Summary: Laslow left her, his only sister, to go on a heroic journey on his own. Or that was what Morgan could make out of his mangled letter. "He's a flirt. He'd sweet-talk any girl, but if you flirt back, he'll get horribly embarrassed and flush a really deep tomato-red- it totally doesn't suit his pale complexion and it looks hilarious, I swear- Met anyone like this?" She meets Ryoma on the way, and well, ends up siding with Hoshido. It's only later that she finds out that Inigo is with Nohr. Oops. Following Conquest.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, Fates or Awakening.

Prologue

Ryoma was in a bit of a twist. Saizo was not with him, as he had commanded his trusted retainer to keep order with the troops in the small village they were staying at so that no problem arose while he was absent. He had decided to take a walk around with a guard, as per request from Saizo.

When they spotted a girl seemingly lost in the middle of the empty road, he was wary, but that flash of pink hair also reminded of his little sister. Maybe she was dangerous, just a young girl appearing in the middle of nowhere without a family or any traveling gear, only the clothes on her back- now didn't that scream suspicious? But if she was lost in the middle of nowhere in these dangerous times…

He was the prince of Hoshido, and he had a duty to his people.

However, the few seconds of talking to the girl told him that she was in no way seeking safety.

"-He's a flirt. He'd sweet-talk any girl, but if you flirt back, he'll get horribly embarrassed and flush a really deep tomato-red- it totally doesn't suit his pale complexion and it looks hilarious, I swear," said the girl without even stopping for breath, holding a horribly drawn picture of a man with sticks for limbs and a goofy smile in front of Ryoma's face.

"Well, that's my brother for you," she finished cheerfully. "Did you meet anyone like this?"

She peered into his eyes, face expectant.

He managed to formulate a reply. "I'm afraid I haven't." Not that even if he had seen the man, he probably wouln't be able to say yes to her quetion.

The girl's face fell. "Ah well." She sighed. "Onwards it is, then," she said, turning sharply and looking far to the east. She took a few steps foward, hesitated, and turned back to curtsy. Ryoma frowned- curtsying was not a normal Hoshidan gesture. It was more... Nohrian. What was more, her movement were elegant and well-practiced. He doubted that the girl was of Nohrian nobility though. Now that was preposterous.

"It was nice meeting you, kind sir."

"Likewise," he said faintly, head still reeling with the implications.

As she turned to walk away Ryoma turned to his guard with a small frown on his face. The guard proved himself to be useless as he floundered- really, he had no use for them. It was a pity that Saizo never listened to him regarding his safety.

Ryoma decided to return back to the village for the night, when he heard the pounding of metal hooves on the ground. When he turned, he spotted one of his rangers stationed outside the town, galloping full speed. "My lord!"

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the girl stop, turn, and watch with curiosity.

The man stopped in front of him, and slid out of his mount. His hands were on his knees as he panted heavily. "A swarm of Faceless is approaching, Lord Ryoma. Unless we abandon this village-"

Ryoma reprimanded sharply. "We do not abandon any village."

The man looked suitably cowed at his prince's adamant tone. He still stuttered in half-protest. "We are not ready for this, my lord. The numbers are a bit more than we faced this morning, and most of our troops are still injured and exhausted, sir. "

The girl let out a low whistle.

Ryoma frowned at the uncalled for noise. He turned to her. "Leave now, while you still can."

"Can you afford to fight them?" she asked. "Your own men have doubts."

Ryoma was painfully reminded of Kaze and Rinkah, who had been lost during the previous fight.

He steeled himself before he spoke back. "It cannot be helped. Soldiers of Hoshido as well as I, have duty to protect the kingdom."

"I'm not saying that you should run away," she said with an amused expression. "I want to help."

"The army is not a playground," said Ryoma sternly.

She looked offended. With narrowed eyes, she replied to his remark, "And you shouldn't be so eager to close your doors before you know what it holds." Her face turned serious. "If you fall, helpless villagers will be attacked by these monsters." She said the word monsters with revulsion. "I cannot, not in good conscious leave you for them when I can clearly help."

The girl held out her hands for him to shake. "My name is Morgan," she seemed to pause for a while before continuing, "Mercenary for hire."

"You cannot-"

She quirked her eyebrows. "I think someone of your status can afford to pay me back, even though I am quite expensive," said the girl obtusely, purposely misunderstanding him. "I usually charge as much as a king's ransom but, seeing that I am the one insisting on help, I'll work for you on a discount."

She smiled impishly, insisting on him to take her hands.

Her misconduct should have made him annoyed, angry even. However, Ryoma found that he couldn't quite drudge up those two emotions when the girl had nothing but determination written in her words. It was admirable; to want and to insist helping out an army in a battle that could go either way when it was clear that such actions were not required from her.

After scrutinizing Morgan, he did wrap his hands around hers. Her hands were so small compared to his, but with the same calluses- calluses that could only be gained by wielding a sword. "Ryoma, prince of Hoshido."

He hoped he didn't regret this choice.

Quick surprise darted across her face. 'So had she not realized exactly who he was?' before it was quickly smoothed out. "Pleasure," she answered back smoothly. "Prince Ryoma."

Saizo was back with him, and the rest of his troops were engaging the enemy. The villagers had wished to help, but he managed to convince them to say in their homes and take guard. Morgan the mercenary was actually proving herself to be a – suspiciously talented fighter.

"Lord Ryoma, do you trust me?" asked Morgan offhandedly with inappropriate level of casuality while frying a Faceless with a face full of Thunder.

Ryoma looked at her incredulously as he sliced into a monster to his right. "No," he grunted.

"Figures," snorted Morgan. A second later, her sword was moving in a graceful arch, spraying blood.

"Then, do you believe that I will only help in this battle?"

Ryoma spun in the direction of Morgan to observe her while attacking the Faceless. She was killing as much as Saizo and even himself, tome in one hand and a blade in the other. For this battle- as suspicious as she was- she had only been help so far.

"Yes," he said grudgingly.

Morgan spun, her cloak swirling around her as she wielded her sword with enviable grace. Blood sprayed in an arc, and the curve of her chin was spattered with splatters that took a half-moon shape. A smug smile filled the bloodied face.

"Excellent."

Ryoma shook his head, getting the image out of his mind as he loped the head of one Faceless foolish enough to approach him alone. From his left, Morgan continued her attacks, this time with her magic.

"I happen to specialize in tactics, Lord Ryoma. I think we can win this battle," she said confidently. "With little or no casualties," she sang, voice lilted, teasing.

Ryoma found that he didn't particularly care for all her misconduct, as long as she did what she promised him.

"Let's hear it," he said briskly. "Be warned, if it harms my men or the villagers…" he trailed off threateningly.

"No worries," she said lightly. "Strategies? I've been strategizing before I could even talk."

Her plan was successful. Despite the odds they faced just moments before; she was true to her word.

"You have been quite the asset," said Ryoma, after the battle. The Faceless were all dead, his army faced no deaths, and the village was safe. Ryoma had finished what he had set out to do, and all that was left of him was to return back to the capitol.

However, there was one more "problem" to resolve.

"How is it that you are so talented?" asked Ryoma.

"I told you, I'd been strategizing even before I could talk," answered Morgan. Ryoma noted that her speech was casual and still lacked respect. "My father taught me everything that I know, and yes, that means my skill in magic and swords as well."

"Quite the talented father you have there," he commented. Understanding his implications, she giggled. "No, you would never have heard of him."

"He keeps to himself?" With talent like that?

"Not really. But I'm not from around here, and neither is my father."

"When you say you are not around these parts, are you saying that you are not from Hoshido?"

"Yes," she shrugged.

"Nohrian," hissed Saizo who had been quietly watching the affairs. He pushed his Lord back and loomed in front of her, drawing out his sword in a threatening manner.

"What?" questioned Morgan. She eyed the weapon warily. "Whatever you're calling me, it's not it," she said.

Morgan let out a deep sigh. "I mean, isn't it obvious? My features are nothing like yours. I'm not from Hoshido, Lord Ryoma. And I'm certainly no Nohrian." The two countries' names fell awkwardly on her tongue. "Actually, I'm not from anywhere you'd recognize. I come from very far away."

"So you are saying that you are not Nohrian?" repeated Saizo.

"Yes," she said with a nod.

Ryoma observed her carefully. Certainly, it did not look as if she was lying. Not even Saizo was saying otherwise, though he did have his attention fully on the girl. If he, one of the best ninjas Hoshido had to offer could not detect a lie…

So she really was from somewhere far away and had never heard of Hoshido or Nohr. That, or she was an excellent liar. There was only one way to make sure.

"Follow me to the capitol."

"What?" Morgan asked confusion evident upon her features.

"You are a mercenary, you need to be paid. Come to the capitol."

"Eh- you know that I was just saying that, don't you?" She admonished. "I was glad to helped, do you think anyone halfway decent can just ignore and go on her way? And anyways, in truth, I'm pretty certain that I was the one forcing myself on you and your army- I don't need to be compensated. And I have to look for my brother."

"I thought you told me that your work was worth the king's ransom," remarked Ryoma.

"I didn't mean that! I just wanted to help," she cried, flushing. "I don't make people pay ridiculous amounts of money to make me carry out duty."

Ryoma made a placating gesture with his hands. "I insist. Follow me to the capitol." With a knowing look in his eyes, he stated, "You don't know where your brother is at all, don't you?"

Her eyebrows scrunched. "How did you get that?"

"You don't have a clue to where you're going, you say you've never heard of Hoshido or Nohr yet you don't ask for directions, I think it is evident that you are going to where your heart takes you."

"Is it that obvious?" she asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

He snorted, amused. "Follow me to the capitol, and I'll give you a tour and momentary compensation- you might refuse it, but I think you'd rather need it. Even if you have gold from your home, the currency must be different, no?"

In truth, thought Ryoma as he observed Morgan quietly, he could not just let this strange girl pass. She did not seem like one, but she was still a threat. Relations with Nohr were strained, and many predicted war to break out soon. Queen Mikoto was the only one preventing a full out war with her magical barrier. And to let a stranger talented in both tactics, swordsmanship, and magic pass? No matter how harmless she seemed, he could not let that happen. His mother would know what to do. With her sight, and even if that failed, with the throne of truth, Ryoma would know what to do with this girl.

"You set quite the convincing argument, Lord Ryoma," replied Morgan wryly. "Lead the way."

Ryoma ignored the way Saizo bristled at her disrespectful tone. His retainer would have to bear with it, for he didn't think she would abandon her disrespectful tone anytime soon.

Ryoma signaled his army. As much as he tried, he could not shake off the one feeling that refused to abandon him.

A storm was brewing.

And he was afraid that Hoshido was right in the middle of it.

AN: The Prologue is in Ryoma's POV. The rest will be in first person, Morgan's POV (mostly, that is). Do I have too many stories right now? I was planning on working on R'sFC, but this idea was really insistent. Hope you still loved it. Review!