Upholding Tradition

Fire Emblem: Awakening (c) Intelligent Systems & Nintendo. If anyone in here is OOC, do forgive me - this is a first dive into this world. Any and all concrit (have I dated myself yet?) is welcome.

Warnings: Including Lucina is already spoilerrific in and of itself, so definitely spoilers abound.

Negotiating the Details

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There came a particular day, in a particular week on a particular month, that Chrom invited Gaius and Cherche to his tent for a private meeting. No one else was to disturb them as long as they were in conference, not even Frederick or Robin, unless they were about to be attacked by Risen. Or any other kind of similarly urgent emergency.

Not one Shepherd batted an eyelid at this. Their lives may have been fraught with danger and the risk of death was ever present, but they were also part of a closely-knit community. In such a condition, news spread fast.

The camp had been informed of the change in scenery, as it were, at one of those casual campfires built just to gather around, telling stories and singing songs.

Gerome had quietly sat right next to Lucina and – one could only assume, with purpose – laced his fingers with hers. Sharp eyes had seen her lean further against him, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm. It was as good as a public announcement that Gerome and Lucina were now together, and would most likely marry.

Since both children now had their respective mothers and fathers, it had been only fair to inform them of such an auspicious occasion. No one really knew how Gerome had asked Lucina to marry him, or how he'd asked Chrom if he could marry Lucina (as was the Ylissean custom). What they did know was that she had said yes, and so had her father. So now began the official formalities within the Exalt's tent.

The young ruler had dug deep into whatever old family records he could find since it was the first time he had to give someone away in marriage. It was thus to a parchment, diligently copied by hand, that he kept referring to. Beside him sat Olivia, hopeful and eager to please. Opposite them were wily-minded Gaius, and Cherche who'd been quite happy to see how much her son had fallen in love. She'd always liked Lucina; to have her as a daughter-in-law would no doubt be a wonderful thing.

Said son and daughter-in-law sat facing both rows of parents at the furthest end of the tent, wondering just what they'd gotten into.

Chrom put down the parchment and looked up at the others. "To begin with, it's customary to arrange a dowry and other similar things, especially for a princess of Ylisse. In these circumstances however-"

He was interrupted without ceremony. "You're not wiggling out of this one, Chrom. No point in puttin' off contracts when the kids are intent on getting hitched as soon as possible. 'Sides, times like these? She'll need all the security you can give her."

"I was going to say," said Chrom pointedly, "that as my eldest daughter, she would inherit the throne of Ylisse and that makes things rather more complicated, Gaius."

The thief blinked. "Oh. Well, that's true… but a bit unnecessary."

There was a pause.

Chrom raised an eyebrow. "I suspect I understand your meaning, though I want to hear you say it aloud."

"Make me the bad guy, why don't you…" Gaius nodded towards his son and future daughter-in-law. "We don't know what will happen in the future now that you've come back to the past. We sure as hell won't let you down this time, but because of that, none of us can guarantee what will come next. Am I right?"

There was a general murmur of assent, even as Gerome muttered quite audibly, "We've considered that before, you know."

Gaius gave his son a look. "And you'd have to be fools not to. Which you're not. So all that said – sorry, Lucina – inheriting the throne might be a bit of a stretch."

"No, you are in the right," replied the princess. "Not to mention, it would be unfair to the Lucina of the present and even the Inigo soon to come." (Olivia and Chrom's twin blushes were courteously ignored by all) "My counterpart's birthright must be hers to claim freely. So no, Father. I'll not have the halidom."

Chrom looked uncertainly at his daughter. "Lucina…"

She shook her head. "I've thought of this in… brighter days. It won't do whichever way I consider it." She glanced at her fiancé, and a corner of her lips tugged upwards. "I'll go wherever Gerome does."

No one missed the blush, half cut off by the black mask he still wore. "I… that's…"

Smilingly, Olivia spoke up in time to save Gerome the pained embarrassment of verbally assuring his bride before an audience that he wouldn't take her somewhere she hated. "Maybe the dowry normally given to a younger daughter of an Exalt would be better. It will be a comfortable amount, though I'm sure Gerome will take good care of her in any case."

"And their family, whenever that may happen," added Cherche with a loving, if not entirely innocent, smile.

The fire in Gerome's cheeks blazed brighter, and seemed to ignite one in Lucina's face. Clearing his throat above his wife's giggling, Chrom nodded. "I will consult with Frederick as to the exact customs, but yes. That seems like a better idea if you're all agreeable."

"Well, if you throw in the deeds to the royally appointed confectioneries-"

"Gaius…"

Cherche's warning was clear enough. The thief raised his hands. "Fine, fine…"

His wife smiled again. "For my part, if Lucina and Olivia do not object, I would be most happy to lend my needle when you begin making the wedding trousseau."

Olivia clapped her hands together with a bright smile. "That's very generous of you, Cherche. You sew so well, it'll be such a help!"

Lucina looked up with a startled jerk. "Trousseau?"

"Of course, dear. You can't marry without your dress and linens," said her mother, turning to her. "Oh you'll look so beautiful at the wedding…!"

"She's her mother's daughter after all," put in Cherche, looking at Lucina with kindly approval.

The men in the tent exchanged looks, but it was Gerome who finally pointed out rather cautiously, "I don't know what comprises this… trousseau, but wouldn't it take a lot of time to make it all by hand?"

Lucina nodded in agreement. "I needn't have a dress, Mother, Cherche, though it's very kind of you to offer. And on that note… Gerome and I thought we would just ask Libra to simply marry us without any other fuss. It would be practical, and there would be no need to waste our rations and resources-"

"Wait wait wait wait."

Gaius narrowed his eyes at the couple. "Are you crazy kids telling us you don't want a ceremony? No feast, no celebrating… no cake?"

"We'd still be blessed by a priest. And we're at war," replied Gerome, scowling. "There's no time for sweets."

The lollipop that habitually lived in Gaius's mouth almost fell out, shocked as he was at hearing this blasphemy. "…I'm gonna let that go because you're clearly not thinking straight from all the wedding stress. Son, there's always time for sweets."

"Besides, your father and I were married in the middle of this chaos and we found time to at least have a feast for the Shepherds," said Cherche calmly.

"Mo- Cherche. It's not the same thing."

Any answer Cherche may have given was interrupted by Olivia's horrified tone. "Hold on. Wouldn't that also mean no dancing?"

Lucina winced. "Mother, I would dance a day and a night in peacetime-"

"But… a marriage that doesn't begin with dancing… it's…" Olivia looked at her daughter anxiously. "Oh dear… that's not…" The words were clearly fighting a losing battle as the dancer could only wring her hands.

Chrom took pity on his wife as he explained, "In Ferox, it's considered bad luck not to dance at least once at a wedding."

"But we wouldn't have a wedding to dance at…?"

Lucina's comment was punctuated by a quiet albeit stricken squeak from Olivia that required no translation. It was surely even worse luck to marry without a wedding.

Nonetheless, Lucina sought silent help from Chrom. As leader of the Shepherds, he would have the last word on whether a ceremony would be allowed (or required). In the same way, surely he would most understand the need for such restraint.

Yet, much to her and Gerome's surprise, his brows furrowed in an uncertain frown.

"…I understand your concerns, Lucina, Gerome. We are indeed still fighting a war – no one could forget that. But it's especially in times like these that we must take any chance of celebration that we're given. There are rarely any second chances." He settled his gaze on them seriously, and as kindly as he could manage – it made him look older than his years. "You of all people know time is precious."

There was a long quiet moment.

Finally, Lucina sighed. "But… we can't expect all the Shepherds to agree to this extravagance-"

"BLOOD AND THUNDER, OF COURSE WE WILL!"

Even Gaius jumped at this sudden thunderbolt of a voice. Gerome raised an incredulous eyebrow. "…no. Surely not."

Without another word, Chrom got up, strode two steps to the left and abruptly pulled up the tent flap.

Outside, in what appeared to be quite a struggle to maintain balance so as to hear the conversation better, stood their noble tactician Robin, Lissa, Sumia, Cordelia, Maribelle, Nowi, Cynthia, Severa, Noire, Nah, Kjelle, Morgan, Laurent, Owain, Inigo, Brady and Yarne, all of whom were giving an ashamed looking Noire different variants of dismayed and disapproving looks. Even Laurent and Kjelle couldn't wipe their expressions away in time.

Chrom gave it at least seven seconds' worth of awkward pausing – and guilty, sheepish smiling – before he dryly asked, "Did I not state that I was in a private council?"

There was a moment of silence.

Then Robin, with an attempt at a pacifying smile, replied, "Well, you know, we were just… walking… past, and I happened to meet Lissa here! And you know, who should stop by but Sumia and Cordelia and Maribelle and Nowi! And of course we got to talking, and then the children all came from their training and you know, this and that happened and we just… happened to… stop and chat! That's… all… really."

"…that's quite a lot of happenings, Robin."

"Forget the happenings, big brother! You two!" exclaimed Lissa as she looked into the tent at a rather stunned looking Lucina and Gerome. "Gaius is right! You crazy kids better have a wedding feast or I'll unleash my Wrath of Aunt Lissa on the two of you!"

Cynthia looked up excitedly. "Ooh, that sounds like such a good fighting move!"

"It's not exactly a move, dear… well, in a way I suppose it could be," pondered Sumia.

Severa tossed a glare at her friend within the tent. "For Naga's sake, you're the Exalt! Have some dignity! Don't you dare have a shabby wedding!"

"And I've always wondered what it'd be like to be a bridesmaid," opined Nah. Noire nodded timidly beside her.

"Speak for yourself," put in Kjelle quickly.

"The logistics of a wedding, economical as it will have to be, would not be beyond our scope of management," added Laurent, adjusting his glasses. "It will just require careful organization, something in which I am quite certain we have no lack of talents."

"Plus there's no shortage of hands to help with the work," Cordelia said with a smile. "It can be done as efficiently as everything else we do."

"True heroes must be afraid of no fatigue, even in the face of matrimo- …Brady, are you crying?"

"NO I'M NOT. I jes'… jes' got dust in my eye dammit!"

"Oh my poor Brady, I know just how you feel." Maribelle dabbed her eyes with a laced handkerchief. "They grow up so fast…!"

"Basically give us a reason to party or we'll never let it go!" called out Inigo gaily.

Nowi threw her tiny arms up in the air. "Yeah, a party!"

"And if ya don't give me a reason ta drink, the Vaike won't let it go either!"

Startled, Chrom poked his head further out, only to see that the crowd behind the initial group of Shepherds (who'd managed to get nearest to the flap) was bigger than he'd guessed.

"What the-"

"Gregor is agreeing with him. Wedding is good thing, especially royal one. Should have good ale." The tall man looked at Chrom, then at his wife in concern. "We have good ale nearby, yes?"

Miriel looked up from her notebook. "Indeed, there are testimonies to the quality of alcohol served at such feasts. And the town two miles east would not be loath to sell us a few kegs for a good price, particularly as they are known to admire the Shepherds for their dedication to this cause of freedom."

Sully, standing to the side with arms crossed, unabashedly snorted. "Tell your kids they worry too damn much. We've had tons of weddings and none of us have died yet."

Virion flourished one hand, unable to keep from giving an opinion. "My sweet Sully speaks true. Despite the severity of our circumstances, mirth is sweet ambrosia to an army's morale – a wedding would be a wonderful source for such merriment."

Despite his own (deeply hidden) amusement, Chrom frowned harder. "Has the entire camp been eavesdropping? Is there no one maintaining discipline by remaining at their posts, making sure we're not about to be killed?"

The voice of Henry floated into the tent. "Of course we're at our posts (all clear by the way). But when you have a tome of espionage – designed for both input and output – anything's possible! Not that you're the enemy but it works pretty good for our current purposes!"

Chrom glared at the roof, as if Henry could see him, before Tharja's voice echoed in, "I'd have put a hex on the tent really. Easier to manipulate."

"Since we're all having a say in this, I would be most honoured to volunteer my services on such an important occasion," added another voice, as amused as it was warm.

"That's very good of you, Libra. Thank you," replied Cherche with a laugh.

And amidst the voices of Shepherds discussing the (now seemingly inevitable) wedding feast, the protests of Chrom to please let them discuss this in private, the sounds of everyone else studiously ignoring their fearless leader's command before he threatened to call for Frederick, and the rather meek confession of said knight to having been there, listening in the whole time ("Milord, my deepest apologies. There is no excuse for such unseemly behaviour but… I was in the middle of it before I knew I'd begun."), Gerome looked at Lucina, who had reached subtly for his hand to hold midway through the negotiations.

He squeezed her fingers gently and murmured, "It's our wedding. Not theirs. We don't have to listen."

Lucina smiled rather helplessly at him. "And what do you think our chances will be against the insistence of an entire camp of highly determined Shepherds?"

Even with the mask on, she saw uncertainty steal in Gerome's face. "…we could fly away with Minerva."

She laughed softly as the noise around them grew louder. "That might be termed desertion."

He smirked a little. "Only long enough to get married and come back. It'll be too late for them to do anything by then."

Lucina's smile made Gerome wish he could take his mask off to see it better. "Ever my protector." Without thinking, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

He stared at her. It really couldn't be helped if he raised one hand to gingerly graze a thumb along her left cheekbone, or the fact that he smiled. Lucina's expression at that moment dazed him into involuntary action. "I always will be."

"…you two done?"

The engaged couple jerked and looked up, only to slam straight into a wall of embarrassment. Gaius, who'd seen fit to interrupt them, was giving them the same wry look as Chrom, while both mothers had hands to their mouths, restraining their glee. Beyond the tent, most of the others had very clearly not missed their little moment, judging by the amount of applause and cheering. Lucina even saw Morgan hold two thumbs up with a large grin.

Olivia took in the resigned (and crimson) faces of her daughter and son-in-law. She turned to Chrom, her bright eyes crinkled with laughter.

"I think there's been a change of plans, love."

End.

A/N: I ask your indulgence regarding Feroxian traditions. And the tome of espionage. Though I must say, if anyone can come up with a tome like that, it's Henry.

…I don't promise a continuation.