TheGiantRock: Thanks a lot for the feedback! About the comma and period, I will make gradual revision to the past chapters while avoiding them in my future ones :) and I will try to shorten my sentences :D

She felt like she was floating on a dark abyss. She could feel her limbs but couldn't move them. She could hear the hush-hush around her, but no voice struck her as particularly audible.

"…burning…"

It was a female voice: light and high-pitched. That fact was immediately contrasted against the deep voice that followed soon after.

"…could it be…?"

The second voice was clearly troubled. Roxanne wondered what they were talking about. She tried to open her mouth, but it was as if they were sealed with a glue spell.

Next, Roxanne tried to move her fingers. Never did moving a finger become harder than pulling an angsty wyvern from the stable except for now.

Come on… come on…!

Finally, Roxanne felt her fingers moved. After that, moving more and more of her body became easier. Slowly, the darkness in front of her changed into a blurry vision of a bright, richly decorated ceiling.

Roxanne tried to turn her head despite her stiff neck and she found the two siblings—Chrom and Lissa—standing next to the bed she was lying on. "…hi…?" she greeted hesitantly, her voice hoarse as if she had eaten three meals worth of chilli pepper in one gulp.

Chrom and Lissa immediately turned to her, their faces washed with relief. "Roxanne! You had everyone worried!"

"What… happened?"

"You suddenly fell unconscious when battling the assassin," Chrom explained.

Suddenly, the memory of what happened before she lost conscious rushed back into her head. She remembered the dark purple sphere, and the sinister look that sorcerer gave to Chrom behind his back.

"Chrom! Are you… injured? Your back…!" Roxanne tried her best to prop herself up, but she was immediately halted by Chrom. Her breathing came in labored succession as each one took more energy than it gave her.

"I am fine, Roxanne," he assured her. "Stahl showed up just in time to impale him before he could launch the attack."

"You should rest here tonight—this is a guest's room, so don't worry!" Lissa said. "

"But…"

"No buts, Roxanne," Chrom interjected sternly. "You are staying here tonight, and it is an order if it has to be."

Roxanne sighed heavily as Chrom pulled the blanket over her.

Note to self: Chrom can be very pushy.

"You always go without saying goodbye," he said while approaching her. "That's not so polite, you know."

The young woman cringed slightly and bit her lower lip. "I—I'm afraid I do have a few bad habits…"

Chrom smiled. "And good ones as well. You saved both my sisters and myself," he told her. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

"Hearing the offer is enough," she declined modestly.

She smiled as she spoke. The way her lips curled upwards and her cheeks raised slightly at the polite smile immediately reminded Chrom of Roxanne's smile. Marth turned away, ready to leave for real, but Chrom immediately spoke. "You remind me of someone I know."

"Yes?"

"Roxanne," he continued. "The pink-haired young lady?"

"The tactician lady?" she asked with her back facing the prince.

"The one and only," Chrom said. "You know her?"

Marth didn't say anything.

"Please, if you do know her…"

"I can't say anything," Marth replied. "Perhaps later…"

"How is Roxanne?"

The soft voice jolted him back from his recollection. Chrom turned around and found his elder sister standing some feet away from him, still clad in her sage robe and the halidom's crown.

"She has regained consciousness," Chrom reported. "I asked her to stay for the night."

"Ah, yes, that would be for the best."

For a moment, the two siblings stood still in silence. Earlier, right after they managed to thwart the assassination plot, an emergency meeting had been called for. It was then decided that the Exalt should move to the eastern palace, unknown to those not from Ylisse, to ensure her safety.

Chrom couldn't tell her, but he felt something was amiss in the council. He couldn't really pinpoint what and why—if only Roxanne had been there, perhaps things would've been different—but clearly, there was something strange in the council.

"You should rest, Chrom," Emmeryn said, still with her soft voice. "We leave early tomorrow morning."

"You shall not end here. You are to serve a greater purpose…"

A different voice replied: "Who are you?"

"I am the wings of despair. I am the breath of ruins. I am the fell dragon, Grima…"

Roxanne jolted from her bed, panting. She was drenched in sweat and her heart was beating wildly against her chest wall.

What is that? She thought to herself.

Roxanne went back to lie down but soon found that she couldn't go back to sleep. It was then she heard some noises coming from outside. She glanced at the window; the sky was still dark.

Curiosity soon won over her and she stepped out from her room to find Frederick, already in his armor, was carrying a large bag.

"Frederick?" she called. "What is that?"

The knight turned and was surprised to see the tactician. Last evening, Chrom had ordered the Shepherds not to tell Roxanne of the plan so that she could rest. However, it was not easy to hide something from someone so unbelievably perceptive like this tactician. Her gaze was like a knife, peeling your skin off and chopping your flesh to lay your core bare in front of her.

"An expedition?" she asked, already one step closer to the truth thanks to his silence.

"It is nothing of importance, Roxanne," he reassured her. "This is just my duty."

"Your main duty is to ensure Chrom's safety, right?" Roxanne replied. "If that's the case… Chrom is leaving?"

The knight became increasingly agitated at her questioning and Roxanne knew she had hit the right spot.

"Of course," she smiled. "The Exalt has to be moved for her own safety… where is the destination?"

Frederick tried to remain silent, trying to follow his instruction no matter what. However, another person came from behind her and casually replied: "The eastern palace. It is the Royal Family's summer house of some sort."

"Stahl!" Frederick chided. "You heard the order!"

"I know old man Chrom has his reasons, but I think she deserves to know."

Roxanne grinned. "I know I can count on you, Stahl."

When the three royal siblings arrived at the carriage, Roxanne was already standing near the coach. Her sword was sharpened and the binding of her tome tightened. She bowed politely to the Exalt. "Good morning, Your Grace," she said.

Chrom couldn't hide his surprise. "Who told you?"

"A singing bird in my head," she replied half-jokingly. "He knows a commander should not leave his tactician behind."

"You should rest, Roxanne!"

"I am fine, Lissa," she assured her. "I woke up as good as new thanks to you."

Emmeryn took a step forward and smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, Roxanne," she said. "But you should look after your welfare."

"Your Grace, I have a duty to fulfill," Roxanne replied. "Besides, I am not lying when I said I was fine."

Knowing that arguing with her would take up too much time, Chrom begrudgingly agreed to let Roxanne joined the escort party. The tactician smiled after she secured her victory.

The prince was then reminded again of Marth—how their smiles looked so similar to one another.

Could these two be related?

Thanks for reading!

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