Work Text
Prologue: A Little Bit of Bad News
Bum Bum Bum, a pause, Ba-Bum Bum Bum. The doctor sighed as he lifted himself off the bed. His patient turned towards him, and she smiled as she said, “Sorry for always making you go through so much trouble.”The man smiled, “Think nothing of it, Your Grace.”“Dr. Barclay, I’ve told you before. It’s just Emmeryn.”“Of course,” he inhaled, “Emmeryn.”“So, how does it look?”“The signs are,” he sighed, “not good. Your heartbeat has been moving much slower than usual.” He pushed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose, “This makes how many dizzy spells this week?”The woman looked down, “At least five.”“For now, all I can recommend is that you take it easy and try to keep any labor-intensive jobs to a minimum. You have one of the best aides in the entire country; If you called for her, I’m certain she would come running.”The exalt sighed, “I don’t want to trouble Phila. She already has enough to handle with the Pegasus Knights as it is.”“I’m sure she’d welcome the distraction. Phila swore to help you in any way that you saw fit. If you don’t ask, it’s possible she’s just going to worry more.”The woman chuckled, “You may be right about that.” She turned towards the doctor once more, “How much time do I have?”“At the current pace you’re at now, I’d say a few months at most.”“Oh gods.” She lifted her hands up towards her eyes.The doctor placed a hand on the exalt’s shoulders, “You need to tell him. You know he’s going to have to take the responsibility eventually.”The woman nodded, and her voice croaked as she said, “I know. I just,” she inhaled, “I just thought I’d have more time.” She reached towards one of her pillows, and as she held it up to her face, she broke out into muffled sobs.The doctor rubbed the woman’s back, “I’m sorry, Your Grace.” His eyes misted over, “I wish there was more I could do.”
Chapter One, Part One: A Small Problem
Birds chirped off into the distance, and the prince yawned as he made his way towards the great hall. A small breeze rose up from the hill-top, and as the prince moved through the castle courtyard, he stretched out his arms until, at long last, a small rumble shook the young man’s gut. Trees swayed in the wind, and just as gently as it had arrived, it made its way down to the valley below. The smell of smoke proliferated throughout the air, and the young man smiled. Breakfast time.The bells chimed six, and it was this point that Chrom moved to the next section of the castle. Cream and azure banners glistened in the sunlight, and after stretching his shoulders just a bit more, he opened the doors of the great hall.The salty smell of cooked meat flooded the prince’s nose in an instant as eggs, sausages and bacon piled high onto their serving platters, and it was at this point that his stomach growled in anticipation.“So, are you going to just look at your food all day?”He turned towards the source, and his younger sister smiled at him as she said, “Or are you going to eat with us?”“Morning, Lissa.”“Morning, Chrom.”He made his way towards his seat, “Good morning, Emm.”The elder sister nodded, “Good morning, Chrom. Did you sleep well?” “I slept good. It’s been way too long since I slept in a real bed.”“That’s good to hear. Was your trip to Ragna Ferox good?”“Things went well. We struck a good deal with Khan Flavia, so there should be plenty of Feroxi lumber and steel coming our way soon.”“That’s great to hear.” The exalt moved her head through the room, “I surprised Frederick isn’t here with you two.”“He did catch a cold recently.” Lissa responded, “Is it possible he’s just getting some more rest?”“With all of the work that he does,” Chrom added, “he’s certainly earned it.”The trio continued to have their breakfast, and as Chrom continued to finish off his plate, he paused as a green pile was ladled onto it, “What the heck?”He poked a fork into the green mass, and his eyes narrowed at his older sister, “What is this thing?”“It’s called spinach. I’ve been told it’s good for developing muscles.”He reached for the spinach bowl’s ladle, “In that case, I think Lissa needs this more than I do.”“Hey, I can grow a few centimeters without your help, thank you!”She wrestled the ladle out of her brother’s hand, but before the siblings could continue with their little duel, the sound of Emeryn’s laughter stopped them, reverberated its way to the halls.The younger siblings looked to one another, and it was Chrom who spoke first, “Emm, is something wrong?”The exalt clenched her stomach as she answered, “No, no, it’s nothing.” She continued, “It’s just been so long since...” Her breathing slowed down, and she winced as she lifted a hand towards her head, “I…” She inhaled again, “I’ve missed this.”She placed some more spinach onto all their plates, “Come on, this is good for all of us.” She lifted her fork, “To new discoveries.”The two siblings shrugged, and it was not long before the sound of forks and knives clattered once again. This lasted for a little while, and after a brief pause, Emmeryn spoke once more, “Chrom…”“Hmm?”“Have you-“The sound of a door bolted open, and a stuffed voice spoke out, “Apologies, Your Grace. I had not meant to sleep in so late.” The knight sneezed into his sleeve.“Think nothing of it, Frederick. From the looks of it though, you really should be resting. The last time I have ever seen someone look so pale, Lord Bottlebrush had too much lead placed into his make-up.”“I appreciate your concern, Your Grace, but, I’m sure it’s nothing a little steam can’t fix.”“Indeed, a little steam and a nice long soak in the bath.” She stabbed her fork into an egg, “As of this moment, you are to be relieved of your duties for the next three days.”“Three days, but Your Grace, surely-“The exalt interrupted, “That’s an order. During this time, you are not to do any work, and instead, you shall turn your attention towards your recovery.” She placed the egg into her mouth, and after giving herself a moment to swallow, she added, “And, in the event your body needs more time to recuperate, you are to rest until your strength has returned. Am I making myself clear?”Frederick sighed, “Transparently, Your Grace.”“Excellent.” She pointed towards one of the empty chairs, “Care to join us?”“You honor me, Your Grace; however, I can not possibly-“Emmeryn spoke out, “I insist.”The knight sighed again, “Very well, Your Grace.”“Thank you, Frederick.”Frederick made his way towards the empty seat, and with a wave of the exalt’s hands, servants scrambled to bring out another wave of food. Dirty plates were piled up into the air, and those who had empty cups soon found them filled once more.The quartet continued to enjoy their breakfast, and one by one, those of the exalted family lowered their forks and sighed.Lissa clutched at her stomach, “No more.”Emmeryn raised a hand near her mouth, “That was more than I was expecting.”Chrom moaned, “I’m stuffed.”The three siblings leaned their heads back onto their chairs, and the sounds of the morning hubbub slowly echoed throughout the castle. Trumpets blared, and within a moment, footsteps marched in time with the beating drums. Whispers of chatter drifted in with the breeze, though if one waited long enough, tell-tale signs of trouble were not far behind.The exalt spoke up once more, “Chrom-““Yeah?” He raised his head up, “What’s up?”“I was wondering,“ She clutched her hands together and smiled, “Have you made any progress with Sumia?”Blood rushed towards the prince’s face, “Um-”Frederick reached towards his throat, and it was not long before a series of harsh gasps erupted from the knight.Lissa ran to his chair, “Are you all right?”Frederick’s face blanched, and the young princess was quick to get the knight onto his feet. Her hands were firm as she slapped his back, “Haiiie-yah!”The knight immediately rushed for one of his handkerchiefs, and within a matter of seconds, coughs burst from Frederick’s lungs. He sat back in his chair, “Thank you, milady.” The knight reached for his glass, and with each sip of water he had, Frederick’s breathing gradually returned to its natural rhythm.“Are you going to be all right?”“I should be fine, Your Grace.” He pushed his plate towards the center of the table, “That said, I regret to inform you; I don’t think I’m going to be able to finish the rest of this.”“Think nothing of it, Frederick.”He nodded his head, and without saying a word, the knight returned to his glass of water and closed his eyes. “You haven’t answered my question yet, Chrom.” The exalt took a sip of her tea and smiled, “How have things been going with Sumia?”“Things could be,” the prince sighed, “better, but I haven’t been having much luck.”“Oh?”“She seems to like the flowers that I get her, but every time I offered for us to go somewhere, she always says that she had other plans.”“I see.”“Hmm…”“Something the matter, Lissa?”Her eyes darted towards the knight for a moment before she answered, “It’s nothing. Just thinking is all.”“Uh huh.”“And what’s that supposed to mean?”The prince turned his head, “Nothing-““Chrom, you know there’ll be plenty of opportunities to get to know each other after you two are married.” Emmeryn lowered her cup once more, “You already have her hand; All you need to do now is claim it.”“I know that. It’s just-“ He paused, “We’re engaged because of a decision our parents made. I want her heart, not just her hand.”Emmeryn smiled again, “I see.”“Aww. That’s so sweet.” Lissa jabbed her brother in sides, “Who knew you were such a softie?”The prince let out a laugh as he said, “Hey, quit it!”“Make me!” The princess chuckled. She flexed her fingers, but before the next battle could begin, the exalt’s voice cut through.“Lissa…”The princess put her hands down, “Okay.” She pointed towards her brother, “Later then.”“Maybe later.”The exalt spoke once more, “I appreciate your sentiment, Chrom, but there’s one question that you need to ask yourself: If you aren’t able to win her heart, what will you do then?”“I,” The prince’s moved down towards his cup, “I guess I didn’t think of that.”Emmeryn reached a hand toward the young man; however, after a moment of stillness, she was quick to return it to her side. She sighed, “Chrom, the main reason I’m bringing this up is because you are running out of time.” She paused before she added, “The date of your marriage has been set.”The prince’s eyes widened, “When did this happen?”“Roughly two days ago.”“And you didn’t try to stop them?”The exalt snapped, “There was nothing I could do! Archduke Clymene and the other nobles have been growing impatient. Doing this will ensure the bloodline remains secure.”“You,” Lissa froze, “You’re not going anywhere, are you?”“No!” Her eyes widened, and Emmeryn softened her voice, “No, no no. Lissa, I’m not going anywhere.”The princess’s eyes misted over, “Good..”The exalt turned towards her brother once more, “I managed to stall the date as far as I could, so if you’re going to make a move, I would advise you do it soon.”Chrom leaned back into his chair, “How long do I have?”“Everything has been scheduled to begin around the first week of June.” She exhaled and smiled, “March is just around the corner, so if anything, you’ve got at least a few months.”“I see.”Lissa reached for her brother’s hands, “You’ll find a way, Chrom. She’ll come around. Just wait and see.”“Thanks.”Silence permeated through the room for a few minutes, but it was not to stay that way for long. Frederick quickly rushed towards his sleeve, and his back lurched forward as hoarse cough erupted from the knight’s lungs. His other hand reached for the table, and Frederick’s body swayed as he returned to his usual balance. “Are you all right, Frederick?”“I should be,” the knight rasped, “fine. Thank you for asking, milady.”“Your face looks really pale. Do you need to go lie down?”“That would probably be wise.” He turned towards the exalt, “Permission to be excused?”“Permission granted.”The knight nodded as he rose up from his chair, and he made his way towards the door.“Get better soon, Frederick.”The knight nodded, “I’ll do my best, milady.” He gave a slight bow, “A wonderful day to each of you.”The exalt bowed her head, “Rest well, Frederick.”The knight closed the door behind him, and the sound of boots marched off into the distance, but it would not last that way for long as the footsteps suddenly stopped. Incoherent words traveled through the halls in their own rhythmic banter, and a soft laughter soon followed.Another set of footsteps made its towards the door, and without further ado, six sharp knocks rattled at the door.“Come in.”A woman smiled, “Good morning, Your Grace.”“And a good morning to you, Phila.”“Phila! Good to see you!”“It is good to see you as well, my lady. How was your trip to Ragna Ferox?”“It was good. I’m glad we brought along some extra blankets. I didn’t expect the weather to get that chilly.”“Ragna Ferox is famous for its winter weather. Luckily, they tend to be good at keeping their streets clear.”“True,” Lissa added, “but, even if the streets are clear, you can still fall pretty hard on the ice.” Her hands patted the table,” Emm, you would have loved the ghost stories that came from some of the villages we visited. Most of them were fairly local, but some would have travelled over to the other side of the country in the manner of a few weeks.”“Interesting.”The princess nodded.Emmeryn turned towards the commander, “I take it my first appointment is almost here?”Phila nodded, “Indeed, Your Grace. Your first meeting is scheduled to be within fifteen minutes.”“I see. Lissa…”“Hmm?”“You have an embroidery lesson coming up, don’t you?”Lissa nodded again.“Why don’t you head over there a bit earlier today? It’ll be a great way to make sure you have everything that you need, and,” Emmeryn giggled, “If nothing else, it’ll be a great way to surprise Maribelle.”The princess’s eyes lit up, “Sure!” She rubbed her hands together and laughed, “Ooh, I can’t wait for the look on Ms. Aconitum’s face.” She walked towards the door, “I’ll see you at lunch?”The exalt sighed, “If I can squeeze the time.”“Sweet!” She moved out into the hallway, “See ya’ later, sis!”“Be careful, Lissa!”The princess called out once more, “Bye, Chrom!”The prince said nothing.Phila gestured towards the door, “Shall we get going, your grace?”“Of course. One more thing…” She turned towards her brother, “Chrom?”The young man lifted his head up.“Just think about it, okay?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter One, Part Three: The First Thorn
Frederick marched his way out of the dining hall, but with each new step that he made, his legs lumbered like an ox with a plow. Numbness grasped at his heart, and he sighed as he wondered when his feelings had ever grown this strong. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t-His nose flared, and the knight was quick to rise his arm to meet the oncoming sneeze. He rifled through one of his pockets, and just as he had finished clearing his sinuses with one of his handkerchiefs, a giggling face smiled at him.Sumia’s hair was ruffled, and a trace number of downy feathers lined the edges of her frame; however, standing there in the glory of the morning’s light, she shined. The knight’s breath stilled, and as he moved to correct his posture, the rest of the world slowly began to fade from his vision.She spoke, “That sounded pretty bad. Are you feeling alright?”“I have a little cold, but it’s nothing a little rest won’t fix. That said, I’ve been ordered to take the next few days off.”“The world isn’t going to end because you needed to take a break, Frederick.”“I know, but- “, Frederick sighed, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little frustrated.”“Everyone gets sick sometimes. That’s nothing to beat yourself up for.”“I-““She’s right, you know.”The knight stepped back, but out of the two of them, it was Sumia who spoke first, “Don’t scare me like that, Commander!”Phila smiled, “My apologies, Miss Clymene. Are you feeling well?”“I’ve been great actually. Est gave me a bit of trouble this morning, but she took me to this great little hill near the castle woods.” She turned her head towards the knight, “Frederick, you should’ve seen it. There were so many snowdrops poking their heads out. It was just like the fairy tale.”Frederick answered, “That must’ve been nice.”The commander said, “And what of you, Ser Frederick? I couldn’t help but overhear that you have been ordered to take it easy for the next few days. Does Captain Lelantos know about the changes?”“I have to let him know. I just hope my duties won’t take up too much of his time.”“Worse case, he can always delegate your tasks onto a couple more people.” She took in a breath and exhaled, “At your present condition, you are far more likely to slow everyone down. Frederick, you are one of the toughest knights I know. If your cold managed to spread to the rest of us, the entire castle would have hell to pay.”Frederick’s eyes went to the floor.Commander Phila sighed, “There’s a reason the knight captain chose you as his lieutenant. I’ve got to head inside.” She turned towards Sumia, “It was good seeing you again, Ms. Clymene.”“You as well, Commander Phila.”“As for you, Frederick, I suggest you go and get some rest.”“Understood, ma’am.”And with those words, Commander Phila marched off into the hallway, her heels softly clunking in her wake.Sumia glanced through one of the hall’s windows, “Is it time for morning rounds already?”“If the appearance of the commander is any indicator, Lady Emmeryn probably has an appointment coming up here shortly.” He rubbed his sinuses, and when Sumia’s eyes turned towards him once more, he added, “It’s been a while since you’ve visited Castle Ylisstol.”“Father told me I’ll be spending more time here for the next few months. I figured I would check in and say, ‘Hi.’”Frederick’s voice softened, “Hello.”Sumia giggled, “Hello, Frederick.”“I-““Yes?”Frederick’s throat threatened to swallow his words again, “I-“The doors swung open, and the young princess’s voice burst into the hallway, “Sumia!” Her arms were out wide as she went for a bear hug, “Good to see you!”“It’s good to see you too, Lissa. You look well.”“Thank you.” The young princess made a small twirl, “Notice anything different?”The knight’s eyes narrowed. Her dress flittered with the same ruffles it usually does, so that’s out. Her hair was still in the usual pigtails, but it was there where small flickers of sunlight hit the Frederick’s eyes. Oh…He answered first, “Did you buy those hair-pins at Magni?”“Yep!” She held the edges of one of the steel rabbits in between her fingers and smiled, “What do you guys think?”The bunnies reflected the light’s intensity, so it was difficult to get the best view, but from what the knight could see, the slightly darker tone of the steel complimented the lace of her headdress nicely.Sumia smiled, “It suits you.”“I’m so glad you think so. I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got a class I need to get to.” Lissa gave Sumia one more hug, “See you later, Sumia.”“We’ll see each other again soon.”She proceeded to run down the hallway, “Bye, Frederick!”“Stay out of trouble!”She stuck her tongue out, “We shall see!” She ran a little faster, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared around the corner.Sumia chuckled, “There she goes. How do you keep up with it every day?”The knight let out a little smile, “You get used to it.”Sumia giggled again.“What’s so funny?”“It’s nothing. You said you needed to report to the knight captain?”Frederick nodded.“I’ve got free time. I’d be happy to come with you.”“That would be nice.” The hall’s doors opened once more, and the knight’s eyes widened.“Good morning, Sumia.”Sumia’s eyes went to the floor, “And a good morning to you as well, Your Grace.”“It’s good to see you. How is Lady Clymene doing these days?”“My mother’s feeling much better. Still busy with her needlework though.”Emmeryn smiled, “As always.” She turned her eyes towards Frederick, “Thank you for keeping our guest occupied, but you really should be getting some rest.”“I need to let Captain Lelantos know of my orders. After that, I’ll try and contain myself to my quarters.”The exalt responded, “So long as you make sure to take care of yourself, that’s all I could ask for. Make sure you get enough rest, okay?”“Understood, Your Grace.”“Sumia?”“Yes, Your Grace?”“Has your father said anything unusual to you recently?”“Nothing really, why? Is something wrong?”The exalt sighed, “We need to talk. Could you walk with me for a little bit?”The young lady’s voice lowered, “Of course.”The exalt and her aid resumed their trek through the hallway, but both Frederick and Sumia’s feet froze in place.“I wasn’t aware you had an appointment with Her Grace.”Sumia answered, “I don’t. Do you know what’s going on?”The knight paused before he said, “I think it’s better to hear from her. I’ll see you later?”Her voice cracked, “Yeah. I’ll see you later.” She spoke once again, and the whispered pain in her voice haunted him for the rest of the day, “Goodbye, Frederick.”
Chapter One, Part Four: Infuriating Silence
“And you’re sure that’s all that you saw, Ms. Adva?”The shadow nodded, “Uh huh. Young Master Sterling said he was hearing strange voices. None of the planets he owns has managed to develop intelligent life yet, so I went to investigate, but-“ She wiped away a tear that rose up, “By the time I came back, he was gone.”“Were there any words that particularly stood out?”“Even if there were, I couldn’t hear any of the words at all. There was only silence.”Tharja gazed through the abyss, and she sighed when she found there wasn’t a single hair anywhere to be seen. Trace amounts of radiation clung along the edges of the boy’s former room, but not a single cluster was substantial enough for her to use. She scribbled notes onto a clipboard. Blast it all to bloody hell!A set of eyes stared into the side of her head.Thara inhaled, and she could feel her heartbeat begin to slow down. She exhaled, “The Council will let you know if we have any more questions.” She placed a hand on the shadow’s shoulder, and it was at this point that she forced out a smile,” We’ll find your light. Just wait and see.”“Thank you so much, Officer Magus. Please bring him back to me soon.”Tharja made her way out the air-space, and it was at that point, her words were just above a breath, “I wouldn’t thank me just yet.” She closed her eyes, and immediately, the pull of Mistress Robin settled itself into her mind. Light fazed by in streaks with each passing step, until at last, she made her way towards the office she knew all too well.Slightly acidic whiffs of ink permeated the room, and crumpled papers littered the floor like the left-over confetti at a New Year’s party. Tomes and rather sizable files lined the front of the desk, each stacked on top of the others like a rather bizarre game of building blocks. A mass of silver hair groaned behind her walls of paperwork, “Kill me.”The dark mage couldn’t help a chuckle, “That much paperwork, Miss Robin?”“The Council, in its,” the star placed the next words in air-quotes, “’infinite wisdom’, has named me executive planner for The White Tiger Festival.”“Oh joy.” Tharja looked at the piles on her far-right, “Is that where all the new stacks came from?”“Yeah, but with all these kidnapping cases,” She let out another groan, “I’m swamped.”“And you couldn’t say that because…”“Lady Solese was the one who appointed me.”“So much for that idea. If need be, I could curse you with some insomnia. You wouldn’t need sleep for a while.”“I’m close to that already without your help. Besides, with all that’s going on, I don’t need to hear any more voices in my head than the one I already have.”“Fair enough.” Tharja passed the council-member her clipboard, “Another child of light went missing today.”“Where?”“Sector Beta 45, in The Ursidae Spines.”“So, they’ve picked a new location.” Robin moved a hand over to her eyebrows, “How are the shadows handling this?”“None of them are letting their lights out of sight. I’ve sent out officers to put out a public notice, but whoever are taking these children, they’re making sure to leave no evidence behind.”Mistress Robin gripped on her jacket, “Just like with Daraen.”Tharja’s head nodded before turning towards the floor, “Exactly.” She kicked a crumpled paper into the air, “Damn it! As soon as I figure out how they’re doing this, I’m going to blast those scoundrels straight back to kingdom-come.”The star chuckled, “I’d join you.”“Any news from Henry’s research?”“He’s making good progress at the archives, but there’s been no record of a warp or rescue spell strong enough to forcibly pull a star out of orbit before. It’s like these kids just completely fell off the face of the heavens.” Robin’s eyes widened, and a hand went to rest by her chin, “No, it couldn’t be...”Tharja smirked; There’s the classic move. “Someone just had an idea.”“Do you remember stories of The Great Wruenele War?”“The same ones High-Sorcerer Omer used to rave about? What about them?”“What if some of the Pesmenos have returned?”“Miss Robin, this is no time for jokes.”Robin’s face remained still, “Ea Alvelvi was one of the only planets that we ever had serious contact with. Out of the peoples that know of our existence, they’re the only ones who would’ve done this, or at the very least, they’re the only ones who could teach the others that could.”“Miss Robin, those overgrown lizards have been sealed away almost a century ago for us. They are probably dead by now, and even if they somehow managed to break out of their prison, we would’ve been notified almost immediately.”“I still want to send some agents there just in case.” The star shook her head and yawned, “I need a nap.”“You should rest then. You won’t be any good to those kids brain-dead.”“You sure that’s all right. If you haven’t noticed,” Robin pointed one of her hands at the floor, “The room is kind of a mess.”“It’s not a problem.” The shadow bowed, “I’ll see that your office is clean when you wake up.”“Thanks, Tharja.” Robin let out a yawn, “I think I’ll take you up on your offer. Wake me up in a few hours, okay?”“As you wish, my lady. Sweet dreams.”Robin stretched her body once again, and she pivoted her body around her left heel, but just as she went to move forward, she stopped. Her eyes went wide.“Something wrong, Miss?”Robin’s words were slow, “Do you still have that lock of hair I gave you?”“It’s on my finger as usual. What’s wrong?”The star’s hands were shaky, and she grabbed onto her coat. Her voice cracked, “I’ve never heard these voices before.”“Mistress Robin, cover your ears!” Tharja clutched at one of Robin’s arms with one of her hands, and she was quick to reach for her tome. She closed her eyes, and her head moved from one side to the other, but the harder she listened, the infuriating sound of silence was the only thing to greet her. “Come on, damn it.” The dark mage hissed, “Where are you?”The weight of Mistress Robin’s arm was gone.“Miss Robin?” Tharja’s eyes widened, “No.”The office slowly began to dissolve, and the shadow’s vision went blurry, “No! No! No! No! No! No! No!” She screamed, “Mistress Robin!”