Alex breathed as he entered the room, a hut far from the castle as he explained and listened that Plegia relations would be dealt a little ways from Ylisstol and Alex couldn't blame the people, they were afraid of another sacking so soon after the war, his hand closing the door shut as the Mercenary sat up in attention as the Grandmaster sat down, sorting through his papers before glancing at the still-attention Barlowe and spoke. "At ease, you are a friend here, no fear among my wards please."

The Mercenary relaxed as he breathed, slightly older than both Tharja and Alex, as he spoke in a downtrodden voice, a tone less chipper than he had guessed. "Sorry, first time meeting the 'Grandmaster' and I thought I should show my respects."

"No harm done, though you are less happy than what Tharja has told of you." This got his attention as a hand reached out and grabbed the cloak.

"Where is she, is she alright!?"

"Barlowe, peace." The grip released as Alex sat back down with Barlowe following slowly. "Tharja is a part of the Shepherds, having joined us during Plegia Castle, she has been in my company for a few months, sticking close and she is perfectly fine, just very attached at times."

Barlowe sighed as he laid back, his voice now better and more alive. "Thank the gods she is okay, when I heard that she disappeared during the Exalt's death, I was on pins and needles for her safety... um, no offense, sir." Alex shook his head as they were having idle conversation.

"None taken, Barlowe, Emm died for her beliefs and she wanted peace, just peace." Alex moved the forms in front of Barlowe as he continued on. "Now, the reason I have asked of you is to give you the new position of Marauder Captain, but before I can safely acknowledge you as a new member in my service, I have to drill you with questions for two reasons." Alex raised a hand as Barlowe watched with interest. "One, to ensure that my trust is not betrayed and that you have what it takes and, Two, to give you a quick rundown as some have lost their minds and I need sanity to be a part of your behavior, not a 'optional' belief."

Barlowe nodded with vigor. "Certainly, Sir!" Alex nodded as he started off.

"Before you had enlisted as a soldier, what were you beforehand?"
"A wyvern tamer, I tame wild wyverns that reside in Plegia and sometimes from Valm and I mentor those I saw capable to manage a wyvern, sir!"

"Why did you enlist as part of Gangrel's army?"
"To keep an eye on my baby sister, I wanted to keep her safe, despite her threats of curses..." Alex nodded as he pressed on.

"What weapons are you proficient in use?"
"The standard sword, sir, though I am quite able in using a knight's kit, a dark mage's tome, and sometimes even an axe on a wyvern, sir!"

Alex paused for a moment before he sighed with his new question. "Is there anyone you like or love?"
"I... what?"
Alex rolled an arm as he explained. "Whether I would like to admit to it or not, the Shepherds had actually developed their feelings of friendship, companionship, and even marriage proposals STRAIGHT on the battlefield, even the royal couple were made on the field, Barlowe."
"...Is this... still a part of the questions?"

"Not really, actually, it is fine if you want to keep the Marauders work only, but as it would seem similar in some cases with the Shepherds, I thought to remove the question beforehand and see your reaction." But Barlowe was stumped as he repeated 'royal couple' a few times in amaze before Alex got his attention back. "Sorry about that, now let's continue with standard divides as..." Alex sighed and snapped his fingers and Barlowe straightened up to hear the question again. "Barlowe, as a leader to a newly created division, I want to know your cut if we are to be partners in this, you may be a subordinate, but I want to treat you right, as a friend and ally, understood?"
"Yes, Sir!" Barlowe paused before he focused on the question, scratching the small tuff of hair on his chin before he spoke. "If I were to go with the basic belief that Plegia will not fund this and our allies are Ylissean, I would like... forty percent cut, the sixty goes to you as you will be funding us and could run on funds if we use too much."

Alex hummed in acknowledge as he wrote it down. "A good start, Barlowe, I see that you answered my next question without realizing, but now I need to ask a topic in religion." Alex leaned forward as Barlowe did the same. "Do you worship a god, Grima, Naga, whoever, do you worship them?"
"Actually no, I don't worship any god, Grima is a vessel of destruction which is countered by Naga who is the vessel of life, I don't know of any other gods, but I would not condemn anyone who wants to worship." Alex nods and leans back as he extended a hand.

"Very well, welcome to Ylisse and your new command, now let's run you through your paces with our most challenging instructor ever."
"I am sure to live up to your expectations, Sir!"...

"...I change my mind, sir, I am not ready for death yet."

"Trust me, neither am I..." Alex sat as he and Barlowe took a seat. "But Fredrick is a dangerous individual to handle at times, even his methods of training are a challenge, but that is only because he believes that he will, one day, falter in his sworn duty and trains everyone daily to ensure that 'Milord' is safely protected."

"I think my soul has been crushed, sir..."

"Well, that's okay because you actually passed, not many are able to keep up with Fredrick once he starts, not a part of your employ, but a basic feel of the members around you." Barlowe looked as Alex explained. "These soldiers now train themselves for battle, not just against the monstrous Risen, but against brigands as well as there will also be some disorder in the world, we are simply charged of protecting those who place their lives in our hands, a good tactician knows how to take risks, but a better tactician knows how to fight without any deaths on his side, no one is perfect, Barlowe, but we all want to be better than our former selves, some afraid, some angered, and some who just don't know when to quit."

"You're... you're right, sir, Mister Fredrick is such a great mentor that I questioned his human life if any, and he just oozes duty like it is a skin to him."

"Indeed, I pity the woman who has to take him as a husband." Both shared a laugh as Alex spotted trouble, standing up to Vaike, Barlowe catching on to what is happening as Vaike was holding a bottle.""Vaike, this is not good for you, you are going to drop dead if you keep on drinking like this."

"What... I couldn't hear a peacock over my muscle joes."

"Share that with Virion, you are going beyond your limit, now go home and sleep this mess off, Vaike!" But the comment was disregarded as Vaike took a sloppy swing, the Grandmaster stopping the blow fast before head locking the drunk as he returned to Barlowe. "Sorry about this, you have just met our resident Fighter, Vaike, who has been going through some denial since one of the members regretted his approach and has entered a drunken state of resign in recent days."

"Is... is there anything I can do, sir?"

"Get Fredrick now, Vaike will need to be drilled out of this stupor the hard way." Barlowe saluted and took off as Alex held strong against the Fighter. "Vaike, don't do this."

"If you... so scared, then... fight, ya coward!"

"You are drunk, go to sleep!" But Alex's hold was not enough as Vaike grabbed Alex and removed the lock as he tossed the Grandmaster across the field, soldiers scattering as Alex rolled and reacted with a spring as Vaike charged to crush his head. Alex was glad indeed as he caught a flying blade and landed on his feet as Vaike pulled out his axe, his stance sloppy and crude. "Snap out of it before you do something you regret, Vaike!"

"Get over here... and let me cut you... Plegian scum!" Alex parried the first hack and shoved Vaike off as the Fighter came in again to cleave the Grandmaster, the metal missing him by inches as Alex worked to disarm the armed warrior, catching a glance of Fredrick coming with Barlowe behind, but the growing crowd was too thick for them to move through while the tactician had to hold his ground. What's more was that Vaike referred to Alex as 'Plegian scum', his mind mostly placing him back in the war and going to town on his opponents, but more brutish, more savage than he usually is.

He winced as he nearly dodged the axe swing that came from the side, a light blow, but the steel still got him as its blade reopened Gangrel's mark, blood now seeping out as Alex redoubled his efforts to stop the ramphaging fool before he sensed a strain of magic pound the air and the Fighter dropped down like a rock, the crowd parting as Tharja approach, her presence a terror for the soldiers, but a welcome sight from Alex's still opened eye. "I didn't realize that I was that much of value to you."

"You are my love, of course you are more valuable, you belong with me." She stood as Alex bent down and plucked the bottle from the belt and looked it over as she added her own commentary. "I have seen a good many hexes during the days, but never have I seen one attached to a bottle of whiskey."

"Are you saying that this is actually affecting Vaike on a large scale?"

"Indeed, Alex." She walked over and traced a finger across the glass. "Designed to be a limited regeneration, but the man was taxing it so much that it had switched over to a more dangerous hex, giving a lot more in exchange of a slow descent into madness of delusions and fake images."

"I see..." The crowd scattered as the key members circled the unconscious Vaike. "From the labelling, this is from the Anna Sisters, but are they testing something or did they fail to realize that one of their prototypes ended up on their shelves without their knowledge?"

"If I were so bold, Sir Alex." Fredrick took the bottle and examined it with interest, Barlowe taking a look as well as he was curious. "This is a very costly wine, reserved for banquets and ceremonies."

"As always, leave to the renowned butler of the Shepherds, Fredrick, to recognize what type of drink punished our fate less Fighter." Alex commented and Tharja gave a small chuckle before cupping her mouth with a blush as Fredrick glared and Barlowe was surprised at the casual nature that two integer members expressed. "So, placing a price on the magically enchanted bottle, what would you say, Fredrick?"

"Hmmm..." He studied it with intent before lowering it once more. "I would place it between three to eight thousand gold pieces, shall we inform the Sisters that we have one of their... 'products'?"

"Yes, best do it and inform them of the error and DENY any claims to repay for the damages, they sometimes make the attempt to take things further than things should." Fredrick nodded as he called out a rest from the exercise, a round of relief flowing over the crowd as Alex guided Barlowe on, Tharja trailing close behind. "Now that we dealt with that small matter, let us continue on with your registration."

"Of course, Sir, and... it's good to see you again, Tharja..."

"Save the excuses, Barlowe, I am not interested with our familial matters, I am here to help those who saved me from the Mad King."

"Oh, I see..."

"So I don't need Mother OR Father breathing down my neck about my wellbeing!"

"They are STILL going to be worried, you left without a word about where you had disappeared to, Tharja!"

"If you two are done with your argument, I believe we have a small tour to proceed with."

"But, Sir Alex, surely you understand familial matters, don't you?" Alex paused in his walk as he hung his head down a bit and Barlowe cleared his throat in apology while the dark mage rubbed her arm. "I am sorry, that was uncalled of me, I apologize."

"It is fine, just a random shot, that's all." Alex breathed as he spotted a distant target and lined up a shot. "Just because I don't remember, doesn't mean that I am without such moments." Magic generated in his hand as he focused more, the two watching as he opened his eyes once more and smiled. "Someday, I will learn and that is the greatest difference." A Thoron bolt fired, without a tome on hand, and struck the target without any tilt, igniting the hay marker which quickly died as the arm was lowered, his hand slightly steaming as he breathed once more. "Well, shall we move along?"

The Grandmaster walked on with hands behind his back, but Tharja and Barlowe watched as the target crumbled and shared a glance.

"Where did you find this man, Tharja?"

"He was found by Chrom to start with, with no memories to call upon, and has a remarkable skill in magic and tactics, not even his origins were within."

"You think that he could be from Valm?"

"No... I think he is from somewhere... closer, just..." Tharja ran a hand over her cheek as she looked at the smoldering marker. "I haven't had the time to examine it... closer."

"Wow, your first crush and you are afraid of getting close to him?"

"Don't make me curse you." But Barlowe showed a childish nature as he bounded away after Alex.

"Just wait until Mother finds out, baby sis!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Tharja took off after the pair as the tour continued, quiet for the most part as Alex showed the surroundings and the two shared a stare-off at times, but it was okay to the Grandmaster, conflicts raises in even the greatest of families...