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Kintsugi no Fusei

Book 1: On Fields of Fate

Chapter 12: The Crossing of Fate

As the sun above went a little past noon, two figures made their way quickly to the River Rinne. The grass crunched rapidly underneath two pairs of well-worn boots as sounds of laughter left their owners' mouths. The two exchanged blows with a wooden staff and spear as they moved across the Farfort's green terrain.

The spear had superior reach, just like its owner being the taller of the two. With this, it fully allowed the green-cloaked figure to strike like a viper that moved among the grass. Hit telltale laughs and bared teeth the rattle that he would use to distract before he struck.

The staff was not without its advantages, just like its owner remaining brave and true. The pot on his head and hard work on the farm provided the shorter figure a defense comparable to a honey badger. Grunts merely escaped his mouth as he used the crooked end of his staff like hooks or claws that had a greater reach.

Swipes in any which way were deflected or blocked, thrusts from many angles avoided or endured with grunts of pain, and feints made or taken. On and on, this cycle continued as their competitive spirits were roused. It did not matter who was more skilled or stronger between them. All that mattered was that one of them would be triumphant and that they were going to have fun doing it.

And they continued to do so as the minutes passed. They struck at each other, never staying in one place for too long, for they were both hunters and prey. Each of them made good use of what they had.

"Oof. That'll leave a mark." 'Mark' muttered with a grin as he failed to deflect the sudden but powerful counter-swipe from his friend, the butt of the shepherd's staff hitting his outstretched arm when he tried to strike him with the spear. In return, he avoided the follow-up and initiated his own, dropping low to whack the exposed shin. "Gotcha!"

WHAP!

"OW! Mother of—!" Expletive cut short, Donnel tripped as he lost balance from the pain and fell on his front to clutch his limb.

"Hahaha! Looks like I'm—!" Whatever he wanted to say was interrupted as the crook of the shepherd's staff instantly caught him by the leg. With a pull, it swept him off his feet and he fell onto his back, knocking the breath out of him even with the soft grass. "Urgh…"

"What were ya sayin' Mark? Ah didn't quite hear ya!" His pot-wearing opponent quipped as he stood up with the aid of his staff, not quite limping but looking like his shin still hurt.

In response, Mark stared at him blankly and said, "Get kicked by a horse Donny."

Donnel laughed and offered his hand. "Luv ya too buddy."

Letting loose a chuckle, the glamoured tactician accepted his friend's hand and got up, giving him a proud and satisfied look. "You're really getting the hang of this better than I thought. Be proud Donny."

"Well, 'ave got a good teacher." The young farmer said with a beaming face as he wiped some dirt off. "'Sides, it helps havin' a lotta experience wranglin' da livestock."

"Mmm, you have a point there with the livestock." Mark muttered as he thought of the livestock that the Farfort had. Pigs of course, then a variety of others that would keep the town self-sufficient, and even some poultry to help supplement the food needs, but it was mostly pigs.

And that's not even counting the local wild boar population. Mmm…boar. Bacon! The thought then gave him pause as his stomach rumbled and the pang of hunger reared its head.

A similar growl soon came from his friend's stomach and the two of them cracked a grin as they bumped their fists. "Guess we got a bit too carried away."

"For sure," Donnel said as they examined their surroundings. Now that they were out of the rush of combat, they could hear and see the waters of the Rinne River just meters away from them.

"At least, we're by the river." Mark muttered before he finally noticed where the sun was and bit back a curse. "Damn, it's way past noon."

"Oh shucks, even with both o' us working together, it'll take a while to catch the fish and prepare 'em." His friend voiced with worry, "Can we even have lunch?"

"Unless one of us brought hardtack then we might have to skip lunch, Donny. Sorry about that." Mark apologized as he scratched the back of his head. Damn it. I should have accounted for this. Hunger and thirst are the greatest enemies of many armies. Well, not just armies. How exactly do I fix this?

As Mark was about to suggest that they cut the training short and head back early, he noticed the curious look in Donnel's eyes as he examined the grass before them. "What's the problem buddy?"

The pot-wearing boy knelt on one knee to examine the ground closer and hummed in deep thought with narrowed eyes. "There be odd tracks 'ere. An' they's quite fresh too."

"Tracks?" With that observation, Mark crouched by his friend's side to see what it was. "Oh wow, you're right Donny."

There were swathes of grass flattened and torn from the ground, mostly from two types of tracks left behind. With what knowledge the farmboy and his mother taught him of hunting and tracking, the scent alone told him it was new, perhaps just minutes or an hour old. "What're they?"

"First one 'ere are footprints." Donnel answered as he pointed at the aforementioned shape with the butt of his staff. "And they's bigger than us. Judgin' by the shape and scent…prolly wearin' some armored boots?"

"Wait, really?" His eyebrows all but shot up to his forehead at the information he casually provided. "How sure are you that they're wearing boots?"

At his inquiry, the young farmboy simply shrugged. "High chance of it. It helps that Pa works with Smith Pira so I know what they oughta look and smell like."

"I see…" Mark trailed off as he made a mental note to practice hunting and tracking again. It was times like these that reminded him all too well that for all the knowledge and skill he had so far, there was always more to learn. "Anyway, what about these ones?"

Donnel focused on the marks he pointed at, two pairs of long lines that were relatively parallel to each other but narrower than the footprints in between them. "Some kinda cart or something with wheels…but I ain't seen anything like this, what a mystery."

"Then it's gotta be brand new." He deducted then asked, "Did your dad say anything about Smith Pira? Like, did they work on something new or a commission of sorts?"

The lamp in his friend's head practically lit up. "Matter of fact, Pa did say Smith Pira was busy with something. But it was piece by piece. He couldn't make head or tails 'bout it."

"So whoever got them made probably finished the job on their own." Mark concluded. "I do hope that they're friendlies."

And by goodness, he hoped whoever it was could be friendly. It was hard enough living a life where he and his mother had to conduct a secret census of Farfort monthly just to make sure that they were safe.

Wait, could this be what kept mother away for a while? Mark thought as he remembered what she had told him before, and this could be his chance to know. He could find out who this mystery was if they were friend or foe. If it was a friend—and he had high hopes it was since his mother was in a good mood despite seeming tired when she returned—then he could be a friend too!

This time, maybe, he could prove that he was ready.

"Hey Donny, do you think you can track where this all goes to?" The now-eager tactician asked as he stood up and stretched his limbs to prepare for a trek.

"Wait, what?" The shocked farmer shot him a look as he got on his feet, arms spread wide. "The heck would I do that for Mark? I'd rather we just get some berries for a snack and then go home."

"Come on, Don! Aren't you curious about this? Maybe whoever this is has some food with them." Mark insisted and if he had to be honest, he really was hoping that whoever this was, actually had food to spare. He then pointed his thumb at the sky, where there was no flying shape, or rather, hawk to be found. "Besides, we've already gone this far and I've already bribed Aigle to let us be; for the afternoon. Might as well make it a real adventure!"

Of course, what he did not say was what he had done to ensure that they could go on said adventure. The bribe he had given his guardian hawk was a treat laced with a concoction he discovered from making his modifications to Pepper Up. Where Pepper Up gave the consumer a boost in energy and wakefulness, his new brew was meant to do the opposite and gave lethargy instead. Now, he was pretty sure that Aigle was fast asleep.

It also helped that Mark hid Aigle in the basement to be extra sure. Hopefully, he can get home before his mother finds the bird and realizes what he did.

"Dunno 'bout that Mark. We don't know who they is." His friend stated as he tapped his shepherd's staff on the ground. "It's bad enough that there are rumors from the watch that they saw an unknown ship. Could be pirates for all we know."

That information caught him by surprise. "Wait, there are pirates?"

Mom hasn't told me anything about this yet. He thought.

"Yeah, but they ain't sure. Just a healthy amount of suspicion." A sigh left Donnel's mouth as he adjusted his pot. "Can't blame them though. It's hard enough to keep the island safe without an actual military force, even with your mom's efforts bein' an open secret of the Farfort."

"Still no official militia from the homeland, huh?" Mark pondered as he rubbed his chin. "Sooner or later, they'll have to come up with something, a volunteer force at minimum."

His younger friend blinked owlishly. "So, like our local watch?"

"Exactly like our local watch! But better trained and properly funded! Oh, maybe even a larger network to move around. There would probably be no shortage of volunteers for that. Just think of the possibilities." And that was a thought that got him excited. It was one thing to do mock simulations of troop movements, logistics, and tactics with his mother through their modified form of chess. But to be responsible for troops, to assure their safety and secure victory?

That would be the dream.

He snapped out of his fantasy and clapped his gloved hands together. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand! Can you please track them, Donny?"

"Damn it…I thought I lost you there." His friend groaned, prompting Mark to chuckle and pat him on the back.

"Almost did buddy! I knew you had it in you." He complimented, fully sincere. 'So, can you do it, please?"

Donnel took a deep breath and released it with hung shoulders. "Fine. But if it is pirates and they kill us, I will haunt ya."

The statement merely made him chuckle again. That was fair. "Deal. I accept those terms!"

This is not how I imagined my afternoon would go. Donnel thought as he and Mark trekked the Rinne's riverside, following the long trails left behind by this mysterious person.

He expected some excitement, especially with his best friend around. But to come across something this strange when they were just having fun was curious.

To think that there was someone else on the Farfort. It gave him a healthy dose of suspicion since he knew all of the people of Farfort. Perhaps many were acquaintances at best, but the Farfort looked out for one another. However, there was one thing that made him need clarification, especially since he was the better navigator and tracker.

While he was examining it earlier, he was able to pinpoint where the likely origin of the tracks was with a glance at the sun and the direction of the wind as well as a good amount of trust in his gut. If his hunch was correct, the trail seemed to have come from the direction of his friend's house. Whoever it was, they were likely someone that Madame Macha knew, even the reason why she was gone for a while. With the eager curiosity and cluelessness that Mark displayed, it meant that they were about to meet someone only she knew of, and he worried about the reason why.

I just hope I'm not making a mistake. I don't want Mark to get hurt. Madame Macha would be devastated if he does get hurt! I would be devastated! He all but shouted his thoughts, before he paused as he realized something else. Wait, I could get hurt too. Ma would tan my hide! What the heck do I do?

As Donnel contemplated his fate and what he would like to write on his will, he was given a reprieve when Mark nudged him with an elbow. "How're you holding up? Think we're getting close?"

"I'm okay, Mark. I think." He answered honestly and then shrugged. "As for the second, probably? We don't exactly know how long the tracks go. For all I know, we just go upriver. Hungry and maybe a bit tired. Mind you, this is your idea."

The response Mark gave was an uneasy laugh. "I know, I know. I'll make it up to you. I swear."

"You better do and it better be pretty darn good." With that said and done, they continued their hike in search of the tracks' source.

They didn't stay silent long, not when an inquisitive mind and his own growing curiosity exchanged guesses out loud. Why would pirates go upriver? What if it was a bandit instead? Why would a bandit wear armored boots? What did he have that would require them to use a cart? Could it be that they were a merchant instead? But why go all this way out of nowhere where it was far from potential customers? And most importantly, did they have food to spare them?

Soon though, their questions would have answers as they reached the point where the fields met the woods and hills of the Farfort Isle. There the tracks lead to two figures they could see sitting underneath the shade of a tree with something made of metal and a dark material close by them. And the farmboy suddenly felt that he was intruding upon their privacy.

"Ohhh…so it wasn't one person then." The cloaked brunet pointed out as they approached. "Let's go and greet them, Donny!"

"What did you just say?" Donnel had only a moment to realize what his friend just said. Then, a moment more to notice that said friend was now only not by his side, but had picked up the pace, all but running towards the pair underneath the tree. "Mark, wait!"

He ran in pursuit of Mark, cursing that the boy's taller stature meant he covered more ground than he could. His only advantage was that his endurance allowed him to keep up. But that mattered little when his growing hunger sapped what stamina he had.

When he finally did catch up though, his friend's loud and apologetic shout rang clear in his ears. "Oh my god! I am so sorry!"

Wincing at the volume, the pot-wearing farmboy looked at what caused him to shout like that. Upon seeing why though, heat rushed to his face and he too bowed in a hurry. "We're so sorry for intruding! We didn't know!"

The reason why? The two figures were revealed to be a man and a woman, seemingly enjoying a picnic of sorts with the cloth laid beneath them and a large woven basket by their feet. What mortified them though was the realization that they were indeed intruding on them both.

For what else could explain the rather intimate way that the two held each other, or the fact that the woman was on top of what could be her partner?

He knew there were jests of lovebirds sitting underneath a tree…and ki...kis…the word starting with K! But he didn't expect to see or even be a cause of interruption! It was the first thing he learned and committed to memory not to do when his Pa and Ma had moony eyes for each other!

The rouge-haired woman dressed in the pretty white spring dress had all but buried her face in the man's chest as she hid from their view. The embarrassment she must have felt from being seen was palpable as she kept muttering, "This can't be happening."

On the other hand, the scarred man gave them a chagrined look with his steel and amber eyes as he held her in his arms, a sight that instilled fear and further mortification in them. It didn't help that there was a pair of swords near him on the tree roots. A deep sigh left him as he closed his eyes. "I hate my luck."

"We're so sorry to both'o ya!" He apologized. "Interrupting y'all wasn't our intention, believe us!"

A hand was placed on his shoulder and he turned to see Mark shake his head, regret and responsibility in his eyes. "It was my fault, I convinced my friend Donny to find out where the odd tracks we found came from. I initially thought it could be a pirate, a bandit, or an odd merchant since we practically know everyone on the Farfort. I apologize for interrupting your date."

All of them remained silent, not a word to be said as glances were exchanged.

Until it was at that moment that their stomachs chose to growl like hungry tigers.

"...I'm guessing you both haven't had lunch yet." The man said as he smiled wryly.

The two of them could only release an embarrassed laugh. "We were training a lot…and kinda forgot about the time. Then, we found your tracks so we kinda went off-track."

"Sorry we got off'a wrong foot." He continued. "I'm Donnel and my friend here's Mark,"

Again, the uncomfortable silence reigned, one he had hoped that his hasty introduction would break. Thankfully, it seemed that someone above took pity on them.

"...there's still some food in the basket." Though partly muffled, the woman's voice was audible enough to understand her message.

"You mean…" Donnel trailed off, trying not to hope as she adjusted from where she sat, a sight that made him blush at her and the man's intimacy. It made the feeling of regret rear its head as he saw her unclasp the intricate bird-shaped necklaces she and her partner wore. With how new they were, and how tailored it seemed for the pieces to have such a feature, was this jewelry for their engagement?

Wait, picnic and new jewelry?

He and Mark shared a panicked glance as they rapidly communicated without a word and came to the same conclusion. They didn't just interrupt a picnic date between these two.

We just interrupted their engagement!

This all but ensured his Ma would tan his hide if she knew about this!

"It's okay, boys." As they snapped out and tried to hide their apologetic panic, they found that the rouge-haired woman was now seated by the man's side, the shawl around her shoulders now placed on her head like a hood, hiding the upper portion of her face in its shadow yet her blue eyes seemed to shine through and ensnare them in her kind gaze. " You can eat what's left of our food. Honestly, Shirou made a bit too much."

"That's because you like it too much and making less would just lead you to ask me to make more." The man, who they assumed to be Shirou, commented dryly. Despite his delivery though, a grin stretched on his face.

"Hmm…that is true." The still-unnamed woman admitted as she leaned her head on his bicep while she intertwined her right hand with the man's left hand. Though it was covered in metal, she didn't seem to mind it before she held her free hand out to the covered basket. "Please, help yourselves. I know a thing or two about starvation. It's not a fate I wish for anyone to experience."

The words sent a jolt of terrifying emotions in Donnel as his gaze was drawn to her outstretched hand, where the faded remains of scars that encircled her wrist were plain to see. Though partially covered, her other wrist bore the same scars and so did the skin around the ankles of her bare feet.

He shared another glance with Mark as they came to terms with what that statement alone told them of her and her past. Combine that with what her scars implied of said past. It made them feel sick and angry. What sort of sick bastards would do this to her?!

"I know, you've got your questions and we will answer them," Shirou spoke up, drawing their attention to him, and again, Donnel flinched as he realized just how similarly scarred and aged the man looked.

Though it looked smooth, his face and what his clothes did not hide was a patchwork of two prominent shades of skin, one lighter and normal while the other was dark, almost like they were burnt. The vibrant red hair he had was speckled with white, the luster choked out. And this was despite the feeling he seemed to be only a little over twenty.

Does the armor hide something worse? Donnel couldn't help but think as he looked at the hand intertwined with hers. Even with the metal that encased it, more of which was hidden by the sleeve of his cloud-striped white coat, he could see how gentle it was as the thumb brushed over her scarred hand's back. He wondered what exactly these two had gone through and what brought them here.

"C'mon. Take the basket and have your fill. We'll wait."

"...if you say so Sir," Mark replied with a subdued voice as he took the offered basket and then pointed to the stumps a few paces away from their right. "Is it okay if we eat by the stumps over there? We don't want to disturb you two any further."

"A little bit late for that, don't you think?" The woman said, making the squirm before she giggled and smiled lightly. "I jest. Feel free to eat there you two. We'll get introductions later, yes?"

With that said, they gave their grateful nods as they walked off. As they did so, Donnel gave in to the urge to look back to see the couple. The two fell into hushed whispers as they embraced tenderly before he averted his eyes again.

"This is the last time I'm tracking anything for you."

At his words, his friend hung his head and sighed.

"Fair enough. Guilty as charged."

"How are you holding up?" Though the question was softly spoken and echoed in Robin's ears, it did not make the shudders she tried so hard to hide any easier. If anything, it just made it more apparent as she gazed at the retreating back of her brother and Donnel.

"I don't know." She answered Shirou as she sunk into his arms and latched onto their intertwined hands, focusing on the soothing circles he drew.

"It's…it's just too early. Seeing them like this." A long, audible breath left her lips as she spoke her mind, gripped by a sudden bout of exhaustion and muted terror. "They're both still so young."

With her mother, she had the benefit of getting used to her presence for a longer time and with no need to hide secrets. But to see her brother now, to see the innocence in his eyes and the fact that he had a friend with him and a mother who waited for him. Robin Daraen…Mark had yet to face the tragedies that would strip those comforts away from him. It made her heart ache.

He remained silent and a glance at his face told her everything. The way his eyes were narrowed, his brows furrowed, and how thin his lips were, were all indications of how frustrated he felt.

"Shirou?"

"This is my fault."

Robin's mouth thinned at the statement while he stared at the vast distance and the wheelchair nearby then back at her. "I didn't think about the tracks it could leave, not to mention my own."

"You couldn't have known that. It's an honest mistake." She hoped that would be enough to reassure him, but she knew that Shirou was a stubborn man. A fact confirmed when he shook his head.

"It still could have been avoided." He paused for a while as he gathered his thoughts to put them into words. "Today was supposed to…I just wanted it to be a good and peaceful day. Sure, what happened back at your mother's house was also something I didn't expect, but it is better. This though? What do we do now?"

What do they do now, that was indeed the question they faced. They had both promised her brother and the younger counterpart of her deceased friend that their questions would be answered. But to do so required them to navigate this with careful precision and one way to achieve it.

"Isn't it already obvious, Shirou?" With a hasty plan concocted, the pale tactician smiled as she pointed a finger at him. "We do it together."

The scarred champion raised an eyebrow at her, which soon caused the rest of his grumpy face to follow suit as he smiled. "That we do. It is our oath."

"And don't you forget it." She added before looking back at her brother and Donnel.

"Well then. What's the plan, my Empress?" He asked as she hummed in deep thought.

"Despite the unexpected interruption earlier, I'd say our cover is intact. Maybe a bit more effective than I thought it would be." Robin answered before she dissected the exchanges earlier and realized the primary obstacle. "I'll need to come up with a new name and perhaps a background for it."

"A new name and background for it you say?" Shirou piped up with a nod before he then added, "Let's lean into our background then."

"That's not a bad idea. Hold on, let me think."

A few minutes of thought later, she then recounted in whispers of the story that they were to present. She was someone held captive in Plegia for a long time, explaining away her prominent scars. As for the reason why she was held captive, she was a child of the Heir's supporters and therefore, an enemy of the Grimleal and the current regime of Plegia. The only reason why she was kept captive and not executed was because she was more useful alive than dead.

For Shirou, he was a wounded wandering Ronin who had made his way to Plegia at the dying request of the person who saved his life, another ally of her mother, which was to find and rescue her. Infiltrating Plegia, he soon managed to find her and make an escape plan. As the days passed while they prepared for their eventual escape, they found kindred spirits in one another and soon fell deep in love.

A snort then interrupted her.

"How deep?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

She blushed and playfully hit his chest. "Oh shush you."

They managed to fake her death and he escaped with her 'corpse' by sea. After evading any pursuers, their long journey eventually took them to the Farfort Isle where they were eventually found by Morgana and given a sanctuary. Thankful for this opportunity to live a peaceful life, she abandoned her name and decided she would take on a new name, one that was based on the river where their engagement had just been finalized.

"Your name would be Rinne then huh…" Shirou said with a particular stress on the name. His eyes focused as he began to repeat it like clockwork. "Rinne, Rinne…it feels a bit strange to say."

"Really? I could try another name if it bothers you." Robin offered despite her confusion, only to receive a no as he shook his head and just repeated the name continuously under his breath. Could it be that he's remembering something? Maybe someone named Rinne?

It was a reminder that though he was now her Knight, he was also a man who had lost his memories just as she had. If this helped him even a little bit to recognize who he was, then she would be glad to help.

"Now I remember." He replied as he stared at her once more. "You don't need to change it. It just has a lot of meanings."

"Meanings? That's interesting." She commented as she turned to look at the two boys, watching as they began to make audible sounds of delighted surprise as they ate the food. "Would you mind sharing them?"

"Alright then. We both know it means a long, narrow cut on a surface. Honestly, that describes this river well. And, I think it could also be a slope or a hillside." At his statement, Robin nodded, a proud smile on her lips as she realized the depths of his progress with their language. It was a term adopted from the Valentian continent before it was renamed. For Shirou to know this was quite impressive. "But in what I remembered of my language, it can be interpreted in several ways."

"Like what?" She asked, genuinely intrigued. If her hunch was right, his language bore similarities to Chon'sin's language and despite what little she knew of it, she knew it had a rather extensive writing system that lent to many definitions.

"By syllable alone? Way too many." Shirou admitted and the two of them shared a laugh. "To start, when put together, Rin…it could refer to solitude, dignity, coldness, or gem. On the other hand, the ne could then be defined as sound, peak, or tranquility."

Robin whistled, impressed and already liking what it meant from those alone. "Quite a lot of meanings already. What do I even choose for myself?"

"There's actually one more I'd like to share," Shirou confessed. "I believe it's rather fitting."

"Well, don't let me stop you." She said before she noticed that their two guests were picking up the pace, eating their meal with gusto. "Better hurry though, looks like fate will be upon us."

"Hmph. I'm getting there. Be patient." He responded in jest and she had to bite back a giggle. "Rinne as a whole word could mean circle or ring, to revolve. A cycle so to speak."

As if to punctuate, her sworn knight drew another circle on the back of her hand with his thumb. "More specifically, it refers to the cycle of death and rebirth."

Robin remained silent as she pondered over the information he had given and its implications for her. To be honest, it was rather fitting. She had died twice now and is currently living her third life. The purpose she had chosen to take was to break the tragic fate that would befall her family, not to mention what it meant for the world at large.

The cycle of the Daraen line's needless death would end and be reborn anew, free from the shackles of fate.

Tactician. Grandmaster. Queen. Twice Reborn.

Rebel. Conqueror. Empress. Fell Dragon.

No matter the role she would take. No matter the names or titles she would have to bear. All of it belonged to her. She was still who she was.

Be it as Robin Daraen or Rinne, she would tip the scales in her favor.

"Is that so?" The glamoured tactician finally spoke as she turned to her sworn knight, her smile confident. "Dear, don't forget to call me Rinne."

"Now why would I forget such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman?" He delivered with all seriousness. Still, it did nothing to hide the teasing glint in his gaze.

"My, you're becoming a bit too much of a tease." Robin, no, Rinne noted as she reached for his left cheek and pinched it again.

"Well, you make it hard not to be one, dear." Undeterred by her offense, Shirou returned fire as his free hand quickly mirrored her act but on her right cheek.

"Oho? Good one, we will need to keep this up." With that said she soon let go and so did he. laughing as the ache in their cheeks set in.

Her heart now lighter and determined, Rinne turned her gaze back at their now-approaching guests. Alright, here we go! Talk to my brother. That's all I have to do. Easy.

Shirou kept his face blank as much as he could as he watched their two guests sit down in front of them. Now fed and satisfied, they took their place on the picnic cloth which was large enough to accommodate them all. Politely, the two boys took off their accessories, the copper pot used as a helmet by the one called Donnel and the hood of the green cloak worn by Robin's brother called Mark.

Of course, he knew that 'Mark' was just a name for his disguise. Even now, he could smell the magic of the glamor from the boy's locket which gave him the tan and brown hair of a simple farmboy to hide his true royal appearance. What couldn't be hidden though was the curious amber peaking through the emerald green eyes.

So this is her brother, also called Robin Daraen. He mused as the conversation started.

"Thank y'all kindly for the meal." The youngest of them remarked with a grateful grin. "Mark and I haven't eaten anything like those great sandwiches. Ma would be jealous and begging for yer recipe Sir!"

Shirou hid a wince at the term. He could practically feel Robin—Rinne cracked a grin at his expense. "There's no need to call me Sir, Donnel. You can just call me Shirou. As for the recipe, I think I can write them down for you."

"Really?" The brunet exclaimed, his grin now very much looking like he'd been told his birthday would be celebrated early. "Thank you, Sir! I mean, Shirou! Just call me Donny!"

"You're welcome, Donny." He replied.

"Anyway, allow us to introduce ourselves." Rinne began. "This gruff here is my husband, Shirou. As for me, I'm Rinne."

The disguised brother blinked owlishly at the name, his eyes darting back and forth to her and the river. "Rinne? As in, like this river here? Sorry, that sounds a bit too much like a coincidence. Also, no last names?"

Even as the younger Daraen crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, she merely nodded and said. "I know how it sounds like and you have the right to remain apprehensive, so I'll say it outright. That's the new name I took for myself. To commemorate my new life and engagement together with my dear husband. Isn't that right dear?"

To punctuate this, the older Daraen sibling grabbed his arm again. This time, however, it was with both hands as she placed it between her—

Shirou fought to keep his face blank as the now red-faced boys averted their eyes from them and slapped their hands over their eyes for good measure. "Rinne, behave yourself."

"What? I can't show affection for my betrothed now? Look at me first before saying that." Rinne teased as she simply kept his arm trapped between her arms and the one thing he knew he had a good view of thanks to his height as well as her current attire. To look at her now would be a bad idea, no matter what he felt. It was as if something terrifying had awoken inside her.

"Okay! We get it! This is revenge for earlier. We really are sorry for interrupting!" The older of the two teenagers insisted in a hurry, not a gap to be seen from their hands as they shut their eyes tight. "Can we just go back to the topic at hand?!"

"Mercy please!" Donnel piped up.

Rinne hummed, seemingly deciding whether she would acquiesce to their request or go further. If it wasn't for the fact that it was working as a suitable detractor for certain questions that they may have, he would have also called her bluff and met it with one of his own.

"Very well then," she relented as she loosened her hold on his arm so that it wasn't nestled in her bosom but still kept it close enough that his ears burned. At her words and after a careful, respectful peek as they made gaps in their fingers, the two Farfort residents calmed down and turned to face them. "You've got questions. We have answers. Ask."

And ask they did, Shirou answered questions occasionally for clarification and when it was directed at him. Mostly though, it was the two Daraen siblings who steered and traded the conversation. It was almost like watching a verbal match between two sharp minds, only it was a friendly spar where probing questions were met with well-constructed answers to facilitate understanding.

There were secrets of course, and both sides knew the other withheld something. However, the fact there was someone to match wits with made the two forget and just enjoy themselves. It was a conservation for family, even if one of them did not know of it, not yet anyway.

"So that's why Mom was so secretive back then…" Mark muttered with a thoughtful look. "You're basically one of the few allies she could have. She just wanted to make sure that you can get another chance like she could."

"I and Shirou will have to prove ourselves worthy of trust to the Farfort still but that is the gist of our situation yes," Rinne replied warmly. "I'm just hoping that we can be given the chance to do so."

"I don't think you'll have much problem on that front Miss Rinne," Donny explained as he wiped away tears, the farmboy having become emotional when they gave their background. He was tempted to give him a handkerchief. "If Madame Macha vouches for ya, the Farfort will give y'all that chance."

"I think you overestimate Mom's influence there, Donny." The disguised teenager said, only to receive a look of disbelief from the other teenager in return.

"Have ya even seen how the folks react when yer Ma's in town? It's like they saw a royal arrive."

It took all three of them in the know not to flinch at that statement, though he could see the bead of sweat fall from Mark's forehead and the subtle gulp of Rinne. The farm boy was far closer to the truth than he realized.

"In any case, do forgive us." He eventually said, drawing their attention to him. "We want to keep our privacy for now so it'll take some time before we even think of going into town. Can we count on you both to keep us secret?"

The two friends briefly exchanged glances and nodded. "That's understandable." "There'll be plenty of time."

"Thank you both for understanding," Rinne said as she smiled, her eyes gleaming with gratitude. "Who knows, you might see us sooner than we thought?"

"Well, allow me to be the first one to do this for you then." Mark stretched out his right hand to her, a grin on his face. "Welcome to Farfort!"

"Wha, hey! I'm the local here. With the mess ya got us in I oughta be the one doin' that!" Donnel complained but his friend merely responded with a stinkeye.

"But that's exactly why I'm doing this. C'mon, Donny. Let me own up at least."

"Mmm. Nuh uh."

"Yuh uh."

As the two friends began to squabble in front of them which reminded Shirou of the mother and daughter pair, he looked at the daughter in question. His empress, his pretend wife or lover giggled as she watched, letting go of their intertwined hands in an attempt to cover her mouth and cease her laughter.

The attempt was unsuccessful, growing louder, but he believed that she didn't care. Neither did he as he joined her as well. Soon, the squabbling duo's own chuckles joined theirs. In that brief moment, he was glad that they had all met even if he knew it was too early. All's well that ends well.

"Hahaha, I feel welcomed already!" As their round of merry ended with smiles on their faces, the Disguised Daraen siblings turned to one another. "Thank you for the welcoming, Mark!"

"We're glad to have you here Miss Rinne!" He responded.

A gloved hand and one with a scarred wrist shook hands firmly, forging a camaraderie.

And the world was bright.

Up until it was not.

THOOM!

An instant later, a heartbeat rumbled as a vile purple mark pulsed to life and burned through the glove. The Heart of Grima, awoken by the resonance of blood.

Amber-tinged green and purple-tinged blue exchanged a look of horror as red filled their eyes, the colors of their glamor flickering like a dying candle as the black flames of Ignis erupted from their hands.

"ROBIN!" Not a second later, the Mark of Naga answered its champion's plight as he quickly raised his metal arm, coated in the azure flames of Aether to reach for the epicenter of the Ignis. His other hand, lined with glowing azure, snatched the oblivious, vulnerable boy away from the jaws of death before it reached him. Putting Donnel behind him, the same lines that now rapidly covered Shirou soon spread to the boy, and not a moment too soon.

The Fell Power erupted in a blaze of serpents while the Divine Binding flared out in a calm of branches.

"Finally! The last letter is finished." Morgan exclaimed as she wiped away a drop of sweat and made her way to the basement with a large stack of parchments and sealed letters. There she could keep all that she and her daughter had prepared before the time came to deliver them and enact their plans.

When she opened the door though, she came across a sight that shocked her deeply as her stack of parchment fell unceremoniously from her hands. Lying on the singular table she had there was her beloved hawk. Awake, but listless.

"What in tarnation? Aigle? What are you doing here?" Though the former royal called for him, the hawk remained lethargic and unresponsive. This prompted her to quickly make her way to him and examine him. She found traces of food and an unfamiliar fluid from his beak, the scent of which made her reach immediately for the vial of Pepper Up she kept in her coat and drink it to counter the effects of Sleep.

"No… No. No! You're supposed to be watching Robin and Donnel!" She shouted as panic welled in her heart. If her friend was here and couldn't run interference…then that meant—!

THOOM!

Ice cold filled her veins as she felt the pulse of the Fell Dragon's Power. Being the mother to the Heart of Grima, she had a connection to her son that went beyond blood. If she could feel this now, then so did the father.

Morgana turned her head in the direction of the pulse, terror gripping her. "My children!"

The two of them had met. The worst scenario. Her time would soon run out.

"Alright! Thanks for the quality sewing kit Pira!" Anna of Farfort exclaimed as she finished her examination of the tools she needed for her commission.

"Yer welcome!" Smith Pira answered before he then added. "Don'cha forget though. Ya better get me those materials I need!"

"Ah right, you're still obsessed with that black powder and that ancient schematic." The secret seller commented. "Quite the costly thing to obsess over."

"If it helps defend my people before and maybe long after I kick the bucket then it's worth the damn price." The blacksmith answered gruffly as he cleared his workspace.

"You do have a point." She admitted before she shrugged. "Well, I'm off to make my bestie's commission so see—"

THOOM!

Anna almost tripped as she felt the shockwave of familiar divine power, a power she knew only a select few people could use. One of them was her patron, and if her friend told her right, there was also the newest wielder of it. The same person she entrusted her newfound daughter to. Something happened.

"Whoa! Easy there lassie! What happened?" Pira asked in worry.

In response, she merely gripped the old smith's arm and began to pull them to the door. "No time to explain! We need to get to Morgana right now!"

My responses to the reviews (A Flame Anew II):

RedRat8: Well, you already know my reply but it does look like it doesn't it? Hahaha!

AinzNamikazeD: I've been wanting to reveal it for a while now.

Gaaaaaaaah: Thanks for the review! Glad you thought it was adorable!

LockeBelmont: Thank you for the review! As for that one, she has plenty of reason to, both for practical and personal reasons. If you thought the plot has thickened, I wonder what you'll think of this chapter.

prietar: Rings? They're necklaces. Though Kanshou and Bakuya did serve as inspiration.

DragonTetho: Let's go indeed! As for their reactions, it will come eventually.

Pqminh: *revives you with defibrillator* You can't die yet, I want to know if this chapter killed you too!

JumpingToaster: First of all, thank you for your review. I admit that I would also prefer if stories with a similar premise were actually explained and made sense, which I've strived to do with Kintsugi no Fusei. As for the Code Geass thing, it'll be pretty minor and what I do make use of it has been in my plans for a long time now.

Author's Notes:

*gets out of confessional with Kirei, turns to the audience*

Hello there everyone! It is I, Will S. LaVi!

How did you all find the chapter? I've been itching to write this ever since I included it in my notes!

What specifically? It's the moment where Robin the Brother a.k.a Mark has his Heart of Grima Mark awakened by accident due to Robin the Sister a.k.a Rinne. As for where this leads, you'll have to find out in the next chapter.

Anyway, don't hesitate to tell me what you thought of this chapter in a Review. Seriously, reviews do help me when it comes to writing. Love it or Hate it, do tell me for improvement!

I hope I was able to entertain you all!

Till next time, this is Will S. LaVi.

P.S. I sound like a broken record but FF currently has email alerts down (again) so do follow me on either AO3 or SpaceBattles. (Don't forget to say hi!) You may also join my discord server, where the cover artist of KnF and I have posted art for the story.