Chapter 2-Arrowhead

Later that afternoon I stood in the shade of the doorway leading into the kitchen as I watched with childlike joy at seeing the paragons of Ylisse sparring in the stone plaza on the side of the keep facing Ylisstol. The rectangular keep sat precisely in the center of a choke point of one of the major trade routes connecting Ylisse to Plegia. Three story high walls extended out from the main fortification on either side to the nearly sheer cliffs on either side, making it all but impossible for an invading army to pass into my homeland without considerable resistance. Its strategic importance no doubt put it in the crosshairs of a major assault should its crazed King Gangrel actually fulfill his regular promises to raze Ylisse to the ground.

It was truly a dream come true to behold this vista. Nearby Siff was busy saddling up her mare, Butternut, in preparation for her joust with Stahl, one of the Prince's elite cavaliers. Having already demolished fifteen of my estates training dummies, his highness had switched to live drills. Wielding his family's ancestral longsword Falchion, the Prince vigorously sparred with a stern man with unruly brown hair in cerulean blue and silver armor wielding an axe on a long pole. Chrom's second in command, Sir Frederick, was famous in tales of his absurd devotion to his master. Had he really hiked ten miles across a mountain range to get a spoonful of honey for his master's afternoon tea once? I blushed slightly in my pale cheeks as I had to admit that the Shepards in the flesh were very…hunky.

A warm alto voice jolted me back into reality, "His highness isn't not the least bit angry with you, milady." I flinched a bit as I saw my maid Ronna emerge from behind me wearing a grey tunic, black pants and boots and a silverwood longbow lightly cradled in her left hand. Clutching her right hand with wide staring orange eyes was her adorable 5 year old son, Raskin. Despite her domestic skills, she was quite capable with a bow, as expected of the proudly militaristic Feroxians. Even when I had hired her on to my staff some years back I admired her tenacity and strength to raise a child herself.

"Thanks for your kind words, but I know better," I grumbled, as I returned to watching the action moodily. "It won't help anyway. Prince Chrom must think I'm such an incompetent fool."

Ronna tittered softly in response, and her black haired boy eagerly ran over to Siffra and starting hanging off her outstretched arm.

Siffra laughed loudly at the pounce, "Heya squirt!"

Ronna shook her head, "That's not what I saw. I was pouring drinks and serving snacks for his private meeting with Knight Matillia, and both of them spoke highly of you. His highness hates injustice, and he is making it his mission to bring you back to his sister's court."

"Oooh! I think the royal prince might have a bit of a crush!" Siff looked positively gleeful as my face bloomed crimson all the way to my ears.

Puzzlement showed in Raskin's innocent rusty orange eyes, "Mommy, what a crush? Does it hurt?"

Ronna sighed wistfully, clearly revisiting past memories, "It means you like someone and want to be with them all the time."

Siffra shook her head and looked directly at me with uncharacteristically serious green eyes, "It can hurt too, if the other person doesn't like you back."

He giggled as she gleefully ticked his ribs, "Hee hee! I like mommy, auntie Siff, and auntie Mimi. I have a crush on you all!"

I patted Ronna's precocious child on the head, "It's a different kind of like. I'm sure the prince likes other ladies far more worthy than me."

My maid shook her head with an encouraging smile, "No way! He is an open and sincere noble. He wouldn't help you out if he didn't have genuine affection for you."

A stranger's voice nearby blurted out in shock, "I-is that true?"

We all turned to see a Pegasus knight trainee approach us with deep worry etched into her expression. She wore silver and crimson light armor over her chest, arms, and waist, had skin nearly as light as mine, an unnerving intensity in her scarlet eyes and long unruly red hair that cascaded down to her thighs. She was also stunningly beautiful. She saluted reflexively.

A gave a slight bow, "Welcome Plebe. I am Lady Mimika, your host during your initiation training."

She fidgeted but then bowed deeply, "Pegasus Plebe Cordelia. Please forgive me for my intemperate outburst just now."

I managed a weak smile, "I understand completely, Cordelia. Prince Chrom has many admirers. I've dreamed of joining his Shepard brigade since I was a little girl."

Her eyes looked downcast, "O-oh. I see."

I could instantly tell that this fair maiden was quite enamored of the reckless Prince, not that I could fault her. I decided that all I could do was to alleviate her concerns about me ever being a romantic rival of hers. "Miss Cordelia, don't misread the situation. He gets a lot of attention because of his rank, handsome countenance, and fundamental decency. I have heard nothing but similar stories about his sister the Exalt and Princess Lissa. Please do not equate professional courtesy on his part with a personal interest."

Cordelia seemed to look immensely relieved at my explanation, "I have met all three of the royal siblings during my initial tryouts in Ylisstol. They are everything you have heard about and more! I would like nothing more to serve in Chrom's Shepard brigade as my best friend Sumia already does!"

"Good luck passing the gauntlet trials then."

"I will do my very best!"

One of my garrison Pegasus knight in green armor with ash blond hair abruptly stepped around the corner, and barked at the plebe, "Hey Miss Genius, who said you could slack off! You're on rock hauling detail!"

I spoke up, "My apologies Knight Hestia, but I detained her."

She saluted rigidly, "Oh! My apologies Lady Mimika!"

"Good luck Cordelia. I have a strong feeling you will make a fine Pegasus knight soon. Dismissed."

"Yes ma'am," she spoke in a spirited tone, as she saluted and ran off to tackle yet another arduous chore. I disliked the harsh hazing the Pegasus knights employed in their training, but I knew they could only afford to have the best candidates pass muster due to the limited number of mounts available and the prestige of being bodyguards to the Exalt herself.

…

After watching the thrilling joust between Siff and Stahl, I had decided to recruit a hunting party to capture some game from the forest hugging the narrow road leading to my holdings. I knew the deer were most active at dawn and ducsk, and I was determined to give the Shepards a splendid feast before their departure to the capital at dawn. As I rode with Bhavin, Ronna, and Frederick I was still chuckling inwardly that the two cavaliers had come out evenly matched at three wins each.

The brown haired knight and butler arched an eyebrow, "If I may be so bold milady, what amuses you so?"

I quickly resumed my serious expression, "Oh. I was just surprised that neither your mounted soldier nor mine could gain a decisive advantage in the mock joust." I didn't mention I was tickled by how Frederick had chided Chrom like an overprotective mother for wanting to join the hunt considering his long journey. His highness had only relented when his faithful retainer had volunteered to go in the Prince's stead.

Just as we reached the edge of the Evonrue forest, the Party stopped dead as they saw smoke plumes twisting into the twilight violet skies. Already all manner of panicked rabbits, boars, and pheasants fled out the woods into the farm fields to escape whatever horrors were concealed in the tangled trees. By Naga's mercy," Vanny exclaimed with deep concern in his eyes.

My voice wavered as I yelled, "Some of my people live in these woods! Let's go and help them!"

Both Ronna and Vanny chorused as one, "Yes milady!"

Frederick hefted his war axe and muttered, "Whoever you dastards are, pick a god and pray!"

We charged in. In hindsight that might have been a tactical error on my part. Soon enough we were confronted by a searing fire that glowed with unnatural blue and violet hues that surged all around us, cutting our vision to nearly nothing. We were soon separated by the fires that reeked of sorcery. Hearing a faint cry I urged my roan mount deeper into the woods. I soon spied a nearby cabin with the thatch roof already in flames. I dismounted and I used my family sword to smash in the door. I spied a terrified bearded woodcutter and his wife holding a howling infant. I spat out, "Naga have mercy! Here, take my horse. Get out of danger, now!"

The humble peasant bowed with barely suppressed terror evident in his eyes, "The gods bless ye milady! Bless you!"

I roared, "Go!"

"Y-yes ma'am!" They quickly got onto my steed and dashed away to safety. I realized that my Wind tome was in my horse's saddlebag only after they were out of earshot.

I felt deep relief that I was able to help at least a few lives. A nearby scream made me charge out with my sword at the ready, its shiny black metal reflecting off the azure flames. What I saw nearly made me turn and run back into the cabin. Striding away from a newly slaughtered peasant, a group of armored…things were approaching me. They were parodies of what had been human…I think. There was a myrmidon wielding a two handed sword wearing a ghastly demonic mask concealing glowing inhuman red eyes. Flanking me were a pair of archers ready to fell me in triangulated shots, with hoods over their heads. At least three or four more monsters hung in the shadows right behind them. I growled in frustration as I realized I had tainted blood by my parent's sin, but I wasn't ready to die just yet.

The leader roared, "Groooooahhhh!" He charged right at me

I cursed as I caught one arrow in my shield, another pierced my shoulder and my blade connected with the swordsman's. We clashed twice more before I lopped off his head. I threw a dagger from my boot into the eyesocket of one of the archers as another bolt stuck my thigh. I yelped and tumbled backwards into the roots of a smoldering tree. I flung my sword into the chest of the other archer who groaned and spilled into a cloud of fine purple ash just as is two comrades had done. Now disarmed, I was filled with self pity and helpless fury, as I hoped my retainers and Sir Frederick would avenge my death and dispose of every last one of these evil feral creatures.

With glowing red eyes a half dozen creatures approached my prone position, but suddenly a voice I had never heard before rang out, "By the Hero King's honor, you will all perish!" In a blur of motion, three of the humanoid monsters were pierced by fatal arrow strikes and turned to vapor. A man dressed in black leather armor over an equally dark hooded tunic and pants jumped onto the ground just in front of me and drew an elegant blade and chopped the female dark mage in two. He ducked as the Berserker swung at him with a huge axe and the hooded warrior gutted him in retaliation. The final opponent tried to backstab him, but he caught the thief's blade with his sword, and jammed it through the beast's torso, instantly killing him. As soon as he had done so, the magical fires began to die out.

I woozily looked at my savior whose features I could not make out in the dim light. I muttered in pain, "W-why me? Why did you just save a useless person like me?"

He wiped his sword clean and sheathed it, "My liege decided that it was not your fated time, after all."

In my semi-delirious state I cannot say that words fell off my tongue like poetry, "Master…I don't even…who the Grima are you?"

"Well met milady. I am Kasrin the rouge…not that it matters." His voice was filled with the obvious melancholy that could only have come from a lifetime of regrets, "I saved you because you and I are the same, Lady Mimika. We both try so hard to be noble and heroic even as the fates decide to throw us in the manure pile."

That sentiment I couldn't ague with. "Who sent you? Who do I owe a debt to?"

"Mimi! Can you hear me?" That was my keep priest Bhavin shouting nearby.

Just before vanishing into the shadows the mysterious Kasrin bowed and spoke with reverence, "His highness, King Marth. Be safe milady." He seemed to melt into the darkness just as my rescue party arrived. I was completely boggled. How could the greatest king in Ylissian history, who had been dead for over a thousand years deploy a retainer to save my worthless hide?

…

I must have blacked out right after my eerie encounter. Hours later I groaned as I regained my senses. I was now lying in my bed with moonlight streaming in. I turned to my left and winced at the throbbing pain in my shoulder and leg. I blinked and saw a dark shape slumped against the bed next to me. The priest was slumbering peacefully as his head rested into his arms. I blinked and gently prodded the slumbering figure.

Bhavin tossed his head up in a disoriented state and stared at me with a muddled expression. "Mimi. You're okay. We thought we had lost you for sure."

I nodded, still a little dazed.

He broke into a shy smile and murmured, "I'm glad."

I spoke in a trance, "I am too."

Suddenly his eyes went comically wide and he blurted out, "Oh Naga, what am I doing?" He tried to stand up too quickly and fell on his rear.

In a nearby chair, Siff sat up and looked shocked for a second before bursting out into laughter. "Sorry to interrupt your moment!"

I stammered as my cheeks burned with heat, "S-S-Siffra!"

She giggled, as she helped the flustered priest up, "Sorry. I'm just teasing."

His eyes were on the floorboards as he was too mortified to speak.

I sighed in mortification, "I nearly got us both killed, didn't I Vanny?"

"N-no milady. I had faith that we would prevail."

A knock on the door interrupted our emotional reunion.

I shook my muddled head, "Come in!"

Prince Chrom peered in and looked at me with a serious expression followed by Sir Frederick. "Hey there Lady Mimika. Are you up to talking?"

I tried to sit up, but jabbing pain from my still healing wounds forced me to give up decorum. "Ow! My apologies, your Highness, but I don't think I can curtsy right now."

"Forget it. Lissa always says that I can't handle formalities if my life depended on it." He broke into a soft chuckle as he casually pulled up a stool. "I'm just pleased that the gods were looking out for you today. Others were not so fortunate." His faithful retainer remained standing behind him with a slight scowl on his face.

"I-I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but according to Kasrin, the man who saved me, Hero-King Marth sent him."

He blinked a few times in shock. "Gods…you didn't believe him did you?"

"I…wish I could say that he was full of horse plop, but I honestly don't know what to think. At minimum he seemed to fervently believe he actively serves your long departed ancestor." I shook my head with a troubled expression. "He was quite skilled for a madman, as he effortlessly killed the undead monsters that got the best of me."

He nodded somberly, "The risen dead. That is very black news." He sighed and stood up, "The Exalt needs to know about this. You must tell my sister Emmeryn exactly what you witnessed, in person. Mad King Gangrel's dark mages may well be behind this incursion."

I couldn't quite register what my ears were hearing. "Prince Chrom, I would love to help, but there is the matter of my confinement and exile to this estate. Only the Exalt herself can reverse the edict."

He flashed me a confident grin, "Frederick told me there is a loophole. You can accompany us back to Ylisstol as my prisoner under my authority. As much as I could use your talents in the Shepards directly, you and your retainers can instead be used as a scouting group. What did you say they could be named, Frederick?"

His personal knight cleared his throat, "Milord, I thought that Lady Mimika's skirmishing force were the tip of the blade; thus I think Arrowhead is an apt name."

"Good. We'll let you rest. See you in the morning, Mimi."

"Your Highness…thank you."

I watched them both depart as my servants bowed with wide-eyed shock. I felt as if I was still in a dream. Could I really set foot over the edge of my estate for the first time ever?