A/N:
Dear readers,
Good morning/afternoon/evening! Here is my post for 7/2, which will probably be 10 chapters (assuming I stay on track).
Tomorrow, once again, will be another, different storyline...Am I doing too much?
Also, for the time, teen rating. Might be too high, but I think it will change over time. (I know one chapter might be M).
Either way, I hope you enjoy today's reading. Kudos and comments appreciated!
I do not own or have the rights to Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the characters.
Age 5
"Mama!" Looking up from her tactical book, the woman smiles at her fou-, no, five year old daughter; today her little Robin turned a year older. In her daughter's arms is a dark brown teddy bear, which she carries everywhere at home, but not outside, in case it gets lost. As well, because today is her birthday, she's wearing her favorite purple dress, even though they aren't going out. In front of her, on the table, lies a child's book on tactics, I am a Tactician, and so can you! She had the two following volumes ready, for when the child tired of that one.
"Yes, dear?"
"What's a birthday?" Her daughter looked almost exactly like her at that age, hair color and all. The only noticeable endowment of her father's was the cursed brand on her right hand, the "gift" she was given by Grima. How foolish a woman she was to marry such a man…
The mother looked back down at the book, continuing to read. "A birthday is a special day celebrated when a person turns a year older; they celebrate it with people who are close to them."
"Close? Like mommies?"
"Yes," The woman looks briefly at the oven where a cake bakes within. She wasn't a proficient cook or baker, but if she paid enough attention, the food usually ended up edible; at least Robin devoured it Hopefully, her darling would have a little better skill with cooking. "Or friends and family."
"Family? …Like a daddy?"
"I suppose so, yes. Cousins and siblings as well."
"Siblings are sisters and brothers?"
"Yes, dear. Like your little friends May and Amy. They are sisters."
"Oh!" They're silent again, as the child looks at her book momentarily, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. "Mommy?" Her mother glances up, noticing the girl playing with the bears hand/paws.
"Robin?"
"…Do I have a daddy?"
The woman froze for a second, but hoped that the girl didn't notice. Taking a breath, she responded, "You do, yes."
"…Where is he?"
"Why do you want to know, sweetheart?"
"May and Amy have a daddy, and so do all the other kids in the village. …But, I only have a mommy…"
"D-does that make you sad?" A tremor escapes; was she a bad mother? Did she make a bad decision, leaving Plegia when the girl was but an infant?
Robin smiles brightly, making the woman's heart melt. "No! Sometimes mommy gets angry... And there are chores, but every day is fun! Mommy is the bestest! I love you thiiiiis much!" She stretched out her hands as far as they could go, that endearing smile radiating on her face. As adorable as she was, it caused the mother some worry; she would need to watch out for her darling when she got older, at the ages boys start noticing cute girls.
"I see." She returns her daughter's smile; she surely made the right choice fleeing with her pure darling. Robin need not know her possible fate, or at least the crazed one her father had believed for her.
"Mommy?" The woman cocked her head, showing her daughter that she had her complete attention. "If I have a daddy, why is he not here?"
"Y-you mean, living with us?" The child pondered the question for a moment, then nods. "Da- …Your Father was," Technically is, but she need not know that. "A mean man, who wanted to hurt you and mommy. To keep both of us safe, we left."
"Daddy was bad?" The woman nodded; that was the best way to explain it to a child; maybe she could be told more when she was older. "…Am I bad?"
The woman jumped, looking straight at her baby. "What? No! Of course not!"
"…But you get angry at me sometimes…"
The woman stood, walking to her daughter's chair. Kneeling down so she looked up at her daughter's trembling lip and tear filled eyes, she took the girl's hands, "Yes, sometimes you do bad things, we all do, Mommy included. But there is a big difference, Robin." The girl cocked her head, waiting. "When you do something bad, you don't know that it's bad; you're still young, learning what is right and what is wrong. And when you do something wrong, you apologize, right?" Her little head nods quickly, burying it slightly in the bear. "Well, your father does bad things, even though he knows it's wrong and that it hurts other people. You are not like your father at all."
"O-oh…okay!" The girl beamed again. Just seeing her smile, it warmed the mother's weary heart. She wipes her daughter's tears away with her kerchief, kissing her head. Since she was up, she walked to the oven to see how the cake was doing. Although pale, it would be ready in twenty minutes. "Remember Frederick, Daddy was bad! We can't become like Daddy!"
"Darling," Turning from the oven, she smiles at the girl. "When did Beary change his name?"
"Two weeks ago."
The mother hummed. Frederick…what a lovely name. …Where had she heard that name from? There was no one in town named Frederick… "Sweetheart?" She tried to keep her voice steady.
"Yes, Mama?" The girl was tightening the ribbon on… Wait, when did that bear get a black ribbon?
"Wh-why did you name your bear Frederick?"
Robin looked up, not noticing the fear in her mother's eyes. "Because a nice Cabi…" She scrunched her little face. "Cadi… A nice knight on a horse came over to the house two weeks ago!"
A knight on a horse? A Cavalier? "What color armor was he wearing? D-did he say where he was from?"
"Silvery, I think, but he had some blue. He said he was from Yel- …Yil- …From here!" Not being able to say the country's name, she pouted.
"Ylisse, honey?" The girl hummed, nodding her head. Maybe…maybe this knight was telling the truth, but anyone could say that they were from Ylisse. Validar hadn't made any attempts recently to steal her Robin, but one could never tell with that man… "When exactly did he come over, Robin?"
"When I was sick."
"C-can you tell Mommy what happened?"
The girl looked up at her mother; the pretty woman with long flowing hair, who she wished to be like when she grew up, looked pale, gripping the wooden counter. Even a child could see something was…off. "…Did I do something bad, Mommy?"
"N-no, honey. Just, please, tell Mommy."
ooo
A knock woke her up, making her look to the door. It wasn't from her and Mommy's bedroom, so it must have come from outside, the front door. The voice came next, "Hello? Is anyone here?" It wasn't a voice from the nearby village, nor was it Mommy, but it was deep and pleasant enough. Robin squirmed in her sheets, making the towel on her head fall off. After finding Beary on the ground, she gets out of bed, even though Mommy said to stay there. Picking up her teddy, a few more knocks came from outside. Hearing the creak from the front door, Robin opened the bedroom door, and peered out. "Is anyone-?" Turning, the figure, a man much older than her, stood in the middle of the room. "Hello, milady," He kneeled to be closer to her height. "Is your Mother or Father home?" She shook her head. Some reason it felt very hot, maybe it was because the man was so cute.
"Mama went to town."
"O-oh…I shan't bother you then."
He stood, and was almost to the door when he heard her start. "Did you," Before she could finish, she started coughing, pulling the bear over her mouth. The man turned and walked to her, kneeling again so he could gently touch her forehead.
"Are you sick, little one?" She nodded. "You should go back to bed," His brows scrunched a little with worry. "I'm sorry I awoke you."
She shook her head. "It's okay. Mama went to town for medicine. But mister, did you need something?"
"A-ah! I-I do not wish to be of trouble."
Another little shake. "Mama says you should help people when they're in trou…tru… they need help."
He looked at her momentarily, then sighed. He looked sleepy. "It's a bit embarrassing, but I am part of the Ylissean army. Have you heard of Ylisse, little one?"
She thought momentarily, then pointed at the ground. "Here!"
He hummed. "Yes, you're very smart; we are in Ylisse. Well, I was patrolling around with several of my superiors last night, but…well…I got lost…" He gave a weak smile, blushing.
"What's patrolling?"
He hummed. "When good people go around, helping and protecting innocents from bad people. Innocents are good people who cannot protect themselves; those who cannot fight."
"Like me?"
"Are you a good girl?"
"…Sometimes…I try really-" She starts coughing again, pulling Beary in front of her. As she continues, the man softly rubs her back, like Mama always did. He gently pulls Beary away, replacing it with a kerchief. She kept trying to speak, coughing between almost every other word. "I…try really…really hard." He hums, continuing to rub her back until her coughing subsides.
"Are you better, little one?" She nods. He removes the kerchief, returning her bear.
"Mister?" He looks at her and smiles. "What's a…a…sep- …sup- …super 'ero?"
Super-? "Superior?" She nods. "Someone older, and smarter than me."
"Like a mommy?"
He laughs. "A bit like a mother, yes." She smiles softly. "Well, to continue with my story, I have been wand- lost since last night. Yours was the first house I came to, so I only wished to ask for some water."
She smiles again, grabbing the cuff of his sleeve. "The water is over here." She pulls him to the counter, where there was a small basin and pitcher filled with water. "There's some bread on the table there, too." He looks where she points, seeing a little less than a fourth of a loaf.
"Water is good enough, milady. May I use a glass, and refill my water sack?"
Another nod, but a question follows. "Aren't you hungry though? I was lost in the woods with some friends for a loooong time, and we were really hungry!"
"…I will admit that I am a bit…hungry, but I shouldn't. It's your and your Mother's food."
"It's okay. I'll tell Mama I was hungry and ate it."
"…Are you certain?"
"Mama might scold me a little, but it's okay."
"…Thank you." He drank a cup of water, refilled his pouch halfway, washed the cup he used, and then, using a knife, he cut off a chunk of bread, wrapping it in another kerchief, putting it away.
"You don't want more?"
"I will be fine, I'll buy some food when I get to the village you spoke of." She nods again, her eyes drooping a little. "Maybe you could be so kind, and point me the way, before you go back to bed?"
Nodding, a now sleepy smile on her face, she pointed to the closed door. "Straight ahead is a path that should take you directly there, about thirty minutes if you walk."
"Probably less with a horse, yes?" She nods, wanting to go back to sleep, but that would be rude; Mama says you treat guests nicely. "Thank you for your help little one, let us get you to bed." His hand gently touches the back of her head, leading her to the open bedroom door. Struggling to get on the bed, he removes the sheets and towel, putting the cloth in its soaking bowl, then scoops her up into the bed, pulling the sheets tightly around her and Beary. "Good night, little one." He smiles and turns, before he feels something holding him back. Craning his neck, he sees the girl holding onto the back plate of his armor.
"M-mister…can you stay…until I fall asleep? …Please?… I can't sleep without someone near. …Usually it's Mama, but…"
He looks at her, and blinks with soft eyes. "Of course, little one. H-however, please do not call me 'Mister.' I am not that old."
"…How old are you?"
"Twelve."
"That's," She yawns. "…Old."
"…It's not that old." He mumbles, taking the damp cloth, squeezing out the excess water, then placing it gently on her head. "How old are you then, little miss?"
She pulls her arms out of the covers, showing him. "Five!"
He chuckles. "I suppose that is old for someone as young as you."
"I am not…" She tries to stifle a yawn, failing. "…Young."
Trying to stop from laughing, he smiles. "Then I am not old." He draws the blanket over her again.
"Mister?"
"I am not…" He stops, realizing the child was slowly lulling. With a sigh he replies, "Yes?"
"If you're not a mister, what's your name?"
"Frederick." She nods, curling into the sheets. The towel drops again, but he returns it with ease. He was about to ask the girl her name, but decides against it. He would be back again, bringing a thank you gift of some sort. For now though, he was probably in very deep trouble, returning so tardily compared to his compatriots. "You remind me a little of someone I know," He can tell she barely hears him, but like most children, the sound of a voice usually helps to calm them into security and sleep, just like Chrom and Lissa, so he speaks for a little longer. When he is certain she won't wake, he rewets and adjusts the towel again. Noticing the teddy bear abandoned, he is about to return it, but, before he does, a strange idea pops into his head. He removes his own necktie and ties it gently around the bear's neck. He then quietly closes the bedroom door, and leaves the house, but not before making sure everything is secure.
ooo
When Robin awakes, Mama is there, sleeping softly next to her. She looks to the window, seeing the sun still out. Slipping out of bed with Beary, she goes outside to her chair. If the bread was still there, she wasn't going to eat it! The bread, and what must be the medicine, is there, but something else as well; a kerchief. She looks at the white cloth, trying to figure out where it came from. Staring at it for a while, she notices the name "Frederick," in dark blue stitching. She smiles, taking the last chunk of bread, nibbling the crust. She would be a good girl and wash it for him, then return it if she ever got the chance.
She only noticed a day later, a black ribbon was around Beary, now Frederick's, neck.
ooo
"Thank you for sharing, darling." She wanted to ask why she had not been told before, but she had no urge to frighten her poor dear.
The girl smiles widely, realizing she was not in trouble, then tilts her head, slightly confused. "Mama?" The woman hums, trying to piece a strategy together. "What's that smell?" The woman stands straight, now smelling it too. She rushes to the oven, seeing the charred remnants of what once was a cake. Remembering to put on oven mitts, she removes the charcoal from the oven, resting it on their table.
"…Dear, let's go."
"Go?"
"Yes, love. Let's go to the village. I'm sure Mrs. Rose still has some pies to sell. It won't be a cake, but it will be much better than this." Her daughter squeals, skipping to the bedroom to put Bea- Frederick on their bed.
…They would need to leave in a few days. Even though the boy sounded nice and non-threatening, she would not dare chance her daughter's well-being. She would ask for the handkerchief, and get rid of it sometime, somewhere. Although, she would feel uneasy lying to her daughter, the silk kerchief would fetch a little money, and the less she had of this encounter, the more likely Robin would forget it. She could not, nor would she, ask for the tie, but maybe, her daughter would forget the meaning, and the encounter entirely (Which she would at eighteen, when a mysterious bout of amnesia afflicts her sweet dear). Finally, before packing, she would need to erase the memories of the villagers, and destroy the house, not wanting any clues left behind.
Maybe he was a true Ylissean Cavalier, and maybe he was Plegian. Maybe he was never going to appear before them again, or maybe he was planning a visit. In the business of surviving, "maybe" was not good enough. If there was even a chance he would come again (Which he would in a week, with a present of a strawberry cake. He would return to the charred house, and be confused by the responses the villagers gave; the townsfolk who knew the girl three weeks prior, now had no recollection of the girl or her mother. He would be befuddled by the whole quandary, which would trouble him for many years, but that was another story entirely.), they would be gone without a trace, which would probably be best for all parties involved.
"Mama," She felt a tug on her dress (The former Plegian Tactician had long stopped wearing her coat, due to making the two overly conspicuous. Still, the women would give it to her daughter before she dies, a few months after the girl's sixteenth birthday. And sadly, she was right; her bright, smiling daughter would attract quite a few suitors, Shepherds and otherwise, but, luckily, she would remain oblivious until a little after her nineteenth birthday.), seeing her daughter staring up at her.
"Mama's sorry for burning your cake, love." They start for town, hand-in-hand. Although they were all smiles, the woman was debating where to head next. Maybe the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox; the cold would deter Validar.
"It's okay, Mama! As long as I have you!"
"You're so sweet, my dear!" She scoops the girl up, spinning her, then placing a kiss on her cheek. "Happy Birthday, my little Robin."