When Sumia had come to Valm, she knew that she was putting herself in a dangerous position.
A continent on the precipice of total war is the last place any foreign dignitary wants to be, doubly so when that dignitary was a royal. Tensions are high, skirmishes happen regularly, and norms can quickly be discarded when opportunity arises.
Still, she'd elected to come regardless. Believing that her presence would bring some weight and gravitas to their mission. The flowery former Knight still didn't put too much stock in her worth, but her title was something to be reckoned with. The idea of going against the 'Queen of Ylisse' was something that gave most men pause. Striking against the Queen of Ylisse would be unthinkable in most circles.
And yet here she was, surrounded by a mob of dismounted pegasus knights as arrows flew without any care of 'norms' or 'diplomacy'.
After the battle on Roseanne's border, she'd sent emissaries to Rigel to assure that her army was a third party. That any action they took was to ensure the sovereignty of the smaller nations on Valm, and had no intent of invading or assaulting any village, city, merchant or army within their borders. Her emissaries had returned with a paper signed by their King, promising that her forces wouldn't be attacked so long they weren't involved in any incursion into Valentian territory.
That letter was resting in her tent right now, as she could spot one arrow soaring right for her person. Over the heads of those fighting at the front, arrowhead aimed squarely for no one other than herself.
It would have landed, if she had not been tackled to the ground by one of her knights. The arrow punched through the young girl's back plate as they both hit the dirt. Sumia looked up to see the light fade from her savior's eyes, with the image forever burning itself in her mind as she felt a strong force pull her up from underneath the corpse.
"Form line! Form line and prepare to repulse!" She heard the Sergeant roar, barking orders to the remainder of her bodyguard as she felt her feet take hold on the ground once more. She'd been on a walk before this attack began. Picking flowers she hadn't seen in years, since the first time she'd come to Valm. Seeds she wanted to bring to her garden in the palace, so that her children could see the beauty of a land so alien to them.
All of that felt so far away as she saw the dismounted knights lock into formation, cavalry lances locked forward as they made a wall of spears.
Their Sergeant drew her sword, the only Falcon Knight in this entire area, before pointing to another of her subordinates. "Corporal, check to make sure her Highness isn't injured!"
The woman in question nodded, going to give Sumia a quick check to see there weren't any new holes that the Queen had gained in the past ten minutes of this attack. They'd manage to spirit her away from the first ambush, only to run head-first into the main battle. Normal blue-clad spearmen and mages already having engaged the larger enemy force and holding the line. Refusing to let a single murderous one of them make it into camp.
"This is what you've all trained for!" Their leader bellowed, marching down the formation as the last of the women locked in place. The tip of her blade aimed towards the body of the girl who'd just given her life for their Queen. "One of our sisters has already done her duty! We honor her by doing ours! Every one of these bloody hooligans die here, by our hands! Understood?!"
"YES, MA'AM!" The voices echoed in unison, sounding more like a force of nature than the cry of simple soldiers. Chilling fear and unwavering awe emanated from these silver clad soldiers, even as Sumia watched on with panic lodged in her throat.
"We need not our mounts! Even ground bound, one Pegasus Knight is worth twenty of these savages!" The Sergeant continued to boast, rallying them as Sumia felt herself once again be pulled up to her feet. "Do not let fear tell you otherwise! Do NOT shame yourselves before our liege! If you die, die with your hands around the throat of the enemy!"
It was the normal speech you'd expect a leader to give their men, and it had the intended effect. Each of the Knights, most of them having never seen combat before coming to Valm, seemed to stand with the resolve of veterans.
As Sumia was guided away, back towards the center of camp and far away from any archers who wanted to claim her life, she took note of the knights who remained around her. Four stayed close to her person, a box keeping a barrier from her and the rest of the world.
A few more columns filtered towards the front, jogging at double time as their weapons and armor clanged together. Some of the soldiers looked her way, concerned and fearful as to what was happening. Yet again, Sumia righted herself, pushing aside her shock to not cause undo fear.
Despite the battle, she was still the Queen. Chrom wasn't here, which meant all they had to rely upon was her. Though she desired to go help them fight off this ambush, she knew her life was too valuable to spend throwing herself at the front.
Even now, a decade after she and Chrom had wed, she still forgot who she was. Often she had to remind herself of her stature. That she helped rule a nation, that she wasn't a knight-in-training anymore, that her actions mattered. Unlike Cordelia, she'd never been in the spotlight before marrying. In fact, if she hadn't joined the Shepherds, she might have become just another pegasus knight.
It was funny how fate seemed to reside on a few key events.
When they reached the central medical tent, Sumia dismissed her guards to go assist on the front. They protested initially, but she then reminded them that there was little to no chance any of the attackers had gotten this far without raising an alarm. Despite that, it wasn't until she explicitly ordered them that they departed. And once they'd left, she'd slipped herself into the tent…
...Only to be met by the sharp blade of an axe hovering near her face.
It was at that moment the regal Queen of Ylisse released an absolutely childish squeak, hopping back and falling on her derriere. The flaps of the tent entrance wrapped around her shoulders like a cloak.
The weapon retracted, and as she looked up, her son in law gazed down with the same neutral aloofness he always held. Meanwhile, Cynthia rushed past Gerome, grabbing her mother and yanking her back inside into a full-on hug.
"Mom!" Cynthia exclaimed, both their armors sliding against one another. There was a metal screech that made both of them jump again, only to sheepishly laugh while Gerome paced his way back to the center of the tent.
Cynthia sighed, watching her husband disappear behind a curtain with a sizable cadre of guards surrounding it. The only soldiers from Roseanne who'd come with them, and that was for a single purpose.
To guard their Duke and Duchess, still clinging to what life they had left.
"I can't imagine what he's going through." Sumia spoke, glancing at her younger child. "Has he…?"
"He's barely spoken to anyone. When he's not here, he's training. When he's not training, he's taking care of Minerva." Cynthia informed, chewing on her lower lip. "Mom, can I…?"
Sumia smiled softly, giving her daughter another hug. This one less punishing on their ears. "Go be with him. I'll be right here."
Cynthia returned the smile, ever grateful her mother was just as kind as her future version. The younger princess then broke away from her parent, slipping past the guards and into the sectioned off beds.
Gerome stood by the entrance, holding silent vigil over both Virion and Cherche's unconscious bodies. Both looked peaceful, as if they were trapped in a dreamless sleep. But below the blankets, each was swath in bandages and stitching. A multitude of emptied glasses and bottles were at their heads, remedies and medicines having been expended to keep them along for this long.
There was a single Priest tending to them, one personally appointed by Blanche before they had left. Day after day, night after night. He never seemed to leave their side, ensuring their health remained stable.
It was an uncanny sight. Not too long ago, Cynthia had been in a similar state. Nearly killed, confined to a bed and unknowing of the world around her. Just like them, she'd had her spouse by her side. Though now, Gerome was in an even worse state.
The masked rider had suffered blow after blow too quickly. First, barely surviving his own near death experience. Then, witnessing future Minerva have her wings torn from her body. Now this, having to watch his parents lay like corpses before him as another battle was waged outside. All the while, his son remained in Roseanne, away from him and Cynthia's protection.
It wasn't surprising to anyone that Gerome was near his breaking point. Most others would have already passed it long before.
Cynthia inched closer to her husband, taking hold of his hand and giving it a gentle tug. When he remained unresponsive, she placed herself dead in his sights, trying to bring his eyes to her instead.
Of course, he was quite taller than her, so all he had to do was look over her head.
The flighty flier pouted as she was ignored, before an idea came to her mind. Without warning, Cynthia hopped up forwards, wrapping herself around the stoic man. Gerome yelled out, stumbling backwards until he tumbled back out of the flaps and sprawled out over the tent floor.
Cynthia hopped up on top of him, taking a seat squarely atop her husband's chest and flashing him her signature grin.
"No more pouting, you mopey moper!" She demanded. "The Justice Couple can't save the day with only one of us! So buck up and get your head in the game!"
Gerome didn't reply, seeming obstinate to remain in his dejected and demoralized state. Which seemed to only antagonize his wife even further. The knight bent over, taking off the man's mask and hovering so close that their noses almost clashed together.
"Listen up and listen good, Mister Sad Pants! Everything is going to be fine!" Cynthia assured, both of their eyes locked on one another. "Your parents are safe! Minerva's healed! Jacks is waiting for us in Roseanne. Do you think he wants to see his Daddy act like a slugabed!?"
The wyvern rider had no response. He merely looked in another direction, off in another world. Which prompted Cynthia to take her husband in grasp and hoist both of them back off of the ground. After which she once again wrapped her arms around him in a constricting embrace.
"We won. Things are better now." She promised in a quiet tone, ensuring that no one else could hear her words. "Grima lost. We have our own lives now. We're safe. Please don't forget that. Please."
Those words seemed to finally do the trick. Gerome's entire body progressive began to deflate, the tension that had been building up in his muscles drifting away as the time hopping warrior was able to let his guard down once again. Not completely, never completely. None of the future children would ever be able to truly be at peace, even now.
But this was a small victory that Cynthia gladly took.
The pegasus knight hopped back, presenting her spouse's mask with both hands. The man sighed, but let himself smile as he mounted it back on.
"Thank you." He said, looking over Cynthia's head to see past the flaps one last time. She was right, they were safe. And soon they would be taking the next steps in nursing his parents back to health.
All in due time.
Four days later, the Ylissean Army marched into the streets of Yedo. The ancient capital of Chon'sin.
The attack had been thwarted almost as quickly as it began. After the initial shock subsided, the enemy was pushed out from the encampment with few casualties. Yet again, the Ylissean forces proved their mettle. The Halidom's prestige remained unparalleled to the natives of this continent.
Unless, of course, compared to that of Chon'sin.
In the years after Walhart's defeat, the southern territories had banded together. Most of the dynasts had died, or fallen far from power. In that vacuum, few leaders remained. And through that vacuum, many nations rallied under her banner in a similar fashion to that of the Valentians.
Over time, dynast after dynast chose to bend their knee to their new Empress. For security, for safety, for stability and prosperity. Chon'sin ballooned in size, evolving from a simple daimyo's domain to a wide spanning empire that encompassed almost the entirety of southern Valm.
In the aftermath, Say'ri had been elevated from a disgraced rebel princess to an Empress almost without peer.
Since then she'd taken great strides to ensure the chaos and anarchy that came after Walhart's fall would never visit her people. The nation's infrastructure was restored, farmers returned to their fields, children sent into their schoolhouses. The military was reborn, with every civilian given basic martial training. Trade flourished, thanks in no small part to the strong bonds forged between the Empire and the Halidom.
Strong bonds that remained steadfast, especially in these tenuous times.
The capital of Yedo was a majestic sight to behold. Large stone walls surrounded the outskirts, with shinsengumi marching along the ramparts. Citizens seemed unaware of the conflict outside of their borders, life going on as if Walhart had never even existed. Families walked through the streets, the markets bustled with life, men and women alike looked down from the windows of their homes to see these foreigners march through their city's main promenade.
Soon enough, the Ylisseans reached the Imperial palace. Soldiers dissipated to set up a new encampment on the parade grounds, while Sumia and a small honor guard escorted Virion and Cherche into the castle's hospital. There, local monks took the patients in to begin the treatment.
Gerome watched on in pain, praying that Naga would grant him yet another boon and spare his parents another grim fate.
After the escort, the two future children joined Sumia in the throne hall. A large, billowing room. Tradition hung off the walls, paintings and tapestries depicting events from millenia prior. Ancient artifacts were on display that quite possibly could have matched Tiki in age.
In the center stood two figures. The first was expected, Say'ri presently engaged in intense debate. The swordmaster's appearance had changed little since Grima's demise, still clad in the traditional armor and garb of her people. The most notable change was the sword hanging on her hip, Amatsu. The legendary blade passed down through her family. Once it had been her brother's, now it belonged to her.
The other figure was someone no one expected.
"Tiki!?" Cynthia called out, making her party wince at such unceremonious behavior. The outburst had the desired effect, however. Both the manakete and her guardian broke off from their discussion, though they shared a glare of mutual hostility.
Sumia's party came forwards, awkwardness hanging over them like a heavy coat.
"I take it we interrupted something?" The Queen questioned, both her daughter and her spouse taking the backseat as the three royals began to engage one another. Tiki and Say'ri remained at arms length, the too close friends now at direct odds with one another.
"Yes, you did." Say'ri informed, before gesturing towards Tiki with indignation. "Her holiness continues to refuse my requests to stop the Valentians."
"Wait, Tiki's not going to help us? Why!?" Cynthia chirped again, now having both Say'ri and the manakete glare at her. Sumia laughed nervously at the faux-pas, meanwhile Gerome nudged his wife with an elbow.
All the while, Tiki regained her composure. "Now that Sumia has arrived, I can explain why."
Sumia shuffled in place, prepared to hear the worse. Tiki avoided involving herself in the affairs of mortal men, it was her way of keeping neutrality over those she ministered to. But her presence here showed that something was forcing her hand, even i8f she still refused to pick a side in the growing conflict.
"Does this have to do with the people who attacked us on our way here?" The Queen questioned.
"Somewhat, but indirectly." Tiki explained, before revealing her dragonstone to her friends. "...After investigating the source of the Risen, I flew to Mount Prism to receive counsel from my mother. Evidence was haphazard and contradictory, like nothing I'd ever seen. But it all confirmed my suspicions, these Risen were not of Grima's doing."
"Morgan told me the same." Sumia confirmed. "She's been running experiments non-stop, last I spoke to her she settled on them being manufactured."
Tiki nodded. "She's correct. These Risen are… were, artificial. And with my knowledge in hand, Naga informed me that there is a far graver threat on the horizon."
Cynthia physically wilted at the foreboding words, shuffling closer against Gerome. Say'ri dropped her defensive demeanor, her expression now growing fearful. "No worse than the last grave threat, I pray?"
"Mother couldn't say, but she told me that a presence seemed to be looming. One she hadn't felt in millenia." Tiki spoke, looking at her own reflection in the dragonstone. "But she made it clear; we need to rally our forces. Not merely those of Chon'sin and Roseanne, but all of Valm."
"Considering the situation, that seems difficult at best." Sumia observed, before looking to Say'ri. "Albien claims that your men have been attacking his forces. Is this true?"
Say'ri scoffed. "Of course not! If anything, his men have been raiding my villages! I've had to rally an army on the border to secure our frontier!"
Sumia scowled, a picture beginning to form in her mind.
Her correspondence with the Valentian king reflected the same sentiment; that his hand was being forced. Soldiers from the nations bordering his own attacked and looted villages within his vassals, leaving little behind. His letters swore up and down that the only offensive he'd approved was against Roseanne, and that was only after his scouts found bodies wearing their uniform amongst the dead.
This was all far too similar to be dismissed as mere coincidence.
"Say'ri, are you certain that your army hasn't attacked?" Sumia asked once again.
"On the grave of my brother." Say'ri assured. "I have no interest in conquest. Chon'sin needs not more bloodshed."
Neither of the other women pressed the issue further. Both knew that even now, Say'ri still valued her slain sibling's honor above even hers.
Tiki watched Sumia, curious as the Queen remained locked in thought. "You have a theory?"
"...Severa told me that the Risen had been attacking villages in Roseanne before the battle." Sumia deducted, before focusing on Say'ri again. "Have the raids on your villages paused?"
The Empress took pause herself, contemplating her recent reports. "Fie, yes. The attacks had been consistent until last week."
"That's when Severa destroyed that staff-thing." Cynthia once again annotated. "Aunt Cordelia told us all about it before we left."
"And the Risen disappeared when she did it." Sumia followed up.
"So… the Risen were undertaking the raids." Say'ri deducted. "But who was controlling them?"
"A manakete." Sumia told the pair, both instantly stunned by the information. "One that could burrow underground. Cordelia and Severa tried to fight it, but Sev almost died in the process."
"An earth tribe survivor." Tiki recollected in a hushed voice, eyes widening as information seemed to link up in her mind. "What of the men who attacked your column?"
"I… still don't understand it." Sumia informed further. "They had Valentian uniforms on, but their weapons weren't from here or Archenea. Neither was their tactics, and there weren't a lot of them. Plus Albein sent a sealed document promising us safe passage."
"He could be lying." Gerome spoke, his words echoing with base through the room.
"Albein does not lie." Tiki responded swiftly. "Much as I disagree with his methods, he is an honorable ruler. As much as your husband, the Exalt."
Sumia visibly chafed at the comparison between this nephew of Walhart and Chrom. The idea that anyone related to the mass murdering Emperor could be anything like the father to her children was almost an insult. The Shepherds had spent two long years on Valm, moving from nation to nation in an attempt to wrestle it free from the Conqueror's iron grip.
One could argue the entire reason she was here was to ensure all that effort wasn't wasted.
Regardless, the three continued to deliberate amongst one another about what should occur next. Sumia implored Say'ri to call for some sort of diplomatic summit between herself and her counterpart. A request that the swordmaster begrudgingly relented to, though she saw it as a fruitless endeavor. The further that the two rulers became engrossed in the technicalities of politics, the less interested their audience became. Soon enough, Gerome and Cynthia found their way out. Leaving only three souls in the hall.
It was only then that Tiki took control of the conversation once more.
"My mother warned me of another happening." The Voice informed her friends, pulling their attention back squarely upon her. "Strange energy penetrated our world months ago. Pinpointed in three areas. One within Plegia's borders, one in Regina Ferox, and one within Valentia's borders."
"Define 'strange energy'?" Sumia asked.
"Power that only an exceptionally strong manakete can wield." She continued to explain, slipping her dragonstone back under her robes. "Power that matches that of Naga's. The ability to traverse space and time."
Before the other two could interject, Tiki lifted a finger. "She said it matched the same pulse of power that she sensed five years ago. The same time when Inigo, Owain and Severa disappeared."
"Sev did say she had to fight 'another crazy dragon' while she was gone." Sumia mulled, twiddling her thumbs together. "Do you think it's the same one?"
Tiki shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All I know is that this dragon's power has… tainted our world. Seeped into its fabric and caused great shifts in nature."
Say'ri furrowed her brow. "My Lady, I need to ask; does the Fell Dragon live once more?"
Again, the princess of the Divines shook her head. "No. But if the Earth Tribe is amongst the living once again, then my Mother may be preparing for the absolute worst case scenario."
Say'ri balked, unable to comprehend what the Priestess was saying. "What could possibly be worse than Grima?"
Tiki released a sad chuckle, envious of her friends' ignorance. In their short lives, they had experienced a great deal. Yet even with their trials and triumphs, there was much they could not have possibly seen. Much they still could not possibly understand.
It was something she always admired about her human compatriots, from Marth to Chrom. Their ability to persevere and overcome, even without the natural abilities her species possessed. It inspired her, then and now.
But there were some horrors not even perseverance could surpass.
"Have you ever heard of the tragedy of Arvis?"
Roseanne was still drunk on their victory, even days after the victorious defenders had returned home. Parades and festivities continued to go off long into the night. Soldiers stumbled about, drunk and disorderly. But no one seemed to care, the joy was intoxicating on it's own. The small nation had truly bested a goliath.
Around Virion Keep, that endless party remained energetic. Minstrels and musicians alike filled the halls and ramparts with song and dance. Men and women, boys and girls walked with pride in their step. Not since the days before Walhart did the city seem so alive.
Blanche looked down from her office, the only one aware of the tragic irony. On her desk rested a stack of letters, each one clandestine. Smuggled in, kept away from any and all prying eyes.
The end was nigh.
A new Valentian horde marched ever closer to their borders, under the nose of the few scouts that patrolled. The day before they arrived, the remains of the Ylissean Army in the city would have departed to rejoin the main force in Chon'sin. Earlier today, she'd given the order to officially disband most of the militia. Soon, the only soldiers who remained within these walls would be loyal to only her.
It was all going as planned. And she was playing her part perfectly.
In one week's time, Roseanne would no longer be an independent nation. It would become yet another vassal under the Valentian banner, despite its citizens' best efforts. Of course she would be caught completely off guard, unable to expect that the invaders would be able to rally yet another force in such a quick timescale.
Under duress, she'd have no choice but to surrender the city. To spare the lives of those within and without the suffering of a hopeless siege. It'd be mere coincidence that the Valentians would reaffirm her position as Regent. A way to smooth over any unrest, and ensure a stable transition of power. From that position, she could negotiate. If she was smart, she may even be able to guarantee Virion and Cherche safe passage back home after their recovery.
They'd no longer be sovereigns, though. If Virion ever wished to rule again, he'd be forced to swear fealty to another conqueror. Something she knew he would likely never accept.
But he had no choice. None of them did now.
As the Bishop looked out the window, she tried to rationalize her treason. In mirth, she thought back to that Colonel. How he'd been dragged out of the courthouse by the mob and hung in the city square. All because of that letter she forged.
Funny. She was now doing the exact thing she'd framed the poor sod for. Watching that little rat beg for his life after all the torment he'd caused her was nothing short of delectable.
It was all for the right reasons. That's what she kept telling herself. After the previous defense, it was impossible for them to hold out against another attack. And say nothing about her directive from the Mila Tree, how they demanded she cooperate with the Valentians. Her superiors had picked a side, and it was not the side of her family.
Albein had the blessing of the Valmese Church. Albein had the army and resources. Roseanne had none of that, merely half the will to resist and not nearly enough time.
The war was over. She was simply trying to protect what was left. Of course she should be the one to lead in the interim, who else would? Who else could?
No one. Roseanne belonged to her now.
It would all be over soon.
A/N: And with that cliffhanger, we'll be on another hiatus for a bit. We'll be back after the next Interim update, folks.
o/