Chapter 22) Kinship's Bond

So, we travel west to meet Uther, lord of Ostia. All that I've heard from him suggests he is an intelligent leader, and one of the powerhouses of Lycia. He is both brother and 'father' to Hector, and it's obvious that despite his embarrassment, Hector is looking forward to seeing him again. But it isn't a short journey. We traveled through at least two territories, maybe three if we include Caelin, to reach the meeting place requested: a fortress separating Thria and Ostia. And there, we are to wait. With some luck, we'll finally have some rest.

…Yeah, right. Since when did we have luck?

"Katri!" I turned at my name and smiled at Hector and Lyn as they approached. "Why the hell are you all the way up here?" Hector immediately complained. He leaned over slightly, hands on knees, and hung his head as he caught his breath. "Hells, I'm tired."

"For someone who relies so much on strength, you really don't have stamina," Lyn teased. Unlike Hector, she looked as fresh as a daisy. "Oh, wow, what a beautiful view."

"Say that again after you hike up this damn tower while wearing armor, not your…" Hector trailed off, glancing away as he straightened abruptly. "Lyn, is your dress's slit supposed to go up that high?"

"…Why are you looking?"

"You're going to have to give me a bit of a break. Your legs were right in my view."

"Well, to answer your question, the dress is a bit small now, so it's probably a bit higher than it 'should' be."

"Why is it a bit small?" Hector glanced at Lyn, tilting his head. "Did you get taller or something?"

"Just a bit. I think it's the last point of my growth spurt. Mother told me she didn't reach her full height until sixteen either." Lyn sighed. "I should just change clothes, but I don't have the materials to make a new one. And I hate Lycian dresses. They're so confining."

"You sew?"

"Yes?" Lyn's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Um… well, in Lycia, typically…" Hector sighed, shaking his head. "Nope, not going to explain. I'm going to put my foot in my mouth. Again."

"Are you saying it's too feminine for me or something?"

"Not exactly…"

"I think he's simply surprised you had the time to learn considering how demanding swordsmanship is," I finally said, deciding to rescue Hector. For once. Both of them jumped and whirled to face me. "Oh, wow, you two come to bother me while I'm getting some fresh air, and then forget I'm here. I feel so loved."

"Sorry, got distracted," Hector mumbled, slumping slightly. I bit back the easy retort. "Anyway, what are you up here?" Oh, right, he had asked that.

"It gives me a good view of the courtyard, so I can generate strategies." I gestured down so they could see. "Yes, I'm planning. I'd rather have the strategies and not use them."

"I think I'd rather you sleep for once." I slept last night! …For an hour… "Anyway, point of me asking Lyn for help to find you because she was the only one with any idea…" I gave Lyn a curious look, and she simply tapped the side of her eye. Ah, she must've gone into the courtyard and saw me. "Matthew got a message." Ah. "My brother is on the move, traveling with Amanda." So, I would get to meet them both.

"Just one other person?" Lyn asked, humming a little in thought. "Oh, but didn't you say there were foreign spies? Will everything be okay?"

"Yeah, he's skilled at this sort of thing. No need to worry."

"Huh. Must run in the family."

"…And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" Lyn laughed. "I'm looking forward to meeting him." Hector scowled. Lyn laughed again. "Anyway, I'm going back to what I was doing. Florina and Fiora wanted some help tending to their pegasi." Right, with us taking a 'break' for once, now was a good time to check on all the mounts. "See you later!"

I waved as Lyn raced off and returned my attention to the landscape, noting anything and everything that could be helpful. It took me a moment to realize, though, that Hector didn't leave, but stayed right where he was. Staring at me. Um…

"Is something wrong?" I asked him, glancing over. "I know I'm pretty and all, but it's not polite to stare."

"Huh?" Hector blinked slowly before shaking his head. "That's not… okay, give me a second to not put my foot in my mouth," he requested. I smiled. Well, well, he was learning tact! Yay. "I heard Lucius worrying over how thin you were, and no offense, but it's really obvious you've lost some weight." I should really tailor in my clothes. I wasn't the best with needle and thread, but I could probably figure out how to do that. I hoped. "I'm not going to keep asking you about your health. You told me you went to Serra, and that if something gets worse, you'll go to her again. I trust you to do that." I nodded, waiting for him to get to his point. "But, you've missed a lot of meals."

I hadn't been hungry. I made sure to eat, of course, but smaller things. "I eat some during the day. It's been easier on my stomach." I made sure to smile when I saw how worried he was. "Relax. Serra hasn't hit me over the head with her staff yet."

"True, and she's the type to do it." He sighed. "Well, mostly. Her abrasiveness has returned, but I feel like she's a lot less confident than she used to be." Well, considering everything… "I think a lot of us are like that now." There we go.

"We all resolved to move forward. But any reason you're the one fretting over me?"

"Eliwood and Lyn keep hesitating, while I am the delightfully blunt one." Ha! "But all right. If things are still all right, I won't push." Good. "Been a while since I've been to this fortress." He looked out over the landscape too. "I'm surprised it's in as good of shape as it is."

"There a reason Uther picked here to meet?"

"Safest place to meet him. Thria is Orun's territory. Even if someone catches us, they won't find anything suspicious." That was good. Not sure I could remember if I was told why that was, but it was good, and I wouldn't question.

"He going to bring you and Eliwood spare capes?" The question was… mostly teasing. It looked strange, to see them without it.

"He might not, but Amanda? I'm sure she's got ten ready to throw at us."

"Well, they are useful." I couldn't help but think of what happened, though. "I really hope they're not used for bodies again."

"To be fair, Eliwood's just got lost when Ninian was captured." True. "You need a cloak. Yours is still around Leila." I hadn't bothered to retrieve it when we sent the bodies off for burial. "And I've another question." Yes? "What happened to your tactician broach?" …Oh.

"I remember throwing it to the side to wrap my cloak around Leila. So, it must be near there." Movement caught my eye and I looked down to see a rider approach, a woman with long blue hair and silver armor. "Who is that?"

"That's Isadora, head of Lady Eleanora's bodyguards." …I swear by all that's holy, if something happened to Eliwood's mother, I was going to scream. "I hope she's all right. It can't have been easy, getting that message about…" Yeah…

"I'm going to go check."

"Have fun." With barely a wave of goodbye, I was running down the steps, taking them two or three at a time, ignoring the pain in my leg as I raced towards the front gates.

When I got there, I saw Eliwood and Marcus already speaking to the knight. I saw no signs of distress, which made me a bit hopeful, but… "So, anything I need to know about?" I asked dryly, mostly to announce my presence. The female knight smiled and bowed to me as Eliwood and Marcus turned to face me. "Please tell me your mother is all right, Eliwood."

"Well, I think I'm worrying her out of her mind," Eliwood sighed. But he was smiling slightly. "She sent Isadora to give me a message, and her sword." So, her name was Isadora. "I'm sorry to give you more work, Katri."

"Marcus, you and Isadora give me details on what Isadora's specialties are." I had… another… mounted unit. Given that she was head of bodyguards, I would assume she was a 'paladin', like Marcus, but still. That was five. I was going to push each of them to a weapon specialization, if only to keep up some variety. It was dangerous to have so many units who fought similarly. What if we fought a bunch of people with cavalry killing weapons? "Oh, and we've a very… eclectic group." Was that even the right word? "So, take your time to greet everyone and-"

"Nils?!" At the sound, I was instantly running, before I quite processed that it was Ninian screaming. "Nils!" I stumbled into a back room, and paled when I realized Nils had apparently collapsed, Ninian hovering over him. What in all the hells happened?1 "Nils, please, open your eyes!"

"Nils!" And there was Lyn, coming in behind me, likely from the stables. The two of us immediately ran to Ninian and Nils. She took charge of Ninian. I crouched over Nils, checking that he was still breathing. He was, but it was ragged. "Easy, easy, Ninian. Calm down."

"Is he all right?!" And there were Eliwood and Hector, sliding into the room. Hector must've followed me down from the tower, just slower. There was no way he could've heard Ninian from all the way up there, right? "Did he faint?" Hector asked, kneeling next to me. I nodded to confirm Nils was unconscious, and grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. Rapid, but steady. I was far more worried of how cold he felt. "Okay, let's get him to a back room and call for Serra and Priscilla." Yes, let-

"You mustn't move him!" And I could only stare at Ninian as she reached out to clutch my wrist. "I… I'm sorry…" she whispered. She kept her head down, but she also didn't let go of me. "I… um…"

"…Has this happened before?" Eliwood asked calmly. She nodded. "All right. Let's listen to her. She knows his health best." I suppose…

"If it's going to make him feel better, then fine," Hector sighed. He looked dubious, but nodded. "No one will move him. I'll let the others know." I was still really concerned.

"Let's get him some pillows and blankets," Lyn suggested. She stood, glancing at Nils worriedly. "That can't be comfortable."

"Here, I'll help you. Eliwood, you coming?"

"I think I'll walk with Ninian a bit to help her calm down," Eliwood gently refused. He offered Ninian his hand and, hesitantly, she took it, finally letting go of me. "Katri?"

"I'm going to sit here in case something changes," I replied. The others nodded, but I saw Ninian looked hesitant. "Just wanting to confirm one thing." I looked right at Ninian. "He feels cold, colder than normal. Is that usual for whatever is going on?" Ninian nodded and I sighed. "Okay. So long as it is 'normal' for this, I won't make a fuss. But I am responsible for your health."

"Thank you…" she whispered. She ducked her head shyly. "I'm sorry for all the trouble."

"What trouble?" Hector immediately retorted. "Anyway, blankets and pillows." And they were gone. So were Eliwood and Ninian. I hovered over Nils, frowning when I saw how much pain he was in. What happened? What caused this?"

"We're under attack!" What. "At the east gate!" You have got to be kidding me. "The enemy is already inside!" And I had a sick, unconscious boy who couldn't be moved in a back room easily accessible from the courtyard by the east gate.

Oh, this was going to be fun. Not.

Eubans. Eubans was the one attacking. Did no one tell him Marquess Laus was freaking dead already? This had to be the most pointless battle we had! Well, I mean; I'm sure it made sense to him. I hoped it made sense to him. But it sure as hell didn't to me!

"We have all the defenders situated," Oswin explained. We were just going to outlast them. If 'outlasting' meant that we killed all of them, so be it, but I was focused on limiting the number of them that got, and stayed, inside. Isadora would be guarding the door to Nils, helped by Dorcas. Marcus would be on his usual Merlinus-guarding duties, helped by Erk, since Erk still wasn't quite recovered. Everyone else was either defending or on 'strike' duty. "We have some of the fortress's guards to assist us." Yeah, but they had already made it clear they weren't going to listen to a tactician they didn't know. I just had to hope they didn't screw up and get one of mine killed. "And there are some mercenaries hired by Lord Orun who are not too far away." Seriously? "One of them is supposed to be very skilled with a bow. I'm sure they'll be helpful when they arrive."

Oh, yes, let's throw more people at me to strategize. It was so easy why being a tactician was rarely a one person job. But I couldn't complain. I was the only tactician here! "Just let me know when they arrive." Hopefully, they'd be slightly more willing to listen to me than the guards here.

"Of course." And Oswin was off, reinforcing the front line of defenders with Lowen. Since the courtyard at the east gate had three 'entrances', I had Hector heading up another point, with Eliwood, Lyn, and Ninian heading up the third. It wasn't the best of decisions, but it was the best in this sort of situation. But wow, I had way too many names to keep track of. I should just divide everyone into groups and send them out based on those groups. There was no way this was going to work otherwise.

Screaming reminded me that I was in the middle of a battle, so I dragged myself out of my thoughts, focusing on keeping track of as much as I could see. Matthew and Legault were tearing after the enemies own thieves, to prevent Eubans from making off with whatever treasury was being stored here. Lucius and Canas were dealing with the magic users in the group, as Eubans conveniently only had shamans and 'mages' in his group, no monks. Kent and Sain were cutting off Eubans's cavalry. Guy was dealing with the axe users, Rebecca was covering Lowen and Oswin, Wil was covering Raven as he assisted Hector and guarded Lucius. Bartre and Dart were spearheading the front's strike team for Florina and Fiora to pick off the disoriented. Serra and Priscilla were running around like headless hens healing everyone, including the guards here because apparently no one had taught them that heavy armor did shit against magic and kept running headfirst into magic barrages… oh, my head hurt. Already. And we had barely started the defense.

A wyvern's cry caught my ear, and I instantly looked to the skies, formulating strategies for how to shoot it down. But… it wasn't in the skies. I slowly looked around, wondering if I had hallucinated it. That would be embarrassing. But, thankfully, that wasn't the case. The wyvern had simply already landed, with little intentions of lifting off as its green-haired rider talked to Hector about something.

I knew that wyvern rider. And if he was talking to Hector… "Hey!" I yelled, waving to catch their attention. "Up in the air! I need someone to keep those archers off Florina and Fiora!" Heath smiled, nodded, and was off without a single complaint. Hector gave me the most baffled look. "We met before. I took a guess. Get moving. I seriously need you to make sure no one gets through that gate." Hector nodded, and disappeared, and I sighed in relief when I saw Heath effortlessly take out an archer aiming for Florina. Yes, good. Very good. Now I just had to adapt the strategy, hold out a little longer, and…

I heard Lyn laugh at something. A bright and warm laugh, out of place for the chaos. I turned towards the sound, noticing she was talking to… someone who was mounted, though I couldn't see who it was thanks to a pillar. I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, but then I heard someone, maybe Priscilla, scream my name, and whirled. A pegasus knight, of all things, flying straight for me. How… did she get past our fliers? And that lance was heading right for my chest, but if I dodged left or right, it should only hit my arm, so…

But as I prepared to move, an arrow flew over my head. It thudded into the pegasus knight's chest, into her heart, sliding under the breastplate. She dropped like a stone, hitting the ground hard, and her pegasus flew off course, wind buffeting me as its wings slid right over my head and it tried to make sense of what happened. It wasn't the only one confused. Rebecca and Wil were nowhere near where I was. So, who shot the arrow?

"Katri." I turned at my name and blinked slowly when I saw who was there. Rath, bow in hand, staring right at me. "Are you all right?" he asked. "The pegasus didn't hit you, did he?"

"No, I'm fine," I replied. I… had no idea what I was feeling right now. Surprise? Glee? "And that's the second time you've made a dramatic entrance. Do you make a habit of it?"

"You and Lyn give me good practice." Hey, he joked! "Lyn has asked that I assist you." Oh, so that's why she was laughing before. "Where do you need me?"

"Oh, careful, I'm going to work you to the bone."

"You've done that to yourself, it seems." And now he seemed exasperated as he nudged his horse closer, careful to give me room even as he dug through his pack. "Here." He handed me a ceramic jar. "You must have a headache by now."

"…Yes…" I opened it up and sipped, smiling at the ginger. Oh, I had missed this. I had missed him. "Anyway, you mind falling in with Sain and Kent? I need someone to cover them, and there's still too many archers for the fliers to get there."

"On it." And he was off. And I was smiling. Haha, it was always good to reunite with old friends.

"Sorry, I was about to let you know when you were in danger." Lyn appeared at my side, still smiling. "The Legion's all together again," she noted. I nodded, feeling myself relax. "I predict everyone is going to ambush him as soon as the battle is over." …Yeah, that was definitely going to happen. I remembered how put out everyone was when he left without saying goodbye. "I'm going to return to my post. Enemies are thinning, though."

"Stand by, in case of reinforcements," I told her. She nodded and disappeared into the battles. I calmly sipped the ginger concoction, smiling as my headache eased and I could focus more attention on the battle.

My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of Eubans, thundering up. The best ones to meet him would be… "Sain! Fiora! Your target is the paladin with the spear!" I ordered. If we took out Eubans, the rest would scatter. That was how mercenary groups worked during ambushes. "Kent, Rath, Florina, Heath! Keep everyone off them!" And everyone moved. I laughed a little at how easily Rath and Kent synchronized. Clearly, there was still a bit of muscle memory from the last campaign. That would make things a little less painless. …I could already imagine Wil jumping for joy, though. Oh dear.

Still, I couldn't help but be relieved when I saw Sain neatly unhorse Eubans, and Fiora strike a critical, perhaps even fatal, blow by taking advantaged of the dropped guard. Hmm… pairing units up certainly did lead to fun strategies. Should I incorporate that in too?

Of course, I was ready to scream when I saw Sain and Fiora retreat instead of confirming the kill, and Eubans pushed himself up just enough to prove why I would be justified in doing so. "I won't go alone!" I heard him snarl. He lunged, spear ready to fly. Before I could figure out who the target was, though, blood… well, blood erupted behind him, clearly from a back wound. The spear clattered to the ground and he followed soon after, gasping out his last breath as the blood pooled under him.

I could only stare at the woman who had been standing behind him. Long blonde hair, sharp brown eyes, dressed in deceptively simple clothes, and armed to the teeth. The bloody knives in her hands screamed that she had been the one who killed Eubans. The wound on his back hinted she had actually severed his spine, along with some major arteries and veins.

"Well, looks like you weren't as bored waiting for us as I expected." The woman grinned. Considering the amount of blood splattering her, it was a rather unnerving sight. "The name's Amanda," she greeted, voice far too peppy. "You lot head in and nurse your wounds. I need a bit of exercise until Uther gets here, and this group is perfect, so I'll take care fo the rest." This was Amanda? The spymaster? Oh, yeah, she was definitely an assassin. A very brutal one at that. "And there's the first target. Talk to you in a bit." And she was off, in a whirlwind of blood. Um…

"Hector, I think I understand why you're always itching for a good fight," I deadpanned, watching her fight. "She helped raised you, you said?"

"To be fair, Uther did too," Hector pointed out. Unlike me, he was smiling. "I am going to get such a lecture later. Mark my words."

"Hide behind Lyn."

"Will do."

"So, brother, you're alive after all. You were gone so long that I feared you dead. Another day, and I might've arranged a funeral rite for you, as flamboyant and somber as possible to annoy your ghost." I liked Uther. Though, I was really curious as to where he got those scars on his face. Long and thin, I thought they might've been from knives. A failed assassination attempt?

"Sorry, been a little busy," Hector deadpanned. Still, he accepted Uther's hug without even a token protest. It might've helped that the only 'witnesses' were me, Eliwood, and Lyn. Everyone else was running about tending to things while we hid in a small side room for our meeting. "As I'm sure you already know."

"Yes, Leila's final report detailed much, and Matthew's subsequent ones filled in the gaps," Uther murmured. He stepped back from Hector, only to immediately seize Eliwood in a hug. Lyn and I exchanged a smile at Eliwood's undignified squeak. "I'm so sorry about Elbert, Eliwood. I was powerless to help either of you." Didn't I hear Elbert and Uther were best friends? …Damn, this had to hurt him a lot too.

"No, there's nothing that could've been done," Eliwood whispered. He put on a brave smile as he stepped out of the hug, but I could tell he was about ready to cry. "What all do you know of Nergal?"

"Only what was reported to me, but Matthew's report included the dragon." Uther sighed, shaking his head. He stepped back and crossed his arms, frowning in thought. "How I wish there was more time to think on what to do."

"You? Want more time?" Hector asked, incredulous. He shook his head. "You never brood. You're a firm believer in quick decisions."

"Hector, give your brother a break," Lyn chided. "It's gone from a simple rebellion to a threat to the entire continent." She sighed, shaking her head too. "We saw it with our own eyes, and yet it's all so unbelievable." Yet, it was true.

"Ideally, we bring the whole lands together, just like for the Scouring." Yeah, but…

"This all hinges on the existence of dragons themselves," Eliwood pointed out. He frowned in thought, nodding to himself. "Unless dragons are seen in the skies, I doubt anyone will believe us. The peace won by the Scouring is our greatest enemy." Because when the dragons appear, it'll be too late. There was too little known about dragons. "We must stop all of this now." Hector and Lyn nodded firmly. "And we will." Uther sighed at the declaration. "Is something wrong?"

"Uther's having an emotional crisis, again." The laughing words brought our attention to the door, where Amanda was. Strangely, she brought Ninian with her. "He knows that there's no choice, but he hates that he must burden you with it," she continued easily, stepping to his side. I noticed Uther unconsciously leaned towards her a little. Ninian, for her part, darted behind Lyn and Eliwood. "If the other nations saw Lycia's army mobilizing, they will attack. And that will only hinder you." Meaning it was just our… very ragtag… group. Against a man who wanted to summon dragons and didn't die when stabbed in the heart. Ah, I was so not going to be sleeping for a while. "I might be able to convince Etruria to assist…" She looked right at me. "What do you think, Katarina?"

"You're the spymaster," I complained. Still, all eyes on me, so I leaned against the wall and collected my thoughts. Unfortunately, I only had one answer. "You can, but Etruria will view it as a 'favor', not an alliance. Meaning Lycia will be stuck giving tribute like the Western Isles." I grimaced at the mere thought. "And my country is a freaking parasite. It'll bleed Lycia dry, and then demand more." I was so bitter about Eturia. I really was. Did I have to go back?

"Ouch, but can't say I disagree. I used to live there myself, and I somehow doubt it's gotten better." She shrugged. "So, there you have it. We can give you some supplies, and shelter, but that's the extent of what we can do so long as everything stays in the shadows. You're fighting a silent war, one most people will never even hear of except as whispered fables. There's little glory in war anyway, but this is even less so. Knowing that, will you continue?" I swear; I had never seen such perfect 'really?' looks from the three lords. "Ha, I figured." She nudged Uther, who still looked quite unhappy. "Well, they're resolved. Be the marquess."

"There's nothing more to say," Uther sighed. "I know how stubborn Hector and Eliwood are, and if Lyn inherited even a fraction of Hassar and Madelyn's stubbornness, then she's more stubborn than Hector and Eliwood combined." Lyn smiled a little at that. Hector scowled, while Eliwood snickered. "Katarina, I understand my brother hired you to continue on." I nodded and he smiled. "I am in your debt, then. I know he's hard to keep alive." Ha! "Good luck to you all. I will pray every day for you." He looked then to Ninian. "I apologize for sending Amanda to get you, Miss Ninian." Oh, so that's what happened. "Matthew's report noted you had special abilities." Ninian peeked out from behind Lyn to nod. "Are you capable of sensing where Nergal is now?"

"…Yes…" Ninian whispered. With a shuddering breath, she closed her eyes, and I felt the air grow heavy. "To the east, very far." She opened her eyes again. "I can get no more than that." East? Wait, east was…

"Bern," I groaned, facepalming. "With Desmond and his aggression. He's wanting that quantity over quality again, since his last attempt failed." I hated everything. "Bern's military can easily crush through most military lines without a psychotic sorcerer manipulating things." Only Etruria could match them. Lycia, Sacae, and Ilia would be sitting ducks.

"He's still quite weak. There's still time." Yeah, for Nergal. Desmond, I wasn't too willing to trust. "If we act now… we can stop it." No pressure there.

"So, to Bern, then."

"Actually, if there's time, you should make your destination Missur," Uther suggested. I shared an incredulous look with the three lords. Missur was in the Nabata desert. To the west. "You may find aid there." Who the hell was crazy enough to live in the freaking desert? "Go and meet the living legend." The… what….? "But that is enough serious talk, and the decision is ultimately yours. I'm sure things have been dreary, so why don't I share the story of how Hector and Eliwood got stuck in a tree for half a day." What. "Amanda, help me remember everything, will you? I'm sure I'll forget something."

The mood-whiplash was only alleviated by Hector and Eliwood's squawks of protest, and by the laughter of Lyn, Ninian, and me. But it did feel good to laugh.

After the story, we dispersed, and I went to check in on everyone. At least, that was the plan. Unfortunately, the first place I found showed me the Legion had ambushed Rath and dragged him to drinks and socializing. Meaning I ran to avoid being served alcohol. I doubted my stomach could take it right now, and I also doubted my ability to refuse them. So, instead, I wandered, thinking of ways to try and ease the burden of tactics. Groups and pairs would really be the best way to do that, so who should be with whom? Oh, I would need to talk to Lucius about this, because gossip. I was going to get some entertainment out of this, mark my words.

"Well, I suppose that's most of everything." I paused when I heard Uther's voice and peered around a corner to see he and Hector were talking. "Take care of yourself," he was saying, smiling at Hector. "And Marquess Pherae, too." It felt so strange hearing that. Especially since I knew he was referring to… "You must be Eliwood's support and strength. He's trying, but it's easy to see everything is still paining him greatly."

"I know," Hector sighed. He sounded a tad exasperated. I smiled, thinking of Mark and Maria. They would fret too. How were they? I hadn't gotten a single letter from them since arriving in Lycia… "This has all gotten so out of hand." He shook his head, though, and narrowed his eyes. I was reminded of when he faced Oswin, back in Laus. "It's not entirely hopeless. Lord Elbert's death need not be in vain. We won't lose."

Uther blinked slowly before smiling, shaking his head. "You're beginning to sound reasonable. What a strange turn of events."

"Hey!" Hector scowled, before it turned into a worried frown. "…Hey, your coloring isn't good. Is everything all right?"

"…I heard a tale that would frighten anyone." I frowned. That sounded like an evasive answer. I should know. I said them a lot. "When I think that the future rests on the shoulders of a man like you, who lives so haphazardly, I realize my life has been too short."

"Seriously?!" Hector groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "And here I was, worried!"

"Haha, you're so easy to tease." Uther's smile was soft. "I have not given you permission to die, Hector. Heed the orders of your marquess and return to Ostia alive."

"Mm… I'll bring you a tale you won't believe." Hector grinned. "Mark my words, most honored elder brother! I shall return!" So, he had a melodramatic streak after all.

"Someone spent too much time with Amanda." Uther laughed, though. "I love you dearly, little brother. Stay safe, and try not to give Katarina too many headaches. She doesn't look well." I was fine! Stressed, but fine! "And get her some armor. Matthew mentioned weapon lessons, but…"

"I'll set Lyn on it. Katri finds it hard to say 'no' to her." I wished I could refute that. "Anyway, love you too. I'll see you later. But if I don't report to Amanda now, she's going to guilt me with tears."

"Good luck." Apparently, it was a long running joke since both of them burst into laughter, which echoed through the halls as Hector left. But Uther's laughter died far quicker, and I saw him glance over at the corner I was hiding behind. "You have until the count of five to reveal yourself before I start throwing sharp objects."

"Well, that's a threat." I stepped out from behind the corner and waved. "Hello, please don't throw sharp things at me," I said, making my voice light. "I'd like to keep up my whole 'I haven't actually been injured with a weapon during this campaign' streak." Well, there was Erk's fire, but I didn't count that. And I injured my hand on a nail. Had there been anything else? I couldn't think of it.

"Oh, Katarina." Uther nodded to me, smiling slightly. It did not escape my notice that he subtly fixed something in his sleeve. So, he had a dagger hiding there. "My apologies, how long were you there?"

"Long enough for you to put the idea of armor in his head." I sighed mournfully at the thought. He opened his mouth, but I shook my head. "Yes, it makes sense. No, I'm not looking forward to it. But if you're willing to supply armor, I've a whole bunch of mages who could use some. And a bunch of dented ones that need to be replaced. And some swordsmen who could use it too."

"Haha, I've little problems with that." Uther smiled, but I could see the worry in his eyes. "I stand by my statement, though. You do not look well."

"I'm the only tactician, so I will admit to being stressed. But that's all. Serra cleared me earlier." Uther nodded and I shrugged. "But while we're on that subject, I noticed what you did." He gave me a confused look. "With Hector. You purposely gave him a technically true answer, and then you distracted him." I looked him right in the eye. "You're not well. I won't press you, but if this is something that is going to affect my group, then I must know. And I will drag the answer out of you however I must."

"…Damn, you have the same look Nicholas does when he thinks someone is being an idiot." Well, he was my father. And I wasn't going to be surprised by Uther knowing him. I should just accept that Father knew everyone. "Fine, I'll be blunt." Okay. "I have the consumption." …What. "You look like someone just hit you in the head with a board."

"I very much need to make sure Hector doesn't have it now." I'd ask Serra to screen him. Secretly. "Does Hector know?"

"Hector, Serra, Matthew, and Oswin all know." And I remembered the conversation in Laus. Hector had purposely told Eliwood otherwise. He didn't want anyone to know. "Out of your group, only Oswin knows how… bad it is, though." I glanced up at him and he smiled wryly. "I'm in that grey area between 'within' and 'not within' the window." …Oh… "Hector doesn't know that. He thinks I'm still well within. Keep it from him. His loyalty is his greatest strength and most dire weakness." Hector would kill himself, trying to choose between Uther, his brother by blood, and Eliwood, his brother by spirit. So, Uther was removing the choice. It was a cruel kindness, perhaps the cruelest. But it was necessary. Hector was needed here. "If something happens, Oswin will get word. I'll give him instructions to relay it to you, in case you have to deal with rumors."

"Understood." I sighed. "Just don't roll over and die. Not until it's confirmed there's no hope."

"Amanda would kill me if I stopped fighting." Now his smile was warm. "Thank you, Katarina. I'm sure it's not been easy taking care of them, but I ask that you keep doing so."

"As if I would choose any other path." I smiled. "I'll get them all home, safe and sound. So, even if the worst happens and you're not there to see the end among the living, know that none of the group will join you. I promise."

"I'll haunt you if you break it." Ha! "Regardless, if you want to see something amusing, I'm sure Amanda will be switching to babying soon. And she moms everyone, including Oswin." Wait, what? Now this I had to see. "Shall we?"

"Yeah!" I could use a laugh. I could use a lot of laughs, actually.

Laughter caught my ear, and I glanced inside the room where it was coming from. I could only smile when I saw Amanda fussing over Hector and Eliwood. Lyn was the one cackling, hard enough to fall out of her chair, likely because Amanda was treating Hector and Eliwood like they were five years old. I would've thought at least Hector would protest, but both just seemed to go along with it. I wondered if it was just something with Amanda, or maybe she was purposely going over-the-top to make them laugh. I doubted I would ever get an answer to that question, though.

Shaking my head, I left them behind. Dinner had been nice and warm, especially since Uther's supplies had included a lot of fresh and easily stored food. Amanda was securing all the armor, and even new weapons, for us, so we'd have everything by tomorrow. She had also helpfully taken care of obtaining everything we'd need for the desert, so, for once, I had a little bit of time to spare. And I was going to use that to check on Nils.

Quietly, I opened the door to 'his' room, and stepped inside. Nils was curled up inside still, sleeping on some pillows and blankets we finally got him after the battle. Little notes were set neatly by the pillow, and a quick peek showed that the army had wrote get well soons and gentle scoldings for not telling anyone he wasn't feeling well. A quick count proved there was one from just about everyone, even Merlinus. How adorable.

Smiling, I sat next to him, ruffling his hair before checking on his breath and pulse. Both were steady and even, and he looked quite peaceful as he slept. Though, he was still as cold as ice. That worried me, but Ninian had insisted it was normal, so I should yield to her on it. What caused him to faint, though? Was it related to his abilities? I did remember him being wobbly at the port…

"There you are." I twisted and smiled as Rath entered the room. "The others were looking for you," he told me. I nodded, accepting the message, but I made no move to stand quite yet. I wanted to watch Nils just a bit longer, just in case. "Is he all right?"

"Ninian says so," I whispered. Rath came to crouch next to me, studying Nils too. "Are you all right?" He gave me a curious look. "I saw that you got ambushed earlier."

"I forgot how… enthusiastic the Legion could be." He rested the back of his hand on Nils's forehead, checking for fever, and frowned. "Cold."

"Yeah, but I brought it up to Ninian already. She said it was normal." He gave me a skeptical look and I shrugged. "I'm assuming it's related to their powers. It would make sense that there are consequences to them."

"I suppose." We sat in silence for a while, just watching Nils sleep. "Are you all right?" I froze at the question. I should've expected it. It was a common question nowadays. But still, I froze. "You don't look it."

"I'm worried about a lot." It wasn't a lie. I couldn't… lie to him. Because he was Rath, and he was a Sacaean. Sacaeans hated lies, and I… didn't want him to hat me.

"About?" Of course he would prompt me.

"Well, Nils, of course." Not a lie.

"And?"

"Our group, our objective. You had to have heard by now." I heard him shift and glanced over to see he had sat down. "…You're going to keep prompting me, aren't you?" He smiled slightly and I sighed. "Mean."

"I learned in the previous campaign that you hide too much." Damn it. And the worst part was that he was just the right combination of stubbornness and willingness to listen to make me talk. "And you take pains to avoid lying to Lyn and me, aware of how we view lies." I simply sighed again. Oh well. This was part of what made Rath… Rath. It was also part of the reason why he was just so reassuring and calming to be around. No matter how pathetic I was, he would listen and not judge. "I might as well take advantage of that." It helped that he already knew one of my biggest fears. I still wanted to give him my best, like I wanted to give my best to everyone in the army, but… well, he made me feel okay again.

Still… "It's still mean of you." I smiled to let him know I was teasing. "…My thoughts are very confused. I learned a lot from traveling with everyone, but because of that, I no longer know what path I want to walk." I didn't want to explain everything. And I realized, when he only nodded and didn't prompt me further, that it was okay not to. He just wanted to hear, at least a little, what was bothering me. Take a bit of the burden, help me make it more 'real' and less 'all-encompassing'. "So, that worries me a lot. I used to be very confident."

"Is that also what is making you sad?" I gave him a confused look, but he met the gaze easily. "You are more melancholic when alone than you were before." I was? …Oh, right, Lyn had mentioned it too. I had avoided it with her. But, I couldn't do the same here. Because he was looking right at me. And I knew, even as I judged myself… he wouldn't. Not for those hidden thoughts I tried to run away from.

"My mother died." The words felt heavy. "While I was away, on another year long trip, my mother died. I hadn't even known she was sick until it was too late." My voice was quiet. He leaned a little closer so he could hear me clearly. Nils mumbled something in his sleep and turned onto his side. "I found out when we were in Laus. And I've… tried to run away from it a bit." Not even a bit. I did because… "No small part of me is… actually pretty happy about the death." I felt horrible. The pain Father must be going through, the pain my whole family was going through, and yet here I was… "We didn't get along, sure, but that's not the reason why. I'm just… I don't have to argue with her anymore." I didn't have to hear her tear me down. I didn't have to deal with that pain. I could take all the time I wanted to think about how, exactly, I felt about her. "But I'm also sad." Because I wouldn't be able to talk to her again. I wouldn't be able to confront her on it. I wouldn't get that 'lecture' she had 'promised'. Because if I decided I did want to fix our relationship, I wouldn't ever be able to. "And I feel a little lost." Because for so, so long, I had been motivated by longing for her acknowledgement. Her praise. Just a little thing of 'you did well' while still being 'me'. "But, mostly, I think I feel guilty." Because I wasn't there. I wasn't there when she got sick. I wasn't there when she died. I wasn't there for her funeral. I still wasn't there, for the family, for the people. "Though, I suppose ultimately, I just… don't know what to feel." I felt everything and nothing, or so it seemed. Complex and difficult, just like her. "But keep it quiet. I haven't told the others."

"Why?"

"I…" I sighed heavily, head drooping. "Well, I suppose originally, I was worried about seeming compromised. It didn't feel like the Legion, where I had everyone's trust. I felt like I still had to earn it. And I suppose I also didn't want it to be real, and speaking makes it real." I shook my head. "And now, it just doesn't feel right. Eliwood's father just died. I don't want to say 'I lost a parent too!'. It feels wrong." Even if they wouldn't take it that way, I would. "And there's so much else going on anyway."

"You should take care of yourself more." Hesitantly, I glanced up, and saw him giving me a worried look. "You're wonderful at taking care of others, but you ignore yourself."

"I'm fine." Now his look was exasperated and I squirmed under it. "Okay, maybe I'm not, but…" I shrugged. "My job is protecting them. And I love and trust them. Of course I'm going to put my all into protecting them."

"You need someone to protect you."

"Then you do it." …Wait. Wait, hold on, that sounded… "U-um… okay, that came out differently than what I was thinking." My face was burning. "I'm serious, okay? That wasn't… um…" Ugh… I hated being tongue-tied.

"And I am serious about you needing someone to take care of you." He was smiling slightly. "You are very poor at it."

"Bah, enough with your teasing!" I hopped to my feet and held out my hand to him. "Come on. It'll be a long day of traveling tomorrow."

"Yes, it will." His hand was warm as he took mine and pulled himself up. Nils rolled over in his sleep, smiling. "I'll walk you."

"I know how to get to my room."

"I do not trust that you will actually go there and rest." I scowled, but he nudged me to the door anyway. "You should hide there quick, before the others find you." OH YEAH!

"What did the others want with me?" We walked down the surprisingly quiet hall side by side. "And was it 'Legion' others? Lyn, Eliwood, and Hector 'others'? Some other group 'others'?"

"Legion, at the time." At the time? "It was for a drinking contest. I imagine they have dragged others into it."

"Seriously?" He nodded and I groaned. "I'm only giving them hangover remedies if there's a fight tomorrow. That'll make them learn."

"No, it won't."

"I'll get a laugh, then. That's okay, right?"

"Of course." I glanced up, just to see his expression, but he was as stoic as always. "But if you stay up too late working, you might miss it."

"I get it already!"

Notes on Isadora

· Yet another mounted unit. Specializes in swords. I'll have her and Kent train together.

· Trained as a bodyguard, so while skilled, she'll probably struggle a bit in the open terrain. I'll probably have her guard Merlinus to free up Marcus.

· She often appears melancholic. It makes sense, since she likely lost a lot of friends with Elbert's knights, but I swear I saw her twisting a ring she wore on her left hand. An engagement ring.

Notes on Heath

· Wyvern rider, meaning he has a distinct weakness to magic. His wyvern is named Hyperion.

· Skilled and trained, he was definitely a knight before a mercenary. Won't ask what happened. If it becomes relevant, I think he'll tell me. I can take a guess, though, by how chivalrous he is

· His strength and build make it clear that he'll be able to easily wield stronger, heavier weapons that Florina and Fiora struggle with. He'll be able to hit hard, and he might just be fast enough to do it quickly with a bit of training.

Rath's fighting technique hasn't changed. I'll use the same strategies with him. Though I think I'll encourage him to pick up swords. I saw some hunters of the Kutolah use them, and he gets along well enough with Kent.

Author's Notes: And here we go! Only time we see Uther in the story, and here's Amanda, the OC who has been mentioned quite a few times now. And Rath returns! And Heath, who is awesome (and tied for my fav flier with Florina)! And Isadora who… okay, bad unit, but I like a little subplot via supports with her. For those curious, Thria actually shows up in FE6 too, as the setting for Chapter 6, where it was ruled by Orun too. The conversation between just Hector and Uther is a Hector Mode exclusive. Minor explanation for NPC phase of the game.

(Disclaimer – yes, I love pair up from Awakening and Fates. More Fates than Awakening because it's not quite as broken. Also, Fates is very fun~)

Next Chapter – Interlude, Nabata Desert