A/N:

JP I'm Italian: I just meant you pointed that out right before the nightmare. No, Varric is not gonna go full Spartan. Varric is way too cautious for that kind of approach to battle. As for the comparison to Michael, DAMMIT I was trying to avoid parallels, didn't even realize yeah they both had a nightmare at this point...though, the reasons were completely different. Michael was cursed to see visions, while Varric was simply guilt ridden about how he knew about the Caelin attack but wasn't telling the group to act on it because "protect the timeline," a notion mentioned in this chapter actually. As for the fear factor, personally I think my "nightmares" are pretty rubbish, at least compared to other stories I've read (Fire Emblem or otherwise). And it's warming to know someone else finds Rebecca and Varric's relation adorable.

As dawn broke, within castle Laus Rebecca slowly opened her eyes.

"…hmmm …hm?" Immediately she realized she was in a bed, on her side. She sat up and noticed who was in the spot where SHE had fallen asleep.

Varric jolted awake as he was grabbed around the neck and shoulder, Rebecca clinging to him, quietly sobbing.

"You… you…!" She murmured through breaths, before Varric put an arm around her.

"It's okay. I'm fine now, I promise…" Varric reassured. "I'm sorry you had to see that." In response Rebecca simply clung tighter.

As the two sat there, Dorcas smiled as he leaned against the other side of the wall. "They're good kids…"

As everyone sat themselves in the main hall, Varric waited, seated at the head of the lengthwise table in the center.

Eliwood walked up to Varric, clearly nervous. "Er...Varric, could we perhaps talk one on one? There are things I want to-"

Varric held a hand up. "I know, Eli. Don't worry, I'll Address it all in a moment."

Eliwood blinked in surprise. "I-I see."

When everyone had seated, several stood off the Varric's side. A couple minds quickly pieced together that the group was entirely made up of people from the Caelin incident. Meanwhile, Marcus finished filling in the three heavyweight sleepers: Lowen, Bartre, and to everyone's surprise, Priscilla.

Varric stood. "There's something we need to discuss...or rather, I need to explain, before we continue on this journey."

The tactician took a deep breath. "You can do this, you did it before, you can do it again…"

"….."

The silence had an echo all its own as the tension in the room increased in direct proportion to the quiet for what seemed like forever.

"...Oy, get it out." Hector finally ordered.

Varric clenched his fists and closed his eyes. "Put simply: I'm not just not from Elibe; I'm not from this world."

For a moment one could hear a pin drop.

"What in blazes-" Marcus let slip.

"I've also seen this entire journey play out a dozen times over from my world. In my world, the events that transpire in this world are a fictitious story."

Eliwood and Hector just stared at Varric, along with others.

Rebecca seemed the most shaken. "V-Varric…? What are you… you can't be…"

Varric felt himself fill with dread, but was quickly grateful as Matthew put a hand on Rebecca's shoulder. "Let him speak, Rebec, okay? As crazy as it sounds, a lot of things make sense once you realize it."

Varric nodded in thanks. "A year ago, at the very start of the Caelin dispute, I was brought from my world into this one. In the version of the story told in my world, there was always a rarely shown but always present being: The Tactician. I awoke finding myself fulfilling that very role."

Hector frowned. "...so you're not a tactician yourself."

Marcus looked to the blue haired lord. "Sir Hector, you don't really-" he began before being shushed.

Varric closed his eyes in thought before responding. "...by my world's standards, no I am not. But by this world's, I can assure you I qualify. I never would've made it this far in the story if I weren't." His gaze steeled. "Truth be told, I wasn't much of anything before arriving here. It's here, however, I can help people."

Hector didn't waver. "So all your… mannerisms…"

Varric nodded. "Mannerisms, music, all of it is because i'm not from this world."

Oswin spoke up to the surprise of several. "I've picked up by now that you have an education in many areas. One could even fathom you're better educated than most lords. If you're from a world similar but separate to this one, much adds up."

Eliwood simply stared wide-eyed. "What he was singing about… then it was… And he's like a different person with that look. If he's telling the truth, what has he seen of our future?"

Hector sighed. "And lastly, the reason you knew Ostia's spies was because you've heard stories in your world. I buy it." He turned and nudged Eliwood. "Hey, get it together."

Eliwood shook himself. "Y-yes."

Suddenly Guy spoke up. "You're Kākolūkīyam."

"I'm...I'm a what?" Varric replied. Likewise, the whole room looked at Guy as if he spoke complete gibberish.

"Kākolūkīyam." Guy repeated. "The closest translation i guess would be a 'World Walker'" the sacaen explained before elaborating. "The nomads have stories about people who come from the heavens, from beyond the stars, called by gods to lead us in times of need. Literally those who walk between worlds."

Varric blinked. "Y-Yes, that sums it up pretty well."

Eliwood turned back to Varric. "So you were called by a god?"

The tactician nodded. "The being correlates to the being described in the stories of my world as the Divine Dragon, Naga. From what I've seen, she seems to be far more than simply what she was described as in my world, though."

"The being he was talking to last night…" Eliwood thought, looking to Hector and who clearly was thinking the same.

There was a thud, and the group turned around to see Lowen out cold. Marcus simply sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

As the group collected themselves, Eliwood and Hector were pulled aside by Erk and Matthew respectively.

"We know what you're gonna try to do…" Matthew began.

"Don't." Erk finished bluntly.

Hector shrugged innocently. "Don't what?"

Erk scoffed. "You, Lord Hector, are a new low in acting."

Matthew pulled the Lord before Erk started something ugly. "M'lord, I know it's tempting but if there's anything I learned during the Caelin incident with Varric it's that asking about the future will only cause him suffering…" Matthew went entirely quiet, drifting back to when he, Leila, and Varric sat around a table. "...The look in his eyes when he told us of what's to come…"

"OY!" Hector jolted, shaking the spy out of his drifting. "Look I…"

After a moment Hector simply sighed. "...alright. Fine. But I still have questions."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall...

Eliwood exhaled, utterly exasperated. "If he knows how things end, why would I not simply ask where my father is?!"

Erk remained stoic. "Because-"

Noticeable to everyone was Eliwood slowly but surely becoming truly angry. "My father is out there somewhere, probably in danger! At Santaruz we were told about Darin's involvement, who knows-?!"

"Be quiet." Erk ordered, causing several to raise an eyebrow, and Marcus to nearly charge in. Eliwood grit his teeth. "Compose yourself, Lord Eliwood." Erk continued. "...you just said so yourself: Darin, a man who has been rallying an army, is involved in this. And based on what I heard the fortune teller told you, you also know there is a third unknown party involved in all this."

Eliwood slowly leveled himself, and nodded. "...Yes. All of that is correct."

Erk sat down, calm as ever. "Then perhaps you might concur that there is far more to this than simply finding your father, such as stopping Darin."

Varric smiled, relieved at how Erk was handling what he had dreaded.

"If you knew the whereabouts of your father, you would be constantly distracted and the path you would take would be completely different than what Varric has seen from his other world perspective." the mage went on, having more than just Eliwood's attention at this point and well aware of that fact. "If we take a different path than what Varric has seen, Varric loses his ability to reliably guide us through and trials we must face."

Eliwood reluctantly nodded. "I… I understand. You're right, Erk...as frustrating as it may be."

Erk smiled. "Thank you for understanding. Believe me, most anyone would want to know what's in store for us. If any of us ask too many questions and venture beyond the immediate future, however, we risk losing everything should we receive answers. Varric only knows the story told in one baseline manner; as he's stated minor details are in flux but the frame is always identical. If we alter that framework, we are likely to only secure our own demise."

Varric noticed an archer with a voided gaze, and hesitantly walked over.

"R-Rebecca? Are you okay?" he asked before lightly shaking her shoulder.

Rebecca fumbled over her words. "That… This moment- I mean, this whole time you've time- you've been able to see…" she looked at Varric wide-eyed. "...How much do you know?"

"...A lot."

"T-too much?"

Varric's felt like he'd been gut punched, went wide eyed for a momentm, and took several seconds to regain composure before responding with a slight quiver in his voice. "Yeah… Yeah, too much-"

In a flash he was being hugged by a short green haired girl, barely sobbing. "I can't even imagine…" she whispered. "What that's like... The thought of it scares me…" the rest of the room had gone dead quiet as the sound of small sobs echoed.

Varric looked down at the archer for a moment before putting a hand on her head and arm around her.

After the group regathered themselves, Eliwood spoke up. "Varric, can I still ask what last night-"

"Yes." Varric cut off, before taking a deep breath. "Caelin is Darin's next target."

The entire room went dead quiet.

"Wh-what?" Serra squeaked.

"WHAT?!" Matthew and Erk yelled simultaneously.

Eliwood stood up. "We're leaving."

Varric shook his head. "You were right, we need rest-"

"TO HELL WITH REST!" Hector thundered as he slammed his fist on the table, causing Varric to nearly fall over. He looked Varric dead in the eye. "There are people you care about there, aren't there?!"

Varric reflexively nodded, and immediately he was grabbed by the lapels.

"THEN YOU NEED TO HELP THEM!"

Eliwood pried the blue lord off before looking Varric dead in the eyes "Varric, there are people very close to you in Caelin, right?"

"Y-Yes...yes, people I would give my life for." Varric responded, before quickly protesting: "But I can't risk yours-"

Eliwood put his hands on Varric's shoulders. " I know your situation, I know what you're trying to say, and I know the pain. But if things are going to only get more drastic, then you need to realize now there are times when you need to change things, and times you need to ask us for help." He looked to Erk. "I'm sure even you can agree."

Erk nodded. "Varric, you can't do everything alone, amd even then we'd RATHER know our comrades are in trouble than have it sprung on us when they're already under siege."

"I know what I said about resting…" Eliwood continued. "But we can always rest afterwards if it's truly needed." He turned to the group. "What say everyone?"

At once, from every single member, there was a resounding call: "AYE!"

Varric stared at the group, before wiping his eyes and slowly smiling. "...Thank you."

A/N: Isn't friendship beautiful? Too bad we can't end on a happy note. I'll just be transparent: Every single time I've tried to write Noble Lady of Caelin I get complete writer's block. Thanks to a previous conversation I had over a review I have a complete roadmap for the chapter but everytime I try to start writing it I can't for the life of me even figure out where to begin. I plan to just write scenes as they come to mind regardless of order when i feel inspired but this means it'll probably be a long time before next chapter is up. Worst case scenario there's an impromptu hiatus.

Kākolūkīyam is a reference to the Prince of Persia trilogy (aka the good PoP games) where a localized version of the word is used as the name of a supposed special being who appears if you call out for it, a secret known only by the female lead. The Prince, who travels through time and space, ends up fulfilling this role. But even more fitting in my opinion is the actual fable the name is from, a Hindu moral teaching with the moral being "be careful what you say, lest you create trouble that could've been avoided" which i think is pretty fitting when Varric has to be careful how much he reveals about both himself and the future.

Unrelated, but I'm actually going to be writing about writing this very story for my writing assignment in my Writing Tutoring college writing course where our writing assignment is writing a very special writing moment in our writing career- Gunshot. ...fine fine, I'll stop. But really, it's about Sponsorship Literacy and we're supposed to discuss and write about the most important moment of our lives when it comes to writing; for example, a moment where we had the epiphany that we were inspired to write. For me there's literally only one moment I can think of for the topic, and that's the night I started writing this story. Long story short, this story started out as a coping mechanism for a crippling loneliness and sense of lacking companionship. Quite literally a "hugging your pillow to your chest and crying" situation. Pathetic I know. …..actually if enough people care I could write a sort of "inspiration for this story" interval, just a long A/N talking about how I got here. Up to you guys. Ta-ta for now.