That very same night, Chrom had finally approached Cordelia's home with great apprehension. It was in a quaint suburban neighborhood, and modestly sized. He walked up to the door and rang the bell.
Cordelia gave him a moment, not wanting to seem too eager. This was a not-date after all. She came out, said hello, and locked the door. He thought she looked lovely in a breezy blue dress and a white cardigan. She joked that they accidentally matched with the blue in their wardrobe. He laughed at it. He opened his car door for her, and they drove to the restaurant. They made some small talk, like how their day was, and finally approached the restaurant.
Chrom again opened the door of his car for Cordelia and again for the door of the restaurant. They sat down, got their drinks ordered, and stayed silent for a moment.
Chrom admitted he left a lot earlier and stopped by a small dive to get a scotch on the rocks. He said he normally didn't drink, but he needed something to ease his nerves.
"Why were you nervous? This isn't a date," she insisted nervously.
"I know, but the idea of Robin knowing I'm befriending another woman… She's not the jealous type, but I know this is the thing a man would do when separated from his wife. But I still love her, and have no intention of cheating, even if I'm technically free."
She nodded at his statement. "No, you're completely right. I feel the same. Lon'qu may be gone, but I can't see myself with anyone but him."
They agreed they were only friends, even though they both knew this not-date wasn't going to end on a platonic note, and their drinks were delivered, food ordered, and they went back to talking about their lives.
Cordelia asked how Severa was, and Chrom said she seemed to be okay, and that she went to another friend's house. He said Lucina made sure the girl got there safely.
"I'm glad she's making friends. Severa doesn't take to anyone unless she can see she can manipulate them. And she sees most people as inferior to her anyways, or at least that's the way she comes across. She's more sensitive than she lets on." She sighed heavily. "She knows I see right through her. I am her mother after all, so I think that's one of many reasons why she's so recalcitrant when it comes to our relationship. Lon'qu doted on her, and because he was so naïve to the wiles of a woman, he often fell for her manipulative tactics. She got a lot of things out of him that she certainly didn't deserve and we couldn't afford. But Lon'qu would do the same for me, though it was always unprompted. He loved us so much."
"I truly am sorry you had to lose him to something so awful. I opposed the war vehemently."
She leaned forward on her hand, weary of this talk. "I did too, but Lon'qu found it to be necessary. He knew that sometimes, things have to come to bloodshed."
"I know that all too well." He thought of Emmeryn's death. "I had a sister who got in the middle of a feud with another country. She was a diplomat and was negotiating a deal with this country. They weren't taking too kindly to her negotiations, and they held her hostage. Before anyone could pull the trigger on each other, she took her own life. The conflict ended, and eventually, after one small act of violence, negotiations were made and the conflict was over for good." Cordelia saw how shaken he looked. "Her death destroyed Lissa and me."
"Was that the Plegia conflict that happened about seven years ago?" He nodded. She reached her hand out, clasping his gently. "I am so sorry. It seems we have both suffered entirely too much, and it isn't fair we have lost loved ones to unnecessary violence."
"You're right as always, Miss Cordelia."
Their food arrived, and they ate, contemplating the conversation they just had. Robin was always very sympathetic about his sister's death, but nothing she said ever really comforted him. It was what anyone would say, though he understood situations like that weren't always so easy to comprehend or handle. Robin was estranged from her family, so she never felt a strong connection except to the family she made with Chrom.
He was thankful for Cordelia's friendship. She was so understanding, and a fantastic listener. Robin did get a little preachy sometimes.
They finished their meal, and he drove her home. It was around eight o'clock by that time, and Cordelia, still requiring a little companionship, invited him in. "I can make you some coffee so you're more awake when you drive home."
He agreed with her reasoning and she led him inside.
He liked her house. It was handsomely furnished, yet simple. She made him the coffee, and he sat in her living room in one of the cozy chairs. She brought him the drink, but he noticed she seemed pensive.
"Is everything all right?" He asked.
"That was Lon'qu's chair…" She whispered.
He immediately got up and sat next to her instead. "I apologize. I didn't know."
"Oh, it's fine. You really didn't know. It just… It was his, you know?"
"Absolutely."
She let out another heavy sigh, and they talked quietly, saying they were thankful for the other. It had approached nine o'clock, when Cordelia asked if he wanted some wine. Sometimes, she'd hit the sauce when she got a little upset, and she felt Chrom was the same, if his scotch intake was any indication. He let her grab the bottle, and they drank out of the glasses.
She was feeling much more at ease, as was he, and after looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, temptation won. Chrom and Cordelia sensed it, and they latched on to each other as if this was the last embrace they'd ever have.
He kissed her with so much fervor, and she returned it with as much passion. He felt heat rushing through his body. Desire poured through hers. Hands were moving southward, she shed her cardigan, and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned. He went for the sweet spot and she cried out. Her hands went up his undershirt and she caressed his torso. Her fingers stimulated him even more and without hesitation they took it to the bedroom where Chrom made love like he hadn't ever done before. Even Robin didn't inspire this much intimacy. Perhaps it was the stress in each other's hearts, the desperation, that made this seem so much better than it possibly was, but to either party, it didn't matter. It was only a matter of filling a hole that no one else could fill.
Their bodies pressed into each other's desperately, limbs were tangled, and hair was slick with sweat. She moaned, whimpered, cried out as he grunted and groaned and tried to hold back how she made him feel. But with a loud moan, he collapsed on top of her. They breathed heavily for quite some time, neither of them strong enough to move.
He made sure she was satisfied, and noticed he and she had been at it for almost an hour. It was past ten o'clock and he remembered his promise to Lucina that he wouldn't stay out late. He knew the girl suspected his infidelity.
"Cordelia, I should go." He made to get off her, but she brought him back down to her.
"One more time. Please Chrom. Then you can go, and you never have to see me again if it pleases you." To further convince him, she wrapped her legs around his waist and moved her hips rhythmically against his groin.
He honestly wasn't sure about not seeing her again, but he too felt the need to go at it again. Her body felt too good against his.
He abided her desire, and let her take control this time. She straddled him and never had he seen a woman move her body the way she did. Seeing her bounce on top of him, long, red hair sticking to her slick body, drove him insane. She sighed and whimpered, teased and touched, and Chrom felt a wave of pleasure he didn't think he could ever feel. He bent his head back, and as he came for the second time that night, she bent forward and sucked seductively on his neck. She also cried out in pleasure, and collapsed on top of him. In the back of Chrom's mind, he thought of how lucky Lon'qu was at having such a skilled lover for a wife. How they didn't have more children was beyond him.
He was finished, as was she, and he made to get dressed. She kissed his shoulders and neck and ran her hands along his back. It was distracting but he kept his focus. They continued kissing and heavy petting all the way to the front door.
Still close to her face, breathing heavily, he gasped, "Cordelia, I have to leave now."
She kissed him one last time, and let him go. "I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me."
"Don't worry about it. I enjoyed myself, and I hope you did too." He moved a strand of damp hair out of her face. She didn't bother to get dressed; she had her robe on. Chrom wanted to see what was under it one last time.
She smiled, happy at his comment. "It was magical." She moved closer.
He blushed, knowing he shouldn't be saying this. "I wouldn't mind if we were to do it again sometime…"
She was surprised, because he seemed so devoted to Robin. "Are you sure?"
"Well, until Robin and I reconcile, I don't see the harm. I doubt she'd question me on what I did without her."
"I feel like we're breaking her trust. I'm having lunch with her tomorrow."
He looked sheepish. "She called me today and mentioned it. She wanted to check on Lucina and me."
She hid her face in her hands. "What have we gotten ourselves into…?"
He held her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. We're both lonely. This is our way of coping. It's… not abnormal. We're just commiserating."
She hugged him. "Thank you. You're so kind."
He chuckled into her hair. "You're the kind one. I'm lucky to know you."
She let him go. "Go home. Get some rest. We can talk again soon."
"Of course. Have a good night, Cordelia."
"And you. Drive safe." She moved in for a kiss and he obliged. There was a spark, but he knew not to act on it again. He was already late. He wondered if Lucina was pacing the floor of the living room. The thought was amusing.
Cordelia said good night again, closed the door, and he left. She stayed by the door and watched him drive away. She felt foolish. She was using Chrom to fill the gap Lon'qu left in her heart. She also felt guilty that she wasn't rational enough to use protection. But the moment was hot and spontaneous, and she had been on birth control for a while. She did wonder if she'd need Plan B, because the last thing she needed was to be pregnant with another man's baby.
The drive home was stressful. Chrom was still enthralled by the beautiful Cordelia, and he drove around aimlessly to distract himself. He was in shock at what he was doing, and felt guilty. He knew this would happen, but he was so magnetically attracted to Cordelia. The woman sparked a fire he hadn't felt in a while. But he knew, because he wasn't stupid, that a physical relationship wasn't enough to leave his wife. Just because the sex was great didn't mean the life they could have would be. He and Robin had a system; he doubted he and Cordelia could establish the same. Not to mention Lucina and Morgan would be horrified, and Severa would probably become the poster child for a girl with daddy issues. He didn't want any of that to happen. This was strictly a no-strings-attached business. He might have given in to his physical desires, but never would he let it go further than that. They may have been hurt, but they had other things that were more important.
He finally got home, unlocking the door and found the house in darkness. Everyone was asleep.
He went upstairs to his room when he heard sobbing. It didn't sound like Lucina, and as he lingered in the hallway he realized it was Severa. He heard Lucina calming the girl down.
As much as he wanted to intervene and act as a father, he knew this wouldn't hold well with Severa. So he went to his room, and decided he'd talk to his mistress' daughter tomorrow.
He didn't want to think of it that way, because he felt it was just wrong, but what else was it? He could only imagine what Severa would do if she found out. That was the ultimate betrayal.
Would he tell Robin? Would it be the final straw? Would this be the end? He didn't want it to be. Lissa was right; this made him realize he still loved Robin. He knew this couldn't happen again. If it meant cutting off Cordelia, he'd have to do that if it meant saving the marriage. Even if this was the best sex he had had in his life.
He wondered if Robin had done the same, but he doubted it. She was too focused on finishing her degree to deal with any tryst.
