Chapter 9: Assassination

"Chrom, what are you doing out so late?"

Chrom looked up from himself and watched Robin approach, some books on tax law in their grasp. His mouth pulled to the side. "Hey, Robin. Just... dueling with some unpleasant thoughts…"

Robin smirked. "I hope you're wielding your mind's rapier properly, at least."

Chrom chuckled softly, "Funny." His mirth faded from his face quickly. "I've just been thinking back on the battle at the pass… The things you said, reminding me that Plegia wasn't our enemy." He sighed, raising his head up to gaze at the stars, so bright out with the moon in shadow. "My father, and King Alexander, waged war on Plegia for five years. Not long after my birth, Richter of the Exalted Bloodline, and Chosen of Falchion, began receiving visions in his sleep of darkness in Plegia. He believed the Grimleal were in the process of resurrecting the fell dragon, Grima, and that a child had been born that would serve as his vessel."

If Robin had any questions, they stayed silent, allowing him to continue. "Frederick's father was a passive man, and he yielded to Father's council. Together, they starved our people, bringing farmers barely able to wield a pitchfork into battle and sending them to their deaths. The kingdom was on the verge of collapse from starvation. I was young, but I remember those dark times." He sighs, "...I know how they affected Emmeryn and Frederick."

Robin nodded. "Such an experience would change anyone."

Chrom scowled. "They were only 9 and 10 when the fighting had a chance to stop. Father, King Alexander, and King Uskah of Plegia were all lost in the Battle of the Border Plains. Lissa was barely a toddler, and we'd just lost our mother, yet Emmeryn not only took to raising us, but healing the halidom as well."

"That must have been a tremendous burden," Robin added.

"I cannot claim to know how she does it, Robin. Together, she and Frederick brought soldiers home to their families. Tore down the military, ended the war. Queen Aversa was just a teenager, in their same shoes, when they drafted the treaty to cease hostilities. When Ylisse's spirit was mended, when the people began to see the two of them as people rather than as the shadows of our fathers? ...Well, Emmeryn has never resented them for it. She is an endless kindness, and Frederick a boundless strength; they can't afford to be anything less, as far as the people are concerned."

"That would explain… much, of the bond I've seen them share."

Chrom sighed. "No one other than Phila, my sister, and I have been allowed to see their pain. The tears in Emmeryn's eyes. The exhaustion in Frederick's movements. And yet still they toil. Emmeryn is the peace that Ylisse must protect, and Frederick is its protector.

"And what does that make me?" He asked, looking to his tactician.

Robin blinked. "What? What do you mean?"

Chrom let his posture slump. "I've always followed my instincts; I'm not sure I know any other way. I proposed the idea of the Shepherds, recruited our friends, trusted you, even! All because it was what I felt right." He looked at his hands, seeing something on them that wasn't there. "Yet, my gut hasn't always led me straight. I act recklessly, sometimes thoughtlessly, and those actions have consequences."

"I'm aware," Robin chimed in. "I've accounted for your bull-charge behavior in my strategies. Was it your gut that taught you how to wield a sword?" They joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Chrom chuckled again. "No, that was Frederick. Though I suppose I might blame it for my rapier habits." He shook his head. "What I'm saying is, my instincts told me our enemies were the Plegians at our backs, not the mercenaries charging us. As Frederick's retainer, as a Shepherd, I need to know who my enemies are." He shot Robin a desperate look. "How can I know that I'm doing the right thing, when I saw enemies that weren't even there? How am I better than my father?"

Robin looked away, pensive. A moment passed before saying, "Well, you have me." Chrom waited for them to elaborate. They continued, "When you questioned my orders, I questioned you back. You reevaluated the situation and remembered who the enemy was. And then you struck them down, as you should." They turned to look in his eyes. "I think, if you're worried about being led astray, you can count on the rest of us to keep you on the right path."

Chrom smiled. "I think I can place my faith in you, if I cannot trust myself. I can't afford to see demons in the shadows; our enemies are already here. Together, we can stop them from hurting anyone else, and if we must draw our swords, then perhaps that is just. Peace won't protect itself; we have to work to preserve it, every day. Even if we must be death's agents to do it."

"Well spoken, sir." Both Shepherds turned to see they'd been joined by Marth, who appeared from out of the bushes.

"Marth…" Chrom regarded the swordsman with caution. Falchion's bearer had questions, especially as the masked man seemed to bear his own Falchion.

"Good evening to you," Marth spoke with a small nod.

Chrom started with the most pertinent question, "How did you get here?"

Marth gestured with his head back towards whence he had come. "The cleft in the castle wall, behind the maple grove."

"There?" Chrom said as he paled. "But how could you…? Ugh." His face fell into a scowl.

Robin cocked their head. "You know the place, Chrom?"

Chrom cringed, rubbing the back of his head. "I may have… bashed part of the wall in while training the Shepherds. It's only a small hole! I'd thought it well concealed, but…" Clearly not well enough.

"Your secret is safe with me," Marth said with a nod. "I come here only to warn you." He pursed his lips, knowing the next part would be difficult.

"Warn us of what?" Chrom asked cautiously. He trusted Marth, but the man had brought his share of ominous warnings.

"..." Marth was silent for a moment, before elaborating, "Your sister's life is in danger."

"What, Emmeryn?" Chrom correctly surmised. "That's absurd. She's guarded at all hours." By a Plegian lieutenant, no less.

"What if…" How to explain? No, no pretenses, just speak. "What if I told you, I have seen the future? Would you believe me? A future where Emmeryn is… killed. Here. Tonight." He spoke quickly, urgently.

Robin considered him curiously, while Chrom looked incredulous. "Seen the future?" He scoffed, "Have you lost your wits?"

Marth sighed, "Yes, I expected you wouldn't believe me. So allow me to prove it!"

Marth drew his blade, and silently blessed his urgency in delivering his warning, as he now heard a faint, nigh imperceptible rustling from behind him. Thankfully, he'd been prepared.

[~~~]

"Falchion's puppet ought to be well and distracted by now," I muse, the words lingering like poison on my tongue. "Second wave, move in."

The shadows of Grimleal and mercenaries moved in, though there was a lingering presence. I turn to the familiar face, my own cracking in a grin. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

The redhead grimaced. A loud slurp of a hard candy being sucked on sounded as he replied, "Yeah, I'm movin'..."

Just as the thief readies himself to leave, I throw out, "I'll see you on the other side, Gaius."

He straightens, and is about to respond when a blur of green on a horse rushes in between us, headed towards the gardens. Gaius watches the cavalier go for a moment. "He one of ours?"

I chuckle at the bad joke playing out in front of me. "No. No he is not."

[~~~]

Lucina landed on the ground, her Falchion slicing through the back of the assassin that had charged Chrom. She flicked the blood off her blade, looking back up. "I trust this proof shall suffice?"

Her father let his hand drop from his Falchion's hilt, nodding, "Yeah…"

"BEHIND YOU!" A new voice called out.

Lucina whipped back towards the bushes as a second assassin leapt forth. She brought her blade up to parry, but damn her footing as she slipped on the first assassin's sword. She could practically see the twinkle of the sword's point as it cut just in front of her face, cleaving her mask in twain. As her hair tumbled down her back, loose of the mask's clip holding it in place, a familiar figure rushed her attacker, trailing a length of brown hair behind his head as he charged.

"Get back!" The young man cried, forcing the assassin to backstep to avoid being trampled by the warhorse. With a flick of his lance, the assassin was disarmed, and the cavalier cried, "You won't get past me!" He thrust his lance forward, piercing the Grimleal's chest before withdrawing his bloodied weapon.

Lucina turned to see her father narrowing his eyes. "Wait you're… you're a woman?"

Lucina huffed a laugh from her nose as Robin socked her father in the arm. "And quite the actress, too. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out until just now."

"Oh," Robin gaped. "S-sorry."

"We can speak more later," the rider butted in. "We've assassins all throughout the castle. If you've defenses to deploy, do so now!"

Chrom and Robin's eyes widened in tandem, nodding to each other. "Let's go." The pair rushed off towards the interior of the castle, likely to rally the Shepherds around Emmeryn.

Lucina turned to her companion, one she hadn't seen in all the days since she'd arrived in the past. "You have my gratitude for the assist, Wilhelm."

The knight chuckled, brushing a lock of his shoulder-length brown hair back behind his ear. "You have no need to thank me, milady. It is my duty to serve."

"Let's hurry, then. Aunt Emmeryn's life may still be in danger, if my warning was not swift enough."

"I ride at your back, Lucina." Wilhelm said with a smile.

[~~~]

Emmeryn cowered in the corner of her room, shaking in the aftermath of that large explosion. It had been so close, what was going on?! She clutched her Elwind tome tight to her chest. She wanted nothing more than to leave the shelter of her quarters, to race to Frederick's room or to the Shepherds' Barracks or Phila's room in the Medical Ward, but fear paralyzed her. Whatever had attacked the castle was surely more dangerous in the halls than her room.

Someone kicked her door down, and all her thoughts scattered.

"Heh heh heh… hey there, beautiful," the intruder cackled with delight, raising a twisted, gnarled club in his shadowy hands. Right before an axe cracked down on his skull, sending him crumpling to the floor in a heap.

"Yeah no." Vasto heft his axe back onto his shoulder, kicking the assassin for good measure. "I ain't letting one of you so much as look at the lady, got that?"

Emmeryn breathed a small sigh of relief. Perhaps he was rougher around the edges, but Vasto was proving a more than capable bodyguard.

[~~~]

Robin raced down the western hallway, one hand on their Elthunder tome and the other held out in front of them as they pushed open doors on their way to the end of the West Wing. Lissa had mustered the Shepherds with alarming speed, so it seemed all the emergency drills they'd been running were paying off. They left Chrom in charge of directing the Shepherds and controlling the East Wing while Robin took the West.

At the end of the hall, Robin did a quick scan around them. They hadn't run into more than token resistance, and if they hadn't known better, they would have thought the assassins hadn't come down this part of the palace. Oh, but they had… Because that was exactly the last thing a palace guard would expect. Why would assassins be interested in the guests' and servants' quarters? Which would make it an ideal ambush point, the blind spot of any lesser tactician's plans.

It was when they came to the laundry room at the top of the stairs that they had their most brilliant idea yet.

Robin began furiously mixing as much soap into the tub basin as they could, building up a heavy froth of bubbles and water. They kept their ears open and their instincts razor-edged in case someone stumbled upon them as they stirred their cauldron, which made them jump all the higher when someone behind them made a popping sound and said, "Sup?"

Robin whirled on the intruder, whipping out their Elthunder tome and readying the sigils before seeing a ginger-haired stranger holding his hands up in surrender. "Who are you? Answer, before I blast you!"

"I'm nobody, Storm. Just a thief tryin'a make a living."

Robin sneered. "A thief? You came in with the assassins, then."

He nods. "Sure did, but that was 'fore I knew they were here to off Emmeryn. She's a sweet lady, I don't want anything to do with hurting her. Name's Gaius, by the way."

"So you're surrendering, Gaius?" Robin asked incredulously.

"Sure am. I figure prostrating myself to the first official-lookin' person I found would be the smart way of goin' about this. Though, if you don't mind my saying so, I wouldn't have taken you for bein' on the Ylissean side with that coat of yours if I hadn't seen you working the bathroom like an old maid."

"I'll have you know," Robin put their finger up to emphasize their point. "I have a plan, here."

Gaius sucked on a piece of candy as he stood back and watched Robin push the tub out of the bathroom and, hearing movement below, tipped the basin down the stairs and spilt soapy water all the way down.

"Looking to trip them on their way up, eh?" Gaius guessed as he watched Robin pull out a Wind tome.

The tactician smirked. "Almost. WIND!" A gust of magic air rushed down the hallway, stirring up soap and suds and bubbles all the way down. Disgruntled sounds rose up, signifying that a number of assassins were being caught up in Robin's trap.

Gaius took a sizable step back when Robin pulled out a yellow tome. "ELTHUNDER!" A blast of lightning fired down into the soapy water, and the floor crackled with electricity as figures in the dark lit up and spasmed as Robin electrocuted them en masse.

Gaius let out a low whistle as Robin snapped their tome shut with a satisfied smile. "Damn, Storm, glad I'm on your side."

Now, Robin raised an eyebrow. "'Storm'?"

"It's a nickname. You got lightning in those eyes. You're one scary bitch."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Robin began making their way back towards the main hall of the castle. "Follow me."

Gaius looked back at the slick carnage the Plegian had left in their wake, and decided it best to stick close to the scary half-pint with the magic firepower.

[~~~]

It had taken a bit of doing for Chrom and the pair of Marth and her knight (?) to get close enough to Emm's quarters to check on her. He'd found himself cutting through more assassins than he was comfortable with, which was to say, any at all. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found Frederick holding Gradivus ready, already surrounded in a half-circle of corpses.

"Frederick! Thank Naga you're here," he sighed with relief.

"Chrom, Lissa has already gathered the Shepherds and they're spread out around the perimeter. Robin was headed to the West Wing." The king nodded to Chrom's companions. "Marth. And…?"

"My name isn't important, milord," the young cavalier replied, earning a raised eyebrow.

"He's a friend of Marth's, that's all that matters right now." Chrom turned to meet with the rest of the Shepherds.

Emmeryn interrupted him, however. "Chrom! Take Lissa and flee! I will not lose my siblings on this night!" She had emerged from her quarters with Vasto, long enough to level a steely glare at her brother.

"No can do, Sister," Chrom shook his head. "There are too many assassins, and Robin already thought it'd be more dangerous to try to flee than to fight. I'll be damned if I figure out how they slipped ahead of me, though," he said, scratching his head. "When did they pass here, Frederick?"

"A minute past. Perhaps you should be practicing your cardio more often."

Chrom squinted as his liege smiled with that regular malicious shine. "Now's not the time for this, milord."

"I agree," a new, distorted voice chimed in. Chrom nearly leapt a foot in the air when a hulking beast emerged from the shadows, an assassin's corpse between it's sharp teeth.

"Gods, a Taguel…?" Frederick exclaimed.

Before anyone could react further, Marth stepped in. "Panne is an ally. I saw her stalking the shadows for the assassins, same as I."

The rabbit-creature known as Panne narrowed her glowing red eyes. "Impossible. I would not have been detected so easily, manspawn."

"I'll take it," Chrom declared unilaterally. Frederick glared, but he ignored it. "Panne, with me. We're joining with the rest of the Shepherds. Frederick, I'll be with Lissa and Maribelle if you need me." He turned to the other two. "Marth, knight. I'll trust your judgment from here. Do what you think best."

Marth nodded, while the rider replied, "As you wish, sir."

Chrom was about to leave once more when Emmeryn interrupted one final time.

"Chrom." He turned to her, meeting eyes with a familiar fire in them. "Do not die. Understand?"

Chrom nodded. "Of course, Sister. I'll keep Lissa safe too."

"You had better."

[~~~]

Robin and their new companion danced through the corridors, cutting through any assassins they encountered. Gaius's daggers were ruthlessly effective, and Robin had already taken a short moment to admire his precision with them. Perhaps a weapon proficiency worth pursuing. Most of the time though, they kept their eyes forward. Dodge, strike, block, parry. Between sparring with the others and regular drills courtesy of the king, Robin was far more confident in their swordsmanship than they had once been. The close quarters of the castle hallways were ideal for sword fighting regardless, unless they were particularly inclined to blasting themselves and Gaius along with the assassins.

Robin just finished following up on Gaius's attack, slashing open the stomach of an axe fighter when a hard pull on their arm caused them to rear on their assailant, sword held one-handed. They dropped their stance when they met Sully's glare.

"Robin, the hell do you think you're doing?" She snarled, gaze snapping up to the ginger thief.

"Don't worry, Sully, he's with me," they explained.

"You know this broad, Storm?"

"Who you callin' 'broad', Chuckles?"

"What's happening, Sully?" Robin asked, interrupting their spat.

"Heard from Captain Chrom you went off on your own. The hell're you thinking?!"

Robin frowned. "I was thinking that an attack like this needed to be handled as quickly as possible. I trust everyone to conduct themselves like we drilled and have their side of it handled."

"While you handled a whole wing of the castle by yourself?" Sully asked indignantly, narrowing her eyes.

Robin smirked. "We've done fine so far."

"Fine, but I'm joining in." Sully finally let Robin's arm go to draw her sword. "I'm not interested in letting you get yourself killed."

"Alright," Robin nodded in agreement. "We're headed to the main gate, that's the nexus of these assassins, their leader would be there, if anywhere."

Gaius popped his lollipop out. "S'where I saw 'em last. Creepy motherfucker, whoever they are. Wasn't the guy I was told I'd be working under, at least."

"We'll worry about the details later. Follow me."

The trio pushed through to the courtyard, finding there the leader of the band of assassins, standing as if in anticipation. A long Grimleal robe draped over their figure, their face obscured in shadow. Physically they didn't look very impressive, about an inch or so shorter than Sully, but Robin could sense that what they lacked in stature they would make up for in magic. Robin drew their tome and replaced their sword, as the assassin cocked their head in acknowledgment.

From under the shadow of their hood, a crooked smile broke out, teeth flashing like a predator's. "Oh, this is going to be fun," they whispered, breaking out into soft giggles that sent shivers down Robin's spine.

Whoever the hell this was, the air seemed to chill around them, and their mirth only enhanced the unsettling atmosphere. As the figure drew a red tome from their sleeve, Robin prayed, silently, that whoever they faced would not be their Grim Reaper.

A/N: I'd like to personally thank all of you who've left a review on this fic. If I could put into words how delighted I am every single time the Review number goes up, I'd probably be a better writer ;^u^.

Nar and Red: You guys have been a blast to hang out with on discord, and I appreciate every bit of feedback you've provided, over there and over here.

Verdin Grey: Thank you for all the criticisms. I know Heavy isn't perfect, and I have no delusions that it ever will be, but each and every bit you offer is something I'll be taking into consideration for the future. That said, these current chapters, and the one that will follow this one, are mirrored from Ao3, and, save for formatting edits for the sake of this site, are largely unedited from their original publishing. The next chapter to come after, however, will be written with your remarks in mind.

I want to be a better writer in every way, so everything you've told me is one little bit closer to the standard I hope to reach.

romeoraiden: Robin is neither he or she! They are nonbinary, and do not identify as either male or female. If you feel this hasn't been discussed enough in-story, that will be changing come chapter 11. And thank you for your support!

You all can expect Chapter 10 to go up sometime this week, and then this site will be officially caught up to Ao3. After which, HOPEFULLY I can get chapter 11 up before the end of June. After all, compared to the pace of some of the writers here, I'm going slow as molasses in the actual writing department :P