Ch4 is here, yay~

Took a little bit longer than the others, but still a fast release, just like I'd hoped^^

And, as per usual, the Speech Guide:

Italics indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

"So…wait. Let me get this absolutely straight. You can wield a blade? You're not just an archer?"

"That's right, though I really wish I couldn't."

"…And why are you telling me this?"

Rhia couldn't help but flinch slightly at how annoyed the general sounded. Truth to be told, she had been expecting this sort of reaction, though that didn't lessen the pain she felt upon seeing him recoil like that. It's not as if I'm some sort of monster…at least, I hope that's the case.

When Ike didn't add anything to his previous question, she stood up, not in the slightest bit comfortable with the direction the conversation was heading. She'd hoped that he would be different from all of the others, but…apparently not.

"Thanks for the meal." She whispered, before hurriedly ducking out into the crisp night air. Dusk had come and gone, leaving only the stars and moon as sources of light. But that was enough. It had to be.

The next morning came and went uneventfully, for there weren't many tasks that were a good fit for a new recruit. As one of the few women enlisted, the available jobs for Rhia were even fewer, though she didn't mind. In a way, this came as more of a blessing than a curse; by nature she was more of a thinker than a fighter, though when it came time to do the latter she was perfectly capable of holding her own. Needless to say, she now found herself with plenty of time to mull over what to do next.

The problem was that almost everything of consequence was out of her control; General Ike now knew that she was the one whom the rumors spoke of. She couldn't do a thing if he chose to tell the troops her secret, which frustrated her more than anything else. Though, despite us parting on a bad note, he doesn't seem like the kind of person to blurt out others' secrets…

"Are you Rhiannon? Boss said you were, but I wanted to make certain."

Rhia blinked, her train of thought broken by the feminine voice. Standing directly in front of where she was resting was a girl—a young woman really—of about her age.

"…Yes, that's me…though I'd really prefer 'Rhia' over my full name." The other woman grinned at her, flipping a few cerulean strands out of her eyes.

"The name's Mia." Rhia accepted her outstretched hand, though she was surprised when, instead of a handshake or something similar, Mia helped her to her feet.

"Boss wanted to talk to you, so he sent me to fetch you."

"Um…if you don't mind me asking…who is this 'Boss' you keep referring to?" Mia raised an eyebrow in Rhia's direction, a sly grin on her face. Before she could reply, however, the two of them almost ran headlong into Ike as exited one of the tents used solely for strategy meetings.

"Oh, Boss! I brought the girl, just like you asked. Now if you need nothing else, Gatrie said he'd spar with me, so…"

Rhia watched her newfound friend dash off without waiting for a reply, her mouth forming a small 'o' when she made the connection between 'Boss' and 'General Ike'. Ike meanwhile only shook his head, his shoulders shaking with a small bout of silent laughter. It didn't take long, however, before he returned to his usual seriousness, though he carried a rather sheepish look on his face when he next spoke.

"…I wanted to apologize for last night. I got rather…annoyed…when I shouldn't have. Will you forgive me, Rhia?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. There were a million and one questions she wanted to ask, as well as requesting that he keep her secret a secret, but…this was an improvement, and she didn't dare risk shattering what little recovery they had made. Ike raised an eyebrow when she continued to remain silent, though he didn't push the matter further. After a moment, however, he spoke up.

"Would you…care to walk with me? I've got a few errands I need to run, but I thought it might be a good idea to show you around camp. That is, if Mia hasn't already done the job…?"

"N—No, she hasn't, but…"

"But?"

Rhia made a face. What would the rest of the camp say if they saw the two of them walking together? The last thing she wanted was to stand out and be a target for the masses to pick on. There's no harm in agreeing, I guess...

"Alright, then it's settled. If you'll give me just a moment—" She waited as he ducked quickly inside one of the nearby tents, returning only moments later with a couple of bundles held under each arm.

"Busy as ever…like always. I'm not looking forward to going to war, but this endless amount of work is…"

"…Brutal, right?" Rhia finished for him, boldly deciding to take on the burden of one of the packages he was carrying. Ike didn't say anything at the motion, though she could tell he was grateful for the help.

There. A more fitting "completion" ending. I've got a few ideas on where I want this story to head from here, but they're still in an incoherant state at the moment, so it might take a little bit before Ch5 comes around. That being said, however, I'm happy with the way this chapter turned out^^

Thanks for reading,

-ZGS