Chapter 2 – All This and Heaven Too
"Welcome back," he said, steady eyes staring into hers, "it's over now."
She smiled and, without knowing why, was filled with a sense of relief. Whatever it was, she knew it had been a huge part of her life. So much time went into… what? She remembered fighting and swords ringing out as they clashed, she remembered studying books of, of battle maneuvers? She remembered other faces – a hardworking redheaded woman, a klutzy pegasus rider, a strong knight who was fiercely loyal and a cold katana-wielder who shied away from women.
She could picture more faces, an avalanche of reminiscence, but even though she began to search more and more frantically, the details of her past with these people were ever half-formed. She could remember holding someone down (maybe Cordelia?) as Lissa stitched up a calf-long gash, but she couldn't remember how the wound was inflicted.
She remembered fighting past countless warriors to reach a crowned man in a yellowed cloak, but could not recall why. She could remember desperately wanting to protect the people around her and guiding them through battle, but could not remember any individual memories with them, only base emotions at the recollection of them. She shook her head, only to find that that made it worse, and a tight knot of nausea formed in her gut. She trembled for a moment, held up only by the hand in hers, before slowly sinking to the floor.
"What's wrong?" confusion, the voice of Chrom, worry evident in his voice, "Are you alright?"
A hand on her shoulder as Lissa knelt down next to her on the grass.
"Do you feel okay?"
A slow shake of her head was the only answer received. Lissa brushed a strand of hair out of her face, put down her bag and went to open it. "My name…" her voice was dry, cracked, as if she hadn't spoken in years, the words rasping out through unused lips, "is… Robin? Like the bird?"
"Yes, it's Robin," Lissa frowned, pausing, her mouth pulling down at the corners, "Do you know my name?"
"Lissa. The healer."
A brief smile as her countenance softened, but her eyes were still fretting. "And my brother? Remember him?" she asked as he sank into a crouch next to her.
Robin looked at him, taking in the evident fear in his eyes that he could not hide as well as his sister, and simply said, "Chrom. You're Chrom."
He nodded, and moved his hand as if to touch hers as it lay in the grass, but stopped himself, and Robin felt something close to disappointment. He looked up at her briefly and said tentatively, "Remember anyone else?"
Robin nodded, watching his cheekbones catch the light and trying to pinpoint what made her want to trace her thumb over them. With the hint of a blush, she took a deep breath, almost a sigh, and began to list those she could recall.
"I remember the ... the names and faces of Cordelia, of Frederick, of Sumia. I can remember Stahl and Panne and … Sally? No, that's not her name, it's… her name is … Sully." She touched a hand to her forehead as a dull pain started to grow there. "Sully," she repeated to herself. "And there was … there was Nowi, and Lon'qu and-"
"It's fine," Lissa said with a hint of hope, "please don't push yourself. It looks like you remember everyone."
"No... no, Lissa," Robin protested, "I said I remember their names and faces. Not who they are as people, but who the physically were." A pause. "I remember some things - like you giving me funny-tasting medicine, but I can't recall why … why you gave it to me. My memories are coming back all damaged. I remember thinking you were kind and … and, well, sprightly but I can't remember why I thought that."
"Can you remember why we were travelling together?" Lissa asked, as her brother looked at the ground in silence.
"There was a fool in a crown, and someone, someone in a dark cloak. We were always fighting and fighting. I… I told the troops where to move."
"Do you remember how we first met?"
"We first met... no, no. I don't know."
"Do you remember the black dragon?"
"Dragon? I can't remember any black dragon."
"The second king of Plegia? Remember him?"
"Plegia? No, I don't know of a king."
"Nothing else?" almost pleading now, begging her to remember. I would give everything and heaven as well, Robin thought, to remember more.
"No, no, nothing else. Only the faces."
"Oh, Robin," Lissa said, tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes. "After all that, when we finally find you and…and now this."
Robin looked down at her hands, wanting to help, to comfort, but being trapped in her own inability. Lissa wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. She gave a trembling smile, "At least we found you."
"Dammit." Chrom said, at last, filling the emptiness. "But this is not fair, dammit. After all the bloody hell we been through, it just won't stop will it?"
Robin looked at him, as he turned to anger and misery. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Her new awakening left her emotions raw, and she was suddenly overtaken by wretchedness. These people had looked for her, maybe for years, and she couldn't even remember them.
"Oh gods, Robin, don't be. This isn't your fault. It was never your fault." He reached up to brush away a tear rolling down her cheek, and Robin noticed she was crying, mirroring them both in emotion.
"You don't remember who I am as … as a person?" His voice was thick.
Silence was his answer, and he sighed shakily. "I'm sorry," she repeated sadly but he shook his head, and gave her a tiny smile. "At least we found you."
He reached forward and brushed her slight fringe out of her eyes, lingering for not long enough. He cupped one half of her face in his hand and brushed his lips lightly over her cheek, the touch singing to her inside, sending warmth throughout her body.
Then he drew back, knowing that she could not even remember why he had searched for her so long and been the only one still looking. He steeled himself and stood.
"Take her to Almerry, Lissa. I'll ride on ahead." He took one last glance at Robin, and gave a laugh that could almost have been a sob, before saying, "Gods, it's not fair."
Then he tore himself away from them, mounted his horse and left the two women with the guards.
Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated, and hopefully you enjoyed it. It's also a tad longer than the last two, so apologies, let me know which length is better - short and quick or slightly longer? I have tried to space out my text more - thank you to those who gave me feedback, it is much appreciated.
The title of the chapter is a one of Florence Welch's songs, All This and Heaven and Too. Also, who should I pair together other than Chrom and Robin? I'm biased as they are my favourite pairing, and I'm really stuck with this one.
