AN: With this chapter I shall present to you a most amazing plot twist. And you'll have to read to find out.

Disclaimer: Fire Emblem and other referenced franchises belong to their respective companies. And I belong to me.

Third person POV

"Let's see. I've already gotten a bag of chocolate for Gaius, 'cause Chrom might not be on the correct side of the battlefield. Since I've done everything, I think I'll just take a nap." Reflet sighed to himself rather expositionally in his room, almost as if he were in a story of some sorts.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Chrom was standing around the castle courtyard, sighing a sigh that could rival Cordelia's sighs. Robin, walking down a hallway near the courtyard, heard his sighs and saw him through an open window. "Chrom!" he yelled, jumping through the window's hole. "Why're you out so late?"

"Oh, Robin. It's nothing. Just… dueling with some unpleasant thoughts… you should know something, Robin. Not everything Gangrel said was a lie. The last exalt waged war on Plegia for many years, ending when he died about 15 years ago. Plegia AND Ylisse were affected. Farmers who had wives, children, they were all sent to their deaths by my father. I was young, but I remember those dark times… and how they affected Emmeryn.

She wasn't even ten when our father had abruptly died, and all of the blame and hatred was targeted towards her. Her own subjects began to hurl insults—and stones. She still bears the scar from one… but she never let them see how they affected her. Only Lissa and I understood.

"I-I don't know what to say." Robin awkwardly looked away, feeling weighed down by what was a rather deep topic.

"I just don't understand it, Robin. She treated our people with caring and kindness while they mocked and vilified her. She reunited soldiers with their families, ended the war. She even accepted it when the people "forgave" her for the war. She represents the best of our halidom: peace. But men like King Gangrel would take advantage of that. The day he understands peace will be the day death gives it to him… so perhaps I must be death's agent." Chrom finished, a resolute look in his eyes.

"That was… really profound, Chrom." Robin gaped at his friend, dumbfounded at his words.

"I agree. It was well spoken, sir." Lucina said, who was disguised as Marth. "Good evening to you."

"How'd you get in?" Chrom stepped back, hand already reaching for his sword. "The castle's defenses are impervious! You shouldn't have been able to-"

"The cleft in the castle wall, behind the maple grove." she offhandedly remarked.

"There? But how? It's only a small hole in the wall, and I'd thought it well concealed."

"You needn't worry. I come here only to warn you. The exalt's life is in danger."

"What? But Emmeryn is guarded at all hours."

"What if I told you I have seen the future?" Lucina's voice suddenly grew dark. "Would you believe me? A future where Emmeryn is killed. Here. Tonight."

"That's about as absurd as humans being able to fly without pegasi or wyverns."

"Then allow me to prove it." Lucina announced, pulling out her Falchion with Chrom doing the same. "I'm about to save your life. From him." An assassin leaped from the bushes as if to prove Lucina's point. She proceeded to perform a move similar to Ike's Aether, making a cut so clean that it caused no blood to escape from his body. Which probably isn't possible, but the game has a T rating for a reason.

"I trust this proof will suffice?" she questioned, turning to face Chrom.

"Yeah."

However, another assassin rose from the bushes, catching Lucina off guard. She slipped on the first assassin's sword, having her mask slashed off by the second assassin's blade in the process. Chrom turned towards Lucina, surprised at what he saw. "Wait. Y-you… Marth's a woman?!" Chrom cried, turning to Robin in confusion. "W-what is this?"

"And quite the actress, too." Lucina grinned, being pleased at herself for her acting skills. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out until just now."

"Yeah, Chrom." Robin simply shrugged. "I thought that was established by now."
"No! It wasn't!" Chrom threw up his hands in frustration. "She seemed so-"

Chrom's sentence was cut off by an ear-splitting explosion. "Never mind, we'll talk about this later!" Chrom yelled, already running towards the sound with Lucina and Robin closely following behind.

"I want the Emblem in my hand and Emmeryn dead on the floor. Preferably where I can see it. Let nothing stop you from either objective" Validar growled.

"As you wish, master." Generic Assassin # 1 nodded before disappearing into the shadows.

"Wait a second. We're supposed to KILL the exalt?" Gaius questioned from afar. "I'm just here to line my pockets with some royal goods. But the exalt's such a sweet lady… I'd never harm her."

"What? I can't believe this! Two assassins and the little princeling is unscathed?" Validar gasped, using a rather peculiar ability that allowed him to see through walls. Must run in the family. "Wait. Some of these actors do not belong on this stage. Can it be?! After years of searching… it seems it's time for a family reunion. Fate piles gifts at my feet today!"

As Validar grinned rather creepily outside of the castle, Lucina noticed something. "The Falchion is gleaming." That means the future is already changing. Good.

"Something wrong, Marth?" Chrom asked.

"It's not of your concern." Lucina coldly replied back.

"Seems like nothing ever is with you." Chrom shrugged. "Just stay by Emmeryn's door. We'll handle the killers."

"Alright, Shepherds. Let's get to work!" Robin announced.

SCENE SWAP

"Let's see, Gaius was coming from the right side of the castle, so if I just tread lightly I may not have to get into any battles."

"Err, Reflet. Who's Gaius?" Kellam asked, his heavy armor silently clanking behind him.

"No need to worry. Just gotta recruit someone since Chrom cut through the middle of the castle. Aha! There he is!" Reflet pointed. "Kellam. Slowly shuffle towards that man while I hide behind you."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? He looks a bit dangerous." Kellam muttered as he squinted (at least, it looked as if he were squinting) in the direction of the thief."

"He won't be able to see you. Just trust me."

"Well, okay, I guess…" Kellam shrugged as he started inching towards the red-headed thief.

As they slowly moved closer, Gaius was having a midlife crisis. What should I do? he thought. I only came for the treasure, but if I leave now, that long face guy might kill me. But if I try to steal from the exalt, her forces would kill me. Man, oh man, why's it so hard being a thief these days?

"Psst." A voice behind him whispered.

"I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING I SWEAR I WAS ONLY HERE FOR THE MONEY WHY WOULD I EVEN HURT THE EXALT!"

"Sheesh. Calm down, already, will ya?" Reflet sighed. "I know you don't wanna kill anyone. So that's why I'd like to make you an offer."

"Sorry to tell you, but I'm still in the need for some money. You won't get in my way." said Gaius as he unsheathed his Iron Sword.

"I have a bag full of chocolates." Reflet replied, pulling out a rather large bag.

"… what kind?"
"Chon'sinian, apparently. A place called Heir'Shays."

"I know that place. I thought the line was miles long." Gaius stepped back in shock.

"I had to wait TEN HOURS to get it. So do you want them or not? You have to align yourself with the Shepherds, first."

"S-sure. Just gimme that chocolate!" Gaius lunged towards Reflet, knocking both of them down in the process.

"O-okay! Now get offa me!"

"Reflet, are you even allowed to recruit Shepherds like that?" Kellam asked.

"Wh-who's that?!" Gaius jumped back in shock, having not noticed the bulky suit of armor right next to Reflet. "He just came out of nowhere!"

"Yeah. You should get used to that." Kellam sighed.

As the three continued conversing, impervious to the chaos that surrounded them, Robin and Chrom had confronted Validar.

"Alright, Chrom. If we can defeat this leader, the other assassins should be as easy as pie."

"Well, Sumia said that it took her 15 times to bake a pie, so it's probably not THAT easy."

"Damnit, Chrom, it's an idiom! Stop being so literal."

"Yeesh, Robin, what's got you so worked up?"

"I-I'm not sure." Robin scratched his head in confusion. "That guy just gives me the creeps with his wind-swept hair and eyeshadow look, I guess."

"Then let's make this quick." Chrom turned to their enemy, starting to plunge his sword into the ground.

"Wait, wait, wait. Chrom." Robin held his hand out in a stopping pose. "What are you doing?"

"... plunging my sword into the floor?"

"This is a castle. Your SISTER'S castle. Why would you even do that? The Falchion's all covered in blood and everything."

"Actually, it's pretty clean. Spotless in fact." Chrom replied, looking over his blade for any blood or dirt.

"That's not the point! Why would you ruin your sister's floors? They seem too intricate for you to just STAB!" Robin flailed around in utter confusion.

"We're already killing people and summoning fire everywhere." Chrom shrugged. "A sword in the floor won't do much."
"A-HEM!" Validar shouted, "clearing" his throat. "Shall we get started, soon? I wish to see Emmeryn's lifeless body as quickly as possible."
"Then let's start." Robin responded, drawing his trusty Levin Sword. "I sure am glad multiple Outrealmers wander this realm. They have stuff that I haven't even been able to find anywhere else. Once you get used to seeing multiple lookalikes of yourself, they're actually pretty neat!" And with that, Robin dashed ahead to strike with his Levin Sword. Which was pretty foolhardy considering the fact that one could just summon a lightning blast with said Sword. But Robin did not care, for he is a man of passion! A man that would canonically be in his teens, but that does not make him any less of a man.

"I see… leading with a Levin Sword, ehh?" Validar smirked, already leaping back to dodge Robin. "Then I'll just keep out of your range and-"

"I'm still here, too!" Chrom announced, coming in from the side with his sword flashing a familiar purple glow.

"Oh, fu-URRGH!" Validar spluttered as the critical slash of the Falchion cut through him, followed by Robin's unobstructed Levin Sword. "How could you… have known… the plan?" validar snarled as he drew his last breath.

"And that was pretty easy." Robin smirked. "I wish all assassins were as easy to take down as him."

And Validar truly was the only challenge. All of the other assassins had seemed to either run away or surrender after that, and the Shepherds had gained two new members from the skirmish: a thief with a sweet tooth and the world's friendliest taguel.

"Emm! Thank goodness you're safe." Chrom sighed a breath of relief.

"It is you I have to thank, Chrom." Emmeryn smiled.

"I beg your forgiveness, milady!" Phila bowed down to the floor in shame. "They should have never made it into the castle in the first place."

"Peace, Phila. Only Marth could have known about this threat." Chrom patted her on the back to reassure her. "I would like to speak with… Robin, where's Marth?"

"I'm not sure, Chrom." Robin shrugged.

"Not again!" Chrom face-palmed as he ran towards the courtyard. As he sighted down Lucina, he jumped in front of her, blocking her exit. "Going somewhere? You have a bad habit of leaving without saying good-bye, you know."

"I'm afraid I have a few bad habits." Lucina sighed, impatient with her father for blocking her way.

"Good ones as well. You saved my sisters' lives as well as my own. I could repay you, if you wanted."

"Hearing your offer is reward enough. I already have what I came for: history has been rewritten. After the exalt's untimely assassination, the Fire Emblem would have been stolen, leading to a great war and to the end of mankind itself. But that probably sounds like madness to you."

"After what's happened today, not really. Somehow I know I can trust you. And I hope someday to repay your favors."

"Until then." Lucina nodded, before vanishing into the night.

SCENE SWAP

"Damn it all! My purpose is too significant… to be thwarted… here…" Validar moaned, clutching his pained sides in a strange, ethereal realm.

"Oh, you won't perish here, Validar. Not yet, at least." a sinister figure cackled as he approached from nowhere.

"Wh-who are you and where did you come from?"

"I am the power that compels you." it grinned. "You must live on to author a destiny greater than you will ever know."

"I-it can't be! You… you're…"

"I am the wings of despair. I am the breath of ruin. I am the handsomest fell dragon that has ever lived. I am Grima."

And now back to your regularly scheduled fanfiction…

"Emm, you can't stay here, you know that! Come to Ferox where those Plegian bastards won't harm you easily." Chrom slammed down his fist on a conveniently positioned table.

"And leave the people undefended? War is brewing, Chrom, and Ylisse needs their exalt at a dire time like this." Emmeryn rebutted.

"And what if something happens to you?"

"Your Grace, your argument is truly engrossing, but I fear that the table that Chrom is currently smashing may break if you continue on like this." Frederick interjected. "Perhaps you might relocate to the eastern palace for the time being?"

"Yes, Emm, at least that." Chrom sighed. "I wouldn't know what to do if you were to die."

"Well, if you insist." Emmeryn sighed in resignation.

"Thanks, Emm. We'll escort you to the palace before we head north the the border."

AN: Yes, I believe that the plot twist was the plot twistiest of all. After all, who knew that Mar-er, I mean Lucina- was a girl? Her masculine voice totally gave nothing away! Thanks for reading!