Chapter Text
A man sat on a bench in a park that was turned into a refugee camp. He looked at the pigeons that loitered near him hungrily and realized that he hasn't eaten in minutes. He seriously considered catching one of the birds to roast, and his mouth watered, but he was not that desperate for food. The city of Ylisstol still had food reserves but with the war with the Valmese continent going on, and with refugees entering Ylisse, it was not farfetched to think that food will be the first resource to go.
A tiny refugee girl ran towards him and gave him a plain lettuce sandwich. “Here ya’ go Stahl,” she said. The man accepted the little offering and thanked the girl with a big smile. He ate the whole sandwich in three bites. “Best sandwich ever,” he said as he patted the little girl’s head. She giggled then ran away to play.
He thought of his friends in the army, The Shepherds, and how they were faring out there. The king took with him fifteen of his best fighters, and the ones who were left behind like him, were in charge of keeping the peace, had other jobs to do and give Libra, the army’s saint, an extra hand in his orphanage. The man, who in actuality led his own company of Paladins, completely understood why he was left behind. He was just average in everything and being with the others in Valm would just make him a liability.
He ran his hand through his hazel locks, dusted his viridian armor, and he looked towards the clear blue sky. "May the gods keep her," he said. He was not one for praying, but war made him worry over his friends. Libra said once that when there was absolutely nothing that you can do, the only recourse was to put your faith in beings you can't see.
War changed people.
Stahl stood from the bench when he heard the church bells ring twice. The pigeons flew away and made a path for him as he made his way to the castle. It was time to teach Princess Lucina the art of handling a sword, and he felt a little sad that Exalt Chrom wasn’t there to teach her himself. He made his way to the training grounds where the princess waited for him with her bodyguard and personal advisor.
Lucina stood in the middle of the grounds with a bronze sword planted to the ground and her hands resting on the hilt, while Laurent, the advisor, and Gerome, the bodyguard, flanked her. She looked like her father in every way, with cobalt hair and always dressed for action. Laurent and Gerome were both clad in black. The three of them were engaged in a discussion regarding Ylisse's refugee situation.
"The only thing that I can think of that will give any semblance of order here is if we give the refugees jobs. It will not do for them to be idle and wait for the capital's graces. It will only result to unrest and I do not want that happening in my city. Ylisse should still be a beacon of hope," the princess said.
Stahl smiled when he heard what Lucina said. The princess is already following the Exalt's footsteps, and she's only fifteen.
Gerome nodded in agreement but Laurent shook his head. "We have to get the economy going first, Lucina. To create jobs, we need the gold first and the demand for jobs, but what we have now is a surplus of people and not a lot of demand. Unless you want to create a new kind of currency that is based on faith, this plan is not plausible… yet. Hmmm… Paper money…" Laurent fixed his blue gray hair and adjusted his glasses. Stahl knew that the boy was analyzing something important in his head.
Lucina smiled. "It seems like you have a plan. The three of us should work together, discuss this and see what we can do."
"I am not one for plans or speeches, but I will stand beside you as always. However, it's time for something else. Uncle Stahl is here for your lessons," Gerome said when he noticed the paladin standing in the training grounds. Uncle and Aunt was a term of endearment that the Shepherds’ children used for their elders. "Lucina," said Gerome as he bowed to the princess, "until next time." He left with Laurent in tow, chatting about how to liven up the quality of life in Ylisse.
Stahl took it as a cue to greet the princess. He saw the loneliness in her eyes. "I'm sorry princess," he said. "But you have to spar with me again today. I wish that the exalt was here too."
"Uncle Stahl, it's alright. My father has taught me enough to handle a sword. Besides, you had the same training as he did under Uncle Frederick. I know that your and my father’s styles are similar, that's why you were tasked to help me whenever father is away."
Stahl thought of the times when Frederick was a little too harsh with his training twenty years ago.
"Mind your grip!" Frederick shouted. "The sword is an extension of your hand. Do not ever lose it. Come on! Prince Chrom and Stahl, the sword is to be your expertise. There are no ifs and buts about it."
"How about Sully? Why is she holding a lance?" Chrom asked.
"The lance gives her the extra defense that she needs. Do not mind Sully for now. She is doing well. In fact, she is doing better than you two," Frederick said.
Frederick's words boosted their male pride. Yes, there was no way that they can let a girl beat them! But Sully beat them anyway, and Chrom and Stahl felt the cold embrace of the stone floor several times.
"Mind your grip," Stahl said to Lucina. "It's one of the most important rules ever."
The princess charged at him but he deflected her attack. She swung at his head, but Stahl parried it. Then she swung the sword at his side, and with a circular motion, Stahl disarmed Lucina.
"You are Flynning. That is the kind of swordplay that actors do on the stage."
The princess grunted. "I am taking this seriously." She picked up her sword and went back into her stance.
Stahl put his opponent on point and he could see the flustered look on Lucina's face. She saw the Paladin change his stance, gripped the hilt with both hands and raised it to his side. The sword point was aimed at Lucina's throat.
Lucina panicked and stretched her arms to keep her opponent further from her and braced herself as Stahl charged. She tried to dodge it by stepping backwards, but it was a big mistake. Her focus went to her footing and Stahl used it to his advantage. With the flick of his sword, he disarmed Lucina again and used the flat side of his blade to hit her in five vital spots of her body. The girl was frozen in place.
"Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam! And you are so dead." Stahl said as he put his sword down. “Lucina, be ready whenever your opponent changes his form in the middle of battle.”
Lucina pouted. "That was hardly fair."
"I guess it was too early for you to learn that. I'm sorry. The queen can do that move too and given time, when you master the sword, I bet you can do it better than I can."
They heard an excited clap from the bleachers. "I call that move 'Astra!'"
Stahl and Lucina looked at the bleachers to see an excited twelve year old boy. "How is that Uncle Stahl? I gave your special move a name." Beside him, an equally excited girl with ginger hair in pigtails jumped up and down. “That’s so cool!” she shouted.
"Uncle Stahl, teach us that so we can use it in the Justice Cabal," she said.
Stahl chuckled. "Owain, just wait three more years and then I will teach you that. As for you Cynthia, your own father can teach you that move unless your mother wants you to be a Pegasus Knight like her."
"But they're not here," the little girl said. "We don't even know when they will be back. I will be a hero and bring them back here! Just you wait and see."
"It's a dream we all share, but is it okay for the two of you to go play somewhere else? We are not done with training," Lucina said.
"Fine. We're off to find the third member of our cabal anyway," Owain said. The younger children stood from the bleachers and left. "How about Brady? Do you think Brady will join us?"
"I don't know. He kinda looks scary. How about Gerome? He looks cool… or maybe Morgan."
“Gerome’s too serious and he’s old,” Owain said. “Morgan might join us.”
Stahl and Lucina heard the inane conversation fade off. "Cynthia likes Gerome a lot," Stahl said.
Lucina huffed. "Cynthia is a kid and Gerome is older than her. I don't think he cares about Cynthia."
Stahl tilted his head and smiled. Reading the Princess of Ylisse's tics was starting to amuse him. "All right. Well then, get ready!" The two of them engaged their swords again. This time, Lucina took note of Stahl's movements. She already saw how he handled the sword on point and will not be fazed by it again. Stahl charged at her and Lucina dodged to the side. He used her movement as an excuse to get past her defenses and slap her thigh with the flat of his blade. "Your side was wide open," he said.
"But I dodged!"
"And you forgot your defenses when you did," he answered. "So I got in and landed a blow. Again."
The princess sighed. "Will I be able to beat you?"
"Of course you will, just like how your father was able to beat Frederick. Given time and dedication, you will beat me in practice. Now get ready!"
Lucina picked up her sword and charged.
"King Validar, he... he spoke to me in my mind. He said I was his son..." Robin, the royal tactician, said to the king. He and Exalt Chrom discussed the possibility of his lineage one night when they were in Carrion Isle. The negotiations with their former enemy Plegia was recently concluded, with Plegia, Regna Ferox and Ylisse banding together against the Valmese threat.
Robin and Chrom had been the best of friends since they first met in a meadow seventeen years ago. They were now both parents with teenage kids to take care of but in the years that they have known each other, Robin's history was largely unknown thanks to his memory loss.
"If that is the case then that makes you a prince. This will make the peace between our nations easier to establish and more solid as you have known Ylisse for yourself. Can you imagine this new era that you and I will usher in?" said Chrom optimistically.
Robin smirked, "the new era is something I am looking forward to, indeed."
Knight Commander Frederick heard the conversation. The king and his tactician didn't bother lowering their voices. It's as if they wanted it known. Frederick was thinking differently, of course. He has always been wary of Robin, and this might just be the reason why. Robin being the Prince of Plegia was just a minor matter. The real reason of his circumspection had something to do with what the previous Exalt, Emmeryn, shared to him seventeen years ago. Frederick knew many of the Halidom’s secrets, and one of them might involve Robin. He had to pay closer attention to the tactician.
He looked for his second in command, The Red Knight Sully, and the fallen nobleman from Roseanne, Virion, with him to a secluded area near the campsite.
"'Sup chief?" Sully asked him. Virion looked at him questioningly as well.
"As you both know, Robin encourages bonding between fellow soldiers," Frederick began.
"Why yes. Where is this going to? Aren't we already friends? If you are suggesting that you, me and Sully go - "
Sully kicked Virion's shins. "You never learn do ya? One more of that and I will aim higher." She turned to Frederick and put her hands on her waist. "Frederick, you never really call out a few soldiers for a late night meeting in the woods, ya know? Is something going on?"
"Just pretend that this is one of those bonding moments that Robin wants for us." Frederick motioned for the two of them to go closer. "I have reason to suspect that our tactician is a Plegian spy," he whispered to them.
Sully and Virion were taken aback. "You can't be serious!" Sully exclaimed.
"I am dreadfully serious. May Lord Chrom forgive me, but I overheard their conversation regarding Robin's lineage. He appears to be King Validar's son, and I do not have to tell you of what implications that has," he answered her.
"Every battle we walk into might be a trap," Virion told him.
"Exactly. I can be at the exalt's side as my actions will not be suspect, but I need to give assignments to some of the people who are with us now to ensure that we will not all die here. Not everyone in the army should know about this, because if word gets out about my suspicions..."
"And if Robin is truly a spy, he will cause the maximum amount of damage to our army without Chrom noticing. The effects will not be seen immediately, but they will be devastating in the long run." Virion added.
"The Shepherds we left at Ylisse should know," Sully told them. "That has problems though. What if he knows of our suspicions? Any letter we send to Ylisse will be screened by him. If he intercepts a letter containing that information, it would make him act against us."
Frederick nodded. He noticed a shadow pass them, "someone's coming. Laugh."
Virion and Sully laughed on cue. They noticed that it was just a crow, so Frederick resumed. "Back to where we were. Sully, I would like to send a letter to Stahl regarding this situation. They should be prepared there in case anything untoward happens here, and gods forbid that Plegia attacks Ylisse. Ylisse should be defended. My letters will be scrutinized but yours won't. Robin doesn't know you enough to think that you'd be the type to send news to your husband Kellam about our situation, so I am attaching my letter to yours. Virion, if it comes to the point that we have to make codes, I would like you to develop a code with your wife Miriel. Now who else in our roster can we trust with protecting the king?"
"I would like to say Vaike," Virion answered.
"No. He would spill the beans in a second!" Sully protested.
"We will not give him any information of course. I will just tell him to keep the king busy. Knowing Vaike, he would just challenge the king to endless duels. Vaike would be our ignorant but effective pawn."
"I concur," Frederick said. "Having Vaike around would give me time to watch Robin."
"If you need someone to watch him, then set up Gaius," Sully said.
"Why Gaius?" The men asked her at the same time.
"Gaius already looks shifty and I'm using your logic that it's nothing new. Everyone knows how he sneaks around camp looking for sweets. If we give him the assignment to spy on Robin, the rest of the Shepherds would just think of Gaius being Gaius. He is also smarter than you think, and he is not one for underhanded killings. He would not like it if Robin is a spy, 'sides, he's close to Chrom."
Frederick nodded. "The only thing left to do is how to send the messages."
The three of them heard a screech and the undeniable stench of Risen overwhelmed them. "By the gods! There's Risen everywhere. Man your stations, I have to alert milord!"