Both parties eyed each other with glaring suspicion. Marcus grimaced, while Chrom tried his hardest to keep a straight face. Frederick wore a scowl, while the others just stared at the Danes. The Danes themselves were staring at the Shepherds, except for Hagen, who seemed to be grinning under his thick beard. Rune and Felix were a bit wary as they eyed the most familiar-looking member of the group, Marcus and Frederick, who resembled the knights that they had encountered during the conversion of Denmark. Chief Hagen gestures to the Shepherds and says.
"Don't be shy." Chief Hagen said in a surprisingly calming voice. "Come on down."
The Shepherds went downstairs and entered through the Shepherds gathered on one side and drew their weapons. A voice suddenly shouts.
"This battle will decide on who will be the East Khan's champions for the Feroxi tournament."
Chrom gulped at this. If they were to lose this battle, then the East Khan might not send them the much needed aid. He pointed his Falchion at them and got into stance. He looked at the warriors with admiration as he felt no fear from them.
"Imagine if they were on our side…"
Marcus and Mikah felt a bit nervous to fight one of the greatest warriors to exist. Disciplined, relentless, ruthless, these were the traits that made the Vikings notorious. But they were the traits that earned them many victories.
Chief Hagen seemed to be looking Lissa and Virion, who didn't seem to carry any close-range weapon. He also looks at another few warriors who were a bit reluctant, he sees Sumia and Miriel frozen in fear as they stayed rigid. He sighs and asks.
"Are any of you scared? If you are then you can back out."
Chrom looks at Sumia, Lissa and Miriel, who were scared out of their wits by the scary-looking men.
"You can go." Chrom offered kindly.
"B-but!"
"No buts, if you're scared then I cannot force you to fight."
The girls dejectedly walk back to the stands and watch from there.
Chrom looks at Virion.
"You should get out too, it seems that the Chief Hagen wants a melee brawl."
Virion leaves and joins the others at the stands.
Chief Hagen's men outnumbered the remaining Shepherds, with the Norse having two more men, but Hagen was having none of that.
"Felix, Bjorn. You sit out on this fight." Hagen said while pointing to the stands. "
They tried to protest, but a glare from the chieftain quickly silences them. They walk back to their stands and sit down.
Chief Hagen and Chrom got into stance as they readied their weapons. Mikah puts on her helmet as she draws her rapier. Marcus puts on his helmet and tightens the repaired strap on his shield and raises it up, with Kellam doing the same with his shield. Sully and Stahl raise their spears, ready to combat. Robin tosses away the tome and draws his bronze sword. Frederick readies his silver spear and gets into combat stance.
Both parties eyed each other before the arena man blew the horn, signalling the charge. The Shepherds ran at the Norse with full force, the sound of clashing steel filling the air.
Here's the comps
Norse: 9
Shepherds: 9
Marcus takes on a Norse axeman, whom he easily defeats with a bash from his shield. He looks to see many of the Shepherds taking on their own opponents. He then sees Kellam attempting to take on the chieftain.
Norse: 8
Shepherds: 9
Kellam tries to thrust at the chieftain, using his unnatural stealth to try to sneak attack him. The chieftain however, dodges it, commenting.
"I saw that surprise attack from a mile away."
Hagen then swings his hammer-axe at Kellam, knocking the stealthy knight of his feet and defeating him.
The Shepherds in the stands were shocked.
"How did he beat him so quickly?" Virion wondered.
"I think the better question is, how did he even see him?" Muriel added.
Norse: 8
Shepherds: 8
Chief Hagen then moves to his next free target, Frederick. Frederick sees Hagen approaching him and moves to confront him.
Frederick tries to hit the chief with his lance, but the chief redirects the strike. Frederick recoils and tries to stab at Hagen, Hagen dodges the strike and catches the lance with his hammer-axe. Frederick's eyes widen as the chief disarms him. Frederick stood with no weapon as the chief also hit him with the hammer, putting him on the ground.
"He beat Frederick! He's really strong!" Lissa commented.
"Gods help us, if he can defeat Frederick then this battle will not be as easy as originally thought."
Norse: 8
Shepherds: 7
Robin was taking on two axemen, who were much slower than he was. Robin kept dodging, waiting for an opportunity to strike. His window opens when one of the axemen bumps the other, leaving the two stunned. Robin immediately hits one of them with the blunt end of his sword. He then knees the other's face, also putting him down on the ground.
"Robin's amazing!"
"It was certainly a good choice to let him join the Shepherds."
Norse: 7
Shepherds: 7
Rune Weaver, who was dual-wielding his hatchets, was taking on Sully, who was furiously trying to land a hit on him, with Stahl lending his support. Sully tries to stab him, but that gives him the opportunity to catch her with his hatchets, grabbing onto them with the hook of his axe and pulling them off her hands. He then taps Sully lightly making her fall to the ground in shock, leaving her defeated.
"No way, he beat Sully!" Lissa commented.
"How dare that barbarian raise his hand against such beauty!?" Virion commented, rather outraged.
Norse: 7
Shepherds: 6
Stahl gulped as he was the final one to confront Rune. He tries to stab at Rune, making the same mistake as Sully and gets disarmed. Rune kicks him to the ground, defeating the young knight.
Norse: 7
Shepherds: 5
Mikah was still as fast as ever, subduing two approaching swordsmen with masterful slashes, hitting the sides, causing them to fall over in pain.
Norse: 5
Shepherds: 5
Chrom takes on a swordsman, who tries to swipe at him. Chrom blocks the strike and pushes the swordsman back. Chrom then hits the warrior with the blunt end of Falchion.
Norse: 4
Shepherds: 5
Rune confronts Chrom, furiously attacking with his dual-wielding hatchets. Chrom is put on the defense, desperately blocking each strike. Chrom was caught in a dead end as Rune kept attacking. Chrom tries a risky strategy as he sidesteps, making Rune lose his rhythm in his attack. Chrom takes advantage of this and slams down Rune, defeating him.
"Yay! Go Chrom!"
"Things are looking good for the Shepherds."
On the other side…
"Bah! That's what Rune gets for dancing for too long." Bjorn commented.
Norse: 3
Shepherds: 5
Vaike ran forward in excitement to confront the chieftain. The chieftain simply walks towards Vaike. Vaike tries to swing his axe at Hagen, but Hagen blocks the blow and kicks Vaike back. As Vaike staggers in pain, all he could see was a fist flying to his face.
And he was down for the count.
Norse: 3
Shepherds: 4
Marcus confronted a swordsman and an axeman. They doubled team Marcus as he defends himself, blocking strikes with his sword and shield. He breaks the relentless strike by bashing his shield forward, causing his opponents to stagger. He hits one of them with the hilt of his sword, and then punches the next one, putting them on the ground.
Norse: 1
Shepherds: 4
Marcus looks to the other side of the arena to see his other three teammates trying to take on the chieftain, who proved to be a greater challenge. Mikah's swift but light attacks made no scratch on the chieftain's thick leather tunic. Chrom and Robin couldn't get past the chieftain's large hammer-axe as the chief swung it masterfully, making sure that none of them had a chance to hit. Robin makes a mistake of staying in place as Hagen hits him with his hammer. Robin just barely blocks the strike with his sturdy Bronze sword, but the force of the blow sends him flying.
"Robin! No!"
"You have to admit, even if he looks like a ruffian, he really is skilled." Virion commented.
"That's because this man is no ruffian." Miriel observed. "This is a man who is truly gifted and experienced in the art of combat. If you look closely his body is riddled with many scars, most likely from past battles."
Norse: 1
Shepherds: 3
Marcus tries to run over, but he couldn't get there in time as Chief Hagen began going on the offense.
Chrom tries to swipe at Chief Hagen, but Chief Hagen blocks it with the shaft of his large hammer-axe. He then kicks Chrom down and uses his hammer-axe to hold him down. Mikah tries to swipe at Chief Hagen to make him let go, but her light attack only leaves a cut on Hagen's side. Hagen turns to Mikah, making her freeze in fear. He simply grabs her rapier and throws it away.
"You're defeated. Stay down."
Mikah complies and immediately lies down in exhaustion.
(Fun Fact: Vikings were completely against physical abuse of women. So Hagen won't be bruising women anytime soon.)
Hagen sees that Chrom was already too tired to stand, so he leaves him and goes for the last man standing.
Norse: 1
Shepherds: 1
Marcus was too late, his remaining allies were easily downed by the large Dane. But it was not pure skill that defeated them, it was carelessness, that both Chrom and Robin had let their guard down only because their opponent was outnumbered. Mikah's style is not suitable for bringing down human tanks like Hagen himself, and it was up to Marcus to defeat this Norse.
"You are far from home Crusader." the chief commented while circling around Marcus. "So, from the Kingdom of England are ya? How did you get here?"
"Same question for you too, Dane. How did you end up here?"
"We were hit by a strong wave and washed up here."
"I was ambushed by Muslims and ran for my life."
"That's rather interesting." Chief Hagen commented. "But let's stop focusing on the past and start on the here and now."
"Couldn't have said it better."
Both circle each other before the chieftain makes the first strike, his hammer-axe coming down. Marcus blocks the blow with his shield, barely holding back the strike. Marcus tries to swipe at Hagen but he blocks the attack and kicks Marcus back. Before Marcus could recover, Chief Hagen hits him with the hammer, throwing him back ad hitting the ground.
"Oh no! Marcus is in trouble!" Sumia commented worriedly.
"Come on Marcus!"
Marcus gets up, and immediately takes off his helmet for more air. He then charges back at Hagen. Hagen tries to swipe at him but Marcus ducks and goes for the chieftain's underside, leaving a gash on the side of the chieftain. Hagen roars in pain as he tries to hit Marcus, Marcus blocks the blow, but the chieftain jabs at Marcus' face, leaving Marcus with a bloody mouth. Marcus kicks the Norse back and touches his mouth.
"So that's how it's going to be."
To everyone's shock, Marcus takes off his armor, leaving on only his gauntlets. He even drops his shield and solely relies on his sword. Hagen was confused by this move, but didn't question Marcus' choice. Marcus uses two hands on his sword and gets into stance.
Marcus charges in at inhuman speed, catching the chieftain off-guard. The chieftain barely blocks the blow from Marcus. The chief tries to swipe at Marcus, but Marcus ducks and kicks the Chief back.
Chief Hagen was confused by Marcus' sudden speed boost. Even the Feudal Armor couldn't have been that heavy for Marcus.
"How in Valhalla did you get so fast?!" Chief Hagen asked. "No knight has ever received training like yours! When you had that armor, you fought like most knights I've met. but the moment you took off the armor, you were like a ghost or a shadow."
Marcus then replies with cold, steely eyes.
"Fighting in armor and with a shield, that was how most warriors were taught. To properly use your sword and shield for a good offense and defense, that was what I was taught when I was a squire. But before I became a squire, I followed a different battle doctrine, be quick on your feet, keep yourself moving, stay fast and the enemy won't be able to hit. That was a side of me that I haven't tapped into in a long time."
Chrom was shocked by this.
"H-he was… that fast!?"
Chief Hagen grits hits teeth as he moves forward to fight Marcus. Marcus also runs at Chief Hagen. Chief Hagen tries to hammer down on Marcus, who dodges the blow, and uses the hammer as a stepping stone as he jumped at Hagen, intending to finish him off.
"Woah! I didn't know Marcus was that agile!"
"One needs to be agile to defeat strong opponents like Chrom."
But a clank of metal can be heard. Confused, Marcus looks in horror to see that Hagen had already dropped the hammer-axe, and was holding a longsword, that blocked Marcus' blow. Hagen then kicks Marcus back. Marcus was still on his two feet but wore a face of shock. Hagen smirks and says.
"I know you were close to winning, but you seem to have forgotten that Vikings always bring two weapons."
Marcus was even more shocked by the fact that the Chieftain owned a sword that was only made in Christian Europe.
"Where did you get that sword!?"
"This? I got it as a gift from an Italian knight, during our first meeting and duel, which I had won by the way, He gifted it to me as a symbol of our friendship."
Chief Hagen then walks towards Marcus as Marcus charges back in.
Both Shepherds look in awe as Marcus and the chieftain fought with a fury. Marcus tries to use his speed to get the stab at the chieftain, but Hagen redirects the strike and hits Marcus with the blunt end of his longsword. Marcus tries to leap back at Hagen and slash at him, but Hagen dodges and grabs Marcus' foot, throwing him off. Marcus, with his athletic ability, lands on his feet and jumps back in, Hagen sees this and stabs at Marcus. Marcus barely dodges the strike, with the sword barely grazing his side, leaving a wound. Marcus tries to ignore the pain, but the chief elbows Marcus in the face, putting him on the ground. The battle was amazing, but horror grows on Chrom's face as he realised.
"We lost."
Norse: 1
Shepherds: 0
The Shepherds look down dejectedly, while the Vikings celebrated their victory, cheering and hollering.
"Great one Chief!"
"You showed them!"
But their celebration was interrupted by the announcer, saying.
"Congratulations on the wonderful battle! Now we will announce the six fighters that will represent the East Khan in the Feroxi tournament. Here's the tally of the scores.1"
Chrom perked up at this, he didn't know that there was a scoring system, maybe the Shepherds actually had a chance of getting in.
"First one will be Chief Hagen of the Danes! With a score of 5 points!"
The Vikings cheered at this.
"Next will be Sir Marcus! With a score of 3 points!"
Marcus was still lying in pain, but felt a bit better.
"And lastly, tied at 2 points, we have Chrom, Robin, Mikah and Rune!"
The warriors shared a glance at each other as they didn't expect such a close score.
"Congratulations, everyone! The Feroxi tournament will arrive two days from now! Thank you!"
Both the Shepherds and the Vikings cheered as they ran to the arena and celebrated. Some of the injured were already being carried off, and Marcus was struggling to get up. Stahl and Sully had brought Kellam and Vaike to the infirmary, while Frederick and stood up on his own. Mikah immediately tries to help Marcus with Chrom and Robin immediately coming forward to help.
"Lissa! Come here! Marcus needs a heal!"
Lissa runs to Marcus and tries to heal him with her staff, but to no effect.
"Did your staff just run out again!?" Chrom asked.
Lissa nodded sheepishly, as Chrom massaged his forehead, but Marcus said.
"I'm losing… a lot of blood… Getting dizzy…"
Chrom immediately panics and replies.
"Don't worry, we'll get you some help." Chrom reassured before shouting. "Does anyone have salve!? Vulnerary! Anyone!"
"He's bleeding too fast, we'll have to seal the wound quickly." Mikah said before attempting to carry Marcus' head.
Robin and Chrom grab Marcus' body by the legs and torso.
"Where to?" Robin asked. " The infirmary!?"
"No! The forge! Quickly!"
Robina and Chrom didn't question her judgement and immediately ran to a nearby forge, with Lissa, Sumia, and Mikah following close behind. When they arrive, the blacksmith was confused at the sudden arrival, but Mikah shouted.
"Set him on the empty table!" she said before turning to the blacksmith. "Heated cautery now!"
The blacksmith understood her words, went to the nearby flame and grabbed a glowing iron rod, he then gives it to Mikah. Mikah wraps her hands in a cloth and grabs the rod. She then turns to the Shepherds.
"You might want to turn around, this'll get a bit ugly."
This prompted Chrom to make the girls go outside, with Lissa protesting. However, the girls decide to peek through the window instead.
Mikah gets the iron read as she opens Marcus' shirt, showing the fairly long and deep wound.
"Are you ready for this?"
"It has happened to me before, just give me something to bite." Marcus replied weakly.
Mikah grabs a nearby piece of leather and gives it to Marcus, who bites down on it and holds on to the table. Chrom and Robin begin to feel horror as they realised what Mikah was going to do. Lissa and Sumia weren't prepared for what they were about to see either.
Mikah immediately sticks the heated cautery onto Marcus' wound, prompting Marcus to scream in pain, as the sound searing flesh and muffled screams filled the air. Marcus thrashes around in pain as he tries to stay still long enough for the wound to close. Chrom and Robin were horrified to see Marcus in such pain, looking at him pitifully as Marcus almost looked like crying. Lissa immediately stops watching and covers her ears to drown out the screams, sobbing while Sumia just couldn't even look inside. Marcus had to last a bit longer, as his screams became louder, and his wound becoming more painful. But soon enough, Marcus finally sighs as the heated rod is removed from his skin. He breathes in and out slowly as he tries to regain his composure.
To everyone's shock, he just gives a light chuckle.
"I'll never get used to that."
That statement catches Chrom's attention. He had done this torture before?
"What do you mean?" Chrom asked. "Don't tell me you've done this before."
"On the contrary, I've done this to myself and other soldiers plenty. It may look like some sick form of torture, but it actually works."
"But to go through such agony…"
"To have a chance to live. Most soldiers would leap at the chance to stop bleeding and have a better chance at survival. Remember, we don't have fast-healing staffs like you do, so we had to make do with this."
The rest stayed silent at this, and gave Marcus a look of pity, confusing him.
Mikah takes the cloth of her hands and wraps it around Marcus' torso.
"The chief really got you good didn't he?" Mikah commented.
"I wasn't really expecting myself to win, to be honest." Marcus replied.
"But didn't you see yourself in that arena!?" Chrom asked. "You were so fast! We thought you had that battle for a second! How did you become so good at sword fighting, acrobatics and the like?"
Marcus laughs nervously at this question.
"Well… You know that I was a kid thief right? How I evaded many guards and angry shopkeepers?"
"Yes. So is that the secret?"
"Well, basically, it is. But it was a skill that didn't go unnoticed by my master. He noticed my skill in climbing and jumping, he had given me another role to play. On the battlefield, I was a swordsman holding the line, but at night, I would act as an intel-gatherer and assassin. That was when I would shed the armor and don the hood and dagger. I had no means to defend myself, just either kill or escape. My jumping ability was second to none, I even scouted cities on rooftop, spying on enemy war councils and even spreading fear by sabotaging their tents."
Chrom's eyes lit up at this.
"You served as a common soldier, an informal medic and an assassin? Don't you need to change classes for that?"
"What are you talking about? I just practiced both, I had too much free time on my hands so I practiced, how to navigate large areas on rooftop, how to properly jump and use your athletic prowess in battle. If I wanted to be on the front lines, then I would wear my chainmail suit and iron chestpiece, if I wanted to move discreetly and quietly, then I'd just wear a tunic and cloak. My skill in those pursuits were prodigious."
The Shepherds stayed silent, before Marcus asked.
"Do you guys want to go somewhere?"
They all nodded and exited the blacksmith, to find Sumia cradling a very traumatised Lissa. Chrom tries to help Lissa get over the experience, but she stands up and turns to Marcus and bows.
"I'm really sorry I ran out! I couldn't stop you from getting burned!"
Marcus was confused by the sudden apologetic nature of the normally peppy and tomboyish princess. He shrugs and replies.
"It's fine." he replied. "I've done it before."
"But—" Lissa tries to say before she is interrupted by a finger on her mouth.
"No buts, it's all water under the bridge now." he said sternly. "Make no mention of it."
Lissa nods as the six head to the mead hall.
The mead hall was rather lively for an afternoon drink of only three Vikings, Bjorn, Rune and Felix. They were served by a large, dark-skinned bartender. They made merry as they drank and talked. Before they notice the Shepherds enter.
"Hey Rune, there's the guy who beat your ass."
"Shut the hell up Bjorn." Rune replied. "I'm sure you wouldn't even last a minute against the prince."
"He's a prince!?"
"Yes and apparently, he came from a country called Ylisse to ask the Feroxi for military aid. Looks like they're fighting a pretty big war."
"Ooh, I'm sure the chief would want in on that!"
"Definitely, which gives us all the more reason to win the upcoming tournament." Rune said before stretching. "Can't wait to see what the guys from the West have in store."
They're conversation is interrupted by the door behind the counter opening, revealing a woman in her twenties. She seemed to be like those beastmen that Hagen talked about, because she had a pair of round, bear-like ears that were color brown just like her hair. She was wearing a white. long-sleeved tunic with a corset, with a short skirt and stockings at her lower body. The trio look in shock as she hangs her cloak and tells the large, dark man.
"Hey Jack, thanks for watching the bar while I was away."
The dark man nodded and went outside through the back door. The woman leans on the counter and asks.
"Can I get you anything?"
The trio couldn't help but stare at the woman's ears, Chief Hagen had actually handled the shock better and ignored it, but the three youngsters were still immature. Rune speaks up.
"Er, no. We already have our drinks, we'll call for you if we need more."
She nods and then goes to the table of the Shepherds. The three Norwegians snicker at the look on Marcus' face when sees the bartender.
Marcus was literally wide-eyed when he laid eyes on the bartender. She had animal ears, on top of her head! Was she part-beast or something? He eyes her with curiosity as she begins to feel offended by his shock. Chrom intervenes, saying.
"Please forgive my friend, he comes from a place where the Laguz aren't present."
The woman acknowledges this and gives a friendly nod at Marcus, who had snapped out of his shocked state.
"What can I get you?"
"Mead." Chrom replied.
"Some water please!" Lissa added.
"Just get me some wine." MIkah stated.
"I'm having what Chrom's having." Robin added.
"I'll pass." Sumia added.
"Just some goat's milk, I don't drink." Marcus replied.
The bartender takes note of these and walks back to the counter. Chrom asked Marcus.
"Why don't you drink? Have ever tried some mead? It tastes nice."
"I don't know, alcohol never seems to affect me the way it does with other people." Marcus said nonchalantly.
This seemed to catch the bartender's attention as she rushes back in to rebut Marcus' statement.
"What are you talking about?" she asked with an offended tone. "Haven't you ever tried the Feroxi firewine?"
"Can't say I have."
"Then here, try some." the bartender says as she sets down the mug.
Marcus looks at the mug as it filled the air with the stench of strong alcohol. Much to everyone's shock, he goes bottoms up and drinks down the whole mug in one go. He sets down the mug and wipes his mouth.
"Very bitter taste, but has a nice after taste. Pretty strong too. Wouldn't recommend this to easy-drinkers."
Everyone looked in shock to see Marcus shrug off the strong drink.
"What the hell do you mean 'pretty strong'!? That drink has had men snoozing after the first mug and you just treat it like any other drink."
"Well, I rarely get drunk, so there's that."
The bartender didn't seem to believe this as she set down another bottle on the table.
"Here, try the Feroxi firewine, Inferno edition."
The Shepherds gulped at the name and thought Marcus was in danger. Once again, Marcus drinks all of it in one go and replies.
"Wow. This drink actually has good taste, and the strength is pretty high. I like it." Marcus said before turning to the bartender. "Can I try another?"
The bartender was shocked to see Marcus actually ask for another. She just tells him.
"Sorry, that one was actually our last in stock." she replied before going back to the counter.
"He actually survived the Inferno…" Rune commented.
"And without even flinching…" Felix added.
"Er guys, do you want another drink?" the bartender asked.
"Huh? Oh sure, get us some more firewine." Bjorn replied.
The bartender goes and gets some more mugs. Bjorn turns to Rune.
"What do you think?" Bjorn asked
"About what?" Rune asked.
"About them, those fighters, do you think they're good?"
"From that battle, those Shepherds are certainly a force to be reckoned with, but… they seem to be new to war, look at how they still look so clean and young."
"I'm giving that Marcus guy an exception." Felix added. "You can clearly see that he has fought some battles, with that look on his face."
"Yeah, if Chief Hagen somehow loses in the battle, then Marcus would be our next hope."
"Agreed."
Marcus notices the nearby Vikings and approaches them. He immediately asks.
"Where's your chief?"
"He was at the infirmary, checking on his men and his wife." Rune replied. "Your people really gave them quite the beating."
Marcus tries to exit through the main doors but they suddenly burst open, revealing a woman with hazel coloured hair, being put in three braids as she strutted through the room and to the counter. She was about three inches shorter than Marcus, which was surprisingly tall for a woman. The three Vikings take the signal and leave. The woman then tells the barmaid.
"Give me your strongest drink."
The bartender nervously prepares some firewine as she gives the lady a huge mug.
"Ahhh! Some alcohol at last!" she said before drinking down the firewine.
Chief Hagen walks in, meekly saying.
"Honey, could you please stop scaring the Feroxi?"
"Bah! It's their fault that they're scared!" she aggressively dismissed while chugging down her drink
Chief Hagen sighed as he walked to Marcus, who was shocked by the woman's demeanour.
"Hello Sir Marcus, this is my wife, Brenda."
Marcus looks around to see that the Shepherds were scared of the woman's aura, while the Vikings were eyeing her warily.
"How did you find such a woman?"
Chief Hagen laughs loudly and replies.
"You might want to sit down for this."
Marcus' time in the bar was up and he had to leave. He walked outside to see the sun was barely setting. He then saw Robin try and carry Chrom outside as Chrom had passed out from drinking too much.
"How foolish could he get?" Sumia sighed while watching Robin carry Chrom.
"He challenged that scary woman to a drinking contest." Robin deadpanned. "What do you think?"
They all laugh at this as Marcus begins to lag behind. He waits for the Shepherds to get completely caught in their conversation and he suddenly takes a different turn. Mikah notices this and secretly follows him. She sees him enter the stables and sees him packing his things onto the horse.
Marcus started packing his things away, his notebook, bible and other belongings he brought with him.
"You're not planning on leaving, are you?" a voice behind Marcus asked.
Marcus turns to see Mikah looking at him with folded arms.
"I'm only planning for my journey once we're done here. If Ylisse and Regna Ferox don't have the answers I'm looking for, then I'll search somewhere else. Want to come?"
"But leaving as soon as possible? That's not exactly healthy for your mind and body." Mikah replied. "I suggest you try to settle down and plan before setting off on a journey to God knows where."
"But where do I settle? I have no money, no land, nothing to support myself." Marcus replied. "I have nowhere to live or stay."
Mikah pondered on the hard-to-answer query.
"You can ask Emmeryn or any of the Shepherds for a place to stay."
"But what do I offer in exchange?"
"Your services." Mikah replied. "Take me for example, to stay in Ylisse, I had to offer my services to a certain red-haired merchant and occasionally, to Flavia of Ferox, but that's just once a year"
"What does someone like you have to offer other than combat?"
Mikah scoffed at this.
"Looks can be deceiving okay?" she replied. "I'm actually good at cooking and crafting, especially when Anna wants me to fix certain items. But my main line of work is creating clothing and protective gear."
"And what would my services be, fighting? Assassination? Spying?"
"Exactly, you can offer your combat services for a certain fee or exchange."
"And be a mercenary?" Marcus scoffed. "I'd rather not, I'm no mercenary and I don't plan on being one."
Mikah thought even more.
"Well… You can stay at our place, Anna wouldn't mind giving a room." Mikah said before thinking about the implications. "Provided that you pay her a certain fee. And since we don't need the manpower, you can't work for her."
"Where will I even get that money?"
"Hmmm…" Mikah thought out loud while bringing out a piece of paper. "Let me see…"
She reads the piece of paper and hands it to Marcus.
"I keep track of open jobs available in Ylisstol for anyone in need of work. Here's the list."
Marcus grabs the list and reads it.
Baker in need of manual labor
Local noble needs a temporary escort for his carriage
Ylissean Knight academy in need of a substitute instructor
Local blacksmith in need of extra hand
Prestigious guild needs hunter to track down rogue wyvern
Marcus wonders what job he should get.
"Hmmm… Manual labor isn't difficult, but it's pretty low pay. Working for a noble is the last thing I want to do, but these are difficult times. My combat skills would be at home with the Knight academy, but I'm nowhere experienced enough to teach. I am a decent smith, so the blacksmith would be viable. And lastly, dragon-hunting, dangerous, but judging from the offered pay, it should be worth it."
Marcus stuffs the paper into his pocket.
"Thanks, I'll think about your offer."
"Don't mention it." Mikah replied before leaving.
Marcus immediately flops down onto the hay and thinks to himself.
"What job should I pick?" he wondered before falling asleep on the hay, with Hannibal the pup laying beside him.
Time passed as Marcus snoozed in the hay. He suddenly wakes up to see that it was already evening. He leaves the puppy to sleep and walks to the arena where he fought with the Danes. And much to his shock, the other five champions were already there, with Robin taking charge of the positions. Marcus sees Rune and Mikah next to Robin, Chrom and Hagen were at the front. Robin immediately notices Marcus and asks.
"Where have you been?"
"I fell asleep for too long" Marcus replied. "What are you guys doing?"
"We're practicing for the tournament" Hagen replied. "It turns out that we're going to be grossly outnumbered, so we'll have to be conservative in our combat."
"Come on Marcus, let's make good use of this time."
"Okay, I'm coming."
The six warriors had enough for one day as they laid tired. They all gathered around while eating their own meals. Marcus suddenly asked.
"Chrom, what's the deal with that barmaid?" he asked while wiping his forehead.
"You mean the Laguz?" Chrom asked.
"Is that what you call her race?" Rune asked.
"Yes, they are supposedly humans with animal traits and also have the ability to transform into their own kind of animals."
"You mean like the trickster god Loki? The one of our old mythology?" Hagen asked.
"No, they did not shapeshift to trick people, they transformed into beasts like wolves and bears for combat."
"Ahhh, so they're like Maras." Rune deduced.
"Maras?" Robin asked.
"They're like she-werewolves." Hagen explained. "But to be able to actually transform into animals, this puts them even further above the *Ulfhednar."
(A/N: Men who channeled the spirit of wolves in combat)
"Well… They aren't that mythical to us. In fact, some men have even had marriages with the Laguz. They are a regular sight in Ferox ever since their migration from Tellius."
They stayed silent before Marcus stood up and said.
"Well, I'm going to go grab a drink from the mead hall."
"Me too." Mikah said while standing up.
Both walk outside of the arena while Robin whispered to Chrom.
"Mikah's been following him around a lot lately, hasn't she?"
"Yeah, it's almost predictable. I'm kind of jealous that Marcus is being chased by a woman like her." Chrom commented.
"Why? I know she's pretty and all that, but her personality is pretty whimsical and her strong side leaves me even more confused." Robin added.
"She just caught my eye after she did that stunt on Frederick." Chrom clarified. "I have never seen a woman with the gall to threaten a knight. And with her being the champion of Ferox last year, she just became even more interesting."
"Hah!" Chief Hagen shouted while slapping Rune on the back. "He gets it!"
Chrom and Robin looked at Chief Hagen with confusion.
"Gets what?" Chrom asked.
Rune rolled his eyes.
"Chief Hagen here is attracted to strong women, and I mean really strong women."
Chief Hagen laughs and tells Chrom.
"I assume you've already met my wife? Brenda Freyja Daalgard."
Chrom grimaced at thought of that hell-demon of a woman.
"Do you want to know how I met her?" he asked with a smirk.
"Oh God, not this again." Rune groaned while face-palming.
"You see, when I was still young, my father, the chieftain, had already arranged a marriage for me, but I didn't like that. All I wanted to do was fight and have fun, but he insisted. My betrothed was to arrive with her dowry by the next day and I couldn't do anything about it."
"Your society still practices arranged marriage?" Chrom asked with shock.
"To be honest, your country looks really different from ours, with women being allowed to lead your people, but hey, I won't judge."
He then continues.
"We wondered what took my betrothed so long, but we received word that her convoy was attacked by an enemy tribe and we immediately took off to rescue them. We arrived at the site where most of the convoy had been slaughtered but one lone warrior was furiously fighting off the attackers. We immediately helped the warrior and asked him what happened. He takes off his helmet to reveal that he was a she. The woman told me that she was my betrothed but I didn't believe her, but she showed the dowry, which came from her father, another chief from an allied tribe. She told me to duel with her, to prove that I was a worthy candidate. And we fought… And I lost, she nearly killed me with the axe to my neck, but that duel and completely changed my view of her and it was love at first sight."
Chief Hagen sighed at the thought.
Chrom then leans to Rune.
"Is he always like this?"
"Only when he feels like bragging." Rune replied while rolling his eyes.
Marcus and Mikah sat down on the counter and ordered some drinks from the Laguz barmaid. They talked while waiting. Marcus tells Mikah.
"Hey Mikah, I've been thinking about your offer…"
"So, what do you plan on doing?"
"Well, I haven't chosen a job yet, but I think I'll have to stay at your place, at least, until I find a way back home."
Mikah was thoroughly surprised by this.
"Are you sure about that? I was simply discouraging you from going off by yourself."
"But you did give a good point. Without a good lead on how I got here, I may as well be walking blind. I need to get myself started before I try to find any leads."
Mikah nods in agreement as the barmaid arrives with their take a sip as Mikah wonders.
"What if we never make it back?"
This makes Marcus stop drinking and glance at her.
"I know that we're both determined to get home, but what if we can't make it back? We'll have to live and settle down in this strange world.
"If we couldn't make it back, then I would live with many regrets."
"Like what?" Mikah asked. "Failing to defend Jerusalem?"
"Well there's that, but I've done a fair share of horrible things."
Mikah raises an eyebrow at this.
"What was thing you regretted doing the most?" she asked.
Marcus makes a 'hmmm' at this.
"The thing I've regretted doing the most…" Marcus said while slowing down to recall. "Was scaring away that noble girl."
Mikah leans in closer to listen, his story sounding familiar.
"What happened?"
"Well, before I left Canterbury for Jerusalem, I was approached by a noble, a young woman about my age."
Mikah had a nagging feeling about this story.
"She wanted to talk to me and thank me for saving her from a certain rapist."
Mikah realizes that the story he was telling was his side of the story. Marcus' expression seemed to darken.
"And yet, I gave her the cold shoulder. She ran away in sadness as Julian chided me for my rudeness. I didn't feel anything bad that day, even if I hurt a prestigious noble's feelings."
"What did she look like?" Mikah asked, trying to get the juicier details.
"I couldn't remember her face but she had darkish, reddish hair that was long and flowing. She wore a green dress when I scared her off that day."
Mikah's eyes widen, that was the exact description of her clothing when she had ran off that day.
"They never found her after she ran off, and the blame was on me. Everyone had feared that the beautiful woman had died to bandits or was killed by the elements. I didn't want her to die, I didn't want to hurt her either, I was just so caught up in my angst and depression that I took it out on her. I was nothing but a fool back then."
Marcus then takes a breath.
"I could never forget her name after that day, Mary Charlotte of Guines, she was a beautiful noblewoman with great potential, and it was wasted by my own stupidity and insensitivity. I often see that girl in my dreams, just sobbing, I couldn't even see her face as she covered it while weeping. It just fills me with so much guilt."
Marcus closed his eyes and sighed to regain his composure. He opens his eyes to see Mikah blushing furiously as she stared at him. She seemed to be fidgeting her seat as Marcus wonders what was wrong.
"Er, Mikah? Are you okay?" Marcus asked while trying to feel her forehead. "Do you have a *fever? Your face is turning red."
(A/N: Corny, I know)
"Yeah, I feel a bit disoriented. Must be the alcohol." she said before standing up. "I think I need to lie down now."
Marcus stands up and helps her.
"I'll take you to your room." Marcus said while supporting her.
While walking back to Mikah's quarters, Mikah falls over, with Marcus just barely catching her.
"Mikah!? Are you okay?"
"Just a bit disoriented." she said while wobbling.
Marcus had to disagree. Marcus suddenly carries Mikah bridal-style.
"W-what are you doing!?"
"Helping you get back, you seem to be too disoriented to walk."
Mikah's face became even redder as she was mentally `begging for the embarrassing episode to end.
Finally, they reach Mikah's room, which had a nice table and bed, Marcus sets her down on her bed and says.
"I'm going now, do you need anything?"
"No, I'm fine." Mikah replied, her face still red.
"Okay, I'll be leaving now."
Marcus closes the door and heads for the stables thinking.
"What's gotten into Mikah?"
As soon as Marcus left the room, Mikah immediately jumps off her bed and looks at the mirror. She slaps herself saying.
"Mon dieu Charlotte! You made such a fool of yourself! You just let that little story get to you and your feelings!"
After her short outburst, she fixes her hair and mutters.
"I can't believe he remembers…" she said, her blush returning.
"…"
"Should I tell him?"
She realizes what she says and slaps herself again.
"No! Mikah what are you even thinking!? This is much better start for our friendship!"
Mikah thinks even deeper and realizes.
"But… He needs to know that he's forgiven… If I don't let him know, then he'll always blame himself for my disappearance…"
Mikah clutches her head in distress.
"God, what do I do now?"
That's a wrap for the sixth chapter! A bit shorter than the others, but it's still pretty good. Now for the replies,
Rainsfere - You actually got that right! I've actually been planning for a Marcus-centric story during the timeskip.
Greyjedi449t - Got it, I'll take note of your suggestion.
Now you all are probably wondering (or hating on) why Mikah and Marcus have the greatest relationship development in this story. Let's look at this objectively.
Marcus still holds some distrust towards the Shepherds, so he will try to keep his interactions with them minimal, except for Chrom and Robin, who are the ones trying to break the ice with him.
Mikah was the first fellow European for Marcus to meet in Ylisse. Marcus has a sort of bias towards Europeans since he is a fish out of water (metaphorically speaking), and needs someone to relate with.
Mikah and Marcus share a common understanding on their wish of going back home.
It would be severely uncharacteristic of Marcus to try and build a relationship with a woman from a country outside of Europe.
These are also the reasons why Mikah has the greatest influence over Marcus' decisions. She successfully convinced him to stay in Ylisse where Chrom or Robin would have failed, and she's no diplomat. Marcus has a somewhat preference for Europeans, which I had made clear since the start of this story.
A few points to justify the Double Pairings decision.
To actually prepare someone like Marcus for pairing with a person from the Fire Emblem world, we would have to broaden his horizons, and that does not happen overnight. Hell, the Plegian arc isn't even enough.
Realistic progression of relationship depends on the person's psyche, and Marcus lacks the attitude to properly pursue a relationship. A first pairing would fix that.
Emmeryn x Marcus, like other suggestions, is a nice pairing but at present, seems a bit far-fetched with Marcus' character. That relationship would be easier to pursue in the Valm arc. I try to make romances happen at realistic circumstances, even if everything else isn't. The first pairing would act as a preliminary.
Note: No, Marcus won't be staying in Emmeryn's castle. Any attempts to convince me otherwise will fall on deaf ears.
But now for the questions,
I had given a list of jobs for Marcus to do in this story while Chrom and the Shepherds continue their campaign. Which one should be picked?
Baker in need of manual labor
Local noble needs a temporary escort for his carriage
Ylissean Knight academy in need of a substitute instructor
Local blacksmith in need of extra hand.
Prestigious guild needs hunter to track down rogue wyvern
Opinion: Choose from these fictional military units,
Fahari Msaliti War Elephants - this High Medieval African unit has proven that war elephants were never obsolete. Trained intensely from birth, these African elephants fear nothing. The warriors who rode them were Christian Africans, men determined to kick the Islam scum out of Africa. This unit doesn't suffer from terrain penalties but it does not gain a bonus from it either.
Rothai Polar Riders - It was said that no man could tame the vicious polar bear. Well this Early Medieval unit takes it one step further and tames a Pleistocene Polar Bear. Trained to withstand hotter temperatures, the bears were phenomenal in stamina and endurance. With adapted mobility through the snow, these riders rule the frosty tundras of Canada.
Auroch Knights - Finding a better purpose for the endangered bull, the Spanish use these dangerous mounts in every battle. Trained and toughened in the bullfighting ring, this Late Medieval unit is one of a kind. With the right rider and right training, the bull can take down almost any foe. It was this unit that had driven the Moors out of Spain during the Reconquista.