Chapter 8-Encounter

As the strange Manakete girl had predicted, the Myrmidon Raven had approached me last night at the Shepard's barracks and begged to recruit him on along with his brothers, but I had stubbornly declined as I still wanted to be the master of my own fate.

True to Chrom's word, we departed at as the sky was decorated with fluffy clouds illuminated pink by the sun hidden over the nearby hills, although the landscape was still engulfed in deep shadows. As his vanguard, the mounted Arrowhead Scouts rode ahead of the Prince's small team of Sir Frederick, and his sister Lissa as we collectively chased down a rumored incursion to the South by brigands.

Much to my surprise, Chrom had entrusted me with one of my family's crystal shard bombs encased in a magic-dampening padded shell, and told me to stash in my saddlebag. When I had stammered out why I would ever be trusted to wield such a dangerous weapon, he had smiled and assured me that Lady Maribelle had scanned it and informed him that only my blood could activate it, and that he trusted my judgment. I had deeply tormented feelings about wielding a weapon identical to one that had nearly brought down the Halidom, but just maybe it could finally be put to a just cause for once. Somehow I have a nagging feeling it would be better if I never had to use it, but sooner or later fate would force my hand.

I had told Finchson and his family to stay at the Shepard's barracks as mobility on this mission was paramount. With Ronna looking after her, I had also left behind Xolette so she could browse the Royal library looking for information that she potentially could use to remove her unique taint. Sir Aabis also had business to wrap up in the capital, so he had cheerfully told me to formally recruit him once we returned from our overnight trip.

I rode on my mount Slate and Siffra was on her muscular brown hued steed Butternut trotting in her full charcoal grey barding armor through the pastoral countryside. Bhavin was on his small white stallion Whitesmoke, and Raquelle and Revellia rode tandem on her Bay Pegasus Serendipity. I had to admit that as the Shepard's semi-autonomous mounted force made my chest fill to bursting with pride. If only Auntie Mattie could see me now.

I heard Revellia gently chide out resident mage over the acquisition of his new pony just yesterday, "Master Iniabi, don't tell me that you didn't ask what that beautiful girl's name is when you purchased her in the market?"

Iniabi stretched out still looking like his slumber had not been restful, and fixed the Pegasus Knight a weary gaze, "It did not seem important at the time. She's a docile and dependable beast and will convey me rapidly from one point to another. Isn't our ongoing strife with Plegia more important than the triviality of a horse's name?"

Raquelle started to giggle into her hand with considerable mirth as her sister puffed up her cheeks indignantly.

Revy huffed, "Our steeds are our best friends, and our dependable companions. Serry is a good and noble boy who has always had absolute loyalty to me and Raq." She dotingly stroked her chocolate-hued mount's neck and the Pegasus snorted in contentment.

I made a half smile myself as I gave Slate a scratch behind her ears. My mare tossed her head and softly whinnied. I had to admit I had to concur with the Green-haired Knight's position on this debate. "Mister Iniabi?"

He flicked the reins and his horse with no name trotted up and matched Slate's pace, "How may I be of service, Milady?"

"You don't care to name your mare?"

He chuckled tiredly, "I don't wish to get too attached to this place. Guarding your back takes priority. I also have much to focus my attentions on."

He was alluding to his quest for his new beloved after the painful loss of his former love, no doubt. Memories of seeing my parents' bodies still haunted my dreams far too often. I gently spoke softly enough so our conversation would be private. "Did you have dreams about her?"

His green eyes widened slightly, and he broke into a pained smile, "Every night." He sighed moodily, "I don't even know why I'm confiding this in you, as I doubt you would find my true motivations as honorable. You may even decide to oppose my mission in the end."

I gave him a reassuring smile, "Most of us are at war within our hearts between following Naga's desire to do build bonds of love with others, and Grima's lust for destruction. I myself am no different."

"You're much more than I expected, Lady Mimika." He gave an agreeable nod, although I could see he was wrestling with conflicting impulses in his mind, "I lost someone very dear to me and she made me promise to fight for justice and find someone to give me joy in my life again. For a long time I preferred to stew in my misery until I figured out a way to find someone who would make me happy again. That is the other reason that I am here, besides aiding your noble quest for repentance. I must succeed, or my heart will be forever splintered like a fractured crystal."

"I'll help," I spoke with firm conviction. I made a show of rubbing my own chin with a gloved hand, "Hmm, I'll overlook the fact you strong-armed yourself into my ranks, if you let Revellia name your pony."

He chuckled softly, and acquiesced with a shrug, "Yes, Milady. Thank you for your empathy and understanding. He pulled on the reins gently so that the sisters could catch up to him. "Okay, Miss Revellia, think of a name for her."

"Yay! She's so pretty with that coal black coat and sweet brown eyes. Let's see…how about Onyx?"

"Fair enough; Onyx it is."

Both Bhavin and Siffra ahead of me exchanged knowing looks and laughed at the situation.

…

By noon, we were approaching the ancient town of Southtown, famed for it magnificent rectangular temple to Naga with its intricately crafted rose window, and sturdy buttresses anchoring its thick walls. As we reached the hilltop leading into the town I pulled up on the reins in horror as I saw several buildings in town already ablaze. The work of Brigands no doubt.

I called out in rising panic, "Revellia, go back and tell the Prince that Southtown is under attack. Tell him to charge straight in."

"Yes, milady." Raq hopped off the Pegasus and hopped on Butternut behind Siff as her sister took to the skies.

"All right. Arrowhead Scouts, lets ride around to the Southwest road and draw the brigands' attention as I'm sure Chrom will dash straight in from the North. Move out!"

My followers cheered and we rode through the forest trail ringing the town and we quickly found a surprise. Apparently a small group of ruffians had been pillaging a storefront as there were tossed boxes of pilfered goods in the streets around their lifeless bodies. At least two had been felled by arrows, one by some sort of small blade at least four by sword wounds. It couldn't be could it?

A young man with brown hair and eyes cowering in the store looked eyes with me as he shivered.

"Sir, what happened here? Who killed these dastards?"

"M-miss…it was three warriors. I-its was an archer in black and red with black hair, a thief with green hair and a red scarf, and a pretty lady with long black hair."

Gods. It really was the terrible trio; Regulus, Zeno, and poor misidentified Raven. Why couldn't they take no for an answer? I fumed inwardly as gave the villager a grateful salute, "Thanks, sir. Help your fellow villagers. The Shepards will take it from here."

"Yes, milady! Tell them thank you."

We quickly rode past more corpses and reached the rear side of Naga's temple. We heard a commotion on the North side of town, so Prince Chrom and his retinue had just engaged a different force of the brigands. Just as we reached the square, we were confronted with a terrible sight.

Perched on his Wyvern, an ugly, filthy brute with several teeth missing held a girl of about Raskin's age in his arms, with an axe to her throat as the girl piteously wailed. I also saw a few terrified villagers who looked desperate to see the girl freed. What looked like her mother was held back by her husband as she cried for her daughter. Both Zeno and Regulus had their weapons at the ready but looked frustrated at the hostage situation.

However, I saw Raven had stuck his lethal, blood-stained sword into a barrel and was slowly approaching the thug unarmed. He spoke calmly, "Thuka, let the girl go. I will be your hostage instead."

"Heh, I wasn't born yesterday, pretty boy! Garrick said this town would be full of creampuffs, but I ain't tossing my life away! I'm leaving with the girl."

I waved to my force to hang back as I rode alone into view, "Mister Thuka. My name is Lady Mimika! I promise on my dead parents' graves that if you release the child, I will vouchsafe your freedom. Just drop the girl and go in peace."

He sneered at me, "Hmmph! Why should I trust a fancy-pants noble?"

"Look at this insignia. I am leader of the Arrowhead Scouts, and I am an adjunct force to Prince Chrom's Shepards. Will you take a Prince's word?"

"I know that name." He scoffed but thought for a moment, "A'right. I'll let her-Ghuck!"

With a motion too fast to properly track, masked from Thuka's view by Raven's body, Regulus has loosed two arrows. One striking a moving Raven's shoulder and one nicking his brother's neck as it flew past the swordsman into the Wyvern rider's eyesocket. The girl shrieked and ran away crying to her mother's tearful embrace, as the dead crook toppled from his black draconic mount and fell faceup in the gutter. The Wyvern roared and took riderless to the skies.

Raven groaned and crumpled to his knees as he clutched his wounded neck. He smiled at the family's reunion and managed an agonized smile to the sobbing girl, "It will be okay now, Miss. Don't fret."

My team and I watched the events with pure shock. Had Regulus actually nearly killed his own brother to fell the brigand? I dismounted and barked at Bhavin with my eyes wide with shock, "Vanny help Raven, now!"

My tan-skinned priest ran forwards to the stricken swordsman and started to heal his serious injuries. A stunned Zeno also dashed over and propped up Raven in his arms, "Rave, don't you dare die on me!"

I waved the rest of my team to link up with Prince Chrom. Siff, Raquelle, and Iniabi all rode around the corner as I reached Regulus who was impassively yanking his arrow out of the dead gang leader. His intimidating red eyes looked at me with cool indifference, and his expression did not change even after I gave him a stinging slap across his right cheek.

"Dastard," I sobbed with angry tears burning my cheeks. "Why did you do that? I had parleyed with the Brigand; so why shoot at your brother?"

He tilted his head with a slight frown as he wiped the bloody arrowhead clean and returned it to his quiver. "Because I had the shot, and you were a naïve idiot to think you had the situation under control. I did what I had to do, Lady Mimika."

I was stung by the insult, but my main concern was Raven, "B-but that's your brother isn't it? Why nearly kill him?"

"L-lady…Mimika…stop…I beg of you." I turned to see Raven stretched on the ground with a distraught Zeno propping up his head with his lap. Vanny had extracted the arrow and was using his stave to seal up his wounds and staunch the blood loss. Raven looked up at me with contrite azure eyes and clutched my arm weakly, "Peace milady. Reg did what he had to do to save the child. I wasn't expecting it, and I am…not happy with his actions, but sacrificing my life would be a small price to save the little girl."

By this time, Chrom, Lissa, Sir Frederick, Revellia and a strange blond-haired lady dressed in a black cloak, grey shirt, grey pants, black boots and gloves had arrived. The Prince had apparently overheard our heated exchange and Chrom glared angrily at Regulus, "So, my friend. Shooting your companion in the back is not how the Shepards have ever or will ever operate. We have an ideal to save Ylisse and I will not have any recruits into our force wantonly smiting allies to gain an advantage over our foes."

Regulus calmly shook his head but bit his tongue.

Lissa frowned, "Hey, say something, ya meanie."

Chrom sighed and gave a slight wave of consent, "Speak freely Regulus. You have my leave without consequence."

"Remember I did warn you." He gave a slight nod, "All of you nobles are fools living in ivory keeps."

Lissa gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

"You know nothing of the real world. Hard choices must be made all the time, and the consequences can be fatal. Life is not like your insipid fairy tales. I chose to sacrifice one to save many."

"That was awful what you did," Lissa blurted out. "You're wrong. You would have saved one life for Raven's not many."

"Oh? And how many in Ylisse would trust its Shepards or its Arrowhead Scouts if they once let a Brigand kill an innocent child? You would have that black cloud over your heads for the rest off your lives. How would you save your precious Halidom or face the Exalt with your heads held high then?"

Lissa's face paled and she looked on the edge of tears.

"This is pointless," the Prince growled in frustration as his hand played with the hilt of his ancestral sword Falchion. He gave an aggravated snort of suppressed fury and then angrily strode over to the newly mended Raven and helped pull him up with Bhavin's aid. "How do you fare, Raven?"

The Myrmidon groaned as he stood up and gave an unsteady bow, "I'll live, milord. Thank you for asking. How may we be of service?"

Chrom eyed Zeno and Raven and gave a slight smile, "You wanted to join the Shepards, correct?"

Zeno chimed in, "You bet Chrom…er…I mean Your Highness."

Chrom chuckled at the gaffe, "No harm done Zeno. I may be the Prince, but Chrom is fine in the field." He gently shook both warriors' hands, "Welcome to the Shepards. I think Lady Mimi could use your talents in the Arrowhead Scouts once we go on our next mission."

I stewed but realized with resignation that defying destiny was looking a little pointless now. I forced a smile and welcomed them warmly, "Glad to have you both. Based on what I saw you do to those thugs, you are both formidable fighters."

"Thank you milady," Raven made a bow with a grimace. "But what about Regulus? He can contribute as well, and he is crack shot."

Chrom snapped before I could respond, "Mister Regulus, I don't care where you go, but get out of our sight. I don't ever want to see your face again. You will not be punished, but you will never be welcome as a Shepard."

Regulus gave a curt bow and strode off wordlessly looking utterly unrepentant.

Zeno looked incredibly torn, "Wait Reg! We can…shit!" He gave a hasty bow, "Sorry milady, but as mad as I am at him, he is my brother, and I must fight by his side as we always have. I'm sorry it didn't work out." He raced off after the archer with a dark void where his heart should have been, "Reg, wait up!"

"My deepest apologies Lady Mimika. It would have been a true honor to serve," Raven unhappily added. "Fare thee well Lady Mimika, Prince Chrom, and Princess Lissa. Keep safe." He reluctantly turned on his heel and limped after his adoptive siblings.

I started to speak but Chrom clasped my shoulder firmly. "Don't."

"Y-yes, milord." Why was there an unbearable pressure in my heart as I watched the three undeniably talented warriors walk out of Southtown? As much good as they had done saving the town, Regulus had accomplished one of the cruelest ways to hurt my spirit; to betray my trust. I had witnessed firsthand that the endless cycle of hatred, zealotry and cruelty between Ylisstol and Plegia that ended up consuming my family in flames. I was desperate to find a purpose, and serving the Exalt and her wishes to preserve a peaceful Ylisse was my highest duty. I viewed my mission of guiding the Scout with sacred reverence; that quest was far more important than ending my family's pariah status, or even my own life. I dried my cheeks as I whispered, "Be safe, brave warriors. I hope we cross paths again."