~Chapter Six


September 26th, 648.

Ike overslept that morning, even missing his family's and the other mercenaries' individual wake-up calls. He finally staggered out of bed to have Zelgius inform him that he was late to the next meeting and that he would have to hurry. So Ike hastily threw on his clothes, grabbed a bit of bread to satiate his stomach, kissed his husband(who was giving Elena a sword lesson and not coming to the meeting today), and raced away.

Soren looked up as Ike stumbled into the meeting tent in a rush. "Ah. You're finally awake." he said sarcastically.

Ike nearly tripped and hurriedly joined Soren. "Sorry for the delay." he said apologetically.

"You aren't the only one who's late." Tibarn said grumpily. "Where is that damn Raven?"

Skrimir tapped his foot impatiently, and Ike realized that Ranulf was missing as well. "Where's Ranulf?" he asked.

"I'm here, I'm here!" the Cat suddenly said as he dashed in the tent, nearly crashing into the table. "Sorry I'm late!"

"It's about time!" Skrimir almost roared. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, sorry! I-I was talking to s-someone." Ranulf stammered slightly. He absently rubbed his leg, which Ike noticed was bandaged. Must have been injured yesterday, he thought.

"Who was so important as to delay the meeting? I've been waiting here for an hour!" Skrimir said angrily.

There was a low mumble outside. Ranulf frowned and said "One second," then darted outside again. There was a hurried conversation in low voices, and then Ranulf practically dragged a slightly alarmed and very familiar female Cat laguz into the tent. "This is Ducessa. She'll be with me during the meeting today." Ranulf said, then elbowed her gently.

"Er... your Majesties...!" she said nervously, nodding in respect. "I-it's an honor...!"

Skrimir eyed Ranulf. "Who... is she exactly?" he demanded.

"I'm training her." Ranulf said defensively. "To be one of my commanders, I mean. She's already a good fighter, but she's a little shy, so I thought I'd get her a quick start with royal interaction."

"We've met." Ike said unexpectedly.

Ranulf looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Really?"

"She saved my daughter from some beorc-haters." Ike said bluntly. "Put them in their place, apparently. Elena speaks quite highly of her. Good cat."

Ducessa turned three shades of red and couldn't speak. Ranulf grinned and nudged her. "See? You've already made a good impression on Commander Ike! That's progress!"

"Whatever. Can we get on with the meeting?" Skrimir said impatiently.

"We're still waiting for Naesala." Tibarn said as Ranulf took his place by Skrimir, Ducessa right beside him. "If he would just show up—"

Then the Raven King himself entered the tent. He looked tired and not at all his usual, cunning self. His right forearm was bandaged; the white strips of cloth were red with blood. "Finally!" Skrimir said as he entered. "Now can we—"

"I'm sorry." Naesala said abruptly.

Tibarn frowned. "What?"

"I'm sorry." Naesala repeated. "I'm... Kilvas is pulling out."

There was a sharp intake of breath around the tent. "What?" Tibarn demanded. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"We're going... back to Kilvas."

Skrimir was fuming. Ducessa asked Ranulf something quietly, and he replied equally quietly.

"If you'll excuse me... I have to order my troops." Naesala said darkly. Then he spun and left the room.

"Wait! Damn you, Naesala..." Tibarn muttered. Then he ran out of the tent, after the Raven. Soren started mumbling to himself, and Ducessa and Ranulf were talking worriedly. Ike, impulsively, moved next to the door and listened.

"Naesala! What are you doing?" Tibarn shouted at him.

"I can't explain it to you." Naesala insisted. "I have my reasons, but I can't tell you... for the same reasons."

"That's a pretty lame excuse!"

Ike glanced around the corner and saw Tibarn holding Naesala's arm tightly, preventing the Raven from going anywhere. The Hawk appeared to be on the verge of either storming off or screaming, while Naesala had a deep and forlorn regret in his eyes.

"Believe what you will, Tibarn, but it doesn't change my response." Naesala said.

Tibarn just continued his line of thought. "Well, then what is it? Did Begnion pay you off, huh? Going for the highest bidder again? Like when you sold Reyson!?"

"Dammit, Tibarn! You always have to bring that up!" Naesala snarled through clenched teeth. He tried to pull his arm out of Tibarn's grasp, but the Hawk's grip was like iron. "I'm not getting paid for what I'm doing, I'll tell you that much!"

"Then why?" Tibarn yelled.

"Because I have no Goddamn choice!" Naesala screamed in frustration. Then, with an angry pull, he yanked his arm out of Tibarn's hand, though the bandage came off in it. Ike saw then that it had been covering a long slice down Naesala's arm, all the way to the elbow, running straight down the wrist vein—almost as if he'd tried to kill himself. "I'm sorry!" Then he turned and ran about fifty feet before flying in the air and transforming.

Tibarn halfheartedly ran after him, but then stopped and stormed back. Ike quickly returned to his spot before the angry King Phoenicis entered.

"He's not coming back?" Ranulf asked.

"No." Tibarn spat.

"This may alter my plans slightly..." Soren murmured.

"All right, Soren." Ike said. "Let's hear it."

So, ignoring the fuming laguz royals and Ducessa's quiet question to Ranulf every now and then, Soren laid out his plan.


Levail was utterly exhausted. The battle at the river had taken its toll on him, and now he seriously just wanted to get some rest before the next imminent clash, but this idiotic senator refused to give him any time.

"And you will not retreat any more, understand?" Valtome said decisively. "Our goal is to exterminate the sub-humans, not flee from them!"

"I understand, my lord." Levail said wearily. "I will do as you command."

"And then, of course," the senator continued, turning around to see the dark visitor that had arrived shortly before him, "once the sub-humans are dead, Begnion will be all too glad to assist you in capturing the Altean prince from Crimea."

"The senate is too kind." the dark boy said.

"Nonsense! That infuriating little queen has been blocking the sub-humans for too long now... Uwee hee hee! It'll be a pleasure to get rid of her... hee!"

"I look forward to the day. Now if you would excuse me, I must depart to oversee the pre-arrival of my army." the boy said.

"Of course, of course, your Majesty."

The King of Hyrule nodded. Then he spun, the cape sweeping out behind him, and strode out the door. A moment later a loud roar was heard, and then the familiar heavy wingbeats as the king departed on his magnificent dragon.

I wish I could get out of here that easy, Levail thought wryly. Instead, he was stuck with the senator... him, and his creepy laugh. Damn.


Ranulf and Ducessa were with Ranulf's forces, near Soze Pass. Lyre ran to join them. "Hey, Captain! The hawk king's decoy attack got the Begnion forces to move out!"

"Good." Ranulf said. "Our unit will hit them from the north, Ike from the south, and Skrimir from the west. I'm impressed. If everything goes according to plan, Soren will have delivered another easy victory."

Suddenly, Kyza ran down the cliff path, out of breath. "Captain! We appear to have a situation!" he said quickly. "General Skrimir's western forces are charging down the cliff!"

"What?!" Ranulf demanded in alarm. "I told him to keep his men under control at all costs!"

"Apparently, an enemy commander challenged General Skrimir to a duel. He accepted, of course. He always was an impatient one." Kyza told him. "The challenger was a young golden-haired beorc, with purplish-red armor."

"That must be Levail." Ducessa commented.

"No, no, no!" Ranulf said angrily. "Skrimir can't win. Even if he does, he'll be slaughtered by the Central Army! Send a message to Tibarn and Ike. Tell them I'm going to save Skrimir. We can't let him do this!"


Ranulf was right. Skrimir was a good fighter, but Levail was no easy prey. He was mobile enough to dodge the lumbering Lion and strong enough to wound. But he was weakening, and the Lion could sense his enemy's strength dwindling.

The Wishblade was a blur as Levail lunged in again, stabbing the lance into Skrimir's thick hide. Blood spurted, and the Lion roared in fury, leaping at the Sentinel. Levail barely moved fast enough to avoid getting crushed, but as it was, Skrimir tore a nasty wound into his side. He gasped in agony and leapt back again, stumbling to keep his balance.

The Lion smelled blood and moved in for the kill.

A flying black blur stopped him in his tracks. Skrimir barely had time to register something was happening before he was hit.

Ranulf, Ike, Ducessa, and Zelgius came up the cliff just in time to see a huge raven send Skrimir flying into the cliff wall. There was a snapping sound and a roar of pain, and then the Lion fell limply to the ground, blood pooling around him. "Skrimir!" Ranulf shouted, starting to run forward, but Ike stopped him.

"By the Goddess..." Ducessa said.

The raven king reverted and landed beside Levail. "Will you survive?" he asked the Sentinel with little real concern.

Levail nodded. "Yes..."

"Naesala!" Ike called. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The King turned to look at Ike and nodded sadly. "See if you can guess, beorc." he said.

"You've sided with Begnion." Zelgius said bitterly. "Kilvas... traitor."

Levail finally turned to look at them. His eyes widened in shock and he stumbled again. "G-General Zelgius!" he said in awe. "Y-you're—"

The former Begnion general, thoroughly soaked with sweat from the long battle and climb and his sword bloodied, stared down the young sentinel. "Not a general any longer." he said firmly.

Levail stammered helplessly, at a loss for words, so Naesala kicked him. "You know why you're here." he hissed. "Get on with it."

Levail looked at Zelgius again—once his hero and idol, and now his enemy—then limped to the cliff edge and looked down at the armies. "Heed my words, Laguz Alliance!" he shouted. "I am Levail, general of the Begnion Central Army! Your general has fallen to my blade in—in single combat! My army does not wish to continue this senseless bloodshed. Leave this place immediately! Soldiers of Begnion! I forbid you to attack the fleeing laguz soldiers! This fight is finished!"

The laguz fell into an uproar. Most of them didn't seem to believe it. Ike couldn't hear what they were saying, but most of them looked like they were about to attack.

Ranulf picked up on that too. "Stop!" the Cat shouted, breaking off from Ike and running to the edge. "We will fall back! Brothers, listen to me! I swear upon my life that I'll take Skrimir back with us! Fall back!"

"Levail," Naesala said pleasantly, "why don't you go running back to your precious Senator? I have other matters to attend to."

Levail nodded shakily and backed off.

Ranulf spun on the Raven. "Naesala, you bastard!" he shouted. "How could you!? You—you betrayed us again! Betrayed Tibarn, t-the Herons! Skrimir—!"

Naesala just looked at him sadly. "He's not dead. Not yet." he said darkly. Then he turned and ran to the edge, leaping off and Shifting in mid-fall. A moment later, the king of Kilvas flew away. Levail shot one last, slightly hurt glance at Zelgius, then left—presumably to collect his troops and return to base camp.

Zelgius helped Ranulf carry Skrimir back down, with Ike and Ducessa bringing up the rear.


Ranulf, sitting next to the unconscious Skrimir, the Cat in a half-doze from exhaustion and blood loss from a lance wound gained several hours ago in the battle, was startled awake by a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?" Ducessa asked.

Ranulf smiled wearily. "Y-yes, Ducessa... I-I'm fine."

"You've been here for hours." the girl stated, crossing her arms.

"I have...?" Ranulf shrugged. "I lost track of the time..."

"Come on." Ducessa said, tugging his arm. "You need your rest too."

"N-no..." Ranulf moaned slightly, allowing himself to be pulled upright. "I'm fine, really..."

"You're tired, you're starved, and you're injured." Ducessa said firmly. "I know the look. Don't argue with me—I'm bigger than you when transformed."

Ranulf only resisted for a few more seconds before allowing the girl to drag him out of Skrimir's tent. She wrapped an arm around him and supported him all the way back to his tent, far down the row.

She set him down on his blanket and rooted around in his things until she found a bandage. He lay back lazily on his bed, barely awake, as she bandaged off the lance wound in his leg. When she'd finished, she left for a few minutes, then came back with some bread. "This out to satiate you till morning." she said, tossing it to him.

He devoured it readily, then fell back again, not even brushing the crumbs off. Ducessa rolled her eyes. "You really are too lazy. Even for a Cat." she said.

"Hmmhuhh?" he mumbled. "I'm not lazy... jus' tired..."

The girl rolled her eyes again and laughed slightly, sitting down next to him and brushing the breadcrumbs off of him. "Get some sleep. We've all had a rough day." she said soothingly.

He mumbled again and caught her hand. "I can't sleep..." he said.

She shook her head and sighed. "If you want a lullaby, I can't sing." she said flatly.

"Just... stay a while, Ducessa?"

She sighed again. "Oh, all right." She crossed her legs under her and held his hand, her other hand stroking him gently on the head in that manner that all cats love.

He smiled and closed his eyes, and when he tried to sit up she sat on his legs and lay back on his chest to hold him down. He petted her hair and toyed with her ears. She purred. They dozed off.


"You're one of the Alteans, aren't you?"

"Why ask if you already know?"

"A good question. So why are you here?"

"Kilvas is always in need of... beorc spies."

"...Am I to understand that you are offering your services to me, then?"

"Most certainly, your Majesty. If you'll have me."

"And what do you want in return?"

"...I believe you know a certain King Hyrule? A way to keep me away from him—that is my only request."

"Ah, but I would have done that anyway. Any chance to spite him, I'll take."

"Hah! I agree. Damn bastard."

"Then we have an accord! What's your name, boy?"

"Jak. At your service."


Needless to say, Lyre was a bit surprised when she decided to bring Ranulf his breakfast the next morning and entered his tent. She shrieked and almost dropped the food, startling them both awake. Ducessa sat up slightly and rubbed her eyes, while Ranulf just yawned and stretched. "Mornin', Lyre." he said cheerfully.

"What in the name of—?" she yelped.

"Ah, you brought breakfast." Ranulf smiled and stretched out comfortably.

Ducessa got up reluctantly and sighed. "Don't startle me like that..." she mumbled.

"What are you doing here?" Lyre yelped.

"She was helping me fall asleep last night." Ranulf said sleepily, getting up and taking the food from Lyre, sniffing. "Is this rabbit?"

"Helping you—?" Lyre glared at Ducessa murderously.

Ducessa made a face. "How could you eat a bunny?" she said accusingly.

Ranulf frowned. "Huh? Don't you eat rabbits too?"

"I try not to." she said stiffly. "I'm a vegetarian."

Ranulf tried not to look shocked. "Vegetarian? How's that possible? You kill people by biting them, for Ashera's sake!"

"Well..." she said defensively, "I eat meat occasionally when there's no other choice... but I really prefer not to. Seafood's nice..."

"Fish, yeah. Can't go wrong there." Ranulf sniffed the food again and took a bite. "You want some?" he asked through a mouthful.

She took a fish from the tray. (Ranulf always got the best food, when it was available. Not that he necessarily wanted it.) "Can I have this?"

He shrugged. "Go 'head."

She ate it in three bites and grinned.

Lyre's eyes were darting from Ranulf to Ducessa and back again. "What were you two doing last night?" she demanded.

Ranulf shrugged. "Don' see why it matters to you so much." he said, swallowing the mouthful. "What do you think we were doing, anyway? Cracking jokes about you?"

"Oh, Goddess help me!" Lyre said angrily. "How can you be so handsome and still so... so clueless!" She spun on her heel and stormed out.

Ranulf frowned. "What was that about?"

Ducessa tried not to smile. "Er... well, I've been sworn to secrecy, but isn't it obvious?"

Ranulf thought hard for a few minutes. Then his eyes widened. "Oh. Oh my."

Ducessa laughed.


"Well met."

"I have heard of you, your Majesty. Of your... your little 'alliance' with the Senate."

"Call it a... mutually beneficial arrangement."

"What do you want from me?"

"I have come to ask for help in something."

"That's going to be fairly hard, considering my... position."

"Your imprisonment makes... no difference to me. I need to know... a past acquaintance of yours."

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"I am sure you do. I need his armor. You know what I speak of."

"...And...what would I gain from giving it to you?"

"An agreement..."