"We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it." - J. M. Barrie

Upward arc into downward swing, then duck, side parry and jump into forward lunge. Repeat, parry, block, redirect, slide, finish off. Take a break. Breath. In, out, in, out.

Wiping the sweat off my face with a towel hanging on a nearby weapon rack, I let out a tired sigh. The dummy was in near pieces and I could already imagine the scolding I'd receive for breaking more training equipment. I knew they weren't cheap, they weren't made by clowns, they were the best quality the country could offer. And best quality is not cheap when they're often sold by red headed merchants, with family transcending through history.

Frederick would have my head one of these days, and it would be over my destructive tendencies. Wonderful.

But I had to remember what Frederick told me. I began to think through the movements I practiced. I imagine my arms weren't positioned correctly, I didn't use my non dominant hand to guide the other. My legs were too stiff and too bent, that would throw off my balance in battle. My shoulders were as tense as pulled rope, I needed to be more relaxed otherwise my muscles would lock. Briefly summarized, my form still sucked. I couldn't do what Frederick or Uncle Lon'qu tried to demonstrate for me even if I could see what a good form looked like. I only did what felt natural, and natural was wrong and would get me killed.

If I could find a way to learn legitimate sword fighting easily, it would be a miracle.

Whatever, I decided. I'd practice more the next day and figure something out. For the time being, I'd go to bed. Rest was a great idea.

I let out a yawn and dragged Falchion out the room, letting its blade squeal against the stone flooring. I'd be scolded by the maids again, no doubt. They'd all be hounding me for scratching the 'pristine' tiles for the hundredth time the month. I scowled. They would not get off my back for some reason. Whenever I was around, there was always something I did that sent them all on me like dogs. And I swear, I did nothing!

But… A little part of me knew what they were doing. The more mature side of me understood they were concerned. The princess constantly marching down the halls and into the training room with a face of nothing but pure concentration... Mom was worried too. I saw her face before I came to the training room. She looked unsettled by how much I went to train, then she'd offer to bake with me, and then I'd wave her off and rush down, Falchion in tow. I was worrying them.

My hand clenched around Falchion's grip. I was being a brat. Sure my determination to train was great and all, but in being so determined I ignored everything else around me. That would lead to me ultimately destroying myself because it wasn't healthy, neither mentally nor physically.

I let out a long sigh. What would Frederick say about this? What about Uncle Lon'qu? Mom? ….What would Dad say about me destroying myself from inside out? There's no doubt in my mind they'd all scold me in their own ways. Frederick would tell me a soldier only endangers themselves, they'd be no use on the battlefield. Uncle Lon'qu would give me a disapproving glance and say how the best swordsmen or swordswomen don't exhaust themselves. Mom would tell me to take a break, the best need to rest after all. And Dad… He'd probably try to prove his point in a spar after arguing with me… We weren't the best at expressing our emotions through our words…

I knew what I had to do. With slight struggle, I lifted Falchion and placed it in its scabbard on my back. I had a habit of putting it there instead of my hip. Falchion was bigger than I was, how else was I supposed to carry it? Even then, the scabbard almost touched the ground. Hopefully, I'd be taller in this lifetime.

I walked down the halls and headed up to my room. There, I laid Falchion against the wall near my bed. I quickly went into Cynthia's room to play with her a bit. In truth, I'd been neglecting her recently, something I was ashamed of. I really should have paid more attention to her. As much as I hated to admit it, I wasn't being a very good sister.

"Hey there Cynni!" I exclaimed, walking over to her crib and grabbing onto the bars.

She giggled happily and clapped her chubby hands together. "Lu-lu!"

She had started speaking a bit. The main words she knew were Mama, Lulu and Bea after the teddy bear from Aunt Lissa. Aunt Lissa tried getting Cynthia a different one but she was hopelessly in love with the old one I gave her. She couldn't get to sleep without it.

"Yeah, Lulu! Lulu's here!" I whispered excitedly, tickling her little belly. She giggled repeating Lulu over and over again. "And you know what? Lulu's excited to meet her baby cousin! And Lulu's baby cousin in Cynthia's baby cousin too!"

Aunt Lissa was pretty much ready to go into labour. I didn't know when she was due, but it looked like she was nearing the end of her pregnancy with how tired she got. Uncle Lon'qu was the most concerned as he'd buzz around, monitoring almost every one of her moves. He bumbled around in the most awkward and embarrassed ways, it was hilarious!

Of course, laughing at him didn't score many points, and he'd work my exercises with him harder.

Speaking of, with my very rational decision to have both Frederick and Uncle Lon'qu train me, I was twice as exhausted everyday. I was sweating buckets with only Frederick's training, now multiply that by about 20 and you had my quota for a day with him and Uncle Lon'qu. Perfect.

Personal hygiene be damned.

I wasn't a slob by any means though! Especially with the maids around...

But it was my routine.

"Hey Cynthia! Can you say, 'big sis?' C'mon! Biiiiiiig ssiiiiissss!" I exaggerated the mouth movements and syllables, and Cynthia looked as confused as she could be; tilting her head a fraction and her little tongue sticking out just a bit... She was adorable.

She struggled a bit, making noises that were at least a bit reminiscent of what I was saying. "Biii-sssss!"

I clapped a little. "Wow, you're gonna be calling me big sis in no time, huh?" I grinned. I couldn't wait until I could talk with someone who wouldn't really have any control over me or my actions; someone who wouldn't scold me. It wasn't that I didn't like my all adult family or anything, or the maids. It was tiring to be the youngest one around, and even though I was a smart kid to them who understood adult things, I was still a kid. It was hard to converse with them and made me feel isolated.

"Biiiiss! Biiiiss!" She repeated, clapping her hands excitedly. In sheepishness and my old dramatic disposition, my head bobbed downwards.

"Yeah," I spoke in a low sarcastic tone. "I'm Bis alright…." Cynthia didn't care like the baby she was and continued laughing. "Way to mock your big sister…"

From then on, I made a subconscious promise to myself and to Cynthia. I promised to protect her in every way I possibly could. I wanted her laughing and smiling for as long as she could. I didn't want anything to bring her down. Not the death, not the wars, and especially not the Risen. I'd teach her how to keep her head held high and smile, even if I couldn't practice it myself. She was too important to me.

"Lucina?" Someone called from the doorway. I turned around, grinned and waved at her, then returned to Cynthia. "What are you doing?" Mom asked softly.

I shrugged. "Just hanging around Cynthia after training."

Her lip twitched downward slightly. "Ah, I see, so how was your training?"

I took a second to appreciate how, even though she didn't enjoy my excessive training, she still indulged herself into what I was doing. She was being a parent I suppose, supporting me through my decisions. But I felt as if I gave her no time for me to be a child, she couldn't play around with me and share joyful memories because I was a, 'prodigy.' It must've been difficult for her, she was really talking to an adult in the guise of a tiny child, already almost capable of swinging a sword.

I hummed. "It was good I think. I've recognized my weak points and what I need to improve. I also had the idea of mixing what Frederick and Uncle Lon'qu have taught me! What do you think?"

"Well," Mom stepped through the doorway, walked towards me and Cynthia, and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I think it takes a lot of determination and intelligence to be able to merge the lessons you've been taught. I'm proud of you Lucina."

My eyes widened as I looked at her. It had been such a long time since I was told someone was proud of me. But I was happy I was hearing it more often because I knew what I wanted. I wanted attention and approval. I wanted what I hadn't experienced before; the unconditional love of my family.

I turned from my little sister to gently wrap my arms around Mom's side. "Thank you..." I whispered to myself.

I wasn't as neglected as I was from Before. I wasn't as pressured by my parent(s) into anything. ...I wasn't as hurt by my family. I was happier now than I'd ever been, and it really showed. I'd been calling Mom, 'mom' more instead of mother, and a part of me was unnerved by it. I never wanted to compare her to her, that witch. Mom was the sweetest person out there and was never emotionally frustrating like she was. They were completely different and should never have shared the same title. But, mother seemed too formal and distant, I had even taken to doing the same thing for Dad and, 'father' even though he was gone.

I was happy in that moment, and I felt emotions I wished to never forget.

The following week, Aunt Lissa went into labour. And it wasn't anything like what Mom's labour. Mom didn't full out scream from the top of her lungs like Aunt Lissa did, and wow, what a pair of lungs she had. Her screams and shouts echoed through the palace walls for a good ten hours before they ceased. And during those ten hours, Cynthia screamed along with her. It wasn't anything fun. Moreover, I had to take care of Cynthia. Mom was busy helping Aunt Lissa through with her breathing. Uncle Lon'qu was in the room where she was giving birth too and I could only imagine how much pain they both went through. So, while they were in the 'birthing room,' I kept my baby sister company while she cried.

By the time Aunt Lissa's pained screams stopped bouncing off the walls, I could go in and see my little cousin. The nurses and maids bustled around a bit, still concerned for the royalty. I didn't concern myself much with what they were doing; it was their job and responsibility, so I settled for standing near Uncle Lon'qu, opposite to the side of the bed where Mom was.

Aunt Lissa stroked the baby boy's head and whispered softly into his tiny ear. It reminded me when Mom did the same for me. The soft, warm words quickly calming me in my distressed state after finding a giant woman holding a tiny person... The baby boy didn't cry much and his eyes were filled with bright curiosity. His eyes darted around the room, going from nurse to maid, from Mom to his mom, to his father, to Cynthia, and to me. His, aptly put, baby blue eyes looked lost in my exalt blue.

I let out a silent laugh and smiled at him. Excitedly I asked, "So what's his name?" From what I heard, Uncle Lon'qu and Aunt Lissa had decided on a name earlier for either gender but didn't tell anyone else.

Aunt Lissa huffed a tired giggle. "Well, I don't think Elice is very fitting," She joked, mentioning the name Elice, a name from the history books. I briefly wondered if all names were based on those of historical figures in this world. "so, this is Owain." She tickled his towel covered belly lightly. He made something alike to whining noises and I 'awwed' a bit, still holding Cynthia.

"Would you hold him for me, dear? My arms are sooo tired..." Aunt Lissa looked up to her husband, teasing him. I didn't doubt her being tired even if she made it sound unbelievable; she gave birth for goodness sakes! It surprised me she was still up, but she must have had some great resistance, which made sense as her being a healer. Maybe being a healer and having a high resistance coincided?

Uncle Lon'qu looked down at her reluctantly, an embarrassed expression weaseling its way on his face, and scooped the infant in his arms, occasionally looking at me to see how I held Cynthia. He fumbled a bit but soon found his ground. I tried to suppress a chuckle to spare myself the extra training I'd receive as a result of my laughter.

Owain's curious, little eyes moved all around his father's face until they settled in his father's dark eyes. Nervously, his father shifted his arms again and spoke to his infant son. "H-hello... I'm, uh, I'm your father..."

It was a tender moment with a mother, a father, and a newborn son being held in his father's arms. The newborn's curious eyes scanning around each feature of his parents, and his parents smiling down at him proudly.

"I think we should leave them for a bit." Mom whispered, squeezing my arms a bit. I agreed. We should leave them to themselves, let them enjoy their family, and let Aunt Lissa get some rest with her husband and son. We could talk and play with the new baby later.

Nothing much happened for the rest of the day. It was nice to just relax and unwind for once. During relaxation time, I noticed something about my appearance that had me a little annoyed...

My hair was long. Long hair wasn't really a problem, I even remembered enjoying my long hair from Before, but I felt as if it would interfere with what I had going on somehow. So, I decided I wanted a haircut.

Mom wasn't very pleased, saying she loved my hair and loved styling it in ponytails and braids, but she'd cut my hair for me if the cut wasn't too short. My shoulder blade long hair became shoulder length. I was happy with it and it was easier to manage too.

Nobody made overly dramatic comments, only telling me I looked nice, and my instructors told me they were glad I was taking things seriously.

Owain liked to tug on my hair when it was long but the little bugger couldn't do it now!

That was one of the main reasons I chopped it off, honestly.

Owain and his parents stayed in the for a month or two before they returned to Ferox. Those months were pretty fun. I learned a little more from Uncle Lon'qu and Frederick; my form improved a little so my 'natural stance' wasn't my first instinct, and I had a very basic knowing of a mixed style between Frederick's Ylissean and Uncle Lon'qu's Feroxi. I was still trying to figure some kinks out, like the proper timing to switch between the two. Aunt Lissa and Mom helped me in the other arts like cooking (only Mom there really), and messing around with my hair. I read to Owain and Cynthia who were two peas in a pod. They did almost everything together. They were both so curious and full of life.

The day the three left wasn't sad, yet it wasn't pleasant either. We told them to be safe for their journey back, but I still hadn't fully captured the gravity of the Risen threat. The Risen started off small but they were growing, slowly but surely. I hadn't been able to hear much of the threat they caused, I assumed nobody wanted to tell a child, but I knew they were rising (no pun intended) quite dramatically and they were becoming fearsome. It wasn't until a few years later everything fell apart.

I was ten years old at the time, Cynthia was seven; only a month until her birthday. We hadn't received any word from any family outside of the palace since last month when I had decided to read leftover books to Owain and Cynthia. Poem books specifically. Aunt Lissa and Uncle Lon'qu were back in their home in Ferox relaxing, but I suspected they were keeping their eyes on the borders in case of Risen attacks.

I was busy training with Frederick, my form was finally improved, but I still hadn't been able to figure out the rest of my Ylissean-Feroxi hybrid style. The thing was lost on me. Then suddenly, a soldier interrupted us. Frederick spared me a glance, already telling me what he wanted done. I nodded hesitantly, walking slowly on the path towards my room, but my curiosity was peaked so I hid around the corner.

"Sir," The soldier began in a diligent tone. "We've received contact from the Ylisse-Ferox border."

"And?"

"I'm afraid to say sir, but… Ferox is beginning to fall." My eyes widened. Ferox fall? That couldn't have been possible! Ferox was known for its extremely strong warriors, there was no way She could fall!

The soldier's words elicited a bellowing, "What!?" from Frederick, I could only agree. "What are you talking about man!?"

"The Risen have grown intelligent. They're using the forested scenery to their advantage. They've ambushed Ferox's soldiers and have grown in numbers and strength with each one taken down."

I could feel Frederick's anger growing as fear pooled in my stomach.

After a moment of concern for Ferox's soldiers, Frederick asked calmly, "What about Lady Lissa and Lord Lon'qu?"

It felt like my heart stopped beating. They were in Ferox. They were in danger...

The soldier gulped, his blunt and informant voice turned meek. "Lady Lissa is well fortified where she is. Lord Lon'qu..." He gulped loudly."He's been declared K.I.A."

It took a moment for that specific phrase to sink in. Lon'qu, former Feroxi champion, powerhouse, instructor, uncle, husband, and most of all, father, dead...? That wasn't possible, it shouldn't have been possible. Even if there was a hoard of Risen, he would've been able to take them down! No, no no no no no no...

I shook my head repeatedly. It wasn't... But it was... The world started to spin violently, quickly becoming a large blur through my tears. I let out a choked sob by mistake, I was sure Frederick and the soldier heard it. My head pounding and left eye buzzing, I ran to my room, not taking a single second to look back at the man calling my name.

I stumbled past the maids, accidentally toppling over some of them, and almost knocked down furniture just to get to my room. I couldn't think straight, all that was on my mind was Uncle Lon'qu.

"Hey Luci-!" I pushed past Cynthia, finally reaching my door, and slammed it closed.

"Go away!" I choked out, retreating to my bed's covers. I cloaked myself in my blankets, ready to bawl myself to sleep, when I noticed the book under my pillow.

Tears still pouring, I opened the book to notice its first page missing, and the next page fresh. I scrambled, looking for the missing page to find it under my pillow as well, but the page's edges looked torn and dirty. I turned the page over and I felt new tears pushing their way forward.

"No!" I cried.

I desperately wished for the page to go back into the Roster.

I think that covers this chapter. So, Lucina overworks herself, quality time with Cynthia and Sumia, Owain is introduced, timeskip, and someone is dead. When I said last chapter that the Roster wasn't going to be much of an advantage for Lucina, this is what I meant. I haven't lost a unit in either of my playthroughs because I refuse to lose anyone, but I think a unit's Roster entry would be lost when they are gone, yes? Well, I'm going with it anyway. Now, Lucina will be aware of the deaths of the Shepherds, but won't be able to do anything about it.

With the Roster playing more of a factor, and how it's a way for players to really get to know their units, I have a question based on the camaraderie in the Shepherds!

Question: Who would most likely be your best friends in the Shepherds?

My answer: I feel like it'd be Sully and Stahl, because Sully has a no-nonsense attitude and I love having friends like that, and I'm also quite the glutton and Stahl would be my go-to man for food.

Reviews are love and motivation!