The past few days had been nothing short of a nightmare.

Validar had died unexpectedly, according to Aversa. He'd been sick for a while, but it hadn't been too serious. Apparently he'd had a severe heart attack in the night, and with no one living with him, no one had been able to get help. His death came as a surprise to just about everyone, including the whole of Plegia, but especially to Robin. She hadn't spoken to her dad in well over two years. She'd never even been particularly close to him, but still, she felt awful. If she hadn't gone to school in Ylisse... if she'd stayed in Plegia, she'd likely still be living with him. She'd probably have been alerted to his heart attack, and probably would have been able to get help. But was wasn't, and she didn't. She felt like it was her fault, and she hated that she felt like that. It left her feeling empty and useless, wondering if maybe her father had been right after all; that her moving was a mistake, that she'd been foolish to do so. She'd left with Tharja, and now she was gone. She'd left because of her dad, and now he was gone. Even now, she was avoiding the only people who made Ylisse worth it; her friends.

She had barely spoken to them, much less seen them, in the past week. She'd only seen Stahl maybe four times that week, and only for about an hour each, when he came to check up on her nose (which ended up being fine) and bring her dinner. He was obviously worried, but wasn't going to force her to spend time with him when she wasn't up to it. She felt so guilty for pushing him away, but the thought of being around anyone sounded exhausting.

Classes had started, but she hadn't attended any of them. Her mind was too scrambled to focus on anything other than video games, which was all she'd done for the past few days. She'd been granted a leave of absence from the school, seeing as she'd be going to Plegia for two weeks to attend the funeral and help Aversa sort out other issues their father had left behind. Miriel had also been quite sympathetic, readily giving Robin the three weeks off she'd requested. Robin felt bad about missing so much work, but Donnel and Ricken had both promised that they'd hold down the fort for her.

Even though she wasn't attending school or work, Robin had still been plenty busy. She'd been calling Aversa almost daily to make arrangements for her trip.

As it turned out, Validar had a plan to ensure Robin came back to Plegia in the event of his death (and if she was anywhere but her homeland at the time). Any inheritance she was to receive, if any, would only be given to her if she went to Plegia herself, in person, verified by Aversa and a lawyer. To further sweeten the deal, her plane ticket there would be paid for by his estate. The catch was that she was in charge of covering the costs of her return to Ylisse, a hefty amount of money that could easily cover her groceries and some luxuries for a month. Even from beyond the grave, Validar was still finding ways to control Robin.

After a week spent isolated, it was time for Robin to leave Ylisse. Her flight was at 8 AM, which was hell, especially considering she'd only managed to get two hours of sleep. Stahl had kindly offered to drive her to the airport, risking being on time to his 9 AM class to do so. For his sake, Robin wanted to refuse his offer and take a taxi instead, allowing him to get to class on time. But after a week of barely seeing him and going into two without seeing him at all, she accepted. Even if she felt terrible and weird and guilty, she missed him.

When he picked her up, he looked about as tired as she felt, with deep, dark circles under his eyes. Still, he was managing to stay sunny for Robin's sake, guiding her through the airport and treating her to expensive coffee.

"So you'll be gone two weeks?" he asked.

"Yeah. The funeral's in two days, and then Aversa and I have to meet with lawyers about his will and some other legal stuff. Then we're in charge of sorting through his stuff at the house," Robin replied. She wasn't excited about what was planned for the next two weeks, but at least she wasn't in charge of dealing with the funeral. Aversa had taken charge of that, and Robin was infinitely grateful.

"You haven't seen Aversa in a while, right? That's a plus side, at least," Stahl pitched in.

Robin nodded. "Yeah. I just wish I had a better reason to visit her."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you anyways."

"Yeah."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, Robin sipping at her coffee and people-watching. Stahl rested his head on Robin's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Here," Robin said, passing him her coffee. "You can finish it."

Stahl raised an eyebrow. "I can have your coffee?"

"Yeah. I'm just... not feeling it?"

Stahl put a hand over Robin's forehead, jokingly checking her temperature. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Robin smiled. "Yeah, yeah. I just feel like I can't stomach it."

He looked like he was holding back, but said nothing. He gratefully took Robin's coffee.

"Listen, if... if anything happens, if you feel overwhelmed, or anything goes wrong, just let me know. If you need me, I can be there."

Robin turned to him, a bit surprised.. "Flights are expensive. I wouldn't want to send you into debt because I'm anxious."

"I can make it work if I have to, don't worry. I'm more concerned about you than my wallet."

"I- I... thank you. That means a lot, you know?"

Stahl smiled gently. "No problem. And I really mean it. Don't hesitate if you feel like you need anything. I'm just a phone call away, after all."

"Right," Robin said. "I promise I'll call often."

"Good," Stahl replied. "'Cause I'm gonna miss you a lot."

Robin smiled. "Me, too."

A voice sounded on one of the loudspeakers, calling for Robin's flight.

"That's me, then," she said, getting up. She grabbed her bag and threw it over one shoulder.

Stahl pulled her into a tight embrace. "You'll be alright?"

"Yeah."

"Call me when you get there, okay?"

"Of course."

"Like I said, if you need me there at any time, I'll take the soonest flight, I swear."

Robin buried her face in the crook of Stahl's neck. "Thank you."

"I know it's a funeral, but I hope you have a nice time. At least, as good as it can be for what it is," he told her.

"I'll try," she replied.

Before letting her leave his grasp, Stahl made sure to kiss her, once on the lips, and again on the forehead.

"I love you, you know? So come back in one piece," he told her.

Robin pinched his cheek affectionately. "I love you, too. And I will."

After a few brief seconds, Stahl reluctantly let go of Robin, and she went to board her flight.

For once, Robin was happy that she'd slept so badly. She fell asleep before the plane even took off, which was great, considering the idea of planes made her nervous. She'd only flown three or four times before, all domestic flights in Plegia years ago. Even coming to Ylisse the first time had been a road trip, not a flight.

The flight wasn't too long, clocking in at just about four hours, which she slept for most of. By the time Robin was awake and fully alert, the plane had landed.

Anticipation over the fact that she was back in Plegia and going to see Aversa began to build up, which was a nice change of pace after having felt so empty all week. Though her mood was still relatively low, she forced herself to cheer up. Even though they were sisters, she still wanted to make a good impression on Aversa after not having seen her for so long. Someone who was barely talking and hid in her apartment all week wasn't the kind of impression she wanted to make.

Robin, with her heavy backpack in tow, made her way through the arrival area to find Aversa, which didn't prove to be hard at all.

Her sister hadn't changed much in the past two years, still looking as pretty as Robin remembered.

She had the same light hair and dark skin tone that Robin had, though she wore her long hair down while Robin tended to wear hers up. Both Aversa and Robin looked more like their mothers than their father, and Aversa shared all her mother's divine features, from the full lips to the cute, pointed nose. She accented her features well with makeup, using a palette of mostly light and nude colors, and had the most well-kept eyebrows Robin had ever seen. Her sense of fashion was pretty great, too, and far more daring than anything Robin would wear. Today's outfit was a black, curve-hugging dress, with a plunging neckline and long-sleeves, paired with plum-colored velour pumps that Robin was incredibly jealous of.

Upon seeing her half-sister, Aversa smiled her cat-like smile and waved. Robin smiled back, albeit a bit shyly, and made her way over.

"Robin, darling, it's been forever!" Aversa practically purred, pulling Robin into a hug. She smelled nice, like expensive floral perfume and rosemary. "Though I do wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

Aversa's hug was nice and comforting, in a way other than Stahl's. It felt familiar and reassuring, like she was telling Robin everything would be fine through touch. Aversa has always been a pretty touchy person, so Robin figured she was an expert when it came to hugs.

"It's nice to see you again," Robin replied. "And yeah. I should have come to visit sooner."

Aversa waved her off. "No, no, don't say that. I'm the big sister, I should have been the one to visit you. We've both been busy, though, haven't we?"

"Yeah, for sure."

"Well!" Aversa said, clapping her hands together. "I think we have a lot of catching up to do, and seeing as it's past noon, I say we do so over lunch. Shall we?"

After getting her suitcase at baggage claim, Robin followed Aversa through the airport to her car, a luxurious model Robin was surprised her sister even had.

"I know what you're thinking," Aversa said, noting Robin's gaze towards the vehicle. "While I'd love to say I make enough to afford it, it was a gift."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "A gift?"

Aversa simply winked, providing Robin with no answer. Robin didn't ask any further questions, instead just putting her luggage in the trunk and getting into the passenger seat.

Once in the car, Robin took the chance to call Stahl to let him know she'd arrived. It was only a two-minute call, but he sounded relieved to know that everything was alright.

The drive was nice, allowing Robin to see the country she'd spent so long missing. Aversa drove with the windows rolled down, letting in the dry August heat. From a distance, the nearby cities looked like Ylisstol, the typical urban sprawl. Only up close could you really notice Plegia's more unique buildings, its old temples and cathedrals.

"Any preference on where we go?" Aversa asked. She had one hand on the wheel, the other on the window, using it to rest her head while she drove. She wore designer sunglasses, and combined with her pose, Robin wouldn't be surprised if anyone mistook her for a movie star.

"Anywhere's fine."

Aversa gave a short nod. "There's a place with great comfort food a few minutes away. I'm sure you'll like it."

Comfort food was exactly what Robin needed. She was beginning to think Aversa was psychic.

The restaurant was right next to a strip mall, and was a fair bit bigger and busier than Robin expected. It was an upscale-looking diner, trading in neon signs and red vinyl booths for modern black signage, brown suede booths and a lovely bar-style counter. It was nice and open, too, with large windows letting in the sun. The only thing reminiscent of an older diner was the jukebox in the back, which looked busted.

Robin and Aversa were seated immediately upon entry by a peppy girl with twin braids and a ton of freckles, much to Robin's delight. She was hungry, and the sooner she got to food, the better she'd feel.

"Order whatever you want, darling. My treat," Aversa told Robin as she perused the menu. "Now, tell me. How have you been? I trust school is going well, knowing you."

"Yeah, I've been doing pretty good. Classes started back up this week, but I haven't gone to any yet, because of father's death. Otherwise, I've been doing really well, maintaining my grades. I work at a local bookstore, too, and my boss is super fair about everything, which is great."

"I'm pleased to hear that," Aversa told Robin. "It might not seem it, but I do worry about you quite a bit. My poor little sister, on her own in Ylisse."

Robin smiled. "Thanks for taking the time to. I've been doing really well in Ylisse, though. I've got some really nice friends and a really great boyfriend to take care of me there."

Aversa raised an eyebrow. "My, my, a boyfriend? You've been a busy girl. Would I be overstepping to ask to see a picture?

"Oh, no, no, it's fine," Robin said. She reached into her pocket, fumbling around for her phone. She pulled up a photo Olivia had taken of them over the summer, the two of them sitting together at the coffee shop.

"Aren't you two adorable," Aversa said, smiling warmly. "Though I must say, he looks quite vanilla."

Robin coughed and spluttered, then flushed bright red. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the waitress, who'd been coming to take their order, turn on her heels and leave in the other direction.

Well, Aversa, you really haven't changed, have you?

"I think I'll use my right to remain silent," Robin said. She could still feel the heat in her face.

Aversa laughed out loud and passed Robin's phone back. "Sorry to tease you, dear. He looks quite sweet."

Robin couldn't help but smile along with her. "He is. His name's Stahl. We've only been dating for about four months, but it's been really great."

She told Aversa all about Stahl, from how he was studying to be a nurse to how she'd met his nephew. She also told her about her friends, the high point of the past few months. Aversa looked perfectly happy to listen, just glad to know her sister was doing well.

After a while, a waitress came to take their order. Robin ordered a chicken sandwich and a chocolate shake, while Aversa stuck with a salad and a glass of wine. After their orders were placed, it was Aversa's turn to unload.

"Has everything been good for you?" Robin asked. "You look really great, by the way."

"Flatterer. I've been quite busy, these past two years. Or, at least I pretend to be," Aversa said, taking a sip of wine.

Aversa talked about her work in design. Her love of fashion fueled her fire and made her job enjoyable. She was working hard to get her label, which she'd named Goetia, off the ground. Robin had seen how nice her designs were, and figured it was only a matter of time before they were everywhere.

"My dear Gangrel's been treating me well, too, which is always nice."

Robin nearly spat up her shake. "Gangrel? I'm sorry, like... the prime minister?"

Aversa grinned that perfect catlike smile. "Yes, darling. We've been on and off for a while now. He's always more inclined to get better gifts after a break. And he readily listens to my suggestions for changes in official policies, which I quite like."

Of course Aversa was working behind the scenes of Plegia's political stage. The woman certainly knew her way around and wasn't afraid to let it be known.

Aversa told Robin about all the events in her life the past two years. She'd gotten her own condo, taken up swimming, treated herself to fancy jewelry. Sometimes she dated Gangrel, sometimes not. When she was, she used her charm to influence both his political stance and how much money he spent on her. Robin had seen Gangrel's appearances in public, and he didn't look like the softest man. She could only imagine that the relationship kept both lovers on their toes, vying for dominance. No wonder she'd called Stahl vanilla.

The food came, and the girls spent more time talking than eating. Once the plates were cleared, Aversa insisted they got dessert, something Robin wouldn't usually bother treating herself to. Once the cake came, Aversa decided it was time to talk about the topic they'd been avoiding.

"Though I'd prefer not to, I think we should discuss father and everything surrounding that."

Robin said nothing, but nodded in agreement. Anxiety twisted her stomach into knots. She didn't want to even think about her father.

"The funeral is going to be quite large, as he was a big political figure. Foreign dignitaries from Ferox, Valm and Ylisse are to come, and we're unfortunately the ones supposed to deal with them. I don't want you to worry about anything, so I'll deal with as much of it as possible, including the media. The ceremony itself will be somewhat public, with a great deal of guests, but the burial is private, and it will just be us and a few of father's closest associates. He... wrote a eulogy for you to read during the service. You reading word-for-word it is one of the conditions if you want to even attend the hearing for his will, or receive your inheritance."

"I... okay. That's fine."

It was not. It sounded awful. Robin didn't want to read a speech in front of hundreds of people, much less one she was being forced to read. Bitter resentment rose to her throat like bile, but she swallowed it down and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for dealing with everything," she told Aversa.

"Of course. I'm your big sister. I've got to look out for you, don't I? It wasn't particularly hard, anyways. Father had arranged for all of this before he died. He planned for everything, from the guest list to the flowers, long before he passed."

Always the control freak, Robin thought. It seemed that no one had changed during her time abroad, including Validar.

"The day after the funeral, we're to meet with a lawyer to hear about the will. And like I've told you before, we also have to deal with clearing personal items out of his house, any that might be ours."

"Right. Got it."

Robin pushed her cake forward. She'd lost her appetite.

She wanted to go back to Ylisse.

The weather on the day of the funeral was bright and sunny, opposing the gray Robin felt.

The funeral was full of people, too many for Robin's liking. There were even two cameramen to film the event for news broadcasts. Robin had always ignored Validar's importance and impact, but now it was inescapable. People practically worshiped the ground on which he'd stood.

The memorial service felt interminable, as person upon person went up to talk and read speeches and eulogies about Validar. She couldn't pay attention to any of them, as she was to go last. Her eulogy wasn't long, but the idea of it was torturous. It was carefully planned and written, setting her up as the perfect daughter who'd loved her father dearly. And a lawyer was there to listen, to make sure she changed none of the words. One single misstep, and she would be excluded from the will hearing, her inheritance snatched up from under her.

Robin was in turmoil. As every person put in good words for her father, she felt worse and worse. Her complicated feelings towards her father twisted and stormed inside of her, strong guilt rising above the rest. She was so caught up in her own thoughts, she hadn't even noticed that it was her turn to speak.

She could feel all eyes on her as she walked to the front of the hall, and she hated it. Standing in front of the mic, she took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"Hello. Some of you might recognize me, some might not. My name's Robin, and I'm Validar's daughter."

There were some murmurs in the crowd. Most knew Robin existed, but this was her first true public appearance as Validar's daughter. The cameras made sure to pick this up.

"Today, I see many people who've traveled far and wide to honor my father, and I'm humbled and beyond emotional to know just how many lives he's touched."

Stroking your own ego, are we, Father?

"My father raised me single-handedly, and I don't think I could ever admire a man more."

Robin wanted to throw up.

The eulogy went on, Robin reading off reasons why she admired him, why he'd been such a great father, how well he'd raised her. It didn't mention his control issues, the nannies she'd known growing up, nor the fact that if her mother were alive, her only contact with her father would have been monthly support payments.

"I chose to go to Ylisse for university. My father was reluctant to let me, worried about how I'd fare on my own. I always thought he was trying to control me, though now I know it was just because he loved me. I left for Ylisse on bad terms with my father and I..."

She hated this part most. The most manipulative section, digging as deep under her skin as it could.

Robin wasn't faking the tears that now flowed on her cheeks as she read the biggest lie of them all, one written specifically for her to feel guilty about. Her throat was constricted, and she felt smothered. Everyone's eyes poked holes into her.

"I regret it deeply. I only wish I could have understood sooner, and that we'd been closer towards the end. I hope wherever he is, he can find it in his heart to forgive me."

Robin began truly crying, hard, broken sobs, but none from sadness. She was angry. One last story her father had spun to put a good word in for himself, to leave a good impression on the public.

One last one to tug at Robin's heart, to try and convince her he'd always meant well. It was all just a well-maintained lie for the public.

The guilt and anxiety she felt boiled over, fueling the anger. As she read words of praise, of admiration for her father, she recounted every night she'd spent alone as a child, as a teenager. She remembered the day he found her acceptance letter to Ylisse U, the day he kicked her out of his house for daring to want something he didn't approve of, when she'd been so inconsolable that Henry had cried for her.

She remembered when he cut her off, when she broke down. She didn't remember a father; she remembered a man who did all he could to control his daughter.

"Thank you for listening to me."

Her closing words were met with thunderous applause. Robin went straight to Aversa, who held her close and smoothed her hair, doing her best to soothe her distraught sister. Aversa knew how she felt better than anyone, and Robin had never been more glad to have a sister.

"Are you alright, darling?"

"I'll be okay," Robin replied, sniffling. "I'll be okay."

Her father was not a good man, and she knew that the best of everyone in the room. What she felt towards her father was complicated, and it was not positive. She felt like a horrible person, with misplaced emotions, who was bitter for nothing. But the worst was the guilt, which had immobilized her for the past week, which told her she was a wretched person, unworthy of even speaking to her friends. She couldn't shake that guilt, no matter how hard she tried. Because the first thing Robin had felt when Aversa told her that their father died was relief.

Robin had never been so glad for an event to end as she had been the funeral.

The reception had been long too, though it fortunately had coffee. She'd also gotten to meet Basilio, Olivia and Lon'qu's father. He and Flavia, both Khans of Ferox, had come to pay respects as foreign officials. Basilio was a kind, goofy but gruff man, and Robin could see the traits he shared with his kids. Flavia was a beautiful woman with well-toned muscles who not only kept East Ferox running, but kept Basilio in check, too. The two were an odd couple, but Robin had greatly appreciated their company. Flavia had taken a liking to Robin, too, giving the girl her number for correspondence. Robin liked her a great deal, finding the East Khan akin to an older sister.

After the reception was the burial. Neither Robin nor Aversa cried. Both were all cold glares as their father's casket descended into the earth. That part of the ceremony certainly carried a sense of finality, and once again left Robin feeling empty, unsure how to feel.

The meeting with the lawyer was the next day, and Robin was about as excited for it as she had been the funeral, which was not much. The office was stuffy and gray, and the lawyer sitting in front of her and Aversa looked like he desperately needed a shower.

Aversa introduced them and dealt with the formalities. Robin spent most of this time tuned out, waiting to get to the nitty-gritty of her father's will.

"So, ladies. Aversa, is it?" Mr. Greifhardt, the lawyer, asked.

"Yes, that's me."

"Right. Your inheritance is a settled amount of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, as well as any possessions in his home you deem as something you'd like to keep, or once belonged to you."

Aversa's eyes widened. She'd told Robin the night before that she wasn't expecting much, so this sum came as a big shock.

Greifhardt looked at Robin and gave her an odd smile. "I... um. Well, I'm sorry to say that your father has excluded you from his will. You are to receive fifty two thousand, but that money is the inheritance your mother left you. It was supposed to go to you when you turned twenty-one, but as your father had no knowledge of your whereabouts nor means to contact you at the time, we were unable to. You are also permitted to retrieve any items that belong to you from your father's property, though both a lawyer and Aversa must sign off on any items to confirm they are indeed yours."

Robin sat in stunned silence. Her father had made it so that she had no good reason to refuse coming to Plegia, to skip attending his funeral. He'd forced her to read that damn eulogy, one final glowing testament he'd written for himself, all to make sure she'd find herself in this lawyer's office, confronted with the fact that he'd excluded her on the will. Instead she was left with what was already legally hers, something he'd never told her about.

It was all part of his twisted revenge, against her for not following his will, against her mother for leaving in the first place. It was a sick game he was still playing, with Robin as his best pawn.

It was hard for Robin not to feel as though the world had suddenly become very, very lonely.

notes:

accurately portrayed legal proceedings? whats that?

hello my wonderful readers whom i love with all my heart. the delay for chapter 13 was so long i felt bad and because i ended up writing 14 fast, i figured i'd release em as a 2 for 1 deal to apologize to y'all.

13 marks the beginning of the end, of sorts. there's maybe 3-4 chapters left, depending on how i get the words down? we'll see. in any case, it won't go over 20 chapters tops. i hope you'll stick around until the end

my family & i are moving at the beginning of june, so things have been very chaotic and will only get worse. i'll do my best to get chapters out, but if i disappear suddenly for like, a month, you'll know why.

anyways! i love lon'qu. aversa deserved better so i'm trying to give her better. validar's a dick. it is almost time for tharja and henry's reappearance. we are in plegia, after all.

as always, thanks for reading! i hope to see you (hopefully sooner) next time!