"If all goes according to plan, we should be on our way within a fortnight."

I heard the words, processed them, and promptly forgot about them. It had been that way ever since the end of our campaign in Rosanne. After we took the city and beheaded Dorion, Virion began the rebuilding process, with the help of his now-fiancé and retainer. We stayed around, too, just to make sure his rise to power went smoothly. The people of Wyval, and most likely all of Rosanne, still distrusted and disliked him. It wasn't hard to see why, but I was done judging Virion. Doing so gave me nothing. What was still frustrating, though, was our slow pace.

There were many places I'd rather be. Being beside my wife, or my daughter, or looking for Pippin and Aurora. I still hadn't found either of our steeds.

Which meant when Robin said those words, I immediately tuned back into the conversation.

"My Rosanne is finally freed, but there is so much work to do…" Virion trailed off, sighing and placing a hand against his forehead. "When you leave, my friend, I would rejoin you."

Robin placed his gloved hands on the incredibly shiny, finished table. We were having our war councils in the castle, which meant all the crap we were using was high quality shit. Didn't really matter. Still boring and needlessly long, in my opinion. I'd been to so many that they all just sort of blended in with each other in my mind. "Are you sure, Lord Virion? The hour of Rosanne's liberation is still young; it doesn't seem to have settled down, especially in certain areas of the city."

"Virion doesn't like leaving things half-finished, Robin," Cherche spoke up, trailing her hand down the edge of the table. "I think he feels like he owes you, as well."

"My love speaks rightly!" Virion nodded, smiling. "True, Rosanne has been liberated from the Valmese dogs and Grima's influence both, but what good is such newfound freedom if we do not use it? You say it as if I intend to flee again. I assure you, that is not the case! The might of Rosanne is yours to bring down upon what remains of the Empire, and Grima's foul machinations."

Robin blinked at Virion's speech, completely flabbergasted. I chuckled. "Fucking hell, Robin, you think you'd be used to his whole thing by now."

The tactician glared lightly at me before returning his focus to the duke. "I appreciate it, Virion, and I believe Chrom will appreciate it as well when we reunite our armies. As I said, I expect us to be out of here within a fortnight. Hopefully, the city will have calmed by then. Who are you going to elect to govern the dukedom in your stead?"

"Vivien, of course," Virion replied easily. "I would not have my lovely Cherche anywhere else but by my side, and though she may not look the part, Vivien is an accomplished leader. Ah, perhaps it runs in the blood."

"So many titles he grants me," Cherche pushed herself from the table. "What shall you call me next, I wonder? 'My lovely woman of fair complexion and rose of hair'?"

Virion chuckled. "Am I not allowed to heap loving compliments onto the woman who has captured my heart so?"

"Hmm. It is appreciated, certainly," Cherche giggled. "But perhaps there are better places to shower me in compliments, hmm?"

I looked to Robin, my eyes half-lidded. "…are Cordelia and I like that, Robin? Be honest."

Robin turned to me with the same exact look. "Yes. Absolutely yes. Perhaps a bit less flowery, but for those first few months, I felt as if I wanted to claw my own ears out at times."

"Okay, well, that hurt a lot more than I thought it would…" I sniffled.

"…are you alright, Alex?" Robin asked, his voice low. "You can tell me if something is bothering you."

I looked to see if Virion and Cherche would be willing to continue the war council, but the moment I saw them seemingly not giving a fuck that we were still in the room with them, I sighed. "Is that a question, or an order, Robin?"

"I would rather not make it an order," Robin shot back. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I suppose, but…" His red eyes glanced at Virion and Cherche, who were perhaps a bit too into whatever it was they were doing.

I stopped, sighed, and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Robin, my wife is still stuck in bandages and is probably bored out of her mind, and my daughter from the future constantly insists she's the one at fault. No, I am not alright. But it's okay, because I'm going to take care of it. Don't worry."

Robin stared at me appraisingly before nodding. "Alright. Well, if you ever need help, do not hesitate to talk to me."

"My wife hates you and I'm pretty sure Severa doesn't care much for you either," I replied sardonically, leaning in my chair. "If either of them found out that I came to you for advice, they wouldn't listen to a word I say anymore."

Robin frowned before nodding again. "Point. Still, the offer is open."

"Don't think I don't appreciate it, man," I sighed. "Anyway, can we get through this meeting already? I'm not sure how much longer I can sit here while Virion and Cherche make-out in the corner," I turned to them, a deep frown on my face. "I can see you. We both can see you!"

Robin grimaced. "Yes, that would be prudent."

The meeting finally adjourned a short while after that. I was just glad Tiki wasn't there; she might've gotten ideas and finally decided to 'mark her territory' as it were. At least I thought she would. She probably had more restraint than that, being a couple thousand year old dragon and all, but I could see the looks she and Robin were exchanging practically all the time. I doubted it would be long before something came of it.

I didn't think on that for long, though. I had more important things to do.

"Tell me if it starts to hurt, okay? Or if I should stop for any reason," I murmured quietly as I sat behind Cordelia, left hand on the edge of her bandage.

A shuddering breath left my wife. "Okay. Please, just get this thing off me."

Every hour of the day I wasn't working with Robin or attending war council or looking for our mounts, I was with Cordelia. I knew how boring it could be, bundled up in bandages on a bed. We would be leaving Wyval, and by extension Rosanne, soon, and she'd need to be able to walk by that time. Or rather, I hoped she would. Her legs weren't damaged, but with the way her back was, I wouldn't be surprised if she had trouble simply walking.

It felt as if a chunk of ice grew in my chest as I slowly removed the bandages.

The healers had done their best. I knew, rationally, that Cordelia was lucky to be alive, doubly so if we accounted for the child she was carrying. Even then, my heart sank into my chest as I beheld the damage to her back. A massive scar stretched from the center of her back and to both her shoulders and went down to just above the small of her back. Small, barely noticeable pock marks marred the scar further; that was where the shattered bits of metal of her cuirass entered her flesh.

Once I was done removing them, I set the bandages as neatly as I could at her bedside. I'd throw them away later.

"It's…" Cordelia swallowed. "It does not look good, does it?"

I didn't answer that question, instead opting to run my hand down the scar. "Can you feel that?"

Cordelia turned to me, her eyes watery. "J-Just barely. It feels as if it's… far away."

"Tell me when you can feel it."

I continued to stroke her back, and every so often she would give me an update. The damage was extensive, but not irreparable. I knew, from what the cleric said, that she would make a full recovery. Healing magic had its limits; widespread burns were one of the hardest to treat, considering the damage it did to nerves and such. That's what he told me, at least.

I shut down the anger threatening to rise at the sight of my wife's pain. It would serve no purpose, then.

"…you're going to be okay," I said resolutely. "You're going to be alright."

"Alex…" Cordelia whispered. "I feel as if I can barely move my arms at times. Everything feels so tight and wrong. How is that alright? How can I continue to fight with this-this injury?"

"Because you're strong," I replied. "I know you won't let this stop you."

Cordelia shook her head. "I'm not strong. I've never been strong. You… You're the one who has always given me strength, you know that? Back in the castle, on the day of Prince Chrom and Sumia's wedding, you brought me back. When I found out I was pregnant, and I felt as if I would be suffocated by the implications of it, you embraced me and never let me go. You and Severa both have given me the strength to push through, and now I cannot even show how grateful I am for it." Cordelia tried to move her arms, but she struggled to move them very far. "What use am I now? How could you continue to hold me, even now, when I feel as if I can never repay your love for me? I-I'm useless now…"

It felt as if my heart would rip in half just at her words alone. Ice turned to fire as I barely contained my anger. Instead, I slowly removed my iron hand, and showed Cordelia the burnt stump where my right hand used to be.

"Do you see this, Cordelia?" I asked, looking down at the stump myself. "It's actually kind of funny; I used to be in the same position as you. Our roles are reversed now, I guess. You accepted me when I came back. I know it's old news now, but you're the one who kept me from dying an early death on that god-forsaken island. I already told you this, but you've given me everything I've ever wanted. I have something to fight for now, for fuck's sake! I'm fighting for you, for Severa, for, uh, little Severa. I'm fighting for us! You give me strength too!"

Cordelia slowly, but surely turned around to face me. Tears freely streamed down her face. "A-Alex…!"

I raised my left hand up and cupped her cheek, wiping away her tears with my thumb. "I love you, Cordelia. I didn't propose to you so that you could 'repay me' or anything like that. I did it because I love you. I did it because I wanted to be with you. No matter what happens throughout this war, always remember that, okay? Nothing, not even this, will keep me from loving you."

Cordelia stared at me wide-eyed. Slowly, her expression broke down, and a moment later, she wrapped her arms around my neck as best as she could and hugged me tightly. I could feel her body wracked with sobs. Could hear it as well. My right arm trailed across her back, while my left hand softly stroked her hair. It was shorter than it used to be, but that was okay. It was still there, and with time, it would grow back.

We sat there on her bed, embracing for not nearly long enough. Cordelia slowly grew silent, only breathing softly. She wasn't asleep, though, as evidenced when she whispered into my ear.

"I love you, too," She murmured. "I love you with all my heart. I will love you until the end of my days…"

I pulled away from her briefly, and then pressed my lips against hers. It wasn't heated, or forceful, but it got my message across.

She would be alright. I'd help her become just as strong as she was, so that it would seem she was never injured in the first place. Her pregnancy ensured I wouldn't do anything too severe training wise, but that didn't mean we couldn't work on it regardless. I didn't care how long it took.

Even if she never attained her previous battle prowess, I would never abandon her.

Finding Pippin and Aurora wasn't difficult, given enough time. Considering I didn't have a lot of time between keeping Cordelia company and the war councils, though, it definitely took longer than it should have. After a few days, though, I began to worry. There wasn't a lot of food for them in the city, unless they found their way to some stables. Hell, that wasn't even the worst part. The last time I saw Aurora, she was screeching because of the flames that licked at her wings and fur. At best, she was singed. At the worst, she was dead, and I didn't think Cordelia would take the latter very well, especially in her state.

Luckily for me, I did eventually find them.

Funnily enough, I found Pippin in a stable, munching on hay. One of the citizens of Wyval who somehow survived the assault apparently wrangled him and brought him there. After a little conversation, he graciously returned him to me. There were more horses in those stables, after all, some of them mares, and Pippin was giving them odd looks.

Then again, that just seemed to be the case with any animal that was associated with me. I could still visualize Aurora's scathing glare, even though I hadn't found her yet.

"Ran off on me, didn't you, boy?" I asked rhetorically, running my good hand down Pippin's head. "Not that I can blame you. That fight got pretty nasty."

Pippin snorted.

I raised my hand up to my forehead, feeling the small indent in my skin where the javelin hit. "Yep. Knocked me right off you, the fucker. Now my face is even uglier. Can you believe it?"

Pippin nudged me gently.

"I don't have any apples on me, you layabout!" I laughed, patting him on the head again. "C'mon, I know you're just fine; don't act like you're starving. You've been munching on hay for the past few days. You still got your saddle on, and now you're gonna help me find Aurora."

I left atop Pippin, searching for the Pegasus. With Pippin's help, keeping me from giving up due to exhaustion, I eventually found her, as well. Unlike Pippin, Aurora didn't seem to have the luxury of finding a kindly stablemaster. She seemed emaciated, with her coat stained with blood and the tips of her wings singed. She was taking shelter between two buildings, her wings folded. She looked at me as I approached, her animal gaze somehow distrusting and afraid. I didn't think until that moment that a pair of black eyes could show so much emotion.

"…hi," I greeted awkwardly, dismounting. "Hey, Aurora…"

Aurora stared at me the entire time, her gaze never faltering. She didn't make any motion to keep me away, though; she stood as still as a statue, except for her head.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, Aurora," I murmured. "I know you don't like me. Hell, you glare at me every time you and I are even near each other. But… okay, Cordelia needs you. She needs to know you're alright. I think it'd do her a lot of good." I chuckled lightly to myself. "Besides, I don't think we can buy a new Pegasus right about now."

Aurora sneezed as I got closer, almost causing me to pause, but I pressed on. I reached my hand out, and Aurora focused on that. I expected her to buck, then. To panic, perhaps even spreading it to Pippin and I'd be back at square one again. However, that didn't happen. Instead, I felt her move her head forward, and allowed me to pet her. Her fur, despite being uncared for for a few days, was still soft, even with its short length. I let out a breath, looked to the bright blue sky and thanked whatever gods were listening.

"Alright. It's alright," I whispered, petting her mane. "Let's get out of here."

I thought I'd need to get a lead for Aurora, but I didn't; she followed me out of the alleyway. Smiling to myself, I got on top of Pippin and prepared to head back to our base. Except, well, a strange thought occurred to me.

I looked at Aurora, and then at Pippin. Perplexed, I turned to the Pegasus. "I know this is a weird thing to ask, but what would happen if you two fucked?"

That glare Aurora was known for returned full force, and Pippin lifted his head to look at me. It was scary how smart our mounts were at times.

I shrugged. "I mean, think about it. It's a legitimate question. What would that produce? A one-winged Pegasus? A hollow-boned horse?"

If it was possible, it felt as if I was being judged harshly.

I waved my iron hand. "Whatever, let's just go."

It would be another few days until we would be leaving Wyval. Packing shit up in camps we made along with making sure all of our supplies were in order made it so my days were even more crowded than they were towards the beginning of our short occupation. I hadn't seen Severa for several days, and I was beginning to get nervous. It left my nights restless at times. So, I decided to go for an evening walk. Something to clear my mind and, hopefully, find Severa again.

She was disturbingly good at disappearing.

I thought Cordelia could do without me around for a few minutes, at least. Just enough for me to get some fresh air.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. I noticed a shadowy figure skirting down the hall, and out into the streets. Directly where I was headed. I frowned. My mood wasn't helped by the fact I heard a distinct tittering as the shape disappeared.

It's never simple, is it.

I wasn't armed or armored, but judging by the giggle, I wasn't in any danger. Well, that wasn't entirely true; I was in danger of dying from sheer annoyance, but that was a risk I was willing to take to get some air. It felt as if the entire building we called a 'base' was stifling, like the air was humid or something. With that in mind, I trudged on.

I walked into the outside world, greeted by the sparkling night sky. Beautiful blue light shone onto the world, dancing among the buildings.

"Well, well, well!" A quiet, though still high-pitched voice said. "Look who decided to follow me. And just when I was in the middle of following someone else!"

"Henry," I greeted quietly, turning to my right to see the Plegian dark mage skulking about in the shadows of our base. "Should've known I wouldn't be getting fresh air without a fight."

"Who said anything about fighting?" Henry asked, that same damn smile still plastered on his face. "I'm not gonna fight you, Mr. Knight. I'm just here to enjoy the show! Perhaps you'd care to join me? Even the crows don't wanna miss out on this."

"A show, huh?" I hummed, crossing my arms. "In the middle of the night. Sounds reasonable to me."

"Nyaha! That mocking tone, sometimes you sound exactly like the crows, which, let me tell ya, is quite the CAWS for concern!" Henry replied cheerily, opting to sit down and stare down a street. "Well, either way, I'm just gonna sit here and enjoy this. You can stand there and get all the air you need; I won't make a peep, or a caw, or a grouse!"

My curiosity thoroughly piqued, I sighed. "Alright, I'll bite. What's going on here?"

Henry giggled again. "Why don'tcha take a seat right next to me, and we can watch it together ol' buddy ol' pal?"

"I'm not your buddy. Or your pal."

"Nyaha! Of course you are!"

Grumbling under my breath but mostly staying quiet, I sat beside Henry and looked down the road that had been obstructed from my view. The moon shone clearly over the cobblestone, outlined almost perfectly by the buildings, with the stars twinkling like gemstones beyond. However, even if with that breathtaking sight, my gaze was still drawn to the two people right in the middle.

Olivia. Inigo.

I was ashamed to admit that I sometimes forgot that Olivia existed. She and I never had much cause to speak to one another, and if it wasn't for Inigo, I probably wouldn't have anything to say to her at all. She was one of the few who came with us, something Robin seemed adamant about. Keeping families together and all that crap. It was appreciated, and I was glad he decided to do it, but sometimes I wondered what exactly Olivia did.

Stopping those thoughts, I continued to watch.

Olivia and Inigo were practicing dances, from the looks of things. One would break out into a rather impressive display, bowing before the other who would giggle, and return the gesture. On its own, I wouldn't think of it as anything special, although I had to admit that, with the starry night sky behind them, and the dark buildings surrounding them, it was a rather surreal and interesting sight. I almost felt myself dozing off on the corner.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Henry asked, his usual pitch gone, replaced by something that sounded close to a regular person.

I found myself following Olivia's moves and I almost forgot to answer. "Well, yeah. I guess so."

"It's so strange, isn't it?" He continued. "So strange. So weird. So bizarre. That's my son over there. A son from the future! Now, look, I'm no stranger to strange things, my good friend. You get used to all sorts of crazy stuff happening when you're raised by a she-wolf, after all! And this is strange, so very, very strange. The entire concept of children coming from the future, and that one of 'em would be mine, well, nyaha, I never even considered it!"

"You and me both, you crazy dastard," I snorted.

"You're right that I'm a crazy dastard, but at least I ain't a clown. Those guys? Those guys have some seriously messed up stuff going on in their heads!" Henry chuckled quietly to himself before refocusing on Olivia and Inigo. "Still, it ain't all bad, ya know. It may be strange, but it's the kinda strange that I can just get, ya know? Olivia is really swell! And Inigo, ha, he's a joker. A real jester! Just the kinda man I'd look for in a son of mine!"

"Henry," I began, looking at the robed man. "He's a womanizer."

"That's the thing, pal!" Henry giggled. "He's never succeeded! Not once! It's ungodly tragic, when you think about it! Sometimes I wish he'd be a little bit, ya know, less on the nose about it. He's a bit confused, but he's got the spirit, I'll give him that!"

I leaned my head back as I sighed. "Sometimes I forget how weird you can be."

"C'mon, where's your funny bone, Sir Alex? Did ya leave it with your wife?" Henry asked, tittering.

"…I swear to God, Henry, if that was a sex joke, I will, in fact, shove my iron hand down your throat and tear out your lungs."

"Oh. Oh, oh, oh! Oh, that's good! I mean, painful, but that'd be so, so bloody! It'd paint the walls red! Nyahahaha!"

I groaned, burying my face in my good hand. "…I do know what you mean, though. It's weird, yeah, but… I have a family now. And I think I like it this way. Severa's a sweetheart once you get to know her."

"She threw a sword last time I tried to speak with her. Now, I know I'm not the most adjusted crow-loving guy out there, but I know some anger issues when I see 'em!" Henry said, giggling to himself.

I held my iron hand, frowning. "I don't need a weapon to beat you senseless, Henry."

A small, purple light glowed in Henry's hand as his head turned to me, his eyes strangely open. "And I don't need a tome to turn your innards into jelly! Red, beautiful jelly!"

Whatever I was about to say was interrupted by the sound of a gasp, and a yelp as two people fell to the ground, hard. Looking back, I saw Olivia and Inigo staring in our direction, their pale cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Looks like they noticed us eavesdropping," I said, just loud enough for Henry to hear.

"Aw, really? Shucks, and I was just starting to have a good time, too!" Henry stood up, dusting off his cloak and waving. "Hi Olivia! Hi Inigo!"

"H-How long were you two sitting there!?" Olivia squealed, covering her eyes. "G-Gods, how embarrassing can this get!?"

"It's not like we saw you naked. Christ," I grumbled, standing up as well and walking out of the shadows. "Although by this point I'm sure Henry has."

"What the hell is he saying!?" Inigo glared. "Please, never say that again."

"Woah, woah, woah, calm down!" Henry began, placing a hand on Inigo's shoulder. "Ya just gotta ignore what he says, yeah? Whatever comes out of his mouth should just go in one ear and out the other! Trust me, son, that's the only way to tolerate him!"

"Scathing," I commented.

"'Course, if it actually goes in one ear and out the other, it's probably a strange parasite, and you should go see a cleric immediately. Or not, and risk becoming its puppet!" Henry informed us, completely unbidden. "That's how those scary Risen dastards work, don'tcha know. A tunneling brain parasite goes inside the body, fills it with powerful dark magic, and presto! You got yourself a walking, purple-skinned corpse."

"I know that, father!" Inigo rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've fought them for most of my life, remember? Anyways, what are you two doing out here, spying on mother and I? It's pretty rude to just eavesdrop on people like that! Look, mother's still covering her eyes!"

I held up my iron hand. "It's not like I wanted to be here or anything," I groaned. "Your crazy-ass dad dragged me out here. He's the one you should be shouting at, not me. Speaking of, can you keep your voice down? Did you want to wake up the entire city?"

Inigo's eyes widened as he looked around, as if checking if there were any lights in the windows. "Gods, and here I was, thinking we could practice in peace…"

"Don't listen to what Mr. Knight says, by the way!" Henry interjected, turning his attention quickly from consoling Olivia to us. "It took very little convincing to get him to come with me! It was quick, quicker than any death I've dished out."

Inigo glared at me, and another sigh left my lips. I'd been doing that a lot in the past hour. "Thanks for throwing me under the bus, you Plegian madman."

"No problem, ya one-handed dog!" Henry cackled back.

I resisted the urge to spit in his general direction, and decided to come up with a way to get me out of that mess without simply walking off. "…you guys are good dancers. You know that right?"

Inigo tilted his head. "What?"

"I mean it," I continued, crossing my arms. "Probably doesn't mean a lot coming from me; hell, I barely know either of you. And Henry is… well, he's Henry."

"Of course I am!" Henry hooted. "And there's no one else I'd rather be!"

"I can think of several things I'd rather you be," I growled. "Anyway, so, yeah. Just wanted to let you know. Please, don't die. Any of you."

"…that took a rather grim direction, didn't it?" Inigo mused.

I shrugged. "Yep, but that's what happens when I run out of things to say. I'll, uh, just be going now. See you all later."

I left the craziest family I'd ever had the pleasure of knowing in the moonlight, raving amongst each other like loons. At that point, I just wanted to crawl back into bed with Cordelia, and perhaps focus on finding Severa the next morning. I supposed I should thank Henry's little outing for that; he and his family reminded me of what, exactly, I should've been doing.

She couldn't hide from us forever. I knew she still blamed herself for Cordelia's injury, and I would not allow that. Blaming yourself will solve nothing. I knew that from personal experience.

She really is your daughter.

The next day was uneventful. We had our usual meeting, although there wasn't much to discuss that hadn't already been beaten into the dirt. I gave Pippin and Aurora a quick little pat before I was on my way, the latter having regained much of her old luster, although the parts where the fire had slightly scorched her were still there.

Cordelia mirrors her Pegasus, in that regard.

In the end, I decided to wait in one particular spot for Severa. I asked around, and apparently she'd been spotted approaching our base several times over the past few days. She always stopped just short of entering, however, opting instead to simply stare at it with what amounted to a sad glare. I'd spent so much time simply looking for her that I'd forgotten to ask around. Not a fatal mistake, but, as Severa would put it, I was showing my 'airheadedness'.

Joke was on her, though; I didn't have air in my head.

Sure enough, true to what the men said, Severa quietly walked up the road towards our base, her head hung low. She seemed a paler than before, which was already an achievement, and her clothes seemed unkempt and dirty. I cursed at myself; I could have prevented all of that, but I was too busy being a moron to do so. No more. I would not allow my daughter, my own flesh and blood, to fall so low all because of a mistake. All because of a single battle.

Severa looked up to the building, her blue eyes seemingly scanning it, before shaking her head and turning around.

"Going somewhere?" I asked, walking out of the alleyway I'd been hiding in.

The redhead yelped, jumping and swerving to face me. Once she saw me, her expression quickly turned into a scowl. "…what do you want?"

"My men told me there was a redhead who came here, every day, and just stared at our base," I sniffed. "And here I was, looking for you all on my lonesome when all I had to do was ask."

Severa's lips thinned. "That sounds like something you'd do."

"Yeah? And staring up at that building isn't something you'd do," I pointed out, crossing my arms.

"I-I want to-!" Severa began harshly, before stopping herself and looking at the ground. "…I know she's in there. I want to… but I can't face her. I wouldn't be able to look at her. Just the thought of it makes me sick. Gawd, I'm a mess…"

"Your mother wants to see you, Sev," I said quietly. "Besides, I don't know what you've been doing these past few days, but it looks like you crawled out of a cistern."

"Leave my clothes out of this!" Severa snapped. "Maybe if I had some money, I'd be able to go shopping for new ones!"

"In the middle of a city that's just undergone a siege? I doubt it, but you're right," I snorted. "I'm serious, though, Sev. Cordy would love to see you. C'mon, she's just in there. She's actually been doing a lot better these past few days. If she, uh, wasn't pregnant, I think she'd be in good shape by the time we rendezvous with the rest of the army."

Severa glared at me. "That last part was your fault. But the… Dad, it's my fault."

"Severa, I already told you-!"

"It doesn't matter what you say!" Severa interrupted me angrily. "I know what happened! I know what I was thinking! I'm the reason why she's in there, with half her fucking back blown off! If I hadn't gotten over-confident, if I'd just stayed by you, she wouldn't have had to get close to those fireballs!"

"This is war, Severa," I replied mildly. "And all of us are only human; we make mistakes. Robin knows this best, but no plan survives contact with the enemy. We had no idea they were going to be shooting fireballs down on us. Hell, I feel like I've told you this before! Do you just not listen to me?"

Severa looked down guiltily. "…well, not on purpose."

"I already said I don't blame you," I continued. "Your mother will not blame you either. Do you want to know the first thing she asked me when she regained consciousness?"

Severa looked up, her blue eyes wide.

"She asked me whether or not you were okay," I finished. "Her first concern was you. We're your parents, Sev. Maybe not the ones you grew up with, but we still care about and love you, and seeing you like this is…" I let out a shuddering breath. "Well, I'm trying my best not to gather you up in a hug right now. Lord knows I've probably been giving out too many of those here recently."

Severa wiped at her eyes. "A-And I've been doing way too much crying. Gawd, you'd think I'm some foppy maiden."

"One day, Sev, we'll find the bastard who burned her," I growled out. "I know his name. I don't know where he is, but once Valm is pushed to the edge, he'll be within my grasp. Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it."

"Dad?"

I blinked, shaking my head. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I've already said that to you once, heh. Maybe I'm going senile."

Severa looked at me with half-lidded eyes. "That makes a lot of sense."

"Hush," I placed my hand on her shoulder. "We can go see her right now, you know. She's just in there. C'mon, let's go."

Severa didn't move for a few moments, opting to look up at the building with trepidation. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and followed me.

We stood in front of Cordelia's room. Well, Severa did, and I stood to the side, waiting for her to open the door herself. There were things I was planning after this whole thing, but that would be a while if Severa continued to not budge an inch.

"Are you trying to open it with your mind?" I asked.

Severa's hands clenched into fists. "Shut up. I need to… Just give me a second, okay?"

"Done," I paused. "Alright, open the door."

"I hate you."

"Alas, I have been struck," I planted my hand on my chest. "My own daughter has murdered me with words."

Severa snickered despite herself. "Shut up! You're so annoying!"

"And you're stalling," I chuckled. "She's probably already heard us by now; these doors aren't exactly thick, you know. I wouldn't be surprised if she's trying to contain her laughter behind it."

"Well now I don't wanna open the door," Severa looked to the side and crossed her arms. "You all take me for granted. Maybe I should go back to being hard to find."

I groaned. "Please. Don't. Just open the door."

Severa's arms dropped to her side as she stepped forward, took one last deep breath, and placed her hand on the doorknob.

Cordelia sat upon the bed, reading a book. Severa blinked as she entered, probably unused to seeing her mother with her hair so short. To be fair to her, it took me a hot minute to get used to it, too. Once we entered, however, Cordelia looked up, closing her book.

Severa stood there awkwardly, her hands behind her back. "Um… Hi, mom."

"Severa!" Cordelia exclaimed, as she practically jumped from the bed and gathered Severa up in a crushing hug. Severa sputtered, attempting to pull away for a moment before realizing what was going on, and embraced her in return.

I couldn't help but smile seeing them like that.

"Gods, it's so good to see you!" Cordelia sighed, grasping both of Severa's soldiers. "I knew you were okay; your father told me as much, but it's…" She sniffled before hugging her again. "I'm so glad you're safe…"

"I-I'm sorry, mom," Severa stuttered out, pulling away completely. "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be-!"

"I won't hear that, young lady!" Cordelia quickly interrupted, stretching her arms as best as she could. "I would have endured so much more to keep you safe."

"But it's my fault!" Severa said frustratedly. "I'm the one who decided to go all on her lonesome without any back-up! Gawd, how can you even look at me right now!?"

"She's been going on about this practically all day," I added, sighing. "She didn't come to see you until now because she blames herself, Cordy."

"She…" Cordelia shook her head. "Severa, look at me."

Severa gave me a dirty look turning back to Cordelia. "But I'm-!"

"No. None of that. Just look at me," Cordelia interrupted once more, raising her arms up with some difficulty, and cupping Severa's cheeks. "You are my daughter. My beautiful, strong daughter. Nothing you have done or will ever do will ever change that. I know better than most that it is unwise to dwell on the past like this. Your father will help me recover from this, and before long, I'll be up in the air again. Learn from this, Severa. We gain nothing from simply coasting along life. Everything that we have experienced has led us to this point."

"M-Mom, I'm sorry," Severa blurted out. "I'm so, so sorry that I've…"

Severa never had the chance to finish. Cordelia didn't allow it.

"You're strong, Sev," Cordelia whispered. "Perhaps a bit of bravado comes along with that. Maybe be a little more cautious from here on out, hmm?"

"I-I will," Severa replied. "I promise."

They sat there, mother and daughter, in each other's arms. It almost made me cry, honestly. It felt difficult to swallow. After a little while, I coughed into my hand, gaining their attention. "Well, uh, well said, Cordy. There's actually somebody I want you both to meet. A surprise."

Cordelia and Severa looked between themselves. "I swear to Gawd, if this is some stupid…"

"Look, Sev, I may be an airhead," I laughed. "But put a little faith in me, yeah? I have good ideas. Sometimes."

"Oh yeah? Name one," Severa challenged, smirking smugly.

I looked to Cordelia, admiring her beautiful face. "Well, proposing to your mother for one."

"Oh, for the love of-!" Cordelia giggled. "I should have seen that one coming, surely. That was awful. And you're awful."

"But you still said yes, huh?"

"Of course," Cordelia replied, placing a hand to her chest. "I would always say yes."

"Nice to know you two haven't changed. At all," Severa interjected. "But seriously, what is the surprise?"

I held my hand out to Cordelia, who took it gracefully and rose completely from her bed. "Come on. I'll show you."

I took them to the stables. There wasn't really a good place to put Aurora without marching through the entire city to the castle, and I didn't want Cordelia to walk that far. Not while she was still recovering. For the time being, she was wearing a simple white tunic instead of her usual underarmor. Her scars were barely visible with them on, but I could see the way she struggled to move her arms at times, and how she had issues turning around. All those things would disappear with time, I was sure, and for the moment, she needed to see her mount again.

"…Alex. Love, you didn't…" Cordelia whispered, looking at the white Pegasus milling about her stable. "Y-You… you found her."

I nodded, smiling. "That I did. Was a helluva time, but I did it. Been nursing her back to health. She still has some scorching, but for the most part she's alright."

"I almost can't… Aurora?" Cordelia called, and the Pegasus' head looked up, black eyes focusing on my wife. "Aurora, come here, please."

The Pegasus obeyed, trotting up happily to Cordelia. Once she was close enough, Cordelia reached forward and ran her fingers through Aurora's mane.

"Wow, I didn't expect…" Severa whispered to herself.

"I told you, Sev," I chuckled. "Sometimes I have good ideas!"

Severa sighed. "Alright, fine, I guess you do." Severa looked to the Pegasus. "…Mom's been teaching me how to ride a Pegasus, you know."

I nodded, smiling as Aurora nudged Cordelia affectionately. "Cordy told me. Also told me you were a natural. What made you wanna become a Pegasus Knight, Sev?"

"Pah, natural," Severa groaned. "I just wanted to… have some mother-daughter bonding, I guess? Besides, I've always liked Pegasi, even if Aurora doesn't seem to like me sometimes. What harm is there in becoming one?"

"None," I shrugged. "It's a noble goal. Did you ever ride one by yourself?"

"Er, no," Severa rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, I was with mom when those Risen attacked at the border. But I only really tried once. It didn't… Well, Aurora tried kicking me in the face… Gawd, it was absolutely terrifying. I almost wanted to quit, but now… now I don't want to. I want to ride one once, at least, before I give up."

I gave her a pat on the shoulder. "We'll see about doing that later, Sev. For now, let's just let them have this moment to themselves, alright?"

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Of all the sayings I could remember that one seemed the most appropriate. Especially because I remembered it the day we left Wyval. I waited outside for Robin. The poor bastard wasn't leaving a single thing behind. Eventually, thankfully, I saw him.

"Are the Pegasus Knights all ready?" Robin asked, walking out of the base with a pack on his back.

"Yep," I replied, climbing on top of Pippin. "Made sure of it myself."

"Good. And Priam's mercenaries?"

I nodded, checking Sol's scabbard. "Yes. Good thing, too; I think some of them were planning on staying behind. Fire-forged ties and all that."

"Alright. Vivien and her contingent are still at the castle, and they will keep order while the war goes on. Virion and Cherche have already gone ahead, right?"

"That they have. You and I are some of the last few to leave. Cordelia and Severa've already gone, too, along with Henry and his family. It's just us left, Robin."

Robin's red eyes searched the cobble beneath him, as if trying to find an answer to a hard question. "…Tiki has been with me since we took over the capital, until recently. Is she ahead as well?"

"Worried for your girlfriend, Robin?" I asked, looking down at him and smirking.

I was surprised by the lack of reaction from him. He looked up at me, deadly serious. "Of course I am, Alex. She has an awful habit of oversleeping. I'm simply trying to make sure we haven't left her in a room somewhere with a snot bubble coming from her nose."

"Now that, that right there, is an image," I chuckled. "Don't worry; I talked with her this morning. She's ahead of us, too."

"Oh, thank the gods." Robin placed a hand to his chest and let out a deep breath. "Well, then, we'd better get going then."

"Hell yeah," I grunted. "Hop on, squire. We're getting the hell outta dodge. I've seen enough of this place to last a lifetime."

"'Squire'?" Robin echoed. "You realize I am your lord, correct? Or did that javelin do more damage than we are aware of?"

"I'm just having fun, ya goddamn lug. Get on."

Robin sighed, and promptly got on Pippin behind me. We trotted out of Wyval at a brisk pace; the army wasn't due to leave the area for another hour, and I wanted to take my time.

"It's not long now…" Robin murmured. "Soon, this blasted war will be over, and we can lay our sights on the real enemy."

I nodded.

And here's anotha one. Fresh off the presses for your viewing pleasure. Hope you enjoyed the CordAlex moments!

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