Author Notes:
-I do not own Fire Emblem and do not make any profit from this story.
-For the sake of consistency, direct (and by that I mean only direct) references to the classes and weapons of the game will from now on be capitalized, as I did with the items until now. I may change the previous chapters in kind later on, but it is not of much importance to me for now.
-I'd like to thank The Spilled Ink Society, a server on Discord I recently joined that has been incredibly helpful for the realization of this story, while also being friendly people all around.
Chapter 9: Liberation?
"Cherche? Cherche, wake up!"
The sudden shove tore Cherche out of her slumber. Dumbfounded, she opened her eyes to notice a concerned woman watching over her, a hand on her shoulder.
"Sumia? Where are we?" Cherche asked, her mind still hazy after being so suddenly waken up.
"Still in the cabin where we slept last night," she answered, moving back from the wyvern rider. "We're sailing to Valm, remember?"
As if to confirm her words, a wave rocked the ship as Cherche stood up, forcing her to sit on her blanket and collect her thoughts. Shortly after the Shepherds had packed up the camp on Carrion Isle, a handful of Plegian soldiers met the group and assured them the Plegian ships would be delivered to Port Ferox by the next day, along with the funds promised by the Plegian king to assist the Ylissean war effort. When confronted with the Risen attack, they vehemently denied having anything to do with it, stating the island was dangerous and prone to such assaults. While Chrom and his army doubted it, the attack having been too organized for the Risen to act on their own, there was no point confronting the Plegian representatives further. Surprisingly, the Shepherds had received the assistance that they asked for from their former enemies. Their help, while unexpected, was both welcomed and suspect. The two nations had been at war less than two years ago, after all. Cherche, along with many other Shepherds, couldn't help but wonder about Plegian hidden motives.
Nevertheless, following Chrom's order, the Feroxi and Ylissean combined armies had embarked from Port Ferox's remains. The plan of the Ylissean tactician, Robin, was daring but simple: rather than letting the Valmese soldiers land on the continent and ravage it, he had planned an invasion of Valm itself, stating their best chance of defeating the Conqueror would be to strike at the heart of his empire. It was the Ylissean army third day on the ship: if they kept their current pace, they would reach the Valmese continent before the night, effectively starting the first phase of their counterattack. Their target was a small coastal city, barely significant enough to hold the Plegian fleet. Hopefully its restricted size would make its seizing easier, giving the Ylissean army a foothold on the continent.
"Cherche?" Sumia interrupted, now sitting on her own blanket.
Cherche brought a hand to her eyes, rubbing them for a couple of seconds before looking back at the pegasus rider. "Right. Sorry, I was still confused."
"Tell me about it. It looked like you were having a nightmare," Sumia observed.
Cherche internally cringed. Her nightmares were a subject she would rather keep hidden, Lon'qu being the only person she'd ever spoken to of it. Always taking care of not waking her roommates whenever she was subject to the terrific dreams, it was the first time anyone confronted her with them.
"It does happen to me sometimes. Nothing to worry about," she said, raising a dismissive hand.
"What did you dream about?" the pegasus rider asked, a sparkle of interest shining in her eyes.
"A castle on fire, people and me dying, a voice calling for me to rise. Quite the charming story," Cherche answered distractedly, not going into further details for fear of concerning her friend. It was the usual nightmare, besides the last part. She would usually wake up whenever she died in the other world, but this time she was sent to a pitch black, empty space instead. There, lost in the darkness, a masculine voice repeatedly called out to her from a distance, ordering her to 'rise'. Cherche shook her head, focusing her thoughts back on the present time. It was nonsense and nothing more.
Sumia brought a hand to her chin and lowered her head, seemingly deep in thoughts. "Dreams have significance, you know? Some of the books I've read even say they can be premonitions of a future yet to come. In fact, I know fortune tellers that use them as a medium to tell the future," she finally explained, raising her head to observe the woman.
"I mean no offense, but I don't give that much importance to them. They're just dreams, you know?" she answered in an attempt to cut the conversation short.
"I see," Sumia replied, lowering her head, shoulders slumped. Seeing the sparkle of excitement gone from her eyes worried Cherche. Had she been too harsh? Standing up from the blanket, she walked to the cabin's door and opened it.
"I'm going to look after Minerva before she gets grumpy. Let's speak about these books of your once I return, all right?" Cherche finally said before exiting the place, a wave of relief washing over her as Sumia looked up to her, now sporting a bright smile. With a small wave, Cherche closed the door and climbed the set of stairs that separated the cabins from the deck.
A cool, gentle breeze greeted her as she took her first steps outside. The clear blue sky and the tranquil sea was a relief for the less seafaring Shepherds, who spent their days in their cabins whenever the ocean was any rougher. While Cherche couldn't see the land yet, she knew it wouldn't be long before the Ylissean army would reach her homeland. It was the third and hopefully final day they would be sailing. The landing would be no easy task: by now surely spotted by the Valmese scouts, the Shepherds could only prepare themselves to what would surely be a rough welcome. Dismissing these somber thoughts, she walked across the desk, heading for the vessel's hold. Still early in the day, there was no one outside to interrupt her. A few minutes later she was down in the ship's cargo, where she grabbed a huge slab of salted meat and a single apple from the supplies. Cherche then quickly crossed the hold to reach the stables, a generous name for the cramped spot where the mounts were parked. Among the horses and pegasii was Minerva, laying a bit further away in one of the corners of the room, asleep. While untied, Cherche had assured the Shepherds Minerva wouldn't dare hurting anyone, or the mounts, without her command.
"Hey Minerva, catch!" she shouted as she hurled the piece of meat in the direction of the wyvern. It was quick to react: waking up at the first sound of its master's voice, it jumped forward, seizing the meat with her humongous jaws and downing it in one go despite it being a couple of pounds heavy.
Cherche quickly joined the wyvern, hugging it as it licked its lips. "How are you, cutie? The meat was good, right?" she asked as she backed away.
Minerva answered with an exuberant roar, nearly scaring the other mounts, despite them being used to the wyvern's proximity by now.
"Good, good. That's a good girl," Cherche said with a giggle, petting her friend's head. "Let's get you cleaned, yeah?"
The creature nodded, remaining oddly silent. While it wasn't peculiarly fond of being groomed, it had grown used to the woman's presence by now and was willing to accept whatever the woman was wishing to unleash upon her, be it the sponge or the scrub.
Cherche headed to the cleaning tools she kept near Minerva's spot, grabbing from the pile a bucket of water before walking back to the wyvern's side, looking at the woman with the utmost interest. Without any word, she grabbed the scrub floating in the water and started to vigorously rub the creature, planning to go from the hind legs to the front.
"Remember the first time I cleaned you, right after I found you in Wyvern's Valley? You were so angry you almost burnt my hair off!" Cherche exclaimed while laughing, plunging the scrub in the bucket of water.
The wyvern answered with a roar, which was enough for its companion to understand.
"Yes, I know. You were young back then. So was I, I think I was eight, maybe nine at the time. We've been together for so long now," she observed, focused on removing the dirt stuck between her friend's scales.
The wyvern didn't answer, instead waiting patiently as the knight scrubbed its entire body.
"Good girl!" Cherche praised as she set the bucket and the scrub aside. "We only have to brush your teeth now. Oh, and maybe trimming your claws would be a good idea too."
Minerva lowered her head, visibly resigning to her awful fate.
"Don't look so forlorn! I might have a treat for you if you behave," Cherche said while pointing at her pocket. The creature's eyes lighting up with excitement, she leaped forward to enthusiastically lick her mistress' face.
"Stop, stop! At least wait until I brush your teeth, silly!" Cherche yelled, trying to hold back her laughter while pushing the beast's head away. "Let's start with your claws, all right?"
Minerva laid down obediently, extending her front legs forwards to give Cherche an easier access to the claws. Trimming them with pliers was a formality, Cherche having repeated those gestures for years now. Once done, she didn't even have to order the wyvern to open its mouth, revealing a questionable breath as it turned to face her mistress. Holding her breath, Cherche grabbed a toothbrush, which was more akin to a tooth broom really. She then scrubbed all the food leftovers stuck in its jaws, then throwing the bucket of water contents at her mouth to wash the remains away. Upon receiving the water, Minerva jumped back and shook off the drops of water that had spilled on her body. Soon after, her eyes were fixated on her mistress, remaining strangely silent.
"What is it? Do you need something?" the knight asked, raising a finger to her chin in wonder.
Minerva let out a single bark, which sounded almost weird coming out from a wyvern.
"All right, all right. Sorry, I'm just teasing you. Hopefully this apple will make up for it," Cherche said while grabbing the apple from her pockets, then lobbing it to her friend who dexterously caught it with her jaws before it fell to the ground.
"What do you say we take a quick stroll while it's still early, just you and me?" Cherche inquired, looking at the wyvern with expectation.
She couldn't help but grin at the pleased roar of Minerva. Flying outside was likely preferable to staying in this cramped area, even if only for a couple of hours. Cherche was just as happy: while a lot of her friends were gone during the Valmese invasion, she still had Minerva. As long as she was able to spend time with her, she was satisfied.
Cherche walked the stairs up to the deck, arranging her hair while emerging from the hold where she left her wyvern. It had been a peaceful stroll, the dry wind and clear skies being the ideal conditions for Minerva to fly. They had went far enough for Cherche to see a stretch of her homeland, which brought her a sense of nostalgia. She couldn't wait for the war to be over so that she could be reunited with her remaining friends and family in Rosanne.
The hour was almost nearing noon, sailors and Shepherds alike were now on the deck while waiting for the meals to be ready. Among them, an auburn-haired woman waved in her direction as she noticed the woman leaving the hold, then running in her direction. A stronger wave than the usual must have hit the ship however, as the pegasus rider lost her balance and fell flat in front of the knight.
"Sumia! Did you injure yourself?" Cherche asked, crouching to be on Sumia's level.
The pegasus rider stood up precipitately and jumped back a few steps, muttering a few words of apologies while looking away in embarrassment.
"It's fine, really. I'm just glad you're unharmed, there's no point apologizing," Cherche assured. "Why don't you tell me the reason you were so excited to see me instead?"
"Oh, right! I just spoke with Cordelia. I was thinking maybe we could eat our meal together, if you do not mind," Sumia asked, hope glistening in her eyes.
"Sure enough, it's about time I spend time with my roommates. We could talk about those books on dreams of yours while we're on the way to her," the knight offered. While she wasn't too interested by this subject, Sumia seemed to give a strong importance to them. Besides, she did promise her to talk about it once she returned.
"Yes, of course! I've been thinking about it, and I remembered reading the flames represent both passion and a destructive force. So what really matters is what is burning, anyway," she started enthusiastically, often throwing glances to her friend as they walked across the deck. As Cherche thought, Sumia spoke mainly about symbolism with a monologue she politely listened to, only interrupting her when asked about details about her dream. While she disagreed with her, believing such dissection of her dreams was reading too far into it, she respected the woman's interest and enthusiasm on the matter. As long as she seemed happy speaking, the conversation's subject wasn't of importance to Cherche.
They were interrupted as they reached the canteen's door by a red-haired woman, who walked across the hallway to meet them. "Hey Cordelia!" Sumia greeted, cutting short their conversation. "Cherche is willing to eat with us today."
The redheaded nodded with a satisfied smile and turned to face Cherche. "Greetings, Cherche. It is an honor eating with a warrior of your caliber," she said in the most reverential way, forcing Cherche to hold back a surprised chuckle.
"I fear you hold me in too high esteem. None can compare with the martial prowess you show with a spear," Cherche countered. Her words were sincere: Cordelia was praised by many as a genius, and she was indubitably one of the most skilled fighters in the army.
The redheaded woman shrugged, then pointing to the winged ornaments Cherche carried on the sides of her face as guise of helmet. "You say this, but I'm positive you're the only one in the whole army to have tamed a wyvern, and that only by yourself."
"Taming? No, Minerva is such a cutie. You just have to be nice with her is all," the knight replied.
"Girls, let's eat. I'm starving!" Sumia interrupted, opening the door to the canteen.
"Right, let's go. I could do with a bite too," Cordelia said, then following Sumia's lead accompanied by Cherche.
They were handed a bowl of fish filled with vegetables, somewhat to Cherche's displeasure. Fish wasn't a food she was fond of. Nevertheless, she grabbed bowl without complaint and sat down with the two pegasus riders.
"Oh, Cordelia. Do you remember that time we went in that hidden thicket near Ylisstol and built that cabin with twigs? We should totally go back there and check how it is holding up," Sumia started before even taking a bite from her plate.
"This was years ago, Sumia. I doubt there's anything left standing of it by now," Cordelia answered, then carefully blowing on her spoon to cool the soup.
"Even then, we won't know until we actually go there," she protested, both elbows on the table as she supported her chin with while looking at the redheaded warrior.
While the pair was reminiscing, Cherche used the spare time to examine the canteen. It was a moderately-sized room pierced with a couple of windows of both side, near the end of the ship. Several rows of long tables were disposed on the floor, to which they were. The benches along the tables were attached in the same way, so that the furniture wouldn't fly across the room in rough sea conditions. Shepherds and sailors alike were eating, producing a constant cacophony that she forced herself to ignore. Her gaze stopped on a pair of men sitting in one of the corners of the room. On one side was Lon'qu, eating in silence while a ginger man in ragged clothes was staring with disgust at his bowl. She recognized him as Gaius, a thief recruited by Chrom during the Plegian war to undertake less than honorable missions. To see both men together was surprising, and yet Lon'qu didn't seem to mind the bandit's presence.
"Are you looking at Lon'qu? You two seem to get along surprisingly fine!" Sumia suddenly exclaimed, interrupting the knight's examination.
"I suppose so. Robin paired us together after the invasion of Port Ferox, we don't see each other much outside of battle," Cherche answered before eating some of her soup. Frowning at its bitter taste, she resolved to start with the vegetables and skip the rest of her soup altogether unless she was still hungry.
"Even so, it is unusual for Lon'qu to allow us anywhere near him. Robin was considering stopping pairing him up with women altogether because of how tense he would get during battles. Until you joined, that is. It must have been quite a sight having him on the back of your wyvern," Cordelia added while taking regular bites from her food, seemingly unphased by its taste.
"It does feel like I'm walking on pins and needles sometimes, but he seems to tolerate my presence. Now that I think about it, he even offered to train me," the knight said, remembering about her last conversation with the swordsman, following the battle of Carrion Isle.
Sumia giggled, throwing a mischievous look at the woman. "Training? I've heard of more romantic dates."
A soft blush crept on Cherche's cheeks at the implication, that she quickly hid behind a sincere chuckle. "Hah! Are we still talking about the same Lon'qu? I'd have more chance going out with a bear!"
"A bear?" Cordelia asked, staring at her with confusion.
"It's the first animal that came to my mind, don't take it literally. In all honesty though, I suppose training with Lon'qu is the closest thing to a date he would ever agree to," Cherche confessed, shrugging.
"You know, war isn't a barrier to love. There are plenty of heroes of yore who found their significant others on the battlefield. Surely you must have heard of the tale of Prince Marth and Caeda the Pure-Hearted. Or, perhaps even of the tragic fate that befell Sigurd and Deirdre? Oh, and did you see the way Tharja looks at Robin?" she added in a whisper, leaning over the table as if the dark mage's obsession with the tactician was a secret to anyone.
"Now, now, hold on for a second! I admit Lon'qu is quite handsome, but I have no romantic interest in a man I barely know," Cherche replied, holding her hands up in denial. It was partially true, at least. While she wasn't romantically invested in the man, nor particularly looking to find love, she did have a genuine interest in the man and longed to know him better. His whole character was a mystery that she wished unraveled. Pondering about the man, she realized how close they grew together: from barely tolerating her presence, she had now saved his life multiple times and event went as far as confessing what manner of nightmares plagued her nights ever since she fled Rosanne. The man even went as far as fighting back his gynophobia to train with her, something she assumed would be a tedious process for the man. But did it really had to be so? She suddenly remembered about Ke'ri's diary, left to the woman after she saved the girl's parents. It was the key to the man's struggles, and perhaps a way for him to come to terms with his past. Steeling herself, she resolved to share the diary's content to the man after the battle. She could only hope it would be the right time, that the man trusted her enough to let her help.
"Is something on your mind? You seem concerned," Cordelia observed, setting aside her now empty bowl.
Torn away from her thoughts, Cherche shook her head before answering, ignoring the worried look Sumia was giving her. "Did I space out? My apologies, it's just the upcoming battle that I can't seem to get out of my mind," she partly lied, then noticing the two women empty bowls. She looked down to her own to realize it was only half-empty, despite having stopped fuming for probably a few minutes now. "I still need to finish my meal, you can go on without me."
"Are you sure about that? We don't mind waiting," Sumia said, echoed by a stern nod from Cordelia.
"Yes, there is no need for concern. I just need a few moments for myself is all," the knight assured with a reassuring smile.
Cordelia stood up, grabbing her bowl on the way. "Understood. Take all the time, we will need you in your best form this evening."
"I will give everything I have, as always. You two stay safe for me, all right?"
"Of course. We will try to anyway, so I expect you to do the same" Cordelia replied.
Cherche winked, brimming with a newfound confidence. "I'm not going to fall so soon after the war just started. Besides, there is still something I need to see completed."
Cordelia nodded understandingly and walked away. "See you later!" were the auburn-haired woman enthusiastic last words as she grabbed her own bowl, then quickly running after her friend, miraculously not falling on the way this time around.
Cherche spent the remainder of her meal throwing occasional glances at Lon'qu, pondering about ways to approach the man and creating scenarios to introduce the diary to him while nibbling at her food. She was toying with one of the little carrots soaking in her soup with her spoon when a throat clearing interrupted her thinking, nearly making her jump from her seat.
"Ahem."
Cherche turned to identify the source of the sound and noticed Lon'qu standing a safe distance away from her. His friend, Gaius, was nowhere in sight.
Hiding her surprise, she warmly smiled at the man. "Greetings, Lon'qu. Do you need something?"
"Nothing of the sort," he curtly said while staring at the woman, seemingly having trouble repressing the shaking of his left fist, his jaws clenched.
Were it for another person, Cherche would easily have mistaken those gestures as signs of aggression. She knew Lon'qu meant no harm however, his tensed body surely being the result of his nervousness.
"Well, what did you came for then?" she asked sincerely, not letting the man's difficulties get the better of her nerves.
"I wanted to check… if you fared well. Because we fight together soon," he precipitately added, his shaking spreading to his whole arm.
"Are you only asking because of the fight?" Cherche asked, looking straight into the man's eyes.
"Hmph." Avoiding the woman's gaze, he only replied with his signature answer, then remaining deadly silent as he stood awkwardly.
"I am well indeed, thank you for asking. You know, we get free time between our chores and battles. We could use some of it to get to know each other better. As partner-of-arms, of course," she added, worrying she might scare the man if she was too forward.
"I am… not ready… yet," he struggled to reply, lowering his head.
"I see, there is no need to hurry then," Cherche said with an understanding nod. For him to approach her and inquire about her wellbeing was a gigantic step forward, which seemed to add to the stress he was surely feeling from their incoming training sessions. Touched by the man's efforts despite his burdensome inclinations, she would have revealed she owned his childhood's friend diary, were it not for the upcoming battle. However, nothing prevented her from trying to arrange a meet-up at a later time, when she'll be free to speak to her heart's content.
Before the man could answer, she spoke again, seizing the opportunity. "Lon'qu. Actually, there is something I really need to tell you. Can we speak after the fight?"
The man seemed contemplative, remaining silent for a few seconds before speaking. "I trust you wouldn't make such a request only to make idle conversation with me."
"You would do well to assume so," Cherche confirmed.
Lon'qu gravely nodded, finally managing to suppress the shaking in his hand. "Very well. Do your best to stay alive and you shall have your conversation."
"Thank you, truly. I swear to make it worth your time," Cherche promised, placing a hand on her heart as if to prove her sincerity.
"We shall see. For now, our next meeting will be on the battlefield. Give my regards to Minerva," he added before abruptly walking away, leaving the woman to her own. Satisfied, she grabbed the bowl she had laid aside, only to push it away after the first bite. Still as distasteful as earlier, the now cold bowl had triumphed over the remnants of her appetite. With a sigh, she stood up and exited the canteen, resigning herself to fight the next battle on an empty stomach.
The evening was nearing. The Ylissean army's target, the coastal town it aimed to seize, was now in full sight. Patiently waiting for the last Shepherds to gather, Chrom climbed the stairs to the helm, standing above his men on the deck. As the last soldier quickly joined the group, Chrom wordlessly unsheathed his Falchion, planting it in front of his feet before speaking.
"This will be no easy battle. Expecting us since we set sails, the enemy surely prepared a warm welcome by now. Make no mistake, these savages are formidable fighters. We can expect at least the same degree of resistance as in Port Ferox, if not worst. That said, I have faith in every single one of you. Fight together, and we will see these scoundrels brought to justice by our own hands. Flavia and her men will engage the main army on the docks. Once done, we will storm the beach and cut down their reinforcements. Our scouts spotted several men already fighting the Valmese troops in the city. We shall try to rescue them, if possible. Any enemy of theirs is a friend of ours. For Ylisse!"
Countless ovations from the deck echoed his war cry, soon spreading to the other ships. The cheers united into a massive roar as nearly the whole army, including Cherche and Minerva, joined in. Today marked the first day of the reconquest of her country, and she was ready to lay down her life if it meant securing a homeland for the Rosanian refugees stuck in Ylisse. An eerie silence followed the collective cheering, replaced by the cries of innumerable seagulls and other seabirds as they precipitately flew away from the Shepherds surroundings.
Cherche shook her head to gather her thoughts before looking for Lon'qu. Like the other Shepherds, she was supposed to join up with her partner and get ready for the landing. Right as she was about to move however, bringing the wyvern along, a firm hand tapped on her shoulder and pushed her a few steps away.
"Hold on Cherche, you are fighting with me today. You still have the Hammer we gave you in Port Ferox, I assume?" Robin asked as he emerged from the crowd.
She raised an eyebrow in confusion, puzzled. "Yes, I strapped it to Minerva's saddle. May I ask for the reason of this sudden change?"
The tactician grabbed a tome from his robe, then pointing at its cover. Cherche recognized it as an Elthunder tome, a heavy damaging spell that had the advantage of remaining quite accurate, especially against the less nimble soldiers. "A lot of heavily armored soldiers are blocking the path to the city, right after the beach. Were it another battlefield I'd go with our mages and deal with them, but the landing will put us at a heavy disadvantage. Since the sand is going to impend our army's movement, I intend to make use of Minerva's speed and your prowess with an axe to clear a way for the rest of the army in the city. Once done, I will head further into the city with our forces, at which point you should join Lon'qu and hold our left flank while Chrom is leading the assault. That is, of course, if Minerva agrees to let me on her back."
Cherche gave a quick glance at Minerva, who didn't seem concerned in the least by what the tactician just said. Hesitantly, the knight looked back at the tactician. "We personally do not have problems with this. Was Lon'qu made aware of this change?"
Robin nodded, a smile softening his once concerned expression. "I sent Frederick to him. He will be one of the Shepherds holding the left flank with you."
Relief spread over Cherche's body. Both a fierce warrior and a calculated individual, he was likely to remain safe by the Great Knight's side. She could only repress a chuckle as she realized she had gotten more worried about his own safety than hers, the prospect of finally being able to reveal Ke'ri's secret filling her with resolve. It wasn't to say she wasn't in good hands herself: the tactician was a formidable fighter in his own right, able to hold enemies at bay both with his devastating magic and the swift blows of his sword. Turning her heels, she jumped on Minerva's back before answering, extending her arm toward the tactician. "Understood, I will leave the battleplan in your capable hands. Climb on and lead us to victory, Robin!"
The white-haired man smiled, strangely serene at the prospect of climbing the creature's back. Walking to the wyvern, he then jumped and grabbed the woman's arm with an assured hand, before briefly pulling on it to join her on the saddle. Under his heavy looking robes, the man was still surprisingly agile. "You can count on me," he finally declared as he reached the saddle. "I will not allow another man to steal our future."
Cherche nodded in approval, satisfied. Facing nearly insurmountable odds as they warred a whole continent, only such valor and resolve would bring them victory over the Conqueror. Turning her head to face the harbor they were approaching at full speed, she steeled herself for the upcoming battle. Were the Shepherds and their army to fail to secure a foothold this day and Ylisse as a whole would be doomed, its last line of defense being the ships and the men sailing them, all brought to Valm to oppose Walhart's hegemony. Unable to simply retreat were they to be defeated, a whole ocean separating from their homeland, the scenario was simple: in either victory or death trying, Ylisse wouldn't go down without a fight.
The heavy impact spreading through the ships as they ran aground on the beach nearly threw the wyvern rider out of her saddle, with Minerva being pushed a few steps back from the force. The Feroxi army had already landed and were locked in a laborious battle for the docks. It was time for the Shepherds to barge in and change the odds. About fifty yards away were the armored soldiers Robin warned her about: two Knights protected the stairs from the beach to the city. Further in the city, four mounted Great Knights were holding the streets, covered by a couple of Archers.
About to pull on the reins and take off with the wyvern as it regained its balance, the tactician's hand reached for her shoulder. "Wait for our forces to engage them. We will sweep in when they the least expect it."
Cherche nodded, turning her attention back to the beach. Kellam and Vaike were the first ones to land, the axeman clearing a way to the stairs for his slower companion. Tharja and Henry, two former Dark Mages of the Plegian army recruit by Chrom, disembarked next. From the west, five Dark Knights appeared as they charged the landing army. The sand proved to be a boon for the Shepherds however, their armored horses struggling to get a good footing on the ground, considerably slowing them.
"Keep waiting," Robin muttered behind her, as much to her than for himself.
The two Ylissean Dark Mages unleashed a powerful barrage of dark magic at the incoming knights, forcing them to spread out to avoid the devastating spells. Taking a direct hit from Henry's Ruin spell, one of the knights collapsed on his horse, his lifeless body still writhing for a few seconds before his brain registered his death.
"Wait for it."
A powerful gust of wind bombarded the knights, cast by Ricken – the Shepherds youngest mage – as he disembarked, causing the sand to fly around them everywhere and slowing them down even further. Followed by Miriel, the other mage, and progressively the rest of the Shepherds, it seemed they had managed to secure a foothold on the beach. Vaike and Kellam had advanced even further, Vaike securing the sides of the steps leading to the streets while the Knight climbed them as fast as he was able to, lifting his shield as he prepared to clash with the Valmese defenders.
"Wait."
Kellam charged forward, ramming the two Valmese Knights with his shield. Vaike was following a couple of steps behind, raising his massive battle-axe in anticipation.
"Now is the time! Full speed!"
Minerva took off from the ship as soon as the order was given, sending it back a dozen of yards back to the water with the impact of the takeoff. Flying at full speed toward the Great Knights defending the streets, covering the distance separating them from their target was a matter of seconds. Before the two Archers could react, Robin sent two bolts of lightning from the wyvern's back, felling them on the spot. Cherche tightened the grip on her Hammer as Minerva swooped on the cavaliers in a well-rehearsed fighting tactic, relying on powerful and quick surgical strikes upon the enemy. As they reached the closest knight, the wyvern rider wildly swung her weapon, battering his torso with one powerful blow and crushing armor and bones alike. His limp body unceremoniously fell to the ground with a loud clang from his armor as his horse ran off, fleeing the gigantic beast that had arrived. Two of his brethren weren't so fortunate however: as Cherche fell the first enemy, the wyvern engulfed two of the others in a scorching stream of flames, their sturdy steel armor turning into deadly traps as it melted both riders and mounts. Trying her best to ignore their desperate screams of agony, Cherche pulled on the reins to order Minerva to fly back to the airs. Their takeoff was almost interrupted by the remaining Great Knight, about to hurl a Javelin at the flying mount with a menacing battle cry, only to be cut short in his tracks and thrown to the ground by a direct hit from Robin's Elthunder. Laboriously trying to stand up, his armor charred where the lightning struck, the Great Knight was finished off by a swift blow from Vaike's axe, propelling him back to the ground. Kellam followed closely behind, leaving the two Knights bodies behind. Once guarding the stairs, the blood leaking from the large gashes in their armors was now staining the steps to the city. The remaining Shepherds steadily climbed them, avoiding the slippery pools of blood forming on the steps. It seemed the Dark Knight's threat on the beach had been dealt with. Above them, two pegasii flew at full speed, one of them carrying both its rider and the Exalt.
Robin jumped from the wyvern's back and raised his voice. "Kellam, Vaike, with me! I told the mages to follow us," he ordered before turning to Cherche. "Lon'qu and Frederick should join you any time now. Can I trust you to hold our back while we're gone?"
"Leave it to us! We will make sure no enemy is allowed to go past us," Cherche answered, joined by an approving cry from Minerva.
"You'd best be careful. The Valmese could be hiding anywhere, laying in ambush."
"Duly noted. We shall remain vigilant," Cherche assured, readjusting her grip on the Hammer.
Seemingly satisfied, the man nodded and motioned for the two men of his squad to follow him, before running up the main street. The four mages followed closely behind, paying no heed to Cherche and her steed. With a row of houses blocking her right side, she only had to guard a small street to her left, devoid of any life whatsoever. While she couldn't see them from this position, she knew the Feroxi army was fighting further down this way. It was the main reason she had been posted there: if the Valmese were to bring reinforcements from that side, they'd easily surround and strike the Shepherds from the back. Cherche's role was prevent that from happening by guarding the streets.
The loud sound of horses galloping down one of the nearby alleys behind her, leading to the Shepherd's ship, brought her back to reality. Three horsemen appeared from the corner of a house: Frederick was leading them, his horse carrying both him and Lon'qu. Behind them were Sully and Stahl, along with an excited little girl on the green horseman's saddle.
"Hiya Cherche!" she exclaimed while waving at the wyvern rider from the back of her saddle, as energetic as ever.
"Hello Nowi," Cherche replied with a sober acknowledging bow before carrying her attention to the others. Focused on the battle, she wasn't quite ready to reply in kind to the manakete's enthusiasm.
Lon'qu dismounted Frederick's horse and took a few steps towards her. "The horses couldn't climb the stairs because of the bodies in the way," he briefly explained before returning to his usual mutism.
"It's fine, I was with Robin up until a minute ago. Besides, I doubt there will be any soul coming down this street before the end of the battle."
Frederick closed in, the armor of his horse jangling at any of his steps. "Did Robin press onward already? What of the Exalt?"
"They might be together by nom. I saw Chrom riding Sumia's pegasus, they were headed toward the center of the city."
"I see," he replied before falling in a deep silence, one hand on his chin for a couple of seconds. He then raised his head to meet the five remaining Shepherd's gazes, waiting for his orders. While not technically their direct superior, Frederick was Chrom's deputy and as such had the respect of everyone in the army.
"Lon'qu, please remain here with Cherche. We need to go further and secure the other streets leading to our backline," he finally ordered, met with silent nods of approval from Lon'qu and the two Cavaliers, who went ahead and started to head down the main street. "Come and find us if you find yourself overwhelmed by enemies. You won't be able to stop anyone if you are dead."
"Understood, Sir," she replied with a brief salute. Further ahead, Lon'qu walked to the entrance of their assigned street without a word and leaned against the wall, arms crossed and sword sheathed.
Ever sober, Frederick replied with a courteous nod before turning and galloping down the main street, catching up with the two horsemen. Pulling on the wyvern's reins, Cherche rotated and headed toward the lone swordsman, being careful as to not penetrate his comfort zone.
"What are you doing?" she asked, confused by the Lon'qu's stance.
"Is it not obvious? I'm guarding the street," he somberly said, looking away from the woman.
"This is no way to do guard duty. You're not even facing the right way," Cherche protested, ignoring the man's apparent hostility.
"Hmph." Out of spite, he offered his typical answer, only slightly turning his face to look down the nearby street.
"Lon'qu, there's something wrong isn't it? Is it something I did?"
The man reluctantly turned his head to face her, then muttered a word of apology. "Nothing of the sort, I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression. I just hate being forced to sit there idly while everyone else is fighting."
The words of the swordsman put Cherche at ease: genuinely worried she might have offended him in some way, seeing him speak otherwise was a relief. To be quite frank, she couldn't say she didn't share the man's sentiment. Remaining there while their companions were fighting and possibly losing their lives was a heavy burden on her mind, that she only managed to alleviate by considering the possible effects of an attack from Valmese reinforcements were the pair not to stop it. As much as she disliked it, the plan of the Ylissean tactician was, as always, sound.
"I realize how pointless it seems, but someone needs to do it. The only thing we can do, for now, is pray to their success," Cherche replied in an attempt to comfort him
"Just because I understand it doesn't mean I have to like it," he retorted with a shrug, then looking back down the street.
Cherche nodded understandingly, respecting the man's sentiment that she shared. Pulling on Minerva's reins, she moved back a few steps to face the street. They kept watching in silence, the only sound reaching their remote location being the sound of waves crashing against the sand. If they didn't know of it, they wouldn't even know a battle was currently taking place in the city. Without seeing a single soul, the seconds became minutes as they remained immobile, staring down the alley. If Lon'qu was frustrated, he was hiding it well, the only gesture betraying his nonchalant stance being irregular eye twitches that she could have sworn became more common by the second.
A white large winged silhouette suddenly flew above them, breaking the cumbersome silence that befell the place. Both Lon'qu and Cherche raised their head to identify the possible threat, only to realize the pegasus was already past them. She had only been able to notice a flash of crimson red hair directing the creature while another figure was holding on to dear life.
"Wasn't Cordelia alone when the attack started?" Cherche asked as the pegasus landed near the ship, quickly surrounded by the clerics posted there until the battle ended.
"Chrom mentioned locals fighting the Valmese. Might be one of the survivors," he replied nonchalantly, bringing his attention back to the street they were protecting. Obviously the man wasn't very interested in the newcomer's identity, instead focusing back to their mission right away. He was right of course: the Shepherds's security was of the utmost importance, there would always be time later on to meet the survivor, assuming he lived until then. Still, there had been not a soul going up the street for quite some time now. If Valmese soldiers attempted to charge through their alleys, she'd be close enough to react before they'd even reach Lon'qu.
"I'm going to check what is happening from the air, it won't take longer than a minute," Cherche declared, drawing on her reins to get enough space between Minerva and the houses to take off.
"Understood, I will keep watch for you," he answered, his eyes still locked down the path.
A quick yank on Minerva's reins and she was already in the air, flying toward the beach. Below, Cordelia was engaged in an agitated conversation with Libra while a jet black-haired woman was discharged from the pegasus by the other clerics. Cherche squinted her eyes, then letting out a small cry of surprise. "That woman! She's wearing the same kind of clothing as Lon'qu!" she exclaimed, then met with an inquisitive shriek from her friend.
"Is it bad you ask? I can't say for sure, but we should probably tell Lon'qu now," Cherche declared, giving the reins a gentle tug to redirect the wyvern. Barely able to contain her excitation, they started to fly back toward the swordsman, staring down the empty street in the same position as when she left him. Everything was just as still as before, except from that lone window slowly opening above Lon'qu. Her thoughts stopped as she processed the information: why was this window just now opening up?
Her stomach contracted into a tight ball as the feeling of terror suddenly stabbed her in the get as she realized a robed figure was standing behind the opened window, raising a menacing hand at the unaware swordsman's back while holding a heavy looking mauve tome.
"Hurry Minerva! Save him!" she yelled as she leaned over the wyvern, hoping to preserve its speed from the friction of the air.
Alarmed by the sudden yell, the swordsman turned around, but it was too late. A massive ball of purple lightning infused with dark energy was racing down his way, about to hit him at full speed.
"What in-"
Cherche could only grit her teeth as they flew in front of him, the wyvern's tail unceremoniously shoving the man out of the way. The deathly looking ball promptly swallowed the woman and her dear friend instead, seemingly with no effects.
'Oh. It's not so b-' were her last thoughts before she let out a deafening scream of agony, the corrupted filaments pressing against and digging in her whole body. Never once had she experienced such pain: flows of blood sputtered from her innumerable wounds as the filaments penetrated always deeper, reaching her very core. Choked by the magic, her whole world limited to the ball contracting around them. She wasn't even able to muster the force to scream as the dark tendrils suddenly exploded, turning her body into an empty husk of anguish. Hearing only the screeches of agony of her beloved friend as she fell from her back, the last thing she felt was the contact of her body with the ground as everything went black.
Well, this was quite a ride. You may notice this chapter was almost three times as long as the previous ones. There was a lot to write about, to say the least. While the chapter ended with quite a grim note, I still have a surprise I hope you will enjoy for the next chapter. Fair warning: I work full-time now, meaning I have few free time for myself. While I write every day, the next chapter may be released in three weeks and not two as usual. Only future will tell, until then take care!