Snapshot Eight: Renewing Two
Game: Awakening
Outtakes: 64 - Hurt; 64 - Healing; 82 - Painful Scars; 96 - Mending; and Snapshot 7.
Summary: Lucina and Nykolai have gotten an all-expenses-paid trip to the Hotrealm, where the couple hopes that more healing for Lucina will take place. After a week, Lucina's not so sure she's gotten any mending done at all...
Note: You know you're rusty when you let Validar have the run of things. I just threw my DS down onto my bed with the words "frick it all, Chrom!" The guy really needs to work on his Res. Anyway, thanks to The Werdna for requesting this and the previous Snapshot, and thanks for reminding me that it was him/her who did so in the first place.
Hope you enjoy!
The plan had some flaws. Even Lucina, with her lack of understanding in all things strategy-wise, could see it.
"Father, it's just not going to work," Morgan said, running her hands through her shoulder-length blue hair. "The Grimleal will clearly know you're not Grima."
Nykolai huffed and glanced at the people around the table. Cynthia and Owain, the only two children of this weird world the Shepherds found themselves in who decided to be at this meeting, looked incredibly worried. Chrom and Morgan, opposite them, looked simply exhausted. Lucina was silent, and Nykolai, too, was exhausted.
Their task was to rescue Lucina's counterpart of this world, and she was being held hostage by the Gimleal and Grima.
"I could act like him," Nykolai suggested.
"Alright, let's see, then," Chrom suggested. He turned to Owain and Cynthia. "Will you two be the judges?" They nodded.
Nykolai took a deep breath, drew the hood of his coat over his head, and spoke. "Give me the Fire Emblem, spawn of Naga, or die!"
The imitation was incredibly spot-on and convincing. Lucina, startled from her silent misery of being in this world, yelped and fell from the chair.
Darkness surrounded her, and everything but Nykolai disappeared into the abyss. But it wasn't Nykolai anymore.
It was Grima.
"Child of Naga," his voice echoed. "Cooperate and you won't get hurt."
"No, go away!" She tried to scramble backward and get up, but Grima pinned her down in place, his smirk vicious and hungry.
Lucina woke with a sharp intake of breath. She glanced around, not recognizing her settings until she registered the warm presence pressed against her back. She turned her head and saw Nykolai, sound asleep. But was it really him?
Logic overtook her and she glanced at his right hand, which was draped over her protectively. There was no six-eyed marking on the back, which meant she was safe. They were at the hot springs. All was well.
Gently, she wriggled out from her husband's embrace and sat up, drawing her knees to her chest. The emotions from the dream hit her full force and tears streamed down her face as she shook from the shock and anxiety. She stifled a sob in her blanket-covered knees. Beside her, Nykolai sighed in his sleep. Fearing she would wake him, she slipped out from under the covers, pulled on her yukata over the thin clothes she had worn to bed, and moved to the balcony of their small room in the hot springs hotel.
The night had a humid chill to it, but Lucina shook with the shock of her dream. She pressed a sleeve to her mouth, barely containing the sobs that came unbidden. Gods, of all the times to have a nightmare, it just had to be at the end of their vacation in the hot springs. They'd had such a wonderful week, but now it was overshadowed by her past.
The minutes slipped by, but Lucina didn't calm. The pain was too great, she would never heal.
A hand rested on her shoulder and she jumped, turning on the spot. Nykolai stood next to her, concerned. She knew he could tell exactly what was wrong. "Luce."
She only sobbed in response, and he wrapped her in his arms. "Nyk...I-I can't do this anymore."
"Yes, you can. Ever heard the saying, two steps forward, one step back? You're not going to be better without taking some steps backward first." He hushed her and she buried her face in his shoulder.
They stood for several long moments until Lucina had calmed a bit. "I'm tired of this," she said softly.
"So you've said." Nykolai released her. "Come on. We've still got a few hours before dawn. We should rest, otherwise your family might think we didn't sleep at all." He grinned, raising his eyebrows. Lucina huffed and turned a bit away, trying to hide a smile. "Come on, let's go back to bed." He gently guided her from the balcony and back into the comfortable bed, where they cuddled together.
"I probably won't be able to sleep," Lucina muttered.
"That's fine. As long as you rest."
"I'll try."
They laid in complete silence for another set of long moments. Lucina finally felt herself drifting off, but as she did, her dream flashed before her, and she started awake again. Nykoali immediately tried to calm her. "It must have been a bad dream, huh?"
"You...you turned into Grima. Then you attacked me and tried to-"
"Luce, hush."
Lucina didn't hear him. "I woke up before it got too bad but-" Nykolai silenced her with a kiss.
"It was just a dream," he said as they parted.
"I know, but still...it's frightening."
"That's why I'm here: your knight in shining armor to protect you from the evil nightmares."
"More like a knight in a raggedy purple coat that's two sizes too big."
"Hey. Don't insult my coat. I know you love it." Lucina laughed. Nykolai, grinning, leaned over her for another kiss. She pulled him closer, eagerly responding to his advances.
They returned to Ylisse the next day, content but tired. The rest of the family could tell they had a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing week, judging by the way Lucina smiled. Despite her dream at the end of the vacation, she practically glowed in a way that she hadn't in years. The last time she looked that way had been when Nykolai came home, three years after sacrificing himself to permanently stop Grima. A couple months later showed the extent of her healing. While she still had dreams of her capture every now and again, she was significantly better.
One day, about three months after their vacation, the time traveling princess went in search of her aunt, finding her with the children, as per usual. Lissa had always been good with kids, it seemed. She was the go-to babysitter of the family.
"Hey, Aunt Lissa?" she began.
"Hey, Lucina!" the sage greeted. "You look tired. Another dream?"
Lucina nodded reluctantly. "It's the first in months, and then I couldn't fall back asleep. I haven't been feeling too well recently."
Lissa nodded. "I could sorta tell. Need a check up?"
Lucina gave a sheepish smile. "Maybe to confirm my suspicions?"
Her aunt raised her eyebrows. "Well, why don't you explain while we walk to the infirmary?" Lucina nodded again in agreement. After making sure the children were playing peacefully, the pair set off.
Half an hour later, Nykolai was taken from his work by a gentle knock on his office door. He looked up and saw his wife.
"How are you feeling?" he asked after greeting his wife with a kiss. "Any better?"
"I feel great. Turns out I'm not sick."
"Then what's the cause?"
Lucina smiled. "I'm with child. Just about two months. Aunt Lissa confirmed it."
"Oh, Luce, that's great!" He hugged her, and as he did so, he marveled at how far she'd mended. The hurt of what Grima had done to her all those years ago would never be fully healed, but she had been renewed.
And that was enough for him.
Author's note: I am the Queen of Redundancy! (at least, that's how it feels right now) And I'm not a fan of redundancy. *sigh* For those of you curious about how I have Kerfuffle (Smash 3DS) right now, it came out a couple weeks ago in North America, where I live. My brother, my friend and I went to our local GameStop at around 9 at night, waited on the cold floor of the mall it was in for three hours, and got the game at midnight on 10/3. Now THAT was a good time. Got to meet some fellow nerds as well.
Also, I've watched Ouran High School Host Club, and it took me most of the series to figure out that Hikaru Hitachiin shares his English voice actor with none other than my baby boy Morgan!
What does this have to do with the story? Nothing! By the way, any requests you might have, fell free to request them! I'll see ya next time with Silver!
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