Day 234, Morning
Just as the first wisps of dawn peeked over the horizon, a lithe figure deftly slipped off her cot.
"Stone floors get cold," she muttered under her breath, putting on a pair of socks over her bare feet.
Day off or not, Cordelia rose as the sun did, more out of habit than of diligence. It didn't hurt to be diligent though, and the Ylissean had that trait in droves. Good thing Steiger had such short walls or Cordelia wouldn't have seen the sun for another thirty minutes.
"Why is it that no matter how quiet you get up, or..."
A yawn interrupted Sumia's morning rambles. The brunette rose ungracefully, her hair a delightful mess and her eyes about a quarter open. Cordelia smiled lightly at her partner's state and paused her actions.
"That was big one. Good morning."
"Yeah yeah. Ow, my neck. Jeez."
Sumia's pillow lay about a foot away, balanced precariously on her bookshelf. Why it was there and not supporting Sumia's head was simply put, a natural occurring mystery.
Groaning to herself, Sumia looked around, quite aware of the lack of sunlight.
"And of course it's not even morning yet. 'Good morning Sumia!'" she mimicked in Cordelia's tone, shaking her head. "Why do I always wake up from you waking up? It's not fair."
"Fair? You hum in your sleep. That's not fair," the redhead retorted, tossing Sumia her riding boots.
"Oh? Are we patrolling?"
"Something like that. Free day or not, I have a plan for us today."
Sumia nodded with clear distaste, groaning into her newly-retrieved pillow as she stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Looking outside, two or three people were up alongside the guards on patrol, and Sumia decided she would be an early riser as well. Not like she had much choice in the matter.
"Well Cordy, I suppose you need me to cooperate for this plan to come to fruition?" Sumia asked, reaching underneath her cot to retrieve her folded uniform. It was a lavender tunic, thankfully not very damaged. Shrugging her sleepwear off, it only took a moment for her to change outfits.
"Your tan evened out."
"Has it? Phew."
"I unfortunately burn like the flames of death so my arms are a lost cause."
Sumia giggled, reaching into a small box and finding her headband, emblazoned with the wings of a Pegasus. Unlike Cordelia's, hers adorned the back of her head as opposed to her temples.
"Armor?"
"Nope."
The two riders thus exited the tent, walking casually between the other tents until stopping by the mess hall for breakfast. By now, the sun began its peek over the forested horizon beyond, painting the sky a lovely golden-blue.
"So, what is your scheme of the day anyway?" Sumia began, now that they were out of earshot of the sleeping Shepherds. Cordelia reached into Sumia's bag and pulled out the map she planted within the night before.
"Hey-"
"Steiger is next to a small town, maybe a few miles away. We've kind of glazed over it," Cordelia explained, "I want to check on the townspeople and the buildings, making sure they are in good condition for us to depart. Plus, if they have a shop, I was hoping to get you some books and herbs for the long journey before us."
"Oh. I appreciate that," Sumia replied softly, smiling. "And I suppose the town blacksmith might be able to run a quick horseshoe requisition for the girls?"
"I... didn't think of that. Yes, I agree."
Sumia feigned shock, her grin giving it away. "Oh, have I one-upped our flawless leader? Maybe her mind is slipping with age."
"Mmm, perhaps it is. Being me is tiring," Cordelia yawned, a tired smirk appearing thereafter. Long ago, before Valm, Sumia's comment would have struck a nerve within her. Subaki's presence for the past few months kind of numbed that pain though. Her sisters, so far away...
Another yawn interrupted her sentiments, this one drawing a smile from Sumia.
"Hear me out Cordy: We sleep in for once, one of these days."
She woke up early, sure. That did not mean she was full of energy. That didn't come until daybreak. Cordelia nodded in agreement, knowing that day would be a nice one.
"When we can sleep in, we will. A nice breakfast in the castle with the Shepherds, and no war to worry about. Ah."
That would be really nice.
Owain ran by, muttering something about seeing someone in the medical tent.
"Someone's excited to see her," Sumia laughed, watching the boy disappear in a golden flash.
"Who?" Cordelia asked.
"Owain. I mean the girl. Not Owain. Owain's not the girl-"
"Yes, yes, I caught a glimpse of them. Not a very good one."
"Come to think of it, the taller one kinda looked like you."
"Huh. How about that."
As the tents got farther and farther away, Sumia glanced numerous times behind, seeming to guide Cordleia back. The redhead noticed after a few times, pausing her march.
"Something wrong?" she asked, sensing a hesitation in her friend's stride.
"Umm, Cordy? You passed the stables."
The redhead shrugged, staying her path towards the town a couple miles away. Steiger's walls were thick, gated on both sides. Not that a Pegasus Knight ran into too many gates in their lifetime. It was sort of surreal, like a sailor hiking on a grand mountain top after a long voyage on the rough sea. Cordelia let her arms sway to her steps, her shoulders loose and relaxed.
"The Pegasi have a busy day tomorrow. They'd appreciate the rest. Trust me, I'd rather fly there too, but it's not that far..."
Sumia sighed deeply, catching up to her friend when she realized her legs would actually have to do work now.
"It's awkward," Sumia admitted, "Walking around like this. You spend so many of your days flying or on your stomach scouting, that the few days you do walk more than a couple laps around camp- it feels foreign. Like our bodies aren't meant to do this."
"I'm almost used to it," Cordelia hoped, "Remember when Robin wanted me to fill in as a dark mage?"
"Gods," Sumia laughed, remembering Cordelia's intense crimson shade in the skimpy garbs of the Plegian arts. Not only did it place emphasis on her meager bust, but her entire body was exposed to the cold nights and blistering days of Plegia, something Cordelia's tunic did nothing to prepare her for. And the stares. So many stares. But like most nightmares, this one passed, and Cordelia's magic prowess grew. One of these days, she'd cast spells from the sky like that wench, Aversa.
But the stares...
Cordy shivered, blocking off the memory of days less pleasant, instead changing the topic to Sumia.
"Then again, it's probably not as bad as you pretending to be a knight," Cordelia recalled, causing Sumia to wince at the thought. She wasn't particularly tall, a hair taller than Cordelia but not even close to some of the taller women like Flavia or Panne. Wearing armor fit for Frederick or any other breed of colossus was... not fun. The walking, the armor- she couldn't even swing her lance properly with that stupid shoulder plate-
"Let's forget I complained. This is fine. This is nice!"
"It made sense though," Cordelia recalled, going back a few years. "Frederick and our other knights couldn't hold the line by themselves... I'll admit it was a pretty rewarding decision to disregard our aerial units and use you us to reinforce the numbers on the ravine's choke points."
"But why me!? Of all the people Robin could've stuffed in that blasted armor, he chose me." Sumia pouted into her friend's back, pulling a fake tantrum all the while trying to suppress her grin.
"It was either me or you, considering we're the only flyers," Cordelia reasoned, still serious.
"Still..." Sumia's face shrunk in mock sadness, only for Cordelia to pat her shoulder.
"The nightmare is passed. It's over."
"I guess there is a method to Robin's madness," Sumia admitted softly, thinking fondly of the strapping tactician.
"There is, at times. He is quite good at keeping us all alive," Cordelia laughed, imagining the dark robes on her body once more. How would Subaki react if...
"I hear Robin wants me to try fielding as a healer for the coming skirmishes," Sumia said excitedly. "I'd love to do that! I've always wanted to help our injured more than just offering them elixir and ferrying them back to camp."
"But you're one of our best scouts!"
"Yeah... I figured. But... there's more than a few of us in the sky now. I could give Snowflake a break and do all the legwork myself. Heh, imagine me, running all over the battlefield like Princess Lissa or Sakura."
"I imagine a lot of tripping."
"Yes. I don't mind the mud though. Still, the scout role is kind of... over saturated. There's you, me, Subaki. Princess Hinoka, Princess Camilla, Cherche, Gerome... Cynthia."
"Ah, Cynthia. Quite the dashing Pegasus Knight in training, isn't she? After that whole business with the Justice Cabal, I'm sure she's thrilled to be a Knight just like you."
"She looks up to us so much, did you know that? The two of us were her own biggest heroes, growing up. 'Invincible Sumia-Destroyer-of-Evil-and-Breaker-of-Petals,' and her sidekick Cordy!" Cordelia couldn't help but suppress a giggle.
"What? Why am I your sidekick?"
"'Cause we're besties?" Sumia offered.
"Yeah but... Ah, she is your daughter, not mine..." Cordelia's face experienced a brief sadness, and Sumia connected the dots.
"Hey, your daughter will have great stories of us where you're the hero, I betcha!" Cordelia's blank gaze said otherwise.
"I... I don't think so. I have this weird feeling that I wasn't one."
"You don't mean... It is Severa, right? The one Owain was gushing about when we asked? Whoa... Hey."
"What?" Cordelia wondered, seeing Sumia put the pieces together mentally.
"D-do you think it's her? Is that why he was bolting so fast?"
"That's a very hopeful thought," Cordelia mused out loud, looking back towards the walls of Steiger now a few miles away. "Let's get something for her when she wakes up too."
"I told you it would be okay. You were worried she wasn't alive... I'm sure they rescued Severa. That's her!" Sumia repeated, getting excited beyond containment.
"That settles it," Cordelia nodded, her heart racing, "Severa's been gone for a couple years now. What could she have possibly gone through without me? I need to see her soon. Actually, I was thinking that maybe Cynthia and you could accompany me to see Severa tonight..."
"I'd love to! And Cynthia would like to see her friend, if she hasn't already."
"Great! Well... All that talking and the town is in sight! Ah, where's my list..."
"Your eyes. Restless. I see your energy within them. Even on a day of rest, you yearn to stretch your wings?"
"..."
"I see... I am not your rider, so I cannot untie those knots keeping you in place. Perhaps some oats? I do believe there may be some..."
"..."
"You are Ylissean, I can tell. The Hoshidan Tenma are of slimmer build. Your wingspan is broader and your coat isn't as pure white as theirs... They call you Pegasi, just as the Dark Fliers of Nohr rode, long ago."
"..."
"She takes good care of you, my friend Snowflake. They tell us Knights of Nohr that our horse is more valuable than we are. I agree. Strange I know, but... I guess that is why I do not ride. I couldn't stand the thought of losing my mount to battle."
Benny stopped his chat with the beast when he heard the slight patter of footsteps... one human, one horse-like. And... whispering?
"...Alright Snowflame. We can do this. Easy in? Easy out. He won't even-"
"If you wish to whisper, try to replace your 'Esses' with 'Ethes'. It travels less and does not echo."
Benny turned away from Sumia's Pegasus to see Cynthia shying into the stables, leading a Pegasus of her own inside its block. Eyeing Benny the whole time, the younger girl tried to look inconspicuous but being the only one aside from the knight inside, it was very hard to do so. The border guard could tell that the young girl was panicking to get in and get out, no doubt due to her fear.
"W-what are you doing in the stables? Thtableth. Stables? Easy, Eathy. Huh, you're right."
"Hmm?" Benny hummed, a low growl to Cynthia's ears, prompting a flinch.
"I-I was wondering... That's Mom's Pegasus... Snowflake. Not that m-many people talk to animals like that. I don't really know who watches over the stable, but Commander put me in charge of cleaning and I wanted to take out Snowflame-"
Benny let out a small smile, pulling up a stool and sitting next to Sumia's mount.
"Animals don't get scared of scary humans."
"Y-you're not so scary."
Benny raised an eyebrow, the expression causing Cynthia to wince.
"You're tall... A-anyway! You can speak to Pegasi?" Cynthia asked in awe. Benny chuckled and shook his head, ruffling Snowflake's mane.
"No... But I understand an animal enough to know what they want," Benny explained. "Come, sit down. You were brave to face the dragon in his lair. Are you really scared of me? You are Sumia's daughter, are you not? The Knight that serves House Ylisse now?"
Cynthia cringed at her official title, but beamed nonetheless.
"Sorry, sir. I don't really know many of the Nohrians or Hoshidans aside from the kids... And well... yeah."
"I'm Benny. I was a border guard that got caught up with Prince Leo's entourage before all this started. My partner Charlotte... I wonder if she thinks I'm dead. I'll run into her again, I'm sure. She's quite strong. And mean."
"I... yeah. My deeds are not as heroic as Mom, but I think our first mission was a success! I mean, Commander Robin liked it, didn't he?" Benny chuckled as he picked up another handful of oats and stretched his hand out to the Pegasus across from him.
"You rescued Lady Selena. That is no small deed."
"Selena?" Cynthia asked. Benny nodded, closing the barrel of oats and scratching the Pegasus behind the ears.
"Princess Camilla had two retainers, Selena and Beruka. Selena... wasn't Nohrian though, not when the palace officials asked the border guards for information on her. She wasn't from Nohr. Either that or she magically avoided the big gate."
"...Maybe it was magic. Owain did say..."
Benny turned, still half conversing with the beast in front of him.
"Did I piece together a puzzle you've been trying to solve?"
"Some people called Sevvy Selena, and I was wondering why. Lady Camilla had a very strong reaction seeing her again... I'll have to ask her later. You wouldn't know, perchance?" The grizzled border guard shook his head indifferently.
"Selena, Severa, they sound similar. If they're the same person, then I guess everyone that knows her is happy. I didn't know her, so I'm just here feeding the mounts as I always do."
"I'm supposed to- Well, I can always cover the next round. So which one's yours?"
"All of them."
"I mean... you ride one of them, don't you?"
"Nope."
"Oh. You're like my mom. She always brought me to the Pegasi to feed the whole stable."
"It's a knight's duty to care for their mount. I'm sure you know that by now."
"Steed, Spear, Saddle, Self," Cynthia repeated from rote. "Every knight does."
Sumia's Pegasus began to jolt, not exactly keen on staying inside the stable.
"In one way or another, yes," Benny started, standing up as Sumia's Pegasus began to whinny. "Though after a while, it comes naturally for a rider to care for their creature more than anything else. Maybe."
"Really? Do you really think that's the case for every knight?"
Sumia's Pegasus kicked the front of its stable with its hoof, causing Benny to flinch visibly.
"Gods, that was loud... But yes, it's possible. It's just like your human friends, or your Cabal as it was. You look out for your friends diligently, they look out for you."
"I suppose they become your friend after many rides together," Cynthia mused, gazing at Snowflame. "She doesn't quite trust me with the stunts yet."
"Don't think of them as stunts then. You keep her safe, she'll keep you safe. Just like now..." Benny rose, slowly undoing the knots on Snowflake's lead. "I sense some overbearing fear now... Get ready to ride. Follow her."
"I feel it too," Cynthia worried, walking over to Sumia's Pegasus and stroking its mane. "What's wrong with you, boy?"
"..."
"Well?" Cynthia asked, panicking.
"It senses danger for its master," Benny stated, closing his eyes and feeling the neck of the beast. Cynthia quickly gulped in terror, tearing open the stable door and giving Snowflake the room he needed to take off.
"How'd you know! And we gotta help Mom!"
"Untie his binds. Can you ride him?" Benny asked, to which Cynthia shook her head. Holding the reigns of her own Pegasi, she released Snowflake rapidly, kicking open the stable doors.
"I already have Snowflame ready to go! I can... uh..."
The border guard thought quickly. Who did he pass this morning?
Red hair, lithe frame. Cordelia? Next to her... Sumia. Where were they...
"Fly to the town west of here. You will find your mother and her friend. Quickly!"
"What about you!?" Cynthia huffed, already mounting and strapping a pair of spears to her saddle. Benny shook his head, tying on his gauntlet and flexing his fingers.
"I will call one of our other flyers-"
"Take Snowflake!"
"I cannot ride her! I am too heavy and this is a Pegasus, so he will hate me atop him. You're on your own." Cynthia nodded with determination, taking to the skies.
"Then wish me luck! I'll try to reel them both in!" Benny watched as the brown-haired knight took off, stirring a great deal of dust from the near-vertical take off. Snowflake stirred, still being held by Benny.
"A horse without a rider... No, that's too dangerous."
"We need to get help!" Sumia yelped, arrows flying over her cover and striking stone not too far from her face.
"This is where you say 'We should have flown Cordelia' or something." Cordelia huffed, throwing one of Snowflake's new horseshoes at the bandits. It missed horribly, but bought the two enough time to dash towards a cart that offered a bit of cover. Glancing back at the family inside the shop, Cordelia was relieved to see them all there still.
"Are you all okay!?"
"Yes! But be careful!" The woman inside screamed, holding her child behind her body.
"I've little choice," Cordelia grumbled, jerking her head back just as a fireball whizzed through that very spot. "Crap. Sumia! Get that other family to lock the windows, the doors! Rally the flyers, I dunno how, but get someone over here! Tell them bandits are attacking the town and we have no armed Shepherds in range!"
"I can't leave you here!" Sumia yelled back, an arrow finding its mark and embedding itself into the table she was behind.
"You're not leaving me here, you're leaving here! Now hurry up! While they're focused on me!" Sumia gulped and sprinted out the building, too fast to be targeted by the archers before she turned into the main road, disappearing behind a building. By the time she reappeared, she was already too far away for the mages.
"Now as for you, we have to hope they run out of arrows before I run out of places those arrows can hit," Cordelia winced, an arrow already cutting open the skin on her shoulder.
The uniform of a Pegasus Knight was, while a fashion disaster, the pride of any woman who had earned the twin wings.
Now it had a lot more holes than before. It would, however, make an excellent story for the trainees in the future, once this whole disaster was all sorted. Any moment now, Robin and a company of angry Shepherds would appear, fueled by the fury of a ruined Krismas and-
Glass exploded above Cordelia, sending shards whistling past her ears and onto very delicate yet sunburned skin.
Blood streaked from her leg as yet another arrow was revealed to had barely found her shin, deflecting off the bone but still leaving a decidedly un-sexy white-hot cut.
"This really shouldn't hurt as much as it does- our armor barely does anything," the knight admitted, determined to keep the family safe above anything else. Peeking beyond, she spotted two empty enemy quivers and one about to be. A swordsman stood patiently nearby, concealing himself in the building adjacent to the archers. Leaning forward, Cordelia stripped a piece of ply from the cart, making quite an effective shield to avoid any more pokes to her well-acclaimed legs.
"That's two archers dry... One more left. The mages seemed to be focused on Sumia... If I can split their gap and take one of their tomes, I can perhaps shift this battle towards-" A fireball slammed into her cover, setting it ablaze and knocking Cordelia back towards the family, now with half a home.
"Run!" Cordelia yelled, "Change of plans! Take the main road, and I'll do my best to peel those brigands off you!"
"R-right!" The knight watched as the family of four exited the house following her cover, the three archers all but out of arrows and the swordsman no where to be seen.
Cordelia huffed as the archer's last arrow struck her in the makeshift shield, barely poking through and embedding itself in her forearm. The arrowhead shattered on impact with the wood, leaving nothing but a wooden shaft skewering her wrist and a very confused Pegasus Knight wondering why her chin was bleeding. Without a break in stride, she made a beeline for the closest archer in hopes of distracting the group.
"Hyah!" the knight cried, ramming the heavy piece of wood and nails into one of the brigands before he could pull out his knife. The planks made a satisfying thunk with the chin of her target, putting the man to sleep in a violent fashion. The other two archers surrounded Cordelia, but she sprang off the prone body of the unconscious archer and ran towards the road, catching up to the family. Narrowly ducking under the swordsman who tried to ambush her around the corner, Cordelia felt her hopes rise as Sumia was already far into the distance, two specks behind her signifying the mages.
"The family's home free... Those archers can't do much without their arrows. That swordsman though..." Slowing slightly, she dropped her now-broken shield and her bare hands dripped with blood as the swordsman closed in. Feeling the knife that she stole off the first archer, she wasn't expecting this fight to take very long. But at least it would fair.
"Here goes..." Cordelia winced, narrowing her eyes as she turned a few strides in front of the swordsman, gambling on the probability whether or not she would be gutted-
"Don't you dare!" A voice sang, drowned out quickly by the angered neigh of a Pegasus. A white and blue streak of banners and steel fluttered in the morning sky as the Pegasus Knight flew in the path of the swordsman, knocking him off his feet and causing him to land nearly ten feet away, out cold. The two archers sprang after Cordelia, knives in hand. The Pegasus looped around, and Cordelia could see Cynthia on the reigns.
"Aunty Cordy! This is for you!" A spear whistled sharply next to Cordelia's feet, and the dismounted knight pulled it out before flourishing it expertly in her hands, enjoying the touch of cold steel.
"How's your mom?" Cordelia yelled, Cynthia still overhead and ready to intercept the archers.
"I didn't see her on the way here! I saw you running and that family too! Are these the bad guys?"
"Yes!" Cordelia groaned, not in the mood for her theatrics. "Sumia is still on the road! Are you sure you didn't see her?"
"No! I wasn't paying attention!"
Gods damn it all.
Sumia felt her lungs cracking as her boots slipped in the loose gravel road, fire balls and hot bursts of air now streaming by her. Granted, they were off by a fair margin, but the heat was enough to warn her that that was indeed magic capable of turning her into a finely roasted knight.
"There's the walls," Sumia said in relief, judging another half-mile before the sentries would be able to see-
"Agh!" The knight picked every god and cursed their names in sequence as her boots caught an outcropping, forcing her to slip.
Damn every rock and boots and genetic woe for her misfortune...
She couldn't feel her right ankle, but right now it was probably for the best.
"Not now..." Sumia groaned, scrambling to her knees and turning, only to see a fireball head straight for her-
A strong arm blindsided her from the right, lifting her up into the air at impossible speed...
A really big arm. None of the riders were that massive-
Was he on a Pegasus?
He?
"What in the hell?" Sumia wondered, looking at her rescuer. "B-benny!?" The border guard merely smiled as he stroked Snowflake's mane.
"Hold on tight, Sumia," Benny quoted. "Could get a little bumpy."
"How are you even riding a Pegasus?"
"It's gonna be alright," Benny said with a nervous laugh. "He wanted to fly today."
"I knew it! Ah! You poor baby Snowflake-" Benny ignored Sumia, instead handing her the reigns and jumping off to take care of those two mages. At least that would be more straightforward then explaining to a Knight how he forcibly climbed atop her mount.
Robin rushed outside the gates, hearing the commotion as the three Pegasus knights landed. And Benny. Huh.
"Is everyone okay?! Something about bandits at the town! Did we evacuate the people in time-" the tactician began, only to be relieved by the amiable trio of Pegasus Knights and the awkward border guard.
"Everything is just fine, Commander," Sumia laughed, patting Cordelia on the shoulder. The redhead's wounds were already healed and patched up, and looked none the worse all things considered.
"You still look upset, Commander," Cordelia noted, "Did you need something?"
"I'm not quite sure anymore. Looks like there's nothing wrong."
"Well, nothing is wrong. I'll be in the stables," Benny grunted, turning around.
"W-wait?" Sumia whispered, still seeking an answer... "and he's gone."
"..."
"..."
"Nothing to report?"
Three women nodded, and Robin did so in return, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Well, can't complain about that then. Hope your shopping trip went well, Cordy."
"It did, Commander. Thank you."
With that, the young commander turned around, huffing back into his tent. Cordelia and Sumia looked at each other and then at Cynthia, who was nowhere to be found.
Though in the distance, she could be heard yelling to presumably Owain and the rest of the Justice Cabal.
"IwasinthestablesputtingawaySnowflameandthenBennycouldtalktoSnowflakeandthenwefoundoutthatMomandAuntyCordywereintroublebutthenwesavedthem!"
"Huh. Good job then," Owain replied softly, out of ear shot of the Pegasus Knights.
"Wait," Cordelia paused. "How did Robin know what we were up to?"
"Sorry about that," Benny muttered, hearing Sumia step into the stables to check on Snowflake.
"Cynthia told me what you were up to," Sumia replied with a light smile. "I think I ought to thank you for taking care of my boy. And for all those snacks that he's been eating lately. So... thanks, friend," she finished, her smile widening with gratitude. Benny softened, and looked at Snowflake's tired eyes, then Sumia's kind brown ones.
"W-well, I enjoy feeding the Pegasi. I did nothing worth noting. But I'm glad to be of help. And I'm glad you're okay."
"Ha, don't worry about me," Sumia laughed, twirling her ankle to prove that she was okay. Oh, Snowflake's a brave guy! I bet he likes you a lot! That's why he talks to you like he does to me! I still have no idea how you got to ride him though. Huh."
"Snowflake is brave for trusting me to ride him to that village. I didn't think I would make it outside Steiger." Sumia nodded, not really understanding it either.
"Only the gentlest spirits can convince a Pegasus to take flight with them on their back," Sumia explained, finishing her conclusion of the knight in front of her. "I don't think it ever had to be a woman. Or maybe they just need a lot of oats to be convinced."
"And carrots," Benny added, his intimidating aura almost detracting from the light-hearted nature of the joke.
"Still, Snowflake came to my rescue and so did you. That says a lot, doesn't it?"
