CHAPTER TEN: Hope Must be Grasped

Pegasus Paddock and Stables, Ylisstol

Cynthia didn't cry when she found Avis' body at the outskirts of the pegasus paddock. She riffled through the saddlebags on the side of his body she could access, kissed his bloody nose, and entered the paddock, hoping to find a pegasus who was alive and not traumatized. Her hopes were dashed when she threw open the door of the stables to find that the few remaining pegasi had had their throats slit.

Her eyes filled with tears at this act of savagery, but she blinked them away and turned back to the group. They groaned as a group when she shook her head wordlessly. "Gods," Lucina muttered, poking her own head into the stables and cringing at the carnage. "We'll have to try to find regular horses or escape on foot."

"Give me a second," Cynthia said, digging through a pile of supplies near the door. "Ah!" She pulled out a long, thin spear. "This will work well. I dislike being unarmed."

Lucina nodded and then jerked her head. "We need to leave if you have no further business here."

Cynthia strapped the spear to her back with a harness and closed the door to the stables. "I'm ready."

Severa peered around the side of the stables. "There aren't any Grimleal this way. We can get to the stables if we use avoid the training grounds and go through the gardens. The gates are usually locked but we can use the hole near the pomegranate trees to get through."

"I told you knocking a hole in the gate years ago was a good idea," Owain chided as they snuck around the wall, staying close to the ground. "You all wanted to tell my mother on me. I bet you feel silly now, don't you? That'll teach you to distrust my hero instincts."

oOoOo

There were few horses left and not enough for all of them, so they doubled up as much as the horses could bear. Lucina got her own horse, a glossy mare with white fetlocks. As the others quibbled lightly about seating arrangements, Severa paused. "Hey, bunny boy. Don't you have a beaststone in that bag of yours?"

Yarne grimaced. "Yes…"

"Great. You don't need a horse then, right? Make yourself useful and run alongside us."

"What?" Yarne cried, scowling. "Why should I have to do that? I can't keep up with horses!"

Severa snorted. "Bullshit. I've seen your mother run. Get to hopping." She turned her glare to Inigo. "Why do I have to sit behind you?"

Climbing up behind Cynthia, Owain rolled his eyes. "Just do it, Severa. We have to go." Smoke was beginning to filter into the stable, hinting that the battle was moving nearer.

"Fine," Severa growled. "You better not enjoy me holding on to your waist, Pervert Prince."

Inigo sighed. "Hold on to my shoulders, then."

Severa didn't reply and wrapped her arms around his waist anyway.

"I don't know much about horses," Cynthia whispered to Owain in a worried tone. "They're different from pegasi. You'd better hold on tight."

Lucina returned from a check of the perimeter and took her horse by the bridle. "We're clear for the moment. Let's go."

She mounted her horse and led them through the doors. Noire followed, then Inigo, and finally Cynthia's steed lurched forward. Owain clung to her torso, pleased and terrified.

A group of Grimleal scouts spotted them three-quarters of the way across the back entrance to the castle grounds and initiated a fight that lasted only a moment. In his Taguel form, Yarne was strong, and Cynthia was better at riding and fighting atop a horse than she'd expected. Owain hadn't even had to unsheathe his sword—she'd pulled out her lance and skewered one of the Grimleal through the jaw before he could react.

"Ugh," she muttered, pulling the weapon from the foe's face and flicking the blood from its tip. She still hated war. It was somehow unfair that she was so talented at it when she had no interest.

As they passed through the castle's back gate, Lucina turned back to look at the blazing, crumbling building. She mouthed something that Owain couldn't make out. For a moment, pain burned bright in her eyes, then she turned her head to the horizon.

oOoOo

Road to Mount Prism, Ylisse

They'd reached the foothills of Mount Prism by midday and the group stopped to rest both Yarne and the horses. Owain had a horrible realization in the midst of nibbling on dried cranberries and bread. "How are the others going to know where we are? We told them we'd be in Ylisstol."

Cynthia's mouth dropped open in horror and she turned to Inigo, who paused over his own meal. "Whoa, whoah, that's a good point," he agreed. "Did anyone think about that?"

Lucina's face tightened and she continued adjusting the straps on her horse's saddle. "I realized before we left."

"And?" Owain demanded. "Are we just going to leave them?"

"Most of our absent peers were against our plan," Lucina reminded him darkly. "I doubt they were returning to our side regardless. If any were, I can only hope they see Ylisstol burning from a distance and recognize that this would be our alternate meeting spot."

"Could we send up a flare?" Cynthia suggested. "It might help them find us if they followed us."

Noire shook her head from where she sat beside the silent Morgan. "It would almost certainly attract more than our friends," she argued. "It's a risk we'd be fools to take."

"We have roughly six hours left. We should spend them with care. I don't think we could survive being found by a proper tracking company," Lucina agreed. "The others made their choices when they separated from us three days ago."

Though he hated it, Owain couldn't deny that she was correct. He looked down at his food and breathed heavily, heartsick in so many ways. "I'm satisfied," he whispered to Cynthia, knowing that she would accept any extra food offered. "You want this?"

Hands now empty, he stood up and walked over to where Noire and Morgan sat. Morgan's eyes didn't move when he crouched next to her. "How is she?" He asked Noire quietly.

Noire frowned, annoyance flickering behind her concern. "She'll obey any direct commands I give her, but she still won't speak, no matter what I say or do." She looked at her sister, whose dark hair had partially come undone from the long plaits Noire had put her hair in for bed the night before. The annoyance in her face softened and she put her hand on the girl's head. "I thought all the abuse my mother had put us through would have made her mind strong," she said frankly. "Perhaps it wore her down instead."

Owain looked over at her, unnerved. She and Morgan had always been tight lipped about their mother even though everyone could tell something wasn't right when they were children. The way they jumped at loud sounds…the way they looked like they never slept well…the way they had always responded too quickly and too cheerfully to Tharja—as if they were trying to keep her happy because they knew what might happen if they didn't.

How had Robin allowed it? Surely he'd known. Granted, he'd been away for much of the girls' childhood, but still.

Had he been complicit? Was the darkness in his soul already there, lying dormant and waiting for someone to tease it into the light? Is that why he resonated so well with Tharja to begin with?

A disturbing suspicion came to his mind and he toyed with it for a moment. Had they all missed some signal, some twinkling of darkness that could have warned them what Robin could turn into? It didn't mesh with his memories of a smiling, helpful Robin who was always ready to explain something or fix a broken toy.

For a moment, he completely forgot who he was talking to and foolishly voiced his thoughts aloud. "Do you think Robin could have been evil from the beginning and we missed it?" He asked.

SLAP.

Noire had slapped him, far harder than she had slapped Morgan before. Wrath rose on her face and her expression contorted as she spoke. "YOU DARE TO SPEAK OF MY FATHER LIKE THAT, YOU WORM?"

Ignoring his stinging cheek, Owain cursed and scrambled backwards, but Noire was on him in an instant. "TAKE IT BACK," she bellowed, spit hitting his face from her shouted demand.

"I take it back!" Owain cried, holding up his arms as she reared back to strike again.

The strike never came and when he opened his eyes, he found Lucina holding Noire's arm back. "Peace, Noire," she said soothingly. "He didn't mean what he said. We all know what happened to your father and mine."

The horrible rage disappeared from Noire's face instantly, like the snapping of a twig. "I…I'm sorry, Owain…I just…" Tears filled her eyes and she sat back heavily on the grass. "My father isn't a monster. I know he isn't."

"Of course he's not," Lucina agreed, still holding her hand like a big sister. "Whoever killed my father took yours and performed dark magic upon him. I'm sure there's nothing left of Robin inside that…that body we saw. It's only a shell now. Our Robin would never hurt his friends. I believe that with all my heart."

"How can…how can we go back to the past and look him in the face after seeing him the way he was back…back there…" Noire sniffled. "How can we?"

"It wasn't Robin's fault," Lucina announced loudly enough for everyone to hear. "We have nothing to fear from him when we meet him again. As long as we keep him from whoever killed my father, we can trust him to be the same man he ever was. Full stop."

Noire nodded dumbly, then spoke again, swiping tears from her cheeks. "How can we explain Morgan to them? Our parents from the future, I mean. How can we explain what happened to her to damage her so badly?" She turned back to where Morgan sat, still staring into the air without any expression on her face.

Cynthia knelt between Noire and Owain, putting a hand on them both. "We don't have to. We can say she was traumatized in battle and leave it at that."

Lucina nodded. "As a matter of fact, I don't want Robin's part in the Grimleal's last battle to ever be heard outside of our little group. I'll warn my father that Robin needs to be protected from the Grimleal at all costs, but I think letting them know what happened would drive a wedge of distrust between the army and its invaluable tactician."

Unsure whether or not he agreed, Owain said nothing. Inigo, who had joined the little meeting with Severa, began to argue, but his sister cut him off. "This is my first and only command as your Exalt," Lucina said, standing and looking down at them. "No one is to speak of what happened to Robin. Is that understood?"

As a group, the rest of the teenagers nodded their heads. They hadn't come to the conclusion on their own that Lucina was now rightfully the Exalt and it hit them hard. She was, wasn't she? Lissa and Chrom were dead.

"I don't mean to alarm you guys," a voice said from behind. They turned to see Yarne looking at the sky, fear on his face. "I just saw a dragon fly over. It was high, so I thought it might have missed us, but I just saw it again."

"We've been spotted," Severa hissed, reaching for her sword.

Lucina immediately began to spout orders, setting up a defensive position. "This isn't where I wanted to make a stand," she said through gritted teeth, "but it may have to do. The portal should open soon."

From somewhere high above, they heard a dragon's roar and braced themselves. "It's getting lower," Yarne quavered. His sensitive ears pricked and he swiveled to look back down the path they'd used to ride to Mount Prism. "I hear footsteps. There are more of them."

"Inigo, Severa, Owain—at my side," Lucina ordered. "Noire, take Morgan and snipe from the back lines. Cynthia, defend Noire. Yarne, you know what to do."

Trembling, the Taguel pulled his beaststone from a pouch and held it aloft. He made to transform, but aborted halfway through and stared harder down the path. When Severa started to snip, he held a hand up to silence her. "Wait…I hear…I know that voice. That's Brady."

"Brady?" Cynthia repeated skeptically.

"It's Brady or I'm a common forest hare. I'd know that drawl anywhere," Yarne retorted. He listened harder and his face lit up. "Laurent is with him."

Lucina looked at the sky. "Then the dragon…" Hope spread on her face, starting with the unknotting of her brows and finally turning into a small smile. "They came."

Cynthia called down the path and, as Yarne had said, Brady's voice replied faintly. As soon as they glimpsed the top of the priest's familiar staff, they ran to greet him. Nah and Laurent were with him and Kjelle puffed up the path soon after. Hugs and back thumps were exchanged all around, much to the chagrin of a disapproving Laurent. "I'm glad we found ya," Brady said, throwing his arms around Severa and Inigo. "When we saw what had happened to the castle we thought y'all were goners fer sure."

"After much thought, we decided that you would head to Mount Prism if you were alive," Laurent explained.

Owain scoffed. "'If we were alive'. Do you have so little faith in us?"

Laurent frowned. "In case you didn't notice, the Grimleal have managed to resurrect the fell dragon Grima and, when we saw him, he was incinerating Ylisstol. I think you can forgive us for considering all scenarios."

The wind thrummed and the mage clamped a hand over his hat, keeping it from flying off his head. Owain turned toward the sound to see Gerome landing Minerva gently on the grass. When she was settled, he swung down from his saddle and approached the group. "I see everyone is present."

"No thanks to you," Severa groused. "Your dragon would have been a lot of help when we were riding out to this godsforsaken mountain. Yarne had to run the whole way."

"You're the one who made me run," Yarne reminded her sourly. She ignored him.

Inigo grinned at them all. "So you're coming with us, I take it?"

"We recalculated our reasoning and decided this was a better path." Laurent adjusted his glasses primly. "Changing one's decisions when faced with compelling data and argument is a sign of a well-adjusted mind."

"Just admit you were wrong," Severa snipped.

Lucina, who had been quiet, spoke. "I'm…" Her voice broke and they turned to see her eyes bright with happy tears. "I'm just so happy you all came. Thank you."

Kjelle nudged Laurent aside and stuck out her heavily armored hand, grasping forearms with the new Exalt. "We're with you until the end," she said, smiling warmly at her friend. "I'm sorry it took us this long." Nah, Laurent, Brady, and Gerome all nodded their agreement and Lucina wiped her eyes, smiling gratefully.

Now that the mood had lightened, Severa felt obligated to bring them all back to reality. "Where's this portal of yours?" She asked.

Lucina looked up at the sky, noting the position of the sun. "It should open anytime now. We only have to wait."

oOoOo

The sun was just beginning to sink when the air pressure dropped and the hair on the teenagers' skin stood up. A sound unlike anything Owain had ever heard rent the evening and he stood, looking around wildly for the source. "Look!" Nah called out, pointing up the road.

To everyone's amazement, glowing symbols began to write themselves in the air, forming an enormous circle. The circle, completed, pulsed with light and then split in half, taking the very air along as the halves separated. Like a window into the gods' realm, the middle of the portal rippled and glimmered with an otherworldly glow. It was beautiful and terrifying, the way Tharja used to be.

Lucina, Falchion in hand, approached it. "Naga has opened our path," she said, turning back to her companions. "I don't know how long it will remain open, so as soon as we get the signal from Naga, we should enter."

"Will it spit us back out here on Mount Prism, only in the past?" Cynthia asked, gaping at it.

Lucina shook her head. "I don't know. Naga didn't say. No matter where it spits us out, though, I'm sure we'll be together."

"And if not?" Inigo asked quietly.

The glow of the portal reflected off of Falchion, making the blade seem to swirl like magical magma. Lucina tightened her grip on the sword. "I will find you," she promised. "Every one of you."

Gerome approached her, holding something in his hands. "Take this," he said, offering it to the princess.

"What's this?" Lucina asked, holding it up. It was dark and shaped like a butterfly. "A mask? Is now really the time for your theatrics?"

Gerome scowled, his eyes hidden behind his own mask. "It's not for theatrics," he growled. "Have you forgotten yourself? How can you walk about unnoticed in the past with the Brand shining out of your eye like a beacon?" Owain frowned. He should do something about the Brand on his own hand, shouldn't he? He had nothing to cover it now, though, so he'd have to wait.

Tilting her head, Lucina stared at the mask. "You're right," she admitted. "I hadn't thought of that." She lifted it to her face, fitting it over her eyes. "Thank you, Gerome."

He grunted, surveying her critically. "You should tie your hair up also. People are sadly less likely to take a woman seriously."

Lucina frowned, but did as he suggested. "How do I look now?" She asked self-consciously.

Gerome shrugged, turning away. Inigo smirked at him and then examined his sister himself. "I rather like it. You look like…who was it again?"

"Marth," Laurent offered, coming forward. "You resemble the paintings of the legendary Hero King. Am I wrong?"

"Wow!" Cynthia gasped. "You're right! You're a dead ringer!"

Owain struck a pose. "We've exceeded previously anticipated levels of awesome," he stated. "A legendary troupe, lead by the Hero King himself! Or herself, as it is," he amended.

Lucina held up her hands to silence them, embarrassed. Behind her, the churning light inside the portal turned gold. "It's time," she announced, beckoning. "Let's go."

As the words left her lips, an arrow whistled from the trees around them and embedded itself in her thigh. She gasped in pain, then in horror as more arrows began to fly. "They've found us!" Noire screamed, backing away from the treeline.

People emerged from the trees, their cloaks marking them as Grimleal. The ground boiled at Owain's feet and he jumped back as a Risen reached a claw out of the earth, swiping at the empty air. He drew his sword and plunged it into the creature's head until it dispersed into a cloud of dark fog. "Cynthia!" he yelled, looking around for her orange hair.

"I'm here!" She called, but a Grimleal faithful stepped in her path. She bared her teeth, brandishing her spear.

Above the din, Lucina's voice cut through. "INTO THE PORTAL!" She screamed. "I won't enter until all of you are through!"

Knocking a Risen aside, Owain looked up to see Gerome sprint though the portal. Minerva followed at his heels, having been summoned by his whistle as soon as the ambush began. Kjelle slowly made her way to the portal, sheltering Noire and Morgan. Noire all but tossed Morgan in before plunging through herself. Kjelle, ignoring Lucina's shouted instructions, moved to shield the Exalt from attack.

"Owain!" Cynthia cried, though he couldn't tell from where. He finally caught sight of her moving towards the portal, but a Grimleal took advantage of his lack of attention to knock him in the head with the butt of a staff. "Go on!" He called to the pegasus knight, blocking another blow with his sword. "I'll be right behind you!"

She stood and wrung her hands for a moment, but when he scolded her, she nodded. Just before she stepped through, she turned to look at him one more time. The intensity in her gaze nearly took his breath away. Her eyes spoke a promise—I'll be waiting—and also an unspoken desperation.

With an annoyed shout, Severa ran up behind her and kicked her into the portal. She turned to Owain and flipped him off with both hands before jumping into the light herself. A Risen slumped into the portal behind her and was also whisked away. Noticing, some of the Grimleal began to enter the portal also. Lucina and Kjelle stepped in front, fending as many off as they could. Despite their efforts, Grimleal and Risen alike leaked into the light.

As irritated with Severa as he was, Owain was glad Cynthia was through the portal and, hopefully, safe. He refocused on fighting, moving up the path himself. Inigo stepped beside him, helping him parry a blow from an axe fighter. "After you," the prince said, knocking the fighter back with his shoulder. Owain touched his shoulder, then jumped into the light.

One by one, the rest of the group made it to the portal. When no one was left, Kjelle entered. Lucina kissed Falchion and held it to her chest. I'm sorry I failed you, Father, she thought, clenching her teeth. I will change your fate; I swear it. With that, she stepped into the past.

Instantly the portal went dark. The glowing symbols winked out until nothing remained on the path but bodies and the smell of blood.

Nohrian War Tent, Camp, Deeprealm in the Astral Planes

Leo had expected his little sister to show up eventually to complain about his meddling in her affairs. She was feisty, tenacious—bratty, even. She could be unreasonable. Leo felt justified in making decisions without consulting her because, despite her shrill protestations, she was usually forced to acknowledge that his actions had been the right ones after all. Sometimes she pouted and sometimes she whined, but in the end she was just little Elise and her tantrums didn't scare him.

This was why, when the Nohrian prince felt a cloud of terror approaching, he expected someone like Takumi (who was made of outrage and hot air) or Oboro (whose frown made Hayato cry) to step through the tent flap. He looked up from where he had been discussing resource allocation with Camilla and Xander and was surprised to see his little sister in the doorway with a truly demonic expression on her face. "I've found you!" She announced, pointing at him accusingly.

Leo glanced at his older siblings. Camilla looked excited, but Xander's face was blank. Leo tried to keep his own face neutral as he picked up his teacup and drank from it. "So you have. What is so important you feel you can interrupt our meeting?"

Elise stomped farther into the room, eyes narrowed in irritation. "You're the reason Odin's been avoiding me, aren't you? You told him he wasn't allowed to talk to me anymore!"

"What I do with my retainers is my own business," Leo replied icily. "Though I'm curious how you came by this little bit of information. Did Odin tell you? Or Niles?"

"It was neither of them," Elise said. "Don't you even think of getting mad at Odin again for something that isn't his fault." Leo didn't reply and only looked at her as if waiting for her tantrum to pass. Having her concerns brushed aside so carelessly stoked her flames of rage and she realized she'd have to up her ante to make her big brother take her seriously. "You're going to call Odin in and rescind your order right this minute," she informed him.

Leo smiled that infuriatingly satisfied smile of his. "I most certainly am not. While Odin is an invaluable addition to our army, his behavior is questionable at best and not something you need to be exposed to. Xander and Camilla agree with me."

Xander said nothing, but Camilla rubbed a finger around the rim of her teacup. "I don't remember saying anything like that," she disagreed mildly.

"I don't give a Faceless' arse what Camilla and Xander have to say about it," Elise snapped, bringing a smile to her sister's face and a shocked frown to her oldest brother's. "None of you are in charge of my life or have any right to butt into my relationships."

"You're right about that," Leo replied, no longer smiling. "But I am in charge of Odin's life and I will protect you by using that power if I have to."

Elise stomped her foot. "Ugh! I don't need your protection! That's so wrong! It's a misuse of your power as a prince! He may be your retainer, but he's also a person. He has rights and feelings just like any other man. How can you call yourself a fair ruler when you curb others' rights?"

Leo set down his teacup, finally drawn into the fight by her degradation of his leadership abilities. Having spent his whole life in Xander's shadow, his position and performance as a prince of Nohr was a sensitive subject for him and his siblings knew it. "Don't tell me how to be a royal, little sister." He breathed deeply, in through his nostrils and out through his mouth, just the way Princess Hinoka's strange priest retainer had taught him. The action calmed him down enough to keep his words even. "You're acting like a child right now. You know nothing of what it means to truly control your retainers. They're not just babysitters."

Elise gasped and Xander and Camilla's eyes flicked over to Leo with some concern. Was he really going to stoop so low as to insinuate her retainers were glorified caretakers?

"How could you say…?" Elise began, visibly shaking. "I take good care of my retainers and they respect me. Just because you're older you can't…you know why I'm never involved in any of the official war plans and royal duties? I'm never in any of the meetings because I've never been welcome! You act like I'm perpetually ten years old—of course I've stopped trying to prove you wrong!"

"You've always been w-"

"That's a lie and you know it! Anytime I try to be helpful or make suggestions or share ideas I get patted on the head like a clever five-year-old," Elise argued. "I'm not stupid and I'm not blind. Sure, I don't get some of your terminology and I'm not as gifted with strategy as you, but every time I've asked for clarification, you act like I'm wasting your time." She sighed. "Why would I keep trying when I know you feel that way?"

His tea having gone lukewarm, Leo abandoned his attempts to sip it like Elise's words weren't affecting him. "I apologize if you feel like we've underestimated you," he said honestly. "You have to admit, however, that you don't act your age and willingly engage in inappropriate behavior. Just recently you shamed half of Hoshidan royal family by pulling them into your childish antics in the mess hall. Surely you understand why, as your older siblings and royals of Nohr, we feel compelled to protect you and your image."

It was Elise's turn to feel the sting of the truth in Leo's words. She didn't act much like a proper lady, let alone a princess, it was true. She couldn't find words to argue against her brother and he took the opening to press his point. "It's not that we think you incapable of official business; quite frankly you've never shown much of an interest," he said, regaining his dignity as an older brother. "Your natural aptitude isn't for the battlefield. Am I wrong?"

"I…" Elise looked at the dust covering the toes of her boots and suddenly remembered Odin's words from a day gone past. "My values are different from yours. That's all." She looked back up, setting her face in a stubborn glare. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not like you three; it's true. I don't live for war…but that doesn't make me useless. Being gentle doesn't make me weak."

Where was all this sudden wisdom coming from? Leo stared at his little sister, unused to the idea of her scolding him and potentially being right. "Technically being gentle is being weak," he grumbled, unwilling to concede any more ground. "In a situation like ours, gentleness can be the gateway to death."

"You're wrong," Elise said staunchly. "There has to be balance. And we won't always be in this situation. When this war is over, someone has to help our people pick up all the pieces. Do you think your battle strategies will comfort all the parents whose children we've led to their deaths? Ha!" When no one rebutted her words, she crossed her arms. "You know who helped me figure all this out? Odin."

Leo threw a glance over at Xander, looking for support. The crown prince took a deep breath, trying to find his own words. "Elise, I don't think now is the best—"

"You're not involved in this!" Elise cut him off. "Leo, call Odin here and tell him you were wrong and he can spend time with anyone he wants. Now."

"Just you hold on a moment," Leo protested weakly, feeling as if his thoughts had been scrambled like egg yolks. "What are your intentions with my retainer, anyway? Do you have some sort of feelings for him?"

Elise's immediate flushing was his answer, but she replied anyway. "That's my own business!"

Leo's voice took on a pleading edge. "I know you're of age for this sort of thing, but surely there's someone else in this army you can pursue."

Camilla finally interjected, looking entertained. She was like Niles in this way, her siblings thought privately. Both of them thrived on chaos and drama. "What's wrong with Odin?" She asked, sounding wounded. "I think he's a dear boy, myself."

"Camilla," Xander warned. "Don't encourage this. You know as well as the rest of us that he can be…different."

"He's strange," Leo corrected him. "As his liege I know this better than all of you."

Elise's face was heating up with anger again. "He's not strange. Don't say that. Maybe you're the strange one!"

"You could do better," Leo said, feeling as if he'd gained the upper hand in this argument. "He's not suitable for you."

Xander nodded an agreement. "You should hold out for a better match. There's no sense in expending energy on spur of the moment excitement."

Elise emitted an un-princess-like snort. "You expend plenty of energy on 'spur of the moment excitement,' big brother. How long has it been since Laslow has been able to sleep in your tent? Seems to me he spends more time sleeping outside than in."

Barely noticeable color rose in Xander's cheeks, but he refused to show weakness. "Might I remind you how inappropriate it is to become involved with the royal retainers?" He said, raising an eyebrow.

A vein began to pulse in Elise's forehead and she deadpanned her brother. "Are you kidding me right now? Is this a joke?"

"We're being serious, I assure you," Leo said, closing his eyes and nodding haughtily. He picked up his teacup and a biscuit again, dipping the biscuit in the cold tea to show that he was finished with this conversation. "Your designs on my retainer are unacceptable. As a princess, your relationships must be above reproach."

"Leo speaks wise words." Xander put a hand on Leo's shoulder, unconsciously mirroring his expression of righteousness. "Find someone who is neither strange nor a royal retainer and we will bless your romantic endeavors."

Elise looked between their faces, her own expression becoming darker by the second. "You really think I'm an idiot, don't you…?" She said between gritted teeth, pulling a green tome out of her training knapsack.

oOoOo

Odin stalked around camp, looking for his partner. Niles had promised to meet him to discuss a new strategy for protecting Lord Leo's flanks, but the meeting time had come and gone and the archer was nowhere to be found. Where are you? Odin thought irritably. Everything had been a mess lately and he was tired of it. His secret book of Names of Great Consequence had been moved from its hiding place between his sheets and his cot and he was sure that either Laslow or Niles were planning to use it to embarrass him. Why couldn't people leave him be?

He finally caught sight of Niles crouched outside the Nohrian War Tent, biting his fist in a mostly successful attempt to stifle his gleeful giggles. Wondering what his partner was listening in on, Odin stepped quietly closer to the tent. Muffled voices were speaking, but he couldn't make out the words through the thick canvas.

"What are you doing?" Odin hissed, trying to signal Niles to move away from the closed tent flaps and toward him. "You're late for our darkly destined discussion!"

"Do hush," Niles hissed back, holding in snorts of laughter and having trouble speaking because of it. "And go away," he whispered, gesturing for Odin to leave. "This isn't for your ears."

Naturally, this only piqued the dark mage's curiosity further. "Is Lord Leo in there? Is he talking about me?"

Niles shrugged. "Who knows? Go name a parsnip field or something. I'll come find you when—"

An intense wind suddenly erupted from the tent, blasting through the fabric and attracting the attention of the two men as well as Azura and Orochi, who were chatting and eating buns nearby. "—KNOW YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH PERI WHO IS NOT ONLY A ROYAL RETAINER BUT YOUR RETAINER! LECTURE ME ABOUT APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS AGAIN; I DARE YOU!" Elise yelled from inside. Odin heard her take a deep breath and continue. "AND AS FOR YOU, DON'T ACT LIKE WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT GOING ON WITH BIG SISTER CORRIN IS SOME SORT OF A SECRET! EVERYONE KNOWS! AND YOU CAN'T EVEN WEAR YOUR ARMOR CORRECTLY HALF THE TIME! SO IF I HEAR EITHER OF YOU SAY THE WORD 'STRANGE' AGAIN I'LL BURN YOUR TENTS DOWN!"

Apparently finished, Elise exited the tent in a bluster and nearly knocked into Odin, who wasn't sure what he'd just heard. "Oh, Odin," she said breathlessly, as if she hadn't expected him to be there. "Big brother Leo wants to speak with you, and then it's time for our lesson. I'll be waiting for you in the training grounds!" she informed him cheerfully before marching away, head held high.

Odin looked around. Orochi, whose cards had been scattered by the wind, was pointedly humming a blithe Hoshidan tune and attempting to look uninterested. Beside her, Azura was wide-eyed and silent. When she met Odin's gaze, she pressed her lips together and shrugged slightly.

Niles was on the ground, stifling snorts around his fist. He looked up, met Odin's confused eyes, and looked away, overcome in a fresh paroxysm of amusement. Without speaking, he jerked his head toward the tent, urging Odin to go in. When he shook his head, Niles stopped laughing and rolled his eyes. "Milord," he called, giggles threatening to spill over again. "I've found Odin. Would you…" He snorted, interrupting himself. "Would you like to speak with him?"

A pause, then Leo's voice came from behind the tent flaps. "Yes, that's…send him in."

Odin entered the pavilion nervously. The three oldest Nohrian siblings sat silently inside in various states of shock. Leo's hair had been blasted back and his armor was covered in what seemed to be the contents of his teacup and the crumbs from what might have been biscuits. Xander sat beside him with a thousand-yard stare, looking as if someone had just informed him of his impending engagement to all of the Hoshidan royals at once. Only Camilla was undisturbed, though she seemed, like Niles, to have developed an incurable case of the giggles.

"I've rethought my earlier decision to bar you from interacting with my sister," Leo said slowly, his voice higher pitched than usual. "You may resume your training as soon as, er, she wants."

Camilla continued to titter as Xander reached up and dislodged a knife from the wall beside his face. "…She threw a dagger at my head," He mumbled, staring at the weapon in his hand. "Was she trying to hit me or not? I can't tell…"

Camilla giggled harder.

Looking from one royal to the next, Odin decided it was time to take his leave. Somehow this felt like his fault. "Understood, milord. Er…my apologies for…whatever just happened."

oOoOoOo

As she'd promised Odin, the youngest Nohrian princess waiting in the training grounds, already changed into her training tunic. It seemed she'd been digging holes in the dirt with the toe of her shoe while waiting; there were divots in the ground all around her. When she heard him approach, she straightened into a stiff, attentive posture. "Ready for lessons!" she called, trying to grin in a natural way and failing.

Odin felt the tension and questions in the air and wasn't sure what to say. Did she want to pretend the last few weeks hadn't happened or…? He'd like to discuss it, though, and make sure she had the right idea about the whole affair. He finally stood in front of her, having difficulty meeting her eyes for more than a moment at a time. "Greetings, small vessel of magnanimity! The voices of the depths are beseeching us to commune with them and accept our umbral blessings!"

"Yeah! Umbral blessings!" Elise cheered.

The gate to the training grounds clicked and they turned to see Subaki and Hana entering. Both passed their eyes over the pair and continued on without greetings. Typical, Odin thought. He turned back to Elise and considered digging a hole of his own. "Er, did you throw a dagger at your brother?"

Elise's ears turned pink, but the rest of her face stayed neutral. "Maybe," she replied.

"May I ask why?"

"Xander has a tendency to think that every conversation is a conversation he's invited to. I had to strongly remind him that he's wrong."

Odin nodded. "And, er, did this conversation having anything to do with my Lord Leo rescinding his policy on our interactions?"

"I only helped him see the flaws in his logic," Elise replied staunchly.

"It looked to me like you hit him with a particularly potent blast of Wind," Odin pointed out.

Elise shrugged. "That too."

Despite the awkwardness still lingering, Odin couldn't help but smile. She'd really blasted his liege with the magic he'd taught her just so she could spend time with him. He'd felt flattered many times from the things she'd said to him, but this was even more intense. She hadn't just said some nice words—she'd really gone to bat for him. In the army, it was standard to fight the enemy in defense of even your least favorite cohort.

It was an entirely different matter to fight your family to protect the weirdo who did a subpar job teaching you magic and dramatic nonsense.

Trying to control his face, he struck a pose. "Shall we, then? Shall we plumb the unending horrors of the lower sanctums?"

Elise hesitated, licking her lips. After a bit, she exhaled and nodded. "Yeah, let's plunder the sanctions! I'm so ready!"

oOoOo

Life returned much to normal. Without the imperative to avoid Elise, Odin returned to his usual, familiar routines. Elise became, once again, a constant in his life, though something was different. She didn't follow him from place to place like a duckling or an adoring student anymore, instead finagling her own routine to coincide with his when convenient.

It took nearly a fortnight for him to realize she was actively avoiding him whenever he was with Laslow and Selena. One moment she was beside him, chattering about Nohrian holidays, and the next she'd disappeared. Looking behind, he found her running to catch up with Sakura, who had her arms full with a basket of herbs. She didn't say goodbye, he thought somewhat forlornly.

"Oi, stop spacing out," a voice interrupted him.

He jumped. Somehow he'd missed Selena and Laslow approaching from his left. "Whoa!" He cried, flinching. "Don't sneak up on me like that! You know I can't control my twitching sword hand."

Selena rolled her eyes, unamused, and Laslow grinned. "Sorry, mate. We weren't trying to sneak," he explained. "What has you so distracted?"

"Where'd Princess Sparkles go?" Selena asked, looking around. "Weren't you walking with her?"

Odin shrugged. "She ran off all of a sudden. Perhaps she was summoned by the sacred mutterings of the twilight."

Selena frowned, but said nothing. Laslow noticed the look on her face and tried to meet her eyes, but she huffed and turned away. The silver-haired mercenary looked over her head at Odin and winked. "Let's go have tea, shall we? I procured a very aromatic Hoshidan blend."

"You two have footwork drills in an hour," Odin replied, looking at his best friend curiously. "And since when did you invite me for tea?"

"It's a quality blend," Laslow explained. "You have to try it. After they smelled it, both Kagerou and Felicia agreed to have a cup with me."

Odin raised an eyebrow. "How did that turn out? Did they fall for your most potent manly charms?"

"No," Selena interrupted, scowling. "Kagerou brought her entire art collection and they all tried to guess what the blotches were until Felicia spilled her tea over the sketchbook. Kagerou then immediately used her weird ninja arts to disappear before anyone could see her cry."

Laslow turned to the woman, shock on his face. "H-how did you know all that? We were alone in the Hoshidan community tent."

Selena shrugged. "I just know, alright?"

Trying not to laugh, Odin turned to Laslow. "Well? Is this true?"

"Well…" Laslow mumbled. "It's not…entirely…wrong. Anyway, it's excellent tea and I bought a lot of it, so you should both help me drink it."

oOoOo

Xander's tent, Camp, Deeprealms in the Astral Planes

Laslow hadn't been lying; the tea was good. Odin felt tension fall from his shoulders as the aroma filled his senses. It was earthy but somehow floral. Elise would like it. He made a mental note to tell her to ask Laslow for some, but then remembered Laslow would likely take it as a date. Maybe he could pilfer some from Laslow's tent while he was sleeping?

The idea reminded him of a joke Niles had made earlier that afternoon. "Laslow, is Lord Xander kicking you out of his tent at night?" he asked.

Laslow flinched. "What? Where did you hear that?"

"Niles said you looked tired at breakfast and said he'd heard you were sleeping on the ground because you'd been kicked out of your tent."

Laslow sighed. "It's not exactly like that. I leave of my own choice."

"For what reason?"

Selena warmed her hands on her own cup. "Is Peri sleep talking again? I know she was kicked out of Lord Xander's tent at the beginning of this miserable war for muttering threats in her sleep. Didn't she recently come back?"

Cringing, Laslow nodded. "She did indeed return."

"I could use dark magic to seal her lips during the night," Odin offered. "Alternately I could control her dreams and give her pleasant ones so if she talks, it's not troublesome."

"No," Laslow replied. "She doesn't need any more pleasant dreams, believe me. I'm fine outside, honestly. We're lucky there's no winter in the astral planes, though there are rather stiff winds sometimes."

"You could at least sleep beside my cot if Lord Leo approves," Odin offered.

Selena nodded her agreement. "You should do that. You're going to get sick sleeping outside." She was halfway to sipping her tea before she slammed it down and added hurriedly, "And you're sure as Firaga not sleeping near me."

"Like I'd want to," Laslow countered.

Selena narrowed her eyes, then reached over and upset his teacup. He yelped as the hot tea spilled in his lap. "Anyway, Odin. Care to explain why Lady Elise is attached to your hip again? I thought you'd gotten rid of her."

"I never tried to get rid of her," Odin protested.

Selena's face twisted in confusion. "Not long ago you said you'd told her to go away. That's a weird way to maintain a friendship—not that you'd know much about those."

Laslow shrugged, still dabbing tea off of his trousers. "Maybe he's playing hard to get. That's a viable strategy."

"Has it ever worked for you?" Selena snapped.

"No."

"Well, then."

Odin shook his head. "I wasn't trying to do anything. With your penchant for knowing everything you shouldn't, I'm surprised you hadn't heard the full story, Severa."

"Don't call me that, idiot," she growled. "What full story?"

"My most illustrious Lord Leo forbade me from being near her after the food fight incident. Somehow that was my fault even though I had no idea it was going to happen until Milord was decorated with blackberries."

Selena tilted her head. "So that's why…and then what? He just changed his mind? That's not like him at all."

Pouring himself another cup of tea and scooting it far away from Selena, Laslow interjected. "I heard from Niles that Lady Elise had a hand in convincing her brother."

Surprised, Selena sat back. "And Lord Leo listened to her?"

"Well, she also blasted him with a powerful wind spell," Odin admitted. "And I believe she threw one of Shura's daggers at Lord Xander's head. The jury is out as to whether or not she was aiming at him."

Both Laslow and Selena gaped at him. "She went that far…for you?" Selena asked in disbelief.

Odin scowled. "You know, some people like being around me."

Selena had no snappy comeback; she was still processing what she'd heard. Laslow looked at her again and then winked at Odin. "Well how about that, you cad? It must be all the time you've spent with me. My natural allure is rubbing off on you."

"You have allure?" Odin asked teasingly.

Laslow groaned. "Not both of you. I can't handle the cruelty from two sides at once."

"I joke," Odin assured him. "Sort of. In all honesty, though, I don't think it's like that. I think she values my mystical and legendary prowess on the battlefield and is eager to harness my magical control for herself."

Selena scowled. "Are you serious?"

"Odin Dark is ever at his most serious," Odin replied, sounding hurt.

Disgusted, she sat back again. "You are one of—no, the dumbest person I know, Odin."

Odin drank his tea, unperturbed. "That's not news to me."

"Odin," Selena said, clenching her fist on the table. "How can you not see that she has an enormous, disgusting crush on you?"

Odin paused, cup still in his hand. "…what?"

"Am I wrong, Laslow?" Selena asked, looking over at the mercenary.

Laslow shrugged. "I suppose it could be interpreted that way."

"There's no suppose about it," Selena argued. "Any fool could see that she's practically drowning in it. Odin, are you really that blind or is this one of your self-protective things again?"

"I…there might have been moments when…but like you've told me on countless occasions, there's no reason anyone, let alone a princess, would be interested in me," Odin said defensively, holding his cup like a shield against her words. "That's a once in a lifetime fluke and my luck has already been spent."

The three went silent at Odin's frank declaration. Selena glowered into her cup, unwilling or unable to dispute what he'd said. Laslow bit his lip painfully before speaking. "It's not about luck…there's more to it than that," he tried to explain.

Odin shook his head. "I know what you're thinking, Selena. Go on, say it." It wasn't like speaking her name would hurt him any more than the way she smiled in his dreams. "Say it, Selena. I'll wait here until you do."

"One day we're going to go back," Selena said slowly. "We're going to go home. There are things you can't take back and…I just don't want you to do anything you'll regret."

When Odin didn't argue, Laslow tried to come to his defense. "It's not like…she's watching or judging him. She won't know and if she did…don't you think she wants him to be happy?"

"It's not about whether or not she knows. He'd know," Selena said, jerking her chin at Odin. "When we get home…can you face her with that knowledge? Could you live with yourself?"

Odin swallowed hard, his usually jovial face drawn and pale. Without a word, he put his teacup down, stood, and walked out of the tent. Selena and Laslow watched his back disappear behind the tent flaps, neither calling him back. Selena pushed her cup away, lips trembling just barely noticeably. Laslow hung his head for a moment, then raised it again. "Why say these things if it's just going to make you sick?" He asked.

Selena stood, buckling her sword belt back on her waist. "I don't know," she admitted in a rare show of defenselessness. "I'm not going to drills this afternoon. Tell Gunter I'm not feeling well."

She left as well, leaving Laslow alone and miserable.

oOoOo

I hope this atones for my long absence OTL

I'll be getting back on schedule with this story, fear not.

Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment if you want to make me smile harder than Elise blasting Leo in the face with biscuit crumbs made Camilla smile!