"Right then. The trip from Ylisstol to Ferox takes a week on horseback. You'll be staying with Khan Flavia for a month, and then it'll be another week-long journey home. Therefore we'll expect you back in Ylisse in approximately six weeks time, understood?" Inigo's voice was unusually stern.
"Yes, dad," Soleil replied with a sigh. The plans had long been prepared, and they'd already been discussed ad nauseam.
Inigo looked ready to scold her laid back attitude, but Olivia interjected with a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Inigo, they'll be with me!" She gave her son a wide grin. "I won't let anything happen to my darling grandchildren".
"I'm just," Inigo started, but interrupted himself, knowing better than to argue with his mother. "Yes, you're right mother, I won't have to worry with you there."
"I'm very much looking forward to visiting Ferox," Shigure said. Turning his head he muttered, "My own grandmother is from there and I didn't even know it existed until recently…"
Soleil gave him a light slap on the back. "We didn't even know this whole world existed, silly. I gotta say, it sure is nice to have an answer to these birthmarks."
As members of the Ylissean royal family, both Shigure and Soleil were born with Brands of the Exalt, signifying their bloodline's pact with the goddess Naga. Shigure's Brand was found in the very same place as his father, in his right eye. Soleil's Brand was located on her left shoulder, the opposite of where her grandfather Chrom's Brand is.
"Well then," Inigo started, hesitating for just a moment. "I hope you guys have a lot of fun! Safe travels!"
Double checking that they had all their belongings loaded in the caravan, they gave their hugs goodbye and set off towards the north.
The road was long, but the travel was interesting to the foreign siblings. Soleil rode on a horse belonging to the Ylissean royal estate next to her grandmother and the escorts guarding their supplies. Shigure, however, flew above on his Pegasus, Haruka. He enjoyed taking in the sights from the sky and found it relaxing to be alone with just him and his mount.
The group found themselves requiring more layers each day they traveled. Feroxi weather is significantly colder than Yllisean's more temperate climate. Snow fell even during the spring, and the summers were more akin to an Ylissean fall. Steadily, leafy deciduous trees made way for their prickly coniferous relatives, and the relatively flat plains of Ylisse morphed into uneven rocky terrain. Further on the horizon, tall, snow-peaked mountains loomed. In Ferox, the frigid wind was unrelenting and unforgiving. Despite the cold environment, Olivia was warmed by a sense of familiarity. Ylisse was her home now, and she loved it dearly, but Ferox still held a special place in her heart.
On the seventh day, a wide stone fortress called The Longfort appeared on the horizon. This marked the border between Ylisse and Ferox. The group was welcomed by a Feroxi envoy and entered the building, grateful for the warm air inside. A regal blue carpet was the only superfluous decor to be seen. Flaming torches lined the walls in plentiful numbers, necessary to keep the stone fortress at an even somewhat comfortable temperature in the Feroxi cold.
A tall, muscular woman with a light brown skin tone and blonde hair done up in a messy bun rounded the corner. "Olivia! So good to see you again!"
"Flavia! It's so nice to be back! How are you?" Olivia ran up and gave Flavia a hug. Both as a friendly greeting, and to warm up a bit.
"Oh you know, the old oaf keeps me on my toes, but compared to the war? Well, life's pretty good," Flavia said. She put her hands on her hips and faced the siblings still standing by the entrance. "And you two must be the guests of honour, am I right?"
Soleil was doing nothing but staring at Flavia, mouth agape, so Shigure stepped up to the plate. "It's nice to meet you, Khan Flavia. My name is Shigure, and this is my sister, Soleil", he said, bowing.
"Now, now Shigure, please, loosen up! No need for such formalities here. We Feroxi don't place much value on "proper" etiquette".
"H-hey there. Nice to meet you Khan Flavia", Soleil said, clearly smitten with the East-Khan.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Soleil!"Flavia extended her hand out to greet the blue-haired noble. You look so much like your grandmother!"
"Aren't they the sweetest things? I'm so proud of them!"Olivia said gleefully.
"Now then, how about we enjoy a meal before making our way to the castle?"Flavia asked.
"Yes! I think we could all use a good meal right about now," Olivia answered.
The prepared meal was simple, but more than welcome to the famished travelers. A warm, thick stew of varying meats and vegetables warmed the insides of the Ylisseans, and freshly baked bread was served to soak up the remaining liquid.
"So Olivia, what've you got planned for your visit?" Flavia asked.
"Oh, I didn't plan on much. I figured we'd all find our own fun! I just enjoy being here if I'm honest. I can't wait to see Basilio again!"
Flavia smiled, then turned to face the siblings. "And how about you two? Anything, in particular, you have in mind?"
"This country is so different from anywhere I've ever been, it's really quite beautiful. I'd like to do some landscape painting I think," Shigure said.
"Ha! It's not every day you hear someone calling Ferox "beautiful". I'd like to see what you come up with when you've finished!"
Soleil chimed in. "Ummm, what're you going to be doing, Miss Flavia?" she asked with a deceivingly innocent look in her eye.
"Me?" said Flavia, caught off guard by the question. "Well, I have my duties as Khan to attend to, but otherwise I like to spend my time training in the arena".
"Training, eh? That sounds like fun! Can I join ya?" Soleil asked, excited by the prospect of training with the East-Khan.
Thinking for a moment, Flavia responded, "Sure! I don't see why not! I think you'll be impressed by the famous Ferox Arena." She finished off the last of her bread before continuing. "Well now, how about I show you to your rooms. I'd like to get to the castle at a decent time tomorrow, so we'll be leaving at the brink of dawn!"
As promised, the group was woken when the sky was still mostly dark and within an hour they had set off towards Castle Ferox.
Castle Ferox wasn't grand or regal. In fact, it resembled a fortress more than it did a castle, but that was just how things were in Ferox. They arrived at the castle shortly after noon, riding ahead of their caravan of supplies which would arrive later in the evening.
As the group entered the castle, Flavia gestured with her arms to showcase the main hall. "Here we are, home sweet home!"
Olivia had a blissful smile on her face. "Aah, I missed this place. It feels like it's been ages since I was last here."
"I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that your room is as you left it and available for your use during your stay. We've prepared rooms for the grandkids as well of course."
"Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you so much Flavia," Olivia beamed.
"Yes, thank you!" the siblings said in unison.
They started towards their rooms when a booming voice echoed from behind them. "Ahoy there!"
"Basilio!" Olivia ran up to West-Khan and gave him a leaping hug. Basilio was a huge, muscular man with dark skin. He wore an eyepatch over his left eye and was completely bald.
"Olivia! Long time no see! How's your family in Ylisse?" Basilio asked, putting down the dancer half his size.
"Everyone's doing just great! I told you Inigo finally returned home in my last letter, right? Well, what I didn't mention is that he brought some big surprises back with him". Olivia gestured towards her grandkids with her arm. "Basilio, meet Shigure and Soleil, my grandchildren".
Basilio's eyes widened in shock. "Grandchildren? Inigo's kids?", he put his hand on his forehead and looked down at his feet. "Was there something in the mead…?"
"Oh Basilio, it's a bit of a long story, but after Lucina and Inigo, it shouldn't be that surprising should it?"
"I... well I suppose not". Basilio's face brightened. "Ha! A grandmother at less than half my age. I'm not sure whether to be happy for you or feel sorry for you, lass". Before giving her a chance to respond he addressed the young nobles. "Nice to meet you, Shigure. Soleil. Name's Basilio, I'm the West-Khan of Regna Ferox".
"Nice to meet you, sir," the siblings replied.
"Soleil said she wanted to join us for training in the Arena later, how's that sound to you, oaf?"
"The lass is a fighter, eh?"
Soleil put her hands on her hips and raised her chin high. "Sure am! I used to run a mercenary group in fact. We'd go around and put a stop to all kinds of nasty bandits and thieves"
"Is that right? Well, I'll be more than glad to have a bout or two with a strong fighter. Looking forward to it! In fact, I'll head over to the Arena now and make sure everything is prepared."
Basilio left the group and exited from the front of the castle. Flavia showed each person to their rooms before leaving to join Basilio in preparations.
Shigure decided he'd take Haruka to intercept the caravan and pick up a canvas and some art supplies. The caravan wouldn't arrive at the castle until it was almost dark, and Shigure wanted to get started on his painting while there was still light.
Though in an unfamiliar land, the road between Castle Ferox and The Longfort was straightforward, so Shigure wasn't worried about getting lost. Haruka flew at a steady pace back the way they came, while Shigure kept an eye on the road for the caravan.
"Flavia and Basilio seem like nice people", Shigure said. He was well aware his pegasus could not speak back, but he often talked with her regardless, knowing that even if she might not understand exactly what he's saying, she'd still understand his feelings.
"Grandmother looked so happy to see them. I suppose they must be like parents to her," Shigure thought back to his guardians in the deeprealm he grew up in. He'd never get the chance for a reunion like that. All of them gone, on the most horrid day of Shigure's life. The loss of his guardians, or his friends as he eventually came to think of them as, did not cripple Shigure so completely and utterly now, as it did the weeks following the gruesome incident, but he carried their lives and all the hopes, dreams, and burdens that come with them, deep in his heart. This weighed heavily on him, but he felt he had no other choice, that anything less would be a disservice to those wonderful people.
"Perhaps it's just the cold that's getting me down. I think painting will help calm the storm in my mind. Hopefully, at any rate".
It wasn't long before Shigure spotted the caravan and swooped down.
"Oh, Shigure, what're you doing here?" said one of the people escorting the caravan.
"I was wondering if I could grab a couple of things from my bags if that's alright?"
"Of course, of course! Go right ahead!"
Shigure rummaged through sacks of clothing and other miscellaneous items until he found his art supplies. With his bag in tow, he thanked the caravan escorts for their time and set off to find a suitable location for painting.
"I'd like to capture the pine trees and the mountains together. I think they're beautiful features of what would otherwise be a cold and barren wasteland."
Out of the corner of his eye, Shigure spotted a small lake partially concealed by trees. "Haruka, why don't we land down by the water?".
Seeing the view from the ground, he knew he'd found what he'd been looking for. Facing westward, he could capture the crystal clear lake, along with the evergreen trees and the looming mountains in the background, lit by a soon to be setting sun. It was a gorgeous view, rivaling even the beauty of Hoshido and the wonder of Valla in his eyes.
Shigure spent the rest of the day working on his painting and chatting with Haruka. Eventually, the sun began to dip below the horizon and he decided to pack things up for the day, so he can still make it back to Castle Ferox before dark.
Arriving at the castle, he went to his room and saw that the rest of his things had arrived and were placed on his bed. He set his painting against the wall and stared at it for a moment. Objectively Shigure thought he captured Ferox well, but there was something missing in his painting. Shigure had blood ties to this land, but it was completely foreign to him. When he paints, he usually feels a deep connection with the subject. Up until now, he'd painted pictures of his home, his friends, his family, and that brought out a unique feeling in his art. Looking back on those paintings would warm his heart with the feelings and memories of those places and people. But this painting felt hollow and lonely.
"Shigure! We're about to have dinner! Come join us!" he heard Olivia call him from the hall.
"I'll be right there!" he called back and left to join everyone for dinner.
Digging into the buffet of various meats and vegetables, Soleil was in a terrific mood.
"I had a really great time training with you guys!"Soleil said to the Khans. "What a workout too. This country might be cold, but that training got me hot enough to remove at least a layer, hee hee".
"You're a tough one, lass. I hate to admit it, but I had some trouble keeping up with you at times," Basilio ripped a chunk of meat off the leg he was eating. "Not that I'm too old for this mind you. That was all you," he said with his mouth full.
"The oaf likes to think he's younger than he is, but he's not wrong Soleil, I definitely learned a thing or two from your fighting style. It's not quite like anything I've seen before. It reminded me a bit of Chrom's fighting style, mind you, but different still".
"My dad taught me Ylissean techniques and Nohrian techniques, while my mom taught me some Vallite techniques. It's a style all my own!"
"Hm, I'm not familiar with those other places, but they sure have some interesting fighting styles that for sure. I look forward to sparring with you again!", Basilio said.
Shigure sat quietly eating his meal. Soleil seemed to be in such high spirits here in Ferox. Well, she was usually in high spirits everywhere, that's just the type of person she was, but Shigure noticed a different sort of energy radiating from his sister now. He wished he could feel the same way, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he felt like a fraud in his own home.
"Thank you very much for the meal. I'll be retiring to my room now. Good night everyone," Shigure said in a weary voice.
"Hmph, the boy was awfully quiet. He alright?", Basilio asked.
Olivia got up as well and pushed in her chair. "I'll go check on him."
Shigure heard a light knock on his door. "Who is it?" he called out.
"It's me, can I come in?" Olivia asked.
"You may," Shigure responded.
Slowly, Olivia opened the door to Shigure's room. Shigure was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at his painting under candlelight.
"That's a beautiful painting, Shigure," Olivia said.
"I suppose it is."
"What do you mean by that?" Olivia asked, not sure what to make of his response.
"On the outside, it may look like a beautiful painting. But on the inside, it's empty. There's no passion or emotion behind it. It's just a facade," Shigure said, not taking his eyes off the painting. "I can't capture Ferox as it should be. I know nothing about the place. I know it's some part of who I am, deep inside, but it's a stranger to me right now".
Olivia sat quietly, listening intently to Shigure speak. Her brow furrowed before her face suddenly lit up. "I have an idea, Shigure! You want to get to know Ferox?"
"Um, well yes. What did you have in mind?"
"C'mon, follow me. We're going to the Arena," Olivia said, rushing out of the room. Shigure got up and hurried behind her.
Arena Ferox was located on castle grounds, not even five minutes away. Arriving at the building, Shigure couldn't help but be awestruck. He had never seen such a large arena before in his life. Brown cobblestone made up the majority of the arena floor, with a large ornate circular pattern painted in the middle. Lit braziers lined the walls of the arena.
"Did we come here to train, Olivia?" Shigure asked, still in the dark as to his grandmother's plans.
"Shigure, I wasn't always Queen, you know? I used to be a dancer by trade. I'm going to teach you a traditional Feroxi song and I'll perform the accompanying dance! What better way to get to know a country than through the performing arts?", she smiled, waiting for his response.
It was the last thing Shigure expected, but he was excited at the idea of learning a Feroxi song. "Yes! I think that's an excellent idea. Let's get started right away!".
The pair worked until it was late at night. At first, Olivia performed both the song and the dance by herself, allowing Shigure to focus on learning the song. He picked it up quickly however, and before long the duo were singing and dancing in perfect harmony as if they'd been performing together their whole lives.
"That was wonderful, Shigure! I couldn't have asked for a better singer!" Olivia said, a tad out of breath from dancing.
"I see where my father learned to dance so well. Your dance had a very unique flow of movement. I've never seen anything quite like it".
"That's traditional Feroxi dancing for you! It's what I was trained on," Olivia said. It had been a while since she'd gotten to perform that particular dance, so she was relieved she still remembered all the moves.
"I see. So that's Ferox. The people are kind and down to earth, but the land is unrelentingly harsh. This performance...I think it was made to warm people's hearts. Perhaps literally when it comes to the dancers. Haha".
"Hee hee, I think that's a wonderful interpretation, Shigure," Olivia stretched her arms far above her head and yawned. "I'm pretty tired now though, let's head back."
"Right, it's gotten pretty late," Shigure said. He'd totally lost track of time while learning the performance. "Thank you, Olivia. You helped me a great deal tonight."
"My pleasure! You can always come to me for help. We're family", she said before giving her grandson a hug. Shigure was initially caught off guard but happily returned the gesture to his grandmother.
Shigure awoke the next morning with a new aura radiating from him. He was looking forward to learning more about Ferox in the remaining weeks of his trip. As he got out of bed, he noticed his painting still propped up against the wall. However, when he looked at it now, he didn't feel the same emptiness he had before. What he had painted was a country his grandmother cherished, full of rich history and future potential.
Shigure contemplated what he'd do that day. Perhaps he'd join his sister and the Khans in some sparring and learn what Feroxi battle techniques are all about. Or maybe he'd ride Haruka to a nearby village and talk with some of the locals. Whatever he decided to do, he knew he'd have a wonderful time.