Shattered Petals

Chapter 3: Ambush


Disclaimer:

I do not own any part of the Fire Emblem series, I only own this fanfic (In a way) and the slightly altered story line. My apologies if some of the characters seem a bit out of, well, character but I'm trying my best.


"Ugh, my poor feet. I've got blisters the size of eggs!" Lissa complained as Robin leaned against Sumia's Pegasus, panting. She lowered a wing as the small Tactician fell onto said wing.

"S-sorry... Thanks girl..." he said as Sumia petted the Pegasus. She had been sitting atop the Pegasus for the entire ride.

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa. Just a healthy little stroll! How are you holding up, Robin?" Chrom asked his buddy with a smile. His buddy on the other hand was trying to stand back up as the Pegasus kept catching him.

"My legs feel like pudding..." Robin said, panting as he stood up. "That's been thrown into a bowl to mix again..." he said as he fell over. "Your endurance is crazy, Chrom!" he said as Frederick picked him up by his hood. "Thanks Sir Frederick." he said as the man nodded.

"Of course, Robin." the knight replied with a smile before helping the poor boy stand up before putting his hands behind his back again.

"Hah! Should I carry you?" Chrom asked his Tactician with a smile.

The Tactician shook his head and stretched, sighing. "I'll be fine Chrom."

"You can carry me!" Lissa exclaimed with raised arms and a smile. Chrom and the others looked at her with raised eyebrows. "... No, seriously. I would really be okay with you carrying me." she said, pouting as Robin coughed.

"Awkward..."

"Hmm..." The man in green who came along with them seemed to be worried about something. He looked around toward the mountains for a moment as Frederick turned his head to look at the man.

"Is something troubling you, Hierarch? You keep glancing up at the peaks." he questioned with his usual straight face.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm just a b-bit nervous I'm afraid. Gh-ghastly times, these!" he said, looking back at Frederick with a sheepish smile as Lissa turned around. The man turned around as well as Robin fell over once more to sit for a bit. He quickly leaned over and tugged on Chrom's cape as the prince bent over.

As Chrom's ear came closer, Robin whispered, "Chrom, who's that?" The prince looked down at him after pointing at the man.

"The hierarch? He's been a friend of House Ylisse for many years. He guided Emmeryn during the early years of her rule. Why do you ask?" Chrom asked with a smile.

The Tactician shrugged, biting his lip slightly. "I can't quite put my finger on it," Robin began, poking his own chin. "but something feels..."

"Milord!" Frederick exclaimed, pointing behind Chrom as the Prince and his Tactician turned to be greted by two men carrying axes.

"... Wrong. Darn it, people always destroy my dramatic pauses!"

"Grah ha hah! Time to die, princey!" one of them exclaimed as Robin stood up, groaning. He quickly drank a Vulnerary.

"You seem friendly." he commented as he unsheathed his Iron Sword from its sheath on his back.

"Plegian soldiers? Damn! How did they know we were here?" Chrom asked as he drew his Falchion and bit his lip. "Everyone! Prepare for battle!" He called out to the Sheperds as he ran forth and swung his blade, only to be followed close behind by Robin with his own Iron Sword.

"Chrom!" Lissa exclaimed as Chrom blocked an oncoming axe with his blade. Chrom looked at her to see the other man approaching his baby sister.

"Lissa!" he shouted with eyes wide and losing a grip on his sword.

"Pick a god and pray!" Frederick shouted as he quickly threw his Javelin at the man's weapon, causing it to fly out of his hand and onto the ground nearby. The man growled and instead grabbed Lissa by the throat as Sumia and Frederick charged at him. They stopped as the man was immediately sliced in half by Lon'qu.

"Lon'qu?" Lissa asked, looking up at him as he looked to Chrom and ran.

"Thank Naga she's o-GAH!" Chrom shouted in pain as his own opponent landed a punch to his stomach and sent him back a step.

"Hah! I'll at least take you out, princ-" he began as Robin stabbed the man through his stomach clumsily. 'Agh!" The man coughed out blood as Robin looked up at him. "Y-you little twa-"

"Fire!" Robin shouted while shoving his hand in the man's face, causing flames to damn near blast his head off. Instead, it melted the man's flesh clean off as Robin frantically attempted to to pull his blade out from the man's stomach. "A-a-a-a-AAH!" Robin shouted with fear in his eyes. "H-h-h-help me someone!" he shouted as Lon'qu pushed him to the side and easily yanked the sword from the corpse's gut.

"You're fine, Robin." he said, wiping the blood on the body's pants before handing the blade to the Tactician who nervously and slowly picked it up, gulping.

"Y-y-you okay, C-C-C-C-Chrom?" Robin asked, shaking as he looked back at the Prince, who nodded and got to his feet.

"Still not used to killing living people, are you?" Chrom asked as Robin shook his head and ran into the prince for a hug, who happily returned it. "It's alright Robin..." he said with a smile before a frown followed right after. He looked and pointed as Panne ran up to him and held a hand to her ear. Sumia looked around immediately as did Frederick. "What's wrong?"

"Where's the Hierarch?" Frederick asked as Chrom's eyes widened.


Meanwhile...


A man wearing orange armor from the class of the Wyvern Rider took a deep breath in through his nose. "Ahhhhhhhhh... Smell that, men? The winds of fortune are blowing our way!" he shouted as his men gave a loud cheer. Soon after, the previously mentioned, missing hierarch appeared in front of him. "What's this then?"

"Hold, sir! I am the man King Gangrel told you about! Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?" the man asked. "You are Wyvern Rider Vasto, correct?"

"Aye. And I've orders to protect a man, true..." he said as his eyes scanned the hierarch. "But I see no man here! Only a pig! A rasher of traitorous bacon that sold out his own sovereign!" he shouted at the man as his Wyvern let out a loud(Howl? Screech? Scream?). The hierarch gulped as Vasto slowly lowered his axe. "And what do we do with little piggies, mmm?" he asked, leaning over as if to get a good look at him.

"Well, you... I mean, perhaps... You let them go free?" he seemed to almost beg as Vasto grinned.

"Oh, are you a chicken now? Bawk bawk! We've a whole barnyard in our midst!" he said as his men laughed. "Well, it don't matter what you are. The axe will fall just the same!" he said as a Plegian Barbarian appeared behind the man.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeek!" the hierarch screeched in fear as the brigand struck him down.

"Right! Now for the main event. By moon's end, they'll be erecting statues of me in the capital!" he said as he flew up. "Ho there! Ylisseans! Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and spare yourselves a gory end!" he said with a laugh and a grin as Chrom gritted his teeth once Panne told him what he said.

"Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column. We'll fend off these blackguards!" Chrom said, pointing behind him.

"Robin, Sumia, can you cove-" Chrom began before the Tactician climbed up onto her Pegasus with her. He smiled at them.

"We'll cover the skies! Sir Frederick, please protect Princess Lissa! Vaike, you and Lon'qu cover each other! Ricken, go wih Kellam! Kellam! Whatever you do, please stay near Chrom! Gaius! Donnel! You two attack with a Slice and Stab routine! Virion, Miriel, Panne, Maribelle, Sully and Stahl! Protect the Exalt! Is this okay?!" Robin called out in his loudest voice as the Sheperds let out a loud cheer. "Everything's ready!" Robin said to Chrom before coughing.

"Good job Robin. Sheperds! To battle!" Chrom shouted as those called to the front lines as they charged a bit. The Tactician and Pegasus Knight took to the skies as they spotted the enemy.

"Robin! I see four in front of us!" Sumia pointed at the Wyvern Knights as the shaky Tactician held onto her tightly, eyes still wide. "Do you think you ca-" she began before large gusts of wind came from below. "Thank you Ricken!" she called out as the Wyvern riders were knocked from their beasts.

Meanwhile, on the cliffs, the ground troops were making quick work of the ground enemies. "Time for Phase two! Donny, to me!" Chrom called out as Gaius ran to him, having Donny follow close behind to stand and watch Chrom's back. "Frederick!" he called out as the knight and Lissa rode over to them. "Okay, there's just a few more!" Chrom called out, not noticing another Wyvern Rider flying down toward the Exalt.

Robin's eyes widened as he just saw it in the corner of his eye. "VIRION!" he called out to the archer, who quickly notched an arrow and aimed, letting it free to take out the Wyvern. Unfortunately, this meant that the Wyvern and its rider would come crashing down onto the group.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we must move!" he exclaimed a Phila held out a hand to the Exalt.

"Your grace!" she said as Emm climbed onto her pegasus and they flew away, followed by the others soon after. Seconds later, a red haired woman came flying in, landing next to the Exalt's party. She was panting heavily and covered in a bit of sweat.

"No! Plegians here as well?!" she shouted angrily. Captain Phila! Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They'll be upon us soon!" she told Phila as the woman blinked. Upon closer inspection, one could see scratches in her armor, and that both her and her steed were weak from possible battles and the flight to the Exalt.

"Is that... Gods, Cordelia?!" she exclaimed as Robin and Sumia flew off toward the enemy, Chrom running alongside them alone.

"Chrom this is dangerous!" Robin scolded as Chrom shot him a smile.

"I can't let my best friend fight a battle without me, can I? Even if he's got an ally fighting alongside him." he said as Sumia smiled at the two.

"You'd better hold on tight, Robin." she said as they took off to the enemy in the sky. "There he is!"

"Your attempt on the Exalt's life has failed!" Robin called out as he held Sumia tightly. "Surrender now and we will spare you!" he said as the man laughed at him.

"You? You shrimp. I'll splatter you and your girlfriend across the canyon floor!" he shouted, baring his teeth angrily as Robin blushed and hid his face in Sumia's back.

"W-we're just c-close friends..." he said as Sumia gasped. "S-sure we spend the nights together reading books, some romantic, but it's n-not like we're d-doing cou-"

"Robin!" she scolded as her Pegasus dove to avoid an axe flying right at them.

"S-sorry, I'll focus!" He called out as the Wyvern Rider flew after them. "Elwind!" he called out as they dove. Immediately, her Pegasus closed her wings as they were flown back up by the strong gusts coming from in front of them.

"Stay strong girl!" Sumia shouted as she and Robin held on tight, past the rider who immediately pulled his Wyvern to a stop to look at them.

"Damn you!"

"Hey!" Chrom called out as the rider turned around just in time to see Chrom above him, riding backseat with the red haired woman, Falchion drawn as he quickly dove off of the Pegasus.

"My lord!" Cordelia cried out as Chrom began spinning, clashing his sword with the man's axe in the air.

"Chrom you knucklehead!" Robin called out as Sumia's steed dove with them toward the prince in hopes of saving him. "Ugh! Good thing I brought this!" Robin exclaimed as he pulled something out of his cloak. "Sumia I need you to catch Chrom!" he said, letting her go as she looked back at him.

"Robin what are yo-?!" her eyes widened as he leaned back and followed the Prince's example, diving off the Pegasus as Chrom was still trying to hold onto the Wyvern while fighting with his sword in his right hand. "Robin!"

"Just catch Chrom!" he called out as he landed on the Wyvern, causing Chrom to lose his grip on its leg, due to the sudden weight added to it.

"Oh cra-!" Chrom began before Sumia caught him, her Pegasus going down a bit due to the new weight. "S-Sumia?"

"S-sorry girl!" she said to the Pegasus as it slowly floated to the ground. She looked up immediately to see Robin thrusting an item to the man's chest while his Wyvern was flailing around as if it was trying to get them both off. It eventually descended and landed Robin was pushed off onto the ground. Robin grinned immediately as the man was thrown off of the Wyvern.

"What th-?!" he began as he was surrounded by a blue light. Robin quickly got to his feet and pulled out a second one of those items.

"Wait that's a Second Seal!" the woman with red hair exclaimed as Robin threw it up, picking up a Bronze Axe that was most likely dropped by Vaike.

"Take this!" Robin exclaimed as he jumped up with the Axe as Chrom rushed to his side with his sword. Soon the Tactician was surrounded in a blue light as well. Vasto quickly emerged from the light, swinging his axe with a grin as it collided with Chrom's sword.

"Brat thought he could switch class on me!" he said as he pushed the Prince back. "All I had to do was choose my class once more." he said as he kicked Chrom's Falchion away from him. "Night night, Prince!" he shouted as Sumia and Cordelia flew on over.

"Captain!" they both shouted as the white haired boy emerged from the light, wearing armor similar to Vasto's but blue, with his axe raised. He still wore his signature cloak over most of the light armor.

"Checkmate!" He shouted as he slammed the axe into the man's back, who shouted in pain and turned around to swing his axe at the boy, who had dropped, losing his grip on the axe that was still in the man's back.

"I'll at least kill you! You brat!" he exclaimed before immediately getting run through with two lances from the Pegasus knights. He gasped and coughed up a bit of blood before biting his lip. "You doves think...killing me will change anything?" he asked while giving a smile. "Heh... Even now, my brothers storm across your precious border... Go on, dear exalted coward! Run! Flee while they slaughter your subjects!" He called out, dropping his axe as he pointed at Emmeryn. "Save yourself... Let their faith in you...bleed away...with the rest..." he said before the life left his eyes.

Robin panted heavily and was hugging his knees as he stared at the dead man, left standing by the spears that took his life. Chrom groaned as he got up, grabbing his Falchion and walking over to his friend. He quickly sheathed his blade and offered the boy his hand with a smile. "It's over Robin. We did it." he said as Robin took his hand before being pulled to his feet. "Emm, Lissa and I are safe for now, it's alright." he said as Frederick rode on over with Lissa. Robin was looking down and still shaking. "... Rob-" he began before getting a right hook from the Tactician turned Wyvern Rider. It didn't hurt as much as he expected it to, but with how sudden it was, it caused him to stumble over.

"Don't ever do something so stupid again!" Robin shouted at him, tears streaming down his face. Chrom held his left cheek, sighing and placing a hand on the boy's head. "Stick to the plan and we won't die!" he shouted as Frederick gripped his lance. Chrom shook his head and pulled the boy into a hug.

"... No promises." Chrom said as Robin pounded his fist against the taller teen's chest. "Geez, watch out... You're gonna break one of my ribs." he said as the white haired boy backed up, smiling and wiping his tears. "And stop crying. Didn't you say something about being manly last week?"

"M-manly men cry!" Robin argued as he glared at Chrom. Chrom raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on Falchion before they both cracked smiles and burst out into laughter. Right after, Robin got a tap on the shoulder. He quickly turned to see Lissa pointing past him.

"What do we do about his Wyvern? It didn't fly back." she asked as he quickly turned to it.

"... I'm afraid there is only one thing we can do." Frederick said as Lissa looked down. He quickly hopped off of his steed and drew a Steel Sword. Robin's eyes widened as the now confused beast looked around.


Finally an update! :D Geez, this chapter took way too long to work out. Probably because I couldn't think about how the chapter should go. While I want it to focus on an upcoming romance between Sumia and Chrom, friendship between Chrom and Robin, along with the rest of the Sheperds, and an unrequited love between Robin and Sumia, I've been trying to decide where to take this to. Also, Robin's sudden transformation to a Wyvern Rider was just because I was always curious as to what happens to the steeds when their masters die, especially when they're Risen. And I love using the crap out of Second Seals (MAXIN' OUT CHARACTER STATS DUDE! :D Too long but not worth it in the end. Especially since I plan to max stat every character as Dread Fighter and Bride (This includes all DLC Cards, and other visiting Tacticians that I've got through Spotpass (Methinks it's called.)))

Aside from that, I've got an idea for the battle with King Gangrel and what happens between the peaceful years so yay. Other than that... Naaaaaaah. Still haven't decided on a pairing. Probably never will. Strangely though, I'm now falling for Tiki and Say'ri. D: So, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading the chapter and if you'd like to, feel free to leave a review if you'd like. This has been Crescent Crane, and have a good day! :D