Chapter 16 - From The Sidelines

                                    

                                          
Author Notes:
                          
-I do not own Fire Emblem and do not make any profit from this story.
                          
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"You think Ricken and the others will come back safely?" Lissa asked, her voice trembling with concern.
                          
"Of course they will. Virion is fighting alongside them, after all, a confident voice answered.
                          
Cherche turned her head to observe the two women. Holding a healing staff close to her chest with both her hands, Lissa seemed barely able to remain in place. Next to her was standing Maribelle, her arms closed. Proud member of the Ylissean nobility, the blonde girl had been friends with Lissa ever since they met while they were kids. Skilled with healing magic, she had been recruited by the Shepherds during the Plegian war two years ago. Watching from afar, Cherche smiled. After countless wooing attempts, it seemed her former master had finally found someone able to cope with his antics.
                          
As for herself, she had joined the cleric ranks the day after leaving the conquered valmese harbour. Feeling too weak to rejoin the battlefield, she was still strong enough to be able to tend to people. It had been her personal request: trained in healing magic while she was young, before she met Minerva, she had asked Robin to put her to use rather than staying idle in the camp.
                          
Led by Say'ri, the army had walked for two days before reaching the divine Mila Tree. Atop its branches was nested a temple where Tiki, the Voice of Naga, was held prisoner. Avatar of the goddess revered by many on the continent, Say'ri and the Shepherds hoped enlisting the manakete's help would raise the spirit of the conquered people and make them rise against Walhart's tyranny.
                          
The divine tree was guarded however: on the base of the stairs leading to the temple stood an elite corps led by Cervantes, Walhart's most trusted general. Unwilling to risk being flanked by the rest of the conqueror forces, Robin had set up a defense perimeter around the tree while Chrom had picked his strongest warriors to open the way to the stairs. Among them was Lon'qu, supported by Virion. With Libra deemed the only necessary healer on the field, Cherche had been kept in reserve along with the other clerics. Time was of the essence and the roots were not broad enough to allow a sizeable troop to fight on them.
                          
Powerless to do anything but pray for the safe return of Lon'qu and the rest of the army was a daunting ordeal. Lissa, almost shaking from fear, wasn't coping well: usually inseparable from Ricken, the youngest mage of the army, she had been left behind while the magician was deployed on the field. Proficient in wind and fire magic, he was expected to be a massive help against the forces of Cervantes, clad in armor and cramped on the tree's broad roots. As for Maribelle, while she was acting confident, Cherche could tell from her crisped fists that the woman was concerned for Virion. Usually kept in the backline, Robin was confident his bow would protect Lon'qu's from being engaged by the enemy's flying forces.
                          
Cherche herself couldn't help but feel her chest tightening with every breath. While the quickest man of the army, Lon'qu wasn't equipped to deal with flying enemies. His sword lacked the reach to hit the riders and their fearsome spears, his armor too light to even mitigate their strikes. That he was even deployed against such elite foes was madness! She took a deep breath, forcing herself to keep her composure. As always, the tactician must have had his reasons. Lon'qu was a skilled fighter, able to hold his own against anyone facing him. Besides, he could rely on Virion. Or so she hoped, anyway. While a shameless flirt, his skill with a bow was unmatched in the army. The plans of Robin had so far always been foolproof, she had no choice but to trust him one more time.
                          
"Look! The Shepherds are coming back!" one of the sentries suddenly exclaimed.
                          
Not waiting for the soldier to even finish, the two women had rushed forward. Cherche followed in their stride, refraining herself from running like they did. As she arrived, the healers had already reached their companions.