Grunts 10

Hello again everyone! Today we're going to be moving towards Maribelles rescue and have it actually occur! Then we get a side chapter next time!

Lucina: Why didn't you give me and my father any real screen time last chapter?

7: To be honest many of the fanfics I've seen really focus on Chrom and yours duel since none of the other opponents are worth mentioning so I thought I'd change it up a bit

Severa: I actually wanted to… to…

7: Thank me?

Severa: Yeah that!

7: Shoot dug you out there, anyway your welcome I tried to envision how two tacticians would really fight each other and I think it came out well.

Severa: I still don't appreciate being defeated by a leg sweep, by the way

7: That's something you'll have to take up with your father not me

Lucina: Actually I have a question for you 7

7: Go ahead

Lucina: The Pegasus knights with Aunt Cordelia seem much crueler than what I've heard from her stories. Why is that?

7: Jealousy to be perfectly honest, the others know that the instructors are having to be supremely nitpicky in order to give Cordelia any criticism, not to mention the amount of attention she gets from the male crowd. It's ugly, but they're actually starting to come around, as we'll see in a few chapters.

Lucina: Thank you. *bows*

Severa: AGAIN Lucy! Stop bowing for gods sake!

7: Before this escalates, to the story!

Crises (Declaration)

The Shepherds woke the next morning, swiftly packed, and were through the Longfort before the sun reached its half way point in the sky.

The slower troops had been placed with either the riders or in their small supply caravan so they could make due haste to the Capitol.

Robin, riding in one of the caravans with Lissa and their new recruit Lon'qu, thought of their sudden haste and the reason for it.

Earlier that day

The Shepherds were groggy and still half-asleep after their celebrations the previous night. They were stumbling to the meeting point when Chrom ran into their hungover group. He was clutching a letter in his hand.

"Shepherds we move out in the next ten minutes! We are to make Ylisstol by tomorrow morning!"

The sudden command snapped the Shepherds out of their stupor and they began to set to their task with a vigor rather impressive for a group that was nursing pounding headaches.

Robin quickly found Chrom in the mess in order to inquire at the sudden haste. Chrom simply handed him the letter and left to help Sumia move a stack of lances into one of the wagons.

Opening the letter Robin quickly skimmed before dropping it and moving to join the others, the contents of the letter swimming in his head.

"Prince Chrom there has been a raid along the eastern border by Plegian bandits. The area attacked was under the rule of Duke Themis and his daughter has been captured by the Plegians. Supposedly she had moved to offer parley and the blackhearts took her hostage in response. However, King Gangrel claims that she invaded his land and demands recompense. Please make all haste to the capital as this could very well lead to war."

Pegasus Knight Commander Phila

Present time

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Robin noticed that Lissa was scooting towards Lon'qu who in turn would move away from her. Wincing slightly, Robin remembered the conversation he had with Khan Basilio about Lon'qu.

'If we weren't in such a rush I could have placed him in one of the other caravans.' Robin thought as the wagon rumbled underfoot. 'I hope he'll be ok for the ride there.'

This is how the Shepherds would be for the next half-day as they made haste towards the capital, making only short stops to hydrate the mounts, no words were exchanged and even the more exuberant members were subdued at the implications of the coming meeting with the Exalt.

Ylisstol Castle

Approaching the gates, Chrom flashed a signal to the guards who quickly opened the great doors to the outer courtyard as the Shepherds thundered into the palace grounds. Quickly dismounting from his spot on Sumia's Pegasus Chrom marched quickly into the palace with Frederick, Lissa, and Robin following behind.

Bursting into the throne room, Chrom called out to his elder sister, "Is it true Emm?! Is Maribelle a hostage?"

Turning towards his voice unfazed, Emmeryn answered in her usual calm voice, "That is correct Chrom. She has been taken hostage by King Gangrel over a perceived invasion of his country that Lady Maribelle supposedly oversaw."

Phila continued the report at her liege's nod, interrupting Chrom's reply. "They hold her a half-day's march from here at the border pass that allows trade between Themis and Plegia, as agreed in the pact we made ten years ago."

"Then why haven't we done anything!?" Chrom roared in anger, startling the three who'd followed him to the throne room. "The Mad King will never listen to reason! He'll know peace the day death gives it to him!"

Robin was surprised at the intense anger rolling off of Chrom at the mention of this 'Mad King'. He'd never seen the young prince lose his head so completely, not even after that recruitment poster fiasco with Frederick, so whoever the King was Chrom obviously didn't like the thought of him.

"Peace Chrom. I was going to decide on our plan of action just as you arrived so please hear me out." Emmeryns' soothing voice was able to calm the agitated prince, who nodded his assent.

"Now that cooler heads have prevailed I will give you our plan. We cannot risk a war with Plegia, our army is too small for any kind of protracted engagement and our people have yet to recover from the previous war. I cannot allow that to happen to our people so I will offer parley with Gangrel." Emmeryn continued

Emmeryn's declaration was immediately met with voices of disapproval and caution, many pointing out it was most likely a trap, though Robin noticed that the Exalt's eyes never swayed in their clarity.

'So Chrom and Lissa aren't the only hard heads of the family.' Robin thought with a mental chuckle as Emmeryn calmed the group down and ordered them to make ready for departure the next morning. Sighing, Robin left the room silently, still hearing Chrom and Lissa argue their sister's decision, so he could inform the Shepherds of their new task and prepare himself.

'Looks like I'll have to delay that meeting with Cordelia then.' he thought as he watched the Shepherds grab their gear. 'If this comes to war almost every pegasus knight we have is going to be on the front lines and on patrol.' he felt a brief pang go through his chest at the thought of his friend dying, 'No I can't think like that, she's incredibly skilled and resourceful she'll be fine.' Closing his train of thought Robin left his preparations to sleep, unaware of the downward spiral they would face tomorrow.

The Shepherds made up a part of the Exalt's escort as they neared the pass, all members on alert for ambushes waiting in the wings.

Robin was looking about the area as he stood near the front of the contingent, scanning for any and all possible escape routes while noting the young Shepherd mage, Ricken was his name if he thought right, moving through the underbrush out of sight of the rest. He sighed at the thought of the young man's actions. The mage had confronted Chrom the night before about being a part of the mission, but was dismissed by Chrom for being too young to be on the mission and left to guard the palace. Or that was the original idea, but Robin had found him following them during a break in the trek.

Earlier that day

The group had stopped for a short break in the long trek towards the mountain pass that acted as the Ylissean-Plegian border to meet with King Gangrel and rescue Maribelle. Robin took a swig from his canteen as he walked along the perimeter of the camp, watching to see if he could spot any ambushes nearby, when he heard a slight rustle near his position.

Repressing any signs that he'd heard Robin moved slightly towards the noise, acting oblivious until he was right on top of the area. Swiftly drawing his sword, Robin held the tip at the throat of his startled target who froze behind the bush.

"Show yourself" he commanded quietly, hiding his surprise when the young mage he'd met the night before rose out of the bush. "What are you doing here… Ricken was it?" He asked, stowing his sword at the sight of a friendly, though he kept his magic at the ready.

"I want to help" he stated with great vehemence, seemingly angered at the question. "I can use magic just a good as anyone else! Not to mention I'm a specialist in wind magic and the Plegian elites are almost entirely wyvern riders!" Robin was a little confused as to why those two were important until the discussion he'd had with Miriel on the uses of magic in battle came back to him.

Nodding, Robin lowered his voice and motioned for Ricken to lower his "Alright you can help, but you need to stay out of sight and prepared. I have a feeling this will get ugly quickly, so once I fire a bolt into the sky as a signal I need you to get Maribelle out of there and back to us ok?" Ricken nodded in assent before moving back into the bushes as Robin moved to rejoin his group.

Present

Robin returned to the present as the contingent entered the pass, noting the numerous soldiers that were attempting to hide and not doing a good job of it. Motioning Virion into position, Robin had the other Shepherds quietly prepare for the incoming ambush. Emmeryn continued forward towards where the King of Plegia stood on a ledge above them.

"Well well weeeell. We are in the presence of radiance herself! I fear I must shield my eyes! Bwahahaha!" Came the cackling voice of Gangrel as the Shepherds came to a stop below the ledge.

"King Gangrel" Emmeryn called out, her voice the incarnation of serenity. "I've come to find the truth of this incident between us and hope to resolve it peacefully!"

As the king laughed once again and began his refute against Emmeryn's peace as well as give his side of the story, Robin examined the Plegian ruler. He had short blazing orange hair covered by an elaborate golden circlet of a crown. His head was cocked with a cruel, angled face locked in a sneer. He wore a black tailored coat with luxurious fur over his torso, with expensive pants and boots. What drew Robin's attention to him was the aura of insanity that surrounded him like a cloak, giving him the feel of a rabid animal.

Another voice spoke up, "This little girl attacked the brave Plegian soldiers that simply sought to bring her home. That's grounds for execution if I've ever seen it." As Maribelle protested the woman's claim Robin caught sight of her as well.

She was, in a word, sultry. Dressed in a tight fitting black corset and long stockings with high-heeled boots she cut a sensuous portrait against the dull rocks, her eye catching white hair and purple markings against her dark skin completing the seductress look.

Noting that Gangrel was growing increasingly violent, Robin signaled the Shepherds to be ready.

"Give me the Fire Emblem now! Or this pretty little thing gets an open neck!" Gangrel shouted to the leaders, motioning for his soldiers to close in on them. However, once they got within 15 feet of Emmeryn a blur of blue rushed forward and opened them from hip to shoulder in one spinning strike.

"Stay back lest you suffer the same fate!" Chrom declared, holding Falchion at the ready as more soldiers began to come out of the rocks.

"Well well that's a declaration of war if I've ever seen one! Bwahahaha! I have my war! Ylissean blood will run in rivulets before the day is done and with it the end of the cursed bloodline! Captain!" Gangrel motioned to a heavily armored wyvern rider, "Make sure none of them live and that the Fire Emblem is in my hand by nightfall!" With that last command, Gangrel disappeared beyond the lip of the ledge and back into Plegia.

Robin began the battle by launching his signal to Ricken before moving to join the other Shepherds who'd long since engaged the grunts of the force and had been cutting a swath through them on the way up to the commanding officer.

The fight allowed Robin to observe the prowess of Lon'qu as he made his way through the axe-wielders. The man was a blur across the battlefield, slicing two men in two slices before turning quickly and kicking another one across the jaw, snapping his neck. He then finished his turn by launching himself into a leaping slash that carved a man's skull in two before moving to engage another group that had moved to surround Miriel.

He also got to see Ricken's prowess as he escorted the mounted Maribelle towards the main body of their militia. The young man proved his boasts of wind mastery, blowing groups of soldiers off the ledges to die on the harsh rocks below, or knocking wyvern riders completely out of the sky in conjunction with Virion's arrows. They eventually joined the main contingent as they moved in on the final vanguard.

The three mages launched simultaneous blasts of wind, thunder, and fire, taking down a wyvern rider and two swordsmen before a throwing axe from the leader sunk itself into Virion's gut, taking him out of the fight as Maribelle moved to heal him.

The next wave of Shepherds moved in to clean up the remaining grunts as Chrom and Sumia used hit and run tactics against the leader's heavier armor. The man was nothing if not skilled, he may not have been able to hit the fleet footed Pegasus knight so he instead focused on the slower moving ground troops. He landed two more axe throws into Kellams forearm and Lon'qus thigh taking them out of the fight as well. Growing confident at the casualties he was inflicting, the captain reared back to throw at a wide open Miriel, when a blast of thunder brought his attention to the last thing he'd ever see.

"Checkmate!" Robin yelled as he descended onto the captain, splitting his head like a melon with a swift chop and electrocuting the wyvern. Sighing in relief, Robin gave a nod of respect to Frederick who'd allowed him to be launched from his horse in a do or die move to end the fight before they suffered further casualties.

As they gathered the wounded together Chrom and Robin moved to join Emmeryn, who'd been pulled away by her personal guard at the beginning of the battle to discuss what their next move would be.

"…I'm sorry Emm," Chrom muttered bitterly, obviously guilty at his actions "I let my anger get the best of me and now it's our people who will suffer for it."

"It's all right Chrom." Emmeryn sighed, seemingly aging another ten years. "We must return to the capital with all due haste as there's something I must give you if we are to survive the coming months."

With that, Emmeryn turned and mounted behind Phila, taking off towards the pass entrance to await the Shepherds. As they gathered their belongings Maribelle approached Robin, fidgeting slightly as she fought against her pride for what she was about to say.

"Oh hello Maribelle," Robin greeted as she stood there silent, "Is there something you need?" She continued to stand silently until she finally built up her will and spoke. "I… wanted to thank you for your… assistance today." she finally stated, earning a raised eyebrow from the tactician. "But don't think this makes us friends! I still have my eye on you, even if you've won the trust of the others, I won't allow my darling Lissa to be taken in by a commoner!"

Sighing at the condescending statement, Robin replied, "I understand you're not fond of me Maribelle, but we'll be working together from now on so let's try to get along ok?" He held out his hand as an offer of truce, though she simply agreed curtly before leaving to check on her patients.

"Don't worry Robin it took her awhile to warm up to Vaike as well so you'll be fine, just give her time." Ricken offered to the tactician. Robin simply smiled at his reassurance before moving to join the others at the entrance to the pass, wondering at what the future would hold in the next few months. His thoughts inevitably turned towards Cordelia as the new war would surely put her on the borders and in danger.

'I can only hope for her safety' he thought as he moved to join the front group and mounted behind Frederick. 'My tactics can do much, but until I know what Ylisse has in resources and forces I can only hope' he thought as they moved through the twilight toward the capital, a powerful storm breaking over the pass they'd left scant hours before. Torches twinkled in the distance behind them.

Ch 10 End

Man this chapter fought with me the entire way through so I can only hope it lives up to expectations!

Also as of the time of this writing we have 5,100 views, 19 Reviews, 16 Favorites, and 20 Follows!

Thank you all for the support! Special shout out to Goodralisk, Strider Shade, and Yuki2311 for reviewing so consistently!

Severa: I'm actually surprised the stories done this well to be honest

Lucina: Yeah it seems like a dream to be honest *pinch* Ow!

Severa: Did you really just pinch yourself?!

Lucina: Aren't you supposed too?

Severa: No! You only do that when something really weird happens! Like if Inigo doesn't flirt with a girl for two straight days!

7: That would be very strange… That's probably how we can tell it's an imposter though no?

Severa & Lucina: *Nod simultaneously*

7: Well than let's wrap it up for the nice people shall we?

All three: As always everyone please Read, Review, and Follow our paychecks depend on it!