Chapter 8: Cold Comfort

The audience hall echoed with the group's footsteps. The Khan's hall was a cavernous, stone carved place that seemed designed to make people feel small.

Robin walked alongside Frederick, content to let Chrom take the lead and be an official envoy. Though given the silence in the hall, Robin found herself wishing that Lissa had decided to brave the audience chamber with them. However, the warmth the Feroxi hall provided still wasn't enough for Lissa; the last Robin had heard, she was cocooned up in blankets in her own room with a roaring fire going.

Khan Flavia was a match for her keep, standing tall at the top of the dais. One hand spun an immense sword in her grip while she paced in front of the throne. She easily held the blade, larger than Falchion by several handspans. Flavia didn't sit when her eyes fell on the group, though she stopped moving. Robin looked over Flavia again, picking out more signs of a warrior that she'd overlooked in the initial introduction.

She kept herself from going red in the face over the memory.

'That could have been a diplomatic incident, if Flavia wasn't such a good sport.' She resolved to NEVER assume that warrior rulers were all brawn, or all male, ever again.

"Thank you for answering my summons." There was a curt edge to Flavia's voice, though not directed at them. While they all noticed the tension it was Chrom who spoke for them, carefully keeping his voice level.

"It's the least we can do; you've given us a chance to represent Ylisse in your tournament and win a chance at alliance and reinforcements." Chrom answered, and stepped to the front of the group. Having to look up the dais at Flavia did little to dispel his confidence, or forward nature. "We've spent two days training so far... though pardon me for saying, it doesn't completely fill the time."

"HAH! I'm afraid most feasts and festivities are on hold until after the games. People have a tendency to hold their breath in the week leading up to it." Flavia allowed a single laugh. "Though I regret to say, we're a touch more dour than usual. Typically we have a gathering beforehand, and yet my keep is unusually empty. It seems many of my vassals are hesitant in arriving."

The empty halls were a testament to that. Just the Shepherds weren't enough to fill the keep with conversation and the stillness made Robin's skin twitch. The Ferxoi keep was cold and quiet, like the snow drifts outside. Ylisstol may have had its share of ugly half heard mutterings, but Robin found herself missing the sound of a busy palace.

"...Why would that be?" Frederick spoke up. Flavia raised her head, the muscles in her neck sticking out from stress. Her face was equally intense but resolute as she looked squarely at the group, unflinching in her delivery.

"More incidents with bandits posing as Ylisseans. Roving bands of killers and looters have left my people wary of anyone who claims actual citizenship. It's getting to the point where they don't want to show OR owe favors to Ylisse champions."

"Damn them." Chrom grumbled and bent his neck down, glaring at the steps. He looked about ready to pick up Flavia's pacing for her. "Khan Flavia, this is-"

"Not your doing, I know. The fact is I'd prefer to be scouring the borders myself, but all of my men are gathering at the arena. This leaves a complication; the leaders underneath me don't want me to field any Ylisse champions. Given your performance at the Long Fort, I most certainly still do."

"I... thank you?" Chrom froze at that. "I'm glad something good came out of it, at least."

"I suppose I should be thankful you found that second wind." Frederick commented. If Chrom didn't notice the cautious look Frederick gave him, Robin certainly did. Likely because she shared a very similar expression. Several days had done very little to loosen the worried tangle in the back of her head over that fight. It had formed when Chrom impossibly dodged the spear and disarmed Raimi, and seemed intent on lingering around and rising to the front of her thoughts at any opportunity.

'Stop it. There's other things to focus on, instead of dwelling on a victory that did a good turn for us.' She kept the concern to herself. All told, it was good that Chrom was improving; it lessened the chance that there would be a repeat of their river skirmish. She just found herself wishing that she could manage the same amount of improvement. Or at least get back to holding a sword. She tried squeezing her hand into a fist, only to stop short thanks to a warning jab of pain.

"...However. I think I might have a solution to my problem and your boredom." Flavia pressed on. "If the prince of Ylisse elected to go out and look into the attacks himself, I doubt there's any who could voice doubts without looking paranoid. Better still if you solved the bandit problem."

"We'll do it!" Chrom all but jumped at the offer. "If you can lend us some horses to speed us along, we'd be proud to help. It's a lot better than just sitting around and waiting for the tournament-"

"...Milord." Frederick's voice was flat and echoing the look he gave Chrom. "Are you certain this is wise? You should not push yourself-"

"I won't, I won't. But it's been just about three days or close enough to it, just like Lissa requested. Besides, this IS a chance to improve relations between our two countries. Those are Emm's orders, after all." There was a smile behind his words that seemed to say 'and those orders take priority over healer's instructions.' Frederick must have caught onto it with how he let out a sigh.

"...Very well. But at least allow the Shepherds to ride out in force with you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way! Don't worry; we'll be fine." Chrom said and nodded to Flavia. The East Khan began to outline the path they could take to a besieged region of Ferox. Robin just hoped their chances were as optimistic as Chrom's voice, and tried to force down the worried knot in the back of her throat.

"Robin?" Chrom glanced at her. "You alright?"

Robin kept her eyes on him and managed a nod. She could focus on the straightforward things for now. Chrom was standing up straighter now, and she wanted to see about keeping him on his feet. Plus making sure he wouldn't do something to reduce his chances of coming back alive.

"Well enough. I-I've a few notions already on how to help and increase our standing with the East Khan." Flavia gave her an admiring hum, and Robin was equally surprised at herself. "Just let me listen in, and I'll make those ideas more concrete."

Before she turned her attention to Flavia, Robin caught another wary look from Frederick. For a change none of his caution was directed on Robin herself, but instead on Chrom. The young lord was rocking back on his feet with a satisfied look, missing the uneasy way Frederick's eyes narrowed. For once, Robin found herself sharing Frederick's concern.

'Just focus on keeping them alive.'

"Smart choices, all. I'd be happy to lend you some Feroxi horses to brave the snow. Now then, if you set out to the east, you should come across the village of Woodham..."

-o-o-o-

Snow swirled around them and crunched softly underneath the hooves of their horses. The powder coating the trail glimmered white from the moonlight and stars overhead, and the path itself wound gently through forested hills. Chrom kept a hand on the reins, guiding his horse along at the front of the convoy and looking back at the other riders.

Robin sat in the saddle well enough, though her one hand stayed tight on the reins. The other was well wrapped in warm furs and rested on her side to shelter it from the cold. Chrom's own wound was cut off from the wind, wrapped under his cloak and winter travel gear. His skin twitched a little, like it wanted to breath, but he stubbornly kept the cloth in place.

A pair of arms tightened around his waist, reminding him that Lissa sat in the saddle behind him. She was wrapped in even more layers than he was, and STILL shivering... though Chrom had the hunch that it was mostly for show and to remind him that she didn't like being out in the cold one little bit.

"Sorry Lissa, just stay patient. If worse comes to worst, we'll need our healer." His only response was a shuddering and long suffering sigh.

Behind them came the rest of the escort. Sully and Stahl guided their own horses just fine. It didn't matter if they were in Ferox or the warm lands of Ylisse. The horses moved surely either way and didn't complain from the weight of Miriel and Virion added to the saddles. Frederick picked up the pace, catching up to Chrom and riding alongside. A wary look stayed in Frederick's eye, and that eye stayed fixed on Chrom.

Chrom bit back a sigh and a retort that he needed a knight instead of a baby sitter. Frederick likely wouldn't rise to remark. A rush of wings overhead told him Sumia was braving the winds and riding along well enough, already adapting to the pegasus saddle.

"Prince! Heed me for a moment; is there a point beyond catching our death of cold out here?" Virion cut in on his thoughts.

"I wouldn't mind hearing the same," Lissa muttered. Chrom reined his horse up, allowing Sully to catch them so he could speak to Virion.

"There isn't much in the way of targets out here; I fear that if they stay idle for much longer, my fingers may freeze off!"

"If only you'd give your tongue a rest, if that's the case." Sully muttered. "Sorry Chrom, can you humor the man and explain what we're doing here?"

Chrom nodded, shifting a little further upright in the saddle so Lissa had something to lean against.

"There's a point. Even if we don't find any bandits, we might be able to help the villages. They've been hit more than a few times, and going by Flavia's word their defenses are hard-pressed and starting to splinter. From the sound of it-"

Screams cut through the trees and dug into Chrom's ears, faint but with a pitch that put his back up and snapped is head around.

"FIRE! Fire on the horizon!" Sumia shouted down to him. Her pegasus snorted and tossed its head, picking out whiffs of something acrid. "It's sending up a lot of smoke. Must be a village-"

"How far is it?" Frederick called from the front.

"Not too far, but the woods are heavy. There's... I think there's people running through the trees." Chrom glanced ahead for all the good it did. Thick trees choked the path, and overhead they strangled out the moonlight.

"Damn," Chrom spat out, but still managed to draw his sword and raised it up to draw attention. "We'll have to ride hard, but we need to try and reach them! Sully, Stahl, you're both skilled riders, but stay careful; we don't know this terrain. Take point with Frederick and try to find a good route to the villagers."

The mounted fighters surged forward. Chrom watched them in the corner of his eyes and turned to Robin.

"Any ideas? We could sure use some." She shook her head and narrowed her eyes on the forest, trying to gain some insight from the snow-clogged branches.

"For starters, you had better stay behind and in the saddle!" Lissa warned and tightened her hold on Chrom, just to make sure he didn't get any wild ideas about leaping ahead. "And don't strain that arm."

"Trying not to." Chrom fought to keep his breathing steady, and only just kept himself from spurring the horse into a gallop. Frederick was a stone's throw from them, trying to find a safe path through roots and snow drifts that could easily catch a horse's leg.

"...Sorry." Robin's words drifted in. She glared at the woods, and Chrom swore he heard her teeth grind in frustration. "I wish I could do something more, but I can't tell the layout of the battlefield."

His breath hissed out in aggravation. Chrom looked up to scan the trees and look for Sumia.

'Maybe she can pick out something.' His eyes landed on the sullen red glow above the trees, so much brighter than before-

Deep in his chest, his heart gave a strange lurch and pulsed in time to the fire light. The forest blurred around him, the shapes of trees growing dimmer with each breath. Snow hung in the air instead of falling, and Chrom had the faintest impression that wasn't right.

'Like... Raimi… before?' The thought moved like syrup, and Chrom canted his head to the side to try and make his brain work. The forest turned into a collection of pale smears, and his eyes fixed on the stars overhead. They burned brighter and whiter than any snow in the air. He thought someone shouted his name... Robin, perhaps. But her voice was far off, like she was yelling through a tunnel that only grew longer with each breath. Lissa's grip barely registered on his sides, and the weight of his body in the saddle faded out.

The world fell away, and the stars enveloped him completely. His eyes slid shut for a moment. When he opened them again, he was surrounded by night sky. The grip of the earth and his own weight vanished, and he floated. The trees and ground had long since dwindled beneath him.

It should have panicked him, yet it didn't; this was different from when he was flying with Sumia.

'...better.' His body drifted at his command, dependent on nothing to stay in the air. When he shifted in the sky again, his eye picked out the glimmer of fire. It belonged to the village at the edge of the snow, brilliantly burning in glimmers of reds and oranges.

Almost beautiful in a way. A flicker of something dark pulled his eyes from the sight. He glimpsed black forms moving through the forest, and like a hawk he could pick them all out in clear detail. The night was no obstacle to his eyes. People charged through a small path in the forest. The snowy trail threaded between the trees, like a pale white river. A clear, sharp route if ever there was one.

The villagers fled with whatever they could carry, bandits giving chase with swords and axes drawn. They were focused in chasing the retreating forms, completely blind to something else moving in from the north.

But he could see them; more shapes, vaguely looking like humans and with a red glow in their eyes. The more he focused, the closer he drifted towards the villagers.

He pitched forward, like he'd somehow overbalanced. He fell faster and faster through the sky, no matter how he tried to twist and find flight. Below, two figures detached themselves from the villagers, turning to face the bandits-

"CHROM!"

The world snapped back into place around him. A second later snow billowed up around him and cold rushed in between the gaps of his clothing. His breath rushed out as the ground smacked into him, and he found himself looking up at a horse shying to the side. Lissa froze in the saddle, staring down at him in confusion. A second later another figure looked over him, her face framed by a violet trimmed hood and worry holding clear in her eyes. Her irises caught the growing glow from the fire, casting sparks in her eyes.

"Chrom...? What happened to you? You just spaced out on us and then..." Robin leaned over him, her horse off nearby and whickering. Chrom gingerly shifted his weight and pulled himself up onto his arms. A weight in his hand told him he'd somehow held fast onto Falchion.

"Robin... I think I know a way we can catch up. Do you think you can call out to Frederick, tell him to swing around to the south? We don't have to go between the bandits and the villagers, just slam into their flank. There- I'm really sure there's a game trail a little ways ahead. They can use that."

Robin's answer was to dash off to relay his orders, while Chrom tried to find his feet. He watched the gold trim of her coat vanish into the woods, wondering over how swift and sure footed she was in the snow.

For an instant, he felt like he could match that. The next, he was busier with holding Lissa off as she slid off the saddle and rushed over to him.

"Sorry, save the examination for later... I think we're about to see a lot of activity."

-o-o-o-

"Huh. Nice to know I got quality steel for a good bargain. Several parries and it's STILL holding an edge." Anna said, turning the sword over in her hand.

"If we live through this, you'll have to tell me the seller." The other woman replied. Anna gave a quick smile before they turned to face the marauders. Behind the two merchants the villagers charged through the snow. Some of them were still crying for help; most of them were saving their breath. At least Anna had managed to keep the gap between the villagers and their attackers intact.

'Probably because either of us would fetch more of a profit than any dead villager. Why wouldn't they focus on us?'

Her cousin twirled a blade of her own up, ready to meet the bandit. "Still, quite the time and place for a family reunion."

Their blades both went up on cue, cutting together. They matched steps and dodged around a brigand trying to rush them. Anna's sword scraped across an axe, but her cousin found the softer mark. The bandit slumped over with a groan, and they spun around to face the next attacker. Then the next, and the next. Anna lost track of how many swords they'd dodged... but she could definitely feel the ones she hadn't got out of the way of. Her cousin was moving slower with cuts of her own.

"Poor luck..." Anna muttered. "I was hoping this would be a peaceful caravan trip when we reached the village. I guess riding in wagons has been making me soft with how cut up I've been getting."

Her cousin forced out a laugh at that.

"Yeah, and I was hoping to just unload some wares. Things don't quite go as planned, do they?" Anna tried to match the cheery attitude, and when she smiled it felt like her wounds didn't sting so much.

The arrow that slammed into her shoulder hurt plenty, though. Anna gasped out in pain and fell to one knee. Her cousin drew close to her.

"Don't worry about me!" She gasped out. "You might want to get away though; still people make for good targets."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stay put. I'm pretty sure-" her cousin's blade cut out and sliced into an arrow hissing through the air. "Yep. Prices aren't the only thing I can slice in half."

"Do you really think you can keep cutting them down, though?" Anna picked out figures on the snow drifts, standing clear against the ridge. The creak of wood and bowstrings reached her ears. That promised a lot in the way of arrows. Much more than the last volley, and she was starting to realize just how dire the situation might really be.

Before the arrows could fly, something slammed into the archers. A man on foot cut the first brigand down in a brutal axe swipe. Anna lifted her head, about to call out thanks-

She stopped over the red glow in its eyes. The strange smoke coming from its mouth left her with a strange dryness in her own throat.

'...Maybe I should have taken that merchant up on holy charms, after all.' She had time to think, watching the Risen forces slam into the bandit ranks. The corpses swarmed over the brigands in a black, steel swinging tide. Pitted swords and axes chopped down on still living flesh, and it was the bandit's turn to scream.

"Out of the frying pan..." her cousin murmured. The howls from the bandits and the wet chopping noises couldn't quite drown out a new sound. Hooves from someone sending a horse charging through the snow. Anna forced herself back up onto her feet. Whatever was coming next, she was going to meet it standing up.

'More trouble-?'

It certainly didn't look like that. Trouble from bandits or Risen rarely wore armor of such good quality. Or rode a horse of living flesh and blood. The man atop it lacked red eyes, but drew plenty of red with a silver chased spear. He cut into Risen and bandit both.

"Shepherds! RIDE!" The knight called out. He turned and saw both Annas, and pointed beyond her shoulder. "Run to the south! We have reinforcements there!"

"Thanks for the tip!" Her cousin shouted. She drew Anna's uninjured arm over her shoulder, and half carried her off into the trees. The trunks blurred by, before opening up into a small clearing. Horses and villagers both milled about. All restless, all looking for help.

"Stay steady," she heard a voice, raspy on the edges. "We WILL protect you."

"And heal where we can," added another voice, this one more feminine and with a worried squeak. "Just hang on, we'll get you all patched up!"

A white cape wrapped around the man that had spoken, almost hiding him in the snow. He looked like he'd been through just as much hell as everyone else with how he barely kept his head up. Blue hair kept falling into his eyes; distinct blue hair at that.

"Huh. Not every day you get a prince riding to the rescue. Bonus points for being a handsome one." Her cousin remarked, carrying Anna the rest of the way. Anna felt a smile ghosting back over her lips. Nearby a girl in yellow tended to the wounded. Out beyond the woods, steel clashed and made the girl take a tighter grip on her staff. The prince paced the clearing, sword in hand, looking tensed and coiled to use it... though he also seemed to be favoring one arm over the other, despite lacking any injuries.

Anna swore that the noises were getting closer, thanks to the reinforcements tightening a noose around all their enemies. She tilted her own head, trying to listen and pinpoint the sounds. Snow, and lots of it, crunched underfoot while the moans of the injured and dying drifted through the trees.

Suddenly, there was more than just noise and snowflakes in between the branches. Dark shapes crunched through the snow, bolting towards the clearing, and all of them carried weapons with a familiar ragged look to them.

"PRINCE! Behind you!" Anna managed to shout out.

He flinched at her words, turning in the same moment the bandits rushed out. The men held axes, screaming for blood and hostages.

"TEAR THE BLUE BLOOD DOWN! He's moving slow!" The lead bandit shouted, intent on burying his axe in the prince's shoulder.

By all rights the brigand should have done just that; he'd rushed the prince's blindside and had room to swing his axe down-

But the weapon didn't connect. The prince stared up at the brigand, and for a moment Anna caught a strange shimmer across his eyes. Then the prince side stepped the blow in a flash of motion. His sword arm was a blur of gleaming steel, cutting the bandit across the chest. The prince pivoted around smoothly and faced the second bandit, cracking him across the skull with the pommel of his blade. The third bandit almost had time to lose his nerve and stagger away, when the prince set eyes on him. His feet threw up snow in powdery gouts, letting him rush the last bandit and slice the man clean open.

The snow turned red, and the prince's body finally realized how fast it had been moving. His breath rasped out, and his body went slack as whatever gave him strength sapped out. He lifted a hand up and clutched at his head, eyes drawn away from the battle.

A second figure appeared from the trees, followed by another. Both broken forms. Panic rushed through the villagers at the sight of the Risen. But the corpses hadn't managed a step towards the villagers, the Annas, OR the prince when a golden bolt arced out. The spell forked in midair and pierced them both.

A woman in a thick coat raced up beside the prince, sides heaving. She wobbled in place, looking ready to keel over. The prince paused at that, grabbing the woman by the hand and holding her up. For just a moment, Anna swore she saw another strange glimmer moving along the prince's skin. Like moonlight off snow with a blue tinge-

It vanished fast. Her concentration broke when a few more figures on horseback moved out of the woods... these ones neither bandits nor walking dead.

"I think... I think we just made it in time," the prince said. "Thank the gods for it."

The cleanup that followed was almost anti-climactic, but somewhere in the swirl of activity Anna got her wounds mended. She rolled her shoulder to make sure it had healed right and saw the prince looking at them.

"No, you're not seeing double," her cousin cut him off before he could ask.

"Quite a family resemblance, eh?" Anna remarked, feeling her grin come back in full force. "So are you the Shepherds I've heard so much about? You've given my family more than a little patronage; I remember a pretty good haul when you needed to resupply some training swords..."

She wasn't imagining the prince wincing at that and murmuring something about the damn things breaking too easily.

"But yes, we wanted to help." He said at full volume. "We want to help staunch some of the losses the bandits inflicted. And hopefully we've solved that problem, at least for now."

"Did you see how he used that blade?" Anna heard a whisper from nearby, a combination of awe with a little fear trying to edge in. She knew the crowd was trying to decide whether to tip towards trust or panic.

A small waver of hesitation tried to close over her own heart and make it sink down. In all her travels, she hadn't seen anything quite like that fight. The smart choice may have been to hang back, and let things sort themselves out however they fell.

'But then again, what's business without a little risk and trying new things?'

With that thought she decided to give the opinions a small nudge in the right way.

"...Yes, you just managed that. We would've been in worse shape without you, between Risen and marauders." The murmurs died away, and Anna gave the prince a measuring look. "Though we also owe you a debt, I think. You managed to save two of us, though we pride ourselves on taking care of ourselves. And call it merchant's sense, but I'm not ready to part with my wares."

"Why not have one of us tag along for a while, to honor the debt?" Her cousin chimed in. "Plus, I'm willing to bet I might find some good profits with the group. It should be a good deal for us all!"

"Huh..." The prince gave a nod. "Guess we're in business, then."