It was nearly daybreak when Lon'qu returned from recon. Lissa was woken up by the sounds of his soggy footsteps in the grass as he returned to camp. She peeked her head out of her tent and watched Chrom and Frederick meet with him.

"How many?" Chrom asked.

"Easily two dozen," Lon'qu dried his head off with a towel. "They're all holed up in a large, decrepit fort. I estimate it fell to ruin before the last war. The men are veterans of their trade. Their equipment is suboptimal, but that wouldn't make much of a difference to a small village."

"But the prisoners," Chrom said. "Did you see any?"

Lon'qu narrowed his eyes. He slid his coat back on. "There were several people gathered in the center of the fort. They were holed up in a corner of the ruins, fenced in like cattle. I… don't know if their numbers are complete. I saw no signs of bloodshed."

"Why keep them?" Chrom wondered aloud. "It seems like a hassle."

"They may have no more use of the village, or its inhabitants," Frederick said. "Either they intend to kill them or sell them, to tie up loose ends."

"Sell them to who? Slavery is outlawed on this side of the desert."

"Outlawed, but not impossible. Perhaps we underestimated their diplomatic skills, and they may ride to Plegia. Their shore isn't far from here after all, it is feasible."

"We may not want to lead with that idea next we talk to the boy," Chrom said.

"It's pointless to keep things from him," Lon'qu said. "In fact… If I were you, Chrom…"

"Address your Captain as so," Frederick snapped suddenly.

"You saw it too, Lon'qu?" Chrom asked.

Lon'qu nodded. "The same when I first met your tactician, and I believe were he here, he'd share the sentiment. That boy has potential. Were he given the opportunity, he may prove instrumental in repelling these bandits." He glanced at Frederick and shrugged. "I'd never speak out of line, of course."

"Do men of your country so readily fling children into battle?" Frederick asked.

Lon'qu slung his Killing Edge to his belt. "I certainly didn't learn to fight by striking dummies in a yard," he slipped away into camp.

It was at that moment Lissa heard a twig snap right beside her tent. She saw Donnie lying prone in the grass, propped up by one elbow as he intently watched Chrom and Frederick talk. He beat his hand on the ground and grumbled something against his breath. He looked over his shoulder as he backed away, but then he glanced over Lissa, and their eyes met.

He wasn't wearing that pot on his head any more. His hair was curly. Very dark and curly. He looked a lot better now that the dirt had been wiped from his face. He had a nice tan, and besides a small scar on his cheek, his face was basically flawless. If he were dressed in a nice tunic or a suit, she'd never have taken him for a country bumpkin.

"Um, hi," he whispered. "Your graciousness."

"Hello," she whispered back.

"I meant nothing by it," he whispered. "I didn't know ya slept here."

"Hm? I couldn't hear you," Lissa crept out of her tent, and Donnie's face flushed.

"That's aright, forget I said anything!" he said. "I gotta git back to my mat before they get the wrong idea." And he scooted backwards until he was out of sight.

"Lissa!"

"Eep!" Lissa sat up. Chrom walked over to her tent.

"We move tonight, I want you ready to help."

"But what about Donnie's mom?" She said. She crept out of her tend and stood up. "We can't wait that long!"

"Get a new stave ready and meet with the other Shepherds in half an hour," Chrom said. "And change out of your gown before you leave your tent, please," and he walked away.

Lissa hadn't even noticed. Maybe that's why Donnel was flustered. She held herself and slipped back behind the folds of her tent.

Donnel studied his tin of soup and poked at it with his fork. The fire was the only light in the woods, the sun had yet to rise. Somebody gave him a powerful smack on the shoulder and he nearly dropped his breakfast.

"What's on yer mind?" It was Sully, the tall woman Shepherd. "You haven't made a sound since last night."

Donnel swallowed. "I mean no disrespect miss, but why haven't we deployed already?"

Sully shook her head. "It was pretty close to midnight when you showed up. We can't just go charging in blind, we need time to prepare. It'll be no help to your ma if we walk right into a trap."

"Yeah, but still…"

"Alright everybody!" Frederick clapped his hands, and every Shepherd stood at attention. "We've located the bandit's hideout, and their leader may very well be the person in question we've pursued for the last several days. The plan is thus, we depart in the evening. Till then, Virion and Sumia will scout the remainder of the island and provide us with an optimal area to dispatch to. We'll ford the river before sundown and reach the island by nighttime. Then, we move in carefully and strike the bandits down one at a time. We'll provide more details once its time to deploy. Sumia and Virion will depart immediately, everyone else, stay sharp. Dismissed."

"Um, sir!" Donnel stood up. He ran up to Chrom, jerking like a shy horse as he did so. "Sir, wh-why would we, that is to say, er…"

"Donnel, this is the best course of action," Chrom said. "Virion and Sumia need to confirm the prisoners' safety. If there's an emergency they'll send for us."

"I see… I guess that makes sense…" Donnel still struggled.

"I need you to be ready, you'll be coming with us," Chrom said.

"I am?!"

"Chrom?!" Sully had a start.

"Milord, I can't fight!" Donnel said. "Why, I never even stuck a pig before. I'm no soldier's son, sir. I mean… Not in the figurative sense. I'm nowhere near as strong as you lords and ladies." Donnel gripped his tunic till his knuckles turned white. "I wish I were! I'd ride with the rest of you and stop them, single-handed I would!"

"Then fight, learn, and grow stronger," Chrom walked over to a wagon. He tossed an iron spear to the ground at Donnel's feet.

Donnel gawked at it. He knelt down and picked it up, and handled it so poorly he managed to smack his shoulder.

"Nobody's born a fighter, Donny, but farmwork comes damn close. You're more qualified to fight than I was at your age."

Donnel studied his feet.

"I'm not asking you to kill, lad, but I think it would do you good to stand up for yourself."

Sumia was giving Chrom a look. The other Shepherds were quiet.

Donnel swallowed and nodded. He found his pot-helmet and placed it on his head. "Aright milord, I'll do as you say."

"Excellent, we start right now," Chrom said. "Frederick, Sully! Show him how to use that thing."

Frederick seized Donnel by the shoulder and dragged him away. He watched as Lissa gawked and watched him get carried off. She smiled and pumped a fist at him. Good luck? Is that how nobles encouraged each other? He mirrored the gesture right as Frederick turned the bend behind a wagon.

Chrom was about to walk away when Sumia seized him by the arm. "Are you sure about this?" She hissed. "Captain, he's just a kid!"

"He's almost old enough to join the army," Chrom said.

"That doesn't make it the right thing to do."

Chrom's grip tightened around Falchion. "He needs this."

Lissa opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself.

"We won't let anything happen to him," Chrom said with a smile. Sumia didn't look convinced, but she relented. She released her grip and went to find Belfire.

Lissa found her stave and hurried off to see what Sully had in mind for Donnel.

Donnel was tossed into the grass in the middle of the clearing, right by the weapon cart. He pulled himself up. "Our first order of business," Frederick said. He reached for the pot on Donnel's head. "We must make away with that. You look silly."

"What? No!" Donnel held the handles and kept it down on his head. "This is my protection!"

"Kid, unless you're on horseback or in full-blown combat, a helmet won't make much of a difference," Sully said.

"I'm just doing what my pa said!" Donny cried. " 'A weapon's good, armor's better, but for gods' sakes cover yer head!' " Donny gripped the pot harder. "So I'm covering my head! That's what he always told me."

Sully and Frederick shared a look. Sully shrugged. "Alright, tinhead. Let's get down to business - as it were. Get over here." Sully swung her spear around in a perfect circle and sliced the grass at her feet. "You gotta learn to hold a weapon right…" She swung and knocked the spear from Donnel's hands. It flew up into the air and clattered to the ground behind him. He stood paralyzed the entire time. He looked everywhere except behind, and Sully had to walk over and turn his head around.

Donnel retrieved his weapon, but the moment he readied a stance, Sully swung and knocked the spear from his hands again. "You hold it like a girl! It's not a damn snake, it's a stick with a stabby-bit on the end!"

The third time she knocked away his weapon, the spear nearly hit Donnel in the head. "I'm sorry, milady I just, I just don't-"

"Second!" Sully swung with the blunt of her spear and tripped Donnel. He landed on his butt in the cold grass. "Cut the 'milady milord sirs and ma'ams' crap! The person whooping your ass is Sully! You call her by name, got it?"

"Y-Yess ma'a- Sully, I mean." He stumbled in the grass. "How am I supposed to fight if you don't even let me get started?"

"I am getting you started! I'm teaching you how to hold your spear without hurting yourself! Think of your weapon like a… like a… gods, what do farmboys even do?"

Frederick stood by with his hands crossed behind him the entire time. "Bale hay… reap the fields… tie horses and hogs… wrangle the livestock."

Sully snapped her fingers. "Yeah, what he said! You, er, when you're cutting wheat you don't ever let go of the sickle, do you? Or if you're wrestling your prize pig, you don't let go of the rope right?"

"That's rustle, Sully," Frederick said.

Donny looked at the ground and nodded.

"Good! Then hang on to that weapon with your life." A pause. Donnel looked up just in time to see Sully charge at him with her spear. She swung upwards, and she caught his spear, but instead of flinging it from his arms, he held on so tight that she managed to bring him into the air. He landed a small distance behind her.

He coughed and struggled to his feet. Sully laughed. "There you go! Now it's all a matter of keeping you on the ground." She walked away and slapped his shoulder, and he flinched. "Hey! Lon'qu! It's your turn!" Donnel's heart sank.

"This isn't a game, boy!" Lon'qu struck Donnel's spear with his Killing Edge. Donnel whimpered at the sight of the chipped and broken shaft. "Nobody's patient enough to let you make the first move!" He struck again, and Donnel was pushed back.

Lon'qu let loose a flurry of swipes from his blade. Donnel tried to push back and block the blows, but he lost track of the Myrmidon's movements and shrank back into a cowering ball. The Killing Edge never broke his skin, but Lon'qu managed to strike him with the sword's flat and blunt side over and over until Donnel's arms bruised.

Donny crumpled to the ground. "How much longer?" he whispered.

"The sun has only been up for a few minutes," Lon'qu said.

"C'mon, Donnie!" Sully called over. "Think of it like shucking the corn or the cutting the wheat! Or whatever."

"With farmwork… There's an end in sight!" Donnel covered his face.

"We're not resting until you can wield a spear without keeling over," Lon'qu sheathed his weapon and adjusted his coat. "You have five minutes to catch your breath."

Donnel groaned. He sat up and felt the new sore spots on his arms.

A wave of warmth covered him, and for a moment Donnel thought the sun had risen above the trees. But it was just Lissa and her healing stave, and the moment he noticed her kneeling beside him, the bruises on his arm were gone.

"Thank you so much," he averted his eyes and ducked his head.

"You really ran all the way here?" Lissa whispered.

"Yeah," Donnel said. "Well, swam. Got as far as I could before they found me again." He sighed. "I can barely hold a weapon, and I ran from my first real fight. For all I know the village is… aw I must look like some kind of coward."

Lissa shook her head. "I think what you did was brave," she said.

"Really?"

"Yes. It takes guts. Your ma must trust you."

"Ah, well," Donnel tried to scratch the back of his head, but his fingers just brushed against the tin pot.

"Lissa, why haven't you gotten yourself a new stave?" Sully asked.

"This one isn't broken yet!" Lissa said.

"Don't spend it all on Donnie, yeah? We might need it later." Lon'qu stepped forward. "Speaking of which…"

Lissa smiled at Donnel and stepped away just as Lon'qu drew his sword.

Lon'qu rushed him, and he attacked the spear over and over until Donnel toppled over. Once he stood back up, they began again. Sometimes he lost a spear to the Killing Edge and they would give him a new one. Whenever he got bruised or beaten, Lissa was at his side with a healing stave.

They broke only for lunch, and they stopped when the sun began to set.

That was when Donnel was tired of Lon'qu getting the drop on him, so before the Myrmidon could even draw his weapon, Donnie swung with his spear and smacked him across the face, and with the same stroke knocked the sword off his belt.

It clattered to the ground, and Lon'qu coldly glanced in Donnel's direction.

It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, and Donnel feared that the master swordsman might kill him for stepping out of line. Instead, Lon'qu felt the mark on his cheek and smiled, which was very odd looking.

"We're finished here," he said. "The only thing left is to have you fight a real person."

Just as well. Virion and Sumia returned atop the pegasus Belfire, and their expressions were dire.

"The good news is that nobody seems to miss the other guy," Sumia said. "I don't think they're in a hurry to figure out what happened to him. On the other hand…"

"The bad news?" Frederick asked.

"It's worse," Virion said. "The young and able-bodied will be sold off as slaves. They've business here in the Halidom, but also across the sea."

"And the others?" Chrom whispered.

Sumia shook her head. "They haven't done anything yet but…It sounds like they intend to cull the herd," she wrung her fingers. "...So to speak. They start tomorrow. I bet they're afraid of Donnie or some other runner spreading the word."

"The bandits have really given up on ever reaping from the village ever again, haven't they?" Frederick said.

"They had a good harvest going until the boy went for help," Chrom said. "If we weren't here, I think they'd already be dead by the time he made it to the capital." He gripped the edge of the makeshift table until the wood groaned and creaked.

He beat the table with his fist. "Shepherds! To arms!" Chrom bellowed. "We move out NOW!"

The isle was large, several miles in diameter. Between the shore and the bandit's hideout, there was at least a mile and a half of grass and woods. So long as the Shepherds were quiet, sneaking in would be easy.

Fording two wagons through shallow water was not a quiet affair. The horses protested every small, agonizing step of the way. One wagon made it to the other side, but the other got waterlogged, so the knights had to carry its cargo ashore by hand, and Belfire ended up ferrying some Shepherds. Frederick and Chrom spent the better part of an hour pulling the wagon ashore with ropes and chains.

By the time they finished, the moon was high in the sky and its reflection glimmered on the sea. The dim moonlight and the distant glow of torches was their only source of illumination, and the Shepherds were thoroughly soaked.

Lissa had to be carried to the other side by Stahl, and Sully tried to help Donnel, but he swam to the other side with no issues.

"We're making good time, all things considered," Frederick said. "Virion, Sumia, which way to the encampment?"

"If you follow the torchlight you'll go right to them," Sumia said. "But it's best if we circle the forest and enter on the other side."

"There are some ruins to provide us cover," Virion said. "And the patrol in that area is weak. We can make our way to the leader without drawing much attention."

Donnel clutched his spear. He willed himself to breath quietly, but each breath was long and shaky. His knees trembled, he felt sick. He squeezed his eyes shut, but when he did, all he could see were the faces of his mother, his friends, and Roddick.

"What's wrong?" Lissa's voice.

Her dress was soaked. "Aw miss, I'm just cold is all," he smiled. "Never swam the river when the sun was down, never meant to anyway. Hard to k-keep warm."

"If Miriel was here she could cast a fire spell," Lissa said.

"Really? The Shepherds can use magic?"

"Yep! There's three of them. Miriel, Ricken, and Robin. They're super friendly. You'd like them," Lissa said. "They're all back in Ylisstol though."

"I'd thank my lucky stars if I made it through tonight, Miss Lissa," Donnel said. "Let alone see the capital."

"Let's move!" Chrom called. The knights had finished putting their heavy armor back on after the swim. Sully walked by and smacked Donnel on the shoulder.

"Look alive, kid," she said.

Chrom lead the way. "We'll split into two groups once we reach the encampment."

The encampment was much quieter than any of them expected. The men murmured amongst themselves as they circled campfires and walked their patrols. The men traded off watches fairly frequently. They were poorly equipped, and many of them appeared to be amateurs. The group of bound village-folk on the other end was what kept the Shepherds from charging and sweeping through the entire camp. They had no guarantee the bandits wouldn't start killing villagers the moment they were spotted.

The Shepherds crept through the trees and looked for the opportune avenue to begin their raid.

"They look typical, but they're more organized than I expected - not a high bar, but still…" Frederick said. "They're rather competent for mere bandits."

"They're not, sirs," Donnel said. "Shames me just to think or say anything about it. Ma always told me never to speak of bad men." He gripped his spear. "Their leader used to be an esteemed soldier of His Excellency the Exalt's army. Used to ride alongside the Great Paladins during the war."

"Who's their leader?" Chrom asked. "What's his name?"

"Sir Roddick's his name… He's cruel and stupid, but he's devious. Knows how to boss people around and get what he wants. Knows how to flush people out of hiding holes, flank 'em, win a fight before he even draws a weapon. He got that from my pa. They were friends before they went to war, and before, well…"

The other Shepherds were quiet.

"The only worse end for a soldier," Chrom muttered under his breath. "Is to live on as a killer." Chrom surveyed the area. "I spy a few archers. Sumia, you and Virion circle the perimeter, and take Stahl with you. The rest of us will carve our way through the camp."

Sumia leaned over to Chrom. "And the kid?"

"I'll handle it," he whispered to her.

Sumia's expression was hard to make out in the light. She nodded and stole away with Virion and Belfire. Stahl followed after.

"Shepherds?" Roddick asked. He had just finished swallowing a piece of burnt pork. "Chrom's Shepherds? You're sure of it?"

"Aye, Sir Roddick," the bandit nodded. "On the grave of me sainted mum I swear it! …The brat was with them too."

Roddick thoughtfully tapped his axe against a stone. "If it is Chrom, then he'll fetch a high ransom from the noblefolk," he said.

"You really think we stand a chance?" another bandit whispered.

"A chance? Ha!" Roddick stood up. "He's a blue-blooded welp raised on silvers and silk!"

"But Chrom just conquered the eastern half of Regna Ferox all on his own!" another said.

"And what do we care about Regna Ferox?!" Roddick exclaimed. "We marched through the burning sands of Plegia and returned victorious!" His men hooted and hollered. "We looked demon-worshippers in the eye and sent them home to their masters! Not one man on this earth, Ylissean, Feroxi or Plegian can stand against men of honor like us!"

"There's not one man's worth of honor in the whole lot of ya!" a new voice, hoarse with worry, came from the prisoners. Roddick's smile disappeared. He made his way to the imprisoned villagers. They were corralled against a corner of a destroyed fort. A flimsy fence of broken iron pieces kept them quartered off from the rest of the encampment. The strongest were in chains.

"That's the brat's mum, eh?" One bandit whispered.

Most of the men and women knew to keep their heads low when Roddick strode by, but Donnel's mother stood up straight and remained steadfast.

She sat against a wall. Against her bosom she held half a dozen children; her arms were around them like a mother hen.

Roddick waded his way through the prisoners, and he dragged his axe along the old stone bricks. Sometimes it caught a chain and yanked a prisoner, but his stride was unbroken. He approached Donnel's mother and looked her dead in the eye.

"I get the feeling…" he whispered. Her young fellow inmates looked away and buried their faces in her arms. "You were never grateful for our service." Roddick craned his neck around the whole lot of prisoners. "The war never reached the village, did it?!" he shouted. "Didn't matter what happened at the border, or the capital. While we slaved away for our country, you all sat nice and pretty in your little bubble at the edge of the world. No better than nobles and princes, resting while we fought tooth and nail so you could keep your mud farms and your smelly animals."

"The war was hard on all of us, Roddick," she said. "None of us wanted to send our men away to fight."

Roddick knelt down so he was eye-level with her. He pointed at his chest. "All I ask, hell, all I ever wanted was a little respect," he said. "Is that too much?!" bits of food and phlegm hit her face. "I used to like you, you know. Your husband was a good man, and a fine brother, but I hated him for his fortune. Not all of us had something to come home to. Not all of us could just…" And anyone brave to look would have seen the first flash of remorse cross Roddick's face in years. "Pretend like it never happened! Go back to pulling crops and feeding horses like we didn't burn and gut the bloody things!" Roddick stood up. "Hard on all of us? Hell do you know, cow? You got bigger every time I saw you!"

"Oh, you only saw what you wanted! The Exalt's men came and bled us dry while you were away, funneled it away for the war effort. We could never grow enough for them. But none of that ever made it to your mouth, or your ears, did it?"

Roddick stood up and turned away.

"You never saw what was right in front of you! The fighting was over, but you couldn't let it end. Your pride wouldn't let you. Don't play the victim here, Roddick! You've no conscience at all, that's why you went back to killing! That's why you killed the one man who wanted to help you!"

The axe barely missed her foot. The children cried out. Roddick reached down and slowly retrieved his weapon. "That's enough."

"Roddick-"

"ENOUGH, unless you want us to start early!" Roddick pulled the hair of a child and nearly pulled her from Donnel's mother.

Finally she lowered her head. Roddick released his grip. A guard appeared at his side, and Roddick whispered to him. "Keep your eyes and ears open for the prince. Got an inkling it'll be sooner rather than later."

"Phew," Sully whispered. "Hear that? That's the sound of a man past his prime if I ever heard it."

They could hear the shouting from across the trees as they crept closer to camp. "That's Roddick," Donnel said. "I'd know it anywhere."

Frederick held up his hand. "Donnel, are you sure his name is Roddick?"

"Yes, have you heard of him?"

"That's just the thing, I've spoken with Paladins since I was a boy, and I haven't heard of this Roddick," Frederick's brow creased. "Not once in my life."

"Oh," Donnel looked down. "Ma always said he was a blowhard. Guess it figures he wasn't that good a soldier even before he started stealing and killing."

Chrom paused. "Donnel," he said. "I asked you to help because I… If you have history with this man, I'd hate you to-"

"I hate him!" Donnel gripped the spear. "With every fiber of my being! Honestly I'm glad you're here, Prince Chrom. He needs to be put down, like a sick dog. I don't think I could live with myself if I were the one to do it. I'm just too… angry at him."

They came to a wall in the fort. Chrom held up his fist, and everyone stopped. He peered around the corner, careful to stay out of the torchlight.

Lon'qu made a noise, and Frederick glared at him. It wasn't like the swordsman. "Anything, Milord?" Frederick asked.

"One guard." Chrom said. "If we move quietly …"

"Ha…" Lon-qu held his face.

"Oh hell," Sully whispered.

"HA-CHMF!"

Chrom turned around to face the shepherds, and just then the gleam of an axe appeared behind his head.

"Milord!" Frederick shouted.

Chrom turned just in time. The axe came down over his head. It bounced off of Falchion. Sully lodged her spear into the bandit's arm. He shouted and cursed at them.

The bandit raised his axe once more, and then he screamed and dropped his weapon. Donnel had slipped behind him and cut his back open with his spear. Chrom gripped the bandit's mouth and smashed his skull with the flat of his sword. Their foe hit the ground and groaned.

For a moment there was silence. A clamor arose from the interior of the fort.

Sully glared. "Nice, Lon."

"What? I sneezed! Don't Ylisseans sneeze?!"

"They know we're here!" Frederick said.

The prisoners were panicking. The guards swung their weapons and struck the prisoners to silence them.

Roddick scanned the vicinity, but couldn't find any sign of their attackers. An underling ran to his side. "The Shepherds are here! They've already killed one of our men!"

"To hell with all of it. Take 'em to the ships," Roddick threw away the last of his meal and ran a thumb along his neck. "Gather up the young and able-bodied. Kill the rest." There was silence from both the prisoners and his men. "Now!"

Bandits came forward and pulled the children away. Wives were taken from their husbands, young men and women from their parents. Chains were undone to gather everyone into a single manageable group. Everyone screamed.

"Make way to the boats!" A bandit shouted from the ramparts. "Make way to—!"

An arrow struck him in the neck, and he toppled over into the grass.

"They're fleeing to the docks!" Virion's voice called out. "We must hurry!"

Donnel could hardly think straight any more. He just ran. When a bandit came upon him, he scrambled back like he would against Lon'qu, and he would land enough blows with his spear to let Chrom or another Shepherd finish them off.

Lissa was close by. Once a bandit knocked him to the ground and nearly crushed his ribcage with his axe. A strike to the foot and he was down, and Lon'qu struck him with his Killing Edge. Lissa had her stave and in seconds Donnel was back in the fight.

They fought their way until they found themselves in the fort. The torches had been doused. There was nobody inside.

"How'd he move everyone so fast?" Lon'qu growled.

"Milord!" Frederick pointed. They could see the mass of prisoners being shepherded to the docks.

"Like hell he will!" Chrom took Donnel by the shoulder. "We have to circle back around!"

The first bandit to make it to a ship found himself carried away by a pegasus. He was deposited in shallow water, and the spray from the sea soaked one of his comrades. Stahl and the others tried to isolate the prisoners, but once they started felling bandits, they were pushed back towards the fort until everyone, prisoner and bandit alike, had become one mass and impossible to engage without hurting somebody.

Sumia landed Belfire by the docks, and she was joined by Virion and Stahl.

"Isn't your eyesight supposed to be razor-sharp?" Stahl asked. "Just snipe their leader!"

"It is dim, in case you didn't notice," Virion said. "I'd hate to strike a bystander on accident."

None of the bandits advanced.

"Sumia!" The Shepherds turned at Chrom's voice. His group came from the west. They had just felled several bandits. Donnel was in the lead. The Shepherds reorganized. Frederick joined Stahl, and Sumia flew back to Chrom.

Once they took up position, now two groups of Shepherds had the bandits and their quarry locked in a pincer formation. There was nowhere for the bandits to run, but the Shepherds couldn't engage without hurting the villagers.

Silence once more.

"It's over, Roddick!" Chrom shouted. "Release the villagers and put away your weapons!"

"Not a chance in hell," Roddick called. "None of this concerns you prince. You're from another world entirely, it's basically a different country out here. We can settle this amongst ourselves." Roddick crossed his arms. "Donnel? That's you, isn't it? Come over here, let's work it out, man to man."

Chrom glared at the bandit.

"My lord?" Donnel tapped Chrom's shoulder. "I want to say something to him." His feet were trembling.

Chrom's brow twitched. "Donnel, you don't have to-"

"Please milord. I know I said some things, but I don't want to kill him! I just want to talk!"

Chrom pursed his lips. He could feel Sumia staring at him.

"I won't lay a finger on him, milord," Roddick's mocking voice called over. "I promise."

Chrom nodded. "Go on."

Donnel bowed, lowered his spear, and stepped forward.

"Chrom!" Sumia whispered. He didn't respond to her.

Donnel stood partway through the field. Roddick left his group and walked an equal distance from his group. He set his axe on the ground.

The moonlight colored the grass blue, and the waves splashed the shore. The bitter air hissed. "Got something to say, do you?" Roddick cocked his head. "Out with it."

Donnel's mouth was dry. He couldn't speak.

"You've killed a lot of my men, boy," Roddick said.

"I know, sir Roddick. I never meant to fight back, and I don't know if it were the only thing I coulda done, but… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone an eye for an eye."

Roddick raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not like my pa, like you said. I hate fighting. I don't want this to go on any longer. So just… please…" Donnel bowed down until back was nearly level with the ground. "Please! Just take your men and leave! We won't pursue you, but you have to let my ma and everyone else go!"

Donnel righted himself and grabbed his spear. "And if you don't… I'll fight! I'll kill you if I have to! Swear to the gods I will!"

For a moment it seemed Roddick was taking Donnel seriously. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "What on earth are you trying to prove, Donnel?" he asked. He took a step forward. Donnel took a step back. "You won't kill me." Another step. Donnel couldn't raise his spear. "You don't got it in you. You're not cut out for it."

"Chrom!" Sumia whispered.

"Wait…!" Chrom gripped Falchion. Virion had nocked an arrow.

Roddick was up in Donnel's face. He scowled at the boy. "I watched you toddle, boy. You think I'm scared of you?"

Donnel's knees knocked together.

"I never wanted to live the life of a bandit, you know? It was folks like your pa that forced me into this. I never fit in, that was all. Nothing good or bad about it, just the way life is. You really wanna take that weapon to me? There's no going back from this sort of thing."

Donnel swallowed. "That's why I'm asking, Sir Roddick," he said. "I'd love nothing more than to never see your face again!" the man frowned at him. "So please just go."

Roddick stepped back and sighed. He scratched the back of his head. "Fine." He raised his hand. "FINE, go to your ma, Donnie." Donnel lowered his spear. "We'll take our leave."

Chrom heard Sumia relax, but he didn't signal Virion to lower his weapon. The Shepherds remained tense.

Donnel paused. He glanced at Roddick, and once he was sure the man was serious, he ran past him and towards the prisoners.

And then Roddick spun on his heel and chucked a rock at Donnel's head. He was felled instantly. His spear clattered to the ground and his body rolled over in the grass.

Donnel's mother screamed.

"You are your father's son, Donnel," Roddick said. And then he kicked Donnel in the side. Roddick turned and smiled at the Shepherds. "Not a finger, I said!"

Virion let fly an arrow that pierced Roddick's wrist. He shouted and staggered back. "Now!" Chrom shouted. The other Shepherds charged.

"Kill 'em all and bail!" Roddick shouted.

Belfire flew past him overhead. Sumia plowed into the mass of people and struck every bandit she saw. She grabbed as many villagers as she could and carried them away to safety. Stahl, Frederick and Lon'qu engaged the remaining bandits.

Sully and Chrom met Roddick and exchanged blows with him. Even with a stabbed wrist, he could wield his axe one-handed and deflected their strikes.

"Bastard!" Sully screamed. Her face was red and a vein puffed on her forehead. "Child-killer!"

Her blows and words slid off Roddick like water on a duck's back. He grabbed her hair with his bleeding hand and smashed her face with his knee. Chrom landed a strike with Falchion, but Roddick flung the sword from his hands and landed a blow on his head.

Lissa was on the verge of tears. She knelt before Donnel and shook his shoulder. She held out her stave and felt the familiar warm glow of healing magic. Followed by an unmistakable chill. She checked her stave and was met with the familiar dulled colors and blackened gemstone. It had spent its last spell.

She started sobbing. "My stave! Chrom, my stave!"

Chrom was still reeling from the right hook. He came to his senses and saw Lissa crying over Donnie's body.

Chrom roared and tackled Roddick to the ground. He got one fist on Roddick's wrist, and the other around his throat. Roddick pulled back and smashed Chrom's nose with his forehead.

Both Chrom and Sully were down, and Frederick and the others were too busy engaging the other bandits. Roddick pulled himself to his feet and swore. He grabbed his axe and walked past Lissa and Donnel. Lissa screamed and beat his legs as he passed. He pushed her away with his boot. He didn't even give them a second look.

Amidst the chaos, Donnel's mother had been knocked down. She tried to pull herself to her feet. She asked every villager who she saw where her son was. The bandits were almost completely routed. The prince and his soldiers had nearly killed every last one.

She tried to crawl to her feet, but somebody gripped her foot.

Roddick pulled her away from the fighting. "Cow bitch."

She kicked at him, but he caught her foot and started twisting it. "It'll be damn near impossible, but its' time to Find some other mud-farm shanty where the prince and his goons can't find us. I'll have to start over, rebuild from scratch." He gripped her neck and readied his axe. "But I'll be damned if I don't wipe this godforsaken bloodline off the face of the earth. Bloody hag, self-righteous cow bitch animal whore! I hope the crows and gulls pull out yer throat eyes and then yer damn tubes!"

He raised his axe, swearing and slandering still, and he could see the glint of his weapon reflect in the woman's eyes.

And then a spear stabbed him in the heart.

The blood splashed her face. The weapon fell from Roddick's hands. Every ounce of hate and aggression drained from his expression, and he just stared at her, confused and afraid.

Blood pooled in his mouth. "...Ophie?"

She looked behind Roddick and saw Donnie standing behind him. His hands gripped the spear, and a line of blood fell from his forehead. There was an even larger dent in that pot of his. His expression was unreadable. His lips trembled.

"I'm sorry Sir Roddick I really am…" tears fell from his eyes. "But you can't talk that way about my ma."

He pulled the spear out of Roddick, and the bandit leader toppled over, dead. Donnel stared at his body as his blood pooled in the grass. He looked at his mother, dropped his weapon, and ran into her arms, bawling.

"Shh, Donnie, it's alright."

Chrom revived Sully and got her to her feet. Sumia walked past, her head was held high and she didn't look at him. "They're all dead, but the villagers are safe," she said. "Stahl and Lon'qu are making sure of it now."

"I see, thank you, Sumia."

She still said nothing and kept walking. Chrom walked next to Lissa. She watched Donnie as he and his mother were reunited.

"Sister?"

"...What?"

"Good work. Thank you for looking after Donnel." He held her shoulder.

Donnel's mother stroked his dark, curly hair and hushed him.

"It's out of our hands now. You did nothing wrong. The gods will show him mercy. They'll take pity on men like him, I'm sure of it. "

Lissa wasn't quite sure how it came to this, but she found herself sitting at a massive outdoor table, faced with a bowl of soup and a steaming slab of roast Porcus. The villagers had thrown them a sort of morning-feast in their honor, and no matter how strongly Chrom protested, they had managed to make them stay at least for a little while.

"I'll let my men have their fill, but then we must get going," Chrom said. The bridge of his nose was bandaged. There was only so much Lissa could do with a simple stave after all. "If we stopped and celebrated for every bandit leader we killed, the Exalt would never let me hear the end of it!"

Donnel sat across from Lissa. It was so strange to see him without his helmet, pot rather. He barely touched his food. It didn't look like he got much sleep after the fighting. His mother sat beside him, and she was quiet too. Lissa didn't blame either of them. If Chrom was Donnel's age and went through something like that, he wouldn't have spoken for days.

"To the Shepherds!" The headman held up a cup of beer, and the men and women of the village did likewise.

Chrom waved away their compliments, but Sully and Virion happily accepted the toast. "You're showering us with all this praise," Chrom said. "But it was Donnel who lead the charge."

Donnel flushed and squirmed in his seat. "Well then," the headman rose a cup. "To Donnel!" And the villagers cheered again.

Chrom stepped back and motioned at Frederick and Sumia. "All that aside, we really ought to get going. I need to go get the wagons ready." He left the others to enjoy their meal and stepped away.

"Wait! Wait my lord!" Donnie leapt from his seat and ran to Chrom.

"Of course Donnel. Name it, and I'll give it to you. You've certainly earned it."

Donnel tensed up. "I want… I want you to make me a Shepherd!"

Chrom blinked.

"Hush, fool boy!" his mother was on top of him in seconds. She tried to pull him away and smiled uneasily at the prince. "He doesn't know what he's saying! He's just tired, he's not a fighter!"

"But I am! Ma, you saw me! I do okay on the farm, but once Roddick and his men showed up, I was helpless! I want to be the kind of man my pa was, and Chrom's the one to help me!"

"You don't know that! You mustn't speak such a way to the prince."

"Actually, I'd be honored to have you fight with us, Donnel," Chrom said. "You have potential, and once its properly cultivated, you'll be a force to be reckoned with. The Shepherds need every good man we can get. …Unfortunately, that's not my call. I'm the prince, but I'm not responsible for you." He motioned for Donnel's mother. "This is between the two of you."

Donnel's mother shook her head. She reached for a seat and set her old bones down. "You're too kind, milord. …And I s'pose he is close to that age." She kneaded her forehead.

"Ma?" Donnel asked.

The tired old lady took his palm and squeezed it. "Just come back safe, love. I'll see the farm and the village are still standing. Come back a hero and make us proud."

"What about everyone else?" Donnel asked.

The butcher laughed. "If Donnie could fend off the bandits, what excuse do we have? Don't worry, Donnel, we're not about to let something like this happen again. We'll take care of ourselves."

Lissa could see from where she sat, Donnel was trying not to burst into tears again. Both him and his mother were.

Not an hour later the Shepherds had mounted their horses and left the village. Every villager was there to see Donnel off. His mother stood at the front and waved goodbye.

Donnel kept looking over his shoulder.

"Don't tarry, Donnel!" His mother called. "Hurry up and go, glory's waiting!"

Donnel stood up in his saddle and shouted. "I ain't fighting for glory, I'm fighting for you! All of you!" It was over too quick. In a matter of minutes the village was out of sight. Donnel strode along on his mount.

Was this what it meant to be brave? Fighting the bandits wasn't that hard after all. What lay beyond the forest was what scared him. He knew it, he couldn't be the man he wanted if he stayed in the village. It was too quiet there, and he enjoyed the quiet. With the bandits gone, he'd never be able to challenge himself.

But did he have to go the very morning after victory? He was afraid if he stayed any longer, he'd never be able to leave his mother. That made sense as he sat at the feast, but now it was beginning to feel like a big mistake. If he didn't steel himself, he'd turn around and run straight back.

Donnel bit his lip and willed himself to stay strong. He noticed Sully ride alongside him. She kept glancing at him. She raised her fist and he flinched.

Sully ruffled his hair. Donnel paused. He sniffled.

"You going to be alright, kiddo?" Sully asked. Her voice was gentle.

Donnel wiped his eyes. "Someday," he said. "Maybe not now, but someday."

"That little village is all you've ever known," Sully said. "So, if things aren't like how you imagined, or something comes up, you shouldn't be afraid to-"

"I won't turn back," Donnel said. "I'll be brave, and a hero, just like my pa."

"Alright, fair enough. But you listen, you need anything at all, just ask one of us, alright? We're like family. We're happy to have you."

Sumia held her chin as she and Belfire strode along.

"I didn't mean to be reckless," Chrom told her.

She closed her eyes.

"I underestimated the leader. I was… I guess I was being zealous. When I was his age, I couldn't do anything for myself. I had to sit back and watch as everyone else fought my battles for me, so I thought…"

Sumia was still quiet.

"I'll never let anything like that happen again," Chrom said. "From now on, Donnel will train with Ricken and Lissa. He'll only fight when he's absolutely ready. …Gods, I should have brought Robin with me after all. He'd know what to do with him."

Sumia laughed.

"What is it?"

"If you took Donnie the moment he asked, I might have had a problem," she said. "But Donnie's ma seemed fine with it, so I guess I'm fine with it too. And that's a relief. For a moment back there, I thought you might not be the kind of captain I thought you were."

"And that's funny to you? Sumia?" She wouldn't speak with him until they had manned their carts and got back on the road. But she was smiling the whole time.

The news of Roddick's defeat did bring relief to Emmeryn, but the details of his career and death inspired pity in her. She and Chrom spoke about this for several days after they returned.

Robin was fully recovered by the time the others returned. He was thrilled to meet the new Shepherd, but his age took him aback. They first met in the yard outside the barracks. Donnel wouldn't stop staring at Robin's white hair, which was fair, he decided.

Once Robin told Ricken they had a new Shepherd, he was very excited. When he heard the new Shepherd was younger than him, he was beside himself. Once he saw how tall Donnel was, he just swore and stormed off.

That same day Lissa gave Donnel a tour of the castle, and in a matter of days it was like Donnel had always been there with them.

Proofread by BrandedKing

I don't know what kind of explanation I could give that would justify my absence.

Burnout was definitely part of it. I was at a phase where it was difficult to love my own work enough to continue writing it. Nothing serious just the usual doubts a writer has.

I tried to distract myself with a different project, and I spent the better part of the pandemic outlining and sharing ideas with my friends. Once I started writing that I got burnt out again and found myself with two massive stories I didn't have the drive to continue.

I was depressed about my creative efforts and spent nearly a year and a half just not writing or doing anything productive.

This story has always been the culmination of thoughts and ideas I've had from my first moments playing the game, and I guess remembering the feeling is what helped me grit my teeth and finish these chapters.

The Fire Emblem landscape has changed drastically since the time I first wrote chapter 1. It's no longer this cool up-and-coming franchise that's finally receiving recognition, it's a mainstay that's so successful it's maybe already resting on its laurels.

But people still love Awakening. I remembered all of my favorite fanfics that never got finished. I don't want Purpose to be part of the pile of stories that get abandoned by their authors for some silly reason like 'losing faith in their work', because the truth is I haven't. I have scenes up till the end the game planned in my head and I'm so anxious to share it with you all.

Now it's simply a matter of writing the damn thing. Lord willing it's only a matter of years until we're finished.