Paralogue 1
"C-C-C-C-Chrom I-I-I-I-I'm fr-fr-fr-fr-fr-freebing!"
Chrom couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping his mouth even if he tried. "If I'm not mistaken, aren't you the one who decided to march with the Shepherds?" Lissa tried to glare, but it was hard to look threatening when shaking like a leaf and having snot running down your nose.
I-I-I h-h-h-have t-t-t-t-t-to walk w-w-w-w-with the rest of you. I'm also a... I'm a-ah! AH! AAAAAACHOOOO! *sniff*"
Riding next to them, Frederick joined his Lord in laughter before moving his steed closer to the shivering princess. "Come, Lissa. Move closer to my horse." The princess did so, but it was only enough to slightly ease her misery.
Not long after his Lissa's complaint, the beginnings of what could only be a wall appeared through the icy slush falling from the sky. Smiling, Chrom turned to give the good news to the militia, and cheers were heard as the news spread down the line. Giving command over to Frederick, he began his walk down about a third of the way through their forces. Finding his destination, he opened the door and stepped into the carriage. Warmth met his skin first, followed by the sight of his older sister with a small ball of fire hovering in her hand to illuminate a book she'd been reading. Looking up, a smile instantly formed on her face, the book was quickly marked and closed along with the spell's dispersal.
"Good news, I assume?" Emmeryn asked, getting a nod in reply.
"The gates are but a few minutes walk."
"That is good to hear," she said, sounding relieved. "Another day in this carriage, and I fear my legs may not be capable of standing before the Khans." Chrom chuckled, taking the seat across from his sister. "And how is our little warrior doing?"
"As well as you'd expect. Although, I believe this journey has reassured us that she won't be taking any suitors from Regna Ferox in the near future." Both laughed at the jape, a comfortable atmosphere only obtained by blood relations filled the carriage.
"I dread to imagine the day you or Lissa are wedded. It will take a stern hand to handle our sister's particular quirks, while patience would be needed in abundance when it comes to you."
"You talk as if you live quirkless," Chrom retorted in mock offense, getting his sister to sit up straighter in her own attempt at appearing 'hoity'.
"I am 'the pinnacle of perfection and kindness, with beauty only rivaled by Naga herself. Men would have to be blessed by the Gods to have my hand in marriage'... Or so, I've often overheard. My Royal Guards tend to be very loose-lipped when they believe no one can hear them."
Chrom groaned, knowing all too well how his fellow man behaves in times of confidence. "Yet none but Lissa and I know of your true self. What would those same knights think if they knew their Exalt often fantasized about meeting her destined in a library, of all things? If I recall, you were quite descriptive when describing his midnight hair and eyes, Valmese origins, and a scowl that looked right through you."
Emmeryn raised an incredulous brow at her brother, "Am I meant to be deprived of such fantasies simply because I wear a crown?"
"No, but it is surprising. You'd think I knew my own sister, but you seeking the complete antithesis of what I and the people imagine your dream suiter to be seriously puts our relationship into question. What would the people even think if they knew?"
"I'd be penitent for those I've disappointed... However, dear brother, I do believe I told you that in confidence. If that particular information were to ever leave our circle, then I'd hate to imagine what secrets I could divulge to a certain 'Courteney' you're currently courting."
Chrom's hands immediately came up in defense. Kind as his sister was, he did not for a second think she wasn't prone to pettiness when it came to family. And the last thing he needed in his immediate future was his sister gossiping about his childhood and moments of embarrassment to his potential bride-to-be.
"That, won't be necessary, Em. If anything, I only wished to point out that being the Exalt gives you a better chance at such fantasies than most."
"It's not as likely as you may think, Chrom," Emmeryn said, a hint of disappointment leaking from her voice. "But my love life is something I get enough hassle from my court. I think I'm more content on pondering who my two stubborn and adorable siblings will wed in the future."
"And since when has such matters began plaguing you?"
"Since I've spoken with your Tactician." Chrom's eyes widened at the revelation. "I must say, for someone of her talents, I would have never suspected her of being a romantic."
"You've spoken with her?"
"Only twice, unfortunately. I wished to know more about the woman you've put your faith in. I was correct in assuming your trust was not misplaced. She has a good heart, yet, I can't help but think she hasn't been entirely truthful with us."
The prince instinctively frowned in offense for his new friend. "What do you mean by-"
A jerk from the carriage halted the Prince's query. Cursing, Chrom steadied himself before hopping out of the cart to confront the rider. Upon exiting, however, he noticed not the carriage, but every single soldier in the march that was currently paused in place, looking about confusedly. Brow furrowed, he began his walk forward till the coachman and Phila came into view. The Pegasus Knight Commander met his gaze, her expression equally puzzled, yet cautious. "Why have we stopped?"
"No clue, Sire. I can only guess the front has run into an obstacle."
Apprehension filled the prince at the possible conclusion.
"Is everything alright?" Emmeryn's voice sounded from within the carriage.
"It's not clear yet, Emm! Stay inside till we have a grasp of the situation!" The prince could vaguely make out a confirmation before making his way to the front of the march. Not even 3 steps later and someone was already calling his title.
He stopped at the call and looked up to receive the Pegasus Knight currently sprinting his way without her steed. Stopping on a dime in front of him, she gave a swift salute before speaking hurriedly, "My Prince, I bring dire news! The scout we sent forward to inform the Feroxians of our arrival has been captured! They are demanding we lay down our arms and surrender, or conflict will be had!"
Dread flashed over the Prince's face as he remembered just 'who' they had sent as their messenger.
...
It didn't take long for Chrom to reach the front of the escort. Upon arrival, he was met with Frederick, Lissa, and Robin, the knight currently yelling up to someone over the massive wall that split Regna Ferox from Ylisse.
"Chrom!" Robin immediately made the prince's presence known, causing his younger sister and Frederick to immediately look his way.
"Chrom, it's horrible! Sumia! They've, they're..." the name of the Pegasus Knight brought worry and fury to the Prince as he glanced up at the wall. He could barely see through the constantly falling snow, but the outline of a Pegasus being held steady and multiple Knights along the bridge was clear. Beside a particularly bulky Knight were two lesser armored figures currently holding down someone, lances to their throat, and likely ready to be used. Unique long brown locks that could easily be mistaken for grey, along with a pink and purple Pegasus uniform, immediately confirmed to the prince who the Feroxian currently had as their hostage.
"Sumia!" Her name left the Prince's mouth instinctively, getting the brunette to look down at him with teary eyes he couldn't see.
"C-Captain?!" She quivered, fearful yet joy in her words. "C-Captain Chrom! I-I'm so sorry. My-my orders were simple, but I couldn't, I couldn't even-"
"Silence!" The bulky armored knight, a woman going from the voice, spoke over the distraught Pegasus Knight. "Brigands! I give but one last warning! Drop your weapons and surrender, or become food for the wolves!"
"Br-brigands?" Chrom was actually taken aback at the false claim against their names.
"As I've stated before, we are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself is here to discuss political matters with the Khans!" Frederick, seemingly, reiterated.
"My only interest is keeping you imposters out of Regna Ferox! You think you're the first 'Ylissean diplomats' to try crossing our borders? I have the authority to fell such imposters where they stand!"
The words seemed to send Frederick to a level of anger Chrom and Lissa rarely seen from him. "How dare you! You are in the presence of the Exalt and her own blood!" Instead of seeing sense in Frederick's words, the Knight outright laughed, her men similarly following suit.
"HA! And I'm the queen of Valm!" The woman barked mockingly. "You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense, yes?" Suddenly, the amusement left her face and was replaced with a stern countenance that matched the tone in her next words. "A word of advice, Plegian scum: if you wish to pass as Ylisseans, then next time make sure your Grimlean trash refrains from wearing their colors proudly in front of your band of cutthroats!"
At once, every eye looked to the 'Grimlean' in question. Robin stood stunned at the sudden attention, not doing any favors to prove their innocence when she instinctively tried making herself smaller via retreating into her cloak and backing away from her (hopefully still) friends.
Understanding that they likely weren't going to get anywhere with the woman made Chrom anxious. With them being framed as Plegians and Sumia still being a hostage, it made their diplomatic talks with the Khan all the more complicated; especially if a fight were to break out here.
Stepping in front of the group, the prince attempted to take a page out of his sister's book and continue diplomacy over violence seeing that the latter would only likely get them more enemies than they currently needed. "Here me, knight! I am Prince Chrom of Ylisse! Look for no further proof than the brand on my shoulder! Give us time to speak and we-"
"I've heard enough from your lot, fake prince!" The now 'unreasonable' knight barked over his plea. "If you are truly who you say, then prove it the Feroxian way! On the field of battle! Lancers!" At the call, a knights stepped forward along the gate, lances over their shoulders, ready to be thrown. All at once, the lances left their owner's hands and soared towards the prince, further ahead of the militia, with no cover within reach. Left flatfooted, Chrom could do nothing but try to cover his head using his pauldron, the many voices of his friends desperately calling his name echoing in his ears.
"Captain!"
"Chrom!"
"Milord!"
"Brother!"
The impact came and completely swept him off his feet. He didn't know how far he was flying, but he didn't seem to be hitting the ground anytime soon. Death felt weightless, yet he was sure the reason he didn't feel any pain was because he died instantly; which would explain the weightlessness. It also felt cold, as if the wind was blowing harshly against his skin. There was also, something, holding... his arm?
Finally having the mind to open his eyes, the first thing he saw was his feet dangling. Next was the sky, then the ground currently hundreds of feet away from him, followed by four other white protrusions galloping in the air. Looking to his left, he could see what looked to be the stomach of a steed with flapping wings that didn't swing too far from its horse. Confused, he looked further up to hopefully see his savior.
The sight was quite welcoming.
Flowing crimson hair flowed freely down the back of the steed's rider. Her whole color scheme seemed to consist of red, seeing that both her gloves and even the saddle were crimson. The hair moved, and equally red, yet strained eyes met his behind a helmet that protected all but her face.
"I-I got you, Milord!" The voice was high in pitch, but clearly strained from dangling him hundreds of feet in the air. He attempted to ease her burden but knew that doing so would cost him his life, so he opted to scout the area below instead. Sure enough, the lancers from before were already taking aim, ready to go for a second chance at skewering him. Using his free arm, he unsheathed his divine blade and readied himself to deflect the incoming projectiles, careful not to graze his savior's steed and likely send them both plummeting.
"To ground!"
"Y-yes, Milord!"
The battle for the East border wall had not been going on long, but it was doing its best to push Robin's tactical mind to its absolute limit. She's had time to practice with the rest of the Shepherds through small skirmishes along the road to Regna Ferox but those were with small, manageable groups. Commanding an entire militia, on the other hand, was proving to be an arduous task.
For one, regulating the flow of battle was damn near impossible. With a smaller group, there were fewer numbers, but it was easier to direct and there was less room for error or loss of life. It also avoided the need for trust since accountability was never in question. Now, it was all clustered, and shouting orders over the clash of armies was an effort in futility.
Thankfully, the Pegasus Knights had no need of her commands at all. Their Sub-Commander guided their lances while she made sure their lives were never in danger of lancers. The lack of archers and flying units among the Feroxian guards showed clear holes in their defenses, but their pure tenacity and ferocity made up for their lack of range, making it hard to keep them down and out of the fight.
And speaking of Knights.
After successfully breaking through to the top of the wall, they were met with a steel wall of lancers and axes. A line of heavily armored knights stood shoulder to shoulder with their lances ready to poke and stab anything and everything that got close.
Unfortunately for the wall of Feroxians, she and Miriel were both exceptional mages. Superheating, along with shocking their shields, did wonders to bring the wall crumbling down and their forces into the broken line to engage the axe wielding foes behind.
She couldn't exactly list off everything that happened in the current heat of battle, but she could describe the duel currently taking place between a Knight Commander and a Prince.
Correction: a Prince and his Pegasus Knight.
The flier that had saved Chrom from being a human pincushion had not left his side since the start of battle. The duo felled foes left and right as if like clockwork and were responsible for the tactician's new strategy to pair up certain units.
Now the duo had set their sights on the Border Commander.
To give credit where credit is due, the Feroxian Commander was no pushover. Despite the heavy plates and shield, she moved as if the armor were leather. Each blow from the Prince's legendary blade was expertly blocked and deflected while any attempt from the Pegasus Knight to intervene was met with a lance that nearly brought her to ground. If not for their teamwork, she was sure Chrom would have surely lost long before.
Dispatching her recent foe with a well timed Elwind to send him wheeling through the air, she turned and made her way over to her Captain.
Said Captain that had just been knocked off his feet courtesy of a shield bash to his front.
In the same motion, faster than she thought possible, the Knight's shield came up to block the fire spell she'd quickly sent in retaliation to downing her commander. Skills that could only be gained through countless battles showed as the knight also deflected a thrown spear from the Pegasus Knight before, in a fluid motion, the javelin the woman wielded was sent flying towards the tactician. Her instincts were enough to make her jump out of dodge.
Her leg didn't make the jump.
Immeasurable pain rocked her body and she immediately fell on her front. A hand went down to her newly acquired injury and came back shaking, wet, and red. The javalin had taken a chunk of her leg in its travel, the pain it left behind nearly blocking all her mental functions. She looked around to Lissa, dismayed when the girl was not immediately spotted.
A crash next to her stopped her search.
The Pegasus Knight was now grounded, struggling to push herself up while looking back up showed a victorious Feroxian standing over Chrom with a new lance in hand and aimed directly at his neck. The commander yelled something and at once, the fighting slowly drew to a halt. The number of Ylisseans still standing outnumbered the Feroxians 10 to 1, but it all seemed to matter very little now that their Prince was being held at blade-point.
Horrified, Robin tried standing, only for the pain to send her back to the snow. Failing that, she lifted a hand towards the Feroxian Commander, hoping magic would save the day. She could see both Chrom and the Feroxian woman's lips moving, most likely yelling, but the ringing in her ears blocked the words. The only thing she could process was Chrom, the man who vouched for her and took her into his home, pinned to the ground with a lance to his neck. The feeling of mana coursing through her veins was a familiar feeling as she began to cast the Elwind spell.
Only, something was different.
Not too long ago, she was nearing empty on her reserves. The power of her spells began to suffer as a result, forcing her to depend on her not nearly as proficient sword skills. But now, she felt, great? As if she could cast spells back to back all day without rest or even coming close to depletion.
The spell she'd been casting grew to its peak in half the time it would take her to blink, Robin instinctively understanding that the blades of wind produced wouldn't just knock her off her feet, but completely bisect any part of her that was hit.
The thought, brought joy to her. A joy like no other. A joy that only grew the more she thought of the blood that would be spilt by her hands.
A glow began illuminating from behind her casting hand, yet she was too focused on the Knight Commander's future demise to care or even try to understand its significance. Mana began to manifest over her hands as pink with purple blooming through the center. Her target had been chosen, and her magic was ready to consume.
A smile, vicious in its nature, began growing on her face. The knight's death was all but assured, a price she would pay for threatening those dear to her. Her flames would consume her whole till there were not but ashes left behind. The thought was just too tempting, and she almost begged for the knight to bring the lance down.
Better yet, why wait? The knight was clearly open for attacks, and she couldn't call herself a tactician if she didn't take this opportunity to exploit an opening when it clearly presented itself. No one would blame her, and she could sate her thirst for blood. It would be the perfect cover up to the agonizing death of the unbeliever. Of the filth that dared harm her friend.
Raimi lifted her lance.
And the flames of Grima were relea-
"ENOUGH!"
The shout sent an echo through the battle, causing every able body to tense as if suddenly standing before a superior. Robin's magic flickered out like a candlelight, the voice able to, oddly, lift the fog from her brain and get her to look around for the origin. Flapping wings sounded in the silence, getting everyone to look to the sky.
Descending as if from the heavens was a Pegasus that stood out from the rest. It's golden colored plates that protected the flying horse glimmered, an obvious sign that pointed to the rider being of higher rank. Robin would have screamed how tactically flawed the design was if their current situation did not call for such an outburst.
Touching ground, the Pegasus' rider, wearing equally gold platings, dismounted along with another figure got down with, if Robin could put a word to it, elegance. Green heels met the snow-covered cobblestone, followed by a heavy white furred cloak that no doubt protected the woman from cold better than even the Feroxian's armor along with hiding the iconic robes of the Exalt underneath. Golden light illuminated the familiar figure's hand, magic ruins circling what looked like a horn in front of her form.
There was absolutely no mistaking the brand on the woman's forehead.
The Exalt of Ylisse came to a stop just a few meters from the woman that was ready to decapitate her brother. If she felt anything for the woman willing to kill her brother, you wouldn't be able to tell from the stern look born from a leader plastered on her face.
The same could not be said about the border Commander. She'd somehow gained the ability to go even whiter than her already pale skin with sweat dripping down her face in droves.
She looked as if she'd seen Grima himself.
"Knight Commander! I am Emmeryn Lowell! Exalt of Ylisstol and eldest of my line! I ask of you to cease these needless hostilities at once and allow us safe passage into your lands! If you wish for proof of our identity, then look no further than who lies before you!"
The horn from the speech spell perfectly passed her words around. Raimi stood shocked for but a moment before she looked down at the now confirmed prince below her. If possible, her already pale features grew whiter than the snow as her sword was sheathed immediately and she was off the prince and practically shouting at her guards.
"Soldiers! Cease all hostilities at once and tend to the wounded! And open those damn gates! What are you lot slouching about for? Move it!"
The order was followed to a T. Before the Shepherds and royal guards knew it, they were being mended and helped up as if the battle was but a playground scuffle. The Feroxians didn't seem at all bothered by the fact they'd basically been thrashed, nor did they seem bothered by the fact they'd nearly started a diplomatic incident.
What was even more baffling was that there was not a single loss of life on either side. Others would likely commend the tactician for being able to achieve such a feat, and they may have been right, but Robin would be surprised if she could even hear any of the praise.
Now sitting against the ledge of the wall, Lissa tended to the tactician's leg despite wishing to be at her sibling's side. Said brother was back on his feet with little effort, seeing that the most he'd suffered through the short battle was a few scratches and a bruised pride from his lost to the Knight Commander. Despite his skill with the blade, Chrom had just learned that experienced soldiers far outclassed brigands and the walking dead in terms of skill windows for error. He had natural talent, but now he knew he'd need more than that if he wished to lead an army.
Standing next to his older sibling along with Knight Commander Phila while conversing with the Feroxian Commander, you wouldn't even be able to tell the man was dwelling in such thoughts. Yet Robin would like to think Lissa knew her brother better than she.
Thoughts of the prince were swiftly flushed out and in came her own dwellings. Mainly, what exactly was that sudden well of power, and why did it fill her with such an intoxicating need to destroy. It's only been a week since her first memories of this world started and the sudden surge of power had never appeared even when her life had nearly ended back in the forest blaze.
Did it only appear when she was low on mana?
No. No, that couldn't be a possibility. She'd been low on mana more than once in her short life, and never had she felt such an endless pool of power surface before.
Was it, due to her emotions?
A possibility.
Back in the forest, she was unconscious and out of the fight when that monstrous Risen nearly killed them all, so the experience couldn't be calculated accurately, and she definitely hadn't felt it after depleting her magic reserves while training with the Shepherds. So far, the only evidence she had was that it appeared when she thought Chrom would die, the joy she could still feel from potentially spilling the Feroxian Commander's blood was shaking her to her core.
The questions following that thought were gut-wrenching.
What would have happened if she released that spell? What would have happened if she had killed Raimi? What would have happened if someone knew the origin of that power?
An abrupt realization made her breath hitch.
Was, the shinobi from the forest watching?
Did he see what she was about to do?
What if he knew? No, what if he already knew? What if that was the reason for the threats? What if that power was the reason he wanted her dead?
What would he do to her?
Would he tell the others?
How long would it be before the Shepherds knew the truth?
How long would it be before he killed her, or worse?
Robin didn't even realize when her leg was done. She was sure her mind would have fallen further into speculation and possibilities if it weren't for Lissa quite literally shaking her out of her funk. After constantly reassuring the girl, Lissa nodded, however reluctantly, before standing and moving to see who was next in line.
That being the Pegasus knight sitting not too far from her right.
Going from the awkward angle of the rider's arm, Robin deduced her issues were less immediate compared to her own. Lissa hovered over the dislocated arm, likely dwelling on the proper procedure to fix the problem. Standing and limping over, she kneeled next to the Pegasus Knight.
"I need you to bite down on your sleeve, alright?" She heard Lissa warn, getting a nod from the redhead, "On the count of three, alright? One-" Lissa's arm twisted before the allotted time. To the Knight's credit, she only let out a grunt of discomfort, even if her face told a different story. Arm back in place, the rider thanked the princess to whom Lissa gave a brief 'you're welcome' before moving on to tend to more Ylisse and Feroxians alike.
"Gald for your thoughts?" Robin decided to comment, getting the Knight to look at her in surprise. "You showed extraordinary skill out there, ma'am. I have to admit, I'm kinda envious."
"Oh! Uh, thank you... Um, you, are the tactician, correct?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "Newly appointed, actually, but I'd like to believe I'm getting the hang of being a Shepherd."
The comment got a smile from the redhead. "Then it is you that I must thank for guiding my sisters and me in battle. If not for your guidance, the battle would have surely been a lot bloodier than the current outcome. Though I doubt many tacticians can claim to have won such a battle without losing a single life on either side."
"It's nothing special." Robin retorted somewhat bashfully. "If anything, I should be thanking you for keeping Chrom safe. Your skills with a lance are the best I've seen yet."
For some reason, the praise seemed to make the woman's smile become not-so genuine.
"I do not mean to dismiss your thanks or praise, but I must reiterate my own. You gave me the honor to fight alongside my prince and I could never thank you enough for that. If there is anything you ever need of me, Miss Tactician, then you need only ask." The praise lifted the tactician's spirits, if only a little.
"I, do not believe I deserve such praise, but I thank you nonetheless." Robin paused, completely forgetting she'd left out an important part to their conversation, "Sorry, but I didn't catch your name, miss?"
The Knight chuckled before removing her helmet. Red hair flew about as the woman shook her head free of any hair sticking to her face. Eyes the same shade as her hair stared at the tactician with a smile that honestly stupified her.
Her beauty was almost unnatural.
Skin as pale as snow with not even a blemish or scratch to be seen, lips and nose perfectly proportioned, pointed jaw and, the kicker, not a hint of makeup on her face! Robin hated to admit it, but the woman was damn near perfect! Far more gorgeous than herself, and maybe, even the Exalt. It felt unfair.
"Cordelia, Miss Tactician."
Robin forced smiled, enveloping the hand of perfection with her not-so-perfect own, "Please, Robin is fine."
Regna Ferox
She knew it was coming.
Opting to retire rather than joining Chrom in meeting the East Khan, Robin followed the rest of the militia to a barracks that seemed empty yet was ready to house every Ylisse soldier and Pegasus. She was sure sticking with Chrom would have gotten her information and maybe even better quarters and accommodations, but staying up countless nights to 'review' the books and notes she'd written down before her memory loss, topped with worrying whether or not she would wake up the next morning with her throat intact, had finally taken its toll. She needed sleep, and it was the only thing currently on her mind.
Not even a second after being successfully behind closed doors did she have an arm twisted behind her back and a familiar sword to her throat. The aura that had remained a constant presence since that night in Ylisse took control of her from behind, their mana more agitated than she'd ever felt it.
Another aura appeared next to the shinobi, immediately going for her only free arm. The tactician grunted in further discomfort as her arm was pulled back and a hand roughly removed the glove covering her hand. Panic immediately shot through her veins as she instinctively pulled to cover the limb from prying eyes.
Pain from her opposite limb immediately reminded her who was in control. Wincing, she turned her head as far as it could go to at least get a glimpse of what the two were doing to her now exposed mark. The two similarly masked figures seemed to be observing the mark on her hand, tilting her hand slightly as if getting a better angle would change the six eyed emblem on her skin.
At once, they both came to some kind of conclusion before the one holding the hand vanished in a puff of smoke. Moments later, her other arm was released, giving the tactician unrestricted access to her body once again. Turning, she glared at the familiar masked figure, their aura now as placid as the mask on their face.
"Was that necessary?" She spat. Instead of answering her query, they posed a question of their own.
"Do you have any idea what you almost did back there?" Robin's frown deepened, remembering the feeling she had back on the wall. She had no clue what it was, nor did she know where it came from. If she had to take a guess, it most likely had something to do with this 'Grima' again.
"Enlighten me." They didn't answer right away, but when they did, they sounded almost hesitant. As if they themselves either did not know the answer or did not wish to say it.
"...It is dangerous. That is all I can say. Never use it again."
"Can't, or won't?" Robin challenged, frustrated at the short quip.
"...Continue your duties as the Shepherd's tactician." The figure dismissed, quelling any chance the amnesiac had of getting the answers she needed. "And remember: we are always watching."
Before her eyes, the figure vanished back into the shadows. Sighing to herself, Robin removed her cloak and moved to her bed. Any worries she had would, somehow, have to be solved tomorrow.
...
*Knock knock Knock*
The more time passed, the more Robin began to believe rest was a commodity that only she couldn't afford.
Only hours into her peaceful slumber was she rudely awakened by a knock on her door. Glancing to her window, she saw darkness, irritation filling her further as she desperately wished it was her imagination or the room next to hers.
Another knock sounded, killing her hopes instantly. Removing her covers, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and nearly fell flat due to the comforter catching her foot. Cursing, she groggly stumbled to the door and cracked it open. A candle-light met her eyes, making her wince from the sudden light against her blurry vision.
The drowsiness she had quickly vanished upon seeing who it was.
"C-Chrom?" The prince of Ylisse smiled at her. He was opening his mouth to say something but paused as something suddenly caught his attention.
Specifically, something below her neck. Quickly looking down, then over the hills that was her chest, she could clearly see what the Prince had been oogling, and it immediately mortified her. The door slammed in the prince's face and Robin practically sprinted for her cloak.
The spaghetti straps wouldn't have exactly been much of a problem, to be honest. Besides the fact she was easily a C in chest size, she'd never gotten the feeling of embarrassment whenever she walked around with her cloak hiding it; probably due to her Plegian heritage, but semantics. Most Ylisseans she'd met, Vaike and Stahl included, had visibly become more 'aware' of her when it was off, while those like Frederick and Maribelle seemed to become even less tolerable to be around.
Chrom hadn't been too different either. If anything, the man seemed to be the only one to treat her the same no matter what she was wearing.
Problem was, her cloak wasn't the only thing she currently lacked.
Pulling her pants on, she swiftly tied them together before just as quickly returning to open the door. Fully clothed, she stared at Chrom; or tried, seeing that neither of them were exactly capable of keeping eye contact.
"Um, evening. Er, I mean morning! Um, sorry. Didn't mean to, you know." Hearing the prince stumble only made the situation that much more awkward.
"Y-you had something you wanted to tell me?" Robin pushed, wanting to get rid of this atmosphere as quickly as possible.
"Right! Um, yes. Right, I did. Sorry." Coughing into his hand, the prince composed himself to deliver whatever message he'd had coming to her so early in the morning. "We are to march within the hour."
The reveal raised the tactician's brow. "Why? I thought the Exalt was to speak to the Khan?"
"She is," Chrom quickly confirmed. "However, our situation has become a lot more, complicated. In short, the Khan wishes to 'test' us, in a sense."
"Test?"
"Yes," Chrom confirmed, agitation clear to hear in the normally headstrong man. "There's, a problem she needs settled, and we are the ones who must 'settle' it if we wish to have her support. I don't believe I need to tell you what will happen if we fail."
Robin frowned at the information given. "So, in short, we are doing her dirty work." The look of frustration Chrom tried to avoid aiming her way was all the answer she needed.
"Emmeryn will remain here with Phila and the royal guards while I take the rest of our forces Northeast. We are to meet at the front of the castle before sunrise."
Robin nodded without hesitation.
"I'll be ready."
A moment of silence stretched far too long after her confirmation. This was typically the part where Chrom would make his leave, but he clearly had something else on his mind that Robin could not comprehend. When he finally spoke, it did not answer any of the awkwardness she felt from him.
"Um, right! So, um, I guess I'll leave you to it then!"
"Uh, riiiight?" Robin replied puzzled, yet the prince still remained in place. The moment became more awkward than either could stand and it was Robin that finally made the move to end it. "I, uh, guess I'll see you in a bit?"
"Oh! Uh, right! I see you again!"
"No! I meant I'll see you again. Not in that context but, um, as soldiers and-"
"Oh for Naga's sake, GO already!" The exclamation seemed to shock the prince out of his word vomit enough to nod and quickly disappear down the hall. Robin closed the door behind her, feeling, for the first time in a while, a genuine smile come to her face.
"What an idiot."
Kidnapper's Keep
Kidnapper's Keep was as ominous as its name would have it be. Thick trees blanketed both sides of the road leading to an abandoned manner once owned by an Ylisseans noble before his, and every servant and Knight in the manner, sudden disappearance.
Tactically speaking, it was the perfect setup for an ambush. The trees were thick enough to hide even the bulkiest armor while also acting as a shield for archers. The almost endless clouded sky may have made shadows nonexistent during the day, but Robin would hate to know what it would have been like fighting through these trees at night.
Luckily for them, Robin and Anna (a money hungry Merchant they'd saved along their march) both made very good ambush deterrents. With Robin's ability to basically see people through walls via their aura from a fair bit away (just under 30 meters) and Anna's uncanny ability to see things far off even in the dark or snow, nothing had a chance of getting the jump on them.
A fact proven when Robin suddenly spotted multiple auras ahead. Most, red in color, were in the trees, but the ones that weren't were currently engaging a blue figure that seemed to be alone. Robin delivered the news, and they hastened their march forward.
Upon arrival, the battle they'd expected couldn't exactly be called such. For one, the (clearly) brigands didn't even have their weapons out, but the same could not be said for the Knight that continuously tried running them through with her lance while screaming curses every time her targets dodged or literally turned tail and ran. Robin would think it a comedy routine if the lance the female knight wielded hadn't pulverized a tree upon another brigand dodging her attack.
"Damn it, brat! Will you calm down and listen for just a moment!"
"I will hear no more of your poisonous lies, cravens! Now stop running and fight me!"
Continuing to watch the scene unfold, the Shepherds grew more and more confused on who exactly they were supposed to be helping. The brigands weren't the aggressors, but they were 'supposed' brigands nonetheless. That alone should have prompted the Shepherds to defend the Knight. Yet now those same brigands, after spotting them, were waving at them; pleas of help leaving each of their mouths.
"Um, Chrom?" Robin heard Lissa speak hesitantly. "Um, who are we supposed to help exactly?"
"I, don't know." Chrom admitted, eager to draw his blade like the rest of them, but not so eager to cut down someone that may or may not be their enemy.
The decision was, thankfully, made for them as two figures suddenly ran out of the forestry.
Two very familiar figures.
At once, all hostilities ceased, including the Knight's persistent need to poke a brigand. They couldn't see her face, but the way the Knight suddenly slackened in her stance upon seeing the bluenette spoke of recognition.
"K-Kjelle?!" Marth, the very same man they'd met back North of South Town, suddenly exclaimed, walking closer to the equally flabbergasted knight.
"Lucy?!" Said Knight equally cried in recognition, her lance lowering as she moved closer to the supposed 'friend'. Not letting their guards down, the Shepherds moved closer; the 'brigands' surrounding them giving their militia a wide birth.
Now within range, the group was able to catch the end of their conversation.
"-what the hell are you doing with these cutthroats? Do you have any idea what they've done?!" The Knight bellowed to the stoic masked man. The bluenette wasn't allowed even a syllable before the small blonde (Morgan, if Robin remembered correctly) was in front of him, pointing up accusingly at the Knight.
"Oi! You're the one who challenged my honor!"
The knight blinked in recognition, "You're, the glutton from Kaiden." She said matter-of-factly, getting the girl to cross her arms and stand taller in a show of clear arrogance.
"Came all this way for a rematch, eh? Sorry, but Morgan Uzumaki isn't currently accepting challengers." The girl stated, more because she was broke than the chance to boost her ego once more.
"I did not come here for something so trivial." The Knight spat, glaring at the surrounding 'brigands' once more. "These men follow the man that cowardly killed my master when his back was turned!" The Knight's grip on her shield and lance tightened. "For your sakes, pray that you are not with them."
"Peace, Kjelle. These... men, are not brigands." Marth reassured, all 'not brigands nodding in unison. "We are here for someone, as well. It is likely our goals align."
The militia allowed the teenagers to continue their dialogue, not exactly sure how to interject after going ignored for so long. Eventually, Chrom was the one to step forward and remind them they weren't the only ones going up the trail.
"Sorry to interrupt," the teenagers all turned his way, finally acknowledging him and the Shepherds. Marth remained unmoved, but the Knight and Morgan's expressions flipped; both in a different phase of surprise.
"Yo-you're the-"
"It's the Prince!" Morgan exclaimed over the Knight, zooming forward to stand before said prince who leaned back slightly in surprise. "You remember me, right? It's Morgan! Y'know? The one who totally saved your bacon back in that forest? Did you tell my tale to the masses yet? Oh! Does everyone in Ylisse already know my name?! What about a statue? You totally made a statue of me, right? Right? Please tell me you did already! Come on! The suspense is killin' me here!"
Chrom tried on multiple occasions, but wasn't able to get a word out to confirm or deny anything. Thankfully, his answer was unneeded seeing that a hand covered the girl's mouth in a very, familiar, scene.
The culprit?
Yet another masked man; though he strained to call it such seeing that it covered his face hole and only left enough room for a toothpick to see through the eye slots.
"Please forgive her. She likes to hear her own voice." The figure apologized, Chrom unable to decipher their gender from tone alone.
"It, is fine," he replied hesitantly, glancing down to a frowning girl instead of blue like their last encounter. "We are here for the slavers, but it seems you beat us to it."
"Seems that way," Marth interjected, stepping closer along with the Knight whose widened eyes seemed to scan the Shepherds in reverie. "However, now is not the time for idle chatter. We've but a few hours before the slavers move once more. If our goals truly align, then I think it best we join forces till our mutual enemy has been dealt with."
Chrom did not hesitate to nod his agreement, while Robin's eyes never strayed from the new masked figure.
"Good. Then, if we are in agreement, a plan must be made."
'Opposites attract' Robin believed, was a jape some jester spread to woo gullible fools into believing two completely opposing forces could come to common ground. Two sides that have conflicting views simply did not belong in the same room, especially when it came to discussions of human life or morality. All that comes from the ordeal are arguments, harsh words, wasted time, and an awkward tension for the people watching the fallout.
For example, when you have an honor bound Knight and a tactician who provides morally gray plans, conflict is practically an inevitability.
Tactically speaking, Robin saw nothing wrong with the plan. Any plan that made them come out with no casualties was a successful plan in her books, as long as she wasn't sacrificing troops or doing anything morally imprehensible. Everyone had a clear goal and objective, and if handled correctly, the slavers wouldn't be able to even lift their axes before the lot of them were cut down. The captured villagers would be saved, and there would be no blood lost on their side; hopefully.
The apparent 'problem' was their method. Methods that did not exactly sit well with some, but had one make her displeasure known to their small council.
"I refuse to heed to such cowardly tactics. If we do, then that makes us no better than those curs."
Robin took personal offense to that. It may not have been her most honorable of plans, but it was a plan even she surprised herself upon making—on the fly, at that. If she took the so called 'honorable' path to strategy like the girl no doubt imagined in their current situation, then she would be a poor excuse of a strategist.
"We outnumber them! We carry shields and iron far superior to their own! Why sacrifice our honor when we're far better equipped and prepared than those curs?"
"With all do respect, Kjelle," Robin spoke calmly, trying to keep the frustration from showing in her voice, "we know what these slavers are capable of. We may outnumber them, but it is nearing dark, and at least half of these men are experienced soldiers from what the Khan has supplied us with. To charge a bunkered-down force who has hostages and experience fighting soldiers is not only reckless, but the height of stupidity. You'd be handing them at least half our lives just to honor the principles of a dead man."
Robin hadn't realized how harsh her words might have seemed till the Knight was holding her off her feet via a hand full of cloak and shirt (Gods, the girl had strength). If looks could kill, then the glare Kjelle bore would have melted her into ashes.
"Don't you DARE speak ill of my master, Plegian scum! He was a warrior who held more honor in his right hand than your entire cowardly soul! Sully his name, and I swear I'll-"
"Kjelle!" A strained voice put a stop to whatever threat was about to leave the Knight's mouth. Their attention turned to the now approaching Marth whose frown could barely be perceived due to the mask on her face. "This is no time to be arguing amongst our allies."
It would seem even the girl's friend was not spared from the night's glare. "But this cur! She's asking us to-"
"Put aside our honor? Yes, we all understand," Lucina cut her off, moving closer to put a hand on the Knight's shoulder, "but you must also understand that time is not a luxury we currently have. If the circumstances weren't so dire, we would all take your thoughts into consideration. However, I must agree with the tactician that this is no place for chivalry."
The glare on the Knight's face slipped into what Robin thought was betrayal.
"You-don't tell me you're actually agreeing to this?"
"I would think you, of all people, should be familiar with these tactics."
"That's, different." Kjelle said defensively, the grip on the tactician somewhat loosening. "Then, we didn't have a choice but to retaliate with such regard. But now, now that I actually have a choice? That I can choose how to uphold my honor, and with someone that has shown me what it means to be a knight? I... I can't go back. I won't go back. I refuse to disgrace my master, nor myself by going against my principles ever again."
"And that is fine," Robin brought the attention back to her, seeing it as the best time to intervene. "But if you're that sure about your stance, then I only ask that you stay out of this fight."
The knight looked as if someone had just punched her in the gut, her face twisting into various emotions while her mouth continuously opened to say something with no success. Eventually, she looked to Marth, hoping her friend would speak in her defense. The dismay that appeared upon not getting such assurance, nor from anyone else in the tent would have made the tactician feel bad if she wasn't currently still dangling in the air by said girl.
Thankfully, her feet were slowly reunited to the ground not long after the Knight's posture slumped. Gathering herself, she looked to the defeated knight whose expression was hard to see due to their height and the hair currently shadowing her face. Eventually, the Knight opted to leave all together, but not before uttering one more assurance to group.
"I, want no part of this." With that, the Knight left, leaving the rest of the group to stare at her exit point.
"Will she be a problem?"
Frederick voiced the question everyone including Chrom no doubt had on their minds for Marth. The bluenette gave a glance to his silent masked companion, both seemingly having a conversation with their gazes before he looked back to Frederick.
"I will speak with her."
(2 Hours later)
Kidnapper's Keep
Center
"Yer pullin' ma leg."
"Nah, I swear on ma dagger! Followed 'er all the way to the shores! We had an entire gang to catch the girl n'everythin! Chased those redheaded devils on boat to that haunted coast and took us an entire week when it shoulda only taken half a day! Wind kept blowing us asunder n'everythin'! Ain't ever seen no weather like it in ma life!"
"Now yer jus' pullin' shite out of yer arse."
"I'm serious, man! It was freaky as hell! Yet that wasn't even the worst part! When we finally pulled ashore, there wasn't a damn thing on the island aside from a mansion the size of three inn! THREE! Out in the middle of the sea! Everythin' told me ta turn back, but the promise of coin bewitched me I tell ya! We storm the mansion, an' the next thing I know, I'm strapped to a table!"
"Really? An did this all happen before or after you were sober?"
"It was the witch, I tell ya! The Gods damn witch! The things she did ta my boys in there haunt me dreams, man! I was lucky ta live ta tell the tale!"
"HAHA! We need ta have a drink if this is the kinda shite you see when hammered! Maybe we both can see this 'witch' that has ya whipped!"
"Gods damn it! I told ya I wasn't-"
*Crash*
*Thud*
The patrolling duo turned on a dime at the sudden sound of splintering wood. Looking forward, their supply crates met their quarry, but the sight of broken wood did not. Brows narrowing in suspicion, both equipped themselves with an axe and slowly creeped over till they were close enough to peek over the supply crates.
"Hey guys!"
"Gah/Ah!"
Both men instinctively took a swing at the figure that popped up from behind the crate. The man disappeared just as fast back behind the crate before reappearing once more with a glare on his face. "Oi! Ya nearly killed me!"
"Ya spooked us half ta death, Butchy! Yer lucky ta even have yer head!" The man on the right agreed with his partner in the form of a glare.
"Whatcha doin back here anyway? Ya know what the boss'll do ta us if he finds even a crumb missing?!"
"Oh, uh, sorry, boys. I, uh, tripped over me own pantaloons, y'know?"
"Wha-if ya gotta piss then do it AWAY from our damn food supply ya stupid blonde!"
Said blonde had the gald look embarrassed while rubbing the back of his neck. "Hahaha! Ya know us blondes! Not much goin on up there, right?"
The duo looked to each other before both came to the same conclusion.
"Get yer arse back to the tents if yer hammered, Butch. Don't need the bosses seeing ya like this. It'll look bad on us all."
"Oh, uh, yeah! Right on!"
The two men gave the blonde idiot one final glance before they turned and continued their patrol. As they walked away, Butchy's goofy demeanor slowly dropped until it was completely replaced by a cold countenance. Glancing back over the box he appeared from, an identical copy of himself lay with a permanent expression of fear and a new hole created through the side of his head.
Turning dispassionately back at the filth walking away, he made sure no one was around this time before his hands connected into a sign with both index fingers pointing up while the others linked together.
At once, the laws of nature obeyed his commands.
Kidnapper's Keep
East Forest
Watching the cruel efficiency of a coordinated force expertly trained in silent killing was something Robin had to admit was both breath-taking (no pun intended) and terrifying. They were but 13 strong, with men almost the size of Frederick in full armor, yet they moved as if the wind was at their backs with footsteps that didn't even echo a tap.
Watching their leader, 'Haku', Robin couldn't say she was too surprised at their level of skill, seeing that all of them held similarly massive mana capacities. Why the shinobi felt it prudent to hide his face from them was a question that would likely go unanswered.
Pulling the short katana from his latest kill, Haku signaled to her group to move forward. The handful of soldiers and Shepherds she brought with her stood from their hiding spots and quickly advanced forward. Robin would like to say they were able to pass the many cooling corpses with their resolve hardened by now, but she wasn't able to deny the 'this don't feel right' coming from Vaike, of all people.
Exiting the underbrush, the ruins that held the prisoners came into view just meters away. Two men stood outside the large manmade opening that seemed to be the only accessible way into the destroyed fort, yet Robin could see multiple not-so-friendly signatures through the walls hiding amongst the prisoners. Cursing to herself, she held up a hand to halt the rest of their group.
Looking to the one closest to her, that being Virion, she relayed a short message to pass along to the rest of the group and waited for it to be passed before enacting her revised plan.
Just as she stepped out of the underbrush, the air changed. It was hard to put it into words. One moment, wind, crackling fire, and the occasional conversation could be heard in the distance or around them. Now, there was just, nothing. Looking back, she could see her comrades looking at her, confused to why she had stopped. She would have said what was on her mind if not for the very unnatural phenomenon that had suddenly rolled in.
Mist.
A thick, humid cloud that began enveloping everyone and everything around them. That was indeed unnatural, seeing that it was cold and no heat was even present aside from the slaver's camp fires, but the speed at which it enveloped them on top of how it seemed to swallow the sound around it and literally lessen their visibility to the point Robin could barely see her hand in front of her. If that's not bad enough, where her 'gift' once showed silhouettes of mana before her now showed walls of mana that even it couldn't see through. No longer deeming it safe to continue to their objective, she turned and barked back orders.
Only to nearly blast a thunder spell into the face of the masked figure standing not even 2 feet from her.
"Going from your surprise, I take it this is none of your people's doing?"
Calming her heart, she frowned up at the man, "What would we gain from sabotaging our own?" The shinobi simply stared at her before looking back towards the wall of moisture.
"That," he pointed towards the mist, "is not a natural phenomenon." It is filled with... mana. I can feel it on my skin. So, if it wasn't you or any of your people, then that only leads to the big W: 'who'."
'Who' indeed. Thing is, there was no one (to the best of her knowledge) in the Shepherds nor Knight's that she saw capable of accomplishing such masses of mana aside from Miriel-and as 'unique' as the mage was, Robin never pegged the woman as a traitor.
It could have been their enemies. A good enough mage could have created the field as a defense to any army looking to catch them by surprise. It would explain how people and even armies ended up going missing in the estate. If that were the case, then not only were they in danger, but the odds of the slavers escaping just rose exponentially.
Screams echoing through the mist had her turning back towards their original objective. The more she listened, the more the screams seemed to get louder till they suddenly stopped completely with gurgles and choking sounding off at the end.
"Seems we aren't the only ones after the slavers."
A/N: Emmeryn is a weeb: confirmed lol.
On a more serious note, fanfiction is acting weird as of late. I no longer get notifications for followers or favorites in my email and the reviews often don't show up. Not only that, but it doesn't even tell me when I've updated a story. Don't know when this will be fixed since it's been going on for about a month but hopefully that's not the new feature...
Anyways, I did not want to break this paralog into two parts. I really didn't. However, it was getting far too long and even though I've broken it down to some parts it came to the point where I didn't believe it was an enjoyable read so I have decided to just post a half of it today and post have of it later in February.
Hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year and we'll see you in the next chapter!