Rediscovered Beauty

Story by WotanAnubis

TITLE: Rediscovered Beauty

AUTHOR: WotanAnubis

FANDOM: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones or any characters from it. No profit is being made.

RATING: NC-17

PAIRING: Eirika/L'Arachel

NOTE: Here's a brief little quickie to celebrate the new year! May I write more Fire Emblem fic in 2010 than I did in 2009. Because, although I found Radiant Dawn somewhat disappointing and Shadow Dragon lacking in character, it remains my favourite series.

WARNING: Pregnancy

* * * * *

Eirika stood in front of the human-sized mirror and didn't quite recognise the young woman looking back at her. It was a strange sensation and not one she considered entirely. On a rational level she knew why she failed to see the young woman in the mirror as an accurate reflection of herself. Part of herself hadn't completely accepted the fact the she was pregnant. Whenever she formed an image of herself in her mind, the young woman she saw wasn't pregnant, which was in definite contrast to the image the mirror presented her with.

Of course, she felt she wasn't entirely to blame for this disconnect between her mind's eye and reality. She'd never expected to get pregnant in the first place. After all, her marriage had mostly been one of convenience. After all, she and Ephraim had an equally valid claim to the throne of Renais and while the people of the kingdom had no interest in a civil war over who would be the next ruler, the nobles had not been in complete agreement and had been willing to raise arms to settle their differences. So Eirika had made the decision for them. She'd left the kingdom to become the wife of a foreign ruler, abdicating all claims to the throne of Renais and leaving the country in her brother's capable hands.

She'd chosen L'Arachel. She still wasn't entirely sure why. She was beautiful, kind, caring and compassionate, but she could be a bit... odd... sometimes. She was so utterly convinced she had been Chosen by the Divine and that it was therefore her holy duty to ensure the peace and happiness of all humanity.

Eirika smiled softly to herself. Perhaps she did understand why she'd chosen to marry L'Arachel.

In any case, that was why she hadn't expected to ever become pregnant. She was quite certain women could not impregnate other women and even after their memorable if awkward wedding night, that conviction had somehow stayed with her.

But reality quite disagreed with her convictions.

Eirika stared at the pregnant young woman in the mirror, unable to think in any kind of coherent fashion. Moving slowly and hesitantly, as though she were a puppet with several strings cut, she undid her robe and let it fall to the ground. Her eyes wandered across the now naked image in the mirror, first across the bare breasts that seemed to become more sensitive by the day, then down to her stomach. It was impossible to deny the fact that it had grown and that it would grow much larger still in the coming months.

Eirika reached out gingerly, but her fingertips felt nothing but cold glass. Then she put her hands on her swollen belly and felt the warmth of her own body and the life that was growing within it. She smiled again. She wasn't sure if she actually felt the life she carried or if she only imagined feeling it, but it was there all the same.

She, Eirika, formerly of Renais, now of Rausten, carried the child of her wife, L'Arachel.

Eirika laughed quietly. It was such a bizarre thought. Such a bizarre truth. But truth all the same. She looked up and smiled at herself in the mirror.

"It is good to see you happy again."

Eirika turned around to see L'Arachel standing near the door.

"I didn't hear you come in," Eirika said. "How was mass?"

"As uplifting as always," L'Arachel replied, as she walked towards her. "Though alas, it was not as glorious as it could have been due to your absence."

"I'm sorry," Eirika said.

"Do not be silly," L'Arachel said, taking Eirika's hands in her own. "I know you are less fond of sermons than I am. How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"I should have thought so," L'Arachel smiled. "Yesterday... nay, this morning you would have been blushing if I so much as caught a glimpse of your bare skin. And now, here you are."

Eirika looked down at her naked body, then back into L'Arachel's eyes, blushing. "Perhaps I should put something on."

"Nonsense," L'Arachel said.

"But it must be getting time for supper," Eirika tried.

"It can wait," L'Arachel said quietly. "You became so distant when we discovered you were pregnant I sometimes feared you might leave me."

"I would never-"

"I know," L'Arachel cut in. "But that knowledge did little to relieve me. And now here you are with a genuine smile once more. So please indulge me and allow me to enjoy your beauty for a while longer."

Eirika blinked. "Beauty?"

"Of course," L'Arachel said brightly. She put a hand on Eirika's belly, entirely unaware of how that simple touch ma

... more on the forums ...