-'Hold him down! Don't let him run!'
Several serjants needed little encouragement as they wrestled with the man who thrashed desperately, though he lacked his helmet and his scabbard was empty it was clear he was a soldier. One of the Ylissians succeeded in tripping the valmese and the group pinned the man to the ground where he still fought till one kicked him in the head.
Though the army had been defeated many had scattered throughout the city hoping to escape or hide, Chrom had ordered these remnants hunted down to be taken alive if possible, dead if necessary.
Lucina stopped observing the struggle as she had been spoken to.
- 'Sorry?'
-'We'll try to take your helm off now.'
She nodded and regretted it immediately, her head was pounding. Owain and Kjelle began cautiously moving the helmet they had been struggling with for the past moments. Lucina did not know when but somebody had struck her such a blow her head was still in pain and the helm refused to move.
The pain seemed to double and than she could breath and see without obstruction. Kjelle looked over the helm and tutted at the dents, Owain removed her coif and began prodding her head only to have Brady shoo him away.
As her brothers apt fingers glided across her skull he asked.
- 'You feeling nauseus? Eyes hurt?'
-'No, not much anyway.'
She answered. Brady "hmmd" as he continued to look her over.
-'So?'
Severa asked, scowling as usual. Brady did not answer immediately, his fingers left her skull and he knelt in front of his sister, looked her in the eyes before making her follow the movements of his finger.
- 'You'll be fine.'
He finally declared. There was a collective sigh of relief from the assembled, Lucina included. All the future children had suffered some damage during the fighting, their armour bearing numerous dents and scratches, bruises and cuts save Laurent who seemed fine bar him being paler than normal.
-'Should we be doing this?'
All eyes turned to Gerome.
-'We agreed...'
Lucina began only to have the youth interrupt her.
-'We agreed that the only chance of defeating Grima was to reveal ourselves, I do not remember having agreed to joining up with an army bogged down in battling Walhart.'
Before Lucina could speak Severa was on her feet.
-'Stop being a pain Gerome! I don't recall you coming up with a better idea.'
He shrugged.
-'No I didn't. Regardless I think running around Valm with an army instead of looking into Grima is a mistake.'
-'Objectively speaking the Exalt has the best resources and ability to investigate Grima.'
Laurent pointed in his standard voice making it seem he was bored with whatever was being discussed.
-'Gloomy guts has a point.'- Inigo spoke up. - 'Even if Laurent is right we can't look into the matter while fighting a war.'
Lucina shook her head, only to wince as the pain reminded of itself.
-'Helping my father win the campaign quickly will only aid us.'
-'Assuming he'll listen.'
Kjelle spoke up with a scowl.
-'Doesn't seem very likely if it's that ass that decides most matters.'
Several heads nodded at that and Lucina found herself agreeing, she couldn't help but think it would be easier to get her fathers help were it not for "that ass" his Lord Constable, Robin.
-'And we found our prodigies.'
All eyes turned to the small group of nobles that had appeared, Chrom and Sayri to the front with Robin, scowling as ever, slightly behind them.
-'Robin.'
Chrom warned, before turning to the youth.
-'I was wondering where you went off to. Everyone all right?'
-'We're fine fath... majesty.'
Lucina caught herself, casting a quick look to the Chonsin princess. Sayri smiled lightly and turned to Chrom.
- 'More of your Shepards, your majesty?'
-'My daughter, son, nephew and their companions.'
He answered lightly. Sayri's eyes opened wide as she looked to children and back to Chrom as several Ylissian nobles winced.
-'Fie. Apologies for you appear very young for a man with such children.'
Chrom paused for a moment as he realized what he had said.
-'It's a complicated story, perhaps I'll tell you later.'
He said with a chuckle. Before anyone could say anything a serjant ran up.
-'Lord constable! News from the harbour.'
Robin excused himself and followed the serjant aside, Chrom turning his attention back to his children.
-'You seem all right anyway. It might take some time for rations to be unloaded but you can at least rest while we get everything unloaded and discuss the strategic situation with the local lords.'
-'I can come.'
Chrom did not answer immediately, instead picking up Lucina's helmet and looking over the dents.
-'Have a rest.'
He said again as he put the helmet down.
-'You've gotten quite the blow there. Don't worry, I'll inform you what happens.'
And with a smile and a clap on his children's shoulders he walked off, the Shepards following behind nodding with a smile as they followed thier exalt. Lucina couldn't help feel down at the dismissal but looked up again as someone else clapped her shoulder.
-'He's not snubbing you, he honestly wants you to rest after the fight.'
Vaike said with a wink before he too followed Chrom.
The statue presented an athletic young man, naked save for a helmet. It was in good shape minus the arm that had fallen at some point. Instructions had been sent to the harbour and seeing Chrom still talking with the young ones Robin decided to investigate the statue. At first it was simple curiosity but now he had looked there was something odd. He was...
... in the shade cast by an olive groove along with three others. One wore proper armour the others in improvised kit.
-'Of course we're coming! You can't honestly think we'd just let you go off without us to keep you safe.'
The one speaking slammed an arm around the youths shoulders before pulling in another for the group hug. Laughter sounded and the first to be pulled into he hug caught his eye and raised a hand...
... a hand gripped his arm and Robin found himself swaying on his feet.
-'Robin! You alright?'
-'I'm fine Chrom.'
He found himself saying on reflex, even as he felt his legs buckle again, naturally Chrom did not seem convinced.
- 'You haven't gone blank like that in a while now, please tell me you are not intent on starting doing so again.'
This time Robin managed to steady himself and looked around, had he blanked out? He tried to think what he had been doing but nothing surfaced and his head started hurting.
-'Sir?'
A retainer held out a wineskin which he took and drank deeply, he felt better immediately.
-'I'm fine.' He said with an apologetic smile to the gathered notables, pulling himself from Chroms grip.
-'Let's go, there is a war to plan.'
-'So to summarize.'
The eyes of nobles from Ylisse, Ferox, Valm and even Plegia turned to Robin as he shifted aside the wax tablets he had been looking over.
-'We've scattered the largest force the Valm... apologies, Imperials have in the north.'
The pause was due to the look he had received from the natives, they had made it clear they were all Valmese, their foes were vassals of the Empire but the distinction was still not obvious to those from the Ylissian continent.
- 'We can't be certain how many have died, it'll be while before we get the full tally in but it seems to have ceased to exist as an organized force.'
He paused as he glanced to the map.
-'We don't now how long it will take until the news of this setback reaches the nearest force, they could already know or weeks may pass before they realize.'
-'The imperials have a good communication network, we have a fortnight at the best.'
One of the Valmese, a younger noble of the Berengar family informed leading to a collective nodding of heads around the table.
-'And we have less than eight thousand men with us.'
Robin noted as he continued.
-'We can wait for the rest of the men from Ylisse to arrive or we can keep on the offensive.'
He finished, the silence did not last long.
-'Nothing for it, being so few we can only attack.'
Basilio declared with a laugh, Flavia nodding her agreement. Most at the table agreed with the assessment and eyes turned to Chrom who had not said much during the meeting. The exalt nodded slowly.
-'Agreed. We should keep up the pressure while we can.'
Robin nodded as he moved his hand across the map.
-'Most of the forces the imperials had were shattered here, from what we know most of the garrisons in the cities are small and likely to surrender if they see a large force. What I'm worried about is this.'
He paused and tapped a point on the map.
-'Steigar. From what I see it would allow us to control the best road to this part of the continent. Would you agree?'
He paused and looked to the valmese, Sayri nodded.
-'This part of the continent is largely isolated thanks to the marshlands, Steigar was built to better guard the best road through.'
-'There are other paths but of poor use for an army.'
Berengar added.
-'Where?'
The noble pointed them out on the map, Robin rubbed his chin.
-'We should keep an eye there as well.'
-'My men would probably be best for the task.'
Asil, the commander of the Plegian force commented. Robin nodded but it was Chrom who spoke.
-'How soon could we get an army moving to Steigar?'
-'Vanguard in hours but the entire army could take a day or more, depending on how smoothly we empty the ships.'
-'Majesty.'
All eyes turned to Sayri.
-'Steigar will have to be taken but if I could suggest a different target for the first strike?'
Chrom nodded so Sayri leaned over the map and placed her finger on a point.
-'The Mila tree.'
Berengar nodded as Sayri continued.
-'Valms most revered shrine. Removing the imperial garrison would do much to legitimize our actions, possible rally support to our cause.'
Robin scowled, not so much because of what was said rather because he felt a sudden pain in his chest, as if something had grabbed his heart and twisted. Rubbing a hand over the spot he lifted his cup and emptied it in a single drought which seemed to ease the pain.
Chrom looked at the map and nodded.
-'It would be good for us to underline we are not invaders but liberators. What do you think Robin?'
Still frowning from the sudden pain he put his cup down and glanced at the map.
-'Steigar should be our priority whereas this shrine is a bit out of the way...'
He paused again as he felt another stab of pain, was he having some sort of apoplectic attack? His pause was misunderstood and Flavia weighed in.
-'From a purely military view than I'd agree there is no point in moving to Mila, but if it is as spiritually important as Sayri says it could be worth it.'
-'We could always split our forces.'
Basilio shrugged, Asil shook his head.
-'Dividing forces in hostile territory is not a good idea.'
-'Any word on the garrison size?'
Virion asked, Sayri nodded.
-'Two hundred at the most, what is more they are not within the temple itself for fear of provoking outrage and camp outside.'
Virion nodded as he spoke again.
-'This would seem simple than, have the main force march on Steigar and start the siege while sending a force, no more than a thousand, to liberate Mila.'
Chrom nodded.
-'We shall do so. Now to decide who goes where...'
He paused and slowly a grin appeared on his face.
-'I've a mind to take the the Shepherds and strike to Mila myself.'
-'Surely such a task is better left to a junior officer?'
Berengar asked to which Chrom nodded.
-'True but I feel like it.'
Robin sighed, more in annoyance at the pain in his chest than anything else.
-'Fair enough, I'll go to Steigar than.'
-'You're coming with me.'
Robin turned to Chrom with a raised eyebrow to which the Exalt grinned.
-'You're as tetchy as an old grump, a break will do you good.'
-'He's right.'
Duke Themis spoke up, Lord Nestor nodding next to him.
-'You're extremely wound up, dealing with a minor foe free of the mass of responsibilities of dealing with an army will do you good.'
The exalts father in law smirked.
-'I'll have Steigar locked up tighter than a virgin before her wedding.'
-'There you have it Robin, no escape now.'
Chrom slapped him an the shoulder, the man looking upward as if he were suffering though a hint of a smirk was on his lips. As the Valmese and Plegians looked on with raised eyebrows Basilio rolled his shoulders.
-'Sounds like fun, I think I'll tag along.'
-'So who do we leave in charge of the army? Sebastian would be the best choice.'
Flavia asked, Basilio nodding his agreement.
-'I... I shall join you on the march to Mila, Berengar will lead the league forces to Steigar.'
Sayri managed to say, though she had planned to offer to march on Mila from the start the sudden collapse of formality left her somewhat dumbfounded. Flavia nodded.
-'So we have our forces assembled! Lets hammer out the details and get this campaign rolling.'
The lamp's flame flickered making Robin look up for the first time in a while, it was also the first time he had noticed how dark it was, which explained why his eyes had started to hurt. With a sigh he pushed aside the wax tablets.
He rose and stretched, it had been some since the lamps had been lit, duke Themis and Lord Nestor were with him than in the house he had occupied for his quarters as they finished the last details regarding the march on Steigar only to have to deal with the pile of reports that waited. The urgent ones had been dealt with and what remaining with minor reports that could wait for the morning.
So decided he opened the door to order some water boiled, startling the squire whose hand was raised as if to knock.
-'My lord, the Exalt is here to see you.'
-'Send him in.'
He answered, the squire running off, it would seem he'd have to wait for his wash. Chrom strode into the room a moment later, gripping Robins wrist in greeting.
-'Not gone to sleep yet?'
He said with a grin.
-'One could ask you the same.'
Robin answered, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. Chrom chuckled as he walked to the desk and flipped open the first tablet and looked over the contents.
-'Surely these matters can wait till the morning?'
Robin nodded as he suppressed a yawn.
-'I was thinking just... something wrong Chrom?'
He asked as he noted his Exalts odd stance. Chrom sighed before sitting down.
-'We suffered heavy casualties.'
-'As expected from such a landing.'
Robin answered with a shrug. Chrom nodded and did not say anything for a moment.
-'Was I right to order a landing here?'
Instead of answering Robin walked behind the desk and pulled free a bottle, placing it in front of the Exalt before pulling out two leather mugs. As he uncorked the bottle he spoke.
-'To avoid any casualties? No it was not the right decision. If however you wanted to save an allied garrison it was the right decision. If you wanted to deliver the enemy a crushing blow at the onset of the campaign, it was the right decision.'
He poured the clear liquid into the mugs and pushed one to Chrom.
-'You've achieved something great here today.'
-'I'll assume you're not buttering me up with that.'
-'Truly? That means I'm getting better at lying.'
Robin smirked and Chrom laughed as he lifted the mug up to his nose.
-'Brandy? No, that's plums I smell.'
-'It'll do you good, settle the stomach and warm you to the toes.'
Robin said as he lifted his own mug to his lips and drank, Chrom followed suite only to cough and wheeze as the liquid burned it's way down.
-'It might burn a bit on the way down.'
The exalt glared daggers at a very innocent looking Robin.
-'You couldn't tell me that before?'
-'Old grumps occasionally forget things.'
He said, failing to stop a smile provoking a laugh from Chrom.
-'Fair enough. But as punishment pour us another round of that vile stuff.'
-'Are you looking for someone Lucina?'
She turned to find Duke Themis with lady Sayri nearby. She pause for a moment before deciding on the truth.
-'I was looking for my father.'
-'Chrom is with the lord constable, do you know where he has his quarters?'
Her grandfather asked. On hearing she did not he nodded.
-'I'll escort you.'
Before they got several yards a squire ran up to the duke.
-'Pardons my lord but sir Yeslick reports a problem housing some of the men and asks your presence.'
-'Seems I'm doomed not to spend any time with my grandchildren.'
Themis sighed before glancing to Lucina.
-'I'll get someone to show you the way.'
-'Perhaps I could? Twas along my way regardless.'
Sayri offered. Nodding to that Themis went to deal with his men and Lucina followed the Chonsin princess.
-'Thank you for guiding me.'
-'Think naught of it.'
After that short exchange they walked in silence, though Lucina caught Sayri glancing at her a few times before finally deciding to ask.
-'Are you truly from the future?'
-'Did my father tell your majesty?'
-'Aye. He also said you wish to avert an apocalyptic tragedy. The rebirth of the great dread.'
Lucina sighed.
-'I suppose it sounds insane.'
-'Mayhap.'
Sayri agreed with a nod.
-'Yet I am willing to believe it.'
That made Lucina glance to the princess who continued.
-'As of late I have become somewhat better acquainted with legends, things I had believed to be legends.'
She paused and looked to Lucina with a smile.
-'Were you to travel with us to Mila you could hear them yourself from the source, one very knowledgeable in the matter.'
-'The voice of Naga?'
Lucina asked, looking fully at the Chonsin. Sayri nodded.
-'You have heard of her then?'
-'In brief... I had wondered if I would ever make it to her though.'
At the point they arrived in front of a relatively intact house where the Lord Constables black on silver banner fluttered and a sentry, wearing the blue and white tabard of Ylisse with the Constables black on silver badge over his heart, blocked their way.
-'Business?'
He grumbled, peering at them in the light thrown by the lamp at the door. Sayri strode forward.
-'I am the princess of Chonsin, I have been informed that the Exalt Chrom is within?'
-'Aye, he is.'
-'Than announce us.'
The sentry scowled but moved to the door and as he opened it Lucina had time to wonder about whether all the men in the Constables service were so similar to him in mannerism. She followed Sayri as they were again blocked in the door leading to the vestibule as a corporal now frowned at them.
-'His majesty is with the Lord Constable now and they asked not to be disturbed.'
-'He will make an exception for the head of an allied army and his daughter.'
Sayri answered, a hint of annoyance sneaking into her voice. They corporal hesitated at that and looked behind him when sounds reached them from the house, glass shattering, benches scrapping on the floor and, on top of that, Lucina recognized her fathers voice shouting.
She was past the sentry and the corporal in a moment and thrusting open the door to the hall even as the others joined her, the soldiers demanding she stop.
-'Fath...!'
She got no further at the sight.
-'Sorry. It broke.'
-'Good thing it was empty.'
Chrom looked apologetic as he stood hunched over the table, Robin rising from his bench and both were looking at a shattered bottle on the floor. The room smelled of alcohol and sausage.
Both men looked to the door and Chrom smiled.
-'Lucina! And Sayri. Were you looking for me?'
-'Princessesses.'
Robin slurred as he sat down, looked into his mug, sniffed in annoyance at the empty vessel before picking up some sausage and biting into it. Lucina stood silently, she had not exactly known what she had been expecting but it was not this. The corporal gripped her by the shoulder as he tilted his head.
-'Apologies majesty, milord. She pushed past us...'
-'I'd have probably allowed them to enter anyway.'
Chrom smiled as Robin shrugged.
-'Next time be more vigilant. Now back to your duties as we find out what our princessesses want.'
Robin added before taking another bite. The corporal confirmed and apologized again as he and the sentry left leaving the princesses' behind.
-'Have a seat you two, what was it you wanted.'
-'I uh... wished to ask you about what was decided during the council.'
Robin snorted and before Chrom had a chance to reprimand him Lucina found herself on her feet, both fists slamming into the table as she snarled.
-'Why are you like that!? Constantly snide and derisive and insulting me at every turn!?'
Silence fell in the hall, the corporal peaked in only to decide not to show himself as he slid back into the vestibule. The moment the words were out Lucina cursed herself in her mind, heavens knew what that man might do now he was drunk and being shouted at. She was to be taken completely by surprise.
Robins eyes opened wide as he answered very calmly as if surprised he had to explain.
-'Because I find you suspect. I find your motives suspect and I care too much about Chrom to allow him to put himself in danger by so blindly trusting you.'
Lucina opened her mouth than closed it as she processed what was said as Chrom shifted on his bench.
-'"Care"? Not a word I hear you use often.'
Robin scratched his chin as he looked uncomfortable.
-'For good reason, I feel stupid using it but yes I care. You took me in when I had nothing, gave me everything I own, trusted me. So you may be annoyingly cheerful and optimistic but you're what I imagine family to be and I'll be damned before I'll let you suffer when I could have done something to avert it.'
The grin on Chroms face shifted to a more serious expression as Robin spoke till he slowly stated.
- ' Robin. You are a condescending ass who needs to learn to trust people but damn me I love you like the uncle I never had.'
Robin looked at the Exalt for a moment as he slowly spoke.
-'Chrom... shouldn't that be brother?'
-'You're much to old to be my brother.'
He answered as a grin spread across his face and the two burst out laughing as the princesses looked to one another with surprise on their faces. Chrom, still smiling broadly, looked to them.
-'Apologies. We seem to be making you uncomfortable.'
-'Aye. It's late and there is a long day ahead of us tomorrow so unless you princessesses have something very important to talk about than perhaps we should just get to sleep.'
The princesses' agreed and rose to leave, Robin and Chrom gripping each other by the wrist and slapped the others shoulder.
-'Robin, please trust me and my judgment a bit more, alright?'
-'Only if you stop choosing odd things to second guess yourself about.'
The two slapped each others shoulder again before Chrom turned.
-'Walk with me Lucina, I'll tell you what is going on once we find your brother.'
Sayri tilted her head in farewell as she turned to leave but was stopped.
-'A moment of your time, Princess.'
-'Your lordship?'
Sayri asked as Robin rubbed his temple.
-'I apologize for the scene.'
-'Nay, I apologize for forcing myself into your presence.'
-'Yes well, I had hoped to speak with you, ask you share your knowledge on the situation in Valm but it's late today, would you agree to such a talk sometime tomorrow?'
-'Very well.'
Robin nodded.
-'Good. I shan't keep you any longer.'
With a last tilt of the head the two parted and Sayri rejoined her retainers who had waited outside. She let out a long sigh as she looked to the sky and shook her head, hoping her new allies were more professional on campaign than they were in their private affairs.
He was on the ground again, his vision reduced by the black orbs covering most all and everything hurt. Slowly his vision cleared and he started hearing again, armoured feet scrapping on the stone floor and something gripped him under the arm, hauling him up.
- '...id it!'
His gaze focused and he saw Chrom, visor up and face pale in the darkness offering an exhausted smile.
-'It's over.'
The Exalt said as he cast another look to the form a few yards away, turning to a mist as they watched. Pain. The pain flooded back, filling him like ice water, stealing his breath away, making him gasp as the pain filled him. Chrom noticed and looked back, eyes wide in concern.
-'How bad is it? Wha...'
The exalt got no further, his words turning to a gasp of pain. He felt resistance, something yielding and he felt warmth. Chrom's other hand gripped his shoulder, the exalts mouth opening and shutting as if he were a fish out of water before sliding down to his feet.
Not all of him though. He lifted his hand and saw it covered in crimson, something beating as his armoured fist closed around it.
-'My lord!'
He felt something wet hit his face and blinked open. A face peered at him, eyes wide, and empty flagon in his hand. Robin lifted a hand and wiped the water off his face and looked around.
His room in the house he had occupied, sweat sleek sheets wrapped around his body and his sweat soaked shirt clinging to his body.
Marek, his squire, set the flagon aside.
- 'I was coming to raise you lord and saw you stumbling out of bed muttering something, when I spoke you lashed out so I decided to wake you...'
He trailed off as of unsure what more to say. Robin nodded.
-'Good. Get some water for my wash and something to break my fast, it means to be a long day.'
-Yes my lord.'
He nodded and turned to leave, stopping when Robin spoke again.
- 'There is no need to speak of this to anyone, though keep an eye open should I do so again.'
Marek nodded and left and Robin let himself fall back on the bed. Sleepwalking? A nightmare? He could only hope it did not mean his mind was going.
With a sigh he pushed such thoughts aside and readied himself for the day ahead.
At some point it had been a thriving community, the size and number of the ruins were testimony to that, blackened beams jutting to the sky like the ribs of some great beast.
Sumia hoped the residents had managed to flee before whichever army razed the village. A depressing place but it offered cover for her and some of the her knights Robin had sent ahead to make sure they knew of the enemy long before the enemy knew of them.
-'I still have trouble accepting people can do such things to other people.'
Sumia glanced to the speaker, small, young and, perhaps most surprising of all, her daughter.
To say Cynthia was a surprise was something of an understatement, like all her friends she found herself marrying after the war with Plegia, unlike them she remained unpregnant. The thought of a time traveling daughter was odd but she found herself believing it, she did look so much like herself and Gregor for her to think any other way and it just felt... right.
-'I also have trouble accepting it.'
She said, as she rested a hand on Cynthia's head.
-'War is brutal and we do horrible things that would be unacceptable at any other time, some find themselves enjoying it.'
Silence fell before Cynthia looked up.
-'Which is why it is all the more important for heroes to take a stand!'
Sumia smiled at that.
-'Yes. I suppose it is.'
Further conversation was interrupted by a knight landing nearby, speaking almost as soon as she was out of the saddle.
-'Lieutenant! We found the enemy!'
After the Plegian war the Pegasus Order was heavily bloodied, most of it's members dying in the conflict and despite the two years of peace the order was still weaker than ever, most of it's members young and inexperienced and the girl before here was a proof to that, young face, wide eyes and nearly shaking in excitement of her success. Sumia couldn't help but feel protective of them.
-'Did they see you?'
-'No, we held low and left as soon as we realized who they were. It's a small force, probably watching the garrisons horses.'
Sumia nodded.
-'Well done. Rest up as we get word back to the main force.'
-'A small group, two dozen at the most... perfect chance to get some prisoners, find out what we are up against in the temple.'
Robin stated after listening to the report, rubbing his head in a vain attempt to diminish the headache that plagued him. Chrom nodded his agreement with the assessment.
-'Strike with a small force than, our sneakiest. Gaius, maybe Gregor and Vaike.'
Basilio nodded.
- 'I'd also suggest Lonqu and Panne, I'm sure they'll have a few other names to add.'
-'Kellam.'
All eyes turned to Robin who shrugged.
-'I keep forgetting but that man is really good at sneaking.'
There was a collective agreement at that. Folding his arms Chrom looked to the horizon.
-'So we got our names, shall we let them decide who else to bring?'
-'If I may?'
All eyes turned to Lucina who continued once she was sure that she had their attention.
-'Myself and my friends have some experience in sneaking, perhaps we could join in?'
Before she finished she could see Robins mouth form a thin line and bristled in preparation for the inevitable unpleasantness he would unleash so she was surprised when instead he sighed and looked to her father.
-'Chrom?'
Her father looked at her with a thoughtful expression before slowly nodding.
-'Someone else will be in charge, will you be certain to follow orders and do as told?'
-'Yes.'
Her father nodded again as he spoke.
-'Good. So we have our sneaks, let's get to the operations details.'
A bird suddenly fluttered from it's hiding spot, scant yards from Lucina and everybody clung lower to the ground as they waited to see if the enemy would notice. The Imperial sentry glanced up, looked over the field where they lay hidden for a moment before leaning back on his spear. Slowly a series of kicks reached her and the group began shuffling forward again. Slowly, almost agonizingly so Imperials grew more visible and Lucina could smell the smoke from their camp fires and burnt mutton.
Gaius stopped moving and everyone followed his example. The sentry was looking towards them again, Lucina swallowed as a nervous lump appeared in her throat.
Please think its nothing. Please think it was nothing.
She prayed. The sentry shifted his stance, his spear lowering to the en gard position as he tilted his body back, mouth opening as he gathered the breath to bellow.
With a blur of movement they rose from the tall grass and rushed towards the Imperials, Panne shifting form mid stride so the sentries call of alarm turned to a panicked scream before the monster rabbit barreled into him.
The Imperials stumbled to their feet, many of them still blurry eyed from their interrupted siesta as the Ylissians and Feroxi ran amongst them.
One managed to grab his spear before Lucina reached him, he managed to swing the spear at her but the thrust was off and she managed to sidestep and saw the fear in his eyes as she closed the distance and cracked the pommel of her falchion in the side of his head, dropping him to the ground.
He still tried to get back to his feet so she pushed him down before pressing the blade's tip to his neck.
-'Yield!'
She hissed. The man, youth rather, nodded and a thin point of blood appeared where the blade nicked his skin. Keeping the blade at his throat she looked around and saw the fight was over.
Of the imperials few fell, most being taken alive though most of them were worse for wear of her allies none seem to have suffered.
-'Get up.'
She pushed off her prisoner who slowly rose, hands above his head as she pushed him to walk towards were the others were being gathered. Vaike griped the youth by the shoulder and pushed him down before winking at her as they walked away, leaving the prisoners under the watch of others.
-'Nicely done princess.'
She couldn't help grinning back, why couldn't father surround himself with more men like this, she found herself thinking as movement made her turn to Gaius who was talking with Panne, still in her taguel form.
-'Right Whiskers, we've got them so you should probably head back and report to Blue and Bubbles.'
-'Bubbles?'
Lucina raised an eyebrow as she repeated the word.
-'Robin. Gaius gives most everyone a nickname.'
-'So "blue" would be...'
-'You're dad, yep.'
She "hmmed" at that before something came to mind.
-'"Whiskers" and "Blue" I can understand... but "Bubbles"?'
To her surprise Vaike snorted.
-'Long story that, you sure you're interested?'
Though not really a question she thought for a moment before nodding which seemed to amuse the man.
-'This goes back when we were all livin' in the barracks. One night Robin comes back from the city proud as anything as he got some foul smelling paste he said would make his bath better. So he boils up the water and asks us not to bother him as he tells us he wants to relax. No sooner Robin disappears when Chrom comes by asking 'bout him sayin he needs somethin' or other and waltzes right in. While they're talkin Miriel comes in and also has somethin to talk to Robin about, you know her, she sometimes doesn't get boundaries so she goes in just like that.'
By this point Lucina was fighting hard not to grin too much as she imagined everyone she only recently knew as semi-legendary figures behaving like this while Vaike continued.
-'Next comes Frederick with Lissa and Sully looking for Chrom so they go in. By this point me and the guys decide the bath house is some sort of party so we walk in to find everyone standing over an annoyed looking Robin in his tub trying to draw the bubbles over himself. Everyone is goin on as if they were holding a meeting when Sumia and Maribelle show up looking for Lissa. They notice Robin in the tub, go red in the face and start walking backwards and Robin says, "Don't worry! Everyone else has seen me without my bubbles so you might as well".'
-'You guys look tired, found something to do while out?'
The soldier was a bit surprised when instead of answering the returning soldier, slumped over in what looked like exhaustion gripped him by the shoulder and even more surprised when he plunged a dagger into his neck, cutting through all that was important inside with a sawing motion.
Gaius dropped the sentry and turned to see how the rest were doing, Gregor twisted his large hands and the sentry in his grip went limp, elsewhere he saw the remaining sentries were down, a quick look to the camp confirmed nobody had noticed yet.
-'Hide the bodies! And signal the main force.'
He hissed, the Valmese bodies disappeared outside the palisade as one of Lonqu's Feroxi walked out of the and began waving his scarf. Squinting because of the sun in their eyes he eventually saw a line of horsemen appear from the woods.
Once the prisoners had been interrogated the higher up decided to use their expected return to get a small force into the camp, ready to cause havoc, so far so good.
- 'Stay here and make sure nobody notices the sentries are gone. Sneak you're with me.'
Kellam nodded and they made their way between the tents heading for where, according to the prisoners, the force commander had his tent. It was a nervous path as even though they tried to look like locals there was always the chance that the soldiers in such a small force would realize they were not from the camp and question them. Luckily the only soldier that looked at them seemed not to care and was back to cleaning his kit before they passed by.
-'Right Kell... Kellam?'
-'Yeah?'
Gaius nearly jumped at that, honestly how does someone that big sneak around so easily? It was starting to wound his pride... shaking the thought aside he tilted his head.
-'You know what to do here, than head back to the others.'
The other man nodded and moved between the tents leaving Gaius to do his own task. Using the information the Ylissians had gathered from their allies as well as managed to force out of prisoners Gaius had a fairly good idea of how the Imperial Valmese organized their camps. As such it wasn't long before he found himself near a larger tent, where the camps commander should be, checked the area before waiting.
It started with a plume of black smoke that grew steadily larger till shouts of surprise and panic sounded soon followed by the bellows of nco's and officers as they tried to regain control.
-'Fire!'
-'Get those tents down! Clear some ground!'
-'Stop standing around! Get a water chain going!'
Kellam had done his job, Gaius noted, meaning it was now his turn.
As expected a larger man strode out of the tent in little more than his breeches and he quickly picked out a soldier and demanded to know what was happening.
-'Fire milord! Supply tents.'
The Valmese noble looked to the black smoke with a curse.
-'Find your officer. Stop it spreading!'
He barked before disappearing back into his tent. Nobody seemed to notice Gaius move out of his cover nor slide into the tent but the Valmese noble must have felt something as he lifted his head up from the shirt he was putting on and started turning to the entrance just as Gaius pressed his dagger to the mans throat and pulled.
-'I can't see.'
The man coughed as he was half led, half dragged out of the smoke.
-'It's just the smoke, you'll be alright in a moment.'
The man leading him answered.
-'We'll be out of camp soon, get some clean air and... the hell are they?'
He could see, blurry outlines from watering eyes but he could see so he saw a mass of horsemen formed up outside the camp. All around him men pulled up short in front of the camp gate and looked in silence at the riders till the riders drew steel and moved forward.
Panic. Mostly unarmoured, mostly unarmed many in little more than their shirts the Imperials starting pushing back into the camp, those still leaving pushed to get out and it was a panicked, heaving mass that the riders rode into.
He stumbled as the man holding him was knocked down by a horses chest, another horse hit him a glancing blow that spun him around. Something hot and wet spattered his face and he stumbled back with a cry only to slip and fall. He saw red, than black and when the light returned he saw iron shod hooves coming down on him.
-'How much further?'
-'Not much.'
Sayri offered with a sympathetic smile. She remembered the first time she had climbed the steps of the Mila tree and how it seemed to have no end. Despite being a relatively easy climb it was long and despite a nights rest the previous days slaughter might still be taking it's toll.
She had no other word but slaughter for what had happened, the entire Imperial force had been put to the sword with only a small number of their attackers injured in the desperate fight. As she came to another flight of stairs she caught sight of the mind that came up with the plan.
Robin did not look like a man proud of his victory, if anything he seemed angry, scowling at everyone and everything, eyes narrowed as if in pain and if she was not mistaken he seemed paler than normal...
-'Something wrong girl?'
She started at that, Basilio was looking at her and she realized she had stopped climbing. Placing her foot on the next step she answered.
-'Nay. I was merely...'
She paused not sure how to explain and cast a glance towards the Ylissian Lord Constable to see whether he was paying attention. Basilio noticed and laughed.
-'Let me guess, our Robin insulted you?'
He stated with a look of a man who has solved a mystery and she found herself shaking her head, the Feroxi continued.
-'No need to be polite, if you don't tell him when he's being an ass he honestly won't realize by himself.'
-'Fie! He honestly offered me no insult.'
-'Honest?After you spent all that time talking to him?'
Basilio seemed surprised and she shook her head again.
-'He wished to know of Chonsin, our armies in particular.'
-'That does sound like him.'
The Feroxi nodded and they climbed the next flight in silence before he spoke again.
-'If you wouldn't mind, I've a few questions myself. For example did you finally rebuild that gold plated temple that burned down?'
-'You know of that?'
Sayri tilted her head to fully look at the man who nodded.
-'I haven't had my ass in Ferox my whole life, I've traveled round.'
The next flight's passed as they discussed what had changed and what had remained the same in Chonsin.
She was in a sea of light, no matter where she looked it was more the same. She did not know how much time passed when she she saw change, slowly at first from the corners of her eyes she saw the light dim. As more of the light dimmed the initial patches turned darker until there was no light there at all but a darkness so complete it seemed to draw in the light around it. Before she knew it the light had faded and she stood at the edge of an abyss and the dark reached out to her. She found her strength and resisted. The dark recoiled, shifting back but did not surrender what it held.
She woke.
Her vision blurry he looked round her, trying to remember where she was, when she was when she saw him. Slight of frame, a pale face framed by dark hair and a look of concern on his face... could it really be?
-'Mar-mar?'
-'I... no. I have not gone by that name my lady.'
She had realized her mistake now, it was not Marth before her, to start the list of things that differed the youth in front of her was a girl.
Tiki sighed, Marth and all the others had been dead for millenia, the dust of their bones long gone yet she still occasionally saw them, wished to see them.
-'I apologize, I am sometimes confused when I wake.'
She said as she looked round at the strangers in front of her, no, not all of them were strangers.
-'Sayri, greetings.'
-'Greetings my lady. I apologize for disturbing you again.'
She couldn't help but smile at that.
-'No, I enjoy these chats. All too few people come to see me these past centuries. Besides...'
She turned her attention back to the girl she had mistaken for Marth and the man beside her to whom she bore a strong resemblance.
-'I take it you have come for a specific reason. You two are of, what humans call, "the exalted bloodline" are you not?'
Robin spat out more bile and wiped his mouth with his hand, regretting at once he did not remove the gauntlet before doing so.
The last days had not been good for him. Since they started their march to this tree he had felt ever more ill by the mile till he could barely concentrate because of the dull pain beating behind his eyes and the sensation of something crushing his chest.
The night on the battlefield was sleepless as each time he managed to sleep he soon woke as some unremembered nightmare roused him till he opted not to sleep at all and with every step up the tree he felt worse.
But stubborn pride forced him up even if he lagged behind and the pain got worse when they finally got to the top. Even in his pain hazed mind he was intrigued by the temple complex at why and how it was built on a tree.
With a sigh he shook his head as if hoping it would remove the pain and started walking towards the only intact building where he assumed everyone else was.
Pain. A sudden bolt of intense pain as if somebody struck him with a hammer and the man staggered back bent over and heaved his guts out.
Sniffing the man looked down at the small pool of bile, not feeling well he had not broken his fast so he had nothing to vomit with, and spat again hoping to rid himself of the taste.
With a last look to the temple, and feeling the pain increase, he opted not to go that way instead moving towards the sound of falling water.
-'Honestly, if you didn't feel good you should have said so earlier, not wait till you go faint!'
Noire looked down as Severa berated her, after all her friend was right. True she did not want to worry them, again, as her frailty gave notice of itself but she ended up worrying them regardless and was lucky Gerome was at hand to support her when she lost her footing. So instead she nodded and muttered.
-'Sorry.'
Severa "humphed" at that but her features softened slightly as she wrung out the kerchief and handed it to the other girl.
-'I'd rather you pay attention to yourself instead of apologizing afterwards.'
-'Sorry.'
Noire said again but took the kerchief and placed it to her head. Severa sighed and the two fell into a comfortable silence where the only sound was the water falling into the fountain.
-'Great.'
Severa hissed causing Noire to look up and follow the other girls gaze. An armoured form walked around the corner which Noire realized to be the ever scowling Lord Constable of Ylisse. Severa almost bristled as she took a half step forward even as Noire found herself shrinking back, the man had left a poor impression in all of them.
Robin didn't seem to notice as he simply walked to the fountain and splashed water into his face. The girls looked to each other at this behavior and looked back as the man scooped up more water, rinsed his mouth and spat away from them. Severa broke first as she folded her arms.
-'Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the important people along with your "tactical genius"?'
Noire winced as she fully expected the man to respond with anger but instead he raised his head to the sky, eyes closed, took a deep breath and spoke in a quiet voice.
-'Severa, could you please leave me alone? Just for today even?'
Eyebrows shot up as the girls glanced at each other at this odd reaction and before she made a conscious thought Noire found herself asking.
-'Are you... are you not well?'
Robin looked to her and she saw he was indeed pale, his eyes sunken into his skull, the shadows under them making them seem all the deeper and his veins formed a visible dark web under his skin.
-'Aye. I am not.'
He answered.
-'I see.'
She muttered an answer and looked back to Severa who looked as baffled by the events as she felt before looking back to the man who had turned his attention back to the water.
-'Umm... I occasionally don't feel well either so I carry some herbs on me if you'd like...'
She trailed off not sure what more to say or whether to even say more and why she was saying it in the first place and looked back to Severa who shrugged her shoulders. The man sighed as he straightened up.
-'Thank you for the offer... maybe later...'
-'I see.'
After that silence fell as the girls observed the man who seemed to lose interest in them and was now tracing a hand across the carvings on the fountain.
-'Interesting.'
He muttered to no one in particular though Severa found herself responding any way.
-'They seem to be of the continents mythology.'
The man nodded and left the fountain walking up to the next statue in the area. Casting a last look to one another the girls followed.
He barely heard the girls anymore as he traced a finger over the faded carvings. He was...
... he was under the blazing sun, shoulder to shoulder with others, the sharp slops of the valley sweeping down to them.
- 'Hold! Hold!'
Someone bellowed and he saw dark shapes coming down the wooded slopes, weapons in hand as they charged their pitifully thin ranks. He...
... he stumbled forward, hand leaving the fountain as he found himself in front of another statue, the grim faced man on it glared down on him he...
... he winced as the arrows fell amongst them, men and horses screaming. He had pushed too far too early and now he was surrounded and enemy cavalry were closing in. A grim faced man glared at him as he seemed to point his lance at him and bellowed a challenge. He cursed and swerved his horse around to meet the charge. He...
... he staggered and saw another statue. Not much was left, but he knew it to be a pegasus with its rider, the girls head was lying in the grass looking up at him. He...
... he followed the others down the damp steps leading to the fortresses dungeons, the lamps in their hands offering little light. There in a damp, dark cell they found her. Ragged, bloodied but she still held her head high as they opened the cell. He...
... he staggered forward. Behind him he heard movement, somebody saying something but he couldn't make out the words. Nor, he found, could he turn his head to see them as his gaze fell on another statue. This one presenting a young man who looked down with authority. He... he recognized him, he...
... he was amongst hundreds in the palaces throne room as the man took to his hard earned seat. The man looked down on the throng, occasionally holding a gaze longer and he reached him, their eyes locked and the new emperor smiled softly and nodded before continuing with his survey of the room. Finally the man finished and the head priest appeared with the crown. He found himself filling his lungs and when the crown touched his emperors head he...
... he staggered back, the ground rushing up to meet him. He heard panicked shouts, somebody running forward but still he found himself whispering what was being shouted even as the darkness took him.
- 'Long live Alm.'
A few chapters back I said I had randomized the pairings for the fun of it and lifted the limitations of pairings (within reason) leading to the Sumia/Gregor pairing. I'm sure their supports would be adorable.
If you know what scenes I'm referencing in the last section than get yourself a cookie, you deserve it.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.