Once again, my copy of the awakening art book with its support log saved me. I'm much more familiar with our favourite Tsundere than Kjelle or Noire. The issue was figuring out how to start this chapter. Once I figured that out? Smooth sailing. Severa is fun. You can throw a bunch of problems at her, and she gets angry, which is funny. Her mentality is also interesting since she's got all kinds of complexes that inhibit her socially. Maybe one of these days, I'll write something where she gets to work through that, lol. This chapter ended up being a little different from canon, so please, tell me what you think. Point out mistakes so I can fix them, ask questions about the story, and share whatever constructive criticisms and ideas you might have. It all helps me in some way.
Also, lots of lore, headcanon, theory crafting, and research notes in the end card, so be sure to check that out for some nifty stuff I found out. (I was going to have this ready to post on the fifteenth, but then I got distracted waiting for feh channel, and then I got bummed out because Adult Tiki is wearing Young Tiki's outfit. Ya boi was disappointed. At least the art is fantastic. Anyway, I'm over it now, and here with the chapter)
Severa
After over ten months of being in the past, Severa was finally ready to get the hell out of Plegia.
She had woken up on the beaches of the island state of Grust, Plegia's westernmost territory. As far as Plegia went, Grust wasn't so bad. It was more temperate than the rest of the desertified region—more tropical. Severa still didn't like the humidity. It was murder on her hair.
The shopping wasn't bad either. Not that Severa had much chance to partake in her favourite hobby. She was flat broke, considering she didn't carry any money on her in the future. A shame. Severa could barely remember the last time she'd been shopping. It was definitely before her parents had died.
And as much as she wanted to buy that cute necklace in the market, there was the more pressing matter of purchasing food and supplies. And, of course, the all-important passage back to the mainland so she could find her allies and fulfil their mission.
And so, as soon as she arrived in the ancient settlement of Raman, she set out to look for work. Thankfully, the townsfolk were friendly people. They didn't ask questions about her Ylissean heritage or where she was born. So long as she kept out of trouble, they had no reason to pry into her business.
Unfortunately, they didn't have anything available for her. Nobody needed an apprentice, an errand girl, or anything, so Severa was back where she started, stuck on an island in Plegia with no money and no way home. All she had were the clothes on her back and the sword on her hip, and she was beginning to grow frustrated.
So that's when the gods decided to reward her with some good luck, for once in her life.
One of the local families took pity on her. A man named Holland and his wife, Patricia, invited her to stay with them until she could figure something out, and in exchange, all they wanted was a bit of help with housework.
Even with her bad attitude, Severa would not look a gift horse in the mouth, and for the next month, she lived with Holland's family. They quickly grew on Severa, reminding her of her parents. The realization caused Severa both happiness and annoyance because it made her think about how much she missed them and the life they had while also bringing up all her regrets and hurts. She wanted to repay the family and find a way to earn a living, but she couldn't see a solution to the problem.
Severa's big break finally came during a pirate attack. Mercifully, it was a small crew. Enough that Severa could handle them on her own, so that's exactly what she did.
The pirates posed little challenge, but the villagers were so impressed that they insisted on paying her for the service.
For the next year, Severa worked as a mercenary for the townsfolk in Grust and gained a sterling reputation along the way.
For once, she wasn't Severa, daughter of the genius Wing Commander of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights; she was Severa the Hero, who stood up for people and protected those who couldn't defend themselves. For the first time in her life, Severa felt like she had stepped out of her mother's shadow, and it felt great.
Of course, she would never admit any of these feelings. If Owain, or Naga forbid, Cynthia ever found out, they would insist on inducting her into their "Righteous League" or whatever they called it, and she'd never have a moment of peace again.
Her efforts had paid off as well. She had managed to pay off her debt to Holland for taking her in, which she was incredibly proud of since Holland's wife had become pregnant sometime in the last six months and had more than enough left over to pay for her trip to Ylisstol. With any luck, she would find Lucina and some of their allies there, and she could actually indulge in some of the benefits of not living in the middle of the apocalypse.
If Severa hadn't been so used to her good fortune in the past, she might've remembered not to jinx herself.
"Thank you for everything, Severa," Holland told her as she shouldered her bag. "I don't know what would've become of our town if you hadn't shown up."
Severa blushed and turned in an attempt to hide her face. "Don't mention it!" She snapped. "I was just looking out for my own self-interest!"
Holland flinched, but his smile returned just as quickly. "Oh, of course," he said, attempting to hide a chuckle. "How silly of me. Still, I wish you safe travels."
"Thanks…" Severa mumbled. "Stay safe."
Severa turned and walked out the door, waving behind her as she went. Unfortunately, she didn't get far before she ran into trouble.
As she walked through the village square, a large crowd of people caught her attention, and despite herself, Severa decided she had better check it out.
A man was standing on a wooden box, lifting him above the crowd.
"People of Grust!" He said. "My name is Nelson, former general of Valm, and from now on, I am the ruler of these lands!"
The people muttered amongst themselves, clearly wondering if the man was serious. Severa scoffed and rested her hand on the pommel of her sword in case a fight broke out.
"My men and I came here because we heard rumours of a powerful mercenary! We thought we might enlist her in our service, and would appreciate it if anyone could point her out to us." Nelson continued. Severa froze. Nelson surveyed the crowd, but nobody moved or said anything,
"If nobody wants to cooperate… Well, it would be a shame if something happened to the village." As Nelson spoke, he lowered a hand into his robes and pulled out a magic tome. His free hand began to spark with electricity and glow as magic circles enveloped it. Severa recognized the spell. It had been a long time since she had seen one in action, but she knew well enough what the magic circles of a Thoron looked like.
Immediately, she stepped forward. Maybe her ego had been inflated by all the townsfolk calling her a hero, but she refused to let anyone get hurt because she didn't take action.
"I'm the one you're looking for!" She said, drawing the attention of everyone present. Severa could hear her heart hammering in her ears as the Valmese man looked her up and down. She suppressed a shudder.
"Well, you certainly look like a warrior," he drawled. "Yes, I've been looking for you. I'd like to hire your services!"
"I don't work for scumbags who think they can claim an entire island as their own," Severa said scathingly.
"Oh, she has fire!" Nelson said, "I'm actually glad you're the moral type. It means you don't have a choice, wench."
Severa opened her mouth to start yelling at him but held her tongue when she noticed all the goons Nelson had with him. They emerged from the spaces between houses and shops all around her, and even though Severa was sure she was stronger than them individually, there was no way she could beat them all. All she could do was glare at Nelson.
Nelson laughed. "I'm glad you see things my way, Mercenary Girl. Now come along! I want to show you your new accommodations!"
He signalled his men, and they filed out of the square, leaving just Nelson and the crowd of people.
"When I return, I expect a feast to be thrown in honour of your new ruler!" Nelson said. "We shall discuss the new taxation policy over a hearty dinner!"
The man turned and followed his men, and the people all immediately turned to Severa to see what she would do. She gulped. The feeling of crushing expectation was worse than it had ever been under her mother's shadow.
"Do as they say for now," Severa decided. "I'll try and figure something out."
The villagers of Raman nodded nervously and set about to spread the word of the trouble and prepare for Nelson's eventual return while Severa jogged to catch up with the man himself.
"There you are!" Nelson said mockingly. "I had begun to think that you weren't coming! It's Severa, right? I heard about you while my men and I were travelling, and I just knew I had to enlist your services. Besides, Grust isn't a bad place to set up shop for a while either."
Severa said nothing, choosing to stew in her anger instead. She wished that the others were with her. They'd be able to mop up these invaders in no time.
Now she was stuck, scrambling for a plan to figure a way out of this mess. It was only natural for the world to lay something like this at her feet when she finally had an iota of good luck for a change.
Nelson was quick to exert a stranglehold on the people of Grust. The Plegian government didn't seem to care very much, which bothered Severa. As far as she was aware, the kingdom relied on crops grown in the west and southwest to support the people, and even the worst monarchs hated losing territory. It didn't make sense.
For her part, Severa found herself hanging around Nelson's men all the time. She had been running herself ragged, doing damage control while the violent Valmese deserters did as they pleased.
Before long, Nelson's harsh policies and taxes had placed several townsfolk in debt, meaning they were also forced to work for him to pay it off. Among them was Severa's friend Holland, who had been conscripted into Nelson's army.
If things went on like this much longer, the villagers wouldn't be able to survive, and Severa knew something had to be done. One night, she snuck back to the village and spoke to one of the local fishermen.
She explained that she wanted him to deliver a letter for her. Rumour had it that the Shepherds were currently stationed at Port Ferox, and she hoped that if they could send for help, then they'd be able to defeat the invaders once and for all.
The fisher agreed happily. He wasn't pleased with most of his catch going to feed Nelson's men instead of supporting his family, and he wanted them gone as much as anyone else.
Her task done, Severa returned to Nelson's hideout, feeling pleased with herself. She knew Lucina had been helping the Shepherds for what must have been some time now, assuming everything had gone according to plan. Hopefully, a letter from a friend of "Marth" asking for help would be reason enough for them to send help.
When she arrived at the hideout, Nelson was waiting for her.
"And where have you been?" He asked callously.
Severa scoffed. "Not that it's any of your business, but I went to buy supplies for equipment upkeep," she said and produced a whetstone from her pocket to back up her lie.
Nelson scowled. "Actually, it is my business. You're a good fighter kid, and people here respect you. I can't have you out and about fraternizing with people. They might start getting ideas."
He said ideas like it was a disgusting type of bug or disease, and Severa bit back an insult.
"Tough luck!" Severa snapped. "We both know I'm too valuable for you to lose right now. You don't have the kind of leverage to dictate my actions!"
"We'll see about that, wench," he said with a cruel smirk. The expression made Severa uneasy, but she didn't let it show.
"Whatever!" Severa barked and pushed past the deserter, stalking back to the alcove she'd been using as a sleeping spot. It was secluded and away from the men of Nelson's company, who Severa preferred to avoid if at all possible. It was also an excellent hiding spot for her belongings. She didn't trust any of the Valmese men as far as she could throw them.
As she settled in for the night, Severa sighed. Nelson's expression had bothered her a lot, but it wouldn't matter with any luck. Soon, help would arrive, and Severa could leave these fools behind for good.
Severa stirred when she felt something brush against her collarbone. Her instincts flared, and she reached for her sword, but it was too late. A sharp yank snapped the cord she wore around the neck, and Severa's eyes flew open to the sight of Nelson standing over her, a fist triumphantly raised and a crooked grin on his face.
"You!" Severa shouted. She tried to say more, but the words lodged in her throat. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cuss him out, question him, or simply lunge like an animal.
"Tut, tut, Severa," Nelson said. "You were keeping a treasure like this secret? For shame! I'll just have to keep it safe for you since you're not up to the task."
"Give me back my ring!" Severa yelled. With her mind addled by sleep as it was, all she could focus on was the singular desire to retrieve her property. That ring was the final memento of her mother. When Cordelia died in the future, they wouldn't even let Severa see her body; it had been so bad. All she had left was the wedding ring the surviving Shepherds had given her.
Nelson's cruel glee gave way to a look of hard anger. "How's that for leverage, you little harlot? I'll see your precious keepsake destroyed if you don't behave yourself, understand?"
Severa grit her teeth and barely resisted the urge to spit in the man's face.
"I asked you if you understand!" Nelson yelled.
Fighting to keep the shame off her face, Severa glared back defiantly and nodded her head.
"Good," Nelson said, his smarmy smile returning. "Then my first order for you is to go and cook breakfast for all my men and me."
Nelson turned and walked away, slipping the cord into his pocket. It was good that he did so, both for his sake and for Severa, because if he had stayed any longer, Severa wasn't sure if she could restrain herself from lunging at him.
It was so incredibly frustrating. Severa wasn't sure if she wanted to scream or cry. In the end, she did neither. As she stood to follow Nelson's order, she instead vowed to spit in every last plate of food she prepared.
If life insisted on beating her down, she would savour her small victories when she could.
The two following weeks easily ranked among the worst in Severa's life. Sure, it might not have been as awful as the day she found out she had lost her parents or the day Ylisse had fallen to Grima, but the experience was humiliating and aggravating.
Nelson continued to force her to cook and clean for his men, which was bad enough. Fortunately, the men knew not to touch her. She taught them that lesson quickly when one of them found her sword pointed at his crotch when they tried.
Despite her rage and frustration, Severa chose to hold her tongue. If Nelson thought he had won, he had another thing coming. Assuming Severa's letter had reached its destination, they would get their comeuppance soon enough. Until then, Severa would bide her time, and if she had to bear a little humiliation while waiting for her revenge, then so be it.
Her opportunity arose on the final day of the second week after Nelson stole her ring.
She was back in town, fetching supplies on Nelson's orders when Severa spotted a familiar head of blue hair among the market stalls. Immediately, Severa stopped what she was doing and made her way over.
"Morgan, is that you?" She asked when she reached earshot.
Morgan whipped around, surprise evident on her face until she saw who said her name and gave a big grin.
"Severa! It's so good to see you!" She cried as she ran over and threw her arms around her.
Now that Severa had a better view, she was surprised to see that Morgan had grown since they'd last seen each other and maybe even looked a little older.
"Glad to see you too, Morgan," Severa said, hiding her smile. "Is your sister here?"
"Yep!" Morgan chirped, before turning to shout, "Lu! Look who I found!"
Across the street, at another stall, Severa watched Lucina look up from where she had been, and her face lit up. She abandoned her browsing and quickly made her way across the street before wrapping Severa in an equally warm, if slightly less energetic, hug than Morgan had.
"Severa, I'm glad we found you," Lucina said, relieved. "We got your letter and came as soon as we could. What can we do to help?"
Severa grinned. "I'm so glad you're here," she said. "I'm so beyond ready to kick these Valmese jerks out of here."
"Good," Lucina replied. "We brought some of the Shepherds with us. Your mother and father are here as well. Would you like us to introduce you?"
Severa's smile dropped. There was no way she was ready to face her mother again. She could still remember the awful things she had said the last time she had seen her. She was about to spit out an excuse when Morgan picked up on her distress.
"Wait, I've got an idea!" Morgan said. "If Severa returns and acts like nothing is wrong, then we can ambush them. It'll be easier to beat them and safer for us. Tell us where to meet you, and we'll bring the cavalry. So to speak."
Several nodded, ignoring the emotion stirring her gut. "It's a good plan. As soon as I've bought what I need, I'll return. How long will it take you to prepare?"
Lucina raised her hand to her chin in a way that sparked a memory in Severa. She looked a lot like her mother when performing that gesture. "It shouldn't take more than an hour, I think," she said.
"Good. Nelson and his men are camped out at the old fortress in the north. The fort should be marked on whatever map you brought. I've got to get going, so I'll see you soon, okay?"
The sisters said goodbye, and Severa stalked off. Her chest felt tight at the prospect of meeting her mother again. She felt the guilt of their last interaction in her timeline and the looming threat of falling back into her shadow. She struggled to contain her feelings as she gathered the supplies Nelson ordered her to buy.
As soon as she left the town, she decided to let it out. She unsheathed her sword, slicing a sapling in two, and kicked the top half into the woods, breathing heavily.
"Get it together, Severa," she muttered to herself. "It's just your parents; you should be happy…."
She let out a groan and put her sword away. She had a job to do. There would be time to be an emotional brat later. For now, she would talk to Holland and make sure the oaf knew to get out when the time came.
When one of Nelson's thugs came running in while screaming about the Shepherds, Severa cursed. So much for the ambush idea. Not only that, but she hadn't been able to talk to Holland yet. Nelson kept busy with her chores while her friend was on the other side of the fortress.
"Damnit!" Nelson shouted. "Why would Chrom send his dogs here?" He looked around the room and zeroed in on Severa. "Perhaps I'll send my own hounds after them!"
"I'm not your dog, scum!" she retorted.
"No," Nelson scowled. "only a stray mutt that refuses to stop yapping. But you'll be a good dog and do as I say if you ever want-"
"Yes, yes, if I ever want to see it again. I'm well aware," Severa snapped, trying not to let the apprehension in her voice become apparent.
Nelson smirked and ordered one of his men to fetch Holland.
"Now, then," he mused aloud, "it's well known that Chrom values his comrades and family above all else. If we capture his soldiers, perhaps I can barter for the Fire Emblem, and if I claim that, then the throne of Ylisse will be mine!"
Severa couldn't help herself. She burst into laughter at the man's claim, which earned her the ire of Nelson and his lackeys. Severa couldn't find it in herself to care anymore. "I don't know what backward understanding of Ylissean succession laws you have," she guffawed, "but they sure as hell aren't anything like that!"
"Like you would know any better!" Nelson snarled, causing Severa to laugh harder.
"I'd know better than most, seeing as my mother was a high-ranking member of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights!"
Nelson pinched the bridge of his nose, and Severa found his expression hilarious.
"Get out of my sight," Nelson said. "You know your job, and I expect you to do it."
"Hmph!" Severa breathed, letting her displeasure be known as she spun on her heel and stalked into the hallway. She quickly made her way outside the fortress and stood by the eastern gate while she waited for Lucina and the Shepherds to arrive.
It didn't take long. Soon, several figures appeared over the crest of the nearest hill.
"It took you long enough," Severa snarked as they approached.
"My apologies," Lucina said, used to Severa's attitude. "Cordelia, Stahl, this Severa, one of the friends who returned to the past with us. Your daughter."
Severa nearly choked. "What are you doing?!" She cried.
"Don't worry," Morgan giggled. "Lu already let that cat out of the bag, like, three times."
Severa composed herself and resisted the urge to facepalm.
"Whatever!" She snapped instead. "We'll have time to be sappy later. Can we just get this over with?"
The assembled Shepherds nodded, and Severa scanned the crowd. Only Cordelia, Stahl, Gaius, Sumia, Lucina and Morgan had come. Severa had been hoping for more, but it would hopefully be enough to take on Nelson and his crew. It just meant that they would have to be more careful.
Cordelia was looking at Severa with an expression she had trouble deciphering, and she couldn't help but assume it was disappointment. Severa averted her eyes in shame, which seemed to snap the other woman out of her daze.
"Right. I'll bring Sumia, Stahl and Gaius through the west entrance, and you girls will go down the east entrance. Is there anything else we need to know, Severa?"
Severa blinked, surprised to be asked, but quickly refocused on the task at hand. "The ambush plan is a bust. One of Nelson's scouts spotted you coming, and now they want to ambush you instead. Be ready. Also, I have a friend inside. He's in the same situation as me, so don't hurt him. He's the one who looks like the exact opposite of a warrior. Just let me talk to him. And one more thing. That bastard stole my property as well as the villagers' supplies. I want it back."
Cordelia nodded. "We'll do what we can to make sure that happens. Stay safe, everyone. We'll meet back here when we're done."
Everyone nodded, and the predetermined groups split up. Before they got far, Cordelia called out to them again.
"Severa, can we talk later?" She asked.
Severa drew in a breath, held it for a moment, and breathed out. "Yeah, whatever…" she muttered.
Cordelia seemed satisfied with that answer because she nodded and led her group toward the entrance. Severa took up position beside Lucina, and they made their way toward their entry point.
"You alright, Sev?" Morgan asked. Severa felt her nostrils flare. She did not need Morgan's pity right now.
"I'm fine!" she snapped. "Gawds, Morgan, focus on the fight!"
She immediately felt bad for shouting at Morgan. Knowing her, it was more than likely she just wanted to help, and Severa had just blown up at her for no reason. She hated that about herself sometimes. Unfortunately, there was no time to dwell on it as they entered the old castle.
Nelson's men were standing at the ready, but when they saw Severa, they lowered their guard in confusion.
"Oi!" one said. "The boss stationed you outside! Why aren't you softening up those Ylisseans?"
"Idiot," another said. "Ain't it obvious? She's betrayed us!"
Severa scoffed. "As if! I was never really on your side to begin with. Besides," she paused, raising her sword to point at the goons. "You were boring me."
She charged with Lucina and Morgan at her sides, and together, they quickly dispatched the men waiting in the hall. The sounds of battle echoed around them, and it must've alerted the rest of Nelson's troops because as they ran down the corridor, more foes were waiting for them. Many of them had nasty words for Severa, but she didn't particularly care to hear them, and most of them were cut down before they could speak by Severa or Lucina slashing in tandem.
Meanwhile, Morgan covered them from behind, lobbing blasts of lightning into the crowd and gales of wind at anyone who dared to sneak up on them.
Severa had done well on her own in the last year as a solo Mercenary, but she was glad to have trusted companions at her side again. There was only so much she could do by herself, as the arrival of Nelson had shown her. Now that she finally had backup, taking care of the Valmese deserters was almost effortless.
Before long, Severa and her friends had punched deep into the fortress, where she knew Nelson's reserve forces were waiting to ambush anyone who got too deep inside. It was also where she knew Holland would be. She gestured for her companions to wait and peeked around the corner. Nelson's men were there, standing together and waiting for their signal. Holland stood apart from them, watching the hallway. His eyes widened when he saw her, and Severa raised a finger to her lips in the universal symbol for silence.
"There are half a dozen enemies in there, not including Holland," she said, turning back to her friends. "Do you think you two can handle them while I talk to Holland?"
Lucina and Morgan shared a look, like they were communicating telepathically. Severa hated it when they did that. All three of the siblings seemed to have the ability to know what the others were thinking with just a glance, and it always left Severa and their other friends feeling clueless.
Morgan turned back to Severa, grinning like a maniac. "We're on it. I can't wait for you to see my new toy!"
Severa wanted to ask what Morgan meant by that, but there wasn't time. Instead, she nodded. "Do what you need to do. Just don't hurt the sad sack of a man off to the side, got it?"
"Got it!" Morgan chirped. She pulled a blue tome out of her featureless brown cloak that Severa had never seen her wear. She motioned to Severa that they would follow her lead.
Severa pushed her nerves down and leapt out into the open, catching the men off guard. "Holland, get down!" she yelled as Morgan and Lucina jumped out behind her. Morgan raised her hand and chanted an incantation as Holland followed Severa's order and dove. Magic circles appeared in the air, and cables of rainbow-hued fire shot from Morgan's outstretched hand, straight at the Valmese men staring in shock. The fire engulfed them in flames as they cried out for forgiveness from Naga.
Severa didn't know how, but somehow Lucina and Morgan had stumbled across a relic of Naga's power from the ancient past. She recognized it from Owain's wild storytelling as the Book of Naga and made a note to herself to ask her friends how they'd found it once the danger had passed. Once the bodies of the men fell to the floor and Morgan put her tome away, Severa ran forward and helped Holland to his feet.
"Severa! What are you doing here?" Holland questioned. "If he knows you left your post…."
"I'm leaving, Holland, and you're coming with me," Severa cut him off, not allowing him to finish the thought.
Holland's face morphed into a pained grimace. "Severa, I... I can't. You know I can't. I have a wife. If I don't earn Nelson's coin, she'll starve. I know it's blood money, but-"
Severa snapped. "Your wife is pregnant, Holland! You know that, don't you?!"
Holland straightened, showing one of his rare moments of steeliness. "Of course, I know that! And it's none of your concern!"
Severa tried to control her temper since her friends were watching, and she didn't want to criticize the man too harshly in front of them. "Do you love your child, Holland?" She asked instead. "Do you love your wife?"
"Of course I do!" Holland responded, looking bewildered.
"Then stop making excuses!" Severa pleaded. "I know that parents will do anything for their children... But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents. This world's got far too many kids who've gone through that. If you stay, you'll be killed or worse. And your child deserves better!"
Severa's breath came in rapid but heavy pants. She hadn't meant to pour out her feelings like that, but it had done the trick judging by Holland's expression.
"Severa, I... I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't know. That must have been hard for you… You're right. My child deserves better. Let's get out of here."
Severa looked at him hopefully. "Really?!"
Holland smiled back at her. "Yes, really. But we have to hurry!"
Severa nodded. "We're going to help our allies finish the fight. We cleared out Nelson's men on the way here, so the path back should be safe if you want to go back right away. You're welcome to come with us, though."
Holland briefly looked torn but just as quickly found resolve. "I may not be that good in a fight, but if I want my child to grow up in a safe world, I need to do something about it now. I'll join you."
"Great!" Morgan interrupted. "Any friend of Severa's is a friend of ours. I'm Morgan, and this is my sister Lucina."
Lucina nodded. "Hello," she greeted.
"You can let us take care of the enemies in front," Morgan continued. "Can you watch our backs and ensure nobody sneaks up on us?"
Holland nodded resolutely, and together, they made their way back through the fortress, following the sounds of battle.
As they entered the main chamber of the fortress, they saw the Shepherds holding their own despite their fewer numbers, but there was no sign of Nelson.
The Shepherds had left their mounts in town since maneuvering large animals in tight spaces was difficult, especially in the case of the Pegasi and their broad wingspans, but it didn't matter. They were all just as effective without them. As a Great Knight, Stahl effectively used all types of close-quarter weapons. He was often regarded as the most average of the Shepherds, but it was easy to forget that every single one was an elite warrior. Many of the Shepherds were better at swordplay than Stahl, but just many couldn't match his skill. In battle, he was a force to be reckoned with to any run-of-the-mill soldier. Cordelia and Sumia were fast. As Pegasus Knights, they had been trained for quick and precise strikes, even when they didn't have a Pegasus to ride on. Between the three of them, they easily defended themselves against the more significant force, which gave Gaius ample opportunity to execute stealthy, lethal blows while the enemy was distracted.
Severa had been too young to see the Shepherds fight in the future, but they certainly lived up to the hype.
Gaius noticed them first.
"Hey, Mini Blue's and Red," he greeted, saluting lazily despite the ongoing battle. "We've got things under control here, but their leader escaped down that hallway. Can you handle that while we finish up here?"
Severa felt affronted by the use of Gaius' nickname for her mother on her and nearly gave him a piece of her mind before Lucina interrupted her.
"We'll track him down, don't worry," she replied, running towards the hall Gaius had pointed out, Morgan just behind her. Severa wasn't willing to let them go alone, so she let the issue drop and followed. Holland chased after a moment later. They caught up as quickly as possible and rounded a corner, revealing the despicable Valmese man standing by himself, raving about his useless soldiers.
He turned and caught sight of Severa and her friends, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Traitorous Wench!" he shouted angrily.
Severa scoffed. "You've got to be loyal before you can be a traitor, you idiot! And you're one to talk, extorting a poor innocent girl like me...it's time you learned just how deadly this innocent girl can be!"
Severa and Lucina charged, but Nelson was fast. He launched two Thoron blasts in quick succession, forcing them to dove to either side. Morgan cast an Arcthunder spell to cover them, giving them time to get back up and charge again. Nelson cursed and chanted another spell, aiming at Severa, but Lucina stepped in front of her, catching the lightning on Falchion's mystical blade and diverting it to the side, where the blast shook the building.
Severa stepped under Lucina, delivering a thrust to Nelson, who scrambled back to avoid it but left himself open to Morgan, who launched a spell, hitting him right in the back.
The man screamed, convulsing as the magical lightning coursed through his body, allowing Severa to follow up and attack again.
"Say goodnight!" She shouted as she cleaved downwards right into Nelson's shoulder. She had been aiming for his neck, but his convulsions threw her aim off just a little.
Nelson dropped to the floor, burnt and bleeding heavily. He glared up at her pathetically and murmured something about an empire. His head fell to the floor.
Severa sighed and flicked her sword clean of blood, returning it to its sheathe. She couldn't hear any more clashing of steel from down the hall, so she assumed the Shepherds had defeated the rest of Nelson's men.
Severa leaned down and poked around Nelson's pockets. She reached inside, pulling out the ring he had stolen before turning to her friends with a grateful smile.
Finally, it was over.
Severa helped the Shepherds return everything Nelson had stolen over the past month. It felt good to be able to help them again, and even though her mother was there, nobody was comparing them. It made sense, considering nobody knew they were related, let alone anything about her.
It took some time and a fair amount of work, but soon, the Shepherds returned everything to its original owners and the proper authorities were returned to their positions of power.
By the following day, it was time to leave. Lucina had informed her that initially, their group was going south to deal with Plegian deserters as a favour to Plegia's new king in return for the ships he had provided to the fledgling alliance. Severa could agree that it only seemed fair to help since the military still hadn't recovered from the war two years ago. She knew better than to trust them, though, Since Lucina had also told her about everything that had happened on Carrion island.
When Lucina had received Severa's letter, Chrom had given her permission to go and sent some of the Shepherds with them to help, and it had been pure coincidence that Cordelia and Stahl had been among the volunteers. Now that they had retrieved Severa, they were to join the main force that had gone south without them as reinforcements before finally returning to Port Ferox for the coming counter-invasion.
Before they left, Holland and Patricia came to see her off as they boarded the boat to return to the mainland.
"Thank you again for everything, Severa," Holland told her. He laughed sheepishly. "It's funny that this is the second time we've said goodbye like this."
Severa managed a smile at the remark. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She reached out and took Holland's hand and then Patricia's, shaking them firmly like her father had taught her in her timeline. "I should Thank you as well. And remember our talk about family, Holland. If I hear about you getting into trouble again, I'll drag you back to Patricia myself!"
Holland blushed while his wife burst into giggles. She patted her swollen stomach and said, "You know Severa, we've been thinking… If our child is a girl, we think we might want to name her after you so that she might inherit your strength."
Severa's face grew hot, and she knew that her face must have turned as red as her mother's hair. "I- You- I-" she stammered. It was difficult to understand why they would want to name their child after someone as prickly as her, yet even still, Severa knew what an honour it was.
Eventually, she took a deep breath and mumbled, "I would be honoured, thank you."
Holland smiled. "You will always be welcome in our home, Severa. Stay safe out there, you hear?"
Severa nodded awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. She turned stiffly and walked up the gangplank onto the boat where her friends were waiting.
"That looked painful," Morgan commented.
Severa glared at her, but Lucina intervened before she could escalate the conversation.
"You've done great work, Severa. You should be proud," she soothed.
"Whatever," she huffed.
The boat left the docks, and they were forced to take their conversation below as the deck became a flurry of activity as the sailors carried out their tasks.
Later, Severa would find out that sailing did not agree with her. The channel between Grust and the Plegian mainland wasn't a large stretch of water. Still, if Severa's seasickness was going to be as bad as it was in the relatively calm part of the ocean they currently sailed, Severa was already dreading the trip to Valm.
She made her way above deck to dry heave over the side of the boat and stayed there for a while, hoping the ocean air would help somehow.
"Hey," someone said from behind her.
Severa turned to see her parents standing behind her. To her surprise, they looked nervous.
"… Hey," Severa responded.
Stahl rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Cordelia stared at the deck between her feet. They definitely had something to say, but Severa wasn't in the mood to wait.
"Spit it out already!" She snapped.
Both her parents jumped, and Stahl laughed nervously.
"Lucina said you were our child," Stahl said. "but it seems like you've been avoiding us since the fight yesterday. We were wondering if we did something wrong in the future?"
Severa frowned. "No, that's not it," she said, trying to decide how much she wanted to say. "… It's more like I did something wrong…."
"What do you mean by that?" Cordelia asked.
There was no turning back now. Severa drew a deep breath and took the plunge. "… In the future, I argued with mother a lot. After you died, father, rumours about Mother's old crush on Chrom sprung back up, and I said some hurtful things when she went out to protect the Halidom one day. It was the last time I saw her… It didn't help that people expected me to be just as good as mother at everything when I just wasn't. I didn't like it when people compared us so much, and I sort of grew an attitude because of it. "
Severa made eye contact with Cordelia, who looked at her sadly. Unlike when she had assumed Morgan was pitying her yesterday, Severa recognized the emotion as empathy this time.
"Then we failed you, Severa," Cordelia concluded. "I'm sorry we couldn't protect you."
Severa blanched. "No! You both tried so hard! It isn't your fault!"
Cordelia managed to smile. "That's sweet of you, dear. I don't know what happens in the future aside from what Lucina has told us, but I promise you we won't allow past mistakes to repeat themselves. Still, things couldn't have been all bad with a daughter like you. We are blessed and pleased to meet you."
"I agree," said Stahl. "We can fix things, you'll see. It will be different this time. I swear it on my honour as a knight of Ylisse."
"We will be the parents you deserve if you let us," Cordelia finished.
Severa smiled coyly. "Puh-lease! You're my parents. That automatically makes you the best! I'm sorry I avoided you and was mean, I…" all her emotions came to the forefront once again, and tears welled in her eyes. "I just... I didn't want to lose you again... Promise you won't leave, okay? Promise!"
Severa shut her eyes tightly, so she was surprised to feel her parents' arms wrapped around her. She tried not to think about how weird it was that they were barely older than her in this timeline.
"We promise," Cordelia said, and Severa basked in the warmth of her sort of parents' embrace.
So, I did a lot of research about how the map of Old Archanea matches up with the new Ylisse. See, the old territories and kingdoms of Marth's time are long gone, even Altea and Talys. (In fact, I'm pretty sure that the Plegian capital is pretty close to where Marth's home of Altea was, which is kind of neat in a cosmic irony sort of way).
What I've found is that Regna Ferox comprises the old territories of Khadein and Aurelis, plus the previously unclaimed northern wilds. Ylisse is the former kingdom of Archanea plus the island of Talys, while Plegia is formed by the former states of Grust, Altea, Dolhr, Gra, and Macedon.
In Awakening, we're told that 1000 years ago, during the time of the first Exalt, something called the Schism happened, creating the modern borders we see in Awakening. I believe that The Schism is the historical name given to Grima's first rampage before the first Exalt stopped him. The geography is drastically altered when you look at the maps side by side, much more than a mere 2000 years would have done naturally.
So Basically, my conclusion is that during the First Exalts war with Grima, there was so much destruction and death that most of humanity's kingdoms and empires were shattered. What happened afterward was a period of rebuilding that resulted in the founding of new countries/states/kingdoms/etc. Not even Valm escaped this because the One Kingdom of Valentia also no longer exists. Instead, we have Roseanne, Valm (the state), Novis Island, and Chon'sin (and later the whole Valmese empire). Valentia might be even more split than that. However, those are the only named kingdoms and states given, so one must make do with what they're given, lol. I wish they had given us more than what they did. If I were to speculate, maybe Zofia and Rigel were also reformed. Something else I've noticed that's pretty interesting is that Ylisse sounds a lot like Elise, the name of Marth's older sister. I wonder if Ylisse was named for her?
Another theory I came up with is that the world has entered an ice age. Ferox in general seems much colder than Khadein or Aurelis in Marth's time, and the sea level is drastically lower, which is both telling of there being glacial build-up to the north, but that's not as cool as Fell Dragon rampage destroying everything, so we're gonna stick to that theory.
I did all this research literally just for the sake of finding out what the name of the island Severa's paralogue takes place on, and everything sorta just spiralled from there, and now my phone's photos app is filled with Fire Emblem maps, lol. If anyone fancies themselves an Archanean lore expert or even just an Awakening lore fanatic, feel free to strike up a conversation with me to correct me on any mistakes I made or help me solidify my theories even more. That's all for now! See you guys next time when we check on the timidest of Taguels. Things got away from me this month, but I should be back on track for September. Also, I got Grammarly, so if you noticed a marked improvement in my writing, that's probably why.