As the Exalt and his companions had taken solace in Southtown, a storm was brewing in Ylisstol. Not one of clouds and thunder, in fact the city had been blessed with clear blue skies for the past week. To anyone outside of the royal palace, it was a day that had little significance.
To those within, it was going to be a day of turmoil and terror.
Sumia stood at the head of one of the many parlor rooms within the castle's walls, directing and commanding a small army of pegasus knight trainees as they put the finishing touches on their day's work. Today had been a terrible day for this event to occur, what with most of the castle's servants off on holiday.
Still, at least Cordelia could pass this off as training. Somehow. The Captain herself was in the thick of it as well, helping her students carry objects too and fro through the room.
As everything wrapped itself up, Sumia recused herself and fell down into a cushioned chair. She took a long, deep breath, knowing that this wasn't even going to be the hardest part of her day.
A week ago, before her husband's party had departed south, a messenger had arrived at the palace. He bore the crest of House Carlow, the family that ruled over Themis in the west, informing the Exalt of a breakdown in relations between the Duke and his northern counterpart, the Duchess of Friga.
As usual, Sumia had taken to reading that day's correspondence before her husband. She knew that Chrom's southern trip had already been delayed long enough, and though part of her wanted to use the letter as an excuse to cancel the trip, she also knew it was necessary for him to go.
So she, in her infinite genius, had decided the appropriate response was to demand their audience in Ylisstol. If Chrom was to be occupied with other matters, then she could surely handle mediating talks while he was away.
Besides, this was just as important as his trip. Rivalry between dominions was to be expected, infighting was something not to be tolerated.
She had intended this to be a show of authority. Making the two sit down and settle their dispute, with the Crown acting as mediator and overlord. Both asserting her and Chrom's authority and brokering trust between vassals.
But there was one problem. Sumia had never hosted a diplomatic summit in her life.
"Your Highness?" Someone called out, making Sumia open her eyes and face reality once more. One of the knight trainees stood before her, nervously rubbing her shoulder. "Um… Captain Cordelia wanted to know how many of us you wanted to stay behind for the guard detail."
Sumia sat up, trying to look like the prim and proper monarch she was supposed to be, though even she knew that wasn't the appearance she gave off.
"...Grab Natalia and Charlotte, Alexis. The other girls can start their patrol." Sumia instructed.
Alexis nodded, giving a stiff salute before she bolted off back towards the two requested knights. She almost rammed into Cordelia, the elder soldier dodging away as her pupil yelled out an apology.
"We should have enough castle staff on hand to take care of the rest of the visit." Cordelia observed, looking downwards to her beleaguered friend. She went to the side of the chair, squatting down and gripping it's armrests. "Mentally girding yourself?"
"Hoping that I'll wake up soon." Sumia answered, leaning forwards and rubbing her brow. "I should've waited for Chrom to come back. Or Lissa. Or someone."
"You might not have them, but-" Cordelia began, walking to the front of Sumia's chair and offering the woman a hand up. Compared to the day Chrom had departed, their dispositions had flipped completely. "-you have me. I'll be with you the whole way."
Sumia smirked, taking the hand and hoisting herself up. She rolled her neck and hopped a few times on her toes, as if she was preparing for a footrace.
"Right. I can do this. I can do this." Sumia repeated, over and over. She didn't need Chrom or Lissa's help. She didn't even need Cordelia's help! It was just one meeting, and she was the most important one in the room. She was the one in charge.
Gods, if only it felt that way.
Cordelia merely chuckled, letting her old friend prepare herself how she saw fit. "Maribelle will likely be coming as well. Though she'll certainly side with her father in this affair."
"Based on what we know, her Father's in the right." Sumia pointed out, coming to a halt as she had properly shaken the doldrums out of her system. "What is Kaltrina thinking, occupying Themis' northern counties?"
"She said it was to protect the border between Friga and the Plegian invasion." Cordelia said, moving to defend the leader of their home region.
"The war ended half a year ago. She has no reason to keep her troops there." Sumia easily countered.
"Themis still hasn't recovered. The Duke's using all his manpower just to keep the territory from falling into anarchy." Cordelia pressed.
"The Duchy is stable and crime has reached pre-war levels." Sumia once again replied.
"Friga's larger than Themis, and provides more revenue to the Crown. It would make more sense to curry the Duchess' favor than the Duke's." Cordelia finished, trying to win the spar with pragmatism.
"I'm not going to let one Duchy start stepping over another, it'd give everyone else an excuse. I thought you agreed with me." Sumia asserted, her resolve hardening further. Cordelia gave a bemused chuckle, pleased by the energy in Sumia's eyes only seemed to grow with the debate.
The redhead gave her Queen a nod. "I do. But you need to be ready for the arguments my aunt will use." She reminded.
Sumia groaned, walking out of the parlor room. It was reaching midday, their guests would be arriving any time now. Cordelia fell in behind her, and the three selected trainees ran ahead in the halls to clear the way.
"Is there any chance you can just get her to concede? Maybe try and appeal to her better side?" Sumia questioned, preferring to find the past of least resistance to resolve this issue. This was going to be a diplomatic minefield, and she couldn't risk either leader growing dissatisfied with their liege.
"Auntie and I haven't been on the best terms." The Captain admitted with some dismay. "She's upset at how many Frigans I've sent home during the early knight trials."
"Ugh." Sumia groaned, having received the shockwaves of that rant herself. "Why does she always try to make us work for her benefit? Friga this, Friga that. I'm the Queen now! There's more to Ylisse than just home!"
"She's never bothered much with the other regions of the Halidom." Cordelia pointed out, well aware of the self-sufficient view that her aunt held. "In case this situation did not make that perfectly clear."
The Queen just mumbled, despondent. She didn't like the fact, but it wasn't as if Kaltrina was the only one who held that mindset. Each Duchy tended it's own issues, and left the other sub-states to fend for themselves. Maribelle's father was just as guilty, and if the positions were switched, she doubted much else would change.
No wonder Plegia had rolled over them so easily.
The two Shepherds stood side by side at the head of the palace walkway, waiting to welcome one of today's headliners.
The Duke of Themis' carriage was clearly one that reflected status, but was rather ergonomic in appearance. The doors bore his family's coat of arms, a pair of golden mountain lions fighting over a tall peak. The windows were reinforced, and runes glowed in the embedded surface of the wood. His men at arms rode to the front and rear, acting as watchful sentries.
In his last letter, Lord Conway had claimed that Themis was safe for travel. But then again, he was never a man to take chances.
As the convoy came to a halt, one of the soldiers dismounted and went to the door. The moment it opened, a small step ladder popped out, allowing the Duke and his daughter to exit without any issue. Conway looked the same as he had months ago, the same steely look and militaristic aura.
Maribelle was also in her usual attire… but she was also armed. A wind-tome hung at her hip.
As Cordelia split off to guide the carriage towards the stables, Sumia went to greet her guests.
"Lord Themis, Lady Maribelle. I hope that you found no trouble on your journey here." The Queen began, cranking up her charm to its maximum capacity. The two arrivals prostrated before their host, in accordance with their station. Maribelle looked quite happy that she was able to see her friends once more, while her father's expression was unreadable.
"Maribelle, attend to her highness. I need to prepare my notes for the summit." The Duke instructed, his daughter not being able to get a word in before he wandered through the palace entrance. A few of his attendants hurried behind him, almost running over the trainees guarding the door.
Maribelle herself quickly turned to Sumia, her smile clearly strained as she spoke on her Father's behalf. "Darling, I'm so sorry. He's been in a terrible state ever since we left Portlaoise. I assure you that he means no disrespect."
Sumia sighed, watching as the man's form disappeared from her view. She knew that Maribelle was being truthful, but being brushed off so casually did not speak well for how the rest of the day was going to carry on.
Sensing her friend's displeasure, Cordelia jumped in to change the conversation's course. "Maribelle, how have things been in the west? Has reconstruction been proceeding as planned?"
Grateful for the escape, Maribelle took the opportunity and continued to serenade the two. "Oh, yes! It's been marvelous, Themis is looking absolutely splendid! Citizens are moving back into the cities, the villagers have returned to the mines-"
She paused her lauding, turning her focus solely on Sumia once more. "-You and Lord Chrom both must come to visit some time, I insist! We'd be honored to host our Exalt and Queen at our court."
Sumia giggled, relaxing now that she was safely in the company of her friends. Both her hands went down, collapsing hold of Maribelle's as she nodded along. "We will, Maribelle. I'll talk to Chrom about it as soon as he returns from Pales."
"We'll probably have to go fetch him ourselves." Cordelia added on with some annoyance, the soldier keeping her gaze outwards to the road leading towards the gates. "Considering who he brought with him, they're likely having some blasted keg party down there with Roderick."
Maribelle huffed, releasing the connection between her and Sumia as she glared a hole into the back of Cordelia's head. "I wouldn't be surprised. Men tend to lose all sense if a woman isn't around to keep them in check. Half our male roster became complete drunkards during the wedding, thanks to our oh so gifted Grandmaster's bending to peer pressure."
Sumia giggled again at the barb thrown their friends' way. A bit underhanded, but accurate. In contrast, Cordelia's mood darkened rapidly, a curtain of noire around the Knight. Enough that even the knight's red hair seemed to mute itself.
As Maribelle continued to chatter on about arrangements for a royal visit to Themis, Sumia cursed herself. She had yet to speak with Cordelia about her situation with Robin. They simply hadn't had the time, considering all the arrangements they had to make with this summit.
Yet still, she could sense a pain coming from Cordelia whenever their friend was mentioned. Frustration, to be sure. But Cordelia was easily frustrated with the company they kept. The Shepherds were nothing if not a colorful cast of characters, which meant that they often got up to all sorts of hijinx.
This was different, though. Of all the Shepherds, Robin was the one that Cordelia never reached this state with. They'd argued before, yes. But they'd never cut one another off. They certainly didn't bristle at the mere mention of one another.
"Regardless, the gardener's taken great care to ensure that the flowers are at the peak of their magnificence. Father always told me that Mother would have loved to have such a-" Maribelle stopped, realizing that the two other parties present had long since tuned her out.
The heiress pouted, not taking kindly to being so clearly ignored by two of her friends. But even she could sense the undercurrent of tension in the air, though she was not privy to the cause.
So, swallowing her pride, she removed her parasol from the crook of her arm and give the ground a firm smack with it's tip. The sound was enough to rouse them both back to her attention.
"So, I hope that Themis has the support of the Crown in the coming talks?" Maribelle inquired, moving back to business. Casual conversation clearly wasn't going to keep these two interested, so politics would have to do. "The northern counties have been part of our domain since the Duchy's creation."
"I have no intention in formally transferring the land to the Duchy of Friga." Sumia assured, something that garnered a brilliant smile from Maribelle. But not before Sumia lifted a hand. "But, I need to make sure that this matter is settled for good. Which means Themis needs to prove it can manage its territories."
The troubadour scoffed, insulted by the idea that her home region couldn't defend itself properly. "Have you not read the reports? Law and order have already been restored within our borders. Themis is as safe now as it has ever been!"
"Then explain why you have that tome." Cordelia interjected, something that stopped Maribelle's argument right in her tracks. She took the green book from her hip, looking at the cover with some conflict behind her eyes.
"It was a gift. And I made a promise to keep it close." She elaborated, before clipping the magical item back in place. Seeing that her explanation didn't sway either of the knights, the heiress' eyes rolled. "My suitor insisted upon the matter. He does not feel comfortable with my travelling unarmed."
"Do you even know how to use that thing?" Sumia asked, walking so she could keep her eyes on the tome itself. Even with the Grandmaster's instruction, she had little luck becoming a mage of any note.
It was then that a sly smirk graced the Queen's lips. "Let me guess, Ricken's been giving you 'lessons' hasn't he?"
"Probably on more than just spell slinging." Cordelia added, both of the older girls taking plenty of amusement as the young healer began to turn the same shade as a tomato.
"I-I'll have you know that Ricken has been nothing short of a gentleman! Not once has he tried anything untowards!" She protested, stomping a foot to punctuate her point. "Don't you dare try to suggest he partakes in escapades like that fop Virion does!"
"Not for lack of trying on your part. We all heard about your escapades during the wedding's afterparty as well." Cordelia teased, her smile growing more and more as Maribelle's embarrassment reached full bloom.
The Heiress fumed at the two northerners, something that only fueled the fliers' schadenfreude. For a brief moment, Cordelia's happy temperament had returned. Something that had been lost over the past few weeks.
And in a flash, it disappeared as a second 'honored guest' rode past the gate.
Unlike the Duke before her, the Duchess was not arriving in a stagecoach. Four horsemen came forth, each one armed and armored to military standard. Each had some kind of fur cloak on their person, a common sign of status in the northern territory. Behind them, a wagon could be seen pulling what was likely supplies for the journey.
The orange haired Duchess was on top of a pale white horse, riding at the head of a formation of her men at arms. She wore a blue archer's chest piece, covering her shoulders and torso rather snugly. No weapons were on her person or her mount, but she seemed more prepared to lead an army than act as a diplomat.
She pulled her steed up and before the trio of Shepherds, looking down upon them as she spoke with an air of indifference. "Your Highness. Baroness. Captain. Apologies for my attire. My forces were carrying out drills when the summons arrived."
The Queen visibly shrinked under the aura of the Duchess. Her parents often spoke about this tactic of hers. Kaltrina wouldn't shout or scream, she wouldn't threaten or throw a fit. She would simply take over the scene. Sumia prepared to answer, but she felt the press of a boot against the back of her shin.
"A good vassal does not address their liege from horseback, milady." Cordelia spoke pointedly, glaring death up at her relative. Maribelle joined the knight's hostility, the tip of her parasol digging into the stone of the walkway.
Kaltrina frowned, but complied. She dismounted from her steed, then bowed before Sumia in a stiff and strained motion.
The monarch motioned for her to stand upright once more, hands held at her core. "If you need to refresh yourself, Duchess, my attendants will assist."
"How benevolent." Kaltrina commented. She took the invitation as an excuse, leaving the trio and marching her way into the palace entrance. Cordelia held her gaze on the woman's head, not breaking it off until she left her line of sight.
The three friends shared a look, their already bleak expectations plummeting even further.
As the meeting began, all entrances leading in and out of the palace were swiftly locked down. Patrols of knight cadets marched through the courtyard, hallways and ramparts. The parlor itself was cordoned off, with the three designated trainees standing guard at the doorway.
Both the Duke and Duchess' greater entourage had been dismissed, leaving only those who would speak in the room. Even the palace servants had evacuated this wing of the building, giving the halls a lifeless silence.
Sumia wanted total secrecy. The wrong people finding out about internal squabbles would only make the situation worse.
The Queen sat between the two quarreling parties. To her left, the Duke and his heir sat close to one another. They shared hushed whispers, Maribelle shuffling through a series of legal documents and treaties written on paper that looked order than all of them combined.
To her right was the Duchess, resting prim and proper in comparison to the rushed and frantic speech going on between her two adversaries. She held an icy calm, one that was only carried by someone who was completely sure of their victory.
The whole scene did nothing to calm Sumia's manic nerves.
Cordelia remained close to the parlor windows, peering outside to see the occasional patrol pass through the garden. Both her ears were tuned into the coming debate, but officially she couldn't intervene. Not unless prompted.
After a few more moments of preparation, Sumia coughed into her fist, all attention collapsing upon her.
"All three of you know why you've been summoned here today." She began, resting both hands in her lap. "I'm hoping that we can avoid any escalation from what's already happened. After the invasion, none of us want to see a quarrel between countrymen."
Both the elder man and woman gave one another a look, the Duke's expression relaying contempt while the Duchess seemed unwaveringly passive. Internally, Sumia was screaming, her expectations sinking further and further into the ground.
"I am sure Lord Themis and I can reach an agreement, your highness." Kaltrina assured, expression as bland and emotionless as Miriel during one of her experiments. Something that made both Cordelia and Maribelle women grow uncomfortable.
Conway didn't buckle. The older man was a veteran to these negotiations, and this wasn't the first time he'd butted heads with his northern neighbor. Nor would it be the last.
Sumia ultimately broke the ice, coughing into a fist and standing up. "Let's begin with a review of the situation. I've been brought up to speed by my attendants, but you are both far more invested."
The two Lords nodded their head, not uttering a word and giving Sumia the floor to continue.
"During the invasion, Lady Friga sent her forces south to occupy the territories. With Themis' forces focused on protecting the heartland, they were unable to secure every route." She looked to both parties, but neither spoke up. "For the duration of the conflict, Friga's forces ensured that Plegia did not march into the northern lands of Ylisse."
"As was our duty." The Duchess chimed in. "Our presence ensured many of the refugees fleeing those barbarians reached safety."
"Refugees you now bar from returning." The Duke countered, teeth grinding together.
"We'll get to that!" Sumia said, blurting out the exclamation. Both of the vassals looked to her, taken aback at the childish outburst. Cordelia sighed, resisting the temptation to swoop in and speak on her friend's behalf.
"Um… anyway..." She segwayed, awkwardness now hanging around her neck. "Yes, the refugees were supposed to return once reconstruction finished. And it has finished, according to the Duke. Which begs the question…"
"Why I haven't sent them back. Or removed my forces from the bordering counties." Kaltrina finished, disinterest underlining her words. Sumia hummed in concordance, fingertips pressed together as her lips pursed. She watched on, leaving the stage for the Duchess to explain herself.
The woman leaned forward, elbows resting in her lap and hands clasped together. Maribelle's nostrils flared at her unladylike posture, as if she was sitting in a pub waiting for a drink. Not that her animated disapproval did much.
"The reason they haven't returned is simple. They don't want to." She informed.
The Duke huffed, his frown growing even more pronounced. "That is completely absurd. At least admit you want to steal my lands, don't come up with fantasies."
"Oh, this is very much reality, Lord Themis." The Duchess answered cleanly, now enjoying how easily her claim was dismissed. "Your 'refugees' are quite happy in my domain. As are your Counts."
"Why in the name of the Naga and Tiki would that be?" He interrogated. All the while, Sumia sat herself back down and allowed the dialogue to continue between the two.
The Duchess sighed, having expected this obstinate response. This was always how things went with the lawman, he was so absolute in his being correct that convincing him otherwise was nigh impossible.
"Let's see, the grain levies in my Duchy are half as high as yours." Kaltrina began, drumming her thumbs together. "I resettled them in our farming district, and gave each family fourty acres and a mule at my treasury's expense. Friga's tax rate is a fraction to that of Themis'. And let's not forget that my lands weren't recently sacked and razed by the Grimleal horde."
"Our lands are perfectly safe. We even publicly published the reports!" Maribelle asserted.
Kaltrina merely chuckled, laughing at the girl's naivete. "It takes more than papers and promises to make people uproot themselves a second time, young one."
"This is all assuming that you aren't embellashing the situation."
Kaltrina simply gestured towards Sumia. "You know I wouldn't risk being thrown into Hardin's Tower by perjuring myself in front of a member of the royal household. I refused to negotiate about this affair without witnesses because I knew you'd refuse to believe me."
"I believe that there's something you aren't telling us." Sumia said, speaking up once again before she was pushed out of the conversation entirely. "Someone as pragmatic as you wouldn't risk conflict with another Duchy over territorial disputes."
The Duchess gave Sumia a measured look. The older woman hadn't known what to expect on arriving here. Part of her was still in shock, the daughter of one of her vassals now held such high standing. It was a strange situation, and not one she thought she'd ever get used to.
At least, not for now.
Still, she nodded along. Forming her thoughts to explain why she took this course of action.
"...Friga needs more grain." Kaltrina revealed, stating what should be the obvious considering her dominion's climate. "Each of the other Duchies has their own farmers or borders Archanea. We do not. And if our trade networks fall apart, as they did during the war, we come under risk of starvation. Even famine."
"So you're making my refugees into farmers." Sumia reasoned.
The Duchess nodded, then went on to quickly raise her defenses. "None of them are being held against their will. But I've made a… 'convincing' case for them to remain in my borders."
"Coercion." The Duke said, the word spilling out like it was covered in filth.
"Bribery, to be more accurate." She corrected, cracking a satisfied smirk. "I buy their crops at double market value for the first two harvests. Very expensive in the short term, but necessary. They're given safe homes and lucrative duties, while my people's stomachs remain filled."
"Oh spare me the sob story." Conway huffed, his counterpart's fishing for sympathy souring his mood even further. "You could have easily imported goods from Lefandi! Arvin's always happy to sell more of his blasted fish."
"You know as well as I do that old dastard does nothing for free." Kaltrina retorted. "He can smell desperation, Naga knows what he would have demanded in return for increased trade."
"So instead you're robbing ME?" Conway roared back, going to his feet. Maribelle went up as well, grabbing the hem of her father's frock. Cordelia herself came towards the group, her hand gravitating towards the saber she had on her hip.
Sumia stood as well, physically placing herself between the two nobles. While the Duchess remained seated, a bout of nervous laughter left the queen.
"How about we take a break! Ask the servants for a meal, I'm sure you're both famished!" Sumia suggested, desperately trying to defuse the situation. Maribelle nodded along in agreement, almost dragging her father away from the room.
The Duchess leaned back in her seat, watching her adversaries leave as she began to relax. Her hands locked together, resting over her expanding stomach as she took in a long gasp of fresh air. Sumia watched on, displeased at how casual her supposed vassal was being. Something that made Kaltrina roll her eyes.
"With respect, your Highness. As someone who's known both of you-" She started, lifting a hand to point at the Queen and her approaching bodyguard. "-since you were in diapers, you'll forgive me if I drop some formality."
The Monarch pursed her lips, but instead moved to the chair across from the Duchess. She sat down once again, arms settling on the chair's rests while Cordelia hovered close.
"You need to pull your men back." Sumia asserted, earning an eyeroll from her elder. "I'm serious, Miss Kat."
"You haven't called me that since you were in grade school." Kaltrina hummed, voice filled with nostalgia. Some wistfulness dancing in her eyes, before it was banished. "Trying to butter me up, kiddo?"
"I didn't know I had to." Sumia answered, some sorrow coming through. "Then again, I never thought you'd do something this extreme."
"You of all people know how poor our crop yields are. This war opened my eyes to many things, one of them is how… fragile, our Halidom is." Kaltrina reflected, growing more and more pensive. "The Duchies rely on one another to a fault. If even one of us stumbles, it all falls apart."
"Usually, that would breed a sense of unity. By helping each other, we all prosper." Sumia rationalized.
"And it also means one of us can hold the others hostage." Kaltrina countered. "I tried to negotiate with Arvin. I even tried with that child Roderick. Both of them rebuffed me, said I had nothing of value to offer."
"Then why not come to the crown, instead of acting on your own?" Cordelia questioned with no lack of hostility. Something that made the Duchess chortle.
"Not everything can be solved by Ylisstol. Lady Emmeryn understood that, it's why she allowed us self-Governance." She explained drolly, thinking over her words before chuckling. "Though I suppose that lack of authority is what got us into this mess."
Cordelia visibly scowled at the underhanded slight at their fallen Exalt, but Sumia raised her hand before she could spit anything back. With a steadying breath, the Queen centered herself and her thoughts.
"Your two points have been dependence on the other Duchies and food shortages. And you mentioned this all came to a head over the War." She began to explain, rationalizing the woman's words. "Am I right to assume this is because your trade with Archenea was halted during the invasion?"
Kaltrina chuckled again, a genuine smile cracking. "Always knew you were hiding some cleverness behind the looks." The Duchess commented, Sumia exerting only a pained smile in response. "Yes, trade between my lands and Roderick's came to a screeching halt. Our routes passed through Themis, after all."
"Which then caused a food shortage of some extremity." Sumia deducted, mentally belittling herself. During all of this, she had probably been fighting her way through Plegia back to the safety of Ferox. Their flight had cut them off from any and all news from Ylisse, along with any suffering their countrymen had been experiencing on the homefront.
Kaltrina nodded, sighing. "...We lost almost five thousand people to starvation. All of the food we'd saved from last year's harvest had been used during winter." She revealed, shoulders sagging. "I kept it hidden so the others wouldn't take advantage of us. But now I need to make up for our losses."
"And the refugees can help two problems. Replace the population, and help refill your food stores." Sumia rationalized, thinking to herself.
This problem was far greater than mere lines on a map. She could easily force the return of the lands and civilians, it was within her powers. But that wouldn't fix the cause.
It was a recurring theme that Sumia had found in Ylissean politics; each of the substates needed one another to survive, yet took every chance to undermine each other's position. The Exalt had the power to intervene, but never the power to truly solve the issues. Authority was decentralized to a fault.
A soft hand had been Emmeryn's doctrine, attempting to reconcile after her Father's hoarding of authority. It's why she had disbanded the army, replacing it with regional militias. It's why she had contained the Crown's direct domain to the Capitol, leaving the rest of the nation to its own devices. It was all in an effort to assure peace and freedom from tyranny. That had been Ylisse's greatest threat in her time.
But this wasn't her time anymore. There were new threats that required a new outlook. One that amended issues, recent and aged.
Now was the time to set that standard.
"Alright. I'll let you keep the refugees." Sumia declared. Both Kaltrina and Cordelia looked at her, befuddled. As if she was speaking in tongues, possessed by the spirit of Gharnef. "But on several conditions."
Kaltrina cocked a brow, but rose no objections. So Sumia continued with her explanation. "Themis will get their lands back, and you will also compensate their treasury for the loss of revenue they've had during the occupation."
The Duchess scoffed. "Pay him and hand over a region he can't even defend."
"Better than the alternative, where I send her-" Sumia jutted a thumb casually over her shoulder at Cordelia. "-to remove your men by force. And even though these knights are green, I assure you, they are far more capable in battle than your levy."
The Duchess sat there, weighing her options. She scanned the Queen over, judging how her previous skittishness seemed to have gone with the wind. She now spoke with the confidence that a leader should possess out of nowhere. Threats and compromise laced hand in hand. Playing both sides until your opponent had no option but to go along with whatever you wanted.
She couldn't help but smile at the scene. "You really are your father's daughter."
The comment sent a shiver down Sumia's spine, her expression cracking and shoulder's tensing. It was something Cordelia caught, expecting it at the mention of the Queen's parents.
"Your Highness?" Cordelia asked quickly, jarring Sumia out of her stupor. The purple flier steadied herself from the edge, moving back before physically standing to her feet.
"I'll go… discuss these terms with Lord Themis." She said, giving her elder a strained smile. "Think them over yourself, in the meantime."
Kaltrina silently nodded, her eyes remaining locked on Sumia's frame as she walked away with an extremely rapid gait. It was like watching someone flee from a battlefield after their side had been routed.
Cordelia moved to follow, not wanting to leave her friend alone while she was frazzled, but was caught by the Duchess' voice.
"You can't shield her forever."
The Captain turned, looking down at her relative as she remained seated. Cordelia didn't even bother to hide her scowl, very much wishing that the Duchess would either disappear or leave her to her own devices.
"I'm not wrong. Ever since you two were children, you always thought she was your responsibility." Kaltrina merely shrugged, standing up herself. "At first, your parents and I thought it was pity. Though that only goes so far, and you've been by her side for years now."
"Some of us actually believe in friendship, not just posturing." Cordelia countered, displeased by the accusation. It was true, many people when she was younger thought she'd only befriended Sumia out of obligation. The brunette had been a social outcast most of her life, due greatly in part to her bookish nature and erratic tendencies.
Though that was what originally drew Cordelia to her. Sumia was nothing if not authentic, and in the world of nobility that was almost non-existent. They had become fast friends due to their mutual uniqueness in the crowd, though or polar opposite reasons. For that, they'd been companions since.
"Yes, yes. And I'm sure it doesn't eat your innards that the awkward girl, whose parents forced her to join the Knighthood so she wouldn't be a complete disappointment, is now the person you must bow to every time they enter the room." The Duchess annotated.
Cordelia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This wasn't the first time people had projected their feelings about the new Queen on her. "We both bow to her, Auntie."
"My allegiance is to Exalt, not his glorified concubine. That's the one thing all the Dukes and I agree on." She dismissed immediately, but took a moment as she grew introspective. "Though I must admit, she is surpassing any expectations I had for her. I'd be happy if she hadn't robbed you for it."
"She didn't rob me!" Cordelia shouted, standing her ground at this constant barrage of falsehoods. "Chrom chose her of his own accord, and I'm happy for them! Why is it everyone thinks I'm still obsessed with the man?"
"Because you took the one job where you'll be by his side at all times?" Kaltrina pointed out.
"They asked me!" Cordelia protested, temper flaring out after biting her tongue for the entire day. "And I almost said no! I wanted to go home and rest! Maybe retire for good, after all the nonsense I've been through! But no, instead the Exalt called on me to serve again. Even though I'm being asked to rebuild an entire ancient order from almost nothing!"
"I did offer to help. Even if I'm retired, I still was a Pegasus Knight."
"The only thing you would've done is try and fill the roster full of applicants from home. Probably so you could buy some favors from the gentry!"
"That's a very extreme accusation-"
"You wrote me a letter demanding I let more Northerners through the first phase!" Cordelia raged, unable to believe how defiant her elder was being to her own machinations. "Do you remember what it takes to be a Knight, or has all your time playing politics made you forget what soldiering even is!?"
"I'm looking out for what's good for our people! Something you've clearly forsaken."
"I don't serve you, Aunt Kaltrina! I don't even serve the Exalt!"
Cordelia jabbed a finger at the window, towards the outside world. The city, and the lands that surrounded it. "I serve Ylisse! The NATION! I never asked for this power or responsibility, any of it!"
The redhead threw both her hands over her head, pacing back and forth as she finally vented her frustrations for the first time in weeks. "I wanted to go home. But no, he had to talk me into it, and help me even when I didn't bloody ask. He listened to my problems, and even stood up for me against all those blighters during the vote. And then he goes himself stabbed trying to protect me like a MORON!"
She spun around, having completely lost the plot. "And now I haven't spoken to him in weeks, even though he's obviously just trying to protect me. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Why can't I ever just talk to a man without turning into some Ice Queen!?"
"...You're aren't talking about his Highness anymore, are you?" Kaltrina asked, utterly befuddled.
Cordelia froze in place, realizing she'd begun ranting like a madwoman. Her face began to rapidly blush as she began to babble out an explanation, but it all came out as a scramble of words and sounds.
It wasn't until she ran out of breath that she stopped speaking. Silence rapidly filling the vacuum left by the end of her tirade. Kaltrina racked her mind for what to say next, before sighing. The orange haired woman stood up, going forwards and standing directly before her niece.
"I'm sorry." She said, confusing Cordelia. She'd never heard her aunt apologize for anything. "You're right, I was pushing you to do something you shouldn't. And I shouldn't try to undermine your relationship with the Exalt."
She took her junior by the shoulders, pulling her for a quick and chaste hug. "There are no words that could describe how proud I am of you, Cordelia. I know your parents feel the same."
The Captain was taken aback from this sudden show of emotion. It had been years since she'd seen her aunt show such a level of empathy towards anyone. Once she'd left for Ylisstol, their relationship had stalled. Then with her appointment as Captain, it had taken a rapid nosedive.
She carefully returned the hug, not sure if it was genuine or a mere attempt to get into her good graces. Soon after that, they broke apart, the moment taking it's leave as quickly as it came.
"I'm going to freshen up. Tell the others I'll be back, if they return first." She requested, before moving to walk down the opposite corridor that Sumia had left.
Now alone, Cordelia went over to one of the chairs and collapsed into the cushions. Slowly she began to pull together the frenzied mess that her mind had become in such a short period of time.
She'd never lost her composure like that before. Not when speaking to her peers, not when defending herself from her fellow knights' pranks, not even on the battlefield where her life hung in the balance.
Yet all it took was the thought of Robin. Just as it had been in that forest, when the poacher had nearly taken him from her.
"Gods… what is wrong with me?" She asked the empty void, lifting her head to look for any answer to her question. Why she was cursed by this world. Why she had these feelings, in spite of wanting nothing to do with them. Why, time after time again, she found herself in these situations that did nothing but cause her turmoil.
She was given no answer in return. Only the sound of silence.
A/N: Have I really not updated this since February? That's a bit shameful. But I hope this was worth the wait.
Not as long as the previous chapers, but the next one's going to be the final part in our Southtown arc. And it should be very, very beefy. And it won't take half a year for me to write.
Hope everyone's staying safe out there. And remember, wear your masks.
o/