The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 21
Secret Plans and Bad Ideas
Ben slouched as he sat in silence in Chrom's room. The orange glow from a small fire washed over the stone room. Rendering the once frigid room inside of the Eastern Palace, warm. So warm that Ben had actually taken off his cloak as he sat. His hands hung off the armrests. Across from him, slouching in another chair, was Robin. The tactician's head rested in his hands. His fingers rubbed his temple. The young man clearly was nursing a splitting headache. Every few minutes or so he would wince and squeeze his eyes shut. Trying to muscle his way through the throbbing pain in his skull.
The Shepherds who had not sustained serious injuries had helped to carry the wounded through the remainder of the mountain pass. A desperate dash that exhausted everyone. But on the other side was the Eastern Palace. They wanted to reach the safety of its stone walls before another Plegian attack could hit them.
The garrison had opened the gates quickly. The commander of the guard, a man named Phillip, had ushered them all inside and given each Shepherd a hot meal almost immediately. And while they ate, scouts were sent out along the mountain pass. Each one tasked with locating any remaining Plegian force as well as identifying the bodies of the fallen.
The Shepherds gratefully ate. Albeit in silence. Sully was eerily quiet. The battle had rattled her and Stahl. The Wyverns had rendered their riding useless on the narrow mountain pass.
Virion sipped from a cup of tea. Ricken joined him. Both enjoying the warmth that the hot liquid brought to their bodies. Virion was the calmest in the room during dinner. Likely because he had seen war before during his time as a noble in Rosanne.
Vaike ate as Miriel tended to him. Once he was patched up, the mage went with Lissa and Maribelle. All three were determined to distract themselves by assisting the other clerics in healing the wounded.
Kellam was quiet as he normally was. But he only picked at his food. The large man's appetite was nonexistent.
Cordelia did not touch her food. Her mind was still far away. Replaying the last orders of Commander Phila over and over again. Sumia sat beside her, the young pegasus rider was doing her best to comfort her.
Lon'qu was one of the few that ate his whole meal. Albeit, reluctantly.
Marth was nowhere to be seen. The blue haired swordsman had decided to stay out in the palace courtyard. Ben eventually found out that she was meditating in the cold evening air.
And Kage did not dine with the group. He went to sit beside Gaius as the thief recovered. Panne also remained near Gaius. But she gratefully munched on a bowl of fruit and vegetables.
Chrom, Robin, and Ben hardly touched their food. Intead, all three retreated to Chrom's designated quarters as soon as they had arrived. Meanwhile, the wounded, including Frederick and Gaius, were being treated by the healers that resided in the isolated palace.
Ben flicked his eyes up at Chrom as he heard a bottle being opened. The captain of the Shepherds was, to put it mildly, enraged. Enraged, vengeful, and filled with worry. All feelings that he felt could be helped by a bottle filled with something strong.
He took a long gulp and uttered a loud gasp.
Ben jumped in his seat as Chrom uttered a furious cry and threw the bottle across the room. The glass shattered as it hit the stone wall. Robin also jumped in his seat, startled.
"DAMN IT!" Chrom bellowed as he slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. His fingers spread over a map of Archanea. A map he had been staring at for the better part of the last hour, "Damn it all!"
Robin swallowed hard and cast a worried glance at Ben, "Chrom I-"
The Prince's hand shot up from the desk and Robin's mouth snapped closed. The tactician leaned over to Ben.
"Maybe you should give it a try?" He muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
Ben shook his head, "He needs time." The swordsman rose from his seat and moved towards the door. Robin hesitated then followed. Ben exited quickly, Robin lingered for a moment.
"Hey Chrom," Robin began as he watched his friend seethe, "If… If you need anything, don't hesitate to say something."
Chrom did not reply. Robin waited a moment then saw him give a small nod. Robin sighed and shook his head.
Ben was right. Of course he was. As much as Robin did not want to leave Chrom alone right now, he needed time to process everything. A chance to clear his mind without any distractions. Chrom would find him once he was ready. Robin was sure of that.
The door closed behind the tactician with a quiet click. Waiting for him on the other side was Ben.
He looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat under the swordsman's eyes. Dark rings circled those bags. And there was a small slouch to Ben's posture. As if there was a heavy weight on his shoulders. The swordsman pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath before letting his hands fall to his side.
"I have a horrible headache." Ben muttered.
Robin ran a hand through his hair and uttered a long sigh, "You and me both." He placed his hands on his hips, "This is an unmitigated disaster."
Ben nodded, "You don't have to say that twice."
Ben turned to walk to where the other Shepherd's were housed. A small barracks had been cordoned off for them and any survivors of Exalt Emmeryn's personal guard. Robin and Ben walked in stride as they left the main keep and walked along the walls towards the little barracks.
Dinner had ended already. The Shepherds had eaten quickly and were all anxious to fall in their cots and attempt to forget about the nightmare that was the past few hours.
As Ben and Robin approached the door they saw Virion sitting on a wooden crate outside of the barracks . The archer was slumped up against the stone wall. A book cracked open in one hand. But the pages rested in his lap. He was asleep.
Robin heard Ben utter a small snort.
"War gives soldiers the ability to sleep anywhere." Ben said.
Robin let out a small laugh, "Apparently." He rubbed his chin, "I think while Chrom is… processing, you and I need to think of our next move."
He saw Ben hesitate as he pulled on the Barrack's door.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Ben replied before slipping inside.
"Not a good- hey wait a minute!" Robin exclaimed as he surged through the door after Ben. He grabbed Ben by the shoulder and spun him around, "Ben, with Frederick out of commission, you and I are the closest warriors to Chrom. We are the most tactically savvy. Our chess games speak for themselves when it comes to that. I need your help."
Ben sighed and shook his head, "And I'm telling I will not be any help."
Robin shook his head in disbelief, "How could you even say that? You are our best swordsman and-"
"And Emmeryn was still captured!" Ben barked.
Robin recoiled. Ben did not shout. He was always in control of his emotions. So much so that at times, Robin wondered if he took lessons with Lon'qu on how to remain as emotionally inconspicuous as possible. It was rare for him to raise his voice outside of battle. Even rarer for him to lose his temper.
Robin could see the guilt in Ben's eyes. And the reason for Ben's anger became clear.
"Ben," Robin gripped his shoulder, "This isn't your fault."
Ben gave Robin an intense glare, "It was my decision to send her with Frederick. My decision to not stay and protect her. All because-" Ben took a deep breath. Trying to calm himself down, "All because of that Black Rider."
Robin's eyes widened. He remembered the reports from Themis. Stories had circulated among the army of a Plegian Wyvern Rider clothed in all black robes and a black mask. A wyvern rider so skilled at flying that he could pull off maneuvers that would have made any pegasus knight dizzy. And a warrior that was almost unequaled among the Plegian army. An enigma too. No name, no age or gender, no background. Just a rider in black.
He heard Ben had confronted him during the parley skirmish. Robin had not gone into much detail over the situation at the time. But now, he could see that recent developments were eating away at Ben. And a lot of it stemmed from this mysterious enemy.
"What did he do?" Robin asked.
Ben slumped into a soft, plush chair near the fireplace. A small fire was already crackling in it. But no other Shepherds were around to enjoy it. Everyone, with the exception of Lissa and Miriel (who were busy assisting the healers), had dragged themselves to bed. They had the common room to themselves.
Ben rubbed his forehead.
"He distracted me." Ben answered bluntly.
Robin raised an eyebrow, "That's it?" He remained standing. Eventually he chose to lean against the fireplace mantle. The warmth of the fire raced through him and lightened his mood just enough to clear some of the fog from his mind, "Well… that happens. War is distracting."
Ben shook his head, "Not like that. He didn't even try to fight me he just-" Ben stared off for a moment and sighed, "I don't know."
Robin stared hard at Ben. There it was again. A trait that Robin had noticed in Ben ever since he met the guy. He had ignored it at first. Reasoned that Ben just wanted to maintain his privacy. He could not fault his friend for that. Some people did not want their pasts to be known. And the little bits Robin had learned about revealed a hard and troubled life before the Shepherds. One filled with loss and danger. Any sane person would want to move on from it.
But this was no longer about Ben's past. His question dodging now concerned their enemy. Robin thought back to Ben's report on Maul. It had been insightful, sure. But after seeing what Maul had done to Phila and the Pegasus Knights, Robin could not help but think it was horribly incomplete. He was still waiting for the scouts to come back and inform him of the state of the Pegasus Knight's bodies. As well as the Healer's report on how they died.
The weapon Maul used was beyond anything Robin had ever seen before. It looked like a bar of red light. Or maybe some strange form of fire. Whatever it was, it devoured his thunder spell. No weapon could do that. Not any that Robin was aware of at least. And there was never a mention of such a weapon in Ben's original report.
His friend was hiding things. Important details that could help prevent defeat. Details that could save lives.
"Ben please-"
"Not now." Ben bowed his head, "Later Robin."
Robin pursed his lips. He wanted to argue back but he could not. Ben was tired. He was tired. Heavy discussions like the one they were bound to have never ended well if both parties were not thinking clearly. Robin gave Ben a nod and pushed away from the fireplace.
"I'll be in my cot reading."
Ben watched as the tactician retreated up a small flight of stone stairs. Once he disappeared, Ben leaned back and ran his hands over his eyes.
Force he could use some sleep. But there was no way he could bring himself to fall asleep.
This was his fault. He had not told the Shepherd's about how powerful Maul really was. He had not informed them of how powerful the Black Rider really was. He had not told them the truth about anything.
He did not follow the advice of Master Qui Gon.
Now that has bitten me in the ass. Ben thought as he grabbed an iron poker and jabbed the logs that were in the fireplace. He hoped the mindless activity would distract his racing mind. Instead, it only caused his thoughts to grow worse.
The image of Frederick, bloodied and near death, surged through his mind. If the Plegians had done that to him, what had they done to Emmeryn? What would they do to Emmeryn? His fist clenched tight around the iron poker.
The Black Rider, he knew he was a Jedi. Even called him one as Frederick raced away with Emmeryn. Ben furrowed his brow. The only way that would be possible is if- Ben swallowed hard. The Black Rider was Maul's apprentice. That demon had taken on a student. And that student was strong. The small moments where he caught a glimpses of the rider's power had revealed an absolute tempest of power. Black, raw, and untamed. If that was the student, then how powerful had Maul become? And how could Maul have become strong enough to control a student like that? Ben frowned. For that matter, when did Maul become so… debilitated? He did not have a limp last time Ben confronted him. He was healthy. Well, as healthy as a bisected Zabrak could be. What had happened during the time between that encounter in Sundari and the fall of the Republic? Ben uttered a frustrated sigh. He let the fire poker fall from his grasp onto the stone floor.
The clattering of the iron against stone rang in his ears. A constant clank, clank, clank. Ben clenched his teeth, closed his eyes.
To hell with it.
In a single, pulse of frustration, he let loose. The force whirled around him and shot out of his still form in one massive pulse. Paintings on the barracks walls shook. Cups and dishes in cupboards rattled. And the front door swung open then slammed shut. Ben sighed, let the sensation of release linger for a moment, then carefully drew his power back in.
As he calmed down, he detected a second presence in the room. He opened his eyes and saw Marth leaning against the door.
Ben gulped, "Um… how much did you-"
"All of it." Marth answered.
Ben groaned and buried his face in his hands, "As if this couldn't get any worse."
"It can." Marth replied as she moved across the room and sat down in the seat across from Ben, "It always does."
Ben gave her a curious look. Marth shifted in her seat and leaned forward.
"My… my master once told me, that life, the universe, they have a tendency to try and destroy you. To give you more than you can handle and wait for you to break under the strain of it all. That the chaos of it all will eventually cause your mind to shatter. Especially when you are too focused on what has happened or what could happen." Ben stared hard at her as she spoke, "But, he also said that when that happens, the measure of a person, the measure of their strength, is how they respond to that pressure. How do they react to the trials of life?" Marth let out a long breath, "Do they stand tall? Or do they crumble? And if they crumble, how long do they stay that way? Do they linger in the past? Do they worry about the future? Or do they act in the present?" She folded her hands in her lap, "The ones that stayed strong tended to act in the present."
"Your master was a wise man." Ben replied as he listened closely to Marth.
Marth let out a wistful chuckle, "Yes… he was."
"What happened to him?"
Marth's smile drifted away from her face, "He-" She swallowed hard, "He died. Protecting me."
"I'm sorry." Ben said quickly, "I did not mean to-"
Marth raised a hand, "You didn't. I… I haven't said anything about it in a long time." Marth's fingers fidgeted in her laps. Tapping against each other. Her fingers twisted together in a way that reminded Ben of a child nervous about speaking with a parent, "Actually saying something helped. Even if it was only a little." She shook her head and leaned forward, "The point of me sitting here, Master Ben; the point of me talking to you like this, is to ask you a question. Are you going to linger, worry, or act?"
Ben pressed his lips together as Marth got to her feet. His eyes narrowed. What was Marth getting at?
"I'm going to act." Marth's hand wrapped around Falchion's grip, "And I'll do it alone if I must." She moved towards the door and opened it. Carefully so she would not wake Virion, "If you want to act too, meet me near the main gate at midnight."
Ben stared after her as the door closed behind her with a soft click. After a couple moments, he glanced up at the ceiling.
"This is your doing." He muttered.
He hoped Qui Gon heard him. Because everything Marth had just said was what his own Master would have told him in this situation. In fact, that is what his master had been trying to get across to him the entire time he had been among the Shepherds.
Live in the moment. Do not regret the past. Do not fear for the future. Trust the Force. And trust those close to you. Ben ran a hand over his slowly regrowing beard. The soft whiskers against his fingers comforted him. It allowed a sense of normalcy to return for a brief moment. In that moment, he forgot he was once again a twenty year old with the abilities of a twenty year old padawan. He forgot that his control over the force was damaged due to his body's sudden change. He even forgot that he was on a mysterious planet he had never heard of before.
Ben was a Jedi Master. And he would not let some primitive, ax wielding barbarians led by an old enemy intimidate him. Ben took a deep breath and rose from his seat.
There were preparations that had to be made. He'd have to discreetly get supplies and pack them. None of the other Shepherds could know. What he had in mind was a small operation. A covert one. He would have to slip into Plegia and locate the Emmeryn. Fast.
He started up the stairs to the bunk rooms when he bumped into someone. Someone in a set of very hard armor.
He winced as his chest throbbed and head pounded from the impact. Then he felt his foot slip. The world spun and he somersaulted back down the stairs. Falling with him was a mess of armored limbs and red hair.
They both landed in a heap on the stone floor. After a few curses and a few seconds of groaning, Cordelia jumped off of Ben.
"Oh my gosh! Are you ok, Ben?" Cordelia asked as she rushed down the stairs.
"Oh just perfect." Ben replied before taking Cordelia's outstretched hand.
Ben blinked as she effortlessly yanked him to his feet. For a woman as slight as she was, she was shockingly strong. Then again, she would have to be strong. Ben had flown on a Pegasus twice already (something he never wanted to do again). In those experiences, he had found it took tremendous strength and to stay on top of one of those animals as it zoomed through the air. He really should not have been so surprised.
"I'm so sorry." Cordelia apologized, "I did not mean to run into you."
Ben waved her apology off, "No need to apologize." He rubbed his jaw and winced. That was one heck of a collision, "Why were you rushing down the stairs?"
Cordelia drew back, "I-well- why were you rushing up the stairs?"
Ben raised an eyebrow. Cordelia's eyes shifted back and forth.
"Cordelia?"
"I asked you a question!" Cordelia shot back defensively.
Ben smirked then folded his arms, "I asked you first."
"I well-" Cordelia folded her own arms in defiance, "Just so you know I was about to go to the stables to get some… things… sorted… yes."
"Things sorted?" Ben nodded, "Funny, I was going to do the same thing."
"At the stables?"
"What? No!" Ben exclaimed, "I plan on staying far away from the stables."
"What things were you going to get sorted?" Cordelia asked, taking one step forward and staring up at Ben.
It was Ben's turn to be defensive, "Well um- I- my sword and-"
Cordelia uttered a loud laugh, "You're Ben. You don't have things to be sorted. So," She jabbed Ben's chest with her finger, "What scheme are you up to?"
"I'm not scheming!"
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him. Ben returned her stare.
"You're not coming with." Ben said firmly.
"You. Can't. Stop. Me."
Ben rolled his eyes and groaned. Cordelia just smirked and brushed past him.
"Marth wants us at the gate by midnight." Ben blinked as Cordelia's words hit his ears, "Don't forget."
Ben's jaw fell open as Cordelia sauntered out the door. The door slammed shut behind her. Outside, Ben heard Virion cry out. The sudden slam of the barracks door had been a rude awakening for the archer. Ben blinked a few times then groaned.
"So much for going alone."
….
A pale moon sat high in the cloudless, black sky. Several stars twinkled in the night. But most were hidden behind a thick blanket of dark clouds. Marth stared up at the moon. It was almost time.
She gripped Falchion and looked over at the barracks. No one had exited. No one had entered. All was quiet in the Eastern Palace. The only sounds came from the occasional jingle of chainmail as palace guards wandered the walls. She made sure to stay in the shadows when they came by. The mission she had proposed to Ben and Cordelia had to remain secret.
There was a spy among the Exalt's company. That much had been made clear on the mountain pass. No one else knew about her journey to the Eastern Palace. She did not know who the spy could be.
She originally thought it was a nobleman. After all that is what she knew about regarding the future. A nobleman was the rat among the Shepherd's party. Of course, what she knew about the future had changed dramatically thanks to her small interventions.
The Exalt was not supposed to survive the assassination attempt. Chrom was not supposed to escape that same attempt unscathed. The retreat to the Eastern Palace was for Chrom's safety. Not Emmeryn's. All of the sudden changes told Marth one thing.
Any preconceptions about the future needed to be tossed away. They were no longer reliable.
That meant she could no longer remain in the shadows. If the disasters she had seen were to be prevented, she would have to take an active hand for now. It was a tremendous risk. But one that had to be taken.
Her mind drifted back to her first problem. Who had betrayed the Exalt? No noblemen accompanied the caravan to the Eastern Palace. It was something that Commander Phila had insisted upon. If there was a sudden loss of noblemen in the capitol, the Plegians would figure out their ruse. That eliminated one group of suspects.
The pegasus knight's could not have done it. None of them survived Maul. Marth shuddered at the memory of the grisly scene on the mountain pass. She knew Maul was an animal. But that was… horrifying. It would be an image that would never leave her mind. And the duel with him was one of the most harrowing she had ever fought.
No wonder Master did not let me fight him before. She thought to herself.
Maul's slaughter of the Pegasus Knights eliminated them as potential suspects. It was possible that Maul killed the traitor once their usefulness ran their course. But that was not the Maul she knew. The Maul she knew was much more cunning than that. He would ensure that he always had eyes and ears near his enemies. Killing them would be unnecessary to his plans. Whatever those plans were. Marth still could not figure them out.
That left the palace guard and… Marth frowned. Was it possible? Could there be a traitor among the Shepherds? She shook her head. No, they were all loyal to Chrom. The only one she was not sure about was-
"Kage!" She hissed and grit her teeth, "That lying sack of-"
"What do I hear about lying sack of shit?"
Marth ripped Falchion free from its scabbard. She pointed it at the shadows to her right.
"Whoa! Easy there." Stepping out of the shadows was, to Marth's surprise, Gaius. The thief was somehow already on his feet. "No need to get all… stabby."
"How did I you- how did I not-"
"Listen Blue," Gaius laughed before sweeping around to Marth's side and wrapping an arm over her shoulder, "You can't be stealthier than the stealthiest."
Marth frowned and shook Gaius's arm from her shoulders.
"No need to be unfriendly."
"You are not a part of this." Marth snapped back.
"A part of what?" Gaius stuck his hands in his pockets, "Sneaking out of the Eastern Palace. Against Chrom's orders for that matter. Probably on some sort of suicide, rescue mission involving the Exalt." He clicked his tongue, "If I could find you this easily then you don't stand a chance."
"You are… a special case." Marth said as she bit back a more scathing response.
"Maybe." Gaius shrugged, "But it wasn't me that found you first."
Marth's eyes widened as Panne emerged from the same shadows Gaius had been hiding in. The Taguel's sharp eyes narrowed at the blue haired girl.
"You are much too loud." Panne scolded.
Marth sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Face it, Blue." Gaius said, "You need the best."
"What I need, is as small of a party as possible." Marth snarled, "The more of us there are, the more likely we are to get caught."
"Not if it's me and Whiskers here." Gaius said. Panne uttered a low growl but Gaius ignored her. "Get used to the nickname." Gaius smiled back.
"Yes, because having a Plegian traitor and a Taguel will really help us be inconspicuous." Marth deadpanned.
"You let me deal with that bit." Gaius said reassuringly. Before Marth could reply, Gaius's grin widened, "Looks like they've arrived."
Marth glanced over at the barracks. Sprinting across the courtyard, was a red haired woman and a man in a brown cloak. They both skidded to a halt next to Marth and Gaius.
Ben glanced at the Thief and Taguel.
"What?" Ben groaned, "Them too?"
"Not originally." Marth muttered.
"You didn't think you'd get to go on a stealth mission without the stealthiest stealther there is?" Gaius grinned.
"You are supposed to be in bed! Recovering." Ben snapped.
"Pah!" Gaius replied, "A couple elixirs and a session with one of those clerics and I was good to go." He reached into his pack and withdrew several small, blue vials, "Even snatched a couple for the road."
"You stole medical supplies!" Ben hissed.
"Does it matter right now?" Cordelia interrupted, "We need to get moving before anyone realizes we're gone."
"Red is right." Gaius said as he pulled his right hand from his pocket. He twirled a lollipop between his fingers then popped it in his mouth. Once he did that, he shouldered his pack and smirked, "C'mon. It's a long journey to the Plegian capital."
"The capitol?" Panne asked.
"Where else do you think they'll keep the Exalt, Whiskers?" Gaius replied. He waved at the group, "Follow me. I know the way."
Panne sighed low, "I hate that nickname." Then she followed Gaius.
Cordelia also adjusted her pack then followed. As the trio moved down the road, Ben turned to Marth.
"I have a very bad feeling about this."
Marth hung her head and groaned, "Of course you do."
….
Lissa uttered an exhausted sigh. Her shoulders hung low as she trudged down the palace hallway. Miriel strode through the hall with her. The inquisitive mage did her best to maintain her straight posture. But even her shoulders were starting to slump. The one person mission was Maribelle. She had fallen asleep in Frederick's room. The young girl did her best to help the healers. But eventually she succumbed to exhaustion.
It had been a whirlwind of a day. First the attack on the road, then the mad dash to the palace, and finally the frantic work as she and Miriel assisted the palace healers with Frederick and any other wounded soldiers.
She breathed a small sigh of relief. Thankfully, Frederick and Gaius were the only serious cases. And even then, Gaius was able to be up and moving within a few hours. Miriel's elixirs were miracle workers. They saved Frederick's life and made sure Gaius's injuries were not extremely serious. Now, Frederick was resting in his own room. A room that Lissa and Miriel had both just left.
The healers had ushered them both out of there. Lissa had refused at first. She wanted to work. Wanted the distraction. The carnage and the horror of the battle was still fresh on her mind. Healing others provided an escape from that. But the healers had insisted. The last thing they all needed, was a fellow cleric succumbing to magical exhaustion. Miriel had agreed to go with her. If only to keep the young princess company.
Lissa stopped walking and turned to face the windows that lined the hallway. Moonlight drifted into the palace, casing everything in dark blue shadows. Miriel stopped beside her.
"I didn't think it was that late." Lissa mumbled.
Then she broke. Lissa felt the floodgates opened and tears streamed down her face. Miriel caught her as the Princess's legs buckled beneath her. The mage hesitated as she held the sobbing princess.
"Um… it will be ok, Lissa." Miriel said as she struggled to find a way to comfort her.
"No! No it's not!" Lissa cried, "They have Emmeryn! They killed Phila! And-and- there's Maul- and-"
"Shhhh." Miriel breathed as she wrapped her arms tight around Lissa, "Take all of those thoughts from your mind and release them."
"I-I can't!" Lissa sniffled.
Miriel closed her eyes and nodded. She could understand. The battle was horrific. The sight of Commander Phila's face contorted in such a horrific, ghastly way churned her stomach. Miriel had felt tears brim in her eyes on several occasions as she worked with the healers. She had been in many skirmishes during her time with the Shepherds. But there was something savage about the battle on the road. Something vile that made her blood grow cold. That told her that this war was going to be unlike any conflict she had ever participated in.
Civilians were going to die. Friends were going to be hurt. Innocents were going to be corrupted. And Miriel realized there, as she held Lissa, that there would be nothing she could do about it.
Miriel rubbed the Princess's back as the girl buried her face in her robes. Miriel gaze turned outside to the palace courtyard. Despite the horrors of the past day, it was a beautiful night. The moon was cold. But the pale light offered it's own, unique form of comfort. The stars twinkled bright whenever the grey clouds moved out of the way. They were all safe in the palace. All the of the Shepherds were-
Miriel's eyes widened. She blinked and adjusted her glasses. Four figures were sprinting away from the Palace. One had rather large ears.
"Well…" She cleared her throat, "Captain Chrom will not have anything pleasant to say about this."
And chapter! Thus begins the next part of the story. I've decided to throw in a unique spin to this part. It's going to be fun writing this part of the story. Because during their little rescue mission we will get the introduction of another great character. An unlikely ally. Meanwhile, Chrom and Robin are going to have to decide. Continue to Regna Ferox or follow Ben. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!