Chapter 1) King

Hannibal was distinctly unamused with me. This wasn't an unusual thing, mind, but right now, he was very unamused with me. I knew because he barely waited for the servants to lead all my soldiers out of the main hall before rounding on me. "I am afraid I must ask for clarification, my king," he began, slowly and formally. Which meant he was about five seconds away from hitting me in the head. Again. "How is it that you leave to go kill someone and come back with a child?"

"I didn't leave to go kill someone," I half-protested. It was more for the fun than anything to nitpick what he said. Bad habit of mine, left over from childhood, to purposely pull his tail. A way to keep sane(ish). "I left to investigate some information we got."

"You left to go kill someone." Hannibal was having none of my nitpicks, though. "You didn't leave with a little girl. Why have you returned with one?"

"I saw her and decided she was too adorable to not bring home." I kept my voice as dry as possible, and smirked when Hannibal closed his eyes and counted to ten. Aloud. Twice. I really needed to stop doing this, it wasn't befitting for a king, but it was one of the few bits of fun I had nowadays. "More seriously, desert. Child alone in desert. Typically not a good thing." I shrugged, and shifted Altena a little higher, and she mumbled sleepily. She'd fallen asleep after we'd landed, tired out from the excitement of seeing everything from above. "I don't know why the hell Quan was an idiot and brought his kid, okay? But I couldn't leave her."

"And what plans do you have?"

"So distrusting."

"I trust that you have at least ten plans running through your head at any given moment. I've known you since we were toddlers." Hannibal sighed. "Well, Arion will like the playmate, at least. But seriously, tell me your plans later."

"I will." Some of them, at least. But Hannibal knew that. "Regardless, help."

"With…?" Hannibal frowned, studying Altena. "Ah, she needs clothes."

"Yes, she does." She was currently swimming in one of my shirts. Her dress was far too stained for her to wear, but we didn't exactly carry clothes for little girls when out and about on missions. Some of the greenhorns forgot to pack their own clothes, sometimes. "I'll get a room set up while you do that."

"Lorelei would've been…" Hannibal trailed off, and I knew it was because I'd automatically locked up. "I'm sorry. I should've kept the thought to myself."

"...She would've been yelling at me while also making sure she was perfectly taken care of." I hurt. I always did, but the hurt did surge whenever Lorelei was brought up. "Hannibal, you know I don't…" I sighed. Now wasn't the time to continue that old 'argument'. "Clothes. List."

"Of course." Hannibal bowed. "Later, then."

"Thank you, Hannibal." I watched him leave, and then I looked down at Altena, who was yawning, stirring awake. "Lorelei actually would've adored you."

"Lory?" Altena 'repeated'. Probably the only thing she'd heard. "Who's Lory?"

"My wife," I explained, walking down the hall. Servants smiled and bowed as I passed, and I nodded in greeting for each one, noting how they looked. Most seemed normal. A few were thinner. I'd need to double check the food stores. "She's… she had to go away."

"Like my parents? And the knights? And the horsies?"

"Yes." I tried to remember how old she was. Three? Four? I knew she was around Arion's age. Arion was just learning what 'death' was. Wasn't a surprise that she didn't quite understand. "Just like them."

"I'm sorry." She reached up and patted my cheek, smiling warmly. 'Little ball of sunshine', my men had called her. It was an apt description. "I'll stay with you until they all come back! Even Lory! That way, you won't be lonely. Lonely is sad."

"It is sad, huh?" I made it to the 'royal wing' of the palace, the innermost part that was the most defensible, and found an empty, not too dusty, room. "Ah, but that's a discussion for another time. How do you like this room?"

"I get my own room?" Altena giggled and wiggled until I set her on the ground. Then she rushed to the window, nearly tripping over the hem of the shirt before pressing her face and hands against the glass. "Wooow…! Pretty! Just as pretty as in the air!"

"It is, isn't it?" Thracia was a harsh land, but I loved it. I had always loved it, and I vowed as a child that I would do whatever it took to make it prosper. "Well, it's a harder place to live than Leonster, but it's pretty."

"Pretty-pretty!" She giggled and smiled at me. "I love it!"

"I'm glad." And I was decidedly out of my depth. I'd done my best to deny it on the way over, but right now, I really couldn't. At all.

"Daddy!" Still, even that awkwardness couldn't keep me from softening when Arion ran up and leapt for a hug. "Welcome home!" Arion laughed, as I caught him. He was getting bigger, heavier, but I could still do this. "Did you miss me? I missed you."

"I always miss you, Arion," I replied, hugging him as tightly as I dared. I was always worried about hurting him. I didn't know how to be gentle. Gentle got you killed in Thracia. Lorelei… Lorelei proved that. "But I have someone that I want you to meet."

"You do?" Arion let me set him on the ground and looked around curiously. Then he saw Altena. "Oh! Hello!"

"Hello!" Altena chirped, smile somehow brightening. Swore it was going to blind someone. I really did. "Let's play!"

"How about you first change into some clothes that fit you, Lady Altena?" Hannibal also joined us, probably the one who sent Arion my way in the first place. He always made sure to do that. "I'm sure you would like to not trip all the time," he noted with some amusement, smiling and not showing any signs of awkwardness. I simply sighed and thanked the gods for blessing me with himl. Because I swore it was the only way Arion wasn't going to turn out as messed up as me. "So?"

"Aw… but this is fun." She waved her hands up and down, the excess fabric flapping like demented wings or something. "But fine. I guess. Are they pretty?"

"Very pretty."

"Yay~!"

"Hannibal, can I leave them to you while I check on reports?" I asked him. Hannibal gave me a look, one that screamed he knew I was running. But it was one of my duties, so he sighed and nodded. "Thank you."

"We are definitely having that talk later," Hannibal warned. But then he knelt down and showed Altena the clothes he had found, and she pulled Arion into the 'discussion'. And I used that opportunity to escape. Escape and find one of the servants who looked thinner than my memory said to ask them if everything was well.

I'd probably have to skip a few meals again. No matter. Wouldn't have been the first time. My people needed to eat, far more than I did.

"You know; when I asked you two to hunt for it, I was sure you wouldn't find it in the mess," I noted bluntly, leaning against the desk in my study. A day or so after we returned, so did the two soldiers I tasked with finding Altena's stuffed bear that had been lost during the 'fight'. Which they did find. Somehow. "I really only asked so that she'd stop asking." The two soldiers simply smiled and shrugged, standing at attention. Everyone in Thracia knew I had no sense of tact and no soldier of mine bothered getting offended over it. "I'm impressed."

"We got lucky, your majesty," one explained. His name escaped me for the moment, but I definitely knew him. He'd fought with our mercenaries since he was seven, after a landslide killed his parents, leaving him and his two younger sisters without anything. One sister now served as a seamstress for us here in the palace, and had measured Altena to get her own clothes. The other lived in Grutia, happily married with a son. "Though, ah… we have a message? And some information? Or, I do. I really want him to get looked at again." He jerked his thumb at his companion, who scowled. "He collapsed, you see. While we were out, I mean."

"The desert is a pain, isn't it?" I studied the second one, a newer member, and remembered something that I kicked myself over. "Of course I remember now. You're from the mountains." Not a single soldier from the higher mountain villages did well with the heat. "You should've said something."

"I'm proud to serve, King Travant," the second one protested immediately. They even saluted. "I… did overestimate my stamina. I'm sorry."

"Well, it didn't get you killed, so all is forgiven if you do get checked," I replied. The second one nodded and bowed. "When you're done, see Hannibal for an extra ration of wine." Extra alcohol always worked for a reward.

"Thank you, sire." They bowed again, and left, with a servant following to make sure they went to the infirmary.

"So, a message?" I, however, turned my attention back to the first one. "And information?"

"Yes, sire," the first one replied, bowing. That told me both were serious. "Which do you want first?"

"Hmm…" I almost said information, but then I realized something. 'Again.' That was what he had said. Meaning they had been checked before. And while Phinora no doubt had its own healers, rumors of Sigurd's army had placed… "Message."

"The message is that the 'Vala healer' trusts that you will take care of Altena until her family can see her again." He frowned and I nearly laughed. I'd been right. "She didn't give a name. But she wore a dragon's eye, so I decided to trust her."

"She didn't give a name because I wouldn't have known it." But Vala Healer? I definitely remembered her. Probably the only healer I ever met that actually believed in the oaths she swore, keeping to neutrality and never charging for the healing. "Very well." No demanding or anything. A simple 'trust'. Easy to see the fire she probably said the words with. Probably the same fire that had been in her eyes when she told me to shut up and let her heal me. "The information?"

"Well, sire…" He hesitated and looked down. I frowned, recognizing that little 'tell'. This wouldn't be good. He could never keep eye contact when it came to bad news. "They say Arvis killed the traitor, Sigurd, along with most of his army at Belhalla not long afterwards."

"...Is that so?" Normally I liked being right. But situations like this made me wish otherwise. Especially when it was something like that. "Anything else?"

"No, sir."

"All right, dismissed. Get some rest and go see your sister. And send Hannibal here, would you?"

"Sir!" He saluted, bowed, and then left. And I sat down at my desk, tipping my chair onto the back legs as I thought about that simple, yet all too troubling, piece of information.

Hearing that Sigurd was dead… well, good thing and bad thing. Good, because his reckless loyalty would definitely mean he'd charge right through the gates to avenge Quan and Ethlyn and, best case scenario, he would take quite a few of my soldiers out with him when he fell. Bad, because… well, it was hard to not have some respect to someone who stuck to their morals in this hellscape of a continent. Confused respect, but respect nonetheless. But it was also bad because of what it represented.

Arvis annihilated Sigurd. More important, Sigurd and his army. The Vala healer had been there, and, based on the Holy Blood and her age, she had to be Arvis's sister. And even if he didn't know the relationship, I remembered the Vala mage during that lone attack, back in Agustria. Everyone and their dead knew Arvis had a younger brother, Azel. Everyone knew Arvis doted on him. And yet, Arvis killed him. Or, at least, killed his friends. Killed her friends. Destroyed his siblings' lives for his ambitions.

"Blood of Skadi, even I'm not that coldhearted," I muttered, scowling at the ceiling. Then again, Hannibal was the closest thing I had to a sibling. "But if he's killed Sigurd, then he's basically got all of Grannvale under his control." Given Grannvale's expansion into Verdane, Agustria, and Isaach… "Bastard is making an empire." And, damn it all, he was a step ahead of me. Thankfully, I was good at speed-chess, but this was definitely going to change things.

"I see you're doing your best to serve as Arion's bad example for behavior." Hannibal walked into my office without knocking, as was his usual. "I fear what you'll do when he's older to continue being the bad example," he continued dryly. I pointedly ignored him, looking at the ceiling. "Altena is very happy to have her stuffed bear, by the way, and delights in sharing it with Arion."

"Good to hear." I let the chair settle back on all four legs and frowned at Hannibal. "Who do you think Arvis would send down south here? I'm thinking Friege or Velthomer."

"Friege would be more of my guess, simply because I imagine Velthomer's is in Belhalla."

"You and yours won't last long against them."

"Don't underestimate the Shield of Thracia, my king." Hannibal drew himself up briefly to match the mild boast, mostly because he knew it made me smile. "Still, I won't be as effective. My armor is strong, but that's for physical weapons. Magic… is another story."

"Of course." I closed my eyes, thinking rapidly. Damn Arvis for this, but I could still turn it to an advantage. I could still make it a 'victory' for Thracia. Less than I wanted, damn it, but I could do it. "Gather intelligence on Leonster. See if there's any nobles in the north that want to save their skin and switch sides. By this time next year, we're taking it." I opened my eyes again to look at him. "Then, when Arvis brings his army south, we'll leverage it in negotiations, along with lower tariffs."

"As is typical, I definitely missed some key bit of information while watching the children." Still, Hannibal nodded, simply trusting me. "Do you think it'll work?"

"We're going to rip large chunks of their army to pieces and make them decide we're not worth the trouble." Many of mine would die. But the sacrifice would be worth it. "Then we'll surrender, and negotiate. Or you'll negotiate, rather."

"Like hell. I'll just be translating for your lack of tact." Hannibal became thoughtful, looking down at the ground. "I'll send the spies out by the end of the day. I think we should assume any turncoats will turn on us."

"Of course. I just want the openings." The more openings I had, the less of my people would die for this 'play' on the board. "You can kill them when you're done if you'd like."

"We'll see." Hannibal sighed. "People are going to call you a hyena or something again."

"Like I care. People hate us anyway for the mercenary work." Yet without taking advantage of Jugdral's love of conflict, Thracia would've starved long ago. And the same people who insulted us sure did love giving us gold to kill people for them. As hypocritical as Leonster. "Also, see if they know we have Altena." If the Vala Healer had known… there was a chance. A low chance, but a chance.

"Of course." Hannibal gave me a stern look. "And in exchange, you can have dinner with your son. And whatever we're calling Lady Altena. Ward?"

"Ward is fine." I debated something quickly. "Hannibal?"

"Yes?"

"Come up with a story for her. One that doesn't involve her being from Leonster. Just in case."

"You're definitely having dinner with the children." Hannibal pinched the bridge of his nose, no doubt warding a headache. "Gods above…"

"Shouldn't have learned how to lie to compensate for my honesty." I grinned, though, and after a moment, Hannibal did smile. "But all right. Dinner. I can do that." I hoped. I was bad at the whole parenting thing, but I had to try. "Wait, do we even have enough for a dinner?" I frowned and hunted through my papers for the food stocks. As soon as I found it, though, Hannibal snatched it from me. "I need that."

"No, I'll have a new one for you in the morning." And for emphasis, he ripped the page and tucked the pieces into his pocket. "Go eat."

"...Damn it, Hannibal." I knew what was going on now. Hannibal had gone without eating, probably for a couple of days, so that I could indulge with Arion and Altena. "Fine, fine! I give. You got the win this time."

"Excellent, sire." Hannibal smiled smugly. I found an old report, wadded it into a ball, and threw it at his face. Sadly, he caught it before it hit. "I'll get on the tasks. What shall I tell the soldiers?"

"I will tell them." I was going to sacrifice them for Thracia. The least I could do was look them in the eyes and tell them that. "Oh, but one thing."

"Yes?"

"You are forbidden to die." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Thracia needs you."

"I will do my best." Hannibal smiled reassuringly, though, and I smiled back. He never promised, but he did try. "The children. You're delaying."

"I'm moving; I'm moving."

Everything moved according to plan and worked out just as I'd anticipated, more or less. Almost a year after the 'Battle of Belhalla', Leonster fell to Thracia. A month after that, Thracia fell to the 'Empire'. Arvis decided that having us as allies was much better than us being defiant to the end and slaughtering his soldiers, and thus, let us keep our autonomy. I won, though I played the part they expected. I pretended to be annoyed at the 'defeat'. It wasn't hard. For one thing, I hated Bloom and Bloom got the northern farmlands. For another, I had to go to Belhalla to discuss the tariffs, and gods above, the whole place irritated me.

"You'd think a place as rich as this could afford to not smell worse than a wyvern's stall," I grumbled to Hannibal as we were led through the halls of Belhalla's Castle. The center of the 'Empire'. Because Jugdral had a good history with Empires. "Also, how many paintings does a single hallway need? And rugs of such…"

"All of the colors are hurting my eyes," Hannibal quietly murmured. Still, he nudged me and almost fell because his arm and leg wouldn't move quite right. "Try to be polite."

"I think politeness went out when I reminded Arvis and Bloom during the initial negotiations that all of Thracia was filled with wild dragons." Though, I hadn't planned on being that blunt. But Bloom had said something insulting my people, so I retaliated. And I didn't regret it because it had been worth the brief flicker of horror on their faces. "How are you?"

"I am well, my king."

"You're hurting, then." And why wouldn't he? Hannibal had endured countless thunder spells while our injured retreated. It was a miracle he lived. "We should see if their healers can check you over."

"I'll consider it." Hannibal nearly tripped. I caught him before he fell, and glared at the servant who gave us a dirty look. They promptly squeaked and looked away. "Now, now…"

"It's good to remind people that a servant's actions reflects their lord's attitudes and beliefs." I made my voice as dry as possible, just to make them wince. "Better be almost there. I'm tired of how gaudy everything is."

"Gods, especially blessed Skadi of the mountains, please make sure my king doesn't start a second war."

"Bah."

I did work on calming down, if only so that Hannibal didn't fret so much. But it was a relief to get out of the halls and into the throne room, because at least then, I could understand why the place was so gaudy. Throne rooms were meant to impress and intimidate, and for most, that meant showing off wealth. I preferred Thracia's way, though: taking advantage of the size of the windows for the dragons to lay about the room.

"Welcome to Belhalla, King Travant, General Hannibal," Arvis greeted, voice carefully polite. He wasn't seated on either of the two thrones in the back, but standing in front of them. A show of equality, probably meant to play on my ego some. "I understand there was a problem with the stalls?"

"Too small for a dragon, but there's only mine, so I've just got him sleeping on the outskirts of the city," I replied, matching Arvis's tone. Hannibal gave me a warning look, so I did try to add some reassurances. "He knows to not go after livestock, and we'll hopefully not be here long." And couldn't resist the barb. I didn't like being here. My dragon flying about would hopefully be an incentive for Arvis to not waste my damn time.

"We'll have to modify the stalls by the time we have to renegotiate this, then." Arvis smiled, again, carefully polite. "No other trouble, then?"

"No, just that." I looked around the throne room, and noticed something interesting. "I would've thought Empress Diadora would be here."

"Please forgive her. She's still recovering from giving birth."

"Ah, that's right. I did hear about that." I made sure to smile as well. The new Emperor and Empress had twins, if I recalled correctly. "Congratulations, and good luck with the toddlers."

"I've dealt with a toddler before, and this time, I have help." It was hard to tell his tone. Part of it seemed like a joke. Part of it seemed defensive. The hurt in his eyes added guilt to it. Sadly, it all disappeared before I could get a good read. He was certainly good at wearing a mask. Probably why he'd managed to plan Grannvale so well. "Do you wish to jump straight into the negotiations or…?"

"Arvis, I wanted to tell… oh!" Someone walked in unexpectedly, a woman with long Vala-red hair and green eyes. Even with that distinctive coloring, it took me a second to realize she was the Vala Healer, and then, I had to stare. "I didn't realize you had guests, Lord Brother," she continued quietly. Quiet and melancholic. Nothing like before. "Hello again, Travant."

"Alicia, you know King Travant?" Arvis asked, looking surprised. Hannibal nudged me and I nodded, frowning. The change in her was frightening, really. Before, she had been as fierce as any dragon, fiery as she stuck to her oaths. Now, it was like she… it was like all that was left of her fire was embers, embers that were slowly burning her alive. "I would've thought…"

"He was a patient of mine, once." She smiled faintly, but it was still muted. She honestly felt more like a ghost than a person. "I'm sorry for interrupting."

"No, no, it's fine." Arvis smiled, but this time, I saw the guilt and it didn't quickly disappear. I nearly rolled my eyes at it. He chose this. He chose to destroy her life. He chose to kill her for his ambitions. He didn't have a right to feel guilty about it, no more than I had a right to feel guilty over all those I had killed. "You were saying something?"

"I just wanted to tell you that Diadora's illness is fully gone, though she's still on bedrest, just in case. Julius and Julia remain in perfect health and take to the wet nurses well."

"I see. Thank you, Alicia." Arvis's smile warmed. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Of course." She nodded to Hannibal and me. "But I am intruding, so I'll…"

"Actually, do you mind checking on Hannibal for me?" I requested. She became thoughtful at the name. "Yes, the one who sent you the letter and… whatever Arion sent."

"A lovely drawing and a wooden carving," she replied, laughing a little. It sounded hollow. "Of course I can check him over. Hannibal, can you follow me?"

"Thank you." I helped Hannibal over towards her and the two quickly left. As quickly as Hannibal could move, at least. "My apologies for taking advantage, but Hannibal has some nerve damage."

"I do remember Bloom complaining about how many thunder spells Hannibal endured," Arvis murmured. He frowned at me. "I wasn't aware Alicia knew you, though."

"One of mine looked for a healer and she happened to be the one he found," I explained, shrugging. At least I finally had her name. 'Alicia'. Odd name. But there were other things to focus on for now. "To answer your earlier question, though, yes, I would love to begin negotiations immediately."

"Ah, yes, this way then." Arvis led me out of the throne room and down the hall to a study, one that thankfully wasn't gaudy or anything. Bit luxurious for my tastes, but I could actually stomach it. "Take a seat. I'll make some tea."

Well, this was going to be fun. I hated tea. But I'd endure the leaf-water, I supposed.

Negotiations went better than I thought, hateful tea aside. Arvis had actually done a bit of research, and I could remember average wages and the like off the top of my head, so we managed to get a good base, especially for the first day. From here, it would be minor tweaks and well as seeing if we could get the other to relax enough to slip up and make a concession. He played the game well. Been a while since I had a good challenge on that front.

"How many damn gardens does this place have?" I grumbled as I found yet another one. I couldn't sleep in their too large guest room, with a bed so large and soft that I swore it would swallow me up and enough pillows and blankets to suffocate a dragon three times over. So, I'd gone for a walk to cool my head while I thought about how I'd adapt the sleeping situation. Probably just sleep on the floor or something. "Ugh… I hate it here."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised." It wasn't often someone was able to surprise me. As Dain's Major, I had a strong connection to the wind and skies, and I was one of the few who could sense Holy Blood. That Alicia could still hide in plain sight was definitely a sign of how ghost-like she felt. "Hannibal should be fine in a few days," she told me, sitting casually on a bench not far away. Between the elaborate silver and white dress, near-translucent skin, and the moonlight, she really did blend in with everything. "I'm healing him in stages to make certain of it."

"My thanks." I glanced around, making sure no one else was going to surprise me, before walking over. "Altena is doing well, by the way."

"Good, good." She laughed softly. Like before, it sounded hollow. "I told Sigurd. We never told the rest of the army, though. We'd wanted to confirm it first."

"Smart. To confirm it, I mean." And explained why she was alive and yet, Leonster hadn't known Altena was in Thracia. The spies had been certain on it. "Surprised you're alive, truthfully."

"Arvis had Aida lure Azel and I away, so we weren't there during the initial strike. We both tried to run, but I'm not very athletic, so I didn't make it." She shrugged. "So, here I am. Working as a healer while someone else handles Velthomer in my name."

"I see." It was awkward, talking to her. But that was mostly because I could easily imagine what her responses would've been. Terse, politely furious, much as she had been when she healed me. Now, though, she was just… there. There and apathetic to everything. "When Leonster fell, my scouts noticed a knight with blue hair escaping to the south. So, I'm sure that Finn is fine."

"Oh, I'm sure he is. I gave him the necklace Hannibal sent me."

"Clever."

"I should've given Ethlyn my bracelet." She brought up her hand, and her sleeve fell back to show she still wore the bracelet. It also showed how much weight she'd lost, considering how it hung awkwardly somewhere around the middle of her arm. "With him, was there a girl with golden hair?"

"Sounds familiar. I'd have to check the reports to be sure."

"I hope so. They're married and someone deserves a happy ending out of this mess." She looked up at me then. "If I give you some things for Altena…"

"I'll make sure she gets them." I studied her closely and then turned my attention to the flowers. "I'll tell her they're from her deceased aunt. Same with the bear."

"A good story. I doubt I'll live long enough to see her again." She fell silent for a while, looking up at the stars. "Travant, you mentioned you lost your wife."

"I did." I glanced at her, wondering why she asked. But then I had a guess. "Ah, did you marry?"

"Sort of. I had a lover, and we planned to marry. Because no one would shut up about it. But he died. The meteors hit him, and I couldn't heal him." She relayed the words absently, monotone, like reciting from a particularly boring book. "I tried, and I failed. So, he died in my arms." She looked to me, and I tried to not wince. Lorelei had already been dead when I'd seen her. Hannibal had carried her body out, along with Arion. "I imagine as a mercenary, you have lost many friends?"

"I have." Out of my childhood friends, only Hannibal still lived.

"How did you pull yourself out of it?"

"For the friends, a lot of it was overworking. For Lorelei…" Again, it hurt. I missed her terribly. The day she died haunted me, and would always haunt me. "Well, I didn't 'pull' myself out at all. Hannibal dragged me." Made me eat. Made me sleep. Made me work. Nagged and bothered until I was doing it on my own. "From there, I had my duty. And I had Arion. Once Hannibal dragged me over the worst, the rest was enough."

"Whereas all my friends are dead, missing, or amnesiac and my children are very far away." She sighed, and I frowned over the 'amnesiac' part. I had no idea what she was talking about at all, there. Or who. "Well, I am a healer. Maybe that'll be enough."

"Honestly surprised you're holding on at all."

"Part of it is the hope that I can see my children again, but honestly, it's mostly spite." She smiled like it was a joke, and the smile actually seemed real, compared with her earlier ones. "Arvis banned the Loptyrian hunts, you see. Where they would burn even babes in arms alive. So, some of them are slowly integrating themselves into society. Most are nice, if timid. Their leaders trouble me. Particularly Manfroy." There was actually some force to the name, a harshness that conveyed more than 'trouble'. She hated him. "He's got plans. I hope that I can muddle them, even a little."

"Spite is an excellent motivator." Gods knew spite was one reason why I managed to survive things. Holy Blood was another. "But plans, though?"

"I don't know what they are. I know what he's done, to a point, but I don't know what he will do. But I do feel like at this point, he and Arvis are playing against each other, even if Arvis doesn't know it." She looked to me again. "I don't know which one will win. But you should prepare for that. For Arion and Altena's sakes."

"I'll keep that in mind." I smiled a bit and changed the subject. "But you mentioned children?"

"Yes, I have twins. Caitriona and Conall. They're safely away from this hell of a city." Slowly, she began talking about her children, telling little stories about them. I told her about some of the antics Arion and Altena were getting into, and commiserated over how children just had to try and eat everything. Eventually, she left to go to bed, and I remained outside in the gardens, thinking about what she had mentioned.

Playing against each other… yes, with everything so radically different, one needed to say that this was an entirely new game. A new board, with new pieces and new players. I'd managed a small victory in the previous, but now, I had to watch closely and play again. Play against two masters, at that. I was up to the task, of course, but I'd have to be careful. I'd have to play for a very long game, longer than I normally did. And who would be the king? Who would be my 'king piece', which I guarded above all else? Well, that was obvious. I might be the king of Thracia, but my King… well, that was why I brought Altena to Thracia, after all. To set up my perfect 'King'. Arion, Altena, and Leif.

I couldn't leave a child to the desert, but Phinora wasn't far and I could've walked to hide the connection to Thracia. Gae Bolg would be a powerful weapon on our side, but giving it to her would easily lead her to figuring out the truth, so it would be impossible to 'keep' that powerful weapon for long. But when Altena learned the truth about what happened, and she would because there's no way it would be kept secret forever, she would return to Leonster with the knowledge of what Thracia was like. She would know how much Thracia starved, how hard it was to live there. She would be a friend to Arion, adding a personal incentive to wanting to help. And so, she would advise her little brother to do so. Because, of course, when little Leif learned his sister was truly alive, he'd either reject her and suffer backlash, or accept her and listen to her words.

Leif was a very important part of this game, truthfully. With the 'Yied Massacre', Quan and Ethlyn would be the 'tragic heroes', and I, the 'villain'. Leif would be set up as a 'hero', and when Thracia was unified, be given priority to that throne. Then would come Altena's advice. Thracia would prosper. I would win. And the best part about little Leif was that he required absolutely no effort on my part. The knights would protect him. The people around him would encourage his anger and hatred at me. And then, one day, he'd come at me, the villain. I'd make him work for the honor of killing me, though. I'd have to play my part well, after all, to make it feel 'real'.

But that was for later, and truthfully, things could change rapidly and upend the board entirely. That was the danger of long games. Too many things you could never predict. So, I'd leave Leif to them and see if they managed to meet my expectations. In the meantime, Arion and Altena were my responsibility, and I would protect them. I would encourage them to walk their paths, to think for themselves. So that hopefully, when the time came, they would fight with Leif and his allies and not suffer my fate.

The game for Thracia's prosperity had begun again. And this time, I would win.

Author's note: Welcome to Memoirs of Thracia. Why is this chapter out before Memoirs of the Holy War has reached that part of the story? Because Travant wouldn't shut up, that's why. And because, despite mentioning in the author's notes for Finn's oneshot in Memoirs of the Lost that I had this planned, I still got quite a few requests for Travant. So, here. Proof that I meant it, or something.

Why this story? Well, Travant is a complicated char, and it felt better to show his relationship with Altena, instead of simply having it relayed secondhand or reduced to a single scene in Memoirs of Belhalla. Yes, I know what the Fuyuki manga does with the two. Going ahead and saying that will not be the case in this story. Like Memoirs of Belhalla and Memoirs of Velthomer, this story will be short, five to six chapters. And like Memoirs of Belhalla, it'll cover life in Thracia prior to the Child Hunts and all (because FE5 starts literally one year after all that in this series, so the eventual FE5 novelization will showcase Thracia during that time). I will go ahead and state that updates for this will be very little until we actually reach Leonster in Memoirs of the Holy War.

Hannibal is a significant char in Fe4, and an NPC in Fe5, and though he doesn't have the Miracle skill, he does have 'Great Shield', which blocks damage. And yes, I know how things are between him and Travant in Gen2. This chapter is WAY before that. The first half is the year 761; the second half is the year 762. Altena is about four years old, give or take, which is about the time children begin understanding that death is final and the like. So, she's still in the 'everyone went to sleep' mentality.

I didn't show the battles, or the Fall of Leonster, because there's actually a canon side-story for the Fall and I didn't really feel like writing 'Thracia gets destroyed by Friege'. Travant's wife is never named (or even mentioned in-game), but Lorelei is a name from Germanic Mythology (pretty interesting little tale). I went with Germanic because Trabant (an alternate translation of Travant's name) is actually a German word that means 'companion', probably highlighting how, even though he is the king, he is close to his people.