o.0.o.0.o
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sumia huddled in the corner of her cell, contemplating her existence.
It did not take long, she had figured, for a person to simply loose their mind. How little she had appreciated before coming to this wretched place! The flowers that grew in fields, the sunshine that filtered through windows, the warmth of blankets and hearty meals, the smiles of fellow Shepherds, arm in arm as they marched to battle! The freedom of riding on a pegasus, the thoughts of Cordelia's chastisement for her flower fortunes…
Why, she's even come to appreciate tripping! With her arms and legs shackled, she could move only a few shuffling steps towards the door.
Imagine that! The girl who so despised her own clumsiness had come to appreciate tripping!
But now she was unsure which she wished more, the silence of a peaceful night, or the happy chatterings of her fellow Shepherds in the early morning.
Perhaps it was a bit of both.
Her gaze travelled from the corner to the cell. Meager food portions, whatever scraps Plegian nobles had not eaten or had not given to animals, sat there in a sodden mess of rotten fruits and stale breads.
She obviously hadn't eaten the food, and the Plegians made no effort to clean up the mess. She was quite sure that the one night, when one particular prisoner began screaming in utter agony, with no one but other people around, she was either succumbing to demons only she could see or something was put in her food.
She had later seen said girl being carried out of the dungeon, dead with no visible signs other than disease. But Sumia was sure something was in the food, and she simply refused to eat it, so it began piling up in a rather disgusting pile near her cell door.
As far as Sumia was concerned, the woman had not committed suicide. There was no such instruments to do so with in this tiny dungeon with the exception of their own hands.
Very quickly, Sumia heard the mental deterioration of her fellow pegasus knights around her. She came to fear the dark, fear the people that came through the door. No one had come through her door yet, and for once, Sumia was very, very appreciative of her 'plain' looks.
Yet what she wondered was if one could go crazy simply from sounds.
The door had creaked open.
Night had fallen.
The silence was interrupted.
Sumia shuffled back again, so deep into the corner that she was quite sure she was molding into the space. The footsteps walked towards her cell. She held her breath. The footsteps kept walking.
She held her breath for a full minute before another cell opened. A moment or two passed.
She bowed her head in her knees, covering her ears while trying to block out the screams that echoed.
She had decided that going insane from noises alone was definitely a plausible option.
o.0.o.0.o
"Gosh darned it!" Donnel exclaimed as he got up from another fall. Demyan, who was in his beast form, seemed to smirk. He shifted back to his human form, offering a hand to the younger boy.
"I told you, a horse is different from a cougar." he said. "And you told me not to go easy on you."
"I know, but I didn't think it would be so hard to outdo ya! You're faster than you make yourself out ta be!"
"What's that supposed to imply?!" Demyan shot back, irritated.
"Well, yer always sleepin', I just assumed…" Donnel trailed off with a shrug.
"I like to sleep!" Demyan cried out in exasperation, throwing his hands in the air. "You, Frederick, Chrom… Why is everyone against the basic needs of a cougar?!"
"Well, ya skip the fitness hour, ya sometimes skip training sessions, sometimes ya sleep through meals… Rather unhealthy, if ya ask me."
"I'm fit as a horse!" Demyan shot back. "I don't need some little runt lecturing me!"
"At least this little runt's healthy." Donnel responded, crossing his arms with a roll of the eyes.
"Donnel!" the two turned and saw Lissa jogging up, a load of books under her arms.
"Working on some light reading?" Demyan joked, nudging the princess playfully. Lissa huffed as a few of the books in her grasp slipped, threatening to tumble to the sandy ground below.
"That's a mighty load you're a carryin', miss." Donnel mused, taking a few books from her arms. Glancing at the titles, he blinked. "Why, these look like school books!"
"They are." Lissa said, smiling gratefully at his help. "I was thinking we could start on some of those lessons I promised you, back in Ferox. I've meant to keep my promise sooner on that, but with all that's been going on…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "Well, I figured we'd start now!"
Donnel wasn't about to tell Lissa that he'd sought out some lessons from Miriel, and having learned quite a bit from the immense amount of books she carried with her at all times. But Donnel wasn't stupid. He was fairly certain that Lissa truly intended on keeping her promise about his studies, but the only reason she sought him out now was because she most likely, desperately, needed a distraction from her elder sister's impending doom.
Demyan let out a chuckle, nudging Donnel closer to Lissa.
"Well, then. I'll make sure Ella and Chrom don't find out." he snickered, sauntering away. "Have fun playing schoolhouse you two."
Donnel blinked, feeling the overwhelming need to facepalm on his friends behalf. Of course, at a time like this, Demyan would be thinking like that.
o.0.o.0.o
"Settle down and take a seat. Professor Lissa is now instructing."
Donnel blinked as Lissa stood in front of him, book open and finger erect, as if she were already instructing him.
"Er, if I'm gonna be learnin'," Donnel said as he watched Lissa set the books down and pull up a seat of her own. "I'd rather it was Sir Chrom teachin' me to fight proper. I don't mean no offense, Lissa, but—"
"Tut tut! No talking!" Lissa said, waving her finger at him. She paused. "...And it's Professor Lissa! All right now, class. Open your texts to page eighty-four."
Donnel, not really seeing any other choice in the matter, sat himself down and followed 'd play along, he decided. He'd be an attentive student.
"Now see here," Lissa said, pointing to the star chart, beginning with astrology. Her finger rested on a certain constellation. "That one's the Dragon, it's a winter constellation. And this big star here on it's outermost left wing, that's Arthentine."
Donnel furrowed his brow. Now that couldn't be right! He remembered studying star charts and such with Miriel, and he was pretty sure the constellation that Lissa was pointing at was the Wyvern, and the star was Tryffin.
"Er, beggin' your pardon, Professor," he interrupted. Lissa, who was telling the story about how the Dragon came to be in the sky, glanced at him. "But that constellation's the Wyvern, not the Dragon."
"...What?" Lissa asked after a good minute, staring at the page in the book. Donnel, figuring he was being helpful, leant in next to her, showing her the proper placement of the constellations.
"Yes, ma'am. And that bright star ain't Arthentine, it's Tryffin." he glanced at her. Lissa seemed to be fuming slightly, as she abruptly stood, snapping her book shut.
"Rgh, fine! This astronomy lesson is over!"
"B-But ya had it right when ya said Arthentine was the star on the Dragon's outermost wing!" Donnel said frantically, trying to calm the princess down. Lissa, in turn, threw the astrology book at him.
"Just read the book quietly to yourself!" she snapped, going out of the tent with a flourish of yellow skirts.
"Aw, Lissa!" Donnel cried, dropping the book and standing up. "Wait, I didn't…" he barely caught sight of her form going outside of camp as she stomped away. "Dang it all. Why'd I have to go openin' my fool mouth?"
He looked to the side, jumping back, startled upon seeing Ella eyeing him up with an annoyed look.
"… How much did ya hear?"
Ella held up her notebook.
"All of it."
"I didn't mean ta make 'er mad!" Donnel cried out frantically. "I thought I was bein' helpful!"
"Typical." Ella wrote, clicking her tongue with a disapproving shake of her head. Not quite understanding what she was implying, Donnel shot his gaze back up to hers. Ella turned the notebook back to her and began writing again. "Lissa went out of her way to teach you, and you corrected her. Girls like Lissa don't like being told they're wrong, especially by someone she sees as having a lower intellect." she paused. "That's not quite right. When I say 'lower intellect', I mean that she sees you as a little brother, right?"
"It's only a few months! It's not that far apart!" Donnel cried out. Ella sweatdropped.
"Not the point. What I'm saying is that Lissa thinks she should be teaching you, not the other way around. She thinks you should be thanking her, rather than correcting her."
"Well, I know all that!" Donnel huffed. "Now what?"
With that, Ella promptly took his pot off his head and smacked him on the head with his notebook.
"Go after her!"
With that, Ella promptly walked away with his pot. Donnel frantically put his hands on his hair, trying to smooth down the unruly curls.
"Can I at least have my pot back?!"
A piece of paper fluttered by. Donnel snatched it from the air.
"Not until you get Lissa back!"
"But I don't wanna go get 'er with my hair like…" he trailed off, realizing he was essentially talking to himself. Looking up, Ella was already halfway across the camp, chatting with Virion, the other blue-haired archer seemingly taken aback by Ella happily wearing his pot on her head.
Knowing Ella was usually always serious on her threat about keeping his pot until he got whatever she wanted done, Donnel went after Lissa.
o.0.o.0.o
"That little know-it-all!" Lissa huffed as she stomped away from camp. "Pigs'll fly before I offer to teach him again! Stupid country bumpkin…"
She trailed off, muttering insults under her breath. Honestly! She takes the time to teach him things and all he can do is treat her like she was an idiot?! She could have been learning how to use her tomes more effectively, or working with stronger staffs! But no, she took the time to help out her good friend, and all he can do is correct her like he was sooo high and mighty!
To caught up in her thoughts, Lissa barely noticed how for she was from camp, nor the fact that an item was blocking her path. She only noticed it when she accidentally lodged her foot under it, sending her tumbling into a sand dune.
"Ow…" Lissa hissed, trying to stand back up, only to feel pain throb through her ankle sharply. "Oh, darn it! I twisted my ankle!" Looking back, she saw that the camp they had set up was now barely visible, certainly to far of a distance to walk with a hurt ankle. "Aw, why did I have to storm off so far from camp? I...I could die out here! I'm gonna be eaten by a… by a snake or… or a thief or something!"
Her stomach dropped at that moment, realizing she had much, much more to worry about than snakes or thieves. This was Plegian territory! Heaven knows if there are soldiers about, and if not, there was also the Grimleal! She was obviously Ylissean, a near dead-ringer for her sister, some liked to say. What would become of her if someone that wasn't a friend of Ylisse found her.
"Ooooh, what was I thinking?" she whined, nearly on the verge of tears. "What did I even trip on anyways…" trailing off, she glanced down at her foot, seeing the end of her boot lodged in the eye socket of a skull. Letting out a shrill shriek, and despite her pain, she kicked her leg up, sending the skull flying until it landed a few feet away with a small poof of sand. Lissa stared at the skull, wondering what pour soul had the misfortune of dying in this wasteland. "I'm gonna get killed, I just know it!"
Suddenly, she heard panting. It was small, quick breaths, perhaps being taken by that of a child, punctuated by sobs. Just as suddenly, a young girl with green hair bolted past her, coming to a brief stop, hunching over and breathing heavily.
"Have... Have I lost him?" Tentatively, she looked over her shoulder, Lissa following her gaze, only to see another, taller figure coming towards them. Lissa blinked at the older man, immediately suspicious.
"Wait, I say!" he exclaimed. "Why you no comprehending, wee one?"
The girl, in response, screamed.
"GET AWAY! Everyone just leave me ALONE!"
The older man, seemingly panicked, smacked his hand over her mouth.
"Please, be keeping down with the voice! You give away position! Very bad!"
Lissa, freaked out by the situation, scrambled over to the skull, lifting it up, and whizzing it at the mans head. It bonked off his temple with an odd thud, distracting him. The girl, in response, kicked him where the sun don't shine, on the verge of tears.
"Stay away from her, creep!" Lissa exclaimed.
"Lissa!" Lissa's ears perked up as she heard a familiar southern drawl. "Miss Lissa, can you hear me?! Where are ya, Lissa?!"
"D-Donny?!" she responded. "Over here! I'm here, Donny!" she shot an accusing look to the older man, still curled on the ground. "Now you're gonna get it, you creep!"
"Oh, thank goodness." Lissa grinned as Donnel suddenly popped up. "I was worried ya…" he trailed off glancing around at the situation. "Huh?"
"You've gotta help me!" the girl suddenly cried out. "My throat is dry, my shoes are full of sand, and some big weirdo is trying to KILL ME!"
"Oy, you break Gregor's heart!" the man said, finally recovering from the blow to his head and the blow to below. "Why you treat like villain?"
"You!" Lissa grinned as Chrom suddenly raced over, Rosalie and a few other Shepherds close behind. Overhead, she heard the whinny of a pegasus, and saw Cordelia circling over them. Sully was glaring at Gregor, her horse seeming to mimic the look while Virion notched an arrow, just in case something happened. "Stay away from the maidens, fiend!"
"You're gonna get it now, you creep!" she shot to the man as Donnel took a fighting stance in front of her.
"Who is fiend?" the man asked, seeming genuinely confused. He widened his eyes as he received pointed glares from everyone around him. Slowly, he pointed to himself. "...You mean Gregor?" he suddenly threw his hands in the air for surrender. "No, friend! You have idea wrong!"
"I'm not so sure." Rosalie said, gaze unfaltering. "Judging from the situation, you're chasing around a little girl, and may or may not have hurt Lissa..."
"Or's preparin' to hurt Lissa." Donnel added. Gregor sighed.
"This week has been nothing but insults and kicks to groin. And all for doing good deed!" Gregor groaned, palm coming to contact with his forehead. With a long sigh, he ran his hand down his face. "...Listen, friend! Gregor only want to—"
"Gotcha, you slippery scamp!" the girl jerked and Gregor whipped around, seeing a relatively small group of men bearing weapons, chains, and whips. The leader, a dark mage, pointed at the Gregor. "And you! You damned old twit! I'll have your head on a silver platter! Prepare for a dose of Grima's wrath!"
The girl widened her eyes, stepping back.
"I'm not going back." she shook her head. "I'm not going back! I'm not going back!"
"Oy, this is most terrible!" Gregor cried out. He whipped around to Chrom, pointing. "Do you see now? They make with the catching of us!"
"...Why are you all after the girl?" Chrom finally asked.
"All?" Gregor exclaimed. "What is this "all"? Gregor is not one of "all"! Look close!" Gregor pointed to his face. "Maybe sand in the eye? Gregor have innocent-baby face!"
All present stared, squinting their eyes.
"Yeah... Not sure "innocent baby" is how I'd describe it…" Rosalie murmured.
"Gah! Never be minding!" Gregor cried out in frustration. "Gregor is not enemy! You must believe!"
"...This is making my head hurt." Chrom finally said, rubbing his temples, punctuating his point. "We'll sort him out later. Right now, we need-"
"I'm not going back to the auction block! I'm not going back to that cage! GET AWAY FROM ME!" the girl suddenly shouted, clearly afraid and frustrated by the lack of action on their part. The stone on her cape glowing a brilliant light. In a flash of green and yellow, a towering dragon replaced the form of the girl, spewing fire at the attackers.
"What in blazes?!" Virion cried out, stepping back to avoid the girls tail, nearly swiping him off his feet.
"The girl is a dragon!" Sully exclaimed in an equally surprised tone.
"By the gods, she's a manakete…" Chrom murmured. "I never thought I'd see one."
"You never thought ya'd see one?!" Donnel exclaimed, clearly awestruck. "I only ever thought they were legends and village stories to entertain th' youngins!"
"Perhaps she doesn't need our help so much as we could use hers..." Lissa mused quietly.
As fire licked at the heals of the criminals, the girl single-handedly chased the bandits off, only a few meeting the end of Gregor's sword when necessary. Though the dark mage leader was proving to be more of a problem for both, he was quickly handled by a single shot from Virion's bow. Without their leader, the little gang fell apart. When the men finally decided to cut their losses and run, most of them were either dead, injured, or unconscious.
"This is just the worst. Day. EVER!" the girl sobbed, sinking to her knees, having since gone back to her human form.
"Ho now, wee one! Do not make with the crying of tears." Gregor said, kneeling beside her as he patted her on the head in a grandfatherly manner. "The evil people are now dead people. This is good, no?"
"You... You're right." she sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her glove. "Th-thank you. Um, I'm Nowi. And... I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier. I just get nervous around people who are...outside my age group."
"Your age group? Ha!" Gregor shook his head. "Gregor much closer to your age than others here!"
Rosalie glanced between the older man and the younger female, not quite understanding that sentence.
"Say, um...Gregor, was it?" Chrom asked. Gregor glanced at him. "Gregor, do you mind looking after her? We need to press on."
"Mmm... Gregor is mercenary, yes? Maybe you hire Gregor instead!"
Chrom looked skeptical. Gregor grinned.
"True, Gregor just finish killing former employers, but still very reliable! So long as you not try to hurt little girls, Gregor will not hurt you." his grin faltered, if only slightly. "Also, Gregor need steady income. ...Many, ah... angry former employers."
"You're a sellsword?" Chrom asked. Gregor beamed.
"Yes! Very swell sword! Cost performance very high." he held his hand out. "But you have Gregor's word."
"Sure, why not?" Chrom shrugged, shaking his hand. "You're hired."
"But-But what about me?!" Nowi exclaimed, popping up between Chrom and Gregor. "I already said it, I won't go back on the auction block!"
"Wait." Lissa held up her hand, everyone bringing their attention to her. "You've been sold? Like a...like a slave?!"
Nowi winced.
"To men more despicable than you can possibly imagine. They would take my dragonstone away... Only to give it back when they wanted me transform for them... They drank and laughed and called out tricks…"
"What kinda rotten scumbags buy and sell a little girl?!" Donnel exclaimed. He paused. "Even if she can turn into a dragon…"
Gregor suddenly laughed.
"She may be a wee one, lad, but not near as young you think!"
"Manaketes live for a very long time." Nowi added in, now smiling.
"Really?" Sully asked, a curious expression flitting across her face. "...How old are you?"
"Oh, I dunno." Nowi shrugged. "...A thousand...something? But look!" she pointed to her face. "No wrinkles!"
"The dragonkin are said to be more resilient than men." Chrom mused. "Nowi would make a strong ally. Besides, we can't just leave her here..."
"Why doesn't she just stay with us?" Rosalie suggested. "We could give her living necessities, and maybe have her fight in a few battles until we find a town willing to adopt her-"
"Do I get to transform whenever I want?" Nowi suddenly asked, hands going to what they assumed was her dragonstone, still clasped on the chain around her cape. "You're not going to take my dragonstone?"
"As long as you don't hurt anyone, I don't see anything wrong with you transforming whenever." Chrom said. "And if your dragonstone is important to you, we have no right to take it."
Nowi gasped in delight.
"Then I'll fight for you forever!" she threw her hands in the air, running towards the camp. "Best. Day. EVER!"
Lissa smiled in happiness for their newest recruit, though was faced with her own problem. Her ankle was still in pain, but everything else was already far ahead, most likely assuming they were right behind her.
"Miss Lissa?" she blinked, seeing that Donnel was holding out his hand, waiting for her to take it.
She swallowed, taking his hand and trying to stand on the bum ankle, only to immediately collapse with a yelp of pain.
"Miss Lissa?!" Donnel exclaimed, immediately kneeling down beside her. She didn't even have her staff on hand… "What's up with yer leg, Lissa?" Donnel asked after a long pause.
"I sort of…" Lissa chuckled weakly to cover her embarrassment. "Twisted my ankle…"
"Lemme have a look at that…" Donnel trailed off, pulling off her boot as gently as possible. Lissa felt herself wince, even the littlest movements affecting her injury. "Sorry…" Donnel murmured apologetically. Lissa watched as he undid the laces of the boot, pulling the sides loose but not, thankfully, taking off the shoe. Immediately upon looking at the angry swelling, she winced.
Being a healer, she's seen her fair share of injuries, and she was pretty sure that what she did to her ankle was more than simply twisting it. Donnel stared a few moment longer before he made his own diagnosis.
"Pig slop!" he exclaimed, snapping his gaze to hers. "There ain't no "sort of" about it. Ya done sprained it bad." He stood, unhooking his sword from his waist and passing the weapon to her. Turning his back to her, he kneeled down. "Here, hop on m'back."
"What?!" she exclaimed. Sure, her ankle was sprained and all, but… but if she got on his back like that, her skirt would ride up and…! "Y-You don't have to…"
"Just hurry up and climb on!" Donnel snapped. A long pause. He slowly looked over his shoulder. "...Er, please. We're in Plegian territory, and them bandits chasin' little Nowi has me unsettled. ...So we best skedaddle."
Lissa blinked, agreeing.
"A-all right." she murmured, adjusting her skirts so that Donnel would have no chance of seeing anything if he tried to sneak a peek. With a small grunt, Donnel stood, arms under her legs and her arms around his neck, they began the trek back to the camp.
"All right, you hang on now!" Donnel said, beginning to walk forward. "I'll have us back in two shakes."
All Lissa could think about was how grateful she was she wasn't wearing her crinoline at the moment. Just imagine the complications…
"S-say, Donny?" Lissa asked timidly, trying to distract herself from her own thoughts. "Were you out looking for me this whole time?"
"Yep." Donnel responded.
Lissa sighed, bowing her head slightly. How much had this little bumpkin grown since he had joined the Shepherds? Certainly much more over a few months than she had over the course of years, and in more than strength. He was smarter now, could be argued as being the fasted on his feet if they excluded the quickness of Panne and the speed Lon'qu kept hidden when he was running from women. But not only that, he grew as a person, if that was possible.
He was a few mere months younger than she, something she sincerely liked to use it to her advantage. Now, she wasn't so sure if it would work anymore.
Donny was, in a way, the kindest, most courteous person she knew. He always worried about others before himself. He was growing smarter every day, even his language improving to the point where his drawl was a bit more understandable, though she secretly hoped no one, not even Miriel, managed to get that silly little drawl to go away.
"I'm sorry I made ya mad at me, Miss Lissa," he finally spoke, that drawl, though apologetic, somehow managing to ease her worries. "I swear, I wasn't meanin' to make ya feel like ya ain't smart."
"It's fine-"
"And what's worse, ya done and got hurt 'cuz o' me." he sighed, obviously regretful. "I'm awful sorry. For someone who cares for ya so much, I mess up a lot, huh?"
"No, Donnel." Lissa cut him off. "...I'm so sorry." trying to make light of the situation, she laughed. "I make a pretty terrible older sister."
"Aw, that ain't true at all, Lissa." Donnel shook his head, dark curls bouncing. "I'm just happy ya care about me. Yer always so nice to me and all…"
Lissa couldn't help but giggle, face going crimson. Why was she so flattered by such a tiny compliment? She was princess! She's recalled times where she was cascaded with compliments from various nobles, if not from Maribelle, every day.
Perhaps, she mused, it was not the context of the compliment, but rather, the person who was giving it?
"At least," she said aloud. "I got rescued by a hero, huh?"
"Hero?" Donnel chuckled at that. "Village idiot at best, Miss Lissa."
With a huff, she flicked his ear. He yelped slightly, looking over his shoulder, straining to catch a glimpse of her face.
"You're a hero to me, Donnel. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
o.0.o.0.o
Sully stood with her arms crossed, staring at Virion as he sat, tweaking a few things on his bow. She couldn't understand it. That guy, that dark mage from earlier… He was blasting fire and dark magic and whatnot, a trouble for even a manakete and a seasoned sellsword. How had Mr. Bib over there managed to shoot him down with one shot?!
"Ah, Sully…" Virion exclaimed, as if finally noticing her as he turned. She shot him an odd gaze, still unable to figure it out. One minute he's hiding behind her, next he's stepping up and taking down dangerous foes. "Hmm? Why are you looking at me so?" he blinked a moment, then whipped around, looking into a polished sheet of armor. "...Is there something on my face?"
"I'm the wrong person to ask." she muttered gruffly, standing behind him. "I've been seeing things lately."
At that, Virion whipped back around, his confident smile plastered on his face as he quickly closed the gap between them.
"And yet, your beautiful eyes appear as clear and sharp as ever." he mused. "Tell me of these visions, milady, that I might proffer some support."
"You stepped up against that mage, you damned fool!" she snapped at him, stepping back. "What's more, you won! And you beat someone that a manakete and a sellsword had trouble fighting as a unit!" she sighed exasperatingly. "If that isn't seeing things, I don't know what is."
"Are you truly so surprised at that, milady?" Virion asked, sounding insulted. "I told you before that I would step up in a fight had I only a reason."
"And what was this reason?" Sully shot back. Concern flickered across Virion's face for a moment.
"That man had to be stopped. Had I let him escape, he might have turned his wrath upon the neighboring villages, and thus more families would loose their daughters and wives to the slave trade, similarly to Nowi, or their lives to the end of an evil spell."
"So you risked your neck for a handful of strangers?"
"I fought to defend the defenseless." Virion said with his eyes closed, his tone honest. "No true nobleman would do less. But," at this, he opened his eyes. "Nor would he enter meaningless battles like a blood-mad savage in search of glory. Ugh…" he shuddered.
"The very thought disgusts me."
Sully blinked, as if she were slowly putting two and two together.
"So...is that why you want to defend me?"
"Exactly!" Virion said enthusiastically, taking her hands in his. "You, my dear, are a lady fair. A paragon of grace and beauty. Any fellow who would call himself a gentleman would defend such a creature."
Sully scowled, jerking back from his sudden closeness but not entirely letting him let go of her hands.
"Don't call me a creature, you flowery snot! And I can defend my own damn self. Although…" she trailed off, averting her gaze.
"Yes?" Virion pressed.
"Well... I guess I don't mind if you call me a lady." she muttered under her breath. "But only because I've seen you show a bit of courage on the battlefield!" she snapped at the end. "If not for that, I'd send you off half the "gentleman" you used to be."
"Then you accept me as a hero worthy of protecting you?"
"Let's not get crazy now, Ruffles." Sully responded, shaking her hands free of his. "I just promoted you from lousy craven to decent guy. That's all. Although…" she trailed off, crossing her arms. "I suppose you can watch my back in a brawl."
"Aye, and soon you'll trust your tender heart to my love's fearsome embrace!" Virion exclaimed, getting down on one knee. "And soon, the wedding bells shall ring and the bards will sing of our holy matrimony!"
"...Okay, you're still clearly insane." Sully smirked as Virion, once again, produced a rose from seemingly out of no where. "But if there must be a dangerous madman about, I'm glad he's on my side."
o.0.o.0.o
Rosalie looked over her army, trying to take in everyone at once. Everyone was anxious for the oncoming battle, awaiting the plan that she had set. Chrom stood to her left with Flavia and Basilio to her right, everyone straining to look at her makeshift model of Plegia castle and the land surrounding it.
"Based on what our spies said," Rosalie mused. "The Exalt is to be executed tomorrow."
The only sound was a strangled whimper from Lissa, who was quickly comforted by Maribelle.
"With this, we are at a severe disadvantage considering that one of our own, Sumia, is also being held hostage with, presumably, the two pegasus knights that escorted us before they turned back with Emmeryn, including Captain Phila." the grim reminder did little to ease the worry of the Shepherds. "But I have a plan."
Pulling out a pencil, she drew a large circle around a small castle on the map.
"This," she pointed to a castle. "Is Gangrels castle. As you can see, there's this lovely wall here." her pencil traced the wall protecting the castle. "What I plan to do is to have have Flavia and Basilio lead their men in a head-on assault to the wall, giving us a distraction to send our strongest representatives, being the Shepherds, in.
"With that, we're sending a very, very small group of soldiers into the castle. Considering how big of an event Emmeryn's execution will be, almost all of Plegia will be there. So a small group of soldiers slipping in will most likely go unnoticed. This group, lead by Frederick, will rescue and free the pegasus knights. Maribelle and Gaius,"
The two looked up, the former still trying to comfort Lissa while the latter nervously crunched the lollipop that was in his mouth.
"You two are with Frederick. I want a thief who can pick locks quickly and a healer who can heal the injured. Any questions?"
Maribelle shot a momentary glare at Gaius, some sort of retort on her tongue, before she swallowed it and nodded.
"Is it really wise to send such a small group in?" Basilio mused. "I mean, not to question your judgement or anything, but what if we end up having to rescue more hostages?"
"Yes, it is wise." Rosalie responded. "A small group won't be noticed as quickly as a large group, and with you attacking the outer border, the rest of the Shepherds rescuing Emmeryn, and all of Plegia focused on the battle at hand, I would be surprised if they were noticed." she turned her attention back to the Shepherds. "Frederick, Gaius, and Maribelle. Any arguments or objections?"
"None." Frederick answered for all three of them, voice cold and clipped. No one dared object.
"Emmeryn will be in the courtyard, upon a ledge, most likely with the executioner behind her. If we can eliminate the executioner, then Emmeryn should be safe until we defeat the Plegian army. As for the rest of us, we'll be fighting said army. We need the skies cleared for Phila when she's set free, so I need every mage and archer on hand and shooting off arrows and spells at wyvern knights. None of you need to worry about being hit, we'll be guarding you on the ground. Just aim.
"Cordelia will remain off to the side, away from the fighting with mounts for the knights. When the skies are cleared, I'll expect Frederick to have rescued the pegasus knights. Cordelia will meet up with them in the courtyard once we have taken it," she circled another area within the castle, indicating the courtyard. "And she will provide them with mounts and weapons. Chrom will send a signal that it's okay for them to fly out and rescue Emmeryn. While all this is happening, Basilio will be securing an escape route for us."
"I've got carriages prepared and ready to take us back to Ferox." Basilio said. "It's only a matter of when we get this done and who's ready to fight this war."
"Then it's settled." Rosalie said, swiping her pencil and and of the little Shepherd figurines she had brought out into a small box, rolling up her map. "We rest tonight, and launch our assault in the morning."
o.0.o.0.o
Sooooo yeah. I wanted to introduce Nowi and Gregor, but didn't feel like writing a whole long scene about them fighting Grimleal. So they fought bandits/slave dealers who had Nowi captive and Gregor rescued her.
I very much liked how I managed to incorporate the scene into Donnel's and Lissa's support conversation.
And I was also debating on putting Chrom and Rosalie's A support in here, but then decided against it. This is serious time people, not fitting for such a humorous support convo.
Buuut I did decide to add in Sully and Virion last minute. Maybe someone can guess why I did so.
Anyways, thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed!
Amy47101 signing off! ^.^