Dragons' Blood: A Fire Emblem Awakening Novelization

Chapter 14: Devotion

"Good mooooooorning!"

A sing-songy voice roused Elysa from her sleep. "Mmmmgh...." She frowned, refusing to open her eyes, and rolled onto her side, turning her back towards the door.

"Oh, for Naga's sake!" Another voice. Also too chipper for this early in the morning, Elysa thought. "Today is not the day to sleep in late...!"

"Be nice, Nowi," a third person chided. Elysa groaned inwardly. Why was there an entourage at her door? And why wasn't Chrom chasing them away?

"Yeah," the first voice added, "she hasn't woken up on her own for ages now. Chrom's always the one to get her up in the morning, y'know?"

"Gross!"

Brisk, impatient footsteps echoed down the hall, growing louder until they stopped at the door. "Have you STILL not managed to get her up?"

Oh, gods, Elysa's eyes flew open for this newcomer. Before she had a chance to sit up, there was a rush of cold air as the blankets were torn off of her. Elysa cried out, cowering under Tharja's scowl.

"M-morning..." Elysa grimaced. Tharja tossed the sheets aside, her frown intensifying. She heard a familiar sigh at the door, and looked over to see Cordelia in the entryway, Lissa and Nowi on either side of her. The pegasus knight was pinching her brow.

Elysa's eyes continued to roam the room, her mind slowly awakening. This isn't Chrom's room... She blinked a couple of times.

Ohhh... Realization dawned on her. "Oh!" She was suddenly awake, all traces of sleep fleeing from her mind.

"'Oh!'" Tharja mimicked her in an exaggerated tone. "Yes, indeed. Today's your big day. Get up, slugabed."

Elysa frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be nice to me today?"

"You're an awful bridesmaid," Nowi quipped.

"You're just awful," Tharja retorted. "Ugh. Fine. I'll try. ...I'm leaving now to get ready."

"Yes, do," Cordelia ushered Tharja out the door.

"You better not show up looking like this is a funeral!" Nowi called after her. Elysa heard a somewhat-affirmative grunt from the hall.

She swung her legs off of the edge of the bed, her bare feet landing on the cold marble floor. She shivered and curled her toes.

Today's your big day.

The tactician blinked rapidly. "Oh, gods," she muttered apologetically. "How did I manage to sleep in?"

"You didn't have your bed-buddy to wake you up," Lissa laughed. "Well, it's good that you slept well! Means you're not nervous — means you're not getting cold feet! Well, other than literally, right now. But hurry up, before we make Nowi freeze you awake!"

"I'm awake!" Elysa protested, flushing. From somewhere in the room, Cordelia produced a pair of slippers, and handed them to her. Elysa slipped into them gratefully, then looked back at the manakete. "Nowi... not to be rude, but what are you doing here? Don't you have better things to do?"

Nowi pouted. "Yeah, well, Lissa brought me along to be an ice bucket, apparently. I wouldn't even fit in this tiny room in dragon form! And don't worry, lady-in-waiting isn't really my thing anyway." She looked at Lissa. "Can I go now?"

Lisa tutted. "Yes, yes. Hurry along."

"Hey! Don't talk down to me like that! I'm much—"

"Older than me, yes, sure, whatever," Lissa ushered the manakete out the door. Elysa sighed gratefully, noting the immediate decrease in volume in the room.