Breaking Point


Lucina is faced with a choice- her mission or the love of her life. Even the most stalwart of people have their limits.


Lucina bit her lower lip as she walked out of the camp as the sun set behind the hills. It was beautiful, she noted, trying to shift her mind, but she couldn't. Every step she took felt as a dagger being driven into her heart- she didn't want to believe it, but she had to choose between the love of her life, or the success of her mission. She knew in every bit of her body what she had to do, but that didn't change what she wanted. She wanted nothing more than to embrace the man she saw standing atop a sandy, Plegian hill under a dead tree- he was, after all, her most cherished. But circumstances, and fate, had dealt a cruel and twisted blow to her- that she'd love this man, he who'd take everything from her. She knew it wasn't his fault, and that he'd want nothing more than to hold her close and make her smile, but that didn't change what she had to do: he had to die. She scoured her mind as she approached him, desperately trying to find another solution, one where he could live, but everything lead back to the same point, so she continued.

He was lost in thought as she approached. Even from a distance, she knew that. She figured he may have figured out his own twisted fate- to be the man who'd kill her father and set the world to ruin. But that didn't change what her mission was: she couldn't save Emmeryn, or Basilio, but perhaps, by slaying Robin, she'd save her father, and avert the dreadful future's return. She shook her head, as she thought it- Robin was the last person she wanted to have to kill. He meant so much to her, but for the world's sake, he had to die, and the last thing she wanted to happen was for him to suffer in his final moments. She never wanted to hurt him- even knowing she had to end his life- a swift painless death was the best she could offer to him. She considered not even alerting him and beheading him where he stood so that he'd die painlessly, and never knowing it was her who struck him down, but she chased away such thoughts: he deserved to have his final words to her, no matter how much pain it'd bring them.

"Beg pardon, Robin. Might I have a word?" she asked, fighting back tears and trying everything to keep her composure.

He promptly turned around upon hearing her voice. However, the look on his face- a welcoming, inviting smile- that of a true loved one, was not one she wanted to see. He spread his arms slightly, almost in hopes that he'd be met with an equally loving embrace, but they fell to his side when he realized it wasn't the case. "...Lucina. What is it?" his words were clearly worried, yet they rang with a sense of love.

"It's about my father. I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before he...died." Lucina shook her head and swallowed as she spoke, attempting to try to explain to her beloved why she'd soon take his life.

"I see..." Robin said, his eyes reflecting the same worry in hers, but not for what she hoped the same reasons.

"He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him. People say he was brave right up until the very end. I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do... I can see that the world will be robbed of a very great man. ...I won't allow that to happen." Lucina explained, her eyes avoiding contact with Robin's as she spoke. She knew she'd have to steel herself as much as explain to him why he must die, so she spoke as to reassure herself of her own mission- to save the world. She knew her father's survival was absolutely paramount to seeing that goal attained, and that she could not possibly choose her happiness, her own feelings over that- no, she resigned herself- she'd live in pain for the rest of her days or die before she'd forsake her mission.

"I understand. You love him. ...We all do." Robin said, smiling, taking a quick step towards his fiancé, but he knew something was wrong, and he quickly took a step back as he watched her arm move.

"Robin, I... Please, forgive me..." tears were finally freed from her eyes as she drew Falchion from its sheath and pointed it towards him.

"Lucina?!" Robin exclaimed as he watched her ready herself. She wore a terrible frown on her face and cried as she held the sword.

"Stay where you are, Robin! I have no choice. I must kill you." She explained, her words cutting into him as she looked up on his face. The warm and inviting smile he wore when she first spoke was gone, replaced with a wide-eyed, shocked look of betrayal that made her feel even worse than she already did.

"What?!" Robin said, shocked to hear Lucina's statement. "What madness is this?!"

"In my future, you..." Lucina swallowed as she spoke, "You are my father's murderer."

"No! That's insane!" Robin initially blurted out, "Why would I…" his words slowed as he realized what must have happened. Lucina had explained it to him before, how Chrom died in her dreadful future. "kill Chrom?" She was right, and he knew it.

"I was not certain myself, until now..." Lucina answered, having suspected it was Robin all along, despite how deeply she grown to love him. "I knew he had been killed by his closest friend. Having witnessed your bond with him, I doubted it could be so..." she continued, reiterating the same story that he had inquired her about before his confession of love to her. "But today's events make it clear. You are at Validar's mercy. I suspect it's he who forces you to take my father's life, and very soon..." She said explaining her reasoning— the same reason Robin had guessed at.

"Lucina, wait..!" Robin stammered.

"If my father is right, then we can change our fates. If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made." Lucina said, her voice growing more resolute, "I'm sorry, Robin… I know this is murder.. I know that… But if you have an love for Chrom you'll let this be done… don't resist and your death with be swift and painless." She said, tightening her grip on Falchion, shaking her head slightly to fling the tears from her eyes.

Robin let out a long sigh and dropped to his knees. "Very well. My life is yours. It always has been." He said, looking up at her. His eyes were wide and his expression was sorrowful- another dagger for her heart. It wasn't a look of fear that she saw on Robin's face, but a deep longing.

"Don't look at me like that!" Lucina exclaimed, "Do you have any idea how hard this is for me? I love you..!"

"I'd gladly give my life for Chrom… and you." Robin said, his eyes still wide and sorrow-filled, but a soft smile was on his face. Tears began to well up in his eyes. "Just… promise me you'll find someone else who cares for you. Promise me you won't be alone… I want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted."

"No… ah Gods, no..!" Lucina said as he spoke, knowing full well she couldn't keep to that request- with his death, her happiness would die as well. "Why am I doing this? He loves me. I'm threatening to take his life and his one concern is that I'm going to be alone? He's not even concerned with his own life- just that I will be alone again. What am I doing?!" She thought, and tears flowed freely from her eyes again. "It's not his fault Chrom died anyways. It's Validar's. Killing him might lessen the risk, but it won't remove the problem. No, instead I'm just ending the life of someone who truly loves and cares for me..."

"I'm ready now. Do what you must." He said lowering his head, accepting the end of his life.

"I…" Lucina said, feeling her body fight her, her fingers loosening, ready to let Falchion fall to the ground. "I must kill him. I cannot let my personal feelings get in the way. The world itself is at stake. If I choose my own happiness over that, I'm a craven. A coward… and what right do I have to be happy if it costs my youngerself the future she deserves? I didn't come back to fall in love. I came back to fulfill a purpose" , "I must…" she said, trying to stabilize her thoughts. Memories of her loss, clashed as fonder, fresh memories of Robin filled her mind. "I must… I must spare him. To hell with any future a world without him is not worth living in." With that thought, Falchion fell from her hand, striking the ground with a distinct clang- she had finally crossed her breaking point. "Oh damn me!" She cried, tears rolling down her face as she took steps towards Robin. "I can't do it… I love you too much..!" She cried out as he rose again to his feet. "I'm s-so sorry…please forgive me!" She sobbed, quickly realizing Robin had wrapped his arms around her.

"Easy now… I forgive you." Robin said, patting her back as she continued to cry. "It's alright, dear. I love you just as much now as I ever did."

But for her, the tears would not stop- she knew then, that her greatest reason to save the world was him, even if he was the greatest threat.


Author's Note: Screw it. I had to do it. Sure, were Howl not hiatus'd, I'd berate myself, but I'm not sure I'll get back to Howl the way things are going. I've got a couple more drabbles that I'm planning on writing... and that... but...