Chapter 15: Throneless King
"General?"
Caspar sighed as he sat up in his bed, blinking the sleep from his eyes.
"Yeah?" Caspar asked. "What's up?"
The man at the entrance of the tent grimaced. "Something bad is happening."
"What happened this time?" Caspar asked as he rose to his feet.
The guard grimaced. "There's a standoff. General Fraldarius has gotten into a fight."
Caspar sighed. "And you want me to diffuse it?"
The guard winced. "I'm sorry, but there's not exactly anyone else we can turn to."
Caspar wiped his face quickly before he stepped outside the tent. "Alright then, where is the problem?"
The soldier nervously pointed in the general direction of the main camp. "Just try to be careful, this is already starting to look like a mess."
Seteth glanced at the plate of food before him and glanced around the dining room.
"Not hungry Seteth?" Raphael asked in between bites of potato.
Across the table, Lysithea whispered something to Linhardt before taking his dessert.
"Flayn, please stop eating so much." Seteth chided as Flayn finished yet another piece of the fish.
"It's quite alright." Mercedes said with a smile. "If she's hungry, then we aren't going to stop her from satisfying her hunger."
"I thank you then." Seteth said, pausing as a plate of food slid before him.
"You must be hungry." Mercedes said gently.
Seteth shook his head. "I'm afraid that I don't have much of an appetite these days."
Alois grimaced. "Is it my fault?"
Seteth shook his head again. "It's just something I didn't think was possible."
"Seteth, is there something you want to get off your chest?" Linhardt asked finally.
Seteth paused before he glanced at Flayn. "Yes. There is."
The dining table fell silent.
Seteth sighed. "And yet I don't know where to begin."
"Can I ask you something?" Annette asked after a long pause.
Seteth nodded.
"Over the war, did you see…" Annette trailed off.
"Your father?"
Annette nodded.
"Yes. I saw him a great deal over the war."
Annette paused as she seemed to digest the information.
"Is there something else you wish to ask me?" Seteth asked.
"Eh?" Annette blurted out. "No, I'm fine, thanks."
Seteth made a mental note to talk to Annette in private as the conversation at the table died down again.
"I should have never mentioned Arianrhod." Alois said with a sigh.
Mercedes and Linhardt picked up on the comment almost immediately.
"Did you know Cornelia?" Mercedes asked gently.
Seteth grimaced at the question. "Yes. She was a kind, loving soul."
Mercedes sank back into her seat as looks were exchanged quietly.
"And yet she killed Roderigo in cold blood." Seteth whispered. "How could that be?"
The rest of the table said nothing, their eyes shifting as they tried to figure out what to say.
Seteth swallowed slowly as he rose from his seat. "I must reflect on this, pardon me."
Linhardt and Mercedes quietly shared a nod before the table quietly returned to their meal.
"I'm going to join my f-brother." Flayn said quickly. "Thank you for the meal."
When the door to the dining hall swung shut, Linhardt glanced at the plate of food and frowned. "Has anyone ever seen Flayn leave fish on the table?"
A chorus of nos and wary glances followed as Raphael moved to finish the platter of fish left behind.
"Are the two of you going to come in?" Ignatz called to the distant figures of Mortis and Yurius from the relative cool of the tavern.
Yurius turned first to look at him, followed by Mortis.
"We are going to order dinner without you if you don't come here soon!" Maya shouted. "And we'll give you the bill if you don't order with us!"
"Maya, please don't threaten to spend even more of their money." Ignatz winced. "I'm already having nightmares about how to pay them back what you already owe."
Maya puffed out her chest angrily as she stomped back into the tavern.
"Sorry." Yurius said quickly. "We were talking about the past."
Ignatz nodded. "What were you talking about?"
"Our old boss." Mortis replied. "Guy named Spite."
"Someone named their kid Spite?" Maya asked, her voice barely hiding her amusement.
"Spite was a nickname that he got over time." Mortis explained. "His real name was something else entirely."
"Which was?" Maya asked.
"We never asked. He said it was long and hard to pronounce."
"What does the tavern have to offer?" Yurius asked.
"A great deal actually." Ignatz offered.
"Ignatz?" Mortis asked.
"Yes?" Ignatz stammered, surprised at being put on the spot.
"Just where exactly is Lorenz?"
"Hiding under his bed." Evi piped up.
"Ignatz?" Yurius asked.
"Yes?" Ignatz asked, taking a step as if to flee.
"How much has Leonie drunk?"
"She's been drinking ever since we got here." Evi informed the horrified Yurius.
"She started off with just a pint, but she's drinking the entire bar dry now." Maya added.
"Following in her mentor's footsteps isn't she?" Yurius asked.
Even Ignatz laughed at Leonie's expense, though he faked a weak fit of coughing as a result.
"Do you think they'll cut her off anytime soon?" Maya asked as she glanced at Leonie again, having emptied yet another pitcher of ale.
As if on cue, the bartender took the pitcher and slid it under the bar, slapping away Leonie's drunken attempts at getting the pitcher back.
"Well, that answers that question." Yurius chuckled as Leonie drunkenly began to shout at the bartender, the man narrowly dodging a drunken punch as Leonie fell out of her chair.
"Should we intervene?" Mortis asked.
"It's best to not get between Leonie and alcohol." Ignatz said hurriedly.
"Felix, what's going on?" Caspar asked as he passed through a small cordon of guards, nodding at the tired sentries.
"These brats over here tried to steal a loaf of bread." Felix replied, gesturing with his sword to a scowling set of boys sitting nearby.
Caspar frowned. "Stealing food at a time like this."
"My boys did nothing wrong!" A voice shouted.
Caspar looked at the woman who had spoken, having been marched forward in between two spearmen.
"Had your boys not torn the bread from the arms of another woman, I might have believed that." Felix snarled back, his sword pointed at a woman behind another guard, her arms clinging to a loaf of bread.
The woman seemed stunned as she turned her gaze on the woman. "It's a filthy Duscar! You'll believe her word over mine?"
"I believe my eyes over your word." Felix shot back, gingerly testing his blade.
The woman seemed to pause for a moment before she changed her tone slightly. "I have children to feed, perhaps you could just let it go this once and let me have the bread?"
"No." Felix said. "There's a line for bread. Join it and wait your turn."
The woman seemed to seethe in anger at the words. "Fine! Come, I'll take the bread myself!"
At his mother's words, the two boys leapt up, their eyes making a beeline for the crying woman behind Felix.
And then the first boy promptly fell onto his face.
"He should have been looking." Caspar said with a shrug, innocently shaking off dust from his boot.
The second boy swung a lopsided punch at Caspar, who calmly stepped back, taking care to not step on the boy behind him.
Felix sighed as he grabbed the boy by the collar, his face becoming increasingly murderous as he glared down the boy.
"You." Felix snarled at the woman.
Both guards behind the woman snapped to attention.
"Take these two brats and get out of my sight." Felix hissed. "Pray to whoever you believe in that we never meet again."
The woman seemed to seethe in rage for a long, slow moment as the two boys scrambled to their feet.
Then the second boy swung a fist into Caspar.
Caspar blinked as the boy winced, clutching his hand as he ran back to his mother.
"Erm, are you alright?" One of the guards asked Caspar as the woman and two children disappeared.
"I'm cool." Caspar replied as he gestured to the woman behind him. "Make sure she gets back to her family safely."
The guards glanced at the woman clinging to the loaf of bread.
"Of course." The guard said quickly.
"Wonder when the others are going to get back." Caspar said grimly as he stood alone with Felix.
Ashe breathed in slowly as he watched the hastily deserted camp that stood in the desolate clearing before him.
He weakened the tight string of his bow before he gestured for his left flank to move forward, their position relatively defensible with no shortage of trees and shrubs.
To his right, two more of his warband steadied themselves against an ancient oak, their arrowtips gleaming against the moonlight.
Ashe himself steadied his sights upon the lone enemy soldier in the camp, slumped against a tree in deep sleep.
He watched the enemy let out a slow breath, the chest of the crumpled figure slowly pushing out before retracting back.
From the corner of his eye, he watched another soldier inch forward, now clearly illuminated by the distant moon.
Ashe glared at the man as he turned his gaze, with the archer seeming to realize that his leader was not pleased by the change in plan.
A single low whistle to his left indicated the impossible, and Ashe turned his head to the man who had uttered it, their eyes meeting in the darkness.
A second whistle from his right told him the same, that, as far as their scouts were concerned, Ingrid had been left behind with only a single guard.
Ashe paused for a moment before he raised his arm, slowly dragging his hand in the air before his throat.
As a single unit, the archers broke cover, a third of them taking positions along the clearing, ever wary of an ambush.
The rest of the archers hurried forward, their arrows pointed at the lone masked guard still left behind.
Ashe turned his back on the rest of his warband, his eyes looking at the crumpled form of Ingrid, her head slumped and her hair a muddy curtain over her features.
"Ingrid?" Ashe whispered quietly, sinking to his knees before her.
He heard a yelp from behind him, pausing briefly to look at the stunned form of the guard, having shrunk into a defensive ball.
"Boss, she's awake." One of the archers aiming at the unfortunate guard offered.
Ashe glanced around again, and to his disappointment, Ingrid was still limp against the ground.
"Ingrid?" Ashe asked again, his fingers gentle as he pressed them against her exposed skin.
"Boss, orders?" Another archer asked. "Do we can this bastard or do we leave them alone with Victor for a few hours?"
Ashe didn't reply, though he brought his fingers lower, his heart pounding as he sought out Ingrid's pulse, his fingers slipping lower.
Then he felt her pulse, strong against his fingers.
Then he felt her arms, strong against his shoulders.
"Ingrid?" Ashe whispered. "Are you awake?"
"Ashe?" Ingrid whispered weakly.
"Are you hurt?" Ashe asked as he inched closer to Ingrid.
"I- I'm fine." Ingrid protested weakly, her face flushed.
"Prepare to move out!" Ashe shouted to his warband.
"What do we do with our prisoner?" One of the soldiers called.
"Knock him out." Ashe barked. "We need to know what's going on."
"Understood." One of his men called back, a heavy thud following a moment later.
"Can you walk?" Ashe asked gently.
Ingrid winced as she tried to stretch her legs.
"Nevermind then." Ashe whispered a moment later, having noticed Ingrid's bare feet.
Ingrid blinked. "Pardon?"
"You're barefoot. You might hurt yourself." Ashe explained as he pulled back, his bow neatly added to his back.
Ingrid shifted awkwardly as Ashe leaned back down again, an arm holding Ingrid's back and a second under her knees.
"We'll stay behind." One of the outlying archers said quickly. "There might be something we can find in the camp."
Ash grimaced. "How many of you?"
"You'll need at least one horse spare, so I'll stay behind." The archer offered.
"No." Ashe replied. "Keep a squad at least."
"You need us to watch the site?" One of the other men asked.
"It would do us good if we could figure out where the enemy is headed. Still, if you encounter them, send a rider back to us. I want to see this threat put down."
"Got it boss." The archer said as he waved his squad over. "We'll see what we can find."
Ashe nodded as he helped Ingrid onto his mount, sliding in quickly behind her.
"Stay safe." Ashe called in the direction of his subordinates before he turned on his horse, hurriedly leaving the ruined camp behind.
Edelgard sat back quietly into her chair as she let out a slow, content exhale.
"I trust you enjoyed yourself?" Byleth whispered into her ear.
Edelgard giggled as she rolled her head to Byleth, their gazes meeting slowly.
"Would you like to walk with me?" Byleth asked as he patted her belly.
Edelgard rolled her eyes but felt a thin smile spread across her face. "That tickles."
"Good." Byleth replied.
Edelgard scoffed before she finally stood up, stretching her legs in the process.
"Are we headed to the field?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard flinched at the question. "I almost forgot about that."
Byleth smiled as he stood up. "Well, I'm glad that I didn't then."
Edelgard punched him lightly on the shoulder as a response. "In the future, I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep stuffing my plate with mashed potatoes."
Byleth frowned. "Were they not good?"
Edelgard grimaced. "They were delicious. That being said, I'd rather not become Ingrid in front of everyone."
Byleth chuckled at that as he patted Edelgard's stomach. "But I'm here to make you happy, and if you being happy is playing Ingrid, then who am I to judge?"
Edelgard flushed deeply as she hastily turned away, her steps hasty as she made her way out of the tavern, Byleth following close behind.
"No Hubert." Dorothea said as she stood at the end of the hallway, arms firmly crossed against her chest.
"I will not ask again." Hubert said, towering over the much shorter Dorothea. "I must know that Lady Edelgard is safe."
"She's with the professor." Dorothea scoffed. "I do believe you trust him?"
"It could get cold." Hubert protested.
"Who was it that chased a servant girl undressed in the palace less than a week ago?"
Hubert snarled. "You will not bring that topic up."
"It was rather brazen of you." Dorothea said.
"What was?" Bernadetta asked from behind Hubert.
Hubert spun around. "Bernadetta!"
"Eh?" Bernadetta asked suddenly. "Did I do something?"
Dorothea grinned. "Why don't I tell you about the Brazen Beast of Enbarr?"
Bernadetta looked horrified. "A beast?"
"Enough!" Hubert snapped, his voice revealing an uncharacteristic crack. "I will not intervene!"
Dorothea smiled. "I believe in action."
Hubert gritted his teeth before he turned around, gently pushing Bernadetta back into their shared room, the door slamming behind him.
"There we go." Dorothea said with a grin, watching the closed tavern door with a small grin. "Have fun Edie."
Edelgard sneezed suddenly as her legs finally gave out.
Just as her knees failed, she felt the warm arms of Byleth around her waist.
"We should have finished shopping in Enbarr," Byleth whispered as he let go.
"These things are murder." Edelgard muttered, kicking the dirt beneath her boots.
"Did you bring anything else?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard shook her head. "With Hubert forcing me to read a mountain of reports every day, small things like this tend to get forgotten."
"Then perhaps I can help with that?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard chuckled bitterly and shook her head. "Hubert wouldn't have that. But perhaps you can help with the personal letters that Hubert insists on me never reading."
"Personal letters?" Byleth asked, his tone neutral but guarded.
"Hubert mentioned it to me once that there's a great deal of letters addressed to me, but I've only seen a few."
"And how was that like?" Byleth asked as he watched Edelgard shift uncomfortably on the spot.
"Sweet but ineligible. They were mostly letters from children."
Byleth nodded before he glanced around the town. "Are your ankles alright?"
Edelgard let out a slow growl. "Why I ever let Hubert convince me to wear high heeled boots is beyond me. Walking in these contraptions is unbearable."
"Is that a no on your ankles then?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard hissed slowly. "Don't make me say it."
"What do you mean?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard glared at him, her face flushed with either anger or embarrassment.
"Please carry me." Edelgard said quietly.
Byleth smiled. "I didn't hear that. Could you repeat yourself?"
Edelgard growled. "You learned Hubert's smile."
Byleth blinked. "Really?"
Edelgard slowly exhaled. "Please carry me. I really don't want to have to walk in these death traps anymore."
Byleth replied with a small grin, sliding to one knee as Edelgard shuffled awkwardly into his arms.
"Which way now?" Byleth asked when he rose back up again.
"Keep going forward." Edelgard replied, inching even closer into Byleth.
"Alright then." Byleth replied as Edelgard closed her eyes, the two of them alone in the warm night.
"It's a little cooler here than Enbarr isn't it?" Byleth asked after a long minute.
Edelgard nodded weakly as she took a deep breath.
Byleth frowned as he reached the edge of the town, his eyes looking upon the distant fields and homesteads that dotted the landscape.
"Where was the field you mentioned again?" Byleth asked as he glanced around the dark.
Edelgard sighed as she shifted her body, and Byleth replied by lowering her to the ground.
"It's… gone." Edelgard whispered as she took a long look around the distant fields. "The field is gone."
"Can I help you?" A woman's voice called out.
Edelgard and Byleth turned suddenly at the source of the voice.
"Oh. Visitors, welcome to our village." The town guard who had spoken added quickly.
Edelgard laughed weakly. "Thank you, I- well, we are looking for something."
"Alright." The guard replied. "What is it that you are looking for? The tavern is the other way."
Edelgard shook her head. "We are staying there, but there's a place I want to go to."
"Where?" The guard asked. "And what kind of place?"
"There's a field with flowers nearby right?" Edelgard asked.
The guard blinked before she turned and scanned the fields beyond. "This village hasn't grown flowers since the Insurrection of the Seven."
Edelgard blinked. "Ah."
"Whatever the case, the field is the one around the white house over there." The guard explained, pointing to a distant farmhouse. "Still, the place has been abandoned for some time."
"Why is that?" Byleth asked.
"The old couple there died in their sleep over the course of the war, and their children were off fighting somewhere."
"Tragic." Edelgard said quietly.
"The field is still there, but whatever hands we have left are busy harvesting their own fields."
Edelgard nodded as she turned her gaze to the distant farmstead. "Let's go for a walk then."
The guard laughed weakly at that. "Whatever the case, I must return to my patrol."
"Thank you for your help then." Byleth said as he turned away from the woman.
"That was nice of her." Edelgard said as she followed down the path, her eyes focused on the distant house.
Byleth nodded. "Do you still want to go?"
Edelgard paused for a moment before she nodded. "Even if there's nothing left, I still need to be there."
Byleth nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."
"Back from your hunt so soon?" The lead guard at the small village asked.
"We ran into an old friend." The leader of the expedition said, nodding at Spite.
"Oh. It's good to see you again."
Spite nodded in response. "It's been too long indeed. I trust you have been well?"
"We have. The war is over at last, and we can't be happier."
Spite nodded. "Have there been any soldiers who returned from the front?"
The man nodded. "A few, but most of our forces have been sent to fortify Fodlan's Throat."
"I trust the Duke is in good health?" Spite asked.
The guard winced. "He suffered a case of severe food poisoning."
Spite raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
The guard nodded. "A soldier who was rotated out of the fortress said that he smelled awful."
Spite shook his head. "I suppose I didn't need to know that. Regardless, we would like to get down to business."
The poacher coughed lightly. "The two men who came here earlier were deserters from his regiment."
The guard nodded but glanced around a moment later. "Are you sure you couldn't just write them off as having disappeared? The war is over and everything. Besides, there's no border to guard anymore. The alliance is no more."
Spite shook his head. "We are expecting orders to move out any day now. To have discipline break in this crucial time would be disastrous."
"Move out where? The war is over." The poacher offered. "You guys are a border patrol regiment right?"
"Potentially finding another path to Almyra." Spite replied. "Make sure that the raiders don't find some way to break behind our front lines. Potentially chart a counterattack and end the threat once and for all."
"And these two deserters are important enough for you to make a trip personally?" The guard asked.
"Well, they started out as five. The other three have been dealt with." Spite offered. "To return with only three would make others question the leadership of their regiment. A nightmare for morale as well as discipline."
The town guard exchanged a glance with the poacher as he looked at the town again. "The two of them were given rooms in the town hall."
Spite nodded. "I'll be quick."
The guard shook his head. "Just be quiet. Things have been rocky with the empire over the last few months."
Spite nodded. "Duke Goneril and his sister?"
The guard nodded. "There are people unhappy that we are working with the empire, especially since, well, you know."
Spite nodded grimly. "I'll see when we move out what we can spare in terms of supplies. It should buy my successors some goodwill if nothing else."
The guard nodded as two more men jogged forward, exchanging glances with Spite.
"Just try to be quiet about it alright?" The man asked. "There's been enough bloodshed over the course of this war, and we don't need a riot."
Spite nodded as he waved his warband forward.
When he woke up, Sylvain found the inside of the tent dark and far too restrictive for his liking, though he could see glimpses of the moon through the threadbare cloth of the tent.
With the Lance of Ruin as a makeshift walking stick, Sylvain staggered to his knees, awkwardly crawling out into the warm summer night.
"He's up." A familiar yet female voice called from a short distance, causing Sylvain to look up.
"Wake up you idiot." A woman snapped at the sleeping form of a man, her boots urgently kicking the man in the side. "We were supposed to guard him!"
A feeling inside Sylvain flickered.
"One more minute, Nora." The man groaned.
"Celtus, I'll give you to the count of three before I maim you."
The feeling inside Sylvain died as he looked away in horror.
"Both of you, that's enough." A third, much deeper voice snapped. "Someone get him some water."
Sylvain opened his mouth to protest and insist that he was fine, but realized it was a futile effort.
"Oh fine." Nora snarled. "I'll get him some water. Do you think tea will be fine?"
"So long as it's not boiling hot, I don't think the sweet prince is going to mind."
"Douglas, just what the hell is it with you and calling him sweet prince?"
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to." Douglas shot back.
"Think he would like our special blend?" Nora asked with a small smirk in her eyes.
"Oi, don't give him my blend." The sleeping man protested, his eyes still closed.
"Your blend is just elderberry wine." Nora shot back. "And that's why nobody wants any."
"Good!" The man snapped back as the woman picked up a canteen.
"Douglas, you want to feed him or what?"
"He's been hit over the head, he's not going to try to bed you." Douglas scoffed.
The woman sighed. "If he says anything funny, can I kick him?"
"As much as it would amuse me, no." Douglas chuckled.
"Alright then sweet prince, drink up." Nora muttered as she walked to Sylvain, the canteen wide open for Sylvain to drink from.
The tea inside was close to tasteless, Sylvain noted, though it allowed for him to speak again.
"When is Ashe coming back here?" Sylvain asked.
"We don't know." Douglas said. "He rode off earlier with most of the warband."
"They found Ingrid?" Sylvain asked.
"They did." Douglas confirmed. "Well, one of our scouts said they did."
Sylvain grimaced as his stomach rumbled. "Do you happen to have any food?"
"I shot a bird earlier, but we haven't gotten around to plucking it." Douglas replied, his eyes hard as he walked toward Sylvain.
Sylvain nodded as he sat down at a nearby log. "Can I get another drink of that tea?"
"Suit yourself." Nora said. "It's not what you would usually drink, but it's better than nothing I suppose."
Sylvain placed the Lance of Ruin next to him, the spear propped up by the log.
As he finished the drink, the lance fell over, the butt of the weapon pointed awkwardly up as the tip sank into the ground.
"Let me get that." Nora said.
"No." Douglas said coldly as Nora stepped back, her eyes darting between the spear and the man who had spoken.
"Erm, is there something I'm missing?" Nora asked.
"You haven't seen what that cursed thing can do to people." Douglas replied. "It's called the Lance of Ruin for a reason."
Nora took a step back and shook her head. "Alright then, whatever you say."
"How did you know that?" Sylvain asked as he pulled the weapon back into a proper, upright state.
Douglas looked at him strangely, as if studying an interesting insect. "You don't recognize me then?"
Sylvain looked at the older archer and paused, his mind drifting to the thousands of soldiers he had met in the past.
"No. I can't say I have." Sylvain said finally.
Douglas let out a slow exhale as he turned away, walking away from the other two.
"Something wrong?" Nora asked.
"There are cavalry coming." Douglas replied.
Sylvain paused as he closed his eyes, and slowly the unmistakable sound of trotting horses filled the air.
"Ashe is back." Douglas called as he turned back to the other two.
"Is Ingrid with him?" Sylvain asked as he rose to his feet, wincing as a headache came back.
Sylvain glanced at the convoy as the first archers dismounted, exchanging nods with the two soldiers still awake.
"What the hell is Sylvain doing?" Ashe barked as he dismounted. "He shouldn't be out until a medic has seen him."
"He needed some water." Douglas explained as Ashe and another archer helped a pale figure dismount.
"Get him back into his tent." Ashe ordered. "There's much we need to discuss."
"What happened?" Nora asked.
"We took a prisoner." Ashe replied.
"What is your name?" Ashe asked the masked prisoner as he sat down on the log that represented the central point of their camp.
The prisoner replied by simply glaring at him.
"Filthy animal." The masked soldier hissed. "I give her water, I cut her loose, and as this is what I get for it?"
Ashe frowned as he glanced at the sleeping form of Ingrid, still barely visible in yet another tent a short distance away from the clearing.
"Would you like something to drink?" Ashe asked.
The prisoner fell silent, as if trying to think of a witty insult.
"Douglas, get our prisoner a drink." Ashe said to the former bandit.
Promptly, the archer removed a canteen from his side and moved to the bound prisoner.
"Her hands are tied, and I'm not going to risk having them untied." Ashe said.
Douglas promptly turned the canteen sideways, forcing the lukewarm tea into their prisoner.
A moment of force feeding later, the prisoner tore her head away from the canteen, coughing weakly.
"Where are your friends?" Ashe asked.
The prisoner paused for a moment before she glanced back in the distant direction of the second campsite.
"What do I get for helping you?" The woman asked.
Ashe paused as he pulled out a long dagger. "This is the dagger used to kill the Professor's father."
"It's a replica." The woman scoffed. "Spite and Mortis own the only originals remaining."
"Who is this Spite?" Ashe asked. "And who is Mortis?"
The woman paused again. "Clever of you." She said finally.
Ashe glanced at the sleeping form of Ingrid. "Why was Ingrid undressed?"
"We didn't want her running off when we weren't looking." The woman scoffed. "She wasn't going to get far without socks or boots."
Ashe nodded at the answer. "Why did your friends abandon you?"
The woman paused again before she sighed. "They're cowards. Running back to Bias."
"Where?" Ashe asked.
The woman sighed. "Conand Tower."
Ashe and Douglas both flinched at the name.
"How many of your friends are left?" Ashe asked.
"Not enough." The woman scoffed. "I suppose I should even be thankful they left me to die."
"Not enough for what?" Ashe asked.
"Not enough to take down that monster." The woman laughed bitterly.
"The beast in Fhirdiad." Ashe said grimly.
"We were sent to kill it, what a mess that was."
"What was the problem with your attempt?" Ashe asked.
"Damn thing had an army. We came to kill an overgrown bird, not a legion of the dead."
Ashe flinched at the mention of ghosts, but kept his face passive. "Alright then."
"What happens now?" Douglas asked.
"Cut her hands loose. Keep an eye on her." Ashe said. "We need to return to the main army. The Tower of Black Winds isn't a place to attack lightly."
The prisoner laughed weakly. "That abomination is hunting us. One way or another, you aren't going to have trouble yourselves with dealing with the cowards."
Ashe replied with a quick slash of the false Athame and the woman winced.
"You nicked my wrist." The woman said as she examined her hands, but otherwise remained neutral.
Ashe turned and slipped the dagger into the hands of Douglas.
"Headed to sleep?" The older man asked.
Ashe grimaced. "Doubt that I can. There's too much on my mind to rest."
Douglas nodded. "Do you want some of the wine Celtus brewed?"
Ashe shook his head. "Firstly, I don't drink, second, he shouldn't be carrying alcohol."
"Third, his wine tastes like piss." Douglas finished.
Ashe sighed. "You have a point there."
"Boss, the others are coming back." One of the sentries called.
"That was quick." Ashe muttered.
"I think they found something important then." Douglas offered.
Ashe nodded as he hurried over to the incoming riders. "I suppose so."
"So this is it then?" Byleth asked as he tested the beams of the fence, finding the wood weak and crumbling.
Edelgard closed her eyes as she leaned on the old posts.
"Be careful with that." Byleth warned. "The fence is badly maintained."
Edelgard opened her eyes again and quietly backed off, her eyes scanning the field. "Yes, this is the field from all those years ago."
"Fourteen years." Byleth said quietly.
"Fourteen years." Edelgard confirmed as she tested one of the rails of the fence.
"Is there a way to go around?" Byleth asked. "I'm not sure if the fence will hold up."
As if on cue, the rail under Edelgard's foot promptly collapsed, a yelp escaping her as she stumbled back.
"Are you hurt?" Byleth asked as he rushed over.
Edelgard shook her head as she placed a hand over her heart. "I'm fine, just surprised."
Byleth looked at the fence again and kicked a post.
The post didn't budge, and Byleth winced.
"Alright then." Edelgard giggled. "So much for that plan."
Byleth gave the post a dirty look before he turned to Edelgard. "Any other ideas?"
Edelgard eyed the fallen rail. "If we can get the other rails down, then I suppose we can make our way into the field."
Byleth nodded as he stepped forward, his strong arms pulling the other wooden rail away from the pole, the fence giving little in terms of resistance.
Edelgard glanced at the shattered splinters of wood on the rail she had broken, choosing instead to tear the longer half of the rail cleanly off from the poles that supported the fence, creating a long, open gap into the field beyond.
"Shall we?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard nodded as she stepped forward, their steps quiet against the hot, dusty earth.
"So this is it then." Edelgard said as her eyes watched the lifeless earth.
"Not what you remembered?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard pressed her lips together in response. "No, I suppose not."
Byleth nodded. "Do you remember the spot where you saw your mother again?"
Edelgard turned her gaze around the field, her steps slow and uncertain as she walked deeper into the field.
Byleth glanced back at the distant town before he followed Edelgard, confident that they were alone again.
"Wait." Edelgard said softly.
"You've found it?" Byleth asked.
"I might have." Edelgard replied, slowly turning back to face the distant village behind them.
Byleth felt something warm in his chest when Edelgard cracked a smile, a hint of a tear coming from her eye.
"You've found it?" Byleth asked as he turned to Edelgard, slowly taking in the sight of the small village.
"It was here that I first saw my mother back then." Edelgard whispered, barely audible as her voice failed her.
Byleth paused as they stood in silence for a long minute.
"Do you believe she's proud of you?" Byleth asked at long last.
Edelgard let out a slow breath as she closed her eyes. "I do, but she would have been sad."
"Dimitri?" Byleth asked after a long moment.
Edelgard nodded. "She would have watched the boy she loved as a son turn himself into the King of Delusion. She would have been heartbroken that we fought. That we had to kill one another."
"She would have seen every member of her family become a victim of Shambhala." Byleth commented quietly.
"She would have." Edelgard confirmed softly. "For him to wage war the way he did, for him to find joy in slaughter, I-"
"Then she would have been glad to see his madness ended." Byleth said firmly. "If she loved him, she would have known that it was an act of mercy, and the end of a tragedy."
Edelgard nodded as a single tear slipped down her face. "We should go back."
"Only when you are ready." Byleth said firmly in response.
Edelgard nodded as she closed her eyes, a warm gust of summer wind tossing her hair back as Byleth embraced her.
They stood there for some time.
"So what do you mean by quiet?" The lead archer asked as they stood before the lightless town hall.
"We grab the two animals and bring them back." Spite replied.
"Can't we kill them here?" The female archer asked excitedly.
"No. As much as it would save me a great deal of trouble of hauling them back up the mountain, I'm afraid we won't have the time."
"Why not?" The lead archer asked. "Just a quick slit of the throat, remove their hearts."
"We only have until the town wakes to act." Spite explained. "The locals here seem to support the deserters, and I don't wish to have to fight them on the way out."
"Why do they support the deserters?" The cook asked.
"Remember what the guard said." Spite said. "Relations between this town and the empire have been rocky."
"What does that have to do with us then?"
"Our cover story for almost the last two decades has been that we are an imperial border guards unit sent to make sure that the border regions are well protected." Spite explained. "With the defeat of their armies by our puppets, then all the sons and daughters they have lost over the war have been for nothing."
"And they are bitter at that." The female archer said.
"And we've marched right into the entire mess." Spite said. "Hence, we grab them before we explode this entire powder keg."
"What are you thinking of?" One of the archers asked. "That town hall is rather large."
"I'll go in alone. Search the building." Spite said. "I want you to set up ambush positions in the event they try to make a break for it."
"What should we look for? Doors? Windows?" The female archer asked, testing the strength of her bow.
"Are they good at climbing?" Spite asked the cook. "Do they lift heavy objects often?"
The woman shook her head. "They haven't done general labour in years."
"Good. Doors only then."
"How many doors are we looking at?" One of the other archers asked.
"Three." Spite replied. "But in reality two. The main doors will be my responsibility alone."
The warband nodded.
"Let's hope this is quick then." Spite said as he slid his athame out, toying with the blade as he made his way to the main doors of the town hall. "Three of you, on me. I'll show you where the backup door is."
"What about the rest of us?" One of the archers asked.
"Your leader knows where the back door is." Spite replied. "Get going. We've wasted enough time."
"You heard the man. Get going." The leader of the archer band barked as he hurried away from the retreating figure of their superior.
"You are troubled." Mercedes said softly as she approached the solitary figure of Seteth in the library.
Seteth turned to Mercedes before he paused. "Yes. There's much on my mind."
"Is there something you are willing to share with us?" Mercedes asked.
"What happened in Arianrhod?" Seteth asked after a long moment.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that." Mercedes said. "There was a great deal that happened in the city."
"Was, was Cornelia really using Titanus golems?" Seteth asked, his eyes meeting those of Mercedes.
Mercedes met his gaze as she spoke. "Yes, she did."
A slow breath escaped Seteth as he sank back into his chair. "To think that- Cornelia was one of them."
Mercedes paused. "One of whom?"
Seteth swallowed. "Was it true that she slew Rodrigue with one of the golems?"
Mercedes nodded. "He had just finished a skirmish with Felix when the golem opened fire."
"Did he suffer?" Seteth asked.
Mercedes shook her head. "I don't know. The battle was too frantic to pay attention to the fallen."
Seteth nodded, though his face was still a ghostly pale. "Cornelia did fall in the battle then?"
Mercedes nodded. "Byleth struck her down."
Seteth paused. "I met her once. Early in my service to the church."
"She was different then?" Mercedes asked.
Seteth nodded. "Even when I left, she had spent all her time around children."
Mercedes nodded. "When I was a little girl, the sisters in the church would praise her for her kindness."
Seteth nodded softly as he pulled a book from a nearby bookshelf. "What about the city being destroyed?"
Mercedes grimaced. "They say that there were beams of light that came from the heavens."
Seteth paused as he closed his eyes. "Beams of light?"
"Much of the city had been destroyed." Mercedes confirmed grimly.
"Were there craters?" Seteth asked.
"Craters?" Mercedes asked. "I don't know. Hubert was the one who reported it to us."
Seteth let out a slow breath as he closed his eyes. "I must think about this."
"Whatever might have happened in the past, we are here for you." Mercedes said as she rose from her seat.
"Thank you, Mercedes." Seteth whispered as the door to the library swung shut.
AN: Another chapter is done. Slightly longer than usual, but oh well.
Still looking for a beta. All my writing friends don't like Fire Emblem and all my friends who like Fire Emblem don't write.
Next time on The Road Trip to Garreg Mach!
A well planned abduction.
Traffic jam.
Shambhalans make excellent dragon kibble.
Gregory Dominic has a really, really awkward reunion.
An actual battle that is fair (on paper).
Thales.
