Eleven

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

_{@ThatCharacter}

As an ex-knight who had dedicated decades of his life serving the Church, Caius could have told her a different battle story every bedtime and still have more to spare. Of course, Imogen had only been able to prod a handful out of him. She remembers sitting as still as can be, holding her breath in anticipation while her hands restlessly wring the hem of her shirt. His words, though few and terse, paint the battlefield in a bold and vibrant palette: Caius stands out in all his shiny glory, naturally; his blade is glinting in the sun and he is surrounded by his defeated enemies. There’s a chorus of cheers coming from the villagers he just saved, she knows there is and Caius was just too humble to add that detail. Imogen remembers wishing she was there with him then—if not to help, then to simply watch him and bask in his awesomeness—and Caius grumbling at the thought.

Caius was never happy when he told his stories and she was only now realizing why.

Imogen reached the limits of her patience the moment they all clambered back inside the carriage, and was beyond raring-to-go by the time they came to a rocky halt inside the village. She tried her best to pay attention to Professor Mik's orders, but already, dozens of scenarios of how this all goes down were playing in her head, distracting her. They're always triumphant in the end, but who gets to defeat who always changed. In any case, she'd gotten the gist of the plan, at least. Beat the bad guys, protect the villagers. Stay with Kel and Princey.

When it was finally her turn to exit the carriage, Imogen expected to brandish her sword and charge at the first person to threaten them. It's what Caius would have done! Instead, she found herself overwhelmed to the point of inaction, and not just because of the violent shiver that wracked her body—the Dogberry equivalent of 'holy crap! they're everywhere.'

The chaos that greeted her was like a brick wall to her momentum. Imogen looked around, assessing her surroundings in near disbelief, wide-eyed and filled with confusion. This… this wasn't anything like she had imagined from Caius' stories. There was smoke and fire and people--wounded, hurt, bleeding--all screaming, the fear in their voices so palpable it felt like a sobering slap in the face. Right, you don't get surrounded by defeated enemies magically, do you? Is this what Caius saw every time? For once, Imogen was glad to be on backup instead of the front lines. It was taking her longer to compose herself than she would like to admit. Her overactive imagination was once again in full gear, except for the first time in her life, it was doubt that plagued her. What if they can't defeat everyone? What happens to the villagers? What if they get hurt?

The painful cracking sound of a nose breaking was what snapped her out of her reverie. Imogen looked to Aubie and took solace in his persistent resolve. No hesitation, no overthinking things. Just straight up beating the bad guys and protecting the villagers as planned. You know what? Everyone's always telling her she never uses her brain. No point in starting now.

With determination anew, Imogen tightened her grip on her sword and easily fell into the defensive stance Caius has drilled into her. She took a deep breath and forced the discordant sound of chaos to fade into the background. It helped to tune into Clary's speech; though the actual words escaped her comprehension, the cadence and passion with which she said them were stirring enough to rile her up.

A nagging pull to her right alerted her then, just as Princey made his way to handle the left flank. Imogen scrambled as she realized what had happened while she was off being distracted. Kel! She thought she heard his voice earlier, but it had been unusually loud and un-Kel like that it didn't register in her mind. There he was now, defending against a bandit. He had successfully blocked his attacks, and had wounded him to boot, but the bandit still kept coming after him.

"Get away!" Imogen charged. She might not have been as strong as Aubie or as experienced as Princey, but she was fast. She has outrun trouble all her life and she can clear the short distance between them in a flash.

The bandit with the crazed look and blood-stained sword—please don't be Kel's—hardly had time to keep Kel at bay long enough to also defend against her sudden onslaught. A ferocious yell escaped her lips as she drove her sword into the bandit's chest, deeper than might have been necessary. Her running start sent her toppling alongside the bandit's now lifeless corpse and she did her best not to think about the slick red that coated her blade and splattered her uniform as she slowly pulled her sword out of him. She was also not thinking about how the man's eyes rolled up and she could see only the whites, or how his head hit the ground with a sickening crack. Nope, no more thinking. Just beat the bad guys and protect the villagers.

"Kel, are you alright?" She meant to ask earlier. "He didn't hurt yo--"

Another nagging pull made her pause, this time directing her attention toward the building this bandit had come out of. Two more emerged from there, seconds before it burst into flames. One bore a resemblance to the slain foe at their feet, and the guttural cry that came out of him as he spotted the body confirmed it.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

_{@Scribe of Thoth @ThatCharacter}

In the countless dangerous situations she has put herself in, both willingly and accidentally, Imogen learned that trusting her gut was the only way to go. One time she ignored it and she very nearly died, falling down the side of a mountain. When attempting to explain this to Caius, she ended up likening it to something sitting on her shoulder, always on the lookout, and she sorta just stuck with the conceit. It would alert her when there’s something wrong, way before she’d even notice it. She liked to imagine that ‘something’ as that funny-looking creature she uses as a keychain for her bag: a green bear-like thing with wide eyes good for spotting things and a silly name like Dogberry, because why not.

Anyway. Sometimes, Dogberry just whispers for her to be careful. Sometimes, it seems likes he’s tugging on her ear, telling her to look a certain way. Dogberry didn’t do anything while the two riders approached so Imogen believed they meant no harm. She meant to tell Princey as much, because he had seemed worried enough to come running after her. And Jory too, because he sounded like his usual playful self but also somehow like he was scolding her and that stung.

“Don’t worry, it’s safe--” she started to say, but then Dogberry whispered and it was followed by a thwack on the head. "Ow!" It was mostly reflexive—getting hit by rolled-up paper wasn't that big of a deal, even if the one doing was decorated knight who gave it his all—but also partly in protest. Wasn't she showing initiative or whatever it was they were taught in class last time? Why was she being punished for it?

As Professor Euphie shooed the three of them back to the group, Imogen caught parts of what the two riders were saying. "They do need help!" she exclaimed with short-lived enthusiasm as she processed the rest of the riders' news.

Then before she knew it, she was hurtling toward Kel, her hands firmly pressing against his ears as soon as she reached him. As if on cue, a loud explosion thundered from the distance. It wasn't anywhere close, like she initially thought it would be, but still she looked helplessly at Iz, who was a bit further away from her. At least Der was near her! Of their so-called Rose Unit, Imogen had picked out Iz and Kel as the ones to watch over, skittish as they seemed. In her head, she had unconsciously associated them with a bunny and kitty respectively, and that had made her all the more protective.

When her internal warning bells seemed to have turned off—in her Dogberry explanation, this is when he says 'everything's fine, you can relax'—Imogen patted Kel on the head to reassure him, tiptoeing in order to reach. Although, she figured that wouldn't help much in making him feel better, seeing as Aubie was looking especially strict at the moment and she could only imagine what that meant for the Blues. Imogen hoped he didn't mean to force them into tagging along, at the very least. Like for her fellow deer, she had a feeling Jory and Clary wouldn't pass something like this up, but she wouldn't be forcing Iz to go if she was frightened. That hardly seemed fair.

"Jory, Clary, I'm going first!" she called out as she jumped into the weapons cart and dug through what's left in there.

After retrieving her own sword, she followed Aubie into the carriage and sat across him, staring at him idly as they waited for everyone else to join. More than anyone, even Professor Mik, Aubie had fit the image of a classic knight in her head. Like the ones from her childhood storybooks, except crankier. Normally, she would have told a couple of bad jokes by now, in her ongoing endeavor to see if she could make the ever-serious Lion crack, but it didn't seem right with actual lives on the line.

Instead, she offered him a sheepish grin. "Ready to kick some bandit butt?"

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

bonding time with iz

The stables were quiet for the most part. In order to avoid a horde of hungry animals seeking out dinner at the same time the students did, a few were tasked with filling the troughs at the same time the cafeteria would start serving. While there were assigned tasks and the students were more likely to get to it once they were assigned, the stablemaster dedicated himself to doing it for the first few days himself.

Isolde at the moment had decided to wander in mostly out of curiosity, but ended up staying after being spooked by the bell. Being around people had been hard enough and there weren’t too many places to hide, but at the very least she could admire the pegasi up close without too much worry. She wished she was brave enough to offer to brush one, but even they were a little intimidating.

And so she put herself to work, carrying the large buckets to where the thirsty horses waited. It was a little hard without getting water everywhere, but she managed to get the first one poured into the empty trough without incident. Of course, she was a little discouraged when she realized it hadn’t even come close to filling. She had been naive--multiple trips to the well were needed.

With that in mind, she made sure to grab two buckets. Double the buckets, double the water! Isolde stepped out of the stable, determined.

Just beyond the stable gates, along the dirt path that led to the well, Imogen sat cross-legged, waving to get Isolde's attention. In truth, she had been waiting outside the stables for a while, at first with the intention of jumping out to surprise her fellow deer. But then she remembered that this was Iz, who just earlier today had looked close to passing out from simply having to introduce herself. Imogen didn't quite like the thought of accidentally scaring someone to death, so she quickly repositioned herself in the most non-threatening way she could think of and waited patiently instead. Caius had taught her long ago how to approach the wild bunnies that roamed the mountains and she figured the same idea would work on Iz.

"Need some help?" Imogen asked, as soon as she was certain Isolde had seen her. She hopped up and dusted herself off, rushing to take one of the buckets from her without waiting for a response. "So I'm hiding from this weird lady who wouldn't stop asking about Jory and Rai-Rai. Much rather be eating now, though! How come you're here by yourself?"

Isolde was a little surprised to see Imogen, albeit she didn't run. Well, she wanted to, but she had her task at hand. The bucket was taken from her before she could protest, but she supposed that helping the horses get water wasn't a bad thing. She ended up leading Imogen to the well, figuring that she wasn’t going to leave.

"I don't know," She mumbled, tying up her bucket before letting it drop some and turning the handle to lower it. "I was just looking around, and the stablemaster looked like he needed help, so...here I am."

Imogen, who had her bucket swinging around her arms as she followed along, stopped abruptly and with a scandalized gasp. There was a strange itching sensation in her nose for a moment, like she was on the verge of sneezing but it didn't want to come out just yet, that was almost immediately replaced by the stinging sensation of the bucket crashing against her chin. She took it all in stride, more concerned with the matter at hand.

"Iz, you're not being taken advantage of, are you?!" She imagined poor Iz minding her own business, hungry and on her way to the deer party, when the lazy stablemaster spotted her and demanded she do his job. Iz tried to say 'no,' but her voice was too quiet so the stablemaster ignored her. How awful! "If you need help telling people off, just let me know, 'kay? I'm pretty good at that."

Imogen waited for her turn with the well and ended up needing two turns lowering and raising her bucket. She spilled half the water on her first go because she had cranked the lever too fast. As soon as they were set, she led the way back, being more mindful of her task this time.

Imogen’s imagination was very, very curious. Still, it wasn’t like Isolde could blame her entirely. Getting roped into things wasn’t exactly strange to her--often her lack of a response was somehow considered an agreement to some people. She supposed Imogen’s words were meant to be comforting, but it was a little distressing to hear someone figure her out so quickly. Maybe she should try adjusting herself.

“No, I did it because I had the time,” She shrugged a little. “I wasn’t feeling very social.”

"I get that! Caius—he's basically my dad, by the way—says 'I don't feel like talking right now' when he wants some alone time." Imogen laughed fondly, remembering just how often he used that line to the other villagers. Rarely to her, she thought proudly. "I'm the opposite: I get lonely when there's no one to talk to." Despite the more somber sentiment, Imogen marched happily along, keeping Isolde's steady pace.

She liked getting to know people and seeing how they were like, and after spending a loud afternoon with Jory, Isolde's timidness stood out like a sore thumb. Imogen wondered if she preferred the quiet, like Caius did, or if it was just something she got used to. There was a difference there, she thought.

"Hey, so, what do you think of our classmates so far? Wanna rank them by who seems scariest?" she asked after a moment, hoping to make Isolde more comfortable with some playful banter. Then she switched gears, as if only remembering what they were just talking about. "Oh wait—are you feeling social enough to talk to me?"

“Huh?” The last question had thrown Isolde off guard, blinking slowly as she tried to figure out what she meant by that. Then again, she felt like she needed a minute or two just to try to process the whole conversation. The girl had a lot of energy for sure, but it wasn’t bad. Just took a little getting used to.

Still, Isolde ended up shaking her head. “Ah, no, don’t mind me. I just…” She trailed off, trying to find the words. “I’m in a precarious position these days, that’s all. It’s hard when everyone knows you’re the Alliance’s failure.”

Imogen nodded once, trying to be understanding, but then tilted her head in confusion as she processed what Isolde had said. Alliance’s failure? To say her knowledge about the goings-on of the nation is limited was beyond an understatement. Back home, all she really cared about was the safety of her village. She’d mostly succeeded in ignoring her mom and her desperate claims about her supposed birthright, and that was as close to the politics as got.

“I don’t know what that means, but if you’re in danger, I’ll have your back!”

Isolde wasn’t too sure what to think of that, but at least the sentiment was appreciated. She did give the other girl a small smile, stopping in front of the trough and carefully pouring in the water. Stepping back as a majority of the animals trotted over, she let out a sigh of relief as she realized they were much more interested in having a drink and not at all with her.

“It mostly means being the source of gossip, but there are some implications,” She frowned, giving her another shrug. “But I guess it isn’t worth talking about anymore. I’d rather distance myself from my father as best as I can. I hoped coming here would be a new start, but I’m not so sure anymore.”

Imogen followed suit, emptying her bucket into the trough. She reached out to give one of the smaller animals the dawdled by a pet before turning back to Isolde. "Gossip is for bored people with nothing better to do. You shouldn't mind them," she said, hoping to reassure her, although she still didn't really grasp her situation. "Now, distancing from fathers – that I totally understand! I'm lucky I have Caius because from what I've heard, my dad ain't the best guy around."

Her stomach rumbled then and that was her cue to start heading back. She should get some food before they stop serving it! "Wanna get something to eat? Think the dining hall isn't so crowded anymore." Imogen didn't want to push too hard, but it would be nice to have that meal with a friend she had set out to have earlier that evening.

"By the way, I don't think it's over for you just yet," Imogen grinned. "Every day's a new start, isn't it? You have plenty of chances!"

Isolde seemed to disagree, but she nodded politely, giving Imogen a small smile. At least she seemed genuine! "Um, sure," She ended up agreeing, even if she wasn’t too hungry, she could return the favor by keeping her company.

︵‿︵‿୨♥୧‿︵‿︵

Ever adaptable, Imogen found it easy to establish a new normal in the monastery. Sure, she burst out crying when a wave of homesickness struck her, but that also happened when she camped up in Fódlan’s Throat for three days, so that wasn’t anything new. Her room was still too big and too lonely, even more so after the switch, so she made it a point to spend as little time in there as possible.

In the mornings she ran. Partly because she loved everything about it: the cool morning breeze tussling her hair, the early sunlight warm on her skin; she greeted the fresh day with unbridled enthusiasm, always. But mostly, she ran because otherwise, she would be bursting with restless energy for the remainder of the day and it would be those around her that would suffer for it. Throughout the day, classes took up most of her time and she was happily surrounded by her classmates. At night, she'd find someone to keep her company and it was only after they go back to their own rooms that she would relent and return to her empty one as well.

Now having to actually be in class was more difficult than she realized. Imogen was so used to skipping lessons back at home that she had to retrain herself to stay in the room until class was over. History classes proved to be the most challenging, and as of now, she has yet to remain awake for the duration of the class. She’s trying hard, though! The more hands-on ones weren’t too much of a problem. Aside from the occasional slip into her daydreams, learning about weapons and strategy kept her engaged.

Today's outing was currently one of her favorites things to happen so far. It was almost up there with the night of Rai-Rai’s party! Idly, Imogen wondered why he didn’t join them on their field trip, but didn’t dwell on it for too long. She figured he had a lot of fancy noble business parties to attend.

Probably better for him, too. While she didn’t have any issues with their cramped carriage--being small had its perks! She never needed a lot of space to be comfortable--everyone else seemed less enthused. Poor Lin over there by the corner looked like she was ready to hurl, and she felt bad that she was kinda curious to see what would happen if she did end up puking all over Mr. Holy Aubie.

Imogen wondered if she really was the only one having fun. She supposed it also helped that she was lucky enough to get squished into the window seat. During the first portion of the trip, she had excitedly stuck her head out the window and took in the view. She got tired after a while and knocked out, falling asleep on Kel’s shoulder for some time. There was a chance that she had accidentally kicked Der at some point as well; it was a habit she’d had since she was a child that she had yet to outgrow.

She woke up with a start to Kel’s rushed exit off the carriage. There was split second of disorientation as she allowed the last vestige of sleep to ebb away, and then rising alarm as she echoed Kel’s urgency. “Ahh, are we under attack?” Imogen all but shot herself out of the carriage, raising her fists defensively as soon as she landed, eyes darting everywhere in search of the threat. She made sure to stand by Kel just in case he needed protection.

Instead of a horde of bad guys surrounding them, there were only two riders in the distance. They were heading straight towards their group, though not in a menacing way a bad guy would. Imogen decided that was enough to discount them as threats... at least for now.

Beside her, Kel had quietly called for them to be armed and Aubie seemed to agree. Lin had the same idea as her, at least so far as in she didn't think they were a threat either. “They kinda look like they’re running away from something.” Imogen thought out loud, relaxing from her defensive stance. “Oh! They might need help! Let’s go!”

Imogen sprinted forward, though not too far from where the teachers gathered. She waved her hands to get the riders’ attention, even if they were probably still too far to have heard. “Hellloooo! Are you guys okay?”

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

In the time it took for Professor Mik and (probably) Val to exchange pleasantries and establish rules, Imogen had played out the fight four more times in her head, each version more exciting and action-packed than the last. In the second scenario, Imogen had them moving at inhuman speeds, and everyone in the crowd could only follow along through the sound of their weapons clashing every so often. She decided that wasn't enough of a spectacle, so in the next one, she had imagined the opposite: a long, drawn-out fight where time slowed just as they would hit each other, adding to the suspense.

Suffice it to say, the real fight turned out less eventful that she envisioned, although she was excitedly watching throughout. Magic wasn't something she saw often in her village, and to see one being performed up close was a treat. Imogen wondered if that's something she could learn. Or, wait, is it more like when she spars with Caius, which is super fun and exciting, or did it involve a lot of studying? Mages used these weird books, right? Boo, that sounded like a lot of reading just to do cool things.

In any case, even though the fight was pretty one-sided, she still cheered for Val alongside Jory. Now that she thought about it more, she supposed a knight should overpower an inexperienced student or it would be really embarrassing for him.

After Jory asked about what she thought of the fight, Imogen jumped up to express her opinions. "I was hoping it would be more like, bam! Pow! Boom!" Imogen gestured wildly, mimicking two people fighting as best as she could, and topped it off with explosion sounds for effect. "But this was good, too. Bet Caius would beat them up easy, though. He's so fast, they would never see him coming!"

Imogen's eyes widened then, aglow with mischief as an idea struck her. "Hey, Jory, do you think knights have really good reflexes?"

Too eager to even wait for his answer, Imogen was sprinting across the arena as soon as the question left her lips, taking advantage of the commotion of the crowd dispersing. She made up for her cursedly short strides with a swiftness born of years racing up and down a mountain for sport, and was halfway toward the knight professor within moments.

As was often the case with her, she didn't really have a plan. Just a burning curiosity and a considerable lack of forethought. "Imogen Sneak Attack!" she called out, which she probably shouldn't have, as she leapt up from behind Professor Mik, ready to tackle him.

Michail stood steady, taking on Imogen's tackle with a small grunt but otherwise remaining standing. He did let out a small laugh, looking down at the student. "It's not much of a sneak attack if you go shouting it," He pointed out. "Try it without the war cry next time, you'll have a better chance with it."

"Aw, shoot." Imogen scrunched her nose in disappointment and huffily returned to Jory's side, taking Professor Mik's notes to heart. Definitely no yelling then, and maybe she can get Jory to distract him next time. She waved goodbye to Professor Mik and made no pretenses about her willfulness. "I'll try again when you least expect it!"

She turned to her deer boss and shrugged. "Guess they do have good reflexes. But we'll get him next time!"

︵‿︵‿୨♥୧‿︵‿︵

Roaming about the monastery with Jory was the first time Imogen felt truly comfortable in these mountains that weren't hers. Just as she'd thought previously, nothing was the same. The scent, the winds, the atmosphere, the clouds, the people. It's fun and exciting, getting to experience all these new things, but there was also something lonely when everything around you is unfamiliar. She didn't have a Caius waiting for her to return, frowny-faced because she's covered with a slew of new cuts and bruises. No sweet Granny Anne who packed snacks for her to take along whenever she trekked through the mountain forests.

There was a mini-Imogen in the back of her mind that was worried about missing everyone and everything at home all the time, but her short time exploring the grounds with Jory showed that there were new memories waiting to be made. And if her aching stomach was any indication, she would be too busy laughing to be sad all the time. The thought made her feel a lot better.

The two of them had to part eventually and Imogen sulkily headed to her dorm room with a pout, reluctant to end their adventure when the night was still young. They'd barely covered half the monastery! Imogen didn't like how quiet it had become without Jory to laugh with. Her room was too empty, her small pack of belongings not even close to filling it or making the space hers. She'd have to fix that right away. Maybe she can paint on the walls later tonight.

Imogen decided she'd had enough of her bare, lonely room just as the bell began calling everyone for dinner. Her face lit up at the sound of the chimes, doubly excited because one) yummy food, and two) yummy food with friends. Before heading toward the dining hall, Imogen skulked about the dormitory halls, in a hunt for some lucky person--or people! the more the merrier, always--to eat with.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

_{@Obscene Symphony}

As the remaining students went through the mandatory introductions, Imogen continued her unsolicited cheering and commentary. She wanted to make sure everyone felt heard. It was good to be noticed, wasn't it? Or that's what she thought at first, but then came Iz's turn and she didn't think she'd ever seen anyone look so sick from just having to talk. Imogen had to fight the urge to jump up and do the introductions for her, to save her from her palpable distress—ahh, it was just like in her daydream! Poor Iz in need of rescue—and settled instead with a supportive "yeah, Iz, you can do it!"

When Iz took her seat, Imogen reached over to tap her shoulder and gave her an encouraging two thumbs-up. "You did great," she whispered, nodding her approval.

A pair of siblings came after and Imogen thought it was funny how dissimilarly they behaved. "Are you guys twins?" she asked, genuinely curious. That would be funnier if they were; completely opposite, like they split a list of personality traits in half and gave each one side. She'd known only one other pair of twins, and they were too creepily alike. They dressed the same and talked the same and moved perfectly in sync, unnaturally so. Thinking about them sent shivers down her spine. Opposites were better.

But that was beside the point. More importantly, did she just hear that right? Boy twin—Val? Or Kia? She had to figure out which is which—just challenged Professor Mik to a fight. Niiice! She didn't realize that was allowed, but she's definitely interested in seeing that play out. Are others allowed to participate?

Imogen was almost disappointed when the challenge went unheeded as introductions resumed. The next person claimed to be a future princess, though, and that quickly reignited her interest. Imogen loudly 'ooh-ed.' She'd never seen a princess before, although she thought they would be more… pleasant? Not looking like someone who'd just found a carcass in their cot and is accusing everyone in the room for doing it.

She pursed her lips as she thought back on her childhood stories. There was one she forced Caius to read her, where the princess was so sweet and nice that even though she basically broke into these creatures' home, they welcomed her and helped her find her prince. With this attitude, if Ronnie had been in that princess' place, Imogen was 80% sure they would've just eaten her. She laughed to herself, amused at the imagery it produced, though decided not to be too harsh in her judgments after some consideration. Maybe Ronnie was having an off day.

The class was dismissed soon after, much to her relief. She worried it was to be an actual class with assignments and such. Instead, Imogen was rewarded with not just Professor Mik taking the bait and accepting the challenge after all, but also with an upcoming sermon that was optional. Woo! Great news all around!

Imogen rushed to get the best seat for the fight, only to get accosted by a welcome (and quite appealing, now that she'd gotten a closer look) face. She grinned up at the friendly blonde once the initial jolt of surprise had worn off, immediately feeling at ease with him. "Nice to officially meetcha, Jory!" Imogen chimed in with a laugh after Jory greeted her, using her free hand to playfully salute him. "You know, you and Rai-Rai were better entertainment than we ever got back at home. You guys were amazing!"

Jory inviting her to watch the fight was the icing in her 'we're totally kindred spirits' cake. It was like he was reading her mind, and she told him as much. Imogen peered up at him impishly, tittering in what she believed to be a noblewoman's refined laughter. She did her best to sound as fancy as the princess, minus all the mean. "Why, Jory von Deer Boss, rider of horses and dancer of dances, I thought you'd never ask."

Imogen was about ready to race down to the arena when she spied a certain shy blonde just leaving the classroom. "Iiiz," she called out behind her. "We're watching the fight, if you wanna come!" She extended the invitation but didn't force her. Thickheaded though she may be, she was at least mindful that Iz had more delicate sensibilities and might not enjoy something like that.

"Okay, Jory, let's go. I wanna be close enough to see their sweat!" Despite being linked in arms, Imogen practically led the way to the arena in her excitement, all the while prattling on about the different scenarios that could unfold. Like what if Val Kia? actually won, or what if she and Jory tried to fight Professor Mik too? They could do a 2v1 if that evened things out.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

Supplementary classes already! As she reluctantly headed to the designated classroom, Imogen wondered with growing horror if the academy received records from her previous school. It's no wonder they've preemptively enrolled her in these extra classes then. Still, she tried to find the silver lining. Like how this was a chance to meet more people! Jory, Clary, Rai-Rai, and Iz were an eclectic bunch that she had taken to almost immediately, despite their limited interactions. They seemed fun and interesting and she never doubted what her gut told her.

She arrived to class in high spirits, only for it to promptly get depleted as the professor droned on about the current state of Fódlan. It was boring to listen to back in her small-town school, it was boring to listen to now in this grandiose monastery. Imogen pinched herself multiple times to stay awake and resorted to prying her eyes open with her fingers when her lids became heavy. Despite all her efforts, her attention slipped and her thoughts drifted to another of imaginary her high seas adventure, this time with her fellow deer people on board. Oh wait, Iz just tumbled over the railing of the ship and fell overboard! She has to save her or—

Imogen snapped out of her daydreaming when her chin slipped off her hand, giving her a minor scare. For a dizzying second, she thought she had actually fallen in the water as well! She barely caught the tail end of the handsome knight-professor's introductions—huh, she swears she's seen him somewhere recently—and found herself more alert now that the discussion seemed to veer away from any heavy topic. Were they doing introductions again? Fun!

She cheered after each professor's turn and laughed out loud at the continuous piling on Professor Mik. "I like a lot of things, too!" she called out after Professor Kaira, hoping to help put her at ease. And, "hey, you're that drawing on the board!" to Professor Mik after recognition hit her.

Clary was the first of the students to speak, and despite having known her only today, Imogen couldn't help but think this was just like her. "Yeah, Clary, liars suuuck!"

Next came Jory and Imogen just knew she'd found her kindred spirit. She pretended to swoon when he gave her a little wink and whooped as the end of his turn seamlessly blended into Rai-Rai's. Imogen's commoner brain was harder pressed to comprehend all the Noble-ese that came out of his mouth, but she was pretty sure she got the gist of it: "Woo, deer party!"

The next person wasn't one of her deer people, but as soon as Imogen saw him, she'd gotten the strangest urge to squeeze him. Kel reminded her so much of the stray cat that wandered about town, the little black fuzzball that was always so wary and shaky around people (except her, she liked to brag). "Surprise parties can be fun though, Kel!" she offered when she realized he was shyly sinking back into his seat.

Giant, golden-haired Obi was another not-deer person and holy crackers, he sounded like a professor. Imogen resisted making an indecent crack at his "both at once" line as something told her he wouldn't appreciate that at all.

If Jory reminded her of sunshine, the next lion to introduce herself definitely reminded her of the moon. Lin was pretty and somehow mysterious, like she was actively making sure no one would glean any information from her face or from her gestures.

When it was the prince's turn, Imogen noticed that both he, Obi, and Lin had mentioned the crests they bore. How odd. Caius had explicitly instructed her not to tell anyone about her crest if she could help it, but it didn't seem like it was taboo to do so. Maybe Caius just meant hers? She shrugged off the thought and refocused her attention onto the next person to go.

Imogen cheered for Der as she did after everyone said their names, and made an offhand comment about making her a necklace if he was bored one day. Like everyone else in the class (except perhaps Kel, who was more kitty cat-like), Der had an air of nobility about him, even if he didn't say his fancy titles like the others did.

She'd been putting off doing her own because she was having a lot of fun listening to everyone else's, but Imogen figured she might as well take her turn. Instead of just getting up from her seat, she hopped up and stood on top of hers. Not for any theatrics like Jory's and more for logistics? Seated in the row furthest back, she felt like she was mostly hidden from view, especially behind giants like Obi and Rai-Rai.

"Hi, guys, I'm Imogen!" she greeted cheerfully, as casual as always. "I'm from this tiiiny town right next to Fódlan's Throat. I like going on fun adventures, climbing up high places so I can look at the sky, bad jokes, and funny people! Hm, what else? Oh, I like my deer people already!" Imogen beamed and waved at them. She wracked her brain for her dislikes and came up with three, which she counted down with her fingers. "I hate scary things, boring things, and terrible moms."

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

_{@Hero@Kestrel@Achronum}

The clouds were funny here. Imogen tried to make stories out of them like she would with Caius, but all she could think of was how they weren't her clouds and this wasn't her mountain and she didn't like how holy this place felt. Oh, no! There wasn't like a holy spirit or some magic religion device that could detect, uh, non-praying people, was there? She'd never been the religious sort, not like old Angelica who went to church three times a day and liked to call her a heathen every time she said balls or bastard or dungheel. Sermons were far too dry and unexciting for her taste, and she swears that quoting a line of scripture to her would be enough to make her doze off.

Imogen stretched and didn't bother stifling a yawn. Wow! Even thinking about it was making her sleepy. She would have shut her eyes right then for a quick nap if it weren't for the sudden tapping on her shoulder, like someone was calling for her attention. But there was no one beside her? Imogen sat up with a start and looked around apprehensively—maybe there were holy spirits wandering around her after all! A chill ran down her spine. Everyone in town often made fun of her for being such a scaredy cat when it came to the occult.

"Eeep!" Jumpy from her own overactive imagination, Imogen shrieked when something hit her head. They're coming to get me! She raised her hands in an offensive stance, frightened but stubborn and unwilling to back down without a fight, even if she has to punch something intangible.

Nothing of the sort happened, though. Instead of some angry spirit ready to smite her, Imogen was greeted by a soft yellow blur. It entered her field of vision for but a moment, then there was a thud as something—someone?—got intimately acquainted with the ground beside her. There was a split second of stillness in the air as the gears in her head started turning, processing the turn of events. Then, a peal of laughter as the ghost turned out not to be a ghost and was a classmate instead.

"Are you alright?" Imogen asked through her giggling, just as another person came over to help the poor girl up. Oh, it was Rai-Rai! From House Glowsomething. Lots of fancy words came out of him, though Imogen thought he seemed really nice all the same. And quite clumsy, apparently. She laughed to herself as she imagined him tripping over his own feet every third step he took.

Rai-Rai proceeded to apologize for his friends, and Imogen barely caught herself from slipping. She was going to remark about how they probably rushed out to sneak in some make out time, but she heard Caius in the back of her head tsk-ing in disapproval at her nosiness. There's a time and place, he'll say all quietly reprimanding while she mouthed the words along mockingly.

Clary joined their little group not long after, apologizing the same way Rai-Rai did, except she blamed Jory for not being able to keep it in his pants (at least, Imogen figured that's what Clary meant about 'whims overwhelming reason'). She shrugged, not really one to judge. It's sweet that he can't help himself around her, so long as it's not in a creepy way.

More introductions followed, and a contrast to Isolde's soft, polite one, Imogen's was upbeat and a bit informal. That was probably okay, right? They're all yellow deer people or whatever, so they’re already comrades in her eyes. "Oh, my turn! Hi, I'm Imogen. You guys seem great, I like you already." She'd already forgotten how the others did it earlier, with houses and titles and such. What she did recall, however, was a pressing mystery that needed to be solved.

"By the way, Rai-Rai," she turned to him, addressing him so casually one would assume she'd known him for longer than five minutes. "Earlier, did you say you were 'looking forward to the cafeteria to meet wyverns?' Like to eat them? I've been trying to figure out if that's gross or incredible."

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

The journey to Garreg Mach Monastery would have taken them days if they rode hard and followed the traveler's roads, but Imogen was delighted to realize that Caius was as reluctant to drop her off the academy as she had been to leave him. So instead of days, their trip lasted weeks. They stopped to examine every little thing that caught her interest, visited towns along the way to try their local dishes, set up camp only where their view of the night sky was unobstructed. Imogen had never thought her life boring before, especially when she went out of her way to experience new things every day. But now that she had a taste of the world beyond her quaint Yarrow, she didn't think she could ever stay put there again. Or anywhere, really.

The weeks on the road with Caius had been the most fun she's had in ages. High up in Fódlan's Throat, settled upon a tree she claimed as her own, Imogen thought she had understood how vast the world truly was. To think that was really just a sliver! When she's bedridden and dying of old age, surrounded by all the treasure she amassed during her stint as a pirate legend, her grandchildren would be gathered around her, not-so-secretly waiting for her to kick the bucket so they could fight over her fortune. To while away the hours, they would ask her to tell tales of her incredible life and she would mention this moment. Resting under a blanket of stars after having discovered a world of endless possibilities. Then she'd probably go on about how she had at least six nobles fighting for her hand in marriage and then, just as she draws her last breath, she'd call out her favorite grandchild and tell them they get everything and ha, too bad, non-favorites, you should have tried harded at currying my favor.

…wait, what was her point again? Oh, right. Basically, these last few weeks have been forever etched in her heart.

Caius had arranged the trip with her spontaneity in mind and it seemed he had perfected the formula. They reached the neighboring town the night before the opening ceremony, with enough time to get some rest at the local inn. On the not-so-bright side, it meant they had only the wee hours of the night to say their goodbyes. Caius would leave in the morning—he had this thing where he absolutely will not step foot inside Garreg Mach; which, uh, she probably should've asked about—and she would make the final trek to the monastery alone.

Parting with him proved more painful than she anticipated and she was a blubbering mess of tears and snot in between bursts of excitement at the prospects tomorrow would bring. Sobs and laughter alternatingly wracked her frame throughout the night until she finally cried herself to sleep. Imogen awoke the next day with all her belongings neatly packed, the corner of an envelope sticking out of her favorite heart-shaped bag, the one he'd crafted for her birthday years ago, and no Caius in sight. Her lips jutted out in a pout and her eyes narrowed exaggeratedly, neck craned up so that none of the tears that had welled up would fall anywhere but back inside. No fair! He knew she wanted to see him off. Caius doesn't get any more tears after leaving without a word, that jerk.

︵‿︵‿୨♥୧‿︵‿︵

It was the doodle on the board that snapped Imogen out of her half-dazed stupor. She blinked away the vestiges of her daydream, looking around to get her bearings. Here's hoping the pretty professor didn't say something too important. Paying attention was never a specialty of hers, although to her credit, she did catch snippets of her welcome speech. Deer, house, Jorah; it sounded like the beginning of a letter. There was more the professor had to say, but by then, she had been too busy laughing at the sketch of a knight on a horse. It almost looked familiar!

After the professor dismissed them, her classmates began to introduce themselves one by one. Imogen tried her best to keep track of their names, although she had a tendency to put her own spin on them as a way to remember them better. So let's see. A laidback-seeming but regal-looking Rai who's going to the cafeteria to… eat wyverns? She probably misunderstood something there. A no-nonsense Clary with hair like fire and lots of serious words at her disposal. A smiley Jory who talked a lot and made her think of sunshine. He's leading them somewhere? She had been so intent on memorizing their names and faces that the class dispersed without her realizing, missing the chance to introduce herself. Although, Imogen supposed that was for the best. Her house didn't have a name--though it does look kind of like barn, so maybe she can mention that--and she didn't know where to get fancy titles like theirs, so her introduction wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining.

Imogen followed the last of her classmates out into the courtyard, unsure what she should be doing next. Explore? Get to know the others? See if they actually served wyverns in the cafeteria? Students and teachers alike were scattered in the vicinity, including fire-haired Clary and smiley Jory who looked to be sharing an intimate moment behind that pillar over there. Imogen liked to tease the couples back in her town, but it might be too soon to do that here, so she restrained herself for the moment. Instead, she plopped down onto the first open space she found in the courtyard and laid on the grass with arms and legs spread wide, looking up at the sky idly.

With so many things happening today, Imogen realized she'd hardly gotten the chance to really absorb her new surroundings. She traded in her mountains for another; one unfamiliar, untested, its secrets unknown to her. There was a reverence to this place that she could feel in the air, unsettling almost, a stark contrast to the wildness of Fódlan's Throat. Imogen wondered if she'd ever get used to it.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

Imogen Urswick | Major Crest of Goneril

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▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Name Imogen Urswick → Legally, Imogen Sofia Goneril Age 17 → 7th Day of the Verdant Rain Moon 🌧, 1478 Country of Origin Leicester Alliance Social Standing Commoner → Technically of House Goneril, but the Duke has repudiated her mother and has no knowledge of her existence. Crest Crest of Goneril → Imogen's Crest grants her the passive ability to sense incoming danger. She currently has no idea she has this ability and mostly reacts to its warnings instinctively. Starting Class Myrmidon Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword, Lance Weaknesses Heavy Armor, Authority

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Personality
If actions speak louder than words, then hers are screaming that she's a certifiable idiot. Then again, her words are probably telling you that, too. The Imogen you first get to know is a winsome goofball who seems easily amused by anything and everything. The sound of her laughter is something you'll get acquainted with very early on, genuine and fullbellied and probably directed at you. Imogen is incapable of nuance and often broadcasts her feelings in its entirety, even though her expressive face has probably beaten her to it. If she's angry, she'll confront you; if she's sad, she'll cry her eyes out; if she's frightened, she'll be shaking in her boots and clinging onto the closest person.

Beneath the general obliviousness and harebrained tendencies lies a resilient spirit unafraid to keep trudging forward, even when things seem bleak. Imogen isn't a textbook optimist in that she believes everything ends with a happily ever after. She's had a fair share of misfortunes to know it isn't always true. But what she does know is that you can't just let things happen. Where luck is concerned, what matters most is what you do with it.

History

_{Duke Belarius Goneril is getting married again, word travels. Four wives prior and eleven children between them yet not a single one bore a Crest. They say he's never gotten over his own failure to inherit one, that he still envied his late sister for it. They say this continued obsession has deteriorated him into a shell of his former self. He's grown old and curmudgeonly, disagreeable in every roundtable conference, faltering and unreliable as a general.}

Imogen is the only living child of Duke Goneril's third wife, and ninth overall. Her mother, Ophelia, was hopelessly enamored with the young general. His successes against the Almyran invasions had given him renown and set him in equal footing with the other Great Lords, despite his status as a Crestless. Although rumors swirled about his mistreatment of his previous wives, Ophelia was convinced she was destined for him. Soon enough, a chance encounter with the Duke—really a painstakingly planned endeavor—turned her dreams into reality. Her good looks and plain devotion secured his attention, and they were wed not long after getting to know each other.

It became quickly apparent that fate had other plans for them. Despite her convictions, Ophelia was unable to give him what he truly wanted: an heir. Her first child was born still and silent; the second arrived too early; and the third lost to illness at infancy. Belarius' poisonous ambition had roots too deep to banish, and with nearly two years gone and no heirs to show for it, the duke had reached a tipping point.

A few months after Ophelia's last miscarriage, Belarius broke things off, intending to find a more suitable wife. When Ophelia refused to leave, he banished her from the duchy, declaring her cursed. She was forced out of Goneril territory and into a small town to the east, at the base of Fódlan's Throat. Her many attempts to win back Belarius' favor were met with marked indifference at first, then hostility after desperation caused her to involve the duke's current wife. When she tried to tell him that she was months into another pregnancy, her claims were dismissed as the desperate ploys of a lovelorn lunatic.

Imogen's successful birth is the first in a string of good luck that would punctuate the tragedies in her life. Born healthy, even if it's to a heartsick mother who often looked at her with disdain, as if she was at fault for arriving too late. Surrounded by kindhearted neighbors, so even when she was left alone for weeks at a time, someone was there to care for her. Saved by the gruff ex-warrior everyone in town feared, Caius Urswick, when a misstep caused her tumbling down the cliffside. While the accident caused her to be bedridden for nearly two weeks, Imogen considers it a net gain because it brought her Caius, her favorite person in the world. After her mother tried selling her to a supposed member of House Orderlia, all in exchange for an audience with Duke Goneril, Caius took her away from her wretched mother once and for all.

It happened so often, these tragedies circumvented only by some stroke of luck, that Imogen quickly learned to be immune to the extreme vicissitudes of life. As a child, it helped her to imagine an unbalanced scale, always tipping over one side or the other. If something bad happens, Imogen knew the 'something good' is just around the corner. She just has to reach for it.

The most recent instance of this strange phenomenon of hers happened the day a Crest scholar visited her small town. The scholar offered to test anyone willing and Imogen volunteered, thinking it would be fun. She couldn't have known that the results would be life-changing. News traveled fast through her small town, and upon hearing she carried a Major Crest of Goneril, her mother came to collect her. It had been years since she'd seen her last, but she looked more alive than ever before, a flicker of crazed hope in her eyes. Imogen knew what it meant: her mother found her way back to the duke, and she would do everything in her power to obtain it.

That night, Imogen finally accepted the offer Caius had presented to her many times before: a paid enrollment at the Officer's Academy. He had said it was a chance to escape from her mother's destructive obsession. A chance to figure out her place in the world, so she wouldn't feel beholden to Duke Goneril's toxic ambitions, should he ever try to claim her. Imogen had kept refusing his offer before because she didn't want to leave him behind, especially now that he's aging. But the scale has tipped far too long in the good side; she knew in her bones that something bad was coming for her. The least she could do was spare Caius from whatever it is.

Trivia
❥ Fish and Bean Soup is her favorite food. After her accident, she had a hard time eating for a while. When Caius noticed, he made her this soup and said it was sprinkled with vulnerary to make her feel better. It worked and now she believes it's some magical cure-all.

❥ Imogen is exactly 5'. She styles her hair in a high half-pony to get a couple of inches out of it.

❥ She has no idea if Duke Goneril has found out about her. Her mother would have no doubt attemped to relay the information already, but she does have a bad track record there so Imogen has her fingers crossed.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

@Hero Gotcha! I've reworked out her muteness since it doesn't really affect much. :D
I'll PM you with some thoughts for the Crest abilities, if you don't mind bouncing around some ideas with me.