Small Changes for context
After Grima
Part 1
New Kid in Town
Chapter two: Loss of self
Ingio returned to the tent with more enthusiasm than he ever had. Lucina although nervous felt safe with her brother and Severa by her side.
"Hey sis." Inigo said with a huge grin on his face
"How was your walk?" She responded wondering what could make him so happy right now, he obviously does not know what has happened.
"Words cannot describe it my dearest sister, I feel as though my life can be complete." He said with much poetic gusto and a little dance twirl, not embarrassed to have done a dance move in front of his sister (at least not right now).
"So I take it you saw Morgan?" she replied
"In a short tale, yes I have, and if I am not mistaken I will be seeing her for the rest of my life!" Inigo said doing another twirl almost kicking his makeshift nightstand over. "Opps," he said starting to get rosey in the face now.
"Inigo..." Lucina said with both worry and a slight smile at her brother's mistake. "I have something serious to tell you."
"Now sis before you say anything, Morgan did tell me what was going on with the ruffian in the other village, don't worry about your little brother, I am going to be fine." Inigo reassured his sister "And you will be too."
"But brother this man, Capa, He is one of the men who helped burn the castle back in our original timeline." Lucina said, upset that her brother wasn't taking this seriously. "I thought you would be a little more careful about this situation."
"I know it's a serious thing but Lucina..." he pauses "Morgan and I are toghether now" His face now almost fully red
"You mean... That's wonderful." She says very enthusiastic and a little louder than she realized
"Shuuussshhh keep your voice down, you're the only one who knows, keep it on the down low for a while, let us deal with the Ruffian first, then we celebrate." He goes outside and changes quickly and comes back in to settle down. Lucina turns a nob on the lamp, it dims, and they slowly drift to sleep.
Ress has been traveling all night long since his second meeting with Capa. Wiping some of the tears away for the fifth or sixth time, he doesn't know what he is going to do. He knows he can get into the castle but could he get to the upper levels where Chrom could be, he has broken into the castle before just for fun but now he is going to have to exit with some attention. He has on him a long bow, an iron sword and a curved dagger from his original father. His real parents were killed by brigands when they believed he had stolen from them (Which he did) when he lived in Pelgia. He blames himself for their deaths he ran away to Ylisse and vowed to one day avenge his parents, he became a skilled killer but the Milstiens turned him around and taught him to forgive his parents killers. Now his second family is in jeopardy and if he does not succeed. He does not want to be responsible for his second family's death.
It is almost noon now and the Shepard's are almost to the gates of Yistol, They are all in very mixed spirits. Inigo obviously happy, Morgan trying not to look to excited to have spent the entire journey north with him, Owain is a little disgruntled having lost a bet with Cynthia now having to give up one of his prized daggers. Nah is flying around with Minerva to much of Gerome's dismay. Lucina, Severa, and Robin are in their own world talking about the info they gained the previous day, wouldn't something have happened already? They will be at the capitol just at sun down.
"This is odd. Why didn't they strike last night, they would have had the advantage." Robin said, "I caught one of the guards sleeping on our west side, a direct line towards the small village in question."
"You think that the assassin as well praised as he is would have done something by now." Severa chimed in. "What has he done so far, you said you had his record."
"Well although he is a very skilled marksman he takes his target out with a dagger and he leaves a playing card in the wound of his victims." Robin said reading a scroll. "For the most part he has taken jobs from some of the leading officers of Ylisse who can't get close to high end targets, That's why we have such a good record of him, he doesn't seem too take jobs from street thugs or mob boss's" He finished.
"Do you think he is at a loss for work then?" Severa asked. "Getting desperate and taking unsavory work. That's what I did before you guys found me."
"No this is different, you say he is a street performer Robin?" Lucina asked
"Yeah and they seem to do well. They are even booked to be at the capitol today before they perform at the courtyard of the castle tomorrow."
"That's it, that's when it is going to happen." Lucina exclaimed.
"We have to cancel that show when we get back." Severa said.
"This will be difficult though, he has never had a missed target." Robin said.
"We must do it though." Lucina finished.
So time goes by and they reach the castle. They are very late due to the fact that everyone is praising them as they walk towards the palace. "I need to get to dad" Lucina thought. They reach the castle gates and as soon as they open Lucina, Ress break out into a sprint, followed by Inigo, Morgan, and a very tired Severa who apparently didn't get any sleep.
It is nightfall and Ress is in the castle, it was a lot harder this time because he needed to get to the living quarters, and not wanting unwanted attention to an attack he had to do it with no casualties. Sneaking around he made it to a closet just across the Exalts study. He hears voices inside, One a man another a woman.
"Chrom I think that is them," says the woman.
"Must be," Chrom replies "Go meet them. I'll be down in a minute."
"Ok my dear." Says the woman who has to be Queen Olivia. She leaves. Chrom is in the study all by himself. It's now or never. He leaves the closet and walks across the hall into the study without a sound his scarf over his face and hood up. Chrom is facing a window and watching the gates open and he sees some of the figures sprint pass Olivia. All of a sudden Chrom is startled and then he turns to go see what the commotion is and he is met with a side tackle he hits the ground hard.
"What the hell!" He shouts but he isn't on the ground for long he gets up but not before Ress takes Falchion from him and tosses it aside. They are face to face. Chrom looks at Ress then Ress lunges again. Dodging Chrom rolls towards falchion. His hand grabs the handle and he looks just in time to stop a strike from Ress' dagger. With a swiping motion though Ress dislodges Falchion from Chrom's grip and it goes across the room again. Ress Raises the Dagger and looks Chrom in the eye.
"I can't." Ress yells. He tosses the dagger, still pinning Chrom to the floor. "I can't do it. I'm sorry I have failed you." he continues to yell. Fast footsteps come from the hall "I'm coming home father." Ress finishes with a soft voice only Chrom can hear.
"What do you mean?" Chrom asks
"I...I...I'm sorry your highness..." Ress loosens his grip with his legs. As he does the door burst opens and Lucina and the others come in. With this distraction Chrom kicks Ress off of him and grabs falchion and holds it to him.
"Who are you?" he asks looking his attacker dead in the eye.
"I guess it won't matter. My name is Ress, a street performer... I'm also an assassin." He says in hope to lighten the mood.
"So you have no quarrel with me. I'm just a job for you?" Chrom asks him but he seems to sound sympathetic with this question. Or maybe it was just Ress' mind
"Not just a job. A job to save..." He is cut off
"If I may interject your highness." Fredrick arrived just shortly after Lucina did. "This man just tried to take your life, I recommend using caution if you are to believe his tale. It might be something of an imagination."
"One thing is for sure he is a contract killer" Chimed in Robin. "We have record of him working for us in our books."
"Then why turn on us Ress?" Chrom asked now sounding enlightened at the new information.
"I was doing a show with my family in a village just south of here, we were planning on performing here as well."
"The Milsteins?" questioned Chrom. "You are one of the performers coming to town aren't you?"
"Yes we.." Started Ress but once again Fredrick interrupted
"Sir Do you really think now is the time for this story? I mean he..." He asked Chrom urgently but it was his turn to be cut off.
"Please sir, this man Capa has my family hostage!" Ress said louder over Fredrick
"Capa, I know that name." Chrom said as though he sees something the others don't. "Ress we must find your family now." Chrom said with a more urgent look than Fredrick has shown so far.
"Sir if I may you..." He began
"You said the same thing with Robin and look where we are now, Fredrick you and I both know Capa is a dangerous man, this kid has been forced to do what he has done tonight but he was too good of a man to do his work. He is not a bad person for fighting for his family, I would do the same… Emmeryn would not like it if we gave up on him right here." At this it was decided no one would dare try to change Chrom's mind. Not after that.
"Not to ruin the mood but I'm actually 21." Ress chimed in. "Not a kid."