Chapter 10: And so she predicted

That day had been an eventful one. After getting back the the capital, the Shepherds had set off to rescue one of their own. Unfortunately, that resulted in war between two nations-Plegia and the Halidom of Ylisse. The good part was that they'd successfully rescued their comrades unharmed. They were all somewhat optimistic. That victory made them all feel like they would be able to end the war with a victory.

When the sun was setting and the moon was starting to rise, they reached a town that was on the way back. Bandits, most likely hired by Plegia, were attacking the place. A townsfolk by the name of Donnel-a farmer kid that wore a pot on top of his head to protect himself from incoming arrows-pleaded to them to help. Emmeryn and Chrom, being who they were, decided to send their numbers over.

That battle too had resulted in a victory. Two out of two in a single day. It was something to be happy about, but most of them were starting to feel the wear from the constant fighting. Robin could only hope that the war wouldn't take out so much out of them, both physically and mentally. On the plus side, they'd gained a new member. The same kid that had asked for their help had decided to go with them, becoming a Shepherd. According to Frederick, the kid had great potential, as he'd proven himself during combat.

Robin's eyes drifted towards Donnel. He was happily chatting with Lyn. The kid looked energetic. He had every right to be pleased with the outcome. He had to leave behind his mother in that said town, but Emmeryn promised them that aid would be sent to defend against any more incoming attacks. She was referring to the Feroxi troops, which had yet to be deployed.

Much like Donnel, Lyn looked happy to be talking with someone. Robin hadn't been too talkative since the encounter with Gangrel. To those that didn't know her as well as he did, she would look like any other day; energetic and happy. Robin knew that was not entirely the case. He could tell that she was tired too. She would collapse in her quarters as soon as they got back, most likely.

Further ahead, at the head of the party, were the royals and their bodyguards. Emmeryn was talking with Chrom. From the little Robin could hear, they were discussing further action that should be taken to prevent civilian casualties. Both Phila and Frederick rode their mounts besides their charges. Just behind them, Lissa was talking with Maribelle. The princess looked worried. She had to know that this would take a toll on her sister. She was worried. And her worry caused Maribelle to worry. The only thing that could keep their spirits up was being able to talk with each other.

Lon'qu was riding on his own. His expression was unreadable, nor did he show any signs of being tired. As a soldier, he was ideal. Being able to go from battle to battle showing no weakness was what a soldier should do. But the Shepherds weren't an army. They could only be described as a militia. Their methods unorthodox but effective. That's why Robin was worried about the other man. He was still a new addition to their numbers. Perhaps he would open up more in the future.

Virion and Miriel, the two most notably talkative members of the Shepherds, although their topics of discussion were from two completely different realms, were completely silent. Virion tried to look as the noble he repeatedly said he was, although there was no proof that was the case. Miriel was just looking forward, her tome barely hanging from one of her hands as she tried to keep the horse moving with the other.

Stahl and Sully were talking, thankfully. Again, not as much as they usually would. The drive that Sully had that set her apart from others was missing that night. Robin found himself wanting the woman to click her tongue at him or send him one of those death stares she would do from time to time instead of...doing nothing. An odd thought indeed. But Stahl tried to keep her entertained. If it wasn't for his tired eyes and the way he swayed on the saddle, he would've looked like any other day.

Sumia and Vaike were riding along side the other Pegasus Knights that had come with them. Vaike looked excited about the prospect of war. With all the training Robin had heard the blonde had put himself through, it was obvious he wanted to show off his abilities in combat. Sumia, on the other hand, was still trying to find her footing. She was good with her lance, but lacked the confidence from the male. Seeing her with the other Pegasus Knights was an eye opener. She stuck out like a black sheep from a flock.

Then there was Kellam- Wait, Robin stopped for a second. Where is he? He started looking around to see if he could find the metal man anywhere when a voice caught him off guard.

"-obin," the voice said. It was enough to snap him out of his train of thought, his eyes opening just that bit more to prove he was no longer in his own world.

"Master Robin," the voice repeated. There was only one person that would call him that.

"Yes, Tharja?" Robin turned to look at the other Plegian dark mage. Somehow, as he had been observing the others, she'd made her way to his side. It was frightening how easy she could sneak up on him. Although, with how tired he was, someone could have a sword to his back and he wouldn't even notice.

"I said you look tired," Tharja said. "You should drink something. You've been pushing yourself all day." She extended her waterskin, much like he'd done with her so many times when it was just the two of them. Robin gracefully accepted it.

"Thanks." He took a swig of water before returning the waterskin to its owner. "I've had a lot on my mind…"

"About Gangrel and Validar?" Tharja asked, grabbing the item back. She then drank some water herself.

"Amongst many other things. It feels like we've gone through a lot-too much even-since we first left Plegia… Honestly, I was looking forward to never hearing that man's name again."

"Hm…"

He turned to look over at his companion. She too looked tired. The two of them had something in common that none of the others had. "How are you holding up?"

"Me?" Robin nodded, causing Tharja to giggle. "You being worried about me brings me joy. I am doing as good as you would expect. I would feel better if I could cast a hex or two, though. It is a good stress reliever."

"I doubt that using even more magic is a good idea." He let out a long sigh. "But I was asking more about the fight with Gangrel's troops."

Tharja remained silent, pondering the tactician's words over. "I don't care greatly about it. People are people, no matter where they come from. Yesterday I was with them, today I'm not. Who knows where I'll be tomorrow? For now, I'll feel better if we survive instead of them."

The statement was a bittersweet one in many ways. "So you are opening up to the others then. That's good." He decided to focus on the good side. "I've seen you talking with the other Shepherds. I'm happy to see that you are getting along with them."

"I get along with some of them. Nothing else."

"You don't like them, then?"

"If it were up to me, I wouldn't have associated with them. They will get us in trouble many times over."

"True…" That was something he couldn't deny. Then again, pondering about what could've been and what should be was a waste of time and energy. The past could not be changed.

Their conversation became more light hearted as time passed on. It had been days since they got to talk that much. He'd been too busy with training and talking with Chrom and some of the others that he'd forgotten to check up on her. That conversation they held lasted until they reached the capital.

The moon was high in the sky. It had to be close to midnight when they reached the barracks. Chrom, Lissa, Emmeryn, Phila, and Frederick had gone to the castle while the rest stayed behind to make sure the horses were tended to and do a weapons check-responsibilities that fell on Robin to make sure were done right.

When the task was completed, Robin decided it was best to check on Chrom and the others. Their next move had to be decided on. That would be the only way the tactician would be able to rest with ease of mind. Whatever the decision ended up being, the end result would be the same. How many are going to die this time?

The night sky was clear. A small, refreshing breeze ran through the area that was the courtyard. There he spotted the familiar figure of a certain bluenette prince, staring off into the distance. He slowly approached the man, taking his time, in hopes that he would not be disturbing him.

Only once he stood a few feet away from Chrom did he speak. "It's late for a night stroll, don't you think?"

The prince, taken by surprise, turned to face his visitor. "Oh, hello, Robin," Chrom greeted with a small smile. "I should be asking the same to you. You were looking rather tired on our way back."

So he noticed. Robin scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed like a child that had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar. "It's been a long day. More importantly, is something on your mind? You look troubled."

Chrom remained silent for a while, looking at the ground. "During the last war with Plegia, we reached a point where we had no soldiers left," he confessed. "My father had farmers drafted into the army. There weren't any weapons or armor to spare. They were forced to go into battle carrying sickles and pitchforks, much like Donnel did earlier today… It took it's toll on Emmeryn greatly."

"Such an experience would change anyone."

"After father died, she was forced to become the Exalt at the age of ten."

"That's a lot of weight to go on a child's young shoulders."

Chrom nodded. "And with a legacy like his, she had that much more pressure on her. The Plegians wanted Revenge, the nobles houses of our halidom distrusted her, and most importantly, her own people hated her for sins she did not commit. They hurl insults at her-and stones. She still bears the scar from one…

"She was in pain, not that anyone knew about it. Except for Lissa and I, that is. And the only reason we knew of it was because we would see her in such states when she thought no one was around."

"Must have been hard. She had become very strong because of it."

"Very true, my friend. To this day, I don't know how she did it...or how she can still keep it up after so many years. The hatred she got she returned tenfold in warmth and patience. They struck her, and she tried her best to nurture their wounds while ignoring her own. She brought the soldiers back to their homes-to their families. She was the one that ended the war. And when Ylisse's spirit was mended and the people "forgave" her? She never resented them for it. Not any a single one of them. No, she loved them all the more for finally accepting her.

"She is a symbol for what the halidom stands for, what it should've always stood for-peace; the part most worth protecting. But some men would take advantage of that. Men like King Gangrel. He'll only understand peace when he finds it in his death bed. If that is the case, then that may be the role that I am to play during this war. To act as death's agent. Not that Emmeryn would ever approve."

Robin remained silent for a moment, letting the prince have a moment to breath. It was clear that Chrom had too much bottled up inside of him. Given his position, that would only increase as the war escalated further.

"You think the war will repeat itself," Robin said. Chrom was taken aback by the words, but remained silent, waiting for Robin to continue. "Ylisse doesn't have any soldiers to speak of. If Ferox can't provide enough troops, Emmeryn too could end up being forced to draft farmers to fight for her. She's cornered, between losing the treasure of her house and the people she's spent over a decade trying to heal.

"It's true… War never changes. One way or another, civilians are going to die because of this. There is no way around it. All we can do is protect Emmeryn and her cause to the best of our abilities-to end this war before it claims too many lives, just like the crusades did."

"Well spoken, sir," the voice of a third person cut the conversation short. Robin and Chrom turned to look at the one responsible only to find the all too familiar figure of a certain masked individual walking towards them.

"Marth…," Chrom muttered. Marth came to a stop, equidistant from the tactician and the prince.

"Good evening to you both," Marth said. "I was expecting prince Chrom to be on his own. I'm rather surprised to see you here too, sir Robin."

"How did you get in here?"

Marth turned to look at the distance. With a finger pointing to the direction he came, he said, "there is a clef on the wall over there, behind the maple grove. I believe you are familiar with it."

"That- How could you possibly know about that?"

"You know of it, Chrom?" Robin asked.

"All too well," Chrom answered. He lightly rubbed his forehead before continuing. "During one of the training sessions with the Shepherds, I accidentally bashed in that part of the wall."

""Accidentally?"" Robin repeated. "How does one "accidentally" bash in part of wall…?"

"That is not of importance," Marth said. "There are more important matters to discuss. I've come here to warn you of what is to come." The phrasing chosen made Robin stand at attention, although, admittedly, skeptical of what the warning would be.

"Warn us?"

"The Exalt's life is in danger."

"Emmeryn's life?" Chrom looked rather nervous after hearing the notion of her sister's life being on the line. Still, like Robin, he didn't know if he could take it seriously. "What? That's absurd. There is a guard with her at all times. The palace itself has many sentries along the walls!"

"And yet, I speak the truth. It's not a matter of if or when it will happen. It's a matter of stopping the perpetrator before they reach their target. I've seen it happen in the future once already."

"The future? You must be jesting. I'm beginning to think what Basilio said about you is actually the truth…"

"You don't believe me, then? So if I told you I have seen the future, a future where the Exalt is murdered in cold blood, here, tonight, you would dismiss it?"

"The only thing I can believe is that you've lost your wits!"

"Wait a moment, Chrom," Robin said. "We should hear him out."

"You too, Robin? Don't tell me you are falling for this…"

"I'm a dark mage of Plegia. We delve in every aspect of magic-we go further than most would only dare. I've never tried anything like what he speaks of, but I've seen many things in my lifetime that would sound like insanity." His journey Elibe popped into his head. Lyn's appearance, someone he thought was only a dream, was now with him in reality. "Someone seeing the future is...the least impressive."

Something Robin said took Marth by surprise-although he couldn't tell which one. Even with the mask hiding his eyes, there were clear signs that he wasn't expecting to hear those things.

Chrom, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully at his friend. "You say that, but…" Robin's argument had made a dent on him, something which Marth noticed too.

"Then I shall prove to you that I speak the truth," he said. Before Chrom had a chance to protest, Marth took out his sword and held it in front of him. This action was conflicting with what he'd been saying. If he was trying to warn them of the imminent assassination of Emmeryn, why would he try to attack them?

Suddenly, the bushes behind Marth moved. The shadowy figure of an assassin came out of cover, rushing towards the prince at full speed. Marth jumped in the air, moving out of the way of the assassin. That left the man with a clear shot of Chrom. But before he could reach his target, Marth came down on the assassin, his sword piercing the armor, skin, and bone of the would-be killer. The body fell to the ground motionless. There was no more danger.

"I trust this will be evidence enough," Marth said. He swung his sword once more to remove the blood that stained its blade.

"...Yeah," Chrom said, giving in.

Marth wouldn't get a chance to celebrate his small victory, however. As he brought down his sword, a second assassin rushed towards him. With blade in hand, the assassin swung his blade at Marth. The future-seer jumped out of the way, but not before his mask was cut in half. Chrom took the opportunity to dash forward. This time, it was he who saved the other's life by killing the assassin.

With both attackers neutralized, Chrom was finally able to see the man behind the mask.

"Wait," he said. "You're a woman?"

It was true. Not only did the mask reveal that it was indeed a woman. Her hair also came loose during the attack, revealing it to be much longer than it appeared only moments ago. Although the reveal came to a surprise to Chrom, Robin had suspected it to be the case since their encounter in Arena Ferox. A talk with Virion further supported his theory on the matter.

"And apparently quite the gifted actress," Marth said, pleased with herself. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner. I-"

An explosion went off in the not-so-distant palace. The three of them exchanged a look to confirm they all heard it. Without any other word, they ran towards the doorway with the throne room being their final destination. They had to make sure Emmeryn was alright.

At their speed, they were able to reach it in only a few minutes. Luckily for them, Emmeryn was there with Phila. Not only that, but the explosion had been heard by the rest of the Shepherds, who had entered the throne room just after Robin, Chrom, and Marth did.

"Chrom!" Emmeryn moved to her brother's side. "I'm glad to see you're all safe."

"We're lucky that no one went to sleep," said Chrom. He turned his attention to Phila. "We're under attack. We've already dealt with two assassins in the courtyard."

"My apologies, milord," Phila was quick to say. "We don't know how they made it this far without being detected. The royal guard are trying to defend the walls, and I've already deployed the Pegasus Knights for support."

"They should be enough. There are already enemy troops inside the walls. We need to take care of them before they reach Emmeryn, Shepherds."

"Yes, captain," most of the Shepherds said in unison.

"No!" Emmeryn's protest was carried by the echo in the room. "Chrom, you must take Lissa and flea immediately."

"I can't abandon you here," Chrom said. "We'll handle them. Just stay here, where it's safe. Phila can protect you here."

"If we can take out the enemy commander the troops will scatter," Robin said. "Someone once told me that assassins will only keep on attacking if they have the upper hand. If we can eliminate the head, the rest will scatter."

"What do you propose?"

"We leave a few more people here for extra support, in case things get out of hand. The rest spread out through the palace and kill any enemies along the way. The enemy commander will be at the back of the attack. We just don't know in which direction the attack is coming from."

"Who's staying behind?" Frederick asked.

Robin took a moment to think it over. All that time he'd spent looking at the others on their way back was now giving fruits. "Vaike, Stahl, Sumia, and Miriel will stay behind." He then turned to look at Marth. "You too. You seem to know something about what's going on. If what you said before was true, then you may be able to prevent any surprise attacks. The other three will be under your command."

"You aren't using your abilities for this fight?" Miriel asked.

"Unfortunately, Eagle Eye is useless indoors. And I've used too much magic in our two previous fights to even try and reactivate the mind links."

"B-but then should we really spread out?" Lissa asked.

"We don't have any other option. Everyone here is a great fighter. Being indoors also works in our advantage. The limited space means no one should be overwhelmed by incoming enemy forces. That being said, we should all pair up for this fight.

"We'll divide into two groups,-east and west. Chrom will take the lead of one group and I'll take the other. Maribelle, Sumia, Sully, Kellam, Virion, and Ricken, you are all with Chrom. Lyn, Lon'qu, Lissa, Frederick, Tharja, and Donnel are with me. That way each group has a healer, a rider, some magic and ranged attacks, and, most importantly of all, having Chrom and Lissa on different groups means that if one is overwhelmed, both of them won't be lost…"

Except for Phila and Emmeryn, everyone walked out of the room. The defending team, that is, Marth's team, would be stationed just outside. Robin looked at them for a second. There was a lot riding on their success in making sure no one entered the room.

He walked to the doorway and then crouched. There was a rug that crossed it, from the hallway into the room. He moved it aside and stared at the floor.

"What are you doing?" Marth asked.

"One last line of defense," he said. Using his sword, the tactician sliced his left palm open. The wound wasn't deep enough to cause too much damage; it was just enough for a good amount of blood to start pouring out. Using his own blood, he started making a magical seal on the floor.

"May I ask what exactly it is you are doing?" Frederick asked. His nickname of Frederick the wary was fitting once more.

"Blood magic," Tharja responded. That allowed Robin to concentrate on this task. "He's making an explosive seal. If someone steps on top of it. Kaboom."

"What if one of our own needs to head inside?"

"A blood magic seal has it's pros and cons. It's destructive power is equal to no other. It's drawback is that the seal can be easily destroyed. If someone scratches part of it off with a sword it will dissipate the magic in it."

"Right now we have to ensure Emmeryn's chances above all else," said Robin. "I'll be using the last bit of magic I can on this. That almost means that I won't be able to use my tome for this fight, as it will be depleted. I'll be counting on all of you to help me out more than usual." He placed his hand over the finished seal to release his magic onto it. The seal glowed red for an instance before going dull. Lastly, he carefully placed the rug back onto of it, making sure not the smear his work.

"You said you wanted me to use the sword some more, no?" He looked over at Lyn, smiling. He ignored the mental fatigue he was already feeling after using so much magic. "Now I have no other choice than doing so."

"This is not the way I hoped you would go about it," Lyn said, returning a halfheartedly smile, to which Robin responded only with a shrug.

With nothing more to say, the groups split up. Robin guided his group to the east side. For this battle, he would be pairing up with Lon'qu, Lyn would fight with Donnel and Tharja, and Lissa would be guarded by Frederick. The setup was less than ideal. Almost half of them were using swords. If they were to encounter lancers they would be in trouble. Then again, assassins weren't known to carry such burdensome weapons.

It didn't take long for them to encounter their first group of enemies. They had spread out somewhat, meaning that getting backup was out of the question. Lon'qu and him would have to deal with the axeman and the thief that they'd spotted. Both men unsheathed their swords and got ready for combat.

Fighting alongside Lon'qu was a good choice. Even when Robin struggled against their enemies, Lon'qu picked up that slack. Robin was able to parry all attacks coming his way with ease. All that training that Frederick had put him through had worked out. But the fatigue he felt made it hard to counterattack effectively. His sword did meet flesh, but the wounds it left behind were nothing grave enough to end the battle. At one point, the thief had snuk behind Robin and was about to strike. As Robin was turning to face him, he saw Lon'qu jumping in to defend him. He skillfully deflected the attack and slashed the enemy on the chest. That one was down.

"Keep your eyes open," Lon'qu scolded him. "You will die if you can't focus."

"I'll keep it mind," Robin said, half jokingly. "Thanks."

The two of them made quick work of the axeman that was left. With two going against one with weapons that were more effective, the battle was assured. There was no time to celebrate or even gather themselves. More enemies were coming their way. I hope the others are having an easier time than us, the tactician thought.

One after the other, the enemies fell. The problem wasn't that they were getting injured or that the battle were too difficult. They were being overwhelmed by numbers. They were pushing them back, yes, but too slowly for Robin to feel comfortable.

Out of nowhere, a quick hit to his legs forced him to the ground. He landed on his butt, towered by a swordsman that had gotten to close. Lon'qu had been right. He'd been overthinking the situation and forgotten to focus on the fight in front of him. Now he was paying the price and his comrade was out of reach to help. Robin looked helplessly at the man as he swung his sword down…

But the hit never reached him. Instead, the man was cut in half. Robin's heart was racing to notice anything but the body that was at his feet. A hand was stretched in front of him. Without thinking, he grabbed it. His saviour pulled him up and their eyes met.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised to see you are involved in this, lord Mark."

From all the people that could've come to help, she wasn't to be expected. Her long blue hair, her white armor and cape, and her skill with a sword. Add the fact that she'd referred to him as Mark, and the answer was clear.

"Dame Isadora?!" He said her name. "What..? Did you come here with Lyn?"

"Lady Lyndis is here as well?" Isadora asked in surprise.

"Wait, you didn't know?" She shook her head. "Then-"

"Enough talk," Lon'qu said, cutting the conversation short. "Our mission is not done yet. We still need to fight."

"R-right!" Robin turned to look at Isadora. "I know it's not my place to ask, but, could you lend us your sword on this fight? We can talk more once this is all over."

"It will be my honor to fight with you once more, lord Mark." Isadora took a small bow. She was still the same woman from before, ever so diplomatic and formal, even if she was older than she was back then.

The two swordsmen and the paladin (although she didn't have her horse with her at the time,) fought side by side in an effort to cover more ground. Robin noted that, despite his "condition," Lon'qu wasn't having a problem fighting alongside Isadora. He'd seen it before too, during the fight for Donnel's village. It seemed like, when fighting, he doesn't mind females being around him. Could it be that he's so focused on combat that he just forgets?

Thier enemies fell as quick as they appeared. The process of parrying and then counterattacking repeated itself many times over until the enemies finally retreated. It could've been because the enemies were planning to fall back and attack from somewhere else or because someone was able to find and eliminated the enemy leader. Either way, Robin was satisfied.

"What should be done now?" Isadora asked. "The enemies have lost their will to fight. Do we give chase?"

"No, the royal guard and the Pegasus Knights can deal with them," Robin said. "We need to head back and regroup with the others. If we are lucky, the Exalt wasn't reached…"

There were no objection from Isadora or Lon'qu. The three of them headed back towards the throne room. The rest of the Shepherds were already there by the time they got back. Not only them, it seemed that Robin wasn't the only one bringing a new face with him. Lyn's eyes went wide when she spotted them. She rushed over to them.

"Isadora?!" She came to a stop in front of them. "Is that really you?"

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Lyndis," Isadora responded, once more, giving a bow to the younger girl. "Lord Mark mentioned you being here. This encounter is a great one indeed."

"I'm glad to see you, truly! But, why are you here? Did Eliwood come with you? What of Lord Harken?"

"Settle down Lyn," Robin stepped in. "This is hardly the place to be discussing...matters like those." He tried to hint that he didn't want them to talk about the Elibe when the others were around. It would bring too many other questions, even if he too wanted to hear the answers Lyn was asking. "For now, let us introduce her to Chrom. Once things settle down we can talk more privately."

"Very well," said Isadora. Both her and Lyn followed Robin towards the group gathered around Chrom.

"Ah, you are back," Chrom said as he turned to face the approaching trio. "And I see you've brought a new ally…?"

"And it seems I wasn't the only one," he looked at both a thief-looking man and at… Was that flesh she was wearing on the braids?! She also had what looked like fur on her shoulders and wrists. Maybe the fur that covered her bottom half was also not just a piece of clothing.

He pushed those thought aside, as he caught himself staring too much at the other woman. Coughing into his fist, he tried to recover some of his dignity. "This is L- Isadora. She is an old friend of Lyn's and mine." He turned to look at Isadora. "The man with blue hair is prince Chrom. His sister, the girl in the yellow dress, is his younger sister, princess Lissa. The man in armor is Sir Frederick. The woman in armor is captain Phila, of the Pegasus Knights. Then we have Lady Emmeryn, Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse, and older sister to both Chrom and Lissa. As for the others… They are new faces to me too."

"It's an honor to meet you all," said Isadora, to which the rest responded equally.

"Isadora saved me back there," Robin continued. "I'm sure she'll make a good addition to our numbers.

"Having one more with us will be great," Chrom said, satisfied. "Let me also introduce to you these two. The thief's name is Gaius. I was able to convince him to come to our side."

"How you do, Bubbles?" Gaius said nonchalantly.

"Bubbles?" Robin repeated questionably. They'd only just met and now he had a weird nickname…

Emmeryn turned to look at the last of the new people on the group, the woman that wore weird purple-esque armor. "Brave taguel, you have my gratitude towards your actions on this night."

"Oh, so you are a taguel," Robin said. That explains the fur and the flesh...or rather, the ears. "I've heard and read many things about taguel. This is the first time seeing one in the flesh."

"That comes to as no surprise," the taguel said in a very serious tone. "I am the last taguel."

"The last…?"

"We were hunted to the verge of extinction during the last war. Back then, you man-spawn simply called us "beast" or "coney."" She turned to look at Emmeryn. "I've only helped because there was an debt to pay between my warren and Ylisse. Nothing else. Do not presume us to be friends, you and I!"

"I-is there a problem here?" The taguel turned her attention towards Robin this time.

"It was man-spawn like you that invaded our warren and slaughtered my people with no other reason than to "purge" our kind from our lands."

"What?!" Emmeryn was in shock at hearing of this. "Is this true? Who would do such a thing?"

"Your acting is not needed nor appreciated. You man-spawn are all the same. You claim to seek peace-you reach out an open hand only to attack with the other. You would kill and destroy anything and anyone you do not understand-even each other-for your own selfish reasons. The last war should act as proof of that."

Part of Robin wanted to interfere-to defend Emmeryn. What the taguel was saying was true. There was no denying that. But still, those were harsh words to throw out so simply, even if she was still in pain… Then again, her position was nothing like his own. He couldn't pretend to understand what she'd gone through.

"You speak the truth," Emmeryn said, her eyes closed and her chin down. "Mankind should have learned so much from your warren. As I understand, in taguel society everyone is treated as an equal. I know that this may come to you too late, but I am deeply sorry for the suffering your people were put through. We have stolen your friends and family and made the world a lesser place because of it."

"Your Grace-you have done nothing wrong," Phila said in concern. "What happened to the taguel-you had no hand in it!"

"The words from someone that claims to be not part of what happened have no meaning," the taguel said.

"I...understand," Emmeryn said. "But they are all I have." There was a moment of silence until the taguel finally spoke up.

"I can see that your words are sincere, man-spawn. You see my pain and bear it as your own. This is the first time I've seen one of your kind do such a thing. As I am, I will never trust mankind. But you… Perhaps you I can trust."

Emmeryn smiled warmly at her. "If you would give us the chance to earn your trust, we will show you that not all of us seek to destroy." The other nodded. "May I ask your name?"

"I am Panne."

Everyone looked satisfied with the turn of events. The tension that had built up evaporated in an instant. Unfortunately, there were other matters to discuss.

"Lyn, could you take Gaius, Panne, and Isadora and introduce them to the others?" Robin asked.

"Oh, I'll go too," Lissa jumped in, a little too excited. "It'll go faster if there's two of us, right Lyn?"

Robin could feel some ulterior motive, but didn't question the princess about it. Although, deep down, he felt like he would pay for that later on.

"Okay, leave it to us," said Lyn. The group of five split off, making their way towards the rest of the Shepherds. That only left Chrom, Emmeryn, Frederick, Phila, and Robin.

"Captain Phila, were the retreating enemy troops taken care of?" Robin asked.

"Yes, they took out the ones that were on this side of the wall," said Phila. "However, some of the ones that were trying to get inside disappeared into the night. I have the Pegasus Knights searching far and wide into the city looking for them." She then turned to look at Chrom, her spirits down. "I beg your forgiveness, milord," she exclaimed in shame. "I have failed in my duty. They should have never made it this far into the castle. Let alone the city!"

"Peace, Phila," said Chrom. "No one could have predicted they would make a move this early. The only reason we found out about it was because of Marth."

Emmeryn looked at her younger brother. "Is this the same Marth that saved Lissa when the Risen first appeared?" Chrom nodded. "We truly have a debt to repay to him."

"It's "her," actually. But more importantly, Robin, where is she?"

"Hmm…" Robin looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the girl. "An excellent question. She was here a moment ago…"

"Not again!"

"She keeps appearing and vanishing at the strangest times. First during the first Risen attack, then at Arena Ferox, and lastly here. It proves that what she said was true."

"Do you really believe that?"

"The evidence is in her favor. Until proven otherwise, I'm inclined to believe her."

"I'll go look for her. The rest of you should head back to the Shepherd's garrison. It'll be easier to protect given it's size."

"Milord, wouldn't it be better to leave the city tonight?" Frederick asked. "We should put as much ground between us and the enemy as we can."

"We are all exhausted to go on the march," Robin said. "Phila said that they still haven't found all the assassins that escaped. If they were to attack us in the open, gods know what could happen. We need to regain our strength. I am at my limit as it is. One more fight can mean the end of us."

"Robin is right," Chrom agreed. "Three fights in a single day is more than a normal army would see during war. We can't risk it-not when we have to protect Emmeryn. We'll leave in the morning. I'll go arrange for horses and wagon to carry any supplies we might need. The rest of you, go get some rest."

Frederick was forced to give in. Chrom left, but something told Robin that the prince wanted to talk to someone else that wasn't there. The question was if he would find her.

"I would like to thank you, Robin," Emmeryn's voice brought Robin back to reality.

"Your Grace?"

"You've proven yourself to be a valuable ally to us in this time of need, even when there are still some that will question your allegiance. Thanks to your effort, we didn't suffer any casualties yet again. I feel reasure to know you will travel with Chrom and Lissa. I know you can keep them safe."

"I'm...honored by your words, Your Grace… But I can't take credit for this fight. My usual tactics didn't serve for much-"

"You may have done more than you think. Please, think more highly about your accomplishments."

Those who remained rejoined the rest of the Shepherds and then went to the barracks for some much needed rest. With their added numbers, including Emmeryn and Phila, most would be forced to share rooms. Robin insisted on having the Exalt and her bodyguard take his own, as it still sat practically untouched since he received it. He would have to sleep in the practice area. Not that he was complaining. He was used to sleeping on the ground. Plus, he had a pillow with him this time!

Going to sleep was still something that he had to do later on. There were still things that had to be discussed regarding a certain otherworlder's appearance. It just so happened that the two people he wanted to talk to were sharing a room. He stepped up to the door a knocked as lightly as possible. If they were already sleeping, he didn't want to wake them up. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. Lyn opened the door and, after noticing it was him, let him come in.

"Sorry to disturb you both, but I think there are matters we should discuss before going further," Robin said. "Have a seat." The two women sat on the bed while Robin pulled a chair from under the clean desk and sat down across from them.

Isadora stared intantly at Robin before speaking up. "Lord Mark," she said. "Except for your garments, you look exactly the same as when we traveled together. Is that due to magic? Or is this world much easier on people?" Lyn's giggle was heard, despite her attempt of hiding it.

Robin rubbed his face. Even when he'd (somewhat) explained the situation to Lyn before, this would be much harder. Lyn easily trusted others. Well, maybe just him. But someone like Isadora was a completely different matter. Robin tried to the best of his ability to explain how it was that he remained the same age even after the rest of the people back in Elibe continued to age. He also told her the made-up story that he'd come up with that explained how Lyn and him had met in their current world.

"That is...a complex story," Isadora confessed. "I'm not sure I follow correctly, but I believe what you say to be true."

"Thank the gods," Robin muttered before letting out a sigh in relief. "I'm more interested in knowing what's brought you here. Lyn told me she came here alone."

"That's right," Lyn said. "I never mentioned anything to Eliwood. Did he come with you?" Isadora shook her head.

"No, the Marquess wasn't aware of my mission when I left Pherae. I was under orders of Lady Eleanora after Matthew revealed a piece of information regarding the Black Fang."

Robin's heart stopped at the reveal. The Black Fang was something he would never want to hear about again. Not after they'd fought against them so much. "But the Black Fang dissolved after we defeated Nergal, didn't it?" Robin asked.

"That what we all believed… Despite what we first thought, it appears that some members shared Nergal's ultimate goal of bringing dragons into the world."

"But how does that connect to this world, exactly?" Lyn ask.

"I can't say for sure. All we know is that across the cave lays a dragon that can destroy worlds."

Lyn turned to look at Robin. "Is there such a dragon here?"

"Yes…" Robin confirmed. "Although he was defeated over a thousand years ago; Grima, the Fell Dragon is the only one that fits that description. But Grima is a god! There is no way to control such a being. Even if they were successful in resurrecting him, who's to say that it would do their bidding?"

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you, lord Mark," Isadora said. "But there was more to it than that."

"Let me hear it then."

"Word has it that you share the blood of dragons. With that, the Black Fang must think that they can control this Grima you speak of."

"Blood of the dragon…? Me? That's golden!" Robin laughed out loud, much to the surprise of both ladies. "They must be insane to think such a thing! I was raised by farmers! If I truly held the blood of dragon within me, in this world, that would make me a king from some land or other. You've both met the royals of the Halidom of Ylisstol, yes? Their bloodline is blessed by Naga, the Divine Dragon. You see where I am going with this?"

Isadora looked reassured by his words. She too giggled after considering all the facts. "I does seem far fetched. But it doesn't change the fact that your life could be in danger.

"When I heard rumors about a mysterious tactician leading a militia from victory to victory without a single death, I knew it had to be you. That' why I was there in the palace when the attack happened. And if I was able to track you down, then the Black Fang will do the same."

"Then should we go into hiding?" Lyn said, worried about the life of her old friend.

"No, that isn't an option," said Robin. "We are in the middle of a war where I am the tactician for one side. I can't abandon this people. Not now."

"So then what should we do?"

"We continue on with the Shepherds. If the Black Fang attacks, we'll find safety in numbers…" Lyn and Isadora both nodded. "Oh, by the way Lyn, I remember you mentioning something about a man that had a way to find me. You'd also mentioned that he showed you my robe and a scroll that you couldn't read."

"Ah, yes, I'd almost forgotten about it." The green-haired woman stood up and walked up to a chest. Inside it, there was a small bag with the few possessions that she carried with her. From it she took out the mentioned scroll. Once she handed it to Robin, she took returned to seat on the bed.

Robin stared at the scroll. It had an odd feel to it. He undid the fastener and unrolled it to see what was written on it. The language wasn't something he recognized, but, somehow, he felt like he could still understand what was written on it.

"I don't remember ever seeing you with a scroll like that in the past. When I saw your robe, I didn't question if it belonged to you or not. I just took it with me."

"You and me both," Robin confessed. "If I ever had something like this with me, I can't remember it… It could be a clue to what's going on. I'll have to take a look in detail in the future." He rolled up the scroll and placed it in one of the inside pockets of his purple robe before standing up and walking to the door. "We can talk more tomorrow," he said.

When he tried to open the door, he heard a small yelp come from the other side. Lissa laid on the floor, rubbing her forehead. The girl had to be pretty close to the door if she got hit. The thought crossed Robin's mind. Did she hear everything we talked about?

"Um, Lissa, what were you-"

"Chrom asked me to that the preparations were set for tomorrow," the princes said as she rapidly stood up. "And the time that we are departing. Well, I'll be on my way now. Good night!" Before he knew it, the girl was gone. A small trail of dust picking up after her feet.

"Wait! You didn't tell me the time!" He never got the response. He could feel some bile forming in the back of his throat. "That can't be good."

Bringing in a big original plot into the mix. I have some pretty good ideas of how things will turn out. You can all look forward to that! There are still some things I want to figure out about it, but I have a ton of time for that.

Also, second FE7 character shows up!

Let me know what you thought of the chapter by leaving a review, and clicking follow and/or favorite on the story. Hope you guys enjoyed it!

HD Shoryu -Thanks a lot! I'm trying to fill any and all loops that might exist after making Mark and Robin be the same person. I'm having some fun with it, so it's all goood. Right now, the characters may refer to Elibe and Ylisse as two different worlds, but that's just what they think. It may turn out to be the case, or maybe not. Who knows! And I see where you going with that~ All I'll say is that there are more characters to come, but not all characters from FE7 will show up.

werehogdog -The overall story lines won't change too drastically, but as you can see from this chapter, there will be additional stuff to all of them. I hope that you still like it, though. Thanks for your kind words!