Fire Emblem: Fates x Reader Oneshots

If You Have Ghosts... (Xander x Reader)

"Xander!" you hissed into the darkness.

You loathed to wake your husband during one of his rare respites from his duties. After the demise of the man you had both once called 'Father', the newly crowned king of Nohr had been working night and day making reparations, mending alliances and consoling those who had suffered most in the war. Rebuilding a kingdom from the tatters of a long, corrupt reign weighed heavily on his shoulders and sleep was often hard-earned.

But this was an urgent matter.

"Xander!"

You felt the bed shift as he stirred. His form was little more than a silhouette against the window where a sliver of pale moonlight had found its way between the heavy curtains.

"Hm, what is it?" His voice was thick with sleep.

"I think we have a ghost in the castle."

He was silent for a long time and for a moment you thought he had fallen asleep again, but then he spoke, his words punctuated with a yawn. "It sounds like you had a nightmare. Go back to sleep, Little Princess."

"No, you don't understand. I heard a voice. And chains rattling. Does that not scream 'ghost' to you?"

Another long silence. Then: "I don't hear anything."

"Well it's not making noise now," you hissed. "I wasn't dreaming, I swear."

He sighed and gathered you up in his arms. "No one would blame you for having nightmares after what you've been through, [Name]," he muttered into your hair. "As long as I'm by your side, I won't let you suffer ever again. Now go back to sleep."

"But—"

Your protests fell on deaf ears. Xander was already fast asleep and, wrapped up as you were in his iron embrace, you had no choice but to try and follow. But from that moment on, every creaking door, every breath of wind that echoed through the stone hallways had you on high alert, heart hammering almost painfully in your ears.

Sleep would not come easily for you that night.

"Oh, my poor, sweet sister, what's wrong with your face?!" Camilla exclaimed as you stumbled, puffy-eyed and yawning, into the dining hall around noon the next day.

You offered her your best glare, but you couldn't help but think the effect was somewhat diminished by the ridiculous bed-head you were sporting. "I was woken in the middle of the night last night by these horrible noises. Moaning, chains rattling and the like. I think the castle might be haunted. Xander thinks otherwise."

"Moaning and chains, huh? Sounds more like a fun night, if you ask me," she chuckled.

"Nobody asked you," you snapped, then immediately felt guilty. Sleep deprivation made you irritable and your Nohrian siblings had often borne the brunt of your prickly attitude. You offered her a weak apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired." You rubbed your eyes and sighed. "There's something in this castle, I know it. And I'm going to find out what it is."

Camilla patted you on the back gingerly. "You do that, dear. But first, perhaps a nap? I could sing you a lullaby if you would like?"

You shrugged her hand away and made a face. "I'm not a child," you mumbled, though you had to admit, a nap sounded positively heavenly. "But maybe I should get some sleep. Especially if I'm going to bust this ghost tonight."

Later that evening, long after the castle had settled down to sleep, you slid from your bed and stole across your chamber in darkness. The strange noises had started up again and it had taken you a few long, paralysed moments to gather enough courage to investigate. Even now, your body screamed at you to run back to your bed, cuddle up to Xander and hide beneath the covers until the dawn's light chased away the uncertainty of the darkness. But your curiosity simply wouldn't allow it so instead, you strapped Yato around your waist and ignored the primal instinct that told you to turn back while you still could.