Fire Emblem Fan Fiction ❯ Fire Emblem Tellius Saga: Book 2 ❯ CHAPTER 34: TALREGA ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The Crimea Liberation Army continued northeast through the winter months. The Daein winter was raw and brutal; ice and snow scraped over the nation, leaving frozen scars. The invading army left similar scars in their wake: graves, grief, bloodied and burnt earth. Slowly they progressed, winning victory after victory.

Soren did his best to take them by the safest roads, but traps, ambushes, and hidden armies were waiting wherever they turned. Ike and the company could sometimes turn these situations to their advantage by gaining victory and then intimidating the nearest town’s militia or fort’s garrison into surrender, but more often than not, they were just a hindrance.

 

Three months after the battle of Mondrega Pass, the army neared the Daein stronghold of Talrega. Wyverns had nested here since time out of mind, making it home to countless generations of Daein’s best dracoknights—including the Liberation Army’s own Jill Fizzart. In fact, she was the chieftain’s daughter. She was embarrassed (and clearly nervous) when she reminded Ike of this fact: “I can’t tell you not to go there… But you should know it’s my home,” she said. “I’ll follow you, and fight, if need be.”

In return, he fussed over her emotional stability as they neared Talrega, checking in with her at least once a day. Soren wished these were tactical meetings meant to get the lay of the land, but he knew Ike was just lending a sympathetic ear while she reminisced. 

After careful consideration, Soren advised they avoid the stronghold—but in no way was this to spare Jill’s feelings. It was simply too dangerous to challenge Daein dracoknights on their own turf (or skies, as it were). He knew there was a spy embedded in the Liberation Army, which meant Talrega would be fortified and well prepared for whatever attack he devised.

Ike wasn’t fond of backing away from a fight, let alone leaving them open for a pursuit, but he agreed with Soren’s assessment without too much convincing. Perhaps his chats with Jill had softened his heart toward these people, or perhaps the ambush at Antonin this morning was finally forcing him to think more cautiously.

That being said, Ike made no mention of the fact that Daein appeared to be operating with a steady stream of reliable information they shouldn’t possess. During their meeting, Soren had managed to communicate the danger without explicitly pointing out this fact, nor the possibility of a spy within their ranks—but he’d had this detail ready as a last resort. When Ike agreed with little protest, Soren tucked the damning accusation away again.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t go quietly. He was awake most of the night debating whether to accuse Nasir (and risk the dragon exposing himself in turn) or allowing him to continue to leak information to Daein and put all of their lives at risk. In the end, when he finally allowed himself to fall into an uneasy sleep, he’d settled on a compromise: he would draw Ike’s attention to the existence of a spy. But he wouldn’t name Nasir. Not yet.

 

In the morning, while everyone was dismantling the tents and packing the wagons, Soren reported to Ike’s quarters. “I trust you’ve realized the forces at Antonin were waiting for us yesterday,” Soren dove right in. “It was no accident they were positioned there.” He didn’t care who overheard. In fact, a bit of mild rumor-mongering might help his case. At least then Ike couldn’t ignore it.

The young general, who’d been helping dismantle his tent, handed his rope off to a subordinate and gave Soren his attention (or some semblance of it). They walked away from the laboring soldiers, but Ike’s eyes roamed the deconstruction efforts. “Sure, it was a hard fight,” he said disinterestedly, “but we made it through.”

“The past battles have all been the same. This can only mean one thing: the enemy knows exactly how and when we are going to move. With your permission, I’ll begin an investigation to see if there’s anyone suspicious among the troops… Ike?” He could tell he wasn’t listening. He was watching soldiers loading bundled weapons onto a carriage, and it was obvious he’d rather help with the physical labor than be here talking to Soren about such unsavory things. “Ike? Are you alright?” he asked, though he knew the answer. Ike had been stressed for weeks—no to mention distracted and exhausted. The truth of Lehran’s Medallion weighed heavily on his mind.

“Hm? Oh, yes…” Ike shook his head. “Sorry.” He turned to face him. “What is it?”

Soren’s voice caught in his throat, and he found he’d suddenly lost his nerve. Ike wouldn’t believe he’d been betrayed until he had incontrovertible proof, and he wouldn’t sew distrust with an inquiry. He trusted too easily, and too deeply. “Nothing. I was just giving you the standard update,” Soren lied. “Shall I put it off until later?”

“No.” Ike shook his head. “Sorry, but can you start over from the beginning? I’ll pay attention this time.”

“Understood.” Soren set about mentally preparing the report he hadn’t intended to give quite yet, but he was saved by Titania trotting over to them.

She dismounted with a wide grin. “Good morning, you two! What’s wrong, Ike? You look so sleepy.” Grabbing his chin in one hand, she turned his face left and right like a concerned mother.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind.” Ike pulled his head back and gently pushed her arm away. “I meant to sleep last night, but I was up thinking. Before I knew it, it was morning.”

“Really?” Titania chuckled, obviously trying to spread her pleasant mood. “I never thought I’d hear that—Ike didn’t sleep because he was thinking. I wonder if Soren will start being polite?” No one was laughing with her, and she soon retired her efforts with a sigh and wave of her hand.

Soren wondered if her exceedingly positive attitude the past couple months was nothing but a delusion to distract herself from the truth of Greil and Elena. She’d been dazed for almost a week after hearing Volke’s story, making it clear Greil had never shared it with her despite her years of devotion and loyalty. Then the exuberance had begun.

“Listen, Titania…” Ike began, “Can I just-” Apparently he wanted to talk to her about something, and Soren could only hope it was to censure her for excessive merriment.

Unfortunately, he was cut off by Mist barreling over. “Brother!” she cried, obviously distraught. “Ike!” Her face was red, and tears trailed from her eyes to her ears as she ran. She charged straight into Ike, nearly knocking him down, and squeezed him tightly around the chest. “What am I going to do, Ike? My medallion’s gone!” she sobbed. At almost fifteen years old, Mist had witnessed more pain and bloodshed in her lifetime than most adults. And yet she’d never fallen to pieces like she did now.

“What! It’s gone?” Ike seized Mist by the shoulders to stare intently into her wet eyes.

“No!” Titania’s hands flew to her mouth.

“What am I going to do? It was my only memento of Mother.” Mist shook her head back and forth. Of course, she didn’t understand the real horror behind the lost artifact.

Ike was frantic. “Did you drop it? Or put it somewhere and forget? Something like that?”

“No, I always carry it with me!” Mist assured, patting her chest where she wore it under her blouse. “I would never lose it! I had it before I went to bed last night. It vanished while I was sleeping!”

“Don’t cry,” Ike ordered, his panic sudden checked by his resolve. “It’s not your fault.”

“But- but…” She wiped her eyes.

“I said don’t cry! I’ll find it, alright?” Ike promised with fists clenched.

“Al…right… Sorry,” she said between sniffles.

Ike, Titania, and Mist scrambled off, asking everyone they met if they’d seen a medallion and telling them to keep an eye out for it—but not to touch it—if they found it. The strangeness of this command was not lost on the confused troops.

Soren hesitated a moment before following, and he ordered his thoughts while he walked. Nasir had betrayed them. Of this Soren had no doubt. It was possible he’d been after the medallion since the beginning, and Soren cursed himself for not suspecting this. After all, it was a powerful item that could be used against them in this war.

 

Soren searched halfheartedly, knowing he wouldn’t find it but pretending for his friend’s sake. Ike ordered the entire camp to be unpacked and repacked again. The contents of each wagon were unloaded onto the ground. Every tent canvas and bedroll was shaken out and refolded. Each soldier had their own pack searched by a comrade. Their stores of grain, rice, and flour were sifted and stirred, and every water bladder and canteen was shaken to be sure it contained no solid objects. They wasted the whole day, and by evening it was undeniable that Lehran’s Medallion had not only been stolen but also ferried far away.

That evening Ike fell into a dejected stupor. His frenzied, illogical behavior had his troops doubting his leadership for the first time since the campaign had begun, and this was unacceptable. Soren was scheming to give Ike a brutally honest pep-talk and bring him back to his senses, but before he could, the arrival of a stranger did that for that for him.

A beautiful woman traipsed into their camp just after sundown. She introduced herself as Calill, claiming to be a Crimean civilian who’d been traveling in Daein before war had broken out. Apparently she’d been trapped here ever since. Soren observed her closely and tried to decide whether she was telling the truth. She had long yellow hair, which she tied into a bun with a ribbon. From her ears dangled silver hoops, and brass circlets tinkled around her wrists and ankles. She wore a carnation pink shirt and matching skirt, and across her chest and over her hips bounced parallel strands of shimmering, gold-plated coins. She looked like a street performer, or perhaps a belly dancer from Culbert. But she spoke with a Melior accent, and Ike seemed to believe her story.

Soren decided to trust her as well, because he doubted Daein would send a spy so eccentrically dressed. (And surely Daein couldn’t get a spy better than the one they already had: Nasir, who’d been missing all day). Welcoming the woman had the added benefit of reminding Ike of his duties as general. Not only did Calill want to travel with them, she also wanted to fight beside them, claiming to be a talented fire mage. Ike was forced to forget the medallion as he helped her get settled.

After this, he walked among his troops and spoke with them informally. He announced they’d be staying here another night and that double rations would be distributed as a reward for their hard work and patience. Soren was not a fan of coddling, but this seemed an effective solution. The soldiers cheered for their general, shared boisterous stories, and accepted the extra rest.

In the evening, Soren, Ike, and Titania met again and admitted they could do about the Lehran’s Medallion for now. They had to keep moving forward.

 

 “My lord Ike, were you able to find Mist’s missing pendant?” Elincia asked as they marched the next day.

“No. It’s gone. I fear that Daein may have stolen it somehow.” Ike didn’t bother hiding his frustration from the princess.

“What? Is such a thing possible?” she asked, and Soren detected underlying skepticism. 

“I don’t know to what degree, but there can be no questioning Daein’s involvement,” assured Ike.

Soren wished he could explain Nasir’s betrayal, which seemed even more obvious now that the dragon hadn’t been seen since the day before yesterday. But no one was suspicious of his prolonged absence. To Soren’s chagrin, Nasir had become one of their main points of contact with Begnion, and he sometimes travelled a day behind them, coordinating their supply route, before catching back up. Ike believed Nasir was off completing some important duty, which would seem more like an alibi than damning evidence to his mind. 

“Is the medallion…special?” Elincia asked hesitantly.

“Yes… Oh yes.” His eyes grew distant, and his brows knitted together a stitch.

The princess blushed. “I beg your pardon.”

“What is it?” Ike asked in confusion.

“My question may have touched a sensitive area.”

“Oh, no.” Ike shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to discuss it with you personally. I just can’t really talk about it with anyone. It’s a private matter.” Soren was relieved he was still willing to keep this secret from the princess. He had feared the theft would loosen his tongue.

“I see,” she replied with a graceful nod.

The sound of wings drew their attention to the two hawk laguz. “Ike!” called Ulki urgently. He and his counterpart landed beside them.

“What is it, Ulki?” Ike seemed wary of more bad news.

“I hear the sound of rushing water just ahead. A lot of it.”

“Rushing water?” Ike repeated in confusion.

“According to the map, there’s a large river up ahead,” Soren offered. Ice melt would be coming down from the mountains now that it was spring. The river could be swollen, but Soren doubted such a thing would have alarmed the keen-eared hawk.

Ike was more optimistic. “That must be what you hear.”

Ulki shook his head. “This is unnatural, warped. It is not the sound of a normal river.”

Before anyone could debate the sound further, a scout came galloping toward them. “General Ike!” He pulled his horse to a sharp stop. “Sir, we’ve got trouble! The road ahead is blocked by water!”

“What? How can that be?” Elincia exclaimed.

“Perhaps a local river has flooded?” the soldier suggested. He shook his head. “The whole region is soaking wet!”

Ike seemed to gather his resolve. “Is the road completely impassable?”

“No, sir!” the soldier replied, “We can move forward, but the water’s turned the ground to mud. And it is still flowing at a tremendous rate, sir! This is going to cut back our speed dramatically.”

Soren felt it was his responsibility to explain that this was no mere a twist of fate. “This is the work of Daein,” he declared firmly. “They thought to impede our progress in order to gain some time for themselves. And they’ve succeeded.” It was a cruel plan—but effective. The damage to the land would be considerable, but it gave the Daein army an advantage.

“Is there nothing we can do?” Titania turned to him, and there was fire in her eyes.

“Well…” Soren thought a moment. “If they were able to flood the road only when we approached, and with a controlled, continuous release, there must be floodgates in the area.”

“So if we can close them, we’ll shut off the flow of water, right?” Ike didn’t wait for an answer. “That makes sense! Let’s get some scouts looking for those gates,” he ordered, and the soldier saluted and cantered off.

“What’s that?” Janaff pushed past Ulki. “Hey, if you’re looking for something, leave it to me. I am the Hawk King’s eyes, after all! These peepers of mine can see for miles and miles. It would be a shame not to use them.”

“Hey, I get it.” Ike smiled. “You’re a hawk with the eyes of a hawk!”

Janaff seemed pleased to have lightened the tension in his general’s heart. “It beats your fantastic wit! My eyesight isn’t a racial ability, it’s just my own natural talent. Heck, my pal Ulki has ears that can hear grass growing on the other side of the country.” Soren recalled the time Lethe had claimed the ability to cross all of Gallia in a single bound. He was tempted to say something out of irritation, but then he saw Ike’s smile broaden. Janaff was cheering him up.

“I see,” Ike laughed. “Well then, the job’s yours. Do you think you can find the floodgates?”

“I just look for some openings with a lot of water pouring out, right? Yeah, I can handle that!” He immediately beat his wings and took to the sky, where he transformed and sailed away.

While Janaff searched, Ike had the army prepare for battle and begin marching upriver. Soren was dismayed that they were now venturing into Talrega, and he realized the flood was a two-way trap. On one hand, the army could have chosen to cross, wasted days of travel, and come out on the other side soaked, frozen, and exhausted. It would risk the hooves of their horses and the wheels of their wagons. On the other hand, they could head into Talrega to stop the flow of water and face an army there.

Janaff returned shortly and conveyed the location of the floodgates and the best route to get to them. Unfortunately, they stood just beyond the cliff-perched city that had served as the capital of Talrega for generations. Janaff reported three thousand ground troops and two thousand dracoknights. The Liberation Army hadn’t boasted such numbers since Tor Garen. They now possessed only thirty-five hundred soldiers, only two hundred and fifty of which were Tanith’s airborne unit. They would be outnumbered, and Daein would dominate the skies.

And yet, they had no choice but to seize Talrega Castle and close the floodgates. To continue now would mean being beset by the wyvern army while knee-deep in the mudflats. No strategy would save them then.

 

“So those are the floodgates,” Ike said when they came within view. The city sprawled up a winding, rocky slope, and dracoknights circled in the sky above. Perched on the highest cliff was Talrega Castle, and in the canyon beside it were the partially open floodgates, a massive cascade, and a roaring river.

“If we can get them closed, the water will recede in about twelve hours or so,” Soren estimated.

“Alright, let’s get going!” Ike gestured for the company to resume its march.

 

Lady Fizzart was staying at the temporary basecamp with Princess Elincia, the convoy, and a handful of guards, because Ike refused to force her to fight her family and friends. But Jill had wanted to do her part to secure as easy a victory as possible, and before they’d departed, she’d sat down with Ike and Soren and hastily relayed all she knew about the city’s fortifications. She even described a handful of ways to reach the castle.

Jill’s insight plus Nasir’s absence meant Soren could devise a strategy the Talregans wouldn’t see coming, and that was the Liberation Army’s only hope. Upon his instruction, Ike selected special troops to comprise three small regiments. These would take ancient footpaths around the mountain (and in one case, through the mountain) to broadside the Talregan army at critical junctures. Meanwhile, the main force would fight their way up the main boulevard, using a unique series of horn blows to signal when these regiments should break cover and support them. Volke was attached to one as a scout, and Sothe another. Titania would be leading the largest and most valuable regiment, which should appear in the back of an old cemetery and reunite with the main force at the city square, where Soren predicted the battle would become most concentrated.

The last key to this strategy was Tanith’s regiment of pegasus knights, who would keep the dracoknights distracted even if they couldn’t defeat them in straight combat. The Holy Guards were far outnumbered, but they had Ulki and Janaff fighting beside them and Reyson lending support with his fortifying galdr. Meanwhile Ilyana would lead a phalanx of Begnion mages in their shadow, weakening the wyverns with lightning.

Soren had enough skill with thunder magic to join them, but he deployed himself at his commander’s side in this battle. He and the rest of the Greil Mercenaries would charge with Ike in the vanguard, and they would be the first to taste blood.

 

After defeating the outer sentries, they burned their way through the palisades at the base of the mountain. Here the region was stacked with fields and gardens that crawled up the mountain like giant steps. Soldiers were waiting for them, and the Liberation Army spread out where they were able.

Ike, meanwhile, pushed up the main road, which was staggered with sandbag barricades and spiky wooden chevaux-de-frise. With him in the lead, the army’s surged forward and hardly lost momentum at these obstacles. 

Before long, they came to the training grounds for the Talregan Guard and the wyvern landing strips, which made excellent terrain for open battle. Masses of Daein army regulars had been deployed here, and the Begnion soldiers proudly demonstrated what they believed to be their military’s superior discipline as they maintained and executed their attack formations.

Beyond these fields, the land narrowed into a single passage. It led to the upper districts but was blocked by a stone wall whose gate was closed tight and whose battlements were fitted with Daein archers. Luckily Jill had warned Soren of this control valve and its weakness. Rather than throwing themselves futilely at the iron portcullis, they merely had to keep the archers distracted (and arrows deflected) while someone climbed the cliff face on the eastern side. Thanks to a rockslide some years ago, anyone with sufficient balance and a long reach could ascend the rocks, mount the battlements, and open the gate.

Ike gave this task to Lethe, who’d proven herself an excellent climber in the past. Behind her was Zihark and Stefan, both of whom had volunteered to support her. Zihark looked as comfortable as a mountain goat, and Stefan was surprisingly surefooted for someone who lived in the desert. Meanwhile, Soren and the few mages not on wyvern-duty wove a wall of wind to swipe the arrows out of the air before they could hit the climbers. Since they were unable to protect themselves, Gatrie and Brom sheltered them with their wide shields. Meanwhile, Shinon, Rolf, Astrid, and thirty other archers were returning fire.

For a few tense moments, Soren feared they couldn’t possibly hold the barrage long enough. He feared his tongue would betray him, he would miss a word, and Lethe would die. Even if he didn’t botch a spell, all it would take was one arrow finding its way through the wind shield. And at the last moment, one did. She’d just made it to the final ledge, where she transformed and prepared to spring. The arrow found her back paw, but it was too late to stop her jumping. With a shocked yowl, she leapt high and landed clumsily on the stone rampart.

The nearest archers immediately turned to fire on her, but even with a limp, Lethe was fast. She darted into their ranks, keeping low. She slashed at their legs, and from Soren’s point of view, soldiers dropped below the parapet, not to rise again.

“Lethe! Lethe! Lethe!” Mia chanted nearby, raising her sword with each cheer. Others quickly took it up, and when Zihark and Stefan finally joined the cat on the battlements, the chant turned into a wordless cheering. Devdan and some of the Begnion soldiers even tried to make it up the rocks themselves, but their heavy armor unbalanced them. When the archers were all dead, Zihark and Stefan pushed their weight into the wheel that hoisted the portcullis, and soon the Liberation Army could advance.

Daein soldiers were awaiting them on the road ahead, and fighting immediately resumed. The pass widened, and they entered the city’s poorest district. The side streets were narrow and filled with debris, but fighting spilled into them nonetheless. This was where the first ancillary regiment united with the main force—spilling out of a narrow woodland glade in the north. The Daein forces were surprised to find their enemies already in the city with them, and their surprise turned to fear and hesitation. Ike used this to push them into a retreat.  

As they moved into the district for tradesmen and artisans, the terrain steepened sharply. Here the streets were clogged with ebon soldiers, but the Liberation Army thinned them. Soon, the second ancillary regiment appeared, crawling out of a crevasse that led to Talrega’s derelict iron mines. This time, they worked together in a pincer maneuver to execute the unlucky Daeins caught in the middle.

The Liberation Army kept moving up the mountain, with Ike urging them on. The mercenaries had fought many uphill battles before, but none so literally as this. They could rarely gain any high ground to use against their enemies, and even when they did, the dracoknights made it irrelevant. Whatever defensible position they managed to take was either foiled by the wyverns or vacated anyway as they inevitably had to climb higher.

According to Jill’s intelligence, the dracoknights were likely led by a certain ‘Captain Haar’: her father’s right hand, the commander of the Talregan Guard, her former captain during the invasion, and her childhood friend. She warned that he was experienced, creative, and not to be underestimated.

However, Tanith had proven herself equal to the task of keeping him distracted. The pegasi kept the majority of the wyverns occupied, and those who tried to attack the main column were shot down by the regiment of archers clustered behind the frontlines. Shinon was always there, shooting precisely-aimed arrows between the armored plates of wyvern and rider alike. When he or another archer managed to send one spiraling to the ground, the infantry troops would swiftly hack them to bits.

With the aerial unite thus engaged, Soren and Ike had been able to focus their attention on the ground troops, which were led by Jill’s father: General Shiharam Fizzart. The man didn’t join the battle himself, but he relayed orders from his vantage point on the castle steps. Once tiny and distant, Talrega Castle now loomed over them, and if he squinted hard enough, Soren could even see the chieftain and his large, oddly purple-hued wyvern watching them.

When they reached the main square in the ritziest part of town, the pitch of the battle rose to a crescendo. Daein soldiers closed in on all sides, attempting to cut Ike and the head of the army off from the tail, which was still making its way up the main boulevard. It was a well-orchestrated pinching maneuver, and the dracoknights abandoned their battle with the pegasi to dive on the tail end, thereby distracting and slowing it. For a moment, the Daein soldiers closed around them, and perhaps Shiharam thought he’d won.

But with a crow of defiance, Titania announced herself. She and her regiment charged out of the clifftop cemetery where they’d no doubt been waiting in the woods for some time. They ran down the slope, picking up speed as they barreled into the Daein forces from behind. Shiharam’s maneuver fell apart, and his men scrambled to retreat and reform defensive lines. Tanith, Marcia, and the other pegasus knights took advantage of the dracoknights’ dive to bombard them from above. The tail of the column reunited with the head, and Ike called to them: “All together now! Today, Talrega is ours!”

Faced with imminent defeat, Shiharam finally mounted his wyvern. He circled once over the battle, where he was defended by his loyal dracoknights—including a black-scaled wyvern whose rider must have been Jill’s Captain Haar. But when the chieftain landed in front of Ike, he was alone. The battlefield quieted; the fighting slowed. Daein and Begnion soldiers disentangled themselves. Mercenaries regrouped; friends found each other. The mortally wounded were carried or dragged away from the frontlines. While Ike and Shiharam glared at each other, the battle eventually ground to a complete stop.  

Finally Shiharam called to Ike: “Neither of us desires a drawn-out battle. Come! Hold nothing back!” He drew a long poleaxe from his saddle, and his wyvern opened its throat in a savage roar.

Ike adjusted his sword grip with both hands and, as instructed, didn’t hold anything back at all. He may have looked small and vulnerable next to the wyvern’s violet scales, which were as strong as steel, and the older man’s axe and armor, which were of the highest quality. But Ike avoided the dragon’s snapping jaws, and he used its folded wings to dip out of Shiharam’s line of sight. Ike danced in and out of the reach of his poleax, and he managed to keep his head on his shoulders.  

Finally, drenched in sweat and blood, Ike thrust his sword into the wyvern’s neck, up through the base of its skull, and into its brain. The beast toppled instantly, throwing Shiharam from its back. “Surrender!” Ike demanded, as the man rose to his feet.

“I cannot,” Shiharam replied grimly. There was resignation in his eyes. Soren had no doubt this man knew he would die today, but that didn’t stop him from putting up an incredible fight. Ike drew the shorter sword from his belt, forced to leave the longer embedded in the dragon’s head. It was smaller, lighter, and more easily wielded. Ike showed off Greil’s ambidextrous style, tossing it from one hand to the other and keeping Shiharam on his toes. 

They traded blows in front of the wyvern’s corpse, while the members of both armies stood back to give them room. Then finally, one of Ike’s attacks sunk true, and Shiharam crumpled to his knees. “It is done,” the Talregan chieftain whispered before shuddering and falling to his side.

“Oh, no it isn’t!” declared Ike, who was holding Shiharam’s shoulder in one hand and the sword with the other. He had moved with the falling body so the wound wouldn’t tear wider. “Mist! Someone, heal him!”

A Begnion cleric stepped hesitantly forward, obviously confused, but then Rhys pushed past her. Kneeling beside Ike, he examined the wound and felt for a pulse. Ike withdrew the blade, and blood pooled around their knees. “Heal him,” Ike ordered.

Rhys shook his head but raised his staff anyway. “*Mend!*” he commanded, but there was no light and Shiharam didn’t stir.

“I am sorry, Ike.” Rhys shook his head again. “He’s gone.”

“Blast!” Ike leapt to his feet. His teeth were clenched, and he looked genuinely mournful, in his own, angry way. Soren knew he was thinking of Jill, and possibly remembering what it was like to lose his own father. “Damn it all!” he growled. No one could blur the line between friend and foe quite like Ike.

 

In the confusion that ensued, the dracoknights native to Talrega instantly surrendered. They landed, dismounted, and sent their steeds flying into the higher mountains. Then they laid down their weapons and knelt where they stood. Infantrymen who were members of the Talregan Guard did the same, and Captain Haar approached Ike to voice his people’s surrender. However, the non-Talregan Daein soldiers were apparently not on the same page. After realizing what Haar was saying, they raised their weapons and attacked again.

“You can’t!” someone yelled at the dracoknights.

“We won’t die traitors!” screamed another.

“Not after everything!” added yet another

They fought awkwardly, desperately—without leadership nor the dracoknights’ air support. The Liberation Army made short work of them, and once it was over, Ike was able to properly accept Haar’s surrender and close the floodgates (which held back very little of the reservoir’s water by this point). He then set about requisitioning food and supplies from the town. Apparently the Daein army had been stationed there for weeks, feeding off of the town’s provisions. There wasn’t much to spare.

To make matters worse, a huge swath of farmland—land that had already been planted with the season’s early crops—had been washed away by the flood. One small village had even been destroyed. Out of curiosity, Soren climbed to the top of the castle, where he could view the entirety of the flood’s damage. Daein sacrificed a portion of its own land and people just to slow us down, he thought. We are halfway to Nevassa, but Daein is obviously willing to do anything to stop us. The Liberation Army may have won a decisive victory today, but Soren would have to be more careful from now on and anticipate traps like this.

“Sir Soren?” a voice queried. He turned to see one of the Begnion soldiers standing hesitantly at the entrance to the roof. He glanced around and paled at the height.

Soren enjoyed his discomfort. “Yes?”

“General Ike wishes to see you,” he reported woozily. Soren nodded and followed him into the safety of the castle.

“Soren, what’s the damage to the surrounding area?” Ike asked abruptly.

“It’s terrible,” Soren reported with slight appreciation. “Many miles’ worth of fields and homes have been completely destroyed.” He wondered for a moment how many years of snowmelt had collected in that reservoir just to be unleashed on the region in a far more devastating way.

“I see…” Ike shook his head.

“I don’t think this is what the enemy wanted,” Titania sighed. “So why did this have to happen?”

Soren, of course, agreed that this was unfortunate. However, he now realized Ike and Titania were discouraged for an entirely different reason.

“It’s heartless,” Elincia confirmed Soren’s suspicions. “What will happen to those who’ve lost their homes? Can we do anything to help them?”

“You want to aid the people of our enemy?” Soren asked in disbelief and alarm. “That is time and energy we cannot afford.” He thought they’d settled this debate back in Tor Garen.

“Soren.” Ike turned to him, his expression suddenly stern. “Take a portion of our supplies and distribute it among the locals.”

“What! Are you serious?”

“Our opponent is the Daein army. We’ve no quarrel with these people.”

Soren took a deep breath and tried to reason with him. “Ike, I know you feel for these people, but this is war! We don’t have-”

Ike cut him off. “I don’t know what it will accomplish, Soren. But moving on without lifting a finger is something I cannot do.” He twisted around and was gone before Soren could argue further.

“I understand,” Titania said, offering Soren an apologetic smile. She gestured with her eyes at the spot where Ike had disappeared. “I’d rather regret something I had done than regret taking no action at all.” She followed Ike out.

Only Soren and Elincia were left. The princess was grinning excitedly. “I would like to help too! Perhaps I can aid the injured.” She headed eagerly for the door.

“Idiocy…” Soren muttered, and to his surprise, Elincia froze in the threshold.

She leaned a hand against the stone frame. Without turning around, she asked, “Is it?”

Soren said nothing, wondering if he was about to be scolded for his rudeness again. But her voice didn’t sound accusatory, and now that he thought of it, Elincia had never reprimanded him for such a thing herself.

“General Ike’s words inspire me so, and Captain Titania’s as well. Is it not better to act? To do whatever we are able?” She finally turned around. Her eyes were downcast.

Soren placed his next words carefully. “Tell me, Princess, do you think your time best spent healing Daein’s injured farmers?”

 “I feel so useless,” she admitted. “I was once trained to use a Heal staff, to see if I had an aptitude for it. I know the basics. Perhaps I can-”

“But you are not a healer,” Soren cut her off, “and you were trained for more than mending flesh. Were you raised to be a queen or not?”

Elincia swallowed in surprise, but after a moment she adjusted her posture and raised the line of her jaw. “I was.”

“It is the foolish, knee-jerk reaction of the well-meaning to give what little you have to those who have not,” he continued. “Ike is…idealistic. But his idealism will see this army starve. The villagers will have a couple days’ relief, but then what? Generously given rations won’t save their lands, but Ike cannot see this. He won’t look farther than his own heart.”

“But his heart is vast,” she replied softly, “That is why his men love him.”

“Shall we see how long that love lasts when the men have nothing to eat?”

“What do you suggest?” Elincia walked to the window and looked at the flooded lands below the mountain.

Soren crossed his arms. “My general has given me an order to distribute a portion of our supplies to the villagers, so that is what must do.” He waited to see what she would say. They rarely spoke with one another, and he still had little faith she was fit to rule. But this was a test, and he was curious to see what she would do.

Her face was grim as she continued to absorb the view. Finally she spoke: “We do not have food and supplies to spare. Nor do we have a surplus of time to spend here. We have very little to give at all. So I find myself asking what we do have…” She turned to face him. “I find that we have a thousand prisoners of war we can do nothing with. We have this castle and access to the floodgates. We have Talrega.”

“And what use is Talrega to the villagers?”

Elincia grinned cunningly. “I have a plan,” she declared. “Can I count on your aid?”

Soren thought about this a moment. “You are my employer,” he finally answered. “So naturally, I must obey your instructions…” He felt a tug at the corner of his mouth. The princess had surprised him. “And I do have an interest in plans.”

Now her smile widened into a more familiar expression—innocent and care-free. Soren scowled in response. She was still a silly princess after all.

 

Soren and Elincia sat down to finalize her plan, and then they walked through Talrega to confirm their resources. They also stopped in the castle dungeons to speak with Haar. As Soren had predicted, he agreed to cooperate. Then came the real challenge: telling Ike.

“Soren, there you are!” he said. “I have a party ready to go. Have you taken care of the supplies?”

“About that…” Soren began. He saw the hopeful shine in his friend’s eyes and suddenly felt like he’d betrayed him by joining forces with Elincia. In what world did he choose the fragile princess over his commander?

“Soren and I have developed a new solution,” Elincia announced, taking a confident step forward. “Rather than offer our much-needed supplies, we will turn over our prisoners instead. The dracoknights who have surrendered will be distributed among the affected villages. They are to be chained in service until they have drained and replanted the fields and rebuilt the lost homes.”

“What?” Ike blanched. “That’s slavery!”

Elincia quivered slightly, perhaps surprised by the force of his response, but she stood her ground. “I have spoken to Captain Haar, and he has agreed to the indenture on behalf of his troops. If your party will escort me, I will now go to the villages and speak to their leaders.”

Ike shook his head. “I know they’re our enemy, but they surrendered of their own will. We can’t subject them to hard labor.”

“Their crimes were not committed against the Liberation Army,” came Elincia’s smooth reply. “They made victims of their fellow Daein citizens. Although the soldiers in our dungeons did not give the order, they saw what was happening and did nothing to stop it. They did not speak against the horrendous cruelty, nor did a single man or woman among them attempt to close the floodgates during the battle, when they had ample opportunity.” Her fists were clenched and her chin held high. “And for this, their weapons and armor will be melted down and made into chains and tools. They will rebuild the land they have carelessly destroyed.”

Ike, Titania, every soldier within earshot were stunned into silence.

Finally Titania spoke: “But is it our place to punish the Talregans for a crime against the Daein people?”

“No,” Elincia answered boldly. “Nor is it our place to apologize for their actions. This is neither punishment nor an apology. It is a solution.”

Ike said nothing as the seconds ticked by, and everyone awaited his response. His face looked troubled, but he stared for a long time into Elincia’s eyes and eventually gave in. “Fine. Tanith will take you to the nearest village.”

Elincia’s postured relaxed slightly as she accepted her victory. “Thank you,” she said gently, and Tanith helped her onto the saddle in front of her.

While Ike and Titania tended the troops, Soren enacted the other half of Elincia’s plan by arranging the transportation of the prisoners and the destruction of their weapons and armor.

  

Over the next couple days, the Liberation Army rested while they waited for the land to dry out. Nasir reappeared, congratulating them on their victory and bringing good news that Begnion would be able to provide more consistent supply drops through the spring and summer. Soren was sickened to see the traitor speaking so smoothly to Ike, touching his back and arm, offering smiles and encouraging words. But Soren had no proof and no way of preventing Nasir from spilling his secret, so he kept his accusations to himself.

The townsfolk agreed to take the Talregans as their indentured servants, and Jill welcomed the survivors of the destroyed village to take up residence in the castle until their houses were rebuilt. The young noble (and heir to Talrega) mourned her father and countrymen, but through her grief, she responded favorably to Elincia’s plan. Apparently she liked the idea of her friend Haar getting his hands dirty, because it caused her mouth to twitch slightly and a spark to return to her ruby eyes, if only for a moment. Although she was reluctant to show her face in town, let alone make any official announcements, she agreed to lend Elincia her aid and assigned a steward to her father’s post who would abide by the plan.

They left on the third day, after Shiharam’s funeral. Soren didn’t attend, but Ike was at Jill’s side the entire time. Apparently she’d forgiven him easily, saying she understood that he’d done what he had to do. She vowed to remain with the Liberation Army and fight until the end. By the time Talrega’s clifftop city was no longer visible behind them, Soren was satisfied with the outcome all around.