The Untold Stories | Fire Emblem (indefinite hiatus.)

The Swan and the Archer | 1 [AU]

Title: The Swan and the Archer

Setting: Swan Lake, but with the Fire Emblem (TSP) characters.

Topic: AU

Multichapter?: Yes

Synopsis: Prince Takumi was always the reserved type that saved his only attention for his family, his retainers, and his arrows. But when a chance encounter leads him to meet a beautiful woman in white, who happens to be cursed to become a swan in the daytime, that may just change. Now he has a handful to deal with.

Author's Blurb: The Swan Lake AU featuring Magic Arrow has been haunting me in my sleep for the longest time ever since even before The Untold Stories got its name. So here it is.

I wrote this particular chapter quite a long time ago, I think at the start of July of 2020. I remember specifically that the urge to write this at that very moment was kickstarted because I decided to rewatch the Barbie version of Swan Lake for shits and giggles, and got a lot of it done at the moment. Looking back at it, the motivation was so funny.

Of course, time and life often doesn't go our way and I had to halt my plans for this for a while. But here is the first chapter, after so long. It's been...84 years.

I was going to post this once I finished the entire piece so I can upload it in a weekly fashion. In fact, the second chapter is currently completed and ready to be edited. So far, the story, while already 60% plotted out in my head, is not completely written out yet.

But given the fact that it's the one year anniversary of the official publication of The Untold Stories (March 8th, according to the Wattpad publication date, and thank you to MMZelda for reminding me!), I figured hey, it wouldn't hurt to post the first chapter as a prelude to what is coming for this mini series. I'll finish the entire AU offline, then I'll come back and start posting weekly once it's completed. (So it might be a while...I am so sorry. :P)

One last thing before you begin reading! The notes at the end of the chapter are from my own personal thoughts after completing the rough draft of the chapter, not the day I published it.

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing!

...

Three years ago, his fiancee had gone missing on their wedding day.

He didn't cry, of course. He had no attachment to that woman. He was worried, yes, but he didn't cry. It was an arranged marriage, and they hadn't even met before they were declared to be engaged. In fact, they were supposed to meet face to face on their wedding day.

But just as spontaneous as the marriage was, the declaration of her absence was even more horrifying.

She was a kind woman, Takumi could remember people around him whispering. He knew that he could be happy with her if he had to be. He would be happier if it wasn't forced, of course, but what other choice did he have?

It was sudden. He was on his way to the altar. The people of Hoshido were already gathered in the main hall, eagerly awaiting the ceremony. Only the members of the Ylissean royal family were present - the Ylissean people would encounter a separate traditional ceremony in their homeland. Ryoma was helping him prepare. His sisters were running around, making sure last minute preparations were completed. Everything was ready, everything was set.

Then a guard shoved his way to the front of the crowd to announce her disappearance, and everything tore apart.

...