"You convinced Frederick to watch Lissa for the night?"
"Of course." Lon'qu nodded at Basilio. "You requested my presence?"
"We have to meet with my agent to arrange for our escape." Basilio grins.
"Shouldn't we let Robin arrange such a thing?" Lon'qu asked, continuing to follow his father figure.
"That Boy has enough on his plate already with this operation." Basilio shakes his head in appreciation. "I told him to rely on me for this, so he can."
"And why must I come?"
"They were rather insistent on seeing you." Basilio grins. "I think they are your biggest fan."
Lon'qu resisted the gut instinct, knee jerk reaction to turn around. He had rather… unpleasant experiences with fans.
"...If I must."
"You need to get out anyway boy! Don't want you to end up an old bachelor like me!" Belly laughter once more.
"I would not worry." Lon'qu deadpans. "That fate is not so objectionable to me."
"Bah. One bad experience and you never love again?" Basilio shakes his head. "You deserve better for yourself."
"Hmph." Lon'qu rolls his eyes. "Do not pressure me."
"That's the only way you do anything boy! Otherwise you hide in the basement and work yourself to death." Basilio isn't on one of his two default emotions… he isn't indignant or joyous… he almost looks melancholic…
"You got a lot of me in you boy. More than I'm entirely comfortable with."
The lights of the oasis city are harsh starlight in the distance, wavering in celebration for the impending execution of the Ylissian Exalt. The tall imposing cliff over a canyon floor stood silent in the distance. A single figure cloaked in a rough, homespun piece of cloth that covered any identifying signs of gender, ethnicity, and identity approached them on the road. Whoever they were, they were experienced in espionage. Such a garment is utterly conspicuous in the dressing habits of Plegians- which covered only the bare essentials and left little to the imagination.
Then the hood obscuring her face was lifted, and Lon'qu felt his heart in his throat. Olivia.
Her pink hair was shiny, catching the light behind her and making it glow with the warmth of the sunrise. It was that point he knew why she scared him beyond all others. She seemed timid, but around him she glowed. Radiated with inner strength. A determination. Like night and day, as if his very presence emboldened her. Lon'qu was anything but stupid. Anything but unobservant.
She was in love with him. And that terrified him.
It somehow was even more intense than on the day of Marth's defeat at the hands of Chrom. Simultaneously feeling like ten years ago and yesterday. Because Lon'qu had changed. He… felt like he could protect those close to him now. He was willing to try.
He was seriously considering trying with Olivia.
Olivia turned to Basilio first.
"Um… tell Robin that there is a priest of Naga in town and a dark mage unwilling to fight." Olivia gives a tight grin, her eyes snapping back and forth from Lon'qu. "M-maybe that will bring him some sort of advantage?"
"I'll let him know. Be ready to help our escape at the Midmire." Basilio tells her. His agent nods, still looking with growing uncertainty at Lon'qu.
"Um… I…" Olivia clams up. Basilio looks to Lon'qu as well. Lon'qu sighs and looks at the ground.
"Come out of this alive woman. You still need to teach me how to read." Lon'qu grunts. Olivia nods emphatically.
"I-I will! And… When I escape with you- erm… after… I want to fight with you! Please! L-let me protect you!" Olivia bows suddenly, throwing Lon'qu completely off guard.
Lon'qu felt true terror at the implications. True fear at her statements. Her beauty. The way she looked at him. True fear at his own feelings… But why was he still afraid?
Despite all this, Lon'qu nods. He wants to try. Something. Anything. And… she's made it clear she wants to try too.
But the fear remains...
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
You know what comes next. The rescue goes sour. The Exalt jumps off of the cliff. An exalted head spreads it's contents across the desert canyon floor. Lon'qu had to physically pick up a screaming and crying Lissa on the way out. There… there had to have been something he could have done…
No. He was distracting an armored fellow nearby, but it took the Exalt jumping for him to get an edge in the duel- a truly formidable opponent. His normal tactics nearly got himself killed. Trying to push him over nearly earned him a short spear in the chest. Eventually the more heavily armored opponent would have run out of stamina, but the exalt jumping… the general cheered. It was cut off when his head was removed from his shoulders.
Now he was running through the mire with a softly weeping Lissa on his shoulder. Constantly moaning out: "Emmeryn, Emmeryn…" It was getting a bit irritating. Not that he didn't understand, but… Couldn't it wait until they were to safety? Practicality should come before emotion.
That's when the Shepherds see them. An entire army standing between them and the checkpoint where they could meet with Olivia. An entire army of guilt ridden downtrodden men despite their victory. A group of men that had just been exposed to their own depravity. The sacrifice of the leader of their enemy brought a mirror that not many were comfortable with seeing. That was when they heard it.
"Ylissians!" A giant of a man- almost as large as Basilio- approaches the Shepherds. "I offer you mercy. Surrender now and live."
"Surrender?" Basilio scoffs from next to Lon'qu. "I am not familiar with the word."
They talk more- a farce. A mere ploy to try and stop the Shepherds from escaping. Mustafa had to see as he did that the Plegians under his command were demoralized beyond fighting. Mustafa was as well. He could barely swing his axe- this man who looked to be a match for Basilio. This man who could easily destroy many a Shepherd allowed himself to be killed by Chrom.
The Shepherds killed a sympathetic man- a man wracked with guilt- so much so that he gave up on life rather than fight them. But then again, Chrom was probably so incensed at the time that he didn't even process it. When Olivia approached, he passed by her without a word and set his charge into a wagon. This loss, by all appearances, would destroy the war. This loss would end the will to fight.
And this force. The Shepherds could no longer be considered the pet project of a naive second born son without a hope of an inheritance of his own, but a force led by the exalt himself.
How far would he rise? Lon'qu himself could not guess. But the current view was not secured anyway. There was still much to do.