Chapter 10-Hero King Marth

Kasrin pulled his hood down and his handsome, but marred face regarded me with a look of obvious shame. "I am overjoyed to hear your family name was cleared, Lady Mimika."

"Are you," I spat as I glared at him. My own Scouts finally trotted up behind me.

He looked wounded at the bile in my voice as he adjusted his dark glasses that obscured his eyes, "Of course I am. The Lady Mimika that I served a lifetime ago had a much more tragic fate."

I crossed my arms as Bhavin tended to the wounded warriors. "At a guess I lost an eye in the Evonrue forest, I never got to petition the Exalt, and my family legacy ended in utter disgrace."

He broke into a warm smile, "How perceptive you are, milady. Although you still headed the Arrowhead Scouts, you lived in the darkness of your family's betrayal to the end of your days. You were a brave, but tragic warrior."

I felt a heavy weight press down on my shoulders, "The Scouts lost badly, didn't we?"

Lily had just finished getting mended by Vanny, and she slithered over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, "Yeah the Scouts all croaked. I only heard about ya from Master Kasrin's thrilling nightly stories. My brave Lady never mated or had kiddies, and died all brokenhearted and alone." Her luminous red eyes looked on me with deep sadness and affection, "Yet ya never gave up, even in the face of certain doom. You're my shining idol, y'know."

Despite my discomfort at the touch of her surprisingly smooth and warm scaly clawed hand, I could now see the scared young face beneath that fearsome serpentine exterior. I gave her a sympathetic smile, "Frankly, until now I was terrified of you, but now I realize that you're a strong girl who has endured far too much pain for your tender years." I reached over and squeezed her shoulder, "Thank you for saving my life, Lilith."

Tears pooled in her eyes as she beamed, "Just Lily, milady."

My smile increased incrementally, "Lily then."

"Wow. You're so awesome," She bellowed as she hugged me far too tightly again.

"A-air," I gasped as my ribs creaked in protest.

"Oh, I'm sorry." After releasing me she rubbed her head and looked adorably sheepish.

Siffra giggled at the sight, "Always the heartbreaker, milady."

I fumed at my retainer's jibe, but finally just let out a mildly exasperated sigh as I realized she was just trying to lighten the overly gloomy mood. "Back to the main point, Mister Kasrin…"

As I desperately tried to get the serious conversation back in line, Mika in her black cloak and drab grey dress had wandered over and gave me a friendly wave with her bright green eyes shimmering. "Auntie Mimi?"

I blinked in confusion, "Yes, Miss Mika?"

"Do you mind?"

I massaged my forehead with my hand as I realized the ridiculous situation I was in, but I had not forgotten her request. Honor trumped dignity in my book after all. I exhaled sharply and gently knelt onto the ground in the soft bed of pine needles under a tree that had miraculously survived the horrific nightmare. The Manakete girl squealed with delight as she lay on the ground and contentedly rested her head on my lap, looking completely at ease.

Raquelle and Siffra both burst out into merry giggles, but Revellia looked like she was trying to conceal her mirth with all her might. Vanny simply beamed, Iniabi looked on with a slightly puzzled expression, and I could practically feel the heat radiating off Lily's flushed face full of enraged jealousy.

To alleviate my mortification, Kasrin chuckled and sat cross-legged across from me, "Mika has been waiting for your indulgence for a long time, milady."

I looked down and was taken aback by the sight of the softly snoring young teen, and felt compelled to stroke her cheek. "She must have been very fond of me."

Kasrin smiled sadly, "I wish I could tell you more, but yes, she adored you. You chose to remain single and you doted on the children as their beloved honorary aunt. The very last time you spoiled her like this was on her eleventh birthday."

By now with Raquelle and Siffra standing guard, the other Scouts and Lilith joined us by sitting in a rough circle. I felt a squeezing in my chest, as I realized she had lost me about half a decade ago, the poor dear. "What's the plan? Are we allies now?"

"Yes and no. The Irregulars must wait in the shadows until the time is right. By now you must realize that we will intervene only with our King's leave, and he wishes us to not overly disrupt the flow of history."

I nodded grimly, "Your Hero King."

"Correct."

I felt the dampness of tears on my fingertips as Mika's voice suddenly echoed in my head, No, don't go, auntie.

I started to shake the crying girl's shoulder, "Mika? Are you okay?"

The nightscape filled with the sight of toppled trees and the skies lit by forest fires was suddenly replaced by a vision of utter darkness. I felt like I was a puppet being controlled by someone else. I had neither voice, nor control over my body. All I could do was observe. And then I shivered as I heard a hoarse voice speak, "Mika, are you okay?" I then saw a ghostly green magical light wink on and illuminate a face that utterly terrified me. It was my face, wearing an eyepatch, prematurely aged and horribly maimed on the right side. This ruined Mimika had noticeable streaks of grey in her normally black hair, and the entire right side of her face and neck looked like it had been mauled and healed over badly with more scar tissue than flesh remaining. To my further shock I saw a young girl's hand reach over and trace over her coarse misshapen skin with a tender caress. I realized that I was reliving the Manakete's memories.

A high pitched version of Mika's voice spoke, "What's wrong Auntie?"

Echoing roars came from outside the dank cavern we were in. Roars of the Risen. Too many Risen.

Mimika looked at me with choked up expression, "Stay with your sisters, and Raskin, and head out the back entrance. I'll see you back at the citadel."

I knew how terrible a liar I was to know full well that this ghastly specter of my future self was never returning.

"No," I heard Mika sob pitifully. "No, don't go auntie."

Mimika stood up and drew out her ancestral sword, "I have to. My future is already spent, but you must have faith in your liege. You and your brothers and sisters will succeed where I faltered." She unsheathed a crimson luminescent crystal shard bomb and made a run for the entrance, towards the shrieks of the Risen.

Mika screamed, "Don't go!" and suddenly I was back in the trashed forest. I wobbled unsteadily as the Manakete sat up and looked at me with incredible guilt wracking her face. "Oh Gods, what did I do?"

Vanny quickly caught me before I toppled over looking at my pale face with concern, "Mimi! Hang on, okay?"

"Uhhh…I…yeah. I'm just a bit dizzy." I looked over to the piteously sobbing girl and gently hugged her to my chest. "Forgive me. I'm sorry she had to leave you. I'm sure she happy to trade her life for yours."

Most of my companions looked utterly at sea, but Kasrin and Lilith exchanged a knowing glance, as they knew exactly what had transpired.

Mika wailed, as she convulsed into my side as her grief crested over her soul, "But I never wanted you to die, auntie! I never wanted you to go! Why did you abandon me?"

"Because I knew you had a duty to save the past. You were destined to walk down a torturous path that I was never meant to tread; a path blessed by Naga herself." Wait a moment…how the heck did I know that?

"I cried for so many nights. I tried to put you, mother and father out of my mind; but I never could. You were always lurking in my dreams." Her sobs softened as she basked in my embrace, "I wanted to hate you, but I just couldn't."

Kasrin bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry about that. Mika is still a young Manakete, and her telepathy can 'leak' a bit at the edges when she lets her guard down.

I nodded as I stroked the girl's lovely green locks of hair, "It's a sobering moment to watch a mutilated version of yourself walk out of a cave to blow yourself up along with a couple dozen Risen."

Mika wiped at her red eyes, and with a shaky smile traced her fingers over the smooth skin of my intact right cheekbone and jawline, just as I had seen her do in her memories of the black future.

I placed my hand over hers and gave it a slight squeeze, and gave a tight smile in response, "It will be different this time. If you can help the Scouts and my Prince save Ylisse, then I promise not to abandon you a second time."

She hiccupped and tried hard to pull herself back together again, "Oh Naga forgive me. Why did I torment this lovely Lady with the horrors from the darkest pits of my mind?"

I gave her a steely look of conviction, "You did it because I needed to see exactly what we are both fighting with all our might to prevent. The ruined future; the fate that I will never allow to take form as long as I draw breath."

"Yes, auntie. I would do anything to save this world."

An aggrieved new voice interrupted our heartfelt conversation, "Kasrin!" It was a gruff tenor's voice that indicated no tolerance for incompetence. All of us turned to see an ultramarine-haired figure from the history books walk into the clearing. It was a dead ringer for Marth.

The Hero King, if it was him, cut a dashing figure. He was a slender pretty boy with short hair cut just off the nape of his neck, dressed in grey pants and shirt, a midnight blue tunic with gold decorations at the margins, fingerless gloves, ankle-high leather boots, blue iron greaves and pauldrons, a billowing cape dark blue on the back and blood red inside. He also wore a gold diadem with twin dragons engraved on it, and a strange butterfly-shaped dark blue mask that concealed his eyes behind a row of narrow horizontal slits. His enchanted sword looked like an exact replica of Chrom's legendary Falchion. His delicate mouth was set in a disapproving frown.

Most of the Scouts looked in a bit of awe at seeing a legend brought to life, even if it was an imposter. However his regal aura made me uncertain of my assessment.

Kasrin sighed and kowtowed towards the Hero King. "Apologies, your majesty."

Marth shook his head slowly, looking exasperated, "We will discuss the matter later."

Kasrin did not look particularly fazed, "As you wish, your majesty."

He turned his attention to me and coldly spoke, "Lady Paraglaive, mind that we are here to avert a dreadful fate. We will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal, whether is in harmony or in conflict with your goals."

I stood up and gently released Mika, "I understand, your highness. I hereby swear on my dead parents' souls that I will fight the coming darkness with all of my strength."

He nodded with stern expression, "We may not always be allied, but I must challenge the dire fate of this world. Take care of yourself, milady." With that Marth strode out of the clearing into the smoky ruins of the decimated forest, followed by Kasrin and his devoted followers. Their indistinct figures soon vanished into the smoky haze.

My retainers and I automatically bowed in respect. Even if he wasn't Marth, he still carried the steely confident air of a commanding Nobleman, or even a Royal. We all watched in stunned silence as our allies…or rivals departed.

…

An hour or so later with the still burning woods lighting up the skies behind us I finished my explanation in detail as my Scouts rode abreast of Chrom, Lissa, Frederick and Robin. Two other Shepards that I didn't know were walking ahead of us; the blue-haired foppish archer was shamelessly flirting with the Red-haired tomboy Cavalier encased in her crimson and silver armor. Our slow gait made me feel uncannily like we were on our way to attend a funeral. "Then the Hero King turned on his heel and strode fearlessly into the smoke, with his retinue respectfully five paces behind him. It was an eerie experience, like an overwrought fairy tale brought to life and performed for our benefit."

Chrom had a troubled expression, "We had our own run in with this so-called Marth, and it was nearly as unsettling. He jumped out of the portal from Grima knows where, saved Lissa, and vanished until after the battle."

A faintly blushing princess gushed, "He was so…dreamy."

I had to agree, "I-I know. He was a young man that I could only describe as more beautiful than handsome, in a Raven-esque way."

Chrom rolled his eyes, "If you ladies are quite finished at swooning over our potential adversary, remember that he warned that the Risen attack was merely a prelude of far worse things to come."

"One of the Irregulars, a Manakete girl named Mika, gave me a vision of that future." I looked ahead grimly as the stars started to dim as the sun started to dimly bathe the sky in purple hues, "It is a destiny we must avoid at any cost."

"Agreed. But we can't know if we can take him at his word, although I am in his debt for saving my sister. And he has a band of delusional followers that think he is the real Marth."

"I found them quite lucid, Chrom," I added glumly. Maybe some were a bit flaky, but all were sane. "I'm unsure if they think he is Marth, or just their gang leader, but I doubt it matters. They just believe in everything he stands for. That Nobleman commands the undying loyalty of an expect swordsman, two deadly lamia and Makakete at the very least. Naga only knows what chaos they could cause if he but gives the word."

"All the more reason to alert my sister. I can't say I would ever look forward to face them in combat, but I will do what I must."

"I will be at your side, milord."

He looked up at me, "Do you believe them? That they hail from some disastrous future?"

"I do. I wish heartily that it was otherwise. Apparently, some of the Arrowhead Scouts were-I mean will be allied with Kasrin's Irregulars. I saw my own disfigured face from Mika's memory and this older Mimika mentioned Ronna's son by name." I knew that twisted parody of my face would always haunt my dreams but I could bear it if I could avert catastrophe.

"How bad can they be?" Lissa perked up, "C'mon Chrom. He saved my life, and his allies saved Mimi's bacon too. That little Manakete girl just wanted to use Mimi for a lap pillow." She beamed at me as I looked away with a flushed face.

Chrom sighed, "What am I going to do with my overly trusting sister?"

"Hey!"

Robin calmly weighed in, "If you believe that Marth rescued Lissa as a feint, then I suggest you send me away as well. I may be deceiving you for all you know for my own nefarious schemes."

Frederick looked surprised and looked expectantly over to his liege.

Chrom snorted, "Bull! Those two incidents aren't related in the slightest."

"Aren't they?" Robin's brown eyes looked at Chrom with obvious amusement as he twisted on his own rope. "How do they differ? I would very much like to learn from you."

The Prince kicked at a rock and looked profoundly annoyed, "Look I just trust you, okay? That Marth is just too slick and deceitful. Why hide behind a mask? Why impersonate a dead King? Where did he find those mysterious lamia? If he's on our side, why not join the Shepards like you did Robin?"

Robin hummed to herself as she calmly wrote quick notes on to herself using a charcoal stick on parchment, "So noted."

Chrom sighed softly as his new Tactician took what he said far too seriously, "What am I going to do with you, Robin?"

Robin smiled and pocketed her notebook, "That's for you to decide, Chrom."

Lissa giggled and I had to struggle to keep a serious face. Maybe I was imagining things, but could swear they were flirting. That couldn't be right, could it?