"I'm never volunteering for watch duty ever again" said the white haired child, the stoic man beside him looked at him for second before returning his eyes to the road, and beside that man a twin-tailed girl just rolled her eyes, "Why did i know this was gonna happen" muttered the man, "Also shouldn't you be with Olivia and your sister?".
"Maybe, but honestly no, my father may have passed away but i barely talked with him, i don't feel as bad as they do, i cried yesterday but now, i don't even feel sad, i just feel nothing" was the answer as he looked to the sky "He taught Morgan and i strategies but it's pretty clear that she took better to those than i did, i always liked more to play around than sitting down, doesn't help that i was always more interested in mom's dance than dad's tactics", a sad look crossed through his face "Add to that his responsibilities as royal tactician and i simply couldn't take what few time he had, it was better spent on mom or Morg"
"I see" said the man a conflicted look on his face " I guess it makes sense, but i'm also sure that they would like their son and brother with them" "Don't worry about that, i know that they are sad right now so i will stay close, just not right now" answered the child without a single doubt in his voice "Welp i'm going to sleep, wake me up when we get to ylisstol" and with that he stood up and entered the wagon, seeing his family still asleep he sat across and closed his eyes.
"He's weird" was the only thing that Severa said, "Why do you say so?", "Because it doesn't make sense, he doesn't have any friends close aside from me and his sister, how could he have been playing around outside by his lonesome?" said the girl with a tone of dissatisfaction, "Now that you mention it, you are right, it doesn't make sense, but i have other things to worry about right now".
"I know it just doesn't make sense, but then again not like i'm any better, i just don't feel like crying for mom anymore" she said looking in front of her and suddenly a smile crossed her face "Daddy look Ylisstol is there" "I can see" "You are no fun daddy" she said with a pout"
"Almost feels like she forgot about yesterday entirely, oh well better not push it, knowing her, she's just acting like she doesn't care".
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As they got closer to the castle two soldiers approached the wagon "Sir Lon'qu, Miss Olivia, good to know you are still around, lad- The Exalt asked of us that when you return to send you straight to her" said the soldiers to the adults who looked back to their children, to which they nodded, Inigo held his sister close as their mother left, the second soldier staying behind to guide them to their rooms.
—-
As they walked the halls Olivia kept looking to the side or behind her, "Relax, while i understand your concern nothing is going to happen to them, not here" at this Olivia sighed and straighted up, "Yeah you are right, i envy you right now, being able to keep your cool even now" she said with a slight smile " Don't get me wrong i am nervous too but i don't feel like Severa is in danger, not here, not while her friends are around, even if most of them just lost members of their families too".
"We are here" announced the soldier as they reached the end of the hall, where he proceeded to stand guard as the two entered, "Lon'qu, Olivia!." was the only thing they heard before being swallowed in a hug by the new exalt, "Lissa" said the man trying to get some distance "Sorry" she apologized while letting him go, "i'm just happy you are both okay, i'll take it Severa, Inigo and Morgan are here too?" "Yeah a soldier escorted them to their rooms" to which Lissa smiled "Good Owain will need his friends to be close" she said while tears started to pool in her eyes "Sorry, i just can't accept it, a single day and everyone leaves, but well enough of that, first the present then the past or the future" she said not stopping for a second "We have to make sure the walls are well guarded along with keeping a perimeter so we not let risen pass, oh and keepi-" "Lissa!" She stopped and turned to see Olivia who hugged her while just caressing her back "It's okay to cry, there are only friends around, take a breath of air" with those words her facade broke and she started crying "Let it out Lissa, just let it out" and then she fell to her knees the waterworks going at full force.
After a few minutes she stopped took a few sighs and stood up again "I needed that, but back to business, first, as you both know, we suffered casualties, Frederick, Stahl, Panne, Nowi, Cherche, Libra, Cordelia, Sumia, Vaike, Virion, Gregor, Robin and Chrom fell during the battle. Second, There is not enough room or food to shelter all of Ylisstol and finally Third, due to recent developments our alliance with Regna Ferox came to an end for the time being, so if you want to go i will not stop you" she said finally looking up to see the shocked expression of both Feroxi, "We are not leaving, though this development is unexpected, Flavia is not one to go back on her word, so why cancel the treaty" said Lon'qu with eyes focused, trying to think for a reason of why the Kahn would abandon them.
"That is good to know, and about your question i have no idea, it just doesn't make any sense, however not everything is bad news" she started walking to the throne, specifically the back of it, "Plegia in their twisted sense of humor sended this" She pulled out a golden blade it's shine unmistakeable, "Falchion? but why?!" said a surprised Lon'qu, "I don't know, but the problem is that there is only on person who may be able to use this" she said looking at the legendary blade with sadness, "Lucina" realized Olivia, "But she is just a child, she can't just go and fight Grima!" she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Lon'qu looking her in the eye, "Sorry i spoke out of line" she said ashamed "No worries, i can see why that made you act, but no, she is not fighting Grima just yet, she needs to get ready, they all do".
"Do they know?" asked Lon'qu seeing her to the eye, "Only Owain, Luci and Cynthia, not yet, i didn't have the heart to tell them" "You will have to, there is nobody else to do so, you are they're only family left" he said with a void tone, "I know, well that is all, feel free to roam around or anything that you need to do" with that said the three walked to the hall and left in different directions, Lissa leaving alone and Lon'qu along with Olivia, turning at the corner at end of the hall "Uncle!" He smiled as he saw the little projectile coming at him so he turned to Olivia and said "Keep going, I have a kid to attend to, tell severa i'll be back soon".
And he was tackled to the floor, his yellow hair and voice unmistakeable to him, "Hello Owain" "Hi uncle" "Could you get off so i can get up without you falling?" "Oh yeah sorry" he sheepishly "So, what do you need kid" Said the man as he stood up, "Train me!" he said to the man with fire in his eyes "What?" answered the brunette confused "Father said that you are the second strongest man he knew, and since uncle is not here anymore that means you are the strongest" he answered with complete honesty, "Yeah i suppose that's true but wouldn't you want to train with axes like him?" asked a surprised Lon'qu, "Yeah I do, but who is going to teach me?, he was the only Ax fighter in the shepherds" said looking sad for the first time "I wanted to ask mom for magic training but i don't have the talent for it, so the only thing i can do is get strong by my way, and that way is through you" he exclaimed pointing to the man who stood there for a few seconds until he smiled and said "Very well, but you will have a training companion" turning around he started to walk away, "I expect you at the training grounds, 20 minutes from now" and he left, leaving an Owain smiling from ear to ear.
—-
As Olivia opened the door she started smiling, sitting in the middle of the room was Inigo smiling as he played with wind tome making things float for Morgan to try and catch as well as aiding her to fly for a bit before gently make her come down, all the while a puzzled Severa looked from her bed, "Mommy!" was all Olivia heard before seeing a child land on her arms, "Hello dear, what were you two doing?" asked as she looked at her older son who was closing the Wind tome, his eyes showing him to be tired, a fact that didn't escape two of the people in the room, "Big bro was helping me fly, it was fun!" "I'm glad you had fun, but Inigo where did you get a Wind tome?" "It was on the book shelves, there are more but this looked to be used the most, so i decide to play with it for a bit" he answered naturally "I see, try to stick to only use that to play, also Severa your father-" "Is right here" interrupted the man "Sorry for taking a bit longer had a talk with a friend of yours" he said with a bit of cautiousness, "That's alright" she jumped from the bed as she hugged him, "You are here now" "Yeah, you are right" said the man as he started smiling, "Well, say goodbye to your friends, you and i have something to do" "And what is it?" she asked, only earning a smile from the man, who just turned around without saying anything, "Wait daddy, where are we going!" asked his daughter as she ran after him.
"Wonder what was that about" asked out loud the girl still in her mother's arms, "No idea" answered said mother, "Well, i'm leaving too" said Inigo as he got up turning around to leave "And where are you going exactly?" asked Olivia in her best stern mother impression "To explore the castle, it would be better to know as much of it as quickly as possible" answered the boy already walking out of the room, "Inigo!" and he stopped, "Just be careful please" he heard the plea so he turned around and smiled "Of course!" and so he left.
—-
Meanwhile Lissa is standing in front of a door, apprehension gripping at her as she debated to open the door or not, "You are they´re only family left, nobody else is left to tell them" she exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding and opened the door, 2 sets of eyes moving at the same time to look at her.