Chapter 5
I ran my hands down my face as I perched on the edge of the little bed in my shipboard cabin, the rocking of the vessel on the waves doing nothing for my current insomnia. Of course, this was nothing new; sleepless nights were hardly rare for me lately, but I was still tired and sore from the events of the last couple days, so I was really hoping I could get some rest on the way back to Ylisse.
With a sigh, I lit the wick of the lantern hanging from the ceiling above me with a tiny flash of mana and a click of my fingers. The guttering light cast dancing shadows on the rumpled sheets and the desk across from me, swaying almost hypnotically as the lantern swung on its chain. My paperwork and maps had all been carefully packed away so they didn't end up all over the place if we hit rough waters, so the only thing sitting on the desk in a small rack was a pitcher of water and some cups. I poured myself a cup, savoring the cool, fresh taste.
Archer was out sleeping with Cynthia's pegasus. He'd had wicked-bad dog farts for the last few days, and being confined in a cabin with him was dangerous right now, so I didn't have anyone to distract me during my insomniac hours.
A soft knock on my door had me glancing up, brow furrowing. It was fuck-early, the first hints of dawn only now beginning to creep into the horizon.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"It's Emelia. May… I come in?"
I was across the tiny cabin with the door open in a second, revealing Emm wearing a simple cream dress and a colorful shawl she had picked up on the island standing out in the darkened hallway.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked quickly. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, I am fine," she laughed softly. "I merely saw your light and thought we might… talk."
At this point she looked down, seeing my current state of undress. Of course, I had been attempting to sleep, so I was standing there in naught but a pair of jeans and my socks. Her eyes widened and her cheeks darkened as her gaze took in my broad chest and well-defined shoulders, and I stepped back with a sigh. Flexing my abs for good measure.
I had to resist the urge to pec-dance.
I mean, it was still pretty dark, but at least she got a good look at the outline of my awesome shoulders.
"By all means, come in," I told her. "I'll find a shirt, hold on."
"Please, do not put yourself out on my account," she chuckled, closing the door behind herself.
I perched back on the edge of the bed, pulling a loose linen shirt on over my head as she settled into the small chair at my desk.
"Couldn't sleep?" I asked.
"No," she sighed. "Between the dreams and the motion of the ship I am finding sleep to be frustratingly elusive."
"You get used to it," I said, leaning back against the wall next to my window. "What I can't get used to are these crappy beds. And that's coming from a guy who's spent the majority of the last year camping in the forest around Baham."
"If you are Duke, why do you not just stay in the Keep?" Emm asked.
"Someone's gotta teach the recruits survival stuff," I shrugged. "Admittedly, I'm still kind of a beginner myself. But there's a lot of woodsmen and trackers that have joined up, so it's going well."
Emm smiled wide, her perfect teeth a slash of pearly white in the dimness of the cabin.
"It is odd to hear a nobleman admit he is not perfect," she said.
"Pride will get my soldiers killed as surely as any enemy," I shrugged. "The whole point to training them so hard is to keep them alive as long as possible. Preferably until they're old enough to retire."
"You know… I do not approve of what you are doing," Emm said slowly, looking away.
"I figured as much," I grinned. "Knowing you, I'm honestly surprised it took you this long to say it."
"I am sorry," Emm sighed. "But I spent so long abolishing the military, trying to turn the Halidom into a place of peace. It goes against everything I stand for."
"I mean, it goes against everything Emmeryn stood for, yes," I said. "It doesn't necessarily have to go against what Emelia stands for. In my defense, the entire point of the army is to protect the Ylissean people, not serve the sovereign. It's not just fighting. We've already been helping areas recover from natural disasters, and I'm working with a number of the other nobles to start having the recruits run guard patrols along the major trade routes."
"That all sounds excellent in theory…" Emm said.
"But, I know, human condition," I sighed. "All it'll take is one power-hungry asshole to get into authority and undo all my work. It's why promotion is strictly merit-based. It's also why I'm really pushing the whole 'we're here to protect and serve' mentality."
Emm let out a long sigh, leaning her elbow against the tabletop.
"I do not mean to question your motivations," she said. "I just… I saw what the military did in my father's time. I am afraid of what it could do again."
"There's political safeguards to ensure it doesn't," I explained. "Nobility that want to be anything more than a non-commissioned officer have to publicly renounce their titles. I know that doesn't really mean diddly squat, but it's a start."
"And the Exalt's authority?" Emm asked. "I trust Chrom, but his children? His children's children?"
"I sincerely doubt that Lucina will be a problem," I scoffed. "But, you're right. It wouldn't hurt to put safeguards in to prevent the Exalt abusing their own position to boss the army around. Good point. I'll talk to some smarter people than me when we get back to Ylisstol, see if they have any ideas. Thanks for the idea."
"I… oh. You're… welcome," Emm said, blinking a few times.
"What?" I laughed. "A good idea is a good idea. I'm not gonna get salty just because I didn't come up with it."
Emm smiled again, her face doing more to illuminate the room than the lantern.
"If only more noblemen were like you," she sighed.
"Ha! Ylisse can hardly handle one of me," I grinned. "I've made lots of enemies in two years, I guarantee you that."
"I can imagine," Emm laughed. "Tell me, is Beorhito still as insufferable as ever?"
"Oh, he got so much worse after I got his son killed," I smirked.
"I… feel like there is a story there," Emm said slowly.
"He tried to orchestrate an insurrection," I shrugged. "Tried to frame Helman for it. I went and shut him down. When we captured him there was… a struggle."
I went quiet after that, looking away at nothing.
"I see," Emm said softly. "As much as I disliked Richye, I am sorry to hear of his passing."
"It wasn't supposed to go down that way," I sighed.
"I can see it weighs heavily on you," Emm said diplomatically.
I scrunched up my face, before sighing again and forcing my hands to relax from the fists I'd made.
"It was a perfect run, right up 'til the end," I said sourly. "We didn't kill a single person. Didn't lose a single person. Then it all went FUBAR at the last second."
"FUBAR? I, uh, do not know that word," Emm said, quirking her head a little.
"Army acronym," I explained with a small chuckle. "It means, and pardon my foul mouth, 'fucked up beyond all recognition'. Means things went badly."
"Clearly," Emm laughed. "So, does Galie rule alone now?"
"Oh, no," I said, waving my hand. "She had a little breakdown, so we put Diase back in charge and it stuck."
"Ah, that was probably for the best," Emm sighed, relieved. "As nice a girl as Galie is, she does not have the stomach to rule."
"She's not nice to me…" I grumbled, before shrugging. "Although, to be fair, I did lead a covert strike team into her territory and stop her husband's coup attempt, killing him in the process, so I probably wouldn't like me either. Given the circumstances."
"You give yourself far too little credit," Emmeryn huffed.
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" I laughed. "Are people really held to such low standards in your world?"
Emm was quiet in the face of my humor, giving me an odd, piercing look.
"In my… world?" she repeated slowly.
My face fell and I froze, our gazes locked as my tired brain struggled to find an adequate out from this landmine I'd stepped on. Clearly, my lack of sleep and general fatigue had caught up with me.
"Uh… whoops?" I grinned.
"What did you mean by 'my' world?" Emm asked, eyes narrowing.
"Okay. I'm too tired for this shit. Full disclosure?" I sighed. "I'm from another world entirely, and I'm harboring your time-travelling niece and her friends, including my own time-travelling daughter, who have all come back in time to stop the apocalypse. Also, the girl we just picked up the other day? Yeah, she's your niece, too. Surprise!"
Emm just looked at me for a moment, her face neutral, before she sighed and closed her eyes. She proceeded to massage her temples for a moment, before sighing again.
"I am far too tired for this shit," she said, looking up at me from beneath her brows.
"Oh my god!" I laughed. "Did you just say a swear!?"
"After the revelations of the last few days, not to mention the last few moments, I would say I am entitled to!" Emm seethed.
"Say fuck for me," I grinned, leaning forward. "Come on. Give me one little fuck."
Emm just quirked a brow at me.
"Okay, could've worded that better," I laughed.
Emm glared at me for a moment before her face twitched, a small grin breaking out on her features before she joined my laughter. The two of us fairly rocked back and forth in our seats in the throes of our mirth, and by the time we finished we were wiping tears from our eyes.
"Honestly, this answers so many questions I had about you," she said, still chuckling. "But raises many more."
"Tell me about it," I groaned. "It's been three years, and I still don't know how I got here. Or why. Are there, ya know, stories about people coming from other worlds?"
Emm shook her head sadly. "No, sorry. Not that I have heard of, anyway."
"Eh, I'm sure it'll figure itself out," I sighed.
We lapsed into silence for a moment, before Emm glanced up at me with a curious expression.
"So… what are my nieces like?" she asked.
"Well, Lucina's kind of a stick-in-the-mud," I smirked. "I'm working on her, though; trying to get her to relax a little. It's been slow going, but… I like to think she smiles more now, at least. You'll like her, I know it. Cynthia… well, I only just met her myself, too. She's all energy, and, just like her mother, zero co-ordination."
"And your own daughter?" Emm asked with a small laugh. "Tell me about her."
"My baby Noire?" I smiled wistfully. "She's amazing. Apparently, in the future, she took over Baham after we all kicked the bucket, despite being a bastard. She's smart, and brave, and just as stubborn as I am, but she has this striking beauty she gets from her mother, and…"
"And?" Emm pressed when I trailed off.
"And I really let her down," I sighed, running a hand down my face.
"Tell me about it," Emm said softly.
I shook my head, waving her offer away.
"No, you're dealing with enough bullshit without adding mine to the mix," I told her. "You worry about your own situation. I'll fix the cluster-fuck that is my own life."
"Very well," Emm said, almost sadly. "But if you need to talk to anyone…"
"Stop," I pouted. "Stop that."
"Stop what?" she asked.
"The… the… the kicked puppy face!" I growled.
"What?" she laughed.
"You're doing that… ugh… face like I just took your candy away!" I explained. "It's making me feel like shit! Knock it off!"
"That is not my intention!" Emm laughed. "That is just my face! Perhaps you feel guilty?"
"There's no 'perhaps' about it," I sighed, roughly scrubbing at my face before looking back up at her. "You really wanna know?"
"I asked," she said simply.
"I left," I told her. "I… found out that Tharja, her mother, had been lying to me. Manipulating me. Undermining me. So, I panicked, and I left for Baham."
"I… see," Emm said slowly.
"In my defense, though," I said quickly. "I made god-damned sure there were good people around Noire before I left. And someone had to train the Baham regiment for this war that's coming, in a very short time. But… admittedly, I could have handled things better."
I felt my fist clench, desperately wishing I'd been more careful about what I'd been feeding my dog so that he'd been here right now. But I'd deal. I couldn't go running to him every time I got upset.
"You intend to make things right, yes?" Emm asked me, breaking me from my stupor.
"Uh… yeah?" I said slowly.
"Good," she nodded, crossing her arms. "Because I would rather be 'out in the cold', as you put it, before I get involved in your family drama."
I burst out laughing so hard I couldn't breathe at that, Emm chuckling along a little herself.
"What do you think I've been doing with your family for the last three years?" I asked her when I could breathe again.
"A lot, from the sounds of things," Emm said, her smile somewhat bitter. "It sounds like I have a lot of catching up to do."
I shook my head, sitting up again and stretching.
"Don't think of it as 'catching up'," I told her. "Just think of it as a vacation, and now you're back and doing something new."
"A vacation I cannot remember," she said sourly.
"That's the best kind of vacation!" I laughed. "I remember when I finished high-school, I… well, no, I don't remember. There's just a two-month-long blank that started a week before graduation where I was shit-faced non-stop."
"Firstly, that is not healthy behavior," Emm frowned.
"No, but I'm told it was fun," I smirked. "Not that I remember it myself."
"And secondly," she went on, pointedly ignoring me. "Two months is a little different to three years."
"I know," I told her, scooting forward on the bed to perch on the edge. "But you don't have to deal with this alone, okay? We're all here for you."
"I know," she said.
As she spoke, Emm tentatively reached out and took my hand in both of hers.
"As I am here for you, if you need any assistance with your family situation," she told me. "Although, I will admit, I may not have the experience to assist much."
"Emm, just hold my kid and keep her out of the splash-zone when the people I pissed off finally catch up with me, and you'll be golden," I told her with a grin.
Emm nodded and smiled, releasing my hand and looking past me to the window.
"Very well, Ben," she said. "Look, the sun is starting to come up."
I blinked, realizing that there was, indeed, a shaft of light coming from the window next to me.
"Oh, joy," I sighed, slumping back against the wall. "Another sleepless night. Woo."
"At least we had company this time," she said softly.
"Any time, Emm," I yawned. "God knows, I hardly sleep anymore."
"You always say 'God'," Emm pointed out. "Is there only one in your world?"
"Oh no," I laughed. "I already talked theology with a priest, I'm not doing it with you, too!"
"I am merely curious," Emm laughed along. "You cannot blame me, after finding out you come from another world."
"It depends on who you ask," I shrugged. "I'm from a world of science. Religion, while still important in some regions, has really fallen out of favor where I'm from."
"And yet you still mention your God all the time," Emm pointed out.
"Habit," I shrugged. "It's not that I don't believe. I want to believe. But I also want proof. Until then, I'll send my prayers to Eru Iluvitar before I bother sending 'em anywhere else."
After all, if I have to pray to someone I'm not sure actually exists, I want to choose the one that made elves.
"So… your God's name is 'Eru Iluvitar'?" Emm asked curiously.
"I…" I trailed off, weighing up the thought of having to explain Christianity and Tolkien's mythos to her, and decided 'nope'. "Yes. As long as there are no more follow-up questions, yes, my God's name is Eru Iluvitar, Creator and Father of All, Conductor of the Music of the Ainur that created all of existence."
"Fascinating," Emm breathed. "You must sit down with me at some point and tell me about your religion."
By way of answer I let out a mighty yawn, nodding a little before looking at her again.
"Sure," I deadpanned, getting slowly to my feet. "When I'm not half-dead. Let's go see if the galley's open yet. Hopefully that'll wake me up."
I looked down at Emm, still sitting in my chair, and offered her my hand. She smiled brightly as she took it and pulled herself up, standing almost nose to nose with me in the cramped space of my cabin. I wasn't surprised when she wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug, and I only somewhat awkwardly returned it.
"Let us find some breakfast," she agreed.
She stepped past me towards the door, smiling back as she opened and stepped out into the hallway and hesitating when I was in the doorway.
"Oh, and Ben?" she said.
"Hm?" I prompted.
Emm surprised me by leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on my cheek, blushing a little as she whispered in my ear.
"Fuck."
My jaw dropped as she danced back, laughing merrily at the look of utter shock on my face.
"As thanks for staying with me," she said, blushing and smiling and laughing.
I was going to make a point of asking if she kissed her mother with that mouth, perhaps giving her some grief about her first cuss as we got breakfast, but those plans were derailed when Chrom appeared in the cramped hall, coming right for me.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" he roared.
I didn't get a chance to respond before the big man's fist smashed into my jaw. This sent my head bouncing off the door-frame I was still standing inside, and I slumped to the floor, out cold.
When I came to, not much time had passed. I was laid out flat on the floor of my cabin, Lissa hovering over me with a concerned expression. I could hear shouting, too, and it took a few bleary moments for it to come into focus out of the ringing in my head.
"… out of your mind, Chrom!?" Emm was screaming. "You could have killed him! He is your friend-"
"He swore he would respect your honor!" Chrom defended.
"He has!" Emm shouted.
I glanced up down the length of my body to where the siblings were arguing in my door, Lissa not even noticing I was awake yet as she watched, too. Her staff still hovered above my head, and the mystery of how I'd managed to wake up so fast, at least, was solved. Su'ko stood in a ready stance between me and Chrom, a small dagger held in her hand and a snarl on her features. Well, a snarl for her. On anyone else, it would have been a frown. I spotted Cean and a few of the other high-ranking marines watching from their own doorways, too, making me have to hold in a groan.
No way of keeping this one quiet…
"Then why do I find you sneaking out of his room!?" Chrom snapped.
"Because we were talking!" Emm seethed. "You know, that thing that adults do, instead of punching everything!?"
"Sister, do not mock me!" Chrom growled. "I'm merely trying to protect your-"
"My what!?" Emm screamed in his face. "My honor!? Ben has been doing a damned fine job of that himself! Or did you think you were some fairytale knight, defending my chastity!? I have a surprise for you, then, brother! It is already gone!"
This revelation forced Chrom back a step, a stricken, sick look on his face as a red-faced Emm panted, fists clenched and tears running down her cheeks.
"It was taken sometime during my… my memory loss," she went on. "We found out when Lissa gave me a physical on the island. And Naga above knows, I would have preferred to give it to a good man like Ben than to simply lose it and not remember!"
"Emmeryn…" Chrom said.
As he spoke, Chrom placed his hands on her shoulders, but Emm angrily swatted them away.
"Do not call me that!" she screamed in his face.
"Oh my fucking god, enough already!" I groaned from the floor.
Su'ko glanced back at my exclamation, before going back to glaring at Chrom. I pushed Lissa's staff out of the way as I sat up, the younger girl practically jumping in surprise as I started to rise. Emm was at my side in an instant, trying to hold me down, but I gently brushed her hands aside.
"I'm fine," I told her.
"You need to rest," she said, her voice raw.
"I've had worse," I told her, before glancing up at Chrom. "Besides, this has been a long time in the coming."
Chrom stood in my doorway, watching my climb slowly to my feet and dust myself off before I turned to face him and brushed past Su'ko.
"Ben, I-"
His head snapped aside from my punch, cutting off whatever he was about to say. Chrom went down on his side, scrambling back to his feet in an instant. Behind me, Emm gasped as Lissa gave a little shriek, but my eyes narrowed as Chrom turned a shocked expression on me. I heard the gasp from the marines that had seen what happened, too, and the distinctive thunk of Cean's peg leg as he began to limp forward, ostensibly to break us up.
"How's about we go up to the deck where there's more room?" I suggested, my tone low and dangerous. "Less door frames to do the work for you."
Chrom's own gaze narrowed as fury began to seep into his eyes, and he nodded woodenly.
"Very well, Ben," he said. "You were right. This has been a long time in the coming."
"You cannot be serious," Emm snapped behind me.
"Stay here," I told her and Lissa over my shoulder. "Unless you want to watch me beat the shit out of your brother."
"You have a high opinion of yourself," Chrom scoffed.
I shrugged, stepping past him. Cean limped up to meet me, and Su'ko moved quickly to interpose herself between me and Chrom, glaring at the Exalt all the while.
"Boss, maybe you ought'a take a minute to cool off," the ex-pirate suggested.
"Go up to the deck and clear us some space," I growled at him.
He took one look at the expression on my face and nodded, sparing Chrom a glance before hurrying on ahead of us.
I led an odd little procession through the ship's gallery until we reached the stairs. I had to admit, I didn't really take much notice of anything around me. I was somewhat miffed at Chrom, and I was ready to blow. I think most of the sailors and marines could tell, from the way they practically jumped out of my path.
I clambered up the steps to the main deck without a backwards glance, emerging into the cheery dawn light with a slight wince at the brightness. There, on the main deck, Cean had already cleared a decent space and was apparently now taking wagers on what was about to come.
A path opened through the gathered sailors, and as I stomped through my gaze caught Yem's. The admiral quirked a brow at me, and I shook my head minutely. He sighed and turned away, calling for Cean to make his own bet.
"Su'ko," I said without looking back. "No matter what happens, you are not to intervene. Am I clear?"
"But milord-" she started to say.
"Am. I. Clear?" I repeated, stepping into the circle.
"Y-yes, milord," Su'ko answered meekly, hanging back in the crowd.
I crossed to the other side of the circle as Chrom came into it, the Exalt looking around with a touch of amusement in his expression now.
"This seems like a little much," he said.
"Maybe," I said, pulling off my shirt and throwing it aside.
Chrom's brows rose as he looked at the new muscle mass I'd grown in the last year, and I heard some appreciative gasps from Lissa and Emm, too. I flexed my shoulders and swung my arms around a little, glaring at Chrom the entire time. A feat made harder as Yem gave an appreciative wolf-whistle that nearly cracked me up, but I somehow managed to keep a straight face.
"I am not healing the two of you after this!" Emm called out in warning.
"N-neither am I!" Lissa added, far less enthusiastically.
Chrom glanced back at his sisters for a moment, before turning to me again.
"Ben, we don't have to do this," Chrom said.
Despite his own words, he was already stripping off his own leather jerkin. He dropped it aside, and I had to resist the urge to smirk. I had been right, before, thinking he'd gone soft in Ylisse. He had been neglecting his training. Gone was the body so perfectly toned that it looked photoshopped, replaced by the fitness of a retired athlete that doesn't train anywhere near as much as they used to. Compared to me, who had done nothing but train non-stop for two years now, he looked practically thin in comparison.
It was a pretty good feeling, I won't lie.
"You're right," I told him. "We don't. But I want to."
"Very well, then," Chrom sighed.
"You're looking a little out of shape there, bitch-tits," I smirked.
Chrom just grunted, eyes narrowing at my grin. Cean limped into the center of the circle, then, looking back and forth between us with a curious, excited expression on his face.
"Alright, milords, I want a good clean fight," he said, his voice loud and clear. "Maritime rules! No biting, no hitting below the belt, and no weapons aside from your fists. We clear?"
"Crystal," I growled.
"Verily," Chrom nodded.
"Alright, then," Cean nodded, limping backwards. "Whenever you're ready, sirs!"
Chrom and I both advanced on each other, the Exalt slipping back into an archaic boxing stance as I simply glared at him. When we came into range, Chrom threw a couple jabs at my head, and I easily danced around them.
"Not so easy when I'm paying attention, is it?" I asked.
Chrom responded by throwing another flurry of punches, and I brought my arms up to take them on my forearms and shoulders. I stepped into his space, and gave him a right straight. Chrom ducked back, and the blow only grazed him, but the speed seemed to surprise him.
Clearly, he had forgotten I spent most of our early days together fighting unarmed.
"You are not going to goad me into getting angry and losing focus," Chrom warned.
"I'm not trying to," I told him. "You've had this coming for a while now, you self-important jackass."
I followed my statement by stepping forward again, throwing a flurry of blows to his midsection that saw him retreating even more. While he was distracted warding off my blows to his gut, my hand snapped out and grabbed him by the arm. He had just enough time to blink at me before I yanked him, hard, into a headbutt. The corner of my skull cracked into his cheek, and there was a cheer from the sailors as Chrom stumbled back with an angry hiss, a line of blood running from the split in his face.
"I am your Exalt!" he roared.
"I'm not Ylissean!" I fired back.
Chrom snarled and darted back at me, raining sloppy punches at my head again.
As I'd suspected, he had little to no idea how to fight hand-to-hand.
I blocked his rough blows, moving to step in again and hammered my fist up into his ribs. Chrom rocked back, glaring evilly at me as I let him make some space between us again.
"You are… a Duke!" he wheezed at me. "After all I've done for you, how dare you!? I took a chance on you, and gave you everything anyone could ever ask for! You were as family to me! I put my neck on the line for you! And this is the thanks I get!?"
I snapped then, something inside of me deciding that I'd had enough, my eyes widening as I darted forwards and began to actually try to hurt Chrom. He struggled to block my blows with his forearms in front of his face, the way he'd seen me doing. Credit where credit was due, he was a fast learner.
"All you've done for me!? It was your decision!" I thundered, raining blows on him. "I was never even consulted! You forced it on me! After I specifically told you I had no experience, no noble blood, and no fucking time to be a Lord while I was building your army! I was a fucking nobody, Chrom! A nothing, and you put me in charge of your entire military! Great fucking leadership there-"
I must have gotten sloppy myself in my anger, because Chrom blind-sided me with a wild haymaker that sent me reeling aside. I turned to meet his own charge towards me, stepping aside and bringing my knee up into his gut. He wheezed and doubled over, staggering backwards.
"F-foul!" he gasped.
"It was above the belt, you pussy!" I snarled.
Chrom roared, but instead of moving upright he charged at me, grabbing me around the middle and giving me just enough time to think "oh shit" before slamming me down to the deck. My head spun as it bounced on the hard timber decking, and Chrom straddled my chest and began to punch my face.
"You left Ylisse!" he accused between blows. "You, my right-hand man, abandoned your own family! Abandoned Tharja and Noire! Do you have any idea how that makes me look!? How that makes Ylisse look!? How-"
He yowled as I brought my fist down on his kidney, instinctively jumping back from me. I brought my fist back, and I felt his short-rib give under the blow, the Exalt screaming in pain as I threw him off me.
"I left… to build you an army!" I snarled, spitting blood. "Because you were so… so short sighted you couldn't… see what was coming! Couldn't see Valm coming!"
We both staggered back to our feet, Chrom holding his ribs as blood ran from my nose and mouth. We were both panting fairly heavily now, this fight taking a lot out of us. I didn't know about Chrom, but given the fact I had barely slept in the last week, I was surprised I'd done this well. My guess was his lack of training was slowing him down.
I didn't bother charging again, stalking forward slowly this time.
"You think I wanted to leave!?" I roared at him. "That is my fucking daughter you're talking about! I'd burn Ylisse to the ground if it were for her!"
"You dare!?" Chrom hissed. "You ungrateful cad! You were never fit to be a leader!"
Chrom took a few more swings at my head, which I easily avoided, and I hit his injured ribs with another two heavy body blows that drove the breath out of his lungs.
"Yeah!? I was the first one that told you that, dumbass!" I spat. "But you! You play at being some beatific, peace-loving ruler like your sister, and you're not! You're a pale imitation!"
"Stop!" Chrom warned me with a snarl as he staggered back, panting again.
"You are not Emmeryn!" I went on, heedless. "And you never will be! And her fucking choices were just as stupid! Demilitarizing the entire country!? The fuck kind of rulers are you!?"
Chrom came at me again, and I didn't bother dodging this time, knocking him aside with a vicious punch to the jaw that sent him sprawling. I watched as he spat blood onto the decking himself now, before crawling up onto his knees.
"I abandoned my family to pick up the slack you idiots dropped!" I screamed, looming over him. "For a country not my own! For a people that don't want me! For you, Chrom! And you have the nerve to tell me that I fucked up!? Because of a practical joke!? I'm fucking sorry, alright!"
Chrom looked up at me, both of us panting like dogs at this point, and I groaned as I spat blood onto the deck again.
"I'm-" I started to say, before I was cut off.
"DO NOT HIT MILORD!"
I had just enough time to register this shout and the widening of Chrom's eyes before something hit my mid-section with all the force of a bean bag shot from a bazooka, and I felt multiple somethings in my chest snap before the force drove my face into the deck and, after a few seconds of sliding in which I'm sure I lost most of the left side of my face, I knew no more.
When I came to, it was to the familiar sounds of ringing between my ears, and the distant roar of laughter.
I was getting good at picking the sound of laughter while I was semi-conscious…
I blinked, my blurry vision resolving itself into a slightly less blurry view of clouds and cheery blue sky. I then proceeded to work my jaw a little, feeling stiff and sore. Clearly, it had just been broken and healed.
"Oh, you're alive."
Lissa appeared above me, looking down at me with an expression somewhere between concern and mirth.
"We should stop meeting like this," she went on. "People will talk."
"Oh god," I groaned, my words slurred. "Really… what the fuck is today?"
"How's your face feel?" she asked.
"Sore," I slurred. "The fuck just happened?"
"There… the… the girl… she… she…"
I glanced over to find Cean lying on the deck next to me, holding his stomach as tears ran down his face from laughing so hard.
"Why are you… why is he?" I started, before turning to Lissa.
"He, ah, just kinda fell down laughing, so we rolled him next to you," Lissa snickered, pointing behind herself. "As for what hit you…"
I slowly, painfully sat up. There was a pulling ache in my ribs when I moved, and I winced at the motion even as I waved Lissa off when she moved to help. I blinked in confusion at what I saw, my brain still in start-up mode and unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Cynthia was kneeling on the deck, a battered and bloody Chrom standing silently behind her with his arms crossed as Yemuel and Emm both screamed at the girl. I noticed Su'ko lingering in Chrom's shadow, a fairly murderous expression on her face as she glared at the back of Cynthia's head.
"… any idea how foolish that was!?" Emm was shouting, waving a healing staff around for emphasis. "You could have killed both of you! I'm amazed that you only broke your collar-bone! Never mind the internal damage you did to Ben's ribs and lung!"
"I will not tolerate this kind of behavior on my ship, young lady!" Yem went on. "The only reason I haven't hauled you overboard is because the General brought you here personally! What do you have to say for yourself!?"
Cynthia sniffled, looking down at the deck and quietly sobbing.
"He… he was fighting with… with my-"
"I'm not dead!" I interrupted, before she could spill the beans on Lucina's secret. "In case anyone cares! Ow. Cean, stop laughing and help me up. God, I'm getting sick of all this slapstick bullshit… Cean! A little help, please!?"
The marine wheezed out a last few chuckles as he rolled himself up into a standing position, and I allowed myself to be hauled up to my feet. Emm was at my side in an instant, poking and prodding at my chest as she spoke.
"You should rest," she told me simply.
"I would like to know what happened," I deadpanned.
"The young lady spotted your fight with the Exalt," Yem explained. "From the air. She then proceeded to leap from her pegasus and crash-tackle you, breaking her collar bone and dislocating her shoulder, and snapping most of the ribs on your right side, which Lady Emm has assured us punctured your lung."
"If she had hit your left side, they could have pierced your heart," Emm added darkly.
"But, they didn't," I sighed. "I'm fine. She's fine?"
"She's fine," Chrom supplied over Cynthia's head. "We also explained to her why you and I were fighting, and that it wasn't some cage match to the death."
"Great. Good. I'm fine, she's fine, we're all fine, we're all on the same page, we're all good," I said.
Cynthia looked up at me hopefully, stars fairly glimmering in her eyes.
"Now, someone clap her in irons and throw her in the brig," I said with a smile.
"What!?" Cynthia shrieked. "I was acting in defense of milord! I am a knight and-"
She started to rise as she spoke, only for Chrom to cut her off and shove her back down onto the deck.
"Don't panic," I said, my smile turning dangerous as I strode towards her and knelt down in front of her. "Think of this as a time-out. I'm not gonna punish you."
Cynthia audibly gulped, her face going pale at my grin. I leaned in real close to ensure only she could hear this part:
"I'm gonna let your sister punish you," I told her softly.
"I would rather you just throw me overboard now, please," Cynthia moaned.
"Actions have consequences, little miss," I told her, rising again and patting her on the head. "Cean? Please escort the young lady to a cell. She is to be treated as a guest in all other regards. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, sir," Cean nodded, thumping forwards. "We'll treat her like we do the rest of you."
"Except for the letting her out of her cell thing," I added.
"Right you are, General, sir," Cean nodded.
The marine reached down and hauled Cynthia to her feet, her expression ashen now and her lips pursed tightly together.
"By your leave, General, Admiral, Lord Exalt, and Ladies," Cean said with a playful grin.
"You are sure about this?" Yem asked darkly.
"Bah, she's fine," I waved him off. "An idiot, but a well-meaning one. I'll let Marth chew her out when we get back to Ylisse and that'll be the end of it."
"That's… surprisingly big of you," Lissa commented.
"If you knew Marth like I do, you'd know why it's worse than me punishing her," I smirked.
I just knew that Lucina was going to kick Cynthia's ass for this as soon as she found out. I'd just… leave out the part about Chrom and I having a fist-fight…
The four of us just looked at each other for an awkward moment, before Yemuel sighed with dramatic flair.
"Well, now that the tension is broken, I believe that you were saying something, General?" he prompted.
"Oh, uh, right…" I said, squirming uncomfortably. "I, ah, I'm sorry I freaked you and Sumia out with the body swapping hex," I said, looking down.
Chrom looked down, taking a shaky breath, before nodding with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, too," he said. "I didn't realize… my own failings as ruler were weighing so heavily on you."
There was a moment of silence between us, as we both looked up at the same time, trying to gauge the other's reaction. The men still around us had gone silent, waiting to see how this played out. It felt a little awkward doing this with an audience, but I wasn't going to get a better chance.
"Are we done now?" I asked him. "Because I don't think I want to pick up where we left off."
Chrom gave a weak laugh, nodding and looking away again with a faint smirk.
"We're done," he said.
He fished around in his pocket for something, before taking a few steps and holding his hand out to me. Sitting in his palm was the Ylissean signet ring I'd left before leaving Ylisstol.
"You dropped this," he said.
"You sure?" I asked him quietly.
"More now than ever," he admitted with a small grin.
I took the ring, the crowd of sailors and marines all inhaling at once, and slipped it back on my pinky.
"I totally won," I said, breaking into a grin.
Chrom laughed, stepping forward and wrapping me in a tight bear-hug. I sighed and returned it, patting him awkwardly on the back, and the crowd of sailors and marines set to cheering. Clearly, they appreciated the bromance. Cean reappeared, too, clapping and grinning with the rest of them. How he moved so damned fast with that peg leg when he wanted to was a mystery to me…
"I'd say it was a tie," Chrom chuckled.
"Actually, I would say that You were both wrong. I was the winner."
The crowd went silent as Yemuel stepped forward again, his hands clasped behind his back and his nose in the air, looking down on the two of us.
"I must say, I'm quite disappointed," he declared. "And since I was just about to break you up when the young lady intervened that makes me, by rights, the winner of this little farce."
There was some quiet muttering from the crowd as Chrom and I exchanged a glance, Yemuel looking fairly unhappy as he stalked towards us.
"I, ah, believe the young lady put a stop to the fight," Chrom said.
"Chrom, don't," I started to say, before Yem cut me off.
"My ship is my kingdom, Lords," he explained darkly. "I am her Captain, her Admiral, and at sea that makes me as a King. And I am not amused by this display of vulgarity. You should both be ashamed. This will not happen again, am I clear? Not on my ship, at the least."
"Er, no, Admiral…"
"No, Yem. Sorry…"
Chrom and I both had the presence of mind to look abashed, both of us shuffling like schoolboys being chewed out.
"Good," Yem went on, his tone lightening as a small grin rose to his features. "And, seeing as I won, I guess the betting pool would go to the only one that actually bet on me to win, wouldn't it?"
The crowd went silent again for a moment before I burst out laughing, wincing and holding my side even as I did.
"You didn't," I said.
"Oh, he did," Cean said, limping forwards with a frown. "I thought it was weird that the Cap'n put a bet on himself, and not either of you, but I thought 'hey, he's the boss', so…"
Cean held a fistful of coins and notes out to Yemuel, who smiled brightly as he accepted them and began to count them out.
"As I said," he grinned. "I am Captain. And at sea, the Captain is akin to King. Never bet against the King."
"That is fair," Chrom laughed, slapping me on the shoulder. "Ah, but where did you find this one, Ben?"
"He found me," I shrugged, wincing at Chrom's blow. "That hurt, dammit!"
I mean, I was healed, but the phantom pain was still lingering.
"Do not make me laugh, my face hurts," Chrom hissed, gently probing at his split cheek with his fingertips. "Sister? Ben got healed. Can I get healed?"
"No," Emm declared.
Yemuel clapped his hands, turning in a small circle.
"Do you not all have work to be doing?" he asked loudly. "Come now. The show is over. Back to work you go."
As the crowd began to break up, full of laughter and head shaking, Yemuel turned back to us with another frown.
"By the gods, look at the two of you," he sighed. "You are bleeding all over my deck."
"We did say we weren't going to heal them," Emm said.
"Oh, it's not that bad," I sighed, rolling my eyes and looking around for my shirt. "I mean, I'm not bleeding anymore any… way…"
I trailed off, realizing that Su'ko was holding it almost directly under my nose. She had folded it neatly, and now offered it up to me with her head bowed.
"Thank you," I said, taking the shirt and pulling it on.
"It's fine," Chrom laughed, somewhat gingerly. "After all, we did this to ourselves…"
As he spoke, he slapped me on the back again, and I yelped in pain.
"You prick, stop doing that!" I laughed, punching him in the shoulder.
"Now, now, gentlemen," Yem growled. "You don't want to end up in adjoining cells to our young friend, do you?"
"Er, no, Yem…" "No, Admiral…"
"Well, as amusing as all these little diversions have been, I do have a ship to run," he said with a nod, before turning away. "I will hopefully see you all at the evening meal. Good day, ladies. Milords, try not to kill each other in the meantime."
"Of course, Admiral," Chrom nodded.
"I make no promises!" I called after him.
The three royals all turned to me, and I shrugged.
"I'm gonna go lay down," I said, turning away now, too. "Y'all be good, I-"
I stopped, coming face to face with Archer as he looked up at me, tail wagging.
"And just where the fuck were you!?" I asked him.
"Wuff."
"I see."
I turned to the others, a small grin on my face now.
"Archer. Watch Lissa," I commanded.
"I don't like the way you just smiled," Lissa said slowly.
"Just keep an eye on my dog, please," I yawned.
I winced, hand snapping up to my face mid-yawn, as the recently-healed jaw twinged.
"Argh, fuck," I groaned. "That's it, I'm going back to sleep. Y'all have fun."
"I will come check on you later," Emm called after me. "After I heal Chrom."
"Thank you," the Exalt groaned in relief.
I made a vaguely affirmative grunt and waved over my shoulder, angling for the hatch to get me below deck. My stomach was fairly screaming at me now about how hungry I was, so I grabbed an apple as I passed through the galley. Su'ko obediently followed behind me, and when I glanced back I saw that she had appropriated a hunk of hard bread and some cheese, too. No doubt for me. I smirked, grateful to have so attentive a bodyguard, but hesitated when I went to bite into the apple. My jaw was still sore, so I just sighed and moved on to my room, stopping and turning back to her just outside the little cabin.
"I'm just gonna go sleep now," I told her.
She nodded, offering up the food she was carrying.
"Thank you," I said, stepping into the room.
I hesitated when she moved to follow me, and quirked a brow at her.
"Su'ko, I'm just going to sleep," I told her. "Go relax or something. I'll call you when I wake up."
She opened her mouth to respond, but I closed the door in her face. Not in a rude fashion; I didn't slam it or anything, but I needed to be alone for a while. I gently placed the apple, cheese and bread down on the desk, hoping that it didn't move around too much on the waves.
I took a deep breath in the quiet confines of my cabin, closing my eyes and letting myself finally relax. I ran my hands over the top of my head, before I passed them over my face, beginning to tremble now.
Then, I fell to my knees, curled up, and with a pained gasp I proceeded to have my first anxiety attack in nearly six months.
The remainder of the voyage back to Ylisse passed without incident. Emm, perhaps fearing starting another fight, was somewhat more distant after that first night. We were still friendly, and she was resolved to come to the barracks with me, but there were no more late-night conversations. Chrom, perhaps suffering acute boredom, began to care for Cynthia's pegasus while she was indisposed; this fact was made all the more amusing considering how much the beast clearly didn't like him. Lissa spent the rest of the voyage trying to get Archer away from her once she realized exactly why I'd ordered him to stick to her. She didn't succeed, and I wasn't looking forward to her reprisal.
Ylisstol was much the same as when we had left, still all hustle and bustle and daily life, and I felt it keenly when we arrived. I realized, then, that it drove me nuts after the relative calm of Baham.
Cynthia had already gone ahead of us with To'shi's scouts, with a full written description of why she was being brought before Lucina in iron binders. I'd had a quiet word with the girl on the first night of her incarceration, which had really only been for a week anyway, and explained that I was washing my hands of the situation, and she would be Lucina's problem. This, surprisingly, hadn't done much to improve her mood, but that was now officially Lucina's problem, not mine.
Chrom and Lissa said their temporary farewells to Emm just outside of the city, and she and I made our way to the barracks on the outskirts. Archer, now mercifully over whatever gastrointestinal distress he had been suffering on the ship, trotted along happily behind us. Su'ko had disappeared into the crowd, and I only occasionally caught glimpses of her tailing us because I was actively looking for her.
Emm clung to my arm silently the whole walk, and I very gentlemanly let her set the pace. She wasn't particularly distressed during the ordeal; fortunately, Ylisstol had bounced back pretty fast after the war with Plegia. Some smaller, regional towns were still struggling a little, which was something I'd been working on up north, but the major cities had returned to pre-war prosperity. In fact, the mood in Ylisstol was high, and Emm smiled beneath the hood she had donned as we strolled through the streets.
Few people recognized me, now that I was sporting a much larger beard and noble finery. I'd been gone a while, so it didn't surprise me. Once we got closer to the barracks, though, off-duty soldiers began to populate the taverns and eateries, looking up from stores and stalls, watching wide-eyed as I strode purposefully onwards.
"I don't know who's going to meet us," I warned her in a low voice. "Just… be prepared for anything."
Emm nodded silently, and we emerged out of the press of the city and into the boulevard before the main barracks structures. Uniformed soldiers were milling about, and a few actually froze in place when they spotted me approach.
"What are you gawking at!?" I snapped.
As one, every man in a uniform, and many in civilian clothes, all stopped what they were doing and snapped to attention with smart salutes.
"At ease!" I grumped, passing right through them and entering the barracks.
Emm gave a small chuckle at my much-put-upon sigh, stepping back from me as we finally entered the cool shade of the barracks interior.
AN: Well, that was really a long time coming, huh? Also, I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger. I live on this shit. XD
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