Chapter XII: Together
The javelins descend in slow-motion, like I'm witnessing it through a camera lens powered by adrenaline and pumping blood. I hear every thundering beat of my heart as the deadly intent of those spears inches closer to Chrom. She's too far away for me to do anything. Sumner isn't coming either. And so I stand in petrified horror, helpless.
Unlike me, however, the other Shepherds aren't paralyzed. They spring into action. Sullivan and Stana spur their horses forward, looking like fabled knights of old quite literally bent on saving the princess. Virginie fires an arrow, her usual boastfully suave disposition replaced by urgency. Her projectile nails a falling javelin and knocks it off course. Woah. That's some Hawkeye shit right there. Vaiva unleashes a roar, sprinting toward Chrom, spiky blonde mane bouncing. Liston, while clearly scared, lifts his staff, ready to heal. Robin and Miro hurl magic at the battlements, forcing the soldiers on top to retreat out of view. Freya desperately tries to reach her liege before its too late. And Kelda…
Kelda's in front of Chrom! The bulky giant raises her hefty shield, protecting Chrom behind a wall of metal. The spears ping harmlessly to the ground. I don't even bother to wonder where the hell Kelda came from. All I feel is relief.
"Get to those trees! We're exposed out here!" Robin yells, throwing an arm in the direction of a small grove. They acknowledge Kelda with a nod but decide to save any words of gratitude for a later, less likely to be perforated, date.
It takes a moment for the life to return to my legs. An arrow imbedding into the ground a few feet away is more than enough to get me moving, though. Soon, our group is huddled together between the trees, sheltered for now from the Feroxi bombardment. Liston gathers Chrom into a tight hug while slathering Kelda with nigh incomprehensible praises. Kelda flushes, waving it off, seeming rather out of place in the spotlight.
A cough from Robin breaks the mood. "As thankful as I am for Kelda's timely intervention," Robin says, smiling sincerely at the big knight, "we have some pressing concerns right now."
Several Feroxi soldiers encroach on our position, having come down from the walls to engage us. Their strategy appears to be a two-pronged assault, as one squad closes in directly from our north while another from the opposite end of the gatehouse to the east. Unlike the bandits in Southtown, these men and woman are properly outfitted with professional gear. We're facing trained warriors, not street thugs.
"I agree. We ought to focus on the situation at hand," Freya says, but I notice her eyes flicker to Kelda briefly. "Loathe as I am to trust them, Robin might offer some valuable insight in this. Do you have a plan, Robin?"
Ten pairs of eyes, mine included, fixate on Robin. The tactician spins in a circle, surveying the entire area. I have to admire Robin's instantaneous segue into formulating our defense. No hesitation whatsoever. Honestly, all the Shepherds showed amazing spirit when Raimi ordered the attack. Each one of these people is a stalwart hero. And then there's me. Who just stood there like a deer in headlights. Damnit.
Robin speaks. "We're being flanked. Those soldiers on the wall have us pinned here. We're outnumbered as well. Tactically speaking, the Feroxi troops have the advantage."
Vaiva spits into the snow. "Ya don't say? Know what I think? I think the Vaiva here needs to go out there and crack some heads."
"And you'll get to, if you let me finish," Robin says evenly, a familiar light entering their eyes. "The Feroxi guard have no cavalry. But we do. The soldiers approaching from the east haven't covered much ground yet. If Freya, Sullivan, and Stana charge out to meet them, we can rout that side easily. I don't see any mages either. Miro and I can use our magic from here to keep the men on the wall at bay. That leaves Chrom, Vaiva, Virginie, and Kelda free to deal with the group from the north. Liston, you'll be with them, as this is where we're mostly likely to take some hits. Finally, we climb those stairs, break down the doors, and clean house."
They don't mention me. Unsurprising. But I still need to ask. "What am I doing during all this?"
Robin doesn't miss a beat. "You're staying here with Miro and me. And that is an order." They turn to Chrom for support. The princess stares at me in a way that leaves no room for any argument. Not that I would. Robin's plan is solid. Just as solid as the last one. I'm not fucking anything up this time.
"Alright, Shepherds! You all heard Robin!" Chrom says, taking my silence as compliance. "Get ready for combat!" She draws Falchion and squares up beside Vaiva.
"As soon as Miro and I hit the soldiers on the wall, I want you three to move. When you've finished with them, wait until Chrom and the others have taken care of this side. Then attack the east door," Robin explains to our three mounted troops. The knights nod and form a wedge, pulling the reins on their horses as they prepare for battle.
With the Shepherds in formation, Robin looks to Miro. The mage adjusts his spectacles and begins conjuring a flame in his right hand. Electricity sparks in Robin's palm as they murmur words from their open tome. Both spells impact the wall simultaneously, chunks of stone ricocheting in all directions. Yelps from above sound through the dust as the pair readies for another blast.
Freya leads Sullivan and Stana across the open field of snow. The incoming charge startles the Feroxi units, and they backpedal rather than hold their line. Freya deals the first blow, her lance finding the arm of a swordsman. Of course, these are human beings, not Risen, so the man shrieks and hacks at the shaft of Freya's lance. She withdraws the polearm before he can do any noticeable damage. Sullivan and Stana enter the fray with crunching force, Sullivan trampling the wounded soldier and Stana bringing her sword down onto a spearman's helmet. I'm not positive her strike is fatal due to the headgear, but he crumples and doesn't rise.
It's a sort of gruesome beauty to watch the trio fight, years of training revealed on the battlefield as organized destruction. Even mild-mannered and easy-going Stana transforms into a woman of singular purpose: to defeat the enemy. And that she does. As Robin predicted, the knights make short work of the eastern detachment. The whole skirmish takes maybe a minute. Phase one of Robin's plan is a resounding success.
"Hey, Chrom," Vaiva says, nudging her in the ribs. "How 'bout we have a friendly competition, huh? First one to take down one of them Feroxi numbskulls wins. Whaddaya say?"
Chrom eyes the woman in disbelief. "Seriously? I don't really think—"
Vaiva thumps Chrom on the shoulder. "What? Afraid the Vaiva's gonna make your royal princess-y-ness look bad?"
"Now, hold on just a—"
The tan warrior brandishes her axe. "Too late! We got company!" The northern party of troops reaches the edge of the grove, hesitant after the obliteration of their comrades. "Teach is here, and class is in session!"
Vaiva beckons Chrom to join her as she barrels into an archer, who puts up his bow as a meek resistance. Kelda lumbers out of the trees, her lance tucked under her arm in a braced position. Virginie uses Kelda's broad form to block enemies from targeting her and launches an arrow at the gang of Feroxi soldiers.
"Gods, Vaiva," Chrom mumbles. She waves to Robin and sets off, Falchion firm in her two-handed grip. Liston trails after his sister, shaking his head.
For all Vaiva's rashness, the woman can fight. Her "competition" with Chrom is settled quickly, as the archer eats the blunt end of her axe in the face. Dude never had a chance. Vaiva leaps over the unconscious body, beaming at Chrom.
"See that, Chrom? Teach rules." She kisses a bicep.
Chrom trips an oncoming challenger, sending him sprawling. "You didn't even give me time to get out here!" she argues. "Sweet Naga, why am I even bothered by this?"
"Just admit you lost!" Vaiva shouts, parrying away a spear tip with fluid ease.
"I can't have lost if I didn't get to play!" Chrom counters, bashing the man on ground with Falchion's pommel.
"Whatever." A wicked grin upturns Vaiva's lips. "Chromaralina."
I can't see that well from the grove, but for all the world it looks like Chrom's eye twitches. Her defeated opponent receives a devastating kick to the groin. Ow. Double ow. A second soldier intercepts the princess, pausing to wince at the fallen man. Falchion shimmers as Chrom batters aside a strike intended for her stomach. She retaliates, lashing out nimbly. The Feroxi woman is quick, though, and dodges left. The two fence in a heated dance, Chrom slowly gaining the upper hand. Eventually, Chrom's superior skill overwhelms the woman and disarms her in a flourishing, hooking maneuver, using Falchion's center hole to pry the weapon away. I almost clap.
Chrom holds her sword level with the woman's chest. "Yield," she commands. The woman lifts her hands in surrender, eyes trained on the blade inches away. Chrom's gaze flits to ring of keys hanging from the soldier's belt.
"Do any of those keys open that door?" Chrom asks, gesturing towards the stairs leading up to it.
The woman doesn't answer at first but changes her mind once the princess presses Falchion's tapered point into her chest. "Y-Yes… This one here." She taps a key.
"Good." Chrom suddenly rotates and drives an elbow against the woman's chin. Instant KO. She taps the soldier's side with her boot. "Sorry. Can't really afford to watch you right now." Chrom nabs the key ring, jangling them at Robin.
The tactician ceases fire on the battlement and sends Chrom a thumbs up. Vaiva, Virginie, and Kelda finish dispatching their respective opponents, leaving only the gatehouse itself to be stormed. Liston heals some minor scrapes and bruises, but on the whole we emerge unscathed from this round of fighting. The Shepherds work incredibly well as a team. Not only are they formidable individual warriors, but they know exactly how to complement one another in the midst of battle. Vaiva and Chrom's friendly rivalry enhances both their performances. Stana and Sullivan operate almost as different sides of the same coin. Virginie, despite being new, provides invaluable ranged support. And not least of all is Robin, someone who little more than a week ago had never met even one of these people. You'd never know just by looking. It's impressive. That's an understatement, really.
"Virginie, you stay here with Michael. Your arrows won't be much use against some of these heavy infantry," Robin says, unsheathing their sword and casting a glance at the door. "OK, everyone. Let's make this fast. They won't know what hit them." The tactician and Miro exit the grove, linking up with Chrom.
Virginie wears a miffed expression, haughtily tossing her hair, but stays quiet. She trots towards me in dignified annoyance. Chrom places a foot on the staircase's bottom step. "On me!" she declares, bounding up the stairs. The others follow promptly, eager to see this conflict ended. I gaze across the field, just glimpsing Freya leading Sullivan and Stana up their side. Soon, the Shepherds vanish from sight, and I only hear war cries and clashing metal.
"I do so wish our illustrious strategist would not deprive me further opportunity to display my gift with the bow," Virginie bemoans, languishing theatrically against a tree trunk. When I don't respond immediately, she continues. "For there are such fine men, such rugged bastions of manly hew to impress!"
I count on my fingers. "So… you mean Sullivan? Because Liston and Miro are hardly "manly." And Sumner's…" I trail off. Where is Sumner? He should be here. Concern aggravates my thoughts.
Virginie saunters closer. "Nonsense! Handsome Liston and distinguished Miro are as strapping as any! Why, I daresay their taut bodies and lean—"
"You can stop any time," I cut in, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Ah, dearest Michael, what plagues you? Perhaps you believe I have forgotten you? Fear not! The end of time itself could not keep me from you! Others may think you hapless, even bungling, but I, generous Virginie, only find you most appealing." She tries her best sultry stare. I don't think my eyes have ever rolled harder than in that moment.
I ignore her ode. "Aren't you worried about Sumner? He should have caught up by now."
She nods. "Sumner, proof that a sensitive man ignites fire in a maiden's heart!" Virginie withers slightly under my glare. "Er, I mean, yes. Of course, I'm beset with trepidation over his welfare. But I assure you, Michael, Sumner is no lost babe in the woods."
As if on cue, the beating of wings sounds overhead. Sumner glides in from the south, a second pegasus tagging along behind. Thank God. I run into the snowy clearing, waving my arms above my head and shouting. Virginie darts after me, adjusting the hem of her blouse. Sumner descends upon seeing me, hovering a few feet in the air. The other pegasus touches down, prancing and whinnying.
"Oh, joyous reunion! Darling Sumner—"
"Just shut up, Virginie," I snap and turn to Sumner. "Chrom and the rest of Shepherds are fighting with the Feroxi border guard. Their idiot of a leader thinks she's a bandit." I keep my explanation concise.
Sumner gives the gatehouse a grim look. "I saw two groups fighting on my way in. Seems I was right to fear the worst."
"Sorry I couldn't be the bearer of better news," I say apologetically.
The pegasus knight grips his lance. "Watch my girl here," he says, pointing at the grounded pegasus. "I'm going to help the Captain!"
He directs his mount higher and sails over the wall, leaving Virginie and me with the winged horse. I eye the beast tentatively. While the pegasus appears nearly identical to the one carrying Sumner, I can tell this isn't the wounded creature he aided earlier. There aren't any dressings or bandages, so I assume this pegasus is Sumner's original. Makes sense. I doubt the other would have just followed him.
Cautiously approaching, I hold a hand out at arm's length. "There, there, girl," I whisper. "Let's get you into these trees, alright?" The pegasus allows me to stroke her muzzle. I'm silently thankful Sumner and I share a similar bond with animals. I guide her back to the safety of the grove using gentle words and reassuring pats. She nips affectionately at my fingers, and I feel myself smiling. What a sweetie.
"Would you but look upon me the way you do this majestic creature!" Virginie croons. "My heart flutters at the very notion!"
I scowl at the frivolous archer. "Do you hear yourself?" I ask, eyes narrowing. "And what exactly are you implying? That I want to have relations with a horse?"
Virginie pales, frantically shaking her head. "N-Not at all, good sir! What a most uncouth suggestion! I merely… um… that is to say… I apologize. I meant no offense," she says, finishing on a note of surprising sincerity.
"It's fine," I reply, sighing. Virginie exhales, like she'd been expecting something far worse. "Just… take it easy on the flirting."
She looks aghast. "I do not flirt. A noblewoman does not flirt. I bestow chaste affection, pour forth passion to buoy wanton hearts!"
"Right," I say incredulously.
Virginie toys with a strand of hair before tapping a manicured finger on her chin. I get the feeling she's about to enlighten me about some aspect of her personality. Unfortunately, the Law of Interrupting Catastrophe… well… interrupts.
The gatehouse opens, a platoon of Feroxi troops marching through.
Reinforcements? That is so not fair.
The soldiers split, forming two lines, one going east and the other west. They hug the wall, keeping close and moving fast. Headed towards the staircases, I assume. But why come outside? Wouldn't it be more efficient for reinforcements to arrive from inside the fort?
"Those sly dogs seek to entrap our companions, making retreat nigh impossible," Virginie says, an uncharacteristic graveness to her voice.
Hearing Virginie, it clicks. If they block the stairs, we have no way out. Chrom and the others are sitting ducks. "This is bad. Really bad," I say, starting to panic.
Virginie puts a hand on my shoulder. "We must act swiftly." She notches an arrow.
"Wait! There's only two of us! And I can't… I can't even fight." Robin told me to stay out of the battle. Last time I disobeyed orders, someone almost died.
Her eyes blaze. "You would rather do nothing and let our comrades perish?"
"N-No! But what can we do? I'm not… I don't…" The words die in my throat. Virginie's right, though. I'm just so useless. I'm no good out there. I'm me.
"But do you care about them, about anyone, more than yourself?"
Robin's question echoes in my mind. I have a chance to do the right thing. I attacked that Risen for selfish, stupid reasons. I wasn't trying to help anyone. I wasn't trying to protect my friends. But this is different. This isn't about me.
I want to change. I want to be better.
For them.
I face Virginie, fists trembling. "Shooting at them will just get us killed. We need to warn Chrom and the others somehow."
She lowers the bow. Both our gazes land on the pegasus. It's all we've got.
"Can you ride one of these?" I ask Virginie.
The archer appraises the pegasus. "I've never had the pleasure, I'm afraid. But it cannot be so different from its wingless counterpart." She walks up to the pegasus, attempting to touch its flank. The beast bucks, snorting and recoiling. Guess Virginie's charm doesn't apply to pegasi.
"I'll give it a try." I repeat my previous actions, when I coaxed her into the grove. She whines a bit, but I caress her mane and press my forehead into her neck. "Sumner's in trouble up there. He needs your help. We need your help. Please?"
Sumner's pegasus seems to understand her owner's plight, looking at me with intelligent eyes. I wave Virginie over. "I think she'll let us ride her now," I say, mussing the hair on the back of my head. "But I have no idea what I'm doing."
"Sadly, we do not have the luxury of preparation." Virginie inclines her head toward the pegasus. "After you, good sir."
I gulp. OK, Mike, first step is to get on the thing. Just like back on your grandparents' farm. Remember Rocket? You rode around on him all the time. Of course, Rocket couldn't fly. That's kind of ironic, considering the name, isn't it?
Breathing deep, I clear the nervous thoughts. Climbing aboard the pegasus is fairly easy, despite Sumner having transferred the saddle to the other one. I offer Virginie a hand and haul her up behind me. She wraps her arms around my waist. To her credit, I'm ninety percent sure it's because she doesn't want to fall off and die. Even Virginie knows when to be serious.
"Onward! Let us soar through the open sky on this magnificent steed!"
Or maybe not. I tug softly on the winged horse's mane. "Alright, girl… uh… fly?"
I don't expect the pegasus to actually go airborne after one prompt. So, when she flaps her wings and begins gaining altitude, I yelp and cling to her. We rise high above the trees, the soldiers below shrinking. I hear the twang of a bow string as Virginie looses an arrow before grabbing me again. It takes the Feroxi guards a moment to realize where the shot came from. They point at us, one of them hurling a javelin that well misses the mark. I swat my heels against the pegasus, urging her forward. As I do so, I make the mistake of looking down. That's pretty high. Like, really high.
Holy shit, we're flying! The revelation that I'm riding a mythical creature hits me as a tremulous lurching of the stomach. We're flying. In a sense, it's incredible. But mostly, it's fucking terrifying. Sumner's pegasus zips toward the Longfort. From this height, I see the Shepherds duking it out with Raimi's forces. It's going well. Freya and Chrom have Raimi cornered. However, there'll be a reversal of fortune should these reinforcements surprise them.
Mercifully, the pegasus requires little steering to ferry us over the wall. Sumner sees us first, banking to glide alongside.
"Michael?! Virginie?" he shouts, plainly confused. "What are you doing here? I asked you to watch her, not fly her!"
"There's reinforcements coming up the stairs, Sumner! They're trying to surround you all. We need to tell Chrom and Robin. Now!" I jerk my head at the pair for emphasis.
Sumner grimaces, but otherwise remains calm. "I'll warn them. Land somewhere safe!" He shifts away and plummets toward Chrom in a burst of speed.
Land? Yeah, I'd love to. Problem is, I sort of don't know how.
Virginie senses my conundrum. "Perhaps another word of encouragement might be appropriate?"
Well, it's worth a try. "Say, you wouldn't mind landing, would you, girl?" I ask the pegasus.
She tucks her wings in response, diving. We accelerate rapidly, and I clutch the pegasus with all the strength I possess while Virginie squeals not unlike a tea kettle.
"I SAID LAND! NOT KILL US! SLOW DOWN!"
My screaming has no effect. Just when I think we're about to become lovely red stains on the stone, the pegasus unfurls her wings, creating a massive amount of drag. She gracefully gallops onto the ground, ambling to a stop. Virginie and I both roll off, splaying out as human puddles. Never again. Never again will I ride a pegasus. And to think I called her "sweetie."
A couple dozen yards away, Chrom trades blows with Raimi. Robin's following Sumner back toward the west staircase, Vaiva and Liston accompanying. Freya and Kelda cover the east while Stana and Sullivan keep the few remaining soldiers still fighting near Raimi occupied. After a quick search, I locate Miro leaning over the battlement, raining fire down into the west stairwell. I sigh in relief. The reinforcements didn't get the jump on us. I flip sides to check on Virginie. She's already bolting to the battlement opposite Miro to assist Freya and Kelda.
Which leaves me doing nothing. I successfully averted a potentially deadly situation for the Shepherds, but here I am, standing like some kid who got picked last for dodgeball. Honestly, Sumner's pegasus did most of the work anyways. There has to be something more I can do. Not something foolish, though. Not something I only do to look cool or feel less shitty. If I ever want to be a true Shepherd, someone who puts others first, someone who doesn't take his friends for granted, someone who does what's right simply because it's right, then I need to act like one.
Awareness. The most important rule of combat. What do I see? What do I hear? What do I sense?
Chrom. Her breathing's labored, shoulders low. Her movements aren't as crisp. Falchion lacks impact against Raimi's heavy armor, failing to find weak spots or bouncing off entirely. The length of the Feroxi knight's lance prevents Chrom from dealing more than superficial damage. Chrom is talented, a prodigy even, but this is like watching a guy with only a handgun try to take out a tank.
Everyone else is busy waging their own battles, and Chrom is too stubborn to call for help. If this goes on, she could be seriously injured. The battle's not worth winning if we lose Chrom. More than that, she's my friend. I want to help her. Not because I owe her, not because of a debt. But because friends never abandon each other.
I tell Sumner's pegasus to stay put. For this to work, Raimi can't see me coming. Chrom either; she'll probably yell at me to keep back. A flying horse is a bit of a dead giveaway. I circle around Chrom and Raimi, maintaining a wide berth. Slightly hunched, I creep toward them. At this angle I maximize my odds of an invisible approach. I'm to the side of both fighters, gambling that the taxing duel impairs their peripheral vision. All I need to do is get close enough to sprint the final distance.
A little more.
Almost there.
Just another step.
NOW!
I call upon my inner Usain Bolt and run. Faster than I've ever ran before. Chrom and Raimi turn just as I'm about to lunge.
Last time, I lunged for my own selfishness.
This time, I lunge for Chrom's sake.
"What the—" Rami tries to pivot, but I slam into her. Tackling metal armor feels a lot like when I belly flopped off the high dive as dare in the sixth grade. Long story short, it hurts. Raimi topples, and we go down. She scores a punch to my kidney, not a clean hit, but enough to send explosive, excruciating pain throughout my lower back and abdomen. It's as if she injected napalm into my organs. I'm gonna piss blood, aren't I?
I'm half-conscious, delirious after Raimi's iron fist. She shoves me off, flailing like an overturned crab. But my gambit worked. Chrom places Falchion under Raimi's chin, her blue irises flashing triumphantly. The Feroxi woman curses, letting her lance roll away from her fingers. Victory.
"Surrender. You've lost," Chrom says, sounding winded. "Will you now accept that I am Chrom, princess of Ylisse, sister to Exalt Emmeryn, and bearer of Naga's Mark?" Chrom must be pretty peeved to rattle off all those identifiers.
Raimi glares before closing her eyes with a sigh. "Aye. I submit. I see now that I was mistaken. No brigand imposters could fight with the honor and valor of your men. A thousand apologies, Princess Chrom."
Chrom retracts Falchion, extending a hand in its stead. "Apology accepted. If you call off your guard."
The reverberating bass of Raimi's horn floods the air, a singular note signaling defeat. Shepherds and Feroxi alike gather on the Longfort roof, animosity lingering but repressed. Chrom kneels next to me, her hand on my arm.
"Gods, Michael, where's your common sense?" she scolds, examining my prone form. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." I wince. My kidney throbs as if angry about the lie.
Chrom hollers at Liston, who's currently healing a wounded Feroxi soldier. Generous, considering they just tried to murder us. "Michael's injured. He won't say how, though," Chrom tells Liston when he arrives.
"Are you always a blockhead, Mike? I swear to Naga you get dumber every day," the healer gripes, lifting up my tunic. My skin is already bruising where Raimi slugged me. Healing magic seeps into the tissue, an instant balm. Liston bops me lightly on the head with his staff once he's done. "What did you do, you griffon-brained clod?"
"He jumped on the Feroxi captain." Chrom eyes me harshly until her expression softens. "And won me the fight. I… I was losing when he pulled that stunt." Her voice won't decide whether to be thankful or irritated.
I sit up, twisting my spine to test the muscles. No pain. My boy, M.D. Liston. "Just doing my part," I say, shrugging.
Chrom frowns. "Your part was supposed to be staying out of the battle." She pushes her hair back, the frown transiting to a small smile. "What am I going to do with you, Michael?"
"Sing my praises? Reward me in gold and diamonds? Throw a banquet?" I joke, laughing awkwardly. My lips feel dry. "Chrom… I did what I had to. When people you care about need help, you help them. I'm trying to be someone who does that."
Chrom and Liston share a look, brief and knowing. "Thank you." Chrom clasps her hand in mine. "Thank you."
Raimi clearing her throat saves me the task of responding coherently. "Pardon the interruption, milady. I would like to discuss your audience with the Khan. As a sign of goodwill, I will escort you to the capital personally."
The princess rises. "I'd greatly appreciate that. If it is not too much to ask, may my companions and I rest here for the night?"
The blonde nods. "I'll arrange accommodations at once." Raimi bows her head and starts to leave but pauses to stare at me. "Your man there. He's a brazen one." I can't tell if it's a compliment or an insult. Probably both.
Raimi clomps toward one of her troops, barking orders. Robin hobbles past, harboring a limp. "Well, it's like her whole demeanor changed. Might have been nice to see it earlier," the tactician says, greeting Chrom, Liston, and me with a wave.
Seeing their limp, Liston yanks Robin's sleeve. "Sit. Stop putting weight on that leg," he says sternly, to which Robin complies, albeit begrudgingly.
While Liston treats their leg—a nasty cut from mid-thigh to knee—Robin locks eyes with me. "Sumner told me what you did to bring us news of the reinforcements. You have my thanks, Michael."
OK, people, you all can quit with the gratitude. "Thank Virginie. She convinced me to."
"I've already done so. She tells me you flew the pegasus."
I rub my thumbs together. "I mean, it flew itself, really."
"Michael." Robin's smiling. "I'm saying you did a good job. Just accept it."
I'm not used to this kind of reaction. The opposite, sure, but not this. I'm the fuck up, remember? Disaster master extraordinaire. I stare at my boots, a tinge of heat on my ears. Did I do a good job? Maybe. I'm just glad everyone's safe.
Chrom informs Robin that we're spending the night, and the two talk at length about the road ahead. Apparently, this area belonged to Ylisse in the past, but Regna Ferox claimed it as part of a peace treaty following a war between the two nations. Chrom's great-great-grandfather was the last Exalt to rule over this territory. Robin devours the history lesson, and I admit that it's fascinating to me as well. Eventually, Ylisse decided the land to be less important than their friendship with the Khans. Good thing, too, since we need this alliance.
Vaiva and Sumner join our group in the middle of Chrom outlining the tactics Khan Quintus used against the Exalt during the Battle of Nixium Field. Robin scrawls notes in their leather-bound journal, sometimes looking up to exclaim "Brilliant!" or "Superb!" Vaiva, to Robin's immense displeasure, snatches the journal, proclaiming the whole affair a "snorefest" while insisting we listen to her harrowing tale of the day she wrestled a bull wearing nothing but a loincloth. She regales us every detail as Robin chases her in circles trying to recover their book.
The Shepherds join the growing ring of people one by one. Liston cackles when Sullivan trips Vaiva, Robin's notebook landing in Stana's lap. The kindred knight returns the book to a grateful Robin in spite of Vaiva's loud protests. Sumner attempts to pacify Vaiva, who promises revenge against Sullivan. The red-haired man just laughs, mentioning something about payback for the "poison nettle" incident.
This strange, impromptu meeting evolves into mirthful celebration of sorts. The chatter ranges from Virginie's "Seven Rules of Wooing" to Miro's (well, he gives credit to his mother) hypothesis that all things return to the ground due to some intangible force. Hang in there, Isaac Newton. You'll get it soon. I listen to the Shepherds share stories and snicker at inside jokes. These people are bonded. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced.
"Hey, Michael."
"Hm?" I blink from my reverie. Stana's messy ponytail bobs as she sits beside me.
"You seem lost in your own world over here," she says, flicking her eyes at the others.
I give a half-smile. "Ah, I'm just thinking."
"What about?"
Should I be honest? Yeah. I should. "The Shepherds are all so close. It's amazing."
Stana regards her friends with tender eyes. "We are. It's what makes us strong."
I study my hands, unsure what to say.
"You know why we were so upset after what happened with the Risen? Still upset, if I'm being straightforward." Stana's face is calm, mellow. I can only answer with a silent stare. She goes on. "Because we made you one of us. We trusted you to be a part of the team. What you did made us think you didn't respect us or want to be a real Shepherd."
"I know I'm not one of you." I rest my chin on intertwined knuckles.
"Actually," Stana says, watching Vaiva freak after Kelda suddenly appears behind her, "you are. When one of us falls, we all fall. I'm just an ordinary girl. But with the Shepherds, I'm more. More than I'll ever be alone. Together, we're more. Do you understand?"
"I… do." My eyes burn.
Stana smiles, genuine, sisterly, an upward curve borne from the deepest, most sacred place within the heart. "I'm glad, Michael." She pokes my side. "And I'm glad you're here."
As I sit near Stana, surrounded by people I never thought I'd know, tears patter onto the stone.
With the Shepherds, maybe I'll become more too. For the first time since waking up in this world, I feel a budding sense of belonging.
Author's Note: In the longest chapter thus far, Mike takes another step forward. Did you feel those feels? I felt the feels. I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I tried to give it healthy doses of action and character development. Writing Virginie's lines was especially fun. Quirky weirdos like her always make for some entertaining moments. Infinite thanks to Awakening for giving us these beautiful, beautiful creations. About Mike's memory loss, I know we didn't see anything more about it here, but don't fret! It's quite the important element.
Once again, thank you all for your support and continued readership. It's a blessing to write for people as awesome as you all!
Clutchvm- Nice to see another review from you! I'm glad I had you on the edge of your seat! And thanks for the "solider" catch. I think at least in my case, this happens because I type faster than my brain sometimes. Whoops.
Scorin- Yeah, I've been getting kind of excited about introducing the memory loss. We're definitely going to see more on that in the future. I hope this chapter proved to be an interesting addition to the story. And I must confess: part of me wants to do Freya's training. A very, very, very small part. Haha!
Geust- The lance, such a versatile weapon and backbone of many ancient armies. Don't forget it's the best weapon for an infantryman to face off against cavalry with too! If you're up for betaing, I'd be more than happen to discuss it with you.
Nitpick- I thought about what you said and decided to remove that part from the description. Good call.
RequiemAnon- Thank you for your continued reviewing! I enjoyed devising the training segments a lot. It's sort of fun to torture your MC. Hope this chapter was a worthy follow up!
NoteBlade- Har har, you've fallen into my evil trap! No, but seriously, I'm just trying to give Mike and the cast quality time together. Of course, ships are always on the table… :)
Huh, Suburu, eh? As much as I enjoyed Re:Zero, I never really thought about Mike in relation to him. Now that you mention it, they do have some similarities I suppose.
Serendipitous- As per usual, your reviews make me quite happy. The awareness training is meant to be both humorous and productive, so it's good to hear you liked it. I chuckled to myself writing those scenes. Mike's memory loss I hope garners a lot of speculation. It's certainly a mystery worth investigating. As for the rest of the genderbent cast, I have plans! Muhahaha! I'm sure you're rocking those finals! Keep it up!
aaronperla- Don't worry; your writing skills aren't trash. I really appreciated your review. To think I'm writing a story that breaks the mold and offers something new is really awesome! It's absolutely wonderful that this is your favorite FE story! I fully intend to see it through!
Shippersaurus- No worries! No review is too late in my book! Glad to hear you're invested (though I guessed from your previous reviews :D). I do hope I didn't worry you too much about Chrom. But as you saw here, she's A-OK. Lon'qu will appear soon! Mark my words!