Alex was not stable, not in the sense that he was losing his mind, everyone can perish that thought. It was... his own feelings, he knew nothing of love or romance, anything, but he had slipped into the waves of love and it has pulled him under, it actually got worse with his return, the move in the infirmary tent was bold and, in his half-sleepy mood, he, Alexander the Grandmaster of the Shepherds and Marauders, mind for the Exalt Chrom, had slept with a firm grip on Tharja and she returned those feelings by NOT leaving when he loosened.

Indeed, it was a mess as he clasped his hands over his face and thought about it further, the time was coming to the second year of peace of Ylisse's successful victory over Plegia and its Mad King. Whereas the other Shepherds fell in love and married... some, he was still, how one says it, a 'single' man, but he dared not make it worse as he left that to Amirg, the fell dragon a rather playful being when it comes down to it. "Come on, the girl is waiting for you to make your move, so just do it, the mercenary and dancer are together, so get on that bandwagon."

"Amirg, I will find a way to hurt you, mark my words in ink." Alex threatened, but the being was right... what was he doing, other than lounging in contempt at his own failure to just get a move on, settle down, there is no reason that he can't do it, just his own unwilling nature to follow it.

He huffed as Amirg spoke. "About time, Alex, you show them what you got."

"Who...?" Alex inquired as he pointed out with his stand. "If this goes the way I THINK it will, then the only person would be her."

"And that is the only person you have to have faith in to the end, now come on, we have daylight burning!" Alex rolled his eyes as he looked forward, Amirg returning to him as the marking on the back had changed during that time, no longer the six eyes and design as it switch to the right and now implanted a coiling tattoo on his arm to the shoulder as he pulled his coat free and donned it before heading out and locking the story door with a breath before he turned and walked, the Marauders and townsfolk greeting him as he returned the gestures before the feeling emerged, he pausing to look back, taking in the number of things where she could hide and feeling her presence behind the stockade of hay. "She is biting, reel her in and let's go!"

"Don't rush it... I have to take it slow for her as well." He turned back and headed on to the barrack, unused on account that the Shepherds often stopped by and used it for their gear and supply, the feeling following as he entered and peered about, taking in the candles and lights that glowed through the room before he spoke, dismissing Amirg to peer about while he faced his doubts here. "Tharja?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you think it's time you stopped standing right behind me?" Alex asked as the steps came closer, close enough for her to have her voice heard in whisper, so that no one else knew what was happening there.

"Why?"

"Because I can't see your face." In his mind, he was smashing the walls, what kind of line is that!? It sounded like a face is needed to see WHAT or WHO was attached to you and that soul.

"Why would you want to?" An excellent question and one that Alex didn't have an answer, so he went with the bold action.

"Fine. I'll just turn around." Whereas Alexander himself lack the needed strength to be real intimidating, he had speed as he whipped about like the winds and rested a hand to the right of Tharja, evidently pinning her between his arm which rested on the wall, his body, and a crate of Kellam's spare armor, the stuff was easy to find without the wearer somehow. "That's better." He paused as Tharja was surprised by this sudden action. "...Now that I think about it, this is the first time we've stood like this... So close...face-to-face..."

"Perhaps." Both knew that lie as Tharja came face-to-face with him in Ferox, they were both there, whether it was recovering or just lingering.

"I rather like it." This was the big move, the sniper shot, and his heart was pounding like it was going to rip right through, but he calmed those frayed nerves. "Maybe we should do it more often... Maybe we could stand together...forever."

"...Forever?" There was a sense of surprise, shock, and joy in her voice as Alex reached into his coat and pulled out the exact thing he was holding onto six months prior to this date.

"...Forever." He pulled it out, a black velvet box the size of dragon or beaststone, if not smaller, and she started to stammer.

"Wait, what are you giving..." Her eyes widened under the shades of her hair as her dark tome dropped like a brick, her words barely finding strength now. "Alexander, is this a ring?" Inside the box was an silvery ring, about her size, engraved and marked with an diamond set in the material as she felt her heart trying to escape.

"I love you, Tharja." The dark tome of Nosferatu fell and she held the stance in shock, heedless of the lost tome that fell to the wooden flooring. "I want to be with you, forever." This prompted a panic as Tharja yelped.

"N-no! I can't! Not like this!"

"Oh." Alex paced himself as well, what was he thinking, taking it so quickly on her, she was clearly not ready for his move like that.

Before he could put the box back with its top closed, Tharja, with the speed that belittled that of trained horses, spun Alex around and breathed against his back as she spoke again. "...There. Now try it again." In the mind's eye, Alex sighed as he should have expected this type of move from her, it was not a standard want to be face-to-face with someone who had both been your target of interest and a developing love to you.

"Um, well, I guess if this make you more comfortable..." He shook his head as Alex continued, this could take a while... if she didn't develop past this desire to keep her face hidden. "In truth, I'm getting used to it myself..." The box disappeared to her hands and came to rest on the nearby crates, the ring gone as she spoke.

"Good. Heh heh..." She gripped onto the coat and spoke with glee. "I can't believe you made me love you! 'Course if you back out, I'll murder you in your sleep." Alex didn't refute it and he didn't need to counter it as she pulled slightly and he turned, she stepping back a bit before she slammed into him, hugging him from the front as he returned it as she spoke. "This... this is the greatest day of my life, this is... a blessing..."

"I think that you are the real blessing." Alex spoke as he took the box, popping it open to revel a similar ring, with an opal instead, and he slipped it on, thankful for Anna's dealings and further adjusts just in case. "Honestly, I think I would have wandered in shadows my whole life if you were not there to help me out, you may say that you are just of darkness." He held her close as he spoke with a hand running through her hair. "Now you mean something to me, far greater than before, you are my wife and I love you."

"...Thank you, I..."

"Sir Alex!" Both groaned before they looked at the other and chuckled before Alex released and he headed to the entrance as a soldier rushed over to his appearance. "Sir Alexander!"

"What is the problem, soldier?"

"A messenger from Regna Ferox is coming, Prince Chrom would like your advise!"

"Hmm... right on time, I suppose." He straightened up and spoke as he pointed at the soldier and spoke clearly. "Inform the nearby townsfolk that I will be with the Exalt for a indefinite time, maintain the usual behavior until I do, is that clear?" The solider saluted as Alexander breathed, Amirg returning as he spoke. "Well now, let's see what the messenger has for us." He mounted up and Tharja paused at the study as she spoke in wonder and surprise.

'What was that just now that lingered with my beloved... the Fell Dragon...?'

"Sire, a messenger from Regna Ferox." Chrom nodded as he straightened up with a breath, not exhausted, but he sent for Alex an hour ago and he arrived thirty minutes ago to hear what was to be heard.

"See them in at once." Chrom straightened up as the soldier bowed.

"Yes, milord." He soon left and the two of them exchanged a look as Fredrick was still old Great Knight. They didn't wait for too long before Raimi, the captain of the Feroxian border, entered and bowed as she started.

"Prince Chrom, I come on behalf of Khan Regnant Flavia." Chrom raised a bow as Alex just folded his arms before the Exalt spoke.

"Flavia? Well, this is a surprise. Is something amiss?" Raimi sighed as she nodded before she explained it.

"I fear so, Milord. The khan requests your presence at a summit as soon as you're able." That didn't sound too good as Chrom leaned forward and asked.

"What's happened?"

"Our western neighbors of Valm are no longer acting so neighborly." This sounded bad as Raimi continued in her explanation. "The emperor, who they name the Conqueror, has launched warships against us."

"An invasion?" Another one would not be a good sign, but it also depended on the size of Valm's sudden attack force. "Are you certain of this?"

"Yes, milord. The Khan hopes to meet with you in Ferox, if it please you." Chrom nodded as Raimi was escorted out of the way for the time being before the Marshal spoke.

"What do you make of this, sire?"

"Ill business to be sure." Chrom grimaced, clearly he knew the size of the this other land, a fact that Alex needed to find out soon as Chrom turned back to the captain. "Raimi, we will meet with Flavia at once..."

She nodded as she left and Chrom stood up to start collecting members for the journey before a voice called out to him. "Chrom..." He turned to his loving wife of Sumia who carried a familiar bundle as Fredrick and Alex gave them ample space as the Exalt spoke.

"I'd stay with you if I could, Sumia, but we owe Regna Ferox a great debt." It looked like a tough call on things as he continued. "I must apprise myself of the facts there before deciding on a course of action."

"I'm not asking you to stay here with me." Sumia smiled as she continued. "I'm saying I'm coming with you." Chrom looked speechless as Alex could guess why the stun before he stammered.

"B-but Lucina is newly born! She needs her mother now." The bundle was, to the confused faces, the crown princess of Ylisse, Lucina, and that was an interesting thing to hear as Sumia passed it off easily.

"Can she not be wet-nursed as you and Lissa were? That is House Ylisse's tradition, is it not?" Chrom tried to voice his complaint, but he was caught as Lissa joined the band, Donnel and Lissa glad to have Alex's voice on their side as Chrom, when he found out, he was WILLING to beat Donnel twenty-four times over a business meeting with some nobles that got their things together, the pair saved by Alex's pointing out a reasonable thought, they had believed he would react in such a way and kept it from him, he calmed, but he still wanted Donnel to prove himself a bit. "Lucina is a strong child; she takes after her father. The Brand in her left eye is not your only gift to her." Well, besides the blue hair, there was not much else that could be given from the Exalt to this day, that Alex knew of.

"I'm worried about more than our child. ...I'm worried about you."

"That's sweet. But I'm still coming." Alex added to the thought chart, a point to Sumia's side as Chrom sighed and answered.

"...I know better than to argue once your mind is made." She smiled as Lissa laughed her own at her brother's defeat.

"Wow, Sumia really has you trained well!" She made a whip sound as Chrom turned to her with a frown.

"Lissa—you're not helping." She chuckled as Chrom turned back to Sumia and Lucina. "Just promise me you'll return at the first sign of danger, Sumia. Lissa and I had Emm of course, but we lost our parents when we were young. I want Lucina to grow up with her whole family around her." She nodded as she accepted that want of faith.

"I'll be careful. I promise." With that, she turned and headed off to drop off Lucina with the maids as Fredrick spoke up in turn.

"I will ride ahead and assemble an escort, Milord."

"Thank you, Frederick." The man saluted and headed off as Alex spoke up to Chrom's growth as a ruler.

"I'm quite impressed, Chrom. You make a fine ruler. You've come a long way from tending sheep!" It was not just a minor amount of sheep protected, it was the whole pasture now as Chrom replied in kind.

"Ha!" He paused as he asked the real question. "Have I truly changed so much?" Alexander paused as he pondered it before he had the answer on his tongue.

"In a way, you haven't. But you've grown as a leader, and, of course, as a father." Chrom nodded to that as he winded his reasons.

"I've tried to do my best. My sister left a weighty legacy. I do all I can just to live up to it." Alex nodded as the Shepherds were rounded back up with the plan, the Marauders were left behind on exact orders that, if any nobleman tries to enter their new home without consent from Alex, EXACTLY from Alex with a side note of his friend, they are to be pushed back out and kept in their domain until they returned...

The domain of Castle Ferox towered over all as the small entourage entered the great halls and approached the ruling khan as Chrom spoke in apology "I apologize I could not come sooner, Flavia." She waved a hand as she stood up from her throne and stepped down to speak with them on equal level.

"What matters is you are here, Chrom." With that, Chrom cut straight into the mess.

"Is it true Valmese warships have set sail? What can you tell us?"

"Not much more than that, I'm afraid." She shook her head in regret as she continued to speak of it. "The details remain hazy. Just a moment..." She turned to one of the corridors and yelled down the winding passage. "Oaf! ...Where are you, you big, bald—Chrom is here!" The titan did arrive and a roll of the eyes, or eye, as he bellowed his own.

"Ah! Well met, boy." Chrom grimaced to the name again as Alex and Christian exchanged looks of smug joy at the Exalt's minor expense. "I knew you'd come." The giant straightened up and spoke in reason about what was happening. "We have someone you should hear from. I believe you've met? He claims to have insight into Valm's intentions." From the same passage arrived a VERY familiar archer, but the woman beside him was someone else, not that Vaike could say as Christian rested a hand under his jaw and closed it shut before the archest of archer spoke with pride or buffoon talk.

"Good day, lords and ladies. How far you all?" The Shepherds made little evident of their disdain for the man as he left and only now returns, he is going to need ice... a LOT of ice for his behavior of coming on back. "Allow me the great pleasure, and indeed honor, of introducing myself..." Chrom cut him off as he spoke.

"We all know who you are, Virion. Although I don't believe we've met your companion?" The man was on a roll as he tried once more with a starting huff.

"You know nothing! Prepare for my great unmasking! Long have I posed as archest of archers! Yet that was but a ruse! Yea, an artifice, to disguise myself as a mere above-average man. In truth, I am—" Thankfully, the woman cut him off as she introduced them both with ease.

"May I present Duke Virion. I am his humble servant, Cherche." She bowed as she continued to Virion's flabbergasted look. "Greetings, sire. You honor us with your presence." Virion didn't take that too well, but at least he was behaved.

"Cherche! You stole my moment!" Christian whispered to Alex a 'As she should', Alex chuckling lightly to it as they turned back to the conversation, Chrom just glad to NOT hear what Virion had to say."

"A pleasure, Cherche. Perhaps you could speak on your master's behalf?"

"That may speed things along, yes..."

"Then please. Time is of the essence." Cherche nodded as she started off in explaining.

"Very well, then. First, concerning our origins... We hail from Rosanne, a fertile territory on the continent of Valm." She gestured to Virion at this as she continued the lecture. "Milord is the head of House Virion, and the rightful ruler of Rosanne. A fact he often reminds us of—and loudly." So that was where his pride was coming from, no wonder as Virion cut in.

"Ha! Is she not a true wit? She gets it all from me, you know." Most of the party shook their heads to that as Chrom continued the lecture for knowledge.

"So what brings a noble and his charge all the way across the long sea?" This brought Virion back as he explained.

"The Valmese. Theirs was an unremarkable nation once. Tiny, almost pitifully so." Insulting a country is kind of the worse way to give them any reason to NOT hate the rest of the world. "Had our continent not shared its name, you might almost have forgotten it existed. And so Valm might have remained, if not for Walhart the Conqueror." A name to the face and a powerfully sounding one at that as Virion continued in concern. "One by one, he has taken the surrounding realms into his growing empire. I had no choice but to ru... Er, that is, to RECRUIT new allies to aid my people. That's why I've come." The blatant lie was called out as Chrom spoke.

"...You fled for your life." Alex just sighed as Cherche continued the thought.

"More or less, yes." Virion grimaced to that as his charge continued. "While milord hastily gathered his valuables and guided his people to safety..." Good point on Virion, setting his people up for safety from a powerful empire, that is a good mark in the book... in a long list of negative traits. "I alone remained to keep an eye on the Valmese crisis. I was there as Rosanne was swallowed up by Emperor Walhart's overwhelming forces. In the end, I, too, fled here to Regna Ferox seeking asylum."

"To my great relief, I might add! Eligible women are one of Rosanne's most precious natural resources! It would be a shame to waste any, even one who cuts off her lord and ma—" Alex was sure that she was a strong, independent woman as he stopped, a metal boot on his foot as she spoke again.

"As I was saying..."

"Yes, yes, all right, it was only a jape! Please, by all means, you may con—" Cherche didn't wait as the look was concern for her people and what could come from it.

"So, begging your pardons, but perhaps it is time to cut this long story short: Walhart has conquered our continent and now seeks to conquer yours." Basillo backed up the tale with reports of said ships coming to take to Ylisse.

"She claims the Valmese fleet will be at our shores in a matter of days. We'll know soon enough if her story proves true."

"I speak only what I know for true, good people. As does my lord. ...At least, with respect to this matter."

"There's that wit of yours again!" Virion chuckled as he grimaced to the wit itself. "That wonderful... needling, chafing wit." Chrom, thankfully, stopped it short as he directed his attention to the former Khan.

"I believe you both. Basilio, we must secure your ports as soon as possible."

"You should know that Valm has the strongest cavalry in the world." Virion pointed out as he went on a bit further. "You will want to station troops with experience fighting mounted troops."

"Why, Virion, are you volunteering?" Alex would have laughed to it himself, but he instead focused on what was coming as they disbanded and he took to researching the matter, the closest ship would be in the harbor within a day or two, so time was needed direly, but he was not turned away as he thought up plans and objectives to get done before the next sun sets, the forces going to see action once again...

This is the end of the time skip, so now back to the main story with brief pauses to gather the future children since, you know, Lucina required as part of the story, why not grab the others...?