Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Fire Emblem.

AN: This week is hectic RIP me

xxx

Frederick wasted no time in telling the Nohrian visitors the barest minimum: they were the shepherds, a noble group in Ylisse dedicated to the royal family and the protection of the innocent – at least, most of them were, though some of the foreign youths were considered part of the group due to their pasts together. He was Frederick the Wary, head of the shepherds as the Exalt was not there to lead, and he would not be easy on them no matter what part of land they came from. In fact, if they did anything remotely suspicious, he made it clear that he'd take off their heads with a swing of his axe.

The winding paths they took away from the heart of the city would've confused and disoriented Severa if she had not been brutally trained in the location of the Ylissean palace's most secure of defenses. There were plenty of places throughout the capitol, throughout the halidom, that the royals could flee to in dire, dangerous times. The Underground, however…

Her frown deepened as they traveled along a riverbank near the outskirts of the city. Up ahead: a waterfall, and behind it, the Underground. Only to be used in the absolute worst situations, namely if the entire palace and family was compromised…

She almost jumped when Niles' slim profile appeared next to her. His face was sharp as always, but his deep blue eye narrowed slightly at her. His tone was softer than she thought she'd ever heard before.

"It's not your fault. A retainer can't be blamed for everything. Not when they're trying their hardest. We both know I do everything when I'm at my hardest~."

She sighed, trying to ignore him, especially the last comment – but she knew, inside, he was right. She wasn't her mom. She wasn't perfect.

"It's especially gruesome when your liege is a massive pain in your ass. And I do mean that both figuratively and literally, of course."

With a scowl, she shoved his face away.

Luckily, they now stood in front of the waterfall. Noire's horse grazed nearby, though it had been removed of all equipment – as if it was some wild beast. All other horses soon followed, and at the faintest signal from Camilla, Circe appeared, settling on the ground. She would wait outside for now, it seemed.

The group of shepherds stalled as Laurent pushed through to the front, a wave of his hand creating an arc to walk through without getting soaked. This was especially important for the sake of Inigo – he had been fading in and out of consciousness the entire time, scaring Yarne near to death – but not so frightening then as when he began to cough up blood.

If they had made it to Ylisstol a day later, he would have been dead.

Upon closing the waterfall, a stony hallway was revealed. The light was excruciatingly dim, but not so dim that the wyvern at the back could not be seen.

It raised its head in a low snarl before a small girl – though she'd been marching with the rest the whole time, she was so quiet that they hadn't noticed her – came forward, giving a rather mighty growl. Normally, Xander and Camilla especially would have rushed forward to protect the child from a dangerous wyvern, but something held them back:

Through her dark ginger braids, she had large, pointed ears.

Just like Corrin.

As if she had given the password, the reptile calmed down. Another few dizzying passages (of which only Frederick, Severa, Yarne, and the little girl seemed to constantly know which direction to take) and they slowly came upon a wider entryway. Over the sounds of the shepherds removing some of their outer armor, they could hear a gentle feminine voice echoing from further down, along with the sound of an older woman replying, voice calm.

"They'll be back any second, we need one of the healers – it's Inigo, he l-looks awful, milady! Some sort of gut wound–"

"At ease, Noire. Frederick has already made certain that no tricks are upon us?"

"Y-Yes, as – as far as one can in this situation, I believe."

"Allow me to see for myself."

Footsteps could be heard, coming closer. Severa felt as though she had been struck: Kjelle had said that all of the royal family had been captured, how could–?

The woman appeared before them, arms crossed. Over simple pants and a tank top, she wore a deep, faded purple cloak. Her sharp golden-brown eyes were bright against her brown skin, which was darker than Noire's. Slowly, her ring-riddled hands reached up and pulled her hood down, revealing dark green hair held up in practical pigtails, an ebony circlet sitting handsomely upon her head.

Her clothes suggested some sort of mage, perhaps a sorcerer, but they seemed too practical – the style was foreign to those who didn't know it. The pants and boots were sturdier, more suited to a fighter of the blade. It was efficient, though clearly an old uniform – and it entirely contrasted the way she held herself. She stood with purpose, head tilted up almost regally as she judged the strangers among the people before her.

Severa could not disguise her shock. "M-Milady, I was under the impression that you had been captured as well. Forgive me, please – for my failures upon the house Ylisse. I – I've let our kingdom down."

The cloaked woman paused for a moment, Noire twirling her black hair anxiously behind her. Slowly, she sighed.

"You truly are our dear Severa. I am afraid that the dogs that have the castle in their clutches did not want me. Nor did they want Stahl, despite his ties to the throne. No, they wanted only those blessed children of Naga's favor."

Her face went from stoic to devastatingly bitter, and her fingertips seemed to almost crackle with magical energy. "They have stolen from me my husband, my children, my sister through marriage, and finally, my nephew. I cannot dare imagine what they are going through. I shall debrief you shortly, Severa… and this motley crew of yours, should they deem trustworthy. Perhaps… we should wait for Duke Inigo to rejoin the world of consciousness, first?"

She turned sharply, shouting. "Brady, come forth! Your abilities are required urgently!"

A yell of surprise and the sound of running could be heard in the distance. In this moment of pause, Xander took the opportunity to voice his own thoughts.

"Forgive me, milady, for we are ignorant of this kingdom's ways – Sir Frederick here seemed to give us the impression earlier that he was the leader of this noble group, yet you have a commanding presence that appears to override him. May I, as the head of my own family, enquire who you are?"

Briefly, Nohrians and shepherds alike worried that the lady in question would scorn him. Instead, she gave a soft laugh, turning to give the smallest of cheeky grins to Frederick.

"Giving out that fanciful idea that you're in charge, Frederick? How kind of you to take the burden from my shoulders," she walked toward him, resting a hand on the knight's shoulder with a teasing look.

"Yes, yes, you've always been Chrom's second-in-command. But, in all fairness, the shepherds are traditionally run by a member of the royal family. As the head of the family available – I daresay I outrank Stahl in more than one way – it is I that is in charge. It is my family we are trying to save, after all. Though I am glad to see your daughter's return."

She turned then back to Xander, a faint smile still on her face. She came closer, only a foot or two away – which noticeably caused both Frederick and Severa to flinch, watching carefully – before opening her arms in a welcome gesture. As she opened her mouth to speak, Frederick stepped forward, which got him a withering glance in return. "I can speak for myself, you know." Slowly, he stepped back.

It reminded them faintly of Severa stepping in front of Inigo to introduce them both. To 'get back in practice'.

Now, they understood why.

"Welcome to our Underground, guests. I hear from Noire you are of across the sea? Valm then, most likely. You have come this far, I can tell that you are willing to fight for our cause, lest you'd have left Severa and Lord Inigo by now. I take it you were likely their journeying companions: hence, you are a friend of Prince Owain's, as well?"

Her head tilted slightly, a fond, yet calculating look in her eyes. "You seem lost, as though you have been dropped into our land without any knowledge of it except your names and the names of your comrades. You remind me of my younger self. I, too, entered a conflict with barely my wits about me…

"Yet I stand before you, here, having taken back my life and having turned it into something greater. I am the Queen of Ylisse, wife to Exalted Chrom, and the current overseer of the Plegian region as it slowly recovers from wars past. When my son is of age, he will reclaim the Plegian throne, and the nation will no longer rely on Ylisse for its survival. I have high hopes that he shall raise my old nation to a new greatness… one not founded on hatred or death."

She pulled a dusty tome from out of her cloak, a twinkle in her eye as she ran her fingers down its cover. "Years ago, in my prime, I was the tactician for the shepherds. Beside my husband we won many battles. I… still favor being a tactician over being queen, if we are being frank. Call me what you will – Madam Tactician, your Highness, Queen – if I had it my way, you'd just address me by my name," she huffed, sending another look at Frederick in good humor, "but as politics are, especially with a retainer as anal as dearest Sir Frederick, a title should probably be attached somewhere. You are not familiar with me, not yet. Still, I suppose…"

She hummed, fingering open the tome and lighting lanterns ablaze throughout the room with the softest incantation upon her lips – Leo was unnerved by this, she clearly had a strength in magic he could only ever dream of reaching – before she shut the book and replaced it in her cloak. A smirk curved her lips.

"You can call me Lady Tawney, if you like."

xxx

AN: R&R if you so wish! I greatly appreciate!