Fire Emblem

Kelly

After a few hours' ride, we pulled up to an enormous brick building, intimidating and ancient. I had never seen something of this scale before, and I gazed at it in wonder.

When we arrived by the front gates, I was in awe at the sheer size of the doors, flung open to a large hall. It was decorated with an ornate red rug and banners displayed from the high vaulted ceiling. The architecture was enough to steal my breath away.

Seteth ushered us further through the complex, out of that grand hall and into a dining area. Beyond the dining hall was a bridge to a chapel, complete with stained glass and ornate windows. In a place like this, it was hard to imagine that the gods didn't exist. It moved you to worship.

At the center of the room was a lady, with long lime green hair and fair skin. She wore an enormous headpiece adorned with flowers and beads, and the pure aura of her told you that she was extremely important.

She took in my father, who stood tall and kept his eyes on her. But she didn't remain there long.

Her eyes scanned me, and the smile that grew on her face was radiant. She was nearly otherworldly in her beauty, especially in the light of the chapel.

"Welcome home, Jeralt," she called, her voice airy and light.

"Thank you Rhea," he said, and Seteth shot him a frown.

"And who is this beautiful flower?"

My father looked at me, hiding a grimace, and turned back to her. "This is my daughter, Kelly."

"I haven't seen you since you were a baby," Rhea said breathlessly, "you grew to be so gorgeous. I always hoped I would get to meet you."

I muttered an awkward thank you as she fawned over me.

"Rhea, what's the meaning of this? We have jobs to return to." My dad said.

"I'd like you to stay. Rejoin the Knights of Seiros, Jeralt. And Kelly can enroll in the Officer's Academy."

"She's already quite skilled in combat," Seteth chimed in.

"Of course she is. That's to be expected from the former Captain of the Guard. A fabled hero."

Jeralt shrugged, running a hand over his short gray and white beard.

"What's the catch?"

She looked wounded, holding a hand over her heart. "There's no catch I assure you. I'm simply delighted to have family back home."

I furrowed my brow, but didn't say anything. As far as I know, she's not my relative. I only just met these people, and already my life had been uprooted.

Jeralt reluctantly agreed, and I wondered how she was so easily able to back him into this corner. I suppose it didn't matter- my fate was sealed.

"Welcome to Garreg Mach Kelly," she said with sincerity, "I expect you'll do great things."

"Of course we will," a voice said in my head. I practically jumped out of my skin, but nobody else seemed phased. Had no one else heard her?

"They can't hear me, dummy," the voice continued, and I realized from her high pitched, childlike laugh, it was the girl from my dreams.

"Who else would it be?"