Chapter 27
Nathan groggily awoke the next morning, tired from the past night's events. Basilio and Flavia had made the group clean up the library in exchange for their silence on the situation, and by the time they had finished it was nearly dawn. Yawning loudly, he got up and threw on his clothes before he remembered the plans for the day: they were to begin their march to Plegia yet again, for a final confrontation with Gangrel and his forces. After gathering his things, he set off down the hall, making his way to Lissa's room. The princess was most likely still snoring away, giving the tactician a great opportunity to get back at her for throwing a frog at him the day before. He quietly nudged open the door, before feeling a cold breeze blowing from the inside. He looked around the room, seeing shards of the broken window on the floor, Lissa's bed in tatters, and a note sitting on the bed.
Nathan quickly ran over, picking up the note.
'To whom it may concern:
We have captured the princess. We will return her to you, but only in exchange for a ransom of a hundred thousand gold. If we are not paid in time, we will hand your princess over to the highest bidder. You have until nightfall."
Attached was a map of the surrounding area, with a black x marked on it, no doubt the location of the kidnappers. Nathan kicked Lissa's bed in frustration. In all of the events of the past while, he had forgotten about the bounty placed on Lissa's head. He turned and ran out of the room to find Chrom and Frederick.
Not long after, Nathan stood at the front of the Feroxi throne room with the two men. After Nathan informed them of the situation, Chrom punched the wall next to them in frustration.
"Damn the gods!" He cried out, sweating in agony.
Frederick put a hand on the Prince's shoulder. "Fear not, Milord. I shall go rescue Lissa."
Nathan shook his head. "Nope. This one's mine. I was supposed to be her bodyguard anyways, remember?" He told them.
Chrom grimaced, rubbing his chin in thought. "We can't send a large group, they'd kill Lissa if we did, before we can even get close to them. No doubt they want to negotiate for their pay with a small party." He turned to Nathan. "If you're going, I'm going too."
The tactician shook his head. "Not this time." He told the man. "You have to get going to Plegia. Gangrel has to be stopped, and that's your place. Let me take care of your sister."
"But-" Chrom began, before Nathan cut him off with a stern look.
"You've taught me a lot about trust since we've met, Chrom, and this time, we need to trust each other."
Chrom stood in silence for a moment, before sighing in defeat and pulling his friend into a brief hug. "Good luck. I'll see you in Plegia." He declared.
Nathan gave Chrom a reassuring smile, before turning around and exiting the room.
As Nathan made his way out into the Frigid Feroxi outdoors, putting up the hood on his cloak as harsh blows wind and snow assaulted him. As he walked up to the Feroxi castle gates, a familiar swordsman was leaning up against the wall next to them.
"…You didn't seriously think anyone would allow you to go alone," Lon'qu mused in a stern voice.
Nathan shook his head. "I AM going alone," He growled. "This is my responsibility."
Lon'qu stood himself up from leaning on the wall and made his way to walking next to the tactician. "I know these areas much better than you. That, and…I have lost a woman I was close to once before. I will not allow such a thing to happen to you."
Nathan looked up at the swordsman, surprised at what he had just heard. Lon'qu looked at the ground, simply muttering, "It's a long story, for another time. Just know I'm coming with you."
Nathan sighed. "Fine." He answered. He smiled up at the swordsman. "…You're a good friend, Lon'qu."
Lon'qu smiled back, as the two trudged off into the snow together.
Once they reached the location on the map, they saw it was a ruined fortress in a small valley, covered in rubble. A single guard stood at the front of it.
"Not, the best tactics from the looks of it, an easy to approach fortress with only one guard…" Nathan mused.
Lon'qu frowned, pulling his iron bow from off his back, and notching an arrow in it. "How about less bashing of their tactics, and more focus on the task at hand…" He muttered, before releasing his arrow, which was sent straight through the head of the guard, who crumpled to the ground. Nathan nodded as the two quickly slid down the valley, dragging the body of the guard and hiding him in a nearby bush.
The tactician and myrmidon then cautiously made their way into the assassin's lair, with Lon'qu switching out his bow for his sword, and Nathan drawing his Arcfire tome. They moved slowly, making their way unimpeded before entering a large open room, with Lissa sitting at the other end of it, tied up and gagged. She squirmed and let out muffled cries.
Nathan began to charge recklessly across the room, yelling, "Lissa, I'm coming!" Before Lon'qu could hold him back. However, as the tactician scrambled towards Lissa, he tripped over a set wire, setting off a shower of arrows headed his way. Before he could react, Lon'qu pushed him out of the way, managing to deflect most of the arrows before one pierced his stomach, causing him to cry out in pain.
"LON'QU!" Nathan screamed, crawling over to the man from on the ground. He quickly removed the arrow from the man's chest, pressing the wound with his cloak.
"I…I'm sorry…" He sputtered, tears welling up in his eyes. He had been so foolish, going against all of his tactical experience and simply charging into the fray.
Lon'qu grunted and wheezed, "I'll…be fine…I just need…to rest…I assume…this covers my debt…of you saving my life back in Ylisse?"
Nathan laughed slightly, still trembling. "Nice to see that you're developing a sense of humour," He joked.
"Aww…well ain't that sweet." A voice taunted from the end of the room. Nathan looked up to see a burly bandit man with his hand around Lissa's neck, holding a knife to it. Nathan stood up, placing his tome on the ground, and raising his hands in the air.
"We'll give you what you want," Nathan pleaded, sweat dripping down his face, "Just don't hurt her."
"Well, what I WANT is my money!" The kidnapper barked, tightening his grip around Lissa's neck, causing her to squeal.
Nathan grimaced, standing in fear. The amount that was asked for was not one the shepherds had available. He had run out of other possibilities, so it was time to try something else.
He sighed in defeat. "If you want your money…take me, instead. I'm the tactician of the Ylissean army, however much you were thinking you could make from a bounty for Lissa, My head would double it."
The man slightly loosened his grip on Lissa, grinning wildly. "Interesting…" He sneered. Lissa squealed and squirmed, shaking her head quickly at Nathan.
Nathan slowly inched towards the man, causing him to pull his knife up to Lissa's throat.
"Stay there," He growled, "I don't trust you at all, so make a move and the princess di-EEYAARGH!"
The bandit cried out suddenly as Lissa used her hands, the bindings falling to the floor, seared on the edges, to push the man's hand holding his knife off her throat, while her foot was brought to his groin. The man collapsed on the floor in pain, as Lissa burned off the end of her gag over her mouth, letting it fall to the ground. She turned to the man, yelling, "You're not getting to touch either of us, creep!"
The man growled, rushing to his feet and drawing his axe, screaming, "I'LL KILL YOU!" However, he never reached Lissa, as a massive blast from Nathan's arcfire tome incinerated the man. Nathan and Lissa stared at each other for a moment in awkward silence.
"That was pretty nifty, what you did back there. I'm pretty glad I taught you those spells," Nathan remarked.
The two stood in silence before Lissa ran over, wrapping her arms around the tactician and snuggling her head into his chest. They basked in each other's warmth for a moment, before remembering that Lon'qu still lay on the floor, looking over at them with a sly grin.
Nathan, completely red, pulled away from Lissa as the two ran over to the man. The tactician reached around in his cloak before pulling out a blue elixir. "Here, drink this," He told the injured swordsman, helping hold up his head so he could consume the potion. The man let out a sigh of relief after finishing the elixir.
"Thank you," He replied.
"MY DARLING LISSA, I'M COMING!" A voice cried out from behind them. Lon'qu, Lissa, and Nathan turned to the doorway of the room to see Maribelle rushing in. She then saw the injured Lon'qu lying on the floor.
"LON'QU! Are you all right? Let me tend to your wound, my love!" She cried out, rushing to the man, and pulling her staff from off her back, applying it to the wounded area. She then looked up to Nathan and Lissa, who stood next to the two, grinning sheepishly.
Maribelle blushed before snapping back, "Oh, for the love of the gods, yes, we're dating, we're actually engaged now…but it's not like the two of you can get away from questioning! Lissa! Are you dating this…this heathen?"
Lissa glared at her best friend. "Hey! He is not a heathen, whatever that is! But yes, we are dating…" She confirmed, blushing. Nathan looked to his swordsman friend.
"Since when are you two engaged?"
Lon'qu sighed, before grimacing slightly as Maribelle healed a more tender part of his wound. "I…proposed…slightly before you arrived at the gates. No doubt Maribelle overheard our conversation, and decided to follow us, out of curiosity…" The swordsman mused.
Maribelle put away her staff, as she and Nathan helped up Lon'qu. "Now then…to Plegia?" The troubadour asked.
Nathan nodded. "Let's finish this war, once and for all."