyes.

"You...!"

That short blond hair. That greenish armour. That chiselled face. She would have recognised those absolutely anywhere, and together with the manner of fighting she'd observed from this man just moments before, she knew they couldn't have belonged to anyone else.

"Can it truly be you, Harken?"

She knew it had to be him, and yet it was so hard to believe she was seeing him here by pure chance so long after she'd heard he'd died. She made eye contact with him then, and he appeared as taken aback by her presence here as she was by his; in response to her, all he could do was exclaim her name.

He made as if to walk away, his features clouded over as if something deeply troubled him, but she urged him back, wanting him to stay with her and fight for Eliwood with her and never leave her alone again... and together with the intense joy and relief that brought tears to her eyes, she also felt a certain sense of vindication.

She'd been right to have faith. The miracle she'd hoped for had come true, and she'd believed in it all this time because she believed in Elimine's teachings –- the same teachings Kenneth had abandoned for evil. She was filled with more resolve than ever to be there for his downfall.

That joining a battle she'd normally think herself ill-suited for out of distaste for the enemy commander would bring her such good fortune left Isadora with the elating feeling that, whether the gods willed it or not, she'd been meant to come here –- where snow had fallen and was falling again.

Fin.