Final Chapter) Check

Altena had done her best while giving her report. She'd returned from her first mercenary job, where she'd performed admirably, and had to keep calm while delivering the final report. However, in the middle of it, her temper sparked and there was no stopping the tirade. Her employer had them put down a 'rebellion', which had been starving peasants desperate for some sort of change. She'd done her job, as had her group, but… I would have to check that missive again, to see if there was something I had missed. While a good experience for her, it wasn't exactly a job I would've given her for her first.

Finally, though, she stopped, breathing heavily as she fought back screams and tears. I made myself keep calm, and looked at her impassively. "Is that the end of your report?" I asked her softly. She nodded, not looking up. "I asked a question, Altena."

"Yes, sir…" she bit out. She took a shuddering breath. "So, I'll-"

"Altena." I got up and quickly walked around my desk to hug her. No, this was not a good first job, especially for her. "I warned you. While you are on the job, I will treat you as I do every other dragon knight. That means being professional, not balking orders, and giving a report." I stroked her hair, though, to soften the scolding. "As soon as the report is done, though, you're no longer on the job. That is when you rant, Altena."

"Of course, Lord Father." She sighed, and leaned into me. "I just… no, I need to be calmer. For Thracia's sake. I can't tarnish its reputation, especially when we depend on it for our people." She clenched her fists, though, shaking with suppressed rage. "But there must be a way to help it thrive without spilling the blood of civilians! Without having to bend knee to petty lords who don't know the meaning of nobility!"

"If there is, I know you can find it, Altena. You and Arion both." I hugged her a little tighter, wishing I could better comfort her. "But, for now, this is the only path Thracia knows, and the only path we have."

"Got to clear the weeds before you can look at the others." Slowly, she relaxed, but that only made her sorrow more pronounced. "They were starving, Lord Father. Like our people. They were no different…"

"Let it serve as motivation, Altena. I'm afraid that I can't help you with this." I let go of her and rested my hands on her shoulders. "However, when you've got a bit more experience, I actually have a gift for you."

"You do?"

"Yes, a lance." The words were hard to say. But I knew… I couldn't push this off forever, no matter how much I wanted to. Thracia was more important than myself, and this would lead to Thracia's prosperity. But for the first time, I did wish I had done something different. No idea what, but… "But only in a few years."

"Wow, I'm being bribed like I'm four again." Still, Altena grinned, laughing a little. "Is it a fancy spear like the dragonpike spear you gave to Arion and me?"

"Even fancier." If one was allowed to describe a divine weapon like Gae Bolg as 'fancy'. "I promise that you'll like it."

"So, endure assholes employers and bite my tongue. Got it." Altena narrowed her eyes suddenly. "Hey, if I can possibly subvert while still technically obeying…"

"You'll need a few more years of a reputation for that."

"But I can? Eventually."

"Oh yes. I do it all the time."

"Okay." She giggled, finally in a good mood again. I was glad; things felt wrong when she wasn't smiling. "So, Lord Father, I was thinking-"

Whatever she'd been considering had to wait. There was an strange series of yelps and scrambling in the hall, followed quickly by the sound of things falling. Confused, I stepped out of my office, with Altena following, and saw a black blur heading straight for us. I easily scooped it up, and discovered that it was some sort of puppy. A large puppy who kept wagging its tail, and looking about curiously.

"Aw… you're so cute~!" Altena immediately cooed, rubbing the puppy's head. It whimpered a bit, but sniffed her hand when she offered it. "How did you get in here, cutie pie?"

"Hekate, gods damn it, you were supposed to stay in Belhalla!" And there was Conall running down the hall. The puppy immediately squirmed out of my arms and raced for him, barking excitedly. "Why did you sneak into the Warp Circle?" he groaned, picking her up. The puppy just licked his face. Should've expected he was connected to the 'trouble'. "If you wanted to come along, you shouldn't have chewed through your leash!"

"I take it the cutie is yours, wolfy?" Altena grinned and skipped over to pet the puppy. "I am so surprised. Not."

"Yes, Hekate is mine, lynx." Conall sighed, and gently scratched the puppy behind the ear. I hid a smile at their nicknames for each other; it had been that way ever since the lynx incident two years ago. "I found her while on a hike, and healed her up with Ishtar's help. Arvis let me keep her, though I didn't mention she was a wolf."

"Oh, I seee… wolf?!"

"Yes, wolf. You really think I'm going to have a normal pet?" Conall then looked past Altena and waved at me. "I apologize for whatever trouble she has caused, and will cause. I'm told she's like a toddler, getting into everything. Also, lock your office door. She can reach the handle and has no concept of 'important paperwork'."

"Somehow, I'm unsurprised the imp belongs to you," I noted dryly. I did promptly shut my office door, though. "I thought you weren't due for a few more days." Conall had taken to spending the harvest here with us in Thracia these past couple of years. The extra help was welcome, particularly his control over fire to help clear out dead plants, and he was always willing to learn. "Did I mix up the calendar?"

"No, I just returned from Alster earlier than expected because Hilda was coming and I didn't want to deal with her," Conall replied easily. Took me a moment to remember Hilda was Bloom's wife. I didn't know much about her, save that she ruled Miletos and Conall called her a 'bitch' when he first met her. "Which meant I arrived just in time for a lovely formal dinner."

"And so, you promptly escaped to here." I could definitely understand that one. "Well, let's get you settled in. And deal with your unexpected guest."

"She was supposed to stay in Belhalla. She did when I was in Alster." He looked sternly at Hekate, who barked and wagged her tail. "When I'm working, you are behaving, or I will lock you up. And no eating the harvest."

"If she does, does it mean I automatically win the duel for Arion?" Altena asked with a giant grin. This time, I had to laugh, because this was also a long-running joke between them now and it was a shame they started up when Arion wasn't here to yelp at it. The most hilarious part about it was that the two only had the joke because Arion's reactions were so amusing to them both. "Because if so…"

"No way, you can't use Hekate to default a win," Conall retorted, his eyes dancing with laughter. He and Altena had fun with the joke, though it was becoming increasingly obvious that both Arion and Altena had feelings for each other. Which I hadn't planned in the slightest, but so long as they were happy… "Unless I can use Coirpre."

"No way!"

"I thought so."

Things always got lively when Conall visited, mostly because he and Altena always bounced off of each other's energy so much. It seemed this year would be no different.

It was rare when other mercenaries requested help from us. Typically, it meant a big job or something. To get it from Jabarro's group… I didn't like the man much, the few times I had to interact with him, but he was no-nonsense when it came to what jobs were. Could be a good experience for Altena… and the Black Knight that Jabarro's group had could be a good connection for her as well. Mercenaries lived and died by their connections, and Thracia was no exception, even if we had more of a 'buffer' for that.

I set that missive in the 'accepted' pile and went to look at the next one. Laughter, however, drew my attention to the window. Outside in the gardens, the children were playing with Conall's wolf. Ha… 'children'. Arion and Altena were of age, past that even. Conall was still legally a child, but at fourteen, he would start taking 'adult' responsibilities soon. Only Coirpre could truly be called a 'child', and even then, he was already ten years old. They really did grow up too fast… I'd heard that phrase many times while listening to gossip during plantings and harvests, but it was only recently that I actually understood it.

"It feels like yesterday you brought Lady Altena home, doesn't it?" Hannibal mused. As usual, he was helping me filter through all the job requests, and he'd been distracted by the same thing I was. "That day, I swore I was going to strangle you."

"Even more than the other days you swore you'd strangle me?" I asked, smiling slightly. It really did feel like yesterday, but it had been thirteen years, give or take. Thirteen very happy years. "What do you think now?"

"I honestly think it was one of your best decisions, whatever your reasonings for it were. She breathed new life into the palace, and the people love her. They see both her and Arion as the future, and are hopeful." Hannibal laughed softly. "I worry what effect the truth will have, but at the same time…"

"Yeah…" The castle had been in mourning for Lorelei, a hard place to stay. Altena had brightened it with her bright smile and brighter laugh, though. She helped turn the place into 'home' again. It was something I hadn't ever expected, really. I never expected to love her as much as I did. But here I was, fretting over her just as much as I did Arion. Regardless of everything, both were my children. "Didn't do too bad of a job, raising any of them."

"No, we didn't. There are things I wish I had done differently, but overall, I'm proud of the people they've become and are becoming. Particularly Prince Arion." Hannibal looked specifically at him, where Arion was helping Coirpre not be overwhelmed by how energetic Conall's wolf was. "He'll be a good king. Especially given a few more years. More cautious than you."

"Probably a good thing." I thought of my plan, my very long plan, and felt my mood darken. "A very good thing."

"Yes…" Hannibal focused on me, eyes narrowed as he studied my expression. "You're troubled. What has you fretting, my king."

"Just what trials they'll have to face, now that they are older." I laughed mirthlessly. "I wish they could've just stayed children forever, unaware of how the world truly works."

"My king…" Hannibal continued to study me. "Travant, are you regretting your choices?"

"I don't know." I didn't think so. But that might've just been because I knew there was no other path to walk at this point. "But I'll keep going."

"Of course. And I will stand with you." Hannibal smiled and then looked out the window to watch the 'children' play more. "As always."

I smiled tiredly at him, and went back to work to hide how much that statement, that statement I had heard my entire life, had shaken me. Arion and Altena… they would need Hannibal. I knew they would. So, I… I needed to do something to make sure Hannibal didn't follow me to the end… somehow… Ha… maybe Hannibal was right. Maybe I was actually feeling regret for the first time. But it was done. I'd come too far. And if it meant saving Thracia…

After a while, Hannibal left to get us both some food, and as soon as he was gone, I stopped working and looked up at the ceiling. The sky. "Gods, I don't care if I'm condemned to hell," I began softly. I wasn't sure if they'd hear me, but perhaps Skadi would and pass the prayer along. "I'm sure I was condemned long ago. But let me be the only sacrifice here. Please, keep Arion and Altena safe. Please, keep Hannibal and Coirpre safe. Please, let Thracia thrive. Let this plan of mine actually work."

When this was all over, Lorelei was going to scold me. But it would be worth it. I would make it worth it.

Author's notes: Welp, here we are. There may or may not be an epilogue to the story, but as it stands, I'm actually going to call this 'completed'. Just like Memoirs of Belhalla, this story ends in Gran 774, one year before everything starts going to hell. Meaning that Conall has had Hekate for a few months at most. Not really much to say otherwise, except that you can check out Lene's oneshot in Memoirs of the Lost if you want to know more about Jabarro or 'the Black Knight'. I hope you've enjoyed this insight into Travant, and his relationships with his closest people. It's certainly been interesting writing it!

If you're curious about what led to Arvis's actions in FE4, try Memoirs of Velthomer. If you're curious about Deirdre/Diadora's thoughts during the early years of the Empire, read Memoirs of Belhalla. If you want to know the story of the Crusaders, please read Memoirs of the Crusaders. For stories set in the timeskip between Gen1 and Gen2 of FE4, check out Memoirs of the Lost. And if you want novelizations, FE4's is Memoirs of the Holy War and FE5's is Memoirs of the Liberation Army. If you want more to Gen1's story in Memoirs of the Holy War, you can read the various oneshots in Memoirs of the Destined.

Again, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!