Lancer: Can any one of you guys figure out what's going on with Drago?

Tychon: Not a clue, he's been upset for a while now.

Saya: Is he crying? Sitting on his bed in the dark, most likely in front of his computer screen, while eating out of an ice cream tub?

Lancer: All of the above, yes.

Saya: Oh, I know that state. That is his "my favourite character in a given fanfic has died" procedure.

Tychon: His what?

FD: Why…. Aayla, why did you have to go… you changed the cold hearted tyrant for the better… you two were going to have a life together….

Lancer: Huh. How about that.

Tychon: He better fix himself, we need him. ...Uh, cause we need to get this chapter going! That's all!

Lancer: Right. Well, on behalf of our blubbering host, we own nothing. On to the chapter!

Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band

(Instrumental) The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions

(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?) Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene

(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da) Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene

(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire) A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face

(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida) Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest.

(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he) A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash

(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure) A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode

(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou) Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening.

Narrator PoV

Some days, no matter what may be the case, are days to be enjoyed to their fullest. Whether it is in celebration of a certain event, or simply because the conditions are so lovely, it would be too great a shame to spend it cooped up in an office or the like.

Such was a day in the low-lying mountain province of El Sol, notorious for the copious amounts of sunlight it got year round, hence its name. Despite it being early December, snowfall had been at a minimum, if one could even spot a flake of the stuff in sight. Instead, it had been quite warm for a winter afternoon, and the breeze was just gentle enough to give a cool embrace, not too abrasive to where it would provide wind chill.

These conditions were calming, subtle, and serene, something reflected in one particular person's method of spending his down time on this wonderful afternoon. Underneath the veil of a peach tree, a man laid peacefully with his hands laced behind his head, eyes closed and one leg propped up on the other lazily. He hummed a light tune absently, basking in the tiny rays poking through the canopy above as they danced across his angular features.

The man in question was close to six feet, perhaps 5'10", with shaggy white hair and a horn that decorated his head. Over his right eye, he wore a dark orange patch that wrapped around his forehead to keep it in place. He laid on top of a white long-sleeved jacket, shuffling in his orange-trimmed white gi top and torn-legged black hakama pants, feet bare of any shoe or protection.

Dull footsteps closed in, increasing in volume before they came to a halt. The man on the ground opened his one eye to see a masked man, roughly 5'11", clad in red with a white coat over it, his blood red eyes being the only visible part of his face, forehead disguised by a meticulously maintained mop of jet black hair. Full in uniform, he donned a black shirt protected by a black steel chestplate, on top he wore a red cloak with black ornate trim, decorated further with a white coat of his insignia. "So this is where you've been all day."

The previously relaxing man craned his head lazily towards the stoic and curt male. "That's right."

"Care to explain why?"

"Ah, come on, Regulus," the horned male croaked. "I've finished my duties for the day. And the day is so niceeeee. You're so uptight, sometimes you just gotta relax, smell the roses."

The standing male sniffed the air a few times before shaking his head. "I'm smelling something, but it is certainly not the roses."

"Geez, it's not even five o'clock yet and you've already burned through a good chunk of your supply." This second voice, now feminine, followed Regulus with hands on her hips. She had her violet hair let down, draping all the way down to the small of her back. She wore a blue top with simple markings and form-fitting bottoms in dark violet colour. Over top of it all, the same white coat the other two had, but with a different insignia. "Save some for the rest of us," she joked.

"I'll pass," Regulus sighed. "Someone has to keep a clear head."

"Gods above, Lugiel, you can't be stoned already," a fourth voice said from above. The previously dozing man, now named Lugiel gazed up to find a man with green hair dangling upside down from a low hanging branch before landing beside the female. He was of modest height, coming only to about 5'7", tied for shortest with the female of the group. He wore a thin green fur coat beneath the white one he seemed to share with the others, and beneath even that, a pale red cotton shirt, the kind of colour red that candy canes are notorious for. His features were the least developed of the four, showing his youth while still having developed enough to where one could recognize he's an adult. "There are other ways you can enjoy your day."

His emerald gaze was drawn towards a nearby small, steaming body of water within the bounds of a wooden house, the faint sounds of giggling and idle chatter music to the mint-headed male's ears. "See the sights… enjoy what life has granted us."

"You idiot," the woman lashed out, a tick mark prominent on her forehead as she clocked the green haired man over his head. "Haven't I told you to keep away from peeking in the bathhouses?!"

"Why don't you stop jumping to conclusions, Reo?! I wasn't talking about that!" he responded in pain. "And even if I was, why is it a 'you' problem?!"

"I'm pretty sure no one wants to be spied on by lecherous grubs like you!" Reo countered. "Your 'books' have enough material!"

The two literally butt foreheads together, neither one wilting beneath the other's gaze. "Hey, those books sell amazingly, I'll tell you what! They pay for our threads, and Lugiel's bi-weekly delivery! You're just mad because the most exposure you've had to a man ARE my books!"

Completely ignoring the last comment with a clamp of her teeth, she sputtered out her response. She still had her pride. "That doesn't mean you need to go around and put your nose where it doesn't belong! If you thought with your head atop your shoulders and not what little that's in your pants, you'd get your work done half the time!"

"Dusty womb!"

"Spearmint midget!"

As the two continued bickering on, Regulus pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Why did this have to be a daily thing? He hated playing babysitter.

Regulus turned to the only other one who wasn't yelling their head off to see him holding out a wooden pipe with a thin stream of smoke rising from the opening. "You sure you don't need it?"

After a tense moment of thought and a bitter grimace, though none could tell beneath his mask, Regulus glowered. "I may consider," he deadpanned.

Whipping his head towards the other two, he didn't even bother trying to get their attention, instead he got straight to the point. "I received an update from the Commander."

These few words got everyone's attention, the previous two stopped their momentary bickering to hear what he had to say. "It seemed that he had been successful in his self-assigned mission."

"You mean he found him?" The mint-haired male scratched his head.

"Yes, apparently he'd been in Ylisse for some time." The masked man rubbed his palm with his thumb absently. "I haven't yet met the man, but it seems he truly lives up to his lineage. If the reports are correct, his power matches and perhaps even exceeds the Commander's."

The other three's eyes widened at this. "Really?! He's that powerful?"

"Yes, Zeno," Regulus replied. "If I hadn't heard it from his own voice, I would have been skeptical myself."

Reo shifted her weight. "So when does the Commander plan on coming back?"

"Hasn't said, though I pray it not be too long. Our nation is suffering underneath Shuyo's heel, she can't take much more."

At that moment, Lugiel lifted his head and looked out past Regulus, spotting a group of men coming down the mountain in the distance. They were armed, accompanied by horses. Seems like they were doing a patrol.

"Speak of the damn devil," Lugiel growled. "He's still out looking for us?!"

"This isn't good," Zeno whispered. "They shouldn't even be around these parts. Have our defences been breached?"

Reo scoffed in distaste. "They're crossing the border into El Sol. Its agriculture is integral to the nation, small wonder why he's coming here. Perhaps he plans to take it back."

"Such terrain is perilous for a full squadron to crossover since we regained its land," Regulus supplied. "He's trying to snuff us out for good."

Lugiel rose to standing position, slipping on his jacket. "Well, he'll have to do better than that! Reo, what's the terrain look like where they are?"

"Aside from the obvious mountain pass?" she rolled her eyes. "There is only one bridge in and out of El Sol to the capital province, surrounded by cliffs all round. If we can catch them before they get past the bridge, we can trap them and drive them back. But we'd have to be quick about it. I'd say we have an hour before they make it there. That's one option."

"Option two is?" Zeno asked.

"We destroy the bridge entirely."

"What? Why?"

Reo pointed up towards the soldiers in the cliffs. "If the direct connection to the capital is cut, the bastard Shuyo is to pay for agricultural product through either the southern state of Katal, or the northeastern state of Barceis. Since Regulus and his forces have Katal still, and Zeno's men are stationed at Barceis Pass, it's safe to assume that he won't take back either territory easily. Each province will tax him further if he wants to keep his men and the civilians fed in his rule. He can't risk them starving."

"Interesting," Regulus stated. "But we can't wait them out forever. They still have DeLeon. Rich in iron and coal. He may rely on the revenue of their exports before long."

"Good point," Reo hummed. "Well then, Lugiel? What are your orders?"

"Scatter for now," Lugiel began before devolving into more specific commands. "Zeno, meet your men on the northeast end of El Sol. If you are to come into contact with any of Shuyo's men, do not kill them. Destroy a cart or two, get them riled up, but do not engage in battle. Try to see if you can confiscate their arms."

Zeno nodded with confidence. "Got it!"

"Regulus," he continued. "I want you to go back to northern Katal. I know it's a long trek back, but you are the only one who can match the bulk of his forces coming from the capital's south into Katal. Reo's our resident tactician and Zeno's army has taken a heavy blow after the last battle for El Sol. Send one or two of your captains to hold down the western border."

Regulus nodded without complaint, allowing Lugiel to press on. "Reo, you stay here in El Sol. We could use your tactics behind the front lines until necessary, besides, I'm sure I can handle a meager bridge."

"Understood."

"Regulus, keep in touch and make sure you have Skimaru in the skies as much as possible."

Lugiel rolled out his wrist. "This civil war needs to be quelled, and quickly."

Regulus swung his hand down, signalling everyone to make for their positions before they broke off in separate directions. "Break!"

"I picked the wrong day to light up a bag," he huffed, making for the El Sol bridge in the mountains. "Commander Raven… you better hurry. And let us pray that our king is competent…"

Eric PoV

ACHOO!

Oddly enough, in the near pin-drop silent theatre, save for the music playing and the soft steps of the dancers on stage, Raven and I break through it with an obnoxious sneeze. Cordelia's annoyed gaze fixed itself on me, making me feel tinier by the second. Embarrassed, I looked around and gladly saw that no one else was distracted by the sneeze; they were too engrossed by the performance to care.

"Apologies, milord," Raven whispered. "I didn't think I would succumb to allergy at this time."

"Nah, it's probably someone far away talking crap," I whispered back, making extra careful to keep quiet so that Cordelia didn't chew me out again. My comment from long ago aside, Cordelia reminded me of my mother in some circles. Both were hot-headed and terrifying when angered. I couldn't understand for the life of me why that was the case.

Her hand grazes over my own in the chair, and besides the warmth of her palm was the foreign, yet still welcomed feel of the band around her left ring finger. It was cool to the touch and instinctively comforting. I took her hand in mine, feeling the warmth course through my being before she laid her head on my shoulder.

Try as I might, I couldn't remove the smile that forced my face into its current expression.

"Here come Olivia, the Twirling Moon," I heard someone whisper below the music. And true to his word, the rose-haired dancer strode onto the stage with grace. Many who knew the dancer from the Shepherds would never have guessed that she would behave so freely, the pinkette notorious for being nothing less of a mouse around company. But on the stage, she was completely in her element, nothing could stop her. She spun and twirled and leaped and posed, moving from one position to the next with unparalleled grace. Her movements were absolutely captivating to say the least, and the stage presence she commanded was astounding.

Her performance came to a stop before long, her bow of conclusion greeted with grand cheers and flowers thrown onto the wooden deck. She responded to the attention with a modest, yet proud smile on her face as she came off of them stage, making her way towards Raven.

I had noticed a few things over the course of these last few months. I had started to see Raven less and less nowadays. Not because of me trying to kick him out of the house, but because he'd simply started spending more and more time with the dancer. What's more, her confidence has started to grow greater and greater the more she spent time with Raven.

I would make a mental note later to pat myself on the back for my good work.

As we left the theatre with Olivia in tow, we dove into idle chatter about the little things in our lives during our walk in the darkening December afternoon. Making it to the plaza centre, Olivia raised a finger as if she remembered something on the spot. "Cordelia, can I ask you a question?"

The redhead's attention went to the pinkette. "Oh, it's just that… um… when do you and Eric plan on getting married?"

Cordelia's brow raised, flustering the other female as she tried to gather the words she felt appropriate. "No, it's… I noticed the ring on your finger. A-and everyone is talking about it at this point in time, so I-"

"Don't worry about it, Olivia. We have yet to set a date," she replied, tightening her coil on my arm. "We aren't in any rush right now but we're getting there."

The dancer nodded, she seemed to be pleased with the answer she received.

Suddenly, I could feel Raven shuddering in his own skin. Normally he was extremely calm and collected, so to see him exhibit some shred of fear was essentially unheard of. "What's wrong, Raven?"

His cheerful and warm smile dropping to a stern gaze told me that something was afoot. "I sense a foreboding presence, its intent heavy with hatred."

I tilted my head in confusion while the girls' eyes widened in fear of the unknown, Cordelia taking a defensive position while Olivia jumped behind Raven. "Is it bandits?"

The dark haired man shook his head. "Invaders?"

"Worse than that, milord," Raven grimaced. The girls were both now in a paranoid frenzy, made worse by the fact that neither were armed. My eyes narrowed until it suddenly hit me. "No… gods, no, not him…"

"I'm afraid it is true, milord," he sighed. "Shall we engage?"

"We haven't any other choice."

Cordelia, with an apprehensive tap on my shoulder, pulled me close. "Who is he?"

A smooth purr echoed through the area, ringing in my ears. I felt a shiver travel up and down my spine in anticipation, my knuckles going pale as I clenched my fist. I turned my head to peer at the origin of the sound, and atop the roofs of a building holding many small apartment-like homes was a single entity.

I growled with fury, Raven following suit and taking a defensive stance. Meanwhile, Cordelia and Olivia both blanched. Mistake it not for fear, however. The two were just… dumbfounded, to say the least.

"...you… mean to tell me…" Cordelia began, trying to articulate what transpired in her mind. "...that this 'fearsome' enemy… this threat that got us so worked up... is a godsdamned cat?!"

"Lady Cordelia, please do not make light of the matter!" Raven whipped his hand to the side. "There's more to this feline foe than meets the eye."

I grit my teeth. "Its name is Leo. His owner has filed many a complaint to Chrom for someone to retrieve her beloved demon. I took the task, thinking it would be an easy mission."

"But it has been proven to be quite the handful, besting milord on several occasions."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Aye, the king of a land that specializes in warfare, and his only superior is a creature with a hairball problem!"

Drawing me away from conversation with the redhead, the cat leaps off of the roof, a small mewl leaving its mouth. "Milord, it approaches!"

I made eye contact with it, leaping upward to meet it in the air. "Alright, you overgrown furball! Have at you!"

Cue: Let The Battles Begin!(Unofficial)

The distance between the cat and I closed faster and faster until finally we crossed path off the ground, each one of us executing our attacks. I landed softly on the ground, as did the cat, before feeling something open up on the corner of my mouth. I licked at the trickling substance coming from the wounds. The son of a bitch nicked me.

"I see… you're still as strong as ever," I grinned, turning to face the feline. "But you're not invincible."

That was yet another truth, as a thin streak of skin was left exposed. I struck the little bit of fur on its side, the strands falling to the ground.

Cordelia had her face in her hand while Olivia chuckled weakly. "To think I've fallen for this man…" the former lamented. "...he is seriously fighting this cat…?"

The battle continued as fur flew and blood was shed, though in very minimal amounts. Each time I tried to grab the damn thing, it was always out of my reach. It ran across the walls and up the nearby stalls and posts, evading my grasp every time.

Even Olivia facepalmed as she heard Raven trying to coach me through the entire ordeal. Though it still didn't stop her from letting out a mirthy giggle. Weaving in and out, up and down, our skirmish would continue for long agonizing minutes(at least in Cordelia's mind), until I got the bastard by his little tail.

An enthusiastic and somewhat dangerous grin cracked across my face as I pulled the animal up by one of his hind legs. "Ha! Gotcha, you demon!"

A cross between a meow and a hiss escaped the captured cat as I stared it down, ready to bring it back to Chrom, and subsequently, its owner. Peering into its eyes, its golden, slitted… pained eyes. Was it in pain? Did I hurt the poor thing? Many such thoughts coursed through my mind as I held the animal tightly, closing in on its visage.

"Hmm. Maybe you're not so bad a pet after all. Maybe you just want some fresh-AAGH, DAMN IT!"

Blood. That is what this devil-spawn wants; fresh blood. The damned thing baited me into feeling bad for it, then took the opportunity to chomp into the arm holding it. After relinquishing my grip on it, it fell to the ground unharmed, landing paw-first.

I growled and winced, holding the flesh on my arm that now sported bite marks, few of which had little bubbles of blood surfacing. In an instant, a giant mass of fur charged in my peripheral, landing on my face and blinding me temporarily. Leo let his claws do the talking, clawing away at my face and my hair with fury and hissing, lots of hissing.

"Milord," Raven started. "Look out behind you, watch for the-"

CRASH!

"-rock."

I lost my balance and fell backwards, slamming the back of my head against a wooden stall that I was thankful for being vacant. The structure burst into pieces of splintered lumber and kicked up dust all over the place. That blasted house pet defeated me again. And just to add insult to injury, a weight bounced off of my chest, no doubt it was the cat.

"Eric," Cordelia began as I dug myself out of the debris. "The Prince of War, feared across the world as the deadliest warrior to wield a blade, just bested by a common house cat."

"Go fuck yourself," I groaned.

"But that's what I have you for," the redhead teased again, the euphemism not lost on her as she began sporting a faint blush.

Another groan escaped me as I let myself fall back, lying in the broken stall and all of my shame.

"That would make it the fourth time that feline has defeated you, milord," Raven sighed as he tried to keep Olivia from bursting into laughter.

I spat out a splinter in disgust. "...I hate that cat."

I winced in discomfort as Cordelia applied the disinfectant with a cloth, grumbling and muttering in contempt a few choice words, some that perhaps even Sully would find surprising. It was now evening, the sun had retreated past the horizon and left only the slightest bit of light and colours dashed about in the sky.

"I didn't think that cat was so violent," Cordelia spoke wryly, though a hint of concern was still present.

"You thought I was joking? There's a reason why that… thing, is still roaming around."

Another wince processed by a series of cloth dabs. "Who knew that I would basically become your personal medic?"

"Never would have imagined," I laughed. That did bring a good question to my mind, however. "Have you ever considered learning healing magic? It would probably be a good idea to learn, you seem to always be patching me up."

The pegasus knight placed the cloth back into a bowl of plain water with a shrug. "You have a point. But I would have to ask Lissa or something. I'm not entirely sure how busy Libra might be with the church, so she would be the next best choice."

"Fair enough," I nodded as she applied ointment to the openings, sealing them up and disguising the lines of red. Certainly beat having full bandage patches on my face.

"Now then, you are all fixed," she announced. "Is Raven back yet?"

I tapped my cheek. "No, I'm pretty sure he's still with Olivia procuring groceries. If I had to guess, he would be back within the hour."

No later than when I said that, the redhead crawled onto my lap, straddling my hips. "Then we have time," she whispered lowly, placing a loving kiss on my lips. I returned it just as passionate for a brief moment before we parted our lock.

"Have you ever considered having a pet?" Cordelia asked me, curiosity blooming in her eyes.

"You seem to forget that I own a bear," I chuckled which earned me a deadpan eye-roll. "And she is adorable."

"Yeah, because a 900-pound bear mauling your foes with its powerful claws certainly screams "cute"." She let out a single chuckle. "I mean a domesticated pet."

"Technically, Mei Ling is "domesticated"," I quipped. That earned me a slap to the shoulder.

"I mean like a cat or a dog," the woman on my lap huffed.

I mulled over the prospect for but a moment. "Hmm… probably not, to be honest."

Seeing the confusion on Cordelia's face, I cleared my throat. "Look, say I go off for away missions or gods forbid, war, and on the off chance, I don't make it. Or I'm simply gone for a long while. I wouldn't be able to take care of it. Besides, that fucking cat has left a bad taste in my mouth. And Mei Ling is a quest to feed in and of itself. Always hits hard when we have to procure food."

"So that's why you and Raven buy groceries in bulk," Cordelia reasoned.

Nodding my answer, the redhead shrugged and was about to go in again for my lips before a knock at the front door interrupted us. "Well, so much for alone time," I sighed, shooting Cordelia an apologetic look.

"It's fine." She rose off of me and stood up. "I didn't think Raven would be out THAT long anyway. Have to admire his work ethic, if nothing else."

I clapped a pair of hands on my own face. "Oh my gods! The-"

"None of your smartass quips," Cordelia interrupted with a hand. "I don't know what you are going to say, but it involves my perfectionism."

"You know me so well," I laughed weakly.

Another series of knocks at the door. "Right. I will be but a moment." With a quick peck on the forehead, I climbed down the stairs and opened up the front door to be met not with the familiar face of the raven-haired swordsman, but instead, a man in a white hood.

"Can I help you?" I questioned him.

"The Exalt wishes for your presence, his words were "There's someone who wants to speak to you, says they are acquainted with you"."

I nodded in acceptance as Cordelia approached me from behind, watching the man bow and disappear in thin air like a ninja. Scratching my head, I spoke to Cordelia over my shoulder. "Care to accompany me to the castle?"

Tychon/Narrator PoV

Raven, after an evening of clearing out the stalls for whatever they had for groceries, made it back to the house, with Olivia in tow. She had been quite the delight in Raven's eyes, and her contagious smile and shyness never ceased to bring a smile to his face. He'd noticed that he had been spending a lot of time with the dancer, in fact, he knew long ago that his lord was trying to push him and Olivia together. But for the sake of amusement, he let him do what he wished. And he had to admit, he rather enjoyed it, and he found himself actively trying to spend time with the pinkette. He would have to thank his king later. For now, however, he simply placed all of his purchases on top of the wooden table that stood in the kitchen.

"Milord! I'm home!" he called. Much to his confusion, however, there was no response. Rather than repeat the same action to the same futility, Raven peered over at the front door, spotting the absence of the Pandorian's footwear.

Raven sighed a long one. "I suppose he's out doing something with Lady Cordelia. They are newly engaged, after all."

"I-I'm really happy for the two of them," the meek dancer squeaked out. "Um, have you started making plans?"

"Not yet," Raven responded. "We must have a Pandorian royal wedding, anything less is unacceptable."

"I see." Raven began placing things about in the intended storage places until he was alerted by the dancer. "Raven, your, um… pants are glowing."

Raven tilted his head in confusion before a lightbulb went off. Quickly and without a word, he took what space was left on the structure and placed the glowing object on the surface: a smooth circular piece of stone with red engravings all over, surrounding the brand notorious for his nation. A simple tap on the stone cause a smoke of purple to rise from it, sitting in the air without consistent form before it condensed and made a human figure that the swordsman recognized.

"Regulus," Raven spoke. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your talk?"

"Is the king with you?"

"My, my, Regulus, always so blunt," he chuckled. "It wouldn't strike you if you tried to keep up a conversation."

"Apologies, Commander, but this is urgent," Regulus retorted. "You must return as soon as possible."

"I am aware of Shuyo's hold on our nation," Raven sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot simply jump the cannon and head back at the drop of a hat. Lord Eric must be notified and must affirm the trek back. As well as get his affairs in order."

"I ask not that you rush things, only that if and when you make the decision, you make it swift, Commander."

"Understood."

The figure of Regulus adjusted his face mask. "Now then… if you may be so kind to indulge me, Commander. What does our king look like?"

Raven reached into the confines of his cupboards after being excused by the crimson-clad mage. Removing a small black book from it, he flipped through its pages before showing his guest. And once eyes were laid on it, few others could say that they had ever seen Regulus EVER break his stoicism like he had in that moment, if ever so slightly.

"Something wrong, Regulus," Raven questioned.

Just as quickly as it was exposed, the mage covered up his expression yet again. "It's nothing. I hadn't expected the appearance to match that face. That will be all."

"Adieu."

Once the connection was cut, Regulus stood in place, still staring at the orb before him in the dark, dark room he called his working office. A pair of eyes, barely visible past his bangs, narrowed in thought. "So… that is our lord."

Eric PoV

"You ruined my hair."

"I said I was sorry," was the entirety of the back-and-forth between Cordelia and I as we entered the main hall. You would think a woman who spends her career flying in the air more than she runs would be used to her hair being thrown about so wildly. She huffed with crossed arms, a certain emphasis in her rather brisk step as she tries to outpace me.

Though once I saw Sumia and Chrom at their thrones, while I was happy the two got hitched, namely that Chrom got his head out of the dirt, something poked away at me constantly. An apprehensive feeling, like something really unexpected was about to happen.

The two of us stood only a few feet away from the crown Exalt and Queen respectively, meeting their gazes with as much professionalism as needed, if nothing more than to keep up appearances for some of the… less lenient help. While Chrom stood up tall to greet us in the middle, Sumia stayed seated. Her eyes drifted downwards, more so towards Cordelia than myself, and I could have sworn I saw a twinkle in the grey-haired monarch's eye.

The sense of foreboding reached its zenith once I realized what was causing it. I also realized quickly that I was a little too close to the redhead as Sumia let out an elated squeal. But to me that was a warning to do the only thing that crossed my mind.

"Hit the dirt!" I called before diving to the side, leaving poor Cordelia to be tackled at sonic speeds by her friend.

"Oh my gods!" Sumia, now laying on top of her redheaded companion, squealed with glee as she perused the hand sporting the garnet-jeweled ring. "You and Eric got engaged, oh, I'm so happy!"

Chrom laughed at his wife's antics with a heavy sigh mixed in. "Sumia, honey, I'm glad you're happy, but I don't think Cordelia came here to get tackled. We have business to handle."

"Sorry," Sumia spoke quickly, jumping off of Cordelia just as quickly as she tackled her down. She patted at the dust on her lap as her fellow pegasus knight rose herself. "I'll compose myself." The Queen broke down into a barely contained whisper. "This is everything I ever wanted!"

"Right," Chrom coughed. "Well, the reason why I called you here is because there is something who wishes to speak to you."

"A diplomat?"

"No, but at the very least, they are not from Ylisse."

Chrom called for them to be brought forward, and once they got entered stage left, I was mortified. I could have sworn up and down that the room temperature dropped a significant degree. There were three people who were escorted into the hall, but the one in the middle was the one that shook me up the most. Her piercing glare betrayed nothing as her face was but an emotionless mask. Even the way she walked, the steps she took were composed and straddled the line balancing tense and relaxed.

I swallowed the ever-growing lump in my throat as she approached the center of the hall, only a few metres away from the rest of us. As fate would have it, my demons would not leave me alone, forever to haunt me as long as I drew breath. If that wasn't bad enough, Cordelia tugged on my arm, as if signalling to me that she knew something was amiss. This couldn't get any worse.

"Greetings, Eric. How do you do?"

"Say'ri," I replied, my voice reach a low baritone, half an octave lower than my usual. "I can certainly say I wasn't expecting you."

At the mention of her name, the previously chilly environment soon began increasing dramatically in temperature, what previously could be considered frozen was now burning up. I recognized it once before some time ago. The increase in heat and fury came directly from Cordelia. I placed a hand on the furious woman who stood beside me, which served to calm her for the moment. The slightest movement of the Chon'sinese princess's eyes alerted me that she caught this little act.

"I see you're partially mechanical now," Say'ri commented. "Pleased to see your form is in symmetry once more, even if it's heavier than you remember."

I could sense the tension in the room, it was palpable to say the least. Even still, her presence in the room alone told me something wasn't right. "How is Alice doing? She still rotting away in prison?"

"Indeed she is, many thanks to you and your charge…" The blade princess looked around in wonder. "Who doesn't seem to be present."

"He is occupied currently," I retorted curtly. "Now what brings you here? I am not the Exalt so I assume that this is a personal matter."

"A personal matter indeed," Say'ri replied with heavy emphasis on the word 'personal', directing her gaze towards the redhead at my side. "Would you mind sending everyone to their own devices so that Eric and I may be alone, Exalt?"

Praying above, and much to my relief, Chrom was able to read the room and responded concisely. "I do believe that some privacy is in order. With that said, I will grant the exception of attendance only to Lady Cordelia, so long as Lord Pandora agrees with this notion."

"I accept this," I stated, and with a shared glance with my fiancée, I gave a nod to the foreign princess. It only took but a slight moment for Chrom, Sumia, and the help of the Ylisseans to evacuate the room, leaving me alone with Say'ri and Cordelia.

A tense silence grew between the three of us for what felt like an eternity, feeling like a poor insect beneath a magnifying glass. I had all the spotlight, but the spotlight would probably kill me before too long.

"Okay, cut the crap," I broke through the silence, dropping all of the formalities. "What do you want?"

Say'ri paid me no mind, instead she tilted her head and had a laser focus on Cordelia, who knotted her own brows in confusion. A sharp exhale through the nose that I could tell was a snort of amusement and/or derision came from the princess. "So you must be Cordelia."

A slight bow was dealt out. "I've heard quite a few things about you back in Chon'sin. Eric certainly described you in earnest, yet I feel he did not do you justice. Stunning, to say the minimum."

"Thank you," Cordelia replied hesitantly. I expected something entirely different from this; this was not the jealousy-ridden Say'ri I left behind.

"Beautiful, and smart and strong to boot. I hear from the Exalt she is the captain of Ylissean Pegasus Knight brigade. Certainly a lofty title."

I didn't like where this was going.

"Well, someone has to carry such a responsibility," Cordelia replied. "Inappropriate as it may sound, but I don't see anyone else more qualified for it."

"And humble," Say'ri chuckled, sarcasm obvious in her choice of words. "I'd expect nothing less from the fiancée of my childhood friend. Eric, what wonderful taste you have."

I REALLY didn't like where this was going.

"So…" Say'ri began, trailing off on her thoughts before adopting a merciless grin. "Have you two consummated?"

I choked back on my own spit. "W-what?!" I barked, mirroring Cordelia's words.

The princess shook her head in amusement. "No, I figured not. I just suppose that you two are rather new, so your relationship hasn't reached the upper echelons quite yet."

This time it was my turn. "I'll have you know that our relationship is just fine, and whether or not my lovely lady here and I have engaged in such acts is not in your place to comment on. And I would thank you to respect that."

"Apologies," Say'ri replied. "It was out of line, yes. Although… that makes things the slightest bit more complex."

"Complex?" I tilted my head, not too happy about what the outcome of this may be. "Why?"

"Lady Cordelia?"

The redhead in question perked up at the sound of her name. "What is it?"

What used to be a straight, emotionless mask contorted into a dark, unrelenting, and cold stare. "I highly suggest that you stay far away from Eric from this point forward. We don't require the burden."

Sparks erupted into intense flame. "What did you just say?!"

"Ugh, not this again." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Say'ri, did we or did we not discuss this back in Chon'sin? Or did the slap knock the memory right out of your head? I've told you before and I'll tell you again, mark me. What happened between us," I pointed back and forth between her and I, "was a mistake. You and I were both drunk, you came onto me, and things were done that should never have seen the light of day. Let it be said that I am to blame in this as well, in my inebriation, I did not stop it. However, what's done is done, and what was done meant nothing."

I let out a sympathetic sigh. "I love Cordelia. She the woman of my life, and nothing will shake that."

Say'ri's eyebrows knitted in anger, and it seemed that while Cordelia was on the verge of tears, she had a small smile on her face. As if she knew she had won the battle against the blade princess. Taking her hand in mine, Cordelia walked past the Chon'sinese woman who appeared to be stuck in time, perpetually frozen in the middle of the hall like a statue on display. Her shoulders heaved ever so often, her head tilted down to keep her weakness from showing. Her fists, gripping so tightly, it could crush coal to diamond. Cold as ice, her next few words permeated the air with a heavy, somber, and dreadful tone.

"Fie… Never in an eternity would I have surmised you were the type to turn your back on your family."

My blood ran cold. I turned back to face her with widened eyes and a literal iron grip. "...what did you just say…"

"You heard me."

"Say'ri… you're playing with me right now… don't fucking play with me…"

Well, if there was one time that I could admit to say that I was wrong, it would be now. This just got ten times worse than it was before.

The princess placed a tender hand on her flat stomach. "Don't turn back on your child…"

FD: ….is Cordelia around?

Tychon: I don't think so.

Lancer: Let's…. Just keep this between us.

FD: Did you take away her lances?

Raven: Already taken care of, milord.

FD: Raven?! What are you doing here?! And where the hell were you when I was getting threatened with CASTRATION by Cordelia?!

Raven: I wanted to see how things played out.

FD: Fuck you.

Well… Fell Dragonite ou-OH SHIT, CORDELIA, RUN!