Hope you guys enjoy this. It is going to be a Hector x Robin fic, slow burn hopefully, with quite a few interesting twists and turns.
It's been an idea of mine for a while and a lot of fun to bring to life.
Enjoy!
Prologue.
She could feel the rough scales of the great fell dragon beneath her feet, hear the abrasive air rushing past her face, and the sounds of steel on steel. The cries of her allies and that of their enemies mingled with each other to create a great chorus of victory. She knew what she had to do, even though she knew what it would mean. Her mind fell back on the words that Naga spoke: 'If those ties prove strong enough, they may yet keep you in this reality.' They flickered as an afterthought, like the failing light of a candle in an eternity of darkness. Ties strong enough to bring the dead back to life... That would be something... she thought aimlessly, knowing the bonds of friendship she had created were not what Naga spoke of. Love was that bond, the emotion strong enough to do impossible feats. Yet she had never followed her heart; There was always something... invisible holding her back. But even if she had loved another, surely it wouldn't be enough to bring someone back from death. Naga said herself, the chances where close to impossible.
The battlefield soon fell to an almost eerie calm as the prince of Ylisse shouted, pleaded towards the tactician. Eyes of allies and foe fell unto the woman as she created a ball of energy, raising it above her head. She spoke with resolve before the effigy of the great dragon who was now upon it's knees in pain, pleading for it's life. No others could hear the desperate conversation between Chrom and the tactician, for it was rightfully between them both. She looked back at herself, like gazing through a clouded mirror. To see herself on one knee, grovelling for her own life, with full intentions to use it to cause suffering and havoc. She could not allow such a being to exist, not now, not even in a thousand years – even if it was herself.
She then raised her voice, more powerful than she thought she could ever muster, "It's only right that we meet our end together!"
"NOOOOOO!" Grima roared as she set the final blow upon it.
And she took her final breaths as she watched her effigy dissipate, tasting the air with a new vigour. This was it. The end of her life. She could hardly complain... and yet she felt her eyes begin to water, she lifted her head to the heavens as rivets of tears fell down each cheek.
"Robin!" Chrom yelled in both disbelief and sorrow, stepping towards her with his hand outstretched.
She turned to him, vision blurry through the tears, yet she managed to curl her lips into a heartfelt smile, "Thank you, Chrom... For everything... Tell the others... my last thoughts were of them..." She soothed as graciously as she could, trying to override her fears of death. Her body began to feel cold and lighter, as she pulled in her last breath, "May we meet again, in a better life..."
She watched with acceptance as everything faded to white, and all sensation fell to numbness. Then, the last of her thoughts ticked away into a comfortable nothingness...
Chapter 1. The Great New Yonder
Hushed mumblings drew her from the void, the sound of a man and a woman conversing. She couldn't move anything, and her mind swirled with sickness and fatigue. Her thoughts were a scramble of senses, barely able to notice she was laying down. Where? She managed to ask herself before another wave of nausea hit her, making everything cringe. This must have alerted her overseers, as she could hear nothing but silence. Then... a gentle voice:
"Robin? Robin, can you hear me?" the woman soothed, followed by a short laugh of relief.
Robin felt a cool hand on her forehead, and she soon felt herself coming together again. The weight of her arms, the earthy smell of the room, the orange hue of light behind her eyelids. Though her body felt as if it was bathing in hot water. She struggled to take control of her body, unable to shake the flustering heat that took centre stage in her mind.
"Her fever is far too high, we need to let her rest," The male voice said, though she was barely able to make out his words as she started to fall back into the void.
"You are right, Rath... I cant believe she is alive, and here of all places? I suppose old habits die hard..."
"It is strange, but she has always been a bit of an enigma."
"Have you noticed, the mark on her hand is gone..."
She heard the woman's voice continue on, but the tactician could no longer hold onto consciousness. Slowly she fell into a long, restless, and uncomfortable sleep.
The grainy wind billowing against the canvas, the grinding squawk of a crow, and a cool breeze that seemed to inflate her chest, cooling her from the inside out. Her skin felt dry and clean, her senses sharper than before even though her head ached from slumber. She cracked open an eyelid to see only bright light to greet her. Robin's thoughts wandered as the scene fell into focus, Where... Where am I? I thought... Grima...Why am i not...? She struggled with herself as she quickly pulled herself into a sitting position, ignoring the pleas of her sluggish body. She opened her other eye, looking at the off white sheets covering her body before caressing them tentatively. The simple joy she found in touching the fabric was comforting. I am... I'm alive!
She inhaled strongly, feeling her lungs inflate and her head whirl lightly from the rush. She looked around the tent, trying to figure out where she was. Though her humble surroundings gave no immediate clues. There was no doubt that this was a static camp. The walls were lined in adornments and long curtains of silk, with carved wooden furniture occupying most of the floorspace, indeed it looked well lived in. She let out a whimper as her head then throbbed without warning, her hands immediately gripping the sides of her skull to dull the pain.
Waking up in a place she had no memory of seemed to be becoming her fate.
She heard a gasp, and quickly searched for the noise, her eyes falling upon a woman placing something upon a table close to the entrance. She had long green hair, pulled up in a high ponytail. Her eyes almost an identical shade of emerald, yet they shined with a clever brightness.
"Robin, oh thank goodness you're awake!" She praised, walking quickly to the tactician's bedside.
"Who, wh – Argh!" She croaked though a dry throat as another wave of pain distracted her. Through the discomfort she tried to make sense of what was happening, this woman knew her name, and yet she looked completely unfamiliar. Where was she anyway? She had not seen anything akin to both the woman's attire and the décor in Ylisse, even in the most remote of places.
"Please, don't rush yourself," The woman said gently, placing a gentle hand on Robin's shoulder, she then felt porcelain at her lips, "Drink this, you must be quite dehydrated. It should help with the headache."
As soon as the cool liquid touched her lips she felt a primal craving take hold of her. She took the cup from the woman, drinking the water as quickly as she could, the relief counting towards another bout of joy. She was definitely alive, and this was without a doubt the best water she had ever tasted.
"Thanks," Robin said through a breath, allowing the woman to take the empty cup from her. Her headache had not yet dulled but she seemed to be adjusting to the sensation.
"I'll get you some more," She said gently, pacing over to the counter before picking up a jug, bringing it back to the bedside, "I can't believe we found you, and after all this time! I have so many questions! Where have you been?" She said eagerly as she sat next to her, holding out another cup of water.
"What? What do you mean? Where am I anyway... And who... who are you? And how do you know my name?" She replied in a muddle, watching as the woman's hopeful expression changed to concern with each word.
"Robin... It's me, Lyn. Do you... not remember me?" She looked visibly hurt.
"Lyn? No, I'm sorry, I don't remember... Please, can you tell me where I am?" She started to feel a lump in her throat, it was like waking up in that field all over again... But this time she had memories, she had Chrom, Lissa, the shepherds... Ylisse.
"You are in Kutolah, a settlement on the Sacae Plains... What about Hector, Lilina? Does any of that sound familiar?"
"No... I don't... Kutolah? Sacae? Are those countries?" She paused for a moment, trying to place these names, yet nothing unveiled itself, "What about Ylisse? Valm?"
"I'm sorry, those names hold no meaning to me."
"Then... How do you know me?"
She watched Lyn take a deep breath, lifting her head as she exhaled, seemingly collecting herself, "Now, that would be an epic tale to be told," She said with a serious calm, "I know this may seem confusing, but believe me when I call you my most trusted friend. This land, Elibe, is your home, and you lived here in peace for many years."
She had no words. This woman, Lyn... Though she bore no memories of her, she felt feelings of familiarity and trust, like her subconscious was willing her to remember. Like invisible ties, pulling at her mind and emotions. "Why...?" She muttered, at ends with herself, "If my life was so peaceful, why would I have left?"
"You did not just leave," She placed a hand on Robin's, squeezing it as if she would never let go again, "There was an accident at a place we call the Dragon's Gate, you fell through it. We tried to find you so many times, but..." Lyn's voice wavered and her eyes welled up, "We thought you were completely lost to us. It's been over three years since you disappeared... And here you are, albeit a little dehydrated, but alive nonetheless. Gods, it's like a miracle," she smiled, using her free hand to dry her eyes.
She took a moment to comprehend what she was hearing. Was she truly lost to this world all those years ago? Was the Dragons Gate the reason she arrived in Ylisse? She tried to think through the dull aching, taking another long drink of water to clear the fog, "Three years... I arrived in Ylisse three years ago."
"It was as we feared... We presumed you had travelled through the Gate to a distant realm. But there was no way we could tell. You were just gone." Lyn almost whispered, clearly dragging up painful memories.
Her mind ticked over what Lyn had said, "So, this Dragon's Gate, it is a portal to other worlds?" She felt relived as the words escaped her, This may be my way home.
"Yes, you could call it that. I am not sure what the gate was like in Ylisse, but ours is volatile and dangerous... In fact, it has been locked from the other side now for years. The only one's who can open it are those that share the souls of dragons... But they no longer reside in this realm."
"But I share..." She looked to her hand, gazing upon the clear skin and absence of the great mark of Grima, "It's gone."
"I noticed that too. How did you manage to rid yourself of the mark?"
"It was the fell dragon, Grima... I killed her with my own hand... I – I should be dead..." She felt confused, victorious, and betrayed all in one thought. How is this even possible... but I remember... Naga, please... I don't understand...
"You defeated Grima?" Lyn gasped.
"You know who Grima is?"
"We were led to believe that Grima was a god of your world, and that the mark you bore on your hand was like a brand, marking you as it's effigy." She paused for a moment, "Naga and Grima do not exist in this world. You were brought here to be kept away from Grima, so you could be safe, and live a life for yourself."
"I was brought here from Ylisse? By who?"
Lyn paused, biting her lip, as if wondering what to say next, "It was... your mother."