"So what is so special about Ylisstol anyway?" Anje asked as she skirted around a pothole on the dirt path. "I've seen plenty of amazing cities, so I'll be quite critical."
"Oh yeah, and what was so special about the cities you speak of, huh?" Sully said with a grunt. "You've been saying a bunch of weird places like Sevastapol, Bucharest, and Istanbul. Weird I haven't heard of any of 'em."
"Clearly because we are in some backwater," Anje retorted as she brushed her hair out of her face. The warm and breezy weather from Eastpoint had been a welcome pleasantry, though the occasional bandit or rabid animal certainly spoiled any relaxation.
The sun nearly set, with only slivers of twilight guiding the three travelers northward on the dirt path, following Sully's insistence they'd reach Ylisstol by nightfall. Anje set a quick pace fueled by anxiety. Virion says the answers I need are in Ylisstol, Anje thought. The faster I get there, the sooner I can understand this strange place.
"You certain you don't want to rest?" Virion asked. He surveyed the forested area apprehensively before continuing, "You've been in that saddle for an awfully long time, and I fear your shapely thighs must be aching something fierce. I may have a topical ointment to mend such sore and beautiful muscles."
"I'm built for this, Ruffles. If I couldn't handle being in the saddle most of the day, I wouldn't be a knight."
"But my lady, the chaffing must still wear on you!"
Anje narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus more on the straight path ahead. The bickering over the past few days hadn't gotten to her, but with her destination so close she couldn't help but feel the irritability rise within her. While amusing at times, Virion and Sullys' debates didn't do much for Anje's interests. Chivalry wasn't a concern of hers, nor was she going to argue about something she held very little interest in.
Down the path, another strong wind blew into Anje, tousling her blonde locks once again, much to her displeasure. As Anje went to tie her hair back, a thunderous crack roared out in the sky. Like thunder, but more akin to the sound of ceramic breaking.
"What was that? Some kind of storm?" Anje asked as she looked over her shoulder to her companions.
Sully shook her head. "Nah, it's the middle of summer. Shouldn't be anything like that. Still, I heard that and it was loud."
"Indeed, though even through the darkness I don't see any storm clouds. Perhaps magic?" Virion offered.
"Could be," Sully shrugged. "Whatever it was, it's ahead. We should be careful. That means no trying to sweet talk bandits, Ruffles."
"We shall see, but as long as Anje doesn't let her fingers slip like last time," Virion replied with a tongue in cheek wink towards Anje. She flushed slightly and turned away.
Magic? Surely must be some silly colloquial term, Anje mused as Sully rode ahead and took point. The mere notion seemed outrageous to her. Magic had always been a farce used to swindle and amaze crowds. Nothing more than a carefully constructed illusion created by the inventive minds of the entertainment business. It was a trick.
Anje and Virion hustled as Sully took off down the dark trail, and the sounds of clashing metal began to ring through the treeline. That would most likely mean bandits. Anje frowned as she unlatched her hand ax from her belt loop. Bandit attacks so close to the capital of this land didn't instill much confidence in Anje about the region.
The gentle breeze at the group's back faltered as they approached the sounds of battle, with cries of rage and determination echoing throughout the now dark forest. With the sun gone, Anje squinted to help her eyes adjust as she followed Sully and Virion. Sully quickly dismounted from her horse with lance in hand and began running into a small clearing.
"Captain Chrom! Wait, I'm coming!" Sully shouted. "Alright, which one of you ash-faced freaks wants to try my lance on for size?"
Anje grimaced and paused as her vision adjusted and witnessed the fight. Zombies of all things. They didn't look like normal people with their rusted weapons and armor and glowing red eyes. The very same eyes she saw during her last performance. The spectacle was almost enough to distract Anje from the lightning being shot out in the distance near a white-haired fellow.
This is it. I've finally gone insane and landed in Hell, Anje thought to herself. What madness is this? I'm truly lost…
"Anje! We should assist Sully before she leaves us behind in her gracefully kicked up dirt!" Virion suggested, trying to hide his thinly veiled apprehension. "No matter the fiends, we should help Sully's friends. It is the noblest of actions, as I couldn't stand myself if a fair maiden-" Virion nearly stumbles as Anje pushes past him, white-knuckling her ax. "H-hey I wasn't finished!"
"They'll be dead by the time you do!" Anje said over her shoulder as sprinted through the clearing towards a younger girl in a yellow dress.
Anje swore she could hear Virion dramatically sigh, but pressed on behind her. Doing her best to ignore the theoretical and religious implications of zombies and lightning bursting around her, she narrowed her focus on the zombie soldier attacking the young girl wielding some sort of elaborate stick.
Brandishing her hand ax, Anje ran to the side of the zombie and slid down behind her target to slash at it's poorly guarded ankles. A wheezing sound emitted from the decayed soldier as it crumpled to the ground. Anje quickly delivered a strike to the creature's neck, right between the spacing of its cracked armor and helmet. The zombie's gnarled and rotten flesh began turning to ash as Anje caught her breath and investigated the young girl.
"Wow, you are really quick! Thanks for that," The girl in yellow chirped. "Do you need any healing? Also, it looks like my brother could use some help."
"Uh, no," Anje replied as she tried to not look at the ash-spewing corpse. "Which one is your brother?"
"Chrom is the one in blue with Falchion over there."
Anje nodded to her and began running once again. Weaving through the thin trees and uprooted earth, she came upon Chrom fending himself from two sword-wielding abominations. Neither zombie seemed very quick, but by how Chrom grunted as he deflected their strikes, Anje figured they had some kind of supernatural strength. Well, just don't get hit, Anje mused as she jumped into the fray.
"What the hell am I doing," Anje muttered to herself as she delivered a body kick to one of the zombies engaged with Chrom.
The zombie hardly staggered from the blow but had the intended effect of drawing its attention off of Chrom and onto herself. Anje backpedaled to avoid the retaliation strikes from the clumsy zombie soldier. As she relied on her natural flexibility and predicting the zombies telegraphed wide swipes, Anje managed to stay on the edge of her foe's attack.
Just like dodging knives at the circus...except it's not knives. It's a goddamn swashbuckling zombie, Anje huffed as she ducked underneath another swipe. She feared to go on the offensive and getting caught by one of the creatures wide slashes, so she continued to duck and dodge away from it. No signs of frustration seemed apparent from the zombie, which in turn frustrated Anje. Getting under someone's skin was an easy way to win a fight. With an opponent as grotesque and revolting as this one, it gave her no satisfaction that even her smallest of enjoyments of fighting were not being fulfilled. It felt robotic. Inhuman.
Anje nearly stumbled when the zombie suddenly lurched forward, as opposed to its usual gait. Her shock quickly vanished as the zombie fell forward onto its face with an arrow implanted in the back of its head. She looked around and saw Virion by the tree line nocking another arrow while winking at her. Difficult to see at a distance, but she knew Virion's body langauge enough to know what he was conveying.
One last squelch sounded through the forest as Anje noticed Chrom impale the last of the zombies, this one a bit bulkier than the rest of its brood. Other people started to gather in the clearing, namely the strange white-haired man Anje saw earlier near lightning, a tall brown-haired man in full plate armor with a battle-ax, and a masked swordsman with blue armor and matching almost masquerade style mask. Quite the group of charmers, Anje mused as Sully and Virion hustled to join around.
"It seems the rest of the creatures have been vanquished," The tall ax wielder commented as he slowly surveyed the area. "A sweep of the area is in order, but thank those of you who appeared to aid us."
The masked swordsman remains quiet as Virion stows his bow and coughed into his hand. "It was only suitable to help a fellow in need of aid! Especially when fair maidens such as these are putting their lives at risk!"
"Yeah, calm down Mr. Noblest of nobles," Sully said as she playfully elbowed Virion in the ribs. "You landed some good shots, but you didn't save the entire day."
"Um, I'd like that thank you for before as well," The yellow-clad girl apprehensively said. "So, thank you for all your help."
"Indeed," Chrom said with a nod as he turned his attention towards the masked individual. "You helped save my sister's life. My name is Chrom, might I ask what yours is?"
"You may call me Marth."
"After the king of old?" Chrom inquired as he rubbed his chin. "Well, you certainly fight like a hero. Tell me, where did you learn to fight like that?"
"I'm not here to talk about me," Marth replied cooly, though Anje narrowed her eyes as the voice sounded more strained this time. "The world borders upon the brink of calamity, and what you witnessed tonight is just a prelude. You have been warned."
With a quick swish of their cloak, Marth dashes off into the woods away from the group. Anje watched curiously along with the rest of the group as they disappeared into the darkness. Well, that's not ominous, Anje derisively thought to herself.
"Huh, well that's weird," The younger girl said.
Others nodded in sentiment as the white-haired man said in a quiet voice, "Not much for conversation, is he?"
He? No guy I know walks like that. Even one as flamboyant as Virion doesn't move their hips like that, Anje thought as she scratched at her head.
Did they really think that was a guy? She had seen a lot of people's struts and walks during her time in the circus, and combined with the strange way they sounded it pointed to them being a girl? It made no sense to her, but then again she had just seen and fought zombies. Logic had been dethroned in the favor of the weird and fantastical.
"By the way, who are these people, Sully?" Chrom asked. "I thought you'd still be near Eastpoint."
"Well, ya know how it goes. These folk needed to get to the capital and needed a guide," Sully proclaimed as she puffed up her chest pridefully. "But, as you can see they ain't complete baggage."
"I dare say, my good lady, if it weren't for my expert archery skills we'd still be fighting those ghastly foes," Virion said. He crossed his arms as he and Sully exchanged a sassy glare.
"Who are these people, Sully?" The tall ax wielder asked. Anje frowned as the knight seemed to inspect every inch of her, and while not shy it still felt uncomfortable.
"The stuffy archer is Virion," Sully replied. "The twitchy one is Anje. Both are trying to get to Ylisstol."
"Interesting. And from where might I ask?" The tall ax knight asked.
"Relax Frederick," Chrom said as he patted the other knight on their pauldron. He pointed to his sister and smiled. "They helped get Lissa out of a sticky situation, that should excuse them from an immediate interrogation."
"You have our thanks, Sir Chrom," Virion said to the blue-haired knight with a small bow.
"No, you have my thanks. Perhaps we can talk about a reward once we reach Ylisstol?" Chrom offered.
Anje felt an excitement bubble inside her stomach. This could be my chance to get someone to identify my letter!
"Yes, that sounds wonderful. Are you heading there right now?" Anje gleefully said. Her objective was within striking distance. The zombies and lightning could wait as the reasons for her arrival were now within her grasp.
"I think so, we're not too far away, right Frederick?" Chrom asked Frederick, who replied with a solemn nod.
"Great, then we can go together! No more baddies should give us trouble now," Lissa exclaimed as she ran up to Anje. Lissa locked arms with her fellow blonde and beamed, "You're going to love Ylisstol, it's amazing!"
Anje bristled a bit at the younger girl's brashness but kept a straight face. These people were offering a reward, and she could put up with an energetic kid. Granted why she was with a group of knights made little sense to Anje. She shrugged as she began to walk with Lissa while the rest of the group members talked amongst themselves.
"So, you're Anje?"
"Yup."
"So where you from? How'd you meet Sully? Have you been to Yliss-"
"Please slow down," Anje deadpanned. "It's late and I'm kinda tired."
"Oh," Lissa replied. She sheepishly smiled at Anje. "Sorry."
"Thanks," Anje said. "So why is a kid like you fighting monsters? Is that normal here?"
"By Naga no!" Lissa rebuked. She tugged on their interlocked arms and said, "And I'm 15 I'll have you know!"
Could've fooled me, Anje thought with a slight smirk.
"Ahuh, sure. I believe you."
"No, you don't"
"Yes, I do."
Anje looked over to see Lissa's cheeks puffed up. Seems someone isn't used to backtalk, Anje mused as she tugged on Lissa's arm. Perhaps she could have some fun and get some information on this evening's walk.
"Anyways, what can you tell me about Ylisstol? Some kind of city?" Anje inquired, trying her best to sound interested and curious. She figured showing genuine investment should help keep the younger girl under her thumb.
"It's the capital of Ylisse and one of the most beautiful places you'll ever see. If you haven't heard of it, I reckon you're not from around here. Where did you come from?"
Anje sighed. "Overseas. This is a new place for me. I feel like a stranger to the simplest things."
"Well, at least your langauge skills are good. You may have a bit of an accent like your archer friend, but it's not nearly as silly!" Lissa said as she covered her mouth, trying to not let a giggle escape.
Anje's lips twitched in amusement. "I have an accent?"
"Yup, almost like you're from Ferox but a bit different," Lissa confirmed with a nod. "Where did you say you were from?"
"...Ukraine," Anje awkwardly said as she unhooked her arm from Lissa's. "It's not my favorite topic at the moment though. Perhaps tell me more about your home?"
Lissa hopped up excitedly and clapped her hands together, and Anje almost swore that her eyes were sparkling in the moonlight. "Oh, it's wonderful. The city is vibrant and the palace is beautiful. Carved out of marble, it's truly something else," Lissa rubbed her chin and continued, "Come to think of it, Emmeryn is probably worried about Chrom and me."
Anje raised an eyebrow. "Emmeryn?"
"Right!" Lissa exclaimed as she slapped her palm against her head. "She's my sister and the ruling Exalt of Ylisse."
"So you're royalty?"
This perked Anje's curiosity. Royalty certainly had privileges that would not be accessible to the public. It would open up avenues that could help explain this strange place that seems to be rife with zombies and bandits. Not to mention the strange lightning phenomenon, but she pushed that away from her mind. Just the thought of that brief display made her uncomfortable. It must have been a fluke. Something was incorrectly seen in the heat of battle. That had to be the answer, as it was the only solution that gave her any semblance of calm. Anything else would be incomprehensible. Impossible.
"Yup! Chrom and I started the Shepherds to help people across Ylisse, but I'm glad we are going back to rest. Things have been quite crazy lately."
Anje smirked. If she's royalty then I'll definitely be collecting whatever reward they offer, she mused while forming a more warm and welcoming smile. Lissa and Anje beamed at each other as Anje let the younger shepherd walk a bit in front of her. Being the girl's personal savior from a zombie attack turned out to be the best stroke of luck she could have hoped for. Now she would just have to play nice until she could get that letter transcribed and figure out how to leave. She'd once again be in control; just the way she liked it.
"Excuse me for a moment, madam," A firm voice said behind Anje.
She turned and noticed the towering Frederick looking down upon her impassively. Anje forced a cordial smile to her face. "Ah, Frederick. I thought you were speaking with the others," She pointed farther back in the group where Chrom, Robin Sully, and Virion were discussing something with an abundance of enthusiasm. Such raucous displays reminded her of some of the good days she had while in the circus with the other performers, albeit they were few and far between.
"Very well Frederick, what is it you want?" Anje said. "I'm afraid you might find me frightfully boring."
"That is to be seen," Frederick responded as he pulled out a small notepad and quill from his satchel. "Virion said you arrived a few days ago by ship in Eastpoint, correct?"
"That's correct," Anje said with a nod. She glanced at the man's notepad with a bemused expression. "What is this some kind of interview?"
"It is," Frederick affirms as he jots something into his notepad. "Lord Chrom has expressed interest in you."
Anje face contorted in confusion. Is he scouting me out for dating? Anje mused. She looked over her shoulder back and looked at Chrom. He wasn't that bad looking with his handsome face, well-built body, and a strange tattoo on his bicep. His blue hair was a bit strange, but he was attractive. Perhaps a bit of a jock from the brief time Anje had heard him speak, but he was royalty and a knight from what she gleaned. It could prove useful.
"So, what is this interest exactly?" Anje asked.
"Lord Chrom has considered you for the Shepherds, so it is my duty to understand if you are worthy of such a position."
Anje's stride slowed for a moment. It's not courting, but aligning with them would be good, she thought. Being in a position where the local royalty is at your back would certainly be quite the boon. Anje smiled and exhaled deeply.
"I'd be happy to answer whatever questions you may have for me."
"Very well," Frederick said. "First on the agenda, is where do you hail from and occupation."
"That's two questions."
Anje restrained herself from smirking as Frederick rolled his eyes. "Just answer the question. Being flippant with me will not get you far."
"Fine," Anje said, looking to Frederick with a serious expression. "I'm from Ukraine and I'm an entertainer. An acrobat more specifically. Does that suffice?"
Frederick jotted something down quickly in his notepad. "No. I've heard of no such place."
"It's far overseas," Anje dismissively said with a wave of her hand. It's not like she was going to explain the entirety of her situation. For now, playing the part of 'inconvenienced foreigner' would be her fall back.
Frederick paused his writing to glance back at Chrom, Virion, Sully, and Robin before he returned his attention to Anje. "You said you are an acrobat? That would explain your nimbleness in that last skirmish," He cast another glance backward, but this time more directed at Robin, the strange shaggy-haired man with the large purple overcoat. "At least you seem more promising than other recruits."
"I appreciate you noticing my skill," Anje boasted as she flipped her messy ponytail. "I didn't train to not be noticed."
"You may be trained, but not as a warrior. You'll need the practice to match your athleticism," Frederick sternly noted as he flipped a page over in his notebook. "Besides, being talented isn't a guarantee for results."
Anje frowned and crossed her arms. "Still makes one better than others."
"That's dangerous idealogy, Anje," Frederick warned. "Best if you kept that to yourself or become more open-minded."
"And why exactly?" Anje retorted. "It's true."
"Whether or not it is doesn't matter. Battles are won with teamwork and coordination. Not individual prowess, "Frederick said. The taller knight slipped his notepad back into his pack and sighed, "For a proper evaluation, I'll have someone bring you and Virion to the palace's training grounds. Lord Chrom and I will figure out accommodations for you all once we arrive in Ylisstol."
Anje nodded and yawned. She was too tired to argue further with the knight. Tomorrow would be better to learn about what resources the Shepherds could offer her, plus performing well at Frederick's 'evaluation'. She looked up to the bright crescent moon in the cloudless night sky. A chance to demonstrate her abilities and impress others? The perfect audition to inching closer to the answers she desperately needed, as while her confidence was evident, pinpricks in the back of her mind from when she saw lightning spew out from Robin's location bothered her.
"I must be tired and seeing things," Anje muttered to herself as the walls of a distant large city started to come into view.
Morning came much too quickly for Anje's liking as vibrant orange sunbeams shined through the lone room window. Chrom had been kind enough to pay for Virion and her to stay at a local upscale inn last night, though a few hours of sleep wasn't much. Robin was taken to the palace, which was odd but nothing of Anje immediate concern. At least she had a bed tonight unlike the nights on the trail where she had slept on the ground. Not too different than her years as a youth in the back alleys of Sevastapol.
Anje shook her head. The time for dreams of the past was done, now that she was awake. That didn't matter anymore. She had become better than she ever dreamed of being. That scared girl didn't exist anymore.
A knock at the door started Anje. She immediately threw off the covers and shouted, "Who is it?"
"Why I'm surprised that you didn't recognize my delicate knock, my sweet maiden? I hope that you got your beauty sleep," A small chuckle echoed from the other side of the wooden door. "I know I certainly did. You must come downstairs, for I smell breakfast calling our name!"
Seems Virion is lively this morning, Anje thought as she began to get dressed. "I'll be out in a minute, just hang on."
"Of course, I shall be downstairs awaiting your illustrious entrance!" Virion replied as she heard faint footsteps leave from the doorway.
Anje wondered how Virion could be so chipper with only about four hours of sleep. She barely felt alive, but she'd gone through worse nights before. Still didn't make it any easier.
After getting dressed, double-checking to make sure she still had the mysterious note, and tying up her shoulder-length hair she descended to the bottom floor of the inn. It had a rustic feel to it with its wooden walls and stone flooring. She didn't see much of the city last night due to her tiredness and the lateness of it all, but she liked the aesthetic of the inn at the very least.
Carefully plodding down the stairs, Anje spotted Virion at the long bar counter conversing with a rather portly fellow that she subsumed to be the owner. The man was wearing an apron and presented Virion with a small plate of what looked to be bacon, eggs, and toast. Anje stomach grumbled and her mouth watered slightly at seeing the hearty breakfast, being reminded that eating parts of wild rabbit and berries weren't the best meals on her travels.
Anje quickly took a seat next to Virion at the bar and lightly sniffed the air. Oh god, it's also seasoned, Anje mused as she looked to the older man in the apron. "I'd like the same, please," Anje said. The man nodded and walked into the rear kitchen area of the inn.
"It's fantastic food paid courtesy of lord Chrom, though would you mind averting your envious gaze?" Virion said with a smirk. "It's not proper of such a beautiful lady such as yourself to leer at bacon in such a manner."
"Leer? I'm just hungry is all," Anje replied. She huffed and looked towards the kitchen door with anticipation. "Did Frederick talk to you much last night about his plans?"
Virion gently sets down his fork and dabs his face with a nearby napkin. "He did, though rather brusquely. I'm surprised Lord Chrom can tolerate such a fellow, but he seems like a loyal retainer. Stirs up feelings about my own retainer…"
Anje's lips twitched as she raised an eyebrow. "You have a retainer?"
"Of course! What nobility wouldn't?"
"Okay, then where are they?" Anje asked. She looked behind her and extended out an arm to exemplify her point. "Because I've only seen you."
Please don't tell me your delusional, Anje thought. It would only make too much sense for his nuanced behavior.
"Ah, yes. That..." Virion hesitantly lamented before pointing towards the kitchens. "Oh, look your breakfast has arrived!"
The portly bartender set down a nearly identical plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of Anje. she quickly snatched the fork out of the man's hand and quickly said, "Thank you."
She looked to Virion with skepticism but returned her focus to her food. He had lucked out that her hunger outweighed her curiosity. Why had he not mentioned a retainer before, especially if he was so important? Traveling alone in a foreign country didn't seem that safe for someone of status. Unless they were lying or trying to avoid something. Anje shook her head, Not that I need to get involved. Let him keep his secrets. He's been kind to me, so it's not like I should pry.
Breakfast was devoured in short order as Anje and Virion thanked the barkeep and departed from their seats. As the two exited the quaint little inn, they stepped into the morning sun of a bustling downtown area. Anje raised her arm in front of her eyes to help shield herself from the sun, but the activity and splendor of the city weren't lost upon her.
Several people pulling wagons, working, talking, and living their lives could be seen anywhere she looked on the busy street. Buildings spanned as far as she could see now that it wasn't pitch black outside. To the north, she could see a splendid palace on a hill overlooking the barrows of Ylisse. She had performed in a few palaces in her days at the circus, but this one was perhaps one of the grandest by sheer size and majesty it seemed to hold over the dominion.
"Excuse me!" A brown-haired fellow called out nearby of the door to the inn. He wore similar armor to Sully, except with his breastplate and greaves being a vibrant emerald green as opposed to Sully's more rustic red coloring. He seemed jovial as he walked over and waved at Virion and Anje, "Excuse me, I'm going to guess that your Virion and Anje?"
"Indeed good knight!" Virion gushed as he quickly shook the knight's hand, much to the man's surprise. "I presume that Sir Frederick has sent you to act as our magnificent escort?"
"Uh, yup that would be me. Name's Stahl by the way," Stahl replied as he sheepishly smiled and pried his hand back from Virion's aggressive courtesy.
"Good, so you will take us to the palace now?" Anje impatiently asked. "We're both eager to go.'
She could feel herself becoming more on edge the closer she got to her goal. It was within reaching distance to discover why she was here, and it was bothering her more and more each day she spent in Archanea. Every day she woke up the less it felt like it could be a dream and more like her reality. The prospect of having to relearn about a new world and find a new place frightened her more than the world she had left behind, though she'd loathe admitting that to anyone. The entire situation seemed to defy logic itself, and yet here she was with no answers to why she wasn't a mangled pile of bones on the floor of the performing arena. The whole concept made her stomach turn.
The walk up the palace was pleasant as the sunny weather and brisk wind helped relax Anje while Virion used his most flowery langauge on Stahl when asking questions. Stahl seemed less enthused about all the questions, but was polite and let Virion ramble. He did look to Anje a few times for support, but she merely shrugged. In only a few days she had learned to simply deal with how Virion operated. He was a gossip, but he wasn't loose-lipped as his questions always had a point. Something Anje had come to respect while seeing him endlessly irritate Sully.
Stahl led them through the main gates passing several palace guards dressed in white and blue plate mail. The flora in the courtyard was vibrant with swathes of flowers Anje didn't recognize, but she appreciated the beauty and organization of the gardening. Whoever this Emmeryn was, she certainly had impeccable taste for color coordination.
"The training ground is just around this bend," Stahl said as he opened up a wooden gate, revealing a circular dirt arena. "It's pretty early so Frederick should be the only person around."
As if on cue as the trio stepped through the threshold into the training grounds, Frederick exited from the palace side of the fenced-in training ground. The training grounds had a few training dummies set up along the sides and a few weapon racks could be spotted near the palace wall. Frederick had a small satchel around his waist with a lance held across his body as he impassively watched the group enter.
"Good timing, Stahl," Frederick said as the trio approached. He looked pointedly at Viriona and Anje. "I shall give you two some time to limber up while Stahl and I prepare the rest of the course."
"The others aren't coming to watch?" Stahl asked.
Frederick shrugged. "Perhaps they'll arrive in a bit. Milord and Miriel are busy with the other newcomer, and I doubt Vaike is awake yet. As for the others, probably eating breakfast."
He really isn't fond of that Robin guy, is it because of the lightning? Anje mused as she nodded to Frederick and began her stretches.
"I'll be back shortly with the rest of the materials," Frederick said as he motioned for Stahl to follow him.
Virion and Anje watched the two knights enter the palace, leaving them time to stretch and observe the grounds more closely. Anje noted the variety of weapons on the racks, everything from shortswords, sabers, axes, lances, bows, and even some more obscure weapons like kukri and whip. Her practice with the beast tamers wasn't a specialty, but she did know her way around a whip and throwing knives for when she'd stand-in for certain performances. Also, she discovered throwing knives were a great destressing tool for when she struggled to learn new trapeze acts.
"So what shall you be demonstrating?" Virion asked as he began stretching out his arms. "I'm going to use a bow, naturally, but I'm interested in what you may fancy."
Anje rotated her hips, hearing a few pops and cracks. Weaponry wasn't a huge highlight of her performances. Sure she'd juggled torches and blades before, but actually using them? Not often. The hand ax only worked well as it did since it was simple and could be thrown, and it probably wouldn't be viable to impress Frederick. She'd need something familiar to get her into the Shepherds' good graces. Something flashy but not too impractical.
"I'll probably use the whip," Anje said as she pulled her leg back to stretch out her hamstring. "I've gotten a lot of practice with it back when I performed."
"Interesting," Virion mused as he rubbed his chin. "I've never seen one used in combat before. You have my curiosity."
Anje shrugged. "It's all I can think of. I have a feeling that juggling and doing backflips isn't going to exactly impress a bunch of knights looking to add to their ranks."
"Do you shoot a bow?"
"I do, but I'd rather set myself apart from you," Anje quipped. "Besides, I'd hate to upstage someone that's been so kind to me."
"That sounds like a challenge if I heard incorrectly," Virion said with a wry grin.
"Not a challenge, just a friendly warning that I don't tend to lose competitions."
"My, aren't we bold!" Virion exclaimed as he rolled his shoulders. "If I didn't know better, I'd have thought that was a jab at my impeccable archery skills."
"I'd never dream of it," Anje reassured. A wicked smile began to form in the corners of her mouth. "But, we can save competition for later. I have a feeling you'd prove to be at least an adequate challenge."
Virion scoffed and turned his head. "I won't be easily taunted, Anje. A noble such as myself won't succumb to your wiles," Virion looked back to Anje. "But I accept. Let's discuss the terms later, shall we?"
"Of course," Anje casually replied as the doors to the palace opened once more.
Frederick with Stahl close behind entered into the dirt training ground. Stahl held a large burlap sack with a strained face as Frederick beckoned, "Gather around, I shall explain the process. Stahl, you may set the sack down."
"Oh thank goodness," Stahl replied as he dropped the sack abruptly, with a few weighted circular plates with a rope pulled through the center circle.
Anje frowned. While pulling her own weight was one thing, she would never consider herself someone with decent physical power. As she looked at the interlocked weights she dreaded what Fredericks's plans were.
"We will start you two off with endurance, strength, balance, and agility training," Frederick instructed. "Stahl will be keeping track of time while I observe. By then Lissa should arrive before our next segment for standby healing."
"Must we really run around in this dirt patch?" Virion asked, concerned. "It's just that I had my boots polished rather recently and…" Frederick's intimidating glare bore Virion who averted his eyes and rattled off, "You know, I can probably just get them done again. It's fine."
"Great, first is jogging circles around the arena. I'll tell you when to stop," Frederick said as he pointed to a starting location. "Once you're there, begin. Stahl will keep me informed of the time, you two just focus on a steady pace. I shall tell you to slow down or go faster."
Anje nodded to the knight and walked over to the edge of the arena. Running wasn't difficult considering having a good cardio base was essential to gymnastics. She just had to be wary of not tiring herself out too quickly and not letting Virion get too far ahead of her if he proved to be some kind of endurance fiend.
Anje and Virion began at a leisurely jogging pace, to which Frederick immediately called for a slight increase. He wanted to see a quick and deliberate jog out of the two foreigners as they circled the dirt arena. The pace was kept for the next ten or so minutes to Anje's count, as she began to sweat a bit. Her pace remained steady as Virion began to falter a bit during the last few minutes.
The next exercises went by in a blur, as Frederick didn't let the pair take a break. Stone tossing, somersaults, side horse vaulting, a brief wall climb, and some shadowboxing. Anje wasn't yielding in her pace, but she'd be wrong to question his workout regiment. The man was only second to her Ringleader in terms of work ethic and frenetic pace. A man she'd rather not ever see again, despite how he may have recruited her off the street all those years ago.
"I've seen enough," Frederick called out. He placed his notepad back into his satchel as Anje and Virion caught their breaths.
Virion's hair was drenched with sweat and his breathing ragged as he hunched over, leaning on his knees. Anje put her hands behind her head to help her breathing. It had been a grueling workout, but it seemed to be over for now.
"That was pretty good, not many people survive Frederick's gauntlet,' Stahl commented as he brought a cup of water to Anje and Virion. "Most of us nearly passed out when we first joined."
Virion took a long sip from the cup and gasped, "A man of my standing can't let a little...cardio stand in his way!"
"It was certainly something," Anje mumbled as she took a sip from the cup, before returning it to Stahl. "But, we're not done yet, are we Frederick?"
"No. You are not," The wary knight confirmed as he looked back to the palace doors. The door slid open to reveal Chrom and Lissa stepping through. Frederick turned and gave a slight nod. "Good morning my lord, and to you lady Lissa. The review is currently underway."
"Lemme guess, you made them go through the gauntlet?" Chrom asked as he flashed a knowing smile to Anje and Virion. "Not taking it easy on them, are you?"
"Bandits and marauders certainly won't," Frederick remarked as he turned back to his applicants. "But, we are getting distracted. Now is time for weapon demonstration and then duels. Go fetch a weapon from the rack."
Anje and Virion trudged from the training ground to the rack and began to fiddle with their choice of weapons. Virion nabbed a simple short bow, arrows, and wooden rapier while Anje took a few wooden knives and the long whip. Now it's time to put on a show, the royals are watching, Anje thought as she tested the whip's elasticity. It was made of leather and had a simple grip with a gnarled hunk of iron in the end knot.
As Anje and Virion returned to the training ground, Frederick directed each of them to a training dummy. Virion lined up about 30 meters from his target while Anje lined up about 3 meters from the training dummy. She took a deep breath and began to start the rotation.
Her world narrowed as she focused on her breathing and the fluid movements of the whip. The ache in her muscles from the previous workouts seemed to ebb away as she flicked her wrist, and the whip sprang to life. The knotted end of the whip snapped across the faceless burlap covered straw dummy. She redoubled her effort as she twirled in a deadly dance of focus and determination. Another crack from the whip echoed across the training ground as she found her mark once again. And again.
Now, for the big finale, Anje mused as she tensed her arms.
It had been a while since she had performed this last maneuver, but her muscles knew what to do as she let a fluid motion begin. All the pain, torment, and fear she had shoved deep inside her faded away as she let her muscle memory take over. This was who she was. Anje was more than a performance, it was she who people came to see. Not the stunts she was performing. This moment was familiar as she gracefully drew in another breath and unleashed a quick flurry of strikes on the dummy as if the whip acted on its own accord to her will.
She exhaled one last long breath and brought the whip down as she dug into her pocket and quickly unleashed a flash of daggers, all hitting the tattered dummy in the chest. Anje inhaled deeply through her nose before exhaling once more and finally turned to see what the other's reactions were.
Frederick was seemed deep into jotting something in his notepad, which irked Anje slightly, but her mood brightened as she noticed Chrom standing to the side with his arms crossed and an excited expression upon his face and Lissa at his side smiling from ear to ear.
Anje looked at Virion's target and nodded in appreciation of his handy work. Out of a dozen shots, he managed to wedge 11 of them on the dummy's face. The twelve shot was solidly lodged in its neck. Perhaps she should be worried about challenging him so casually to an archery contest.
"That's enough," Frederick bellowed. "I've seen what's necessary. On to the last part. The duel, since hitting a dummy isn't exactly the most difficult."
Not even a comment? A remark? Anje thought as her face tensed with irritation. He should be impressed. Not bored. Did she mess up? No. Anje shook her head to help refocus herself. She performed perfectly by her high standards; it was simply Frederick's fault for not seeing the grace in her demonstration.
"Stahl," Frederick said, getting the slightly drowsy knight's attention. "Go grab a weapon, I want you to test Virion's skills."
"Uh, sure thing," Stahl said as he jogged towards the weapon rack.
"Not wanting me in there? I wouldn't mind a little spar," Chrom teased from the sidelines.
"My apologies my lord, but I figured this would be a better match-up. I shall spar with you afterward if you desire," Frederick said with a deep bow.
"Lighten up, I was only joking," Chrom replied. "I trust your judgment."
Anje made her way out to the sideline as Frederick lined Virion and Stahl across from each other. With her whip coiled around her shoulder, Anje took a stance next to Lissa.
"Where'd you learn to do that?" Lissa asked in awe. "Nobody else here has used that whip-like you did!"
Before Anje could reply, Chrom leaned over and interjected, "Well, I did use it before and got some good hits in."
Lissa turned to her brother and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah! Until you hit yourself in the face and I had to heal that welt. It nearly covered your entire forehead!"
"Right," Chrom grumbled as the memory seemed to return to him. "Actually, forget you heard anything, Anje. But, your skills are impressive."
"I'll see what I can do about forgetting," Anje said, lips twitching with amusement. "I learned back in the circus troop I performed in. I was quick enough to work with our beastmaster, so I had to learn to use a whip." Anje took note of Lissa and Chroms' interest before she added, "Among other skills that you may see, considering Frederick doesn't turn me away. Not sure where I'd go afterward."
Lissa and Chrom muttered between themselves as Anje turned her attention to Virion's duel. They had already engaged with Frederick acting as a referee of sorts. Stahl had chosen a wooden shortsword against Virion's rapier. From their movements and footwork, it was quite obvious that Virion was already a bit tired against Stahl who moved around with more energy and fluidity. The duel lasted about a minute until Stahl managed to back up Virion into the wooden wall surrounding the training ground, forcing him to concede.
"Good demonstration," Frederick said. "Next, I want Anje over here."
Anje nodded and trotted out to the center of the grounds as Virion and Stahl shook hands and began making their way to the sidelines. Virion winked at Anje as he passed her by while Frederick and Stahl conversed quickly. She rolled her eyes at Virion's antics and unfurled her whip. Time for the last test.
"So, who is my opponent?" Anje asked.
"I shall face you," Frederick replied as Stahl handed over his practice sword to the royal retainer. Stahl shrugged and sheepishly smiled at Anje as Frederick continued, "While your technique is impressive in a controlled environment, I still have my doubts about its practicality in combat. Prove me wrong."
"Gladly," Anje hastily replied. She took a position about five meters from Frederick. "I'm ready when you are. Bring it on."
Frederick gripped the shortsword firmly with both hands and brought it down slowly into a centered position. Frederick narrowed his eyes at his agile opponent. "We shall go until someone yields, is disarmed, or is too injured to continue. Begin."
The knight was a bit imposing for Anje, as her height only came up to about the top of his armored chest, and he no doubt outweighs the lithe acrobat in spades thanks to his armor. Anje circled Frederick slowly at first while he remained stationary, just watching her with his scrutinizing eyes.
After a few seconds, Frederick burst forth with speed Anje didn't believe capable in the heavily clad knight. He began to close the distance as Anje reared the whip back and cracked it, sending a strike towards the knight's head. Frederick held his sword firmly in front of himself, managing to parry the blow and brush past the whip's rotational defense.
Frederick slashed at Anje who jumped out of the way, but the knight's superior positioning allowed him to follow up his initial strike with two more. Anje grunted as she was forced to dodge rolled away from the towering knight and snapped her whip up. She began to run around the sides of the circular training ground to create distance from the knight, but unlike some lumbering powerhouse, he kept up at a light jog with his sword at the ready, just quick enough to not allow Anje time to recompose herself.
"Running isn't going to tire me out," Frederick plainly stated, much to Anje's irritation.
Well, it should! Anje hastily thought as she stirred her whip into a frenzy. If running wouldn't work, then she'd have to go on the offensive. Much like when taming the tigers and lions she had done; a display of power and dominance would be needed to give her opponent pause.
Frederick tried to parry and duck the whip strikes, but one manages to graze his left cheek. Blood began to pour out of the jagged cut as he raised his sword again, this time catching the whip as it coiled around the wooden edge. Anje's expression of brief trump faltered as Frederick immediately pulled hard using his superior leverage to lift Anje off the ground.
Anje let go of the whip as she barely managed to stabilize herself. Frederick scooped up the whip and sheathed his sword. "The duel is over, you've been disarmed."
"I can still fight," Anje hotly contested. She could feel her blood begin to boil over as Frederick dismissively looked towards Chrom and the other Shepherds. Anje took a few steps closer to Frederick and put her hands on her hips. "This duel was hardly fair. You're a giant compared to me!"
"Fights aren't meant to be fair, and this was to measure your skills," Frederick replied in a more serious tone. "I suggest you learn from this experience."
"Sure," Anje dismissively replied as she marched to the sidelines, not looking anyone else in the eyes. Virion had gotten a much more fair fight than her. Was it because Frederick wanted to irritate her? They had already seen her skills on the test dummy, but wanted her to run around being chased by a large guy in a suit of armor? Anje grit her teeth as she placed the whip back on the weapon rack.
As she walked back Frederick looked to Chrom. "Do you wish to evaluate my notes?"
"I think I've seen enough," Chrom cheerfully replied as he motioned for Frederick to put his notepad away. "Both of them are talented, and the Shepherds would be honored to have them!"
"But, milord, I suggest-"
"It's alright, Frederick," Chrom reassured as he patted his slightly disgruntled retainer on the shoulder. "I've made up my mind and I think you still owe me a few rounds in the ring! After that, we can get Maribelle to patch up that facial wound."
Frederick sighed deeply and nodded. "Of course my lord."
"Great, let's get you two inside to meet the others!" Lissa said. "It'll be nice to have some new faces around."
Anje forced a smile as Lissa looked at her. She had lost but still made it thanks to Chrom's decision. Not the time to be a poor sport since she was closer to her goal, though her love for Frederick couldn't be more minuscule at the moment.
"If there anyone that can translate langauge here?" Anje asked as Lissa led Virion and her to the side door.
"Yeah, I can show you to Miriel. She's super smart," Lissa chimed as she swung open the palace door, revealing a decorative and well-lit hallway.
"That'd be great," Anje mused as she followed the small princess into the palace.
She had made it, and now the person that may be able to point her in the right direction was just a few corridors away. Anje smiled as she felt her rage simmer down. Remember the why you're here, she told herself. She wanted to know why she was here. Needed to know. These Shepherds had proved to be useful and trusting thus far, and with the right words and actions maybe she could get them to help her unveil this mystery of hers.
A/N: And here is Anje getting involved in the Shepherds as she tries to unravel the mystery of this strange world and the contents of the letter that was left with her. The next chapter will be meeting some more of the crew and progressing! Also, you may have noticed that Anje isn't the greatest of people by a long shot. A lot of this story will be her making strides to become a better less self-centered person (as well as slowly reveal her past), so if you kinda dislike her right now, understand it's intentional.
Review Response: Thanks for all of the feedback thus far! It's great to hear :D
gulsniperman: You are along the right train of thought! She'll be much more of a dancer/thief hybrid kind of support class.
Faladros: Virion is going to have it extra rough this story lol, but in all seriousness, it's a relationship that will hopefully blossom in time as the two of them grow closer.
Morskijez: Glad to hear you're liking it! Anje is definitely a pragmatist, much as they may hurt or help her in the future.
Well, that's all I have for now. If you want to drop a review and let me know if I'm getting the awakening characters down well enough, lemme know. Still fairly new to this game as most of my FE experience is from either 3 Houses or Radiant Dawn.
Here's the rest of my plugs:
As per usual if want to find more quality fics in the FE genre or a place to improve your writing check out Narwhal Lord's Fanfiction Treehouse discord . gg / 9XG3U7a I can be found here under my normal user name, so come by and say hi!
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See ya next time!