Author's Note: So now begins the biggest changes to the original fanfic, where Will heads out to battle Mark. In that fic he tried to go off alone but a good portion of the Legion accompanied him apart from the ones that remained in Caelin. This time, I thought it would be better if Will learned from his mistake in trying and failing to fight Mark during the ring retrieval and ask for help. It also made no sense for Lyn and the others to stay in Caelin while Will was off fighting.

So welcome to all new chapters and content! Things are about to get crazy! Also, please throw me a review if you have the time. Knowing what people think really helps get the next chapters written faster and easier. I'm quite the selfish person that way.

Chapter 27: The Coalition

"Please… don't betray me."

"So… is this his answer?" Uther muttered to himself. "I suppose this is what Maria was trying to explain in her letters… either way, a decision must be made, it seems." He sighed. Weighing options was difficult when he had to factor in his younger brother into the equation. Thinking about the other nations, it was almost inevitable that Eliwood would act to help them. Now with Lundgren out of the picture, he would be able to show his full support for the Lyndis group. If Eliwood would go, it was almost certain that Hector would follow. He wondered if Lord Elbert would be able to stop Eliwood. "No… supporting this is probably best for Lycia." Uther crossed his arms as his brow furrowed.

"Oswin!" He called. From the hall came a sound of affirmation, before a short green haired man walked into the room. He was dressed in fairly heavy armor, but seemed to have no trouble moving in it. He also carried a lance, as was typical of knights that fought in the front.

Oswin bowed to Uther as he approached the throne. "What is it, my lord?"

"We've received a request for aid. I know Hector plans on going, so I'm sending you and Leila with him. You'll be leading a small group of soldiers." Uther explained.

"Where to, my lord?" Oswin asked.

"Caelin." Uther said. "The new lady requested aid from the other Lycian nation to get rid of some troublesome bandits known as the Taliver."

"The ones that have burnt down several settlements in Sacae and Lycia and yet have always managed to get away?" Oswin asked, amazed. "They've found their hideout?"

"Only their current location, which could very well be defunct by the time you arrive. That is why I've decided upon some thought to act on it immediately." Uther said. "This way not only do we help our people, but we regain a foothold with the Caelin Lord."

"As you wish, my lord." Oswin said. He bowed respectfully before leaving the throne room.

"The world continues to turn." Uther said, rubbing his eyes. "Let's hope we're headed in a better direction."

Lord Darin looked over the letter, his nose scrunched up in annoyance. These new rulers had not even taken over for more than half a day before they were asking for help with some random bandits? It wasn't a wise move by any means. In fact, anyone who would participate in such a farce would only do it to help their individual relations with the Caelin house. On those merits alone, however, he couldn't entirely ignore the summons either.

"Daddy? Is there going to be more fighting?" The young boy asked, looking upon his father.

Darin crouched down, placing a hand softly on his son's head. "Yes, but this time it is to help the people. When you are using power to protect, then fighting can have a purpose."

"Who are we going to fight?" The young boy asked.

"A bandit clan that has been a thorn in Lycia's side for far too long. It will also give us a chance to improve our relationship with all the Lycian nations at once, so there is much for us to gain. That goes for all the other countries as well." Darin said. "I cannot spare much, but a small group of soldiers should do. What's important is to make the effort."

"I see…" The young boy contemplated, not entirely sure he understood.

"Then let's go put the unit we'll send together." Darin said. "We've got a few recruits which may in fact work. We'll need to ask your brother to lead them."

"Brother Erik? He's going to beta all the bad man, isn't he!" The young boy said. Suddenly, he doubled over, coughing violently. His father crouched down, picking up the younger boy in his arms.

"Yes, he is." Darin said, his voice becoming softer. "Get some rest young one. I will handle the rest."

Lord Kathelet was at this moment in a meeting with the ladies of Tuscana and Tania as they spoke. There had been a few boarder disputes between them, caused by what he assumed had been the Taliver bandits. When the communication from Caelin arrived, it only helped decide his course of action.

"I believe we should send some soldiers and support this task force of theirs." Kathelet said. "I believe this may be the best way to find the solution we have been looking for."

"You have a point." Lady Tuscana said, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "The Taliver have likely been behind the village blundering by the borders. My question is why they would target areas that would create such political unrest between us."

"I believe that young man stated something to that effect in his letters?" Lady Tania said, pulling it out from a pocket and opening the folded piece. "He mentioned the leader of the Taliver is responsible for several political assassinations."

"He's also a member of the Black Fang according to that. I think we all know that can't be right. The Black Fang are a responsible group that help the downtrodden when we rulers fail in our duties." Tuscana said. "I myself have asked for their assistance on occasion."

"As have I." Lord Kathelet said. "I do not believe his claims of the Black Fang being behind this man, but the dangers of him and his bandits I can believe."

"I suppose the pros outweigh the cons." Tania said. "Personally I find this tactician as he is stated himself to be a dangerous entity. To have taken down Lundgren, and to be involved with the Black Fang, perhaps even in an antagonist way, seems like it may be dangerous down the line."

"Indeed." Tuscana replied. "I suppose we shall have to meet with Lord Uther after all. There are many things we need to discuss."

"I've been hearing worrying rumors as it was." Kathelet said. "Uther's rule may not be as stable as we had thought."

The other two looked at him in surprise. Perhaps they had heard the rumors as well.

Lord Araphen sighed as he looked at the letter. Of course they had managed to succeed. Not only that, but they had sent him the same letter they had sent to the rest of the Lycian Lords and Ladies. It was heaping insult upon injury, and he felt like they knew it. His chamber had been locked for days before a locksmith could be found, his loyal captain had left him, and now he heard whispers of a possible dissolve of his state. He would not go the same way as Cornwell.

"Men, get in here!" Araphen called. Several well dressed and armed soldiers entered. "Caelin has asked for assistance in dealing with a bandit problem. I realize before I offered them no aid. That was a mistake on my part. I will not make that mistake a second time. You are to head for Caelin. Once there, if Rath is willing to command you, allow him to."

Araphen kneaded his forehead. "My prejudice towards nomads will not be Araphen's undoing. Please, accomplish this mission in the name of a safer Lycia."

"Sir!" The men saluted. They left the room, allowing Araphen to slouch back into the chair.

Another low sigh escaped him. "I suppose I have much to make up for now. I only hope Ostia doesn't get on my case about it."

Lord Badon, Lady Ryerde and the new Lord Ranward of Worde were in a meeting of their own. When the first official call of Eliwood's had gone out, they had agreed without much care. Their territories were the furthest from Caelin, and so even if they had sent troops it would have taken too long for them to arrive. A similar problem faced them now, in spite of the letters all three of them had received from the tactician of Caelin.

"He asks in spite of the distance." Badon said, folding his hands together. "I suppose that goes to show how much he realizes Lundgren affected Caelin."

"Drained in both funds and troops, they have little choice. Who knows how many lives were lost in that little civil war Caelin had." Ryerde said. "To at least include us in the communication I suppose is them trying to make a good faith effort to reach out to all of Lycia."

"I'm a new ruler myself." Ranward said. "I'm not sure how much weight my word carries, but Lundgren was a monster. I'd much rather help this young man than him."

"I hear the granddaughter was officially recognized by Lord Hausen himself." Ryerde said. "I suppose if the girl is legitamte, there's no need to deny their request for aid."

"Particularly since that tactician had an addendum to our three letters. In knowing our distance from Caelin he instead charted a route straight to the bandit stronghold, where he would like our forces to amass while waiting for his signal. A brilliant strategy, so long as it was not intercepted." Badon said.

"If he only made three letters…" Ranward said. "I suggest we burn them."

"You've got a mind there yourself, Lord Worde." Badon smirked, pulling out his letter. Ranward and Ryerde did the same, and the three set the letters ablaze with the match Badon then used to light his pipe. "Let's get to work then, shall we?" He said, taking a long draw from the pipe.

"I see." Lord Helman said as he pursued the letter for the third time. Each time made him feel like he was getting closer to an answer, but his duties pushed them away. The questions he wanted to ask would have to wait for a while longer. Of course, the summons was one he knew both Ostia and Laus would answer to.

He may have only been a smaller territory himself, but he felt compelled to do the same. The determining factor was an impressive rumor that had reached his ears from the general populace. This tactician had managed to defeat Lundgren's forces without losing a single one of his allies. That in and of itself was a feet to be admired, and to be studied.

"There's no way a man associated with the Black Fang would remain there longer than necessary though, is there." Helman muttered to himself. Santaruz could certainly use someone of his talents, and if things were as he suspected… he owed at least that much to this young man. Again, duties took precedence. Not many were free to follow their hearts.

"Brianna." He said, making the cavalier turn. "I want you to assemble a team. I know we cannot spare much, but I would like to assist with the defeat of these bandits. I trust you can handle this?"

The young woman nodded before leaving the room. Helman crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. If only he had time to peruse his memories more clearly. Then he may be able to find the true reason the ship sank into the merciless blue.

"I'm going!" The young man boasted.

"Lord Orun, no you can't!" His attendant said, trying in vain to stop his Lord.

"Oh come now, hector is surely going to go. I can't miss out on a party like this!" The young lord laughed heartily. "Besides, none of these Lords will be leading the charge, I'm assuming? If there isn't someone to help Caelin keep things in line, this little coalition of theirs will fall apart in no time!"

"Lord Orun that is simply your own ego talking. They have a newly christened lady of the house as well as a tactician. You will only be in the way!" His attendant tried again, failing to penetrate his Lord's hide.

"Take care of things while I'm away! Now then, let's ride!" He cried, wheeling his small party of warriors around. "To Caelin!"

The small band set off, leaving the poor attendant in the dust. After the group had all but vanished from sight, he slumped to the ground in defeat. "My lord… you didn't even leave a list of what needs to be done!" He shouted into the empty space left behind.

"Hmm… how interesting." Lord Elbert stated. "It seems your new friends are asking for assistance, Eliwood."

Eliwood glanced at his father. It was strange he brought this up at the dinner table, but he supposed his father had only just now finished reading the letter that had been delivered earlier that day. "What do you mean, father?"

"They've defeated Lundgren. I hear they did it without a single casualty on their side. Miracles can happen even in the midst of war, it seems." Elbert said. "They mention Lundgren's tactician got away. I suspect this is the man you told me about?"

"The one I believe was behind the kidnapping of that young woman before? Yes." Eliwood said. "It may seem strange to trust a man with such a past, but when Will told me of the danger this man posed… I believed him."

"He's stated outright that he's a member of the Black Fang. Or was." Elbert continued. "Interesting choice. I suppose he thought running from the past was no longer an option."

"I… wouldn't know." Eliwood said. "We are going to help, aren't we?"

"I get the strong feeling you would go even if I refused." Elbert said. Eliwood looked down at his food to hide his embarrassment. "Yes, I believe Caelin only means good in this. They wish to repair relations with the other nations quickly to prevent more upheaval, while coordinating the destruction of a troublesome band of thieves that have plagued us for years."

"May I volunteer?" Eliwood asked.

"You may. I think Marcus and Lowen shall accompany you." Elbert said. "I have a few others in mind, but they will answer directly to you and keep you safe on the battlefield while the other soldiers concentrate on the battle."

"I understand." Eliwood said. "Thank you father."

"I'm happy to be of assistance." Lord Elbert said, smiling. "Though I'd certainly like to meet this tactician that everyone is so smitten with. He seems like an interesting man."

"He is." Eliwood said.

It had been almost one month since the battle with Lundgren. The staff had been amazed at the transformation Caelin had gone through. Lord Hausen, who had been at death's door, was up and walking around. True, it wasn't for long periods of time, but each day was more than the last, and he required less sleep and ate more every day. Lyndis accompanied him, shower him with tales from the plains. About hunting for food, the laws of the tribe. How different the Lorca had been under her father's leadership. How her mother had only called her Lyndis in private. In a moment she came to regret, she even told the story of meeting a young boy in the Lorca. How he had been awkward and clumsy and nearly impossible at everything he did.

"I found him fun to play with. He'd go along with what I wanted not because I was the chief's daughter, but because he was helping. So one day, we went into the forest. I had taken my Father's sword, thinking I could use it to kill a small animal. If I could prove I was ready for the hunt, I thought father would be really happy." Lyn said.

"Do children hunt that young?" Hausen asked in surprise.

"Not usually no. They have to be of age first. Of age being thirteen. I was a stubborn one. When Mother and Father told me to wait, I took it as a challenge." Lyn chuckled. "I really shouldn't have, but I suppose the saying is 'kids will be kids?'"

"Ah yes." Hausen said with a smile. "So what happened?"

"Well, I saw a deer. I thought to charge at it, but the boy grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He said if I was so set on getting the deer I'd have to jump down from the trees to get it." She laughed again. "I was scared of heights when I was a kid, so I pushed him off and ran at the deer. Needless to say it got away."

Hausen chuckled. "When you got back, did your parents say anything?"

"No." Lyn said. "That was the strangest part. My Father asked for his sword back, asked if I was hurt, and then headed out. In a way, it made me feel worse than when I was scolded."

"He sounds like an interesting man." Hausen said. "I wish I had met him."

"He loved Mom like no other. Even though our tribe was dying out even before the Taliver attacked, he refused to take another wife." Lyn said. "Looking back, I respect him more for it. Especially since Mom's culture is so different."

"Multiple wives haven't been common in millennium here in Lycia." Hausen said. "So if you're asking I did not have any secret children to speak of."

Lyn giggled again. "If I someday accomplish my dream of rebuilding the Lorca… I wonder which way I would lead?"

"Polygamy is a difficult topic to discuss." Hausen said, wobbling slightly. Lyn took him by the arm to help him turn around and begin walking back along the path. "So long as the participants are happy, I can see no fault in it. But that is coming from an old man who has made many mistakes."

Lyn nodded. "It seems hard enough to love one person with all your soul, let alone two or more. I can understand why father chose what he did."

"That boy you spoke of… that was your boyfriend, wasn't it." Hausen said with a hint of a smirk. "You knew each other even then."

"I've already told you Will and I aren't like that!" Lyn said, turning read again. "And yes, it was him, though I didn't know at the time. Will and I met again on the plains, and I only learned of his origins recently, after we defeated Lundgren."

"A secretive man?" Hausen said with raised eyebrows.

"A… a damaged one." Lyn said, biting her lip.

Hausen nodded. "Say no more. If he was involved with the Fang, and came from the Lorca… I can only imagine what else he has put himself through." A thought crossed his mind, regarding a sunken ship a few years ago, but it passed from his mind as he felt his strength give a little more. "Ah, I'm afraid we'll have to continue talking tomorrow Lyndis. I need a chance to lay down."

"Of course grandfather." Lyn said. It was nice to hear a family member call her Lyndis again. When Kent or Sain did it, she felt an odd sense of disgust at the noble sound of it. She knew they meant no harm, but it was always the way it felt. With family, it was different. There was a small, pulsing warmth in her heart that felt right in its existence.

Kent paced in front of the new recruits. None of them made up the group Will had selected for the Taliver task force, but all of them would be responsible while they were away. Lyndis' Legion comprised the entirety of the taskforce. Caelin's defenses had gotten so thin and so many soldiers had to be let go or retrained from scratch that none of them were fit for real combat.

He wasn't sure he agreed with Will's open policy about his past to the other nations. Not only had it said Lundgren wasn't fit to rule, but that Caelin was essentially ripe for the taking. It seemed foolish, to say the least. Sain had done a great deal to help ease that tension.

Sain was also training the new recruits, but he had a bit more time to himself and when he did he would go into town or ride over to the next village and make merry with the townsfolk. He had told them several tales from their adventure, but his favorite by far was the battle against Lundgren, which their genius tactician had pulled off without a single casualty.

Kent hadn't understood at first what a huge accomplishment that had been. There were always casualties in war, and in rare cases battles ended without a casualty on one or both sides. How rare Kent hadn't been sure of, so he had gone to the castle library to find out. Not only had he found the tactician there, reading a novel lazily in a chair, but he had found the book which listed battles.

In particular, he noted that only once in their recorded history had there been a case of no lives being lost on either side of a battle. That had been because a truce between Bern and Ilia had been reached and delivered before the battle had even began. There were a couple instances of no injuries on one side, but they were few and far between. Once, during the conflict that led to the formation of Lycia, two armies had met on the battlefield. The army led by Roland the Champion, founder of Lycia, so far outstripped his opponents they suffered no casualties. The second instance had been because of an assassination. A lord had ordered his troops to wait for his signal. An assassin snuck poison into his drink. He died in his sleep, and no one noticed until they had been overrun. The third… there had been no third instance. Kent flipped through the entire text looking, but could find no other record.

"Truly impressive…" he muttered to himself, glancing at the tactician. Will had fallen asleep, the book covering his face. "I suppose there is some bragging to be done about that."

Kent left the library, thinking that next time, he just might agree to go with Sain into town. It would lend credence to Sain's stories if Kent could correct him when he began getting too grand for his own good.

Dorcas was getting a lot of things prepared. After his help, the Marquis had rewarded him greatly for his help. With this, not only could he afford the medicine Natalie needed, but he was also planning to move them to a village in Lycia. They had lived in Bern for quite a while, before moving closer and closer to Lycia. He figured now they could make the final jump.

Lucius was helping him, oddly enough. Dorcas supposed Lucius simply wanted to help out of the goodness of his heart, but he still had difficulty not seeing the monk as a woman whenever his long hair flowed past. When Lucius picked up a relatively hefty bag of coins and walked them over to Dorcas, it became a lot easier.

"What are you planning to do after this?" Dorcas asked.

Lucius smiled. "I suppose you mean after helping Will lay his past to rest?"

"Won't be laid to rest unless he wants it to be." Dorcas said. "Besides, the past is what shapes us. I would never let go of mine."

"I suppose you have a point there." Lucius said, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "In truth, though I plan to continue searching for my friend, I have no real route in mind."

"It's not like you know where he went." Dorcas said.

"Too true." Lucius said. "I've also been… contemplating something. Will's affinity with magic is… odd."

"You mean that he can use both dark and anima magic, but neither of them well?" Dorcas asked.

"Yes. I was considering traveling with him a time and testing his compatibility with light magic. His plan from before involved using my light magic in an unconventional way. Perhaps helping that part of him grow would help him in the long run." Lucius said.

"That's kind of you." Dorcas said.

"Perhaps." Lucius admitted. "I have also enjoyed my time with you people. Though we plan to go our separate ways, it would still be nice to travel with others, if only for a small period of time."

"I see." Dorcas said. "I'll be counting on you to come back anyway."

Lucius looked confused. "Why is that?"

"After we treat her legs, Natalie's always wanted a family." Dorcas said with a small blush. "Someone needs to bless the baby."

Lucius looked at the heavily built blushing man before letting out a chuckle. "It would be my honor." He said, before grabbing the other side of the cart Dorcas was holding on to. The two began to push it, heading for the courier's.

"This is… more than a little embarrassing." Matthew fretted, as he held onto the staff Serra was extending to him.

"Less complaining more walking." Serra demanded. "Honestly, Rath not only healed, but managed to get himself walking again far better than you."

"Yeah well, I'm not a Sacaen badass, alright?" Matthew argued, taking a shaky step on his healed ankle. "I'm just your normal, average, every day thief."

"Who also happens to be Ostia's most favorite spy." Serra sighed. "Honestly, if they were going to send you, why did they have me hire a bodyguard in the first place?"

"They didn't think you would be stupid enough to get yourself wrapped up in this." Matthew said. A sharp pull of the staff nearly threw him off his feet. "Hey!"

"I'm not a heartless monster, Matthew." Serra huffed angrily.

"I know." Matthew said.

"Lyn wouldn't have made it without me, you know?" Serra said.

"I know." Matthew replied.

"And Will… he needed us. All of us, I think. After Maria… anyone would have a hard time being with other people." Serra said.

"I know." Matthew said once more, taking another couple of steps. "She was a special kind of crazy, that girl."

Serra smiled sadly. "I wish I could be as honest about things as Will's become."

"If you try, I'm sure you can." Matthew said. "People do change, Serra."

"Only if they can find the courage to do it." Serra said. "And Will…"

"What's wrong with Will?" Matthew asked.

"I think… I think the poison affected part of his memory. He remembers the events, but… I shouldn't say. It's patient confidentiality." Serra said.

"Oh come now." Matthew said, quickly taking three steps and grabbing Serra by the hand. "You know those are the secrets I love stealing the most."

"Not this one, Matthew." Serra said. "I shouldn't have even mentioned it in the first place."

"Tell me." Matthew said, a serious look entering his eyes. "Please."

Serra sighed, knowing it was a battle she couldn't win. "He can't remember Maria's face anymore. All the memories, all their conversation are there, but her face is missing in every shot in his mind. As side effects go, it isn't the worst, but for him, and for you and Leila…"

"No, you're right, it could have been worse." Matthew said, sitting back on the bed after she led him over. "Hopefully Leila can see it that way too."

"I forgive you." Rath said calmly, patting Hailey softly on the muzzle. She still was nervous around him, and recoiled from his touch as he tried to console the mare from her fears. It didn't help that she had been the cause of his injury. Horses often felt the pain of their masters, and Sacaen horses especially bonded deeply with those that rode them. If she had been turned away by fear, it meant that in his own heart he had been afraid, which she had felt and acted on. It was not her fault, but his own weakness that caused his injury.

"That's kind." He heard the dry voice of the mage. It was strange for him to come to the creature pen, and even stranger for him to talk to the nomad. Erk had never been sociable with the rest of the group in a large capacity, as Serra took up the majority of it with her gabbing.

"What do you want?" Rath asked curiously.

"You quit being a knight commander, right? Why'd you turn down a position in Caelin?" Erk asked, wandering through and giving small pats to the animals as he passed. "I thought you'd want to stay close to someone from Sacae."

"It is a common misconception." Rath said, trying to feed Hailey some oats. "We of Sacae help each other when in need, this is true. However, the tribes of Kutolah and Lorca are as far apart as your nations are."

"I see." Erk said, stopping in front of the nomad and his horse. "So you help each other, but also stay out of each other's hair? That's a delicate balance to achieve."

"It is not always an easy one to achieve. Tribes that become too close often war with each other or merge." Rath said. "Hunting grounds are sparse on the plains."

"Then, will you head home?" Erk asked.

"No." Rath said. Hailey refused to eat from his hand, and he sighed. This was a bigger problem than he had imagined.

"Then become a mercenary." Erk said. "We make decent pay. It's not an easy life, but it will help you learn the things you think you're lacking."

Rath looked at the mage again. How had the young man sensed the unease in his heart? He had often been told he was hard to read, and not even Will, who seemed to get along with him best after Lyn, had noticed how much he had been affected.

"Here." Erk said, taking the bag of oats from Rath. "After a horse has had its first big spook in battle, it often gets too scared to do anything. This is coupled with the horses' sense of guilt from betraying its rider. Hailey here feels like she's no longer worthy of being with you."

"That couldn't be further from the truth." Rath said angrily. "It was my own weakness-"

"Horses know when their riders are blaming themselves too." Erk said. "You've got two options now. Get a new horse, or get stronger."

"How do I get stronger when she will not approach me?" Rath demanded.

"Didn't even consider the first option huh? That's pride for you. Let's go." Erk said, indicating that Rath should leave. He did so, and turned to see Erk casually unlocking the gate Hailey was stored in.

"Why did you—"

"No talking yet." Erk said with a slight smile. He led Rath to the horse range, where very few horses remained. "Time to start training."

"What?" Rath said in utter confusion. "You're mad."

"It works." Erk stated simply. "You honestly aren't going to try it?"

"Running it without a horse is sheer madness." Rath said, clenching his fist. "But running it with a horse other than Hailey is worse than that."

He climbed the fence, and began to run, pausing as he clambered clumsily over each barrier in turn, having to be more and more careful as they got higher. Erk smiled and crossed his arms. It was an amusing sight, to be sure, but that wasn't what he was hoping for. From the corner of his eyes, he could spot Hailey peering round the corner. He placed the oat bag down next to him. Slowly, Hailey came over, glancing at Rath every few seconds to make sure he wasn't looking her way.

"So, you going to let him suffer alone?" Erk asked the horse, placing one hand softly on its side. "Prideful idiots are the hardest to deal with, aren't they? Never have the common sense to run away."

With a second pat, Erk left the area, leaving the Sacaen and his horse alone. Hailey looked balefully at Rath, silently crunching on oats as she watched.

Nils and Ninian had taken Will into town. It had been a long day for all of them, but they wanted him to have a break. Somehow they had found themselves in the middle of a festival, and soon Nils was playing his music happily as Ninian danced beautifully in the night air. Will found himself clapping to the beat, laughing as many couples joined the party, dancing in the street and the lamps were lit one by one.

The square was now a series of dancing lights that joined the young woman as she danced, her injury fully healed from her time in captivity. Nils flute playing was lively as ever, and those dancing seemed not to tire of it as the tune transformed and changed with time. The musicians found themselves following Nils' tune, rather than he follow theirs. It was such a beautiful sound they found themselves captive to it.

"Oh, Will!" He heard a voice. From behind him emerged Sain and Wil. Surprisingly, he could also see Kent, who was trying to escape a rather forward woman.

"Hey, what are you all doing here?" He asked.

"I finally got Kent to come into town. I just didn't tell him it was festival time." Sain laughed.

"I just got done teaching the first archer Pegasus dual session with Florina." Wil said. "She managed better than you'd think, though she stammered pretty fiercely through her introduction. Once we were going, she was like a totally different person."

"I see." Will said. "I'm glad to hear it."

Eventually Kent could refuse the woman no longer, and found himself drawn into the dance. Wil jogged up to Ninian, offering her a hand. She took it with a giggle and began to dance alongside him. Ninian's grace complimented Wil's clumsy enthusiasm in a strange way, and made the dance all the more fun. Several more not as adept dancers joined the fun, and even Sain found himself dancing with the innkeeper's daughter.

Will continued to clap along to the beat, watching the merrymaking with a smile. He felt like this was the right way for the world to be. Battles and darkness ill-suited people's faces. A happy smile and a silly dance felt more natural than anything else in the world. He clutched his head, wishing he could recall her face. Only days ago he had known it with prefect clarity. The memories somehow all remained intact, but the face was gone. It made him feel like he had wronged Maria, though he knew that wasn't the case.

"Umm…" He heard a soft voice and a softer tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Florina, who did her best to smile. "I saw the festival and thought I would try to come. Why are you hear alone?"

"I came with Nils and Ninian." Will said, pointing them out. "They got themselves caught up in the dance. It's nice to see."

Florina watched them momentarily, before her gaze returned to Will. "You don't… want to?"

Will looked at her in confusion. "Want to what?"

"Dance." Florina said.

Will considered this. "I hadn't thought about it. I've never been to a dance before. At least I can't remember being at one. It's a fun feeling, but even the incompetent dancers seem better than I would do."

"Then…" Florina said, a bit of volume finally coming into her voice. "Would you dance… with me?"

Will looked at Florina in surprise. She blushed, but held out her hand for him to take. After a moment, Will smiled and relented. "I'll take you up on the offer then, Dame Florina."

"Oh don't you start with that." She muttered angrily as they joined the dance. "Sain saying that is more than I ever need."

"Alright alright, I'll stick to Florina." Will said.

"Thank you, Will." She said.

"Thank you as well, Florina." He replied.

Will entered the throne room, seeing Lyn currently standing in front of a few key people. One he recognized easily, the other two he suspected were of House Ostia. "Will, thank you for coming." Lyn said, indicating that he should come and stand next to her. "As I was saying, gentlemen, Will is my tactician. We are a team in this matter."

"I see." The red head said with a smile. "It's good to see you both again. I am glad you succeeded in your task."

"It's good to see you too, Eliwood." Will said. "Thank you for all of your help."

"On to business then?" The blue haired axe wielder asked. "There's going to be a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. You said your information would spoil quickly, and that was three weeks ago."

"Yes, we'll need to spend a day getting everyone up to speed, and then head out the following morning." Will said. "We'll be out of time in about two weeks. We need to reach the stronghold before then."

"Hah!" The last of the three said. "And who will be leading this little grouping?"

"Not you, Orun." The blue haired one said. "Not only are you annoying, but brother would never forgive me if I let you get yourself killed."

"Oh come on, Hector. I'm the only lord participating in this operation! I should be the one in charge!" Orun said angrily.

"With all due respect," Lyn began, in a tone that did not indicate much respect, "Will is our tactician and most knowledgeable about our enemies. On top of that, Lyndis' Legion intends to be at the forefront of this operation. I believe that means we should be the head.

Hector grew angry and looked about to speak, but Eliwood managed to silence him by stepping in front of him. "Peace, Hector. In this matter, Lyndis is right. I imagine as it is you and I will be leading our own units anyway, so having the tactician at the helm will allow you and I to focus on the battle and keeping our men alive."

"Is it true you saved Caelin without losing a single man?" Orun asked.

"It is true, though I do not expect a repeat of that miracle." Will said with a polite bow. "I was lucky that Lundgren reacted as I had expected him to from the information we had gained about him."

"Lucky is right." Hector scoffed. "Honestly, it's not as though you haven't seen death."

Will frowned. This must be Hector of Ostia. The man who Maria had likely known and answered to. If that was the case, this anger was warranted. "You are right about that. But please believe me when I say I will try to finish this with the least number of casualties to our side."

"Fine." Hector said. "I'm going to see Matthew now anyway. Where is he?"

"In the healing room. Serra has been tending to him." Lyn answered. Hector waved before leaving the room.

"I'm sorry about Hector." Eliwood said. "He's usually more… well not really nice, but understanding."

"It's alright." Will said. "Do you know how many troops we have?"

Eliwood nodded. "The three far away territories only sent back a note that said 'may mother sky watch over you.' I don't know what that means."

"I do." Will said with a small smile. "It's good news, don't worry."

"We have a contingent of soldiers from Araphen that say they will only fight under commander Rath," Eliwood said.

"Do you think he regrets treating us so unfairly?" Lyn asked.

"Probably. Whether it's fake or genuine sorrow, only time will tell." Will said.

"Otherwise, we possess a contingent of about one hundred soldiers." Eliwood stated. "Myself and Marcus can command small groupings on the field. Hector and his right hand Oswin are much the same. Otherwise, we have Orun here and the members of your legion."

"Any pegasus knights?" Will asked.

"One or two." Eliwood said. "Not enough for a contingent. Plenty of archers though."

"I see." Will said. "Then I'll need to speak to both Wil and Florina. Lyn, you'll need to stick by me. We've got a lot of work to do."

"I'm by your side." Lyn said with a smile. The two bowed politely as Eliwood and Lord Orun left, then went about their business. In two days, they left for Taliver's stronghold.

Extra Note: I will be leaving town this weekend for a bit. I hope to have one more chapter out by then, but I'll be gone for about two weeks come Saturday. Just letting you all know.