Severing bonds

Prologue: The Revelation

I don't own Fire Emblem in any way BTW

Cordelia couldn't help but sigh again. Things had been remarkably terrible as of late in spite of how things could have gone. Gazing almost a hundred meters away she tried to look nonchalant as she thought on how to approach her daughter glaring daggers at everyone who passed by. She sure wished her daughter was friendlier that's for sure.

It had been only a week ago when she had finally discovered Severa was her daughter which was upsetting in itself, mostly because they had been traveling for over 3 months now. And when she finally did find out, it was only because she had been sneaking about camp and heard it from the future children. Why did her daughter keep such a thing from her? And why did she not treat her like her mother? Even now Severa refused to call her 'mother' despite being outed. What had the Cordelia of the future done to make such a chasm between them?

Severa finally turned her sharp eyes to Cordelia before gritting her teeth and marching over, her face contorting into rage.

"Do you mind?" Severa said low and with great venom.

Cordelia stepped back. No matter how often Severa used that voice on her it still caused her heart to stop and her body to shake. The way her words cut made the bullies her in her youth seem warm in comparison.

"I'm going." Severa whispered beneath her breath, "Stop following me."

Cordelia held her breath as she watched Severa stomp away before finally exhaling, shaken yet again by someone she had apparently given birth to. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she immediately tensed up before relaxing again. It was Chrom with her husband, Frederick behind him.

"That was really rough." Chrom said giving her gentle smile that caused Cordelia blush slightly, "Will you be okay?"

"Y-yes."

Chrom's smile widened a little, "In any case, I'll go have a talk with Robin to try and straighten out her behavior but try to stay optimistic and give it time. She'll come around."

Cordelia nodded as he left leaving her with her husband who moved next to her.

"Our daughter… is most difficult." Frederick said simply as he let out a cough.

"Very"

"Perhaps talking to her friend, Noire would help this matter."

Cordelia sighed loudly at this. She had tried that almost immediately after but Noire was of no help. In fact, it took colossal amount of effort just to get Noire to acknowledge that Cordelia was really Severa's mother and anything else just led to silence or "Blood and THUNDER!" which only served to gnaw at her stomach. After all, Noire may have been Severa's friend, but if she thought Severa was being immature or something she most certainly would have been more compliant than she was right?

"A bribe perhaps? I have heard she likes shopping excessively." Frederick spoke again seeing that the previous suggestion had already failed.

Cordelia tilted her head into an open palm. Even that yielded nothing. Her attempts to go shopping with Severa on one of her buying sprees were met hostility and she refused to accept anything from her as a gift throwing it away if she had already purchased it.

Drooping down to a squatting position Cordelia let her long red hair cover her face. She had only one option left and she knew this one was going to be ugly. Anything for her daughter she supposed.

This was… nice. Severa was finally next to her finally standing side by side. Granted things could have been better. Robin, after some coaxing agreed to pair them together if she fought on foot but the physical distance was only half the problem.

"Are you daft?" Severa muttered as she walked next to her, "Look the other way or we'll get flanked."

Cordelia obliged. It would be preferable to not see her scowl while she tried to talk anyway.

"So…" Cordelia said mostly to the air, "I've heard that you're an amazing swordsman. Even your father can't last more than a couple strikes."

Severa groaned but otherwise chose to stay silent.

"Did you learn that from him though? It seems your style is a lot fiercer than his. I mean, I've seen you pummel a knight with just your shield so I can't help but-"

Severa said lifting a hand to tell her to stop, "Stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. And so what if it isn't fancy like yours. Well, not everyone can be miss perfect!"

Cordelia felt something snap inside. Her attitude was simply unacceptable.

"Why are you like this!" Cordelia shouted unable to contain, "What do you have against me!?"

"What do you care?" Severa seethed back, "I'm just your 'responsibility'. Well no one asked you to take that job anyways!"

"What are you-"

Severa suddenly brought her shield into her right side knocking her out of the way of several arrows that instead hit Severa's side. It was an ambush. Cordelia quickly rolled to her side before identifying their enemies. Almost 15 of them in total and likely more in the shadows. Lifting her spear she quickly skewered several in quick succession. Meanwhile behind her she saw Severa quickly cut apart her enemies with a brutal and swift motion. This was nothing like how Frederick or she fought. Each cut had a rawness to it that gave it a brutal, yet beautiful quality that cleaved spears and knocked people about like leaves in a maelstrom. It must have been quite the master she learned from, not that she would be bested so easily. With her own accurate needle like strikes she felled enemies in equal number. Not a minute past before the last body hit the ground leaving them both winded. Severa took a quick breath before ripping the arrow out of her.

"We need to go find a healer." Cordelia said moving to examine the wounds her voice now filled with dread. The arrows looked poisoned.

Severa listed to one side as she tried to swat Cordelia's hand away but soon her vision faded to black.

Cordelia stood outside the medical tent. How could this have happened? The fighting wasn't even half done and yet here she was. Entering the tent she found Severa undressed with bandages around her, her clothes hanging on a chair. Cordelia approached finding Severa had regained already regained consciousness. Deciding not to say anything, she sat down but as she did, she knocked over Severa's jacket and as something rolled out of the pocket Cordelia's heart stopped. Picking up the tiny object, Cordelia shock turned to confusion. It was an engagement ring… but this wasn't the one Frederick gave to her. This one was much cheaper looking with silver and simple stone inset.

"Where… where did this come from?" Cordelia murmured her eyes now on Severa who looked very uncomfortable.

"It's…" Severa said with a look of resignation, "The ring my daddy gave you."