AN: Let me start by saying, this is going to be a long Author's Note mainly because it's been so long since I last posted. Here we go.
So, I know a lot of you have been wondering where this story went, considering I haven't posted in six months. Well, a lot has happened since then and now. I got sick a few times, my family got sick, different groups of friends felt like I was neglecting them (I did), not spending time with family, getting swamped with work that toasted my brain, and even getting mildly depressed to a point that I didn't want to do anything at all, among other things. I burned out. That's the gist of it. I would write, read what I wrote, trash it, and start all over again. I would write little and far between, sometimes taking weeks before opening the doc again. Not the best.
Believe me that I did try, and even considered skipping over stuff simply because I could think of where I wanted things to get to and I had a better grasp on what I wanted to do from there on, but that felt like cheating to me, especially when I've setup some plot points that I wanted to visit before I got to that other point in the story. So, I just kept writing and rewriting this until I wrote myself into a corner. I let this go cold.
About two months ago things started looking up. Once again I was flooding with ideas about what to write. It was cool! Except, none of those were about this story. I read somewhere that writing can lead to getting past a writer's block, so I wrote down short stories based on promps that I never published (couple of GoT stories, and one for Dungeon Meshi). But it was only after I started publishing an Overwatch story that things kinda started falling into place again. It helped me get back to writing consistently, though much shorter chapters (between 4-5k each) but at a relatively constant rate. If you follow me as an author on here, you may have seen it already. Most of you didn't bat an eye, and for that I'm thankful, but it seems that there were a few of you that soured when they saw that getting updates over this.
Let me say this right now: I will not publish something I wouldn't enjoy reading, nor will I be pressured into publishing half-assed work. I'm writing this story the way I want. Don't think I won't continue a story simply because it hasn't been updated for a while. I need to be in a certain mood to get the writing style right for specific stories, which is why Uncertain Times hasn't been updated in almost a year. If I don't say the story is cancelled, just keep on waiting patiently for it to update instead of asking for updates or why I stopped on my other stories. I mean, at least publish the reviews on the story you want updated, ffs.
This was going to be a long chapter. Around 18k words long, which is why I was taking so long too. I say it was going to be that long because I'm splitting it into two halves, mainly so that people don't stop reading it halfway and never come back to it. This will go out today, the second part will be out next week to give myself a buffer to work on the next chapter. I was planning to have that one be a long one too, since it would be the wedding, but I may scrap a lot of the ideas I had in mind in favor of advancing the story at a better pace. I'll have to give it some more thought in the future.
I think that's enough ranting for now. My English may have gotten a little rusty from lack of practice. Please forgive any grammatical mistakes. Again, I appreciate your patience.
Chapter 25: The story of many (Part 1)
The day couldn't look any better with it's clear skies and overall good ambiance. It was the total opposite reflection of the man that was making his way around the tents of the army brought by the Marquess of Ostia. Said walker looked exhausted, as he should be after near constant riding for the better part of two weeks. His clothes were stained with mud and covered in dust, his hair was a mess, and he could feel a small stench starting to come off of his person. There was nothing more that he would like than taking a nice, relaxing bath somewhere and letting his sore muscles rest—perhaps fill his belly with some food and sleep off the rest of his tiredness, and if nobody would interrupt him it would be all the better. Unfortunately, that he could not do. Not just yet. Lord Hector had ordered him to hand in a report on his return. Despite taking more people with him when he first left the camp, he'd dismissed all of them as soon as they returned. No need for them to suffer when he could make a report by himself.
When he reached the Marquess' tent, he allowed himself through the entrance, knowing that Lord Hector wasn't much for waiting or even formalities for that matter, especially when it came to information. Usually for these things, it would be only the two of them—on certain occasions Lady Farina or Lord Oswin would also be there, sometimes both of them at the same time. This time it was different. Instead of seeing the Great Lord, inside the tent stood a small gathering of major players of their army surrounding a table that displayed what they'd been told was the continent of Ylisse, its borders clearly market as well as the keeps, towns, and the rest that one would see on a map. It didn't take a genius to know the handiwork of Lord Mark—or should it be Lord Robin now?
As he'd been expecting, Lord Hector was accompanied by his lady wife, who stood to his right. It was strange to see the Lady so… normal. Normal for a Lady, not for Lady Farina. She would usually be musing about gold coins with a sly grin adorning her lips. Perhaps she was trying to look more regal—much like her outfit—in front of those others present. To the other side of Hector stood another imposing woman, though this one had a caramel-colored skin with muscles chiselled through many years of hard work that would put many knights to shame. The Reigning Khan of Ferox had been leaning on the table, but upon the man's entrance, she turned her attention to him, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. Then there was the woman they had rescued at the end of the war, the Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse. Her soft features made her seem almost like the masterpiece of some master sculptor, but that would be impossible given her movements, and he knew well that statues did not move. Just behind her stood a man in armor, his hands behind his back, but still ready to jump to action in a second if needed. Ser Frederick, or Frederick the Wary as he was referred as around camp by the Shepherds, also turned to face the new arrival.
"You are getting slow, Matthew," said Lord Hector as he straightened his back and set down a small wooden figure back on the map. For a moment the Ostain looked like a replica of his older brother. Even the way he spoke had changed over the years. Perhaps the weight of his countrymen and all of the Lycian League had made him mature beyond his years. Still, Matthew had noticed that Lord Hector would still act the same with those they'd traveled during their time fighting the Fang. "You took twenty men with you. You used to need half that number and half that time to get any relevant information."
"My humble apologies, my lord." Matthew bowed mockingly, a little too low to make emphasis to his jest. Lord Hector didn't find the humor of it, but Lady Farina was already grinning from ear to ear. As for the others, they didn't react to the spy's actions. They hadn't known him for long. After the war was over, the Ostian forces had been getting to know their local hosts, sharing drinks and stories over the fires. All of them except for Matthew. He did talk from time to time with some of the so called Shepherds—the men and women that served Prince Chrom directly and followed Lord Mark's orders—but for the most part he was occupied with work. Peace had never stopped Lords and Ladies from scheming and such before; it wouldn't stop now. "This is a large world, my lord. And all those supplies we took were weighting us down quite a bit. Not to worry though, I come with what you asked of me."
"The war is over and you still have your men running around, Hector?" Khan Flavia looked at the Marquess with interest. "The Plegian forces were smashed to the ground and then surrendered peacefully. I don't think that they will plan another attack so soon after peace was declared."
"Lord Hector likes to work us to the bone, my Khan. I think he forgets that not all of us are built like him."
"And that's why I don't throw you on the front lines, Matthew," Lord Hector said, not looking pleased at all with all the jesting. The blonde, for his part, felt a little sense of accomplishment knowing that he could still get on the nerves of his old friend and liege. "Well? What are you waiting for? Give it here!"
"Yes, my lord." Matthew walked towards the Marquess. From behind his cloak he pulled a rolled up parchment and handed it over when they were within reach of one another. Lord Hector broke the wax seal and immediately read through it all. His eyes darted from side to side, likely dismissing most of it, not that Matthew minded. Most of the information on there wouldn't mean much to someone that didn't know the nobles of the foreign land. But soon enough the bluenette's eyes lingered on one spot. This caught the attention of Lady Farina, who, with a more serious expression, leaned on her husband to take a look at the parchment herself, her husband not making an effort of hiding the information from her—he even made it easier for her to take a look by tilting the parchment her way. Finally, after a minute or two, Lord Hector said something under his breath that was only caught by his wife, though it did gain him the attention from the others in the room.
"Is everything alright, Lord Hector?" The angelic voice of the Exalt came, her concern also showing on her brow. Lord Hector, for his part, decided it was best to hand over the parchment for her to read. She took it gingerly and turned it over to take a look. After a moment, she turned to Matthew. "What is this...?"
"I beg your pardon, Your Grace. I tend to leave out details when it comes to writing down my findings. It makes it easier to pass it off for something else should I be captured." Seeing as how Ser Frederick nor Khan Flavia had had a chance to read it yet, Matthew decided to fill them in too. "That there," he pointed at the parchment, "is a list of the leading candidates for the Plegian crown. As you may or may not know, King Gangrel wasn't wed nor did he have legitimate or illegitimate children that could lay claim to his crown. He never named an heir either, leaving the Plegian nobles with no option but to choose candidates for the new successor. Personally, and if I may, I think General Mustafa seems like the best option. He seemed more concern for the people of Plegia than any other on the list. And from our time fighting against his forces, he also seemed like a good and reasonable leader."
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand…" Lady Emmeryn said, still holding onto the parchment as she looked now at the Lord of Ostia. "How did you get this? And why would you need this when peace has come?"
"I can answer the first question, Your Grace," Matthew said before his liege had a chance to open his mouth. A little extra time for the Marquess to formulate his response would only do them good. "I am the spymaster of Ostia. Lord Hector had me and some of my men return to Plegia after our forces crossed the border to look for signs of unrest that could spark another war or a civil revolt. That list came from the network of informants I established."
The Exalt slowly brought the letter down to the table, Khan Flavia taking the chance to pick it up and take a look at it herself. "I...don't feel entirely comfortable with the idea of espionage. That on itself could spark a war, had you and your men been found out."
"With all due respect, Your Grace, me and my own know the game we play. I took only the best, fully knowing that if we were found it could be seen as provocation. I also promised my men to bring them back to Ostia safely. Last thing I want is to find my head on a spike because of an angry husband or wife."
"It is better to risk a loss of trust than to lose tens of thousands to war," Lord Hector said, somewhat ignoring Matthew's last comment. Whether he ignored it intentionally or not, Matthew wouldn't know. Still, the Lord spoke truly, even if his words were somewhat harsh. "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. Above all else, you must make sure to keep this peace, Your Grace. We must know what is going on elsewhere and understand it to prepare for another war or prevent it from escalating to that using diplomacy."
Silence spread amongst them. It seemed like not one of them knew how to respond to that. Lord Hector could be, well, Lord Hector, but there was still wisdom and experience behind those words. Bern had been brewing something for sometime, and it was only through espionage that they would be ready for whatever came their way. It was because of espionage that they had even come to Ylisse in the first place! There was power in being informed. How one chooses to use that, though…
"I don't like it, but I understand where Hector is coming from," said the khan, parchment still in hand, finally breaking the silence. "Under any other circumstances I would be against this. We don't spy in Ferox. If there is a problem between the khans, we solve it by talking or by fighting against one another. Espionage is not something we readily consider as an option nor accept. However, we are talking about Plegia here. The dastards can bite your hand off if given a chance. It's not for nothing that they have the bloodiest history on this side of the world… Well, externally, of course.
"But enough of that. I would rather discuss this," she hit the parchment with the back of her free hand to emphasize the topic before she turned to look at Matthew. "How certain are you about the names on this list?"
"As certain as one can be, Khan Flavia," he answered with confidence. He'd been doing this longer than anyone gave him credit for. His own years of experience with the matter made it easier to filter out information. The names on there had been confirmed by a number of sources.
"Flavia is fine. I care little for titles."
Matthew smiled. This world was certainly very different from Elibe. Only close friends of nobles would be allowed to drop titles when speaking. Even amongst themselves, most nobles always used titles. Then again, was a khan a similar title as a lord? Maybe that was just the way they did things in Ferox… Except Lord Mark, Prince Chrom, Princess Lissa, and even Exalt Emmeryn preferred being called without a title. Could this be why Lord Mark had taken an interest in Lady Lyndis all those years ago? She refused to be called anything but Lyn, though few called her that. He quickly shook his head, making a note to later return to that thought. "As certain as the sun rising from the east and setting west, Flavia."
The khan looked displeased at the parchment, crumbling it slightly in her hand. "This I don't like."
"Is something the matter, Flavia?" The Exalt asked, looking concerned.
"Did you read through all of this?"
"I did not. I was too confused by everything else to get a chance through it entirely."
The older woman turned the list over as to show its contents to everyone standing in front of her, hovering a finger besides one of the names on the list. Validar. A strange man by all accounts. Matthew had found little on the man, but what he did he did not like. He'd supposedly committed many atrocities throughout the years, and yet, he was the paramount for the Grimleal. A strange choice for a man leading a religion. But the Grimleal were more like fanatics, which was a problem, if what Matthew had discovered about Lord Mark's connection to the revered "Fell Dragon" was true.
"I doubt Lord Robin will take to these news lightly if this Validar is the same one his spoken about," Ser Frederick pointed out. "Given what he's told us about his past with the man, it could spell trouble if Validar is crowned King of Plegia and Lord Robin remains in a position of influence within the Halidom."
"What are the chances this Validar and that Validar are one and the same?" Lady Farina asked. "Could it be a coincidence? There is no ownership over their given name; Many men can carry the same name, after all."
"Very true, my lady. But this was something I dug into personally," Matthew objected. "The name sounded familiar enough, and as I learned more about the man's history, I can tell you as a fact that this Validar and Lord Mark's old master are one and the same. There are too many similarities for one to ignore. Granted, I know little of the master Validar, as Lord Mark never spoke in full about the man. Still, the chances of them not being the same man are close to null."
"We can't make mountains out of ant hills. For now, there is nothing we can do about it other than hope the man doesn't rise as victor," said Hector after another moment of silence. "There are many names on the list. Any of them could become the new king. We should not act unless Validar remains on the list after some of those names are dropped. I also recommend keeping Mark in the dark about this for the time being. He might have somewhat changed from the Mark I knew back in Elibe, but nonetheless, I doubt that he would take the news of this with a smile. I leave the final decision to you, Lady Emmeryn. Mark is under your banner, after all."
"I understand," said Lady Emmeryn, giving the Lord a small bow. "I appreciate you taking your time to do this as well as not taking actions on your own, Lord Hector, Ser Matthew."
"Don't mention it. You've helped Mark in his hour of need. This is our way of repaying you and your brother, Your Grace." With that said, Hector and Farina moved to exit the tent. "I'm sure Matthew has more to say about his findings. I'll leave him to report everything to the three of you first. We have other matters to attend to at the moment. Feel free to use the tent, if you like. Don't leave anything out, Matthew. I expect to hear the same report later."
"As you say, my Lord," said Matthew before the Lord and Lady of Ostia left the tent.
As the couple walked outside, the shorter female finally let out all the air in her lungs escape her. Though she'd technically had the title of Lady for years now, she still wasn't used to politics. Hector, on the other hand, seemed to have a decent handle on things. Although, she would always laugh internally every time she saw her husband talking so formally. He rarely seemed to be able to relax the same way he used to during the time they fought the Fang, which was something she admired...not that she would let him know, of course. She wouldn't hear the end of it if she did.
"So you were at your limit after all," Hector commented offhandedly with a disinterested look as he kept his eyes on the path ahead of them. That earned him a jab to the ribs from the shorter female. The hit was meant to be hard, but the man had been wearing his armor all day. Probably didn't feel nothing more than a slight push to his side. "You are getting better at this whole thing by the day, Farina."
"Don't even get me started with you," she quickly threw back. "Who are you trying to impress? Got your eyes on another lady, eh?"
Hector snorted, still not returning her glare. "Wanting to get rid of me already, are you?"
"Only if I get to keep the coin in the reserve," she said with a shrug.
"Over my dead body!"
"Yes, that's the idea…" She smirked and could see that he was doing the same through his whiskers. This was what she needed. A little bit of a rant and confrontation to unwind. To anyone else, it would seem that the two of them did not get along with one another when they talked in such a way. In reality it couldn't be further from the truth. It was because they understood each other so much that they could say things that would hurt others to one another without it affecting them in a negative way. "Say, you aren't really going to do nothing about this whole Validar business, are you? I mean, if the fellow is as bad as Mark says he is, then it could spell trouble. The Black Fang is already after Mark. If this maniac comes in too-"
"There is nothing we can do about it…" He looked pensively at the sky, as if seeking an answer in the clouds. If only it was that easy. The situation was far from simple. Any wrong move could cost them more than they were willing to risk, especially when it wasn't only their men that would be put in harm's way. "Doing anymore than we already have could put us on bad terms with Lady Emmeryn and the khans. If this was Lycia, then yes, by any means, we could act; There are many ways we could go about it. But here we do not hold any influence over the local politics. We can't overstep our welcome. And as for the Black Fang, that is only a rumor. We've been here for quite a while now and have yet to see any signs of them anywhere. My guess is that Legault is here for the same reason, and the man has said naught of any altercation with the Fang."
"Well, I don't like it." Farina crossed her arms and frowned. Hector had never been one to speak much of what couldn't be done, but she did understand where he was coming from. They had the chance to leave if things went south with Plegia. The Feroxi and Ylisseans did not. "We can't leave Ylisse without dealing with the Black Fang. The Shepherds and the Feroxi may be good, but..."
"Agreed. But we can't leave Ostia and Lycia unattended for so long. Not with Bern in its current state." Every time Bern was mentioned, a shiver ran down her spine. She always wondered why King Zephiel couldn't be more like Legault, Nino, and Jaffar... Well, maybe not Jaffar…nor Legault. Like Nino...yes, like Nino."I trust Eliwood can handle anything thrown his way, but with Ninian in poor health, I rather return to Elibe and let him spend as much time as he can with his wife and child. Only Saint Elimine knows how long she can last like that."
As much as she wished they could stay in Ylisse to explore this brave new world they had entered, it couldn't come to pass. They had responsibilities back in Elibe that they couldn't push away so easily. Though she loved her husband for the man he was, she also wished he was a simpler man without so many responsibilities. With his skill, they could make an unbeatable army of two and make their fortunes while still traveling around the world. Instead she was stuck honing her more "womanly" skills, like embroidering and playing instruments, both of which she sucked at. It was all worth it in the end as she did have little Lilina trailing after her most of the time. Every time she thought about her daughter, Farina couldn't help but wish she could return to Ostia faster. She hoped her toddler was getting along well with Roy, even if Hector still refused to have Roy "take away his daughter", whatever that meant.
"Why not offer Caelin back to Lyn, then?" She asked, pushing the memories of her daughter aside for the time being. "It is still hers by birthright. According to Kent, the knights would still pledge for her if she were to return. And if she does accept, Mark would return with her, given that they are marrying soon. That way we can get the old gang back together and deal with the Fang while distancing any conflict away from Ylisse. Who knows? Maybe it will throw a pebble into King Zephiel's gears."
"Kent is castellan of Caelin now," he quickly reminded her. "I don't think-"
"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes. "He only took it upon himself after you practically shoved it down his throat!"
"Wallace retired and had no desire to rule. Sain decided to leave for Ilia with your sister. And the old council of Caelin were strangers to me, not to mention that they too refused the call. There was no other one that could handle the castle. You are also assuming that Lyn will take the offer. She had no desire to rule all those years ago. She did not want to rule when her grandfather passed away. I doubt she will want to do it now. There's also a problem with Mark taking Caelin for a home. While having our tactician back would make Bern hesitate if they were planning for a war, it could also spark another conflict between them and Etruria, leaving Lycia in the middle of it all."
"Ah, but our Mark wouldn't be the one coming back, would he?" The shorter female smiled and tossed a coin she kept with her for luck up in the air. "Lyn is marrying Robin—a fellow from a distant land that happens to look like the missing, famed tactician of the Lycian League. Matthew could deal with spreading the information necessary to stop any rumor of it being otherwise."
"Fair enough. What would you have me do, then?" Got him! Now to reel him in.
"Are you deaf? Have you been growing hair in your ears too all these years? Offer Caelin to them after the wedding! The least you can do is let Kent, Lyn, and Robin make the decision. You allowed Wallace to do as much. Why not them too?"
After some thought, Hector finally noded, though he didn't look too pleased with the prospect of asking Lyn to take the castle yet again. "Fine. We can try after the wedding then. But for now, no more talk of this. Who knows who could be listening to us."
"Don't be so paranoid, Big Guy," Farina teased. "There's no one around to listen in anyways. It's just you, me, and thousands of soldiers going about their own business far enough from us to try and peek into our conversation."
And she was right. The two of them had made their way to an area that was far from any prying eyes and ears. Whatever they said would remain between them… Only there was someone that didn't have to be near them to listen to everything they'd said since leaving the tent. After all, half the time they'd been walking towards her.
Panne's ears dropped, losing interest on the conversation once it turned into what she could only describe as flirting. She grunted in disgust as she tried to focus on something else. There were too many people around the area she was in. Ever since the Feroxi had joined them, she could feel their stares on her at all times. She did not like the attention. She understood that there was need for soldiers, but she wished the Shepherds could be kept separate from the rest of the army. Things only got worse for her since the Ostians arrived. Legault explained that there weren't any "beast-kin" from where they came except for manaketes, who were a relatively new appearance in their world, so the Knights were more curious than anything of her being. That didn't change the fact that it was unbearable for the taguel. So much so that she had taken to setting up her tent far from the main camp. Still, because of rations and other tasks assigned to her by the tactician, she had to spend some of her time in the main camp, whether she liked it or not.
Still, she had to admit that it wasn't all bad to be in camp. Talking with Robin, Canas, and Miriel about taguel society always made her happy and forget that all man-spawn were out for taguel blood, seeing as they were interested more in the culture and society surrounding the taguel as well as her own well being. There was also Cordelia, Donnel, Stahl, and Isadora, with whom she could talk freely about more common occurrences. And last but not least was the one she inevitably spent the most time with, the irritating man-spawn Legault. Oddly enough, she had yet to see the man the whole day. That on itself was suspicious, but there was something much more important on her mind: the smell of her favorite dish lingering in the air, which was what brought her to camp in the first place.
The smell made her body move on its own, dragging her along the busy camp. Her mouth was watering, already tasting the only thing would make the trip worth it. When she entered the mess tent, it was full to the brim. Many of the soldiers had already served themselves their meal and were eating away with comrades. Some of the other Shepherds were there too. From the corner of her eye, the taguel spied Stahl, Miriel, Sully, Vaike, and Kellam sitting together, the latter of whom seemed to be left out of whatever conversation the others were having, seeing as how he was usually ignored. She couldn't blame anyone from doing so. Even with her heightened sense of smell and hearing, she had a hard time knowing when the man approached. It was as if he was a ghost of some kind.
Panne would have to decide where to sit later. For now, her priority was to get to where the food was. As she'd been expecting, she saw the man she had hoped for. Despite his wedding coming up—a strange tradition in the taguel's mind—Robin had taken kitchen duty this time around, likely refusing to do nothing around camp. The tactician was carrying around pots from one spot on the table to the other until he turned to look at Panne as she approached him.
"Ah, Panne! Where you here for seconds?" He said as he turned, still holding onto a pot close to his chest. She stopped dry, letting the brunette's question linger in the air for a second before narrowing her eyes at him. They both knew that there weren't any other taguel in the army. And she had only just entered the tent, which meant that there wasn't a chance for her to get seconds when she'd yet to have her first bowl. "I'm sorry, we are all out. There were barely enough supplies this time around for everyone to get a single bowl."
"...I haven't eaten any yet," she finally responded, her voice steady, though there was massive disappointment in her heart knowing that she wouldn't get a taste of her beloved dish. This was quickly replaced by anger. Someone had stolen what was rightfully hers! That would not stand. Robin must have felt the change in her demeanor, for he stiffened up.
"But Legault came earlier, saying that you'd asked him to take a bowl to you…"
"That...infuriating man-spawn will pay for this," she all but spat as she quickly turned and dashed out of the tent before Robin had a chance to respond. She knew that the other-worlder had a past of theft, but this was crossing the line. Luckily for her, her nose would bring her to the man, making it easier for her to deliver justice. Once she found him she would have to teach him a lesson he would soon not forget. Perhaps she would add another scar to the man's face too while she was at it.
Tracking the man down was easy. He was sitting idly on a log with two bowl balanced next to him. But attacking him would be difficult as he wasn't alone. In front of him stood other Shepherds; Virion, Olivia, Tharja, and even Lon'qu. A strange combination to see together, if she had a say. Panne could see that attacking would be out of the question now. Still, she wasn't going to let him get away with what he'd done. She stepped into view and slowly made her way towards Legault.
The man turned to face her when she was only a few steps away from him. For a human, he was overly aware of his surroundings. She grunted when she saw the smirk spread across his lips.
"Oh, my," said Virion as he and Olivia turned to look at Panne while Lon'qu remained disinterested and kept his distance, much the same to Tharja. "Of all the people to see here, you were the last I'd thought would come, my dear. Then again, given your past, I can see why you would need to be here. Worry not! We will shape you to be ready for the celebration to come. With this we are complete!"
Panne had little patience for whatever the fool with the strange white cloth around his neck was saying. She ignored him, instead opting to stare down at Legault, who hadn't moved an inch from where he sat. "You heard the man," the thief began. "We can get started now."
"I have no interest in taking part of...whatever it is you are planning," she informed him, her fists clenched, ready to fight if she had to, her beaststone within reach. "I came here because the tactician told me of what you did. Stealing from me won't go unpunished. Prepare yourself, man-spawn! We are having a duel."
Legault only nodded as he stood up and dusted him trousers. He turned to face her, not moving for his weapon. "Lord Mark was right in telling you this. Though, I think there is a misunderstanding in my actions, my rabbit-friend. I was only trying to help you."
"By taking my food hostage for your scheme?" She made no attempt to hide the hostility in her voice.
"Not quite. You are welcome to take your share of today's dish." He pointed towards the bowls, both of which were full to the brim and still steaming. She walked towards them with haste. Just as she was about to pick one up and leave, she stopped herself when he spoke up once again. "But I was hoping that you could help us here first. Be certain that you will be rewarded for your efforts if you do."
"There is nothing you have that interests me, man-spawn." Once more, she made for the bowl.
"I think there is something," he said as he pointed at the other bowl. Her ears twitched. He knew her too well, the damn man. She had to wonder if it had been because of him that there had only been enough ingredients around for the soldiers to receive a single dish when there would normally be enough for most everyone to get seconds. It certainly seemed possible. Part of her wanted to refuse, to ignore the offer and walk away with her own dish, but as she took another look at it, she knew that she would want more.
"I am listening," she said, hating every word that came out of her mouth. Damn tactician and his skill at cooking.
Legault turned to Olivia, who took it as a sign she should speak. The girl was her nervous self like always, fidgeting with her clothes as she took a step forward. "W-we need your help, Panne," she said weakly, her voice barely enough for the others to hear. Panne for her part only stared down at the girl, not helping in making it easier for the pinkette to speak. "We've… We've been practicing for Lord Robin's and Lady Lyndis' wedding, but we didn't have enough people to dance in pairs for the lesson. Legault thought-"
"I refuse," she immediately interrupted, knowing full well where this was going. The sole notion of it made her sick. Why would she need to dance for this stupid man-spawn tradition? Shouldn't it be the tactician and his bride the ones to dance? All she should do, as a guest, was show up and show her support for the union. That's what she'd been told by Cordelia, at least.
Legault went on to explain that, as a guest, and because of Lorcan traditions, she would be required to dance if someone asked her during the celebration. That had been the reason behind his little scheme, which also included Lon'qu, who'd been convinced to show up once the Bernese told him about Panne's tea and how it could help him get past his fear of women.
"You offer what's not yours, man-spawn?"
"I offered information of what you shared with me the last time Lord Mark was in kitchen duty and I gave you my bowl of stew. You also gave me some of the tea back then, which I shared with Lon'qu, thinking it would help him with his particular problem." Lon'qu grunted in the distance. Though he looked disinterested in the conversation, it was clear that he was listening in on them. "Unfortunately, it seems that won't be enough, as he's finished all of it since that day."
"What of her?" Panne pointed at Tharja, who couldn't look any less interested in their conversation. "What did you do to make her show up."
"She came to Olivia and I to teach her how to dance of her own free will," the man-spawn Virion explained. "We thought it would be a good opportunity to teach those that don't know how to dance in one go. Legault was quick to come to our aid, as we needed another male to dance with Lady Tharja. It helped that he himself can dance, though he needs some polishing in his moves still."
Legault nodded. "It's as he says. But knowing there were more people in camp that needed lessons, I thought I would try to bring more people in." Going through all that trouble, Panne couldn't help but wonder what the man was getting out of the whole situation. If there was anything, she couldn't see it yet. What she didn't understand was why he wanted her to dance in the first place. Surely she could tell whoever asked her during the wedding that she did not know how to do it and would be left alone. "Remember, Panne. You only have to do this once and you will be ready for the wedding. And from this, you get a second bowl of carrots stew now, and another one later from Lon'qu if you share your tea with him. If you refuse… I will drop my bowl to the ground, contents and all."
She flinched, her eyes widening for a moment before she glared at the man. Who in their right mind would waste food? "You wouldn't dare! You are bluffing, man-spawn."
"Will you risk it?" He took the second bowl of stew and lifted it, slowly tilting it more and more by the second. The contents of the bowl were slowly moving towards the edge, threatening to fall over if he kept at it any longer.
"Fine…" she relented. "Have it your way… But I do nothing until after I eat."
The only one that protested was Tharja, saying that there were things she had to do and people she had to see. The others assured her that it wouldn't take long, likely because there was no one that didn't know that the taguel was the fastest eater of all the Shepherds. Within the span of a few minutes, she had licked clean, literally, her bowl and Legault's, making them both seem as if they were ready to be put away. Also, before they started anything else, it was decided that in order for Lon'qu to be able to take part in the lesson, he would need to have some tea. The man drank it as if it was an elixir. Panne already knew about the man's particular problem with women. He likely was having a hard time not running away from the scene since he first got there. It mattered little, for now it meant that it was time for all of them to begin the dreaded lesson.
"Well then, ladies and gentlemen, I think we are ready to begin," said Virion, who quickly made his way towards Olivia, the girl's face lighting up like a fire when he took her hand in his. "Stand with your partner and be ready to follow our lovely instructor, Olivia."
Panne looked around her to see what it meant. Already it seemed that her partner was chosen for her. It was even more apparent when she was shoved lightly towards the man. Behind her Legault smirked as he took Tharja's hand into his. "He already seems to be more open to the possibility to be your partner than Tharja's. You helped the man once already. Now it's time for his reward."
A chuckle escaped their male instructor, who feint not having done so when Panne glared openly at him. It made no sense to her to partner the two that obviously had the least experience in the matter together. However, neither Olivia nor Virion said anything about it. With no other choice, Panne moved to Lon'qu side, who, despite the tea, froze for a second. Not wanting to waste any more time, she was the one to grab his hand. Surprisingly, the tea had its full effect on the man, as he made no attempt to create any distance between them thereafter.
The lesson proceeded painfully slow, with Virion having to explain what he said were "the basics of the basics". That wasn't the only thing painful from the experience, as Lon'qu stepped on her toes every now and again. It was not, by any means, a pleasant experience, though she could not blame the man for his mistakes. After all, she was stepping on his toes just as much, although hers wouldn't hurt him as much, given his footwear and her lack thereof. It didn't help either that every time her eyes crossed the Bernese's, he would be smirking at her. It was maddening, while at the same time impressive, seeing as he danced with Tharja without a single problem. Despite her gloomy personality, Panne could see the allure that she'd seen some men around camp have for the black mage. She looked beautiful as she moved, even when her mouth remained a thin line.
By the time Virion called the lesson over, both Panne and Lon'qu had gotten the hang of things, or at least of the basics. Panne didn't particularly enjoy the experience, but she didn't find it as displeasing as she thought it would be. Still, she hoped she wouldn't have to dance more than was necessary during Robin's wedding. It would seem that the feeling wasn't shared by her partner, however. Lon'qu immediately let go of her and started walking away from the group.
"Leaving already?" Legault said as he himself let go of Tharja, turning to look at the withdrawing figure of the myrmidon.
"I kept my part of the deal. The lesson is over. I am leaving," Lon'qu said, not bothering to look back at anyone. Truth be told, he left feeling humiliated by the whole ordeal.
AN: Finding a spot to cut this was hard. Keep in mind that the way I wrote this was so that one perspective transitioned into another as naturally as possible, which doesn't help when I'm trying to split it into two chapters. It's as good as I could have it without making this chapter a lot longer than the next one.
If you hadn't noticed already or guessed by the title, the idea behind this chapter was two-fold. One, to show interactions between a bunch of different characters that I wouldn't usually bring up. And two, to show every single major character that's alive be involved with characters other than Robin. Obviously, the other bunch that didn't show up will be there on the next part. This was a big challenge that I undertook, but I think it was a necessary one to give the idea that the Shepherds are more than only those around Robin, which is why his appearance is the shortest one. I'll go more into detail about things on the chapters on the next one's author notes.
Reviews:
Whatstoknow —Man, been so long and I still haven't finished the Conquest path (did Birthright first). I haven't even touched my 3DS in a long time. Got Pokemon Moon already, but I haven't even taken it out of the box yet!
Greyjedi449t —I'm happy you liked it. I'm always unsure as how people will react to fluff, especially when the story as a whole is obviously not focused on that. It's good to see that people approved of it! Hope you didn't get too disappointed by the long wait for the update.
XenoEmblem4TW —Not gonna be a super long engagement time now, but hey! At least they are getting somewhere now! With Emm alive, and given everything that's happened, I can tell you a lot of things are going to change, for better or worse. From here on out, even if events unfold as they did in the game, the feel and their development should be quite different, which will be a challenge. But who doesn't like a good challenge? *cries*
Rayne Thanatos —Hmm, not quite. I don't mind OCs unless they go full Mary Sue. Al feels too perfect for me, especially for a teenager. I mean, Robin in most stories can be considered an OC (just look at mine and you can see it), but at the end of the day he is flawed too. I can't say I'll go back to reading that manga, but I might once Zephiel shows up here.
A small date, but one that I felt would fit Lyn more. Can't say I see her being one to go to fancy places over hiking. I totally forgot about Wallace! Poor guy... That's what he gets for retiring! Now that's a thought. Who would win between Wallace and Frederick? I don't necessarily mean in a fight either.
Everyone loves Lloyd and Linus, myself included. A shame they never got more developed in the game. Might have to change that here. Jaffar is also a favorite here, it seems. I got a good idea to introduce him and a couple of others soonish. It'll depend on how long I make this sort of in-between arc. As for Grima, that's part of my overall plan. I never liked the idea of a villain that wants to destroy the world simply because they can. As for how I'll do that, well, can't really give away that just yet considering where we currently stand in the story.
king ulfr —Thank you very much!
JP I'm Italian —I checked out the link you gave me and made the change to the chapter right after. Really appreciate the help with that! You would think the people running the wiki would make it a little more evident.
Well, I can't say you are wrong. Guinivere always seemed to me like someone that would want to make things right, so thanking Mark would be something she would likely want to do. As for bringing him to Bern to offer him a position, during the events of this story she would be a little too young to be thinking that far ahead. For now, you could consider her actions to be nothing more than what is shown, though who knows if Legault was given another agenda before leaving Bern.
Goes to show that if you try hard enough you could still get the girl! ...just kidding. Sain is crazy, but you could say the same about Virion, though his character development in his supports is way better (mainly because there are so many more of them).
For the wedding style, it was/will be a mix. There are some details about it that are based on ideas that I've had on my mind for literally years that I don't know where I got them from. Others will come from Mongolian nomadic tribes, since much of the culture of the Lorca seem to be based off of them, but there will also be a hint of Japanese in there, considering the overall design of Lyn leaning more towards that.
Tharja's actions will have consequences, that's for sure. She's already done two things that could have mayor ramifications in the future, those being revealing that she wiped Chrom's and Frederick's memories, and her knowledge about the mark. Considering that she is Robin's responsibility, anything that happens to her will have affect him too. As for the whole Grima thing, it would be a big blow to his family. I think that, even if Lyn finds herself in despair over it, her family and friends would help her through it. I don't see her losing hope of Robin coming back if Naga does explain that there is a chance he may.
That is something that I said a long time ago and never went back to, mainly because no one else ever brought it up. Back then that was the idea I had, but since the new game came out, I think there is an easier solution in the form of the Dragon's Gate. Because it connects two places together but not necessarily two timelines, you could travel between worlds and time itself when crossing the gate, meaning that they would need to have anchors to make a permanent connection between the two worlds. I'll go more into detail about this in future chapters, don't worry.
As for you last question I am a 24 year old heterosexual male. Giving in the extra detail cus I don't really mind lol
animeandgamerlover2 —Aww, you flatter me! Stop! ...Continue, plz. For Robin's family, it'll depend on whether it becomes more harem-esque in the future or not. Right now, I can confirm that he'll have 3 children with Lyn. The twins, Morgan and Morgana or Morgan and Marc, as someone else brilliantly suggested, and an their OC big sister. I don't know if they should have any more, mainly because I want to make other OC children for other characters, especially if there are more pairings between Elibe and Ylisse characters.
Yellowclover —Switching PoVs comes with it's own challenges, as this chapter shows. For characters being different, that comes with not seeing them grow. Years have gone by in their world, where they went through many things that made them mature or change. Though their overall personalities should remain similar enough for them to feel like the same characters, it wouldn't make sense to me as a storyteller to have them be the same people when I've already established that their lives kept on moving from the point the game ended. This is not to bash on your opinion. I appreciate the perspective of an outsider, I do. I'm only trying to put my two-cents in to explain what's going on. For smells, I do agree with fire smelling like sulpher. I think that's the description that's generally been given to it. Same thing for Ice; I was thinking dry ice specifically. For wind and fire I haven't given it much thought. I'll keep the suggestions for the dances in mind, thought I don't know if I'll end up going into detail with them as I first wanted to. We'll see. Also, thought there is a Panne PoV here, I don't consider this a real PoV. It'll come, don't worry about it!
Defcon Deceiver —Thank you very much! It was a good time, despite everything that happened after. I wouldn't say I get any extras for it being on the same day as Father's day. Maybe if/when I was a dad there would be something there for me, but until then, nada.
Though Ylisse seems to be more civilized than Elibe, racism will always be a thing. If you take for example people from the middle east and Muslims as a whole, they are discriminated because of the bad apples that are talked about most. In the case of Plegians, you could say the same applies. It's the whole idea of "they are stereotypes for a reason". Remember also that the crusades in this story ended only very recently, so most people haven't had a chance to move on. For the aspects of the crusade itself, most of that feeds on what happens in real war. Though the soldiers are not told to harm civilians, it sometimes happens. And in a world where keeping track of things and verifying information can be difficult, monsters can get away it many things. It's the same reason Taguel were hunted down to extinction for the exception of Panne.
Well, I try to have them be as realistic as possible. I do consider myself a romantic, so I like to include small details like that in my stories as a way of projecting what I would do in a similar situation. I appreciate the big compliment and the fact that you are enjoying their relationship. It's a blast to write about, even when it showed very little in past chapters.
Man, Lissa is so fun to write because I feel she has a big attention to detail while still being a little silly. Ironically enough, it's her perspective I got stuck on for the longest time (will show on the next chapter). It does make sense to me for Robin to be Lissa's cannon husband, but I see where you are coming from. When certain characters are pushed forward over others, you start seeing them together more as a couple. I think that's why Lucina is so popular with so many people.
Again, Emmeryn is a very interesting and fun character to write about, but in a much different way than Lissa. I think I get a little more free reign with her since we know very little about her personality compared to other characters in the game.
I think manipulative is a strong word. I see Lyn as someone that would do something like that as a last resort, and only in situations that would bring everyone together.
Harem isn't something you can simply discard because you think that it'll somehow diminish the relationship between two characters. If anything, it should show that the three of them are growing together as a family. I agree that if it would be possible with anyone, it would have to be Tharja. I usually assume most characters are bisexual until otherwise stated, but as you said, we do have evidence that Tharja swings both ways. It'll all depend on how the future chapters develop. There will be plenty of opportunities for Tharja to interact with Lyn one-on-one between now and the beginning of the Valm-arc. By then it should become clear if anything will happen. I can see Tharja wanting to keep being alongside Robin, whether he takes her as a bride or not. And given Lyn's personality, I doubt she would push Tharja away.
jorganlink7856 (Ch03) —I haven't checked to comfirm, but Archest doesn't make sense to me. I keep picturing an arch with Virion's hair on it instead of an archer.