Ylisstol…
Robin hazily opened his eyes. He felt something nudging his chest. Looking down, he saw Anna happily rubbing her face against him.
He let out a sigh. It had nearly been three months since his fateful trip to Plegia. Though it has already happened nearly a dozen times, Robin still could not get used to the fact that once in a while, he wakes up to Anna instead of Lucina. Evidently, Anna hadn't gotten used to it either, but it was clear she enjoyed it immensely.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Anna asked innocently.
"No, I was going to wake up anyways." Robin responded. "The sun's already up. If anything, I overslept."
"It's not that you overslept, it's that you're working too hard." Anna complained. "Look, I know the stuff you do is important, but you need to take care of yourself too, you know?"
"Lucina said the exact same thing." Robin sighed. "Almost verbatim."
Anna stared at Robin for a moment. "Robin…"
"What is it?"
"Do you find me repulsive?"
"Repulsive?" Robin frowned. "No, of course not. Why do you ask?"
"It's just… look… in the past, I promised I wouldn't interfere with your relationship with Lucina… but that didn't mean I stopped caring either. I've had my share of conversations with her… she told me how lucky she was to wake up to your smiling face everyday…" Anna pouted. "I know I asked her for the details first, but she didn't have to be so smug about it…"
"Smiling face, huh?" Robin asked.
"But it's been almost three months…" Anna continued. "And everytime I wake up, you seem to be wearing a scowl… it's because you'd rather have Lucina, right?"
"...have I really been doing that?" This was the first time Robin had heard about this.
"Well, unless Lucina's blind, there's no way she could mistake that expression for a smile."
Robin sighed. "Look, I'll be honest, yes. I do prefer her over you. And, I'll probably always do… that's just how i feel."
"Ugh! I knew it!" Anna sighed in defeat. "I knew this whole thing was too good to be true… maybe I should just leave Ylisstol and go back to being a merchant… I won't bother you or Lucina anymore."
Robin swore she was on the verge of tears.
"...look, I think I may have been too blunt. I'm sorry." Robin apologized. "It's not that I don't like you… I think you're very attractive in your own way… it's just, if you made me pick between you or Lucina, I would pick her ten out of ten times."
Anna didn't say anything in response.
"...I know you're doing this for me too… instead of just one day in a week, you could be intimately spending seven days a week with some handsome guy… so I should probably be a little more grateful." Robin chuckled in self deprecation. "I haven't been taking your feelings into account. I'll try and be more mindful of you in the future… I still care about you, you know? Quite a lot, I must add."
"...why do you have to have a silver tongue?" Anna asked as she buried her face into his chest.
"Look, I understand what my problem is now. Give me some time, and I'll fix it." Robin told her. "I'll stretch my facial muscles until they're incapable of doing anything but smile if I have to."
Anna giggled, causing Robin to mentally fist pump the air. "No, you don't need to do that, it would make you look ridiculous. Robin… I'm sorry as well."
"For what?" Robin asked.
Anna got up and straddled him. She placed her hands on his cheeks. "I still haven't gotten used to this yet either… I'm still comparing myself to Lucina, even though I know that I can never compare to her in your eyes. I should be the one that's grateful. Instead of no time at all, I now have an entire day with you every week!"
Robin didn't say anything. Actually, it would have been difficult for him to say anything, as Anna was repeatedly pressing his cheeks together, giggling like a little girl.
"All right, should we get up?" Robin asked after Anna was done acting childishly. "Lucina should be over soon. I need to get started on breakfast."
"Yeah…" Anna reluctantly got up off of him so he could rise.
Lucina slept in Anna's house whenever Anna slept with Robin. However, the three of them would always have breakfast together. Even though this technically cut into her day with Robin, Anna never complained about it. In fact, she understood that it was an extremely favorable deal for her, as she got to have breakfast with Robin on the six other days as well. As her sisters would always say, when you've been given a favorable deal, just shut up and take it.
After getting dressed, Robin went into the kitchen area and began working on breakfast. Anna, having nothing really better to do, watched as he worked.
'His actions look so refined and delicate…' Anna thought to herself as she admired his hands. Vegetables meticulously got divided into even pieces with a wave of his left, and a few oscillations of his right. The knives always seemed extra sharp whenever he was the one using them.
As Robin worked, there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." Anna told Robin. She opened the door, and, not surprisingly, Lucina was standing outside.
"Hey, good morning!"
"Good morning…" It was always like this. The one that spent the night with Robin was always a little more energetic than the other. If it weren't for the fact that she was on the receiving end six times as often, Anna would have found it extremely comedic.
"He's almost done." Anna led Lucina inside, and pulled out a char for her at the breakfast table. Soon, Robin finished making breakfast, and the three of them ate together.
Surprisingly, Robin couldn't notice any malice between the two girls whenever they were together. In fact, the way they interacted almost made them seem like sisters; they might feel a little jealousy once in a while, but they never got into any physical arguments or conflicts. Robin didn't see any of the yelling or hair pulling that he had been expecting. Either they were extremely good at hiding it from him, or they truly got along fine with one another. Regardless, the fact that he never really had to play the role of peacekeeper was a relief for him.
In reality, Lucina was a lot less upset than she had expected to be as well. Even for the most intimate of couples, it was unrealistic to spend every minute of every hour in a week together. It wasn't a big deal to let Anna spend one out of seven days with Robin. In fact, she was able to utilize this day to spend time with her friends or family. Anna, on the other hand, was grateful for any time at all, and utilized her free day to the maximum.
"Did he get up late again today?" Lucina asked after she finished chewing a bite of her food.
"Yeah!" Anna blocked her mouth with one hand as she still had food in her mouth. "I had time to watch the entire sunrise before he woke up."
"What did I tell you, Robin?" Lucina rolled her eyes. "You're working too hard! Chr- father wouldn't mind if you took a couple more breaks during the day… in fact, he says you're doing much more than necessary! The ministers keep giving you tasks because you keep completing them! If you slowed down, you wouldn't be as tired in the evening!"
"Yeah…" Anna nodded in agreement, still chewing, as she pointed her utensil in Robin's general direction. "You might be able to keep this up for a while, but in the long run, it'll really hurt you! You'll be shaving years off your lifespan!"
"Ok, ok, I got it!" Robin sighed in exasperation. This wasn't the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last time they would have this conversation. "Sheesh! It's like I have two mothers constantly nagging me all the time!"
Lucina met Anna's gaze. Though she successfully stifled her laughter, Anna wasn't so successful.
In fact, Anna chuckled at the wrong time, and began to cough as she choked on a bite of food.
"Easy there…" Robin nudged a glass of water in Anna's direction, and the redhead gratefully gulped it down. "I might be shaving a couple years off of my life, but you nearly cut off all of yours. I know the food's good, but you can take your time with it."
"Hmph! So arrogant.." Anna pouted as she took another bite of breakfast. "Still… I'll give this one to you. Your cooking is always a treat."
"Can I have seconds?" Lucina asked innocently as she nudged her clean plate towards Robin.
"Coming right up!" Robin got up to get Lucina some more food.
"Wow, you got him to do what you wanted so easily!" Robin heard Anna say something about him rather loudly, perhaps deliberately, while his back was turned. "Please, teach me how to do that!"
"It's easy." Lucina responded. "Just go like this…"
Robin didn't see what was going on, but he guessed that Lucina was giving Anna the same expression she showed him when she was asking for something from him.
"...wow… I'm impressed…" Anna whistled. "No wonder you have him wrapped around your finger…"
"As soon as he sees something cute, he'll instantly cave." Lucina informed her retainer. "I actually learned this one from Morgan."
"I'm gonna need to start taking lessons from her!"
The two girls laughed. Even though it was at Robin's expense, he really didn't mind. It was better if the two of them got along, even if it was by poking fun of him.
'Quite a lovely pair of ladies you've got there, eh?' Grima snickered as Robin was filling up Lucina's plate.
'Perhaps this whole thing really isn't so bad after all…'
Several months later…
Chrom and Robin arrived at Mount Prism for their monthly meeting with Tiki. Naga had told them that in the near future, there would be conflict in Elibe where their assistance would be needed. Therefore, she requested that they meet with Tiki once every month so she could inform them as soon as the problem occurs.
"Welcome, Lord Robin, Chrom…" Tiki curtseyed at the two of them as they entered the temple
Robin still wasn't used to this behavior from Tiki. He still remembers how surprised he, as well as Chrom, was when she first addressed him as such. It seems that Tiki realized how much Robin had inherited from Grima. Though it was not the same god that she followed, it doesn't change the fact that Robin was now higher than her on the Divine Dragon pecking order.
"Thanks." Chrom nodded. "Is there any change in the situation?"
"Actually, yes…" Tiki frowned. "Hold on, I'm sure Naga would like to speak to you herself."
Tiki took in a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, they were glowing the familiar blue-green color of Naga.
"Robin… Chrom… welcome…"
"It is an honor for us." Chrom bowed.
"The time has come. Elibe is now facing an obstacle that she cannot overcome herself… I'd like to request that Ylisse lend them a hand…"
"Of course. How should we help?"
"Go to Pherae… it is located on the east side of Lycia. There, you'll find others who share this cause… please help them in any way you can. Help the boy with the missing father..."
"You can count on us." Chrom nodded, though he was not exactly sure what Naga wanted them to do.
"Good. Thank you, my children…"
Though the message was short, Naga said everything she had wanted to say, and departed Tiki's body once again.
"...you've heard what you needed?" Tiki asked, slightly out of breath.
"Yeah, thanks a lot, Lady Tiki." Chrom responded. "Then we'll be taking our leave now. Take care."
Tiki smiled. "Yes, I'll be sure to…"
"Pherae, huh?" Robin scratched his head. "That sounds familiar…"
"I have no clue what Pherae is." Chrom admitted. "But, as long as we get somewhat close, asking directions from a local shouldn't be a problem. My biggest concern is actually getting to Elibe in one piece. Then we can worry about finding this boy who's missing his father."
"Perhaps we can petition for some ships from Plegia, milord?" Frederick asked. He had been standing guard outside the temple along with Gaius, and the two of them joined their lieges once they came back out.
"Yes, I think we'll have to." Chrom agreed with his retainer. "I'll send a messenger to Aversa right away. She owes us a favor or two anyways. Or… I guess she'll owe us a favor or two soon."
Chrom's gaze shifted towards Robin.
"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Robin protested, completely flustered. "I'm working on it!"
"No one's pressuring you." Chrom laughed. "Take your time!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Gaius chuckled. "Most guys would kill to be in your situation, but it's cool… no pressure… no pressure!"
Chrom and Gaius burst out laughing. Even Frederick allowed a smile to creep across his face, at the expense of a rather embarrassed Robin.
It took another day to return to Ylisse. That evening, Chrom, Robin and Frederick shared a campfire, just like the good old days. Except, this time Gaius was also here. Not that anyone was complaining. Chrom and Robin munched on some bear jerky, saving none for Frederick. And it wasn't that the two of them were sadistic… Frederick didn't mind watching them chow down because he would refuse to eat bear even if the two of them were offering it to him. Gaius had tried a bite as well, but quickly decided that the only sane one here was Frederick.
They arrived back in Ylisstol the next evening.
"I'm assuming you're heading back to the village?" Chrom asked as they reached the gates of Ylisstol.
"Yeah, unless you need me at the castle for something."
"No, no. Go ahead. Take it easy for tonight. It should be a few days until Plegia gets back to us. We should start preparing tomorrow, but I think we both need to take a good night's rest."
"All right then. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah."
Robin and Chrom parted ways, with the former heading towards the shepherds' village tailed closely by Gaius while the latter went back to the castle with Frederick in tow.
When he got home, he found that it was empty. Robin didn't find this unusual. This meant Lucina had probably not returned from the training grounds yet. That, or she was currently taking a bath or something.
Setting down the things he brought on his trip to Mount Prism, Robin headed over to Anna's place.
"Come in!" Robin could hear Anna call as soon as he knocked on the front door.
"Hey Anna…" Robin stepped inside.
"Robin! You're back!" Anna looked up from the documents she had been working on. Robin chuckled at Anna's look. She was wearing a pair of glasses, and with her hair tied back in a ponytail, she gave off the intelligent vibe of a secretary, or perhaps a librarian.
Her skills as a (successful) merchant made her a decent pick to be one of the treasurers for Ylisse. Actually, that's what she had originally been doing before she became Lucina's retainer. However, not all retainers behaved like Frederick and constantly followed their liege everywhere. While Lucina remained in the village, Anna was free to do paperwork, as approved by Chrom.
He had said it himself. It is easier for someone to harm Lucina from Valm than right under the noses of all the shepherds.
This way, Anna's skills were put to use, and it doesn't interfere with her deal with Lucina.
"I need to return to Elibe soon…" Robin sighed. "Something's about to happen over there."
"Then I'll let Lucina know that we need to start preparing…" Anna narrowed her eyes at him. "You ARE aware that there's no way in hell that we'll allow you to go without us, right?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't dream of it." Robin chuckled.
Since he was feeling exhausted from his travels, Robin sat down across from Anna and watched her work.
Anna didn't mind. Most people might have felt nervous if put in a similar situation. However, to Anna, this was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to him how hardworking she was.
It honestly wasn't anything exciting for Robin. After a while, he began to doze off. Anna didn't blame him though, he had just come home from the road after all.
There was a knock on the door.
"...I'll get it." Robin rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up and went to answer the door.
"Hey An-" Nowi was on the other side when he opened the door. "Oh, you're back Robin! I just came over to let you know that dinner is ready whenever you are! Tonight it's at Donny's place!"
"Got it." Robin smiled at the energetic, youthful girl.
"Well, I've finished my job." Nowi informed him as she ran off. "I can go play now!"
"You can go first if you're hungry." Anna suggested after Nowi had run off.
"Uh, is it going to take a long time for you to finish?"
"I don't think so… maybe five more minutes?"
"Then I'll wait for you. We can go together."
"Ok… thanks Robin." Anna smiled before returning to work, furiously trying to complete her tasks for the day.
A couple weeks later…
Chrom and Robin finally finished making preparations for their trip to Elibe. Plegia, true to their word, gifted them a large enough vessel that could not only house the shepherds and their supplies, but also survive the arduous journey as well.
Everyone that was going on the trip had gathered in front of the village. Besides Robin, Gaius, Anna and Lucina, there was Chrom, Frederick and Vaike, Lissa, Maribelle and Lon'qu, Sumia, Cordelia and Panne, Stahl and Sully, Donnel, Olivia and Henry, as well as Brady and Noire from Lucina's generation.
Gregor was there to see them off. "Can leave village to Gregor! Not to worry!"
Surprisingly, he offered to stay behind. After all, not all of them could go and simply abandon the village. Nowi, naturally, would stay behind with him.
Libra also stayed behind due to his clergy work. Tharja, though available, was eventually convinced to stay in Ylisse with her husband once Chrom informed her that the trip could take over a year. She made sure to drill it into Henry's head that Robin still needed to be taken care of.
Though the two of them were technically no longer his retainers, they still chose to help look after him as good friends. Henry, already used to Tharja's obsessive tendencies, merely nodded at everything she said. Though he wasn't one to pay attention to long rants, he did take the subject seriously.
With Stahl and Sully both leaving, Kellam couldn't afford to also go, especially with Frederick also accompanying them to Elbe, so he stayed behind to be in charge of the knights in Ylisstol.
Ricken also stayed in Ylisse, as he was helping MIriel with some important research. Actually, Chrom offered Vaike the opportunity to stay behind as well, but he didn't seem too bothered by the fact that he might not see his wife for quite some time.
Evidently, Miriel didn't care either. Research first. Chrom had once told Robin that though Vaike and Miriel got along well, their relationship seemed more like that of close, or perhaps best, friends, instead of husband and wife. Here, Robin got to see it first hand.
Brady and Noire ended up tagging along, because they didn't have anything better to do. The rest of Lucina's generation was scattered around the continent looking for their friends. Since Chrom and Robin weren't sure how dangerous the trip would be, they could always use some extra hands. Brady's skill with a staff and Noire's exceptional archery were both highly useful in a pinch.
"The shepherds' village is going to be fairly empty for a while, huh?" Sumia noted as the group began to set off.
"Well, it won't be completely empty…" Cordelia responded. "There's just enough of them to not be lonely, I guess. And the rest of the children will have some familiar faces to return home to as well."
There were a handful of soldiers selected to travel with them, who were all ready and waiting down at the docks. Most of them had some sort of skill in navigating the seas or maintaining a ship, as the shepherds couldn't really be called experts on the subject.
Once everyone had gotten onto the ship and settled in, a final supply check and inspection of the ship was done to ensure no accidents would happen that could have been prevented. When everything was good to go, they set off towards the distant continent of Elibe.
The first day at sea wasn't so bad. In fact, Robin almost began to feel nostalgic in a weird way. One of the shepherd's major victories during the Valmese war was concocted by him on the fly in the middle of the ocean. From what he heard while he was in Ylisstol, even regular citizens were aware of his involvement at the time.
Things took a slight turn for the worse when Anna reported the sleeping conditions arranged by Chrom to him and Lucina.
"...You're kidding, right?" Robin deadpanned. Though he had been given the largest room normally reserved for the captain, he was to share it with both Lucina and Anna. It's necessary to mention that although the bed was a little larger than normal, it was still just one, singular, bed.
"We have to do our part as well!" Anna exclaimed smugly. "You know how valuable space on the ship is… especially during long journeys. This way the three of us can live in one large room, as opposed to two smaller ones."
"This was your idea, wasn't it?" Lucina accused the redhead.
"Nope!" Anna responded triumphantly. "It was your father's, actually."
Lucina rolled her eyes. "Fine… show us to the room..."
"Heehee…" Anna gave a playful grin.
"I thought you would object a little harder than that…" Robin whispered to Lucina as Anna led the way.
"What are you implying?" Lucina frowned. "It's not that I like the idea, it's just that it's not to the point where I think it's worth throwing a fit about… I've already made plenty of concessions in the past year... this won't be the end of the world."
"If you say so…"
"I'm more worried about you. Do you really think you'll be able to get any rest with both of us sharing your room?"
"Now that you mention it, I really hope I do…"
"And… I know Anna isn't stealing you from me. It's more like… like she's borrowing you, because in reality…" Lucina stood on her toes and used his shoulder to pull herself up to Robin's ear so she could whisper to him. "...I already know you're mine…"
Robin could feel chills running down his spine.
Several weeks later…
Robin awoke near dawn. Normally, had he been sleeping by himself, he would've gotten up by now. However, he was currently being pinned down on both sides by two beauties; He had his right arm around Lucina, while his left was being clung onto by Anna.
Both of them were currently sleeping soundly, and the rhythm of their breathing was eerily synchronized. Due to the poor insulation of the cabin compared to their houses on land, it was often chilly at night. As a result, both of them were pressed up tightly against his sides.
If Chrom ever wanted to imprison him, there's no need for any jail cell. There was no way Robin could ever free himself from his current situation.
Fortunately, Robin has had some time to get used to his predicament. And honestly, it wasn't too much of a loss; there wasn't much for him to do even if he got up. At most, he could burn time by gazing into the horizon.
Based on some estimations, they should be nearing Lycia very soon. It was highly possible they would be able to see the shore sometime today. They had already stopped at the Western Isles for a supply stop, and sailed past the Nabata desert, meaning that they were already well inside Elibean waters. From here, it should just be a short duration before they arrive in Pherae.
Sure enough, they landed later that afternoon.
"So this is Lycia, huh?" Chrom remarked as he stretched his limbs.
"Where do we go now?" Lissa asked.
"Why are you looking at me?" Robin shrugged.
"I don't know, 'cause you've BEEN here before?"
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying you know your way around every corner of Ylisse? This is my first time in Pherae as well, you know."
"I'm more worried about the ship." Sumia said in concern. "There isn't exactly a place for them to dock…"
Sure enough, the shepherds had to take turns taking the dinghies to shore, as there was no proper harbor anywhere in sight, confirmed personally by Cordelia from the air.
"There's money on the ship." Chrom responded. "I told them to just stay close to the shoreline. If they run out of supplies, they can get some from the towns nearby."
"Yeah, I think they should be fine." Robin replied. "Even if we don't know exactly where they are when we come back, I'm sure we can easily find them by air."
"It's pretty late in the afternoon, let's start by finding an inn to stay at or something." Chrom suggested. "We can go from there."
"There's a town super close to us!" Lissa pointed towards a large group of buildings to the north.
"And it also looks like there's another one to the west…" Robin noted. "The road forks in two directions…"
"Let's go to the closer one then." Chrom suggested. "After all, we've no idea if the further one is a better place to stay or not."
"How about I scout it out with Gaius then?" Robin suggested. "If there isn't an inn at the one you guys travel to, we'll be in a slightly better situation. And if it's too far away, we'll turn back."
"If you're going, then I'm coming with you." Lucina spoke up.
"We're not going into any danger." Robin replied. "It's just to scout out the area. There's not even anyone here that knows me, nevermind someone that wants me dead. It'll be faster with just me and Gaius. Just go with the others and have a rest."
"But-"
"Let us come with you." Stahl suggested, gesturing to himself and Sully. "It'll be faster on horseback."
"And take Cordelia with you." Sumia suggested. "If you find something worthwhile, you can send her back to inform us. And she can also help you get out of a pinch if necessary. Is that a little better, dear?"
"I guess…" Lucina sighed. "Just… come back quickly."
Robin rode behind Stahl, and Gaius behind Sully. Cordelia flew protectively overhead. Together, they parted ways with the rest of the shepherds.
As it turns out, the next village over wasn't too far away. On horseback, it took less than half an hour to arrive.
"Gaius and I will go into town to check it out." Robin suggested. "The three of you wait on standby out here."
"Sure." Stahl instantly agreed.
"Don't do anything stupid." Sully reminded them.
Robin went to the inn with Gaius in tow. Once inside, they didn't find anything eye-catching. There was a knight with shaggy green hair asking if he could hire any mercenaries.
"Well, what do you think?" Gaius asked.
"If Chrom and the others didn't have any luck, this place'll do for tonight." Robin nodded in satisfaction.
Just as the two of them were about to leave, a young girl burst in, frantically asking for help.
"Please! There are bandits coming! If there's anyone that can help fight them off, my father will gladly compensate you for it afterwards!"
"Hmm…" Gaius glanced at Robin, but his liege seemed to be paying attention to another figure in the room.
"My name is Lowen." The knight who had been trying to recruit mercenaries approached the girl. "I'm a knight in training escorting Lord Eliwood… he is nearby. I'm sure if you explain the situation to him, he'll be willing to help."
"Oh thank you!" The girl sighed in relief. "My name is Rebecca, the daughter of the village magistrate. Please, could you take me to see Lord Eliwood?"
"Of course." Lowen responded. "Come with me."
"Wait a minute…" Robin spoke up. "Lowen, was it?"
"Yes?" Lowen turned towards him.
"My name is Robin. I believe I'm acquainted with your liege. Please allow me to offer you my assistance in exterminating the bandits."
"You… know Lord Eliwood?" Lowen seemed puzzled. "Well, no matter. I'm sure we could use all the help we can get."
"If you'll lead the way, we'll follow behind you."
"Uh sure, but I have a horse…"
"That won't be a problem." Robin assured him.
"Well, all right…" Lowen and Rebecca mounted the knight's horse and speedily left the village.
Robin and Gaius ran to go meet up with their friends who were waiting outside.
"Is there a reason why we didn't stay behind?" Gaius asked. "If it's an ordinary group of bandits, I'm sure the two of us would've been enough to make quick work of them."
"Well, I thought about that, but I don't think it's a good idea." Robin responded. "First of all, we're both married men now. If anything were to happen, especially since we have reinforcements nearby, we'd never hear the end of it. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be put on a leash."
"True." Gaius nodded.
"And even if we fought them off, we'll get a lot of attention. Since we're foreigners here, it's better to keep a lower profile for the time being."
"I got it." Gaius responded as the two ran towards Stahl and Sully.
"We've got a situation." Robin's words immediately put the knights on full alert.
"Quickly, follow that horse over there!" Robin pointed at Lowen's horse in the distance as he got on the saddle behind Stahl. "He's not an enemy, but… just follow him. Cordelia! Go tell Chrom we've got trouble!"
"You got it!" Stahl, and shortly after, Sully sped off in the direction of Eliwood.
"Leave it to me!" Though Cordelia was in the air, Robin heard her response clear as day as she flew off towards the other village.
Outside the village…
Eliwood had just bid farewell to his mother. Though she was worried about her missing husband, she was equally as concerned about her one and only son. However, Eliwood believed that it was his responsibility to find his father, who had gone missing around a month ago.
"Well, Marcus, I guess it's just the two of us now…" Eliwood sighed as he finished waving goodbye to his mother and her guards.
"Not so, milord." Eliwood's retainer responded. "My man Lowen will be traveling with us."
"Lowen?" Eliwood asked. "That's reassuring."
"I've sent him ahead to the village." Marcus explained. "He hopes to seek out some men who are skilled at arms. Normally, I wouldn't dare venture forward without a larger company, but I will bow to your will on this matter, Lord Eliwood."
"I'm sorry Marcus." Eliwood sighed. "But I'd rather not deprive my mother of even a single guard. The best knights of Pherae have gone missing… I don't know what I would do if something happened to my mother while I was gone. I wouldn't be able to face my father even if we found him."
"I understand, milord." Marcus bowed. "With a little luck, Lowen should be able to find some mercenaries for hire. It'll make our job a little easier."
Just as Marcus was complaining, a knight atop a horse rode at them full speed. "L-lord Eliwood! Commander Marcus! I…"
"Calm yourself, Lowen!" Marcus ordered. "I knight must be composed at all times!"
"The village is under attack!" Lowen explained. "It's bandits!"
"Bandits!?" Marcus couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Here of all places?"
"Are you sure, Lowen?" Eliwood was skeptical as well.
"This girl has more details."
For the first time, Eliwood noticed the young girl with green pigtails sitting behind Lowen on his horse.
"My lord Eliwood?" the girl asked timidly. "I'm the daughter of the village magistrate. My name's Rebecca. The bandits came without warning. They're stealing everything! I beg you! Please help us!"
"I see. Marcus! Lowen! We must aid the village!"
"Yes milord!" Marcus and Lowen responded in unison.
"Rebecca, stay here and keep out of sight." Eliwood ordered.
"If it would please you, milord, I would rather fight. I hunt almost every day, and I have some skill with a bow."
"Really? Well, if you wish. However, killing humans is not the same as hunting wild game, I'm just going to warn you now."
"Lord Eliwood, one more thing. There is another in the village who has offered to help. He claims to know you. His name is Robin."
"Did you say Robin?!" Eliwood asked. "Fortune smiles upon us today! If Robin is here and willing to help us, then the battle's as good as won!"
"So you do know this person, milord?" Marcus asked.
"Do you remember the trouble in Caelin last year?" Eliwood asked, to which Marcus nodded. "Well Robin was the tactician traveling with Marquess Caelin's granddaughter. If memory serves me right, she had nothing but praise for him, and apparently he was a major reason why she was able to return to Caelin safely in the first place."
"I see…"
As their group made their way towards the village, Eliwood saw two knights riding towards them.
"Those… don't look like bandits…" Eliwood muttered.
The two knights stopped in front of them.
"Eliwood! It's been a while!" Robin waved at the young lord.
"Hey, it has indeed." Eliwood agreed. "What brings you to Pherae? ...Nevermind, we can catch up later. For now, please lend us your assistance."
Robin and another man got off the horses.
As the group moved back in the direction of the village, they noticed several bandits lurking around the road.
Marcus, thinking he was the most experienced out of everyone in combat, rode forward and began to engage the bandits. To his disbelief, the two knights accompanying Robin kept up with him. No, in fact, they might even surpass him in terms of skill. Not only that, but their teamwork was impeccable as well.
"Y-you can d-do this!" Rebecca tried to reassure herself as her shaky hands nocked an arrow in preparation for the bandit running directly at her. "C-c'mon Becky… your life depends on it!"
However, her fear and nervousness were too strong. She was unable to aim perfectly, and the arrow landed harmlessly in the grass near his feet. She didn't have time to prepare another shot; the bandit approached her and raised his axe high into the air.
"Ahh!" Rebecca screamed and fell to the ground as she prepared for the worst.
The pain she was expecting never came.
"...easy there, sugar." The man with orange hair from earlier helped her back onto her feet. Evidently, he had shot the man, because now there was an arrow protruding from the bandit's temple.
"Th-thank you very much."
"Don't worry about it. Not everyone's made to be a killer."
The man returned to the battle after making sure Rebecca was fine. She surveyed the battlefield, and found that everyone was doing their part in beating back the bandits.
"C'mon, they're all trying to help protect your home!" Rebecca told herself. "You have to help them out!"
Steeling herself, Rebecca took aim at a nearby bandit who was locked in combat with the knight from earlier… Lowen. She took a deep breath, and imagined the bandit as a rabbit… A feral rabbit that stood on two legs and far less cute. After taking aim, she closed her eyes and let the arrow fly. The arrow flew through the air and struck the man in his chest, allowing Lowen to deal the finishing blow.
Rebecca smiled as Lowen gave an appreciative glance towards her.
As they began to gain more and more ground, Rebecca eventually found herself near the location of her first target. Finally seeing a dead body that she had shot herself, Rebecca couldn't help but lose her lunch.
Meanwhile…
"Hurry up, slowpoke!" Sully urged her husband as they slaughtered the bandits.
"S-sorry, I guess I'm a little bit rusty!" Stahl laughed as he apologized.
"No, me too. These bastards make for a nice warmup." Sully admitted.
"That knight… Marcus… I think... he isn't that bad himself!" Stahl noted.
"Bah, that guy?" Sully asked. "Who the hell are you comparing him to, your goddamned squires?"
"Er… I guess you know me even better than I do…"
Soon, they had wiped the bandits in the area.
"It looks like there's some fighting over there…" Stahl gestured to some commotion in another direction. It wasn't towards the village they had just been at, but the one that Chrom and the others had gone to.
"It looks like Chrom might have run into the same problem over there." Robin guessed as he caught up with the mounted knights. "Figures. They probably got greedy and thought they'd raid both villages at once."
"Well, they're the unluckiest bandits I've ever come across…" Gaius snickered.
The sound in Chrom's direction began to slowly die down as their group made their way to Robin.
"Robin, there you are!" Chrom exclaimed as they reunited. "We got the news from Cordelia. There were some bandits that attacked us as well, but we put them down immediately. Honestly, it was child's play. Even the bandits we used to fight in Ylisse were tougher…"
"I'm glad to hear that." Robin chuckled. "Uh, I notice some new faces…"
"Oh. These two were mercenaries that decided to lend us a hand in getting rid of the bandits." Chrom gestured to the two fighters that were not a part of the shepherds.
"...Dorcas!?" Robin asked as he got a good look at them.
"Robin!?" Dorcas was equally as surprised. "What are you doing here? ...Nevermind. It's good to see you again."
"Dorcas, you know this clown?" The other man asked. He either ignored or didn't notice the two death glares being sent by Lucina and Anna.
"Er, who might you be?" Robin asked.
"The name's Bartre." The man boasted. "Bartre the Brave!"
"Well, Bartre, it's nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing what you can do."
With the assistance of the shepherds, the bandits stood absolutely no chance. Eliwood was amazed as he watched Robin work with everyone to systematically clean out all of the bandits. Not even the ones that gave up were spared. They were chased down by the two women riding atop a pegasus.
"Milord… who are these people?" Marcus was equally as bewildered. He had prided himself on being one of the most capable knights in Pherae. Now out of nowhere, a group of people, each rivaling or perhaps superior to his own skill, suddenly appeared. It would be odd for him to not be surprised.
"No idea…" Eliwood admitted. "I'm sure we can ask them after the area's safe again."
Soon, the two pegasus riders reported to Robin that all of the bandits had been killed. A middle aged man, led by Rebecca, approached Eliwood.
"Ah, you would be Lord Eliwood, yes?" The man asked. "Our deepest thanks for coming to the aid of our fair village."
"Think nothing of it." Eliwood responded. "After all, it's a lord's duty to protect the citizenry."
"Would that were true, milord." The man sighed. "The good folk of Laus know no such protection. Their marquess, Lord Darin, is too busy preparing for war. He ignores all complaints of bandits and thieves."
"Really? Preparing for war?"
"I would not lie, milord. My brother lived in Laus until a few days ago. His home was torched, and he had no choice but to flee here. According to him, Laus could go to war any day now. It's all the people of Laus are talking about."
"Lord Eliwood, if this is true, the situation is a grave one." Marcus chimed in. "If Marquess Laus is readying for war… His target is most likely another Lycian territory. Perhaps this is connected to Lord Elbert's disappearance."
"My father and Marquess Laus?" Eliwood pondered the situation. "It seems a tenuous connection, but it's as good a start as any. Let us travel to Laus. We must learn more."
As he was muttering to himself, Eliwood was approached by Robin and a man with blue hair.
"Ah, thank you Robin for your help." Eliwood readily thanked the tactician. "Er, I'm not sure I've met your friend here."
"Eliwood, right?" The man held out his hand, which Eliwood shook. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chrom, Exalt of Ylisse."
"Exalt?"
"...you can think of him as the marquess of my homeland." Robin explained.
"Oh… I see…"
"..Sorry for being rude, but may I ask why the marquess of a foreign land is in Pherae?" Marcus narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
"Er… we're here on a diplomatic mission." Chrom explained. "Eliwood, your father is the marquess of Pherae, am I correct? If so, would we be able to have an audience with him?"
Marcus and Eliwood looked at each other.
"My father is missing." Eliwood admitted. "I'm trying to find him."
Now it was Robin and Chrom's turn to look at each other.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware of that." Chrom bowed apologetically.
"Allow us to help you find him then ." Robin suggested.
"Truly!?" Eliwood was so ecstatic that he grabbed Robin's hands. "Thank you! Marcus was just complaining about our lack of warm bodies… we would definitely be stronger with your company"
"Yes, we look forward to working with you as well." Chrom nodded. "Hopefully, this can be the start of a friendly relationship between our lands."
Elsewhere…
"...Becky, where do you think you're going, young lady?" Rebecca's father asked her just as she was trying to sneak away. Her father had just finished thanking Lord Eliwood for his assistance.
"Father, I… I intend to accompany Lord Eliwood."
"Don't be ridiculous, girl! Lord Eliwood is not going on a picnic. He's riding into danger."
"I know that, Father. That's why I want to go. We owe him our lives, and I want to repay him. My bow may not be all that much, but I know I can be of service! And, Father… I may meet up with my brother somewhere. You're the magistrate–you have responsibilities. This is all I can offer. I need to do this! Please, Father! Let me go!"
"Dear me… you're just as stubborn as your mother was…"
"I'm sorry, father…"
"You must bow to Lord Eliwood's wishes on this matter. If he consents, you may go."
"Thank you, father!"
"Lord Elbert has always been kind to us. Follow his son with a true heart, Rebecca. Serve Lord Eliwood well, as I have served his father."
"I will!"
Her father could only sigh as Rebecca ran off after Eliwood with nothing but her bow and a quiver of arrows…
New Characters:
Eliwood (Lord, 20): HP: 60% Str: 45% Mag: 25% Skl: 75% Spd: 60% Lck: 60% Def: 30% Res: 30%
Marcus (Paladin, 32): HP: 100% Str: 60% Mag: 10% Skl: 60% Spd: 55% Lck: 40% Def: 35% Res: 30%
Lowen (Cavalier, 17): HP: 90% Str: 60% Mag: 10% Skl: 55% Spd: 60% Lck: 60% Def: 35% Res: 25%
Rebecca (Archer, 16) HP: 50% Str: 40% Mg: 20% Skl: 70% Spd: 65% Lck: 75% Def: 20% Res: 45%
Bartre (Fighter, 23) HP: 130% Str: 80% Mag: 0% Skl: 40% Spd: 40% Lck: 50% Def: 50% Res: 5%
Author's Notes:
And here we are, back in Elibe once again. I've thought about the issue of Eliwood or Hector's path, but since the plot is basically the same, I think I'll end up doing a mixture of the two.
Just a friendly reminder that I cannot dm guest accounts! I typically prefer to answer people's questions on a one by one basis, instead of turning the end of a chapter into a Q&A session. This is just a personal preference. However, I do want to clarify that I read all reviews. If it's not urgent, I'll usually end up addressing these questions within a chapter at some point, so please be patient.
Thank you everyone for your continued support.