Chapter 5: Indomitable Spirits
"Well, this is unfortunate," Robin remarked flippantly. Like all the other Shepherds, his mood had improved remarkably when the Pegasus riders announced that land had been sighted. They were only slightly off course, and now they were headed straight to a large harbor town.
"They must have spotted our Pegasi," Chrom suggested. The Pegasus riders had indicated that the harbor was clear, and that one of the piers was long enough for even the warships to dock. It may very well had been the same harbor from which the Valmese fleet was launched. But now that the harbor town could be seen from the decks of their ships, the Shepherds could see dozens of Valmese soldiers scrambling around the town. As expected, the majority of them were mounted, and all of the foot soldiers were heavily armored.
What was more worrisome was that the Valmese had fielded spell casters, riding alongside the rest of the Valmese cavalry. They wore leather riding armor over neatly trimmed dark robes, their faces obscured by black cowls. Virion had mentioned this Valmese innovation briefly, but seeing the famed mage-knights in the flesh proved rather intimidating nonetheless. There were only a couple mounted archers, and no fliers at all, accompanying this contingent, to Robin's relief – Sumia, Cordelia, and Cherche would have a free reign over the skies if this turned into a skirmish to seize the harbor.
Robin continued to observe the enemy movements and positioning, considering Chrom's theory. The Valmese must have spotted the ships by now, but they were still dispersed along the streets. The movement patterns resembled those of the Valmese invasion force that had tried to seize the Feroxi ports. Finally, Robin responded, convinced that Chrom's guess was off the mark. "No, Chrom. I think they're searching for something. Look carefully – some of them seem to be panicking and trying to get ready to fight, but others are just roaming the streets. I think they're searching for something. I think these soldiers were already deployed before they knew we were coming."
"So… what does that mean for us?" Frederick asked warily. "Maybe they're distracted for now, but I doubt they'll let us land unmolested."
Chrom grinned. "We have them outnumbered pretty badly here, for once. From my count we only have about twenty soldiers securing the docks. They shouldn't be a problem."
"There will be more in the city," Robin reminded. "But you're right. The key is going to be gaining access to the harbor safely. Remember when they invaded Ferox? The tables have been turned – we're the ones that have to figure out how to land safely, now. We'll go for the beach instead, near those stone stairs that separate the harbor and beach from the town." Robin gestured towards an obvious gap in the Valmese defensive line. About a dozen mounted Valmese soldiers were scattered on the beach, but the sand would slow them drastically. Between them and the docks there was an open area – the fast schooners could likely touch down on land before the Valmese realized the opening they left, and unlike the warships, could traverse the shallow water safely.
"Two schooners, three at most," Frederick noted, following Robin's train of thought.
"Indeed," Robin confirmed. "Their biggest force is at the docks itself, but that's where most of the infantry is concentrated. The Feroxi forces will fare better against them than against the cavalry. I say we leave the docks to Basilio and Flavia, while we Shepherds secure the rest of the beach and keep the Valmese reinforcements from taking the docks back until our ships have landed safely."
"If we can secure the beach quickly, then we can land additional schooners along the beach, too," Frederick reminded. "If reinforcements come, the sooner we can get more soldiers to shore, the better."
Robin nodded in agreement. "Chrom, I want you to lead the team holding the entrance to the docks. Virion, you will take a few of the Shepherds and keep the cavalry on the beach from flanking us. Cordelia and I will fly over to the opposite end of the beach and try to slow them – there aren't any archers down there yet."
With that, the short planning session was over. Flavia signaled to the helmsman of another Valmese schooner, while Chrom dispatched a handful of Pegasus riders to pass the instructions along to the rest of the fleet. Cordelia helped Robin aboard Catria, and the two of them set off as the Shepherd's ship cut through the waters swiftly, making for the beach.
"Robin, look over there," Cordelia said suddenly, her keen eyes spotting some sort of commotion in the city streets. Some of the Valmese cavalry were no longer wandering as if searching for something, but directing their attention to an alleyway. "It looks like they found whatever they're searching for."
Robin watched the scene unfold in the distance, unsure of how to proceed. Finally, after a few seconds, he spoke. "We have to stick with the plan, for now. We should be able to secure the beach quickly, especially if their reinforcements are distracted. Once that's done, we can go get a better look at what the Valmese are up to." Cordelia obediently urged Catria into a dive, swerving to their left and the distant side of the beach, across from the docks. The captain of the men on the beach, seeing the two-pronged attack unfold, dispatched one of his men towards the town to summon reinforcements. Three of his riders then moved to intercept Cordelia and Robin, the rest of his riders following their messenger to hopefully cut off the schooners. But as Robin had predicted, the sandy beach slowed the horses down and the schooners touched down, intercepting their course.
All three of the riders approaching them were carrying lances, Robin noted, as he drew forth his thunder tome. Even if his opponents were uncomfortable fighting on the hindering sands, he would sooner avoid trying to engage the mounted lancers up close, with both height and range in their favor. Cordelia circled the knights who eyed them warily, until they were distracted by Robin's barrage of lightning. Once she spotted an opening, she soared straight forward, her lance easily knocking the riders from their mounts. Robin quickly finished off a couple of the fallen knights with another flash of lightning, before drawing Eternity and hopping down to face the last on even footing. Within a few moments, the last of the lancers had been dispatched. On the other side of the beach, it looked like Virion had the situation well in-hand. Gaius and Lon'qu, moving freely in their light armor, were carefully keeping the advancing cavalry at bay, while Tharja, Henry, and Ricken laid waste to the Valmese cavalry. "Cordelia, let's see if we can get a better look at the streets," Robin decided, and a moment later, they were soaring upwards once more.
Chrom had led the charge into the city itself. When they landed, he had quickly noticed that the gateway was narrower than he and Robin initially thought. While that would make for a good chokepoint, the staircase was steep, which would leave whoever held the staircase alone and vulnerable to the riders approaching. Instead, he quickly directed Frederick, Stahl, and Sully to accompany him up the stairs. They pushed into the city, where the surprised Valmese were quickly forced to retreat. Now, they held a small market square that was situated right at the harbor gates. Sumia was watching from overhead, signaling the directions from which the Valmese troops were approaching. Though Virion had successfully intercepted the messenger, too, it seemed the Valmese were vigilant and already aware of the attack, anyways.
A heavily armored rider with a hefty axe rode around the corner, followed by a pair of mounted lancers. Forewarned, Chrom was waiting for them. With a great leap forward, he brought Falchion down in a mighty swing, creasing the first knight's armor and throwing him from his mount as the horse tried to turn. Chrom immediately fell back, barely falling out of reach of the fine lances the other two riders carried. The two riders quickly met their match, as Cherche descended upon them, Minerva immediately grasping one rider and hurling him against a stack of barrels nearby. As the other rider tried to bring his lance across defensively, a heavy throwing axe snapped the thin wooden shaft in two before burying deep into his chest.
On the other side of the square, more Valmese riders stepped into the square, this group leading with a barrage of lightning bolts. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl fell back immediately, each bearing several burns. Four of the hooded mages rode forward, one of them drawing a sword as Gregor and Vaike leapt forward to meet them. But the two warriors weren't particularly resilient towards magic either, and another wave of lightning sent them reeling. One of the mage-knights charged, his sword thrusting forward. Vaike tried to turn away but the blade bit deep into his shoulder.
And then Sumia was there, her lance throwing the sword-wielding knight to the ground. The other mage-knights turned, instinctively blasting away, but Caeda easily resisted their magical assault, and Sumia quickly took down a second knight. Seeing the mage-knights distracted, Frederick charged forward, shortly followed by the other riders.
"There's more coming!" Sumia cried to Frederick. But instead of soaring back up to her post, she swerved and raced to Chrom's side. "Chrom, you have to see this!" Chrom, trusting his wife and queen, agilely climbed up behind her. Sumia had spotted the same commotion in the alley that Cordelia had, but from her angle, she could see the Valmese riders in battle with a handful of swordsmen.
"We have to help them," Chrom decided instantly. "They're fighting against the Valmese too – this could be our chance to make contact with the resistance."
But Sumia didn't set off immediately. "Look," she warned, gesturing towards another group of soldiers advancing towards the alley. Amidst this band were both of the mounted marksmen that Robin had noted earlier. The rest were armored foot soldiers bearing axes and lances. Chrom grimaced as he saw the archers approach.
"Get me down there, then back off right away," Chrom instructed. "I'll help them hold off the Valmese while you go get help." When Sumia looked as if she was going to protest, Chrom waved her protests away. "Go, now! Before the archers close in and cut us off!"
Sumia obeyed, and the riders in the alley suddenly had an opponent behind them as well, Chrom cutting through one of the horse's fine suits of armor. The wounded creature reared, throwing its rider onto the ground, where Chrom quickly dispatched him. The resistance fighters took advance of the welcomed reprieve, and quickly cut down the other two distracted riders.
"Prince Chrom of the Ylissean League!" one of the fighters, a young woman with dark hair cried, recognizing their savior. "You have our gratitude!" She wore a white headband and a violet and white tunic. Her skirt was patterned similarly, but had several long slits, allowing her to move freely. She carried a sword much like the long curved blades that Lon'qu and Anna owned.
"You know of me?" Chrom asked, surprised. "Never mind, we'll speak later, there's more soldiers on their way."
As instructed, Sumia had begun to fly back to the other Shepherds, but she quickly noticed that Robin's guess had been accurate – many more soldiers had poured out, and were swarming the harbor gates, hoping to recapture the docks now that they saw the approaching fleet. Meanwhile, Basilio and Flavia had clearly been successful in seizing the docks. There was only one pier long enough for a warship, and Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers were pouring out of the first warship onto the docks. Similarly, schooners had landed along the secured beach and soldiers were disembarking their ships there, too.
The Shepherds would be reinforced quickly, but it was unlikely for them to force their way through the town in time to help Chrom and the resistance. "This was an awful plan," Sumia moaned. As she said one of Robin's favorite phrase aloud, she couldn't help but laugh at the grim irony. If only Robin had come up with this plan. Chrom was never too fond of thinking ahead when it came to battle, preferring to rely on instinct only. And now he was trapped, and out of the reach.
Suddenly, another thought occurred to Sumia and she scanned the skies for any sign of Cordelia and Catria, hoping that Robin or Cordelia had noted the rescue attempt. Sure enough, Sumia immediately spotted Cordelia and Robin soaring over the riders that were approaching the alley, preparing for a dive.
Sumia turned around immediately and flew back, hoping to help however she could, although she still wasn't sure how to approach the band safely with the marksman following along. "Please have a better idea," Sumia pleaded quietly, knowing full well that Robin could not hear her. To her surprise and horror, Robin waited until Catria had closed in upon the unsuspecting Valmese, then leapt down, sword drawn.
The ambush immediately brought down one of the two marksman, and drew the attention of the rest of the party. Cordelia quickly soared back up, dancing out of reach of the remaining archer as she saw Sumia approach. Cordelia signaled for Sumia to wait, and Sumia obeyed, eyeing the battle below fearfully.
"Not quite what I had in mind," Robin remarked dryly, to no one in particular. He was hoping Cordelia could bring down the other marksman, so that he could simply outrun the armored soldiers, but the other marksman had reacted more quickly than they anticipated and Cordelia had only just managed to retreat in time. Which left Robin facing six armored foot soldiers up close, or dodging arrows if he tried to flee.
He opted for the former, closing the distance quickly and entangling himself in the middle of the squad. The marksman started trying to make his way around his comrades, unable to get a clear shot. Robin backed himself against the wall of a small store intentionally, where only a pair of the armored knights could approach him. The others crowded around, trying to find a way to help.
Unfortunately, though uncoordinated, the Valmese soldiers were rather skilled. Though Eternity was sharp enough to penetrate their armor if Robin used enough force, it was hard to gain the momentum he needed. Robin knew he was in trouble.
And then, the two Pegasus knights swooped in from opposite directions. The marksman, focused on getting a shot off at the tactician, had not noticed them circling behind him. Cordelia peeled off at the last minute, letting Sumia take down the other marksman. Instead, she spun her lance and slashed, then stabbed, one of the armored knights, Passion ripping through the fine Valmese armor with relative ease. Robin slid past the dying knight and drew his tome. He fired as he fled, quickly outpacing the remaining soldiers. Catria swept him up as Cordelia flew past, and together, they cleaned up the remaining Valmese with ease.
Meanwhile, along the south end, the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers had relieved the weary Shepherds, and were now making their way through the city. A few hundred paces down the street, one of the mage-knights was trying to rally what remained of the Valmese soldiers.
"We need to take that one down," Robin said, indicating the mage-knight. "He's only got two other riders with him right now – we can take him."
"Alright," Cordelia agreed, and she signaled to Sumia to follow.
The Valmese captain had spotted their approach. "Long live the emperor! Death to all who oppose him!" the man cried. The three riders launched fireballs skyward, which the Pegasi resisted with ease. Robin leapt down, just as Cordelia sent Passion tearing through one of the two mage-knights protecting their captain. Sumia followed suit, drawing an anti-cavalry lance similar to the one Sully carried, and quickly sent the second and third mages tumbling from their steeds.
Now on even footing with his two opponents, Robin easily weaved past them, burying his blade in the captain's chest. With a simple snapping motion, Eternity spun in the opposite direction, cutting down the other mage behind Robin.
"This… isn't over…" the captain gasped. "You… cannot… stop… the Conqueror." His final words spoken, the captain laid down, and knew no more.
When Robin, Cordelia, and Sumia returned to the harbor, the town had been thoroughly captured, and the fighting had died out completely. Several resistance soldiers were present, helping the Feroxi and Ylisseans unload the remaining soldiers and supplies. Cordelia went to help coordinate the efforts, after dropping Robin off near the shorter pier where Chrom was speaking to the woman who had recognized him earlier.
"I am called Say'ri," she introduced. "It was I who made contact with the Feroxi spies several months ago."
"They did mention encountering some of the Valmese resistance," Chrom said, remembering the report they had received regarding the Conqueror's second fleet.
"Aye. That would be me and my men. I hail from Chon'sin, a small nation far to the west. When my parents, the former king and queen of Chon'sin, were slain, I had no choice but to flee. I have been trying to slow the Conqueror's rise ever since, although I must admit our efforts have not been too successful," Say'ri explained sadly.
"Just like Virion," Chrom noted. "Does that mean there is an organized resistance?"
"Aye, of sorts," Say'ri confirmed. "Although we cannot match the Valmese on the open field yet, several groups have formed across the continent, all seeking liberty for the states of Valm. We strike carefully, eluding the imperial armies, fleeing before they can reach us."
"And you sought to seize this harbor?" Chrom guessed.
Say'ri nodded. "We expected the Ylissean league to arrive within the month. The Valmese fleet had just been launched, and we knew there would only be a minor military force left to hold this region. It will be at least a week before the Conqueror receives word of his defeat here, and weeks more before his forces can mobilize. We were hoping to have the harbor prepared for your arrival, but somehow, the imperials must have found us out."
"Well, it still certainly helped," Robin said, drawing near, as Sumia raced forward to embrace Chrom. Say'ri turned and eyed the tactician curiously. "I'm Robin," he introduced, "A tactician in service to Prince Chrom."
"A friend," Chrom corrected quickly.
"Ah! You are the legendary tactician of Ylisse, who brought a swift end to the war with Plegia, are you not? Your tale has spread far, my friend," Say'ri said kindly, as she shook Robin's hand.
"This is Say'ri," Chrom introduced. "It appears we won't have to go far to find the help we were looking for."
"I wish that were true," Say'ri remarked sadly. "But I'm afraid the dynasts sympathetic to are cause are unwilling to commit to it."
"Really? Why?" Flavia asked curiously, joining the conversation. "Khan Flavia of Ferox," she said, introducing herself quickly.
"All the old weaknesses of men, I'm afraid. Greed. Jealousy. Sloth. And most of all, fear." Say'ri continued, after a quick nod to acknowledge the khan. "The dynasts are afraid of losing what they still hold, and though they do seek liberty, our resistance is disorganized. We do not even truly have a leader, let alone one who could challenge the Conqueror."
"Aren't you leading some of the forces right now?" Chrom asked.
Say'ri frowned. "Some of our fighters follow me, but many doubt my own commitment to our cause. After my mother and father were slain, my brother, Yen'fay, ascended to our throne. He then swore fealty to Emperor Walhart. He stands by the empire, as does what remains of my homeland.
"Why does he support the empire?" Robin asked curiously.
"Would that I knew," Say'ri said sadly. "Yen'fay was a good man once, but he is my brother no more! He is now just another imperial, one of Walhart's hundreds of thousands."
Chrom frowned. "We've heard that this Conqueror controls over a million men. It sounds like the tales were not as exaggerated as we hoped. We're outnumbered rather badly."
"We expected as much," Robin reminded. "We knew that we would never stand a chance against the imperial armies on an open field."
"Say'ri, you know these dynasts better than we do. We cannot win this war without their support. What would it take to unite your people?" Chrom asked.
"Well, I do have one idea," Say'ri answered. "Our people, like yours, worship Naga, the divine dragon. We oft pray to an oracle of the divine dragon, known to most only as the Voice. Lady Tiki is trapped in her temple, a prisoner of the Conqueror. If she were to be freed, and were to be known to be standing by our cause, the dynasts will likely follow suit."
"Lady Tiki?" Chrom asked astonished. "As in, the companion to the hero-king during his battles, several millennia ago?"
"Aye," Say'ri confirmed. "The Voice is thousands of years old, and daughter to Naga herself. There is a shrine built in the branches of the divine Mila Tree. It was once Lady Tiki's home, but has become her prison."
Chrom nodded. "Then I suppose we have our plan."
"Wait, Chrom," Robin insisted. "How large are the forces that hold the Voice prisoner, Say'ri?"
"Not as large as one would think," Say'ri replied. "A single regiment under General Cervantes, one of Walhart's most loyal and powerful officers, is all that guards the Mila Tree. The Conqueror respects the influence of the Voice. He claims to be a follower of Naga himself, and knows he may one day need Lady Tiki's support to truly control Valm."
"Is the tree far?" Robin urged.
"Not too far. A little more than a hundred miles to the west," Say'ri answered.
"A small group could reach it within a week," Robin mused. "But that journey could easily take twice as long, or longer, for our entire force."
"You have a plan?" Chrom asked.
"I think so," Robin replied. "We have some time before the imperials will react to our invasion. We must make use of it." He turned to Say'ri. "We have some battle plans drawn already, Say'ri. With your help, we should try to strike out as far as we can, claiming the resources we will need for this campaign, and liberating those most likely to commit to our cause. In the meantime, a small force can head towards the Mila Tree and free the Voice."
"Your plan should work," Say'ri nodded. "I pray you live up to your reputation, Sir Robin."
Most of the Shepherds set off for the Mila Tree the following morning. Say'ri had reviewed their maps quickly, and although there were a few minor corrections to be made, the plans proved surprisingly accurate, given their lack of information.
Virion, Olivia, and Cherche set off for Roseanne, leading a contingent of Ylissean soldiers and resistance fighters. Say'ri had assured them that Roseanne was among the least stable of the Conqueror's holdings. After months of unrest, one of Walhart's officers had been sent with a few hundred soldiers to forcibly maintain control of the small province. That put an end to any further resistance from the farmers who still mistrusted the emperor. Although Virion had lost the respect of his people years ago, Say'ri promised that if the yoke of the empire was broken, Roseanne would stand by their cause.
In the meantime, Khan Basilio was to lead half of the remaining armies to the northwest, to a large valley known for its open fields, where many of the Valmese Pegasi and horses were bred. The region was also quite fertile, and provided most of the feed for the Valmese mounts. Say'ri warned Basilio that the valley would be well-fortified, held by at least five hundred of the Valmese Empire's famed cavalry. However, Basilio remained confident, as he would outnumber the empire's forces four to one.
Khan Flavia took the remaining armies to the south, towards a peninsula known for its smithies and mines. According to Say'ri, the local dynast of that region was quite sympathetic to their cause and had already been smuggling weapons out of the mining towns for the resistance fighters. Only a token force remained amidst the mining towns, with a larger force holding a nearby outpost where the goods passed through. Their plan called for a single Ylissean messenger to slip through and rouse the resistance fighters within the mining towns, as the Feroxi and Ylissean armies captured that outpost.
Naturally, none of three conquests were expected to hold for long if the emperor retaliated in force. But Robin was hoping that, if the Ylissean league, as the Valmese called it, were to score a quick series of victories, there would be enough immediate support to deter the Conqueror's immediate response. Of course, all three of the leaders had multiple escape routes planned, in case the emperor did march.
Quite a lot rested on the Shepherds' mission though, despite being the smallest of the four strike forces. They had the longest distance to cover, and had to do so in secret. Freeing Lady Tiki would be absolutely critical to their cause. But they encountered trouble earlier than anticipated, less than a day's march from the famed temple.
Say'ri had accompanied the Shepherds, as her familiarity would be crucial to helping them elude any who supported the Valmese Empire, but on the last night, she had directed them to a small village in which she had taken shelter before, promising that the locals were sympathetic. To their surprise though, the villagers received them with alarm.
"Lady Say'ri! You must be away from here!" an old man warned. "The imperials are near!"
"I thought the imperials had little presence in this region," Chrom said.
"Who are you?" the man asked.
"This is Prince Chrom of Ylisse," Say'ri introduced. "Prince Chrom, this man is the mayor of this town."
"You're the ruler of Ylisse?" the elder asked, astonished.
"Indeed," Chrom confirmed. "With me are my most trusted friends and allies. Our objective lies near, though any additional imperial soldiers would likely prove to be a dangerous obstacle."
"They are not truly servants of the empire," the elder admitted. "But one of Walhart's officers has recruited a powerful band of mercenaries, stationed nearby. As long as they remain loyal to their emperor, the Conqueror has given them a free reign. They have grown bolder of late, seizing our supplies by force, even conscripting two among our number to join their little band."
"If they're truly allies to the Valmese Empire, then they will have to be dealt with," Robin noted. "Otherwise, if word reaches the mercenaries, they could attempt to cut off our escape and delay us."
"You mean to face them?" the elder asked, his eyes growing wide. "The mercenaries are entrenched firmly in their fortress."
"We have to," Chrom said, agreeing with Robin's assessment. "And in the aftermath, perhaps you and your village can reclaim your goods from their fortress."
The elder nodded. "I thank you, then, and pray for your success, Prince Chrom. But I must warn you – of the two villagers conscripted from us, one was among the most gifted warriors I have ever met, and she seemed to go along with the mercenaries willingly."
Less than an hour later, the Shepherds arrived at the fortress. It was an old abandoned castle, likely once the seat of power for this region. It seemed to be a sad state of disrepair. The portcullis was busted and lying uselessly besides the now open main entrance. The battlements above were intact, but unmanned.
"The mercenaries number less than fifty, from what the mayor indicated," Robin mused. "Still, I thought they would have posted sentries."
"Maybe they did," Chrom said with a shrug. "If they know we're here, we could be in for quite a fight inside the castle's hallways."
"True," Robin conceded. "But this is a disused castle, and all castles have backdoors. Chrom, see if you can find another door, and take Gaius with you. If we don't have their attention, we'll have it soon enough; I don't think we have any choice but to enter the castle and advance carefully. You two should be able to slip through and find this imperial officer."
"Got it," Chrom said. "Once we take him down, maybe we can convince the rest of the mercenaries to run, or even turn and fight for us." And he set off, Gaius close behind him.
The rest of the Shepherds stormed the castle, Frederick in the lead. As it turned out, the mercenaries did have sentries. Two mercenaries stood guard at the entrance to the main hall, but were clearly not anticipating an attack, and were instead engrossed in a game of cards. Frederick slew one instantly, and the other quickly laid down his spear.
But the hoof beats had alerted the other mercenaries. Twenty men bearing a mixture of swords, axes, and spears, rushed into the main hall, followed by a pair of wizards. Upon seeing help arrive, the disarmed mercenary leapt for his spear, but Robin, expecting the movement, laid him low with a bolt of lightning before joining the battle in the main hall.
The mercenaries were reasonably skilled, but uncoordinated. Though the Shepherds suffered a few wounds, they retreated quickly, their allies covering for them while Lissa and Libra mended their wounds so they could rejoin the fray. The mercenaries, when wounded, simply scattered. Several were cut down as they fled, others abandoned their companions in desperate positions. The battle quickly began to favor the skilled and organized Shepherds.
Gaius and Chrom made it halfway around the castle, before they spotted a backdoor. To their surprise, there was a dead sentry lying in front of it, and a young woman stood over the fallen mercenary. Hearing them approach, she turned, lifting her lance defensively.
"What's a child doing here?" Chrom muttered quietly to Gaius, who only shrugged. But the girl heard him.
"Child? I'm not a child, you oaf! I'm the best fighter for miles around!" she fumed. Suddenly, her anger died away, and her expression became perplexed. "Wait a minute… I know you!"
"You do?" Chrom asked confused. He reached for his weapon uneasily, suspecting that this girl may very well be the gifted warrior the mayor had referred to. The girl's face looked slightly familiar, with her lustrous amber brown eyes, as did the two long platinum-blond pigtails draped behind her. She did cut a rather impressive figure, with a finely tailored leather armor and short skirt, black cloth leggings, and a pair of high plated metal boots. Her lance was of rather fine make, nothing like the standard issue lances the Valmese riders carried. It, too, seemed oddly familiar to Chrom.
"You're Chrom, aren't you? Lucina's father?" the girl asked. Chrom was taken aback by that remark.
"Wait, you know Lucina?" Chrom said. "I suppose you're one of the others Lucina mentioned, who came back with her?"
"Oh good," the girl answered with a smirk. "Now I won't have to waste time explaining the situation. Weird, I didn't think you'd be quite so funny looking."
Chrom cringed as Gaius laughed. "You're a real charmer," Chrom commented. "But if you can fight, you're welcome to join our cause."
"Not the snappiest pick-up line I've heard," the girl answered, rolling her eyes. "I'm here for Nelson, though. He's got something of mine, which is why I had to tag along with him. But it sounds like a fight's breaking out inside, so now's my chance to take it back."
"Actually, we promised to try to get the goods back for the villagers too, so we'd be happy to help. The noise you hear is my friends – they're storming the castle as we speak," Chrom explained.
"Mmm… alright then," the girl said with a shrug. She seemed nervous for a moment as Chrom mentioned his friends. "But you have to promise not to hurt Holland. He's the other villager who got dragged into this. They thought he could fight half decently, so they dragged him out here, too."
"Sure," Chrom said agreeably. "But we'll have to go quickly – we don't want the other Shepherds to find this Holland first. Just point him out when we find him, and we'll be careful not to hurt him."
"So, we're going now?" Gaius asked, casually slipping a fresh lollipop into his mouth. "Stay right behind me. And please, Blue, don't knock over any vases this time."
"Holland!" the girl cried, as she, Chrom, and Gaius rounded a corner, encountering three of the mercenaries. They had only encountered a single additional sentry as they made their way deep into the castle, but it seemed their luck had run out. Two of them were dressed in Valmese full plate armor and carried fine silver swords, the last was a middle-aged man, carrying a spear, but dressed in clothing typical of farmers. Chrom noted with some amusement that he wore a tin pot over his head, much like the Shepherd Donnel did when they first met him.
"Severa?" the farmer asked, surprised. Chrom and Gaius both gave a start when they heard the name.
"Traitor!" one of the other mercenaries growled, stepping forward. In one fluid motion, Severa swept her lance from the bands on the back of her leather tunic, and sent the lance thrusting towards the first mercenary. He lifted his shield to deflect the thrust, but Severa cleverly angled the lance so that it slid up against the shield, jabbing at the man's visor. Most of the force of the lance had been deflected by the shield, but the man panicked as steel flashed before his eyes and fell back. Severa retracted the lance and spun a full arc, ending with another devastating thrust. This time, the powerful blow cut straight through the heavy plates and into the mercenary's heart.
The other mercenary stepped forward, but Chrom responded quickly, deflecting the mercenary's attack with Falchion, and launching an attack routine of his own. The mercenary fell back, parrying desperately, but Chrom drove his adversary's blade up high, then brought his sword down in a smashing blow, throwing the mercenary's feeble attempt at a parry aside and crushing through his armor.
"Not bad," Severa admitted grudgingly.
"Severa, what are you doing here?" the farmer, apparently Holland, asked. "If he knows you left your post…"
"I'm leaving, Holland, and you're coming with me," Severa said firmly.
"Severa, I can't. You know I can't… I have a wife, and Nelson took everything we have. If I don't earn Nelson's coin, she'll starve. I know it's blood money, but I don't have a choice," Holland pleaded nervously.
"Your wife is pregnant, Holland!" Severa cried angrily. "Do you love your wife? Do you love your child?" she demanded.
"Of course I do!" Nelson protested indignantly.
"Then stop making excuses!" Severa demanded. "I know that parents will do anything for their children. But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents. The world's got far too many kids who've gone through that. Nelson's going to be dead pretty soon. If you stay, fighting for him, you'll go the same way soon enough, and your child deserves better!" she concluded with a furious stare.
Holland seemed to deflate entirely. "You're right," he conceded weakly. "Let's go."
"You go," Severa said, pointing the way they came. "Go through the back door in the kitchen. The path is clear. But Nelson's still got something of mine and I'm taking it back."
"Go," Chrom assured the farmer, as he adopted a worried look. "We'll keep her safe. Just stay clear for now, and you can help your neighbors take their stuff back once we're through." Severa rolled her eyes as Chrom spoke, clearly not interested in being protected.
Once Holland was gone, Gaius spoke up. "Severa, huh? You're Robin's kid, then, aren't you?"
"I thought you looked familiar," Chrom remarked. "And that lance… it's Cordelia's, isn't it?"
Severa shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. Then she shook her head violently. "Come on, let's go get Nelson." She raced off, Chrom and Gaius following closely behind.
The great hall was now firmly controlled by the Shepherds. The mercenaries were mostly backed into a small side hall, where they were pinned down. Many Shepherds had been wounded, but none seriously so. In contrast, the hall was littered with dead mercenaries. Kellam, Lucina, and Gregor formed a defensive line at the doorway leading to the mercenaries' refuge.
He had sent Cordelia, Sumia, and Anna ahead to find Chrom and Gaius, while he remained with the rest of the Shepherds, watching for more reinforcements. Footsteps sounded from around the corner, and suddenly, Robin found himself face to face with a female mercenary, her face vaguely familiar, framed by two long platinum-blond pigtails. He drew his sword quickly, but then he noticed the lance the girl carried, and his jaw dropped.
"How… where did you find that weapon!?" Robin demanded, horrified, expecting the worst.
The girl groaned. "I'll explain later," she said, running off. Robin began to follow, but to his surprise, Chrom and Gaius then sprinted around the same corner.
"Robin?" Chrom asked, noting his friend's shocked expression.
"Cordelia!" Robin cried suddenly. "Where's Cordelia!?"
Chrom's face screwed up in confusion for a moment, before he remembered the girl he had just met and her weapon. "Oh!" he said, as clarity set in. "Cordelia's probably fine, Robin, it's not what you think," he assured. He thought to elaborate further, but cries from the intersection between the main hall and the tunnel caught his attention.
Now thoroughly confused, Robin reluctantly turned back to see the mercenaries make a last ditch attempt to break through. Lucina and Gregor had been forced back, Gregor bleeding slightly from a small cut on his forehead. Robin launched a blast of lightning, catching one of the mercenary rogues as the sneaky fighter tried to slide by Kellam's heavily armored frame. Kellam stepped aside soon after, allowing Miriel, Tharja, Ricken, and Henry to fill the doorway with killing flames.
With the battle under control, Robin turned and raced down the corridor after the mysterious female mercenary, desperately needing answers.
Cordelia, Sumia, and Anna had been searching for Chrom and Gaius, but there was no sign of the pair when they entered the throne room. Instead, there was an older man carrying a golden scepter. He wore black robes with intricate gold and red trimming, and his long face was curled into a sneer and framed with disheveled, greasy black hair.
"Damn those useless fools," the man growled. "Must I do everything myself?"
"You're the one in charge then?" Cordelia asked levelly. "You serve the Conqueror?"
"Hah! The emperor is nothing but a mighty brute with delusions of grandeur!" the man said with a harsh laugh. "All his principles mean nothing. Gold is all a man needs to make a good life in this world!"
"He has a point," Anna remarked lightly. As all three of the others turned to Anna in confusion, Anna quickly twirled her Levin sword, and a bolt of lightning blasted the mercenary leader. But the runes etched into the trimming on his robes flashed, and most of the spell dissipated, only leaving the man's hair slightly frizzled. "Oops," Anna said sheepishly, backing away and quickly swapping her Levin sword for her conventional curved blade.
Cordelia charged in, alone. Their Pegasi weren't with them, and Sumia was not quite comfortable fighting on the ground, but she had learned how to use a staff from Lissa and held one ready. Cordelia's opponent, Nelson, dodged with surprising speed and drew forth a tome, firing a massive bolt of lightning, surpassing anything even Robin could conjure. Cordelia rolled aside at the last minute, and the bolt thundered into a pillar behind her, shattering it. Rubble fell from the ceiling, nearly crushing Anna as the merchant tried to rush to Cordelia's aid.
Then, footsteps rang out in the hallway. Severa stormed into the room, spear held defensively. Anna and Sumia rounded on her nervously, not entirely certain whether she was friend or foe. Cordelia and Nelson, too, turned upon hearing the noise.
Severa's face seemed to light up for a moment, but a moment later, her slight smile was replaced with a deep frown. "Oh gods, it's you," she said bitterly, looking straight at Cordelia
"Have we met?" Cordelia asked, bewildered. "I'm afraid I've quite forgotten."
"Well, excuse me for being so forgettable!" the girl said angrily. But before she could continue her tirade, Nelson had finally found his voice.
"Traitorous wench!" Nelson barked furiously, aiming his tome at Severa. A burst of lightning soared over Severa's head as she ducked. Severa rushed forward, nimbly leaping over the fallen debris. Her lance spun in a forward arc, driving Nelson back. Cordelia was stunned – Severa's lance seemed to be identical to hers, with the sleek, graceful spearhead. There was even an inscription on the shaft, below the grip, similar to the one on her own lance.
"You've got to be loyal before you can be a traitor, you idiot," Severa huffed, stabbing forward again, pinning Nelson to the wall by his cloak as he tried to retreat. "And you're one to talk! Extorting a poor, innocent girl like me… it's time you learned just how deadly this innocent girl can be!"
Nelson reacted to his predicament by shrugging off his cloak and throwing himself to the ground, firing another bolt as he went. The spell was poorly aimed, though, and missed Severa by several feet. Cordelia rushed forward, her lance tearing into the prone mage's arm. Nelson howled in pain, but was silenced soon after when Severa thrust her lance through his heart.
When Robin and Chrom then burst into the room, Robin was filled with relief as he spotted Cordelia standing there, perfectly healthy, her gaze resting on the mercenary who had fought by her side. The girl with the platinum-blond pigtails ignored the others, instead fishing through the pockets of Nelson's abandoned robe.
"Are you looking for something?" Cordelia asked hesitantly. But the girl ignored Cordelia and continued searching, until she pulled a small silver band with a bright, red agate set in it. Cordelia gasped when she saw the trinket.
"Is that a ring?" Chrom asked, stepping closer for a better look.
"It's MY ring, and I'll thank you to stop staring so lustily at it!" Severa said defensively. "It's worth more than anything in the world to me, and that rat Nelson stole it one night while I was sleeping."
Lucina entered the room, her eyes widening as she spotted her friend. But before Lucina or Severa could speak, Cordelia turned, and upon spotting Lucina, she finally understood. "Severa?" Cordelia said, her voice almost a whisper, as she turned back to the girl with her father's platinum-blond hair. "Is that really you?"
Robin's eyes widened as well, as realization set in. Chrom smiled slightly, understanding the emotional scene amount to play out before them, and silently tugged the others away, except for Lucina, who refused to go.
Severa was mumbling uncomfortably, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.
"What was that?" Cordelia asked, confused, as she stepped closer to the girl.
"I said, I thought you'd be lonely, so I came here to see you!" Severa said loudly. "You're welcome."
Taken aback by the sudden outburst, Robin glanced at Cordelia. But Cordelia seemed unconcerned. "That's very sweet," she said quietly.
"Don't mock me!" Severa said suddenly, anger in her eyes. "You don't care, you never cared!"
"H-How could you say that?" Robin stuttered, shocked.
"The same way the two of you just up and left me!" Severa accused. "You said you were running off to fight for what really mattered, and then neither of you ever came back! You left me alone, and for what? To fight and die for Chrom!?"
"Wait," Robin said, his face screwing up in confusion. "You were only four months old when we left."
Severa groaned at her father's idiocy, while Lucina interrupted, trying to explain. "Robin, in our time, Severa and I were both a little bit older when you left. The Plegian war dragged on because of my father's injuries and how long it took to reclaim Ylisstol."
Ignoring the explanation, Cordelia grasped her daughter's hands. Severa tried to back away but Cordelia proved faster. "Severa, please listen to me. Your father and I aren't here fighting for Chrom. I can't answer for what my future self said, but I'm fairly certain when we said we were fighting for what really mattered, we meant you. Your father and I want nothing more than to build a world where you could grow up happy and strong."
"Severa, you have no idea how hard it was to leave you in Ylisstol," Robin said, tears coming to his eyes as he remembered that day. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't dream of coming home, of seeing you, and holding you in my arms. I'm thrilled beyond words to meet you."
Severa seemed to slump back, her bitter tone fading somewhat. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to be so mean… it was just… so hard. I thought I'd never see either of you again."
"I'm sorry, too, Severa," Cordelia said. "Before I left, I promised to come home, and to bring your father home to you. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise, and sorry that I wasn't a better mother," she apologized, tears pouring from her own eyes. Robin stepped forward, draping his arm reassuringly across his wife's shoulder, as he tried to fight back his own tears.
For a moment, Severa wobbled indecisively. Finally, her stern demeanor broke, and she embraced both of her parents tightly. "Just promise me you won't leave me again," she mumbled, crying into her mother's shoulder.
"I promise," Cordelia said softly, speaking for her and Robin both.
