DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FIRE EMBLEM OR ITS CHARACTERS.
The March to the Gallows 3
Olivia sat peacefully, her eyes shut as she played out the motions in the latest dance she had come up with in her head. She mouthed each step of the choreograph, her head bobbing in sync. 'Two steps left, two steps right. Left foot out, spin to the right. Right foot out, spin to the left. Three steps forward, two steps back, aaand pirouette...'.
She smiled in satisfaction with her 'performance', her mind even garnishing it with the sounds of applause and various 'I love you!'s from the bespectacled imaginary audience. She took her daydream a little further, taking the liberty of inserting Henry into the mix. 'Wow, Olivia! You're the most beautiful dancer I've ever met!' she made 'imaginary Henry' say. Olivia giggled at her creation, cheeks rosy.
Before she could let the joyful thoughts whisk her away any further, she picked up a pleasant sound coming from an adjacent barrel.
Olivia opened her eyes, and pressed an ear to the wooden interior.
'~~Mmhhhmm~~~Lalelahohooommmm~~~Yeeehhmmm~~~'
A woman was softly humming a beautiful tune. It sounded graceful, with an exotic allure. Olivia always thought herself to be well versed in the music world, seeing how essential it was for a dancer. The fact she couldn't put a finger on the name of the song only piqued further her interest. She decided to investigate. "Umm, that's a very lovely song."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the humming stopped.
"*ahem* Aye, it is one of the most famous in my homeland."
Olivia recognized the formal, dignified speech. But what tipped her off was the distinct accent. "Oh, Princess Say'ri. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop." she said ashamedly.
"No worries, friend. Ah, I'll be the one to apologize. I'm not yet familiar with everyone among you. What might your name be?"
"I'm Olivia."
"The Dancer, no?"
"The very same." Olivia replied cheerfully.
"I saw your performance during our most recent festivity, and I must say, it was breathtaking. Such dancing is nowhere to be found in Chon'sin."
"Oh, t-thank you. I-I'm glad you liked it." she replied, still not completely comfortable with receiving praise for her dancing.
"I take it the dancer in you was what interested you in the song?"
"I'm sure anyone who could've heard would have thought the same, but well, yes. Hehe."
"It is called 'The Winds Past the Shore'."
"Does it have any words to it?"
"It is to my understanding that while the composer was lost to the ages, it was originally a piece played on the harp. People all across my land eventually began introducing words to accompany the tune. While there is no official version, the most popular rendition came from my family's house. If it pleases you, I would be delighted to teach you it."
"But I couldn't possibly... It's your family's song isn't it?"
"The song belongs to all people of Chon'sin. Besides, it would do me no greater joy than to help share our culture with Ylisse." Say'ri assured her.
"That's very kind of you."
Say'ro shook her head. "Not at all. A simple song shan't be enough to repay what you people are doing for all of Valm. But, perhaps I shall devise a new version of the song dedicated to those that have fought so valiantly in this war." she mused.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure the others would love to hear it."
"...Maybe miss Olivia would do the honor of dancing to the song's unveil?"
Olivia snapped her head to her direction. "W-would that be alright? To have a f-foreigner perform to a song so important to your people?"
"Perish such thoughts. Chon'sin is a part of the world like any other kingdom. It may have been tradition for my ancestors to keep Chon'sin isolated from the world, but this war has made me realized that there are things you cannot accomplish alone. And as strange as it may sound, I've learned an entire country could be considered 'alone'. I wish to introduce my people to the outside world, and them to us."
"..."
"That is why I would be honored to have you dance to it. It would serve as a wonderful bridge to help open up our relations to other kingdoms.
"W-wow. But that's quite the responsibility." Olivia said, overwhelmed.
Say'ri chuckled at the dancer passive nature."Hehe, then it is best if we get started on this project when we get some free time. With your skill and status as a Shepherd, I can think of no one finer to entrust the song to."
"P-Princess Say'ri, please. You're e-embarassing me." Olivia said, face burning hot from such high praise.
"Peace, Olivia. There is no need for formalities. Simply call me Say'ri."
"Okay... Say'ri. Gosh, to think that now I'm acquainted with the leaders of three kingdoms. I must admit, I would never have thought such a thing possible when I set out to be a dancer."
"It would make for a most amusing tale, indeed. For all the terrors war can bring to the world, in some ways, it can also serve to unite us... But to think that Conqueror would so disgustingly warp such an honorable thing."
Olivia's brows slightly furrowed at the sudden turn their light conversation had taken. "...Why does Walhart want to conquer the world anyway? Doesn't he realize how many lives he's destroyed? Ruler's like that don't last long."
"Compassion eludes a madman such as he. The lust for power can easily corrupt anyone. He serves as an example as to just how low a man can fall into the depths of desire." Say'ri said in a spiteful tone.
"But... Basilio and Flavia, or all the Feroxians for that matter pride themselves in their pursuit of strength. Would that mean they're in the wrong?"
Say'ri bit her lip and sought the words the to explain before proceeding cautiously. "...I... I believe that is a rather unfair comparison. What man alive has never attempted to better themselves? The pursuit of power is not so much a sin as how much evils you will commit to achieve it... Chon'sin is every bit a proud land of warriors, so I can understand the the ideals of Feroxian culture. But unlike Walhart, I cannot remember the last time word has made it to our country that Feroxi had invaded a country themselves. I admit, their ways might seem outlandish and brutal to most of my kin, but after having met the Khans, I believe their aggressive nature is trumped by their wisdom."
"..."
"They may be a country that loves fighting, but they're wise enough to know the difference between passion and war. As Flavia has told me, she takes pleasure in the thrill of combat, not the taking of another life."
"I-I agree. Basilio may look like a brute, and well sound like a jerk, but if it weren't for him, I'd probably be in the hands of some slaver right about now."
Say'ri laughed lightly. "And it fills me with hope that I may stand side by side with such people."
"Me too." Olivia agreed, content with how the matter was settled.
"Heh, well I believe we have gotten a bit side tracked. Let us begin our project at once. We will have ample time to work on this trip."
"Okay!"
"First and foremost, we will need a theme..."
"This sucks! This barrel sucks! This heat sucks! My axe is digging into my ass! What's it gonna take for Teach to drown in some booze right about now?!" Vaike wailed in agony, suffering from severe bout of boredom only hours into their lengthy trip.
"Shut up you fool! You're being too loud!" a girl reprimanded.
"Aww crud. I knew I should've swiped some from Gregor before we set out." he continued, albeit quieter. It was to no one's surprise that he of all people would find such a journey to be hell. "How about it Nowi? Have you got anything stashed on you?" he called to his neighbor.
"What? No way. After that little party we had the other day, I think I'll take a break from the alcohol, thank you very much." she replied, before resuming her grooming. Unlike the other Shepherds, Nowi's small stature and lack of need to carry any conventional weaponry meant she had nearly double the space the others had. She found the whole experience as boring as Vaike did, but with the benefit of being able to lounging comfortably.
"Damn." muttered the blonde, finding himself back at square one. "Well, I can't say I blame you. Aside from Robin, you were the life of that party. You do realize you almost took a big bite out of Teach's head don't you?"
"I did? Yikes, sorry about that Vaike. I should make it a habit to leave my Dragonstone back at my tent when we're at camp."
"Dragonstone? You were in your human form when you did it! You just went and jumped onto my back then took a bite at my ear!" he explained, while rubbing at the aforementioned ear.
"Whoops... Well, I suppose that's what alcohol does to you." Nowi said innocently.
"Easy for you to say ya little demon you. Where'd you learn to hold your liquor anyways?"
"I don't know. That's only the third time I've drank in my life." Nowi confessed.
"T-third time? Aren't you like a thousand?" Vaike asked in disbelief.
"That's right."
"Three drink sessions in over a thousand years? Now that's a crime if I've ever heard of one."
"There's more to life than just drinking all day, you know."
"And what would you know, runt?"
"Hellooo, I'm a thousand? And call me runt again and I'll really take a bite out of that meaty head of yours." the dragon girl said, arms folded.
"Sheesh, I was just kidding. No need to be so hasty with the threats like that."
"Hmph." Nowi muttered, still with a pout on her face.
"So let's hear it, O'wise one. After a thousand years, what's life got to offer?"
"Well, first starters, tag." she replied, as if it were obvious.
"...Tag? Tag?"
"Don't tell me Teach doesn't know what tag is."
"Nah, I know what it is, but seriously? You'd think after all that time you'd find more stimulating hobbies."
"And what's not stimulating about playing tag? The rush of escaping your pursuers, that almost animal like instinct you feel when you're inches from tagging your prey. And plus, you get to meet all sorts of new people."
"Huh... What kind of people are we talking here?"
"Well, usually some of the kids at the villages and towns we pass through."
"Of course. See what I mean? That's more of a kid's thing. I'm talking about something with a bit more class, like street brawls, or, or, chatting up some fine ladies at the market."
"That sounds boring. And stupid." Nowi replied, unimpressed.
"Only because you're a kid."
"No, I'm not."
"Errr well, in Mankata standards, how old would you be? Say, compared to that lovely Tiki lady?"
"First of all, it's not Mankata, it's MANAKETE. Ma. Na. Kete. Mankata sounds like something Say'ri would wear... Hmm... ...Mankata... Maaaankaaaata... ... Mankata... Hehe, I'm going to start saying that!" Nowi declared, finding the made up word most amusing. "As for your question... umm... heh, what do you know? I guess I am a kid... B-but I'm still older than you!"
"Ha, I bet I could whoop you in a game of tag any day." Vaike said.
"Psssh, come on. With that bulky body of yours, you couldn't run to save your life. Don't think I haven't seen you hobbling around the battlefield lugging that big 'ol axe of yours .at a snail's pace"
"Hey, now things are gettin' a bit too personal. Leave my muscles outta it! But if it's a challenge you're looking for, then it's a challenge you'll get. How's about we settle this on our next break. We'll go three rounds. First person to escape being 'it' for over ten minutes wins."
"Fine by me. I can't wait to toss you around. Oooh, maybe there'll be a river where we next make camp!"
"H-hey... You don't plan on going all dragon while we settle this, do ya? And what version of tag do you even play!?"
"No way! You're telling me that Henry actually turned Frederick into a chicken?!" Ricken asked, unbelieving that the man would find himself in such a situation.
Lucina had to make an effort to stop herself from laughing at the thought of her favorite 'magic trick' that Henry had performed for them in the future. "Indeed. After he had been changed back, he was from happy about it. One moment, he was jogging the recruits, and the next he found himself flapping about in the courtyard."
"Gods, what I would give to see something like that!" Ricken cried, clutching his aching sides, all the while making sure he wasn't being too loud. "I'm sure he must have strangled Henry afterwards."
Lucina could no longer resist, letting out a sweet smile as she giggled. "I remember poor Gerome bawling his eyes out, claiming that Minerva would have his father for supper if she caught sight of him... Although I actually remember aunt Cherche going and fetching Minerva when it happened..."
"Whoa, so Gerome's Frederick and Cherche's son?"
"Mhm."
"I say that makes about as much sense as anything. But wow, I can't believe we'll even have the kind of magic to do things like that in the future."
"With capable mages such as you and the others at the helm of the movement, I'd say it isn't too surprising. But then again, that's because I've seen it for myself."
"I wonder when exactly I'll be able to something like that... Ah well, I guess there'll be plenty of time for that later. But what about Gerome? I mean, him crying his eyes out over such a thing? Kind of hard to believe."
"I know what you mean. He's grown up to be so dignified, and serious. A far cry from how he was when were children."
Ricken lightly bit at the inside of his cheek. "You've got that right. I mean, he just looks so... how do I say it... cool? Mysterious? He's pretty manly if you ask me. I bet he'd be a hit with the girls back home."
"Hehe, I can understand how you might get such an impression of him. And I'm sure he would be very popular, even despite his tendency to keep to himself."
"Yeah, I think a lot of the guys could learn a thing or two from him. Maybe if someone like Robin took a page from his book, well how cool would that be?"
"...What's wrong with Robin?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing much. It's just, sometimes he just seems a bit too carefree for someone in his position. Haven't you ever gotten the impression that he's taking our lives a bit lightly? If Gerome had the same mind as Robin, I'm sure the war would probably be over by now."
"That's no-"
"I'm pretty sure Robin could benefit from a spar or two with him, also. Heck, he might even get beaten one on one. Probably wouldn't even be a contest."
"...Wh-"
"And then there's that personality of his. I think he can do with a bit of subtlety. I don't mean anything against him, but he can be real jerk sometimes. Gerome might not be the chatty type, but I'm sure he when he does speak, it's something meaningful."
"..."
"And maybe Robin can finally wear something other than that coat he always has on? It's from Plegia of all places."
"Will you cut it out!?" Lucina seethed, unaware of how her booming voice seemed to vibrate the barrel.
Ricken jumped in surprise. But rather than wearing a look of terror as would any person in their right mind would in his situation, he simply smiled. "Shhhh! What's wrong?"
"Explain to me how you can just sit their and say all of those things?" she demanded.
"Huh? What do you mean? I'm just suggesting that maybe if Robin were a bit more like Gerome, he'd b-"
"He'd be what? Better? Improved? I didn't think you were capable of being so heartless, uncle..."
"Why are you getting so angry? Gerome's your friend isn't he?"
"That's got nothing to with this. Robin is Robin. Why would I ever want him to start acting like Gerome? To be 'cooler'? More mysterious perhaps? I like him how he is now. And I'm not going to just sit here while you slander Robin like this. Might I remind you how many times he has saved our lives? The least you can do is keep such cruel words to yourself."
"I wa-"
"And I'll have you know that after fighting him myself a few times, Robin could definitely best Gerome in a duel."
"...Psh, hahahaha."
Lucina clenched her jaw, furious at the young man's audacity. "May I ask you what exactly is so funny?"
"...So that's how you really feel."
Lucina's balled fist slowly loosened, her eyes blinking as she stared blankly at the barrel wall. "... ... ...I beg your pardon?"
"You seem awfully protective of him, don't you think?" Ricken asked teasingly.
It finally dawned on her. "You... Y-you... You... You did this on purpose!?"
"Of course I did. You don't really believe I'd actually say anything like that about Robin, did you? "
"But why? Why would you do such a thing?"
"Because you said you couldn't pick favorites. Yet, you did."
"But I... I was just trying to..."
"That's what happens when you care for someone."
"...I just wanted you to stop making all of those unwarranted insults... H-had anyone else been the victim of such personal attack, I would've defended their honor all the same." Lucina explained, but in a manner Ricken found to be all but convincing.
"You're supposed to be older than I am, right? ...Even I can admit that... I like Nowi. S-so you should b-be mature enough t-to do so, too!" Ricken stammered, praying his own sacrificial confession would give her the courage to follow suit.
Lucina found herself shaking slightly. She pulled her arms around herself, wrapping herself in a hug as she squeezed her eyes shut. "...I ..I do care about him. I do, but... I don't know. I-I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for.. for all this... I'm positively shaking right now... I-Is this how it's supposed to feel? W-why am I filled with such an unease?"
"That's fine. It's normal, I think. At first I was confused too. And I still haven't gotten the courage to... you know, actually tell her..."
"But at the least you were able to admit it just now!"
"Why don't you give it a go yourself?"
"That's impossible! I refuse."
"You haven't even tried yet." said Ricken, egging her on.
Lucina took several deep breaths. "...I ...I-I... ... ...Robin... I-I lik-I can't do this!" she cried, hiding her face in her hands. "It's no use. It's not going to work."
"Aw, you were almost there! You can't give up now." Ricken said, trying to get her motivated.
"Well I apologize for being cautious." Lucina replied a bit sarcastically. "You've had nearly two years to sort these kinds of thoughts out and only just now admitted it! You can't possibly expect me to do the same on such short notice. Besides, we don't know for a fact yet..."
"You keep saying that. 'I don't know for a fact', 'There's no way I can know'. Lucina, you're the only person that can know. It's your life, you decide how you feel about things."
"Y-you keep forcing me to admit it."
"I'm not forcing you to admit anything. I'm just trying to get you to answer. You could have just outright denied it like before, but why do you think you're so on the fence about this right now? If you didn't feel anything to begin with, why's it so hard for you to even answer? "
Lucina inwardly groaned at the sense the young mage was speaking. "What am I supposed to do now? How c-can I even look him in the eye anymore?"
"I don't really know myself." Ricken admitted, finally letting down his expert facade.
"Y-you don't know? Then why did you put me in this situation to begin with?! I thought you did this because you were going to help me! "
"I just... wanted to help... I look up to Robin, you know? He might not feel the same way, but I've always seen him as a sort of older brother. I want to seem him be happy like everyone else. You know, before you showed up, Robin would come and help me with my magic all the time..."
Lucina found an odd sense of guilt bubble inside of her. "I..."
Ricken immediately sensed her worry and hastily replied. "No, no, no. I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just saying that Robin's spent more time with you lately. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, I'd say he looks happier than ever."
The guilt she was feeling in her stomach seemingly vanished in place of an equally strange warmth.
Ricken continued with his monologue. "And I'll confess, I kind of... saw you as an opportunity to vent my own thoughts."
"Me?"
"Yeah, I'm really sorry. I-I just assumed that since you might have been having something going with Robin, like in secret, you would've understood what I'm going through. I mean, who would actually want to listen to what a kid my age has to say about love... I-I guess I really don't know anything about it..."
Lucina felt sorry for the boy. Growing up as the eldest to both Cynthia and the other time travelers left her ignorant to the plight of how the youngest of the group must have felt, let alone someone with an age gap as big as Ricken's in comparison with the other members of the army. When she would think of how successful the Ricken of her time was, she passed off this Ricken's troubles as trifling. But it was high time 'to start living in the present' as Robin once put it.
With a gentle voice, Lucina spoke up. "...I feel that I've just now realized how troubling the matter of your age is for you. I spoke the truth when I told you of how much you were able to achieve in the future. You really did do all of those things, believe me. But I should've known sooner that simply letting you know of your future success doesn't make the trials you face today any less real. I was so hung up on trying to get you to simply accept that you would change, that I forgot that in the end, you'd still have to walk a long path to get there... But know this, uncle, I would gladly be the one to lend an ear whenever you feel like you need to talk about something. If it's... love you feel the need to talk about, I'm afraid I can give you no words of wisdom. But... as someone... as someone new to the matter, perhaps we can shoulder these burdens together."
And in the end, that was all Ricken ever sought. Sure, there were many people he could turn to for guidance concerning magic or combat, but to have someone who he could relate to with his everyday struggle was a most valuable friendship indeed. "I-I'm sorry..." Ricken apologized, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry for meddling with your life for such a selfish reason..."
"It's okay, I'm... I'm not too mad about it anymore. In truth, I thank you for the gesture, uncle... At first, I was furious about all of this, but... you did help give me something to think about." she admitted, as she smiled gently.
Ricekn took solace in the fact that at least something, no matter how small, was able to come out of his efforts. "...You know, I already said you don't have to keep calling m-"
"You've tormented me enough for me not to care what you have to say about what I call you." Lucina replied, as she chuckled.
"Fair enough." Ricken conceded, smiling as he wiped away his tears. "But I truly am sorry for all of this..."
"Hmm, well if by the time you've grown up and you still find yourself filled with remorse, I suppose we can call it even if you would be able to turn Robin himself into a chicken." Lucina suggested, before bursting into a soft laughter.
Ricken joined in. "Now that's a debt I look forward to repaying."
Gaius squinted his eyes, visually tracing over the the sheet of paper in his lap as the quill in his hand scribbled words down.
Due to his long and successful career as a thief, his eyes had seemed to have grown accustomed to dim lighting. But even for him, the near absence of light in the barrel was ridiculous.
"Damn it." he cursed, noticing his sentences came out crooked.
"And what seems to be bothering our local ruffian this time?" a haughty feminine voice called from his right.
"Can it, princess. I'm trying to write here." Gaius retorted.
"And what could someone like yourself possibly find themselves writing? A list of gold caches to swipe? The names of people you've been assigned to rob blind? Or perhaps you've already stooped so low to go behind Cordelia's back. A letter to a mistress in some far off town?"
This was the last straw. Gaius banged on the barrel, uncaring of whether or not anyone would hear. "I said to shut yer trap, Maribelle. Joke about me being a thief all you want, but don't ever let me catch you saying I'll be unfaithful to Cordelia ever again."
To his annoyance, the noble girl began to laugh.
"At ease, Gaius. I was merely trying to lighten the mood."
"You call that lightening the mood?" he growled.
"I am sure you know that I meant nothing by what I said."
"No, I'm pretty damn sure you meant every word of it. I know you hate me."
Maribelle smiled. "You are correct. I despise you. I loathe you. I think you are scum not worthy of being a member of the Shepherds, let alone walk around unbound of any manner of chains."
Gaius felt rage boiling within him, but he made an effort to keep it at bay. He knew very well that he deserved whatever the girl intended on throwing at him. After all, he was the man that nearly got her father executed. And so, Gaius prepared himself for the inevitable continuation to one of her famous tongue lashings.
Just as predicted, Maribelle continued, unrelenting with her disgust for the man. "In fact, if I had the power to do so, I would not spare a second thought in tossing you aside to rot in some desolate prison cell for the rest of your worthless life. And that's even considering Cordelia and that daughter of yours. I find you that repulsive... Or at least that is what I would have said."
Gaius's eyes shot open, as he did a double take towards her direction. "...What?"
"That is what I would have said, had certain new pieces of information not made it my way..."
"..."
"I know what you did for me, Gaius."
The thief finally became aware of the situation."Heh. Who'd you hear it from?"
"Donnel."
"So Donny came through for me, eh? I thought he'd forget after we just barely escaped that tight spot we were in."
"It was the very first thing he told me after the battle. That is, after he proposed." Maribelle announced proudly. "I suppose that it is yet another thing I must be grateful to you for."
"You pullin' my leg? You're telling me Donny finally found the stones to propose to you? Why's this the first I've heard of it?" Gaius asked in surprise.
"Well, it just so happens that you are the first to know. He said you were the one who gave him the courage to do so, so... It is only fitting that you be the first. "
"Man, if anything, that kid's true to his word." Gaius said, referring to the boy.
"A most honorable man he is indeed. And it would seem, that he is not the only one. Gaius... I apologize. I apologize for every ill thing I have ever uttered about you. It goes without saying that you still are a thief and without proper manners, but, you are not the scoundrel I have always thought you to be... ...Why did you do it? Why get sent to prison just for me? You had no qualms about clearing out the vault, so why care about the life of a person you have never met?"
"What kind of heartless beast do you think I am? So what if swipe some gold here and there? It's not like I steal from people that need it. Most of the heists I pull are on people rich enough not to even bat an eye if ten pounds of gold were stolen from under their noses. But stealing's another matter entirely. I'm a thief, not an assassin."
"But it was those lowly thugs that were behind it all. You would not have had any blood on your hands."
"Look, I may have done some shitty things in my life, but there's no way in hell I'd be able to sleep at night knowing I got some little girl killed."
"...And that little girl thanks you..." Maribelle said softly, her eyes watering. "...Not only did you prevent my father from getting killed, but you saved my own life in the process..."
Gaius smiled, satisfied. "Don't mention it. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a letter to write."
"That simply won't do. I have not grown so shameful to assume a mere verbal apology would suffice for all of my ignorance. As soon as the letter I have sent to my father reaches him, I can assure you that anything you name shall be yours."
"What could I possibly want? I could just steal it."
"Not everything a man desires can just be tucked into some pocket and whisked away. Surely there is something you want... I insist. It is a start for me... down the long road of earning your forgiveness."
"HA, do my ears deceive me? Lil'Maribelle is vying for my forgiveness?"
"I am being sincere here, Gaius, and I ask that you act accordingly."
"I get it, I get it. I mean, this is real sweet and everything, but I've never had anything against you anyways. I mean you're a real professional at getting on my nerves, but given what little you knew, I understood where all that hate was coming from."
"I see... Thank you."
"Like I said, don't mention it." Gaius said once again, before reaching for a fresh sheet of paper from within his cloak. Suddenly, he came to a halt. He turned back towards Maribelle. "Hey Maribelle, umm, actually, there miiiight be something you and your dear old dad could help me with."
"Let me hear it."
"You see, when I proposed to Cordelia, I promised her I'd throw the biggest wedding Ylisse has ever seen. And seeing that we're both in the Shepherds, I'm sure our buddy Chrom'll be happy to comp us for the wedding."
"So what appears to be the problem?"
"I said I'd throw her the biggest wedding ever. Who are we kidding, Shepherd or not, it'll never be as big as the one for the royal couple. So... I was wondering if you'd be able to lend a hand. You know, give our wedding that extra 'oomph'? "
Yet again, Gaius was caught off guard by her laughter.
"I say, the last thing I would ever imagine a thief to request from a family as wealthy as mine is a gargantuan wedding for his wife."
"H-hey, I'm still getting used to all of this husband business..."
"And to show such devotion to your wife-to-be, I would say you are on the right course. I am certain that I, as well as my family, would be honored to assist with the the finances. But as for it being the largest wedding in Ylisse, I cannot make any promises. After all, I still have my own wedding to organize."
"Ugh, well then can yours throw it after ours? I mean, at least it'll technically the 'biggest' at the time."
"Fine, fine."
"Well, thanks a bunch. I'm sure Cordelia will be thrilled to know. Anyways, I'll just get back to writing."
"...I also have a feeling as to who you might be writing to." Maribelle said.
"It's not a mistress."
"I already established that was jest, fool... That letter, it will be addressed to the family of... that man, correct? The Sniper that was with you both?"
Gaius laid down his feathered pen once again. "So Donnie really told you all of it, huh?"
"Every word of it, and in detail."
"...You're right. It's going out to his family. His last words to them and how he died an honorable death."
"...It is to my understanding that he hailed from Ylissetol as well, am I right?"
"Yeah, same as you and me."
"Then I must request that you stall your writing for another day."
"Huh? How come? This is the perfect time."
"...Because I wish to lend a hand in writing it myself... He may have been a common thug once, but I admire that he had the heart to refuse the orders he received in favor of his own morals. To put your beliefs before wealth is a most rare sight in the crime rampant slums of Ylissetol. And, had he not confessed his involvement to you, I would never have learned the truth of the matter..."
"...His family would be proud of him. He left all of that behind and made something out of himself."
"His family... How many children did he have?" Maribelle asked.
"Four. He had four." Gaius replied, not forgetting the man's words.
"Four children and a wife. It pains me to imagine the grief that will strike that poor family when word gets to them."
"It'll be tough, but if they've learned anything from their father, I'm sure they'll be fine."
"...I have made up my mind. In the letter, we will make mention that my family will take care of them henceforth."
"Really?"
"I am dead serious. I am not the type of fool that believes money can buy happiness, especially that which the war has stolen from them, but the least I can do for the man is to ensure that his family is well off."
"...Awful nice of you."
"It is the duty of any good Noble not to stand above others for the sake of pride, but to help lift them up."
"...I'm sure his family would appreciate it."
"I can only hope so..."
"...Well, turns out I can't exactly write a legible letter in these conditions anyways. But, how about we draft some ideas for the time being?"
"Sounds like a splendid idea."
"And I suggest something lighter in color. That way that blue hair of yours stands out more. Hey, are you even listening to me?" Severa asked. She was in the middle of 'helping' Morgan fix up her appearance.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Something fitting to my figure, softer material and a lighter color so my hair stands out. But why should I care about all that?" Morgan asked.
"Hello? Because you're a girl. You're a girl, and... and look at what you're wearing! I hate to break it to you Morgan, but Lucina doesn't have the keenest of fashion senses. And seeing how you're wearing that, I'd say the same applies to you."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked, offended. "I mean sure, my mother might not have the... finest taste in clothing, but I choose to wear this because it has sentimental value. And I'll have you know it's also quite practical. So go on and enjoy those frilly dresses, it's not going to do much to stop an arrow from finding it's mark."
"You've got some nerve. Here I am trying to help you, and look how ungrateful you're being."
"Alright, fine. Tell you what, I'll promise to wear something different, but only when we're not fighting, deal? After all, that outfit you've got on doesn't look all too feminine either."
"I-I know that! But it's like you said, I know when and where to don such clothing. And I'll hold you to that promise." Severa said.
"...Thanks. I, uh, appreciate your concern for my appearance."
Severa scoffed. "Oh please, I fear I'd be the one dying of embarrassment if I see you prancing around looking like that all the time."
"I'm going to choose to ignore that." Morgan replied, looking to just end her ranting. "Oh, so umm, where did you learn how to fight?"
"My father, obviously."
"Gaiyer?"
"It's Gaius." Severa corrected.
"Oh, right. My bad."
"Don't let his disheveled appearance in this time fool you. Back in the future, he was sharp in both style and at his swordsmanship."
"But if I remember what I've heard, isn't he like a thief or something?"
"He was a thief. WAS. My mother saw to it that he straightened out."
"Hehe, now that's kind of cute!"
"Of course it is. They are my parents, after all."
"And your mother, she rides a pegasus like my grandmother."
"They're only best friends." Severa said, a tad sarcastically.
"Hm, maybe I should take up riding one too?"
"It's harder than it looks, I'll tell you that."
"I take it that it didn't work out for you?"
"Heavens no. Difficulty riding them aside, you've got to spend all day grooming and feeding those beasts. Not to mention your hair's in ruins by the time you land from flying."
"... ... ...So basically, it was because of your hair." Morgan deadpanned.
"What was that?" Severa asked, not catching her.
"Nothing. Say, you think we could spar sometime?"
"Normally I'd point you to Kjelle, but seeing as you're new and you're Lucina's daughter, I guess I can spare some time. Only if you think you're up for it."
"Oh, I'm definitely up for it. Wait until you get a taste of my downward chop."
"Don't get ahead of yourself there, Morgan. I'm as good as my dad with a sword. Such overconfidence will soon have you crying back to your mother."
Morgan narrowed her eyes. "I'd like for it to go on record that I was able to keep up with mother for a little during our practice session."
"Ha! You? Fighting toe to toe with Lucina? Come on." Severa snorted.
"Hey, I'm being serious here."
"Sure you are, Morgan. I don't know if you're aware of this, but the future Lucina and we came from had us fighting for our lives everyday. How could someone as sheltered as you match any of us?"
"I am most definitely not sheltered!"
"You came here from a future that brought you up as such a free spirited girl. What more, Lucina won't even let you out of her sight. I bet you spent all day at home baking cakes and painting pictures."
"Don't act like you know about me. Surely my life wasn't that leisurely. And aunt Cynthia's about as wild as I am."
"...She has her reasons."
"And who's to say that I don't have mine?"
"You don't even remember anything."
"...What has that got to do with anything?! I'm the same as all of you. I have people I want to protect too! I'm not just going to sit this one out while you all march for war!"
"You should count yourself lucky... To have grown up in such peaceful times."
"There you go again. We don't know that. I'm sure I've had my share of trouble as well. I probably suffered all the same."
Severa tightly clenched her fists. "Why are you so damn insistent on your life being as crummy as ours?! Why can't you just appreciate the fact that you were able to grow up with a mother who loved you, when we had to lose ours!?"
Morgan was speechless. "I.."
"You're being an ungrateful brat! You want to cast out the possibility of you having lived a happy life, when all of us have been fighting for just that for years? And for what? So you can prove that you're a 'big girl'!? Boy, what I'd give to have the chance to just forget all those sleepless nights, and yet here you are wanting to pretend like they happened!"
"..."
"At least say something!" Severa whispered angrily.
"... ... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made you feel that way..."
By the tone of her voice, Severa realized Morgan had understood the weight of her words. Severa exhaled, trying to rid herself of the built up tension."But... you do have quite the fighting spirit. Maybe that's enough to get you by. And... perhaps a few practice sessions with me couldn't hurt."
"...Thanks, Severa. And again, I'm sorry about that." she apologized.
"Alright, enough with that already... Besides, maybe I was being... a little too rough with you."
"Not at all. I'm... I'm glad you told me that. It was immature of me to think that way. I should be happy at the thought I might have been lived with mother in such peaceful times... But regardless of what you say, I'll stand firm with my belief that I do have a reason to fight... My reason is to make sure those peaceful times can happen... For all of us."
Severa chuckled at her fiery determination."...I'd say you're sounding like a 'big girl' already."
"I don't want to hear that coming from you. Aren't we almost the same age?"
"But I've got years of experience over you, so that puts me at a higher level."
"...I get what you're saying, but, couldn't you have worded that a bit more gently?"
To Morgan's surprise, the usually moody Severa began laughing. Soon enough, she joined in as well.
As soon as the laughter died down, Severa spoke up. "Alright, we better keep it down." she said, becoming aware of the ruckus they must have been causing.
Morgan nodded and got into a comfortable position. "...You said Cynthia had her reasons?"
Severa winced. "I don't think you'd want to hear about that."
"Of course I do. She's my aunt. And, maybe if I understand what all of you went through, I could... err, grow up a bit faster?"
Severa smiled softly. "Fine. I guess it'll be a learning experience. Basically, your aunt Cynthia used to be the most girly out of all of us."
"Wait, really? The same Cynthia who's always talking about 'destroying evil' with Owain?"
"That's right. When were kids, we'd spend all day throwing tea parties and what not. You know, stuff any normal girls our age would. But, there was war during those times. We... didn't know much about it at the time. I guess our parents wanted to keep us unexposed from stuff like that or something. And then... it happened."
"What?"
"...Our parents. They stopped coming home. One by one, servants around the castle would pull us aside as we played to tell us that our mother or father wouldn't be around for awhile... We thought that meant they would just be taking longer than usual, and that they'd be back soon... But months passed... And soon we came to learn exactly what they had meant when they said our parents 'wouldn't be around'... ... ...Your grandfather, he was the first of them to go... And the day your grandmother didn't come back, poor Cynthia snapped..."
Morgan hung her head low, taking in the tragic tale.
"...She wouldn't leave her room for days. I remember Lucina and I banging on her door everyday, begging her to come out..."
"Did she?"
"Eventually... But the next time I saw her, she was... different. She no longer wanted to play with dolls, have tea parties, dress up, anything."
"Was she depressed?"
"Deep down inside, I know she was. But instead of moping around, she changed herself. She started taking up the lance, something she tried avoiding all the time back when our parents were with us. She started talking more and more with Owain. They'd spend hours talking about 'becoming heroes'."
"So she was able to turn it all around, then."
"I guess you can say that..."
"Well, what do you have to say about it?"
"... ...I felt that I had lost my best friend."
Morgan felt an immense sadness wash over her. She could hear Severa trying mask her sniffles by scraping her boots across the inner surface of the barrel.
"But, you're together now, aren't you? And you got to hang out together on my first real day here." Morgan pointed out, in attempt to cheer her up.
"Things will never be the like how they were... ...I don't even feel as if we're as close anymore..."
"Don't think that way." Morgan pleaded. "I-I... I'll have you know that Cynthia probably still thinks of you as her best friend."
"And how would you know that?" Severa asked sharply. "You've only been here a few days."
"Because... Because on the night I met all of you, it was the first time I talked to aunt Cynthia. At least, the first time I remember. Anyways, we chatted for a bit and she told me she'd introduce me to all her friends."
"...And?"
"She told me briefly about each one of you. About how Owain was all heroic, how Gerome was kind of sulky, how Kjelle was a 'tough one'..."
"...Did she... say anything about me? Not like I care, but..."
"She said you were rough around the edges."
"...Of course she did. And I don't blame her..."
"But, she also said that that was just your way of expressing yourself, and that I shouldn't take it too seriously."
"..."
"She said that she would know, given that you are her best friend, after all."
"... ...T-that's nice..." Severa said, attempting to respond casually. But her wavering voice gave away the relief she felt.
"Yeah, I'm sure that regardless of how aunt Cynthia changed, she never once stopped seeing you as her friend."
"...W-whatever..."
"Who knows, maybe you two could finally have another tea party when we're done with this battle?"
"Be quiet!" Severa yelled, and unbeknownst to Morgan, with a tearful smile on her face.
"K-keep it... d-down... bwahaha." Morgan uttered between giggles.
"Ughhh, do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?" Severa asked as she dried her face.
"Okay, Okay." Morgan replied, calming down her storm of laughter.
"Hmph, who else do you want to hear about?"
"How about ol'mystery man?"
"Pft, are you talking about Gerome?" Severa asked with amusement, remembering the painfully dull nickname Morgan had given him days ago.
"Who else would I be talking about?"
"Are you really going through with calling him that?" Severa asked, as she chuckled.
"Of course. That is until he decides to take off that mask of his."
"Good luck with that. I can't remember the last time I've seen him with that garbage off. "
"Well, what's his story?"
"Same as most of us, really. He received word that both his parents would be gone at once. He... took it hard."
"I can imagine..."
"Believe it or not, but he used to be as peppy as Cynthia is now."
"Hah, are you joking?" Morgan asked in disbelief, a big grin on her face.
"No, and he was a bit of a shy one too."
"And just look at him now. So why the mask?"
"Beats me. He says it's to prevent enemies from reading his intentions, but let's face it, that's a lie. We fought mindless undead, not Plegians or Feroxians. Even if they could see his intentions on his face, I doubt they would react any differently from their usual unbiased slaughter."
"So no one knows. Maybe he really does think it makes him look cool?"
Severa let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "Maybe you should try to find out for yourself."
"Maybe I should."
"So, who next?"
"Hmmm, what about Owain. He's mother's cousin, so that makes him... my second uncle?"
"I think uncle would be just fine. And that reminds me, why haven't you been addressing me as 'aunt' Severa like I told you to?" Severa asked haughtily.
"Hehe, slipped my mind?"
"Well do remember."
"But Cynthia and Owain are actually related to me, and you and Kjelle are nearly the same age as me. Wouldn't it be kind of weird?"
"So? All of us refer to the other Shepherds like that. We're not related by blood, but I call Vaike uncle... Well, when I have to. Put it this way, we're all from the future, and you're from a different one. Nothing's normal about any of this, so you might as well get used to it."
"Argh, this is going to be tough."
"You can practice later. Anyways, where were we?"
"Owain?"
"That's right. Owain's always been energetic. But it wasn't until his parents passed that he became, well..."
"Strange?"
"Hey, he's got his reasons as well." Severa shot back.
"Sorry."
"Like I was saying. His entire act, if you can call it that, it's... it's just his way of coping with what's happened to him. He tries to immerse himself in that world he's created to escape the one we all lived through..."
"..."
"It's annoying, I admit, but... He does tend to cheer me up on occasion."
"Huuuuh? What's this I hear? Cheer you up, or everyone?"
"Y-you know what I mean!"
"Whatever you say aunty. Go on, keep talking about 'uncle'."
"I-I'll end this discussion right now if you keep up with this... this..."
"I was pulling your leg. Now please, go on."
"...What's more to say? That made him how he is today. But despite how he might seem, he's one of those people you're thankful to have fighting alongside you. With a sword, I'd say he's second only to Lucina."
"I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I should invite both of you to a little sparring." Morgan heard how silent Severa had grown, and immediately caught her error. "I-I meant with mother too, of course. Umm, say, have you got anyone good with magic in your circle?"
"Magic, huh? Well, we've got a guy named Inigo. He's Henry and Olivia's son. Given that his father was such a prominent figure among Dark Mages, he knows a bit a thing or two. However, he prefers to stick with a sword. And then there's Noire. She's Tharja and Libra's daughter... Heh, I'll leave her as surprise. We're bound to run into them eventually."
"So there's no actual mages?" Morgan asked, a little bit disappointed.
"I wasn't quite finished. If it's a mage you're looking for, then we've got a guy named Laurent. He's Miriel and Vaike's son."
Morgan squinted her eyes, trying to imagine the fearsome sight of a guy Vaike's size casting magic. "Umm, is he all muscly too?"
"Hah, Laurant? No way. He takes more after his mother than his father."
"Does he have one of those pointy hats as well?"
"...Actually you're right about that. In fact, I'd say you and him would have a lot in common. Fashion wise at least."
Morgan didn't even bother to pursue what she meant. "So this Laurent guy's a real pro, huh?"
"He was the best mage our group had, even including the survivors we'd take in. Wait, weren't you all about swords earlier? Why the sudden interest in magic?"
"I guess you could say that I'm learning how to use it. Robin's made me his pupil."
"Robin?"
"Yeah, I heard he wiped out all of those Risen things before I met all of you. Gosh, I wish I was awake when it happened! Tiki said she saw him shoot that lightning bolt from the window in our cell."
"Well it was more of that magic water's doing rather than the actual spell." Severa pointed out.
"But doesn't that make it all the more amazing? He didn't even use the spell right and he managed to wipe out the enemy all at once." Morgan explained excitedly.
Severa began to grow suspicious. "Sounds like you look up to Robin quite a bit."
"Huh? I guess. I mean, he's pretty cool. Mother seems to think so as well."
"...Has she, said anything about him to you?"
"At first, she told me he was a dangerous man, but she was just joking. From what I gather, when he's not out in battle, he's as harmless as a fly. Well, not counting those big ones that bite you, eck."
"Anything else?"
"Other than the fact they're good friends, nothing in particular." Morgan decided to leave out the part about where she found out her mother stayed up all night with him the other day. Morgan had quickly caught on to just what Severa was really trying to uncover with all her prodding, but decided that her grandmother's interference in the matter was enough.
"I see."
Looking to keep the discussion back on track, Morgan spoke up. "So how many of you were there? That came back through time?"
"Lucina hasn't told you? Actually, I'm surprised she hasn't told you all of what I've been saying just now."
"Ever since I got here, she's been busy making sure I was introduced to everyone, remember? All that people in such little time means I've only got a basic grasp on each person."
"I suppose that makes sense. To answer your question, there's twelve of us."
"Twelve... So there's still six others out there somewhere?"
"That's right, but like I said, we're bound to run into them eventually."
"Aren't you worried about them?"
"Ha, who do you think we are? They can handle themselves. And if they're lucky, some of them might have already met up with each other."
"You're probably right." Morgan said with a grin.
"When am I ever wrong?" Severa asked proudly.
Morgan chuckled. "You know, despite what people might say about you, Severa, I think you're pretty nice."
Severa flushed. "W-what the hell? Where d-did that come from?"
"Oh, nowhere. I just thought you might have needed to hear that." Morgan said with a goofy smile.
"L-like I even care what other people think about me." Severa huffed.
"But wouldn't you want to know what Owain thinks, at the least?"
"M-morgan!"
A/N: Here is the the final part of this arc, and the second chapter in this marathon.
As you can probably already tell, this arc was more of a 'Supports' type section, where different characters had time to interact during their wait in confinement.
This chapter had the most sections as well, shifting between 5 groups of people this time.
We open up with Olivia conversing with Say'ri. What starts as a small bit of bonding over music and dance grows into some other stuff of interest and a bit more information I've made on Chon'sin, which was hardly touched upon in the game. Much like how Japan is, they lean towards isolationism for the most part. But Say'ri represents the newer generation, which seeks to open up relations to the outside world.
Next was a purely 'for fun' bit with our local 'David and Goliath' duo (although with a dragonstone, the roles may very well be reversed). I thought it would be a fun idea seeing as despite how 'manly' Vaike likes to portray himself as, he's pretty childish himself. As for why Vaike's still talking about other women even though I've established him as paired with Miriel, well I don't plan on every character marrying so soon. And I guess Vaike's more a free spirit. It'll happen though, so don't worry Laurant!
Lucina and Ricken's discussion resumes and concludes, and our story's main pairing finally sees some major advancement in the sense that things will start changing between them. As for why Ricken is interested in Lucina and Robin's relationship, as a child in love himself, I imagine he'd be swept up in naivety and his new found emotions, and attempt to seek out someone to share his experiences with so that he may relate to them. But seeing as a recurring problem for the young mage is his insecurity at being young, I'd imagine he'd sometimes get playfully teased by the others when he's in need of actual advice. Ricken reveals his motive to be largely selfish, but Lucina was able to see how lonely he really felt at times. However, on the upside, he did actually manage to get Lucina to, while not say aloud, admit to herself she has feelings for our favorite Tactician... But who are we kidding, the real plus is that Robin's gonna be a chicken in the future! With his fellblood, you could only imagine the terror. "The meats gone bad!"
I also tie up the loose ends between Gaius and Maribelle that I started back during 'Naga's Voice 8'. Maribelle who once detested our favorite thief is now grateful to him, both for what he did in the past for her and for giving Donnie the courage to be more forward with his feelings. And of course, both Gaius and I haven't forgotten the promises he made to both Cordelia and the Sniper who lost his life during Naga's Voice. Enjoy your gigantic weddings while you can, both of you, because I'm sure we all know who's really going to receive the 'biggest wedding' Ylisse has ever seen :P
And for the closer, which takes up a big chunk of the chapter, we finally get some more Morgan in our lives. Morgan's always been an energetic and proud type of girl as well as a prodigy, so I easily see her trying to prove herself to others. The issue of Lucina basically babying Morgan returns, with her being so insistent that she has a place in the war, she oversteps some bounds that set Severa off. She's so set on finding a place for herself among everyone that she tries to use the amnesia angle to her own advantage. Severa doesn't seem to like what Morgan has to say, and in the end, Morgan becomes grateful for Lucina's apparent over protectiveness, and seeks to gain humility through Severa's stories of the other children.
I've also taken liberties regarding Cynthia and Severa's relationship. I made it so that they were close as children, but with Cynthia's dramatic change after her mother's death, Severa was alienated by her new found personality. Makes a bit of sense seeing how it was revealed in their Harvest Scramble supports that Cynthia was actually the most 'girly' of all them before the incident with Grima went down, so you know, the two girly girl bff's. I also like the idea of Severa picking on Cynthia for the reason that she was bitter because she felt like she was left behind. Because we all know for how big of a jerk she is, Severa's a good person deep down. Obviously this doesn't change their characters, but I see the holes left in their backstories as an opportunity to create new interactions. :)
I admit, this particular chapter took several days to actually complete. I found myself going back and revamping the conversations, so the one's we have now are far more detailed than the ones I originally had down. With that being said, it was fun to work on and I can only hope you all enjoyed it.
Hope you enjoyed this update, and I'll see you in 3 days!