Interlude - Traitor

There was an assassination attempt, and it almost worked. Thankfully, it didn't. Bonus points, I got to kill my father. Negative points, I found out I'm in love with Chrom.

Why do things always go from bad to worse with me?

Chrom and Emmeryn spent most of the next day arguing about what to do. The knowledge that there was a traitor in their own castle made everything uncomfortable. Chrom refused to leave Emmeryn alone; Emmeryn refused to leave, period. Frederick came up with a compromise by having Emmeryn go to the eastern palace or something, very quietly. Only a handful of people know, people Emmeryn trusts above all else. That one of those people could be the very traitor who nearly got her killed weighs heavily on all of us, especially the Shepherds as we pack and prepare not only to escort Emmeryn, but to return to Ferox for the army they promised.

With so much riding on us, it wasn't surprisingly that many cracked and panicked under the pressure. Robin and I had to sort out at least six arguments, over meaningless things, and Chrom had to deal with even more. I'd ducked out while Lissa and Vaike yelled over a pie slice of all things to go check on Sumia. I'd found her in her family's townhouse in the city, escorted by chortling servants, and it quickly became apparent just why they were laughing. Sumia was acting out scenes from a story.

"Back, angry fiend!" she called, twirling her lance about with a flourish. "I shan't let you near the princess!" She jumped to the other side and scoffed. "As if a puny villager like you can stop me!"

"What about confused friends?" I asked dryly. She squeaked and whirled, hiding her lance behind her back. "What is that even from? Please tell me another of the Ribald Series."

"The ones dealing with Magvel…" Sumia flushed from embarrassment, though she smiled shyly. "I was trying to emulate Dame Emma."

"Isn't she the one who-?"

"Ah!" She flailed, shaking her head. "Don't tell me! I haven't finished yet!" She paused. "Wait, this is a new book. It came out yesterday, while you were busy in the castle. I bought you a copy, but didn't get a chance to give it to you."

"Did you forget that the Magvellian tales are, literally, well know and these Ribald tales are merely the latest adaptation?" I grinned as her expression blanked. "Okay, you've been inside too long. Time for sunshine."

"I… sure!" She smiled brightly, and carefully left her lance leaning against the wall. "Let's head to the market. I need to get a few things for the trip."

"That sounds good." I headed back down the hallway, and she easily fell in step next to me. "So, were you here with your parents?"

"No, they're on the estate. I more came here to get out of the way, since everything is so hectic." She shrugged. "There's not much I can do to help. I do help Frederick with the horses, but I did that this morning, and it'll be a bit before their evening check." She waved to the servants as we passed, and gave the guards at the front gates a bright grin. "Sorry, habit."

"I think it's a good habit. They certainly looked happy." It was hard to be sad around a smiling Sumia. "How are they doing?"

"They're worried about the threat, last I heard, but they're going to do what they can to protect our people." She easily led the way to the market, and we were greeted by a surprisingly cheerful crush of people. Emmeryn's speech earlier must've lifted their spirits, since yesterday, the dead were more lively than them. "Yay! Look at everything!"

"I'm looking." I smiled slightly, and tried to not twitch. I still remembered the eerie laughter and the red eyes. I wondered if the source was here. But, if it was, they were hiding very well. I'd seen or heard nothing. "What are you looking to buy?"

"Oh, I know where it is." She stepped close to me as we entered the market proper. "But, more importantly, I have a question for you."

"Oh?"

"Yep!" She waved to some passing people before turning her attention back to me. "You've been avoiding Captain Chrom a lot." She peered at my face, and I tried to wince. Of course she'd noticed. Chrom hadn't, thankfully, but... "Why?"

"I…" I sighed, drooping. It was awkward. I didn't like it, but I also found myself squirming when I was near, even if he didn't see me. "I'm trying to get my head in order. Once I convince my heart that it's impossible, then-"

"Why should it be impossible?" Sumia gave me a very serious look. "You shouldn't give up before even trying. My best friend, Cordelia, did that. She said it was impossible for Captain Chrom to return her feelings, and so, she gave up without trying. I tried to convince her otherwise, but…" She sighed. "She refuses to believe me."

"...Sumia, forgive me, but why would you be encouraging me? Me giving up would make it easier for you to get with Chrom."

"Well, it's a number of reasons." She casually, shyly, hooked her arm around mine. "For one, you are a dear friend and I want you to be happy. I want Captain Chrom to be happy too. So, you know, if both are you are happy together, I'll be a bit sad, because love sucks, but I'd also be really, really happy!" She giggled. "But her eyes became serious. "And, well… I don't want to be someone's second choice, you know? I mean; I'm clumsy, I'm shy, I tend to be use-whoa!" She managed to trip over her own feet, but I shifted to keep her up. "Thanks!"

"That is life telling you that you're not 'useless', by the way." I smiled at her, and she smiled back shyly. "But I get it, I think. You don't want to deal with 'what ifs', like 'what if' Cordelia hadn't given up or 'what if' I didn't give up."

"Exactly!" She beamed. "So, I want you to promise to go for it!"

"You…" I started laughing, unable to help it. "Well, if I had any idea how to 'go for it', I would? You think I know anything about flirting? I needed help figuring out I was in love with him!"

"Mmm, point, and I'm pretty poor at it myself." She giggled. "Well, how about you promise to stop avoiding him? I think he's been busy enough to not notice, but…" She shrugged, still smiling. "If nothing else, he's still a friend, right?"

"...Right." I continued laughing, leaning into her a bit. "Well, for now, you and I are in the market, and I think I spy a book of poems over there."

"You love poetry, don't you?" She laughed. "Well, that book you lent me was super sweet! I loved most of them!"

"It's a good book." I grinned. "The best part is that they're small, so they easily fit into packs. I can bring a whole bunch on the way to Ferox."

"That's clever!" She grinned back. "Come on! Let's buy some, then!"

After Sumia and I went shopping, eventually actually getting the extra pads she needed to pack, Sumia returned to her estate to finish her packing and I returned to the castle to make sure no one had killed each other yet. Thankfully, no one had, and so, I ended up following Robin to Emmeryn's study, curled up in the corner while she and Robin set up to play chess.

"I'm surprised by the sudden invitation," Robin noted, setting up his pieces. He was 'black', while Emmeryn took 'white'. I almost laughed at how unintentionally fitting that was. "Do you worry about my tactical skill?"

"Of course not, Robin," Emmeryn replied. She already had her pieces set up, and she waited with a pleasant smile. "I simply have a brief break and wished to play a few games. You were the only one free."

"Well, I feel loved." Robin grinned and settled into his chair. "You're first."

"So I am." Emmeryn looked over the board briefly before moving a pawn. "I do have a question for you, though."

"Oh?" Robin's hands hovered over his pieces, his eyes sharp as he began devising strategies. "What is it?"

"If you had to choose…" Emmeryn's voice was very soft, but there was something heavy in it. Robin's hand left the pieces as he waited for her to continue. I glanced up from my book of poems, curious. "What would you choose between your queen and your pawn?"

"That's a strange question." Robin sat back in his chair and closed his eyes to think. "I'm assuming this is a situation where I cannot capture the one who threatens them, nor can I threaten the king with a check or checkmate?"

"Yes."

"Damn." He sighed, and opened his eyes. "Well, ultimately, I think I'd pick the pawn."

"Why?"

"Well, no matter how powerful the queen piece is, the queen is a replaceable piece." Robin looked up at the ceiling. "When a pawn reaches the end of the board, they can promote and become any other piece, including a queen."

"That's right. Only the king isn't replaceable." Emmeryn paused, gave me a brief and unreadable look, before looking right at Robin. "Who would you call your 'king', Robin?"

"Are you asking me who isn't replaceable? Because that's everyone."

"No, no. I ask, if you had to assign pieces to people you know, who would you call your 'king'?"

"That's…" Robin frowned, and I set my book down as it was quickly becoming clear that Emmeryn was having a different conversation than we'd originally thought. "I suppose Chrom. He's our leader, after all, and if he fell, I'm not sure the Shepherds would hold together. Whatever he thinks of himself, the Shepherds all joined for him."

"That's right. Chrom would be my king as well." She smiled sweetly. "What piece would you assign to me?"

"You? Probably the queen… piece…" Robin trailed off, eyes wide, and my jaw drop as we both figured out what Emmeryn was implying. "Emmeryn… you…"

"I would call myself the 'queen' as well." She still smiled so sweetly, but the words she implied were chilling. 'I can be replaced.' "Rest assured, however. I am not inclined to sacrifice any piece, much less my queen."

"...Who do you think could replace such a marvelous queen, though?"

"Oh, Robin, you flatter me!" She laughed, perfectly cheerful, while I reeled from how easily she suggested she was replaceable. "I already have an idea of who might 'replace' such a queen, though. A wondrous one, far better, though she knows not her worth. But others do, and its draws them, perhaps even the 'king' himself?" She chuckled. "Well, we'll see about that."

"...I fear you play a game far greater than mine, and with far more pragmatism." Robin looked back at the board. "Chrom would kill for you. He has already. He'll become death incarnate to keep you safe."

"But he would hate himself, forever, because if there is one thing he hates, it is becoming like our father." Emmeryn's smile finally faltered. "I am a poor sister. I leave my siblings to the wayside in the name of duty. I am rarely there for them. I'm always too busy to help them. And I am a worse sister to Chrom, because I see the traces of our father in him and become afraid. Yet, he loves me. He loves me so dearly, and that is a miracle I will forever thank the gods for, because though I never show it enough, I love him so very much." She clasped her hands in her lap. "So, above all else, I want… to protect his spirit. His heart. I'd rather him receive a lesser wound than to see him twist himself into becoming something he hates, into someone he loathes."

"You seem… very certain on that."

"He didn't even touch the Falchion for years. He only took up fighting because I refused to, and I saw his heart break as he went through the formal ceremony to receive Falchion. I do not want to see him do that again." She shook her head. "I do not want to see him break himself for my sake again."

"Well, I imagine you won't see much of anything if you die." Robin's voice was cross as he scowled. "Which-"

"Robin, shut up," I retorted. The response was sudden enough that he did listen, and I turned to Emmeryn, who watched me closely. "You're not saying anything she hasn't already suffered through."

"But, it's just…" Robin began. He visibly groped for words, frustrated that he couldn't think of a reply. Emmeryn simply watched. "Just-"

"Robin, if there was a choice between dying yourself, or something killing me, what would you pick?"

"Well, I'd pick you, of course…" Robin paused, and I could see the pieces click together. "Oh."

"Precisely. I'd make the same sort of decision if our roles were reversed. That's what Emmeryn is talking about. I imagine she went with the chess metaphors in the hope that it would get through your thick skull faster."

"I'm sorry I'm an amnesiac and am still relearning metaphors." Robin scowled and I laughed, picking up my book again. "Fine, fine. Emmeryn, just promise you really won't do so needlessly. If it's a stupid sacrifice, I swear I'll bring you back to spite you."

"Of course," Emmeryn replied. Her smiled was gentle and warm. "Thank you."

"Chrom is going to kill me," Robin groaned. He leaned back in his chair. "Super kill me."

"No, he won't. He adores you. Besides, it's not as if I would leave such a choice in your hands." Her smile sweetened, even as Robin gave her an incredulous look. "So, the game?"

"Ah, right, yes?" Robin moved his piece at last, and Emmeryn moved hers, and the two settled into playing chess against each other. I watched them for a bit, noting with a smile that both of them played things cautiously, not willing to sacrifice a single piece.

Emmeryn won only once out of the seven matches they played, the one where she'd sacrificed her queen. I could only hope we wouldn't have to make the same decision.

"Thanks for insisting on sparring, Kestrel." Chrom sprawled out on the grass briefly, sighing happily. "It was just what I needed," he said, smiling up at me. "Thanks."

"I thought so," I replied, trying to hide both my silly smile and my blush. At Sumia's encouragement, I'd dragged Chrom out for our nightly spars. With Frederick's permission, we'd even left the palace, to a grassy hill with a giant tree, its leaves fading orange and brown as we quickly approached winter. Gangrel either had high hopes for his campaign, or no sense of how poor winter fighting could be due to living in Plegia. We'd likely trade initial blows, and then have to hole up for the winter. "Besides, it's not like the sparring didn't do me some good as well." A little bit of sparring, and I felt… well, I still felt shy and awkward, like I was too big for my limbs or something, but it was less. I could stay around without feeling the need to flee. "You've been running around all day."

"I have to oversee everything myself." He groaned as he pushed himself up. "We don't know who betrayed us. I have to double check everything for sabotage."

"Have you noticed anything?"

"Yeah, there's been about three, but all so damn subtle that they could've easily been honest mistakes." He rested a fist on his knee, glaring at the horizon. "It's been a long time since we've had to make preparations like this, and this is sudden. People make mistakes when panicked."

"Is there one person in charge of all three?"

"No, and all three involved things that everyone had access to." He sighed, trying to relax. But his shoulders remained stiff. "I need to thank Panne again. She's the one who caught there was a problem with one of the horses."

"How is she getting along with everyone? And… Gaius, was it? I've not seen much of either."

"Gaius has been helping me try to track down the traitor, and to try and muddle our own tracks. Panne keeps her distance, but there's been no arguments, yet." Chrom tensed again. "Of course, all the work will be meaningless if I trust the wrong person."

"Are you afraid?"

"A little." He smiled ruefully. "Not Emm, though. She gives her trust freely still, even though her life was at risk."

"Well, then of course you worry. The more people you trust with your life, the more easily that life can be stolen." I hesitated and reached out to rest my hand on his fist, still on his knee. "I would, in your place."

"I imagine you did, when you first joined." His smile grew as I simply shrugged. "But it's still amazing that she can hold onto her beliefs even now. I have to protect her, though. Someone needs to."

That reminded me of the earlier conversation with Emmeryn, and I felt the need to bring it up. "Emmeryn thinks she's a poor sister to you. And Lissa, but mostly to you." I leaned forward a little to better look him in the eye. "But you clearly love her. It can't be simply blood ties to do that, and it's not simple admiration."

"She's always too hard on herself." He laughed a little, but it faded pretty quickly. "Well, admittedly, when I was very young, I thought she hated me. She'd just taken over the throne, so things were all chaotic. My sister was no longer 'just' my sister, my father was gone, my mother died soon after, I had a little sister I suddenly had to take care of…" He smiled, though. "One time, though, I was taking a bath-"

"Oh, is that an unusual thing?"

"Hey!" He scowled and I laughed, unable to help it. "I'm being serious."

"Sorry, you just left too wide an opening." I poked his side for emphasis, and he rolled his eyes. "So, bathtime?"

"Yes, I was taking a bath. The thing was, I was incredibly tired from taking care of Lissa. At the time, Frederick wasn't our guard, so it was only the wetnurse, one of many who just left and was replaced since no one stuck around, and me. So, I fell asleep or, more accurately, passed out, and almost drowned." He smiled again. "Emm bolted out of an important council meeting as soon as she heard, and she pushed past every single servant to make sure she could reach me. She actually plucked me out of the suds like a kitten, and she was crying so much as I came too. I almost thought she'd fallen into the water before I'd realized her face was covered in tears." He looked up at the sky, to the stars glittering overhead. "I realized then that my sister hadn't gone away. She just had a little more to do. And I wanted to do what I could to help her. It wasn't fair that she had so much on her shoulders. I wanted to take that burden, as much as I could."

Yet that was what Emmeryn was afraid of, that he'd take so much that he'd break, like her. "Well, remember that you have bunches of helpers too, when they're not busy with the sheep!" I grinned as he laughed. "So, don't you…" My grin faltered as the moonlight washed over his face, revealing something I hadn't noticed before. "Chrom, when did you last sleep?" He looked far more exhausted than normal for our sparring. Paler.

"Last night." He tensed again, and sounded defensive. "I promise."

"For how long?" I waited, but there was no reply. "An hour?"

"...And a half…" He looked away, sounding small. "Well, maybe an hour and fifteen…"

"You look like it." I hesitated, feeling awkward once more, but I reached up to grab his shoulder and then pulled him down so that his head rested in my lap. "Go ahead and sleep a bit."

"Here?" He turned so that he was lying on his back and looking up at me. "But… I mean…"

"I know it's not the most comfortable pillow, but while we're out here, no one will bother us unless it's a real emergency. You can get a bit more sleep."

"It's plenty comfortable." He looked worried, even as he also looked more and more tired. Laying down caused his exhaustion to catch up. "But, I mean…"

"It's a lovely night, and I brought a few books of poems with me." I leaned back to snag one from my pack, which I'd brought at Frederick's insistence. "See? I'll be fine. I'll just read."

"But…"

"Chrom, you need your sleep." I shyly rested a hand on his hair. "I imagine it also wasn't so restful sleeping while there's a traitor."

"...No, it wasn't." He sighed heavily, and the tension left his shoulders. "I spent most of it awake, trying to figure out who it might be, wondering if they'd try to kill one of us directly…"

"Lissa is with Robin and Maribelle. Emmeryn is with Frederick and Phila. They're safe, and I promise to keep an eye on the area while I read." I smiled down at him. "So, Chrom, go ahead and sleep. You need your rest too."

"...All right…" He closed his eyes, and smiled. "Can you read me some of the poems?"

"I can, sure." I laughed a little. "To bore you to sleep?"

"I like poems. I've written a few." His smile widened. "Your voice is really comforting, though, and I'd like… to hear your favorites…"

"..." My face burned with a blush, and I was glad he already had his eyes closed. I had no way to explain away this. "All right. I'll read you my favorites."

And so I did, cycling through the three books I had in my pack. I even talked about why they were my favorites. He listened closely, asking a few questions even, until he nodded off. When I was certain he was asleep, I stopped talking to simply keep reading, strangely content with all of this. I was actually disappointed when Frederick found us, and woke Chrom up so that the two of us could go to sleep in our rooms. It had been so relaxing, and the next days were going to be hell.

I prayed this wouldn't be the last relaxing day we had, for everyone's sake. Maybe the gods would listen if I prayed on another's behalf.

Notes on Kellam:

Class - Knight; Reclass - Thief, Priest

Originally from a poor family, and now a talented member of the Shepherds. When, you know, someone actually notices him. Apparently only gets along with one of his brothers, though, for reasons unknown.

The definition of a frontline armored knight, capable of withstanding incredible amounts of abuse. This allows him to shield wounded allies until a healer can reach, an invaluable tactic.

The tallest person in the army, and one of the broadest. Combined with the heavy armor, and there is serious cause to wonder if he really is a ghost.

Author's note - Sumia is shown to act out scenes from her stories in her supports with the Avatar, which is what Kestrel walked into. Emma, here, is an OC, and the POV char, from my FE8 novelization Records of the Valiant. Emmeryn's chess metaphors comes from this lovely fanfiction I read, but damn if I can find it (or the title) now. Emmeryn saving Chrom from drowning in the bath comes from their conversation in the Hot Spring Scramble.

Kellam's family, and how he only gets along with one, is mentioned in his supports.

Next Chapter - Incursion