AN: From the beginning I knew I was giving myself a limited timeframe to work with for this story, and so I designed the plot to compensate as best I could. As I mentioned before, Yen'fay and Lissa's relationship will be escalating quickly, and in this chapter you will see exactly what I meant by that. I hope no one is appalled.

I actually originally had a line in the last chapter explaining that the guards wouldn't dare defy Excellus, but I cut it for pacing and because Lissa was not, after all, being watched every minute. Do not expect a large role for Owain, more like a cameo if anything, is all I'll say on that matter. Sylvius, thank you for the compliments. I too wish that more people would enjoy this story.

Regrettably, according to the statistics available to me, it seems that readers are actually losing interest with every chapter. It's not an encouraging trend, but the numbers are clear.

Yen'fay felt like he was walking on the wind itself as he went about the hallways of the palace. It was just three days since he had confessed the truth to Lissa. The weight of years of loneliness had lifted almost overnight, leaving him invigorated, no longer a puppet on strings but a human being with a will of his own. Only his considerable discipline kept the awe from his face.

His unspeakable burden was still present, never far from his mind, but having someone to share it with had changed everything. In public, to his subordinates and subjects, he remained the stoic leader the empire expected him to be. In his private chambers, however, where he spent every available minute in the company of Lissa, warmth had returned to his voice and the ghost of a smile to his lips.

"I have brought tea." Yen'fay set the tray down on the floor. "'Tis black, like the exports. I understand they favor such in Ylisse."

Lissa looked up from the vase she had been dusting. She smiled, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

"Oh you silly, I would've drank it no matter what color it was. But thanks, that's really sweet of you!"

The Ylissean princess had complained about the stale air and dust in the room. After sneezing one too many times, she had insisted on tidying the place up herself. It hadn't taken long for it to become clear that she had little talent for housework; the spilled buckets of water, broken broom handles, and torn washcloths had done more harm than good at first. But Yen'fay had been patient, and Lissa had been persistent, and now the chambers almost looked as good as new.

"I confess I do not understand why you undertake such menial work yourself." Yen'fay sipped his tea. "It would be a trifle to have the servants do it. Had I asked this of a princess, it would be seen as a great insult in Chon'sin. Is the custom different in Ylisse?"

"Not really. The servants there are always trying to do everything for me too." Lissa bounced over to collect her own cup. "It's just not how I operate, mister. Besides, is it custom for the King of Chon'sin to be serving tea to anyone?"

Yen'fay smiled. "Perhaps not."

Lissa winked and returned to her work, all but flying around the royal chambers, flinging the shutters open to let more air and light in. Yen'fay couldn't help but watch for a while as she literally brightened the room. Then, remembering why he had come in the first place, he set his tea down and cleared his throat.

"I bear news of your brother."

The Ylissean princess stopped and turned to stare in trepidation. Yen'fay did not keep her in suspense.

"He still lives, or so Walhart and his spies seem to believe. The onetime rebellion offered only token resistance when your Shepherds fled the fortress. Without my army positioned to limit their movements, they were able to outpace their pursuers for—"

Lissa squealed with delight and flung her arms around him. It was not the sort of thing one did with the King of Chon'sin, but Yen'fay found himself caring less and less for decorum around her.

Not that decorum wasn't a concern. His warriors, bound tightly by oaths they took very seriously indeed, would say nothing about Lissa spending so much time in his quarters. However, word that Yen'fay had the Princess of Ylisse cleaning his room like a maid had in fact already spread among the servants. He'd accepted that. His reputation had meant little since he capitulated to Walhart, and if accepting his role as a villain would protect Lissa and keep a smile on her face, then he was content to do so.

"I knew they'd make it," Lissa exulted. "My brother can do anything, he's nothing like me."

"Fie. It is good to see you in such high spirits, but you do not give yourself enough credit." Yen'fay gestured around the sparkling room. "It beggars belief that your brother could be half as tenacious as this."

Lissa giggled. Yen'fay was warmed by the sound. Having allowed the princess into his confidence, it proved impossible not to allow her into his heart. That was a sobering thought, as the Chon'sin King was still all too aware of their precarious position. He knew how easily he could lose everything, Lissa and Say'ri both, if he made even the slightest misstep.

Sharp as always, Lissa caught the change in his demeanor. "Is something wrong?"

"I yet harbor concerns regarding Excellus' threat," Yen'fay admitted. "I am worried for Say'ri, and for you as well. I do not wish to take away from your joy, but not all the news I bring is good. Walhart has issued a direct order for me to meet your brother as he moves south."

Yen'fay was still getting used to honesty after being out of practice for so long. The part left unsaid was that he wasn't sure Ylisse could prevail in the war, and that in the worst case scenario he feared he would have to make arrangements to protect Lissa should Walhart remain in power.

Lissa was pensive for a few moments before speaking. "You know, this might be a good thing. If we can reach Chrom, get a message to him somehow without anyone finding out, he might be able to help."

"I cannot see the good in this." Yen'fay shook his head. "It will be difficult for me to protect you while I am away, and I can delay no longer. I must march this very night."

Lissa looked at him funny. "What do you mean, 'while you're away'? I'm coming with you, of course."

That possibility had not occurred to Yen'fay at all. His first thought was that it wasn't a good idea. It would be unusual, to say the least, to bring a royal hostage with a travelling army. All sorts of people could get any number of wrong ideas about it. He couldn't deny what a comfort the princess would be, however, and she could very well be safer that way. They could figure it out as they went, he decided. That was some of Lissa rubbing off on him.

"So be it." Yen'fay nodded.

Lissa smiled and rested her head on his shoulder contently. Yen'fay looked down at her thoughtfully. Caught up in the turmoil of his life changing more in a couple weeks than it had in years, he hadn't really reflected on the fact that his feelings for Lissa were different than those he had for Say'ri, though no less powerful. He was in love with the princess, and may have been from the start. Unless he was gravely misreading her intentions, she held some affection for him as well.

There was no point in denying it. Yen'fay would lie to the world if he must, but he would not lie to himself. That was the way of a coward.

The Chon'sin King put his arm around Lissa and was rewarded as she snuggled up to him more. He knew it was unlikely that they would ever be able to act on their feelings, but accepting them made him all the more determined to protect her. He did not blind himself to the perils that accompanied such sentiments. To see Lissa hurt because of him would be a fate worse than death.

Yen'fay tightened his embrace. They would be marching to war together soon. He resolved to be twice as vigilant in keeping the princess safe, no matter what the threat might be.

"It's not my fault that that the Ylisseans escaped, master! I humbly remind you, it was my cunning design that turned the dynasts against them in the first place."

Excellus wrung his hands and cringed, the perfect image of contrition. Like a statue wrought of steel, Walhart glared unblinkingly at his tactician, clearly unimpressed. The imperial scouts had reported the Ylissean League well out of reach of his northern forces, and sitting idly in his command tent put the Conqueror in a foul mood.

"Words do not win battles," Walhart rumbled. "Your pretty machinations did not prevent Fort Steiger from falling, nor did they bring us any closer to victory. The dynast farm lords let the enemy slip right through their fingers, and now we play a game of cat and mouse instead of engaging in proper combat."

"If that accursed Yen'fay had marched immediately, he might have been able to cut off their retreat. This is all his doing!" Excellus protested. "But rest assured, master, I can fix this. I've come up with a plan that will surely break the Ylissean prince."

Walhart tilted his head slightly. "Oh?"

"Yes! You see, I'm afraid that Yen'fay has been hiding a most valuable asset from the empire."

"Are you referring to that sad wisp of a Ylissean princess?" Walhart's tone was bored.

Excellus jumped, clearly startled that the man he considered a meathead could know of such intrigue. Hastily concealing his surprise, the tactician nodded and bowed.

"You are as keen as ever, my master," he cooed. "Her capture offers us a serendipitous strategic advantage. She would make the perfect bait for her older brother."

"Stop tiptoeing around it and say plainly what you propose."

Excellus coughed. "Well, just as King Gangrel used the Exalt Emmeryn to lure the prince out in Plegia, so too can we use Princess Lissa to draw him to a place of our choosing. Then, after we execute the girl in front of her horrified comrades, they shall make easy pickings for you."

"Gangrel was a madman and a fool. Do not think to place me in his company." Walhart frowned. "I have no taste for such craven theatrics. Executions should not be pageantry. A proper execution takes place on the battlefield, with the victim laid low by your own hand so that they know their life was taken by the superior warrior."

Excellus twitched in annoyance. "That's… most insightful of you, master. But if I may—"

"Bah. I was not finished." Walhart waved a hand as if brushing aside a gnat. "If you think you can shock the Ylisseans out of their cowardice then so be it, I care not for the details. This sort of thing has always been your purview. Just be quick about it."

"I'll dispense with the pageantry then." Excellus grinned widely. "Thank you master, it'll be my pleasure to handle this for you."

The imperial camp before dawn was a flurry of activity as soldiers, mostly from Chon'sin, pulled up the stakes and prepared to move out. Like any experienced army they had done this hundreds of times. The thing that stood out to Lissa, however, was that for all their practice and organization, there wasn't a whole lot of laughter while they worked. The faces were dour and the conversations short. It was different from the Shepherds where everyone shared an easy sense of familiarity and camaraderie; the only bonds that were supposed to matter in the empire were those attached to Walhart.

Spotting a couple men struggling to load a wagon, Lissa squared her shoulders and strode over to them.

"Hey! Do you need some help with that?"

Without waiting for an answer Lissa picked up a sack of rice and, with difficulty, pushed it up onto the wagon. The soldiers looked at her funny, a mixture of bafflement and suspicion. She gave them her most winning smile, which only seemed to unsettle them more. Lissa had gotten used to that sort of reaction.

When the Ylissean princess first joined the convoy with Yen'fay, none of the imperial troops seemed to know what to make of it. After a couple days of marching with her, their confusion had only increased. They all knew who she was, of course, but why Yen'fay had brought her along, and why she seemed to need neither chains nor escorts were a mystery. It struck them as doubly strange that their orders were not to harm or impede the enemy princess under any circumstances. She had even been allowed to carry a healing staff. Still, they were disciplined soldiers, and so they were wary but not hostile in their interactions with her.

There were rumors of course, whispered among the imperials from outside Chon'sin, about why Yen'fay had dragged his pretty little captive along. She had pitched a tent near his own and was often seen in his company. Few Chon'sin natives took part in such gossip, some out of deference to their oath of fealty, others simply reluctant to believe their king capable of such crimes.

Lissa had wanted to set the record straight but Yen'fay advised her that the rumors could work to their advantage. It was better, after all, to have the imperials suspect him of impropriety instead of suspecting them both of conspiracy. Lissa didn't like the idea of Yen'fay being treated so unfairly, but his arguments made sense and he had insisted. In the end she held her tongue behind gritted teeth and said nothing while they disparaged him.

"There we go! All done. Have a nice day!"

With the wagon fully loaded, Lissa dusted her hands off and resumed walking. The men she had helped muttered their thanks as she left. Lissa had been headed for the edge of the camp before her detour, and it didn't take long for her to reach it. There, waiting among the rocks and trees, she found Yen'fay. The sun had yet to rise, and in the gloom they could be assured of their privacy.

"Well met, Lissa," Yen'fay greeted. "How does the morrow find you? Marching with us has not made you uncomfortable, I pray."

"It's different but I'm fine with it. If I've got anything to complain about, it's that you're always busy at the front of the convoy," Lissa huffed. "I mean, I hardly get to see you during the day. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you don't like me!"

Before Yen'fay had opened up to her Lissa might have expected him to be stoic or oblivious to her teasing. She knew better now. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, a wriggly little gesture that she just couldn't get enough of.

"Fie, I did not mean to leave you lonely. Perhaps I'd best make room in the saddle so that you may ride with me."

Lissa looked at him from under hooded eyelids. "Why Yen'fay, you shouldn't make a girl promises you aren't prepared to keep."

For some reason those words seem to affect the Chon'sin King. In an instant the amused expression Lissa loved so much vanished from his face, returning to polite neutrality.

"You have the right of it," he said quietly. "This is an inauspicious time for dalliances."

Lissa pouted in frustration. The man wasn't dense, he knew she was flirting with him, but the signals he was sending in return were all mixed up. When the barriers came down and they could just chat, unburden by their troubles, Lissa felt a special spark between them. She'd had crushes before; Frederick had been the first and not the last, but those childish fancies were nothing like the burning attraction she felt now.

A love kindled quickly. Those were the words Chrom had used when he'd gotten engaged, or so Olivia had mentioned. Lissa hadn't really believed in such things until she watched her brother walk up the aisle with a dancer he barely knew. She'd thought it sweet but bizarre at the time, but having witnessed the strength of their bond, how could Lissa deny that the same might be possible for her?

"I don't get you sometimes, Yen'fay," she chided. "My brother is always trying to tell me to just be myself, and he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders, so I don't see why you—what's wrong?"

Yen'fay was suddenly tense, his gaze fixed like a hawk over Lissa's shoulder, back towards the camp. It took her a moment to realize that there were footsteps approaching. Turning around, she saw a dozen men with various weapons fanning out to surround them. They were imperials, not men of Chon'sin, and their faces were all grim.

"Your orders were to remain in camp and prepare for the march," Yen'fay said in a steely voice. "Return to your posts at once."

The men remained where they were. One of them, a berserker, stepped forward.

"Your orders have been countermanded from higher up."

"By whom?"

Lissa had a good idea of what the answer would be. Yen'fay kept his arms at his sides, but she knew he could draw his sword in an instant. Amatsu, the weapon was called. The blade of Chon'sin kings. He had shown her some of his drills with it, and the spectacle had been as impressive as anything Chrom had done with Falchion.

"On the orders of Lord Excellus, with the direct authority of Emperor Walhart, Princess Lissa of Ylisse has been sentenced to death for crimes against the empire," the berserker declared. "We are here to carry out that sentence, and we will cut down any who stand in our way."

Lissa swallowed and glanced around at the men, each of them armed to the teeth. They were hopelessly outnumbered. She looked up at Yen'fay and tugged at his sleeve.

"M-maybe you should let them take me. There's too many—"

"Be silent." Yen'fay placed a hand on her shoulder and then turned to the imperials. "You presume to threaten me, and yet you bear no proof of your claims. You are no soldiers of the empire. All I see before me are insubordinate deserters."

With a snarl the berserker lunged forward, but Yen'fay was a dark blur as he cut the man down in one strike. Two myrmidons moved to engage him. The branches of Amatsu trapped their blades, allowing Yen'fay to deal devastating blows with his foot and elbow, effectively disarming them. Lissa pulled out her healing staff with a shaky hand, bathing the Chon'sin King in iridescent light each time he was nicked or bruised. The attackers formed a circle, trying to strike at his back, demanding his full attention. To Lissa's amazement, Yen'fay still managed to hold his own.

There was a rustling in the branches above. Tearing her eyes away from the battle, Lissa looked up. Before she even had time to think, a bow twanged and an arrow shot straight at her—

"Eeek!"

A Chon'sin assassin burst from the shadows, sliced the arrow in half with his sword, and then scrambled up the nearest tree. Lissa fell on her butt in surprise. The sounds of a struggle soon rang out from above. Lissa looked on in trepidation as Yen'fay dispatched the remaining soldiers on the ground. The body of another assassin, this one wearing imperial colors, fell from the branches and landed with a wet thud on the ground.

Just like that it was over. Yen'fay straightened up, and Lissa's heart clenched as she saw the extent of the injuries he had suffered in the battle. Still he stood tall among the bodies of his enemies. His loyal assassin landed silently nearby, awaiting orders.

"No one is to know of this," Yen'fay rasped to the man. "Leave no evidence. Conceal all traces. If there are other agents in the camp, they must be discovered. Kill them quickly and quietly."

The assassin bowed and slipped away. Lissa ran to Yen'fay and hugged him. He grunted, the gesture apparently aggravating his injuries. Lissa sprang apart and drew her staff. Her eyes were wide with worry as she set about knitting his wounds with magic.

"You're hurt," she cried. "Look at you. That was such a stupid thing to do, Yen'fay. What if they had killed you?"

"'Tis no matter." Yen'fay sat on a rock as she tended to him. "My heart is glad that you are unharmed. I feared this outcome. That craven Excellus intends to leave Say'ri alive as leverage and take your life instead as revenge. His reach is long. He will not stop until he has succeeded. We must test your food, post a constant guard around your tent—"

"You can't protect me if you drop dead here," Lissa reminded him. "I've stopped most of the bleeding. We need to get you back to your tent right now for proper rest and treatment. No arguments. Come on, up you go."

Yen'fay did not resist as Lissa pulled him to his feet and led him back into camp. Fortunately it was still dark and most of the soldiers were still occupied with their tasks. Yen'fay made sure to walk without any sign that he was injured, and no one seemed to notice anything amiss. As soon as they made it through the flaps of his tent, he collapsed onto his bedroll with a groan.

Lissa fed him a vulnerary, fluffed up his pillow, and went to retrieve a basin of hot water. When she got back she found his breathing ragged. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gently removed his armor and shirt, revealing more injuries she had missed. She wet a towel in the basin and wiped the crusted blood from his chest. Lissa had seen many terrible injuries on the battlefield, but the ones that horrified her most were those acquired while protecting her. Everyone was always risking themselves for her sake, Chrom, Frederick, even Maribelle, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I hate this," Lissa said bitterly. "I'm always so useless. I get people hurt everywhere I go, and all I can do is stitch them up when it's over."

"You are too kind to me," Yen'fay breathed. "It was I who made you captive in the first place, who wrested you away from your family and placed you in this peril. I expected your hatred when we first met. I would still deserve it."

Lissa blinked away her tears. "You idiot. There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

His wounds were closed and his breathing had returned to normal. Lissa placed a hand on his firm chest, feeling it rise and fall. Her fingers trailed across his skin. Yen'fay never saw it coming when Lissa dropped beside him and shoved her lips against his in a forceful kiss. The Chon'sin King went rigid at first, but quickly reciprocated, suppressed desires and deferred dreams spilling forth all at once. Lissa squealed with delight as he pulled her tight against his body. She grinded her hips on him, grinning as she felt his excitement grow.

All at once it stopped. Apparently snapping to his senses, Yen'fay grabbed her shoulders and forced them apart. Lissa groaned with frustration.

"Fie." His eyes were wide. "What madness has taken you? I cannot dishonor you like this. This is not the time to be—"

"I love you, Yen'fay." Lissa glared. "You or I or both of us could be dead tomorrow. This might be the only time we have."

"I feel much the same for you," Yen'fay confessed. "From the moment you entered my life you have been my sun, my guiding light in all this darkness. All that I traded for Say'ri I would trade for you as well, a hundred times over. Yet I know enough of foreign customs to understand that what you ask would disgrace you just as it would in Chon'sin. That, I will not do."

Crestfallen, Lissa fell back on her heels. It wasn't fair. Sure they had only known each other for a little while, but she was certain of her feelings for him, and he had already placed more trust in her than he ever had with anyone else. Chrom would tell her to follow her heart, Lissa knew he would. Maybe love at first sight just ran in the family. Lissa thought back to the conversation she'd had with Chrom when they last left Ylisse. She had teased him about it back then.

"I knew you wouldn't leave Olivia. Not after your whole whirlwind romance… Hee hee… Turn my back one minute and you're married. The next minute? A baby!"

"A lot can happen in two years, Lissa. One day you'll understand."

The words rang through her head repeatedly until Lissa jolted upright, inspired. The Ylissean princess rarely liked to admit it when big brother was right, but at last she truly did understand, just as he'd said she would. Suddenly the solution seemed obvious.

Lissa looked Yen'fay in the eyes and clasped his hands in hers. He met her gaze warily.

"I don't want to look back and wonder what I might have missed with you," Lissa said seriously. "I don't want to leave any room for regrets. I want us to share everything and hold nothing back."

Yen'fay gritted his teeth, clearly torn. "As I said, 'twould be improper."

Lissa smiled and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Not if we were married."