Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Tactics Collide

Day 0, December 24th

"Kamui! This way!"

On one side, home.

"Corrin, come back to us!"

On the other, family.

Corrin's stance was square- the slightest shift in either direction could spark a bloodbath lasting years. It was probably for the best that Yato stayed in its sheath, not that its presence would do much to aid the situation. Behind the young princess stood Azura and Jakob; a naginata staring down one army, a dagger warding off the other.

Azura looked about, gazing blankly towards her surroundings. The winding Hoshidan river danced beneath her feet, the plains covered with just as much grass as soldiers. Soldiers that would not hesitate to kill royalty at the drop of a hat.

She even recognized a handful of the enemy Hoshidans, but not when their faces bore the expressions of cold-blooded killers. To them, Azura was as good as a stranger. An enemy. So too were they, being enemies that would claim not only her, but the white-haired princess to her right. Shiny sword or not, there was no way out of this mess without something big. Something that could tear apart an army. The dancer stared off now toward the river. If she could get in deep enough, maybe...

"Big sister?"

Oh no.

"S-sakur-" Corrin attempted.

"She's my sister!"

Azura didn't have to look to Corrin to know the woman would be close to hysterics. Why did they have to speak?

"Please, little princess. It's alright. Come here," Xander pleaded desperately, his fingers not holding Siegfried, but grasping for something far more dear.

"B-but..." the exile whispered, immediately drawing Ryoma's glare. "I c-can't! You're making me choose against those I will not... can not betray!"

The samurai barely stifled his rushed breath. There was no choice to be made here. The Kamui he longed to reunite with would have retreated back to them without a second thought. What had they done to her?

"Don't... don't tell me you're actually considering siding with the Nohrians!?"

The high prince felt a pain just hearing those words come from his mouth. He brought his hand down, knuckles white and clenched. Raijinto peaked out of its saya, lightning dancing upon his fingers.

"It's no complicated matter siding with your true family, Little Princess," Xander corrected aloud, voicing his affection quite audibly. Dark flames began to curl around Nohrian steel.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"

The princess almost staggered down, trying desperately to fight back her trepidation. Her shoulders sagged and her legs gave in, forcing her to widen her already relenting stance. Tears began to fall, each drop joining many others in the Hoshidan plain.

"I-I... I..."

Corrin mumbled incoherently, not knowing any words in Hoshidan or Nohrian that would even remotely remedy the situation. There were no prayers to the dragons nor vows to man that could stop these armies from killing the other.

There were no promises to yank her wounded heart to choose one family over the other.

"What are you waiting for!?"

Takumi raised his bow. The sister he remembered would have come back to him.

She was just a traitor.

A murderer. His mother was dead! But...

She was still his sister. Maybe... maybe it was a Nohrian scheme, all this time. Maybe...

"Kamui, please," he whispered, too softly for anyone else to hear.

Leo eyed the archer change his expressions mid-thought. What was Corrin waiting for? Just a week ago, she was fussing over his collar. Why was she staying still?"

"She actually feels an attachment to them. Like she owes them something. Dammit, Corrin, now's not the time to be naive."

A pegasus whinnied, her rider pointing steel across the expanse.

"Don't you dare talk about MY sister that disrespectfully."

"You're acting as if you have any right to her. What could possibly delude you so?" Camilla asked, twirling her ax along its haft.

Corrin watched as both of her dear sisters stared each other down, ready to shred the other into a pile of flesh and bone.

All because of her.

All this was because she couldn't choose.

No...

This was happening because they were making her choose! Why couldn't she have both of her loving families by her side? Why was this war keeping her apart from those she felt kinship and bond with?

"Have you made your choice?" Xander asked with his last shred of patience, considering letting loose his cavalry and capturing Corrin by force.

Ryoma was thinking the same, wondering how fast he could run for Kamui before Sakura could rescue-festal both of them to safety.

"Let her determine herself with a clear mind," the crown prince stalled, hoping to buy time as he tried gesturing his plan subtly. "I know her feelings will lie true."

The princess looked at Azura and Jakob with a frown, her lip bleeding from her sharp fangs shifting into her bottom lip, but her composure recovered to one of rehearsed, if not false, strength.

"Azura, Jakob... you should surrender. I don't want you to get hurt because of my... indecisiveness," she apologized. Azura and Jakob both just smiled, still standing by her.

"Your smile is my life's purpose to preserve, Lady Corrin," Jakob said with a bow. "And it would not befit my station to return home without it."

"There is another option," Azura suggested. "We can make a run for it, if we can traverse the river before them."

If Corrin didn't look defeated before, she definitely was now. Were she in a better mood, she would laugh at Azura's wild plan.

"Run? As in, running away? What good would that do? They would just catch us in seconds..."

"Not if Hoshido and Nohr are both chasing us," Azura reasoned. "They'll slow each other down. And the river will separate them long enough for them not to engage..."

"Perhaps," Corrin thought aloud, her mind clearing and thinking of a plan. It wasn't much of a good one, so but she stood up and made ready to announce her choice. "Okay. It'll buy us some time. But won't they fight each other on the way? I can't let that happen!"

"It's going to be fine," Azura assured. "But we need to get out of here. We can't stop them if we die here."

"If you... say so," Corrin nodded. "Here goes."

"Ryoma, Xander... Big brothers... Please-"

Any notions were interrupted when a bright flash of light blinded both armies, not only hiding Corrin for a brief instant but when the eyesight of those afflicted recovered, a new sight appeared in the middle.

"Well, the scroll worked."

Chrom and Robin grinned sheepishly at the mess that the Shepherds had just found themselves entangled in.

"And that's... quite a lot of soldiers."

December 23, 2nd Year of our Exalt, Chrom

Robin took another slow breath before digging his knife slower and deeper into his marked hand. With blood weeping even now onto his floor, keeping things clean was far beyond the question. For the sake of Lissa's sanity, the tactician thought he could at least keep things healable-

"What in the hell are you doing!?"

The tactician turned to see Chrom- pissed at that- from behind, head peeking through the doorway and displaying a scowl of disdain. Robin raised his good hand in defense, smiling nervously even as blood dripped everywhere.

"We're getting war reprimands from Plegia, whom our countrymen still hate with a passion. This mark on my hand happens to be the symbol of their religious deity, Grima. I can't wear a glove everywhere I go, Chrom." The white-haired strategist pointed to the bloodied mark on his hand, defiantly clear even with the splotches and lines of crimson running down its surface. All the while, more blood dripped from his fingertips onto the floor and basin next to him, causing Chrom to wince at the sight.

"Robin, you won't need a glove when you're missing a hand. You can't just scratch it off like chalk."

Caught off guard by Chrom's uncanny wit, Robin simply shrugged it off. "It's not that bad. We've seen worse on the battlefield. Think of it as nothing more than a scratch, sustained in the lines of paperwork."

"...No, that's a gouge. A gouge sustained in the line of, gods help us, paperwork."

"Ah, fair. Let's call it a draw and call it a small gouge," Robin corrected with a wry smile. Chrom's stifled a chuckle, turning around to hide his smile.

"You know what, fine. Just... clean that up! It would not behoove our great tactician to show up to our council looking like the cooks got possession of his hand. Clean that up. Actually, no. Lissa will do that for you. Clean yourself up."

Calling for Lissa and Maribelle and blurting something about a 'self-conscious fool' Chrom left, prompting Robin to grin in triumph despite the numb pain in his hand. Examining his handiwork (hilarious), the Plegian opened up his supplies and bandaged the offending member himself, then wiped up the sanguine mess from his room with relatively thorough levels of competence. Once that he had done what he could, the glove came back on, a little more snug thanks to the bandages. Robin sat down by his desk and gazed out the window, enjoying the brisk Ylissean air.

One would wonder why Robin kept the windows open in the onslaught of winter, risking the room to cold and snow.

The answer was simple, and quite nimble, taking the form of a future-seeing swordsman.

Not so simple, Robin reconsidered. But very nimble.

On the first of her visits, Marth, with much hesitation, offered Robin a sturdy volume, not much of a valuable considering it was probably from the bookstore just a few blocks away in the main city.

'It occurred to me that the events of the Plegian War are your first memories, considering your loss of...uh, memory. For lack of better phrasing. Have you considered writing them down? Something to give yourself should your mind ever wear itself thin?'

It was a great idea, all things considered. It put a nice side to Marth now that the war was over.

Already halfway through the bindings, Robin took the time to notice just how deep into the book he had delved into. On the days after the decisive death of Gangrel, Mad King of Plegia, Robin opened the present from Marth, who comically gifted it to him in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. Recalling the memory fondly, Robin started a new entry. Turning thorugh the pages of his self-account of the Plegian war, Robin's mind raced as he imagined the ups and downs of those harrowing months.

Emmeryn's face flickered in his mind, fading to that of Chrom.

...

Robin blinked rapidly, clearing his mind. It had been a while since he had one of those episodes. Right, blank page.

"It has been nearly two years of peace and prosperity in Ylisse. And may I politely say, it's boring. While I'm glad the court doesn't have need of me, neither does the battlefield. It has been clear that my calling is towards the art of tactics, something that is in a woeful state of oversupply nowadays.

Then again...That isn't so bad. I'm a decent secretary and diplomat when his majesty needs me to be. It's just that the battles of the court are much more convoluted. I don't feel like I'm winning on days that I do come out on top.

It's not as satisfying as saving lives and ending tyrants.

Woe and behold, after two years I find myself not on the fields of battle but gazing at stars and reading books by my lonesome. Sure, I wake up to Tharja between my ceiling panels on some days, or perhaps Nowi crashing into the side of my room in her dragon form on others. Sumia invites me to read cheesy romances with her (I tolerate it only because she puts on such a smile) and more than a few times I've found myself seeking Maribelle's advice on handling the ruffled collars about me. Vaike invites me to the orphanage to play with the kids there, while Stahl invites me to his residence for a good old-fashioned meal.

My Shepherds made it through this hell, every last one. Whether that's thanks to me or their own strokes of luck, I am forever grateful.

Still, there's one thread that insists on being apart from this tapestry.

Marth.

It has been a whopping one page since I wrote about her last, but what can I say? She is a character that is always on my mind. I miss her.

She hasn't checked in on Chrom in a while, though she did say she was going to inspect on some border development for a few months. I find myself a bit too eager than appropriate for her news, though I'm coming to think it's not because of the message, but the messenger. There is a strength to her eyes behind that broken mask, or perhaps the conviction behind her imitation of Falchion. She is a hero in every sense, even if she ran from the festivities when the war ended.

And to think that I believed she was actually the Hero King's reincarnation or something come once upon a time. Not that a masked individual gallivanting across Archanea is any less civilian, of course. She is quite the adventurer too, and who could know what stuff she's up to lately. On this miserable slog of a day, I wish I could be a part of them.

Then again, if something interesting is happening near the border, I hope Chrom will let me out of the mess that is the court and let me explore the land for a few weeks. A place to stretch my legs, see the sights, and appreciate the cultures of places I cannot possibly remember. Or perhaps I never saw them in the first place.

And nothing hurts with having a companion for the trip.

Ah, to have an adventure again would be amazing, more memories and more opportunities for me to learn of the world around me! I could do without the particularly gruesome battles and bloodshed, of course. Perhaps Chrom will let me run off to Chon'sin or even learn more about Plegia?

Maybe another time.

I really should socialize more though.

Maybe I should adopt a child?

Apparently, I'm good with children.  However, to have one of my own? Would that be any different for me? Not that baby Lucina is old enough to complain about me, but she seldom cries in my arms unless she craps herself or wants to go to sleep. Only time will tell at this rate, and I hope I have more than few years left in me.

I-"

"Robin, are you busy?"

Upon reflex, Robin quickly shut his book, reigniting the magical seal that kept his journal safe from even Tharja's prying eyes.

He turned, easing when he saw the figure of Marth in his doorway, leaning against the wall.

"Ah, if it isn't the Hero Princess. And, no, not anymore," Robin said while rising, before regarding the blue-haired swordsman who stopped against his now-closed door. "...Marth. It's been a while."

"I am afraid I have to get right to the point," she sighed, coming in and closing the gap rather quickly. Her strides were never subtle, and the briskness that they held always put Robin a little on-edge.

"Easy there," Robin warned, giving a glance to the sword that rested on the other side of the room, then slowly to the Falchion on Marth's hip. "Maybe I am busy now."

Marth scoffed and squinted at the same time, but showed no signs of harm, which caused the tactician to smirk at her childish face.

"The border development is as I feared," she began, taking a seat across from Robin's desk, thumbing through his drawer for a map of the area. Understanding her motives, Robin pulled one out for her, waiting for Marth to continue. Tracing her slim finger across Ylisse, she paused it near the coast of Ferox, along the shoreline of the Valmese Sea.

"That's quite the hike you took then," Robin whistled. "You sure you still have legs?"

"It was a distance to travel, I shall admit," Marth sighed, "But I arrived just in time to warn the Feroxian guards stationed there. I hurried back here to warn Exalt Chrom and the Ylisseans."

"More future-premonition stuff? You really must tell me how you're pulling it off," Robin replied. "So, what's happening in Ferox that we should be worried about?"

"You mean you did not have it figured it out yet?" Marth wondered, genuinely surprised. "I suppose it would be too much to hope that you would expect this."

"Marth, I don't even know what 'it' is yet, let along the process of figuring 'it' out. Does it hurt to be forthright once in a while?"

Nodding in reluctant agreement, Marth dragged the map westward until her fingers rested upon their far neighbors on the Valmese continent.

"Chon'sin, Roseanne, Valm, Mila," Robin observed, trailing Marth's slender finger in curiosity. "Ylisse's trading partners to the west, though I'll admit we're not exactly on the best terms just yet. Are they in trouble too?"

"The contrary," Marth corrected. "They are the trouble."

Robin paused a beat, thinking to himself.

"...Which explains why our diplomatic attempts have fallen silent as of late," Robin pieced together. "I... should've suspected something was amiss. What exactly am I dealing with?"

Marth cleared her throat, recalling her own memories as she put together the events into words.

"Rumors lie on the winds that Valm has outlived her peaceful existence, seeking now to subjugate the entire continent of Valentia. That seems to have happened already. Now Archanea is next. Sooner than we think."

Robin nearly choked on his own cough, leaving Marth nodding to reaffirm.

"Valm has rejected all our trading negotiations," Robin clued. "I think I now know why Chon'sin and Roseanne have fallen silent. So, Valm's going to invade us in a few weeks? That's... bad."

"That is not the half of it," Marth added. "In my mind, I see Ylisse and Ferox successfully repelling Valm but at a high price. What I fear is that this will allow Plegia to blindside us after the war, easily avenging their earlier defeat."

"W-w-wait, why would they do that?" Robin asked, frantically grabbing his maps and his books and writing down everything he had just learned.

"I know these things. I hate to verify my own merit but have I led you or Exalt Chrom astray? I hope not," Marth admitted. "Perhaps I should just-"

"It's okay." Robin winced, but continued on. "We'll handle this one problem at a time."

"I agree. Let me gather my thoughts for a minute."

With that, Marth paced the floor, deftly grabbing one of Robin's maps as she examined the lines thoroughly.

"I think, if I recall correctly, that Virion and whatever entourage he has with him should arrive back in Ylisse within a few days."

"I don't see how that is so important. Virion is just-"

Boots rang on the stones of Robin's doorway, and both parties turned to see the Ylissean Knight-Commander in the entrance.

"Master Robin- and...Marth. Pardon me Sir, you are being summoned by Lord Chrom in the throne room."

A quick glance towards each other and Robin nodded.

"Farewell, tactician. I shall take this as my leave. And... clean up that bloodstain. That glove is seeping everywhere," Marth said with a smile, leaping out of Robin's window and rappelling down using his curtains.

Robin took this time to smile sheepishly at the knight, who only shook his head at the open window and the fluttering sheets.

"Your attempts at hiding it are pitiful."

"Hey, she's nice-"

"I was referring to the blood."

"...Oh."

Robin laughed, shaking his head as he closed his window.

"Clearly the guards are just for show. How do they not notice that," Frederick muttered.

"Oh, give them a break, Freddy-bear. They're up against a girl who can predict the future."

"Whatever the case, it is unacceptable. I will multiply their training a thousandfold."

"Only a thousand? Goodness. You're getting soft."

"There is no limit to the measures I will take to defend Ylisse and her people," Frederick replied. "Which reminds me..."

"Is... is this about a Valmese invasion by chance?" Robin hoped, to which Frederick raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Clearly this was the first time he'd had such an idea presented to him.

"No. And what would you know of a Valmese invasion?" the knight asked, curious, if not worried.

"Enough that a certain female swordsman with healthy premonitions gave me some valuable warnings of a Valmese fleet," Robin responded in turn, before going down the stairs and leading Frederick, at quite the loss, down.

"It's actually nothing of the sort, but still-"

"I know, Frederick. Chrom will want to know, if Marth hasn't told him already."

"Right. I suppose with your surprise, I have one of my own. What do you know of our rascal friend Virion?"

A few flights of stairs and Robin found himself on the blue carpets of the throne room, where Chrom and Virion stood adjacent each other. With them was a woman Robin would easily mistake as Anna, the merchant that traveled alongside the Shepherds in the Mad King's War. This 'Anna' was younger, and had a different style of clothing on her, as if she had always been in the colder weather. Though, if he remembered correctly, the Anna brand name spread far and wide across the continents so this may very well have been another member of their Anna's family.

"Anna? One of our Anna's relatives at least? Gods, the resemblance truly is uncanny," Robin asked, getting a faint smile in reply. "You must be burning up in those furs."

"That's the one and only Anna for ya! And yes, it's rather temperate in here. I'll admit, even for winter, this place is warm. Still business is good, which means that an Anna is on the run as always."

"That's about right," Chrom said stiffly, the bitterness of being scammed by their own Anna still leaving a foul aftertaste.

"Anyway, Robin, I called you here for guidance," Chrom admitted, smiling nervously at the Anna.

"On what? Is this about Virion? Or... Lord Virion, as we now know?"

"Actually I thought you already knew that. No, this matter is a little more your speed than mine. How much stock should we put on mythology?" Chrom sighed, gesturing to a thick scroll in his hand. "Preferably the mythical figures with swords."

"Depends on how big their swords are," Robin replied in mystery, not knowing much of what was going on. "What is that?"

"It's a portal, as if to those Outrealm things, though none we've been to," Chrom explained, taking out the collection of the Shepherd's outrealms they've been to. All of them involved ancient heroes of some type and time, and their Einherjar reflected that thus far. Such figures had been pivotal in reinforcing the Shepherd's meager numbers when engaged in a larger front. Now at peace, the cards lay useless in Chrom's drawer, wondering for the day they'd be called to fight for their master once more. "It's technically a warp scroll, if you want to nitpick."

"What good would that be if we don't know where to go?"

"We do know where this one leads," Chrom corrected. "It's just... I don't know if this is worth the price."

"The price?" Robin asked, before his shoulders dropped in realization. "...Chrom, what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Anna wants the Einherjar," Chrom explained. "In return, a warp scroll to a continent only referred to in myth."

"And why would we need this?"

"Word on my street is Valm is preparing an invasion fleet, if they are not already on their way. I can only assume our mutual blue-haired swordsman paid you a visit as well?" Chrom asked, to which Robin nodded. "You may not know as much of our culture as you think you do, so here's a quick lesson; In Ylissean, Marth's words translate to 'We're quite screwed.'"

"I'm assuming the Einherjar aren't going to cut it then?"

"It's not going to be enough, you see. We need a specific kind of help. Help that neither Plegia nor Ferox can give. Specifically, the help that sinks Valmese armadas and scatters their cavalries to the winds. If not, you might as well bend over now and take off your cloak, because if the Valmese don't murder us all, a religious cult the size of the Grimleal will. That also, if you were paying attention, translates to us being screwed."

"So what are you suggesting, Chrom?"

"Remember how essential the Einherjar were in a pinch?"

"In a pinch, yes. Not a full on prolonged invasion. They only lasted a couple minutes before going back into their... things."

"The Shepherds need more than just a few bodies and a deck of cards, Robin."

"Let me get this straight. This... land, which is actually another continent entirely... What do you want to do?"

Chrom smiled slightly, ready to display his plan.

"The Hero-King, Marth, raised an entire army out of the ranks of his defeated foes. That same charm thankfully runs through my veins."

"You mean to recruit strangers to fight our wars?" Robin asked incredulously. "Because you sure aren't going to conquer them."

"I know you trust our Marth as much as I do, seeing how much you two elope or what not in that study of yours."

"I do no such thing," Robin scowled. "As lovely a woman she is, don't get me wrong..."

"But you have to admit, she tells the truth no matter how far fetched."

"...Yes she does."

"And here's your last lesson in Ylissean. 'We are screwed.' Can be translated many different ways. Thankfully, we both know of someone who can translate our predicaments for us. In fact, I'm looking right at her."

Robin turned to see Marth in the corner of the hall, eavesdropping from behind a pillar. Her cover blown, the hero disowned by time stepped into the light, a nervous smile on her face.

"I've done what I could to prepare us," Marth stammered, causing those not listening to Chrom and Robin to turn to the unfamiliar voice. "I had to make sure you all were ready for the storm that I have come to recall in every passing nightmare."

"In what manner?" Chrom asked slowly.

"In my manner," Lucina replied, before flourishing her cape, the mark of Naga visible on its plane.

"...Father."

"So we commit to a peaceful excursion on the outskirts of Hoshido and Nohr, try to enlist however so many troops as we can, repel the Fell Dragon and the Conqueror himself, skip a couple pages, good guys win, and then what?"

"It's not gonna be that easy," Robin sighed. "They won't be convinced to just leave their home and join forces with a ragtag group of foreigners. Especially not with the coin we have."

"We're neither ragtag nor poor," Chrom reminded, taking offense to the crude description of his nation's coffers and the quality of her militia. "Though our story is not convincing either way."

"The stories of Hoshido and Nohr make very clear that they have always despised each other. I'm sure we can find a use of this conflict," Chrom suggested. Robin shook his head adamantly.

"Who are we to play a game of life and death? Even if the stakes are our own, we have no right meddling with the wars of other countries without good cause, and especially not on a whim."

"What if it wasn't whim," Lucina offered, voice low. "What if you do as the Shepherds did in my stories? You assist and protect the downtrodden? War is brutal and cruel, and survivors and the abandoned are always left in its wake. That's where we can enter in."

"You mean to aid those that have been hurt the most?" Chrom asked.

"I mean to find whoever is in the crossfire, and help them."

"It's a plan," Robin admitted, "But we have no means to convince them, even with our meager help."

"We're fighters, Master Tactician," Lucina reminded, "The Shepherds always solve problems through force and through action."

"And diplomacy." Robin countered, "Seeing that I can count our total number with the fingers on my hands, we're not exactly a war machine. We took down an army once, and barely. It's not going to happen again no matter how many tricks I have in my sleeve."

"And the alternative is for you, a foreign commander, to parley your way between two warring nations?" Chrom asked in counteraction. Robin nodded in confidence, holding his head up high.

"Why certainly! Subtlety is a tactician's finest garment... besides this sleek cloak, of course. All we need... are the right pieces. We'll find those who will join our cause once they see our danger. Our mutual danger."

"No matter, we're going to need more than the four of us here," Chrom decided. "Frederick?"

"I'll rally the Shepherds, those available at least. Expect us within the next hour, milord."

The knight left with smart precision, his steady footsteps fading off down the hallway. Robin turned to the two Ylissean nobles at his side.

"Valm won't be a threat to them, I suppose. But Grima? A dragon that can end the world, one we share, is something we can exploit. No matter how far away they are, they are subject to his destruction," Lucina declared. "Nowhere is safe if the Fell Dragon manifests."

"We just need to tell that to them," Robin winced. "I doubt we have anything a foreign country would listen to though. What if they don't even speak our language?"

"One problem at a time, Robin," Chrom reassured. "We'll find enough people in time."

"We may not have time," Lucina urged, "Anna said that time flows differently there than here, but that doesn't give us forever. Soon enough, Valm will come, the Grimleal will come, and I pray that we have what we need by then."

"Then we go in blindly, and bull-shit things once we're already inside?" Robin asked skeptically. "I may have the occasional sleight of hand, Chrom, but I'm no miracle worker..." he trailed off, but his eyes widened as Lucina continued her tangent.

"And me being 'from the future' is not going to quite sell it."

Lucina sighed in short-term defeat, not noticing Robin's stare.

"But do you know what will?" the tactician suggested, grinning mischievously.

"What?" Lucina asked, slightly nervous from Robin's piercing gaze.

"If I may... I need to borrow your memories. We need to see what you've seen. It's the only way to convince anyone else."

It took some doing, but Robin held the results of his hastily-conjured spell.

Nightmare.

It was a gaudy title, even Tharja would admit, but like any good book, it revealed all that was within it on the cover. One spell, one conjuration, and the subjected would witness the hell that Lucina had been through not as a bystander, but as a witness. Robin hoped, even with Tharja's assurances, that it would be enough.

A number of Shepherds had been rallied to join Robin and Chrom, so that their number was nearing 20 in strength. It would be enough to at least earn a mass grave, Robin hoped. A silver lining was that they had some veteran fighters like Lon'qu, Sully, and Vaike among them. Was Kellam there? Probably. Was Vaike's axe? Probably not.

"Robin."

Chrom's voice shook him from his reverie.

"Hmm? What?"

"What if we fail at having them join us?"

"Then we join them first," Robin ordered, "And hope they return our favor. They may just have listen in time."

"They have no choice but to do so."

And with that, the Shepherds stepped through the portal. The first thing they saw were two legions of soldiers. One bore a white banner with red trim, the other a black banner with purple trim. Both were armed to the teeth.

"So. Hoshido and Nohr. Looks like we stumbled upon a fight. Well, the scroll worked."

And as they did, the clear but shaking voice of a young woman echoed through their ears.

"And that's... quite a lot of soldiers."

Corrin gasped at the bodies who manifested out of thin air around her, closing off her escape (Or acting as extra layers of protection.) They were dressed in armor and wielding weapons similar to both Hoshidan and Nohrian styles. Though small in number, she sensed the aura of experience on them, not unlike Gunter or her brothers. The strongest sense of power from these individuals was right next to her, unarmored but wearing a curiously marked cloak and wielding a jagged sword wreathed in lightning.

"Wh-Who are you?" Corrin asked, causing the white-haired man in the coat to turn around, lost in her red eyes for a second longer than he anticipated.

"Looks like we found a good spot to start," Chrom whispered.

"Who are you and who do you fight for?" Corrin repeated, pointing Yato at Robin. "If you do not identify yourself as a friend, I shall cut you down as an enemy!"

"..."

"In that case, let's be friends," Robin replied nervously. "I am Robin, tactician of this army, for lack of a better word at the moment," he trailed, gazing on the actual armies on either side of him.

"And I have a very good reason why your armies should not be killing each other right now."

"Odd words for the one between the two armies," Corrin whispered.

Ryoma and Xander raised their hands simultaneously, a thousand weapons instantly being re-raised at the Shepherds.

"And why, pray tell, shall we comply with your demands, stranger?"

"Because..." Robin stared around him, no escape.

Fantastic. He had to stall. "Hoshido and Nohr have been fighting this war for how many generations now?"

"Like you even know that answer," Chrom whispered.

"Oh, who says we are fighting? The way I see things, Nohr and her cavalry will trample over these farmers with the sun setting on our spears!" Xander boasted.

"It has taken you hundreds of years to get this far, Nohrian, and hundreds years more! Like hell you would," Ryoma retorted, twirling Raijinto as he turned to Robin. "And what would a stranger who appears out of nowhere know of our struggle? My father died to these mongrels. My mother died to them. The blood of Nohr's finest stains my blade. Such is our cycle, and such is our history!"

"Blah, blah, Grima, we're all going to die, apocalypse," Chrom summarized under his breath, catching Corrin's attention. Said Princess turned to both the Prince and the Tactician, trying to piece together what was happening before her.

"Answer swiftly and honestly or you will die as suddenly as you appeared, stranger," Xander warned, raising Siegfried with a dark flame accompanying.

"Say something, dammit," Chrom groaned.

"I... I-" Robin was choked off by the white-haired girl, who raised her hand skyward.

"Allow me," Corrin whispered.

"Listen to me, and lay your weapons down!" Corrin yelled, pointing at Xander and Ryoma equally. "Father may have orchestrated this war in order to sustain Nohr, but Hoshido is strong enough to support us peacefully! And they will, because it's the Hoshidan way!"

Ryoma couldn't help but frown at this bold statement, but Xander stood firm.

"But if a single drop of blood falls here today, know this! The manipulators and diplomats who have been planning this selfish endeavor know that this will lead to weakness in both Nohr and Hoshido! We cannot afford to fight today, or evermore! These soldiers come from a land that have suffered from such a fate! I brought them here by my own will, to serve as a lesson for both these countries I have come to cherish!"

She pointed at Robin and the other Shepherds, "We are so focused on Nohr and Hoshido that we could never see those powers within waiting to scavenge on our remains! Hoshido may want peace, but as long as they stay isolated, Nohr will always be in poverty! And Nohr may have waged this war on Father's orders, but there's something more to that! This isn't about preserving Nohr, it's about monopolizing it! Ryoma, Xander, STAND DOWN! For all that is good of Nohr and Hoshido, STAND DOWN!"

Slowly... Siegfried was lowered.

Raijinto mirrored it a few second later.

Strangely enough, even without commands from their commanders, not a single blade or bow remained raised save for a choice few soldiers. What used to be an army ready to strike turned into a vigil, their weapons sheathed or strapped.

Chrom whistled in due amazement, commending the quick thinking of the stranger in the group.

"A woman that can break up a fight," Robin whispered under his breath. "You must have a lot of siblings."

Corrin nodded with knowing smile and responded in kind.

"I tend to protect any friends I make," Corrin exhaled in relief. Her face shifted though, when she realized the people around her. "You guys... are my friends, right? I mean we just met so..."

"Of course. I wasn't lying by the way. We're here to help you. We'll help you whatever way we can. Oh, and the name's Robin, by the way." Robin added, winking at Chrom who only rolled his eyes.

"You said that already."

"...Did I? Hmm, I'm also an amnesiac. Don't blame me."

From both sides, the Shepherds could hear the vocal worries of the crowd around them.

"What does that girl know?"

"Rival dynasts want Mikoto's bloodline off the throne!"

"Garon needs a reminder on how to handle these politicians..."

"Why are we listening to her? She killed Lady Mikoto!"

Chrom breathed nervously. "They're getting restless. A field like this is meant for battle. Not a stare-down."

Corrin nodded her agreement, twirling Yato before interjecting with a loud cry.

"Enough!"

Hesitantly, Xander and Ryoma lowered their weapons and stepped hesitantly towards the center. Chrom gulped, not thinking his words would have been heard that easily.

"Hoshidans... stand fast," Ryoma ordered, only accompanied by his retainers, walking slowly to the middle. "Prince Xander, what say you?"

"Nohrians! Stand down... for now," the Crown Prince ordered. Slowly but surely, he walked to Corrin and stared down Ryoma who was well within striking distance now. Hesitantly, he returned his blade to its sheath, and breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Corrin looked on, trying her hardest not to look too relieved. Robin and the Shepherds did not hold such restraint and smiled at the peace they had just brokered.

"Tell us then, stranger," Ryoma asked, kneeling in view of his sister.

"Your magic, if it has corrupted our Corrin in any form..." Xander started, but a kind smile from Corrin shut him up.

"While I might not know everything yet..." Corrin stalled, glaring at Robin and Chrom, "I'm sure my friends know more than I do."

Robin nodded nervously and took out his scroll, simply labeled 'Ylisse.'

"Tell me... What do you know of the divine dragons?"

Day 1 of the Valentian Liberation

Lucina gaped in shock as Robin and Chrom came through the portal, their faces blank with confusion.

"What happened? What did you-"

The Shepherds came out now, one by one, none of them the worse for wear, but still looking as stunned as their leaders.

And then Corrin came through, head held high and a slight smile on her face.

"...Are these our allies?"

Ryoma and Xander followed, baring their teeth and imaginary weapons at each other but maintaining control. And after them, retainer and warrior alike manifested in the throne room, both Hoshidan and Nohrian. Lucina swore she could cut the tension with a knife. Then again, the appearance of a drawn blade would probably spark a mini war in the throne room.

Running over to Robin and Chrom, the Exalt's daughter whispered loudly, unable to bring her voice down.

"What happened!?"

"All according to plan. It worked," Robin replied happily, still a bit nervous.

"I sense terms."

"There are none... Let's just say your apocalyptic future is not something either of these countries wish to experience, Lucina."

"So you mean..."

With a wave, a red and gold blur swept by, shutting them up and raising his lightning-wreathed katana in the air.

"That is enough about us," Ryoma scowled, ordering his retainers and elite soldiers in formation as to take accountability. Xander did likewise, except on the other side of the throne room.

"Three divisions," Chrom mused. "Ylissean, Hoshidan, and Nohrian."

"No division," Corrin insisted, holding Xander with one arm and Ryoma with the other. "Or did we forget what happened out there?"

"Kamui... you were kidnapped by Nohrian-" Ryoma started.

"And Azura was kidnapped by Hoshidans," Corrin continued, "I do prefer Corrin a lot more, no offense. But this is a war we cannot be split upon. If we are to preserve this moment, if we are to bring forth a new age of peace... Can I trust both of you to work together?"

"I cannot say I agree with you," Xander admitted, "But what that wizard showed us, what our own retainers have claimed... I cannot have that happen to Nohr. And if it means working alongside Hoshidans for this to be averted... then I must, for Nohr. And for my family."

"So be it," Ryoma announced, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura behind him. "For our world's sake, we fight together, Nohrian. Even if your soldiers killed my father, it means nothing anymore. Even if a Nohrian device killed my mother... it means nothing. I fight only for my future and my family. I may fight alongside you, but not for you."

"Then it is settled?" Robin guessed, appreciating the lack of apparent tension between both countries.

A wyvern rider crashed through the main doors, interrupting the gaggle as a few dozen heads turned towards her. Even as she landed precariously in the hallway, wyvern claws scratched the tiles in a grating spectacle of sound.

"Lord Chrom! I bear horrible news! Valmese-"

Robin stepped forward, sparing Chrom from more of the same bad news they had been notified of earlier.

"Armadas are sailing to our borders as we speak? Followed by a land invasion that will sweep through Ylisse just as they did your country of Rosanne?"

"Did my letter already arrive, gods-"

"Relax. You must be Cherche of House Virion. Might I say your penmanship is lovely. Your letter just arrived today, so fear not. You're... a vassal of the Dukedom of Roseanne, was it?" Robin asked, relaxed as could be as he walked to her, hands casually behind his back. Corrin smirked and Chrom shook his head at his tactician's lax. Virion could be less pleased, but he remained silent.

"I take it you're a soldier of good renown, Lady Cherche. Your wyvern looks something fierce, too. What say you two to joining us on our quest? Not to spoil the surprise but I'm gonna show the Conqueror how to really sweep a nation. I'd love for both of you to come along as well."

"W-what? Am I interrupting something here?"

"I'd say you're right on time," Robin affirmed, patting Cherche on the rather beautiful shoulder. Peeking beyond her, he bowed to Virion.

"...Lovely, is she not?" the Duke managed to say, much to his own embarrassment at being out-charmed by the ever-charming tactician.

"Even more than I could imagine. You didn't say she had a wyvern."

Ryoma examined the room, but paying most attention to the numbers standing before him. Hoshidan troops, the finest he has ever seen. And he'd hate to admit it, but those Nohrian troops looked just as disciplined.

Ugly armor though.

"Hoshidans! You have my word as your High Prince that this is the dawn of a new era in our history! Across from you right now are not enemies, but allies. Treat them as such, and you will have secured not only the prosperity of Hoshido, but its survival! Will you stand by me?"

"AYE!"

Xander nodded in agreement and turned to his own army. Such was the future of Nohr, clad in steel and blood, tempered in the fires of a thousand years of war. Then again, so were the Hoshidans.

But what on earth was that disgusting armor?

"Soldiers of Nohr, our ancestors rode past the horizon and brought back not just food, not just victory... They rode and conquered the lands beyond, and came back wearing the glory of victory! I say we pay tribute to those before us and honor their memory by repeating history! If we are not to conquer Hoshido, then perhaps a dragon's corpse will sustain our lands just as well!"

"AYE!"

Robin watched in sheer thrill, silently turning to Chrom and his own Shepherds. He had fought alongside these good men and women, and have known them for two long years. Now, he was about to take them on another campaign from which they may never return. They needed their expert tactician more than ever.

"Quite the face you have there, tactician," Chrom laughed, nudging his friend with a smile of his own. "You ready to add another page to your grand history book?"

Robin nodded, graciously brandishing his cloak with a dignity that only a hero of his country would allow.

"Shepherds of Ylisse, Archanea is rich in the history of heroes and fights against the forces of evil. With Valm knocking down our doorstep, I think it's time we secure our own chapter in the castle library. Let's do those we love a favor and move this invasion force aside."

"Aye!"

Corrin had to draw away from the impressive armies, noticing Lucina next to her doing the same.

Feeling something hum against her hip, she drew Yato, mirrored by Falchion.

"The blades, they're.."

"Glowing?" Lucina realized, tapping Yato with Falchion

"It seems even the gods our on our side," Lucina realized. "But what is happening..."

Both blades started glowing a faint gold and blue respectively, and suddenly the edges of the twin swords radiated brilliant light as they flashed in a blinding display of power.

"The Seal of Flames," Leo gasped. "I read about this in an ancient text... Is Corrin... fulfilling some rite of passage?"

"Falchion... It's like she's awake now, after a long night of unrest," Lucina whispered, the blue pulsing from Naga's fang even through the scabbard she had sheathed it in. Awoken Falchion had reacted with the Yatogami and was shining a beautiful cyan as a result.

Corrin, holding her blade, had a similar problem.

"Yato," Corrin echoed, her golden blade glowing in a similarly-golden light, illuminating the hall alongside its blue-glowing sister. "Awoken Yato. I swear I'm not making that up- it literally just spoke in my head."

"Well that's as good a sign as any," one of the Nohrians called out, prompting some Hoshidans to laugh. Ryoma and Xander looked none to pleased, but weren't quite upset at that quip either.

The Nohrians and Hoshidans cheered spontaneously in unison, Ylisse not sure how to respond. Just realizing how quickly she had formed a temporary peace between two warring nations, Corrin retreated to the back, where Robin and Chrom stood.

"Commander Robin. I think we'd best be on our way. My Hoshidans were ready for a fight today, but we can wait a little longer. Let them come against us, and you'll see your stories about us are hardly fairy tales."

"Nohr stands as well, Commander. My ancestors led cavalries against other cavalries during the Nohrian formation. I would much appreciate being given the opportunity to try the same."

"Then it is time," Robin announced proudly. "We have about a week before our own ships arrive. We... have a bit to do before then."

"They are coming," Lucina noted, "But they will not expect this. So many..." Chrom patted his daughter on the back and waved a hand towards the distant sea.

"Out there is our future, Luci. We'll save this country one step at a time. And those that came with you."

"You didn't tell me they weren't all here?" Robin asked, curious.

"There were some others that came with me from the future," Lucina explained. "They will be more than willing to offer their blades to our cause. Gerome, Cynthia... I know they're out there, somewhere."

"Don't worry, Lucina. We have all the pieces together now," the Exalt reassured, before turning to Corrin with a faint smile.

"Thank you, Princess Corrin. You might have just saved us all."

"I-I... I should thank you. Thank you for keeping both of my families from attacking each other. You saved us."

"That was your doing, not ours," Chrom assured, turning to his Shepherds with new orders. "I'll go now. Robin, why don't you show the Princess around?"

Corrin and Robin stood above the throne room, smiling at the host of Shepherds at their disposal who sat chatting among themselves in ambient droning.

"It's really happening, huh?"

"It is. You like the feeling? That anticipation before a hard fight... It's nerve-wracking. And exhilarating."

There was a certain thrill in Robin's eyes- a taste of adrenaline in the presence of death and danger, a desire to beat difficult opponents. Leo had the same eyes when they were younger.

"You seem to enjoy your job."

Robin scoffed, but shook his head. It wasn't some game to enjoy, not with life and death in the palm in his hand. Emmeryn's face flashed briefly in his head, a testament to a greener tactician's failures.

"I enjoy a lot of things. Saving lives most of all."

"Well aren't you the epitome of battlefield inspiration?" Corrin smiled, feeling comfortable around the tactician she had met just a few hours before.

"I try. Morale is a resource just like food and water out there. An army without morale is just as poor as an army without weapons."

"I see. I have a lot to learn about that."

"You're proficient in tactics, no? I'm sure you will be fine."

"I can fight a fight, sure... But looking at the big picture? It's scary."

"Have you ever fought in a war?" Robin asked quietly, quivering at the mounting dread that silently arose.

"...I've been preparing all my life for one," Corrin replied after a slow pause, gesturing to her two families swapping words and handshakes below. "A war to kill Hoshidans, to raze crop and castle to the ground. But no longer. Fighting alongside both of them after a lifetime of not even considering a peace? This is amazing. I can't tell you how ready I am for this. How excited I am to be with all of them. And all of you."

"I will devote my everything to keep them from harm," Robin promised, "And I pray, they will trust me in time."

"I trust you," Corrin said with a slight fluctuation. "It takes a pretty special person to teleport in the middle of a battlefield of strangers and convince both sides to cease."

"The pleasure was mine," Robin replied. "A commander always seeks to earn the trust of those he will fight alongside."

"I know that cloak isn't just for show. I'll have you know I can whip up a surprise or two myself," Corrin promised.

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well, the sword's new. I'm not sure about that. But how about this?" she asked, hoisting her dragonstone. "I saw one of your own using one to turn into a dragon. I don't think I can fly, though. At least, not that I know of. I've only been in a couple skirmishes, so we'll see."

"You're... a manakete? You're not like, a thousand years old too, are you? Because you look pretty my age and that would make you like triple Nowi's-"

"What? I'm twenty, if that means anything." Corrin wondered, interrupting the tactician. "But yeah, I can turn into a... thing. Oh, and control water, dragon stuff."

Robin was tempted to reply to that tidbit, but he kept his tongue. Suddenly, a crazy idea crossed his mind, and his eyes mirrored that.

"Uh-oh," Corrin guessed aloud.

"You can swim, right?"

"..."

"Pardon my asking but... Humor me, Princess: How heavy is your dragon form?"

"Um... S-something large, I can only assume. Why ask?"

Robin turned around towards his study, his eyes shining with a plan.

"Let me show you how the Shepherds do things around here."

Chapter Text

Day 1, Afternoon

"Quite the army we've assembled, huh?"

Robin and Chrom overlooked the courtyard of Ylisstol palace, where all three armies were intermingling to a degree. Hoshidans and Nohrians alike were talking to the Ylisseans, but it was clear to see that the former enemies weren't keen on opening up to each other quite yet.

It was expected, of course. Thousands, perhaps millions of deaths on each side have racked up over the decades. Hatred spanning generations had been instilled in each bloodline present.

The road to peace was hardly a straight one.

Emmeryn had taught him that. She had placed full trust in him, her brother, and her country. One day, she promised, Ylisse would be a beautiful country again, cleansed of the stains her father had left her to clean.

Even if it cost her her life.

"Yes, yes it is, and by no single effort alone," Robin sighed wistfully. Stretching his shoulders about, he glanced over to see Corrin, Ryoma, and Xander chatting behind them. Well, more like arguing. Chrom noticed this too and leaned closer in for Robin's discretion.

"How do you think we'll get them to play along? They are enemies, after all. They might cut each other down instead of the Valmese." Robin nodded in agreement, but kept his gaze steady.

"Perhaps. And I am quite worried about that. Though... battle does forge quite the bond, if utilized correctly."

"How does one utilize war to convince two life-time enemies to annul their hatred?"

"You decided now-Queen Olivia would be your wife an hour after killing Gangrel together. My plan follows along the same lines," Robin teased, forcing Chrom's cheeks to burn flush red.

"T-that's different..." he stammered, looking away.

"Oh? I think it's a model example. Though, instead of two people, imagine the bonds that can form if all of these soldiers share a common goal..." Chrom looked again to the future army below and couldn't help but grin.

"And I take it you have a plan to point all us sheep in a unified direction?"

"It will come," Robin reassured. "Though, I may need time. We have what, a week before the ships arrive? I'll think of something."

"I trust you as always, friend," Chrom vowed, turning away to handle other matters. "I'll catch you later, when you arrive at your strategy."

"Will comply, my Exalt," Robin laughed, nodding to Chrom as he left.

Alright. So there's, eh, give or take... sixty of us? Maybe more, maybe less. I think...

"Commander Robin, may I have a word?"

Robin paused his thoughts to turn to the tall blond man standing behind him, recognizing him as the crown prince of Nohr.

...Whose name he had just forgotten.

"Of course, Prince... Ry..." stuttering along, the prince forcefully put Robin back on track with a single word.

"Xander," the Nohrian stated rather flatly, no smile present on his face.

Great going, you dunce. The tactician that won a war can't even remember a prince's name, one that he himself had said a few minutes ago.

"Right. My apologies, Prince Xander. My office is nearby, if privacy is due?"

"It would be beneficial to be secretive, indeed," Xander said, quite relieved. "Lead the way? Oh, and Corrin," he added with a turn, "I'll be with the Commander of these Ylisseans. If something happens, contact me right away."

"Don't worry," Ryoma and Corrin said simultaneously before looking at each other. "Everything will be just fine," Corrin finished.

"Very well."

Robin took his seat, gesturing the crown prince to his own. Out of habit, Robin took out a book, uncorking his ink well and preparing for rigorous notation. Xander didn't seem to care but Robin had to demonstrate his methods to the unknowing prince.

"Force of habit," the tactician explained. "I tend to make better decisions when all the facts are in my face. I'm a pretty visually organized guy, I guess. I like to see things. Numbers, names, details, et cetera. Especially in battle, when I can watch the flow and capabilities of our enemies, and adapt accordingly. I suppose it's a tactician's sense? " Xander nodded in approval, still oh-so-princely in his chair, posture and all. His cravat must have been surgically aligned to rest exactly parallel his spine, and no doubt the prince's meticulously calculated positioning would give Frederick a run for his money.

Perhaps a tactician could sit up straight as well, instead of slouching over his desk in the presence of a foreign prince.

"So..." Robin began hesitantly, already cringing at the crack in his voice, "What can I do for you, Prince Xander?"

Instead, Xander merely examined Robin. Almost as if he were... scanning him. Robin felt very under-the-knife at the moment, not too different than how he felt when Miriel ran her experiments on him during their scheduled interview time-

Interview!

That's it!

Xander noticed how Robin immediately received a surge of energy, vigorously writing in his book what appeared to be...

Xander, Crown Prince and General of Nohr. Refined and stern on first glance, birthday-

"October, 24, and what exactly is going on?"

Robin looked at his surroundings, almost surprised at where he was. Xander stared back, clearly thinking Robin to have woken up from some trance.

"S-sorry," Robin stopped immediately, realizing that he had just interrupted Xander's discussion with his own agenda. "I... forgot you needed something. I guess I got carried away..."

"Doing what, exactly?" Xander asked, in a tone that was certainly neither disapproving nor encouraging Robin's behavior. "This isn't an interrogation, more like an interview? Are you trying to figure me out, Commander?"

"I had a habit, back during our own war," Robin explained, thinking of his original roster... which unfortunately, was long gone thanks to Lissa... "Anyway, as our little militia received more recruits, I would interview them on little one-on-one sessions, just to get a basic grip on their personality, combat ability, and other things a commander might need to know. I may just have let the habit slip and monopolized your time for my benefit. And for that... I apologize."

However, Xander finally cracked a small smile, clearly in approval to Robin's work.

"I cannot say that what you are doing is wrong. Actually, my dilemma could be understood better if you tried to continue your interview."

Robin looked surprised, but his delight outweighed that expression. Though, after a quick realization,he shook his head.

"The original roster was lost, I'm afraid. A certain sister of my Exalt decided to dump it in a pond. She thought it was a clever prank." Robin still felt a pang of sadness when he thought of that treasured book, now lost in the waves. Xander didn't seem to mind in the slightest though.

"Then start over, perhaps? A new roster, for our new beginning. We are Shepherds, as my sister so poetically exclaimed earlier. I do not think a new roster would be so far-fetched. One devoted to Ylisseans, Nohrians and Hoshidans alike. If we are to bridge this gap, as much as my pride and honor as a Nohrian would disagree, we must start with trust. After all, this is what I came to you to talk about."

"It... is?" Robin asked, genuinely curious in Xander's inquiry.

"Of course. I was concerned whether Ylisse was familiar in Nohrian ways, and what methods we may need to adapt to better-" Robin quickly stopped Xander, as rude as it was.

"Not necessary, Prince Xander. We came to you for aid, and you gave it to us willingly. We will not force your lifestyle to change. You are our allies as much as we are indebted to you. If anything, I am curious in the Nohrian and Hoshidan lifestyles. After all, I am a foreigner to Ylisse as well, and have adapted easily enough to their culture. If you are willing, perhaps by understanding their crown prince, I may better understand his people."

"Sound logic, Commander Robin. Which leads me to my next question."

"Of course. Are there problems you are having? I will gladly spearhead efforts myself to make our guests feel more welcome."

"I suppose you may approach it like that. As you already know, I am Nohr's field commander, as Prince Ryoma is with his Hoshidans. We... may not see eye to eye, and I do not think my soldiers nor Ryoma's may trust you, a foreign tactician, with battlefield orders. Yet." Robin shrugged, knowing this already.

"It's to be expected from two different nations following a third. To be honest, I did not expect Nohr or Hoshido to follow us that easily."

"Well, we had Lazward, my retainer, and Odin, my brother Leo's retainer, just validate your seemingly impossible story. And while I do not know much about Odin, I trust Lazward with my life. Prince of Ylisse or not, he is my brother before anything else."

"I see. Even now, I feel like I understand you a little more." Xander smiled at Robin's eagerness and relaxed slightly in his chair.

"So, back to my concerns. I doubt a Hoshidan, even one as level-headed as Kaze, would brave my command under the stresses of battle. And this may be inaccurate, but no Nohrian would let a Hoshidan dictate their engagements. Especially not in an endeavor as sacred to us as battle."

"So you need someone, who, by nature, can relay orders efficiently to both sides of the army, not to mention us Ylisseans? Someone who both sides trusts?"

"Yes. And..." he turned to point at Corrin, still talking to Ryoma on the balcony. "I think she is that common factor."

"Corrin?"

"My precious little sister," Xander explained, rather sadly. "It is true, she was of Hoshidan birth before my father kidnapped her. But I love her as one of my own siblings. And that is a sentiment shared with the Hoshidan royals too. I... as much as I would hate to use her like this, think that she is the key to unifying Hoshido and Nohr, if only for this short time period before reality chases us down."

"I don't know that much on Cor- Princess Corrin, though," Robin lamented. "I mean, we chatted just a few hours ago after you all came in, but... other than that, I don't know how the others, let alone her, would handle such a duty."

"If anyone can do it, it's her," Xander promised. "After all, that's an empty book in your hands, tactician. A few interviews would not harm the bindings."

Robin chuckled, thumbing the blank pages absently before nodding his consent.

"I'll see what I can pull off. But if you think that Princess Corrin can help our cause even more than she already has, then I suppose I have some interviews to do." Xander nodded in contentment, rising from his chair and shaking Robin's hand. As he left the door, he gave one last bit of advice.

"Oh, but Commander Robin, do restrain her more eccentric behavior. She is still Nohr's little princess, no matter what that gorgeous sword in her hand may argue otherwise."

Day 2, Early morning

"Good morning, R- Commander Robin! You requested me earlier. I'm sorry I didn't come faster, though. I had quite a bit of training to do."

Robin glanced from his journal and shut it quickly before opening up his roster and grinning at the princess in his doorway.

"Take a seat, Princess Corrin. And please, Robin is fine for now, considering..."

"Considering what?"

"Perhaps it would be better to explain myself first. I'm about to interview you, just so I, and the rest of the army, can get to know each other just a little better. This roster will be open for free use later on, so if you were planning on entrusting me with some life-threatening secret, I'm afraid it will have to wait."

Corrin laughed at the joke and sat down, nodding in approval.

"If I had any, my lips would be sealed, Com- Robin. So, what kind of questions do you have for me?"

"Nothing too personal," Robin explained, "But let me just index a page or two for the preface before we get to things."

"And I suppose that's the roster?" Corrin asked, pointing at the empty book in Robin's possession. The journal, to his left, went ignored. Robin nodded and tapped the newly bound book in anticipation.

"We used to have one for the Ylissean element only, back when we were all there was to our little band of merry men and women. But now, I think it's high time for a new, revised roster. Starting with you, of course."

"Why me?"

"Prince Xander among others has expressed a desire for you, a princess of both Hoshidan and Nohrian merit, to be the binding agent between both armies. Think you're up to the task?"

"Me? Helping the peace between Hoshido and Nohr?"

"They don't trust me yet, as much as I'd like them to. And they may not trust you, but if you were to give an order to a Nohrian in the stead of say, Prince Ryoma, I think your words may have more sway. More authority."

Robin's neck strained from his stiff posture, as Corrin came to notice. Maybe the tactician was sore. Or tired? But back to the matter at hand.

"If I can stop this war... then of course I'll do anything that needs to be done. Realistically, I can't be as good as you. But I'll try, and that's a promise."

Robin seemed satisfied with that answer, and let out another smile. Corrin stared at it a while, before shaking her head and breaking the spell the magician had cast. He smiled a lot.

And he wasn't going to get boring anytime soon.

"Good answer. Well, with that being said, I suppose we'll be bickering with each other a lot in the coming war, I assume," Robin foresaw with a laugh. Corrin's neck craned as she didn't understand Robin's implication.

"How so?"

"It means... for the foreseeable future, I will be seeking your counsel in our joint endeavor... Commander Corrin."

Commander?

The way she suddenly sat straighter, or the way that her eyes shined brighter, made Robin believe that he had just given her a goal worth striving for.

"...What?"

Robin recognized that flash as Corrin's eyes widened in confusion. But underneath the haze of shock, he saw a glimmer of realization and potential to do right.

"Looping back to why I don't want you to call me Commander anymore; it's because of this. As of now, Princess Corrin, you are Commander of the Shepherds in conjunction with myself. All orders, counsel, and information stemming from you will be treated with the same regard as my own, if not more. The Shepherds are just as much mine as they are yours now, Princess. You won't just stop Hoshido and Nohr's war, Corrin; You'll lead them out of it. I'll be there too, just as your sidekick."

The tactician trailed off to let the words sink.

"Of equal rank, of course," he quickly added.

Corrin remained silent for a few more seconds before a glee overcame the rest of her bubbling emotions.

"I... I'm honored! But... are you sure it's the right decision?"

"I think so," Robin assured. "Your brother, Xander, thought so."

"Is that what you two were talking about yesterday?"

"Among other things... yes. He saw you as the perfect liaison between Hoshido and Nohr during battle and every moment not."

"But aren't you the Commander? What do you think?"

"We're the Commanders," Robin corrected, "And from what I've seen of you so far, I think there's no better choice than you, Corrin."

"I'll prove you right!" she cheered, infecting her Co-Commander with her grin. "Shall we begin this roster of ours?"

"Indeed we shall," Robin decided. "First things first... the preface. I'll... do this later, after we fill out your page."

But at the moment she was tilting her head slightly at Robin's composure. Ever since she had come in, it was like he had to relieve himself of something. Perhaps he had a bad dinner?

"Why are you sitting so straight? It looks so... unnatural."

Robin sighed and went back to his slouching posture, which was much better for his sore shoulders.

"Your brother inadvertently influenced me to straighten up my posture in the presence of royalty. But, if you insist, then who am I to complain?"

"Oh, don't mind Xander. He's a bit stiff and gruff at times, but I think he's the best big brother I can have! Er, there's Ryoma too... And he's cool in his own way!"

"Heh." Robin chuckled slowly to himself, opening up the first page and thinking of the blank page before him.

"What's up?"

"Just thinking of how to open up the roster. Some inspiring speech is in order. When they write us down in the history books," Robin began haughtily, "I would want us looking every bit the part of heroes. When our soldiers look at this when all that's outside is rain and gloom... I want them to close this book inspired and ready for more."

"Well aren't you confident. But you are right. Hmm, a good way to really get the blood boiling..."

Suddenly, Corrin took the quill and book from him and began to write down her own preface.

"H-hey-"

"Wait, I promise it's gonna be good!"

Slowly, Robin relented and watched curiously as Corrin began the prologue with graceful, sweeping strokes, far beyond the penmanship of a measly tactician. Robin forgot she was a noble and was thus refined with the pedigrees of such an upbringing.

This is the full roster of the Shepherds, brave warriors of three different countries united under a single banner. In the name of glory, peace, and hope, these soldiers fight together despite their differences, despite their hatred or distrust. When three armies: one of the Kingdom of Nohr, one of the Kingdom of Hoshido, and one of the...

"What is the structure of Ylissean government?"

"Halidom," Robin explained. "Such a weird word, but just go with it. H-A-L-I-"

"I can spell," Corrin huffed, returning back to the preface.

and one of the Halidom of Ylisse join forces...

"Ah, I'm stuck," Corrin whined, nearly spilling ink on the page if not for her quick reflexes.

"It's pretty good. Suspense, tension, you must read a lot of fiction," Robin admitted. "But it needs a... kicker. Something that will really convince everyone that we're fighting on the same side. And that we'll win too."

Suddenly, Corrin lit up, grinning mischievously as she resumed her train of thought.

When three armies: one of the Kingdom of Nohr, one of the Kingdom of Hoshido, and one of the Halidom of Ylisse join forces, not even the dragons of legend could withstand the might of a unified force-

"Oh, darn it, I said forces twice." Corrin planted her face into Robin's desk and Robin couldn't help but laugh at the rather open princess across from him. Tearing out the page, he offered it back to her again to try on the book's second. She accepted his offer and bit her finger casually, thinking of how to word the roster's introduction.

She had a really nice bite to her jawline-

"Help me out, will you?"

"The first step of a long journey is often a small, unsteady one," Robin recited, smiling at the thought of Emmeryn watching her kingdom about to embark on something... beautiful.

"But the second one is full of confidence... of anticipation. Of hope," Corrin finished, writing away.

This is the full roster of the Shepherds, brave warriors of three different countries united under a single banner. In the name of glory, peace, and hope, these soldiers fight together despite their differences, despite their hatred or distrust. When three armies: one of the Kingdom of Nohr, one of the Kingdom of Hoshido, and one of the Halidom of Ylisse join forces, not even the dragons of legend can withstand the might of a unified mankind.

Nohr, a land of strength and honor. What it lacks in sunshine, the denizens provide with their own radiant qualities. The strength of family, of survival, of country. This is the creed of all Nohrians under the war-torn banners of old and new. They fight not because of the pains of war, but of the honor of providing for their future through their own sweat and blood. Blood, that will never have to be spilled in vain again.

Hoshido, a land of compassion and peace. Abundant in both hospitality and grace, the farmed fields and green hills of the White Dragon's lands are just as nurturing as their people. A lifetime of war has tempered their edge, yet they seldom draw it unless it is to defend their homeland. A homeland that will never have to fear again.

Ylisse. A foreign land to me, to us. But yet, their struggles, their war, it is mine, and therefore ours to inherit. A country of peace, yet the warriors they have flying her flag are ones well-versed in fighting for their countrymen. A country where their own king fights on the front lines for his people, yet the people never have to fight for their own. And one day, when we're done, this will be a land that never has to worry about their militia, nor their Exalt.

As Shepherds, it is our duty and our burden to fight against impossible odds. Valm is an empire. Grima is a dragon. What other enemies may lie on our path, we do not know. But what I do know, is that I will be alongside you. Not as a commander, not as a princess, but as your sister. Your friend.

My name is Corrin, Princess of Hoshido, Princess of Nohr, and newly-appointed Co-Commander of the Shepherds. But the position I have the most pride in is the one of your ally, your friend. It will be my greatest honor to know all of you, to learn from all of you, to bleed and sweat and cry with all of you. I will walk with you every step of the way, and every step back home, and you will all be with me. Nothing on this land or lands beyond could ever bring me as much joy as it would seeing all of you walk into the sunset with me, a dragon vanquished behind us.

And if you can find it within yourself to trust me, even for a second, I guarantee you that I will fight an eternity to maintain that trust for however long you deem worthy.

I believe in a peace between Hoshido and Nohr, and I believe in a world where the future does not bring haunting warnings of pain and death. But without a unified body to fight against that tide, such beliefs are futile.

So allow me to lead you, and earn that sliver of trust. Rally by my side, and together we will watch the sun rise over our lands, finally at peace.

-Corrin of Nohr and Hoshido, Robin of Ylisse. Commanders, Joint-Shepherd Militia

Designation N000: Corrin/Kamui, Princess of Nohr/Princess of Hoshido.

Preferred weapon: Sword/Dragonstone

Suitable role in combat: Point/Field-Commander

[Commander Corrin's Note] I never knew my real birthday until I was recovered by Hoshido. As a Nohrian, I usually celebrated it on December 9th, but my Hoshidan family insists it's on December 19th. Also side-note, how cool is it that we share months! How convenient. Anyway, seeing that the 9th is sooner, therefore my presents and cake come sooner, I suppose I'll side with Nohr, just this once. Or maybe I'll celebrate it twice!

[Commander Robin's Note] As this is our trial-run for the roster format, do forgive the lack of decorum . I will revise this book, as lengthy an endea~

[Commander Corrin's 2nd Note] IT'S NOT SLOPPY AND EVERYTHING HERE IS SET IN STONE

[Commander Robin's Subnote] There is no way the army will take us seriously if we give this to them-

"Well, we are off to a splendid start. You almost spilled my ink there." Robin sighed, before laughing into his arm and looking at Corrin who was doing likewise.

"It is ready. I deem it worthy for the camp," she decided sternly, wielding her new Commander rank with an iron fist.

"As tempted as I am to see the result, I don't think your people nor mine are quite ready to joke around yet. A shame too. I was getting riled up by that preface."

"Ah, fine," Corrin mock-weeped, tearing out the page once more and restarting her entry. "I did like the preface too. Just so you know: I do read a lot."

"How are we gonna format this?" she asked, and Robin tried to recall how his old roster went before laying out an outline.

"Once I start interviewing the rest of the Shepherds, I think I'll figure out a system that works."

"I have two birthdays though," Corrin complained, looking at the format. Robin groaned and took back the book, scratching out his criteria.

"Just do what you see fit," Robin relented. "I'll clean it up and we'll make a roster that follows your lead."

"Just try and keep up!" Corrin laughed, scribbling away.

Designation N000: Corrin, Princess of Nohr

Sub-designation H000: Kamui, Princess of Hoshido

Birthday: December 9th, December 19th (Kamui)

Preferred Weapon/Role: Sword, Manakete/Dragonstone

[Commander Robin's Note] From what I've seen, she gives Chrom and Lucina a run for their money as far as swordsmanship is concerned. Once preliminary sparring is complete, will revise personally. The fastest runner in the army. Has the most intense eyes.

[Commander Robin's Addendum] Intense as in passionate? Not quite the word I'm going for... Fearless? Yeah. She's not scared of a thing.

[Commander Corrin's Note] Hi I'm Corrin!

Designation Y000: Robin, Tactician of Ylisse

Birthday: Unknown, celebrated April 19th

Preferred Weapon/Role: Sword, Lightning Magic

[Commander Corrin's Note] Call it a hunch, but Robin likes Thoron a little too much. Also, that levin sword HURTS to get hit by, so if you ever spar him, bring some lightning-deterring gear. The self-proclaimed grandmaster of chess in the army. Has the warmest hands.

[Commander Robin's Note] I can assure you that I did not hold Corrin's hands.

[Commander Corrin's Note] True. I grabbed them first. Warm.

Chapter Text

Day 0

Odin gazed upon the vast plain, his arms and fingers tingling like they would before any good battle. Lightning crackled at his fingertips, and he felt as if the very essence of nature itself was to be unleashed at any given time. But then, looking at Prince Leo who gave him a reassuring nod, he took a deep breath and calmed down. Just as anticipating but infinitely more calm, Niles stared into the distance and analyzed the situation impatiently.

"What's happening?" the archer asked with a turn to Leo. The prince paused for a moment and gave his thoughts.

"Xander ceased the initial charge. He appears to be accepting terms from the Hoshidan leader, though..." Niles and Odin both frowned, though for different reasons.

"B-but the stars foretold a great battle..."

"What he said," Niles said with a roll of his good eye. "Tensions are too high between our two countries just to surrender at a show of force like that. The Hoshidan spirit is too stubborn to allow them."

"I agree," Leo reasoned. "But Nohrian might will pry our conquest just the same." Agreeing with Leo's providence, Odin stretched to relax his tight arms.

"I hope so, I have been waiting for such a fated clash with our foes." Not one to be this set on a singular goal, Odin earned a coy grin from Niles.

"The last time you were this excited was when Selena agreed to go on a date with you. I can only imagine how excited you got later on that night-"

Odin glared at the archer, only receiving a coy smirk from the archer.

"Of course, perhaps Odin Dark doesn't wait till it's dark..."

A lightning bolt with a little too much zing on it shut Niles up just fine.

"You know better than to bring her up in a place like this," Odin warned. Closing his eyes tightly, a little part of Owain faltered.

"That's enough, you two," Leo scoffed, pointing at the strip of land barren of either army. On one side, Xander and his two retainers assembled, and Odin could see Lazward stand against Xander's horse while Pieri leaned on her sword. On the other side, a samurai Odin recognized as Prince Ryoma of Hoshido stood, and behind him were two ninjas, likely his retainers.

"What's happening? I can't really see that far," Niles complained. Leo squinted and tried to assess the developments.

"Looks like a conversation between the two Crown Princes," Leo explained. "But judging by Xander's facial expressions... It isn't a treaty being discussed. It's an ultimatum. And... judging by their faces... I'd ready my arrows and prepare your spells, you two."

"My my, this is going to be lively," Niles agreed, expertly twirling an arrow from his quiver onto his bowstring, a smile back onto his face. Odin pulled out an older tome and flipped through it, reciting words in Old Nohrian and causing lightning to crackle once more on his fingertips. Both prince and retainer gulped as they glanced upon the blonde mage, his eyes darkened and his brow casting shadows upon his previously hidden rage. Quietly, Odin Dark whispered a curse to his enemies.

"I'll incinerate your whole damn country for taking her away from me."

"Why aren't we attacking?!"

Leo and Niles struggled to hold back the sorcerer, thrashing all the while while the Hoshidans and Nohrians alike stared at the scene in apathy. Then again, a few soldiers on the Hoshidan side harbored the same sentiments. Leo noticed Prince Takumi yell an order at a blue-haired lancer, who was pacified by his outburst. Even though the Hoshidans were out of spell-casting range, nearly everyone was suspicious of the ominous atmosphere.

Not to mention the newcomers in the middle.

"Robin, they need to see it."

"We can still talk things through. No need to resort to drastic measures yet-"

Corrin watched blankly as Robin and Chrom bickered back and forth, even with Xander and Ryoma on either side of them a few feet away.

"Must I remind you that two foreign armies are breathing down our necks? For a tactician, one would think you would choose the drastic approach."

"Well, subtlety is a tactician's best garment."

"That made no sense the first time, and now-"

"...Are you done wasting our time? Tell us what fate awaits Nohr, conjurer. My patience grows thin and I have matters that are more pressing than a group of thespians traipsing on my border."

Robin turned to Xander who stood a good head above him even without his horse. He was about to reason with him when the swordsman by the Crown Prince's side did so in his place.

"Lord Xander... please listen to them."

"What is it, Lazward?"

"I have a bad feeling is all, milord," the one named Lazward laughed nervously. "But I would heed their warning in full... at least before we take any irreversible action."

"It was the plan," Xander stated, before turning back to Robin. "Well? Show me proof to your claim. Show me these 'Divine Dragons.'"

Nodding slowly, Robin flourished his tome, chanting an incantation and beginning to glow faintly as the spell began to build.

"What are you doing?" Corrin gasped, backing away. Xander and his retainers did likewise. Chrom and company stood his ground, bracing themselves.

"Noisiv ruo semoceb eramthgin ruoy, Anicul!"

"Whoa there... can you walk?"

Lazward opened his eyes to see a haunting sight. Hauntingly familiar blue hair cascaded on both sides of his periphery as the face of his sister hovered above him.

"L-lucina?!"

"Er... yes? A-Are you alright? You took quite the blow to your head. Owain and Severa had to drag you out of that fight after I ordered the retreat."

"W-what fight... And what are you talking about? Severa's..."

"We thought she was dead too," Lucina admitted, "But Xander and Peri found her after we pulled out. She has a fight within her heart, and it will not be extinguished so quickly."

"Wait, what?" Lucina rose, her eyes and ears tuning out a distant sound from the decayed woodline. Seeing nothing, she turned back to Lazward with a nervous look.

"Come on. We have wasted enough time dallying about. We have to catch up with the others!"

"Others?"

"I'll explain later. Leo and Camilla are keeping the portal open. Elise, Owain, Severa, and Corrin have already gone through. They're waiting for us."

"Explain yourself," Xander ordered, looking at the shorter swordsman after pulling himself up from his position on the ground.

"Xander? It's me, Lucina! That last battle was pretty rough. If it was not for Corrin and Peri, I doubt I could have found you in time."

"C-corrin... What is this? Some sort of illusion?"

"You hit your head pretty hard from that Risen charge," Lucina diagnosed. "Come on, I'll support you and we'll make our way to the portal."

"W-what portal..."

"Looks like you are really out of the loop, Xander. Well, Leo and Camilla are keeping the portal open for now. Come on!"

"How long will it take them to get out of that nightmare?" Chrom asked, looking at Xander, Peri, and Lazward, frozen in place from Robin's spell. Behind him, Corrin was in a similar state, body frozen even as her eyes darted in shock.

In reality, the whole ordeal, from start to end, would take only a few seconds. Robin took three or four channeling the spell, another three casting it, and the subjects would only be locked in Lucina's nightmares for a few more. To the outside world, nothing would seem amiss. Even the Hoshidans on the other side of the parley did not sense anything out of the norm aside from discussion.

"Lucina will guide them through. They'll see what they need to see."

As if on cue, Xander was the first to recover, dropping immediately to a knee and gasping for air. Seeing their crown prince in trouble, the rest of the Nohrian army shifted until the crown prince raised his hand, pacifying them.

"You've... you've made your point, Ylisseans," he rasped out.

Peri was the next to recover. Unlike Xander, she didn't appear that fatigued, though the loss of expression in her normally vivid eye showed enough.

"That was... scary. Please don't do that again."

Then Corrin woke up, immediately looking at Robin and drawing Yato. Rearing back to impale the off-guard tactician, Corrin's eyes had the clear intent to kill.

"What have you-" Glancing quickly around, especially at Xander and the rest of her family, she dropped her blade in shock. "Y-you're... alive? But... I watched you all die..."

Then Lazward woke up, and his expression was the worst of all. He fell to a knee, then the other, and looked at Chrom and someone in the Shepherd's numbers in longing. Rising up, he smiled weakly before giving a thumbs-up to Xander.

"That... was surreal."

Robin, seeing his work was done, closed the tome that contained Lucina's nightmares. Looking at the Nohrians before raising his eyebrows in question, he made his demands clear.

"So. That was a taste of the future. Believe what you will at this point, but know that you can help stop what you just saw."

"Brother, I know this is sudden-"

"I know, Corrin. But I can't trust them. If what they say is true... then Father does not know of this threat. Nohr does not know of this."

He paused, closing his eyes as he determined his possible choices.

"I myself don't believe this... Never in my years of reading the texts have I heard of a 'Fell Dragon.'"

With this, Corrin, Robin, and everyone else seemed to sense Xander's worry.

"Nonetheless, we will muster what troops we can and tail these soldiers. It is a daring plan, but... what I saw... What this Lucina showed me... I cannot rest until I know that Nohr is safe from this threat. No dream I have dreamed, no nightmare I have ever woken up from, has ever felt this real."

Corrin nodded, looking back at Chrom. The Exalt looked at Corrin's brother again in a silent appeal to side with the Shepherds. Corrin stepped in once more, hopeful at Xander's doubts.

"You saw what I saw, right? Let me take the blame... I can't let our family die! Even Father, who I have so many questions to ask... I can't let him fall to this darkness!"

"We both know I won't allow that either," Xander replied, a soft smile on his face. Looking over Corrin's head to Ryoma, Xander pursed his lips slowly.

"Did they see what we saw?"

"No. Not yet," Robin answered. "They will in time, though."

"Know this, Hoshidan," Xander called out, "I will pull back my troops. I pray you do the same."

"I did not muster any troops today, Nohrian. I was merely repelling an uncalled invasion."

Xander's face remained blank but Corrin could see his fists clench as Xander's pride in Nohr started to offset his usually-level judgement.

"And your trading embargoes have led my townspeople into poverty and starvation... But I will not press the issue further." Ryoma accepted that, sheathing Raijinto completely.

"You have not crossed Hoshidan soil yet," Ryoma said after a slight pause. For emphasis, he drew a line in the dirt with his boot where the border ended and Hoshido started. "I pray it stays that way."

"I have nothing but thanks and gratitude, friends. What conflict you two have, I know not of. But I will not pretend to understand the... misgivings between Hoshido and Nohr. But I swear upon Ylisse's crown, my countrymen and I will do our best to achieve our goal."

"Then it seems the Dusk will follow you to revert this... hellish nightmare," Xander stated boldly. "Gods help me, but I will believe you for now." Robin nodded at this and faced Chrom in excitement.

"I will not let Nohr crumble while I know how to stop it."

"T-thank you, Prince Xander," Robin bowed, the relief easily visible on his face. However, Corrin tugged on the tactician's cloak, pointing to the Army of Dawn behind her.

"You have to show them," Corrin begged, gesturing to the Hoshidans. "They need to know too."

"Know what?" Ryoma asked. "That spell you just cast? Have you controlled the Nohrians' minds? Have you controlled Kamui's?!"

Chrom shook his head and looked back at Robin for guidance, who in turn was interrupted by Xander.

"I have been subjected to the darkest of sorcery," the Crown Prince replied, recalling not-too-fondly his trials at Iago's study. "What I saw... was a memory. It was real."

"Very real," Lazward added, unheard by everyone except Peri, who didn't give the words a second thought.

"We'll focus on Hoshido after we establish Nohr's help."

"And just leave Corrin here?" Xander doubted, looking at Ryoma.

"Yes," Corrin affirmed, looking at Ryoma sadly. "I am sorry brother, but if I must stand with neither side to keep you from fighting, then so be it."

"But... Very well," Xander sighed, remounting his horse and turning it around, glancing every now and then at the white-haired princess who stayed behind.

With that, Corrin stayed in the middle while Robin, Xander, and the rest of the Shepherds followed towards the Nohrian side.

"You can still feel an overwhelming tension between the soldiers," Robin worried, glancing at the blond sorcerer in particular on Nohr's side. "Is there anything we can do to relieve any temporary hostility?" Lazward and Xander shook their head, the Prince offering an explanation.

"Generations of blood have been spilled between us. You cannot just turn their hearts with one moment of clarity... I hate to ask you of this, Ylissean, but show them that. It was unsettling to say the least, but... I believed it. I just do not think my countrymen would follow me so blindly... Please. Show them what you have seen, tactician. If their pride in Nohr is even half of my own, they will heed your call."

"Very well, Prince Xander."

Robin beckoned for a small party of Shepherds to follow him, consisting of himself, Chrom, Lissa, Lon'qu, and Olivia. Falling in step behind Xander's horse, Robin and his company were led to the heart of the Nohrian elite force, and he gulped as many new pairs of eyes were on him.

Chrom blurted in, noting something about one of the young men who was probably Xander's guard.

"Your retainer... I mean no disrespect Lord Xander, but he has been doing nothing but staring at Ol- one of my soldiers this whole time."

Xander looked over to a pink-haired dancer who in turn blushed heavily at his gaze. Frowning at Lazward's antics, he waved it off.

"Pay no attention to Lazward; He's the philandering type. No doubt he saw a pretty face he thinks he can sway with his supposed charm, I assume."

Lazward recovered from his reverie and stuttered rapidly at both princes.

"N-not at all, sir! I mean... Yes, she's certainly as graceful and beautiful as I remembered, and- ah... crap." Chrom and Xander turned to him, Chrom more surprised than Xander, but both were still wide-eyed at the young man.

"Remembered?" Xander glared, pausing the company. Robin listened in as well, and Frederick placed his hand on his sword hilt deliberately. Lazward cowered under their gaze, but he cleared his throat and forced his nervous smile away and looked Chrom in the eye.

"I guess I've really done it now, huh." Xander grabbed Lazward's shoulder but the retainer's eyes were still on Chrom, lost in thought.

"What aren't you telling us, Lazward?" The young man took a breath and smiled at the Ylisseans, raising his arms happily.

"I remember, Prince Chrom. I... I suppose the secret will have to be revealed, huh? And Lord Xander, sir... I guess you should hear this too."

"I'm already listening," Xander scoffed, "But do get to the point."

"Remember when you found us? Me and Odin and Selena?"

"Yes. You three appeared at a tournament Father held and dominated the competition that the other noble's tried to impose. You saved me from one of their assassins, even after winning, and you were instated as my retainer as a result. Nearly two years ago."

"Yes... But before that... I never told you where I came from." Xander's eyes widened as he looked between Chrom and Lazward. "I... I can't hide this anymore, now that they're here. Now that you've seen what I've seen."

"You mean to say-"

"My name is Inigo," the future prince of Ylisse claimed, "not Lazward. I was born in Ylisse from the same future that Uncle Robin had the... chance, to show us."

"You're Ylissean?!" Xander blurted, Peri very much interested as well.

"Through and through. While my allegiance will always lie with Nohr, I beg of you, Sir... cooperate with Exalt Chrom. Commander Robin speaks the truth, and... seeing that nightmare again, after all this... I beg of you, I have no intention on subjecting any of us to that hell. Not again..."

"Again..." Chrom repeated, putting the pieces together. Robin jumped in, pointing at Inigo excitedly.

"You're from the same timeline as Lucina then!" Inigo brightened at the name, a smile on his face.

"So she did make it back! Oh gods, at least some of us made it to Ylisse then..."

"How many others were there?" Xander asked, curious as to how the story Chrom had told him was starting to come piece itself together quite literally.

"I cannot say... I won't bolster your hopes up for more. But... if Sister made it to Ylisse safely, then that means the others could've too!"

"Wait. You said Sister," Chrom realized. Paling slightly, he looked at Lazward/Inigo with a wince. "Then when you were staring at Olivia..."

"I believe the word you're missing is Queen," Lazward corrected, bowing to one knee even as Olivia walked up next to her husband, donning her small tiara that marked her as royalty of Ylisse.

"I usually call her by my wife, but you..."

"Queen Olivia is my mother. I remember fondly the last memories I had of her... To see her again, no... To see you again, Chrom. My father. My King."

Chrom was taken aback but grabbed Inigo's hand briskly.

"Y-you're my son!?"

"You never did like me as much as Lucina, but... I loved you and cried so much the day you and Mom died." Chrom softened and Xander looked at Lazward, gaping at the side of the flirt he had never seen before.

"If all this is as you say... we've a bit of talking to do once this is all settled, son." Lazward lit up and nodded intensely, before gesturing over to the cleric in the group.

"Hey Aunty Lissa. Uncle Lon'qu."

The cleric and the swordsman both shared a similar shock, but did not say anything more.

"How'd you end up in Nohr?" Xander asked. "You've proven enough that you're Ylissean by heritage, at least.

"Me and Odin and... Selena. I don't know, sir. We were the last to go through the portal after Lucy... But it was already destabilized from Grima's attacks."

"Odin and Selena?" Robin asked, not recognizing the names from Lucina's stories.

"It's... complicated."

"Then I'll grab my notepad and we'll have a nice chat in my office once this is all settled. Perhaps we can knock out two birds with one stone and have Chrom and Queen Olivia hear it too."

"Yes! I mean... Yes. Thank you, Uncle."

"Uncle..." Robin repeated, not liking his new title very much. "I prefer Commander, now that I think of it..."

The Exalt turned to Xander and they discussed how to tell the Nohrians the recent developments. Robin joined in as Lazward looked once more to his mother, and then to Lissa.

"You're Aunt Lissa..."

The teenager looked at him in surprise, smiling at the greeting.

"Lazward, right? Tell me... Lucina alluded to me having a child that came back with her. Did you ever hear from him? Do I really have someone out there?"

"So, that woman that guided each of us towards the portal back to reality... that was..."

"My daughter. From the future," Chrom answered, wisely withholding 'from the future.'

"Your story has merit now, especially with my retainer's claims. Odin should be able to reinforce your tall-tale, if he is indeed from the same future as Lazward. Though, Selena..." Chrom interjected, trying to piece together Inigo's story to his own.

"Will she be able to help? No doubt she remembers all-" Xander shook his head with a slight motion, recalling previous events.

"She... Selena was presumed killed or missing. A recent skirmish between our forces resulted in her disappearance, and we haven't heard any attempts of prisoner trade either. We are assuming she was slain in the line of duty for Princess Camilla. That's all I know." Chrom scratched his chin thoughtfully and nodded. Robin did likewise, gazing upon the Nohrian army who was approaching by the step.

"Perhaps we should withhold that information from Lucina then."

"Well, first things first. We're about to be face to face with our potential army."

"Here goes..."

"N-no way... Mom?" Odin breathed, at once dropping his hands, painfully closing his eyes as his spells died back down into his fingertips. He winced as he remembered her death, but opened his eyes and looked over at Leo, who seemed to not have seen his realization. He was instead eyeing the newcomers that Xander had brought along, not recognizing their colors nor banner.

"Mercenaries, perhaps? Though I do not recognize their band at all," Niles speculated.

"No," Odin corrected, "They are no mercenaries. They bear no allegiance to Hoshidan or Nohrian governments. In fact, I cannot fathom why they... are here?"

"Who are they then?" Leo asked, curious as to the strangers identities and how Odin seemed to know a thing or two about them.

"Heroes of a world much like ours," Odin began. "Warriors, soldiers, mothers... fathers. They are from the same lands as Lazward, myself and... Sel..." Leo understood immediately, and smiled at the sorcerer knowingly.

"I wouldn't suppose you want to go meet them, would you?" Odin lit up, nearly grabbing Leo's arm before controlling himself.

"With all due respect, Milord, I would lov-" Leo waved him off, and Odin ran in front of the Nohrian army and nearly face planted at Chrom's feet, before prostrating himself anyway at the boots of his uncle.

"My Lord and prestigious Uncle Chrom! Allow me to be the first of many such unspoken heroes to welcome the glorious Ylisseans to Noh-"

"You're like the third, but do go on," Robin said, ignoring the sorcerer's theatrics and continuing along the path with Xander and Chrom, who stepped around the young man nonchalantly. Lissa and Lon'qu stayed behind, Lazward pointing at the sprawled and otherwise thrilled blond.

"There he is. Hoy! Odin! Look at this-"

"Owain! It's always been Owain! And... Mother. You're just as..."

Walking unsteadily to the cleric, the sorcerer lowered his head as tears began to fall.

"You're just as lovely as I remembered..."

Immediately, Owain dropped his act and buried his head into Lissa's shoulder, crying all the while while Lissa merely giggled and patted the man on his back. Lon'qu merely scowled but Owain stumbled over himself to run to the swordsman.

"Father! You came along too! Are you Khan of Ferox yet?"

"...No."

Owain appeared crestfallen but controlled himself, dragging the trio back to Chrom.

"So, Owain, huh," Lon'qu added, not at all amused at the fact that his son was standing in his presence, half naked at that. Owain flinched at the name, but he smiled nonetheless.

"A name I will cherish always, Father," the Nohrian replied, smiling in gratitude to the cold Feroxian. That reaction alone made Lon'qu soften up, and he extended his hand to the boy, offering a handshake. Instead, Owain went in for a hug, catching the myrmidon off guard but not entirely displeasing him.

"A certain redhead likes to scream that name too," Lazward teased. Owain nearly fried the mercenary, before lowering his hand.

"Please... Don't bring up Sevy like this."

Lissa put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. Lazward did similarly, apologizing all the while.

"We'll find her, buddy. No one gets left behind, right?" Owain nodded fiercely and put a determined look upon his face, if only a facade of his true doubts.

"Not for my sake at least... Sevvy deserves to see her parents too."

With two claims of an apocalyptic future, Nohr had joined Ylisse's cause in the fight against Grima. Suddenly, the pieces were falling together: Three strange warriors of great skill showed up at Nohr's borders, not only lost but unaware of the system they had just stepped in. Winning a tournament and proving themselves above the usual rabble, they were instated as retainers for three of the sons and daughters of the Nohrian crown. On top of that all, they shared the same mysterious past, now revealed to be a fallen nation, one where they were initially sent to save. Instead of ending up in Ylisse, their story took a different turn from Lucina's.

With this new occurrence from the Ylisseans, those with the able mind could see what happened. Odin, Lazward, Selena, three of the children from the ruined timeline had rushed through the portal in hopes that they would rescue their parents from doom. Instead, the portal faltered and sent them to Nohr, where their new story began. Robin and his company of Shepherds came by nearly two years later, halting Hoshido and Nohr's war and instead recruiting both countries to their own, putting all political animosities at a brief standstill.

With the hope that his wife was still alive, Owain put aside any rage he held, instead praying to whatever god listening that his wife would still be able to save her mother and change the impending future. And thus, with his own parents behind him, Owain quietly walked back to Prince Leo's side, a new purpose fueling his heart.

Sevvy, I promised you that we would see Ylisse together. You appointed me as your Chosen Hero and your husband, and I will not back down from the vows I swore!

Day 2, Morning

"Milord, we've got trouble."

Chrom looked up from his grindstone to see a pink-haired girl. Discerning her face, Chrom took a while to process the sight before he recognized her as one of Corrin's servants, Felicia. Realizing he was staring too long, making the maid nervous, Chrom tore his eyes and replied meekly in apology.

"Oh? What is it?"

"Some of us were making a supply run to one of the villages outside Ylisstol, and we heard rumors that brigands are surrounding Southtown! They're fearing a raid of sorts coming in a couple hours, maybe less! Commander Corrin wanted you to know that we were already mobilizing a few scouts, but we could use a hand with the reinforcements, just in case!"

"Ah, an opportunity presenting itself for once. I'll go," Chrom replied promptly, fearing he'd miss some action if he didn't.

A second of thought later, he added in a quick caveat.

"And I have a nephew of mine who'd want to stretch out his arms as well... Owain?"

Nearby, the blond sorcerer was practicing with his spells when Chrom called for him, causing him to stop mid-cast and look at the two curiously.

"Yes, Uncle?"

"Put that magic to good use and come with us," Chrom advised, eager to see Owain in an actual fight instead of against the training dummies. "Lis- Your mom... is already out there, so you might as well."

Lissa and 'mom' do not go well together.

"This must truly be a dangerous endeavor that you must enlist my help! Very well, esteemed Uncle! Fair Felicia, my magic and my blade are at your service!"

Without a moment's delay, Owain ran outside the courtyard, already ready for his first adventure on Ylissean soil.

"The kid's decent with a blade, I'll give him that. I'll be with your party as well, just let me finish sharpening these spears..."

Corrin, Robin, Felicia, Lissa, Chrom, and Owain all arrived outside the old village where Robin first began his conquest, eyeing the perimeter for any potential bandits. Cordelia hovered above, clearly visible both as a show of force and to provide a clear view of the area.

"I... don't see anything amiss," Corrin briefed, her eyes seeing a fair degree farther and clearer than the others. "It looks... empty, though. Have they locked themselves in, knowing they're about to get attacked?"

"Smart, if they have weapons among them. They're sitting ducks if not," Robin sighed, rising to creep in closer. "Once Cordelia comes down, maybe we can locate a-"

An accurate flurry of arrows forced Cordelia to the ground as she expertly avoided an untimely end. Pointing her off-hand towards the village center, the Pegasus Knight designated a large band of brigands making way from the small huts, prompting the other Shepherds to instinctively draw their arms.

"Drat, they're already there. I don't see any smoke or bodies though. This couldn't have been your usual raid... Whatever the case, Shepherds, we'd best prepare for combat!"

"Alright lads, the treasure should be here! Start searching!"

Twenty or so bandits stood inside the main hut of the small village, where a few civilians were tied up for insurance. In fact, the entire townhad been pacified, as not to raise alarm from any nearby towns.

"Not in here, you idiots! Outside! Check the wells, fields, and homes! Anywhere you think would be a good place to hide treasure!"

As quickly as they had suddenly come, the bandits had dispersed, spreading from hut to hut in search of the treasure that was rumored to be in this very village.

Suddenly, with a cloud of dark smoke, the right side of the bandits' party was obscured from inside view, and multiple yells and shouts were heard before being quickly silenced.

"Halt, fiends!"

A girl, not too short but still a head below the adult bandits walked from the smoke, both her hands enveloped in magical energies. Her vibrant red hair was kept in place by an old headband, and her right shoulder was bandaged crudely, as if she'd done the wrapping herself moments prior.

"...The hell are you?" the bandit chief questioned, lowering his guard and looking at the oddly-dressed redhead curiously. "Didn't we tie all the villagers up? Hoy! Lads! There's one more-"

"I said stop, you brigands! I will use more than deadly force! Err... Yes! That was right! I will kill you so swiftly, you won't even get a chance to be sent to the hells before you die again! See how my fingers tremble with fell power! Tempt fate once more, criminals, and we shall see what happens when I, Ophelia Dusk, lose my control over this unholy dominion!"

...

The bandits looked at each other in confusion even as the smoke cleared, revealing a number of their company unconscious with magical burns on their still bodies.

"The girl's nuts, but she took out some of our men! We'll see how messed up-"

With a shout, Ophelia shot lightning from her fingertips, roasting the nearest brigand to a jolting mess before retreating into a small hut.

"Get her!"

"Looks like some of the villagers are putting up a fight. One villager, rather," Corrin observed, pausing for a moment to watch the fight breaking out.

"Looks like she can handle herself," Chrom noted, but drew Falchion anyway as he resumed his sprint towards the town. "Hopefully, she'd appreciate the help."

"And I hope she can speak our language," Robin added in, not keen on deciphering Ophelia's manner of speech. Owain was trouble enough...

"That... power," Owain gasped, looking at Lissa and Chrom. "Do you sense it as well?"

"She's just as nuts as he is," Chrom responded, causing Lissa to laugh.

"Well, now's as good a time as ever to save this village," Robin announced, not completely understanding the current situation at all, given Ophelia's antics. "Let's do our thing."

Ophelia dodged an axe gracefully before another blade knocked it aside, and her gaze went up the arm to a seemingly regal figure, clothed in silver and blue armor.

"Are you alright?" he asked, and Ophelia noticed the brand on his arm. "Did they get you anywhere?"

All he got was a headshake in response, which was enough for Chrom as he peeled off to engage another bandit.

"Ah, who are you?! More heroes like myself? Tis' divine providence that you shall join me on my sacred quest to uphold righteousness!" Ophelia dashed and danced between bandits, making her way toward the small Shepherd party. Taking a good look at them, she seemed satisfied with their appearance and headed back into the fray.

"Is... is she one of the future kids?" Corrin wondered, causing Owain to shake his head.

"Not... not that I know of," he admitted, even though he felt some sort of connection to the girl. Shaking it off, he made efforts to stay within sight of the girl, perplexed at his paternal instincts unwittingly kicking in.

Such power! And her hair is like... Severa's?

The Shepherds cleaned up the area rather quickly, leaving the hamlet momentarily to circle around to check for stragglers. Ophelia and Lissa stayed inside to attend to the wounded villagers. With a quick word to Chrom, Owain stayed back too.

"You..." Ophelia began, looking at Owain curiously, "Ah, you were one of the righteous crusaders at my aid! You have my most... humble... humble... DAD?!"

"...huh?"

"Dad! I missed you! I lost my composure when you weren't by my side after-"

"W-what?!" Owain gasped, scrambling away as Ophelia closed in for a hug.

"Hey! Why're you running away?"

"B-back, I say! Were the bandits truthful in their crude diagnosis? Are you truly... 'nuts?'"

"Huh? Of course not, Father! It is I, Ophelia! Come from a fallen Ylisse to save this one!"

"...Are you... mocking me?" Owain asked with a scowl.

"What? Why would I mock you, Father? Why, of all the heroes you have told me about, you are by far the most... heroic! Well, second to mom, that is."

Lissa looked at Owain weirdly, not grasping Ophelia's story either.

"Eh," the princess butted in, "Ophelia, are you... by chance... one of the kids from Lucina's timeline?" Ophelia brightened up, nodding enthusiastically to Lissa.

"Looks like I'm on the right track! Has Aunty Lucina already revealed her grand scheme to the Exalted Chrom?"

"Err..." Owain looked at Lissa again, debating whether or not he should reveal Lucina's plan. Then again, the fact that she knew in the first place signified something fishy.

"Yes, yes she did," Lissa answered in his stead, looking at Ophelia, seeing something off. "That headband... And... Hey, why's your arm bandaged? Doesn't look hurt to me."

Ophelia brightened, slowly unwrapping her arm and showing the two what she was concealing.

"When I came through the portal... This showed up. Truly, fate would have you see it first, Father! I'm not sure what it is, though. It's probably nothing..."

"That certain doesn't look like nothing," Owain gasped, gesturing for Lissa to see. "Would you look at that? Mother, don't you know what this is?"

Ophelia perked at Owain calling the other woman 'Mother,' but kept her mouth shut for now.

"Th-That's the Brand of the Exalt! w-wait, did I ever tell you?"

"This one's of House Ylisse, that's apparent," the sword-wielding magician guessed, not piecing together the clues nor believing Ophelia to be his daughter. "Wait."

"Well, duh, but let's put this together real quick. Say she's your child, and you're my child... and Ophelia... She's of House Ylisse..."

"That means you were of House Ylisse too, despite all your doubts," Chrom joined in, already knowing Lissa's relationship to him but not being knowledgeable of the present situation.

"C-chrom? Look!" Pointing to Ophelia's arm, Lissa showed Chrom the brand, to which his eye's widened.

"That's... the Brand!"

"Wait," Ophelia finally spoke, shaking away from the trio. "Chrom? As in... the Exalt?"

"Er... that would be my present occupation, yes," Chrom admitted, not one to flaunt his status.

"And that would make you... Princess Lissa!" Lissa nodded in confirmation, eager to see-

"Grandmother!"

"Ah..." Owain laughed as all humor left Lissa's eyes as the word sunk in.

"Oh, this is marvelous!" Ophelia rejoiced, "Fate has led me right where I needed to be! Not even a day had I spent in Ylisse and I already find myself in the company of the heroes I am destined to save!"

"This doesn't make any sense," Owain butted in. "We, meaning the company that went with Lucina, came from the doomed Ylisse to save this one. I have never had a child, nor... well... made... a child." Ophelia's eyes sank, as she seemed to lose her spirit.

"I... I don't know. All I remember is going through that portal and knowing that I had to help you and mom save Ylisse."

"So you forgot?" Chrom asked, piecing together Ophelia's story at last.

"I... seem to have lost those memories," Ophelia confirmed. "But strangely enough, I know that you're Exalt Chrom, you're Princess Lissa, and you're my Father, Odin Dark. And my mother is... is..."

"Severa."

"What?" Ophelia asked, not familiar with the name.

"Her name is Severa," Owain quietly answered, knowing that if Ophelia was truly his daughter, that itself was proof enough that his wife was still alive.

Chapter Text

Day 0

"Brother, please! I have no other-"

"That's enough, Kamui. You will stay in Hoshido and that is final."

Robin and Chrom watched silently as the Princess that spoke up so valiantly a few hours before now silenced by her brother. The whole situation was very strange to the two Ylisseans, but they had a gist as to her relationship between Nohr and Hoshido. After convincing the Nohrians for their help, the Shepherds had returned to face the Hoshidan side.

"Ryoma, I cannot stand idly while Xander and the other-"

"Enough! I care not for Xander, and even less for their others. What I do care is for you, Kamui. You will stay here, and you will stay safe. I will not let any harm come to any more of my family, you especially! Losing you once was enough, Kamui!" Corrin faltered but stayed determined, not letting Ryoma's heartfelt words affect her.

"It's... Corrin."

Ryoma glared at her but softened at her innocence, still seething nonetheless.

"What?"

"The name I grew up with, was raised with, was Corrin. Princess Corrin Anya of Nohr, to those who cared, and they did! I ate most of my birthday cakes with 'Corrin' on the frosting! I prefer you call me by the name I have been known as. The name said by those who raised me!"

"That is the name your kidnappers-"

"Though... Byakuya Kamui, Princess of Hoshido, is a title I now bear with pride as well. I'm sorry... but I cannot willingly abandon my adopted family, nor can I abandon you. Can you not see my plight?"

"You... You still care for the Nohrians... after all this?"

"I do, Brother. They were here for me when no one else was. But now I'm here for you. You have to trust me."

Ryoma sighed and looked at his siblings, noting how Sakura smiled, Takumi glared, and Hinoka appeared lost in her own thoughts.

"I will not stop you then, my dear sister," Ryoma began, "But I cannot follow. Stay safe-"

"I'll go with her!" Sakura yelped bravely, running over to Corrin's side and clutching onto her cape. Corrin smiled widely and wrapped one arm around her sister's small frame and kept the other stretched for Ryoma's hand.

"Hoshidan blood will not fall in vain again," Corrin promised. Ryoma looked at Hinoka and Takumi, the latter still shaking his head in disbelief.

"It will not fall at all," Ryoma decided. "Do what you will, but leave my country's lives out of it. Sakura, come back here."

Chrom and Robin winced at the sudden loss of momentum and Corrin and Robin's eyes met for a brief instant. That split-second transmitted the plea that Robin could read just from the Princess' body language: Do something!

"Then you will fall to the same mistakes Ylisse did, years before," Robin warned, gently shifting the Nightmare tome in his satchel for comfort. "You can fortify your walls, train your men, but by the time the Fell Dragon reaches these borders, it will be too late. He would have consumed too much to be stopped by a single nation." Ryoma scowled and shook his head proudly.

"Hoshido does not deal in death and war. We do not seek the glory that Nohr craves. Let those driven by unique purpose find it on the battlefield. We have already found ours in peace."

Chrom shook his head and dragged Robin closer to the Hoshidans, causing alarm among Saizo and Kagero, who drew their blades for an instant before being pacified by their liege.

"This isn't war, Lord Ryoma. This is survival. Whether you like the Nohrians is out of our preference at the moment. We need soldiers. Good soldiers, strong soldiers. Soldiers that I know Hoshido has raised. Soldiers that I know, and you know as well, would gladly offer their blades for their countrymen."

"And what would a foreign prince know of service?" Ryoma hissed, unwavering.

"My daughter," Chrom stated, his voice wavering in hesitation but still coherent enough to form the words he wanted to say. "Watched as the kingdom that raised her, the family that protected her, was obliterated in an instant. She scrounged off scraps and hope, and starved in both daily. Only until aid from the Divine brought her to the present, to warn her father of defeat to come, did she get to have a proper night's rest."

"The Nohrians may have believed such a compelling tragedy, but not I."

Chrom sighed and looked at Robin, who nodded slowly. "It has to be done."

"Sorry about this," Robin apologized, opening his tome and through magic and mind, portrayed the hell he captured in Lucina's memories, projecting Ryoma, Takumi, and the rest of the immediate vicinity with the gripping landscape.

"Noisiv ruo semoceb eramthgin ruoy, Anicul!"

Ryoma found himself running, boots clattering against gravel as the texture of dirt and ash sucked any moisture in his mouth away and turned his gasps into dry, hollow wheezes.

"Wh-Where are we?" But there was no we. Ryoma found himself alone, minus the young man in front of him who was heaving over and puking paltry fluids. Recollecting himself, Ryoma cleared his throat but the blue-clad youth stopped him.

"S-stop... You'll attract more R-risen... Shh..." The man turned, blue mask covering his otherwise feminine features and his slight build had more than a few signs of exhaustion. Slumped shoulders, tussled hair, and not to mention blood splotches in numerous areas.

"Who are you?" Ryoma whispered. The boy looked at him strangely, as if his eyes could be seen. But Ryoma could see the confusion nonetheless.

"Did you hit your head? It's me, Lucina! Are you okay? That village was pretty rough, did you get hurt?" Ryoma checked himself over, but didn't say anything.

"Ryoma... Are you okay?" Lucina knelt by Ryoma, checking his backside for wounds before turning back to his front. "You look fine, it is just fatigue."

"What is happening?" The samurai whispered harshly. Lucina cupped his mouth and looked around, before letting go slowly and scowling at the man.

"Are you insane! We just got out of a mess and you're yelling loud enough to get back into it! Come on, we are almost there." With that, Lucina took off again and collected her thoughts and her breath as she nimbly and silently navigated the terrain.

"Where?" Ryoma hissed out, following the spry swordsman.

"You forgot everything..." Lucina wondered aloud, before slowing the pace. "We're going to the portal. We thought we lost you earlier, but Nah kept it open long enough for us to recover you and bring you back. Hinoka, Takumi, Kamui, and Sakura have already made it through right after the Shepherds. Inigo and Owain are staying behind with Nah, but the others like I said before are safe. It's just you and me now."

"Wait, the others? Why are my siblings-"

"I would explain, but we have to go!"

Ryoma spiraled backwards and fell to his knees, clutching the dirt with one hand while he massaged his temples with the other.

"So, the child of the Dawn Dragon offers himself on my table," A booming voice echoed, deep but still human. At least... Something among that. "How intriguing."

Ryoma turned his head, blinking rapidly as dust settled and he saw Lucina's limp body impaled by dark javelins, one going clean through her gut, another through her right thigh, and the final one skewering her hip. The slight and pained breathing from her signified she was alive, if barely.

"You think I would let the only one who could stop me escape? You flatter yourself. I commanded armies and outmaneuvered generals as a mere human. You would think a fraction of that ability would correlate now that I'm a god!" he laughed, revealing his cloaked and wispy form from the shadows, disappearing and reappearing in various places, but his presence was most certainly surrounding.

"Wh-Who are you?!" Ryoma called out, before realizing a javelin was stuck through his own chest, a crimson cascade already staining his armor.

"Dawn Dragon's child, must you speak? Many are welcome to my table, but they usually offer bodies as sustenance. Words are unasked for and unwelcome. If you are so curious, I am the Fell Dragon. Grima. I wiped out an entirely bloodline that ended with the pitiful spawn of this cretin," He beckoned at Lucina somewhat, "And soon the race of man shall be cleansed by my doing. A glorious thing, no?"

"Like hell I'd let you do that!"

Another voice? Before Ryoma could turn his head, a flurry of arrows streamed by, striking Grima's true body and pinging harmlessly off his cloak.

"S-Sev!" Lucina called to her, but the redheaded knight smiled as a blonde and blue headed pair of boys picked up the Princess, dragging her through the portal and running back to Severa.

"We already got Lucina out of there, c'mon!"

That's... Prince Leo's retainer? And Princess Camilla's! And the third one... Prince Xander's retainer...

"You two go," Severa replied slowly, drawing her sword. "We can't have him follow Luci through the portal-"

"But-"

"We don't have time! Go!" Owain stayed longer than Inigo, eyes pleading, but nodded grimly.

"I'll find you, okay?" Owain promised, and Severa giggled before watching him go through the portal, collapsing itself as it claimed its last vessel.

"Just you and me, devil," Severa said boldly, before being enveloped by darkness. Cowering back, Severa was helpless as she was consumed by the abyss. Laughter and a scream punctuated the blurry sky, and all was quiet.

Grima walked out of the cloud, hands floating about casually. The smoke lifted and Severa was nowhere to be seen... aside from a puddle of blood.

"No, no... She had it all wrong, that girl..." Grima explained to Ryoma, before darkness filled his vision as well.

"I am the only thing left."

Ryoma started, rubbing his eyes and making sure he was on Hoshidan soil before he looked around. His siblings had seen the same thing, he realized, judging by their reactions to their surroundings.

"Explain yourself, tactician. What did you mean to do, showing us this wretched wasteland? What am I to make of these premonitions you have shown me?"

"I did not show you a future, Lord Ryoma. I showed you the past. I showed you the present. Sure, you can stay your ground, but that only makes Grima's job easier. Fight with us, fight with your sister... And we'll beat him. I promise you that."

"But why Hoshido?"

"Why Nohr? Why Ylisse?" Chrom asked. "There is no reason to madness. There is only us to stop it. So will you follow? Or will you question the explainable?"

Judging by Corrin's faint grin, the Ylisseans had their answer.

Day 1

As Ryoma walked through the portal and reappeared inside the Ylissean throne room, the first thing he saw was the young man, who was apparently a woman, standing by the side. Once everything is order, he made it his mission to speak with her.

"Princess Lucina," Ryoma hoped, causing the swordsman to turn to him, look him over, and nod, blank reaction.

"What is it?" Ryoma shook off her less than warm attitude, but he continued on, bowing in respect.

"I... I've seen the world you came from, thanks to Master Robin. I'll have you know that I'll offer my blade and my life to prevent that to happen again. My countrymen will gladly do the same." Lucina blinked a couple times and shrugged, nodding in slight approval.

"And for that I am glad, sir. But why tell me this? I don't mean to be harsh, but actions speak louder than words. The fact that you and your countrymen are among us gives me hope, but why tell me specifically?" Ryoma flinched but still remained strong.

"I... You were the one we saw in that nightmare. You were the one who helped me in Old Ylisse, after Grima..."

"So... you saw what is at stake? Then you know what it is we must do, then."

"Of course, but-"

"I am sorry for being rude, but I must return to my training. Now if you'll excuse me, I shall be with my father. Fare thee well, Prince Ryoma." With that, Lucina walked off, meaning to get away from any other conversation by heading to the training grounds. This left Ryoma a bit off-balance, but he quickly recovered when he sensed his sister standing behind him.

"She had a sense of kindness in the memory I saw," he reminded them both, staring sadly at the departed Lucina.

"I don't think anyone could be kind after living through that future," Corrin whispered, standing next to Ryoma as the armies mingled among themselves. She held onto Ryoma's arm gingerly, as if he was wounded. He laughed, wrapping his arm around Corrin's neck and causing both to smile lightly.

"It's not the future, my sister. Not ever. Hoshido will make sure of that, and so shall I."

Chapter Text

Day 2, Morning

"You know, Prince Xander... I've been thinking of my time in Nohr."

"I fail to see how philandering, especially that of your caliber, is a thought-provoking thing."

"Do bear with me milord, but I'm not only serious, but a taken man, I'll have you know. Or must you walk in on me and my lovely Felicia exchanging sweet nothings again? Anyways... I have a question, if you have the time to listen."

Chrom walked past the two Nohrians, nodding to his son and the blond prince before turning his head to hear their conversation. Seeing as they stopped talking, Chrom raised his hands in neutrality.

"I'll go if I'm intruding, Prince Xander." After a quick glance to Xander, Lazward quickly shook his head.

"It depends on the topic," Xander answered, balancing himself along the stone of the Ylissean walls that felt so much warmer than those in Castle Windmire. "But this is your castle. You are free to listen to what and whom you please."

"Don't worry about Prince Xander, Father. I'm just having some thoughts... It's about my time as an Ylissean prince," Lazward explained, "It... was rather short-lived. Not entirely my fault, considering there was barely a kingdom left by the time I came of age. But still, with my older sister- with Lucina, the reigning figure, I kind of played second-fiddle and did not have any tangible role. Well, not like Lucina had any more responsibility, but my point still stands."

"What of it?" Xander replied, his tone considerably more parental.

"Compared to my time as a prince, looking back at it now, I would have rather lived the life of service. Admittedly, to you, Xander." The Nohrian nodded slightly, smiling but at the same time worried for his retainer. A dull mood did not suit Lazward in the slightest.

"Why the sudden appreciation of your station? You are my brother in arms just as much as you are my friend. And now, as a prince, you are surely my equal in any term of status." Lazward shook his head.

"I never knew how to live a princely life. But one in service of others? Dancing, laughing, spreading smiles and cheer wherever I go? That is a life I would rather live. Mother taught me the joys of a life like that."

Xander found himself agreeing with Lazward's outlook. The life as crown prince was rather stressful, and he was often jealous of Peri's absentmindedness or Lazward's easygoing affability.

"Why tell me this?"

Lazward shrugged, calmly resting his hand on the pommel of his sword.

"While my true name is Inigo Azure Lowell, second in line to the throne of the Ylissean Halidom, I... cannot willingly accept that mantle, knowing the good I've done as a Nohrian. I prefer the man who was Lazward, retainer to the crown prince of Nohrian royalty, Xander. But at the same time, I cannot disrespect my heritage. While I learned so much and matured so much as a Nohrian... My roots to Ylisse cannot be severed. I can't... I won't let myself abandon my own heritage, as tragic as it was."

"I'm not forcing you to pick a side," Xander calmly replied, placing a hand on Lazward's shoulder. "And if it comforts you to be among your former allies and friends in Ylisse, then I will not stop you. But remember, the Kingdom of Nohr and her crown prince will always be ready to welcome you with open arms, whenever you come by."

"It's not you I'm leaving, milord... I... I plan on staying a Nohrian." He turned to Chrom, eyes close to tearing. "B-but I cannot forget that I'm a prince too. I can't forget that I was your son."

"If it's as a Nohrian you became a man," Chrom offered, "Then by all means, Ylisse will not hold any grudge. Especially the Ylisse you were doomed to live in. You did not abandon me, Inigo. You never disgraced us. If not for your actions, it would have ended in that ruined world. We have hope, thanks to you."

"But Father... Would you leave the country that brought you into this world for a country that raised you up?"

"If you want a good answer... I believe you should ask Corrin," Xander sighed. Chrom found himself smiling faintly at the irony.

"I will not take offence if you would pick Nohr over Ylisse," the Exalt explained. "But remember. Even in Nohr, you are an Ylissean prince. The blood of so many heroes runs through your veins, no matter where that blood flows."

"But I have no merit as a prince..."

"Then be one," Xander laughed, causing Lazward to do so as well. "Lazward, Inigo... There is no difference. There is nothing stopping you from being both a Prince of Ylisse and my dear friend."

Chrom cut in, a coy smile on his face.

"How about... Laslow?" The Ylissean suggested. "That way, you fly both the Ylissean and Nohrian banners proudly, no?" Lazward grinned, nodding at the fusion.

"You just combined both names? But yet..."

"Laslow, Prince of Ylisse, royal retainer to the Nohrian crown," Chrom corrected. "A fine name for a fine young man."

"Laslow... Thank you, Father, Prince Xander..."

"It certainly has a foreign ring to it, but it suits you well, Laslow," Xander confirmed, smiling deeply and resting against the wall again.

"Laslow," Laslow found himself repeating once more. "I... I cannot thank you enough, both of you! You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Well, go ask Lucina if it means that much to you," Chrom laughed. "She's upstairs, I think."

Chrom moved out of the way as Prince Laslow quickly ran up the stairs, a wide grin on his face. Turning to Xander, the Ylissean gave a proud nod in approval to the Nohrian prince.

"I'd put that among my finer moments as Ylisse's Exalt, I'd think."

"And I am proud to call him my friend," Xander replied. "Though... Chrom, what is the current course of action?"

"Our 'Grandmaster' is reviewing the roster of available troops and supplies that we have at our command," Chrom explained. "Once he takes record of all that, he'll call all the leaders for a planning session. As of now, it will consist of himself, myself, yourself, Prince Ryoma, and Princess Corrin. Or should I say... Commander Corrin." Xander cringed lightly at Ryoma's mention, but said nothing of it.

"So be it. Anything else?" Chrom shook his head, oblivious to Xander's recent disdain.

"Nothing of note, no. Though... The Plegian ships will not arrive for another week. I do not know what the Hoshidans are doing, but as far as my Shepherds are concerned, I would prefer to work a sort of group training routine to get a feel of our current status as an army. I'm sure Robin would appreciate that we work seamlessly as well." The Nohrian paused for a brief instant before sighing, slowly nodding his head.

"We are one army, though our past is clearly not worth fighting over compared to the cause at hand. Very well, Prince Chrom. I will arrange for my troops to cooperate with any Ylissean commands. Will that be all?"

"For now, yes."

With that, Chrom left the room, and Xander found Laslow and Lucina entering as their father left. Maintaining his stare just a while longer, Xander relented and let out a sigh, bringing his hand to his forehead.

"While I do not hate these Hoshidans... Forcing us together like this so suddenly is rather bold. Especially from a third party that does not know our history as well as we do."

"My father was... Is... a brash and bold man. You will find Commander Robin to be much of the same," Lucina explained.

"But that doesn't make them any less untrustworthy or thoughtful," Laslow covered. "They know what they're stepping into, forcing us to partner with Hoshido like this."

"So it seems. Well, you heard him. We'll be training alongside your former comrades. Seeing that you are Ylissean, you'll be my liaison between Nohr and Ylisse, among your usual list of duties." Laslow scratched his head, trying to weasel his way out of the awkward situation he was just placed in.

"Actually... I'm only familiar with Odin. Most of the Shepherds here died by the time I came of age. We haven't found most of my friends yet either. As for Luci... she isn't much of a team-player..."

"Do excuse my brother, Prince Xander," Lucina glared, "but if Nohr needs my help, then you shall have my assistance. I cannot thank you enough for helping us with our cause, and it is my duty as your ally to see that your needs are met. I will admit I am more... distant, than the others. But I am certainly capable of being a 'team player' despite my brother saying otherwise."

"I've got an idea..." Laslow brightened, trading glances with both Xander and his sister. "Why don't you two spar in the courtyard where our camp is? Something big like that! Nohr's Prince and Ylisse's future Princess, duking it out with two holy swords and-"

"Inig- Laslow, I am sure we can figure out something more appropriate," Lucina stammered. However, Xander seemed pleased at this idea.

"A show of strength and unity? That seems an excellent plan, Laslow. Princess Lucina, Siegfried yearns for a worthy foe. Her wielder follows suit. Will you accept?"

"...I take it back; Laslow is a stupid name. Okay, Prince Xander. I accept."

Chapter Text

Day 3, before dawn

Corrin yawned lightly as she stirred awake, rubbing her eyes of sleep and peeking through the foggy windows to the wooded dark beyond. Next to her, Azura shifted slightly and spat unconsciously to rid her mouth of her own hair. Felicia was already up, attempting to polish her master's armor and weapons. Thankfully for the both of them, Corrin recalled that she was going to train with some of the Ylisseans and stopped the maid.

"It's alright Felicia. You should get back to sleep for now. Thank you though," Corrin whispered into the dark room, causing the maid to jolt in surprise and nearly trip over Azura. Once she regained control over herself, Felicia grinned in response, but was confused by why Corrin was awake.

"Thank you Lady Corrin! I'll... uh... sleep?"

Heralded by a loud crash, The white-haired princess flinched as her amber-haired maid knocked herself out on the cold stone floor. After a few seconds of realizing she wasn't going to move, Corrin let out a giggle as she rolled out of bed.

"...Right."

Tiptoeing over the sleeping songstress and dragging Felicia's corpse back to her mat, Corrin brandished her armor and reverently fastened her dark blue Nohrian cape. Not having a sheath for her sacred blade, she instead picked up Yato from its rack and opened up her door. Her room, along with the dozen others that were constructed rather quickly to house the Hoshidans and Nohrians for the time being, was in parallel in relation to the main Shepherd barracks. Corrin took a single step outside and was greeted with a cool, humid breeze moving gently past her. Feeling the dew and loose dirt on her bare feet, Corrin couldn't help but smile at the peaceful environment, noting the few diligent warriors who got up at this unholy hour as well as she did to train. Spotting Ryoma deep in meditation on a hillside overlooking the camp, Corrin snuck her way alongside the samurai, kneeling just as he did and exhaled deeply, a peaceful look to her face.

"Good morning, Kamui." Corrin smirked at her Hoshidan name and nodded likewise, noting how Ryoma's eyes were opened now.

"As to you, brother. Are you well?"

"I am, thank you," the crown prince replied. "And you? Did you rest well?"

"Never better, compared to the last few days," Corrin replied. "It's good to see everyone not trying to kill each other."

"I... I agree." Corrin noted the hesitation in her brother's voice and leaned in closer, a serious look in her red eyes.

"Are the Hoshidans... willing to train with the Ylisseans?" Ryoma nodded quickly, a blank expression hiding his emotions.

"Of course! I... We welcome their troops into our fold, even if it seems to be vice versa. Any Ylissean is a friend to Hoshido for the time being... along with any Nohrian," he was clear to add. Corrin's eyes widened, but she remained smiling.

"That is... great to hear. Prince Xander said likewise as well! I'm relieved to hear that peace is lasting this long..."

Ryoma sighed, slowly rising from his kneel and drew Raijinto slowly, not in a threatening way.

"While Hoshido beckons and welcomes peace... It was strange enough agreeing to Ylisse's plea for help. But our other companions? I cannot help but feel this animosity towards Nohr. But Kamui, the path you have put us on is what Mother would have wanted. She had a way with fortune, but not even she could foresee this turn of events. She'd still be proud, though. Of you."

"I doubt anyone would have predicted a third country begging us for their aid," Corrin agreed, "But... I can't let you guys down. Especially after all Hoshido has overcome to get to this point. This is what Hoshido needs. Peace. Mother would have wanted this."

Ryoma grunted his agreement, swinging Raijinto a few times to warm up his arms.

"We shall see in time how our tactician Robin leads us. Not to mention yourself, commander. In the mean time, I need to start my training. Will you join me?" Corrin shook her head, drawing Yato nonetheless.

"I was to spar with some of the Ylisseans. Perhaps another time?" Ryoma nodded, heading towards the barracks, leaving his sister on the hill.

"Good luck then, Kamui."

Lucina was up far before the crack of dawn, but was impressed when she saw others of her same ethic get up even earlier than she had. Among them was that tall samurai with the regal armor, the one who had claimed to had seen her future and promised to rid the world of its possibility.

"...Robin, did you truly show them my memories? Is that what it took to convince this nation to help us?" Not completely agreeing with Robin's unorthodox methods, she had to admit that the scare tactic worked, seeing as two foreign nations had their troops at Ylisse's aid.

She didn't like it when others saw her train. Especially Robin. He always displayed so much generic care and pity for the princess. It almost made her feel special compared to the other troops, but she knew for a fact Robin treated every member of his army with care, no matter their relationship. Obviously, no one had much of a history with the white-haired tactician, and Lucina felt like she knew the most out of everyone regarding Robin's past, having lived with it in her own. But Lucina knew what the odds were, Robin didn't. So even before breakfast came, she trained. She wouldn't eat even after Robin offered her his own plate. Still, someone had left a nice plate of cold leftovers on a nearby log yesterday.

'No need to thank me. Good work,' came the simple note attached. That man didn't even need to put his name on it.

The fact was that her feelings of friendship and respect with the tactician were growing dangerously past ones of platonic levels... She couldn't afford that. She had just one goal. Her happiness, her future... it meant nothing if they didn't win the war.

But... must a princess of Ylisse really wager her happiness to secure-

Of course she had to. No one else knew the price of failure but her. No one could hope to know what would happen if they lost.

"It's the price we would all pay..."

With a heave, Lucina picked up another practice dummy from the barracks shed, carrying it far into the wood line away from prying eyes. Depending on her exertion, Robin would either find her sooner or later, but that still gave her at least an hour or two at best. Letting her thoughts collect themselves, she envisioned the mutilated body of a Risen in front of her, swinging its ax with wild, inhuman rage. Mimicking a parry with Falchion, Lucina deflected the notional ax and lunged deep past her normal swordfighting range. While the sword was agile enough, axes were far less able to keep up at this distance. Stabbing the dummy in the neck, she spun and swiftly beheaded it before calmly and slowly sheathing her blade.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, Lucina promptly rose, dashing forward while drawing her blade, amputating the wooden right leg of the dummy before rolling past it, stabbing the chest cleanly all the way to the hilt. Kicking the dummy off her sword, she finished it with another stab, killing it three times over at this point. Finally sheathing Falchion again, she took a deep breath before recollecting herself, dragging the mutilated wooden man back to camp in return for a cleaner one.

Perhaps her training was louder than usual, judging by the light steps on dried leaves that Lucina detected. Pretending not to notice the tactician that was looking for her, she walked towards the barracks to pick up another dummy-

"It's horribly inefficient to walk all this way just to trash a dummy in less than a minute. Unless of course you're using the walk as training as well? Ah, I see. The long marches combined with rapid dispatch of an enemy? I may have to implement that training-"

"Must you bother me at this time, tactician?" Lucina's cold response only drew a laugh from Robin, who she just realized was holding another dummy for her. His smirk, while certainly not mischievous, was more cocky than she was willing to admit was usual for the tactician.

"Only if you'll have me at this time, hero-princess. Do you remember all those times you would interrupt my daydreaming in my office? You would climb in through my windows, asking 'how Chrom was faring.' The absolute nerve of this woman. So, are you free?"

Letting a slight smile escape her lips for a few seconds, Lucina took the dummy from him swiftly and gratefully, forcing another laugh before Robin scratched his head with his hand, still bandaged from trying to forcibly erase the Grimleal emblem embedded in it a few days before.

"No. Idle chatter distracts me from honing my form." Robin appeared unfazed, merely sitting down atop another log before taking out his notes.

"You forget that I know swordsmanship too. But aside form that, I need some advice, Hero-Princess. Humor me for a few minutes, Mar- Lucina." Lucina sighed and sat down next to him, clearly showing her disdain at being interrupted but cooperating for the time being.

"...What?"

"How are you?"

Lucina immediately rose, eyebrows contorting for a split second before relaxing, their owner deciding the off-guard question wasn't worth her time.

She went back to swinging.

"Not the answer I'm looking for, Lucina." Robin's insistence made him annoying, but Lucina couldn't help but commend him for his constant efforts.

"I am training. I am making sure that at least one of us is prepared to take on Valm and Grima."

Robin didn't chuckle this time and grabbed Lucina's arm, forcing a gasp as he forcibly brought her back to her seat beside him.

"And here I am trying to make sure the other ninety-nine of us are prepared for the storm as well. I don't see the point of you trying to hide away when all of us look up to you-"

"Let them look up to someone else. I'm training. I am not here to lead," Lucina retorted, not moving.

Slowly, Robin's frown vanished and was replaced with his eyes burrowing into Lucina's, trying to look for something within the princess's gaze.

"Then let me ask again: How are you doing?" Robin repeated, no emotion present on his face. Lucina backed away, not too keen on returning his stare.

"I'm... I'm fine. Can I get back to training now?" Robin considered it, but shook his head.

"Something is nagging at you and as the Commander, I have a right to try to remedy it. And I need to know what's wrong before it starts taking its toll on you... If it hasn't already."

"You want to know my issues? Sure. Here's one. A commander who's supposedly preparing his army to be capable of taking down a military superpower and a god is working more focused on 'hanging out' with me like we're friends and- I'm sorry. I'm... Robin, I..." Lucina held her angry gaze even while Robin analyzed her face, his soft eyes slowly chipping at Lucina's grimace until it finally collapsed into a nervous frown.

"..."

"So you weren't upset. You were worried," Robin diagnosed softly. He lowered his hand and nodded to himself, crossing out a few words from his notes.

"I... I am. It's not becoming of me, and I apologize. If you would let me train, I vow to not show such weakness..." she stopped when Robin raised his hand slightly, setting aside his notepad on his lap and turning to his friend with full attention.

"Weakness? Is fear in the face of adversity weakness, Lucina, or is it humanity?"

"R-robin..."

"I'm not trying to reveal your weakness, Lucina. I'm trying to reveal your courage. Trust me."

"I..." Lucina frowned as she lowered her head. "It gets hard at times. But with Valm this close, I will not falter..."

Robin got up to stretch and walked slowly around Lucina in a loose circle. Lucina didn't budge, even as Robin escaped her periphery and only the crunch of dead leaves made his presence known.

"I know you're not scared of Valm. You're not even scared of Grima. You're scared of failure. Tell me this, Lucina. Who was I before Grima attacked Old Ylisse?"

The question caught Lucina by surprise yet again, and she forced herself to look away.

"Huh?"

"I still don't know who I am, you know. I'm a tactician, hell, maybe even a pretty darn good one. But other than that? I don't know much else. But you? You're from the future. That means, if I wasn't dead already, you knew me! Who was I in your life?" Lucina nodded at Robin's curiosity and relented, turning to face the tactician.

"You... You were our teacher. For me and some of the other kids. We looked up to you when our parents were away fighting the Valmese."

Robin took this in bitter taste, not too happy about where he was in relation to the other Shepherds.

"And I wasn't among them?"

"You were their tactician during the Plegian war... but they injured you pretty bad. You could barely walk, let alone lead an army on foot. Virion took upon the role of commander while you were placed as our ward. That was your duty."

"Why would I ever leave Chrom's side-"

"You were the only one everyone trusted with us while they were away. Some of them didn't make it back... And they were probably at peace knowing you were taking care of us. After enough of them died... you had enough. You left us and rode for Plegia the week before my father... Uncle Frederick, and Aunt Lissa died. You came back days later... broken."

Robin paused, still looking at Lucina's eyes for what he was looking for.

"Who was I to you?"

Lucina closed her eyes and smiled faintly, recalling memories of Robin carrying her on her back, sparring with her with his cane while she bashed his bad leg with her wooden sword. He always smiled though, and Lucina recalled countless nights alone when the young tactician would visit her and read a bedtime story. Then... she fell asleep on his lap, leaving him no choice but to gently stroke the young girls' hair as he gazed at the stars while his friends were fighting for their lives without him.

And then he died. No one knew how or why, but Robin simply stopped breathing shortly after Chrom's death, though now that she thought about it Robin probably died by his own hands. Utterly alone, Robin died broken and anguished, but still had a smile when Lucina came to visit. There was no burial. No ceremony. No one was left to do the deed. There wasn't even a body to memorialize.

"Was I kind?" Lucina woke up from her reverie and nodded at Robin. At this point in his life, he couldn't have been that much older than she was. But for her, who looked up to him as a parent figure and then suddenly having to change that relationship to one as a friend? It was mind-boggling. But past or present, he was always kind.

Always.

"The day when you lost your temper with any of us children never came. Even with your friends, my parents... dying out of your reach... you always had enough compassion to smile for us." Hearing this, Robin closed his eyes and tilted his lips upwards a bit.

"To you?"

"To everyone."

Robin nodded slowly, his smile fading.

"I see you looked up to me... the man who watched helpless as your parents died... Was I that inspiring?"

"You were my teacher, my mentor... and my best... friend, when Father and Mother were far away." Robin finally saw Lucina's armor chip before him, and she turned away as she blushed and kicked her feet along the soil. "I... looked up to you more than I realized." The tactician understood her words and remained silent, before asking another question.

"And what am I to you now?" Lucina turned at him, eyes narrow but still not hostile. Was he... asking if he was important to her? Yes. Yes he was... but the future... the future was worth more than him.

"Why does it matter? All that matters is that my Father lives long enough to stop Grima, even at the cost of my own life-"

"No."

"No?" Lucina echoed in disbelief.

"I can't have someone with such a tragic beginning have such a tragic ending."

Lucina stuttered over his care but retorted with her desperation. "You do not understand... this is more than me! This is the whole world we are talking about!"

Robin didn't back down and challenged her reactions with his own.

"I can't have the one person who saved us all die for a happiness she would never experience... Not while I have control over this situation."

Lucina froze, her lower lip quivering at the remark.

"R-robin," she murmured. "You don't... know what will happen."

Suddenly, Robin got up, smiling as he closed his now-full page in his notebook.

"I got what I came for, have fun training," Robin finished, kicking himself upright and setting off towards the camp. Lucina bolted up after him and grabbed his cloak, causing him to turn in mock annoyance.

"W-wait..." she stammered, the child in her clawing towards the surface.

"Yes?" Robin replied blankly, as if none of her emotion had pierced him. But it did, and he suddenly found himself in a tight hug from the princess.

No matter how hard she tried to convince that there was only one life that mattered in this quest to save the world... his arms around her didn't stand for that claim in the slightest.

"You've done so much, Lucina. I'm proud of you," he whispered behind her ear. She didn't smell particularly great due to the intensity and duration of training, but he let her nuzzle into his shoulder regardless.

And in that moment, the Hero-King realized that in jumping through that portal... she was living her one and only chance to feel everything she ever wanted to feel.

"Y-you know... you're still my best friend, no matter what..." she whispered back, burying her head in his shoulder... Oh, how familiar it was. "I missed you, and I hope we all get to see the world you are working to save."

She let go suddenly, her smile fading a few moments after but not from disdain.

"Thank you, Robin. I'm glad you came to check on me. I apologize for being... stubborn."

"I'm honored, Hero-Princess. Now get to work," Robin bowed, sending Lucina off with a light smile, and even as he walked off, the sounds of her determined training echoed throughout the dark forest.

"Is he always so nosy?" Lucina heard a voice ask, causing her to turn to that white-haired princess from Hoshido. Or was it Nohr?

"Pardon my manners, but who are you?"

Corrin curtsied, displaying her Nohrian cape to the Ylissean princess.

"Princess Corrin, of Nohr, or Hoshido, depending on who you ask. Also... newly-appointed commander of the Shepherds, if you'd believe it. I'm obviously not as good at the whole leading thing compared to him, but I'll figure it out in time."

"Princess Lucina of Ylisse," Lucina responded in turn, relaxing as she examined the Nohrian. "And yes, he makes it his business to know how everyone is feeling. Even the less... willing among us. It is his job. He finds a way to get to even the most stalwart people in his army. It is not his most endearing trait, but a good leader is persistent and humble. You would be surprised how effective a leader you would be just by learning from him. Even if... he gets incredibly singular to people at times."

"So you?" Corrin asked innocently.

There was no hiding it from Corrin it seemed.

"...So me."

Corrin grinned, and drew Yato excitedly, the gold glimmering against the sunlight of dawn.

"I'm glad I found you first, you wouldn't mind sparring, would you?" Lucina raised an eyebrow, still wondering how Corrin had found her in the first place, not to mention why she was so eager to fight her.

"W-what? Why me?"

"Robin says you're a swordsman on par with me! I wanted to test that, but... I don't think I'm as great. Plus, you look kinda tired so-"

"I will accept your challenge," Lucina said boldly, wiping away her sweat and drawing Falchion.

"G-great! I mean... are you sure?" Corrin asked, genuine concern for her new companion making itself apparent.

"If Robin says that you would be a good challenge for me... then who am I to disagree?" Corrin raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose Robin holds you in a high regard?"

Lucina smiled slightly, and Corrin grinned. "That's awesome! Alright! So, I'm still new to this whole 'sparring' thing, so is there like a procedure or-" Corrin's voice dragged as her gaze shifted to the treeline, where Lucina had suddenly sprang nimbly into.

Lucina leaped skyward, bringing her blade in an arcing strike, causing Corrin's eyes to widen as she barely deflected Falchion even when it made a whistling sound past her ear.

"Straight to the point, huh..."

'I cannot disappoint Father, losing to these new soldiers! And Robin... does he really believe in me that much?'

Corrin dashed with a flourish of chicanery and unorthodox acrobatic maneuvers, keeping Lucina on her toes as either Princess tried reading the other's pattern of attack.

"Quite the -Hya!- tough one, aren't you?" Corrin grunted, comparing Lucina's flowing but precise sword style to a mix of Xander's and Ryoma's. Stepping back with her off-foot, Corrin suddenly spiraled into Lucina with Yato outstretched, forcing the Princess to sidestep the blur of silver and brace the part of her that was bound to get hit. However, Corrin seemed to swing her blade mid-spin and caught Falchion, sending it off-balance and opening up Lucina's footing for another attack. Seeing this, Lucina instead charged forward, nearly running Corrin through if she hadn't used her momentum to fall to the ground.

"Oof. Geez, Robin wasn't kidding."

"...He planned this," Lucina muttered under her breath. 'Father... Robin... I'll keep you safe! If you think training with Corrin will make me stronger, then so be it!'

Recovering quickly, The Nohrian sprang up from her prone position into a swirling arc of golden blade and blue cape, nicking Lucina's arm before she parried the rest of the blade with her bare hand, guiding the flat of the sword away from her with utmost precision. With the same hand, she grabbed Corrin by the neck and lunged in with her foot, tripping the Nohrian who promptly kicked Lucina's legs from under, causing the Ylissean to join her on the ground.

"Call it a draw?"

"Not a chance," Lucina grunted, springing back up and taking a leaping bound backwards, allowing Corrin room to get up. Readying her blade, Lucina made ready to execute her father's move to finish the spar in her favor...

Leaping skyward once again, Lucina somersaulted rapidly towards Corrin, knocking Yato out of her hands and sending both of them tumbling into the treeline, Corrin significantly higher than her counterpart.

"You won't stop me..." Corrin whispered mid-flight, shifting her left arm into its dragon form and impaling Lucina's cape to the ground, suspending her entire body in midair as Lucina could only gape, a half... dragon towering over her with a razor sharp appendage skewering her into the dirt like a tent.

"W-what?"

Corrin appeared lost in thought for a moment, before shifting her arm back to human form and helping Lucina up.

"So sorry! Ah, I got carried away there! Did I hurt you?" Checking Lucina front and back, Corrin breathed a sigh of relief when she appeared fine, aside from her distraught nature.

"W-what was that?!" Lucina cried, her breathing calm for the moment, despite her fears being triggered by the dragon manifestation that nearly killed her.

"I can turn into a dragon!"

Lucina hunched over, countless splinters and twigs scattered at her feet: what remained of the forest was out of her immediate vicinity. Wiping the sweat and dirt off her face, she fell to her knees and dry heaved, leaning on Falchion which was embedded into the dirt to provide her support.

"C-cannot stop now... Corrin... Too strong... I have to beat her."

"She technically cheated," A voice responded, and Lucina recognized Robin walking towards her with two plates of food. "Care for breakfast? It's only four hours late. Look at that, we're already making progress from yesterday. You didn't touch breakfast until sunset!"

"W-why are... why are you here?" Lucina panted, clamoring her way to Robin's side nonetheless.

"I come and go like the whispers on the waves," Robin replied mystically, to which Lucina rolled her eyes. "And... you look hungry." Lucina looked at her miserable self, and after a ragged breath, agreed. "Also, to report that you are the subject of our new Commander's stream of compliments."

"She was strong."

Robin nodded sadly, recalling his own annihilation at the dragon princess' hands just the day before.

"She wiped the floor with me yesterday. That 'Dragon Fang' as she calls it really caught me by surprise." Lucina chuckled as she took her plate silently.

"..."

"..."

"Thank you, Robin."

"Oh?"

"Even though I was not a Shepherd... You still showed genuine care for me every time I was at the castle. And now... now that I am here with Father and everyone else? I feel like you are the only one who truly understands not just the situation... but me as well."

"Oh, I'm sure Chrom would say likewise. He's still getting over the fact that he has a daughter and a son."

"Yes... 'Laslow' as he calls himself now spoke to me yesterday. He really has grown up."

Robin placed his hand on Lucina's shoulder and ruffled her hair playfully.

"And how about you, Lucina. Have you grown up?" Lucina looked back at him with pained eyes, thanking the gods for his innocence. Flinching at his touch, she sighed.

'You have no idea how much I would like to have had a childhood again...'

"Yes. But I still have a ways to go."

"So does everyone else. But you are one of my dearest friends and best soldiers. Always have been, actually. Not to mention... Corrin can't stop babbling about how you beat her, and how much of a good swordsman you are. Now everyone wants a shot with the Hero-Princess. You've certainly come a long way since we fought the Hero-King in Ferox."

"Do you really think so?" Lucina asked hopefully, not easily forgetting her defeat at Robin's hand at the Feroxian tourney.

"I wouldn't have given Corrin the suggestion if I didn't," Robin laughed, smiling as he ate his eggs quietly. Looks like even he delayed breakfast. Lucina was surely a bad influence.

"Well, if you insist on making a training dummy of me... I will make sure to beat her for sure next time," Lucina responded in a youthful show of arrogance and excitement.

"I'll be rooting for you, Lucina," Robin laughed, just as hopeful. In an instant, Lucina flinched, realizing just how comfortable she just got with Robin.

"Something the matter?" Lucina shook her head rapidly, drawing Falchion just as she finished her meal.

"I should get back to training..."

"So soon? Ah, sometimes I forget who I'm talking to. You probably prefer eating while you train, huh?"

The joke flew over Lucina's head, leaving Robin to grin nervously for a few seconds before it was clear he wasn't getting a reaction.

"Come on, that was a good one," Robin sighed, getting her plate and heading back to the barracks. "I'll bring you lunch if you want," he offered.

"I appreciate your aid, but I shall be fine by myself, thank you," Lucina insisted.

"...Right." Robin nodded, his frown appearing as soon as he turned his head away from the princess.

And as he walked further on, he could sense the tone of worry in her cries.

Chapter Text

Day 3, midday

"This is the sixth injury in the grand span of two days, Robin."

Robin turned from his desk to find a stern Chrom and a sterner grimace upon his face.

Six?

"Is it? No, it can't be... Hmm. One... two three... four five... No, no, it's the fifth."

The Exalt's eye twitched before he walked inside, gesturing wildly with his hands as he counted down the names of those injured.

"Must I count with you like you're my baby daughter? First it was you, then Beruka and Oboro, then Camilla and Hinoka, now Corrin."

"Hey! I... I don't count! I'm totally fine!"

Chrom scoffed as he glanced at the outlines of wrappings underneath Robin's cloak, no doubt results of his injury. Shaking his head, he let the specifics slide in favor of his intended message.

"Suit yourself. Let's just pretend that you limping away from your spar with Commander Corrin was just an act of losing with grace."

"I-it was!"

"Uh-huh..."

"...Well, let's not assume like we knew what she was capable of," Robin evaded, recalling the painful memory of getting speared through by Corrin's 'Dragon Fang' and promptly having a portion of Ylisstol castle leveled from the ensuing panic- sending ancient roof tiles to fall right over his body.

"...She told you herself that she could shift into a dragon. What part of 'dragon' made you decide to fight in the middle of the hallway?"

"Okay, maybe it wasn't the best idea, but we're doing fine now, right? Aside from those others, we seem to be getting along fine?"

"My castle looks like it just got raided by bandits," Chrom whined, but nodded in submission. "But yes... we're doing fine, aside from our previously injured."

The 'injured' Chrom mentioned had much more severe wounds than being pelted by shingles. Oboro was sporting a brand new scar from Beruka's ax, and likewise for the Nohrian assassin, courtesy of Oboro's naginata. Camilla and Hinoka stepped in right after, receiving similar wounds.

And Corrin... after her spar with Lucina, she found her wrist newly-sprained from Lucina's attacks. She hid it well, only confiding to Chrom (Lucina's father had a right to know) and Robin, her fellow commander. Xander and Ryoma were clueless, as if they didn't have enough to worry about.

"Thank heavens the ships are coming soon, or else they'd be dragging in more injured than healthy Shepherds at the rate they're dropping."

Of course, Robin accounted for hostilities between some of the Hoshidans and Nohrians, but at the rate 'sparring injuries' were happening, the Shepherds would be running low on manpower and coherency, so the tactician was pleased where progress had been made.

In extension, seeing how Corrin had obliterated Robin in front of the whole army and subsequently being promoted to Commander, doubts started to spring across all sides of the board whether Robin was a competent leader. As a tactician he may be adept perhaps, but certainly not as a soldier if he was bested so decisively by an inexperienced warrior like Corrin.

Day 2, late evening

"A... demonstration?" Robin wondered, looking at Xander and Ryoma who nodded.

"We want to see what level of tactics and warfare we are getting ourselves into," the Nohrian explained.

"My sister seemed excited to face you, so would it be appropriate if she shall be your partner?" Ryoma added, gesturing to a jittery Corrin who stood at the other end of the hallway.

"You can cast magic, right?" she wondered, smiling at the thought. "That's neat! I've rarely got to face Leo when he cast spells, so..." she trailed off on a tangent, still flapping her blade to catch the rays of sunset with its golden edge.

"And you can turn into a dragon," Robin gulped, smiling faintly as he pulled out his tome and his sword from underneath his cloak. "This should be interesting, if not downright fatal."

"I won't hold back, don't worry!" Corrin replied happily.

"That's... what I was afraid of," Robin sighed under his breath.

"Chrom..." The tactician called behind him, "Sorry for the mess."

Day 3, before dawn

"I guess it was beneath me to underestimate you," Robin admitted to himself in hindsight. Sorrowfully, he was caught feeling the jagged tear in his robe that Corrin had caused the day before with her arm... claw... thing.

Far too excited to be back in the shoes of a tactician again, Robin was genuinely surprised when his attacker from yesterday knocked on his open doorway, peeking her head in with a bright smile that was far too intense considering the early hour. Very early hour.

"You're okay!" she exclaimed, greeting the tactician. "Good morning!"

"It's... not exactly morning yet," Robin yawned, not seeing any sun outside. "What are you doing this early? Not that... *yawn* I could say any differently."

"I... I usually got up way before sun-up to spar with my brother some times. I guess I got excited and... well, I figured you'd be up, considering we're both Commanders and..." she trailed off, smiling sheepishly. "But you are okay, right? That's what's important."

"When you said dragon powers, I had something a little different in mind. But yes, Commander, I'll be a-okay," Robin replied graciously with a bow.

"We got a long day ahead of us," Corrin declared, walking around Robin's room like she owned the place.

"It often is in our position," Robin nodded. "You'll get used to the chaos."

"This is much cleaner than your office. Why don't we just do stuff here?"

Because it's my room!

"I... uh... like my office?" Robin gulped, not entirely keen on having war meetings in his private chambers.

"Wanna spar?"

Robin rolled his eyes at Corrin's over-enthusiasm, shaking his head. "Now why would clanging swords and roaring dragons be something people want to hear an hour before the wake-up bell sounds?"

"Oh, and magic!" Corrin added. "That lightning spell you do is really cool. Thoron, was it?"

"My point still stands!" Robin exclaimed, pointing at the lack of sun. "It's way too early for this! Not to mention, we're still inside! Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

"Fine, not my brightest idea," Corrin whined, slouching in one of Robin's chairs. "Who among your Shepherds is usually up early? Like... early, early?"

And then Lucina nearly broke Corrin's arm.

Day 3, late morning

After the princesses had concluded their bout, it was only through Robin's keen vision that the purple around the Nohrian's right wrist wasn't a shadow or a stain.

"It's not broken, is it?" Robin asked, very concerned at the bruising and internal bleeding.

"W-what? What's broken? Er, or not broken?" Corrin attempted, smiling nervously.

"Not your right wrist, I hope," Robin said sternly.

Her cover blown, Corrin's innocent smile started to drop.

"I'm fine, really! It should heal in n-no time?" Corrin stuttered, her brightness fading even as Robin walked towards her.

Upon gingerly grabbing her arm, Corrin's face gave the implication that she, believe it or not, was still in a reasonable amount of discomfort. "Y-youch! S-stop that..."

"Lucky for you, dragon princess, we have a little more than 'no-time' so I hope your diagnosis is accurate."

Robin turned to see Flavia, accompanied by a few others and holding a scroll with a wax seal in her hand.

"The ships?" Robin asked, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"The ships," Virion, newly arrived, confirmed. "They shall be arriving within the next few days as we requested. A pleasure to be among such fine company once more, Milords and Miladies..." Robin suppressed a nervous cough when Virion eyed Corrin curiously. "Who's that?"

Cherche stood behind him, polishing her shining ax religiously while at the same time still maintaining a state of serenity. "Those would be our allies, Lord Virion. If you'd pay attention the first time, you'd remember their names."

"Amazing," Virion breathed, looking around at the growing number of new faces that he hadn't quite recalled. "Curious and remarkable, all in one..."

"Well then," Robin said as he scratched his head thoughtfully. "I like having a timer to work with, so shall we get started on our preparations?"

Feeling a strong pat on his back, from Corrin of all people, the small company nodded as they left, ready to engage the Valmese. Robin couldn't help but chuckle at Corrin's grimace in result of her very slight physical exertion.

"You won't need your wrists for some time, Commander. We're gonna need that sharp mind a lot more," Robin reasoned, but the Princess only scowled as a result.

"Lucky for me, I heal from this stuff really quick."

Basilio and Flavia accompanied the Shepherds along with Cherche and Virion, who by the latter's insistence and the former's good will had rejoined the Shepherds as well.

Of course, it took all of five seconds for Virion to make a scene of himself, prostrating his body next to Xander and the impressive sword he wielded.

"The Nohrians are more mobile once they get out of the sand, but their mounts require extra resources and care, once we start moving along," Corrin began. She was in Robin's room again (not the office, much to Robin's disagreement) and was currently making a mess of his chalkboard.

"The Hoshidans are strong, but they don't have mages."

"Ylisse does."

"So our Ylissean mages can reinforce the Hoshidan frontline. And our supply wagons?"

"We have a dedicated rearguard," Corrin recalled, polishing up the initial diagram.

"Right. We get off the ships, get into formation, and start making our way through Valm. Simple and clear."

"Really? Oh, i'm glad-"

"Except you forgot one very important thing, Corrin," Robin warned, drawing a line back towards the sea where the Shepherds would disembark.

"...Oh. The Armada."

"The Armada. We have to get past that, first."

Day 3, afternoon

"This is everyone?" Chrom asked, eyeing Xander and Leo on one side of the table, Corrin in the middle, with Ryoma and Takumi on the other side. Their respective retainers stood behind each given master, making the room seem quite outnumbered to Chrom and Frederick, though neither of them showed it.

"Commander Robin is still not among us," Xander pointed out, to which Chrom hid his disapproval. "Cor- ...Commander Corrin is here though, if you wish to begin." Both men nodded and gesturing to Corrin, listened in as she began her briefing.

"Aside from my co-commander, it appears that everyone else is here. Robin told me to start without him, though I do not recall what he's up to at the moment."

Taking out her notes, Corrin showed the overlay of the Valmese sea, along with symbols representing both the Ylissean and Valmese fleet.

"First things first, the enemy outnumbers us nearly nine to one on every possible engagement opportunity..."

"Lu-ci-na!" Robin yelled, wandering the wood line for quite a while and not finding any traces of the Princess that had been training there this morning.

"Lucina?" Following a trail of broken twigs and shattered logs, Robin followed it until he came across a smaller clearing that was previously unvisited.

Spotting blue in the distance, Robin ran until he saw the prone body of Lucina, though upon closer inspection she was asleep, not harmed. Still, they were in the middle of the woods, so Robin made quick strides to get to her position.

"Lucina?" A disturbed snore was all Robin got from the Princess, and Robin couldn't help but smile as he sat next to her.

You really shouldn't sleep here, Robin thought, but looking upon her face, as peaceful as it had been for the longest time, he let her be, instead wandering towards his own thoughts. Rather, hers. Hesitantly, he channeled the spell he learned from Tharja that had been used only a few times by now: one designed to read someone else's mind.

It had only been a three days since he used dark magic to gaze into her nightmares, but what he pulled out this time was nothing of the sort. Instead of the dark hell that he saw to convince the two sets of royalty to join the Ylissean cause, Robin found himself in a different state of Lucina's mind when he gazed upon her life a few years before the fall of everything good. Of course, she hadn't known this when he went through her head, but seeing his future self taking care of the child had caused Robin to believe they must've been close in the past life. The fact that she was dwelling on those memories reminded him that there was still a hopeful princess that had never had the chance to grow up right.

They were more than friends, Robin realized. Whatever bond Lucina had with him, he wasn't sure. But he was confident that Lucina had placed more than trust in her old childhood mentor. She believed in every word he said.

She missed him.

Without thinking, he gently raised the princess' head and placed it on his lap, lightly parting her hair where the sweat had matted it. Out of all the memories she had, this was the most precious to her, Robin saw. She hadn't recalled much of her Father due to her age, but her best friend and the nightmares she tried to rid herself of were the two main things that occupied the young Princess' mind. Sleeping on Robin's lap as a child was a memory she wouldn't willingly relinquish.

He felt strange, keeping the woman he only knew as Marth just a week ago on his thigh, smiling as he gazed upon her face as it lightened up even further, nuzzling against the familiar folds of his cloak that she didn't know she had missed so dearly.

"R-robin," Lucina muttered, still asleep, "Where'd you go? W-why'd you die?"

"She's dreaming," Robin realized, smiling as Lucina sniffed his cloak, sighing deeply at the oddly familiar scent. "I-ni...go and I... wondered why you... l-left..."

"..."

"..."

"Lucina, wake up," Robin said after a while, gently tapping her shoulder. Just in case, he also kept his other hand on her sword hand in the event that her reflexes-

"I've been awake," Lucina said calmly, opening her eyes up into Robin's, causing him to jolt but not remove her head from his lap.

"...Sorry."

"It's... quite alright."

"Could've fooled me," Robin said worriedly, not knowing what to expect. Instead, Lucina merely closed her eyes and brought her head slightly farther from his body.

"Why did you do that?" she asked without anger, "I haven't had that dream in years. I... didn't know your magic could do that."

"You're late to the tactics meeting," Robin attempted, knowing he was just as guilty. The Princess disregarded the fact and brought her legs slightly towards her so that her knees were bent. She still didn't move.

"We. We are late to the tactics meeting," Lucina whispered back, not making any effort to rise.

"Point... taken."

Even as time slowly drifted by, she stayed on his lap, contemplating her own thoughts.

"You would always read to me when we slept on your lap," Lucina began, "And sometimes you even sang to me and Inigo to get us to sleep, especially... especially after my nightmares." Robin's heart melted at this image, but didn't say anything.

"I'm afraid my singing voice isn't anything to commend," Robin joked, but Lucina remained straight-faced. "But if you liked it, I suppose it couldn't be that bad."

"Sometimes I would feel your pity and your sadness, and only now I realize it's because Father and the others were so far away and you would never see some of them again."

"I had you, didn't I?" Robin replied, trying to cheer Lucina up, "I couldn't have been that sad."

"You rarely smiled, even with Inigo and I playing with you."

"You don't seem the playing type."

"I was just a child, with nothing to truly fear. I loved games."

"..."

"..." Robin felt himself relax at the steady rise and fall of Lucina's body, but he sensed her nervousness and sadness as the pressure got lighter and lighter.

"I'll admit, it's nice being able to be like this... with you talking with me again... But I'm afraid my dreams have to end somewhere. I came back to save the world and my Father. Not to relive my childhood."

Reluctantly, Lucina rose off Robin's lap and dusted herself off, stretching her arms and legs. "As... relieving as it was," she added quickly with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"I did. Don't be sorry. You have always been kind. It's in your nature."

"...If you want to talk about your childhood," Robin attempted, only to be cut off by Lucina.

"I know you meant well. But please- we have a meeting to attend." Lucina warned, walking back towards camp. Robin followed from a distance, nodding slowly.

"I guess that's the end of that."

Chapter Text

Day 2, early evening

For the first time, it wasn't too bad.

It was still bad, granted, but not horrible.

"Two injuries," Chrom reported, holding the list of two names with a sense of broken pride. "One Hoshidan, One Nohrian. Nothing serious, but still injuries."

"Who were they?" Robin asked, curious as he peeked over his desk to the four royalties siting in his office.

"Camilla's retainer and Takumi's retainer," Corrin was clear to word, looking at Xander and Ryoma equally. "They... aren't getting along very well."

"Any names?" Robin asked, not too keen on everyone just yet.

"Oboro and Beruka," Chrom answered, "Former is Hoshidan, latter being the Nohrian."

"Well, this certainly isn't good news... but it isn't catching us off-guard, either. How long are they going to be out for?"

"Beruka has a sprained neck and her ribs are bruised," Xander sighed, none too pleased.

"Oboro has a fractured wrist," Ryoma added. "If all goes well with the healers, she should be fine again once we embark."

"Likewise with Beruka. I fear this emotional rift is going to take a longer time to mend than the physical ones."

"Oh?" Robin asked, already knowing this. "It is to be expected. As much as I want to live in our perfect world, it has to come crashing down sometime."

"So now what?" Ryoma asked, hesitant with Robin's change of tone.

"What, you think I'm going to let a natural-coursed fight piss on the wheels of eventual progress?" Robin retorted, sighing as he closed his book and sat up straighter to regard the four in turn.

"Well, as long as it doesn't happen again-"

"I doubt such an event was an anomaly, but I digress. What of you two? Are there any... emotional injuries that I should be aware of?"

"Us two?" Ryoma asked, looking between Xander and Robin. "I can control myself. I cannot speak for my Nohrian counterpart, but I will not lose myself to personal rage."

"My anger has, admittedly, subsided since our first initial encounter... The adrenaline has worn off somewhat," Xander replied. "But I cannot speak for my countrymen. We, however, can control ourselves. I will swear upon my honor as a Nohrian."

"So it seems," Robin mused, relaxing in his chair as he opened up his notes again. "And what do you think, Prince Ryoma? How long can a Hoshidan blade stay itself from Nohrian flesh?"

"Perhaps the question is how keenly can you watch your tongue?" the Hoshidan glared, clearly offended by Robin's suggestion. "We are a disciplined breed of warrior, but it is no petty feud that we are just tossing aside in your little crusade."

"As it stands," Robin began, knowing he was already on thin ice, "We have less than a week before those Plegian ships arrive. I want to know how many of both your countrymen, men and women I have under my responsibility, can I expect to lose control, before our little crusade? How many medical supplies will I expect to use before our campaign begins?"

Ryoma glared at Robin a bit before regaining his composure, admitting that the tactician was undoubtedly right in silence.

"...None," the Hoshidan snarled, not liking Robin's current acumen. Wise, yes. But not at all respectful.

"Nohrian blades will be stayed," Xander promised, not too keen on Robin's stance either.

Robin looked between Ryoma and Xander, nodding in dissatisfaction. "So be it. Thank you, Prince Xander, Prince Ryoma, for at least being optimistic."

"Robin, calm down. You're forgetting your place," Chrom butted in. "Prince Xander and Prince Ryoma-"

"I'm aware of the glass I'm stepping on, my Exalt," Robin calmly responded, slowly shifting his gaze between the two princes in his vicinity, then to Corrin, who had stayed silent this whole time. "But someone has to walk on it."

The princess and now co-commander nodded silently, taking her cue.

"Exalt Chrom, I have decided to up the authorities on the medical staff. For the next week until we embark, please see to it that Princess Lissa, Princess Elise, and Princess Sakura, along with the other healers, are properly supplied. They are to be on a 24/7 standby, with injuries expected at a rate of at least two, daily," Commander Corrin ordered.

"S-sister," Xander began, but the princess continued without his acknowledgment.

"Also, brief all the Shepherds that I, Commander Corrin, and Commander Robin, will be conducting personal interviews, starting tomorrow. That... will be all."

For a second, Ryoma and Xander looked at each other before the former slowly rose, nodding gruffly in approval to Corrin.

"Very well, sister." With that, Ryoma left Robin's office, leaving Xander to curiously look at Corrin and Robin in genuine surprise.

"You... fit the role quite well, little princess."

"You're the one who suggested it, Prince Xander," Robin chuckled. "Princess Corrin here is free to take my job anytime, and no one will notice. I'll just go on vacation real quick and let her handle the preparations." Robin and Corrin shared a laugh before Chrom and Xander nodded in unified approval. "I apologize for the harshness, Princes. I don't like playing the bad guy, but I'm no stranger to the role."

"This is progress," Chrom assured, pleased with Corrin's advancement and Robin's plan slowly gaining footing. A rocky start, yes, but the results were very justified.

"Mhmm!" Corrin added, losing her stern facade and replacing it with a bright smile. "But I am serious though. As much as I want peace, I don't think it's gonna happen overnight. It almost did, but we still got a few more days until we have something else to distract us."

Day 4, midday

Jakob

"Oh, Lady Corrin, you wanted..." The butler walked into Robin's office where Robin and Chrom were both explaining to Corrin the local areas using a map, "...to discuss something?"

As if on cue, Robin nodded to Chrom and the Exalt saw himself out, while Corrin sat down in a chair that seemed to be preassigned to her.

"Excellent timing Jakob. Robin? This is Jakob, my loyal butler and childhood confidant since... forever. Uh... Would you mind telling us about yourself?"

Jakob didn't exactly understand the situation, but nodded anyway.

"Very well, milady. Commander Robin, what is it you desire to know about me?"

"Anything you are comfortable with, really," Robin supposed. "If that isn't to your liking, I have a couple of simple questions that I could ask instead."

"If it is appropriate, Commander- Er, Commanders, may it be too bold to ask one of my own before we begin?"

"Of course," Robin and Corrin replied simultaneously. "What is it?" Robin continued.

Jakob seemed to fidget slightly, but nodded in conviction anyway, before asking, "What exactly is this? An interrogation? An interview?"

"Both," Robin replied calmly. "I am simply trying to learn more of our new family," he was sure to emphasize. "But if I'm getting too personal for your taste, then I will gladly back off and move on to the next Nohrian or Hoshidan until you are more comfortable-"

"Preposterous," Jakob interrupted rather gruffly, "I am a distinguished butler to Lady Corrin herself, not some mere lackey to cower behind petty inquiries. If you must know of me, then by all means, for the sake of Lady Corrin's agenda, ask away."

The first thing Robin noticed where the slight bags underneath Jakob's eyes. Despite his impeccable posture and his well-mannered body language, the subtlest hint of fatigue was visible if one invested the time to find it. Sure, the Hoshidans and Nohrians didn't really adapt to the sleeping standards the Shepherds had, but Jakob was a butler, right? He had to get up early to attend to his master, what little he knew about Corrin's routine, anyway.

This, combined with his seemingly unfailing loyalty to Corrin herself had Robin piece together a pretty accurate depiction of Jakob's true character.

Loyal to a fault. Frederick, I may have found you a philosophical equal.

N001: a designation, for lack of a better term, as far as the roster is concerned. For the record, N001: Jakob, Butler to Princess Corrin

Sub-designation: None

Birthday: December 3

Proficient Weapon(s) and Preferred Role: Daggers, Staves. Functions as a support unit rather than a front-line combatant. Very versatile in multiple styles. Flexible due to his background as Princess Corrin's bodyguard and butler.

[Commander Robin's Note] Despite being a butler, he hates mornings just as much as everyone else combined. But despite this, his loyalty to Princess Corrin is second-to-none. He may be... a bit scalding to others, but if what she claims is true, then Jakob is as true an ally to us all, as long as we prove allies to Corrin. Simple and straightforward.

[Commander Corrin's Note] Okay, maybe he is a bit rough around the edges, but he's a really dependable and caring person. His quality of work is top-notch, no matter the task I ask of him. And even if I don't ask him, if he sees it necessary or beneficent to our cause, he'll do it without question. One time, he polished up the silver in the Northern Fortress so intensely, I woke up thinking it was already midday because of how bright it was! Oh, and if any of you reading this want a mean cup of tea, then by my absolute authority as Commander of this army, seek Jakob out first! My only warning is for the embrace of euphoria that comes after.

Chrom

"That went well," Robin nodded, looking over the newest addition to the roster. "I'm getting lovely flashbacks to my old book."

"This is fun," Corrin agreed. "Shall we continue?" The tactician nodded and peeked to his slightly open door.

"He should still be outside..." Robin began, rising to a stand and peeking outside the door to find Chrom waiting impatiently against the wall.

"Took you long enough," the Exalt laughed. "I heard blades, arguing, and something about tea. What exactly is going on here? Oh, the roster..."

"Your turn once again, dear Chrom. Blame Lissa for trashing the first one."

"Can't you just rewrite what we had last time?"

Robin simply pointed to Corrin, who was smiling innocently while Chrom sighed in defeat. "...fine. I suppose I can indulge our new Commander."

Designation: Y001 - Chrom, Exalt of Ylisse and Ruler of the Halidom

Sub-Designation - Y001: Queen Olivia's Husband

Birthday: May 27

Significant Other: Queen Olivia of Ylisse

Proficient Weapon(s) and Preferred Roles: May or may not be the rightful wielder of the Falchion, depending solely on Princess Lucina's current win-streak. Commander Robin claims that his sparring sessions with Chrom have ended in a 19-1 deficit, Chrom's favor, so at the very least, he can swing a sword without poking his eye out. Is a nasty shot with a javelin, if we can find ones suitable for him to equip without hampering his speed.

As unorthodox as it is for the ruler of a kingdom to be throwing himself into the front lines, this is where our Exalt belongs. His skill with a blade will keep him in the heart of things for extended amounts of time, and even then, he has other soldiers at his aid to protect their Exalt. Until further notice, Chrom will lead our charges on foot, at least for the Ylisseans.

[Commander Robin's Note] My most trusted friend since he found me in that field. He is brash and thinks more often with his sword than his head. But it's a keen sword and a loyal head that I have the honor of fighting beside. I trust him with my life, and yours. That is not a statement I would not dare make lightly.

Also, if you find a broken wall, just blame Chrom. Even if Lucina did it, Chrom made Lucina so he still did it.

[Commander Corrin's Note] His puns are unbearable and unending. I have been in Ylisse for three days, yet Robin claims that everything that rhymes with the Exalt's name in this whole kingdom is no doubt replaced with Chrom's moniker. Do the sick Ylisseans get administered tonic? Nay, for they have chromic. Did ancient Ylisseans embalm their dead? No, for their deceased are emchromed instead. Gods help us. I have doomed Hoshido and Nohr both.

[Chrommander Chrom's Note, Day 4] So, this is a side note, but I was thinking of my son just now. Why not combine Lazward and Inigo? I'll figure out a name somehow... Laslow perhaps? Ah, nothing serious. I'll Chrom up with something.

[Queen Olivia's Note, Day 5] Stop encouraging my dear husband. He is such a kind soul when he's not being toyed around like this!

[Hinata's Note, Day 17] Can anyone write in these?

[Commander Robin's Addendum, Day 18] I have made the executive decision to keep the quill here. If we can joke around like this, we'll be that much closer once we start to get into things.

[Lucina's Note, Day 18] That makes Chromplete sense.

[Laslow's Note, Day 18] Father please disown Luci and let me take the throne. I vow to be Ylisse's guiding light in these dark times.

Chapter Text

Day 3, Nightfall

"Seeing that we're mostly here," Corrin began ambitiously, only pausing when a blank faced Lucina ran into the tent. Dried sweat and dirt stained her face, which was her usual look considering the intensity of her daily training.

"My apologies for my tardiness," the Princess panted, taking a seat quickly and nodding to those who glanced at her. No one said anything as all had a good implication on why the future witness was late. She was a hard worker, so it was par for the course that Lucina would find herself sidetracked in her own ethic.

"...We should probably talk about the coming-"

Stopping again when the tent door opened, the leaders were greeted with an oblivious tactician standing in the doorway. Robin stepped inside a few moments later, unaware he had a few dozen eyes glued on his movements.

"...operation."

"Looks like I arrived just in time," Robin exclaimed, nodding at his fellow commander and the royals in the room. "Good afternoon, my friends."

"You're horribly late," Chrom clarified. "...it's already night."

"I... had prior engagements," Robin stammered, nodding to Corrin as he shifted to his position, eyeing the tension between Xander and Ryoma before glancing at Chrom, who appeared rather suspicious of Lucina and Robin's joint entrance.

"How engaged were you?" his co-commander prodded, trying her best to maintain a civil face despite Chrom and the two Princes wincing at the comment.

"What?" Robin asked innocently, before turning to Lucina. "Oh... I see. It's... not what it looks like."

"And what does it look like?" Chrom countered, joining in on the fun.

The tent door opened once more, shifting everyone's attention away from the argument to where a slender silhouette waited patiently in the moonlight.

"Commander Robin was looking for me," Azura covered, walking inside and nodding to the tactician who smiled back. "My apologies, I got lost, even with Corrin's directions."

"I had some worries you wouldn't be able to find us," Robin admitted, still a relative stranger to the songstress. "Though... my colleague covered for me, for which I am grateful."

Azura took Corrin's seat between Ryoma and Chrom, nodding to the former and barely regarding the latter, though out of shyness and not rudeness.

"Anyway, here's the plan we devised," Corrin continued, looking to Robin for approval. Going off his nod, she began the briefing with renewed gusto.

"The Plegian Navy has sent us a manifest of their present ships and supplies that are soon to come in the next few days. The Shepherds have access to a small variety of Plegian warships, which will be put to use transporting not only us, but the main body of Feroxians and Ylissean volunteers that our standing army consists of. We shall use what little time we have left to plan and to prepare, and here's what we have so far."

Looking at the three groups of royals, the dragon princess smiled faintly before resuming.

"We, meaning the all sixty-something soldiers the Shepherd vanguard now consists of, will be manning a singular ship, namely, a small speedy one: a modified runner called The Course of Action."

Hiking her thumb at Robin, Corrin stole his chair as soon as he rose to begin his segment of the briefing.

Robin glanced around the room before turning to his board, pulling out chalk and creating a diagram on the dark surface.

"Most of us have never fought a naval battle. I, unfortunately, am among that number. From what I've read of historic battles on the sea and sharing insights with Commander Corrin, this is going to be a struggle on a very unfamiliar field for nearly all of us. Our legs will constantly be unsteady, the water will be dark and perilous, and on top of that, Plegian ships are rather outclassed by the Valmese Navy. Not to mention, Valm outnumbers our fleet a decisive nine to one. Which is why," Robin drew the Course of Action, but in front of it diagrammed a number of larger vessels: ships of the line, "We will use the bulkier ships as a shield, as it were."

"To breach their line," Ryoma realized, nodding his head as he pictured the scene unfold.

"Precisely," Corrin nodded. "The Valmese will believe the lead ship to be our flagship and will no doubt unload a good amount of troops and fire onto it. However, the Course of Action will actually be a ways behind it, near the rear. The initial breaching element will be relatively unmanned, though we would have a surprise waiting should they board our battering rams."

"That's why you asked about the torch fluid," Xander recalled, noting his conversation with Robin earlier.

"Yes," Robin confirmed.

"The ships in the front will be doused with flammable liquid, which is why they are being manned by a literal skeleton crew for their own safety. Once we give the signal, they'll bail out and rejoin the crews aboard the rear guard."

"For what purpose are we willing to set fire to our own ships?" Xander wondered.

"Simply put, we don't have the numbers to handle a fleet, nor do we have the experience to wage naval warfare. The best we can do is strike hard and fast and do our best to ensnare them in their own formations. We take out our pursuers and make way for Valm so we can put our actual force to use. Pragmatically, there is no reason for us to stay longer than necessary to engage the blockade. We will rush through, tangle their ships with our decoys, break their line and it's smooth sailing for the coast."

Ryoma nodded, seeing the wisdom in that strategy. Robin nodded back, turning back to the briefing.

"Among our inventories are a number of long range fire-class tomes, both Nohrian and Ylissean in practice. We will station our best mages on the crow's nest and bow, setting ablaze with long range artillery any ship that has been boarded. So not only does the Course of Action get a few critical moments to pass the Valmese, but it also will leave a trail of smoke and fire in our immediate vicinity, halting any pursuit parties in a sudden, albeit temporarily chaos."

"What of our other troops? The main army?" Xander asked, leading Robin to shake his head.

"Unfortunately, we can only squeeze a small number of ships through the hole we create before the Valmese reconfigure their blockade. However, I believe that if we can take out the lead vessel and disrupt command, it will allow our main army the momentum it needs to independently break through with minimal casualties. I can't guarantee they'll make it through unscratched, but we'll be landing in Valm proper with a full force no matter what."

"So after we break through the initial blockade, we target the commanding vessel and bug out?" Chrom asked, already understanding the plan but asking for clarification.

"Rightly so. Thankfully, I checked our new stock of items and we have a few new interesting implements that will give us the edge against an unsuspecting foe."

Holding up a tome that none of the Ylisseans recognized, Robin opened up the pages and cast a wisp of the tomes energy. Ice floated on his fingertips and a cold chill rose in the air before the tactician closed the book with a slight exhale, dispersing the mist.

"Fimbulvetr, the Great Winter, according to Nohrian lore," Robin announced, "Not your everyday cool breeze, mind you. A focused caster can manipulate energies powerful enough to freeze seawater solid."

"You mean to freeze the sea?" Ryoma asked, doubting the tactician's intent.

"Not entirely, no," Robin corrected, drawing another diagram. "A second group of mages, ones not focused on lighting up our own ships, will be focused on halting any pursuing craft -ideally the commanding one- to a standstill by creating ice-fields, as it were, which will be big enough to act as its own land mass, deterring most ships that strike them at speed. However, their main purpose will be to form a barrier around our ship to prevent us getting boarded, as the fire mage team will handle any chasers."

"Ships are not fast, especially when loaded down with troops and supplies. Will we be fast enough to break this blockade without getting swarmed?" Xander asked, and Robin nodded, pulling out another tome, this time, familiar to the natives.

"It occurred to me that neither Nohr nor Hoshido have many wind tomes. Fire, Thunder, Spirit, yes, you have those. But Wind class magic? Aside from the exceptionally rare 'Excalibur' tome, Wind magic is something only Ylissean mages have common access to. Luckily, we have quite a few varieties at our disposal. Our third group of mages, including myself, will be focused on casting light channels of wind magic onto our sails, granting us speed far beyond that of a normal ship. If I calculated right, with the proper tailwind we could clear the Valmese Sea in nearly twice the usual speed for a ship our size."

"Interesting," Ryoma noted, gazing upon the map which seemed so vast in comparison to the time frame Robin mentioned.

"I just realized we're embarking by night," Xander inquired. "How will we know the enemy command ship?" The tactician paused, before scratching his head and recalling his notes.

"The blockade is stationed closer to the shore, a great distance away from Ylisse. It will be sunrise by the time our ships make it to Valm and by then we would be able to identify the colors and markings of the command ship."

The delivery of the line was rather weak, Robin had to admit, and he wished enough confidence made it past his own skepticism. To be honest, he had no idea where the flagship would be.

"Right..." Ryoma said in hesitation, causing Lucina to purse her lips. "Though I still think that part of the phase to chance isn't a wise option considering our limited manpower."

Xander nodded as well, adding in his input.

"I didn't realize the main army would be so far behind us. A blockade without a commander is breakable according to history, but if we don't get that essential piece, all of us, including our main force, will be stranded..."

"Is there a problem with the current plan? Commander Robin knows what he's doing and-"

"Lucina!" Chrom ordered harshly, and the Princess shut her mouth, realizing how-out-of-line she was.

"...My apologies, Prince Ryoma." Lucina cowered in the shadows of the tent now, hiding from Ryoma and Corrin's peripheral.

"I do understand your doubts, Xander, Ryoma," Robin began, his confidence restored by the sudden interjection from Lucina. "But as much as I'd like to prepare, we're up against a fleet. We don't have the agility to pick and choose which ship is the commander, but I can assure you by sailing straight through the middle of the blockade, we'll run into it without having to guess."

"I... I understand it's not the most solid-plan," Corrin hesitated, before nodding. "But Princess Lucina is right. It's the best plan we could come up with that wasn't as far-fetched that no one will follow behind us. Then again, I have no experience as Commander and-"

"But I do. I need everyone here to trust me. I... Corrin and I have a plan and when it comes together, each one of us will make it onto Valmese soil unharmed," Robin said with a faint smile, backing up Corrin as she only smiled in response.

"So... now that we know the plan, we should rehearse our parts immediately. A smooth mission depends on each individual part, and it'll be a while before our three groups can perform our functions smoothly. I'll keep the Shepherds posted if any revisions come up, but we should be able to prepare with what we have so far. I... I think I'm done here. Thanks for coming; you're dismissed. Rest assured, I'll do my best to figure out the markings of the Valmese Naval Commander."

Robin watched as one by one, the leaders left the tent until it was just him and Corrin staring at the chalk on the board.

"So... what were you up to before the briefing? Azura never saw you on her way here."

Robin smiled faintly as he remembered cradling Lucina on his lap, but he decided to withhold on that tidbit of information.

"I... I had a private issue to attend to. It took longer than expected."

Corrin bought that, turning back to the board.

"She's not a commander or a general, so why did you invite her?" Robin wondered. "I don't have qualms letting others attend the strategy meeting, rest assured..."

"She's a good friend of mine, you'll like her," Corrin replied, humming along as she went over some figures in Robin's strategy book. "I should bring her back."

"No, it looked like she was rather out of place. I'll talk to her on my own, probably with your company," Robin assured. "For now, let's go over the plan again."

"Are you planning on staying here for a while?" Corrin wondered, looking at the night sky that surrounded the camp outside Ylisstol. "It's pretty late, and we have to be up early tomorrow. Even if we're not setting sail, all these supplies and requisition orders... I didn't realize the time it takes to figure out logistics."

"When it goes smoothly, it takes little time at all. We need something to help our Shepherds put the gears together and start grinding."

"A few more battle drills wouldn't hurt either. But still, we have a bigger issue at hand, don't we?"

"Our plans won't revise themselves," Robin sighed. "A few hours of work ought to do it."

"You're adding a few to a lot," Corrin corrected, closing the tent behind her. "But you're right. You could use some help. And I could use some experience."

Day 4, just after midnight

It felt like a blink of an eye, but Robin found himself still huddled over his plans five hours after reassuring Corrin that he was done for the day. She had left the tent last, going over his notes intently in her time spent with her fellow Commander. Diligently and relentlessly she worked, trying to find holes in the plan, and making the small revisions as few and far between as they were. Both of them had gone over the strategy far too intently for amateur mistakes to appear now, but Robin was sure there could be some way to improve his-

"The plan will work, Robin."

Robin turned his head to see the Ylissean Princess console him from the doorway, and he couldn't help but smile at her stern but reassuring gaze.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"No. And I am pleased to see that neither are you." Robin nodded slowly at Lucina's off-compliment, but returned to his plans with heavy eyelids.

"I'm assuming you're here to tell me how Virion pulled a similar stunt when it was his turn to free Ylisse," Robin jested, but Lucina remained blank. "Oh. He did," the tactician answered for himself.

"He and some Feroxians boarded the enemy commander's ship, lighting it on fire in a suicide mission, while the rest of the Shepherds sailed by, knowing that the hole they just squeezed from was bought at a steep price." Robin double took, questioning the story.

"You said Virion was the tactician in Valm."

"He was. His retainer, Cherche, rescued him from the sinking flames and flying arrows, though both of them were badly injured in the rescue. Virion never took up the bow again, instead leading from the back lines. Cherche died soon after they disembarked the ships."

"I see..." Robin began, not wanting to think of his own comrades being cooked alive and bleeding out simultaneously.

"But don't worry, Robin. I know for a fact that you'll pull us through, but I know as a gut feeling that no one will get hurt. I know it isn't much but-"

"Your instincts are sharper than anything here. Thanks Lucina... I hope I can prove you right."

"I... I- me too," Lucina whispered airily, leaving the tent. "Good night, Robin."

Day 8, a few minutes before dawn

Robin walked along the Course of Action's stern, running his hand along the handrail as the night sea air bit a pleasant chill on his ears and neck. Taking a deep breath of salt and cold, Robin couldn't help but feel very relaxed at the calming chill. Sea air was something entirely new to him, but for some reason, it felt very natural. Relaxing, even, if not for the war that awaited him beyond the horizon.

Singing.

Robin gazed past the web of rigging and sails towards the bow, where a solemn and solitary white figure stood, blue hair fluttering in the wind behind her. Even as she faced the other way, Azura's clear voice echoed past the waves and back towards the tactician. Like a man ensnared by a siren's song, Robin slowly crept closer and closer, the songstress oblivious to her guest.

Her voice was as haunting as the ocean below, yet had a serenity to it that nothing else could compare to. Much like Olivia's dancing, there was a beauty and a danger to her song, captivating and paralyzing all at once. Robin had heard the songstress hum at times, espeically during the early morning while he patrolled the Shepherd's camp. But to hear her sing? Now that was something special.

"What a beautiful voice," Robin whispered to himself, entranced to the point that he blindly continued walking closer, even without his realization.

Was she... floating?

The pendant that adorned the Hoshidan's chest was glowing a pale blue, providing a jarring source of light that contrasted with the orange pale of the torches lit on board. Unlike fire, Azura's pendant glowed with an energy that could only be described as ethereal. There was no warmth, no comforting flicker of flames, Robin thought.

Her feet, thought to be firmly atop the deck, weren't even touching the ground. As Azura sang, her body elevated ever so slightly so that she hovered a few inches off the ground. Some mages were skilled enough to levitate, Robin recalled, knowing Tharja could pull off a similar stunt. But as far as Robin knew, Azura wasn't much of a mage. She was a songstress, a dancer that could reinvigorate allies just like Queen Olivia. Her skills with a lance was dazzling, but she wasn't meant for combat.

But yet... there was this power to her.

Azura seemed to halt her song, but the words did not fade into the ocean. No, what happened next startled both Robin and the songstress herself, as the Valmese sea in front of the ship seemed to open up slightly and stir at some unknown force: a tempest within the depths glowing teal for just an instant, before calming again and fading back to the murky indigo in the night.

"What was that?" Robin called out, causing Azura to react to his voice in shock.

"C-Commander!?" Azura cried out, too stunned to react properly as her body hit the ground hard. Robin quickly ran to the fallen dancer, helping her back up as he evaluated the waters that flickered and came alive just a few moments ago.

"We're on guard duty, didn't you remember? Are you alright?"

"It is indeed my shift, though I could be doing a better job at it, I suppose." Azura was surprisingly eloquent for one so shy. Robin nodded along, putting his hands in his pockets to stave off the chilly air.

"We're not expecting trouble quite yet, so no need to fret. Still, I'm more curious about that song you sang. Corrin didn't tell me you could control the ocean."

"It wasn't my song that did that," Azura lied, but it was confident enough that Robin believed her. "It was me though, I just wish I knew how to control that power."

"So that whirlpool that almost happened..."

"That was my own power, not the song I sang. I apologize, but I don't quite understand it myself."

"Interesting. I suppose I understand, somewhat. But the song was beautiful, nonetheless," Robin acknowledged, causing Azura to tilt her head in confusion.

"Most consider my voice to be disturbing. Did it not bother you?" Robin glared in bewilderment, but laughed it off.

"If you're calling your voice unbearable, I believe you are gravely mistaken. That was no doubt the most beautiful singing I've heard in a while. And I've heard singers like Queen Olivia and Cordelia, who are great in their own right. Hearing you, though... you're something beyond that."

"Hah," the songstress mused, searching for any discrepancies in Robin's posture. Seeing none, she relaxed visibly and decided that she was overreacting with her thoughts. The only reason she had sung was so she could test out her pendant's power with the ocean, just in case the opportunity demanded she use it. Any more than that and the expenditure would have permanent effects.

Ideally, she wouldn't have to do anything and trust in the mages, but Corrin had insisted that she be careful.

'Your songs are powerful, we know that. Do you think you could do something like that again, if we're in trouble?'

Azura laughed at Corrin's request, given that she didn't know the true cost of wielding that double-edged blade. But she agreed, smiling to Corrin as she always did. She would help.

"I'm sorry, I know this isn't the time for song. It comforts me, you must understand. I am nervous."

"We all are, Az- Princess. You have nothing to apologize for. If anything, I would prefer you keep singing. Your voice is just as relaxing as these waters."

"That's a compliment I take gladly. These oceans are beautiful," Azura sighed wistfully, wishing she could just jump in and swim in those waters. But alas, there was naught but war waiting for her. The time to swim would have to come later.

"It's my first time seeing the ocean this close," Robin agreed. "A shame it had to be under these circumstances."

"Ah, the sun is rising too. A sunrise over the ocean. I never had the chance to see this in Hoshido," Azura admitted. "The Shepherds are stirring below-decks. Are they waking up?"

"We're not in any immediate danger, so I ordered them to get a few hours of rest," Robin explained. "I woke them up a few minutes before you started singing."

"Ah, they all heard me."

"That isn't so bad, is it?"

"...I don't know."

"In any case, here they are," Robin sighed, pointing in the distance. "That's a whole lot of ships."

In the distance, past the Feroxian body of the fleet stood at least three dozen ships, all in formation on the far horizon. Their white sails stood tall and proud, and the red markings on their hulls were just starting to become visible with the morning sun. With the sun rising behind them, the Course of Action cast long shadows in front of her, her black sails and purple-trimmed bow speeding onward.

Robin quickly ran to the center-mast, ringing the bells for a few seconds and rousing the Shepherds for battle. Azura hopped off the bow, picking up her lance from its fallen position on the ground and twirled the shaft between her fingers deftly.

"I suppose my song will have to wait."

"Battle stations! This is it, Shepherds! Battle stations! The Valmese Fleet is here!"

"Ah, it's morning?" Chrom asked, groggy but already suited up in combat regalia. Robin screamed orders from nearly everywhere, dashing around and directing mages and archers to their stations. Falchion hung loose by the Exalt's side, not expecting much action today. Chrom would instead be ferrying tomes to the mages that needed them, which was a bore but oh well.

"Good morning my Exalt. Let's get our morning exercise in," Robin called from above, waving to Lucina and Laslow as well. "The royal family is all up! Is Queen Olivia getting ready?"

"Right here," Olivia yawned, her hair a mess but otherwise ready for action. "Good morning, Chrom."

"Good morning, my love," Chrom greeted, pecking his wife on the lips before nodding to his future children. "Let's do our part," he ordered, climbing the ladders to get on deck.

Robin had already assumed his position behind the center sail, still directing the Shepherds to their posts.

"Bring the ship starboard, Chrom! Line us up behind our allies! Signal team, wave down the Galeforce, Bowbreaker and Vengeance! Tell them to prepare for scuttle! Fire mages, wind mages, stand by!"

His training adequate thanks to a practical implement back home, Chrom knew how to handle the Captain's wheel with moderate expertise. Without a word, the Exalt quickly manned the helm, swinging the ship over and causing everyone on board to stumble at the sudden shift in inertia. Once the turn was completed, the rest of the Shepherds found themselves on a collision course with the enemy fleet, with only a pair of Plegian ships shielding their immediate front.

"Fires are ready on your order!" Leo yelped from above, Camilla and Miriel supporting him atop the crow's nest. Robin affirmed his acknowledgement through a hand gesture, letting the crew atop know that they were understood.

"Set sights on the Bowbreaker! Once the Valmese are in range, open fire! She'll open up a hole!"

"Fimbulvetrs are ready as well, hero tactician!" Owain called out, confidently flanked by Lissa and Ophelia. They weren't as strong as the fire mages, but they had sufficient talent to handle the ice magic effectively.

"Create ice along our aft flank! We're gonna dash starboard and we're going to get rammed if we're too slow through the gap! We can't let them come close, so make that barrier as fast as you can!" Robin hoped worry didn't cloud his voice. Everything was going according to plan and even then, the threat of being outnumbered made him on edge. He just prayed he could-

The plan is going to work, Lucina voiced in his head.

"We're going to get through this," Robin reassured himself, not even noticing Azura by his side who was examining his posture, not panicking herself.

"Commander R-robin!" Sakura timidly called, standing with Ricken, "We'll wait for you before we start our wind magic!"

"Right!" Robin acknowledged, running over to the helm where he could properly see the situation develop. Nearly bowling over Corrin, he grabbed her arm and looked her in the eyes in a wild rush.

"Are you ready for your part?" he blurted, heart and breath racing.

"W-what?" she replied, still in a frenzied panic.

"Don't tell me you forgot!? Your dragonstone, do you have it?"

"O-oh! Y-yeah!"

Fumbling about, Corrin pulled out the glowing stone and showed it to Robin, who nodded and patted her shoulder.

"I have a feeling you'll need it in about three minutes!"

Corrin nodded and ran past him, grabbing Azura and muttering incoherent gibberish before running off again, this time towards Xander's location. Azura was still considering what she'd heard from Robin's exchange with Corrin.

"What use would her dragonstone be?" She wondered, but alas, there was too much going on now to scheme. She couldn't be seen in her own thoughts at a time like this. She gripped onto the yardarm, eyeing the surroundings as time seemed to slow.

In just a few minutes, the three Plegian decoys had engaged the Valmese fleet, pulling five Valmese out of the blockade in attempts to intercept. Behind the Course of Action, the crews of the three decoy ships had been retrieved, leaving three empty husks doused in torch fluid and ready to burn.

"They're taking the bait. Fire mages, on my mark!"

Even from a couple hundred yards away, the sound of wood smashing into wood could be heard, and the Bowbreaker collided hard with a Valmese warship. Ants crawled on board, and the Bowbreaker was boarded.

"Fire!"

A trio of bright orange streaks flew overhead, whistling and crackling through the air until they slammed into their first target. The Bowbreaker quickly caught ablaze just as it collided with the second of the Valmese ships, colliding into it violently and setting all three vessels into a vigorous inferno that nearly blurred everything else within the dawn sky. Screams and yelling were heard from the newly destroyed ship, and Azura couldn't help but wonder what would happen if the Bowbreaker's crew were still on board.

A few moments later, the Vengeance and Galeforce had caught afire as well, opening quite the hole for the Course of Action to break through. Six Valmese ships were down, at the cost of three Plegian ones.

Even with the roaring fire getting closer and closer, faster still were three more ships close enough to pursue.

"The others are swinging around the wreckage! Fimbulvetr, now!"

Azura watched as the second team of mages let loose their spells, creating a field of floating ice blocks in their wake, colliding audibly with each other and crashing into the Valmese ships on their trail. They were no larger than a horse, but at the speed the Valmese had been sailing, the sharp ice punctured even the sturdy wood of the bows, damaging and crippling their pursuers.

As one unlucky ship began to list and tip over, a sigh of relief was heard from Robin, who took little respite knowing that at least their backs were safe. Watching Corrin, he held up his hand, signaling her that she didn't have to do her thing just yet. Corrin gulped, looking straight up towards the crow's nest where Leo and Camilla were, not quite liking the jarring height.

"We're still in the clear, stand fast for now, Commander."

"Thank goodness. I can't swim," Corrin laughed, her smile contagiously spreading to Robin and Azura.

"Wind, let's get out of here!" Robin called out, leading his own spell on the sails and causing it to billow fully. Azura jolted when the ship lurched forward suddenly, causing her to stumble backwards from the rapid acceleration. Judging by the lack of opposition, everyone had to admit that Robin's plan had worked admirably. The Feroxian navy would hang back, waiting for the blockade to break before splitting into two around the wreckage. Now, all that was left was to hunt down the commander...

"Second wave of ships off our bow! It's a second blockade!"

Or not.

"Robin! There's a second blockade!"

Robin cursed aloud as Corrin gazed at him, fearfully clutching her dragonstone.

"Ready when you are, Commander!" Corrin called down, but Robin shook his head and his arms violently.

"No, we can't risk you going alone. We're doing this the hard way, it seems." Robin made his way up the yardarm and used his telescope to scope out the ships details.

"Well, at least it's the commanding ship," Robin called out optimistically, but Xander and Ryoma voiced their concerns.

"We have no ships in front of us. How are we going to break through?"

"When we pass," Robin tried to explain, "We'll broadside them with everything we have. Hopefully it should at least disable the ship..."

"Or..." Corrin goaded, smiling excitedly.

"Actually... now's as good a time as ever. Commander Corrin, if you may be so kind to open the way for us?"

"I'll get ready to jump..." Corrin replied, climbing up towards the rat's nest and pocketing her dragonstone.

If anyone else was up with her, they would have seen her smile fade quickly into a pout.

"Stupid water..."

"Enemy ship is roughly half a minute away!" Chrom called backwards, eyeing the galleon rapidly closing in.

"Dammit..." Robin sighed, beating himself up for blowing all his cards too soon.

"Commander Robin, I'm ready!" Corrin called from above, waving her dragonstone which glittered a light blue in the dark morning sky.

"You know when, then!" Robin ordered, causing Corrin to shiver in apprehension.

"If I miss, sorry," she joked in a rather youthful show. Robin shook his head, focusing on the issue at hand.

"Enemy warship is closing," Chrom repeated, motioning people away from the edges of the ship lest they get sniped by an archer or mage.

"This is it! Hold your fire until my command!" Robin ordered, lining up all the mages on the aft side, gently nudging the ship starboard to open up her angle.

"Everyone, heads down!" Ryoma shouted, even as arrows whistled overhead. A few struck some of the pegasus knights, whom Robin had advised to fly overhead once the fighting had started. Sumia quickly landed, Snowflake having suffered a minor wound.

"Don't fire even if fired upon..." Robin commanded, "We can't risk hurting Corrin."

As if on cue, Corrin leaped off the nest, a mighty roar signalling her rapid vector towards the Valmese command ship. Shifting partially, the humanoid form of the young princess suddenly sprouted wings as, while incapable of unassisted flight, helped to guide Corrin off the height she had just dove from towards the rapidly approaching Valmese ship.

"Come on, Corrin..." Robin whispered.

At a few hundred feet, Corrin found herself near screaming at the sheer speed she was travelling, and her arms shifted into her dragon form's massive claws mostly out of fright. Less than a second away, the rest of her body changed into its draconic state, letting loose a massive roar just as it collided with the core of the commanding ship.

The combined weight of her body along with its immense momentum caused her to pierce straight through multiple layers of the ship's hull, completely shattering the center mast and sending a couple Valmese troops overboard. Almost instantly, the deck began to collapse from the falling pillar of wood, and the giant gaping hole in the ship grew bigger and bigger more of the deck split. Almost right after, a light sparkle glittered where she punched through, and Corrin's soaking body reappeared next to a beaming Elise. Wet and battered up, Corrin collapsed on the ground with a tired smile on her face.

"...Ow."

Elise giggled, eyes wide from that daring move by Corrin's dragon form.

"I-I'll a-admit... T-that was pretty cool," Corrin admitted, shivering as her grin alone warmed her up. Elise tried drying up her sister, but Corrin shook it off and ran to Robin.

"A congratulations is in order, Commander, on sinking your first enemy ship," Robin announced, before raising his hand to the mages who were ready to fire.

"Do you see them?" Robin asked, waiting for the Valmese to present themselves.

"I do, master tactician," Owain replied, the closest mage to Robin.

"I don't want to."

Almost instantly, Robin felt a collective chill and rush as spells of all varieties flew overhead, crashing into the Valmese ship and obliterating its hull from sheer magical force alone. Without a chance to even retaliate from both the magical assault and the previous dragon strike, the commanding ship plummeted into the depths without a fight.

"And we are in the clear! Excellent work, people. Let's... ah."

Robin froze, eyes on the horizon as the rising sun illuminated a large warship, far larger than the pieces of the blockade.

"That's not supposed to be there."

"...It's just one ship. I think that's the commander," Corrin guessed. "Unless the one we just sank was a decoy?"

"I'm not quite sure about this one," Robin wondered, gesturing to Chrom to maintain course. "We have the speed to avoid it... but that's a mighty impressive looking ship. I think someone is on board that would prove problematic to our plan."

"It's Commander Ignatius' personal ship!" Virion exclaimed, recognizing the markings. "He's the one responsible for the entire navy! Robin, we take that monster down and we'll be controlling the seas from here to Ferox!"

"...That sounds great. Alright, we'll do that. Battle stations, Shepherds! One last story before bed."

"The adrenaline from the first two fights dying down, the troops assumed their positions once more, eyeing the massive ship that bore straight for them.

"Standard warship crews go from fifty to a few hundred. Being that that is a rather large ship, this Commander 'Ignatius' is bound to have a large complement of marines aboard."

"We can take him in a fair fight, or we can blow him away with mages. What do you think Corrin?"

"...Azura."

"What?"

"Azura," Corrin asked, walking to the dancer. "Do you think you could help us?"

"..."

"Listen," Robin pointed, gesturing to Ignatius' warship that was getting closer and closer. "We have a fighting force that we've been drilling for the whole week. Azura, stay back."

Azura stayed still, not responding to Corrin's confused reaction.

"Shepherds... PREPARE TO BOARD!" Robin rang out, and a rallying cry arose from the Course of Action. The Princess looked to Robin as she began to climb the ladders again, but Robin shook his head, instead drawing his levin sword and gesturing for her to do the same with her Yato.

"Commander! I'm scouting at least two hundred Valmese on the ship!" Hinoka reported, her tenma winded from its scouting mission. Taking off again, she and Cordelia hovered back, well out of range of enemy archers as not to emulate Sumia's unfortunate injury.

"Alright, a simple 3 on 1. We've done that plenty of times," Robin smiled. "We board them. Bring your fight below decks where we won't have to worry about numbers. The longer we fight above, the more time they will have to swarm us. Mages, hold your fire once the fighting starts. We can't risk setting our own on fire... But until then, it's open season."

Nohrian and Hoshidan looked to each other, then to the Feroxians beyond.

"We fight as one," Corrin called out, leading both dusk and dawn dragon armies from her position at the very front.

"Wind mages, repel their initial archer volley."

As if on command, a swarm of black had flown towards the Course of Action, only to be deflected by a powerful gust of wind from Robin and the other two wind mages. In response, fire rained down from the crow's nest, igniting the bow of Igniatius' ship and obscuring the deck with a thick smoke.

"Boarding parties!"

"Corrin..."

As the Valmese ship got closer and closer, a sole figure abandoned formation and walked atop the tip of the bow, as if she were the figurehead to the Course of Action. Lance in hand, Azura maintained perfect balance atop the narrow bowspirit, having cut away the forward sail to allow her room.

"Azura?" Robin questioned, repeating his question louder when the dancer didn't reply.

"AZURA?!" Corrin screamed, but Azura stopped her, smiling as she calmly turned, her pendant glowing strongly.

"You asked for my help, here it is," Azura bowed humbly, taking a deep breath.

'You are the ocean's gray waves...

Destined to seek life beyond the shore...'

As Azura continued her song, Robin felt the deck beneath him shake, and suddenly it lurched downwards as if the water had simply vanished. A tidal wave, easily as tall as the Course of Action, had appeared from the bow and was rapidly moving on a collision course with Ignatius' ship.

The motion of the bow lurching back upwards knocked Azura clear off the figurehead and back onto the deck, leaving her to roll a few feet before being steadied by Corrin. Everyone else watched in awe as the wave Azura had conjured continued on, even as Ignatius' ship desperately tried too late to steer away.

With a thundering crash, the body of water struck the warship, obliterating both ship and sailor in a thunderous crash and splitting the entire hull asunder. Nothing but sails and bits of wood remained, the rest of the ship having been claimed by the sea as quickly as the wave had come.

"I didn't know she could do that," Robin admitted, before checking on the fallen songstress. She was sweating heavily, and had already knocked out from exertion. Corrin cradled the songstress in her lap, worried sick that her friend had just overexerted herself beyond the realm of recovery.

"Will she be fine?" Robin asked softly, and Corrin nodded.

"I did ask for her to do this... but now I feel... ugh. Well, anyway," Corrin groaned, picking up Azura and carrying the taller woman over her shoulder. "Well, w-we just cleared a Valmese blockade! Let's make landfall and..."

Corrin collapsed as well, exhausted from her own stunt. Catching the two before they hit the ground, Xander and Ryoma nodded to each other and brought the two women to the healers below decks.

The Shepherds stood by, not a word being said among them.

"...All things considered, things went pretty well," Robin attempted, smiling despite everything else. "That's the Valmese shore in the distance."

"You brought us through in one piece. The Feroxians will reinforce us without an issue now," Virion advised, nodding in approval.

With his fellow commander unconscious and the songstress seemingly hiding more power than he could've ever known, Robin was left with more questions than answers. Still, the Shepherds needed a leader for the moment, and this war had just started. The Liberation of Valentia wouldn't stop for anything or anyone now.

"Shepherds, we have just made history. Now, I say we give those two lovely princesses a relaxing and peaceful beach to wake up to. Anyone care to join me?"

It was a dumb rhetorical question. But Robin loved hearing the answer nonetheless.

Chapter Text

Day 8, Morning

Usually, the gentle sounds of water did nothing brought nothing but comfort to Azura. The soft waves, the subtle rocking, even the smell of the ocean-

Rocking?

With a start, the songstress sat up, immediately regretting that action as the headache that came with the panicked motion sapped any peaceful energies in Azura's mind. Opening her eyes after the quick rush of blood to her head, Azura took a few seconds to re-affix herself in this chaotic world. Judging from the smell of things, she was still on board the Course of Action. The brightness gave away that a couple of hours had passed since... since...

Ah, right.

Feeling her pendant just to be sure, Azura rose to her feet, not thrilled in how weak all of her limbs felt. The ship was rocking gently, but not to the degree that it was on the open sea. There was no sense of momentum, so was the ship docked? Had the Shepherds already made landfall in Valm?

Before she could make it up the stairs, she heard a commotion on the other side of the below-decks. Finding Subaki and that Ylissean cleric (what was her name?) still on board, her suspicions were confirmed.

Lissa. That was her name. Good, everything was coming back, slow as it was to do so.

Sakura's retainer was lying down, bare chested but with a fresh wrapping of bandages all over his rather toned abdomen. There wasn't so much blood and the Pegasus Knight seemed to be in high spirits so the injury sustained must have been only a minor hindrance at best. If anything, the one with more difficulties was Lissa, who was having the time of her life trying to get the wounded retainer to calm down enough to finish patching him up.

"Ah, if only Lady Sakura could've taken notes of that display. Such a moment will set the standard of servitude Hana will have to match!"

"Well, one of you had to get shot. I bet Hana is just beside herself knowing a big strong retainer like you is outdoing her."

"...Ah, don't be so sure! We have a sense of competition when it comes to our duties. Keeps things interesting even if I always end up winning."

Lissa pretended to be attentive, more focused on her staff that was working its magic under the bandages. Azura watched in curiosity as Subaki's complexion got healthier, while Lissa's seemed to diminish in contrast.

"Well, between the two of you I'm sure Princess Sakura is plenty safe. Now hold still just a minute more..."

"A true retainer is a shield of steel or flesh and the situation is hardly picky, dear Princess. Once you find someone who'd use their body for your protection, you will understand the honor it is to defend royalty with your will and blood."

"I'm not saying I doubt you. On the contrary, I think you're doing a very good job keeping Princess Sakura unharmed! Annnnnd, there. I would say to take a quick breather, but the battle isn't stopping anytime soon. Now get back in there. Jeez, I'm getting tired already!"

Subaki rose, testing his legs before discovering Azura watching from her corner.

"Ah! The Lady of the Sea awakes. Are you well, Princess Azura?" Subaki greeted, punctuated with a polite bow depsite his abdominal wound.

"Azura! Oop, didn't notice you up. How are you feeling?" Lissa joined in, having caught her breath and joining her patient.

Taken aback by both retainer and Princess swarming her, the songstress backed up a second before nodding in greeting.

"I'm a bit drained, but not hurt. It appears the war has started without me."

If Lissa knew Azura better, she'd think that the songstress was disappointed to be missing out. Well, that certainly was relatable. The other two healers got to be in the front lines, while she was stuck here! However, with Azura awake Lissa was free to rejoin the front. And rejoin she would.

"On the contrary milady, you set the tone for the war quite well!" Subaki comforted, clearly in high spirits. "It's good to see you awake, Princess." Lissa cleared her throat, demanding the two's attention for a second.

"...Well, we landed in Valm about an hour ago and near everybody's been busy ever since. We stormed their beachhead and took care of the garrison in short order, though Subaki here and some others were among our first casualties. However, there is still a large swarm of Valmese cavalry and armor in the nearby city, and Robin is regrouping to stage a defensive while the other Feroxians unload and assemble at the Port."

"Just in time then. Where are they now?" Azura asked, getting impatient and starting towards the stairs. Lissa and Subaki followed in short order, the latter immediately saddling up on his Tenma once he reached the deck.

"...I suppose you're fine. They're still on the beach-head. But we're a little off shore and-"

"I don't mind a swim. I will see you for proper medical attention after the battle."

With that, Azura traversed the bowspirit of the Course of Action once more, making sure she wasn't about to jump headfirst into the shallows. Slightly after, Lissa heard a slight splash as Azura dove overboard and made her way to shore.

Turning to Subaki, Lissa didn't even have to say a word as she was promptly helped onto the Hoshidan Pegasus.

"She's pretty cool."

Valm Harbor Outskirts, Day 8 of the Valentian Liberation

Robin analyzed his opponent's movements, slowly edging toward the higher ground atop the sandy dunes that comprised of the beachhead. Now having the height advantage, the tactician waited patiently as the Valmese soldier made the first move to strike his unarmored foe. When the Valmese knight reared his lance for an upward-aimed lunge, Robin parried and jumped down, putting all his weight into knocking over his heavier foe and using his position to aim at the right leg. Wincing at the snap and the subsequent screams of pain, Robin confirmed that the Valmese soldier's leg was at least fractured.

Rolling away from his prone position, he blasted open the knight's neck armor with a wind spell, the vortex sucking all the air out of the enemy's lungs. Quickly, Robin took advantage of his foe's incapacitated state, drawing his Nohrian long sword (A defensive blade Robin had chosen from the newly-expanded armory) then stabbed it through the knight's neck clean into the dirt, aiming to end his opponent's misery as quickly and quietly as he could. Once the gurgling had stopped, Robin closed his eyes, catching his breath as he scanned his surroundings.

Waiting a few more seconds for confirmation, Robin stepped on top of his foe, yanking his sword out of the impromptu pedestal he had just created. Sighing in relief now that the coast was clear, the tactician found himself in the clear, swiftly peeling away to regroup with the Shepherds further down the beach.

Chrom and Frederick found themselves caught in an alleyway with two cavaliers staring them down. Frederick immediately took a covering position in front of Chrom, readying his lance for a joust with both of the knights at the same time. Chrom jumped on, knowing the sturdy warhorse could handle the added weight for a few seconds.

"You're not going to take them both out," Chrom murmured, settling in a crouch behind Frederick's saddle and drawing Falchion. "I can be a grown up and share."

"I follow your lead, my liege." Frederick , but Chrom spurred the horse and smiled lightly.

"Veer right, I'll take the one on the left."

As the soldiers grew closer, Frederick readied his reins to prepare for a collision with the knight on the right. Behind him, Chrom grabbed Frederick's armor and brought himself up on his feet, ready to jump.

"Now!"

Leaping off the horse, Chrom dove straight into the Valmese cavalier on the left, slicing his foe's lance with one motion and using his armored arm as a shield to brace his impact into and through the man's neck, knocking him clean off his horse and shielding Chrom's fall. Finishing off the moaning dismount with a clean stab to the chest, Chrom rose to his feet and groaned in pain from the impact, but was otherwise unharmed. Frederick, in an inhuman display of speed, avoided the other cavalier's lance entirely and grabbed the Valmese warrior by the armor when he was close enough. Ripping him off his horse, Frederick grunted in exertion as he felt the dead weight in his hands. Discarding the unconscious and possibly dead body from his sight, Frederick nodded at Chrom as they headed back to the makeshift base they had established.

The Shepherds had assembled on the beachhead, having used the small town on the port to hunker down as they repelled any counterattacks from within the safety of the port town's walls.

Corrin, having recovered from her energetic morning, found herself side by side with Lucina as the two Princesses were manning the eastern gate of the town. Archers made certain that any attempt to venture outside would end in death, so the two women resorted to staving off any cavaliers that made it through the gate. More used than anything on fighting a mounted foe, Corrin made quick work of an enemy rider, Yato carving clean through the Valmese armor and into the squishy bits underneath. Lucina was having a bit more trouble, having picked up a spear to better engage the mounted foes. Not quite mastering the techniques required, Lucina could only ward off their lances without any hope of a counterattack.

In any other situation, this might have been a problem.

When the opportunity arose, Corrin entered the fray, nimbly jumping into the air and drop kicking Lucina's target off his horse and backflipping so that she hovered over the fearful Valmese for just an instant. Channeling her dragon-blood, Corrin's left arm turned into a spear and skewered the knight through the chest into the ground, leaving the princess suspended over the newly-turned corpse much to the dismay of any Valmese archer unlucky enough to see.

Throwing her spear at one of the archers in an attempt to distract his aim, Lucina scrambled for the gate control, kicking the lock and sending the sturdy grates coming down with the click-click of heavy chains. With the portcullis finally lowered to stave off any additional reinforcements, Lucina turned her attention back to Corrin, making the connection that that was the move Corrin had pulled on her during their spar, albeit with more lethal effect. The other cavaliers stuck inside were helpless to retreat now, deciding to make a suicide run towards the still-suspended dragon-shifter.

"Look me in the eyes!"

...Only for a familiar looking lance to come from the walls, the wielder having much better aim than Lucina's previous throw. The javelin pierced the first rider through the back, knocking him off his horse and causing his body to get trampled by the second. Working in tandem, Corrin mounted the Valmese horse and threw off the rider while Lucina finished the dismounted rider with Falchion, checking around to make sure that the fort was secure on their end.

"You," Corrin huffed, catching her breath, "Have an awful lot of explaining to do," she greeted with a smile. Azura nodded back, also bowing to Lucina who was cleaning the blood off of Falchion.

She didn't know that the song drains me. None of them did. Now...

"You asked for my power," Azura reasoned, feeling her pendant for reassurance. Corrin grunted, crossing her arms.

"Your power?" Lucina wondered to herself, not having given Azura a second thought before today.

"We know what happened the first time, and you seemed fine. Well, despite me punching you with my dragon claws. But what was that on the sea? Why did you collapse?" Azura backed off, her brows furrowing as she yelled back.

"I did what I had to. Don't... don't make me regret doing that."

"I won't."

Azura nodded, retrieving her lance from the fallen Valmese soldier without a word.

"Wait. Azura, we'll talk later, please? I just need to know that you're okay," Corrin asked after a beat, prompting the songstress to relax as well.

"...Yes. I'm feeling fine."

A sudden banging on the gate shook the three princesses out of their reverie, and the trio turned to see a near battalion of soldiers right outside the gate, not attempting to bear arms despite their formation.

"Surrendering?" Corrin whispered, not believing her eyes. She walked to the gate cautiously, singling out the unarmed soldiers.

"No milady. We are not your enemies," one of the Valmese cried in appeal.

"What is the meaning of this ruse?" Lucina asked harshly, pointing out the leader of the Valmese element. Immediately, he rose to his feet and, without his weapon, ran to Corrin and knelt again.

"Servants of Raijin! I am the Captain of this battalion! We have all seen the wrath of the Thunder God, and we know that it is our duty to atone for our sins! For all it is worth, Ylissean, my battalion and l pledge loyalty to the Ylissean League! Please, let us Chon'sin overthrow our Valmese captors! We stand with you and Emperor Ryoma!"

Emperor?

"Wait, what?" Corrin asked, clearly confused beyond belief. "You're of Chon'sin, who is a Valmese supporter, and now we're just switching sides just like that? And... Emperor?"

Turning to Lucina who shrugged in return, Corrin faced the captain again.

"Please, we are unarmed! Allow us to join you. We have waited so long for an opportunity to reclaim our home."

Any thoughts that could've been said were interrupted when Takumi, Ryoma and an unknown woman appeared from atop the walls. To their surprise, Ryoma jumped down from the walls onto the sand, raising the portcullis himself. Instantly, the Chon'sin soldiers bowed in reverence, their faces digging into the sand in a sincere pledge.

"We were just as confused," Takumi assured, lowering his bow as he extended a hand towards the stranger of the group.

"You are..." Lucina tried to remember, only for Takumi to fill in for her.

"This is Princess Say'ri, Princess of Chon'sin. I'm not questioning it, but the Chon'sin have a legend regarding the Thunder God and the Wind God, who they claim will liberate their home when all others have been led astray."

"That sounds awfully convenient," Corrin mused.

"Hey! I'm not about to question it. Also, Ryoma... Well, he... might also have just claimed the Chon'sin throne."

"W-what?" Lucina gasped, the realization coming together in her head. A large portion of the Valmese forces were Chon'sin. If they could all defect... "This changes everything!"

"It is a gift from heaven itself," Say'ri affirmed, speaking for her own.

"Again, don't question it," Takumi repeated.

"Emperor Ryoma and the rest of the Ylissean League was clearly sent by the gods to liberate our kingdom at this time of need. To teach us that we have been led astray by Walhart's lies. Perhaps we cannot atone for our sins, or the sins of our fathers before us, but we can honor this gift with action. Know this: Emperor Ryoma is now the rightful ruler of Chon'sin. Her people... and I, will fight and die for his cause."

Thirty Minutes Before

"I'm counting seven, and one civilian," Saizo observed, his mask covering his grimace even as he started a magical flame on his shuriken.

"They are all distracted. That one they're chasing seems to be a hostage," Kagero added, her eyes pointing out the woman being pursued by Valmese knights.

"Takumi and I will blow past them and rescue the woman," Ryoma affirmed, motioning for Takumi to cover him along with his two retainers. "You two, be discreet and thin their numbers while the factor of surprise is with us. We move quickly and fluidly. Do not be hung up on prolonged engagements until we secure the area around the hostage."

"Yes my lord," the two ninjas replied in unison, both retainers already in position to move.

"You're awfully good at running away from home, Princess," one of the Valmese mocked, taunting the cornered Say'ri. "We have orders not to kill you, but you abandoned your own throne. Aren't you folk supposed to be the honorable type?"

"I am the Princess of Chon'sin! You will not capture me here!" Say'ri responded, her kick having some effect on the well-armored knight and giving her a bit more space. The struggle was futile in the end, and with a bit of effort the Princess was taken down, bindings quickly applied to her mouth and wrists.

"You dogs will never have your victory-"

"That's enough insurrectionist talk," The Valmese knight warned, roughly shoving Say'ri into the sand to shut her up. Spitting out grit, the Chon'sin Princess could only sputter about as she was dragged around by her binds by her captor.

"Bring her to Ignatius," he ordered to a subordinate. "He should be back from his little sailing trip any moment now. Best put him in a good mood and show him our present."

The underling nodded, roughly dragging Say'ri away from the town towards the main base. She tried to resist, but the binds were tight and her strength was already diminished from her days of running. Not willing to risk another escape, the knight kicked in Say'ri's leg from behind and dragged the writhing body behind him across the sandy path.

But as he did so, a knife of unfamiliar design embedded itself in his arm, causing him to let go of the rope in pain. Using his other hand to wrest the dagger out, the knight realized that the projectile was glowing red-hot from a magical fire of sorts. That dilemma was solved a second later, the knife detonating and amputating the knight's hand at the elbow. Screaming in pain, the knight stood up and made a commotion of curses and screams before a streak of bright blue pierced his chest, punching clean through his thick plate and knocking him to the ground. Blood gushed outwards from the sucking chest wound, spurting crimson even as the life faded from the quickly dying soldier.

In the moment of shock, another blue streak wedged its way between Say'ri's binds and set her free, though her head was still reeling from the shifts in momentum. Her senses were not so dulled that she couldn't see two clouds of smoke manifest from the fort's walls, nor could she miss the deft cuts of an assassin's blade, expertly dispatching two more of her pursuers without as much as a sound. The clattering of armor, the choking on blood, they all masked the footsteps of the one who had freed Say'ri.

"Shinobi? Here?" Say'ri gasped. Assassins were not under the employ of the royal family, so who could have wanted her out of Valmese-

Lightning from the heavens struck another guard, electrocuting him and leaving nothing but a smoking pile of motionless metal where a proud soldier once stood. Looking upwards, Say'ri could notice that there wasn't a single cloud in sight.

"What is this?" she could only wonder.

Ryoma quickly dashed in, answering every question that could be asked with his blade alone. The gentle curve of Raijinto suggested it was Chon'sin, but nothing except those arcane levin swords could carry lightning... lightning?

Lightning, with no storm clouds. No, that wasn't a natural disaster that had struck the unfortunate guard.

It was a divine punishment!

"Raijin!" Say'ri realized, the stories of her childhood not lost to her in that moment. Everything was making sense! The rumors of an Ylissean League coming to liberate Valentia from Walhart's grasp... That could only mean that the gods were here to free Chon'sin once more from the evils around them. Yes, yes!

Running recklessly towards the samurai, Chon'sin bowed at his feet, ignoring the slaughter of the chaos around her.

"Bearer of Lightning, you are most welcome here! I am Crown Princess of Chon'sin, Say'ri, and I vow that my country and I will forever more support thee! By the blade you carry and the blood in my veins, I swear upon pain of death that my allegiance is true."

Ryoma was still too focused to process that, but Kagero and Saizo were not as susceptible to this seemingly random declaration of fealty.

"My lord? What do we do with her?"

"It matters not at the moment. Can you fight?" Ryoma asked instead. Say'ri nodded, still prostrate before the Hoshidan.

Unsheathing the twin katana at his side, he gave them to the unarmed Say'ri who accepted the blades with the utmost reverence.

"I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but help us clear out this fort and you will have earned my trust," the High Prince decreed, almost entering the fray without giving Say'ri a chance to respond. The Princess stopped him with a raised arm, much to Saizo and Kagero's discomfort. Thankfully, a hand from Ryoma made them stand down.

"W-wait, are you not here as a sign from the Thunder God? Are you not the Ylissean League, here to liberate this continent?"

"I don't know about this 'Thunder God.' But yes, we are the Ylissean League," Ryoma confirmed.

"...I appear to have put my information together in quite the wrong way," Say'ri realized. "I am sorry, but your sword- My people have a legend, you see... ah, I have vexed myself and I apologize."

"Well, that's fine, but we're not Ylissean. We're from Hoshido," Takumi butted in, secretly hoping his bow would elicit the same reaction as Raijinto did, but Say'ri did not quite seem to notice.

"Hoshido... Hoshido? I read stories about the White Kingdom! As a girl, my obaasan would read me stories... that isn't important at the moment," Say'ri realized, her confusion being replaced with excitement. "B-but... Are you not the Ylissean league the Valmese Resistance has been waiting for?"

"Whatever legends you heard and whatever rumors your intelligence has been feeding you are one and the same," Chrom interrupted, stepping into the fold along with Frederick. "Brave soldiers of Hoshido and Nohr have aided us on our journey to take down Walhart's reign of terror."

"Exalt Chrom!" Say'ri realized upon recognizing Naga's brand. Smiling in recognition at her ally, she shook his hand and gave a proper bow. "May I be the first to welcome the Ylissean League to my homeland. When I heard rumors of Ferox, Plegia and Ylisse rallying to our aid, I was beside myself with joy. But now you are allied with Hoshido and Nohr? Have you found some mythical land where the stories of our childhood have come to life?"

"Yes, actually," Chrom replied in a straightforward admission. "We asked nicely."

"I wasn't aware we were from a children's tale," Ryoma chuckled, taking it in stride.

"...And apparently we're a pretty big deal out here," Takumi added, whistling in rather fond astonishment.

"Princess Say'ri," Chrom continued. "This is High Prince Ryoma of Hoshido. That is as much as we can spare so far, as there still lies a crucial turnabout at hand. If you'll look around for a second..."

Say'ri stared as the few Valmese that were left alive had taken off their helmets, revealing their Chon'sin features for her to see. None of them were standing, but in fact on one knee, bowing to Ryoma.

"Can this be..." Say'ri started, to which one of the Chon'sin prone replied eagerly.

"Empress Say'ri, by the honor of my ancestors which I have disgraced, I pledge my heart and blade to the Ylissean league! May my deeds or my death restore my honor: thus is my pledge!"

Another echoed his claim, and then another. Then another. Soon enough, the survivors recited their rallying cry of allegiance to Ryoma and Say'ri, laying down their blades and stretching themselves to the ground in reverence.

"Chrom, is there something I'm missing?" Ryoma wondered.

"No, we're just as lost as you are," Chrom admitted. "I'd go along with it though- Robin would appreciate his job becoming easier."

"Soldiers of Chon'sin!" Say'ri cried, rallying her exiled countrymen eagerly. "This is my last decree as your Princess! The crown of our people no longer belongs to me nor to my brother who has betrayed the throne to the Valmese..."

With that, Say'ri stood face to face with Ryoma, taking off her ring of office and placing it at the clueless Ryoma's palm.

"High Prince Ryoma of Hoshido, bearer of Lightning... I bequeath upon thee the throne of my people! Chon'sin will forever serve the gods, and you as our Emperor!"

With that, the newly-converted soldiers let out another cry, pledging their all to the startled and confused Hoshidan.

"Surely this is some mistake," Ryoma muttered, clearly not anticipating this turn of events.

"If you don't want it, I do," Takumi whispered.

"Whatever position I had before is null," Say'ri said with a relieved sigh, "As the throne is now yours, so too are her people. Will you guide us back to freedom, Emperor Ryoma?"

With this rather unforeseen turn of events, Robin realized that he had both a standing army of Feroxians (when they finished breaching the blockade) and the entire population of Chon'sin at his command.

Well, Ryoma's command, if one were to come to specifics. But they were on the same side, fighting for the same thing, so that was essentially the lay of it.

Said samurai was at a loss, not prepared for anything political once he stepped through the portal to Ylisse. Say'ri was eagerly at his side, treasuring the twin katana he had given her even if they were of typical Hoshidan steel: spares lest Ryoma be disarmed in combat. Briefly advising her new Emperor on the history of Chon'sin, she had made it clear to Ryoma at least that she was fully serious on this odd yet veritable commitment.

Either that, or Ryoma was convinced this was the best prank of all time. He wasn't quite set on either verdict yet.

Regardless, the Ylisseans had won their first battle and had conquered the Valmese and routed them from the coast. With an established headquarters and the prospect of many deserters due to the divine blade Ryoma held, Robin had many reasons to believe that the war had taken a turn for the better. Best push that momentum while it lasted.

Corrin on the other hand had seen that Nohr and Hoshido had found their purpose in this battle. Ryoma was hard to convince, but at least now he had some sort of purpose to discover. No doubt it would take time, but for the forseeable future, Nohr and Hoshido were well on the path to peace.

And thus, with five countries behind them and a war in front, two legends began their tale.

Chapter Text

Valmese Coastal Village, Day 14, Midday

For the most part, Lon'qu didn't mind the new arrivals.

Eccentric, sure. Strange, perhaps. But mainly this was due to the fact that they hardly bothered him. They were getting awfully chummy with each other, so that sense of distance was sure to go away as more time passed. Perhaps Lon'qu would be singing a different tune by then.

All this time, Lon'qu had thought that Nohr and Hoshido were but fairy tails to occupy the pages of children's book. Of course, being a rat on the street, he hadn't much opportunity to read many children's books. He did read a lot of market stands though, and Ke'ri-

Ke'ri...

He didn't read many children's books in Chon'sin. And Basilio would look at him like an idiot if he ever tried to do the same in Ferox. Even Olivia would laugh at him, and that was saying something.

Of course, stepping foot on their continent and staring down Nohrian and Hoshidan blades had awoken the swordsman to the possibility that, just maybe, his new-found allies weren't just words on a page. Sure, said words were dramatic and vivid in their visualization of both kingdoms, but the men and women that came across that portal to join the Shepherds lived and breathed. Worse, they were living and breathing.

Master of the sword as he was, Lon'qu had to admit that they matched their martial descriptions to the letter. Both Nohrian and Hoshidans were skilled. Talented, dare he say, better.

There would be much to learn. Much more to prove. He was better than a fairy tale. He was the product of hard work and self-growth. He had conquered his own demons and...

No he hadn't.

Hoshidan and Nohrian women alike hadn't seen much of Lon'qu, despite their equal skill. To them, Lon'qu might as well have been a fairy tale himself.

Robin and the new Commander Corrin (who was a peerless swordsman in her own right), the progeny of tactical advice and unorthodox stratagem, decided that the Valmese were a prominent threat to even the highly-skilled among their number. That was the reasoning behind recruiting these extra hands after all. But no one could afford to be sloppy out there. Sure, some of them had cut their teeth on Plegian conscripts.

The Valmese were a little better than that.

Nohrian and Hoshidan women better still.

Lon'qu winced. So many females in close proximity to him put his nerves on edge. So many times did he pass a feminine stranger that was his ally who gave him a friendly greeting, only for the flustered swordsman to glare away or make himself scarce disappear, usually in a rude way. His go-to options showcased little to no variance.

He had better things to do then worry about females though, like slaughtering the bandits attacking this village. Thank Robin and Corrin for keeping him busy on sortie.

And curse the two of them for pairing him with a woman.

The soldier by his side was some cavalier woman from Nohr, bearing strange blue hair with pink tips along with possibly the scariest set of eyes that he had ever seen. When the other one wasn't being covered by hair, they were covered with blood and glazed over with euphoria at the carnage. It wasn't that she viewed battle as glorious like other Nohrians.

No, this one was a cut above the usual sadist. Like, way above. Multiple cuts, Lon'qu decided.

Perhaps a few Astra-technique swings above the usual.

There we go.

Speak of the devil, there she was, the battlefield just behind her a flowing river of red and groans. She turned to Lon'qu (the last conscious slab of meat on the field of slaughter) and grinned.

"Mister Lon'qu! There's blood on your arm!" She called out, her lance bouncing haphazardly along her shoulder as she ran at him. The swordsman backed off, though not really because she was a woman.

She was insane.

This is ridiculous. No one can be this... bloodthirsty. Right?

With a deep breath, the swordsman decided to calm down. Peri wasn't going to kill him.

He hoped.

"That's a lot of blood! It's so red!"

"That's what happens when you kill people," Lon'qu stammered, sheathing his blade. Peri made sure that there were to be no more bandits, but the real threat was still walking towards him. He nervously picked up the pace with his backpedaling but soon enough the cavalier caught up to him and grabbed his arm roughly.

"P-peri, it's fine-"

"Let me clean that off for you!" Without warning, the Nohrian woman smeared the bloodstain off Lonqu's arm and licked it off her fingers, sighing in relaxation as her eyes rolled back accompanying her blood-stained grin.

Lon'qu, both horrified that she ate blood off his arm, and that a woman touched him, decided now was a very good time to run.

"Mister Lon'qu! Where are you going! I still need to finish cleaning you!"

"I think I'll die instead."

"Did Lon'qu fall in battle?" Robin wondered, taking accountability of the last sortie party. He really hoped they wouldn't run into casualties this early. Owain and Lissa were going to be devastated. How would he break the news to them of Lon'qu's death?

With a regrettable sigh, he prepared to scratch the letters 'KIA' next to Lon'qu's name, but Corrin's hand in the way told him not to.

"We've made a terrible mistake," Corrin sighed, pointing to the distance where the swordsman was running full sprint away from Xander's retainer, nothing but fear engraved on his face.

"Ah, he survived. That's a relief- Why is Peri running at us?"

Lon'qu finally made it to Robin, but neither man could hold back the blood-soaked Peri, who tossed aside the Commander like he was a pebble on the side of the road.

Flying a good ten feet over Corrin, the tactician was helpless to cushion his fall and winced when his back hit a hard rock. Groaning the pain away, he rose to his knees, shaking his head at Corrin in bewilderment.

"What the hell is wrong with this army?

Chapter Text

Day 14, Afternoon

News of the Shepherd's invasion spread throughout Valm like wildfire. Soldier, citizen, and captive alike shared thoughts of what changes the Ylissean militia would bring to the mainland.

"Some of the traitor Chon'sin have left their assignments, and their swarming towards the Shepherds by the hundreds. Why is that?"

In a small tavern sitting in a smaller town, one could observe a couple off-duty guards chatting with the barkeep over a few glasses of ale.

"Beats me," one of the guards replied, shaking his head. "Princess Say'ri is still alive, and that means that their way of life has hope yet, even if they're conquered. With so many Chon'sin fleeing their posts, the Valmese Imperial Army may turn the Loyalist Chon'sin to captives or laborers instead..."

"Keep it down," the other guard warned, looking around. "Unlikely as it may be, there could be spies in this building... But he's right. The Chon'sin in particular are very proud of their culture. If there's just a speck of a chance that they may live on, then they might just take it."

"Even against Walhart's legions?" the barkeep asked.

"Especially against them. They won't last long without help, though. With the Grimleal, bandits, and Risen running amok, anyone's best hope is with Walhart and his strength. Any group else isn't gonna last too long in this crazy world."

"Phew! We chased those brigands off! That's right you savages! Run... Run!"

A small band of mercenaries panted against the sunset, cheering in exhaustion as their task seemed to be completed.

"G-good... it's over! I told you guys we could d-do it," a young woman grinned despite her fatigue, bracing the wall. Taking a seat, she stretched out her legs and wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve.

"No kidding," another swordsman laughed, taking a seat next to her. "When you showed up looking for work, we had our doubts. Ill-placed ones, I'll now admit. Where in the world did you learn the blade, miss?" Following their leader's cue, the two other mercenaries sank against the wall, away from the town's interior.

Gulping, the girl laughed nervously as she shook her head. "You... wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Ah c'mon. I've heard stranger stories-"

"No, really, I-"

"That's alright," another mercenary interrupted, "We each have our own tales to share and secrets to keep. Your actions spoke for yourself out there."

"T-thanks."

"Speaking of actions, Dieck, Gerik, go check on Raven. He's probably more upset that he missed out on the fun, but just make sure he's still in the good cleric's care and not running off again."

Nodding, the two men rose to their feet, walking into the town to check on their fellow swordsman. With just the two of them left, the leader faced the girl passively.

"So, Soleil, was it?"

"Y-yeah..." the girl responded, not as confidently as she would've been.

"You're pretty good with the blade, not to mention you got energy and spirit in spades. What do you say about joining up with us, full-time? We could use an extra hand."

"I... Well, Mr. Ogma, I'd love to..."

"But," Ogma anticipated, his face blank.

"But... I've got a mission of my own. I'm looking for my father and mother... To be honest, I just needed a few coins to pay for food and rent, and you seemed like good honest people to work for..."

"..."

"I'm sorry that I can't, I'd really like to but-"

"...I can respect that, kid. That's a pretty noble mission to take," Ogma decided. "Do you have any leads?"

Soleil sighed in relief, wiping her sweaty hair away as she looked at the ring dangling on a chain around her neck.

"Just this. My father kept this before he gave it to me, and he wore it when my grandmother gave it to him before she died... or so the story goes, at least."

"That's a mighty fine piece of work, right there," Ogma appraised, staring intently at the golden ring. "It's got House Ylisse's insignia on it. Were they nobles, by chance?"

"My father and mother both served siblings of a royal house, that's all I can remember," Soleil admitted. "I haven't the faintest idea who, though..." Suddenly she smiled, her face lighting up with hope.

"But one day, I'll find them," she reassured herself. "I'm here and I'm breathing, and that's reason enough to keep searching! After all, I've only been in the area for two weeks, and I've yet to even get to the other continent!"

"Well, if the ring has that insignia on it, you might have better luck crossing the pond to Ylisse."

"With the war going on? I... I found myself here not by chance, Mr. Ogma."

"By chance? What do you mean by that? Where were you born and raised?"

"...A lot of different places. I haven't been to Ylisse in my life."

"..."

"Sorry if I'm coming off as weird, y'know? I just... can't piece together my life that well without answers."

"Well, kid, you're welcome to stick around until you find a more solid lead."

"R-really? Thank you, Mr. Ogma!"

"But," Ogma replied, adding in a caveat, "I'm expecting you to pull your weight around our group. We watch each other's backs out here. I expect no less from you, young lady."

"Y-yes sir! I..." Soleil replied, her smile back to its usual intensity. However, it faded as she squinted off into the distance. Ogma followed her gaze, frowning at the sight. Dozens of men, armed, cresting the horizon. Several were mounted, and a few archers and mages could be seen among their number too.

"...And just when I thought we earned a break," Ogma sighed, getting up slowly and drawing his sword. "We need to regroup in the buildings. Probably might have to call in the town guard too. Damn, just when I thought we'd get a massive payday."

"But Dieck, Raven and Gerik!"

"I did say retreat. We'll find them on the way, or vice versa," Ogma clarified, looking into the town for a chokepoint to hold out in.

"We'll lure them into the alleyways. C'mon, Soleil. Work's not over yet!"

Day 14, nightfall

"So, this is the Great Gate," Chrom noted, walking alongside Olivia and Robin on the trail. They were a quite a few miles north of the Valmese Harbor, as the Shepherds had backtracked to regroup with the main Feroxian force and other Chon'sin turncoats.

"It's certainly Great," Robin announced, earning a sigh for Chrom and his wife.

"The tactician that won the Plegian war... Not even the subtlest detail can hide from him."

Robin ignored the jab, turning as he heard Corrin walk up to him, whispering something in his ear and pointing past the wood line..

"I originally planned for us to head through there by tonight. But..." Robin turned his head, pointing to a small town a few miles left of the gate, the same place Corrin had gestured to, "My sharp-eyed partner suggests we can stop there for the night."

"I'd like that," Olivia admitted. "I'm s-sorry to be a bother, but my legs are killing me!"

"The sentiment is shared," the three others replied simultaneously.

"That settles it. We're gonna try to stop here for the night," Robin ordered. "With luck, we might find an inn with enough rooms for all of us."

"We may have to earn it," Corrin gasped, pointing to the distance. Her sharp eyes could see to a degree that no one else could match, and she pointed out a small fight going down near the town's' gate. "There's people in trouble near the entrance! They need our help!"

"And -HA! And here I thought they were running off," Ogma sighed, holding down the fort alongside Dieck and Gerik.

Raven was limping too severely to swing a sword, but he made the most of his shield as arrows flew towards his sheltered position in an adjacent alley. Behind him, the same cleric that was healing him cowered in fear, all the while trying to get her patient to a more useful state.

"They -HYA! Just wanted to bring friends to the party!" Soleil replied, parrying a blow before kicking the bandit away.

"Where's the damn town guard? They hire us to help them protect the town and then they bolt at the first sign of actual trouble?"

"It's too late to ask for help anyhow," Soleil shot back, a confident smile still on her face. "We beat these clowns once, w-what's stopping us from doing so again?"

"I'm tired, for one," Dieck whispered under his breath.

"The girl's certainly a spry one, boss," Gerik laughed, dodging a swipe and countering with one with his own. "Her smile's contagious. Makes it easier to keep a level head despite the odds."

"Eep!" The cleric jumped back as an arrow skimmed the top of Raven's shield, embedding itself in his shoulder. With a yelp, Raven recoiled backwards, still managing to keep his shield outstretched, only for another arrow to hit the same spot making him hiss in pain as he fell to the ground on instinct.

"H-help!"

Thinking brashly, Soleil, the closest one to the cleric, leaped from alley to alley, dodging arrows as she picked up Raven's shield. Even as arrows pinged off her white shoulderguard, Soleil's smile, as infectious as it was, did little to alleviate the panic from the cleric's face.

"C'mon, miss! I'll handle these archers, you focus on healing Raven!" Panicking even more at Soleil's bright attitude despite getting shot at, the healer hid even further behind the wall, the staff trembling in her hands.

"I... I-I..."

"Shh," Soleil whispered, trying her best to drown out the chaos around the two as she took a risk, turning her head away from the archers for a few seconds. "It's going to be okay. I'l keep you safe, alright? Don't worry. Even if I die, at least I'll be dying to the sight of a lovely face! So promise me that my last moments won't be spent staring at tears and worries, alright? That would be bad..."

"..."

"Er, was that weird?"

"Y-yeah..." But surely enough, the cleric smiled humorously, the staff in her hands steadying as more and more power was able to be channeled. "Be safe!"

"That's what I like to see!"

Smiling widely, Soleil turned her head back, just in the nick of time too: an arrow embedded itself in the ground and nearly through her foot, had she not jumped.

"Okay then," she whispered, so only she could hear. "Let's do this! Maybe if I keep her safe, she'll accept to tea with me later on! Ooh! Maybe even a kiss on the cheek? Nah, that's a little too much to ask for."

"Bandits, quite a few of them too," Chrom scouted, sighing as he quietly drew Falchion from its sheath. "This 'coastal-patrol-route' certainly isn't uneventful."

"Hush, you," Robin hissed, watching the mercenaries and trying to differentiate potential friends from definite foes.

"..."

"It's too dark to tell," he admitted after a few seconds. "We may have to ask them-"

"Six of them," Corrin clarified, her eyes gleaming in the dark. "They're in two groups... One's injured, and one's just a healer. We should meet up, and quickly."

"Okay," Chrom affirmed, looking to his side to see Olivia, Lucina, and Laslow ready to go. "Let's move."

"Reinforcements! About time..." Chrom heard one of the mercenaries say, even as he waved towards the Shepherds and beckoned them into their alley.

"W-wait, you're not the town guard," he noted upon taking a good look at the Exalt in front of him. "What kind of weird clothes..."

"Careful there. My friend here takes great pride in his quirky style decisions," Robin defended, laughing as he extended his hand in greeting.

"Dieck, one of five in this small mercenary band. To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

Robin turned to Chrom quickly, and the latter nodded.

"We're... the Ylissean league. Looks like you could use a little help."

"The Ylissean League? Well... whoa, small world we live in. But don't mind me. About the 'help,' it would be appreciated, please," Dieck admitted, turning back to Gerik and Ogma, who were still being suppressed to the extent that they couldn't peek out of the alley lest an arrow come flying into their head.

"Alright then. What's the plan?" Corrin wondered, looking to her cloaked counterpart for guidance. However, her answer came from Chrom, not Robin.

"Robin, try that magical barrier thing you've been working on to protect us from those arrows. Olivia? Stay with Robin, make sure he doesn't tire out. Laslow, Lucina, Corrin? We'll charge the archers in the confusion. Don't overextend ourselves, there's too many for us to take on at once in the open."

Pleased at seeing Chrom field an effective strategy, Robin nodded as he channeled a light purple aura from his hands, the barrier wavering and humming as it spread until it formed an aegis-like projection a little more than ten feet across. Pointing it towards the alley-way's opening, Robin quickly turned the corner and knelt, lowering his own visual profile as he obscured the archer's vision and lines of fire with his own spell.

"It's working! Go! Go!" he shouted, turning his head for a split second to signal Corrin and the rest. Arrows flew into his spell but were quickly deflected, clattering to the ground harmlessly even as Robin's arms began to numb from exertion. "Hurry up!"

Robin ducked his head as Lucina and Laslow ran by either side of him, drawing their blades even as the archers started to back up. Chrom and Corrin followed right behind, Yato and Falchion shining in anticipation. Not more than a second passed before Robin's arms dropped, the tactician nearly blacking out from exhaustion as Olivia dragged him back into the alleyway. By then, the archers had stopped firing, mostly because of the four swordsman running straight at them.

"Huh? They stopped shooting."

Soleil peeked over her shield from her kneeling position, feeling pride in the multitude of scrapes along the metal's surface. What used to be seven or eight archers were now... more mercenaries? Well, whatever they were, they weren't Gerik, Raven, Dieck, or Ogma. Two of the newcomers were women, and three of the four had dark blue hair that seemed really familiar somehow.

"Looks like they've ran off or something," she sighed, relaxing as she staggered back to Raven and the cleric. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes, thank you."

"Hmph," Raven groaned, closing his eyes and silently stifling his pain.

"H-heh," Soleil giggled, turning away from the cleric and the mercenary to look back at the four newcomers.

Or six.

One of them had a messy head of white hair and the other...

"Whoa... she's... beautiful."

"Neat trick your friend pulled out there," Ogma greeted, shaking Chrom's hand as the two groups sat down in the safety of the alley. "I've never seen a magic spell stop arrows."

"I was getting pinned hard, I couldn't even last four seconds," Robin admitted, wincing immediately after at the innuendo-esque phrasing. Chrom and Laslow chuckled a little, promptly turning to each other in embarrassment, forcing Olivia and Lucina to scoff at the men's immaturity. Corrin just stared blankly as the punchline flew over her head.

"Nevertheless, you have our thanks and our humble greetings, friends. Name's Ogma, leader of this fine mercenary band here."

"What was the issue with the bandits?" Ogma scoffed, looking at his crew before answering Chrom's question.

"The town guard needed 'reinforcements' because bandit raids were getting more frequent. Turns out, they were just cowards who happened to have large sums of gold to spare. Naturally, mercenaries that we are, we took the work, not expecting something this severe. As much as the payday could have been worth, I would have pulled out and avoid getting my men turned into pincushions. I don't think we could've handled that group without help, so thanks. Again."

"You downplay your talents," Robin noted. "You four fought valiantly. And you..." he turned to Soleil suddenly, causing the girl to flush at the sudden attention.

"Aha, don't pick on Soleil," Ogma chuckled, patting her back roughly. "She just joined up today, actually. She's as brave as they come. Granted, it's a stupid brave, but brave nonetheless."

Chrom and Robin noticed Laslow flinch at the name drop, but as he returned to his normal composure after a beat, they dismissed the notion without a second thought.

"I'd say. Standing in front of two of your own with nothing but that small shield in the way of eight archers. You must have insane luck to have not been hit."

"That's Raven's job, not mine," Soleil laughed, promptly being met with a scowl from the injured mercenary.

"Still. It's good we showed up when you did. The odds didn't look too great, and it's good to see you all safe."

"I suppose you and yours are visiting the town for..."

"To rest," Chrom dropped quickly, earning a glance from Robin.

"So trusting," the tactician sighed, barely a whisper to anyone else.

"Luckily for all of us, the inn should be more welcoming of our actions than the town guard. I'd say there's enough rooms for all of your men and women to bunk down."

"That sounds wonderful," Corrin sighed in relief.

"Well, I suppose this is where we split paths, Lord Chrom. While I like to stay out of political influence, I'd say what you're doing is right. Hell, as ruler of Ylisse, it's incredible."

"My sister was a far different ruler than I. I only do things in the way I know how. We'll see how my reign treats Ylisse in the end," Chrom admitted solemnly, bowing his head.

"Speaking of... Soleil!"

The girl immediately stood up, looking at Ogma who then pointed to Chrom. Immediately, the six Shepherds' hands flew to their swords, but were quickly stopped when Soleil pulled out the ring from under her doublet.

"Ah, right! I was hoping you could help me identify this, seeing that you're Ylissean and all," she stammered, unaware that she had almost been skewered in six different places.

Silently, she gave the ring to Chrom, who gasped and showed it to Olivia. Both nobles paled in a result, quickly turning to Laslow and Lucina for guidance.

"T-this was... er, is, my wedding ring," Chrom whispered, looking at Soleil and Olivia, noting the similar headbands they shared.

"Soleil," Olivia asked slowly, standing up to look the mercenary in the eye, not seeing any brand of the Exalt like Laslow and Lucina had, "Where did you get this?"

"...My mother gave it to me," she responded, nervously backing away.

"That can't be right..." Lucina wondered, not recognizing the girl despite the familiar ring she carried. "Where are you from?"

"You... wouldn't believe me if I told you," Soleil repeated, feeling nervous under the pressure.

"Try us," Robin gambled. "I bet our story's better."

Soleil sighed, sitting back down and gently picking the ring from Chrom's stunned hand.

"I... I don't remember much. My head's scrambled even now, but I remember living in a cold castle underneath dark skies. The only things that seemed to light up were my mother's and father's smiles. They were always so... happy. But then suddenly, and I don't remember how, I woke up in a nearby village. After scrounging together some gear, I found myself in Valm. I..."

"This... dark castle," Laslow gulped, darting a glance to Chrom nervously. "Do you remember where it was?"

"Some city or such... it was called Nohr."

"I-I see," Laslow whispered nervously, now looking at Corrin.

"And your mother?"

"A... princess by the name of... of- ah! Felicia! There we go. Why do you ask?"

"Were we to have a daughter... Felicia and I decided on the name... Soleil."

Day 15, Morning

The mercenary was supposed to get some potions in the town the Shepherds had stopped in, but there was a certain cleric that Soleil had hoped to meet up with before they departed. At this rate, she would just have to abandon her primary objective and settle for taking the potions back to camp! Watching the townspeople blankly pass by her, Soleil's hopes dropped.

Darn! All these lazy people and not one of them are thankful for us protecting them! Don't they know who we are?

Sighing at herself, Soleil took a break from patrolling the Valmese shore-town and made her way to an unused table. Cradling her head in her hands and blowing her lips in boredom, her attention sank into the doldrums, thinking of yesterday.

"I'm a princess? But I like being just Soleil. Strange... why can't I remember anything? All I can recall is the last two weeks in Valm, and hardly anything's happened except for my little adventure yesterday."

Ogma and his mercenaries decided to stay in the town, having been hired by the town's leader in the place of their mediocre town guard. With that being said, Ogma, Dieck, Gerik, Raven and now Priscilla, the cleric from before would stay there for the indefinite future.

I guess my efforts paid off in the end, right? At least she's safe. And who would've guessed that Raven was the brother she was looking for? Now I'm really glad I kept them safe.

Her vision only perked when a dash of pink crossed her otherwise uneventful periphery.

Turning to face the exciting anomaly, the teenager was met with the very attractive, very cute dancer from yesterday night. The pink in her vision belonged to the exotic ponytail the woman sported, sharing the shade with that of Soleil's own head. Now that it was day, she could see that Olivia's light clothing left absolutely nothing to bare, and Soleil found herself staring a lot more than she should've. Not that that was an entirely unpleasant thing.

Recognizing her as one of the Ylisseans, Soleil jumped up to greet her new comrade but stopped, having lost recollection of Olivia's title. As tempting as it was to just come on strong and get right to business, the Nohrian girl instead took a more subtle approach. Soleil merely bumped into her and with a mock face of shock, helped herself in bending over to help pick up anything the pink-haired woman had dropped.

Stuttering over herself and backing away, the woman looked at Soleil before bowing her head, frowning all the while.

"Oh, excuse me! Are you okay?"

"Of course, miss," Soleil giggled, loving the sound of her target's voice. It was so light and gentle and...

Squealing wouldn't be very befitting of her at the moment, so she went back to the conversation at hand.

"Wait, y-you're the mercenary from yesterday, right? What w-was it..."

And... an opening.

"Soleil!"

"So...leil?"

"Uh-huh! It's a pleasure to formally meet one as beautiful as yourself!"

"O-oh..." The dancer blushed almost instantaneously, courtesy turning into embarrassment and mortification in a matter of seconds.

"I-I... Thank you?"

"Gee, I'm sorry," Soleil apologized, getting the very slight impression that the woman she was dealing with here wasn't an extrovert. "I'm coming off a bit strong, huh."

"Oh, no! It's fine, really..."

Easy.

"Can I treat you to some tea? It's been a while since I left that tiny village and even longer since I had a good cup. How much better it could be if I can share it with a woman as lovely as yourself!" The Queen's blush turned into an intense redness, as the pressure and the compliments created an overwhelming offer.

"O-of course you may! I'd b-be honored..." She muttered, smiling and twiddling her thumbs very close to her chin. "Soleil," she added quickly.

"Ha ha, awesome! Here, I'll hold these..." Soleil took the woman's bags and placed them upon her shoulder, "And you can help me find a good tea shop! They do drink tea here, right? Not some weird juice or stuff... anyway, we'll find something, yeah?"

"O-of course."

"So..." Soleil began, choosing her starter carefully. "I'm still new to this whole Shepherd thing. You... you've been in for a while, right? Got any advice, maybe some pointers for a new girl like me?"

"I... perhaps I'm not the right one to ask," Olivia replied graciously, bowing slightly with her title. "I'm just a dancer. I still don't know much of this whole fighting spiel either, having only taken part of their last few battles of the Plegian War."

"That must've been awful," Soleil sighed, "I haven't been in many fights... but I'd rather take someone's breath away, not their life."

"I share your goal, Soleil," Olivia murmured, looking on in reminiscence. "A smile is a beautiful thing, yet so easily swept away. Perhaps one day, we can mend this broken world with words and laughter, not bloodshed."

A visionary and a dancer? Olivia certainly is quite the character!

"It might be a long road, but someone's gotta do it. I'm proud to see that I'm not the only one on this lonely path!"

"I'm glad! You really are quite cheery, just like those mercenaries said," Olivia laughed, finally relaxing and putting a smile on her face.

"Yeah, Laslow seemed to note that too. Is he a Shepherd too?"

"Indeed he is. He's my son, actually."

"Y-your... son?"

Whaaattt

Olivia laughed and walked alongside Soleil.

"I was shocked too! He came from the future, if you'd believe it. He's Ylissean, but yet he came with Prince Xander and the other Nohrians! I remember him standing by his side when we interrupted the Hoshidan and Nohrian stalemate on the plains. But yet he recognized me and my husband! How does one go from being from the future to being a retainer for Nohrian royalty? He hasn't really divulged much to me... He does seem to dance quite well, though," she recalled with an airy sigh.

Strange. That Laslow fellow didn't talk to me much after yesterday. Could he-

Soleil didn't remember much, but she did know that her old man was quite light on his feet. And... he was a Prince's retainer...

"Laslow's your son, huh...?" Soleil asked, curiosity piqued.

"Not the most relaxing of thoughts, but you'll learn to enjoy his company in time," Olivia advised, "Ah, here we are! This looks like a lovely setting for a quick cup of tea."

Soleil neck craned to the left, eyeing the shop with occupied eyes.

"Wait... If Laslow is claiming to be my father, and he's your son?"

"W-well, we're not entirely sure yet, and you don't seem to remember much either, so let's not work ourselves up without getting all the facts..." Olivia giggled. "He seemed really nervous after meeting you though. I've never seen him get so jittery! Even Lucina didn't know how to handle his change!"

"W-wait," Soleil interrupted, recognizing the name and stopping in her tracks. "Aunt Lucina?"

"What do you mean, aunt... oh." Olivia paled visibly and seemed to lose her sense of place.

"Olivia? Olivia!"

The dancer recovered, and looked at the mercenary in defeat.

"Ah, excuse me. I'm not too... thrilled at this development, if you'll accept my apology. I'm not even thirty and I'm already a grandmother."

Now it was Soleil's time to be stunned.

"Grandmother? Wait. Olivia, Olivia, Olivia...QUEEN OLIVIA OF YLISSE! I remember!"

"Yes, well..." Olivia sighed, well into her doldrums. However, Soleil tackled her in a massive hug, forgetting everything else.

"I remember that Daddy always told so many great stories about you when I was younger! You are so much more beautiful than he let on! You're the best dancer in Ylisse, not to mention her Queen! Is Aunt Lucina just a baby in this time? Ahh! My Grandmother is so cuteeeee ahhhhh! PLEASE SING FOR ME!"

Olivia sank to the ground, whimpering at her cruel fate.

"How do I wake up from this nightmare?" Olivia whispered to the gods.

The pink-haired girl hugging her torso was their only answer.

Chapter Text

Day 16

This new land, Jakob decided, was a breath of fresh air compared to the Northern Fortress. Invasion and war aside, the sky seemed brighter, the breeze felt kinder, the tea felt purer...

The butler sighed in relief at this revelation, thinking this country to be quite relaxing. As far as his duties permitted, Valm was a decent place to be, though the company could leave much to be desired.

Speaking of, that mumbling gorilla of a king was ogling Corrin again. Chrome? Chrom. What kind of stupid name was that? Ah, there was another glance. Royalty or not, he was not worthy to gaze upon Corrin with such brutish eyes..

Chrom's butler/lover/servant- Jakob couldn't figure out the exact role by his actions alone - didn't help that much either. The hulking beast of a man, while not much taller than Jakob, was immensely wider than him and could snap the butler in half and scatter the pieces to the four winds without a second thought.

The butler felt as if this 'Frederick' as he was named simply enjoyed dashing lesser beings into the rocks with his near-infinite mass, absorbing their essence and souls as his own. But, amidst these threats, Jakob always noticed a strange habit: When Princess Corrin would speak with Chrom or his tactician Robin, Frederick would stand by, sword hand at the ready.

Then again, Jakob did too, though the dagger in his sleeve was much easier to carry about.

On this particular occasion, Lady Corrin had made a request of Jakob to retrieve some Ylissean tea from the supply tent, to which Jakob quickly complied. Just as he left the tent, he saw a massive mass of blue steel cast a shadow over him before it knocked him flat on his rear.

"Oof, what the hell was that for, you bumbling oaf?"

The knight, not seeming to notice he had trampled but a mere mortal, politely sighed and bowed in apology. However, the insult was not taken as lightly.

"Hmm? I merely bumped into you as you exited a tent. I see no need to get so aggressive over such a paltry impact," Frederick explained, before adding in a quick "uncouth savage" under his breath.

"Huh!? Look who's talking! Don't pretend I don't see it; every day before sortie, you stare at Lady Corrin with a suspicious gaze, if not anything more brutish! She's your Commander too, isn't she?" Jakob felt the knife by his wrist comfortably, keeping it safely within his sleeve until the man in front of him decided to strike.

"Isn't it natural to doubt a stranger whose origins are unknown to you being so close to your liege? Especially with a man accompanying her who stays armed even now?" Frederick retorted, easily spotting the clenching muscles of Jakob's right arm. "I suggest putting that knife away, Jakob, before the harm is done."

"Tch..." Jakob was getting lazy with his grip. Figures a sharp man like Frederick would see through his momentary ineptitude. "I don't like your attitude, but I suppose words like that make sense when around someone as clueless as your master, after all," Jakob replied curtly.

"What was that? You insult my Lord Chrom-"

The butler and the knight both drew blades simultaneously, dagger and lance raised at breakneck speeds and quickly brought toward each other's throats.

"Well? What is it then? I'll take you on, for Lady Corrin's honor!"

The provocation did little to spite Frederick, who merely looked down on the hot-headed butler.

"Lord Chrom would never allow me to stoop to such a low level..." Frederick sighed, lowering his blade before stowing it. Jakob still stayed at the ready. "I must not lose myself to my emotions for such a petty foe."

With that, Frederick took his leave, if not for the Nohrian quickly holding him back with surprising strength.

"We aren't quite finished here, retainer. What was that? I'll let you know that your devotion to your lord is but a minimal service compared to what I offer Lady Corrin! For example, every morning my first actions are to brew Lady Corrin the richest of black tea, each day's blend unique to complement the changing air of her mood!"

Frederick merely laughed as he reared his head back, waving his hand at the petty deed.

"Ha, that is it? Before every march, I personally inspect the grounds where Exalt Chrom and Commander Robin walk! Their path is barren with not a weed or stone to be seen!"

This time it was Jakob's turn to laugh, and their yelling caught attention of some of the camp.

"Tch, that is no difficult task, amateur! Every morning, I shine the equipment and silverware so pristine that when Lady Corrin rises to my work, she mistakes it for the sunrise!"

Jakob smiled haughtily, knowing he won the battle. However, the Ylissan Knight was not so easy to topple, pulling out his grandest of labors.

"Fool, when Lord Chrom desires fish, I search past the mountains to the freshest rivers to retrieve it! And if I even see him consider the thought of feeling a sneeze come up, I offer him my homemade scarves to use!"

Jakob flushed, immediately calling his bluff.

"That's a lie and-" Frederick pulled out a sturdy looking scarf, embroidered with the Exalt's insignia and in the white and blue of Ylisse.

"..."

"..."

"You're no pushover at all, it seems," Jakob admitted.

"And it seems you can back up your own talk as well." Frederick nodded with a respectful sigh.

"It seems while your master may not be familiar to me yet," Jakob began, "His retainer has earned my recognition. I'll admit."

"And I return your notice. You are possibly the first individual I've seen who is as devoted to his master as I am."

The butler nodded.

"It seems there is only one way to settle this..."

Both blades were instantly raised again.

Chapter Text

Day 17, midnight

On one hand, Lucina was thrilled at the thought of so many rallying to her father's banner. Strangers from foreign lands, the fairy tales of times so old and foreign now crossing blades with the enemies of Ylisse. But then her negativity arose, and she found herself worrying over all these new faces. True, these were all mostly capable fighters with mostly pure hearts, but Lucina couldn't help but fret for her father's safety. He had to have been murdered by one of the original Shepherds, as that's what happened in her timeline. The fact that a whole new army- two of them technically, had joined their cause was enough to keep her up at night.

It was one of these pangs of stress that forced Lucina to get some water at the stretches of midnight. Noticing the vigilant Nohrian guards on night patrol, her heart felt a little bit better. Still, she had to be wary at this hour, both for the army and her father especially.

Above anything else, Lucina would keep him safe.

On one hand, Nohr and Hoshido's anger towards each other had dissipated. As long as the peace stayed that way, her job was successful. But... how long would it last? When under the threat of a godlike dragon, how long would humanity stand together before scurrying away from the shadows of doubt? In the blink of an eye, three armies turned into one, just because of a common foe. And because of the Ylisseans, strange as they were, Hoshido and Nohr had something else to focus on for the time being.

Azura couldn't help but worry over her fellow princess. Corrin's danger was removed from play as soon as Hoshido and Nohr ceased their fighting, but there was still apparent traces of war clouding everyone's mind. Corrin may have rallied three countries together, but she wouldn't know the true threats that plagued their land without Azura's help. She was responsible for her, and vice versa, thus was the bond established when Corrin first received her dragonstone. The fact that a whole new army, a fantastic one at that, was now under the joint-command of her dear friend was enough to keep her up at night.

It was one of these pangs of anxiousness that forced Azura to get some water - the water she had power over wasn't exactly for drinking. At the stretches of midnight, few were out and about at this hour, but that didn't stop her from trying to remain stealthy. Noticing Felicia and Laslow- the two guards on patrol chatting away idly as they monitored the camp, her heart felt just a little better knowing her comrades would keep them under vigilant watch.

As for Corrin...

Azura had to keep her safe.

The navy-haired princess noticed as the teal-haired princess got up to drink at the same time she did. Lucina recognized her as Azura, one of the main Hoshidans and companions of Corrin. She was dressed in her usual garb, the white clothing adding to her graceful poise.

"You. You were the singer? The water-maiden, the troops called you. You are who commanded the Valmese Sea, Princess Azura?"

The dancer turned around, sleepy but startled nonetheless. Her hair looked like a ragged mess, but Lucina relaxed at the casual appearance of the songstress.

"I am. Though... that may not be all true, Princess Lucina."

"I'm not quite a Princess anymore," Lucina half-lied. After all, home was but a distant dream now, never to be rekindled or revisited. Lucina had not interacted with the Hoshidans and Nohrians like the more affable among the Shepherds had, so she was still learning to cope with them. "Never was, really."

"I see. Lady Corrin mentioned that there was a Princess here who came from the future. Tell me, is the future really so grim that those betrayed by it rush back to a better time? Does it truly threaten my world as it does yours?"

Azura clearly wanted to be back home, or at least missed something from home, Lucina could tell at least that.

"It is enough that I came from the doomed future to save our world. All of it," Lucina stated bluntly. Azura calculated the remark, and her face drooped in pity.

"So you are but a young girl," Azura realized, feeling sympathy for the children whose future was so dark. She prayed that her own children would never receive anything so cruel from her as an empty future without her when they came.

"Who I am doesn't truly matter, does it?"

"Of course not. You've proven your own merit and value to all of us a thousand times over."

"Then I am who I set out to be. The situation demands I be a witness of a fell future, and so that is what I am for the time being."

"Then I suppose I am your counterpart on Corrin's side," Azura thought aloud. "And I suppose my purpose is to make sure Lady Corrin can bring about a lasting peace between Hoshido and Nohr. If it means fighting side by side with a third country... then that is what it takes."

Lucina nodded, understanding her affection for her leader.

"It is... I cannot know how to explain this," Lucina began, "But when I look at your armies, I cannot help but feel suspicious. I am truly sorry for suspecting ill of your friends... it is just... I am overwhelmed at the sheer luck we are having with you at our aid. But it seems too good to be true. I fear my father's life may yet be in danger."

Azura nodded in agreement, taking a sip from her water before offering her thoughts.

"I see. I cannot speak for the Nohrians or Hoshidans. I am an outcast to both. I am no warrior. I am barely a princess. I am merely a singer and a dancer, not one whose hands were gifted for war. But Corrin... She's the catalyst to a lasting peace in our world, which is something Hoshido and Nohr need gravely. It is a cause worth fighting for. A cause worth dying for."

"You protect her... Just as I protect my father." Azura hummed her agreement, nodding slightly.

"Perhaps not as directly as you think, but even she does not know how dear her presence is to my heart."

"Then we are at an understanding."

"Hmm?"

"I have a proposition for you," Lucina asked with a slight smile, "If I may be so bold."

"What could it be?"

"Your heart and your intentions are admirable and devoted, as far as I can see. I offer you a promise."

The dancer showed her curiosity, wondering what the Princess could want.

"I'm listening."

"Lady Corrin's goals are my goals. With peace, there will be a victory for all of us at the end of all of this. I will do what I can to make sure your peace lasts. Can I trust you to ensure the same for those from Ylisse?"

"I do not share your skills, Marth. Why do you entrust me when there are so many others that would best me in combat?"

"Because you see the bigger picture... This war is not just pointless fighting... But to keep the ones we love safe at our expense."

"But can I expect you to protect Lady Corrin and our secrets should I be claimed by this war?"

Our secrets?  I shouldn't delve deeper. Not yet, at least.

"You have my word. And Falchion to keep it."

"I see. I thank you, Princess Lucina."

"...You can call me Marth."

"I've heard that name before," Azura realized, recalling some fragmented memory of recent events.

"Marth is the name I took up to inspire my countrymen to fight in the last stretches of our existence. He was a hero and a king, one who gave strength to his allies just by drawing his sword. Lucina was my birth name... and now the name that reminds me of the strength my own mother and father had in the face of despair before they died."

Azura cracked a small smile as she brushed the hair away from her face.

"Then we ought to get to bed, Princess Marth. War waits for no one."

"And neither does peace. Have a good night, Princess Azura."

"..."

"..."

"You know, I'm not really a Hoshidan Princess. But that's a long story for another day."

Chapter Text

Day 19, afternoon

Another day, another patrol, and another few miles of Valmese coastline and mainland liberated.

For most of the Shepherds, this was good news.

For Felicia and the others that had not been chosen to patrol the area yet, this meant nothing more than the usual tedious maintenance and upkeep.

Then again, a maid did what maids usually did, right? Though, this sort of life was getting boring, especially with her master and her sister having the duty of patrolling the dangerous territory they were embedded in.

Without her.

Wasn't she the more combat-oriented of the two? Why was Flora, the actual maid, going into a combat zone, while Felicia was stuck with the other 'domestic' Shepherds and being nothing more than a glorified...

Maid.

The Ice-Tribe scion let slip a sigh. Why was she complaining? After all, she had sworn service to Lady Corrin. For more than a decade now, she and her sister had done what was expected of them. At first, the twins had no idea why their father had sent them away from the village. But now? Along with the silent honor of preserving the Ice Tribe, Felicia could not think of a better life than helping young Corrin as they all grew up together in that cold fortress they called home.

Not many retainers had the privilege to call their liege one of their best friends, after all.

Sure, she often did more harm than good when it came to her deeds in the fortress. Sure, countless sets of cups and dishes had found themselves from the shelves to Felicia's hands to the floor and then to the trash. But in those small moments when Felicia saw Lady Corrin sip the tea she painstakingly prepared, setting the cup on her lap to properly repay her efforts with that radiant smile...

It was all worth it.

Someday, Corrin would let her out into the wilderness to accompany the combat sorties, but for now, Felicia would do the duty she swore to uphold.

Tea, specifically Chon'sin green, was what Lady Corrin had been enjoying lately, so the least Felicia could do was to prepare a nice cup or two for her undoubtedly tired and weary master. With the scouts just coming into the camp, the leaders wouldn't be far behind. With this in mind, Felicia tied on her apron and strode into the kitchen, ready to work.

This maid was on a mission.

Snowflake, the Pegasus that Sumia had found on the way to Ferox, named due to its affinity to Ferox's brisk weather, was recovering from the arrow wounds she had sustained during the Valmese Sea crossing. As such, the Pegasus Knight, without a Pegasus to ride upon, had been re-delegated to an assistant cleric. With so many healers and hardly any injuries, Sumia rarely had to do anything pertaining to her role, instead focusing on the day-to-day chores like weapon maintenance, inventory check-ups, and cooking.

Especially cooking.

It had been during the Plegian war that Sumia had started cooking pies for then-Prince Chrom. As few and far between breaks were back then, she found the time and effort within herself to siphon a few ingredients from the pantry and present multiple pies for her captain, under the pretense that even he, the then-middle child of House Ylisse, would appreciate a moment or two of respite.

And then Olivia came along, enrapturing Chrom's heart and subsequently wearing the ring that Sumia may or may not have dreamed would be around her finger one day.

The pies came to a halt soon after. With the war won and much bigger things like his wedding rounding the horizon, Chrom didn't seem to notice.

Some days, she would just coast around Ylisse on Snowflake's back, enjoying the scenery, the light air, the freedom of peace.

And when she and her steed landed once more, Sumia would feel a desire deep inside to head to the kitchens. Just one more, she would insist to herself, tying on the aprons that the palace chefs usually wore.

It wasn't that her pies were phenomenal, though no one had complained about them yet. It was more therapeutic than for actual culinary expression. Some people enjoyed a brisk spar to relax, others a few ales. Perhaps Sumia just enjoyed the smells of the kitchen because they reminded her of her eagerness to see Chrom's smile.

Maybe she just enjoyed making others smile. It was an innocent notion in itself.

To the chow hall it was, Sumia decided.

Someone had to be hungry after that patrol.

Felicia saw nothing wrong with the tea when her work was through. Jakob on the other hand was currently in a state of limbo: all five of his senses were overwhelmed by the substance that Felicia had conjured deep within her black cauldron of a kettle.

"Woe is me," he moaned, before reaching to the heavens. "Gods, hear my cry! By all that is good and pure in this world, I beg thee that that foul concoction never reach milady's fair lips!"

"It doesn't even smell bad," Felicia retorted, sniffing the kettle and nodding at the neutral aroma.

The pink-haired maid nearly tripped over Jakob on the way out, giggling at the sight of the normally-taciturn butler now rendered incoherent.

"Alrighty! Lady Corrin must be really tired but she's probably planning in the war room! I'd better hurry in case she's thirsty!"

"Oh goodness," Sumia mumbled, rushing into the kitchen after being sidetracked, "I lost track of time..."

Pulling out the charred remains of a rhubarb pie, the knight winced in disgust after unsuccessfully trying to pierce the black shell of the ruined pastry with her knife.

"And here they come, too," she noted, watching the exhausted patrols heading into camp, greeting their friends with tired smiles.

Gazing back to the pie, Sumia took a more optimistic approach, deeming it possible to consume, were one to close their eyes and pretend it was something other than pie...

"There has to be someone that can't be that picky," she hoped, carrying the tin and heading outside, looking for a stomach to feed, and hopefully an apathetic tongue that came with.

"We're making good progress; I think now's a good time to initiate the next phase of our advance," Robin declared, chalking out the surrounding areas on his map. Beside him sat Corrin and Chrom, Robin's chessboard sitting as an ornament atop the table they surrounded. Xander and Ryoma sat on the far end, an obvious distance between each other. Azura stood behind them, aloof as usual.

However, the tired leaders were only half-attentive towards Robin's debrief. For various reasons, the general consensus being hunger and fatigue, Robin was whistling to the wind.

"I'm a bit hungry," Corrin complained. "Can't this wait?"

"Likewise," Chrom added, holding his stomach in pain. "You know, for all the genius maneuvers you've orchestrated, putting Sully in charge of our meals instead of Peri or Cordelia is not going to be regarded as one of your bright moments. My stomach is not handling the abuse too kindly."

"This will honestly take five minutes at most," Robin groaned, looking to Ryoma and Xander for inspiration.

Both princes shrugged, gazes darting to each other and then nonchalantly drifting to the growing line outside the mess hall.

Robin followed their gaze outside his tent, letting out a sigh when he saw their ideal paradise.

"You too, huh..."

"My apologies, Commander. I find it hard to concentrate without proper sustenance, and with Sully in charge of meals... well..."

"Azura what about..." Robin pleaded, hoping there was at least one leader who was capable of staying still for just a few more minutes-

"Where'd she go? Oh."

The songstress was already in line for food, far out of earshot.

"That's our cue," Chrom whispered, rising alongside Corrin. A quick spell from Robin knocked them back onto their seats, the caster none too pleased with his board of leaders. Ryoma and Xander wisely stayed still, though it was an unspoken fact that they could overpower the tactician.

"Okay, I admit the logistics could use some revision, but please work with me for five minutes-"

"Lady Corrin? Are you in here? I have tea!"

Felicia burst in, grinning from ear to ear when she saw the tired Corrin amidst the group. Robin immediately got up to resist, but Corrin shut him up upon seeing the gods-sent objects in her hands.

"Felicia, can you wait for a few minutes and-"

"-set that right on the table?" the female commander interrupted, glaring at her counterpart sternly.

"O-of course!" Felicia nodded, batting away Robin's chess pieces much to his horror, setting the steaming kettle onto the polished wood board instead of on the table.

"...My chessboard is not a trivet!" Robin screamed, running over to his beloved board game and trying in vain to save it from the hot metal that rested atop its surface.

As Felicia handed teacups to each of the leaders except for Robin, Sumia burst in, the cremated pie still firmly within her grasp.

"Captain Chrom? It's been a while, and I thought-"

"...Sumia, if you could wait a few minutes until-"

"-We finish distributing this lovely pot of tea," Chrom interfered, also glaring at Robin now. "Ah, there we are. Go ahead and set the pie on..." Chrom glanced around, seeing the perfect place for such delicacies.

" Actually, just place it on the map," the Exalt waved nonchalantly. Robin on the other hand did not appreciate Chrom's orders in the slightest, rising up quickly.

"Wait! No-"

Startled at seeing Robin lurch suddenly, Sumia tripped over Felicia and onto Chrom, knocking over both the maid and the Exalt and landing face-to-face with the latter.

At the same time, the tea spilled out of Felicia's grip, splattering itself all over Robin's map, much to the tactician's horror.

Moving too slowly to stop the events unfolding, Robin could only watch as the tea flowed atop his map, smearing the ink and smudging whatever marks he had made over the past few days.

Meanwhile, Sumia found herself being cradled by Chrom, who was looking at his friend with a concerned expression.

"Are you alright?" he asked, not particularly aware of the compromising situation he was currently stuck in.

"...Yeah!" Sumia stuttered, feigning wooziness if only to stay in Chrom's embrace just a little longer.

Felicia on the other hand looked at her handiwork in despair, tears falling from her eyes as the tea she had made dripped, a complete waste. Running outside, she was quickly chased down by Corrin, out of sight of the rest of the leaders.

Feeling something within him die, the fallen tactician closed his mouth and fell back onto his chair, shielding his sorrowful gaze with his hands.

"What the hell is wrong with this army?"

Chapter Text

Day 20, Afternoon

Robin lounged in his tent, a map on the wall behind him bearing the painstaking work he had just re-completed; the Shepherd's next move was thoroughly re-planned out, and much more daring than Robin could dream of conjuring just a year ago.

Then again, the whole plan was thoroughly shot- rather, drenched and pied- when Sumia and Felicia launched a joint attack on his old map just yesterday. But alas, what was done was done, and with some mandatory volunteering from Corrin and Chrom, Robin had recreated the map of Valm to the last detail, much to his own relief.

The tactician couldn't help but smile at what was the worst of his 'dilemmas.' Ever since the Nohrians and Hoshidans joined Ylisse's forces, he had been able to work more intricate and larger plans into motion. Sure, there were a couple of hiccups and disagreements, but nothing major had happened yet. Truly, these was as good a start to the campaign as he could hope for. No more were the the Shepherds just some Ylissean force of soldiers. Now? He had a full host of elite men and women ready to repel the tyrants of the world.

And slay a dragon, of course.

His co-conspirator in this tactical endeavor, Commander Corrin, was the subject of his latest string of thoughts. She was smarter than she let on, that much was obvious. Clearly, being locked in a tower for close to two decades with nothing but books, time, and instructors had done a few good things for the Princess. Her knowledge of warfare, both on a macro and micro scale was exemplary, and gods, was she a good swordsman. Robin was having his ass handed to him 2-8 during their sparring sessions. Not only that, but she was also a good morale booster. Her optimism and her gentle innocent nature made her not only a great friend but a great leader. Perhaps... surpassing Robin himself on that front. Not on many fronts, but just that one. It was an acceptable thing to realize, and he did so with grace.

And, she could turn into a dragon. Something Robin could not, for the life of him, hope to match in ability.

Robin's thoughts were interrupted as Chrom entered the tent, followed closely by Frederick and Jakob, Lady Corrin's butler.

Bitch.

"Robin," Chrom greeted with a nod regarding his friend, before grabbing a few copies of the battle plans and making way to head out. Quickly, Robin stopped him, eyeing the Exalt in an odd display of quiet desperation.

"Could you grab Cor- Commander Corrin... for me?"

Chrom craned his head instantly and flashed the tactician a wry smile. Robin rolled his eyes but Chrom burrowed further into the void, flustering Robin to no end.

"Planning movements of some sort?" Chrom challenged with a smirk.

It was well known among the Shepherds that Robin's charm, intellect, and overall personality made him a very likable person.

He was also horrible at hiding his jealousy at Chrom and Olivia's shared happiness, not to mention the other Shepherds that had found their partner in the trials of war.

Robin was masterful at handling many scenarios. Being single was not one of them.

Inversely, his charm with certain ladies, while overwhelmingly in his favor, had not exactly been fruitful. Robin wasn't a simple dog to hound out any potential mate, especially not now.

"Movements? Oh, I suppose that's one of the issues on our agenda," Robin nodded, feigning innocence.

"Uh-huh. I'll let you two move on it then," Chrom replied just as cooly.

At Chrom's remark, Jakob instantly grew wary and Robin made out the silhouette of a blade along his right sleeve.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Sir Jakob, it's about tomorrow's resupply op. Maybe a couple games of chess and some a chat, and you can have her back."

The butler scoffed and retracted the blade, replacing it with his middle finger.

Chrom broke up the tension, blocking Robin of Jakob's sight with his own body.

"Ah, well. I can grab her for you." Chrom laughed as he exited, and Robin noticed Jakob flash a glare at him before he left the tent as well.

"Dog."

"Ass," Robin replied, under his breath.

Anticipating his visitor within a couple minutes or so, Robin got to work arranging his chessboard. Having introduced her to the game just a few days ago, he was excited to see how well she'd learned and hopefully he would find himself in the midst of an actual opponent. He sighed as he thought of the mental arsenal of his peers regarding those interested in playing with him. Frederick was so-and-so, but he lacked the oversight to identify Robin's endgame until half his material had vanished.

Chrom was utter piss, and more often than not half their games ended with the Exalt slamming the board with his gauntlet and forcing Frederick to run in with a worried face. Lissa had no idea what the hell she was doing. Virion was actually amazing, but the idle chatter between moves... was less than ideal. Vaike... No.

Miriel took so damn long with her turns that Robin could have started another game with Chrom and lose before she would decide between King or Queen's gambit.

So on and so forth the games went, until Robin settled with either playing with himself which was no fun at all, or Lucina, who had a knack for insight and Robin's openers. Not so much losing with grace, though.

Robin stopped his thoughts as he heard two voices outside. No, make that three. Chrom's attempted whispering was most obvious, followed by a chuckle from both him and... Jakob. Of course. And then the female... Corrin?

Corrin's 'are you sure?' confirmed such suspicion, but Robin would just have to ask her later.

There was a knock on the wall, and Robin got up.

"Yes, who is it?" he asked casually, already knowing the answer.

"Corrin?" Corrin answered hesitantly, fluttering her thumbs. Her head peaked past the door, checking the room before she entered.

"Ah, good to... see... you?" Robin slowed down, tilting his head at the unusual silence. He swore he heard laughing outside. The Princess smiled sheepishly, before noticing the silhouettes against Robin's doorway. Robin glared suspiciously at her, before he figured it out. He brought his hands up, but too late.

"Corrin-"

"Corr-out!" Corrin yelped, throwing a bucket of water onto Robin's face, running out of his tent just as lightning shot out from behind her, narrowly missing her head.

"Oh you've done it now."

Hobbling out of the tent with a snarl, Robin had the attention of the three who had plotted so deviously against him. Staring Corrin in her innocent red eyes, he vowed that instant to extinguish all manner of hope from them one day.

"You just started a war with the wrong tactician, Commander."

"Oh come now Commander, it's hot. Cool off a bit... Hey, put down the- eek!"

Lightning struck metal this time, causing the young princess to spasm uncontrollably on the ground as Chrom busted into hysterics as well, only to also be shot by Robin.

Jakob's knife flew in, but Robin anticipated the strike and dodged back effortlessly, causing the dagger to bounce off the grass.

"Up you go, then," Robin ordered, bringing up both of his incapacitated friends with outstretched hands. Oddly enough, they were still laughing.

"Y-you... aha, you should've seen your face-"

Corrin's wheezes were still a bit incoherent, but her happiness was evident and as plain as day. Robin only fumed back, being that he was still freezing cold and soaking wet.

But as he saw Corrin's disarming smile alongside Chrom's and even Jakob's, he decided that revenge was a dish best served cold.

Very, very cold, with a Fimbulvetr tome. In the middle of the night...

And when Corrin turned her contagious smile to Robin, he couldn't help but return it as he dripped all over the floor, a plan already conjured.

Chapter Text

Day 21, Before Dawn

Kazahana, Or Hana to her very limited assortment of friends that consisted of Sakura and...

and...

Yikes.

-woke up early at the cusp of dawn to begin her training. The river that the Shepherds had decided to make camp beside ran a few feet away from her, providing some ambient noise to accompany the songs of the birds in the distant trees. With long and steady strokes, Hana polished her katana so that it could reflect the rising sun's rays. It was an heirloom of her late father, and as such she treated it with just as much respect as she did her liege. Well, more, really. If Sakura was her only friend, then her katana was proof of the oath that she swore: to defend and bring honor to Lady Sakura as a samurai of Hoshido.

Even on the battlefields so far away from it.

With a moment of recollection, Hana turned back toward the camp from her kneeling position, watching some of those who had already woken up like she had before the official morning bell. Among the unfamiliar faces, she saw some from Hoshido as well, reminding her to the fact that even among her own allies there were those who came from the same soil as her.

Many of the retainers to the eight members of Hoshidan and Nohrian royalty were awake at this time, and Hana's own partner, Subaki, was doing some running drills with a woman that bore an uncanny resemblance to his own. A bit further down the riverbank was that Flame Tribe oni, Rinkah. Hana wasn't too familiar with the heir to the Flame Tribe, but Hinoka had explained how Rinkah had been a steadfast companion to Kamui on her journey from Nohr to Hoshido, even going so far as to attempt to avenge Queen Mikoto's death alongside everyone else. It was then to no surprise that she had been caught up in all this, but the Flame Tribe daughter had taken up Princess Kamui's plea to join the growing Joint Shepherd force as a Hoshidan warrior. As far as Hana was concerned, Rinkah was as trustworthy an ally as any other Hoshidan on the field. The Flame Tribe was known for its strength, so she was quite eager to see Rinkah's merits speak for themselves when the opportunities came across.

Speaking of new Hoshidans, Prince Ryoma was going through his morning kata, moving through each of the moments with a slow and certain fluidity. Across the riverbank were Saizo and Kagero, who were returning from nearby villages with the results of a scouting mission done over the black of night. And by Ryoma's side, watching in reverence, was Say'ri, who had grown to be a rather steadfast companion to the High Prince. Er, Emperor. Gods, that was going to be weird. Say'ri's swordsmanship was incredible, and Hana would daresay that the Chon'sin princess was just as competent as Ryoma himself. Sure, the High Prince, er, Emperor wielded a sword of lightning and possessed a near unflinching will, but the way Say'ri fought with such deliberate and piercing strokes was in itself magnificent. By this time, she had observed Ryoma enough to mimic some of his motions, and Hana decided to let the two of them be as she turned her attention elsewhere in the camp.

Just on schedule, a man had run past her on the far side of the river. Hana knew not the details, but she would always notice that Chrom's retainer would be running with full armor up and down the camp's perimeter, often holding water cans or a lance to further bolster his routine. He wasn't so old of a warrior, on the contrary really- he was quite young for his station. Still, despite the rigorous exercise, that man had little fatigue or pain to show, and instead diligence and devotion towards his country and his king.

Her armor and weapons were polished and repaired by now, so Hana donned them and took up Sir Frederick's exercise as her own, thinking it to be a good mix-up from the usual sword drills she ran by herself. Frederick was clearly pacing himself but he was still running at near-full strides, so Hana threw uncertainty to the wind and broke into a wild and unfettered sprint, her nimble steps leaving little sound even to the tents she passed. Hana felt the wind sharply passing her ears, and she mustered more willpower and pushed even harder until she covered entire tents with merely two or three bounds. Suddenly, a blue shadow with powerful footsteps slowly crept past her until she saw the Ylissean knight run by her, and she tripped over her own feet from equal parts shock and disbelief.

How... I'm sprinting! He's wearing armor! And that lance certainly has to throw off his balance...

Hana noticed as the knight ran past certain barrels, he would hoist his lance as to stab a target, and then relax it in his hands again. Upon closer inspection, she realized that he was stabbing tomatoes, so cleanly in fact that they did not bruise or collapse when they came into contact with his lance, the head being modified to not obliterate the produce outright. Squinting even as she ran, Hana noticed that 6 or 7 tomatoes were skewered on the haft, and judging by the time he'd been running they must have counted as lap markers for him. Quickly doing the math, a lap around the camp was about a mile or so.

No way am I letting that old man show me up!

Hana sighed, desperately trying to pick up her pace as she hesitantly drew her right-hand katana as well. Quickly running alongside the river, she ran her blade along the surface of the rippling flow until a single droplet hung delicately along the gleaming edge. Being very steady with her arm-movements now, Hana wagered she could run a couple miles balancing a droplet of water on her sword. After all, she was the finest swordsman in Hoshido, as per her self-proclamation. Now it was time to prove it.

Frederick watched as the samurai who had mimicked his routine sprinted at full canter, holding her blade out as if to lunge. Using his keen vision, he could tell she was balancing a water droplet along her blade. Nodding in approval, Frederick decided he had taken his break for too long and slowed his pace to converse.

"I see my training has inspired you to do the same," Frederick called in front of him, where Hana faltered but tried to outrun the knight.

"Non-s-sense!" She paused to take a deep breath before speaking again, "I'm the best swordsman in Hoshido! Your... warm-up's got nothing on m-me!"

Frederick chuckled, not complaining as he ran past her again.

"If that is the case, allow me to enhance the challenge. Hoshido has proven their warriors proud and fearsome. But I've yet to see you."

"And what right do you have to judge my w-worth?"

"I am the guardian to Exalt Chrom, and the Captain of Ylisse's royal guard. Every recruit that guards my beloved country does so under my jurisdiction. Now, try to keep that droplet balanced as I intensify the training."

Hana scoffed as it would be her luck for that inhuman fiend to notice her attempts of honing her craft. Suddenly, an arrow came flying at her and she instinctively slid under it, all the while keeping the droplet balanced on her blade.

"What the hell was that?!"

"It's training, Hoshidan. Relax, I won't aim to kill. Though it would deeply impress me if you could slice those arrows like Prince Ryoma can," Frederick hinted, nocking back another arrow as his steed rode outside her path.

Wh-How! He was just running a second ago. Where did he pull that bow... and his horse from?!

"Challenge accepted, old man!"

Hana maintained her brisk speed as Frederick let loose another shot from his bow. Hana angled her blade precisely, slicing the arrow in half lengthwise and causing the two ends to split around her before rolling into the grass. With a same fluid motion, she had caught the discarded droplet by the tip of her katana, returning it to her possession once more between the breadth of two strides. Frederick's eyebrows raised as the droplet remained clean on the blade.

"Hmph. You b-bore me! How about two at a time!" Hana challenged as she struggled to keep up speed with Frederick's horse.

"So be it!" Frederick nocked two arrows this time, and Hana's focus slowed time to a halt as she slashed downwards, keeping the blade angled down as well, making efforts to do so with such speed that the momentum would keep the droplet in place.

It did.

Even from Frederick's eyes, it looked as if her arms had not moved at all, but the arrows split in half by her feet made no mistake that she had cleanly avoided being skewered. And that damn water stuck on her blade like it was Gaius to a treat.

"So you think your skills could improve further, eh. Let's see how you like this!" Frederick hoisted his lance suddenly, disregarding his bow.

Robin emerged from his tent, nodding to Corrin and Chrom in the distance. They ignored him, as their gazes were on something far more interesting than a bed-head-ridden tactician.

"Hmm? Oh, wow."

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Robin opened them just in time to catch Hana running up and down the river with her sword extended like a madman while Frederick was holding his bow and launching arrows at her point blank.

"What the hell is wrong with this army?"

Suddenly, Frederick dropped his bow, and instead threw his lance at her like a javelin...

...only for Hana to leap onto it, run along it like it was a solid bridge, leap off it again, and land onto Frederick's horse, all while keeping what appeared to be...

"No way in hell," Robin laughed as he noticed the sunlight reflecting off the single drop of water, still on her blade.

Frederick stopped, eyes wide in surprise as the swordsman came flying until she landed cleanly right behind his saddle, balancing precariously on her feet as the horse neighed in disapproval.

"How's that for the best swordsman?!" Hana exclaimed, dismounting with a backflip and sheathing her sword, with the droplet sliding off cleanly onto her index finger, which she pointed accusingly at Frederick. Flicking it away, the samurai grinned, wiping her sweaty forehead with a cocky expression written all over her eyes and cheeks.

"That was indeed impressive, Hoshidan. I guess I will replace tomatoes with water droplets now," Frederick replied with a laugh. "Let's conclude here. Breakfast is soon to be prepared."

"Oh, right. Alright, yeah, let's dig in," Hana concurred, loosening the straps in her armor.

Ryoma and Say'ri joined the two as well, the pair having concluded their training in time for breakfast.

"Good morning Lord Ryoma, Lady Say'ri," Frederick said in greeting, with Hana bowing in respect.

"You two created quite a stir," Say'ri laughed, gesturing grandly with her hands. "Indeed, the whole camp was watching in awe at your skill, Hana."

"That's an honor, Lady Say'ri. Thank you," Hana replied politely, not quite hiding her smile.

"Oh, by the way, have you seen Prince Leo lately? He appeared quite distraught when he left the provision tent. Was he on cooking duty?" Ryoma asked.

"...I believe he is looking for all the tomatoes that I had skewered," Frederick realized.

Chapter Text

Day 21, Early Morning

The day was upon him, and Robin was thankful to see the camp already in its usual hustle and bustle even before breakfast. Nodding to some of the Hoshidans who were sparring in a makeshift sand-pit, he stopped briefly by the mess hall to check on the day's food.

"Not quite ready yet, Commander. Come back in a few minutes and you'll get the first taste!" Niles greeted slightly provocatively.

"...Sure. Say, have you seen Lord Leo?"

"I do, many times a day. He was just here, doing the same as you and looking for food. He must still be training though."

"I see. Much appreciated, Niles."

"Of course, sir."

Not entirely off-put by the retainer, Robin made his way towards another site. While the Shepherds had set up a training ground, Lucina still preferred to take her training to an isolated and secluded area. There weren't many trees about here by the river, but this far away from camp, the princess wouldn't be bothered except by the one looking for her. It took all but a minute to find her just finishing her morning routine, and she didn't seem to react to Robin's intrusion. Shoving an object into her hands, he greeted his slightly sweaty friend with a mischievous smile. Looking at the object in her hands, Lucina's interest was immediately piqued.

"Is this... a Mastery-Class Seal? If I recall correctly, you tried to use one of these right before my Father's coronation... in this timeline, I mean. Pardon my... spying."

"It's quite alright, you're not wrong. But... as far as your assumption goes, not quite," Robin clarified. "But it looks like a Mastery-Class Seal, which had me confused as to their true purpose. And before you ask, no, Commander Corrin doesn't know a thing about what these can, or should, rather, do."

"But why would Corrin... Ah. So... these are Hoshidan or Nohrian in origin then?"

"Corrin thinks so," Robin explained. "They looked like the Mastery-Class Seals that I distributed to our more veteran-soldiers during the early stages of the Valmese invasion, but upon trying to use these on others who I deemed ready, we didn't quite get the results we were expecting." Lucina tilted her head, curious as to what results Robin was alluding to.

"What... exactly do the Seals do? I have never had the opportunity to use such a device in my timeline, nor this one."

"It's..." Robin paused, trying to think of an appropriate word. "They're like some sort of training manual. You've looked into those skill books and arms scrolls in the armory, haven't you?"

"I have," Lucina nodded. "I experimented with the techniques shown in them and I think my form with lances and bows has improved considerably, all in a short matter of time."

"The Seals work something like that," Robin explained. "Except instead of reading and learning... all the knowledge is just... engraved into the user."

"Engraved?"

"So, let's use Lissa as an example. She's pretty handy with a staff because of how much we needed her during the Plegian war. But aside from bopping Plegians or Risen over the head with whatever staff she had on hand, she had no means to defend herself. Considering that our current foes are going to put up a much bigger fight than Plegia, not to mention the Risen still roaming about, I made the call to use one of our Mastery-Class Seals on her."

"Is that why she suddenly became handy with axes?"

"Yep. Figured I'd take a little weight off Lon'qu's shoulders and give her a means to defend herself. With all her experience as a front-line cleric, the Mastery-Class Seal unlocked her 'potential' - meaning her growing abilities as a cleric and a soldier in general. Once she used the Seal, she went from a simple cleric to someone who, despite her small frame, could haft around a Vaike-sized ax and throw it fifty feet into the air and take down a wyvern rider."

"Just in that instant? No training was needed?"

"Well," Robin clarified, "Lissa still needs practice with axes to get really good at using them, but as far as the lighter axes are concerned, I'm expecting good results from her and Lon'qu on the field."

"So how come it worked on Lissa but not on you?"

Robin's face deflated from embarrassment, but he shrugged it off and just gave a slight grimace in return.

"Lissa saw constant action on the front-lines, but me... not so much. Being a tactician, I can't always be in the thick of things and I hate to say it, but my experience on the battlefield simply doesn't amount to that of Lissa's. Mastery-Class Seals only work on those that know combat like the back of their hand. I may be proficient with tomes and swords, but as far as raw experience goes, I simply didn't have enough to work with the Seal."

"Even after besting me in Ferox and taking down Gangrel's Plegian army, you still lack the experience that Lissa had?"

"Apparently," Robin shrugged. "It baffles me, but that's just how it is. You saw how Corrin kicked my ass when we first met. I know my form and technique could use a bit more work before I try using the Seal again."

"...I see," Lucina pondered. "So seguing back to the object in my hands, what are you trying to accomplish?"

Robin chuckled, his plans for the day getting set into motion.

"Contrary to your opinion, the general consensus here is that you're one of our best swordsmen in the camp. Sure, your Father, Say'ri, Ryoma, and a very few others still have an edge over you, but like it or not, that's what I think as well."

"...Oh." Lucina stood there a minute, enjoying the subtle compliment before returning to the issue at hand.

"You said this was no Mastery-Class Seal though. Are you trying to ascertain its value by experimenting on me?"

"Not just you," Robin clarified. "Prince Leo, the Nohrian Mage Knight, concluded that this certain Seal, a 'Buddy' Seal as he coined, could only be used between two people."

"Two people?"

"I don't quite understand it too," Robin admitted. "But he theorized that if two people of similar experience used the Seal, or perhaps one person in proximity to another of similar experience used the Seal, we could elicit some curious results."

"So... you just want me to get this in close proximity to him?" Lucina asked, not really understanding her Commander's intent. Robin nodded, pointing at the blonde prince in the distance, just emerging from the chow tent.

"I need to know what these things do, but these 'Seals' don't work like our own, that's for sure. So I don't know, spar with him?"

The prince of Nohr was currently in a state of despair, holding what was the last of the Shepherd's tomato cache in his hands. Thanks to those barbarians who insisted that food was a training implement, there existed naught but two tomatoes in the entire storehouse, which Leo made the decision to eat before they too disappeared.

Footsteps. Leo quickly hid the spoils.

"Prince Leo, I heard you wish to train," a voice called from Leo's right. Flinching visibly, Leo sighed reluctantly and turned at whoever- Oh.

Princess Lucina stood behind him, a poor attempt at a genuine smile on her face. Leo wasn't sure whether this was just a farce or whether the Princess truly could not line her lips properly. Her right hand rested casually on the hilt of Awoken Falchion, while the left held her hip like she normally stood. Strapped to her belt was one of the Seals. Was she running experiments for Robin? He supposed this was what was due for encouraging the curious tactician.

"Training? I believe you are mistaken," Leo replied confidently, to which Lucina's slight smile turned into a bitter scowl. To be honest, Leo did not mind training, but most of his true learning came from reading and watching, not from the actual physical practice (and disgusting sweat) of live combat.

"Tsk, then why are you out here if not to scout or train? And... are those tomatoes? What are you going to do with those?"

Oh, I don't know, Eat them, maybe?

Leo laughed nervously, waving it off as if tomatoes were the norm to carry around.

Shit, my cover is blown. Think think think!

The perfectly oiled and maintained gears in Leo's head turned at maximum efficiency, cranking out a valid excuse in optimal time.

"Well, it's not really training, but you could call it that," Leo offered. "Hana and Frederick were using them as targets, and well... I guess target practice is training, I suppose."

"Fantastic!" Lucina exclaimed, drawing Falchion eagerly. "If that is the case, then I wish to train with you!" Leo paled, a genuine fear growing for his tomatoes. Would he ever get to eat them?

"I-uhh... Are you sure you wish to use your holy sword as a... vegetable cutter?" Lucina frowned as the joke flew over her head, and all she traced was another excuse to escape. Likewise, Leo felt disgusted in using his beloved tomatoes as a mere... training implement. He would rather eat them. Lucina thought otherwise.

"Allow me to be clear. I wish to train with you, and when I say with you, I mean I wish to spar." Leo noticed that she was unconsciously toying with the Seal on her hip the whole time, but even now, nothing had happened that was out of the norm.

Leo sighed as the thoughts of tomatoes were now all but gone, so he set the two in his hand down on a nearby barrel before opening up Brynhildr. Lucina shook her head, instead pointing at the unused blade at his side.

"Commander Corrin says even though you're a capable mage, your swordsmanship is what truly sets you above and beyond the Nohrians. I wish to see this myself."

"Capable..."

Leo made a quick mental note to curse Corrin's smallclothes with a burning spell tonight.

We'll see who's 'capable.'

But the second part stung a little bit more. Swordsmanship? Leo gagged on his laugh, and silently cursed Corrin for spreading such rumors. Him? A swordsman? Truly she insisted on rubbing salt in the wound of their last duel. He sighed quietly as he remembered his beloved sister beating him relentless with a wooden stick, forcing Leo's innards inside out just like his cloak.

Hmph.

"I... She means to disgrace me! She knows I never use swords!" he cried, trying to get away from Lucina, a futile attempt as the swordsman blocked his path with crossed arms.

"You mean to say that your rumored skill with a sword is based on fallacy?" Leo frowned and pointed at the iceblade on his belt.

"Do you see this? It hasn't seen maintenance, let alone combat, since I got here," To prove his point, Leo tried drawing his sword, only for the rust on the blade causing it to get stuck about halfway out the sheath, "And I'm pretty sure I would do more harm beating you with this tome than I could swinging this blade."

Lucina rolled her eyes and drew Falchion, the smooth gliding of metal slightly unnerving Leo.

"Prove it!" Lucina exclaimed, eager to spar and getting quite annoyed that the prince would not draw.

"I can't! Corrin always teases me about my poor swordsmanship! I'm a spellcaster through and through, truly! She is merely disdainful of my talents and wishes for me to... embarrass myself..."

"Is that it?" Lucina asked curiously. Leo scoffed.

"What do you mean 'is that it?' She probably set you up, knowing that you like to spar with everyone, and she got you to think that I'm an actual swordsman. Tsk, I would've guessed she would insult my pride like that."

"Pride? I do not wish to harm your honor," Lucina stated with relative discomfort, "I only wish to improve my own skills. And what's the point of wielding a sword if you cannot swing it!" Leo laughed in response, waving around his tome.

"I have this, the holy tome of Nohr! What good is a sword when both my hands are taken?" Lucina considered it, but stood her ground.

"But, if you were to be set upon by an enemy at close range, what good is a tome?" Leo scoffed and surrounded himself with vines and branches, creating a barrier "Oh."

"On the other hand, what good is that blade if you are beset by archers or mages?" Leo retorted. The princess stopped, at a loss for words.

Suddenly, an idea struck Leo like a brick. Grinning madly, Lucina was caught off guard at the sudden change of heart.

"I guess we shall settle this ourselves. We shall train yet, Princess of Ylisse," Leo exclaimed. "Now give me Falchion!"

"Excuse me!?" Lucina yelled, unwilling to let go of her Father's sword. Leo sighed and tossed her Brynhildr, which she barely caught.

"Give me your sword, and I'll give you my tome. This will truly be a fair spar, if that's what you so desire." Leo grinned on the inside. If I'm going to get embarrassed, then at least Corrin's buddy here will sink with me into this pool of mortification! Genius!

Lucina appeared distraught, twirling her Falchion slowly, before handing it to Leo with a slight grimace.

"I'm not too sure... I haven't used a tome in... My whole life, really. Neither of my parents use magic, and sorcery has not really been taught to me..." Leo laughed, a plan already made.

"Then it will be a fair duel! My swordsmanship is on par with your magical proficiency, therefore it will be a true battle of combat intuition!" Leo's smile grinned as even though he was a shit-poor swordsman, he could definitely beat a first-time caster like Lucina. Especially with a tome as difficult as Brynhildr, who, by title alone, was only usable by him.

Likewise, Lucina thought the same. Falchion would only cut when held by a worthy heir to the Exalt. Of course, Leo, not even being of the same bloodline, would have much difficulty breaking her defense, let alone best her at her own game. Even without a sword, she was a swordsman. Disarmed combat was merely excellent training, despite the poor opponent. She would tire him out just by dodging his blade, at least by the time she would figure out how to... tome... stuff. She could just bash him with the tome, but that would defeat the purpose of learning.

Little did the two notice that the Seal by Lucina's hip started to glow.

Chrom and Robin looked in interest at the two, who were circling around each other uncertainly holding each other's weapon.

"What's Lucina doing with a tome?" Robin laughed. Lucina didn't notice but Brynhildr was upside down in her grip.

"And what does that boy think he's doing with Falchion?" Chrom joined in, clearly amused at Leo's poor form and footwork.

Deciding to initiate, seeing as it wasn't much mental effort to swing a sword, Leo sloppily lunged forward, which was easily sidestepped by Lucina. Having nothing better to do, she beat him over the head with Brynhildr, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Ow! You're supposed to cast spells with a tome, not use it as a club!"

Robin cracked up again, not sure who to root for.

Lucina stopped, feeling a strange coursing of power when she exerted effort with Brynhildr. Perhaps spells were cast by the mind, and channeled through the book! Lucina had always thought it was the other way around.

"Is that... I think I got it!"

"Huh?"

Leo on the other hand felt something much stranger; Phantasms of what appeared to be royalty across the ages. Dozens of warriors, all the way to a blue-haired prince, one of the first, it seemed, who bore a similar hairstyle and headband that the prince did. If Leo wasn't blonde, he would've sworn that this king bore a very uncanny resemblance to him.

"What in the hell is this?" Leo gasped, backing up from the phantoms which were seen only by him. Chrom and Robin looked at each other before laughing, the mage clearly delusional. Lucina did likewise, clearly not seeing what Leo saw. Was this the power of the Seal?

"I think I may know what those new toys of ours do now," Robin decided quietly.

Who...

Leo thoughts flew at a mile a minute, the visions appearing as mirages in front of him as his blurry subconsciousness continued providing this incredible feedback. Watching the prince from before materialize right where his feet were going to be, Leo's form seemed to improve a hundredfold, his actions now being guided by the unwitting hero-king himself, and with a diving spin, sliced the air surrounding Lucina's neck as she backflipped away, at a loss for how Leo pulled off that maneuver.

"Horse dung, useless with a sword," Lucina muttered, rubbing her almost-eviscerated neck gingerly. Trying again with Bryndhildr, her fingers in her right hand were now tingling as if she lost blood flow to the digits, but she could tell that this was something far more powerful.

"Let's see if this works..."

Leo's eyes were focused not on Lucina, but on the people manifesting on the ground within him. Like he preferred, he was a visual learner. Not only that, but when he mimicked the royalty in front of him, it seemed to be that his body was being guided by an unknown power.

"Is the Falchion..." Leo started, before becoming lost in thought once again.

Seeing a new prince appear this time, and being guided by a force far more recent than the previous, Leon flew into the air at least ten feet and flipped forward with his blade outstretched, a whirling blur of black and blade as Lucina rolled out of the way. His impact with the ground met a hollow thud as the blade clanged harmlessly against the dirt, echoed closely by cursing from Lucina of some 'lying swordsman.' Chrom took a stronger feeling to the move, clearly interested in the fight now.

"Hey! That's... my thing?" a voice yelped from the sidelines.

Leo stopped, noticing Chrom watching, and how similar he looked to the mirages...

"You're the one that taught me that," Leo called to Chrom."I saw you do that move and suddenly I could do it too... but how?"

Could it be, that whoever wielded the blade bore the strength of the heroes before him? That could explain the legacy behind Falchion, he wondered. Or perhaps... This had nothing to do with Falchion, but with his own aptitude for learning? Or...

Leo looked down at Lucina's hip, where the Seal was glowing quite vividly now. Meeting Lucina's gaze, they both realized that this fight was going to become much more intense.

"I think I know what those seals do now..." Lucina hypothesized aloud, in awe of seeing Chrom's own move being performed by someone who wasn't him or his daughter. After all, he was just a mage! That move took her father ages to perfect, and more so to teach to her!

Actually, he had never taught that to her, but she sort of figured it out after the tenth or so flip onto her back.

Was he 'engraved' with Lucina's aptitude for swords? If so, would that make her aptitude for tomes...

Her left hand clutched Brynhildr as her right seemed to be outstretched, trying to cast. After ducking from another close-call with her blade, Lucina finally got some feedback, her fingers glowing with power.

'H-how... Un-Ah!" Lucina couldn't even feel her own hand anymore, a foreign feeling gripping her entire arm. With a shout, she somehow exerted that energy, causing a massive tree to sprout up right underneath Leo's feet. Both fighters and certainly both spectators were caught off guard, Leo not so nimbly back-flipping off the tree and stumbling on the landing, cursing all the while.

"Did I just..." Lucina said with excitement. She could pull off magic after all! And with a Holy tome of Nohr, was that even possible?

"Did she just..." Leo said with panic. That was his tome! No one could use it except for him! Was it something she did? Or did the tome pick a new favorite? Or did the Seal... give her his abilities?

"Did my daughter just..." Chrom said with shock. Since when could the future princess wield magic? Let alone something as powerful as that?

"Those seals the Nohrians brought... They are so different from our own." Robin theorized quickly. Even if no magic potential existed in Lucina's blood, here she was, casting spells out of one of the most powerful tomes in the army.

The Shepherds could always use more mages, Robin devised.

Half the army used swords on the battlefield, anyway.

In a roar of frustration, and with no predecessors guiding him, Leo struck the tree Lucina created, cleaving clean through the trunk with a horizontal blow from Falchion. Chrom and Lucina held their breath as the blade visibly went through the tree, waiting for something to happen.

No cut was visible, and Chrom sighed in relief. Robin already knew this from before but never actually saw it in action: someone unworthy of using Falchion trying to strike something. It would appear as if there was a cut, but then nothing would actually befall the target. The only time the blade felt resistance was from another blade, so flesh or an otherwise inactive opponent would be as indiscernible as air to the unworthy hand.

By this time, several more people that were standing around started taking interest in the battle, including Corrin and Xander.

Leo sprung off the tree with a leaping strike, once again mirroring Chrom before barely missing Lucina's legs as he rolled into another series of rapid slashes.

"What the hell?" Corrin wondered in confusion, not exactly believing that Leo could pull off such impressive swordwork.

"The holy tome of Nohr, only able to be wielded by those that prove themselves righteous of its power..." Xander whispered, noticing who was holding Brynhildr with awe. Also, his brother seemed to develop exceptional skill with the blade, it seemed.

Hearing a huge snap behind them, Lucina and Leo turned to see that the tree Leo had just jumped off from had, thanks to the force from the jump, started to break where Leo had sliced. With a loud thump, the newly bisected tree lay on the ground.

"No way in hell," Lucina and Leo muttered simultaneously. Chrom hurried over to the tree, feeling the wood against his palm: It was as smooth a cut as if it had been sanded a thousand times by an expert craftsman. Only a cut from a worthy wielder of Falchion could have done that...

"Falchion is... Naga's tooth..." Leo whispered with reverence. Turning to Lucina, he held up Falchion, which was glowing a very faint but barely discernible purple in his hands.

"And only the descendants of Naga can wield it?" Lucina finished, uncertain now. "Or has it deemed you worthy, just as Bryndhilr has done for me?"

"Lord Leo," Chrom concluded, gesturing for the two Nohrian princes and Lucina to follow him, "I believe some research is in order. Those Seals seem to be quite the interesting devices."

Corrin walked up to Robin who still appeared awed, rubbing the tree's cut with a sense of admiration. The young man's face was lined with both shock and immense discovery.

"Can you believe it? Those Buddy Seals... as long as two soldiers are compatible and experienced, we can fill any role the army needs! Can you imagine how versatile we could be?" Robin announced, sensing his Co-Commander behind him.

"And I was just teasing when I told Lucina he was a skilled swordsman among us in the camp," Corrin grumbled, feeling the cut as well against her palm. Sighing in contempt, she drew Yato, envying the clean incision that she could have never pulled off with her own sword. And here was her younger brother, invading her and Xander's realm of combat expertise oh so nonchalantly. "Ever the natural..."

"You know what? Why not? There's no reason a Dark Knight like Leo can't use his sword every now and then. I'll put him on the vanguard, along with Xander," Robin decided, drafting more battle plans for the upcoming fight in his head.

"As long as he gets to use magic, I'm sure he won't complain," Corrin countered.

"I'm going to talk Leo into letting Lucina keep Brynhildr, as well."

"Ah, now you're really pushing it." Corrin teased. Her smirk never failed to be contagious, and Robin nodded along to her complaining.

"You know, perhaps we should try that out. I m-mean, the Buddy Seal, that is," he added quickly.

"Oh, you think you can run around with my skills now that Leo is a better mage and swordsman than you?" Corrin smirked.

"If we use that Buddy-Class Seal, maybe you might put up a fight in chess," Robin grumbled.

"As if," the princess waved with a scoff. "Though, I am curious to see how long you'll last as a dragon," she retorted.

Robin chuckled, sitting atop the log to stare at Corrin's pouting face.

"About as long as you would without boots," Robin replied with his trademark bow. "All the tacticians I know love their boots."

"Tsk, I think I'll wear your cloak when I'm Grandmaster of the Shepherds."

"And I think a Grandmaster wears boots."

"...I just want to wear your cloak."

Chapter Text

Day 28, midday

Nohr had its fair variety of warriors, many of which Lucina had challenged and learned from their duels. However, it was just a matter of time before the Hoshidans joined in on the beat down that was Lucina's sword prowess.

Finishing up her individual training and recalled that Hoshidan monk, Azama, gesturing for her. Most of his insults flew over her head, but she remembered the specific detail of him asking whether she was the Crown Princess of Ylisse or not.

"I am," Lucina confirmed.

"Very well. I do not mean to disturb your time, as productive as I'm sure it is, but Lady Hinoka wishes to train with you."

"And she would not tell me this herself?"

Azama appeared offended at the remark, but the twin slits that were his opened eyes gave no further evidence of that.

"Er, she would, were she not preoccupied with another sparring partner. She only asked for your presence when she exhausted her current dummy."

"...Who is?"

"That Nohrian mage, Odin."

Lucina decided that she wouldn't mind the change in routine today, knowing that she'd be getting sword work in no matter her oppoenent. Hopefully, Hinoka would not disappoint.

"I preferred you when you used your katana," Hinoka grumbled under her panting, naginata at the low ready while the mage in front of her breathed heavily as well.

"T-The Chosen One - ahem- does not rely on mere physical prowess alone to inflict his f-fell fury!"

"I still preferred the katana." Hinoka scoffed. Odin gave a yell and fired off a Fimbulvetyr while simultaneously back flipping, launching off a second torrent of ice as his feet touched the ground. Hinoka ducked under the first wave of frost and deflected the second with the blade of her lance.

"You telegraph your moves so plainly when you use magic," Hinoka complained, running in with a downward slash, forcing Odin to sidestep. She quickly altered her footwork, expertly handling her naginata with her legs as she cartwheeled towards him, while also delivering a rapid series of slashes with her blade as she fluidly transferred it back to her hands when she finished the maneuver. Tossing it into the air right as her feet hit the ground again, Hinoka leaped skyward and somersaulted with the blade, leaving large gashes in the sand. Odin, purely on the defensive, shouted again and rose into the air with power.

"Behold!"

Firing off five bolts of ice in rapid succession, Hinoka agilely ducked and weaved around the first three, deflected the fourth, but faltered as the last one struck her leg. Feeling her leg give out from the shock, Hinoka was helpless to see Odin unsheathe Mystletainn, landing from his brief levitation with a roll. A low slash with the back end of his blade knocked her over, leaving both of them panting in the sand.

"There. My blade."

"Tch," Hinoka sighed, the effects of the cold mostly gone. "The day I master magic is the day you need to come up with new tricks."

"Dragon's Vein counts, no?" Hinoka considered Odin's suggestion and nodded after a brief pause.

"It does, doesn't it? Well, I can't really use it offensively in the middle of combat. It's more of a strategic flow-disrupting manuever, more than a way to kill efficiently. Not to mention, you can use the Dragon Vein too, which does not make sense at all."

"Even though I was a Nohrian for three years, I am still an Ylissean at heart. It is a land of heroes! Heroes whose blood flows in mine. Likewise, your blood if blessed with those of Hoshidan heroes, no? Anyway, now that I know how to look for Dragon Veins, this continent is scattered with them. 'Tis an old battleground of the dragons, and they have left their marks for us mortals to find!"

"This is like the ninth time you have bragged about Ylisse to me. Not once have you explained how you can do the same stuff we can." Odin smiled sheepishly as he nodded.

"My true form is a swordsman by the name of Owain. I am the child of Lissa, one of the healers here. As she is the brother of Prince Chrom, the Divine Dragon's blood flows strong through my veins as well."

"Thanks for the history lesson," Hinoka marveled in sarcasm, interrupted in her thoughts by another swordsman entering the sparring arena. Odin, er Owain seemed to brighten up from his cheap victory, dashing towards the blue-haired princess.

"Ah, Lucina! I haven't really talked to you since we came back!" Lucina squinted at the strangely familiar cousin in front of her. Was that really Owain? Ah, that's right. He came with the Nohrians.

"Owain?"

"You are correct!"

"I understand the magic. It is impressive, even. But the clothes? I have to admit that is a little... superfluous."

Owain didn't even falter as he proudly flashed his gleaming chest.

"It's for the free flow of divine power when-" Hinoka silenced him, covering his torpedo nipples with her lance.

"Like I said, I liked you as a swordsman." Owain nodded sadly before admitting defeat.

"I'll... excuse myself. Farewell, Hinoka."

"Heh."

As Owain walked off, Hinoka suppressed a very struggled smile. Looking at Lucina, the two Princesses mirrored each other before finally giving in, the latter as surprised at her own reaction as she was with Owain.

"Are you Owain's-"

"No, I assure you our relationship is purely for sparring and ridicule," Hinoka assured.

"Well, I suppose I can offer you my blade to spar with, if you're still willing."

"I am. Allow me to just..." Hinoka's red eyes flashed as she channeled a pulse using her Dragon's Vein, placing a regenerative aura over the pit where they would fight.

"That's... The Divine Dragon's power!"

"In Hoshido and Nohr, we call it the Dragon's Vein. Royalty descended from the dragons themselves carry their bloodline through us. Those pure enough, like Corrin, can evidently transform into a dragon outright."

"So... as a Princess of Ylisse..."

"Hmm, you could channel it too. Your cousin could, so I have full faith you should be able to. Try it, and tell me how it goes. I could give you some pointers, if you have trouble. In the mean time, I have rested enough. At your ready!"

Hinoka watched as Lucina slowly drew Falchion, twirling it around with a flourish before resting the blade along her chin, parallel to the ground in her usual pose.

"I hope Owain has not spoiled you too much on Ylissean sword play, Lady Hinoka."

"Oh, it'll take a lot to impress me after seeing a seemingly simple Nohrian use our own weapons with such finesse. And please, I'm not a Lady when my lance is pointed at you. Come on then!"

Swiping upwards towards Lucina's face, Hinoka's naginata whistled sharply as it cut through the air by her ear.

Lucina leaped into the air, parrying Hinoka's upward thrust in flight while slicing downwards in a stabbing motion. The strike was deflected by Hinoka's gauntlet, slapping the blade away while at the same time using Lucina's momentum to shove her past. Almost instantly, Hinoka twirled the blade into Lucina's side, only for the princess to leap acrobatically over the horizontal strike, landing on her feet.

"I'll admit, you're certainly more limber than your cousin..."

Lucina charged forward, shifting her momentum quickly as she feinted into a reverse spin. Hinoka barely ducked under the strike and delivered five rapid lunges in an up-down-up-down-up pattern, which Lucina parried with a struggle as Hinoka's reach advantage forced Lucina into a defensive stance.

"Astra technique... My mother taught me that, oh so long ago," Lucina said in admiration, recovering in the temporary ceasefire.

"My father taught me that," Hinoka replied grimly, twirling her staff before assuming a defensive pose.

Jumping skyward, Lucina prepared to execute her father's signature move. Just as she started flipping forward, Hinoka took the opportunity to lunge with her spear while keeping her body in the defensive stance. Their blades met in midair, and by the sheer strength of the force, Hinoka found herself leaning on her rear leg, as the front one collapsed onto its knees. Lucina on the other hand was kept in mid-air for a few seconds by the power of the blow. She was more surprised that the naginata didn't break.

"Whoa."

"That was a quite impressive block."

"Hey! That's enough you two, don't want you guys getting too fired up," Chrom called out, admiring his daughter's form. Ryoma stood beside him, taking notes of both warriors and thinking of which maneuvers to implement the next time he drew his blade. Nodding to Chrom, he made his way to the pit.

"Nice attempt, Hinoka. Allow me to demonstrate what Father taught us," Ryoma stated, drawing Raijinto with a solemn slowness. Lightning crackled at his hands as the Dawn's Fang sang in the samurai's grasp.

A few feet away, Falchion harmonized Raijinto's song as it too left her owner's sheath.

"Thanks for getting the pit nice and warmed up for us," Chrom called, while his daughter and the Hoshidan watched the spar.

"Bet you a bullion on Ryoma," Hinoka offered, climbing out of the pit.

"I would not want to take your money," Lucina smirked back.

Chapter Text

Day 35, morning

For the most part, Lon'qu didn't care much for his newfound comrades.

Half of them pissed him the hell off.

The other half didn't seem to regard his existence.

Of course, the Nohrians and Hoshidans and whatever else they were were not all bad, and a couple of them had taught Lon'qu a few aspects of swordsmanship he had not considered.

Thus, Lon'qu enjoyed sparring with the Nohrians and Hoshidans, just for the sole purpose of bettering himself. The side-effects of such camaraderie would have to be endured for the sake of his duty, it seemed.

It was on one of these days that the Feroxi swordsman was sparring with none other but Crown Prince Xander of Nohr. Compared to the Chon'sin's rapid slashes that focused on chipping away at the opponent's defenses before a critical strike would reveal itself, the broad twin blades of Siegfried parried precisely and forced Lon'qu aside with its sheer mass and accuracy.

One particular deflection caused Lon'qu's arm to jut outwards with an audible pop, with the myrmidon immediately backing away from Xander's onslaught even as the paladin ceased his attack.

"Was that sound bone? Good heavens, we need to get that checked if that's the case," Xander lamented, quickly sheathing Siegfried and running over to Lon'qu who was just scowling and holding his wrist in apathy.

"J-just a sprain," the warrior muttered, walking off, "I'll be fine in the morning."

Expecting Lon'qu to reconsider, Xander stood there for a few seconds before realizing that Lon'qu was going to try muscling through a dislocated shoulder.

That probably wouldn't be wise.

"Now, that's nonsense," the prince insisted, calling over the medic on duty...

...Who happened to be Lon'qu's charge, Lissa. The princess skipped to her bodyguard and after a quick examination, let loose a snort-riddled laugh.

"And you call me frail," the Ylissean taunted, leaving Lon'qu with pursed lips and an annoyed look plastered all over his face. Helpless as his arm was being prodded at by the cleric, the myrmidon looked to the paladin for reinforcement.

None would come unfortunately, as the silent plea for help flew over Xander's head.

"Seriously, you train all day just for your arm to pop out like a chicken wing! I'ma call you that from now on! Chicken Wing!"

"Perhaps Chrom will let you block Siegfried with your staff for your birthday," Lon'qu retorted. Lissa blew a raspberry and bopped him lightly on the nose with her staff.

"You've walked off with worse, you baby! Why do you need m-" Lon'qu put a hand over Lissa's gaping mouth to shut her up and with a deep sigh of defeat, pointed simply to his arm.

"Just make i-it quick, woman," Lon'qu stuttered, blushing from touching Lissa's mouth. His gynophobia was further established when he spaced his body as far away from Lissa as his arm would allow.

"Heh. You get bold enough to touch me and all of a sudden you're back to the woman-fearing self that you were," Lissa teased, letting her magic do its thing. Xander took in this information with relish.

"Ah, so that explains your aversion to the women around camp," the Prince guessed, Lissa nodding in confirmation.

"See! Us Ylisseans are just as weird as the rest of you guys! I mean... not like that, but Lon'qu has his quirks too!"

Lon'qu was having none of it.

"I stab people, not indulge in the company of women," the warrior complained, pointing dejectedly to his wrist and glaring at his charge. "Anytime now, wom- Lissa." The princess giggled at her name being mentioned, and bashed Lon'qu's bad wrist with her staff, causing him to yelp in pain. If Lon'qu's glare could not get any sharper, it broke such rules of physics and established a new boundary.

"What the -hngh!"

With another strike, significantly harder, Lon'qu fell over unconscious. However, the perpetrator was Camilla, who snuck up behind Lon'qu unaware due to his focus on Lissa.

"Such rudeness to my dear Lissa," Camilla cooed, causing Lissa to laugh even at her guardian's unconscious form. Mending his wrist, Lissa left with a smile after Camilla convinced her she would take care of the daring swordsman.

"Camilla... do be gentle. I don't want to get lectured about 'strange kidnappings' from the Commanders. Again," Xander warned. Camilla merely giggled, dragging Lon'qu's limp body behind her as she walked off.

"Oh, my dear brother, this man will learn to love a womanly caress in time."

Lon'qu came to tied up next to a bed, arm feeling great but also tied to the bedpost. Outside, he could see Shepherds walking about so he knew he was still in the camp. An attempt to yell for help led him to realize his mouth was also gagged, causing him to fume silently as he worked on his binds.

Rustling behind him, Camilla watched Lon'qu in curiosity before making her appearance apparent.

"Oooh, you're awake," Camilla whispered into Lon'qu's ears, causing the Feroxi to jolt and turn.

"Mmmhmh!" Lon'qu murmured underneath his gag, prompting Camilla to straddle the swordsman in a manner that would arouse the dead. Her wide, obscenely shapely hips nearly cut off bloodflow to Lon'qu's nethers had they not been so... stimulated. The myrmidon's biology was out of whack; half of it wanted the stimulus to continue while the other half just shut down outright and expected the worst.

"MMHMMMH!" Lon'qu screamed, thrashing under the weight of the crown princess.

"Oh, such a lively spirit," Camilla noted, reaching past Lon'qu's head to undo his gag, forcing her breasts into his chest. Lon'qu squirmed hard enough to move the bed, rocking it towards his body about half a foot.

"Such a powerful force," Camilla whispered lightly at point-blank, forcing Lon'qu to close his eyes even as the gag went undone.

"W-woman, I have no idea what you plan on doing, but I do not want any part of-Mmmht!" Fearing the worst, Lon'qu opened his eyes to see Camilla's, closed in immediate proximity to him.

What was worse, was her mouth.

Her lips.

On his.

"W-what the-" Lon'qu gasped, backing up as much as he could before banging his head on the bed post. Camilla laughed and wiped her lips slowly, impressed at the tenacity of Lon'qu's will. Or the sheer lack of Lon'qu arousal. Still straddling the swordsman's lap, Camilla

"I know what you desire, Lon'qu."

"Whatever you have in mind, you getting off and away is higher on the list-Mmph!"

This time, Camilla was a lot gentler with the kiss, but Lon'qu still thrashed around, shoving Camilla away. Tsking as she brought her hand to her now bleeding lip, Camilla's eyes darkened infinitely and Lon'qu began questioning his bodily functions.

"That's no way to treat a lady," Camilla spoke disappointingly.

"T-this is no way to treat a man! Why are you doing this to me?"

"Now now, Lon'qu, I've been playing fair. Can't a princess play with her things every now and then?"

"What? N-no! There's only one princess I serve, Lady Camilla, and she would n-never do this!"

The fact that Camilla's eyes brightened up again seemed to make Lon'qu regret saying that.

"Should I bring her? Little Lissa saving her bodyguard from the evil lady?" Camilla asked temptingly, playing with Lon'qu's hair.

"Don't you dare lay hands on-" This time, Camilla's cleavage shut Lon'qu up, blocking out any form of sound escaping the thrashing swordsman's mouth.

"Oh, I won't. Besides, you'll be laying hands on Lissa, not me," Camilla whispered, smiling as she clapped three times, prompting Lissa to walk in the tent with a nervous smirk on her face.

"What the hell!?" Robin scowled, seeing Lon'qu straddled by Camilla against his will, while Lissa sat cross legged right next to them. Corrin walked in soon after, sharing Robin's displeased look.

"It's not my fault Robi-Mmph!" Camilla silenced Lon'qu with a fierce one-sided kiss, the swordsman to embarrassed and scared to even consider returning it.

"Sister? What is this?!" Corrin yelped, causing Camilla to turn with a slow smile. Behind her, Lon'qu's eyes pleaded for help.

"Care to join us, dear Sister? He has such an exotic taste!"

"..."

"..."

With that, Robin and Corrin closed the tent, leaving Lon'qu to his fate.

"What the hell is wrong with this army!?"

Chapter Text

Day 52, late afternoon

As per Robin's suggestion, Corrin would be pairing up with Nowi for the coming battle. Deciding to talk to the Manakete as they were called (apparently Corrin was something else entirely) before dinner, Corrin went on her way to find the short and lively half-dragon.

Day 51, midnight

"Oh don't worry," Robin assured. "She can turn into a dragon like you! Except uh... Nowi actually looks more... dragon-ish. Is that a thing? I guess. You don't look too dragon-ish, no offense."

"Anything else?" Corrin asked, not entirely sure what a dragon looked like, given she had not seen herself in her dragon form either.

"She looks like a child, acts like a child, and likes to set the wood line on fire."

"Got it. I'll find her tomorrow?"

Robin shrugged 'Sure' and she went straight to bed, not bothering to consider any potential wrenches in the plan.

Day 52, late afternoon

After a long extensive search, Corrin smiled as Nowi greeted her, mouth full of food.

"So, Robby says we're pairin' up tomorrow! That's so cool! I haven't seen another Manakete since well, forever!"

"Oh, I'm not a manakete, as far as I am aware," Corrin explained. "Robin says I differ from you because of my many strange features when I transform. But yes, I use a dragonstone the same way you would."

"Same difference!"

"...Oh."

Nowi sat on a tree stump for a while, wondering what fun times she could enact with not one but two of her kind at the ready.

Corrin recognized that look, seeing it so many times on Elise's face that she already knew what she was in for before Nowi opened her mouth.

"Wanna scare Gregor? Ya know, in dragon form?"

"Who now?" Corrin asked, smiling at the thought of a double dragon attack.

W-wait. She was supposed to be a leader! What kind of leader...

Didn't have lighten up every once in a while?

Okay, just this once, she would play with Nowi. Gesturing for her companion to continue, Corrin listened in.

"He's this big ol' guy who saved me from the Plegians! Talks funny, smells funny, y'know, the usual disgruntled mercenary! He'll be fine, it's not like we're setting him on fire or anything..."

"I hope not," Corrin winced, but slowly contorted it to a suppressed smile. After all, where was the harm in a little harmless fun?

Day 52, night

"Get off me!"

Nowi's dragon-voice echoed shrilly in the night sky while the thoroughly-singed Gregor hung onto her neck like it was a branch suspending him from falling to the ground.

A couple hundred feet off the ground.

"Ha ha! You see Commander Corrin, when hold dragon like axe, enemy will never be to shoot you with arrow for fear of hitting Gregor!"

Corrin couldn't fly, so she was helpless to watch from the ground.

Also on the ground was the remainder of Gregor's not so humble abode, which was the setting of the previous segment of shenanigans. Half of Gregor's tent was ablaze and the other half that wasn't ash or slag was drenched with Corrin's limited dragon powers over water. This event was merely the prelude of the current spectacle that the entire camp was currently staring at right now, with various emotions.

The original plan was to combine their breaths to steam up the tent, but Nowi went all out and incinerated clean through the walls of the mercenary's home. Corrin, ever the prodigious newcomer, had no idea she could even use a breath ability, spitting weak jets of water to put out the fire, only succeeding in drenching everything that wasn't already incinerated.

When Robin exited his tent to grab dinner, he saw three things that made him regret pairing up his two dragons.

1. Nowi had Gregor choking the life out of her dragon form, breathing fire into the air like some possessed firework.

2. Corrin was in dragon form, stamping out what looked to be the remains of Gregor's tent with her claws, not really doing much except getting mud all over everything.

3. The wood line was once again ablaze.

"What the hell is wrong with this army?"

Chapter Text

Day 52, Evening

The Princess of Ylisse sat in the medical tent, not too thrilled at the latest report. Gregor had burns on his ears and neck while Nowi was feeling incredibly dizzy from her rodeo a few minutes ago. Corrin on the other hand stood politely by the doorway, hands atop another and resting against her thighs as though she were attempting to be inconspicuous.

"Who's brilliant idea was it to turn into dragons and use your breaths... Indoors?"

"That would be me," Corrin admitted. "Though... I can't use a dragon breath. That bit was Nowi's fault entirely."

Lissa's eye twitched in confusion; her preconceptions of Corrin clearly not adding up to her recent display of... potential fun.

"W-w-wait. Commander/Princess Corrin orchestrated this? This has Nowi's stench written all over it! Are you sure?" The Nohrian nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you doubt my capability to ensue mischief?"

"Sorry, it's just... When you and Robin are talking boring stuff in the war tent... I honestly didn't expect the same Commander to be willing to pull funny pranks!" Lissa smiled sheepishly, still attending to Gregor's neck with her staff.

"Oh, if we're going to be talking about pranks, I'm afraid even with my prior experience, you would have me beat, Princess Elisabeth-"

"Eek! Don't say that name around everyone!" Lissa shrieked, covering Gregor's ears.

"What are you of speaking?" Gregor asked incoherently, not getting a response and fading back into his drowsy state.

Corrin received the mental memo and just smiled at herself, mirroring the Ylissean princess' glare. Lissa reminded Corrin of an Elise in quite a few ways; She even looked and sounded similar to the sprightly girl. Still, Lissa seemed to be a loose cannon, as far as Robin's stories were concerned.

"Just how old are you, Princess Kamui?"

"Oh, that's how we're going to do things? Using my birth name because I used yours? 19," Corrin opened her mouth to add in a few words, but decided she would be the bigger person. Lissa seemed to appreciate that and dropped any playful hostility and continued the conversation.

"Wow! Chrom's 21 now, and I'm 18. Most of the Shepherds are within that ballpark, except these two here."

"I'm guessing 12 and 40?" Corrin attempted, prompting Lissa to laugh at her slight miscalculation.

"Try 52 and 1,000."

"Manaketes, huh," Corrin thought aloud. Lissa scratched her chin thoughtfully before letting out a grin, small enough that Corrin grimaced in anticipation.

"I'm kinda bored... Your prank was a good one, just on the wrong person."

"I dunno, I just watched as Nowi set the camp on fire and injure two people thanks to me."

"Oh, we won't be hurting anyon-"

"That's exactly what Nowi said," Corrin complained with a pout.

"Oh c'mon! I know just who to prank. Trust me, he won't even see it coming."

"Chrom?"

"No, dummy, Robin! He's always so keen with his books and his Commander stuff and his chess thingy that he barely steps outside unless it's time to eat or march or poop!"

"I could've gone without hearing the last part," Corrin stated flatly. "I am fairly certain he socialized a fair amount."

"Ah whatever! It's always great! One time, I stuck a frog in his shirt while giving him a massage-"

"You gave Robin a massage?" Corrin asked skeptically. Massages were usually done between husband and wife in Nohr. At least... the books said so. Lissa didn't quite catch on to her naive question and continued.

"Yep! Healer's job! It's fun watching all the 'big tough warriors' just melt when you find the right knots to burrow your hands into!"

Corrin grimaced at the imagery, and made a mental note not to strain her muscles anytime soon. Or at least have Felicia handle the therapy while she stayed clear of Lissa's path.

"And one time, I put elixir in his smallcl-"

"Th-that's enough. Just tell me what we're going to do that doesn't involve massaging his knots or... you know."

"Ooh! Someone's excited! Well, you know how he never leaves his tent?"

Robin took Cordelia and Subaki's reports with a nod, checking just how many of Gregor's things were lost in the fire. Groaning in frustration, he started to regret bringing some of the more... curiousindividuals into the Shepherds. Corrin was just the start, it seemed. Felicia broke literally everything, Jakob called everyone a bitch or an asshole, and he desperately needed to restock on tomatoes for the mess hall because some unknown individual would sneak off eating them! Disgusting creature...

Anyway, Robin was just about done for the day so he, like usual, was going to be the last to eat dinner. Walking inside the tent, the subtle aroma of soup perked Robin's tired senses. If that wasn't enough, a familiar head of orange hair certainly helped.

"Sup Bubbles, what can I getcha?" Gaius stood behind the food, which assured Robin that he was about to eat well, at least when it came to rations. Well, he was last anyway. It couldn't matter too much.

"Still out of tomatoes?"

"Mhm."

"Well, I'll see you around, Gaius."

"Gotcha Bubbles."

Robin sat down at the closest table, savoring the vegetable soup and rice with utmost exhaustion. Before he knew it, his plate was empty, the moon was out, and his stomach was full, so he made his way back to his tent.

"C'mon, let's get out of here!"

He pretended he didn't just see a familiar pair of pigtails and another unknown figure dance in the twilight by his tent, giggling and running off, so he walked back to his tent cautiously, expecting a prank.

The tent seemed to be fine, aside from a giant string dangling above his rug. The dirt floor seemed to be a little unsettled but that was probably just because of the two girls running around in his tent scrambling to get him.

"Amateurs," Robin scoffed, stepping over the obvious tripwire that was connected to a bucket of what looked like water.

"Aha- oh gods damn it all..."

Success turned into defeat as the carpet Robin had just stepped over turned out to cover a giant hole in his dirt floor, causing the rug to cave in and leaving Robin to find himself roughly six feet below where he should have been. Judging by the noise of his fall and his defeated sigh, he could guess the laughing outside and the high-five slap belonged to Lissa and her friend.

"It could be worse," Robin decided. He was simply too tired to care, and tried to fall asleep in the hole rather than pull himself up. "Lissa! Can you grab my pillow from my bed and toss it down here?"

"Sure thing Robin! Oops! Watch out for that," Lissa gestured behind her pointing at the tripwire. Robin felt a pillow hit his face and he gladly went to bed half upright.

At least, before a yelp and a dropping sound was heard, accompanied by a splash and a groan.

"Nice," he called above."

"Whatever, loser." He heard a raspberry and a 'C'mon!' as the two pranksters left.

A couple minutes later, Robin heard the tent door open and he stirred awake, only to remember that he was still subterranean.

"Robin, are you in here?"

"I'm digging for treasure," Robin greeted sarcastically to his guest, still unknown. "How may I help you?"

"It's me, Corrin."

The guilt in her voice said it all.

"Ah, so you were Lissa's accomplice. Congratulations on picking the right friends today," Robin greeted less than tastefully. First off, she blows up Gregor's tent, and now she sticks him in the ground?

"I was wondering how she dug a hole this big in 15 minutes."

He heard the Princess laugh nervously as she twiddled her thumbs, looking for a rope.

"There's one in the cabinet, next to my bed."

"Right." A few seconds later, the rope hit his head accompanied by a thwack as Robin groaned softly, too deft to be heard. He went back to sleep.

"Aren't you going to get out now?" Corrin asked.

"I'd rather not. I'm too tired. Maybe tomorrow."

"I'll see to it your tent and Gregor's are all neat by tomorrow morning," Corrin offered in apology.

"Don't bother. I'll do it."

"But, I'm the one who did it!"

Robin coughed with exhaustion before sinking even deeper into his pit.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that. You also ruined one of my tents today and I had to adapt the system for housing. If you want to pay me back, then just... Be more strategic with your deeds."

"I'll prank Lissa right away."

"I knew making you Commander was a wise decision."

Chapter Text

Day 40, midday

It had been little more than a month since the Shepherds received their Hoshidan and Nohrian allies, and Cordelia had it set to personally get to know (in a polite and totally non-creepy sense) all the new Shepherds. Then again, her personality and abusive relationship with perfection distanced herself from the majority of the army in the first place, so she went to the roster in hopes that she could learn some more. Considering that the camp was always on the move to avoid being caught by Valmese scouts, things were still hectic, leaving Cordelia very little time to actually commit to her off-objective goal.

Finally, a time came when the period between supply runs and armory inventories left a gap long enough for Cordelia to allot a few hours to reading the roster. Handing Robin a clipboard of her inventory reports, the Pegasus Knight stayed in place while the tactician hummed unaware and set out to the blacksmiths himself to requisition the supplies needed. Pausing at the door, he turned back to the anxious woman.

"Looks like you're done for the day, Cordy. Feel free to relax for once, yeah?"

"Of course! I mean... will do, sir."

Robin walked out, leaving Cordelia all by herself in the tent...

Sneaking the roster in all its incomplete glory out of its chest, Cordelia found what she was looking for and sat down, closing the tent door behind her. Opening the roster, the Pegasus Knight began her examination with both curiosity and eager anticipation.

"So these are all our new soldiers..." Cordelia went back, forth, and over the list a couple more times, noticing how the current Shepherd roster had nearly tripled in size. All of the names were unfamiliar to her, but their origins and backstories seemed normal enough. Coming to a stop at a familiar name, the scarlet-haired knight winced.

"Designation Y017: Cordelia, Pegasus Knight

Birthday: July 7th

Preferred Weapon/Role: During the Plegian War, Cordelia was an experimental Pegasus Knight that also utilized magic alongside lances. More to follow once a proper interview is done.

[Commander Corrin's Note] She seems interesting! Robin is jotting down the names and a brief summary for the soldiers we haven't got to yet in the roster, so when the time comes, they'll already have a page ready for them! All that we need by then is an interview, and given our time, that probably won't be happening for a while. And by the time we get to everyone, we'd probably know all about them at that point! Still, I'm set to completing this task even if Robin doesn't have time for it, so I'm gonna handle this roster business myself!"

Cordelia noticed a shift in ink density between these lines, signifying that Corrin had recently put down her note while Robin's words were much earlier in comparison.

"[Commander Robin's Note] Effectively proficient with swords, lances, axes, bows, magic, and staves, Cordelia is, without a doubt, one of the most versatile members of the Shepherds, easily adaptable to anything the mission may require.

The last Pegasus Knight, her entire regiment was wiped out during the Plegian invasion, with Cordelia's superiors securing an escape for her as she relayed vital information to then-Prince Chrom. Ever since, she's been an official Shepherd, though by no means was her experience any less than what was expected of her.

The Shepherd most prone to sighing..."

"That can't be right..."

Reaching for the quill by the study desk, Cordelia prepared to modify the words before reconsidering the truth behind the statement and, with a sigh, continued to read.

While it may look like her head is in the clouds sometimes, don't confuse that state for her being off-guard. Whether she is reminiscing of her days before the Shepherds, or perhaps a specific person, it would be wise not to press the matter further*.

*Personal experience: Robin."

"I can't quite get over Chrom being married," Cordelia admitted, taking the mental note to tone things down when in close proximity to the ground the Exalt walked on. Turning to another page, Cordelia began reading again.

"Designation N000: Corrin, Princess of Nohr

Sub-designation H000: Kamui, Princess of Hoshido...whoa. How does that even work?

Birthday: December 9th, December 19th (Kamui)."

Underneath, Robin scrawled a happy face with the words 'Happy Belated 19th Birthday Corrin!' on the page, leaving Cordelia smiling at the not-so-subtle gesture. Shaking off her grin, she continued reading.

"Preferred Weapon/Role: Swordsman, Pointman, Field Commander. Wields the Yatogami, to phenomenal effect. Dragonstone can be used to hold off an area for a few minutes at a time. As Commander, she will give orders on the fly as well. And good ones at that. Corrin is truly remarkable for one so... green.

[Commander Robin's Note] From what I've seen, she gives Chrom and Lucina a run for their money as far as swordsmanship is concerned. Once preliminary sparring is complete, will revise personally.

[Continuation, Day 28: Aside from both her elder brothers, Corrin is one of our better swordsmen skill-wise. Lon'qu, Chrom, Lucina and Say'ri can all best Corrin more often than not, but they can't shift into a dragon or match her in other areas like magic.]

Horribly naive, but has a good heart and a kind spirit. Only just now experiencing the real world, from what I've heard.

[Subtext] After this is where I'll probably insert the soldier's abilities, quirks, et cetera. But for now, I'm liking this format but once I start my interviews and have more to work with from everyone, then I can expand as required. For Corrin, it will probably go along the lines of: Part Dragon, can utilize a Manakete/Taguel-like shifting ability in combat, using a Dragonstone. Most likely to develop an understanding of things on the first try.

[Edit: Now that we've gotten a couple more people in the roster, I can finally finish up Corrin's entry. Hopefully, she doesn't mind...

Obviously, she has the ability to turn into a dragon in the same manner as a manakete. However, her form, abilities, and tendancies in that form differ vastly from Nowi. Also, Corrin is still a swordsman and has also shown promising potential in magic combat with tomes, scrolls, staves, and rods. This goes hand in hand with her remarkable tendency to show affinity to tasks she doesn't know a thing about on her first try. Azura tossed her in the river one day and all of a sudden Corrin went from sinking like a rock to now being one of our fastest swimmers. Whether this talent is due to an incredible learning aptitude or something else entirely is yet to be determined. However, while she isn't exactly prodigious like Cordelia-

Ugh. There are goes again with that word.

...Cordelia... she is no doubt a quick learner at the very least and I'd be a fool to not take advantage of that. Along with her amazing understanding of tactics and combat that she'd acquired at a young age, she's adapting to our strategies well and she's clear on the path to becoming my equal or even surpassing me in intuitive poise.

Still hates shoes as of Day 28.

Wow. I seem to have been carried away with describing my fellow Commander's proclivities.].

Robin... is that admiration I sense? I support it!

Here, the ink was lighter, signifying that Corrin had written down her note much earlier than Robin's segment.

[Commander Corrin's Note] Okay, so maybe I am naive, and slightly proficient at learning... But I am getting better by the minute! Just you wait! And if this is the real world, then this is so much better than all of the books I've read alone in that fortress. Xander and Ryoma are much better swordsmen than me, though. I'm not too sure if Robin wants to embarrass everyone by putting them against my humble self. But if it means I can prove my loyalty to all of you, then I'll do it. I'll gladly fight for all of you, and if I have to fight some of you in the process, then we'll both get better!"

The knight laughed, glad she finally had the opportunity to understand her new commander better. Of course, it didn't help that Corrin was younger than her by a couple years, but all things aside, the Nohrian princess was doing a wonderful job.

Still...

"I... If people are going to accept the idea that I'm the token 'prodigy,' then I'll just have to prove them right... With Corrin setting the bar high as a newcomer, we'll see who has the greater potential! My sisters mocked that I was a prodigy, but above that, they believed in that lie! I will not let them down... It matters not if she is part dragon or full dragon and royalty from two countries! *sigh* I'll show them! Anything... For Chrom-

...what am I saying? He's married..."

Shaking her head, the knight continued turning pages, scanning the portraits for a certain prince.

"Designation: Y001 - Chrom, Exalt of Ylisse and Ruler of the Halidom

Birthday: May 27

Significant Other: Queen Olivia of Ylisse..."

Focus Cordelia! You just have to accept it! Just keep reading!

"Next of Kin: Princess Lucina (both present and future) and Prince Lazward (now goes by Prince Inigo)*

Proficient Weapon(s): May or may not be the rightful wielder of the Falchion. Commander Robin claims that his sparring sessions with Chrom have ended in a 19-1 deficit, Chrom's favor, so at the very least, he can swing a sword without poking his eye out. Is a nasty shot with a javelin, if we can find ones suitable for him to equip without hampering his speed.

Suitable Role(s): As unorthodox as it is for the ruler of a kingdom to be throwing himself into the front lines, this is where our Exalt belongs. His skill with a blade will keep him in the heart of things for extended amounts of time, and even then, he has other soldiers at his aid to protect their Exalt. Until further notice, Chrom will lead our charges on foot, at least for the Ylisseans.

[Commander Robin's Note] My most trusted friend since he found me in that field. He is brash and thinks more often with his sword than his head. But it's a keen sword and a loyal head that I have the honor of fighting beside.

...Asides from him breaking nearly everything in sight when he gets mad, that is."

Does he really? Come to think of it, yeah! He's always hitting things like a child...

"[Commander Corrin's Note] His puns are unbearable and unending. I have been in Ylisse for three days, yet Robin claims that everything that rhymes with the Exalt's name in this whole kingdom is no doubt replaced with Chrom's moniker. Do the sick Ylisseans get administered tonic? Nay, for they have chromic. Do they embalm their dead? No, for their deceased are emchromedinstead. Gods help us. I have doomed Hoshido and Nohr both."

I remember this! Back when I was in training, Captain Phila had a running joke that the first to 'Chromplete' the obstacle course would get a prize! Did Chrom come up with this?

"[Chrommander Chrom's Note] So, this is a side note, but I was thinking of my son just now. Why not combine Lazward and Inigo? I'll figure out a name somehow... Laslow perhaps? Ah, nothing serious. I'll Chrome up with something.

*It's Laslow now. Prince Laslow of Ylisse, Retainer to Crown Prince Xander.

"Interesting," Cordelia remarked, going back a few pages and continuing her reading.

"N001: a designation, for lack of a better term, as far as the roster is concerned."

Ah, so the 'N,' 'Y,' or 'H' signifies your country of origin. Back when I was just '017,' we didn't need a country-of-origin prefix. Now Y017 makes a lot more sense!

"Jakob, head butler to Princess Corrin.

Birthday: December 3

Proficient Weapon(s): Throwing daggers and a healing staff. Can wield a sword and lance to a fixed degree, no doubt to previous training in those weapons.

Suitable Role(s): Combat support. Perhaps not as a front-line unit, but something right behind it. His daggers can attack from a hefty range and his proficiency in healing means he can keep our knights and cavalry in optimal shape. If required, he may be able to reclassify to a cavalier himself, if the need for more arise.

[Commander Robin's Note] Despite being a butler, he hates mornings just as much as everyone else combined. But despite this, his loyalty to Princess Corrin is second-to-none. He may be... a bitscalding to others, but if what she claims is true, then Jakob is as true an ally to us all, as long as we prove allies to Corrin.

[Commander Corrin's Note] Okay, maybe he is a bit rough around the edges, but he's a really dependable and caring person. His quality of work is top-notch, no matter the task I ask of him. And even if I don't ask him, if he sees it necessary or beneficent to our cause, he'll do it without question. One time, he polished up the silver in the Northern Fortress so intensely, I woke up thinking it was already midday because of how bright it was! Oh, and if any of you reading this want a mean cup of tea, then by my absolute authority as Commander of this army, seek Jakob out first! My only suggestion is to embrace the euphoria that comes after. .."

He does make such wonderful tea. I'll have to ask him for pointers, if he'd mind-

A shadow loomed over Cordelia's head, accompanied by a brisk chill. Behind her stood a young, rather serious-looking maid with ice-blue hair and a freezing-cold aura.

"Can you repeat that, milady?" she asked, no emotion making itself evident. Cordelia hesitated, but repeated the last few words on the roster page.

"His tea is really good?" The maid frowned and shook her head. Her composure turned a bit towards the warmer side, and Cordelia in turn relaxed.

"No, no, sorry... the part about him hating mornings!" The Ylissean nodded and paraphrased the summary Robin wrote.

"Well, according to our roster, it says that Jakob hates mornings." The maid stared off with confused thoughts before craning her head again.

"That can't be right... How do you know this roster is valid anyway?"

"Well," Cordelia began, thumbing over the roster nonchalantly, "Robin and Corrin, being our Commanders, are still personally interviewing each member of the army- if they haven't already, and they write down said information in the roster. And seeing that we are all strangers to each other, either they derived this information themselves through analysis (trust me, Robin in particular is really damn good at it) or the party in question just tells the truth outright."

"Ah," the maid sighed. "That must be why they called me a few weeks ago, then?"

"Correct," Cordelia nodded.

"But where could he have gotten that Jakob hates mornings? He's up before anyone else and personally patrols the Northern Fortress well before dawn! Not to mention that he waits patiently at Lady Corrin's door for hours before the sun rises... just to say good morning the moment she stirs! He refuses my- our help even though it's not even his job, but ours!" Cordelia noticed the wavering in her voice and smirked.

"It sounds to me that it's not the fact that he ignores your assistance that offends you. Are his efforts in vain? Or am I sensing admiration in his actions?" Cordelia asked daringly.

"It's admi- Gah! It's none of your business!" The maid replied harshly.

"What's he like?" Cordelia asked innocently, opening up the roster to Jakob's page and thumbing the portrait casually, keeping the book out of reach from the helpless maid.

"S-stop it! It is unprofessional for you Ylisseans to transport us up in your world and mock our personal lives!" Cordelia winced as her sharp words were accompanied by a sudden drop in the room's temperature.

"Uh-oh," She whispered, cowering behind her chair as the maid fumed. Suddenly, the maid relaxed and outstretched her hand.

"S-sorry... that was unbecoming of me. My name is Flora of the Ice Tribe. Servant to Princess Corrin, along with my younger sister Felicia. Seeing that the Commanders interviewed me quite a while ago, would it be safe to assume that I have a segment dedicated to myself or my sister, perhaps?"

Cordelia relaxed slightly, shaking Flora's hand with a clammy wrist and nervously flipping the pages until she found the portrait of the blue-haired maid.

"Designation N003: Flora, assistant maid to Lady Corrin

Birthday: February 19th.

Next of Kin: Felicia, her younger sister

Proficient Weapons: Like Felicia, Flora is skilled with throwing knives but can also manipulate the water in the air to create rapid changes of temperature in the form of ice. Whether they can channel this energy backwards to create hot temperatures is yet to be seen. Her magical affinity is much higher than Felicia's, though her physical strength is not as stable.

Suitable Roles: Healer, Combat Support. Potential to reclassify to a mage/dark mage unit, but Flora's proficiency with tomes and scrolls is minimal.

[Commander Robin's Note] She's much quieter than her sister, though I can tell there's a lot going on in her mind. Piecing together what I've heard from her and Felicia, there seems to be some blackmail in play that has been keeping the twins in servitude to Corrin as blackmail to Kilma, the Ice Tribe Chief. Corrin never knew about this, but Jakob does. Will see if I can delve deeper and perhaps employ Shepherds to assist the situation accordingly."

"Oh no..." Flora muttered, paling even more than her usual skin tone entailed.

"[Commander Corrin's Note] I figured it out! King Garon used Felicia and Flora as leverage to pacify the Ice Tribe when I was a kid. If only I knew this sooner, I could've done something. Still, I suspect danger would come to all three of the Ice Tribe members were he to find out my involvement in this issue. I hope Flora doesn't think of me any less for keeping her and her sister in the tower instead of with their family."

"Corrin... you have been such a dear friend... if only I could have proven my loyalty without a knife to my throat..."

Cordelia grimaced at Flora's sorrow, but kept reading.

"Xander and the other Nohrians won't like this, but I have to oppose Father. If he used Felicia and Flora when they were girls to pacify the Ice Tribe, then there is no limit to what other things he is capable of manipulating. Unfortunately, if I defy Garon, we'll likely lose supports of the Nohrians, so I have to tread the middle path until..."

"It's scratched out," Cordelia explained, eyes scrolling down until she found that Corrin had not resumed that train of thought.

"[Commander Robin's Note] Once I find out more, I will have to make a decision whether Flora and Felicia should return to their people or if they are safer with us. Flora in particular seem devout to her people in the 'Ice tribe,' so that could be a thing of concern. The way I see things, if my suspicions of Garon are correct, Flora will either have to betray Corrin or betray her people should the crisis arise. I am going to have to plan a contingency for both scenarios. Either way Flora is certainly one of the more important characters in our army to figure out, and quickly. For now, we need to focus on the matter at hand before we can deal with politics and blackmail.

"They... figured all that out just by asking..."

Flora's eyes widened at the Commander's discovery.

"Looks like there's a lot more to you than just being jealous of your master," Cordelia attempted, trying to light up the glum mood.

"Please don't say things against Lady Corr-"

"You harbor jealousy towards Corrin... Because of her, Jakob has no reason to notice you-"

"Stop!"

Tears started falling, Flora's backstory now fully realized. Cordelia turned, recapping the story of Flora in her mind. The situation developing, she realized that there was an immensely real potential of danger from the woman next to her.

"Garon... made you choose between two people you loved..." Cordelia began. "And a heart that is forced against itself only breaks down the middle..."

"...Stop."

Ice started forming beneath Cordelia and Flora's boots.

"You were going to choose your family, weren't you?" Cordelia guessed. "The conflict that could have come upon you would have resulted in you betraying the ones you swore your life to- Had we had not paused Corrin's escapades when we did. And now, with your alliance here, you can't bring yourself to look upon your former friends... Even if they'll never know what could have happened."

"I said stop it!" Flora cried, plummeting the temperature to below zero and causing her tears to freeze in mid-air. The Pegasus Knight backed away, but shook off her fear as she instead rose to embrace Flora.

Still nervous, Cordelia instead smiled, walking up to the shorter maid and hugging her shivering form.

"Our mission as Shepherds is to change the future," The knight whispered, her own tears falling in sync with Flora's. Flora sobbed into the knight's breastplate quivering in both temperature and mortification. "You are one of us, and you have fought as one of us. You deserve a second chance just as much as the rest of this world. Flora, it's going to be okay."

"W-what have I..." Flora whimpered, burying her head in the stranger's chest. "I deserve no freedom... I must pay for even considering the thought of betrayal..."

"No... Fate has given you a chance to defy Garon and protect Corrin and the Ice Tribe. While the rest of us are off saving the world from tyrants and dragons, this is an opportunity tailored for you and you alone. There is no better time than now than to challenge it."

"What would you know?"

"M-my name is Cordelia," the knight recited slowly,

"Like you, I pined over the attention of someone who never turned a second glance to me. Chrom saved my life and captured my heart as a young trainee, and I have struggled to rekindle what brief attention he paid towards me all my life. As a Pegasus Knight of House Ylisse, I was the sole survivor of a group of elite protectors.

I escaped from a massacre alone, having f-failed the duties as defender of the Halidom... And defender of my love. And now, every day, I see a ring I wished was mine... around another's finger. As testament to the failure my shortcomings have cost me... and Chrom.. and our country. What reason does he have to look upon the one that let invaders enter his beloved Ylisse... And kill his sister?" Cordelia closed her eyes in pain, holding Flora tightly.

"..." Flora remained silent, seeing how Cordelia's story fit in with Ylisse's recent history.

"Trials were meant to be overcome, Flora. Do not make the same mistakes I did... Take advantage of our opportunities," Cordelia advised with a sliver of hope.

"I promised as a child to keep Lady Corrin safe. I promised my Father that I would because that would keep him safe... But... You're right! Garon doesn't know where we are, right? I'll keep Corrin safe, and my Father! And when this is all done... me, Felicia, Jakob... we'll be safe..." Flora nodded with a determined smile.

As both women left the tent, Cordelia noticed the roster out of the corner of her eyes and went back inside the close it. Seeing the page it was open to, she gave it a quick double take before closing it and returning the book to its shelf.

"I thought that was me for a second."

"Designation H002: Subaki. Retainer to Lady Sakura.

Birthday: February 7th.

Son of a Pegasus Knight, or 'Tenma Knight' as Hoshidan Pegasus Knights are called, he followed in the footsteps of his father. A perfectionist by heart, and a leader by example. Will not accept even the slightest flaw, possibly the most devoted to his goals.

[Commander Robin's Note] Reminds me of Cordelia. Perhaps I can work something out between the two? It would certainly make Cordy smile if she had someone like her. In both aspects of the word, 'like.' Will exploit this opportunity at the first chance.

Day 42, midnight

"Can we talk, Commander Robin?"

"Ah, Flora. Of course. What's the matter?"

"Nohr... is a dark place, but it is a place where some of us will one day return."

"I've heard stories from both sides. Your tale, and pardon Corrin and I for trying to figure it out, is rather... bleak."

"First things first, let me say this: I will fight and devote my life for Lady Corrin, Jakob, and everyone else in this army."

"Corrin and I never doubted your loyalties, Flora. I only hope that your heart can handle the burden and guilt you so narrowly evaded."

"In the event that it cannot... Promise me the Shepherds will take care of the Ice Tribe... especially Felicia... in my stead, should my ineptitude render me unable to."

"You'll return safe and sound to your village, Flora. I promise you that, upon my honor and ability as tactician... No harm will fall upon you and your people."

Flora looked at Robin in surprise, unable to stop the tears of joy and hope that came down.

With a single promise, the Commander vowed to protect a people he had never met.

"Your people are our responsibility now."

Chapter Text

C

Day 52, late afternoon

Cordelia had just started the inventory on Gregor's tent, or whatever was left on it anyway. While it did not occur to her why the tent was still on fire or why half of Gregor's possessions were ash, only one question stuck in her head: If she did this fast enough, would it finally match Captain Phila's standards?

Hopefully. She just had to do it as accurately and quickly as possible! Her vigor renewed, she set to work identifying what was missing from Gregor's original inventory compared to the current state of his tent.

"Alright... His armor is trashed, along with three bronze swords, two iron, and a-" She couldn't tell exactly what it was by the slag that composed of the blade, with nothing but the hilt to identify what it used to be.

"That would be what is left of an iron axe," a voice behind her clarified. Cordelia turned around quickly, scowling at where that tryhard stood, writing on his own clipboard and taking in Gregor's inventory. Cordelia's scoff harmonized quite nicely with Subaki's, suspending in the air as the two red-haired prodigies squared each other off.

"Want to explain what you're here for?"

"Commander Corrin asked for an inventory to get done A-S-A-P. Judging by the present resources currently assessing the damages, it must have flown over my head that that must translate to Ylissean for 'As Slow As Possible.'"

"Aren't you the coyest little thing?" Subaki only bowed as he tip-toed just enough to signify his height advantage over the shorter flier.

Cordelia remained scowling at her male antithesis for a moment longer before returning to her task. Of all the people Commander Corrin could have sent...

She was a wonderful Commander. Her bright outlook and fierce determination to a cause that previously had nothing to do with her made her very popular to the entire Shepherds. She was capable, loyal, and most importantly, responsible enough to account for her own faults, personally spearheading Gregor's restoration efforts.

And then she ruins whatever respect Cordelia has for her by sending him.

"Well of course! Naturally, I was going to let you finish it. The night is young and the stars are early, but we have a schedule in this army after all. When I heard the Ylissean prodigy was on the case, I just couldn't help but think that she," Cordelia visibly recoiled from the sarcasm, "might stay until the late hours of the night on such a grueling task."

Cordelia's stomach sank at the uncalled-for insult, instead turning away and writing gibberish down on the clipboard.

"Hmph, so you think you can make things easier for yourself by putting me down? It's interesting to see that Hoshido's so-called perfection goes rambling about like the parasite he is. You keep doing your thing, Subaki. Meanwhile, I'll be doing our job!"

Subaki gawked, quickly recomposing himself and making an attempt to stall while at the same time glancing around the room and on his clipboard for hints as to what could be replaced and what needed to be bought for Gregor.

...

...

"Y-you're standing in my way," Subaki attempted, immediately wincing at the ounce of uncertainty in his voice.

"And you're soliciting," Cordelia responded without missing a beat.

"Can you move so I can log what's missing from that drawer-"

"Go adapt a plan, tryhard."

The Hoshidan recoiled at the verbal lash, placing his head on the back of his head in uncertainty.

"Fifteen Vulneraries?" Subaki baited, for Cordelia to respond by looking at her board.

"..."

"Is that a yes?"

"Tch, you're trying to distract me. It's seventeen, by the way. Maybe you should pour one of them into your eyes and fix that eyesight!"

Once more, Subaki winced at having his ego so effortlessly torn apart, quickly shifting over to Gregor's bunk.

"Three pairs of boots, steel toed, leather soles," Cordelia jabbed in a sing-song voice.

"Yes, I know."

"Then why are you just hovering around everything like a worthless cloud?!" Cordelia accused defensively, a bit louder and emotional than she imagined.

"I... Bah, you are the one obstructing yourself in my path!" Subaki retorted, calmly yet frantically looking through Gregor's hygiene items for any discrepancies. The Hoshidan sighed, loudly enough that he didn't hear Cordelia sighing as well. They both turned, but instead of looking at each other, their eyes were focused on the items Gregor was missing on the other's clipboard.

Corrin and Robin did this on purpose, to test their coherency.

This wasn't about who could do this better.

It was how fast they could do it together, they both realized. Hiding their mutual smiles, their insult-ceasefire signified their willingness to put aside their rivalries for the task at hand.

"A bar of soap and mouth elixir," Subaki offered. Cordelia nodded, chalking down the missing items without delay or hesitation.

"Two sets of small clothes and six.. No, seven shirts," Cordelia called back, not waiting for Subaki to chalk it down before adding, "And four pairs of socks."

"A silver bow."

"Vol. 1-4 of Feroxian strategy. Isn't the title rather... redundant?"

"Three hunting knives. And yes, it is redundant."

"A dragonstone? Is that really a-"

"Yeah, I don't know why he had one anywa-"

"Done."

"Done."

The two paragons looked at each other with a mix of disdain and rivalry. Both opened their mouths to start, but Cordelia jumped just a bit harder.

"Do we really need to check our work?" she asked skeptically.

"Well, why bother when you have me on the job?"

"Because if you've seen the way I work, and the way you attempt to work, there's nothing missing on this list that isn't accounted for."

Cordelia tried her best to smile despite the fact that Subaki had belittled her once more. Subaki noticed this and softened up, placing a hand behind his neck in apology.

"..."

"..."

"...Right. Actually, Cordelia... I mean to take back my insults-"

"I refuse. We will turn these in to the commander and then handle any personal issues."

"So who brings the inventory to Robin?" they both asked simultaneously.

"If it's a race you want, you might as well carry me. I'm gods awful," Cordelia murmured. Subaki merely sighed as well.

"I can assure you my legs carry me no faster than my arms could."

"In that case..."

The intensity was admirable, burning with the fire of a thousand Plegian summers. The speed? Well, Chrom would admit he had seen Sumia face plant more gracefully than the two's running form could ever hope to achieve. Shaking his head as the two ran by, he could only wince as the two Pegasus riders slammed into each other in front of Robin's door.

"Ah, that was quick..." Robin concluded, peeking his head outside his tent flap. "When Corrin told me she sent our fastest inventory taker to log this, my thoughts immediately went to Cordelia, while hers' must've been to you, Subaki. It's good to see both of you are at the same standard. I suppose we do not regret at all sending both of you to do what one could've easily done."

"I apologize commander, I could've come faster if not for her meddling-"

"Now hold on! We helped each other out just a minute ago and now you're back stabbing me?"

"You don't understand! My reputation holds me to shine the b-brightest out of the whole army! My honor would demand nothing less!"

"Well what you don't understand is if someone outperforms me, t-then I'll never be able to live up to my fallen... sisters' ideals..."

Subaki opened his mouth, but Cordelia walked off, fists clenched. Glancing at Robin quickly, who nodded, Subaki excused himself as well.

Robin, noting that their motives were pure, which was probably established to the other by now, smiled faintly as the two rivals went off in their separate directions.

B

Day 53, just past midnight

The Tenma Rider and the Pegasus Rider sat next to each other, watching the night time of the camp flicker against the shadows of the campfire. Ironically, guard duty had been assigned to them that night by none other than Robin and Corrin, (Chrom had a roster of his Ylissan Shepherds and it proceeded thus, likewise with Corrin and her Hoshidan and Nohrian soldiers,) much to their mutual discomfort.

"You say the Tenma and the Pegasi are different species," Subaki started, watching both steeds sleeping in the stables.

"Correct, while the Tenma are not exactly sensitive to their rider aside from the kindness and valiance of their heart, Pegasi will only accept the spirit of an honest maiden."

"Which is to say... you, by extension, must have a pure heart," Subaki jabbed playfully. Cordelia didn't react.

"...Something like that."

Subaki looked at the noticeable distance between the two scouts. Even as they shared the same log as they kept watch, there was a gap sufficient for two others between them, and that alone signified the discomfort they shared with the other.

Not even Hana would allow that.

"I had not always wanted to become a Tenma Knight," he admitted solemnly. "My family had served house Hoshido for generations. I was in line to serve Lady Sakura as a mere swordsman when news of her birth was announced. Then, my father died, offering his life to Lady Mikoto to hold off Nohrian archers. It was a suicide mission. But I had to follow his footsteps as a Tenma rider. His name had to bear a worthy successor."

When Cordelia didn't respond, Subaki cursed himself for revealing that much to her. She wouldn't understand-

"I see where you are coming from. I am, along with Sumia, the last Pegasus Knight in Ylisse. My teammates, my mentors, my comrades... they held off Plegian brigands while they told me... The 'Prodigy' to flee... Like a coward."

The only sign that Subaki was sympathetic was his slight nod and grunt, and Cordelia felt slightly better. Suddenly, he raised his naginata as he repositioned it alongside his body.

"The weapon you wield, you attack by slashing and not stabbing? Don't you feel like you lose power?" Cordelia asked. "The whole point of being on a Pegasus is to strike quickly and cleanly. What better weapon to use than a lance?"

Without asking, Subaki hoisted the lance Cordelia wielded. Twirling it around, he shook his head at the foreign bulkiness of the Nohrian-esque spear.

"Likewise, I could ask of yours. What good is power when every attack must be head-on? I prefer reach and flexibility, therefore my naginata would be better for the job."

Silence.

"I'm sorry. I did not know you had your motives for competing with me," Subaki said softly, redirecting the topic to the aforementioned narratives.

"Yours are just as valid," Cordelia reasoned, closing the gap between them as she smiled faintly at her partner. Offering her hand in camaraderie, they shook hands and whatever tension was left seemed to dissipate, if only for the moment.

"That's no reason for me to fall short of a slacker like you," Subaki joked, causing Cordelia to scoff and push him aside.

"Y-you... Can you not?"

"I'll admit," Subaki apologized, "I'll have a lot on my plate on the path of finally declaring you my inferior. Especially with the way you tend to inch ahead of me."

"So you admit that we're at least equals?"

"No. We have a lot to improve on, and until we're at our peak, I'm not willing to compare our levels of performance." Cordelia hummed her agreement, holding Subaki's naginata curiously.

"My fellow Shepherds call me a prodigy, but that is not a term I am not willing to settle for," Cordelia ranted. "I have experimented with magic and swordfaire to make myself a more useful and versatile knight. I try to keep inventories, which was usually my specific job until you came along."

"Likewise," Subaki complained. "I train with a bow like Lord Takumi, not to mention the fact that I was a samurai before my father died. I could best you for days if it were to come to the sword. Oh and also with the art of throwing javelins. The Nohrians must have fun with throwable spears." Cordelia lit up at her favorite weapon.

"Oh, I could definitely wipe the floor with you with javelins," Cordelia boasted, beaming with pride.

"We'll see what the sparring grounds says about that tomorrow morning," Subaki challenged. "And when you've had enough of me tossing you on the sand, perhaps you can indulge in my fine cooking or relaxing massages?"

"Oh we'll see about the massages," Cordelia grinned, "Lissa herself taught me how to identify muscle knots and eradicate them with extreme prejudice!"

"Well, my massages are more... anasthetic? I guess. Loosening up tight spots and restore mobility is for the clerics to do. Mine are... I admit, a lot more embarrassing and sensual. I could probably put you to sleep, while I'm guessing you could help with the tightness on my back." Cordelia turned away with a mock scoff.

"Not happening, Tryhard!"

"Fair enough, Prodigy."

A

Day 102, afternoon

Spirits were high, supplies were topped off, and most of all, casualties were zero. Robin and Corrin had masterfully lead the Shepherds thus far, and the two Pegasus Knights (Sumia by Robin's insistence had shuffled between being an armored knight, a cleric, and a cavalier while Snowflake recovered. Hinoka, for all her merit, was not part of the secret society) had faced off together among multiple foes, and their bond had grown from rivals to friends and finally, rivals again. They were in the war room as both Corrin and Robin were victim to amazingly good massages by the two scouts.

"I... Shouldn't be feeling like this in the hands... of another man- Ugh... zzz," Robin muttered unconsciously, to which Subaki grinned as he bowed to Cordelia in mock flourish.

"Ahh, I feel almost... human... again," the dragon princess sighed. Cordelia mirrored the curtsy and continued her efforts with renewed vigor.

"Zzz..."

"Nnnghh..."

"Well that was certainly unique," Cordelia noted, a javelin in her hands as she sat crosslegged back to back with Subaki. He was sharpening their spears with steady precision while she was assembling them from the parts they had forged earlier.

"I'm surprised how naturally you pull everything off," Cordelia laughed, admiring her reflection in the javelin's freshly polished shaft.

"Battles, admirers, or skirts?" Subaki teased, causing him to receive a scoff and a light punch to his ribs. "Hmph."

"I'm jealous how effortlessly you can adapt to a situation," Cordelia reworded, on her third javelin.

"And I'm jealous how perfectly you can accomplish something on the first try. You're a natural when it comes to learning new techniques or remembering information or just seeing when the enemy is about to advance and decide whether to guard or strike."

Subaki noticed Cordelia falter a bit, but he assumed it was from embarrassment.

"After all, the Prodigy of Ylisse has to live up to her name, right?" Cordelia stifled a cry, dropping the javelin and weeping into her hands pathetically.

"Stop... please don't call me that anymore..." Subaki was caught off guard. "I'm no prodigy! Ever since we paired up, I've b-been having bad nightmares of my fallen sisters whispering 'Prodigy, P-prodigy, you failed us, you'll fail them a-all... You'll fail him too...'"

"Cordelia, I didn't mean any-"

"I will not let myself get in the way anymore! I need to work even harder! You may be a natural but that won't stop someone like me from achieving the same level of ease that you can! I barely rival you anymore... I'm not just jealous anymore, can't you see? I'm incompetent! For the first time in my life, I can't meet the standard! I can't let myself... disgrace them... I can't fail you." Dropping her head into her lap, the fallen knight's tears smeared along her armor, glistening in the sunlight.

"I..." Subaki forced her to face him as she could see his reddened eyes and cheeks as well.

"You don't see it, but I could barely sleep anymore too," Subaki admitted. He continued. "You are my most trusted friend in the army, Cordelia, as much as I'd hate to admit it. Seeing you handle even archers so fearlessly... It makes me fear for you. I couldn't allow myself to fall short of what feats my partner was capable of..."

"So all this time, when you've woken up and said you couldn't get any s-sleep..."

"I was training Cordelia... Training to be more like you! Training to be worthy of a wingman that could watch my back as easily as I wish I could watch hers! And just because you could handle it better than I had..." He took a deep breath, transitioning towards his true statement.

"Cordelia, I am no natural. Actually, I'm bad at the first try at nearly everything I do... The only reason I could fake the image of me being a natural is because every night... I don't sleep until midnight training and practicing or reading or running... Something, to make me worthy of being the wingman of the last Ylissan Pegasus Knight!"

Cordelia faltered, her tears even more numerous as her smile was salty from all the drops her eyes let into it.

"So all this time I thought you were the opposite of a tryhard... My insult was actually correct? Oh gods, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be!" Subaki forced with a smile, "The level WE'VE set... It's elevated us so much more than what my father and your sisters could even dream of..."

"I see now," Cordelia said with the same teary-grin, "We've been each others role-model and rival for so long, the bar just kept getting raised higher and higher until..."

"Subaki, my sisters and your father would be proud of the warriors their sacrifice drove us to be." He held out his hand for a shake, but Cordelia enveloped him in a warm and teary hug.

"And I'm glad the one I've always looked down on... Is now the only person I'd be willing to look up to..."

A blur of white and purple dashed across their periphery, and Robin found himself locked on by two sets of sharp eyes.

"Excuse me... I was just, just uh... checking our... morale?" He quickly ran out, nervously laughing. Both Pegasus Knights looked at each other with a grin, already knowing the task at hand.

"Down for a race?"

"Finish line is kicking Robin's ass?"

"You're on!"

S

Day 135, night

Robin had an uncanny habit of disappearing whenever the two red-haired Knights were about, but they didn't seem to care. More often than not they spent time in each other's company, to the point that Sumia and Hana would tease their respective friends about their choice of companions.

"Perhaps you two should tie the knot? I have so many ideas from this one book..." Sumia suggested to Cordelia one day, trying out a new set of reigns for Snowflake.

"You and Cordelia seem perfect (gods forgive me for saying that) for each other! Gives me more time with Lady Sakura!" Hana offered, not entirely joking.

And thus, the two were awkwardly joined at the hip on guard duty once more, no thanks to the cowardly tactician and sprightly Princess who were spying from a few tents away.

"Long day?" Cordelia started, propping her Hoshidan-style naginata next to Subaki's newly-forged Ylissean lance as she took a seat on the guardsman's bench.

"Tell me about it," Subaki groaned, moseying right next to his partner. "We're getting closer and closer to Fort Steiger, and the mud gets thicker and thicker with each step. I'll have to economize my time to better clean my gear after our marches."

"Yeah," the Ylissean agreed, "The Valmese' aim aren't getting any sloppier, either. I might have to put in more work at the reigns. Edelweiss is getting scared, hearing those arrows whistling by."

"That reminds me," Subaki continued. "Camellia... do you think you could take her out for a quick flight while I'm on resupply duties tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Cordelia wondered, "Why me? Camellia's only going to let-"

"People she trusts fly her, I know," Subaki interrupted. "Both Tenma and rider trust Cordelia equally, I can assure you."

"If it turns out fine, then I'll take her out for a ride tomorrow," Cordelia agreed. "But when the need arises, do you think you can do the same for Edel?"

"Huh? I'm a great guy and all," Subaki excused weakly, "but I'm not too sure Edelweiss shares Camellia's sentiments..."

"She shares her rider's sentiments," Cordelia reasoned, quite subtly if not for her smirk.

The Hoshidan's eyes widened a little upon revelation, but quickly turned away to face the night sky.

"That much, huh..."

"Yes," the Ylissean confirmed, smiling unnoticed.

"That's... quite a lot," Subaki pressed.

"It is," Cordelia responded, interested in seeing where Subaki was taking this conversation.

"...Cordelia, you have been my rival and my partner and finally my friend. We may be both incredibly similar but I feel the bond we share is unique..."

"Yes, and I'm very glad so. And even though Chrom used to be the hero in my eyes... I've seen someone whose eyes are far sharper, whose will is much stronger, and whose... heart... is much kinder... Than anyone he could ever be."

"I guess Robin is pretty great, huh..."

Cordelia's eyes rolled as she punched Subaki in the ribs again.

"Of all the times to be modest, you pick now?" The Hoshidan laughed as he fiddled his fingers around, clearly nervous.

"It doesn't hurt to acknowledge when you're over your head sometimes," he explained, alluding to Cordelia.

"Oh?" she responded coyly, "Try me."

Subaki took this as his cue to remove the ring from his pocket, causing Cordelia to gawk as he placed it in her hands.

"C-cordelia, you will always be greater than me in aspects uncertain and I may sometimes surpass you in others... But yet, we're equals. And as the only one who could drive me to this point of fear with my own father's sacrifice, and leave me wrenched lifeless every time she attempts that same selflessness..."

Clearing his throat but only producing a ragged cough, Subaki tried to keep his composure despite it dripping further and further down the drain. At least he was on the right track, judging by Cordelia's complete heartfelt attention.

"Subaki..."

"Cordelia... Will you marry me?"

"..."

"..."

"I... can't. No."

"Oh."

Subaki smiled nervously, trying to hide the pain as his lip began to quiver. Looking up, however, Cordelia's smile suggested otherwise.

"Wha-"

"You'll be marrying me!"

Pulling out a ring of her own, Cordelia took down her rival with a leg sweep and forced the band onto his finger while he was still in shock.

"Ha... gotcha. Did you really think I would play like a novice at a game I desperately wanted to come first in?"

Not having any of that, Subaki tackled her to the ground, looking at the woman whose eyes started from scorning him to protecting him to finally looking up to him. And if hearing those words from those damn lips didn't embarrass him enough, he would finally get to kiss them. Gently putting his ring on her finger, they finally shared their feelings in the tender embrace, as awkward a position they were in could allow.

Meanwhile, Corrin sighed as she handed over a couple gold pieces to an ecstatic Robin.

"Subaki, you may surpass me, or you may fall behind. I don't care anymore. No matter how imperfect you think are or how upset or lonely you feel... You'll always be perfect by my side."

"Then, my lady Cordelia, I assume that my proposal is accepted?"

"Nothing less than perfect."

Chapter Text

Despite being a unified empire, Valm still was, for the most part, segmented. The southernmost region, Chon'sin, was one big predominately grassy and windy plain. Considering Chon'sin's capitol was under severe Valmese occupation, Princess Say'ri wouldn't have the chance of reclaiming her homeland unless Walhart fell. As effective as the Shepherds were now, there was little chance that they could lay siege to an occupied capitol on an occupied continent without more aid.

As far as soldiers were concerned, nearly one-hundred thousand loyal Chon'sin had decided to defect to the Ylissean's aid, thanks to now-Emperor Ryoma and his prophetic Raijinto rallying a foreign country behind him. However, those numbers were far spread out across the continent so the Chon'sin rebels wouldn't have a chance to combine forces until the opportunity arose. Without the Shepherds pressuring their interior areas, the rebels were stuck in an impasse; Either retreat to their homeland earlier than was deemed safe and risk execution by the masses for desertion, or be trapped by a joint-occupation force who, as each day passed, grew closer and closer to finding out their new intentions. Some deserters like General Yen'fay and his legions got lucky, being stationed in places closer to the Shepherd's army with low personal risk.

Combining with the Shepherds and the Feroxian/Chon'sin army, the Liberation Army grew to a formidable size, but still found itself dwarfed by Walhart's. But from the torrential rains to the howling plain winds, Chon'sin's environment was nothing of tactical note for the Shepherds, who, instead of rounding the continent's curvature south, took a more direct route through Valm's forests westward.

East of the Valmese mainland lay hundreds of miles of coastline; the site of the Shepherd's invasion about four months before. Hundreds of villages dotted the seaside region and passing further inward, hundreds more created a rough network only connected by man-made pathways in otherwise dense forests. Nothing traveled faster in that labyrinth than gossip, and right now, rumors of the Shepherds' numbers and whereabouts was the most valuable currency one could attain.

So when news that the Shepherds were passing through a local river-town spread, a young merchant girl by the name of Midori felt it within herself to find them.

And find them she did. She was a ninja's daughter and a ninja herself, after all. She didn't remember much, but her training was too embedded within her to just forget after... whatever it was she tumbled out of.

So many unfamiliar faces passed by her when the Shepherds resumed their march, but not even unfamiliarity could hide a distinct head of green hair among their number.

Black and purple wrappings, loosely bound for mobility and stealth? Clearly a ninja's garb.

And only one other person she remembered had green hair.

"Aha! There you are, father!"

Day 138, dawn

Kaze walked along the town's border, maintaining a quiet vigil as the sun began to rise. It was a nice change of pace, listening to the birds chirp and the river flow. The wind was refreshing, calming the Hoshidan's nerves as the weeks of endless marching and fighting began to take their toll.

Still, what they were doing, what all the Shepherds were doing, was for the good of all of humanity. As long as Lady Corrin was safe, Kaze was fulfilling his oath to the Princess and to his fallen liege, Sumeragi. So, for now and for the unforeseeable future, Kaze would stay this course not only for his sake, but for those that depended on him. A ninja was bound to his master, and the fact that all of humanity relied on Kaze's skills was enough to trouble him at times.

Of course, the pattering feet of a young girl was not nearly stealthy enough to offer the same discomfort, and he turned to see a short girl, no more than 16, waving at him.

"Hello," he greeted politely. "Up early I see. I apologize if our company woke you and yours up before intended."

Immediately, the girl shook her head, the smile still present on her bright cheery face.

"Nonsense! This is a lovely day to wake up to! I'm Midori. Are you Kaze of the Saizo clan?"

What.

The green-haired ninja did a double take, looking at the similarly green-haired village girl. She didn't look as if she posed a threat, and upon a thorough examination, no weapons were to be found on her person. Kaze knelt on one knee to speak to the girl, clearly alarmed, not to mention worried at the breach of his usually irrelevant identity.

"...Indeed. As you somehow knew, I am Kaze, brother of the Fifth Saizo. I would ask how a villager, not to mention one of a foreign nation would ascertain my identity on sight."

"Easy! I'm not a villager, nor a foreigner! I'm your daughter!"

"..." Kaze raised an eyebrow, caution turning into curiosity.

"Er, that's probably a weird thing to say to someone who hasn't even married yet, huh?"

"Yes. Yes it is. I suppose I must ask you to explain yourself if you are to have me believe that claim."

"Well, some things we just have to push through, right? I am Midori, of the Saizo clan, through your bloodline. I can't quite explain it as my memories are all jumbled, but I think I was... sent here. F-for a reason, that much I'm sure. Fairly sure, at least."

"I'm afraid I'm not following."

"I... I know it's a bit of a stretch, but-"

"And you are certain you are my child?"

"What, I-I mean, yeah!"

"But do you know your mother's name?"

"...Not really."

"And neither do I," Kaze added silently.

Interesting. Soleil knew both her parents after enough recollection, as did Ophelia. But Odin and Severa were already together at that point, as was Laslow and Felicia. Perhaps... if this Midori is from the same future as the others, then perhaps she may know more than I do about the matter...

"I know my story is really hard to believe, but-"

"Indeed, it is hardly a plausible tale," Kaze admitted, looking at how Midori's face sank at his doubts. "But luckily for you, hearing a hard-to-believe story multiple times from different people gives it more weight."

"Wait. Different people?"

"I would ask for proof," Kaze sighed, but he looked at Midori's eager eyes in familiarity, "but I've seen my fair share of children claiming to be related to our numbers. Are you certain that, despite your memories, you know that I am your father?"

"Yeah. I'm certain. But... you're oddly calm about this. I had all these explanations planned out for you-"

She's quite a clever girl. I like her already. Witty and cunning, not to mention determined.

"It's quite alright," Kaze laughed, taking Midori by the hand, much to her delight. "As I've stated, you're not the first child with such outlandish claims and scattered memories to grace our presence. What else do you remember?"

"I... I remember a portal, of sorts. A young man was singing, and his voice was so... echo-ey and... hollow. Like he was singing underwater? Next thing I know, I found myself being cared for in this place called Valm, and..." Midori trailed off, trying to voice her thoughts.

"And you figured that you weren't from Valm in the first place?" Kaze suggested.

"Well, yeah! Gee, how do you know all this?"

"Are you from a country called Hoshido, by chance?"

"Hoshido," Midori pronounced slowly, taking in each syllable. "Yeah! That sounds familiar! Which reminds me..." Stopping, Midori took off her pack and began digging through the contents.

"You don't have to show me anything-"

"I brought proof just the same!" Midori chimed, pulling out a faded blue mask, similar to those that ninja wore. "I didn't think I could read this 'cuz it didn't look readable, but if I can translate it correctly, it says:

'This belonged to my dear brother, Saizo the Fifth, the only true son of that name. His blood was spilled by my hand, a traitor not worthy of sharing his story. I wear this mask in his honor, and to remind myself that each breath I take is because of my act of murder and betrayal.'"

"In the future... I murder Saizo?" Kaze wondered, his interest re-ignited.

"I... I can't recall why you had it, though..." Midori trailed off, "Something about him being killed defending that Hoshido place you mentioned?"

"Killed defending Hoshido?" Kaze repeated in question, holding Midori's keepsake in his hand. "That would mean that I... I would attack..."

"I just remember that I had to find you again, somehow. And here I am! If you guys need help, I'll offer it as best I can, Father!"

Father, me? Is it wrong to not have as many doubts as I should? Or do I embrace this turn of events, and take advantage of Midori's knowledge of the future, as little as it may seem?

No. Midori is not a resource to exploit for information. She is my own flesh and blood. She is my daughter, as wild a tale as it may seem.

"Very well, Midori," Kaze warned, holding her hands in his and liking the familiarity of that gesture. "If you can tell me how to avoid the mistakes of my future self, then I will protect you as best I can in return. I swear this oath not as a ninja of Hoshido, but as your Father."

Day 142, midnight

Robin yawned atop his table, pressing his head against the map as he continued drafting battle plans far past his normal resting hours.

"W-we should really get to bed," Corrin groaned, doing her part as Joint-Commander. "I won't be able to think straight, toiling away like this..."

"Not yet," Robin insisted, lighting a candle and almost burning his hand in the process. "If we're lazy, it could cost us a life."

"We're not even on the march tomorrow!"

"Doesn't matter," Robin replied, seeing sense in Corrin's words. "But you're right. We're not moving until two days from now. Get some rest."

"And leave you with all our plans? Sorry, Commander, but... I'm... I'm afraid not..." Corrin yawned again, plopping against the table, her eyes closed.

"..."

"..."

"Corrin."

"...zzz."

"Really?"

Quietly, the tactician extinguished the candle, leaving him chattering his teeth in the war tent with a sleeping dragon by his side. Corrin echoed his shivers a split-second later, her face still smothered gracefully against his maps.

"You planned this, didn't you," Robin groaned, taking off his coat and draping it around Corrin's smaller frame. Seeing her snuggle against the black cloak in unconscious delight brought a smile to his face, which stayed pasted on his visage as he left the tent.

All for that blasted cloak. Maybe I should just commission Cherche to sew her one for her own use...

He was greeted with the guards on duty, Panne and Anna, the former holding the latter in a stiff hold of submission.

"Oh. Man-spawn. Excellent timing."

Robin slowly backed away, looking between the two women.

"What's going on here?" the tactician wondered, glancing at the two, noting how Anna made no effort to free herself.

"Let me explain myself dear-"

"This peddler took my beastrune into her portal and disappeared for a good hour!"

"You opened up another portal?" Robin exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Well, if you would help me get back to it, I could tell you why!"

"This better not be another of those 'sales' of yours," Robin warned, leading the way.

"Even better," Anna replied, rubbing her arms sorely. "It's a two-for-one deal!"

"Hey."

"Oh, more humans!"

Robin, Panne and Anna opened up the door to the merchant's tent, being greeted by two humanoid forms and a portal still whirring around in the middle of the room.

"So you opened up a portal to... what I'm assuming is Hoshido and Nohr."

"Again," Panne added.

"Again," Robin affirmed. "Why is there a portal to Hoshido and Nohr?"

"I heard stories from our friends' gossip, see," Anna reasoned. "Something about Kitsune and Wolfskin. Mythical creatures not unlike our own Taguel."

"Which I'm assuming you two are," Panne sniffed. "You smell of wolves and foxes. I grew up among some of your kind long ago."

"And you smell like a bunny!" the fox-looking shifter exclaimed. "And you're gorgeous! Whoa..."

"She's alright, I guess," the wolf-looking shifter agreed with embarassment. "Look, Miss Anna, if we're done here, can you help me get back home now?"

"And have you miss out on your only chance to live a few days outside your tribe? Do you want an adventure or not, Keaton?" Anna winked, looking at the wolf, whom Robin assumed to be 'Keaton' daringly.

"...Fine. I'll stay."

"And you, Kaden?" Anna asked. "Do we get the pleasure of having a Kitsune among our company?"

"Only if you tell me the truth!" Kaden replied, bringing a hand up to comb his hair. "Am I not the most beautiful creature you bunch have laid your eyes upon?"

"Of course, sweetie," Anna answered, not missing a beat. "The very definition."

"..." Kaden egged on Robin with a wag of his tail, forcing the tactician not to roll his eyes in bewilderment.

"You are... the most beautiful Kitsune I have ever seen?" Robin attempted, not entirely convinced with what Anna was getting at. Panne shared his sentiments, crossing her arms as she maintained a notable distance from the two newcomers.

"Foxes and wolves weren't the best of friends to us in the Warren. Anna, I must ask you let this opportunity pass us by-"

"It's fine! It's fine! Panne, was it? I won't eat you! And neither will Keaton!"

"Is that so?"

"Y-yeah. But only because I think you're... cute," Keaton muttered under his breath. "I don't eat cute things."

"See?" Anna exclaimed holding out her hand to Robin for an unanswered high-five. "A wolf, a rabbit, and a fox! We have our own little Warren in our army!"

"Did you even ask them?" Robin wondered, "Or did you yank them from their homes?"

"We were lost," Kaden and Keaton replied simultaneously. "We kinda wandered into her tent after stepping through the portal near the Dragon Gate Ruins..."

"Figures."

Day 0- Lucina: Claims to be Chrom and Olivia's daughter.

Proof: Falchion, Brand of the Exalt

Day 1- Odin/Owain: Claims to be Lissa and Lon'qu's son.

Proof: Brand of the Exalt

Day 1 - Laslow: Claims to be Chrom and Olivia's son.

Proof: Brand of the Exalt

Day 1- Severa: Supposedly Cordelia's daughter

Proof: Future Children vouched for her existence (Is assumed dead)

Day 2- Ophelia: Claims to be Owain and Severa's daughter.

Proof: Brand of the Exalt

Day 14- Soleil: Claims to be Laslow and Felicia's daughter.

Proof: Brand of the Exalt

Day 38- Cynthia: Claims to be Sumia's daughter.

Proof: None (she has a wedding ring, but Sumia is not yet married.) Was familiar with future children though, including most of the Ylissean Shepherds, regarding them as 'her childhood heroes.'

Day 59- Gerome: Claims to be Cherche's son.

Proof: Minerva, a few years older than Cherche's own. '' with Cynthia's.

Day 88- Yarne: Claims to be Panne's son.

Proof: Is Taguel (Could just be a survivor of Panne's Warren, but he claims otherwise) Also '' with Gerome and Cynthia.

Day 106- Percy: Claims to be Arthur's son.

Proof: None. Assumed to be of Nohrian descent. Claims Nohr won the Nohrian/Hoshidan war.

Day 138- Midori: Claims to be Kaze's daughter.

Proof: Saizo's mask (?) Assumed to be of Hoshidan descent. Claims Hoshido lost the Nohrian/Hoshidan war.

Day 142- Keaton and Kaden: Nohrian/Hoshidan shapeshifters, courtesy of Anna. Not from the future, as far as Anna is concerned.

Day 192, midday

Robin looked over the list one more time, trying to find a pattern between the Shepherds finding new children from the future and...

"This still doesn't make any sense."

Sitting by his side was Lucina, driving herself to exhaustion at the same critical analysis of the list.

"Half of these newcomers were not from my group, yet they claim they were sent to aid their parents in our time of need. Did Naga open up more portals for them? If so, how is it that they are Nohrian and Hoshidan?"

"We warned them that Grima threatened Nohrian and Hoshidan existence as well. I hate to say it, but I think our white-lie has more truth to it than we thought. If these 'off-shoots' are indeed from ruined futures like yours, I think we're stepping into something a lot bigger than I anticipated."

"Gods... So it will take us all the more to overcome this, not just for our world, but many others..."

"Our mission stays the same, Lucina," Robin assured, patting Lucina's shoulder before quickly removing his hand. "We'll pull through this no matter what."

"Still... this changes everything I know! Grima destroyed the world, but as far as I know, Naga only communed with us because we performed the Awakening!"

"Not completely, might I add," Robin corrected.

"I... without the gemstones, Naga heard our prayers, but could not answer us with redemption. The Fire Emblem held no power without the gemstones. But that is the past. I am here to change the future, and so are all of the newcomers, Ylissean or not."

"If this is the case, we should be expecting more. How many others came with you?" Robin asked.

"..."

"Lucina?"

"I... I do not wish to give any more false hope... Severa is already dead-"

"We're beyond that point, Lucina. How many more came through that portal with you?" Robin insisted, stern and resolute with his tone.

"L-let me see..." Lucina recalled, not off-put by Robin's aggression. "Including myself, Owain, Inigo and Yarne, there was Severa, who... Ahem! Brady, Noire, Kjelle, Laurent, Nah, and... M... that's it."

"It sounded as if you were about to say one more name," Robin noticed.

"I... I lost count, that is all," Lucina reasoned, obviously not solid in her response. "I cannot say names for the Hoshidan or Nohrian children, though."

"If you say so," Robin ignored, thinking whether there were any more Ylissean children that Lucina had withheld. Were they dead perhaps? Had Lucina already lost hope with finding more? Did they come across some the deceased on the march to Valm?

Suddenly, the tent opened up, a familiar voice greeting the two with energetic gusto.

"Robin, we need you and Lucina to saddle up right away!"

Both Robin and Lucina turned to see Corrin already leaving, her bare feet dancing atop the grass as she joined up with the growing patrol. With a quick glance to each other, both Shepherds left the tent and made their way to the assembly area. Most of the Shepherds were either saddled or ready to ride, with the majority of the fliers already taking off.

"What's happening?" Robin called to the crowd, to which Corrin, after a brief search for her fellow tactician, replied quickly.

"There's a temple nearby. 'The Ruins of Time,' I believe it is called in the texts. There's supposed to be an artifact there called 'Naga's Tear' that could prove useful to our units. Plus, with such a high concentration of Risen in the area, I think there might be a future child in the middle of it. Fresh out of the portal, judging by the numbers reported."

"That would be in accordance with the previous trends," Robin noted. "Alright, let's get to work. How far away is the temple?"

"Cami's gauging it about four or five miles away. We should hurry! Risen are crawling all over the place."

"Alright," Robin stated quietly, gesturing to the Shepherds to begin their ride. Turning to Lucina, who stayed by his side as their horses accelerated, the tactician shot off a question.

"Friend of yours?"

"Hopefully."

In a dark ruin, surrounded by hundreds of minions of the Dragon of Death, a young girl awoke to the sounds of war and combat.

Oddly enough, it was quite familiar to her, despite the vagueness of everything else.

"Ugh, my head... wait."

Rising to her feet, she locked eyes with a white-haired woman who, after a jolt of realization, immediately began rushing to her position.

"Are you alright?" she yelled, fending off the Risen around them. "Did they get you anywhere?"

"...No," the girl stated, patting herself down for wounds and shaking her head for emphasis.

"Good. We'll get you out of here, I promise!"

And right back to me, Morgan. Always back to me...

Corrin gasped as the stranger passed right back out onto the stones. Picking her up and signalling for help, the princess slung the robed girl over her shoulder and made a dash back to safety.

Run all you want, daughter of dragons... You cannot escape fate.

Corrin swore she heard another voice, but it was probably just the heat of combat. Yeah.

"I really should get more sleep."

Chapter Text

Day 192, afternoon

Having just returned from the Ruins of Time, a temple on the other side of a now-deactivated portal deep within the Valmese forests, a pair of pegasus scouts reported a large group of potential Risen in the area. The subsequent news sent all available Shepherds rushing in a mad grab for some action, prompting even the most complacent of soldiers to tense up for a long-awaited fight.

When finally inside the labyrinth, the Shepherds were greeted with nearly four-hundred Risen, just enough to keep the army busy for an hour or two. During the melee, Commander Corrin found a girl unconscious and surrounded by the undead, an anomalous circumstance regarding potential future-children. After properly dealing with the horde within and combing the area for artifacts, the Shepherds retreated to safer territories to reevaluate the current situation.

Aside from that, no other objectives were inside and while a few powerful relics were found, nothing else of note occurred and the mission ended smoothly with little complexity.

Of course, there was the issue of the girl that had been recovered in the ruins, seeing that none of the future-children had been unconscious or had been surrounded by Risen when they came to. The child was on the shorter end of things, just a few inches taller than Sakura and sporting a curiously marked cloak that bore similarity to Robin's.

As for a name, the best anyone could elicit was 'Morgan,' a notion coming not from the future children, but from Corrin, surprisingly. The Nohrian had been the one to personally rescue her from the Risen, and claimed 'Morgan' was the name she heard in the temple.

From who, Corrin didn't specify, but no one bothered to press further.

Perhaps because of the way Lucina and the other future children visibly flinched when they heard the name.

Robin himself did not have the opportunity to meet the newcomer yet - he was busy drafting the next day's battle plans while Corrin demoted herself to babysitting duty. During the operation where they encountered Morgan, the tactician had been someplace else, leading a scouting team to find the rumored Naga's Tear. Success in that endeavor, he also mentioned they found numerous other artifacts, one of which he kept in his drawer, hidden from the others.

What that artifact was, Robin wouldn't reveal; an action very unlike the open-armed tactician.

Figuring Robin to have a reason for his secrecy, Corrin focused her attentions on the unconscious teenager in her bed, having been dumped unceremoniously by the princess who was all the while complaining that Morgan was 'much heavier than her small frame let on.' With nothing important on their timetables, the entirety of Corrin's tent population were occupied with the unconscious girl decorating their living space.

Ever the soft-spoken aficionado of cute things, Azura didn't mind the 'adorable' mage sleeping in the slightest. Felicia was also quickly enamored by the sleeping girl, and even while Morgan snored and drooled as a child would, the maid watched her studiously alongside her two lieges. Corrin, ever the curious princess, paid attention to the young mage and everything observable, already have questions to ask when Morgan came to.

She wouldn't admit it yet, but she felt a very odd connection with the strange girl, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. Seeing Morgan in danger back at the ruins, neck-deep in Risen, Corrin felt extremely paranoid and worried, which was a sensation she rarely experienced. Something about Morgan made Corrin feel... protective? As if dashing to the girl neck-deep in the ruins was... by instinct?

But why?

It certainly explained why Corrin kept Morgan secure in her very own bed, away from whatever troubles the girl had escaped from.

"It would seem our guest could very well be one of the future kids Lady Lucina mentioned accompanying her," Azura offered, sitting cross-legged across from Morgan, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction observing the girl's breathing patterns.

"That could be, considering the Ylissean children seemed to recognize her," Felicia continued, going through Morgan's bag. It had a few potions and tomes, but that was it. Still wanting to let Morgan have a sense of privacy, they had not read any of the tomes, despite their unfamiliarity.

Corrin pondered thoughtfully as she watched the white hair fall not so gracefully around her ears and eyes. A subtle but potent odor spread throughout the room, and upon a quick educated guess, the three inside had an inkling as to where the foul stench came from.

"Remind her to take a proper bath once she comes to," Corrin laughed. "I think it's safe to say that whatever place she came from had a lesser sense of hygiene than ours."

At that exact moment, Morgan jumped up, her bloodshot eyes widening at the sight of two strangers and one not-so stranger by her bedside. Or rather, the not-so-stranger's bedside. They maintained eye-contact for a few awkward seconds.

"..."

"..."

"Good morning?" Morgan attempted, flashing a hesitant smile.

"Afternoon," Azura corrected, returning Morgan's curious stare with her own. "Though, you're free to sleep until morning, if that's what you'd like."

"Naw, I'm fine," Morgan declared, rubbing her eyes.

"If you say so. The healers stated likewise."

Morgan reacted to the word 'healers' but didn't press further, instead looking around and observing her surroundings.

"Uhh... How long was I asleep?" the girl asked curiously.

"Not too long," Corrin reassured, "You're just in time for dinner, if that's what's important."

"That's super important," Morgan realized, feeling her empty stomach. "I haven't eaten in..." panning out, she recollected herself and shook her head. "Forever, it seems."

"Well, no time like the present," the blue-haired stranger suggested, rising to a stand before stretching her legs.

"I have the weirdest feeling... like the time I'm in right now isn't the present..." Morgan observed, rolling out of bed and crossing her arms.

Azura laughed as she helped Morgan with her things, ruffling her hair absently when she donned her coat.

Strange. that fabric has a similar designs to Robin's, yet it's horribly worn and frayed. Are they the same design? Or perhaps-

"You remembering anything Morgan?" Corrin asked, to which the tactician shook her head.

"Morgan?"

"That is your name, right?"

"...Uh, yeah. I think. It sounds familiar," Morgan shrugged.

"Well, if we find a different name, we'll use that. But for now, will Morgan suffice?" Azura wondered.

"Oh yeah! I mean, I don't really care what you call me... But it would make sense considering if my parent's gave it to me... then..."

As Morgan trailed off to her thoughts, the trio of women waited in anticipation for Morgan to name-drop her potential parent...

"Aaaand I'm drawing a blank. Darn..."

"It's alright," Corrin assured. "Considering the very likely possibility that you are one of the future children, it shouldn't be too hard to narrow you down from the original Shepherds." Morgan nodded hesitantly, before glancing outside to the camp, where others could be seen training or conversing.

"Future children?"

"Very long story."

"N-no, wait! That would make sense! A-are there others from the future? Am I from the future?"

Corrin nodded before opening the door, letting the sunlight seep in from the orange sky above. Enjoying the breeze, she stepped onto the grass and danced lightly on its surface.

"Yes and probably, I guess. We're not entirely sure on your origins, compared to everyone else. Lucina isn't much help with you, so I'm not putting it past us that you are from their time."

"Luci?" Morgan wondered, too quietly to be heard.

"Anyway, I'm due to go sparring with Chrom now," Corrin announced, strapping Yato to her hip and closing the door behind her. "I'll tell our fearless leader that you're awake. Double portions for you at dinner sound alright?"

Ignoring her, Morgan quickly followed, forcing Azura to roll her eyes in mock disgust and join the party.

"She's taken a liking to you, Corrin," Azura joked over Morgan's head towards the lead princess. "You shouldn't abandon your new friend so quickly."

"I don't mind! I'd like to walk around, anyway," Morgan dismissed Azura with a wave and a smile. The dancer noticed that the girl carried a tome and a sword by her side, the latter sheathed on her right hip and the former tucked under her left arm.

Just like Robin.

"Ah. Corrin, Azura... and the young lady I assume the camp's talking about?"

Morgan noticed a man with the apparent aura of royalty greet them, nodding towards Azura and Corrin before fiddling with his sword.

"It's Morgan, if we're going to rely on names. Look familiar?" Azura asked. Chrom nodded quietly, while Morgan was distracted when Corrin drew her own blade.

"I have a few ideas," Chrom whispered back, "Most involving our tactical friend."

"That's what I'm thinking," Azura replied, "The future-daughter of our Commander!"

"It can wait until Robin's up to speed," Chrom reasoned. "Corrin, you ready to go?"

"I'm already warmed up thanks to our little expedition this morning," Corrin excused, "Shall we?"

"Indeed we shall," Chrom answered, slowly drawing Falchion with a melodic ring. "Best of three, or to the death?"

"Until something breaks: probably your resolve," Corrin responded, ever the fan of pre-sparring banter. Twirling Yato around, the golden sword seemed to hum in agreement.

"Funny you say that. You know, this sword is awfully good against dragons," Chrom replied, leveling his stance.

Azura and Morgan watched at a distance as the two Lords charged at each other, the clanging of blades easily heard to the surrounding passerby.

"It must be strange, coming from the future," Azura thought aloud, to which Morgan shrugged. "What changes that can occur within even a day will never cease to surprise me..."

"You really think I'm from the future?"

"Our company has encountered a fair number of those disowned by time. We're just guessing you're one of them."

"I could've come from anywhere, really. I don't remember anything about myself... I don't even know who... or where my parents are." Morgan frowned and looked solemnly at the ground, only for Azura to wrap an arm around her shoulders and gave her a comforting smile.

"We'll find them, don't worry. I already have a couple ideas on who your father might be." Morgan looked at Azura hopefully, and the dancer gave a reassuring smile back to the young girl.

"Really?"

Their thoughts were paused when a particularly loud clang followed by two thuds and a synchronized groan were audible from the two sparring partners. Then two sets of laughs, and another synchronized groan.

"Don't... Don't try that move again," Chrom winced as he rotated his shoulder, still flat on the ground.

"Who taught you how to fight like that?" Corrin remarked with a scornful smile, rolling over so that she was facing the sky.

"My daughter," Chrom admitted.

"Well tell her to save it for the enemy... Gods, I can't feel my legs."

As Azura helped Corrin up, Morgan walked over to...

Chrom, was it? I think that sounds familiar...

And extended her hand in aid. Chrom took it gratefully, dusting himself off and wincing as he stretched his sore arm.

"Hey Morgan... I can't help but notice the weapons on your person. Seeing that my fair princess is in better shape than I, think you're up for a quick spar with her? Maybe we could find an appropriate role for you if we knew your strengths! That way, Robin won't have to shift his efforts from the plans, and you..."

The rest of Chrom's request trailed off as Morgan felt a memory click from within.

Robin? That name sounded really familiar. Could it be?

That's the name... of my Father!

"Father!" Morgan exclaimed happily. "I think he's my father!"

"What."

Chrom frowned, taking the response from Morgan the wrong way. He was already off balance by the fact that he had one daughter. Now two?

"Uh... I guess I have two daughters the-"

"Not you, you idiot... Robin!"

"...what?" Corrin gasped.

"ROBIN!?" Chrom laughed genuinely. "Guess your suspicions were right, Azura."

"They often are," the dancer bowed humbly, smiling at Morgan all the while. "See? We'll figure out your story in time, Morgan."

"Well, we'll piece it together later. Robin owes me a bullion and a drink once this is all sorted out. Now for you..." pointing at Morgan, "Are you ready to spar?"

"Uhh... sure." Turning to Corrin again, Morgan raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You're a princess?"

"Princess Corrin of Nohr and Hoshido, at your service," Corrin replied, bowing gracefully to her opponent. "I forgot about introductions. Sorry!"

Morgan drew her bronze sword pitifully, before staring down her opponent, Yato and all, with a light frown.

"Great."

"Don't worry! I'll go easy on you and-"

Morgan charged at Corrin in a blink, but instead of striking, she nimbly flipped off the Princess's shoulders, forcing the swordsman to the ground while Morgan raised her sword arm. A flash of determination and power made itself apparent in her eyes, and for once, Morgan felt completely fine with the situation.

"Hyah!"

With a cry, Morgan drew her tome before throwing her sword at the dodging Corrin, landing with a roll. As Corrin evaded, Morgan maneuvered to her sword, quickly retrieving it and all the while chanting a spell with her left hand gripping her tome. In a dazzling display of light, Morgan shot off a Thoron bolt towards Corrin, who dove to the ground quickly as she avoided a very probable death. Watching as the yellow streak of energy passed inches above her, Corrin breathed a steady sigh of relief as the spell passed dangerously overhead and incinerated one of the tents that was in its path. Gazing at their now exposed heads, Jakob and Frederick paused their arguments to notice that their surroundings were now vastly altered.

Not to mention the hill behind the camp was now on fire.

"Whoops," Morgan giggled nervously. "I guess I overdid things, huh..."

"What was that?!" Corrin groaned, feeling her head for any burns. Grunting in pain as she picked herself off the ground, the princess found herself surprisingly still in one piece. Morgan quickly helped her, and Chrom merely looked between the equally shocked Azura and the pissed off Jakob.

"Asshole!" the distant voiced yelled out.

"Is she fine?" Chrom asked cautiously, concerned for the Princess' health.

"I'm alright. Just haven't dove like that in a while. Geez Morgan, I didn't know you were going to be using magic..." Corrin scraped herself off and pulled Yato out of the ground where she had dove.

"My fruit knife versus your glowing-holy-sword-thing? Not a fair fight in the slightest."

"Yeah well, you still could've warned... me?"

Corrin looked at Morgan's tome and realized something quite odd.

"Uhh, Morgan? That's a regular fire tome."

"Yah, and?"

"Well considering the fact that you very nearly incinerated me with a lightning spell, I have a few questions."

"Oh! That reminds me... I'll go take care of that fire..." Morgan ran off towards the tent, Jakob yelling at her all the while.

"..."

"Well?" Corrin egged on, smiling at the blue-haired royals.

"That was quite the show," Chrom admitted, pointing at the girl and the apocalypse she had unleashed in front of her.

"It would make sense considering her potential father," Azura remarked. "They share fighting styles, even if Morgan surpasses Robin's already significant magical ability."

They were interrupted by the white-haired man running towards them, worry on his face.

"Are you guys alright?! I saw one of the tents just explode and I thought someone let Sully cook... again."

"Asshole!" the respective voice taunted from the distance.

"Oops," Robin muttered.

"Don't worry about us, we're fine, Robin," Chrom assured. "By the way, the new girl apparently can cast lightning bolts out of fire tomes."

"One problem at a time, Chrom," Robin dismissed casually. Turning to Corrin, Robin appraised his co-commander who was still covered in dirt and ash from the close encounter with Morgan's spell.

"Corrin... As much as you enjoy your shenanigans, we can't have a commander hurt. Try to be... uh, more cautious with your new child, okay?" Robin asked with genuine concern, leaving him in a red-faced fit. Chrom smirked even harder.

Ever since the pranking incident with the water bucket, Robin had found himself flustered around the young Nohrian Princess when they weren't alone. And with the sudden epiphany of who Morgan's mother could be, Chrom realized his bullion payday was very well about to be doubled.

An hour before

"Have you heard from our new future-child yet?" Robin asked nonchalantly as he sipped tea on his chair. "I'm assuming she is one. No Risen horde appears for just anyone."

"Mhm, Corrin's got an eye on her. Kid's staying in her tent."

"O-Oh... Okay." Robin replied, not too casual anymore.

"You sound almost disappointed."

"It's not that," Robin reasoned, but Chrom stayed his path.

"You'd prefer to stay in Corrin's tent instead?"

"Chrom."

"Yeah?"

"Wherever you think you're going with that notion, I suggest you leave and pursue... a different course."

"Bet you a bullion it's your kid," Chrom teased.

"Chrom."

"Bet you another it's yours and Corrin's."

"You are not only within melee range, but also within most of my spells' kill radii, I'll remind you."

"Fine! Going, going..."

Day 192, afternoon

Robin stared at Azura and Corrin before turning back to Morgan who had just run back after seeing the oddly familiar head of white hair. The child looked at him oddly, her own white hair outlining a rising grin.

"Is that..."

"This is Commander Robin, one of two leaders of the Shepherd Liberation Army," Azura introduced. "Robin, this is Morgan, the girl Commander Corrin rescued from the ruins earlier today."

"A pleasure to meet you, Morgan," Robin began, staying neutral in the off chance that-

"Hey Father!"

"..."

"..."

All five people glanced at each other nervously, allowing a good ten seconds to pass by before Robin broke the ice.

"So you're my kid from the future, huh," Robin started.

"Yep!"

"...Well, I..." Robin trailed off, clearly not knowing how to handle this.

"You're a lot younger than I remember... And that's saying a lot! I don't remember a thing!"

"That's good?"

"Anyway... you're the tactician right? Well, I'm studying to be a tactician too! I can help you help your friends!"

Robin smiled at Morgan, noting how that phrase struck a positive note from him.

"We're always grateful for more help, Morgan. But-"

"We?" Morgan scowled, putting on a jealous tone.

"Corrin and I," Robin explained. "We're... both, Commanders."

"Oh. Well, now there's three of us! See? I even have your tactician's cloak!"

She did a spin for emphasis, and Robin noted just how tattered his robe was in the future.

Battle damage or just age?

"I hope I wasn't dead when you put on that robe?" Robin attempted, not exactly careful to harm the child's emotions. However, sadness was not Morgan's response as she just waved her sleeves around, spinning in a circle once more.

"Not at all! I can't exactly remember why you gave me it, but you just put it on me one day while I was sleeping, that's all I remember! But it's comfy!"

"Sure is..." Corrin added silently, fondly remembering the feel of the tactician's robe on a cold night. "I want one."

"That's... Good to know," Robin laughed nervously. "What else did I do, considering I'm not... dead?"

"I dunno! I don't know anything at all!" Morgan exclaimed happily. "I just know my Father's safe and sound and anything else will just happen as we go!"

"I... well, um..."

He bit his lip and scratched his head nervously. Like Chrom when he discovered Lucina was his daughter, Robin was at the most offset of odds.

"But... I'm... single," Robin started, wincing at his crisis. Morgan's bright demeanor dimmed slightly, as she furrowed her brows with a sigh.

"Oh... And I don't even know who Mom is either..."

Two sets of eyes drifted to Chrom.

"I know what you're gonna say and so help me and your family, don't say it," Robin threatened. Corrin instinctively backed away, Azura following suit.

"What?" Chrom asked with an oblivious smirk, the less than stellar tactical wheels in his head turning at a rusty speed.

"You so much as open your mouth and I will give you a glorious death."

"Corrin?" Chrom started, watching Robin draw his sword slowly.

"Yes, Chrom?"

"You should probably start that chess game with Robin that we had to delay a while ago... Wouldn't want our tactician here to - Put the sword down Robin!" Chrom screamed as he sprinted away from the enraged tactician.

"I'll catch up with you later Morgan! I'll be right back! And then we can talk about Mom!" Robin called behind him as he launched a bolt from his left hand, swinging his sword wildly.

Morgan turned to Corrin and Azura, not knowing what to make of her father. Azura smirked knowingly at Corrin, the Princess blushing as a result. Corrin cleared her throat and grabbed Morgan by the shoulder as she led him back to her tent to grab dinner.

"You know, come to think of it, your father is a pretty interesting guy."

Chapter Text

Day 193, past midnight

"Azura?"

"..."

"Azura."

"Corrin, I can still see the moon's silhouette over our heads. That makes it, at the very least, one in the morning."

"Yes, but I also have a question."

"It can wait."

"..."

"..."

"Azzurraaa..."

"...What?"

Shifting in her cot, Corrin stretched her back and hiked her thumb at Morgan, who was sleeping soundly on her bed.

"All the future kids know something about Morgan. But in the camp, it's as if they have never met her before."

"...So?" Azura yawned, before sitting up as well to meet her white-haired friend.

"I can't help but think that Morgan has an even darker past than the colleagues from her time."

"It's certainly possible," Azura agreed. Looking at Morgan and the content smile on her face, Azura felt an odd chill knowing that the girl could have just been through hell a few days ago.

"It's certainly comforting to know that she has no memory of it, if that's the truth," Corrin admitted.

"I hope she'll figure out the stuff she wants to know in due time," Azura began, straightening her hair with a brush.

"I wonder who her mother is," Corrin whispered absently, causing Azura to smile.

"We have a few ideas on that mystery, dear Corrin." Catching the implications, Corrin threw a pebble at Azura, striking the dancer on the shoulder.

"Rude. You'd think a princess like you would act more civil around her child."

Even though it was dark, Corrin made attempts to hide her growing blush. But it was gone as soon as it came, being replaced with a slight scowl.

"If that truly is the case, then I must have been a horrible mother in the future she came from. I don't think Morgan would think so highly of me if she remembered I abandoned her as a child."

"Corrin..."

"Well! That's enough of that," Corrin replied quickly, changing the topic. "Good night, Azura. Good night Felicia, I know you're listening in."

"Oh. Sorry Milady."

"Good night, Corrin," Azura yawned, slumping back onto her mat.

"..."

"Good night, Morgan," Corrin added under her breath.

My mother would do anything for her child. So too will I.

Day 201, dawn

Seeing his cloak not on his body made Robin double take every single time, especially since he was wearing it. But after a while, Robin would smile every time Morgan would wave, run up to him, and give him a hug in front of whoever was around. After being greeted by his supposed child to the point where it became almost routine, Robin finally decided that he take his role as Morgan's father seriously.

And that meant keeping her under his steadfast watch.

Granted, her memory was still relatively scrambled but the tactician had more than enough proof that Morgan was his child. Like the children that came before, Morgan bore something close and unique to her, which was the tactician's cloak. That, along with a bag of loose-end items including Robin's original handbook of battlefield strategy: 'Operational Tactical Placements,' or OTP for short, made sure to displace any doubts to their kinship.

The dilemma of her mother's identity on the other hand was something that was not so simple to agree with.

His primary guess, no thanks to Chrom, was Corrin.

Robin had no problem with this, as shallow as the thought was. Corrin was an amazing woman despite her odd upbringing. Still, he was immensely worried for Morgan should his hypothesis prove correct. On one hand, Corrin was a fighter from a foreign land where she would eventually return. Underneath her youthful exterior was the fatigue of a princess with nothing but hope to drive her forward. Yet, being a leader of the Hoshidan and Nohrian body, she was a hardworking, selfless, and most of all, considerate person that bore the weight of two countries on those young shoulders. This was a princess just discovering the mantle of responsibility, and it fit her like a glove.

At times, at least.

To be fair, the commanders tried their best not to put anyone in a tight spot during combat, but many a time, even after the planning consensus before each battle, Corrin had agreed to taking the ass end of Robin's more aggressive strategies, often pitting herself against elements four or five more times larger than hers to aid another element in battle. She did not so much take it in stride as she just took it with a shrug, as if she had been used to being in such grim odds. Would she handle the responsibility of being Morgan's mother the same way? Not because of her sense of duty, but because she had never refused a task?

Only time would tell, Robin decided. Maybe he was right, but then again, there were more women than just Corrin out there.

Great. Now I sound like Laslow.

"Now... to find Morgan."

Ever since she found Morgan in the Ruins of Time, Corrin took custody of the tactician-to-be, allowing Morgan her previous cot while she, Felicia and Azura bunched up on their own. While he didn't mind the idea of Morgan making new friends, especially with how ill-acquainted he still was with her, Robin had it set to reclaim his future-daughter for his own benefit.

Conjuring up a plan to get Morgan to sleep in his tent from now on to 'not bother the commander,' the other Commander of the Shepherds began his expedition to pillage Corrin's tent and steal the child inside.

Actually, better wording could be used, but Robin was never one to weave eloquent words anyway. Morgan would just have to wake up detained in her own father's tent.

Maybe not detained.

He had a couple questions he wanted to ask, regarding a variety of things. One of them being Morgan's 'mother.'

Perhaps being detained and questioned was an accurate description.

Thus, at the crack of daybreak, Robin ignored his daily morning run and headed right to Corrin's tent, all-the-while followed by a motley team of Chrom and Lissa for reinforcement.

Of course, Frederick paused his sparring with Hana to assist his liege assist Robin, and upon realizing the situation developing, Jakob stopped polishing the weapons to defend Lady Corrin's tent.

"Chrom, batter up," Robin whispered as he waved nonchalantly at the butler, causing Chrom to motion likewise to Frederick.

"Distract the guy," Chrom ordered.

Frederick simply bowed curtly and intercepting the man, grabbed Jakob around the shoulders and turned him with an iron grip, Not allowing the butler to retort if he tried. Pulling a steaming kettle out of seemingly nowhere, Frederick fluidly poured two cups for himself and his companion. Jakob tried to get away, but the knight was not to be swayed.

"We're getting the girl off your lady's hands," the Ylissean assured. After a while, Jakob sighed and acquiesced to Frederick's redirection.

"I suppose it was to happen eventually. Though, it could've happened sooner than later. That child talks more than half the army combined. But if not milady's tent, then whose?"

"Her father's."

Jakob immediately frowned at the mention of Robin.

"Oh. That one. Well, she is his 'daughter from the future' after all."

"Do the rumors around camp interfere with your work then?" Frederick asked, not one for gossip but still concerned.

"What?" Jakob asked innocently, already fearing the implication.

"A future child who already knows her father, and is already in the vicinity of her potential mother-" Jakob quickly shut him up with a wave of dismissal.

"No. Not one bit. I will not let even that sway my devotion and duty to Princess Corrin. As honorable as Robin might appear at first glance, Lady Corrin is my liege, not him, nor his daughter. Or... theirdaughter, if it is to be such..."

"You..." Frederick realized. Jakob shrugged scratching his head nervously. He wasn't denying anything, after all.

"I have served Lady Corrin for all my life, even since I was a child. But my vow to her is as her servant, not her equal, as painful as it must be. However, nothing stops me from having an opinion regarding her circumstance."

"You have qualms over Commander Robin's competency?" Frederick asked, watching Robin enter the tent hesitantly.

"Not as a tactician or a strategist, in that right he is unrivaled. But as a father and a husband to Lady Corrin? Will Robin perform as aptly, that is a question I must consider."

"What makes you doubt his aptitude for that?"

"Well, he lost custody of one child, even if from the future. Lord Chrom knew nothing of Laslow until he found us on the Hoshidan Plain. What's to think that Commander Robin has another child running about somewhere, forgotten and lost?"

Robin knocked on the tent post, and after hearing some stirring, stepped back. Felicia opened the door and scowled at the early sun, but upon seeing Chrom and Lissa behind Robin she immediately regained composure, attempting to bow but only banging her head on the tent post.

"Uwaha- Lord Chrom! Princess Lissa! And Commander R-robin?" Robin bowed meekly and pointed inside.

"Just grabbing my... daughter."

The words felt very strange coming out of his mouth, especially since he had known the girl for little more than a week.

"S-she's inside!" Felicia exclaimed, opening up the tent and unwittingly letting all the sunlight in. Corrin was sleeping face down, her cheeks mushed against her cot and while a thin trail of drool pooled around her chin. Next to her, Azura stirred with a stifled snore, shifting from her side onto her back as her hair at this point was just a tangled blue sea of disaster. On the bed, Morgan hugged her coat like it was an animal, stuffing her face into it while a faint trace of a smile was visible on her chapped lips. Robin tip-toed between the two sleepers and picked up Morgan bridal style off the bed. Although Morgan stood a head below Robin, she was surprisingly heavier than she appeared and Robin almost tripped on the way out as he completed his heist.

"She'll be staying with me now, is that okay?" Robin asked, not really caring for the answer. Felicia smiled faintly, more so at the scene of Robin being father-like than at her friend leaving the tent.

"You have a-a wonderful daughter," Felicia admitted, her hands behind her back as she kicked the dirt with a sad smile. "It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? Holding them in your arms... Even if they're already teenagers."

"That's right," Chrom sighed, thinking of his granddaughter. "You're Soleil's mother."

"Yes," the maid replied, not sure how Chrom was going to react.

"I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world," Chrom replied, a rare moment of satisfaction coming over his tone.

"Thank you for making her feel welcome here," Robin replied with a sincere nod, causing Felicia to blush. Turning, he frowned slightly at Chrom and Lissa's grin, no doubt as a result of seeing Robin's newfound caring, fatherly side.

"Shut up," Robin fumed, stepping off.

"Well, our work here is done! Chrooommmm let's get breakfast!" Lissa called to her brother, to which he agreed, letting himself get dragged to the mess hall.

"Grab me two plates, Lis?" Robin asked, gesturing to the body in his arms for whom the second plate was for.

"Sure thing Robin!"

Not so quick to forget the prank Lissa had played on him earlier, Robin kept the princess under his iron fist, forcing her to run errands for him on a whim. Robin insisted that the cleric would attend to his busy work lest he personally devote time to creating some for her, so getting breakfast was nothing big in compared to the revenge Robin could dish out. With a grin, she skipped over past Chrom, grabbing his arm as she pulled him towards the smell of food.

Morgan groaned as she rolled over in her bed, sunlight beaming directly into her face. With a yawn, she rubbed her eyes, glancing at the bookshelf across from her as-

"Waaiittt... Where am I? This isn't Corrin's tent." Glancing around, she noticed a chess board on the bedside, along with a weapon and coat rack by the doorway.

"It's mine," Robin called out, gesturing for his daughter to eat breakfast with him by the main table, a steaming plate causing Morgan's stomach to grumble. She grinned as she rolled out of Robin's bed, taking a seat across from him as she dug into the food.

"Hey Dad!" she blurted, mouth stuffed with a bit of everything.

"Good morning to you too," Robin replied with a smile. Morgan nodded happily and wiped her mouth.

"So, how'd I end up here?" The girl asked with curiosity.

"I took the liberty in kidnapping you from Corrin's tent," Robin explained, taking a nibble from the bread as he watched Morgan eat.

"Don't let her know, but your bed is a lot comfier! I'm gonna miss 'em," Morgan mused, twirling a sausage link with her fork before eating it. Robin laughed and leaned back with a yawn.

"You'll still be allowed to hang out, I don't mind. I just need you for a couple things."

Morgan leaned in, intrigued.

"Are you going to teach me strategy now? You promised we'd go over strategy and I will take thorough notes and-"

"Haha, I'm sure you will. But first, I just need to get some answers out of the way."

"Sure."

"It's about your Mother, and..."

"And what," Morgan asked, concern growing in her tone.

"...My p-potential wife..." The teenager grinned at the older man's blush, to which she waved off.

"Y'know, you must only be like 4 or 5 years older than me if what they're saying is right. If I wasn't such a darling daughter, I would probably fall for your cuteness-"

"Don't finish that thought," Robin warned, causing Morgan's grin to be stifled against her shielding hand.

"Anyway..."

"Alright, so I'm your father, there's no doubting that," Robin started, "But as to who mother is, we have no clue... So we'll just have to do some... guesswork."

"Oh?" Morgan scratched her white hair thoughtfully, anticipation making itself apparent on her face.

"So there's two possibilities, scratch that three," Robin began, "I talked with Lucina and the others from the future, yet among the number they are missing, you are not among them." Morgan cocked her head in confusion.

"So you're saying they don't know me?"

"Either they didn't know you, or you didn't exist in their timeline in the first place. Which leads me to my other conclusions."

"Which are?"

"Perhaps, gods help me I might kill myself if this actually happens, I end up with one of the future kids themselves."

"Ew..." The thought of Lucina or Cynthia as her mother weirded Morgan out. Then again, like in this timeline, they were only a few years younger than Robin, so it was actually plausible. Robin read her mind and sighed.

"I hope it doesn't come to that, honestly. Lucina is a lovely woman, but..."

"Who said anything about Lucina?" Morgan goaded, leaning in mischieviously.

"I did just walk into that," Robin sighed, placing his head in his hands in defeat. "But you understand my drift, yes?"

"Lucina's not my mom, as much as you want her to be. Got it."

"..."

"And what's the third option?"

"Say you're not Ylissean," Robin offered. Morgan stared to the ceiling in wonder and phased back to reality.

"That... Actually..."

"Midori, Percy, everyone else... Wait..." Morgan paused.

A couple weeks ago, while the Shepherds were on the move, reports of portals opening and closing within a few hours had been shared by multiple towns. That, combined with the arrival of some future Ylisseans and some other children like Percy Midori, children not belonging to any of the Ylissean Shepherds, created a whole new realm of possibilities.

Soleil and Ophelia already knew their parents, but yet their existence was just as confusing as the aforementioned two. With the arrival of Morgan, perhaps the Hoshidans and the Nohrians were in the very same situation that the Ylisseans had encountered. Maybe Naga had allowed them to change their fates too, in a world where they would collide with the wars of a foreign nation?

The Risen that accompanied the portals seemed to verify that, at the very least.

Back to the task at hand, there was a possibility that Morgan may have fallen out of such an irregularity.

"You think I'm Nohrian or Hoshidan?" Morgan asked, catching onto Robin's hunch.

"You might, like I said it's just a possibility. Albeit, more plausible than the second, for sure, and a lot more comforting."

"So who do you think we can assume? Being my mother, I mean."

"Well, aside from the reason that we needed to find the other kids before it's too late," Robin started, "I need to see who's still... single." It was a blatant lie, of course. Robin already suspected it was Corrin. However, there were more than a couple women from Hoshido and Nohr that were quite easy on the eyes and could pass as potential wiv- Nope. Corrin had to be.

Robin wanted it to be.

"Dad, there's easier ways to seduce the fairer sex," Morgan giggled. Robin fumed at her blunt language, still smiling at her humor.

"Who taught you to talk like that?" he muttered in pity.

"You did, of course. You didn't exactly mince words so I thought your vernacular was natural until we came across a village where you and Mother would... would-"

Robin lit up, seeing how Morgan was about to name-drop who she remembered from her past...

"Wait, I can't... seem to r-remember that anymore..." Morgan whispered, almost shocked. In a matter of seconds, she went from bright to crestfallen, her lip quivering in a very genuine fear. Robin winced and immediately embraced his daughter tightly, even as her tears replaced the brightness in her eyes.

"Why can't I remember?!" she cried out hoarsely, her hands shaking until they caught onto Robin's. "Dad..."

"Hey, it's alright. Shh..." Morgan buried her head in her Father's cloak, shivering quietly as her fork and spoon fell back onto her plate.

"I-I... How am I supposed to know if whoever you pick is actually Mom? What if... I pass her and you make the wrong choice and... and-"

"I know we'll make the right choice," Robin assured, holding her tightly. "Together, I promise. That's why I need your help, Morgan. Once we find her your memories will come back and we'll be a family. Okay?"

"O-okay..." She whispered, hugging her father tightly. They locked eyes for a split-second before Morgan nestled her head in Robin's chest again.

In that one instant, I saw that same, pure hope in her eyes. Just like Corrin.

Day 201, morning

"Commander Corrin, as much as I enjoy my Midori's company, I must request we find a better place to keep the younger children besides... here." Kaze complained, gesturing to his daughter. In the last ambush, Midori had her arm turned into a pincushion as she blocked a Valmese volley from hitting her father. Kaze, no doubt, had immediate qualms to having that incident repeat itself.

"She'll be fine, I promise. And as for the other children, we need to find as many as we can before it's too late," Corrin sighed, not liking the plan too much either.

"Besides, where would we leave them? Back on the ships? The safest place for them is with us, like it or not," Corrin added. Kaze nodded with a sigh, agreeing with that logic after a while.

"I... I agree. Speaking of finding the others, have you found your child yet?"

"Your jokes are getting better," Corrin laughed.

"I was not joking," Kaze insisted. "Midori tells me of a white-haired youth that can shift into a dragon. She's recovering her memories bit by bit and one of them is of a shape shifting child younger than her."

"Huh?" There's others like me?" Corrin asked with a start.

"Not others like you... Others that share your bloodline, meaning your child," Kaze corrected.

"Impossible, I haven't even-"

"Those are the same words a mother or father has said every time we find one of the children," Kaze reminded. Corrin recalled Olivia, Cherche, and so many others saying that phrase. Now it was her turn, apparently.

"You see?"

"That can't be. We've been in interaction with the Ylisseans for less than a year and aside from Subaki and Cordelia, nothing has happened."

Morgan included, every child had some account of their parents, at least one side of the family for starters. Soleil and the other royals knew both.

"...Yet." she added, quietly.

"Then perhaps this dragon-youth will answer our questions, once we find it?"

"Well, considering we're similar in facial structure and general body... structure-"

"Are you calling me flat?"

"Ugh."

"Haha, just kidding, I get what you mean, Dad!"

"Oh, I hope so. Now where was I? Ah, not only are our physical traits pretty similar, but so too are our magical ones! Actually, you have quite a bit of a lead on me, if your display against Corrin was anything to show for your potential."

"Thanks!" Morgan happily yipped with a smile, enjoying her father's compliments. "I think."

"From what I've observed so far, the future child shares talents and skills with their parents. Whether this is due to genetics or their upbringing as a child, it clearly shows from what the others have suggested. Lucina is an agile swordsman just like her parents. And even if we don't know Cherche's husband, Gerome inherited a proficiency with flying."

"So whoever mom is..."

"So assuming that my hypothesis is correct in that the parent and child share inherent aptitudes," Robin explained, "We'll have to narrow things down by seeing what you can and can't do."

"You think Mom was a skilled swordsman and magician?"

"Not just a mage... Something far more innate. Not even I could pierce terrain with a thunder spell. No one can, actually."

"But that was a Thoron! Of course it w-"

"That you cast out of a fire tome," Robin reminded.

"Oh... So I guess Mom is an insane magical user."

"Or it's something more than just magic."

"How can magic be something more than magic?" Morgan wondered. Robin laughed and opened up his drawer.

"I found this in the ruins where Corrin found you. Recognize it?"

"I'll have to see it first," Morgan complained, prompting Robin to realize he still haven't given her anything yet.

"Oh. Here," Robin chuckled as he pulled out a grey stone. "This is... your first test. Go outside and hold it. Something may happen, so maybe..."

"What exactly is it?" Morgan asked, hesitating to grip the rock.

"It's... you probably shouldn't know yet."

"But Daaddddd..."

"Trust me," Robin repeated.

"What am I supposed to do with this if I don't even know what it is?"

"Just go outside and yell or something," Robin groaned.

"Hey! This is a dragonstone, isn't it? Corrin has one of these... OH!" Morgan shrieked suddenly, Robin wincing in response.

"Co-Yes... Yes she does." Robin didn't want to reveal his suspicions just yet, so he held his tongue.

"You're saying Corrin might be my mom?" Morgan exclaimed with glee, grinning as she gripped the dragonstone tightly, snatching it out of Robin's hand. So much for that.

"Yay! I know how a dragonstone works, I've watched 'Mom' enough times!'"

"I see you took my hypothesis well..." Robin sighed, rubbing his neck with a grin as Morgan ran outside.

"HYYYAH!" Morgan shouted, lightning crackling around her fingers. Rubbing her head in confusion, she did it again, but nothing happened.

"Did you..."

"...Awh."

"Try it again?" Robin offered, holding it up like Tiki or Nowi would when they used dragonstones.

"Why'd you grab this anyway? If it wasn't with me when I came to, then why do you think it's mine?"

"A dragonstone keeps a manakete's carnal desires from overtaking their human mind. I figured, with Azura's suggestion... IF you are the child of Corrin and I, that's her dragon abilities that now flows in your blood. Due to circumstances, your powers might be even more realized. Azura, she helped me out with this dragonstone for that reason. She somehow knew this might happen, and she helped me unlock this dragonstone at the temple. I've kept it here ever since."

"So you had Azura keep that secret for a week? You absolute madman! You know how much she hates keeping secrets..."

"It's worth it if this works, isn't it?"

"Oh... Oh! So she knows you like Corrin!"

"She guessed."

"Oh man, now I've definitely gotta get this to work! One more try!"

"Alright. But no matter what happens, we'll work it out, okay?"

Morgan nodded, and gripping the dragonstone tightly, screamed with all her might as she thrust it skyward.

"HIIIYAH-" She was interrupted when a bolt of purple lightning shot out of her fingertips towards the sky, splitting the branches overhead and in front of her. The lightning arced out, even causing the earth to shake and the sky to slightly darken. An ominous purple rift manifested next to the neighboring town, sucking dirt into its visible rift, where a still of a grassy hill interior flickered inside, just like the other Risen portals.

"Well, that's... Something."

Frederick and Corrin ran to Chrom's position inside the war tent, where the Exalt was napping beneath the table. Not easily phased by the loud crack and the village nearby being warped apart by dark energy, the hero of Ylisse slept soundly.

"Lord Chrom!" With a boot to the rear, the Exalt immediately rose to his feet, banging his shoulder against the table and tipping everything over.

"Agh... what?" The prince blurted out, blue hair a mess.

"There's a huge portal opening up, not unlike the one the locals saw when we went through the river town," Corrin explained. "Could be another future kid."

"That means another fight... Dispatch the Shepherds, we'll have to go while it's still open!" Chrom ordered.

"Right. Let's go then," Corrin insisted. Opening the tent door, she quickly jumped backwards as Robin passed inches in front of her, trailed closely by Morgan.

"Sorry about this guys, I think I just opened a portal to the pocket dimensions!" Morgan called behind her, holding what appeared to be...

"Is that..." Frederick began.

"A dragonstone?" Corrin questioned.

"Commander!" Cordelia and Subaki called, flying in lazy circles above. The two were currently on patrol duty, so it was natural they had first eyes on the anomaly.

"What is it?"

"We didn't find any children from the portal!" Subaki yelled, banking downwards to land.

"Anything at all?" Corrin yelled upwards.

"Commander Corrin's fighting off some sort of new enemy! She's holding them from leaving the portal! Robin and Morgan are on their way now!"

"Huh," Corrin echoed, waving her hand. "I'm right here. What are you talking about?"

"Wait. What?" Subaki wondered, landing and dismounting. "We just saw you in your dragon form protecting the villagers. Was that... not you?"

"Probably not," Corrin assured. "But I think I have an idea what. Kaze was just telling me of another dragon that Midori remembers from her memories. That dragon holding down the fort may just be the one from the future, if it came with that portal. You said that it looks just like me when I shift?"

"Yeah," Cordelia affirmed.

"And considering you're still here," Subaki realized, gesturing to Cordelia as she landed next to him.

"We should probably catch up to those two troublemakers," Corrin finished, already pulling out her dragonstone to assist.

Chapter Text

Day 201, morning

The portal above the now-abandoned town was spewing Risen and a new sort of humanoid enemy onto the ground below at an alarming rate. Said figures seemed to be nearly invisible if not for the faint purple-red glow that emanated from them, not unlike the unnatural haze that smoked from a Risen's empty eye-socket.

The hostiles were thrust downward with force enough to end the lives of mortal beings, if the sound indicated anything that visual confirmation couldn't. However, much to Robin and Morgan's inconvenience, both breed of mindless foe got right back up and formed a growing circle around the two, seeing as they were the only living things in the area.

"Dad, I see now's a good time to tell you; I've got nothing on me."

"Great."

Robin laughed dryly, tossing his daughter his Levin sword while staying unarmed. With only a single weapon between them, Robin found it imperative to let her keep the only means of defending herself. After all, enemies dropped stuff, right? They had plenty of weapons... to find.

And a dragonstone!

"Hey, still got the dragonstone I gave you?" Robin asked, ducking under a swing from a lancer, grabbing the haft and kicking the attacker twice in the shins, disarming it. Awkwardly swinging the foreign weapon that was still invisible in his hands, Robin somehow dispatched two Risen before the weapon crumbled into purple mist.

"It's still in my pocket after I shot that portal, why? It's feeling really warm right now," Morgan huffed back, fighting for her life. Sending a lightning bolt through two archers, she stabbed the jagged blade gruesomely through an enemy rider, impaling both horse and soldier before jolting them into oblivion.

"Just hold onto it for now," Robin ordered, noticing how the enemy number had dwindled significantly, far past the losses he and Morgan had inflicted. It seemed they were retreating, but not back to their portal.

"They're headed towards the town," Morgan called out, lightning arcing at her hands and electrocuting a mage even as she ducked under a wind spell.

"I figured," Robin responded, eyeing the Shepherds that caught up further down. Lucina and Chrom spun a dance of death around them as both Falchions ended the lives of any Risen or invisible enemy that entered their immediate area. Azura and Frederick also seemed to be holding their own, easily dispatching the sword wielding variants with their lances.

"Dad! Behind you!" Robin turned, barely ducking under a stream of liquid hot magma, courtesy of a Risen mage. Rolling into the dirt roughly due to the momentum shift, Robin was at the mercy of said caster, who shot another spell only for it to be deflected by a hulking silver mass.

"What in the hell? Oh. You." Robin grinned at his savior; a four-hundred pound wall of scales and horns.

Said dragon impaled the risen who had aimed at Robin on its front leg and boiled the flesh off its bone with steaming water. Bits of meat and cloth lay scattered under its feet, which Corrin scattered to the winds with a kick. Slowly, Robin winced as it turned its head to him. Jolting as Corrin pinned his neck with her claws, Robin felt the Risen's blood seep onto his neck as the dragon dragged his writhing body against the rocks with a growl.

"Corrin... Same team!"

Helpless to pry her off, both Morgan and Robin stared at the dragon in anticipation.

"You took Morgan from me. Give. Her. Back."

The mouthless dragon growled a low tone, chilling Robin as its nonexistent eyes burrowed deep into his soul. Corrin didn't have full control over her dragon powers yet, but still, this small level of sentience was no doubt her own. And it was no less terrifying.

Yes, this was the same Corrin that Robin had rescued along with her two companions just a few months ago from the border of Hoshido and Nohr, surrounded by two a continental war.

The same Corrin who Robin appointed as Co-Commander, and had done a remarkable job at inspiring hope and unity amidst the joint-Shepherds.

This was the same Corrin that laughed at silly puns and dug holes in tents and enjoyed talking with the Shepherds. She danced in the wet grass with her bare feet, running, marching, and riding just like every other soldier in this army.

The very same, who was now inches away from his body and easily able to turn Robin into a tactical soup of cloth and meat.

And he still felt the same tingly feeling towards her, even amidst his own probable death.

"Dad!" Morgan cried out, nothing but a haze in Robin's mind.

He outstretched his hand...

Robin smiled forcibly, closing his eyes as a hesitant finger brushed against Corrin's featureless head.

"I'm going to keep her safe too. She's my daughter."

Nothing.

Robin relaxed with a sigh, before gasping and writhing under Corrin's legs, picking up a sword by her feet in the process. Corrin roared, stamping at the ground and barely missing the human underneath.

A sound of clashing and a gutting of flesh made itself heard, and the fall of a body punctuated Robin's kill.

"Look! Behind you, see? C'mon, you're more levelheaded than this!"

The dragon turned to see a fallen specter, fully impaled through the head from Robin's sword. Advancing on Robin, the tactician nervously backed up as the dragon pinned him against a building.

"You stole my daughter from me, you... Graghhh!" Rearing its legs, Robin ducked again as Corrin nearly decapitated him unconsciously. And just as soon, she stopped, craning her head at an angle.

The dragon stopped herself, and looking around her surroundings, bowed her head in fatigue.

"Did... I say that out loud?"the princess asked with a hollow, nervous groan. "I... am not thinking very clearly, am I?"

"I've seen worse from you," Robin chuckled back, his ease returning with Corrin's moment of clarity. The Nohrian shook her head and laughed, instead turning her head and examining her surroundings. She laughed again.

The sound of it conveyed little actual humor and Robin was relieved when he saw Corrin bound off headlong into a pack of Risen cavalrymen.

"You and Mom certainly have an interesting complex going on," Morgan observed.

"Still have the dragonstone?" Robin asked, smiling as he watched the co-commander toss herself into the enemy.

"Yeowch!" Morgan yelped, gripping the dragonstone in her pocket with her hand before quickly relinquishing it. "Yep, still there, It's getting hotter now, " she affirmed with a nervous laugh.

"Well, there's no doubt you can at least interact with dragonstones," Robin said, hope replacing his recent fear.

Chrom ducked and weaved through arrows and spells alike as he, along with Lucina and Frederick, made their way to the collapsing village to help evacuate any stragglers. Azura went back to aid Corrin, who left her dragonstone behind in the panic, and was now suffering from a lapse in human judgement.

"The closer we get to the mouth of the portal, the lighter I seem to get," Frederick noted, confirming his theory by gently tossing a stone skyward, nodding when it didn't come down and instead slowly floated towards the sky. "It's going to suck us in if we get too close," he concluded.

"Well, the citizens certainly wasted no time to evacuate the town at least," Chrom accepted, running towards a collapsed building and spearing a Risen swordsman to the hilt with Falchion.

"There could be others, trapped perhaps. And the scouts did report a dragon. We'll have to be on guard."

Groaning in fatigue, Chrom looked around before kicking the corpse off his sword hand and slowly sheathed his blade. Gesturing for the others to follow, he scrambled through the rubble in search of a body or at least a sign of one.

"You two go on, comb the area! We won't leave a single villager trapped while we can help it!" Lucina and Frederick nodded, the latter slightly more hesitant as they split up and sprinted towards other buildings.

Lucina spotted an purple glow, recognizing it as one of those new enemies. This one seemed to be an archer, and seeing it drawing a bead on her, charged straight for it.

"Hyah!" Lucina cried, ducking under the arrow effortlessly before pulling out her own bow, letting loose two arrows in rapid succession, pinning both the arms of the archer against the wall. Having half a mind to leave it there, Lucina drew Falchion as she slowly walked towards it for a clean finish, scanning her surroundings for any ambushes.

"This is no Risen. What are these new enemies?" she wondered, slicing the air right in front of the archer as she reared back to strike.

Seeing tracks that resembled a beast of some sort, Frederick immediately followed them to a boulder where the tracks seemed to stop. Clearly too big for any animal to hide under, he pried his large hands underneath the mass and began to lift. He wasn't sure if there was anyone under the rubble, but he would follow Chrom's orders to the letter. Struggling for a moment, Frederick realized he was Frederick and not some mere mortal before heaving the multiple-ton rock nearly twenty feet behind him. To his amusement, there indeed was a child underneath the rock, hauled up in a fetal position and whimpering to himself.

"And another one joins the fray," Frederick chuckled to himself, helping the boy to his feet.

He had pure white hair and wore a plain blue handkerchief around his neck. His armor seemed very foreign in appearance, and-

Armor? Why? What use would a child need for armor?

The black and grey along with blue highlights struck a familiar chord, Frederick noted.

"Wait a minute... I've seen this style of plate before..."

Without any reason, the boy yelped as he jumped out of Frederick's reach, running towards the nearest fallen building. Sighing, Frederick jogged alongside him, noting Lucina firing off her bow before unsheathing Falchion. Incidentally, the boy ran towards the same building Lucina's archer was pinned to. Turning around, Frederick noticed how the interesting set of tracks that led to the boulder did not have another set leaving that area. It was as if...

"It looks like Lady Corrin!"

Oh. That makes a lot of sense, Frederick realized.

Lucina sighed in satisfaction as her blade embedded itself through the archer's neck, through the wall, and clean out the other side. Flexing her arm to extract it, she struggled to pull it out even when she leaned her whole body into it.

"What the hell?" she wondered aloud. Tugging again, she let go of Falchion as it lay stuck in the wall, her own body flying back from her strength. Shaking her head, she kicked the hilt, confused beyond reason as her sword was unable to be retrieved.

Suddenly, the wall exploded in a cloud of smoke and noise as Falchion flew out, slicing the air next to Lucina with a swoosh before bouncing off the stones and clattering next to her.

"I think I found that dragon," Lucina called out with a sigh, coughing out dust and readying her sword at whatever happened to cause the explosion.

A sleek grey leg stepped into view, followed by three more. While horse like in appearance, the legs resembled nothing like the body, which was lizard like with a wicked tail. The head had no features, but its antlers seemed to be made of steel itself and were perfectly capable in spearing her body like an animal. Realizing it too late, Lucina was forced to take the brunt of the creature's attack as it lunged toward her, its tail hitting like a club and cracking the swordsman's ribs as she flew back from the impact.

"Co-Corrin! W-what are you..."

Lucina coughed, holding her chest as she struggled to breathe.

"That sword hurts... Mama... Make it go away!" The dragon said quietly, almost in a childlike voice. It sounded nothing like Corrin...

"Uh, Father! Frederick! A little help!" Lucina called out, struggling to get to her feet and bolting off, dragon in pursuit.

Corrin scanned her surroundings, her vision perfectly fine for once. As opposed to shifting to a dragon with her dragonstone, turning without holding the object in her hand made her lose her sense of clarity and focus, forcing her to more primal instincts. It would take a lot for her to make her lose her cool this far in though, like something as wrenching as Mikoto's death. But strangely enough, the adrenaline of this battle and carnage was having her seeing red.

Morgan. He took her from me!

Corrin shook it off. Something about that girl triggered some instinctual emotion within her. All of a sudden she had rampaged, almost killing Robin in the process. Was that because of Morgan's disappearance this morning? Was that what was causing her to become so jumpy?

It probably did, Corrin guessed. She hadn't felt this angry since... ever, really.

She would've been like that for a while, if not for when Robin placing his hand on her. It was if she just woken up from a dream and found herself still in it, but fully aware. That touch... It was through that action that she felt her senses return and a tingling feeling on her head where Robin placed his hands.

And then it faded, leaving Corrin and the dragon clashing once more. Running off, she splattered a bunch of horses and Risen into the dirt as she made her way to the town, not sparing a moment to give in to her predatory instincts.

"They said there's another dragon there that looks like me..." Corrin reminded herself. There were too many coincidences for this to be by chance. Who else could share her power but someone like her?

Like her children?

Shaking the theoretical notion out of her head, she raced even faster, her legs galloping as the town grew ever closer. Smoke and dirt flew from one of the buildings suddenly, and she saw three tiny figures racing away, followed by...

A piercing scream that was too hollow to be human filled the air.

"So they were telling the truth," Corrin realized, seeing a split image of her draconic self. Then again, the only time she saw herself in dragon form was in Azura's water reflection, so even now the entity was very foreign to her.

Seeing Corrin in the distance, Chrom grabbed Lucina and ran towards the dragon, all the while evading blows from the other one. Scrambling in a zig-zag pattern, the wild dragon scattered both rocks and Risen out of his path as he chased the three Ylisseans.

"I swear to Naga if this is Corrin and Robin's son," Chrom complained, "We aren't getting out of this alive."

Robin followed Corrin at a distance, making sure there weren't any Risen or Specters on his path to rescue.

"Morgan, stick close," Robin ordered, extending his hand, which was bleeding from the stunt he pulled earlier.

"Mom almost killed you!" Morgan yelled, fearing for her dad's life moreso than her prospective mother.

"She's not your herself apparently," Robin sighed, slowing down his run when Corrin and the three warriors changed directions suddenly. Morgan frowned, disappointment lining her face. "You saw what she did."

"I bet you were excited! Even... even if... she has anger issues. Oh, you're one of those guys, aren't you!"

"I can't really respond to that," Robin replied with a frown. "But, looks like we found your mom."

"Whoa."

"If you have a problem with this, don't tell me," He added with a whisper. Morgan smiled coyly at his sudden determination, nodding along.

"I don't mind at all. She's awesome."

"Still, mission comes first. Still got the stone?"

Morgan quickly nodded and feeling the Dragonstone in her pocket, she winced and recoiled her hand immediately.

"This thing is super hot. I can feel it through my robes and I'm pretty sure I have burns on my hip now from it," The teen complained, rubbing said thigh gingerly.

"You'll be alright. We just need to get to Chrom and the rest before-" Robin gasped when he saw the second dragon, which tossed Corrin's form aside in its pursuit of Lucina and Chrom. Frederick was holding onto his tail but not slowing it down much.

"What the hell, there's two of them!?" Robin asked aloud, wondering how to to take it down.

"What's Corrin's weakness?" Morgan asked, twirling her Levin sword as she ran faster. "Maybe that thing has the same?"

"She has none, aside from a lack of sharp intuition and instinct when shifted." Morgan frowned at this news, but still held her head determined.

"This dragonstone, if it didn't work on me... Do you think..." Robin started, trying to retrace his memories to how dragonstones worked. Morgan caught on, the realization striking her as well.

"But a dragon that similar to Corrin... could they be related?"

Corrin found herself in human form, with Azura standing over her protectively.

"Hey," the princess coughed, smiling weakly. She made the effort to rise, but Azura poked her back down with the butt of her spear.

"Corrin, you are beyond injured. Not to mention you forgot your dragonstone in the tent. I don't think we should risk any more injury than what we've got-" She sighed as Corrin got up anyway. Running by was Chrom, only a few hundred meters away. That other dragon was not too far behind.

"We'll be fine. Besides, look around! In times like these, Azura, especially when we know what's at stake. That dragon..."

"Is going to kill the rest of your future family?" Azura replied, offering her arm as a crutch for Corrin. Without her dragonstone, Corrin couldn't help but feel very nauseated after shifting from her draconian form.

"I can't let that happen."

"Well come Lady Corrin, we need to catch up."

"Right."

Running alongside her best friend, Corrin struggled to keep up as the wood line came closer and closer. She began to see tents, along with the rest of the Shepherds cleaning up the area as Chrom and Frederick made set to duel the dragon that shared her form. Robin and Morgan were running too, the former unarmed but just as determined as his daughter.

Something ate at her. That same feeling that came before moments before an arrow would strike her, or before a blow too heavy to be blocked came flying in.

"I'm going to shift."

"I know."

"Stand back."

"No."

Chrom, finally making it to the wood line of the Shepherd camp winced in fatigue as his breath caught up with him. Frederick had valiantly slowed down the dragon but not for long, and if he were to remain in one piece, Chrom needed to recover quickly. Setting Lucina down by the trees, he drew Falchion and pointed it at the dragon just a stone's throw away.

"Corrin wasn't much help... Guess I'll have to take you down, whatever you are." Chrom twirled the Dragon's bane expertly before getting in a stance, the dragon focusing on him instead of the slightly-out of breath Frederick.

"Where... is Mama..." the dragon whimpered, crying invisible tears as it tended to its numerous abrasions. Chrom stepped forward slightly, and the dragon instinctively reared on its hind legs and roared, causing the Prince to stagger as the dragon-child made its final charge.

"I didn't wanna do this," Chrom sighed, running forward as well with Falchion extended to kill.

50 feet. The dragon didn't seem like it was going to back down from this joust.

30 feet. Chrom sped up his sprint, getting ready to take out the dragon with one stroke. If he didn't? He was dead, and Lucina as well.

20 feet. Frederick realized what was happening and chased after Chrom.

10 feet. The dragon lowered his head, antlers turning into a deadly plow.

5 feet! Chrom held in his breath as he prepared to time his jump over the-

Chrom grunted in shock as he felt a black cloak tackle him to the ground, but not before said party was gutted through the stomach by the dragon's antlers. Robin was tossed aside like leaves in a tornado as he rolled multiple times over in the dirt, finally stopping on his back.

"What the... Robin!"

"Looks like... it got... me. Too slow-"

The slow thumps of the dragon's footsteps shook the ground, and Chrom turned to see the creature bent over his tactician.

Spitting out blood, Robin laughed weakly as he once again felt a dragon's claw around his neck. Chrom screamed his name as he scrambled towards the unarmed tactician, before being tossed aside by the dragon's tail. Robin stared upwards, a weak smile on his face as tears and blood mixed on his dirty chin.

"Recog...nize me?" the tactician asked in a hoarse whisper. Extending his hand, the dragon looked in confusion as his bloodied digits brushed upon his face.

"You're not... Mama," the dragon whimpered back.

Robin pulled out the Dragonstone, the heat burning his fingers as he placed it on the creature's head. Nothing happened at first, but then the dragon winced, the human within gaining consciousnesses for the first time since shifting.

"It's going to be alright, I'm h-here... Papa's... here," Robin assured, smiling in pain as he saw the dragon dissipate in a blinding ball of purple energy before the silhouette of a boy was seen. He had black and grey armor, just like her, and instead of a blue cape, he wore the same cloth around his neck as a bandanna. He had bright white hair just like Morgan and himself, but instead of red eyes like his prospective mother...

They were that greyish brown. Sumia called it hazel. Lissa said they were more beige.

Just like his.

And with that realization, Robin laughed as his hand fell from the boy's chest, and everything faded to black.

If he listened just a bit closer, he could hear Corrin screaming his name as well.

Day ?

Robin awoke in the medical tent, wincing as he felt his bandaged gut.

"Those holes aren't going to be easy to patch up," Corrin said as she stared down Robin with a glare. Robin closed his eyes, smiling as he sank deeper into his bed.

"Are you talking about the ones in my stomach," he asked, "Or the ones in my cloak?"

"You know how much I like that cloak," Corrin whined. "And I like its owner even moreso. But I almost lost him today."

"Tragic," Robin coughed. Corrin scowled back.

"I'm... serious. I know it's not like me to be so vague with my emotions... but I don't know what I felt when I watched you getting impaled. I just know that I never want to feel that pain again."

"Neither do I, but-"

"Robin..."

"I know," Robin laughed, enjoying Corrin's company. "How are you holding up? You got tossed back there."

"You're one to talk."

"I'm the one asking questions here, Commander," Robin ordered. "That armor's not hiding any bruises, hm?"

"A couple broken rips. Better off than you, at least."

"Plenty of room on the cot," Robin suggested, moving over before realizing his implications. However, the notion flew over Corrin's head as she settled right next to him, letting out a very pained sigh.

"If I fall asleep, don't blame me."

"I might join you, come to think of it..."

"..."

"..."

"Day 201, evening, if you're curious."

"Not even a full day wasted. Very nice."

Corrin started to play with Robin's hair, causing the tactician to squirm in contentment.

"He has a sharp mind, minus the horns." Robin attempted, laughing at his own pun as he rubbed his stomach gingerly.

"His name's Kana, if you're interested," Corrin offered, hoping to distract the tactician from the pain in his chest. "He told me all about me, and I'm thinking he's from the future, just like Morgan and everyone else. Kana. My... son."

"Kana."

"He's sorry, you know."

"...You have good taste," Robin attempted, coughing and wincing at the pain. "In names, I mean." Corrin laughed lightly as she retracted her hand, looking at the tactician seriously.

"...And perhaps in husbands," Corrin muttered quietly.

"What?"

"I said that maybe... despite the horrible future that happens, maybe I made one right choice: being with you."

Robin's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sure you played some part in that aspect," she added.

"Wait, you're implying that maybe-" Robin's worried and fatigued face melted into a warm smile, uncontrollably mirroring a slightly more bashful Corrin. The princess nodded slowly, noting Robin's blush.

"I'm willing to give it a shot, and not just for Morgan and Kana's sake," Corrin began, "The truth is, you're the most-"

"No." Robin stated flatly, struggling to a sitting position. Corrin frowned and stuttered at Robin's sudden outburst.

"W-what?"

"You are going to hog all the glory if you keep going," Robin whined, "I want a chance to say stuff too."

"Oh. You... had me worried there." Corrin scratched her neck awkwardly, her heart skipping more than a few beats from that scare.

Robin breathed deeply, before continuing.

"Lady Corrin, from the moment I met you, my intrigue has slowly turned to friendship to admiration to respect and a desire to protect you... I may be the tactician of this army but I want to make the brash choice in... in... Ugh. That sounded so much better in my head. You should probably..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

C

"That sounded better in your head?"

"What you just heard: it never happened."

"I didn't hear a thing."

Corrin laughed, stretching out her torso and wincing at the numerous cracks that her spine gave.

"So, fall for my charms yet?" Robin asked hopefully.

"Head over heels."

"So now what. We can't really do things traditionally at this point."

"You know, a lot of books I read in Nohr were romance novels. I have pretty high expectations no matter what, Commander."

"So, keep to the cliches. Got it."

"I certainly won't mind," Corrin admitted. "I like them."

"Uh... But we still have two kids and no idea how to-"

"Should we just start from the beginning? This just... happened without any warning. Sure, we've developed feelings over a while, but..."

"We're going on a date then once we recover," Robin declared, his mind still sharp. "We'll plan on a place and a time. Chrom'll babysit the kids."

"Uhh... So... we're a thing now?" He was interrupted by Morgan and Kana running through the medical tent doors, outmaneuvering Lissa and hugging their mother and father, the latter with less intensity.

"YES! Dad asked Mom out!" Morgan yipped, high-fiving Kana and giving a thumbs-up to her dad.

"Nah, Mama did all the work!" Kana interjected, hugging Corrin and falling onto the bed. Morgan jumped on the bed as well, nuzzling against her mother with awkward love. Another figure came in, who Robin recognized as Chrom.

"Good news travels fast," The prince stated grandly, nodding to both tactician and princess, along with the two children by their side.

"You were listening in the whole time, cheater," Corrin giggled, shooing the Exalt outside.

"Fine. Remember, Robin, I'm expecting some bullion from you! I predicted this!" With that, Chrom left.

"Did he really?" Corrin asked, surprised.

"Yes. He did."

Chapter Text

Day 209, Morning

Chrom made himself scarce for the week following Kana's arrival, his excuse being that 'every body part was in pain' or 'we should not overexert our strength.'

Ironic, seeing as Robin was the one that got impaled on his own son's horns, while all Chrom suffered was a few scrapes on his bare arm due to said tactician tackling him out of the way of said son.

Never one to admit defeat, Chrom gave up on reasoning his way out of things, instead resorting to sleeping the troubles away, at least until the Commanders recovered from their quite severe injuries. A moment of stillness was fleeting, the Shepherds knew, due to the war ever changing around them. With the camp stagnant amidst such tranquility, the Shepherds quietly followed the Exalt's example and caught up on much needed rest.

Robin and Corrin wouldn't be complaining.

The tactician was bedridden with multiple stab wounds in his stomach along with a shattered collarbone, no thanks to Kana's charging body. How Robin wasn't eviscerated entirely at the angle he had deflected Chrom was a miracle in itself. Guilty as the perpetrator of that incident, Kana made certain that he attended to his father's every need, if only to expedite the recovery process. Of course, he wanted to know his father better too.

Corrin had things a little easier, only suffering from a few broken ribs and a few cuts on her forehead. Mysteriously, any injuries that Corrin suffered in her dragon form translated onto her human body, despite the obvious changes in anatomy. When they had first encountered each other in their dragon forms, Kana had thrown his mother into a stone wall like an egg, and she splattered against it like such. The fading abrasions on Corrin's forehead reminded her constantly of that strange duel, leaving her pondering many things on how she could better master the dragon within. While Kana babysat his father, Morgan would help Corrin out, excited to spend time with her friend-turned-mother.

When she wasn't busy with her parents, Morgan would observe as Leo and Takumi took over for the two commanders, getting to witness first hand the duties her father and mother held. The two young princes handled the management of the Shepherds well, and Robin made an effort to personally commend the two on keeping things in a functional and productive environment.

"It certainly makes me feel better, knowing that the camp is in good hands," he sighed one day, Kana snoring next to him on his bedside. "Those two handle the pressure quite naturally."

With the aid of the primary healers and their two children, Corrin's broken ribs were healed in a matter of days, while Robin found himself able to walk despite the multiple puncture wounds in his stomach. A couple days later, Corrin was as lithe as could be and Robin was to be found practicing battle drills with whoever he could pull aside.

When day 209 came, the army wondered if today was the day that things would be getting back to normal. Robin wasn't one for sitting around, and Corrin was feeling even more spry than usual. It took a little to admit, but the Shepherds were getting anxious for some action too. Looking to Chrom and the other leaders for guidance, the Shepherds made extra certain that their weapons and armor were ready to deploy, just in case.

"A lovely day to get back into things," Corrin greeted, instinctively taking Robin's cloak off the wall as she woke up the tactician. "You ready for this, sleepyhead?"

"...Good morning to you too," Robin muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and greeting Corrin as brightly as he could despite just waking up. "Where're you going with that?" he questioned, gesturing to his favored garment. "That is mine. You always take my stuff."

"It's cold," Corrin lied, her arms already in the sleeves. She snorted a stifled laugh as she fastened the knot near her neck to secure it, mimicking Robin's habit of leaving the fastenings undone.

"Uh-huh..." droned the tactician, eyeing the princess with a bit of a pleased expression. "Why don't you just wear Morgan's?"

"'Cause it's Morgan's," Corrin replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"..."

"..."

"It's too early for this. You know what? Forget it," Robin grumbled, getting out of bed as Corrin turned back to the camp. "See you later?"

"Of course! I'll see you out there, Robin," Corrin giggled on the way out. "Thanks."

"Good morning everyone," Robin began, enjoying being on his own two feet for once. He was in full tactician garb minus his trademark coat, striking a very odd appearance indeed to most of the Shepherds who had never seen him topless.

"I'll wait a few minutes for everyone else to join us, so feel free to relax."

Taking a seat on his impromptu podium (it was just a wooden pallet), the tactician smiled slightly as he observed the Shepherds mingle under his watchful gaze. Corrin tapped his back, still wearing his cloak as she took a seat next to him. Gesturing to the Shepherds, both the Commanders sat in silence, taking in the sight of their faithful army. No one was worse for wear, all thanks to their planning and probably a huge amount of luck.

Waving to her siblings, Corrin made a note to brag about the coat she was wearing to the Nohrian and Hoshidan family she treasured.

Robin merely maintained eye-contact, the reality setting in that those were to be his siblings too.

"He looks... empty," Sakura noted. "I-it's like he's missing part of his body. And Big Sister looks much bigger than she is. As if she's growing in some spots, but shrinking in others."

"I've only seen him without his cloak several times," Elise added. "It's such a big part of him that seeing him without it is... wrong! Then again, it makes Big Sis look so floofy! I bet I could fit in the cloak too!"

Elise fluffed out her dress for emphasis, causing Sakura to giggle. Hinoka turned her eyes from the two, gazing back at her Nohrian sister curiously.

"Why do you think Kamui wears it so much?" the Hoshidan wondered aloud. "She loves her armor, that's for sure, but lately she's been wearing Robin's cloak over it. It can't be the weather, can it? Do you think she gets cold easily?"

"It must be a comfy thing indeed," Camilla sighed. "She looks so cute with that baggy thing. A shame it's tattered after seeing so many battles. Robin seems very insistent that no one else touch it but her."

"Heh," Leo chuckled. "It's like Takumi and his ropy hair. You only let your retainers comb it, right? What if Niles were to apply his..."

"W-what?" Takumi scowled, "That's not like it at all! And that's nothing compared to Kamui wearing Robin's clothes! What you are suggesting is a whole different level of... weird!"

While the two young princes bickered, Xander sighed and looked to Ryoma, though his eyes were in a different place entirely.

"I would wear Father's fur capes when no one was around, once upon a time," Xander reflected. "It reminded me that even though Garon was a harsh and cold ruler on that throne, I knew that there still beat the heart of a loving father who wanted nothing but the preservation of Nohr. Perhaps Little Corrin feels the same security as I did once, wearing Robin's cloak."

"I know that feeling," Ryoma replied, "I grew my hair like my father did, and his father before him. It's not comfortable by any means, come to admit, but it does remind me of the burden and the honor of the crown of Hoshido. It taught me to trust my people and myself. Robin and Kamui have overcome quite a few trials on this quest together. They trust each other, perhaps even more than we know."

"I can hear you, you know," Corrin called down, laughing along with Robin. "His cloak is super comfy, and I trust him, and it makes me feel warm! Happy?"

All she got were 8 scowls.

"So as you can probably tell, Commander Corrin and I are quite about ready to get back into the rhythm of things. That being said," Robin explained, pacing around his podium slowly, "I can tell that one more day of rest won't hurt. I'm suggesting you have the day off, but know that we're on the move tomorrow, at the break of dawn. Enjoy this moment, Shepherds, as it will be a long time indeed till the next stretch of paradise comes amidst our storm. Dismissed."

"Have a good day, everyone!" Corrin added quickly, waving everyone off as the crowd dispersed. When they did, Corrin grabbed Robin's arm eagerly and turned him towards the chow hall.

"Clever metaphor. But now it's time for our date!" she exclaimed, setting out on a fairly brisk stride. Robin noticed this, struggling for a second to match his co-commander's pace.

"We're just having breakfast, Corrin. I think you're overselling this..."

"Nonsense! A lot of fun dates happen in simple environments. There was this one time in... nevermind! But trust me!"

"I suppose I will," Robin mused with a wry smile, taking Corrin's hand hesitantly. "But what exactly did you plan out?"

Upon being asked, Corrin lit up like a star, her strides reinforced with vigor.

"This is gonna be great! I asked the cooks on duty to make all our favorite things for breakfast!"

"You mean your favorite things," Robin corrected, knowing how Corrin was a picky eater.

"Er, well... Yeah! What, you don't like the potatoes they make?"

"Morgan does more than me, surprisingly. I've always preferred toast instead."

"Oh, quit being so picky! Let's go!"

"Alright, alright. You know, I've seen plenty of 'dates' in my tenure here. I don't think-"

As soon as Robin gave the word, Chrom quickly made himself scarce, shuffling back to his tent and lying on his cot.

"One more day then? Fine, Robin, have it your way. I was really hoping we would get out of the woods soon. I'm starting to miss Ylisse."

He was the Exalt. It took a while to remind himself of that title, but Chrom smiled at the thought.

"Here I am, defending my people from a thousand miles away. I hope everything's alright back there."

Frederick walked in, tilting his head at the sight of a tired Chrom.

"Are you feeling well, milord? S-Shall I fetch a healer?"

"Not necessary, Frederick. What is it? You seem out of it just like me."

Not used to seeing the knight hesitate, Chrom immediately suspected ill.

"Milord, if I may, Lady Lissa and Lady Maribelle have summoned you."

Chrom looked at the knight disdainfully, already rising despite his initial reaction. Rubbing his arms, Chrom grimaced at how sore they still were.

"'Summoned' me? What am I, an Einherjar? What could they even want from me?"

"I cannot ascertain their motives, milord. Only that it involves Commander Robin and Commander Corrin." Chrom raised his eyebrows, still not bothering to get out of his bed.

"So? Unless their kids are stabbing them again, I don't really think it's necessary for me to-"

A ladle flew past Frederick and into Chrom's face, causing him to immediately curse and weep in agony. Frederick drew his sword in a panic, but sheathed it when he saw who the culprit was.

"Gods damn it all, why?" Chrom thrashed in pain, crying out pathetically. Lissa would have none of it though, ducking under Frederick's arm and dragging Chrom off his bed with surprising strength.

"Milady, I must insist that you do not throw objects at my King. Sister or not, I interpreted that action as a threat-"

"C'mon! We're gonna miss it!"

Chrom picked himself up and shook off Lissa's grip, glaring at the sprightly princess before wincing at her eagerness.

"What? Miss what?"

"Robin and Corrin's first date!"

Of all the things to worry about.

Chrom almost snorted, instead trapping his face somewhere between apathy and disbelief.

"Is there a good reason to be concerned with my best friend's ventures into the romantic unknown?"

"Yes!" Lissa screamed, pulling out another ladle before Chrom got the message.

"Alright, alright. We'll see what he can do. Still not sure what the big deal is about."

"You do realize people are ignoring their food just to stare at us," Robin observed under his breath. Corrin would laugh, despite the fact that she was digging their own mortification-pit even lower than it already was.

"It's like they've never seen a couple before! Shepherds! There's like a thousand couples here!" Corrin pouted. "This is not how the books I read as a kid portrayed a totally-platonic date! They should be laughing... or something. Or... I dunno, eating breakfast LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE," she added, quite loudly.

"I would focus more on the bystanders, were your butler not right behind me using my silhouette to conceal himself from you. Oh, and now he's pressing a knife to my back," Robin added, feeling the now-revealed Jakob stir just an inch to better hide himself from his lady's view. Corrin leaned to her left and laughed at the sight, gesturing Jakob off.

"It's quite alright, Jakob. He's been stabbed enough times already." Corrin laughed at her own joke, but seeing how Robin merely fumed, quickly put a halt to her giggles. "What?"

"I do appreciate the help," Robin added, smiling at Jakob nervously. Seeing him walk off, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can finally focus on eavesdropping on Gaius and Hinata's conversation about us. Something about 'Me not having a plan?' Ouch. Accurate though. I couldn't really anticipate this."

"That makes two of us," Corrin groaned. "I thought it would just happen, you know..."

"What?"

"N-nothing..."

"It's like I'm reliving watching you two gossiping in class," Chrom sighed, settling into the bench across Lissa and Maribelle. Both girls were just getting into their breakfast so Chrom had not missed on much of their gossip.

"This is much more important," Lissa insisted."

"Why am I here again?"

"To watch our dear tactician's silver tongue! This is Robin we're talking about! Strategies and tactics for any occasion! Including romance! I would very much like to record for posterity the vernacular a man of planning uses for the subtle art of wooing. Or do you think he'll be bold? Like in Ferox? Charging head-strong, confident in his own ability to secure victory?" Maribelle exclaimed, clearly more invested in the scene than Chrom.

"How about he met his future kids. Kids'll do that to ya," Chrom snorted, turning away to sip from his glass.

"He hasn't even taken a bite," the princess grumbled, watching her subject eat with apparent dissatisfaction. Maribelle giggled slightly and sipped her water under her breath.

"Perhaps they know we are watching them? Shall we maintain a more conspicuous profile?" the duchess asked, much too loud for her own good. Lissa quickly hushed her.

"What? We are allowed to watch our commander's engage in this dance of wit and romance, can't we?" Lissa bopped her friend under the table, and Maribelle got the hint.

"It's like I'm watching cadets on their lunch break," Chrom mumbled, rolling his eyes and digging into his food.

"That's the spirit of it!" Lissa whispered happily, a smile on her face as her subject attempted to ignore her.

"So... yeah," Robin blurted, brown eyes interlocking with maroon eyes calmly, not exactly nervous but definitely clueless. "We could just pretend to talk and finish our breakfast and try this again some other time."

Corrin looked past Robin to find a set of Nohrians and Hoshidans eavesdropping as well, Chrom and company no different.

"That makes Felicia, Azura... and the entire Nohrian and Hoshidan nobility," Corrin sighed, naming her stalkers. "Traitors."

"Chrom, Maribelle, Lissa." Robin added to the list, sighing as he rested his elbows on the table, idly playing with his food. "Let's defect. No one will suspect a thing."

Here I am, joking with the woman whose kids I rescued from the future. This is all very strange. How do I even approach this?

"Is something wrong?" Corrin asked, mirroring the tactician's progress on food but more curious than worried.

"It's just awkward. And frustrating. This was supposed to be a straightforward campaign, you know? Save the not-so-helpless-princess-from-another-world from certain peril, ask her for help, save our homelands from a conqueror and a dragon... you know. The usual things tacticians do during wartime. None of this future travel time pegasus dung..."

"Uh...huh."

"And here we are, face to face with children that, for all I know, are the product of, well, us!"

"Not quite what you planned?"

"You could call it an unexpected complication."

"You seem fine with it."

"Being prepared and being fine are two different things."

"What's so bad about it? I think we did things the best we could. And look? We're all settled in now. Things are looking good, and... yeah."

Robin wasn't quite convinced with Corrin's winning smile, shaking his head while stirring his fork idly.

"Kana and Morgan, they're... I can't describe it. I just feel like a stranger, you know? Other Shepherds, they got along with their children instantly. But here I am, I don't know how to look at them. And then there's you- Some father I am... Some husband I'm not."

"One step at a time, mister."

"Y'know, for someone who prides himself in knowing each member of the Shepherds personally, I am at a loss right now," Robin mused, twirling his fork and dropping it out of mishap. Corrin didn't notice and kept her focus on her plate.

"As much as I agree on the unnatural nature of it, we have to let it pan out naturally, if not for Morgan and Kana's sake, than our own. Nothing could have prepared us for this, even with the future kids and all. Just let things happen as they do, and we'll figure it out together, right? I've stuck with you this far through thick and... well, it's always been rather thick. But we're together. That's all that matters. Right? We tackle this like every other problem we've run into. Enough sweat and tears and hopefully not that much blood and we come out the decided winners! It's only natural."

"Fighting a war together isn't very natural."

"To me it is."

"This war is not very natural," Robin clarified.

"Neither is finding two future kids."

"I've never asked. What do you think of all of this?" Robin asked, looking to Corrin for insight.

"Be specific. That's a lot of ground to cover with what you just asked."

"Okay. Let's start with Morgan and Kana."

"I think they're wonderful. So do you."

"I wasn't going to say anything otherwise..."

"They're our children, Robin."

"...I wasn't going to say anything otherwise?"

"I take it in stride, I guess. C'mon, weird things happen all the time in my life. Like a certain dashing tactician that just warps in to save me from two armies. C'mon, I basically jumped into your waiting arms. You think I can afford to be a skeptic at this point?"

"You... do have a point," Robin replied with a smirk. "I admire that sort of free-spirited carelessness."

"That is certainly not careless. I was just playing the hand I was dealt."

"Hardly the analogy, but I agree. I suppose I should be more flexible. You're right," Robin concluded, lowering his shoulders with a content sigh.

"Ha! You smiled!" Corrin japed, pointing at the upward arc at her partner's lips.

"Don't I always?"

"You always make some weird scowl when you're invested in your work. It's kinda cute, actually."

"Oh?"

"Mhm."

"You tend to bite your lip when you write. It's also quite uh... cute." A slight giggle rang off, but the two didn't pay it any immediate heed.

"Do I really?"

"...Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"They're like piglets," Robin whispered, referring to the two blonde Ylisseans in the far corner. "Why are they squealing?"

"Perhaps you ought to charm them sometime? Young princesses like them would like that."

"Oh please."

"It was an honest suggestion... perhaps you could practice battle-drills on them before trying your winning maneuvers with me. Hypothetically, of course."

"So maybe," Robin tried to explain, rapidly changing the subject, "We just operate as always- Commanders! At least for now! We just act naturally around each other, without trying to... you know, try."

"You're the one suggested we spend time together as a couple."

Robin quickly raised his hands in surrender as he rephrased.

"I apologize. Well, as someone who in whatever world that comes next, manages to captivate you, I am very unsure in how I handle our relationship. As awkward as that sounds. We made a great team as commanders, then friends, but as much as I want to be someone close to you... I don't know how."

Another groan from Corrin.

"You're thinking about this too hard. C'mon genius. We trust each other, right? Don't worry what you might do. Just do what you've always done best, and it'll work," Corrin replied with a smile, causing Robin to do so as well.

"Princess, I hope so. I truly hope this will work out..." Robin stared blankly at Corrin's eyes again, at loss for words as his own tongue failed him. Corrin frowned, waiting for the rest of the statement.

Robin just held his gaze-

"It's not polite to stare," Maribelle called out, impatient with the lack of development. Robin frowned, turning to face his friends.

"Do you mind? I'm trying very hard to... Okay, so maybe I'm not the best at this, but at least help me out! Don't just be giggling on the sideline laughing to yourself- Actually, go away. Your help won't be necessary."

Maribelle scoffed, rising to walk over to the tactician with a boiling expression on her face. Both Corrin and Robin gulped.

"How do you expect to conjure any gentlemanly poise to a lady with your elbows on the table as such? Ah, you brutish knave, don't cross your legs! And look at these crumbs all over your filthy undershirt! Princess Corrin, I must apologize that our tactician is such a barbarian. Genius that he is, surely he is lacking in social graces."

Corrin placed a palm to her face and noticed Azura getting up as well, frowning deeply.

"Commander Robin, don't take this pomp witch so seriously. Clearly this - For lack of more generous words - Lady... intends on making you treat Commander Corrin like a snob. From experience and from the ethics of etiquette themselves, a man that presents himself humbly but with dignity and finesse is a much finer suitor than one with such a falsely composed behavior of artificial merit," the blue-haired dancer explained, very much out of character.

"That's literally word by word from that Nohrian etiquette book-" Corrin attempted.

The vernacular flew over Robin's head, leaving him staring at the songstress in blank dumbfounded nothingness.

"And what would a mere stage prop know of etiquette!?" Maribelle huffed, turning to the dancer again.

"Enough."

"While I know more than enough! I know everything!"

Both women growled at each other, until Corrin tried to separate them.

"Guys! It's fine! Robin and I are just going to have to work it out as it comes. Really! I may be a Princess, but we are-" Maribelle shushed her instantly.

"Milady, I'm ashamed! As a Princess, you have options! Don't settle for rabble when-"

"Corrin, I apologize for this... uh, prude. It's as if I'm not a Princess anymore. I guess I got voted out of Hoshido then? Hinoka and Sakura were good enough?" Azura half-joked, still scowling.

"Why you, what manner of fool do you think I am?"

"One of the highest order," Azura hissed back. "You can keep your faux mannerisms to yourself. You have no idea how to act like a dignified woman, let alone know how a man should treat one."

"You..."

"Guys..." Robin warned, already fearing a fight.

"Chrom!"

Chapter Text

Day 210, before dawn

Robin awoke to a horrible sound, as if a hundred bells were ringing inside his head at once. Jolting upright, he expected to see the camp in flames, or perhaps an ambush in full swing. Instead, he was met with nothing but Morgan's mischievous smirk as she held a wind tome precariously above his head. Still startled, he looked around, much to his immediate confusion. Everything was dark and peaceful, aside from the ringing which hadn't bothered to cease.

"W-what in the hell? Oh. Morgan... do I dare ask?" the older tactician grumbled, rolling out of bed as he swatted Morgan and her book away.

"Did you know that manipulating the air at a rapid oscillation can produce shrill tones at specific distances?" she inquired, closing her tome. As soon as she did so, the infernal noise stopped.

"You're toying with Miriel's alarm spell now?" Robin asked, his curiosity piquing despite the early hour. His daughter merely bowed and flashed a knowing smile.

"I know you're trying to experiment with her research, designing some sort of long-range siren for our sentries. But it's also really effective for waking up sleepy tacticians from their lovely dreams! A bunch of books can't be as cumbersome as those morning wake up bells we have, after all."

Despite her sadistic intents, Morgan did have something going on, Robin admitted.

"If you can find a way to control that shrill noise for a gentler wake up, I'll see to it that we take you up on that offer."

"R-really? Oh, wow..." Morgan trailed off, hiding her face from Robin.

"What?"

"You considered it. That's..." Even behind her hands, Robin could spot an earnest smile and shining eyes.

"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, feeling under his bunk for his boots.

"I... didn't think you'd take my work seriously and-"

"And why not?" Robin asked, craning his head at his daughter.

"W-well, you and Mom and the others are all resourceful and smart and experienced..." Morgan trailed off again, her inferiority complex casting a visible shadow across her face.

"So?"

"Well, I just thought that because I was young and er... inexperienced that I couldn't contribute to our cause. At least, not at the level of everyone else."

"Perhaps," Robin supposed, strapping on his boots as he gestured for Morgan to sit next to him on his bed. "That doesn't mean we can't value your opinions or insight when you offer it. Not to mention you're wrong about that."

"B-but I'm just a girl! I haven't fought in a campaign like you or Exalt Chrom, and I haven't studied warfare as much as Mom or her siblings. "

"So you think you're not cut out to be among our ragtag group?"

"No... not really."

"You know, Sumia wanted to raise Pegasi and horses after the war. She was well on her way, if not for our local Valmese threat."

"S-so?"

"Princess Camilla wants to run an orphanage so that she can provide children with the love she never received. Once this is all over, I plan on making a visit to her estblishment. I'd like to see her do something she's always wanted to do."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because most of us aren't soldiers, despite our obvious aptitude for battle. You shouldn't look at us like we're some elite group of warriors who shun the thought of others lesser than us. In reality, Morgan, you fit like a glove."

"D-do you think so?" Morgan asked, smiling faintly.

"Of course. But you're my daughter, first and foremost. No matter what path we take, I'll always listen to what you have to say. "

"Hehe," Morgan giggled, resting her head on her father's shoulder. "Thanks, Dad."

Opening up the mess tent, Robin was greeted with a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Exalt, happily chowing down on his breakfast.

"You're up early," Robin greeted in a genuinely surprised tone, patting his best friend on the shoulder as he went past, grabbing a plate of breakfast before circling back.

"Well, next time you leave the camp idle on their ass for a week while we wait for your boo-boos to heal, you should keep in mind that most of us are gonna be pretty jumpy once it's go-time again."

Chrom made room for Robin at his breakfast table, nodding as Morgan also joined them.

"He has a point," the younger tactician added, taking a sip from her glass. "I haven't been here long, and even I can see that we're all ready to go."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," Robin chuckled, resting his elbows on the table. "I guess I shan't disappoint you. Which reminds me... I'll be briefing the camp before we set off, so spread the word, yeah?"

"It's common knowledge by now, my tactical friend. Your better-looking counterpart already warned the camp. Ever the bearer of joyful tidings, that Corrin. 'At sunrise,' she says, Commander Robin and I will brief the camp on our impending operation.'"

"Sunrise it is, then," Robin declared, taking a bite from his plate. "Speaking of... Morgan, where's Corrin anyway?"

The girl paused mid-bite, pointing towards Corrin's tent in a casual manner.

"Funny you ask. She was initially my target for the alarm spell, and then well... She shifted partially, shoving me out with her wings as soon as I opened the wind tome on her. Azura and Felicia joined in, weapons in hand, and needless to say, I made myself scarce and found myself waking you up instead."

"Yep. Definitely some revisions to make on that spell before we consider using it," Robin advised.

The tent door opened, but Robin was too indulged in his breakfast to turn.

"Don't tell me you were the one who tasked our innocent daughter into heralding this morning's excitement," a voice behind the tactician sounded, and a strong grip on his shoulders made him shudder in surprise. "I'm asking for a friend," Corrin added with an audible smirk.

"Hey Mom!" Morgan yipped, but the grip on Robin's shoulders only tightened.

"G-good morning Corrin," Robin attempted, trying not to look Chrom in the eye lest he burst out laughing. "And no, Morgan was just feeling creative this morning. I was victim to the same wake-up as you."

"Is that so? I certainly hope you're not lying, you schemer," the princess laughed. "So, what do you think of it?"

"Hmm?"

"I think it, it being Morgan's new spell, has potential; We just need to find the right place for us to use it," Corrin hummed.

"Dad says if I could find a way tone the volume down, we could use it to wake up the soldiers instead of the bell system we currently use," Morgan suggested. "Of course, the sentries could blare the thing full blast so they don't have to run to said bells."

"She's onto something," Robin declared with confidence. "You should be proud of our little tactician."

"Meanwhile, our little dragon prince slept right through it," Corrin groaned, rising to pick up a plate of food. "I haven't the slightest idea how."

"Kana?"

"He didn't even stir. Meanwhile, Azura and Felicia were up in arms in an instant. He should be awake by now, but..."

"Let him have his rest," Robin advised. "This march is going to be rough on the boy. I was thinking of letting him ride one of the horses for now. He can't be that heavy."

"He's... not going to fight, is he?" Chrom asked. Robin looked to Corrin, a frown evident across his face.

"He's a half-dragon, same as me, maybe even stronger," Corrin offered. "He can, theoretically, handle himself, as unethical as it sounds. But, as it stands, he'll be in the rear, along with Morgan and the other children."

"B-but-" the aforementioned tactician started.

"Not this time," Robin insisted, cutting Morgan off. "Maybe on a patrol or a relief operation, I would allow you to join us in the vanguard. But this is an enemy fortress. What you may encounter today is way too unpredictable for you, Kana and the others."

"But Lucina-"

"...Is older than you, Morgan. Old enough and experienced enough to handle herself up there."

"You'll need all the help you can get."

"You'll help the most assisting the healers and the resupply team," Robin repeated gently. "You'll help both of us by promising that you and Kana stay safe. Don't try to argue on this one."

"But," the young tactician started...

Reluctantly, Morgan nodded, her emotions surprisingly in check.

"Okay," she relented, crestfallen.

"Thank you," Robin sighed, hugging his daughter again. "I promise you'll get your chance to prove yourself, but it is not gonna be here."

"I understand, Dad. But you better win this one or else I'm coming in there to bail you out!"

With that, the young girl got up and took an extra plate with her, presumably to bring breakfast to her brother.

"..."

"Nicely handled," Chrom congratulated, genuinely impressed at Robin's aptitude for the father role.

"Morgan can't be in the Shepherds..." Robin admitted once he was certain Morgan was out of earshot. "None of these children should be forced to fight our wars."

"They're fighting their own wars," Corrin reassured. "They came from their world to save ours, through any cost. We couldn't do it alone in their timeline. They're here because they need to be. Because they want to be."

"No child should have to fight for their right to exist," Robin lamented. "That's our job as parents. But you're right. They knew what they were getting into, right? We can't let them down, and we certainly can't stop them from doing what their heart feels like doing."

"There's nothing wrong with you wanting to keep them out of this," Chrom assured. "I would prefer Lucina in the back with everyone else, but you know how she is."

"She's training as we speak," Corrin added in. "She's excited to finally be on the move again, even if she doesn't show it."

"Then I suppose it's for the best that they're with us." Robin decided, his mind made up. "Hopefully, with our help, they'll see their mission through."

Day 210, dawn

"I trust all of you are well-rested," Robin began, pacing on his palette as the Shepherds listened in. As per Corrin's initial briefing, none of them were in their normal gear, having been ordered to stand by until after.

'We have something special planned for today's offensive,' she briefed, keeping the surprise well shrouded.

"Today is a crucial day in our campaign. One of Walhart's three generals, Pheros, is stationed up here in her fortress, past the horizon. She knows we're coming, and so do the soldiers at her command. We've liberated towns, we've fought skirmishes, but this is going to be our toughest sortie yet. We have the resources and the Feroxian/Chon'sin army to enact a siege, but that's what they're going to prepare for. They're going to expect a siege.

Given the circumstances, we don't have the time for such a prolonged attack. Instead, we are going to nullify the advantage of numbers they have on us Shepherds by inflicting one critical blow. The Feroxians and Chon'sin will stay behind, acting as a diversion while the Shepherds enact a surgical strike."

Robin paused, backing away as Corrin took his spot.

"Fort Steiger is heavily defended by battalions of foot soldiers, hundreds of mages, and cavalry regiments. Wyvern squadrons are to be expected, but if we fight indoors, all they'll have are front row seats to our seizing of the fort. The facility itself rests on an elevated hilltop, overlooked by numerous sentry towers and airborne patrols. Most of the woodline surrounding Steiger is cut down, so we'll get no cover once we commit."

"How do you propose we get inside the fortress then?" Ryoma asked. "We can't sneak into a fortification that heavily guarded."

"They're expecting an army. Siege engines, mass legions, that sort of thing," Corrin answered, while Robin projected a diagram with his magic. "They think the Shepherds are an overwhelming force of warfare. Little do they know, we're not even a hundred strong. That is our weakness, but also our greatest strength. Up till now, we've fought enemies roughly our size, to great effect. The Valmese may have thousands of troops, but they can't fight us all at once. Without open terrain on their side, they never will."

"That still pertains to Ryoma's initial question," Xander interrupted. "We need to get inside the fortress before we can actually fight in it. That means fighting through their legions on the plain before we enter.

"Indeed, that seems to be the case," Robin confirmed. "And that is where our small numbers have the advantage. See, a thousand soldiers, hell, ten thousand soldiers are certainly a problem. But what if that number was ten thousand one-hundred?"

Murmurs of confusion echoed out, and Robin nodded silently as suspicions began to manifest.

"A military has structure. A military is regimented. A general knows only the commanders below him, and the commander only knows the captains beneath him, and on and on it goes all the way down to the sergeant yelling at his ten or so privates to stop leaving their spears lying around. See, Shepherds, I know you. Each and every one of you. That is why I asked for a few minutes of your time with Commander Corrin and I. I want to know you, to trust you, and now I do. Each and every one of you are tied to Corrin and I by a personal and unique bond that we hold dear. This may not sound tactical or strategic, but it is that bond that will grant us victory when this fight is through."

Backing off once more, Robin allowed his partner to take the helm.

"Over the past few months, we've harvested enough Valmese armor to supply our entire body of Shepherds. Footsoldier armor, wyvern and wyvern rider armor, and even a couple sets of Valmese mage robes. The list goes on, really. It may not be what you're used to wearing, but it's our only way to get inside without raising an alarm. Then of course, we... defect."

To emphasize, Corrin nodded to the side, and out of a nearby tent came two Valmese cavaliers, armor gleaming and weapons bared. They lifted their visors only to reveal the faces of Frederick and Silas. Dismounting, Silas demonstrated his usual flexibility and speed with a variety of movements, while Frederick struck an imposing figure indeed wearing the armor of their defeated foes.

"Our smiths have done a hell of a job repairing, restoring, and even updating what we've collected so far," Robin explained. "We have a set of armor personally fit and taiored for each and every one of you, once again thanks to the familiarity we share as friends and compatriots. While I know that you'd prefer to wear your normal gear for this mission, we've done our best to keep you from noticing a thing once it's time to get busy."

"So, before we start our duel with General Pheros of Valm, I'm going to ask each and every Shepherd to organize yourself by squad. Cavaliers first, then footsoldiers, then archers, then mages. Airborne units, stand by."

"Rinkah, if you may," Robin ordered, prompting the Flame Tribesman to retrieve a number of crates, unable to hide the smile on her face.

"We... pride ourselves with the forge. It's been a good while since I've been able to toy with the forge, but I'll tell ya that I haven't gotten rusty. You won't feel a difference, but no promises you'll stick to your old armor after this battle is through. First up, let's see here..."

Peeking around the box, Rinkah read the name engraved on the crate, calling out the designated Shepherd the armor belonged to.

"...Is for Prince Xander."

Slowly, the prince walked up, looking at Corrin blankly to discern any change in her expression. Seeing that she wouldn't falter, he nodded and opened up his box.

"Well, prince, consider this my gratitude for helping Kaze and I escape Krakenburg," Rinkah boasted, egging Xander to try on his armor.

Lifting the plate to his chest, Xander looked it over before donning it. As prescribed, the golden red steel of Valm looked new and reforged, strong and light with a certain glimmer. Putting it on over his shirt, Xander raised his eyebrows in amazement, flailing his arms about once all the straps were tightened.

"Well?"

"...It feels just like my Nohrian armor. Truly exquisite work. You and the other smiths made this just from those scouts and sentries we slew?" Xander asked, genuinely impressed.

"Everyone needs a hobby," Rinkah reasoned. "I had lots of help, and lots of time. No thanks to Robin and Corrin dying for the last week, but we delivered, no?"

"Thank you, Rinkah," Xander nodded, strapping his shin guards on next. Rinkah took this time to haul up the next crate, already busy suiting up the rest of the Shepherds.

"Alright, next up, Peri! Oh, you're definitely gonna like this more than your Nohrian ass windows, that's for sure."

Morgan watched as more and more Shepherds donned their Valmese armor, slowly turning the camp into a Valmese-occupied territory. Ryoma had abandoned his usual Hoshidan armor for a set of Chon'sin swordmaster garb, ever looking the part of Chon'sin's emperor. Lon'qu, Say'ri, Hana and Hinata were also dressed as Chon'sin swordsmen, with the princess wearing a helmet to conceal her identity.

Cherche and Camilla, instead of wearing the black armor everyone had associated with them, were now suited in the silver and red armor from a Valmese patrol, Gerome, Beruka, and Percy also had matching sets, synchronized with their wyverns.

The cavaliers had been the first to suit up, and were now working on movements and testing the limits of their new armor. Peri, Silas, Stahl, Sully, Frederick, Leo, and Xander were now wearing Valmese Paladin mail. Leo and Xander kept their sacred weapons sheathed, lest their holy weapons ruin the effect of the disguise.

Valm didn't emphasize on fielding Pegasus units, but the wyvern armor was plentiful enough to be modified for the Shepherd's usage. Cordelia, Sumia, Subaki and Hinoka were all wearing lighter variants of the wyvern's armor, though the Pegasi they mounted were using Chon'sin mail re-purposed for their bodies. Robin's spies reported that some units in General Yen'fay's division fielded Pegasus Riders, so the notion wouldn't be a foreign one when it came time to infiltrate.

What struck Morgan the most were the helmets: Most of the Shepherd's never wore helmets until now. While most Shepherd's armor was unique to the wearer, what signified them from everyone else would be their heads. Some of them wore headgear from time to time, but not in a uniform manner. Once all the cavalry, infantry, and otherwise finished suiting up, Morgan found herself staring not at a militia of Shepherds, but a Valmese unit, with nothing distinguishing one soldier from another.

It was haunting, how identical they looked.

"Morgan, Robin," Rinkah called out, kicking the crates designated to the two tacticians. "Yours was a tricky job, but it certainly was fun. Two sets of 'Grandmaster' armor, fitted and ready. Where'd you get these designs, anyway? Never thought of segmenting abdominal plate."

"Chrom had them in his old records of Ylissean campaigns, courtesy of his academy books," Robin recalled. "Relics of a more militarized Ylisse."

"Well, now's the time to wear them. C'mon, I want to see my work."

Robin nodded, slowly taking off his cloak and placing it on the ground. He stared longingly at it for a few seconds but shook his head.

"I've never worn armor before," Robin admitted. "Guess there's a first time for everything."

Opening his crate, Morgan watched as Robin pulled out a leather harness, meant to holster various weapons. Next, he pulled out a pair of segmented metal boots that would ride all the way to his thighs. Finally, he pulled out a chestplate, golden and sleek.

"Whoa," Robin breathed, gulping at Rinkah, who nodded back.

"Grandmaster Robin. Has a ring, doesn't it?" Chrom asked, walking up to the newly armored tactician. The Exalt was dressed in a Valmese mercenary garb, complete with a full helmet shielding his blue hair.

"Ylisse hasn't had one in our lifetime."

"It's... humbling," Robin admitted, slowly putting on the harness for his armor. Strapping the buckles, the former tactician stretched his arms, unused to the foreign feel of supplemental gear. Next went his boots, oddly light for something made primarily of metal. Then came the breastplate itself, segmented to allow Robin full range of motion. Last, Robin attached his belt, along with some additional armor for his arms and legs. Donning the Plegian cloak once more, Robin, the next Ylissean Grandmaster, walked his first steps on Valmese soil.

"Well damn," Rinkah whistled, nodding at her handiwork. "You're still looking as quick on your feet as ever, sir. Might even armor up the cloak, if you insist on wearing it. Other than that, I must say that I'm liking the look, Grandmaster."

"Me too," Robin and Corrin replied simultaneously.

"Huh," Robin questioned, though Corrin's reaction was intentionally fake as she smirked at her counterpart. Robin chuckled along, then gestured for Morgan to don her version.

"Me?" Morgan wondered. "I'm not even close to being a grandmaster..."

"It's just for show today, unfortunately," Robin explained. "But the armor's yours forever. C'mon, I wanna see."

Morgan nodded, pulling out a similar harness to Robin's, modified for her shorter and feminine frame. Her boots went a little higher than Robin's proportionally, though it still left a little skin window between where her skirt ended and the boots did. The metal on the breastplate and the boots were silver instead of gold, but just as sturdy.

A little too excitedly, Morgan donned the armor, which she just noticed was the same pattern and color as Corrin's Nohrian plate.

"So? How's it feel, girl?" Rinkah asked, getting into her own gear as Morgan tested hers.

"I... like it. A lot! Thank you!"

"Oh, don't thank me. Thank your parents, kid. They had quite the insistence on keeping you safe."

"She's not lying," Robin reasoned, shrugging at Rinkah. "You had your fun too."

"That I did, and I thank you for letting me lead this project of yours, Commander."

"My armor has kept me safe all my life. With any luck, modeling yours after mine will do the same," Corrin promised.

"Seeing as we're all set, I say it's time to move," Robin announced, winking at Morgan as he took his position at the head of the Shepherds. Corrin rounded up the rest of the swordsmen, blending in with the lot and seemingly disappearing. However, Robin's voice rang loud and clear, gathering the attention of every soldier in the area.

"Next stop, Fort Steiger! Shepherds, fall out!

Day 210, nightfall

"And this is where you wait," Robin ordered, eyeing the end of the woodline a few hundred feet ahead. "Morgan, Kana, everyone else that I already ordered to, assemble here."

With a silent halt, the Valmese-dressed Shepherds froze, the wagons doing suit. The horses neighed in anticipation, with nothing but the sound of light footsteps of the younger children splashing in the mud being heard.

"And this is where we wait," Morgan echoed, smiling hopefully at her father and mother as she hugged them good bye. You'll come back. You'll beat Pheros!"

"That we will, my daughter," the Grandmaster promised, kissing Morgan and Kana's forehead as he turned his back on them, directing his attention to the soldiers. Meanwhile, Corrin walked to her children, joining them in a group hug as she met their foreheads in the same motion that Robin did.

"Stay safe you two. Keep the other kids in line, alright?"

"Of course, M-mama."

"Kana..."

"I'm scared. What if-"

"Don't you worry. You're braver than I, Little Dragon. Believe in yourself, and believe in us. Okay?"

Kana sniffled a gulp, nodding weakly.

"O-okay. You promised!"

"That I did. Morgan, keep your brother safe. Your Father and I'll be back, okay?"

"Aye-aye, Commander!" Morgan saluted, beaming at her mother proudly. She was met with a similar gaze from the Nohrian princess, who ruffled the girl's hair.

"Mother sounds better," Corrin sighed under her breath, leaving the two on the wagon as she formed up with the other swordsmen.

"Just as we rehearsed. Form up," Xander ordered, the cavaliers forming a wall in front of Robin as the footsoldiers surrounded the grandmaster in a phalanx of Valmese armor. The fliers circled overhead in lazy circles, slow enough to not warrant immediate alarm from the sentries ahead.

"Here we go. Forward march."

Slowly they processed, the click clacking of horseshoes and boots muffling the nervous breaths of all in the crowd. Not a mile out did they encounter the sentries.

"Halt!" The first set of guards ordered, prompting the Shepherds to slow to a pause. "Identify yourself."

Xander rode forward, flanked by Peri and Frederick with visors lowered.

"Acting Captain Marx of the 105th Joint Assault regiment, under special orders from General Yen'fay," Xander replied, not even missing a beat. The guards before him widened their gaze, some even whistling in amazement.

"Oh damn... the 105th? You were in battle with the Shepherds then! Why are you guys here? Did we get 'em?"

"We have engaged the Shepherd's main army near the Demon's Ingot. General Yen'fay sent us as an escort to isolate one prisoner and keep him under guard at Fort Steiger."

"All of you for one prisoner? How important-" Xander raised his arms before the guards could get closer.

"Be careful," Xander warned, gesturing towards the two Shepherds holding Robin to tighten their grip. "He is extremely dangerous, even in his current state."

"T-that's..."

"Grandmaster Robin of the Ylissean League. One of two main commanders. General Yen'fay feared immediate reprisal so he sent for the Commander to be relocated here, lest he become freed by his own forces. With him gone, the battle is tipped in our favor."

"We have 'em beat then?" Xander shook his head, sighing in mock fatigue.

"The battle is still in full swing, and the favor of fortune may tip either way with Commander Corrin still out there. We hope to explain the situation to your higher-ups, and perhaps bring back some reinforcements and cut off the Shepherd's advance... or retreat."

"This sounds worse than we've been briefed."

"Indeed it is. They fight like lions and have the teeth to match. But rest assured, soldier. Valm and her might will seize the day, that much we can be sure. Now, let us make haste! General Pheros must know!"

"O-of course! Right this way, sir."

Pheros watched the troops drill below, thousands in motion harnessing the Valmese military might. It made her proud, seeing so many of her soldiers fight for a cause she too believed in. Walhart's strength inspired each soldier's heart down on the drilling field, no different than the heart proudly beating within her own chest.

"Peace... it is not as unifying as war. But men should not be forced to fight. So many lives-"

"General, I'm reporting a mixed Valmese unit coming in from the eastern woods."

"Reinforcements from Excellus?"

"Not by their numbers, no," the soldier reporting corrected. "Only about 50 soldiers or so. They have a prisoner. High priority, their commander briefed."

"Interesting. I'll meet them downstairs. Bring them in."

"And that snake Excellus thought they were coming for Steiger. But I see that they held enough ambition to go for Yen'fay first. Hmm, it would yield the tactical advantage were they to secure that area," Pheros noted, tracing her fingers along the map she carried.

"They aimed to divide the forces using natural terrain to cover their flank. By cutting through the middle, they'll have a volcano at their backs," Xander relayed.

"Our intel suggested they were going to seize Steiger. But nevertheless, this is fortuitous nonetheless. Very well, Captain Marx, your warning has been heeded. You there, knight!"

"Yes, General!" Stahl replied quickly, snapping to attention upon being singled out.

"Send word to my forward commander. Rally the 1st, 6th, and 9th Infantry. Send them to Yen'fay on the double. They'll be covered by... the 53rd and 54th Wyvern squadrons, and the 23rd mage regiments."

"Got it, General! I'll be on my way now!"

Stahl rode off, his horse urgently galloping through the wide corridors of Steiger. Slowly, the echoes got more quiet until they faded completely. Nothing but silence remained as Pheros eyed the Shepherds.

"Now then. Yen'fay thought it wise to keep the enemy commander here, away from his army. Let us see what we're up against, Commander Marx."

Xander nodded, stepping forward and addressing the two soldiers holding Robin's restraints.

"Captain Leon, Captain Lazward. Slowly now, we don't want him causing a scene-"

As soon as the rope gagging Robin came undone, the grandmaster went at it with a flurry of profanities and curses, surprising Leo and Laslow for a split second and almost causing his bonds to become undone.

"Valmese filth! You are stopping Ylisse's divine justice from taking place! I swear to you, Plegia is plotting to destroy all of us! I-"

"That's enough from you, tactician," Xander replied with a firm slap to Robin's cheek, prompting Corrin to flush red under her helmet. "You are in the presence of yet another general who could easily best you and your novice stratagems. I suggest you stay quiet, unless you'd prefer eating half of your rations."

"Why don't you eat shit, Valmese dog."

"Half rations it is."

"So it appears," Pheros wondered, curiously circling around Robin slowly. "You warn us about Plegia, yet you wear a Plegian cloak around your body. I figured you were a wily opponent, but not downright suicidal. Interesting that it may be, I wonder just how much truth you may actually tell."

"You seem a reasonable one," Robin admitted, finally turning his attention to Pheros. "You are General Pheros, yes? We were gunning for you last, actually. Didn't want to walk all this way."

"Commander Robin of the Ylissean league. I'm flattered."

"The pleasure is mine, I'm sure." Robin stretched his arms as far as Laslow and Leo would let him, bowing his head. "Should I bow? Offer my Plegian goats as tribute?"

"Mind your tongue," Xander warned. Robin chuckled, continuing on.

"You were a devout follower of Exalt Emmeryn, no?" Pheros shook her head.

"Until I realized her teachings fell upon deaf ears. The song of conquest is a truer tune than that of pacifism."

"I see. Then I hope you won't mind my army liberating Valm and putting a stop to Walhart's crusade right here, then."

"Even if it happens, you will watch that happen in one of my many cold, dark cells."

"Ah well."

"Take him away," Pheros ordered. "I'll send an interrogator to his quarters once I settle this business with Yen'fay."

"Yes Ma'am," Xander chirped, sharply dragging Robin along by the wrists as his metal boots scratched against the stone floors of Steiger's main lobby.

"Ma'am," Stahl addressed, out of breath, "Our troops are en route, and are making way as we speak."

"That... was quick," Pheros realized slowly, raising her eyebrow.

"Er... I wanted to make sure our troops made good time, and-"

"What's your name, soldier?" the Valmese General asked, her suspicions growing.

"Ma'am?"

"Your name, dammit! Don't tell me you've forgotten your name?"

"O-oh! L-Lieutenant Sol, 32nd Cavalry. Ma'am."

"So it may seem. Lieutenant Sol, would you be so kind as to remind me of the units I dispatched to Yen'fay?"

"The... 1st, 6th, and 9th Infantry, 53rd and 54th Wyvern Squadron, and... 23rd Mage Regiment."

"Interesting," Pheros mused. "You followed my orders to the letter."

"I-I hope so. I-!" Sol replied earnestly.

"Especially intriguing, considering we don't have a 23rd Mage Regiment. Surely a Lieutenant would know that much."

"...oh."

"Damn," Xander breathed under his breath. Holding his hand behind him, he gave the signal for the Shepherds to ready themselves.

"Care to explain yourself?"

"I.. uh," Stahl hesitated, shaking his head in response.

"Perhaps I can." Robin declared, raising his hands quickly, free of any binds. Pheros didn't flinch, only offering Robin the satisfaction of a small smile. He offered his own back, albeit much more nervous.

"Very impressive maneuver, Commander Robin," Pheros nodded, staying put, almost relaxed. "Luckily, your 'sneak attack' gave me a head-start, allowing me to plan a counter-offensive despite my main units marching towards my unharmed ally."

Even as she spoke, an alarm rang throughout the fort, and the echo of a thousand footsteps resounded in its wake.

"Looks like our plan worked to its intended end," Corrin sighed, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword. Yato hummed excitedly, a clear resounding tone compared to the dull echoes of outside.

"We both know what happens next," Robin sighed, taking position alongside Xander and Ryoma. "I hope you don't mind us dirtying these nice tiles?"

"I couldn't ask for a more fitting occasion," Pheros responded, a small grimace lining her face even as her troops covered her escape. "Don't threaten us with a good time, tactician. I too know a thing or two of war."

Robin watched as hundreds of Valmese soldiers surrounded the fort, filing in two by two in the narrow hallways and cutting off any hope of escape.

"Now, Azura!"

Twirling her spear, Azura channeled the power of her pendant just enough to produce a blinding light, allowing the Shepherds enough time to get into formation. The red on their armor glowed and faded to blue, removing any chance of friendly-on-friendly attack.

"I didn't like that ugly red anyway," Robin admitted, drawing his sword and flourishing a tome from his hip.

"You are horribly outnumbered, tactician. Spare yourself the bloodshed and-"

"These poor Valmese souls are blocking the lovely view of my fort. Shepherds, attack!"

Chapter Text

Day 211, nightfall

It took all of one day for the Shepherds to liberate Steiger of her Valmese occupants. Another to clean up the mess and account for any who surrendered. This was the first time the Shepherds had actually taken prisoners, but here they were, watching over the many hundred Valmese troops bunched like sardines in Steiger's countless cells.

All but one, of course.

"Commander to Commander, you sure had us thinking on our toes."

"..."

"Well, I hope you don't mind me using this chair," Robin continued, crossing his feet on Pheros' war table as its previous owner sat across from him, tied and restrained.

"..."

"I'll take that as a no then. Let's proceed."

Robin fiddled his thumbs, eyeing the subdued and defeated general carefully. Every movement was subtle, every glance was with purpose. Behind her, Corrin walked slowly, her bare feet making hardly a sound on the cold tiles.

"We're going to release you as we have with your many surviving soldiers- Of course, minus your Chon'sin deserters. We'll keep those, defectors willing." Robin paused slightly, gauging Pheros' reaction.

"Our only condition being," Corrin continued, "that those that wish to join us do so now, lest we perceive them as hostile and eliminate them as we have in all our other prior engagements."

"Say something. Or my fellow commander will elongate your height by a couple inches."

"Surely you don't expect me to believe your offers," Pheros retorted. "I-"

"To be brutally honest, which I do not hesitate to be, I don't care what you all do. We just captured Steiger with a tenth of your numbers," Robin answered back, just as stern.

"But it would be welcome aid for those who disagree with Walhart's doctrine to help us liberate the Valentian continent," Corrin added, taking the softer approach.

"Turn our back on the Conqueror? Do you think us so weak-willed?"

"On the contrary, rather," Robin clarified. "I think you all to be a morally righteous bunch. Under those Valmese breastplates beats a human heart. Same as us. Same as Emmeryn."

"We chose the path of conquest because Walhart's actions have produced results. He has unified Valentia under one banner and one cause- to destroy the Grimleal."

"While I agree that destroying the Grimleal is a priority, we can't let you just march into Ylisse or Ferox or even Plegia. You will not expand any further," Corrin reasoned.

"We are saving the world!"

"What you are doing is genocide," Robin corrected evenly, uncrossing his legs and sitting back up. "Release her," he added quickly.

With a quick motion, Corrin untied Pheros, leaving the valkyrie confused on the floor.

"Another ploy to catch me off guard?" she dared ask.

"I already did. I have no need for subversion now. We've lingered long enough here," Robin lied casually. "It's time we've moved onto bigger things."

"And what of me? My men?"

"Like we said. You are free to stand with us, stand against us, or stand aside. It doesn't change our mission," Corrin stated flatly.

"Do you honestly believe your method to save Ylisse better than what Walhart has?" Pheros directed to Robin.

The tactician nodded slowly, matching eye contact.

"I will not have my home burn to the ground in the name of saving it. If that means stopping the most powerful nation on the continent, then that is what I must do."

"Knowing full well you march to your deaths?"

"We're not dead yet," Robin challenged, glancing quickly to a nodding Corrin.

A pause.

Pheros shifted slightly, rubbing her palms gingerly before sighing in relent.

"I know determination when I see it. I also know the difference between determination and a death wish. But you aren't doing this for glory, are you? Something much more... noble. I can accept that, tactician."

"Glad you still see things rationally."

"But what happens when Plegia comes, a resurrected dragon overhead? What will you 'see?'"

Robin scoffed, waving the question aside with his hand.

"Like all things that threaten Ylisse, my Shepherds and I will rise to meet it on the field of battle. We will win, and our people will be safe. Plegia will have another dragon corpse to clean off in the years to come."

"So sure are you," Pheros muttered, rising slowly. Corrin did not flinch, though Yato was easily within her grasp.

"So I am," Robin replied.

"I disagree with what Valm has done to Chon'sin and Rosanne. I will not disgrace Emmeryn's memory by letting it happen to Ylisse," Pheros spoke softly, shaking her head.

"You are betraying Walhart the moment you-"

"I have betrayed my humanity. I will not accept a verdict any less than that."

"Just like that then? You accept our terms?" Robin asked, ever the skeptic.

"I... do. Steiger is yours after all. So are her soldiers."

"Very well then," Corrin spoke with a smile, putting a hand on Pheros' shoulder. "Your sentence, till your dying breath, is in service to the people of Valentia."

"Yes... I will do that. But do you not have your doubts about me?"

"Of course we do," Corrin laughed. "We don't leave loose ends lying around after all."

"Which is why you'll be leading your troops alongside us. You're not done commanding yet."

Day 212, morning

"That'll be five-hundred gold, hot stuff."

Chrom cursed silently as Anna declared herself five-hundred gold pieces richer. Here he was, the middleman to a mad merchant plundering from his own nation's treasury.

Ever since they rescued the redhead from the Ylissean ruins a few years before, she had stuck close to the militia, supplying both goods and information. However, despite her obvious gifts in combat, the merchant more often than not used her true talents at haggling down market prices of valuable gear, or perhaps finding the now-word in the local sticks.

"That's... A bit much, no?" Chrom begged as a last ditch attempt, hoping for an Exalt-discount.

"Listen, your excellency. You are holding an heirloom that has slain dragons, toppled kingdoms, and felt the hands of every ruler of Archanea since the Hero King himself, not to mention those before him. It murders anything that isn't covered in full plate-mail, and even then you just need to hit the poor sod harder. And here you are, begging me for a deal on javelins?"

Chrom could only gulp.

"I mean, go ahead and be a walking arsenal yourself, but stuff like that? That costs more than favors. I need money. To reimburse my stock first and foremost, and then to keep our suppliers happy. Thankfully, I have such stellar taste in clientele."

"But 500 gold pieces-"

"Don't tell me that Ylisse is going to plunge into the economic doldrums because of your warmongering?"

The Exalt fumed as he pulled out the bag of gold he already had prepared.

"We talked about this Anna. I couldn't thank you more for what you've done for us... But this is a war we're fighting. Especially with our numbers tripled, a decent weapon is few and between our ranks." Anna merely smiled, not buying Chrom's crap. At least, not at its estimated retail price.

"Says the one with the Falchion."

Chrom paused, at a loss at the clever riposte.

"I... Right. Well, um, thanks. I am glad we have you running our stock. Not someone with actual pity..." Anna chuckled at the Exalt's lack of resolve, shooing him off with a gesture.

"Try again next time, sweetie. I'll be right here! Ooh, and tell anyone that asks! Bravemetal swords! Instead of a thousand gold per, how about I bring that down to nine hundred and ninety-nine?"

Chrom turned away and wallowed at the light feeling he felt in his hip, the now-gone money leaving a void akin to starvation or perhaps a familial death. Running into Morgan on his way out the tent, the young tactician excused herself before bowing and nodding to the flustered Exalt.

"Captain Chrom! Uh... Sorry I'm in a rush. My Father is getting to work and everything's a mess and-" Chrom smiled and patted Robin's daughter on the head. The smile was a bit too malicious, Morgan realized.

"I'm sorry too, Morgan."

Uh oh.

"For what?"

"For the fact that you're on cleaning duty for the next week!" Morgan paled and shrunk into her coat. The Exalt let loose a hearty and bitter laugh, just as he walked away, a huge smile of satisfaction on his face.

"W-wait! What? Milord, surely you're... DAD! HELP!" Robin's head peeked out of his tent, not hearing the previous exchange. Scanning the surroundings, Robin raised his eyebrows and looked at the white-haired girl suspiciously.

"...what?"

"I'm on cleaning duty-"

"Aren't we all?"

Robin shut her up and went back into his tent, where the sounds of a couple Shepherd's quickly moving about were heard. Chrom, complete with a new set of javelins returned and turned back to Morgan after a bit of thought. However, the tactician in training was still yelling at her dad's tent.

"DAD WE HAVE A THOUSAND PRISONERS CAN'T WE HAVE THEM-" Chrom tapped her shoulder, shutting up the young girl and making her look to him in a begging manner.

"Y'know, if you want to cut off a couple days from that duty, there's a set of Brave weapons for sale in Anna's tent."

Morgan paled even further, showing Chrom the lint of her pockets.

"I'm not gonna break the Shepherds bank to get myself off cleaning duty! I barely have enough personally for a rock, let alone bravemetal swords!"

Chrom tsked in pity, turning around again, deciding to go towards Robin's tent.

"A shame... You know, we're marching soon. You know how dirty the tents get after a march..." Morgan fell on her knees, and rain began to fall over her head as Chrom disappeared into her father's domain.

"Ah! My blue-haired Exalt. Just the man I wanted to see." Robin greeted the walking armory with a smile and freed up a chair for the Exalt. Inside, Ryoma, Xander and Corrin were seated around what appeared to be a scroll placed on Robin's table.

"What's happening here?" Holding up the scroll with a smile, Robin unraveled the bindings and chuckled.

"You're in time for the second portion of our reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? You mean the prisoners from Steiger-" Robin shushed his King and opened up another portal to Hoshido and Nohr.

"Robin, what is this?"

"Hush, Chrom. You'll like this." As if on cue, a woman stepped out of the portal with a smile and a wink, notably to Chrom.

"Need me so soon, handsome?"

"Anna!?" Chrom winced, glaring at his tactician. "Really, another one?"

"She's a friend from... before all this," Corrin admitted, scratching her head and smiling at the Nohrian Anna.

"Robin, one Anna is quite enough. We can't have two of them-"

"Supplying our army with discounted supplies? Chrom, you know this is the right thing to do at a crucial time like this." Chrom wasn't having any of it. He crossed his arms and looked at the new Anna. Unlike the one he just got hustled by, this one seemed to be more of an archer, wearing fingerless gloves and a cloak of rougher material than the whimsical clothing of the Ylissean Anna. Not to mention she looked a bit... younger? And not to mention-

"It's rude to stare handsome. At least in public it is... Perhaps I can take you out back for a private peek? For enough gold, I bet-" Chrom nearly choked on his own cough, blushing in shock.

"That will not be necessary," Xander said calmly, looking to Robin. "Looks like the scroll worked well enough."

"Ryoma, Xander, thank you for the help," Corrin smiled, greeting her two brothers.

"Anything to aid our cause," Ryoma bowed, leaving. Xander did suit, leaving just Chrom, Corrin and Robin with the Anna.

"So. Anna," Robin started. "You are aware we have one of your sisters here... Right?"

"Of course! I've heard stories of this Anna. But I'll tell you what! No one out-Anna's Anna!" With that, the adventurer Anna ran out of the tent, her huge backpack nearly ripping open Robin's own doorway as she set up shop, causing a commotion that brought about several Shepherds to introduce themselves.

"...Why?" Chrom asked, showing Robin his empty coinpurse for emphasis.

"Chrom, what happens when two people sell the same thing?" Chrom scratched his head. "Come now, you're an Exalt. You have to know something on how market prices work."

"People go for the cheaper one or the better one?"

"And if two Anna's happen to be selling swords at low prices..." The light dawned on Chrom at the thought of market competition, and he patted Robin on the back.

"Nice work then. But how'd you find a Nohrian Anna?" Corrin stepped in, proudly pointing to herself.

"She may dress Nohrian, but it's just because of the weather," Robin interjected. Corrin cleared her throat and began.

"Leo and Xander, among others, rescued her from border-ruffians a few weeks before the war," she explained, "And I had the pleasure of meeting her in Hoshido when she was selling wares at a food stand!"

"So she's not on any side?"

"She is one of the few that could readily travel between Nohr and Hoshido," Robin clarified. "A person like that is very valuable to have at a time like this."

"A time like this?" Chrom asked.

"It's hard to tell just by watching," Robin started, gritting his teeth in apathy, "But there is still tension between some of the Nohrians and Hoshidans."

"It's to be expected," Chrom said, relieved. "Two armies at a standstill because of a supernatural threat. You think tension would disappear overnight?"

"It almost did," Corrin said, "And thanks to our success, morale has been high. But once our momentum shifts, especially with how difficult the Valmese campaign has been going, they might start having doubts.

"Which is why we brought Anna," Robin continued. "A person that can broker both sides without bias is very valuable at a time like this. So far, only Corrin, Azura, Kaze, and a few others have that expertise."

"Still," Chrom sighed, pocketing his sack of no coins, "Is this Anna..."

"She's as Anna as it gets, sadly," Robin frowned.

"YOU'RE NO SISTER OF MINE!" Ylissean Anna yelled, angry at the giant tent blocking the sun from reaching her own tent. "A REAL ANNA KNOWS WHEN TO BACK OFF ANOTHER ANNA'S SECRET SHOP!"

"Secret shop? Ha! It's not a secret your wares are secondhand!" Hoshidan Anna countered, before showing off her shiny goods. "Nohrian-forged swords, Hoshidan-strung bows, really rare Hoshidan and Nohrian magic, and guess what! THEY DON'T BREAK!"

Both Anna's paused their fight briefly as Morgan sulked by, the dismal cloud over her head leaving a muddy trail behind her.

"Hey you! Tactician's daughter!" Y-Anna yelled, causing Morgan to turn, pointing at her chest.

"...Me?"

"YES YOU! I CAN SEE IT IN YOUR EYES! You're having doubts! 'Oh, will I ever be able to clean Chrom's tents... If only there was something to help me! But there is!" Grunting as she dove into her stockpile out back, Yanna revealed a bucket of... something magical. Hanna gasped as she recognized the product.

"What the... I thought I had the only crate of-"

"FER-OXI CLEAN!" Yanna exclaimed, holding up the bucket with a grin. "Scientifically, magically, and personally tested by... uh... experts! Yes! Experts in... err... Cleaning! Tents, that is!"

"This is just what I'll need!" Morgan yipped, bounding over to Yanna's tent. Hanna wouldn't have any of it, so she pulled out her own secret cache of Feroxi Clean.

"Wait right there... What was it... Margon!"

"Morgan."

"Yes! Morgan! Whatever price that Anna offers for Feroxi Clean, I'll give you double for half!"

Morgan shrugged and went over to Hanna's tent. Yanna glared at her sister and pulled out two bravemetal swords.

"That may be so, but I'll throw in a brave weapon set ABSOLUTELY FREE!" Morgan's eyes widened at the deal and ran back over to Yanna's stall.

"But wait," Hanna said, diving into her own weapon's rack. "There's more!" Pulling out a dragonstone, Hanna grinned victoriously as Morgan's eyes glittered in awe. "Buy my Feroxi Clean and you too can bear your Mother's power!"

"Where did you even... never mind. Last time I had one of those I opened a portal and accidentally found my brother, who nearly killed my father," Morgan explained with a weak frown.

"SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!" Yanna screamed, pulling out a large body from under her stand. "BUY MY FEROXI CLEAN AND I'LL GIVE YOU..."

What.

"Kana!?" Morgan stared at the unconscious body in Yanna's arms in shock. "H-hey! Let go of my brother!"

A crowd was forming outside the perimeter, with Robin frantically waving his arms about at the instant scene. A second later, he seemed to disappear, to the confusion of no one.

"Oh yeah!?" Hanna replied, "You've just activated my trap sale!" She pulled down the side of her tent, revealing her secret to be none other than Exalt Chrom, tied up and gagged. His eyes were clear enough to see his barely-suppressed anger.

"Buy my Feroxi Clean and you get the dragonstone AND a free Chrom to do your bidding!"

Morgan was sold. Her brother could free himself. But Chrom? She needed out of that cleaning duty!

"Deal!" Morgan said, yanking out her gold purse. However, it was intercepted by Yanna, who nabbed it with the edge of... Yato?

"That's... My mom's sword!" Morgan huffed, glaring at Yanna suspiciously.

"Not only that kiddo, but with your order of Feroxi Clean, you get not one, but two of your parents, complete with weapons and clothes!" Revealing a secret compartment in the back of her shop, Morgan saw Robin and Corrin tied up back to back, clearly beyond struggling. Yanna stood confidently on her counter as Morgan gaped in a mixture of awe and horror.

"H-how did you-"

"Hush kid," Yanna and Hanna said simultaneously. "Trade secrets."

"So, what's it gonna be, Morgan?" Hanna asked, standing on Chrom's shoulders for emphasis, much to his pain. Yanna cleared her throat and pointed at Robin and Corrin, who merely glared at her with two sets of angry eyes.

"I... I-"

"You won't be cleaning a thing."

Morgan turned to see Jakob in full butler regalia, standing gloriously on his tea kettles which in turn were balanced on Frederick, who was carrying his horse.

"When I heard news that milady and milord had cleaning duties to spare, I sprang at the soonest moment. Not only that, but the opportunity to save Lady Corrin and Shitbag Robin, AND acquire cleaning supplies at discounted rates? Bah, I may be a servant and a butler, but now I'm a thief for this STEAL!" Reaching into his pockets, Jakob pulled out two hefty sacks of gold, hurling them into Yanna's and Hanna's stands respectively. The wealth flew through the wood of the respective stands, making a small crater in the dirt where they landed. Complying immediately, Chrom, Corrin, and Robin were untied, with Kana being dropped unceremoniously onto the crates of Feroxi Clean.

"..." Chrom glared at Robin, thinking to draw Falchion if not for his sore wrists. Likewise, Corrin nabbed back Yato and pointed it at Robin, judging where to stab him in a non-fatal spot.

"Guys?" Robin laughed nervously, his hands raised and children in various positions around him. Pointing away, Robin's eyes widened and Corrin and Chrom looked to see...

Nothing. Turning back to where Robin was, they spotted a white flash of hair taking off into the main tents, and they gave chase. Morgan picked up Kana and looked at the scene unfold with curiosity. The Annas seemed at peace with each other as well, comparing haggling techniques for future use. Jakob and Frederick took to work polishing everything and everyone, and Robin's screams and laughter were heard in the far-off distance.

"What the hell is wrong with this army?" Hanna asked, to which Yanna shrugged.

"Get used to it, sister."

Chapter Text

Day 215, daybreak

On the field of battle, there were two creatures.

One of them would be known as the living. Quite in keeping with their title, they were in fact, alive.

Of course, that could account for Risen too, in a way. They were autonomous, if not intelligent creatures despite their decrepit appearance.

The other character on the stage of warfare would be the dead. Also in keeping to their title, they were not, in fact, living.

And then there was Mozu.

She was living, no doubt, but baffled by that fact after every battle. If the calculations were correct, and gods bet they were, she should've been the Hoshidan equivalent of a pincushion from day one.

Dwarfed by her own weapon, the young farmer girl felt as if she walked amidst the footsteps of divine beings and as such, was not very comfortable being a liability when it came to combat. Shying back to the rear lines, the Hoshidan did not do much besides fire off the occasional arrow or swipe clumsily with her iron naginata at Risen wandering about.

What she did do well however was farm, so every field the Shepherd's camped in bore the slight scars of her cultivation. At every transit, she would be hard at work bringing potted plants to resettle in the soil, only to be transported to their next site with her, essentially giving her a mobile farm alongside the Shepherd encampment.

So even as the early risers in the army were out and about, they saw the friendly, timid, yet diligent Hoshidan villager hard at work with her crop.

"Mornin' Lord Xander uh Lord sir..."

"Mozu. Good morning to you."

Day 216, daybreak

"Lord Ryoma! You are looking pale!"

"Hm? Ah, it's just the morning light, Mozu. Thank you for your concern."

Day 218, daybreak

"G'mornin' Master Tacticioner Robin sir!"

"...Good morning? Farming again?"

"Of course, sir! We're looking at a good yield this week!"

"That's what I like to hear. Your work is just as important as everyone else. Never forget that."

Day 220, daybreak

"Lady Corrin ma'am! How are you?"

"Haha, I'm well rested as usual Mozu, what are you up to?"

"Just planting some here rice and millet for the road!"

"Well, good work! I'll see you around."

"Of course Lady Corrin!"

And so her day progressed, toiling hard in her personal field and at the same time reflecting on her progress in the army.

Day 221, dawn

As far as she was concerned, Mozu had gotten a lot more coordinated and certainly a bit stronger, easily drawing back a bow and swinging a 10 pound polearm that was far more lithe in stature than she. However, when compared to gods amongst men such as Frederick who could easily carry his horse alongside the trio of silver weapons he wielded, or Corrin who could uproot trees when angered and or dragon, or even Felicia, whose clumsy disposition always ended up with the brutal slaughter of Risen by the dozen.

Who was she to fight alongside them? She couldn't even throw her weapon without hitting herself in the face.

Her kill count was just as minuscule as her age, and she was pretty sure she was on the receiving end of more enemy arrows and friendly staves than she should have.

At least she could conjure up some mean miso soup.

With a sigh, she finished watering her plants and picked up the naginata from her side, giving it a few clumsy swings before setting it back down and returned her gaze to her plants.

"Golly, I haven't planted myself some millet in a while! Looks like you're gon' git a good crop!"

Huh?

Mozu turned around to see a hulking mass of flesh and muscle rippling at every movement staring at her intently. Said behemoth was not even close to casting the shadows Frederick did but was arguably more muscular than 'The Vaike.'

"H-hello there uhh..."

"Donnel! But most everyone here calls m' Donny!"

Mozu raised her gaze to see an unusually youthful face accompanying the strange voice, and for some reason, a battered beyond-belief pot lay atop his head, no doubt bearing the scuffs of a thousand battles. His ruffled purple hair lay matted alongside his head and his clothes were simple and patched. His face and neck bore countless scars, trophies from countless enemy engagements of which he was the victor.

"...Donny?"

"Yup! I was a farmer muhself before I joined this here army! Was fixin' to grow some millet and barley during the next cycle matterafact!"

"You... You were a farmer?!"

"I am a farmer, miss! Not everyone is born a killer like Chrom! Nah, I grew us Shepherds some cranberries a whiles ago actually! Some bloke keeps eating me tomatoes though..."

"But... You look like you've seen so many battles..." Mozu breathed upon Donny in awe, curious beyond belief on how a simple farmer like him could have been transformed into the embodiment of war itself...

"I guess I have! I mean, Chrom found me two years ago, back when bandits attacked our village... I took care of their leader with his help!" Mozu shuddered, her story not so fortunate.

"Bad guys got my village too... But they killed everyone..."

"Oh gawds," Donnel whispered, taking off his pot in reverence. "I'm sorry, ma'am..."

"It... It's okay. Lady Corrin rescued me so I could fight on in their memory... She's my hero, and I wanna be just like her... Strong, humble, courageous..."

"I reckon you could! His Kingliness Chrom was my hero too until he told me that he was my equal! Shook me up to the core, it did, but it drove me to train even harder to be worthy of his standards... Anyway miss, did I catch your name yet?"

"Mozu," Mozu clarified, smiling slightly.

"Moss Sue what?"

"Mozu!"

"Mozu..."

"Anyway, how did you get so strong? Surely you weren't this... massive... When you started out!"

"Oh golly, of course not. But then again, swingin' a sickle is no different than swingin' a sword, that's what Chrom told me. Fight and grow stronger, he says to me, so I did just that. And the more I trained, the better I got! It's not about skill, it's potential! And I believe us farmers have the best potential of them all! Trust me, stick with us and you'll be just like Lady Corrin! And not just in her pretty princess form either! I bet you could throw dragons double her size given time!"

"D'you think so?"

"Of course! Robin says it's some sort of aptitude or somethin' towards combat that us villagers have... Maybe it's b'cause we don't have much know-how in actual fighting until war starts... We're not soldiers until we need to be, if that makes any sense..."

"I think so. I mean, I never thought that I would've fought alongside Nohrian and Hoshidan royalty!"

"Me neither! And here I am, chatting with his Kingliness like it's nothing! Sure makes me feel obligated to protect his kingdom even more!"

"Yah... Thank you, Donny."

"For what?"

"I think I know what I must do now!"

"Will you fight on?"

"Of course! I'll fight, farm, and grow, just like my crops! And when the time of harvest comes, I'll be strong enough to make my whole village proud!"

"Aw, they already are, Mozu. Now c'mon! I'll teach you some tricks I learned over the years!"

"...They're proud of me," Mozu said with a smile, her naginata just as prepared as the orphan wielding it.

Chapter Text

Day 221, morning

It had been about three weeks since Kana had officially joined the army. With all the fuss given certain events, barely anyone noticed the new dragon in camp.

Given the complications of Steiger and the Valmese dilemma that came bundled with it, the Shepherds decided to recondition the old Valentian fort for their own purposes. Thus Steiger flew a quintet of Ylissean, Hoshidan, Nohrian, Feroxian, and Chon'sin flags, putting on display the might and power of the liberation-bent alliance. Supplies, soldiers, beasts, and letters from all over the front were routed to Steiger, giving Robin and Corrin an eternal nightmare of requisitions to put up with. Xander and Ryoma had sent scouts out with Robin's insistence, due to the rumors of a present threat plaguing the east, back towards the coast.

Apparently bringing the foreigners to Archanea had some unexpected consequences.

Of course, Kana didn't get any of it. He was just a boy, dammit. Er, darnit.

Mama wouldn't approve of such grown-up language.

But he was still out of the loop. Why was everyone fighting? Why were they always busy and moving? Couldn't they stay put and pay attention to him? Or at least let him play with the other kids, anyway.

But then again, those 'kids' seemed busy too. Most of them had weapons and armor of their own.

Thankfully, there was Morgan, his ever-doting sister. At least, doting when she could be. When she could spare the time, Morgan was the main figure to show him around. After a few days, she just decided to have him tag along with her for the daily duties and drills.

According to the dragon boy's account, or lack thereof anyway, he had lost his most recent memories in a similar vein to Morgan, only retaining bare fragments of his mother and upbringing. Nothing about Robin or Morgan, but that didn't seem to bother the two, nor Kana for that matter. Corrin was slightly concerned, but the three of them reassured him that there was plenty of time on the long and winding road to get to know their rescued son.

Whether Kana belonged on that road was another matter, but Robin kept his thoughts on the matter between himself and Corrin. Morgan already made her stance clear on the fighting.

Miraculously, near the end of the second week, Robin and Corrin announced that the Shepherds were ready to move again. Rearmed, resupplied, and completely exhausted, the commanders declared a three-day break.

"Don't die, don't kill, and don't get captured. Anything else I believe would be fixable. Dismissed."

On sparse rest days like these, Morgan explained, the children would get a chance to do what children did, which mostly fell to mischief and adventure. Misadventure, as it was. Morgan, at least when Robin and Corrin were busy, often chatted with Azura or tagged along with the future children. Except Lucina, for whatever reason.

Yesterday, Kana found himself isolated for a couple hours, with Morgan having nothing for him to do. He would often stay inside and read Sumia's collection of books or pick the Edelweiss that grew outside Steiger's walls, or in daring attempts, make idle chat with the passerby. He was much too shy for that last part, and it amounted to nothing but awkward stuttering.

Today, the two white-haired youths took advantage of the peaceful day and accompanied some of the other children on a 'mission of great importance' as per their leader, Cynthia. Actually, Morgan suggested the plan, but the group was still Cynthia's. Eventually coming alongside the outskirts of the walls, they came along what appeared to be a half-assembled tent where voices and giggling could be heard from inside.

"What is this place?" Kana asked apprehensively.

"It's the headquarters for the mighty Justice Cabal!" Morgan replied, waving her arms in grandiose at the pathetic tent which stood half in shambles. Meanwhile, the other half seemed to be ready to cave in. She gave a slight whistle, a shrill tone that to Kana's ears, probably was a signal.

"The Justice-" Kana was interrupted by a high energetic voice ringing out from behind him.

"JUSTICE CABAL! ASSEMBLE!"

A sudden explosion erupted from inside the tent, shocking the dragon prince even further and causing him to back from the noise in fear.

Kana turned to see a brunette with pigtails jump out, the smoke billowing from behind her screening the interior of the tent from outside view. Behind her stood a blond mage with a katana and... leotard? Ew. Next to him was a shorter blond with an axe sporting a blue and red mask with matching leather pauldrons.

On either side of the trio stood a young girl with green hair, sporting a large backpack and a bow, and a kitsune girl, not so unusual minus the fox ears. Scowling behind them, a taller youth with a black mask and ax walked out of the tent, clearly not involved in the display. At least, not enthusiastic about it. From inside, another blonde mage, female, closed her fire tome and walked outside, smiling brightly at her handiwork of smoke.

Impressed by the theatrics, Morgan clapped in amusement, though Kana was not so energetic. Caught off guard, Morgan nudged her brother with an urging grin, simultaneously dragging him towards Cynthia with a mad grin.

"Heya Chief," Morgan started, saluting Cynthia who returned it promptly, "I assume you already know about my brother Kana?"

"He's the one that can turn into a dragon right! WOW! ahem. we- I MEAN WE DEFINITELY NEED YOUR ABILITIES ON THIS TEAM!"

Kana winced at Cynthia's shrill voice, but smiled anyway at the prospect of friends. He did get really lonely sometimes...

"I- uh... Yeah! I would like that," Kana replied meekly. "What do you guys-"

"Fantastic!" Cynthia replied brightly, "Then the predestined fellowship is finally complete! Justice Cabal!" With flourish and precision, Cynthia backed off, allowing her team members to continue their theatrics, reciting their creed.

"Seeking knowledge and wisdom unknown!" Midori sang,

"Our skills and blades, we hone!" Ophelia echoed,

"To villains of injustice: Beware!" Selkie rang,

"When against us, what foe can compare?" Owain/Odin laughed,

"To glory! The future awaits!" Morgan joined,

"...Come...," Gerome groaned, rolling his eyes underneath his mask.

"We challenge our fate," Cynthia whispered harshly.

"..."

"Gerome!"

"We challenge... our fate." Gerome added, unenthusiastically.

"Eight-Nine souls to protect us all..." Percy whispered with anticipation...

" NONE BUT WE, THE JUSTICE CABAL!" Cynthia finished, grinning widely, lifting her spear and nearly poking a new hole in Selkie in the process.

"Oh." Kana punctuated, cringing.

"...And what is it you guys do, exactly?" Kana asked, impressed at the creed but not entirely sold.

"Save the world, one heroic act at a time!" Cynthia laughed, urging everyone back inside the tent.

"For great justice, we embody... justice!" Percy exclaimed, high-fiving Cynthia. Kana nodded hesitantly, not sure how to react.

"So... what exactly does that mean?"

"We stop Prince Leo from stealing tomatoes-" Gerome was interrupted by Owain, who jumped in front of him and covered the rider's mouth.

"We halt the enemies of peace and serenity with our strength!"

"Like?" Kana wasn't entirely thrilled on becoming a vigilante in the camp. Was this just a game? He hoped it was just a game.

"Tomato thieves-"

"We have received a top secret mission from the Master Tactician himself!" Morgan announced. Kana perked, instantly curious at this development.

"...You mean Dad?"

"MASTER TACTICIAN!" Morgan corrected vigorously, all the while unrolling a previously concealed map. "Captain Cynthia, if I may?"

"Of course, Junior Tactician!"

"This is a three-pronged plan," Morgan began, separating the Cabal into three like-minded groups. "Group Awesome, which consists of myself, Kana, and Ophelia, will sneak into Master Tactician Robin's tent to steal- As I was - Secure... an object that is of great significance. It is my brother's dragonstone, which has not been formally entrusted to him as of yet. We will need it."

"My team, Awesome 2," Percy began, "Will consist of myself, Midori, and Selkie." Pausing for effect, the boy continued. "Our objective is to head to these-" He pointed at an x'ed out spot on the map, deep into a valley judging by the topography, "-riverbeds. A fallen circle of runes seems to be rested there, and it is our job to secure it for usage and recovery. The Shepherd scouts found this location a week ago on reconnaissance duty, and we as the Cabal have felt necessary that it be idle no longer."

"Finally, my team, team Cynthia," Cynthia proposed grandly, "Will consist of me, Owain-"

"ODIN!"

"Yes... Odin, and Gerome. Our job is to act as both security and reconnaissance as Alpha team moves to Bravo's location, making sure no Shepherds and certainly no Risen catch wind of our plan."

"I thought you said Dad planned this?" Kana asked, skeptical to a fault.

"He... did," Morgan lied, "But he feared the other Shepherds might worry if their children were involved in a covert operation between operations..."

"Then why are we stealing my dragonstone?"

"Because your power is the key to unlocking the portal!" Cynthia finished, bowing her head in reverence. Only one who has uhh, your, power can open it... And Morgan cannot turn into a dragon, as far as we know."

"So this is why you brought me?" Kana asked. "To open up the portal to..."

"This portal..." Gerome began, quiet until now, "Is where the other Future Shepherds were supposed to come from."

Day 221, Nightfall

Morgan tiptoed along with Kana, Ophelia casting a spell to mask their shadows and their footsteps. They approached Robin's tent casually enough, ducking in quickly as if to deliver a report. In reality, it was empty aside from a candlelight to counteract the setting sun and a couple books out of place. However, in the predetermined drawer lay Kana's dragonstone, pristinely silver with a faint luster from deep within. Morgan held it, feeling it heat up in her hand before finally giving it to Kana. Holding on along with him, she looked him in the eye, dead serious.

"Don't tell dad. Please."

Kana frowned, looking at his sister sadly.

"You're doing this behind his back."

Morgan nodded slowly, letting go of the stone and holding her brother tight.

"Kana, we lost our memories and I really want to know who I was before I got here. If it means helping the Cabal and having Mom and Dad yell at us for being irresponsible... Fine. I love Dad more than anything but I want to know why I can't feel that same connection to you and Mom. I most definitely want to..."

"So you're doing this for them?"

"...And for you, Brother," Morgan smiled faintly.

"B-but... Aren't we close already?"

"Kana... I want to know why I forgot about you! I want to remember you... Please!"

"Morgan..."

"Please, let's just do this one thing... I want us to be a family more than anything. Me, you, Robin, Corrin... I don't care how rough the road to that dream is... I'm taking it."

"O-okay. I understand. But if this is dangerous..."

"I'm a tactician too, remember?" Morgan laughed. "I'm dad's daughter, after all. He can't be that much better than me."

"I hope not," Kana finished. Turning to the dark mage, Morgan turned around and addressed their third member.

"Ophelia, if you may?" The dark mage nodded quicky, chanting a brief spell and drawing a circle in the ground.

Ophelia cast a short range warp spell, courtesy of her reading a few of Tharja's books, and teleported them outside the tent where Minervykins and Gerome waited patiently.

"Let's be off," He stated quietly, taking off into the orange sunset.

Robin yawned as he entered his tent, followed closely by Corrin who took initiative and sat upon her side of his table, placing both of their suppers on the surface before turning back to the tactician, who was staring blankly at his desk.

"You smell it too?"

"Magic. Some sort of healing staff?"

"No... No staff... Look at this circle." Pointing at the dirt where Ophelia drew her spell, Robin frowned.

"Kana's stone disappeared." Robin stated worriedly, closing the empty drawer.

"He's probably practicing-" Corrin reasoned.

"No... He wouldn't do that this late. He hasn't touched it in days."

"Hey, where's your map of the area?" Corrin asked, looking upon his wall. There was a huge gap where the region's topography was pinned against the board.

"I lent it to Morgan for stu-" Robin stopped, paling along with Corrin.

"Oh no."

Chapter Text

Hoshidan-Nohrian War- 5,122 days after the Assassination of Emperor Sumeragi

21 Days before the Ylissean Incursion

The fields here were beautiful. The rivers, even the trees. All of it so verdant and vibrant, as if it were out of a book.

And yet bloodshed found it all the same. Just like any other field in any other battle.

But at least she was on the winning side this time.

Selena nocked back another arrow, tracking very steadily the movements of a flying Hoshidan. They were so clueless, she thought, pitying the rider and her unsuspecting course, all the while lining up the shot. A flier could be a very real danger due to their mobility and avenue of attack, even for another flier like Camilla. Were it up to Selena, she would be in the vanguard with her sword and shield- a much more intense method of battle- but today the Princess's airborne threats were her mission, not another bloody field. She was a retainer, after all, not just any mook to die on the front. It seemed like an eternity ago, but Selena swore a vow to her liege and her country, to defend both from harm until her dying breath. The groaning or motionless bodies of multiple Tenma Knights scattered around her immediate vicinity was a testament to that oath.

She relaxed and the arrow came loose, leaving the archer in a trance. Sharp red eyes were left admiring the projectile's seemingly harmless course through the air until it abruptly collided into the neck of the beast bearing the Hoshidan. Selena loved animals, loath as she was to admit, considering the countless Tenma whose blood lay on her hands. She closed her eyes at the impact, nodding with a blank expression and using her ears alone to confirm the winged creature plunging into the river below, never to fly again. Opening her eyes once more, she barely caught vision of the rider who miraculously happened to bail out just in time, gracefully diving into the water as her mount bled out, staining the already-red water darker yet. A few moments later, the knight emerged, armor soaked and naginata just a piece of driftwood to float away.

Selena considered drawing one final arrow, but that would be a waste.  Instead she drew her sword and walked towards the rider cautiously. Likewise, all the while sputtering and limping, the rider drew her own short blade, her main weapon discarded along the riverside. Severa raised her guard, drawing a line in the sand with her boot. She wasn't looking for blood. At least, not up close.

"Back away."

Were Camilla close by, Selena wouldn't have offered mercy. Were Beruka close by, the rider would be dead before she came out of the river.

"...Please."

Not taking the death of her Tenma lightly, the rider dashed forward, catching the archer by the legs with a kick and with a flash of her blade, went for Selena's neck. The rider's swing fell short as a parrying swing deflected the strike. Recovering with the motions of well-rehearsed combat, the Nohrian coiled the opposite way with her body, striking the warrior's head with the hilt of her sword, denting her helmet so that it blocked vision in her right eye. Growling, the knight threw her blade, which caught the Selena clean in the shoulder as she sidestepped away. The unexpected injury caused Selena to fall over, tripping on the loose rocks along the river. Using this time to take off her helmet, the warrior's red hair fell freely around her body, still soaking wet. Blood blended in as both liquid and hair cascaded in a crimson waterfall down her cheek.

And yet, something about it seemed oddly-

No...

Selena backed up, face to face with a glimpse into a nightmare. It was exactly her... Her face, her gleaming eyes, her effortless combat style... Even the few grunts Selena could extract from chipping away at her defenses... they sounded exactly like the woman who forced her to tears before abandoning her.

Mother.

"H-how dare you. How dare you look like her."

Not taken aback from the Nohrian's change in mood, the rider charged low, aiming for the legs again with her blade.

With a guttural shriek, Selena quickly leaned backwards from the knight's sweep and lunged in once the sweep fully extended, determined for blood. She winced in satisfaction as she felt her sword hit flesh, and the grunt of the knight in front of her confirmed that her blade struck true.

Regaining clarity, Selena realized that even though the rider looked like her mother, there were still very subtle differences. This woman was younger. More lean. She had Hoshidan features, clearly. And her mother had not died with a sword in her gut. She died far worse.

Watching Cordeli- the rider...fall to the ground, Selena turned her back and walked back to her horse. Stopping, her head turned as she regarded the knight. She sheathed her sword, standing a safe distance away. Gods her shoulder hurt.

"I'm sorry. I wish we didn't have to fight. But..."

"It's... war. But-" She coughed out, choking, "but I have not... f-fallen. Yet!"

The gurgling said otherwise. She had a few hours at best.

"Oh," Selena replied, concerned. "I..."

"What's your name?" The warrior asked weakly, blood staining the ground underneath her.

"Sele... Severa," She replied uncertainly. "Severa."

"Hm. You Nohrians have such harsh names..."

Selena felt a wrenching feeling in her gut as the phantom of her mother started to choke on her own blood. Her blow pierced her right lung, and even now her breaths, when cleared of fluid, were ragged and short.

I can't leave her here... But no prisoners... But I can't leave her to die... Damn it all!

Selena looked around, the battle clearly going in Nohr's favor. Princess Hinoka and Princess Camilla were talking, high in the air as their beasts hovered in place. But with both of their weapons were pointed at each other, she could guess what they were saying. With a well-aimed shot, she could end this battle right here.

Most of Selena said to protect her liege.

But a little bit of Severa told her to help the knight.

"Damn it damn it damn it!" Selena groaned, kneeling over and applying pressure to the rider's mortal injury.

"W... W-what are you doing..." the fallen knight mumbled, relaxing; the blood no longer collected in her throat as Selena oriented her upwards, lifting her upon her back. Together, they mounted the horse and rode for... somewhere. Somewhere beautiful, where battle would not follow.

Day 1

Severa came to first today as usual, yawning as she stretched her arms. It was barely sunrise.

"Caeldori, rise and shine."

Her name was Caeldori, Selena coaxed after a few meals. She had not the energy nor the will to run away. After a few nights, She had not the desire, either. They were allies, now. Both would be reported killed in action, bodies swept away in the Hoshidan river.

Camilla would probably find another retainer, if that blue-haired assassin was any indication. Beruka, Selena recalled. She had stepped in when the Nohrian assassin got the jump on Camilla. Agile sword versus aggressive axe, yet Beruka nearly got the upper hand if not for Selena's Risen-slaughtering wiles.

And then-

"Ungh. Ow. My neck."

Caeldori's eyes fluttered open, quickly shutting from the light. She winked one open, groaning at the desolation around them.

"Morning."

"Morning... yet it looks as if it could be night."

Thus, this was where they were. She and Caeldori had been wandering the countryside for a few weeks now, the latter partially recovered from the death blow Selena had dealt to her. Deciding now was the ideal time to get Caeldori back to her allies, along with a timely defection and pacification, Selena began to worry that they would be running into the Hoshidan army any given moment. Or even worse, the Nohrian. They were on fairly neutral territory, after all. Had they both retreated simultaneously? No way. She knew for a fact that Nohr was planning an offensive at the border. The biggest one yet. Even Prince Xander and Leo would be there. And... what was her name? Corrin?

Nonetheless, they were still a long ways away. Caeldori mentioned something about the Bottomless Canyon and when she heard those words, something seemed to ring out. For all intents and purposes, Selena assumed that meant that jumping in was tantamount to suicide. Still, the curiosity ate at her.

I will bring you back to Ylisse...

By her side, Caeldori rose slowly to a sit and yawned as she stretched out her sore neck. Her surroundings brought worry to her, but she was slightly at ease when she saw Severa.

"Hey, you alright?" Caeldori asked earnestly, brushing her hair of debris and vegetation. Severa smiled weakly at her and shook her head.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Just thinking how this is going to work out."

"You saved me. I will speak for your behalf," Caeldori offered, helping Severa up with her right hand as she rubbed her face with her left.

"I have Hoshidan blood on my hands, not to mention I'm the one who stabbed you," the Nohrian countered, which Selena punctuated with a drop in her shoulders.

"I will vouch for you, you have my word," Caeldori assured, rubbing Selena's bad shoulder with a smile. "They are rather accepting."

She was right, to be fair, Severa knew. Hoshido had found the young Caeldori as a young girl lost in the woods, with no one to claim her as their child. Instead, the girl became a rider in training, and a few years later, would be deployed to the front alongside all the others. Just another victim of war with nothing to lose, wandering the forests with nowhere else to call home. Apparently in Hoshido, orphans were common enough not to warrant suspicion if they so wished to join the army.

No questions, no follow-up investigations.

Just a girl, Caeldori was. A lost girl who had no idea where she came from.

"Thanks. But I think it will take more than that for a Nohrian like me to get an easy ticket out."

"So what do you think is the best way to go about this?" the Tenma rider asked, kicking rocks around as she packed up.

It's a leap of faith. Faith that you will see Lucina again. Your friends. Your home.

"Has anyone ever come back from the Bottomless Canyon?"

Caeldori nearly laughed, glaring at Selena.

"What, you're going to kill yourself?"

"What!? No... I mean... isn't it odd that no one's ever... explored this area fully? Surely there's something interesting down there."

"Yes, it's called falling to your death," Caeldori countered, looking Selena in the eyes. "Are you mad?"

"I'm just curious," Selena admitted, shirking away from the taller woman's gaze. "Just curious."

You need not jump alone.

"..."

"I guess it's a dumb idea, and I'm not hoping to die... I think. I am a little uh, interested, though. I'm not suici-"

The rider stopped.

"Let's do it," Caeldori nodded, making up her mind.

"W-what?!"

"Now I'm curious. Hoshido and Nohr thinks we're dead. And yes, I am quite literally abandoning my post, as you are, but... Really? No one remembers me. There's really no one for me back home."

"You have somewhere to go! You can still go back! I-I mean, sure, it's not a perfect idea but I was saying it out of jest-"

Jest? Or necessity?

"Let's jump. Like I said. I'm just an orphan girl left to die, and you're a deserter. Well, we're both deserters, but you get my point."

"You're an idiot."

Caeldori frowned. "If I recall, you're the one who had the curiosity to jumping to our deaths. I possess the sole voice of reason here."

"And that voice is reaffirming my offer to jump," Selena countered, looking a few hundred feet away towards the crevasse.

Just take your first step. She will follow.

"Let's do it."

"We're fools," Caeldori laughed, "Suicidal fools. We're going to die."

"Who says we're dying?"

I can bring you home.

As if being led on by a blinding power, Selena walked uncertainly towards the edge, growing closer. She couldn't place her thoughts, trading glances every few steps with Caeldori, who nodded at her reassuringly.

Before they could even see the crevasse, the world went black.

Day ?

When she awoke again, she was falling. And yet, she felt motionless. Like she was suspended in a black void, not capable of motion or action. Where was Caeldori?

"Last time we spoke, I quite angrily ordered you to stay in Nohr. And yet, here we are. I apologize for the change in plans."

Grima.

"Your orders be damned. You're the one that led me here, right? Those weren't my thoughts in my head."

It all made sense. Selena growled, eyes darting but not seeing a thing.

"Yes and yes. Look, Severa, I'm... losing it. As it were. My plans are coming into motion but I need you back in Ylisse."

"Oh yeah? Why is that? You're the one who brought me to Nohr."

"To make bonds. To tie you to this place even when I yank you home. And now that you have them, I want you back."

"Why? Wait, where is Caeldori?"

"She's here, next to you. She can't hear me, as... Let's just say she doesn't know me. She's here though. And as for the why..."

"Caeldori!" Selena yelled, looking around. She felt something grab her hand.

"Severa, you alright? Jeez, my head. Oh shit, we're still falling?" Her scream carried on, but Severa focused on the voice again. Like a gnat she couldn't quite place, Grima's voice echoed throughout her mind.

"When I will it, you will either keep falling until you starve to death, or you will listen to me. Choose."

"Selena, what's that? Do you hear something?"

"I choose for you to take me home," Selena whispered, gripping Caeldori's hand tighter. "So I can come right back to that portal and kick your ass."

"What?" Caeldori wondered aloud. "Are you... talking to me?"

"No," Selena replied. "I'm talking to him."

Day 118

"My liege, it appears our unnatural disasters have stopped. My scouts are reporting major flooding throughout the whole continent, including Hoshido, Cyrkensia, Cheve... I have never seen this level of chaos before. They say that the mountains have flattened and the valleys have risen. It is the end times, others say. Still no sign of your children, or their troops."

"It seems that the gods want our world toppled apart. I sense something amiss with our country. Send our other armies out west."

"West? There's nothing-"

"There's something. I intend to claim it."

"And what of the Hoshidan armies to our east?"

"Let those mongrel dogs sit like the pups they are. They will not act until we do. But there is something more worthy a challenge than them."

"My king?"

"I sense... a Conqueror. One with power like mine. I will claim it."

Chapter Text

Day 221, Night

Kana ducked his head under the bush he was just peeking out of, making nary a sound even though they were the only living things in the immediate vicinity. Precautions precautions and all that, his sister explained. His bandana was gone from his neck, now wrapped around his head to cover his otherwise vibrant off-white hair. Morgan followed suit with her cloak, raising a hood that rarely saw any function unless it rained.

"And that seems to be our cue," Morgan stated, watching the current night guard prepare for their hourly rotation. Swinging down from her perch, her boots crunched twigs as she landed beside her brother. Letting out his breath, Kana gulped as he turned towards his sister and Ophelia who was crouched behind them, cloaking their silhouettes with a spell.

"Cynthia should have met us by now..." Kana muttered, scanning the dark sky for the glimmer of either the Pegasus Knight or the Wyvern rider accompanying them.

"They'll find us," Ophelia reassured, opening another tome from her knapsack. "Us mages have a spell we can use that is only visible from high altitude- something that can sparkle in the clouds and nowhere else."

"Then why haven't you fired it yet?" Morgan whispered, scanning the skies for her friends.

"Because Sumia is still up there, most likely with her," Ophelia whispered, pointing into the blank sky as if she could see. She could, but Morgan saw nothing but stars and black.

"She's right," Kana followed, his keener senses easily able to point out the two Pegasus Knights flying up alongside each other. "I guess we'll have to wait for Sumia to finish her patrol before we can do anything. We didn't really plan this through, did we?"

"Well to be honest... I did kind of make this up without much afterthought. I wasn't quite worried about this part. Anywho, if this guards just rotated, Sumia should be grounding soon, and Cynthia can come up with a plausible enough story as to why she still needs to stay aloft," Morgan thought aloud.

"At night, without acting too suspicious," Kana grumbled, frowning at the amount of holes the plan had already sprung so far.

"Have a little faith in us, Brother," Morgan winked, tightening her hood to cover her cold ears. Kana shrugged as he adjusted his own bandanna.

"Fine. Just a little."

"Thanks Kana."

"I still don't like the fact that we're doing this behind Mama and Papa's back," the boy admitted, causing Morgan to soften.

"It's better to do this behind their back than do this without them knowing." Kana winced at his sister's bad wording, not agreeing in the slightest.

"That means exactly the same thing!" he whispered harshly in a frustrated tone.

"No, actually," Morgan replied calmly, explaining her choice of words.

"They know what we're up to. Dad is obviously clever enough to figure it out, and so is mom. I mean, Dad's map and your dragonstone are missing, and so are we. If I wanted this operation to stay black, we would have done everything in a less rushed manner. Mom and Dad've probably found out about now."

"I hope they don't get too mad."

Robin groaned as his untouched plate was at the back of his mind, his thoughts currently occupied by his troublesome children.

"I don't know too much about their little troupe, but they have at least five or six," Corrin stated blankly, swirling her soup idly with a spoon.

"Kana has his dragonstone, that much is apparent," Robin pieced, "But that does not explain why Morgan needed my map."

"Do you remember anything noticeable around Steiger?"

"Nothing noteworthy aside from a few dried up riverbeds where Risen tend to camp. Also a few ruins of little archaeological or historical value, as far as I am concerned. We steered clear of that and bombarded the place with fire spells for good measure. Should be just rocks and ash and toasted Risen out there." Corrin laughed at the overkill, shaking her head.

"And here I was thinking we weren't careful enough," the princess joked, causing the tactician to stiffen. A reassuring hand on his calmed his nerves, and Robin gazed at his own in astonishment, as if she could pacify his worries with a simple touch.

"It's a habit of mine to make physical contact with others when they are worried. Something about touching another makes them... relax. Is this okay?" she asked, not quite as bashful as Robin would have been.

"I... like it. You have warm hands," the tactician admitted.

"Glad I still have that going for me," Corrin sighed. "Now then, how do we go about retrieving the lost children?"

"Our lost children," Robin clarified for emphasis, smiling lightly at the thought. Corrin let a smile come as well, sharing the optimism.

"I... yeah. whoops."

A silent moment, with only hand holding hand the sole form of communication for what seemed like hours.

"They'll be fine," Corrin assured, dipping the bread into the soup and taking a slow bite, still deep in thought.

"Oh, I have that much faith in them," Robin admitted. "But I think they know something we don't."

"What makes you think that?"

"For starters, Morgan also borrowed my big-boy tomes."

Sumia dismounted her Pegasus with a light bounce, sighing deeply as she stretched her legs. Cynthia insisted she stayed in the air, wanting to accompany Gerome and Owain on another patrol, closer to the wood line.

"Hm. The stuff she'll do for fun. Or is it something more?"

Romance came too easily to Sumia's mind. It was definitely the books. It wasn't her fault everything else was so boring to read...

"But how about Gerome? He must be dreamy underneath that mask. I bet it's the dark mystery that draws you to-"

"You know Mom, for all the merit you have as a legendary pegasus knight, you really have a strange way of showing it," Cynthia insulted lightly, smiling at her Mother's twisted machinations.

"Hey!" Sumia defended weakly, "You have your adventure novels you horde in your room. I just happened to have a weakness for the romantics!"

Cynthia twisted her nose with a disgusted face.

"Eww, to think that the Lance of Flowers was such a sap."

"Am I really that much of a hero to you?" Sumia asked seriously, circling above the landing site, trying to prolong conversation with her daughter. Cynthia simply smiled, and nodded slowly, before peeling away and bearing a heading towards Gerome's approximate location. As Sumia landed, the younger knight stifled a bitter smile.

"You have no idea," Cynthia whispered to herself, a pang of sadness wracking through her core.

"My dad's definitely cooler," Percy stated proudly. "He's a hero of Justice!"

"Pff, when he isn't the Hero of Falling, that is," Selkie mocked with a quiet laugh. "Besides! My dad's cooler! He's the chief of his tribe and he left his own family and friends to protect them from the enemy! Talk about a noble sacrifice! I bet your guys' Dads can't match that!"

"I can, actually..." Midori whispered, keeping her head low. "My Father can."

"Pff, of course he does. He's a ninja! That's like super cool already!" Percy complained.

"But you guys don't know his story, how he separated himself from Hoshido." Midori explained.

"I've heard your stories," Percy recalled, "How your father redeemed himself."

"It's complicated, but that's what makes him such a great hero," Midori stated with pride. "I admit, it was a bit patchy, but I remember it now!"

"Let's hear it then!" Selkie said excitedly. "I've never heard about Uncle Kaze's heroics before."

"He was actually a disgrace before," Midori explained gravely. "He was the one who could have stopped Lady Corrin getting kidnapped from Hoshido to begin with. Due to this, he was marked as a traitor and a failure to his country."

"What did he do next?!" Percy wondered, not knowing of Kaze's dark past.

"He left Hoshido's royal house of service and was exiled into the border-lands," Midori explained. "For many years he trained and lived alone, even from his own family, in hopes that soon his actions would be in service of Corrin in repentance."

"Whoa," Selkie breathed, listening keenly.

"He was captured by Nohrian troops trying to prevent a convoy from being ambushed, and was labeled as a spy, even though he had cut ties from Hoshido. On his day of execution, he found himself staring down Lady Corrin, who spared his life due to her kindness."

"Wasn't that a week before-"

"Let me get there! Anyway, my dad- Kaze later found Corrin wounded and alone in the wilderness, and brought her back to Hoshido to heal her. It was then where he pledged his blade to her service, and his life has been in her stead ever since!"

"Who would've thought that the one responsible for Corrin's sadness..."

"Would've been the one who led us on this awesome adventure and brought us all together as a result!" Midori finished, beaming with pride. "But that aside, we're all children of great parents, and it's our job as soldiers and Shepherds to live up to their legacy and honor! We're gonna be heroes too!"

"That's the Justice Cabal's mission," Percy nodded in agreement.

"And as heroes, it's our job to be everything our parents were and more!"

"There, they're heading towards the woods," Ophelia whispered, shooting off a black and purple bolt into the sky which exploded silently but sent a rushing force of wind through the air like a powerful gust.

"Whoa," Morgan breathed, gazing at the sky,watching the night clouds part like a child pulling apart a cotton ball. A few seconds later, she spotted two gleams- one light, one dark- streak by overhead, flapping silently as they dove through the treeline back to earth.

"There they are," Kana said, scrounging through the bushes to find the rest of Team Cynthia.

"Let's go guys!" Morgan said excitedly, taking point as Kana and Ophelia trailed behind her.

"Easy Minerva, we've been in more ominous places," Gerome whispered reassuringly, unheard by Owain-Odin. The mage stood behind him, keeping his tome at the ready while Mystletainn lay strapped parallel to his belt,.

"Where'd Cyn go off to?"

"...She's getting them," Gerome stated flatly, grasping the hilt of the ax sheathed on his back.

"You don't think we'll get told off for this. Do you?"

"Are you really complaining about that?" Gerome grumbled, not sharing Owain's fears. "And you're a parent, unlike the rest of us. Act like it. Your daughter is in just as much danger as you are."

"Yes but... Ophelia is greater than I... She has power not even the Chosen One could match. I do not fear for her, but I will still do my duty to protect her."

"It's your job. We know that fact well," Gerome reminded, causing Owain to smile slightly.

"Heroism runs in the family, I guess. Just not the heroic sacrifice part," the sword-wielding sorcerer promised with a smile.

"It is not our job to change fate... but..." Gerome's composure sank a little. "My parents do not deserve another death. Hero or not, they deserve to rest in a bed until they're old of age. Just like anyone else."

"But sacrifice is the truest form of-"

Gerome glared even through his mask.

"Would you die for Ophelia?"

"Y-yes. Yes I would."

"But would you leave her alone in this world?"

"She is never alone... Even without me, she is..."

"But she will miss you," Gerome retorted. "She will cry thinking of her father, cursing fate and herself for not saving him."

"Yes she will," Owain admitted. "But she will live. She will grow, and because of that, my sacrifice is not in vain."

"What of her growth, if you are not there to see it?" Gerome replied sharply, the conversation growing painfully close to home.

"I do not need to see it," Owain replied calmly. "Because that moment has already come and gone. I can only watch from below now, and in her, I see Severa too."

"...Then you are a stronger man than I," Gerome said quietly.

"No. When you share my gift, you will understand," Owain assured, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Rustling behind him caused the two to turn from their reverie, relaxing when Cynthia walked out, followed closely by Morgan's team.

"Hey Father," Ophelia said with a curtsy. "Are you alright?"

"Of course, my little hero," Odin stated with a proud tone. "And you will be likewise during this mission, so stay by my side."

"Well, he certainly shows different colors when he's serious," Morgan admitted to Kana softly.

"You'd be surprised how quickly he can change his tune. Parenting does that to a guy, huh Gerome?" Cynthia jabbed, but the wyvern rider merely grunted as he turned away.

"Minerva is not my child. She is my partner. I am not ashamed for showing affection to someone I can fully trust in battle," he countered.

"That wasn't what I meant, but alright. Aren't I right, Minervykins?"

The wyvern only growled in response, nuzzling against Gerome's arm.

A few moments later, Midori's party came out of the brush, also rearing to go.

"We're all here," Cynthia noted, shaking with excitement.

"Our very first actual mission," Morgan grinned, briefing the Justice Cabal. "We prove ourselves today! Whatever your motives are for being here, we share a common goal! We secure this portal, not only on our side but also whatever lies beyond, and we will do so together! And most importantly, we'll bring whoever's there, back home!"

"For Severa," Cynthia whispered, unheard by anyone else but the rider next to her. "I know she's still out there."

"We'll find her. We owe her that much," Gerome said with an assuring nod.

"Kana, you're up," Morgan whispered with a reassuring nod."

"Alright. Here goes," Kana smiled, pulling out his stone as it resonated with the stone fragments under their feet, causing the shards to float back into place, forming a circle older than the forest itself. With a resonating hum, blue energy mimicking the one surrounding Kana's hand appeared around the structure, and soon enough the portal was reconstructed, its magical vibrations reverberating throughout the immediate woodline.

"It's... A portal... Not to the outrealms, but to our own world. A doomed future," Odin stated, calming his quaking nerves as he inhaled a deep breath, eyes closed.

"Time to figure out my story," Morgan whispered to herself.

"Enough chit-chat," Cynthia stated grandly, standing atop her Pegasus' back. "It's time to make a name for ourselves!"

Robin lay quietly in his cot, hearing the light snoring of Corrin on the other side of the room. Sleeping in Morgan's bed, the princess rested peacefully while the tactician stayed awake, still thinking of his children. They were not in danger, he assured himself. They were stronger than the Risen by far. Sighing, he got up and walked out, smiling at Corrin's undistinguished form as he passed. The night air was cold and biting, and the sky was as deep and soulless as the Risen no doubt surrounding them.

"It's a bit chilly for them out there," Robin whispered to the sky above, taking slow deliberate steps.

Just what can they be up to out there?

Footsteps interrupted his reverie, and Robin turned to see a silhouette of a familiar ninja before he made himself seen.

"Doing rounds, sir?" Kaze asked, appearing to manifest right in front of him with a slight salute.

"At ease, and yes, I am, Kaze."

"Perhaps you may accompany me," the ninja offered, to which the tactician nodded.

"You are aware of a number of the children on their 'secret mission?'" Robin asked politely.

"Unfortunately, I was just made knowledgeable of the incident thanks to Flight Leader Sumia."

"Enough to know who's on sortie," Robin frowned lightly.

"My daughter... she tries so hard to prove herself," Kaze admitted, scratching the back of his head. "They all do, it seems."

"It's our fault for being such great role models that they aspire towards," Robin theorized, thinking of his own children who admired him and Corrin so much.

"I forget you are a father now too," Kaze laughed, drawing the attention of Sumia, also on watch.

"Robin, there's an isue-"

"I know, Sumia."

"What are we going to do?"

"I've arranged a leader's reconnaissance of the area tomorrow morning. Since it is your daughter leading the party among others, you will be accompanying Corrin, along with Kaze and a number of the parents. I think it is fitting you be the first to debrief our young Shepherds."

"Debrief?" Sumia asked skeptically.

"Scold, congratulate, and otherwise reprimand, but forgive nonetheless," Robin said after a pause.

"And if something happens? What if the night brings some issue about?"

Robin stopped and closed his eyes.

"I don't know where they are, what they are doing, and how long they will be gone," the tactician briefed, staring off into the sky towards the woods. "But..."

The tactician had never felt dread before. But now, Robin felt something new. He felt powerless.

"Well, they'll be fine."

Day 222, before dawn

Robin rose as the sun did, stretching his arms to stave off the cold. Corrin stood above him near his cot, prodding his cheek with her finger.

"C'mon. They're waiting for us."

"That's what I'm worried about," Robin admitted, rolling his feet to the ground and grabbing his coat off the rack.

Behind him assembled a number of the Shepherds, all of them parents of a child so far away, in a place unknown. Among Corrin, he also saw Sumia, Kaze, Lissa, Kaden, Arthur, and Cherche. Hearing their footsteps one by one, Robin finally smiled.

"Commanders, do you mind telling us what's happening?" Cherche asked, seeing their leader staring into the sunrise since before dawn.

"I..."

"We'll find out, won't we?" Corrin filled in, not comfortable with seeing Robin so idle.

"Then shall we find our children or are we going to wait here?" Cherche asked smugly.

"Just a walk in the woods," Robin reassured half-heartedly. "Let's hunt down some future children."

"I spotted a glowing portal a few miles out," Sumia noted. "That definitely wasn't there yesterday."

"That's probably a good lead," Corrin suggested, to Robin's nod. "Alright, let's move out. Sumia, you mind leading the way?"

"Of course. Anyone want a ride?"

"Hey, Severa. I think I hear other people."

"Me too. Caeldori, stay close. Are we still falling? It's been so long..."

"Yeah. I forgot what it's like to walk. When was the last time we were on solid ground?"

"I can't recall a thing, can't I? Grima! What are you doing? Stop messing with my mind!"

"Grima?"

"I... I can't quite remember..."

Chapter Text

Day 222, dawn

"Following an eventful patrol, the members must make sure to report to higher-ups so that command can keep track of changes in weather, terrain, and enemy movements," Robin recited blankly, much to the confusion of his party following.

"Robin?" Cherche asked, tapping the zombie-like tactician on the shoulder with the butt of her ax. When the white-haired strategist did not react, Cherche paused before asking Lissa over.

"What's up with him?" The wyvern rider asked the cleric. "He's incredibly out of it."

"Oh, what? Oh. It's... just exhaustion," the tactician self-diagnosed. "Yes, that must be it. Not the greatest night of sleep I've had."

"I'm surprised you even hit the hay at all. You're even more pale and baggy than usual," Lissa added in. Robin hummed his slight approval of the joke.

"Chrom blames parenthood for all his tired days, so I should follow suit. Children are exhausting. Especially that they've skipped the diaper phase and jumped right into a coordinated stunt like this."

"You'll be just fine, Commander. Why don't you take a quick nap on my girl?" Sumia asked, giving Snowflake a pat, letting the pegasus stretch her legs on grass. Robin shook his head though, preferring to stay awake.

"It's for the best I stay on my toes. Corrin wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I snoozed on a march."

The most recent father fell into the formation near the rear and struck up a conversation with his adjacent partner; the green-haired ninja, Kaze.

"Commander Robin, with respect, you are quite unsightly at the moment. Do you need anything handled in your stead?" the ninja asked, adjusting the straps on his gauntlet before resuming eye-contact with the lethargic Plegian. "Trust us to take this mission upon ourselves. We can handle this."

"I..." Staring ahead to the lead of the formation where Lissa and Corrin were talking, Robin made up his mind. "It's about Corrin. Princess, I mean."

"I think you of all people can forgo the formalities of title, sir."

Robin chuckled and disregarded his own lapse.

"Tell me about her," Robin asked quietly, Kaze already knowing what he meant by that ambiguous question.

"What is there to know? You and Commander Corrin have been close for a while now. Whatever you know is more than I did under her tenure. I'm confident you two are well aware with your tendencies and habits."

"Then offer me something you know that I don't: her history."

Kaze flinched. "Oh? She's but a young woman. I wouldn't know much-"

"My attempts at bringing it up with her tend to lead to her becoming nervous. I feel as if she wants to change the subject every time."

"...Perhaps there is a reason she does so," Kaze whispered solemnly. Robin understood the implications and nodded. She was a princess after all. And not just any princess. A kidnapped one. A hostage.

A weapon.

"So I have been led to believe," the tactician admitted. "Perhaps it is not my place."

"Yet," Kaze whispered. "She takes to you like you're her brother-"

"That's not my goal at all," Robin cringed, prompting a laugh from the ninja.

"In a purely professional way, mind me. I have the liberty to tell you that her childhood was not... friendly. In any term of the word." Robin nodded in step and looked at his princess, now joking with Lissa.

"She was kidnapped, that much I know. Separated from her Hoshidan family, she was raised in Nohr until just recently." Kaze nodded in agreement and gave a slow sigh. Taking a breath, Kaze decided a few curtains must fall.

"I... I had a part to play in that kidnapping. It was by my error that history has unfolded as it has. But perhaps it is for good reason. But regardless, I am weighed upon by guilt, which is... I suppose it my duty to tell you these things, if you will."

Robin opened his mouth to say something but thought against it. Kaze's honor was already apparent in his ethic and loyalty to Corrin.

"Kaze, perhaps another time. I am prying, clearly."

"I see none of the sort, Commander. I shall tell you so that you may better understand my aims. I was a scout for Sumeragi's convoy, though by my laziness and apathy I let slip the assassins that would later take my lord's life and snatch young Kamui from his arms."

"Sumeragi... I've heard that name many times. The head of the Hoshidan family."

"My Liege, yes. The Saizo clan had served his house for many generations. I am the first to fail that noble task."

"I see..." Robin mused. "I don't doubt your loyalty now, though. If that means anything to you. You've proven yourself well, Kaze."

"Thank you, Commander. I hope Commander Corrin feels the same. It would mend a large gash in my spirit."

With that, Kaze sighed again, shaking his head. "But the past is past. I can only push forward now, and that is what I will do. Was there anything else?"

"Oh, before I forget. Why does she insist on being called Corrin? Her birth name is Kamui, is it not? She makes a funny face when I call her Kamui."

"Preference, mostly," Kaze guessed. "It does have a more familiar connotation to it than her Hoshidan name, if I were to come to assumptions."

The portal was in the distance now, maybe a few hundred meters away. The Shepherds spread out slowly, but relaxed when it was revealed there were no hostiles in the vicinity.

"I understand things more now, Kaze. So, if I may ask, when did you and Kamui reconcile? Or does she not know-"

"She knows, and her kindness still astounds me to this day. She reinstated me and allowed me the honor of being her retainer as recompense for my sins."

"So you've never truly broken the Saizo oath then. Not saying you should forget the past, but... this is quite amazing for you."

"She truly has brought honor back to my name," Kaze agreed. "I am quite happy to have her as a master. You would be most wise to take excellent care of her."

"Oh I intend to," Robin chuckled. "But I'm afraid my duties as commander... our duties, will have to take precedent."

"War is tumultuous, tactician, a fact you know well. W-were I in your shoes," Kaze began with slight embarrassment, "I would reach for something more... official. Something to dwell upon in the years to come."

"I... It's not quite there yet. Not yet," Robin reasoned. Kaze nodded, not off-put in the slightest.

"It must be strange, seeing your children before even realizing who your wife was."

"I've encountered worse," Robin joked, thinking about Lucina. "Imagine a child from your future would be a close friend and confidante in the present."

Oh, how that might have turned out.

The party circled the ruins once Corrin gave the order, setting up a perimeter and establishing a patrol pattern as the Commanders figured out a retrieval strategy.

"It's been a while since we've seen an active portal about. What do you make of it? Does the blue-ish color make it any different?" Kaze wondered. "They're usually purplish."

"I'm not sure on the specifics, but from what I can glean, it is much older than even Steiger. I cannot quite understand its purpose yet. But we can know that the children have taken quite an interest in it. They needed a dragonstone, for one. That's probably how they activated it," Corrin began, scratching her head. "And assuming they're not hiding in the trees..."

"So they're inside is what you're saying. That makes sense, I don't smell a thing," Kaden thought aloud. "Let's fetch 'em."

"Our main concern will be the Risen that could swarm in the area if we piss off whatever is in there," Robin announced, loud enough for the perimeter to hear. "Wouldn't want our children returning to a rout now, would we?"

At least, Risen were expected to come flying out as soon as the portal was bothered. If the children were still in there, then maybe something else was afoot.

And then the portal turned off.

"Well, that's not good. Robin, what do we do now?" Lissa asked, poking the rocks with her staff.

"Corrin, if you don't mind?" Robin quickly thought, gesturing the princess over. "Kana's stone activated it so with our luck..."

The princess rubbed her stone against the face, instantly reactivating the blue energy. Humming and swirling, the light grew back to its full size within seconds, pulsing with powerful and foreign energies.

"But how are we going inside?" Kaden asked, waving his tail and ears in an odd rhythm. "It looks spooky. My fur is getting chills-"

"Well, with your feet of course," the princess laughed, walking right up to the void before her.

"Besides, you are not, Corrin and I are."

"But-"

"No buts, not this time. Sorry," Robin apologized turning back to the princess. "Keep us safe, everyone. We'll do the same for your children."

"Was that really the smartest thing you could say?" Corrin asked under her breath, Yato at the ready.

"Most certainly not. But we need to be quick if we want to do this right," Robin warned, picking up a sizable stick and wrapping it with spare cloth.

"Torch?"

"Mm."

Before he could do anything, Corrin pushed him forward through the portal, following right behind him. A wave of energy washed over them as both commanders felt the pull of being warped across worlds.

Maybe even across time.

And it was dark. Very dark.

"See, we could've waited a few more seconds-"

"You're thinking too much," Corrin smiled, pulling out her dragonstone. As soon as she triggered it, the area radiated a calm cool light which gleamed with luminous blue. It also had the intended side-effect of triggering the portal, causing it to glow a ghastly purple.

"What would a dragon be without her trusty rock," Robin joked, tossing the torch aside.

"It's a stone, actually. Dragonrock doesn't sound nice at all."

"After you then, Manakete," Robin whispered, following Corrin into the-

Cold.

Not the cold one felt when touching snow or dipping your toes in a stream. More like the cold one felt when a stranger comes knocking at the door in the middle of the night. Pressing your ear to the wall and hearing voices. All strangers, all dangerous.

Shivers of fear.

Robin gulped, all sensations lost as soon as he blinked. All senses decided to turn off at once, and he could barely tell if his eyes were open or not due to the lack of a view.

The air was acrid, burning the lungs, scorching the nose. Dust.

And that wasn't dirt he was standing on. Something softer. Something wetter. Something that mulched with every step.

"You know, when Morgan entered my domain, I thought you would be right beside her. I guess it's a good thing I waited a little longer."

Robin felt an ethereal sensation, as if he had walked into something that would conquer his very essence.

And that voice. It... was oddly familiar. Oddly, yet vaguely.

The shadow laughed, manifesting into form before Robin's eyes. Corrin was no where to be seen. She was just next to him! It was so dark...

Without words, Robin's hands were alight with sparks from both a tome and a sword, both ready to be brought to... arms? There was no one there.

"Corrin! Corrin! Where did you- Hngh!"

Was it a foot? A claw? A boot? Robin couldn't tell what it was, but whatever it was, it was hard enough to send his face on a collision course with the ground.

He heard footsteps around him. Just one set. A person walking circles far enough away to stay out of striking distance. Whatever they were walking on sounded wet too.

"None of that," the voice warned. "Just me and me."

Robin didn't really get what that meant but still kept trying to regain his footing.

"What do you want!" Robin yelled, still on his knees. The figure simply chuckled again and Robin could hear the slow footsteps as the threat stalked around him.

"Oh, just talking to myself," the stranger replied casually, as if telling a dry joke. It was then that Robin noticed the dark purple energy circling around what appeared to be hands.

"Why don't you just- aagh!" A quick jolt to the neck silenced him.

"Shhh... No more talking. My head is starting to hurt and well, I'm going through quite a big change at the moment. Let me show you what I've been working on."

The figure turned and with an explosion of purple fire, Robin found himself in a ruined wasteland. Ylisstol was burning in the distance, and Robin still heard the screams of the dying. Covering his ears at the noise, the tactician realized where he was.

"I... I'm in Lucina's timeline. Old Ylisse. After Grima destroyed it. After... you destroyed it. You're him, aren't you. You're Grima."

"Right on the nose! And guess who's in there too. Guess who you followed into this hell! Into my hell?"

Morgan. Kana.

"No... Not them."

"The prodigal daughter returns. Not too sure about that dragon boy, but sure, I'll take it."

"What have you done to them?!"

"Some of them have seen my home before, did you know that? Cynthia, Gerome, Owain. Oh, and that snarky redheaded insect they found... though not her Hoshidan friend. I let them go, seeing as they aren't worth anything to me. But your children? Oh, I had to take a look. Granted, I couldn't quite size up your specific set of spawn yet, seeing as your blood mixed with that... thing... when your children were born. Usually, as far as I remember, you pick someone a lot less... vile."

"Don't you dare call Corrin-"

"Oh her? The dragon half-breed? Please. She is hardly the natural beauty we are! You are god incarnate! She is merely lucky genetics. A human who won the lottery of faux godhood."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Skeptical? Or simply daft? Come tactician, I have seen oafs with quicker wit than this. The fact that you haven't caught onto my drift yet is not only humiliating, this is embarrassing. To think that we..."

"What do you want from me? What good is showing me the future I have already seen and am trying to prevent?"

"Oh, Lucina showed you this, didn't she? Ah, no bother. See, this is the picture of paradise for me. I could sit here and take in the sights and sounds for the rest of time. But even this can be improved with time. What if I make the Risen in this world completely sane and unwitting as you humans, with nothing separating them from them aside from my dominance over them? Imagine. Widespread murder and chaos, without a reason or want. But alas, I have dominion over their minds, not their genetics."

"So this served no purpose except to flaunt your power. What, are we supposed to convert now?" Robin challenged boldly, before being kicked across the jaw.

"Shall I show you something else then? Hum-hum, let me think. Aha! Know this, mortals. This is the era of gods and of dragons. To think otherwise is to invite your death."

Another flash of scenery and Robin found himself on the battleground where he first met Corrin. The Hoshidan river, formerly blue, was now dark red with blood. Xander and Ryoma lay dead, divine swords sheathed in each other's hearts. Hinoka was motionless in a puddle of her own blood, pooling with that of her Tenma. Camilla lay right next to her, sharing the same fate with her wyvern.

Robin tried to close his eyes, but dreams never did allow for that freedom.

Takumi had multiple vines constricting his chest to the point where he died upright. His left arm was still tightly clutching his bow, begging for one more shot that would never come. Leo had a shocked gasp about his face, a clean entry wound visible in his neck, stopping for nothing. His horse lay still, reaching yet for its rider. Azura was impaled into the ground, Falchion straight through her gut and into the soil. Her arm stretched out to nothing as to grab the detached pendant a few feet away, kept away from her by Lucina.

That one hurt the most.

In all the nightmares she showed him, Lucina never once died in them. Seeing her corpse there made Robin gag.

"That's enough. You've made your point."

Robin closed his eyes before the other crown children were visible, feeling bile make its way up his throat. He was about to vomit but he coughed it out after feeling something crawl up his leg. He recoiled and screamed when Corrin's seemingly Risen corpse grabbed his foot, claws in dragon form. It bit his leg, and Robin felt a searingly hot pain as his right foot was surgically removed at the kneecap.

"You... You betrayed us!" She yelled, and Robin had no choice but to stab his girlfriend's dragon-face as he jumped backward.

Only to get caught in the arms of Morgan and Kana.

"Only one of us can serve you, Master! So I'm gonna prove I'm the better child!" Morgan exclaimed in enthusiasm, drawing her Levin sword and engaging the fearful boy.

"W-what?! Morgan, what are you- Agh!" Kana leaped backwards as his arm got nicked by the razor sharp blade Morgan wielded. He tried reaching for his dragonstone but Morgan shot it out of his hands onto the cold mud.

"M-morgan... Why?" Kana turned to see Robin in shock, and tried running towards him.

"Papa! Help me! I don't know why she's attacking me-" Robin closed his eyes and shut his ears, cursing to himself. The clanging of blades echoed throughout his head, and Morgan and Kana's grunts of exertion punctuated the metallic staccato as Kana held Yato. How did he get that?

"Get out...Out!" Robin cursed, punching himself hard enough to make him see stars. All at once, the mirage faded away, left only with darkness. He felt the pain in his leg fade, and he breathed in relief as he walked upon two feet again. Scanning the area, Grima was no where to be seen, nor the corpses from before. It was just an illusion, he reminded himself. Just a... bad... dream?

"Damn it all... Huh?"

To his confusion Robin still heard the clanging of blades, and turned to see an unconscious Corrin lying face first in the black surface of this death-scape. Morgan stood beyond her, wildly swinging her sword in a very real attempt to murder Kana.

"What the hell! Corrin! Morgan! Kana!" Robin stumbled over to his family, leaping in front of Morgan's lunge with an aptly timed boot to the wrist, sending her Levin sword - his Levin sword - into the cloudy abyss. Another kick to her chest this time knocked her over, and the trance fell away from her dark eyes as she seemed to awaken from whatever had her in her state of bloodlust.

"W... Father? Where am I? Mother! Brother! Phew! You're here! Whatever that was... it's messing with our... Kana?"

Morgan stared blankly at Kana, who wanted nothing to do with her at the moment. Instead, he ran quickly into Robin, hiding his face in Robin's cloak.

"Papa... She tried to kill me..." Kana whispered, quivering in his father's arms. Robin tried his best to comfort his weeping son, while Morgan looked at her own hands in shock. "I t-tried to stop her... She a-almost killed me..."

"I... T-that was real?" the tactician in training asked herself, hyperventilating. Utmost fear etched her face, and Morgan started to breathe uncontrollably.

"Morgan... Calm down," Robin said as calm as he could, still holding Kana who was trembling in his arms.

"Father... Brother... I'm so sorry! No... Tell me that isn't true!" Morgan screamed clutching her head. "I didn't do those things on purpose! P-please! Tell... tell me you're not hurt!"

Kana held onto Robin's robe tightly, so Robin picked him up and put the young boy behind him as he confronted Morgan. In a panic, she lined her hands with lightning as she prepared to blast Robin to oblivion. Robin didn't relent, and outstretched his hands, walking slowly towards his daughter.

"Morgan, it's me, Robin. Your father..."

Morgan gulped and looked around, hearing whispers.

"B-but... it felt so real. D-d-d-don't come any closer! I swe-"

In her own fear, she shot Robin point blank with Thoron, knocking him over and completely scorching his chest. However, Robin braced his body and no burns were at the moment fatal. He got up slowly with a painful groan, hobbling ever closer to his beloved daughter.

"Morgan... it's going to be okay," he reassured, limping now.

"No... No... Don't come near me! You are dead! I... I don't know who you are!" Morgan screamed, "But I know what I did! Make it stop! I don't want to know anymore! Damn you! You're never taking me from them again! I did what you asked! LET ME BE, GRIMA!"

At the name, Robin looked closely to see Morgan's gaze and arms not aimed towards him, but to the figure behind him. Turning around slowly to face the same laughing figure, Robin drew his sword and tome once more and his entire arm was engulfed in purple flames and lightning, Ignis primed to incinerate the bastard at the slightest provocation.

"So... That's how you intend on taking us apart. From within..." Robin growled. Morgan backed away and Kana tried to wake up his mother.

"Dad?" Morgan whimpered, finally relaxing. "That's you? Kill him! Kill that monster!"

Robin ignored her, facing the dragon barring the way home.

"I don't care what you do to me, and I don't care what you do to Corrin because she'll kick your ass. But you... you made the very real mistake of harming my son and my daughter. Let me make this very clear- When you die, it will be painful, and no one will remember you even existed!"

Robin screamed, firing his full strength into the smoke, piercing the veil of darkness for an instant and letting daylight in for a few real moments, before black set in again. When the clouds of dust and dark faded, Grima was no longer there. And neither was his influence over the children.

Sighing, Robin reached after his daughter and held her in a reassuring hug. Calming down considerably, Morgan's whimpers turned into sobs as she held onto her father tight.

"It... it felt so real, father. Tell me he's okay."

"It's alright... Shh, I'm here. It's okay."

Morgan closed her eyes, threatening to gouge her own eyes out if not for her mass hysterics.

Corrin stirred, only to see her family in emotional shambles before her.

"Morgan! Kana! ...Robin."

The tactician turned and nodded.

"What happened? I can't quite recall..."

"We need to get them out. Now."

The urgency in Robin's eyes made the situation clear enough.

Seeing nothing but abyss and smoke, Corrin shook her head.

"I can't remember a thing... Wait."

Taking out her dragonstone, a gentle blue light pulsed throughout the rift, illuminating a path across the crevasse where the other side of the portal was.

"C'mon you two... We're getting out of here."

Robin struggled as he led the path, behind him Kana hiding behind his mother from Morgan, who was instead clutching Robin. The princess maintained distance though, comforting the blubbering mess of her daughter with her steady and warm gaze.

"C'mon Morg... You would never hurt Kana. Not you."

"B-but... I-I..."

"Shh... It's alright, Morgan," Robin assured through his groans and shivers, leading her on. Urging Kana and Morgan ahead of them, Robin gulped as he watched them disappear first. A mutual sigh of relief was given as they both disappeared back to the land of the living. Gesturing for Corrin to go first, Robin kept watch behind them as she too, was consumed by the portal. Suddenly, Robin felt a chill rush past him as Grima appeared behind him.

"Consider this a warning-"

A barrage of spells went through Grima's head, turning it into nothing but dust clouds and smoke.

"And consider that mine," the tactician hissed, stepping through the portal. "You have no hope of winning. Not today, not tomorrow, and never again!"

"Ah, there you are!" Owain announced in relief, a small number of the children appearing behind him as they surrounded the white-haired children. Morgan quickly ran away, holding her head and pressing her arms against a tree. Soon enough, the tree was uprooted, bisected, and set ablaze all at once. Running further into the woodline, Morgan screamed in anger and Gerome slowly followed her, but a quick blast of energy knocked him on his back. The wyvern rider sat there confused, not really feeling the immediate urge to get up as he fell, unconscious.

"Uh-oh," Ophelia gulped.

"They disappeared shortly after we entered the portal. We thought they went back outside, but..." Owain trailed off, shaking his head.

On the other side of events, the other parents gathered around the other children, who in turn had brought back two figures, both bearing a vibrant red head of hair.

"It's Severa, she's alive," Cynthia explained to Sumia happily. "She's Cordelia's daughter," the knight motioned towards the unconscious redhead with pigtails. And gesturing to the other figure, the knight that bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain perfectionist, Cynthia shrugged.

"And her? She looks like Cordelia but I'm not so sure who she is. She's dressed in Hoshidan Tenma armor though..."

Subaki came to mind.

Robin and Corrin appeared soon after, much to the relief of everyone else.

"Commander? You were-"

Without a word, Robin stormed over to Cynthia and took her by the collar, forcing her onto her feet. In a surprising show of both rage and strength, he lifted her into the air with just one arm, even as she choked for air.

"R-Robin!" Sumia gasped, but Cynthia stared blankly at the tactician.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Robin threatened, still holding Cynthia by the neck.

"...N-nothing, sir! Wherever Morgan and Kana went, that was without us..."

"Please stop," Kana whimpered, a nervous and still form.

"It wasn't her fault. It was mine. And Morgan's. Don't blame Cynthia for this. Blame me."

Robin dropped Cynthia unceremoniously and the Pegasus knight quickly turned back, holding her head in sorrow. Only now did she realized what Morgan and Kana had just witnessed.

"Grima..." she whispered, barely loud enough for just her and Gerome to hear.

"No..." the masked man responded, genuinely afraid and showing it.

"I'm so sorry," the Justice Cabal leader replied solemnly, looking back at and Kana. Morgan peeked from far away, just barely visible from a gap in the woods.

She knew what they had seen, and it wasn't the first time. Morgan would be incredibly devastated if she saw what she had done in her timeline. All the bodies that lay at her feet. Is that what she saw? Or was it something worse?

Severa and the stranger were in that wasteland too, and not too long ago, Cynthia and the rest of the Ylissean children stood alone and separated in Grima's hell. The only reason they made it through it was because they had done it before. Even the Hoshidan and Nohrians found their way through to the end.

"Everyone, let's get out of here," Robin sighed, holding onto his son as the party filed through the woods back to camp. Corrin tugged on his arm towards the portal, with wide eyes.

"L-look!"

Grima stood, hooded and arrogant like a thief who had just gotten away with their loot.

"Looks like we're on the same page now-"

Not even taking a second to register both shock and anger, Robin charged up a spell with a guttural howl. In an inhuman display of power, the tactician obliterated the portal with one final bolt of energy, strong enough that it blew his arm off its socket with an audible pop. As he screamed in pain, the bolt went wide right and blew off Grima's hood. Even amidst the chaos, he could hear Morgan's gasp at the result.

Pain drove Robin to scream before he punched the ground in attempts of relocating his arm. Turning into a raging inferno of curses and animal-like sounds, the Plegian could barely breathe as his arm hung limply at his side, spent. Even as the other party members tried to ignore Robin obliterating the near side of the woodline with a single spell, they stayed quiet as the tactician clutched his injured arm from exertion. Limping with Corrin's support, she whispered dreadful words to him that only he could hear.

"He... He looked exactly like you, Robin..."

Robin paled, nodding in agreement.

"Maybe it's just a trick. Maybe he was just trying to get to Morgan's head. Or..."

"Something happened to you in the future."

Chapter Text

Day 222, morning

Panne watched in silence as both the Justice Cabal and their parental rescue party emerged from the woods, among them two unconscious females she did not recognize. Putting two and two together, she came to a relative conclusion as to what the commotion was.

"So two more? Reckless, but at least those kits can look after their own," the Taguel noted, not moving from her position as the somber group filed into the camp.

Despite rescuing two of their own from what looked like another Risen cluster, the humans appeared distraught- Most stricken among them Robin, Corrin, and their two children. As they went their separate ways, most of them did not bare a smile or strike conversation, instead heading right to their respective tents or to the mess hall.

"Did we lose one?" Panne wondered, not thinking of any other logical reason for the somber mood of the-

"Heyo, Panne," a voice called, causing the Taguel to turn to...

"Kaden," Panne nodded, acknowledging the Kitsune indifferently. Selkie was farther down the path, looking back towards the woods at something, not as solemn as everyone else. Looking back, Kaden shared the same expression that she did.

"Saw you staring rather intently as we came in! Is it my fur? I did groom it quite thoroughly yesterday... And it does gleam quite admirably after a fight."

Panne scoffed at the semi-narcissistic fox spirit. Yes, at times, Kaden showed utter seriousness and focus but more often than not, he was mischievous and playful, not to mention he loved the smallest mention of himself.

"I failed to notice," Panne disregarded, "Though I am curious as to what just happened. A mixture of good and bad news?"

Kaden shrugged and gestured to his left, where Selkie and now Yarne were pacing impatiently about, away from the camp.

"We are fine, and Selkie didn't seem to let whatever happened affect her. What I do know however, is that some children with Robin and Corrin took part in a fight way bigger than your usual Risen. Seems to have hit them hard."

"What happened?" Panne asked, aware that she was stepping on thin ice now.

"Who knows?" Kaden shrugged. "I'm curious, but not nosy. I do know it has something to do with those ruins outside the castle. But that's about it. A portal, of sorts."

"A portal? Like that of which you came here from?"

A nod from the kitsune.

"Hmm. I suppose I'll hear about it when it comes around camp then. If that's all... Oh, why are Selkie... and Yarne wandering aimlessly about?"

"Oh? It appears they're waiting for something. Or someone," Kaden replied, just noticing the two stragglers.

"Yarne," Panne called out, causing both of the shapeshifters in the woodline to turn. "What's going on?"

"W-we have..." Yarne began, only to be interrupted by Kaden.

"I smell it. We have a stowaway."

"Kaden, it's too early for this- Oh. That's what you were talking about," Keaton mumbled, still wiping sleep from his eyes and mouth. Sniffing the air deeply, he raised his ears in surprise.

"That's definitely Wolfskin. Wow, she smells bad. I dig it."

"Don't get too excited," Panne warned, not exactly keen on watching a wolf pack form under her nose. "It could be dangerous."

"Should we get Robin? Or Corrin?" Kaden asked.

"No, let them rest. We can handle this. I hope," Keaton added quickly. Stretching quickly, he gestured confidently towards the woods. "Let's move."

With equal parts excitement and caution, the five shapeshifters left the castle and filed into the woods, beast stones in hand.

"Are we expecting a fight?" Yarne asked, to the dismay of Keaton and Kaden.

"I sure hope not. You Wolfskin have rather big claws. I don't think my fur would appreciate a graze from them."

"Still, our people are very territorial. And we're very out of our territory, so I would expect a conflict of interests. At the very least, a scare."

"The smell is getting stronger. Is this where you found those two girls?" Kaden asked Selkie.

"Mhm. Well, Cynthia found them, I just smelled them. Funny. They smelled kind of funny, not like anything here."

"Who?" Yarne asked curiously, not part of the previous excursion a few hours before.

"Two girls with red hair. One was dressed as a Nohrian bodyguard, one as a Hoshidan Kinshi Knight. Funny, they didn't smell much like Hoshido or Nohr."

"Red hair? Hmm."

"They were from your world, Odin and Gerome seemed to-"

"Severa! She's alive!" Yarne exclaimed loudly, scaring Keaton enough to cause him to shapeshift on reflex.

"You just gave away our location to every beast from Chon'sin to Plegia," Panne sighed, groaning as Keaton shifted back into his human form, a huge blush on his face.

snap

5 pairs of ears instantly turned towards the sound, followed by 5 deep sniffs.

"They're light on their feet," Panne analyzed instantly.

"It's a she. I can smell it for sure now," Keaton added.

"We're getting close. Let's move quickly," Kaden ordered, oddly determined.

"...And found you."

A werewolf came crashing through the woods with a loud crash, tackling Keaton to the ground. Even as the other 4 shifters assumed their beast form, Keaton remained human.

"Let him go. We're not here to fight," Kaden warned, baring fangs.

"W-what? Oh, neither am I." The stranger didn't seem to let up though, ignoring the human trapped in their relatively harmless clutches.

"Who are you? You're obviously a wolfskin. Did you follow us?"

"Yes, actually. My name's Velouria. I suppose you can say that I'm lost."

"You're not from my tribe," Keaton finally spoke, completing his smell-check. "I know my people. You don't smell like them and yet..."

"Well, I'm not from your tribe yet," Velouria explained, scratching her head and shapeshifting to human. "Uh, how do I explain this..."

"You're from the future, here to save your father from... something?" Kaden asked, ever the analyst.

"Wow, was that a guess?"

"The first couple times, yeah. You wouldn't believe how many of you there are now. Follow us."

"Commander Robin and Corrin are at the moment unavailable, so we'll show you around. In the meantime, do you mind us asking what your story is?"

"Sure, I guess. It's foggy, but..."

"Trust us, we know."

"There was a war. A big one, I think. A lot of people died, but none from my tribe. We were isolated for the most part, until one day the invaders came to us. My father was gravely injured during that time but then the invaders left."

"Sounds familiar," Kaden noted, turning to Selkie. "Just like my daughter's accounts, but mirrored. What else do you remember?"

"Let's see. There was this weird fight going on, and well, I can't remember what else exactly, but it was after the war. Nohr won."

"Hoshido won," Selkie corrected.

"No, I'm pretty sure Nohr won. Prince Takumi and Ryoma died. And yet..."

"Weird."

"One more thing. There was a young man singing. That's like the last thing I remember. And then... Water."

"A lot of water. His voice was so pretty," Selkie continued.

The two girls looked at each other, their eyes betraying everything.

"You were there."

"So were you. I remember you. And at the same time... you're a stranger."

"So two different accounts of what appears to be two different versions of the same war. The Hoshidan children say that they won, yet Nohrian children say the same thing but opposite. I assume the Wolfskin would side with Nohr," Kaden began.

"I don't know why we would, but it would make more sense than with Hoshido," Keaton mused. "Hoshido is a bit of a ways away from my tribe."

"I don't think it was by choice. Maybe Nohrian soldiers cornered your people? Perhaps threatened you."

"Perhaps. I don't feel like I would bend the knee to them though. I would fight."

"So would I," Kaden sighed. "This is all very confusing. Selkie, Velouria, do you happen to remember how your father and I happened to side with human countries?"

"There was a princess you would talk about sometimes. One who convinced you because she helped you when you were lost," Velouria offered.

"Like lost spiritually, emotionally, that sort of thing-"

"No, I'm pretty sure you were a hundred miles away from the village and she happened to rescue you."

"Y-yikes. I'm sure Kaden's story isn't as flattering as that..."

"My daddy was exploring. I think. And he ran into a princess too. Or was it a prince? I think it was a prince."

"But still," Panne interrupted. You two ended up risking your lives for humans. Why? I don't see how that would benefit you."

"Maybe I wasn't fighting for glory and all that. Maybe I owed them a debt," Kaden thought. "I'm proud to honor debts, and well, maybe I found myself in a pinch."

"I still doubt I was lost. But maybe I owed whoever rescued me my life. I am the leader of a tribe after all. I don't just collect tribute from whoever graces my path. I try earning it. Even if I don't interact with humans much."

"So very strange. As a Taguel, I don't recall the last time I came running to a manspawn's beck and call."

"Maybe I wasn't fighting for Hoshido," Kaden explained. "I like to think I was fighting for my tribe. My... what would you call it? Warren." Panne felt uneasy at the word, but recovered without a delay.

"You were a leader and a father. I don't see what would make that risk worth-"

"Why did you leave your Warren?" Keaton asked suddenly, leaving Panne distraught for a second, hesitant to answer.

"There was no one left. I was the Warren. I sought nothing but my own survival."

"So that's it. Survival. See, I can't speak for my future self, or past self, whoever Selkie knew. But the person I am today would fight for anyone who came to my aid. That's that. They risk themselves for me, I am bound by honor to do the same for them."

"Ditto," Keaton added. "I must have left Velouria and home for a reason. A good reason. And there's no better reason than to protect your people. So what made you leave, Panne?"

"...Apathy. I never left, because I am... Was. The last Taguel." Kaden and Keaton flinched, and their children leaned closer to hear Panne's tale.

"Hunters, who cares what faction, killed off my Warren until I was the sole Taguel on the entire Continent. Only by my union with a human did I extend my bloodline, though I have yet to find him in this timeline, Yarne is proof enough that my species has hope."

"But you were here when we joined. I looked into it. You were one of the first to join Exalt Chrom," Keaton asked. Panne nodded her head.

"Not quite and Exalt yet. When I met him, the man spawn was just a prince. A warrior, but not a King. About two and a half years before this campaign, there was an attack at the Ylissean capitol, one where Emmeryn, the former Exalt almost lost her life. If not for Chrom and Lucina, events may have been different."

"Where were you in all this?" Kaden asked curiously.

"I snuck in with the Plegians, but fought for Ylisse when the conflict began."

"Why?"

"Vengeance... And redemption. See, I wanted to end every human's life but only after that battle did I realize... Humans were just as loyal and loving to those they cared about as the Warren was. I was wrong to misjudge humans, and they took me in, called me a Shepherd, and I've raised myself and Yarne as the last Taguel, yet under a different Warren."

"So... you took the route most aiding your survival," Velouria asked, causing Panne to nod.

"It's not about survival, Wolf. It's about family. Kinship. Sometimes you have to look past the fighting and think more... basely," Panne replied.

"That's what you had to gain," Keaton realized, prompting Panne's nod of approval. "A warren of your own."

"These Shepherds... They took care of me and my son. Their goals are therefore my goals, and we will fight until they come reality, because they helped me realize mine."

"Well, not that we were leaving anyway, but I feel highly compelled in earning my keep as a Shepherd," Kaden announced, feeling spry and chipper.

"You can say that again. I'll fight twice as hard for my tribe now, show the world that we Wolfskin can really bring the fighting up a notch. Bring home a little glory on the way," Keaton agreed.

"And I'll be the first to tell you, it is rightly earned."

Keaton turned his head to the unannounced voice, and gaped at the sight.

The six were interrupted by Robin, eyes slightly red, looking rather dismal.

"Commander Ro-"

"At ease, soldiers... no... friends," Robin added slowly, with a ragged voice. "I was... listening. Listening for a while now, and I have to say. All of you. Thank you."

"For what, sir?"

"Please... I am not a 'sir' or a Commander at times like these," Robin frowned. "I am just a man, trying to scrounge up the will to fight another day when his own children are breaking down in front of him. A man is no man when he cannot even tell his own child that everything is going to be alright."

"Robin..." Panne asked slowly. "What happened out there?"

"It does not matter," Robin replied simply. "I've learned what I could from that ordeal, and even moreso from listening to you. The Taguel, Wolfskin, and Kitsune. You guys are quite something. We're honored to have you with us."

"What could we have offered to your knowledge, sir?" Kaden asked, causing Robin to break into a dry smile.

"It's not knowledge if you never put any thought into it," Robin explained. "It's insight. Insight that makes me realize that I do not have just an army at my fingertips. I have lives at stake. Families that could be torn apart at any wrong move. Aspirations that are mine to achieve when I take care of all of you."

"I see," Keaton nodded. Robin waved around, gesturing to the Shepherds.

"Keaton, we've talked enough. I know why you're out here. You don't have to prove a thing to this army. You're a damn good leader. When you come home, I wouldn't doubt you'll be the talk of Nohr."

"Y-yes. I... uh. Yeah." Keaton stuttered nervously.

"And you Kaden. I've seen you on the sidelines, doing things no one else would notice if they weren't paying attention. It's good to have someone like you watching the small details. Even without reward."

"When you put it like that sir, it is a lot more chivalrous," Kaden admitted. "Though it's certainly no less true!"

"And Panne, we're family, first and foremost. But we're your Warren too. The Shepherds are our family, as I've come to realize lately. Thank you for being someone we could rely on. Someone we can trust."

"It is by your hands that we have made it through unscathed, Commander," Panne smiled in response. "Staying is the best route to survival under your steady hand."

Robin then turned to the three children.

"Selkie, I already know that you went with Cynthia and the others, but you did not see the same things my children did. However, you did retrieve two of the children from whenever or wherever they came from, so I have to thank you before I scold you. But I won't scold you, not after what happened. No one could have known."

"Sir? I am still not aware what was in that portal." Robin sighed and lowered his head.

"I pray for all of our sake that it stays in there."

"Oh."

Robin straightened up and looked at Velouria.

"Velouria, is it? Welcome to the Shepherds. You uh... came at a rough time, so pardon my lack of presentation. Please, make yourself at home and we'll get you situated before our next march."

"I'll take note of that, Commander Robin."

"Ah, so polite. Or shy? Hm. Anyway." Robin turned to Yarne.

"Yarne. You are familiar with Severa and that other girl?"

"Severa yes. Other girl, no."

"Curious. I'll inquire Cordelia and Subaki later. Why don't we get some rest, hmm? I... I'm feeling tired."

With that, Robin disappeared as quietly as he joined, slinking back into this tent with a sigh.

Chrom paced his tent, Lucina watching intently as her father rambled to himself.

"Something really got to him out there," The prince sighed as he paced around, thinking of his white-headed friend. The princess sat cross legged, polishing Falchion's hilt.

"They found Severa," she explained. "Which means they found the portal that led into the Ylisse I had to abandon..."

"Which means they saw what would happen should we fail," Chrom realized, sitting next to his daughter. "Was it that bad?"

"..."

"I see."

"You would wish your eyes fall out first."

"Severa... Did she stay behind?"

"She... volunteered to. We were surrounded by Risen. Grima himself followed us in his human form, for victory was assured for him. His hood blocked his face but I remember that smirk as I cut Severa off from us at the portal..." Lucina closed her eyes tightly and shook.

"She's okay now, though!"

"No... She was alone in Grima's world for years! I am amazed she's still alive, let alone sane." Chrom put his fist on his chin and sighed.

"When she comes to, we'll visit her?"

"I would like that, Father. Though, it makes me realize."

"What?"

"That other woman... No one knows her name. She was dressed like a Hoshidan flyer, yet no one knows where she is from. No one knows anything about her, yet she was in the same world, captured in the world I left."

"Probably a survivor."

"A Hoshidan survivor in Ylisse? Father, I... It doesn't make any sense."

"That is rather strange..." Chrom thought about it and he figured to ask Robin when time seemed right.

"We already know the Hoshidans and Nohrians come from something similar to the Ylisseans but... I wish it would add up. I do not know how they came to join us on our quest."

"We know a few things. Don't you remember?"

"They explained that someone sent them here. A singer with water. Sound familiar?"

"Azura? That could be a thought. But I thought the singer was male," Chrom corrected.

"I'm thinking too hard... I'll just ask one of them when the time comes. I... I'll go check in with Corrin."

"You do that," Chrom sighed, laying in his bed as Lucina left. He heard another voice and Lucina's greeting, forcing his eyes open.

"Oh, Hello Robin," Lucina greeted from outside.

"Hey Lucina... Is Chrom..."

"Yes, he is. Are you feeling... well?"

"I would like to speak with you later. In private."

"O-of course. I will wait for your order then."

"Thanks."

Robin entered, a fatigue beyond him resting on his face.

"You okay?" Chrom asked, sitting back up.

"No. But we'll manage," Robin said with a dry laugh, still standing in the doorway. "Just wanted to drop in and say hello."

"That's unlike you. No chess game? No strategy meeting?"

"Just a friendly conversation... Just reminding myself that I have friends at my order, not just soldiers."

"Robin..."

"Yeah?"

"What did you see?"

"I didn't see much..." Robin said, his face darkening and lowering as his lip quivered, something even Chrom could see.

"Was it that bad?"

"I saw him, Chrom. The Fell Dragon. Damn it all, but he almost got Morgan... Kana too."

"Did they find what they were looking for?"

"Yes, and she's horrified."

"Robin?"

"Morgan... Where she was from... she... She helped destroy Lucina's world. She served Grima, and remembering that just... destroyed her."

Chrom winced at the turn of events. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You can say sorry if we lose." Chrom smiled at Robin's attempt at humor but Robin remained blank. "I can say sorry if I lose."

"So what's bothering you?"

"Morgan's... She's out of it, Chrom. Kana is terrified too, when Morgan came after him in the portal..."

"That wasn't her doing. She was driven mad. Lucina told me what happens to those who stay too long in that chaos..."

"I need to protect them, Chrom. I need to protect all of us. Corrin saw Grima when we destroyed the portal... I'm going to brief the camp later on... About Grima."

"But..."

"Chrom... They need to know."

"Then I'll help."

"You already are, friend," Robin smiled, leaving Chrom's tent.

Gazing upon the Shepherds as the sun began to fully rise, Robin smiled lightly on his soldiers... His family.

"Not one of you dies on my watch."

"Empty promises, gods I could be so ambitious when I'm stirred up. Alright then, Robin. Not one of them will die.

Not even you."

Chapter Text

Day 223, Morning

It wasn't a very long talk, but Robin felt a little more at ease after conversing with Chrom. So much had happened since arriving in Valm, and he felt as if he hadn't done enough talking. Sure, a commander had to commandeer, but all these Shepherds, the original Ylissean ones anyway, loved Robin for his sense of friendliness. A friend they could talk to wasn't a very good friend if he couldn't talk.

He would, of course, after a very long nap.

14 hours later, it was a brand new day, leaving the tactician much more relaxed than he was the day before. The problems still hung overhead like a storm cloud, but they would be tackled in time. Just like everything else, Robin would systematically take a hold of this situation and leave it conquered to the letter. From now on, he decided, it would be his reaffirmed mission to be a true leader, not just on the battlefield, but in every moment not.

And a father, worthy of his children's respect.

"Good morning to you, Commander. At least, if you consider it thus."

Ryoma sat down across from the idle tactician, a healthy dosage of rice and eggs for breakfast. The crown prince took a bite, only pausing when Robin appeared in deep thought.

"If now isn't a good time..."

"I'd say it is, Prince Ryoma," Robin responded with a smile, gesturing for the Hoshidan crown prince to resume his meal. "Now is a good time. And a good morning," he added, admiring the sunrise from outside the mess hall tent.

"I'm not one for rumor and whispers, but I hear that the recovery mission the children staged was a success," Ryoma offered, causing Robin to put on a forced smile and nod.

"Two children from a doomed future, just like the others. Three, if you want to be technical. One of them we do not know but the other two have either identified themselves or have a lot of Ylissean friends."

"I'm a fan of good news. Do we know the parents?"

Robin nodded again, sipping his water as to hide the slight frown that was still tugging at the edges of his lips.

"Cordelia and Keaton. Er, not together, of course."

"I see. Did anything else happen?"

It was quite clear Ryoma wanted to talk shop about his sister.

"The portal... Princess Corrin and I-"

"Kamui," Ryoma insisted, much preferring the Hoshidan name he had known his sister by.

"...Yes," Robin continued after a pause. "Kamui and I went in to retrieve the children when we were attacked by Grima." Ryoma's eyebrows shot up, but he maintained a controlled posture.

"After which we were separated briefly until I recovered Kana and Morgan, psychologically impaired by Grima's illusions and fighting each other to the death."

"Fighting, as in..."

"Had we not shown up as we did, I would likely be bringing back the corpse of my son."

Ryoma swallowed slightly, showing an uncharacteristic bout of discomfort.

"An enemy that can turn kin against kin. I can't say I like that."

"I understand as a crown prince you have many siblings looking to you. Please don't lose heart."

"Fear not, Robin. I have faced foes greater than fear and hesitation and emerged the stronger for it. I know what to expect now, at least."

"That's not the worst part," Robin added with a slight pause. "My daughter, Morgan... In the previous timeline she was from. She served Grima. I don't know why or how. She was brainwashed and for a time was wiped clean of her memories until we found her. How many lives ruined by her hands, we will never want to know."

"What human would willingly serve the harbinger of destruction," Ryoma agreed, thinking of the Grimleal he had read about. "I doubt it was voluntary. I assume she is... unwell?"

"...Yes."

"So how are Kamui and Kana handling this, tactician?" Ryoma asked, forcing yet another frown onto Robin's face.

"I don't know. Corr- Kamui is resting in my tent and I bet Kana is in there too. They have to be ready to talk before I will bring it up. I can't possibly force the either of them right now."

Ryoma stayed silent, only moving to take small bites of his food. Robin stared past him, watching the other Shepherds eat or walk around or train. Many looked at him and he met their gaze, but they turned away when he did so, causing the tactician to become suspicious.

"Do you trust me, Prince Ryoma?"

"You are our commander," The prince stated flatly. "I have fought battle after battle, marched from one side of Valm to the other, and you have not let a single one of my men die. You have earned Hoshido's trust, and mine. I do not doubt your orders for an instant."

"Thank you," Robin smiled, "But that's not my exact question. Do you trust me with... your sister? With Kamui?"

Ryoma smiled faintly before reaching across the table to place an encouraging hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Tell me this. You are in battle and suddenly thrust upon you are two children that are yours through blood and bond. What would you do?"

"I didn't know at first," Robin admitted, "But as soon as they called me Father... They were my children. They are my children, and I have to protect them at any cost."

"Then that is what I need to hear," Ryoma nodded, his lips not curving but still positive. "I was thinking I would be first among my family to sire a child, but clearly the circumstances have differed. Kamui as a mother is entertaining but still very real... And you as her husband?"

"N-not quite there yet," Robin interjected.

"No matter," Ryoma waved it off. "You have proven yourself a man of honor and integrity. What little I have seen of your interaction with my sister has proven that you are willing to overcome this dilemma and move forward. And I trust she will do the same for you, given time."

Robin smiled at the thought and nodded.

"T-thank you, Ryoma. Your trust in me will never be a mistake."

The prince nodded and exited the mess hall, leaving Robin by himself once again.

"Oh, and Merry Krismas," Ryoma called back as he disappeared, causing Robin to raise a brow.

"Huh?"

But the swordsman was already gone.

Corrin slowly woke not from her own volition, but the dual snores on either side of her. A quick glance around told her that she was in Morgan's cot, the addition disturbing the overall order to the room in relation to everything else. As three armored and rather heavy individuals were on said cot, and Corrin was surprised it hadn't leaned over or snapped. On the Princess' right, Morgan lay huddled, clutching Corrin's cape with her right hand while holding her own body with her left. Still asleep, Morgan's nightmares were still plaguing her well into the morning and Corrin tried her best to comfort her daughter.

On her left, Kana snored lightly while holding onto Corrin's other arm. Still fearful of the previously murderous sister just inches away, Kana kept his distance from the white-haired mage. Corrin squinted, eyes adjusting to the light. Her focus turned into a frown when she noticed the trails of dried tears against her son's rosy cheeks. She held him tighter and he instinctively gripped her body tightly, hand brushing against Morgan's but not doing anything beyond that.

A knock was heard from outside, and Corrin turned towards the doorway to see a shadow waiting outside.

"Anyone up?" the young tactician outside asked.

"Nope," Corrin teased, yawning for good measure but still keeping her voice at a level where she was not immediately disruptive to her children's sleep. Robin walked in with a light smile and seeing Morgan's cramped cot, decided against his initial idea of laying on top of his family and instead went to his own cot, taking off his boots next to his bed.

"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Robin asked casually, keeping his voice low.

"About to, once the kids wake up," Corrin responded, just as soft. Robin peeked over and sighed, remembering why they were there in the first place.

"Are they... Okay?"

"Just give them time, Robin. They're strong. They're okay." Robin growled and turned towards the wall, biting his upper lip and stifling his distress.

"Robin?" Corrin asked, worried for the tactician.

"I let him look me in the eyes. I hesitated. Morgan and Kana were at risk and I hesitated." Robin's voice grew slightly louder, and Morgan stirred. Corrin made a shushing sound and Robin sighed. Sitting up, he gazed longingly at the ceiling, closing his eyes and giving his demons free reign over his will.

"I couldn't have known. But still, this is all my fault."

Robin waited for Corrin's response but only felt a tome hit the back of his head. It was hard enough to be malicious, but soft enough to not hurt him seriously.

"...Ow."

"Are you done loathing? They're here, they're alive. Can you really ask for more?" Corrin asked mercilessly, knowing full well her children might wake at any second.

"No, dammit. No. But they deserve better." Robin admitted, dropping his head back onto his pillow. When Corrin didn't respond, he looked up just in time to see another projectile inbound, this time much lower.

A deft motion and Robin caught the tome before it crumpled the contents of his crotch.

"What the hell?"

The culprit was Morgan this time, who stood before him as wonderful as she could be. Hands behind her back, her smile was earnest and sincere.

Quite instantly, the clouds parted above Robin's mind, and he could only smile back.

This was his daughter. His precious little girl.

Robin fumed in defeat as the tactician in training jumped over him ungracefully, rolling over his body with a commotion. Hugging him tightly, he felt her head press into his back.

"You did your best, Father. You rescued... you went inside for both of us," Morgan assured. "...But. T-thanks for coming for me. I really... didn't think you could save us. Not after seeing him in there." Clutching onto Robin's back, she hid her sincere smile as Robin stared towards Corrin with a blank expression.

"You're welcome, Mom," Corrin added, quite dismal herself. "You did your best too, Mom."

"Err... right. Yes. Thank you, Mother," Morgan added quickly. Corrin merely rolled her eyes, her smile alleviating any sense of ill her words might have conveyed.

"He walks in like he runs this little troop of dragons, taking credit like some sort of tactician. Hmph," Corrin replied, "But he'll do for now."

"And what have you done so far?" Robin teased, but Corrin's flinch told him he went too far.

"N-nothing. I..."

"Oh."

Robin realized Corrin never told him what she saw in the portal and whatever dark clouds were lingering before came back in full force.

"C-corrin."

But the princess held up a hand, her mouth trembling and sealed shut.

"Not here."

"We can talk later."

"Yes... I'd like to." Corrin got up, leaving Kana in the cot and walked over to the tactician and her daughter. "But enough of that. Today's a new day. A special day."

"It is? I mean, of course, but... special?" Robin looked to Morgan, who shrugged.

"No idea."

Kissing Kana's forehead as she got up, Corrin stretched, the worries that affected her clearly gone... for now.

"Merry Krismas you two," the Princess said with the faintest of smiles, hugging Morgan and scraping Robin's nose with her lips as she exited the tent.

"What does that even mean!?" Robin scowled, Morgan shrugging in response. "That's twice now."

"You got a kiss out of it. I'd say that's worth it."

Corrin felt the wet grass against her bare feet as she left, smiling as the Shepherds were still bright and chipper despite the current events. Thinking back to the portal, her optimism fell.

She'd have to tell him eventually.

It would be a good idea to see Azura. Ever since she left her best friend's tent, the two hadn't really talked much so-

"Good morning, Corrin," Azura greeted, Chrom and Lissa accompanying.

I should be a summoner, she thought under her breath.

"Azura, Exalt Chrom, Princess Lissa," Corrin greeted, forcing on a tired smile.

"We heard a lot," Chrom started, "But it's good to see you okay." Lissa nodded.

"Yep! We even rescued two children from Old Ylisse! Isn't that ama... Corrin?" the woman in question rubbed her bloodshot eyes and stretched her back.

"Chrom... Has Robin talked to you yet?"

Lissa fumed, her statement flying right over Corrin's ears.

"O-oh... Three! It was three. I thought Velou... Velouria? Is that her name? I thought..."

Ignoring his sister for now, the Exalt nodded, looking back towards her tent as if Robin were to manifest at his summons.

"Yes, actually. We spoke yesterday after the mission... concluded. He's planning a meeting right after lunch, if he hasn't told you already."

At Corrin's blank stare, Chrom knew that Robin hadn't.

"Right. So there's a meeting after lunch."

"...Understood. I should show up."

Chrom nodded, turning briefly to his sister who had been mumbling all this time.

Corrin took the chance to speak to Azura, who had been waiting patiently with her hands elegantly folded behind her back. Corrin stifled a gasp when the singer held out a present for her, a small little thing in a plain white box.

"I realize it's a bit early... But I figured with how the day has been going so far you might as well get this now. Oh, and before you ask, you didn't get this from me. Sorry to break tradition."

Corrin took the present eagerly, shaking it but not discerning anything.

"How about a guess? Can I guess? You'll tell me, right? Wait. Did you actually get me this or are you acting as proxy-"

"Hey, that ruins the fun!" Azura teased, before adding, "I can't tell you, you know. If anyone asks, you haven't spoken to me today."

"That would ruin the fun," Corrin mimicked, before hugging her friend. "Ah, if only there's a way for me to pay you back-"

"No need, Corrin. Just seeing you happy is... It's enough. How are the two young dragons?"

"They'll pull through," Corrin responded, watching Chrom and Lissa as they argued about something behind Azura.

"Was it that bad?"

"I don't know yet... I haven't pulled anything from them. Robin's having more luck with Morgan, but I haven't heard much from Kana yet."

"I... I see. If there's anything I can do to help?" Azura offered.

"I'll ask for your help, when there is-" Corrin stopped when Lissa abruptly pushed Chrom a good foot, before the prince regained his footing and held his sister in a headlock.

"I told you it's a gift from a stranger!" Chrom teased, enjoying Lissa's frantic escape pleas even as she scratched up his arm and hand. Hissing, Chrom let go with a yelp.

"Okay okay fine! You win!"

"Is anything the matter, Exalt Chrom? Princess Lissa?" Azura asked, abnormally calm despite the near carnage that she was adjacent to.

"Just an argument about your little White Pegasus you have there," Chrom explained, gingerly caressing his hand.

"White Pegasus?"

"Y'know, the gifts that everyone picks and-"

"There is no picking here, Chrom. This is an old Nohrian and Hoshidan holiday we are celebrating today," Azura corrected.

"...Which involves White-" Lissa bonked Chrom over the head with her staff.

"Can you explain, Corrin?" Lissa asked, forcing a smile from Azura.

"It's quite a long story..."

"In which case..." Lissa cleared her throat, and after a second of realization, Chrom sighed and came back with a bench.

The four took a seat, quickly joined by Lucina who happened to be walking by.

"There was a dragon. A fierce being that threatened a peaceful kingdom. There was also a swordsman by the name of Kris who helped to slay it."

"I can't say I've heard that one before. I like it," Chrom acknowledged, his spirits lightened by Azura and Corrin's story.

"That is quite a tale... It could quite honestly have its own counterpart in Ylissean lore," Lucina said, crossing her legs casually.

"Tales of sacrifice and loyalty often make their ways across borders," Chrom assured, patting Lucina's shoulder as he too, polished his Falchion. "The tales of Lissa the Gentle will be told generations from now on Hoshidan and Nohrian taverns, don't you think?"

A bonk on the head from Lissa's staff quieted him.

"I'm more curious as to what Corrin got for a gift! If there's truly no intent in respect or acknowledgement when they exchange presents... Not even to mention who it's from... That begs so many questions!"

"Yes," Azura agreed. "Who would have given you such a lovely gift?" Corrin rolled her eyes with a giggle.

"Begging seems more your suit, Lissa," Chrom joked, only to get put into an Ylissean headlock.

"Whatever Chrom! You're just a big grump because strangers gave me the nicer presents!"

"Well that's because we don't celebrate Krismas in Ylisse!"

"Well it isn't your birthday anytime soon either!"

"No one cares, Lissa!"

Ignoring her father and aunt's babbling, Lucina thought more about the story from earlier.

"Kris... That name sounds familiar," Lucina wondered. "I will be back. I think I remembered reading this in one of Robin's books!"

"Ooh, I'll advise against that. He's not-"

Corrin couldn't even finish her sentence, as Lucina had already made herself scarce.

"She seems quite inspired. I wonder what that's about?" Azura wondered.

"Robin?" Lucina asked, knocking on Robin's tent. Hearing no response, she tip-toed in, smirking when she saw the tactician knocked out with his daughter drooling all over his shoulder, head against his back.

"...Robin?" she repeated, just for a precaution.

"..." With a reassuring exhale, Lucina went over to the tactician's bookshelf where she had borrowed certain books from time to time, scanning the shelves for the one she was looking for.

"You're not gonna find it," Robin whispered between a yawn, causing Lucina to jump in shock as she turned to the tactician who was holding the book she was looking for.

"How did you know-"

"Corrin threw it at me this morning. It just happened to be the first book within her reach. Do be careful not to drop anything on Kana." Lucina looked down, not even noticing the small boy who was sleeping by her feet on Morgan's cot.

"My apologies for breaking and entering."

"This is hardly breaking, but this is what you're looking for, right?" Lucina nodded with a blush.

"Yeah."

"Records of the Hero King's Campaigns," Robin recited, before tossing the book to the princess. "It's quite uninformative, actually. Most of the tricks the book say Marth used involved some sort of warp staff which hadn't even been invented yet-"

"This is important, Robin. I'm looking for-" Robin waved Lucina off.

"It's fine. Really. Go ahead, I won't be needing that for a while."

"Thank you so much, Robin! I'll see you at the summit! Merry Krismas!" With that, Lucina left, a book in her hand and a grin on her face. Robin merely stared at the doorway before letting his head rest again.

"You too."

Day 223, Afternoon

Robin cleared his throat as the Shepherds either sat, knelt, or stood around him, all eager to hear what the tactician had to say. Corrin sat in the front, still holding the present from Azura. A makeshift mound had been erected to which Robin graciously stood on, a head above everyone except for maybe Xander.

"Shepherds, welcome. Is everyone here?"

Murmurs, but mostly positive.

"Alright then, let's begin. Almost a year now, so it's time I've told you something that's been on my mind."

Whispers circled around the camp, and Robin gulped quietly.

"For almost two years I've fought for Ylisse, and for a many months we've fought alongside Nohr and Hoshido, and so far... it's been going good. Really good.

"...But?" the crowd seemed to suggest, though no one actually said it.

"This is just the first step. And we... I... I can't do it alone. Yesterday, I met defeat. For the first time in two years, I didn't win. Maybe we didn't lose anything we couldn't get back. And maybe blood didn't spill. But the enemy bested my mind. He beat me, a tactician, in a game of wits.

I lost.

See, Grima isn't just a dragon that spews death. He turns ally against ally, he turns families into orphans and martyrs of equal portion. He... He's too much for one man to face alone."

Robin stopped, taking a breath when Corrin looked back at him hopeful. There would be no help from her, but having her by his side was support enough.

"But we aren't alone. We have each other, and those we care about. And maybe even those we don't. I won't pretend to see that Nohr and Hoshido are meeting difficulties out there. But I won't glaze over the peace and friendship we've forged as well. Were Grima to come this very instant... I'd have good faith in everyone here that we- we would stand as one. And not one of us will be alone, no matter how dark the night becomes."

The tactician wrapped up the first half of his speech, gesturing towards the crowd, particularly towards a pig-tailed Pegasus Knight.

"You. Cynthia, step forward."

"Uh, what? O-okay. Yes sir."

Robin cleared his throat and pulled Cynthia onto his mound of dirt so that she shared the podium with him. Everyone could see the sweat and fear on the young Pegasus Rider's face.

"A day ago we recovered Cynthia along with her 'Justice Cabal' sneaking out of camp, leaving the safety of Steiger and entering hostile territory. What they found was a portal and a swarm of Risen just the same as any other we've seen. But this was no ordinary Risen camp. This was the gateway to Old Ylisse, where the future children had originated from and where Grima, our enemy, reigns free. This carelessness could have been remedied with prior warning, but none was given before or during the operation. This resulted in the psychological injuries of two of her own, and therefore my own, personnel.

Not to mention... My children.

The mission concluded with a small fraction of the recovery and initial party having a brief contact with Grima himself, and the mission was concluded without any further injuries. Recovered from Old Ylisse were two, no three children. Sorry Velouria, I keep forgetting you were there too. First, there was Severa, a child from Old Ylisse. The other child was presumably from Hoshido. How this Hoshidan was in Ylisse, I have no current guesses. But that isn't quite as important as this."

Drawing his old iron sword that was rarely unsheathed, Robin twirled it in a fluid motion before pointing it at Cynthia.

"Commander R-robin..." Cynthia gulped, as well as the rest of the Shepherds. Surely Robin wouldn't kill a child! Lucina scrambled forward, only for Chrom to hold her back.

"On your knees, Cynthia," Robin whispered. Cynthia shook her head no.

"On your knees," he repeated.

"Robin!" Corrin yelled, but Robin raised his hand to quiet her. A quick glance at Chrom told Corrin that this wasn't part of the plan.

"Everyone needs to heed this example... This is what we have to see!" Robin yelled. "This is what our enemy will take advantage of!"

Cynthia slowly fell on her knees, tears falling on her face as Robin raised his sword.

"Ylissean Shepherd, Cynthia," Robin began.

"Upon my sword and upon the authority vested upon me as Hand to the Exalt..." Cynthia closed her eyes, bracing for-

"I raise you, as a Knight of the Halidom."

Cynthia opened her eyes in a gasp, along with the rest of the Shepherds.

"W-what?!" Cynthia retorted, prompting Robin to smile as he tapped her shoulders with the sword and prompted her to stand.

"Rise, Sir Cynthia."

Without another word, she did.

"Cynthia displayed utmost valor, courage, and selflessness on a mission that was not in pursuit of selfish desires, but to rescue one of her sisters in arms." Robin announced, sheathing his blade.

"And I want everyone to know that what she did, it hurt my own children. It also saved lives. Lives are precious, Shepherds. Each and every life is sacred, which is why we must treat it as the commodity above any other on this campaign. Cynthia... Wherever the souls of your parents are flying, I'd bet they're proud."

"T-thank you, Commander."

A quick glance to Sumia told Cynthia enough. This was really happening. Both Sumia and Cordelia rose, affixing a winged clip to each of her pig tails.

"It is my honor to instate you as a Pegasus Knight of the Halidom," Cordelia began, with Sumia completing the vow.

"May your dominion over Ylisse's skies be like the stars and clouds themselves. Congratulations," Sumia charged, not from Pegasus Knight to Pegasus Knight, but from a mother passing the torch to her daughter.

"Sir Cordelia, Mother-"

"Hey hey, no idle-talk to your superiors until after," Robin interrupted, smiling all the while. The Shepherds laughed, only now easing off.

"...Right."

"Well, a hero's work is a hero's duty, right? You along with the rest of your team have earned our, and my, gratitude. Oh, and the honor of cleaning the stables until we start marching again."

"B-but... Of course! Yes sir. The Cabal'll clean those stables so good that those animals will hate to leave!" Cynthia couldn't even be mad at her punishment. What an honor!

"I'm sure you will, Sir Cynthia. Well done." Backing away and holding his hands out towards the instated knight, Cynthia stayed there alone on the mound, the center of attention if only for a few seconds.

Cynthia stood there like a sputtering fool, watching as every single Shepherd applauded the newly instated Knight of Ylisse.

Patting her back, Robin nodded before gesturing for Cynthia to sit down. Watching as she took up a seat next to Lucina, the two shared a hug before letting Robin continue.

"Ah, that feels much better. I'd thought to kick off the afternoon with a bit of a celebration."

Laughter reverberated, along with a second round of applause.

"It has come to my attention is that today is a very special day for the Nohrians and Hoshidans. Krismas, was it?"

The respective parties both gave a holler and Robin chuckled to himself.

"What the Ylisseans do not quite remember... And what Lucina is still trying to figure out... Is that this 'Kris' actually hailed from Ylisse."

Gasps rang out from the crowd, and Robin stood there basking in his genius.

"Kris was a knight among King Marth's royal guard. The Hero King himself was his liege. He was a paragon knight, selfless to the end, always seeking for his Lord's safety and victory. King Marth always had an invisible hand watching his back, though nowadays we've pieced together that it was Sir Kris.

He gave up any chance of securing a place in the history books for himself and his family and instead offered the full glory to Marth. By means we do not know, he vanished. Kris then found his way to what is now present day Cyrkensia, where tales of honor and sacrifice emerged from his wife's records. I hear 'Reese and Katarina' is a popular ballet over there."

Azura nodded, thinking herself unseen.

"Long story short... Nohrians, Hoshidans, if you would allow, us Ylisseans have the humble request to be included in this... festivity of yours. Starting with this," He gestured to Cynthia, "Example of selfless heroism."

Once again, hollers from both the Hoshidan and Nohrian side erupted, Robin only nodding to confirm.

"Then Shepherds... On your feet!"

Immediately, the whole army stood at attention, Robin proudly staring back.

"Go have yourself a Merry Krismas. Don't get too drunk. Dismissed!"

Immediately, chatter and cheers erupted, and hugs all across the army sprang out. As the noise dimmed back into the camp, Robin watched everyone but a few people leave.

"Gotcha worried for a second." Robin mentioned, walking up to Corrin.

"Of course I was worried. You barely use your iron sword, you wouldn't leave a clean cut."

"A ha, so funny. Well, we're free. Except for Cynthia over there. But she'll be fine."

"That was very thoughtful of you," Corrin admitted. "I'm glad it turned out the way it did."

"What's in the box?" Robin asked, changing the subject. "A couple of Hoshidans and Nohrians have been passing a few around. At least that's what I think is happening." The question prompted the Princess to shrug.

"The whole idea of the gift is that no one knows from where or what the box entails," Corrin explained. "You know, Kris giving-"

"Yes, yes, I know."

"Well, I was just trying to explain how it works, because you know... It looks like you don't."

"I'll figure it out come next year," Robin said with a basic shrug. "I'll meet you back inside? Don't open it yet... I wanna see." Corrin nodded and headed inside. Seeing just Robin, Chrom, Lucina, and Cynthia left, Corrin vanished without a word.

"If it were up to me, I would beat you senseless with the thickest tome Morgan has, and then knight you, Cynthia," Robin frowned, rubbing the Knight's hair and ruffling it all up. "See, the point of the Krismas gift is that you don't know who just gave you the random act of kindness. In this case, me sparing your head from my tomes."

"Pff," Chrom added. "I didn't authorize that knighting at all."

"Ah, let her have her fun. After all, she's bound to the crown now, isn't she?" Robin laughed, watching Cynthia pale.

"W-What!?"

"He's absolutely right, isn't he? Well, Sir Cynthia, seeing as our supply of Pegasus Knights are rather... minimal, I'm going to need some work done," Chrom said mercilessly, grinning all the while.

"So who's idea was it to make me a knight and make an example of me?" Cynthia asked, half excited and half terrified.

"That ruins the fun," Robin said, reciting the phrase reserved for presents such as these. "Ah, if you mind, Chrom, Sir, Princess," Robin said, kindly regarding his company. "I have one last move to affix before the Queen can rest. Have a good night!"

"Queen? What's he planning with Olivia?"

"I think it was a chess metaphor."

Robin knocked on the tent, entering anyway. Corrin was sitting on his bunk, and Morgan and Kana snuggled together on hers. Robin smiled and looked at Corrin.

"All together at last?"

"All together at last," Corrin said with a very warm smile. Holding her present, Robin shook it.

"Who gave it to you?"

"Azura."

"What would Azura usually get you?"

"That's not how it works, Robin. Especially since I've known her about as long as I've known you."

"R-right. Well then, how does it work?"

"Well... In Nohr we just swapped presents until we had the box we wanted. I've usually just stuck with my first choice. Being as there was one for me, Jakob, Flora, Felicia, and maybe... yeah that's about it."

"So... Who do you thank in return?" Robin asked.

"No one, everyone, who knows! The whole point of Krismas is to exemplify the nameless gift! If I had a name, I would have a favorite... And that's not what Kris would've wanted. It takes the spirit out of the gift and onto the person."

"I see," Robin said. "I hope yours is to your liking then!" He said earnestly, watching as Corrin unwrapped the cloth around the wooden box.

"And it is..." Robin anticipated...

"A..." Corrin undid the final knot, revealing a rich blue and white cape, emblazoned with the Mark of Naga on the back, not too different from Chrom's. On the front lay a sash which connected to the cape's collar, perfectly matching the one Corrin had on her armor.

"It's a Nohrian cape... In Ylissean colors..." Corrin breathed. Robin pointed to the bottom.

"What's that?"

"It's a note!" Corrin said, smiling as she reached for it and unfolded it. Robin peeked over her shoulder to read it.

Dear Corrin.

First off if this isn't Corrin, then I beseech you to give this to her. It's a nice cape right? But not yours. Secondly, Corrin, I got your height wrong, I think. Hoshidans and Nohrians wear the capes a little longer than Ylisseans do so a few inches got lost in translation.

And if this really is Corrin, thank you. Morgan and Kana have such a wonderful mother and I cannot help but feel jealous for them-

"This is kinda creepy," Corrin admitted, folding up the letter-

"Wait, at least read the rest."

"No!"

"Then you read it!"

"F-Fine."

Cannot help but feel jealous for them because there's no way I can match the love and care you've shown our two little dragons. Coming from their father, I have my work cut out for me."

B

"Wait. You sent this!?"

"I hope I didn't ruin the fun..." Robin teased.

"You... You knew this was going to be sent for me... You orchestrated this and pretended you didn't know a thing about Krismas!" Corrin grinned madly alongside her boyfriend, happily accepting her defeat.

"Thank you Azura," Robin whispered with a smile. "Keep reading it though!"

By this time you've figured out this is from Robin, and yes, I knew about Krismas. I had to! You got so excited with Azura, I had to figure out what your glee was about. And I pray that this works. I hope you like the cape, and I pray it keeps you warm, safe, and protected in the battles to come. Know that I will do everything in my power to do the same.

Yours then, now and forever, Robin."

"Well?"

Corrin couldn't hold it in, squealing so hard she startled the two children for a brief instant. They opened their eyes to the sight of their mother digging her head into their father's neck, before groaning and closing them again.

"It's perfect..." Corrin said, folding up her old Nohrian cape and attaching the one Robin made to her armor. "How's it look?"

Robin whistled teasingly and winked.

"I ought to knight you as well. Wow. Cherche knows her stuff."

"Remind me to thank her when we're all awake tomorrow," Corrin noted, rubbing her hand along the smooth white fabric.

"I was actually wondering... since it's kinda late..." Robin began.

"Oh, was it your plan to have me sleep next to you?"

"Only if you want. You have other friends out there-"

Corrin giggled, changing out of her regular armor to the simple dress underneath. Jumping onto his bed, she relished the feeling before turning to look at her boyfriend. Robin took off his robe and nervously lay down as well, keeping his distance.

"No funny business, or I might pee," Robin admitted.

"R-Right." Corrin said nervously, her smile disappearing into a smirk of mischief.

"I mean it! Morgan and Lissa put frogs in my small clothes-" Turning away, he hid his embarrassed grimace.

"Merry Krismas, Robin," Corrin whispered, inching towards him and nearly breaking his neck as she turned him around. Instinctively, Robin closed his eyes just in time to see Corrin close hers.

It was warm, and slightly wet... and nice. Oh, it was nice. Turning, he saw Corrin hogging his pillow, covering her mouth and eyes with her forehead peeking out.

"Y-you too, Princess." Not one to be outdone, Robin removed the pillow to its rightful owner.

Feeling the same warmth on her lips, Corrin's heart stopped.

"Those books... weren't even close," the Princess mumbled, already in a dream state.

Morgan and Kana watched as their parents finally fell asleep in each others arms, Robin too impatient with Corrin's hair to face her and Corrin always preferring to sleep on her right side anyway.

"Hey sis," Kana inquired, holding onto Morgan's arm. "You still awake?"

"Yeah. What's up?" Morgan replied.

"Merry Krismas. I wish I could've gotten you something-"

A very solid hug shut Kana up, but it wasn't enough to prevent the young dragon from hugging his sister back.

"We're all here. We're all happy. That's all I could ever ask for."

Chapter Text

Awakening - Red Sky in Morning

Day 234 - Morning... Wait. Morning?!

"Why is it bright? ...And that's the sun. Not good. Not goo- Ow. Not good!"

Owain unceremoniously stumbled out of his tent, a man with half the clothing and twice the energy as anyone else in the camp. Running quickly past Leo, the swordsman stopped briefly as his lord looked him over, raising an eyebrow in concern.

"See, I want to say I usually know what's happening, but with you... Owain, you look like you just took a bath, yet you smell as if you haven't the slightest idea what one is."

This prompted the young blond to feel himself over, just now noticing the cold morning air on his bare skin. A lot of cold air, and a lot of bare skin.

"I can see this might be a problem," Owain excused, turning around before Leo could reply.

It was like a walk of shame, except the Chosen of the Darkness would never be caught in a shameful position. Nonetheless, Owain quickly ran back inside to put on his usual light garment of yellow... that probably should have been washed a week ago. Sniffing it quickly, the face the Ylissean prince made could only be akin to that of a grievous injury to a nonessential organ.

"A foul odor. It heightens the senses."

Is that why Ophelia wouldn't hug him when he had it on?"

Quick as the wind, the fully-dressed Owain ran through the camp, not bothering to get breakfast and instead making a beeline for the-

"Ah there you are! I've been waiting all morning! C'mon, let's get a couple rounds in."

A powerful hand grabbed his arm and Owain found himself being pulled away from his original route and towards the sand pits. Such pits that the Valmese had dug for the sole purpose of training.

"N-no wait!" Turning towards -of course it's her- Hinoka, Owain struggled to get the woman off his arm before letting out a pitiful, "We have the day off!"

It seemed to work though, considering the Hoshidan paused.

Since when did Odin ever care about that? Every single time we've had a break, he'd be sparring with the others all the same.

"So? Never stopped you before. Come on, my arms are feelings jittery," Hinoka said impatiently.

"Well, my sword arm longs for a new partner and I want to go to the town armory and-"

Shit.

"You? Abandon Missiletain? What's gotten into you?"

Owain stuttered before looking away from Hinoka. "I-I don't have time to spar today!"

Uh, bad choice of words! Actually, bad idea overall! Not even my holy tongue could spin a convincing tale!

"What."

The Tenma Princess stared through the young swordsman. Odin never skipped a spar. Especially not a spar with her.

Owain shrank under Hinoka's glare, squirming in her hold.

"I mean, I would spare the time, if I had any! I just don't, because I have plans!"

"I see."

The swordsman winced underneath the lancer's gaze, sinking deeper and deeper into a pit of worry, as if the sand gathering around his feet wasn't enough.

"So you and your friends knock out a mission, get called heroes, and that's it? Is that the end of the 'legendary swordsman's' tale?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Or am I getting weak? Is that it? Are you getting bored? You did find other sparring partners, is that accurate?"

She wasn't wrong. Owain had been sparring a lot with his cousin...

"No no no no! I wasn't saying that at all! Only a chosen few can battle the Chosen One! I'm just... Busy."

Looking past Owain, Hinoka saw Sully shaking her head from across the pits, making it clear that this was a battle she wasn't going to win.

Fine.

Odin was many things. Busy? Not likely. But he also wasn't much of a slacker. There was a good reason he wasn't going to raise his sword, let alone retrieve it from his tent.

Hinoka released her grip and sighed, before a slight smile crept onto her face.

"Alright. Looks like you've made your point," Hinoka nodded, waving her hand to make the blond disappear. "I'll find another partner today."

Owain nodded happily and ran off, thanking Hinoka the whole while. The princess watched him disappear behind some tents and twirled her naginata nonchalantly. No one except Sully seemed to be free, and the ones that could be free would certainly not want to engage in sparring. With a heavy sigh, she picked up one of the lacerated training dummies, dragging it along the sand for her personal use.

Not the best start to the day, Hinoka lamented to herself.

Due to the nature of the free day, most of the Shepherds were either in the town, resting inside, hanging around outside, or in Hinoka's case, ignoring the freedom in replacement for duty. A warrior lived a warrior life, no exceptions. Well, a few could be afforded, but Hinoka had been idle enough lately.

"Funny," Hinoka heard Sully's voice as she walked over to her, "When he showed up with the Nohrians... I didn't think he would be one of the best swordsmen we had."

The lancer raised her head and nodded to Sully, nonchalantly sharpening her own lance as she made her way to the benches beyond the pits.

"He isn't," Hinoka retorted. "Not when he shirks his training after a victory."

"If you say it like that, yes. But he's dedicated. Skilled."

"If he wants to keep up with everyone else, he'll do what everyone else should be doing."

"Not everyone has to train constantly. The way I see it with the kid, it looks like he's got his mind set on winning fine enough."

"Thinking he'll win doesn't mean he will," Hinoka retorted.

Where is she even going with this random conversation?

"You're his sparring partner. He's good. And weird. Funny, he doesn't seem the serious sort most of the time. Where do you think it comes from?"

When Hinoka had first met Owain a few days before the invasion, she took a liking to the enthusiastic Ylissean quite instantly. He was a good swordsman, a pretty good mage as well. But he was a fighter, most of all. It didn't take a warrior to see that in him.

"Odin does act... strange, most of the time. But he fights with a fire that isn't matched by most anyone else here. That's what makes him a good partner to train against."

"Hmm? Everyone here fights with fire, 'else we'd be dying left and right," Sully corrected. "What makes him special?"

"His fire doesn't come from the fight. It comes from within. You can see it in Lucina's eyes. You see it in his. Like a deer surrounded by wolves, with a sliver of a chance to escape."

Hinoka had seen it plenty of times. On her first mission with her soldiers, a Nohrian scout had been swarmed by her Tenma Knights near the border. It should have been a quick kill, yet the intruder had taken down three fully trained riders before he himself succumbed to her blade.

There were a few soldiers that could summon the strength to make their last fight a noble one for the books. Fewer still ended up surviving afterwards.

"Fear. That's what you see. That's what gives them the edge in a fight. The instinct to survive," Sully analyzed. "It's a strong thing, fear."

"Fear?" That couldn't be right. Lucina's courage was unparalleled. Odin was simply too bold to care about meager things like odds and danger. It's like he and death were afraid to be near each other.

"They've lost already. They saw their world fall apart around them. They are very determined not to make it a habit."

Sully remembered the first time she saw Lucina happy, back in Ylisstol when she had saved him and Exalt Emmeryn from the Plegian assassins. Like a burden had been lifted from her heavy shoulders.

Like her first victory in a long string of defeats.

"Perhaps," Hinoka replied, her voice hitching just a little.

Sully stood up slowly, resting her lance against the wall as she took off her neck guard. Ugly thing it was, but it had kept her head cleanly attached to her torso many times throughout the years.

"No, I'm... pretty sure I'm right. After all, I see it in you too, Princess."

"Huh?" Hinoka asked. As far as she knew, she was quite courageous in battle.

I've beaten my fear. I've conquered it and wear my scars proudly.

"You lost too. I'm guessing at a young age."

"That's behind me."

"Not quite. It's within you. That's why you fight like a wolf in a pack. Not for yourself, but... for her."

Sully was no stranger to watching her own. She had Chrom's back in a fight, and he had hers. There wasn't anything in this damn Risen-infested world that could put Chrom on his ass before she'd have a say first.

Corrin probably wouldn't notice it that much, but Hinoka would circle ever closer to her, protecting her from threats unperceived. They had similar roles, the two red-headed knights. And that was pretty cool.

"You fight with fear. Not because of it, but with it," Sully stated, looking stern and yet not finding any chip in the Princess's steel. "It's dangerous and powerful."

"I appreciate this analysis but please tell me where this is going. Nothing scares me anymore."

"Ryoma spoke to me about you, Princess. I know we're not close, but fear is a strange thing to keep within you. But you can't be afraid of it any longer. Your brother told me that much."

Ignoring her lack of decorum, Hinoka took the bait. "I've fought our enemies countless times without fail. Why is Ryoma worried for me?"

"You're fighting for your sister, your family. That's understandable. That's honest. You fly into the thick of things without an ounce of caution for yourself and emerge unscathed."

"Then why go through all this... talking to tell me that I'm fine?"

Sully shrugged, as if that were the natural course of action.

"No one wins a war going into a fight scared for someone else."

Hinoka's scowl deepened ever so slightly. Sully took that as a sign to continue.

"Corrin-"

"Kamui."

"Kamui's here. She's by your side. And yet you fight as if she's going to disappear again."

"The second I lose focus is the second I lose her," Hinoka admitted. "I have the ability to keep that from happening again. And I will."

"Ryoma told me you'd say something like that."

"He places a lot of duty on a stranger. Why is that?"

"It went something like 'we're similar in heart' or something. Maybe we are, that's fine. All he asks is that you fight because you are in danger. Not Kamui."

"It hasn't affected me. Why is he worrying about this?"

"Maybe I'm seeing things. Or maybe that Pegasus of yours isn't comfortable to fly with you anymore. She doesn't feel safe. And maybe Ryoma's seeing that too."

Sully was right. Byakuya, aptly named for the dragon that created Hoshido, seemed uneasy nowadays. Maybe she could see how Hinoka's eyes weren't dead ahead but rather down below, watching out for her sister instead of herself.

"...For how long?" Hinoka let out, a little more doubtful than she should have been.

"Just recently. He's asking you to find some semblance of peace for yourself. Whatever that means. Honestly? Just keep kicking ass. Just don't kick more than you need to."

"I... See. Well, this is news to me. Aaaaand now Odin must think me a fool."

"Not in the slightest. You're still his sparring partner after all. Maybe you ought to ask him what fuels his courage? Or his fear, whatever you think it is."

"What an odd question that would be. Besides, he's probably busy."

"Perhaps. But then again, maybe not."

"You want to understand the kid? Tail him. He went towards the medical tent. Maybe he's unwell."

"It's none of my concern," Hinoka replied, shaking her head. "Odin wants to do something, let him. I am not his mother."

"You're his friend. Why don't you see for yourself? Clearly you are having deep thoughts. Once those are out of the way, come back here. I've always wanted to go one on one against you. Consider it my punishment for acting as Emperor Ryoma's proxy."

Hinoka nodded and made way, leaving her lance on the rack.

It wasn't too far to the medical tents, but Hinoka took her time nonetheless. Her conversation with Sully opened up some memories she'd rather not remember.

"What am I afraid of? Losing Kamui?"

It was strange. She didn't feel like that was the case. So what was it? Fear for Kamui getting hurt? Maybe.

Anyway, Odin had quite the head start on her, so she would probably walk in on him being checked on. If he was even hurt, that was.

He's probably not feeling well.

Or maybe it was something in the portal? After all, Kana and Morgan had been afflicted by some ailment that left them too scared to leave their room. Perhaps Odin had been suffering from the same demons too. After all, it took a certain courage to return to the hell he had just escaped from a few years before.

Thinking to herself, it took her nearly five minutes to reach the destination she was walking towards, a journey that could have easily be made in two or three. But she arrived soon enough, and as she was about to open the tent door, she heard a soft, gentle voice.

"...and you wouldn't believe the joy I'm feeling! I mean... we're feeling. You were so brave, Sevvy. Braver than any of us. Braver than all of us! I don't think you can even hear me right now. I'm so sorry. How long has it been? First Nohr, now this. If things weren't so grim, I'd consider this an adventure! I can't believe we got separated... But you're here. You're here, safe with us. There isn't a chance in the world that I'd leave you by yourself again..."

"..."

"When you come to... I hope you wake up and forget everything... I want you to forget about Ylisse, about Grima, about everyone that died. No. Don't forget Ophelia. She missed you so much, these few years. But you can forget about me and all the pain you had suffered alone... If you wake up in peace... That would mean everything to me. Just as long as you forget everything else."

"..."

"Funny looking blacksmith we have here."

"I uh-!" Owain turned around to see Hinoka, arms crossed with a small hint of smirking in Severa's tent. Sighing with a frown, he admitted defeat.

"Guilty as charged," Owain laughed, before pointing at Severa. "And this... is why I wouldn't want to fight today. The clerics told me yesterday that I could see her first thing and..." Hinoka put up her hand, shaking her hand.

"It's okay. I'm not in charge of you, after all."

Hinoka looked Severa over. Nohrian armor, that much was certain. If she recalled correctly, she was one of Camilla's retainers! At least, the one that wasn't as intimidating as Beruka.

"Tell me about her, if you... would."

Owain smiled immensely, almost excited to show off Severa to Hinoka.

"She was originally one of the Shepherds, along with me and Luci and the rest. She... didn't make it out of Ylisse like we did, though. But oddly enough, we found her in Nohr. Me and Inigo, I mean."

"So from Ylisse, the three of you ended up in Nohr?"

"...Yes. With help."

"She must be quite important if you wanted to see her first thing in the morning."

"I'd have visited her yesterday if I could have," Owain whispered, stroking Severa's red hair slowly. Hinoka lightened as the truth dawned on her.

"She... She is Ophelia's mother?"

"Severa. Last Pegasus Knight of Ylisse. You might know her as Selena, retainer to Princess Camilla of Nohr. Titles don't matter much to me. Except one."

"Your wife," Hinoka realized.

Owain nodded, and just now did Hinoka notice the band across his finger that Severa shared across hers.

"You've probably figured it out by now, but finally, the three of us are finally back in Ylisse. Or at least, as close as we can be to it."

"She wasn't there before. What happened?"

"When we went through that portal back during the border conflict, there were only two of us. Selena disappeared during a previous battle. I remember Princess Camilla panicking and nearly razing the castle to rubble when she thought Selena died. But I knew she didn't. I... could feel it. I had a feeling that she tried to go back to Ylisse. And not this one."

"Who do you think gave you that idea?"

"When Naga charged it upon us to save the Ylisse in the future, that portal took me and Inigo to Nohr. And you already know the rest. I want to think that Naga is the one that gave me a chance to rescue her from Old Ylisse."

"How did you find her?"

"We found her... and this one," he turned to the previously unnoticed Hoshidan rider across the room, "Unconscious by the ruins of the portal. I don't know how they were still alive, or what she was doing there for that matter. But what is done is done, and she's safe with us again. Once she wakes up... I don't know."

"I'm happy for you," Hinoka said, smiling. "This is wonderful news. I... should leave you be."

"You sure? I will probably not be sparring with you much more once she wakes up. She is after all a better swordsman than myself."

"I'll be the judge of that," Hinoka replied, leaving the tent but leaving the flaps open.

"When you're done... I'll see you both in the sand pits."

"You didn't ask him?" Sully asked.

"No."

"Ah, I see it. That squint of discernment." Hinoka's squint turned into a glare.

"Of what? Don't be absurd."

"Maybe the question didn't need to be asked," Sully joked, stretching her arms and flipping her lance around for balance. Wanting to argue further but deciding against it, Hinoka sat down next to the redhead lancer.

"Now that Kamui is safe... I haven't been as passionate about being a warrior as I should be. I mean, I should be vicious to the Nohrians! They kidnapped her from me and... Took such good care of her. They were a better family to her than I could ever be."

"Princess, you are looking at this way too hard," Sully said with a sigh. "Some of us are born to fight, simple as that. You don't need a good reason. Just a reason. And lucky for you, you have the best reason you could ask for: your family needs your help. That's as good a reason as any!"

"I haven't even felt anything different! But now it makes sense. I don't want it to make sense. I'm not in fear of what's in front of us. It's something else... I don't even know what I feel anymore."

"Apathy, maybe?"

"The only reason I am who I am is because Kamui was kidnapped. And now that she is safe, what purpose do I have? As a princess, my duty is to those before me, after me, and around me. How can I serve them when I feel so... obsolete? I can't even avenge my fallen sisters because the one that fell them just happen to be my sparring partner's wife!" Sully scoffed and went back to her lance. "But we can't just fight Nohrians anymore... They're our allies."

"So, that's what your fear is. It isn't that Kamui is in danger. It's that Kamui doesn't need you. Hoshido wouldn't need you."

"...Yeah. That's what I dread the most."

"Listen good, Princess." Sully got up suddenly, her lance shining and sharp as ever. She replaced it with one of the practice spears and started warming up. "You're a princess of Hoshido, a damn legend on this continent. Your sister, both of them actually, look up to you like it or not. Are you really going to let your doubts get into your head now that you've made them apparent?"

"Ignorance was bliss," Hinoka sulked, staying seated.

"Perhaps it was, but Ryoma wanted you out of your doldrums. Once we're done here, you're paying him a visit."

"'Once we're done?'" Hinoka wondered aloud.

"You and I are going to fight, and we are going to fight hard."

Hinoka rose, hesitantly before Sully tossed her a spear of her own.

"Now come on. Commander Corrin has to keep you around for something."

Robin awoke to the clang of blades, rolling his eyes at the sound. Gently getting up as not to wake up Corr- She was already awake, reading a book.

So much for that.

"They just started. Don't worry," She said offhandedly.

"Good morning to you too," Robin grumbled, not bothering to put on his boots as he donned his coat and peeked out outside. Sully and Hinoka were grappling in the sand pits, countless shattered lances at their feet. Without a word, Robin went back inside, took off his coat, and crumpled into his bed. Morgan and Kana peeked at their parents, but didn't say a word.

"Let me guess. 'What the hell is wrong with this army?'" Corrin mimicked, flicking Robin's nose with a giggle. Robin smiled, shaking his head.

"Actually, things are about right."

Chapter Text

Day 234, Morning

Just as the first wisps of dawn peeked over the horizon, a lithe figure deftly slipped off her cot.

"Stone floors get cold," she muttered under her breath, putting on a pair of socks over her bare feet.

Day off or not, Cordelia rose as the sun did, more out of habit than of diligence. It didn't hurt to be diligent though, and the Ylissean had that trait in droves. Good thing Steiger had such short walls or Cordelia wouldn't have seen the sun for another thirty minutes.

"Why is it that no matter how quiet you get up, or..."

A yawn interrupted Sumia's morning rambles. The brunette rose ungracefully, her hair a delightful mess and her eyes about a quarter open. Cordelia smiled lightly at her partner's state and paused her actions.

"That was big one. Good morning."

"Yeah yeah. Ow, my neck. Jeez."

Sumia's pillow lay about a foot away, balanced precariously on her bookshelf. Why it was there and not supporting Sumia's head was simply put, a natural occurring mystery.

Groaning to herself, Sumia looked around, quite aware of the lack of sunlight.

"And of course it's not even morning yet. 'Good morning Sumia!'" she mimicked in Cordelia's tone, shaking her head. "Why do I always wake up from you waking up? It's not fair."

"Fair? You hum in your sleep. That's not fair," the redhead retorted, tossing Sumia her riding boots.

"Oh? Are we patrolling?"

"Something like that. Free day or not, I have a plan for us today."

Sumia nodded with clear distaste, groaning into her newly-retrieved pillow as she stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Looking outside, two or three people were up alongside the guards on patrol, and Sumia decided she would be an early riser as well. Not like she had much choice in the matter.

"Well Cordy, I suppose you need me to cooperate for this plan to come to fruition?" Sumia asked, reaching underneath her cot to retrieve her folded uniform. It was a lavender tunic, thankfully not very damaged. Shrugging her sleepwear off, it only took a moment for her to change outfits.

"Your tan evened out."

"Has it? Phew."

"I unfortunately burn like the flames of death so my arms are a lost cause."

Sumia giggled, reaching into a small box and finding her headband, emblazoned with the wings of a Pegasus. Unlike Cordelia's, hers adorned the back of her head as opposed to her temples.

"Armor?"

"Nope."

The two riders thus exited the tent, walking casually between the other tents until stopping by the mess hall for breakfast. By now, the sun began its peek over the forested horizon beyond, painting the sky a lovely golden-blue.

"So, what is your scheme of the day anyway?" Sumia began, now that they were out of earshot of the sleeping Shepherds. Cordelia reached into Sumia's bag and pulled out the map she planted within the night before.

"Hey-"

"Steiger is next to a small town, maybe a few miles away. We've kind of glazed over it," Cordelia explained, "I want to check on the townspeople and the buildings, making sure they are in good condition for us to depart. Plus, if they have a shop, I was hoping to get you some books and herbs for the long journey before us."

"Oh. I appreciate that," Sumia replied softly, smiling. "And I suppose the town blacksmith might be able to run a quick horseshoe requisition for the girls?"

"I... didn't think of that. Yes, I agree."

Sumia feigned shock, her grin giving it away. "Oh, have I one-upped our flawless leader? Maybe her mind is slipping with age."

"Mmm, perhaps it is. Being me is tiring," Cordelia yawned, a tired smirk appearing thereafter. Long ago, before Valm, Sumia's comment would have struck a nerve within her. Subaki's presence for the past few months kind of numbed that pain though. Her sisters, so far away...

Another yawn interrupted her sentiments, this one drawing a smile from Sumia.

"Hear me out Cordy: We sleep in for once, one of these days."

She woke up early, sure. That did not mean she was full of energy. That didn't come until daybreak. Cordelia nodded in agreement, knowing that day would be a nice one.

"When we can sleep in, we will. A nice breakfast in the castle with the Shepherds, and no war to worry about. Ah."

That would be really nice.

Owain ran by, muttering something about seeing someone in the medical tent.

"Someone's excited to see her," Sumia laughed, watching the boy disappear in a golden flash.

"Who?" Cordelia asked.

"Owain. I mean the girl. Not Owain. Owain's not the girl-"

"Yes, yes, I caught a glimpse of them. Not a very good one."

"Come to think of it, the taller one kinda looked like you."

"Huh. How about that."

As the tents got farther and farther away, Sumia glanced numerous times behind, seeming to guide Cordleia back. The redhead noticed after a few times, pausing her march.

"Something wrong?" she asked, sensing a hesitation in her friend's stride.

"Umm, Cordy? You passed the stables."

The redhead shrugged, staying her path towards the town a couple miles away. Steiger's walls were thick, gated on both sides. Not that a Pegasus Knight ran into too many gates in their lifetime. It was sort of surreal, like a sailor hiking on a grand mountain top after a long voyage on the rough sea. Cordelia let her arms sway to her steps, her shoulders loose and relaxed.

"The Pegasi have a busy day tomorrow. They'd appreciate the rest. Trust me, I'd rather fly there too, but it's not that far..."

Sumia sighed deeply, catching up to her friend when she realized her legs would actually have to do work now.

"It's awkward," Sumia admitted, "Walking around like this. You spend so many of your days flying or on your stomach scouting, that the few days you do walk more than a couple laps around camp- it feels foreign. Like our bodies aren't meant to do this."

"I'm almost used to it," Cordelia hoped, "Remember when Robin wanted me to fill in as a dark mage?"

"Gods," Sumia laughed, remembering Cordelia's intense crimson shade in the skimpy garbs of the Plegian arts. Not only did it place emphasis on her meager bust, but her entire body was exposed to the cold nights and blistering days of Plegia, something Cordelia's tunic did nothing to prepare her for. And the stares. So many stares. But like most nightmares, this one passed, and Cordelia's magic prowess grew. One of these days, she'd cast spells from the sky like that wench, Aversa.

But the stares...

Cordy shivered, blocking off the memory of days less pleasant, instead changing the topic to Sumia.

"Then again, it's probably not as bad as you pretending to be a knight," Cordelia recalled, causing Sumia to wince at the thought. She wasn't particularly tall, a hair taller than Cordelia but not even close to some of the taller women like Flavia or Panne. Wearing armor fit for Frederick or any other breed of colossus was... not fun. The walking, the armor- she couldn't even swing her lance properly with that stupid shoulder plate-

"Let's forget I complained. This is fine. This is nice!"

"It made sense though," Cordelia recalled, going back a few years. "Frederick and our other knights couldn't hold the line by themselves... I'll admit it was a pretty rewarding decision to disregard our aerial units and use you us to reinforce the numbers on the ravine's choke points."

"But why me!? Of all the people Robin could've stuffed in that blasted armor, he chose me." Sumia pouted into her friend's back, pulling a fake tantrum all the while trying to suppress her grin.

"It was either me or you, considering we're the only flyers," Cordelia reasoned, still serious.

"Still..." Sumia's face shrunk in mock sadness, only for Cordelia to pat her shoulder.

"The nightmare is passed. It's over."

"I guess there is a method to Robin's madness," Sumia admitted softly, thinking fondly of the strapping tactician.

"There is, at times. He is quite good at keeping us all alive," Cordelia laughed, imagining the dark robes on her body once more. How would Subaki react if...

"I hear Robin wants me to try fielding as a healer for the coming skirmishes," Sumia said excitedly. "I'd love to do that! I've always wanted to help our injured more than just offering them elixir and ferrying them back to camp."

"But you're one of our best scouts!"

"Yeah... I figured. But... there's more than a few of us in the sky now. I could give Snowflake a break and do all the legwork myself. Heh, imagine me, running all over the battlefield like Princess Lissa or Sakura."

"I imagine a lot of tripping."

"Yes. I don't mind the mud though. Still, the scout role is kind of... over saturated. There's you, me, Subaki. Princess Hinoka, Princess Camilla, Cherche, Gerome... Cynthia."

"Ah, Cynthia. Quite the dashing Pegasus Knight in training, isn't she? After that whole business with the Justice Cabal, I'm sure she's thrilled to be a Knight just like you."

"She looks up to us so much, did you know that? The two of us were her own biggest heroes, growing up. 'Invincible Sumia-Destroyer-of-Evil-and-Breaker-of-Petals,' and her sidekick Cordy!" Cordelia couldn't help but suppress a giggle.

"What? Why am I your sidekick?"

"'Cause we're besties?" Sumia offered.

"Yeah but... Ah, she is your daughter, not mine..." Cordelia's face experienced a brief sadness, and Sumia connected the dots.

"Hey, your daughter will have great stories of us where you're the hero, I betcha!" Cordelia's blank gaze said otherwise.

"I... I don't think so. I have this weird feeling that I wasn't one."

"You don't mean... It is Severa, right? The one Owain was gushing about when we asked? Whoa... Hey."

"What?" Cordelia wondered, seeing Sumia put the pieces together mentally.

"D-do you think it's her? Is that why he was bolting so fast?"

"That's a very hopeful thought," Cordelia mused out loud, looking back towards the walls of Steiger now a few miles away. "Let's get something for her when she wakes up too."

"I told you it would be okay. You were worried she wasn't alive... I'm sure they rescued Severa. That's her!" Sumia repeated, getting excited beyond containment.

"That settles it," Cordelia nodded, her heart racing, "Severa's been gone for a couple years now. What could she have possibly gone through without me? I need to see her soon. Actually, I was thinking that maybe Cynthia and you could accompany me to see Severa tonight..."

"I'd love to! And Cynthia would like to see her friend, if she hasn't already."

"Great! Well... All that talking and the town is in sight! Ah, where's my list..."

"Your eyes. Restless. I see your energy within them. Even on a day of rest, you yearn to stretch your wings?"

"..."

"I see... I am not your rider, so I cannot untie those knots keeping you in place. Perhaps some oats? I do believe there may be some..."

"..."

"You are Ylissean, I can tell. The Hoshidan Tenma are of slimmer build. Your wingspan is broader and your coat isn't as pure white as theirs... They call you Pegasi, just as the Dark Fliers of Nohr rode, long ago."

"..."

"She takes good care of you, my friend Snowflake. They tell us Knights of Nohr that our horse is more valuable than we are. I agree. Strange I know, but... I guess that is why I do not ride. I couldn't stand the thought of losing my mount to battle."

Benny stopped his chat with the beast when he heard the slight patter of footsteps... one human, one horse-like. And... whispering?

"...Alright Snowflame. We can do this. Easy in? Easy out. He won't even-"

"If you wish to whisper, try to replace your 'Esses' with 'Ethes'. It travels less and does not echo."

Benny turned away from Sumia's Pegasus to see Cynthia shying into the stables, leading a Pegasus of her own inside its block. Eyeing Benny the whole time, the younger girl tried to look inconspicuous but being the only one aside from the knight inside, it was very hard to do so. The border guard could tell that the young girl was panicking to get in and get out, no doubt due to her fear.

"W-what are you doing in the stables? Thtableth. Stables? Easy, Eathy. Huh, you're right."

"Hmm?" Benny hummed, a low growl to Cynthia's ears, prompting a flinch.

"I-I was wondering... That's Mom's Pegasus... Snowflake. Not that m-many people talk to animals like that. I don't really know who watches over the stable, but Commander put me in charge of cleaning and I wanted to take out Snowflame-"

Benny let out a small smile, pulling up a stool and sitting next to Sumia's mount.

"Animals don't get scared of scary humans."

"Y-you're not so scary."

Benny raised an eyebrow, the expression causing Cynthia to wince.

"You're tall... A-anyway! You can speak to Pegasi?" Cynthia asked in awe. Benny chuckled and shook his head, ruffling Snowflake's mane.

"No... But I understand an animal enough to know what they want," Benny explained. "Come, sit down. You were brave to face the dragon in his lair. Are you really scared of me? You are Sumia's daughter, are you not? The Knight that serves House Ylisse now?"

Cynthia cringed at her official title, but beamed nonetheless.

"Sorry, sir. I don't really know many of the Nohrians or Hoshidans aside from the kids... And well... yeah."

"I'm Benny. I was a border guard that got caught up with Prince Leo's entourage before all this started. My partner Charlotte... I wonder if she thinks I'm dead. I'll run into her again, I'm sure. She's quite strong. And mean."

"I... yeah. My deeds are not as heroic as Mom, but I think our first mission was a success! I mean, Commander Robin liked it, didn't he?" Benny chuckled as he picked up another handful of oats and stretched his hand out to the Pegasus across from him.

"You rescued Lady Selena. That is no small deed."

"Selena?" Cynthia asked. Benny nodded, closing the barrel of oats and scratching the Pegasus behind the ears.

"Princess Camilla had two retainers, Selena and Beruka. Selena... wasn't Nohrian though, not when the palace officials asked the border guards for information on her. She wasn't from Nohr. Either that or she magically avoided the big gate."

"...Maybe it was magic. Owain did say..."

Benny turned, still half conversing with the beast in front of him.

"Did I piece together a puzzle you've been trying to solve?"

"Some people called Sevvy Selena, and I was wondering why. Lady Camilla had a very strong reaction seeing her again... I'll have to ask her later. You wouldn't know, perchance?" The grizzled border guard shook his head indifferently.

"Selena, Severa, they sound similar. If they're the same person, then I guess everyone that knows her is happy. I didn't know her, so I'm just here feeding the mounts as I always do."

"I'm supposed to- Well, I can always cover the next round. So which one's yours?"

"All of them."

"I mean... you ride one of them, don't you?"

"Nope."

"Oh. You're like my mom. She always brought me to the Pegasi to feed the whole stable."

"It's a knight's duty to care for their mount. I'm sure you know that by now."

"Steed, Spear, Saddle, Self," Cynthia repeated from rote. "Every knight does."

Sumia's Pegasus began to jolt, not exactly keen on staying inside the stable.

"In one way or another, yes," Benny started, standing up as Sumia's Pegasus began to whinny. "Though after a while, it comes naturally for a rider to care for their creature more than anything else. Maybe."

"Really? Do you really think that's the case for every knight?"

Sumia's Pegasus kicked the front of its stable with its hoof, causing Benny to flinch visibly.

"Gods, that was loud... But yes, it's possible. It's just like your human friends, or your Cabal as it was. You look out for your friends diligently, they look out for you."

"I suppose they become your friend after many rides together," Cynthia mused, gazing at Snowflame. "She doesn't quite trust me with the stunts yet."

"Don't think of them as stunts then. You keep her safe, she'll keep you safe. Just like now..." Benny rose, slowly undoing the knots on Snowflake's lead. "I sense some overbearing fear now... Get ready to ride. Follow her."

"I feel it too," Cynthia worried, walking over to Sumia's Pegasus and stroking its mane. "What's wrong with you, boy?"

"..."

"Well?" Cynthia asked, panicking.

"It senses danger for its master," Benny stated, closing his eyes and feeling the neck of the beast. Cynthia quickly gulped in terror, tearing open the stable door and giving Snowflake the room he needed to take off.

"How'd you know! And we gotta help Mom!"

"Untie his binds. Can you ride him?" Benny asked, to which Cynthia shook her head. Holding the reigns of her own Pegasi, she released Snowflake rapidly, kicking open the stable doors.

"I already have Snowflame ready to go! I can... uh..."

The border guard thought quickly. Who did he pass this morning?

Red hair, lithe frame. Cordelia? Next to her... Sumia. Where were they...

"Fly to the town west of here. You will find your mother and her friend. Quickly!"

"What about you!?" Cynthia huffed, already mounting and strapping a pair of spears to her saddle. Benny shook his head, tying on his gauntlet and flexing his fingers.

"I will call one of our other flyers-"

"Take Snowflake!"

"I cannot ride her! I am too heavy and this is a Pegasus, so he will hate me atop him. You're on your own." Cynthia nodded with determination, taking to the skies.

"Then wish me luck! I'll try to reel them both in!" Benny watched as the brown-haired knight took off, stirring a great deal of dust from the near-vertical take off. Snowflake stirred, still being held by Benny.

"A horse without a rider... No, that's too dangerous."

"We need to get help!" Sumia yelped, arrows flying over her cover and striking stone not too far from her face.

"This is where you say 'We should have flown Cordelia' or something." Cordelia huffed, throwing one of Snowflake's new horseshoes at the bandits. It missed horribly, but bought the two enough time to dash towards a cart that offered a bit of cover. Glancing back at the family inside the shop, Cordelia was relieved to see them all there still.

"Are you all okay!?"

"Yes! But be careful!" The woman inside screamed, holding her child behind her body.

"I've little choice," Cordelia grumbled, jerking her head back just as a fireball whizzed through that very spot. "Crap. Sumia! Get that other family to lock the windows, the doors! Rally the flyers, I dunno how, but get someone over here! Tell them bandits are attacking the town and we have no armed Shepherds in range!"

"I can't leave you here!" Sumia yelled back, an arrow finding its mark and embedding itself into the table she was behind.

"You're not leaving me here, you're leaving here! Now hurry up! While they're focused on me!" Sumia gulped and sprinted out the building, too fast to be targeted by the archers before she turned into the main road, disappearing behind a building. By the time she reappeared, she was already too far away for the mages.

"Now as for you, we have to hope they run out of arrows before I run out of places those arrows can hit," Cordelia winced, an arrow already cutting open the skin on her shoulder.

The uniform of a Pegasus Knight was, while a fashion disaster, the pride of any woman who had earned the twin wings.

Now it had a lot more holes than before. It would, however, make an excellent story for the trainees in the future, once this whole disaster was all sorted. Any moment now, Robin and a company of angry Shepherds would appear, fueled by the fury of a ruined Krismas and-

Glass exploded above Cordelia, sending shards whistling past her ears and onto very delicate yet sunburned skin.

Blood streaked from her leg as yet another arrow was revealed to had barely found her shin, deflecting off the bone but still leaving a decidedly un-sexy white-hot cut.

"This really shouldn't hurt as much as it does- our armor barely does anything," the knight admitted, determined to keep the family safe above anything else. Peeking beyond, she spotted two empty enemy quivers and one about to be. A swordsman stood patiently nearby, concealing himself in the building adjacent to the archers. Leaning forward, Cordelia stripped a piece of ply from the cart, making quite an effective shield to avoid any more pokes to her well-acclaimed legs.

"That's two archers dry... One more left. The mages seemed to be focused on Sumia... If I can split their gap and take one of their tomes, I can perhaps shift this battle towards-" A fireball slammed into her cover, setting it ablaze and knocking Cordelia back towards the family, now with half a home.

"Run!" Cordelia yelled, "Change of plans! Take the main road, and I'll do my best to peel those brigands off you!"

"R-right!" The knight watched as the family of four exited the house following her cover, the three archers all but out of arrows and the swordsman no where to be seen.

Cordelia huffed as the archer's last arrow struck her in the makeshift shield, barely poking through and embedding itself in her forearm. The arrowhead shattered on impact with the wood, leaving nothing but a wooden shaft skewering her wrist and a very confused Pegasus Knight wondering why her chin was bleeding. Without a break in stride, she made a beeline for the closest archer in hopes of distracting the group.

"Hyah!" the knight cried, ramming the heavy piece of wood and nails into one of the brigands before he could pull out his knife. The planks made a satisfying thunk with the chin of her target, putting the man to sleep in a violent fashion. The other two archers surrounded Cordelia, but she sprang off the prone body of the unconscious archer and ran towards the road, catching up to the family. Narrowly ducking under the swordsman who tried to ambush her around the corner, Cordelia felt her hopes rise as Sumia was already far into the distance, two specks behind her signifying the mages.

"The family's home free... Those archers can't do much without their arrows. That swordsman though..." Slowing slightly, she dropped her now-broken shield and her bare hands dripped with blood as the swordsman closed in. Feeling the knife that she stole off the first archer, she wasn't expecting this fight to take very long. But at least it would fair.

"Here goes..." Cordelia winced, narrowing her eyes as she turned a few strides in front of the swordsman, gambling on the probability whether or not she would be gutted-

"Don't you dare!" A voice sang, drowned out quickly by the angered neigh of a Pegasus. A white and blue streak of banners and steel fluttered in the morning sky as the Pegasus Knight flew in the path of the swordsman, knocking him off his feet and causing him to land nearly ten feet away, out cold. The two archers sprang after Cordelia, knives in hand. The Pegasus looped around, and Cordelia could see Cynthia on the reigns.

"Aunty Cordy! This is for you!" A spear whistled sharply next to Cordelia's feet, and the dismounted knight pulled it out before flourishing it expertly in her hands, enjoying the touch of cold steel.

"How's your mom?" Cordelia yelled, Cynthia still overhead and ready to intercept the archers.

"I didn't see her on the way here! I saw you running and that family too! Are these the bad guys?"

"Yes!" Cordelia groaned, not in the mood for her theatrics. "Sumia is still on the road! Are you sure you didn't see her?"

"No! I wasn't paying attention!"

Gods damn it all.

Sumia felt her lungs cracking as her boots slipped in the loose gravel road, fire balls and hot bursts of air now streaming by her. Granted, they were off by a fair margin, but the heat was enough to warn her that that was indeed magic capable of turning her into a finely roasted knight.

"There's the walls," Sumia said in relief, judging another half-mile before the sentries would be able to see-

"Agh!" The knight picked every god and cursed their names in sequence as her boots caught an outcropping, forcing her to slip.

Damn every rock and boots and genetic woe for her misfortune...

She couldn't feel her right ankle, but right now it was probably for the best.

"Not now..." Sumia groaned, scrambling to her knees and turning, only to see a fireball head straight for her-

A strong arm blindsided her from the right, lifting her up into the air at impossible speed...

A really big arm. None of the riders were that massive-

Was he on a Pegasus?

He?

"What in the hell?" Sumia wondered, looking at her rescuer. "B-benny!?" The border guard merely smiled as he stroked Snowflake's mane.

"Hold on tight, Sumia," Benny quoted. "Could get a little bumpy."

"How are you even riding a Pegasus?"

"It's gonna be alright," Benny said with a nervous laugh. "He wanted to fly today."

"I knew it! Ah! You poor baby Snowflake-" Benny ignored Sumia, instead handing her the reigns and jumping off to take care of those two mages. At least that would be more straightforward then explaining to a Knight how he forcibly climbed atop her mount.

Robin rushed outside the gates, hearing the commotion as the three Pegasus knights landed. And Benny. Huh.

"Is everyone okay?! Something about bandits at the town! Did we evacuate the people in time-" the tactician began, only to be relieved by the amiable trio of Pegasus Knights and the awkward border guard.

"Everything is just fine, Commander," Sumia laughed, patting Cordelia on the shoulder. The redhead's wounds were already healed and patched up, and looked none the worse all things considered.

"You still look upset, Commander," Cordelia noted, "Did you need something?"

"I'm not quite sure anymore. Looks like there's nothing wrong."

"Well, nothing is wrong. I'll be in the stables," Benny grunted, turning around.

"W-wait?" Sumia whispered, still seeking an answer... "and he's gone."

"..."

"..."

"Nothing to report?"

Three women nodded, and Robin did so in return, letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Well, can't complain about that then. Hope your shopping trip went well, Cordy."

"It did, Commander. Thank you."

With that, the young commander turned around, huffing back into his tent. Cordelia and Sumia looked at each other and then at Cynthia, who was nowhere to be found.

Though in the distance, she could be heard yelling to presumably Owain and the rest of the Justice Cabal.

"IwasinthestablesputtingawaySnowflameandthenBennycouldtalktoSnowflakeandthenwefoundoutthatMomandAuntyCordywereintroublebutthenwesavedthem!"

"Huh. Good job then," Owain replied softly, out of ear shot of the Pegasus Knights.

"Wait," Cordelia paused. "How did Robin know what we were up to?"

"Sorry about that," Benny muttered, hearing Sumia step into the stables to check on Snowflake.

"Cynthia told me what you were up to," Sumia replied with a light smile. "I think I ought to thank you for taking care of my boy. And for all those snacks that he's been eating lately. So... thanks, friend," she finished, her smile widening with gratitude. Benny softened, and looked at Snowflake's tired eyes, then Sumia's kind brown ones.

"W-well, I enjoy feeding the Pegasi. I did nothing worth noting. But I'm glad to be of help. And I'm glad you're okay."

"Ha, don't worry about me," Sumia laughed, twirling her ankle to prove that she was okay. Oh, Snowflake's a brave guy! I bet he likes you a lot! That's why he talks to you like he does to me! I still have no idea how you got to ride him though. Huh."

"Snowflake is brave for trusting me to ride him to that village. I didn't think I would make it outside Steiger." Sumia nodded, not really understanding it either.

"Only the gentlest spirits can convince a Pegasus to take flight with them on their back," Sumia explained, finishing her conclusion of the knight in front of her. "I don't think it ever had to be a woman. Or maybe they just need a lot of oats to be convinced."

"And carrots," Benny added, his intimidating aura almost detracting from the light-hearted nature of the joke.

"Still, Snowflake came to my rescue and so did you. That says a lot, doesn't it?"

Chapter Text

Day 228, Evening

"Steiger has fallen."

"And with it, Pheros. I anticipated as much."

"It was either Yen'fay or her, but it might as well have been both considering the Chon'sin rat has abandoned his post. Still no sign of Ignatius after nearly a year. This is quite the offensive we're dealing with."

The Valmese war council was rather lacking in members, with only two pawns left fighting for the rest of the board. On one side, Excellus- brooding and arrogant. Cervantes on the other hand was missing the expected worry of a Valmese General on the retreat and seemed rather at ease given the circumstances.

"With the Conqueror riding East to investigate the reports on the sea, it falls upon the both of us to keep things from falling into total ruin until the main army arrives. What schemes do you have in store?" the bearded colossus asked.

"It is important that we maintain our control over the Mila Tree and surrounding lands. It is a powerful rallying point and home to that wretched Voice. Can I expect you to not die on a root for whatever time it takes for Walhart to return?"

"The Mila Tree, I see. Yes, I do believe I can strengthen my garrison beneath it. Hmm, I've always meant to see the Voice. Thank the Earth Mother for my bountiful whiskers-"

"It is settled then," Excellus interrupted, not quite keen on listening to Cervantes ramble about his facial hair. "I will take my forces north and reinforce the old Rigellian castle. I do believe we can maintain a solid southern front for at least the remainder of the year. When Walhart returns, we will be in the perfect position to pincer the Ylissean host and drive them to the grave."

"So it is. Don't trip on any of Saint-Queen Celica's old bookshelves yourself."

"Do rid yourself of my sight Cervantes. General you may be I no longer have need of your company."

"Yes yes, I shall go. Wouldn't want you to cast your witch curses upon me," the taller general laughed, much to the disgust of his less vertical and more horizontal counterpart.

With a curt nod, Cervantes left the tent, humming an off-tune melody before fading long into the sunset and the winds. Excellus however had more to brief than just his own comrades though.

"...We are alone," the tactician called, patiently staring ahead at nothing.

Footsteps. Light and subtle on dirt.

Two sets? Or perhaps it was just the gravel outside.

"So you send another of your generals to their death. At least make an effort to put up an actual fight lest that warmongering ape catch wind of our plans."

A hooded man of lanky stature walked in from the back room, opening the flap with hauntingly precise movements, not even a bounce in his step.

"Lord Validar. I had feared my message to you had been lost for lack of response. The war sways in favor of Ylisse as you wished."

"A little too strongly. I fear Ylisstol will be welcoming home their heroes by the end of the year, with not many flowers for the dead."

"I will admit, their stratagem is unorthodox and has gotten the better of... three generals. We still have a few cards left to play. Walhart will meet his end at Chrom's blade and hopefully bring a few of their core members with him. But enough prattle about the foreseeable future. My King, please, take a seat. I pray the voyage wasn't rough?"

Validar took a seat, stroking his beard thoughtfully before looking the eunuch in the eyes.

"A voyage implies water."

"...There is no alternate method of travel across the Valmese sea, unless you flew?"

"We rode. On horseback."

"Rode." Excellus paused for a while, looking again at the map where Valm and the western borders of Archanea lay. There was nearly a thousand miles of water separating the two.

"On horseback," he repeated for clarification. Validar nodded. "I'm afraid I am not catching on. My apologies."

Validar laughed, shaking his head. "It is strange, isn't it? I would have arrived a week earlier were we on ship. Ships do not need to rest. Nor do they eat. But we rode with a score of horses and now only a few remain, pushed to the limit as they are. A great distance has been traveled. A great expanse not charted by any map. At least, any map that isn't outdated."

"They do make new maps right? Like what if the coasts shift or... like an earthquake happened and the mountain lines change. Wouldn't they need a new map?" Bernadetta wondered, getting ready to cross out that last line with her quill.

Sylvain looked up from another of Bernadetta's revisions and rose to peruse over his wife's most recent writing. "I'm still not quite buying the way you're writing Grima. I-in this last part you made him sound like a horny Felix-"

"The maps Sylvain! Let me develop my characters in peace!"

Margrave Gautier laughed, kissing Lady von Varley on the top of her head before going back to his chair. She always winced when he did that and that was adorable.

"Maps are drafted by artisans once every decade or two. They do change. Now back to the dialogue. Don't lose your train of thought."

Bernadetta giggled, catching her husband's eye with a soft gaze before resetting her quill.

"Ah, just clarifying. You tend to know these random things, my dearest."

Excellus looked once more at the map, picturing a land mass instead of a sea where Valmese lay separated from her eastern neighbor. "I would imagine that navigation was... difficult?"

Validar shook his head, waving his arms slowly. "Not as much navigating as it was... following."

"Following who?"

Validar clapped twice, and in walked another man: a mage by the looks of it. Slick, unkempt hair- a harrowing mask covering half of his gaunt face. Long billowy robes akin to those both he and Validar wore.

"This is Iago. As circumstances would have it, he also would like to get rid of the Shepherds."

"...Which I will swiftly do. I am called Iago. I will aid you by my King's command." His voice was as greasy as his hair, rarely raising or lowering in inflection. Excellus warily shook his hand, recoiling a little faster than appropriate.

"King?"

"The King of Nohr. Your new eastern neighbor."

Chapter Text

Hoshidan Field Hospital - Two weeks before Queen Mikoto's Assassination, Early Morning

"And what do you make of this one?"

"A farmer. Look at his tan and his skin. Missing his right arm, never to work a field again."

"With proper care, he can return to his home. At the very least, we can let him live out his remaining days in peace with his family."

"He was a farmer, Lady Mikoto. He doesn't know where he is, and I'll be honest, I'm not sure I can heal what's left of his shoulder. And if I can't, neither can our healers. This isn't some trained soldier with the willpower to overcome injury. This is just a farmer. He won't know what to do when he comes to."

Orochi and Reina were well within the large tent, gazing at the rows upon rows of wounded Hoshidans within. It was a pitiful place; the smell within foul and the atmosphere acrid with death and despair. No more than half of the patients could even comprehend their surroundings, let alone their pain.

"These monsters... these Faceless. My barrier used to stop the soldiers of Nohr before, what is so different now?" Mikoto mused, scratching her chin thoughtfully and not letting the acidic air around her cloud her thoughts. "I cannot quell their base desire to harm."

"Milady, your powers have only worked on men and mount. These Faceless... I fear they were made to breach your barrier specifically," Orochi guessed, not liking the sound of that report. "It's been like this for a while, I fear."

"So they are... soulless? The more I try to repel them, the more they find ways to break through. We must find a way to stem this plague. Hoshido does not have the luxury of time nor life," she droned, her tone less hopeful than anyone would expect.

"Leave it to the Nohrian filth to imbue power to a beast instead of their own men," Orochi replied, wiping her eyes and trying in vain to get rid of that stinging sensation behind them. "We have no choice but to cut down the Faceless as they come across. That means stationing more soldiers to the border and telling our villagers to abandon the towns in risk."

"And that's going to make more of... these," Reina added, gesturing to the tent. "We have many soldiers and resources, but not enough for another year of this."

Mikoto let out a breath, the air whistling from her tight lips with the energy of a defeated sigh. Her eyes closed for a moment, her mind working and hoping to come up with a plan to further protect her countrymen. The pacifism barrier already took a great deal of energy out of her and maintaining it every day was a tedious process that drained both energy and focus from her. Now with reports of these new 'Faceless' in the mix, she feared her intellect would sooner diminish.

Walking up to the nearest unconscious man, she placed a hand on his chest and felt the pulse of an unconscious heartbeat beneath. His body twitched, a shiver running from his bandaged head all the way down to his remaining leg. A moan was let out, more akin to one close to death than one that was merely in pain.

"My lady?"

"Can you wake him up?" Mikoto asked, leaving Orochi at a loss.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," she replied, shaking her head vigorously. "He will wake up scared, in great pain. He is near death, to jolt him awake would invite disaster."

The Queen of Hoshido pursed her lips, running a kind hand along the man's cheek, caressing that which was bruised and bloody.

"Look at his face, Orochi. His dreams are clouded by great pain. He... yearns for the touch of his wife, never to feel her warm hand again. He wants to taste his daughter's cooking, but she too will never... ah!"

Mikoto stumbled, tears falling from her eyes as her involuntary empathy nearly overcame her senses. Reina quickly supported her, yanking her Queen's hand away from the comatose man and leading them back towards herself.

"Steady, steady… My Queen, you mustn't place the burdens of each of your countrymen upon yourself." Mikoto would have none of it, instead trying to force her way back against the clearly stronger woman.

"Her name was Mozu," Mikoto stammered, unable to stem the invading thoughts that weren't her own. "Little Mozu."

"My lady, please-"

"Make his suffering stop," Mikoto pleaded, reaching ever towards the man's face. "Let him wake. Let him see the light around him. Let me talk to him."

"I will not," Orochi said with a shake of her head. "He has suffered enough."

"Please-"

"Then let him sleep," Reina suggested, holding back Mikoto, pointing to Orochi. "Can you bring him deeper into his dream? Block out his pain. Let him remember that what comforts him."

"His dream..." Orochi muttered, kneeling beside the fallen man and placing both hands on his head.

"His home," Mikoto started, not making a motion. "Let him dream of home."

The diviner nodded, her conviction set on her actions. Yes, let the man's last thoughts be happy. Peaceful. She could do that.

"Remember," Orochi breathed. "Remember."

At first, nothing really happened aside from the man's eyes fluttering and flickering open and shut. There was movement in his body- the labored breaths of one trying to stay awake… or stay asleep.

"Mozu..." the man whispered, his eyes still but his heart beating faster.

"Yes," Orochi assured. "Mozu. She's here with you."

"No... She's out harvesting the grain with... her mother..."

"They'll be back soon," Orochi whispered, losing her grip. This man wasn't as close to death as she thought. He fought still, despite his broken body. He wanted to see his daughter again.

The man's eyes opened up in a stir, the rest of his body violent in uncontrollable spasms. Orochi flew backwards, her hands numb and icy from the rejected connection. Clambering across the floor gracelessly, she forced herself back onto the man in attempts to calm him down.

"M-monsters attacking! Sound the alarms!" he screamed, to no one and everyone at once. His sight disconnected from his thoughts, the man could only see the hulking masses of the Faceless bearing down on him.

"Let go!" Reina shouted, too late. The man was in a state of shock, swinging his arms as if they were still clutched to the weapon that he had fallen with.

"What are they… M-mozu! Run!" he shouted, slashing the terror in his dreams with a sickle. That's when his leg would get bit off, and the cry of agony that came after curdled everyone's blood.

His breathing grew faster yet, his eyes clouding and his mind reenacting what it was like to go into pure shock.

"What did he... What did you show him?!" Mikoto asked, terrified.

"I tried to let him remember- Damnit!" Orochi yelled, cursing loudly and grinding her teeth in frustration and guilt. Reina swiftly brought her dagger to the man's heart, piercing it cleanly and twisting it until the farmer's body had exhausted the last of its energy. Extracting the blade, she cleaned it unceremoniously and walked over to the prone Orochi, wracked with tears.

With nothing left to sustain his nightmares, the man simply died, an expression of horror etched on his face like a stone carving, as if nothing else could have been there.

The man remembered indeed. His last thoughts- the sight he had died to? Those of his wife being torn apart before his eyes, his daughter inevitably close behind.

At first, the spell was a failure. More than once did a fallen Hoshidan thrash about in their bed, their last thoughts of Faceless tearing their loved ones or themselves apart as they were powerless to assist. They would open their eyes in terror, the life already drained out of them. And their last thoughts were those of death, not life. Mikoto would have stopped Orochi, if not for the spellcaster's plea to redeem herself and restore her countrymen's minds.

Orochi hadn't slept in three days, determined to fix that. Reina had just finished burying the fifth Hoshidan of the week. Mikoto lay asleep on a spare cot, exhausted and hopeless. She needed to restore her energy, or else the rest of Nohr's soldiers would be soon behind the Faceless. Ignoring her and Reina for now, Orochi sat down silently next to a cot farther away than her two companions. Her next patient was not a soldier but a villager. A farmer's wife, or more accurately a farmer herself, judging by her hands. They were rough and knotted, a proud tool for the farmer that owned them. Not for much longer, not with the bone in her legs turned to powder, crushed under the weight of an army of beasts.

"Dream," Orochi whispered, placing her lips gently atop a fallen farmer's forehead. "Home is so far away, and we must return before nightfall." She brushed the hair aside, discovering a deep cut running right above her eyes, marring what could have been a beautiful face that would age gracefully for the rest of many peaceful days. There weren't many of those anymore. Neither beauty nor peace seemed very prominent nowadays.

Once more, the woman's eyes opened, but instead of violently thrashing around, they appeared cloudy, as if not truly seeing the world outside.

"Mozu..."

"I'm here for you," Orochi mimicked, matching the young farm girl that she pictured in her mind. Despite never meeting her, she wasn't surprised that both of her parents were here. Another Nohrian product. Another Hoshidan orphan.

"We... we must return before nightfall," the woman murmured, closing her eyes again. Orochi watched carefully over the woman's legs. No motion. No shock.

"Of course," Orochi whispered. "Can I follow you?"

"No," the woman sighed. "We must run."

Orochi froze, not sure what was happening. Was she recounting her death too? Why was she calm, then?

"We can run," Mozu answered, not wanting to disagree with her dreaming mother.

"Do you see that girl, with the white hair," her mother replied, so calm, so serene. "And her friends atop the horses... Can you see them?"

"Yes, Mother, I can."

"You must run to them. They will save... they... Ah!"

Mozu's mother almost thrashed, but instantly returned to normal. Her breathing was labored, but instantly showed signs of slowing down.

"I'll run to them mother," Orochi mimicked, almost adding a 'what about you?' but stopped herself short, knowing that would invite only terror.

"Y-yes Mozu," the mother labored. "Run... don't look back. I can..."

"You can what, mother?" Mozu replied, hesitant. Orochi's hands quivered, trying to send her healing magic as much as she possibly could without crushing the skull with her fingertips.

The woman lay there motionless for a good while. Almost as if she had fallen asleep mid-dream, stirring from a nap. Lazily, she yawned a tired yawn, not a sense of fear in her composure. The conversation continued, but with speech slurred and motions much more drowsy.

"Mother?" little Mozu asked timidly.

"I can... ah. I'm almost done boiling our rice. Will you... will you call your father?"

Orochi's eyes widened. Progress? It almost sounded like Mozu's mother was dreaming.

"Of course," Mozu answered.

"And tomorrow, why don't the three of us head... to the market? I'll get you those... sesame balls you enjoy."

With each word, Mozu's mother slurred deeper and deeper into her slumber. Gone were the whimpered moans of an injured farmer on her deathbed. Now, a doting mother lay on her back, snoring lightly in anticipation of tomorrow's market adventure.

Orochi slowly removed her hands from Mozu's mother's head, eyes wide and not quite believing what she had just accomplished. Reina noticed this too, eyeing the peaceful woman whose breathing had gotten slower and slower.

"Is she..."

"Close? Yes," Orochi whispered with a tired but successful smile. "She's almost home. And we have a clue on who sent those Faceless. A Nohrian with white hair. Mozu was rescued by them."

Day 234, Nightfall

"What, Chrom couldn't have beaten Lucina on his own?"

Morgan, Kana, Robin and Corrin all lay in two cots adjacent to each other in some twisted grown-up version of bedtime story telling. Whatever apprehension Kana had for his sister had diminished after a few reassuring hugs, and the future family was happily bunched together listening to Robin's tale of a Feroxian duel, two years ago.

Only the fun parts, as cruelly dictated by Morgan. Robin loved going into the details and frankly, his interrogators did not like that so much.

"I'm not quite sure. I remember that Chrom was very hesitant at first. 'Marth' had Falchion, after all," Robin offered. Corrin nodded in agreement, imagining the headstrong Exalt meet his wit's end not by a stronger foe, but a stranger one. She could hear the roar of the crowd, the dust spinning around her feet, almost as if she was in that arena too. Chrom would charge against the hero disowned by time on sands she had never seen nor felt before except in her boyfriend's account. She always had an active imagination. The Northern Fortress had plenty of books and a severe lack of pictures.

"And he found himself outmatched? Ha!" Morgan giggled, imagining it too. "Wait, are you sure that's how it went? Chrom's pretty strong, way more than Luci. You sure you're not just... making it up? Why would he ever need your help to beat her up? I'm sure you added that part to sound more heroic. Not that you're not."

"I'd never!" Robin fumed. "This is honest-to-history recounting. I'm a primary source," he added with a wry smile. "Prince Chrom needed the Tactician Robin's help: that's how legend goes. Any Feroxi worth their salt'll tell you that."

"Mm, no. Not buying it," Kana said in an angry-cute way.

"I mean, you're plenty strong, Father. But Chrom? He could've taken Luci down easy, without your help," Morgan challenged, backing up Kana. "You're writing yourself into history."

"Traitors, the lot of you," Robin mused, gazing longingly to Corrin for backup. "Doesn't anyone believe me? What about my dearest co-commander?"

Corrin wrinkled her nose as if she just bit a lemon, not for a moment letting Robin have his self-proclaimed victory.

"Oh don't look at me like that. I'm just here for a good story, dressed up it may be," she teased. "If only there was something here that was an actual account of the Plegian War? Like a journal perhaps. If, and a big if at that, if I fought in the Plegian war and had a mysterious future-swordsman gift me a journal... Ooh, I can imagine mine now, bound in leather and mystery, confined to a shelf in my office. If I had one, I would keep it under a magical seal, so that no one-"

"Luci said you had one!" Kana blurted while pointing at Robin's shelf. There, bound in fine leather the accused sat, facing the pale-haired jury, with all but one eyeing for its contents hungrily.

"She told you, huh," Robin asked with a slow realization. "You two've been talking a bit now, haven't you?"

Kana immediately blushed, shaking his head. "Definitely not. Forget I said anything. She just said, 'I gave Robin a journal so that he could recount his memories, just in case he ever felt sad that he couldn't remember anything else!'"

The imitation of course was lacking in timbre and pitch, but it was quite enough to bring a smile to the other three in the tent. Corrin and Robin would have melted if not for Morgan's insistence to retrieve the journal.

"Get up, Father! If you won't do it, I will!"

"Ah, the ploy to divulge your father's secrets," Robin acknowledged with a wistful nod. "An excellent gambit, Morgan: You used Kana's talents excellently where your own wouldn't have sufficed." Rising with a groan to his sore back, the tactician ran an idle hand along his shelf before stopping at the treasured journal. Oh, if Lissa had thrown this one in the lake, she would have been incinerated. Lucina would have helped dispose of the body too…

Whoa. That was rather devious. The Princess was rubbing off on him.

"Why- hey! I'm plenty convincing! I just can't imitate Luci's stern voice. You can't do any better, Kana."

Morgan started speaking imitations, lowering her voice in a very artificial and forced way. This maneuver succeeded in nothing but making Corrin and Kana cringe as Robin dispelled the simple seal keeping his treasured book in its closed state. He looked at his family and then back to his writing. The smile that crept to his face told it all.

"Now you'll have to pardon my… writing. This may be a little more personal than I'm willing to share, but you asked nicely. And well, it makes a good story," Robin added, smiling as he plopped the book on Corrin's lap as he snuggled up next to her.

"Papa, stop staring, start reading!"

"Oh? Oh, yeah. Sorry." Robin cleared his head, shaking it briefly before settling in on top of Corrin's arm who wasted no time to burrow into him like some manner of shrew.

Clearing his throat, the tactician briefly made a rapid series of mental addenda to his otherwise life-like portrayal of the duel between father and future-daughter.

"At the moment, I was engaged in combat alongside Sumia against two Feroxi gladiators. Out of the corners of my sight, I could see Chrom face off against Marth in single combat, both Falchions mirroring each other's movements. Soft-spoken dialogue, and then a clash of blades. Dispatching the rest of our foes with relative haste, Sumia and I quickly joined up with our leader. With a wave, Chrom signaled us off as he engaged Marth alone. With the roar of battle dying down to just two fighters, I could clearly make out their dialogue now.

'Who taught you how to fight?' He asks, if I recall properly.

'My Father,' comes Marth's response, sharp as his blade ever poised to strike. He leaped into the air with incredible height and speed, careening so fast that he appeared as a blur of blue and silver. Miraculously, Chrom dodged that blow and ducked under Marth's arm, knocking him down with a kick followed by a low slash to his back with the flat of his blade. It would have ended right there, but Marth was too fast to be felled by two rough blows and attacked Chrom again, this time with an attack to his left side, opposite his blade. Anticipating Chrom's jump as he swept his legs, Marth lunged upwards, smashing Chrom's gut with his shoulder and knocking both of them down, pausing the fight as they lay gasping for air.

Of course, as most dramatic fights must be, more dialogue.

Now pretend of course, that what I'm stuttering is from lack of breath. I had to write it in," Robin excused, briefly pausing the story. "Pretend I'm out of breath."

"What? Oh, you're trying to... Okay," Morgan realized, apologizing quickly as Robin continued.

"You are my sister's savior. Must this end with me striking you down?"

"Who said anything about that?" came Marth's challenge. "We are two swordsmen fighting for the future of Ferox. And as I see it, I can lay you on the ground just as easily."

"I don't doubt it," Chrom laughs, "Very well, are you ready to finish this?"

"I am." Marth warns ominously, before lunging at an off-guard Chrom with blade outstretched.

From my angle, it looked like Chrom was done for, seeing as he had less than a blink to react and another blink to counter Marth. All the instinct and training couldn't have helped him at that point, not before she punished his horrid counter with a decisive blow that would have ended our story right then and there.

So naturally, I intervened and toasted Marth to a crisp with a fire spell and that was that."

"You toasted Luci!" Kana mimicked with a giggle, joined quickly by Morgan. How very sadistic of them.

"Oh, I can definitely see that happening. How very tactical of you to tip a fair fight," Corrin mused. Her smile was radiant as always and Robin felt his heartbeat stutter just looking at it. He stared a little too long as the two children's groans quickly let him know.

"And then what happened?" Morgan asked impatiently, urging the plot forward.

"Oh? Well, uh..."

"We wanted to believe Marth threw the match. Perhaps in hindsight, Lucina did not believe that Chrom could beat Lon'qu. Maybe she was right. In her hands, Chrom's victory would be assured. We wouldn't see her again until Emmeryn's..."

Robin trailed off, his eyes drawing a blank. Morgan and Kana looked at each other, not knowing if this was one of their father's theatrics.

"Emmeryn's what? What-"

"I think that's enough," Corrin quickly interjected, closing the journal. Robin snapped out of it, nodding quickly.

"Y-yeah. I think that's enough for tonight. Sorry. I... got lost."

"Uh-huh," Kana groaned. "Well, I'm tired... I guess. Good night, Papa. Good night, Mama."

"I suppose we could get our sleep now," Morgan agreed reluctantly. "Good night, Mother, Father."

With the cots apart once more, Corrin and Robin stared at the ceiling together, fingers intertwined underneath the blanket.

"You did your best," Corrin assured, craning her neck to rest on Robin's chest. "You did all you could."

"Chrom told you?"

"Lissa."

"...The best is never enough when it matters."

"Now don't get like that right now. They need both of us."

"I could use a walk."

"Are we going to talk about it?"

"Can you handle my ramblings?"

"Of course."

The two commanders silently rose from their position, Corrin quickly wrapping Robin's cloak around herself. Robin kissed the two dragons on their foreheads, smiling when he saw Morgan's expression from the gesture.

"Get to sleep Morgan. We'll be right back."

"Of course, Father. Good night."

"...I wanted to close my eyes," Robin explained, his feet not on Steiger's ramparts but instead on a Plegian dune. "I wanted to will a miracle into existence but... It wasn't my time to conjure miracles. Not for another two years."

Corrin nodded, responding only with a squeeze of her hand. The cold stones felt familiar on her bare feet as she silently took each step, keeping careful cadence with her partner as they strolled around the camp. The Feroxian army occupied most of Steiger, with the Joint Shepherds taking over the command center. The Shepherds would march ahead tomorrow on the long trek towards the Mila Tree. The Feroxian Army would peel east towards ocean the following day, hoping to draw Walhart and the Valmese cavalry away with their numbers while the Shepherds rescued Tiki.

It was a good plan, Corrin assured.

"Every great man needs his failure," she said softly. "If you didn't fail then, you could've failed here. All of us, we wouldn't all be here if you did not learn that lesson."

"Well- You're right, as much as I would prefer you not to be," Robin admitted. "I would prefer my failures to be... less severe. I see Emmeryn's face in my head and I just freeze. My mind replays that one moment over and over and... well, you saw. I can't even get through story time with the kids."

"Ylisse is at peace. Isn't that what she wanted?" Corrin asked with a slight change of subject.

"Corrin, we're an ocean away fighting the very people who want Ylisse aflame. I wouldn't say we're at peace."

"But her people are safe, aren't they? Isn't that the job of the Shepherds? To fight their fight?"

"Right again. You know, you could-"

There were footsteps behind them, causing the couple to turn and find Lucina standing there awkwardly.

"...Commanders," she greeted after a pause, nodding afterwards.

"Oh, we must be in your way," Corrin realized, still leading Robin by the hand as they narrowed their profile on the rampart. Lucina passed by without a word, continuing her patrol. A sigh. Could've been the wind, actually.

They stood there motionless once more, with nothing but the cold Valmese wind providing any commentary. Eventually, the dark blue figure faded into the shadows as she rounded the corners of the vast fortress.

"I could what?" Corrin continued, not regarding the Ylissean who had passed them.

"She looked upset," Robin mused, ignoring Corrin for a moment.

"She must still loathe you after you ruined her fight with her father," Corrin joked, prompting a light smile from Robin.

"You could handle story time next time," Robin added, finishing his train of thought. "I don't even know that much about you. You can make it up even and-"

"I wouldn't lie," Corrin huffed, but her eyes turned somber and her grip loosened a little. "It just wasn't an adventure worth telling."

She looked up, meeting amber with maroon. The grip tightened, renewed.

"Not until I met you."

Lucina walked aimlessly around Steiger, her footstep count long lost after the distraction a couple minutes ago.

Of course they were holding hands.

She shook the thought from her head. She came here to save Ylisse, to save her Father. To change fate and... save Robin? No, not that last part. That wasn't a necessity.

The completely accidental crush she had developed on the younger version of her childhood guardian was completely... wrong. The Robin she knew in her world was the kind soul with a dark past, watching his friends die a thousand miles away while he stood helpless in Ylisstol. She remembered him, gazing over the ramparts just as she did now, wondering what struggles Chrom and the Shepherds had to endure without his guidance.

How many of the children under his care would be orphaned?

And here Robin was now, just older than her (he didn't even know his own age but he looked it) and the same kind spirit that she had trusted must have existed long before Lucina did. The Robin she knew and the Robin she was commanded by were one and the same.

What would his hands feel like intertwined with hers?

Oh gods.

"Naga, grant me the strength I need to see my mission through," Lucina prayed, clenching her hands in the cold. It's not like Commander Corrin was unappealing, either. Corrin was kind, warm, everything that Robin was too. She was another pea from the tactical pod it seemed like, even with her odd habits that far eclipsed her boyfriend's. They, loathe as she was to admit, were happy and fit well together. What could Lucina have even done if she were in her shoes. Or lack of,

"These damn thoughts. Whims of a girl," she muttered.

Whims of a stupid immature girl.

She leaned her hands on the terrace facing outward, letting the wind run through her hair and neck. Her eyes were well accustomed to the dark this late into her patrol, but the vastness of Steiger led her struggling to find the two white dots of the commanders. Perhaps they were on their way to their tent, Lucina reasoned.

Her patrol continued, oblivious to the sorcerer who had just faded past her periphery.

"I rescued Mozu from Nohrian conjurations before going to Shirasagi. I was with Kaze. And another woman named Rinkah. They were the two prisoners."

"From Krakenburg?"

"Yeah. The ones Leo spared. I found them after I lost... Gunter. Oh."

Robin didn't look at Corrin but he could still feel her clenching her teeth. He had to remind himself that he had found her not more than a month after she had left the only place she had ever known.

"...What was he like?" Robin asked, trying to lighten the tension.

"Strict. Frederick plus a couple hundred years. But there was a kindness in some of his actions. He wasn't as cold as the fortress, that's for sure."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. If I ever find Hans again, I'll throw him off a bridge and make sure he lands shiny-head first."

Something in Corrin's eyes flickered, and for the first time in a long time, Robin saw anger. An emotion that wasn't even present in Old Ylisse.

"Back to Kaze and Rinkah. That's when you met Mozu?"

"Yeah. She was the lone survivor of an attack," Corrin explained as the two continued their impromptu patrol. "She was a Hoshidan farmer, orphaned by the country I called home. It opened my eyes to the war between the two countries. It's horrible enough that good men have to fight bitter battles against other good men... but bad men would avoid their own harm and still seek victory? That's a gateway to evil deeds."

"There are good deeds and bad deeds in war," Robin agreed. "And bad wars making monsters of good men."

"The Faceless are beasts without soul and without instinct. Just an order to kill Hoshidans. I despise it. Nohr prided itself on fighting great battles and riding until the dusk falls behind their banners... and then the Faceless came along, puppets to honorless mages. I lost a lot of pride in Nohr that day. Who knows how long it has been going on? Mindless husks making mincemeat of Hoshidan civilians."

"Like Risen?"

"Like Risen. Just taller. And uglier."

"Hmm," Robin hummed, drowsiness catching up to him. Corrin noticed too, letting a yawn out instead of saying anything.

"Time for bed?"

"Time for bed."

"We marched quite a bit. Stairs are way over there," Robin pointed. Lo and behold, they had nearly traversed halfway across Steiger. It was a long road back. A long, cold road back.

"Lead the way," Corrin ordered with a smile.

They walked silently for a while, Robin catching a faint glimpse of Lucina in the distance. Would they encounter each other again by the time he and Corrin would get to the stairs? They would probably ask how she was feeling. Yes, that would be in order. She looked unwell.

"Something on your mind?" Corrin asked.

Robin shook off the thoughts, deciding to ask instead for more of Corrin's story. At least the month before she met him.

"I recall Azura saying you pack quite a punch," Robin replied, a memory catching up with him from when they first met. "I assumed, well, since you met her before meeting me..."

"Oh, that," Corrin winced. "Yeah that's... no."

Mikoto, impaled by dark spikes. Ganglari's dark spikes. Her Ganglari's dark spikes.

She shook her head rapidly: a shiver to stave off the cold. Were Robin not the perceptive tactician that he was, it might as well have been.

"Sorry. I'm not good at piecing it together. Sorry for asking." Robin excused himself, cursing himself mentally.

"It wasn't a bad question. Just one I'm not ready to answer. It's... too soon."

"I'm still sorry," Robin repeated, sincerity in his voice.

"I'll tell you a little on the march tomorrow. Deal?"

"Only the fun parts," Robin replied, eyes shining with an assuring look.

The two entered the watchtower, Corrin following Robin as they approached the doorway to the stairs that would take them back to the ground. Robin lit up a torch with a quick show of magic, enjoying the heat as well.

"I heard they're making Chon'sin-style eggs tomorrow. Should be an interesting breakfast," Robin announced, his voice echoing off the cold stones. He kept the door open, letting the princess in before he put the torch back into the sconce.

With both hands occupied, he couldn't have possibly defended himself from a blast of dark magic, and that dark wave smashed his head against the wall and knocked him out cold. That panic caused his magic to flicker, illuminating Robin's attacker.

"I-Iago?!" Corrin screamed, drawing- Yato was still in her tent.

Corrin came to with a terrible headache, deciding very quickly to shut her eyes. As lovely as the sky was, the sun was another thing entirely. And her eyes happened to be looking right into it.

Footsteps. Three sets of them. She opened her eyes, still adjusting to silhouettes and-

"Chrom, we have to do something."

"What do you propose we do?"

Chapter Text

Day 235, Morning - Fort Steiger

"The Feroxians are beginning their march shortly. If we're going to take advantage of the clear skies we'd best get moving too."

"Yes, I agree. Packing and preparations are finished by now. All that's left is breakfast and the long road ahead."

Ryoma and Xander looked at the ghost town Steiger was soon to become. Of course, they would leave a contingent of Chon'sin defectors and a Feroxian garrison to maintain the strategic foothold, but those numbers wouldn't be so large as to take away from the Ylissean League's main army.

"Speaking of breakfast, I hear today's meal is Hoshidan-inspired," Xander began. Ryoma turned, humming his acknowledgement and gauging his partner's subtle expression.

"Chon'sin, actually, but they're pretty similar- A simple egg and rice dish with a little Hoshidan flair thrown in. It's nothing special but it... it's home for us. Some of us," he added quickly. Xander seemed to pay no mind though.

"This peace that we've made... if it is to truly last, I would imagine I could get used to 'home.' Your soldiers seem to enjoy Nohrian cuisine. And I will admit there are some dishes from Hoshido that satisfy my palette as well. So no, Prince Ryoma, I do not believe that it would be home for just 'some.'"

"This peace will last, as long as we work together," Ryoma decided firmly, nodding in renewed conviction. "Perhaps it's naive to say this early, but I truly believe this Alliance was the right first step to a bond between our two Kingdoms."

"It isn't naive. But much work lies ahead- you know this. We all do. It is good that we share a common goal, without one we would have torn each other apart within the first month. With Grima threatening our lands, we must stand together lest we die alone. A year ago, I would have never said this, but time changes and we must too if Nohr and Hoshido are to survive."

"Yes. I know that fact well."

To be fair, Ryoma had his lasting doubts about Grima for the longest time, believing the illusion he had suffered under Robin's spell to be just that- an illusion. Maybe it was until he met Say'ri, or perhaps the true fear in Kamui's eyes and eventually his doubts faded to the recesses of his mind. But a few days ago, when the children had trespassed upon the Ylisse they had escaped from... That was undoubtedly real. No child could imitate terror. Not when it reached their eyes, their fingertips. Even the more mature Gerome's breathing was labored. Truly, if they had lost one of their own that day, they-

"Any word from the commanders?"

It would have been a demoralization that not many could recover from. The cause the Shepherds aimed for would have been hamstringed on the spot.

Ryoma shook his head. Corrin and Robin had been oddly missing since morning but they were probably elsewhere, coordinating with the main army perhaps.

"None so far. They're probably on another their own time-frame. I'm sure we'll hear from them when it's time to march."

"What do you mean they're missing?"

"Uh-huh! They went out to walk last night, and when I woke up, they still weren't back!"
"We've checked everywhere! Maybe they woke up early, but no one's seen them!"

Chrom rubbed his eyes in frustration, Morgan and Kana standing before him with various degrees of panic on their face. Not that it was contagious, but the Exalt had a similar expression plaguing his usual stoic visage as well. Robin and Corrin were responsible; Clearly this was no mere tryst outside the walls of Steiger. And to be gone for more than a few hours? This could be bad.

"Do we know who was on watch when they left? Have they reported anything?"

"23rd-Hour Watch was Lucina and Laslow, which was about the time they left, I think. 1st-hour was Hana and Lon'qu. 2nd-Hour was-"

"And none of them have said anything?" Chrom interrupted, not caring much for the specifics. Kana didn't seem to recall, and Morgan shook her head.

"Nope! Weird..." the siblings muttered in tandem.

"Very. Well this is a horrible start to the day. If that's what's happening, I'm going to call everyone. We're clearly in the midst of some sort of emergency and none of us realize it."

"They were walking along the walls, but only for a short while," Lucina explained. "Laslow could not see them?"

"No," Chrom sighed. "And they didn't return to their tents after you saw them?" Lucina held her chin thoughtfully, the princess clearly not aware of the severity of the situation.

"Not that I could tell. They weren't walking with a torch. Robin usually patrols by magic light, and well, they were not patrolling."

"Oh? What were they doing then?"

Lucina's face lowered, both from shame and embarrassment.

"Just walking and talking on the ramparts." And risque hand-holding, but that was irrelevant and well... unnecessarily explicit behavior.

"I see. Well, we have our leads, little as they are. Some of you," Chrom ordered to the gathered Shepherds, "Start a sweep on the walls. See if we can find anything. Any clues or signs of a kidnapping or a fight. The rest of us, eat quick and get ready to march. We still have to follow the Commander's strategy, even if they're not here. As of now, the Equinox Contingency is in effect. Prince Leo, Prince Takumi? You're in charge of the Shepherds now."

The name was rather cheesy, but being as it was Corrin's idea, no one dared say a word and ruin the dragon princess' perpetual smile. That, and Robin couldn't figure out another word that symbolized the balance between light and dark. Corrin loved metaphors for whatever reason and at the time of its conception, the name was rather clever.

Regardless, Takumi and Leo had proven themselves as cunning intellects, untempered as they were. Corrin had vouched for Leo's existing wit, while she had gathered a familiarity with Takumi's mind over the course of the Valmese campaign. Robin came to his decision after a few board games oddly enough, saying something about Virion under his breath. The next day, he and Corrin had announced the Equinox Contingency and had named the two his back-ups just in case something had happened to them.

And something had happened to them, so Commander Takumi and Commander Leo looked at each other with a shared gulp. Still, Ryoma and Xander approved greatly of this idea, seeing themselves as better suited as leaders on the battlefield than on the backlines. Not that they were any less prominent, of course.

"Right," Leo said through a nervous smile. "Uh... Morgan, Ricken, Miriel, Owain, Tharja, Maribelle... and Princess Sakura? With me."

"Mages?" Takumi wondered.

"Something had to breach our sentries without them noticing. The only thing that comes to mind is magic. Very specific magic," Leo explained. "We're all pretty familiar with teleportation spells and their signs. The rest of you, hurry up and eat. Missing commanders or not, we have to march."

With that, the Shepherds split up, most of them going to the mess hall while the small squad Leo led went towards the walls.

"Actually," he turned to Sakura quickly, causing the meek priestess to yelp. "You can go ahead and eat. I know you love Chon'sin food. Just save some for us, please?"

Sakura nodded, smiling as she joined the others.

From even that distance, he could catch Takumi and Ryoma nod in acknowledgement at that little act.

It didn't take very long to find the tell-tale signs of a magical fight. Maribelle had found some stones charred with fire and lightning, far more intense than the normal torch could ever do over the years. That and well, some of the stones were cracked. Very cracked. Possibly bloody, but dried if so.

"This staircase is the closest to their tent," Leo derived, feeling the ash on the stones before sniffing his fingertips cautiously. "Definitely fire magic. I don't smell any charred wood in the ash. Or oil. And I really don't know or care to know what burnt blood smells like."

"And what's could this be?" Miriel wondered, looking at the floor. "It looks like some sort of summoning ring, similar in design and function to the portal that connected our world to that of the Old Ylisse, yet judging by these markings..."

"Not quite the same," Morgan finished for her.

"Odd," Leo mused, walking around the ring before envisioning himself inside it. It came back in spurts, but upon closing his eyes and turning back the clock Leo found himself not in Steiger, but in Krakenburg. A young prince learning high-level magic from a seemingly unenthusiastic teacher.

"Is it familiar?" Ricken asked. "I've never seen something quite like it."

"I couldn't do it when I was a student, but my old magic instructor could teleport across large distances with the proper spell. I... want to think that this is it. But it wouldn't make any sense."

"Well, if you're right then that's Nohrian magic," Morgan observed. "That much is odd enough. I've never seen anything like this in any of the Ylissean or Valmese texts. Even the portal predates most human magic."

"Hoshidan ninja can do a similar feat, albeit at a lesser distance due to the lower state of the sigils they conjure," Leo added, thumbing along the stones for more clues. While the main group observed the circle, the remaining mages returned from outside the walls. "Owain, Tharja, did you find anything else?"

"It's dark magic for sure, though I've never myself tampered with teleportation magic. It's far too risky without prior experience," Tharja responded, shaking her head to Leo's initial query. "As for our surroundings, nothing seems out of place. Faint wisps of magics emanate from this staircase, but out there, I sense nothing. To think that someone could have overpowered sweet Robin and dear little Corrin... this is worrying."

"Some sort of fight happened here, but our mystery assailant had to cloak himself in the darkest of shadows to get by Lucina," Owain added. "The walls are without breach or break. Whoever bested our commanders must have scaled Steiger's walls, not to mention assert control over the two, without her noticing."

"Or she wasn't being a very attentive sentry," Maribelle countered, which was met by a blank stare from Leo. "Right, not the most realistic scenario. Pardon me."

"Owain, do these runes look familiar?" Leo asked, pointing his retainer towards the charred sigils in the stone. The sorcerer nodded, his eyes widening.

"Hey, aren't those old Nohrian magics? What's this doing here?" the prince wondered to his princely liege. "I remember you practicing these a year ago in your-"

"We suspect our perpetrator must have utilized warping magic on top of some sort of invisibility spell. Now, assuming that this is a Nohrian sigil, there are a few spellcasters that I know that are capable of this level of mastery. Unfortunately, all of them are back in Nohr."

"It is possible that we have been followed all this time," Ricken suggested, to which Leo nodded after a beat.

"Odd as it might be, that's the most reasonable possibility. We weren't exactly discrete when we abandoned the conflict at the border. We sent half our army back to Krakenburg without us... and with not so much as a solid explanation to Father. In hindsight, a horrible idea. But anything that gets Xander spooked is, well, pressing. I wasn't about to question his resolve."

"Indeed, Lord Xander was convinced by Inigo quite effectively," Owain mused. "Well, at least we narrowed it down. But I fear there isn't much else we can decipher from this remnant of battle."

Leo rubbed his eyes in frustration, before banishing his doubts with a clenched fist. A couple deep breaths, and the commander was back in the game.

"I'll question the Feroxian guard before the march, see if they spotted anything out of the ordinary. Everyone else, it appears our investigation is at a temporary halt. Go eat something, and we'll have to make it up as we go."

"Nothing?" Takumi asked, seeing his partner return from the Feroxian garrison.

"Besides what you already know? Nothing," Leo replied with a defeated sigh. He had a plate of rice and eggs and started on it as Takumi scratched his head in deep thought.

"Damn, alright, this is really happening."

"So it is. You're not doubting Corrin, are you?" Leo asked between bites.

"Kamui. And no. If you aren't, I'm not. But still, they trusted us with this, and we're already off our bearings within hours of their disappearance. Do we really just march without knowing what happened to them? Without trying to find them?"

"There's a lot of things to figure out right now, and right now, it is our duty to keep the rest of the Shepherds on their path. We must slay Grima, stop Valm."

"...About that. I had some thoughts," Takumi suggested.

"What?"

"Is Valm really a threat to us now? We've bested armies ten times our size with not nearly as much effort as they should have warranted. I have no better comparison, but even our own battles as Nohrians and Hoshidans had more... vigor."

"Are you suspecting that they're letting us in too quickly?" Leo asked. Takumi shrugged, shaking his head.

"It crossed my mind. I don't know, but this is too easy. Robin and Corrin are a genius pair, sure, and I'm not doubting our combined strength. Think about it: If Lucina's story is accurate, shouldn't Valm be a much bigger threat?"

"You are right, I suppose. This is the greatest cavalry that ever rode upon on the Archanean continent and we've tossed them aside like scraps at every turn.

"So what do you think? Are we marching into their trap?" Takumi thought, envisioning the map in his mind.

"Empress Say'ri has expressed the utmost importance on reclaiming the Mila Tree. If we are to unite Valentia under one banner, we both know that our march cannot stop until we have liberated it."

"Valentia, Valm, I've heard them being used interchangeably," the Hoshidan speculated. "If the books are right, Valm, the country that is, isn't much of a factor on paper. How did they sweep through all of the continent? Numbers nearing a million horses and men, and yet what have we seen if not a mere ten-thousand at a time?"

"Simple," Leo responded, biting more of the Hoshidan food. "We simply haven't found them yet. Despite compromising three of their generals, we still haven't found anything."

"So we just march to the Mila Tree then?"

"Right into a trap?" Leo laughed. "Of course not."

"But Robin-"

"But nothing," Leo interrupted. "We will take the Mila Tree, dismantle this painfully tedious idea of a 'Conqueror' and go home. It's been a long few months, Takumi. No need to prolong it."

"But is Walhart really an enemy we need to make?"

"You ask me. Empress Say'ri and your brother need to save their people, don't they?"

"Right... yeah. Dumb question." Leo wrapped up his remaining food, licking his lips in satisfaction.

"This stuff is great. Anyway, now that the dumb questions are out of the way, what's really going on in that head of yours? Don't tell me all that hair is weighing down your intuition."

"Shut your mouth Nohrian- Ugh. Alright, I'll say it; I don't think we're being led into a trap."

"Alright, then what is it? If we're taking care of Valm this easily and are not being led into a trap, what's got you spooked?"

"I think something bigger than us caught Walhart's attention."

Mila Shrine Ruins- The Conqueror's Whetstone

"What a dreadful place," Robin groaned, lifting a rock out of his way to access the catacombs further within. Caves were one thing. Tombs, gross as they were, were on an entirely higher level of ghastly. But yet... there was power here. Great power. Power that should have been sealed an age ago. Power that should have died.

He had sensed it when he made his way to Valentia. In his existence, there had only been two great powers in the world: Naga, and his.

To find a third was... enlightening.

He had been walking for what seemed like hours. Still, hours, days, even years could come and go in the blink of an eye. His final tactic as a god was more vast a time-frame than the stratagems of wars waged in his human life.

Speaking of, he hadn't checked in on the Shepherds in a while. They must've been marching to the Mila Tree by now though, assuming that nothing else was going wrong.

Of course, when one brings along an entire continent and drags it through the oceans of the Astral Sea to juxtapose it onto another? That could be considered something going wrong.

In Robin's case, it was going right.

"I never knew Duma. But someone is using his power. Stealing it, more like. No man can withstand our power for very long, not until it betrays him. Walhart finds that out the hard way, even long after he dies a mortal death," Robin narrated aloud, dragging his hands along the wall until finally coming to a stop behind a grand door with a dim beacon before it.

"Oh."

A man lay there, hunched and battered like an old dog that had winded itself on a hunt. In his hands was a gleaming spear, perfectly balanced with an edge maintained long throughout the years- no. Throughout even more than that.

The faint flickers of an otherworldly ember danced dimly from his fingertips to his palms, shifting from a deep vermilion to a more natural ocher. His armor was pitted, and what banner that could have been on the fore of his cape had faded into naught but dirt and grime. Seeing Robin approach made the man look up with both surprise and defeat, and that pitiful look made the tactician tilt his head.

"I thought this was a tomb," the wanderer said flatly, trying his best to get a stir from the old warden.

"You a-are too late. The power you seek is already gone," the man spat, but not without struggling to keep his head raised. Wounds could be seen now that Robin was closer. Great wounds that should have killed lesser men. Robin would have none of that.

"Oh, that's apparent enough. Get up."

"What right have you? I am-"

"You are nothing. At least, you should have been nothing. You should have been dead for thousands of years, and yet here you are."

He was a tall man once, Robin would like to think. Long black hair had turned into a grayish motley rag, and a beard that hadn't been shaved nor washed in too long adorned the man's bruised face. Skin that hadn't seen the sun's warmth is hundreds, maybe thousands of years lay stretched and leathery, at least in the few spots where it wasn't torn asunder by terrible lacerations.

"I am a steward of a terrible and consuming evil," the man moaned, rising with great effort. "I have guarded this curse, kept it safe from man... who should not ever possess it again."

Hardly, Robin thought. Walhart had made quick work of him.

"Was. You are barely a steward of your own body at the moment. Do you know who it was, the beast that took this power from you?"

Of course Robin knew. Walhart was a direct descendant of the Saint King, whose blood bore the fortitude to bear Duma's raw power as his own. Blood that would not allow him to die, as the Conqueror would soon find out.

"I do not know. But like the others who have taken it from me, he will fall, and the flames will come back to me. I am their sworn protector. It is my duty and my responsibility."

Wolf Berg's cleaves were tell-tale: Walhart's greataxe was a colossus even next to his horse. The fact that the guardian of this tomb was still even in one piece was a miracle in itself.

Or a curse.

"Well, you don't have it anymore. And you won't for a while. So here's my proposal: get up, and you're going to help me stop him."

"Truly you are a fool. Why would I help you? I have not left this place for an age. I will stay here for an age more. Leave me be. Perhaps with the power gone as you say, I can die. I can finally-"

"There is still a flicker of Duma's stench in you. Not much, but enough to keep you alive for many more years. But you help me. You help me liberate Valentia, and I'll put your soul to rest. I'll claim whatever power that sustains you for mine own."

"Folly. No man should bear Duma's power but I. It is my punishment."

"I know. A dragon's temptations should not be toyed with by men such as us. I realize that now, too late."

The man's eyes narrowed.

"You aren't a man."

Robin's facade faded away slightly, as subtle as the change was. Kind brown eyes gave way to his true red ones.

Eyes of despair. Of ruin.

Of Grima.

"A dragon? You should all be dead. Duma was among the last of his kin."

No, Robin was elsewhere on Valm. Grima had his own journey to complete though. And that journey needed someone that could best Walhart in single glorious combat.

"Not wrong," the Fell Dragon nodded. "But not quite right."

Grima walked over to the man, placing his hand on the rusted and pitted armor.

"I will not bring her to you. But I can bring you to her. You can die a worthy death not as a vessel, but as a man. Grant me your strength, Rightful Emperor of Valentia."

Berkut's eyes widened, and the old man long past his prime looked up at Grima in shock.

"H-how..."

"I can grant you one last conquest. Ride with me, liberate your homeland. Return to your love whose heart holds your soul. It will not do for a son of Rigel to be bound by Duma's curse."

"What you offer me... I forfeited those privileges when I was but a stupid boy. I will not make the same mistake twice. But yet... Who are you?"

"I can give you a life and death worthy of your history. When all is said and done, you will die, like any man should.

And you will see her again, not in this life, but the next."

"...Rinea?"

Grima nodded.

"...Get up."

With a slow breath, Berkut, proud cousin of the Saint-King rose.

"What I grant you, I will take away as soon as your use as steward of Duma's power has been fulfilled. Knowing this, will you ride with me? Will you die for my selfish cause?"

"I will die for my people. I will die so that no man will ever be plagued by dragons again."

Instantly, Grima transferred a small amount of power to the Rigellian scion, restoring that which was once broken. Wounds faded, bones creaked, and the fire that burned in the prince's hands shifted from dark red to a lighter purple to finally, a strong amber and pink.

Berkut screamed, feeling his body bend back into place as the proud knight of three-thousand years was rejuvenated by the Fell Dragon's power. Kriemhild burned with the same flame, its blade once more thirsting for blood.

Duma's power had sustained him for ages, even beyond both his and Berkut's supposed deaths. How he had survived this long, who could possibly know. But no man could ever be trusted with power this foul again.

"Will you truly do as you say? When all of this is over, will Duma's curse still be a temptation to my people?"

"No. Because it will be mine."

"...I see. That is good enough for me."

Southtown, Ylissean/Plegian Border

Why was I sleeping on the floor... And where are we?

"Ah, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick," Corrin greeted casually, nodding to the respective people before rising to her feet. However, Frederick's lance stopped her from stepping any closer. "H-hey!"

"You know who all three of us are?" Lissa asked in awe, but Frederick glared at Corrin who was still frozen in confusion.

"Any spy could know our names," Frederick observed, "Though she lacks the wit to call her marks by their given titles."

Corrin's confusion turned into outright clueless bewilderment.

"W-wait. What? Of course I know your name, Frederick. You've been at our- Chrom's side at every strategy meeting, not to mention any time else. Though, I suppose as a mere Princess, an Exalt is something more than that... So, my Exalt," Corrin continued, her heart sinking as Frederick's lance got closer and closer by the word, "Alright I'm really not sure what's happening."

"Exalt? Oh, is every assassin so sloppy with their details? How did you find us here on patrol? This is not-"

"Alright that's enough," Corrin pouted, getting up. "Frederick, what's going on? Chrom? Lissa? Did... did something happen?"

"I'm pretty sure she hit her head pretty hard," Lissa guessed.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure too," Corrin groaned, sitting back down after a woozy few steps. "Gods, my..."

"We kill her and move on," Frederick decided, letting his spear thrust forward-

"Peace, Frederick," Chrom eased, stepping to kick away Frederick's weapon. Approaching Corrin cautiously, the Exalt looked at the stranger in awe. "I've never seen armor like that. And that sword? Are you Feroxian? Plegian? Chon'sin?"

"Geez, you too, huh..." Corrin muttered, before opening her eyes and gazing up at the Ylissean before her. "Chon'sin? No, no... Do you really not remember me?"

"Do not claim familiarity with milord or milady," the knight warned. "I can vouch that I've never seen you before in my life."

"He can vouch for us too," Lissa admitted. "I would remember meeting someone like you."

With a groan, Corrin lay back down on the grass. Maybe she would wake up right about now and...

Give me your hand.

Corrin's eyes widened, looking around quickly as she shot up, ignoring the dizziness. "R-robin! Where-"

"I said give me your hand," Chrom repeated, his hand outstretched.

"Milord, please exercise caution-"

"I'll do your exercises another day," Chrom said with a dismissing wave. "She clearly needs a little help getting her bearings."

"At the very least, we can lead her to Ylisstol's theater troupe with acting skills like that," Frederick scoffed.

Corrin reached warily for Chrom's hand, looking at Frederick the entire time. Even as she rose to her feet, she gauged the Wary Knight's lance from a safe distance.

"Are you alright?" Chrom asked, still holding on, before looking quickly to their hands in shock and letting go quickly. Corrin didn't seem to notice, still trying to put everything together in her jumbled mind.

"Not really. My head... hurts," Corrin admitted. "And you three clearly don't remember... hey, where's everyone else?"

"Everyone else?" Lissa asked.

"Y'know, the Shepherds? Robin, Sumia, Olivia..."

"I recognize Sumia. Who are Robin and Olivia?" Chrom wondered. "We should get you to a healer."

"Ahem! You are looking at one?" Lissa huffed.

"Oh, right." Chrom laughed nervously, bringing his arm behind his head in embarrassment. This led Corrin to look at the rest of him and she physically cringed at the Exalt's odd wardrobe.

"I don't remember this," she winced, not exactly piecing together Chrom's getup. "What happened to your sleeve, did you rip it off? And your boots are mismatch-"

"We tell him that too!" Lissa laughed, not joined by Frederick. "So you do know something about him!"

"Well yeah. He gave me this big talk about 'An Exalt having to dress befitting a leader of Ylisse' and all that. This honestly looks like you were attacked by a bear," Corrin appraised. Judging by Chrom's actions, she had to have said something right.

Or wrong. Probably wrong.

"Exalt? I think you have your facts a little switched around, assassin- er, lady. I'm just a prince."

Prince? But Chrom wasn't Prince ever since...

"Yeah! The Exalt is none other than our-"

"Emmeryn," Corrin realized, piecing together what portion of the puzzle she had. "Exalt Emmeryn. Oh."

Her composure diminished instantly.

"See? There we go. You must be feeling better," Chrom said with a proud nod, as if he had done something aiding Corrin's recollection.

It all began in a field in the middle of Southtown, not too far from the border of Ylisse and Plegia. That's where I met Chrom and his sister and their devoted knight. This is where my memories start.

Corrin closed her eyes, a few tears falling out of panic and desperation. This odd sense of loneliness that tore at her heart all of a sudden... In that instant, she remembered everything. Robin's doubts, his worries, his story... and Iago. How he had... what did he do?

"You alright there?"

"Are we in Southtown," Corrin asked, not so much of a question as it was a command.

"Yep!" Lissa answered brightly. "I'm going on my very first patrol with the Shepherds soon, and-"

There was a small problem brewing over the horizon, but nothing like a little bit of exercise to jog the memory. With blade and tome in hand, I set forth to earn the three's trust!

"Has... has Plegia attacked yet?"

"Whoa, that's a weird question. No- hey, what are you looking... at."

Corrin saw smoke in the distance and her heart sank even further. Chrom and Lissa had already turned too, and their reactions were much the same.

"...I don't really know what's going on," Corrin warned, "But we're not going to let those people get hurt. Frederick, Chrom, Lissa? I have so much to tell you, and I don't even know where to start. But please, let me help you. I... I think I can help you."

?

When Robin came too, his head felt like it was about to freeze solid. Not that he'd ever experienced that before... had he?

"W-what in the! H-hey!"

Oh, he had definitely felt that before. But when? He opened his eyes, the dim light of candles and the Nohrian dawn much more gentle than his icy awakening.

Wait. Nohrian?

Robin sat up in a flash, almost hitting heads with...

Felicia and Flora stood right over him, curiously gauging his reactions.

"Cute as ever, Lord Robin. Good morning! Time to get up!"

"..."

"..."

"Oh."

Chapter Text

The Northern Fortress, Day ?

"I must have missed something."

Robin rubbed his eyes, hoping to rid himself of he perplexing image before him. No matter how hard he tried, he was met with the same image: Flora and Felicia attending to his bedside.

A bed he had never slept in.

In Nohr.

"I'm awake," Robin began, wondering if there was a point to even trying to guess what was going on. "I think."

The twin maids lowered their hands from Robin's face, gazing at each other before contemplating the seemingly evolved prince before them.

"You're certainly alert, milord!" Felicia exclaimed with excitement, "You must have slept especially well."

"Maybe it was the Hoshidan food," Robin wondered aloud. "Ah pardon me, you really have to help me out here."

Flora considered raising her hand again, judging by the off-center Robin but decided against it. "Help with what, milord?"

"Uh, this," Robin waved. "And milord? I'm lost. I'm very lost. And no, I didn't get amnesia again, and... where are we?"

"We're here in Nohr, trapped in this fortress just the same as you," Felicia began, before being berated by her sister.

"Felicia! Sorry, Lord Robin, that was unwise of her to say. But yes, we are in the Northern Fortress as ever-"

"Northern Fortress. Like the Northern Fortress? Where King Garon kept Corr- Princess Corrin her whole life?"

"Uh, yeah," Felicia nodded. "Uh."

Robin's eyes widened, instantly getting up and looking out his bedside window. To his dismay, it was a long way down.

"W-w-wait, milord. Pr- Uh, Corrin? Who?"

Flora shrugged alongside her sister, not sure what to make of their liege's mind. Robin calmed down a second, recalling his conversation with Corrin from... a night before? Maybe? Gods, his head hurt.

"Corrin. Does that name sound familiar?" he asked, hoping for an answer to this question.

"No, milord," Flora replied, honest and level.

"Fair, albeit strange, considering I'm here and she's not. Alright, how about Chrom?"

"No, milord."

"...Xander?"

"That would be your brother, milord. High Prince Xander- speaking of, we should get you ready for your sparring lesson! It's been a long time since he has visited, and-"

Brother? Aha! A hint. Not a very good one, but every bit helped.

"No," Robin ordered, not wanting to deal with anything just yet except his own problems.

"Milord," Felicia asked, "Are you feeling well?"

"Are Hoshido and Nohr at war?"

"What? No. Or else you would be out there! We've been training to fight Hoshido, haven't we? Are you sure you're well?" Felicia replied. Robin nodded, looking around for any familiar signs.

"...How long has King Garon kept you here under his order?" Robin asked quickly, putting together the puzzle before him. "I command you to answer me honestly. Actually, that sounded cruel. I don't command you, but please be honest."

"..."

"Milord, I'm afraid I don't follow."

"King Garon has you two here as hostages. You told me this," Robin recalled, his memory not harmed by his seemingly impossible translation through space and time. "You are here on behalf of the Ice Tribe as leverage."

"...I never told you that," Flora began, getting defensive. The room began to get cold. Felicia noticed but didn't say anything.

"Not in this life, I think," Robin imagined. Where was he? When was he? This had to be some sort of... dream? No, too real. A spell, perhaps?

Robin recalled when he had crafted the Nightmare spell with Tharja, he had volunteered to test it on himself before he would apply it on Xander and Ryoma on that fateful day that he had saved Corrin. Old Ylisse, Grima... All of it was too real to be a simple dream. The dirt was too dry to be fake. The pain was too jarring to be fake. At first, he almost considered toning down the potency of the spell. After all, he wasn't trying to traumatize people to joining the Shepherds.

Except, he was, wasn't he? That is exactly how Xander and Ryoma joined him in the first place. He scared them.

Was this... the same thing? But what... Did he cast it on himself? Was this even the same spell?

Let's assume that, Robin thought to himself. If that's the case, I think I know how to get out.

"In a better world, you did," the tactician realized, looking to the twins again. "The world I truly come from. Not this."

"Do you mean Hoshido?" Felicia wondered, still not catching on. If this was anything else, Flora would've berated Felicia instantly for letting loose that information. But she didn't. Flora was in a different state of mind entirely. Felicia didn't know that Kilma had sent them here, or that Flora was privy to that information. So how did Robin?

"No, that is Corrin's story, not mine. Flora, a word? Felicia, please find Jakob and... Gunther, was it? I have to talk with your sister for a moment."

"Do it," Flora nodded, letting her sister go. Now that she and Robin were alone, she let down the pretense of servitude, much to the relief of Robin.

She also drew a knife, which wasn't to the relief of Robin.

"Not quite the reaction I'm going for here, Flora."

The maid scowled, raising the blade.

"Are you a spy? What is this? What happened to the Robin we know?"

"...I think I replaced him, to be honest. Hey, put that thing down, you're overreacting."

"I think I'm reacting just fine. How would you know about my father? About the Ice Tribe? Have you always known?"

"...Well, yes, but technically no. I'm not your Robin."

"You seem awfully familiar with us if that's the case. Why?"

"...Put the knife down, Flora."

"Not until you prove yourself. What is happening?"

The air lost its coldness, instead it began to feel quite uncomfortably hot.

"I didn't know you could do that- Wait, uh, prove myself... hm." Robin made no move to defend himself, not even taking Flora's knife seriously. Sitting back down on his bed, he thumbed his chin in contemplation. "Aha, got it. Put the knife down, and we can swap secrets. We're friends, we can share gossip, right?"

"Final warning, impostor."

"Really? I swear to the gods, Flora, put the damn knife down or else I will tell Jakob that you have been lusting over him since you were both children-"

The knife dropped instantly, and a dismayed Flora raised her hands in defense.

"...Okay, okay! Sorry. Please excuse my behavior, Lord Robin. I was suspicious."

"Apology accepted, behavior excused, moving on," Robin laughed, going about his pacing like he wasn't just about to get stabbed. Picking up the dagger and handing it back graciously to his maid, Robin took steady steps around his small room while Flora stood still.

"Milord, what is going on? A day ago you were worried about sword training with Xander, and nothing of the outside world bothered you. Has something happened?"

"What if I told you," Robin began, just now feeling the Nohrian undershirt he was wearing, and the beautiful silver armor that stood by his bedside. Jakob really did polish it so that it mirrored the sunrise. "That I'm living someone else's life? I'm not the soul of the one you have served for the last decade or so. That I am not your liege... but I'm living the life of the one who was? That I actually am an impostor, but at the same time, I'm not?"

"...Go on," Flora requested, more intrigued by anything.

"This could be wrong, and you all are phenomenal actors to which, props, but I doubt that to be the case. In my life, you, your sister, Jakob, and so many others fought by my side, with Nohr and Hoshido united under one banner."

"That sounds wonderful... But, how do you know about my father? I... believe you, Lord Robin. But I want to know how you know this."

"Well, if you do believe me, you can drop this Lord nonsense. I'm not royalty, just a humble tactician. In my world, we trusted each other. You trusted us. I know why you're here, Flora. I... Hm."

"Robin?"

Without warning, Robin stepped forward, giving Flora a rather sudden hug. Feeling the air chill around him, Flora let out a stifled sigh as her arms circled around Robin's neck. Indulging in the moment, the false prince held the embrace for a few seconds, enjoying the feel of the maid pressed against him before letting go. Not as good as Corrin, but it felt nice to comfort the troubled maid.

"I promised that I would be here for you and your sister," Robin vowed. "And whether I'm in my reality or not, that promise still holds. So trust me."

She had a really cute giggle. Still not as good as Corrin's. Huh? Oh gods.

"You may have changed a little," Flora said through a small laugh. "But you haven't changed much. That kindness hasn't left with your new memories, Robin. Maybe you're not the prince we know, but... alright. I trust you. But, Lord Robin, you are our liege, prince or not. What are you orders?"

Robin seemed fine with that, and thought for a moment before coming up with a plan.

"For now, I suppose I have to live your Robin's life. I'll try to tell you as much as I can when time allows. For now, you're going to have to tell me how 'Robin' goes about his daily life here."

"Well, first things first, you're training with your brother, High Prince Xander today. Are you familiar with him?"

"I'm familiar with the beating I'm about to endure," Robin groaned. "Alright, let's start with that."

Jakob and Felicia entered, followed by a knight that Robin had never seen before. Tall, wise, and probably still capable of beating the spry tactician to a pulp. Corrin was right. He was very Frederick-y.

"Milord, it's good to see you awake. Shall we get started for the day?" Jakob greeted, much to the shock of Robin. Not quite used to getting the 'Corrin' treatment from the prickly butler, Robin could only nod in agreement.

"S-sure."

"He's still a bit drowsy," Flora cut in in defense, bowing in apology to Gunter and Jakob. "He's warming up to the icy wake-up. We'll have to try a new approach soon."

"Yeah," Felicia joined in, not catching on but playing along naturally.

"Regardless, the sun is bound to peek any second now," Gunter spoke, gravelly and stern in tone. "Let's get you suited up, Lord Robin."

Robin looked at the armor, admiring the sheer craftsmanship, the beautiful blue sash and cape.

The lack of boots.

"I have taken the liberty of readying your armor, and, er, pounding out the dents. Your brother is a fearsome opponent, is he not?" Jakob wondered, unstrapping the chest plate and helping Robin get settled in with the torso armor first.

"Oh he isn't so bad," Robin laughed, shaking his head. Oh, this was going to hurt.

Once he was fully suited up sans shoes, Robin flexed a few times, admiring the flexibility he had in this wonderful set of mail. Corrin always stole his cloak. Now, he would steal her armor. Funny, how dreams played out. Jumping a couple times, Robin took a mental note that if he ever returned, his Grandmaster armor had to take a few notes from Corrin's.

"Ready to go, then? Your brother is waiting, milord," Flora advised.

"Sure thing, let's do this," Robin nodded, anticipating the fun that was bound to be had by all. "Actually, one moment more."

"Do you need anything else, Lord Robin?" Felicia wondered.

"Yeah. Does Ro- Do I have a spare set of boots lying around?"

Southtown

"Hm, if I'm reliving Robin's memories, how come I don't get to wear his cloak? Not fair."

As Corrin ran towards the fires, she tried to piece together her thoughts. This was some sort of dream, or spell, or some manner of stasis, that was for sure. But it was real, too real, just like Robin's Nightmare spell.

That's it!

When Robin had cast the spell on her (she had asked to see what Ryoma and Xander had seen before the Liberation of Valentia began) the only way out was the follow Lucina/Marth out through the portal. She had to see things through to the end.

Did that mean she had to live Robin's life until... when, exactly?

Regardless, this was a good chance to learn Robin's story, if the events were truly those of Robin's first memories. This wouldn't be so bad, all things considered. Robin had a very lively first adventure.

Emmeryn aside. She had to plan for that in advance.

Corrin's hopes were bolstered when she heard footsteps of both man and horse behind her as she ran towards the border town, sword drawn. Even with Frederick and Lissa on horseback, Corrin was moving fast enough to keep good pace ahead of them. Chrom was right behind his sister and retainer, significantly louder than the other barefoot member of the ragtag party, but just as quick.

"She certainly is a fast one," Frederick noted, eyeing Corrin's movements and wondering how a barefoot individual could maintain such agility. Lissa nodded in agreement.

"She said she was a princess! I never met a person, let alone a princess who could outrun a horse!"

Chrom chuckled at Lissa's admiration of Corrin, and kept his pace right behind the 'Princess' as they rushed in front of Southtown's open gates.

In the blink of an eye, Corrin had already dashed into the fray, running full speed at a tower and kicking herself upwards, both hands free to scale the tall building before her. In mere seconds, she scaled the twenty foot tower and spiraled forward as she drew her golden blue sword, impaling a ruffian clean through the stomach without so much as a gasp from him. With all the speed Corrin built up, her momentum carried her and her victim sailing off the wall, one person catching her fall by looping off a tree branch, and one corpse landing with a sickening crunch in front of his peers.

"What the... Ylisseans?!"

"They didn't say they'd get here so fast!"

'They' must have been the Plegian instigators, Corrin realized.

"Gods, she must be some royal guard or something! Look at that cape!"

At the mention of those words, all three Ylissean heads turned to Corrin's bloodied body, more specifically to the white mark of Naga emblazoned on the field of navy blue that was worn on her back. Even Corrin paused for a brief instant, remembering the new cape that Robin had given her a few days before.

Ever since that lovely Krismas with her Nohrian, Hoshidan, and new Ylissean friends, Corrin had worn the cape Cherche had made for her as Robin's gift. Not that the old Nohrian one was bad, but it was starting to get frayed and undeniably smelly. Still, not only were the colors more dignified- the white and blue contrasted beautifully with her silver armor- it billowed in the wind much more heroically as she dashed defiant to gravity against the bandits.

I hope this cape will keep you safe... Know that I will try my best to do the same.

Robin's words echoed in Corrin's head, giving her even more hope to fight her hardest.

I was confused at first. But as I fought by Chrom's side, I knew it was going to be alright. I could trust him. He could trust me.

Robin's words assured her. She could do this.

Shaking her head, she refocused on the battle, pointing her sword at the bandits a stone's throw away.

"In the name of Exalt Chrom, stand down! We can spare further bloodshed if you so choose-"

"Exalt Chrom," the bandit guffawed, as his other colleagues let out their own laughs. "I don't know what upside-down history books you're reading, missy, but it's probably not the right one!"

"Oops," she muttered, turning to the disappointed Chrom and the wincing Frederick. Lissa was just happy to watch Corrin at work and didn't mind the political offence to her sister in the slightest.

"S-sorry," Corrin called back, shaking her head. "I'm not used to this."

"The lady still has the right idea," Chrom called out, joining Corrin as he paired Falchion with Yato.

"Y-yeah. You know, my head still hurts," she apologized mostly to Frederick but the knight only shook his head.

"I am Prince Chrom," Chrom shouted to the bandits. "And in the name of Ylisse, you will cease this pillaging at once-"

Chrom had to duck to avoid the throwing ax that whistled by his head. Almost an instant later, Corrin had darted through the responsible bandit and sent all two parts of him bouncing against the rocks, starting the fight anew. Another bandit tried his luck and Yato brutally ran him through. However, the man had jerked aside, bringing Corrin's blade embedded with him and leaving Corrin unarmed just in time for a swordsman to come running at the Princess. Bracing for a hit, the princess's eyes narrowed as she brought her arm forward and extended her dragon-form arm through the man's gut, only for Falchion to join it inside the man's chest.

Chrom gaped at the grey spike protruding from Corrin's arm, shaking his head and handing Yato back to her.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually," Corrin smiled, flashing teeth to the Exalt-to-be. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, friend," the prince replied, smiling back. "I trust you will explain yourself after?"

"Of course. For Ylisse," Corrin affirmed, smiling at Chrom as he mirrored her gesture.

"For Ylisse," he responded, standing back to back with the princess.

In a few minutes, the two swordsmen had sterilized the area, leaving Frederick and Lissa stunned at the pairs brutal efficiency. Frederick more so at Chrom, admiring how his liege had fought side by side with a stranger as if they had been old comrades. Usually he could handle one or two bandits at a time, but Chrom had bested even mages in combat fighting alongside the stranger.

Lissa focused more on Corrin. Between the unique blade she carried, the Brand of Naga on her cape, her dignified yet youthful posture, and her skill in combat, Lissa wondered if she had just stumbled upon the hero she could aspire to be.

"Aha, that was great," Corrin sighed, regrouping with the knight-princess duo and sheathing her sword. "I suppose I should explain myself now. My head still hurts."

"You fought well. Thanks again for your aid... uh?" Chrom led on, hoping for a name.

"Corrin. Princess Corrin of Nohr. I suppose that last part doesn't matter though. I seem to be alone in Ylisse."

"Princess?" Frederick wondered to himself, heard only by Lissa.

"Now then Prince Chrom," she muttered with obvious distaste, not used to calling Chrom by anything other than well, 'Chrom,' "Princess Lissa, and Sir Frederick... Will you trust me just this once?"

"You have fought for Ylisse, her Exalt, and her people," Chrom replied. "You have earned it."

"Milord-" Chrom held up his hand, smiling at Frederick.

"Frederick, it's fine," Chrom insisted, looking at Corrin again. "We can trust her."

Their gazes lingered just for a bit, and Corrin had to jolt away.

"Someone's got it bad," Lissa whispered, causing Chrom to flush and Corrin to reconsider her options.

Queen Olivia picks them fine. Oh gods.

"Now then, Princess Corrin... Who are you?"

Roof of the Northern Fortress, Dawn

Robin's back hit the floor of the arena hard, knocking all the wind out of him at once. Yeah, this wasn't going well at all. He wasn't a swordsman on par with Corrin. Without a tome, he was fighting a losing battle that he would've likely lost at full strength regardless.

"That's our brother for you. You won't beat the strongest knight in Nohr by sleeping all day, Robin."

Am I really trusting this boy with the Shepherds as our contingency? Yikes.

"Giving up so soon, Robin? I expect more of you. You are a prince of Nohr! Pick up your sword and try again."

Instead of saying anything in response, Robin nodded with a tired grunt and rose. In his few spars with the Nohrian High Prince, he hadn't landed a single blow with a blade. Magic was a different story, of course, but there was none of that here on the roof of the Fortress.

"We train like this so that we can defend ourselves from our enemies. Father has been tracking your progress. If you can't land a hit on me today, he may never permit you to leave."

That would be bad. I can't go on if I can't leave. Not that the Fortress is so bad, but for years? Corrin, how did you do it?

"Ever," Xander added for emphasis.

Just one hit. That wasn't so bad, right? Robin asked himself. He had fought Plegians, Valmese... Xander was just another knight. Just one hit.

What the hell, was this really so bad?

"Just one?" Robin asked, hyping himself up with some trash talk.

"Motivated, are we? Then use that fire to best me in battle, little Prince. If you would see the outside world beyond the view from your window, defeat me. Prove that all of the time I've devoted to training you has not been in vain!"

For some odd reason, Flora's sad face popped in Robin's mind. Not having a particular connection with the maid until today, Robin blamed such thoughts on the nature of this dream, and not his own mind.

Still, she would never see her father again if he choked here. That was reason enough.

Robin advanced, Nohrian blade ready to deflect Xander's impending attack.

"Hey, how did you even get your horse up here?"

Xander's blow came crushing through, a strong sweeping slash that paired with the momentum of being on horseback, nearly broke Robin's wrist as it came in. Still, the blow did not strike flesh and despite losing his good hand, Robin was still on his feet. The injury didn't escape Xander's notice though, and he paused the duel.

"It wasn't the best choice to take that blow head on, Robin."

"You're faster. You would have followed through."

"Perhaps so. Still, that wrist looks like it needs some attention. In that case..."

Xander channeled his blood, and the center of the roof began to glow gently with healing energy.

A dragon fang, on the roof? Odd. He couldn't detect those things like Corrin could.

"Heal yourself, and try again."

Xander stood just out of reach, urging Robin to recover his strength before reengaging.

At least, that's what Robin knew Xander was expecting.

Instead, Robin dashed forward again, ignoring the healing ground and lunged at the cavalier once more.

He's using all his old techniques from the beginning of the war. I know his pattern...

Dodging Xander's initial strike, Robin sidestepped in front of his horse and caught the reins with his good hand. He wasn't particularly strong, especially not against a war horse, but he had enough momentum and leverage to bring the horse to the side, forcing Xander to switch hands in order to strike at Robin as he struggled to maintain control of the beast. Taking a page out of Ryoma's book, Robin jumped up, bringing his foot upward and landed a sharp kick to Xander's arm, forcing him to let go of the reins.

Using the movement of the kick to press forward, the tactician brought his blade in, disarming Xander and leaving his sword clattering on the stones of the fortress roof. Not yet having landed a good blow, Robin continued and brought his sword into Xander's shoulder, the knight helpless to stop it without a blade of his own. The impact itself did little damage to the armor or to the knight, but it brought Robin the win regardless.

Which was good, because the blow had also brought Robin's hand to the point of an actual hyper-extension, causing him to laugh nervously in pain.

"Not the wisest move, but you won," Leo congratulated, patting Robin on the back.

"It was the wisest move, just not the smartest," Robin laughed, rubbing his healed wrist gingerly. Still, he had clenched the win in the end. It probably was a one-time thing, but hey- a blow on Xander was a blow on Xander. All without magic, too.

"You grow more every day," Xander smiled, joining the two on the roof. "I'm pleased with your progress. I'm proud of you, Little Prince."

It was weird, Robin would admit, seeing Xander treat him as he did Corrin instead of the more professional relationship he had with his fellow general. Still... Robin never had any siblings. There was a warmth here that... he never quite felt before.

Would it be so bad to indulge in this dream, just a little?

Oh, that was Camilla. And Elise? And-

Ground Level of the Northern Fortress, Morning

"It must be very strange, having Lady Camilla and Lady Elise dote on you now," Flora observed, laughing at the scene of Robin being smothered by Camilla's bounty or being tackled by the young Elise as the Nohrian family reunited on the roof. "Does this... Princess Corrin... Does she enjoy it?"

"Very much so," Robin said in tender recollection. "She loves all of them as her true siblings, blood or otherwise. To be honest, I'm not feeling that connection, and I fear I won't get the chance to in my time here. Still, it's a learning experience, and I ought to take it in stride."

"She sounds very wonderful," Flora caught on, feeling Robin's admiration for a woman she had never met. "I would have liked to know her company." Robin chuckled at the irony.

"Eh, you felt a sort of bitterness toward her, actually. Thing is, having a lady instead of a lord as your liege kind of brought you at odds with Jakob, if you could imagine that. If you thought he is single-minded on me now, well... My Jakob is a lot worse considering his liege is... her."

"...It's of no consequence to me, sadly. You seem fond of Corrin, though, milord," Flora observed, changing the topic slightly.

"That's because I am fond of Corrin. Very much so. I... I miss her. I could use her guidance right about now. With both of us side by side, we were confident that we would conquer anything the war would throw at us."

"You have us," Flora assured. "You'll be fine in Krakenburg. We're here with you. Well, some of us. I might have to stay to watch the Fortress."

"You and Jakob, alone in the fortress. I don't have to be a tactician to know that's when I would make my move," Robin encouraged with a wry grin.

"Highly unprofessional," the maid replied, deadpan.

"It would be fun..."

"Again, highly unprofessional."

A small smile crept onto Flora's face, mirroring Robin's own. "And it would be fun," she admitted.

A young woman walked in, who Robin knew to be Lilith, Corrin's stable-girl. Flora was prescient enough to brief him before the first actual encounter.

"Lord Xander asked me to prepare your horses, Lord Robin," she notified, bowing and keeping her hands in front of her dirtied apron.

She was odd, Robin realized. There was an air to her not unlike Corrin. Some hidden... power?

"Yes, thank you, Lilith," Robin said in gratitude. He wasn't the best rider, but long roads called for long hours on horseback. Plus, he was a Nohrian now, so he definitely had no reason to not know how to ride.

"Of course, Lord Robin. I'll be back when they are ready."

Odd. Corrin never mentioned Lilith, nor did the stable-girl come along with the Nohrians. Where was she now, Robin could only wonder.