Disclaimer - I don't own Fire Emblem. All of its properties belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

Warnings for Robin's potty language. What else is new?

Chapter 7

If there's one thing I've learned from this whole experience, it's that I miss civilization.

I miss showers and hot water. I miss microwave meals with mystery meat still cold in the middle even though the rest of the bloody thing is nuked. I miss fresh clothes straight from the dryer. I miss shampoo, Starbucks, Sunday drivers, and snickerdoodles.

I trudge through the snow with arms wrapped around me. A harsh blast of wind hits my face and I duck it down to protect it from the cold. I quickly pull up my hood for protection and then hide my hand back into the folds of my coat. None of this would be so bad if it wasn't for the blistering mountain breezes. Miriel said this is supposed to be spring time in Feroxi lands but I'd seriously like to debate that. Despite all of my layers, including a heavy cloak someone had kindly packed away for me, I was still feeling the bite of the cold.

"What is this? Such as unappealing look for such a lovely face."

"Hello Virion," I reply apathetically.

The nobleman comes to pace beside me with a genuinely concerned expression."Yes, 'tis I. And it seems my appearance is well past due! Come, come! You must tell your dearest Virion why such a somber visage mars your delicate features."

I roll my eyes at his poetic exposé. "It's nothing horrible. I'm just griping about the weather. And the dirt. And the gruel."

"Ah yes. The current environs do leave something to be desired," he responds with a breathy sigh. "I oft find myself wishing in a moment's peace for some of the more refined comforts of home. An unfortunate longing, truly. I understand."

"Sure," I respond lamely.

"My Lady, this sour demeanor of yours discredits you. You must hold your head high and refocus your energies toward more productive thoughts."

"Virion, I admire your spirit, but it's hard to think about brighter things when you're wiping your ass with poison ivy after an innocent bathroom break." I suppress a shutter and try to block out that horrible event from last night.

Virion clucks his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. Such negativity. What is one mishap but another lesson in the greater scheme of life. You cannot let your failures rule the day. Instead, you must embrace it! Take it upon your bosom and hold it close so that you will remember the sting of its defeat. It is only through the suffering of loss that we truly understand how to rise and overcome it."

"That was...oddly inspirational Virion. I don't know what it has to do with avoiding poisonous leaves but it sounds motivational all the same."

Virion chuckles and places a hand upon his chest to give a small bow. "I fear I am unworthy to receive such a statement of praise from your fair lips. Nonetheless, I accept it wholeheartedly. I speak sincerely though when I say that you must keep your heart light. Allowing such pessimism can cloud your goals and deceive you into believing them impossible." His eyes seem to be elsewhere as he states this with a wistful smile.

Now it's my turn to feel a twinge of concern. I wonder if he's thinking about home. The game kind of glosses over it but I know that Virion is supposed to be a noble of some kind on the run thanks to Valm's invasive nature. He's supposed to be looking for potential allies at this point if I remember right. Well he definitely lucked out when finding the Shepherds. I could only guess how long he's been from home.

Home...

I start to feel a bit melancholy. It's been almost two week now since this craziness went down. Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely hating the experience. I'm kicking back and chilling with a crew of badass characters while learning how to kick butt and take names (albeit very slowly). But this isn't my life. Somewhere out there is my world. Little bits have been trickling in piece by piece these last few days. A bakery on a street corner I've called my job for the past three years. Three dear friends I've known since high school. A dumpy apartment with a shriveled fern on a windowsill named Bob. I haven't voiced my feelings to anyone here because it's not my burden to share but, some days, the weight seems overbearing.

"You said you aren't from around here, right?"

Virion nods. "C'est vrai. My country lies well across the waters."

"Do you ever miss it? Your homeland I mean," I ask suddenly.

The man looks surprised. "Such an odd question to ask."

"You don't have to answer if you don't want. I was just curious," I shrug.

Virion pauses. He brings a hand up under his chin and strokes it thoughtfully. "Mm. That is an interesting inquiry. I suppose it not so much that I miss the country. Rosanne, the name of my beautiful motherland in case you do not remember, is far from here. That is truth. But its history is vast and the lands vaster. She will always remain so I find it hard to miss that which can never be gone. However..."

He laughs a little louder than usual. "How quaint. Too find myself at such a loss for words and the fault belonging to something other than a woman. Curieux."

The laughter fades and Virion returns to a pensive state. He suddenly reaches behind him and pulls his bow over his head. He holds it out for me to see. "This bow is an heirloom passed from scion to heir through every generation of my family. It continued from my illustrious mother onto myself."

Virion traces the wood idly with a hand. He follows the bend of the bow until he reaches a set of carved runes in the side. "Do you see the words inscribed there upon the curve? Allow me to translate. They mean 'The heart is its people.' It is an old adage, one that has adorned the crest of my house since its conception."

"That's a pretty noble catchphrase."

"It is more than a phrase, my dear. It is a life motto! Before one can lead they must understand those they choose to guide and fight for. There is not a name I cannot put to a face amongst the common folk. I have spent my years amongst them helping to aid the infirm, instructing the children..."

"Cavorting with their daughters," I add in quickly.

He coughs. "Never unwillingly. I do not partake in that which is not desired."

"I'm just poking fun Virion."

"Ever the charmer dearest Robin. But, to answer your question...my whole point is that it is not the land I miss but its people. Home is not the ground you stand upon but the blood and kin in which you surround yourself with. To be so far from those, aware of the empty space which exists between you and they, is what tugs most at my heartstrings with a melancholic tune."

"Wow. Virion, I'm so sorry," I say apologetically.

"Stay your tears Robin. There is no need to shed them. For when I am down, I simply think of them and find my troubles a little farther away."

Virion's face lights up as he stares ahead. He points toward something between the trees. "Ah, it seems we have arrived at our destination. What luck!"

I hear a chatter of excitement ripple through the group. My heart starts to race in excitement when I hear the words 'wall' and 'gate.' I speed up a little and am pleased to see bits of grey peeking through the tree line. We round the bend of the road and the trees give way to a large, manmade clearing. The eye catcher is the centerpiece before us. The Great Wall of Regna Ferox.

I have to crane my head back to look up at it. The huge monstrosity of stone and mortar stands towering above. Its shadow looms over us as if daring us to try and scale its mighty sides. A ferocious looking gate is carved into the center. Looking closer at it, I see that there is not one but two heavy metal gates that stand between us and Feroxi lands. Across the top I can see the gleam of armored soldiers patrolling its length.

Chrom calls us to a stop and has us wait in the rear while Frederick, Lissa, and himself go to speak with the gate keepers. The three head off to do their diplomatic duty while the rest of us huddle in awe together.

"That's a lot of wall," I say. I stand on my tiptoes and try to see how far it goes both ways. As far as I can tell, this thing goes for miles undeterred. This thing could easily rival the Great Wall of China. Upkeep on this must be abysmal.

Stahl sits on Thyme next to me gawking in wonder. "This is amazing! It's bigger than any of our walls back home. I wonder how long it took for them to build it?"

"The primary wall that we stand before today was constructed over a one hundred and fifty year period. The rest of the wall was constructed during various reigns off and on throughout the eras according to costs and opportunity," Miriel pipes up from the back.

"Oh! Thanks Miriel!" he replies genuinely.

The mage sniffs. "Your gratitude is accepted. I am always pleased to instruct the ignorant." She ignores his offended look. "What an enthralling display of architectural prowess." She places a hand on her hat to prevent it from slipping off as she takes in the grand scale of it.

"The wall is a most fascinating endeavor that exemplifies the power of man's ambition as well as the inherent desire to express egotism. Did you know, for example, that the only true portion of the wall that need be built is this stretch before us. The natural structure of the mountain range provides ample enough protection from foreign invasion. Yet the ancient Khan Jugo continued its construction as a gasconade display of his own wealth toward his rival."

"That's great Miriel but I only-"

"Its continued construction resulted in the unfortunate expiration of many workers due to poor environments and general attacks from its neighbors. Blizzards and frostbite are, unsurprisingly, the strongest killers. It is quite arguable that the Wall of Regna Ferox has actually claimed more lives than saved them in the past centuries."

"People died?" Stahl pales considerably. All his prior enthusiasm has drained away.

"My good woman, as enthralling as it is to hear your lovely voice regale us with tales of yore, perhaps later would be a good time?" Virion cuts in.

"I think I'm going to agree with Virion here. I think you broke Stahl," I say while keeping an eye on the knight. The poor kid looks uneasy.

"I do not see the reason for alarm. When compared to the death toll of those who constructed Ylisstol's walls, it is insignificant. In fact, during Exalt Tiall's reign alone more peasants died then than those in-"

"Eeeey, Miriel. Why don't you save the book talk for another day. Instead, why don't we talk more about the Vaike and his muscles, yeah. You can go on and on about those centripetal whats-its you mentioned the other day," Vaike jumps in. He drapes an arm over her shoulders and drags her off to the side despite her perturbed expression.

"Despite that bulging head of hers, that woman is dumber than a box of rocks," Sully groans. "Who the crap talks about dead people so casually like it's just the weather."

Stahl exhales in relief. "Well it was interesting, I guess. The knowledge takes a bit of the grandiose out of the event though," he laughs half-heartedly. "I can't wait to hear what she has to say about the actual capital."

"Don't encourage her Stahl. She'll talk your damn ear off."

Stahl nods knowingly with an uneasy grin. "I'm well aware Sully."

Sully returns the gesture and then shifts in her saddle. She leans up and peers curiously over toward the gate. "What's taking so long? Everyone gone for mid-noon tea or sumthin?"

We all look over with her. The wall has lined with numerous bodies and both parties were exchanging loud words with dramatic hand gestures. Looks like trouble's come in the form of a certain character named Raimi.

"That doesn't look good," Stahl says nervously.

I feel a rush of annoyance. Of course we're going to have a problem. What else did I expect? Raimi is going to deny entry, waste our time with another battle, and then let us in only after we annihilate everyone. More time between me and a warm fire thanks to her ridiculous stubbornness.

Something inside me cracks.

You know what? To hell with this. I don't feel like fighting today!

Maybe it's desperation for a real bath. Maybe it's me finding the whole situation ridiculous. Either way, I suddenly find myself boldly walking toward the wall.

The one thing that always annoyed me about this level is Raimi's utter stupidity. I'm sure that the royal siblings are carrying some sort of official documentation with them on the subject matter. There are probably personal seals and other paperwork that can provide sufficient proof of their identities. It isn't that hard to send down one messenger to retrieve and verify the notes.

And even if she didn't there's still the obvious visual cue. It's common knowledge that the royal family of Ylisse carries the mark of Naga. They also are direct descendants of the old king Marth, a swordsman with blue hair and the mythical sword Falchion.

So maybe if Raimi opened her eyes she would see Chrom is a beacon that screams Ylisse royalty! The brand is on his freaking shoulder for God's sake! How can you doubt his identity when the evidence is slapping you in the face.

Feroxi people seem to value bluntness and I'm in no mood to be diplomatic. So I'm going to shove the obvious down her throat and get us through so I can have a real bath for once.

Snow crunches underneath my footsteps as I stalk up to the wall. The pale haired general gleams brightly in her silver armor against the bright blue backdrop of the sky. She stares down disapprovingly at the trio up front. I can hear her exchanging stern words with our good captain from her place above the gate.

"-borders over the past several weeks! So explain to me how it looks to us when a supposed group of envoys from the Halidom appears unannounced and unexpected at our gate," Raimi argues.

"I understand your apprehension if the words you speak are true. However, if you simply give us a chance to parlay then perhaps you'll be able to see we mean no ill towards your people," Chrom pleads in response.

"You expect me to simply trust you on words alone stranger? Fine, we'll parlay. We can parlay as much as you'd like in the traditional Feroxi fashion." She holds up the spear in her hands so all can see. "Meet my diplomatic ambassador."

Frederick immediately steps in front of the prince. "You dare...?!"

"Frederick, please." Chrom steps out and around the other man. He stares up at the woman, his face calm. Despite his looks, there is a rigid edge to his tone as he speaks. "Captain, I come here under peaceful pretenses and they will remain just so. I will not raise arms against you when I come bearing the offer of allegiance. I implore you, give us one chance."

Raimi barks out a harsh laugh. "Perhaps I should. And I'll even hold my spear's blade to my neck for you to push it through with ease. "

Now behind them, I slink up beside Lissa who hangs further in the back. She tilts her head in greeting. Her face is lined with worry and apprehension.

"Diplomacy not working?" I whisper hotly.

"It's going horribly Robin! This lady won't budge. She's more stubborn than a week's old treacle," the princess grumps. "I'm worried we're going to have to turn back."

"Hell to the no!" I spit. "I have not gone through nine days of back water camping for nothing!" I glare angrily at Raimi's bulky form.

Lissa makes a face at the woman. "She thinks we're bandits. Even when we told her we aren't! I mean, I even swore on Naga's name! Sheesh! You can't get much more serious than that."

"Don't you all have official documents or something?"

"Well yeah, Emmeryn's seal is on it and everything. Their captain won't come down to even peek at it though!"

"She won't...Are you kidding me?" I have a great urge to do a dramatic facepalm. This is stupid. Is she blind? I hear Lissa call my name in alarm as I march past her.

"Excuse me! You there, shiny pants! You're the leader here, right?" I shout as I point to her.

Raimi, Chrom, and Frederick all turn in surprise at my sudden appearance. I walk right up the wall and stare up at Raimi, hands on hips. Her initial look of disinterest changes instantly as she takes a better look at me.

"And who might you be?"

"This is Robin, she's a member of the Shepherds as well. Our tactician to be exact. Robin, this is Raimi. She leads the guard here and is the leader of the Khan's personal guard," Chrom states as he comes up behind me. He exchanges a quick glance with me that's clearly questioning my intents.

I ignore him. "I don't have time for this. I'm freezing, I want food, and you're being a stubborn cow."

Her face hardens. "Excuse me?"

"You are aware of the royal family of Ylisse right?"

She decides to humor me. "Yes."

"So you're aware they carry the mark of Naga correct?"

"Yes."

"Well okay then!" I grab Chrom roughly by the shoulders and push him forward. "Sorry for the manhandling," I whisper to him as I do so.

I turn him toward her. He looks bewildered as I push up the corner of his cloak so his exposed arm is in view. I make a large circling motion with my hand around the obvious brand on his bicep.

"Seeeeee! Brand of the Exalt!" And just to rub it in more, I start pointing at other obvious features. "Blue hair? Fancy shmancy sword. Gigantic personal guard. Can't get more obvious then that lady!"

There's a faint murmuring up on the wall amongst her men. Raimi gestures towards one of them and they hand her something. She extends the device and pulls it up to her eye. A telescope. She spends a moment studying us.

Chrom turns slightly toward me with a disapproving look. "Robin, what in the name of the gods are you doing?"

I pout right back in response. "Circumventing diplomacy for direct aggression."

Raimi retracts the scope and leans over the edge to peer down closer at us. "I'll be honest with you tactician. If I was your commanding officer I would have you flogged on the spot."

I glare back at her and say nothing. She hands the device back off and then folds her arms. "I'll admit that what you say makes sense when you bring such things to light. Your so called 'prince' bears a striking resemblance to what we hear of the Exalt's brother."

"No shit," I say. "Pretty obvious if you ask me. Now if you'd be so kind as to bring your doubtful self down here to talk like normal people, we can even show you the official docs his utterly real and utterly royal sister wrote for your Khan. And make it snappy because I'm sick of this snow."

Raimi stares after me. Eventually her cold mask breaks and she begins to laugh. "You have guts tactician. I'll give you that."

"Yeah well I'm not one for banter when strict logic can carry the day."

"You almost have me convinced. Blunt as your words are, on a normal day I may not have disputed your points. There's only one small flaw in your little scheme that ruins it all."

"And what's that?"

"You."

I startle. "Excuse me?"

"It is a rare sight and I would have thought nothing of it if not for the recent border skirmishes plaguing our lands." She points with her forefinger at me. "You claim an alliance to Ylissean forces and yet here you stand before me brazenly garbed in the coat of a Grimleal high priest."

What?

Grimleal high priest? What in God's...Oh. Oh no.

I stare down at my coat and look it over. I twist my arm around and stare at the motif running down the arm. The eye is almost identical to the one on my hand. I can feel three sets of eyes watching me do the same thing. Things have gotten very quiet all of the sudden.

For the love of...! Somebody chooses to notice this now?!

"What madness is this that you speak of?" Frederick growls from behind us.

"What madness indeed! Your play at ignorance will not work here. We were attacked recently by Plegian forces helmed by one of the illusive Grimleal priests. An unusual sight and one most outside of their private circles rarely see. But see him I did and he carried a coat near identical to your own."

"Balls..." I say under my breath. Chrom pulls away from me, staring at the coat apprehensively.

"Surely you know the Eye of Grima is the symbol of any Grimleal devotee. The very mark is stitched up the siding of her sleeve as clear as day. In fact, the sister one is in storage right now as evidence of that last skirmish. Shall I bring it out for you so you can identify the remains of your lost friend?"

I'm reeling right now. I know that Robin's coat is kind of an obvious hint at their origins in the game but nobody even comments on it. So why is this suddenly a thing?

I hesitate to do so but I find myself looking at my companions nonetheless. Each one of them carries a look vastly different the other. Frederick stares at me grimly with dark eyes smoldering in betrayal. This is exactly the sort of thing he'd be looking for with his trust issues. Raimi's declaration is a gallon of gasoline on the flames of his suspicions. I'm going to be dealing with a wildfire here.

Poor Lissa looks incredibly lost. Her mouth is agape and her eyes wide in confusion. She keeps looking between me and Raimi as if expecting one of us to break into laugh and declare it all a joke.

Her brother doesn't look any better. I think it's more surprise than it is confusion on his face. He clearly isn't sure what to make of this announcement nor what it could mean for me.

Raimi, I swear to god when I get my hands on you...

"I'm tired of these games of yours scum. How many bodies will the Mad King allow to collect beneath our wall before he finally learns?" she snaps.

"You're making a huge mistake!" I call out angrily.

"Spearmen! Ready at arms!"

The soldiers assemble along the wall in a clanking mass. The weapons in their arms raise up horizontal to their shoulders, poised and ready to strike.

Chrom starts to back away, his eyes locked on the wall. "Everyone, run towards the back. Go!"

Raimi's gauntleted hand raises above her head. Her face is hard and stares down at us with no empathy. Don't you dare woman! Don't do it or so help me I'll-

Her arm falls.

So much happens in the next few seconds. I feel someone grab my shoulders and I'm suddenly thrown back. I hit the ground in a heap, snow landing all over me. I shake the white stuff off my head and look up to see the line of Feroxi soldiers letting loose their javelins. And guess who is still in their line of fire.

Chrom, being the stupid hero he is, pushed me out of the way rather than save himself. I can hear various members of the Shepherds behind us shouting out in protest, demanding the Feroxi troops to halt their attack. It's too late though. Their motions have come full through and a wave of pointy death is about to rain down. I frantically search the sky and hope for that last minute miracle to take place.

True to the plot, I can hear the sound of flapping wings. I swivel around to the opposite direction just as a flash of white swoops past me. The pegasus is a blur taking rider and rescuee along with her just as the javelins reach us. A wayward one slams barely an inch from my foot causing me to scuttle back madly like a demented crab.

"Up we go," I hear Vaike grunt as he pulls me up by the top of my coat.

"What the-!" I protest in confusion as he hoists me up and over his shoulder.

"No time for apologies. We gotta split," he says as he starts running back down the road toward cover.

"Damn it Raimi! You...You...Your father is a hamster and your mother smells of elderberries," I shout in frustration at her as I get toted away. I throw a last glance up at the wall as we round the corner and I can see her throwing orders around as the soldiers begin to amass. Looks like we're fighting regardless. So much for that.

Correction, they might be fighting. I might just be dead in a few seconds.

As soon as Vaike sets me down I'm being picked up again. My back hits the rock with enough force to draw out a gasp of pain. A handful of my shirt is caught in Frederick's clenched fist and he has me wedged firmly between him and the outcropping.

"Explain. Now," he thunders.

"Let go of me," I wheeze. I tug away futilely and his grasp grows ever tighter.

I can feel the atmosphere shift wildly. The rest of the Shepherds are watching us in confusion, clearly disturbed by our sudden tussle. Sully takes a tentative step forward.

"Frederick? What the hell...?"

The great knight glares at her and she stops in her tracks. He then refocuses on me. "Is what she speaks truth?"

I'm still getting over the very thought of being called out on this. Man, I don't even know what to think anymore. This is all jacked up! You know what? Screw you other Robin! This is all your fault. Why were you wearing this coat anyway? I thought you were supposed to be on the run from the Grimleal! Why would you wear this? Whhhhy?

"Lay off already! I'm not one of those Grimleal freaks she was talking about!" I protest.

The rest grow quiet when I say the infamous word. God damn, I can practically feel all the hard work I've put into befriending these people start to crack.

"How strangely coincidental that you seem so sure of your dissociation with the organization despite your prior declarations of amnesia. Perhaps it is only coincidence that you can suddenly recall this information so vividly when put under sudden pressure?"

"That's completely unfair! How dare you even think-"

"What am I to think then? Explain to me otherwise."

"Frederick, put me down or so help me... I will kick you so hard in the balls you'll be called Frederick the Canary because of how loud you'll sing!"

"Frederick, sir, please. This isn't helping any," Stahl tries to intervene in the name of peacekeeping.

There's a light fluttering of feathers as Sumia's pegasus glides down beside us. Chrom immediately hops off and rushes over to us.

"Frederick, let her go!" he demands.

"Milord I will not-"

"Damn it Frederick! I said NOW!"

Frederick's grip slackens and my toes settle back on the ground. He lets go completely and takes several steps back. "As you wish," he responds coldly.

My freed airway allows me to breathe again and I inhale mouthfuls of crisp mountain air. I reach up and rub the strained areas where the material of my clothes bit into the skin. Crap. I'm shaking.

Someone touches my arm and I immediately retreat. Lissa retracts her outstretched hand and stares at me sorrowfully. "Robin...?"

Her voice trails off before she can begin the question. I look away guiltily and clam up. I really didn't need this right now.

"Captain, what's going on?" Sumia's voice wavers as she dismounts. Everyone is watching the three of us anxiously.

"Nothing Sumia," Chrom snaps.

"Like hell it is! Even Teach ain't that dumb. Ol' Frederick here's laying down the law and Robin's spouting out stuff about Grimleal. Now spit it out already," Vaike protests.

Chrom looks like he's swallowed poison. His eyes flicker to me briefly before he speaks."It seems the captain of the guard has had dealings with Grimleal upstarts in the past. One bearing a uniform similar to Robin's own wardrobe specifically. In her opinion, Robin carries the likeness of a high ranking Grimleal priest."

"Milord, you heard the Feroxi captain. If our earlier suspicions weren't enough then her declaration should be the evidence to admit otherwise!" Frederick adds vehemently.

"We talked alright and I'm sure I made myself clear in that argument. My decision still stands."

"You cannot be serious!" he cries, bewildered.

Lissa stares at the two of them with disapproval. "What talk Chrom?"

"It's nothing Lissa."

They were talking about me? The fuck?

"No, she's right!" I interject. "What talk is this?"

"Gods...Robin, we'll discuss this all later. Now is NOT the time."

Frederick shakes his head."And you would have me go comfortably into battle taking orders from her with the knowledge we now know?"

"Screw you Frederick," I hiss. "She's known me all of five minutes and she can suddenly guess my life story based on a stupid coat? That's the most asinine thing I have ever heard in my life!"

"As loathe as I am to interrupt your spat, may I suggest a ceasefire until a more appropriate time. As your lord states, our friends on the wall mobilize whilst we speak." Virion's words render everyone quiet.

"Hells," Chrom mutters. He rubs his forehead and casts a look of annoyance at Frederick and I. "This is ridiculous."

"Alright, listen up everyone." He states. All eyes turn to him.

"Frederick is right. The Feroxi captain did make a remark about Robin's dress and how it bears resemblance to Grimleal fashion. However," he makes a point to stare especially hard at Frederick as he continues, "we have utterly no surefire evidence to support this. Captain Raimi has been resistant to us passing from the start and for all we know this is just some lie she fabricated to scare us off. Until this is settled, we are going to continue on as if this didn't happen. I'll handle whatever concerns and issues you have after we handle getting past the wall."

"Milord this is not-"

"There is nothing else to say. Continue as you are Frederick and I will hold you accountable for insubordination. Do I make myself clear?"

The whole group is stunned. That's harsh.

Not like I care.

"...Yes, milord."

"Good. Believe me when I say this is not over. You and I will speak of this incident later, understand?"

Silence.

"Am I understood?"

"Aye."

"Good." He turns back to us. "Now to figure out how to handle this problem before us."

"Well it is simply a matter of subduing the leader, no? Brute force against brute force so to speak," Virion remarks.

"So we beat our way through, take down the alpha bitch, and then open the gate. Simple. I like the way you think Ruffles." Sully grins.

"Always a pleasure, my dear."

"So let's go crack some heads then!" She punches her fist into the other.

"That's exactly the opposite of what I want to happen," Chrom interjects. "We are trying to ally with the Feroxi forces, not kill them."

"Hold up just a sec Chrom. What do ya mean by that?"

"This is a diplomatic mission Vaike. We're here to parlay with the Khan, not spill his men's blood. This needs to be solved in a peaceful way."

Vaike taps his forehead. "The Vaike may be older then you but not that much that the eyes are going. Them Feroxi punks just tried to kill us! A picnic in the woods ain't on their minds right now if you catch my meaning."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Gentlemen, please. There is no due cause for arguing. Regardless of how we go about this venture, the end goal should still be our frighteningly exquisite enemy commander. If she were to surrender than all her forces will follow in en suite."

"Virion has a point Captain," Stahl agrees. "The question is how do we get to her? She's probably guarded on all sides by her warriors."

Lissa places a finger on her cheek and sways in place. "We can't just lure her out?" she suggests.

"Like she'll leave her comfy position up near the top," I moan. "We're going to have to take the fight to her if we want to get anywhere."

But how do we get to her if we can't force our way through?

I ball my hand into a fist and begin to tap my forehead. Come on Robin! Think! You've done this countless times in the game before. Translate those skills into something. Anything!

I pull out my map and smooth it out against the rock wall behind me. The fort's length we are focusing on has only one gate to pass through. No surprise that the head commander is waiting at the gatehouse to guard the lever. The only ways to access that point are up the two stairwells around the gate which are currently blocked by every soldier this side of the Feroxi border. Both are now sufficiently suffocated with the Feroxi body count.

Okay, so we can't fight her directly and she won't come out when provoked. So what else can you do to draw someone out. Hmm...

Trickery? Deceit? Lissa may be on to something. It may not work on Raimi but what of her men? That could work. We could somehow lure them away. But how? They're everywhere.

My thoughts churn and churn different ideas. I chew on my lip trying desperately to think of the different tactics we could take. We could do this...We could do that...we could...! We could do that!

My mind runs through the details. It makes some sense as I play the different scenarios through my head. It's a stupid idea. Totally stupid! But it's so stupid that I don't think Raimi would see it coming. What if we have a double diversion? We send a large group to distract her on one side. Then, we send a smaller unit toward the less defended side. If the men think they're being assaulted by another team then they'll probably send the rest of the unit to defend that point as well.

Now with the forces split and focused on the two points, Raimi theoretically should be left alone and exposed in the gatehouse. Now here's the kicker! All we would have to do then is send Sumia over the wall with another fighter to take down Raimi one on one in a duel. With all the archers and spearmen distracted by the two stairwells, flying up and over the wall should be a cake walk.

Her pegasus seems strong enough to carry two people and that's about as many as we'll probably need. Sumia's best bet is to take Chrom up to confront the unguarded Raimi. The two can duel it out and, with all the faith I have in Chrom's abilities as a fighter, we'll win the day. After some sense is beat into her, she'll see he's the real deal and call off her fighters. No blood lost, everyone's chill, and we can laugh about it all in the morning over tea and crumpets. Smashing.

I slide over to where Sumia stands.

"Oh, hello Robin. Are you okay?" she speaks as she notices me approach. Jeez, Sumia. You're such a sweetheart.

I muster up a poor excuse for a smile. "I'll deal with the drama later. Right now I have a very important fact to verify."

"Alright."

"Sumia, your pegasus did well with both Chrom and yourself on her back right?" I say as I study the creature. I swear it's leaning away from me. What's your beef horse?

"Yes. She was fine with us both. She's very strong."

"That's good. That's great even."

This stupid plan may just work then.

"Do you think you'd be able to ride up and over the top of the wall with him quickly if given an opening?"

"Of course. As long as there are no archers nearby we should be alright."

Excellent! I start rubbing my hands together. Fruition! This could give us the outcome Chrom's looking for if it executes properly.

"Perfect. I've got a plan and you're going to be an integral part of the last bit so listen up, okay hero girl?"

I get everyone's attention and go over my thoughts with them involving the double sneak attack. To my relief, they all listen patiently without a word until I'm done.

Sully mulls over the idea. "So you're saying we're going to...trick them again after we've already tricked them?"

"Sort of. It's a double diversion. We give the allusion that all of our people are attacking on the two sides. Raimi will think she's safe up on the wall and then 'Pow!' We surprise her with the aerial attack. I have enough faith in Chrom's abilities as a fighter to take her on in a duel if need be. And if not, Sumia will be there to help."

"Me?" Sumia squeaks. She then picks herself up and tries to look proud. "O-of course. I'll do my best."

This plan will be based on defense and luck. Hopefully we have one, if not both, on our side.

"It's a plan and I'll take it," Chrom sighs desperately.

I nod. "Okay. All we need is a few people to entice the last of the fighters on the wall to the other end. All they have to do is keep those warriors' attention and hold out long enough for yours and Raimi's fight to end in our favor. Of course we're going to need our best defensive unit on this. They'll have to hold the line almost by themselves."

"I can do it."

"What the FLIP?!" I shriek in surprise. I whirl around in shock when I notice the towering shadow overtake me. A huge suit of armor stands behind me. The owner's face is blocked out by the sun's light and I have to squint up at him. He removes his bucket of a helmet and smiles awkwardly at everyone.

"Ah, sorry. You mustn't of heard me approach. Don't worry, it happens all the time."

Chrom gazes on the newcomer shocked."Kellam? When did you arrive?"

"Hello captain. I arrived...well I've been here for most of the time. I caught up with you all some day back after you left me at the barracks. I stayed with Sumia for the past few days but I guess no one noticed..."

"Oh."There's an awkward silence. "Well...It's good you're here then. Your shield is going to be needed."

"Yes. I heard. I'd be happy to stand in the frontlines. There's no way they'll be able to get past me when I'll be the only thing in their sights blocking the way. No siree."

I don't think I've ever heard someone dwell so much on making it a point to be acknowledged. It's kind of heartbreaking how Kellam talks in such a self-deprecating tone. Even I forgot about the guy! Man, I hope he shacks up with someone hot. He deserves it.

"Kellam, you can't go alone!" Lissa exclaims. "You gotta have somebody there to help you."

"I'll do it," I venture. I'd rather stay as far from the main group as possible right now. It'll make things easier until this ordeal blows over. "We're not actually aiming for anyone right? That means I'm probably the most qualified one here for the job. I'll work well for this."

"Who else should we send then?"

"No one," I say. "We'll be spread thin as it is with you and Sumia in one group and the rest in another. We want the main one to look as big as possible. If they notice someone is missing they might get wise about our plan."

"Loathe as I am to admit, she is right. We must do as we are if we are to have hopes of this working," Virion concurs.

"Fine, not that I agree. With that settled though, another point is raised. How will we know when to go?"

"A simple signal shall suffice," Miriel chimes in.

"Send a flare," I throw out.

"That is inadvisable. Such a minute explosive would be undistinguishable to the naked eye against the sun's rays."

"Okay, then make it a big flare. Like a firework."

Chrom looks lost. "A what?"

"You know, a big colorful explosion of fire in the sky? Lots of sparks and a big boom that follows?" I demonstrate with a dramatic flail of the arms.

Miriel pushes her glasses up the center of her nose. "I believe she means Fire Powder. We acquired a small quantity to use at Princess Lissa's birthing day celebration last year. The prismatic detonation they unleashed upon the sky was exquisite."

"Those are from the Chon'sin region, right? I remember. Would we be able to recreate that with simple magic."

"Affirmative. It would require a minor alteration to the Flare caltrop. Funneling the appropriate level of force behind the expulsion could, theoretically, produce a large enough spark once it ignites at a high enough altitude."

Thank God someone gets what I mean. I nod to the mage. "I can do it, right Miriel."

"Hypothetically speaking. You have proven to be a gifted pupil when it comes to arcane control. As long as you measure that control, you should be able to push forth a bolt capable of the feat. I cannot guarantee a one hundred percent accurate result as I have no prerecorded experimental data of this hypothesis to go forth on. But if I must, as they say 'use my gut instinct', I would agree it is feasible."

"Fine. I'll trust your judgment on that. Let's go over this plan one final time as quick as possible."

And so we do. Bluntly put, we'll split into three teams. The strike team consists of nearly everyone aside from Chrom, Sumia, Kellam, and myself. This team will assault the side closest to Raimi. They'll attempt a fake breach toward the stairwell. They'll be aggressive without taking too much ground to keep the heat on them.

If things go accordingly, the sparse group guarding the far stairwell will be distracted by Kellam and I's surprise attack. The troops there will panic and require back up from Raimi's personal guard leaving her exposed or barely protected. That's when our last group, Chrom and Sumia, swoop in unexpected and knock her over. Defeated, she'll have to call a halt to the fighting.

Of course throughout the whole plan we are reminded constantly that no one is aiming to kill today. These are supposed to be our allies and there's no way Chrom is going to support starting this alliance with blood on our hands. Understandable. I don't want to kill Raimi anyway. I just want to punch her in the kidney once for good measure. Bitch.

We assemble haphazardly. The mood is still rank from the earlier argument affecting the group. So much so that it's enough to make it uncomfortable.

The Shepherds involved with the primary group gather together first and quickly go over their own plans. I hang off in the back uninvited and sulky until they get their act together. When the team huddle ends, Chrom takes the front once more.

"All right looks like the plan is set. Good luck everyone. Remember, watch each other's backs and stay on your toes. Play your parts and all will be well. And for all our sakes, remember to stay your hands. There is to be no death today, understand? If I find out anyone has breached this command there will be consequences."

There's a collective murmur of 'aye' and 'yes sir' through the group.

Chrom nods and gives his command to go.

The main group rushes out. I can see movement on the wall. A horn blares and the figures up top start to scramble. The three riders move quickly in a line providing cover for the ground units as they make for the left side. A few arrows ping against the armor protecting their horses and I'm silently glad for it.

I peer down at the map and see a vast majority of the warriors rush toward our attack formation. As predicted, Raimi continues to sit in the guard house while a smaller squadron of fighters stands along the wall's right side. On the left I see our blue close in on the attack site and the red up top start to swarm their defending area. Neither side has blinked out and I pray it stays that way throughout the battle.

Miriel and Virion's markers take refuge behind the tree line to take advantage of the cover. The map doesn't show it but I know they are peppering the top of the wall with projectiles to keep the spear throwers at bay. One well aimed throw at that altitude could easily tear a hole into one of the knights' armors.

Kellam and I wait for Chrom's next signal. The prince hold out just long enough to make it seem like no other surprises await before letting loose the sign for Kellam and I to go. We scurry out from behind the rocks and dash for the tree line. Kellam is surprisingly nimble and keeps pace with me as we weave through the trunks and low hanging pines. We skirt along the wall until we draw closer to the rightmost stairwell. I pull to a stop and Kellam follows suit.

I pull out the map and hold it out for us both to see. The area is still guarded, as we surmised, though not to such a great extent. Five archers line the walls and soldiers, mostly swordsman, walk the length of it. There's just enough to be a threat to us if we aren't careful but not enough to make the plan a complete failure.

"So how do we want to do this," I ask him.

His armor clanks as he shrugs. "I think it would be best if I took the forefront, right?"

"That's a given. I'd be holed cheese if I went out like this," I say as I pull at the cloth material of my coat.

I tap the tomes in my pockets for reassurance. Good, still there.

"Look, I'm pretty bad at this fighting thing if you haven't caught on by now," I admit. "I'm primarily here for the signal so...Yeah. The best I can offer is some long distance support. My aim is still wonky so you don't have to worry about me actually killing anyone. I shouldn't hit you either. That is, I don't mean to hit you. I mean...I..." I trail off shakily.

"I'm not worried at all about what happened earlier. Honest. You seem to be a swell person."

"I, uh...thanks." Kellam's a pretty simple guy, isn't he. It's nice to hear it though after that verbal thrashing I received earlier. I'm glad at least one person has faith in me.

"So," I say looking at the map again. "The best for me is to stay back here where I have some coverage from the trees. The archers shouldn't be too much of a problem for you. It's the sword slingers I'm worried about. If they get past you somehow I could be in trouble."

We stare a little longer at the map.

"The stairway is small," he says suddenly.

"And?"

"I'm not," he smiles. "If I get in the way, they won't be able to get around me."

I peer over at the structure just beyond the trees. The stairwell did look small. If Kellam could fit, he'd clog the way pretty well. He'd be up against one person, two at most if they could somehow fit. It seems like it could work. I look up at the archers again.

"Are you sure you're okay making a run for it?"

Kellam squints down at me and thumps his gloved hand across the plate metal on his chest. "Don't worry about me Robin. I'm nearly unstoppable when in full armor like this. Once I have their attention they won't be able to look away. You'll be able to provide all the support necessary after that."

I find Kellam's constant references about needing to be seen a little disturbing. We're going to have to work on that.

"Alright Kellam. We need to be quick and dirty about this so we can get Chrom and Sumia in. We've just got to bait them."

"Yes. The captain is counting on us so we can't fail him."

"Okay, let's hit 'em hard."

I inch toward the edge and pull out the thunder tome. It doesn't take me long to conjure up a bolt. I let the dummy shot fly and it lands somewhere below one of the watching archers. He startles and falls back with a shout. He grabs the attention of his fellows who swarm the side. Just to piss them off further, I let loose another for good measure.

"You're up Kellam!" I shout.

Kellam massive form charges out of the trees and heads straight for the open. The soldiers start screaming to each other as they begin to line the wall. The five archers notch their bows and aim straight for him. Kellam promptly raises his huge shield over head and its length provides a good line of protection for his torso. He clatters toward a rock for some cover and ducks behind it. I throw another wild shot and then move to a different spot to let loose another volley. I'm hoping that if I keep shuffling up my positions they'll either get confused or think there's more than one of me.

Kellam darts out and heads for another safe spot further ahead. Arrows fly once more but they only plink off pathetically to the side when they hit his shield.

"Yo! Lay off!" I throw another bolt as best I can to help ease off the pressure. Kellam continues to hold the shield up in a protective angle as he nears the stairwell.

We've got their attention so far but how successful are we really right now?

I whip out the map with one hand while I hide behind the tree. A few of the men who have noticed us gather around our spot but there are several stragglers still holding a position too close to Raimi. I need to get their attention somehow. Something big needs to happen.

I peer around the trunk and look around. Wall. Wall. More wall.

Come on, Robin! Look harder!

Kellam makes it to the bottom of the stairs where he meets with a descending warrior. He holds his shield firmly ahead of him while the guard takes a blow at him. Kellam responds by shoving his shield forward and pushing the other man harmlessly back. The knight bats off another swing with his spear. He guts the soldier with the blunt end of his spear and the guy goes backward clutching at his stomach.

I follow the stairwell up to the top and stare across its spans. Oh! Hold up now! What's this? I stand up on my toes and see what looks to be a wooden roof of some sort poking out. It's built up against one of the upraised towers. Maybe it's a shed? It doesn't matter what it holds! All I need it to be is a mighty distraction.

Wooden shack, meet fire tome. Fire tome, wooden shack.

Time to light it up baby.

I swap my tomes and pull out the one labeled Fire. I open the book and find one of the simplest ones for me to handle. I get into stance and outstretch my hand. My eyes flit over the evoker ruins. The words here are more wild and catastrophic than the sense of controlled destruction that was inscribed in the thunder tome. The words run untamed across the page describing the unbridled hunger of the flame and its chaotic dancing patterns as it consumes all in its path. I can already smell the smoke and ash of charred logs.

The physical reaction to this is far different than that of the thunder tome. There's a hot feeling in my chest and it spreads rapidly underneath my skin in every direction. The warmth travels through my veins leaving me feeling sun baked and flushed. A miniature sun swirls to life beneath my palm. Like before, I wait for the familiar feeling of build up to reach its peek before I release it.

Around my outstretched hand runes flare. They start as dark, wriggling shapes and then glow hot like miniature embers. They blink and then fade out just as fast, dissolving in a streak of ash. A hot blast hits my face and an inferno combusts forward like a meteor. It streaks through the air and over the wall into the wooden hut. The wall caves in under the pressure spreading tiny fires everywhere. The dried pine needles instantly catch ablaze and spread a trail all along the roof. I hear an eruption of panic from up top. I quickly scurry back through the trees toward the stairwell. I tuck the tome under my arm and whip out the map again. The stragglers are running for the burning hut, bustling around it in alarm. Bingo.

Taking advantage of the new chaos, Kellam makes his own bold move to further distract his enemies. He clunks up the stairs and reaches the first landing. Alarmed at the sudden advancement of the enemy, the remaining soldiers quickly scramble to meet him.

Instead of fighting back, Kellam hunkers down and places the shield in front of him. He draws himself in and disappears into his armor like some metallic turtle. A Feroxi solider leaps down the steps and jumps in front of his stalwart form. The man swings his sword into Kellam's massive shield but it only bounces off. He tries again with the same result. With the gigantic armor blocking the tiny path up, the solider has no place to go nor nowhere else to attack besides the shield.

The enemy solider waves to someone and I see two archers appear over the side. The man might not be able to do damage but those archers sure can if they shoot an arrow at just the right angle that it can get into one of the breaks between Kellam's armor. I better make with the signal quick so I can get some cover on him.

I hop out a little ways and swap back to the thunder tome. I flip to the first page where the caltrop sits. I quickly focus on summoning up the spell and then over push the energy. I hold my palm out over my head and let the flare fly. It hisses up in a stream and crackles with sparks all the way up. It hits a high altitude and finally explodes in a bright flash of white. With the signal done, I duck back through the tree line toward Kellam to provide support.

I stick behind a few rocks and lean out just enough to stretch out an arm. I launch a warning volt at one of the attackers. I'm not even worried about aim anymore. True to my magnificent skills, the bolt flies too far and explodes against the wall just behind the guy's bum. He startles and searches around for the source. I duck around the rock and circle to the other side where I let off another wild shot.

It launches into the wall just below one of the archers. She instantly falls back and her neighbor lets out a shot in my direction. The arrow flies wide and lands several feet away from me in the dirt. I ditch the boulder all together and run toward another tree.

"How you holding up Kellam?" I holler.

I hear a muffled echo from underneath his armor and then his spear hits the ground once. Still alive. Good.

"Keep it up big guy!"

Several arrows fly past me, including one that lands right in the trunk where I stand. Whoops, shouldn't give myself away like that. We may not be aiming to kill but they still are. I continue to dodge around the trees and throw out spells wherever I can. The hut is now a raging bonfire and I can see heads bobbing over the top of the wall as they try to put it out.

The minutes drag on and the warriors still focused on us are pressing down heavier than before. I think they've figured out that there's only him and I by this point. The only thing preventing them from overwhelming us is my constant barrage and the lack of space in the stairwell. Even that won't hold us forever though.

My bolt explodes against the rock showering tiny bits off the side. The constant barrage I'm sending is draining me down. It's getting harder to keep the shots straight as my arm begins to tire from the constant slinging. Can somebody hurry up already?

A horn blows through the air. Immediately the swordsman pushing up against Kellam's shield stops and looks about. The others who hang about do so as well. The warrior backtracks up several steps and throws a questioning glance at his allies up top.

Another blaring honk cuts through the air and all the Feroxi warriors slowly start to lower their weapons.

"Is this a surrender call?" I hear Kellam's shout echo as his head peeks out from under his helmet.

"I think so."

I can hear yelling along the wall. It travels down the length like a game of telephone. As soon as the shout reaches one solider they yell out to the next.

"Lay your arms brothers and sisters! We have been bested! Stay your hands! The captain has willed it!"

I guess we won.

I warily emerge from cover and wander up to Kellam. The solider before him sheathes his sword and raises both hands in surrender. He watches Kellam hesitantly from under his visor, searching for any sudden movements.

"You hear that foreigners? We are surrendering. Will you put away your weapons as well?"

"Of course!" Kellam says cheerfully as he shifts his shield from its protective position. "We never wanted this anyway."

The soldier seems stunned at Kellam's admission. "You are surprisingly tame for a group of vagabonds. Perhaps the captain was wrong."

"Oh really?" I drawl dramatically. "You think? Could it be possible that I was right all along about us being from Ylisse? I wonder."

On the map I see the blue dots of our people separating from the others. Surprisingly, the red has completely disappeared and replaced itself with green. Above and to the left of us sits Chrom and Sumia's tags. They sit around Raimi and are probably conversing on the terms of surrender.

I roll the map up and slip it away for safekeeping. "I'll meet you back with the others Kellam. I'm going to check on our leader." I really mean I'm going to go give that captain a piece of my mind.

Kellam waves and the two of us part ways. I skip up the steps and turn left toward the gatehouse. I try to ignore the smoky remains of the shed as I pass it. I sincerely hope nothing important was destroyed in there. I brisk walk toward my destination, passing Feroxi soldiers along the way. Some of them give me dirty glares but most ignore me all together as they try to regroup.

Sumia's pegasus is the first thing I notice as I get closer. The horse and rider rest off to the side as both of our leaders converse.

The pegasus knight looks over at me as I rush past. She calls out my name and I nod as I pass. She doesn't look any worse for wear, nor does her pegasus. I'm relieved to see no harm befell them while getting Chrom to Raimi.

My eyes lock back on to the duo. Raimi is on her knees with an attendant at her side. Chrom stands with his back to us but I can see he's speaking with her. I feel my insides start to boil the longer I stare at her. Someone owns me a big apology.

Raimi looks like a boulder rolled over her face. Dried blood is crusted under her swollen nose and her left eye is red and discolored around the skin. A girl in what I presume to be a healer's garb is holding aloft a glowing staff over her arm. It hangs limply at her side and I wonder if the elbow bone is suppose to be jutting out so far.

"Captain Raimi..." I spit out in distaste.

She inclines her head toward me and gives a crooked smile as I approach.

"And here's the mastermind behind this whole plot. Pretty good tactics for a Plegian turncoat."

Really? Really?! You...

I reel back and punch her square on. Raimi grunts in pain as her face whips to the side under the force of my blow. The healer at her side squeaks in surprise and backs up in shock.

"You bitch! Do you know how much trouble you've caused today because of your stupidity?" I fume. "You pile of-"

I'm yanked away from her. Hard.

I stumble back as Chrom puts space between me and the other woman. He looks pissed.

"Robin. Enough. The fighting is over with."

"I own her one for talking shit and for nearly skewering us and starting a war. Now we're even."

He gives me another glare before turning to the general. "I apologize on behalf of my cohort here. It seems tempers are still high from the battle."

Raimi moves her jaw back and forth as if testing it. She then rubs her cheek with the back of her hand. "Save it your Highness. It's duly deserved. Besides, what's one more punch going to do after your little barrage?"

"Yes, well...I don't relish the thought of raising a hand to anyone but a battle's a battle. I hope we can get past this now that we've reached a mutual understanding."

"As far as I'm concerned Prince of Ylisse, you earned my complete surrender the second you proved yourself my better in battle. Only true warriors could perform with the discipline and control your men and women had. That's something no rowdy rabble of troublemakers could even dare to show."

Raimi beckons the healer back over with two fingers. The girl meekly steps forward and resumes her work, throwing furtive looks at us as she does. The warrior bites hard on her cheek as the healer begins work on her arm. "I still cannot believe you managed to break my shield arm. Cracked right through the steel. The fabled sword of Ylisse is no joke."

Chrom places his hand on the hilt of Falchion. "The Exalted Blade is more capable than any normal weapon when in the hands of its chosen bearer," he says with pride.

"So it is. Take care of your heirloom there your Highness. Treat it with the same love you would give your own child. A warrior is nothing without his sword and a blade no more than metal without a talented hand to wield it."

"I would never dream to do so otherwise."

"Then you're already wiser than most men ever will be." Raimi winces under a sudden flare of light. "Well, there goes the bone. Shouldn't be long now. Once I finish here I'll organize the men and leave orders for my lieutenant. Allow me to personally guide you to the capital as an act apology on my part. The Khan will meet you much faster if I bring you in person."

"That would be appreciated. In the mean time, take as much time as you need. I'd like to put this skirmish behind us and start anew."

"Thank you. I'll come for you as soon as I am set."

She throws me a long glance and then nods as well. I retreat with Chrom and follow him towards the stairwell.

"Did you really have to do that?" he says beside me.

"Do what?" I respond flatly.

"The battle's over. Taking a cheap shot like that is not going to help us gain any allies."

"We here to impress the Khan, not the captain of the guard. Besides, if she hadn't been so stubborn then none of this would have happened." And by this, I mean everything.

"Don't do it again."

"Or what? You'll send me back to Plegia?"

The words are caustic and burn my tongue. I don't mean what I say but I'm so angry. I'm saying things just to be mean. It's wrong but I can't help it.

Chrom freezes mid-step and turns an icy gaze on me. His mouth opens but he promptly shut it again. I can tell he's debating internally on what to say. Finally, he gives up and starts to walk again."We'll speak on this later. In the mean time, I have to get the rest of the Shepherds together," he says neutrally.

"Whatever," I sulk as I storm past him.

I stomp down the stairwell and skulk off toward no place in particular. The rest of my company is settled in various spots around the closed gate. They meander about checking gear and talking amongst themselves. I choose to hover just outside of their sight so I can keep an eye on things. I tuck myself away into a corner hidden in the shade of some rocks. I lean back against the cold stone and stare down at my boot. I trace idle patterns in the snow with the tip and try not to think about all the damage control that will have to go down soon.

What is with my shitty luck? Is nothing going to go right for me? I'm stuck filling in for a no-show protagonist, I've got unknown characters appearing and canon characters spewing plot twists ahead of time...and now this.

I just spent twelve days mucking through the back woods with these people and just started to finally feel comfortable with it all. Now this chick had to go and ruin it all. Frederick the Paranoid is going to run me over like a rampaging bull and everyone else is going to throw all the trust we've built right out the window.

I rub my face and expel a heavy stream of air. Can't anything go right for me? Just once? Next thing I know, I'll get to the arena and find out Marth's checked out for warmer pastures. Wouldn't blame her though. This 'Feroxi Spring' is a joke.

An overwhelming sense of disappointment washes over me. I'm serious when I say that I've grown fond of this motley band of strangers. So the thought of them now looking at me with suspicions and mistrust because of some stupid detail I overlooked breaks my heart. I don't know how many times I can tell myself that these people are all I have right now. I can't flub this up with them. I'm toast if I do.

There's a tiny part of me that's hopeful that no one gives a flaming flambé about what Frederick said. I'd like to think that they want to give me a chance based on who they've known these past days as opposed to a wild accusation by an unknown personage, despite the overwhelming evidence for it.

I mean, I know I'm not Plegian. It's impossible give the fact that I'm, you know, from a whole other reality. Of course no one knows that and I definitely can't use that as an excuse. Especially with the amnesia and all. I've been backed pretty well into a corner.

Damn it Frederick, why did you have to act like such a jerkass!

I find myself throwing an acidic stare at the knight. Like me, he is hanging off to the side rather than amongst the group. In fact, both Chrom and Lissa seem to be standing as far as possible from their protector which is something I never see. I think we're both in a bit of hot water after today.

It's infuriating to think about his words though. I really thought we were getting past that distrust thing. With all the training and working side by side in camp, I was doing by darnedest to try and prove myself an ally through and through. Clearly that meant nothing because he was just silently waiting to jump at the first sign of potential betrayal. What is this guy's problem? Did my doppelgänger kill his favorite cat when he was a child or something? I don't understand!

What else is new? Nothing has been as cut and dry as I predicted. The plot's moving along but there's been so many new occurrences. More than ever I've become worried about what may be stirring behind all this.

Raimi's visage appears from the left stairwell and walks toward the group. I suppose her business is done then. I straighten up and start to meander over slowly as she approaches them. She looks far better after that session with the healer. There's only a light bruising around her eye and her one arm move a little stiffly, but overall she's back together.

"Shepherds! Have you regrouped?" she calls out.

"Captain Raimi? You look much better," Chrom responds back. The two meet each other half way.

"Looks, maybe. I'm still feeling the aftermath of that duel. No matter though. It's nothing that can slow me down. How fair your people though? Are you ready to move?"

"Yes. We're ready whenever you are."

"Excellent." She gestures toward the road through the gate. "It's a half day's march but we've sent word of our impending arrival through my fastest pegasus knight. We should be expected and immediately taken to my Khan."

Chrom looks relieved at the news. "I couldn't ask for anything more. Lead the way."

Raimi turns on her heel and waves to a man on the wall. "Lieutenant, open the gate."

"Aye aye ma'am. Safe travels!" the solider responds with a salute.

The gate rumbles open and we finally commence the last part of our journey.

I hang at the very back edge of the group, as far as I can without getting all together separated from them. The air hangs heavy between everyone and no one makes a move to bother me. I don't know if they're giving me space until I cool down or if it's worse than that. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I have other things to think about as well.

Somewhere in the capital a girl is preparing for an inevitable confrontation with ghosts from her past. Whether she knows it or not, she become the key to survival for not only the Shepherds but me as well. I have to find out what she knows.

I'm not sure exactly how I want to do this but I've got plenty of time to think about it on the way there. Regardless of how I'm feeling right now and the drama that's been stirred up, I have to focus. Confronting Marth on this is insanely important. I'll suck up the bad juju until after our little conversation. It's about time I get some answers to this cross dimensional clusterfudge.

A/N Holy craaap, sorry for the wait guys. This chapter took forever to write because there's absolutely nothing interesting about it in the game. Raimi acts like a total goober and forces you to slaughter her troops cause she's too lazy to walk herself down and check the paperwork. Ugh. So have some angst. Delicious, delicious angst. Also, excuse the rushed battle. I wish I was a good enough writer to create some intricate display of tactical prowess but I'm just as much a beginner at this as Robin herself. Sometimes ideas come and sometimes you sit staring at the doc for five days going "How do?"

Did you all find the Kellam cameos I put in the last two chapters? They're tiny and you may have to squint to find them but he's there.

Thanks again for all the interest in the story. I'm floored by how many people continue to stop by and read it. Seeing so many views and talking with you all so far has been such a rewarding bonus. So for those of you reading all across the globe, thank you.

Review Responses -

Ensu - Aw, thank you. Robin's wit is probably one of her defining characteristics and I was a little worried people would find it off-putting as opposed to humorous. Glad I was proven wrong!

Luciz - Thank you. It was a stressful week but things are more or less back on track. I'm ready to get cooking once more!

Ruu - Writing this story has changed my views on a lot of characters actually! Sumia is definitely one of them. I somehow ended up preferring Cordelia during my first play through but I think it's because Sumia had some bad level growths in the beginning. I've certainly come to appreciate her a lot more after reading her supports and writing about her as a character.

As for the flashback, that is one of Robin's own memories returning. It's just a snippet of her life though it obviously had a bit of importance to it, ha ha. Who knows where the original Robin is right now. Maybe hanging with the Annas on the beach in the Outer Realms? :)

Raven Tsurara - Yep, the Arena means Marth and she's clearly the only one with answers right now. Of course Robin won't be the only one asking questions. Marth seemed a little confused at Robin's own presence. There's certainly a lot to be said!

A Shadow's Lament - Hello! Thank you for the review! I'm glad you hung in there with the reading. I intentionally made the beginning seem erratic and staccato because it was supposed to emulate Robin's sluggish awakening as she regained consciousness. Though if you think it makes the beginning seem...uneducated then maybe I should change it? Other than that, I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so much so far! I'm going to assume you want Robin to be Chrom's wife? Goodness, can you imagine what kind of hell she'd raise in the court as an Exalt's wife? She'd be a PR relations worst nightmare! XD

passwordrawr - I'm pleased to hear everyone still seems in character. One thing I've always regretted about the games was the lack of character exposure given to the rest of the cast outside of the supports. They are such a tiny window into the complexity of these characters. Take Virion in this chapter, for example. Instead of dwelling on his roguish pursuits of the fairer sex, I wanted to illustrate another facet of his personality. I chose to highlight his unerring devotion to his goal in the story, finding a way to save Rosanne. Virion's quest for a means of potential salvation for his lands from Walhart's encroaching invasion is what draws him so far out from his home. Conversations and his ending prove that, even when it seems the worst, he is always thinking about what is best for his people despite the worst. It also provides Robin with a way of connecting to the man through a shared circumstance. They are both strangers in a far away land. Now some people may not care for this interpretation but that's okay! My main aim is to portray these fantastic characters to the best of my abilities while still adding something new yet organic to their unfinished stories.

tsubame kazehaya - Well thanks for the mighty praise! It makes me glad to see someone getting a kick out of the smaller things. Fire Emblem Awakening has such a vast and unexplored world but suffers because the narrative is so constrained. I really want to fish out the details and bring the world alive so the reader can get immersed into it right alongside Robin.

As for the relationships, I'll just say anything is up for grabs. I've been entertaining plenty of ideas regarding friendships or romances between characters that never interact in such a way. Specifically for Sumia though, I don't see why she can't potentially end up with someone outside her normal pool. Nothing is finalized yet aside from a little ship tease since it's so early in the story but I'll keep your request in mind. ;)

Guest - Ask and ye shall receive! I've got a little something cooked up in a chapter or two to hopefully fulfill that wish. And thank you for the compliment my stealthy friend! Have a wonderful day yourself!