#//gdi onion ninjas are back at it...sniffles...

[convxction]

/ / The first time Chro.m killed someone.

Chro.m started his training as soon as he could lift a wooden sword. It was necessary not as a part of the requirements for royalty but to be able to defend himself. It was no secret that after the war his father waged, there were little knights or anyone who can wield a weapon properly. Plus, Ylisse is not exactly a country that has a great number of soldiers either.

The prince is trained under Frederick and some of the survivors of the previous war. He needed expert people to teach him what he does not know. Emmeryn was alright that he learns how to fight but she was against letting him go outside the castle to fight with the border soldiers to gain experience because he was still a child technically and she feared for his mental health more than his physical health. Chrom was still 13 years old, before his coming of age even.

To the Ylissean chagrin, some Plegian remnants and other ruffians gathered around to strike at the border between the two countries to infiltrate to the Capital. A faint strike was made to act as a diversion to let some assassins into Ylisse without being spotted. Sadly, a group managed to sneak into the Capital but decided to strike at Dawn so they can mingle with the people if needed. Later that time, Chro.m and unlike the other days, decided to sleep early to wake before Frederick for their usual duels. The knight had promised the prince that he will teach him something new and because he was excited he wanted to prove that he is up to the challenge. He could not have picked another day to wake even before Frederick. 

Excited for his training session, Chro.m picked up his gear and dashed to the training ground. Little did he know that the assassins already made their way into the castle. The Castle’s guards were a mix of old veteran soldiers and mostly of newer soldiers so it did not take the assassins much fight to sneak in due to the lack of experience on the Ylissean side.

Chro.m was swinging his sword to warm up until Frederick comes when the assassins spotted him. An easy target plus killing all the exalt line is their main objective. One Assassin decided to go after the prince since he is alone and a child, it would be pointless to go all at him. The other assassins made their way up to the private chambers, taking down anyone spotted them.

The only thing that saved Chro.m that day was the assassin underestimating Chro.m because he is compared to him smaller in built, lack of experience and a child. Appearing before him, he hurled hurtful words about Emmeryn. Chro.m’s initial shock and surprised were replaced with pure anger. True that he was scared because he is facing a trained person to KILL, of course, he would feel scared. The assassin then lunged at the prince. Chro.m fend himself but the difference in strength was apparent. The assassin toyed with the prince, quick assaults, getting Chro.m staggering around. The assassin did not want to kill him so fast so he kept injuring him until he knocked him on the ground, losing his sword. The assassin took no time to pin him down and run his knife at his throat, throwing more insults at him and at Emmeryn. Chro.m threw insults at the assassin as well which angered him. Luckily, Chro.m remembered something Frederick taught him if he was in a disadvantage is to try to provoke his enemy (like what the assassin did when he appeared first and talked badly about emmeryn.)

At that moment, the assassin grip loosened a little bit and chro.m managed to kick his side to scrambled off to pick up his sword when the assassin jumped again, pushing Chro.m on his back but to the assassin’s unfortunate, he didn’t count on chro.m’s quick reflex to pick the sword and use it against him. Chro.m on his back, his training sword impaled the assassin who kept cursing the prince and his bloodline and all the ylisseans. blood trickling down the prince’s arms as he saw the light fades from the assassin’s eyes before his body became heavy and dropped on him. 

Meanwhile, the other assassins were dealt with by Phila and Frederick. The two managed to get out of one of the assassins that they left one to kill the prince to get Frederick running to save him. When he comes to the courtyard, he saw chro.m sitting on the ground, staring at the dead body, covered in blood. Even though chro.m know his life was in danger yet everything happened so fast and it was either him or the assassin. Life against another life. The knight quickly carried chro.m away back to his chamber to get cleaned and calm him down.

Chro.m remained silent no matter how many times Frederick tried to talk to him, all he could mutter that he is fine. Back in his chamber, Emmeryn and the others came running when the two returned. The exalt saw her brother sitting on the bed edge, staring blankly at the floor which made her flung herself to hug him and comfort him as the best as she could while crying. The thing she feared happened. Chro.m clung to her holding on his dear life. The prince knew that people die in battles but he is yet to be prepared to face one where he is put in a situation where it is his life or the enemy. All he did was sparring and training with people who valued his life over theirs at any given moment. Frederick excused Emmeryn to let him handle the situation to which she accepted, painfully. Chro.m spent the whole day locked in his room trying to accept that he killed someone and imagining that he has to go through that experience again and again. Frederick offered words of wisdom to him, telling him that he will not sugar coat his words; chro.m has to accept that this will happen again, he has to believe in himself and...as the only male sibling, it is his responsibility to ‘protect emmeryn and lissa’ The magical question that made Chro.m’s spirit rise from his depression was “Do you want Emmeryn or Lissa go through that?” he did not want that for them. If he could, he would shoulder all the bad things for them. Frederick excused himself to let chro.m think about his choices, meanwhile, emmeryn was standing outside the whole time, not moving to sit down or rest. The knight reassured her that chro.m is fine he just needs alone time to think and then escorted emmeryn away.

It was later on the evening when chro.m came out of his room to the throne room where everyone was sitting, to discuss the assassination attempt. The maids and butlers were delighted to see him out of his room, telling each other that he is alright since no one saw him after frederick carried him inside.

Appearing before everyone, emmeryn held herself from crying since some of the councilmen were there but she got up to hug chro.m and told him that she will be with him in a minute. emmeryn was tortured; as much as she wanted to take him and sit with him to talk and make sure he is okay, she could not just abandon her duties as an exalt. chro.m understood that so he told her that from now he will do what it takes to be her sword and her shield; he will not let anything bad happen to her, then kissed her hand and walked back to the training ground to train. frederick followed after him and tried to tell him to rest this night but chro.m refused saying he that there are no shortcuts to become good, quoting frederick on that to which the knight brought a training sword and told him that he missed his extra course today--the thing he was supposed to learn and the two kept training until late at night when Emmerny came to reproach the two to call it a night.