Dawn had yet to break when Robin and Lucina entered a small town. The tactician glanced at his companion. Although she was trying to hide it, it was obvious that Lucina was battling exhaustion. Clearly, she had not hopped out of (a presumably metaphorical, all things considered) bed and straight into the time portal; she and her friends must have fought their way to it, and given Lucina's near-superhuman resiliency, it had to have been quite a grueling struggle to have drained her so.
"Alright, we'll stop here," Robin decided, stretching his arms behind his back. "Let's find an inn and get some rest."
Lucina was clearly nonplussed at this suggestion. "We can press on. Time is of the essence, and there's no need to dally here. We'll stop when we have to."
Robin frowned. "Hey, you're not fooling me. You're dead on your feet. You need some sleep. We both do, actually. Dimension-leaping seems to take a slight toll on the body."
"I am used to traveling for long periods without rest. If we-"
"Lucina. When was the last time you slept in an actual bed?"
She glanced upward. "Some years ago. ...Shortly before we used it for kindling..."
"And when was the last time you actually slept a whole night through?"
Lucina pursed her lips.
"You're not in that hell anymore," Robin continued gently. "You don't have to be on edge all the time. It's alright to get a good night's sleep every once in a while, and you're safe to do so here." He grinned cheekily. "Besides, even if something did try to attack you, I'm plenty strong enough to protect you."
Lucina sighed. She didn't wish to concede the issue, but it was difficult to fight against both Robin's persistence and the drooping of her eyelids. "...Very well," she said softly. "Unfortunately, I do not have money for a room."
"Ah, don't worry about that," Robin smiled as he drew a moderately-sized coin pouch. "Your father paid me quite well for my work. We don't have anything to worry about." He paused. "...Assuming the currency of this Ylisse is the same as in the one I came from."
Ylisstol was thrumming, a thriving city undisturbed by the nightmares that now plagued the countrysides. Reflet couldn't help but gawk as she, Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, and Virion walked through the main market street. (Sully had rode ahead of the party to deliver the news of the Risen to the Exalt.) While most experiences were now innately novel to the newly-minted tactician, the scale of the capital Reflet found staggering.
"There are so many people," she breathed in awe. "All living their own unique lives at the same time. Isn't it amazing?"
Chrom smiled. "It certainly is. Sometimes I take it all for granted, but it's a wonderful thing that all these people can live together in peace."
Frederick raised an eyebrow. "Would that every person lived in harmony."
Chrom chuckled. "Right, not everyone follows the rules. But that's where we come in."
Reflet looked up to him. "So you "Shepherds" are a peacekeeping outfit?"
"That's right," Chrom said. "We watch over the flock, as it were. Protect them from the wolves." He frowned. "And now these 'Risen', as Robin called them, I suppose."
Reflet stared at him a moment, then surveyed the crowd pensively. An image of a red-eyed monster bearing down on her flashed through her mind. She shuddered and unconsciously shifted a bit closer to Chrom as they walked. "...Will these people be safe from the Risen here?" she asked.
"The Knights of Ylisse take pride in their unwavering service," Frederick answered. "Not a one of those foul creatures will ever walk past this fair city's walls."
The white-haired woman tilted her head. "What if somebody catapulted them in? ...What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Chrom blinked. "I uh, don't think we need to be overly concerned about that possibility. Rest assured the people inside the city are safe. It's the other people out there who most need our help."
Reflet rubbed her arm, staring downcast at the ground. "...I suppose some people won't be as lucky as I was."
Chrom placed a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps not, but I intend to protect as many of those unfortunate souls as I can."
"...I don't think I would be here now if it wasn't for you," Reflet murmured. "I don't want anyone to go through that fear I felt before you rescued me. If you want to save people, then I want to help you."
The prince was surprised a moment, then smiled broadly. "That's great! I was going to wait for an appropriate time to ask you to be the Shepherds' tactician, but now works fine too! What do you say?"
Reflet smiled. "Well, it's not like I had other plans! ...I think."
"Yay! Welcome to the Shepherds, Reflet!" Lissa cheered as she hugged the tactician.
"Excellent!" Chrom glanced to his notably silent attendant. "...Frederick? Anything you want to say about this?"
"Such as?"
"I don't know, I just kind of expected you to be against it."
"Oh I am against it, make no mistake. While so far I have seen no ill character from Miss Reflet, her convenient amnesia and connection to that dastard Robin draw no small amount of suspicion from me. I have simply resigned myself to the fact that you will ignore my concerns and do as you please."
"Who is Robin anyway?" Reflet asked. "And how did he know so much about me?"
Chrom frowned, unsure if it was his place to reveal what Robin had said about the two being related. However, if it was something that Robin didn't want Reflet to know, then the tactician probably would have told Chrom as much.
"...He said that he's your twin brother," the prince replied.
Reflet's jaw dropped. "My brother?! But why didn't he say anything about that to me?!"
Chrom scratched his head. "Robin is... an enigma. He claims to have come from the future. I don't understand half the things he says or does, but he seems to have his reasons."
Reflet's brow furrowed. "From the future? That sounds ridiculous. But hell, what do I know? If you had asked me yesterday morning I would've said zombies were ridiculous too." She put her hand to her chin. "But wait. If he really does come from the future, and we're twins, then doesn't that logically lead to me being from the future as well?"
Chrom blinked. "Umm... Maybe?"
Reflet raised an eyebrow, clearly dissatisfied with his answer.
"Er, I mean, I have no way of knowing. But I don't think it really matters too much either way. What's important is the here and now. ...And he did seem a little older than you, for what that's worth."
Reflet frowned. She appeared as if she was about to say something when she was distracted by a commotion on a side street. People were beginning to group up excitedly in the center where a blonde woman surrounded by a handful of guards was passing by.
"What's going on over there?" Reflet question.
"It is high noon," Frederick explained. "The exalt is taking her daily walk through the streets."
"The exalt?"
"The ruler of our people, Lady Emmeryn."
Virion grinned, his hand on his chin contemplatively. "My, but what a ravishing beauty your exalt is. Hmm... Were House Virion to become better acquai- Urk!" Virion grimaced in pain, then glanced to his shoulder, where Frederick's gauntlet-covered hand was holding him in a powerful vicegrip.
"Sir Virion," Frederick smiled icily. "The crest on the handle of the knife in your boot speaks volumes to the dalliances you have had with the noble houses of Ylisse, but the royal family is one that you will not forge such... alliances with. Am I clear?"
Virion eyed the knight uneasily. "As crystal, my friend. But dear Sir Frederick, did no one yet tell you that you are at your most terrifying when you smile?"
Reflet furrowed her brow as she watched the procession. Something was bothering her. "Your ruler just walks the streets, lightly guarded?"
Chrom smiled. "Emmeryn represents the best in all of us. She's the living embodiment of peace, and we Ylisseans take pride in her. No one would raise a hand against her."
Reflet narrowed her eyes. "That's incredibly naive."
Chrom blinked in surprise. "'Naive'? Isn't that a bit of a strong word for someone new to the world to be throwing around?"
The tactician shrugged. "Chrom, just because I can't remember the entirety of yesterday doesn't mean I was born during it."
Lissa tugged on Reflet's sleeve. "Hey, don't worry! Even if there was someone who wanted to hurt Emm, they'd have to go through Chrom to get to her! No one's dumb enough to try that!"
Reflet raised an eyebrow at Chrom. "Are you the exalt's bodyguard?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "No, not quite. I'm her younger brother."
Reflet's eyes went wide, and when she looked from Emmeryn's forehead to Chrom's exposed shoulder her jaw dropped at the shared marking. "H-Her brother?! But then that would make you... Oh my gods, you're a prince! Damn, damn, should I, uh, curtsy or um, or, or, something, milord?!"
Chrom put his hands up, lips upturned with mild embarrassment. "Whoa, please don't get overexcited. I hate formalities. You don't need to treat me any differently than you have up till now."
The white-haired woman blinked. "Oh. Um... You're sure?"
"Positive."
"Uh, ok then, Chrom..." Reflet glanced at Lissa, who had crossed her arms and was tapping her foot. "Something wrong, Lissa?"
"Why aren't you saying anything about me being a princess?" she asked in a huff.
"Oh! My apologies, your, uh... ladyship?"
Lissa snickered. "Ok, you don't have to call me that."
Reflet grinned and poked Lissa in the side. "Alright, how about your Royal Highness? Or maybe Her August Majesty?"
Lissa laughed and swatted at Reflet's hand.
The party continued their walk in an amiable atmosphere, which remained uninterrupted until a particular vendor caught Reflet's eye. She immediately bolted to the stall, eyes wide with delight as she beheld a varied assortment of books. "Chrom, come check this out!" she called to him, already flipping through the pages of a worn bestiary.
"Do you read much?" Chrom asked.
"Possibly? I get the feeling that I do. No harm in finding out!" Reflet began digging through her pockets, but after a few moments of fruitless searching paused. "...I don't think I have any money." She wheeled around to face the prince. "Chrom, will you buy this for me?"
Chrom gave a blank expression; he hadn't been expecting this question. "Um, I'm sorry, but I don't think I should."
"What? Come on, you're a prince! You're loaded! What's one little book?"
"It's because I'm a prince. I have to treat everyone the same. I can't just go around buying things for my friends. If I display that sort of favoritism, I-"
Chrom was about to go further with his point, but the words caught in his throat when he looked into Reflet's pleading umber eyes. He tried his damnedest to resist, but the overwhelming urge to remove the cause of the disappointed expression on her face proved too strong for him to overcome.
"Alright, alright," he sighed, digging out a coin pouch. "But just one book, understand?"
"Yes! Thank you, Chrom!" Reflet shouted excitedly.
Chrom had been raised as royalty. He had been taught from a young age that he must walk among the people yet stand above them; that he must be kind yet impartial; that he must be stalwart and unyielding. And all that had gone straight out the window in the face of a pretty girl. Chrom had never thought himself immune to the guile of feminine charm, but this was the first time he had been made to feel powerless. He watched Reflet haggle with the vendor over the volume that held her interest, and he could see her eyes light up as another book caught her attention. Already, he accepted that he was inevitably going to end up buying that one for her as well, try as hard as he might to restrain himself from doing so. Chrom was enslaved to a force beyond his understanding.
"...Frederick, do you remember when my life used to be comprehensible?" he asked dejectedly.
"Yes, and I vastly preferred it that way."
Lucina slowly opened her eyes. For several moments she lay still, unperturbed by thought or motion. Then she blinked in alarm and bolted upright, eyes darting about the room she had awoken in.
Robin looked up from the book he was reading. "Ah, so you've returned to the living! I know I'm the one who was pushing for you to rest up, but I wasn't expecting you to be out for quite that long."
The former exalt breathed out to steady herself as remembrance flooded back. Of course. They were in a small inn. In the past. "They" being herself and a man apparently from a different future. She could hardly believe that this wasn't a dream; that the desperate, final gambit had worked. Twice, even, according to Robin. She glanced at him. Lucina had attempted to mentally prepare herself for any number of situations that could arise in this timeline, but he was by far the least expected. Still, the fact that he hadn't slit her throat in her sleep probably boded well for his long-term trustworthiness, and, in all honesty, knowing that she had been safeguarded while she had slept did give her a small sense of security.
She looked around the room with more focused appraisal. It had been the only vacant one, and was small and lightly furnished. In spite of her protests, Robin had insisted on giving her the bed. Now he was sitting in a chair in the corner, looking surprisingly well-rested for someone who had spent the night on the floor.
Lucina groggily rubbed an eye with the palm of her hand, inspecting the wrinkled and grimy outfit she had kept on. (Robin hadn't needed to insist on that.) "H-How long did I sleep for?"
"Oh, a good sixteen or so hours."
"S-Sixteen?!" Lucina spluttered.
"I'm kind of impressed," Robin remarked idly as he flipped a page. "I mean, I got nearly twelve hours myself, but I didn't think it was possible to go much farther beyond that. I already finished my Hell Hour and I'm nearly halfway through this book!"
Lucina tilted her head. "...'Hell Hour'?"
Robin waved a hand. "My personal nickname for 'Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour'. I hope that bastard's happy that I'm keeping it up even without him around to nag me about it."
His eyes suddenly widened as he realized what he had said, and his expression softened.
Lucina stared at him. "...Robin?"
The tactician blinked. "Sorry, sorry. Don't mind me. Everything that happened was just so sudden. I don't think I've processed it all quite yet." He gestured around. "And being in this timeline where everyone's still alive and healthy isn't exactly doing any favors in that regard."
The princess stared out the room's lone window. "Yes... It is quite an adjustment, isn't it?"
A grimace appeared on Robin's face. He wanted this partnership to start off on a pleasant note, and here he was bringing the mood down. He was about to make an attempt at changing the topic when Lucina balled the sheets in her fists and suddenly groaned.
"Sixteen hours!" she lamented. "How could I be so slothful? It's practically sinful!"
Robin raised his eyebrows in surprise, momentarily caught off guard. "Um, don't worry. It's to be expected, given the world you just came from. You've been pushing your body far beyond its limit for a while now. It's natural for it to jump at a chance for recovery. Frankly, I'd like for you to be able to rest up for even longer, perhaps a week or so, but unfortunately we don't have the luxury of quite that much time." He leaned back in his chair. "Still, I didn't know it was even possible to sleep for sixteen hours in a row. Can you do that at will, or only after times of extreme stress? I wonder if any of the other time travelers could top that..." He looked back to her. "Which, by the way, is on the to-do list. ...Finding your friends, I mean. Not some insane, Miriel-esque sleep-deprivation experiment."
Lucina suddenly sat upright, then turned toward Robin with startled eyes. "You know where they are, don't you?"
Robin scratched his head. "Um, well, vaguely. I have a general idea for most of them based on where we found them in my world, but you all popped out in varying times and places. Some of them probably haven't arrived yet, and nearly half of them aren't even on this continent. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a single one of them close enough that we can afford to make an immediate detour. And that's not even factoring in possible changes that weren't present in my world."
Lucina's shoulders slumped a bit. "I see..."
Robin regarded her a moment. "Hey, don't worry. We'll find them all. Once this business with Plegia is settled we should have nearly a year before we have to deal with the Valmese. That's plenty of time to track everyone on this continent down."
The princess fixed a plaintive gaze on the tactician. "...Is my sister here? What of my cousin?"
Robin swallowed. "I'm sorry. Cynthia and Owain are both in Valm. It's probably going to be awhile before you can see them again."
Lucina bit her lip, then sighed. "...I understand." She inaudibly mouthed two names. Cynthia. Owain. A string of syllables followed shortly afterwards.
A prayer of safekeeping, Robin guessed. Such a thing wasn't a practice he partook in, but far be it from him to judge; he knew from first-hand experience that there were far worse gods than Naga to pray to.
The tactician waited patiently for the princess to finish, then clapped his book shut. "So, I'm sure you're starving. We'll hit the tavern before we set off."
Lucina's only response was the audible growl of her stomach, causing her to look down sheepishly at her midriff. Robin cracked a small grin. Lucina shook her head before swinging her legs out from under the covers. She reached down to pull her boots back on, grabbed her tiara and mask from the nightstand, then strapped Falchion back onto her belt. She stood up, running her hands through her hair to mat down a few stray strands.
"Let's just be quick about it..." she muttered as she made for the door.
Lucina tore into a turkey leg, ripping out a massive chunk like a savage predator. Robin took a sip of his mead as he watched the blue-haired woman toss the now barren bone into a rapidly growing pile.
"Slow down," he advised. "It's probably been a while since you've been able to eat like this. Your stomach won't be able to handle the rate you're going at. You're going to get indigestion if you aren't careful." He took another sip. "Also, chewing your food might be something to look into."
"It's- It's sooooo good!" Lucina practically sobbed in between mouthfuls of bread, eyes gleaming with moisture. "People can just eat like this every day?!"
Robin glanced at the many dishes strewn about the table. "Well, some people. Royalty, for example. ...Which you happen to be, rendering the joke moot."
"Hmm?"
"Never mind. Point being, don't get used to eating like this just yet. We're going to be foraging once we get to traveling."
Lucina looked at him blankly for a moment, then swallowed. She exhaled morosely. "Oh. I see. Back to hunting for lizards then, I suppose."
"What? No. I meant like deer and bear and stuff."
The princess's eyes immediately widened and her mouth dropped in amazement.
Robin sighed. "You've really been through hell, huh?"
Lucina glanced downward. "Well..."
Robin waited for her to say something more, but the woman remained silent. The tactician sighed again and held out a lamb shank to her. "Look, let's not dwell on that. That's all in the past. ...Kind of. Sort of. What I'm trying to say here is, I'm going to make sure that no one else is ever going to have to go through what you went through. So cheer up. Eat, drink, bleed me dry of all my hard-earned disposable income. Ok?"
The former exalt hesitated, then accepted the proffered food. She bit a piece off lightly, chewing slowly. She gulped. "...It's good," she said quietly. "Thank you."
"What? Come on, where's the gusto you had a minute ago?" Robin asked, gesturing with a chicken leg. He grinned. "Isn't it the best damn lamb you've ever had?"
Lucina stared at him a moment, then gave a soft smile. "It really is," she replied. "...Pass the beef stew, please."
Chrom drummed his fingers against a table. Around him, councilmen bickered about some petty dispute over succession for one of the smaller noble houses of Ylisse. The prince sighed; he despised sitting in on council meetings, but the Risen and Robin's cryptic warnings gave him little choice. He would just have to be patient. He could endure the prattle so long as the issues that mattered were eventually addressed.
Ten minutes later he slammed his fist on the furnished mahogany. "Gods above, can we please move on to the more important issue at hand?!" he yelled.
The council members went silent a moment, then began murmuring among each other about the prince's rudeness. Emmeryn raised an eyebrow at her younger brother, who shrugged sheepishly in response.
The exalt cleared her throat, and the chatter immediately ceased. "My brother's breach of protocol notwithstanding, I believe that the matter he speaks of warrants our full attention."
"You refer to these preposterous tales of the walking dead?" the hierarch, Cornelius, asked.
"Not tales," Chrom said firmly. "Truth. I've encountered them myself."
"What fragmented transcripts of the Book of Naga we have tell that the damned will only roam the earth when the Fell Dragon rises again," the hierarch replied. "Would you really have us believe that such a calamity is about to transpire?"
Chrom thought back to Robin's words. The work of the Fell Dragon, Grima. The prince looked Cornelius in the eyes. "It's not impossible."
"Oh, but it is!" an aged councilman exclaimed. "Your father made damned sure of that, Naga rest his soul! It'll be centuries before the Plegians grow bold enough to try to revive their devil god again. And if they do, then once more we'll ride down and put those filthy sand-"
"General Cromwell!"
Emmeryn's single word was so sharp, so cutting, that for a moment it seemed that every other person in the room had forgotten how to speak. She glared at the retired High Commander of Ylisse's armies, but the exalt's voice was as calm and as placating as ever. "I have not forgotten your loyal service to my father, and I am grateful for it. But I will not tolerate you speaking of our friends and neighbors in such a reprehensible manner. Am I understood?"
Cromwell grimaced. "...Yes, Your Grace."
Emmeryn smiled. "Good. Now, Chrom, I believe you had more to say about these creatures?"
Chrom blinked. An angry Emmeryn was such an incredibly rare sight that her brother had forgotten how terrifying the exalt could be. Chrom cleared his throat. "...As I was saying, the rumors are true. These 'Risen', as I've heard them called, are no small threat. They lack intelligence, but they're horrifyingly powerful and merciless. Already I fear what is becoming of the farmers unfortunate enough to be close-by to where they've been appearing."
A councilwoman nodded. "The reports of exhumed corpses have indeed mostly come from farmers. Some claim to have lost their homes and entire families to the monsters. And more and more of these reports are beginning to trickle in."
"If this threat is credible, then the people must have protection," a councilman said.
"True enough," Cromwell agreed. "However, our army is not what it once was. We lack the numbers needed to patrol the countryside, and even if we had them, we could ill afford to leave the Plegian border unguarded."
Chrom scratched his chin. "We can't rely on conscription. The people can still remember what the last round of that was like, and they won't take it kindly. But we don't have enough soldiers..." He sighed. "We need help. It would be nice if we could just ask Plegia for some neighborly assistance, but..."
Emmeryn frowned, pensive. "...Then perhaps our other neighbor?"
Chrom raised his eyebrows. "Regna Ferox? I mean, we have a neutrality pact with them, but I don't think they'd be keen on rushing to the aid of outsiders."
"I do not believe that we have better alternatives. Can you suggest any?"
The prince furrowed his brow, then shrugged. "I suppose it's worth a shot."
The council members murmured in agreement.
"Very well," Emmeryn said. "It is decided then. Chrom, I order you and your Shepherds to Regna Ferox. Ply the Khan for military aid so that we may protect our citizens from these unholy monsters."
Chrom stood up from the table. "Understood. We'll set off immediately." He made his way over to Emmeryn and leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Sister. I have something I need to tell you about in private."
Emmeryn nodded. She turned her head back toward the council. "Friends, we will end our session here today. We will give the complaints of House Sterner their due attention when we reconvene tomorrow."
A few members seemed put off by this decision, but the council quickly gathered their papers and exited the room.
Outside the council room, Reflet flipped a page of the second of three books Chrom had bought for her. "Say, Lissa, do you ever sit in on those meetings?"
Lissa stuck out her tongue. "No way! Even if I could stand them, they wouldn't let me!"
Reflet was surprised. "'Wouldn't let you'? But aren't you a princess?"
"Yeah, and I wish people would treat me more like one!" Lissa glanced at her attendant, who had been about to say something in protest. "You don't count, Frederick!"
The Knight Commander chuckled. "Your desire to bear the full weight of your station is admirable, milady, but I would advise enjoying a carefree youth while you still can."
"Being royalty must be nice," Reflet remarked as she turned another page.
Virion looked like he was about to say something, but then thought better of it.
Lissa was readying to contest that being a princess wasn't all servants and nice food when the council room's door opened. The members slowly filed out into the hall, causing the straw-haired girl to perk up in her chair. "Oh! They're done! But where are Chrom and Emm?"
A silver-haired woman stepped out of the room last.
"Well met, Phila," Frederick nodded.
"And you, Frederick," the Wing Commander replied. "Forgive me. If my pegasus knights had been patrolling the border, those bandits..."
Frederick shook his head. "At a time like this, they belong in the capital, guarding the exalt. You did your duty, and I did mine."
Phila frowned, but nodded. "Right." She turned toward Reflet. "Miss Reflet, is it? Lord Chrom wishes to introduce you to Lady Emmeryn."
Reflet blinked, then closed her book. "Um, sure."
Emmeryn took a sip of tea. "I owe you and Frederick my thanks, Chrom. I've heard word of your deeds in Southtown. If not for you two, I fear the city would have been lost."
Chrom shrugged. "We only had a hand in that. You owe your thanks to a man named Robin."
"Oh? And where is he?"
"Uh... Honestly I have no idea," Chrom said as he prodded the handle of his still-full teacup. "He kind of took off in the dead of night."
Emmeryn frowned and set her drink down. "...I see. Well then, I can only hope that I may meet him someday."
Chrom steepled his hands. "...Sister, there's something you should know. That man, Robin, said he traveled back through time, and had been a friend to all of us. He knew-" the prince paused, then chuckled at the memory of Frederick's crimson face, "-certain things about us that no stranger could know, and we wouldn't have reached Southtown in time if he hadn't warned us of the imminent bandit attack."
Emmeryn pursed her lips. "A time traveler? That is quite the auspicious claim, Chrom."
He nodded. "Indeed. Ordinarily, I'd be a bit more dismissive, but recent events have, shall we say, opened my perspectives."
The exalt frowned. "The Risen?"
"Emm, I watched the Risen come into this world, through giant holes in the sky. When you see living corpses fall from the night while the earth shakes and bleeds lava around you, you tend to become a bit more accepting of the paranormal. Not to mention, I saw a human travel through those gates. That alone is enough to cement Robin's credence in my eyes."
Emmeryn was silent for a moment, then sighed. "I know you would not be telling me this story if you did not believe it will all your heart, Chrom. I'll trust in you and assume it's all true." She reflected."...So, you saw this man Robin travel through time?"
"No. Someone else."
Emmeryn raised her eyebrows. "Another time traveler?"
"Yes. A young man named after the Hero-King of old. Robin didn't give much detail, but it seems that he umm-" Chrom was now recalling Marth's crimson face, and he hastened to blot out that memory before it brought the rest of itself into full focus. "-...Knew this Marth person."
"...The matter of how they did so aside, why would these two travel to their past? To aid us against the Risen?"
Chrom sighed. "I wish it was so simple. ...Robin warns of a looming war with Plegia."
Emmeryn's eyes went wide. "I know there has been tension between our two countries as of late, but surely not enough to incite war?! Surely this can be prevented!"
"Robin seems pretty resigned to it happening. He says Mad King Gangrel is the one pushing for it."
"Then with all haste, I must arrange a meeting with him and-"
"Emm. No."
The exalt blinked, and looked at her brother with surprise. Chrom rarely spoke this firmly with his sisters.
The prince sighed and shook his head. "He's called Mad King for a reason, Emm. You're not going to be able to placate him with words of peace."
"That cannot be said for sure."
Chrom grimaced and thought back to Robin's cryptic warning.
I might be the only thing standing between Emmeryn and an untimely death.
"...Emm, I think that if you try to do this, something bad's going to happen you. Something really bad."
"...Even if that is true, I would gladly pay any price to myself if it prevented another war."
Chrom gritted his teeth and was about to shout when the door opened, Phila guiding Reflet in. The prince bit down his frustration. "We're not done speaking about this," he said quietly. "Promise me you won't do anything crazy while I'm away."
Emmeryn pursed her lips, then nodded. "As you wish." She smiled and turned toward the newcomer. "Greetings. I am the exalt, Emmeryn. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Reflet hesitated a moment, then curtsied. "My name is Reflet."
Emmeryn smiled wider and turned back toward Chrom with eyebrows raised. "Hmm... Chrom has never wanted to introduce me to a woman before... Well, you are at that age, Chrom..."
The blue-haired man went red-faced, immediately understanding her implication. "What?!"
Reflet blinked. "Huh?"
Chrom stood up from the table. "Hahaha! Emm, I think you're jumping to rather hasty conclusions! This is Reflet, the new tactician of the Shepherds!"
Emmeryn smiled coyly. "Oh, is that so?"
"Yes, it most certainly is!" Chrom said loudly. "In fact, she should go meet the rest of the Shepherds right now! Come on, let's go Reflet!" He grabbed the white-haired woman by the wrist and all but dragged her out of the room.
"Huh? Uh, ok, I guess... Goodbye, Lady Emmeryn!" Reflet called.
Emmeryn smiled and waved back before the doors closed. She was silent a moment as the Wing Commander refilled her liege's tea.
"Phila, what did you see just now?" Emmeryn asked.
The Wing Commander smirked. "Certainly nothing that is my place to comment on."
Emmeryn laughed.
Robin clutched a turkey sandwich in his mouth as he spread out a map of Ylisse. He released his teeth's hold so that the impromptu meal fell into his hand, then pointed with a free finger. "Alright, this is where we currently are," he explained between bites of food. "We'll head west until we hit this river, bathe, wash our clothes, and refill our waterskins, then we'll follow this trail until we reach Northtown. We'll buy you a cloak or something while we're there; that outfit probably isn't sufficient protection from Regna Ferox's climate. We'll probably run out of food before then, so we'll hunt for game along the way."
"You're forgetting something," Lucina mumbled, gnawing on a potato.
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"Practice swords. For sparring."
Robin chuckled. "Of course. I should have known."
Lucina smiled. "Well, it's natural for me to be curious about the strength of the man who supposedly slew Grima, is it not?" she asked playfully.
The tactician grinned. "Fair enough, but we don't actually need practice swords."
Lucina looked at him quizzically. "Are you suggesting we needn't train ourselves?"
Robin shook his head. "Not at all." He stood up to his full height, then drew his silver sword with a quick flourish. "I'm saying we already have what we need to do so."
The princess's eyes widened. "You wish to spar with real weapons?! But what if I accidentally hurt you?!"
Robin smirked cockily. "Don't you worry about that. You won't even be able to touch me."
Lucina narrowed her eyes. "You will not goad me."
Robin nodded. "Good, good. Being hard to rile up is an excellent trait. But I'm not trying to bait you here. One, practicing with wooden swords is disingenuous when you're going to be swinging around metal. You need to feel the full weight of your weapon in training to be able to wield it properly in battle. Practice swords might deceive you into thinking you can perform techniques that are still beyond you. And two..." His grin returned. "I really meant it when I said you won't be able to touch me."
The former exalt's brows wrinkled. Robin's tone wasn't insulting, but his statement still did not sit well with her. She drew Falchion. "Fine then. Show me where that overly abundant confidence flows from."
The tactician's eyes brightened, and he suddenly lashed out with a blisteringly quick jab. Lucina, though surprised, managed to deflect it, then slipped forward, Falchion plunging ahead of her. Robin stepped backward, catching her sword on his own.
Lucina pressed an assault, growing more and more disappointed with each clash. She hadn't expected Robin to be a blowhard, but he was only barely managing to present a challenge. His form was sloppy and his movements predictable. Lucina was becoming concerned that she might harm him after all if this exchange went on for too long.
Robin scratched his chin. "Hmm... Alright, that's a clear enough picture of your offense. Now let's see how you do on defense."
This was the moment that caused Lucina to realize that Robin had been fighting exclusively with one hand.
The man's posture sharpened dramatically, and suddenly Lucina found all of her strikes subverted without any apparent effort from Robin. He casually flicked his sword past the princess's guard, its tip coming so alarmingly close to her nose that she was forced to backpedal. Robin continued with a chain of strikes, each just barely within the limits of what Lucina was able to intercept.
And then, all at once, Robin caught the unique opening in Falchion's blade and flicked his wrist, yanking the sword from Lucina's grasp and sending the blade twirling to embed itself in the dirt.
Lucina stared in disbelief at her displaced weapon as Robin lethargically brought his sword's tip to the woman's throat. It had never even been a contest; Lucina understood that now.
"And with that, you are dead," Robin said calmly. He suddenly grinned. "That was really good!" His tone was bright, with not a hint of condescension in his voice. "I'm used to you being a lot stronger than that, but that was a great showing for how little experience you have!"
Lucina looked at the tactician in awe, still having trouble accepting that a man with such an unassuming appearance held so much power. "How did... How did you become so skilled?"
Robin scratched his neck. "The same way you will. Shitloads of practice, a willingness to put my life on the line in battle, and, hopefully, a good teacher."
"If I could truly become as strong as you..." Lucina murmured.
"Stronger," Robin corrected. "You were much better with a blade than I am. You'll just need a little help in getting to that point. Good thing I'm here, huh?"
Lucina's eyes widened. She suddenly darted over to Falchion, yanking it out of the ground and turning to face Robin. "Again, please!"
Robin leaned his sword on his shoulder. "This isn't going to be an easy road, you know. You'll lose track of how many times you've been beaten before you finally manage to best me. You're going to have to endure the sting of defeat over and over again."
"Fine by me!" Lucina shouted.
Robin grinned exuberantly. "Excellent!" he declared.
Chrom cleared his throat. Everyone in the castle barracks immediately stopped what they were doing and crisply saluted.
"Good afternoon, Shepherds," their captain greeted." I'd like to introduce you all to a new member. This is Reflet. She's going to be our chief strategist."
Reflet smiled and waved. "Hello all!"
Each of the Shepherds waved back in greeting, save for Maribelle, who ran up to Lissa. "Darling, are you quite alright? I heard about that despicable affair down in Southtown! Are you unharmed?"
"I'm fine, Maribelle. Southtown wasn't that bad. Those Risen things were way more scary."
"Why Lissa, you should know better than to indulge in tall tales!" Maribelle scolded.
Reflet raised her hand. "I can assure you, the Risen are quite real."
Maribelle scowled at her. "Mind your manners around your social betters, dear. It's unbecoming to interrupt nobility when they're conversing."
Reflet stared at her in disbelief. She was about to say something in protest when she felt a tap on the shoulder. She turned toward a green-armored knight.
"Don't mind her," the olive-haired man smiled. "She has a sharp tongue, but she's a softy at heart. My name's Stahl." He jerked his thumb backward. "And that guy over there is Kellam."
The tactician smiled in kind. "Nice to meet you. But who are you talking ab- GAH!"
Kellam raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow! It only took her about a minute and a half to notice me! I think that might be a new record."
Stahl turned toward a red-haired mage. "Miriel?"
"Seventy-four seconds," the scientist replied. "While an impressive time, Cordelia still holds the record at forty-nine seconds."
A brunette woman laughed. "Naturally. I'm Sumia, by the way."
"Nice to meet you. And who are you?" Reflet asked a large blonde-haired man.
"What, never heard of me?" Vaike asked. "I'm-" He belched loudly, in a manner that made it sound like he was saying "The Vaike".
Reflet's jaw dropped. "Whoa! That was amazing! How did you make it last that long? And that control of tone and pitch was incredible!"
Maribelle scowled. "Ugh! I expected such crass behavior from a lowlife such as yourself, Vaike, but I am most disappointed that you would encourage him, Miss Reflet! For shame!"
The tactician frowned. "What's your problem? It's just a belch. Everyone does it." To demonstrate, she began gulping air.
"What are you-?" Maribelle began to ask, but Reflet answered preemptively with a burp nearly equal to Vaike's.
"Eek! How uncouth!" Maribelle shrieked.
"Gahahaha! Teach likes you already!" Vaike guffawed, slapping Reflet on the back. "I'll take you on as my pupil!"
"And what classes would you instruct her in?" Maribelle spat. "How to Be a Baseborn Oaf 101?!"
Reflet sighed. "Chrom, do I really have to deal with this person?"
Maribelle was now seething. "How dare a commoner such as yourself refer to him as-"
"As what? 'Chrom'? It's fine with him, so I'll call him Chrom all I want! Chrom, Chrom, Chrom!"
The prince in question sighed. "Alright ladies, that's more than enough. Let's just calm down and-"
"My lord, what gutter did you find this wretch in?" Maribelle snapped.
"Alright, that tears it!" Reflet shouted. "You wanna go, little Miss Prissy?! Because we'll see what good that stupid parasol of yours does when I rain hell down upon you!"
"Oh, I'll show you one of my 'stupid' parasol's myriad uses when I shove it right up your-"
"Maribelle! Reflet! Please stop fighting!" Lissa whined as she struggled to push the noblewoman away while Sumia tried to hold the tactician back. Meanwhile, Vaike and Stahl had engaged in a belching contest, which Miriel was studiously documenting. And Kellam was (presumably) still just standing there, doing nothing of particular import.
Chrom pinched the bridge of his nose. These were his star soldiers.
They make up for it on the battlefield. They make up for it on the battlefield. They make up for it on the battlefield.
Robin was feeling spry. He attributed this to the cold; for someone born in a desert nation, he enjoyed chilly climates more than one might expect. Beside him, Lucina was bundled up in a shawl Robin had purchased in Northtown. The former exalt didn't seem particularly perturbed by the temperature either, as if she were used to it. Robin hypothesized that this was because the sun had been blotted out in her world, causing climates to cool globally.
They had made good time. A journey that should have taken nearly two weeks had been completed in less than ten days, and neither of the pair seemed worse for the wear. They now had nearly two days to gain entrance to Regna Ferox and earn their slots as champions for Basilio. This was easier said than done; recent bandit attacks had caused the Feroxi to crack down on border security. Robin placed his hands on his hips and scanned the massive stone wall that snaked across the horizon.
"The Longfort. A pinnacle of engineering that took half a century to complete. Regna Ferox's pride, a purportedly impenetrable and unassailable fortification." He turned toward Lucina. "So, how do we get in?"
She gave him a blank expression. "What? Why are you asking me? I thought you had a plan."
"Huh? Last time you came here all by yourself, so I assumed you knew some secret entrance or something."
"How would I? I've never been to Regna Ferox before."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Really? Not even to visit your aunt and uncle?"
Lucina gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"
"Didn't Lissa go to live with Lon'qu in Regna Ferox?"
Lucina now looked a tad confused. "...Aunt Lissa was married to Uncle Vaike."
Robin stared at her. "...Vaike? Vaike?! Lissa married Vaike?!"
Lucina frowned. "And I surmise she was married to Sir Lon'qu in your world?"
"Well yeah, but that least at made sense! Girl falls in love with her bodyguard, bodyguard falls in love with his charge, you know, that old story! ...Although I guess Lissa falling in love with her brother's rival is kind of understandable too..."Robin put his hand on his chin as he stared pensively at the snow. He looked up at Lucina. "Wait, who did Lon'qu marry then?"
"Lady Say'ri."
"Get out. Seriously? I didn't think she would go for that sort of thing..."
Lucina raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Robin rubbed the back of his head. "Well uh, I was kind of under the impression that Say'ri had something going on with, um... Tiki."
Lucina narrowed her eyes. "Are you suggesting that the Divine Oracle, daughter of Naga, engaged in a lascivious affair with the empress of Chon'sin?"
"See, somehow it sounds less plausible when you say it like that."
The princess placed her hand over her mouth. "But wait. You know of Owain. Shouldn't he have not existed in your time if Aunt Lissa didn't marry Uncle Vaike?"
Robin frowned. "Hmm... Good question. That seems like a very reasonable expectation. We're talking about the same Owain, right? Tall, shouts a lot, poses a lot more, always talks about his 'Sword Hand'?"
Lucina smiled. "Yes, that's him."
Robin rubbed his head. "Now, from a probabilities standpoint, that is weird. Like, doesn't-make-any-sense-at-all 'll have to talk about that later. But first, the more pressing issue of how the hell do we get inside?"
Lucina pursed her lips as she surveyed the Longfort. "Scaling the wall seems impossible. It's far too high, and handholds are lacking."
"Nah, I can get us up there with Acrobat. Problem is we'd just be spotted the instant I did that."
"Hmm. Perhaps there's an opening in the wall somewhere we can sneak through?"
"Not impossible, given its fort's length, but gods know how long it would take us to find one."
Lucina frowned. "Perhaps we're overthinking this? What if we just ask for entry?"
"Prior experience suggests we'd only be branded as brigands and attacked. But it's not like the border patrol is particularly imposing..."
The two crossed their arms, both deep in thought.
Robin scratched his head. "...Do you want to just beat up the guards until someone important shows up?"
Lucina tilted hers. "...I suppose that might work."
