Sorry for the long Delay, but at least its done now right? Enjoy! :D
Review Below, Let me know!
A lone horseman in the early morning rode into Bay're, all the way up to the Baron's manor. The Baron was out with his guards and Captain Kimu and the Baron was practicing axe throwing at dummies. The horseman dismounted and kneeled before the Baron.
"A message from Captain Hashal, my Lord." The horseman greeted. "The Shepherds have begun to move against us. They have slipped past our cavalry and took positions in the forest east of us."
As the Baron was about to throw the axe, he paused for a moment, then turned to the horseman and chopped his head clean off.
"GODS DAMN YOU! USELESS! ALL OF YOU!" The Baron screamed, slamming the axe down to the ground. "YOU ARE TO ENGAGE AND FIGHT TO THE LAST OF YOU! And you just let them... slip by..."
"My lord, please, calm down." Kimu said.
"I WILL NOT BE CALM! THE SHEPHERDS ARE AT MY DOORSTEP! THE EMPEROR HIMSELF WILL KILL ME FOR SUCH INSOLENCE! SUMMON CHRISTINA TO ME AT ONCE! I WANT THIS TAKEN CARE OF!" The Baron stormed off.
"Yes, my Lord." Kimu replied.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Christina asked Robin as the two were walking toward the main hall of the manor.
"As long as you do your part, we'll take care of it." Robin responded. "Just don't stab us in the back."
"Maybe just one of you." Christina joked.
She opened the doors to the throne room and the Baron was pacing around his chair with Captain Kimu standing by the throne.
"What is HE doing here?!" The Baron asked aggressively. "I asked for YOU ALONE."
"Alexander here is an accomplished tactician." Christina answered. "As I've told you before. His insight along with my own could be invaluable."
"For all I know, HE IS AN YLISSEAN SPY!" The Baron exclaimed back.
"Your lordship, we have been over this." Christina told him. "You can trust everyone here within your manor. No one is an Ylissean spy."
"Then explain to me how the SHEPHERDS MANAGED TO DEFEAT MY CAVALRY AND ARE ON THEIR WAY HERE?!" The Baron questioned angrily.
"They what?!" Robin asked.
"The Shepherds left Valm Harbor, slipped past Hashal's cavalry and are now lying in the forest to the east, ready to attack!" The Baron stated. "How could they possibly get around Hashal's force without engaging them? Because the SPY HERE INFORMED THEM!"
"Now you listen here!" Robin pointed at the Baron. "You have treated me and my companions with nothing but fear and suspicion every since we arrived! I will tell you this straight to your face, you adolescent child trying to act like a man! I! Am no! Traitor!"
The Baron walked straight up to Robin and looked right at his face. The sweat dripping from the Baron's face reeked of blood and his eyes filled with murder. "Then tell me... What should we do with these Shepherds?"
Robin did not flinch or hesitate as he gave his answer. He couldn't with the Baron watching him so closely. Any slight twitch could set him off and blow his whole charade. "Crush them. Send out your entire force and wipe them out."
The Baron's hands twitched at Robin's words. The slow, methodical breathing keeping back the insanity. He raised his hand and placed it on Robin's shoulder. "That is a great idea."
"I knew you'd like it." Robin said before thinking. *Oh gods, I'm going to piss myself.*
"Baron, I must advise against this." Christina protested. "They're not idiots if you recall. We have not heard back from our assassins so we don't know if their tactician is dead or not. It could be a slaughter."
"Well, we'll just send our own tactician to match wits with them, right, Alexander?" The Baron requested.
"... Heh?" Robin simply replied.
"You and your companions will travel with Kimu and his forces to the battle sight and offer him and Hashal your advice." The Baron clarified. "The battle might end up being a slaughter, but we're going to take out as many of the dastards as possible."
"Sir, if you need a tactician, I'll volunteer-" Christina was about to say.
"NO! YOU STAY!" The Baron interrupted, but then he calmed himself. "This is a chance for Alexander to show his loyalty and I know he won't disappoint."
"Don't you worry about it." Robin said. "We'll take care of it. And once we're done, I'm sure Emperor Walhart will bring you into his inner circle, my Lord."
"That's what I like to hear!" The Baron chuckled. "To the glory of Valm!"
"To the glory of Valm." Robin cheered unenthusiastically.
Robin and Christina were both dismissed and the chambers closed behind them. Once they were gone, the Baron bit his lips and crossed his arms to prevent their violent shaking. He then turned to Kimu.
"Once the battle is over, if Alexander and his friends aren't dead, finish them off!" The Baron ordered.
"As you wish." Kimu replied.
The small group of Shepherds had all gathered outside in the courtyard as Robin came out, looking a pale green.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Robin groaned.
"Ah, the meeting went well then." Inigo guessed.
"We've got a serious problem." Robin stated. "The Baron wants us to fight his battle for him."
"Against who?" Nah asked.
"Against us." Robin answered. "Apparently, Chrom didn't want to sit still, so his forces got past Hashal's cavalry and are somewhere between them and us."
"So he's gonna make us fight our own comrades?" Lon'qu asked.
"There has to be a way out of this." Lucina said.
"Atten-hut!"
Before any ideas could be thrown, Kimu approached them.
"Grab your gear! We march at once!" Kimu announced.
"Uh, don't we get a say in this?" Inigo asked.
"No." Kimu answered. "You are under my command and I am ordering you to get a move on."
"Captain? A word?" Christina came up from behind Kimu. "Surely you don't intend to send the noble lady out there alone. She can barely hold up a bronze axe."
"Hey! I can handle myself!" Lissa rebutted and accidentally stomped on her own foot. "Owie!"
"You see?" Christina pointed out.
"I guess-"
"And don't forget her bodyguard." Christina interrupted.
"Her body-"
"This man, right here." Christina pulled Lon'qu into sight, whom squirmed as a woman grabbed his arm. "He has the duty of protecting this young lady at all costs."
"Then why did you request for her to be in your chambers and leave her bodyguard behind?" Kimu questioned.
"I panicked." Christina answered. "The young lady and I are such dear, close friends I would be remissed if something were to happen to her, so I acted on protective instinct."
*Oh, gag me!* Lissa thought.
"Fine, those two stay behind, the rest of you-"
"One more thing."
"BY THE GODS, CHRISTINA, WHAT?!" Kimu shouted in agitation.
"We need to give the message to Hashal to coordinate our forces." Christina stated. "A pegasus can move faster than a horse, so I thought Miss Cynthia here should be allowed to deliver the message to him."
"Fine, the rest of you, come with me!" Kimu declared.
Kimu moved out and the soldiers followed him. When Robin passed Christina, she gave him a nod of assurance and he gave a subtle smile. When Lucina past Christina, the two girls glared at each other like they wanted the other dead. Once the Shepherds were all gone, Henry appeared from behind a haystack.
"Whew, that was close." Henry said. "Seems like quite the 'hay'-day."
"Oh, shut it." Christina said. "You were breathing so heavily, I'm shocked Kimu didn't find you. You almost ruined the whole plan."
Lissa turned to Christina. "Ruin the whole plan? So you're planning for us to go off and fight against our friends?!"
"Oh, please, your friends are still in Valm Harbor." Christina stated.
"Explain yourself, witch." Lon'qu said.
"Yeah, we don't like being lied to!" Cynthia agreed.
"Well, get used to it, I lie a lot." Christina said. "And we just need to get Kimu and his troops out of the town. Now come with me, we don't have a lot of time."
They marched out of the town of Bay're and moved east for a couple of hours. Robin and the other Shepherds had been a little ahead of the main force almost as if they were being forced out this way. Nah hurried up to Robin.
"What do we do once we encounter Chrom and the others?" Nah asked.
"We shouldn't." Robin answered. "It's all a ruse."
"A ruse?" Nah asked.
"We need to get Kimu out of the town." Robin continued. "He'll be more inclined that we had nothing to do with this if we're all out here."
"Yeah, but Christina made half of us stay back." Nah pointed out.
"Yeah, I don't understand that. She might be planning something for herself."
"I don't mean to intrude," Laurent whispered in. "But isn't this march formation a bit irregular? We're leading them into the forest, yet we don't know the area. And they stay far enough back to watch our movements."
"They don't want us to escape." Robin hypothesized. "Something tells me they've got something else in mind for us."
Cynthia had hugged the neck of her pegasus as it was released from the stable.
"Yay! My faithful mount has returned!" Cynthia cheered. "Together, we shall fly the skies to-"
"Okay, enough!" Christina said. "I have a very important mission for you. A mission only a real hero can do."
"You can count on me!" Cynthia saluted.
"You need to return to Valm Harbor." Christina told her.
"But whyyyyy?" Cynthia whined. "That doesn't sound heroic at all."
"No, but it's important because you need to go tell the prince to take some of his force and head toward the canyon bridge. We can't risk the chance that Kimu follows us after we do what we do. So once we cross the bridge, we can easily destroy it."
"But why do you need my father on the other side of the bridge when we destroy it?" Cynthia asked.
"Because that is the safe zone." Christina answered. "Once we deal with the main force, Kimu won't follow us."
"Well, if he won't follow us, why do we need to destroy the bridge?"
Christina clenched her teeth as she thought. *How can this idiot child point out all the holes in my strategy when their genius tactician can't even do that?!*
Christina calmed down and put her hands of Cynthia's shoulders. "Insurance." she answered. "Taking extra steps to be cautious. Now Cynthia, YOU are the only one I can trust with this important mission! Don't let me down."
"Aye aye ma'am!" Cynthia saluted. She then mounted her Pegasus and flew away to her mission.
When she was gone, Christina let out a sigh. "Those idiots won't send me back with her now. That should buy me the time I need...Time to go into town and help to less fortunate."
Back on the march, Kimu kept his distance while keeping his eye on the group in front of them. He noticed they seemed close together and were whispering. He then turned to the man on his right.
"They're acting awfully strange." Kimu whispered to the man. "I have a bad feeling."
"What do you want us to do about it, sir?"
"Tell the archers to wait for my signal." Kimu answered. "When we're a little further, we'll put arrows in their backs."
In the town of Bay're, Christina was meeting with the people there. Since Kimu was gone, so was her bodyguard. Her charm and elegance easily won them over.
"And you have my word that after today, things will greatly improve for all of you." Christina told them.
"How can you be so sure today will be different?" A woman asked.
"It's Naga's will." Christina answered. "I've seen it in a vision."
"Ms. Christina! Ms. Christina!" Two young kids spoke her name.
She looked down and saw a young boy and young girl were holding up a pan of cupcakes with smiley faces on them.
"We made this for you."
"Oh, isn't that adorable." Christina said, taking the tray of cupcakes. "Well, I must return now. Best wishes to all of you."
Christina walked away as the crows started to part. After one man moved, Christina unwittingly saw a hooded figure in all black standing right in front of her and he stabbed her. The cupcakes fell to the ground as a bloodstain appeared on her white dress. The people around her were frozen in fear when they realized what had just happened.
"Tee hee!"
A cyclone of fire appeared around the masked man and Christina and when it died down, all that was left were two ash piles.
Back on the march, Kimu noticed that Robin had stopped his group and he ordered his army to stop as well.
Kimu approached the group. "What's the holdup?"
"Something's not right." Robin said. "We've been out here for a few hours already and have seen no signs of enemy forces. I'm beginning to think we've been tricked."
Kimu looked around; it was all too quiet. Perfect. "We'll march for another hour and if there's no sign, we'll turn back. Keep moving."
Kimu returned to his troops and gave the signal to his lieutenant. The lieutenant waited until the Shepherds' backs were turned to give the signal to the archers. The archers quietly and quickly readied their bows and aimed.
"AAAAMBUUUUSH!"
The silence was broken by soldiers jumping from the trees onto Kimu's army. The force was large enough to take them by surprise, but not large enough or equipped enough to be Shepherds.
"Bandits!"
The bandits' surprise attack left Kimu's force disorganized as Kimu himself fought off the savages, bashing his shield into one and spearing him. Robin quickly turned to see the bandits focused on the middle of the line, far enough to leave Robin and the others out of the fight.
"Now's out chance! Let's get out of here!" Robin shouted.
The Shepherd group quickly scattered and disappeared into the trees. After some anticlimactic fighting, Kimu slayed the last bandit and noticed Robin and his companions had fled.
"These are no Shepherds. We've been played for fools." Kimu said. "ABOUT FACE! RETURN TO BAY'RE AT ONCE!"
The Baron stared into his empty hands, trying to comprehend the news he had just heard.
"Gone... She's just... gone?" The Baron muttered.
"Stabbed in broad daylight, My Lord." The messenger said. "And then incinerated in Elfire."
The Baron clasped his hands on his face, but the look in his eyes demanded blood. "Wait by the main gate. Once Kimu and Hashal return, tell them to begin PURGING this GODFORSAKEN SLUM! I WANT EVERYONE EXECUTED IN THE STREETS! I WANT ALL RESPONSIBLE TO BUUUURRN!"
The messenger was frozen with fear. "B-b-but M-my Lord-"
"NOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!"
The messenger quickly rushed out of the main chamber and the doors were slammed shut behind him. The Baron slumped down into his chair as the emptiness inside him grew. His heavy breathing filled the empty room. Nothing seemed real to him anymore.
"I never pegged you to be the sentimental type."
The Baron perked up when he heard the familiar voice. Christina just entered the main chamber, blood stained on her dress and with the figure that had stabbed her.
"You're... alive?" The Baron gasped. He was about to stand up when, suddenly, an axe was at his throat.
He looked and saw that Lissa had snuck behind his chair to hold the axe to him. His hands were also bound in rope. Lon'qu had entered and closed the main doors behind them. The hooded man took off his hood to reveal himself as Henry.
"Hiya!" Henry waved.
"What's going on here?" The Baron demanded to know. "Answer yourselves!"
"Oh, shut up!" Christina snapped. "You're done making demands!"
The Baron slumped back in his chair, terrified of Christina.
Christina smirked. "That's better. Mage, set it up."
"Righty-o!" Henry responded.
Henry set up a rope tied in a noose to hang from the ceiling and placed a stool underneath it. Christina quickly stepped onto the stool and pulled the rope to make sure it was tight enough.
"Very nice." Christina said. "I knew Robin would come up with a brilliant plan."
"Robin?" The Baron asked. "The tactician?! You're all Shepherds!"
"Well, duh! About time you figured it out." Christina said. She sat on the stool and looked directly at the Baron. "I'm just going to come out and say it. You are a monster."
Lon'qu approached the throne, pulled the Baron from it by his collar and dragged him toward Christina.
"The entire time I served under you, I have witnessed countless atrocities." Christina stated. "It would be one thing if you just blindly allowed it, but you promoted it, allowing your captains and soldiers to abuse these poor people. Well that has to change." Christina got off the stool as Lon'qu dragged the Baron and pushed him onto the stool. "Once Robin and these guys showed up, I thought it would make everything so much easier. Have one of them kill you, they get caught, get convicted as a spy and Hashal and Kimu wouldn't have to kill each other over any treachery. That was until Robin came up with the idea that I fake my death and you, in your eternal grief, take your own life. 'Cause let's face it, no man can live without me."
"Blach!" Lissa gagged as Lon'qu tied the noose around the Baron's neck.
"And once you're gone, Hashal will take over and these people will get a ruler that actually cares about them." Christina said.
"I can change!" The Baron pleaded. "It doesn't have to be like this!"
Christina just crossed her arms. "How can I be so sure?"
"Because of you." The Baron answered. "You are different from everyone else. I know you really don't want to do this. You don't like to kill. You can keep me straight. Make me the kind of ruler you want me to be. Please, just don't do this. I deserve a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance."
Lissa looked over at Christina to see her expressionless face when the Baron said 'second chance'.
"A second chance... Sounds familiar..." Christina said. "Tell me, do you know the man Veroxi?"
Lon'qu quickly glanced over at her. "Where are you going with this, woman?"
Christina held out her tome and showed it to the Baron. "This is Veroxi's tome. He had a second one just like this hidden somewhere in this manor, by you. Where is it?"
The Baron saw his opportunity. "KILL THESE SHEPHERDS AND I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW!"
Christina smirked, used her tome to cast a spell and blast Henry into a wall. Lon'qu quickly drew his sword.
"You witch!" Lon'qu shouted.
He charged at Christina, thrusting his sword first. She elegantly moved to her side to dodge it. Lon'qu quickly pulled back and slashed at her. She ducked beneath the slash, spun around Lon'qu, drew his other sword from his other sheath and cut him in the back. When Lon'qu reacted to the slash, Christina kicked him in the back of the knee, making him buckle to his knees, grabbed him by his head, stabbed him in his sword arm and slammed him to the ground. As soon as Christina got back up, she moved back as an axe swung at her.
"I KNEW WE COULDN'T TRUST YOU!" Lissa cried, swinging her axe at her. "YOU HEARTLESS MONSTER!"
Lissa kept swinging, hoping she would hit Christina, but Christina would always take one step back, dodging the swing. At one swing, Christina stopped and grabbed the axe. In the brief moment, Lissa looked at Christina with tears and fury in her eyes and she looked back with pity in hers. Christina kicked Lissa in the stomach and she fell to the ground in agonizing pain.
Christina looked over at the Baron. "You want to finish her off yourself?"
The Baron smiled with joy and relief. "I would love to."
Christina went up to him and cut the binds in his hands. "Now where's the tome?"
The Baron rubbed his wrist. "It's in the library in a secret compartment behind the map of the world." He raised his hands to remove the noose around his neck. "I must say, I'm glad you were able to see reason, my dear."
"I see it as clear as diamonds." Christina said.
She kicked the stool as the noose was still around his neck. The fall was sudden and the rope snapped his neck, ultimately killing him.
"Burn, you son of a bitch." Christina then spat on him.
Lissa began to sit up, holding her stomach, to see Christina had removed the sword from Lon'qu's shoulder and gave him an elixir.
"I'm terribly sorry, but it'll leave a great scar." Christina told him. "Women love scars. Excuse me."
"... That's reassuring..." Lon'qu muttered.
Lissa watched as Christina went to the other side of the room and gave Henry an elixir.
"You're a tricky one." Henry said. "I like you."
"It's my charm." Christina said.
Lissa quickly got to her feet and pointed her axe at Christina. "What the hell was all that about?!"
Christina stood up and held up her hands. "Sorry I didn't tell you, but I needed to know the location of that tome. Now if you'll excuse me."
Christina hurried to the front doors, unlocked them and left the chamber.
"Hey, wait!" Lissa pursued her.
The Baron's library was as large as a house, half-filled with books. On the wall, there was a large map of the Valm continent and the continent that consisted of Ylisse, Regna Ferox and Plegia. When Christina entered the library, she used her tome to set the map on fire. The paper quickly turned to cinders and revealed a safe built into the wall. Christina used a bolt of lightning on the safe's lock to blow it open. Inside the safe was a book, a single tome exactly like the one Christina carried. She put her tome in the handle behind her back and picked up the other one.
"Let's see what secrets you hold..." Christina said to herself.
She was about to open the book when Lissa snatched it out of her hands.
"Christina! You are a prisoner of Ylisse now! This and your other weapons are now property of the halidom!" Lissa shouted.
"GIVE ME THAT BACK!" Christina screamed.
Lissa said nothing and held the tome away from her. "Surrender your other tome now and we'll begin to take you back as our prisoner."
Christina tried to calm herself, but the fact that this tome was so close to her just kept her enraged.
"If you really want a second chance, start by peacefully surrendering." Lissa said.
Christina just glared at her for a few moments, reached behind her back for her tome and handed it to Lissa. "I surrender."
Later that night, Robin and the Shepherds had finally regrouped just a little ways out of Bay're at the edge of the woods. Kimu and Hashal had arrived first and locked the entire city down. When news of Christina's 'death' and the Baron's 'suicide' had reached their ears, both captains rescinded the purge order and the entire town was peaceful.
"Lissa and the others are still inside the town." Lucina spoke. "How are we going to get in there and get them out undetected?"
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking..." Robin said.
"Well you're bad at it."
They turned around and saw that Lissa was the one who said it. Behind her were Lon'qu, Henry, and Christina with her hands tied together. The rope tying her hands together was being held by Henry.
Christina held up her hands. "Is this really necessary?"
"It's like I'm walking a dog!" Henry said. "Can I keep her? Please?"
"You attacked us." Lon'qu pointed out.
"What's your point?" Christina asked. "It was all a means to an end. You guys are still alive, so I don't see what the big deal is."
"ENOUGH!" Lucina held Falchion against Christina's face. "Say another word and I'll cut your tongue out!"
Christina didn't say another word.
"Everything went okay with the plan though, right?" Robin asked.
"Yep." Lissa nodded. "Everyone believes Christina died and the Baron committed suicide and we slipped out undetected with some souvenirs!"
Lissa held up three books, two of which Christina's tomes and General Otto's diary she took with her from Sillfi.
"It was good plan, Robin." Lissa said.
"Hey take some of that credit yourself." Robin said. "You said 'Christina should hang'. You inspired the whole thing."
"Aw shucks." Lissa looked away blushing.
Inigo was looking around. "Hey, where's Cynthia?"
Everyone looked around.
"Come to think of it, she wasn't around when we were with the Baron." Lon'qu said.
"Uh oh! Christina, what did you do you tricky little lynx?" Henry asked.
Christina just looked away as if she couldn't hear what they were saying while whistling. Lucina had the tip of Falchion just below her nose.
"What did you do with my sister?" Lucina asked.
"Oh, relax, your majesty!" Christina scoffed. "She just decided to take some initiative and let your prince know you caught the dangerous criminal. Don't get your smallclothes in a twist. She's perfectly fine."
"Why would she do that on her own?" Laurent wondered.
"She said something about wanting to play the 'hero'." Christina continued. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she had some delusional talk. She completely ignored me and flew off."
"That sounds like Cynthia alright." Inigo said.
Lucina kept Falchion pointed at Christina, as if she didn't believe a word she said.
"Get that thing out of my face." Christina said.
Lucina put Falchion back into its sheath and walked off. "Let's go. It's a long walk back to Valm Harbor."
"You heard her." Robin said. "Let's all go."
Everyone followed Lucina's lead. Lissa went up to Laurent and pulled his shirt a bit.
"Hey, Laurent, you mind holding onto these?" Lissa requested. "You like to read. You might enjoy these."
"I won't deny such a generous request." Laurent said, taking the books. "Stupendous."
"Heh, big words." Lissa walked off.
Laurent held onto the books and Christina kept her eye on those tomes as Henry dragged her along.
"Come along Doggy!" Henry said.
*I need to get that book back.* Christina thought.
