Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of its characters.
It seemed as though all was lost.
The attack was rather sudden. No one had anticipated it, nor did anyone come prepared for it. As if summoned by a storm, an army of Risen launched themselves at them. Mad to the very core, these creatures sought at nothing but to kill any living being that lay in front of their path. Soulless creatures, these were, as they fought tooth and nail, their intent to lay waste to those caught up in their onslaught.
The Shepherds were a ragtag military force led by none other than the Prince of Ylisse himself, Chrom. Had they returned back to their continent sooner after their previous battle, there might have been hope. Instead, already weary and exhausted, they were brought forth to battle yet again, only this time it was a battle for survival.
As per the army tactician Robin's orders, an escape route was discovered and a temporary base was set up to treat the wounded. One by one, the Shepherds fell back through this route, evading the Risen and hastily setting up camp. Lissa, Libra and Maribelle made no excuses as they brought out what was left of their supply of healing staves, getting to work on tending to the injured.
"Oh gosh, this one's bad…" Lissa mumbled to herself as she began to clean the wound of a barely conscious Lon'qu.
"I don't think we'd ever have encountered injuries as gruesome as these before," Maribelle replied while she treated Kellam's broken arm. "What could've caused such an abominable ruckus?"
"I am sure we are just as clueless as everyone else here is," murmured Libra. "That attack was righteously uncalled for, yet we have fallen into their trap. The best course of action is to ensure the well-being of everyone else before we can depart."
"Yeah, but who knows when those rotten Risen may catch up again?" Lissa began to worry. She had seen how they had barely escaped and surely she may have felt safe for the time being, but the fact that her brother and several others were still out there…
"Come on Chrom, we're almost there…"
"Let's do this together! I'm not leaving you behind!"
Both Chrom and Robin stumbled their way into the campground, clearly exhausted, but relatively unharmed. Lissa rushed over to the two men at first moment's glance.
"Chrom! Robin! Are you two okay? Hurry, let me get you fixed up…"
"Sorry Lissa, that'll have to wait," Robin angrily forced himself upright. "Gregor, how's our inventory?"
"Aye, weapon stock look bad, what say now." Gregor replied wearily.
"Gaius, our escape route?"
"Already scavenged and cleared." Gaius answered in a way unlike his usual self, grasping his bleeding arm and breathing heavily.
"Panne… wait, where is she?"
Suddenly, everyone froze. It had not occurred to them that their resident Taguel had disappeared from their ranks. Not to mention that a certain pair of Pegasus Knights were missing in action as well.
"Damn it!" Robin ran his hands through his hair in frustration as he began pacing across the campground. His escape plan should've been foolproof. There had been enough time for everyone to fall back, but now that they were short three members…
"Sully, Stahl, do you have enough strength to move out?"
"Not really…"
"Probably enough to go out and back…"
"That's fair enough; I want you two to head down this path and…" Robin's sentence was cut short by the sound of hoofs trampling through the mud.
It was Panne and Sumia, the former barely conscious while riding a separate Pegasus from the latter. The Pegasi themselves were barely able to stay standing, as they both stumbled and fell, taking their riders with them.
"Panne! Sumia!"
"Quick, Lissa, over here!" Robin beckoned as Lissa ran over with another staff. "We can't have anyone die here, not on my watch!"
Lissa rushed over to the scene as fast as her legs could carry her. She was already beyond weary from healing the others, but as long as there was work to be done, she had to give it her all. For both Chrom and Robin's sake.
"Hurry, please…" Sumia, albeit bruised and beaten, tried to stand up, but fell over once more.
"Please, don't move," Robin instructed firmly, although Lissa could tell that he felt slightly uneasy. "We'll get you back up and running in no time."
"Just hold still," Lissa brought out another staff and began examining Sumia's wounds. "Gosh, you look terrible…"
"No," Sumia, however, just wouldn't keep still, as she clung on to the hem of Robin's robes, as if pleading for something.
"What's the matter?" Chrom came by after helping carrying Miriel to one of the tents. "Sumia, are you alright?"
"Please," Sumia repeated, somewhat forcefully this time, tears flowing out as she struggled to speak. "You have to save her…"
"Who?"
Robin took a quick survey of their campsite. "20, 21, 22…" Surely by now everyone was accounted for, Robin assured himself. Unless there was a flaw in his plan…
"Cordelia… she stayed behind… told us to go ahead…"
Robin froze. Gawds, he didn't anticipate Cordelia not following his directions. He had already stationed her ahead of the group to help out excavating their escape path. Little did he know that she would pull back to buy them more time.
"You have to save her…"
Sumia was now tugging as Chrom's legs now, hoping to get her message across to him. "It has to be you…"
But Chrom stood there, dumbfounded. This was truly a jest, wasn't it? How could Cordelia, the perfectionist of their army, been such a fool to have stayed behind? That wasn't like her, not at all! Chrom began to sense a swell of rage engulf him as he drew his Falchion.
Sumia smiled as Chrom gave her a nod. "I know what must be done."
And Chrom took off, running as fast as his legs could take him, back into the forest in which they escaped from.
"Chrom! No!" Robin yelled after his best friend. He wanted to go after him, but he knew he had to stay back and maintain the army's morale. On the other hand, they could not afford to lose Chrom. Otherwise, all would really be lost.
Lissa, knowing the despair Robin was experiencing, clung onto his arm as a gesture of comfort. Robin, though still wanting to chase after Chrom, knew that it'd be a bad idea, despite the stakes that were against them.
"Don't worry," Lissa piped up, though she was sounding pretty worried as well. "We need to trust Chrom, I'm sure he'll be back soon."
"Yeah, I hope so…"
….
It began to rain.
Chrom ran down the muddy path that they foraged when they had fought off the Risen. It was the only lead to where Cordelia might be. There was no way she could've gone far off.
"Cordelia, why?"
Cordelia had joined their ranks once it had been known that her fellow comrades in the Pegasus Knights had all been killed in that unfortunate incident. Almost flawless in every aspect, Cordelia had been much an asset to the Shepherds' cause.
Chrom, being leader and all, had to get to know all his comrades. So by talking with Cordelia, he would get to know her on a deeper level. The problem was, Cordelia seemed to purposely avoid Chrom every time he tried to approach her. Was it something he did? Chrom never became fully aware. Well, not until that fateful day.
"Still going at it, aren't you?"
"Lord Chrom? Whaa!"
Cordelia fell over from whatever makeshift wood structure she had crafted, landing rather disgracefully. Chrom couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't laugh at me like that…" Cordelia hung her head, ashamed that she had ruined her perfectionist image right in front of her leader. Well, it wasn't the only time she made a fool of herself in front of Chrom.
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Chrom hastily tried to defend himself. "I just thought, well, isn't it a little odd finding you out her practicing swordplay like this?"
"Well, I, um…" Cordelia was flustered beyond relief. Never did she once ever hold up a straight conversation with the Prince, yet when given the chance, she just never was able to get it out right. "I just, you know, trying the hone my sword skills in a, um… unorthodox fashion…"
"And why would you do that, mind you?"
"It's, I mean," Cordelia fumbled as she tried to put thoughts into words. "The way you fight, it's so, unusual…"
"Hold on…"
"But I didn't mean it unfavourably!" Cordelia picked up right after. "I mean, your sword skills, they were just so unique that I wanted to see if I could mimic them, get my own swordplay up to par…"
"Then why don't we just spar?"
"Huh? Spar with you, Lord Chrom? I could not even fathom…"
"The best way to learn one's sword techniques is facing them straight on. Or, that's what I tell myself anyway." Chrom drew out his Falchion, twirled it and stuck it to the ground. "You game?"
Cordelia couldn't believe it. Finally, a chance to train together with Chrom. Before it all seemed to be a hopeless dream, but now, it was finally becoming a reality. Not to mention that Cordelia was beginning to feel slightly more comfortable.
Cordelia picked up the steel sword she dropped and held it in front of her.
"Ready when you are."
"En guarde!"
….
The days went by longer. Chrom was finding that he was spending more and more time each day with Cordelia. He was probably mistaken about Cordelia, as he began to see that she wasn't that much of a perfectionist, but more of a friendly person to be around. They had evolved beyond their initial awkward getting-to-know-each-other phase and now treated each other as equals. Rumours had started to spread around camp, much expected since it was Chrom that was the center of attention.
"Cordelia…" Chrom thrust the Falchion forward.
"Hm?" Cordelia parried it upward.
"Did you ever consider what you would do after the war?"
"Not really, well, I guess I would try to rebuild the Pegasus Knights again. Of course, we would be under your service, ready to be deployed at your notice."
"Always the busy type you are."
"You've got that right."
Chrom was lost in thought for a moment. Why did he even bother to ask that kind of question? It wasn't like he was never going to see Cordelia again. But somehow, not being able to see her on a daily basis just made him feel so… empty…
"Caught you off guard!"
"Whoa!" Chrom fell backwards and landed in dirt while Cordelia pointed her sword towards him in victory. Confident, powerful, topped with a smile on her face, Cordelia looked ever so… stunning? Exemplary? Radiant? Chrom could not even think of words to describe her. Ever since they came to know each other more, he realized that there was some sort of connection between them; something like a mutual attraction of sorts.
Even his friends could see it. Robin thought so. Lissa as well. Even Sumia, Sully and Vaike, his close friends since childhood, seemed to see what was going on. Sumia and Sully both often exchanged glances whenever Chrom and Cordelia walked by. Heck, Vaike even told Chrom that he was outright jealous of him.
"Lord Chrom, is something the matter?"
"Oh! Um…" Chrom tried to collect himself as he continued to stare into the gaze of his exquisite, no, dazzling sparring partner, who was trying to conceal her giggles as she watched him, drenched in mud.
"Just help me up, will you?"
"Yes, of course. But on one condition."
Oh great, now she was teasing him. However, rather than trying to defend his pride, Chrom decided to let it slide, just this once.
"Fire away."
"Stay with me forever. Promise?"
"Huh?" What was this all of a sudden? Surely Cordelia wasn't jesting now, was she? Chrom must've felt stupid, as he felt his own eyes widen with disbelief, while his left his own jaw agape. How was he supposed to answer to this?
Then, it was Cordelia's turn to get flustered. As soon as she realized what she had just said, she turned away involuntarily, trying to hide her already beet-red face. What on earth was she thinking, bringing this subject up again? She had already assured herself that being just friends with Lord Chrom was more than enough as a goal. She just wasn't the type he would look into, Cordelia had told herself many times already.
"No, um, never mind what I just said… I was being stupid…. I…."
"Always."
"Eh?" Cordelia turned back in surprise as looked Chrom in the eye. There he sat, all graciousness forgotten, covered in mud and dirt, with a goofy smile on his face. Sure, Cordelia had always thought of him as handsome, magnificent, a whole bunch of other words that she could pull out of her vocabulary. However, never did she ever imagine what Chrom would look like; laid back, having fun, like a child. Cordelia loved all of that about him, the more and more she got to know him.
"So, will you help me up or not?"
….
She had helped him up many times during their battles. But now, the tides had turned, and it was Cordelia that was in trouble. Chrom cursed himself as those very same words continued to haunt him.
"Stay with me forever. Promise?"
He did say that he promised, but did he necessarily keep it? Chrom really didn't give what she said much thought back then, so why did it seem so important now? No, now wasn't the time to ponder over such obscure things. He had to go save Cordelia, and fast!
….
One swipe, a Risen fell at her feet. Another strike, another Risen was split cleanly into two.
Cordelia, sword in hand, was up against several dozen Risen; what was probably the last of them. One by one, they launched themselves at her, only to be cut down mercilessly. Never once did Cordelia falter in her strikes, clearing the fields with her attacks, bringing the Risen to their knees.
She had to do it. She knew she'd be disobeying Robin's orders by staying behind, but it had to be done. Panne was seriously injured, and Sumia was in no condition to fight. Those two were the only ones left that had yet to escape, and Cordelia had already guiding the rest of the army towards camp as instructed. However, she also knew that she had to buy the group some time. It was the only way all of the Shepherds could get away safely.
She helped Sumia onto her own Pegasus while she secured Panne on her own. She sensed that her own Pegasus was worried; that she was going stay behind. Sumia couldn't hold back her own tears once she realized what Cordelia was about to do, but with some constant urging, Cordelia sent them off, leaving herself to fend off the remaining Risen. Sumia tearfully disappeared into the thicket along with Panne and the two Pegasi, Cordelia half-regretting her decision to leave her friends.
On and on she fought, cutting down Risen with every bit of strength she had; only to realize that she wasn't going to keep up much longer. Cordelia could've easily escaped earlier on; she could've went along with Sumia and Panne. However, her pride got the better of her, she was still standing, already wounded in several areas, and she couldn't last much longer. Even if she did try to escape now, she wouldn't be able to make it. Cordelia was a bad runner, after all.
With each and every strike, Cordelia put her all into it, showing the Risen no mercy as she continued her onslaught. Only then she realized that she was getting weaker and weaker by the second. She bore the wounds of many, hastily patched up by some spare gauze that she carried, but those weren't going to stop the bleeding much longer. If only she had a vulnerary on her, then maybe, just maybe, she could make it back to camp. She could see his face one last time…
And that was it. The sound of steel cutting flesh. Deeper and deeper did the enemy's sword follow through, right into Cordelia's right shoulder. She couldn't move her arm, she'd lost too much blood, and she couldn't carry on any further.
Lord Chrom. He was the only person she wanted to see before she passed on. No, it was a foolish request. There was no way he was able to come under these circumstances. To think that she'd make it this far in life, finally able to connect with Chrom after years of mustering up her courage. Cordelia was happy, and that was enough for her…
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
There was a binding flash of golden light, and in one fell swoop, the remaining Risen fell dead as the mysterious figure ran over while Cordelia began to fall over. He caught her in his arms just before she landed, both skidding to a halt just a few seconds afterward. Cordelia's own vision was blurry. She did not make out who her saviour was until he spoke again.
"Cordelia! Say something! Don't leave me out in the open like this!"
"L...L...Lord Chrom….."
"Please, you have to stay with me here!"
Chrom cursed himself for not getting to her on time. He didn't even bring any vulneraries or elixirs with him. People always reprimanded him for being to headstrong, charging into battle without thought. What did he expect? He was foolish enough to think that he alone would be able to save Cordelia's life, but through what means? Maybe he really was an idiot.
"N…No, p…please, d...don't worry ab…bout…."
"Come on! Don't give into the light! You have to stay with me, don't leave me hanging!"
"C…C..Chrom…."
"Stay with me forever. Promise?"
That must have been the stupidest thing to say at a time like this. Why? Why must it be this way? Chrom thought to himself as he held a dear friend, dying in his arms. He had already confirmed it in his heart and mind, for he was ready to head towards a better future, but to repeat what she had said even though he never really did keep his end of the bargain…
It took a few moments for Cordelia's ears to register what she just heard. She then smiled. A genuine smile that used up all the strength she had left to muster. She lifted her arm to stroke Chrom's cheek as she felt the warm tears flowing down the side of her loved one's face. She wanted to let him know that it was alright. After all, the connection they shared, it was strong enough so that anything could happen.
"O…of c…c…course…. I….."
And Cordelia's arm fell limp. She had this to say before she could say no more.
"Always."
….
Years later, Chrom, now Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse, stood before a grave that marked the passing of one of his greatest comrades in the war the Shepherds fought so bravely. His guard, Frederick, stood beside him, accompanying his liege on this solemn ritual that took place every half year or so. Together, they looked down at the remains of their fallen comrade, now at peace, only wishing for the best.
Chrom knelt down and placed a bouquet of crimson flowers overtop of the grave. Placing his hands together on one knee in prayer, he spoke.
"You were one of my greatest allies; nothing could have surpassed your dedication to me, to the Shepherds, to the Halidom. You fought bravely until the end, yet I wasn't able to save you, given the fact that you had done so much for me. And for that, I am both truly grateful, yet sorry. Words cannot describe how much you mean to me, even today. But for now, you may rest, and let us be assured that we will see each other again. Sometime, somewhere….."
The winds were blowing a soft and gentle breeze. Dandelion seeds flew through the air as the evening sun began to set, signalling the end of a busy day. Frederick readied his horse. "Milord?"
"Yes Frederick, let's be on our way."
….
It took a while to get back to the castle. When they did, all was quiet, meaning that even the servants had gone off to their quarters, ready to call it a day. Chrom bid Frederick a hasty goodnight before heading up to his living quarters.
Before even opening the door, he could her tiny footsteps pounding along all around the room. That could only mean that someone was still awake and not quite ready for bed yet. Shaking his head, Chrom entered the dormitory.
"Now who's the little naughty child that still isn't in bed yet?" Chrom mockingly asked as the footsteps came to a halt. Two little girls stopped in their tracks, already in their nightgowns, looking up in delight as their father had come back home.
"Father!" The child with the blue hair, who was also the eldest, came bounding over the Chrom, flinging her arms around his legs. "I'm your favourite daughter, right?"
"Hold it right there!" The other girl piped up, with a pouty look on her face. "Just because you're older doesn't mean that Daddy favours you over me!"
"Hey, but you were the one who started it! Oh, I should be the one Daddy favours the most because Lucy gets all the attention! Didn't it go something like that?"
"What? No! It's not like that! I just…"
"There now, no need for you sisters to argue over this." With one arm, Chrom picked up Lucina, and then walked over the picked up Severa with his other arm. "You're both my favourite daughters, and I love you both equally."
"Do you truly mean that?" Both girls asked in earnest.
"I do, I promise."
"Yay….." It didn't take too long for Lucina and Severa to tire themselves out. Once Chrom was sure that his daughters were fast asleep, he placed them into their respective beds and tucked them in. It was an incredible feeling, being the father of two lovely little daughters. Years ago, he would have never guessed that he'd make it this far in life.
Something that smelled good filled the air. Curious, Chrom looked up and saw that the kitchen light was still on. That must be it, his wife, the Queen, must've been up all night waiting for him to return. Well, he was feeling hungry after all. His wife had insisted that they have their own separate kitchen aside from the royal family's; one in which she can cook to her heart's content. Naturally, Chrom obliged to this decision.
Chrom opened the door. Once again, his wife outdid herself, setting up the table for a elegant, night time dinner; everything was graciously arranged, with scented oil candles ablaze on either ends of the table. Standing up, the woman acknowledged her husband's presence, smiling as a form of greeting as Chrom made his way towards her. The way her red hair glistened in the dim light, the way her cheerful expression delivered warmth, it was all right in front of him.
She had given him the life that he wanted. And it was all due to that simple phrase.
Chrom pulled Cordelia into a tight embrace, catching her by surprise.
"Stay with me forever. Promise?"
Cordelia wrapped her own arms around her loving husband.
"Always."
A/N: Talk about rushed stories! I guess I was just eager to get this out there without giving it much thought...
Anyhoo, here's another Chrom x Cordelia one-shot for anyone who enjoys this pairing out there. And if you haven't already, check out my other Chrom x Cordelia story, Never Meant to Be. I would like to hear your reviews, critiques and whatnot. And thank you!