Epilogue

The parade had started not too long ago. Minus the absence of Cordelia leading the pegasus knights that were always by his side, it was going well, not unlike how it was for his late sister Emmeryn. While Chrom was sure that he could never truly emulate her countenance and image in the same exact way, he understood why his presence among the local public was important.

When a pair of wings fluttered overhead, casting a brief shadow over him, he instinctively felt his hand reach for the Falchion at his side. Memories of the wars he fought in came back, but the intruder settled down on the path before them, drawing the crowd into hushed whispers as they stared at the interruption. It took him a moment to recognize that it was Cordelia who had landed in front of him. The red hair was a giveaway, but he wondered why she was late, never mind the fact that she landed on the path itself. She prided herself on being punctual and following orders to the letter.

But when he took a good look at who was climbing off the steed with her, his gold and purple cloak floating with each step he took, he felt himself taken aback. That messy hair, those dark eyes, it had to have-

He was running before he knew it. Security detail chased after him, riders taking to the air to circle around the area. Cordelia shouted something, an order to stand down, and he heard the footsteps and flutters of wings die away, the pegasus knights landing and the foot soldiers at his side grinding to a halt. Cordelia's words carried almost as much weight as the Exalt's, and unless Chrom ordered otherwise, they would obey her.

Stopping just short of the pair, the anxious whispers and questioning stares of the crowd became mere noise as he eyed the man in front of him. It was every bit and ounce Robin, from the way he stood to how tightly he refused to let Cordelia go. His eyes fell to the side and saw Gantrithor, the same blade that slew Grima and caused his disappearance more than a year ago.

"…Hello Chrom."

The voice seemed surreal. He had felt himself lose hope of finding Robin on more than one occasion, only to feel convicted to pick it up again. Here was the man that did everything for him, for the country, for the world, and yet to see him here now was dreamlike, unreal.

The lord had not felt so insignificant in a long, long time. Ylisse had profited from his choice. Plegia, a defeated nation, began the long process of setting aside its grudge in light of the stronger power and having lost its god. Chon'sin forged an alliance, bolstered by a powerful trade route, and the two nations became the dominating powers on their respective continents.

And to know that all of it could not have been possible on such a magnitude had Robin instead remained still.

In a slow motion, Chrom closed his eyes as he felt his neck slacken and knees bend, kneeling in front of him. He bowed low and he kissed the ground that Robin walked upon, and the halidom bowed with him.


The End


A/N: I am willing to say that chances are this was not the epilogue you expected, and for that I apologize. I know a lot of you left reviews wanting to see everyone's reactions to seeing Robin return, and I can definitely say that I understand why you would feel that way. It would be fun to see it unfurl into a messy ball of happiness and tears and laughing.

However, as I wrote this fic out, I envisioned and knew that this was going to be how it ended from roughly chapter four and onward. As I mentioned in my author's notes of chapter eight, it started with Chrom and it will end with Chrom. The circle is complete, so to speak. I was honestly tempted to forgo it since I knew a lot of readers wanted that to happen, but as I sat and looked at my word processor, I just knew that it wouldn't be what I wanted. And if it wasn't going to be what I wanted, then it wouldn't carry any finality or impact.

It's been just a bit short of thirteen months when I first started True Grit, and I have to say that it's been quite an intense time for me. I had just quit my third unsuccessful sales job at the start of September 2013 after one month as an insurance agent and finally decided that no matter how hard I tried or wanted to believe it sales was not my place in business. I was still somewhat fresh out of UCSD, and running short of money in my bank account. I was trying to live a life in San Diego since it was the time to do exciting things, and making ends meet was becoming difficult. I wouldn't have been out of a home, but I would have had to go back up north to my family.

And somehow, out of desire for the new Fire Emblem game, I purchased a 3DS and not too long after the game itself (almost stupid in hindsight, as even after I got the job that I'm working right now in November 2013 I ended January 2014 with roughly $94 dollars in my account after carefully managing my funds and debts). Immediately I fell in love with the game. And after beating it I started to browse the FE:A portion of the site. Not long after, True Grit was developed, outlined, and the first chapter hit the site on 9/29/13.

Since the start of it and now, quite a roller coaster of things happened. Working a steady job, trying to figure out my relationship that had just become a bit bumpy at the time, and fines among other things meant that this year for me was perhaps my most hectic year in terms of new emotional highs and lows. And I can say that a lot of it influenced my writing. So for many of the emotional highs and lows in this series, while they aren't recreations of what happened in my life nor are they a timeline of how I was feeling throughout the period, much of what I wrote was driven by the emotions I had experienced.

So when I say that this is my fic and I want to end it in my way, that's kind of why. True Grit, Pale Imitation, and Letters for Cordy (and probably a lot of the other stories I wrote during this past year for FE:A) are perhaps the most emotionally attached pieces I have ever written, and it shows. The three pieces are packed with emotions in ways I hadn't thought of before because I didn't know they were possible or imagined it in such a way before until now. Especially Pale Imitation, as that was written not too long after the lowest point of the year for me.

And Mark of Grima too, if you're willing to look beyond the RobinxCordy works I've done.

And no, I don't have depression. I looked it up and I don't have any of those symptoms.

Again, if you're upset about the ending, I apologize. But hopefully this sheds some light on why it ends this way.

Reviews:

Flipnhaole: I suppose I must apologize to you first and foremost, as you were most excited to see the reunion. Sorry about that.

GuyBrush007: ...Wait until later.

SchattenSoldat08: Grandmaster. I didn't really experiment with branching classes at the time. Only in my next playthroughs did I really mess with second sealing. I want to make a run where Robin becomes a cleric and Chrom an archer ASAP, though.

Lushard: Alas, that is left up to your imagination. After seeing the reviews of people wanting to see the reunion, I was tempted to make them run in on the parade, but I chose against it in the end.

Isodrink: I can agree that it helps build attachment to the characters, but I think I have an aversion towards their use. My stance of sorts is that if it doesn't ultimately build up to a meaningful contribution, it is often cut out.

I think a part of me is reluctant to finish this story, even though I have nowhere else to take it. I have nothing else major planned, outside of one last piece, for this pairing that I have come to love so much and I currently do not foresee myself doing anything new for them. They might make a small appearance elsewhere, but it would be a passing mention at most. I plan to be moving my main efforts to Three is Company and In Security in addition to other pieces I am planning out.

But I think it's time to let this part close as I expand upon others.

A big thank you to all who have read my works, whether it's this series or others. It meant a lot to me and always will, and while I know some of you are probably bothered by this chapter, I hope you understand where I am coming from.

See you around real soon. I still have that one last thing for this pairing, after all.