Chapter 7) Incursion

Preparations completed, we make our way towards the Eastern Palace, hidden deep within the mountains. Legends say it used to be the estate of a grand house, during the time of the Hero King, Menidy or… something. Now, though, it was a quiet retreat for the Ylissean royal family, and where Emmeryn would rest while we headed to Ferox.

With the traitor still among us, though, I expected countless amounts of trouble. All of us did.

The Eastern Palace apparently was situated in the mountains. Whoever built the place likely had an eye for strategy, and no patience for people who weren't athletic, since there was only one path to the place by foot. They probably had a lot of archers, since the only way the place could be put under siege is by air. It was easy to see why it remained as a safe haven for the Ylissean royal family, because there was next to no chance of someone disturbing them unless it was an emergency.

The problem was, of course, that one path meant it was easy to set ambushes, and Plegia had access to fliers just as easily as Ylisse did. Though the battles with Grima were said to have rent the very world and permanently warped the lands and seas, Plegia still did hold the lands of ancient Macedon, and thus, the wyvern habitats.

"You're so lost in your thoughts, sister." Robin's chiding voice jolted me out of my thoughts, and he smiled when I looked at him in confusion. "What is it you're thinking about?" he asked me, his eyes genuinely curious. "Perhaps I can help pull a thread?"

"I'm simply thinking history, Robin," I answered, shrugging. He and I walked at an easy pace, not far from Chrom and Lissa. The rest of the walkers trailed behind, while most of the riders were ahead. Only Frederick stayed back, guarding Emmeryn and some old guy in green robes, while Phila did some scouting. "Geography and that sort of thing."

"I see." He paused, thinking a little. "So, Sumia mentioned something recently…"

"Not another word." I sighed, whimpering a little. Sumia had assumed I'd already told Robin about my crush on Chrom, and accidentally blabbed it to him. She'd been horrified, and I'd spent most of last night reassuring her that it was fine, that I had been planning on telling him (I hadn't, but that wasn't something to tell her), and that it was just a little earlier than I planned. "Sumia felt horrible."

"I know that. I… wanted to know if you wanted to talk about it." He smiled slightly. "I'm afraid I don't know… much of anything…"

"You knew as little as I do, so even if you didn't lose your memories, you wouldn't be much help."

"Regardless, I am here if you want someone to talk to, Kestrel." His smile widened. "Besides, I do like the idea. My best friend and my twin sister… Sumia's right. I should encourage this."

"I will hurt you. I swear I will."

"No, you won't. You love me."

"I hurt Chrom on a regular basis thanks to spars, so I don't think that's a proper defense!" I growled as Robin just laughed. "Watch it, Robin! I'll tell the army stories from our childhood!"

"That's not fair! I don't remember them!"

"Exactly!"

"You two have so much energy!" Lissa complained. She then whimpered. "Ugh… my poor feet…" She lifted a foot and grimaced as she peeled off her shoe to check the bottom of her feet. "Ugh, I've blisters the size of eggs…"

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa," Chrom laughed, ruffling her hair through her silly button hat. "Just a nice, brisk stroll."

"For you, maybe! I'm…" Lissa paused and growled. "Wait, you're trying to make me say I'm delicate!"

"I wasn't trying to do anything." Chrom laughed again, easily dodging Lissa's half-hearted attempts to hit his arm. "How are you holding up, Robin?"

"Bantering with my twin is the only reason I haven't collapsed," Robin instantly replied. Chrom simply laughed harder. "My legs feel like they're made of pudding." He gave Chrom a half-admiring, half-exasperated look. "Your endurance astounds me."

"Should I carry you?" Chrom teased, grin widening. "You're not that heavy, even with all the books."

"What, no! Carry Kestrel instead!"

"I'm not the one dragging his feet," I retorted instantly. I felt my face heat up anyway. I'd get him back for this. "I'm just fine, unlike you. You've been sitting at a desk too much."

"But wouldn't it be all cute and proper?" Robin asked, voice all innocent. His eyes danced too much. "I mean; it'll be like those stories you read."

"It would be nothing like those! No, I'm fine without being carried!"

"Then you can carry me, Chrom!" Lissa said, throwing herself at Chrom. He actually did catch her easily, but set her back down. "Oh, come on!"

"Lissa, it's hard to carry you with the metal hoop, remember?" Chrom pointed out. He laughed as she huffed. "Next time, figure out how to take it off, and then I'll carry you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He grinned. "But I do think I'll carry Kestrel."

"Wait, what?!" I yelped. I yelped again as Chrom easily picked me up in a classic princess carry. "Gods damn it, put me down!"

"You're really light," he noted, walking forward without even pretending to listen. I could hear Robin and Lissa laughing behind us. "You're like a little bird."

"If that's a play on my name, I'm going to whack you." I groaned, feeling absolute mortified. And worried that Sumia might see… "At least carry me on your back, damn it. This is more of a romance novel thing."

"Like those stories you read, right?"

"Chrom, you know I read poems and smut, right?" I smirked as his face went a bright-bright red. "So, Chrom, will you put me down now?"

"Fine, fine." He sighed and set me down, still red all the way to the tips of his ears. "Wait, you read other things."

"But that's what I chat with Sumia about the most." I grinned as he went even redder, and glanced back, noticing we were a good bit ahead of everyone. "Everyone's surprisingly cheerful, considering everything." My eyes fell again on the old man in green robes, who seemed a little… twitchy. "Chrom, who is that again? I haven't seen him."

"You haven't been around Emm's advisors." He smiled. "That's Hierarch Nero. He's not all that high ranked, despite the title, but he's guided Emm through her early years of being the Exalt, so she asked him to come with us to the palace, so that she could continue to work."

"I see." I narrowed my eyes, just… unnerved by him. He kept fussing, and his smile was too tight. "All right then."

"What is it?"

"I've… just a very bad feeling, and he's the only one in this main little group that I don't know." I shrugged, smiling ruefully as I faced him again. "Maybe I'm paranoid." A strange sound, however, made me look up, and I frowned at two strange shadows, too far to make out anything, especially given the sun. "The hell is-?" Something wet hit my face, despite there not being a cloud in the sky. I slowly reached up to touch it, pulling my hand back to see a small crimson blotch on my fingertip. A few more droplets hit my face, and I wondered what was going on.

A bloody feather floated into view, and that was all the warning I had before a pegasus, wings brutally ripped to shreds, and its rider, hit the ground in front of Chrom and me with a giant splat. Both of us stared in horror, not able to quite comprehend what just happened, even though we were literally splattered by the remains.

But a wyvern's victorious shriek above startled us out of the shock pretty damn quickly. It was hard for it not to.

"Damn, how did they know…?" Chrom growled. He drew Falchion, and I drew my own sword. "Wait, those ahead, are they…?" His eyes widened. "Down!" Chrom actually tackled me, both of us barely avoiding the wyvern that had been aiming to attack. It, and its rider, went down to a thunder spell, likely cast by Robin. "Oh, gods…" He shifted off me so that I could sit up, and I paled when I saw what he saw.

Wyvern riders were coming from all sides. We were completely surrounded. And the pegasus knights literally falling from the sky hinted as to why we had no warning.

They attacked without mercy, laughing as they killed. Though more than a few screeched like little kids when Panne transformed and kicked some heads clear off. We managed to coordinate, using that bit of shock, just enough for the cavalry sent ahead to come charging back to regroup.

In the chaos, I tried to focus on reaching Emmeryn, worried that someone would use the confusion to send an assassin directly for her. However, a little bit of green caught my attention, and I paused, noticing that Nero was actually leaving Frederick's protection. I thought it odd, but at first, thought he was running for some cover, panicking at the sudden assault. Then I realized he was running for the Plegians, and all the pieces clicked together instantly. Emmeryn had trusted him, and he'd exploited that trust to sell her out. So, instead, I changed my path and followed him. I had to dodge quite a few attackers in order to do so, and I had a feeling I'd get a lecture for 'running ahead'. But I didn't want to lose sight on him. I didn't want him to get… whatever he was promised for being a traitor.

Of course, as I walked up, I simply saw him gasping as a wyvern rider laughed and flew away, saying something about barns and piggies. It seemed like Plegia continued to have a low regard for traitors, even as they enticed Ylisseans to turn their coats. Then again, that made since. It was a tactic Ylisse had used, to infiltrate the castle and assassinate the entire royal family, right down to the last child.

"...So, you're the one," I whispered, noticing that there was no one near, neither friend nor ally. He squeaked and whirled, eyes wide. "They trusted you. They trusted you, so completely, and you turned it against them. You're trying to kill them for it."

"D-don't put words in my mouth, child," he tried to snap. But he kept on fidgeting, too nervous to do anything but fake a bravado even a child could see through. "I… just a mistake. Just a mistake. Just have to talk to the Exalt and-"

"And what? Be forgiven?" I shrugged. "Well, you're right. Emmeryn would probably forgive you. Chrom might, since he tries to walk her path." I smiled slowly, and he began shaking. "But neither of them are here, are they? They're busy, so it's just you and me. And I am not so forgiving towards people like you."

"Please…" He whimpered. He actually whimpered. "Please, spare my-"

"No." I walked towards him, taking my time, watching him flinch with each motion. He tried to back away, but he went right to the edge of the cliffs. "No, I won't. I don't suffer those who hurt my friends, or my family. Emmeryn and Chrom have given me the first home I've had in years, and yet here you are, destroying it."

"Ylisse would fall if-!"

"Ylisse is its people, not the lands. Ylisse is the ideals they live to, not the titles they hold." I stopped right in front of him. "Ylisse falls because of people like you, who cling to pretty ideals during peace, but throws it to the side when your life is threatened. Worse, you didn't even just sell out your own life. You sold out everyone else, too." I gestured to the splattered corpses nearby. "They're dead because of you, you know. They might've died at a different time, who is to say, but they're dead now because of you. Those deaths are on your soul, each one like a red mark that can't ever be redeemed."

"You…" He tried to snarl, but he shook too much. "You're nothing, girl! What do you know about ruling?"

"Who knows? Certainly not you." I snagged him by the collar, lifting him up slightly. It was easy. He was a weakling. "I heard the gods don't take kindly to traitors. I suppose you can find out first hand, though."

I threw him off the cliff, listening to his scream echo as he fell. I peered over the edge to watch, and saw him hit a particularly jagged stone edge hard, enough for blood to splatter, and figured that would be enough to make sure he was dead. If not, the rest of the fall, and the river below, would handle matters.

For now, I had to return. I had my own duties to do, and it would be in poor taste to kill someone for hurting my friends, and not going to defend them myself.

They set this up well. Wyverns all around, and we had barely enough room to dodge. Cavalry was thrown towards the back, because the horses kept spooking. Stahl's almost threw him off, and only Panne's quiet intervention saved him.

For our part, though, it was desperately trying to not die. Robin defaulted to his usual tactics, meaning that Chrom and I were fighting back to back as usual. This time, though, we struggled to not trip and fall to our deaths, much harder because the path was sticky and slick from all the blood, and corpses clogged it all up.

"Been a bit since I had to deal with so many smells while fighting," I muttered, wincing. Poor Panne actually had to bow out of the fight to recover, since it had become overwhelming. "Damn, they brought a lot."

"How many people are even in Plegia's army?" Chrom groaned. He leaned back slightly, resting on me, before straightening again. "Oh, right, I meant to ask."

"Hmm?"

"You happen to know what happened to Hierarch Nero? Last anyone saw, you were chasing him."

"...He's dead."

"I see…" He glanced at me, and I'm sure he noticed how I wouldn't look at him. "Damn it. Trusted the wrong person, huh?"

"Well, he can't tell them anymore." I leaned into him, hoping to convey some sort of reassurance. "How many dead do we have?"

"Too many to count, but it seems my Shepherds are pulling through just fine, which is good since I think we're the only ones capable of fighting here." Phila had lured most of the wyvern riders into the sky. The wyvern corpses falling down hinted she and her group were doing very nicely. "Damn, this is…"

"I know." I glanced around, and noticed an enemy archer trying to sight something. Curious, I followed their line of sight as best as I could, and noticed something towards our southwest. "So, pegasus knight. Long red hair. Kind of looks familiar?" It was hard to make out features, but I thought I still recognized the messy hair, at least.

"Cordelia, likely." He paused and then groaned. "She was on the border."

"Well, I don't think you have much of a border anymore. Officially, that is. Your border defense kind of sucks."

"We never had enough to guard it." Chrom kicked a lance up into his hand and threw it at the archer, scoring a messy hit to the shoulder. "Damn, I need to practice that."

"Still cool, and still kept him from firing at Cordelia." I frowned, though, as I realized there had been another arrow behind him, and he was sighting someone else. "Damn, who does he have-?"

Time slowed as the arrow flew, and at first, I wasn't quite sure why. Then I heard a too-loud-thud and looked up to see just who, exactly, that archer had targeted: Sumia. The thud had been the arrow landing in her stomach, where she wore no armor at all.

Chrom lunged forward, cutting down the archer before he landed a second arrow, but I thought the damage was already done, since the shock and pain from the arrow, compared with how she'd been mid-turn when hit, meant she was falling.

I ran forward, uncaring of anything and everything as I watched her fall. I tripped over corpses, and actually had to climb of a few dead wyverns, because there was no way around. All of that just slowed me down, and I was certain, certain, that I wouldn't make it, that no one would make it, that Sumia would hit the ground hard, and die from the impact.

But there was a bit of movement somewhere in front of me though, some sunlight glinting off armor, and Frederick appeared out of nowhere and managed to catch her and roll, bleeding off some momentum to lessen the damage to them both. However, he also lost his footing, so he was only able to twist to try and shield Sumia as a wyvern rider flew in close, axe already high above his head, face twisted in a victorious smirk.

But I was close enough then. I slid the last few steps and brought my sword up. The axe hit it with a loud clang that echoed through my skull. The wielder's eyes widened, slightly, like he couldn't believe someone had stopped him, and he leaned a little off his wyvern to bear down on me. "They'll be erecting statues of me before long," he laughed, as if this was one big game. "You're only delaying the inevitable."

"...Quod ita sit?" I replied softly. I smirked as his eyes widened. He knew enough to recognize Old Plegian, and he knew enough to know just what sort of person would actually know it well enough to speak it conversationally. "Bene, ut te digna putant paulo specialis mortem, tum quod sic?" I took advantage of his shock to knock him back. His wyvern shuffled restlessly, not quite sure what to do with its rider startled. "Die-"

"With magnificence!" Two arrows streaked over my head and thudded into the wyvern rider's chest. "Adieu!" One more hit the rider straight in the skull, right between the eyes, and he tumbled off, deader than dead.

His wyvern screeched and lunged at me, but I dodged and slit its belly, before twisting and slamming my blade through its skull. Only then did I look up and smile at Virion. "I think I owe you," I told him. I looked around and saw Frederick and Sumia weren't in sight. "How are they?"

"Just fine, though Frederick retreated as soon as possible to get them both medical attention," Virion reassured. "He broke an arm with that maneuver, and poor Sumia has some broken ribs. But they're both alive, and will be fine." He smiled at me, and came around to nudge both the wyvern and the rider, checking to make sure they were dead. "I'm quite curious, dear Kestrel, how you managed to get him to drop his guard?"

"I…" I hesitated, the words clogging my throat. But, maybe because I'd told Emmeryn most of it, some of the words managed to leak through anyway. "My parents… were high ranking in Plegia. So, I learned… Old Plegian. But it's something only the higher ranked would know… so…"

"Ah, so he was startled to find a Plegian noble here, with Ylisse." Virion nodded, clearly just accepting the information, and recognizing that I didn't want to say more. "I imagine that was quite the shock. He seemed young as well."

"Arrogant as all hell. Probably a fresh recruit." I wondered if he'd had family. They'd never see him again. All because of this war, that family lost him. "War sucks."

"That it does." Virion's eyes clouded over with thought, and I wondered if he was imagining how his home must look now. "I should…"

"Go on." I smiled at him, though I knew it was tired. "No need to think of an excuse."

"...Thank you." He actually snagged my hand and kissed it before walking off. I laughed it off, hoping the blood didn't make him ill, and wandered in a different direction. It seemed like most of the Plegians were dead, finally, and things were calming. So, I picked my way to where Chrom was talking to Phila, planning on just listening in, and poke holes in their guilt.

"I made it!" But Cordelia stumbled over, and I yelped and rushed over to support her as I noticed just how pale she was, and how her armor was actually cracked and dented. She had patches of dried blood on her neck, blood splatter that had run from sweat, and there was actually bloody feathers clinging stubbornly to her hair. "I'm fine," she whispered. I gave her a skeptical look. "Really, I'm-"

"Gods, and I thought Robin was a bad liar," I whispered. I shook my head and took more of her weight. "Any more pushing, and you're going to drop dead from exhaustion. Just give your report, and don't worry about how you look. You look a mess anyway, and no amount of proper posture is fixing that."

"How wonderful to hear." Cordelia sighed, and leaned into me, looking up at Chrom. "You have to run. More Plegians come, not half a day behind me."

"Is that so?" Chrom asked calmly. He looked resigned. "So, the border?"

"Breached. Gangrel himself attacked us," Cordelia answered. She began trembling. "The end was upon us when my fellows begged me to escape alone and warn Exalt Emmeryn." Her voice cracked, and she shook more. "Oh, gods, I still hear their screams… I should've stayed. I should've-"

"Stop the line there, Cordelia," I murmured. I shifted so that I was holding her a little more securely, and let her hide her face in my shoulder. "Easy…"

"She's right, Cordelia," Phila suddenly added. She walked over and rested a gentle hand on Cordelia's shoulder. "You did your duty, and your knight-sisters rightly trusted their legacy to you. Your pegasus was the fastest of the group, after all, and you have many years ahead of you." Cordelia didn't answer. She simply sobbed. "You did well. Let their faith give you strength, in time." Phila stepped back and turned, and all of us froze when we realized Emmeryn was right there. "Your Grace…"

"I must return to the capital," Emmeryn whispered, clinging to some sort of cloth covered object. She narrowed her eyes, anger bleeding into her words. "I never should've left. When word comes, the people will be frightened. There could be riots. I must leave and calm them."

"Your Grace, please do not be absurd!" Phila protested. I looked around, trying to see who was near. Robin and Lissa raced over. Frederick lingered back, his arm in a sling, likely to keep him from moving it. He caught my eye and pointed towards Stahl, who limped back towards the main part of the supplies. I nodded and passed Cordelia to Stahl, so that she could get medical attention too. And see her best friend. "Your life is-!"

"I am not requesting that, Phila. I am commanding it." She shook her head. "Please."

"...Allow me and mine to escort you."

"Always." She smiled briefly, and turned to Chrom, who had a stony expression. "Chrom, keep this safe." She passed him a cloth covered object. "This is the Fire Emblem. Take it to Ferox and-"

"And leave you?" Chrom finished bitterly. He shook his head, and pointedly refused to take it. "No, Emm. I'm not doing that."

"Chrom-"

"No, you're talking like you're giving up, and I will not just-"

"I'm not giving up." She handed the Fire Emblem to Robin, of all people, and shook her head. Robin gave me a shocked look, but I threw up my hands, not even trying to understand any of this. "I'm giving what I can."

"This is madness!" Chrom shook his head violently, as if he could just erase what was going on. "Emm, you can't-!"

"Sis, I'll come with you!" Lissa broke forward and threw herself into Emmeryn for a hug. Robin took that opportunity to walk away, likely to coordinate people. "I'll come with you," she repeated. "That way-"

"No, Lissa," Emmeryn murmured. She returned the hug briefly before stepping out of it. Big, fat tears already streamed down Lissa's face. "You'll stay with Chrom. I command it."

"But…!" Lissa's voice cracked, and she actually turned to me to hide her sobs. "It's not fair! It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we do too!"

"Now, now." Emmeryn crouched by Lissa, while I awkwardly patted Lissa's back and wondered how I got dragged into this. "Dry your tears, love. This is not goodbye."

"You can't just leave like this!" Chrom snapped. His eyes blazed with pain, and it was all too easy to see his heart was already shattering. Emmeryn winced at the sight. "And stop acting like Lissa and I are five again! We both know what it means to return, especially right now!"

"Chrom…" Emmeryn began. But she paused, clearly unable to think of what to say. "I…"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone!" Chrom brought his hand up, like he was going to grab her, but he let it fall. "Ylisse needs you still! We need you still! By the gods, I've watched you give up everything for the title, but can't you be selfish just this once!?"

"Chrom." Emmeryn got a strangely peaceful look on her face. "You still cannot quite see who the peace I seek is for, it seems."

"Which is why you need to stay and show me, for fu-!"

"Chrom." She reached out and hugged him tightly, stopping his words cold. "Chrom, quiet. I want you to promise me something."

"...What is it?" He slowly relaxed into the hug, though he didn't return it yet. "What do you need me to do?"

"Be happy." Her voice was soft. "I want you to promise to be happy, and to not throw away love, friendship, or anything, just because you feel guilty over my choices." She pulled away and cupped his face, smiling at his shocked and confused look. "You know what I'm talking about, in your heart of hearts. If you need help, talk to Frederick. But I know what you try to deny, and I know why. And I want you to stop that, because I want you to have all the happiness life can give you. I don't want you to deny even a second of it, because of me."

"I don't…" He still looked confused, but then there was a bit of realization in his eyes. He knew. He knew; he just didn't want to know. "Emm, that's not… I mean…"

"No. Hush. You promise me." She smiled as he slowly nodded. "Good. Be happy. Don't give up."

"Emm, stop talking like…" Chrom bowed his head. "Damn it, Emm."

"I love you. You and Lissa are my everything."

"I love you too, sister, but this is a terrible plan."

"But it will buy you the time to come to Ylisse's rescue. You and I will keep our people safe. I believe that with all my heart." Her smile warmed. "Safe journey, Chrom."

"Emm…" He reached up and hugged her tightly. "You'd better be there at Ylisstol."

"I will." She hugged him back. "I know you'll save it."

"And we need to go on a picnic or something, you, me, and Lissa. You canceled our last one, so you owe us."

"I do. It'll be fun. I'll make a little menu for it." She giggled, and stepped away. Chrom's hand lingered on her sleeve, like a child clinging to… no, like a little brother clinging to his big sister, something he likely did before she inherited her title.

But then he let go, just as he had to when she became the Exalt, and she walked away to do her duty, leaving him to bear the burdens of everything else.

Emmeryn crouched down next to Lissa and tugged her off of me. "Safe journey, Lissa," Emmeryn whispered, hugging Lissa. Lissa continued to sob. "I love you."

"L-love you too," Lissa managed through her tears. "I… Emm, be careful!"

"I'll do what I can." Emmeryn straightened then, letting Lissa run to Chrom for reassuring hugs. Then, to my surprise, she actually hugged me. "Do not be afraid."

"Of what?" I whispered, feeling a little odd about everything. Why would she hug me next? "I can think of a lot of reasons to be afraid of right now, without trying."

"Do not be afraid that you will lose this." She tightened her hug as I stiffened. "You are safe here. You have a home here. That will never change."

"...I…" I hesitantly returned the hug. "I can try; I suppose." I had told Virion a little. He hadn't reacted badly. So maybe...

"You can tell Chrom as well. I promise; he will simply accept it, as he does everything else." She pulled away and smiled at me. "Thank you for joining us, Kestrel. I'm so glad you did."

"...You're not going to make it, are you?"

"Who can say?" Still, her smile took on a bitter tinge. "There used to be a curse associated with the Fire Emblem, that triggers when given to a champion. The end of war, and the end of love, among other things. But I suppose I ended it on my own, long ago. Perhaps I might still play a part in ending the war as well."

"...Don't sacrifice the queen unless there's no choice. You promised that."

"And I will remember that." She pulled away, gave me a very curious smile that looked proud and relieved, and turned away, walking gracefully towards the supplies, with Phila only a step ahead, shouting orders.

Chrom shouted his own, to his Shepherds, and things were a chaotic mess of screams, protests, and trying to divide up supplies. In the mess, I noticed Frederick lingering back, out of the way, glancing towards where Emmeryn was. He looked like he wanted to say something, do something, but held still, held back, because… it wasn't proper. It wasn't his duty. His duty was with the Shepherds, and could afford little else right now.

...I hated it. I hated seeing him like this, especially since he had helped me. So, I walked over to him and gave him a good shove, towards Emmeryn. "Go," I whispered. He gave me an incredulous, startled look. "Go, speak with her one more time. You'll regret it if you don't." I pointedly turned away, and started pushing everyone forward, away from them. Chrom gave me a confused look, but he looked back and then nodded, giving me a wan smile as he moved forward with the others, urging everyone to pick up the pace. To leave Emmeryn and her escorts behind.

When I glanced back, I saw Emmeryn and Frederick hugging, and thought I saw them share a kiss, likely their first, and their last. I turned away to give them their peace, and walked forward with the rest of the Shepherds. Frederick would catch up. He'd do his duty, just as Emmeryn would do hers.

And as… we had to do ours, I supposed.

Notes on Lon'qu:

Class - Mymidon; Reclass - Thief, Wyvern Rider.

Though he hails from Regna Ferox, his name and his features hints he was born on Chon'sin, across the sea in Valm. He is Basilio's right hand, and, by all accounts, is like a son to Basilio.

Fast and skilled, with an uncanny eye for finding weak points. His reliance on speed, however, means that he forgoes armor, meaning if he can't dodge, he gets hurt badly.

Supposedly has 'gynophobia', but his responses seem more in line with PTSD. Perhaps he lost a female friend or family member violently as a child, and now, he is afraid to get close to another.

Author's notes: And here comes the chapter where I think everyone knew Emmeryn's fate was sealed. The Plegians kill the Hierarch, but I had Kestrel do it instead. The 'curse on the Fire Emblem' mentioned here is something from FE1/11, Artemis's Curse, brought up in story a few times. Menidy was one of the 'Great Houses' of Archanea during FE1/11/3/12, though I do not believe it was ever really mentioned in game, if at all; it's the house of Jeorge, a playable character in those games. There's nothing in either game that suggests that the home estate of the house would be in the mountains, or be Ylisse's Eastern Palace. I threw that in for the hell of it.

Based off of maps, Ylisse is made up of territories belonging to Archanea, Talys, and Pyrathi. Plegia is made up of territories belonging to Dolhir, Macedon, Altea (yes, Altea), Gra, and Grust. Ferox, ftr, is made up of territories belonging to Aurelis and Khadein. Though, a look between maps hints that sea levels dropped, among other things, making direct comparison a little harder. Thus the mention of the battle with Grima literally shifting the landscape (based a bit off of Middle Earth's War of Wrath, or whatever the final battles with Morgoth were called).

Next Chapter - Interlude, Desperation