Author's Note: I originally had this as a part of the next chapter, but it was long enough I moved it up a little. Sorry about the wait. I haven't abandoned this story, I've just been busy. College application season is here, and I have a few places I really want to get into that require some good essays. Most of my energy has been devoted to that and the other 4,000 word essay I have due at the end of the month... School, huh? Anyway, it's been two months and a week since the last update. I shouldn't delay this any longer.
EDIT: How could I forget?! DANCER LASLOW! MY BOY FINALLY GOT HIS DREAM! When that banner came out for FE Heroes I just about died of joy. The only thing that could make me happier at this point is for him to, you know, come home. I've spent ~80 orbs on the performance banner, and I don't have a single focus unit... I've been trying to get either him or Olivia, but they're hiding or something. There are only 18 days left. Come on guys, I need you-!
Anyway, that's (semi-) off topic. So without further ado, enjoy.
Some time before the performance
"I don't see why we even have to be here," Laslow whined with a frown, turning the mug in his hands. "These people aren't doing anything out of malice. They had a poor harvest due to the drought - they couldn't pay their regular tribute. Had they done so, none of them would have had a crumb to eat!"
He and Xander were sitting in the room they'd been assigned in the inn they were staying at, discussing the reasons for their being sent there. A week prior, Garon had deployed them to Arkess to 'subdue the rebellion' going on there; to 'end the treason those ungrateful children' were performing. That treason being the failure to pay the kingdom their annual grain tribute that served to pay for Arkess' protection. Protection which had not come at all during the five bandit raids the town had experienced during the current year of payment.
"I know, Laslow," Xander sighed. "But Father has ordered us to come. You know what happens when I say 'no.'"
Laslow scoffed. "Pardon my words, but no, I don't Milord. Not once have you refused King Garon's orders while I've been your retainer."
"Not once have I managed to refuse my father's words in the end. I've attempted several times to prevent whatever tragedy he wants me to carry out. But it always ends in unneeded suffering. You know that." Xander's voice free grave at the end of his sentence.
"..." Laslow paused. "Yes, I do, milord. Sorry. It's just… this is so injust! There's no righteousness to be found in what we're doing. How can you stand for this!"
"Though you haven't told me what land it is you hail from, and I doubt you ever will, I know your birthplace is not Nohr, and that you are not used to what goes on here. But this way of doing things has been around since I've been a child. Worsening over the years until it's become what it is now, but long present. I've grown up with this, Laslow. That's how I can 'stand' it. How I can tolerate this madness." Xander paused, pushing back his chair to stand. He paced back and forth. "It's not something I believe is right, nor something I can support. But blatantly refusing or ignoring my father will achieve nothing. Our current goal is for the good of Nohr, though I may not support the actions being taken to achieve this end goal. That's why tomorrow we'll be meeting with the town council to talk about a compromise. About some way we can avoid having to arrest the townspeople, or the taking of grain by force as Father wants it."
"...do you really think compromise is possible? That they'd be willing to give up what little food they do have available?" Laslow's voice was grim.
"...Do you not?" Xander seemed confused.
"Sir, you've grown up without ever worrying about being able to eat. Or at least, you've grown up without ever worrying there would be no food available for you to eat. I wouldn't doubt the king has withheld meals from you before because of dissatisfaction with your performance, or something along those lines. And don't deny it - I heard Wilhelma, one of the castle cooks, mention it before!
"Anyway, someone of your status has never had the deep fear of going hungry. Of withering away because of a pit in your stomach that you lack the food to fill. My guess is that you think the people will be fine giving up a few tons of grain because in the end, that only means one less meal a day. Which, while unpleasant, isn't the end of the world, right?"
Xander didn't reply.
"Well, as you can imagine, it's a pretty big deal. When you're eating castle sized meals, giving up one meal is annoying, but not impossible to deal with. When you're giving up a meal that's a fraction of the size of a castle meal, it's a much bigger issue. You saw the townspeople as we walked in, did you not? Most of them are skin and bones. Not a one has an extra pound of fat upon their body. Not even the town head, who would presumably have the best diet. For these people, giving up a meal means giving up a third of their already meager food source. Giving up even a single ton of grain means not only the elimination of a meal, but the siphoning from their other meals. Or possibly even meal. If they ate two meals a day rather than three, I wouldn't be surprised.
"The point is, as much as I hate to admit it milord, I don't think we're going to be getting any grain out of these people peacefully. Any grain taken will be met with an equal amount of blood spilled."
Laslow was wringing his hands, avoiding looking at Xander's face. He had grown up in a different land, where he hadn't experienced the harsh tribute system and ways of Nohr. But what he knew the way people reacted when the last bits of their food were taken away.
After Grima's revival, food became extremely scarce. Food hadn't exactly been plentiful in the years beforehand to begin with, due to the wars which destroyed farmland and killed the unwilling soldiers made from the men who would have farmed it. So even in the years preceding the dark god's revival people had been forced to ration ever so slightly.
Then, upon Grima's return, the situation became many times worse. Maybe as a result of his presence, maybe as a result of something neither Laslow nor the other Ylisseans knew, once fertile lands stopped producing anywhere near their previous levels. It was as if Grima's mere existence had salted the soil. Some people suspected that Grima's followers had polluted the water in attempt to weaken their foes. Others blamed Naga - saying that she'd revoked the blessings she'd given the land for failing to stop her enemy from being revived. But regardless of the cause or the scapegoat the problems were placed upon, famine spread.
As food ran out, bandits ran wild. More people turned to thievery to sustain themselves, forming bands across the land regardless of their place of origin. They targeted everyone - the poorest village was targeted just as often as the richest town. Not to say anywhere was particularly rich, as even Ylisstol was on its way down for a long time before the final blow had been dealt. But bandits took from everyone, just as Garon demanded the same tribute from all of his 'subjects' regardless of whether or not they were a part of the Nohrian country or just a conquered sub-state, and regardless of their economic status and the ease with which they could meet his demands.
Laslow could remember walking through ruined villages, looking at all the bodies strewn upon the ground, thin as could be. Whenever he'd ask the village leaders why they had fought so hard despite having only farm tools to defend against well-armed invaders, the response was always the same: "Their lives were so poor anyway. Losing their food meant losing their lives - they'd rather die a quick death by sword than a slow one by hunger."
One new widow had it explained it to Laslow in a more complex way: "If my husband had lived and won he would have lost nothing; if he lived and lost, he would have lost it all and been condemned to a long and painful death. If he died and won, then his family members would have more food on their own plates due to the food not needed to go to the dead; if he died and lost, then at least his hunger pangs would finally be gone, and our daughter would no longer have to watch him suffer."
Although t wasn't a pleasant reality, it was one seen everywhere Laslow went. The situation was different in the new land he found himself in. But the townsfolk were human, and some reactions were common. He didn't want Xander's negotiation attempts to turn into a one sided slaughter.
When Xander finally spoke, it was with a grave tone of voice. "I suppose I have been looking at things through the wrong lense. You're correct in your assumption - I've not once in my life had to worried about starvation. My own, at least. And I can understand your fears of retaliation, and the possible resistance the people will put up at our attempts to take any more from them.
"But nothing will be achieved without negotiation. Tomorrow I will convene with the town council. I'll present my terms and Father's requests. Then I will offer up ways I think could please him while being less of a burden on the townspeople. I'll do my best to reach an agreement that works for us both. If we cannot by the end of the meeting, then I will send a messenger back to the castle and wait for Father's next instructions. I'll mention your concerns in the letter to hopefully convince him to lessen his demands, but it is ultimately up to him and the willingness of the townspeople.
"Now get some rest - while sharing a room with you isn't the end of the world, I don't want to be kept up all night by whatever it is you do when you disappear. The door is loud enough I've no doubts it would wake me if you tried to enter or exit. So goodnight Laslow, and I shall see you in the morn."
"So, how did it go?" Peri asked cheerfully, bouncing slightly as Xander exited the building where his meeting with the town council had been held.
A heavy scowl was on his face, worse than usual, and Xander took in a deep (and quite agitated) breath. "I'll tell you when we're somewhere private. Laslow, you still have the roomkey, do you not? If you've given it to some woman in order to score a night out I won't be pleased."
Laslow gave an exaggerated scoff of disbelief. "Why, come on now Lord Xander! I would never!"
Xander glared at Laslow, clearly fed up with his antics already.
"I-I mean, maybe never isn't the right word, but I have it right here, see!" the retainer pulled the key out of his pocket, laughing nervously. "Sorry about that Milord. My words were uncalled for. Please forgive me." Laslow's voice grew small as his feelings of nervousness grew larger.
"I accept your apology. I just ask that you refrain from doing that again. I'm not in the mood this morning." The prince's voice had calmed slightly, his irritation dripping away. Laslow felt relieved.
Peri's voice drew their combined attention. "Does Lord Xander need Peri to eviscerate someone? Peri can do it - that's the 'E' in her name!"
Xander's even steps suddenly skipped as he jerked at the offer, while Laslow just about fell onto his face.
The crown prince looked side to side, checking to see if there was anyone around to hear the cheerful woman's words. "No thank you, Peri. Not right now. If all goes well, you won't be eviscerating anyone on this trip, I'm sorry to say. But at the rate things are going, I'm growing more and more worried that the need may arise."
Peri frowned. "Aw. Peri was really looking forward to stabbing someone. She got a new lance that hasn't been made red yet at all! But Peri wants to keep Lord Xander happy too. So she won't stab anyone unless he asks, and hopes that she doesn't need to too!"
"I hold a similar sentiment," Laslow remarked, before quickly adding: "That is, about the hoping we don't have to fight thing. I'd rather not ever stab someone if given the chance. Bloody lances, or swords in my case, aren't the most pleasant thing."
"Yet you're my retainer; a man who's bound to fight," commented Xander.
"As much as I detest the idea of battle, I do know when it's necessary. I fight for a more peaceful future, and so others don't have to, milord. If we lived in a war-free, completely peaceful world then I'd not be the one to change it. But here in this bloody land, I do what I must. There's no place I'd rather be than your side."
Xander gave a quiet chuckle. "What an honor. Thank you Laslow. And thank you too, Peri. Your restraint is very much appreciated. I'll see if there are any bandit forts to clean out on our way back to the castle after this is all over.
"Woohoo!"
They continued walking toward the inn, Laslow opening the door to his and Xander's room once they arrived. When the three of them sat down at the table inside, Xander threw his hand down.
"You were right, Laslow. They're not willing to give up a single pound of grain without compensation, and even then they'll only give up less than a quarter of what Father wants. Their entire stock is still just short of his requests, so they couldn't pay the tribute even if they did pay everything. We're at an impasse."
"What is the compensation they want?" Laslow asked.
"Protection. Not just an empty promise, but an actual guard of at least 15 men sent to stay in the empty fortress a minute's walk from the town. The town would give them some food, but the men would be required to maintain a garden of their own as well since the town's resources are stretched so thin as it is."
"Can't we just give them the men?" Peri questioned, lips pursed. "Peri knows a ton of guys who just sit around the base and don't do anything! They say they're bored by sitting around, but they won't fight Peri for some reason. Maybe they would have a good time helping here!"
Xander nodded. "Theoretically, yes. In reality, probably not. Gathering men to send first requires the permission of their squad leader, all of whom are currently under Iago's command for some strange reason. He and I aren't on the best of terms, so I wouldn't be surprised if he refused the transfer request solely because I filed for it. If need be I could scare him into doing it, but that would require me to come up with a plan that he can't run to Father screaming about, and that takes time I don't have.
"If Father doesn't get some sort of tribute in nine days, he's sending in a squadron to take the grain by force. A squadron that I know will have specific orders to not take any from me. It's a few days' ride to and from the castle. I can't afford to ride to the castle in person to intimidate Iago - there's not enough time. A messenger can get there much faster than I can, but they won't have the same effect. At this point I think the best chance this town has at avoiding backlash from Nohr is to send in what grain they can spare now, and keep half the men with me here while I send some of the others back to the castle to gather help."
Laslow wasn't sure about the plan. "Milord, are you certain this is the best course of action? Your guard can't afford to lose many men. It will be difficult to get more troops who hold as much loyalty to you as our current forces do."
"That I understand. But it won't be permanent. My men I can trust to give proper attention to this place. If I must leave them here for a week or two until the army sends in new men, then I will. I don't want the townspeople to suffer at Nohr's hand because of 'poor performance' caused by a drought they could do nothing to prevent. I've already sent a letter back to the castle. I have another meeting tomorrow. Hopefully the council will understand when I say I cannot immediately meet their requests."
"Peri hopes so too," the woman added.
"As do I," said Laslow.
"Now on to our next matter - Corrin."
Peri shot into a standing position. "Ooh, did we find her? Does Lord Xander want Peri to stab her? King Garon called her a traitor - Peri is ready to help stop her and protect the crown!"
"Peri!" Laslow cried, moving into a standing position as well. "That's Lord Xander's sister you're talking about! Be a little more gentle!"
"But it's true!" she shot back, putting her hands on her hips. "Peri saw her when she turned traitor! She made Lord Xander upset, so she deserved the pain. No one hurts Peri's friends."
Xander was visibly upset. "Peri, please sit down. Laslow, you too. You're both acting like children." He cleared his throat. "Now then. Peri, while I'm glad you're concerned for my emotional state, and while Corrin may currently be labeled a traitor, I don't want you hurting her. Her… betrayal… greatly hurt me. Even if we're reunited I know I will have trouble restoring our bond.
"But I do want to restore it. Blood relation or not, she is my sister. Someone I've loved for years. As much as it pains me to admit it, I can see why she had trouble returning to us after learning of why she was raised as our sister in the first place. That doesn't mean I support her choice, but I can at least understand what may have led her to make it. If I could only speak to her again, then I might be able to talk some sense into the girl. Perhaps I could get her to admit her faults, and convince Father to forgive her as well. She's yet to injure any Nohrian troops other than those we sent at her that day. It was self-defense, not malice. Father should understand."
"..." Neither Laslow nor Peri responded. Peri because she was considering the words, Laslow because he was doubting them.
Xander was too loyal. Yes, loyalty was a good trait that he wished more people had. But the prince was practically brainwashed, trying to see good in a man who had long since surrendered himself to complete corruption. Garon was cruel and insane. But Xander, the 'honorable' knight he was, would never think about betraying his king. To Xander, the best knight was the one who stuck to his King's orders even when in doubt. Sometimes questioning was allowed, but in the end disobeying the king's orders was worse than death. Even if those orders violated every sense of morals he had.
The prince cleared his throat. "Anyway, I've received word of Corrin's passage to Nestra. She was last sighted in a village a few days away from the country, even farther than we are, so if we were to leave now we'd arrive there before her. However, from what I understand she's currently caught up in some business in that village, and thus won't be departing for a few days. That gives us some extra time to finish things here and hurry to Nestra, but I doubt we'll be lucky enough to do so. As I've just explained, the situation here isn't too good. Do either of you have any suggestions as to what we should do?"
The two retainers looked at each other. Neither said anything, instead shrugging. "Peri doesn't know. Why should we meet up with Corrin now? Won't she still be around later?"
"Yes," Xander explained, "she will be around. But the longer it takes to convince her to join us, the less likely it is Father will take her in."
'Less likely? Who knew the chance could go into the negatives…' Laslow thought to himself.
The male retainer voiced a different note. "Weren't you planning on visiting the Opera House in Nestra before this whole mess? Can't you try to convince King Garon to delay the tribute's collection until after you've had your trip? That would not only give the villagers more time to scrounge up whatever they can for their payment, but also give us a chance to meet up with Corrin."
"As nice as that sounds, I fear that won't work this time around. While Father would permit me to leave this town to go see the performance, he wouldn't give the town any more than he already has. No, to protect this place I have to be here in the flesh. My word alone won't give the council or other townspeople much more of a chance than me having not visited at all," Xander responded.
Laslow grew upset. "Don't you find that a bit odd, milord? That you, the crown prince, have such little power?"
A scoff. "Odd? That isn't the word I'd choose. But yes, I know this probably isn't how things should be. I can't just ignore my lack of power and let people get hurt for it though. So for now I'll stay here, hoping to reach some sort of compromise between all the messengers and meetings. I'll have to meet up with Corrin at a later date, loath as I am to admit it."
Laslow nodded, a bit disappointed. Peri then took the opportunity to speak up.
"Lord Xander?" she started, drawing the man's attention.
"Yes?"
"What if someone else goes? What if you stay here and Peri or Laslow or one of the guard members meet up with Corrin instead? As long as someone says hi, things should be okay, right?"
Xander and Laslow blinked, the former opening and closing his mouth a couple times while the latter bit his lip in thought.
"That… just might work," Xander said. "I still want to talk to Corrin one on one, but if I could just buy some time… Thank you Peri. I think you're on to something great."
Peri's eyes light up. "Realy?!" she gasped, clearly excited. "Yay! Peri helped Lord Xander! Peri's awesome!"
"Yes, yes you are," Xander chuckled. "Now then. I have some things to plan out that I'd like silence for, so I ask that you two wait outside my room."
"Of course, Milord," the two replied, giving small bows as they walked outside.
"Peri's so happy," the girl said, her face lit up.
"Yeah, good job in there," Laslow replied. "All I managed to do was worsen the prince's frown. But you made him smile! He never does that! Congratulations, Peri. A job well done from a lovely lady such as yourself."
"Thanks, Laslow! But if you call Peri 'lovely' again she's gonna cut your thumb off! Peri's strong, not lovely!"
"Y-you can be both! And please don't cut my thumb…"
"Then don't call Peri bad things."
"It was a compliment, not an insult!"
"Peri doesn't believe you."
"Really! And h-hey, put away your lance, we're inside, no need for that-!"
After the meeting the following day, Xander, Laslow, and Peri once again found themselves in the men's room.
"So how did it go today?" Laslow asked.
"Better. I told them about possibly leaving a few of my men here while I waited for the full fifteen they asked for, and while they weren't completely happy, they at least agreed to it. They seemed to understand the limits of my ability, particularly while I'm still waiting for word from Father, so we've reached at least one agreement for now. A small victory, but one nonetheless."
"Great!" Laslow and Peri said together.
Xander nodded. "I've also gotten word that Corrin's been delayed in her journey. Only by a day or three, though, so I doubt I'll be able to get to her in time. Which means that I'm going to have to send someone else in my place."
Peri's eyes lit up, as she gasped. "Peri will do it! Peri saw Corrin before, so she can find her again! And if Corrin doesn't cooperate, Peri can knock her out and bring her back if Lord Xander wants her to."
Laslow and Xander looked at each other nervously. That wouldn't work out well.
"Actually," Xander said, clearing his throat, "I was thinking of sending Laslow instead."
"Me!?" Laslow cried, unsure. "But what of your safety? You only have Peri and I at your side. I couldn't possibly leave you with only half a guard." He shot a glance at Peri. "N-not that I song think Peri is capable of protecting you. I just don't know how happy King Garon would be, and I think you should have the most protection possible if the townspeople turn violent."
"I understand your concerns, but don't worry Laslow. I've seen the weapons and possible fighters available. I'll be more than fine with just Peri even if they do launch an attack against me. And it isn't just Peri either; I have a full guard here as well. I'll appoint one of them to stay at my side as you would. As for Father, we just won't tell him. If he finds out then I'll come up with an excuse, but for now don't worry. I need to get into contact with Corrin as soon as possible."
"Milord, how am I supposed to find her though? I've seen her before, but Nestra is a huge place. The chances of me just running into her are slim. And if I ask around for her she'll probably find out in some way and try harder to avoid me."
"Then don't ask for her. Go somewhere popular enough that she comes to you."
"What do you mean by that, Lord Xander?"
"The Opera House is the largest attraction in Nestra. Camilla knows I was heading there, and must have told Corrin by now. So unless something strange happens, that will be her destination. If you go there, then you should run into her."
"How am I to get in though? And how will I find her even if she does go to the performance? The audience is huge. I don't know how I'd be able to find her other than walking up and down the aisles, and checking each boat. I doubt security would let me wander and be so disruptive."
"I'm sure performers get a little more freedom, and that the view from the stage would be good."
"Maybe milord, but-"
Laslow's eyes widened.
"No, you're not suggesting-"
Xander cut him off. "Exactly. I've seen you wander off to dance at night. While I don't watch you every time, I've seen enough to know you could pass for a professional. If I put in a recommendation, I've no doubts you'll be accepted into the Opera House. Azura's a songstress. If Corrin and the man at her side are smart, they'll send Azura in to the Opera House as well with the goal of gathering information. If so, you'll be able to talk to her and get a message to Corrin."
Laslow thought about it for a moment, looking down. "I-I appreciate your words milord, but I really don't know if I can do that. Dancing is just a hobby, and just imagining being in front of so many people is…"
"What if they didn't know it was you?" Xander asked. "If you disguised yourself, and gave a false name? Things you would discard as soon as the performance was over. If you messed up, which I know you won't, your mistake couldn't be traced back to you either."
Laslow still looked unsure, making Xander sigh. "Fine. Think of it like this: I am ordering you to infiltrate the Opera House and locate a member of Corrin's party. In order for your mission to succeed, you must put on a performance, or you won't be able to get the the Opera House at all." Xander's voice was firm. "I'll write you two letters: one for the Opera House's director, and one for Corrin and her companion. Go ready yourself, and I'll have the letter ready when you're done."
"As you wish, milord," Laslow said with a bow, walking toward the door. He paused when he reached it, turning around. "Uh, Lord Xander?"
"Yes?" Xander replied.
"This is my room too. My stuff is kind of, well, here. I can't exactly go per se, since the things I need are here." The smile on the retainer's face made Xander sigh. He told Peri to leave the room, following her so he could write his letter without being distracted by Laslow's actions.
Laslow took a deep breath. "Did you hear that, Mother?" he whispered. "I'm going to perform for real. In front of real people. Thousands of real people. Can you believe it? I'm going to make you proud, I promise. No mistakes, no slip ups. I have one chance… Well, time to get ready, I guess."
When Laslow, or rather Szollás (why had Prince Xander picked such a weird name!?), arrived at the Opera House, he was taken in right away. He was shown to a room that, while lacking people, had someone else's things in it already. He was told that due to lack of rooms he'd be sharing with another dancer, Terryl, and that he'd be given three and a half minutes for his performance. His guide then left, leaving Laslow to unpack his things.
He'd found the old hair dye he had from his visit to the hot springs while rummaging in his pack, so at the moment he had a blue head of hair rather than silver. It made him a little homesick, seeing his hair like that. It reminded him of his sister, who was probably wondering where he'd gone. He'd never said goodbye. But he'd be back to her in no time, so he'd make it up to her. No matter how difficult the making it up part was.
"Uh, excuse me?" A new voice asked, making Laslow look up. "But who are you?"
The voice's owner was tall, with long red hair tied down his back.
"Sorry about that, my name is Szollás! I just got here, and the person who led me here said I'd be your roommate for now. I'm a dancer, and from what I hear you are as well, no?"
"That he is!" a second new voice said, this one feminine. A blonde woman pushed the man out of the way to reveal herself to Laslow. "My name is Madeline, and this is Terryl. So your name is Szollás then? And you can dance? I've had this one piece choreographed for a really long time that needs three people, but I've only ever had two to do it. You wouldn't happen to pick up on things fast, would you?"
"Uh…" Laslow trailed off.
"I'll take that as a yes. Now get up off that bed and come with me, you have a new dance to learn!" The woman grabbed Laslow by the arm, yanking him to a standing position. "Follow me!"
Thankfully Laslow had hidden his letter so no one would find it, but that wasn't what he was expecting within his first 10 minutes of settling in.
"W-wait, where are we going?!"
"You'll see!" Madeline giggled, running toward some unknown place with Laslow in tow.
Behind them, Terryl just sighed.
Author's Note: I said the next chapter (aka this one) would have battle. There's no battle. But I have a complete outline for chapter 19, and I promise battle actually happens there. That, and something that advances the plot. Because I realized after writing this I haven't really gone anywhere, even though I think it's important to explain how things ended up as they are, so I want to get a move on. Right now I've been keeping up with inktober, so I hope to keep up with NaNoWriMo next month and get a 50,000 words done for this story. With how crazy things are I don't know if I'll succeed, but I'll at least make an attempt. Thanks for sticking with me.
Originally published October 11, 2017. Word count: 5,237 without author's notes.
Eruran out.
