Lucina sang a song her nurse first sang to her, staring out the window from my lap. We were on our way to Regna Ferox, supplies and everything Lucina would need for the while packed into a cart. Chrom and Lissa sat next to me. Owain, who sat on his mother's lap, sang a different tune than Lucina. It was a song he learned from his own nurse, who waited for us in Ferox.
When Chrom told everyone we were leaving, they were disappointed, but understood, just like he had told me they would. Some even wanted to come along, but were denied. They were told to stay, and relax until we returned.
So we packed into the carts and were off. It was a few hours in, and everything had gone smoothly. The sky was clear, and the road was well worn. It would take only a few days to get there, if nothing came up. But, something did.
A man ran up to the cart, screaming. Chrom got out, and asked, "What is the matter?"
"My village! It was attacked by some stray bandits! I was able to get away, but I'm not sure of the others!" Tears started to rush down the man's face. "Please, you have to help!"
"All right." Chrom said. One thing he never did was turn down a village in need. We all got out, including Lon'qu and Frederick, who had been sitting in the front of the cart. The children also tried to come, but Chrom stopped them.
"I wanna help." Owain said. Lucina agreed.
"No. It's too dangerous." Chrom said. "Stay in the cart."
Then we went off in the directions the villager said to go. What we found was a charred mess, bodies scattered among it. "Everyone's dead," I murmured. We were expecting some survivors, at least.
There was a screaming in the distance. We hurried toward the sound. Some bandits had surrounded a woman. They didn't seem to notice our approaching though, until we were right there, swords raised. Strangely, they quickly fled, as if they were afraid of something.
Once they were all gone, we turned to the woman. She wore a cloak, the hood covering her face and head. "Are you all right?" I asked.
"I'm fine." she said, oddly composed for the situation. "Thank you for saving me."
"You should remove your hood," Frederick said. "It makes people more comfortable when they can see your face."
"All right." the woman said, putting down her hood. She had coal black eyes and purple hair, pulled back into a ponytail.
It must be a coincidence. I thought. She has the same hair and eye color as me. I've never encountered anyone like this before.
"Were you living in that village back there?" Chrom asked. The woman nodded. "What's your name?"
"I used to be known as Vix." the woman said. "But since the last of my family died, no one has known me as anything."
"Well Vix, you'll have to be coming with us. Your village is gone." Chrom told her.
"I know." Vix said, a tear in her eye. "I wouldn't want to go back."
We led her to the cart. Lucina ran up and hugged me. Vix stared at her, which the child noticed and scowled. "Who's she?"
Vix laughed. "Children. I never had a child myself. They're so oblivious to the world around them." She patted Lucina on the head, and the child flinched.
"Her hand is cold, mommy." Lucina said to me. "I don't like her."
Vix was about to get into the cart when she remembered something. "You know my name, but I know not yours. What are the names of my rescuers?"
"I'm Frederick." Frederick bowed.
"My name's Lissa," Lissa said, and pointed to Lon'qu. "The quiet one is my husband, Lon'qu."
Lon'qu grumbled, "I could say who I am myself."
"I am Chrom, Exalt of Ylisse." Chrom said. Then he motioned to me. "This is my wife, Luna."
"Yes, I've heard of you two." Vix said. "Everyone in my village had." She looked at Lucina. "So this must be the princess, Lucina?" She reached to touch Lucina again, but the child hid behind me. "What is so important that you take the child with you?"
"Someone has recently made a threat on her life." Chrom said, and Vix's eyes narrowed.
"Chrom, don't go telling everyone that!" I protested. Frederick nodded.
"Yes, milord. Not everyone need know about this. And we don't want the enemy to know where we are going."
"Oh, I'm sure Vix can be trusted." Chrom said.
"We've just met her, though." Frederick pointed out. "We shouldn't bring her, even."
"So you want us to just abandon her in the middle of the country, where bandits could just come and kill her?!" Chrom said. "We didn't do that to Luna!"
"That situation was different. Luna proved we could trust her. This woman has done nothing." Frederick said calmly.
"What do you think then, Luna?" Chrom asked me.
I swallowed. I wasn't sure what I thought, but said, "I agree with Chrom. If he had been so rash with me, we might not be standing together today."
Frederick sighed. "So be it." We all got into the cart and headed to Regna Ferox.
