AN: First things first: wow! I did not expect the previous chapter to be received so well! I'm really happy that you all seemed to like it. It's always risky when you try to do something a bit different on a story you've spent over a year working on, so I'm glad that it payed off in the end.

I would like to apologize for delays too. "I'll make shorter chapters," I said. "It'll be easier to update!" Yeah, doesn't look that way. I said I was gonna make 4k~ chapters, but this one came out at 9k. Still, I think it's well worth it, especially right now that this arc is just getting started.

Anyways, I'll keep this short. Let me know what you thought of the chapter by leaving a review. Also, remember to follow and/or favorite the story if you really like it. Enjoy~

Chapter 30: For their future

Despite the might of its capital city, the Halidom of Ylisse was littered with abandoned keeps all over its territory. Many of these keeps were left in disrepair, left to crumble down over time. Most likely they were once owned by smaller lords or maybe knights that lost their lives during one war or another with no heirs to continue their bloodline, leaving the keeps to be forgotten and taken over by the wild and even bandits in some cases.

One such case was of a keep not more than five miles away from the capital, in an area long forgotten by travelers due to the overgrowth making it difficult to traverse on horseback. Its walls left much to be desired, with the outer walls being partially destroyed in some places and overgrown with moss and vines that made it made it susceptible for attacks and difficult to defend. A group of bandits had made it their base of operations for gods knew how long. They'd gone through the trouble of repairing the interior enough for it to create a comfortable living space with beds, a furnished kitchen, and a mess hall with a number of seats and even a large, crude table. The exterior was left as it was, likely in an attempt to not attract attention to the once forgotten keep. But neglecting the exterior made it an easy target. Without the exterior walls fully repaired, when the keep was attacked, it was easily taken over. And so, the bandits were forced to run away, leaving their base full of supplies to a new group of adventurers. Ever since then, that group had been working from there, making sure to keep people on guard in case the bandits or other groups of individuals decided to route them out, which hadn't happened so far.

The moment the group "decided" to come to Ylisse, their numbers dwindled down. It wasn't because others decided to stay behind or go their own way, but because they became separated during transportation. They didn't have the numbers to keep certain events from unfolding, unfortunately, and this put everyone on edge, especially after the encounter with the would-be assassins a few days before. A number of them had their reservations about what happened, and mostly kept them to themselves. Uther would spend his days busying himself with repairing the walls or his armor. Madelyn would train none-stop whenever she didn't go out searching for her siblings. Lilina tried to study herself to death with as many books as they could find that told them about the history of Ylisse (strangely, books seemed to be such a common thing in this world that they were often abandoned on the side of roads.) And Roy, well, he tried to keep some order as best he could, using skills he'd learned so long ago from his father.

At the time, Roy stood in the training yard—the only yard—studying a map they'd drawn through scouting laid on top of a wooden crate in front of him. The young Marquess kept running things over in his mind, looking at the lines on the parchment as if they would spell out everything he wanted and needed to know. No matter how many times he ran the scenario in his head, he couldn't understand how the battle had turned out the way it did. Despite his time learning the sword from his father, leadership from Marquess Hector, and tactics from General Cecilia, he was by no means a strategist. Lilina had always picked up on that better than he did, engrossing herself with every bit of knowledge she could get her hands on, going as far as asking her father to invite Madelyn's father over so that she could ask questions and get pointers. But when it came to war tactics, no one alive could compare to the twins. Morgan was sharped eyed, always knowing when to push and when to pull, but could be very sadistic at times and rely on traps too often, which didn't always pay off. Then there was Marc, who kept them all cheerful without fail and made sure to keep his sister focused. Both of them were amazing tacticians on their own right, but they always worked better when they were together. Their father would boast that they were an unstoppable force, working off each other's strengths and making up for their weaknesses. Had they been there, then maybe Roy wouldn't have been stuck in the current situation. But we still don't know where they are, the redhead thought painfully.

Letting out a sigh in frustration, he leaned on the crate, finding their current situation less than ideal. Had Lilina not been so busy studying, he would ask for her opinion on things. He quickly reminded himself that he couldn't let others see him expressing self-doubt. If anyone had a right to be frustrated it was Madelyn, for she was the one with missing siblings. But, as a leader, Roy couldn't help but blame himself for their situation, despite knowing there was nothing he could've done to stop it from happening.

Lost in his thoughts, the young Marquess didn't notice a figure approaching him from behind until a hand gingerly touched his shoulder as if not sure if it should be there. Though surprised by what he thought to be a sudden appearance of another person, his hand did not move for the sword he carried by his side, knowing full well that if there was an intruder, someone else would've spotted them by then and alerted everyone. Instead, he turned to look at the hand. Recognizing it, he stood straight and turned over to the woman before bowing to her. "Princess Guinivere," said Roy, his tone gentle, a big contrast to his inner turmoil. "Is something the matter? I did not expect to see you here at this hour."

Princess Guinivere retreated her hand. She stood proudly, wearing the Bernese-red gown she'd worn for almost as long as the young lord had known her, her blonde, wavy hair pooling on her shoulders and cascading down her back. She looked him over with her golden eyes, almost as if knowing what was really going on inside him. "I am well, my lord. I should be the one asking how you are, however."

Roy arched an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "...I'm not sure what you mean, my lady. I'm doing fine."

She sniffed, not looking at all convinced. "So you say, my lord, but your eyes betray you. You've slept little, and I've noticed you have barely eaten anything at all since you brought news of that group. I know our stores of food will keep us fed for a few moons longer, too—I've made the inventory myself. Do not try to hide that from me, Lord Roy. You may think me stubborn but allow me to ask again: is something troubling you?"

In truth, there was no need for Roy to hide anything from the rest of the group. They all knew each other and some had even grown up together. It was enough for them to feel safe sharing their innermost thoughts without being afraid of being judged. However, Roy still felt hesitant. The whole reason they'd gone so far back—to Ylisse for that matter—was to prevent certain events from unfolding in hopes to spare this timeline from their future. But then, how could they do that when there were so few of them now? He pressed his lips into a thin line, not sure how he should respond. Fortunately for the swordsman, he would not have to, as whistling caught his and the princess' attention. The two of them looked up at the wall, where Hugh—a tall man of lean physique and purple hair—waved them over and then signaled towards the gate. Their scouts had returned.

"We can discuss this at a later time. For now, let us go see how they fared," Roy said, quickly turning towards the main gate, but waiting for Princess Guinivere to walk with him.

By the time the two of them reached the gate, others were already there to welcome back their allies. Liliana, with book in hand, and Uther were discussing something while Hugh did the same with Madelyn as the two of them opened the gate. A few seconds later, Wolt walked in with a grin on his face, lifting a hand to present his trophies while the other rubbed at his nose. The game wasn't anything big, but some fresh meat would do them all well. "Dinner's on me tonight!"

While some seemed cheerful about having meat to eat, Roy walked over to the other scout, who'd just walked in before the gates were closed behind her. Guessing by the look Madelyn was showing, Roy could already see what news they would receive. It wasn't good. "Any luck, Fir?"

Fir looked hesitant, her fist clenching slightly. Biting her lower lip, she shook her head slowly before looking up to see Madelyn looking dejected. "I'm sorry, Mady," said the raven, looking almost as sad as her friend.

Though finding everyone else was important, Madelyn had always made it a priority to find her siblings. Roy often wondered if that was her duty as an older sister or as a leader of her tribe. He himself didn't have any siblings, so he couldn't quite understand how she felt, as much as he wanted to try. When they first appeared and Uther was nowhere to be seen, Lilina exhibited many of the same feelings as Madelyn. However, they were quickly able to find the other Ostian, making them all think that finding the rest of what was left of their army would be an easy task. But they could only rely on Wolt, who had the most experience in tracking of all of those present, to lead the searches.

"I should be the one out there looking for them, Roy," Madelyn told him, looking at him almost pleadingly. "If anyone can find them, I know it's me."

"I don't doubt your resolve or your skill, Mady," he quickly reassured her. "I know what you are capable of. Maybe it's true that you could find them and the rest if you went out there yourself, but you know why we can't let you walk around so freely, especially after what happened the other day. You were reckless and allowed yourself to receive an injury that you could've avoided had you disengaged like the rest of us did."

Madelyn touched the area where the arrow had hit her. None of them had noticed the injury—she'd broken off the shaft of the arrow instead of taking it out—until well after the fight was over. Her drive for payback made her forget about her own safety, and that scared Roy, as there were few allies they could count on with their mission.

"You must also understand the risk of you meeting your parents, Lady Madelyn," said Princess Guinivere. Madelyn looked away from them, rubbing one of her arms in unrest. "I understand you want to search for your siblings yourself, my lady. I do. But what will your siblings think if they see that you've put yourself at risk so recklessly? It is best you look after your injury until it's fully healed. We can't afford to lose anyone at this point. Not when we know what is at stake."

With the tense atmosphere around them, it was strange to hear someone chuckling. For a second Roy thought he was imagining things until he noticed the others, including Lilina and Uther from further away, were all taken aback by the out-of-place sound. It was only until he heard clapping that Roy turned his attention towards the top of the gate, where a figure clad in black stood. Fir and Madelyn brandished their swords as Uther and Lilina made their way to the group, Roy moving to stand in front of the Bernese princess and unsheathed his own steel.

If the figure was wary of their actions, it did not show it. Just as suddenly as they'd appeared, the person jumped down to the ground, standing tall in front of them all. Having a better look at the man, Roy felt the tension escape him. Likewise, Fir and Madelyn lowered their weapons, but both of them frowned at the would-be intruder. The man, for his part, smiled at those gathered, his hands hidden behind his back, but making no move to reach for the scabbard strapped to his belt. "Well said, Your Grace," the man said. "A wise decision, as expected of a true monarch."

Princess Guinivere smiled fondly at the man as she took a step towards him, moving past Roy. She made a curtsy, to which the man responded with a bow and yet another chuckle. "We weren't expecting you for a few more days, Ser Legault," the princes said. "I'm afraid you've caught us ill prepared to act as your hosts."

The agent waved a hand in front of him dismissively. "Do not fret over it, Your Grace. I assure you, famished is the last thing I'm feeling at the moment. I was taking part in a feast in Castle Ylisstol not more than two hours ago." From the short time Roy had known the man, it was rare for him to not smile or smirk. so when he saw that smile turn into a frown, he knew there was something wasn't right. "Unfortunately, there are many things I thought best to inform you about with haste."

"Has something happened?" Roy asked, fearing the worst. Perhaps allowing that group to retreat had been a mistake after all. Could it be that they'd mounted another attack on the Tactician? But that would be a foolish move! Infiltrating a city with that many soldiers would be a suicide mission!

"All in due time, my lord. For now, let's head inside and gather everyone. I can't stay long, so I rather go over things only once."

The only area big enough to hold the entire group at once with some level of comfort was the mess hall, where they found Wolt and Hugh in the middle of skinning the rabbits the archer had brought in. Roy didn't miss the strange look Legault gave their meal before he went ahead and got another chair that was rested against the wall and dragged towards the table. In order for all of them to sit, they had to sit shoulder to shoulder, with Legault sitting at the head of the table, the princess taking the spot to his right and Roy the one to his left—directly across of the princess.

With everyone in place, Legault began his story. "First, I would like to congratulate you, Lady Madelyn." When the nomad look on with confusion, he decided to elaborate. "Your mother and father married on our way back to Ylisstol."

"Already?" the greenette asked, wide-eyed. "From what my parents told me, they married only after they returned to Elibe."

"Maybe your father thought it best to do it now," Lilina concluded with a smile. "After facing death so many times and almost being embraced by it once, he likely did not want to miss the opportunity or postpone it any longer."

"Very perceptive, my lady," said Legault with a nod. "It would seem that after Lord Robin recovered from the injury he received during his assassination attempt, he grew a lot closer with Lady Lyndis. Once we left Ferox, the two of them were hardly seen apart. It reminds me of how they used to be during our travels back in Elibe, though even then they didn't spend as much time together as they do now nor were they as intimate."

Madelyn smile seemed to spread past her, as not too soon after everyone smiled just the same, including Roy. Despite their little interference in the events, it seemed that their work was already bearing some fruits

Further back in the table, a hand slowly raced. The attention turned to the purple-haired mage, who quickly said, "I don't mean to be a downer, but… this doesn't sound urgent to me at all. It's good news to be sure, but nothing about it screams to me as something you would go out of your way to inform us about when you could be enjoying a good meal in the company of some good ladies." He quickly turned to Roy, frowning. "You did say this was urgent, didn't you? We stopped making dinner for this, you know."

"I always like to start with some good news when making my reports," Legault justified, shrugging. Roy tensed up instantly. "Then, why don't I start from the beginning, hm? By now I assume that you've heard of the...incident that happened during the welcome parade?"

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room seemed to darken, many eyes lowering to the table. Uther leaned forward, resting an arm on the table as he looked at Legault. "Yeah, we heard. We were out patrolling when we found a group of people talking about it."

The spy arched an eyebrow. "A group, you say?"

"It was a small group," Lilina confirmed with a nod. "Three girls, two boys. We couldn't see their faces all that well, but three wielded swords, one a bow, and another a were openly discussing taking action against Mady's father."

He hummed as he rubbed his chin. "Did any of them fit the description of the girl I told you about before?" Legault asked, turning to look at Roy.

"We couldn't see their faces," repeated the redhead. "They wore cloaks with large hoods that hid their identities—"

"The girl I fought," Madelyn cut in. "It was her. I'm sure."

"Mady, I don't know if—"

"It was her, Roy. I fought with her face-to-face. I know what I saw. That eye and her sword? You don't see things like that every day."

As knowing it was best to intervene, Legault quickly spoke up. "Then that explains where our prisoner went… I would like to know more of this encounter of yours, my lords, but all in due time. For now, let me continue with my story…"

By the time the entirety of the army had reached the castle, one would expect for everyone to just relax a bit, perhaps even unwind after stiffly marching for so long. However, that was not the case. The Ylissean Pegasus Knights seemed ashamed of what had happened, their leader showing a scowl since the moment the incident took place. The Feroxi soldiers were uncomfortable, acting as if nothing happened. And the Ostian knights and Ilian Pegasus Knights looked pissed, keeping more to themselves than what they'd done since the armies had met up in Plegia. It was clear what the cause was, so it came as no surprise that, when invited to enter the palace itself to relax and find them all accommodations for the duration of their stay, it was only the Feroxi who took up the offer.

Legault stood near the Exalt as she looked around, saddened by the events. "I did not expect things to turn out this way," the Exalt, clearly tired from the ordeal, confessed as she continued to look at the reluctant knights, who were being talked to by Lord Hector and Lord Oswin.

"It can't be helped, Your Grace," said the assassin. His words seemed to bring her back from her inner thoughts, turning over to face him. The khans stood with her as well, both of whom acknowledged his presence, but said nothing. "Your people have insulted a hero of not only Ostia, but Lycia as a whole and Ilia after he aided your cause since before the war even started. They may forgive the offense, but they will not forget it. I understand that bad blood runs between the Halidom and Plegia, but that is no excuse for what happened."

Emmeryn seemed to have something to say, but it never left her mouth. Flavia nodded in the direction of the Ostian Knights, who were back in marching formation. "Doesn't look like they'll be staying for the celebration," she pointed out flatly.

Not a moment too soon, Lord Hector had already made his way towards them, looking exhausted, but hiding it well enough that someone that didn't know him better wouldn't be able to tell. Rubbing his neck in frustration, he cleared his throat. "My apologies, Your Grace, but it seems like my men are not...comfortable with staying here any longer than they need to after what happened. I know we discussed having some of them join your garrison for the time being, but given the current circumstances, I rather pull them out of the city limits. I don't trust they will sit idly otherwise; despite appearances, they can be a stubborn lot."

"A shame," Basilio said before letting out a long sigh. "I was looking forward to exchanging a few more stories with some of them." He then turned to look at the Exalt. "It would be a good idea to have someone escort them out. It'll keep people calm and keep anyone from doing anything stupid."

Though some would see that as an insult, there didn't seem to be any other option. The Exalt went ahead and called for the Captain of the Pegasus Knights, a woman by the name of Phila, to escort the knights out with the help of some other knights in an effort to avoid any possible altercation in the city streets. Even Lord Hector approved of her decision, saying that it was best that way since his army was still an unknown force to the citizens of Ylisstol and could spread fear otherwise.

With the matter settled and the knights marching out, those that were left were invited inside the castle once again. It hadn't only been the commoners that had been getting ready to receive their Exalt, but also the nobles and the servants. The entire castle had been cleaned to perfection. One could see their reflection on the floor, windows, and even on the few sets of armor and other decorations that lined the hallway; anything that could shine shined to the point that it was difficult to think that there weren't mirrors all over the place. They were all directed to the main hall, were a large number of what Legault could only assume to be nobles and their retainers awaited for them, breaking into a cheer once the Exalt was in sight. Not too soon, all those who came in got dragged away by different people one by one. Some nobles made to engage the Exalt, glad to see her safe return, the thief was sure. Others congratulate Prince Chrom and the Khans for the successful campaign. Most Shepherds seem to find their families or people they knew easily enough. Even those that knew no one were dragged away by eager nobles wanting to introduce themselves—Lord Hector, Lady Farina, Lord Oswin, Lady Serra, Dame Isadora, Dame Fiora, Lord Kent, and Dame Florina were all spread thin, most of whom looked uncomfortable(especially in the case of Dame Florina), but went along with it. There were even those that confused Canas for a faraway noble due to his exotic clothing, but when he cleared the matter and called himself a scholar, people lost interest in him instantly. There were even those that tried to approach Panne, likely assuming she was with the Ostian forces, but the taguel was too stubborn and distrusting to say more than a couple of words to them, mostly calling people "Manspawn" before walking away.

As for Legault, he was never one to stay in the spotlight. Like Matthew, he quickly found himself by a quiet corner where he wouldn't attract attention to himself, which was simple when there were so many important figures gathered in one room. The khans holding a sort of drinking contest with the mercenary hired by Canas, a man that went by the name of Gregor, also helped; the three of them were the loudest in the entire hall. But for all the conversations going on, Legault noticed that no one seemed to talk about what happened outside the castle walls.

That changed the moment Captain Phila returned, escorting Lord Robin, Lady Lyndis, and the Lady Tharja with them. The thief had learned before that Lord Robin did not have many possessions, especially clothes, so it came as no surprise to see him wearing the clothes he'd used during his wedding. Lady Lyndis, having only been hit when she shielded her husband, only had to shed her coat and armor; she walked with an arm wrapped around her husband's. And for once, if Legault didn't know better, they seemed to fall into their roles of Lord and Lady, if only from the way they were dressed. The Lady Tharja followed close behind them, Lady Lyndis whispering something to her as they were walking. The black mage was in a similar situation as Lord Robin, but it seemed that someone had provided her with something to wear in the form of a long dress that hung loosely on her figure. Strangely enough, despite how thin the fabric seemed to be, she still looked uncomfortable with the garb and very warm. Khan Basilio, in his merry, tipsy way, called the trio over, bringing even more attention to the appearance of the Plegians. But the khan was no fool, despite his foolish ways. Instead of parading them around the room or making a bigger scene, he took them with him to an outdoor area that had been set up with the excuse of wanting to talk to the trio.

Almost immediately, the conversations took a turn for the worse. Where before most attendees spoke of reforming the army to fight off the Risen threat and establishing better trade routes and trade deals with Ferox, now they spoke of Plegia. There were a handful of nobles that took a neutral stance, but the vast majority took the opportunity to bash the beaten country and its people that "dared" to stand amongst them. They seemed disgusted that Lord Robin and Lady Tharja were allowed to be there. It was clear that they hated Plegians, but instead of being thankful for the actions of those two, they turned up their noses, saying that the turncoats should've died during the war...

Legault stopped his tale when he noticed the faces of the young ones around him. Roy could see that some were sad, others angry, and others thoughtful. It wasn't an ideal situation, but the lord appreciated the older man's honesty. Honeyed words would not help them have a clear grasp on what was going on. So, as maddening as it was to hear that someone he regarded highly was being treated unfairly—that the parents of his friends were being insulted behind their backs, Roy knew that there was nothing for him to do but listen.

"That's not right," said Fir, her brow furrowed in a mix of worry and anger. The raven looked over to her side, where Madelyn sat. With most of the story relating back to Mady's parents, Roy had been keeping a close eye on her. He could tell that she was pained by everything their parents were going through. She had to feel helpless to be so close, and yet, not be able to do anything about it. It was a feeling they all shared, to be sure. The redhead, however, failed to notice how hard his friend was clenching her hands until Fir took hold of one before turning back to Legault. "Why didn't anyone try and stop them?"

"Oh, there were many that did," he answered. "The Shepherds quickly caught on and did the best they could to defend their friends. Khan Flavia, Dame Raimi, Captain Phila, and even the Exalt herself. They all did it. But try as they may, it is hard to stop people from voicing their opinions. This world is not different from our own, when you think about it. The way Plegians are treated here is very similar to how Sacaeans are treated, well, pretty much anywhere outside their territory."

"It's easier to hate than to forgive and admit one was wrong," added Princess Guinivere.

Roy nodded along. They'd all seen those words come to life in the form of King Zephiel. Ironic then that that same king had been the one to share those words with his sister. Turning his attention back to Legault, Roy asked, "They wouldn't listen to their own queen? You'd said before that everyone held the Exalt to the highest regard."

"Well," the thief started, "they pretended to listen. Lady Emmeryn gave a heartwarming speech in which she recognized and thanked Lord Robin and Lady Tharja as well as the Ostian and Feroxi troops for their roles in the war, going as far as saying that many more lives could've been lost had Robin not been there to guide them, including her own. Lord Robin, a Plegian, had won them the war. I won't try to retell you the exact speech, seeing as it wouldn't compare to the real deal. Lady Emmeryn has a way with words that would make you think she has a tremendous control over magic or she is some sort of siren; no matter the topic, it's easy to find yourself wanting to agree with whatever she says. By the end of her speech, everyone clapped, but I could tell that despite her effort, she didn't convince anyone…"

With a bad taste in his mouth, Legault decided it was best to go elsewhere, seeing as how the nobles were now avoiding speaking of Plegia altogether except for a brave few who were quickly silenced. With him came Panne, who'd also grown sick of the ambiance, though didn't give any reason as to why she would rather stick with him, and he didn't bother to ask either. He was only planning to take a walk around the castle, maybe see if there was anyone there that shouldn't be—the Fang specifically—and having Panne around would be good for that. She could sniff them or hear them well before he could, giving the two of them an advantage.

They didn't find anything of importance from the walk. The security around the castle was air tight. Even with his many years of experience, Legault couldn't see any way someone could come in or out without a guard noticing. They'd been walking quietly the entire time, so it came as a surprise when Panne raised her hand in front of him to stop him from advancing. Looking over at the taguel inquisitively, he let his eyes ask the question for him.

"People are arguing," she told him, looking down another hallway that the thief believed lead to the dungeon. Finding it curious that there would be anyone there arguing other than the stationed guard, Panne lead them both down the hallway. Getting closer, he could start making out the voices. Both of them were male; one was the guards, the other was Robin's. If the tactician was there, then it was best not to show themselves. This time it was Legault's turn to stop his companion before they turned the last corner.

"Normally it wouldn't be a problem, Ser," came the flustered voice of a young guard who was likely shaking in his boots. One quick glance around the corner confirmed this. The young man was trying to make himself look smaller, bringing his shoulder up and his spear and shield closer to himself. "I-I-I was given direct instructions to not let anyone into the dungeons."

Lord Robin seemed frustrated by the response, but didn't fight the guard over it. He was likely trying to pay a visit to Lucina. Perhaps he wanted to tell her the news of the Exalt's survival, or he could've had other reasons known only to himself. Looking up once again, the tactician was ready to say something else when someone called out to him.

"Is something the matter, Lord Robin?" The figure of the knight, Ser Frederick The Wary approached the other brunette and the guard, walking with his typical aloofness that Princess Lissa seemed made a point to mock and hate. The knight came to a stop in front of the two, the guard seemingly relaxing for a second before remembering just who it was that had joined them. "Lord Chrom has been looking for you, milord. I would ask you what brings you here, but I can already guess why. I'm sorry to say that I was the one to give the order not to let anyone into the dungeon, especially you." Noticing that Lord Robin wanted to ask the reason, Ser Frederick went ahead and answered it. "Don't take it personally, milord. In order for there to be a fair trial for Marth, we can't have her being questioned by the man she tried to kill twice."

Lord Robin rubbed his chin in thought before nodding at the knight. "That...sounds reasonable," he said. "I guess it can't be helped. Still, if you can, would you tell her about what happened with Lady Emmeryn? Despite what Marth has done to me, she still saved the Exalt back then and Chrom at least twice."

"Certainly, milord. Leave it to me. For now, let us return to the event." With a quick nod to the guard, Ser Frederick guided the tactician back to the festivities. Legault, however, felt something was...off about what the knight had said.

"Panne, can you hear any noise coming from the dungeon from here?" he asked the taguel, who leered at him. "What's wrong?"

"You don't trust Frederick," she stated.

"Of course I don't. I have a gut feeling that he's hiding something."

Panne, however didn't look convinced. "Is this about what happened during Robin's wedding?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Strangely, the taguel had become more adamant to share such talks as of recent, but this was hardly the time and place for such a thing. Not that anything had happened between the thief and the knight back then. With a certain paladin, yes, but not with Ser Frederick. "If you don't believe me, then think of this as a service. I don't think we'll be eating Lord Robin's famous stew any time soon, but I'm sure I can get you something to your liking all the same."

The back and forward continued for a while until Panne finally relented. With how thick the walls were, Legault didn't have much hope she could hear anything at all. She closed her eyes and looked focused on listening. He made sure not to move an inch as to give her an easier time. The man guarding the door had also recovered, no longer shaking in his armor, making it that much easier for Panne to hear anything. Finally, after a few minutes had passed, she opened up her eyes again and looked up at him, surprised. "I couldn't hear anything…"

"That's what you were referring to when you said you now knew where the prisoner had gone to," Roy said, mostly to himself. "I can see why this Ser Frederick's reasoning would convince someone, but what did he have to gain from hiding the truth?"

"Wouldn't it be because he didn't want the Tactician to panic?" Hugh asked, shifting on his chair. He quickly lifted his feet onto the table, leaning back on his chair. "I mean, with everything that happened, he probably wasn't feeling safe as it were. Telling him that the person that tried to kill him was on the loose would probably push him off the edge."

"Get your filthy boots off the table, Hugh," Madelyn chastised, glaring at the mage. "We all have to eat here." Hugh said something under his breath, but nonetheless did as he was told. "And Father always was able to keep himself calm, no matter the situation. I don't think he would panic so easily."

"Maybe, but how can we be certain that Ser Frederick knew that?"

"They call him Ser Frederick The Wary for a reason, Lady Madelyn," Legault put in, noticing the disapproving look that the girl gave him, likely for addressing her with a wrong title all along. Like her parents, Legault thought. Not that it mattered much. He mostly did it to distract the girl that was too invested into the story. "At the time, I thought the same as Hugh, but I wasn't convinced that it was the only reason behind hiding the truth from your father, which on itself I found odd. After we left, I met up with Matthew and asked for his help, with the understanding that he was not to report his findings to Lord Hector or anyone else for that matter. With what had happened earlier that day with the knights, I did not want things to take a turn for the worse if it could be avoided…"

For the next few days, Legault kept a close eye on Lord Robin and Lady Lyndis while he had Matthew investigate Ser Frederick. The thief hoped that things would change overtime, once the Exalt and the Shepherds had a better chance to talk with people about what had happened and that people of Plegia should be treated with some respect, especially those that helped them during the war. However, once again, this did little to deter people's actions or sway their stance. Lord Robin had expressed a desire to explore the city with Lady Lyndis early on, saying he hadn't had a chance to do so before. Unfortunately, whenever the two would leave the castle, there was a certain hostility with the city-folk. It never escalated to more than insults and denial of service, thankfully, but every time it was clear that it was taking a toll on the tactician. It didn't take long for the couple to decide to stay in the confines of the castle and the barracks, seeing as at least the servants there would be cordial to their presence, whether out of duty or because they truly liked them.

During one of Legault's daily meetings with Matthew to exchange information, the spymaster told him that the Exalt asked Lord Robin and Lady Tharja to meet with her. She'd apologized to them directly for all the events that had transpired and the short sightedness of her people, and wished to make amends. According to Matthew, Lady Emmeryn informally offered the mantle of Grand Master of Ylisse—after some research, the position turned out to be a coveted one that was of great influence within the Halidom. She offered it because of his accomplishments and because he'd proven himself more than worthy for the position, but also as a way to show her people that the bridge between the two nations could be fixed, forgetting about the politics and religious beliefs that had divided them in the past. She also said that as Grand Master, Lord Robin could choose to take retainers. That would extend his protection towards Lady Tharja if he chose to take her, but Lady Tharja didn't seem all that convinced about it. Lord Robin seemed flattered by the offer, but responded that he would need to discuss it with his wife first, as it would be something that would also affect her life significantly. Lady Emmeryn agreed, saying that there would need to be a formal announcement later on should he decide to take the position. There the matter stood for some time.

Things calmed down somewhat after that. That is, until there was a feast held for the khans, who were ready to return to Regna Ferox with the bulk of their army. It seemed that Lord Robin and Lady Tharja had learned how to not to bring attention to themselves by avoiding unnecessary interactions and by only talking with those people they knew well enough.

Lord Robin and Lady Lyndis were mostly keeping to themselves the entire time, still basking in the honeymoon period of their relationship, when Prince Chrom and Ser Frederick approached the couple with Lady Tharja in tow. It wasn't too strange to see the five of them together. The tactician and the prince were good friends, holding each other to the highest esteem—the bluenette had been Lord Robin's best man during his wedding, after all. Ser Frederick always accompanied his liege to make sure he was safe even from small pebbles. As for Lady Tharja, she always seemed to gravitate towards Lord Robin, one way or another, so her presence there was expected. What wasn't expected was that those three had approached the happy couple together. It was enough for Legault to excuse himself from the company he'd been keeping at the time.

The first words that the thief was able to catch came from the prince, who sounded more serious than he'd ever been since the end of the war. "—we have a problem," said Lord Chrom, his eyes wandering to the black mage that had stopped to his right, looking disinterested in the conversation.

Lord Robin looked alarmed for an instance while Lady Lyndis' cheerful demeanor dropped, looking at the prince with a blank expression. Already, Legault could tell that the tactician was preparing for the worse, his eyes darting to possible hiding spots and escape routes. "Don't tell me we are being attacked…" whispered the brunette, but the Prince was quick to dismiss the idea by shaking his head.

"Nothing quite like that, but it's still a sensitive subject." The husband and wife relaxed only somewhat after learning there wasn't an attack to worry about, but were still on their guard considering Prince Chrom's last statement. "We should go to a more private place first. I rather keep this under wraps if possible. I asked Phila to bring Emm too. They'll meet us there. Come on."

Surprisingly, the group was able to leave the area without trouble, though that was probably because all the nobles were trying one last ditch attempt at cozying up to the khans in an effort to gain their favor. Knowing that there had been some urgency to Prince Chrom's words, Legault trailed behind the group, keeping enough distance as to not alert them of his presence. This time he would be working alone, which was fine, though Panne's listening skill had become a useful tool that he could always rely on, having her do some of his dirty work without complaint or knowing the reason behind it was getting harder and harder each passing day, making it difficult to rely on her so much.

Having studied the castle's layout for some time, Legault knew where they were headed. He wouldn't be able to listen in on their conversation, especially with the guards that would be with them because of the Exalt's presence, which meant he had to find a way around the security; an easy task for a thief and assassin. He walked the long way around to find a good spot that would let him overhear the conversation. It was a shame that hiding spots like the one he chose wouldn't last long in the castle once Matthew got done with his work. Already the number of hiding spots had been diminishing by the day since they arrived in Ylisstol. Thankfully, there were still a handful of spots that had yet to be ridden of, which left the Bernese thief with the opportunity to listen in on the meeting, but only that since the windows to the room had been closed and a guard had been posted outside the room, likely under Captain Phila's orders.

"Robin, Lyn, thank you for joining us," came the voice of the Exalt, sounding nothing but sweet. "I apologize for the short notice, but we thought it was best to deal with this right now rather than later."

"Is this about the offer you made to Robin?" Lady Lyndis asked, her voice remaining neutral.

The silence that followed made it obvious that it wasn't about that. "I supposed as much when Chrom brought Tharja along," said Lord Robin, "but I'm not sure what else it could be about. We were told it wasn't about an attack before we came here, so then, what exactly is it? Plegia, maybe? Has something happened over there that we should be aware of?"

"No, this doesn't concern Plegia, though it does concern you," Prince Chrom responded. "There's something we've been…holding back on telling you in hopes that we could resolve it ourselves, but we've not been able to do so…" A pause. "When we got to the castle, the first thing I wanted to do was check up on Marth. With everything going on at the time, we hardly had a chance to interrogate her, let alone have a trial against her. But, when Frederick and I entered the dungeon, there was no one there. Marth's gone."

"She escaped?" the grenette asked, now finally sounding concerned. She had every right to be. Learning about her husband's would be killer being loose once again would put her on edge. "And guessing from what you've said, you haven't found her yet…?"

"That is correct, milady," answered Ser Frederick. "Though we assigned as many guards and Pegasus Knights we could spare on the task, there is no trail of Marth anywhere in the castle. Not even those that had been left to guard it while we marched to Plegia have come forward with any evidence of what happened. What we do know is that the cell door did not show any damage to it, which points to Marth's accomplice having stolen a key to the door and being well aware of the guard's and staff's routine as well as the layout of the castle to have made an escape without being noticed."

"Why weren't we told about this sooner?" Lord Robin asked with displeasure. "I think I have a right to know when my life is at risk. You've known about this for almost two weeks and yet didn't think it was important for me to know that my would-be killer was on the loose?"

"We didn't want to worry you both," said Prince Chrom. "I know you, Robin. If you'd known about it, you would've stressed yourself to death over it, even if we had people watching you day and night. We were hoping that if Marth saw what she thought was an opening, she would come in and we could capture her."

"I don't appreciate you using my husband as a lure, Chrom," said Lady Lyndis.

"The fault falls on me, milady," Ser Frederick quickly confessed. "I thought it was best this way. I was also watching over you personally, with the help of Tharja to an extent."

"I just placed a hex on you when you weren't looking," said Tharja dismissively. "Just a little something that would tell me if you were under some sort of...stress."

Legault smirked. Of course, that "stress" didn't necessarily mean that he was under attack. Nor did the spy think that the hex itself was very useful for the situation. He'd seen her using a few of them before, and something like a detection hex would've worked better.

"R-right…" Lord Robin was smart enough to understand the implications behind such a hex and not to ask about them. "Well, I suppose it's too late now to complain about it… Any luck finding Marth?"

"I've had some of my knights patrol the area, but none have come back with any sightings," said Captain Phila. "Likewise, the castle staff hasn't found any evidence of breaking-and-entering. I know it wasn't your intent, milord, but your choice of staying within the castle grounds may have been the best decision you could've made."

"We'll continue doing everything we can to keep you safe, Robin," the Exalt assured them. "We will not rest until Marth has been found. For the time being, just be more aware of your surroundings."

"If you say so," said the tactician. "I appreciate your honesty, at least. You've given me much to think about. If you don't mind, I would like to turn in for the day and mull this over."

"What about the khans?" Prince Chrom asked. "Basilio and Flavia won't let you leave just like that during their big day."

"I'll deal with them, somehow..."

"After the cut Mady gave that girl, I doubt she'll be showing herself anytime soon," said Uther with a grin. Though he wasn't all that happy about it, Roy felt the same way. It could be that the reason that this Lucina girl and her friends hadn't mounted a new offensive against the Tactician was because of that injury. If nothing else, that was a good reason for them all to celebrate. But then again, more than enough time had passed for that group to get themselves a healer and be back in working order.

"I would like to play cards with you sometime, my lord, for you are mistaken" said Legault, quickly bashing the little ease that had fallen in the room.

"What do you mean?" asked Madelyn, looking ready to bolt out of her chair and run to Ylisstol.

The spy looked over to Princess Guinivere, almost as if he was asking for permission to continue. It was easy to forget that, despite helping the entire group, the only reason Legault had joined them in the first place was because he was of Bern and felt some sense of duty in working for royalty. He would've likely never shown himself to them had it not been for Lady Guinivere's insistence. With a firm nod of the princess, Legault continued. "After I returned to the feast, Matthew found me. He told me that he'd found out something after keeping a close eye on Ser Frederick. It seems that our dutiful knight knows more than he lets on. He's spoken with Marth—Lucina—already. Why he hasn't apprehended the girl is beyond me, but my guess is that he's aware of something that we are not."

"If that's true, wouldn't Prince Chrom know about it?" Madelyn asked. "He and my father were very close friends. He even came to visit our tribe a few times when I was little. I'm sure that he would tell my parents about it had Ser Frederick done such a thing."

"That's under the assumption that the prince knows what his knight is doing," Legault countered. "Ser Frederick is the kind of man that will do anything for his lord. An admirable trait, I'm sure. That includes informing his lord of anything that would put him in direct danger. We are talking about a man that goes out of his way to remove pebbles from the road that the Exalted family walks on well before they reach it. He's also been distrustful of your father for a long time. If something or someone alerted him of a possible danger, he would do everything in his power to defend his liege."

"We are left with no choice," said Roy, standing up to his full length before looking at all of his friends and allies. "We've waited patiently in the shadows in hopes that the Fang would show itself, but by doing so, we focused only on one possible enemy. We can no longer standby and wait for things to happen and then react to them accordingly. There's too much on the line for that."

"What about searching for the others?" Wolt asked. "We can't just ignore them. They're still lost out there—"

"Leave your friends to me," all eyes turned in the direction of the doorway, where a new figure appeared. "You do what you have to. I'll gather the rest of your people."

Roy quickly rushed to the side of the man that was hardly any taller than himself. The man looked tired even by just standing there as he leaned on the doorframe. Ever since they'd come to Ylisse, he'd been bedridden, forced to rest and to recover his strength. Roy frowned. "You shouldn't be out of bed, Uncle," he said to the man of teal hair. "You can barely stand as it is. We can postpone the search until we deal with this—"

"Nonsense," said Nils, refusing the help of his nephew. "Now, more than ever, you will need as much help as you can get. I can't fight with you, but I can still help. Besides, I still have this." From a pouch on his belt, the young dragon pulled out his pipe, giving it a little swivel, fumbling when he lost control over it, but ultimately catching it nonetheless with an awkward laugh. "When I brought you back, I wasn't sure why we landed here of all times and places. This could be it! Last time I could only watch helplessly as things unfolded. Now, even if things are a bit different, I will prevent the wrong of our world happen here."

"Then there is no time to waste," said Legault, as he too made to stand, followed by the rest of the group. "But be sure that, if you act now, you will lose your element of surprise against the Black Fang."

"So be it," Roy declared. Months of careful planning and avoiding contact would all come crashing down on them, but the risk was too big for them not to do it. And if it meant showing themselves to the younger versions of their parents, so be it. "We came back to make sure that the Tactician survived the invasion of Sacae. If he is to fall now, we've already failed in our mission. We will deal with the Fang when the time comes. Prepare yourselves, my friends. Tomorrow, we move."

AN: I'm not gonna lie, this was a difficult chapter. It ended differently as to how I originally planned, but it's not like that ending won't be showing up in a future chapter. Like I said, this arc has just started and will run for a bit, so a lot of stuff will be happening. No need for me to rush things too much, even if the point of this chaptas to get things moving.

Still so many characters missing. So sad... Can't overwhelm people with that many characters at once, though, so I had to keep the numbers down this time. There's also the matter that it saves me having to introduce a bunch of characters in the future. Hopefully there's enough going on with the "new" characters (Fir, Hugh, Guinivere, and Wolt) to give you an idea of who they are. This is obviously only their first appearance. All characters will be expanded upon at some point in the future, so don't worry about it too much.

I also wanted to make a point to show Roy having some doubt on himself. If it wasn't obvious, there's a good reason why he and the others came back. Losing so much would leave him second-guessing himself, especially if he lost people close to him because of his decisions. Again, something that will be expanded upon in the future.

Special notes:

So, someone asked for a list of child characters that would be showing up. I thought it was a good idea, but I'll keep it here since I know not everyone reads the review responses. I'm assuming that was referring to Binding Blade characters more than Awakening (all child characters from Awakening will be showing up), so here we go! So far, I've planed for the following: Roy, Lilina, Wolt, Clarine, Klein, Lugh, Raigh, Fir, Igrene, Hugh, Sue, Bors, Gwendolyn, Thany, Tate, and Yuno. Additionally, I have plans to include Fae and Sophia. Other Binding Blade characters can still show up. I just need to come up with plans for them all.

Reviews:

XenoEmblem4TW —I think that for something like that to happen, Madelyn would need to confront Lucina about it in front of all the Shepherds. Right now, the Shepherds are only aware on Lucina trying to kill Robin twice. It would need to be someone in Roy's group that points fingers to the other future Awakening children to be distrusted. That being said, for sure there will be some discomfort between the parents and the children based on that. About the Plegian hatred, while there will be many attempts for characters to call for peace and trust, chances are that it'll take a long time before people start coming around to it. People are set on their ways and it can take years before they realize that what they're doing is wrong. I also wish that the game had gone more into the Crusades, even if just by mentioning it a few more times. Seems like such a waste that they didn't.

Greyjedi449t —The two future timelines are definitely very different from one another, and even more between the game Binding Blade and the future-timeline Binding Blade on this story. Believe, things from now on will get even more complicated xD Gonna be fun seeing how people interpret a few things. At least there I currently have no desire to bring in any more timelines for the time being.

Whatstoknow —Things have been pretty decent lately. Temperatures stabilized a bit more. I hope the heatwave didn't do you in. I heard you guys were getting high 40s or something crazy like that. For the Switch, I'm still on the fence. I can say that after seeing a few more pictures, I'm a bit more interested, but not with the price tag it has right now. Too expensive! But Fire Emblem Heroes is fun and the new one coming up looks cool!

JP I'm Italian —You ad to know it was Owain, right? Question is, do you know what the stories he wanted to tell the others were about based on the details I gave? Yes, Uther was named after Hector's older brother and Madelyn is named after her grandmother. Lucina and Madelyn are for sure not gonna be buddy-buddy any time soon, if ever. Yes, that was meant to be Lyn's critical, but Madelyn still hasn't perfected it, which is why there were no afterimages of her during the attack. Owain would've reacted like that had the situation been a bit less intense. Who said Zephiel did not start the war? As for the sword itself, for now, it's a secret whether Roy has it or not. Ostia and Caelin would be taken cared of by castellans, who are people that watch over a castle and its territories while a lord is away, so things are safe over there for now.

Anon Guest —Gotta be on top of all those, you know? I like checking out random art from time to time. That's mostly how I found out about all those different versions, to be honest. As for Marc, it is meant to be spelled like that. In the Japanese version of Awakening, male Morgan's name is actually Marc. I thought it was fitting, while keeping Mark and Marc being different. Madelyn introduced herself as the Chieftain of the Lorca, but nothing else. For her to gain control over Caelin, Kent and/or his descendants would need to relinquish their claim on it given to them by Hector, and then Madelyn would need to accept it. So, possible. As for the Grima Vessel, not necessarily. Though she does have the blood of Grima in her veins like any of Robin's children, that doesn't mean she can be a vessel. After all, Validar also has the blood of Grima, but can't be a vessel.

Guest —He definitely is our boy! As for the sword, that's something that you'll have to wait and see.

allen Vth —Though I like where you were going with that, Madelyn's name is the same as Lyn's mother. I'm hoping that I can keep it up in the future once more and more characters join up. What I might do then is have chapters that focus on groups of characters that you won't necessarily see interacting with Robin on a regular basis. Also, I'm glad you liked the Owain chapter. Was a lot of fun to write, given how silly Owain can be. You do make good points as to whether Robin should stay or leave Ylisse. You'll have to wait a bit more to find out what he'll decide, though, hehehe. And yes, Morgan and Marc won't have amnesia. Their personalities will remain the same from Awakening, but they'll have their memories. Still a couple of airheads, though.

DefconDeceiver —The good thing about locking a perspective about a single character are the limitation it bring with it. Owain was just too distracted by what he was seeing that he didn't bother to check on Noire. Not that he had any reason to, seeing as he doesn't know how Robin relates to Noire. Shipping vibes are always misleading. I make certain interactions feel like they could be platonic or romantic on purpose. You can take it as you like, really, seeing as it can only be confirmed until a romance is seen.

When thinking about the Three Great Lords, you can't forget about Lilina. She is the one that holds Ostia, after all. Still, I see where you were going with that. I did want to have that same relationship between Roy, Madelyn, and Uther that Eliwood, Lyn, and Hector had. I nice callback, if you would. For the blades Madelyn and Roy used during the fight not being mention, the same thing I mentioned on the first part of the response applies. Not really knowing what Mani Katti and Solo Katti look like, Owain wouldn't really recognize them. You could even say that the Sword of Seals looks different from what he thinks, considering that all he had to go off of are crude drawings and interpretations of what the blade looks like. The real reason I had the characters wearing cloaks was specifically so that I wouldn't write myself into a corner by deciding right now what I'll be doing with Tharja, seeing as the Binding Blade timeline follows more closely to what actually happens in the current timeline. And as for what to do with Tharja's consequences, all I can say is that Robin, not knowing anything about her, escaped with her in self-exile to protect her. What do you think he'll do if they forced him to punish Tharja for that? I know I'm being evasive, but that's mostly because this is something that will be showing up soon.

MegaMan Zero —Surprisingly, there's a good reason for this, at least in cities. It all comes down to alleyways. Back in the day, people would empty they trash on them, including chamber pots. Much later someone would come and clean it all. So, the veggies come from there. I love the idea that people wanted to feed the pegasi, though. That's a ton of food for just a few pegasi and horses. About the Noire and Owain thing, I would say that it could be seen that way, but there wasn't necessarily any romantic feelings behind their actions. It was more of a friend being there for a friend, though it could help develop the relationship into something else. As for the chapter names, each arc will have its own name format, with chapters in between not really following that rule. That should help people finding out when each arc begins and ends. Glad to hear you're liking the story so far. And though it'll take some time before everything is explained, I hope you'll stick around for the ride!

SunderingSlime587 —Though I see what you did there, the name actually comes from Lyn's mother. Hahaha, Hector's reaction will be priceless for sure, especially if you take into account his A support with Eliwood. I suppose this chapter should answer your question about Nils. As for Jaffar and Nino, don't worry, they're coming soon. About Sue's mother, just think about the female characters that are single from Rekka No Ken. That should give you a good idea of who I have in mind. The Valm-arc will change a tooooon because of all of this. Should be interesting, seeing as how I need to keep a lot of stuff in mind while following a somewhat set path on that one.

Yellowclover —Complicated is one way of putting it, especially when thinking that all three timelines have different events going on. I'm glad you liked Owain and Noire, and I understand about Severa. I needed a character with a certain attitude that would fit in with the situation. At first I thought of Kjelle, but she was too obvious. Also, Severa already was a tsundere, so I just made her super tsun-tsun. No worries, after talking with my Beta for some time, I do have a lot of stuff that should redeem my take on Severa, hopefully. I still love the Old Hubba mentions. Give me a good laugh! I can tell you that the one that talked with Lyn and the one that talked with the future children are different ones, though I'm sure you already knew that. For the one that helped Lyn, that character won't be the same I'd planned back then because I decided to take the story in a different direction, so he'll either go unmentioned or could actually be...Old Hubba? Or someone else... As for the one with Lucina's group, they'll show up in the future, so no worries there!

anon reader —All the Old Hubba theories always make me laugh. For other situations I can see what people were thinking, but for this one? Hahahaha, that would be very strange... or would it? The Fang, Nino, and Jaffar will all be coming up pretty soon. No worries there. Can't say how or exactly when they'll be showing up, though.

AquaticSilver —(Ch1) Gotta love those Tharja moments, eh?

Sigmatic —Yes, they come from the Binding Blade storyline, though Uther and Madelyn are my OCs from that storyline. Correct, Morgan and Marc will both be showing up in the future!

GuestWithIdeas —Thanks! Oh, believe me, I know in what position I'm putting Robin in. You could even say... that the stress could turn his hair white! Though it is true that some characters can feel like Robin and Lyn should stay or leave, that discussion and decision is for only those two to make. I'll say, you're not far from what I'm thinking. Good, good, good. I did make certain references to it in the past for a reason. Sharp eyed reader, you!

Asarus Knight —Thank you very much! I'm always glad to hear someone liking this story. Both Morgans (Morgan and Marc) will be showing up, both of whom are Madelyn's younger siblings, so no worries there.

Tumerboy12 —You're not wrong... but at the same time, I'm not sure yet if I would go that far. One thing's for sure: it's very complicated and can only get more so in the future.