Chapter 10: Good Night Moon
Tharja took her time coming, her wintry-cool voice coming within earshot fifteen minutes later, heavily tinged with sarcasm.
"A headache, really? You interrupted my divination session so I could attend to a headache like some village wise-woman?"
"I-It's not an ordinary headache, Mother. Morgan collapsed from pain for no reason. Everything about it seems to point to a curse..."
Tharja pushed aside the flap to Morgan's tent, her face set in a scowl as she drawled at Noire from over her shoulder.
"Oh, a curse! How convenient! I'll thank you not to make such hasty judgement. I'm not about to entertain every person who comes to me just because they happen to sneeze on a hot summer day."
"B-But Mother, remember how you hexed Sir Henry with a bad cold last summer and everybody was saying it was unnatural...?" Noire pointed out rather unwisely.
Severa barked out a laugh before slapping a hand to her mouth. She shrank back when Tharja threw her a withering look.
Lucina was only half aware of this, looking up after she replaced the washcloth on Morgan's forehead with a newly-wrung piece. While they were waiting for Tharja's arrival, they'd tried their best to make Morgan as comfortable as they could, removing her robes and loosening her collar. It hurt to see the veins on sides of Morgan's head standing up prominently as her blood pressure rose, fuelling the pounding headache that made the teenager whimper in pain.
"Thank you for coming, Lady Tharja."
Lucina acknowledged distractedly as the unconscious teenager let out another low moan and tried to curl further into herself.
With so many people inside, the tent felt overcrowded. Clicking her tongue in impatience, Tharja brushed past everyone to kneel down. She lifted Morgan's eyelid to look at the underside, she pushed back the tip of her nose to stare down the nostrils and finally, she pinched the teenager's mouth open to peer at her palate.
"It's not a curse," Tharja declared in a bored tone, standing up in one smooth motion. "I'm done here."
"How could you be so sure?" Lucina demanded.
The dark mage gave her a sideway glance.
"Do you think this is the first time I checked? The possibility crossed my mind when Robin started having the headaches. I didn't find discolouration in his mucous membranes which would be indicative of dark magic affliction and I'm not seeing it on hers either."
Pulling her cloak close, the dark mage made for the exit. Lucina's mind spluttered as she tried to quickly reorganise her thoughts back into motion.
"Wait! I'm not talking about a localised curse. Aunt Lissa tells me there's nothing physically wrong with Robin or Morgan, but there must be a reason why they're having these headaches and nightmares. What if...the affliction has something to do with Robin's bloodline? What if it's tied to a power that carries from one generation to another, similar to those with exalted blood?"
Tharja stopped, her head cocked in consideration.
"Hmm... That might be something to look into..."
Turning to Noire, she instructed, "Run to my tent and get my satchel. I need my instruments for this."
Once she returned, Noire unfolded the roll of leather containing said instruments almost reverently. The set of tools that birthed the legend of Lon'qu getting chased around camp for hiding them from his wife turned out to be assorted pieces of wood and string and some metal instruments like knives and needles.
"Hold her still. I'll need a blood sample," Tharja lifted a knife into view.
Lucina balked before nodding. Together with Severa, she held Morgan in place as the dark mage made a clean cut on the teenager's arm. Over Morgan's groan of protest, Tharja instructed Noire how to carefully collect a small cup of blood from the cut.
The timid archer rummaged through the satchel next, pulling out assorted pouches and opening them to check the contents within.
"Newt toes, not spider eyes," The dark mage growled when Noire passed her the wrong package. "How many times have I told you this?"
The correct pouch was produced and Tharja scattered the tiny animal bits into the cup, chanting as she began stirring the mixture with a forked stick.
"Flea legs."
That went into the mixture which began to bubble and smoke.
"Now mosquito wings."
There was a sudden flash of white light which evaporated the mixture into acrid smoke. Tharja cursed as the container in her hand cracked apart. Noire tried to offer her handkerchief but the dark mage simply waved her away, shaking her fingers free of the broken pieces.
"I don't think I've seen so many magical influences contained within one person before..." Tharja murmured, gazing at Morgan with speculation. "The exalted blood is present, obviously, but there's also another equally strong force fighting for dominance in her body."
Lucina looked up worriedly from bandaging Morgan's arm.
"Is it a curse? Can it be removed?"
"Will you call your family's ability to defeat Grima a curse?" A flash of irritation flitted across Tharja's face. "Among the Grimleal, Validar's bloodline is the purest and rumoured to possess unknown powers. Morgan's blood carries strong hints of such a heritage." The dark mage hesitated before continuing, "There're also...signs of a foreign dark energy that seems to be inextricably linked with that other force in her body..."
Brows knitted in thought, Noire ventured uncertainly, "So w-what does the energy do, Mother? And who put it there?"
"That's beyond my ability to uncover," the dark mage muttered, packing up her equipment. "It's not a curse in the traditional sense of the word, but it is dark magic. And all I can say is it bears similarities to Validar's spell imprint."
The blood drained from Lucina's face at this. She'd made a wild guess, hoping all this time that she was wrong, but the parallels were clear: the dark magic affecting Robin also affected Morgan.
"So there's a good chance Morgan could also be mind-controlled by Validar..." Lucina breathed almost inaudibly, her hands going to wring the cloth with more strength than needed.
"Wait a minute," Severa spoke up, "I thought we were trying to solve the problem of Morgan's headaches. How did mind-control come into the equation?"
"I never said anything to that effect," Tharja pointed out tartly. "While I can't identify the origin of the link, it is a rudimentary connection, likely capable of only broadcasting vague mental feelings like fear and unease."
Lucina stayed silent in the face of the unwelcome complication. Perhaps Tharja was right but that would also mean Robin and Morgan were potentially under the control of another sinister power. So far, the only symptoms seemed to be headaches and nightmares but she'd already seen the effects of those and they were not pretty. She looked up, painfully aware that the dark mage had already done a huge favour gifting Morgan the charm that'd saved her life.
"Is there a way to remove the link, Lady Tharja?"
Tharja rose in a smooth motion before looking down at her, giving rise in Lucina the feeling that this was the first time she had the dark mage's undivided attention.
"No. Although there might be a way to block off the worst of it..."
The dark mage's eyes flicked away from her in dismissal.
"But I can't think of a good reason why I should help you."
With that, Tharja pushed past the tent flap unceremoniously.
Silence descended. Noire glanced at Lucina in mortal embarrassment while Severa shifted uncomfortably. Lucina was only faintly aware of this as she forced herself to breathe in measured time. She should've expected this. Tharja probably knew everything that'd happened between her and Robin; the dark mage had never stopped looking out for Robin's welfare no matter that both of them had families of their own.
"Watch over Morgan for me!"
She told her friends and made for the exit.
Once outside, Lucina strode in the direction of Tharja's distant form, taking care not to look as though she was heading for a confrontation.
"I'll take anything you throw at me," she said in a low voice once she reached the dark mage's side. "But Morgan doesn't deserve to suffer for my mistakes."
Tharja's lips remained a hard thin line, her eyes looking straight ahead.
"Is that supposed to be your reason? Because it's not good enough."
Lucina cursed inwardly. Appealing to the dark mage's nonexistent sense of solidarity would almost certainly produce a flat refusal. Making it an order would earn her snide remarks and worse. She hated pulling out the only card she had, but there could be no compromises when it came to Morgan's welfare.
"Would doing it for Robin's sake be a good enough reason? He'll thank you if you spared his daughter from unnecessary pain."
The dark mage turned to look at Lucina fully, her dark eyes incensed.
"Resorting to emotional blackmail? How the mighty has fallen."
Lucina breathed deeply and look at the other woman straight on.
"If that is what you believe, then you'd have misunderstood me all this time. I would do anything to make sure Morgan is safe, even if I have to speak in Robin's place."
"Such selflessness." Contempt dripped from Tharja's voice. "Do you ever get sick of that act of yours?"
Lucina's footsteps paused in confusion.
"W-What do you mean?"
The dark mage retraced her steps to stop right before Lucina.
"Everything you do is for the good of others, it's never because you exercised poor judgement, insisting on having your own way."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Lucina frowned as Tharja moved forward until their faces were inches away from each other.
"Do you not? You tried to murder Robin because you believed he will be responsible for your father's death. Then when you changed your mind, it was because you wanted to spare your daughter the pain of Robin's death. It must be quite a feat keeping track of all the self-serving lies in your head."
Indignation made Lucina draw herself to her full height. She had no idea how Tharja arrived at that conclusion. Her justifications might not tell the whole picture, but she had good reasons to stand by them.
"I know I acted rashly when I tried to kill Robin. That was before I knew there's a chance events could play out differently from my future. And before I realised the full consequences of my actions. How are these in any way lies?"
"In other words—you didn't think to give Robin the benefit of a doubt before pronouncing judgement on him. And when your daughter found out, you became afraid she'd hate you for the rest of her life. Go on, tell me that I've misunderstood you, tell me you aren't tripping over your heels trying to make yourself look better." Tharja retorted coldly as she turned away and continued towards her tent.
It was as though the other woman had telescopic sight that saw straight into her heart, making Lucina feel strangely exposed and vulnerable. She couldn't deny the grain of truth in Tharja's words, but truth came in many shades, and none of them were mutually exclusive in this case. Biting down her rising irritation, she followed the dark mage into the interior and let the tent flap fall close behind her.
"I don't know why it's so important to set the record in your own terms and I don't wish to argue over our different points of view. It's beside the point. You said you needed a good reason to help Morgan. Please, just tell me what it is."
Tharja took her time dropping her satchel on her bedroll. Then she went to rummage her saddlebags before taking a curious object out of one of them. Made from several pieces of aged wood and strange animal bits like mummified bird claws and lizard bodies spliced together with dried sinew, it exuded a disquieting aura Lucina could feel even from a distance.
The dark mage settled down on a camp chair, toying with the object in her hands as she stared at Lucina long and hard.
"Nothing I've said is beside the point. I gave Robin up because he made it clear he has no eyes for anyone else but you. Do you know how much that cost me? Convincing myself that he'll never see me that way despite how I can't stop loving him? Of course you don't. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, squandering away what you've been given with flimsy excuses."
Lucina looked away from the smouldering anger in the other woman's eyes. It hadn't crossed her mind that Tharja made an effort to stop pursuing Robin. In retrospect, she had expected to encounter the other woman's outright overtures for Robin after their marriage, but there had been none, or at least not to her knowledge.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was like that for you..."
Tharja's upper lip curled in a sneer, bitterness and anger fighting for dominance in her expression.
"Save your sympathy for the one who most deserves it. But that wouldn't be according to your plans, would it?"
So much for that. Lucina breathed deeply, reminding herself to stay calm in the face of the other woman's needling and insinuations. This was reminiscent of the time when she'd had to apologise to the dark mage over the misunderstanding with Noire, but now the stakes were much higher.
"You're deeply mistaken, Lady Tharja. The only thing I have in mind is ease Morgan's pain." she hesitated before confessing, "If I could've done it myself, I wouldn't be asking you."
Gripping the edge of her cloak and swinging it about herself like a piece of armour, the dark mage rose and began pacing the small space, her eyes never once leaving Lucina.
"Oh? And here I was about to commend you on how well you've played us. Across the continents of Valm and Ylisse, rumours are already identifying Robin as the tactician who carried Ylisse to victory against Plegia and Valm. They're calling him a genius and hailing his feats as legendary. But you would have recognised that he was special long before this, wouldn't you? A princess whose mission is to save the world would know the value of someone like Robin by her side.
"And you lost no time binding Robin to your cause, whether it was via oaths of fealty or bedroom tactics. But the moment the wars had been won and he'd outlived his usefulness to you, you turned on him. You disregarded how he was as shocked as you were at Validar's control over him, or how he was suffering from unwillingly betraying his friends. He was down and you kicked him in the face."
Lucina reeled back as the other woman spat out her accusations like so many homing arrows. But shock was quickly replaced by anger. Unconsciously, her hands began clenching. How could the other woman assume such things of her?
"That's a lie! I never thought to use Robin that way!"
"Do you expect me to believe that you only spared his life because you didn't want to cause your daughter grief?" Tharja snarled. "The rest of the Shepherds may have bought your sob story, but I'm not so gullible."
"You don't know how much it cost to ignore my feelings and lift my sword against Robin," Lucina said through gritted teeth as she felt her composure rapidly shredding to bits. "I wish to the bottom of my heart I had thought things through, but what's done is done! All I need to know is will you help Morgan or not?"
"If you want me to help, then start by answering this simple question," the dark mage retorted, moving back to take her seat again. "If your daughter hadn't interrupted you, would you still have killed Robin?"
Lucina was struck dumb. Saving her father, and the world by extension, had been her mission for so long that it was almost a sacrilege to make concessions to it. Yet this last week had done nothing but showed her the cost of adhering blindly to her goal. Tharja's words might be cruel, but they were simply endnotes to the litany of mistakes that had been running through her mind the whole time.
"No... I don't think so..."
"And why is that?"
Shaking her head, the vision of that moment when she'd been ready to swing Falchion over and across Robin's distraught face filled Lucina's mind. He'd been standing there; arms open wide, waiting for the blade to fall. One blow would've been enough to kill him, or deal a wound so mortal no amount of healing could save him. So close, so close but for Morgan's timely interruption...
Lucina took a ragged breath before unclenching her teeth long enough to say, "I...I wouldn't be able to bring myself to..."
"That's it? You want me to believe you had a change of heart? Is your father's life worth so little now?" Tharja gave a bark of disbelief before narrowing her eyes. "Or perhaps he was never in danger in the first place. Such awful coincidence that your father's welfare becomes so important the moment Robin shows signs of being a liability to you. It was a perfect opportunity to get rid of him, and you took it. So how does it feel to see the face of utter faithlessness in the mirror every day?"
"I am not faithless!" Lucina shouted at Tharja, not caring if her voice carried through the tent walls. "My marriage vows with Robin were made for life. When the time comes, I will go down on my hands and knees and beg him for forgiveness! But my duty now is to my daughter and I will not have her be a bargaining chip in our quarrel!"
The dark mage rose meet her head on, hand snaking out to grip a fistful of Lucina's cloak and giving her a hard shake.
"If you want my help, then you'll bow to my demands! Drop that martyr complex already and tell me why Robin won't die by your hand when he returns!"
"Because I love him! Even if the world was saved, it would still be lost to me if he's not around. Gods help me, I'm sorry, so sorry..."
Blindly, Lucina shoved the other woman away. It was like a floodgate opened in her heart, draining away the doubt and contradictory feelings that had been plaguing her. The onslaught of relief, guilt, fear, regret combined turned her knees to water and Lucina sought support in the tent pole, gripping the wood with white-clenched knuckles. By the gods, she swore she wouldn't break down in tears before Tharja, she wouldn't!
After what seemed like an eternity, Lucina felt a hand settle on her shoulder, trying to rouse her.
She looked up to see a myriad of emotions flit past Tharja's face before the other woman finally said, "I'll help Morgan."
Lucina stared at the dark mage in bewilderment, wondering if she'd missed something. For answer, Tharja raised the ugly object she'd been holding into view.
"I placed a truth hex on you. I needed to know that my giving up Robin was not in vain, and that agreeing to your request wasn't going to do him a bigger injustice."
Lucina worked her jaw soundlessly for a moment, her mind trying to play catch up to the implications.
"Y-You...you..." She finally spluttered, backpedalling from the dark mage. "W-Why did you have to do that...? Why couldn't you have just asked?"
"Like you'd spilled your heart if I asked nicely," Tharja scoffed with impatience. "You're so adept at hiding your motivations you don't even know your true feelings. You said you'd do anything for Morgan. If it bothers you so much, then consider it paying your dues."
Leaving Lucina red-faced and flustered, the dark mage knelt down to dig through another saddlebag, pulling out another item.
"I should be able to alter this charm for the purpose," Tharja muttered, settling down on the camp stool, opening her satchel and began laying out her assortment of strange-looking tools.
There was no point bearing a grudge against the other woman, Lucina realised. Tharja wouldn't have cared either way and Lucina couldn't fault the dark mage's reasons; it was exactly something she'd expect Tharja to do.
"Who did it belong to?" She glanced down from staring at the ceiling made of rough-spun fabric after swallowing several times to regain her composure.
The charm the other woman held was a humongous thing, easily the size of an outstretched hand. Metal pieces made up the base, similar to the ones Lucina and Morgan had been given. But this unusually ugly piece was more elaborate, adorned with splayed feathers and animal bones arranged like so many serrated knives along the edges. A thin metal chain attached to the outermost edges suggested that it was meant to be worn like a pendant.
"It was for Lon'qu. I designed it to give protection against nickel and dime combat spells," Tharja's deft hands twisted pieces of bone to rearrange them in a different pattern. "The silly man said it'd dull his senses against distant threats and decided not to wear it. Never mind that I could've made another charm to prevent that. Such an impossible fool when it comes to his own safety..."
There was no rancour in the other woman's voice. Silly impossible fool I can't help worrying over, Tharja's exasperation seemed to say. Carefully, the dark mage reached for feathers from another species of bird in her bag, attaching them with fine sinews before surveying her handiwork.
"There. Now to tune it to Morgan's aura."
They returned to find the young tactician awake and sitting on her bedroll, hands massaging her temples. That thundercloud frown, so characteristic of the teenager lately, fell on both women as they entered the tent.
"I'm in a hurry to get back to work," Morgan growled, frustration giving her tone an extra edge. "But Severa and Noire keep telling me to wait. So what am I waiting for?"
"For me to solve your little headache problem. And hopefully, improve your attitude along with it," Tharja replied drolly as she knelt down and thrust the charm at Morgan. "Wear this."
Crinkling her nose, Morgan accepted the spiky charm and studied it warily. When she tried to loop the chain over her shirt, Tharja instructed, "It must be against your skin or it won't work."
The young tactician stared at Tharja in disbelief.
"You've gotta be kidding! That'll give me the mother of all rashes if it doesn't sever my carotid artery first!"
The dark mage scowled in annoyance and rose to her feet to stare down her nose at the teenager.
"A small price to pay as I see it. All that blood going to your head isn't doing squat if you can't strategise with a clear mind. Your mother went through great lengths convincing me to help you. And if you think this charm was conjured up from moonshine and morning dew, think again. Now stop being an ungrateful child and put it on correctly."
Morgan's eyes darted to Lucina before sidling away uncomfortably. Biting her lip, she eased the charm around her neck with exaggerated care. The moment the item came into contact with her skin, an immediate change overcame the teenager. Morgan's pinched look cleared instantly and she stared around her with eyes wide open.
"Whoa... I-It's like a dark cloud just lifted from my head! I'm not just talking about the pain! The oppressive feeling is gone! I didn't even know it was there and was bothering me so much!"
Self-consciously, the young tactician sat up taller and squared her shoulders. She gave her head a little shake to test if the pain was gone and then laughed with delight. Hearing that sound was such a relief for Lucina that she couldn't help smiling in response.
Tharja remained unmoved as she studied the teenager critically.
"You're not out of the woods yet. You feel fine now because the attack has abated. They come and go, don't they?"
She glanced at Lucina who nodded her head after a moment. Robin had his good and bad days, although having suffered from the problem so many months, he'd learned to adapt to it.
"B-But the charm helps get rid of the general feeling of unease Morgan has been feeling, doesn't it, Mother?" Noire piped up timidly.
"Yes. Thank the gods for small blessings. My work here is done for now," The dark mage made for the entrance before turning back to Lucina at the last moment.
"Come with me. I have other matters to discuss with you."
Lucina half-rose, torn between staying with Morgan and following the dark mage. The teenager had jumped to her feet, pulling Severa along with her for a twirl. But the moment Lucina caught her daughter's eyes, they slid away. The hostility was much abated, but the wariness remained. She suppressed her sigh and slipped out of the tent. It was wishful thinking to expect an improvement in their relations so soon, anyway.
Once the both of them had gone far enough that they could no longer hear Severa yelling at Morgan to stop glomping her, Lucina said gratefully, "On Morgan's behalf and personally, thank you very much, Lady Tharja. I won't forget this, or the other time you helped us."
The other woman glanced at her and then looked away.
"The enemy, whoever it is, is stepping up his game. This dark energy seems to work like an indiscriminate broadcast, forcing its message onto anyone susceptible to it. Morgan wasn't affected before, which means the strength of the attacks is growing stronger."
Lucina's footsteps faltered. Slowly, the implications became clear to her; if Robin's headaches had been bad previously, they would be worse now.
"I don't have another charm I can alter." Tharja continued before she could broach the question. "These things take months to craft. And I suspect Robin's affliction lies beyond the scope of such paltry protection."
A sinking feeling filled Lucina when she realised what Robin was probably facing. Out there alone with a debilitating condition, surrounded by roaming Grimleal fanatics and spies sent by Validar to catch him off guard—it was a death sentence.
She'd lost track of the number of times cursing her own ill-advised decisions, but Morgan wasn't the only one seeing the world through new eyes. For the first time in the week, Lucina felt the turmoil that had been churning inside her settling down. In its wake was a strong sense of clarity and purpose—two things she'd never imagine possessing again.
Looking up, she saw Tharja studying her, waiting to see what she would say. And from the centre of the calm within, Lucina finally found the resolve to give the answer she could stand behind.
"Robin is out there somewhere. I'm going to find him and bring him back."
Long seconds ticked by as the other woman continued to stare at her with a masked expression.
"Some part of me still thinks of this whole affair as a perfect opportunity to earn my way into Robin's heart. I wouldn't even need to destroy his trust in you since you've done such a wonderful job of it..."
A chill filled Lucina. But recalling the affectionate way the dark mage had talked about her husband and how she seemed to have found a loyal apprentice in her timid daughter, she tried to return Tharja's gaze evenly.
"You could, but it would also hurt Sir Lon'qu and Noire immensely. Despite your reasoning, I don't think you'd do it."
After a long moment, Tharja sniffed.
"Perhaps," she conceded and then added more quietly, "Bring Robin back. I'll see if I can do something to help him."
Saying that, the dark mage turned and walked away.
Releasing the breath she wasn't aware she was holding, Lucina stared at the other woman's departing form. Chances were the both of them would never be comfortable around each other. But she suspected mutual respect, albeit grudgingly, was possible. What was undeniable was the great debt she owned the dark mage. One of these days, she had to find a way to show her gratitude.
But she filed all of that to the back of her mind. Right now, there were more important things to do. Thanks to Tharja's subterfuge, Lucina realised that she couldn't help how she still felt about Robin. Acknowledging those feelings had played a large part in calming the storm in her head, but the next step was solely hers to make.
Knowing that she was on the right path at last brought such unutterable relief that Lucina had to take small breaths to calm her racing heart as she began running through the camp.
She was ready to believe that Robin would find a way to stop the end of the world, she was going to stay true to her marriage vows, she would beg his forgiveness for her lapse in trust and faith. No more second-guessing. She would stand firm behind him no matter what came to pass.
"Milady, it's dangerous, what you're asking for." Frederick said, disapproval clear in his voice.
"Please, Sir Frederick, just tell me how to find Robin." Lucina got in between gasps, trying to catch her breath. "I have to bring him back. He's in grave danger."
The knight commander turned away to give instructions for the last of the supplies to be transferred to their convoy before returning his attention to Lucina again.
"Does milord know about this?"
"Report to my father if you wish, but you may know Robin and I had a fight before he left-" No, that was sugar-coating the facts. So she tried again, "-and I drove him away. It was my fault, I need him to know that before something happens and it is too late."
The muscle in Frederick's jaw jumped at this. After a while, he sighed and beckoned her to move towards a secluded corner formed by the sides of two wagons.
"I don't know where his exact location is. We agreed to leave messages written in code for each other in specially-marked cairns on the side of the road. I have no idea how he manages to keep up with us, except I know the missives are reaching him because there's no break in our conversation."
Lucina's heart see-sawed at this. He was safe! But more than ever, safety was not guaranteed. And she had to wonder the tremendous stress and hardship he was suffering, keeping up with their group while staying hidden at the same time.
"What do your messages talk about? I-Is he all right? Is he doing well?"
"As well as can be, I suppose. He's been giving us numbers and movement information on enemy forces beyond our purview. He doesn't talk much about his personal situation."
A contemplative look came over Frederick as he took note of her rising anxiety.
"While I cannot pinpoint his whereabouts, there is, however, someone in the camp who can."
Like a moth seeking light, Lucina's head came back up.
A glint appeared in the knight's eye as he continued, "I assume it's not a secret if you have no problems with milord learning about this. If so, Panne can lead you to Robin. And I would sleep easier knowing there's someone accompanying you."
For a split-second, Lucina forgot to close her mouth. She'd expected to encounter resistance, the last thing she'd imagine was such a gift presented to her on a platter!
"Oh, yes," she breathed. "I'd be in your debt if you can get her to help."
An uncharacteristic smile graced the knight's face.
"I'll talk to her and have her seek details from you later."
Thanking Frederick, Lucina left. The march southward would resume within the hour, and she had a number of things to prepare before meeting Robin. She had to get his herbs to him for one. They weren't the solution like Morgan's charm, but every little bit helped. Were his food supplies running low? She should bring him some of the new store and an additional blanket to ward off cold nights while she was at it. A flask of wine to fortify against chilly evenings sounded like a good idea too.
Catching glimpse of Gaius across the camp brought on a new inspiration and quickly, Lucina ran forward to accost him. Honey was a luxury item but if there was anyone who had a stash of it deep within a desert, it was the genial ex-thief. Gaius agreed to gift her a bottle when he learned of what she had in mind.
Clutching her precious prize, Lucina ran round the supply wagons to find the other items she needed. The best time to search for Robin would be under the cover of night. Which left her with a bit of time after camp was struck in the evening to whip up a batch of honey cakes that her husband and daughter loved so much. It didn't matter if the teenager continued to rebuff her, Morgan deserved some for all the effort and hard work she was putting in.
Halfway through her tasks, Lucina came to a dead stop. Wait, what was she thinking? She was supposed to convince Robin to return to camp! Not give him more excuses to remain out there!
So maybe the blanket and the food supplies was not such a good idea...but on second thought, it felt strange to go to Robin empty-handed. Besides, she could haul it all back if none of that was necessary and be the happier for it. The plan devised and mode of execution set up, she could only wait impatiently for evening to arrive.
Putting the freshly-made cakes into her backpack and clasping it shut, Lucina looked up at the shadow blocking the light from the campfire.
"Ready?" Panne asked laconically, her head cocked sideways.
Lucina was about to say yes, but then she remembered there was one last thing she absolutely had to bring with her.
"Just a moment, Lady Panne."
Running back into her tent, she rummaged through her saddlebags to retrieve a paper package. Unwrapping it, she lifted the scintillating pendant Robin had given her back at Valm and carefully hung it on its rightful place again around her neck.
They walked to the outskirts of the camp where deep shadows laid. With a shimmering ripple caught by the light of the sliver moon, the taguel transformed to her massive rabbit form. She stood up on her hind legs, towering over Lucina as she sniffed the air deeply.
"This way," Panne's flanged voice murmured and she began loping towards a range of low hills to the west. After several minutes of a ground-devouring pace which left Lucina quite winded, the taguel growled.
"Get on my back or we'll still be here at daybreak."
With embarrassment, Lucina clambered onto the back of her fellow Shepherd. After a moment of fumbling around, she realised that Panne's back armour formed a saddle-like depression for a passenger to sit in when she transformed. Reassured, she moved to grip the edge of the leather for support.
"Thank you for doing this, Lady Panne."
At this rate, the list of favours Lucina owed was going to take her a good while to repay, and her face grew hot when she thought about it. But the taguel simply turned her head around to regard her curiously.
"Robin is a friend. No thanks are needed for a friend."
Lucina hadn't thought of it that way. Maybe that was why Gaius was so accommodating to her request once he realised it was for Robin. And then it struck her like a sledgehammer blow.
But remember you don't have to do this alone.
A support system runs both ways and if there's something I can do for you, I will.
Promise me you'll consult us next time before you rush into something you might regret, okay?
Oh, Lucina... Why didn't you come and talk to us in the first place?
Despite hearing all those well-meant words uttered to her in this timeline, she'd never once been able to shake off the feeling that her duties were hers and hers alone to bear. Until today.
"You're very quiet. Don't worry, you will see your mate soon."
The last piece of the mental puzzle slipped into place with a momentous click. It was as though Lucina could finally see for herself the strength of those invisible ties Chrom and Robin kept talking about.
"I'm all right. Thank you for your concern," she replied in a hushed voice, awed and humbled by how the network of bonds that surrounded her and Robin revealed itself, unfolding like a pattern without end.
Panne grunted satisfaction and picked up speed. In another minute, they came to a stop before a sizeable strand of brush forest.
The taguel gestured with her uplifted chin.
"He's in there."
Dismounting awkwardly, Lucina squinted at the black shrivelled trunks of the widely-spaced trees and their sparse foliage. Nothing moved within.
"Are you sure?"
"I can smell him and his horse. Go on, I will keep watch here."
Picking her way carefully through the dried undergrowth, Lucina scanned the darkened forest for signs of a camp. It was possible Robin decided he couldn't risk a light. When she moved past one tree to another, she found her face coming into rude contact with a warm horse flank. The animal nickered in surprise and shifted away, and Robin's camp suddenly materialised before her eyes.
A small fire crackled merrily between two raised roots of a gnarly tree and his backpack sat beside it. He'd shrouded the area with invisibility and silence spells, she realised. Scanning the surroundings, she saw no sight of him, but Panne said she could smell him, which meant he'd probably left to get something and would be back.
Relief filled Lucina. She didn't know what to expect when she met him and she was grateful for the delay. Taking a deep breath, she took out her waterskin and the pouch of herbs and set the pot she found by the fire to boil. The flask of wine and the cloth-wrapped honey cakes went to rest against one of the roots.
She'd just finished pouring the brew into a mug when the sound of cracking undergrowth made her swivel around.
"Lucina...? Is...Is that you?"
Robin stepped into the firelight, a filled waterskin slipping from his hand to fall on the ground.
Lucina's breath caught in her throat when she saw the patchy beard covering his cheeks and the lines that grime and weariness etched on his face. He looked so thin and haggard her heart broke.
"You've lost so much weight..." She whispered in dismay, rising on legs that didn't feel like they would support her.
He lurched towards her, a smile forming on his face, and then he forced himself to stop. Growing alarm replaced the happiness in his eyes.
"Why are you here? Did something happen to Morgan?"
"Y-Yes, I mean no! No, nothing happened. I..I..." Swallowing several times, Lucina cursed and tried again, "I-I'm here to bring you back."
Robin raised his hand as though to touch her and then thought better of it. He settled for gesturing at the ground near the campfire instead.
"Take a seat. I think you'd better tell me what's going on."
Caution informed his new movements even as Lucina wished that his delight at seeing her would return. But it was presumptuous to assume that he would forgive her and take her back into his life. He might not be so happy once she told him what had happened.
Little by little, she coughed out what happened during the time he was gone. Morgan's struggles to take over his job and the headaches the teenager was suffering from dominated the report, but she didn't stop at there. Her realisation that the gems in the Fire Emblem had been replaced went into the mix, the things she'd learned about herself through Tharja's truth hex, the existence of the dark force surrounding him and Morgan and what it meant all came out in a rush. The words tumbled out, taking their meaning from her heart.
"I acted selfishly, Robin. All I thought about was my own mission. I didn't stop to consider Morgan's feelings or that I might be abandoning you in your time of need. Lady Tharja called me faithless and she...she is right. I broke the vows I made to you in every way imaginable. Could you ever find it in your heart to...forgive me?"
Lucina drank in the sight of him as she ended her plea. His hair was unkempt and littered with forest detritus, dirt and sweat had turned his shirt a splotchy grey and dark rings lined his eyes, completing his wild look. It was very likely he'd had very little sleep while spending a great deal of mana to stay hidden and keep pace with the Shepherds. When she'd said that she'd go down on her hands and knees to beg if she had to, it wasn't a lie. But if Robin found it impossible to forgive her, she didn't know what she'd do.
His expression grew troubled as a tic appear on his jaw. Unconsciously, Lucina moved to clutch the stone at her neck.
After a while, Robin ran a trembling hand across his eyes.
"Your mission is also my mission, Lucina. I'd sworn to take the burden of your duty from your shoulders, but I actually made it worse..." he whispered. "All I could think about this past week was how I've failed you-"
"That's not true! Father is still alive. I was the one who failed you, I almost killed you!"
"But you didn't," he pointed out. "And you came all the way here to tell me why you didn't. I can't describe how relieved I am. I thought it was over between us..."
"It's not over!" She denied furiously, and then decided to take the plunge and confessed, "I-I couldn't stop loving you even if I wanted to..."
Robin's sharp intake of breath carried faintly across the space between them. A long moment later, he looked up at her wistfully.
"We're not very good with this marriage business, are we?"
Lucina was surprised into a mirthless laugh.
"No, we're not," she admitted.
"And if we're going to play the blame game, there's no end to it," he murmured. "So let me be the first to say there's nothing to forgive."
She looked at him with hope as fragile as a butterfly's wings, her hand retaining its death grip on the pendant.
"D-Do you think we could move past this and try again...?"
For answer, she felt his arms go around her, light and hesitant. The effect was instantaneous. A sudden surge of relief took her over the emotional precipice and with a stifled sob, she sunk into Robin's embrace gratefully, hands moving to grip him with all the strength she had.
It felt so good to hold him close again. He was scruffy and smelly, but Lucina didn't care. Tightening his hug, Robin responded with a heartfelt sigh that echoed her thoughts: she was where she should be and nothing could be more right in this world. They had stumbled and came so close to losing each other that she wanted to just grab this second chance and not look back. Fate was welcome to throw all the curve balls at her; she'd gladly suffer them with him at her side.
Minutes, and then hours seemed to slip pass as they held onto each other. The sky could be seen through the interspersed tree trunks, a glorious vista of stars that blanketed the desert in a cool distant light. Above the murmur of the wind, small sounds of the night were beginning to make themselves heard, a reminder that time was not their friend.
"Come back with me, Robin? Morgan misses you terribly and Father and the rest of the Shepherds will be glad to have you with us again."
Reluctantly, Robin pulled away so he could face her fully.
"I can't, love. I'm still a danger to Chrom. Morgan is stronger than she knows, she'll be able to resist Validar's control if it comes to that. I've proven I can't."
"But you're in grave danger out here! What happens if you meet the Grimleal or Validar's spies while having a headache?"
He gave her a grim smile.
"I've eluded them so far, haven't I? And I'm sure I can do it till we reach the Dragon's Table." Gently, his hand went to cup her chin. "I need to do this for my peace of mind, Lucina. I can't go back until I retrieve the Fire Emblem. I'm no good to your father or the Shepherds otherwise."
Lucina shook her head, wanting to argue that he could accomplish that easier with the Shepherds, but she knew why he had to do this his way. His sense of duty was as unshakable as her own; it was what attracted her to him in the first place.
"I understand..."
Robin held her face between his hands and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Don't get me wrong, love. I'm so happy you came here to tell me everything tonight. Do you...have to go soon...?"
Her eyes roved to her backpack and the supplies she'd hope wouldn't be necessary. They were making good travel time and with luck, Robin wouldn't have to use everything she'd brought along. Her mind skipped ahead to what they would find at the end of their journey and the thought of their next encounter with Validar filled Lucina with dread.
With difficulty, she shoved all fears for the future from her mind. Robin's brew was getting cold and the honey cakes were best eaten fresh. Panne was still waiting, and Frederick would get worried if she didn't return soon. But this time was hers and Robin's and brief though it might be, she'd seize and cherish every second of it.
Nobody knew what to expect of the Dragon's Table. As it turned out, it looked nothing like a dragon or a table. Rather, it was a forbidding series of spires jutting out of a low-rolling desert, visible from a long distance away. The acute angles, so out of place, seized control of a traveller's attention as architectural details slowly materialised upon approach.
Nearer the structure, the spire's role as a temple dedicated to the Fell Dragon became clear. The spindly black towers crowning the main structure seemed to curve towards the impossibly slim gothic arch that made up the entrance, their pinnacles adorned with ebony dragon statues that looked as though they were holding an unholy communion with each other high above the ground.
The Grimleal bands that the Shepherds had so much problems with steered clear of the immediate area for some strange reason, and they were glad they didn't need to waste their strength clearing the way before a major fight. Still, it was disconcerting to find Robin falling into stride with them as they neared the edifice like it was the most natural thing in the world. Murmurs of surprise at how he simply materialised out of thin air followed while the more exuberant members of the group cheered outright. Morgan almost fell off trying to dismount before her horse stopped moving in her frantic attempt to get to him.
"Dad! Dad, you're here! I miss you so much!"
Dismounting with more grace, Robin received Morgan's headlong tackle with a hug of his own, laughing breathlessly as he stumbled to maintain his footing. He spared a more dignified hug for Chrom and then good-naturedly endured the back thumps and shoulder slaps from the rest of the Shepherds.
It'd only been two days since they last parted, but Lucina couldn't help the giddy feeling of joy at seeing Robin again. He'd cleaned up nicely, having had a shave and a new change of clothing. The herbs and food supplies seemed to have made a difference and at a cursory glance, he looked prepared for what they might face today.
When she reached him, Lucina received a hug and a quick stolen kiss, nothing out of the ordinary for a married couple. But Robin held onto her hand openly as he moved to confer with Chrom, Frederick and Morgan. His gesture brought a warmth that welled up from the pit of her stomach. It wasn't lost to Morgan either, who threw wary glances in their direction.
Robin didn't seem to notice any of this as he stopped before Chrom.
"Are you ready, Robin?"
"As ever, but I have a favour to ask..."
The prince's expression was faintly amused.
"As long as it's not a request to leave you behind."
Robin gave his friend a wry smile.
"I did consider it. I can't hurt you if I'm not there in the first place. But...I can't run from Validar forever. And if I'm going to overcome him, my best chance is with you by my side. But-" He lifted a finger to forestall any comments. "-if Validar somehow does gain control over me... Promise me you'll cut me down."
Shouts erupted from Chrom, Morgan and Frederick at the same time. Lucina was about to throw in her own protest when she was cut off by Robin squeezing her hand hard. She subsided, but even so, she couldn't help but look at him with worry.
"You can't mean that!" Chrom cried out finally. "You can't ask that!"
"I do, Chrom. I'll resist him the best I can, I promise. But there're too many people involved here. You have a duty to protect them, your daughter and granddaughter among them. I hope it doesn't become necessary but I don't like plans without failsafes. You know that."
"You're not throwing your life away, Dad! I held the fort so you could come back and take over from me." Morgan interrupted, her blue eyes shining with indignation. "If Grandpa has to cut you down, he'll have to do the same to me. There's a good chance I can be mind-controlled, too."
Robin smiled at his daughter and ruffled her hair.
"I seemed to recall you managed to break free of Validar's control when none of us could. That's an edge if I heard of one. Anyway, I've got reports from Frederick telling me you've done a good job, grasshopper. Thank you for picking up the slack, I'll be taking it back from here. And I have no intentions of throwing my life away. It's just a contingency plan so I don't want any senseless heroics from you today, okay?"
Lucina expected Morgan to whine or protest, but the young tactician regarded her father seriously and nodded.
"Keep your promise and I'll leave the heroics to Cynthia."
Morgan stepped back after her declaration, leaving Robin free to turn to Chrom again.
"So we good, buddy?"
The prince sighed deeply. "I'm echoing what Morgan said. I'll take your word that it's a backup plan. But you'd better damn well do your best to make sure it's not necessary."
"I will."
Discussion over, they remounted and made their way towards the temple. Taking the opportunity, Robin rode up next to Lucina and leaned over.
"What happened to Morgan? It's like I turned around for one second and she suddenly grew up..." Robin murmured.
"She's had a lot on her plate while you were gone."
Lucina decided not to tell Robin about her fallout with the teenager; that was her problem to deal with. She was more worried about the casual way Robin had asked Chrom to kill him. Despite his insistence that it was a contingency plan, she couldn't help the alarm bells ringing at the back of her head.
"Are you going to be all right, Robin?"
He smiled and reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I've had better days. Let's get this over and done with, and then I could use some hot food and a bath if we can find enough water in this godforsaken desert for one."
He dug in his heels then, urging his horse to canter to the front of the column. One way or another, this would be over soon. The anxiety that Lucina felt recently, not know what would happen next, threatened to boil to the surface as always. But today, it was the preternatural calm surrounding her husband that concerned her the most. What was Robin's plan for getting the Fire Emblem back? What did he mean when he talked about overcoming Validar? He'd suffered so much already. She could only hope that whatever fate had in store today would be kinder to him.
A/N: Happy New Year, folks!
Thank you for waiting patiently for this update. Initially, I was going to post this on 5 Jan because it would mark the one-year anniversary of the story, but I decided an approximation is good enough. I can still recall how excited I was when I published the first chapter while plotting out the story lines I wanted to explore. In the 1 year, this fic grew from a series of unconnected vignettes to something that ties more closely with the plot of the game and now 90k words later, we're almost at the end of it.
As always, my thanks goes out to Dane Namor for his suggestions on how to tweak the chapter to read better. 10 chapters down, 2 more to go (+ epilogue). I've hope you've enjoyed the ride so far!
Till next time!