Chapter 10 – Unyielding Tides
Chrom felt his stomach drop at the sight that greeted him once Ylisstol came into view. The previously pristine landscape had been reshaped into something straight out of his nightmares. To his left he could see the fields, once filled with delicious crops, submerged under the released waters from the dam. To the far east, he could see the landslide that fell on the mountainside. Worst of all, the central plain had been transformed into a scorched hell of molten rock and burned grass, as if an angry god strike down those that dared stand in his way. Scores of burnt Plegian bodies littered the plains, with those that still had skin on their faces having their expressions frozen in horror.
And those were the ones far from the epicenter.
"Dear Naga, what happened here?" asked Frederick at his side.
Turning around, Chrom saw the shocked and anxious faces of his Shepherds as they looked over the ruined city. Smoke rose from the capital but, if he was honest, it looked much better than they had anticipated after their delay. The prince cursed Gangrel under his breath for slowing them down. They should have expected that saboteurs would block the mountain path, delaying their arrival farther. They arrived two days later than predicted, much to the Ylisseans' dismay. The troops they gathered would not matter if everybody in the capital were dead.
The prince gritted his teeth and answered to his trusted knight, "Not sure, but we are going to find out. Be on your guard," he ordered
The army continued their march, slowly making their way to the capital. If it was under Plegian control... They couldn't be reckless. But as they drew closer some sense of relief came over them as they could recognize the Ylissean and Feroxi people fixing the gates under the proud banners of Ylisse.
At his side, Robin took command, "I want the army divided into three parts and settling outside the city. A small convoy will come with the Shepherds. We don't need to cause panic or disorder to the populace. Once you set up camps, await further orders."
Messengers nodded and departed fulfill their orders. In a few minutes, the army dispersed to their assigned positions, leaving the Shepherds with less than a hundred soldiers to accompany them.
Marching to the main gate, the Shepherds were greeted by a morbid sight. Piles of bodies were growing outside the city gates. Plegian bodies thrown into a pile with little care while Ylissean and Feroxi bodies were respectfully lined on the ground, covered in cloth and being given their last rites by the priests of Naga.
Chrom did his best to avoid looking at the smallest bundles.
The flapping of wings alerted the group of an incoming arrival. A pegasus flew towards them at great speed, almost getting shot down by anxious archers and only spared by their tactician's orders.
The rider was revealed to be a young brunette girl with a disheveled appearance; a sign of her constant work most likely. "Prince Chrom!" the girl saluted. "Recruit Tamara of the Pegasus Knights, reporting! It's good to see you all safe!"
The bluenette nodded in response, addressing the messenger with posture worthy of royalty. "At ease. I can't say our march was uneventful but nevermind that for now. What is the condition of the city? How are the people?" he asked in concern.
Tamara cringed slightly, rubbing her bandaged arm to ease her nerves. "We were hit hard, sir. From what we gathered from the prisoners and our observations, the Plegians used a massive cloaking spell powered by all their mages to move their army close to the city before we could mount a defense."
"Dammit! Plegia is still pulling out their cursed tricks!" snarled the prince, earning nods from a few of the Shepherds.
"A cloaking spell? Worrisome..." The prince saw Robin stop with a frown on his face at his side. After a moment, the tactician looked at him with a concerned expression. "I'll go to the central command point. They should have all the information we need to get a clear picture and get a feeling of the casualties and our current status. We need to prepare in case they use this trick again."
"I will accompany him, captain," Sumia said, patting her pegasus with care. "This poor girl needs a rest."
"The stables in the central command are still intact, ma'am," offered Tamara, earning a smile from the clumsy knight.
Sully looked at her horse and trotted next to Sumia, "Good idea there, Stumbles. I'll go with her, Chrom. This bad boy needs a rest too."
Sumia sputtered at the nickname, eyes growing wide in horror. "S-Stumbles?!" she said in dismay, turning to glare at the giggling ginger-haired thief.
Chrom ignored their antics, as more important topic occupied his mind. "Alright. Report anything of importance immediately," the prince stated. He spared a glance at his most loyal knight. "How about you Frederick? Does your mare need a rest?"
Sully butted in before the knight could speak. "Bah! You know him, Chrom. He will stick you like a pair of sweaty pantaloons," Sully said, earning a glare and a blush from the Great Knight. "Give her here, big guy. I'll take care of her."
Frederick looked apprehensive for an instant, but nodded and dismounted his horse. "I– Thank you, Sully. I appreciate it. Marla needs a good rest."
The red cavalier waved him off and took the reins of the mare. "Yeah, yeah. Come on, girl. You've earned a good rest," Sully replied, departing with Sumia and Robin to the central camp.
Once they left, Chrom turned his attention back to the Tamara "What about the Exalt? Is my sister safe?" the prince asked in concern for his kin.
The girl fidgeted in place, evading looking into his eyes and making a pit form in the blunette's stomach. Reluctantly, Tamara answered the question, still not meeting his gaze. "Well… She is alive and unhurt after the battle, but...maybe you could talk some sense into her."
The tone of her voice didn't inspire the prince with any confidence.
Nine thousand four hundred and seventy dead civilians with twelve thousand, eight hundred and forty injured.
Three thousand and two hundred dead militia volunteers with four thousand six hundred and sixty injured.
Five hundred and ninety-seven dead soldiers with seven hundred thirty-nine injured.
The delicate calligraphy belittled the horror those numbers represented. The reports kept coming, and the numbers kept climbing, even if a lot of the figures were guesses at best. What was worse for the tactician is that these figures were from just from half the affected districts. Robin took a moment to run all the numbers and scenarios in his head to get a clear picture of the aftermath.
The defenders were few and had to devote a lot of time to move civilians to the northern district and into the mountain passages, which luckily lead to the east, away from Plegia's territory. The capital depended entirely on the thick walls that surrounded and sectioned the city for defense. It was this construction that endured the Plegian assault and allowed them to funnel them into bottlenecks positions and eliminated the Plegian numerical superiority.
At least that was the idea.
All the plans and preparations made by the defenders worked wonderfully, but it would be foolish to believe there were not going to casualties. The siege engines and destructive spells launched by the Plegian army had devastated the city before Ylisse could mount their defenses. Thousands dead in the span of a few minutes, unable to leave their homes. The risen monsters that appeared in both battlefields were also responsible for many casualties, carving a path of death and horror as they cut the civilians from their escape routes.
Ylisstol's population was much higher than the number of troops they had to protect them. It was twisted luck that the number of civilians in the city were still low since the last war, but it was of small comfort when looking at the piles of corpses in the street. The last census placed the population of the capital at around 180,000 in comparison to the nearly 360,000 before the Plegian War.
Many civilians had left for Ferox and Valm to escape the conflict, not returning once the war was over. Others died of famine and disease or on the battlefield. The rest spread through the halidom's territories to help with the reconstruction, which probably helped them survive more than anything. Fewer people in the city meant lower casualties, but Robin still expected around 20,000 casualties in the city alone when all the search efforts were over, despite evacuating many people to other cities across the halidom.
The only thing he could say was that things could've been much worse had they not received the information from Marth. The siege weapons and surprise spells certainly did a number on the ambushed populace, taking a heavier toll than the main army before the city's defenders dispatched them.
They were lucky the battle lasted only a day. Robin dreaded to think how things would have turned out had the siege lasted longer.
Things could've been much better, though. Looters were on the rise while the army tried to calm the riots and restore order to the populace. Fear and panic were taking hold of the people, making that task harder. The loss of their field to the opening of the dam will force the capital to depend on external food sources for a while.
Robin tossed the papers on his desk and dropped his head on his hand, trying to ignore the guilt and rage the was boiling in his stomach. Even with the tip and their preparations, Gangrel still got the drop on them. He has no idea how Plegia got their hand on that damned cloaking spell, but the tactician aimed to counter it and never fall prey to it again.
Might throw Sully at one of the captured dark mages. That might make them talk more.
The amnesiac started drafting a reconstruction plan to leave in the hands of the merchant and labor guilds because he had no doubts they would leave for the front lines soon enough.
"What do you mean she's going to the border!?" Chrom shouted, all sense of decorum forgotten, much to Maribelle's displeasure. She was dirty, tired and had too many patients to treat to be yelled in middle of the southern camp
"As I said," the troubadour started, dragging the words and sharpening their edge, "Lady Emmeryn believes we are in a strong position to negotiate a ceasefire. With most of the Plegian force in Ylisse decimated and the rest of them licking their wounds Gangrel should feel the pressure to end the war since their morale should be at an all-time low."
"That…! That's an incredibly stupid idea! Two days. We delay for two days, and Emmeryn loses all reason!" the prince exclaimed, his expression stopping short of a snarl when he spoke to the blonde. "Who put this idea into her head!?"
Maribelle was loyal to the royal house like a noble should. But her temperament didn't make it easy for her to deal with the volatile prince. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten in her head, the troubadour responded with as much patience she could muster.
For some reason, it was much easier since she didn't have the energy to explode on a tirade.
"With all due respect, sir, what were we supposed to do? Knock her out and tie her up until she abandoned this line of thought?" Maribelle bit out, making the bluenette falter on his tirade. She really wasn't in the mood to be yelled at, not even by her prince. "The Exalt is a grown woman and our ruler. She can make her own decisions."
"Gangrel will waste no time in killing her if he so much as catch the sight of her."
The blonde pinched the bridge of her nose, understanding Chrom's concern. "Then maybe you should talk some sense into her."
"Where is she?" Chrom asked.
"Lady Emmeryn is currently in the eastern districts helping with the treatment of the wounded and surveying the reconstruction," the noble answered, kneeling next to another injured civilian to threat. "Now if you excuse me, Prince Chrom, I have patients to heal."
She couldn't see the prince nod, but Maribelle knew him well enough. "I'll leave you to your tasks and see her then."
A groan escaped Rose's throat as she closed her eyes tighter, trying to block all sound and light from bothering her. Realizing it was a futile effort, the tactician tried to sit up, but pain shot through her body, throwing her back into the bed. Painfully raising her head, the ashen-haired woman took notice of the state of her body. Blood-soaked bandages covered her wounded form. She could feel her magical reserves being lower than they had been in years. Her draconic powers were almost entirely back into slumber after her stunt, with mere wisps remaining after patching the worst wounds.
No wonder she wasn't fully healed as she should. She didn't have the energy to heal automatically.
Grasping whatever magic she could from the air, Rose healed the worst wounds that the clerics couldn't patch, allowing her to breathe and move without searing pain. That was it, even with her rest, she would be running on fumes for the next few days.
With moderate difficulty, Rose stood from her bed, supporting herself against the stone wall of the barracks. Her eyes saw her cloak folded on a chair with Thorn and her grimoire resting on top of the garment. Only her grieves and one gauntlet seems to have survived the ordeal. Her chest plate as twisted in such a way that the black metal looked like a child's artwork. The other gauntlet laid there, split in two, probably ripped open to treat her wound by the healer.
Rose's eyes grew wide at the implication of the sight. The tactician touched her face and felt her stomach drop. Someone had seen her face. The enchanted hood shadowed her face through a very useful hex. It used a simple illusion spell so that people couldn't figure out her resemblance to her brother, but it was useless if it was pulled over.
"Shit, shit, shit! This is bad!" the former queen cursed under her breath. She hoped that none of the Shepherds had seen her face and that her brother hadn't arrived yet. Rose wasn't ready to answer his questions; not at a time like this.
Using her bedside table for support, the tactician tried to stand by her hand made contact with a piece of paper. Rose note neatly folded laid on her desk, with her name written on it in neat handwriting. The fell dragon, dreading its contents, and tentatively picked the letter and read it:
Lady Sustrai,
No doubt you have questions about your situation but fear not. The invasion has been repelled by your spell and other factors, but sadly you were left at death's door due to sheer exhaustion. I do not know when you will read this letter, but I wrote it the day after the attack. Please mind your recovery, you were grievously injured from your engagements, but I am told by the clerics that you will make a full recovery.
As for the matter of your identity.
"Crap."
I could detect the hex you placed on your hood once it fell off as if a curtain had been removed and noticed a certain similarity between you and Sir Robin. While I do not want to make assumptions, I cannot help but think you have not been entirely honest with him and us, given the interest you have shown in him.
But rest assured for I will not voice these ideas to anyone.
"What." She was very eloquent today.
You protected Ylisstol as vigorously as any native and for that you have my gratitude and my silence. A trusted maid will be taking care of you while you recover. Do not worry about the Shepherds invading your privacy for I have set up a private room for you. Your possessions have been recovered and set inside as you should already be aware by now. I can grant you this much.
If my suspicions are correct, I hope the situation between you and Sir Robin does not bring harm to Ylisse. You might be a mercenary and the situation surrounding you and him is highly suspicious, but both of you have proven reliable even in the direst situations so far. If you have been honest with your good intentions and meant no harm to Ylisse then whatever secrets you hold will be safe with me. I swear on my honor.
But if your intentions prove harmful, no amount of gratitude will protect you from the consequences.
Should you wish to discuss this matter, I will be available once we finish my duties. Still, I do have questions, and I expect them to be answered once this war is over, if for nothing else as for peace of mind.
With regards,
Wing Commander Phila Lavellan of the Pegasus Knights.
"Huh," was all Rose could say in response to the letter. Her identity was safe in the hands of someone she least expected. Phila always struck her as a stick in the mud. "Ok… I didn't expect that from Phila of all people." The tactician chuckled, not having expected this. It was weird to still being surprised when you knew the future. "I can work with this. At least it wasn't Frederick. That woul–" Rose's brain ground to a halt, releasing an exasperated groan. "Ah, shit. How long have I been out? They must be back already..."
Hopefully, no one had done anything stupid while she was out.
"Emmeryn!"
'There he is,' the Exalt thought in relief as she stood to face her siblings, though her heart warmed at the sight of their uninjured bodies. Cleaning her hands on her stained robes, Emmeryn ordered her attendants to take over her patient while she dealt with her family.
"Chrom, Lissa. I am glad you are safe," Emmeryn greeted them with a tight hug as the family reunited. "I feared the worst when you didn't arrive in time," she said with a worried expression on her face.
"Plegia blocked our path through the mountain forcing to take the long way around," Chrom explained earning a nod of understanding.
"Are you ok, Emm? Are you injured?" Lissa asked as she took in the sight of bloodied robes of her sister.
"I am well, Lissa. This blood isn't mine," the eldest reassured with a warm smile that was quickly replaced by a defeated expression. "Sadly it belongs to many of our people. So many dead, even more so wounded..."
"Emm, I understand you feel guilty, but you can't seriously consider trying to talk to Gangrel into a ceasefire again!" Chrom exclaimed, jumping directly to the point.
"It seems you already are informed of my plans," Emmeryn commented as she guided her sibling to an empty room. Once inside she looked at them with a confused frown,"But why do you say that? With the fresh troops you have gathered we should have the manpower to at least force a total retreat from out territory and secure our land."
Chrom blinked in confusion at her question, "I… You're not aware. Of course, you aren't. We couldn't send any messengers..."
"Aware of what? What are you talking about?" Emmeryn asked, feeling the cold fear reappearing in her stomach.
Leaving against the wall, Chrom ran a hand over his face in exasperation. "Before we reached the roadblock, we were ambushed. The Plegians summoned a horde of Risen and sicked them on us. Not only that but they used some unholy monsters made of corpses against us."
Emmeryn recoiled as if slapped. "Oh, Naga. How is everyone? Are many hurt? How many did we lose this time?" the Exalt ask in worry.
The man on the family sighed in response. "Less than I hoped, more than should have made it out. Luckily for us Robin was quick to discover their weakness and exploited it, so we fared much better than we could've."
"The box inside their bodies, correct?" the Exalt stated, vaguely remembering Phila's report.
"Yes, tha–" Chrom stopped as he registered the words of his sister. "Wait. How do you know about that?"
"Risen appeared in the city along during the incursion along with monsters made of their rotten flesh melded together," Emmeryn explained, privately happy that she had not faced such creatures.
Her brother was taken aback by the information. "I see… I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It seems Plegia has no intentions of playing fair, and that's all the more reason not to get close to Gangrel," Chrom said with finality. "He is willing to twist the dead to win then he is as mad as his title suggests."
Emmeryn sighed. "Then what do you suggest?" she asked, feeling down that her plan crumbled before her.
"Staying in Ylisstol is out of the question. Even though the people will feel assured with the Exalt in the city, the disorder is too high for it to remain safe.
"And hiding in Ferox would only reduce our morale," added Emmeryn.
"What can we do..." said the bluenette, racking his brain for a course of action.
"May I make a suggestion?" Lissa said, earning the attention of her siblings.
"Of course you can, Lissa," Emmeryn said with a patient smile.
"How about sending Emm to one of the marches that haven't been attacked? One that has received Feroxi troops? We send Emmeryn in a small convoy to not attract attention. She could be safe there if we keep it low profile and don't release this information to the public," Lissa said nervously.
Her elders were taken aback by Lissa's suggestion, but they could see the merit.
"Hmm, all marches have strong fortification around them and the Plegians won't be able to mount a strong offensive like the one in Ylisstol for a while," Chrom mused, apparently liking the idea. "But if word gets out or if she is detected the convoy could be ambushed on the road when she is most vulnerable."
"How about a decoy? Someone in Exalt robes and a wig could pass as Emmeryn in the distance while the real one is escorted by some guards. We inform just a few people and release false information. Send her south to Knorda to be seen and raise morale, then to Deil but we switch them halfway and send them somewhere else. If they follow the convoy we can lead them to an ambush while Emm goes to her real destination." Lissa suggested to their collective surprise.
Chrom blinked their youngest sibling. "I… Actually, that's not a bad idea Lissa," he said, slowly gaining a smirk on his face. "When did you so smart?"
Lissa puffed her cheeks and pouted, much to the amusement of her elders. "Hey! I might not be as smart as Robin but if I'm good at anything it is pranking and tricking people!" she stated proudly. "Plus, I might have been picking a thing or two from listening to Robin, Virion, and Rose talk." At Chrom's raised eyebrow, she relented, "And I might have heard our dear tactician mumbling a similar plan in our way to the city..."
'Now, that makes more sense.' Emmeryn chuckled at her sibling's antics, shaking her head. It was a nice respite from the gloomy past few days. "We know you are smart, Lissa. There is no need for letting Chrom tease you like that," she said, earning chuckles from her brother and a pout from her sister. "Still, if we are going to follow this plan, where would I go? We can't go to the Eastern Palace again, and cities like Themis are too close to the border for it to be safe."
"Hmmm, let me discuss this with Robin and the others. One of them should have an idea," Chrom suggested.
The elder sibling nodded in agreement. It was a sensible idea. "Very well, I shall leave it in your hands. Now, how about you two get a bath and then we can have dinner together? We still have time to refine this idea so let's take a rest," Emmeryn suggest, much to the delight of her siblings.
The tactician spent the last two days handling the preparations for Chrom's plan. He had to admit it had merit and with the stretched resources they had thanks to the incursion he couldn't think of a better idea himself.
Even though technically it had been one of the ideas he thought of during their march.
'Sneaky she-devil prankster,' Robin though with a slightly bruised pride.
They already contacted the march of Deil and the county of Caeda's Landing, issuing their instructions and proper documentation through their fastest messengers to ensure their plan went without a hitch. At least with the Plegians pushed back they could send their flyers with little worry of ambush. It seems they had run all the way to their ships and departed, not willing to engage the pursuing army with their depleted numbers. Everything appeared to be ready on that end at least.
Robin took a moment to look at the courtyard and watch the soldiers scrambled to finish their preparations. After eating and having a good night's rest, because gods know they needed it, everyone was eager to work in joining the war effort.
Their physical and mental health were stretched thin, despite the brave front many put up, though. A couple of visits to the clerics showed the real level of strain and injuries many decided to ignore and hide, much to the chagrin of the tactician. And as much as they wanted to stay and rest they would do better in the border forts to help on that front.
Which brought Robin to his current situation.
"No," stated Robin with a level of authority and conviction he wasn't aware he was capable of achieving.
Of course, his answer was not well received.
"What do you mean 'no'?" asked Stahl in bewilderment. "Sir, with all due respect, we are ready to fight," the cavalier insisted, earning a nod from the red-haired woman at his side. Cordelia, if he recalled correctly.
The tactician pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push back the headache that was forming. "Stahl, I don't doubt your willingness or that of Lady Cordelia, but if my information is correct, you have multiple cracked ribs and extreme fatigue. Your friend here has multiple lacerations and bruises. It's best if you rest for at least a couple of weeks."
"This is nothing a cleric and some of my family's ointments can't fix," insisted the cavalier. "We should be ready for combat in about two days."
"Sir, I know it's the first time we speak, but please! We can fight!" agreed the redhead.
Robin was about to engage on a long list of reason as of to why their insistence was a terrible idea when someone interrupted him.
"Let them come, Robin," came a voice from behind him, which startled the tactician.
He spun around to glare at the culprit, "Stop doing that!" Robin swore that every time she appeared behind him his hair grew whiter.
"Doing what?" asked his fellow tactician with an insincere innocent expression, though it lacked her usual playfulness. Rose wasn't wearing her chest plate and had many bandages across her body, visible through her shirt. Her cloak had gashes and looked patched up, making it look more roughed up than his own.
"You–" Robin stopped and pushed the observations to the side and resumed trying to bring reason into his comrades for their time was short. "Forget it. Even then, you're not one to talk! You've been in a coma for days!"
"...Not that many, just four, Rose grumbled out.
"You almost died from your injuries and exhaustion! I have your medical report right here! Let's see. Broken arm, cracked ribs, collapsed lung, broken jaw, multiple lacerations, ruptured kidney…" The tactician gaped at the injured woman in disbelief who disregarded his concern, finally reading the whole report. "Gods, how are you alive?"
The hooded woman dismissed his argument with a wave of her hand. "I had worse. I'm healed enough now and ready for action."
"What!?" Robin heard himself shout. She couldn't have healed from that! And yet, here she was in front of him like nothing had happened to her.
"I heal fast but never mind that. If you're that worried, you can buy me a fruit basket or something. As I was saying," Rose continued, ignoring his disbelieving glare. "Sir Stahl and Lady Cordelia performed admirably during the invasion if what I read in the reports is correct. I know it's not my place, but I would like to recommend her inclusion into the Shepherds if that's okay with you. We could always use more flying units, especially one of such quality," the mercenary tactician stated, earning a grateful blush from Cordelia at the praise.
Robin calmed down, knowing that this debate was not a battle he would win, and mulled over the suggestion. He recalled the dossier of prominent candidates that he had been reading before his departure and Cordelia was amongst those that stuck out."I've read Phila's report and her resume. I don't question her skills, and your idea has merit. In fact, I agree. I already discussed it with Chrom, and he approved her inclusion in the squad," he explained earning surprised expressions from the two knights. Robin wasn't done, though. "But both of them should be resting in bed since not everyone has that inhuman metabolism of yours," Robin snarked, taking the opportunity to take a jab at her."And Lady Cordelia lost her mount. She needs time to break a new steed and train it to be combat-ready."
"True…" Rose admitted. She rubbed her chin as she pondered their options. "How about this? There should be pegasi ready from the unfortunate demise of some of the Pegasus Knights that must have survived." Robin winced at her clinical tone but understood her meaning. They couldn't waste resources in a time like this and Cordelia was relatively fit for light duty, even if he wanted to rest. "They can come with us to the fort and go as liaisons to meet with the Khans once their convoy arrives. That way, they should be out of battle and still fulfill an important role."
The male tactician weighted her suggestion. "Not a bad idea. It's light duty, and both should be back to full health in the next few days as long as they don't exert themselves. Plus, we need all the manpower and resources we can get. It would keep them from complaining, and we get skilled soldiers back on the field," Robin said with confidence, earning an approving nod from his counterpart.
"They know we are standing right here, right?" Cordelia questioned the wounded cavalier with a frown on her face.
Stahl gave a shrug, trying not to wince in pain. "Those two always go into their own little world when they start going. Typically it happens when Robin wants to bounce strategies with her. Don't take it personally. It's a tactician's thing."
The redhead shook her head in exasperated amusement. "Splendid."
Reaching a satisfactory decision, both tacticians turned to the tired knights. Robin addressed them while ignoring the annoyed expressions on their faces, "Very well. The both of you can accompany us to the fort and work as the liaisons to the Khan. I will give you your full instructions later today."
Both knights' expression brightened, and they stood as straight as their bodies allowed to salute, "Yes, sir!"
"Dismissed." After the knights had departed, Robin turned his attention to the tense mercenary with a concerned frown. "Seriously, are you alright?" Even to his ears, that question sounded stupid. If Phila's report is to believe this walking mystery was responsible for incinerating a good fourth of the Plegian force. A task that would cast a heavy toll on her mind and body. "I tried to see you yesterday after I read the reports but Phila insisted you were left alone." Hopefully, now that they were just the two of them in the area she would be honest with him.
The hooded woman sighed and relented, "Truth be told, I've been better."
"You could always stay behi–" Robin tried to offer but was interrupted by her angry response.
"No!" Rose growled at him, much to his surprise. She quickly regained her composure, giving a tense shake of her head, "Sorry, I just hate being thought of as weak. The truth is I'm physically stable if a bit sore. Magically, however..." Rose trailed off, looking at her tome, "Let's just say I won't be casting magic for a while. At most I'll use straightforward and familiar spells."
"Speaking of spell... I read about what happened… The spell you used on the southern field. I can't believe you wielded such power… Powerful magic like the one you used could have turned the tide of many battles… Why hide it, though? Had you informed us of that, we could have planned around it. We could use all the help we can get and hiding such tool does us no good," he asked with narrowed eyes.
"So you finally asked," Rose said as if she had expected the question. "Very well. To cast this spell, I had to store a lot of magic inside my tome for a long time. I'm not going to get into the details but casting that spell is a 'high risk, high reward' kind of thing." Rose gave him a wry smile, "A fitting description for the backslash almost killed me. Had to use dark magic and a few hexes to strengthen my body and not being immolated inside out." The mercenary had the decency to grimace. "Still, it was a close call. I wasn't sure I could succeed."
"You shouldn't have done something so reckless!" he shouted at her. He ignored the glances some passing soldiers gave the pair as he focused on the woman.
"In case you've forgotten, we were surrounded by an army," Rose pointed out. "The truth is that our defenses would have held for a little while, but our hope was that you arrived with the Feroxi army to turn the tide. Had I not acted we would've lost since you were delayed. Can you think of another course of action I could have taken with such a little amount of options available?"
"I...No, I don't think so," Robin conceded. It was a terrible situation to be in, and he didn't envy her for dealing with that, even if it should have been his responsibility. "Between you, Miriel, and Donell of all people, the Plegians were pushed back, but had your spell not scared them off they would have regrouped and hit harder next time."
"We just lacked the manpower to hold the city for long. And then Plegian pulled out the cloaking spell and started summing Risen. We were out of options, so we all took desperate measures."
"Alright, I understand," the male tactician relented. "But please don't take such rash actions anymore. You could have hit friendlies had they been fighting in the fields."
Rose scowled in response. "I'm not an idiot, Robin. That's why I cast it in the center of their formation and away from the city."
"Fair enough, I meant no offense," Robin said with a placating gesture. At her persistent frown, he asked, "Something wrong?"
"Nothing, just..." Rose trailed off with a thoughtful frown, "Do you truly believe sending Emmeryn away is the best course of action?"
"I take it you don't approve?" the amnesiac asked, earning a conflicted expression in return. "I said the same to Chrom, but none of the royals budged. As much as I would like her to stay here, their word is law," Robin said. It was true, and he would have preferred her in the capital with most of the troops. "Their idea has merit, though. A little diversion and we can both secure Emmeryn and bait any possible assassins into a trap."
"It's a good plan, if a little basic," the mercenary tactician conceded. "I admit I did not foresee the damage to the city. I expected us to be able to get the army here and push them away with fewer complications. With Ylisstol in a much better state, her staying here would have been ideal. But the city is very vulnerable right now. We simply can't focus on the Exalt at all times. Too many variables to consider..." Rose said with a shake of her head. "I just hope this works out. I would volunteer to go with her, but I doubt anyone would want the Plegian mercenary alone with the Exalt just after the attack."
"True enough," Robin agreed, not having anything else in the matter since their hands were tied. "Funny, I didn't expect Lissa to come up with a plan."
Ra chuckled, "Yeah. You better be careful, or she might replace you as tacticians."
Both stopped at her words and took a moment to imagine the scenario only to receive simultaneous shivers of dread.
"Let's hope that never happens," Robin said with a nervous laugh and quickly changed the topic. "Well, since you are too stubborn and insist on coming with us, please rest some more. I will call you if anything needs your attention."
"I feel fine. I can help around, and I could use some stretching by tortu– training some recruits. All in the name of the war effort," Rose insisted with a sincere tone that Robin didn't buy for one second.
"Yeah, no. You will rest. That's an order," the male tactician said with finality.
Much to his surprise, she gave him an honest-to-gods pout. "Fine, mom. I'll go back to my room," Rose said faux bitterness and departed with a mock salute, leaving the tactician shaking his head and muttering something about stubborn Shepherds with no respect for his rank.
The next day saw the Lowell sibling bidding farewell to the eldest. Chrom saw his sister mount the carriage, flanked by a platoon of Feroxi soldiers.
"Are you sure you don't want more soldiers to accompany you, Emm?" Chrom asked with a frown.
Emmeryn shook her head, "No. This will be enough, Chrom. Our forces are needed elsewhere."
"At least take Phila with you," said Lissa with equal worry. "She's never apart from you."
"While it would be good for the decoy to have Phila with them, I need her here. The Pegasus Knights suffered heavy losses and she is the only one that can command them effectively right now," Emmeryn explained the answer they already knew.
"I understand, though it doesn't make me feel better," Chrom said with a sigh, looking at his sister in the eyes to convey his sincere worry. "Please, take care of yourself sister. If the situation looks bad, escape at all costs. Ylisse needs you more than anything else."
"I will. I hope to see you two soon," Emmeryn said giving them a hug and closing the door to her carriage.
"Do not worry, Prince Chrom. Everything is in order for her to reach our state with little problem," said a jolly voice from behind him.
"Count Oswell," greeted the prince, turning back to meet with the old noble. "Thank you for your help setting up accommodations for my sister."
"Please, milord, I have known you since you were a child. Please call me Bartholomew, or Bart if you feel like it," the portly man said in good cheer. "And how could I deny the chance to help our dear Exalt?"
Chrom chuckled at the old man's joviality, "Thank you then, Bartholomew, for your hospitality."
"Again, do not mention it, my boy," the man said while handing Chrom a letter "Here, this is the confirmation from my wife that everything has been set up on our end. I wish I could accompany you but I also have duties in the city," said the noble with regret.
"Don't worry, you already did enough," Chrom said as he read the letter. Nodding in approval he turned to the Feroxi in charge of the Exalt's security. "Everything is ready, then. The disguised caravan with the decoy will meet you at the rally point. They will give you a letter with the seal of House Eremon to verify they come from Deil. You know what to do from then on."
"We will protect her with our lives, Lord Chrom. No harm shall befall your sister," swore the man, giving a salute and departing with the rest of the caravan.
"I hope so," murmured the prince, taking one last look at the departing carriage before returning to the castle.
They still had a war to win, afterall.
"So Ylisstol still stands and Emmeryn lives," Grima mused as his disciple finished informing him of the situation.
"Yes, Lord Grima," the disciple replied. "Do you desire for Aversa's punishment?"
The Fell Dragon dismissed the suggestion. "Aversa still has her uses, her failure matters not. Fate will not be cheated. Emmeryn will die before the war is over. The bloodshed in her name will strengthen Plegia's soil for when I need to create my body," Grima declared. He was getting sick of the meat bag he was forced to use instead of his majestic, true form. "The loss of Sable is worrisome, but no doubt is already in the hands of Naga's pawns." Validar had all the tools to succeed, but apparently the royal brat hadn't learned her lesson and kept meddling with destiny. "The spell they Ylisse used is new. They shouldn't have access to such high-level magic. It seems the children have been busy," the dragon mused with a frown. "Anything else?"
"Our spy-ravens manage to listen to their meeting. All indicates that she is moving towards the march of Deil with the intention of switching Emmeryn with a double to trick us."
"Deil?" A wicked grin spread across his face. "Good," the Fell Dragon said as he wrote something in a piece of paper and gave it to his disciple. "This are your instructions. Go and fulfill them to the letter, but make no mistake," he warned. "I expect good news next time we speak or there will be consequences."
"Yes, milord. Your will shall be done," the disciple bowed and left the room, leaving the draconic deity along.
"Soon, all the pieces will be in place. Chrom will gather the Fire Emblem and the gemstones for me in his pathetic attempt to stop the inevitable only to make my work easier," the dragon said as he watched the map on his table, starting to laugh at the memories that appeared on his mind. "Oh, how I look forward to watching you squirm again, Prince. Maybe this time, I'll have your daughter watch. It will be a good father-daughter bonding time," Grima said with twisted pleasure.
Rearranging the piece on his map so that the figures around Deil moved closer, Grima let his grin grow bigger as he saw his new course of action.
"Perfect. Everything will fall into place," Grima purred in satisfaction. "Foolish children, it doesn't matter what path this world takes for it shall always reach the same end." Grima said as he knocked the piece representing the Exalt from the board.
The carriage shook from the bump in the stony path as they convoy made its way to the meeting point. Emmeryn and her double were seated together inside, with the Exalt already changed into a different set of robes that covered her face and mark not to arouse suspicion. The trip was silent, letting Emmeryn focus on her thoughts. She would have preferred to stay in the capital and help her people, but she had to agree with her brother. Her status as an idol would mean that were she to fall her people would be demoralized. So at least for now, she would go to the state and issue orders from there.
The convoy stopped suddenly, snapping the queen out of her thoughts. The door was opened by one of the Feroxi men. "Stay close, your Grace."
Emmeryn nodded and walked behind the man, flanked by two other soldiers. Now that she was outside, the Exalt saw they were at a crossroads. On the other side of the road was a simple merchant convoy with a couple of armored guards and a few fidgeting merchants tending to their cart. An armored giant of a man stood in front of the convoy. His entire body was covered in steel armor, making him an imposing figure.
Her guard stepped forward, "Do you have the letter?" the Feroxi soldier asked with his hand on his blade. Emmeryn could see the other soldiers reading for any possible conflict.
The armored man nodded and pulled out a letter from his pouch. "Here, it is."
The Feroxi took the letter and showed it to the Exalt. Emmeryn recognized the unbroken seal of the House Eremon, ruler of the march of Deil. Opening it, she verified the contents and the passphrase, confirming its veracity. Nodding to her guard, the Feroxi relaxed and allowed the Exalt to march forward. The rest of the convoy relaxed and released their hold on their weapons.
"We entrust her safety to you," the Feroxi said.
The armored man nodded, "We'll make sure she reaches her destination in one piece. This way, Your Grace," he said, guiding the disguised Exalt to the inconspicuous merchant cart and stepping inside with her.
The convoy continued with the decoy towards the south to Deil, while the Exalt made her way back north to Caeda's Landing with the disguised caravan.
"Something to drink, your majesty? I got some water with lemon with me. It's not much but it should do the trick until we reach the state," the man said, offering her his water skin.
"Thank you, I haven't had much to drink during our trip," Emmeryn said to the man with a smile and took a nice gulp of the beverage to quench her thirst.
"Please, don't thank me. Not for this..." The man said in a somber tone, raising his visor to reveal a bushy beard on a dark-skinned face and grey eyes.
Plegian eyes.
"Wha–" Emmeryn tried to said but much to her horror, she felt her body freeze up.
The last thing she heard before her world went black were the sorrow voice of the man, "I'm so sorry, Lady Emmeryn."
Mustafa removed his helmet and took in the sight of the collapsed Exalt. The Plegian general collapsed against his seat, rubbing a hand on his face. He picked up the fast-acting sleep potion and looked at it with disgust. Bandits and soldier he could fight despite his distaste for bloodshed, but subterfuge was something else. He despised having the get involved like this but his orders were clear.
'Bring in the Exalt or your soldier's families along with your own will be executed.'
He had no idea how that Grimleal that handed him the letter knew about the interception, but having handed him the gear of the real members of the Ylissean squad.
He didn't ask what happened to their original owners. Removing the blood was clue enough.
The general tied the Exalt up and Still, Mustafa took no pleasure in his success. The general and his squad respected Emmeryn for her desire for peace, they even sympathized with her ideals. Sadly, as long as Gangrel remained on the throne and their families under watch they couldn't deny the Mad King's orders.
"The Exalt is secured," Mustafa said to the rider through the window. "Make way for our hidden boat. It's a long trip until we reach Plegia."
The rider nodded and the general heard his orders being relayed to the other disguised soldiers. Mustafa was pleased with the professionalism and loyalty of the men under his command. At least with his directly in control of this squad, he could guarantee the Exalt was threatened with the respect she deserved and not mishandled.
He could grant her that much.
A/N: I have to thank Victory3114 for pointing out the horrible way I originally handled Emmeryn's capture. It was a way too forced and I was even aware of how weak my justification was. Fear not, the bigger diversions are coming, but I need to knock Rose down a bit first. She couldn't do much for the plan since she was unconscious and they already had their own plans. As far as she is aware, this is a solid plan and one that she and Robin would have come up with anyways. Sadly, time doesn't like when she tries to change things.
Moved a lot of scenes to the next chapter to fix the flow a bit. It's not fully beta'd, so again my apologies for the mistakes since I'm sure it feels a bit clunky. Most of the meat was moved to the next chapter, this is just set up so it feels a bit rushed. I will include more of Rose's thoughts on the plan next chapter. A bit of downtime is needed after the last chapters, but they needed to get secure Emmeryn first since the frontlines are still busy. More will be explained in the scenes I moved.
I drew Rose and made a new cover art showing her new Mark. Check my profile or just go to look for my DeviantArt page, santafer and look for her concept art.
