Invisible Ties | Fire Emblem Awakening (Novelization)

Chapter 8: Warrior Realm

Robin

My theory about sleeping peacefully whenever Chrom wished me sweet dreams was wrong.

I had terrible dreams that night and woke with the same headache. However, after Chrom insisted on Lissa's interference so that I could actually think if we were attacked, it didn't bother me again for the rest of our journey.

Four days later we were standing outside the Long Fort, a building that stretched all the way down the Feroxi border. I had memorized our maps now, and I knew that Regna Ferox was about the size of Ylisse and Plegia put together and shared its southern border with them both. That was a long structure and a lot of security.

I'd noticed that it had gradually been getting colder over the last few days, but now that we were right outside the fort the temperature seemed to have suddenly fallen even further. I was glad of my big, thick coat, and I felt sorry for Lissa, whose teeth had already been chattering (though perhaps she was mostly doing that for dramatic effect) before the Long Fort had come into sight.

"Brr! Frederick, I'm f-freezing!" she complained. Fine flakes of snow were starting to fall around us.

"Dismount and stand beside your horse, milady," Frederick replied. "She'll shelter you from the wind."

Those of us who were more comfortable on our own two feet also dismounted, looking at the fort all the while. It stretched on as far as the eye could see and rose almost as high as Castle Ylisse. Snow was already adorning the top. Less attractive things also adorned the top, such as the lancers who were appearing, their weapons aimed at us. Soldiers pooled out into the area behind the gate, looking every bit as barbarian as Sumia had described them.

"Who goes there?"

I looked up, following the voice back to the top of the fort where a heavily-armoured woman was now amidst the lancers. She stared at us with narrowed eyes, one hand hovering by her waist, and presumably, her weapon.

"In the name of House Ylisse, I seek audience with the khan!" Chrom said.

"Not another step, my bold lad!" the woman warned. "I've lancers at the ready!"

Chrom and I exchanged a worried look. He lifted his right shoulder in a half shrug, as if telling me that his skills of diplomacy ended there.

"Hold, milady!" Frederick said. "We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."

"My only interest is keeping you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!"

Chrom's face darkened as if a thundercloud had crossed it.

Frederick's face was darker still. "B-brigand? Now, see here –"

"You think you are the first 'Ylisseans' to try and cross our border? I have the authority to fell such impostors where they stand!"

"How dare you!" Frederick roared. "You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood!"

Instead of shying away or dying of fear from the tone of Frederick's voice, the Feroxi woman actually laughed. "Yes, indeed – and I'm the Queen of Valm! You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offence, yes? Hmm...perhaps we should settle this the Feroxi way. You claim to be the Prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!"

Dismay fell over me. Chrom caught my eye.

"Emmeryn won't like this at all," he muttered, before raising his voice. "Please, good lady! If you'd just listen –"

"I've heard quite enough!" The woman turned away and waved her hand. "Attack!"

Perhaps it was my strange head injury or just a talent of being a tactician, but I saw the lancers' movements in slow motion. Their fingers uncurled from their weapons. The steel crawled through the air. I could see the spot, to the exact millimetre, where each lance would fall. I identified their target before they had even moved two inches.