After a rather bloody misunderstanding at the Longfort spanning across the length of Regna Ferox's border with her neighbors, Chrom and the Shepherds arrived at the castle of the East-Khan at the escort of Raimi, the border guard who had mistakenly challenged them. She led them into the throne room and turned to their leader.
"Prince Chrom," she bade, "Please wait here while I summon the Khan."
"Of course," he replied with a nod, and she departed.
"The Khan is away?" Robin thought aloud, and Chrom looked over to her as she came to his side.
"Out training, I'd wager," he said. "The Khans of Ferox prefer battle to politics. Or rather, battle IS their politics."
"A warrior ruler, eh?" Robin cracked a smile. "I can picture him now… A giant man of unparalleled thew, his broad chest covered in hair…" She chuckled softly.
"Am I now?" a female voice inquired. "Please, do go on!"
"Huh?" Robin whirled around to find a woman in heavy armor with a sword sheathed at her back approaching them, a curt look with a raised eyebrow on her face.
"You're the-?!" Chrom stammered, then collected himself. "Er, that is to say… the Khan, I presume?"
"One of them, yes," she confirmed. "The East-Khan. My name is Flavia. I apologize for the troubles at the border, Prince Chrom. You are welcome in Regna Ferox."
"Thank you, but I'm confident we can put that misunderstanding behind us," he said. "Is it true bandits posing as Ylisseans have been ransacking your border villages?"
"Yes," Flavia spat. "Those Plegian dogs! We found documents proving as much on the corpse of one of their captains. Plegia must see some benefit in raising tensions between your kingdom and ours." Chrom clenched his fists as his brow knit together.
"Damn them!" he snapped before recovering his calmer attitude. "I… Forgive me, Your Grace. That was… indelicately put."
"Ha!" Flavia laughed. "Damn them and damn delicacy! Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech."
"In that case, you should have a word with your damn border guards…" Chrom grumbled. Flavia smiled humorously and laughed again.
"Now that's Feroxi diplomacy! Yes, I like you already." Her demeanor dropped quickly. "I know why you have come, Prince. But regrettably, I cannot provide any Feroxi troops for Ylisse."
"What?!" Lissa demanded as she stepped forward from Frederick's side to join them. "Why not?!"
"I lack the authority," Flavia admitted sourly.
"Forgive me, but I don't understand," Chrom said with an underlying tone of frustration. "Aren't you the Khan?"
"As I said, I am ONE of the Khans," she explained. "In Ferox, the Khans of east and west hold a tournament every few years. The victor acquires total sovereignty over both kingdoms. And that means they have the final say when it comes to forging alliances. The West-Khan won the last tournament, you see, and so…" She shook her head, and Chrom let out a brief sigh.
"So we are to receive no aid at all?" he inquired.
"Not if you always give up so easily!" Flavia teased. "The next tournament is nigh, you see, and I am in need of champions."
"What does that have to do with us?" the prince asked. Flavia smiled.
"The captain of my border guard informs me your Shepherds are quite capable." Raimi dipped her head from behind the East-Khan. "Perhaps you would consider representing the East in the upcoming tournament?" She eyed Chrom and his Shepherds slyly. "If you win and I become ruling Khan, I will grant your alliance."
"I would have assumed Ylisseans had no place in such Feroxi traditions," Chrom said, and Flavia let out a brief and pointed laugh.
"On the contrary," she replied. "The Khans themselves do not fight- they choose champions to represent them. Otherwise our land would be rife with blood feuds and dead Khans! We don't involve comrades or kin for the same reason. Over time, it was decided the tournament should be fought by outsiders. Although the outsiders have never included foreign royalty. …That I know of!" She laughed again. "Regardless, it is your choice to make." Chrom couldn't say for certain if the tradition of the tournament actually made sense to him, but he saw no way he could refuse to participate.
"There is no choice, East-Khan. My people are desperate. We face not only Plegia's constant attacks, but now the added threat of the Risen. If fighting for you is the quickest way to an alliance, then we will take up our steel." He could almost feel Frederick and Robin's gazes of disbelief on his back.
"Oh, I like you, Prince Chrom," Flavia said with another hearty laugh. "I do hope you survive the tournament!" At this, he felt his advisors' gazes intensify on him. "Come." the East-Khan started away and gestured for the Shepherds to follow her. "I'll show you the arena where the tournament is held. But be wary!" she warned. "I hear an equally able swordsman champions the West-Khan."
"He shall be defeated by Ylisse's necessity," Chrom said sternly.
"Well spoken again." Flavia nodded. "I look forward to seeing if you're equally skilled with a blade!" With that, they departed from the throne room.
Later, after the preparations had been made, Chrom and his selected Shepherds took up their positions at the East-Khan's side of the arena, and several Feroxi were scattered in a loose formation on the opposite side. Chrom's eyes narrowed as his gaze fell on their leader.
"Chrom! Look!" Lissa pointed at the same man, a blue-haired swordsman in a mask.
"I see him…" Chrom replied dully and stepped forward, taking a breath. He raised his voice along with his gaze. "Kris! One question, before we begin?" Kris didn't reply, as unreadable as he was the night they met. The Ylissean prince frowned and shook his head. "Fine, then. Our swords can speak for us!" He took another several paces forward and pulled Falchion from its sheath, holding it at the ready. Kris did the same, and Chrom finally got a good look at the blade his opponent wielded for the first time. It gleamed with a brilliant light, sparkling with radiance.
"That sword…" he said. "That's no ordinary blade, is it?" Kris only gazed at him from behind the mask. "Where did you get that?" he asked shortly, but the stranger still remained silent. Chrom couldn't help but feel he had seen the sword somewhere before, but couldn't place it. He shook his head and leapt into the air, flipping quickly and bringing Falchion down hard. Kris blocked the strike and grit his teeth. The two swung for each other again and again, sparks flying as their blades continued to connect. The sound of metal striking metal rang out through the arena, sounding even above the cheers of the audience.
"Tell me," Chrom huffed as they continued their battle, dodging and blocking Kris's attacks. "Who taught you to fight like that?" Kris leapt back and thrust his sword skyward, then delivered a pointed strike that Chrom barely managed to block.
"That's not your concern!" Kris snapped as the impact of his attack sent Chrom skidding back. Chrom glared at him and readied Falchion again, and Kris flipped his sword into a reverse grip and held it at a defense-ready stance. They lashed out for each other, blades scraping against the other as their wielders passed. Kris turned around and pointed his sword forth again, and Chrom huffed as he retreated several paces to rejoin his Shepherds.
"You okay?" Lissa asked him, and he nodded. Robin looked from him over to their opponents and their leader.
"Kris is a gifted swordsman, and his men look capable as well," she mused. "We should mind our distance."
"You would know best," Chrom agreed. "Tell us where to go, Robin. Between your strategy and the rest of our strengths, we will win this fight. Ylisse depends on us!" The Shepherds charged forward and engaged the bellowing Feroxi fighters. The Feroxi may have been known for their strength, but they were clumsy compared to the Shepherds' strict training and Robin's order for them to work together and support each other.
Chrom waved his tactician over and she nodded as she joined him. He ran his blade through an advancing axeman and she turned around and slashed her sword across another assailant trying to catch the prince from behind. He looked up and found his cavaliers, Sully and Stahl, engaging Kris- or at least attempting to. Kris fluidly dodged around their lance and sword respectively and dealt quite a bit of damage to both horsemen.
"Sully! Stahl!" the captain called. "Fall back and get to Lissa. I'll take it from here!" He heard Sully hiss several swears that would make a pirate blush and Stahl mumbled something to her. Kris didn't give chase as they retreated, but turned his masked gaze to the prince as he approached.
"Where do you come from?" Chrom asked. "What was that portal you came out of?"
"It's not your concern," Kris replied shortly. Chrom frowned and clenched his jaw.
"Hmph," he huffed. "Is that how it is? Lissa owes you her life, and for that you have my gratitude. But within these walls, I represent the East-Khan and the interests of Ylisse. I can't promise to stay my blade, but I vow not to shame you." At that, he saw the first hint of emotion cross Kris's face in the form of a slight smile.
"Is that right?" he asked as he readied his blade. " Believe it or not, you and I are much alike, Prince Chrom. But now, we shall see who shames whom!" Chrom rushed forth and swung Falchion at his opponent. Kris ducked under it and countered quickly, slashing the tip of his blade along the prince's abdomen. Chrom grunted and attacked again, once again missing. Kris closed in and swung again, hitting his target in the ribs with the flat of his blade. It wasn't enough to break any of them, oddly enough, but still managed to throw him off.
"Let me take this, Chrom," Robin said as she pulled out her tome. "I don't think he's very strong against magic." She gathered up her magic power and focused her gaze. "Time to tip the scales!" She shot forth a strong blast of magic, striking Kris and sending him flying back. He landed on his front side with a huff, the breath knocked out of him, and didn't get back up.
"Impressive," he huffed as he tried to recover his breath. "Rely on your friends, Chrom… You are but one man." At his defeat, the tournament was brought to an end and the East-Khan's champions were declared the winner. In the flurry of activity that followed, Kris managed to slip away again before Chrom could find him.
As the aftermath died down, Flavia came into the arena with a proud and satisfied grin on her face. She approached the Shepherds' leader as they tended to their wounds and Lissa used her staff to heal his cuts and bruises.
"Well fought!" the Khan praised. "You have my respect. And, perhaps more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the soldiers she needs." She held out her hand, and Chrom's gaze brightened.
"Truly?" He took her hand and shook it firmly. "Thank you, East-Khan."
"I should thank you!" she replied heartily. "It feels like ages since I've held full power. Come, my new friends! Tonight, we celebrate!" She departed as quickly as she came and a bald, broad man came in a moment later.
"Bah!" he snorted. "Any excuse for a party and Flavia jumps on it."
"I'm sorry, have we met?" Chrom asked as he turned to the newcomer.
"I'm the West-Khan you so rudely removed from power!" he said flatly, and Chrom recalled Flavia telling him that the West-Khan's name was Basilio. Or Oaf, as she preferred to refer to him as. "You're handy with a sword, boy," Basilio went on. "I thought for sure I'd picked the stronger man."
"What do you know about him?" Chrom wondered, and Basilio shrugged.
"You mean that 'Kris?'" He shook his head. "Bah! He's just some sellsword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat. It was love at first sight, and I'm generally too old for such things!" He let out a bellowing, hearty laugh. "Anyway, he's gone now. Up and fled the moment the tournament ended."
"He's so dark and mysterious…" Lissa said along with an affectionate sigh.
"Sounds like Kris has at least one fan," Robin noticed with an amused smile.
"Well, I mean, c'mon," Lissa replied with a slight flush in her cheeks. "He IS sort of dreamy, isn't he?"
"And YOU'RE sort of dreaming!" Chrom said shortly, and Lissa stared at him.
"Yowch!" She raised an eyebrow. "Lighten up, Big Brother. I was just kidding."
"Milord? Milady?" Frederick interrupted. "If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd best return home. The Exalt will want this news of our new alliance immediately."
"Right as always, Frederick," Chrom agreed.
"Hold, boy," Basilio said. "Before you go, I have a little present for you." At that, another man entered, but didn't say a word. "This is Lon'qu, my former champion," the West-Khan went on. "Not much for talking, mind you, but he's peerless with a sword. As good as Kris, in my mind. To be honest, I can't figure out how Kris bested him so quickly."
"Kris beat him?" Lissa asked, surprised. "But he looks so big and strong…" She started toward the swordsman, but he stiffened and retreated several paces.
"Away, woman!" he snapped harshly.
"Hey! Wh-what did I say?!" the princess demanded, and Basilio shook his head as he laughed.
"Let's just say that ladies tend to put Lon'qu on edge. Nonetheless, he is capable. Perhaps he even has the makings of a Khan. Consider him West Ferox's contribution to the Ylissean cause."
"You're certain about this?" Chrom asked.
"Yes, yes," Basilio replied. "He's your man now."
"And Lon'qu?" the prince turned to their new ally. "You have no objections?"
"He gives orders. I stab people. I think our roles are clear." Chrom blinked at the swordsman's blunt nature.
"…Alright then." He nodded. "Welcome aboard." He turned back to Frederick and Robin. "Now, let's get back to Ylisstol and let Emmeryn know the good news."