Heartbeats of War:

A dull ringing echoed across the ocean.

"It looks like we've been spotted," Sumia yelled into the wind.

Laurent kept a hand on his hat, making sure that it didn't fall off from his head as they flew towards one of the smaller vessels in their fleet. "Two hundred ships flying Ylissean and Feroxi colors are not exactly hard to miss."

"Still, they've got maybe a good half an hour before we can make landfall," she replied back, "That's a lot of time to prepare defenses."

The plan hadn't changed much. Despite Chrom's objections towards Robin's invasion plan, it was decided that it would go forward. After weakening much of the forces with superior range, the ground troops would land and secure a foothold in the port. After that, strikes would continue, aiming to cut off paths that the Valmese could use and forcing them to funnel into an area should they attempt to engage. With enemy placements crowded together, one well-aimed strike would severely cripple them.

There was little room for error, and Robin had him practicing for the past two days to make sure that when the time came he would be able to execute it perfectly.

After a wide and banking turn to reduce speed, the pair landed upon the smaller vessel's deck. As Laurent dismounted from the steed, the two were greeted by one of the sailors.

"Welcome aboard Sir Laurent, Lady Sumia."

"Greetings," Sumia gave a small wave while Laurent removed his hat, bowing a little at the man before putting it back on. "I trust you recall the plan?"

"The Captain's got it all memorized. All you need to do is get to the crow's nest and fire away."

"Let's not keep the queen waiting, then." Laurent turned to the pegasus knight. "Sumia, I'll be fine from here. It's time for you to get back in the air with Cordelia and start gathering intelligence."

With a quick nod, her pegasus began to stretch and flap its wings. "I'll see you in ten minutes." With a gallop and leap over the edge of the ship, Sumia took to the air again.

Quickly climbing up the mast, Laurent took a glance at the port. They were approaching ahead of the other ships, as the smaller vessel was faster than the bigger frigates. They were in firing range already, and all Laurent needed now was for the two flyers to relay troop positions, targets, and orders from Robin. For now, the plan was to fire until aerial units attempted to take him out, in which he would be airlifted to the other ships that had yet to land and continue casting.

Turning back to the larger ship he came from, he felt himself worry.

Lucina would be among the first of the invading force to land. Knowing that he wasn't going to be there at her side stung at first. She was good, but his mind drifted to the game the three of them began. Success was their first priority. It was always their priority. An opportunity at love was what followed. That meant that Lucina had to survive at all costs. Not standing by her, covering her blind spots like when they defended the portal that day, brought a grimace to his face.

But that just meant that he couldn't afford to miss here.

A quick jet of fire came from the ship. His mother had given him the signal, and it was time to begin. Turning back towards the shore, he closed his eyes and let his heart settle. This was the real cast, not one of those miniature ones that he had been practicing. It needed to be strong, and for the first true spell, he needed all his concentration. Learning any magic in its purest form for the first time was always like this.

Magic began to flow from the center of Laurent's body, radiating outward from his heart to his extremities, like a growing fire. Slowly he imagined it growing more and more, hotter and brighter, barely controllable. Then, in one fluid movement, he extended his hand upward, pointing into the sky, and willed that burning feeling to extend above him. Opening his eyes and looking up, he saw a glowing white orb in air. Pushing more and more from his body, he saw it grow and become hotter, rising higher and higher, like a miniature sun.

The heat reminded him of the desert, and for a moment he felt back at home in the arid region. His mind recalled him resting in his small house, one that he purchased in his second year with his profits from his books. He imagined that instead of him sitting to have a simple meal alone or with a colleague, that it was Lucina he was breaking bread with.

The desert wasn't exactly the princess' place. Tolerable, yes, but a little out of her preferences. She told him that again and again, and so they often traveled. But even then she admitted that there was something about having a home to return to, something that she hadn't been able to experience ever since Ylisstol fell and she had been fighting for survival.

A shared home, Laurent gently reminded her, and she laughed.

He would not miss. He refused to let himself miss. He would hit the garrison, and then the first civilian structure afterwards. He felt his gut wrench at the thought of destroying the lives that had been built, but it was necessary.

Turning to the shore once more, he slowly let more and more of his magic dissipate and the man-made sphere began to emit flames. With a final stroke of his hand and one last push of magic, the sphere zoomed forward, a trail of smoke growing behind it. He felt the first beads of sweat on his forehead as he did his best to make sure the spell stayed on course, fighting the turbulence of the winds.

The invasion had begun.

The silence of the rocking ship reached far. The troops had all gathered below decks, geared up and waiting in formation at the bow, which would open up once they hit shallower waters. From there, the plan was to proceed on foot up the beach and enter the town square, where the fighting would begin. Afterwards, Laurent would be directing more spells into the field, striking the dense areas that enemy soldiers occupied or were otherwise out of reach.

Casting a look behind her, Lucina saw rows and rows of Feroxi and Ylissean troops, just waiting for the telltale shake that would tell them they had hit the soft sands of the beach. With each passing moment, the princess realized how much louder her heart was beating.

Lucina had a feeling that the moment before the storm was going to take a greater toll on her than the actual fight itself. Her eye patch was causing her forehead to itch more than usual and the lack of her Falchion was beginning to take its toll. At the behest of her mother, she had relinquished the blade for now – with this many troops around her, they could not allow them to see the existence of an exact copy of Chrom's sacred weapon. She took a silver sword because it felt heavy, not unlike her father's blade.

A loud rumble passed overhead a second time.

"That should be the second spell," Robin calmly spoke to Chrom. Her mother had changed from her normal purple robes to her more formal cloak, the gold and blues taking a dull shade in the poor light. Beneath it she wore a heavy breastplate and steel greaves, with leathers and gauntlets protecting her hands and other extremities.

It was different, seeing her mother like this. In small skirmishes she usually went light, as oftentimes there simply was not enough time to become fully geared for battle. But now that they had hours and hours of preparation beforehand, many of the Shepherds had donned their heavier armors. Even the children from her time were given more to wear into battle. Worried parents refused to let them enter without being fully prepared.

Not to mention all of their own little rituals. Tharja put more hexes than Lucina could count on her family members and Stahl had to calm Noire down for a moment to remind her that these spells would be helpful for her. Before taking to the air, Cordelia personally took all of the Shepherds through a checklist to make sure everyone was fully stocked, pausing and grumbling at how Henry failed or perhaps willingly chose not to bring more than just a vulnerary and his mage robes. Lon'qu sat still and meditated. Libra prayed.

Seeing her companions of the past year so engrossed in making peace with themselves before the battle made her wonder if she was somewhat underprepared on her own end. This was a full scale war, after all. Not just the smaller arms fighting that she had done in previous conflicts, but all-out combat against other people – there was no faceless, indeterminate name like Risen to put onto them. The only thing Lucina could say she truly held onto was her determination to see Grima stopped.

A loud explosion came from the shore. The spell must have struck land. Whether it hit the target was something they would only find out once the doors spilled open.

Her mind drifted to Laurent. Much to Lucina's surprise, when the mage was to be pulled onto the smaller ship for Robin's strategy, she found herself feeling just a bit insecure. Her mother had placed him at her side time and time again, but now that he was gone, it felt like there was one less pair of eyes watching over her. She had seen it in his face as well. Though no one knew of the extent of the particular secret, this had suddenly put a tangible gap between the two, the forced distance surprisingly painful in a way she had not expected.

She shook her head.

He was watching over her. He was casting the spells with the best accuracy he could so that when the ramparts came down, it would be safe for them to deploy and begin their strike at Valm. He was doing everything he could to make sure that she would survive and succeed.

All three of them were watching over her, whether they were next to her or not. Victory above everything else, after all. Wasn't that the whole premise of their game? Marriage was just an aftereffect.

There was a loud groaning and the ship rocked a bit. It was followed by a dull grinding, the sand beneath them being pushed to the side before the vessel ended with a slow jerk. Her father was the first to act.

"Soldiers!" Chrom's voice was loud and striking, comforting to hear. It carried a tone of confidence that came from being groomed as a ruler, something that she never had the full chance to start and complete. "Our priority is to clear the beachhead and take cover behind the stone walls before attempting to secure the port. Eyes on deck show limited resistance so far, as Valmese forces are still in disarray over losing the garrison, but stay sharp."

A sliding of metal from his position was quickly echoed by the hundreds of soldiers drawing their own blades and weapons, though Robin kept her blade tucked away for now. With one last deep breath, Lucina drew her own blade and checked to make sure that Inigo's shield was firmly in place. She had a feeling she was going to need it.

The queen's voice echoed in the area. "Give 'em hell."

The rampart fell, splashing into the ocean. A thundering war cry rose around her, and she followed after her parents, who were the first to leap off the platform into knee-deep waters.

Cynthia saw the ships first, having kept an eye on the ocean while Gerome focused on surveillance around them. A deep ringing from the port town signaled that the Valmese saw them too. It was time to break camp. Not long after, a giant meteor crashed into the port town and he knew he needed to be where the fighting was.

"We're going to stick out like a sore thumb, Gerome. Even if we leave while the fighting is heaviest, there's a good chance we'll be spotted and pursued."

"I know."

"So shouldn't we try to come up with a plan to avoid them? Like maybe going in red as opposed to flying blue and gold so early?"

"I'd rather not take the risk of being mistaken for the enemy. Not if Morgan's stories of his mother are true." With one last check, he placed his axe onto Minerva's side, pushing aside Cynthia's concerns.

"But it's excessively risky!" She nearly yelled. "I mean, heroes go in at the first signs of danger and all that, but they don't go in without a plan either."

"We need to meet up with the Shepherds. Staying alone out here is dangerous enough. And since when did you become so cautious?"

The only response he received was the scratching of a paper wrapper. Turning around, he saw her reaching for her lance and placing it on the side of her saddle.

"This… This is about Lucina, right?" Her voice was quiet, and for a moment only the clacking of the candy rolling between her teeth could be heard.

He remained silent for a moment. Success should be their first priority. Lucina agreed with their little game because it gave the three of them something to hold onto.

But it would be nice to love, he supposed. It was something he entertained for a good year in the back of his mind.

"Are you afraid you're going to lose her to someone else?"

"… We need to win. And I know that if we're by her side, hell, even if we can get to the Ylisseans in general, our likelihood of success increases."

"You don't even know if Lucina's there, Gerome," Cynthia turned to face him, her orange locks spinning by and a rare upset frown on her face.

"She's there," he firmly said. "Minerva caught her scent some time ago, not unlike how she caught yours."

Some more clicking, and then finally a small crack echoed through their little opening. "Well, shit." With a heavy sigh, she let her head hang a moment before hopping onto her pegasus, shooting a look back at him. "Guess it's my job to make sure you get to her in one piece then, huh?"

"Spiteful?"

"No. I just think flying out now is too stupid, even for a hero like me."

He climbed aboard Minerva and the wyvern stretched her wings eagerly. "You could always stay and join later. I can show them where you are."

"And steal the opportunity for me to save your ass? My perfect entrance?" Her lips spread into a wide grin, almost as if the conversation hadn't happened. "I think not. Gimme the flag, I was always faster anyway."

"Armor and infantry up front! There's only one way in and we're going to hold it!"

A stampede of heavy boots made their way past Lucina to the west, preparing a blockade of metal and shields to plug the remaining open alley that both forces were about to fight over.

"Take out any occupying enemy forces on the rooftops! This is our alley to control and hell if we're going to let them sit up there and shoot at us!"

They were able to safely clear the beach head with little resistance. With the port forces in disarray with the meteor strikes, cleaning up the forces was "child's play," as her mother aptly put it. There was some resistance, but it did not last long as they were routed by their superior numbers amid the confusion. They were able to quickly set up a camp and move onto the next phase of the invasion – holding the port. With all but one of the main alleys destroyed, that meant that the only large enough path was going to be the site of a heavy battle. The disarray had bought some time, but scouts reported that enemy forces were quickly mobilizing and they would be bearing down on them soon.

"Archers and mages, standby for further orders and hold positions! Anyone the infantry can't reach will be your primary target!"

It gave Lucina a moment to breath and let her body come to a small rest. The battle being fought here was indeed unlike the skirmishes she had participated in before with the Shepherds. Where those small battles were won by fulfilling one main objective, this confrontation was a series of battles. First, she needed to clear the beachhead. Then they had to fight through the port to secure it for a camp. And now, they needed to defend their location. If they couldn't hold the camp, there would be no safe landing point for the additional troops. While it would not necessarily equate to the end of the invasion, it would most likely result in a loss of manpower, making the war effort that much more difficult.

"Once the initial wave is repelled, all cavalry are to charge the enemy forces and break their line!"

And for a single woman that was just a little short in stature, her mother was certainly good at ordering the troops around. When Lucina heard her speak, she felt that they weren't just listening to her because she was queen. There was a strong confidence that emanated experience despite her lack of memory.

"Robin!"

Looking into the sky for the source of the voice, Lucina saw Cordelia swooping to land, her pegasus easily buffeting their approach with its wings. Dropping any further commands she may have given for now, the queen ran over and gave her ear to the rider.

It was nothing new. The two had been trading intelligence all during the battle, as urban warfare was too risky for the pegasus riders. There were too many openings that an archer could strike from, and so the two were relegated to gathering information and relaying it to Robin and Laurent.

What Cordelia shared seemed to surprise Robin, though, as she did a double take before ordering Cordelia back into the sky.

Regardless of the information, though, Lucina had her orders. While not the most heavily armored, she would be near the frontlines with Chrom, several paces behind the defensive blockade. As she began to make her way, though, her mother's voice called out to her.

"Lucina, command tent now! Change in orders!"

Running in and pushing aside the tent flaps, the room was filled with assistants surrounding the map that Robin had put together. On it were wooden pieces, markers of current troop breakdown. She had seen it multiple times before, but this time there was a series of small green pieces, a new addition to the map.

"We don't have much time, so I'll make this fast." Lucina's attention snapped back to her mother, who was going over the paper and drawing a route in the map. "Cordelia reports that while a good portion of the Valmese forces are preparing to push down the alley, she saw another regiment going towards the north east, about twenty to thirty. Specifically, they seem to be pursuing another faction of armed forces. They don't dress in the Valmese colors, and they seem to be surrounding one central figure."

"I want you to lead a small team and bring them back to us." Tracing her finger through a map, she pointed at the destroyed paths. "They look to be heading towards the northern entrance to the port, but it's been destroyed. You can't pass through there. And I'm willing to bet that if they're being chased by the Valmese, they're looking to rendezvous with us."

The queen walked to a chest and unlocked it, taking out a familiar looking sword and she felt a smile grow on her lips. "I drew a map through the alleyways for you to follow that will most likely meet up with the group if they continue to move northeast. As for a team, get Owain and Noire. The alley is small enough that you and your cousin can pass through quickly while Noire can traverse the rooftops to and pick off pursuers while pointing you in the right direction." Turning around, Robin presented her Falchion to her, giving a smile back in return. "We're about to enter the grand melee, so to speak. Less people are likely to notice. I figured you'd like your own weapon back, but keep your other one with you just in case. Plus, it's clout, in case the person doubts your motives."

"Thank you mother, I will not fail." Picking up the weapon, she attached it to the same side as where her silver sword was. It was a welcome weight, and she felt just a little more secure in this battlefield.

"Record the path on a piece of parchment and move out. And remember, this is an extraction. Avoid combat if you can slip by unnoticed. If they follow you through the alleyway, kill them if possible, but don't endanger yourself. We already have a spare unit watching over your entryway so they can block it if needed. And remember, AFE. Don't be afraid to bide your time."

Analyze, Formulate, Execute.

"Always."

"That's my girl."

While he was safe, tucked away in the crow's nest, the only real action Laurent oversaw was the casting of spells and their targeting. Until either Sumia or Cordelia returned with more information, it was often the lull period in between that he was having difficulty handling. They would bring him news of the battlefield, if he hit his target, and where he would aim next. Afterwards came uncertainty.

Thankfully, that period was coming to an end. Sumia was descending from the clouds and she quickly pulled up next to him, her mount swooping a little bit to keep in speed with the ship.

"Targets three and four direct hit!"

"Good. Any new coordinates?"

"Not yet," she said over the winds. "Robin says that they're about to clash over the remaining alley, so enemies are still forming up."

"And how are our forces doing?"

"Minimal casualties so far – your spells have crippled much of the initial retaliation, so they were able to take the port easily."

He first hesitated in asking, but knew that holding onto the question would be bad for him. "How is Lucina?"

"She was fine the last I saw her," Sumia said calmly, knowing what was on his mind. "She was fighting in the port and should be preparing to help with the defensive line in the alley."

However, Laurent only found himself half-listening. "Lady Sumia, may I borrow your spyglass?"

Looking back in the direction he was staring at, she tossed it over to him and Laurent. "Do you see something?"

"It's a peculiar sight," he started, fingers fumbling with the device before extending it. "I can't tell for sure, but it looks like a small band of Valmese air forces are pursuing a group that is flying the Ylissean flag. However I do not recall us actually deploying pegasii for combat, and Lady Cherche is on foot with Sir Frederick."

"Think it's a trap?" She squint her eyes in the direction he was looking at, trying to make out what he could see.

Looking through the glass, he first focused on the band of riders in red. "A team of five pegasus knights. Standard issue weaponry. As for the others…"

Carefully looking towards the top of their small column, he felt himself become rigid.

"Something wrong, Laurent?"

He didn't hear her at first, too focused on the image in the glass. Cynthia and Gerome were trying to outmaneuver their pursuers and flying towards the incoming ships. But none of the forces would recognize them and chances are they would be rebuffed. Finally acting, he turned towards Sumia and signaled for her to land on the ship.

"We need to intercept the Valmese air forces! How far away are we from Cordelia?" he yelled, climbing down the ladder as quickly as he could before leaping off from the final few rungs.

"She's up above the battlefield. She won't make it in time!" the pegasus knight said, quickly checking her gear. "Mind telling me why we need to go, though?"

However, he ignored her for a moment, rushing to the steering wheel, yelling at the captain to turn hard to port and make for the specks in the sky. Running back out, he gave another order for the hands on deck to make room before climbing onto the mount and they were off into the air.

"Climb higher! See if we can hide among the clouds and drop down upon them!" he tightly held onto the ropes of the saddle. "We're outnumbered and we need to take out at least two of them immediately before we can safely engage!

"Laurent, I know you're very concerned about whoever's up there in the skies, but Robin needs you to cast spells!" Sumia yelled over the wind. "Why are we heading out?"

Steadying his hat, he began his explanation. "The two in the sky are companions from our time. Specifically, the one on the wyvern is the child of Sir Frederick and Lady Cherche. I imagine that at least one of them will be pleased to see that they have offspring."

Sumia's voice became inquisitive for a moment, as if the adrenaline from battle had made way for curiosity. "And… And the other?"

"That," he started, pulling out a thunder tome as they climbed above the group, "would be your daughter, so let's try to keep the both of them in one piece."

A/N: Hello everyone! Been a little bit since my last update! I got stuck between figuring out where to take In Security while also sorting through my thoughts for too many other stories that are still in the brainstorming section. But I was able to get past that as well as finish this chapter during the break, so it's all good! Sometimes I wish I could go back to having a more aggressive writing schedule, but that's looking a gift horse in the mouth.

As for this chapter, it's a more of a build-up chapter. We have some combat, but it's off the page so to speak. The real fighting breaks forth later. As a result the next chapter will probably be a bit longer, though I can't say for sure. We're definitely going to see the outcome the aerial combat between the riders as well as the result of Lucina's mission. After that, we'll be coming to the end of the port invasion. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter out soon, though Guilty Gear Xrd might make it a problem. I've always been a diehard for the series and now that it's back and bigger than before, it's hard for me to put it down.

hungry caterpile: Laurent holds a bit of a special place in my heart as well. He was the first child I recruited, without even knowing that there were also other children to recruit as well. Sometimes I imagine him shooting lighting bolts from his fingertips Doctor Doom style ala Marvel vs Capcom 3. I don't actually play the game, but still, the thought is there.

Also, I forgot to mention it for a while but I updated the poll in my profile. Please stop by and cast a vote!

And please leave a review! I do enjoy them and they keep me warm during winter.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

See you all soon!

PS: I also recalled that upon posting the first chapter, I thought this would be taking a more humorous or lighthearted approach compared to True Grit. I realize that as of right now it doesn't exactly fall into that vein, though I am hoping that it will eventually have its moments. Then again, considering what True Grit was about, maybe this is already comparatively lighthearted...