Author's Note: I'm back with another I Love You one-shot. For now, I'm focusing on male avatar pairings since I always play as male avatar but someday if I get around to getting the female avatar supports I might try her as well. Yes, the I Love You series focuses around a Fire Emblem character in love with the tactician. With Fire Emblem: If a ways on the horizon, one day it may include those since the avatar character returns.
Short note: After revisiting Cordelia's story and improving it, I figured it best to give Miriel's story a similar treatment. Hopefully you like the changes
For now, please enjoy the fluffiness. If you like this one, check out previous or future one-shots in my profile.
I Love You: Miriel's Love Story
"How fascinating." The little girl muttered. Her short red hair bobbed as she stood on her tip-toes, attempting to observe the ongoing experiment. Her mother, towering above her, was keeping a close eye on the beaker. Inside, a strange liquid the young girl didn't recognized swirled at her mother's hand, turning from clear to white to green and back once more to clear.
"Unfortunately, dear Miriel, you couldn't be further from the truth." Her mother said with a sigh. "This batch must be a failure as well. The projected results are too far away from their intended target."
"Is that bad Mother?" Miriel asked. "Won't you find new results by pursuing this line of experimentation?"
Miriel's mother chuckled softly. She crouched down, placing a hand on her daughter's head. "I'm looking for a specific result, not just experimenting for experiment's sake."
"What result are you looking for then?" Miriel asked curiously, tilting her head.
"When water is infused with certain substances, it becomes fizzy." Miriel's mother explained. "We call this process carbonation. Used in conjunction with other elements, we can create water that tastes like lime but fizzles in the mouth. It is a most fascinating phenomenon I once discovered while traveling the desert with your father."
"It certainly sounds interesting." Miriel nodded.
"Indeed." Miriel's mother replied happily. "Once I have found the necessary compounds to recreate the phenomenon, I can mass produce it. Not only will that give the people a new drink to enjoy, but it will also please your father, I think."
"Hmm…" Miriel mused. "In theory, does that mean if one found this carbonation method, one could create an infinite number of flavors to enhance the taste of water?"
Miriel's mother laughed. "You certainly have taken to the reading I offered you, haven't you little one." She ruffled Miriel's hair. "I suppose that theory holds some weight, though I doubt every flavor would be pleasing to the taste. Could you picture tomato water? I get the feeling that taste wouldn't be very pleasing to the palette."
The girl fell silent as her mother milled about the room, cleaning up the failed results. "Mother, is it true that father won't be returning?" Miriel asked suddenly.
Miriel's mother didn't respond immediately. She seemed to be contemplating how best to answer her intelligent offspring. "War is something I do not take pleasure in, little one. Not only does it interrupt research, but it also shows how ignorance can take its toll on people's personal affairs. In your father's case, he was drafted into the imperial army. You do know what that is, I take it?"
"The imperial army is the men and women who serve our Exalt in his holy crusade against Plegia." Miriel recited. "Though… may I speak candidly, mother?"
"Of course." Miriel's mother replied.
"I find little point in the crusade. It seems simply like bloodshed over futile claims to landmasses that will remain long after the people fighting over them have ceased to function." Miriel tapped her nose, as if pushing up an invisible pair of glasses. "Calling it a holy crusade is little more than political propaganda, used to trick common people into believing the cause for which their families die for is more just than the one of the enemies they fight."
Miriel's mother chuckled. "You really are intelligent, Miriel. Your father was killed in this crusade of our leader's. It is likely very soon that I will be called upon to take his place. Should I be sent to the war, I doubt I shall return."
Miriel's face fell slightly. "If that were to happen, Mother, what should I do without you or father around? I am still young. I doubt many people employ workers as young as I."
Miriel's mother laughed. "Thankfully, Miriel, I don't think there's much to worry about. Let me tell you something research will never show you. As long as you never give up on yourself or what you believe in, you will always find those willing to stand beside you. In battle, in research, in life… Probability simply proves that people are rarely ever left alone."
She ruffled her daughter's hair one more time before standing again, returning to her research. It would be nice to finish before she had to report for duty. Sadly, she glanced at the draft letter addressed in her name, sitting unopened on the table.
Miriel perused her mother's journal once more. Her mother was truly conducting several facets of fascinating research. Aside from the pages on carbonated water, there were theories and basic experiments on the arc of arrows fired from bows at varying degrees versus the arc of magic and attempts to link the two as ranged art forms, a basic theory on trapping ink inside of a quill to make carrying an ink pot unnecessary, a few pages dedicated to Miriel's childhood growth period ensuring her height and weight matched the average of her age or even excelled and finally and most interesting were theories and some small experiments on the forces that bound humans to the ground. The concept was tentatively called gravity, but no one fully understood how it worked. Why were Pegasi and Wyvern able to fly with their wings, while a practioner of wind magic could not fly by using the wind magic as a crutch? These were all fascinating questions to her.
Ten years had passed since her mother had gone to war and not returned. Since then, many things had changed. Miriel was pleased to inform the grave of her parents that her growth had continued as anticipated. She was a fairly attractive sixteen-year old girl and though she spent most of her time on research she did enough to avoid putting on extra weight. Her eyesight had worsened since her childhood, but wearing glasses was not at all uncomfortable. In fact, had she not already known that wearing glasses was only for the visually impaired, she would have suspected this to be her natural state. She continued to keep her hair at just above shoulder-length, but had taken up wearing the classic mage robes of Ylisse. This included a cape and pointed hat, though some mages preferred to go without them these days.
The Exalt of Ylisse had passed away on his holy crusade. Upon his death, the oldest daughter took over the Halidom. Thankfully, she seemed far more intelligent than her father before her. Rather than force the already financially, mentally and physically drained Ylisse to continue the pointless war, she brought it to an end swiftly. Offering what small amount of reparation Ylisse could afford Plegia, she quickly focused her efforts on improving the lives of her citizens. A most commendable and proper act.
In the few years since the end of the war, Emmeryn had quickly become beloved by all. Miriel could suppose she would count among them. That is why, when the slightly younger than her prince came to her door, she did not turn him away.
"Hey." He said, raising a hand. Behind him stood a Knight in full armor, slightly older than she. Assumedly this was his guard. She'd have to avoid any inflammatory comments. Thankfully her continued readings allowed her vocabulary to be at the peak of usefulness. She would be sure to explain herself carefully and in full when necessary.
"Good afternoon." Miriel said, bowing politely before stepping aside. The Prince rightly took it as an invitation to step inside, which he did.
"I guess you already know me then. Hopefully that makes this easy." Chrom said, standing inside the door but avoiding looking around.
It was not as if he needed to be polite. Miriel prided herself on her immaculate upkeep. Only her books tended to be messy on occasion and even then only when she was in the middle of very important testing. After all, several theories spanned several texts and she needed to test them properly and quickly in succession. She supposed the prince wouldn't be interested in knowing that, however. "Prince Chrom, correct?"
"Yup. Though you can do away with the prince if you want, I don't mind." Chrom said, waving a hand airily.
"I prefer to use titles. I helps keep an order to conversation." Miriel replied.
"That sounds worse than Frederick." Chrom sighed.
"Milord, I would prefer you to refrain from defacing me in front of strangers." The Knight spoke.
"It is alright. Your devotion to your duty is clear." Miriel said. "My assessment of you is likely accurate within a single percent."
"I… see." Frederick replied uneasily, before falling silent once more.
"Look uh… we've… heard about you around town." Chrom said. "House Ylisse is putting together a special protection force. I'm calling it the Shepards. We could use someone of your talents."
Miriel pushed up her glasses. "A fighting force? I'm afraid you may have my tendencies confused. While I certainly practice magic, I have no combat experience. I prefer experimenting and learning more about the natural world to fighting. If you are merely looking for a magic user, I suggest looking elsewhere."
"No no!" Chrom said. "We're not a fighting force. Well, not a typical one. How do I explain…"
Miriel sighed. It was difficult to deal with people who couldn't articulate their points properly. "Do you mean you are simply a group of people who will pretend to fight? An entourage for a prince while he goes about the town?"
"No!" Chrom said again. "We're… elites, of a sort. I want to use the Shepards to preemptively deal with issues. So my sister won't have as much of a burden. I mean, all I'm good for is fighting, so maybe there will be times when that happens, but I don't want the Shepards to be a bunch of meat-heads looking for their next fight. Does that make sense?"
Miriel placed her hands on her hips. She didn't do this often, but this prince's talk was difficult to deal with in her usual manner. "A gathering of elites… I see. So you are searching out talents that compliment your own. As you claim to only be good for fighting, you are currently searching for a mind to back up your brawn, is that it?"
"Well, when you put it like that you make it sound more like I'm looking for a wife, but yeah, that's the gist of it." Chrom said, nodding.
Miriel considered the Prince's proposition. It was not as if she was unhappy with her current life. She managed to scrape together a living on her own, continuing her research at her own leisure. However, she knew a part of her was unfulfilled. Living alone was, for lack of a more intricate term, lonely. She could still recall her mother's words before she left for the war. Could this be her chance to change her routine? Would it lead her to a place where she would find this true companion? Perhaps it was worth taking the chance. "I think I will accept this offer. Are conditions and wages acceptable?"
"Wages are certainly more than enough to live on." Chrom replied. "We also have a barracks. You can take a room for your lodging and a room for your experiments, if you like."
"I would." Miriel said with a nod. "Continuing my experiments is fundamental to increase my knowledge of the natural world."
"Right." Chrom said, though Miriel doubted highly he understood. "Welcome aboard, Miriel."
Miriel looked up from her beaker. No matter how hard she tried, she found herself unable to replicate her mother's success with the carbonated water drink. What she was missing she could not be sure, but the attempts had taken up so much time she realized she had missed Lissa's introduction of the new person joining the Shepards. In fact, she had taken so long that the Shepards were already marching. If she recalled, there had been rumors of a strange group of creatures near the border.
No, that was incorrect. They were no longer just a rumor. Chrom had confirmed their existence himself while he had been traveling with Frederick and Lissa. It was along the way they picked up the strange new man. According to the excitable Princess, he was quite the genius when it came to tactics. That suited the Shepards just fine. Until now they had no leader in battle. Chrom was often too busy in the front to direct the back and the one time Miriel had taken over battle planning she had taken so long on the explanation that by the end the group decided to ignore her strategy completely. It was rather unfortunate. She had spent two weeks studying tactics just to make an adequate battle plan. It was one of the rare cases when she had failed.
Not that failure was bad. No, she was quickly learning to embrace failure. Many more happened now that she was interacting with people more often. In fact, Ricken often sat in on her experiments, asking questions that either led her to new and interesting theories or resulted in large wastes of time. Not that she particularly minded. It was unfortunate to admit, but her research into her mother's theories was hitting a dead end. The same dead end that her mother no doubt experienced herself.
With barely enough time to grab her spellbook and hat, Miriel rushed after the group. If she was lucky, she would manage to catch up to them before the entirety of the enemy was defeated. If she could, she would like to get a sample of these 'Risen.' If she could study them, she had little doubt she could figure out why they acted the way they did and perhaps come up with a better counter-measure. Assuming she had enough time, of course. "Splendid!" She cried, upon spotting the group fighting just ahead. "I've caught up at last. Now to extirpate these brutes…"
As she hurried forward, she nearly tripped over a large axe laying on the ground. "Why would an axe be lying here? I'd not thought such dereliction permissible among the Shepards. Still, I'd be remiss to not return this implement to its owner. Perhaps along with a stern word or two of disapprobation!" She spotted Vaike, the shirtless blonde muscle-man, looking around frantically for something. "Ah, naturally." Miriel mused to herself. The answer truly was simpler than she would have made it out to be. After all, Only Sumia and Kellam remained, one being a noncombatant while the other used a lance. He also had an uncanny ability to disappear instantaneously from sight. Oh how she wished he would remain in her presence long enough for her to at least consider a theory on his strange vanishing act.
With a keen awareness of her surroundings, Miriel made her way over to the miscreant. It wouldn't do for her to be assaulted while attempting to return the missing implement, so a bit of caution was warranted. When she held up the axe in front of him, the man grinned at her sheepishly. "My axe!"
"I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon." Miriel sighed. "Though as I surmised the answer was far too obvious."
"Thanks." Vaike said, grabbing the axe and hefting it onto his shoulder. "For the axe, anyway."
"Perhaps the next time I'll use a spell to fasten it to your hands… permanently." Miriel said, grinning slyly. She was quite sure she had remediated her vocabulary enough for Vaike to understand her, and by the way he paled and quickly ran over to Chrom on the front line suggested she was correct.
As she opened her spellbook to contribute to the battle herself, she spotted a white haired man protecting Lissa from one of the Risen. Ah, of course. This must be the 'Robin' she had talked about then. A mite taller than herself, short and unkempt white hair, using both a sword and tome at the same time…
Hold that thought for a millisecond. A sword and tome in unison? Furthermore, he seemed equally skilled in both! "Fascinating…" Miriel mused. She would have to introduce herself as soon as the opportunity allowed. This Robin was bound to be a source of new theories. Already even before they had been properly introduced she had three new postulations swirling in her head. The desire for research had been very much renewed.
"Pleasant daily greetings to you." Miriel said, bowing slightly to Robin.
"Huh?" Robin asked, a bit confused. "Oh, good morning. You're… Miriel right?"
"Correct." Miriel affirmed. "I do not believe I've had the chance to introduce myself."
"Lissa gave me far too much information on everybody." Robin said, chuckling. "For now, I'm just trying to make sure I learn all the member's names without confusing them."
"A noble ambition." Miriel agreed. "As the Shepards are likely to add more members in the coming times with the madness of King Gangrel, do you suspect you will be able to keep up?"
"I'll try." Robin said, with a slightly uneasy smile. "Did you need something, by the way?"
"Hmm?" Miriel asked, surprised. "Yes, I did come with certain goals in mind for our encounter, but how did you surmise as such?"
"The look in your eyes." Robin said, waving a hand airily. It did remind her slightly of Chrom. "That's the look of someone with an ulterior motive. Not that I think you're a bad person for having one or anything."
"Most people only interact with ulterior motives in mind, after all." Miriel said, pushing up her glasses knowingly. "Very well, I shall skip the normal pleasantries."
"Well, we don't have to drop them completely." Robin said quickly. "I do want us to get along."
"Naturally." Miriel agreed. "My question pertains to your fighting technique. I have never before seen a fighter able to use both swords and magic in conjunction the way you do. Certainly, there exists magic users known as dark knights who can use swords and tomes while on horseback, but nowhere near your level of efficiency on the ground alone."
"Ah… Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure myself." Robin said sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Your natural level of ability allows you to perform such feats?" Miriel asked.
"I don't know." Robin said with a shake of his head. "I uh… I have amnesia. I know how to function normally throughout the day and I certainly have an unusual grasp for combat and tactics, but… I don't remember anything about my past. In fact, the first thing I recall is Chrom and Lissa finding me in a field."
Miriel balked. For a man to be as gifted as he was and to not even recall the most basics of his past… what motivated his desire to learn fighting originally? How had he developed his technique? What sort of experiments must he have gone through? There was so much she wanted to know, but Robin himself didn't know the answers. It was… well… "Fascinating." Miriel said with a soft smile. "Would you mind if I aided in searching for your memories?"
"Huh? I guess not." Robin shrugged. "At the moment I'm not particularly worried about it. I'm more concerned about this Regna Ferox we're supposed to be arriving at. Do you know anything about it?"
"An exchange of information?" Miriel said, her interest sparked. "Certainly, if you are looking for information, there is no better choice within our forces than I. Regna Ferox is one of many places I've studied in great depth. The harsh winters that last months on end were particularly fascinating for a time during my study of weather effects on local populace."
What followed was a lengthy explanation of the effects weather had on people and their culture which formed around what they could farm and protect with their forces. Regna Ferox, with very small concentrated lands, only needed small amounts of protection. Because of this, Ferox had East and West factions that battled every few years in a grand tournament for the rights to rule over the land for a time. It was, as Miriel put it, 'a fascinating custom that not many outside of Ferox would truly comprehend. Their honor demands they remain strong to faithfully protect their small amount of useable farmland.'
Miriel certainly was informative. Perhaps too much so.
It was rather impressive the way Robin had led them to victory in the arena. Chrom himself had accepted Khan Flavia's proposal to partake in the tournament on her faction's behalf. Robin, Chrom, Frederick, Sumia and herself were participants in this grand match. Healers were considered unfair, so although Lissa had wanted to participate she was forced to sit on the side. No matter how much she puffed her cheeks in annoyance, simple facts would not change.
Their formation was thus: Chrom and Frederick took the front. Having fought together so long their coordination was the best among the small group. Sumia backed them up, using her aerial advantage to fly circles around the battlefield. She would not have been Miriel's pick, especially since Sumia had only just recently participated in her first battle. However, Robin's tactics were better than she had anticipated. He and she would trade off firing magic spells into the fray, relying on near pinpoint precision to hit their targets. It became quickly apparent why he had chosen her and not Virion for this task.
Not only was her accuracy on par with the archer's, but the heavy armor most Feroxi used were heavy variants that withstood the blows of weapons exceedingly well. However, they were weak to magic because of this. The heavy armor impaired their movement, and by merely hitting them with magic their health points (or fighting spirit depending on which theory you subscribed to) would drop considerably, allowing Chrom and Frederick to knock their opponents out. Thankfully, at least in this case, they were not fighting to kill each other.
Finally, Chrom's duel against the mysterious figure known as 'Marth' was quite a sight to behold. The two battled in a similar style and it was through sheer willpower alone that Chrom had found his opening and managed to disarm the young fighter. By Miriel's calculation, the young fighter was faster, but considerably weaker than Chrom in terms of pure power. This likely meant that this 'Marth' was a woman, an observation that perhaps made little to no difference in the long run. They weren't likely to meet again, after all.
She walked the halls of Regna Ferox, taking in the interesting castle design. It certainly was different than her projections. Contrary to her belief, the castle was not built to keep out the cold. This meant the Feroxi people embraced the cold as their ally rather than an enemy. Perhaps it was even more intelligent of them to do so. It was their strength that caused Ylisse to come to them searching for an alliance.
War though… She had honestly believed she would be spared such horrors in Emmeryn's time. Perhaps it was a naïve childish notion, but she had hoped one day that Ylisse and Plegia would live in peace. Sadly, the Mad King wanted none of those peaceful sentiments. If Miriel's calculations were correct… The following moment Miriel's thoughts were rudely interrupted, as she tripped on a stray piece of the flooring that had come loose, landing face first on the floor. It certainly hurt more than she would've preferred. "How discomposing."
"Ouch." She heard the voice of Robin from just behind her. In her thoughts, she hadn't even noticed the white haired tactician behind her. The next moment he offered her his hand. "That looked like a pretty bad spill, Miriel. Are you hurt?"
"A minor contusion." Miriel stated, rubbing her nose gently with one hand, and grasping the tactician's in the other. He helped her to her feet with a gentle tug. "Benign."
"Everything you were carrying went flying too." Robin said, crouching down near the ground to begin picking them up. "I see some herbs, a few papers… what's this? A book? Journal maybe?"
Miriel glanced at the book Robin was holding, before blanching. "Unhand that, sir!" She yelped uncharacteristically, grabbing it roughly from the tactician's hands.
"Sorry!" Robin apologized quickly. "I didn't realize it was so important to you."
"Important?" Miriel repeated, looking down at her mother's journal. Certainly, that argument could be made. Most of her research was based out of it, after all. "Hmm…"
"Miriel?" Robin asked in confusion. He had gathered the rest of the supplies and was offering them to her.
"I suppose it does bear some import, yes." Miriel admitted, accepting the items and returning them carefully to her pouch. "It's a lodestar, of sorts. One that points the way to the truth."
"The truth… wow." Robin said, seeming genuinely impressed. "Who wrote it? A famous mage or scholar?"
Miriel smiled wryly. "Not famous at all, no. The author was my mother."
"Ah. That explains the rough binding." Robin said, crossing his arms thoughtfully. After a moment he seemed to realize his mistake. "Er, no offense intended, of course. Still, it's impressive. Was your mother a mage as well then? Or perhaps a scientist?"
Miriel blinked. It was the first time someone had been so curious about her family. Most of the Shepards had known her parents deceased, so the topic was rarely if ever touched upon. Robin's complete disregard for that was… interesting. "What is the impetus for your inquiry?" She asked.
"Impetus for my… you mean why am I asking you that?" Robin said, chuckling softly. "Err… I dunno? Curiosity? Wouldn't most people want to know?"
Miriel pushed up her glasses. She supposed she should be happy they didn't break when she fell. Not that she didn't have back-up pairs just in case. "An automatic reaction to conversational stimulus. I see…"
"Umm, did I say something strange?" Robin asked, a bit perplexed.
Miriel felt a strange sense of warmth. It was the first time she had a conversation that could be considered… normal. It merited further study, certainly. "Curious. Spontaneous reactive curiosity. Fascinating. A subject certainly worth further investigation, but what could be the underlying mechanism?"
Robin sighed. "I really think you're reading too much into this."
War. It was not a foreign concept. However, to truly know that Ylisse was once more at war with Plegia… was not a pleasant feeling. Miriel hadn't once picked up an experiment since returning to Ylisse. After their return, Gangrel declared war. He razed villages near the border to the ground, blaming bandits while claiming Ylisse citizens crossed the border with ill intent. Despicable.
No, it was worse than that. Mere days after Gangrel's declaration, he had attempted to have the royal family assassinated. Had it not been for the woman posing as Marth (her assumption about not meeting the masked stranger again having been disproven) and Robin's quick thinking, The Exalt may very well have perished. What would they do now?
"Miriel? Are you okay?" Ricken asked, poking his head into the room. He had recently gotten admitted into the Shepards. It wasn't that he didn't deserve it or didn't have the talent, but until now he had been too young to join the fight. Even now Miriel wasn't sure it sat well with her. Ricken was merely fourteen. Even Lissa was a mite older than he was. She herself had recently turned twenty. During this time most woman would be searching for a life partner in earnest if they hadn't already found one. Miriel's thoughts were too full of other things to bother.
"Greetings to you, Ricken." Miriel said simply, still absorbed in her own thoughts.
"Yeah, hey. You did hear me though, right? I asked if you're okay." Ricken stated, repeating himself for her sake.
"There are no anomalies in my daily functions." Miriel replied.
"That's… not what I meant, you know?" Ricken asked with a small sigh.
"Whatever could you be implying then?" Miriel returned.
"Well I just… I was only… Nevermind." Ricken said with another sigh. "I guess you're alright if you can still talk circles around me."
"It is only because I possess a vocabulary level highly above those who do not pursue knowledge in the way I do." Miriel defended.
"Of course of course." Ricken said, sticking out his tongue. "You know, it's okay to have friends too, though. I just wanted you to know I'm here for you. That's okay, isn't it?"
After a moment, Miriel smiled. "I see nothing wrong with your implication." She agreed.
"Oh, blast it!" Robin cursed under his breath. They were once more making their way to Regna Ferox, though under very different circumstances. "My item pouch is gone. I must have dropped it along the way…"
Miriel smiled. Luckily, she had been present when Robin's pouch dropped from his belt. In fact, she had picked it up. She had simply been waiting for the proper opportunity to return it to him. "I assume this is the object in question?" Miriel asked, holding up Robin's pouch.
"Oh, yeah it is!" Robin exclaimed. "Thanks, Miriel. I keep it tied to my belt, but it's always falling off for some reason."
Some reason? No, the reason was exceedingly simple. Perhaps it would be best if she explained so he understood. She could do that much for him. "Such actions are indicative of a pervasive downward force exerted on the object. My Mother's book contained a passage espousing a similar theory…"
In her excitement, she couldn't hear Robin. "So, umm, can I have my pouch back now?"
Miriel was busy flipping through her Mother's journal. She quickly found the passage she was looking for. "Here's the passage in question. 'On all objects there acts a force which pulls them ever groundward. Though invisible and without apparent cause, it exists nonetheless. I posit that it is by this principle,' which is currently referred to as gravity by most scientific minds, 'that we remain rooted to the ground.' Most intriguing!"
By this point, Miriel may as well have forgotten poor Robin was there. It wasn't intentional, but when she got wrapped up in her theories no one was able to stop her. "Miriel? Hello?"
"Yet birds, Pegasi and Wyvern fly unencumbered by this force. Though I suppose that is not entirely the correct way to put it. It is more like they possess a quality that allows them to push back against this force. I can only posit that it is their wings which allow this, though how or why is uncertain at best. Biology was never my field of study, so it is difficult to say I could learn simply by studying them. Similarly, the sun, stars and clouds do not fall from the sky. What explains these exceptions? Unlike birds, there is no decent theory with which to posit a working hypothesis. Certainly, one could create their own, but the time necessary to develop such a theory is beyond measure. Months at the very least, if not several years. One could claim that even a decade would not be enough time."
"MIRIEL!" Robin shouted suddenly.
Miriel jumped. Well, jumped is not the correct word. For a moment, her heart felt as though it were caught in her throat, before it began to hammer ceaselessly in her chest. It was most discomforting. "Ah."
Robin seemed to realize his mistake as Miriel's lecture ceased, placing a hand to her bosom thoughtfully. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, it was just… sorry."
"My respiratory functions ceased for a moment." Miriel reported. "It was most disruptive. I would ask you not repeat such actions that will further disrupt my thoughts."
Robin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Miriel sighed. "I require a period of quiet solitude to marshal my thoughts. I was close to touching upon a new idea. I must see if it cannot be recaptured. Farewell."
She turned and left, perhaps with a bit more agitation than she had ever felt before. She didn't even hear Robin's soft voice questioningly behind her. "Wait… my pouch? Can I get that back? Maybe?"
"Hah!" Sully roared in laughter, taking a swig from her drink. They were currently at Castle Ferox. They had word that Emmeryn had been captured. Even now, Lord Chrom and Robin were in a conference with each other devising strategies.
"I hardly see what is so laughable about it." Miriel said coldly. She wasn't a drinker, since it dulled her mind and she preferred keeping herself as sharp as possible.
"It's you, Miriel. You're so bad at socializing, it makes me feel like a social butterfly princess!" Sully chuckled. "You seriously started espousing that gigantic theory to Robin? You realize anyone less then him or Ricken would have their brains ooze out their ears, right?"
"It is not as if I intended to find myself on such an interesting train of thought." Miriel admitted. "However, it was still rude to interrupt. I lost a good percentage of the thoughts that were just on the tip of my mind."
"Yeah well, it's not like you remembered to give him back his pouch, is it?" Sully said.
"Whose pouch?" Miriel asked.
"Robin's pouch." Sully answered.
"What about it?" Miriel asked.
"You forgot to give it back to him." Sully stated.
"Did I?" Miriel mused. She honestly couldn't recall.
"From the sounds of it. What, your great mind can't remember it for yourself?" Sully teased.
"Of course I recall, I…" Miriel suddenly realized her mistake. She looked away from Sully, who was looking at her with a playful glint in her eye. "I am merely holding onto it as a penalty for his interference."
"Oh? So now little miss smarty-pants holds a grudge?" Sully asked, snickering.
"No, that is not possible." Miriel said clearly. "I merely… It was just… You can be most infuriating to converse with."
"Isn't that what makes it fun?" Sully laughed. In spite of herself, Miriel smiled. She supposed she should try and remember to return the pouch at the next opportunity.
"I… suppose you have a point. Thank you, Sully." Miriel said.
"It's what friends are for." Sully grinned.
"So, when is it that you plan to stop pretending you do not possess deep affection for Chrom?" Miriel asked.
Sully blushed. "Hey now! That's uh… huh well technically that does fall under girl talk but uh… look I'm not so great at that okay? I'll… try and figure something out."
"I would recommend haste." Miriel said simply. "Chrom's attributes suggest he will have several women vying for his affections. While I myself hold no interest in that sort of relationship with him, surely you can see the signs?"
Sully sighed. "Yeah, you're logic is pretty infallible there. Sumia has been appealing pretty hard. I just find it hard when it comes to… you know, to romance. I'm not the most girly, so I kinda feel a bit inadequate."
"Why?" Miriel asked. "You are strong, loving and follow your convictions through. I would think any man foolish to not enjoy your company. Though I admit I do not know what causes two parties to fall in love. Perhaps I should create a working theory to aid you in your attempt?"
"With all due respect, Miriel," Sully said, putting down her mug, "This is a battle a girl's gotta do on her own. I wouldn't be worthy of Chrom if I didn't put my best foot forward myself, you get me?"
"I suppose your stipulation makes a fair amount of sense." Miriel agreed. "Will you at least allow me to root for you?"
"Hah! Of course you can. It's good to have a friend to fall back on. If he rejects me, you're the first shoulder I'll cry to, got it?" Sully said, jabbing her finger in Miriel's face.
"Though I'm terrible at consolation practices, I will do my best if that were to occur." Miriel said. "Hopefully that will not be necessary."
"Got that right." Sully agreed.
Emmeryn was dead. She had fallen from a height no normal person could survive. They had done everything they could for her, and it still wasn't enough. Chrom was having difficulties dealing with his loss, but there were many around him supporting him. Lissa, Frederick and Sully were with him. He would recover in time.
Miriel was more worried about Robin. It was the first time, particularly since he suffered from amnesia, that his tactics had resulted in a failure even with their best efforts. Since they had returned to Regna Ferox, he had rarely come out from his room. Without knowing what else to do, Miriel began to experiment.
In hindsight, a part of her felt guilty as well. If she had studied her Mother's gravity theory in more detail, or perhaps if she had figured out the principle behind using wind magic to fly, perhaps she could have been more help. Perhaps the Exalt, who had done so much for her people, would not have needed to die. It was a silly thought, one born of desire, so she knew how foolish it was. Still, she couldn't stop herself. If she at least kept her hands moving, it felt like the sorrow moved further away.
It was during these experiments that, without her knowing, she helped Robin get over his depression as well. She was writing her findings on how and why objects fell in the way and at the rate they did. "So, given these conditions, a body with mass of X falls at the rate of Y…"
Robin sighed. "What are you doing with my pouch, Miriel?"
Miriel hadn't even noticed she was using Robin's pouch for the experiment. However, that didn't matter. Since he had asked, she would explain. "Experimenting in an attempt to establish a unified theory of falling. Whether thrown, catapulted or dropped from great heights, it falls to the ground. The results have been consistent across hundreds of trials."
Robin's face paled. "Hey! I had a lot of fragile things in that pouch! Potions and baubles and…" Robin sighed again. "You know what? Nevermind. You can keep it."
Miriel's face had fallen slightly at Robin's information. Perhaps she should've checked before using it to test her theory, but admittedly her thoughts were not their usual polished selves. She brightened upon his offer. "Thank you."
"Sometimes I wish you'd show half as much interest in people as you do in science." Robin said, sitting at the table while she continued to write.
"I am interested, just in certain people. You, for example." Miriel stated, pushing up her glasses.
"Me?" Robin asked in surprise, blushing. "Why me?"
Miriel smiled. "You have a virtuosic proficiency in strategy, despite your amnesia. It is truly fascinating if you stop to consider it. From your battle sense, we can extrapolate two possible hypotheses. One: talent is wholly independent from memory and experience. This hypotheses suggests that you've always had an inclination for battle. While not wholly unheard of, I do believe it to be the lesser of two theories. Your general desire to keep everyone involved alive suggests you hold no great love of battle, so you likely took great pains to learn your craft to protect others. That suggest the second theory: memories and experience related to the use of one's talents cannot be lost."
"Are you still talking to me?" Robin asked, just to check. It was true last time she had allowed her own thoughts to overtake her, but this time she was indeed talking directly to him.
"I am, yes." Miriel said with a small smile.
"And uh… you're not going to tell me not to disturb your thoughts like last time?" Robin asked.
"I admit I was partially if not mostly in the wrong in the previous instance." Miriel said, looking away. She did not need to show Robin that she herself was a bit embarrassed in admitting this. "Though I can tell you that if you wish."
"No thanks." Robin said, chuckling. "I'm just happy to know I wasn't being a bother, I guess."
"That would be difficult to achieve." Miriel said simply. "You are quite the center of focus on my part, after all."
Robin's blushed worsened. If Miriel was being entirely honest with herself, she found it rather cute. "Oh. Okay then. I just don't like to think I'm bothering a friend."
Miriel felt a strange pang at his words. Was it… disappointment? About what? Most fascinatingly, she was having difficulty understanding her own emotional state. "I was…unaware our interactions had acquired the label of friendship."
"Why wouldn't they?" Robin asked innocently. "I think it must have happened somewhere along the way, right? Or am I wrong again?"
Miriel shook her head, placing a hand to her bosom again. What was this strange feeling? She should be happy, yet it was as if she continually yearned for more. One thing was certain, this feeling certainly was "Fascinating."
The war was won. Upon the battlefield, Chrom and Sully worked beautifully together to strike Gangrel down. Robin's part was not small either. He had held the Mad King back with magic Miriel had rarely seen, breaking the King's Levin Sword and forcing him to fight Chrom with a normal weapon. The trade-off was not spectacular, but the war was over. No more blood would need to be spilled.
They traveled back to Ylisse, during which time Miriel spent a lot of time talking to Ricken. She would have liked a chance to speak to Sully about these strange pains in her chest when she looked at Robin, but Sully seemed to have been able to convey her feelings to Chrom. Those feelings were… exuberant to say the least. She hadn't meant to nearly walk in on them during their time together, but the fates seemingly conspired against her in that instance.
What else was she to do though? All she could think was to continue talking with Ricken as he pestered her with questions about her research. It wasn't as if she minded talking about it, after all. Thanks to Robin's contribution, she felt like she was several steps closer to finally breaking the wall in her mother's research. In fact, she felt oddly motivated to try new experiments with other of her mother's experiments as well. It was if new life had been breathed into each page.
"New life?" Ricken asked in surprise. "Huh. Well I'm not sure I understand but isn't that awesome?"
"Yes. I'm just unsure as to why a conversation with Robin would have resulted in it." Miriel admitted.
"Hmm… well Robin is pretty smart." Ricken said, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "Did he give you an idea?"
"Nothing of the sort." Miriel said. "I suspect Robin had only slightly less difficulty dealing with my conversation than most. He is above average intelligence, but certainly hasn't the necessary knowledge to advance my theory."
"Why then?" Ricken asked curiously.
"I do not know." Miriel said. "Something about talking with him was… different. It was not that he said anything particularly insightful, or helpful, but upon explaining, I somehow found my ideas were expanding upon themselves."
"Huh. That's weird." Ricken said. "Sorry, Miriel, but I'm not sure I'm going to be much help with that."
"Well, I did think to talk to Sully, but she's been occupied with Chrom." Miriel said.
"Ah yeah, those two are going to totally get hitched." Ricken said matter-of-factly.
"Hitched. You could call it by its proper term." Miriel said with a sigh.
"Marriage?" Ricken said. "It's the same either way, right? They're in love."
"Love… I wonder what that sensation is like." Miriel muttered. "If it were as simple as joy or sorrow I could postulate a theory, but none of the men or women I have asked in my analysis ever gave me a concrete answer to work with. It was simply like they didn't understand it themselves."
"Is that so bad?" Ricken asked. "Sometimes we just don't understand things, no matter how smart we are."
"I'm… not sure that sits well with me." Miriel sighed. "I… enjoy learning. Discovering how things work. To not be able to understand it down to its basic form is…"
"Then maybe you should try falling in love?" Ricken continued. "Though from what I've heard, love just sort of… happens."
"Happens…" Miriel touched the area around her heart. "I wonder…"
"You what?!" Sully spat out her drink in surprise. Miriel had to admit, it was both reassuring and disheartening in equal doses to see the new Queen wasn't planning on changing her normal behavior. As she wiped her glasses off, she let out an exasperated sigh.
"I believe I was perfectly clear in my word choice." Miriel said simply.
"Well yeah, you were." Sully admitted. "But, come on Miriel, this is you we're talking about. You're not generally the type to concern yourself with these things."
"Well yes, but as it has now happened, I see no reason to deny it." Miriel countered.
"Point to the smart lady." Sully said. "But seriously… you're sure about this?"
"Sure?" Miriel asked. "No, I am not certain. That's what I find most fascinating about all of this."
"Hah! Now that sounds like a woman in love." Sully chuckled. "So, what are you going to do?"
"I perused the item pouch donated to my research." Miriel said. "Inside I found… this." Miriel produced a small ring from her pocket, placing it on the table.
"Oh? Robin's had that tucked away for this long?" Sully asked, surprised. "He's certainly got a few secrets tucked away in that coat of his."
"It does make me… nervous." Miriel said. "If he bought it, there was likely a woman whom he originally wanted to give it to."
"But he gave the pouch to you, so either he gave up on her or she was in love with someone else, is that what you think?" Sully asked.
Miriel nodded. "I thought it… prudent to return it to him. In that act, perhaps I can learn if he… ahem." She coughed, attempting to ignore the laughter Sully expelled happily at her blushing face. "I do wish you would be more understanding. It was not so long ago you yourself were facing said dilemma."
"No worries, Miriel." Sully said, giving her a sat pat on the shoulder. "I'm rooting for you all the way."
"When you begin laughing immediately after saying so," Miriel began, as Sully's laughter began anew, "your support feels a lot less meaningful."
"You're imagining things." Sully grinned. "Now, go get yourself a husband."
Miriel had her plan. It made the most sense to stick to it. Upon arriving at the barracks, she found Robin relatively easily. She approached him once she insured that they were alone. "Might I have a moment, Robin?"
Robin turned to face her. "Ah, Miriel! Of course, give me just a moment." Robin turned back to the cabinet. He must've been taking inventory of their medical supplies. Certainly, the war against Gangrel had drained them to almost nothing. Once he finished, he followed Miriel back to her research room. This way she could be doubly sure of their privacy. "What is it?"
"The pouch you donated to my research a few months back…" Miriel began, reaching into her pocket, "it contained this."
She handed the ring to Robin, who looked at it with a small nostalgic smile. "Ah, right. This."
Miriel nearly smiled at his embarrassment. "Judging from the torrid shape and material properties, I surmised it to be some manner of ring. Quite beautifully crafted, if a tad naïve in design. Did you make it yourself?"
"Me?" Robin asked. "No, crafting certainly isn't one of my talents. When I first came to be the Shepard's tactician, I was studying up on everything I could to try and return bits of my memory. One of the things I studied was the marriage customs in Ylisse. When I went to town to do a bit more research, I found that. It was too pretty in my opinion to simply pass it up, so I bought it. I figured if I ever found someone to marry I could… you know, give it to them."
Miriel felt a strange dual sensation. Part of her was happy that Robin didn't have a special someone. However, she had been right in her assumption that he had bought in the case he wanted to marry. Did that mean he had someone in mind? He must have, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered. Would he? It was illogical to spend money on something one would not use, but then again it wasn't as if everyone acted on her sense of logic. "My apologies, then. I should have returned it to you sooner." She bowed slightly to indicate as much.
Robin blushed, but he also seemed to be thinking about something. After a few moments, he took a deep breath before looking Miriel in the eyes. The look was… alluring to her? She certainly found herself blushing when she had least expected it. She could claim that was because of his next words. "Actually… how about you uh… how about you keep it?"
Miriel blinked. Her mind had gone blank. So that's what that sensation felt like. She wasn't entirely sure what words would come out of her mouth when she spoke, but she knew she needed to speak. "Are you… certain? But you claimed it's a ring you'd give to your future wife?"
Robin scratched his cheek. How was he remaining so in control? "Yeah that's… that was kind of my point."
Miriel's heart leapt. Her brain continued to be gloriously empty, but her body felt lighter than she had ever expected. "I see. The ring is for your wife, yet you give me the ring. Ergo… I would be your wife."
"Well, I mean… That's one to think about it." Robin said, his words finally beginning to fail him. "Err, yes, that's the idea."
Miriel's brain, returning full form from its glorious blank state, quickly began working overtime to compensate. "How interesting. No concrete boundary demarcates the entrance to friendship, so observing its effects has always been difficult, yet the spousal relationship is strictly codified through explicit cues and rituals!" Miriel's smile spread across her face, wider than she had ever experienced. "Very well. From this moment on, the transitive property holds that I am yours."
"Well, you do have a choice in the matter, you know?" Robin said. "Just because there are rituals and whatnot involved..."
"I'm well aware of this." Miriel said, walking over towards Robin. "Call it spontaneous reactive affection. Or an automatic reply to emotional stimuli. Or perhaps it's an invisible, inexorable force that draws me to you. Whatever the causation, I suspect I've fallen for you, perhaps long before I even realized it." Miriel's eyes widened as she finally understood the words her mother had spoken to her long ago. Finding someone to share your life with, finding friends to confide in… it was how her research would progress in ways she never imagined, while keeping her life enjoyable and interesting. "Fascinating! This calls for a new unified theory!"
"Well, we've got the rest of our lives to figure it out." Robin said. "Though, I may need you to explain a good deal of it so I can keep up."
"Of course." Miriel said happily. She extended her hand, and Robin gently placed the ring upon her finger. Sure, they would need to participate in the classic rituals of wedding ceremonies and bachelor parties. She wasn't going to miss out on these excellent chances for research. For now, however, she would take joy in the man in front of her. "Let us begin the experimentation immediately."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and brought her lips to his for their first kiss. Yes, this certainly called for whole new level of science she had never expected to encounter.
The ceremony wasn't large, but Miriel preferred it that way. With the Queen and King as their Best Man and Woman, if they had let this marriage go outside the Shepards there would be far too many clingers for their enjoyment. She had already gotten excellent data from Robin about his bachelor's night, and similarly she had excellent data from her bachelorette night. The wedding planning and ceremony itself all gave her interesting a new avenues she had never thought possible to consider as well.
As she looked at Robin, she couldn't help but speak. "What rapture… to have an astute significant other with whom to scrutinize this world's illimitable mysteries!" Miriel said, a soft smile spreading across her face.
"It's only the beginning." Robin said.
"A beginning… yes, perhaps that is not the incorrect terminology to use in this instance." Miriel said, as she brought herself in to kiss her new spouse.
Throughout the years, Ylisse was blessed with several wonderful new inventions, though the original creator of each remains unknown. However, it is suspecting that Miriel, close friend of the Queen, asked to remain anonymous in most of those creations. She preferred to keep her life separate from her products, enjoying a long and happy life with her loving husband. They were blessed with several children, each one inheriting Miriel's insatiable thirst for knowledge.