AN: So, in the official Awakening comic Lucina actually tries to sneak into the Khans' fortress but is caught by Basilio and Lon'qu. She pretends she's just looking for strong opponents to fight, Basilio decides to pit her against Lon'qu, and poor Lon'qu practically runs straight into her boobs which opens him up to an OHKO.
And that's how Lucina became Basilio's champion.
With Laurent around, things here might be a bit different.
:: Settling In ::
"Master, it's as you suspected." The servant approached the dais and bowed low, her features obscured by the unnatural darkness within her cowl. "The princess and her followers have set out in search of the gemstones. What are your orders?"
"Intercept them and do as you see fit."
"Yes sir!"
The girl bowed again and hurried away, leaving him alone once more - or relatively alone, as the case might be.
"I presume you heard that."
"I did." A robed figure, only slightly taller than the girl who'd just left, emerged from an antechamber at the end of the hall. Two dark eyes peered out from behind the bone mask which covered his entire face. "Do you want me to go too?"
"No."
The boy frowned beneath his mask, his surprise and disapproval almost tangible in the air. "With all due respect, are you sure she can handle it? After what happened last time she could be compromised."
"Perhaps."
"Master, if she fails-"
"There will be no consequence to me." A pale hand stretched out in invitation, palm turned upwards but tilted just enough to reveal a hint of the brand on the other side. "Your powers are needed elsewhere."
After a moment's hesitation the boy nodded and approached the dais, slowly reaching out until their fingers brushed. Black energy erupted from the point of contact and the ruins around them trembled, stones shaking free of their foundations and crashing to the ground.
"Master Gri-"
"UP AND AT 'EM! Class is in session and Teach's in the house! C'mon Chrom, it's fightin' time!"
Robin grumbled and firmly jammed his thin pillow onto his head as the sound of Shepherds in the morning erupted around him. It was their third day on the road and already he'd discovered that most of his new companions tended to be very energetic in the hours before sunrise.
As a side effect he'd also discovered that he himself was not very energetic in the hours before sunrise and nothing short of a full-blown Risen attack could take him from completely asleep to completely awake in less than ten minutes.
Though even if they weren't actively attacking he supposed he still had the Risen to thank for helping him wake up. After they ran into a small band of the creatures on the outskirts of Ylisstol Robin had found himself falling naturally into a commanding position, coming up with an attack plan on the spot and helping the Shepherds eliminate the enemy with little difficulty. As a result they were quickly beginning to view him as 'one of them' instead of just 'the new guy'.
Cue the ear-shattering wake up calls and early morning training sessions.
Upon testing the sword Rook had given him Robin had discovered he already had a good grasp of the basics and simply needed to strengthen those skills while developing his own style. Although Chrom had been more than willing to help the prince's fighting style was one that had been developed with Falchion in mind, relying heavily on strength and powerful, relentless strikes to bring an enemy to their knees. Robin wasn't as strong as Chrom, nor did he wield an unbreakable sword that could destroy practically anything, so instead Sully and Stahl had volunteered to include him in their morning routines.
"Good morning," Stahl said with a cheerful smile as Robin finally stumbled to join the two cavaliers a few minutes later, bleary-eyed and smothering a yawn. "We were just warming up. Want me to show you some stretches?"
"That would be appreciated, thank you." Robin looked around, noticing the other Shepherds engaged in either their own training or various miscellaneous tasks. "Is it normal to spend so much time in camp?"
"We don't really do the whole 'march at dawn and rest at dusk' kind of thing," Sully chimed in from where she was doing pull-ups on a thick tree branch. "We're ahead of schedule so there's no reason to let ourselves go soft. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask - where's your brother?"
Robin glanced up to see Sully giving him an expectant look. "What?"
"Your brother. Y'know - handsome, sexy ass, looks exactly like you?" Sully dropped to the ground and grinned at Robin's red-faced spluttering. "I'm surprised he didn't come, this being your first real mission and all."
"Rook didn't feel like joining the Shepherds," Robin managed, wondering if there was any protocol for being told your identical twin had a 'sexy ass'. How had Sully even managed to see Rook's butt with that bulky coat in the way? And okaaaay, that was the last time he'd ever think about anything like that again. Bolganone, meet brain.
If Maribelle was to be honest, she did not enjoy working in an official capacity when at the capital. The work itself was no trouble (though she might occasionally catch herself skimming the more wordy articles) but there was an unsettling feeling she couldn't quite shake whenever she sat herself behind the large mahogany desk which dominated her father's room in the castle.
Perhaps it was simply a product of her childhood, memories of her father and tutors sitting behind similar desks causing her to associate the object with an abstract concept of the unattainable and awe-inspiring. As someone who had yet to match her father's achievements it was only natural that she feel unworthy when at the man's desk.
She scrawled her name on the latest item, approving a motion to open more land for farming in her father's southern territories, then folded and sealed it with wax. With this addition the pile of finished documents rose just slightly higher than the pile still awaiting her perusal, so with no small amount of relief Maribelle slipped out from behind the desk and grabbed her parasol. It was a lovely day and a nice cup of tea in the gardens never failed to lift her spirits.
Easily resisting the urge to hum in a most undignified manner, Maribelle exited the study and walked off with the faintest bounce in her step. A quick detour took her through the public courtyard, where commoners waited to talk with clerks sitting at various tables, and as usual her walk slowed ever so slightly as she watched them.
The other nobles often chuckled at her fascination, wondered what she saw in the unwashed masses, yet she simply couldn't help herself. There was a...spark in the way the lowborn spent their lives, a spark that was absent in the grand halls and courtly decorum of the higher classes. It lightened her heart to watch them interact and she often wondered how it would feel to stand before them as...not an equal, but perhaps a comrade of sorts.
With a fond smile she watched as several children chased each other through the crowd, their parents only half-heartedly trying to corral them back in line. One of the children stumbled and almost fell, only to be caught by a young man who'd just turned away from one of the tables. The man quickly set the child back on their feet and murmured something; the child laughed sheepishly and ran off again as the man shook his head in bemusement and walked away.
The man's path took him near Maribelle, who found her good mood rapidly evaporating.
That mop of untidy black hair...that unsightly coat...
"You dare?" Maribelle hissed, marching over with her parasol raised like a sword. "Lord Chrom personally vouched for your worthiness and this is how you repay him, by reneging upon your oath when not even a day has passed?"
The commoner looked at her blankly, which only served to raise her ire. How dare he spit on their prince's kindness, slink away from his first mission like a yellow-bellied coward and have the nerve to show his face as though he did nothing wrong? If he believed her to be a helpless, easily manipulated damsel he was in for a rude awakening; Maribelle hefted her parasol, fully intending to lash some sense into the cretin before having him arrested for treason.
"I think you're mistaking me for someone else," the man said slowly, a single backwards step taking him out of her immediate range. "I'll guess and say you've met my brother, Robin?"
"Your brother?" Maribelle hesitated, looking over the commoner with a critical eye. The resemblance to Chrom's newest Shepherd was uncanny but there were a few odd details out of place; his hair appeared to be of a slightly longer length, his skin a shade darker and his voice a bit deeper.
Now that she thought about it, Lissa had indeed expressed disappointment at Robin's twin deciding remain unaffiliated - Maribelle hadn't given it much thought at the time, having been focused on helping her prepare for the journey north.
Oh gods help her, she had just accused an innocent man - two innocent men - of traitorous actions. Maribelle quickly lowered her parasol and offered an apologetic nod. "I sincerely apologize; I have indeed mistaken you for your brother. I am Maribelle of Themis, companion to Princess Lissa. If there is anything I may do to atone for my blunder you need only say the word."
"Don't worry about it," the man said with an awkward smile. "My name's Rook. It's nice to meet you, Maribelle."
"A pleasure." Maribelle studied Rook's appearance, noting the brand new tomes in a book strap slung over his shoulder and the freshly written merchant's permit in his hand. Of course - Robin's status as a Shepherd did not extend to his brother, so it was only natural that Rook must find a means of livelihood elsewhere.
Well, even if she was forgiven she could hardly forget her actions so easily. A noble must always hold themselves to a higher standard, and the memory of her mistake would linger over her if she did nothing to remedy it.
"If nothing else, please allow me to assist in your business. A dear friend of mine is in need of a new tome; would you be willing meet him?" She had noticed Ricken's Wind tome beginning to fall into disrepair; it was only the least she could do as both a noble and a friend.
Rook looked amused, obviously seeing through her poorly veiled intentions - he was quite perceptive for a commoner - but as she expected the prospect of doing business with the nobility won out in the end. Lowborn entrepreneurs were always eager to find a foothold in the upper classes.
"I have some time." He gave her a smaller but more genuine smile. "Lead the way."
"Wait wait wait, she likes you already? That's... what... how..."
"Are you saying I'm not likable?"
"...was that a joke? Gracious Naga, who are you and what have you done with Grima?"
"Rook...no, I don't believe I've ever met him," Laurent said with a frown. "If he is as skilled as you say, preventing his death could go a long way towards keeping Robin - and by extension your father - alive."
"Indeed," Lucina nodded. "Though without knowing the circumstances of his original death there is not much we can do. For now we should focus on gathering the gemstones, beginning with Gules."
"Very well," the mage chuckled. "Though perhaps we should create a strategy before attempting to break into the Khans' fortress and pilfer their royal treasure."
"Ah...yes..." Lucina decided not to mention that had indeed been her only plan. "Do you know much about Regna Ferox?"
"In a manner of speaking. I had the unpropitious luck of landing there when I first arrived," Laurent shivered. "But I recall something that might be useful..."
