Lucina sat, her hair fluttering in the low wind of camp. The light of the campfire, dying now, danced on her cheekbones; the faint heat making her tired-eyed and thinking of sleep.
Tired. That was all she had ever been. Even in pursuance of rest, Lucina had never looked forward to her nights; she found sleep difficult. Too much to worry about, too much weight on her, too busy constantly moving.
Perhaps that would change after the events of the Dragon's Table. That battle seemed an age ago, though it was a few days at the most. Compared to the agitated days past, things were calm, a sense of relief spread through the Shepherds rather than victory; it manifested amongst most as quiet elation.
Chrom was too busy for elation; with the death of Validar, the Shepherds were heading to the capital city, Perezia, to ensure the transition of power. The Exalt, whilst lifted of the threat of Grima and the Plegian cult, was now burdened with matters political. Lucina could see the stress in her father's eyes, when she got close enough to see him at all. Most days he was in consultation with his tactician and the Plegian mage they had wounded, now discussing matters of peace instead of war.
The Shepherds travelled as a group, still. There had been talk of going back to Ylisstol, but Chrom had let them known he refused to return to the city with the situation as it was in Plegia, and he had been met with fatigued accord. But accord was accord, and Chrom insisted that every member of the group would be needed in Perezia. Lucina wondered what use she would be to the peace effort. In her life, she had known Plegians as nothing but enemies. Perhaps that was little different to the rest of the group. Plegia had been the source of many wars with Ylisse, even before Gangrel's time.
Robin came over to the fire, and sat down next to her, reaching out for Lucina's hand and squeezing her fingers.
"You're worrying again," he said, the expression plain to see, her concerns betrayed on her face by the firelight.
"My mind's almost three steps ahead of itself," Lucina smiled, thinly. "You know I'm a worrier."
"Right," Robin sighed. He looked at Lucina. "What's up?"
Lucina hesitated. She wanted to tell him. Tell him that in the last few days, come the dark, and come sleep, her mind would turn inward. Tell him that the past two nights had been filled with terror at how Grima might be sleeping now he had been cast down. Tell him that she had tossed and turned in bed, a lifetime of pressure about the known future past replaced by fear of the present and it was all unsettling and terrif-
"I-," she paused, shaking her head. "I shouldn't trouble you with it. You have many worries on your mind from the planning with Father."
"Yes," Robin admitted, "but that doesn't help you." He turned towards the swordswoman. "You are good at listening to my troubles, Lucina, and dutiful to a fault. Now let me do the same."
Lucina, so used to keeping her own counsel, blinked, taken by his candour. "Robin, I... I'm scared."
"Scared? But Grima is -"
"I know. Father struck him down with his own hand. But yes, Grima is locked and sleeping. That is what scares me. "
Robin frowned. Lucina smiled weakly.
"I can see why you would be confused," she continued. "But don't you see - Grima is sleeping. Robin, I came here to kill him- it- for good. Admittedly, that was something I could not manage alone, and I had to seek the help of you, Father, and the rest. Even then, we have not managed; instead it has been sent away, banished. I worry that we do not know when it will return, and it terrifies me that it might rise again and bring devastation to the world such as I have seen in my past."
"Grima is gone," Robin said. "Even if he returns in one hundred years, the Ylisse you came from is rid of him. With your help, we have saved it. We have changed your past."
"Have we?" Lucina urged. "I came back to save my time, but the more I think about it, I think that I have done nothing of the sort. My love... I always came back here with the intention of doing what I must, and what I could, to avert the Risen, Grima, the fights I had to fight and would fight again. I am scared because of one terrible premise; I have not changed the future I came from at all, so much as only averted the same in yours."
"If you have not changed the future, then it cannot exist. Grima is gone," Robin repeated. "A fact, and one that is incompatible with the events from your time."
"What kind of a victory do I - do we - have if we have done nothing but destroy a whole world?" Lucina whispered.
"The future you come from was real, Lucina; you can remember it, and you have told us of it. Take solace in the fact that your past has changed for all others, who will never have to undergo what you did." Robin gripped his wife's hand tightly, digits wrapped around hers, which protruded from her canvas gloves; he fiddled with them before pulling them off slowly, to get at Lucina's whole hand.
"Count that as our victory, Lucina, and be happy, not scared."
"I will," Lucina said. "I came here for two things. One was to save Father, and one was to save the world as I knew it. Both of those, we have achieved. I meant to cut you down to do it." Light shone in her eyes, starting to spill with tears. "Something I am glad for, because I love you passionately."
Robin nodded, urged her on silently, clutched her hand.
"My mission was so all-consuming that I could countenance killing you to achieve it, the very man I loved. The terrible acts that the Dragon weft on Ylisse and the whole world still trouble me now, in a world where no such thing will happen. Now that I- no, now that we have stopped them, it leaves me lost," Lucina said, plainly. "For nearly all of my life I have pursued this goal, and now that the the act is done -"
"You need to change your fate."
"Father," Lucina gasped, turning her head in surprise, trying to hastily wipe away the wet tracks on her cheek. Chrom stood behind her, one hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"Stay your hand, Lucina." Chrom said. The Exalt nodded at Robin, who nodded back, surprised to see his friend.
"I won't stay," Chrom offered. "I only heard your last few words, Lucina, so I will offer this: you have said it all along. Your destiny is in your hands, and is what you make it. You will always have a place here, with the Shepherds, with Robin especially, and with me. Robin would have told you the same, but then, he is biased."
Lucina could say do nothing but nod, with more tears. Robin wiped them away, before giving Lucina a tight hug. "That's right, Lucina," Robin offered. "Don't be scared about the future. It is safe, and I hope it will be happy. If you want to stay with me, in this time: I will fear nothing, and I will live safe in the knowledge that every day will be happy, because you are at my side."
Lucina stayed silent, before pulling Robin into an unexpected kiss. Her lips touched his and stayed there, before she pulled away, smiling through her wet eyes. She looked up. "Father. I came back for two things, and I have done them. I am glad. Had I known that I would be just as glad to find someone to take as a husband, and that that person would mean so much to me, I might have come back for three." Her eyes settled back on that same husband, and she moved into his lap, Robin pulling her close. "I'll never go," she whispered.
Chrom smiled. "I suppose it's only fitting," he said. "I found one of you in a field and the other one in a forest. You were naturally bound to come together."
Robin groaned. "Cut that out, Chrom. We were having a moment."
Lucina frowned, before shaking her head. "I am glad you think so, Father."
"Yes, Lucina," Chrom smiled. He yawned. "I will see you tomorrow, Robin."
"Goodnight, Chrom."
As Chrom walked away into the darkness, Robin turned his face to Lucina's; with Lucina in his lap, it was a very easy matter to look into her eyes. Lucina smiled.
"Now, what else were you worried about, Lucina?" he said, lowly.
The blue-haired woman shook her head, before resting it on Robin's shoulder. "Absolutely nothing, now."
Robin touched his head to hers. "No?"
His wife made an agreeable noise. "No." Lucina's cheeks turned red. "I meant what I said, Robin," she murmured into his chest. "I'll never go."
Robin moved his fingers over the golden wedding band on Lucina's, before giving his wife his own smile. "I'm glad."
"Your hands are warm," Lucina smiled, before shivering. "Probably because it's getting cold. Let's go in."