The Missing Stone

Experienced Endeavor

"This is a problem..."

It's morning, and everyone looks ragged to the bone. Well, mostly Sylvain, but that's his own fault. Felix and Ingrid sit on either side of him. Gilbert rubs the bridge of his nose over a pile of reports, the professor on his right reading the message Claude sent, Dimitri on his left. Annette sits by Felix, Ashe by Ingrid. Mercedes has left the room to go get Sylvain some water. Mildred sits apart from everyone else, head bowed, hands clenched in her lap.

"You look like you're going to commit unspeakable deeds," Mao tries joking, then winces and moves away. Mildred doesn't answer.

"What's the problem?" Annette asks, glancing at Felix who is practically radiating irritation as Sylvain leans heavily on his shoulder. Mercedes comes in with a glass and hands it to the redhead who takes it gratefully before sitting beside Annette.

"We have received a request for aid from the Alliance," Dimitri says. "They are being invaded by the Empire. We have only just taken back Fhirdiad, and yet I am already asking all of you to move out once more. Please accept my apologies for that."

"That's no problem at all," Ingrid assures. "More importantly, how is the Alliance faring?"

"House Riegan has rallied the Alliance Lords. They are facing the enemy with all the strength they can muster, but we do not know how far that will get them. It seems the enemy's relentless attacks have forced them into a tough situation. Their defeat at Gronder severely weakened the Alliance." Dimitri shakes his head, frowning. "I imagine the Empire now intends to destroy them before they can recover."

Why should we help them?

Gilbert takes the message from the professor's hands and reads it again. "To think they'd watch us chase their soldiers out of the kingdom capital, then immediately go invade the Alliance..." A tired sigh. "Their general is Lord Volkhard von ." Mildred's ears perk up at the name. "He serves as regent to the Emperor. He has presumably taken command after the Emperor was wounded in Gronder."

"He is known for his shrewdness and excels not only in domestic affairs, but tactics as well," Dimitri adds. "He is not an opponent we should take lightly. Lord Arundel..."

"Are you concerned?" The professor asks.

"I always suspected that Lord Arundel was behind the tragedy nine years ago. The timing of his departure from the kingdom, the fact that he abruptly stopped making donations... Too many factors made him suspect. If Lord Arundel conspired with ... then what  and the others said five years ago..." He trails off, grimacing.

Others..?

Aelura turns away, face contorted as if in pain, Chester seethes silently in anger, Mao hangs her head. Gilbert hums in thought.

"Well, nevermind that now," Dimitri continues. "The Alliance needs our help. What are your thoughts?"

"If we turn our back on the Alliance and then  falls, it will undoubtedly make our situation difficult further down the road," Gilbert states. "We would have enemies in two directions... in the Alliance to the northeast and in the Empire to the south."

"That is true," Dimitri nods. "In that scenario, we would not be able to safely march our soldiers to ."

"Oh!" Annette gasps, standing from her seat. "Maybe if we do this, the Alliance will help us out in return! We could ask them to help us attack the Empire. You know, a sneak attack or something!"

"Annie!" Mercedes exclaims in mock surprise. "When did you become so devious?"

"Heh. What would your mother think?" Gilbert teases.

"What? It wasn't that devious!" Annette laughs nervously.

"What do you think, professor?"

"I support whatever Dimitri decides," he encourages.

"Then we must go to Derdriu," Dimitri declares. "I will admit that there is something to be gained for us as well, for when we eventually march south... But far more importantly, they need us. We cannot turn our backs on them." The professor nods in agreement. "We will arrange to head out at once. Prepare yourselves, everyone."

Mildred leaves with the majority, then splits off and heads into town. She hides her ears and tail beneath Chester's coat again and goes back to the spot where she found Glenn.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Mao asks snarkily.

Remembering.

Mao makes a confused sound. "What do you mean by 'remembering'?" Mildred looks up from the spot to the balcony above. She bends her legs and leaps straight up high enough for her hands to grasp the balcony railing, then hauls herself over it.

"You could have just gone straight here from the meeting room?" Aelura questions and Chester raises a finger.

"She's backtracking," he elaborates. "One of my abilities; she can retrace steps, but she has to have seen the entity for it to work." Mildred nods absent-mindedly, walking down the halls to a quiet part of the castle. She follows the trail into the servants' routes and into an alcove.

"Okay... but why are we here?" Mao says, crossing her arms. Chester frowns before raising his brows.

"Ah, you're going to visit him, aren't you?" Mildred nods, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall.

I have a few hours.