Lucina found herself outside again, holding her practice blade under the moon's light. Old man Garret was waiting there as usual, dressed in his dirty gambeson, cain in his hand and wooden brace on his leg. For him, it was another night "training" the young Princess how to better use her blade. For her, it was... Two days after Cynthia had learned of her mother and father's deaths.

Something about it troubled her, a longtime feeling which had now poked it head from the innner depths of her own heart. Why could she not feel sadness at their passsing, as if there was a wall which barred her from crying, feeling sad, or understanding what Cynthia felt. Frederick and Sumia are... Were among the closest advisors to her father and Robin, and yet... She could feel nothing.

This brought out that deep seated anger, and she gripped the practice blade before diving at Garret, raising high and intent on slamming atop his head. He merely scoffed as he pivoted his cain to block her attempts and jab at her chest, pushing her back. Lucina rolled back to her feet before rushing once more, blade held low before swiftly being projected forward for her own stab at him. He moved to block it, only for Lucina to cease her stab, and instead flick the blade down and snap it up, intent on hitting his head.

Garret laughed openly now, oh how the little Princess had so many devious little tricks she had. None of it he taught of course, no he was a reciptacle. Someone Lucina could practice all her techniques and swordplay on without fear of actually injuring them. Because unlike most of the other guards, he had no fear of hitting the Princess of their Kingdom. He hurt any royal without any remose. Lucina's dislocated shoulder could attest to that sentiment.

Lucina on the other hand felt somewhat of kinship with Garret. He was not father, far from it, nor was he Robin, no one could replace Robin as Lucina's mother-figure. No, Garret... Was her teacher. Teachers... Were something which she cherished very dearly, and she knew no reason why. Though not a tradional teacher, he did not teach her much, but he was someone whom she felt close to for guiding her in her swordsmanship. A small part of her however felt against this idea, that it should be father who should teach her, but at the time, boredom outweighed duty for her.

Clang. Crack! Thunk! The wooden sword in Lucina's hand did ferocious beat against the cane the old man had in his grip. No matter how hard her offense was, the old man's guard was nearly impenetrable. It was always like this for Lucina, fighting against an almost impenetrable wall.

After nearly two hours of melee, Lucina grew too fatigued to move. Her arms and legs crying out before she collapsed onto her back, practice blade casted off to her side as Garret sat down just opposite of her. The young Princess breathed hard, chest rising and falling in the same tempo of a galloping war hors.

"You're improving," Garret coughed into his hand, he saw that there was blood on it. Lucina got him in the stomach a few times, not that'd he tell her. However, he knew she could have gotten him more times, but something was distracting her today. "However you're also distracted, that's not good."

"It's nothing…" Lucina replied tiredly. Garret narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine, who are you really?" Garret knew that wasn't what was biting the girl, but it might as well be time to reveal that as well.

"I'm just an old soldier—"

"No, you said you were my father's teacher. He never mentioned you to me," Lucina interrupted.

"He should do well to not. I was chosen by his father to teach him." Lucina looked confused and Garret laughed. "It's good that the kid never told you, but it's naïve of him. Your grandfather, the King before your father, was a hard man. He's the reason why Plegia and Ylisse have such bad terms."

"What do you mea—"

"After nearly a century of peace, your grandfather decided to declare war on Ylisse and invade the land!" Garret barked. Lucina shrunk at his tone, but never left eye contact. He could see the brand in that left eye of her's, starring back at him. "We marched onto Plegia, intent on destroying that land in blood and fire."

"W-Why would he! Ylisse is a land of pea—"

"No one knows why he did so," Garret waved off. "It was like a dark god had taken possession of him, he rallied a draft and marched off to war before the kid was even aware who he was and left his still pregnant queen in my care. After this," he patted the leg which was in a brace, "I was sent back to Ylisse. Me, the best swordsman in the whole army sent back to protect a pregnant queen and train some noble idealistic brat son—" Garret's cane rose up to stop Lucina from throwing a punch at his face, yet he still continued to talk, "—to fight. While he went and slaughter every man and woman child that got in his path." Lucina's body went slack as her face went pale at the tale. "It was a godsend that the boy soldier plunged that tagger into his heart and allowed truce to drawn up in the wake of his death!"

"… Grandfather… He... He caused the war?.." Lucina paused as she stared at the ground in shock. She fell back onto her behind before looking at Garret, now she noticed the old man's stony features. "… Why are you training me?"

"Because that's all I can do now apparently," Garret replied with a shrug. "I tried to do the same with your father, but he's far too stubborn in his noble ideals—"

"That's not exactly true is it." Garret stopped and stared at Lucina. The Young Pricess' eyes were wide and wild, hands now gripping his gamebson. He didn't if he let her do so, or if she had finally gotten skilled enough to bypass his instincts. "That's partially why, but you're not telling the whole truth. I demand you tell me why!" Garret stared at her before chuckling lowly.

"Fine, you got me. I don't trust that Plegia will honor the peace treaty," he growled. "We've killed far too many of them to not want to strike back… And something's wrong with everything. Valm declaring war on all Ylisse for no reason? Only a fool would try to conquer all of Ylisse by first going through Renga Ferox. Wahlhart is no fool, there's something wrong and I feel like your father isn't up to the task."

"My father—"

"Is an idealistic fool, who thinks with high noble ideals!" Garret roared back. "You are not your father, don't even try to pretend to be like him. You may share his blood, but you're less idealistic than he is. You see things as they are; bleak, short, and brutal. A war with Valm may or may not take your father and his tactician, and if it does, Plegia will be sure to strike back. Ylisse will need someone who will produce results."

"What? Like grandfather!"

"Yes, no, I don't know! I am a soldier, a killer, all I know is that this war with Valm is going to turn into something worse, and Ylisse is going to need a leader who needs to make hard decisions! Something that your father can't ever make! Your father can lie to himself with all the false noble claims he can, to give himself ideas of honor to abide by, but everyone who holds a blade is a killer! We are all killers! We slaughter our enemies, hack them to pieces, and scatter their remains for the idea of a bloodstained peace! Your father did that to Gangrel, and one day the Plegains will do the same to us!" Lucina only stared with wide eyes, not speaking, before turning and leaving. Garret watched her run, still wondering why he decided to train this girl. Why did a girl want to learn how to use a sword anyway, didn't she know that using one would mean she'd be training to kill people? Did she want to do that? Become a killer?

Was it because of fate, that he would be tied with these royal killers? Some gut feeling that something was wrong? Or maybe he was so angry and bitter that he wanted to leave that anger in a child after killing so many. Or maybe he was hoping that if he got her angry enough, the girl would kill him like he did to those children.

Or maybe because he wanted to destroy any hope of innocence from the line of a man who wanted to genocide an entire nation for some stupid false prophecy he heard from a traveling soothesayer...

-1-

Lucina stared from the shadows of the wall at the courtyard. One month, two months, three months passed before she decided to mingle with others. Her lessons with Garret ended that night three months ago, and instead she wanted to reconnect with her friends.

She wanted to start with Cynthia, considering she's heard that the girl who once idolized her when they were younger was now trying to become a Pegasus knight. She had to tried in vain to make conversation with her, but everything was… Tense. Maybe because Cynthia knew that because of her father' decision to go to war, it lead to her mother and father's death. Maybe because of how Lucina fights, without honor or "justice" as Cynthia called it. Or maybe because Lucina found herself unable to look at Cynthia in the eye after seeing Sumia's wedding ring dangling from her neck.

In those three months of training, Cynthia's spear instructors deemed her skills adequate enough to practice with others. This is what Lucina saw now, Cynthia with her spear against Kjelle, the girl hoisting a large wooden practice shield and spear against Cynthia.

"The Klutz is gonna fall again." Lucina looked to her side to see Severa, the girl two years her junior with her trademark frown that seemed five years her senior as she sat cross legged and stared with narrowed eyes at the two. Lucina quirked an eyebrow at the girl, something that Severa did not fail to notice. "What?" Her tone was abrasive as usual, though that didn't mean Lucina minded it.

"Was wondering if you were talking to me or yourself," she responded. Severa snorted, though did not respond verbally. Lucina only rolled her eyes before looking back forward. Indeed, true to the silver haired girl's prediction, Cynthia feet tangled with themselves before she sent herself tumbling terribly to the ground, landing on her behind as Kjelle easily pointed the blunted practice spear at the girl's face.

"Drats, I thought I'd gotten you there!" Cynthia sighed, though the smile on her face did not wane. Kjelle only shook her head before righting her shield up and helping Cynthia up.

"You're so clumsy on your feet, thank the gods you're trying to become a Pegasus knight," Kjelle stated bluntly. While most would have taken it as an insult, Cynthia only giggled before the Pegasus Magnolia trotted over to her and nuzzled the back of her head.

"Gah! I just tied those!" Kjelle didn't respond, instead she began to retreat back towards the guard's barracks. Lucina watched her go. Yesterday it was told to Kjelle that her mother and father had been killed in action, a large skirmish had decimated the cavalry battalions of the two of them, both died of severe wounds that the camp physicians couldn't treat in time.

That news had come from Severa's own mother, Cordelia. The prodigal Pegasus knight and her daughter were at a tense impasse. An argument that could be heard throughout the entire castle, yet the exact nature of the argument had yet to be revealed, was heard throughout the entire castle. After that, neither mother nor daughter had spoken much to each other.

"This is all your fault," Severa muttered quietly. Lucina looked perplexed before Severa suddenly stood up and walked away. Lucina, acting on impulse, went to question why before a hand smacked hers away. "Just leave me alone your highness!" The vehement venom behind the girl's words was striking to Lucina.

She and Severa were by no means, close; nowadays hardly any of the children were close to her, not Kjelle who had thrown herself hard into training, Cynthia and her way of fighting were too different to be compatible despite the young girl's once idolization of her, while Laurent was intent to read his books. Lucina now realized that she didn't have a much of a relationship outside of her father and Robin, and Garret but she didn't count that any more, but the jab at Severa gave still stung her heart greatly.

"Severa…" Lucina trailed off lamely as she saw the girl run off. Her blue eyes looked forlorn before feeling a familiar but hated feeling of isolation come over her.

No. Stop that, I should go trai—So caught up in her thoughts, Lucina ran into someone. Her forehead connected solidly to the steel breastplate of a familiar Pegasus knight.

"Ah, Princess Lucina," Cordelia looked down and smiled at Lucina. The conversations between Cordelia and Lucina felt like a godsend for Lucina, as she was able to hear about how her father and Robin where doing. "I'm sorry for running into you."

"It's okay," she replied rubbing her forehead. Codelia however seemed anxious, looking around skittishly. "Are you looking for Severa?"

"H-Huh?" Cordelia looked down at Lucina now. "O-Oh, no it's fine. I was just going to tell her… Never mind. If you see my daughter, uh… Never mind." A melancholic look was left on Cordelia's face before she too left Lucina. A deeply placed fear was set in Lucina's heart, anxiety spiked up in her body.

-2-

Kellam stood by Miriel as two stood by Cordelia as she packed her Pegasus. The prodigal flier did not look like her prim and proper self, her eyes had darkened circles around them and she seemed tired. The fight she had with her daughter had damaged her moral stability, that much was evident.

"Are you sure you don't wish to stay one more day, to patch things up with Severa?" Kellam asked. Cordelia smiled warily at him and shook her head.

"Issues with a relationship have a higher chance of being remediated if there is communication between the two troubled parties involved," Miriel advised. Cordelia just chuckled at the woman's analytical response. Cordelia may be a genius, but the one who's intelligence is to never be questioned was surely Miriel's.

"Perhaps. However, maybe it's best to let time mend the wounds," Cordelia replied. "I know I'll come back and see her again, both I and her father. I'll make sure that she knows that the one we're fighting for is her." With a sad smile, Cordelia leapt atop of her Pegasus, righting herself on it before saluting to Kellam and Miriel. "Thank you for watching over the children; that's from everyone… Especially for those whom we've lost." Dark looks clouded Kellam and Miriel's face at the mention of their lost friends.

"Hyah!" Cordelia kicked off her Pegasus and road up into the air of the midday sun, intent on returning back to the campaign. Overhead clouds seemed to gather as the red sky glowed with a warm hue. If only for the unmistakable sound of string hitting wood was heard over twenty times. Kellam and Miriel could only stare in absolute shock as twenty arrows sped towards and impacted the Pegasus rider and her mount. Cordelia fell back down just outside the gates just as fire spells began to fly towards the castle.

"Open the gates!" Kellam bellowed as he began to rush out towards the gates. It was barely big enough for him to squeeze through before barreling into an assassin that thought the same. With a roar, he drove his spear through that man's chest and out the other end still continued to run through. Run until he saw the broken bloodied body of his friend being descended upon by a myrmidon-wyvern squad. One had their blade out, about to finish Cordelia off before Kellam slammed his shield into him.

He let out a grunt when he felt sword pierce his lower leg, but preserved before sweeping his spear in a large arc. He stood protectively over Cordelia, eyes fierce with vengeful anger as he stared at the surrounding men. He recognized their colors anywhere; Plegians.

"Come at me! Look at me!" The normally soft-spoken man was wrought with anger. A Plegian assassin thought he would be fast enough to duck beneath his spear, but a hard smash from his shield showed that he was able to fend them off. Another came within range of his axe and cleft in two by savage warcry that was very unlike the man.

The Plegians now had their attention solely on Kellam, heavy armor and sharpened weapons more than what they themselves had on. If one was lucky enough to get behind and stab him in the back-

The sound of galloping hooves was heard and the Plegians turned just in time to have several of their own members be speared by the rushing Ylisse cavalary men. Several retreated and regrouped near their mages, the Knights creating a roving defensive perimeter around their general. Kellam turned to see the castle guards arrive.

"General Kellam!"

"Get her back to the castle," he deposited Cordelia's form onto the back of the horse. He tried to not look at the arrow-stricken body of his friend. "The rest of you, form in behind me and—hrk!" Kellam coughed a harsh breath, noting that blood spewed forth. He looked down in time to see a sword's blade poking out of his armor. He turned around to see a once thought dead Plegian assassins who sword was held and plunged through him. With a roar, Kellam plunged his axe the man through his front while roaring in his face. The grip on the sword grew slack before Kellam through him off his weapon by smashing his shield into his face.

"General Kellam!" The General only coughed once more, then looked back forwards to see a troop of Plegian dark mages begin to move forward.

"Belay my orders! All of you retreat back to the castle and evacuate through the tunnels," Kellam dropped his spear and pulled out a satch of javelins.

"General—"

"Did I stutter Captain? Do as I say and evacuate the castle, now!" With a roar, Kellam threw his first javelin. It flew true and straight, spearing a Plegian in the chest as they continued to march without any falter in their steps. He heard the hooves shuffling behind him while he stared ahead at the burning city, screams in the air. Even as the spells came at him, he still threw the javelins picking off as many as he could.

It is bad to say that he didn't hear that at the moment. No, what was on his mind as the dark mages charged up their spell was about his wife and child. Hopefully either of them would forgive him for dying without saying goodbye.

"For Ylisse!" Kellam roared as he charged forward through the dark magics that attacked him. He paid no mind that a spell broke the armor covering his arm, nor did he feel the muscles of his legs get torn apart from the malicious magic. He strode forward, full of zeal and loyalty to his family. He pushed on forward past the spells which began to erode him slowly, first breaking his armor apart, then his flesh. "See me now!" He roared as he hurled his last javelin at a mage. He stared triumphantly as it pierced their body, smiling proudly even as he was blasted apart my magic until there was no trace left of Kellam the Unseen Shield of Ylisse.

Live strong… Laurent…

-End of Chapter 4-

Ages of All the Childeren at the End of the Chapter:

Lucina - 14
Kjelle - 15
Cynthia - 13
Severa - 12
Noire - 12
Nah - 11
Owain - 14
Gerome - 13
Laurent - 10
Brady - 15
Inigo - 13
Yarne - 12

Dead Parents:

Frederick + Sumia
Kellam