This was written for the "Cracked Out Pairings" challenge at the FE Fanfic Livejournal (in which you choose a randomly selected pairing to write about). Oh, and this story takes place during the chapter titled "Cog of Destiny". *** Fire Emblem fanfic: "Brotherly Love" by Avi The battle raged on as Lord Eliwood's army fought their way towards the Shrine of Seals... The forces of good were currently divided at the moment... Part of the army was fighting off enemy reinforcements to the north; the Lords were defending themselves from a group of wyvern riders to the east... And the rest of the army was involved in a melee at the foot of the Shrine of Seals. But finally, one of the fighters broke free from that melee, and stepped purposefully towards the entrance of the shrine itself. As he walked up the steps unhindered, the swordsman's grip tightened upon the hilt of his blade in anticipation... However, he paused when he heard the sound of hoofbeats behind him. The mercenary known as Raven found himself turning to confront the frightened, green gaze of his sister. "Priscilla... What do you think you're doing?" he asked her harshly. The healer shifted uneasily in her saddle... Her mare, sensing her mood, pawed the ground nervously as well. "Raven... You don't mean to challenge one of the Four Fangs by yourself, do you?" she asked him tentatively. "It's my job," replied Raven gruffly. "But you have no one to watch your back!" protested Priscilla. "Everyone is too busy fighting their own battles at the moment," he told her wearily. "Besides, if I can defeat their leader, the Black Fang might sound a retreat." His expression then softened momentarily. "However, you really shouldn't be here, Priscilla... You should get back to where it's safe..." "I'm not leaving you here alone to die!" cried the healer. Raven stared at her in surprise, caught off guard by her outburst... Noticing this, Priscilla managed to lower her voice. "You forget, I'm a valkyrie now..." she added firmly, indicating the magic tome she carried under her arm. "Besides... You might need my healing skills, should anything happen to you, out there..." The mercenary stared at his sister for the longest time... Finally, he sighed in frustration. "All right... But stay as far back as possible; I don't want you getting in the way of our fight." Priscilla nodded, her face turning pale. Manoevering her horse behind one of the pillars surrounding the shrine, she watched as her brother stepped forward to confront the Black Fang member known as the "Rabid Hound"... *** Linus paced impatiently, as he waited at the entrance of the Shrine of Seals; by nature, he was a man of action, and he wanted to carry out his revenge. But he had his orders... Besides, the leader of his enemies would have to come here, soon enough. Still, the thought of a battle raging around him while he stood idle rankled; the Rabid Hound simply itched for his sword to have a taste of blood... A faint noise at the stairs leading to the shrine distracted him from his brooding, however; just as he looked up, he saw an auburn-haired mercenary reach the top of the steps, and glare directly at him. So, the fight had come to him, at last... Linus licked his lips in anticipation. The two bodyguards at his side immediately ran forward to deal with the intruder; Linus watched emotionlessly as the enemy mercenary coldly cut down both of them easily, with his steel sword. So... A swordsman, like himself, observed Linus. How appropriate. Perhaps... Even the one that had killed his brother. Now, he was the only remaining Reed brother... No, the only remaining Reed, period. Linus clenched his sword angrily at this thought. As he gripped the hilt of his blade, Linus recalled how he received the weapon he now wielded; for it would be the instrument of destruction, to all his foes... * Just after Lloyd's death, Linus remembered the rage boiling within himself, at the injustice of it all... That was when Sonia had come to him. "I have brought something for you, Linus," she had told him, giving him a poisonous smile. "I have no interest in what you have to give me, woman," he told her coldly. "Now, leave me to my pain..." "Oh, but I think you'll want these," continued Sonia, in that same, honeyed tone. She held up two items. "This is to protect you," she began sweetly, as she handed him an Iron Rune. Even Linus had to raise an eyebrow at this; since when did his stepmother care about anything else, except her own ambitions? However, the woman appeared to ignore this. "And this," she added, "is for killing your brother's murderers..." Sonia then handed him a shining sword; as Linus took it into his hands, he could almost feel the magic power flowing through it. As he gazed down at the magical blade in surprise, his stepmother smiled widely at him. "And when the time is right... Be a dear Linus, and kill Eliwood and followers for me, won't you...?" But now, even Sonia was dead... Yet that hardly mattered; the only that mattered to Linus now, was avenging his brother's death. And the time was right... Now. * Linus was brought back to the present, as the other mercenary turned from his now-dead foes, to gaze upon their leader. As their eyes met, the Black Fang swordsman grinned at his enemy, baring the fangs that had earned him his nickname. And as neither man was one to mince words, both swordsmen then immediately lunged forward with their weapons, their blades meeting each other with a clash of metal. As they began their duel to the death, it appeared as if the two of them were equally matched; his opponent must've been achieved mastery of the sword recently, Linus concluded. Then, both men broke off fighting briefly, to circle each other warily... When Linus caught something out of the corner of his eye; or more precisely, someone. It appeared to be a healer on horseback; a troubadour, to be exact, with short red hair and wide green eyes. She was partially hidden behind a pillar, and was watching the duel with a frightened expression on her face. She was probably waiting for a break in their fight so she could heal her companion, thought Linus. Judging her to be of little threat, the enemy swordsman immidiately dismissed her from his thoughts... ...Though not completely. As he fought, he found himself thinking of another mounted magic-user; also possessing closely-cropped hair, and delicate features... The valkyrie known as Ursula. * He had been deeply in love with Ursula, at one point... And had been heartbroken when she had chosen Lloyd over himself. Linus hadn't had the courage to admit this to either of them, however... Besides, he wished for only happiness for both his brother and his beloved. But inside... Linus was filled with insane jealousy. And when their father remarried, bringing Sonia into the picture... It only made things worse. For some reason, Ursula looked up to Sonia; perhaps it was the power she represented... It was soon after that, that Ursula became a valkyrie, and began to call herself the Blue Crow... And a wedge began to form in the relationship between Ursula and his brother. His brother had never really trusted Sonia, but Lloyd was careful never to voice this distrust to their father... But when Ursula started to emulate Sonia, Lloyd couldn't hold back his feelings any longer, and told her exactly what he thought of "that woman". And that was when Ursula played the cruelest trick of all... And started to pit him and Lloyd against one another. At first, Linus had been overjoyed at the attention Ursula had giving him; he now burned at the shame of that memory. Soon after that, the valkyrie became the topic of flaming rows between him and his brother... But in the end, their bond as siblings proved to be far too difficult to break, and both brothers severed all their ties to Ursula, except on a working basis. But the emotional scars still ran deep for Lloyd... As well as himself. * Sometimes, Linus wondered if Ursula ever regretted what she had done to the two of them... Had she truly changed so much from the sweet troubadour he once knew; the one that both he and his brother had the misfortune to fall in love with...? But now, they were both gone... And Linus felt remorseful for the hatred he once bore against his brother... And yes, even Ursula. The Black Fang swordsman found himself glancing back briefly at the hidden troubadour, as he deftly parried another attack. Once upon a time, even Ursula had been as innocent as that young girl over there... And yet... There was no room for mercy in Linus's heart now; especially for those who had killed his only brother, Lloyd... The brother that he had looked up to; the brother who helped him to master the art of the sword... The brother who was now dead, thanks to the interference of that wretched lordling, Eliwood. Still... Somehow, Linus knew that this was a lie; in his soul, he suspected that the person that killed his brother was the one person Lloyd himself had never really trusted... Sonia. It was as if his own brother had given him this insight... But his mind was clouded, somehow... The Rabid Hound shook his head. No, there could be no room for doubt at this point; he had come too far, to back down from the fight, now... Besides, there was no real proof that Eliwood's army hadn't involved in the murder of his brother... So Linus continued to fight; for the Rabid Hound knew that he must obey his instincts... However, little did he realize that he was being controlled by a new master... *** Meanwhile, Raven was finding the Black Fang swordsman to be a formidable foe; Linus had dodged every cut and trust of the sword he had aimed towards him, and parried it with ease. He had just managed to flip away from one of his enemy's latest attacks; landing solidly on the ground, the mercenary looked up to meet Linus's gaze... However, he was surprised to notice a wicked grin spreading across his adversary's face. Raven immediately assumed a fighting stance, and readied himself for the next attack... But it didn't come. As the mercenary glared at his opponent impatiently, the Black Fang swordsman merely smiled, and held his sword up in the air. Raven had little time to ponder the oddity of this gesture, when a flash of light emanated from Linus's blade; the mercenary just managed to avoid this magic attack, by rolling away. In the process of doing so, however, Raven had been blinded... Cursing the fact he had not recognized the magical Light Brand his enemy was wielding earlier, the mercenary got to his feet, trying to shake the purple spots blinking before his eyes. Meanwhile, Linus saw this as the opportunity he had been waiting for; swiftly dashing towards his dazed opponent, the Black Fang swordsman then swept Raven's legs from under him with a well- placed kick. As the mercenary fell flat on his back, he tried to lift his blade to counterattack; but bit back a yell of pain as Linus prevented this by stepping heavily on his sword arm. Struggling under his enemy's boot, Raven could only watch helplessly as the Rabid Hound lifted his blade, to deliver the strike that he knew would kill him. As Raven steeled himself for this final attack, his only regret was at his carelessness in allowing his dear sister to witness his demise... *** Meanwhile, Linus loomed over the prone mercenary in triumph. Even though he had to admit that this swordsman had been a truly worthy adversary, anyone who had been even remotely involved in murdering Lloyd deserved to die. The Rabid Hound slowly raised his sword, to strike the finishing blow. "This is for killing my brother...!" he cried. "NO!!" Caught off-guard by this cry, Linus looked up, to see the troubadour he spotted earlier bearing down upon him... No, not a troubadour... A valkyrie. Linus cursed himself for not recognizing her as a valkyrie; she must have just come into her powers... "Priscilla! Get back!" shouted Raven. But the healer paid no heed to her brother's warning... As she rode furiously towards the two men, she opened her magic tome, and cast an attack spell for the very first time. "Fire!" cried Priscilla. Unfortunately, the healer had only learned such magic recently, and her spell was not powerful enough; Linus easily managed to dodge the weak fireball. However, the spell was enough of a distraction for Raven to take advantage of the situation; freeing his sword arm from under his enemy's foot, he quickly reached up and stabbed Linus in the vital organs. The Black Fang swordsman staggered back, mortally wounded. As he clutched the gaping wound in his side, the only thought in Linus's mind was that he had failed his brother... Then, the Rabid Hound collapsed onto the stone floor of the shrine, and the world turned black before him. *** As soon as their enemy had fallen, Priscilla quickly dismounted her horse, and ran to her brother's side. "Raven! Are you all right?" "I'll be fine," replied the mercenary. He then grabbed his right shoulder and winced. "Damn, that hurts..." "Here, let me heal that for you..." Priscilla immediately held out her Mend staff, and began to tend to her brother's wounds. While Raven tested his healed arm, the healer then noticed the body of their fallen adversary, and found herself drawn to it... It was then that the mercenary noticed his sister's preoccupied manner. "Priscilla... What's the matter?" he asked. The healer knelt at Linus's side, as guilt washed over her. "It's my fault that he's dead, isn't it...?" she began slowly. Raven placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. "No, it was I who struck the killing blow..." "But it was I who prevented him from striking you," she protested. "I didn't want you to get hurt; but in the process, I sped him to his grave..." She buried her face in her hands. Just then, she felt her shoulders being gripped... The healer looked up, startled, to meet her brother's gaze. "Priscilla, listen to me..." began the mercenary firmly. "Now that you're a magic-user, you're going to have to face the fact that you might hurt people in battle... And even have to kill them. Do you understand me?" The healer remained silent for a moment, and then nodded. "I... Suppose you're right, Raven." Priscilla then drew herself up with quiet dignity. "But I am, and still, a healer first, and always will be... And I cannot help but feel regret for this man's death, even though he was our enemy." "I believe I understand..." replied Raven, slowly. "I know Lucius feels that way about using his magic, sometimes..." As soon as the mercenary said this, however, he realized this was the wrong thing to say; for even he felt a distinct drop in the emotional temperature between him and his sister. While Raven struggled to find a way to break the uneasy silence, Priscilla finally did so for him. "Do you mind leaving me alone for a moment, Raven?" she asked her brother in a cool, polite tone. Priscilla then placed a gentle hand on the prone body before her. "I feel... That I must make my peace with this man, somehow..." "If you feel it is necessary," answered the mercenary, somewhat relieved at release of tension. He then assumed his usual, gruff expression. "I'll just go guard the entrance of the shrine, until the Lords get here... Are you sure you'll be all right here, by yourself?" The healer nodded. Then Raven respectfully left, leaving Priscilla alone with the body of Linus. Though she was not one of St. Elimine's clerics, the least the healer felt she could do was pray for the dead man's soul... As Priscilla bowed her head over the body, it then she realized something; this man wasn't completely dead! He was still breathing, although only faintly so. Tentatively, she stretched out a hand to test his pulse... And was startled as the seemingly unconscious Linus suddenly reached out with lightning fast reflexes, and held her arm in an iron grip. "Please, let go," she pleaded, gazing into the dying man's face; but Linus seemed to stare at her with unseeing eyes. "Ursula..." he whispered. Ursula... Wasn't she that Black Fang valkyrie we defeated in Castle Bern...? thought Priscilla. He must be delusional, she concluded. Priscilla had been a healer long enough to recognize when a person was in their final death throes, and she didn't have the heart to deny a dying man his last words. "I'm here... Linus," she told him softly, as she recalled his name. At this, he gripped her arm more urgently. "Ursula... Tell my brother, I'm sorry... That I failed to avenge his death... And, that I will be joining him shortly..." His grip then slackened, and the Rabid Hound of the Black Fang breathed his last, a trail of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Meanwhile, the healer gazed at the man who had been her enemy, with growing astonishment. "His brother... He only wanted to avenge his brother..." murmured Priscilla to herself. Her heart welled up with pity, both at the poor man's death, and his own loss. She began to speak to Linus, even though the healer knew that he could no longer hear her. "I am so sorry for the pain I have caused you..." she told him softly. "But you see, I had to protect my brother, as well... I think you, of all people, would understand that." She carefully brushed the hair away from his face. "Though you look nothing alike, you so remind of my own brother, Linus... You are both masters of the sword, and even your fighting styles are similar... And both of you burn with the fires of vengeance." "I only hope that Raymond's thirst for revenge will not lead him to his downfall, as it did for you..." The healer carefully closed the dead man's eyes, in a respectful manner. "I pray that you find peace in death, Linus... And be reunited with your loved ones... Especially your brother." "For I too, know what it is like... To love a brother." At those words, Priscilla leaned over and kissed Linus gently on the forehead. "Forgive me..." she whispered to him, as a tear rolled down her cheek. It was then that the young woman finally broke down, and began to sob. Just then, Priscilla heard a faint clattering noise beside her... Distracted from her sorrow momentarily, she looked down to find that something had fallen out of Linus's unclenched hand. As she curiously picked up the small object to inspect it, she immediately recognized what it was. "An Iron Rune..." she murmured, in astonishment. She glanced down at the dead swordsman. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but... "Thank you, Linus," Priscilla found herself saying. "I will treasure it always..." "I won't ever forget this... Or you." She kissed him again; this time, softly on the cheek. Then, Priscilla stood up, took the reins of her horse, and walked away... To be at her brother's side. And if the healer had bothered to check Linus's body once more before she left, she would've been surprised to notice that there was now a faint smile on the man's face... The Rabid Hound found peace at last, in death... At least, for now... END *** This story turned out way longer than I expected... (Curse my need for backstory!) Feel free to let me know, if my canon's off... At first, I was wishing for a Priscilla/Lloyd pairing instead, but this actually worked out much better than I planned, since Linus and Raven are in the same character class... (And I still get to imply a Lloyd/Ursula relationship...) ***** Copyright, Aviatrix8, 2004. Fire Emblem and all related characters are property of Nintendo et al., and are used without permission.