Cycle

by RoseWarden

Robin is a young woman who bakes cakes during the day, sleeps at night, and drinks on weekends. She does not wage wars, fight demons, or solve dating issues. Yet, somehow by divine mistake, she's found herself doing just that. Clearly, someone has her confused with another Robin...

48. Chapter 48

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

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Chapter 48

Flavia's arrival could not come sooner. Every waking moment I feel like I'm in one meeting and out to another! I'm going to go insane, I swear...

Emmeryn and Raimi both reached Ironhold early this morning by pegasus. The rest of the army is expected to arrive soon under Phila's command. Even with just the reinforcements Flavia sent, this army is large. Trying to imagine adding in the rest of the eastern and western forces is crazy. We're going to be formidable. The sight of so many people isn't even touched on in the game. It's hard imagine the magnitude of the true army's strength even now, and so many people mean much more responsibilities.

No wonder I'm tired.

Time moves in funny increments nowadays. On the march, the day inched by at a snail's pace. These moments in between feel like life hit the fast forward button. I don't remember having a full night's sleep since this war began. If I thought Emmeryn's arrival was bad, I can't wait for the chaos of Flavia's. She hadn't been expected for another four days or so, but word was sent that she hopped a wyvern and was flying it to the brink of death to get here. She wants to start planning ahead of her own army to get us into Plegia faster. Apparently Plegians aggressively attacked several outposts and one valuable fishing village now that it's common knowledge our countries are allies. This doesn't include the push the Risen are now making on her portion of the wall.

I've found myself in meetings at all hours handling affairs, and it's gotten even worse here. Frederick and I have to be the mouthpiece of the Shepherds for a short while. The healers refuse to budge an inch regarding Chrom even leaving his bed. Though healed, he's at risk of exhaustion if he moves too much. Healing magic can bind up those wounds, but it leaves the body in a fatigued state. From my extremely limited medical expertise, it seems healing magic forces the cells in body to go into over-time. They speed up the process astronomically, but in exchange leave the body in a stressed state. Imagine cramming a week's worth of exercise in one day, then getting hit with the fatigue all at once right after. You're going to be plastered to the floor.

Frederick has stepped up to play captain and I his right-hand. While Lissa could easily have done so, her healing skills have made her far more valuable elsewhere. All the clerics are outnumbered compared to the total bodies in the army. They're struggling for help. It was only fair I took this responsibility to leave her to that.

It's a curious feeling, now that I've survived several battles and seen the aftermath of each. This time especially, I feel different. Some of the things I saw...The feeling of almost losing friends...There's a constant pressure hanging over my head. My sincerity over this future I've taken responsibility for was put to the test in Ironhold. Gregor and Maribelle's very existences we're on the line and Nowi...Well, things could have gone wrong in ways I dare not imagine.

My motivations have shifted. I'm up half the night and during much of my free time reading and theorizing. I aim to make Katarina a constant companion, and hopefully her fellow Einherjar, to dispense wisdom during my planning. She's so humble, but insightful. From my friends, Virion has become an adviser in his own right. Since the beginning, the two of us have shared a mutual interest in war games. Once or twice we've stayed up well into the night over a shared bottle discussing strategy, though it was more for my benefit than his in my limited experience. Virion has since expressed an interest in joining me after war councils to spend more time revising and tweaking ideas for the next day. He claims I'm making strides in my progress. He can see it in my confidence. That's not to say I'm on equal footing with my esteemed counterpart. Katarina has already warned me not to get caught up in the small picture as to ignore the larger battlefield, or I might miss problems arising outside of that limited scope: reinforcements, weather changes, et cetera. I realize how much I've come to learn, and how much more I still can. I couldn't be more grateful for both his and Katarina's guidance.

This experience has been humbling. Frustrating. But, that's what I have to expect now. I just hope this constant exhaustion is not a permanent thing. I don't know how Frederick is able to endure all of this business day and night and still resume his duties outside of the war matters. I'm starting to doubt whether he's even human.

Even as I watch him today at our meeting, he stands poised and alert. I'm not sure he's blinked. Here I am propped on one arm pinching myself to keep from slouching after another night of work. The long sleeves on my coat are a blessing to hide the ink stains running up my arm after falling asleep on a parchment of freshly scribbled notes.

Today's proposals are a mixed bag. Final preparations are in place to take in both Ylisse's and Flavia's forces. Ironhold is large, big enough to house most of the army and the remainder in the lowers walls. It's protected. Safe. Emmeryn will be able to oversee the invasion into Plegia, and we will have headquarters close to the gateway between our lands. The tunnels too will provide a hope of convenience for us in the future. Routes to travel unseen to allied lands and the frontier of the enemy. That, however, is our next step. One we will proceed with once Flavia is with us. The Shepherds hold our secret close and work day in and out with Maribelle to map safe routes in the mountains.

And I'm here, listening to the tiresome bureaucratic work of running an army. Though, I suppose I should be thankful for that. Sometime soon I'll be discussing the most efficient way to orchestrate the deaths of what could be hundreds or thousands of people. Wonderful thing to realize.

God, this is complicated.

Luckily my suffering is about to end. Today's meeting is short to begin with. Only Raimi and Emmeryn are present causing the topics discussed here to be of a lesser extent. Emmeryn makes no grand decisions for the army without Eldaran, and even less when it comes to mobilization without the other leaders. Today's topics were more about special permissions and barracks rearrangement. Some of the requests were downright bizarre. A lord from an eastern province requested a bouquet of roses daily because he swore on Naga's name the success and vigor of his personal guard would increase tenfold if their rosewater hand treatments continued unbroken every morning. Buddy, I would be more concerned about whether your guard could hold a weapon properly in their finely manicured fingertips, because no spa treatments are going to do a thing when a sword ends up through their soft and silky skin.

The second Emmeryn signals the end of the meeting, I'm on my feet cramming my possessions under arm as fast as possible. Anna had requested Lucina and I meet with her today, but I can see my time-traveling partner caught up in a conversation with Emmeryn. Lucina manages to offer a quick sign for me to continue on without her, but I can wait. Doesn't have to be in this stuffy room though. I'll just wait for her in the hall where there's an actual window or two.

A guard outside the door offers a nod of respect as I pass, to which I respond with a cheery wave of my own. The guards are used to it by now, as I slowly have. It was shocking to see it at first, all the slight bows and curtsies being extended to me as if I were a minor noble of some stature. It was strange for them to see me respond with greetings and words of acknowledgment. Now it's a familiar exchange both sides have come to expect, and the soldiers will dare to smile back or even say hello because I encourage it. I don't want the extra treatment, but they do it out of custom. That doesn't mean it has to be stiff or informal.

"Morning Fen," I call back to the elderly guard. He's been part of the Exalt's personal escort since Emmeryn's father was in power. He takes the job with immense pride and the niece he raises is planning to follow in his footsteps.

Fen raises his visor, the wrinkles around his eyes easily tricking one to mistakenly doubt the power and finesse he is still capable of performing as a warrior. He loosens his firm stance and a small chuckle echoes out from under the helmet.

" 'tis the afternoon now, m'lady."

"Is it?" The harsh gleam of sunlight through a window further down slants across the floor signaling the two o'clock hour. "So it is. Tend to lose track of time when cramped up in that little tomb."

He resumes a silent pose of attention as a Feroxi lieutenant leaves. Once they've departed, Fen continues our causal banter. "I would be inclined to agree. No airflow in the room causes the chill to creep in. I worry her Grace may catch a cold."

"I just wish we could do this somewhere the walls don't feel like they're closing in," I grumble. The scroll under my grip slips and falls to the ground. Hoisting my remaining possessions further under arm, I kneel down and balance on the front of my toes to reach for the wayward parchment.

"That's the exact reason we conduct business here, sadly. There is no other place in this keep so tightly secured. Buried at the heart of the castle, there is no way in or out except for the door here," Fen explains. It was up to the guard to secure the best room for meetings and this is what they decided on. Even if the room is lacking, it provides the best circumstances for the privacy and safety our leadership needs.

I lean forward dangerously to reach the scroll, nearly losing balance. I readjust my supplies to my lap and hold them tight as I use the other arm to catch myself on the wall to prevent falling forward. I mutter under my breath and regain my poise. "You're right. I might not like it, but it guarantees us the safety we need. It's the length of time spent within that bothers me. The meetings are dragging longer and longer. Today, I never thought it would end."

A set of oiled leather boots park themselves before me. Bending down, the newcomer grasps my scroll and hands it to me. I rise quickly, papers rustling in a mess at my chest. I reach out and grab the opposite end, my thanks hastily given to the one opposite me. To my surprise, it's Flavia's favorite general who has rescued my possession.

Raimi's mild expression of amusement over my fumbling is a contrast to the business-like formality of her response to my former grievance. "The meetings will continue to lengthen, tactician. Expect it to be so once Khan Flavia arrives tomorrow. The Feroxi are known to enjoy mock battles for fun. When faced with the reality of war, we could be in the same room for the day's duration should the Khan wish it."

She loosens her grasp on the other end allowing me to fully retrieve the scroll. Fed up with the mess in my arms, I drop to one knee and let the satchel at my side slide off my shoulder. I turn my face downward to where I begin to stuff the materials in, regardless of the fact they won't fully fit, to hide my displeasure. Unfortunately, I can't hide the disappointment dripping in my voice. "That sounds just great."

Raimi makes no move to leave, and Fen straightens up again to his prior watchful silence. The guard do not engage in small talk with nobility and high-ranking officials, me being one of the few exceptions. With Raimi here making clear conversation with me and only me, he's seen fit to return to his background presence. I offer an apologetic shrug and return my attention to Raimi, who offers a hand to help me off the floor when I finish.

Her gesture is friendly, but her words less so."I see no reason for your complaining. One would think you would be overjoyed at the idea given it is your profession after all."

"Fancy seeing you here, Commander," I greet cautiously. "No rush to return to your people today?"

"No more than usual, but not enough that I can't stop to offer some aid," she answers briskly. "You are also never one to linger, if I may also point out."

"I'm waiting on someone inside." I push my bulging satchel behind me, then tap the side of my head. "As for your earlier comment, I do enjoy my craft but a thinking brain needs energy to continue making plans. I don't know how you can stand there for so many hours without a proper meal. I'm dying without a lunch."

Raimi doesn't even bat an eye at her prompt answer. "Discipline."

That felt like a personal jab. I have discipline! Usually...

"Is that part of the normal Feroxi training regime?" I snark a bit too obviously.

Raimi goes somber, a switch so fast it throws me off. "It is in the East. Our lands are not bountiful, like that of the West. We do not have long beaches or fertile plains. We have mountains and thick woods. Cold winters. Resources are a luxury and every bit conserved."

She closes her eyes, stating the last fact with a reserved sense of pride. "We learn at a young age to temper our needs as we may go without for days. So yes, discipline is a key element in our training."

Ah crap. That's...Uh...

"Sorry," I mouth out awkwardly. Raimi and I have a relationship where we abide each other, the first meeting at the wall so long ago tainting the reunion between us. That being said, she is human. Can't help but feel bad about that sort of state of living.

She regards me with a casual interest, then peers down the hall. "What is there to apologize for? That is life."

The bits and pieces of Raimi's lifestyle Kellam would feed us from her letters slowly comes to mind. The edge of the old kingdom of Aurelis did not even creep into the ancient wilds of the northeast that Raimi calls home. An old empire once sprawled through the central basin, but the ruins and wilds left little behind to tell of it. The people however, endured long after it fell and lived in self-contained villages. You have to be strong to survive such an isolated lifestyle.

"It may be a life, but it's a hard one all the same," I murmur sympathetically.

"Is it? To you, it may seem harsh. But, it allows us to grow strong. Hardy." She beats a hand to her chest, a silent nod of acceptance accompanying it. "We are not soft like the West. My Khan values strength and fortitude, which I have an abundance of. That is our way. I could not see life another way."

She cranes her head back from right to left looking over the walls adorned in gilded torch holders and crafted tapestries. "I bear no ill will to the way Ylisseans live, or even the western Feroxi. It is a different lifestyle I would not find comfort in myself. It's too...lavish for me."

That's Raimi's way of trying not to step on anyone's toes. I think her relationship with Kellam has made her realize to try and take cultural differences into account. She lets her thoughts be heard, but attempts to word them in a fashion to show she doesn't mean it in a disrespectful way. It works sometimes, others not. She still tends to rub folk the wrong way, don't get me wrong. It's just the way Raimi is.

I find myself trying to get comfortable as I nestle up against the wall. This is the most words I've exchanged with Raimi outside of military business. As I'm still waiting on Lucina, I have no where else to go. Might as well chat to pass time. "Maybe I'll try to see more of the Feroxi lands when this is over."

Raimi seems more surprised than I over how long the conversation has gone on. She pauses, giving me an option to offer my excuse to leave if need be. I make no move to, so she relaxes herself across from me. She leans back on one leg, crossing her arms over her broad chest. She's taller than I, almost eye to eye with Kellam.

"Our lands were not the most hospitable when you first visited. Now would be the best of times to travel. It is when the mountain frost has still thawed enough at the base to see the wilds in their glory. It is also the safest time to travel the plains into our lands. The possibility of a blizzard stranding you is minimal."

"I doubt that would stop us. Two of our Shepherds are academics at the College in Ylisse. One has expressed curiosity in a thesis exploring the eastern side of Ylisse and Regna Ferox. He had ancestors from the coast and found there to be a severe lack of information on old seafaring communities. He has a special interest in your home. He says those lands are the most unknown. Even the dragons were a rare sight."

Raimi withholds a knowing smile and I have to wonder if Ricken has already approached her on the manner. "I suppose one can say so. In the mainland, Naga's influence from the south and the refugees of the Burned Isles have altered Feroxi living greatly over time. They've absorbed the relics of the past and built around them. If he is searching for the closest authenticity of a dead era, he will find it in the east untouched."

"The Burned Isles?" I find myself repeating. The name is familiar, a passing mention in a book. From Ylisse's years of isolation, our maps aren't as updated as one might hope. I have no idea where those may be.

Raimi catches on, offering a small geography lesson for me. "The lands Khan Basilio and many western Feroxi claims ancestry from. It's a chain of islands far south that his people once fled from. They say their gods grew angry with them, for reasons I do not recall, and the earth god's daughter rained fire upon them as punishment. It covered their homes in liquid flames that scorched the island black."

"A volcanic eruption?"

She raises and drops her left shoulder in disinterest, casting a look toward a soldier who skitters nervously between us to continue her patrol. "Perhaps. It was four centuries ago and I am no scholar. I only recall the story from what was told to me."

"Interesting," I say to myself, mentally filing away the information for later. "Another land to add to the maps then."

"Mm." She closes her eyes in agreement, a hint of fondness tied around her words thanks to a certain name. "Kellam has told me Ylisse had cut itself off from the world. Your people are very ignorant to what lies beyond its borders."

Ignorant might be a bit harsh but...That's Raimi for you. "No fault of theirs. Past events have made Ylisseans wary of outsiders for good reasons." I refrain from bringing up the old Feroxi raids being one of such fears.

"Yet, you seem to be thriving amidst their ranks," she responds. Raimi eyes me as if expecting me to remember the punch line of some inside joke we share. She uncurls the fingers tucked under her arm and taps at the area around her elbow. I look down at my own arm as if her obvious gesturing meant something. I look about but seen nothing except the mark of the Exalt emblazoned on the coat sleeve.

Oh. No, wait. I get it.

The other coat. With the other mark. That she called me out on.

I feel my eyes narrow apprehensively in warning, before glancing quickly at the guards behind me. I turn back to her ready to say something, but she halts me with a raised palm.

"No need for alarm. I have not spoken to any of our incident on the wall, nor do I plan to." Raimi beckons me to step away from the doorway so our conversation can carry on more privately. I follow her, heart beating faster.

"Raimi-" I start, building up a whole speech in my mind. She silences me again with a fast word.

"I am not attempting to stir up trouble. On the contrary, I'm addressing the very large manakete sitting in the room."

She's talking about the general unease and the way we've been skirting around each other. I won't lie and say the thoughts of her accusation haven't influenced my initial reaction to her. Perhaps she's caught on to the same feeling after I glared at the back of her head one too many times.

"I'm not going to argue this again," I answer her defensively.

"I never said you had to," Raimi replies just as quickly. "Nor am I in a position to do so. Your captain has seen to inform me of your situation personally. He also asked in the name of our nation's good will that I do not say anything or face consequences."

"H-he did?" I stutter, taken back by her statement.

"Yes. It seems Prince Chrom values your abilities far more than whatever your lineage may be," she nods, praising him highly. "An admirable quality. Given you're still here, it seems his trust has been well-placed."

"If your loyalty to Khan Flavia is as devoted as you make it to be, then you know exactly how I feel about my captain," I respond strongly, staring her down. "He found me without memory and with only the clothes on my back. As far as I'm concerned, the only allegiances I have are to what I know now, which is Ylisse."

Raimi steps away from the wall and walks up to me so we're not more than a few inches apart. She looks me up and down, then reaches for the crease of my coat where the mark of the Exalt sits. Raimi pulls at the material, then offers her first friendly smile, even if it's only half-way decent.

"When you walk around like the tapestry of the Ylissean crest come to life, I would expect a fierce loyalty to nothing else."

Raimi steps away and turns her back to me. She combs through the back of her hair, looking out the window toward the horizon Flavia would soon be flying from. "So it's true you remembered nothing but two week's time prior to your arrival in Regna Ferox?"

"Yes," I admit sincerely. At that point anyway, I was helpless with my memories, flailing for a sense of identity.

Raimi emits something between a sigh and a breathy laugh. "The ancestors' have a sense of humor, or perhaps it was Naga's, to have brought you to us then. A nameless tactician sent to Ylisse's doorstep before what could be the greatest war since the Schism's end."

Raimi turns abruptly. "Make no mistake, Robin. I had doubts of you even after you left our city. However, you still remain and the royal family has named you a champion in their name several times. Even my Kellam holds you in some regard."

Di...did she just say 'my Kellam?'

Oh God. Don't laugh. She's trying to be serious here.

"As the one closest to the Khan, and you the heir of Ylisse, we will be working closely together. I would prefer it to be without the toxic air sitting between us."

I swallow the tickle of laughter threatening the back of my throat. "That's fair. It was difficult at times to ignore the tension."

I offer a hand to her as a metaphorical olive branch, which she takes with little hesitation. One good, firm handshake later, we seal the deal on attempting a more respectable working relationship.

"I noticed the palpable unease. Hopefully we shall be able to put this behind us for the sake of our superiors," she states bluntly. "And speaking of noticing..."

Raimi's severe features warm up. I peer over my shoulder and see Kellam watching us from the corner junction of the hall. He freezes up under our shared attention, pulling anxiously on the exposed cord of the good luck charm Raimi gave him now peeking out from under his collar.

I feel my face break into a smile. "Kellam!"

Like many of the Shepherds, Kellam's talents have him typically elsewhere in the day. I see him only at night when I manage to pry myself away from work to eat supper with my friends. It's heartening for me to see a familiar face, and I feel my spirits rise.

"Hi, Robin," he greets back. He does a poor job of hiding the nervous glance between Raimi and I, no doubt wondering what we could be discussing. Or, perhaps his jitters are simply from the lady beside me. There's a shy drag to his step as he approaches Raimi, her name a tender welcome shared between them both. It's quite a picture as Kellam glances awkwardly to the side with a nervous ruffle of his hair while Raimi turns her face to the ground, eyes closed and ears a tinge red.

A Feroxi captain under Raimi's supervision exits the room behind us and stops to gawk at the two standing together. Kellam clears his throat in discomfort, causing Raimi to glance up sharply. The soldier jerks away, nearly tripping over his feet in the process. Fen watches the exchange and wisely decides to step further back into the doorway and out of sight.

Turning back from the comedic scene, I find the two have already recovered and are conversing lightly.

"Kellam." Raimi looks over his body in worry, placing a hand on his bicep. "You look even thinner than when I first arrived."

"Uh. Well..." Kellam heats up, squinting deeply in embarrassment. "I've been carrying a lot of supplies about for the construction efforts. Perhaps that has something to do with it?"

Raimi lifts the whole of his arm with both hands, stepping to his side to weigh it like some prized catch. She frowns deeply. "No good. You'll wither at this rate," she says in disapproval.

Kellam is built like an ox and all muscle. I'm not sure how she can tell he's lost weight because he looks the same to me.

She hisses sharply in distaste. "I knew Ylissean provisions wouldn't be enough."

Kellam lifts his arm free and catches one of her hands between both of his palms. He brings it to rest between them, trying to look positive. "Raimi, I'm fine. I don't feel weak at all."

She lifts her chin stubbornly. "Nonsense. Tonight I will hunt you something better. Clearly deer is not enough. A boar will suffice."

I can't help it, I have to break my silence. "A what?"

My outburst breaks the magic of their moment, reminding the two they aren't alone. Kellam laughs a little as Raimi tells me quite sincerely that she's been spoiling Kellam with a proper diet befitting a warrior. Apparently she's taken it upon herself to hunt him fresh game almost daily to keep his strength up. A new hunting trophy every day? The Feroxi courting game is fierce.

Quite suddenly, Raimi seems to realize how long she's lingered. She reluctantly withdraws from his side and assumes her typical austere manner. "I fear I have tarried far longer than I should have. I must settle details with my captains so we may be prepared for my Khan's arrival tomorrow."

Kellam's shoulders sag a bit. "Ah."

"Is something wrong?"

He tries to mask his disappointment. "I finished my duties with the wall's stabilization today so I thought if you weren't busy we might talk a while before dinner. It's your last day before your duties take precedence and I thought I would catch you when the council ended. If you're busy though, it's no bother. I'm sure someone needs help with something...Somewhere."

Raimi exhibits discomfort over Kellam's own distress and seems torn between the duty versus love scenario. Luckily, that's why I'm here to solve complex problems. Mustering my strongest bluffing skills, I casually walk about behind them.

"It is important that we get to work on our plans," I say in an airy manner as I nonchalantly twirl on my heel to walk past them. "Commander Raimi does need to return to her duties."

"I do," she responds in a neutral tone.

Watching the hope die from Kellam's eyes is absolutely distressing. Thankfully, I'm going to save his bacon. I pal up beside him, draping an arm over his shoulder.

"She'll have to get going soon since she's going to have to take the long way around."

Kellam cocks his head in confusion, his expression matching the woman across from him.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

I bump my palm against my forehead and suck in the air between my teeth. "Oh drat. Did someone forget to tell you? The main hall is under renovation."

She stares at me like I've gone crazy. "The main hall is fine."

I wiggle a finger at her. "Not now. They're repairing some...errant floor tiles. For precisely one hour. Yep." I sign over-dramatically in despair. "Can't walk through, all shut down. The only way to get back to your quarters is the long way around. You know the route, right Kellam?"

My fellow Shepherd stares blankly, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as he thinks strongly over whether he failed to remember something so obvious. I step away from Kellam and make a few vague hand gestures to help demonstrate my directions. "It's the set of stairs at the end of that hall over there which takes you to the second floor. Up there, you make two rights and a left to enter the garden topiary over the hall. One that makes a short, yet leisurely stroll through the blossoming hedges of dawnflowers to the opposite side of the keep near Raimi's rooms."

"Right?" I give him a good nudge in the ribs. Kellam straightens up, forming a silent 'oh' with his mouth, before nodding slowly. "And since she isn't familiar with the place-"

Raimi tries to correct me. "I am-"

I promptly cut her off. "Kellam can show you the way. You do have important work to do and you need to get back as soon as possible."

Raimi shares a look with Kellam, who smiles guiltily in agreement. Her eyelids flutter in shock, before closing to contemplate the idea. Her silence worries me and I'm afraid at first she won't accept the faux logic as her excuse to make the best of both worlds. A little longer of a detour to spend some time with him, before having to work the next few hours. Her pride won't let her take a clearly defined break, but if we can just tweak the reasoning a little so they can spend even a little time walking to her quarters...

Raimi, much to my pleasure, proves even she has a bit of mischief in her.

"A sound plan," she agrees with confidence. "Kellam. I would ask you escort me through this detour lest I waste more time attempting to navigate these halls trying to return to my quarters. I must return to my duties, and your timely guidance will ensure I get there."

I nearly miss the small, "Eventually," she slips under her breath for him to hear.

Honestly, the day is still young. I trust Raimi knows her work load. If she didn't have the time spare, she wouldn't have agreed. Dinner is plenty of time away so they should make use of the time they have, especially since Kellam came here specifically for her.

"Of course. The detour. With how many rights again?" he asks.

"Two."

It doesn't take long for the lovebirds to head off. Strange as the pairing is, and even more bizarre in how it happened, there is something distinctly normal about them being together. It's such a good, healthy relationship. Equal partners who respect the others job and responsibilities. Even with the world seemingly falling apart around them, they continue on with their courtship as anyone would. No unnecessary drama to impede or advance their feelings. It's just a beautiful mutual romance that they take day by day. I'm jealous.

Cue the tiny violin music. I have more important things to worry about. I'm dying to know what Anna has to talk about. Unfortunately, Lucina still hasn't come out. What's taking her so long?

"Excuse me, but is-"

"Nyaaaa!" I holler, nearly clawing my way up the wall in surprise at the sudden intrusion in my personal space. I hadn't even realized someone had approached me until they spoke! The guards around the hall poke their heads out to investigate my outburst. Red-faced, I meekly dismiss them. The newcomer laughs a bit, then offers a shallow bow in apology.

"I beg pardon. I had no intention to frighten you. Sometimes I forget how quietly I tend to sneak up on others without them realizing."

I know that voice. Where from? Looking over the young man, he's clearly Feroxi. Probably Eastern from his style of dress. His fair hair and fairer skin cause the sunburn on his nose to stand out like a red bulb. His eyes remain closed in a relaxed state and he rests most of his weight on the finely carved staff in his left hand. His voice is familiar, as is his demeanor. Hesitating a guess, I greet him.

"Asche?"

He tilts his head slightly to the side to expose an ear for better hearing. Registering my voice, he grins broadly at our reunion. Asche rests both hands on his staff, leaning into it for more support. "Well met, Robin! It's a pleasure to meet with you again."

He looks so different from when we met that one night. The daylight feeds new color to the definition of his facial plane and body structure. I wouldn't have recognized him if not for the familiarity of his voice and the knowledge of his disability marking his identity so obviously. He's got a youthful look that makes me think he'll look twenty even when he's forty. I ponder if I must look different to him now in full light, then realize that night and day have little meaning to him.

Asche's staff scrapes just barely over the floor and he takes a brief moment to sense the space around him. His chipper persona hardly fades, if not growing more at meeting a familiar face. "It's been some time since we last spoke. I'm pleased to know you survived this dreadful battle that ensued on Ironhold's soil."

"Yeah. Sure did." Not feeling very chatty about that particular night, I quickly change the course of the conversation, throwing a quick look at the council chamber's door for signs of Lucina. "What brings you to this corner of the keep. You sounded like you had a question to ask before I flipped a lid at your appearance."

"Again, my apologies for that. I should have announced myself." He withdraws backwards and makes a sharp tap against the floor that echoes down the hall both ways, his expression turning more serious. "I had hoped to catch the commander before she left her meeting, but it seems I missed her."

Knowing she hasn't gone that far, I offer him my help. "Want me to get her? She left only recently."

Asche looks off in the same direction, forehead scrunching up in thought beneath his pale gold bangs. Haven't seen many with that color. I've seen only a handful with blonde hair that fair. Almost a platinum blonde.

"No, no. That's fine. It was only a simple message from my captain. Nothing so important as to interrupt her." Asche leans back, rubbing his chin to ponder in a curious manner. "I could hear her from down the hall. Her business seemed quite personal."

"You could say that," I answer hesitantly.

My reluctance to say more means little since Asche seems to have heard plenty. He has yet to turn his nonexistent gaze from the hall, a mysterious little smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "From the sound of her voice, she seemed quite happy. And you spoke casually to both. May I assume the man is a friend of yours?"

I'm not sure how much to divulge even if Raimi and Kellam have been very open about their relationship. Still, Asche asked a simple question. Though maybe it's my imagination, but he seems to be leaning in slightly with anticipation for my answer. Greedy for gossip? Asche doesn't seem like that type though.

"Uh, you could say that. Kellam's a fellow member of the Shepherds. A valued ally." I puff up, embellishing Kellam's reputation with friendly pride. "He's our strongest shield. Rarely any get past him. It's like-"

"They don't see him coming?" Asche answers for me.

I gaze at him in mild surprise, not expecting him to finish my sentence for me. An awkward beat passes between us before he laughs casually. He steps back closer to me, the edge of his staff making an occasional click between steps. "An obvious metaphor. I've heard it many times in my life. It's a trait many enjoy using to embellish upon their skills, though it is the first time I have heard a front line soldier referred to as such."

"Yeah," I shrug. "I suppose it is an overused analogy."

It's quite literal in Kellam's case, though not as much as it used to be. I never seemed to have as much trouble locating our friend as some of the other Shepherds do, but even I had my moments. Since things started getting serious in his love life though, there was a change. Ever since Raimi sent him that good luck charm in their fourth month of contact as a sign of their exclusive courtship, he's been happier. Stronger. It's hard not to notice the ball of sunshine he's become.

"I have heard my comrades say the commander had been seeing to a man over the border. A strange thing for the Feroxi to hear after such a long, cold history between our countries."

"I hope that isn't a bad thing," I answer.

"On the contrary," Asche exclaims, clapping a hand over the top of the other in celebration, "it's set a marvelous example of how our nations are healing. The men and women see the two together and have a source of hope for rekindling old partnerships. The Feroxi have been without allies for many years. If Ylisse were to join forces again with us, things could only improve."

He's all smiles, clearly pleased about the circumstances. Before his enthusiasm becomes overwhelming, Asche dials it back, suppressing it to a content glee that glows about him. "At least, I believe so."

He gestures with his free hand in the space between us, the shells on his staff making hollow chimes against the deep red wood. "We've lived out our histories disconnected for far too long."

I look to the door again, the irritating pang of impatience becoming a proverbial thorn in my side. My heel has been tapping rapidly unregistered and I force myself to hold it down. A part of me worries Asche's acute senses have picked up the vibrations and erroneously caused him to think I'm growing tired of his presence. "I agree and I only wish them the best. There's nothing to be lost between good relations, and plenty to gain."

"I am glad his kinsmen feel the same. That's heartening," Asche concludes pleasantly.

That's when it clicks. The subtle way he moves and that light genuine smile. The way he tips his head just so when he does it.

Why the hell does he remind me so much of Kellam?

I obviously wouldn't have noticed it at night. Too dark to see. But I've found myself watching his movements more intently than I should. Now I know why. He makes a lot of similar facial expressions Kellam does. That's...super strange.

I realize I've somehow leaned forward and am scrutinizing his face in an intense silence. He makes no mention of any discomfort, though his thumb moves in tighter circles over the swirl carved into the wood where his palm rests. "Is something amiss?"

The illusion shatters, and Asche just looks like Asche. I clear my throat, tugging around my coat in no particular way to straighten it out. "No," I try not to shout, altering the conversation to improve the air. "So, how are the Feroxi doing? Are they acclimating well to the Ylissean army?"

"We get along, if that is what you are asking. Despite the cultures, we aren't all so different." Asche clenches his free hand as if holding a mug, then raises it high. "At the end of the day, a tired man will still drink and sing the same even if their odes are to a different name."

"And yourself?"

"Very well," he answers happily. His mood lessens when he has to push back some of his long hair, only for it to fall into his face. "That is kind of you to ask. You would be surprised how often the army forgets to check on its healers."

"Especially since you do all the checking on everyone else," I add.

"Indeed. Funny thing, that." He nestles his walking stick in the crease of his shoulder and reaches back to fiddle with his hair tie. Asche winds his hands through his hair as if it were a daily struggle. I can attest to that having now grown it for so long. It's a reason I used to cut my hair short back home. Nowadays I haven't had the time to trim it and my style resembles nothing it once did.

"Did you take part in the siege or come with the rest of the men from Fort Tyr?" I ask Asche to distract him from the annoyance he battles. He finishes securing his hair back up before answering me.

"I came with the others from the fort. There was little I could have offered for such a bold endeavor. However, the aftermath was much more in my expertise. There were many injuries. And deaths." Asche pauses in a moment of silence, then continues with far less vigor. "Our superiors made sure they were sent off properly."

That grabs my attention. I recall he said he had some training in some sort of mystic or religious practices. "Did you perform the funerary rites?"

Asche's staff jingles like a crazy mobile as he switches it from one hand to the other. Actually looking at it, I notice the ornamentation, and even the symbols carved in it, are a mixture of different religions. Many reflect the Feroxi culture and some don't, such as the dried flora sacred to Ylissean rites. "For whomever was needed. I do not judge. Naga, the old gods, the ancestors...In the end, the soul must be guided somewhere. The longer it remains on this plain, the longer it corrupts and twists until it becomes something beyond recognition."

Immediately the Risen come to mind. Human beings warped by Grima to follow the dragon's bidding. An ultimate desecration of the departed. Beyond that, I can't think of what else he may be referring to, apart from what I know from my own home world. Part of me is curious if there might be something useful to learn. About what, I don't know. At this point, I'm grasping for straws.

"Like ghosts or demons?" I offer up in suggestion. I would ask about the Risen but...nobody in this time knows anything about them. Not anyone who actually belongs here anyway.

Asche pulls his staff closer as if to ward off the very words. He mulls over a response, visibly uncomfortable with the topic. "I suppose. There are many tales that describe what happens to a soul not properly cared for. The outcomes are never good, for the fallen and the living."

"Such as?" I can't help asking.

"That is a rather morbid topic to be interested in Robin," he says, "especially in a time of war."

"Sorry. I'm just curious."

"And curious you are. I remember that about you very well from our first meeting." He chuckles to himself. Leaning up on his toes, he appears to give the illusion of looking over my shoulder for something.

"If I may change the topic, have you been waiting for someone? You've seemed a bit distracted to me since our meeting."

I'm glad he can't see me cringe in shame as I realize my foot has begun tapping again. "I was, but she's busy with family. Can't rush that."

He falls back on his heels and eases off his staff. "I see. Still, I should return to my duties, and I do not wish to keep you waiting when your friend does come."

"It's fine, but whatever you like Asche," I answer, partly disappointed to end the conversation with someone so interesting. "Sorry again about missing Commander Raimi."

"It's no worry. I'm sure I will see her soon enough," he responds confidently, pulling up a genuine smile. It turns a bit mysterious when he pauses mid-stride, shaking his head at his own silliness. "Robin, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Once I am done with my duties attending to our injured, I would be willing to do that fortune for you if still interested."

If I'm still- Do you even need to ask? I feel like a little girl at a carnival, giddy at the thoughts of love and riches that could or could not be in my future. "That's- Yeah, I would!"

"I feel like it would be a most interesting experience, for both of us, if I did so." He presses a thumb against his right temple, massaging it gently. "You have a very unique feeling about you. It's intriguing."

"I hope that's a good thing."

"It could mean many things. I have come across others like you, though they are few." He takes a step back, the familiar tick-tack of his staff checking the free space around him for obstacles. "But that is for another time."

I tisk in disapproval jokingly, though a part of me does mean it. "That's cruel Asche. You're leaving me more curious than before."

"Then I will depart with a small insight for you that requires minimal effort on my part." He points the tip of his staff right in the middle of my shadow, stretched and jagged against the wall thanks to the torchlight."Your shadow has grown very long since coming here Robin, bigger than you alone," Asche advises me. It's friendly advice, not a warning as I expected. "I would look into that."

I twist my torso around, staring into the darkness, and expect to see something. "My...shadow?"

I hear my name called behind me and realize it's Lucina. She stands in the middle of the hall shocked to see me still here. I wave to her, happy she finally managed to get away. "Hey Marth!"

Lucina walks up, eying our proximity to the closest guards before pulling me even further down the hall.

"What are you still doing here?" she whispers hotly. "What of Anna?"

"Easy! I was talking with-"

I look around frantically, realizing my companion is nowhere to be found. What the-?

"Asche?"

I call out his name again. I stop in place, preventing Lucina from dragging me further away. She halts when I do, staring at me in bewilderment as I take a few steps forward in search of where he went. He can't have run off that quickly, could he?

"Who are you talking about?"

"The Feroxi scald I mentioned," I approach her again, hands moving wildly as I enter a side hall to check for his departing form. "Where did he...?"

She glances awkwardly about in an attempt to search herself for this mystery man. "There is no one here now, nor did I see you with anyone."

Okay.

That's weird. So, like, I know it's impossible to even compare this, but this kid can disappear faster than-

"Robin," Lucina says, taking hold of my sleeve to grab my attention, "Master Donnel is here."

Sure enough, Donnel's thick accent greets us from down the hall. He lifts a hand to wave it, jogging up to meet us. "There ya are! I've been lookin' high and low for ya'll. Like huntin' for deer in winter."

"Donnel? What are you doing here?" I ask on behalf of Lucina and I.

Donnel grabs both elbows, hugging himself tightly to ward off a sudden unease. "I was sent to go find ya. Ms. Anna was startin' to get impatient waiting so long. And she gets right ornery when she reaches that point."

"I apologize." Lucina bows her head. "The Exalt had business to discuss with me."

I'm not feeling as sorry for Anna's plight, displaying any lack of remorse. "We've got our own duties to attend to. Anna isn't as important as our council, nor the Exalt's attention."

Donnel recoils just enough for me to catch, avoiding eye contact with an accompanied grimace. "Don't go lettin' her know that."

Lucina pulls harder on my sleeve, dragging me down from my perch. "We're done now. You may lead the way."

We walk with Donnel through halls. He carries on with no cares, unfazed by any of the rush around us. Even when I see him dodging around personnel when performing Anna's errands, the kid always has a calm expression. He's taken his duties seriously, to the point that I've heard Frederick compliment Donnel on his manners. That's high praise from the master steward himself.

Those same chores are what has prevented Lucina or I from having any real talks with this potential Shepherd. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I strike up a conversation.

"How have you been doing, Donnel?"

Donnel turns around, hands tucked comfortably around the back of his neck. He walks backward with ease, somehow avoiding oncoming travelers while still walking and talking to our destination.

"Been havin' a swell time. Ms. Anna's teaching me all sorts of tricks," he gloats proudly. "Next time some ol' bandit thinks he can come rattling sticks at my village, he'll get a right whoopin' out if it."

"You are learning something from her?" Lucina asks him incredulously.

"Well, yeah," Donnel shrugs, reaching into a pouch on his belt. "That's what the agreement was. Though, she's been busy lately with family matters. Had to take my lessons from Ms. Amelia."

I look to Lucina and mouth out the name in confusion, never hearing it before. Lucina is just as clueless, so we watch as he fishes around for something at his side. Donnel eventually pulls out something flat between his fingers. He twirls it around, the design on the back the unmistakable engraving of an Einherjar. Unlike mine, the colors are different, as is the center emblem.

Letting us get a better look at the character on the other side, I see the likeness of a young female warrior. I start running through my knowledge of Fire Emblem characters as I put together a name to the blonde haired spear-wielder in the red armor. If I recall correctly, I think she was a beginner class just like Donnel! She from the Sacred Stones though. So Einherjar of different games do exist! Now that I know that, I wonder exactly who else might be out there?

Cause, uh...if Hector is an Einherjar...Anna and I might have something to negotiate about. Just saying. Always good to have a strong man around with a firm grip. Yeah. Totally.

While I recover from spacing out on old gaming crushes, Lucina regards the card with unsure curiosity. "That's an Einherjar," she comments, understanding what it is but not knowing who or from where.

"So she is, and right strong too. Been learnin' plenty," Donnel affirms with a swipe of his thumb across his nose. He looks pleased with the Einherjar so she must be working well with him. It makes sense. They would be a similar level, and Amelia was one of the kindest characters in her game.

Lucina continues asking questions."Where did you get that?"

"Ms. Anna, though she gets most of 'em from her uncle."

"Do you mean Uncle Hubba?" I can't help inquiring, remembering Anna mentioning him once.

"Yep, that's him alright. Surprised ya know about him. She's been gettin' quite a bit of 'em every few days. He's none to happy 'bout it. Doesn't like giving up these here folks since they weren't handled proper last time. Blamed it on Ms. Robin," Donnel answers growing more uncomfortable near the end. He fidgets with his shirt, dipping his head in apology towards me. "Er, not you, that is. The other one who came...before ya?" Donnel stops and thinks a moment, lifting his pot up to scratch through his wild hair. "After ya? Can't wrap my head around all this malarkey."

I pat him on the back. "I wouldn't try Donnel."

For Donnel's sake, we change to a lighter topic and keep things to a friendly chat as he escorts us to the inn Anna made her quarters in. Only the best for our merchant extraordinaire. We enter the bereft inn, the scene of the main sitting room largely undisturbed aside from the rotten food that has since been thrown away. Chairs still remain overturned or pulled back from tables and the door to the back kitchen is wide open. Old coals sit in a burned-out heap in the fireplace. It looks like a scene where people left in a hurry. Only the boxes with Anna's family insignia branded on it near the doorway mark the new inhabitant upstairs.

From the amount of stairs we climb and the fact this inn is located in the most expensive area of the upper district, I know Anna is set up in the finest suite. Donnel, the little gentleman he is, opens the door for Lucina and I.

Yep. I was right. This is posh. Wall to wall rugs. Silk sheets on the bed and duck feather pillows. I'm pretty sure that painting of the frowning old lady over the fireplace is worth more than my entire life's salary.

"Donny, there you are! I was beginning to think you got yourself lost."

Anna's happy outburst preludes her dramatic entrance as she bursts out the open closet in back. She spreads out her arms in greeting, the massive sleeves of her dressing robe trailing behind her like wings. With her hair hanging loose around her shoulders and no shoes in sight, Anna looks to be in a relaxed mode.

Donnel shuts the door behind us completely unfazed by Anna's appearance. "No Ma'am. Fetching your guests right up for ya, just as asked."

While I poke at a this ugly-ass statue in disbelief on the table beside us, Lucina addresses our hostess in the detached way she usually does. "Anna."

Lucina's lukewarm response doesn't dull Anna's enthusiasm. She slides over the arm of the couch she sashays up from behind. In one fluid twist, she places herself in the middle and languishes outward.

"It's about time!" She points with the tip of her toe to the loveseat across from her, snapping a finger in Donnel's direction. "Sit, take a load off! Donnel, fetch me that new vintage for our friends."

He rushes to a barrel sitting with stacks of other imports in the corner of the room. While Donnel digs through the hay, Lucina and I take a position across from Anna. Before I know it, there's silver goblet in the shape of a wyvern's claw placed before her. Thank God she took the bottle and opened it herself because I might have had the urge to throttle her if she treated him anymore like a manservant. Once filled to the brim, she points the open bottle at us.

"Care for some?"

I reach out to take the wine from her, finding a similarly designed goblet waiting for me on the table below. Donnel goes to place one for Lucina, but she turns him down politely. I pour the dark blueish-purple liquid up, the pungent smell of fruit and cloves whisking me away to a holiday memory.

Anna's watches as I go to take a sip, toasting toward me before savoring a mouthful herself. "Valmese winter berry. Hard to come by. The fruit that makes it can only be harvested during the last full moon's light of the harvest season."

Lucina picks up the now discarded bottle and turns it in her hands, running a thumb over the label. "That is a rare vintage. Hard for even my family to get a hold of. However did you get one?"

"Just one?" Anna snickers into the back of her palm. "My dear, I have three bottles sitting in the barrel right now." From Lucina's reaction, I can guess this stuff if worth it's weight in gold given how rare it is to either acquire or make. The response pleases Anna. "You forget how many connections I have."

"But where are my manners!" She snaps again, drawing Donnel to her side. Anna snatches up the bottle from Lucina and passes it to him. "Thank you Donnel. You're a such a peach. Have a dab yourself if you like."

He shakes his head and declines the offer, moving away with the remaining wine to stop it back up for later. Anna watches him leave, reclining back in amusement. "You missed out on scooping this little catch up. Donnel does such a good job. He really is the ultimate helper."

"Thank ya!" He beams proudly.

I put my goblet down and address my concerns with her, still irked by his treatment. "You do know Donnel's got more worth than that of a servant, Anna."

"Oh, I agree!" Anna presses both hands together before her face, hiding the mischievous tilt of her lips. "He could be a brilliant killing machine."

Donnel fights to push the wine bottle back in its barrel, his arms elbow deep in the packing hay. Combined with his sincere frown, I would rather laugh at him than take him seriously. "Now don't go sayin' that Ms. Anna. You know I ain't particular about fightin' folk for pleasure. I just need to know how to defend myself."

Anna exhales in disappointment and pauses before her sip of wine. "It's a shame. You could be among the best if you applied yourself more." She rotates her wrist, watching the liquid swirl on the inside of the cup. "The salary you could make in my Arena is more than you would make in ten lifetimes shoveling that muck around in your farm fields."

Donnel steps back, brushing both hands together to shake off the straws. "I know Ma'am. But someone's gotta till the fields. My ma ain't like she used to and with Pa gone..."

The merchant woman flicks her hand is dismissal clearly bored already with his explanation. "Alright, alright. Enough. No need to explain and start the waterworks again. Instead of whining, why don't you finish packing my clothing."

He heads to her bed where a massive trunk lies open, various garments spilling out of it. Once she's sure he's too caught up in his task to listen, she addresses us. "Wasted potential," she laments quietly, "but he tries."

Anna sets down her glass and leans forward. She rests her chin on intertwined fingers, her eyes dancing intently over the two of us. A sly smile creeps across her face, the bright red of her lipstick adding an effect of unease to the act.

"Enough of that! We have bigger things to discuss! So, my little time warpers. Tell me, how goes the little tiff with Plegia?"

I take a greedy sip of the wine, stopping myself just short of downing the delicious flavor. I force myself to hold it in front of me before I intoxicate myself. "I'm sure you've heard the rest of our Eastern Feroxi allies are almost here. We'll be beginning a full scale offense soon."

Her head tilts inquisitively, a single finger reaching up to twist around some red curls framing her face.

"Plans going well? The army full and happy?"

This time, Lucina answers. "As can be expected. The Exalt and the Khans are held in high regard. The warriors trust their rulers and stand behind their cause."

Anna pulls her finger out, stretching the strands to full length until they unwind and fall back into place. "Religious zealotry and a bloodthirsty cultural pride. Excellent motivators."

I frown, disapproving at both the statement and tone. "It's not like that."

"Is it?" she questions me in a sing-song voice. "I would pay closer attention to your soldiers then if that's the case."

Lucina jerks up in attention, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. I'm already ahead of you, Luce.

"I don't condone wanton slaughter, Anna. None of us do. If you hear anything that would imply intentional mistreatment or xenophobic tendencies among our people, you tell us."

Anna nestles into the cushions of her loveseat, crossing one leg over the other in dramatic exaggeration. "Noble of you. Looking out for the people who would kill you."

Her attitude causes me to burn up inside. Even Donnel pokes his head up, seriously contemplating whether he should say something or not. He decides against it, and so do I for the sake of keeping peace. "The Grimleal want to kill me. I'm talking about the common folk and unlucky soldiers conscripted that are doing what they can to survive. They deserve none of this when the fight is mainly because of a sect of crazies and one revenge-driven psychopath on the throne."

"Agreed," Lucina echoes behind me, having little more to add since I pretty much summed up both our feelings on the matter.

Anna throws one arm over the back of the couch, the other coming to rest on her heart. "Look at this, both of you in agreement. What a happy little family reunion. Good to know you both are on the same page. This might making work with you two easier."

"You know about that?" I ask in surprise.

"I know plenty." Anna's amusement is spent. A sharp coldness overtakes her features, her very poise stiffening. "Yet, there's much more to know."

She sits up and pushes off the couch, picking up her glass. Anna abruptly walks to the other side of the room, pausing in front of the lit fireplace. "I'm going to be on a small trip soon. In fact, after we have this conversation of ours. With the little bit of packing I have left, I should be gone within an hour's time."

"What?" Lucina and I both react in unison.

I nearly drop my cup, barely saving it from slipping through my fingers. "Anna, you can't just go! You're our main supplier! Who's going to handle all our business? We're going to need shipments put in today. And what about those personal mercenary forces you were going to supply us?"

"No worries. I brought some of my people in to handle the worst of the work. For everything else, my stand-in will do just fine." She whisks a hand out and flourishes it over the boy next to her.

"Donnel?" I gawk.

His head bobs up at the mention of his name. He turns toward us, a long pajama gown partially folded over one arm. Anna rests a hand on his side and hugs him toward her stiffly.

"Of course. You think I was just having him wait on me hand and foot? While mostly true, I was able to put in a little work between meals."

"No need to be so humble Ma'am," Donnel boasts proudly, causing even Anna to blink in surprise at him. "Ms. Anna is an amazing teacher. Just yesterday, I graduated from my number tables. And she promised that I can start working the ledg-"

"Donny, Donny, Donny," she cuts him off, pressing a finger to his lips to hush him. "No need to go in-depth about that. Someone might actually take me to be a charity-case. Then you get all the beggars knocking on your door for handouts."

"So he will be in charge of everything," Lucina asks in clarification, just to make sure she heard right.

"Of course. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my business." Anna takes a sip then continues, unnaturally somber. "No, really. I wouldn't."

She wanders back over and takes a seat, holding her goblet out in one hand so she looks like a queen off some ancient fresco. "That's not the only reason I've called you here though. It's the nature of my business trip I'd like to discuss. I figured it only fair to let my business partners know."

"Considering you have not told your 'partners' much about anything you've done in our world so far, it would be appreciated," Lucina reacts sharply, an obvious criticism in Anna's lack of progress to anything pertaining to our issues.

Anna laughs loudly. "I'm funding your whole war single-handed, Lucina. There might be different names attached to all the contracts, but have no doubt I'm the figurehead behind each and every one. I've been doing plenty for you."

"She's talking about the real battle. The one lurking beneath it all with Grima and your sister's disappearance," I explain for her.

"My sister." Anna takes another sip, watching me over the edge of her goblet. She grows pensive and savors the taste quietly. After the pause, she puts the goblet down and leans in, displaying the signature Anna chin tap. "There's one thing I'd like to take pride in when it comes to my family's name. Do you know what that is?"

"Wealth?" I deadpan.

"Exploitation?" Lucina echoes in near exactly the same way.

Anna blinks, her voice dropping to an unamused sneer. "Cute. Are you sure you two aren't blood related?"

I stick my tongue out just a little while Lucina glares back challengingly.

"Loyalty." We all look over to Donnel, who loses his proud stance under Anna's pressing stare. He swallows hard and goes stiff as as a board."It's loyalty, Ma'am."

"Thank you Donnel. Good to know you're paying attention to your lessons. Yes, it is loyalty," she exasperates, now resting her forehead against her fingers. She punctuates loyalty every time she speaks it. "Our loyalty is born unwavering, and there is no greater force in the universe strong enough to shake a sister's devotion to that."

She peeks through her fingers at me. "And no Robin, not even wealth."

"Family was my third guess, after three hundred percent mark-ups on exotic imports," I quip, slathering on the sarcasm.

Anna stands up and walks around the couch. She heads to her desk, picking up a heavy tome. The crimson velvet of the book cover is emblazoned in gold with her family crest. "It's because of this that we've thrived. Loyalty to the family name. Devotion to the cause. All members of the family adhere to it."

She holds it out like a holy scripture for both of us to see. Is this some glorified business handbook for the sisters to follow? "We've perfected numerous plans and keep open communication at all times to assess the next best steps for the family to take."

Anna presses it tight to her chest turning to the window. "Do you know what we, as sisters, fear most though?" She pauses for a dramatic beat before continuing. "Love."

Anna places the book back down and returns to us. She walks along the back of her couch, hand running over the top of it. "I am not talking of familial, but romantic. When one of my sisters fall in love, she will inevitably form a new family. One that turns her loyalty from us, to them."

"I don't understand. Why is that such a troubling matter? The expansion of one's family should be a joyous occasion," Lucina interrupts.

"Not when there is so much to lose," Anna retorts. "It's nearly impossible to retain the same amount of devotion she once had to us when it's now split between two families, which usually always have differing agendas and expectations from us. Interests conflict and a choice has to be made."

"There's no way to make it work?" Lucina asks, troubled by Anna's revealed philosophy. She was also born into an environment where lineage and privilege are a way of life. Unlike Anna, Lucina grew up in a family where love and experiences were shared and encouraged. Even raised by a single parent, I understand the importance of holding on to the loved ones you have. Her mentality is alien to me.

"We work in a hard industry where there's little room for mistakes or uncertainty. You work for the cause, or leave," Anna responds back. She falters, her next words a bit strained. "Most leave."

"Can you explain further?" I ask.

"It means we let our sister free of obligations, cast out into the world to do as she pleases. She loses all her benefits of course, but is typically happier for it. There are a good few who still hold ties with us though, reforging the relationship through a new venture. Some don't," Anna goes on to explain. She leans over the couch, recounting a story for some branch of the family. "I have one sister who married an animal trainer. She adopted his love and decided to become a veterinarian, to the same exotic animals of all things. She's did well enough, I suppose. All her daughters followed suit and the family now owns a chain of hospitals."

Anna steps back and shakes her head in clear disgust. "All non-for-profit though. Can you believe that? At least the berries they send make good wine."

"It sounds as though they are doing well. I do not see the problem," Lucina remarks, still unable to fully grasp Anna's reasoning.

"Love is worrying. It makes my sisters act out of the norm. Didn't you hear what I just said? Free business? Altruism? Imagine running a business that way. It would drive us straight into the ground," Anna fires back defensively.

Lucina, however, is both unimpressed and losing patience. She speaks with little warmth. "Much as I would debate your logic, I fail to see how this means anything to us."

Anna's smile drops. "I'm getting there."

She leans away from the couch and begins to pace in a small circle, her step aggressive. "I'll be frank with you. We've marked your little world a loss. The risks we take in remaining here are catastrophic. Barely any investments can chip into the desire to continue doing business. We've all but closed the book on you."

"Yet, Anna remained," Lucina states in surprise, trying to piece together that sister's motivations.

Anna stops, placing both hands over her heart. Her voice croons disapprovingly. "And my dear, sweet, naïve sister would have none of it. As I have come to explain, she felt loyal to this dying realm."

Tying it all together, my heart sinks into my chest leaving a cold rock sitting in its place. "Your sister fell in love?"

Anna does a mocking, slow clap over my answer. Three thundering slaps before they close together completely. "Donnel, bring me my sister's journal."

Donnel, who had been listening intently to the story instead of working on his chores, breaks quickly from his rapt attention. He stutters something in response and dashes off to the room joining this one.

Anna returns to her couch and takes a long, full sip. She stares into the glass before boldly taking another. Only after that does she continue. "I sent one of my best men to her abode in Regna Ferox. Even with all our traveling, a sister has to call someplace home. It's there we keep records, like her journal, for others to find in such cases like this."

"A necessary precaution for merchants. They are bound to be hounded on the roads," Lucina remarks in agreement. I see her eying my own goblet and silently offer it to her. She contemplates the thought, then denies it.

"An Anna never loses. It was never a precaution we thought to make use of. We've never had to," Anna laughs darkly to herself. I fully believe her after having seen just the smallest hint of her power in the stables in Ylisstol.

Donnel returns with a decent-sized tome underarm. He approaches the table between the three of us and sets it down.

"Not until now," Anna whispers grimly.

The journal, or what was left of it, is hardly fit for reading. The whole top cover is singed black from flames, tattered edges of pages sticking out in disarray between the binding. I can see the tell-tale curl of the parchment inside. This book has survived a major fire. I'd be surprised what could be salvaged from it given how much of a beating it's taken.

"That's...your sister's book?" I gulp in fear, the implications the book signifies leaving little to the imagination.

Lucina sits back, pressing a hand to her mouth in shock. It's the first sign of concern she's ever expressed for the merchant.

"My man found her home in disarray. One wing burnt to ash, the rest torn open and possessions scattered," Anna explains, waving a hand over the journal. "Among the destruction, this book."

"No way," I gasp, mimicking Lucina's reaction.

Anna looks away from the book, visibly hurt. "Also were signs she did not live alone. Mens' clothing. Work gear for an ocean voyages. She had apparently met a mariner named Jake and had taken enough of a liking to him to commit properly."

Pickles. That isn't good.

"She was one of our best," her sister praises lightly. Her mood lifts just a little, revealing a glimpse into the love and respect this Anna shared with the other. "None did her job better, and she would have no other job herself. Peddling was in her blood. My sister was born to do what she did."

"But given the family rules..." Lucina starts.

"...she kept it a secret," I finish for her.

"It makes sense now. Why she fought to keep this pathetic little world alive," Anna remarks bitterly. She sits back and lets her head rest on the couch, eyes closed tightly. "I always did wonder why my sister voluntarily stayed in this world time after time your mother decided to pull apart the strings of reality for her leisure. While she and her draconian counterpart drove the world to extinction, she continued to try and find a way to save it."

"That's..." Lucina struggles to find an answer, this news a greater surprise to her than myself. "Anna never spoke a word of such efforts to me. If I had known then things would-could have been different."

Anna's eyes snap open, her mouth twisting into a violent smile. "That's because you were too busy chasing after mommy dearest on some futile redemption quest while the world continued to burn around you."

More than the words themselves, it's the look of pure hurt on Lucina's face that sets me off. I get that Anna's family is caught up in this and things have gone to hell because of it, but the personal jab she made causes my hair to raise. The blood in my veins heats up and my pulse quickens in the same way it does before a fight.

"Anna, I get you're going through some things. You weren't expecting this. I understand you are upset. But word of advice? Change the attitude." My fingertips dig into the armrest of my couch punctuating the extra warning in my words. "Quickly."

Anna rests her elbows on her knees. Her deep magenta eyes spark with emotion, drawn in by the prospect of confrontation. She licks her bottom lip, anticipating my response to her own accusation. "Awfully defensive, aren't you?"

She could be thinking a million reasons for why I'm getting so agitated, but I couldn't care less in this moment. I try to rein in the bizarre, almost irresistible urge to punch her face, evening my tone to something more firm than threatening. "Lucina has been through enough shit in her life that she doesn't need more patronizing. Lay off."

"See, that's the whole issue with this game of yours," Anna presses harder. She stands up again, looking down at the charred remains on the table. "You're so focused on your singular lives that you forget others have been affected outside of your precious family. My sister had, apparently. She had to watch this lover of hers forget over and over again that they were indeed not only a thing, but expecting at one point. She watched a prosperous life she had built erase itself over and over again."

"She never...I." Lucina's head is bowed, face hidden under the hanging strands of her long hair. She kneads the edge of her tunic harshly between two balled fists of material. "I'm sorry."

My arms drapes around Lucina and pulls her closer so we're shoulder to shoulder in support. I force myself to focus on comforting the girl beside me, torn between wanting to yell or sympathize with Anna. I understand that this scenario has been hell for everyone and the pain makes the victims lash out, but we seriously do not need this right now.

Sensing how far the boat has began to sink, Donnel does the most intelligent thing someone in the room could do. He tries to diffuse the situation entirely. He stumbles up beside Anna, kicking away at the dust balls on the ground and watching them roll away. I don't know if he's looking away from Anna's face out of fear or respect.

"Ms. Anna. I think both of ya have lost a lot. This ain't no contest. We're all fighting the same bad fellas now, ain't we?"

To my surprise, there is no witty retort. A pensive silence ensues forcing me to finally acknowledge the other woman. Anna looks down at Donnel from the corner of her eye. She's goes neutral, the nasty edge of the air around her settling. She jerks her chin to the left, jaw clamping tightly on the words she swallows.

Anna leans downs, splaying her fingers over the destroyed cover of the book, a slight strain in her usual controlled tone. "It's partially burned, but some of it was still legible." She breathes, staring down at the secrets her sister kept locked away from all others. It's the most human our mysterious merchant has looked since I've come to know her. "I discovered more about my sister in these pages then I thought I knew."

She withdraws her hand, almost afraid of it. It takes Donnel's intervention, with him lifting the book up for her in urging, for Anna to take hold of it again. She pulls it in gently to her chest, rocking it like it were the most precious gem she could have ever been given.

"Anna kept us up to date with the status of all the...what did you call them again?"

"Cycles?" I morbidly remind her.

"Cycles," Anna emphasizes slowly, as if chewing over a stale piece of bread. "That's right. And every new cycle, she would bring another terrific story of how this stubborn, miserable little world narrowly escaped its death again. Every single time we would advise her to pick up and go. Every time, she would go back. She did her own research, tried to communicate sometimes with the old Robin in ways that wouldn't risk her life. She still kept in contact with the Shepherds, no matter how badly they fell apart. This whole time I wondered, what could be worth saving here? Why would she try so hard to salvage a clearly defective money-funnel?"

The growing crescendo of malice punctuates in a clean drop-off. She lifts the journal before her face. Though she speaks mockingly, she appears absolutely crestfallen.

"Foolish girl." Anna whispers out loud. "Was it all worth it?"

Lucina's shoulder muscles tense up under my fingers. Though Anna was speaking of her sister, the words could apply just as readily to her. Was all her work really worth it in the end when faced with all this suffering that continues to repeat worse and worse with each new cycle her world enters. I find my own soul reverberating with the words feeling an eerie connection to the phrase. It makes me think it was something Other Robin might have said. It would be cruel enough given how she was in the end.

"Ms. Anna?" Donnel motions with his hands as if opening and flipping through a book. "The last entry."

Anna startles, looking down at herself in a sort of wonder. Quick as her vulnerability has been exposed, the hard carapace of her typical attitude comes back to light. She lets the journal free fall from her hands like she was dropping a bag of garbage. It hits the wooden table between us with an unsympathetic thud, quite forgotten. She ignores it wholly and walks to the window to keep her back to us.

"Thank you Donnel," she calls back. "I had almost forgotten the whole reason for summoning them here." Lucina wipes her face with back of her sleeve, finally raising her head as Anna speaks. "As I said, I will be leaving Ironhold. No need to worry, my trip will be brief. Still, it will take a few days to travel back and forth, maybe more. I have an investigation to make on Wayfarer's Isle."

I can't recall seeing any place on the map with that name. Sensing my confusion, Lucina enlightens me to the unknown location. "The island home to the Outrealms Gate. Wayfarer's Isle is what our sailors have dubbed the remote island."

Anna pulls something out of her robe pockets. She picks at the seal and unfolds a long, multi-page letter. "This was left behind in a fire proof envelope between the last pages of my sister's journal. If one were to read it, they would think it a simple order manifest." She raises it for all to see. "It's actually a coded message meant for one of us sisters. The encryption key was hidden in her final entry, thankfully one of the few wholly surviving pages. I've figured part of it and made out that this letter is a warning, or perhaps a hint. Someone attacked her and this is what she left behind as our only clue."

"Anna, you don't think your sister is..." I can't find it in me to finish the sentence. I'm tired of death. Can't I have some hope for once? Isn't there someone out there that can be saved?

"No. At least not at the time this was written," Anna answers me. She folds the letter back in half but doesn't put it away just yet, content to simply stare at it. "Someone was looking for my sister because they needed her."

"Oh gods," Lucina suddenly jerks her head up, nearly rising from her seat. The sudden motion causes me to jump back so far I almost slip off the couch. "You don't mean she-"

The look Anna gives her is silent confirmation to whatever it is that Lucina trailed off into. There is fear, then understanding in Lucina's eyes. Then they turn on me.

I shift uncomfortably, afraid where this is going. "What? Why are you looking at me?"

"Robin," Lucina begins quietly. She's trying not to alarm me, but we are way passed that point. "Not just anyone can open an Outrealm gate. It's impossible from what I have seen. As I have come to understand, Anna was the only one who should be able to open it."

"That's silly," I protest, placing a hand on my chest. "I'm here."

"And you claim to be from another realm entirely," Anna quips from her window perch.

Her Cheshire grin stinks of conspiracy theories I have no wish to think about. My desire for answers betrays the need for ignorance and ends up asking anyway. "What are you implying then?"

Deep down, I already have a feeling I know where this is going. It sits on me like a massive boulder, the pressure heavy on my ribs. Then I realize it's because I've held my breath for so long waiting for the inevitable. I let out a ragged sigh.

"I will hold nothing to be certain until I go see things for myself. There are an infinite number of scenarios at this point," Anna states. She approaches the back of the couch and reaches over the top toward her wine. Her fingers wiggle futilely, beckoning Donnel to help fill her palm. He does so and she gratefully finishes the last of her wine with one full tip of the back of her head. She hands it back to him for cleaning and then languishes over the couch. "I simply wanted to wait to let you know this until I was certain it was safe to even believe you."

"I'm used to that by now," I grumble to myself, used to all these trust issues. Comes with the ever present threat of Grima's possession. Go figure.

"I'm finding more questions the longer I stay here. I wasn't prepared for this level commitment. It was my fault for underestimating the severity of this situation," Anna whines pathetically, disappointed with herself.

"Our predicament has never been a light one. You should have come expecting something beyond a normal war, Anna," Lucina musters up in courage to say now that the shock of Anna's previous accusations are wearing off.

Anna just clucks her tongue in amusement, the acidic sting of her threat attempting to remind Lucina of what she's trying to forget. "Sweet girl, I've been around for a very long time and dealt with many. This world was never my responsibility to begin with. I was just here to get my sister out. Clearly we all failed to predict how far your mother's schemes would go."

Every time Anna calls Other Robin a mother, I withhold the urge to flinch. It makes me itch to hear such a typically comforting word being applied to someone who had treated her daughter so heinously. Crazy or not, I can't forgive her for what she did to Lucina. Be that as it may, the past is the past. We can't help that all now.

"Time travel and fucking up the progression of a world's history is a big deal," I find myself saying. "I think we can all say this is beyond any of our means as a single individual."

Donnel returning from the back causes Anna's attention to stray for a moment before falling to us. "I don't know the depths of how far this goes. I need my sister to answer some things that remain unclear to me. This journal was badly burned. I could only get so much between you and these papers. Make no mistake, my dear ladies. This is turning into a bad predicament." She saunters over and pats me once on the head like I was some child she was chastising. "You, most of all, should be concerned."

"You don't say," I snap back, my irritation with her turning up my sarcasm to maximum.

"I make no jokes here," she retorts back just as quickly. Anna grows very serious, this time earning me a sharp jab in the middle of my nose. "You're an anomaly Robin, the worst I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Watch yourself. Those like you, inserted where they never belonged, often cause the most harm in the end."

That type of thing is hard to hear. Even I can't muster a thing to say to that when it is has the potential to be so devastatingly true.

"You seem like the nice sort. A bit of a bleeding heart that makes a good heroic type," Anna ponders out loud. She walks around our couch this time and leans in between us though she addresses me alone. "However, you existing in this world means either my sister opened that gate to let you in, or someone else found out how."

She places a finger on the side of my neck, the tip of her manicured fingernail digging just enough into the skin not to break it. "If I find out you had anything to do with this..." Anna's statement turns into a threat with low dip of her voice. "Grima will be the last thing you have to fear."

"Anna." Lucina rises defensively on my behalf over the threat, but I gently holding her back with one hand. I can fight my own battle. A weird rush of alpha supremacy urges me to take up the challenge she's presented forth.

I glare back into her unnerving irises, refusing to break eye contact. "Pretty ballsy thing to say to the supposed human incarnation of said demonic god."

"Are you?" she challenges me. "Some sort of potential demi-god ready to usurp power again?"

My response is punctuated short and sweet so there is no way she can mishear me or mistake my absolution to its truth.

"Not on your life."

Anna laughs from deep down in her throat, low and amused. She is the first to back away. She rests all her weight on one hip, the tapping against her chin making a return. "I don't know what you are but we'll find out, won't we?"

For once, I can't find it in me to protest. I know who I am. Nothing is going to change that. I'm just sick of stating that fact over and over with no one listening. It's tiring, but I know the truth and that's enough for me.

"Anna, something has happened here neither of us are sure of. If your sister has become involved in the same events, then our interests are far more aligned than previously thought," Lucina implores the woman before us. "We have no reason to instigate each other."

"You may be right," she admits after a long, thoughtful pause. "I've little more to say on this matter that won't be based on guess work. I want hard facts, and I hope to find some. Based on what I may discover, you two might end up having the privilege of a permanent alliance with myself after all."

"Any aid offered will be accepted. And if there is anything we can do for you, we will do all in our power to help," Lucina offers with the diplomatic tactic a noble such as herself would have been taught. "We didn't expect this. Nor you. I speak for both of us when I say we do not know what happened with your sister."

"If I had a guess," I say, throwing in my opinion, "I would fathom it has something to do with those freaks calling themselves Grima's generals. They have a motivation and I know they must have brought me here. That's the lead you should be following Anna."

"I suppose that remains to be seen, hm?" She doesn't say much else, just contemplating something silently in that strange mind of hers. Anna considers each of us, looking us over in a line before resting on Donnel. With a firm nod, she seems to consider the matter closed for now.

"Donnel, can you take my trunk and travel bags out to the hallway. No need to do anything more, just leave them there. I can get help later."

While Donnel heads off to the stack of luggage in the corner, Anna fluffs back her hair before loosening the front of her dressing robe. "I guess now would be the time to change. As for you two, do try to stay alive until I get back. Trust Donnel if you need any aid. I've left him with good caretakers, should help be required."

Before I can ask her the nature of these 'caretakers' she mentions, a loud and irritating grating assaults our ears. Donnel struggles to take the trunk out the door. Anna makes no move to help, watching him struggle to barely lift one side off the ground. The other end scrapes along the floor inch by inch as he digs into the ground with his heels. His steps are met with resistance as the rug underneath slides and pools around him. Finally unable to watch the fight continue, Lucina gets up and offers to help. She manages to pick up the other handle with both hands and the two begin an awkward shuffle outside. While they do so, Anna takes a moment to instruct me further.

"Robin, could you make sure Donny eats three proper meals a day? He tends to only eat once in the morning and not again until late at night. The boy will eat like a horse and that does terrible things to his digestion when he goes to train. I don't need a misshapen bodyguard when I get back. I plan to keep him around for as long as I can milk his use."

Anna always seemed flippant about her employment of Donnel. I figured she was just using and abusing this eager young kid looking to pay her back for help. Seeing them together today, after close observation, is making me think otherwise. Her words are a deceptive play at hiding her concern for him. What she says is different from what she means. It's like she's intentionally sounding as horrible as she can to hide the fact that she has some sort of emotional attachment to the Donnel.

She can go on an on about simply using him, but she can't hide the little moments of tenderness that slip out. Anna offered me good advice about his bad eating habits, only to very quickly add in the end the part about 'milking his use.' If you listened close enough, you could hear it was too quick and too forced from her natural tone.

It occurs to me now that Anna could find herself in a big hypocritical mess the longer she stays here. She berated her sister for emotional attachments and here she is treating Donnel like a pet protege.

My smug self-assessment earns a look of curiosity from the woman next to me. I smirk up at her. "You called me out on being protective of Lucina?"

"I don't quite understand what you're getting at," she says feigning ignorance. "He's a useful tool. I wouldn't let my equipment get rusty when it still has use."

"I don't believe you." I lean and rest my hands behind me head, looking like the cool philosopher exposing some master liar. "I can see it in the way he responds to you."

Anna is not amused and vehemently denies whatever it is I may be implying. "Attachment creates emotional decisions that can compromise your goals, something you should keep in mind as well Robin." She flips the conversation on me which is a surprise. Anna jerks her chin in Lucina's direction, offering her own warning. "You want to get home, stop drawing yourself so deeply into their issues. You'll find yourself in a mess deeper than you can handle, just like my sister."

That turned around quickly. Anna, master of manipulation. Unfortunately, her point is valid and something I've been battling extensively over this last period of time. Somehow, Anna and I have grown to have more in common than I thought. That is a spooky thing to acknowledge. Anna is too high maintenance. I want to be nothing like her.

Her whole philosophy is self-inflicted, unlike myself. I can't help but pity her for her situation. "If that's how your family runs things, I pity them Anna. I really do. That's a sad way to view the world."

"That's simply your opinion, one that holds no value to me," Anna snaps, effectively shutting down the conversation for good. She turns away and makes for the adjoining room calling back to me over her shoulder. "I don't know how long I'll be gone, though I wager it will be nothing extraordinary. Still, try to behave while I'm gone. I would rather this world remain stable until I'm done with my business. Then you can go about destroying it or saving it or whatever your little heart desires."

Anna disappears into her private chambers through a trail of silk. Something tells me that was her dramatic exit and I won't be seeing her for some time. What a way to leave us. She's in a hurry so I can only assume the information about her sister was received just recently. I'd be running out the door to find any sign of family myself if I knew they were in danger. Is she really okay to go alone? I believe her when she says her family is full of capable people. Yet, her sister seems to have been beaten back by someone. This Anna may be stronger than her other sisters, but she's still alone. If this is about the generals, there's at least four of them who would do her in.

There's just...a lot to take in right now. We've been digging for so long trying to get answers to this mystery and we are finally getting clues. But, the more we find, the more I don't want to know.

"So."

A single word punctuated in defeat and the sweet taste of release at her departure. I sink back as far as I can in the couch, resting my head against the back to stare up at the ceiling. "That happened."

The wood frame of the couch creaks under pressure as Lucina sits back down. "I've certainly never met her likes before. She's as frustrating as the rest of family, maybe the most."

Donnel pauses in his work to stoop down and collect my empty goblet, throwing us an imploring look while he does so. "Aw, don't go sayin' that. Ms. Anna's just stressed, is all. The whole business with her sister kidnapped has her wound right up."

Lucina bites down hard on her lip making that same face she usually does when she falters right before addressing a senior Shepherd of her time. Even Donnel has earned her respect despite being nothing but a novice at this time. Having done this for so long, the change is barely noticeable. She regains her composure in the blink of an eye, now more concerned than apprehensive. "Is Anna truly treating you well, Master Donnel?"

"M-master?" Donnel's grip falters and the partially filled goblet starts to slip. His quick reflexes just catch it from tipping entirely. A few drops spill and dribble down his hand which he quickly wipes against his pant leg. He tucks his head into his shoulder, shying away. "Shucks, Madame Ladyship. No need to go gettin' fancy. Donnel's just fine, or Donny. Whichever ya like."

Now Lucina is taken off guard by his overly formal title before smiling. She emits a soft chuckle as if remembering some fond memory. "Fair enough. Donnel, it shall be."

Donnel looks delighted with the compromise. He disappears into the back room, his voice carrying out with a slight muffle between the walls. "I'm telling nothing but the truth. Ms. Anna is a tad peculiar, but you just gotta know how to handle her right. I've dealt with plenty of stubborn types in my time. Ol' Nag was the worst. Took a lot of bondin' to pal up with her. Longer than Ms. Anna even. Wouldn't even let me come near her the first three months. Took another two just to stand in the same stall as her."

I turn around and peer at the doorway over the top of the couch. "Who's Old Nag?"

Donnel's head pokes out. "My ma's goat. Turned her from a stubborn orphan into the sweetest, gentlest goat around. Won top prize at the Ylissean Harvest fest two autumns past."

He disappears again, which is good. The fit of laughter threatening to pour out is contained only in volume. I fall over and go face first into a pillow, my whole shaking from bursts of air I snort out. I can't even begin to describe the logic and meme-like images in my head right now.

Lucina looks down at me strangely. "What's so funny?"

"Donnel just admitted Anna's easier to tame than a goat," I wheeze out between breaths.

Lucina rolls her eyes in disgust with me, moaning into the back of her hand. "Gods help me."

The mood returns to normal as Donnel walks in to continue where he left off in the conversation. "I just think she ain't had a lot of contact with people, least not on a friendly basis. She's all business and treats folk like such."

"As long as you're okay," I answer, struggling to sit back up. "Looks like you're in on the whole conspiracy, which makes you part of the team. If you ever need anything, my door's open. I know you're sort of alone these next few weeks so stop by if you need to chat or something. Not sure I can teach anything like Anna, but I'm pretty good at a deck of cards."

Donnel's smile wavers, looking a bit strained. "S'long as there's no bettin' involved. After one night with the boss and some ol' friends of hers, I found myself not likin' the whole gambling thing."

That boy is masking a face of fear. What on earth does Anna do for fun to cause a look like that? Play cards with Cthulhu or something? At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she did!

"We will be seeing Mas-, er, Donnel soon enough. We still have matters of business to discuss in terms of outfitting the troops in further months. Arrows do not replenish themselves. We only have so many fletchers and most are in Ylisstol," Lucina reminds me in referencing more obligations to take care of.

I inwardly groan, ready to disappear into that fluffy pillow again. "We'll get on that tomorrow after taking in Flavia's numbers. She's bringing her own craftsman so that will affect how much we're going to be relying on Anna's suppliers."

Donnel nods and places a hand on a stack of messy looking books on Anna's desk. "Just gimme a holler whenever ya need me. I ain't goin' that far and I've got all a Ms. Anna's work here for reference. I ain't as good as her, but I think I know enough to figure out the worst of it."

"Duly noted, Donnel. Thank you," Lucina says for us both.

I manage to drag my feet over the edge and place them on the ground again. My left foot creates a crinkling sound causing me to lift it back up and view what I stepped on. Looks like one of the papers Anna was using as a coaster for her wine. I pick it up and flip it over in curiosity. A large, imposing structure stands black against a blazing sun with boldly designed words around it.

"A flyer?" I murmur out loud in surprise. Is this a scheme of Anna's?

Donnel peers over at the paper in my hands. "That there's Ms. Anna's fighting venue. She's always lookin' for new recruits to enter into the establishment. She's been passin' 'em out to any particular fella or gal who looks like they could handle a good fight."

Anna's arena? My eyes are drawn to the words that spray brightly over the top of the flyer for all to see.

"Arena Apotheosis?"

The slow crawl in my brain speeds up in alarm as it processes the the words and their meaning, before screeching to a dramatic halt.

"Apothe-"

Hahaha.

Ha.

It's the Anna of my worst nightmares. DLC-slaughter-my-whole-team Anna.

Okay then.

Lucina shakes my shoulder, snapping me out of my deathly stare. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" I answer shrilly. I crumble up the flyer into a ball and launch it over my shoulder. "Not at all."

What. the. Hell.

What did I do to this world to deserve this? Next thing you know, Loptyr will come crawling out of the abyss for tea. How haven't I gone crazy yet? Naga's bum. This is just...I give up. Just lay it all on me. Expect everything and nothing. That's the theme of this fable.

Existential crisis aside, I do the neighborly thing and ask Donnel if he needs help with anything else for his or Anna's interests. He turns down the offer, so we say our farewells and leave the inn. Lucina and I both depart in a different state of deep thought. It takes nearly half the way back to the castle for either of us to say anything, me stating the most obvious subject at hand.

"Anna was possibly kidnapped."

The uncertainty behind the simple sentence sparks so many other possible questions. Clearly the dragon generals have all the reason to do so, as does Grima. Would the original Robin have had an interest in using Anna's power? Perhaps that would explain why she went missing? But where would she go? That's also considering Anna was even kidnapped. Anna could have been attacked and ran into hiding, unaware in her corner of the world her sister is even here.

But what troubles me most is...is...

"This probably happened because of me."

Lucina stops and watches my back even as I walk past her. "Robin?"

My muscles start to lock up, fists clenching and chest tightening as a sickening sense of realization melts into me. I hiss out in enraged disappointment. "Damn it! Even when I did nothing at all, my existence caused someone grief. That's a helluva thing to realize."

Lucina catches up to me, her tone insistent. "Robin, it is not your fault."

I jerk to a stop and whirl on her, snapping harshly. "No, it isn't. But it doesn't make the realization any easier."

No, I can't be getting mad at Lucina. She's the last person in this world who deserves to be subjected to my ire. I can't do that to her after everything. I whine angrily and stalk over to a stone bench underneath the overhang of an abandoned shop. I hide my face in my hands and lament.

"My brain hurts."

Lucina quietly takes a seat beside me and says nothing, allowing me to vent.

I ramble even longer getting everything out of my system. "I've got too much to think about. Between this war, your dad, the generals, and now Anna? I'm feeling baked like an overcooked potato." I breathe deeply outward letting all the negativity wash away. "The saltiest of potatoes at that."

"I am sorry," she whispers beside me, staring down at her clasped hands. "Truly. You've endured much for our sake."

"And I would do it again," I say, looking down at the ground between parted fingers. "Sometimes I just need to shout a bit to feel better again. That's all. Don't mind me."

She doesn't say much else as we take the time to process everything. Technically, this is something we've both wanted. More information. The potential for another clue. It just stinks that they keeping coming in the form of troubling news. Things are supposed to be getting better, but it feels like the odds are stacking higher and higher. All that karma is finally kicking us in the ass after messing with fate so much.

This is going to take some time to process. Between that and this war planning, I'm almost glad Anna is going to be away. I'm going to need the time to consider this carefully. I'm afraid if this keeps coming at me all at once, I'll explode.

I can hear more birds tweeting about, their melodies interrupted by the squawk of a crow. I see it soar overhead and I wave in case it happens to be one of Henry's. I recline back, missing the plushness of Anna's couch compared to the cool texture of the carved marble I'm sitting on.

"So many issues."

Lucina picks up her head and looks to me, hesitating a moment to say something.

"What's up kiddo?"

"It's just something you said. I shouldn't..."

Lucian trails off, but I nudge her to continue. "No secrets, remember? What do you want to ask?"

Both hands grip the edge of the seat and she bends slightly forward to look down at her toes. I can almost imagine her younger, feet dangling back in forth in glee. For once, I wouldn't mind a memory to come back and remind me of a happier Lucina, but Other Robin's memories remain quiet.

"When you mentioned you worries shortly ago," Lucina speaks slowly, "why did you mention my father among them?"

It's an innocent enough question. She's probably concerned we had an argument or something. It's the opposite. Totally, unequivocally different. Just thinking about it makes my head spin in a whole new way. That's what worries me.

"Forget it," I tell her.

Lucina stares at me.

"It's really not that important," I say, cracking under her imploring gaze. She continues to watch me and I find it ever harder to say no to her. That is...also worrying. I'm in too deep with these people. Anna was telling the truth. I...

Crap.

"You're right about your dad," I finally admit in defeat.

"As in?" she asks.

Summoning all my courage, I speak slowly so not to alarm her. "Something happened."

I don't have to say anything else because she bolts up, eyes widening in shock. "Oh gods," she whispers. "He already walked in on you in the bath?"

I half rise from my spot, gripping the back to stop me from toppling over in surprise. "What? No!" I yell out in panic, severely glad this place is mostly abandoned. "Naga's ass! That actually happened?"

Contrary to myself, Lucina settles down looking a bit better. "He did not?"

"No!" I persist strongly.

Lucina settles back, combing nervously through the edges of her hair. "Good. I am relieved."

"No kidding," I reply, taking up my seat once more. "So am I. That wouldn't make things more awkward than they already are!"

"In this instance, I was more concerned as to why he would be walking around so soon after waking. He's too weak for that. But-" She stops herself and changes back to the question she had. "Why are things so strange?"

"Nothing bad, per say. But you might be right..." I feel myself shrinking under her now suspicious gaze. "...about the feelings thing. Just saying."

Lucina's eyes flicker to the keep, causing her to frown. "He has said something?"

That heavy feeling is weighing on me again. "This got real uncomfortable again."

She looks away but not fast enough for me to still catch the conflicted crease in her forehead and her subtle frown. "Robin, I had thought you wished to go about this with the attitude of letting things occur as they would."

"Yeah but..." I stumble over what I want to say, making it all feel worse.

"Perhaps it was best if I had not told you things so soon. If it is going to make things uncomfortable for you...I have no wish to sabotage your relationship with my father."

"I'm trying not to let it happen," I reassure her. Lamely, might I add.

Lucina, much like her father, moves her hand to her side to grasp at the sword who remained a companion to her through life. The habit is met with disappointment when she finds an unfamiliar emptiness that is replaced with a much smaller, unadorned steel sword of generic origins. Remembering her parallel Falchion is hidden away, Lucina seeks comfort by folding her hands together tightly before her.

"Robin," she speaks, "my father needs you to get through this war. Your friendship is what will give him strength in his worst hours."

"Believe me, I don't want that to happen." I slouch backward and kick my legs out. We must look like an odd duo sitting here alone on this bench in an abandoned corner of the keep. The stories someone could guess! I can guarantee they would never come close though. Only Naga herself would be able to answer that.

"I am sorry to have put you in such a position. This is why us children have elected not to tell our parents of our existences. We did not wish to cause strife and alter the course of their destines," she explains to me. I understand why not. That's a lot of pressure to be under. If the Shepherds were all in established relationships already, a child would only bring more joy. But Kellam is the only one in a solid committed courtship.

"That would be a problem, especially with someone like Owain," I say. "Lon'qu isn't in the mindset to get into a relationship yet. Nor is Lissa mature enough for one, even though she is handling him much better. Owain's existence stems from the highest form of physical intimacy one could-"

Lucina slowly cranks her head to the side, staring at me again with those same dead eyes that dare me to take this to a topic she doesn't want to hear.

"Yeah. Big problems. Gotcha," I finish up quickly.

She loosens up again and continues to watch the clouds above float by. "Why did you feel the need to tell me of this?"

"Just keeping you in the loop. That's your dad and...you know," I mumble off.

"My foremost prerogative is keeping the Shepherds alive and our world free of Grima's grasp." It's hard not to note the disapproval here. "I do not want to know of my father's bedroom escapades."

Now I find myself flustering up. I tear my eyes away, feeling embarrassment creeping into my pores and turning me more red than cinnamon. "Who said anything about that? I didn't. He didn't. No bedroom anything! Everything is innocent. Clean. Virginal."

She makes that face again causing me to defend myself quickly.

"You brought up the topic of bedroom escapades," I throw back at her. "Cut me some slack, okay? This is a weird situation to be in. We might have put the doom and gloom behind us, but that doesn't change the obvious."

I'm thankful Lucina is more agreeable than Anna. Her understanding makes this much easier to handle. She listens and responds kindly. "Please try your best to keep things as they are. Your friendship is worth more to him than anything in the world. When my aunt dies-"

"Emmeryn is not dying. I refuse to let that happen," I remind her.

My confidence earns a small, tired smile. "Perhaps not then. But there will be other times he will need your support. There cannot be a wall between you two. The absolute trust and openness of your bond is what he values most. In the past, that was truth. Now, it is even more so."

"Yet I'm holding back so much from him," I say woefully, pressing both palms to my temples.

"It bothers you to keep such truths from my father," she deduces from my demeanor. The weak tip of my head confirms this. "All I ask for now is to hold the knowledge we have until we know more about the threats surrounding us. At earliest, let us wait for the Plegian war's end. Much of the foundation from my future will be set by then."

"The end of the war," I snort pitifully. "That's a long time to hold something so important from him."

"I know," she whispers sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry. You probably want to reveal yourself just as much as I do." I can see it everyday in the way Nah and Owain cling to their parents' shadows so desperately.

"All of the children do. There is not a day that goes by my cousin and the others do not dream of the moment of unveiling themselves to their parents."

"It'll come," I reassure her. "And for the first time, Emmeryn will get to meet her future niece and nephew in person. I promise."

"That would be nice," Lucina murmurs into the wind, desperate for a dream so far away.

I raise my fist in a sign of defiance to fate and whomever else might be watching. "We've got this Lucina. We'll make it work."

"Of course we shall," she states defiantly, raising her chin to a proud angle. Her sense of conviction has never waived throughout all of this and comes to life from the the cooled embers of her heart. "I did not endure all these cycles without holding firm to the belief someday I would."

I have an urge to hug this girl. I'm proud of her. This world doesn't know how lucky it is to have her fighting for it. Anna had a point. I think most would have given up on its future. That says so much about Lucina.

"For the future though," she trails off, eying me sincerely. "I appreciate you honoring my interests, but I truly do not need to hear every last detail concerning my father's actions. What will happen is what is meant to be. I will accept it as long as he is happy."

"Noted," I say as she gets up to leave. I inwardly sigh in relief. I felt a moral obligation to keep her aware of the changes in the Shepherds, but this wasn't a particular thing I was eager to carry out. Thank you Naga! I still have to watch out for myself though...

The two of us carry on a quiet, yet comfortable walk back to the keep. Or, at least, for a short distance. Once we return to the main road that carries through the city, we find our route cut off by a quick succession of guards sprinting with weapons down toward the wall. Hearing the words "prisoner" and "blood", we share a mutual look of concern that sends us following after the trio. The air about them bled chaos. If there's one thing we've both learned, it's to never pass up on anything that might be suspicious.

We trail them down to the wall, specifically the prison block. They exchange a simple greeting with the guards Hal and Alwynne, the same ones from yesterday, who are already expecting them. The door opens readily allowing the darkness beyond to swallow them up. Both prison guards remain in the same spot I met them, as if they never left. We approach and Hal gives a lazy wave which quickly drops when he sees Lucina beside me. Alwynne nudges the tip of his boot with her spear end and they both come to attention with a formal salute in greeting.

Around us, there's a larger number of soldiers present than there should be this time of day. Several doors have also been barred that typically aren't in the halls we passed. Is there a lock down going on?

Lucina is the first to speak. "Excuse me. Can you explain to us what the fuss is about? We've noticed a significant increase in activity around the area."

Most find it hard to address Lucina properly given her uniquely described presence in the royal family. Not quite a princess but neither a simple noble, most soldiers choke up upon speaking with her. These two aren't much different.

"W-well, uh, milady, I..." Hal's eyes shift nervously, causing his voice to drop. "It's not for sure but the patrolling watch inside says there's been a breach at the prison."

"What?" she startles.

"Nothing has been confirmed," Alwynne attempts to reassure us.

"Can you still tell us what you know?" Lucina presses harder.

Alwynne tugs uneasily at the scarf around her neck, pulling it down far enough so she could whisper for us to hear. "They don't want word to spread yet until we know the facts for sure. But if you must know-"

"Someone's been killed!" Hal blurts out like it were the latest gossip.

Alwynne cringes deeply and quickly elaborates. "Not one of our people so don't fret. They say it's one of the prisoners."

I grab hold of Lucina's arm, my grip like a vice. A shiver of fear takes hold. All I can think about is Henry alone in his room and the angry mumblings of all the biased guards roaming that disapproved of his treatment.

"If you don't mind," I force out, my whole mouth going dry, "I'd like to see for myself. A hole in our security is no matter to remain unseen."

I could have told them I wanted to go in and dance on the dead Plegian's body and they would have let me. Not another word needs to be said before they do as I ask. A lieutenant in the Shepherds holds as much power as a unit captain. There's never a need for me to ask any common soldier twice on a request.

With the door open, I'm forced to restrain myself as I follow Lucina into those cold, damp halls of the prison wing. The trepidation of what I may find makes the air feel like the sting of a blizzard on my skin. My head pounds to the beat of my steps and my heart. Our brisk walk turns into long strides as we speed up toward the sounds of voices.

Henry, don't you dare-!

The chattering of a mass of people bounces off stone and guides us deeper into the prison. We move away from the more inhabited areas to the back where most cells lay abandoned. Only a few problem cases had been moved out here. With barely anyone to patrol, this area is far enough away from prying eyes for a murder to occur if planned.

We eventually stumble on five guards huddled around one particular cell. The occupant is unknown to me or even if one had been assigned to it in the first place. The door is partially ajar and more voices can be heard inside along with the glow of torchlight through the barred window. The solider furthest outside the semi-circle sees us and approaches in salute.

"Lady Robin?" His eyes grow wider underneath his helmet so they look glassy under the red of the torch fire's gleam. "Lady...Marth?"

I don't even greet him, jumping to the point through heavy breaths. "Is it true, about the dead prisoner?"

"Aye, that it is milady." He eases slightly. "Not that I'm mourning it, but it's worrisome to know someone got in and out without a trace."

He looks around for signs of someone. "Have you been sent over to investigate? I didn't think word had reached the keep that fast."

"Yes," Lucina lies without skipping a beat. "May we address the scene? We need to assess the situation and understand what must be done before we take any future steps."

"Of course," he says. Lucina gestures for me to take the forefront, signaling myself as the main responder. The guard beckons us to follow and pushes aside the huddled crowd for us to pass through.

"Captain, I'm letting someone in," he calls through the door. "Shepherd's lieutenant here to see to the dead."

It's a goddamned horror scene is what this is. I'm not talking about monsters and ghosts either. I'm talking about how psychologically suffocating this place is.

The cell is only big enough to take maybe ten paces or so from wall to wall. There is no windows save for on the door, and everything is made of wet, slippery stone. Darkness has swallowed the space and enveloped it in the void. A prisoner would only get light from whatever would flicker in from the outside hall. As for accommodations? A single bucket, not even a proper chamber pot, lies overturned in the corner. There isn't even hay provided so soak up the smell of piss and excrement. And where's the bed?

This looks like a torture room, not a prison cell! Where's the basic life necessities?

Lucina holds tight to the back of my coat, stopping me from stepping any closer to the corpse lying face up in the middle of the room. I nearly miss it with the two guards in the corner hoarding all the light from their torch between them. My disgusted gasp grabs their attention, causing them to turn and the light to spill over the floor.

"Chalard?" Lucina whispers in shock behind me.

Sure enough, it's that psycho bastard. He lies spread-eagle, clothed in the same shredded robes he was dragged away on the night of the siege. His hair is a greasy mop, sticking over his face to obscure most of his upper features. An empty eye stares up at the ceiling. The rest of his face...

I choke back an instinctive reflex in the back of my throat. His mouth is wide open in a perfect circle. Crusted blood is smearing all between his teeth and around his lips. More dried blood trails down the side of his face and neck to where it had pooled and dried around him on the stone. If he has any other injuries, I can't see them under the rags clinging about him.

"Lady Robin," the taller one greets. He steps forward intending to be the one to communicate with us. "Captain Parkin, at your service."

"What happened?" I ask, trying not to let the sweet smell of decay cause me to gag. Lucina walks around me and kneels down beside the corpse to look him over. I really wish she wouldn't, but the choice is hers.

"Not much to say. Guard went in to deliver dinner and found him dead," Parkin says, unfazed by the scene. His lack of emotion over the event disturbs me. He curls two fingers forward to order the soldier with the torch forward.

"He was alive this morning though, wasn't he?" I ask. The light is held higher, fleshing out more of the gruesome details for me to see. Plenty enough for me. I look away quickly.

"I can't say," Parkin admits, shrugging nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?" I scrutinize his words with obvious disapproval. "Someone had to have seen him during his morning meal."

Parkin shifts from one foot to the other. He pulls off his helmet and ducks it under one arm to allow him to shake out his hair. "I'll be honest, no point in lying. No one visited him this morning."

No one bothered...to visit him?

He wasn't fed?

Son of a bitch.

"That bastard killed the Duke and Duchess. Was as good as guilty for the honorable dowager of the house as well," Parkin explains casually, like he issued out a simple punishment to a misbehaving child.

There's a big difference between holding back dessert and not feeding a human, you asshat!

"You're the current captain on duty," I speak mechanically, internally screaming. Give me all the details of yours so I can slam your ass with disciplinary action later!

"No. I'm captain of the morning shift. Captain Marlen is on guard at the moment. I'm just the first they could reach in this scenario. Appropriate response to the situation." Parkin steps up to Chalard's body and pushes the torso up with his boot. "Left just the way they found him. Only thing done was the guard who found him pushed him over on his back after the man wouldn't respond to the call for dinner he was brought. When he saw the blood, the soldier went and got me."

So no one can confirm an approximate window for when Chalard died. It could be anytime between yesterday and today. Wonderful!

"He was a mad one," the soldier with the torch mutters. He's skittish around the dead body, hunched and swaying impatiently. He wants out of this cell. "All he did was mumble to the fell dragon over and over. Sometimes he'd flail about and we'd have to tie him up to prevent him from harming himself."

"His tongue is missing," Lucina remarks in disgust. She gets up off her knees and backs away quickly from the remains.

"Bit it clean off. Choked on his own blood, it looks like. There's not a mark or scratch on him aside from that. Door was still locked and nothing was tampered with. Checked myself." Parkin assesses. He raps his head and laughs mockingly. "Fuckin' crazy."

"Suicide?" I question out loud.

"Couldn't take the rejection. Hearing voices when nothing's there according to the guards here," the captain tells me. He spits on the ground beside Chalard. "Good riddance. One less mouth here."

The torchbearer nods vigorously and performs a small gesture of prayer up to Naga. "Justice is what this is. Killed a good man and a pious woman. Retribution is what he deserves."

"As you can see, not much for his Highness to worry about. You can tell our Prince the situation is handled. Nothing to fear but a madman's demise," Parkin reassures me. He points to the other solider and flicks his wrist at the door. "You there, get a bag for this...Somebody is going to have to tell the general and get this cleaned up. Might as well get on it."

The other man is happy to get away from the death scene and nearly falls over his feet in an effort to escape. He wretches the door back and lets the hallway light fill in for what he leaves with.

Lucina seems at peace with the outcome like the captain, even though she is visibly shaken like myself over the events. I'd be inclined to agree with them myself.

There's just one detail that's bothering me. If not for chance, I'd have nothing to question.

"Captain?" I regain his attention before he leaves and he patiently waits for me. "You said someone was feeding him now?"

"Yes. On the hour," he confirms. "The routine is always the same."

"If I remember right, prisoners are only fed twice in the day?" I mentally recall last night's event and try to remember how many times the keep's bell rang last I heard.

"That it is. Once the hour after day break and the other at the fourth evening bell. We feed the prisoners first and then sit down for meals ourselves in the evening," he continues to explain.

Not the answer I was hoping to hear. Not in the least. Oh no...

"And no one has ever run late, especially in the last few days?"

He rubs the side of his face and ponders. "Not that I can recall."

Not wanting to make him anymore suspicious, I allow him to leave. I find myself staring down at the dead Grimleal, unable to accept the potential truth I might have unknowingly come upon last night.

It was nighttime when I walked these halls. At least seven o'clock if I had to guess. Dinner was long over with for these prisoners.

"Robin, I would very much like to leave. May we?" Lucina pleads beside me.

I find it hard to move. I sluggishly follow her out the door. The further down the hall we go, the more the alternative picture gets clearer. When out of earshot, Lucina speaks up. "I know you want to say something. The air around you is stifling. What is it?"

"I visited the barracks last night. After the seventh evening bell."

This grabs the princesses full attention. She knows that when I see something, it has to be relevant to the topic at hand. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you in private, away from where someone can hear," I speed up, gesturing for her to follow. "Chalard didn't commit suicide even though the scene is expertly crafted to look like it."

"Please do not tell me a Grimleal murdered him. It would make sense if they wished to silence him. If we have a mole in our ranks then..." She lowers her voice to a chill whisper. "It is not one of the generals, is it?"

"No," I tell her sadly. "I know exactly who did it and why. Trust me, we have nothing to worry about."

Oh Gaius, what am I going to do with you?

---

A/N: So. Hi. It's been a while. Hope you're all good.

Not going to bore you with details, but the last six months have been rough. Like, an absolute shitfest. Some days I only got in five words. The chapter might be rough, but I still managed to do it. Never give up they say! And, hey! I didn't. Now we have a new chapter and all is right in the world. Well, sort of. At least in terms of updating. Whoo!

Now that I posted, I can finally get back to playing FE: Echoes. I've been dying to progress into it. I've heard good things but I'm obsessed with maxing out my villagers' potential. I read all sorts of ideas for them, but no single strategy everyone can agree on. I have no idea what to promote any of then as. I just have one big army of gangly kids with swords. How imposing.

---

Review Responses (Some of these hurt my feels in all the right ways. Thanks for the reviews well after the last update. They kept me going.):

Raiden312 - I think I'm up to date with the newest chapter of your rewrite. Waiting for more, as usual. Glad you're back at writing.

Robin hitting her head against a rock is a jab at Morgan's attempts to bang his/her head against random objects to cure their amnesia. Like parent, like child.

Ah, yes. Romance. I give up there. I find writing it awkward as hell. Appreciate the advice all the same. I'm just not confident in writing it and need some practice in the feels category.

EliManning - I had to stop writing multiple times because the ending was embarrassing. Sure as heck was bold of him, hence why he immediately got unsure of himself right after. All his confidence got used up at once.

I suppose you got your answer about Gaius!

Guest – I've got you friend. Here's a bag. Breathe in, then out in a slow fashion. I know how rough an attack of the feels can be. They strike without warning, and they strike hard!

Guest – Noted and fixed. Thank you.

BrowncoatJedi – Hey, long time no chat!

The poor cake! There's no greater crime to me than causing the death of delicious food, especially bakery products. Glad it turned out okay and that the leftover fudge was a worthy snack afterward.

I did enjoy the siege of Ironhold. Some chapters just build up a good sense of momentum and that was one of them. I think because I had been planning it for so long, I was extra excited to finally get it out of my mind and on (digital) paper. It's definitely a bonus if everyone else enjoyed it as well.

I waffled on adding that ending in. I really, really did. Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about. It was well received in varying levels of 'squee' so you are not alone.

Al Skyler – Something is simmering, that is true. Robin seems to believe Lucina has a large say in it too. Guess we'll find out as time goes on who has the most sway in how things develop. Characters can surprise you. Believe me. As the author, how these characters have written themselves still catches me off guard.

The game's still a work in progress. Video games are much harder to make than they appear. Seeing the work come together is worth it though. CGs are in progress as well as adapting the game sprites. I'm a programmer and writer so my part is done. Alas, I cannot art properly like they can. The "demo" is actually the first half of the game, so it might be more accurate to say this is the alpha or early access version. Once the art is in though, all that will be left for the second half is more writing and ending CGs! :D

The Flare Blade – Thanks for reviewing. No need to apologize for a small review. I'm happy people just read so even two words is a cherry on top for me!

While I'm glad the initial attempt at "romance" wasn't horrible, I'm not sure I'll ever be comfortable writing it. Still, I'll try. I'm slightly more confident I'm at least on the right track. Thanks.

Interesting point about the water. It wasn't like a week he was under but I can look up if, realistically, Chrom would be croaking right away after waking up. I'm no medical expert so you could be right. I'll verify with my nurse friend.

More Henry. Noted! I'll see what I can do.

Emilyka Fairy - I do have a question! Do you have any recommendations for books or newspapers to read for someone learning French? Most schools and libraries provide "The Little Prince/Le Petite Prince" for beginners to read, but that all. There is very little variety in terms of literature to pick from. I'd like to practice my French more by reading, so any ideas you can offer up would be appreciated. Even write your next review in French if you like! I'm really invested in at least learning one language fully in life. Conversing with a natural speaker is the best practice to get. Merci!

Hellabella – Ha! Nothing like having the tables turned on Robin for once. Now she knows how he feels when she teases him!

Friedkimchilover – After the siege and all the emotional drama, that was a much needed chapter for all. I convinced myself in the end to just go for it and add some honest to God fluff for once. I think everyone needed it.

Ever hear of shower thoughts? There's something magical about taking showers and getting creative. My best ideas come to me while sudsing up the hair. Not sure why, but I can't count how many times I stepped out yelling "Eureka!" I've also read a ton of both fanfiction and real fiction. I try to create scenes not found in other Fire Emblem fics I read. Write scenarios or even key words down and try to make something of them. Use what fits for the chapter and save the others in a folder for future use.

Divine Interpretation – the dad is ded. THEN WHO IS PHONE? (sorry...couldn't resist)

F – That's a new guess! Hm, interesting. You guys come up with all sorts of intriguing theories. Nice!

Paula - Sheesh, thank you! I still get floored when people write such praise. I write because I love it, and the game too. All the characters deserve proper attention. I would never have gotten through the game without them. So you can be sure I try to give everyone a chance to shine. The limited supports play up stereotypes so I try to break that mold. My thing is world building so there will always be that no matter what happens, ha ha.

I've come up with ideas about Robin discussing modern life with her friends. Waiting for the right moment, but I'd like to. And heck yeah to the Beatles! Grew up with them since they are among my parents' favorite bands.

ArcherShirou - That's an interesting concept! You could easily write the plot for comedy, drama, or a mix of both. Imagine Lucina's reaction to finding out her whole family has reassembled. Someone could make a a good story from that. Time travel makes for a good plot device to spawn infinite ideas!

FicReader - Exactly! I made the genres adventure and drama for a reason. I wanted an emphasis on all the Shepherds and how Robin has connected with each one differently. On the downside, I suffer from the "loads and loads of characters" trope. Balancing is, and will always be, a struggle. If it ever gets skewed in someone's favor, I give everyone permission to tell me so someone else can get featured. Romance was inevitable, but I want to have friendship, family, and other human connections shown as well. I feel all emotional developments are important.

TheNyrusDragoon - Robbette confirmed. You caught me.

Trust me, both of Lucina's revelation chapters were savage. Took me a week to write the most emotional parts just because I had to stop and reflect on my regrets for choosing to subject these poor characters to my plot. I have sinned. For penance, I will walk a mile over Lego bricks barefooted.

Ha, I could barely look at the screen myself while writing the ending. I was practically typing blind. On Stahl and Sumia, have no fear. Stahl went off to talk with Sully that night. Love shall prevail (hopefully)!

Nanouchy - Sorry for the long wait but it's here! No plans to stop. Only time limits how much I can write a day. Nothing can stop the passion. THE PASSION!

If chrobin happened, it was going to be after a solid friendship was established, Lucina would be emotionality stable with Robin, and I felt like I could tackle it. Two conditions happened but I'm still unsure of the last. I wanted it to be complex and layered. Honestly, tackling this scares me but that's the challenge. Most of you seem positive and rooting for it so why back down from it?

Thanks for taking the time to read. It's a big story with lots of plot but I'm glad it was worth it!

Ventusblade - Thank you! If you made it here, I hope the rest of the story held up to your expectations!

Diamond Gargoyle - Oh God. Don't know if I could even write something smutty in first person. I was getting flustered myself writing those few lines. I will take the compliment happily though.

Robin is getting a bit maternal, isn't she? Her own mother rubbed off strongly on her, so Robin can get very protective. Also that guilt of what the previous Robin did is weighing on her. Definitely influencing her actions for maximum "aww" appeal!

TillyXD - Thank you! Glad you've enjoyed reading this! Updates have been staggered due to real life but hopefully will return to something normal soon.

robotortoise - Thanks, I strive to keep a balance when I can. A little humor always finds it's way in to keep things light. Like the cat joke with Lethe. Robin is my favorite type of protagonist. She can be an action hero but still silly at the same time.

I love writing for Henry. His way of thinking is outside of the box. It's great fun to try and imagine what might come out if his mouth next. As for Libra, his solo ending said he had admirers in men and women. He's androgynous enough for men, so why not women too?

Xoroth - Thanks! I can sympathize with you on slightly preferring male Robin's supports. That's why I alluded to their c support in chapter 4. Female Robin's was clearly meant to be shippy while male Robin's feels like a genuine building of bonds. Regardless of anything, I prioritize their friendship and male Robin's would be a mistake not to utilize in some regard. They sort of are the same character anyway? Why not?

SuperSonicSmash – Thanks a ton for all the advice and pointing out the various errors. I'm glad I have people out there who can catch the errors my poor eyes fail to catch. I've fixed many and will hopefully get to the rest soon. Picked up a new Youtuber to watch as well thanks to your one review. Nice!

tatewaki2000 - Hey, so happy the story managed to subvert the tropes and prove an entertaining read for you! Your reviews made me smile. I appreciate the enthusiasm and hope you enjoyed the story so far.

Just a Spectator – No worries! Thanks for supporting the story as well!

Animeseris – I feel bad for Hardin. He's the saddest type of villain, one of his own making.

Ha, it wouldn't be a review from you without a bit of speculation. Keep conspiring. Someday, all will be revealed. But for now, at least a bit of Chrobin happened to hopefully hold you over :)

Witch of Perception - Writing for Virion has given me a lot of respect for him as a character. I did some research on famous french nobles and tried to emulate that same air with him. He's suave, charming, and enjoys life's pleasures, but is wily and cunning as befitting someone who survives such a cutthroat court atmosphere. He's very underrated and I feel like he could have played such a larger role in the Valmese war if given the chance. I hope to use him more in the future!

Blep – I welcome you, o fairy of reinforcement!

This is a character driven fantasy so I hold the actors in the highest of regards. As a tactician, Robin is the mastermind in the back helping to influence and guide her warriors. She is an accessory to their stories, helping to guide them to victories and growth. While she is the main point of view, I don't want the story to be about only her. Her characters grows because of how she affects those around her and how they respond accordingly. If anyone does ever feel out of character or even out of focus, don't hesitate to let me know. My worst nightmare is unknowingly portraying one of these great characters wrongly.

As for world building, every great fantasy should have it. Tolkien inspired how I approach creating the setting the characters are in. The only thing I haven't done at this point is create my own languages, which sadly won't happen. I'm nowhere near that type of genius. But a well-fleshed world is another part of affecting how characters come to life. Religion, cultural tradition, how relationships between countries work...it all plays into both plot and character progression.

Now before I turn this into a college thesis, I will stop and say thank you. I take pride in the story and hope to someday use the experience for my original works.

Guest - Well you never know. ;)

JamesBCrazy - She's an average fan. Remembers enough but won't recall as much about that obscure secret boss in a fe7 gaiden chapter. Robin's roommate was the super fan that rubbed off on her . Still, she remembers enough of fe13. She is at risk of subverting the game completely if she doesn't watch it. Indeed, too much intervention hasn't proven good in the past...

APPCR - Here is trophy. Please accept my awe at making it through all these chapters, as well as thanks for reading! Plenty of chapters left but I'm reorganizing right now. While I enjoy writing it, I don't want to die before I complete it, haha. There is an end but not before I get out the parts I want to. Hope you look forward to it.

Taiyaki-chan - Thank you. Really. It makes me feel bad that life has made it impossible to write lately. I've missed my story so much and it stinks to have left other people waiting. I'll do what I can to make sure it doesn't happen again. Hopefully life eases up like I have planned it to.

AeronaValen – I'm the type of reader who likes to dig out all the warning signs and wait for the inevitable to happen so I can scream, "Called it!" Foreshadowing is both fun and useful as a literary tool. Indeed, I thought about what it would be like to reread this and find all those little call signs you missed before. Adds a bit of fun to the story.

I think just hearing who the twins' parents are is going to give Robin a heart attack. But trust me, there are a few more surprises in store. Both the twins and their dad view this situation differently. Depending on what I write next, you might see them soon ;)

Yep Jules is the nickname for her friend. Jules was Robin's best, and pretty much only, friend back home so she has a heavy role in her life. If I find a way to include her more, I will. In the meantime, she will continue her sassy existence in Robin's memories.

ShinjiTousaka - Your username makes me chuckle. I'm a Fate fan and Shinji brings back memories, haha. As for the review, thanks! Sorry you had to wait so long and I hope it was worth it!

Artyom-Dreizhen - Thanks! I'll have to look into that fic myself. Always enjoy a new read!

EnchantedPixie495 - Hey there! Welcome to the club! Enjoy some virtual cookies and take a seat! Fire Emblem is a great community with a long line of splendid games. FE: Awakening is a very good starting point for newcomers so your brother picked a good one. I'm certainly amazed, but grateful, the story helped gain another fan. The series was dying at one point so adding in a new generation of fans makes me happy to see! Feel free to chat about the games whenever and enjoy where the twisting plot of the story goes!

Cute user picture by the way. Henry is adorbs. :)

LordAzrael - Thanks! Plenty of plot left to see so stick around and enjoy the ride!

DarkParagon - Hi there! I tried to speed updating but life wasn't letting me get to it. So mean. Finally did though so I'm very sorry for the wait. Appreciate the offer and will consider it if I ever need a beta. Time is my issue right now and it just keeps kicking me around. Give me more time, darn it!

basically - Maribelle is someone to be admired. She wants to break boundaries and achieve a better system of living for society. We need more people like her in the world.

Rimmer Dall - Is that from personal experience? If so, I am so sorry. Do not want, ever. If I go hiking, I tough it out. Never use the bush! Too much of a gamble, I say.

Icyhellfire – Very good. You could say Morgan's "name" was acquired to something of that effect. Henry is well protected right now by Panne, Libra, Robin, and to an extent Ricken. I'm making sure Henry has a strong support group. That poor mage had a terrible childhood and deserves better.

PrinceMittens – Oh believe me, I'm aware how long this has become. I think I'm a little crazy, ha! I came into this with the goal of writing and expanding my talent so there is a lot of original content. I want to push the limits and experiment with different ideas. See where I lack and where I excel. So I create new types of battle environments and social dialogues to test that. It's created a lovely variety of events that have helped the characters grow and prosper on their own. Having such a large cast is great for writing different philosophies and motivations. Certainly a hefty challenge but that's what I aimed for!

Research is a big part for writing good fantasy, I think. I couldn't tell you the first thing about what it feels like to run an army or live the life of nobility in the Middle Ages. To create a believable atmosphere, immersing yourself in the facts helps paint a stronger picture of what you as an author see in your head.

Potato on the go – Robin has survived because she's surprisingly competent at finding humor and good in the worst of situations. It's probably what has kept her sane. She's starting to feel the full force of all the responsibilities Lucina has been fighting for, but she's strong. Robin may have to work harder for it, but happiness is never out of reach with the support she has around her.

Rinto – That was impressive. It took a few sentences to realize what you managed to put together after the recognition set in. I've never been confessed to so gracefully before. S-rank unlocked?

Humor aside, thank you. I take Robin and Chrom's relationship very seriously because that's a major focal point of the game. Robin would supposedly move heaven and earth for him and he would rather gamble the future by putting Grima in hibernation than see his friend die. These two better have some dimension-shattering bond by the end of the story or I did something terribly wrong.

Sky65 – Thank you. Making an approachable Robin was scary. Making a human, inexperienced Robin capable of surviving this worst-case scenario was even harder. She did turn out pretty good in the end. I'm proud of her.

It's true, I don't really know how to do romance because I have the least experience in writing it. It's also a bit awkward to write, but I guess the first attempt wasn't that bad. Everyone seems quite happy with it so maybe we'll see more of it.

…

That's a lie. You'll see plenty of it. Let's just cross our fingers I don't embarrass myself so much I go comatose writing it!

Yeah, I pity the past Robin. While her plight sucks, it's still hard to excuse any of her actions. Humans are flawed and, when pushed to the limits, can lose themselves easily. It's a very sad thing to see someone once a hero fall so hard and leave Lucina alone to deal a with it.

I really am glad you enjoyed it though. These last responses over the past few chapters have been great. If I can make someone reading this feel the same excitement I do when my favorite stories update, then I consider it a good day. Hope you enjoy future updates.

Guest - Haha, I'll see what I can do. They're certainly working for that happy ending.

mskittyholiday - Sorry if you're disappointed in the direction of the "romance" aspect of the story. That's why I'm a fan of ship tease and open-ended stories so everyone can be happy and assume what they want. Inevitable disappointment stinks. Been there plenty of times. I did consider Frederick at a point, but the two characters began to progress over time more like siblings than lovers. I have a hard enough time writing romance. Forcing it would make us all suffer. I've grinded out all supports and I enjoyed Lon'qu and Gaius a lot. Gaius' confession made me laugh so hard that I had to consider him a favorite just for that. Aside from romance though, I hope you at least enjoyed the plot to some extent. Thanks for giving the story a try and for taking the time to review.

Gsmith624 – Nice to meet you! Welcome to the story! There's plenty of Einherjar to come. I'm working on some content with the twins so hopefully they'll pop up soon again! Keep an eye out!

ShadowBurner – I don't have a lot of Awakening characters in Heroes, sadly. I've got both Robins, a Frederick, and tons of Sully. Where are all my spell casters? He is great though. Henry brings out my feels and is part of one of my Awakening OTPs. Bless his sense of humor. It gets me every time.

Not yet! I didn't even know there was a post-game dungeon (I'm in chapter 2 still) so I read that and got intrigued. Can't wait to see what everyone is chattering about. It's a good game and I keep splitting my time between that and Heroes.

Ritoplz – Oh man, sorry! I had to work so I keep getting home tired and feeling like I got beat up by a baseball bat. I've been held up by two hour long naps. The pain of working seven days a week is indescribable.

King Keith – Miriel's already the mad scientist. Would that make Henry a bit like Igor? Hm.

The Lucina in this story is more grimdark edgy(tm) than normal. She's seen some stuff, so I think she's more jaded than her youthful/heroic self we see in the games. It's an interesting twist on her character, which is horrible to say after everything I put her through. But it adds a different dimension to her personality.

TheBusRider – You want plot, you got plot. Lots of plot. So much plot! And fluff. There's that too. BUT ALL THE PLOT!

Sorry it took so long. Though it's not an action chapter, I tried to add in more forward moving elements. New clues anyway!

RavioliOwl – I'm so sorry! I work every day so I come home a bit more dead inside than before. Getting over this last hurdle was like lifting the mightiest of weights! But it is here! Hopefully it doesn't suck or suffer from spelling errors. My eyes are like raisins D:

Love your username too. That's two of my favorite things in the world.