Marianne and the Forbidden Codex: A Fire Emblem Three Houses story

The Chase

It was probably already noon, Marianne imagined. She had already been locked up for a few hours, unable to see what was happening outside. She had prayed many times to the Goddess for the safety of her companion and tried her best to get them home, but things had worsened.

«No one can be good next to me, not even he,» thought Marianne, lamenting. Suddenly, she felt someone enter her shop: it was Lorenz. With a seriousness that Marianne had not seen in him, he asked:

"Who is, or rather, what is it about your friend that the empire is looking for so desperately for him?"

"I can't tell you," she replied, with an angry expression Lorenz could never have imagined on her part.

"It's just that it depends on what I do with you," Lorenz replied, smoothing his hair with a nervous expression. "I have very little time to make a decision."

"What decision?" Marianne asked, confused.

"You know I don't want anything from that Death Knight. We fought to the death against him together with our master. However, if that guy shows up, my father has commissioned me to guard this border."

"I see..." she replied, with a hopeless expression.

"It's a fact that when Jeritza finds out you're here, he'll take your life, too. I can't allow that, even if it complicates everything with my father."

"I don't understand what you're getting at, Lorenz."

"I have to give the order, and the Imperials watching Leonard will disappear as if they were never there. But you must tell me what's so special about him."

"Well..." Marianne replied, gathering her thoughts. "Leonard has a book that allows him to recreate any of the heroes' Relics at will."

"This is more serious than I thought, Marianne," Lorenz replied, biting into the cuticle of one of her fingers. "Even if my father punishes or even imprisons me, that kind of power cannot fall into the hands of the empire, even more so if we know that they have a relationship with those dark beings with whom we fight."

"That's right, Lorenz," she answered, concerned. "But what can we do?"

As Marianne said these words, Lorenz stuck his right arm out of the tent. Immediately, he approached her partner from the Academy and said:

"I already gave the order; now you must flee," said Lorenz as a sack leaned out from the store entrance. "It would be best if you put on this cash suit. They will both flee before that wretch arrives."

At that moment, Lorenz called one of the soldiers, who immediately entered.

"Now!" he exclaimed, waving Marianne toward the exit with his arms.

Immediately, Marianne covered herself with her helmet, running in the direction where she saw Leonard being led. Once he arrived, the imperial guards were gone, and a ragged guy with the air of a prisoner released Leonard to take his place.

They both met while holding each other's hands. Leonard, seeing his companion's face of relief, was absorbed for a few seconds. He immediately woke up and said to his companion:

"We must escape now."

Marianne could not answer anything when her friend led her by one arm. They ran as best they could to go up a slight slope in a ravine next to the regiment. From there, they would escape as soon as possible. Surprisingly, they found a couple of horses. Marianne tugged at Leonard's arm and said:

"I'll ask them for help," she said, pointing to the horses.

"Are you sure?" Leonard replied, concerned.