Disclaimer: Fire Emblem: Awakening and all related names and concepts belong to Intelligent Systems and Nintendo. Title shamelessly copied from chapter 6 of that game.
Characters: Lucina, Chrom, mentions of others.
Pairings: None of immediate relevance.
Warnings: Spoilers for Fire Emblem: Awakening. Be sure you've played Chapter 13 before reading.
Author's Notes: This began with the mental image of Lucina standing in the courtyard during the opening of chapter 6 looking at Chrom and Robin talk and getting caught up in her own mind because of it. And then it grew into something much, much bigger... Also I struggled to pick a moment to end this. This is the danger when I start writing stuff that actually happened before, during, or before AND during the games. I don't know when to stop.

Foreseer

The hole in the wall, which her father had told her about, was here in this timeline, too, to her great relief. Apparently, he was consistent in his tendency to break things during practice. Grateful for this, she pulled her mask over her face and double-checked whether her hair was still properly pinned up. It wasn't as tight as she would have liked it, but it would have to suffice. She was only here to issue a warning; as long as she didn't make too many sudden, jerking motions with her head, her hair should stay as it was. Satisfied, she pushed her way through the hole, granting herself access to the inner courtyard of the Ylissean palace.

She emerged behind a large oak tree- this too was consistent, and would make her entrance invisible from most angles. From here, she would take a few seconds to orient herself. It felt like ages since she'd seen the palace standing. For a moment, she was swamped by memories of the ruin that she had fled, leaving behind everything she had ever known and potentially everyone who had bought her time to escape… But it was only a moment, as when she looked towards the lit windows, she saw two people standing in front of them, talking.

Exalt Chrom- no, at this point in time he was still Prince Chrom, she supposed. He was easily recognizable, as the shoulder with the Brand of the Exalt was turned towards her. She couldn't see his face –it was turned towards his conversational partner- but he was in full armour and bore Falchion on his hip. Between that, the Brand, and his dark blue hair, he was unmistakable and familiar. The woman he spoke to brought back memories, too.

When she had seen this Chrom and this Robin last, they had been alert and jumpy; an understandable reaction to the sudden arrival of the Risen and having to fight her in Arena Ferox. How long had it been since she had seen them like this, sharing a tranquil moment with no swords clashing or spells flying by their ears? Too long, she decided. It appeared they had grown closer since she had last seen them. She forgot why she had come here, simply standing there with one hand on the trunk of the oak watching them. She listened to their conversation; they spoke of Exalt Emmeryn and of the last war with Plegia. Somehow, she felt as though she was at home, listening to them talk about her and Morgan's respective talent for the blade, and about inheriting Falchion.

When Chrom mentioned men who would take advantage of the Exalt's kindness, she jolted. She knew he was not thinking of the same man she was, but that one memory snapped her back to reality and she adjusted the mask, ensuring it covered her face. As she walked over to them, revealing herself, she fell effortlessly back into her role as 'Marth.' "Well spoken, sir."

She issued her warning swiftly and without breaking character, but when the two met her with disbelief and even a hint of distrust –a heartbreaking, if fully logical, response- she became aware of a presence behind her. Right, she thought. The assassins. They had it in for him, as well. Thinking quickly, she drew Falchion. "I'm about to save your life," she told Chrom, glancing to the bushes behind her as she tried to gauge where exactly her foe was. "From him."

Right on cue, the assassin leapt out. Chrom froze in surprise, and Robin had no time to grab her tome; but she had anticipated the attack and simply struck the man down, using her natural agility to get behind him and taking advantage of Falchion's never-dulling edge to cleave him in two. From their faces, she knew she had made it look easy; however, she needed a moment to catch her breath before standing straight and at ease again. "I trust that this proof will suffice?"

Chrom was too stunned to speak for another moment, but then finally recovered from the shock. "…yeah." That one word resonated in her heart like the sound of a gong. Now having proven both the accuracy of her warnings and her good intentions, she wanted to tear the mask off her face, reveal to them who she was, embrace them and never let go, make them promise they would not leave her again…

The time she needed to compose herself, fight back these urges, and remain in her role, cost her dearly. She didn't hear a new rustling and the sound of steel being drawn until it was too late. There were two!

She spun, trying to get out of the way, but her foot caught on the blade of the dead assassin and she slipped. She managed to keep herself from falling, but in doing so could not dodge the incoming sword fully; she escaped with her life and, from what she felt, unscarred, but it took her mask clear off and the impact knocked her hair loose. Chrom, now more alert than she had been, rushed past her and took out the second assassin, before turning around to realize that she was in fact not the Hero-King as she had claimed to be.

As much as she wanted to, to relieve the anxiety she felt now –would they realize?- she had no time to mess with him; the sounds of fighting were audible from within the palace. No other cues were needed, as all three hurried inside to help. Robin and Chrom didn't even question her as she ran by their side and took up position by the current Exalt's door. She was in for a long night.

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By Chrom's order, she had retreated into the Exalt's chambers when the arrow had embedded itself in her stomach. Lady Emmeryn had been calm enough to help her treat the wound immediately, so it had stopped bleeding, but to say she felt as though it had never been there would be an exaggeration. When Robin had come to check on Emmeryn and both had left to meet with Chrom and Sir Frederick, she'd taken her chance and left the room through a window- but the climbing had been an assault on her injury, and as she walked back to the oak tree from which she had come, she had to press her hand to it to assure herself it wasn't bleeding again.

It also slowed her down ever so slightly, so Chrom caught up with her easily when he came running from the nearby hallway. Again, she struggled with her mixed feelings. On the one hand- her mission had been fulfilled. Both Chrom and Emmeryn were unharmed and would not die to the Grimleal's plotting, so she could leave and never show her face here again… it was for the best, she knew, that she vanished and left those of this time to take care of themselves without divine interference.

But on the other hand, she knew she had no place to go and she wished Chrom would realise who she was and ask, and then insist, that she stayed. I have the Brand in my eye, she thought as she refused his offer to repay her for saving their lives, Look at my eye, you fool! I'm your goddess-damned-

He didn't see it. She didn't tell him. She left the palace that night, believing her work to be done, and discarded her broken mask, wondering what to do with the rest of her life now. Not even a week later, her false sense of security was completely shattered, the future of this timeline ruined as her own had been, as it was clear that with the Exalt gone and her brother crushed by grief, it was a matter of time before the Fell Dragon would claim his victory.

After escaping the courtyard of Plegia Castle, Lucina could only fall to her knees, bury her face in her hands, and cry.