Disclaimer: Blah blah, I don't own it, yadda yadda yadda.

Chapter X

A/N: Okay, so I was suddenly stuck by inspiration and frustration when writing this.
I mean a day after the first one? Really? Not to mention I have an idea for Chrom Sumia and Lucia now.
Well, I tried my best with showing the action here and hope it got through to you.
I kind off see I'm lacking in telling the environment but I can't place them into proper words, I'll work on that.
I'll give you my thoughts later but I'd like to thank Justanotherbambi for being my first like!
I'll do my best not to let you down! Enjoy!

"Morgan! Stowie!" Lucia said as Morgan tucked in her mother's younger self.

Night had come for Ylisse after a rather uneventful day. Well... As his uneventful as Cynthia, Owain, and little Lucia could get. Still. Nothing caught fire so it could be called "uneventful".

Morgan had taken Lucia to her room which was filled with fluffy dolls of all sizes and all creatures, even a tanguel bunny. They both had changed into their sleeping attire, Lucia pink pajamas with a rabbit pattern while Morgan wore a purple night gown. Lucia's room was lit only by a magical lamp that used no fuel and bathed the room in a cool blue glow. Lucia's bed was set against one side of the room which she would share with a baby Cyndie once she was born. Though only one person occupied the room, barley a space looked vacant.

"Hmm... Alright. Do you want to hear the Prince and the Pegasus Knight?" Morgan suggested, thinking of her grandparents love story.

"Nuh uh. I want something new" Lucia replied with anticipation.

"Something new huh? Alright... What about the tacti- I mean the Rogue and the Princess?" Morgan suggested thinking of a love story of her mother and father.

"Ooh~ that's new! What is about! What is it about!" Lucia said as she jumped up and down while she sat.

Morgan chuckled "Okay, okay! Just lie down alright?" She tucked in Lucia and sat down beside her.

"Alright, where do I begin..."

The Shepards ambushed a group of bandits at their hideout and Anons plan was working extremely well. Except for one thing.

"Lay down your arms and you may yet live!"

Lucina faced the bandit leader and his group of personal guards in a hidden escape route lined with lit torches and stone walls.
The group of men laughed at Lucina in the dark passageway. "Hear that boyo's? The girly wants to play sticks! Hahaha!"

Lucina went off by herself.

"Chrom! Listen to me! We have to cut off their leaders escape! Lucina is-"

"I won't hear it Anon! We have to help those prisoners! You said so yourself!" Chrom interrupted Anon.

"But Chrom-"

"Rescuing lives is more important than bringing that scum to justice. Sumia! Let's go! I can see flames erupting form the prison cells now!"

"Right!" Sumia said as she and Chrom flew up and leaving a desperate Anon.

"Hexes and damnation! The one day the royal family won't listen to a word I say!" Anon yelled and immediately look around for anyone remaining. There were none. Everyone had left him on the hill per his orders.

"Gods Lucina, please be alright." He said as he ran towards the bandit leaders escape route.

Lucina fell into her familiar stance and leaped at his opponent with a wild slash and was parried easily. She swung more left and right, her moves deadly and precise fill with rage and the sound metal clanging against metal filled her ears but her eyes only saw the mocking glare of the bandits around her. They surrounded her but none interfered with her mad duel against their leader. She should have noticed something wrong then, but her rage blinded her to her surroundings and fueled her sword swings. The bandit was no fool with a blade, each block and parry was precise and clean and his mocking feints only enraged Lucina further. A small part of her senses yelled at her that something was wrong. That a bare chested bandit, well built and muscular with large scimitar should not be able to block her moves so quickly. But she ignored it and listened only to the building rage in the pits of her stomach.

She roared as she swung her blade with an over head slash, but the bandit side stepped, guided her blade with his, spun, and slashed in a wide arc. She ducked the wild slash and recoiled her blade and immediately followed with an upward thrust. Again the bandit merely nudged it away and returned with a swift counter attack. Lucina barley dodged it as she jumped away, but the bandito did not relent and dashed towards her and swung down from left to right. Lucina immediately stepped in to her right, opposite of the slash and prepared to thrust her blade into her opponent but the bandit anticipated it and struck her square in the chest with his right elbow. The air was knocked out of Lucina and was launched with her back against the wall. The bandits cheered immediately but Lucina regained her stance but not her breathing.

The bandit leader looked at her then, his huge scimitar rested on his shoulder and his free hand on his hip. He undressed her with his eyes from top to bottom and licked his lips quickly, only to be replaced with a grin that reached from ear to ear

"Heh. Put down the sword girly! And I'll only rape you ten times!" He mocked her, his voice filled with lust. "The first time will hurt like hell, and I reckon my huge dick will turn you loose as I ram in into your tight cunt. Don't worry. You'll learn to enjoy it. I can't wait to grabs your tits! I've seen bigger but those look firm and I'm pretty sure you're ass is tight but it's got a nice round shape to it. I'll make sure to give that a slapping you'll just love, hahaha!" The other bandits cheered with him and made vulgar gestures with either their hands, lips, tongue or all three combined as they undressed her too.

She glared at them, rage filling her once more roared, going into another wild charge against their leader.

"Che. They never learn." The bandit spat, as he readied his scimitar, parried Lucina's strike easily as Falchion flew from her grip and was punched in her solar plexus and fell unconscious in the bandit's arms. "Oi boys! I was wrong! Her tits are soft as me mums bosom!" The bandits cheered but was quickly interrupted as rapid footsteps approach quickly from down the hall.

"Who's there?!" The leader asked.

"Oi' boss! It's me! Sharp Tom! I'm so glad I caught's up with ye!" The newcomer said. He looked exhausted and wore a simple vest and baggy pants with daggers at his side. But sure enough. He was a bandit.

"How's it looking out there?" One of the bandits inquired.

"Bad. Some of ze boyz turned tail and ran while the others be either bleedin' to death, dyin, or dead."

Their leader nodded. "Alright boys! Time to turn tail as well. Jimmy! Hog-tie the girly. Chitz! How sharp is her sword?"

Both bandits moved to their respective jobs and Lucina was soon tied, bound and her mouth gagged. Chitz picked up Falchion and struck q nearby barrel. The sound of wood was audible but It didn't even put a dent.

"It be duller than Jack's wit boss!" Chitz said.

"Leave it. A fancy looking sword is worthless." Their leader said as he slung Lucina over his shoulder and headed off down their hidden passage. Chitz dropped the blade and ran to catch up with his companions.

The banditos finally reached a hidden stable with horses and provisions prepared for escape. The room was more of a cave that led far south behinds some hills. Away from their former fortress and danger. They were gonna make it out alive with their prize. But a lone figure was in the middle of the room, lit only by the sunlight behind him and so was unrecognizable thanks to the shadows.

"Who's ye be?!" The bandits asked.

"The figure turned to face them.

"Tom? That you?" The figure said.

"Harry! You're still here! Glad ta see ya boy'o!" The leader said.

"Boss! Yer alive! I was thinkin' yez already dead and was thinkin' of high tailin' it out of here!" Harry, a bandit, replied.

"Don't be writtin' us for dead tha't easily kid! I ain't goin down that easily!"

"Got it boss! But mind hurryin' it up? I reckon them Shepards ain't gonna like us one bit when they see us."

"Reckon they won't." Thier leader said as he placed Lucina on the horse, her head and legs sticking out, as the bandit leader mounted himself. The others got to their mounts as well and mounted up.

"Everybody ready? Good. Then let's get outta here."

All 6 bandits galloped out of the cave and headed for the hills in the golden glow of the afternoon. The sound of battle faded as they distanced themselves from their old fort. Their boss last in line, to make sure no arrows came from behind him hoping the girly enough a deterrent from the pesky goody-two-shoes Shepards. They reached another hill and down again, but before they could climb the next one, a mounted figure came atop the hill.

Lucina woke from the rough riding and struggled, realizing her hands and legs were bound and the weight of Falchion missing from her hips. From what she could tell, they were riding away from the fort. Away from her allies. From her father. From Anon...

She yelled desperately, giving rage one last chance, hoping it would let her break her bounds but they held and the gag made her yell little more than a whimper. Her rage left her. Only despair and fear remained.

"Well look who be wakin up! Oi! Sleepin' beauty opened her eyes! By the way girly! Your tits are soft as cotton! I can't wait to place mah dick in between-"

"Aw, who be it this time?!" Complained one of them, interrupting their leader's vulgar speech. Lucina craned her neck to where the bandit pointed and placed hope in her heart one last time.

"I think it's Jack'o! Someone's ridin with him as well! Look!"

Lucina's hopes of being rescued were dead and all because she refused to listen to Anon's plan of ignoring the bandits. Tears came to her then as she taught about her fiancé. They were supposed to get married soon. And now she face getting raped by vulgar men endlessly or until they tire of her. Death was preferable. I'm so sorry Anon. Morgan. I'm sorry. Lucina forced her balance to tip off to her head, hoping she'd either break her skull or her neck.

"Oi! Oi! Oi! No dyin ob me naw. Yez ain't gettin away that easily." The bandit leader said as he grabbed her by her crotch. "Man! Ye gots a soft ass as well! I really hit the jackpot!" Lucina only cried more and wailed desperately.

The two men mounted on the horse stopped and observed the bandits bellow as they considered them. One of the two gave them a wave but the other one remained holding on to the horse. One of them gave the horse a kick and it suddenly galloped towards them with a sense of urgency.

"Yep! That's Jack'o alright! Good with ye horses but terribly fraid of em eh? Oi Jack! Who's that behind ye? Is it-"

Harry never got to finish his sentence as an arrow lodged itself in his open mouth and immediately fell off his horse. The others were dumbstruck.
"What the-" Tom started as he took an arrow in the neck and fell limply to the ground.

4 bandits remained.

The front rider of the galloping horse fell awkwardly to the side and crashed without even reacting to the fast approaching ground. He was already dead.
The back rider wore leather armor with his face wrapped by his long blue scarf and already knocking another arrow with his bow.

"He's with the Shepards!"
"Ya think?!"
"The girly! Get the-" another bandit went down as an arrow pierce his skull from one end to the other. The lone rider was a stones throw away now and closing the distance fast.

3 bandits remained.

"Shit!" Chitz said as he unsheathed his sword but before he could make any sense of defense, the masked rider already had his sword out and gave him a fatal slash across his torso Chitz struggled but blood rushed out the wound and up his mouth. He was dead before he hit the ground.

2 bandits remained.

Jimmy managed to get his sword out and was prepared to give the man a clash of blades, but their attacker leaped from his horse, rolled in the air and kicked him off his horse as he hit the ground with his head, breaking his neck.

1 bandit remained.

"You dastard!" The leader of the bandits shouted as he reached for his Scimitar on his back but his attacker rolled as he landed and made a mad dash towards him, jumped and tackled him off his horse. The animal got spooked and gave a quick jolt that threatened to make Lucina fall but the beast calmed quickly and managed to give Lucina a view of the fight.

The two men wrestled on the grassy ground. The rider's silver sword was left out of reach and the bandito still hasn't drawn his blade as the two exchanged blows. The masked man was on top and wailed blow after blow, a left, then a right, left, right, left, right. The bandit recovered his bearings and blocked the next blows and struck the mans side with his knee. He forced the man to roll on the ground and managed to get himself on top and intended to exact the same fury of blows on him. But the man recovered quickly and tucked in his legs and kicked the bandit square in the gut, forcing him to recoil and step back. The masked man rolled over and stood on his feet with a stance.

Lon'qu? Lucina thought as she recognized the stance as that of her friends'.

Both men considered each other and walk in a circle around each other, measuring each step and each pulsing muscle.

The bandit gave a wry smile. "Yer good! Ye managed to ambush me and kill ma boyz! Lightning fast too! But yer all out of tricks arent ya? You're swords right here! Under my feet! Oops!" The bandit said as he kicked away the sword. "What're ye gonna do now?" He mocked as he unsheathed his deadly scimitar from his back.

The wind blew in protest of the unfair duel that was playing out. Lucina tried to tell her friend to run. Good as he was, he was no match against an armed opponent with that much skill with a blade. She desperately tried anything to communicate her distress but it was as if the two were locked in their own world now.

The bandit smiled as he played with his scimitar. "I'd offer ye to tern back now before I kills ya, but ye killed my men, and ain't no way I'm not ven'ging them their blood!" He said as he made a wild slash. The masked man stepped back out of reach, but the bandit was upon him at once slashing upwards to the right then downards to the left, and the man dodged each slash and managed to get in range to strike from the last one. He kicked his opponents feet hopping to unbalanced the man but his stance was firm and returned it with a punch but the masked man quickly shoved it away and kicked the bandit at his side, the bandit recoiled but immediately countered with a backhand with his right hand, still holding the sword. The masked man ducked underneath the strike and retaliated by striking his opponents face but was quickly elbowed away and the man lost whatever space he gained.

"You little shit!" The bandit said with a bloody nose and swung his scimitar again. "I'll kill you!"

The exchange of blows continued, with the man regaining the ground he had lost and was now in striking distance but the bandit predicted this and recovered from his slashing feint to an over head slash, one where the man could not possibly dodge at the distance

"Got you!"

"Mhmp oum!" Lucina warned.

But the man simply struck the bandit with an open palm right over his heart.

There was a pause to the duel.

The bandit got hit. He was sure. But by what? Blood rushed out of his mouth and the man withdraw his hand from the bandits chest, and stepped back, revealing a hidden blade that came out of his gauntlet.

The bandit lowered his sword and touched his chest with his free hand and looked at it. Blood. Lots of it.

"He... hehehe... You... sneaky dastard... You're... a better rogue... than I am..." the bandit said with his last breath as he crumpled to his knees and crashed face down on the ground.

The masked man wasted no time and ran towards Lucina, and lifted her off the horse and gently set her down on the grass. Using his hidden blade to cut through her bounds and un-gaging her, he gently stroke her back as she coughed harshly as fresh air entered and exited her mouth once more. She looked at her rescuer now.
"Thank you... Lon'qu."

The man raised his eyebrow as that and his eyes were the only thing visible underneath the wrappings. She noticed it then.

"Oh gods!" She gasped. Her savior began unwrapping his long blue scarf revealing his hair and crimson eyes. It was Anon.

"Lon'qu?" He said plainly with a little bit of hurt in his voice.

"Oh gods Anon! I thought you were... How did you..." Lucina stopped herself and instead embraced her fiancé, not trusting her tongue as she was still trying to find it. She buried her face on his shoulders and cried loudly for a time, waiting for her words to find her mouth.
"I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! I didn't listen to you and blindly rushed off on my own! I'm sorry!" She cried as more and more tears came from her.

"Shh... it's okay now. It's over... I already took care of the bad guys. I'm here." Anon said as he stroke Lucina's back as she emptied herself of her tears.

"I was angry. So angry. I was so angry at them at what they did to the poor girl at village... How they killed her father right in front of her... I saw myself in her. Forced to grow with no father to be there. Lucina paused again but Anon remained still and waited for her to calm down or continue. "Then... then they captured me *sniff* it's my fault I faced them, but they kept saying how they would violate me and *sniff* I was so scared! We kept getting further and further away from the fort and I thought no one would come." Lucina tightened her embrace and Anon kissed her on her head and legs whispered gently to her ear, just a little stronger than the wind.

"I'll protect you, my love. I'm here."

Lucina held on tightly for awhile longer but finally withdrew. "I'm okay now. I'm sorry my love. I won't do anything so rashly again." She said as she wiped her last few tears.

Anon just smiled kindly and rose on his feet and helped Lucina up as well. She didn't let go his hand. "Come on. Let's go back to the others." Anon turned to the only remaining horse. The one that had carried Lucina, and headed for it.

"Wait. I forgot something." She said as Anon turned to her "what?"
"Your reward." Lucina got close and held his hand tighter and kissed him intimately. Anon's free hand came to cup her face and withdrew for a moment. Lucina held on to that hand and they kissed again with even more passion. Once they were breathless for air, they rested against each others foreheads and breathed rapidly.
"Now that... Was a reward..." Anon said with a smile and Lucina smiled back. "There will be more. Perhaps tonight..." she said with a promise and a blush the crossed her face. With new found energy into Anon's extremities, he withdrew from her but still held her hands.

"Then we should hurry back. Come on."

The couple rode back towards the fort with Lucina riding in the back so she could rest her head against Anons back. She was about to fall asleep when an alert horn sounded from above. They looked up to spot a fast descending Sumia and Cynthia.

"Oh thank the gods you're safe!"Sumia said as she rode next to Anon and pulled Lucina in a tight embrace. "Are you hurt? Did they harm you? Do you want to me to make some pie for you?"

"Mother, I'm fine! Look! No injuries!" Lucina said presenting her whole self to Sumia.

"Sssiiisss!" Cynthia exclaimed as she practically dragged her sister onto her pegasus. "I was so worried about you! When we couldn't find you we assumed the worse and Anon was missing as well."

"Yeah... I probably should have left a note." Anon said.

"Cynthia, I'm fine! You can let go me now!" Lucina said, struggling for air.

"Still. When we couldn't find you two we thought.." Sumia began then blushed.

"We thought that you two had eloped!" Cynthia finished for her mother.

"What?!" Anon and Lucina said at the same time, both blushing.

"Yes. Well... that's what we first thought dear... But then-" Sumia offered but was cut of gently.

"Uhh... is that the whole army? And why does Chrom look like he's about to cut off someone's head?" Anon interrupted worriedly.

"Oh... well... you better think of an excuse quick! Cause you two are about to get the scolding of a lifetime in front of everyone!" Cynthia warned.

Anon gulped audibly while Lucina clung closer to him.
Turns out, they had no time to even discuss of what excuse to make as Chrom broke into a gallop and was upon them in seconds.

"Alright. Where are they?!" Chrom demanded.

"Where are who?" Anon asked.

"The bandits!"

"Oh, them! They're dead."

"What?!"

"They're dead. So see, we got nothing to worry about as me and Lucina killed them. So let's all go back to our tents-"

"If you and Lucina killed them... then why did we find Falchion in a passage way?" Lucina reacted and looked at an empty scabbard accusingly. Like this was all its fault.

"Oh... uhh..." Anon couldn't come up with anything for that.

"Lucina, did you or did you not get yourself kidnapped?!" Chrom directed his daughter

"They... I... We..."

"Chrom, there's a time and place for this. Let's just go to our tents and-" Anon supplied

"No! We are discussing this here and now!" Chrom raised his voice. "Lucina! Were you kidnapped by those bandits?!"

"Chrom! That's enough!"

"You stay out of this Anon! This is a family matter so shut your mouth and-" Chrom never got to finish his sentence as Anon struck him with his fist. The whole army physically flinched seeing their tactician just punch their leader.

"Shut MY mouth?! If YOU had listened to me earlier THIS wouldn't have happened." Anon accused and kicked his horse to go forward. The rest of the army was too dumbstruck at what just happened, they didn't know what to do.

"Anon! Did you really have to do that?!" Lucina whispered.

"Eh. It was the only way I could think of. Besides. This way, he doesn't embarrass you in front of the whole army. He'll be fine! He's made of sterner stuff than just a jab."

"So- wait... you did it for me?!"

"Of course. I couldn't just sit idly by. Don't worry. I'll talk to him later and apologize."

Lucina sat there, ignoring the world and thought quickly of the man she fell in love with. Brave and fool enough to stand up against a very angry, very dangerous, father. She loved him even more now and tightened her embrace around him.

"Thank you, Anon. My love." Lucina said.

"Thank me later if I come back with my head on my shoulders and when I'm giving you back Falchion. We forgot to take it."

Lucina giggled. "You'll be fine. I'll go with you. I never want you to face things alone again. We'll do it. Together."

Anon glanced slowly behind him and locked eyes with her. "Together."

Morgan's version

"Once upon a time a princess was told very strictly not to go off on her own as baf men might attack her, but she didn't listen and got herself kidnapped! Then a dashing rogue had rescued her and brought her home to her very worried parents and the princess awarded her rescuer with second base. The end!"

"What?!" Lucia exclaimed.

"What! I gave you the story so go sleep!"

"B-B-But you didn't... I mean..."

"Fine. Fine. I'll tell you the story but I'm still going to leave out some parts. You're too young for those."

Lucia pouted and crossed her arms in her bed. A perfect replica Lucina would do minus the pouting.

"Nope. Sorry. Take it or leave it Lucia." Morgan said in a matter of fact tone.

"Mmm... fine!" Lucia said, releasing her pout and settled once again in her bed.

"Alright. So once upon a time, when some bad men were attacking a helpless village, a very brave princess took on the evil doers..."

Author's Note:

Alright! So these ARE part of the story, however, as the main focus of the fic will first be on everyone BEFORE we get to Avatar x Lucina, I'll be naming these kinds of chapters as Chapter X. I don't have an actual plan for these. As this one came from seeing EVERYONE'S tactician as more inclined on his tomes, which to me as a Sword type of guy rubbed me the wrong way and made my own fic just to tell everyone:

My Avatar is better than yours! So there! *sticks out tongue*

Hopefully, I was able to convey that Anon's class with this was an Assassin. I made Morgan say Rogue as telling a story of "An Assassin and A Princess" would put anyone off. And yes, I made use of a hidden blade ala Assassin's Creed. I'm not a big fan of the series, but I'll be the first to admit a hidden blade would be one of the MOST useful things in almost ANY medieval/fantasy situation.

Anyway, how did you like the action sequence? Was it intense? I hope I was able to convey that. But if not, let me know! I'd like to work on more of these for a different fic. Or maybe this one later down the road.

Oh, and if you've noticed the lack of music for this, I was listening to FF:IX Prima Vista Band and well... If you listen to it, it won't fit at all. And as much as I love Awakening, I can't find a fast paced enough music for duels and such. Apologies.