Sunlight peeked through the windows of the barracks, beaming Robin directly in the face as he slept…at his desk. He had been up pretty much all night reading, and literally read until he passed out.
Robin grunted in discomfort from the sunlight.
Groggily, he sat up. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, then stood up to get ready for the day.
Though Robin was up pretty much up all night doing work, he felt like there was still much to do.
One of the activities he did last night was make a list. First on this list included reading and studying. Not just battle tactics, but Ylissean, Plegian, and Feroxian history, cultures, religions and fighting styles. Next on the list was training, and lots of it. Robin planned to be giving orders from the front lines, so he figured he should be in top shape.
While Robin was in the Shepherds library after the duel with Sully, Frederick had approached him, offering to help train him. Robin accepted, but started to regret it as Frederick actually grinned…not a good sign.
Frederick had said that they would be starting off easy. They're first session would start on Wednesday (today). Robin was to meet Frederick at the arena at 11:00, so that gave Robin plenty of time to study before their first session.
The very first thing on the agenda was to get a good breakfast. Robin got up, and started to gather his things. Just out of habit, he brought one of the books he didn't finish reading to breakfast with him.
Robin made his way over to the mess tent, and was pleased to see that Sully, Stahl, Chrom, Sumia and Kellam were already there. Sumia happily waved Robin over, and gestured to a seat next to her.
Chrom grinned, "Heh, did you just roll out of bed, Robin?"
"How could you tell," Robin asked as he snagged an apple from the middle of the table.
"Your hair kinda gave it away," Kellam replied.
Robin smirked, "Well, if anyone can pull the 'bed head' look, it's definitely me," He said jokingly.
Sully snorted and Stahl rolled his eyes.
"I see you woke up humble today, Robin," Stahl muttered, then shoved four pieces of bacon in his mouth.
Robin shrugged, then took a big bite of his apple.
Sully smiled mischievously, "So Robin, I heard ol' Frederick offered to train ya. Heh, good luck. You're definitely gonna need it."
Sumia's eyes widened, "Oh dear, you're going to let Frederick train you?"
Chrom and Robin met eyes, and Robin swore he saw a look of pity in Chrom's eyes.
'Uh, that's definitely NOT a good sign,' he thought.
"'Um…yeah. Frederick offered to train me after the duel with Sully…why is everyone looking at me like that?" Robin asked, as he saw the shepherd's faces fill with horror, except for Sully, who was snickering.
Sumia gave a nervous laugh, "Hehe…it's um…nothing. It's just that Frederick's sessions can be a bit…challenging at times." Sumia saw Robin's expression, and quickly added, "B-but I'm sure you'll be fine!"
Stahl swallowed his food, "Yeah I'm not so sure about that. Last session, Frederick had me do 500 pushups, then immediately go run 10 miles…through the woods," Stahl shuddered, "That was just warmups."
Robin's jaw dropped. 'What did I get into?'
Chrom chuckled, "I'm sure you'll be fine, Robin. Trust me, each session gets easier."
Robin let out a nervous laugh, "Y-yeah, you're right. Anything for the Halidom…right?"
Sumia clapped Robin on the back.
"Yeah! That's the spirit, Robin! Don't worry, I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines!"
Robin felt a bit dizzy, 'Yay, I'll have an audience. More people to embarrass myself in front of…'
Robin was told by Kellam that every minute he showed up late, Frederick would add two extra miles to run. He shuddered. If he were to show up only five minutes late…that'd be ten extra miles.
Frederick was already there, busy hacking away at a training dummy. Robin watched as Frederick turned the wooden dummy into nothing but splinters.
Frederick, who still had his back turned, heard Robin approach.
"Glad you could make it, Robin," he said.
"Um…yeah. It's an honor to get to be trained by you…sir," Robin replied.
Frederick turned around and scowled, "You will represent a big part of Ylisse. If you were to look bad in any way, that would reflect badly upon Milord. I am simply doing this to protect him."
"…Riiiight. Anyways, I'm ready to go whenever you are." Robin replied.
Frederick nodded, "Very well. We shall start with warmups…I assume you know what a push-up is," Robin nodded, "Then drop down and give me 200!" Frederick yelled.
Robin immediately went down and started doing push-ups. To his surprise, he was stronger than Robin had thought he was originally. Unfortunately, he still wasn't that strong.
"Thirty-seven…thirty-eight…thirty-nine…*huff*…forty," Robin counted.
His arms were starting to feel like jelly, and he was struggling to hold his weight.
Frederick watched as Robin struggled. He grinned. He knew that Robin wouldn't be able to do all the exercises that he was giving him, at least not to this extent. In truth, Frederick was testing Robin. He wanted to see how committed Robin truly was, and how easily he would give up.
Frederick had to hand it to Robin. Robin had somehow managed to do 117 push-ups without stopping. Robin did, however, begin to slow.
"Giving up already, tactician?" Frederick asked harshly.
"N-never," Robin grunted. "One hundred…t-thirty three," he continued to count.
"Yay, go Robin!"
"Yeah, you got it, Tactician-Boss-Man!"
"I conceptualize that you can do this, Robin. I am very impresable to your abilities, so please don't let up just yet."
Frederick saw Lissa, Chrom, Sumia, Sully, Vaike, Ricken and Miriel standing off to the side, cheering on Robin.
Their cheering seemed to give Robin a boost of confidence, which fueled him to go faster.
Sooner than expected, Robin had only five more push-ups left.
"One Hundred ninety eight…one hundred..ninety nine…*huff*..*gasp*…t-two..h-hundred!"
Robin looked up and saw all his friends cheering him on. He turned to Frederick, whose face was filled with utter amazement.
Instead of lying down from exhaustion, Robin stood up, ignoring the pain in his arms and core.
He looked Frederick directly in the eyes.
"So, what's next?"
Robin was in the middle of guzzling down a big cup of water that Sumia had graciously given him.
Right after the push-ups, Frederick had him run seven miles while wearing thirty pounds on each ankle.
By the time Robin finished, his legs felt like noodles.
Luckily, Chrom and the others were waiting for him, cheering him on and congratulating him on actually finishing the run. Even Lon'qu had showed up, and Robin swore he saw a hint of respect in his face.
"Wow Robin! That was incredible! I don't know how you do it! First the push-ups, then you don't even stop and immediately go run SEVEN miles with SIXTY pounds weighing you down! What can't you do?!" Ricken gushed as he gave Robin another cup of water.
"I asked him the same thing once, ya know! We really lucked out!" Lissa chirped happily.
"Heh, you truly are a wonder, Robin," Chrom said.
"I'll say! When Frederick first started training me, he only had me do 50 push-ups, and only two miles…with no weights. And I was dying!" Stahl exclaimed in awe.
Robin regained some of his breath, "W-what?! He only had you do TWO miles!?" Robin groaned. 'Frederick really does hate me.'
Sully punched him in the shoulder, "Oh, lighten up, will ya? I mean, at least ya did it, right? You definitely proved ya ain't no wimp, that's for sure!"
Robin sighed, "Yeah, you're right…"
"Robin!"
The shepherds turned to see Frederick approaching. Robin held his breath, and it seemed the others did, too. He was expecting to get scolded for sitting down, or be ordered to do another exercise. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he could. Robin was afraid that if he stood up, he may pass out.
Frederick's expression softened ever so slightly. "Congratulations," he said, causing everyone, including Robin, to be confused.
Frederick continued, "Robin, you have passed my test."
"T-test?" Robin asked.
Frederick nodded, "Yes, test. In truth, the exercises that I gave you today are usually given to my pupils who have been training with me for weeks, months even. You showed your dedication through perseverance and strength. You still may not have my entire trust…but, you have shown that you can endure hardships and not give up easily. That makes you a strong man…a warrior. And so, you do at least have my respect."
Robin grinned, and held out a shaky hand, "T-thank you, Sir Frederick. I am h-honored to have your respect, and I hope that in the near future, I can gain your full trust."
Frederick shook his hand and smiled, "I look forward to that day."
About a week has passed since the shepherds had returned to the Halidom. Since there wasn't too much to do on any of the shepherd's parts (except for Chrom), there had been lots of bonding time. Robin had trained with Frederick, Vaike and Sully multiple times each day, and he read with Miriel and Ricken. Maribelle and him had even started their lessons on how to be proper gentleman, which actually wasn't as bad as Robin thought it would be.
Robin hadn't talked to Virion much, so Robin decided to try and get to know him. As it turns out, Virion really enjoys chess, a game that Robin also happens to enjoy. They had played everyday around lunchtime, and Virion had managed to somehow beat him every time, which was really frustrating for Robin.
Robin spent some time with Kellam and Lon'qu as well. Kellam, as it turns out, was actually really easy to talk to. He and Robin had some "deep" discussions. Kellam was almost like a therapist in a way, and seemed more than happy to hear about Robin's latest problems.
Lon'qu on the other hand, wasn't as chatty as Kellam. However, after the session with Frederick, Lon'qu agreed to help Robin train with the sword. Robin was, according to Lon'qu, "Very sloppy, but not impossible to work with," which gave Robin some hope.
Robin even got to spend some time with Sumia and Lissa. They mainly just chatted about random things.
Robin vowed to create as many memories as he could now, to make up for the ones he lost.
Though Robin's days were fun, he was exhausted after each one. He never did anything especially relaxing. He spent the past four days either training, studying or bonding with friends. On top of that, he stayed up late and woke up early to read, causing him to be even more tired.
This day was especially exhausting, mainly because he had another session with Frederick, which was not any easier than the last session.
After a long day, Robin wanted nothing more than to relax. As much as he wanted to do something productive, he figured that his body could use a little rest. Robin settled on taking a little walk in the fresh air.
The sun had already set, and it got really dark. Only the moon omitted an ominous glow, illuminating the ground and trees. There was a soft breeze that made the leaves in trees create a calming swishing sound, and the crickets began to chirp and go about their nightly routine.
Robin sighed. He closed his eyes and let the nature surrounding him fill him with peace.
The sound of approaching footsteps broke Robin out of his reverie. He whipped around and instinctively reached to where his sword was, but calmed down once he recognized the person. He sighed in relief.
"Oh, it's just you, Chrom. You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that, especially someone with a weapon." Robin said, and patted his sword.
Chrom grinned and shook his head, "Me? Sneak up on you? Heh, Lissa always told me she could hear me from a mile away. I don't think I'm capable of sneaking up on someone. Anyways, why are you out here this late, Robin?"
"I could ask you the same," Robin replied.
"Well, I asked first."
'That sounded vaguely familiar''
Robin sighed. "I just needed to take a break. You know, hang out in nature and all that. Lissa said that nature is good medicine, so I decided to try it out," Robin said and shrugged.
Robin crossed his arms, "So, what is a prince like you doing out here so late. Isn't it dangerous?" Robin teased.
Chrom rolled his eyes, "Oh, don't give me that prince crap. Your starting to sound like Vaike."
"You didn't answer my question."
"Fine. I was just dueling with some…unpleasant thoughts. You see, everything that Gangrel said…well, it wasn't all a lie."
Robin frowned. "What do you mean?" Robin asked.
Chrom continued, "The first exalt, my father," he spat his name, "waged war on Plegia for many years. The violence…well, it was a brutal campaign, ending with his death 15 years ago."
Again, Robin didn't entirely understand how Chrom didn't seem too upset about his father's death. It was his father, wouldn't he have maybe even felt the slightest bit of pain?
"Plegia rightfully remembers their suffering, but his war was no kinder to its people. As the war dragged on, our army became more and more diminished. Farmers, who could barely wield a pitchfork, were conscripted and sent to their deaths. Soon, there was no food at all, and the kingdom began to collapse. I was young, but I remember those dark times…and I know how they affected Emmeryn," Chrom said sadly.
Robin suddenly understood why Emmeryn was so anti-war. Her entire childhood was like one brutal, nonstop war. He understood why she would just want it all to stop.
Though in reality, there will always be some sort of conflict.
Robin also felt a wave of respect towards Emmeryn. Despite the conflict, and she was no doubt suffering for it, it didn't seem to affect her negativity. In fact, it seemed to push her to drive harder for peace.
Chrom saw Robin's sympathetic expression and sighed.
"Those were tough times indeed. My father died before she was ten, and that left quite the legacy. With Plegia's desire for vengeance and our own people's unbridled rage…my sister became a target for that blame."
Chrom grit his teeth. Obviously, this was not an easy subject for him to talk about, so Robin let him take his time.
"…Her own subjects began to hurl her with insults—and stones. She even bears a scar from one…but throughout all this, she never let them see her pain. Only Lissa and I understood," He finished.
"That must have been so hard…" Robin said sympathetically.
He glanced over to the trees and felt a wave of uneasiness wash over him. Something seemed…off. He wasn't sure why, but he began to feel weary.
Chrom missed Robin's sudden uneasiness.
He just shook his head, "I don't know how she does it, Robin. Throughout all the hate and mocking that our people bestowed upon her, she is still able to greet it with as much warmth and kindness as any other. In a way, she has healed Ylisse. She brought soldiers back to their families and ended the war. Yet, when the Ylisseans "forgave" her, she never resented them."
Robin smiled, "It's nice to know that there are still truly good people in this world. I feel like for as long as I can remember, I am just surrounded by evil. It's sickening."
Robin grimaced, remembering the Plegians and bandits that they fought. Not to mention the Risen….
"Indeed. The world is lucky to have people like her in it. In truth, she IS peace. Unfortunately, some may take advantage of this…men like Gangrel," he spat his name, "The day that he understands true peace will be the day death gives it to him. Unfortunately, I may be the person to give it to him. Emm would never order him killed, nor would I wish her to," Chrom said, and rubbed the hilt of his sword.
Suddenly, faint footsteps could be heard behind the pair. Both of them whipped around and instinctively reached for their weapons. Even though it was dark, Robin could faintly make out a human figure approaching them.
"An inspiring speech, Sir," the figure said.
Robin's heart skipped a beat. That was no doubt the voice of Marth.
'What is she doing here?' He thought.
Marth stepped out from under the trees, and the moon illuminated her masked face.
Chrom frowned, "How did you get in here?"
Marth nodded to Robin. Robin guessed that Marth had just rolled her eyes as she said sarcastically.
"Good evening to you, too, Sir," She said sarcastically.
She looked to Chrom, and pointed out in the distance to a few trees, "The cleft in the castle wall, behind the maple grove. Honestly, you should get that fixed," She added.
Chrom's eyes widened, "H-how did you know about that?…I thought it was concealed well," he muttered.
"You know the place, Chrom?" Robin asked, arching an eyebrow.
Chrom rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Heh, um…yeah. I may have accidentally bashed a hole in the wall while training—but it was small! How did I know that someone would find it?" Chrom retorted.
"How do you 'accidentally' bash a hole in a wall, Chrom?" Robin asked.
Marth looked somewhat amused, but then her expression quickly changed back to being serious.
"Peace, I won't tell. I have only come here to warn you."
"About how the world is on the brink of chaos?" Robin asked and narrowed his eyes, "Because if so, would you care to elaborate just a little more as to what that means?"
She was probably glaring at him when she said, "No. The exalt's life is in danger."
Chrom recovered himself, "What? Emmeryn? That's impossible, she's guarded at all hours. Not to mention that the palace itself is guarded at all hours, so nothing could get in without being noticed."
Marth seemed to have seen this coming. She looked down and sighed, "What if…what if I were to tell you that I've seen the future. A future where Emmeryn is killed. Here. Tonight…would you believe me?"
Robin's jaw dropped and Chrom furrowed his brow.
"That's impossible. You can't just SEE the future," Robin said.
"Have you lost your wits, Marth?" Chrom exclaimed.
Marth sighed again and shook her head. She looked them both in the eyes when she said, "Yes, I expected that you wouldn't believe me. So please, allow me to prove it."
With that, she drew her replica sword, Falchion. She held it steadily out in front of her and inhaled a deep breath. Chrom immediately went to reach for his sword when Robin stopped him. Robin looked at her position, and noticed that her stance wasn't hostile…at least not towards them.
"Wait," Robin whispered.
Marth exhaled, and strengthened her grip on her sword.
"I'm about to save your life," she said, "From him."
As if on cue, an assassin leapt out from a tree and immediately charged at Chrom, knife at ready. Without looking, Marth tossed her Falchion in the air and jumped up. She grabbed in the air and did a similar spiral down as the one Chrom did in the arena, and cut the assassin down, effortlessly. The assassin fell to the ground, dead instantly, his sword slipped from his grip and skidded across he grass.
Marth sheathed her sword, and looked to the duo.
She pursed her lips, "I trust this proof will suffice?"
Chrom seemed to debate this in his head for a moment, but Robin knew that he believed her, no matter how crazy it sounds.
Chrom sighed, "…Yeah," he finally said.
The trees began to rattle again, and then another assassin leapt out from the trees. Instead of going for Chrom, the assassin immediately went for Marth, who wasn't ready for this attack. Marth spun around and tried to reach for her dagger while stepping back, but slipped on her last victim's weapon, causing her to lose her balance and stumble back. The assassin swiped at her face with his knife, and sliced her butterfly mask clean in half.
Marth gasped in surprise, and lost her balance…and fell.
Robin and Chrom reacted immediately. Robin ran by Marth's side while Chrom immediately went to dispatch of the assassin.
Unfortunately for Marth, her mask had been sliced clean in half, falling off to reveal Marth's feminine face. Her hair came loose, letting locks of long, blue hair flow down her shoulders.
Robin held out a hand to Marth, which Marth refused, and got up on her own. She looked down at her mask that lay in the grass. Hesitantly, she looked up, allowing Robin to actually get a good look at her true face.
Robin's jaw dropped yet again. She was…gorgeous. By far the prettiest woman he has seen so far. The most mesmerizing part of her was her eyes, pools of dark indigo. They locked eyes for a second, and Robin swore he saw something in her left eye, but she quickly averted her gaze.
Chrom, who had just wiped his blade clean, turned to Marth, and he too seemed to have a similar reaction to Robin…just for a totally different reason.
"Wait, you're—you're a woman? This whole time?" He stammered.
Robin smacked himself, and 'Marth' rolled her eyes.
"Yes, and quite the actress, too. Honestly, I'm surprised that you didn't figure it out until…just now," Marth replied, while arching an eyebrow.
Chrom rolled his eyes, "Yes, well…I've been told that I'm not the most…observant person in the world."
"Obviously," Robin muttered, "I figured it out literally the DAY we met her."
"What?! And you didn't tell me?"
"It honestly didn't matter. I didn't think it was worth telling you, anyways," Robin retorted.
Marth looked back to the palace while the two bickered. Something was about to happen. Something bad. She could sense it…
"Robin, I think we need to have a discussion about secrets between you and me."
"Chrom! It literally didn't matter at the time. And I promise I don't have any more secrets. I'm an open book!"
The two glared at each other. Robin snuck a glance back to Marth, who was staring intently at the palace.
Not even a minute later, there was a loud explosion sound coming directly from the palace. Marth took off towards the sound, followed by Chrom and Robin. Marth silently prayed that she wasn't too late.
A man in a dark sorcerer's attire stood staring up at the Ylissean palace walls. Beside him, an assassin in a dark cloak walked up to him.
"We're all ready, sir," The assassin spoke gruffly.
The sorcerer smiled dubiously, "Hehe, perfect timing. Remember, I want the Emblem in my hand…and Emmeryn dead on the floor. Let nothing distract you from either purpose."
"As you will it, Sir," the assassin said nodding, then turned and ran off into the night.
The sorcerer chuckled, and pulled out a tome. It had a faint, purple aura and the sickly stench of death and decay.
The man muttered a chant, and slowly his entire body became encased in an eerie purple light. There was a bright flash, then he, too, disappeared.
"You *huff* knew about *huff* this, Marth?" Robin managed to get out as the trio sprinted to the palace.
Marth ignored him. Her eyes were trained ahead of her, and she was determined to get to Emmeryn before anything bad happened.
In truth, she was unsure on how this battle would turn out. The only thing that she knew for sure was that the shepherds would gain a couple allies in this battle.
"Right, you don't *huff* like to talk about the end of the world," Robin said, and tried to sound sarcastic, but between gasping for breaths and speaking, it sounded really forced.
"Robin, now's not the time. We'll discuss this later…right, Marth?" Chrom said as he sprinted alongside Marth.
Again, Marth just ignored him. She didn't feel like discussing anything personal, especially not at a time like this. This very night could lead to what she fears most, and she can't let anything distract her from her mission to prevent it.
Robin tried to sigh, but it came out as a strangled, gurgled gasp, "Fine, I guess your back to *huff* your normal self again, right?"
"I'd just worry about yourself for now, sir. You would be of no use to us if you can't do anything seeing that your stamina is rather low," Marth replied, steadily, though Robin could tell she was getting irritated.
'Ouch, that hurt,' thought Robin.
He just rolled his eyes, then continued to focus on breathing.
"Almost there!" Chrom yelled. He and Marth had their Falchions ready, so Robin drew his tome.
At the end of the giant hallway, Robin could make out the standing figures of the shepherds. They began hollering over at Chrom, eager for orders.
"Milord, assassins have infiltrated the castle walls. I think that it's safe to assume that they are after Lady Emmeryn." Frederick said hurriedly as Chrom and the others ran up. Robin pretty much doubled over from exhaustion, but tried to wear a strong face for the shepherds.
"Chrom! Thank goodness you're safe!" Emmeryn said, and ran over to Chrom and pulled him into a big hug.
"E-Emm, what are you doing here? You need to be somewhere safe!" Chrom said, and pulled away from their embrace.
Emmeryn looked a little hurt, "I just had to know that you and Lissa were BOTH safe."
Chrom was about to speak, but was interrupted by another loud explosion.
Chrom turned to the shepherds, "Alright, this is it, Shepherds!" And everyone readied their weapons.
He turned to Emmeryn, "Emm, I need you to stay in the study." She was about to protest, but Chrom held up a hand, "Sister, I need you to be safe. Not just for me, but for the halidom. If something were to happen to you then….gods that would lead to more madness. We can't risk anything, Emm," Chrom said firmly.
Emmeryn sighed, "Okay, Chrom. But please…be safe. You're important to me, and the halidom."
The halls were yet again filled with a loud booming sound, and the smell of smoke began to tinge the air.
Robin noticed that Marth seemed to fidget. He looked at her face and saw that it was filled with pain, or maybe even sadness. She was keeping her eyes trained on the floor, averting her gaze from anyone, including Robin.
Emmeryn was led into the study, along with Lissa, Kellam and Virion to protect her.
Chrom turned to Robin, "Alright, Robin. We don't have much time, what's the plan?"
"Alright, idiots. You know the plan. The boss don't want the exalt alive, so any chance ya got at killin' her, ya take it, yeah?" A man with a bulky axe said, gruffly. He was met with a murmur of agreements and yes's.
However, one thief stood off to the side, frowning.
'Kill? Did I hear that right? We're to KILL the exalt?' He thought in disdain.
"What's the matter, maggot? Ya question the boss' orders?" The leader asked as he made his way to the frowning thief.
The thief looked up at the approaching leader, and shrugged, "Naw man. Just uh, mentally preparing, is all. But I'm all good now. Yep, ready as icing about to go on a birthday cake," the thief said, and popped a sucker in his mouth.
The leader rolled his eyes and walked away. "Sure ya are," he muttered.
The thief sighed, "I'm only here to line my pockets with royal goods. The exalt is too nice of a lady. I mean, yeah, I'd rob her blind, but I would never harm her, much less kill her," the thief muttered.
"What was that, Gaius?" The leader yelled over his shoulder.
"N-nothing, sir. Nothing at all!"
Marth stood frozen in place as the world seemed to rush around her. Slowly, she spun around in a slow circle, taking in the chaos around her.
Marth
Suddenly, she was alone.
There was no one there in the hallway with her, yet ear piercing screams rang all throughout the walls. The walls around then started to crumple away into dust, leaving her feeling more isolated and alone.
Marth!
She looked up and saw that the sky had turned to a dark shade of purple.
In the sky, a large shadow loomed above her. Marth's veins turned to ice as she realized what she was staring at. She tried to take a step back, but stopped as her foot stepped on nothing but empty air. She looked behind her and saw that she stood atop the last standing part of the Ylissean palace.
"N-no, it can't be," she said in a shaky voice.
She looked back up, and saw that she was staring in the eyes of the thing that had destroyed her home.
"NO!" She screamed.
MARTH!
Suddenly, Marth was standing back in the Ylissean castle. The walls were as they should be, and instead of screams, there was a rumbling of explosions that filled the air. Her vision was blurred from the tears that brimmed her eyes. She was, however, staring directly at a pair of concerned, dark brown eyes.
"Marth, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Robin said, worriedly. He had both his hands on her shoulders. He had been shaking her, trying to snap her out of whatever was going on in her head, but she hadn't been responding.
Marth quickly nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Y-yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, we have more important matters to attend to."
She shrugged off his hands and stalked off, weapon in hand.
Robin pursed his lips as he watched her briskly walk away. There was definitely something wrong with her. She had been screaming in terror at something that…wasn't there. For right now, he decided to drop it, and turned his attention to the battle at hand.
He had already deployed all the shepherds to their positions, all except for Marth. Marth had made her way over to the door where the exalt was held, and stood defensively in front of it. Her calm demeanor returned, all signs of her sudden distress were gone.
Robin wasn't the only one to witness Marth's little outburst. Chrom, who was Robin's partner for this battle, stood a little ways off to the side as Robin tried to calm her down. He had watched it all unfold, confused and concerned.
Robin gave Marth one last worried glance, but quickly made his way over to Chrom.
"What's up with her?" Chrom asked as Robin approached his side.
Robin shook his head, "I don't know. But seeing her freaked out like that…doesn't sit well with me. Best we keep our guard up."
Chrom nodded, "Right."
A little ways down the hallway, battles were already beginning. Though there were definitely more assassins, it was nothing compared to the strength of the shepherds.
Chrom and Robin made their way to the front lines, and saw that their side had minimal injuries.
"Haha! Oh man, this is great! What say you Chrom? Wanna make a bet with ol' Teah, yeah?" Vaike hollered as he fought an axeman.
Chrom scowled as an assassin tried to slip by him, but Chrom quickly cut him down, "Vaike, this is no time for messing around."
Vaike pouted and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, alright fine."
His face lit up again as he saw Sully and Stahl run up to them.
"Hey, Sully, you wanna make a bet?" He asked, and bounced his axe on his shoulder.
Sully smirked, "Heh, yeah sure."
Chrom turned to Stahl, "Anything worth reporting?"
Stahl nodded, "Yes. Sully and I managed to block off the east hallway. That leaves only the west side for the enemy to attempt to reach Lady Emmeryn."
Chrom nodded and Robin smiled, "Great, so far so good."
Stahl nodded, and went off with Vaike and Sully, both busy with a fight.
"Thunder!" Robin yelled, and pointed his palm towards an assassin who tried to sneak past the shepherds.
He looked around, and saw that Sumia and Frederick were both thick into a battle. Sumia seemed to be struggling a little without her Pegasus.
"Chrom, I need to you go backup Frederick and Sumia. After that, I'll need you to meet me outside of where Emmeryn is," Robin said.
Chrom nodded, "Okay. Something wrong, Robin?"
"I just want to check on Marth real quick, make sure her head is still in the right place, ya know?" Robin said, and Chrom nodded in understanding.
Robin turned and ran back towards where Marth was, who was hopefully safe.
Marth wiped some sweat off her face and gasped for air. She wasn't used to rigorous fighting like this. She had taken down eleven assassins and three mercenaries who had managed to get past the shepherd's front lines. On top of that, all the pressure that she wore on her shoulders was starting to seriously wear her down. She perked up as the flash of silver danced quickly in the corner of her eye.
Out of reflex, she raised Falchion defensively. It clashed with a long silver dagger.
The assassin glared at her as their blades locked, "If you just step aside, I'll make sure your death is swift, girly."
Marth took in a shaky breath, "I'd be more w-worried about your own arse if I were you."
The assassin smirked, "Heh, cocky are we?"
The assassin broke free from their locked blades, then quickly tried to sidestep and take a swipe at her waist. Luckily, Marth was able to raise her blade just in time to block his attack. Unfortunately, she was forced into a defensive position, and was unable to find an opening for an attack. She cursed under her breath.
The assassin kicked her leg, causing it to buckle. Marth fell heavily to the stone floor, and she groaned in pain.
The assassin grinned, "Hmph, I expected more from the Ylisseans," he shrugged, "Whatever, I guess. End of the line lass—"
He was cut off as an iron sword protruded from his chest. His eyes widened in surprise as he slowly looked down to see the blade, and his dagger clattered to the floor.
"W-what the…" he trailed off as the light left his eyes, and his body went limp.
Marth wiped a few flecks of blood from her face, and looked up to see Robin standing over the assassin's dead body.
He held out a hand to her, "You okay?"
Marth ignored his outstretched hand, and got on her own. She nodded curtly, "I didn't need your help."
"Oh yeah? Because it kinda looked like you were at your limits…or was that another one of you acts, 'actress'?" Robin replied sharply.
Marth just glared at him and shook her head, "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the front lines with fa—er…Chrom."
Robin looked down the hallway. He could still hear the clashing of weapons. He sighed, "Yeah, well…I was just checking on you. Ya know, making sure that you were still alive and protecting Emmeryn, and that you didn't just run off or something."
"Wow, you really think I would run off at a time like this?" Marth replied in a low tone.
Robin shrugged, "I mean, it wouldn't be the first…"
Marth scoffed, "Oh yeah? And how many battles have I fought WITH you, hmm?"
Robin paused, "...Touché."
"Robin! There is a giant rabbit running down the hallway! What should I do about that?!" Chrom yelled as he ran up to Marth and Robin, Frederick and Sumia in tow.
"Giant…Rabbit? What's that supposed to mean?" Robin asked.
Chrom frantically shook his head, "No, there is literally a rabbit, like twice the size of me, running…um, hopping down the west hallway! It's not with the shepherds, could it be with the assassins?"
Marth's eyes widened in realization.
She quickly interjected, "N-no! Hold, sir! Panne is not your enemy."
"Panne? A friend of yours?" Robin asked.
Marth shook her head, "No…not exactly. But I do know OF her. As did I know that she would be here tonight."
"And you didn't think to mention this?" Robin muttered.
Marth ignored him, and looked to Chrom, "I swear to you, Sir. Panne is an ally."
Chrom nodded, "Alright, that's good enough for me. For now, we'll leave this Panne be."
Sumia looked pale, "I-I didn't know rabbits could get so big…"
Frederick grit his teeth, "Is that wise, Milord? Can we even trust her?" Frederick said, and gestured toward Marth.
Chrom looked to Marth and gave a weak smile, "Marth has earned our trust. She may have her secrets…like her gender, for one," he glared at Robin, "But she's saved our lives, many times over. That's good enough for me."
Marth smiled, "Sir…thank you. Truly."
Chrom gave her a nod, then looked back to Frederick, "So with that, we best clear out the west hallway."
Robin nodded, "Yeah, Chrom's right. We better finish this quickly. Can this giant rabbit, um…Panne…can it fight?"
Marth smirked, "Yeah. Yeah, she can fight."
Sumia looked curiously over as Marth. 'How odd…she seems so familiar, but I don't think I've ever met her before…'
"Alright then, I guess we should all get back to the frontlines. We'll try and flush the enemy out of the cattle through force. And, my guess is that if we take out the leader, the enemy should scatter. Marth, can I leave you here?" Robin asked.
Marth nodded, and positioned herself right back in front of the doorway. With that, Chrom and Robin lead the others back to the frontlines.
So, Chrom wasn't wrong. There was definitely a giant bunny running around the castle hallways. Marth wasn't wrong either. Panne was definitely a strong fighter, and she could prove to be a huge asset to the shepherds…assuming that she's going to stay.
The enemy's numbers were starting to dwindle. The shepherds had managed to take down most of the enemy without much trouble. However, there were probably still at least ten assassins remaining, and one leader, who has yet to show his face.
Chrom had ordered each of the pair to go through each hallway in the castle, to either force the enemy out, or to get rid of them, permanently.
Chrom and Robin were both walking side-by-side down one of the palace's larger hallways, trying to find any straggler assassins.
Chrom sighed, and Robin glanced over at Chrom, "You're seriously not bored, are you?"
Chrom chuckled, "I'm just relieved, is all. But disturbed at the same time. It looks like Emm will be safe for the time being, but the thought of people wanting her dead…it scares me."
Robin nodded, and was about to speak when he heard a scuffling in front of them. Chrom and Robin both readied their weapons as they saw a human figure come out front behind a statue.
"Drop your weapons, or die where you stand!" Chrom yelled.
The man raised his hands in the air slowly, "Easy there, Blue Blood. I'm not here to hurt anyone."
Chrom scowled, "I wish I could believe that…but you do stand with a band of assassins who wish to kill my sister," Chrom glared at him, "I think you can understand my confusion," he said sharply.
The man shrugged, "Okay, okay, yes I know. This looks realllly bad. But I swear, it isn't what it looks like! Believe it or not, I'm just trying to make a living. I'm a thief, you see. Ya know, the kind that busts open doors and picks locks with ease? Uh, that kinda thing. Anyways, this lot said that they wanted to break into some sort of vault. Nobody said anything about murder! I'm just sitting this one out."
Chrom thought about this for a second. He looked at Robin, but Robin gave him the 'don't look at me, this is your job' look. Chrom sighed, and looked back at the thief. "What's your name?"
The thief hesitated for a second, "…my name is Gaius."
Chrom nodded, "Okay, Gaius. I don't believe you to be a bad man. Perhaps you're willing to prove your good intentions?"
Gaius cocked his head, "Beg pardon, Sir?"
"We need all the help we can get to save the exalt's life. You seem like a capable fighter, plus you have input on the enemy."
"Oh, right—that kind of good intentions. Fine. I am willing to prove my sincerity…but only if you sweeten the deal," Gaius replied slyly.
Chrom frowned, "You want gold?…fine you scoundrel."
He began to dig through a small bag he carried on his hip, "Just let me—oops."
A small satchel fell from the bag. Gaius looked at it curiously, "What's in the satchel, mmm?"
Chrom shook his head and quickly picked up the bag, "Nothing, just candies from my little sister. I have some—"
"Candies? You mean as in, sugar candies?" Gaius asked as he stared intently at the satchel in Chrom's hand.
Chrom looked skeptically at Gaius, "Umm, yes? I mean, I'd hope they'd be sweet. But—"
"IT'S A DEAL!" Gaius said enthusiastically, and snatched the bag of candy from Chrom's hand. Robin was actually impressed at the dexterity Gaius had, even if he only snagged a bag of candy. Oh, the potential he could have…
Gaius immediately opened the bag, and popped a handful of candy in his mouth.
"Y-you would risk your life for a…for a bag of candy?" Chrom asked.
Gaius shrugged, "I mean, I did say "sweeten the deal," didn't I? Oh, don't get me wrong. I'll take gold, too…later. That is unless you've got these…have you got more of these?!"
Chrom furrowed his brow, "Um…I'll ask Lissa. For now, though, can you tell us where exactly your previous leader is?"
Gaius popped another candy in his mouth, "Yeah sure. I'm pretty sure he's at the palace's courtyard."
Robin nodded, "Alright, Gaius. I'm going to need you to go to the castle's study. It's just down this hall, then take a right. That's where the exalt is being kept safe. I have a friend guarding it currently, but she may need some backup."
Gaius nodded, "Okay, but uh…what if she tries to kill me. What should I say?"
Robin thought for a second, "Tell her that I sent you. If she still doesn't believe you, which knowing her, she most likely won't, tell her that…tell her that I believe her. And that I want to help in any way I can."
Gaius nodded, and ran off.
Chrom looked at Robin curiously, "Doesn't she already know you believe her?"
Robin shook his head, "Sorta, but I've never told her, and I think it's something she needs to hear. She's lonely, and having people who trust you by your side…well, it can give you hope. Hope that things will work out all in the end, that is."
Chrom nodded, and put a hand on Robin's shoulder, "Something tells me you speak from experience, friend."
Robin nodded, then chuckled, "Heh, that's enough depressing talk. C'mon, we have an exalt to save."
Emmeryn paced back and forth by the study's door. She clutched her healing staff, and muttered a soft prayer under her breath.
"Milady, pray I ask what it is that is bothering you so much?" Virion asked as he carefully inspected his bow.
Lissa was sitting on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees, and slowly rocked back and forth. Emmeryn didn't seem to hear Virion, and continued to pace back and forth.
"She's obviously worried about everyone outside, Virion. As am I, and probably everyone else in this room," Kellam said pointedly.
Virion rolled his eyes and looked at Kellam, "Ah, and the invisible knight finally speaks. And for your information, I'm just trying to start a conversation."
"Yeah, I don't think talking about that right now is a good conversation starter," Kellam replied.
Virion huffed, "Sometimes it's good to let things out you know…"
Kellam frowned, "Let's just talk about something else. I think we could all use something to keep our heads straight."
Virion shook his head, "What exactly is there to talk about, hmm? Especially at a time like this?"
Kellam shrugged, "Uh, I dunno…um, how about…dang, I can't think of anything!"
Lissa glanced up, "How about we talk about…cats."
"Cats?" Virion and Kellam said in unison.
Lissa nodded, "Yeah, cats are great, right? I could really use one right now…"
Kellam shuddered, "No, cats terrify me. I swear, those things are like demons in disguise."
"Ha! Please, cats are just harmless creatures. Sure, they have attitude, but I've met many women before that have more attitude than cats, and I got along fine with them," Virion said.
Lissa smiled ever so faintly, "You seriously didn't just compare cats to women you've been with, Virion."
Virion smiled, proud that he could put the princess at a little bit of ease, "Yes I did, and I shall say it again to prove my point!"
Kellam shook his head in disbelief, "You say that now, but wait till you meet the cat that lives in the barracks of the shepherd's garrison…"
There was a loud booming sound. Lissa tightened her grip on her knees and whimpered. Even Kellam and Virion seemed uneasy. Emmeryn however, continued to pace back and forth, completely unfazed.
She continued to pray, "Please let him be safe. Oh, Naga please keep my baby brother safe. Please, I beg of you, guide me down a path that'll lead to peace…"
Marth stood by the study's doorway. She was starting to get bored. There had been no more signs of intruders, which was a good sign. That also gave her a small twinge of hope. 'Maybe I really can do this,' she thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. She raised Falchion in front of her, and glared down the dark hallway, preparing for an attacker.
"W-who's there?" She called out.
She was tired, and honestly, she had her doubts on whether or not she could make it through another battle unscathed, much less alive. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was reaching her limits.
"Easy now. I'm just here to help," A voice replied.
Marth's heart skipped a beat. She recognized that voice. That voice belonged to the father of one of her close friends.
Faintly, she could make out the approaching figure. She lowered her sword as he approached her, with his hands up.
Gaius cocked his head to the side, "So…just like that? You're not gonna try and at least take a swipe at me?" He hesitated, "…Or is this some sort of like tactical maneuver or something? Are you gonna like stab me in the back if I get close, because I've had chicks like you pull this on me before, and trust me, it WILL NOT work again!"
Marth furrowed her brows in confused, "What are you talking about? Why the heck would I…" she trailed off.
'Oh crap…I messed up. I messed up real bad.'
She realized that she let her guard up too easily. Had this been the first time meeting Gaius, she probably would've tried to kill him…but this wasn't. And he, and nobody else, knew that.
Marth cleared her throat, "I um…I guess I'm really good at…seeing the good in people."
Gaius looked unconvinced, but shrugged, "Well, you guessed right," he paused, "I think…anyways, that saves me the trouble of all the stuff your friend told me to tell you to convince you that I am no enemy of you," Gaius took in a big breath, "Geez, try saying that five times fast."
"Friend?"
"Yeah, the guy with the white hair and big coat."
"Oh…you mean Robin…He's not a friend. He's an, um…acquaintance," Marth said.
Gaius shrugged again, "Oh, well he called you a friend. Anyways, he basically told me to back you up, so here I am." He waved his hands in the air for a dramatic effect.
Marth sighed, 'Friend? Seriously? He doesn't even know me…'
She pursed her lips, then frowned, 'I'm not here to make friendships, or get too attached to people. As soon as this is over, I need to get as far away from here as possible…'
Chrom and Robin were crouched behind a bush in the castle courtyard. As of right now, they were beginning to question Gaius. So far, there were no other living human beings in this area, aside from themselves.
Chrom heaved a sigh, "I'm seriously beginning to doubt that thief. You realize that you did tell him where Emm was, right? We should head back, just to make sure she's okay," Chrom whispered.
Robin shook his head, "No. That was a long time ago. He'd already have made it there. Besides, Marth is guarding the entrance, and I'm pretty sure that she can take on a simple thief like him."
"I thought tacticians weren't supposed to be cocky."
"I'm not being cocky, I'm just that confident in my abilities to sense the good in people, and the strength and others," Robin retorted.
Chrom rolled his eyes, "Humble, too, I see."
Robin would've made some sort of remark, but his attention snapped back as he noticed a dark shape move across the lawn, off in the distance.
Robin motioned in that direction, and Chrom immediately understood.
"Go left, and sneak up from behind," Robin muttered to Chrom.
Chrom nodded, and stealthily made his way around the courtyard. Robin however, made his way directly over to the figure, tome at ready. The figure stopped moving as it heard Robin approach.
The dark figure turned around to face Robin. It was dark, but the moon reflected against the man's face, showing his long, pointed ugly face. He wore a mage's cloak, and in an odd way, it was similar to Robin's coat. The man had greasy, jet black hair that stuck almost straight up.
The man glared at Robin, but then something seemed to have clicked in his head.
A look of recognition flashed against the man's face, and slowly his expression changed to a malicious grin.
"Well, it appears the rumors ARE true then," the man said in a low voice.
Robin narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"
The man ignored him, and continued, "After years of searching, it appears fate has decided to reward my efforts. Tell me boy, what's your name?"
"Why would I tell you? Why the hell would you care, anyway?"
The man just continued to smile. He began to chuckle, "Tell me, do I look familiar to you?"
Robin intently studied the man's face.
Indeed, this man did seem familiar…but Robin wasn't sure from where, or even WHEN.
The man's smile grew wider, "Heh, as expected. You see boy, if you submit to me now, I will tell you everything."
Robin glared at him, "You know nothing about me! Nothing! Stop talking to me as if you knew me, and stop trying to entice me to join you, only to kill me later."
"That's where you're wrong, boy. And, why would I kill such a special boy such as yourself, hmm? It'd be a waste," The man mused.
Robin looked for any sign of Chrom, but there was none. 'Geez, you'd think I told him to come tomorrow at the rate he's going.' Robin looked back to the man, who seemed amused by Robin's anger and confusion.
"Robin, you are supposed to stand by my side. It is your destiny! Why must you resist?" The man growled.
Robin's eyes widened in surprise, and instinctively took a step back.
"What did you just…how do you know my name?!"
The man grinned, "That's one of the many things I can answer…but only if you join me."
Unconsciously, Robin closed his tome.
The desire to learn about his past was eating him up inside. The temptation was growing too great for Robin to resist…
Robin stayed quiet, then grew angry, but mostly at himself.
'I'm not seriously considering this…am I? No! No, I'm definitely not!'
Behind the man, Robin saw a fast, blue blur.
Robin's eyes widened, "Wait, no! Hold on, Chrom!"
But it was too late.
Before the man could react, Falchion portuded straight through the malicious man's chest, blood painting the ground a dark crimson.
The man's eyes widened, and his face was full of shock as he stared directly at Robin. He still had a malicious expression, but Robin saw a hint of betrayal through it.
"W-what? N-no…this wasn't…s-supposed to happen. This is…all w-wrong. H-how did you…know the plan…" his voice trailed off as the light left his eyes.
The man's body went limp, and Chrom shoved his body off Falchion, his body landing on the ground with a sickening thud.
Chrom looked at Robin curiously, whose mouth was agape, "Robin, are you okay?"
Robin stared blankly at the dead man's body, and shook his head, "That man, he knew me…somehow."
"Robin, this man couldn't have—"
"He called me by my own name, Chrom! And I saw his face when he first saw me. His eyes lit up, almost as if he was excited to see me. No one would react that way to someone they've never met."
Chrom sighed, "Robin, I know you're desperate. Trust me, I've been there before, and I know how you feel. But, if this man knew you…would you even want answers?"
Chrom had a point.
If this man, plagued with nothing but evil and darkness, knew him personally, would Robin actually want to know who he was in his past?
Still, the want to learn the slightest bit about himself beckoned towards him.
Robin stared longingly at the dead man's body.
"…I just… I just wish I knew who I was, Chrom. Just the smallest little thing for me to…" he trailed off, and sighed.
"Never mind, what's done is done. We better go check on Emmeryn, just to make sure she's okay."
Chrom looked at his friend concerned. He wanted to say more, but Robin already walked off. Chrom sighed, and followed his friend back.
As soon as Marth saw Chrom and Robin down the hallway, she knew the battle was done. Gaius was busy chomping on some hard candies, so she took this moment to slink back down the opposite side of the hallway, away from everyone.
She had left no trace of herself, and it was as if she wasn't even there to begin with.
After Marth left, Emmeryn, Lissa, Kellam and Virion left the study. Soon, some of the other shepherds began to meet up in front of the study. When Emmeryn got sight of Chrom, she heaved a heavy sigh of relief.
Chrom, too, was relieved to see his sister safe, "Thank the gods your safe, Emm!"
Emmeryn smiled, "I was worried about you Chrom. I'm so glad that you're safe."
Phila came rushing down the hallway, lance in hand and covered in dried blood, though it wasn't from her.
She immediately ran to the exalt's side, and bowed, "I beg forgiveness, your grace, milord. I have failed my duty as a knight! They never should've made it into the castle in the first place."
Chrom shook his head, "Peace, Phila. You couldn't have known what was coming. Only Marth could…" Chrom paused.
Emmeryn looked confused, "Marth?"
Chrom's eyes widened as he scanned the group of shepherds.
Robin searched through the crowd of shepherds, hoping to see a familiar blue haired woman, but was met with disappointment.
'Not like I expected her to still be here anyway,' Robin thought dully.
"Robin, where's Marth?" Chrom asked.
Robin shrugged, "Uh, I'm not sure," he looked to Gaius, who was currently munching on hard candies, "Hey Gaius! Where'd Marth go?"
Gaius glanced up, "You mean the hot chick with the flashy sword?" Robin hesitantly nodded, "She went that way." He said, and pointed down the opposite end of the hallway.
Chrom and Robin looked at each other, then nodded.
"Be right back, Emm," Chrom said, then ran down the hallway.
Robin gave Emmeryn a quick nod, but groaned as he followed Chrom, "Great, just what I need…more running."
Marth followed the same trail that she used to get into the castle. As she walked, she passed a spot in the grass that looked like it had been painted red. It looked like someone was killed there, but there was no body, or sign that anyone had been there.
'Odd,' she thought, but kept walking.
She could see the spot where she came in at.
"See! Told ya we'd *huff* find her here! But noooooo, we just HAD to run all the way to the main exit because you INSISTED she went that way!"
"Har har, yeah, rub it in Mr. Modesty. Looks to me you need more stamina, though. Should I ask Frederick about giving you daily lessons?"
"Oh gods, please no. Last time, I couldn't feel my legs! I'm pretty sure that's not normal!"
Marth slowly turned around to face the bickering pair.
She crossed her arms, and sighed from annoyance, "Is there something that either of you need. Because if not, I best be on my way."
"So that's it? No goodbye? No explanation? You're just going to leave? Just like that?" Robin asked.
"You really do have a bad habit of leaving without saying goodby," Chrom added.
Marth looked down and bit her lip, "Yes, and I'm afraid I have a few bad habits..."
Chrom smiled, "Good ones as well—you saved my life, as well as both of my sisters. We are all in your debt, so please, what can I repay you with? Some favor I can grant."
"Hearing you offer is reward enough, sir," Marth replied tentatively, and started to inch her way backwards.
Robin noticed this, "Well, there must be some way we can help with your, uh, mission! You know, the one about the world 'teetering on the brink of chaos'?"
Marth quickly shook her head, "No, I have already taken care of that. History has been averted."
"And, what future has been averted?" Chrom persisted.
Marth hesitated, then spoke, "After the exalt's assasination, the Fire Emblem would be stolen. That would then lead to a Great War, and soon the end of all mankind…but I'm sure that sounds like madness to you."
"As crazy as it sounds, I believe it. I mean, I watched you take a blow for a man you've never met, and save a woman's life at possibly the expense of your own. You totally earned my trust, so I believe you," Robin said, and grinned.
"Heh, yeah, I agree with Robin. You've proven to be no enemy of Ylisse, and I know I can trust you. I hope that someday, I am able to repay this debt, but I guess for now, we must part ways," Chrom said sadly.
Marth nodded, "Perhaps one day, you shall."
Chrom nodded, "Well, best of luck Marth. May Naga's grace always be on your side," and with that, he turned and left.
Robin walked over to Marth and held out a hand, "Well, for what it's worth, it was nice to fight with you…again."
Marth chuckled and rolled her eyes, "Fight with me? Wow, very flattering."
She did, however, take his hand this time.
He firmly gripped hers and narrowed his eyes, "Just know this. You may be one step ahead of me now, but that won't last for long. I'll figure out your little game, then I'll beat you at it."
"Heh, good luck with that, Robin," she replied, and gave him a weak smile.
Robin then grew serious, "Seriously though, be careful out there, okay? And please…don't be afraid to ask for help."
Marth looked at him, then let go of his hand and started to walk away.
"I'll keep that in mind," she said over her shoulder, then she disappeared into the trees, leaving Robin once again, alone.
Robin made it back to where most of the shepherds were. He was relieved to hear that most everyone made it out unscathed. Even the few who had sustained injuries were recovering well. He walked over to where Chrom and Emmeryn were standing.
Emmeryn was in the middle of conversing with a lady who had a fluffy tail and long ears. Robin rubbed his eyes to make sure he was looking at her correctly. Sure enough, she did in fact look like a human combined with a rabbit.
"Who's she?" Robin whispered to Chrom.
"That's Panne. She's a taguel. Basically the mix of a person and a rabbit," Chrom whispered back.
"You two man-spawn may as well be speaking in your normal tone. I can hear you just fine," Panne replied as she eyed Chrom and Robin. Emmeryn nudged Chrom, and gave him the 'shut up' look.
"Sorry!"
"My apologies, milady. My friend, uh, is…unaware of your…" Chrom started, but was afraid that the more he talked, the more he may offend her.
"Of my existence? Not that I'm surprised. I am what you call a taguel. The…the last taguel. We are shapeshifters," Panne replied dryly.
Robin was now intrigued. How could she be the last one when she was so strong, "Please, forgive me for asking this but…the last taguel? What happened? Your species is so strong, how could you be near extinction?"
Panne scoffed, "Ha! It still amazes me how little your kind understands. It was man-spawn like you that invaded our Warren and slaughtered my people."
Emmeryn put a hand over her mouth in shock, "What?! W-who would do such a thing? And for what reason?"
Panne laughed in malice, "Ha! Please, do not act so shocked. You all are the same. Deep down inside of each of you, you have a strong desire to ruin and destroy all in your touch—even each other."
Emmeryn frowned, "Sadly, there is truth to your words. I was told that in taguel society, everyone is treated as equals. Mankind could have learned much from your Warren. I know these words may mean nothing to you, but I am deeply sorry for you. We have stolen your friends and family, making this world a much lesser place."
"Emm please, you have no fault in this," Chrom said.
Panne looked at Emmeryn curiously, "You claim to have no part in my kind's demise…yet you apologize," she shook her head, "Pah! Your words are nothing but wind!"
Emmeryn looked at Panne sadly, "I know…but words are all I have."
Panne began to actually sniff the air, an act that was fascinating to Robin.
She looked to Emmeryn, and her angry demeanor lessened, "…Y-you seem sincere, man-spawn. You feel my pain…as if it were your own. I-I have never felt that before, " Panne smiled slightly, but then she grew serious once again, "Look at me…do you see what I am? I will never trust your kind. But you…you're not like the others. Perhaps, things could be different…"
Emmeryn nodded, "All I ask is a chance to earn you trust."
"And I hope that one day, you'll get it," Panne replied.
It was dark. For as far as the eye could see, there was only darkness. Yet, lying amidst the darkness was a man. He had been unconscious for some time now.
He started to move. His hand slowly made his way to his chest, trying to find a wound, but his body was still intact. In fact, even his clothes were back to normal. The man opened his eyes.
When he was only met with darkness, he groaned, "Nngh…h-how? How did that puny mortal manage to take me down that easily?! My purpose…it's too significant…too significant to be thwarted here…"
Suddenly, there was a faint, purple glow directly in front of him. The man shielded his eyes from the light.
"Who are you? Where did you…come from? Where even are we?!" The man said impatiently.
The figure in front of him chuckled, "I am the power that compels you. You will not perish here. It is not written. You must live on to author a destiny greater than you know."
The man on the ground looked up at the figure as realization hit, "I-impossible! It can't be you! I-I can't be…"
The figure cackled, "I am the wings of despair. I am the breath of ruin. I am the fell dragon, Grima…"
Most of the shepherds had gone to clean up and get to bed. The only people left were Chrom, Emmeryn, Frederick and Phila.
Phila looked to Emmeryn, "I will take time to investigate the assassination. See if I can get any leads."
She left, leaving the three alone. Chrom looked angrily at Emmeryn, "It's Plegia! I know it! We both know they'd do anything for the Emblem, and only they would attempt something like this. Emm, you can't stay here, it's too dangerous. Come to Ferox with us."
Emmeryn shook her head, "Chrom, I can't leave my people here defenseless. There is a war brewing. Do you really expect Ylissa to stand against Plegia without a leader?"
Frederick looked wearily at Chrom, then turned to Emmeryn, "Your Grace, perhaps you might relocate to the eastern palace for the time being. The other kingdoms know nothing of it. You will be safer there."
Chrom nodded, "Yes, please Emm. At least that. I can't leave here with you in harm's way."
Emmeryn sighed, "Very well. I shall go to the eastern palace. But first, let's rest up tonight. We had a long day, and most likely a long one tomorrow as well."
Chrom sighed in relief, "Thanks, Emm. And I mean that, truly. We'll escort you to the palace before we leave for the northern border."
Emmeryn nodded, then the three bid each other goodnight and went their separate ways.