Before this chapter gets underway, I'd just like to take a moment to thank you for sticking with me! I know that this fic's been movin' kinda slow so far, but the Mission is starting very soon and it won't be long til things get pretty damn exciting!

Well, I don't wanna bore ya too much, and some of the Shepherds are getting antsy to see what happens to 'em now, so without further ado, here's Chapter Six of Fire Emblem: Aftermath!

"Thank you all for meeting meeting here so promptly… I know that some of you were busy, but I assure you, this matter is of utmost importance." I pause, licking my lips nervously. I'd found as many of the Shepherds as I could, telling them to spread the word that I needed to have everyone in the hall at two o' clock, and fortunately, it seems that most of them are here. I cast a glance around the sea of familiar faces before I say, "Now I'm sure that you're all aware of the recent arrival of a woman from Fraustfel, who has travelled all this way in search of aid. Her homeland has come under attack from a deadly, malicious force, and Chrom has decided that the Shepherds simply cannot allow this travesty to occur."

"So we're going to war again?" I look up to see Olivia trembling, her eyes wide with fear at the very words she spoke.

"No, Olivia… we aren't going to war," I say, giving her a smile in an attempt to assuage her fears. "This mission will be swift, decisive and, most importantly, small. I will be leading an elite team of Shepherds north to Fraustfel, where our goal will be to determine the cause of this crisis, and eliminate it as soon as possible, without having to draw Ylisse into a full-out conflict with this 'Galgoreth'." I go silent for a moment, and when no one speaks up, I reach into my pocket and pull out a small piece of folded parchment, which I open and quickly scan. "After much deliberation, I believe I have chosen those who will be accompanying me on this journey. This is not set in stone, of course… if someone would rather stay behind, or wishes to volunteer, feel free to speak to me before our departure tomorrow morning." I pause once more, and once I clear my throat, I read off the names that I underlined earlier.

"Lon'qu, Panne, Cordelia, and Libra."

An uproar suddenly rages into life, and I wince inwardly as discussion erupts across the hall. In what feels like less than a second, a number of Shepherds have swarmed me, and I almost cover my ears as they start yelling.

"We both know that you need Teach there to watch your back!"

"I'm sorry, Vaike, but I can't take you away in good conscience when you have a baby on the way!"

"To help, Gregor would like very muchly!"

"What if you need to break into somewhere? Or more importantly, what if there's candy?"

"Enough!" The room goes silent as I step back, slipping the paper back into my inner pocket. "I know that you all want to help, but this isn't like one of the Risen-exterminations or border patrols we used to go on together," I say. "We'll be in unknown territory for Naga knows how long, and there's a good chance that some of us might not come back alive." I close my eyes, and tiredness suddenly washes over me, sapping my strength and making my head spin for a moment. "I can't… I can't lose you again. Any of you. Those whom I already read off are powerful warriors, and as far as I can remember, they'll stand the best chance of coming home. I… I'm sorry." I rub my temples for a moment, and as I head to the door, silence follows me.

"Lucan."

I turn, and I see Sully standing in front of me. Before I can speak, she crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me, and I flinch as they flash dangerously. "You're taking Vaike with you," she says flatly. The tomboyish redhead gestures over her shoulder, jabbing a thumb in her man's direction. "I know he's an idiot, but he's the best archer you've got, and you need that axe with ya to cut through all that ice. Just… just bring that dummy back in one piece, okay? I don't want our kid to grow up without a dad."

I look at her for a while, then sigh. "I promise, Sully… he'll be home in no time."

"Thanks, meathead," the Cavalier says, earning a laugh from some of the surrounding Shepherds.

"All right, so myself, Mila the Fel and you guys makes seven total," I say. "Unless some of those already going wish to decline, I don't think I can take many more."

At the back of the room, I see Frederick lean over to Cherche, whispering something in her ear. Her eyes go wide for a moment, but her expression hardens and she gives the Great Knight a nod before stepping forward. "I would like to accompany you as well, if I may."

"We'd be glad to have you, as long as you're aware of the risks," I say. Cherche is a formidable force on the battlefield, and that Wyvern of hers fights like nothing I've ever seen before. A thought suddenly occurs to me, and with my brow furrowed, I ask, "Actually, are you sure it's a good idea to bring Minerva that far north? As far as I'm aware, most reptiles aren't fond of the cold…"

"Minerva is no ordinary reptile," Cherche says proudly. "I'll just have to pack some special herbs for her to chew on when it gets chilly, and she'll turn snow to steam before it can even grace her lovely scales!"

"How… interesting," I say nervously. Damn, that lizard never liked me… this could be unpleasant. "Well, I believe that that settles everything for now. You're all dismissed." I gesture to the door leading upstairs. "If the chosen team could please follow me, I believe we have some things to discuss."

An hour or so later, I make my way outside to get some much-needed fresh air. I was able to brief my team on the mission, then take some questions; all in all, I'd say that this task seems fairly straightforward, but I suppose that it almost never is.

"Hey, Lucan," a voice says behind me, and when I turn to see who it is, I smile in their direction.

"Good evening, Lissa," I say. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Yuck… that was way too formal," the petite blonde says, her nose crinkling up in disgust. I chuckle lightly as she steps up to stand next to me, the two of us facing the setting sun as it slips behind the distant mountains. "You guys are all gonna be okay, right?"

I look down at her and say, "Of course we are, Lis. I promise."

Lissa smiles at me, seemingly content with my answer. "I know you'll bring them all back, Lucan; if anything, you're the one I'm worried about most." Before I can respond, she goes on, "I know that they'll all be okay because you always risk yourself for your friends… I'm just afraid that if you stick your neck out on the line again…"

When Lissa fades off, I realize what she means and I gently rest a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not gonna leave you guys again, okay? I'm here for good this time."

"I hope you're right." Lissa and I turn to see Lon'qu and Gaius behind us, the former maintaining a safe distance from the blonde princess. The Swordmaster adjusts the edge of his shirt as he says, "You're an invaluable asset, Lucan; the Shepherds weren't the same without their Grandmaster."

I open my mouth to respond, but before I get the chance, Gaius shouts, "Get down!" My body moves of its own accord, triggered by a reflex acquired from years of combat; as I drop, I hear a whoosh over our heads.

I land on my back, and I wince as I find that the dirt isn't very forgiving. I don't remember moving, I think to myself. One moment we were all just standing around, and then…

"You okay, princess?" I open my eyes, and I almost gasp when I see that Gaius' face is hovering over mine, concern in his eyes.

"I… I'm fine, Gaius," I say softly. Before I can give our situation another thought, the red-headed thief launches back to his feet, drawing a long dagger and a slim throwing knife. My head still whirling, I sit up slightly, trying to get a grasp of what's happening.

"What the hell was that, Gaius?" Lucan asks, drawing his sword.

"See for yourself," I say, gesturing with my dagger to the ground several feet away. The Grandmaster and I both look at where I'm pointing, and I see Lucan's jaw set in a hard line as his gaze takes in the jagged blade that's stuck in the soil. "That thing… I saw a flash over there on the roof," I say quickly.

"Thank you, Gaius," Lucan says. "If you hadn't moved as quickly as you had… I think that it might've been aimed at Lissa."

I hear the princess gasp to my right, and when I see the fear mar her beautiful face, my eyes narrow. "You guys stay here," I say, turning towards the building where I saw our attacker. "This bastard's mine."

Gods damn that man in black, I think as I dash across the roof of one of the Shepherd's side-buildings. I was so close… that dagger's enchantment would've cast their Exalt's sister into an unending slumber, and with the cure as a ransom, they would've had no choice but to release Mila. My eyes clench tightly shut and I let out a sigh, my feet almost soundless on the wooden rooftop. I can't let them find me, though, or else there'll be no hope for my sister…

As I sprint past a cluster of chimneys, a fist suddenly swings from behind one of the stone structures, connecting with my gut and sending me reeling, the air knocked from my lungs. Stunned by both the pain and my surprise, I collapse, rolling to a stop several feet away. As I lie here gasping for breath, I hear boots on the wood behind me.

"I'm a master of escaping, mate… so don't think you can get away." I roll over to see the man who'd foiled my plan, his gaze cold as he glared down at me from under his bandana. "It's a shame that Lucan or one of the others wasn't the one who caught ya… a shame for you, I mean. Ya see, they would've been forgiving."

The man steps forward slowly, and as I try to lift myself up, one of his feet swings forward, connecting with my jaw and casting me back to the ground. I can taste blood as I spit, "I thought you Shepherds were all about honor and mercy."

"I'm a criminal, you fucking piece of trash," the orange-haired man says, stomping on my hand. I stifle a groan, not wanting to give this maniac the satisfaction. "I play nice when I can, but that doesn't mean I've changed."

I look up at him for a second, and then a thought occurs to me. "You… you're a thief, aren't you?" He doesn't respond, and I smile wickedly. "Thieves deal in all sorts of rare goods and contraband… I think you know exactly what that blade was, my friend. So if you know it wasn't gonna kill blondie, why are you so vindictive about it?" I read his face, his thin lips, his eyes like chips of ice. "Perhaps… you have feelings for her?-"

Pain stabs at my chest, and I almost scream as a fire rages across my shoulder. I look down and see the hilt of a throwing knife jutting out of my shoulder. "I'm not going to kill you… wouldn't want to have to explain that to my friends," the thief says, his eyes dead. "But if you ever… ever try to harm her, or any of them ever again, I will personally gut you like an animal." Gesturing at the knife he'd sunk into me, the thief adds, with a touch of nonchalance, "Oh, and seeing as you like poisoned knives, I decided to stick you with one. Don't worry… once you wake up, that caustic agony should be just about gone." He turns, his black coat billowing in the breeze as he walks towards the edge of the roof. "If you're lucky, that is."

"So this is the man who attacked you?" Chrom asks, his hands crossed behind his back as Frederick looms behind him.

"Yeah, this is him," I say. "Gaius intercepted him as he tried to escape, and used one of his knives to knock him out for us."

Chrom turns to Gaius and wordlessly bows at the waist, making the thief's eyes grow wide. "You saved my sister's life, Gaius… I am in your debt."

"It was nothing," Gaius muttered, and he shoots me a glare when I give him a knowing look. Unaware of the nonverbal exchange, Chrom turns back to the would-be assassin, who Lon'qu and I had lashed to a chair a few minutes ago.

"Would you be so kind as to awake our guest, Frederick?" The Great Knight nods, then leans forward and, with a swift motion, slaps the man across the face.

Jolted awake, our attacker takes a moment to adjust to his surroundings. When he opens his eyes, I almost jump, startled by his… familiar eye color. "This man's from Fraustfel," I say, making Chrom and the others look at me in confusion. "He looks just like Mila."

"Don't you dare speak her name, filth!" the prisoner hisses, straining at his bonds like a chained beast. "I'll tear you all to shreds before I let you keep her another day!"

"What in Naga's name are you talking about?" Chom asks. "Do you know Mila?"

"Perhaps he's another minion of this foul 'Galgoreth' we've heard so much about," Frederick says flatly. "If that's the case, it might be best to put an end to this."

"There'll be no need for that, my friend," Chrom says quietly, turning to face his retainer. "I'm as appalled by this man's attack on Lissa as you are, Frederick, but I'll not have his blood on my hands before I know for sure that it's absolutely necessary."

"Wait… did you say Galgoreth?" the prisoner asks. When Frederick stiffly nods, the bound man's eyes widen, their pale blue glowing in the lamplight. "He hasn't harmed her, as he?"

"Hold on a moment," I say, raising my hands. "I'm confused. Are you after Mila, prisoner?"

"I'm here to save her!" the man shouts. "I told her that it was a mistake to come here, and that Galgoreth's influence easily could've infected these lands already. Now you have her, and I will not rest until she's home safe and sound! Release my sister at once!"

Silence falls over the room, broken by Gaius, who steps forward a bit, his eyes locked onto the prisoner. "Mila's your sister?"

"Yes, trash," he hisses, and I see Gaius flinch for some reason. "I am Mikhael, crown prince of Fraustfel and Mila's older brother. I've followed her here to bring her home safely, and I'll not have you Ylisseans keep her prisoner any longer!"

Chrom's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment. "It seems… that there's been a significant series of misunderstandings," the Exalt says coolly. Turning to Frederick, he says, "Please go to Mila's room and let her know that a man claiming to be her brother is in our custody."

"Of course, milord." Frederick leaves the room swiftly, and Chrom turns back to Mikhael. "You are quite misinformed, Fel. Mila was attacked by Wraiths upon her arrival, and was struck by a strange hex. We've since been helping her to recover, and tomorrow morning, Lucan and several other Shepherds are to accompany her back to Fraustfel, where they will help her in any way she sees fit."

Mikhael slumped back in his seat, and I see a variety of emotions cross his sharp features; anger, confusion, doubt. Before he can respond, though, the door swings open and Mila bursts into the room. "Brother!"

"Mila!" The Fel woman falls to her knees next to the chair, throwing her arms around the man who is apparently on our side. This was… unexpected, I think, but even though he's already managed to antagonize us, this 'Mikhael' might be able to shed yet more light on this Galgoreth situation. "Please," Mila says, snapping me from my thoughts, "cut him free!"

I look to Chrom, and when he gives me a nod, I step forward and draw my sword, slicing through the ropes behind the chair. Mikhael stands slowly, rubbing the feeling back into his arms and chest, the latter of which is bandaged from where Gaius caught him with the knock-out knife.

"I… I don't know what to say," Mikhael mutters, looking up at a still-glowering Chrom. "I… words cannot describe my shame."

"Apology accepted," Chrom says, and I see Gaius' eyes burn with anger, showing that he clearly doesn't feel the same way. Even now, Chrom is full of naught but forgiveness. "However, if you wish to be rid of this wrong-doing, perhaps you could help us." Mihael cocks his head slightly as Mila clings to his arm. "Lucan and the others, including your sister, are leaving tomorrow morning for Fraustfel. If you could help them in any way, I would be grateful."

Mikhael turns to me, and I realize with a start that I can clearly see the resemblance between him and his sister. "You are the Grandmaster of the Shepherds, correct?" I nod. "Even as far north as our homeland, you are a very famous man. However, as strong as you may be… Galgoreth will not be an easy opponent."

"I am aware of that. For the sake of you and your people," I say, "we will not fail. You have my word."

"You're naivete won't do, Tactician," Mikhael says, and something in his voice makes me uneasy. "This isn't just for my people… if you fail, Galgoreth will not stop at Fraustfel. If you fail…"

"Ylisse will fall as well."

Uh-oh, conflict!

Hope you liked it! Stay tuuuuned :)