Five Gemstones

                                    

                                          
Chrom
                          
After a week of travel, we make it to Plegia's capital.
                          
A stone settles in my stomach as I see the gigantic dragon skull that serves as the castle. ...This is where Emm died...
                          
"There it sits..." Lucina murmurs.
                          
"What's wrong, Lucina?" Lissa asks.
                          
Lucina trembles as she struggles to force out words. "That great skull, I saw it once before, when Emmeryn was sentenced to die," she choked out. "Even then it reminded me of...him..."
                          
She must be talking about Grima... "You mean..."
                          
"Yes. Grima, the fell dragon," she said darkly. "A cataclysmic war ushered his return... It's said he fed on the souls of the fallen before turning upon the living..." Lucina pauses and shakes violently as if she's recalling painful memories. "...Whether these are his true bones or just an effigy, I cannot say. But I know this: we cannot let that monster come back to life."
                          
I nod and fix my gaze back at the skull. "We'll stop him, Lucina. I promise. The future can be changed. You've proven it already," I reassure her. "And with all of us together, we can turn the course of history."
                          
Lucina smiles at me. "I want to believe that, Father," she said. "I want to believe that, more than anything..."
                          
...
                          
We walk into the castle, Anna, and Lucina beside me. Lucina asked that Morgan stays towards the back since she didn't want to risk him getting hurt... That and Anna thought Validar might try and use him somehow.
                          
Anna grabs my arm and whispers into my ear. "Psst! Chrom!"
                          
"...Trouble?" I ask under my breath.
                          
She nods and glares at the walls as if they might come alive. "I saw armed soldiers hiding in the shadows as we were shown in..." she hisses.
                          
I sigh softly and look around. "Then it sounds like we have our answer already..."
                          
Just then, Validar and Aversa come out of the shadows. "Well met, milord." Aversa greets us in that oily tone of hers.
                          
Validar smiles widly, the sight makes me want to stab him. "Prince Chrom! Welcome."
                          
"...I was told you had something you wished to give me." I said in a demanding tone.
                          
"My my! No time for courtesy, milord? Such impatience..." Validar sighs. "Do you want it that badly? This concerns me. The Gemstones and the Fire Emblem can be...treacherous artifacts. A fact Plegia and the Grimleal sadly know too well..."
                          
Lucina steps up. "'Sadly'? You speak ill of when the first exalt used them against the fell dragon?" she shouts.
                          
"Yes, I do, intruder!" Validar snaps.
                          
"...Intruder?"
                          
"You are not supposed to be here. You must be destroyed!" Validar declares.
                          
"You wouldn't dare!" I shout. I go to stand protectively in front of my daughter, but Anna is way ahead of me.
                          
"Give me the Fire Emblem... Give it to me!" Validar orders.
                          
Lucina steps in front of her mother's protective shield. "You mad scoundrel! This is a declaration of war!" she shouts.
                          
Validar glares. "I will only ask one last time: give me the Emblem. Now!"
                          
I put my right foot forward to that the Emblem faces away from him. "...Never."