Morning sun rose in the sky and Alex stirred, rolling to grip the woman that agreed to be with him, her raven-black hair laced with the scent of strawberries as she told him that she wanted to try some of the hair gel that she had spotted with Anna's wares, a wonderful investment as he took it in with her stirring movement. "My, you are right, this 'conditioner' is divine, not sure if it adds up to the wonderful person."
"I may have to indulge in your tastes a bit more, love..." Tharja rolled as well, into Alex's arms as they kept close in peace before the sound of knocking caught their attention and the dark mage gave a slight groan. "Ugh... Who would be knocking at this time, it is barely morning..."
"I'll check it out, stay put, okay?" Alex slung himself out of the bed and headed over, glad to still be in his night wear as he walked into the main foyer and opened the door to Barlowe. "Captain, what are you doing here... so early?"
"Um... Tharja here by ANY chance?" Alex started to wear an expression of curious question as Barlowe's tone was one of urgency.
"Captain... What happened?"

Barlowe seemed to pace, but took a breath as he started. "You see, some... residents of Plegia are coming to visit, without any letters or documents that proves that they aren't JUST here for idle interests." Alex huffed as he leaned against the frame and asked again.
"Captain... What happened?" Barlowe paused before face palming himself and shaking in displeasure.
"Right, that description is likewise anyone that has a problem with the Shepherds or just brigands." Barlowe cleared his throat before he spoke. "My folks are coming to visit and they wanted to see... both of the Plegian siblings." Alex sighed as he nodded with a clear answer.
"Thank you, Barlowe, I will deal with it, though you will have to be on standby, just in case." Barlowe saluted as Alex closed the door and sighed as he turned back headed back to his bed before reaching down and shaking Tharja a bit. "Tharja, we have some unexpected guests coming, time to get dressed."
"...Nooo... ten more minutes..." Alex sighed, as much as Tharja plays the unapproachable individual, she becomes quite playful and a fine aid to those who are willing to look under her darkness and make her mean something to them, even he made her feel special so some time left to her is wise for now... unless there was going to be some trouble later. He got dressed up in his Tactician robes before looking it over here and there before giving another sigh.

"I need to up my wardrobe, I can't just look like this all the time, some work needs to be done beforehand, but first, those folks..." Alex headed out and toward the garrison where he braced himself for anything before he opened the door and was quickly thrown into the wall and a dagger to his neck as the pair looked highly trained, one forgoing the attire of a Sorcerer to be an Assassin while the other was a Sorceress of great strength.
"Where are our children, Ylissian!?" The man yelled, but Alex was rather calm for a man on the wall with a blade to his throat.
"You DO realize that you just attacked the Grandmaster, right?" Alex's raised brow was enough as both paled and quickly retreated to the corner to converse as Alex walked in and closed the door as they mumbled to each other in terror.
"We just attacked the Grandmaster..."
"We have spoiled our position in such reckless action, we are never going to see our kids...!"

"Step one, sit..." Alex motioned both to sit and they did as Alex continued. "Step two, remove your hoods or anything keeping your face hidden, I speak as myself, not the tactician for both the Shepherds and the Marauders." The hood came off to a man with one eye discolored, but still working with a large patch of burnt flesh over the area while the woman removed her veil and circuit to a mother's face, her dark crimson hair a look to the man's white hair. Alex nodded as he spoke. "We are friends in this room, despite any issues that have happened, so your names and why you are here."
"I am Opinusa, one of the court sorceresses in Plegia, now a wanderer who is looking for my children."
"Name's Tyremor, don't ask for my real name... left it behind long ago and I am her husband." Alex nodded as he extended a hand to Tyremor who shook it and the same was done with Opinusa.
"Very good, we have first names which is good, I am Alex and I am here to see WHAT Barlowe was worried about." Before either could speak, Alex pulled out several sheets of parchment that Barlowe gave him in advance of what had conspired. "Several market stalls overturned, a number of guards in the infirmary from cuts and dark magic blasts, some property damage, and... destroying a statue of the Exalt Chrom?" The parchment laid on the table a he raised a brow again. "I was unaware that the townspeople had made a statue of Chrom."

Both looked tense, fearful indeed as Tyremor cleared his throat to speak, but his fear was still there, despite his older difference. "We were... worried, we learned that the capital was attacked by the joint forces and our... little girl vanished and after the war, our son disappeared as well and, since you and the Ylissians were the last and first to see them... we were just concerned." Alex pointed at both with a serious look and Tyremor caught on as he spoke. "Ours is a mixed family, my girl's mother died when she was just barely starting her dark magic and her son was barely out of the first year, so we... married to keep a family together, though my girl has long since... disliked her step-mother."
"The girl had... great potential and she is forced to squander it on idle..." Opinusa closed her mouth as she looked at Alex and corrected herself. "I am sorry, I was speaking out of term, she has long wanted to... umm..."
"Names then, please, it does me no good that you two speak about these two and I have not their names."
"Tharja and Barlowe..." Alex's quill stopped short before scribing again, Tyremor catching it as Alex smiled to the man's wit. "You... know them!?"
"Well, one DOES frequent these grounds as tensions are still sour between the Ylissians and the Plegians, another is in my guardianship and is not likely to leave me alone any time soon." Both sighed in relief as the Grandmaster continued. "Barlowe is captain of the Marauders here and is under my observation while Tharja herself left Plegia Castle at the Shepherds' side, her reasons were quite... personal when you come to think about it." Opinusa quickly sprung up and hugged Alex tightly in joy.

"They are alive and they are okay!"
"Sheesh, darling, let the boy breathe or we will not get anywhere." But the words were lost as Tyremor shook his head, the calmer one of the pair clearly as Alex was released after a while and he relaxed to their relief.
"So... since you two are wanderers now, what are your plans for..."
"No no no, I want to see my baby girl!" Opinusa was quite interested, more excited than Alex had expected as he stared glances with Tyr and spoke to Opi.
"Even if I could do that, you two, your wanton damages to the town are not easily ignored and Plegia sounds to be... bad if they have two highly-skilled individuals walking out, though the Marauders are fairly tasked themselves." Alex sighed as he scribed down some notes and spoke. "You both will undergo one measure of the Marshal's training, not because of trust right now, but to show you both discipline, I can't just let this fly overhead."

"We shall pull through, you can trust in us, Grandmaster...!"


"I... take it... back, you are..."
"The worst, no, I am just trying to ensure you are both okay and NOT plotting anything out of the usual." Alex took a seat beside Tyr and spoke as he laid a hand on the man's shoulder. "I have the Marauders go through the same things and the Shepherds are roped in because the Marshal is a man of duty, respect, and loyalty, you don't play by his rules, he drills you harder than before." Tyr righted himself as Opi died in front of Alex and both lifted her into the shade as he continued. "The damages are being fixed as we speak, but for now, you both need to remain in the Marauder garrison for some time, I will need to speak with Chrom for PROPER arrangements."
"You... are evil, boy..."
"No, just focused on the task at hand." He didn't force them up as he instead spoke, resting in the shade as well from the moving sun. "You know, just between us... I miss such company..." This caught their attention as Opinusa asked, dressed in training attire, not her sorceress garbs.
"You mean... like these fine people...?"

"A family..." He turned back to the site as both listened to something that he hadn't even said to Tharja. "Chrom and I are brothers to the end and each one of the shepherds are my allies, my friends, but where my memories of who I am beforehand, what my family looked like... I don't know their faces, not even my mother, the memories are just... gone..." Both looked at each other and rubbed their necks in grief before Alex straightened up and spoke. "Well, it has been excellent, but I have someone I need to..."
"...Do nothing with, my darling." Alex turned and Tharja approached with quite the smile. "It is nice to see my folks here, but why are you meeting them without me?"
"Barlowe brought it to my attention and I wanted to bring you with before deciding to let you sleep." Tyr cleared his throat as Tharja joined them in the shade.
"...Lad... I am not going to like the next words out of either of your mouths... am I?"
"Sorry, Tyremor, this is a secret that not many actually know about, but I apologize in advance." Alex just smiled as he rested a hand on his belt where his sword scabbard often was. "I have asked your daughter's hand in marriage." With Opinusa, she was overjoyed, but Tyremor looked like he was going to blow a fuse when Alex made the same offer as he did with Chrom. "It is going to happen, but I am willing to spar with you, maybe you could tell me more about the events in Plegia, sir."

"An EXCELLENT idea, MASTER Alex, I will show you what years of experience looks like...!" Alex motioned him to follow as Tharja gave a sigh, Opinusa observing the exchange with a smile.
"Soooo... any... children?" Tharja's death stare was strong, but Opinusa was not turned away as she just smiled. "He is quite the catch, maybe I could get some info out of him on HOW he..."
"Shouldn't you be looking for Barlowe right now!?" Tharja groaned as her mother shook her head, but was pulled close as she heard more.
"I mean no harm, you are a very lovely woman and I would hate for your heart to be broken, sweetie."
"...Yes, but mother..." Tharja gripped onto the work attire as clashes of blades sounded and Opinusa looked to see Tyremor standing his ground against an able opponent. "...He's different, more than any in Plegia, he has... enchanted my heart and will never let me down." Both mused in the shade as the brawl continued, the swift Assassin against a cunning Grandmaster, the result going to the one who not only fight for sparring, but to gain trust from the newcomers to the garrison here.