Chrom and Robin stood outside the large, ornate doors that led into the Ylissean throne room. The rest of the Shepherds had returned to the barracks or were resting somewhere in the castle. Though they hadn't encountered any more bandits on the way back (thanks to the Feroxi soldiers Flavia sent with them), they were all exhausted from the long march back, as Chrom had wanted them to return to Ylisse as soon as possible in case Plegia decided to get more aggressive.

The pair glanced at each other as they waited, then looked towards the pair of soldiers who silently guarded the entrance.

"... Is the Exalt busy?" Chrom asked one of them, wondering why no one had ushered them in yet. Emmeryn had been informed of Chrom's return as soon as the Shepherds had arrived at the castle, so the prince had expected his sister to be waiting to receive him.

"I believe so, Your Grace," one of the guards answered, his tone unsure.

Chrom frowned. "That's strange… Who could she be talking to?"

"Councillors, probably. War councillors, more specifically," Robin guessed. "If she heard that we brought back a division of Feroxi soldiers with us, then she is most likely trying to figure out where to deploy them, or at the very least, where to keep them for now."

Chrom scratched his head. "Yeah… But why aren't we a part of that discussion? We are the ones who brought them, after all."

"I'm not even Ylissean," Robin pointed out. "As for you, maybe the Exalt just thinks you aren't smart enough to have any valuable inputs."

"Shut up."

A second later, the doors to the throne room were pushed open. General Phila, the same woman who had met them last time, greeted them once again.

"Prince Chrom. The Exalt will see you now."

"Thank you," Chrom replied as he entered with Robin.

As the prince walked into the throne room, he saw a group of advisors led by a hunched over man in green exiting. Chrom recognized him as the Hierarch, Ylisse's top advisor on almost all matters relating to politics.

Guess Robin was right.

"Ah, you two have returned," Emmeryn said when the Shepherds approached. "I heard your mission in Regna Ferox went well. Good work."

"What were you talking about with them?" Chrom asked, gesturing towards the Hierarch and his group.

Emmeryn smiled kindly. "Nothing of much importance."

"So you and the Hierarch were just having a friendly chat?"

"If you must know, we were discussing preparations for war," Emmeryn admitted. "Just in case."

"I knew it… Those bandits are Plegian, aren't they?" Chrom asked, his face contorting into a snarl. "Then why are we just standing here? We can't let their arrogance go unpunished! Do you know how many innocent Ylisseans have died in these brigand attacks!?"

Emmeryn sighed. "I did not tell you about this because I knew you would overreact, Chrom. There is no need to resort to violence as our first option."

"But they've already resorted to violence, so why can't we?" Chrom then turned to Robin. "Tell her she's wrong, Robin."

The tactician stood in place nervously. He agreed with Chrom, but he was in no hurry to tell the Exalt that she was being an idiot right to her face.

"We are not them, Chrom," Emmeryn said, saving Robin from having to say anything. "Just because they are misguided does not mean that we have to be as well. Have you already forgotten the misery that the last war caused?"

"... No."

"Then do not be so hasty to create more of it. Peace is not off the table as of yet."

"... You're right. I'm sorry. It's just… I don't want to stand by and do nothing while Ylisseans are out there being killed! I'm the prince of this realm, and I have a duty to my subjects, don't I?"

Emmeryn gave him another warm smile. "Your Shepherds can continue to patrol the countryside for bandits. That is more than enough, and you have been a big help thus far. If anything else comes up, I will let you know."

Chrom nodded. "Understood. Let's go, Robin."

The two then turned to leave, but Emmeryn stopped them.

"Father Robin. I would like to speak with you in private if you have the time."

Robin froze. What? This can't be good…

"About what?" Chrom asked, seemingly thinking the same thing.

"Do not worry, it's nothing bad," Emmeryn said, allaying their fears. "But I would prefer it if I spoke with him alone."

"All right," Chrom acquiesced. "I'll be in the main lounge when you're done, Robin."

The prince exited the throne room, and Robin was left with the Exalt. However, the tactician noticed that they weren't completely alone; Phila, who had stood at the back of the throne room the entire time, remained in place, her short spear ready in case Robin tried anything.

"How has your experience been with the Shepherds so far?" Emmeryn asked him.

"It's been good, I suppose," Robin replied, unsure of what to say. "It beats sitting in the temple all day and conducting rites, that's for sure."

"I see. I heard from a few Plegian officials that you are quite famous in the Grimleal," the Exalt then said. "You were the one who suppressed Zanth's Rebellion at the Western Shore, were you not?"

Robin nodded slowly.

Zanth's Rebellion had been an uprising led by an infamous pirate king named Zanth. Zanth was a former captain in the Plegian Navy, but after being promoted to Fleet Admiral, the highest position in the Navy, he got drunk off his power and decided that he had no more use for the Plegian government. He conquered the Western Shore and the surrounding areas and set them up as the 'Sea-King's Throne,' and he took a huge part of the Navy with him when he rebelled. Normally, the Church of Grima would have let the military handle such a situation, but Zanth made it clear that he would also eliminate the Grimleal entirely once he came to power. The former admiral hated the immense influence the Grimleal had on Plegian politics, and so he saw them as an obstacle in his path to complete control. Because of this, the Church of Grima had no choice but to act. Robin had always been a stellar student in most subjects, and that included the study of military strategy. Since he was also the son of the High Archbishop, the Grimleal decided that he would lead the offensive against Zanth.

The military had continuously failed to unseat Zanth, and the best they could do was act as a buffer so that Zanth couldn't conquer beyond the Western Shore. Every time the Plegian Army tried to assault the Sea-King's Throne, they were pelted by cannon fire from Zanth's ships off the coast. Zanth also had complete control over the waterways surrounding the area, so it was difficult to resupply the army as well. Since the Plegian Army could not defeat Zanth, it was up to Robin to take charge. He knew that the only way they could win was by eliminating Zanth's naval supremacy, but since Zanth had taken most of the Plegian Navy, Robin barely had any ships and sailors to work with.

However, the tactician used this to his advantage. In a move that stunned both the Plegian government and the pirate empire, Robin lit his ships aflame and used them as huge projectiles in order to destroy the main portion of Zanth's fleet. Since Robin's navy had so few soldiers, they were able to fit all of them on the handful of ships that remained while all the other ships were sacrificed. Robin's actions allowed the Plegian Army to move in and defeat Zanth, and the rebellion was brought to an end.

Since Robin played a large role in Zanth's defeat, he was awarded a large sum of money by the Plegian government and was allowed to keep the flagship he used during the uprising. He was also offered a position in the military, but his father forced him to refuse, telling him that the Grimleal must not directly tie themselves to nations.

"Your renown as a tactician is well-deserved, then," Emmeryn said, breaking Robin out of his memories. "And from the reports I have received, it appears that you played a large role in helping the Shepherds get to Regna Ferox safely and then convincing the khan to lend us troops. You have my gratitude."

"Oh, uh, no thanks needed, Your Grace," Robin said as he blushed.

Emmeryn looked into his eyes, her golden orbs shining brilliantly. "Chrom needs someone like you, Robin. He has a good heart, but he is far too reckless and tends not to think before he acts. I know you are Plegian, and that this is selfish of me to ask, but please, look after him during the events to come."

"I will," Robin answered, trying to sound confident. It was rare that he was treated like the responsible one.

The Exalt smiled. "Thank you. Despite what I said to Chrom, I fear that we may end up in a war after all. Again, forgive me for saying this, but I hope that we can count on your support."

"I am just one man, but I will do what I can to help," Robin answered honestly. It appeared that Emmeryn was already aware of the fact that the Grimleal were not beholden to the Plegian government, so Robin did not explain to her that he was under no obligation to help Plegia during the war.

"Good. I am glad to hear that. I will keep you and Chrom informed on the situation as soon as it changes, so please be ready," Emmeryn said, then gave him another reassuring smile. "As for now, you may go. The castle's utilities are all open to you, so make yourself at home. You have all earned some rest."

Robin bowed lightly and then left the throne room. Phila shot him a wary look as he passed her by, the periwinkle-haired woman obviously not still completely trusting of him.

I suppose that makes sense, even if I am not her enemy, Robin thought as he glanced around the ornate halls of the palace. Now, how do I get to the main lounge…?

The priest wandered about the halls for a few more minutes, trying to find a guard he could ask for directions. As he strolled through the castle, he stopped to admire a painting of Chrom that was hanging on one of the walls. He also noticed one of the Hero King Marth nearby.

Wow, he's almost as pretty as the other Marth, Robin thought with a smirk. They actually look fairly similar now that I think about it…

"Robin? What are you doing all the way over here?"

The tactician whirled around to see Frederick. The big knight still wore his blue armor despite being on break, and his expression was as stern as ever.

"Oh, uh, I kind of got lost," Robin admitted sheepishly. "Do you know how to get to the main lounge from here?"

Frederick sighed. "I knew this would happen… Honestly, did Prince Chrom actually expect you to find your way back by yourself? Come."

Robin followed the knight through the castle as they headed towards the lounge. Neither man was very skilled in the art of conversation, so they proceeded in silence until Robin finally thought of something to say.

"Did you fight in the last war, Frederick?"

"... I did, to an extent. I served as a squire to my father," he answered, his tone strained. "It was… quite the disturbing experience, which is why I hope that we can resolve the situation with Plegia peacefully this time."

Robin had been a child when the previous war was raging, and as a member of the Grimleal, he was mostly sheltered from the violence. He had seen his own fair share of fighting, of course, but he wondered how bad to the last war had been to make even Frederick falter.

"It sounds like it was very violent. Why did the war even start in the first place?" Robin asked, wondering if Frederick would say more. He had read about Exalt Chresent's attempted conquest of Plegia in books, but those accounts were speculative or unclear. This was actually the first time he had the chance to speak with a veteran of the war from Ylisse's side.

"Ah, well, that is a subject of much debate," Frederick said. "Some say that Exalt Chresent was simply a power-hungry fool, while others say that he was after the Grimleal, and that he sought to eliminate them."

"I've heard both those theories before, but neither one seems very probable to me," Robin replied. "If he just desired power, I don't see the point of deploying soldiers to areas that had very little impact on the war and slaughtering the civilians there. And he couldn't have been after the Grimleal because none of our main temples were even touched by the Ylissean Army."

"Yes. It is quite the mystery. I often wonder why so many people had to die if it were all for nothing," Frederick said, his voice tinged with sadness and regret. He then turned around to face Robin. "Actually, I thought that you would know more about this subject than I would. As you said, the Grimleal were suspiciously quiet during the war. Perhaps they knew something that we did not…?"

Robin shook his head. "The Grimleal always remain neutral during conflicts unless they are directly threatened. As to why Exalt Chresent decided not to attack the Grimleal, I can't say. Maybe it was because he didn't want them joining Plegia's side, or maybe it was because of some secret deal he made with them… Who knows?"

Frederick remained silent for a bit, then nodded. "It is as you say, I suppose. We may never know."

The pair then continued on until they reached the main lounge of the castle, which was basically just a large royal suite. The room was covered with a plush red carpet, and various expensive-looking chairs and sofas were scattered about. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and there were plenty of tables with games such as chess set up on them. To Robin's pleasant surprise, there was also a bar in the corner of the room, as well as a private kitchen.

"You finally made it," Chrom greeted as the pair entered. "Took you a while."

"I warned you he would get lost," Frederick stated. "Anyway, I have duties to attend to, so I must take my leave."

"Training again? You really need to loosen up, Frederick."

"I must remain ever vigilant in order to protect you, Your Grace."

"Yeah, but you also need to relax once in awhile," Chrom told him.

"Perhaps when I am finished with my regimen for today."

Chrom threw his hands up in surrender. "Fine, do as you please. While you're doing your Fanatical Fitness Hour or whatever, everyone else is going to be having fun."

"Actually, I would like to accompany you, Sir Frederick," Sumia broke in as she suddenly appeared. "If that's all right, that is…"

Frederick nodded. "I have no complaints. I could use a sparring partner."

"You too, Sumia?" Chroma asked, somewhat surprised that the normally meek woman wanted to spend her free time training.

Sumia glanced at the ground. "Yes, well… It's just that in these past few battles, I didn't really do anything… I'm still getting used to riding my pegasus, and my lance technique could use some improvement. I don't want to be useless anymore."

"Sounds good to me," Robin agreed, glad that Sumia had realized her weak points without him having to point it out to her directly. "We could always use better fighters."

Chrom nodded. "If that's what you want, then go for it. Good luck."

Frederick and Sumia departed, and Robin immediately rushed over to the bar. He could already taste the sweet burn as he perused the selection of wines, ales, mead, and beer.

"You sure are eager," Chrom noted as he joined him.

"Do you know how long it's been since I had a drink?" Robin shot back as he selected a bottle from the showcase, pointing to it for the bartender.

"You know, I'm starting to think that you might actually have a drinking problem."

"It's not a 'problem,'" Robin corrected, taking a sip of the glass of red wine that had been poured for him.

"Sure… Anyway, did you say something to Frederick on the way here? He's always been obsessed with training, but even he rarely goes off to exercise right after coming back from a long mission."

Robin was confused. "I don't know… We talked about the last war a little, I guess."

"Really? He usually doesn't like discussing that, so I'm surprised he told you about it," Chorm said, his chin in his hand.

"Oh? Was it really that bad?"

The prince shrugged. "I guess, though I don't know all the details either. I do know, however, that Frederick lost his father in the war, so it couldn't have been a good experience for him."

"He did? He didn't mention that…" Robin replied as he thought back to his conversation with the big knight.

"Yeah, I doubt he would. Frederick's father was executed for treason towards the end of the war, a week or so before my own father killed himself."

"Frederick's father was a traitor?" That image did not fit in well with Robin's perception of the knight. Frederick was the picture of loyalty.

"Maybe, maybe not. Since my father more or less lost his mind as the war progressed, we don't know if Frederick's father was actually a traitor or if he was just executed for no good reason," Chrom explained. "Frederick has been trying to figure that out himself his entire life. I guess that's why he told you about his experience in the war; though it was a longshot, he wanted to see if you knew anything about it."

"... I see."

Now Robin could understand why Frederick acted the way he did. Even though he could be stifling and overbearing, Frederick most likely overemphasized his sense of loyalty so that he could distance himself from his father's actions.

"Well, that's enough about Frederick," Chrom then said. "More importantly, what did Em say to you?"

Robin knew that the Exalt had probably told Chrom to leave for a reason, so he just gave a vague answer. "Oh, you know. She just said to look after you and stuff."

"Yeah, that sounds like her… So nothing about the war?"

"There is no war yet, Chrom," Robin stated as he ordered another drink. "And let's hope there isn't one. No offense, but you kind of sound like you're eager to fight."

Chrom clutched his cup. "... I don't know. I feel terrible for saying this, but I just want the opportunity to prove myself, even if that opportunity comes through war. Em has done so much for our country, but what have I done? Yeah, I stopped a couple bandit attacks, but that ultimately makes me a glorified guardsman. I want to do something worthy of a prince."

"That sounds selfish to me," Robin replied as he swished his drink around.

"I know it is, but I just can't will myself to stop feeling this way. I know war isn't good, and if I were in charge I wouldn't be like my father, but in this situation? What else can we do but strike back with violence?"

"Hm… I suppose you may be right," the tactician admitted. "You may get your wish, Chrom. Let's just hope that you don't end up regretting it."

Chrom sighed. "What about you, then? You told me you've fought in conflicts before, but you're opposed to war?"

Robin shrugged. "I don't know if I would say I'm 'opposed' to it. War, peace… What does it all mean in the end anyway? Why does either outcome matter?"

Chrom raised a blue eyebrow. "You're not making any sense."

The priest chuckled. "No, I suppose not… Either way, it doesn't matter what I think. As long as I'm your tactician, I'll just go along with whatever you decide."

"That's good to hear," Chrom said with a smile. "With you guiding us, I don't think we have anything to fear. If we must go to war, then we will. But if we do, then I want to make sure that we win."

Robin nodded. "Agreed."

Lucina looked around in amazement as she strolled through the streets of Ylisstol. Though she had been born in the city and had lived there all her life, she had very few memories of the area outside the palace. Grima's Resurrection had occurred when she was very young, and so she was forbidden from leaving the castle. When she was finally old enough to do as she pleased, Ylisstol had already been reduced to rubble, so there weren't many sights to take in.

Now, however, she was surrounded by a plethora of new sights, smells, and sounds. I never realized how full of life these cities were…

She briefly wondered if any of her companions from the future were currently in Ylisstol, but she doubted she would be able to find them in a city so big even if she tried. Lucina glanced at the white palace in the distance, and a warm feeling filled her chest. She had grown up in the castle, and though she wanted nothing more than to go inside and tell her father everything, she knew that it was impossible. Keeping interferences in the timeline to a minimum was one of her main goals, and her confessing to her father would no doubt cause problems.

Then again, I do not know what the result of that would be. Perhaps he would even help me fight against the Grimleal if I told him…

Her mind then drifted to the Grimleal priest that she saw with her father in Regna Ferox. She scowled as the feeling of his lips on hers resurfaced.

That priest, Robin… Why was he there? Who is he?

Lucina had never heard of any 'Robin' in her own timeline, and if he were a member of the Shepherds, she would have definitely seen him at least once. Is it possible that my appearance in this timeline is what caused Robin to join the Shepherds? Maybe the Grimleal realized that I was here and sent him… However, he does not appear to be hostile. In fact, he seems to be assisting Father rather than fighting him. Or is he simply waiting for the opportunity to stab him in the back?

The princess' anxiety grew the more she thought of the priest. Throwing her plans to remain far from the castle to the wind, she decided that she would need to keep a close eye on the situation in order to ensure her father's safety. Even if she couldn't tell her father everything, she still needed to make sure that Chrom was safe. No matter what, she couldn't allow him to die. Not this time.

The image of Death piercing her father's heart sprung to her mind again, and she grit her teeth. I will not let that happen. I will never go through that pain again…

Chrom had been killed inside the very castle Lucina had grown up in, right in front of her eyes. She had been powerless to stop the Grimleal zealot, and she vividly recalled the hulking figure in the black dragon mask looking down at her after killing her father. Death had taken one look at Lucina's crying face and then left, though Lucina never understood why he didn't just kill her too.

Either way, I will make him regret that mistake, she thought determinedly as she made her way to the castle. Though I may have lost in the future… The past is where I will change everything.

"Fuck!" Vaike cursed as Robin captured his king. "That's what, my third loss in a row?"

"Fourth," Virion corrected as he watched the chess match from his seat beside the table. "Has your repeated defeats made you lose your ability to count, dear Vaike?"

"Oh, shut up!" Vaike said as he stood up. "This game is dumb anyway. I'll take you both on during training tomorrow instead as revenge. The Vaike won't go out like this!"

"Tis but a game, my friend," Virion told him with an amused smile. "No need to take it so seriously."

"To be fair, losing four games in a row is pretty bad," Robin interjected. "No offense, Vaike."

The blond axeman shook his head. "You guys are smug assholes, you know that? I need a fucking drink…"

Virion laughed as Vaike walked towards the bar. "That was quite cruel, Robin. You could have given the poor man one game, no?"

"Yeah, but that wouldn't be any fun," the priest countered. "And before you ask, no, I'm not going to play you again. Those four wins against Vaike just barely put me at more wins than losses for the day thanks to you."

"Ha! And here I thought our brave tactician feared nothing," Virion replied smugly. "Maybe you should cede your position to me if you're afraid…?"

"Oh, please. We both know that battlefield tactics are completely different from a simple chess game."

"If it's so simple, then why don't you defeat me once?"

"Nice try, but no," Robin said as he stood up and stretched. He then glanced out the window and saw that the sun was beginning to set, the glare from the star bathing the landscape in orange. "Damn, it's pretty late already…"

Just then, Frederick burst into the room.

"Robin, Prince Chrom requires your presence in the courtyard."

"For what?"

"It appears that Marth girl we fought in Regna Ferox wants to join our group," Frederick answered. "Do not ask me why, for I do not know. It would be best if you saw for yourself."

Robin's eyes lit up. Marth? Interesting…

He followed Frederick through the castle and into the lush courtyard, trying to maintain his balance on the way there. He may have had one too many drinks that evening...

When they finally got to the courtyard, he found Chrom and Marth standing together. The blue-haired warriors turned when Robin and Frederick arrived.

"Ah, there you are," Chrom began. "I assume Frederick told you about the situation?"

"Yeah," Robin replied, fixing his brown eyes on Marth and giving the woman a lazy smile. "Still looking as cute as ever, Marth."

"Excuse me?" she said, appalled at his boldness.

Chrom sighed. "Robin… Are you drunk?"

"Do you really have to ask, Your Grace?" Frederick answered, shooting the tactician a glare.

"Figures… Look, if you're not sober, maybe this should wait until -"

"Why do you want to join the Shepherds?" Robin asked Marth, his tone becoming serious. "Your intentions still aren't clear to me, and as his tactician, I cannot allow someone who is a complete unknown to get close to Chrom."

Marth's sapphire eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I would wish to harm His Grace?"

"I don't know. Why are you joining us now? And why do you seem to know so much about Chrom and the Shepherds?"

"That's…"

"I think we can trust her," Chrom interrupted. "She says she's Ylissean, and she doesn't seem like the bad type."

"Chrom… You're too trusting," Robin said, and Frederick nodded behind him.

"Well, I trusted you, didn't I?" Chrom countered. "And besides, that's not all. Look at her sword."

Robin glanced down at Marth's side. The pommel of the sword did seem familiar, but when Marth unsheathed her blade, it became even clearer.

"... Falchion?"

Chrom nodded. "There's only one in the world, so hers is obviously a replica, but look at that craftsmanship! They're almost identical. Whoever made that sword has to have come into close contact with the original Falchion."

"It was my father who made this sword," Marth supplied. "He was a close retainer to the previous exalt."

"What was his name?" Robin asked, still not completely trusting her.

"He died while I was very young," she answered. "This is all I have to remember him by."

Robin bit the corner of his lip, trying to find any holes in Marth's story. Though there was no way that her tale could be disproven, there also wasn't much proof to back it up. Though I do have to admit, that sword is almost an exact replica of Falchion…

The Grimleal priest then looked over Marth again, letting his gaze travel all over her body. Marth shifted uncomfortably as Robin examined her, and Frederick cleared his throat, clearly disturbed as well. Chrom opened his mouth to say something, but Robin spoke before he could.

"You look like you could be a relative of Chrom's."

Marth's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"You have blue hair, you have extensive knowledge of Falchion, you fight like Chrom, and you look like the real Marth," Robin listed, recalling the painting he saw earlier in the day.

"All of that is true…" Chrom admitted as he looked at Marth again. "You… You aren't related to me, are you? That can't be. I don't have any cousins, aunts, or uncles…"

"She could be a bastard," Robin inputted. "It would explain why you don't know about her."

Marth appeared as if she were about to protest, then fell silent. "... That is correct."

Chrom looked troubled, and Frederick was shocked.

"T-that cannot be," the big knight sputtered. "Who is your father, then? Exalt Chresent? I thought you said your father was a retainer of his?"

She shook her head. "I do not know. But if you want further proof, look into my left eye."

All three men crowded around Marth as they followed her instructions. Sure enough, the Brand of the Exalt was present in her eyeball.

So that's why her left eye always looked a little different, Robin realized.

"So you really weren't lying," Chrom finally said, his tone tinged with surprise and an ounce of frustration. "I guess we have no choice, then. It would be wrong to turn family away, so you are welcome to join the Shepherds."

"Chrom, just because she's related to you doesn't mean that she doesn't have -"

"Enough, Robin," the prince stated as he turned around. "I've made my decision."

Chrom then stalked off, leaving Robin with Frederick and Marth. The woman looked at the ground, her blue eyes filled with regret.

"It appears His Grace needs some time to take in this information," Frederick said as he watched his liege leave. He then turned to Marth. "You are part of the Shepherds now, Marth. However, keep this in mind: if you ever attempt to harm His Grace, I will kill you, royal blood or not."

With that, the blue-armored knight followed after Chrom.

Robin sighed and screwed his eyes shut. "I need another drink…"

He then turned to leave, but Marth stopped him.

"Wait," she called out.

"What? You want another kiss?"

"... I will choose to ignore that for both our sakes. I merely want to know where I am supposed to go now," she said.

Robin frowned. "Oh, right… Well, the Shepherds will be staying in the castle for a couple more days, so I guess we can find you a room somewhere… You should really be asking Frederick, not me. I'm still getting lost in this place."

"I thought you were the tactician. Should you not be able to find your way around one castle?"

"Cheeky little bitch," Robin muttered under his breath. "Fine, follow me. I should be able to retrace my steps back to the lounge, at the very least."

The two walked back inside the castle, with Robin leading as he tried his best to remember just where it was that he had came from. He vaguely recalled heading through a door with a blue vase on a small stand next to it, so he kept his eyes open for something like that.

"There is talk of war with Plegia," Marth suddenly said, interrupting Robin's search.

"So there is," Robin replied lazily, already knowing what Marth was about to say.

"And you are all right with that? You said you were from Plegia."

Robin frowned as he ran a hand through his dark hair and tried to decide which hallway to go through next. "My only allegiance is to the Church of Grima. It doesn't matter to me if Ylisse fights Plegia."

"... What if the Grimleal were to turn against Ylisse? What would you do then?"

"Why are you asking me that?" Robin said, turning around to glare at her. "The Grimleal have always remained neutral in recent conflicts, and that isn't going to change. There's absolutely no reason why they would suddenly start attacking Ylisse. It seems like you're just trying to pick a fight with me."

"That was not the purpose of my questioning," Marth replied. "Just as you wished to know my intentions, I wish to know yours. I cannot have someone untrustworthy so close to Prince Chrom."

"That's basically exactly what I said earlier," Robin shot back, frustrated both with this conversation as well as his inability to find his way through the large castle.

Marth's expression remained stoic. "I apologize if I am offending you. I merely wish to keep His Grace safe, and I am sorry, but I do not trust the Grimleal."

"Well, that's close-minded of you. What reason would I have for turning on Chrom or the Shepherds? They've been nothing but kind to me since I've arrived in Ylisse."

Marth's gaze softened. "Fine. I suppose I have been a bit harsh. I still do not trust you completely, but I am willing to give you a chance. Perhaps not all of you are pure evil."

Robin sighed again. "I really need a drink now. If I could just get back to the lounge…"

"Why don't we try going through there?" Marth offered, pointing towards one of the hallways.

"I don't know if that's the right way…"

"Oh? Then what is the right way?" Marth asked, an amused glint in her eyes.

"I, uh… Fine. I don't know, I'm lost."

The corner of Marth's lips twitched upwards as she tried not to smile. "Then my suggestion cannot be worse than our current direction, no? Come on."

Robin followed Marth through the castle, the woman supposedly choosing directions at random. Soon enough, they arrived at the hallway beside the blue vase.

"Huh… You have a pretty good sense of direction," Robin said as he recalled how to get back to the lounge from this point onwards.

"I suppose I am just lucky," Marth replied.

Robin laughed. "I guess so. Now, let's hurry up. That bar has been waiting for me…"

A figure in black wolf armor sat alone in a forest. Sunlight poured in from above the trees, shining through the leaves and touching down on the grass at a few select spots. The chirping of birds filled the air, giving the area a sense of peacefulness. An old, worn-out shrine rested a few feet away from the figure, though he did not recognize which god it was built for.

Famine closed his eyes and began to concentrate. As he sat still and let dark energy flow into him, a blinking apparition began to materialize in front of him. Soon enough, the apparition took on the thin form of Valis.

"Famine? Can you hear me?" Valis asked.

"Yes," the Grimleal warrior replied.

Valis smiled. "Good, then it appears that this method of communication will work - for short periods, at least. Anyway, since you have contacted me, I assume that you have completed your task?"

"I did. Azure is now in my possession."

"That is good to hear," Valis said before pausing to let out a series of sickly coughs. "... Did you happen to encounter any resistance?"

"There was a magical barrier that I easily broke. However, a manakete was also there, acting as a guardian to the gemstone. She called herself Tiki, the Voice of Naga."

Valis' eyes widened slightly. "So that is where she was… And you defeated her?"

Famine nodded. "With ease, though it was clear that her combat skills were rusty. She seemed disoriented."

"Ah, yes. The Voice of Naga had been in a very long slumber before you awakened her," Valis explained. "But either way, I am glad that the task was not much trouble for you. As expected from a member of the Inner Circle."

Famine didn't reply, and so Valis continued.

"You must safeguard that gemstone until you arrive back in Plegia. It is best that no one else knows that you are in possession of it."

"Of course. Then, if that is all…?"

Valis nodded. "Yes. Goodbye."

Famine severed the connection, and he was alone once again, surrounded by the song of the forest. He pulled out the gemstone known as Azure and turned it over between his fingers. The stone was a beautiful shade of blue, but other than that, he didn't see anything special about it.

And yet I spilled blood to obtain it, he thought bitterly as he recalled his duel with Tiki. If only this wasn't necessary…

Famine was not a devout adherent to Grima, despite his position in the Church. However, as one of the select few who was compatible with Grima's blood, he had no choice but to take up the mantle of 'Famine' for the sake of the world. If he stood by and did nothing, the world as he knew it would definitely be destroyed; he had seen that for himself. Therefore, he would do whatever was required of him in order to prevent the destruction of the world, even if he didn't like it.

A/N:

- As you can see, I used Robin's ship strategy from Awakening here in his backstory. I didn't want to just reuse the same tactic that everybody already knows from the games for the actual battles in this story, so I put it there instead because I still thought the concept was pretty interesting.

- I don't remember Chrom's father ever having a name, so I basically just gave him a random one. The reasons for Chrom's father's war will come up later in the story, so there will be more on that later.

Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed so far. Updates might be a bit slower for the time being, but they should pick back up eventually.