Hello readers!

You'll be happy to know I survived my finals and made it through another college semester! Luckily, I now have time to write

So, back to Ophelia and Chrom!

I only have a few more chapters left of this story, because I've sort of forgotten where I wanted to take this... ^^;

Thank you all for your continued support, though reading, faving, following, or reviewing!

The nagging feeling that I was making you all wait an extraordinarily long time for the new chapter kept reminding me to write.

Chapter 10: Luce

I had not meant to eavesdrop for so long.

I had boiled Ophelia a pot of tea, but when I had returned just a Chrom was hurrying into her room. He slammed the door behind himself, and I was left outside wondering what to do. That was when I realized that the door to Ophelia's room was definitely not sound proof. Most of the words were muffled but one sentence rang through the door as if I was meant to hear it:

"I'm pregnant…!"

I almost dropped the tea set onto the floor and my heart started to race.

Ophelia is pregnant?!

After their voices quieted down, I hurried in to offer them a pot of tea, as if I had not been standing in the hall for their whole conversation. I tried to keep my face passive and emotionless while I served the tea. I kept my eyes on my hands and avoided looking at either Chrom or Ophelia.

When I was finally free from the room and the door was securely closed behind me, I let out a sigh. I gave myself a moment to relax before I went back to my duties. With no prying eyes around, I allowed a large grin to spread across my face.

This was a weird feeling, watching everything happen as a spectator instead of an actor; it was oddly thrilling.

Ophelia POV

A few days had passed since I had so tenderly exposed my secret. I was still on edge about the whole thing. Luckily, I had been able to focus on some work I had neglected. It was my way of avoiding the issue until I could construct a plan. Yet, it seemed to be the only thing Chrom wanted to talk about.

With a sigh, I walked into Chrom's office, a few scrolls in my hands.

"The village leader has replied to our correspondence; he's agreed to the rebuilding plans. Now we can send the funds they need." I dumped the scrolls onto Chrom's desk and grinned broadly. We had been fighting with the village leader for weeks trying to come to an agreement. I was proud my persuasive skills had finally convinced him. Chrom looked up at me, his expression soft. I quirked my eyebrow at him.

"What's with the face?" I asked. Chrom still smiled up at me as if it was a normal thing to do.

"You're radiant." He replied gleefully. I rolled my eyes. Chrom stood up and pulled me into his arms. I half smiled and pretended to ignore his embrace.

"I'm always radiant. So please, don't get sappy with me." I replied with another roll of my eyes. Chrom was the type to get excited about the little things. I, on the other hand, was a much too cynical.

"Well that's true too." Chrom kissed my forehead. His hands fell away from my waist and one founds it way to my stomach. I glared down at his hand. Chrom noticed my look.

"What is it now? Am I being sappy again?" Chrom teased removing his hand. He stroked my cheek and then pecked me on the lips before returning his attention to the buildings plans. I stole his chair and started rummaging through the stacks of paper work.

"Don't worry, you'll have time to be sappy later." I waved my hand, as if to dispel it away. Chrom laughed, until he caught sight of was I was rummaging through on his desk.

"So is this everything you've been accumulating?" I asked. Chrom nodded; he had collected all of the paperwork surrounding the wedding he had been planning. Chrom frowned as I shuffled through the result of his labor. A depressed cloud came over Chrom whenever we talked about the destruction of his wedding.

"We'll have to scrap all of these invitations and make new ones later on." I said. I stacked them together at the edge of his desk, "I'll leave those to you." I glanced up at Chrom's dejected expression, and cleared my throat.

"Apart from haggling, I also talked with Libra." I pulled at my hair nervously. Chrom looked at over the blueprints. I continued without waiting to gauge Chrom's mood.

"Libra's agreed to officiate a small ceremony for us. If you're free today, we can do it this evening." I said; I felt Chrom's dark cloud weighing heavy on me. Even through my irritation, I had a flash of clarity. I was handling this like a piece of business and I was insensitively twisting the knife into Chrom's wound.

"If you think its best," Chrom replied, still hidden behind the blueprints. I stood up, feeling conflicted. I could stay and try to comfort him, when I actually had no idea how to. On the other hand, I could let him simmer down on his own. I opted for the latter; I did not think starting a fight was the right thing to do and that was what would surely happen if I tried to comfort him.

"I'll leave you to this then," I mumbled and headed for the door, "I'll send Luce for you later."

Chrom POV

Ophelia slid out of the room; once out of sight I came out from behind the blueprints and settled back into my desk. Ophelia seemed to be treating our wedding like a tactical decision, not a decision made from the heart. I could tell she and I would not be able to see eye to eye.

Where she saw a waste of Ylissean money, I saw something worthwhile. I do not care for parties or shows of wealth; but I cared about making a memory worthy of our union. She is the world to me, so it seemed only right to have wedding that made that obvious to everyone in attendance. I fiddled with one of the discarded invitations.

If no one knows about the wedding, are we even married?

I just needed something tangible, something to show for it. If not, maybe Ophelia would slip away from me, as if she always seems to do.

I was always making these sacrifices to keep her close to me; and today was no different.

I scooped the invitations into my arms and threw them into the fire. The papers curled and smoked; the careful calligraphy disappeared.

"Sometimes we make sacrifices," I reminded myself aloud.

Luce POV

I watched Chrom, as he stared into the flames eating away at their wedding invitations. Everything that was happening lately was far from what I had expected. The stories about Chrom and Ophelia never eluded to their struggling relationship. I hoped it was because the good parts overwhelmed the bad, making it feel like those hardships never happened.

Or maybe…

Maybe, it was only with a little direction- a little intervention- that everything worked out the way it had.

I would need some clothes, flowers, and I'd have to hunt down a few people…

I returned to my duties as a maid; a new scheme unfolding in my mind.

Thank you for reading!

I apologize for any grammar/spelling errors. ^^;

I do not own Fire Emblem.