Mage of the Sands:
He was the first of the remaining four who begrudgingly left Lucina's side. It made him feel cowardly, weak, and unsure of his own commitment to put Lucina's life above his even more than he already did. He worried that his father might have looked down upon his actions, but he tried not to think about it.
The first thing Laurent did was find out the date as soon as he possibly could. He regretted it shortly afterwards. He knew that the portal was somewhat unstable, as Nah was no longer able to maintain it from their side. But two years, two whole years ahead of when they expected to arrive was a painful thought.
Was it punishment for being the first to leave?
He tried not to think about it that way. After guarding the portal for the rest of group to evacuate, Lucina had finally ordered them to start retreating and he was only doing what he was told. Still, two whole years had given Laurent much time to reflect.
The first thought was that he would age. Where he was once just a little younger than Lucina, his parents having married a little later than hers, he would now clearly be older. It was also likely that his clothes wouldn't quite fit him anymore and he would have to procure new ones.
And what would he do for those two years? And what if after those two years, Lucina had yet to find him, or he to find her? The questions in his mind were heavy, but all he could focus on the most was his actions.
The desert was a land of hardship, burning in the day and frigid at night. Food had to be carefully handled and nothing was put to waste, water especially more so. He bit his tongue before he could curse his luck. He didn't believe in luck, but as he trudged on through the desert sands, he had crossed paths with a host of desert nomads. Though he could offer no money, as he and the other children saw no use of it during their time and gave it to Lucina, he was able to acquire a short passage with them to a nearby trading post.
And on his way to the city, he studied and documented how the nomads lived, socialized, and survived. He asked how they dealt with the heat, what they ate and the way it was prepared and served, how they procured and preserved water. His mother had always wanted to study and document them in greater detail, after all.
When they arrived, they parted ways, leaving him to the humble desert establishment. As he stepped under the arches of the town, he saw that though it was small, it was bustling with activity. Many goods came in and out of the trading post, as it was graced with an oasis with welcoming waters.
Having studied the techniques of the nomads, he acquired a position as a guard and saved what gold he earned. He was finally able to put them towards a quill, ink, and two blank books. With notes in hand, he began to write and document the nomads' methods of survival. Though he wanted to write more, he stayed his hand and instead focused on the topic.
Four days later, he came back to the trading post and sold the spare copy. Buying additional supplies, he set out to create more, eventually running a business of his own. The popularity of the book allowed him to fund his own private expeditions into the barren lands, allowing him to create more and more volumes. He found that there was contentment in signing the books he authored with his pen name.
The desert was a fascinating place. His skin tone became a soft bronze with how long he found himself out in the sun, creating a noticeable contrast with his blonde hair.
The desert was also a land of solitude. Though many sought to join him in his expeditions, he turned down each and every one of them. Studying wasn't the only thing he had done, and it wasn't just cacti that he intended to observe. He was a mage by necessity, after all, a mage that had come from a ruined future.
During his expeditions, he honed his skills and kept an eye out for Risen. He had a theory that as soon as they appeared, Lucina would have arrived and it would be time to leave the desert. He sought after his mother's books of spell theory, having long lost his own copy when they were forced to leave the ruined fortress in haste that fateful day. Now that he finally had time to sit and really read and apply what she wrote, it was the perfect opportunity to hone his abilities and he did it with earnest, watching his powers grow immensely.
He did his best to keep up to date on the states of Plegia, Ylisse, Valm, Chon'sin, and Regna Ferox. Passing merchants and traders, eager to bring more copies of his books to the world and to protect themselves should they ever be stranded, were more than happy to inform him, even if the news often came late. They told of bandit raids and how a few of them were believed to be Plegians, who had either stumbled across the border or were paid to smuggle themselves over and create havoc.
Then, after he had been in the desert for two and a half years, the news of Risen sightings reached him and he felt his lips grow thin. Though the desert's natural ability to starve and parch encroaching armies was a powerful deterrent, it would not stop the abominations. Much to his distaste, his expeditions became less scholarly and more defensive in nature, choosing to stay in the desert to escort caravans to and from the edge of the sands. Though he wished to leave the desert behind, he found himself questioning it. He knew what the Risen were like, and he could not leave the trading post to succumb to them.
When the first Risen stepped foot on the land he called his home several months later, seeking to slay the merchants he was guarding, he was more than ready. As he watched the encroaching horde approach, a long-forgotten emotion welled up within him and he set upon them with prejudice. The closest he could safely call it around others was nationalistic pride.
The caravan leader was shocked to see such a display of power. Here was a young man, who had come to the desert lost without a single coin to his name, who now conjured fierce fire and lighting from tomes, parting the horde of monsters like a large rock in a river. He had known the man for some time, watched him grow as a scholar and merchant, peddling his lifesaving information to those around him.
"Who are you, really?" the man asked, astounded.
"I am merely Laurent," he adjusted his glasses. "Laurent of the Rubinelle Desert."
He wanted to be around Lucina, to be there for her and end this war once and for all, but at the same time, he found that he could not bring himself to leave the barren land and its people that have given him so much.
Lucina wiped her brow for the umpteenth time, wishing that the sun would start to go down. Trudging near the front of the Shepherds, she watched as her mother led the troop towards the village in the distance, wondering how the woman seemed to be in her element. Robin had barely broken out in a sweat while the rest of the Shepherds baked under the sun. Still, she remembered why they were out there.
In the coming war with Valm, supplies needed to be taken into account with Regna Ferox. Weaponry and rations needed to be produced and loaded into the supply caravans. Soldiers needed to be pulled out of reserve and trained and refreshed.
And inquiries of power needed to be confirmed. There had been rumors of a mythical staff that lay hidden in the eastern desert of Ylisse. Though such rumors were often baseless, her father had stated that the arid province was long overdue for a visit from him. The last time he had come here was not long after the Falchion had chosen him as its wielder.
Her mother decided that it would be wise to visit a particular trading post first, as it would allow them to restock if necessary as well as gather information. She had heard that a powerful mage resided in the desert region and that often frequented, if not lived, at the location and was curious to know if he could offer anything in regards to finding the staff.
They had found no one there. Only the derelict ruins of the post remained. There were no bodies nor signs of blood, meaning that whoever resided there had managed to flee before disaster had befallen them. The goods were either ransacked or moved to another location, leaving only the valuable oasis behind.
Panne was able to detect that the people went north, indicating that the evacuees had gone towards the nearest town. Replenishing their water supplies, they followed same path. According to the map, it would be a two day trip. However, two particular questions remained. Exactly how long ago did they flee the area, and when did the attack take place?
A few of the other Shepherds seemed unfazed in their trek towards the village, especially Tharja. Having lived in the Plegian desert and dressed lighter than a feather, she shrugged off much of the heat. She probably charmed the air around her to block out the heat as well.
Opening her canteen and taking a measured sip from it, she overheard a conversation. "Wifey, how the heck are ya able to just wear that darned thing in all this sun?"
It was going to be another one of Miriel's tirades to her husband.
"It has been proven that loose fitting robes grant more aerial circulation over the skin in the form of minute wind chill, allowing body heat to exchange its difference with the passing currents. Also, while the clothes may absorb the light from the sun, the heat is not felt as prominently because it is not in direct contact with all parts of the epidermis. That is why Ricken and Henry are also able to maintain homeostasis over their body temperature."
"So… by wearing more, you actually cool down?"
"Yes… Hubby." There was a tangible pause between the words, as if the mage had struggled to form the word with her lips.
"But then how come Stahl and Sully aren't wearing their armor?"
"Metal conducts heat, is non-permeable in respect to air currents, and their armor is ultimately form-fitting, meaning that heat is insulated instead of exchanged."
"So… in order to stay cool by wearing more…" she could hear the gears in Vaike's head grinding away, "the air must… flow?"
"Precisely," Miriel adjusted her glasses. "The air must flow."
"The air must flow!"
Sighing before taking another sip, she put the stopper back onto her canteen and let it hang from the strap going across her shoulder. In a sense she was glad that to see Miriel and Vaike talk like this, as something as simple as this was unheard of in their time. Another part wondered just how the woman was able to even have the patience for him. Though she could tell that the fighter was earnestly trying to increase his pool of knowledge little by little, Lucina wondered how many days she could go before abandoning all hope.
But considering how much Laurent took after his mother, she couldn't help but imagine if this was what their relationship might play out as every now and then. Much to her embarrassment, she could only identify with Miriel on a feminine level, but at least she felt nowhere near as hopeless as Vaike. Perhaps there was a chance to save her by being outdone on the intellectual playing field. Still, when Vaike wasn't being lectured by his wife, she could see the joy that the two shared.
Still, as the distant village grew closer and closer, it pained her heart to think of what may have happened over the course of time. Her thoughts drifted to Inigo's strained smile, but she pushed it away just in time to realize that Robin had ordered the group to a halt before going to talk to the town guards with Chrom by her side. They spoke animatedly for a moment before Robin drew out a small book, pointing at something on the cover.
One of the sentries looked over his shoulder and pointed towards a particular portion of the town. Thanking them, the two came back to the caravan.
"They've granted us the use of their wells and stables for the duration of our stay," Chrom said. "Shepherds, try and relax a little and don't cause too much trouble. Robin and I will-"
"And Lucina," her mother tacked on.
"And Lucina will be seeing if we can find out more about the staff we're looking for."
After learning that Lucina had come from the future, Robin had taken a great interest in her. In addition to sword lessons from Chrom, her mother was dead set on teaching her how to better use her wits. And now that she had grown into a young woman, she felt it necessary to make up for lost time and teach her just a little about – she couldn't believe it when she heard the words slip from her mother's mouth for the first time – feminine guile.
When she first heard her say those words, Lucina had wondered if Robin had charmed her father into marrying her like a siren. But as she saw the two more and more, she thought otherwise. While there may have been some witty play on her mother's part, Lucina doubted that it was something her mother needed to practice on Chrom.
Besides, if what she said was true in regards to how their relationship started, it required much charming from her father instead.
She had thought about trying to dissuade her mother, but considering how her only argument was that she already had three suitors was risky as it revealed the existence of other children. But Robin had taught her only a little bit when it came to appealing to the opposite gender, saying that she shared the similar vein of presence and confidence her father had and only needed some fine tuning in finesse. Specifically, she taught her how to study her targets to understand who they were and to appeal to what they were familiar with or desired. That, and how to apply the smallest bits of make-up. Light lipstick and a bit of powders for now, just enough to direct viewers to her confident look and posture.
The concept of make-up was nearly foreign to Lucina and her first attempt had been a horrid but fun mess.
The rest of it was taught by having her assist Anna in her market stall for a short while, whom Robin claimed was an even better teacher in the subject than she was. Specifically, she had her watch the merchant's posture and voice intonation as she worked with her customers. She seemed to pose in subtle ways with the hand she had near her chin. When working with a woman, she would let her fingertips draw from the sides of her cheek to her neck with her other hand placed on her hips in a loose fist, radiating confidence. When with a man, she crossed an arm over her breasts, cupping her elbow while her other hand trailed across her lower lip in thought, throwing together sincerity with just a bit of an innocent, perhaps even oblivious, appeal.
And smiling. Lots and lots of smiling.
When she reported what she learned to her, Robin decided it was all Lucina needed for now. When she asked why, her mother remained silent for a moment before mentioning that going any further down that path would be dangerous, sharing that she had similar thoughts until she met a particular woman. She could tell that, though merely using what the gods had given her, everything she pushed and aimed for seemed self-serving and vile.
Ending the conversation, she drew her away to a court meeting, where she sat in and watch as she lobbied.
And lobbying, Lucina discovered, was something Robin was very good at.
Reaching into her pouch, she drew out a black eye patch and placed it over her left eye, making sure that it was not in the way of her hair band. After she had joined the Shepherds and her lineage was revealed, Robin had decided that her identity would need to remain hidden. After discovering that she had kept the broken pieces of the mask, she decided that it would be most fitting to work with the material.
But her mother would not be satisfied to let it be a mere patch. Bringing Miriel with her to the merchant, she instructed that they find a way to let the wearer see through it and keep others from looking in, offering good coin to both of them if they could complete it. In a week, the mage had engineered a one-way glass and the red-haired merchant was able to take a circular piece, fit it into the eye socket of the mask, and remove the small bars that blocked its vision. Cutting and sanding it down to size and shape, she placed a measured lace through its sides and tightly wound a dark but see-through cloth over it.
She was more than happy to put it on every time it was needed. It breathed new life into Gerome's gift to her.
As the rest of the Shepherds headed towards the northern side of the village, where the stables were, Lucina broke away from them and did her best to fight the weariness in her limbs and sweat on her forehead. "More diplomacy lessons, Mother?"
"Correct," she started, "and this time, I'm thinking it will be best for you to lead."
Her, lead? "What are we trying to accomplish here?" she cautiously said.
"We need you to lobby with the local captain to let us have a man, if he's still around," Robin began to walk towards where the town sentries pointed her to. "Ask if you may see the guard roster. Even better, ask if you could make a copy of it. Say that your father wishes to address letters to the serving families and may even decide to reward them."
"Any specific name we're looking for?"
"Can't tell you," she cheerfully said. "He's a bit of a celebrity in the area and the people would be rue to see him leave. Rumor has it that he's a bit of a guardian of the area, protecting merchant caravans. It will be good to have him guide us in the search. However, if you give away that you're looking for that particular person chances are they will be reluctant to let him join us for our search."
A little more walking and they had arrived at small garrison. Robin turned to face her. "The sentries said that the captain should be in here and we are expected. I'll follow after you in roughly five minutes. That should give you more than enough time. And if he asks about the staff, let him know that we're checking to see if this town needs more guards stationed here first. As a small town surrounded by desert, bolstering its defenses would not only provide it with additional power, but allow more gold flow to the city in terms of trade, as the soldiers must do something with their salary. Besides, it will eventually allow them to safely retake the trading post south of here. Bring that up and mention that we don't want a repeat of what happened there. If you can, get him to tell you what happened down there as well."
"Oh, and no Falchion. Can't let them get the wrong idea, here." Robin's hand extended to her and, as with each time Lucina gave it to her, she felt reluctant to part with it. Untying the straps, she removed it from her waist and replaced it with her mother's steel blade.
"And remember, what does AFE stand for again?"
She took a breath, trying to exhale away her anxiety. "Analyze, formulate, execute."
Robin beamed with pride. "That's my girl."
Chrom had gone to speak with the guards about what was needed most as a soldier defending a desert city. That must have been why the short halls leading towards the captain's quarters were sparsely occupied. Stopping outside the door and making sure that no one was around she removed her tiara and eye patch to straighten her hair, trying to ignore the sweat that still clung to her forehead. Even though the garrison was much cooler compared to the heat outside, they were still in the middle of a desert after all.
As she put them back on, she debated if she should take another swig from her canteen, but decided against it. She knocked on the door.
"Come in."
She pushed it open and entered.
"Good afternoon, sir."
The captain's eyes were trained on a document, so he wasn't exactly looking at her. This gave Lucina the opportunity to take in her surroundings. There wasn't much in terms of style. Everything in the room served a purpose. Weapon racks, rations, water canteens, the man was one of little extravagances. There was a pitcher with water on his desk and two empty cups next to a small portrait of a woman holding a small girl. Glancing at him, she noticed a small, plain ring on his hand. He was married, it looked like, and though he wasn't young, he certainly wasn't old, only a few wrinkles forming on his bronzed skin. There was another chair in front of his desk.
He looked up from his paper and their eyes met. "May I help you?"
"Yes," she started, "but I'm afraid I must bother you with a small request first." She put on a sheepish smile. "May I have a glass of water? We've been traveling for much of the day and I haven't had the chance to refill my canteen since we've arrived."
"Naturally." As he lifted the pitcher and poured out a cup, Lucina walked closer and took the seat in front of him. Taking the cup, she was careful to not down the entire drink.
Setting it down, she spoke again, "I'm told that the desert is a difficult land to live in." Time to play herself off as just a little naïve. "I still wonder sometimes how this village managed to be established."
An indirect compliment towards his character. "A lot of those here are of nomadic descent. They still practice the old ways."
She looked at the picture on his desk. "Is that your family?"
"Aye, it's old though." His hand went to grasp the frame and brought it close. "I had it done roughly fourteen years ago. Youthful we were, back then. We've grown some gray hairs now, but our daughter is turning into a fine woman, perhaps not unlike you. A shame you have an eye patch. No doubt you have beautiful eyes."
She gave him a reassuring smile but kept her response short out of fear that what she was about to say would lead to more. "I was born with a birth defect over my left eye. It's better this way." She leaned towards the man, but only a little bit. "May I have a look?" The captain handed the picture over and she looked over it, trying to pick out details.
"I see she takes after her mother," a small smile spreading once more. Ask more questions. "Are they out here with you?"
"Oh, no," his demeanor fell a little as she handed the picture back, "they're back in Ylisstol. I come home after my rotation ends for two months, and then it's back out here I go. But I'm looking to retire at the end of this last one. We saved up enough money to open a small tavern in Ylisstol, and so we'll be having our own family-run business, should all things go well."
"But that's enough about me. How can I help? I understand that Lord Chrom and his Shepherds are not only taking an inquiry of the province, but also searching for a mystical staff, no?"
Perfect. She had gotten the man to give her small things, which would make him feel more comfortable in giving her more. She had analyzed the surroundings, and knew that the man had a soft spot for his family, particularly his daughter. It would be wise to continue to be just a tiny bit naïve where possible to try and emulate her demeanor.
Now it was time to execute.
"You are correct." Slow down, and don't rush the subject; she paused to finish off the rest of her water. "But the town's defense is more important. We passed by a ruined trading post on the way here and we don't want that to happen to this town. How many soldiers do you have stationed in this garrison?"
Closing his eyes for a moment, he answered. "Roughly twenty. It's not much, but for now it's enough for the size of the village."
"Do you happen to have the roster?" Of course he should have it. "I believe Lord Chrom will find it useful to know which family each soldier belongs to. He understands that it is difficult out here and wishes to have letters addressed to the families thanking them for their service, perhaps even rewarding them."
"Hmm," her last word perked his ears. "That should be fine," he opened a drawer on his desk and brought it out, placing it in her hands. "I'll need to keep this though, so here," he took out some parchment, ink, and a quill, "go ahead and make a copy of it."
She almost couldn't believe how well this was working. "Thank you," she tried to keep herself from being too excited, beginning to write down the names and which family the belonged to.
Now the rest of it was just small talk. "Do you happen to know the population size of the town?" As town captain, that would be an easy question for him to answer.
"We're just a little shy of two hundred civilians. A good amount of the refugees from the trading post came over and we're still fixing the seams to try and get them all accommodated."
"If I recall," she started as she wrote down names, "it is one soldier to every five civilians. That would mean you need forty soldiers at least, no?"
"Aye, we haven't been able to request for more soldiers."
"I will let Lord Chrom know so that he may personally oversee it." More names. "What exactly happened to the trading post down south?"
"Bandits came and took everything of value a month ago. As they're too far away and sand makes us slow, we can't respond quickly. Luckily we were able to spot them in time and evacuate the people present. But it put a strain on our supplies and there are reports of them looking to come here next. I assume Lord Chrom and his Shepherds will be able to assist with the matter?"
She kept her head down, fighting the urge to bite her lip. "I do not see that to be an issue if they test their luck and think we are merely merchants. As you know, we are preparing to stop the Valmese from invading this continent, and-"
She came across a name and she suddenly halted. The captain looked at her. "Is something wrong?"
"This man. Laurent. Where is he?" Had he been here all this time? In this desert?
"That mage? He's currently outside the southeast wall on guard duty. Why?"
"Does he have blonde hair and wear glasses?"
"Yeah, that's him, but-"
Lucina bolted from her seat, leaving the captain behind. She ignored his surprise and rushed by her mother, entering into the hot sun once again and dashing towards the wall. She needed to see him. Her heart twisted and butterflies mated in her stomach, but she had to find him.
Laurent's gaze was cast towards the horizon. Though the heat was still strong, the afternoon sun had started to set. The bandits that had pushed the locals out of the trading post were beginning to turn their sights on the small village. Watches needed to be kept, but it would tire out the sparse soldiers. Civilians were being used to man the watchtowers, but he hoped that they wouldn't be needed for anything else.
And then he heard his name.
"Laurent!"
His head looked towards the direction of the voice, which seemed to be coming from behind the wall corner.
"Laurent!" the voice was louder and closer this time.
As soon as he turned his body, the frame of a lithe woman appeared in front of him, a mop of straight, unruly blue hair falling from the sides of her face. His jaw slackened and his voice caught in his throat.
"Laurent… is it really you?"
Lucina had grown beautifully in the past three years, but he had aged in the last five. The eye patch surprised him, but everything else was haunting in its familiarity. Her features had sharpened a little, no longer bearing the look of a child who was forced to take on more than she could carry, but a woman who fought and survived. She had been eating better, much better than the time that they were from, but as she was still a combatant, her body was well-defined. Walking up to her, the most jarring difference between now and then was that where he once looked up at her, if only a little bit, she now looked up at him.
He felt his lips close into a thin line. It didn't matter that she still wore his cloak from so long ago and that it was in tatters. Inigo's worn and bruised shield on her forearm was irrelevant. The brand was the most important and he needed to know. With his right hand almost shaking, he cupped her left cheek and felt a heat different from the what the sun gave out. He could see the nervousness in her body, but they both held firm. Moving his right thumb to the patch, he gently slid it underneath the strap and carefully pushed upward.
The Mark of the Exalt stared back at him, and he finally spoke, letting the piece fall back down. "Lucina…" He drew her into a tight embrace, relief rolling over him in waves and he smiled for what felt like the first in a long time. "It's really you. How I have long waited for this moment..."
She stiffened in his arms, surprised at his movements. But she just as quickly returned his hold. "I tried so hard to find us these past three years, all of us, but I was unsuccessful... I-I'm sorry I took so long to find you." He felt the burning warmth of tears and held her tighter.
"Three years…" He would share how long he had been separated from her later. "A long time indeed." Pulling his head back just a little bit, he leaned back in again, aiming to place a chaste kiss in her hair. He had dreamed of doing such things and more many times, and now that she was finally in his arms again, he would at least indulge in the tiniest of his desires.
"Oh, am I interrupting something, dear?"
Lucina suddenly pushed him away, a furious red blush rising to her cheeks and doing her best to hide her surprise but not her tears. He felt a guilty burning on his own face as he turned to the source of the voice. He was greeted with the sight of a woman he had heard much of but saw little, a knowing smile on her lips.
"N-No, Mother, I-"
"No need to fret, Lucina," she approached him, her brown eyes never leaving his. "In fact, I'm in a rather good mood now. Won't you introduce me to your friend?"
"R-Right," she took a breath and straightened herself, shooting him a quick glance and a warm smile. "This is Laurent. Laurent, this is my mother, Robin."
"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Your reputation precedes you, Queen of Ylisse." He gave a short bow.
"You must be Miriel's child," she said after examining him, her smile growing wider, "And you're also just the man we're looking for." Reaching into her robe, she drew out a document and handed it to him. "Let's discuss the terms of your transfer to the Shepherds. Seeing how my daughter clings to you, something tells me that you and I will agree that it's a fitting choice."
A/N: Laurent was the first child character I found, so that's probably why I like him so much. I had to take some liberties with his character background, though, because if you think about it, he needed a reason to remain in the desert and not be out searching for Lucina. I fiddled around with the story and came up with this bit, which seems to work. Also, Advance Wars fans might enjoy the little cameo to Rubinelle. I was also going to have her run into ManlyLaurent, who would be shirtless with toned muscles from all the hardships of the desert for even more awkwardness, but then considering the reason Laurent was shirtless was because he was digging graves for guards who died from a recent bandit attack, it was kind of morose and didn't really feel like it added to the story. Plus, it kind of forced the sex appeal onto Lucina as opposed to creating a stronger desire from Lucina's current gentle attraction, so the idea was axed for now. Shirtless Laurent may still make a comeback.
It was really fun writing Vaike and Miriel, too. I really enjoyed their dichotomy in the game and for some reason it's enjoyable seeing her explain things and Vaike doing his best to just understand even the most basic of concepts. I won't say I got them spot on, but I think they're pretty darn close (I also enjoyed throwing in the Dune reference).
But I think what really carries this part of the story is a not-quite deceptive fRobin but one that is wily and even playful, who is trying to pass on the same skills to Lucina. On one hand, she displays her convictions and strengths in combat, but on the other she understands the value of deception and espionage in tactics. We'll be seeing a little more about it in the next chapter and most likely in others as well. No, we won't be having Lucina go around trying to charm all the boys, nor will we have Robin becoming Aversa (that was one of my fears when I decided to write her like this). This doesn't mean, however, that they won't be carefully picking her words to try and achieve a particular goal. I also think the little details about hiding Lucina's presence when among non-Shepherds adds a nice touch to things, however, and incorporating the merchant gal is always fun.
Also, holy crap, the more I think about it, in terms of pacing it might take us a while to get to Inigo and Gerome. We still need to get to the other kids while throwing fluff-like stuff in between. And though this chapter is kind of a mix between funny and serious, it will probably be like that for most of the chapters.
GuyBrush007: I'm looking forward to seeing how this Robin turns out too. Here's to throwing caution to the wind.
I think I will be updating Letters for Cordy next, but we'll see how it all goes.
Also, this chapter was beta'd by Viral020.
I do not own Fire Emblem.
I look forward to your comments and criticisms.