The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 25
The Northern Wastes
Robin ran his hands through his hair. His fingers laced between his growing locks of brown hair before getting stuck in a snarl of knots near the back of his head. With a frustrated snarl, he scratched at the knot and undid it. A long yawn rushed from his lips before he stretched his arms high over his head. He blinked his eyes a couple times in order to push the fog of sleep from his vision. Once everything stopped looking blurry, he noticed that he was not in his little cot inside of his tent. Instead he was sitting at his small, makeshift desk inside of his tent. A puddle of drool had pooled up on an important missive he had been reading before falling asleep.
A groan left the tactician's lips.
"Why do I only fall asleep when I'm trying to work?" He wondered out loud as he slouched back in his seat.
He ran a hand over his face then forced himself to his feet. A gust of wind drifted into his tent from the outside. And he felt a small blast of heat accompany it. Robin took a deep breath. The air was warm and arid. A far cry from the frozen hills and plains that sat near Arena Ferox. In a strange way, it felt far more comfortable for the tactician. He liked the heat. He found it liberating and relaxing. Certainly much more calming than the frozen fields to the north.
That's probably why I've been falling asleep far easier lately.
He scratched a small itch on top of his head and frowned as he felt his fingers entangle with his hair.
"Might be time for a haircut." He mumbled as he pushed the tent flap open and stepped out into the warm morning air.
It was dawn. The sky was still a dark violet color. He could still make out some stars twinkling in the wide open sky above him. The moon was fading. But it was still there. Shrinking away as the sun rose for the new day.
The military encampment was silent, save for the occasional whisper of wind and the flapping of flags and tent fabric. And while it was warm outside, it was not unbearably hot. Which was what Robin had expected from the desert wastes in Northern Plegia. And he was certain that heat was coming. Fast too.
He adjusted his coat over his shoulders and began a slow walk towards the little oasis the army had set up camp around. There was a benefit to waking up this early in the morning. No one else would be taking a bath in the oasis. A little privacy never hurt anyone.
And he needed a bath. Robin took a whiff of his clothing and recoiled. It had been an exhausting march from Arena Ferox into the desert that covered Plegia's northern boundaries. Fast paced and brutally efficient. Chrom and the Khans were hellbent on rescuing Emmeryn before any harm could come to her. Robin was too. But he was concerned about the condition of the soldiers in the army.
Their plan did rely on speed. But if they got too far ahead of themselves, if the army stretched itself too thin in its mad dash to the Plegian capitol, then it would be very easy to sever their lines for supplies and communication. And when they arrived at the Capitol, Robin worried that the men would be too tired to put up an effective fight.
The plan called for Emmeryn's rescue. That was paramount. But he hoped that it would also result in a devastating defeat for King Gangrel. One that could decisively end the war. Cause the Mad King to surrender, even if it was at the point of a sword. A swift victory like that would demoralize the Plegian army, cripple their ability to wage war beyond their own country, and force them to retreat back into their own borders. Effectively ending the war. Or at the very least, allowing Commander Edward to regroup around Ylisstol and mount an effective counter campaign.
The sand around Robin turned into light brush. Then it became dense foliage as he got closer to the oasis. A small, palm forest sprung up around the lone source of water in this portion of the desert. Those very trees then filtered the water. Keeping the oasis crystal clear and cool. A welcome sight and sensation for anyone traversing the wastelands of Plegia.
I wonder how this country became like this. Robin thought to himself.
For that matter, he wondered how it was even a country to begin with. The Plegians lacked any conventional natural resources. All accounts and maps portrayed the land as a mixture of badlands, salt fields, seas of desert sands, and dried up river and lake beds. Then there was the occasional settlement situated around one of the few oasis or springs that the land possessed. Surprisingly enough, there were no coastal settlements, save for a few military harbors. Which made no sense to Robin. A country with access to the coast, especially with Plegia being as close to the other continent as it was, would want to have ports all over the coastline. There should be hubs filled with markets and people. Not empty beaches, dunes, and bluffs.
There is something foul keeping this land from being prosperous. He concluded as he pushed his way through some brush towards the oasis.
"Psst, Robin!"
Robin froze. He spun around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mess of spiky, blond hair sticking out from a cluster of shrubs overlooking the oasis. He arched an eyebrow then sighed.
"Vaike, what are you doing?"
Vaike's head popped out from the bushes, "Keep your voice down." He hissed, "Do you want them to see us?"
Robin narrowed his eyes, "Who to see us?" He gulped, "Is the enemy near here?"
"What? Enemy? No, something way better than that." Vaike nodded behind him.
Don't. Robin thought, Don't do it. Whatever it is, it's not… worth… oh…
Robin peeked through the brush. His eyes widened. Pupils dilated. His cheeks turned red. Suddenly, the warm air bothered him a little bit. He felt very hot.
"Eh?" Vaike nudged Robin's shoulder with his elbow, "Tell me Teach is not a genius?"
Robin's mouth felt dry as he stared out at the oasis. What he was seeing was something else. One part of his brain was completely entranced. The other was screaming at him for violating their privacy in such a way.
A group of women from the Shepherds were bathing in the oasis. He could see Sumia, Sully, and Miriel.
Robin screwed his eyes shut and shook his head.
"Gods what am I doing!?" He gasped.
"Discovering manhood." Vaike chuckled as he returned to peeking on the girls.
"No! No this is not right." Robin said.
"What's not right about it?" Vaike shrugged, "We're guys, and they are extremely hot girls. What's wrong with peeking?"
"Everything!" Robin cried.
Vaike cringed and motioned for Robin to keep it down. Robin recoiled and sank lower into the brush. He noticed his gaze occasionally flicking back over to the bathing Shepherds. He smacked himself and actively forced himself to not look.
"Vaike, let them have some privacy." Robin said.
"Aw c'mon man." Vaike groaned, "You don't have to be such a-" Vaike's face paled as he looked past Robin.
"Uh… Vaike?"
"Is that a horse?" Vaike gulped.
Robin glanced over his shoulder. Staring directly at them was a large, brown horse. It's eyes were unblinking as it observed the two shepherds in their hiding spot.
"Yeah?" Robin replied cautiously.
His eyes studied the animal. There was a saddle on it. So it was not wild. Then there was the neatly brushed mane. The glistening fur that bespoke of its rider. Telling Robin that this animal was loved and cared for by someone. The horse then stamped it's hoof into the soft sand.
"It looks mad." Vaike whispered.
"A horse can't be mad." Robin replied, "It's an animal."
"It's getting ready to charge." Vaike warned as it stamped the ground again.
"Gods that horse has got a horrible temperament." Robin said, "Reminds me of-"
He froze. And his face paled as much as Vaike's did.
"It's Sully's horse." Robin gulped.
"RUN!" Vaike cried as he sprung from his hiding place and took off back towards the camp.
Robin heard some splashing from the oasis. He turned his head and blanched as he watched the girls rushing from the water. All of them hurrying to cover themselves. They heard Vaike scream. But they had not seen the lumbering oaf. Instead they all turned and saw Robin. Robin uttered a terrified yelp as Sully's eyes narrowed at him.
He heard the horse utter a loud cry. Robin turned his attention back to the animal. It began to charge.
"Oh crap!" Robin cried before he too turned towards camp and sprinted away.
….
Robin avoided the girls the rest of the day. And good thing too. Vaike had made the mistake of going to talk to Miriel after the… incident. He returned to his tent with black and blue bruises given to him by Sully and a small scorch mark on his buttocks from a magical blast. Robin swallowed hard as he glanced over at Vaike. The last thing he wanted was to cross paths with the furious warrior, Sully. He was not big like Vaike. If the large ax man could be taken to task like that, then how much damage could Sully do to him?
Robin shuddered at the thought. He shook his head, doing his best to clear his mind both of his worries and of what he saw in the morning. Right now, he could not have his thoughts plagued with images of his face getting punched in by a naked Sully.
His face reddened and he pulled at his hair.
STOP IT! He yelled at his brain.
"Robin?"
The tactician froze. He cast a cautious glance to his right and saw Miriel standing in the doorway to her tent. Arms crossed, fingers tapping against her bicep. Her spectacles lowered so that her eyes could glower right at his motionless form.
"Uh… hi." Robin squeaked.
"I require your assistance." The mage said before disappearing back into her tent.
Robin paled. Require his assistance? For what exactly? What dastardly experiment did Miriel have planned for him as revenge for peeking on her in the oasis?
With profound trepidation, he inched his way into Miriel's tent.
There was not a cot like in this tent. Instead there was a small desk covered with notes, inkwells, books, and parchment. A small, blue mat lay next to the desk. Beyond that, there was no other furniture in the tent.
Instead, there were dozens of plants growing in little pots. Jars sat on the sandy floor. Each one filled with some strange liquid, root, plant, or fruit. There were even a few jars that had insects lying inside of them.
Sitting above a small fire at the center of the tent was a little pot. Inside of the pot, Robin could see a brown liquid bubbling. Miriel was hovering over it. Stirring the liquid counterclockwise every few seconds.
"Good, you acquiesced to my request." Miriel nodded, "I must properly stir this concoction at precise intervals. But in order to accomplish this task, and complete the recipe properly, I need to add several more ingredients. Do you mind helping me with that?"
Robin gave Miriel a wary look.
"Sure?"
"Wonderful. First, I need some eucalyptus leaves."
Robin arched an eyebrow, "Uh… what?"
Miriel hung her head and sighed, "The plant with the small, round leaves."
Robin scanned the tent and found what she needed. He strode over to a small potted plant and plucked a few leaves from the little plant.
"Ok, now drop them in one at a time when I say so." Miriel instructed.
Robin nodded and waited.
"Now."
He let one leaf fall. Then two, then three. Soon over a dozen leaves were swirling in the brown liquid.
"Excellent." Miriel paused in her stirring and wafted some of the steam to her nose, "It needs fat. Grab the jar of pork meat."
Robin raised an eyebrow, "Pork meat?"
"For flavor." Miriel replied.
Robin gulped. Just what exactly was Miriel making. Some new potion? Or perhaps a poison? Robin frowned and grabbed the jar filled with bits of pork. Miriel plucked it from his hands and dumped its contents into the pot. She nodded then snapped her fingers.
"One more ingredient." She pointed at her desk, "In the drawer there are some spices. I need chili powder."
Robin gave her a curious look, "Chili powder?"
"Are you going to assist or not?" Miriel snapped.
Robin recoiled, "I will. I will." He reached into the desk and grabbed a small package of chili powder. Miriel used one hand to take it from his fingers and dump its contents into the concoctions.
The scent hit Robin's nose. And it was divine. His mouth began to water.
"Miriel?" He asked as she continued stirring, "What exactly are you making? A new elixir?"
Miriel arched an eyebrow, "I'm making dinner."
Robin's eyes widened, "O-oh!"
"It's my turn to cook for the Shepherds. I had some pork from Arena Ferox with me. So I decided to make everyone a pork stew." Miriel frowned, "What did you think I was making?"
"Well uh- I- nothing." Robin's shoulders sagged. Then a thought occurred to him, "Why would you make a stew using eucalyptus leaves?"
"They are a common ingredient in my healing elixirs." Miriel explained, "I hypothesized that the best way to help our comrades regain their strength and vitality during this march is to not only feed them well but to infuse some healing ingredients in with the meals. It shouldn't effect the flavor at all." She pulled her spoon out of the pot and took a taste, "It is ready. Care for a taste?"
Robin nodded emphatically. He took the spoon and gulped down some stew.
His eyes widened. His taste buds felt like they were on fire. Despite the heat, it tasted fantastic. But it was incredibly spicy. He tugged on the collar of his shirt and coughed as the stew ran down his throat.
"Wow." Robin croaked.
"Delicious, yes?" Miriel asked.
Robin nodded as some sweat beaded on his brow, "Sure. But," He sucked in a deep breath as his mouth continued to burn, "Spicy."
"I did add an entire bundle of chili peppers in there."
"You what?" Robin gasped as the fire grew hotter on his tongue.
But strangely enough, he found himself enjoying the spicy food.
"Yes. As well as an assortment of other spices and peppers." Miriel explained, "They are actually quite common in Plegia. Or so I hear. So I decided to help all of us grow accustomed to the cuisine."
Robin chuckled, "We are not tourists here." Robin wiped his brow, "Did you make enough for seconds?"
Miriel nodded, "Of course. Mostly because I know Stahl will consume more than one helping."
Robin grinned, "Great! I'm really looking forward to dinner now. But first, I need to go speak with Chrom. He wanted to have another strategy meeting and well I've been busy-"
"Hiding from the female shepherds." Miriel remarked.
Robin's cheeks turned red, "Maybe."
"You are smarter than Vaike. I will grant you that." Miriel commented, "How did you come to be so intelligent?"
Robin shrugged, "I don't know. I like to read. Maybe in my past life, before I lost my memories, I was a scholar or something."
Miriel furrowed her brow. She swept past Robin and began sifting through the pile of notes and books she had on her desk.
"What are you doing?" Robin asked.
"I have some information here." She mumbled before snapping her fingers and grabbing a leather bound journal, "When you first joined the Shepherds, Princess Lissa informed me of your affliction. So I took it upon myself to conduct extensive research on the subject of amnesia."
She handed Robin the small journal. The tactician gave Miriel a surprised look. He then tore the cover open and began to pour over the first lines of the journal.
"You're right." Robin muttered before turning the page, "This is very thorough." He blanched, "You included an analysis of my behavior in here?"
"Known behaviors." Miriel replied as she began to organize some of her notes, "I had to observe you in order to properly diagnose what may be causing your strange memory loss."
"You were spying on me?" Robin asked.
"Observing." Miriel countered, "It is part of the scientific method, Sir Robin. I hypothesized that perhaps your amnesia was caused by some physical ailment. When no evidence came about to prove that theory, I supposed that maybe it was due to some psychological trauma. But seeing as you have a rather set routine and no signs of traumatic experiences-"
"Set routine?"
Miriel rolled her eyes, "You wake up at precisely five o'clock each morning. Usually after falling asleep reading. When you wake, you proceed to the men's bath house and re-emerge refreshed for the new day. After that, you begin to do some daily exercises. Particularly the ones Ben went over with you. Then-"
"Alright. Alright." Robin stopped her, "I get the idea." He flicked through several more pages, "What did you find out when it comes to my brain?"
Miriel frowned, "My results were rather inconclusive. I'd have to use much more invasive means in order to properly experiment on the hypothesis. But those means are unethical and dangerous. Common practice among the Grimleal actually. And I would much rather not delve into those dark magics."
Robin nodded in understanding, "That makes sense. Still, this is more than enough to start on. Who knows, maybe I can get my memory back somehow? And the knowledge I had before may help us with this war." He closed the journal, "Thank you."
"My pleasure." Miriel replied, "You said you had to speak with Lord Chrom?"
"Yes I do." Robin tucked the journal under his arm and bade goodbye to Miriel.
He left the tent, but paused outside. His eyes returned to the small journal that rested in the crook of his arm.
Miriel did all of that for me? He thought to himself.
It shocked him. He considered all of the Shepherds to be his friends. But for one of them to go so far in order to help him, it still blew him away. He glanced back at Miriel's tent with a small smile on his face. He had a new book to read tonight.
….
Chrom's tent was buzzing with activity when Robin managed to push his way inside. There were several Feroxi captains all positioned around a large table at the center of the tent. Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio were leaning against the table. Their eyes fixed on the map resting on top of it. Chrom was pacing to and fro across from them. His arms were folded and his face hardened in concentration.
The murmurs around Robin were hard to ignore. What he thought was a simple strategy session with Chrom was actually a war council of some sort. He caught a glimpse of Frederick standing off to the side. Both a part of the meeting, and guarding Chrom. The wary knight ever vigilant, even among allies.
He seemed to be recovering well. Something Robin was thankful for. Frederick may be a hard person and stubborn knight, but he was an incredibly capable warrior. And easily the strongest mounted warrior among the Shepherds. Sully and Stahl almost always referred to him for advice when it came to mounted combat. Something Frederick gladly gave to the younger horsemen.
Frederick's eyes locked with Robin's. He gave the tactician a stern nod before Robin pushed his way through the last ring of soldiers so that he could be near the table.
"There you are!" Flavia exclaimed, "We've had messengers looking for you all day."
"Where have you been, boy?" Basilio asked while Chrom continued pacing.
Robin flushed, "Uh… helping Miriel make dinner."
"Dinner can wait." Chrom said sharply. He stopped pacing and leaned up against the table, "Robin… we just received word from Raimi at the Longfort." The Prince took a deep breath, "Ylisstol has fallen."
Robin's eyes widened, "What?"
"Commander Edward surrendered." Flavia continued, "They were out of food. The populace that were unable to evacuate were beginning to starve. And the Plegians were starting to break through the walls. So he surrendered. In exchange, the Plegians agreed to not sack the city."
That surprised Robin. A Plegian general that was not bloodthirsty. So there was such a thing.
Still, he could not help but feel a pit form in his gut. Ylisstol had fallen. That left the Eastern Palace as the only bastion left for Ylisse. And Commander Phillip's army was small. There was no way he could take on the might of the entire Plegian military. The back of Ylisse's military broke with Commander Edward's surrender.
"The Plegian army is withdrawing now." Basilio explained, "King Gangrel wants his soldiers in attendance for the trial and eventual execution of Exalt Emmeryn."
"Once that is done, Ylisse will be no more." Flavia said grimly.
Chrom pounded his fist into the table, "Over my dead body! As long as I breath, Ylisse still fights." He pressed his hands down on the table, "Robin, we need to move fast. It won't be long before Plegia's military returns. We will lose our numbers advantage when that does happen."
Robin nodded, "And we will lose the strategic edge with it. Our whole plan is predicated on the fact that Plegia's capitol is completely undefended." He rubbed his chin, "We need to streamline. Move fast and light." He looked at Flavia and Basilio, "I need a small strike force to help us."
"On it." Flavia nodded, "I'll get my best soldiers to help. Say, two hundred?"
"That should be enough." Robin returned his attention to Chrom, "The Shepherds will move in and strike hard and fast." He moved the map of the continent out of the way, revealing a map of Plegia's capitol, "We hit the northern gate hard. A relentless assault that will cause the soldiers to give way. From there, the Shepherds move towards the palace to rescue Exalt Emmeryn. Meanwhile, the Feroxi will hold back the enemy and keep a corridor open for a retreat." His finger followed the streets back out through the gate, "From there, we will have Sumia take Emmeryn and fly as fast as she can north, towards this encampment. Where the rest of the army will stand by."
"If that plan goes south?" Basilio asked.
Robin pressed his lips together, "I'll figure it out. But that's what I've got for now."
"What about Ben's strike force already inside of the city?" Flavia asked.
Robin tapped his fingers on the table, "Kage." He breathed, "I'll have Kage make contact with them. He can move fast and unseen through the city. Either they will already have the Exalt, or we will link up with them for a final push to save her. Either way, we meet up with them in the city. I'm sure that all the chaos we will cause will be enough to grab Ben's attention."
"If they haven't been caught already." Basilio said.
Flavia groaned, "Do you have to be such a pessimist?"
"I'm not a pessimist." The western Khan countered, "I am a realist. Plans in warfare rarely ever work out. And the odds of Ben and his company entering the Plegian capitol undetected are slim to none."
"We will just have to have faith in them." Chrom interrupted, "And faith in ourselves. This is our only shot to save Emm. We must take it."
The Prince stared hard at Flavia, Basilio, and Robin. Robin gave him a nod of agreement. Flavia grinned with excitement. Basilio was still frowning, but he seemed far less unsure than before.
"Your certainty gives me confidence kid." Basilio grunted, "Flavia, do you want to lead the strike team?"
"Hell yes!" Flavia grinned.
"I'll stay behind and command the main army. I'm sure Gangrel will give chase once you all get out of the city. And he won't be alone when he does."
"Let him follow." Chrom growled, "I'll drive Falchion into his heart when he does."
Robin grimaced but said nothing.
"Alright." Chrom nodded, "Frederick! Ready the Shepherds to march. We eat, then move out. We are out of time."
"Understood milord." Frederick bowed before making his way out of the tent.
"The rest of you are dismissed." Flavia barked to her Feroxi captains.
The tent slowly emptied. Flavia gave Chrom a reassuring pat on the back before exiting too. She had soldiers to recruit for the mission. Basilio ran a finger over his beard once more as he studied the map of Plegia's capitol. Then, without another word, he left.
Robin looked at Chrom. He could see the fury in his friend. His knuckles were white as he clenched his fists tight on the table top.
"Chrom-"
"My home is gone now." Chrom growled through clenched teeth, "Everyone I knew growing up; Phila, Edward, the nobles who taught me, they're likely all dead now."
Robin's gaze saddened. Chrom was not wrong. While the Plegian general that laid siege to Ylisstol was surprisingly merciful to the common folk, he likely would not be to her leaders. Such was the nature of warfare. To the victor the spoils. And to the losers, the graves.
"It's not over yet." Robin replied.
Chrom nodded, "You're damn right it's not over yet." He stared hard at Robin. Conviction filling his eyes, "We will win. I won't have it any other way."
Robin clasped a hand on Chrom's shoulder, "Neither will I."
Chrom gave Robin a thankful smile, "So what did Miriel make to eat?"
"Stew." Robin answered. He then grimaced, "Very, very spicy stew. I liked it but-"
"Is there meat?" Chrom asked.
"Yeah?"
"Thank Naga!" Chrom exclaimed, "I've been eating with Sumia recently, and her cooking is delicious, but it's the same thing every time. Rhubarb and fiddlehead pie. First few times it's great. But the fifth, sixth time?" Chrom shook his head, "I mean I'm really grateful but-"
Robin burst into laughter.
"What?"
"You are so dense." Robin chuckled.
"What do you mean?"
Robin shook his head as he continued laughing, "Can't you see? Sumia wants to be involved with you in more than a comrade way."
Chrom arched an eyebrow. Then it sank in. His cheeks burned red.
"You-you think so?" Chrom asked as he nervously scratched the back of his head.
"I know so." Robin replied.
Chrom uttered a nervous laugh, "Maybe the pie isn't too bad then."
"Probably not." Robin laughed again as he made his way to the tent's exit, "If you go eat with her, I'll save you some stew."
"Thanks." Chrom called back.
Robin nodded in return, left the tent, then took a deep breath of the evening air. It was still warm, but the air was rapidly cooling. He had to find Kage. The kid had a very important role to play in the mission. And he would need to know every detail of the plan in order to carry out his part.
As he went to find the newest member of the Shepherds, Robin found himself still laughing about Chrom and Sumia.
"What do you know?" He muttered to himself, "I did have to spell it out for him."
….
Chrom strode through the army encampment. Falchion hung loose at his hip as he made his way towards one specific tent. As he walked, he nodded at soldiers that he passed by. The Feroxi all gave him warm grins and welcoming nods. They understood what had happened today. And every single one of them was trying to cheer him up. They knew he was the leader of the army. They knew their Khans were his friends. And every single one of them was ready to march into war for him.
It was a humbling thing to know. Chrom could not help but feel completely undeserving of such respect and loyalty. He was just a Ylissean Prince. Not even the Exalt. If everything went according to plan, he would never sit on the Exalt's throne. So why were they all so willing to follow him into battle?
He shook his head and pushed those heavy thoughts away. There was a time and place for that kind of thinking. And right now was not that time. His stomach growled as the scent of stew hit his nose. He glanced down at the two bowls he was carrying and licked his lips.
This looks delicious.
He turned and stopped in front of one specific tent. It was in the same cluster as the other Shepherds. But there was a bit more space to the side for a large Pegasus to rest in. He looked at the majestic steed and gave it a small nod. The animal snorted then went back to eating a bale of hay.
Chrom returned his attention to the tent's doorway. He glanced down at the stew.
"I- um-" He cleared his throat as he rehearsed, "I brought you dinner and figured you and I could um-" He struggled to form words then hung his head, "I can face a bandit without fear. But Sumia, not so much." He sighed then took a deep breath, "To hell with it. Here goes nothing."
He surged towards the tent. As he pushed the flap open, Sumia came bursting out. The two collided. Chrom jumped back. But not fast enough. Stew went flying, covering Sumia's armor as well as Chrom's traveling outfit.
"Su-sumia!" Chrom cried, "I- uh- I-" He looked down at the empty bowls. Meanwhile, Sumia wiped some of the stew from her breastplate, "I brought food."
To his surprise, Sumia did not look angry. There was an intense blush on her face.
"Th-thank you but it um-" She looked down at her stew covered armor, "It's all over me."
Chrom blinked, "I am so sorry about that."
Sumia giggled, "It's not your fault. I should have looked where I was going."
"No. No." Chrom rebutted, "I should have knocked."
Sumia laughed, "On what? The canvass?"
Chrom gave her a sheepish smile, "Maybe?"
Sumia gave him a smile and shook her head, "It is a good thing I have more pie made. I was just about to ask if you wanted some." She opened the entry to her tent and waved for Chrom to come in.
Chrom hesitated. Before following Sumia he glanced over at her pegasus.
The animal was no longer munching on hay. Instead, it was staring directly at him. It's dark eyes burrowed holes in him. Watching his every move.
"Nice pegasus." He muttered before rushing into Sumia's tent.
The inside of Sumia's tent was impeccably clean. Much cleaner than his own tent. In fact, it embarrassed Chrom a little bit. Before he decided to go to Sumia's tent, he thought about inviting her over to his own for dinner. But seeing her standards of cleanliness made him grateful he decided to change his mind. She probably thought he lived in a dump.
"You can put the bowls down on the desk." Sumia said as she turned away and began to undo the clasps on her armor.
Chrom felt his cheeks heat up as he set the bowls down. Then his eyes settled on a steaming rhubarb pie sitting on the desk. His stomach growled and he licked his lips.
"Pie." He whispered.
"There." Sumia said as she set her armor to the side, "I will clean it before we move out."
Chrom's jaw dropped. Sumia wore simple leather gear beneath her steel armor. But it was enough to show off her stunning figure. His mouth suddenly felt dry. And his cheeks grew hot.
He then noticed that he was staring. And Sumia noticed he was staring. Which only made her blush even more.
"There's uh…" Chrom gulped, "No need, I can clean the armor for you. I mean I'm the one who messed it up and uh I-"
"Oh n-nonsense." Sumia babbled as she twirled on her heel and went for her armor, "I have a rag to clean it somewhere. I can actually do that while we eat and-"
Her boots caught on a rock in the sand. Sumia cried out as she went tumbling forward into Chrom. The pair fell hard onto the warm ground.
Chrom's eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared up at Sumia's face. It was mere inches away from his own. They were so close that he could feel her breath. He could feel her lungs rush with air then quickly exhale as she froze on top of him. His heart began to thump inside of his chest.
"I-I am so sorry captain I- we need to still eat that pie and-"
He moved on instinct. Forgoing any thinking and just deciding to act. Their lips met. Sumia's cheek burned hotter than the desert sands outside. Then she melted into him. They stayed like that for a moment. Pressed together on the ground. Chrom pulled away and sucked in a huge breath.
Sumia struggled to catch her breath. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as she looked down at Chrom.
"I hope I wasn't too forward." Chrom breathed.
Joy filled Sumia. A wide smile crossed her lips. She leaned in for another kiss.
"Not at all."
….
Kage slumped in the saddle of his horse as he crossed the Plegian desert. The sun had set below the horizon hours ago. And he had been riding hard ever since. The hood of his black cloak was pulled over his head. Hiding his identity from anyone that could possibly be traveling in these remote lands.
Robin had come to him with a mission. A very important one at that. One that was vital to the rescue of Exalt Emmeryn. When presented with it, he was told to move out with all haste. The Shepherds would follow, but he was to ride out ahead and attempt to make contact with Ben, Marth, and the others inside of the Capitol before the arrival of the Shepherds.
Truly an important mission to the plan. And it was a daring plan at that. Bold in so many ways. Risky, surprising, downright insane.
So crazy it could actually work.
That is, it could have actually worked, if Robin was not so naive.
He glanced back behind him. The Shepherds were far behind him now. He rode hard and fast at first, trying to put as much distance between himself and the others as possible. Now, with the night shielding him from any prying eyes, he reached into his cloak and withdrew a small, silver disk.
His thumb pressed a button on the side. The disk hummed to life. At the center, a blue, hooded figure appeared.
"Yes, my apprentice?" His Master said.
Kage's eyes flickered yellow as he bowed his head to his Master.
"I have managed to befriend the Shepherds. They trust me fully."
"Excellent." Maul hissed, "You have done well."
"They have given me an important task in their mission to recapture the Exalt." Kage continued.
His Master was silent for a moment. His arms folded over his thin chest.
"That being?"
Kage hesitated. Should he tell his Master about the plan? The future was terrifying. It was a future that had very nearly killed him and-
He recalled a battle against the monstrous Risen. It was a battle in the east. Near that old palace that the Shepherds had fled to after Emmeryn's assassination attempt. There had been so many of them. It proved to be a decisive battle in the war. One that would see him and his Master flee while one of the only friends he ever had fought a desperate battle for survival.
He remembered a conversation he had with Her. How the blood of the Exalt was forever linked with the Divine Dragon's power. That all they had to do was perform some archaic ritual in order to summon a power great enough to defeat the resurrected Fell Dragon. If that was true, then should he assist in ending Exalt Emmeryn's life? Was it not better to have more of the Exalt's line alive to combat the hidden enemy?
"I sense your hesitation, apprentice." Maul glowered at him through the hologram, "You wish to hide information from me? All in order to… protect something."
Kage felt his Master grip his mind. The boy grit his teeth. His eyes blazed like hot coals as he threw his mental defenses up. Trying his best to not allow his Master to see every thought that was passing through his mind.
"No…" Maul whispered, "You are protecting someone."
A massive assault hit his mind. A wave of the dark side so powerful it almost caused Kage to fall from his horse. He gasped. His mental defenses crumbled. And Maul entered.
His Master chuckled.
"Still, your thoughts betray you." His master's laughter ceased and he glared at Kage, "You must not allow that girl to stand in our way."
Kage grit his teeth, "That girl-"
"Is the enemy." Maul interrupted, "Or do you forget she had begun training as a Jedi when we began to enact our plan?"
Kage clenched his jaw tight.
"She cannot be yours."
"She will be mine!" Kage hissed, "I am Sith. Like you. I take what is mine."
Maul uttered an amused laugh, "You know nothing of the Sith, boy. You are but a minnow in the sea that is the dark side of the force. And it will devour you if you do not dedicate yourself to bending it to your will. That girl stands in your way." Maul rose to his full height, "If you will not remove her, then I will."
Kage's blood went cold. He stared stunned at his Master.
He had never done that before. He had threatened him. He had threatened every other friend he ever had. Even tried to kill him and his friends before. But he had never threatened to kill her. Kage had come to believe that she was safe from his wrath. That her potential in the Force was far too great to waste by killing her.
Am I really that foolish? He thought.
"Understood?"
Kage swallowed hard, "Yes, Master."
"Good." Maul slumped so that his weight rested on his cane once again, "Now tell me, what is our old friend, Kenobi, up to in the Capitol?"
And Chapter! The showdown begins next chapter! The Shepherds are on the move. Chorm and Sumia are doing their thing. Robin had got a master plan to rescue the Exalt. And Kage and Maul are ready to counter it. We will return to Ben's perspective next chapter.
This story is proving to be a true challenge for me. I like it a lot. There are so many different character arcs and perspectives I have to juggle that it makes for a real challenge in order to get them all into the story. It's forced me not just to outline the entire story, but outline individual chapters too in order to keep my thoughts in order. I guess that's a good habit to get into.
Now, I do want to address something. Pairings. They are proving to be a whole other challenge for me entirely. Mostly due to the enoromous amount of possibilities there are. I have got several in mind for key characters (mainly Ben and Robin). What I'm seeing now is how well do they develop once I start writing them down. We will see how all of that goes.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!