Disclaimer: Awakening is a great game but sadly I do not own it and can take no credit...So I'll just play around with it.
A/N: A tie-in with my other awakening fic, with the same tactician but not necessary to read as well in order to enjoy this one!
Their labored breathing filled her ears as the fighting ended all around them. They had done it. They had won. Holding a hand to the gash on her side, Feyn straightened, observing the field. With Gangrel dead, most of the remaining Plegian soldiers laid down their weapons. Healers wove through the field, tending to those who wouldn't be able to make it back to camp under their own power. Feyn waved Lissa away, assuring her friend she was in no immediate danger. There were others in more need of healing than her.
As Chrom and the other Shepherds looked around, wandering off when they saw someone in need, Feyn remained rooted. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something didn't sit well with her. The hairs on her neck were on end, warning her of a danger she couldn't see. Her eyes scanned the battlefield, not focusing on any one thing while trying to take in everything. There! A glint from the fort walls. She reached for a tome but met with air. It had been used up during that last fight. The archers were targeting someone down below. Following their intended flight path, she paled.
"Chrom." With her next breath she was sprinting the short distance between them. "Chrom! Archers!" The prince looked up at her call but didn't comprehend the urgency in her voice. She rammed full-body into him, knocking him back and simultaneously let out a grunt of pain.
"Feyn!"
Chrom caught hold of Feyn before she could tumble to the ground as arrows and magic were let loose on the culprits. "Gods, Feyn!" Two arrows had punched through her light armor and were embedded in her back. Cradling her as he knelt to the ground, Chrom was frantic. "Lissa!"
His sister was already rushing to his side after witnessing the barrage upon the hidden archers. "I'm here. I'm here. Holy cow!" Lissa knelt across from her brother, surveying the damage while gripping her staff. With light fingers she examined the punctures, causing Feyn to cry out and flinch into Chrom. "I know Feyn but they have got to come out. I can't do anything like this. Libra!" she called to the monk.
He hastened over and upon seeing the wounds, let out a heavy breath, "Gods above. It's a miracle they didn't hit her heart." He knelt by Lissa, looking over the tactician as well.
"Yeah, now we have to get them out without causing more damage."
Chrom blanched at their exchange, looking down to the woman he held. Her eyes were only slightly opened and were unfocused. Her breaths were shallow and quick. The untreated gash in her side was still bleeding, only adding to her pain. "Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly!" he snapped at the healers.
Libra knew what had to be done. He instructed Chrom to hold her still and without preamble gripped one of the shafts and slightly twisted it. The scream Feyn unleashed was of pure agony, yet Libra sighed in relief. "It's not caught on bone. That's good." Before Chrom could ask what the hell he was doing, the monk did the same to the second shaft, causing the prince to hold Feyn tighter in preparation for her reaction. It didn't twist. Libra frowned. By this time Feyn was releasing rapid breaths into Chrom's ear while her hands were fisted in the back of his shirt. Chrom prayed she would pass out. He had no experience with arrow wounds but was sure it would be better if she was unconscious for their extraction. Libra sat back, thinking. "Lissa, heal her side and when I pull this first shaft out, be prepared to patch it as well."
Lissa nodded. With staff in hand, she made quick work of closing the gash before grabbing bandages in preparation for the puncture wound. She would have to stem the blood until she could heal it. "I'm ready."
Libra grabbed hold of the shaft, "I'm sorry my friend." Chrom heard him whisper before pulling it. Feyn let out a whimper in protest, not having the capacity for anything more at the moment. Lissa wasted no time in stemming the blood flow and stitching her friend back together. It took longer than the gash, but with a bit of time, was healed as well. "Now for the difficult one."
"Can't you just yank it out and be done with it?" Chrom asked with impatience. The longer the arrow was in there, the longer Feyn would suffer.
"No, if I do that the arrowhead may break off and stay embedded while the shaft comes out, possibly splintered. I have to extract the tip from the bone first." Libra set his jaw and Chrom again tightened his hold on Feyn, whispering assurances that she would be fine into her ear. The monk placed a hand on her back and, with a quick prayer, dug his fingers down to the metal head. Feyn arched her back, a pain laced scream filling the air before she went limp in Chrom's arms. He held her up as Libra extracted the unbroken arrow and Lissa began healing the wound.
After some time, Lissa sat back on her heels with a weary sigh, "That's all I can do for her. Her body will heal itself the rest of the way."
"She'll be alright?" Chrom asked his sister.
"Besides a small scar from that second one and probably an aching back when she wakes up, yeah she'll be just fine."
Chrom adjusted his hold and stood up with Feyn still unconscious in his grasp. He was slightly surprised to see many of the Shepherds standing around them. He hadn't even noticed they were near. All wore relieved expressions at Lissa's words. Nowi was still crying though and Sumia looked a little pale. They parted to let Chrom through and followed him back to camp.
She felt like she had been kicked by a horse, multiple times. Feyn was laying on her stomach, gingerly, she pushed herself up with her hands and groaned in pain. Oh, how she ached. Giving up on that for now, she tried rolling onto her side. On her second attempt she met with success. Seeing her tent, she tried to recall how she got there. Everything was a blur after she had barreled into Chrom and was hit by the sneaky archers. She was alive though, so that was good. She was also incredibly thirsty.
The water pitcher was on her portable desk, on the far side of the tent. With a long-suffering sigh, she tried rolling into a sitting position at the edge of her cot. Her head spun but she had made it. Resting with her head in her hands to stop the encroaching blackness at the edges of her vision, she was mentally preparing herself to stand when a hand rested on her shoulder. "What are you doing?"
She startled at the unexpected contact but settled quickly. She knew that concern laced voice with a hint of alarm to it, although that last bit was new. "Chrom?" Lifting her head, Feyn saw it was indeed the blue-haired prince. He looked, bedraggled.
"What are you doing?" he repeated. Feyn lifted an arm to point at the pitcher. Chrom grabbed it, pouring some water in a cup before handing it to her. With a small smile of gratitude, she gulped it down. Chrom remained where he was, unmoving and silent. It actually made her slightly nervous, especially since he has done nothing but avoid her the past couple weeks, stammering out excuses to be anywhere where she wasn't. Now she found that she was the one not knowing what to say. Her eyes swept the room, trying to think of something, anything to say to ease the apparent tension between them. "Don't ever do that again."
Feyn looked back to Chrom, surprised. "What?"
He held her gaze, for the first time in a while, thinly veiled anger radiating off him. "Don't ever do something like that again," he repeated.
She could have played dumb, was almost tempted too, but wouldn't when he was like this. "That is not an order I can follow."
"Dammit Feyn!" Chrom growled before running a hand over his face. With a frustrated sigh, he took a seat in the chair by her cot, deflated. "I thought you might say that. I would prefer not to have a heart attack but if you insist."
"Believe it or not, your death is something I have been trying to prevent."
"Not at the cost of your own life," he stated. "No matter what people may think of my importance I would not have them die in my place. My life is not worth yours."
"It is worth more."
"Feyn!"
She cut him off, "You are the leader of a nation. With Emmeryn's death, it falls to you to guide and protect the people. The Sheperd's look to you as their general. And Lissa, I would not have her lose the only family she has left." Feyn fisted her covers in her agitated hands, closing her eyes before adding quietly, "And even if all of that wasn't so, I care too much for you to see you harmed. Your life is worth more to me than my own."
The words were out before she could stop them, and they were met with silence. She had said them though, and meant them, so she lifted her eyes to meet his with no remorse. Or so she desperately prayed. Chrom was staring at her, mouth slightly ajar, with a look of disbelief and, was that hope? "Feyn," he called softly as his hand reached up towards her.
"You're awake!" Both startled at the sudden exclamation, turning to the tent flap to see Lissa standing there. "Chrom you were supposed to get me when she woke up." She rushed to Feyn's side, unceremoniously shoving her brother out of the way. "We've been here the whole time you were out and the one time he gets me to leave you wake up." She huffed.
"How long was I out?" Feyn asked, curious.
"Nearly two days. Those archers really did a number on you." Feyn looked from Lissa over to Chrom. Two days? They had both stayed with her for two days? She didn't know what to say to that. Lissa solved that, throwing her arms around her friend and hugging her for all she was worth. Feyn flinched at the pressure to her back. The cleric noticed and adjusted her hold. "I'm so glad you're okay," she sniffed before producing a small container from one of her many hidden pockets. "Here, this will help with the muscle soreness."
"Thank-you Lissa." Chrom gazed at her from over Lissa's shoulder, and Feyn looked away.
The army returned to Ylisse, battered and bruised but victorious. A hollow victory it was. Emmeryn was mourned by all and Chrom quietly assumed his role as leader, though he denied the tittle of Exalt. The Shepherds settled back into their normal duties and routines. So their days were filled with recruiting, training, and regular patrols. Feyn had just returned from training some potential recruits when she found her path blocked by Frederick and Lissa, an odd but welcome sight since both had spent much of their time at the palace helping Chrom since their return from Plegia. A stark contrast from Feyn's own behavior, doing all she could to avoid the place.
"You two are a sight for sore eyes. Frederick I think these recruits could use a dose of your special touch in training to sort those who are serious from those just dabbling," Feyn joked. His legendary fanatical fitness hour would probably drive them all away.
Frederick took it in all seriousness. "I shall plan it for the morning straightaway."
"Yeah, in the morning," Lissa agreed, "but right now you need to come with us to the palace. It's an emergency." She grabbed Feyn's arm and practically dragged her until she started moving on her own.
"What sort of an emergency?" Feyn asked hesitantly. They hadn't encountered any trouble since their return from Plegia. Neither answered, making her suspicious. As they led her through the courtyard and through the palace halls, one on either side of her like an armed escort, she became more suspicious. What were they up too?
Her unspoken question was answered soon enough. Lissa opened the door to a private study where Chrom was lounging in an armchair. He bolted up at the sound of the door. "Finally. What are you up to Lissa, that you resorted to locking me-?" He tapered off once he caught sight of who was with his sister. Feyn looked from Lissa to Frederick. They had locked Chrom in here? Lissa she could at least believe doing such a thing, the prankster that she was, but Frederick? They locked him up than fetched her-?
Feyn's eyes widened as she picked up where this was heading and tried to escape the room, only to be stopped by Frederick's hand gripping her elbow. Lissa looked between her idiot brother and friend, hands on hips. "Something happened between you two and it's obvious to anyone who knows you guys that you've been avoiding each other. I couldn't take it anymore so I enlisted Frederick to help get you in the same room. You are going to stay in here until you work it out." Without another word, Lissa stomped out the door, sending an 'I've got my eye on you' gesture before exiting. Frederick gently pushed Feyn further in before inclining his head to Chrom and following the princess out. An audible click was heard when the door closed. They had locked the two in.
Feyn tore her eyes off the door and looked to Chrom, "Did we just get scolded by Lissa?"
"I think we did." Feyn couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Chrom smiled as well. Rubbing his neck, Chrom glanced about the room, grasping for something to say. They hadn't been alone since Lissa's ill-timed intrusion after Feyn woke up from her injuries. They had conversed, yes, but others were always present. So the talk from that night had remained unfinished.
Feyn steeled herself for the conversation she knew to be inevitable. She supposed it would be better to get it all out now so they could move past it. "Apparently the awkwardness I created between us has made others uncomfortable as well. I am sorry for that, and," she continued with stilted speech, "I apologize for what I said that night."
Chrom's gut clenched, "Did you not mean what you said?" Did she not mean it the way he took it?
"I did mean it. I just apologize for actually speaking it and causing this tension. I must have been light-headed to actually say it out loud," she muttered to herself, neck heating.
Chrom was relieved at her words, and took a breath to muster up the courage to say what needed to be said. "I am glad. It should make this easier for me to say. Okay, I can do this." He took another deep breath. How had she done this as calmly as she had? "Prepare yourself!" He hadn't meant to say that. She was looking at him funny. "Feyn, when you said that you valued my life over yours, I was stunned, because I value your life far more than my own. When you collapsed from the archers arrows I would have given anything to trade places, to take that pain from you." She watched him with wide eyes and slightly open mouth, surprised, making Chrom smile. It was rare to see her flabbergasted. He closed the distance between them, so she would clearly see the truth in his eyes. "I'm in love with you, Feyn, and I have been for a while. It just took me some time to realize it," he smirked, "and like the mature man I am, I avoided you when realization hit."
Feyn laughed. She loved how he could so easily make her laugh or smile. "I suppose I haven't actually said it, but I love you too Chrom." She had a thought and chuckled, "So if Lissa hadn't interrupted that night, these past couple weeks of awkwardness she speaks of could have been avoided?"
Chrom joined in on her amusement, "Yeah, perhaps we should just always lock the door when we're alone from now on." His thoughts took a turn at his words and he felt his face flame.
Feyn ducked her head and tried to bite back her laughter but it was futile. Giving up, she looked up to Chrom and agreed, "Probably, although we should make sure she doesn't have a key first." She had locked them in here after all. He hooked an arm around her waist and leaned down the few inches that separated them, finally getting to do what he has wanted for some time.
Just as they came together the door burst open. "I heard laughter. Does that mean everything's-oh," Lissa stopped midway through the door, taking note of their proximity and smiling.
Chrom and Feyn shared an amused chuckle. "We'll definitely need locks," Feyn agreed.