The shepherds were being pushed hard, even with the assistance of the palace guards it was still a bloody conflict, after beating back the first waves Chrom noticed an unfamiliar figure behind their defences.

"Another assassin?" Chrom turned his blade as he spoke, ready to engage this new threat.

"Hold! Panne is not your enemy." 'Marth' did her best to calm him, interposing herself between his blade and Panne.

"You know her?" Chrom lowered his blade slightly exhaling slightly, weary of the newcomer.

"I know...of her. And I knew she would come here tonight." 'Marth' spoke carefully, doing her best not to give too much away.

"Quite the prophet, aren't you?" Chrom smiled as he looked to the strange swordswoman, he was glad for the reprieve from combat but he could already hear the next wave of soldiers approaching.

"As you say. And I swear to you, Panne is an ally." 'Marth' Smiled as she watched Chrom place his faith in her, however much like him she could hear the coming wave.

"Then I shall trust you for now." With that Chrom returned to the front to assist Corrin and Robin with the incoming Cavaliers.

The next few waves of enemies were easily defeated, the tide turned as the reinforcements from outside were cut off and easily defeated by Phila and the newly rallied Pegasus knights, within the palace Robin and Corrin had pushed towards the courtyards in an attempt to rout the remaining assassins out.

As the last of them fell Corrin looked to Robin with a smile "Well this is an experience I really don't want repeat"

"I agree… I just wish I knew how they got in" Robin looked around carefully, as she did she could feel Grima in the back of her mind Behind you! Robin whirled around as she did Corrin followed her gaze then both women's hearts stopped.

Before them stood a man with grey skin and dull crimson eyes, his long purple robes flowed in the night breeze; violet magic danced around his long spindly fingers, an aura of malice accompanied him "Well this is certainly a troublesome development. Tell me who are you?" His voice had a sinister edge then caused both Corrin and Robin's skin to crawl.

"You first…" Corrin remained on guard her grip tightening around the Yato's hilt.

Be wary of this one… something is not right with him. Robin could sense what Grima was saying, the enemy before them… something was familiar and unsettling about him.

"You are a little more than a pair of pests and I shall not see my plans foiled by you." With that their foe launched grim dark magic towards them, as the spell closed the distance Corrin moved to touch her tome but before she could a large spear of lightning pierced the spell grazing their foe.

Corrin looked to the source of the spell and found herself surprised to see it was Robin, who had conjured the spell; she now stood at the edge of consciousness breathing heavily but smiling as she looked towards Corrin "Well… Impressed?" with that Robin lost consciousness.

Corrin smiled why must dragons be such fickle creatures as she chided herself she stood ready glaring at her foe "You shall fall here and I shall make sure none remember you" with that she dashed forwards closing the distance with surprising speed.

"Mongrel rat die!" the grey skinned man threw several more spells each finding their mark upon his foe, however none of the spells he could manifest slowed the charge of the dragon queen.

As fear consumed the man's eyes the queen lashed out her Yato flashing beneath the pale moon, the queen's strike as ever found its mark slashing the man's chest open a merciless swing "You… *cough* you… how could you know the plan…" Still coughing up blood the man throws his hand up a dark orb sailing forth, before it could collide however another blade flashed brightly slashing the spell with radiant light the resulting clash blinded all present.

As their sight returned the man was gone as was the evidence of the conflict with him bar a few stray droplets of blood, Corrin looked to her saviour whilst nursing her wounds, she was unsurprised to see 'Marth' standing there however she was surprised to see tears in the young warriors eyes "Marth? Are you-" Before she could continue her question the young warrior threw her arms around Corrin.

"Don't ever be so reckless again there are people that care about you!" Corrin's heart ached hearing her say such things, it wasn't the first time she had been told and reminded that her behaviour caused worry in those close to her.

"I promise I won't be…" Those words sounded hollow even as they left her lips "Now I feel the winds calling you again, would I be wrong?" She smiled sadly, in her time as queen she had become quite good at reading the intent of those she knew.

"Yes… how did?" 'Marth' had heard of her mother's ability to guess the intentions of others without much error, it was surprising to see it though.

"Call it intuition, but were you truly planning on leaving without a good-bye?" Corrin smiled as she looked into 'Marth's' eyes, as she did her breath caught in her throat, there hidden her left eye was an all too familiar mark "'Marth' that mark just who are…"

The young warrior hastily pulled away and turned to leave "I…I promise you… you will have your answers just please…" the sadness in her voice was more than enough to convince Corrin to drop the question.

"I shall wait, you haven't failed to uphold that promise yet" Corrin smiled as 'Marth' hastened away, her smiled faltered as she checked Robin, after a brief check she sighed relived to find Robin still breathing, with that she settled against a nearby wall resting Robin's head upon her lap.

As the two of them settled in to rest the rest of the Shepherds began clearing the halls and seeking information about their would be assassins, Gaius helped with this endeavour answering what he could, their other new ally Panne explained she had followed the assassins from the great plains far to the west having seen them cross the border from Plegia with this information the shepherds decided their path.

Their goal as Corrin and Robin were informed when they had recovered was to escort the Exalt through the northern passes towards Ferox and then turn back to protect Ylisstol from the potential threat of invasion, with the plans agreed upon the shepherds prepared for travel.

As the various preparations were made Corrin entered the Exalts Chambers "Lady Emmeryn? Are you here?" After a few moments Emmeryn emerged clearly having dressed.

"Ah Lady Corrin is there something you need?" Emmeryn smiled, even as she did Corrin could tell it was simply meant to put her at ease.

"I just wanted to say, I know how you are feeling. A ruler, even one of kind heart such as yourself, gains strength from their people and by leaving them you feel weak, like you are betraying all the trust they have in you right?" Corrin spoke softly and chose her words carefully so as not to offend the other ruler.

"You speak truths that I wish my siblings could understand, it is as you say I feel as though I am betraying my people and all of Ylisse, this war and now my leaving I feel as though I have failed…" Emmeryn sat upon her bed as she spoke smiling sadly as she spoke.

"Believe me I have experienced these feelings before and they are never pleasant, especially when those around you can scarce begin to understand them." Corrin sat next to the Exalt and mirrored her sad smile.

"Ha… we are who people look to for leadership and yet we barely know our way forwards" Emmeryn spoke softly smiling as Corrin nodded sharing her sentiment.

"However we are the ones who must lead even if we do not understand the path that yet lies before us by whatever the heavens have in store for us." The dragon queen stared into the distance looking past the walls of the palace at something beyond Emmeryn's vision, the Exalt found the queen rather beautiful as she spoke of such things and as those thoughts came to her mind something happened that she refused to regret and would cherish until the end of her days.

Corrin turned to face the Exalt upon seeing her stare "Emmeryn wha-" the Exalts soft lips met with her own and for all of her promises of loving Chrom the conflict in her heart was silenced by this momentary lapse in her guard, Emmeryn the Exalt and Corrin the Dragon queen of Valla remained entwined in this moment even the appearance if Phila did little to deter them.

The moment while short seemed to last an eternity and Corrin found herself craving more of the Exalts affection as they separated however as she leaned in to renew the kiss Emmeryn stopped her "Corrin know I do not regret my choice but know that I could not live with myself if I allowed this, Chrom loves you deeply and after the time I have spent with you I can see why, you are quite bewitching, I shall take responsibility for this act though some part of me knows that you are unfazed by it maybe because of your draconic nature, however I ask you steel yourself and remain loyal to my brother he shall need you in the coming days." Emmeryn gave Corrin a small kiss upon the cheek as she finished speaking.

"I…I understand and apologise, I should have stopped it please do not judge me too harshly I…" Before Corrin could continue Emmeryn silenced her by raising a hand.

"I said I take the blame do not worry yourself." Emmeryn smiled and stood looking to Phila "I trust you to keep this secret and that our preparations are complete"

Phila nodded "Yes my lady we can head out as soon as you are ready" Both rulers took Phila's silence on the events of a few minutes ago as a sign she would not speak of it.

"Then we head for Ferox…" Emmeryn spoke sadly and with one last look around her room she left followed by Phila and Corrin.