Hello again, readers! Sorry for the long wait. If you've read my other story (A Gathering of Leaders,) you already know the reason for it. If you haven't, electrical problems fried the power supply and motherboard on my desktop. Got some replacement parts, but because I didn't have my computer, I couldn't type up anything T.T
That's all solved now! No need to worry. That being said, updates will slow down for this story too as I'm spending more time job-hunting at the moment. With roommates just came back from their summer break too, so I have less free time. Still enjoy typing up the chapters though. I don't plan to stop that any time soon. I really want to see this story reach a good ending.
This is the longest chapter yet with close to 8,000 words. That's even after I cut some stuff out and shorten other things. I thought for a bit about making this into two chapters, but I wasn't satisfied with how the first one ended, so I rolled with this option instead. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!
Hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know on a review what you think of it. Also, remember to follow and/or favorite the story if you really like it!
Chapter 9: And so she parleyed
The next few days were the most exhausting days of Robin's life. Despite the fact that they encountered no enemies on their way back, he found himself wielding a tome and/or a blade more often than not. His enemy-one or another of the Shepherds.
It all started after they made camp on their first day-not too far from the wall dividing the Halidom of Ylisse from Regna Ferox. Like he'd agreed to before, the tactician trained his sword skills with the help of his old friend Lyn. He received many hits from the much more skilled woman than he would like to admit. Not once was he able to go on the offensive as she didn't leave any openings for such a thing, instead hitting him with a barrage that he could only try to defend from. In the end, he found himself exhausted and with a number of new bruises all over his body. The only thing he was grateful for by the end was that they'd used wooden swords that Frederick had packed when they first set off from Ylisstol. Unfortunately, in order to borrow said items, the knight gave the condition that he would be allowed to watch the training session. That was a big mistake. A mistake that came back to haunt the poor tactician.
Instead of getting some well deserved rest after being brutally beaten by Lyn, the knight forced the dark mage to train some more, this time with him and Chrom. Robin tried to find an excuse to get out of it by using Lyn, but she was no help at all. Perhaps that was a little payback for disappearing for so long from her world. With no escape, he found himself facing off against the prince, who applauded Robin's determination in trying to hone his skills with a blade.
The prince's words were kind, but his blows were anything but. Compared to Lyn, Chrom was slower but the hits were much stronger. He found himself hitting the ground more often, although he received fewer hits on his person. He was also able to go on the offensive a few times, but every single one of his attacks were parried with ease by the more experienced prince.
By the end of the back-to-back training sessions, Robin felt as if his body was made out of jelly. The torture didn't end there, however. As soon as Frederick was satisfied with the training session, the three of them headed into Chrom's tent to discuss logistics for the coming Feroxi aid. There was also the matter of planning what they would do for the rest of their trip, as Robin would now be included in a number of different training sessions, much to the tactician's displeasure. And so, when Robin was finally able to go put up his tent, he simply laid down inside the wagon and fell asleep instantly, being too tired to bother with putting up the tent.
The next morning, Frederick came to him before sunbreak. Robin was still half asleep to tell what the conversation was about, but apparently he agreed to go on a morning jog with the knight. The rest of the Shepherds were just waking up by the time the two of them got back to camp. Luckily for Robin, he didn't have to pack anything as he never put up his tent. Instead, he headed for a small stream with a piece of cloth in hand with the idea of wiping away his sweat. Once more, his plan didn't work out the way he wanted. Lissa had set up an elaborate "prank" for him that consisted of a bucket full of water and some rope. He was happy to be hit by the refreshingly cool water. Not so much about his drenched clothes. A sense of deja vu hit him while he looked took a look at himself and heard the laughs from a certain princess.
His robe had to be hung on the back of the wagon to dry. The task of driving the wagon was taken by Vaike. Robin didn't question the decision as he was more than happy to be protected from the elements with the others. Being on the back also meant that he could get some more rest.
With his clothes still a little damp, Robin was forced to huddle up under a blanket with Tharja and Lissa sitting to his left and right respectively. He was trying his best not to shiver or sniffle as the wagon kept moving forward. Across from him sat Miriel and Lyn. Virion had been relegated to the back of the wagon.
"I have to say that I'm envious, Robin," the archer said out of nowhere as he eyed the tactician.
"Envious?" Robin repeated.
"Yes. You have two lovely ladies close to you, one on each arm. What man wouldn't feel a tinge of envy. Perhaps lady Miriel and Lady Lyn will allow me to take a place between them."
"I don't think so," said Lyn, not even giving it a second thought.
Miriel closed her eyes and adjusted her glasses before saying, "Robin has a need to share body temperature with others due to the condition of his clothes. You, however, seem sufficiently capable of putting up with the cold temperature."
Virion tried shivering, but no one believed him.
"It's not like I planned this," Robin said before sighing. "I'm freezing here. I'm too numb to even pretend to be enjoying this."
"Heeeey," Lissa said, annoyed by Robin's comment. "If you hate it that much you can go to the back with Virion."
"You are the last person I want to hear that from," Robin scolded. "You are the whole reason why I'm in this situation. I told you before! This are my only clothes. You have to live with the consequences for your actions, princess."
"Fiiine," Lissa winned as she rolled her eyes. "But what about Tharja? Why is she with us too?"
"The hex I used on myself also makes my body radiate a more heat than a usual body," Tharja said. "And with my attire…" he scooted herself closer to Robin. "It is easier to transfer body heat. to Master Robin."
"Fascinating," Miriel said. "I would like to hear more about this hex another time, if possible. It's also true that body heat can be more easily transferred with direct contact from the skin."
Robin couldn't move away from Tharja. If he tried he would just end in the same position but with Lissa instead. "Just be careful not to catch a cold yourself," he said. "Just because you don't feel cold doesn't mean you won't get sick."
The time soon came for them to stop for the day once more. Some of them got the tents ready, while Robin found himself being forced to train once more. This time it was training with Tharja and Miriel. Magical training didn't take as much of a toll on his body, but it could be exhausting in it's own way. The benefit of training with Miriel was that every time she casted a wind or fire spell towards him, his clothes would dry up some more. That didn't mean he didn't have some close calls. Magic can only be dumbed down so much as to not harm someone. Because of that, Lissa kept watch over the three with her staff in hand.
That training was done, but there was no rest for Robin. Lyn approached him next and told him it was time for some more lessons. With sword in hand, he moved with her to a different area where they practiced for some time. This time he was able to predict a lot of Lyn's movements. He moved his sword swiftly and expertly, blocking as many of the incoming attacks as he could. Still, he wasn't able to go on the offensive, despite his quick improvement.
After that was done, Robin found himself facing off against Lon'qu, who'd been roped into training with him after Chrom failed to show up because he'd been distracted by a conversation with Sully, Stahl, and Sumia. Whatever that conversation was, Robin didn't know. His mind was fully committed into the fight. He eyed his opponent carefully. Lon'qu used a killing edge instead of a double edge sword like most others in the Shepherds. His fighting style was different too. It reminded Robin of the fights against the Feroxi in Arena Ferox, but it also had different aspects to it that were foreign to him.
With Robin's whole body aching, Frederick called an end to it. The tactician didn't know if he should've been thankful or not, as it had been Frederick's fault in the first place that he'd been beaten so much in just two days. I am getting something out of it...I think, he thought.
The next few days consisted of the same; a run in the morning, quick breakfast, driving the wagon (now that his clothes weren't a problem,) stopping to make camp, training with Tharja and Miriel, training with Lyn, training with whoever Frederick chose, dinner, and finally some sleep.
Again, those were the most exhausting days Robin had had yet. Thankfully, that reached an end when they crossed the arch that welcomed them into Ylisstol. They'd finally made it back! Robin had only been in the city once before, and only a day at that, but he'd never been happier to get to a destination than he was then. No more taining, no more pranks from Lissa, no more having to deal with a cold shoulder from Sully and Vaike or the weird comments made by Virion from time to time. Of course, he knew deep down that it wasn't completely the case as the Shepherds would eventually have to start training in the next coming days.
After taking the horses and the wagon to the stables located by their garrison, Frederick, Chrom, and Lissa approached Robin.
"We're going to tell Emm the good news," said Chrom with a prideful smile. "Do you want to come with us? I'm sure she'll want to show her gratitude to you for your part on this all."
Robin sighed as he scratched the back of his head, thinking about the proposition. He wasn't doing the whole tactician work thinking he would be rewarded, but hearing someone sincerely thank him would have been nice. In the end, he decided against it. "No, you guys go on ahead without me," he told the bluenette. "I'll show Lyn and Lon'qu around the garrison. Maybe I can get Kellam to help too, if I can find him. I haven't seen him since we left Arena Ferox."
Lissa giggled at his words. When Robin asked her what was so funny, she said, "you've only known the garrison for, what? A day? It'll be like the blind following a slightly less blind man around."
"Yes...funny." Robin prided himself about his memory. Besides, the garrison wasn't all that big when you don't count in the personal rooms of the other members. "Oh, by the way, Frederick," he started after something popped into his mind. "Don't forget to get them rooms. Especially for Lon'qu. Something tells me that if he shares a room with someone that someone won't be happy about it."
"I've thought of it already," Frederick responded. "I'll have a word with someone to arrange for their rooms. By the time we get back they'll be ready."
"We'll be going then," Chrom said. "I leave those two to you, Robin."
"Right," said Robin. With that, the prince, the princess, and the knight made their way towards the palace. Robin walked the other way, heading towards the barracks, where Lyn and Lon'qu were still waiting for him to arrive as he'd asked them to do so.
From a distance, he noticed that Lyn was trying to talk to the swordsman. She tried approaching him a little, but the man almost jumped back. Robin hadn't told Lyn about Lon'qu's special...situation. Those two hadn't had a chance to talk since they left Ferox. It was no surprise that Lyn didn't know about it.
"Sorry to make you guys wait," said Robin, finally reaching the two. He eyed Lon'qu, who tried to compose himself and pretend as if nothing happened, and then Lyn, who was just confused. I really need to tell her before you draws weird conclusions, Robin thought. "Let's head in."
Robin took walked them around the place, from the storage area and training ground, to a small dinning hall and the hallway to the different personal rooms. The compound was a big place to explore only if you went into every single room. It took them a lot shorter than the tactician had expected to look things over. He remembered his own tour took longer. That was because I also met the rest of them at the time. They ended up standing in silence by the entrance of the garrison.
"Oh, now that I think about it, I haven't done that with you guys, huh?" Robin asked. His words only helped confuse the two. "Mind linking, I mean," he answered before they had the chance to ask what he was talking about.
"Mind linking?" Lyn repeated.
"Yeah, that's how I'm able to coordinate everyone during battle. I used to do something similar while we traveled with Hector and Eliwood."
Giving it a second thought, Lyn caught on. "Ah! I didn't know you called it that."
"It's just a name to explain what it does."
"What exactly is this "mind link" you speak of?" Lon'qu asked. His stoic expression reminded Robin of Frederick, somewhat. Comparing the too, Frederick was a lot more expressive than Lon'qu was. Perhaps he only thought that because he'd only just met Lon'qu, but Robin was sure he was already getting a good read from the man.
"Why don't I show you? Just lean forward a bit and close your eyes, the both of you." They did as they were told. Robin placed his hands on top of their heads. The glow that he'd grown accustomed to see ever since meeting with Chrom washed over the two. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." He withdrew his hands from their heads.
Robin went on to demonstrate how the thing worked and then explain as much as he could about it. Lyn looked very interested on it. Lon'qu, on the other hand, looked more uncomfortable. He even asked if Robin would be reading his mind from then on.
Their conversation was interrupted when Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick entered the garrison. They asked everyone to meet gather around.
"Plegian forces have been sighted in Thermis," Chrom informed them. "They'd captured Maribelle and are holding her hostage. We're leaving immediately. I'm sorry that it's on such short notice, but the life of one of our own is at stake. Meet up at the stables when you are ready."
"Are we taking the wagon again?" asked Sumia.
"No, we'll each ride our own horse-your pegasus on your case, Sumia. We can't afford to lose time. Also, Emmeryn, Phila, and some of the Pegasus Knights are coming with us as well."
"The Exalt is coming?" Robin asked, more stunned about that little detail than Plegian soldiers crossing the border.
"She wished to offer parly to King Gangrel…"
"Is that really wise? Isn't she putting herself in potential danger?"
"We tried to have her reconsider, but she wouldn't have it. Emm can be stubborn, especially when it comes to peace."
Robin knew that it wasn't his place to question the Exalt's decisions. Still, he couldn't help feeling uneasy about the turn of events.
Short there after, the Shepherds were heading towards the stables when a voice called out for Chrom. The voice belonged to a small kid, no older than fourteen, who'd rushed to catch up with Chrom. He was panting, having had to sprint for gods know how long. The kid held a tome in his hands. His clothes were very similar to those of Miriel. He too was a mage, though if he was to the same level than the intellectual was up for debate.
"Sorry I'm late," said the kid.
"Ricken, why are you here?" Chrom asked. It felt more like he was scolding him.
"You said you wanted all the Shepherds coming, right? So I'm here!"
"Ricken! You are too young for something like this." The words rang true. Robin thought that the mage looked too young and green to go into combat. "You'll have to sit this one out."
"B-But I'm ready! Let me show you I can be of help!"
"No buts! Head back to the garrison and keep on training."
They left the Ricken behind, Robin taking a look every now and again to see if he was still standing there.
"That was a little harsh," Robin told the bluenette. "He's a kid, but he just wants to help."
Chrom sighed. "I know...It's too risky. And with Maribelle in danger...We can't risk having someone with no experience whatsoever coming with us."
"Weren't you the one that said that some experience you can only gain in actual combat?"
Chrom fell silent as his words had been used against him. He couldn't deny that those still held true. "Next time…"
The ride to Thermis was a short one with everyone riding their own steeds at full speed. Sumia went with Phila and the rest of the Pegasus knights to scout ahead for the rest of the party. They soon returned with the location of Maribelle and her captors. But that wasn't all. According to Phila, King Gangrel himself was there. Chrom had said that Emmeryn wanted to offer parly, but Robin wasn't expecting to have to meet with his old king like this. As if the situation didn't already have his heart running, it started beating a little faster except this time it was out of nervousness. He ended up pulling his hood up in hopes that it would fool the king about his identity.
The Shepherds came to a stop some distance away from the Mad King and a woman clad in odd armor-like, black clothes with tan skin and white hair. There was something about her that Robin could only describe as being off. What it was, he didn't know. The pair stood on higher ground, as if that would mean they were of higher importance than everyone else present.
The Exalt, Lissa, Chrom, Phila, and Frederick stepped forward, closing the distance just a bit more. Robin stayed behind with the others, a hand on the hilt of his sword and his tome on the other. He knew the ways of king Gangrel. There was no way everyone would leave without some spilled blood.
"Oh? What's this?" Gangrel's voice echoed around them when he spotted Emmeryn. "The Exalt herself blesses us with a personal appearance? Such magnificence is enough to burn my eyes! I should really ought to look away." The sarcasm in his words was noticeable. The king gave a stupid grin followed by a maniacal laugh at his own joke.
"King Gangrel," Emmeryn called out, trying to remain calm. Given the situation she was in, Robin could only admire her for sounding like that. "I understand that you have captured one of my people; a noble woman from the local house. I wish to learn the truth of the events that happened that would have you come here in person."
The white-haired woman that stood by Gangrel chuckled. "The truth, you say? If that is what you want, I'll gladly give it to you."
Robin could tell Emmeryn felt disturbed by the words of the other woman. It didn't seem like she recognized the Plegian. "Perhaps milady might first share her name?" Emmeryn asked.
"You may call me Aversa." A quick and to-the-point answer. For some reason, the name sounded somewhat familiar to Robin. He had to shake that feeling aside as Emmeryn spoke up again.
"Very well, Aversa. May I know the condition that lady Maribelle is in?"
"Lady Maribelle?" Gangrel asked confused before realization struck him. "Oh, you mean that blonde brat! She has been a pain on my side ever since she stepped on Plegia." The king waved his hand to order some soldiers around. Maribelle was brought into view, despite much struggling, up on the cliffside, held captive by two Plegian barbarians that looked much more like bandits than they did soldiers.
"Maribelle!" Lissa's shout what one of both panic for the well being of her friend as well as relief to see she was unharmed.
"Like king Gangrel said, this girl crossed the Plegian on her own authority," Aversa picked up. "And when soldiers were sent to escort her back safely, she attacked them ferociously."
"You speak only lies, hag!" Maribelle protested. "I did no such thing! Weren't you ever taught the meaning of the word "truth" in wretched-crone school?!"
"And now you lower yourself to name calling? Such nasty words spilled from nothing but a criminal." They were using fancy speech and even using Maribelle's words against her to prove she was guilty of a crime that had been most certainly fabricated.
"Is this to be expected to nobles of Ylisse, Your Exaltedness?" Once more, Gangrel asked mockingly. "The girl should be punished, I say! What would happen if she were to confess to being a spy? The punishment would have to be tremendous to fit the crime, wouldn't you say? That is, unless the house of Ylisse were to offer and act of considerable good faith as to repair our relations."
"It is you who should be confessing, sir!" Maribelle anger was pouring out. "I have done none of the acts you claim. Your men were the ones that crossed the border and then put a village to the torch, going so far as killing some of the people living there! And when I tried to intervene, they restrained me and forced me to cross the border. The evidence of this can be found in the village! Let the plundered shops, and the charred homes and bodies of the deceased serve as my proof!"
"I've heard of similar instances happening all over Ylissean territory," Gangrel countered. "That proves that Ylisse has a bandit problem that they can't control. You can't even protect your own people? What a shame for a leader. But it is indeed a shame that there was a loss of life. Tonight I shall weep salty tears into my pillow for your dead villagers."
"Your Grace, please!" Maribelle was now pleading to the Exalt. Robin didn't know the girl much. He did know Gangrel, however. Maribelle could have no proof that she was innocent and still Robin would be more inclined in trusting her than the Plegian King.
"Peace, Maribelle," Emmeryn told the girl, much to her relief. "I believe what you say to be truth. King Gangrel, I request that you release and for you to retire your troops from Ylissean territory. Surely you and I can sort out these affairs without the need of hostages."
"Return her?" Gangrel questioned, looking insulted with just having to say those words. "What of an apology? You offer parly, but you only deal in absolutes. I should have her head and go back! Gods know that it's within my rights to do so after her actions and your insults."
Robin felt a chill go down his spine. It wasn't because of Gangrel's words, no. He had a feeling as if someone was watching him. His eyes scanned around to try find whoever it was that was giving him a bad eyed. When his eyes connected with those of Aversa, he froze for a second. The woman's lips curled up instantly while Robin's eyes only widen in surprise at her reaction. She approached Gangrel and whispered something to him before stepping back. This time, it was Gangrel who eyed the hooded tactician before smiling.
"What do we have here?" Gangrel asked with a melodical tone. He let out a loud laugh that echoed far into the distance. "From all the people to see here!" Gangrel's actions took everyone by surprise. The tension that had surfaced since they got there turned into confusion. From their whole group, the only ones that knew what it meant were the five at the front and Tharja, who was standing further back. This was the worst possible scenario Robin could think of.
"I see you've brought my dear tactician-in-training," Gangrel said. Instantly, all eyes turned to Robin. "What's the matter, my boy? Don't tell me you didn't tell them about me…" Once more the king laughed. He looked over at the rest of the Shepherds. "He was to be part of my guard. Potentially rise as high as Grandmaster of Plegia! But instead of thanking me, he ran away with a girl that was meant to be part of my personal guard as well." He then returned to look at Robin. "To think that you would actually seek refuge in Ylisse! Ha! Those people killed your family! You would not only betray your country but also the people that raised you since you were an infant?! You are lower than a traitor! And after all the effort Validar went through to make you into who you are… Such a disappointment."
Robin instinctively clenched his fists and his jaw. The man spoke so freely, almost as if they'd been good friends! The nerve of him pissed off the tactician. "You shut your mouth," Robin shouted, venom almost visibly spilling from his words. "You have no right to talk about my family! As for Validar, he was a hateful man that would see me broken before succeeding in anything."
Lyn, who stood by his side, only let out an almost inaudible, "Mark…"
"...But he is your master, none the less," said Aversa.
"You would speak to your king like that?!" Aversa had been calmed, but Gangrel was just as angry as Robin had been. Robin was pleased to get such a reaction from the man, given how he was acting so smugly when talking to Emmeryn just moments before.
"You said yourself that I'm lower than a traitor, no?" Robin repeated the words back. "You are not my king. You are just the Man King to me."
It was Gangrel's turn of gritting his teeth. "Now then, Your Graceliness," he said, referring to Emmeryn. "You want the blonde brat back? How about a trade? Give me the Fire Emblem and Robin. In return, you can have Mari Contrary here back in one piece. I'll even let you keep the sorceress that Robin brought to Ylisse with him."
"You would ask for my life and the Ylissean treasure?! The trade should be me for her! I'll gladly go with you if you release her, even if you execute me!"
"Execute you? Oh no, my boy, I'll do much more than that to you. I'll make an example out of you. I'll gut you alive. And just before you die, I'll have my healers get you back to health only to do it again and again. Only when I get bored will I have your head on a spike! It will be the centerpiece on my table for quite some time.
"But as much as I relish in doing that, this is much greater than just you! I will have the Fire Emblem!"
"If you are asking for the Emblem, I assume you know of its purpose," Emmeryn said. "Is your goal so noble that you would use such a powerful artifact to achieve it?"
"The death of every Ylissean! The one goal every Plegian has in common. What would be more noble than that?" Emmeryn was stunned with the response, not able to come up with anything to say. The reasoning behind using the Fire Emblem was nothing more than ludacris. "After your father's crusade, how many people lost their families? Look at Robin! He too lost everything because of it. Your father butchered my subjects and my kin! I will have you pay the same price."
"My father made many mistakes during his reign. The war against Plegia being the biggest one. But I have sworn to never repeat those mistakes. Ours is now a realm of peace."
"It's easy to talk about peace after you slaughter your neighbours, huh? I've heard enough from you! I will have the Fire Emblem now!"
"Your Grace, please," Maribelle pleaded. "Do not do it! I would sooner die than act as a bargaining chip for this filthy reprobate!"
"Maribelle…" Lissa whispered her friend's name.
"I've had it with you all," Gangrel said. "You talk and talk and talk. Don't you know how to do anything else? Let us switch to a different type of conversation! This negotiation is over, Your Luminosity! If you won't hand me the Fire Emblem willingly, then I'll just have to rip it out of your dead hands!" With another wave of his hand, more soldiers appeared in front of them. One of them, an axeman, tried approaching the Exalt and the other royals, but was cut down by a single swing of Chrom's Falchion.
"Stay back!" Chrom shouted at his enemies. "If you want to leave, you will turn around and walk away."
"That's a declaration of war if I've ever heard one… A big, messy, war that will bleed you Ylisseans dry," said Gangrel.
Robin took a moment to use his Eagle Eye to take a look at the current field. He could see approaching enemy forces. They would be down on them in no time. As they currently stood, they were nothing more than sitting ducks. He rushed forward to reach the royals.
"Get back! Gangrel is sending in his forces," he told them. They did as they were told. The Shepherds and the Pegasus Knights that were present grouped up.
"Robin, please, we have to help Maribelle," Lissa said with a shaking voice.
"We will, but we can't have the Exalt be at the front lines."
"What would you have us do?" Chrom asked. Even with everything that had been said by Gangrel, Robin could tell that the trust the prince had in him was unwavering.
"Phila and her Pegasus Knights will stay at the back to protect Emmeryn," he told them confidently. "If anything gets near them they can deal with it with overwhelming numbers. As for us and the rest of the Shepherds, we'll hit them head first to prevent them from reaching us. We need to get up there to help Mari-"
His words were interrupted by the sound of wind magic hitting someone. Judging from the direction of the sound, it had to involve Maribelle. Using his ability, he spied Maribelle running alongside another figure, one wearing a hat.
"Ricken came after all," Robin said.
"What?!" Chrom was surprised by the turn of events.
"No matter! He's bought us time, but the two of them are being chased by enemy soldiers. We'll have to get to them and offer support.
"There are two ways up the slope. I'll divide our approach. All enemies have to be taken out. We can't allow any of them to escape. Not as things are now. Everyone, get your weapons ready and into position."
When the glow coming from Robin's tome spread out to all of his teammates, they sprung into action. As he'd said before, the Shepherds divided themselves into three main forces: those attacking from the north, those attacking from the south, and some that would stay back to offer extra support to Phila and her knights.
The north team consisted of Vaike, Stahl, Miriel, and Lon'qu. The south team had more members, as there were more enemies on the way and would be the team reaching Ricken and Maribelle first; it was formed by Sully, Virion, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, Lyn, and Robin himself. The plan would be to have Sully and Frederick escort Maribelle and Ricken down to Phila and the rest of the Shepherds (Tharja, Kellam, and Sumia,) before going back and rejoining the fight, while the other five kept going up.
Robin and the rest of the south team moved as quick as their legs, or their horses legs in the case of Sully and Frederick, would take them. The path their were taking was a lot more steep and narrow than that on the north side. This worked to their advantage, somewhat, as Virion and Robin were able to take out enemies from the back of the line. The front liners were doing their best to cut down any enemies that stood in their path.
From a side glance, Robin knew that Ricken was trying his best to keep himself and Maribelle protected as much as possible. The young mage was doing a good job. It was all just a matter of knowing how long he could hold out for.
Even as he fought, Robin had to coordinate the movements of all the attacking forces. Including himself, there were eleven people he had to make sure worked together like a well oiled mechanism. The mind link helped a lot, as he could send orders to the different Shepherds or just give them a heads up of what he could see.
"Miriel, there's a black mage hiding near those trees."
"Frederick and Sully, enemies reinforcements approaching to our right. Be careful."
"Lissa, stick close to Lyn and Chrom."
"Lon'qu, pair up with Vaike and make sure Stahl can keep moving forward."
Those were just some of the things he told his team. They were covering good ground when he noticed a number of wyvern riders approaching. With the speed and the convenience of not having to mind about terrain, those wyvern riders would reach Ricken and Maribelle before them.
"Virion, get on Frederick's horse. I'll get on Sully's. We need to get to those two NOW! Chrom, Lissa, and Lyndis, cover us. There are more troops coming down!"
His orders were absolute. Not a single one was questioned. Even Sully, who would normally butt heads with him, didn't say anything about pairing up with him.
As Frederick and Sully moved forward and took out any foot soldiers that were in the way, Virion and Robin used their skills to take out others from range. Frederick's axe cut down a swordsman. Sully's lance pierced another in the chest. One of Virion's arrow hit its mark, a caster that was too close to their rescue targets. Robin casted Flux on an oncoming enemy, bringing him rolling down past them and onto the lower part of the battlefield. If the man was still alive from the hit and fall, someone down there would finish him off before any trouble could arise.
With perfect teamwork the four of them were able to reach Ricken and Maribelle before the wyvern riders. Virion and Robin jumped off. "You two, get on the horses with them," Robin told the two.
"Wait," Ricken said between gasps. "I-I can still fight! Please, let me show you I can do this!"
The kid had the spirit to keep on fighting. From the looks of it, he was too exhausted to continue, however. Robin shook his head. If the kid refused again, he would have Frederick or Sully drag him down. "No, you can't," he told the other mage. "Not in that condition. There are many other fights you can take a part of in the future, but that's only if you are alive. Now go!"
Ricken still looked hesitant. He was about to object again when Maribelle placed her hand on the younger man's shoulder. "He is right, Ricken…" Reluctantly, the words were enough for him to give in and do as Robin had said.
That left only Viron and Robin. Just in time too, as he spotted the approaching wyvern riders going right for them.
"Are you ready, Virion?" Robin asked.
"My friend, I'm always ready," Virion answered.
"Hit the wyvern. If we can make the beast fall, it'll crush the rider."
"Not to worry. I have my experience dealing with wyvern riders."
Virion shot one of his arrows into a perfect arch. The arrow flew perfectly. Robin wasn't sure it would hit the target until the very last moment. The wyvern cried out in pain as the arrow digged itself deep into one of the creature's eyes. The tactician looked over at Virion, who simply grinned back. There was no time to celebrate. They had to keep on going.
Instead of using a dark spell as he was used to, Robin opted to go with anima magic instead. He knew how to wield such magic. Before he learned the dark ways, he was taught the basics of all magic, including healing (he sucked at that one.) It had been a long time since he last casted a wind spell. He just had to pray that the weakness wyverns had towards wind spells would be enough to compensate for his lack of training.
Holding out his trusty tome, the pages fluttered open to one of the first pages on it. The spell, Wind. Green waves of cutting wind appeared around one of the wyverns. The spell did it's job. It cut into the through scales of the beast, causing enough damage to the wings for it to fall and hit the ground. Just as he'd said before, the rider was trapped underneath the beast.
It was like so that the Shepherds kept on fighting. Sully and Frederick joined the fight once more after returning from the bottom. How long the fight took, no one would be able to recall. All Robin could remember was that by the end of it, all Plegian forces had perished while their own only suffered minor injuries that could be healed with a staff easily.
Robin walked with Lissa to the bottom, going directly to see how Maribelle was. Chrom came with them, but he ended up taking Ricken with him and scolding him about his actions.
"Maribelle!" Lissa called out. "I'm so glad you are okay." She hugged her friend with full force behind her. The momentum also brought the two of them to the ground.
"It's good to see you are safe," said Robin as he approached the two. "Good thing Ricken showed up when he did."
His words, for whatever reason, were met with a stone wall from the woman. "Oh...it's you…" she said. With all the trouble he went through to make sure she came back alive, he felt insulted and hurt by those words. Had he done something bad to her?
"You may not be fond of me, but it's a relief to see you safe none the less." Robin tried to keep his cool as much as he could."
"Oh no, it's nothing to do with fondness. I am simply protective of Lissa. My treasure is very sensitive…" The words only confused him more. He had done nothing bad to Lissa since they first met. If anything, Lissa was the one playing pranks on him all the time. "Actually, why should I justify myself to a commoner? Gods…"
Lissa's words about how Maribelle was the first time they'd met her resounded in his head. He could do without being insulted right to his face after putting life down on the line for her.
"Maribelle!" Lissa's voice was filled with concern, though not towards the owner of the name. Maribelle must've realized this, as she coughed into her hand and then tried to sweeten her tone.
"I...apologize. With today's events, my mood is nothing but foul." Foul wasn't the word Robin would use to describe it. He decided against saying it to her. "You have my thanks for everything you did for my rescue. There, I said it!"
Well, a half-hearted thanks is better than another insult, he thought. He offered a small bow to the noble girl and then walked away. Just because she was sweet for a second didn't mean she would continue being so for the next.
He was making his way back to the rest of the group when Lyn approached him from behind. He wouldn't had noticed her if she hadn't put her hand on his shoulder. He turned around to face her and was received with a smile.
"You did great out there, Mark," she told him. "Seeing the differences between when we traveled together and now… I don't even know what to say! I mean, you were always amazing with tactics, but to be able to combine that with magic, and still be able to fight? You are full of surprises."
The conversation he had with Maribelle was washed away with her words. She always had that sort of effect on him. Still, hearing her say that made him feel embarrassed. He chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "I've been training to do that for years," Robin confessed. "When I traveled with you, I was so focused on tactics that I didn't even think about using a tome. Well, that and I'm not comfortable using any tome that isn't my own one. I did write mine, after all."
"That makes sense," she said. "It's like me and my sword. Ever since I got it, I can't think about fighting seriously without it." She held onto the hilt of her sword and smiled. "Speaking of which…" The smile disappeared. "Don't think I didn't notice that you didn't use your sword! What's all the training meant to do if you aren't even going to try using it in real combat?"
Robin could feel cold sweat running down the same spot on his neck he'd scratched just a moment prior. "Hey, come on! I just didn't get much of a chance this time. Next time for sure. I'll try my best!"
"Yeah, yeah. Make sure you try harder!"
The two of them chuckled for a bit. Soon, they found themselves standing there in silence. Robin could tell that there was something on her mind, but he wasn't sure if she should be the one to ask about it as he didn't know if that was the right time to discuss anything of importance.
Eventually it was Lyn to speak up. "Hey… Is what that guy said about you true? King Gangrel, I mean."
"Depends which part you are talking about," Robin answered truthfully. "If you are talking about my parents, then yes. Fifteen years ago, there was a war between Plegia and the Halidom of Ylisse. It was a crusade headed by the past Exalt to eradicate all Grimleal."
"Grimleal?"
"They are people that follow Grima, the Fell Dragon. Grima tried to take over all the continent over a thousand years ago. He was stopped by the first exalt of Ylisse and Naga, the Divine Dragon. They weren't able to kill him. Instead, they did the only thing they could, which was to put Grima into a deep slumber.
"Anyway, as I was saying, during the war, my family was attacked by Ylissean forces. They were killed. I was able to escape just barely…"
Lyn looked down to try and let the words set in. Just as Robin was about to continue, he heard Chrom calling him over.
"We can continue this another time, if you want to know more," he told her, trying to muster a reassuring smile. His past was something he'd accepted long ago. Talking about it didn't bother him too much anymore. He also knew a great deal about her past. It would only be fair for her to learn about his. "Let go see what they are up to."
Their eyes met and they shared a smile. This suited her better. In truth, he was glad that Chrom had decided to call for him at that moment. The two friends walked side by side towards Chrom. They joined him, Emmeryn, Frederick, and Phila mid conversation. It seemed like Chrom still hadn't gotten over his actions prior to the altercation escalating.
"Forgive me, Emm," said Chrom I let Gangrel get the better of me. Now we have a war on our hands…"
"It's quite alright, Chrom," Emmeryn told him. "If there's anyone to blame here is King Gangrel, not you. You did what you thought was best. You have good intuition, Chrom. Remember to always follow what you think is right."
"I'm glad we have Robin on our side," said Chrom, referencing Gangrel's words. "It's because of you that we could so flawlessly rescue Maribelle and come back without any loss of life on our side, my friend."
"A day's work on the life of a tactician," Robin said. His words were received by smiles and a couple of giggles.
"Seeing you manage the battle today has put me at ease, Robin," Emmeryn said. "Now I see why my brother holds you to such high esteem. His decision to make you the Shepherds tactician was indeed the correct one."
"I appreciate it, Your Grace."
"There are still more important matters to discuss, Your Grace," said Phila. "The king Gangrel and Aversa disappeared amidst the chaos of combat. I believe they both would be across the border by now."
"I believe so too," said Frederick. "The Mad King will make a call for his forces to take up arms, if he hasn't done so already. We can expect an attack to come at any time. I suggest we return back to Ylisstol in haste to discuss our next move."
Emmeryn couldn't hold it anymore. She let out a sigh. The work she had put up with for fifteen years was now crumbling down on her. "War is upon us. There is no way to avoid it now. We must do everything in our power to protect the Ylissean people at all costs."
"May I make a suggestion then?" Everyone turned to look at Robin. "Ylisse doesn't have a military force, correct? The royal guard, the Pegasus Knights, and the Shepherds won't be enough to stop the Plegian army.
"Chrom has already made an alliance with Regna Ferox. I say word should be sent to khan Flavia to request troops to defend against the invading force immediately if we are to prevent loss of life."
"Yes, that is a good suggestion. If nothing else, we can have the Feroxi evacuate the villages closest to the border in an effort to buy time." All present nodded.
War. That was something Robin didn't want to see again in his lifetime. Not only that, but he was on the opposite side of it all. He was to help these people fight against his homeland. He knew that it was the right thing. Emmeryn's way was that of peace. With her, they would be able to end the war quick. At least, that's what he chose to believe. Still, he couldn't help but feel sadden at the idea of fighting and killing other Plegians. Every last one of them, including the ones that had lost their lives that day, would weigh down heavily on his conscious.
And there it is! First interaction with Gangrel, Robin's past revealed to all the Shepherds, and also an extra connection to Validar (just briefly mentioned.) Reading the reviews, I can tell you guys are pretty sharp. I wonder what else you can find in there~
Special thanks to werehogdog and Whatsotoknow for their support. It's always good to hear people enjoying my work.
Guest -I don't have any plans to create another story for the time being. With less free time, yes, I don't think I would be able to handle it right now. If I do create another one, I would end up updating it every month or something, haha! That or it'll just be a one-shot. Who knows? That also would depend on me getting a cool idea and polishing it for a bit. Right now, my two Fire Emblem stories take all my free thinking time.
Rennerd -You, my friend, have the right idea! I have nothing set in stone for that yet, but I'm really looking forward to typing it up. It's gonna be fun for sure.