AN: A bit of a delay on this one, but still it's finally here!

Don't you hate it when you have a cool idea for a chapter, but then halfway through writing it, you remember it won't work because of something you wrote months ago? Yeah, that's what happened here. Between having to rewrite half the chapter because of that, getting a cold, and a short, unplanned business trip, it took me longer than I would've otherwise liked to get this done. At the very least I'm pretty pleased with the final result!

I forgot to mention this last chapter, but there were a few milestone for this story that I wanted to thank you all for. Between the last two chapters, this story has official surpassed 55k views, 125 favs, 175 follows, and 200 reviews! That's amazing! To think that my little story would get so far! Again, I would like to thank you all for making this happen. Here's for more!

Anyway, I leave you guys to enjoy the chapter. Let me know what you think by leaving a review or sending a PM my way. Also, if you really liked the story, don't forget to follow and/or favorite! Enjoy~


Chapter 29: For a better future

The war was long over and finally, after a long time waiting, the Exalt's army lead by her brother had been spotted a few hours away from Ylisstol. The news of Exalt Emmeryn's rescue and the victory of the war had reached the capitol within days of it happening, giving the citizens plenty of time to organize and prepare a grand welcome for their benevolent Exalt and the heros that rescued her: The Shepherds. Of course, everyone knew about the involvement of the Khans of Ferox, as they'd sent troops to defend the lands of the Halidom of Ylisse and route any and all Plegian troops from the territory. As such, they too would be welcomed with open arms and celebrated like the heroes the people saw them as.

When the day came, the citizens were well prepared for the arrival of the party. The streets and gates to the city had been cleaned entirely and decorated with vivid colors of blue, yellow, and green fabrics showing the sigil of the Exalted Bloodline proudly for all to see. People ran left and right, hurrying to finish all the preparations that the Exalt deserved during her welcome. Be it sweeping the streets or handing out flowers to be later tossed at the passing army as they headed to the castle, there was not a soul that didn't have something to do. Or at least none of the locals did. With how happy they all were, it was easy to go ignored, even if one was a suspicious individual lurking around the place, trying their best not to attract attention to themselves. One of these individuals in particular, a boy not quite old enough to be called a man yet, but old enough to not be a kid, made his way through the streets, avoiding all contact with strangers. He was quite taken with the sights presented to him. Despite wearing clothes of a foreigner, his features were that of someone born in the kingdom. Perhaps because of that no one seemed to mind his presence of even his antics as he mumbled to himself or talked with the running children about something to do with destiny and such.

The boy pulled his cloak tighter around him when he stopped in front of his destination. Instinct had him look up first and then to his surroundings to make sure he wasn't followed, something he'd been accustomed to do from his early infancy. He often had to remind himself that he no longer had to worry about enemies or traps hidden behind every corner. With a quick shake of his head and being awfully aware that he was blocking an entrance, he entered the building; the sign above the door reading "Blue Wind Inn" showing its age as it swayed and creaked.

The boy and his allies had chosen to stay in that particular inn because of its design and their familiarity with it. Other than the man heading the bar near the entrance, no other soul would know who entered or left the place, which was ideal when trying to avoid attracting attention to one's self. That was also why, before they came here, they'd used the place as a base of operations for years over, say, the castle. A small exchange of nods with the man at the bar and the boy headed upstairs to his assigned room. Standing outside the room, he could already hear the voices coming from within, and they didn't sound pleased. Not that that was uncommon. Smiling, he pulled down his hood and entered the room.

"Salutations, my fellow rewriters of history!" The boy was cheerful as he entered. Mayhaps too much so, as those within the room stopped their conversation and simply stared at him. He would count that as a victory point to himself. His presence had obviously shocked them all into silence! But looking around some more, he picked up on the tense atmosphere in the room. Had some evil sorcerer or sorceress placed a hex on his allies? Where they planning on turning on him? Growing up, he'd heard many stories of such things happening—the art of a mighty sorceress well known amongst those living in the city. His cursed sword hand flew to the hilt of his sword, his cloak discarded behind him. "And what is this evil presence I sense? Speak now, otherwise my sword hand will ask for blood!"

A sigh broke the silence. A girl with twintails, dressed in fighting leathers, scoffed as she leered at him like a lioness, trying to show her superiority with only her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned further back on the bed she was sitting on, her legs crossed as well. "Shut up and close the door," she said with the same familiar disdain she always did since they were all children. "And lower your voice! We don't want anyone knowing we are here, numbnuts."

Ah, thought the boy, perhaps the atmosphere was due to the door. A hex on the door? With a quick apology and bow of his head, he closed the door behind him hoping that if there really had been a hex placed on the door, it would be dispelled by his action. All those eyes that seemed to burn a hole into his forehead looked away, but the atmosphere did not lose any of its previous tension. If anything, it'd become more awkward with no one saying a word. With his sword hand not begging to unleash his fearsome power, he walked over to sit on the bed directly in front of the one the twintails girl sat on, his posture being relaxed and at ease.

"Anything worth reporting?" The bespectacled young man—a powerful mage—sitting next to him asked. With book and quill already in hand, he was ready to fill a page in his log with any information they could find to be of importance, just like he'd done for years and years, maybe even before things got started. The boy's first memory of the young man was very similar to the current situation, which made the boy smile. The others in the room seemed to be interested on what the swordsman had to say as well, as they looked at him inquisitively. And even with her eyes narrowed, it was clear that the twintails girl also wanted to hear any news of the world outside the four wall in that room. Despite the room being large enough to host them, their belongings, and a bed for each one, the boy knew from experience that it could be suffocating to stay there for days at a time.

But before the boy had a chance to respond, the girl spoke up again. "Whatever you're gonna say, say it in human this time, Owain. We're in a hurry."

The boy, Owain, deflated and pouted, feeling his pride take a hit. Normally he would protest—to defend one's self and what they believe in was important—but this time, he knew that with how the group was acting, they would not tolerate such a thing. He hunched his back and lowered his shoulders, being more than a little disappointed that he would need to omit important parts of his tale, like how he saved a helpless beast from a druid's foul wooden monster or rescued a damsel by finding her lost heirloom. Scratching the back of his head and mumbling his disappointment under his breath, he reported his findings. "Nothing out of the ordinary. People are about done with things. They're expecting the Exalt to arrive in the next hour or two, guarded by the Pegasus Knights, the Feroxi army, and the Shepherds. Rumor has it that there is also another group of allies that are coming with them, which they found in Plegia."

"Other allies?" repeated the mage, who'd written down every detail spoken by Owain. Even with his eyes looking towards the taleteller, the young man did not stop his hand from writing down every detail about what this all could mean for them. It was a shame that someone with such skill refused to take up a sword instead of a tome. "We've heard as much as of late from the patrons downstairs. People believe them to be Ostian Knights, going by the design of their armor and the banners they carry with them." Owain noticed that along his notes, the mage had drawn said sigil based on the rumors circulating around.

"And you're supposed to be the smart one here…" the twintails girl scoffed. She rolled her eyes at even the mention of such a thing, especially because they'd all been hearing about it for quite some time. For his part, Owain thought that it was all part of the grand plan set in motion the moment that their group was sent back in time by the Divine One. Surely, they would need more allies to keep peace in the realm! What better allies than the legendary Knights of Ostia! "There's no way that's true. Those are just...fairytales adults tell children. We know Robin is from Plegia. He probably had some friends around there that—"

"Unlikely. The characteristic of the armor commonly worn by Plegians does not fit the description we've previously compiled into the dossier. Not to mention that it's improbable for Robin to know approximately three thousand well armed soldiers that would betray Plegia so easily. Robin was— is a gifted tactician, but he never was attributed with what is commonly referred to as the gift of the silver tongue." It seemed like the girl wanted to protest, but the young man continued before she could. "We also know that the Halidom wouldn't be able to outbuy a mercenary company working for Plegia. Despite his madness, the records have shown that King Gangrel had coffers full of gold hoarded in the capital at his disposition that he could use to keep any number of mercenary companies under his contract for a foreseeable future. Not to mention that there are no records of mercenary company of that size and description anywhere."

"Laurent is right, Severa." The voice of their leader broke the silence. She leaned further onto the nightstand she was using to keep herself standing, brushing some of her blue hair aside. From all of those present, Lucina, the oldest member of the group, was by far best informed in the current situation than anyone else. That was because she took an active role early on, having saved the Exalt from an assassination attempt as well as sparing her father from a grave wound that would've otherwise kept him bed bound for weeks. That had gained her praise from the rest of the group that had gathered over time. Unfortunately, she'd gone against the better judgement of the group and taken things too far by attempting an assassination of her own. She failed. Twice. And the second time she was caught and imprisoned in Castle Ylisstol's dungeons for weeks until she was rescued. Had it not been for Owain's own knowledge of the castle, the hole in its wall, and knowing where the keys to the dungeon's cells were stored, he wouldn't have been able to rescue Lucina, leaving her at the mercy of the Pegasus Knights upon their return. "When I talked with Robin, he mentioned that some of the people that have joined the Shepherds are from a different point in time as well. We can assume that those allies are there because of him. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the actual Knights of Ostia. He mentioned the names Lyn, Legault, and Isadora, all of whom I've met personally during my time with the Shepherds."

"Those are all names relating back to the legend of Elibe," Owin cleared up. When he was but a child, his mother would read him all those stories and many more. They were her favorites, and so they became his favorites too, for who wouldn't want to be as strong and determined as Lord Hector, as honorable and heroic as Lord Eliwood, or as smart and cunning as the mythical Tactician? The boy would even reenact some of his favorite tales with his friend Cynthia and whoever else wanted to join them… But that was a lifetime ago; That was before Grima… Lucina looked pensive, but nodded at her cousin.

"So what?" Even with everything said, Severa didn't seem to care one bit. She bared her teeth, her jaw clenched hard as she gritted her teeth for a second. "Are you saying you don't want to kill Robin anymore?"

Lucina flinched at her words. Despite what she'd done, Owain knew that Severa was being too harsh. "That's—"

"You were the one that came up with that plan, Lucina. You were the one who told us to believe what that stranger said back then. And now you're saying that we shouldn't kill him, even after you tried it twice? What gives?"

"Taking the decision to attack Robin wasn't something I did lightly, Severa," the princess protested. When that person first appeared, everyone doubted their account of events. But as time passed and they had a chance to mull it over, they started to connect the dots in their mind, although most of it was based on their own speculation. It was as if the stranger had planted a seed of doubt in them and their own feelings made it sprout. Lucina took the initiative once more, thinking that dealing with Robin at the time would've secure a safe future for everyone in the long term. Even if Walhart would later on become a problem, they could deal with him. When the rest of the group found out about her plan, it was already too late. Lucina's actions were seen as a sign of lack of trust by all of those present. Had their bond not been strong, Owain was sure that some would leave, but in the end they all remained despite the doubt of whether Lucina's actions had been justified or not. Robin was a good man to all of them growing up. To think that he would betray everyone that held him dear and then transform into a monster that would destroy the world was unthinkable. "This timeline has already changed substantially from our own. Not only was the war with Plegia resolved much more swiftly, but my father was never injured and aunt Emmeryn yet lives. We should see that as a victory."

"Then… C-Can we let things go?" All heads turned to the fifth member of the group. It was always like that. Ever since the failed attempt on Robin's life, the silver-haired girl became more quiet and reserved. She shut them all out. Often, she would be lost in thought, though if someone called her out for it, she would deny it or brush it off like it was nothing else, at times going as far as apologizing for spacing out. Sometimes it would be worse, especially when she held on to her medallion like a lifeline. In those cases it was best to give the girl some room. "Things are different now… Maybe Robin won't—"

"Oh, please," said Severa, her voice still harsh. "The guy never married or had any family to speak of. It's not like anyone will miss him if he dies anyway. We should get it over with now while we still have a chance, like Lucy said. The longer we wait, the harder it will be."

Even Owain felt a knot in his stomach. It was true that Robin never married nor fathered a child like the rest of the members of the Shepherds. Even Tharja, who was said to be a loner amongst them, had Noire to count as her family. But he did always say that we were all his family...

"That may not be necessary," said Laurent. "To begin with, Robin being behind King Chrom's death in our timeline is hypothetical, based solely on what the Shepherds said at the time and what the stranger told us recently. We have yet to procure any evidence that would prove it to be factual.

"There is a high probability that things have already strayed from how they would turn out from our timeline long before we took an active role in the events. An example is that here, Robin was found together with Noire's mother near Southtown. In our timeline, Tharja did not join the Shepherds until King Chrom took action against Plegia for the assassination of the Exalt, during the siege of the Plegian capital. This leads me to believe that it is possible for events to unfold in such a way that it would be unnecessary to murder Robin at all.

"On our arrival, we believed that by saving Exalt Emmeryn during the events of her assassination attempt, we would secure a better future for our parents and the people of this world. And though it was a success because of Lucina's involvement, the Exalt still found herself in the hands of the enemy later on. However, that has also been resolved now without our," he looked over at Lucina for a short moment before turning back to Severa, "direct involvement. Hence, it is possible that the events that will unfold on this timeline will be vastly different from our own."

"What would you suggest we do then, Laurent?" the bluenette asked, sounding genuinely curious about it.

"I've said from the beginning that we should take the role of observers and let things unfold before deciding on the best course of action. Your involvement in recent events may have already changed things further, as we can't say for sure whether or not the Exalt would still live had the Shepherds not prolonged their stay in Regna Ferox."

Noire visibly relaxed, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips. It was good to see the girl come out of her gloomy state. Owain understood perfectly why she would be happy about it. From the start, it had been the two of them who'd been against the plan of killing Robin. Lucina and Severa were convinced that they should take action immediately based on what the stranger told them, while Laurent took a neutral stance, saying that they should wait and see before taking action. But with his change of heart, there was a majority vote for them not to act again based on impulse. If the majority of the group could agree on what they should do, then Lucina would have no choice but to listen to them and reel herself before doing anymore damage.

Suddenly, the sound of a crowd forming outside reminded them of what was happening outside. Lucina moved toward the window, taking a peek at the world beyond those walls. "We can decide on what to do later," she said. "It seems the welcome party is ready. I don't think we'll be able to discuss this so… openly after the army arrives. Once the army is through the gates and reached the castle, we can meet outside the city to prevent anyone from overhearing our conversation."

"With people busy with the festivities, it is likely that we will have more privacy outside the city walls than in this room," Laurent added. "I approve. I also suggest not moving as a group. Though it is unlikely that we would be recognized by anyone, the same cannot be said about our leader."

Lucina gave a weak nod as she looked away. "Agreed. I will sneak out through one of the other gates while everyone's distracted. The four of you can take a look at the parade, if you like. I will wait for all of you near the big rock to the north-west."

"Ah, the Cabal's Stone!" Owain said with excitement. It had been too long since they last used the rock as a meeting point. It would be nice to see how different its surroundings were from what he remembered. And so, the group split off, each heading in a different direction, that is, except for Owain and Noire. The archer had always been the nervous type. Being surrounded by a large crow would likely make her even more nervous. Owain decided it would be best to stay with her to keep her out of trouble and to make sure she reached the meeting point on time.

"Nervous?" he asked as he adjusted his cloak and made sure his hood covered his hair entirely, much like they'd taken to doing since they first arrived. Noire jolted in response, letting out a squeak and her hand pulling down on her hood just a bit more, which made her companion chuckle. "I know this isn't exactly how we thought we would be seeing our parents for the first time. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous myself, but only a bit! My parents aren't married yet, so it'll be fun to—" He had to stop himself from going further when he noticed Noire darken, despite her hood masking most of her face. The topic of parents had always been a sour one for the girl as far Owain could remember. With all the excitement of seeing his own parents, he'd forgotten that she never knew who her father was.

"...It will be nice to see Mother again," said the archer after some time had passed with nothing said between them. Despite it all, Noire had always been close to her mother, which was no surprise. They only had each other, after all. For a moment it seemed like she was going for her talisman, her hand lingering over the spot she carried it, but then her hand dropped to her side. "I-I just hope she doesn't see me. I don't think I would be able to hold myself back if she did…"

Owain hummed in agreement. The idea was tempting. Any one of them could let their emotions run lose if they weren't careful. "Worry not! For that's what I'm here for! I will stop you if you try to do anything out of line." He scratched his cheek, hoping not to sound too silly. "Ehm… Promise me you'll do the same for me? I don't know if… my sword hand will let me keep control over my own body once I see my parents."

"That I can do," she said with a soft smile, for which Owain was thankful.

Finding a spot to watch the approaching party was easy enough. The areas near the castle and the gate were the most crowded, which would've been great for blending in. However, they were also meant to observe the state of the Shepherds. Standing in the middle was best. There wouldn't be that many people around to block their view, but enough for them to not stand out too much. The boy's heart was thumping in his chest, something which he shared with Noire. He had to be at least as nervous as she was, though he would never admit it. He almost wanted them to get out of there. Seeing his parents would be nice, but at the same time, remind him of all he'd lost. Whatever he ultimately decided on—whether to stay or leave—it didn't matter, for already he could spot the Pegasus Knights proudly riding their steeds. Leading the procession was someone that he recognized only from descriptions told to him by his mother and uncle. A proud woman with a beauty mark on her cheek carried a standard bearing the sigil of the Halidom on it. The people around the two travelers cheered madly at seeing it, throwing petals in the air before the Knights even reached their location. Owain could swear he'd gone deaf for a few seconds from how loud the crowd was.

He held his breath as the figures behind the Pegasus Knights made themselves clear, the crowd going wild. Though he'd never known her personally, Lady Emmeryn was certainly what everyone ever described her as being. She radiated ease and elegance that had all the people smiling; peace personified, some would say. But, though the Exalt was important, who Owain really wanted to see was his mother. She looked so young! And even a bit uncomfortable as she walked with her siblings, waving at the crowd. The boy's face must have been showing all the emotions he was going through, because he felt Noire take his hand in hers and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Whether that had been her intention or she was trying to make sure he didn't run after his mother, he wouldn't know, but he appreciated it just the same. He clenched his jaw hard and tried his best not to shed a tear.

"She looks so young!" He exclaimed as he glanced at Noire. "She can't be that much older than we are now! She could even be Lucina's age!"

Behind the Exalted family walked the Khans of Ferox, Flavia and Basilio. The latter looked unimpressed or stoic, Owain couldn't figure out which one. In contrast, Khan Flavia seemed to be enjoying the moment to the fullest, going as far as slapping the man beside her on the back repeatedly as she laughed about something. Owain heard that despite the usual banter between the khans, the two of them were good friends. He'd only met them a handful of times while growing up, being too young to really be included in any of the political meetings that were held in Ylisstol. Seeing them now, he could see that it had to be true. Why would Basilio not do anything otherwise?

"Is that the sigil that Laurent was talking about?" Noire asked, pointing toward a banner carried by a man in orange armor and dull-green of hair. Owain analyzed the banner, hoping to catch a better glimpse at the people marching with it. His eyes widened in shock and excitement as he noticed who walked behind the banner. If there'd been any doubt before as to who the sigil belonged to, seeing the Great Lord himself walking arm in arm with a much shorter woman of hair as blue as his made it very clear. The man looked even bigger and more intimidating in person than what he always believed him to be.

"It really is Lord Hector!" He wasn't the only one to think such a thing, as there were already several others around them talking about the Knights of Ostia. "Oh, to think we would have this opportunity! I wonder if he still carries Armads with him!" Noire furrowed her brow at him. "Ah, sorry. Armads is one of the eight legendary weapons of Elibe, first carried by Durban the Berserker. Don't worry, for I will teach you everything there is to know about Elibe like my mother did to me. It's a family tradition that spans generations!"

"O-oh…" Noire didn't look all that convinced, but all the same she smiled. "Thanks…?"

His explanation would have to wait for a while. The Shepherds were already in view and Owain really wanted to see his father. If Mother looked that young, I wonder what Father is like, he thought. But as the group got closer and closer, instead of hearing people chanting out the names for all of those who fought for the Halidom, people were more malicious.

"Are those Plegians?" asked one of them.

"They are! What are they doing here?" asked another.

"Don't they know they lost the war?" asked a third.

"Prisoners of war, maybe?" guessed one more.

"Doesn't seem that way."

"The nerve of them! To walk amongst Prince Chrom's own forces!"

The displeasure seemed to take over the cheery atmosphere of the crowd. Noire tried to make herself look smaller, hiding closer to Owain as if not to be recognized as someone of Plegian descent. It all felt…wrong. Robin and Tharja both fought for a worthy cause, so why were people being so condescending? Could people not see that they were allies? Owain tried his best to remember what things were like before for Robin and Tharja, but try as he may, he couldn't think of too many times that he'd seen either of those two interact with people around Ylisstol outside the castle walls. Had things been like that back then as well? Was that why they spent most of their time there? It left Owain with a bad taste in his mouth. Pulling Noire along, he made his way towards one of the gates, forgetting to look for his father. He would get other chances for that later on. If he felt wrong from how things had turned out, he couldn't imagine what Noire was going through.

It took them longer than necessary due to having to navigate around so many people, but soon enough they reached the Cabal's Stone. The area itself wasn't that special. There were a few trees around that offered enough cover from any prying eyes, but not so much that it would be suspicious for people to be there, which was why they'd chosen the place when they were still children as the best place to play. It was also just far enough from any building that it gave them all the privacy they would need. The perfect hiding spot, as Owain liked to say. Lucina was already there, sitting on top of the stone lost in thought. It took Owain three times calling out her name before his cousin snapped back to reality, smiling and waving them over. "Isn't it a bit early for you two to be back?" she asked as she jumped down from the rock to stand level with them. "I wasn't expecting anyone to get here for another hour or two."

"We had to leave," Owain said, his anger leaking through his face. "Things weren't as great as we thought they would."

He noticed Lucina resting a hand on the pommel of her sword, wary of his words. As their leader, she was always in the look out for danger and thinking the worst of any situation. Her reaction was something to be expected. "What do you mean…?"

He looked back at Noire, who'd gone ahead and sat hugging her legs with her back resting on the stone. They would need to talk about it eventually, but he thought it would be best to spare her having to do it twice. Looking back at the princess, the swordsman shook his head. "Nothing too important, but worth noticing. It'll be best to wait for Laurent and Severa to come back and talk about it then, in case they'd noticed it too."

"Very well," she said, her hand relaxing, but not sounding all that convinced. "Then we will wait for everyone to show up and we can talk about any of the bigger details." Thankfully she didn't press the topic, offering a kind smile instead. "Why don't you tell me what you thought about your mother? I'm sure you were surprised by how different she looks."

The boy spent the next hour going on and on about not only his mother, but how different everyone looked. It was hard to think of the adults back then looking that young, many not showing signs of the scars they'd gained through the years that had become part of their appearance. Before anyone knew it, the two last members came to join them, turning the conversation more serious.

"I have a few subjects I would like to talk about. Feel free to add any observations of your own while I talk," said Laurent as he adjusted his glasses. The other four nodded in response before he continued. "First, I would like to confirm that the allies mentioned before are indeed the Knights of Ostia. The sigil matches the ones I've found on books regarding the Legends of Elibe."

"Supreme observations, my sharp-eyed friend!" Owain smirked, feeling like he'd caught something that even the smartest person in the group may have missed. "Not only that, but the First Great Lord himself has shown himself to be amongst them. It is not surprising to see him leading his troops, though. Most Marquesses would do so."

"So it's true then?" Lucina asked to no one in particular. "Somehow, important figures of Elibe have transported themselves here?"

Laurent nodded. "That appears to be the case, though I can't speak of how they would be able to do so nor their motives. As curious as I am, we can discuss that further another time. For now, I would like to move on to the next subject, which I found to be quite curious. While people celebrated the return of the Exalt, it seems that they didn't take too well the inclusion of Plegians amongst those walking with the Shepherds."

To everyone's surprise, it was Severa who seemed the angriest. "The nerve of some people! I seriously wanted to punch them!"

"I thought you would find the situation to be humorous given your standing."

Severa glared at the mage. "I have a reason to dislike Robin. We know what he'll do in the future. The people here don't. And Tharja is innocent! They have no right to complain about people that went out and fought a war against their own country for the better of Ylisse."

"Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be many who shared that opinion," Laurent said, his voice a little low. "Before reaching the castle, when the insults didn't seem to have any effect, rotten fruit and vegetables were thrown to both Robin and Tharja." Severa clicked the tongue, Lucina frowned, Noire gasped, and Owain clenched his fists. "This went on for a short time, only until the Exalt called for peace. The crowd did stop, but the damage was done. A small group of Pegasus Knights made up of Ylissean and what I suspect to be Ilian troops flew the both of them and a woman of long, green hair back to the castle. I assume the other woman to be Lyn, given the description Lucina previously provided us. I would also like to note that by the way she interacted with Robin and by the ring on her finger, it is likely that she married the tactician at some point between the army's departure from the capitol and their return."

"I wouldn't be surprised if those two did marry," Lucina commented. "Back in Regna Ferox, the two of them seemed to be rather close—closer than I've ever seen Robin being with anyone else outside of my father. She didn't leave his side until he woke up after I attacked him. And that was still the case even after he was awake."

"Given these new developments, I would like to hold a new vote as to whether or not Robin should be killed," the mage said. "Given that Severa's argument until now has been that Robin did not have any family, we should take his marriage to this woman to be a considerable factor to his and our future actions. I would also like to remind everyone that Exalt Emmeryn yet lives, which should show that this timeline has strayed heavily from our own."

"That sounds reasonable," said Noire, finally standing up and walking over to where the rest of them stood. When a vote was called, no one was supposed to question it or make excuses to delay it. It was one of their rules. Therefore, the five of them stood in a circle, ready to cast their vote and opinion on the matter. No matter the result, they would all need to stick with it, which was why having a majority vote was important. While Lucina's actions had gone against the decision they'd made before, she didn't go against the vote per se. Now, with Laurent's mind made, this would seal their decision once and for all…or at least until someone called for another vote at a later time.

Each one of the members extended a hand to the middle, each forming a fist. They exchanged look to make sure they were ready for it. "A thumb up means killing Robin," Lucina stated. "A thumb down means we sit back for the time being—"

Bloodlust! Owain though, and it was clear he wasn't the only one. Letting instinct take over, he jumped away from the circle just in time before an axe embedded itself into the ground. Luckily, the rest had the same idea of moving out of the way. Lucina, Owain, and Severa unsheathed their swords, Laurent took out his tome, and Noire nocked an arrow, ready to fire at the intruder.

"Tsk, you weren't suppose to move," said the figure, who pulled out the axe from the ground as he stood up with a grunt. It was another young man, which was surprising given the strength of the blow directed at them. He wore a blue chestplate, but not much else in terms of armor other than greaves and bracers of the same color. But having such a large weapon and even with only those pieces of armor, Owain was concerned that no one had noticed this person approach them before. "You're all pretty quick, I'll give you that."

Owain's fingers danced on the handle of his sword. A worthy opponent had shown himself! But to what effect? Lucina had spoken before of the Black Fang seemingly being after Robin, but giving the man a once over, he didn't seem like the assassin type. Someone from our own timeline? Owain gulped. It was a possibility he couldn't dismiss, given that Grima held an immense amount of power, enough to send a few agents of his own after Naga's champions.

"Who are you, Ser?" asked Lucina, who took a step forward, but held Falchion high in the air, ready to strike back should their enemy try to attack again. "What business do you have with us that you would go so far as to attack us?"

"You were talking about assassinating the tactician a moment before, weren't you?" The bluenette cocked an eyebrow as he adjusted the axe he'd been resting on his shoulder. "That's reason enough for me." Taking a leap forward, the man was ready to unleash another powerful attack on them. However, this time they were prepared for it, especially Lucina. She caught the blow with Falchion easily, but by the way she gritted her teeth, maintaining control over it was difficult.

Severa took the initiative, running to Lucina's aid. Pulling back her sword, she thrust it forward, aiming at the man's head. It seemed like it would connect, but mere inches away from the target, her sword was stopped by another.

"You need to learn to stop rushing in alone," a woman of hair as green as healthy grass said as she parried away Severa's attack before jumping back to a safe distance. Like the man, she wore little armor; a breastplate, greaves, and bracers, though hers were black with golden edges and red lines that ran across the black background. This mysterious woman sheathed her sword, but her stance and the fact she kept a hand on the hilt of said sword made it obvious she was ready for combat. Her scarlet eyes flicked to the man in blue for a moment. "And stop swinging so wildly! My father always said to be conscious of the battlefield as a whole."

The man used the sudden appearance of his ally as a distraction, kicking Lucina away and gaining some distance. He clicked his tongue as he calmly walked besides the greenette, clicking his tongue again. "Yeah, yeah. There was no one there that I didn't want to hit anyway."

"Surrender now, you fiends!" Owain took a step forward this time. The muscles on his sword hand clenched hard, making him frown. "I do not know who you are, but I will say this! Should you attack again, know that I hold immense power in my hand! I will not hesitate to use it if I have to."

"Hey, what's the funny one talking about?" The man asked his companion, leaning a bit her way, who responded by shrugging and pushing him away with her shoulder. It was always a good sign when enemies underestimated Owain. They couldn't understand what it was to hold true power like he did!

"I will only say this once! Lay down your weapons and surrender now. You are outnumbered two-to-five. The odds are in our favor."

"Make that four-to-five." Owain eyes narrowed as two other figures joined the enemies side. However, these two he recognized immediately. His eyes widened as he took in the features of the other two. The male figure wore a regal outfit of black and blue with a bellowing cape behind him. His red hair that flew with the breeze was kept in place with a bandana he'd wrapped around his forehead. The girl to his side wore a mage's outfit of red with a tan dress underneath and brown trousers, and a headdress kept her long, blue hair in place. There was no doubt as to who these those two were… "Though I don't like this situation, you've forced our hand, my lady."

"I will not let you harm my father again," said the greenette. "We were there too late to stop you the first time. Now we will stop you before you act!"

"Your father?" Lucina looked on in confusion, Falchion lowering a bit. "Just who are you people…?"

"If we are to duel," the redhead unsheathed his sword and stood ready to fight, "then I say introductions are in order. My name is Roy, son to Eliwood and Ninian, Lord of Pherae."

Owain felt his form faltered at hearing the name. Despite his young age, Roy was a fighter of legend. A fight against such an adversary would not be easy. It was equal parts exciting as it was terrifying. But despite that, he wasn't the only one that had experience in combat. Owain and his companions had been tested through the many battles they'd fought through the years. They would put up a good fight.

"I am Lilina, daughter to Hector and Farina, Lady of Ostia and leader of the Lycia Alliance," said the girl of blue hair, showing her tome to be ready at her side. Owain knew that Lilina had a sharp mind. It was best not to think of her as a weak link in an otherwise strong team composition, as she could easily outsmart most men, if the stories he'd read about her were anything to go by. "And this is my brother," she said, signaling towards the man in blue armor, "Uther, Commander of the Knights of Ostia."

"Brother?" Owain looked in confusion. "I thought Lord Hector and Lady Farina only had one child."

"I assure you," said Uther as he glared at Owain, "I am my parent's son."

Finally it came time for the last of the enemies to present herself, but it seemed she was in no rush. If looks could kill, the one she was giving Lucina would certainly have ended the battle instantly. Still, seeing as all the others had done it, she was left with no choice but to follow suit. "My name is Madelyn, daughter to Robin of Plegia and Lyndis of Sacae, chieftain of the Lorca tribe. I say to you all, surrender now and you will be shown mercy."

"Mercy for what? We haven't done anything," Severa protested.

"Aye, you haven't," Madelyn pointed towards Lucina, "but she has. Our business is with her."

"We won't abandon our leader," Owain declared. Taking a quick glance around, he could see that Severa, Laurent, and Noire all agreed with him. "If you want to fight one of us, then you will have to fight all of us!"

"You are an honorable man to not abandon your friend," said Roy. "I can respect that. However, the time for talk is over. Get ready!"

Fighting broke out in a blink of an eye. Lady Lilina was able to cast her spell much faster than Laurent while everyone else closed the distance. Her spell, a basic wind spell, hit Laurent with enough force to throw him to the ground, but not enough to knock him out of play. In response, Noire shot her arrow at the enemy mage, but this one didn't hit her mark, as Uther let the arrow hit his chestplate instead in defense of his sister. The arrow didn't do any noticeable damage, but it gave Severa the advantage over the axe wielder. Where Uther counted on raw strength, Severa had speed. For every couple of attacks he deflected, she was able to hit him once, sometimes hitting armor, others hitting flesh. Still, the advantage the girl had quickly disappeared as Uther went on the offensive. Noire had already lined up another shot at the man when another of Lady Lilina's wind spells hit her, throwing her against one of the trees. By then Laurent was up and ready to engage the other mage in combat.

Meanwhile, Owain was faced with Lord Roy while Lucina fought against Madelyn. Knowing it was best to focus on his own fight and trust his cousin's abilities as a fighter, Owain made sure not to get distracted by what the others were doing. They were all more than capable of handling themselves. Swords clashed over and over again, and he felt his nerves melt away with each sound of steel ringing in his ears. This type of combat was exciting. He'd fought against enough Risen to sharpen his skills, but what worked against the reanimated monsters didn't work against the living. Risen's movements were predictable, whereas Lord Roy's seemed to adapt over and over again depending on how Owain attacked. Still, Owain wouldn't let himself be pushed around like a nobody. He had noble blood in him and the power of his cursed hand to draw on. Holding his sword with both hands, he struck out with as much strength as he could muster, making Lord Roy's constant attack falter.

"Your technique speaks of your experience, Ser," said Lord Roy as the two held each other at a respectable distance, waiting for the other to attack. "You are much stronger than I would expect for someone so young. You have my respect."

Owain smiled despite himself. To be recognized by one of his idols was something out of a dream. However, the circumstances were less than ideal at the moment. He shook his head to clear his mind, narrowing his eyes at the redhead in front of him. "I will take that as a compliment! Though I think we both are close to each other's age, so the same could be said about yourself, Lord Roy."

"A shame then that we must fight each other," said Roy, showing a sincere sadness. "But I can't back down now knowing what's on the line—"

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!" Owain and Roy both turned to look at Noire, who'd stood up and looked like pure fury had taken over her. Or more specifically, she'd allowed her amulet to take control, allowing her fearsome self to appear. Had they not been in combat, it would've been bad. "You insolent mortal! I will not allow you to harm my friends!"

The archer nocked and shot arrows faster than ever before, switching targets between all enemies. Lord Roy, Lady Lilina, and Uther were all forced to create some distance in order to defend themselves against the barrage of arrows, but Madelyn opted to stay forward, barely avoiding the ones coming her way. As a result, she received a few wounds, but the arrows only grazed her skin. When Lady Lilina threw another spell to Noire, the archer jumped out of the way, forced to retreat further and stopping her attack in the process. That's when the nomad took her opportunity for a swift attack on a visibly exhausted Lucina. In a blink of an eye, the greenette simply vanished from view entirely, reappearing behind Lucina, who tried to turn to defend herself from the attack, but was too slow. Thankfully, the attack didn't connect as it should've. Laurent and Noire, seeing the situation, had sent a lightning bolt and a arrow respectively towards Madelyn, forcing her to change her trajectory slightly. However, Lucina receive a cut to her side.

"Lucy!" Forgetting about his own battle, Owain ran to his cousin, wrapping an arm around her to keep her from falling to her knees as she gasped for air. He pressed his hand on her injury, blood seeping through his fingers. This was bad. Though most of them had received injuries during the fight, they were nothing too serious. Lucina was already breathing heavily. There was no way Owain was letting any more of his family to die. Looking at the others, it seemed that all of them were thinking the same thing. They didn't have a healer with them, meaning that they would need to get her to safety and treat her themselves. "Everyone, we need to leave!"

"Wait, Owain," Lucina tried to protest through gasps, but she went ignored. Severa was already there, wrapping another arm around the princess to drag her by force if they needed to.

"No buts! We are getting you to safety. Now." Without sparing another look at Roy and the others, the three of them ran away from the area as fast as they could, Laurent and Noire covering their retreat.

"Shouldn't we follow them?" Uther asked as he watched the group disappear into the distance.

"This should be enough for now," said Lilina before letting out a long sigh and showing just how exhausted she was. In truth, it was good that the battle had ended. Though most of them didn't show it, she knew that every single one of them had felt the strain of battle as well. "We've made it clear that we won't tolerate their actions anymore. I would rather avoid more bloodshed if possible."

"Then we should return and look after our wounds," Roy said, sheathing his sword. "The others will want to know about this. We weren't supposed to act until we got a new report."

"You heard what they said, Roy," Uther growled. "They were planning another attack on Robin!"

"That's true," Roy looked over to Madelyn, who was still staring with a frown at the directions the enemies had fled. This battle had been more personal to the nomad than anyone else, which was why she'd gone all out from the start. It was ironic that she'd been the one that reminded Uther about her father's teachings when she was the one that seem to forget them in her own fight. He walked over to the greenette, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It can't be helped at this point. Let's head back and think about what our next move should be, Mady. Your parents will be fine for the time being."

The nomad swiped her sword in the air, cleaning the blade from any blood that stained it before sheathing it. Still looking into the distance, she asked to no one in particular, "but how long will that last?"


AN: You know, one of the things I was really happy about was that a few of you asked on the reviews, and probably more were wondering, what would be of Lucina? Well, I guess you have your answer now. I know that having her escape could be seen as an "easy out". That being said, I always found it frustrating that none of the other future children characters roles of significance in the overall story. Besides, wouldn't you think that Owain of all people would go to his cousin's rescue?

You may have also noticed that I was careful not to mention any specific pairings for the future children. I didn't even want to talk about hair color, seeing as they're meant to get that from the other parent. Does Lucina have a brother or sister? Who knows... Noire was the exception, but that's because her story in particular is something I have already planned out in my mind.

Then we have Binding Blade characters making an appearance as well as two OCs. You'll be seeing more about that probably in the next chapter or two, depending on which idea I decide to go with. For Lilina's appearance, I went with her original character design. Roy's is based on his recent redesign (you should Google it.) Madelyn is based on Lyn's drawn in Fates style (again, google Fire Emblem Fates Lyn and it's the first result.) As for Uther, I imagine him being a younger version of Hector with much less armor. A shame that Hector never got the same treatment as so many other Lords did.

Special thanks to SirGregSloth for Beta-ing!

Reviews:

Whatstoknow —Happy coincidences are the best, aren't they? You are dying from heat and at the time I was dying from the cold. Weather is pretty crazy here. I go to sleep when it's 24C and wake up to it being 5C. Or you get a coat out because the morning is cold and then by noon it's 28C or something. I haven't gotten so many colds in years... Thanks, Obama.

Greyjedi449t —Can't blame you. Most people are, hehe. I glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy this one as well, even if there isn't fluff.

Yellowclover —Interesting insight on Isadora's situation/reaction. To be sure, there are many ways she could've reacted to it. One would even think that entering a relationship with Legault would've been the best way to avoid conflict in the future, but Isadora is a woman of duty, meaning that she would put what's best for Pherae and her house before her personal feelings. As for the sword, you are correct with the guard being representative of a rapier. I watched a video about the history of swords in Europe and saw that show up before the rapier was more commonly used. You are also correct in the type of sword. I did at first type broad sword, but can't remember why I changed it. I think I'll go back and make it into a shortsword because it does make more sense, seeing as he is meant to use the sword more when the targets are too close. Thanks for pointing it out!

SunderingSlime587 —It's mostly thought that Sue is Lyn's daughter because she is the only woman Rath can end up with. I personally don't put any weight to it, seeing as Rekka No Ken came after Binding Blade. So, no, Lyn won't be Sue's mother. I'll likely go with an unnamed character as Sue's mother or maybe another Rekka No Ken character. As for Zephiel, I've thought about it often and have a few ideas in mind on how he could get involved, but that mostly depends on whether or not I want to make a sequel to the story that would focus on the events of Binding Blade. For now, it's a big maybe.

DefconDeceiver —I did have to dial down Tharja's, should we say, possessiveness over Robin. I think it fits better with the overall theme of the story here. For the weapons, it's almost certainly that those will be the same ones they use through the rest of the story. Though they aren't named, the significance of them will make it hard to replace in the future. As for Aversa, that is an interesting thought. I do have one idea already in mind to bring her into the fold much earlier than in the game, though I won't say much else other than she'll be showing up again at the start of the Valm arc.

Matrix of Evolution —(Ch3) I think Virion is one of the most under appreciated characters in the game. It's a fun character to write about, who I still have to find a place within this story so that I can play around some more with.

The Wild One —That sounds familiar, but I can't say I've heard about it before. It could work, maybe. I'll keep it in mind and see if it works well with what I've planned. Thanks for telling me about it!

allen Vth —You don't know how happy I was when I read your review because I was already going with this idea of showing what happened with Lucina. That being said, don't be discouraged by her running away. She'll likely show up again as soon as next chapter, actually. Just because she escaped the dungeon doesn't mean that the whole memory-wipe thing will go unresolved, especially when it's essential to the beginning of this arc.

JP I'm Italian —Hey, they were celebrating! Can't judge them for drinking a bit more, right? Especially with Flavia there! If someone refused to drink, I imagine she would be there to force them to drink. To answer your question regarding the one-shot and "losing their virginity", I would like to clear something up. Lyn didn't lose her virginity from riding a horse. It is common knowledge that the hymen can be broken from horse ridding and other non-sexual activities. The reason I even made mention of it is because in the Elibe, which I'm basing more on medieval traditions, a woman who loses her hymen may seem impure or be judged as a non-virgin. That's why in a lot of medieval shows, books, and movies, you won't see noble maidens riding a horse. As for Robin's eyes, it's a nice catch, but don't put too much weight into that basket just yet. There are a few other characters other than Nils and Ninian in Rekka No Ken and Binding Blade that have red eyes, but have no link to dragons. Raven, Alan, and Miledy come to mind, for instance. Then again, this could be me just trying to put you off my trail!

Anon Guest —That would be a Delta, wouldn't it? Could you imagine how long a chapter would take if I had to go all the way down to an Omega? XD The errors were my fault. After Greg checked it out, I wasn't too satisfied with the ending feeling rushed, so I went in and changed the last 300 words into a 3 pages and then published it as it was. I appreciate you letting me know of those mistakes. I'll be sure to go back and looking for them! Also, regarding their oldest child, you are correct in saying that they would have that blood. And even if the future Madelyn only made a reference to the Lorca, that doesn't mean that her name wouldn't carry weight in Caelin. Just to clear things up about that, I'll say that there are three different timelines at play here as of now. The Madelyn from the present timeline could very well end up being Lady of Caelin instead. Or maybe Morgan or Marc will take over Caelin. Or maybe Kent will keep it. Who knows, right?~