Chapter 2

Hoy! So you powered through to the next chapter? Well, good fer ye! Heh, well, here she is! Or he. Equalism people, equalism.

~0~

Stahl

Present Time

"Stahl, Erin...We need to talk."

The voice was that of their father's. They hadn't expected for him to be home for hours, so why was he here now? Why did he want to speak with Stahl? Had they done something wrong? The questions milled about his head, causing him to miss the other presence in the room until they spoke up.

"So you are the two children I've heard about..." A blonde woman in a dark blue cloak sat at the round wooden table in the dining room. Everything about her radiated superiority; her clear, calm voice; her posture; her neatly folded hands; her crossed legs; her warm smile. It wasn't a commanding type of superiority, but a peaceful, reassuring one. One that made you feel at ease. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

His sister stiffened next to him and then relaxed. What had bothered her? Stahl wondered as his mother spoke. "Erin, could you please set the table? Stahl, could you get some food for Her Grace?" Her Grace? Stahl looked at the woman and then to his mother in bewilderment. "Now, Stahl." He glanced at his mother and then at his sister sheepishly, but couldn't find her as she had already begun her chore.

Slightly embarrassed, Stahl made his way over to the pot of stew Mother had cooked up and brought it over to the table, placing it on a hot pad. Erin had already finished her job and sat next to the exalt, staring at her intently as if trying to read her soul.

"So, what do you want with us?" Erin asked, leaving all manners and respect at the door.

Mother glared at her. "Be respectful when you speak to the exalt!"

"But aren't we all equals? Here at this round table? There is no head, nor end. Doesn't that make us all equal in worth?" Stahl had to keep himself from laughing at Erin's attempt at being witty (and suppressing annoyance at their mother). Still, the words did ring true, as they did indeed sit at a round table and the exalt did not seem offended in the least.

"Enough from you. Speak respectfully or not at a—"

"Forgive me for interrupting, but that is quite all right. I wish to speak to you all as equals; that is not something I get to do often with my people." The exalt smiled warmly, eliminating any tension that had been in the room mere seconds before. "And to answer your question...What I ask is not easy. But...For the safety of your daughter, she needs to be brought into Valkyrie's custody. As for your son...We'll need to take him in as well, to complete the illusion." The peace that had settled upon Stahl and Erin vanished instantly and was replaced with shock. Their parents didn't seem surprised in the least and that was probably why they had been so urgent before.

"Valkyrie? What is that?" Erin asked. "And why must I be in their custody? Why must Stahl complete an illusion?"

"An organization is hunting down special people like you. If I take you both in, it will just seem as if you are new recruits. Well, just for your brother here. Women have never been welcomed by the men in the army," Emmeryn replied, closing her eyes as she did. "You would have to serve as a maid."

"A m-maid?"

"Yes. My sister's and brother's aide is getting high in years. It's due time that she retires. Being one woman and handling them both is too much for someone of her age. Don't worry, you won't have to do the same. I have another to help you." The exalt opened her eyes and looked to the assembled people. "I am not forcing you to do this; I am only trying to do the best for you all. If that organization were to find you here...Your family would suffer."

"But certainly they can come with us?" Stahl splayed his hands onto the table and firmly stood. "There's room in the upper districts, is there not?"

Father shook his head. "We can't drop everything and move to the upper districts...It would seem too suspicious as well. Two youths getting jobs would not." Stahl slowly slid back into his seat, defeated.

"We can come visit, right?" his sister asked, her normal cool demeanor becoming a desperate one.

Emmeryn smiled sadly, doing very well at sympathizing. "The lower districts aren't safe for you anymore. If a member had seen you come in contact with them as of now, you'd be subdued and forced to watch..." She trailed off. The exalt seemed to speak from experience, perhaps having seen it happen to other families.

Erin sighed deeply, reverting back to her old self, though her eyes still betrayed a great sadness. "If it's to keep you all safe..." Stahl understood how she felt, and did probably the most out of everyone. She always had this dream of being a knight and he had one of being a medic or nonviolent servant to the exalt. Now their desired paths were swapped. "Then I will gladly do it. I'm sure there's tons of beds to be made, floors to be swept and royals to look after."

~0~

Chrom

The Next Morning

Chrom sighed from where he sat at his desk, twiddling the quill that should've been being used to fill out useless paperwork. Lissa never had to do this, so why did he? Ah, maybe because 'getting acquainted with other nobles and countries matters' counted as 'his duties as heir to the throne of Ylisse'. That was how Emmeryn put it, anyway.

"You know, maybe it'd help if you actually read these stupid complaints from nobles. They're so BS it's hilarious," his new aide said, reading through papers. The man had only been a bit younger than Chrom and was rather cheek and informal, but that didn't bother the prince at all; he liked being treated as an equal. "It'd also do you good if you read the terms of what you were approving...You signed for ratifying slave trading in eastern Ylisse."

"What?!" He looked around wildly for the document. "Where is it then, Robin?!"

"I assumed you knew what you were doing and filed it with the others..." Robin held a serious expression for all off two seconds before doubling over in laughter.

The prince let out an annoyed huff and just shook his head. "I've known you for about half a day and I can already tell that you're just as bad as Lissa." Despite his annoyance, he couldn't help but smile. Maybe this aide wouldn't be just that. "Now...Want to burn this?"

"Burn paperwork that could sway the fate of the entire halidom?" the aide asked in mock awe. "Sure."

~0~

Erin

The Next Morning

I had never been good at goodbyes, and now was no exception. I looked at my parents, steeling my gaze. Crying was something that I wouldn't do. Not in front of everyone else. Maybe alone. Maybe at night. I don't know. Just not now.

"I hope we do see each other again," I said way too formally. "Per..." My voice cracked and I let out a cough to compose myself. "Perhaps over tea or something." I turned away and stepped into the carriage, not daring to look back.

Stahl had stayed behind and gave proper goodbyes: hugs and heartfelt words. I envied him in that way. I could never bring myself to do something like that. Many had said I was a heartless bitch when it came to these things, and I wasn't ready or willing to argue. It was blatant fact.

One he was done, Stahl climbed up into the carriage that the exalt had sent for us that morning. She said it was the least she could do to make our journey to the upper district easier. He immediately turned to me. "They worry about you when you go all emo teen, you know," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Whatever," that was all I said as the coachman flicked the reins and the horses began to clop down the streets.

I was quiet the whole way as was Stahl, unless the rumble of the wheels, click-clack of hooves and my own mind had caused me to miss what he had said. When we pulled up to the palace, I stepped out, pulling my small trunk of belongings with me. Stahl had a bit more to go for the Knights' garrison. I waved once and the carriage began to move once more, circling the premises and heading to the training area.

As it left my view, I faced the palace and walked past the guards without being stopped. I guess they wouldn't want to apprehend an innocent girl, I thought. Well...This is the first day...of the rest of my godsforsaken life.

The large doors swung open as I neared them, revealing a mighty throne room. Royal blue drapes hung over the windows and a royal blue carpet ran through the center of the gray marble floor, starting at the door and stopping at the throne. Similarly colored banners with white Brands of the Exalt in the center covered a white column every few feet in the outer edges of the room. Standing to wait for me in the middle of the room was the exalt and two Knights. It gave me a feeling of...equality when the exalt chose to stand rather than sit on her blue-cushioned throne. Two more thrones, probably for the prince and princess, were on either side of hers.

"So you've arrived safely," the exalt said, extending her arms in welcome. "I do hope your time spent here is enjoyable."

"I'm sure it will be," I replied curtly, trying not to throw something at the nice lady. "Why is it that I am special, Your Grace?"

Emmeryn's smile faltered for a moment. She turned to the two Knights—a man and...a woman?—and signaled them to leave. They complied with bows, trusting that she would be safe.

"I did forget to mention that, didn't I?" The exalt became sheepish, breaking her previously established superiority. "Well...You're a demigod, Erin." I closed my eyes, processing this information. A demigod? What was that? And what was so special about it? "I'm sure you have many questions about that. If you didn't know, demigods are the half-human, half-god children of the gods or other deities. Though your parent is unknown, this makes you a prime target for experiments."

"Experiments? And how will we find out who my parent is..." I was pretty sure my calmness surprised the exalt, since she looked taken aback at my even drawl. But that wasn't the case, I was having an internal meltdown.

Godly parent? How...what...I...So my mother...My actual mother...was a goddess?

"Yes, experiments. Ones too brutal to describe." Emmeryn looked away sadly, as if recalling a memory. What else did she know? "Your parent will claim you in time. It's hard to determine now. I asked your father about it and he said he hadn't known and thought that your mother had walked out on him."

"I see...Um, forgive my asking, but you said there were no female Knights, yet..." I trailed off, hoping the exalt got what I meant.

"Ah...That was Captain Phila. She is the commander of the Pegasus Knights. A platoon of healers, not fighters, despite the name. They are trained in arcane arts and all forms of healing," Emmeryn explained. "I would've recommended that, but you do not fit the height or weight requirements to ride a pegasus." Healers. Sigh. Still, arcane arts can be used for attacking, can they not? "All other military groups...The women who have joined in the past have been discriminated, leaving as soon as they could, and that is the least vile thing. Since the Pegasus Knights are an all female group, there hasn't been room for any of that."

My knuckles turned white as I gripped my trunk's handle. "How dare they...This..." I threw down the trunk angrily, crossing my arms. The exalt calmly watched, waiting for the explosion. It never came as I came to my senses and bowed my head. "I-I'm sorry, that's uncalled for...Uh..." I coughed. "Anything else, Your Grace?"

"Ah, yes...According to everyone else in this castle, you are just a replacement for Helena. I wish that you'd keep it a secret. Especially from my brother. He holds a strong hate for demigods. It's...Just if you had gone through what he has, you'd understand his disposition." The exalt was extremely serious when she said that, her mouth a grim line. After letting that sink in, she smiled once more. "Helena should be able to show you the routine." As if summoned by those words, an old woman appeared, hobbling over and pulling me away from the throne room. Emmeryn simply laughed. I have never been more scared in my life...

~0~

This woman may have been old, but she was sprightly and relentless. As soon as they left the exalt's sight, Helena dragged me through the castle, giving me a crash course on all of her chores and a proper uniform. It consisted of a simple white bodiced work dress with a dark blue skirt and straight white apron, not the traditional maid attire (thank the gods). I was also forced to pull my curly brown hair into a messy bun. And it was way too tight, the bun, I felt as if it were pulling at my forehead and trying its best to tame the frizz.

The chores included, and were not limited to: serving the two royals in their rooms if necessary, cleaning any messes, helping the princess dress and bathe, and help in both royals' routines. After the whirlwind of...whatever that was, Helena left and I was sent off with my first chore. Collect very important paperwork and bring it to Emmeryn's office.

"Milord...?" I went up to the room which I thought was his and knocked. There was no response from the other end, but I didn't care and entered anyway. "Oh...gods...What are you doing?!"

On the right of the doorway was a fireplace. In that fireplace was the work I was to pick up. Who put it there? Obviously not the two standing in front of it, laughing like retards. They both looked towards me after hearing my outburst. The white haired one looked extremely smug, not surprised in the least nor regretting anything. The bluenette, which I assumed was the prince, gaped at me, trying to find words to explain himself.

"Don't even try," I said harshly. "You know, I was going to at least try and respect you, but now I can see that that is impossible." I didn't know what it was—most certainly not what happened—but I knew from that moment that I hated this prince. His aide was all right, all smug and witty bastards were. "Now rewrite that paperwork. All of it." Hey, if I get beheaded, I won't have to deal with these idiots, so I'm willing to risk it.

"...Yes'm." To my surprise, they both stood, pulled the remnants of the paperwork out of the cinders and began to copy what they could.

"...Stupid paperwork..." Chrom muttered, exaggerating every. Single. Damn. Movement. "Robin...Do it for me..."

"Yeah, mean lady. Who are you to make us do this?" the aide asked.

"I'm absolutely no one. And I have no idea why you're actually doing what I said." Honestly, I understand the aide, but you'd think the prince, the fucking prince, would have a bit more backbone. "Especially you, princeling. I need to give those papers you so rudely destroyed to your sister."

"Oh, so you're the new vassal...Your name, please?" Chrom asked.

I harrumphed, just wanting to be out of this place, or at least give the exalt the work. "Erin, Lord Prince."

"There's no need for form—"

"Oh, but there is, Lord Prince. Hurry up on that, will you."

I turned to leave, but Robin muttered, "Geez, who lit the fuse on her tampon..."

I assumed that he hadn't meant for me to hear that, it was so quiet I barely did, but still, I whipped around and glared at him. "Maybe you'll act the same when you're ripped from your family and forced to serve the godsdammed House Ylisse! As damn maid, no less! Believe me, I have better things to do with my life," I looked right at the prince, "and they most certainly don't include watching over you damn royals!" I faced the door again, "Have I offended you? May as well send me to flames so I don't have to deal with this hell!" and stormed out, feeling rather proud of myself. That was until I walked into one of the two Knights that were with the exalt before.

The tall man looked down at me with dark, murky brown eyes. His back was straight and his hands were folded behind it neatly, much like his brown hair was combed. He wore the dark blue and silver armor of the knight captain and had what looked like white a dress shirt with a black bow tie underneath. He couldn't have been much older than me, but the grim smile on his face made him seem much, much older, if that makes any sense, and much scarier because he had probably heard everything. So far, my death looked rather imminent.

"S-sorry, sir...I should've been watching where I was going..." I tried to scoot around him, but my path was completely blocked, as were my chances of survival.

"Is it safe to assume you are the new servant girl...?" the man asked in the deep, stern voice of a commander.

"Yessir."

"I see. Please do keep your temper in check when you address the royals." He turned to walk in the other direction, but a voice boomed down the hall; the voice of the lady commander.

"Sir Frederick!" the pale teal-haired woman yelled, running towards us. "It's your newest recruit! He...He's been injured. One of my Knights are taking care of him now, but...This wound...I've seen nothing like it before!"

Newest recruit...but that's...

"Stahl..." I muttered.

The woman, Phila as the exalt had called her, turned her attention towards me. "You know the boy?"

"He's my brother..." I hugged myself, trying not to panic. "Will he be all right? Could I possibly see him? I know a thing or two about herbs...I'm sure I could be of assistance..."

Frederick nodded solemnly, speaking to the Pegasus Knight commander. "Where is the Knight?"

"On the training grounds. We'd best hurry." Phila said, hurrying back the way she came.

~0~

Cordelia

This boy...He looked absolutely horrible, and Cordelia had been tasked with healing him. She was a prodigy, a paragon among the order, no challenge was too great. There wasn't a cut she couldn't sew up or a poison she couldn't heal. No ailment too immune, no wound too deep. But this...this was vexing. Even for her. The cut was just that, a cut, but the mark it left was not red. It was black.

"Come on, Delia. You can do this. You've done it dozens of times. There has to be an obvious answer," she murmured to itself.

Her patient was even more perplexing. Normally a cut would just be there. The patient wouldn't be effected in any way. This boy spasmed, pale and screaming, as if whatever had cut him were ripping his soul from his body.

...

Or maybe it was darkness trying to force itself in. Light magic. That's what was needed. But light magic of this type hadn't been used in centuries. Was there even...No. She couldn't give up. This boy's life hangs in the balance.

"Delia?" Her best friend, Sumia, stood nearby, holding so many tomes and staves that she was surprised that she could hold it all. "How's it coming?"

"I've tried everything..." Cordelia sighed. "I think I've discovered the solution, but...I don't have the materials needed to treat this. You wouldn't happen to have a light tome there, do you?"

Sumia shook her head. "Perhaps Captain Phila has some...or maybe the exalt? She is the Holy Queen, after all."

"Exalt Emmeryn wouldn't have any. They were all destroyed in the fire in the library a few years ago, if they were in there, that is. I doubt she would keep books anywhere else." Cordelia looked back to her patient, applying pressure to his wound with a rag. "It's going to be all right. Just hang in there." It was not going to be all right. There was nothing she could do to treat this, and his screams weren't helping to ease her guilt. She was useless here. Completely useless.

"Cordelia, how is the boy?" Captain Phila ran up behind her with two others: The knight captain and someone she didn't recognize, but she seemed rather worried about the boy she was tending to.

"Captain, I..." Cordelia glanced downward. "I'm sorry. I do not have the resources for this. No one does."

~0~

Erin

"I cannot treat this...I fear he will not live." Cordelia said.

"What?!" I asked. Stahl's cries were painful to listen to and they only made it harder for me to watch. There's nothing we could do? Nothing?! But...No, she couldn't lose him too. There had to be something. "You're a damn healer for Naga's sake! How godsdamn hard can it be?!"

"Peace, child. Cordelia is the best in the order, and if she can't do this...No one can." Phila was not helping at all.

"No..." I knelt down next to him, grass beginning to stain my dress skirt, but I didn't care. I held his right hand, the one closest to me. "Come on Stahl...Hang in there. I can't lose you...You're the only family I have at the moment." He continued to spaz and scream, and all I could do was watch. "Stop the damn screaming, will you?!" The aggressive approach did not work. "Gods...Oh gods..." I turned my head to face the pegasus knight commander. "How'd this happen?"

"We don't know what happened exactly, but we found this in a bush close to where he was found." The brunette pegasus knight with the staves and books said, nudging a dark purple cloak with her foot.

Frederick stiffened as if recognizing the cloak. I looked at it more closely this time and realized that it wasn't just any cloak, but Robin's cloak, or one just like it. It seemed that they hadn't begun to suspect who the cloak belonged to, except Frederick that is, he seemed to be amazing at these kinds of things.

"Then...Who do you believe it is?" I glanced at the knight commander. "You seem to have noticed something, Sir Frederick. Please tell me if you know. Who did this?" He furrowed his brow, seemingly reluctant to say anything.

"I believe it to be the Lord Prince's manservant," Frederick said. "The man who entered this castle just yesterday." He glanced to Captain Phila. "It is hard for me to believe that Robin was behind this, despite my suspicions. He's a man of noble birth, that is obvious, so what motive would he have to harm these innocents?"

"I do not know, Sir Frederick," Phila muttered. "But this man is a suspect, and will most definitely be held completely accountable." She turned to face some of Frederick's knights who had gathered. "Seize the servant. We shall bring him before the exalt for judgement." Phila then turned to face me, trying to look sympathetic. "Don't worry, we'll get the cure from him for your brother. And then we'll send him to the flames, most definitely."

But...That can't be. Robin was with the prince the whole time.

AN: And scene...I already had this typed up, so, yeah. Only had to finish a bit of it. So, here it is^ XD Yeah, yeah. I know. Anyway, who's the real culprit? Is it Robin? But that would be...illogical. Heh, I dunno! Find out next time!