The Missing Stone

The Battle for Deridru

"The Aquatic Capital..." Chester murmurs. "A shame that such an elegant city be dragged into a war such as this." Mao pouts.

"Let's hurry up and save it so we can try the food!"

"Really?" Aelura asks incredulously. "The food?"

"Yes!"

Shh, I'm trying to listen.

"The Alliance forces are holding out, but they won't last much longer..." Gilbert states, a report from one of Ingrid's pegasus knights in his hand.

"That must be Judith of House Daphnel who joined up with Claude's troops," Ingrid says. "To think Judith, a true hero, would find herself backed into a corner like this..." She shakes her head, frowning in remorse.

"It is not so. The Alliance has only drawn the enemy so deeply into the city to allow us to attack them from behind," Dimitri explains. "Brilliant."

"They're planning a pincer attack?" The professor asks.

"I believe so. He put his soldiers into position purely on the belief that we'd come... I can't believe Claude would risk everything on that behalf. He has placed all of his hopes on us. Let's make sure we live up to his expectations, Professor."

"Ughhhh, I must know when the wedding is. I MUST KNOW!"

"I know right! WE MUST KNOW!"

Guys really?

"How would they even make heirs?" Chester wonders. Mao smirks so wide that Dedue would fit.

Mildred just confused herself.

Orders are given and soldiers are sorted into positions. Mildred follows the professor to his wyvern, shifts and hops into a bag. As she pops her head out of the bag, her eyes sharpen on a speck of white and red standing out against the browns and greens of the hills.

Oh no.

It's an Imperial pegasus knight accompanied by an archer and axeman. Dimitri says something, but Mildred doesn't hear exactly what he's saying, following the pegasus knight's movements. The archer mounts the pegasus too, and together they fly across the harbor. Mildred traces their direction with her eyes to-

A white wyvern!?

"Woah!" Aelura exclaims, floating over Mildred's shoulder with an awed expression. "That's an albino wyvern! I've never seen one before!"

"Guys look who's on it," Chester says, pointing at the rider. It's the same wyvern rider that had tried to take the hill at Gronder Field, but was shot down by Aelura's arrow and Ashe's ballista. Mildred's jaw drops.

That was Claude!?

"Huh, so the pegasus knight is just going to casually fly across the harbor and shoot down the Alliance leader? Didn't Dimitri say we can't let him die?" Mildred's ears flatten in embarrassment.

I wasn't listening.

"What would you do without us," Aelura chides. "Hurry up and tell the Professor!"

Mildred crawls her way out of the bag. He hasn't taken off yet, but is about to when Mildred shifts and sits behind him on the saddle. He looks over his shoulder at her in question.

"An assassination attempt," Mildred explains, pointing to the pegasus knight. The professor nods.

"Hold on," he instructs, not waiting for Mildred to squeeze her arms around his waist as he guides his wyvern into the air. Dimitri watches them briefly, the soldiers stopping before he motions for them to continue forward past the gates, even if one of their leaders just broke formation. Mildred blinks rapidly.