WARNING, IMPLIED KIERAN x OSCAR, LOW-DETAIL BATTLE SCENE



It had come out of nowhere.

They had been traveling along the old beaten paths from Bengion to Crimea, a peaceful summer day with the sun shining bright and birds chirping as they may. He had been in a good mood of sorts, playfully arguing with his rival until his commander gave him a word of warning to hush. That was Kieran for you, always the loud one. His voice always seemed to linger and boom with both vigor and ego.

With the silence settling, his commander moved to ride alongside Elincia’s Pegasus, and Ike, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Most of the soldiers were tired, grumbling amongst themselves quietly about the hot and humid air, their spears jerking back and forth as they walked. Yet Kieran found himself left untouched by their complaints and the hot summer weather, ready for fight at the slightest hint! His horse, less enthusiastic, plodded along.

“Sir, there seems to be a group of people up ahead. It may be an ambush,” a scout called, riding up on his dusty brown gelding, halting in front of Geoffrey.

The commander tilted his head slightly, looking around warily. “All right. We’ll take the opposite road and wrap around near the sea. Keep your eyes open for an-“

That was all he could get out as a soldier was struck in the chest with an arrow, collapsing beside his fellow men. Of course, the others began to stir up anxiously, looking around in a panic as they jostled each other. The horses pranced in place, throwing their heads in terror as their riders tensed up in shock from the sudden attack upon the troops.

“Get into position! Protect the Princess!”

It was a flurry, everyone jumping into position around the young woman and her steed, weapons raised and shields hunkered down to protect their vulnerable fronts. The riders forced their anxious mounts around the circle of soldiers, looking around for the enemy.

Utter silence. Utter, utter silence.

Then it was a rush, a wave of red armor as men poured out of the trees like an angry bloody sea. The men cried out in anguish and pain as their defenses were breeched, pushing them back into a retreat against the wall of trees. Elincia had been pushed back into the woods, some of the mercenaries running after her to protect her while the others forced their way back against the Daein troops.

Kieran was no exception.

“Feel the fear in your hearts, for it is I, Captain Kieran!” he boomed, raising his axe as he spurred his gelding forward into the mass of red.

Oscar had noticed the paladin charging into the soldiers, and immediately turned his own horse after him. The fool was going to get himself killed, surely! Disrupting his usually cheery face with a frown, he kicked his horse forward into the group of men, thrusting with his spear as he went.

“Kieran! You fool, pull back to the woods,” he called, fear stabbing at him as the feisty paladin found himself caught between several Daein soldiers.

“Never! That would prove cowardice, and Kieran is no coward! Push forward my arch rival, and we shall defeat this menace!” the Crimean knight boasted, forcing a laugh as he slashed down another red soldier.

Oscar grimaced, feeling less than optimistic about Kieran’s gallant charge into the heart of the enemy. They had fought together many times, and it always worried him to see this brave soldier running amuck amongst the battle scene. He seemed to be more of a danger to himself, yet it hit one of Oscar’s heartstrings.

“Just…be careful,” Oscar mumbled, lashing out to defend himself.

“Aha! No one shall defeat Kie-ack!” The paladin leaned hunched over his horse’s neck, hand grasping the gap between his chest plate and stomach protector. His hand was clearly stained with red, his sides heaving for air.

Oscar started, shocked to see the young soldier falling off of his horse into the hard slippery ground. “Kieran!”

The words were sticky in his throat, scraping his vocal cords all the way up to his lips, where they left uncertainly. Hastily, he dismounted his horse only to get his foot caught in the stirrup in his fevered attempt to get to his fallen comrade.

“I am fine! Captain Kieran cannot be so easily defeated,” the young man coughed out as the green-haired paladin ran to his side.

“Come on, Kieran, get up. We need to get Mist, or Rhys, so they can heal that wound,” he urged, gently grabbing onto Kieran’s shoulder.

The red paladin looked pale, his face still holding that idiotic grin so many wanted to punch him for. Coughing in laughter, he grimaced shortly afterwards. He hadn’t noticed that Oscar’s hair was so green, and those eyes…people rarely saw those eyes, but they were bright when one could.

Gods above, what was he thinking?
“Rhys is coming, don’t you worry,” Oscar cooed gently, holding onto Kieran’s hand tightly.

Kieran smirked and shook his head. “I can survive this without a medic! I am-“

“Kieran, yes, yes, we know,” Oscar interrupted, smiling fondly at the paladin as he nodded slowly.

Glancing up, the green-haired paladin noticed Rhys pushing through the subsiding battle, staff clutched tightly in his hand as Titania defended him with her heavy axe. It was like any other battle, fighting to survive and protect your comrades while they protected you. Sighing gently, he glanced back down to Kieran to see the man’s eyes closing.

“No, Kieran, stay with me,” he said gently, squeezing his hand.

Kieran grumbled quietly as Rhys came up, feeling a hot flash, then cool breeze sweep over his body. The injury was gone, the blood no longer flowing from his hurting body to leave him in a restful slumber.

“He’ll be all right. Get him back to where the other injured are so he can rest,” Rhys said, nodding to Oscar before rising to help the others.

“Thank you,” Oscar said gently, gathering Kieran up to take him to the gathering area.

Looking down at the serene face caused him to smile, knowing that Kieran would be in a bit of a hissy fit once he woke up, demanding to pay him back in some way. After all, the great Kieran didn’t like to be outdone, or in debt. He was too good for that.

“I’ll always protect you,” he whispered, carrying the paladin over to a cot to rest.