Xavier nodded at both of them and sat down on another chair, his hands were shaking uncontrollably, his breathing labored, he couldn't believe what he just did. He looked back at Adalbert I'll take that into consideration thank you." He smiles at the knight and looks over at Katherine, hands still trembling he get's up and walks over the the cleric and tilts his head. "M'lady can you fight at all?" He asks holding his hands behind his back, "I can see you are a cleric of course, and any healing you would be able to lend the troops would be welcome but you do realize that not even the castle is safe, we've had three assassination attempts on my sister's life alone and many soldiers have deserted to try and find shelter from the coming doom." His voice was trembling as well now, damn it pull yourself together, he looked back at Katherine "Sorry I don't deal with recruitment most of the time I tend to grill people worse than my sister, miss... Katherine, even though my friend would like to think anyone willing to come within an arms length of myself or my sister is a spy ready to slit my throat or poison me, I do know people better than my...phobia makes it seem. You may have the quarters near Lucina's, she's more important than I, but I will be down the hall as well. Now as for food Adalbert can show you to the barracks, I have...well more legends and tactics to go over before we march. It was nice meeting you, and don't worry about the Feroxi, even mercenaries know to fight for everyone's mutual survival. It was a pleasure meeting you." He says and starts cleaning up the papers, and books that had fallen with the cleaved in two desk. He really needed to control his anger when it came to other people, especially when they show off their skills, the man would run him through before he got a spell or blade ready.

Katherine smiled and bowed her head, "Thank you, milord. You are very kind..." shook her head, "...I do not know much about how to fight, but I suppose I can learn to if I must. I abhor combat and bloodshed, but against the Risen and the Grimleal I suppose it's either kill or be killed, huh." she shrugged, "My father always wanted to teach me to protect myself, and he did teach me a small bit, but I always preferred mother's teachings....pleasure to meet you, Prince Xavier." she smiled at him, and gave him a curtsy.

After straightening, she turned to Adalbert to lead the way to the barracks. "Lead the way, Sir Adalbert,..." Gods, but she was absolutely starving!

The plan to convince Xavier that Katherine was not trustworthy so Adalbert could invite her to his house hadn't been successful, but no worries, there would be plenty of chances to know her better. In the meantime he though that accompanying Katherine to the dining room of the barracks would be a good thing to do, so he nodded and before opening the door and doing a gesture to invite the girl to go first he turned to Xavier and said
"I'll talk to you about the conditions later, but consider me recruited for the time being."
Adalbert followed her through the door and while he was guiding the way he started to talk to make the walk less tense
"Katherine... Mind if I call you Kat? It was the name of a villager that apparently my father, Stahl, once saved. You've probably heard of him, one of the trusted men of the former venerable. You see, that one time..."
The story didn't last a couple of minutes because of how close the barracks were from the study of Xavier.
"Oh, here we are, this are the barracks
He opened the door and inside there were a big group of soldiers having lunch, not the most adequate company for a fine cleric. The delicious smell of bear stew was floating in the air, coming from the plates of the men gathered there, but Adalbert wasn't particularly hungry. He raised his voice to announce his arrival
"Hello to everyone! Which one of you rascals want to pay me a drink and listen to the stories of the great Stahl that I have to share?"
Few of them turned their heads, not paying him much attention except for one
"Hey..Hey guys, that's the dude that started a fight in the pub the other night!"
"Are you sure?"
"Definitely, look at him."
"It's true, it's him!"
"What do we do now?"
"Isn't it obvious? We repay him the black eye he gave me"
"And my broken nose too"
"You were very very unlucky to come around here today"

Adalbert put his face into a very forced grim and slowly turned his neck without stopping to look at the angry men and he said, without opening his teeth, to the girl behind him:
"Katherine, I know you said you despise combat, but would you be a dear and lend me a hand?"
"Is that girl with him? Is his sister or something?
"If she is she shall pay as well!"
In that moment is when Adalbert changed his expression to an angered one
"Oh don't you dare to lay a finger on those weaker than you!"
Then he looked around him and luckily he found a log laying by the door that he grabbed and then pointed against the soldiers
"Which one of you want to try me first?"

Xavier waved them both off, sitting in his chair, he picked up one of the books not cut in half, and continues studying it. Meanwhile, Lucina was making her rounds around the castle, and stopped at the barracks, where all the fun was.
"What are you all doing?" She exclaims looking at the men angrily. "We have Risen and Grimleal and you all are at each other's throats." Her shouts could be heard and Xavier get's up and comes running to the barracks. "I expected better from knights and soldiers of Ylisse." Lucina continues looking over each of them glaring at all of them. She turns to her brother "Xavier what in the world was going on? Why is Adalbert and these men going after each other?" She looks to him, then back at the men.

Xavier sighs and shrugs "Adalbert and these men got into an altercation before, I helped him out of it and told them not to cause trouble, it seems they didn't listen." He somewhat mumbles to his sister. "Have them stand watch on the wall, and have Adalbert come with us, fitting punishment for each." He says holding his hands behind his back.

Lucina glares at her brother "I know you don't mean that, the wall hasn't been hit in weeks, the Risen have been trying for the sewers, and our mission, as you told me, would be an easy success." Her eyes narrowing further "What are you planning brother?" She asks looking him in the eyes and making him shrink a little into the wall.

"Every p-p-possible e..." He swallows gods his mouth was dry "Every possible event sister. We still need every able bodied man on the wall, the sewers are a diversion, an important part to defend but still a diversion. Grima has more Wyvern riders than any other troop, other than entombed and revenants." He looks down onto the floor shaking his head "Besides these men could use some distance from each other." He says smiling despite his apparent intimidated posture.

Lucina looks at Adalbert and the men "Fine Xavier, Adalbert you will be on our mission no questions, and starting after your next shift men you all will serve on the western wall." Lucina says and walks out looking first, at her brother, then to everyone else "If anything like this happens again I will personally send you all out of the castle with nary a thing say for the cloths and weapons you are holding at this moment." She slams the door storming off.

Xavier let's out a sigh of relief "Gods she can be scary when she's mad." He says looking at Adalbert and Katherine "Well good evening you two fancy meeting you here." He says smiling cheerfully, the other instigators of the fight solemnly sat back at their tables and bar stools, looking at Xavier and Adalbert clear anger in their eyes. Murmuring and mumbling running rampant through the tavern. He motions to one of the back tables "Back there would be best for you two, I have my own round to do, seeing as my sister decided to do hers early." He says fixing his cloak and walking out of the barracks tavern.

After arriving at the barracks Carn was greeted to a rather bland and practically cold greeting from the normal soldiers. Granted now thinking it over that little show of speed was stupid, and uncalled for but it proved his point. He was no ordinary man or at least no ordinary man in Ylisse. In his homeland he was rather just above average if he had to grade himself. Perhaps he'd have to apologize later to the princeling for his transgression. He already paid for his disrespect to the lord but it couldn't help any less. And maybe he could get these bastard Shepards to...wait he was a Shepard now by technicality. Wonderful this would take longer to get through than expected. Carn traded in his spare iron sword, keeping the one he kept close to him, and grabbed an Killing Edge along with his new sword. He also obtained some colors of Ylisse, the blue colors of their army, "I look like a loser." Carn said looking at his dirty dark hair in his new headband, having stored the old one in the his bag, and having a mixture of Red Fist's reds and Ylisse blues on his body. He looked like some giant target. "Whatever the cause I guess I have no choice in joining...speaking of which this new exalt Lucina...whatever happened to Chrom? Hmph better not ask questions Carn said turning away from his mirror to go and practice outside.

Katherine nodded, "Yes, my father spoke of Stahl on occasion. A good man." she smiled, "And I suppose you could call me Kat, if you wish."

"Wha-" was all Katherine could get out before the men started converging on them. And then Lucina and Xavier burst in and broke up the fight, "-Oh, thank the Gods..." she sighed. "Thank you, milord, milady. I was afraid for my life for a moment...." she said before they left.

She grabbed Alalbert by the hand and led them to the table that Xavier had pointed out before the other man got anymore ideas in their heads. She sat down and looked at Adalbert, watching the other men out of her peripherals and trying to hide from them. She didn't really know what to say, but she knew he enjoyed telling stories about his father. "Tell me more about Stahl...my father didn't really tell me many stories of him...." she asked, her voice still carrying a scared and worried tone.

He was already thinking: ("Screw this, the one to strike first strikes twice") and about to plunge the log into the closest man when Lucina entered the room
"What are you all doing"
("OOOPS")
Adalbert tried to hide the log as quick as possible and in his haste he accidentally hit a passerby chicken with it and killed it, ("hssss, no one has noticed, just shut up"). He kicked the body of the hen under a table and when he raised his head he saw Xavier talking, followed by his sister. When they finished Adalbert was going to flip the finger to the men that threatened him when Katherine just grabbed his hand without warning
("Oh, womanly contact. Damage control, damage control...")
They seated on a table, ironically, the one with the dead chicken under it, and the girl inquired about Stahl.
"Oh, one of my favorite topics. There was this time when my father was fighting an enemy barbarian, back when enemies were other humans and not monsters, how sad... But the point is that this guy was trying to hit Stahl with a throwing axe and..."
The story about how Stahl hooked the helmet of a barbarian with his lance and when he came back to the main camp someone confounded the silhouette with the one of an enemy and created a great chaos went on for a while and ended up with Adalbert laughing. He lifted the mug that he had stolen from a nearby table when nobody was looking and drank from it before continuing, this time with a more serious tone in his voice
"I wouldn't mind telling you more about the stories of my father. But, if it isn't much of a bother I would like to know a little about you, Kat."

Katherine listened to Adalbert as he told a story of his father, Stahl. She wasn't to not listen... "UIm, I meant more like what was he like?..." she smiled a little and rubbed her arm, "Me? There isn't much to tell. My parents and I live on the outskirts of Ylisse on a farm. My mother is a cleric like me and my father is a knight. He was retired until the Risen appeared."

She shrugged, "After living alone for awhile, my father fighting and my mother healing soldiers, I decided it was time to do my part and here I am....Nothing special, really...What about you, Aldabert?" she asked, her smile widening.

Felix was escorted by guards to where Lucina was, she was standing in the throne room, hoping that there wasn't going to be anything, these hopes were dashed when the guards escorted a young boy into the audience hall. "What is going on?" She looks towards the guards, "Who is this boy you're escorting?" She asks looking to both of them. They look to each other then back to Lucina "Exalt he wished to speak with you and your brother." Lucina nods, "Well Xavier is doing his rounds what do you need... What is your name?" She asks smiling at Felix.

Xavier sighs walking around the castle, he didn't understand why Lucina wanted him to do the rounds opposite her, he was a tactician he was needed learning tactics and making plans for their upcoming journey. He saw Carn walk into the courtyard and a couple guards escorting a young boy to the throne room. He knew his sister could handle whatever that was about and decided to follow the Myrmidon and watch him train. He made no notion that he was there and decided silent observation was best.

Grima chuckled as he looked upon the little ants, his grimleal, such fools they are. Wishing for their end to fuel him, he scoffed at the notion. He just needed what he has now, his own life, an easily manipulated sorcerer such as Validar, and his "children". Grima, looked over them and his Risen army " Children, we will attack Ylisse soon, soon all of our enemies will be in one place and now." Grima's booming voice could be hear throughout the Dragon's table and the surrounding area. "Now march we shall kill them all, but the "Exalted" brats are mine and mine alone." He roars soaring into the air, the Risen letting out a chilling growl and the Grimleal shouting their praise to their god. The undead march ahead of the living, the cannon fodder for the powerful mages and sorcerers. Validar grinning, Aversa standing tall next to him. "Soon the last of the Exalt shall be dead, and our final hour of victory will be at hand." Validar's smile widens as they all march towards the end goal.

Carn closed his eyes and breathed in deeply looking at his training dummy he visualized the enemy in front of him and the feeling of running him through. His old man had taught him much of that like when he was younger but it was Red Fist whom had shown that not only did you see the enemy and kill him you must understand the way of killing him. Carn pulled out his killing edge and slowly aimed at the limbs of the dumb puppet as he breathed in calmly through is nose and out of his mouth. He carefully touched where he decided he'd strike at it and then stepped back. "First step visualize the enemy. Second step anticipate the enemies blow... Carn said to himself as he carefully watched the puppet and then using the recent battle of the enemy in his mind he quickly ducked then rolled back, which to anyone watching him would find strange but shadow fighting was a part of step three. "STEP THREE ANTICIPATION! STEP FOUR DODGE AND WEAVE!" Carn said as he vigorously rolled and ducked the shadowed figure in his mind and when he didn't he did simple side steps and head weaving. Then he quickly did another roll this time however..."Step five execution." Carn said as he brought his killing edge through the would be knees of a real person as he rolled to the right and quickly regained his composure as he made a quick dart sideways and then shoved his sword through the opening between the arms of the wooden puppet to simulate stabbing through a person. "Not good enough....to slow....not enough bloodlust and adrenaline. Would have been caught unaware by a mage or a archer or possibly a lucky swing. Now again with only one arm... Carn said as he did a similar routine this time replacing his good sword arm with his left hand and letting the right go limp. This time however he did more controlled movements and simple dashes rather than leaps and rolls and when he had the chance he smashed into the training doll with the pointy end of his elbow and head butted it. He followed up with a kick to the groin and a grab for a knife in his coat then a pseudo throat cut. "Not good enough...I can be faster I know I can. the Myrmidon said plainly as he picked his blade up to start over again.

"You certainly are fast." Xavier says continuing watching the Feroxi train, "Do you ever try living opponents, either with practice weapons, or actual ones?" He asks the man's swordsmanship was amazing to say the least. "Although, I would like to point out, that you're normally too focused on the opponent in front of you, I don't see any checks for other opponents. If I was an enemy mage you'd have a flaming back right now." He says looking down again. He walked over to Carn "So did you learn to fight from the mercenaries, or from the Feroxi army...or both?" Xavier was intrigued, which was something as many skilled swordsman were already under his employ. "I came to apologize for acting the way I did, I kinda made an arse of myself. My sister and I are grateful to have you as part of the army. After my father died I didn't think we'd be able to recruit anyone, thankfully my sister takes after him, if it were up to me... ah you don't need to hear this." he waves it off. "You don't like me do you?" He asks.

"Why would my hirer need to watch a commoner fight? I'm sure that if you ever wanted to know some poor man's form of what you nobles can learn you'd have done so already. As for this your mind is to broad. If I wanted multiple enemies I'd have multiple dummies here. If I had ranged enemies I'd find an archer or toss rocks in the air and blind fold myself to rely on the sound of the rocks. It causes bruises but each shows that I need to try harder. Why practice for more situations than I need to at a time?" Carn said stopping and trying his best to disguise his annoyance at the fact that someone was actually watching him let alone his noble employer. Why would he need to watch him? Did he think he was an....no he was overthinking it this lordling was simply curious. "I apologize for my actions earlier but in Ferox we showed our skills and what we had at the table so to speak. Carn walked back slightly when the lord came forward towards him but it was more instinctual than anything. "I learned both my form from years of labor. Ever since I could wield a blade my old man fought with me until...I had to leave the homestead due to certain events. I learned REAL warfare under my fellow Silver Hawks. You haven't really seen what war is until you follow a man who beat ten men dead with a blunt iron axe before. Or when you see your entire team dead in a ambush. I hope you never learn what real war is Lord Xavier. You needn't apologize sir. I am a mere hireling and am beneath your station. You are the heir to the Exaltdom of Ylisse and you shouldn't lower your standards to some worm like myself. Carn said as he quickly pulled out his iron sword and smacked his sword into the nearby dummy's shield and pushed forward before dropping his sword and grabbing the doll in what could have been a strangle hold but it was dropped quickly. "You and the Exalt should keep your glee until you see me actually fight sir. And as for liking you. I don't know you. You don't know me. And I don't need to like you or know you to work FOR you. As long as you keep me well fed, paid, and living you have my blade. If you need more for that then go find yourself a wench at tavern or a wife or whatever nobles you like. Carn said as he readjusted the dummy.

Xavier shook his head "I know what real war is like, I've had to bury many friends and allies, I took it upon myself to get better, it was my lack of knowledge that led some to their deaths, and my lack of strength that led more. You wonder why I ask these things, it's because a Feroxi fight's differently than an Ylissian, or a Plegian, or Valmese. It's as much about gaining knowledge of ones allies, as well as adapting to other fighters. Not all Grimleal are Plegian, also there are the Risen. Those undead have hounded myself and my sister far more than any mortal can. Do not think all nobles hide behind giant stone walls." He waves around them. "Although why wouldn't you expect all other outcomes as well? In battle anything could happen, battles aren't like facing one dummy, and your style of training is exceptional. Going through certain motions, and stances, making the dummy more than a dummy and acting like it is an actual opponent is something more soldiers should do. Now where was I, ah yes, battles are never as cut and dry as your going to make your training hence why you are never as fast as you wish. You need to ready yourself for any possible outcome, using every sense to your advantage. But I'm only the last real armies tactician I really don't know anything." He shrugs, his hands shaking again, his sarcastic side showing. He bows, "A pleasure sir Carn and I hope you enjoy being part of the army. And keep up the good work." Xavier turns around and starts walking off.

"Because I don't need to at the moment. When I need to take on multiple enemies I'll increase my training. By focusing on one area alone I can increase my ability to cover that field and not worry about it later. I can cover the next field and apply what I learned from the former while practicing it. It may be not the most helpful in actual battle but battles are never predictable. You go with the flow sir. Now indeed good day and I hope to live up to your expectations Lord Exalt. Carn said bowing back but only because he had to it was the 'proper' way of doing things. If he didn't have to he wouldn't.

"What about you, Aldabert?"

Tricky question, what could he say about himself that wouldn't backfire later?. About how good he could wistand heavy drinking without problem? About how he was able to swing two lances at the same time and NOT impale himself (or anyone else really)? About how he could fit his whole fist in his mouth? maybe, but that was his ace in the hole, and he wouldn't reveal such wonder so soon. About Tornes, his horse? His horse....

"MY HORSE!"

He remembered about it when it was drinking of his mug and the sudden realization made him spit all the drink in front of him, and also get some of it through his nose, staining the table in front of him but luckily not landing a drop on Katherine. While coughing intensely, he stood up and ran to the nearest window while shouting:
"I forgot to pay the stableman, and he is probably going to get rid of my horse and it is going to get stolen! No no no no no!"
He tried to jump through the window, shoulder first, managing to break it and fall on the other side, albeit hurt
Adalbert was hit for 11 points
"Aaah! I gotta be quick!"
He ran through the courtyard where he saw Felix speaking with the myrmidon and briefly shouted a "hi" to both of them before leaving and finally reching the stables, where, just as he predicted, his horse was about to get realeased because his master hadn't paid enough money

"HEY HEY HEY! Wait a moment! That horse is mine!"
"Oh, just in the nick of time. If you want me to keep it you'll have to pay 100G"

When he was reaching for his bag of gold he realized that it was gone, he had probably lost it while he was running on his way there. Adalbert closed his eyes and hid his lips. He didn't know if to shout in anger or to cry, so instead he just laughed

"Aaaahahahahaha! I'm so screwed..."

Unable to fall asleep, Damien slowly rose from the bed. It wasn't even particularly late in the day, after all. Why he'd run back to his room at the inn, started drinking, and tried to fall asleep escaped him. Maybe he just expected to get black-out drunk and pass out. Hardly befitting a lord, even a bastard lord. Most people were either unaware of his situation or skirted around it. Other lords, however, especially youthful ones, showed open disdain and scorn for him. He didn't blame them. He was a child born to a woman he didn't even know, out of wedlock.

Pushing open the door to his room, desperately hoping that nobody would notice the alcohol on his breath, Damien walked out of the tavern and started making his way to the castle. Even if he didn't manage to see anybody he'd met, however briefly, at the castle, he'd be able to at least keep his mental sword sharp by dulling a few real blades on some target dummies. Even half drunk, he'd be able to manage his sword arm. As he was making his way to the castle, however, he noticed a familiar man speaking to a stable master. It appeared the young man, Adalbert, if his memory served him correctly, was unable to pay the fee for his steed. Actually, it seemed that he didn't have even a money pouch on him. Approaching the pair, Damien reached into his pouch and grabbed a few coins. "My good sir, allow me to apologize for my fellow soldier here. It seems he left his gold pouch laying around and forgot to retrieve it in his haste to get here. Allow me to pay for his steed."

Handing the gold to the stable master, Damien smiled at Adalbert. "Your name was Adalbert, correct? I apologize that we were unable to make proper introductions. My behavior around that Feroxi swordsman was...most uncouth, I must ashamedly admit." Offering his hand to the Cavalier, Damien focused on breathing through his nose whenever he could.

Not wanting to risk being left alone with the other men at the Inn, Katherine followed after Adalbert. As she went by one of the tables one of the men pinched her on the bottom. She let out a little yelp, but didn't have time to scold him. It took her a little longer for her to catch up to him, he was faster and knew the place better, but after getting lost a couple times she eventually found him at the stables. It seemed another man was paying for Adalbert's horse.

She stopped next to him and bent at the waist, putting her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "Don't....leave me alone...like that..." she said, between pants.

Adalbert missed the name of the lord two times before getting it right

"Oh Damian, Dimien, Damien, Damien thank you so much, you saved me there"

He shook the hand of the lord energetically with teary eyes, mostly because of the pain of his left arm of when he went through the window but also because of the terrifying though of loosing his mount

"I don't know how to pay you back, thanks man, I really appreciate it. I could pay you back with a bottle of fine rum that I have saved in the saddle of my Horse, but I doubt a nobleman such as yourself would indulge in a commoner shameful vice. And don't worry, I understand your actions back then, feroxies aren't the best people to party with, but such a shame that you missed the spectacle that the lad threw after you left, he even cut the desk of Felix and everything, hehehe."

He stopped for a moment to pat Tormes when he noticed a strange bulge covered under a cloth that wasn't on his arm before. Upon touching it, his left arm shivered in pain and when he lifted the cloth, which probably was part of the curtains of the window, he hissed and got disgusted when he saw a chunk of crystal piercing his muscle, all covered in blood. How in the world he couldn't have noticed until then? He took the crystal out and for the rest of his life he would wonder why he though it was a good idea, because in that moment blood started to pour and it was making a complete mess, although he somehow managed to hold it with the cloth.

He turned his head when he saw Katherine running towards him and he though: ("She has run all this way searching for me? That's so cute, I think I like her more than before"). However, he had a problem at that moment and he could appreciate the help of a healer, although he didn't want to look weak in front of her and Damien, so he tried to fake toughness and said:

"I'm sorry girl, but a mayor unseen force forced me leave at that moment, I promise I won't do it again (or I'll try...). Now, Kat, I don't want to worry you, but I have a liiiiiiiiiiittle bruise over here (*shows the pierced arm*) and I was wondering if you would kindly use your staff for a moment, if you want to, of course."

Katherine straightened and her eyes immediately went to Adalbert's wound. "Gods...that looks painful... I'll heal that right up for you.... Do you always jump through windows to get out of a building instead of using the door?" she said with a small smile before placing her staff above the wound and healing it up for him.

After a moment she lowered her staff and turned to Damien. "Oh, sorry milord. I was distracted." she said curtsying to him, after fixing her hair up a little.

Xavier walked around the castle for a little while longer, looking for any suspicious activities, or well any holes in their defenses. The small hole made by his father many years ago already filled in, already looking like it never existed. He looked around some more, checking for any signs of enemies. He figured there weren't any, as Ylisse is one of the last major defensive holdings in the entire continent, but one can never be too careful. He leaned against the wall sighing, this was boring, night time was really the time for walking the grounds, as that's when extra security is really needed. But he couldn't fault his sister on thinking this was important, afterall it's the end of the world. He sat there for awhile, looking at the stables and sat down on a seat he closed his eyes, his hands moving frantically now, he was remembering a previous battle, one he had lost in...badly. The same battle he had told Carn, he remembered it clearly, his first real loss against the Risen horde, he was moving his hands like moving pieces on a board, remembering his disastrous attempt at a pincer movement getting caught by their own, the other's had their training Xavier had his, he needed to train his mind moreso than his body at this point. He looked up seeing Damien and a few others smiling at them and continued working putting his spell tome in his lap now making it the field.