The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 77
A New War Begins
Arena Ferox looked like a hive. There were people moving everywhere. Robin swore that he thought a new tournament was about to kick off to select a new Khan. But the massive swarms of men and women in the Feroxi capital were not civilians here to enjoy and tournament and a festival.
These were soldiers. Each and every one armed with swords, axes, and hammers. Robin saw a few of the elite Feroxi Lancers march past him and the Shepherds as they strolled along Arena Ferox's outer perimeter. The tactician's eyes followed the lancers as they moved by. Each man marched in sync with the other. Pure discipline. Not a single smile of excitement or anticipation.
Robin gulped. They knew what was coming. That was why the Lancers were not excited for battle. That was why Arena Ferox teemed with every single soldier in the nation.
A few days ago, Chrom and Robin received a message from Regna Ferox. Khan Basilio believed war with Valm was imminent. There was not much explanation in the message. Only a request that Chrom and the Shepherds arrive at Arena Ferox for an emergency council with all haste. Chrom, wishing to repay the northern nation for their assistance in the war against Plegia, immediately agreed to go. Frederick and the few remaining Shepherds all gathered their supplies and marched within hours of the Feroxi messenger's arrival.
Robin's feet still ached from the march. Chrom set a brutal pace north. The Ylissean Prince believed Basilio when the message said time was of the essence. Robin agreed, but also felt that they could have taken a small break or two along the Northroad. It had been a while since many of the Shepherds completed such a march. Robin knew Lissa was exhausted. The Princess had to be carried the last few miles by Frederick's horse. Sumia also looked extremely tired. And also very worried. Rightfully so. She left her one year old daughter in the capital in order to be by Chrom's side for this war council.
Robin felt a warm, buzzing feeling enter his body. The tactician glanced over his shoulder and saw Libra quietly using his healing staff to ease the ache in his legs.
"You were limping." The Priest said as the green glow in his staff faded, "I might recommend keeping yourself in better physical shape. Or perhaps, learning to ride a horse."
Robin let out a dry chuckle, "I know how to do both. Marching takes getting used to. And my body is no longer used to it."
"If war really is on the horizon." Frederick said as he guided his horse towards Arena' Ferox's main entrance, "Then your body needs to get used to it."
Robin rolled his eyes, "You don't have to tell me that twice."
"I'll never be used to marching." Lissa yawned on top of Frederick's horse, "I much prefer horseback or carriage." She yawned again, "Hopefully we will be allowed to rest before this war council."
Robin chuckled quietly, "You don't have to attend, Lissa. I'm sure Chrom, Sumia, Frederick, Cordelia, and myself can handle this just fine."
"I am the Princess of Ylisse. It is my job to represent us." Lissa huffed, "I will be there. Even if I end up falling asleep mid-council, I will still be in attendance." The Princess folded her arms, "Who else do you think will be at this thing anyways?"
"Besides Chrom and our military leaders?" Robin asked. He hummed to himself, "Maybe Maribelle and Stahl. Since they are in charge of the largest section of the Ylissean military outside of Ylisstol."
Robin's answer was confirmed when both Lissa and the Tactician heard a loud, happy cry from ahead. Maribelle waved to them as she stood beside one of the Arena's massive columns. Stahl and Donnel both stood beside her. Dooku was behind her. The old man talked in hushed tones with a pink haired woman Robin recognized as the Feroxi Ambassador to Ylisse, Olivia.
"Lissa, darling! Over here!" Maribelle called.
"Frederick." Lissa said.
"Of course, milady." Frederick nodded as he guided his horse towards the group from Themis.
Robin watched as Chrom and the other Shepherds continued deeper into the Arena. But the tactician decided to stick around with Frederick and Lissa. He had a pair of old friends to say hello to after all.
"Lissa! You look absolutely radiant, my dear." Maribelle exclaimed as Lissa hopped down from Frederick's horse and embraced her.
"I look radiant? Pfft! Yeah right. I just got done marching for two days straight." Lissa beamed at Maribelle, "You look stunning! Is that a new dress?"
"Yes," Maribelle blushed a little bit, "I got it from someone special."
Lissa looked absolutely giddy, "Oooh, someone special?"
Robin chuckled as he tuned out the girl's conversation. He turned his attention over to Donnel. The farm boy gripped his hand and pulled that tactician in for a hug.
"Good to see you again!" Donnel smiled as he embraced Robin.
"It's good to you too, Donnel." Robin grinned as he pulled back, "You've put on some muscle."
"It took a great deal of effort for that to come about." Dooku drawled as he approached the two friends, "A pleasure to see you again, Robin."
"You as well, Dooku." Robin smiled back, "How is everything in Themis?"
"Moving along at a much more reasonable pace now." Dooku replied, "The walls have been rebuilt. The markets are nearly finished as well. Plots of land are being developed for residential purposes." Dooku beamed with pride, "It will be the model city in this land."
"He's right." Donnel grinned, "I ain't never seen anything like it before. The whole building project is enormous. Oh! And Stahl has the entire cavalry rebuilt and ready to go."
Robin glanced over at Stahl as the Themis knight chatted with Frederick. Both men catching up after a long absence. Stahl appeared to settle really well into his role as the commander of Themis' cavalry. His easy going attitude helped win him the love of his men. But he also demanded excellence from his soldiers. A trait he inherited from Frederick.
Robin glanced back at Donnel. He finally noticed the farm boy's attire. His hair was neatly combed and well kept. Not longer an unruly mess hidden beneath a dented copper pot. His clothes were much finer than the roughspun tunic and pants he wore when Robin first met him. He even wore polished black shoes. Donnel looked more like a nobleman than a farm boy.
"I assume Dooku's dress has rubbed off on you?" Robin joked.
Donnel laughed, "A little bit. But the other reason is-"
"YOU'RE WITH DONNEL!?" Lissa cried off to the side.
Robin's jaw fell open. Frederick glanced over at Lissa and Maribelle. The Knight-Commander equally as stunned as Robin and Lissa.
The Duchess of Themis blushed and nodded. Donnel just let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head.
"That cat is out of the bag." Donnel said.
Robin stared stunned at Donnel. He jabbed a thumb over at Maribelle as Lissa peppered the Duchess with questions.
"Uh… really?"
Donnel snorted out a laugh, "Yes, really." Donnel sighed, "She's not bad once ya get passed the more bristly side of her."
"You'll have to tell me that secret someday." Robin replied as he shook his head. He let out a laugh, "I'm happy for you both. Is it official or-"
"Er- well- wasn't quite sure how or when to make it super official." Donnel gulped.
"You should really have some more confidence, Donnel." Dooku cut in, "Maribelle respects such things most of all."
"Vaike has all the confidence in the world, and she has zero respect for him." Robin pointed out.
Donnel laughed as Dooku furrowed his brow, "Yeah, Robin's got a point there."
A small voice cleared its throat nearby. Robin glanced over at Olivia. The pink haired ambassador gave him a small, shy wave.
"Hello Robin. It is nice to see you again."
"It is lovely to see you as well, Olivia. I apologize, I was catching up with Donnel and became sidetracked."
Olivia smiled a little bit, "There is nothing to apologize for. Although, I do have to ask everyone to step inside the Arena now. I'm sure the Khans are anxious to get this council started."
Robin nodded, "Right. I'll go find Chrom then, before he gets himself lost." He smiled at both Dooku and Donnel, "I'll see you both tonight. I'm sure we will have some sort of get together."
"Absolutely!" Donnel grinned as he waved farewell to Robin and Frederick.
Lissa stayed behind for a moment with Maribelle before realizing she was being left behind. She sprinted to catch up to the other two. Lissa huffed once she caught up to both Robin and Frederick.
"Really!? You both left me!"
"You were catching up with Maribelle." Robin defended, "We didn't want to intrude on that."
"What Robin said, milady." Frederick nodded in agreement.
Lissa folded her arms over her chest, "You both just wanted to keep me from attending the war council."
"Nonsense!" Both Robin and Frederick remarked at the same time.
The two men glanced at each other. Robin chuckled a little bit. He had been working so closely with Frederick lately that the two of them actually started to become decent friends. While Chrom was Robin's direct superior, Frederick dealt with the military more closely than the Prince. Robin handled many of the reports and strategy meetings for the Ylissean military. Which required constant communication with both Frederick and Cordelia.
And while Robin had always been on good terms with Wing-Commander Cordelia, he had never really moved past Frederick's initial suspicion of him back when they first met. But Robin gained Frederick's respect and trust over the past year. Especially in the wake of the Ben and Chrom's fight.
Robin's heart sank a little bit as he, Frederick, and Lissa followed Olivia up a long flight of stairs.
Robin could not help but wonder how Ben was doing. Other than Chrom, Ben had been Robin's closest friend among the Shepherds. They had been through so much together. A war with Plegia, a crazy quest to find both Marth and Luke, his own struggles with learning to use to the force. Those events forged a bond between the two that Robin thought could not be broken.
Then I proceeded to shatter it with my own nosiness and stupidity.
He still could not fathom the impact his decision to inform Chrom about Sidious had on the other Shepherds. Chrom kicked Ben out of the tight knit group. The Prince reasoned that if there was a lack of trust between them, then they would not be an effective fighting force. Therefore, Ben could not be among the Shepherds ranks.
Robin sort of agreed with that sentiment. Trust was paramount in a military group as close as the Shepherds. And they had all put their trust in Ben multiple times. They trusted him when he rushed off on a secret mission to rescue Exalt Emmeryn. He trusted Ben when they went on the year long quest to find Marth and Luke. But that trust never went both ways. Ben remained secretive. Enigmatic and aloof to everyone except Tharja and, to a lesser extent, Marth. A fact that did sting for Robin. He thought they were closer friends than that.
But Robin also believed Chrom did not handle the fight in the best way possible. He and Chrom both initially agreed to ease Ben into revealing his past. Ask him easy questions that would allow him to feel like he could trust them. But when Chrom heard Ben say there were no secrets between himself and Marth, Chrom felt angry. And he let that anger lash out in an unpredictable way. A way that drove a wedge between the two men.
A wedge that shattered the Shepherds. Robin sighed as he thought about the others. Gaius, Panne, and Laurent all left the Shepherds in a fury over Chrom's decision. Virion, Dooku, and Donnel all said they would be leaving the Shepherds as well. Although, their exit had been far more civil than Gaius, Panne, and Laurent's.
The Shepherds who were also members of the Ylissean military remained. Almost all of them utterly furious with Ben. Which did not sit well with some of the members who just wanted the conflict to end. Ricken chief among them. The young mage, Miriel, Vaike, Nowi, Lon'qu, Cordelia, and Libra all viewed the fight as childish and pure nonsense. But none of them voice that opinion to Chrom. And so, they all decided to remain Shepherds but also follow their own paths.
Vaike and Miriel were busy raising their newborn baby boy. A curious little kid that almost never cried and always seemed to be studying something about the world around him.
Libra was often found in the Ylisstol Cathedral. Leading prayers and healing the sick and injured. Lon'qu left to act as the Ylissean ambassador to Regna Ferox. Robin had a feeling he would be in attendance for this war council as well. Cordelia continued in her duties as Wing-Commander. Nowi was… Nowi. And Ricken threw himself into his magical studies. Robin was awestruck by how adept the young mage had become in the past year. He was truly a prodigy.
Oliva stopped in front of a wooden door in a long corridor near the top of the Arena. She pushed the door open and held it for Robin, Frederick, and Lissa. The trio stepped inside.
Robin looked around the Feroxi War Council Room with wide eyes. It was large room with an enormous, dark, wood table in the center. Four roaring fires burned in fireplaces along all four walls of the room. Providing light and heat to the normally dark, cold room. Two thrones sat at the head of the table. One for the ruling Khan. One for the non-ruling Khan. The rest of the chairs at the table were simple wooden seats. Comfortable, but not overly lavish.
The room was already filled with people. Robin watched as Olivia crossed the room over to Lon'qu. The two ambassadors, and longtime friends easily got along. Although, Robin could see some of Lon'qu's awkwardness with women surfacing as the conversation dragged on. Stahl eventually showed up on his own and took a seat near Cordelia. The Wing-Commander greeted the knight with a warm smile. But she stayed mostly silent. A few Feroxi commanders lingered throughout the room as well. Including Commander Raimi from the Longfort.
Robin noticed Chrom off to the side. The Prince was busy speaking with Virion and- Robin blinked as he recognized the woman standing beside Virion.
"Ah, Robin! My friend!" Virion beamed as Robin approached him and Chrom, "It is about time you arrived." He gestured over to the pink haired woman beside him, "May I present-"
Robin shook the woman's hand, "It is a pleasure to see you again, Cherche."
Virion's eyes widened in surprise, "Ah-so… you both know each other?"
Cherche uttered a light chuckle, "We ran into each other in Charlet. I helped Robin and his friends escape the city before I decided to smuggle myself and Minerva across the sea." She smiled at Robin, "And it is a pleasure to see you as well, Robin. I am happy to see you in good health. I worried about you and your friends once I left the hideout that morning."
"Yeah? Me too." Robin gulped, "There were some close calls for us during that part of our quest." He glanced over at Virion, "May I ask how you know Virion?"
"Virion was once a Lord in the land of Rosanne. My liege lord in fact. My family served his for generations before the Valm Empire conquered our nation." Cherche explained, "He and I grew up together."
"Indeed we did." Virion crowed, "And it was an absolute privilege to share a friendship with such a beautiful and daring-"
"Anyways," Cherche cut off Virion. The archer stammered as she continued speaking, "If you are wondering why I am here, I am here to provide intelligence regarding Valm for the war council."
"Cherche has a very in depth perspective on the Valm military." Chrom explained, "Especially since she was a freedom fighter against the empire for some time."
"That's right! I forgot about that." Robin remarked, "Well, as a tactician I will be extremely grateful for whatever information you can give us."
Cherche nodded in agreement. She furrowed her brow, seemingly confused as she glanced around the room.
"Excuse me, Robin, Prince Chrom, is Ben Kenobi not part of your company?"
Robin gulped as Chrom's face darkened a little bit.
"We had a bit of a falling out." Chrom breathed. Before Cherche could ask what happened, Chrom pointed over at the door, "Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio have arrived."
Robin glanced over at the door. Khan Flavia did not have her trademark grin as she entered the room. Her face mirrored stone. Focused and grim. Khan Basilio carried himself in a similar manner. Although he expressed much more confidence than the ruling Khan at the moment. Probably due to his vast amount of experience when it came to both warfare and politics.
Maribelle and Dooku also filed in behind them. The two nobles from Themis took their seats.
Khan Flavia flopped down onto her throne while Basilio's voice boomed out through the room.
"If everyone could please take their seats." Basilio said.
Robin glanced over at Chrom. The Prince shrugged then strode over to his seat. Sumia and Robin sat on either side of Chrom. Frederick sat beside Robin. Cordelia sat beside Sumia. And Lissa took a seat beside Frederick and a suddenly awkward Lon'qu. Lissa rolled her eyes as Lon'qu inched his seat a little away from her.
"Oh, get over yourself already." Lissa sighed.
Basilio cleared his throat, "Is everyone here?"
Flavia nodded her head at an empty seat near Cordelia.
"We're missing one." Flavia sighed, "Looks like he decided not to-"
The door to the council room burst open. Robin flicked his eyes over. His face paled. Chrom frowned as Ben Kenobi stepped into the room.
"I apologize Khan Flavia, Khan Basilio." Ben bowed to both of them then quickly marched over to his seat next to Cordelia, "We had a late start on our journey."
Flavia arched an eyebrow as Ben took his seat. She could not help but notice the distinct lack of warmth shared between Ben and the Shepherds present. Lissa looked about as uncomfortable as Lon'qu as Ben took his seat. Robin looked positively sick. Chrom appeared angry. Sumia let out a small sigh and kept her gaze down on the table. Frederick eyed Ben the entire way to his seat. The only Shepherds to give Ben a warm greeting were Donnel, Dooku, and Virion. Virion and Donnel smiled at the man while Dooku gave him a courteous nod.
"Alright." Flavia breathed, "Clearly some air needs to be cleared before we continue."
Basilio arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"Oaf, are you that dense?" Flavia sighed before rubbing her tired eyes, "There's something going on between Prince Chrom and Ben."
"That something involved Ben attacking Chrom." Frederick frowned.
"Frederick…" Cordelia sighed.
Flavia's eyes shot wide open, "Attacking? What the hell?" She whipped her gaze over to Ben and Chrom, "Explain. Now!"
Chrom folded his arms, "Ben and I had a falling out over personal matters. That is all this table needs to know." His eyes flicked over to Frederick. Silencing the Knight-Commander before he could elaborate.
"I agree. That is all that needs to be said about the matter." Ben folded his hands on the table, "We have much more important things to worry about."
Robin gulped as he felt Ben's gaze wander over to him for a brief second. He had no idea Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia wanted Ben at this council. The message they received had no mention of him in it. So it was safe to assume that Flavia and Basilio only wanted the Ylissean military leaders in attendance.
Then again, they had no idea Chrom kicked Ben out of the Shepherds. They probably assumed he was still part of Chrom's inner circle. Robin sank in his seat. This meeting just went from a friendly reunion with friends, to an extremely awkward affair.
Basilio's one eye roved over the group of Ylisseans. He frowned and shook his head.
"Whatever the issue is, deal with it among yourselves and on your own time." The large man grunted, "Right now, we have a major situation involving Valm." Basilio tapped a finger against the tabletop, "I'll get right down to it. My spies in Valm report massive troop build ups along that continent's eastern coast."
"How did your spies manage to get this message to you?" Ben asked, "The continent is under a self imposed embargo. Nothing can get in or out."
"Some Feroxi sailors are rather skilled… privateers." Flavia smirked.
Frederick frowned, "Pirates."
"Hey, you Ylisseans have your bandit gangs." Flavia jabbed a finger at Frederick, "Don't be acting so high and mighty on the matter. We decided to grant certain pirates amnesty in exchange for them smuggling us information on the Valm Empire's movements." Flavia sighed, "We have had our eyes on Valm for a while now. The imperial ambition of their emperor cannot be overlooked."
"And the troop buildup should make the situation fairly obvious." Basilio said, "Emperor Walhart plans to launch a full scale invasion of the continent."
"A bold move." Ben remarked, "And a difficult one to pull off."
"How so?"
Ben glanced at Robin, "I think you'll agree with me, Robin, when I say that an invasion that involves sending an army over an ocean would be a logistical nightmare."
Robin jumped as Ben addressed him, "Um, well, y-yeah, it would be. The simple act of feeding a large scale invasion force would be an astronomical task." Robin tapped his fingers against the table top as he furrowed his brow in thought, "It's difficult to believe that Valm would take that kind of risk."
"The Valm empire is built on risks." Virion cut in, "Before it became an empire, Valm was a small nation to the north of the continent. Pitifully small. The major power on the continent for the longest time was the nation of Chon'sin, not Valm." Virion sighed, "Then Walhart came out of nowhere and took the Valmese throne. From there, he unleashed his armies on the world. No one could stand against him in battle. His tactics were nearly flawless. His efficiency, brutal."
"It sounds like he has some extremely competent generals." Dooku noted.
Cherche nodded in agreement beside Virion, "He does. But they all contend that Walhart is superior to them both in might and intelligence. And I happen to believe them. I have heard tales of when Emperor Walhart personally stepped onto the battlefield." She gulped, "He is undefeated for a reason."
Robin pursed his lips, "Do you have any intelligence regarding the size of the troop buildup?"
Basilio shook his head, "No concrete numbers."
"What about a naval buildup?" Ben asked, "Any evidence of that?"
Basilio nodded, "Charlet harbor is filled with newly constructed ships."
Robin blinked, "The ships are in Charlet?" He sat back into his seat in surprise, "No wonder you called this council, Basilio. The shortest crossing into Archanea extends from Charlet to Port Ferox."
Flavia nodded, "Exactly. We believe an invasion of Regna Ferox is imminent."
"Have you started building up coastal defenses?" Ben asked the Khans.
"Yes," Flavia breathed, "But given Valm's reputation, we are not extremely confident in our short notice defenses."
Ben nodded, "Understandably so."
"What was your experience with the Valm army, Ben?" Basilio asked.
Ben shifted in his seat and allowed his arms to rest on the table in front of him, "Well, Robin was there as well." He nodded over at the tactician, "I hope he will help corroborate or correct any information I give. But… we witnessed one of Valm's armies. Their southern army, commanded by General Yen'fay of Chon'sin."
"And your impression?" Flavia asked.
Ben breathed out, "Disciplined."
"Massive." Robin muttered, "Massive, disciplined, well armed, and well supplied. Fighting them in an open conflict will be difficult."
"Especially since the Valm Empire is a master at open warfare." Cherche pointed out, "Valm's might comes from their cavalry. Specifically their mounted archers. Engaging them in an open battlefield would lead to ruin."
"Which leads us back to the initial invasion." Ben pointed out, "We believe that the invasion is going to take place in Port Ferox. That is the nearest point to Charlet. In order for the Valm military to make use of their greatest asset, they will have to take a large foothold on the continent very quickly. They cannot afford to get bottled up in the city."
"They need to hit the countryside for supplies and so their cavalry has room to maneuver." Robin agreed with a nod of his head.
Robin felt a small thrill inside of him. It felt like old times all of a sudden. Him and Ben bouncing strategies off of each other had always been an enjoyable exercise.
Ben rubbed his chin, "If they invade Port Ferox, it will not go well for them. I can't see that being a very smart strategic move on their part. They can't take very much territory that way."
"But the harbor makes a landing easier." Robin pointed out.
"That it does." Ben nodded.
"What assets besides cavalry does the Valm military possess?" Cordelia suddenly asked, "Are we dealing with any sort of Wyvern or Pegasus riders?"
Cherche scoffed, "A minuscule amount. The Valm military knows nothing about interacting with Wyverns. Barely more when it comes to Pegasi."
"So we have an aerial advantage." Cordelia said.
"Does that matter when their mounted archers can shoot us out of the sky?" Flavia pointed out as she leaned against the arm of her chair, "Last I checked, fliers do not do well against a mass of arrows."
"What about magic?" Lissa asked.
Cherche frowned, "That is much more of a mystery to me. The Valm army did not employ many mages in their conquest. I think it offended the Emperor's sensibilities to rely on magic for battle. He is a man who believes strength matters more than anything else. And he does not view mages as very strong." Cherche sighed, "But, he learned during his conquest of Chon'sin that mages can be rather useful on the battlefield. One of his generals is a known mage. She specializes in healing more than combat. But a mage nonetheless."
"So we have to assume they can match us in magical strength." Ben noted.
"Probably more than that." Flavia said, "We don't have a lot of magical people in Regna Ferox. And Ylisse is still recovering from the losses they took during the war with Plegia."
"The Grimleal did heavily damage our own force of mages." Chrom breathed, speaking for the first time the entire meeting, "I do not want to get students from the Academy caught up in this. But if we can gain a magical advantage, we may not have much of a choice. From what I'm hearing, war with Valm is inevitable. We will need every advantage we can get."
"Is there no way to sue for peace?" Sumia asked.
"I will try." Chrom said, "There is no guarantee that the Valm Empire will be reasonable." Chrom sighed, "But we have a better chance of getting a peace treaty with them than we did with Gangrel before the war with Plegia. A mad man does not conquer an entire continent and control it for as long as Walhart has."
"That means war with him will be more difficult." Ben muttered as he leaned back into his chair, "Walhart is not mad. He is of sound mind with skilled generals around him. If war does occur, we may be outmatched. Or biggest advantage is that we have an ocean between us and Valm."
"We have a small fleet in Port Ferox." Basilio explained, "But not enough ships to mount a proper naval defense. And it will take months before we can start growing the fleet."
"And we have no ships in Ylisse." Frederick sighed with a small shake of his head, "We have been far too busy rebuilding the nation to worry about a navy."
Ben furrowed his brow, "Then our best bet is to sue for peace. Buy some time to build up coastal and naval defenses. That way, we can prevent the enemy from launching a land invasion." Ben coughed, "From there we-"
The doors to the council room slammed open. A Feroxi soldier rushed inside.
"My Khan!" He exclaimed as Flavia rose to her feet, "Urgent message from Port Ferox. Valmese ships spotted offshore."
Basilio jumped from his seat, "What!?"
"How?" Flavia breathed, some fear crossed her face as the weight of the message hit her.
"The messenger left the city three days ago." The soldier explained, "He says that it is likely the Valm Empire has already launched an attack on the city."
Chrom rose from his seat, "Frederick, Stahl, how fast can you get our cavalry mustered?"
"The Themis Cavalry is at the ready, your grace." Stahl answered, "I'll have a messenger rush to Themis will all haste."
"I will do the same with our armies in Ylisstol. They will begin marching north within a couple days." Frederick answered.
Flavai grit her teeth, "We need to meet the enemy now before they can get a foothold." She glanced at Basilio, "Basilio, our two armies will march together to Port Ferox."
"I was just thinking the same thing." Basilio smirked, "It's time to break out the old ax again."
"You won't fight alone." Ben rose to his feet, "Myself and my companions will come with."
"So will mine." Chrom nodded. Ben glanced over at Chrom. Chrom cleared his throat, "Ben and I can put aside our… differences for the moment. This enemy threatens all of us. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves." Chrom looked over to Robin, "I want a strategy in front of me before we reach Port Ferox."
"You will have it." Robin nodded.
"Then we know what we must do." Flavia nodded grimly, "War has come to us, whether we like it or not. All we can do is meet it with sword in hand and a smile on our faces." She grinned over at Ben and Chrom, "You both will ride with me. We will lead our armies together."
Ben bowed, "As you wish, Khan Flavia."
Flavia guffawed, "You're too damn formal, Ben Kenobi." She circled around her chair and marched towards the door. She paused at the door when she noticed everyone else waiting at their seats, "Well? What the hell are you waiting for? There's a fight to be had!"
Ben quietly walked through the bustling street that encircled Arena Ferox. He had to marvel at the sheer speed with which the Feroxi army mustered. The markets had shut down as soldiers marshaled into great columns. Captains barked orders as each man and woman rushed off to their different companies. The entire area had become like a disturbed beehive. Constant activity. Rushed and anxious.
He could understand why the Feroxi felt that way. They had never faced an enemy like the Valm Empire before. Stories of the Valmese military no doubt leaked across the sea over the past few years. With how much the Feroxi people relished battle and strength, they undoubtedly heard all of those stories. Which explained the many grim, worried faces in the Feroxi ranks.
The Jedi Master uttered a small sigh. This was a war thrust upon these people. They did not desire a conflict with a nation as vast and powerful as Valm. Flavia was right though. War came to them. They would have to meet it. With brandished blades and a beaming smile.
Ben's eyes scanned the throngs of people for his friends. He specifically told them to wait near the Arena's main entrance thinking it would be easier to find them there. As he scanned the crowds for any sign of them, he heard a voice call to him from behind.
"Ben!"
Ben furrowed his brow and turned around. Both Robin and Flavia rushed up to him. The pair weaved through the crowds as they approached. Ben paused in his path and turned to meet them.
"Flavia." He nodded, "Robin."
"Alright, what is the deal?" Flavia asked, "What the hell happened over the past year? Cause Frederick's small description of events is the first I am hearing of any sort of discord among the Shepherds."
Ben sighed, "Chrom and I got into a disagreement. I would not budge on my position. Neither would he. Some rather… poor words were exchanged. Blades were drawn. In the end, no one was injured and we agreed to go our separate ways."
Robin closed his eyes and let out an anxious breath, "A rather simplistic summary of events. But not incorrect." Robin let his shoulders sink, "And most of the blame can be put on my shoulders."
"Huh?" Flavia asked, utterly puzzled.
"Robin..." Ben shook his head, "Flavia, do you mind letting us discuss this in private?"
Flavia frowned, "Alright, fine. But before I get going, Ben, I'm going to offer you a place in my army since you're no longer with the Shepherds. I want you on the battlefield with us. And by making you a General in my army," Both Robin and Ben's eyes widened in surprise, "I guarantee that you'll help us out. The pay will be good for you too."
Ben chuckled, "I'm not interested in pay, Flavia." Ben finally spotted both Tharja and Panne near one of the pillars on the edge of the massive coliseum, "And I will have to discuss it with Tharja first."
Flavia arched an eyebrow, "Why are you-"
Robin cleared his throat, "Those two are sort of… you know…"
Flavia's eyes widened, "Wait! Really?" She threw her head back and laughed, "Good on you, Ben! Sounds like you've finally decided to stop being so mysterious and settle down a little bit. I'm happy to hear that." Flavia's eyes snapped over to a group of soldiers as a sergeant shouted them down, "Oh boy. I think I'll step into that mess now. Ben, I expect an answer by tonight."
"I will make sure to give you one." Ben nodded as Flavia marched away.
As soon as Flavia was out of earshot, Ben motioned for Robin to walk with him. The Jedi gave Tharja and Panne a small wave. A way of signaling to them that he knew they were there, but he was not going to step over to them just yet. Tharja nodded back and leaned back against one of the pillars. Her dark eyes studied Robin as Ben walked a little ways away with him.
The two men found a quieter spot near the Arena's main entrance. Robin let out a weary sigh as he and Ben stopped walking.
"Ben… I-" Robin swallowed hard, "I screwed up, okay. And I am sorry." Ben stared hard at Robin as the tactician spoke, "I should have never gone behind your back the way I did. I should have-" Robin exhaled, "I should have kept my damn mouth shut and listened to you. It's your life. Your past. I had no business prying into it."
Ben shook his head, "Robin, I have been thinking long and hard about everything that has happened."
"I'm sure a lot of that thinking involved blaming me?" Robin muttered.
"At first, maybe." Ben admitted, "But, I can't really talk. When I was apprenticed to Qui Gon, I often went behind his back and reported his… unorthodox methods to the Jedi High Council." Robin looked at Ben with surprise, "My intentions were never as good as yours though. I did so more out of frustration with my Master than any desire to really help him. I know you intended to do the right thing, Robin. You should not blame yourself for that."
"But my actions caused all of this." Robin argued back, "They caused Chrom to kick you out. Caused the Shepherds to break apart. How can I not blame myself for that? And I totally expect you to blame me."
"Well, I don't." Ben folded his arms, "Did you make a mistake? Yes, you may have. But were you the one that kicked me out of the Shepherds? Did you make Chrom's decision for him?" Ben shook his head, "Chrom made that decision, not you. The Shepherds broke because of my actions and Chrom's actions. Not yours. So don't shoulder such blame. It is not healthy."
Robin sighed, "You know, I expected you to really lay into me." He snorted, "I should have known better. You don't get mad that easily." He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, "Well… there is still a bit of a rift isn't there? I aim to mend it. Shall we give friendship another go?"
Ben chuckled, "You act like we were in some sort of relationship."
"Well-I- you-," Robin stammered as Ben laughed some more. Robin finally relaxed, relented, and laughed as well, "It's been too long since I've been flustered like that."
"Well, I aim to fluster you much more in the future. After all, someone has to train you."
Robin's eyes widened, "You-you mean after all of that you're-"
"Well you already have one foot into the Force thanks to Marth." Ben shrugged, "Ricken told me that she is nearing the limit of what she can teach you. And there is no point in leaving a job half finished."
Robin positively beamed. Before Ben could say anything else, he threw his arms around his old friend.
"Thanks Ben." Robin said.
Ben laughed as he embraced Robin, "I think it is time I put my stubbornness on the subject behind me." Robin stepped back from Ben, "But to forewarn you, I will not be easy on you."
"I don't expect this to be very easy."
"It won't be." Ben nodded, "And the process will be slow. I'm not going to let you speed learn everything. We will start with resuming our exercises in Niman as well as meditation. From there, we will delve deeper into the Force's mysteries."
Robin laughed, "Sounds like a great plan to me."
A gasp sounded out next to them. A cheerful one. One that sounded distinctly like a certain red haired thief. Ben rolled his eyes as he noticed Gaius hiding behind a pillar nearby.
"Gaius…"
"Bubbles! I knew you weren't all that bad!" Gaius grinned as he approached Ben.
Robin shook his head, "I try not to be." He glanced at Ben, "The others came with you I see."
Ben nodded, "Yes." He waved over at Tharja. The dark mage furrowed her brow as she crossed over to where Ben and Robin stood. Panne and Ricken followed her, "Although, Laurent stayed at the Academy with Miriel and Vaike. Something about wanting to study the growth process of a baby."
Robin chuckled, "Of course. I wonder if they will come with the army now that Frederick is marshaling our forces?"
"It's possible." Ben shrugged, "How many came with you and Chrom?"
Robin thought for a moment, "Sully and Kellam are with a small group of Ylissean guards near the Arena barracks. Gregor and Nowi are over there as well. Then there is Cordelia, Libra, Sumia, and Lissa. And it looks like Lon'qu and Virion will be joining us in the fight. Oh, and Dooku and Donnel."
"It's as if the Shepherds have sort of come back together." Ben observed.
Tharja drew up alongside Ben. She gave Robin a dark look. Robin gulped.
"Thar-" He sneezed hard. Robin squeezed his eyes shut as he fought off the urge to sneeze again, "Ouch…" He groaned.
"Tharja!" Ricken cried, "Robin just apologized."
"That doesn't mean he can escape my punishment." Tharja muttered, "The runny nose hex will last the rest of the day. And if he pisses me off again, I'll find something much more creative to cast on him."
Robin paled a little bit. He sneezed hard again.
"Oh gods," Robin glanced at Gaius as he sniffled, "I now know how you feel every time she does this to you."
"See! I'm not as dramatic as you all seem to think." Gaius chirped.
Ben and Robin chuckled while Tharja snickered quietly beside Ben. A horn sounded out through the air. The formation of Feroxi soldiers began marching west, towards Port Ferox.
"How many soldiers are already marching?" Ben asked Robin.
Robin sniffed, "About one thousand are ready to go right away. Another three thousand will follow them by nightfall." He turned his gaze away from the soldiers back to Ben, "Are you going to accept Flavia's offer? I can try to talk to Chrom and see if he will change his mind."
Ben shook his head, "It will take a lot more than simple talk for Chrom and I to reconcile." Ben sighed, "I want to reconcile. But I will not be the one to make the first move on the matter. Chrom confronted me. He can approach me again whenever he feels like it."
Robin nodded, a touch glum at Ben's firm feelings on the matter.
"Well," Robin sighed, "At least you will be working with us in some way."
"Working?" Tharja gave Ben a curious look, "What was Khan Flavia's offer?"
Ben sighed, "A General position in her army."
Tharja's eyes widened. Panne looked just as surprise. Ricken gulped. And Gaius uttered a low whistle.
"Benny is moving up in the world." Gaius smiled.
Tharja nodded, "Well, Ben, if you decide to say yes, you know I will be right by your side."
Ben smiled, "I know." He took a deep breath, "And," He smirked at Robin, "you all can't go to war without me. Who else is going to make sure you don't get into trouble?"
Robin laughed loudly then threw an arm around Ben's shoulders.
"Alright, General Kenobi." He gripped Ben's hand, "I look forward to working with you."
Ben chuckled and shook Robin's hand.
"And I with you, Tactician Robin."
Chrom let out a loud sigh as he settled into his stride alongside Sumia's pegasus. The Shepherds marched out of Arena Ferox with the first one thousand of Regna Ferox's soldiers and Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia. The Ylissean Prince wanted to witness the tactics of the Valmese army first hand. It would help him and Robin when they planned a strategy to counter any more invasion attempts from the massive empire.
But for some reason, he could not focus on the battle to come. His mind kept going back to his fight with Ben. The lack of trust they both had in each other. It still stung. He thought highly of Ben before that moment. Believed that Ben actually trusted him as much as he trusted Ben. Unfortunately, Chrom was wrong in the end. And it hurt to make the ultimate decision he made.
That decision needed to be made though. Ben lacked his trust. And the enigmatic swordsman refused to trust anyone beyond Tharja and Marth. That would be a detriment to the Shepherds if another war broke out. A military unit was only as strong as their trust in each other. If that trust broke, then the cohesion they had could fall apart. Chrom could not allow such a risk to occur.
He did not expect the fallout from his decision to be so vast. He knew a couple of the Shepherds would object to his decision. Namely Gaius, Panne, Dooku, and Donnel. But he did not expect such wide divisions to form in their ranks. Did not expect the others to take sides in the conflict.
If he had to do it all over again, perhaps he would not have acted so irrationally. And it was an irrational choice now that Chorm looked back on it. There was nothing he could do about it now. He burned the bridge to Ben Kenobi. He had to stand by the decision he made.
"Chrom?"
Chrom glanced up at Sumia as she sleepily rode atop her Pegasus.
He did not like that she was here. It made him uneasy. Sumia was no longer just a soldier in his army like she was during the last war. She was his wife now. The mother to their little girl, Lucina. The last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to her. He could feel his own protective instincts surge at the thought of Sumia flying into battle.
"Are you still worried that much?" Sumia asked as she noticed Chrom's silence.
"Hm?" Chrom blinked, "Well, yeah."
Sumia laughed a little bit, "You don't need to be, Chrom. I'll be okay. You have to trust me on that."
Chrom gulped. Trust, that is what so many of these recent decisions boiled down to. Sumia was right. He needed to trust her. This was not going to be Sumia's first battle. She was as battle tested as he was now. And she would be flying alongside Cordelia, the most skilled Pegasus Knight in the entire army. He should not worry so much.
Yet he did worry. And he could not hide that from her.
Sumia leaned down from her saddle. Chrom looked up at her and brought his lips to hers.
Sumia smiled, "Feel better?"
Chrom chuckled, "A little bit." He sighed, "I would feel better knowing the Shepherds were whole. I would feel better if this war was not going to happen."
"Yet both are realities now." Sumia said as she sat back up in her saddle, "The Shepherds are broken. Ben has taken a position in Flavia's army. His friends follow him. And ours follow us."
Chrom sighed, "I don't want it to be that way." He shook his head, "I can't help but feel what I did was not the right decision. But at the same time, I feel like Ben forced my hand."
Sumia nodded, "There was no right decision in that situation, Chrom. No matter how it played out, someone was going to leave hurt. You made a difficult choice that day."
"One that has had consequences I did not expect." Chrom sighed, "Frederick still views the ones that sided with Ben with suspicion."
Sumia chuckled, "Frederick is always suspicious. Otherwise he would not be known as The Wary Knight."
Chrom laughed with her, "Fair point." He looped one of his hands through one of the straps on her saddle as he walked beside her, "Do you think I should try talking to Ben. Try to… be more adult about it all this time?"
Sumia shrugged, "I won't tell you what to do on the matter, Chrom. Do I think it would be in the army's best interested for you two to reconcile, probably. But the rift is deep between you two. You both have refused to speak to each other for a long time now. It will be difficult to get over that obstacle."
Chorm sighed, "I wish it wasn't."
Sumia laughed a little bit, "You were always way to straightforward for your own good, Chrom. I love that about you. But this situation does require some delicacy. It won't be easy to remedy."
Chrom nodded, "Unfortunately." He took another deep breath, "Let's just get through this initial battle. Maybe we scare off Valm to the point where Ben and I won't have to work together."
Sumia shook her head, "Avoiding the issue won't help either."
"I know." Chrom hung his head, "But I can hope right?"
Sumia snorted and rubbed his shoulder, "I guess."
They marched in silence for a little while longer. Up ahead of them, Sully trotted alongside Frederick's horse. Kellam walked alongside Sully. Chorm noticed the two talking quite often lately. Chorm smiled a little bit. That was good for Kellam. He finally was finding his voice and presence in the army.
Lissa snored loudly atop Frederick's steed while the Knight-Commander strode along the frost covered road. Gregor carried a sleeping Nowi on his back as he marched with Frederick. Stahl trotted on the other side of the road with Dooku, Donnel, and Maribelle riding alongside him.
Lon'qu marched with the Khans, Ben, and Robin. Chrom noticed Ben and Robin speaking often. They seemingly reconciled. Chrom felt happy for the two about that. They were close friends before the rift formed in the Shepherds. The Feroxi ambassador Olivia, also marched with them. She drifted back towards Virion often. The pair struck up many conversations that left them both quietly chuckling.
Tharja, Gaius, Panne, Ricken, all marched in silence just behind Ben and the Khans. Libra marched on his own in between Chrom's group and the Khan's group. His healing staff at the ready in case anyone sprained an ankle or tripped on a pebble in the road.
Marth occasionally drifted over to Libra in order to make idle conversation before lingering closer towards Ben and Robin. Chrom thought he overheard them talking about the Force once. But he paid it no mind.
Cordelia and Cherche patrolled the skies up ahead. Just in case the Valm army already established a foothold and were moving inland. They would be able to alert the army below them if that were the case.
Chrom shuddered at that thought. If Valm already seized territory and pushed inland then they could very well lose the war before it began. Cherche, Ben, and Robin's description of the Valm military's capabilities painted a bleak picture for Archanea.
"Chrom?" Sumia yawned.
"Yes?"
"Do you think this war will be as bad as the one with Plegia?"
Chrom face hardened.
"I don't know." He said honestly.
Plegia had been a far different opponent than Valm. Plegia had been a rogue nation with an insane king controlled by an maniacal cult. Their army consisted mostly of bandits and ruffians that barely counted as professional soldiers. Their generals had been highly effective. But they were hamstrung by the King's actions and the Grimleal's ambition.
Valm was not like that. Valm had an Emperor that ruled with an iron fist and an undefeated battle record. His generals were not like the Plegians. They were loyal to him, not to the empire. As long as Walhart ruled, his Generals would fight for him. And they were damn effective generals according to Ben and Cherche.
The Valmese army was also a true army. Not ruffians, or bandits, or dark mages. A true standing army led by a devastating cavalry and waves upon waves of infantry.
A true full scale war was on the horizon. Chrom was not sure if a more disciplined opponent would be a more terrible one or not. All he could do was meet their assault head on and fight to make sure those he cared upon did not die on the field of battle.
"You see my friend," Hondo Ohnaka began, "It goes like this," He pointed at the Ugnaught in front of him. The pig like alien gave him a suspicious look as Hondo reached into a bag behind him and withdrew a large bag filled with an unknown, red, powdery substance, "This here is pure spice. The best kind of spice. The only spice that can be converted into the most damaging death sticks you can imagine. Yes?" Hondo popped the bag, "Come, take a sniff." He coughed as some of the red powder jumped up to his face, "It is quite potent."
The Ugnaught rubbed its hairy chin and sniffed the air. A furious look came over the stout creature's face. A series of snorts and oinks left its fat lips before it stormed off.
"It is not just a bag of crushed peppers!" Hondo cried, "I know my spice. You clearly do not and… and he's gone."
The Weequay sighed and closed up the bag. Another potential customer lost. That Ugnaught was too smart. Everyone on Tatooine was much too smart. He could get away with selling fake spice on core worlds or mid rim worlds. Those people were stupid. Ignorant about spice and how it was made. But the criminal scum of the outer rim all knew spice. Almost all of them had tried it at some point. And none of them were dumb enough to fall for his well planned scam.
A long sigh left Hondo's lips as he placed the bag of crushed peppers back into his bag.
How did his life come to this? Just a few years ago, he had been one of the most successful pirates in the entire outer rim. A name to be feared. He even managed to capture two Jedi and the leader of the Separatist movement at the same time. Granted, they got away. But the point was, he had been powerful enough to capture all three of them.
And now, as the Clone Wars died away and law and order returned to the galaxy, he found himself without a ship, without a crew, trying to sell fake spice on the streets of Mos Eisley.
"Heh, I've become one of those pathetic life forms." Hondo sighed before shrugging, "Oh well." He shouldered his bag and marched down the dark, hot streets of Mos Eisely, "Time for a drink."
Maybe he would find a good customer at the cantina near the spaceport. It has happened before. Sometimes an offworlder was just that stupid. Regardless, the twin suns were setting. The streets were not very safe at night. Gangs roved these sandy roads when the blazing heat of Tatooine faded away. Anyone with any knowledge of Mos Eisley knew to find some sort of shelter for the evening. Whether that be in a house, or in a cantina.
Stupid people stayed out on the streets at night. Those people were robbed at blaster point. Or even worse, just killed outright. Tatooine was a lawless world. Run by the Hutt cartel. As long as someone did not cross the Hutts, then they were free to do as they pleased.
Hondo turned a corner. He could see the Cantina just a few blocks away. A happy smile formed over his lips. Nothing like a good drink to end a miserable day.
Just as he took another step forward, a bright blue light lit up an alleyway nearby. Hondo paused and gave the dark alley a curious look. He could hear some low groans and growls coming from inside the alley. A pair of ruby red eyes opened and stared at him from the shadows.
"Those have to be the tallest Jawas I have ever seen." Hondo muttered to himself as the red eyes moved forward in the darkness.
They were not Jawas. Jawas were short, cuddly looking creatures. As long as the wore their robes at least. Hondo had seen what a Jawa looked like beneath their dark hoods. There was nothing cute and cuddly about those faces. Only a mother could love a naked Jawa.
And these creatures limping towards him were the opposite of cuddly. Quite honestly, they looked rather intimidating. The shambled through the sand towards him. Crude axes in their hands. Black masks hid their faces. Hondo reached for the blaster pistol on his hip.
"Now, now, my friends. There is no need for such aggression." He smiled, "If you are looking for a quick fix, I will be happy to give you the finest of raw spice. For the right price of course."
The nearest monster moaned and snapped its gaze up to him. Hondo felt a chill run down his eyes.
"You are a rather lifeless looking fellow, aren't you?" Hondo chuckled nervously. He undid the safety strap on his holders. Letting his hand rest against the blaster pistol's grip, "I'm warning you, my friend. I wouldn't uh… shamble any closer."
Hondo gulped as three more sets of eyes flicked open in the shadows. These ones moved fast towards him. Weapons raised. Hondo gulped and pulled his blaster pistol free from his holster. Just as he was about to blast the strange creatures, the blue light returned. An eye of some sort formed in the alleyway. And a human girl wearing rather heavy looking armor and carrying a strange shield and spear fell out of it.
"What in the hell?" Hondo wondered, "Oh kriff!"
He ducked beneath an ax. Could hear the metal hiss through the air. Hondo raised his blaster pistol and fired three quick blasts into the monsters gut.
Now, with any normal person, that'd be the end of them. But this thing just refused to die. Hondo gulped as he looked up at the monster's face.
"Perhaps we can talk about this, uh, misunderstanding."
It raised its ax once again. Hondo rolled out of the way. The ax hit the sand with a quiet thud. Hondo aimed his blaster once again and fired. A red blaster bold slammed into the creature's mask. The creature uttered loud howl then exploded into a cloud of black ash.
"Hm…" Hondo said, "So four shots instead of three?"
"Hit their masks really hard!"
Hondo glanced over. His eyes widened for a moment in surprise. The armored human female had surged to her feet and charged through the sand at the creatures. She leveled her spear and skewered one of the creatures before bashing her shield into its mask. The mask cracked. The creature let out a loud wail. It faded to dust.
"Oh ho! I see. As with any creature, hit them in the face hard enough, and they die." Hondo grinned. "Sound logic!"
Hondo aimed his blaster pistol and fired again. The blaster bolt slammed into another creature's face. The creature howled and turned its angry gaze at him.
"Uh… your logic failed, miss." Hondo said with a hint of trepidation.
"Oh shut up and fight!" The woman roared as she destroyed a second monster.
"Hm.. never had someone tell me that before. Normally, I was told to shut and run. But fight, well, that option never seemed very applicable."
"How about just shut up!" The woman ended a third creature.
"I got that one quite a bit as well."
Before Hondo could take aim again, the woman ended the life of the final creature. Hondo watched as she took a deep breath and planted the end of her primitive spear into the sand.
"And that, takes care of that." She glared over at Hondo, "No thanks to-" She froze and peered hard at him, "Uh, do you have some sort of skin condition buddy?"
"Skin condition?" Hondo holstered his blaster, "My skin is just fine. Well, maybe a little dry thanks to this world's weather. But, I cannot do much about that. They don't really make lotion for Weequay."
The woman arched an eyebrow, "A what?"
Hondo smirked. Oh, he found a dumb one. Wonderful!
"You are not from around here, are you miss-"
"Kjelle." She answered.
"Kjelle, hm… does not roll off the tongue very well does it." Hondo remarked, "That doesn't matter. You saved my life, Miss Kjelle. Allow me to repay you with a drink."
He took a long look at her as she eyed him with suspicion. Damn, she actually looked very pretty for a human female. A sharp face with piercing eyes. Black hair that sat like soft waves over her head. She was probably very good looking without the armor as well.
The perfect score! If he managed to sell her to the Hutts, he would have enough money for a ship and a crew. He would be back to doing what he loved. Piracy. No more spice trade.
"What kind of drink?" She asked him.
"Only a wonderful alcoholic beverage from that fine establishment just over there."
Hondo pointed at the cantina just as a human came tumbling out. The human male vomitted against the side of the building, laughed to himself, then stumbled back into the cantina.
"Only the finest of clientele on Tatooine."
"Tatoo-what?" Kjelle asked as she gave Hondo an even more suspicious look.
She doesn't even know what planet she is on!? Hondo felt even more excitement build up in him. Oh this is too good to be true!
"A wonderful world ruled by some very benevolent people called the Hutts. They care greatly about letting people have the freedom to choose their squalor- I mean their riches!"
Kjelle frowned, "Mister-"
"Hondo Ohnaka." Hondo bowed at the waist.
"Yeah. I don't think I'm supposed to be here. Can you point me in the direction of Ylisse?"
Ylisse? Who or what is an Ylisse? Hondo thought to himself. But he personally did not care very much.
"Of course I can! But over a drink, because I owe you. And I hate being in debt to other people." He wrapped an arm around Kjelle's shoulder and guided her towards the cantina.
She remained very suspicious. But that suspicion turned into shock as soon as they entered the cantina. Her eyes went wide as she noticed all of the different alien creatures that sat in booths and at the bar. Hondo grinned as the heavy scent of alcohol and smoke hit his nose.
"Ah yes, my favorite place."
"Where the hell am I?" Kjelle gasped as she gawked at a Rodian walking out of the cantina.
"Ah ah ah!" Hondo quickly chirped, "Don't stare at people. They might take that the wrong way."
They passed through the security barrier that prevented droids from entering. No one paid them any mind. Stranger folk passed through here than a pretty girl with a shield and spear. They would not bother him and her unless they planned on stealing his prize.
He guided Kjelle over to a seat at the bar. Hondo hopped into a seat beside her and ordered two glasses of brandy. The strongest stuff he could think of. Stuff that most humans could not possibly digest properly. She would be unconscious in minutes once she drank this. Then it would be off to Jabba the Hutt's palace to sell her for a high price.
Then I can get my ship.
The bartender set their drinks down. He gave Kjelle a slightly concerned look. But he said nothing. He knew what Hondo was doing. And honestly, he did not care. So long as Hondo paid his tab, the bartender would not intervene. Worse things took place in Mos Eisley than a Weequay taking advantage of a naive human girl.
As Hondo grabbed his drink, a wookie and another young human male sat down near him. The wookie grunted out a drink order to the bartender.
"Make that two." The suave looking man said as he leaned against the bar.
Hondo paid the two rogueish figures no mind. He raised his glass in a toast to Kjelle. Kjelle picked up her own and nodded.
"To saving my life, Miss Kjelle." Hondo tilted his glass back at the same time as her.
He kept a close eye on her as he waited for the drink to take effect. Kjelle downed it all in one quick gulp. Which surprised Hondo. Most humans could not even handle a sip of this stuff.
Doesn't matter. She will be on the floor in moments.
His eyes lit up as a slightly uncomfortable look formed on her face. She cleared her throat and pounded a fist against her armored chest.
Any second now.
A loud belch left her lips. So loud in fact, that the rest of the bar stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Kjelle sucked in a deep breath and grinned over at a stunned Hondo.
"That is damn good!" She grinned, "Sits in my gut like my mom's cooking!"
Hondo blinked. What just happened? She should have been unconscious by now.
Maybe another drink will do the trick.
"Heh!" The human male beside the Wookie snorted, "Nice one kid."
"Thank you, sir." Kjelle smiled back as her cheeks turned a little pink.
Ah, there are the effects. Yes, one more drink and she will be mine.
"Sir?" The human male chuckled, "I have never been called a sir before."
"Oh, and what should I call you?"
The wookie uttered an annoyed grunt as the human stepped around him and held out his hand to Kjelle. He completely ignored Hondo despite the fact that Hondo sat between him and Kjelle.
"Han Solo." The dashing rogue nodded.
"Kjelle uh… no surname." The woman replied with a small hiccup.
Hondo chuckled anxiously, "Yes, yes. Nice to meet people here. I agree. But how about another drink, Kjelle? Then we can go find Ylisse."
"Ylisse?" Han replied with an arched brow, "I've never heard of such a place."
Kjelle gave Han a surprised look, "You've never heard of the Halidom?"
Han looked even more puzzled, "The what?"
"Now now, surely he is just a faraway traveler. We don't need to listen to him." Hondo said as he tried to keep his voice smooth, "Bartender, two more please!"
His plan was unraveling all because of this Han Solo. He need to salvage this quickly by knocking her out now. This drink would do just that. Even more realization formed in Kjelle's face.
"You know, I can get you a far better drink than that swill, miss." Han nudged the Wookie behind him, "Isn't that right, Chewie?"
The Wookie let out a small grunt then shrugged.
"You don't give me enough credit." Han replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"I think she is enjoying the drinks I am giving her just fine." Hondo argued quickly as the bartender set two more shots down in front of him and Kjelle.
"Really?" Han narrowed his eyes at Hondo, "I don't think the fine lady would enjoy being sold as a slave to the Hutts, Hondo."
Kjelle froze just as she brought her glass to her lips.
"Ahaha!" Hondo laughed, "You know my name, Han Solo! You must have met some of my very satisfied customers. And if you know them, then you know I am no slaver. I trade spices."
"You're a pirate." Han said, "Looking for a new ship. A pretty girl like her would get you a lot of money for one."
Kjelle turned furious.
"What!?" She roared. She grabbed her spear and jabbed the point beneath Hondo's chin, "You dared to try and deceive me!?"
Hondo could see her cheeks turning red now. The first drink's effects were slow on her body, but they were finally manifesting. He did detect a slight slur in her speech as she threatened him with her spear.
Hondo rolled his eyes, "I would never want to deceive you, Kjelle. Why would I? Clearly you can very easily kill with that," He winced as the metal point of her spear dug into his skin, "very, very sharp object of yours."
"I'm gonna-" Kjelle blinked, "I'm gonna-"
Hondo blinked as she tipped over. Her spear fell with her.
"Well… a bit delayed. But that works."
"Oh no you don't." Hondo felt a blaster press discreetly against the small of his back. He felt a curse in his native language rush from his lips, "Chewie, pick the girl up."
"For a fellow scummy patron of this place you have strangely high morals." Hondo grumbled.
"Yeah, well I have a soft spot for girls." Han shrugged, "You got her Chewie?"
The Wookie slung an unconscious Kjelle over his massive shoulder. Chewie held her with one hand while his other hand held her spear. He barked over at Han.
"Good." Han nodded, "Now, then, I say we take Hondo here over to the Hutts. I'm sure they won't appreciate him cutting into their trade by selling fake spice."
Hondo blanched, "Now-now, lets not get hasty with the accusations."
"Hasty? Oh, I'm not hasty. If I was hasty I would have blasted you already." Han pointed out, "So, give me a reason not to."
"I- I could help you!"
"Help me how?" Han asked with a roll of his eyes.
"What is your trade, young man? Hm? You don't get a fancy blaster like that by being a moisture farmer after all." Hondo laughed.
"Smuggler." Han replied.
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect! I can definitely help you! Yes! Yes!" Hondo exclaimed, "We could work together and make an obscene amount of credits. What with my knowledge of piracy and your resources, we could make quite the team!"
Han glanced over at Chewie. The Wookie shrugged.
"You are a newer smuggler after all, yes?" Hondo straightened out Han's crooked collar, "A young human like yourself doesn't know much about the business. Let old Hondo help you out, eh?" He extended a hand, "It benefits both of us."
Han frowned, "No slaving."
"Of course! Of course! I totally understand your distaste for the practice. Quite barbaric. But desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures and-"
"And I'm the captain on my ship." Han interrupted him, "You do as I say when I say it or," He nodded at the Wookie, "Chewie gets to have a little fun with you."
The Wookie chortled threateningly at that. Hondo gulped and nodded.
"A rather fair arrangement I say." He took Han's hand and shook it, "Done! Where is your ship? And do we have a job?"
"We do." Han nodded, "Jabba wants us smuggling some spice to Nar Shadda. And we were just about to leave."
"Wonderful!" Hondo started following Han and Chewie out of the Cantina, "One question, Han, my boy!"
"What?"
"Are we taking her?" Hondo pointed at Kjelle as she lay slung over Chewie's shoulder.
"Well yeah." Han shrugged, "Who knows. Maybe she will give me some entertainment on the ship."
Hondo chuckled, "Entertainment, yes. I know what you mean." He said suggestively.
"Yeah. She may still stab you." Han smirked as Hondo's grin ran away from his face. Han patted Hondo's face, "And I probably won't stop her. Watching that will be very entertaining."
Hondo gulped as he followed the other two smugglers out of the cantina and into the hot night air.
"It wouldn't be very entertaining for me."
And chapter! The war begins! Valm is invading Regna Ferox. Robin has sorta reconciled with Ben. Chrom is thinking about talking to him again. And the Feroxi army and some of our shepherds are marching towards Port Ferox. And Ben is now General Kenobi of the Feroxi army. It's time the General returned.
And, we get another future child arrival, Kjelle! And who worse to put her with than Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Hondo Ohnaka.
Now, I think I should establish a proper timeline for you all at this point. So… this story takes place roughly 15 BBY as of this chapter. I know, according to the Star Wars canon, Han is not on Tatooine at this point. But I want him in this story and I'm not going to wait. Now, why 15 BBY? Because Luke arrived on Archanea about two years before Ben did. That made him two years old when he was kidnapped by Excellus. Add in the two year timeskip between Plegian and Valm war, and you get four years. Luke was born 19BBy, so he would be 4 by 15 BBY. As for Han, I'm going to make him at least 19 years old for plot sake. That's only about two years older than he'd actually be if I followed the timeline strictly, which in my mind is not too big of a deal. And that is around the time Solo takes place anyways (Which I'm still not sure if I'm including those events or not). So, that's a bit of a timeline for you all.
The next chapter won't be out for a couple days. I will be celebrating July 4th with family and will probably be busy July 5th as well. I'll do my best to have a new chapter ready on the 6th! For my American readers, Happy Independence Day (*Bald Eagle screeches in the background*)
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!