3This one shot follows the course of an alternate chapter 2/2 of Under a New Light. Idunn never meets the knights of Pherae and never has the chance to bring Roy back to Pherae.
Relevant Tags... Drama, Hurt/Comfort
The edge of the woods drew nearer as Idunn approached; Roy clutched firmly in her arms.
Something was wrong. She'd been content to listen to her new friend excitedly tell her all about how much she'd enjoy living at the castle, at how kind his mother and father were, about how tasty the food was…
But as Idunn walked through the woods, drawing closer and closer to exiting them…
She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Where was the singing of the birds in the trees, and the hustle and bustle of woodland creatures going about their lives? Even though she could see the edge of the forest by now, Idunn knew she should've at the very least been able to hear the birds chirping in the trees around her.
"Miss Idunn? Is something wrong? You look nervous…" Roy mumbled, a concerned look on his face, the young boy having realized that his savior seemed to be scanning the area around them.
"I'm not sure… I feel…" Idunn trailed off, unsure of how to continue her sentence. She did not want to cause Roy any worry if she was wrong with her assumption, but…
Something had tipped off Idunn's finely-honed combat senses. At Zephiel's side, she'd witnessed (and taken part in) numerous sieges, skirmishes, and battles. And right now…
Her senses were screaming at her to run! Idunn had no idea who would want to do her or Roy harm, but she knew this feeling, this shiver down her spine.
She was walking into an ambush- that much she was certain of.
"Roy, I… I do not mean to alarm you, but until I say so, please be very, very quiet." Idunn urged, doing her best to sound as gentle as possible.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Roy, please." Idunn stated, her words just a tad firmer this time. Fortunately, for all the questions swirling around Roy's head, he kept his mouth shut, though the worried look on his face remained.
Roy squirmed a bit as Idunn tightened her hold on him, shifting him in her arms so that she had a tighter grasp on him, though to his credit the little boy didn't struggle as Idunn tucked him even more closely to her torso- doing her best to make sure that her much larger body shielded him from anything coming from behind them.
Moving swiftly, Idunn did her best to keep quiet as she approached the edge of the woods. Zephiel had spies and assassins under his command, but he'd rarely needed to employ stealth and subterfuge to win battles. The might of Bern was like an oncoming tidal wave, sweeping away everything in its path. Subtly had not been a commonly-used tactic during Idunn's time as a 'soldier.'
Even so, she was light on her feet even with both arms occupied, and the tall woman was far more agile than most magic users were. Both her and Roy, who was curled up in her arms with his head just under her chin, could see light pouring through the gaps in the trees. They'd made it to the edge of the forest, finally!
Idunn let out a sigh of relief and took her first step out of the woods.
"Stop right there!"
The tall woman froze in place, eyes wide open as she looked around to see where that call had come from.
Her and Roy weren't alone. No less than ten men were approaching her and Roy through the open field ahead of them.
The neutral expression on Idunn's face morphed into a frown. These men were armed, and more alarmingly, all of them were dressed in plain, ragged clothes. Roy was dressed in royal blue, with House Pherae's coat of arms proudly emblazoned on one side of his tunic. If those were Pherae's coat of arms and house colors…
Idunn put two and two together instantly. These men were not of Pherae. But why were they here?
Idunn's gaze shifted lower. The ten or so men had by now arranged themselves in a semi-circle around her and Roy. All of them were armed- mostly with worn, chipped iron axes, though two carried lances and one carried a rust-covered sword.
This was a stalemate. The roughly-dressed, crudely-armed men hadn't moved to attack her or Roy, but Idunn was no fool- these men had approached her and Roy with weapons drawn, which could only mean they meant to do her or Roy violence.
One of the men stepped forward, an unwashed-looking brute with a thick coat of stubble on his face. His armor- scarred but sturdy looking studded leather- had seen more usage than the humble, hastily crafted armor of his associates, and he had a steel axe resting over one shoulder, rather than the old iron weapons his companions were carrying.
The leader. He must've been.
"Heh heh… you're a fine-lookin' woman, aint'cha? A bit too big for my tastes, and not to mention those devil eyes of yours… but fine-lookin' all the same! Ah, but enough of that. Me an' my boys are here on business, not pleasure. That runt in your arms... Bright red hair… fancy clothes fit for a lordling… he's Roy of Pherae, ain't he?"
If Idunn hadn't been on full alert before, she was now.
"He is. What… What do you want with him?"
"Not much, darlin'. Someone important is looking for him, and they wanted our help in finding the little lordling. It's damn convenient that he just happens to be out on his own this fine morning. Saves us the trouble of lurin' him out. How bout you hand him over to us and go on your way?"
"Who is looking for him?" Idunn questioned. These men were without a doubt mercenaries or brigands, and if they were acting with Roy's best interests in mind then she was the queen of Bern!
"Not important, lady! I'm doin' my best to be polite here, me an' my boys ain't usually too good at that. I'll only ask nicely one more time- hand the kid over and you won't get hurt. Refuse, and… well, we'll do this the hard way." The rough-looking man's eyes narrowed; his threat clear.
"Roy. Do you know these men? Do you want to go with them?" Idunn asked the frightened child clinging to the front of her robes.
"Nuh uh. T-they look like bad men… W-where's papa? Where's Sir Marcus and Uncle Lown? T-tell them to make the bad men go away!" Roy whimpered, huddling further into Idunn's torso.
Idunn drew in a deep breath, eyes narrowed to slits.
"Roy doesn't wish to go with you. Leave. Now."
"Leave?! Us? HAH! Oh, that's somethin'! I don't know who you are, lady, but you really shoulda just taken the chance to run when you had it. There's plenty more lordling brats like that kid around, not sure why you'd be so attached to this one, but so be it! Get her, boys! And try not to mess up her pretty face too much, it'd be a shame to see a dame like that go to waste!" The bandit leader yelled, and his men let loose an assortment of chuckles, howls, and growls before advancing on Idunn and Roy.
Shifting the boy in her arms to that one arm was under his legs supporting him, while her other arm was free, Idunn whispered into his ear.
"Look away, Roy. Please don't watch this."
Roy had no idea what his new friend was talking about, but he was really, really scared right now, and his mama and papa had always told him that if they weren't around and he was in trouble, then he needed to listen to someone reliable (like Sir Marcus or Uncle Lowen, papa had said.) Well… he didn't really know Miss Idunn that well, but she was his friend, and he trusted her!
Roy buried his face in the crook of Idunn's neck, squeezing his eyes shut. Why hadn't Miss Idunn run away yet? How were they going to get away from the bad men if she didn't start running?
A strange sound filled Roy's ears, like nothing he'd ever heard before. It was like the whooshing rush of a great fire being ignited, but… strangely, Roy felt a deep chill in the air around him, and that strange noise- the rushing of air- grew louder.
And then there was screaming all around him. Roy burrowed into his savior's chest, desperately clinging to the fabric of her robes, trying to drown out the awful noises…
It was very fortunate for the young heir that the screaming of the men was over as quickly as it started.
"Roy… ROY!"
"Huh?"
"Oh… thank goodness… I-I am sorry… I wish you had not had to hear such a thing." Idunn sighed, a worried look on her face.
Despite his fear, Roy tried to turn his head to see what had happened, only for Idunn to firmly, but not roughly press him face-first back in place.
"No. Please, stay like this until I say it is alright to look away. You… you will not want to see what became of those men. But… you no longer have anything to fear from them, on that you have my word."
Roy wasn't quite sure what that meant, but he did know that whatever Idunn had done, it had made it so those big, scary brutes couldn't hurt him. Sniffling into the fabric covering his friend's chest, he let her carry him further away.
"Shh… Everything will be alright, Roy. I will keep you safe, I promise…" Idunn whispered to the frightened child in her arms.
Now that she and Roy were no longer in the forest, it should be much easier to find her way to the castle. Those men, bandits, likely, had attempted to ambush her and Roy in the sparsely-wooded territory that separated the large forest from the rolling hills and farmlands surrounding Pherae's castle and castle town. Even with Roy in her arms, it took little effort to keep moving- a benefit of their being such a significant size difference between the two of them. At the very least, Idunn felt confident that her arms wouldn't grow sore from carrying around her ward.
Her long legs continued carrying them along, and soon the unlikely duo reached a dirt road intersecting the farmlands. Looking off in the distance in one direction, Idunn could distinctly see one shape larger than any other- the multistory stonework building that was Castle Pherae. It was hardly the largest castle she'd seen, but it was without a doubt the single largest castle and town for miles around.
As Idunn set off down the road, Roy walking at her side rather than held in her arms, Idunn's suspicions from earlier returned. That feeling- that cold chill down the back of her spine that something was wrong- had returned.
It didn't take long for Idunn to find out what had set her so on edge.
Roy let out a strangled gasp, the little boy's face paling, before he ducked behind Idunn's cloaked form in fright.
There, sprawled out on the road leading to Castle Pherae was a detachment of knights, all wearing the same royal blue color that Roy's tunic was, were the bodies of a half-dozen Pheraen knights.
Arrows had riddled all of the corpses, and as Idunn walked closer, she could see that the expressions on the knights' faces were as much surprise as pain.
'They were taken by surprise… No, they didn't even see their attackers…' Idunn surmised, looking around.
Where had their attackers come from? This road was out in the open, without any trees, buildings, or other fortifications nearby.
And worse still, now that she was closer to the castle town of Pherae, the smoke rising from it had only grown thicker and more ominous looking. The castle was far off in the distance, but Idunn could faintly make out the unmistakable sound of metal clashing upon metal!
"Papa! Mama!"
Idunn's eyes widened, and she only barely just reached out in time to snatch the back of Roy's tunic to keep him from dashing off down the road to the castle.
"NO! Let me go! There's fire in the town… mama and papa might be in trouble!" Roy kicked his little legs, but Idunn scooped him up before he could take off running.
"Roy! It's not safe that way… I can hear the sounds of battle coming from within Pherae's walls… We need to get away from here!" Idunn stated. She couldn't remember a time when she'd spoken so firmly, but her desire to keep Roy safe and out of harms way was overpowering her usual lack of confidence.
"But… the castle… everyone is in trouble…" Roy whimpered, looking up at Idunn with big, watery eyes.
Oh, it hurt her heart to see him so upset, but Idunn had learned the hard way that battlefields were no place for children. She was confident in her ability to protect Roy from a gang of brigands, but the more people she faced while trying to keep Roy safe only heightened the chances of him getting hurt, or worse. And if Idunn took Roy to Castle Pherae only for him to fall to a stray arrow or some cutthroat's blade… Idunn would never forgive herself!
"Lord… Roy…"
Both Idunn and Roy started at the unexpected sound. Looking down, Idunn realized that life still clung to one of the knights on the ground! Her first instinct was to heal the poor man, but at second glance, Idunn realized that his breastplate had been all but sundered in two by some great axe or heavy blade, biting deep into the man's torso. How he was still breathing, let alone speaking, Idunn had no idea. Still, it was worth a try. Roy stood nervously beside her, watching pale-faced while her palms glowed with healing magic. Idunn set to work attempting to repair the gaping gash across the soldier's chest.
"You… I don't know… who you are… Guh! But… you have Lord Roy… Please… those cowards ambushed us. They were in the caravans… urgh… riding up to the castle... Didn't see the bows drawn… till it was too late… Gah… So many of them… I fear… Pherae… may fall…" The soldier closed his eyes again, and Idunn realized that it was too late for him. She could ease his pain, but this was a mortal injury beyond her ability to heal.
Miraculously, the dying man regained one last burst of strength; no doubt fueled by his solemn duty to protect the son of his lord.
"The castle… it's under attack… Take Lord Roy… and go, far, far away from here… Hurry… before you're spotted… Even if… Pherae falls… the young lord… must live on…" The soldier's eyes closed again, and this time they did not open again. He was dead.
"M-miss Idunn… what do we do? I-I'm scared…" Roy whimpered, tugging at her robe with one hand. Idunn truly had no idea what to do, but nevertheless gave her companion's hand a squeeze.
"Do not worry, Roy. I am here. You have nothing to fear while I am at your side." Looking around, Idunn tried to come up with an idea. Above all else, Roy's safety was her priority. If Pherae wasn't safe right now, then she needed to get him away from the castle.
She had no horse, but Idunn was far more agile than many people would've believed. Even with a seven-year-old boy, she could move fast enough that it would've taken men or women on horseback to catch up with her as she dashed away from the castle.
Idunn vaguely recalled from her time in Lycia that there were several villages dotting the countryside surrounding Castle Pherae. With any luck her and Roy would reach one before she was too exhausted to keep going.
Moving westwards, away both the burning castle town and the forest she'd appeared in, Idunn hoped to make it to safe haven before any enemies spotted her. She had no idea whose forces were attacking Pherae right now, and she couldn't afford to linger around in the open with Roy in the event that any enemy soldiers exited the walls of Pherae. She'd have to cross the fields and hills ahead of her and hope that whatever lay beyond was safer than remaining in Pherae.
Idunn had no idea how much time had passed, but the sun was still high in the sky. The poor woman was practically shaking from hunger, despite the effort of carrying Roy all this way, and her feet ached something awful.
She'd been carrying Roy for a while now- partly because the poor boy was understandably scared and upset by these frightening events, but also because she could simply cover much more ground with her legs than she would've if he'd been walking alongside her. As it was, her stamina was finally starting to falter. To Idunn's immense relief, as she crossed another hill she saw a large village- not quite a town, but larger than a little countryside hamlet located not more than a ten minute walk from her current location.
Idunn sighed wearily, though her heart felt much relief. Things looked peaceful in the village. Perhaps they were yet unaware of the turbulence taking place in their region's capital?
As she drew nearer to the gates of the village, Idunn saw that they were closed. Undeterred, Idunn continued on.
"Who goes there?!"
Idunn stopped only about a dozen paces short of the village gates at the harsh call. Looking around, Idunn found that this was no brigand looking to waylay her and her ward, but rather a watchman of the village, looking down at her from a lookout post near the gates, within the humble but sturdy wooden walls surrounding the village.
"I… I am not an enemy. Please… I have been traveling for hours… and I have a child with me." Idunn stated, holding Roy up, though the watchman had likely already spotted him. IT wasn't like Idunn had been trying to shield him from view.
There was a pause, and Idunn could faintly hear the sound of muted voices behind the gates. Fortunately, whatever argument was going on was settled quickly.
"Hrm… very well. We'll open the gates. But be warned; no suspicious business or we'll toss you out. Hunters from the village returned in a panic not three hours ago, saying there was some sort of panic going on at the castle! Can't be too careful right now."
The gates swung open, and Idunn stepped inside, finding herself instantly greeted with nervous-looking farmers armed with pitchforks, axes more suited for chopping wood than armor, and bows that were clearly intended for game rather than humans.
The villages eyed her nervously- Idunn knew she made for a most unusual sight, even if she hadn't currently been carrying a child in her arms.
"Please… May… may we rest somewhere?" Idunn may have been a druid of great power, but several hours on the road while carrying a child would leave all but the most in-shape of people feeling exhausted. Never mind the fact that she'd never once found anything to eat earlier, and between that and the physical exertion needed to carry a child in her arms for several hours without rest, poor Idunn felt more fatigued than she ever had!
But… that was good, wasn't it? She could finally let herself rest, now that she'd brought Roy to a safe place.
Idunn set Roy down, her tired arms feeling almost numb now that they were no longer bearing his weight. Oh dear, she was more tired than she'd realized… her chest heaved as she breathed in and out, finally free of the weight she'd been bearing.
While the village militia was eying her and muttering to themselves- one brave soul stepped forwards. He was a young man with dark hair and tanned skin, wielding a wood-chopping axe as if it were knight's broadsword.
"You're clearly tired from the journey you've made, er… ma'am. If you'd like, I can take you to the village magistrate. He'll know what to do."
Idunn nodded thankfully at the young man, still trying to catch her breath. Roy stayed silent at her side, though at least he appeared more inquisitive and less fearful of these village folk. It helped that while suspicious, none of them appeared actively hostile to Idunn or Roy.
As the villager led Idunn and Roy, who walked along at her side, through the village, Idunn's ears picked up on the whispers around her.
Questioning, suspicious comments- about her dark robes, her unusual height, her different-colored eyes, zipped at her like arrows.
Idunn felt self-conscious but fought back the urge to pull her robe's hood up. She wanted to obscure herself from the villager's view, but she feared that doing so would've only made her look more suspicious in their eyes.
"Magistrate! There's, uh… there's visitors here to see you!" Her guide called out, stopping with her and Roy outside one of the view two-story buildings in the village.
"Visitors? At this time of day? Why're you bringing this to my attention? They aren't making trouble, are they?" A gruff voice called back from the first floor of the home.
"N-no, magistrate. But… well, you'd better have a look yourself."
The door to the magistrate's house swung open, and standing there was a large, well-build older man with a bushy, grey beard.
His eyes settled right away on Idunn.
"A woman and her child? Wait… by Elimine's name- that's Lord Eliwood's son! I'd recognize him and his family anywhere!"
"What? You mean… the prince of Pherae himself? But what's he doing with this woman?"
"I don't know, lad, but I'll find out soon. You, miss, you'd better come inside. You look about ready to keel over. As for you, Klement, head back to the men at the gates. Make sure they close them, and keep a lookout for anyone suspicious approaching. I fear that business at the castle may be more dire than we all realize." The magistrate said, ushering Idunn and Roy into his house. The villager he'd been speaking to dashed off to perform his duties.
The large man brought Idunn inside, and Idunn all but collapsed into the chair he ushered her into.
"Miss, I know you're tired, but… please, I must know for the safety of the village… What is happening in Pherae? Why is the marquess's son with you?"
Idunn sighed wearily, recalling the slim details she'd been privy to earlier.
"I… I do not know. I found him lost in the forest near Pherae this morning, and when I tried to bring him back to the castle, we were attacked by armed men. Bandits, I think. I protected Roy from them, but shortly afterwards as we neared Pherae we found a squad of knights who had been ambushed on the road. The lone survivor claimed that invaders were attacking the castle, and urged me to take Roy as far from Pherae as I could. He was not sure if the marquess was safe, and implored me to ensure Roy's safety above all else."
Idunn could not remember the last time she'd ever spoken so much at once, but right now the words were coming out effortlessly!
The magistrate sat back, looking thunderstruck.
"Elimine's blessings… The castle is under attack? To think, we'd see such violence in our lands after so many years of peace… Truly, this is a dark day. Lord Roy, how are you faring? What happened to the men this lady spoke of?"
"I… I don't know… T-they were big and mean, and they told me to come with them. But I didn't want to- They looked scary, and mama and papa always told me to stay away from men like them! But then… they got mad at me, and they started running at us… if it weren't for Miss Idunn's magic, the bad men would've got me…" Roy sniffled, rubbing his eyes with his hands.
For such a big man, the magistrate was surprisingly gentle with the young boy. Patting Roy's head with one hand, he spoke down to him with an almost grandfatherly tone of voice.
"Easy there, lad. You've been through a lot today, but you're safe now. Doris! I know you're listening to us- take the boy and get him something hot to eat. Please fetch something for this young woman as well. Elimine knows we're supposed to be kind to strangers, especially ones who have done such a great service to our people."
An older woman looking to be roughly the same age as the magistrate appeared from another room, dressed in a modest and many-times-mended dress and apron, gently ushering Roy into the room she'd come from. Idunn started to rise from her seat, not comfortable at the thought of Roy being out of her sight, before the magistrate's hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Easy there, Miss. The young lord's in good hands. Doris will fetch something for the two of you to eat. Elimine above, you look like you're in dire need of a good meal and a long rest."
Idunn couldn't deny the relief that crept into her heart at those words.
"I don't know everything that's going on, but one thing's certain- you're Lord Roy's savior. You must be some kind of powerful magician to drive off a whole pack of bandits like that… but I fear that may not be enough to protect the young lord from what's to come. While you and Lord Roy are eating, I'll speak to the villagers. We saw nothing out of the ordinary, we heard nothing out of the ordinary. If any men not of Pherae come by later asking questions… you were never here."
"You… you would risk yourselves for us?"
"This is about more than just us, Miss Idunn. Under Lord Eliwood, and his father before him, Pherae's been a more peaceful land than any other province in the league, save for maybe Ostia itself. I wouldn't be able to meet God and Elimine with a clean soul if I didn't do something to repay the marquess's family for three decades of peace."
Idunn didn't know what to say to that. She had never once fought alongside anyone as self-sacrificing as this man, and he wasn't a king, a lord, or a noble of any kind. He was just a humble villager looking out for his people.
"Listen well, because I don't know how much time we have. If Pherae is truly under attack, and Elimine help us but all signs point to that as the truth- then the invaders will likely come for the local towns and villages next. We've endured worse, but… you can't be hear if- when- the attackers come. Not if they're looking for the young lord himself. I'll get some of our braver men and women to prepare a wagon or two. We usually trade with Pherae directly, but there are a few of us who've been to Badon and Santaruz before. Fret not, we'll get you to safety."
The next hour or so passed in a blur for Idunn and her little companion. The magistrate- who's name was Cedrik, Idunn learned, lived up to his word. His wife, a kindly, jovial woman whose good humor livened up this dark day provided a warm, comforting meal for Idunn and Roy, and before the next hour had passed Idunn found herself seated next to Roy inside of a large, covered wagon that the magistrate explained was usually meant for carting goods from one town to another.
"It might not be much, but it'll keep you out of sight and off your feet. We're no warriors, but life in the countryside toughens you up, and we all want to do our part keeping the young lord safe. More of our hunters and trappers from the village returned while you two were eating, and they all shared the same grim tidings- there's a battle going on at the castle, and it doesn't look too be ending anytime soon. Whatever is going on there… it isn't safe for the young lord to remain here. No doubt those blackhearts will use him as a hostage if they can get their hands on him!" The big man had explained, before giving the half-dozen young men and women the go-ahead to depart with Roy and Idunn for the port city of Badon.
It would not be a short journey, and the entire group save for Roy and Idunn themselves were armed. Not that Idunn needed a weapon to keep herself and Roy safe. The cart was likewise loaded with provisions that the group would need to make the journey, which would likely be several days on the road if they were not interrupted.
At her side within the wagon, Roy sniffled and shivered, and without even realizing what she was doing, Idunn wrapped her cloak around him, drawing him in close.
"I-I want to see mama and papa…"
"I'm sure they're fine, Roy. Please… I know this is hard, but… you have nothing to fear while I am at your side. I promise, I'll protect you for as long as you need me. If needed, I'll stay by your side until I can return you to your parents."
Roy didn't say anything in response, but snuggled in closer to Idunn's side.
"I-I want Bearthy…"
Idunn didn't know who or what Bearthy was, but she knew that Roy was in much need of comfort. He was already partially wrapped in her cloak, so now Idunn gently hefted him up, setting him down in her lap and wrapping her arms around him.
"You're going to be alright, Roy. I promise… I will keep you safe…" Idunn murmured, and though Roy again did not verbally respond, Idunn felt one of his little hands clutch at her own, squeezing it tightly, looking for that reassurance he so desperately needed.
Sitting back in the cart with Roy still in her lap, Idunn thought over the events of the day. Had something like this occurred in the past that she'd escaped as well?
Or had her presence here caused Roy to suffer a tragedy that he never otherwise would've? Idunn didn't like the possibility of that.
But regardless… Roy needed her, and she needed him. She didn't know what had happened to his home, his mother, or his father… but Idunn swore that for as long as needed, she'd serve as Roy's watchful guardian, until such a time as she could return Roy safely to his parents… or longer, if needed be.
Roy had nothing to fear while she was at his side.
Author's notes:
This concludes the AU oneshot of Under a New Light. There's a lot of reasons that this idea from my original story notes turned into a oneshot and wasn't used for the main story itself.
The main premise behind this scrapped story idea was basically 'Idunn takes the role of Roy's mom.'
There's a ton of reasons why I ended up scrapping this idea. Let's see…
For one thing, this would've turned the story into a drama, and I really wanted to focus on fluff between Idunn and her new friends. In other words… the tone was way too dark to fit with the goal I had in mind.
As you all can see, there's also a lot of gaps missing in this oneshot. Who is attacking Pherae? Who sent those brigands after Roy? How did they know exactly where to find him? What happened to Eliwood, Ninian, and the knights of Pherae?
The scene at the village likewise probably feels rushed, and that's because it is. This was never meant to be a long story, merely a device to set up a story that would allow for the initial idea of 'Idunn is Roy's sole caretaker/parental figure.'
All I can say is…
Who knows? There's a lot that this oneshot doesn't address or answer, for the simple reason that… I never thought that far ahead. The more I ended up thinking about the idea, the more work it would've taken to pull it off, and that would've been needlessly complex when I preferred the more lighthearted version of the story that I ended up writing.
Idunn obliterated the bandits with the Fenrir spell. The mixed description of Roy hearing the sound of flames but feeling a sudden icy chill in the air stems from a description I once read of Fenrir in FE6 (an old fan-translation, I think) as being 'icy flames.' I don't know if that's still accurate, but I like the mental concept.
Seriously, 1 endgame druid vs a group of prologue/chapter 1 level bandits? TV Tropes- Curbstomp Battle.
Now that I think about it, that was also a very literal case of 'bullying a dragon.'
Oh, and before I forget; if anyone is wondering who Bearthy is, Bearthy is short for Sir Beartholemew, Roy's beloved teddy bear which Ninian made for him.