Fire Emblem: Awakening - Henricken Shorts

"...War."

"It's just another...."

"War! Yay, more blood!"

Oh...how I wish I didn't take those moments for granted.


I stood in front of the barracks, waving goodbye at the nice and colorful birds who made a nest by the window. This might be the last time I see them. I shook my head; I will not last long in the war if I'm this pessimistic. I grabbed my Elwind Tome. It was time to fight those Plegians.

Henry danced into the barracks and took a Nosferatu tome from the convoy. I stood completely still--my face, blank.

"It's just another..."

Henry ran past me.

"War! Yay, more blood!"

"...war."

Shocked, I looked at him. Why was he excited for war? Was that all he cared about? Enraged, I kicked a rock. How could someone be this nonchalant about war?!

Lord Chrom led all of us towards the battlefield. I marched with a neutral expression. I was neither happy or sad. Such vague words.

Henry, on the other hand, was marching proudly. A smile on his face; the usual. Sully saw the incoming Plegians and charged ahead, along with Nowi and Lon'qu. Robin signaled me to stay with Henry on defense while the two other mages--Miriel and Tharja--took offense. I glanced to the side and saw Lissa, Maribelle, Libra and Brady were already tending to people who have gotten injured in battle. And it has been what? A minute? 5 minutes? War is truly a horrible thing.

All I could hear is the sound of magic that the mages conjured; the sound of arrows being fired...the sounds of stabbing. It rang in my ears. But there was one sound that rung above all--the sound of burning. The sound of someone being burned. I looked towards the burning.

The sound.

Of Henry.

Being burned.

I rushed towards him, casting an Elwind towards the one who did an ArcFire on Henry. "You better run away, you piece of mud!" I screamed at the enemy. I shifted my attention from that to Henry. He was burning all over. I screamed for Libra or Brady or anyone to help him out. Henry was bleeding all over too.

"Henry, are you okay? Please tell me you are!" I said, even if it was clear that he wasn't okay.

"Y-yeah! I'm feeling fine!" Henry said, laughing. "All this blood...it's wonderful! Perfect! Nya ha ha ha!"

My eyes began to well up. "No, it is not wonderful, Henry!" I yelled. I ran my fingers through his hair. I looked at it; blood running through my fingers.

"No...this isn't right....someone! Come, quick! Please!" I shouted as loud as I can. All the healers were already doing something. I didn't have a Concoction, an Elixir or anything.

I was looking for a potion to help heal him when I heard an arrow zip past me, hitting Henry in the heart. My eyes widened as I dashed towards him, screaming.

"Ricken, I'm okay, really!" was the last few words I heard from him.

Henry...

When you loved getting hurt...

Did you not realize how much it hurt me...

Henry...

Are you still alive...?

Please tell me this is just a dream...

Please joke about war and blood once more...