It wasn't long until they reached Ferox. The Shepherds were gladly welcomed back into Ferox's doors.

Flavia stood in the middle of its main hall and greeted her allies. "Hello Chrom, thank you for coming so quickly."

"I heard from your head general that the Valmese are heading toward Ylissean shores? Can you please elaborate on the situation?" The prince asked.

Flavia frowned. "Truthfully, that is about all I know as well to put it so bluntly. I do, however, have some messengers from Valm who have some insight into Valm's intentions."

Basilio walked out from the left wing, into the main hall. Behind him was a maid with long pink hair; it was neatly held by a headband she wore that had a piece of fabric resembling a wyvern's wing on both sides. She bowed in courtesy as she was in the presence of Ylissean royalty.

"Hello, how do you do? My name is Cherche. I hail from Rosanne, located in Valm. I served in House Virion, attending to the Duke."

"House Virion?" Robin asked. "That sounds like-"

"Oh heavens, did I hear my name being called out by none other than the brilliant tactician of Ylisse?" Virion called, as he walked slowly down the hall. He straightened up his cravat and struck a pose, as he did a hair flip. "All of you fell for the illusion that I was a common man, but in fact, I am the honourable Duke of House Virion!"

Chrom groaned. "Virion, enough of your shenanigans. If you could please move you little show along, it would be most appreciated."

"To put it simply, Walhart, the Conqueror, has taken complete control of Valm. He killed many of our men, and we feared that our lives would be next. We sought to warn others before Walhart's second phase of his plan takes effect. Walhart's army grows by the minute, and we know that Ylisse is next." Cherche explained. "The should be here in less than a fortnight."

"So it seems we have to put our forces together again, Chrom." Flavia stated.

Chrom thought about the tyrant he would be facing. Valm wasn't small for a continent, but wasn't small for a country.

The continent of Valm also had the Kingdom of Chon'sin residing in it, if he remembered correctly. It was most likely Chon'sin was under Walhart's rule as well.

"It seems we have another war on our hands..." Robin muttered. "and I don't like the sound of this one bit."

It wasn't long until word of more invasions happened. Valmese surrounded villages and towns, demanding citizens to hand over their possessions and pledge an oath of their loyalty. Anyone who didn't oblige to those rules were murdered.

The Shepherds did help fend off the invading Valmese soldiers, with the help of Virion's subordinate Cherche, but there were still many casualties faced and villages were destroyed. Valm did have a strong cavalry, consisting of many knights and paladins.

"This is bad, the Feroxian army suffered many losses against the Valmese vanguard, and they didn't even send all of their men!" Chrom noted.

Robin rolled out a map on a table. She looked at the various waterways around the regions. Ylisse was no better to take an attack from Valm, and they needed to act fast.

"So, Valm practically wiped out Ferox and now they are on their way here. Judging by their forces, Ylisse will have a definite disadvantage on land." Robin explained. "I noticed a ton of knights and paladins in that army... If we were to catch them a sea, perhaps we'd have a better chance of survival."

"But how, Robin? Ylisse has no warships." Chrom stated.

"And neither does Ferox, unfortunately." Basilio interjected. "If we did, then we would have beat those damned Valmese. Both Ylisse and Ferox have no need for a sea navy. Our best bet is to receive aid from a kingdom that borders the sea."

Robin glanced at the map again. She traced her finger along the borders of Ylisse's neighbouring countries and continents. There was only one country that fit Basilio's description. And that would mean...

"Plegia!" Robin announced. "They must have tons of warships."

"No, absolutely not." Chrom quickly said. "There is no way we're partnering up with them. Plegia may have gotten a new ruler, but I doubt he's any better than Gangrel. Plegia is, and always will be followers of Grima. The Grimleal and Ylisse don't mix very well."

Chrom did have a point there, Ylisse did always have a bad relationship with Plegia. In war, connections between nations was key. That is why Ferox and Ylisse made such a powerful alliance. In Gangrel's conquest, the communication between the two nations was swift, and clear. Without the other, Plegia's forces would have never fallen.

Now was a time of desperation: Ferox was utterly useless against the Plegian forces and Ylisse was no better. Their partnership couldn't stop the impending forces of Valm's Conqueror, Walhart. Plegia was needed now, even if the country is full of shadiness and Grimleal followers. Robin needed Chrom to overlook this fact.

.. .Didn't Emmeryn want Plegia and Ylisse to settle their differences and be together a peace? Wasn't she hailed as a martyr for both nations, and change the heart of some Plegians?

"Boy, if you want a chance to win this, then you have to do whatever it takes...even if you have to side with Plegia!" Basilio slammed his fist onto the table.

'Plegia'. Just the sound of the word made Chrom grimace. He had heard rumours of Plegia's new ruler recently. Apparently the man was to lead Plegia into a new era of prosperity...(Jeez, he totally sounded like Gangrel 2.0... ) but he did not have as outlandish of ideas as the late Mad King. Rumours were that this leader had taken the good points of Gangrel's ideals and mended it together with the Plegians' wishes; what those wishes were, Chrom had no idea.

The Shepherds had a fifty-fifty chance that this request could turn out marvellously for all.

And maybe Chrom decided to take that risk at once.

"...Alright, we'll send a messenger to Plegia at once."

Hey guys, hope you are doing well.

Unfortunately, I have some news to share with all of you.

This story will be put on hiatus for an unknown period of time, due to me having surgery this week.

I expect the next chapter to be up in February, but it also could be much longer than that (depending on my recovery time)

Sorry for this late announcement, and I hope you all understand.

...Oh, can I just say the Smash Ballot winner was announced?!

I NEED TO GET A BIGGER SD CARD FOR ALL THE DLC!

*cough* Okay, I'm done.

Anyways, I hope to see you all in the new year! :D Merry Christmas!