This may be a bit late, and if it is, I apologize. I got some weird combination of a cold and fever, and to top it off, I had to prepare a flute solo for NYSSMA. Lovely. …This may be a day or two late because of that, and by extension, the chapter after it. Though, there are still many hours left in this day, so I might actually get it up on time. Who knows? Time will tell.

Chapter 21

~ Teatime~

By the time the group we had sent out to find the pegasus knights—Noah, Lon'qu, Lissa and Kellam—returned with the knights, we had had our camp set up right outside of Plegia Castle, in a neighboring valley. Days had been slow, but we hadn't expected them to return so soon, and had planned to go on with our "rescue" two days from now, whether they were back or not. Luckily they did, and would be there as the plan took effect.

The camp had been set up in the usual fashion and layout. The bonfire was in the exact center, tended to by our pyromaniac knight, Frederick. Surrounding the bonfire and fanning out in a "U" shape were rows upon rows of canvas tents. It was always rather annoying to set up the tents because Robin always insisted that they be in the same EXACT order each and every time. While it was convenient for Robin, it was inconvenient for everyone else, and Vaike was currently arguing with the tactician because his tent was in a very unfortunate spot. By unfortunate, I mean fortunate for us, because it was on the exact opposite end of the camp as the women's bathing tent. So, Vaike was pissed, because he couldn't be a peeping bastard.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, the group had returned and they were now talking with Robin while I sat on a nearby log, abandoning the book I had been reading and choosing to listen. It was sort of the only thing I was good at when it came to military procedures and tactics.

"Where are the rest of the pegasus knights?" Robin asked gesturing towards the seven pegasus knights that had returned with them. There had been twenty accompanying the exalt along with their pegasi. "And their horses?"

"Already killed," Noah said, casting an air of sorrow over the group. "Apparently, pegasi are a delicacy in Plegia."

Robin pursed his lips, sighing through his nose and crossing his arms. "That compromises the plan."

Well, today it seemed like Deus wasn't getting coffee for Aquarius, but actually doing something productive. I say this because Sumia walked up to us ("I found ten pegasi wandering randomly through the desert!") with, low and behold, ten pegasi. Seven for the pegasus knights, and three for other units. For who? Possibly for Lissa, Maribelle, and a new one for Sumia as her old one had died when we were at Breakneck Pass a few months ago.

"Sumia! You goddess! Plan saved!" Robin thanked the pegasus knight.

Sumia laughed at this. "That's high praise, Robin. I simply just stumbled across them…Quite literally. I tripped and rolled down a dune, landing right on top of them." That explains why she's got sand in her hair and gritty armor.

Any further conversation between the two was interrupted by Maribelle running up to Lissa and crushing her in a hug. Lissa squirmed in her grip, poking her head up over her best friend's shoulder in an attempt to get some air.

"Lissa! Thank goodness you are all right!" Maribelle looked on the verge of tears, which was rather odd, because there really had been nothing to worry about.

"Of—" Lissa was cut off as Maribelle hugged her tighter.

"Don't ever go off on a mission like that again!" she said. "When I found out, your brother got quite the talking to!" Chrom had. Maribelle can be a very scary lady. "And then I talked to that useless tactician of ours…" Maribelle trailed off, letting Lissa go, noticing Robin standing nearby. "O-oh…Robin…" Her face became a very dark shade of red.

Robin rubbed his neck sheepishly, a bit red himself and was probably recalling the tongue lashing he had gotten. "How's your day going, Maribelle?"

"Fine…" Maribelle turned away and mumbled, "I will see you later for your lesson, Robin." She then spoke to Lissa. "Would you like to talk about your endeavor over some tea?"

Lissa nodded furiously and then pointed at me. "Erin has to come with!"

What. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

"Lissa, I really don't enjoy—" My futile attempts were wasted as she took my arm in an iron grip and began to drag me through the camp while Maribelle followed indifferently.

"I want you to hear every detail of my epic adventure!" Lissa said joyfully.

"I don't want to hear every detail of your epic adventure," I muttered.

"Stop being such a buzz kill!"

"I seriously have better things—"

"No, you don't," she interrupted, protesting.

I sighed, stubbornly saying, "Yes, I do."

"No," Lissa argued.

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"N—" She was cut off by everyone's favorite noble.

"Lissa, Erin, darlings, won't you please stop?!" Maribelle snapped.

"Yes, Maribelle…"

"Sorry, Maribelle…"

I wasn't doing this to be difficult, I legit hated anything to do with tea parties. I just wasn't that kind of girl. Sure I used to play with dolls and stuff—when I was five. From that point on it had been videogames. I just never was interested in these girly things. Not saying they are completely reserved for females, guys can partake in them too.

After a few minutes of walking, we reached my own personal hell. Maribelle already had a table set up in her tent with a tea set on it. She even had little stools, three in total set up. She later said that she had three because Robin joined her and Lissa for tea on occasion, so any specialness I had felt for myself in that moment was vanquished.

Maribelle left Lissa and me alone for a bit as she went to boil water for the tea so, naturally, conversation ensued.

"How long do you think until they 'become public' with their relationship?" Lissa asked.

"Who?" There were many relationships that needed to become public.

"Maribelle and Robin, of course!"

"Oh, that relationship…." It had been no secret that the tactician and noble were more than friends. Well, to all but them. For some odd reason, they wouldn't acknowledge it. I guess they're both too dense to realize what's sitting right in front of them. "It'd better be soon. We need some form of morale inducing party."

"You don't seem like the type of person to enjoy parties."

"I don't."

"Then—never mind."

We branched off into an awkward silence after that, and stayed that way until Maribelle returned with the kettle of tea. "Tea's up, darlings," she said, pouring individual cups. Once she was done, I made a grab for the sugar. Maribelle stopped my hand with a glare. "A lady drinks tea in its most refined form. There's no need to soil its purity with sugar."

"But Maribelle—" I started, but she cut me off.

"Don't 'but Maribelle' me! I am trying to teach you how to be a proper lady."

I pouted and silently sipped the piping hot tea as Lissa launched into her epic tale. They had easily entered the base, and ninja'd past all the guards. That had been the easy part. Sneaking them out had been a lot more complicated. This is where her affinity with staves came in handy. She utilized a sleep staff, knocking all the guards out while they quickly escaped. It wouldn't be long until the knights' disappearance was discovered, but they had gotten out and our plan could be fulfilled.

It was a good story, until she started explaining how Noah dealt with the guards they hadn't been able to knock out:

"And then Noah killed three people in one swing!"

You may be asking why I am putting so much attention and aggravation on this statement. She had repeated it and recounted his "heroics" many, many times in the past hour. Honestly, there were so many fucks I didn't give. He killed a few baddies. Woo-di-fucking-doo. Anyone can kill a person. What's so special about it?

"You can't kill a person," Aquarius's voice popped into my head.

"Thank you for the specification, Aquarius. It was much needed. Really. Thanks."

"I only state facts."

While this had been going on, Maribelle sighed, giving Lissa a sidelong glance. "You told us fifteen times, darling."

I nodded. "Someone has a crush." It was about time too. Noah needed someone to care for him; he always seemed so depressed, to be honest. When he wasn't shamelessly fluffing his ego… "Tell us about it."

"I-I don't have a crush on Noah!" Lissa yelled, making us think quite the opposite. "I just never realized how cool he was before…" And so that is the story of how Lissa became an obsessive fangirl. In order to avoid any more questioning, she pulled the rug out from under Maribelle. "…Besides! Why not talk about how Maribelle has an obvious crush on Robby?"

Maribelle immediately reddened as the interrogating was turned to her. "Th-that's n-not true!"

Raising a brow, I smirked at the noble. "Then explain why your face has the complexion of a tomato."

Maribelle sat silently for a few moments. She looked to be pondering what to do or say next. Just as I thought she was about to spill her guts about Robin, she put me under the limelight. "…How is your relationship with Chrom going?"

It was my turn to blush. It was a thing that was happening, so maybe I should feed them. No, that's too embarrassing and I'd certainly regret it later. Nevertheless, I kept my composure, narrowing my eyes at Maribelle.

"Stop trying to change the subject."

Lissa jumped to my rescue—at least that's what I thought until she actually spoke. "I wanna know too! It is a little sister's duty to know with what to tease her older brother with!"

"Tempting…" I murmured. My inner sadist sort of wanted to see how this turned out.

"Have you had sex yet?" the seemingly innocent princess of Ylisse asked.

Maribelle immediately started chiding her. "Lissa! How vulgar!" But the noble was just as curious as she cleared her throat to speak. "How intimate have you gotten with Chrom?"

"Well…Um…" I laughed awkwardly in an attempt to avoid it. "Erm, so how are those lessons going?"

Lissa gave a long drawn out sigh. "We can't all dodge the subject! ….I am assuming a yes."

I shrugged it off. "If that's what you think, then mmmkay."

"You're no fun!" Lissa shouted indignantly.

"I'm not one for giving details." I turned to Maribelle once more and pressed her further. "Now, answer the question, Maribelle."

Maribelle flinched, freezing up again. "What happened to your crush on Lon'qu, Lissa?"

Lissa glared at her best friend and huffed in annoyance. "Just throw me under the carriage, why don't you?"

This piqued my curiosity. We hadn't seen much of Lon'qu for a while. Apparently, he had been chasing butterflies or something. I dunno. It's just what I've heard. "Yeah, what did happen?" I asked the princess. "I heard he got pretty hurt, so he couldn't watch you anymore."

"He let some memories catch up with him." As Lissa explained this, she frowned slightly and knit her eyebrows together. "He has just been away for so long that it doesn't seem normal to like him..." Lissa paused, reflecting on herself for a moment. "What was wrong with me?"

"It's normal, Lissa," I assured her.

"And now you won't be quiet about Noah," Maribelle added.

Lissa jumped at the chance to worship him. "He is cool!"

Everyone but Maribelle and me seemed to think so lately. According to a select few, he was a god sent from above whose sole purpose is to be badass and make all who defy him tremble in his wake after a really long circle argument. Heil, Noah.

"You're acting like and obsessive fangirl about it though." It was so annoying. And it needed to stop. "You should try keeping that in, it makes talking to you a tad easier."

"But then you won't know why he is cool! Did I tell y—" Lissa was cut off by Maribelle.

"Yes."

"Twenty-seven times," I remarked.

"How about—" Lissa started, but was again cut off by the noble.

"That too." Maribelle smirked at Lissa. "You totally have a crush on him."

"Do not!" she protested.

I raised a lone finger. "You're in denial!"

Lissa sighed just as loudly as she had before. "There is no Nile on this planet!"

How Lissa knew this, I did not know. I had a lingering suspicion that either Rei or Dusty had something to do with it, as they always seem to do when there is a fourth wall break.

Maribelle sipped her tea, giving herself a moment to think before she spoke next. "I have to admit, darling. He's rather charming. For a lowborn fool, anyway." Even Maribelle seemed to worship the idea that was Noah. Sigh. Honestly, I don't get it. Sure, he's an okay person, but I can't really relate to him.

"Well, he IS a Leo, and you're an Aquarius." Aquarius explained, raising another question.

"Don't we need a Leo? Isn't that problem solved? No need to search for one?" I asked the deity. Leo was supposedly missing, so what if he had been here the entire time? This could solve many, many problems. Like the fact that we are imbalanced without him. Well, we don't have everyone yet, but still.

"No, I'm afraid not. He…harbors an inner darkness that is unbecoming…" Aquarius trailed off, leading me to believe that she really had no particular reason. What she said next surprised me. "Leo…Does not exist anymore. He died off long ago during the Second Interstellar war."

Aquarius seemed somber when she spoke of this, so I decided to not press it further. I didn't know exactly who this Leo was, but if he were someone important to her, I won't bother her. She does not wish to speak of her pain; she must keep it to herself. I guess that's where the similarities begin between us.

"U-um…I-I…don't like him." Lissa's attempts to cover up her affections were poor. Pitifully so.

I gave Lissa a sidelong glance, playfully scolding her. "You should really stop lying. That's not a good quality for a princess."

Maribelle snickered while Lissa struggled to find a comeback, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "M-Maribelle is giving Robin lord lessons only so that he will be presentable if she presents him as her husband!" The noble stiffened and choked on her tea as the attention was drawn back to her.

"WHAT?"

I observed her for a moment before giving my two cents. "That is a nice tactic, Maribelle. It's fitting for the Master Tactician's future wife."

Maribelle blushed, covering the lower half of her face with her hand to conceal it. "H-he hasn't asked me to marry him! He isn't even showing interest in me in that way!" she stuttered.

I shook my head dismissively. "A Robin is a tricky creature, you see. To understand a Robin, you need to think like a Robin. He has a hard time with all these emotions, so he tends to come to a few of us for advice."

"So you're saying that he's asexual?"

"No, Maribelle, I'm saying that he probably has a ginormous crush on you. Why else do you think he puts up with your annoying lessons?" She glared at me, so I quickly added, "No offense."

"Because he wants to improve himself," Maribelle deadpanned.

"Robin, the one who insists on treating everyone equally, wants to make himself more presentable in front of nobles?"

"…Yes"

Gods, Maribelle. Stop denying it like Lissa. It's true, so why can't she accept it? Her stubbornness is getting annoying. A silence followed—a very lovely silence that lasted until Lissa pressed for more blackmail.

"All right, now spill! How good is my brother at sex?"

I glared at the princess. "Lissa, I won't answer your stupid question. This is private, and I don't tell." There really was nothing to tell. And it's incredibly rude of her to ask. I wish she'd just stop.

"Please! Tell me so I can tease him!" Lissa pouted and widened her eyes, trying to use my puppy dog eye weakness. It didn't work because 1) I am not that weak and 2) I am too awesome to be felled by her amateur puppy dog eyes.

"He has other things to focus on, Lissa. He doesn't need you incessantly teasing him."

"But it is my job!"

"Take a break from your job. It'd do you good." I paused, thinking over what I had said and the situation. "And you really don't need facts to tease him..."

"Yes, I do!" she insisted. "My teasing is very precise!"

"All to more reason to not subject him to it." Having enough with all this shit and conversation, I pulled a book from my convenient and totally not Deus Ex Machina bag, and began to read quietly. This went on for about five seconds before Maribelle snatched it up and chided me.

"No reading at the table."

She took my book.

Hah. Hah. Hah…..

She took my fucking book.

I did it all the time at home and didn't get yelled at, so I didn't get where she was coming from. Pissed as fuck, I simply glared daggers at her, accentuating the words, "Mari, do you want to die?"

"We must make you a proper princess if you are going to represent this halidom." If Emm lives. That is only correct if Emm lives, Maribelle. And if Chrom accepts the title of exalt—and that's only if this relationship works out. For the entirety of the Valm arc, he was referred to as a prince, so hold your damn rants on the validity of it, please.

"Hah!" I clutched my chest and laughed at that. Rei once joked that she'd end up as the president for the 2040 election, and that I'd run just to prevent the worst—you know, like the world BLOWING UP. Who knew that that joke would allude/foreshadow something like this? Except one problem—I don't like formal shit. I like to rebel against authority, not be the authority. Unless said authority is on equal grounds with everyone. "You honestly think I'd do any of that?"

Lissa deadpanned. "You have to."

I sighed. This was what I had gotten myself into. "Fine, but nothing crazy—"

Maribelle immediately began her mini lecture. "We will start with no books at the table." She took the poor book and chucked it across the room. "Instead," she continued, "answer all questions truthfully."

That does not sound promising. And Lissa piping up proves it.

"How many times a week do you go at it?"

I pursed my lips to hold back a sigh, possible profanity, and a facepalm. "That is not a question a lady should answer.

Maribelle was "duly" surprised by this, offering a form of praise. "Good." Though it was only one word, I still felt a bit special. And then I realized she was just being typical stuck-up Maribelle.

"I was raised with manners, Maribelle," I said. "You don't need to look so surprised."

Lissa latched onto my arm pleadingly, asking once more for teasing material. "C'mon! Give me something to blackmail him with!"

"Sorry, Princess, that isn't something a lady would do. We don't dawdle in gossip and teasing." I knew it was false, but still.

"Yes, we do!" Lissa protested.

Maribelle interjected, shaking her head. "Depends on the subject. No, this is not one of them."

"Dang."

I decided to keep what I had going, well, going. "Perhaps you'd like to talk about tea and—" I coughed, unable to continue speaking like this. "I can't do this." I sighed, waiting to be bombarded with more questions. Thankfully, the next one that was asked by Maribelle wasn't all that personal.

"I actually wanted to ask you about how to... Make a man less oblivious..." she asked awkwardly.

Um….I don't know? It just happened, really.

"I'm afraid you came to the wrong person," I said sheepishly before trailing off. "Being pretty oblivious myself…"

Maribelle reworded the question. "…How did you get Chrom to notice you?"

"I didn't try, Maribelle. I just did what I do best—be myself. No facades, no fancy displays." That was true for some things anyway—this included.

She placed her head in her hands and yelled, "I'm going to be an old maid forever!"

I patted her shoulder reassuringly, coming up with some way to help. "I'm sure I can do something about that. I'll give Robin a little push, if you want; make him aware."

Lissa nodded in agreement. "Sure!" And what she said next was shocking. "Give Noah and Olivia little pushes towards each other too. I ship it." Was she trying to cover up the fact that she has a crush on her, or is the obliviousness hereditary?

"I mean for…." I sighed, cutting off the train of thought. "Never mind, Lissa. I'm not sure you'd want that considering how you constantly gush…."

"I. Ship. It."

Gods help me.

Maribelle gave me sympathetic look. "I have learned no to question it."

"Duly noted."

At that moment, Robin walked into the tent for his lesson.

"I am here for my le—" He stopped when he realized Lissa's and my presence. "Oh... Am I interrupting something?" Normally, I would say yes and shoo him away, but by the way he had his hand in his tactician coat's pocket, I could tell he to do something very important.

I walked up to my best friend by extension, and slung an arm around his shoulder. "Heh, not all, Robin." After saying that I whispered, "Good luck~," before raising my voice again, "Come on, Lissa! Let's go bother people!" Without giving her a chance to respond, I grabbed her arm and ran out of the tent.

"But I didn't finish my tea!" she yelled as we fled.

-Aquarius-

Aquarius sighed, mulling over what had been talked about today, and the questions that had been raised. Don't we need a Leo? Isn't that problem solved? No need to search for one? They DID need a Leo, but that was impossible. He's here, but he's not. Aquarius knew he could not take on a physical form. He's just a patch of stars now; a memory to cherish, and eventually forget. She wished she could just leave it at that. She wished she could forget, and move on, but she couldn't. He had been her balance; her complete opposite. He was born of the sun, the center of the galaxy, and she came from its outermost reaches, Uranus. At one point it had been thought to be Saturn, but of course fate wanted to make her more of an outcast than she already was. As well as the butt of many, many jokes.

If Leo were a hierarchy, she was an anarchy. He was the strong flame that helped the menorah burn for eight days straight while she was the wind that was trying so desperately to put it out, to bring some form of change, or equality. Anarchy may be chaos, but it had a type of equality. Hierarchy may have been efficient and stable, but it was not fair. Kings were overthrown for a reason. Crusaders fought for a reason. Change had a reason. Therein lied the balance. The rebellious wind and the stable hearth. The hearth ate away at the wind, while the wind kept the flames in check.

But that wind drives away what it loves. It can't be helped, for that is its true characteristic; to push away, and never be confined. When your planet is in exile, it is hard to fit in. Aquarius knew this the best out of anyone. It's what being opposite of the sun entailed. She had a hard time expressing herself. Aquarius always felt suppressed, held back by some invisible wall, unable to move forwards. The sun, in truth did bring forth some form of influence as a detriment. It was her tyrant. It forced her to be a ruler she did not want to be. She wanted to treat everyone like equals, but Sun wasn't that kind. Sun dictated her path. While Leo was warm, Sun was overwhelming and tyrannical.

But that was her path at the beginning of her journey. It was now up to her to change it.

Phew. Finally. Done. That took a while. It's short because there wasn't much Erin-Rambling in it. Eh, there's random Zodiac shit. I don't really have any BTS for you today, I don't think. ._. I sowwy. And I apologize for the two-day-lateness. Uh, feel free to request a little bit like that for your sign, or any sign. I don't really care which. Whatever.

Um. Um. Um. Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Yep. That's it. Bye-bye.