~2 years later

With Ike keeping a close watch on me and our boys, we had decided not to tell anyone about my feelings unless we are in immediate danger. I just keep myself busy thinking about other things and busying myself around camp.

The only things keeping me sane and calm now are Ike's words, 'I promise I will protect you with my life, Star. I promise...' and seeing him close by at all times.

Fortunately, those boys have been staying silent and keeping their distance from me. Actually, they still acknowledge me when I am near. I am the one who avoids them and keeps my distance. Ronnie acts as though that incident never happened, but I am very sure he has notified Donnie about it. Donnie still keeps his cold and distant stare on me like before, that has not changed. The only thing that has changed is the atmosphere I feel when they are within my sight.

I am in the kitchenette, washing dirty dishes and tidying up the counters and tables. Ike is close by in the main room which is attached to the kitchenette. Lance has been running back and forth between myself and Ike, playing, while Ike pretends he's some kind of boogeyman or whatever and playfully trying to catch Lance as he runs around. Lance has grown very close to his father but he still comes to me for comfort.

Merric, on the other hand, is a very independent child. Whenever I train him, he learns extremely quickly and he keeps to himself most of the time. Usually, you find him out in the practice field by himself or playing with his brother, Lance. He occasionally shows his feelings with me or Ike, only sometimes though. I am okay with that. Merric shows me he loves us very much during the moments we share. He is a very sweet child when he's in the mood to be.

I glance behind me and see Merric is sitting silently, reading a dark magic tome near his father and his brother playing. He has found my tomes in our bedroom and has been pestering me to read them. Now since he is 7 years old and has exceeded really well in our most recent training sessions, I have let him look at them. I note which one he is reading and the edges of my lips curl into a small smile, "Merric,"

Without looking up, he responds, "Yah mama?" and then he flips the page.

"Now can you now tell me the answer to my previous question?"

He flips the page once more before pausing and responding, "Nosferatu is the spell that drains energy from the target while doing damage,"

"Good," I say simply, happy that he is now learning about each of the spells and how to recognize them.

I turn back around and I feel small hands grip my lower legs. When I look down, I see two small purple eyes looking back up at me, while he is giggling. I feel Lance hide behind my legs, between me and the counter. When he darts from around them, I hear him laugh louder as Ike scoops him up, catching him. I start to chuckle softly and continue washing the final dish when I suddenly feel Ike wrap his arms around me from behind while still holding Lance. A small gasp escapes my lips as a surprised look appears onto my face.

I hear Ike and lance chuckle together, "Got you," Ike says softly to me into my ear.

I cannot help but smile really big when Ike reaches up with his free hand to lift my chin up from holding my waist and gets me to look up at him. His deep eyes look back into mine and he leans down to give me a kiss on my lips.

When he pulls away a little, I say softly, "Yes you did," and a smile spreads across his face as well, matching mine.

He releases me and slides his hand back down to my waist, pulls me close to him and rests his head on mine while allowing me to finish the tasks I was doing previously. I dry my hands and close up the cupboards where I placed the dishes prior. When I turn to face Ike, Lance in his arms sees me and his eyes light up.

"Mah mah!" Lance reaches his arms out for me, wanting me to hold him.

"Oh, he wants mama now," Ike says while allowing me to take him from him as his smile grows.

As I look at my son in my arms, I start to hear frantic voices coming from out front. One of them sounds like Lucina. Before I can even turn my head, Ike has already started to dash over to the front doorway and is now looking out. I quickly follow him and peer out through the door from behind him. My eyes widen slightly as I see who is outside, "Lucina..." I breathe breathlessly, knowing that seeing her like this now is nothing but terrible news.

What bad news does her father have for us now?

Lucina is in a complete panic state. She has approached us with more than just four of her father's knights this time and she looks as though she had to fight her way here. Falchion is out in her hand and she looks disheveled like she has been fighting before arriving here.

Lucina desperately speaks to Papa and Titania and you can hear the anxiety drip from her voice. She acts as though danger is right behind her and she keeps glancing around camp like she is anticipating we are about to be jumped at any time.

I feel Merric grasp my waist as he peers around me, looking at what is happening outside. Lance turns away and hides his face into my left shoulder. I place my right hand over the side of his face, shielding him and tighten my grip I have on him with my left.

Ike quickly approaches them as I step just outside the doorway and look around. I see Oscar, Boyd, Ralf and Myst standing not too far from the others, silently listening to what Lucina has to say. I look around some more but I do not see anyone else.

I do not see those boys anywhere. Where are they now?

"Greil, please! You must hurry! M—my father, King Walhart... Vladimir are all here! T—they can hit anywhere at any time!" Lucina's voice is irregular and somewhat hard to understand at times. As I listen to her, I think I see her eyes become slightly wet.

Tears... I have never seen her this way before...

"Daein t—troops are within Ylissean borders... they are e—everywhere! They attacked our castle out of nowhere and t—they almost..." Lucina stops abruptly and does not finish her sentence. Something appears in her eyes like she is fighting away a terrifying thought from haunting her mind.

Papa steps forward in attempt to calm Lucina, "We understand, Princess. Take us there at once," He turns to face all of us and we each nod to him as he moves his eyes between all of us.

Lucina turns to face me for the first time since she has been here. The look in her eye is nothing but pure terror as she is fighting back her own fear. I can see it.

"F—father says he was updated from one of his generals who monitor one of the forts along Ylisse borders, who has claimed these forces have been sent in throughout the past couple of years since I came for you last. They have been causing trouble non-stop," She pauses as she gazes into mine, "I faced one of King Walhart's top generals before arriving here... and..." Lucina's voice trails off as she stops herself from stumbling over. Her face crunches up in what looks to be pain and that is when I notice what she is trying so hard to hide.

Oh, Lucina. Why would you hide this from us?

I immediately dash over to her side and raise my free right hand up to her left side where red is beginning to show through her blue tunic, "Lucina..." I begin with my voice almost in a whisper, "Why would you hide this from us..."

She refuses to remove her hand from clutching her side as she looks at me with her dread filled eyes. I feel Ike appear right next to me as I try to get Lucina to let me see her wound. When the others start to notice what I had detected moments ago, I hear some gasp and gather around me, trying to help me.

I feel Ike take Lance back from me and I immediately force Lucina to let go of her wound so I can get to it.

"Oh, Star, I will go get my med kit," I hear Titania say as she hurriedly enters the keep.

Lucina's men share similar gazes as none of them look as though they knew she was wounded either.

She is so stubborn, just like me, and just like our father.

"The Princess, she is wounded!" I hear her men say to each other.

Lucina forcefully covers her would back up again with her bloody left hand and quickly shakes her head at me before turning to her men. She raises her voice as she continues trying to hide the wavering in her voice, "N—no, don't worry about me yet, just, get them back to my father... please, h—hurry!" her watery eyes become harsh for a moment as she glares at them and narrows her eyes, "That's an order..."

She turns away from me with one more dread-filled glance from her sapphire eyes, "Follow me,"

"Lucina..." I say again, softly to myself, as I watch her go.

I turn to look back into Papa's gaze and then into Ike's gaze. They both give me determined but confused looks as Papa turns to collect the family and prepare us for battle, "Get your weapons and prepare for battle. We leave immediately. Follow in with the Princess's troops. Go,"

"Yes sir," Oscar calls while leading Boyd to join Lucina's knights and getting Ralf to stay behind with Myst.

Ike takes Lance inside and I start to follow when Merric stops me, "Mama, let me come to,"

I spin around and look down at him with worried eyes, "Merric, I need you to stay here with Lance,"

Merric's saddened eyes look back at mine and he hesitates for a bit, like he is thinking over what I need him to do, "Okay, mama. Be careful..." Merric turns his eyes away from mine, looking down at the ground, and swiftly disappears inside the doorway, following Ike.

Myst gives me a reassuring look before entering the doorway as well. Myst and Ralf are staying back with them. This is the only reason why I feel okay leaving them here. Ike hurries back out and joins me, "They will be okay, Hun. Let's go quickly,"

I nod and turn to follow the others with Lucina's knights. Papa, Titania, Oscar and Boyd all glance to me before we take off together with Lucina in the lead. She swiftly runs through the forest, darting her eyes around, like she is watching for something. When we reach the open meadows on the other side, Ylisse Castle looms before us and my eyes widen as I see the battlefield.

There are so many black armored Daein soldiers lined up everywhere like Lucina had told us. They look to be preparing to attack the Castle and the surrounding villages. I look up to see King Chrom and his groups of soldiers spread out around outside of his Castle walls, facing the Daein forces.

When I turn to look at the Daein side, I see Sorcerer Vladimir leading them and he turns to look directly at me with a strange look in his eye. His long black robes feel too familiar to me. I feel a sudden wave of uneasiness as I feel his eyes intrude and study me from his perch.

Ah, you decide to reveal yourself to me.

My hand reaches up to hold my temple as I feel my head throb. When I glance around again, I see Donnie and Ronnie there, with King Chrom's forces. I turn my eyes back to Vladimir whose eyes are still drilling into me.

You bring two actors who do not belong on this stage.

My head throbs once again as he laughs.

Vladimir? That is Vladimir's voice speaking to me? But that does not sound like him at all!

My eyes widen again. I feel my stomach lurch as I see his eyes turn from their normal black color to a glowing red as his eyes find mine.

Oh, is that not the same Vladimir that you know, Star? Do tell!

The bonding between Lance and Ike is important. Well, it is also important to set the feel before things go down. The feel of the boys and their personality.

Ah, I will just say it, their personalities are important!