Chapter 7 – Preparations
A mix of emotions boiled in the pit of Emmeryn's stomach. The Exalt's day had been nothing short of hectic. Howe's trial had merely been a formality, as his cold confession in the council chambers, along with the evidence Chrom had gathered, had been more than enough to prosecute him. Treason was not something that could be easily forgiven.
But in the end, the decision was taken from her hands. During the trial, Howe had dropped dead on the floor, foam coming out of his mouth. No one knew how he had gotten his hands on the poison, but after his death the information was irrelevant. The Hierarch had decided to take his own life, escaping whatever punishment the court would have decided for him. Some felt a lack of justice had been served, others felt the man had gotten what he deserved.
Emmeryn just felt an emptiness at the lack of closure.
She still couldn't understand why Howe would turn on her. Was her dream of peace simply so foolish that her eldest advisor had lost his faith in her?
The Exalt looked at her city from the top of the castle walls. It seemed peaceful now, but soon the capital would be under siege, and the streets would be flooded with the blood of friends and foes alike. Even now, she could feel a slight air of tension.
Emmeryn had always hated the idea of people suffering. She felt like she had failed her citizens, knowing that the Plegian army was marching towards them with the intent of bloodshed. But she couldn't show that weakness right now. Her people needed a strong leader.
She had to give them that much, at least.
The sound of the gates opening captured the Exalt's attention, and she gripped the hilt of the dagger she had hidden in her robes. Despite her pacifist tendencies, the ruler of Ylisse was no fool. Long ago, she had asked Phila to teach her how to wield a knife in case someone had ever tried to hurt her or her family, and got close enough to attempt the deed. She hated even thinking about fighting, but she wouldn't leave herself unprepared. Emmeryn would've preferred a tome but it would've been too bulky to carry in her robes.
Something she might need to change soon.
Her fears were unfounded, however, for it was only the current head-tactician of the city's defenses who stood at the door, with a look of mild surprise visible on her face.
"My apologies for intruding, Your Grace. I didn't expect to find anyone up here." Rose quickly apologized, moving back to the door. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."
"Oh! There's no need for that, Lady Rose. You are not intruding," Emmeryn said with a genuine smile as she motioned the tactician to her side. "I like coming up here to think."
"I can see why," commented the tactician, as she moved closer, seemingly enjoying the sight of the city's skyline. "Ylisstol is a beautiful city, Milady, and it's in no small part thanks to your efforts."
"You're too kind, but it's the people that make this place great," said the Exalt, trying to downplay her role, though still smiling politely at the compliment. "I just try to give them the chance."
"Do not belittle your role, Milady," Rose chastised lightly. "Your dedication to your ideals has won the hearts of Ylisse and many others. Even on the road, I have heard many people speak fondly of your efforts."
"It warms my heart to hear such words, to know that my work has reached the hearts of others. But enough about me," Emmeryn said, as she turned to the Plegian woman. "How are you feeling, Lady Rose?"
The tactician tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean, Your Grace?"
"All this," clarified the Exalt as she motioned to the camp full of soldiers directly below the balcony. "Leading the army, managing our defenses, planning stratagems… It's a great responsibility, and I was worried this entire situation would prove overwhelming to you," explained the Exalt with an apologetic tone. "I dislike having to ask another to help fix my father's mistakes."
A look of understanding flashed through Rose's face as she finally understood what the Exalt meant. "It has been a surprising turn of events, I'll admit. When your brother hired me, I initially thought I would only work as a soldier, perhaps maybe as an advisor at times." Rose gave a small chuckle, much to Emmeryn's surprise. "I certainly didn't expect to be put in charge of such a large force ever again, let alone a full army. It's been a while since my last time commanding, so I'm still working the rust off." The grandmaster's voice took a deadly serious tone at this point. "But I'm up to the challenge. I hate losing, so I plan to give it my best. This city will not fall under my watch."
Emmeryn couldn't stop her relieved smile from breaking out on her face. "I can see why my brother and Sir Robin insisted that you be given the role. I appreciate your conviction, and I'm glad that we have someone like you on our side, Lady Rose."
Raising her hand in a placating manner, Rose spoke with a noticeable blush on what was visible of her face. "Please, Your Grace. I told you to call me Rose. I lack any formal title to be referred to by, especially from someone of your station."
A chuckle escaped the Exalt's lips, which she tried in vain to cover up with a faked cough. "My apologies. It's hard to break years of etiquette training."
"If I may be so bold, your brother has no such issues. Quite the opposite."
"Something which I'm glad for," said the Exalt with a pleased smile. "I've dedicated my life to making sure Chrom and Lissa have the freedom to choose their own paths. That they would be able to bond with others and enjoy the simpler joys of life, unburdened by the responsibilities of the position of Exalt."
A strange look flashed across Rose's features. It was over in an instant, so Emmeryn couldn't discern its meaning. "But what about you, Lady Emmeryn? Don't you want to have such bonds, too?"
"Oh, please do not misunderstand. I do enjoy being able to call Phila my friend, along with many of the castle staff that has been at my side during my reign." Emmeryn's voice took a more sorrowful tone, and a rare hint of frustration when she continued. "And before last night, I thought I could include Howe amongst them. I still don't understand why people cannot just talk things out. I know many issues have deep roots, but I still believe we should never give up looking for a peaceful solution. Resorting to violence so quickly-"
"He was foolish." That response surprised Emmeryn, which didn't go unnoticed by the tactician. "My apologies, Your Grace, but it's true. Plegia was more than likely going to kill him after their invasion. Why would Gangrel trust a man that betrayed his previous ruler? And a Ylissean, at that! Does Gangrel not wish for a grisly end for all Ylisseans?" Rose shook her head. "No. Plegia played the man for his usefulness. They never had the intention of allowing him to step a single foot in their court, or even letting him live. He would have been executed the instant he entered their custody."
"Then why? That's what I don't understand. Why not simply come to me with those doubts? We could have found a solution. We have already managed to acquire assistance from Ferox, and the Shepherds have gained some very promising members. How could he go as far as plotting the downfall of our entire Halidom, without looking for a better alternative?" The Exalt's tone was almost pleading. She wanted answers to appease the hurt she still felt deep inside.
Rose regarded her silently for a few moments.
"Fear and desperation make people do foolish things, Lady Emmeryn." She finally spoke. "Sometimes, people are in situations where they don't know how to react, and their judgment is clouded if they think they can get a semblance of control. And sometimes..." Rose's voice took a distant tone. "Sometimes bad things simply just happen."
"...Perhaps it really is just as simple as that…" Emmeryn said.
Rose looked conflicted for a moment as if having an internal debate. "I understand your pain, milady," the tactician said reluctantly, gaining Emmeryn's attention. Sighing in apparent resignation, Rose looked at Emmeryn with a sad smile, though her gaze was distant. "I once was part of a team, not that different from the Shepherds. I thought I could trust them. They were my family, they took me in when I had nothing. I even went so far as to fall in love with my commander." Her tone grew colder as her eyes hardened. "But someone spread distrust towards me amongst their ranks, thanks to my Plegian lineage. They feared I would turn out like my bastard of a father, and become yet another mindless Grimleal fanatic."
Emmeryn could hear the scorn in her voice at the mention of her father. It was clear she had no love for the man – something she could relate with. But what Rose said next shook her to the core, especially the way she mentioned it so casually.
"And so the man that I loved stabbed me through the chest and left me to die. But it seemed fate had other plans for me. A punishment, or perhaps redemption. Atonement."
"What do you mean?"
"He was not my first love. I was once married to a wonderful man. We had three beautiful children: two girls and a boy. Indeed, there were problems here and there, but we were, at the very least, happy."
Her tone grew flat upon her next words.
"But it turned out I was cursed by my father. He used a spell to control me through our bloodline, and forced me to kill my husband as revenge for defying him."
Emmeryn's' hands flew to her mouth. Rose continued as if she had not noticed.
"His dying words were to reassure me it wasn't my fault. He was always so thoughtful. That sweet, foolish man deserved better than a cursed wife..."
"Dear Naga..." Emmeryn felt sick. The amount of pain her past had brought her over the years couldn't have even begun to compare to the mercenary tactician's twisted history of suffering. "Your children... Your son and daughters. What happened to them?"
"...They are lost to me."
Emmeryn didn't have the heart to inquire any further. It was clearly a painful topic.
Rose closed her eyes as she continued. "Maybe it's for the best that they'll never see or hear from me again. That way, my cursed luck won't follow them. Even though I eventually hunted down and turned my father into a pile of ashes, I can no longer trust myself to be close to people I care about. I can only hope that they are safe, even if they loathe my very existence. I don't think I could blame them if they did… Once they learned of my history, that past contributed to the discord with the team I mentioned earlier. Those are some of the many reasons, among others, why I prefer to work alone, or in short contracts. There's less chance of building trust with people that might eventually betray you. Besides, mercenary contracts are not the best way to build relationships."
"Though you seem rather close to Sir Robin."
"I see a lot of myself in him. Maybe it's because we're both of Plegian heritage, or that we're both tacticians by trade, or because I know what it's like to be taken in by another when you have nothing." Rose averted her gaze, avoiding Emmeryn's concerned expression. "The Shepherds remind me of my... stab-happy former friends. I guess I just don't want him to be hurt like I was. You've seen how certain people treat us, just because of our roots."
"I'm so sorry. I had no idea," apologized Emmeryn, still worried about touching such a delicate topic. "It wasn't my intention to make you relive such painful memories."
"Do not concern yourself; I did not expect you to," Rose soothed, trying to calm the Exalt. "My apologies. It seems I have soured the mood. I just hope you don't think less of me, or my abilities, because of my tale. I know that hearing my illustrious story mustn't have inspired confidence."
The Exalt shook her head, denying her statement. "If anything, this has only increased the respect I have for your fortitude and strength of mind." Emmeryn tapped her cheek for a moment, pondering something. Her face lit up as a thought occurred to her. "How about this, then? I will call you Rose if you call me Emmeryn."
The tactician was taken aback by the offer. "I- Milady, I don't think that's appropriate for someone of my station! I'm just a mercenary."
"You are working hard to defend my people. I think you've earned the right for a little informality."
"I'm not sure I want to burden you with my cursed luck. I do not think-"
"Rose, as Exalt, my life is always in danger. Let me take a few risks." Emmeryn gave a reassuring smile that caused the last of Rose's defenses to crumble away.
"I- well… If you insist, your Gra-" The tactician stopped herself for a moment, grinning slightly at her habit. "Emmeryn."
Both women shared a laugh, glad to have formed a new blooming friendship, despite the misgivings one of them may have had.
One whose counterpart had been cut painfully short in another time and place.
"Well, the information I requested from our scouts should be arriving soon. I'll be in the barracks if you need me." Rose bowed to her new friend, still showing due respect.
The Exalt nodded, understanding that time was of the essence. "I, too, will need to return to my duties soon. Take care, Rose."
Emmeryn received a sincere smile in return. "You too, Emmeryn."
"I don't trust her."
"I heard you the first fifty times already, Sully."
The red-haired knight only snorted, deciding to just glare pointedly at her commander.
The ride towards the Feroxi forces had been fast-paced, and the Shepherds were taking a small rest near a creek. They would never make it on time if their horses dropped dead from exhaustion, or if they were ambushed and tired, so they made time for a break. Currently, the Shepherds were checking their provisions and gear, making sure everything was in order.
"Then why aren't we marching back and putting Phila or Frederick in charge?!" Sully gritted out in frustration. "Every minute we spend wasting here is another blasted minute that woman gets to poke holes in our defenses!
The prince stopped checking his armor for dents and faced the red-haired cavalier with a stern gaze. "Look. I understand that you don't trust our Plegian members, but I don't feel this distrust and hostility is warranted. They have fought by our side twice already, and they have yet to do anything to prove the trust we placed in them was misplaced."
The cavalier grunted disbelievingly at the response. "Mercenaries have no honor, Chrom. My whole life I've followed the code of a Ylissean knight, and that code is pretty clear that accepting coin for taking a life is the calling of the lowest of the low," Sully explained with furrowed brows, crossing her arms and not backing down. "Not only that, but my family has always been devout followers of Naga, so excuse me if I don't trust a Plegian sellsword who wears a Grimleal robe!"
"There's more to this, isn't there?" Chrom asked seriously.
Sully would have sneered at any other person for pointing out the obvious, but refrained from doing so now, as Chrom had earned her respect long ago. "Don't you think it's weird that we've managed to meet two Plegians in matching robes within less than a month of one another? One with a convenient case of amnesia and another who just happens to be in Ferox, where we were heading?"
"After we found Robin, we saw Marth fall from a portal in the sky, just before we fought a horde of undead abominations." Chrom paused for a moment, only now actually thinking about what he just said, then just shrugging it off. "Stranger things have happened."
"Fair enough," Sully grumbled, conceding the point, but still clearly not satisfied. "I still don't get why you put her in charge of all our defenses. There are plenty of Feroxi or Ylisseans that know how to deal with an army."
"She's smart. Rose has shown capabilities in tactics that Virion and Robin have praised. I've been present for some of their strategic practice sessions and even tried playing against her once. She decimated every single one of us with few losses. Even if she doesn't share it, it's clear she has experience leading big groups. She's pragmatic, but also takes care of those under her command, shown by her low casualty rates. I believe she was the best choice for the role." His gaze grew hard with determination, suddenly showing some of the traits that were part of the reason people followed him as their leader. "But don't take me for a blindly trusting fool, Sully. The Feroxi and Ylissean captains remain in the city, and they won't follow orders that could jeopardize their soldiers or chances of victory. If she has good intentions, which I believe, then the captains should see no issues with her orders, as long as they prove sensible. She's not alone and has many people watching her. But I don't believe the respect of the Feroxi is unfounded, so I'm sure everything will work out."
The unusually analytical and pragmatic statement took the cavalier by surprise. "I… You've really thought this out."
Chrom snorted, losing the stony look and giving her a wry smile. "I feel that I should be offended. You think so little of me."
Sully chuckled in response, not passing the chance to tease her friend now that her fears were assuaged. "Sorry, boss, but sometimes I forget you have a brain behind that 'pretty boy' face you have."
"Gee, thanks," replied the prince, with a sarcastic tone.
"Look, I can't speak for the others, but I'll guess I'll try to give her the benefit of the doubt. But if she turns on us, I'll hold you responsible. The same goes for the brainiac over there."
Chrom nodded, accepting her answer. "An understandable sentiment. But I really do feel I've nothing to worry about."
"You believe she can handle the situation in the capital?" The redhead couldn't keep the doubt from her voice.
The prince nodded with confidence. "I'm sure she'll do fine. She has some of Ylisse's finest at her side."
Rose glared at the inventory list as if it had personally offended her. The intensity of her scowl could have withered an entire farm's worth of crops before incinerating it with pure hateful emotion alone. The poor messenger that had carried the report was sweating arrows and looked like she was currently fighting every primal instinct to run for safety whenever the tactician directed her fury in the messenger's direction.
At the very least, the messenger had discipline.
"What do you mean 'this is all we have'?" growled the Plegian mercenary, with a dangerous edge to her words.
Managing to find her voice, the messenger answered hesitantly. "W-well ma'am… We really didn't have much armor or weapons in our armory, after the last war. When Lady Emmeryn demilitarized Ylisse, we sold most of our gear to Ferox to help pay the reparation to our people…"
"So you're telling me that all we have is 114 old bronze armors, 143 bronze swords, 153 bronze axes, 122 bronze lances, and 113 bows to equip our guards and militia with against a force of 7000 fully-armed Plegian soldiers?"
The disparity was starting to hurt her brain. No wonder Ylisstol had fallen so easily in both of her previous timelines. They had nothing to defend themselves with.
Cautiously, the girl nodded assent. "Y-yes ma'am."
"It says here that our elite Pegasus knights use iron lances? Just iron lances? Am I reading this correctly?"
Nervously, the messenger nodded again. "That's what Captain Phila stated, ma'am."
"Not even steel?" Rose was aware that her tone was almost equal parts disbelieving and whining. Not that she would ever admit it.
The girl shook her head this time. "No, ma'am."
"Frederick has a silver lance! Surely if we have such a small militia, we can equip them with good gear!"
"That lance was a birthday gift from Prince Chrom if I'm not mistaken. Sir Frederick wouldn't stop talking about it for a fortnight."
Rose was close to ripping her hair out.
"What about magic tomes? Or staves? Do we have any that we can spare?"
The girl seemed to shrink under Rose's glare as she considered the wisdom of giving a truthful answer. "A-All tomes and staves are procured personally by every spellcaster in service of the crown. We have extra staves from the clinics, but few tomes have not been altered or personalized by their current owners."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Rose took a deep breath and counted to ten. It wouldn't do for her to accidentally incinerate this girl just because she lost her cool. Not to mention that it wouldn't earn her any points with the rest of the soldiers if she killed the messenger.
On the bright side, this time they had the vanguard of the Feroxi army on the city with them, fully equipped and ready to fight.
"And to finish this magnificent batch of good news…" the tactician drawled while pointing at the various marks on her map. "Our perimeter defenses consist of only eighteen catapults and sixteen ballistae for the entirety of Ylisstol's walls?"
The brave, foolish girl seemed to have an internal battle as she shifted side to side. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route before offering one last piece of information along with what could possibly be her life. "F-Fifteen ballistae, ma'am," she gulped. "Some of the squires broke one when they tried to move it."
Rose growled.
The messenger whimpered.
The confusion was visible on Stahl's face. Looking around the old rundown district around him, he still couldn't understand why his presence was required, along with that of two dozen guardsmen pulling the empty carts behind them.
Finally gathering the courage to ask, he tapped Rose on the shoulder to get her attention. A dangerous move, since she had been irritated all morning, which was further evidenced by the way she growled in response.
"Hey, Rose. What are we doing here?"
"We're getting gear for our troops," she responded shortly, not bothering to look at him as she surveyed the surrounding area.
Stahl mimicked her action, trying to find anything worth his attention among the dilapidated streets. "In this old district? Why? There are no stores or blacksmiths in this part of Ylisse."
"…No wonder crime happens under your noses. Just keep quiet and let me do the talking."
The knight felt he should have been offended by that statement, but wisely chose not to voice it. It never did any good to create animosity between teammates, especially in such tense times, so he decided to just trust that tactician knew what she was doing. Though in the end, her comment still left him just as confused as he was before.
They stopped in front of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse if the illegible signs and boarded-up windows were of any indication. Before he could ask any questions, Rose kicked the door to the warehouse with her monstrous strength. It flew right off its hinges, exploding into a shower of splinters against the dusty floor, making some of the younger guards jump in surprise.
Stahl followed her as she stomped inside the building, his hand firmly set on the hilt of his sword.
Then he watched as Rose took a deep breath before shouting at the top of her lungs. "SAMUEL! I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE!"
A sound of something falling alerted the Ylissean knight to the fact that they weren't alone. With a hand sign, eight of the guards took their positions at his side.
From the shadows along the walls emerged five armed men, though they looked taken aback when they saw the Exalt's soldiers present. Following them came an old and portly man, with a white beard and a bald head. He was leaning heavily on a cane and the way he moved indicated that he had a problem with his right leg.
The old man squinted at the two Shepherds, only to groan in recognition when his eyes focused on the mercenary tactician. "Ah shit. It's you."
"Good to see you again, Samuel." Rose greeted flippantly, completely ignoring the tension in the room. "How's your leg doing, you old fossil?"
Samuel's face turned red in fury but he refrained from doing anything rash in front of the armed soldiers. "Terrible! I have to put the darn thing in hot water every day just to make the pain manageable, you crazy broad! Walking feels like I have glass stabbing me all the time!"
"Well then, maybe you shouldn't have groped my ass." The temperature in the room seemed to drop together with the temperature of her voice. In the corner of his eye, Stahl could see frost gathering on the edges of the windows.
The feeling was over as fast as it had started, however, and Rose continued on without a hitch. "But if you need a reminder of why that was a bad idea, I can always repeat the lesson."
She cracked her knuckles, making the viridian knight cringe at the idea of being on the receiving end of a beating from a pissed-off Rose fueled by effeminate fury. The training was already a painful experience and she wasn't ever serious during their fights. A fight caused by her wounded feminine pride would have been most definitely fatal.
Sensing the fine edge he was walking and taking a step back, the old man put his hands up in surrender. "OK, OK! Damned woman… What do you want from me?"
The tactician pointed at one of the many crates on the floor. "Your merchandise."
The old man eyed the guardsmen and snorted derisively. "…Somehow, I get the feeling you're not here as a paying customer."
"You're not as dumb as you look, fossil." The viridian knight watched as Rose pulled a scroll out of her robe and made a show of clearing her throat. "Under the authority of Exalt Emmeryn Lowell, Ruler of Ylisse, we're confiscating this illegal contraband for the use of the Ylissean people in their war effort against the Theocracy of Plegia."
The old man sputtered, almost losing the grip on his cane and toppling over. "You-! Wha-! All of it? You can't just do that!"
If it wasn't for her hood, Stahl would have seen the condescending eyebrow the tactician raised at his denials. "In case you haven't noticed, I have an entire platoon of guardsmen along with a certified knight of Ylisse at my side. We outnumber you and, let's be honest here," Rose said as she tapped the hilt of her sword. "You know what I'm capable of."
"This will ruin my business!" Samuel shouted at the unfazed tactician.
"My heart bleeds for you, it really does." In Stahl's opinion, Rose couldn't have sounded less sincere if she had tried with all her might. "But you're in luck! Right now we don't have the time to be bothered prosecuting you and your underlings." Rose exclaimed, uncharacteristically cheerful, much to the knight's surprise. "Furthermore, I just washed my coat, and I don't feel like staining it with your blood. Getting rid of your corpses would be more work than it's worth. So, in my infinite and generous mercy, I'll cut you a deal. You guys can leave the city right now, no questions asked. We get to keep the merchandise, and you don't find out what your pain threshold is for kidney removal. Okay?"
"I-! You-!" In any other situation, Stahl would've found the old man's rapid change of expression amusing. Now, it was just plain sad. "Fine… We've your word that we can leave the city without any problems?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just don't make trouble on your way out, and you can continue your little arms operation elsewhere."
"Grrr…" Samuel ground his teeth in a barely concealed fury before reluctantly looking at these subordinates. "Men! We're leaving!"
The guards didn't move to stop them from leaving, too confused by the situation.
"Pleasure doing business with you! Hope to see you again!" Rose shouted, rubbing the verbal boiling acid into the festering wound. She received an irate response in the form of very colorful profanities as the speaker disappeared down the street.
Finally gathering his wits, Stahl asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Okay, what just happened?"
Rose paused her scan of the room and looked at him in confusion. "Hmm? Oh! That? That was Samuel. He's a weapons smuggler that deals in contraband between Ferox, Ylisse, and Valm." Stahl and the guards could only stare with open mouths at the ease with which she spoke of crime in their supposedly pure city. "Luckily for us, he doesn't make deals with Plegia, since Gangrel wants him crucified. Don't ask me why. I personally think it would just be a waste of perfectly good wood and nails."
"There's a smuggling operation here in Ylisstol?!" one of the guardsmen shouted.
The look he received was so pitying that it could have made Miriel feel inadequate. "Oh please. There are smuggling operations everywhere. Plus, we're hitting six more sites today, so you'd better get used to the idea. Why do you think I had you bring so many carts? Weren't you all listening to me?"
Stahl wisely refrained from mentioning the fact that she hadn't shared her plans with them at all and had only ordered them to follow her.
"Why didn't you report them to the authorities? Or had them arrested?" the knight asked.
"A Plegian walking into Ylisstol to report a crime ring?" The men could practically feel her rolling her eyes as she spoke, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, I'm sure that won't get me thrown in the dungeon under suspicion of complicity."
Well, didn't he feel stupid when she pointed it out.
"Eh, alright, alright, I get your point," Stahl blandly placated as he scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Well, in hindsight I suppose I could've dropped a letter or something, but these illegal idiots have their uses. For the most part, they keep the undesirables of your society under control so as not to gather the attention of the authorities. They care about efficiency and profits, so they have a tight leash on the worst criminals." The woman shrugged. "And in response to your second question, we have more important things to deal with right now rather than wasting time arresting some two-bit criminals. Posting guards on them mean fewer people contributing to the war effort."
"Speaking of the war, when did you get Lady Emmeryn to write that letter?"
"What? Ah! Do you mean this? It's a copy of the shopping list for the kitchen staff." A satisfied grin stole its way into her face. "But he didn't know that," she explained, leaving a bemused Stahl staring at her. "So it doesn't matter. Sir Kellam, please help me move these crates."
"A-at once, Lady Rose!" came a reply.
Stahl jumped at the sound of a voice coming from his side before finally noticing the hulking armored figure of his fellow knight. "Kellam?! When did you get here?!"
Rose answered before Kellam could open his mouth. "He's been here the entire time."
The men just watched, stupefied, as she ripped open one of the crates with her bare hands. From inside, Rose pulled out a longsword. It looked pretty high quality if the sheen of its blade was anything to go by. As she rubbed her cheek against its length, Stahl could almost hear the smile in her voice.
"Hello there, beautiful. We're going to have lots of fun together~"
Cordelia dropped onto one of the benches in the barracks. She was completely exhausted. The recall order for most of the Pegasus knights was a surprise, but orders are orders. The only ones left behind were scouts and those that were setting traps on the abandoned forts and roads that were on the way to the capital from the expected assault points. Some had already reported the sight of small vanguard groups of Plegian soldiers scouting the roads. As much as the knights wanted to prevent them from reaching the city, they knew it would be a doomed effort. They would be overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Plegian Army. They left for the capital on orders of Prince Chrom, ready to assist in its defense.
The prodigal knight sighed as she remembered she missed the chance to see her crush. Chrom had left only a few hours before she arrived in the city. Not that I would've made any difference. She always froze and became a stuttering mess when she tried to speak to him.
"Cordelia Tiamo, correct?" Cordelia nearly jumped out of her skin as a voice spoke from her side. Looking up, she came face to face with the temporary head tactician of Ylisse. She'd heard rumors of her strength and was surprised a Plegian mercenary was given control of Ylisstol's defense, but it wasn't her place to question the Crown's decision.
Standing to her feet, the Pegasus Knight saluted her superior with proper respect. "Ah! Yes, ma'am! How may I assist you?"
"I'll get to the point. I heard you're one of the most promising members of the Pegasus Knights. A genius, some say. Would you consider this a truthful statement?"
Cordelia frowned slightly at the praise. Oh, how she hated being called a genius. "I don't consider myself above anyone, ma'am. We're all important in our roles. I'm just very hardworking, but that doesn't mean I don't have my weaknesses."
The tactician stared at her for a few moments in silence, as if assessing her. Then she nodded with a satisfied smile. "I appreciate your honesty. It's nice to work with people that have a good idea of their abilities." Rose took a sealed letter from robes and handed it to the redhead. "Please report to Sir Stahl Abiven for your new gear. Give him this letter, and he shall give you access to our special equipment. You will also receive a sub-captain position in your squad, working directly under Captain Summers. Please make sure that your squad is properly equipped for the oncoming confrontations."
The knight was surprised at her sudden assignment. "No disrespect, ma'am, but I'm sure there are better-qualified veterans for that role."
Rose sighed, shaking her head in denial. "We're stretched thin as is, so we're having to promote a lot of people to temporary positions." The Plegian gazed at the rider with a stern expression. "I trust that you'll fulfill this duty to the best of your abilities. Do you accept?"
"Y-yes. I'll do it, ma'am! I won't fail the people of Ylisstol!" Cordelia saluted once more, understanding the direness of the situation.
The tactician nodded in approval. "Good. If you prove competent in your role, I shall speak with Prince Chrom for possible reassignment to the Shepherds. We could use another flying unit. You're dismissed."
Cordelia had to reign her face from grinning like an idiot at the idea of being closer to her crush. But this wasn't the time for such thoughts. The redhead made her way to the armory and was surprised to see a group of soldiers moving a lot of heavy-looking crates.
"Stahl? Are you in here?" she called out to her acquaintance, not seeing him in the room.
"Cordelia?" came the voice of Stahl from the back of the room. The man came out from behind a stack of crates, a smile on his face as he greeted the redhead. "Hey! I haven't seen you in a while. What's up?"
"It's good to see you too, Stahl," she greeted back with a smile. It quickly was replaced by a serious expression as she continued. "Sadly, this isn't a casual visit. The tactician gave me a letter to you, and told me to meet with you to get new gear."
"Ah, so you've met Rose. Scary girl, let me tell you." Stahl smile faltered for a moment at the memories. "Anyways, let me see that." Stahl took the letter and read it in silence, nodding along as she proceeded. "Ah, perfect. I have a crate ready with all this already. One moment."
The redhead watched as the viridian knight checked many of the crates, looking for one in particular. "So what's this about 'special equipment'?"
"You could say we went shopping. But that's not important." Cordelia pursed her lips in displeasure at the lack of an answer. With a grunt, Stahl pushed a crate towards her and opened it to check the contents. "Here we go! Twelve silver lances, with two Brave lances for you and Captain Summers. You will need to go to the armorer to have your new armor fitted."
Cordelia's eyes almost popped out of her head at the sight of such high-quality gear. "Silver lances? Brave lances? New armor? Where did you find all of this, Stahl?"
The man's lips twitched in amusement at her loss of composure. "Let's just say once this war is over, we'll need to do some hard sleuthing on smuggling rings," he answered cryptically, as he left the room.
"Smuggling rings? What ar– wait! Don't leave without explaining! Stahl!"
Standing in the doorway, Rose turned her gaze away from the friendly interaction. It brought up bad memories. Her talk with Emmeryn certainly didn't help, and without her brother to distract her, Rose had to take the role that she dreaded. Now, the former queen was forced to interact directly with many of the people she swore not to get close to. Rose's possessed body wasn't present when her Risen had killed Stahl and Cordelia in the original timeline, but she did remember Stahl's visit to her cell when Cordelia had perished after her incarceration.
Where was she? She was in a cell, that much she knew, but they couldn't have been in camp. A fort? That would make sense. Robin tried to remember how she got there, but her head couldn't focus through the lack of nourishment.
How long had it been since she last had a drop of water? Or enough food to push the hunger away for more than a few minutes? The former tactician couldn't remember, more focused on trying to distract herself from the feeling of her own stomach trying to eat itself. She was close to eating the flesh from the inside of her mouth and drink the blood that would pour from the wound when the door to her cell creaked open.
A tray with a bowl of raw meat and a small water-skin was dropped in front of her. Moving quickly before the food was taken from her, Robin moved her chained hands and pushed the food into her mouth. Some might have found the meat disgusting, but to Robin, it was the most delicious meal she'd ever had.
Washing the blood away with the little water she had, Robin finally looked at the person that had given it to her. The green armor was a dead giveaway, but she couldn't recognize the face of the man that should be wearing it. Stahl's eyes were dead, his gaze distant as he watched her eat. It was strange seeing him without his easygoing smile, but she was used to being on the receiving end of such expressions at this point.
It had been a while since she had any interaction with anyone. Most didn't stay long after dropping her meals if they bothered to deliver them in the first place. She needed the interaction if just to cling to her remaining sanity. "Thank you, Stahl. I kno-"
"Don´t." The cold tone of his voice made her flinch. "We have orders not to let you die until we have dealt with Grima. That's all."
Robin knew it was a lost cause to try to reason with the Shepherds, for they had already made their choice. Still, she couldn't help but foolishly cling to whatever hope might still exist.
"Stahl, please! You know me! You have to know I don't want to hurt anyone! I was controlled by Validar against my will!"
"I thought I did, and I wish I could believe that." The knight picked up the tray, moving towards the door. He spoke without looking back at her. "Cordelia died in battle."
That felt like a stab to the heart. Another fallen friend to be blamed on her. Stahl's wife, who he had spent so long courting, and had managed to make Cordelia love him more than she did Chrom.
"We managed to recover her body." He gave her an empty smile, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Turns out she was pregnant. A girl, according to Lissa. Cordy was keeping it a secret, trying not to worry me… We had planned on calling our child Severa, if she was a girl, in honor of Cordelia's mother."
Robin didn't bother to stop her tears from running free. "Stahl… I'm so sorry…"
His voice was barely above a whisper as he responded with the voice of a man with nothing left to live for.
"So am I."
Rose shook her head from the depressing memories. The tactician made her way to the barracks to continue her rounds. Scanning the room she just entered she found the two Shepherds that were next on her list.
"Donnel. Miriel. Anna. Do you have an update for me?" Rose inquired.
Miriel looked up from her notes and adjusted her glass. "We do." She opened the journal she had on her hands and proceeded with her report. "The construction of new defenses is going according to plan. The engineers and blacksmiths are working hard to make new siege gear and are fortifying our defenses. The recall orders have been answered, and many of our troops are making their way to the capital as we speak. Evacuation of the outer villages seems to be going smoothly, but we think that Plegia will ignore them to focus their entire might against us."
"That would be the logical course of action. Once you cut the head, the rest will fall easily," she answered with a scowl. "But we won't fall."
The spectacled-woman nodded in agreement. "Well spoken, Lady Rose."
The farm-boy raised his hand to gain the tactician's attention. "I also got some news. I managed to gather some volunteers and started teachin' 'em how to make some simple traps. It might not be much, but we can give 'em Plegians a few surprises once they enter the woods and alleys."
"Make sure to take note of the location of the traps, and inform the leaders of each squad. The last thing we need is to lose soldiers to our traps."
"Speaking of such measures, I brainstormed with some of the mages and we have a couple of ideas that we could use." The mage produced a scroll from her robes, handing it to the tactician. "Please read this and inform us if we have your authorization for their implementation."
Unrolling the scroll, Rose's eyes grew wide as she read on. It didn't take long before a wicked smile grew on her lips. "Can you do this?"
"Absolutely. All the theories are sound, and we have tested it in one of the training grounds," Miriel replied with certainty.
"Take two of the crates of tomes we recovered from the warehouse and processed with production. Once you're done, we will speak of their placement," commanded Rose.
Miriel nodded with a small satisfied smile. "I shall proceed immediately. By your leave."
Donnel scratched his head as Miriel departed. "I gotta say, something about this gives me the jee bees. "
"It should. If it works, the Plegian army will get a nasty surprise." The tactician then gave the farm boy a once over, pursing her lips at the sight. "Donny? Do me a favor, and please get an actual helmet. We've gathered enough gear for you to be properly equipped. And get some armor while you're at it. I don't want to go to your mom with your corpse because someone cleaved your skull."
"Heh heh... I kinda like this bucket, Miss Rose," he replied sheepishly.
"Donnel," she said seriously.
"Aww… Alright. I'll get going..." He hung his head as he walked away in defeat.
Rose then looked at the mass-produced merchant. "Anna? Did you manage to get any of what I asked for?"
The merchant puffed her chest with pride. "Of course. I wouldn't be the secret seller if I couldn't," the merchant said, sniffing the air theatrically. "It wasn't cheap though ~ " she singsonged, wiggling her eyebrows.
The mercenary tactician didn't bother to hide the roll of her eyes. "Well, good thing the crown is picking up the tab," she snarked. Her expression grew hard. "But enough of that. What do you have for me?"
The redhead took a more serious look, understanding it wasn't the time for games. "I managed to secure twelve Levin Swords, twenty Arcfire tomes, sixteen Arcwind tomes, fifteen Killer Spears and ten Killer Edges. Sadly, I couldn't get more tomes or enchanted weapons. There seems to be trouble importing anything from Valm. Something must be happening there, but no one can give me an update."
'That's putting it mildly.' Rose snarked inwardly. "Make sure the Feroxi Elite is properly equipped, then. All that gold will mean nothing if you and your clients are dead."
"You got it, boss!" she answered, far too cheerfully, before skipping to her destination, leaving Rose alone.
"Lady Tactician?" a familiar voice called from behind. Turning, the former queen came face to face with the serene expression of the priest Libra. She cooled her expressions, trying not to think of the accusations she had received from the devout of Naga in her last life.
"Yes, Sir Priest? How may I help you?" Rose asked in a professional tone. She was never particularly close to Libra, even if he did preside over her wedding, and his devotion made him one of her most vocal accusers.
The priest replied with a pleasant smile, unaware of her inner conflict. "My name is Libra. I'm representing the Clerics and War Priests, and was sent here to inform you of the state of our work."
Business talk. Good. She could deal with that. "Please proceed."
"Of course. We have seen various medical camps across the city, and have gathered all the staves and medicine we have available," explained the War Priest.
Rose nodded in approval. Things were finally getting back on track. "Very good. Have you received the Steel Axes we sent you?"
"We have indeed. They will prove very valuable in protecting our medical camps. We're also leaving a small contingent to protect the Exalt at all times," Libra stated with no small amount of determination. At least she could count on him for this task.
"Excellent work. Please continue and inform me or Phila of any new developments."
Libra bowed to the Plegian and replied, "Will do. Naga be with you, Lady Tactician."
Rose laughed internally at that comment. 'Heh, if only he knew.'
Lady Maribelle Ducret was the daughter of the Marquess of Themis. She was used to dealing with even the most annoying nobles, and she could say she had the patience to deal with difficult people if the situation called for it.
But even she had her limits.
"Is this the best you can do?! Any Plegian would drop dead from laughing if they saw this performance! And you! I haven't said to stop running! Come on! They won't wait for you to catch your breath before they cut you down!"
Maribelle was sick of the Plegian's voice but was too out of breath to express her discontent. Why did she have to do these exercises with the rest of the brutes? She was a Troubadour, not some dirty barbarian! So why did she have to listen to some sellsword harlot's order?! She was a random commoner, not even a Ylissean, at that, and yet she was put in charge of the city by the Prince, with the backing of the Exalt!
Now here she was, ordering Maribelle and the other recruits into a training regime to loosen their bodies for the oncoming engagement. Her normally perfect curls were disheveled and glued with sweat to her skin. Her clothing was replaced with some bland garments, covered in dirt and sweat, some of which she was sure belonged to their previous owner. Surely a horse rider like herself shouldn't have to waste her time doing useless exercises like push-ups, right?
Apparently, Phila and Rose disagreed with her. The Wing commander suggested that Maribelle was placed on the "breaking" of the newest Pegasus Knights, right under the tactician's gaze.
"What's the matter, ladies?! Afraid to break a nail!? I'll be sure to write that in your tombs before I spit on them!"
"Plegian strumpet," Maribelle muttered under her breath, unable to help herself.
Unfortunately for her, the tactician apparently had unnaturally sharp ears.
"What's that, recruit Maribelle?! You think we need to train harder?!" Maribelle's eyes grew wide at the statement. "Great idea! I'm glad you're so eager to defend Ylisstol, dear recruit! To share this motivation, all of you will give me 300 push-ups on my count." Groans were heard. "The first one to give up will be given the task of cleaning the stables, alone! I hope you all have the same enthusiasm as Maribelle over here!"
A chill ran through her spine as she felt the hateful glares from her fellow trainees burning on the back of her head.
"Come on! With me!" Rose dropped to the floor with the recruits and positioned herself ready to do a push-up, much to the recruits' surprise. "No one here is above anyone. Noble or commoner. Knight or mercenary. Ylissean or Feroxi. Everyone bleeds the same. Everyone is here because they're willing to fight and die for Ylisse. It's my job that you live long enough to see the fruit of your efforts, and if I need to sweat and bleed with you, so be it!"
As they progressed with the exercise, Maribelle had to admit she was impressed with the stamina and determination demonstrated by the tactician. It was as if something other than gold was pushing her interests. Maybe –just maybe– she wasn't so bad for a Plegian commoner.
Those thoughts would change once the noble's hand slipped on her own sweat, sending Maribelle crashing on the unforgiving ground.
"I expect those stables to be sparkling by the end of the day, recruit Maribelle."
A very unladylike choice of words remained at the tip of the noble's tongue.
Logistics were a nightmare. Moving a huge army on such short notice is no easy task, especially when you were working against the clock. The Shepherds arrived at the army's location with few problems, aside from a small confrontation with a pack of Risen. The real complication started when Robin had to organize all the soldiers that were marching to Ylisstol. Keeping everything organized and timed well was a real challenge, but Robin didn't let that discourage him. He made good progress and was sure they could make it in time to the capital if everything proceeded as planned.
The tactician heard a familiar set of footsteps coming from behind him. Turning, he saw his commander standing with a concerned expression. "How are the preparations for the march, Robin?" Chrom asked his friend.
Robin frowned slightly until he gave a resigned nod. "As good as they can be on such short notice. I've messengers running around, issuing orders, and preparing the troops as best as they can. I'm not sure when we'll clash with the Plegian army, so it's best to be ready. I don't know if the situation has changed much at all. Even if Marth gave us information from the future, the timeline has already changed, and permutations are bound to happen. We could reach the capital with enough time to intercept them, or we could be too late. We lack too much information to make an educated guess. It could be a trap, or–" the amnesiac trailed off with a nearly desperate tone.
Chrom shook him slightly, regaining his attention. "Hey! Don't start panicking on me now. I need you strong. Besides, Rose is in charge, along with Phila and many Feroxi veterans. I'm sure they will be able to handle the situation until we arrive."
"Yeah, you're right," the tactician agreed with a chuckle. "This exhaustion is affecting my nerves."
The prince nodded in agreement. "Then take some rest. We will depart in four hours, and you can't ride completely exhausted."
"I… Alright, I guess I can take a break," Robin admitted.
Slinging an arm around his friend's shoulders, Chrom guided him to one of the fires. "Good, now come with me, let's have something to eat."
The remaining days passed quickly as Ylisstol prepared their defense. Phila was proud of the work her people had put into defending their capital. She could see how much confidence it inspired in the population that Emmeryn stood at their side, not leaving for safety. The wing commander didn't like the risk, but couldn't argue against the results.
"We're as ready as we can be. The traps are set, the siege weapons are loaded, and our troops are properly equipped. Our latest update indicates that the Plegian army is still a day away, so we can implement some additional measures," Phila informed the tactician as she finished her report. The Wing Commander might still have had her reservations about the Plegian, but she couldn't deny the tactician had done an admirable job organizing the defenses.
Rose nodded in understanding. "Any word from the Shepherds and the Feroxi Army?"
"None yet. We expect them to arrive in the morning. They might arrive just in time to clash with the Plegian army if they don't run into any inconveniences." Phila hated the lack of information they currently had. Much of what they had to work with was incomplete information and guessing.
"All right. Nothing we can do about it, at this point. I want you to make sure the Exalt is safe once the battle starts. Then you'll join the other riders in battle. We have some griffins and wyvern riders amongst the Feroxi, so that will bolster our forces. And since Plegia won't be able to move many wyverns on such short notice, we should be even in the skies, now that we've recalled the other Pegasus Knights. Land combat will be our main priority." The mercenary tactician turned her gaze to the present representatives. "The rest of you: All of you have your instructions. Relay them to your teams. I expect everyone to give it your best." Rose slammed her fist on the table, cracking the hardened wood with sheer strength. "And curses on whoever decides to die with a clean sword!"
The soldiers cheered and dispersed to their stations. Phila had to admit, this woman had skill in leading and motivating an army. She wondered where she learned and practiced such skills. Surely such a tactician would've earned at least some fame. Phila observed as Rose started to move to the main observatory when a messenger came running to her with a distressed expression.
"Ma'am! We have spotted the Plegian army! They are getting close to the walls!"
That was like a bucket of cold water being dropped on both the tactician and commander. "What?! What's the meaning of this?! I was just told they were still a day ahead! How did they sneak the entire army past our scouts!?" Rose shouted at the messenger.
"We don't k-!"
Whatever the messenger was going to say was silenced as an explosion rocked the castle.
A/N: Thanks to Victory3114 and robotortoise for their suggestions and assistance.
