Robert-Chapter Five-That's Capital-Shirasagi Castle
Bitterness. That was what emanated from my very being in the moment of looking down at the journal I used to write down and recount the many various events that occurred in my life here. Where do I even begin...?
New Carcino had fallen in only a day; the legend of the one angry dude wrecking an entire army of mercenaries had spread like wildfire. Bad, considering I was three miles west of the Hoshidan Capital thinking about how I'd sneak inside. That being said, the map of the kingdoms looked good... For me, at least. Valm was scattered, Magnus was flanking the Plegians, and Chester wouldn't reach me in time to hurt me, if he wanted.
Of course, I had a different problem... I didn't find out until a day had passed, and Lucina had awoken.
Felicia came to me, a quick knocking on the door, "Milord, milord!"
Stumbling out of bed to the floor, I groaned, "Yeah...?"
"She's finally awake! Come on!"
I stormed out of my room and hugged Felicia, twirling her around before setting her down and rushing off to the infirmary.
She smiled as I ran off, "He's truly in love with her."
"Lucina!? Lucina, you're awake!?" I screamed in excited gibberish. Lucina was seated at a chair not far from the bed she was at, a plate of meat in front of her with a side of potatoes and some crunchy nuts that nearly chipped our teeth that Rinkah liked.
She gazed up at me with a confused, almost disgusted look, "Who are you?
"Wh...What do you mean? It's me, Robert."
Lucina shook her head, "I have no inclination who you are. All I remember is... visiting the Dragon's Gate after we defeated Grima..."
But Lucina didn't... Oh.
That was when I realized she was from an alternate world, one where they won and she wandered into the Outer Realm, unsure of her direction in life. I gave her a short abridged story of the events leading up to me finding her, and afterwards, I traveled to Luke's castle through the stones (which I could also apparently do).
And when I confronted him...
"Luke!? What did you do to her!?" I yelled, Yato at my side, my anger flaring up.
Luke turned to me, a bored look on his face, "To put it simply, the girl died. Instead of saving her, I just traded her off with another one."
I won't discuss how badly I got my ass beat. Let's just leave it at this; the girl I loved, who loved me in return, had died. I had been given a 'replacement', and though she reluctantly joined my party as well after I explained the circumstances, I knew she noticed my melancholic tone, the way my voice would crack whenever I looked into her face.
I wanted to go home. I'd hit rock bottom; the others noticed the immediate change in my demeanor, and though several of them asked about it, I brushed them off. I was dead to them; my eyes blank and soulless. It was in that crippled state of being that we made our way to the Castle of Shirasagi.
I had made a promise to her, and this was fulfilling it. I was here for Queen Mikoto; Operation Time to Stop Chester was now in action!
What was the plan, some may ask? Thanks to Emma and Rinkah's descriptions, I had Lucina draw up an elaborate map of the castle's entrances and exits. I would have Emma cause a distraction in the courtyard on her way home while Camilla and I would ride over the gates.
Takumi was at the Great Wall of Suzunoah, and had spotted us long ago, preparing for a direct assault. As if I'd attack his most easily defensible positions. With Ryoma cleaning up the first wave of the large wave of Grado soldiers' incursion into Hoshido, I just had to checkmate them here.
This was what I thought to myself as the sun went down, mere hours from the most important battle in my life. This stealth mission was life and death; if I failed, Queen Mikoto's life would be in danger. I had to stop Garon!
A knock came at the door, and when I looked up, I saw my visitor.
"Idiot! What are you locking yourself up in here for!?" Rinkah yelled at me with her usual tone. She was the only one to not change her attitude towards me. Both refreshing and irritating, I thought to myself.
"I want to be alone," I answered her matter-of-factly, not skipping a beat, "I have continued my training alone. I am not slacking off."
Rinkah shook her head, "That's not what I'm concerned about! You haven't talked with anyone in days! All of us are feeling this dark feeling from you, and it's hurting our morale! How can we fight by your side if you're like this!?"
I stood up, "Then don't. I'll do this the way I've been handling these missions. Solo."
"There you go again! This is why she almost left!" That cut deep, "For someone who acts nice, you're a pretty selfish hero, huh?"
"Then call me a Fake Hero..." I shot back without my expression changing in the slightest, "Your words will never cut deeper than the wounds I've received. If I ever let a single one of you die... We have a few hours left. If you want to come, now is the time. I'm heading out early."
Rinkah sighed, "Ugh, fine. I can't dissuade you now."
Our operation began quite simply. Emma flew in and distracted the guards at the front gate. Felicia stealthily knocks out the watchtower guards and Beruka and Camilla ferry us over the castle wall furthest from the main roads. Now in a giant set of fields, we charged to the sides of the castle.
This kept up until I reached a small courtyard. This was where Hinoka might have fought Chester, had he ventured along the storyline enough.
Emma opened up the sliding doors from the inside and we snuck inside and headed to Queen Mikoto's quarters.
As we stepped outside, I cursed, "We're probably going to be found by every ninja that breathes. I'll try to talk to her peacefully, and then we can leave."
I slowly opened the door and walked inside. Orochi wouldn't be here, so I should be fine. I stepped deeper into the room and found a certain woman seated, meditating, "Queen Mikoto, is that you?"
Methodically, she faced me, a curious, puzzled expression, "Hello? Who are you?"
"That's a... long story. Let's say I'm a friend, and I want to protect you. Your sister Arete..." she gasped, "Your daughter Corrin, child of Anankos... I know."
"Who are you, stranger? Truly?"
I sighed, "My name is Robert. I'm the lord that attacked your Fort, Fort Kaidu. I was the one who slew Omozu in combat, and for that, I apologize. But I came to warn you of an assassination plot, and of the dangers your daughter will face if you fall."
Mikoto's eyes formed into that resolve she kept about herself, "What is endangering her?"
"You... You'll actually listen to me?"
She nodded, "If you came this far, snuck into my castle, and wasted your opportunity to kill me by warning me, it'd be unduly rude of me to turn you away."
Hearing that, my body released the tension inside me, and I smiled, "Thank you, my liege." I bowed to her.
And that was how I managed to peacefully arrange a meeting with Queen Mikoto. Takumi, Hinoka, and Ryoma were all away from the castle at the time. Yukimura showed major distrust of me, but he managed to resist acting in a manner unbecoming of a royal retainer. Not to say I trusted that son of a bitch as far as I could throw him.
"And that is all I know so far," I finished my long and winding explanation that clarified all of the finer points of this war, "Now that you know the players and their objectives, you need to warn your children about the upcoming events."
Mikoto nodded, "This information came at a substantial price. Why did you come all this way to tell me, your enemy?"
I chuckled, "You, no way. I only attacked Kaidu so I could recruit Rinkah. I couldn't talk her into joining me, obviously. Plus, I needed the fort to protect the locals. As of now... I do not wish to burden Hoshido, but I have decided to seek out the Wind Tribe next."
"Is that your intentions? To unite the tribes of nature against the darkness?" Yukimura was glaring at me, his annoying face and glasses watching my every movement.
"All I want is safe passage. And the aid of Hinoka and her somewhat confused retainer," I tacked on that at the end.
Yukimura stood up, "Absolutely not! Queen Mikoto, I forbid this!"
Mikoto sighed, "Yukimura, calm yourself! This is your fault. What you sent Omozu to do, I can barely stomach the thoughts of it. I know you care about this kingdom, but your radical attitudes have to stop."
I butted in, "Yeah, Yukimura. You're not your father."
His veins bulged, and I made a mental gamble on whether he'd die from a sheer rage aneurism as Mikoto intervened, "Enough. Sir Robert, my daughter and her retainers are currently at Fort Jinya. You will have to stop off there on your way to the Wind Tribe Village. I will allow you free passage."
Yukimura disapproved, clearly, "Absolutely not! I will not have this ruffian scum walk through our borders! We built the Great Wall of Suzunoah for a reason, Queen Mikoto! To not let people like this run about!"
"Like what?" I said, annoyed.
"You could be a murderer or worse for all we know. I would never trust Princess Hinoka with you!" He yelled at me, his face growing fiercer.
Mikoto spoke harshly, "Enough. They will stay the remainder of the night, and tomorrow we will see them off. And no violence will occur under this roof. Understood?"
"Yes, my liege," Yukimura bowed, and I did so in turn. He continued glaring at me.
That night...
I was in the courtyard, sitting under the sakura trees, wondering if Lucina was in some version of Heaven somewhere, looking down on me. It was only when I eventually heard footsteps approaching me that I sat up and was greeted by the last thing I expected.
Lucina walked up to me, "Robert? I came to talk with you."
I sighed to myself, "My heart can't... Yes, Lucina?"
"Rinkah and the others... told me. Of the circumstances of my appearing here... I didn't believe them, and I ignored them, but then..." she pulled a set of flowers from behind her, a white rose bouquet, "I thought they were beautiful, and then I found this on the bedside table," she handed me a card. A small card one might use for writing math facts in school on.
The card I had attached to the flowers. I had only written the first four words, but after Luke left, and I worried over whether she would survive or not, I had created a poem out of it.
To my precious princess, the one who takes my breath away
The girl who lost everything but makes me want to stay
The fighter who trained to defy the future and her fate
My hero, the girl I confessed to just a moment too late.
And if she never reads this, in Heaven she shall be
But I will feel safer knowing she's looking over me.
I cursed to myself, "...Yeah. What they told you is... I... Lucina, the one that came before you, she..."
"-is back," I opened my eyes wide as another Lucina, one covered in a sinister purple mist walked towards me, "Long time no see..." she had red, blank, unblinking eyes, "Anankos sends his regards."
Lucina drew her weapon, but I stood there, dumbfounded, "L...Lucina, no..."
"This isn't her!" Lucina yelled to me as Valucina stepped towards me, "She's not human anymore!"
"How rude... Only a fake would talk like that," Valucina knocked Lucina off of her feet with a swift kick and focused on me, "Now... Where were we?"
Inside the castle, my allies had been surrounded by a large group of nearly invisible bastards. Rinkah had taken leadership of them, and they had surrounded Mikoto in a ring to protect her, "Don't let any of these bastards get to her, understood!?"
Reina flew in on top of her mighty bird, cracking her knuckles, "I'm here. Let's enjoy this... We're fighting together this time, oni girl."
Rinkah growled, "Whatever. Don't hold us back, old woman!"
Cleaving an entire Vallite in half with her silver lance, she grinned, "I would warn you about that."
Valucina held her hand out to me, "Join me, Robert. Anankos said that if you kill Mikoto with me, he'll let me stay with you."
Lucina jumped up and charged at her, but she easily dodged and knocked Lucina aside again, "Damn... Robert! Don't give in to her lies!"
Valucina walked over and clutched Lucina by the throat, "Or, how about this? You kill Mikoto, or you watch her die, too."
I grimaced, knowing now what I'd have to do. I came all this way, but with these circumstances now weighing over me, I had no choice.
I grabbed Yato from its sheath and chucked it straight into Valucina's chest. As she stumbled back and pulled it out, she dropped it, her hand burning just from touching it. As blood soaked her clothes, she growled, "You would kill me!?"
Holding my tome to my side, I casted thunder and blasted through her injured chest. As she fell, bleeding profusely, parts of her body now fading into purple mist, I joked, "If only you had something soft to protect your chest, huh?"
Lucina stood up glaring at me, the daggers piercing my soul, "I should...No, no, I'll be an adult."
I ran over to Valucina as she faded away in my arms. I heard fighting from inside, but that couldn't pull me away from her, "...Lucina, no... Not again!"
She reached up and put a hand on my face, "It's okay... You did what... I wanted. Anankos, he... He controlled me in a dark place... he sought to... corrupt our love... But now..." Valucina stood up, despite the gaping wounds her body now had, and held her hand out to Lucina, "T...Take my hand."
"Why?" Lucina asked, suspicious for obvious reasons.
"I'll... let you have what is left of my memories, my feelings..." Valucina said this with tears in her eyes, "What little power Anankos gave me... allows me to do this. So please..."
Lucina looked up at me, and I spoke, "You don't have to. It's your choice."
Sighing and tightening her right hand into a fist, she grabbed her other self's hand and they shook it. Valucina faded into wisps of black and purple smoke before fading away altogether, and Lucina stepped back, looking down at her own hands, as if transfixed on the reality of what had happened.
I was about to ask if it worked or not, but then a loud crash rang out. The two of us nodded in unison and we charged inside to see how our teammates had handled the battle within.
By the time we arrived, the entire room was trashed with dead Vallites everywhere. Rinkah cheered, "'Bout time, boss. We cleaned up in here."
Mikoto nodded, "They protected me quite valiantly. You should be proud of your allies. I definitely have no qualms entrusting Hinoka to your service."
Yukimura arrived with several master ninjas and mechanists behind him, "Queen Mikoto, I am here to save... You." he glared at me intensely, as if I'd killed his dog or something.
"Just doing my job," I replied casually, sheathing my weapon, "I presume everything is secured now."
"These were my people, weren't they?" Mikoto said in a forlorn tone, "What is left of them..."
I nodded, "Unfortunately, my Queen. I didn't expect them to come for you directly. He... Their boss sent one of my deceased units here to lead them. I fear they may do so again. You must be ever vigilant."
Yukimura shook his head, "If I didn't know better, I'd thank you. But no, I think you led them here as a show to trick us into trusting you!"
Mikoto calmed him, "Yukimura, please. It is enough. I will compromise; Lord Robert, you have Fort Jinya and my daughter pledged to you. However, I think it best you leave tonight. For Yukimura's sake."
I bowed, "Thank you, Queen Mikoto. I will not forget this kindness you have shown me."
That was how we stopped Anankos's assassination attempt on Queen Mikoto's life. He sought to strike me and her down in one fell swoop, but now that that had failed, Chester was his only out to begin the war. I imagine he wouldn't forgive me for this. I'd foiled his plans.
Of course, because life was never easy nor kind, I found myself at our new camp, on the pathway down to Fort Jinya. Hinoka would be informed of Mikoto's requests, and I'd have her and Setsuna join me on the journey south.
Am I forgetting anything? Oh, right...
I wasn't alone in my room. A certain blue-haired x-marks the spot woman was staring at me, "Reina? What on Earth...?"
"Mikoto told me in confidence to protect you," Reina smirked, "I don't mind. It's an excuse to get to kill things. As long as we don't take Hoshidan blood... I'll have no qualms."
"But... I already did," I solemnly replied, "Back in that town, I-"
Reina reined me in right quick, "Stop. Omozu was no Hoshidan; he was the worst of this country, and it was despicable to work alongside him. I'd have disposed of him myself were I you. And Mari, she... She was doomed the second she loved him..."
I asked, "She was your student, right...? I'm sorry about her."
"I've lost many recruits. I had to bury far more before Mari, and if this war drags, there will be more to come. I'm just thankful you protected Emma for me," she smiled at me, "And if you ever hurt her... My kinshi will enjoy the free feather dye..."
"U-understood..." I said, gulping, "I will do my best!" My voice cracked a bit, but I did mean it.
Reina chuckled, "Good that we both understand where our loyalties lie. I'll head off to my room now. Don't stay up too late, milord." As she walked off, I breathed a sigh of relief. I really hoped to not get on her bad side.
As she left and silence fell on my room, I calmed myself down and sighed. Then the door opened up, and I was greeted by a potentiality for excruciating heartbreak.
Lucina stepped into my room, "Excuse me, Robert...I have to talk to you."
"I always have time for you, Lucy..." I stopped talking for a second, "I mean... Uh."
"Our memories are... distorted. Merging and folding into each other, and..." She sat just on the edge of my bed next to me, "I remember everything that our journeys coincided on, more powerfully now. The heartbreak, the fear, the loss. And then the new memories; of failing again, of everything that I risked my life for being taken again. I feel her pain, her anger, her despair... Her guilt, all of it welling up inside me, threatening to overwhelm me."
I put my hand on her shoulder, and she just calmly looked up at me, "I'm sorry for that. It had to have been so painful for her to... You didn't have to take her memories."
Lucina shook her head, "No... It's better this way. Because at the end of it all, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Not death, but new life, breathed into me by close friends." she smiled, a single tear running down her face that she wiped away with haste, the tear hitting her hand, leaving a dark stain that marked her gloves, "Felicia, Rinkah, Nyx, and Emma... But most of all, you... From the start, you showed such affection and care for me."
"I mean... I knew about you beforehand, and I... Well, when you saved me, I knew at that moment what I felt for you in my world was real," I said, looking away, somewhat embarrassed, "I almost confessed, but I ran before I could do it... I was too scared, too frightened."
"But now I know... And these feelings she had for you...I now feel them myself..." Lucina looked up into my eyes, "I don't know what to do, but when I'm with you, I feel... the same. But I know better..." she stood up and headed towards the door, "I'm not her... Not really her. Not the one you..."
I tried to speak, but no sound came out, and within seconds, she was gone. Alone, I sat on my bed, contemplating how I felt about the whole situation. I knew it wasn't her, not exactly her, but was her just the physical or the memories? What even made us who we were; our soul, or something more...?
Knock. Knock. Knock. Three times I rapped on the door, and when the occupant of the room answered me and opened it, I asked, "Can you help?"
"What is it, dear?" Camilla asked, smiling as I shuffled uncomfortably around in the hallway, "You look stressed out."
"I have a need for some advice..." I begged, "I need... help."
And I explained in full the situation that Lucina and I had faced, and the moments afterwards.
Camilla held her hand to her chin, her arm pressed up against her cleavage, "I see. This is quite the predicament you're in, young Robert. Love is a difficult thing."
"I... I know. Part of me tells me to move on. Another part of me says to cling to her and never let go," I admitted, unable to restrain the pain in my voice, "But it's... different, and... and... I feel guilty for her taking those memories. What if the love isn't hers, but it's just..."
"She knew what her other self's memories were, right?" I nodded, and Camilla sighed in relief, "Then you know she did it with intent. Lucina wanted you to move on, but she also wanted you to be happy... Whether you choose to pursue her or not, it's up to you."
I hugged Camilla tighter than I'd ever hugged someone before, "Camilla, I... Thank you. I, I love you so much right now..."
I couldn't stop myself from tearing up again, and when I stopped hugging her, she grabbed my chin and wiped my cheeks for me, "Don't tease a poor girl like me now. You have something to do, right?"
"I'm not teasing, Camilla. I mean it, I..." I stopped myself, "Well..."
Camilla smacked me on the top of the head, "You finish that sentence and you had better make an honest woman out of me. Understood?"
"Crystal clear," I said back, sweating a bit, "Thank you, Camilla."
And I found myself outside Lucina's room, ready to knock, fear trying to tear me away, to choose an easier way out. Maybe I could ask the Sage to send me home, and I could... No, that wouldn't be right.
I knocked, and I heard her speak, "Y-yes? Who is it?"
I waited for her to open the door, and when she saw me, she stopped, "Hey."
Lucina's eyes focused on the ground and not me, "Yes, Robert? I'm sorry if what I said or did made you feel uncomfortable, I just-"
And I silenced her as I brought my arms around her and held her close. She was well-built despite her size, and her body warmth and the smell of her hair reminded me of that first night we spent together. I brought my lips to hers, and we kissed in a gentle embrace as my hands slowly relaxed into hers.
I pulled away and asked, "Lucina... I... I still love you, and I... I want to be with you."
"...Robert." She held her head against my chest for a moment as I ran my hand through her hair, the soft, vibrant feeling calming me down. She glanced up at me, nervously, her cheeks flushed, "I... I love you, too, Robert." she sighed, "I never thought I'd say that with such a straight face..."
"Come on, look at me. Your blushing face is cute." Reluctantly, she did, and I pressed my forehead against hers, "Then let's... stay together tonight."
Lucina blushed even more furiously, "W-what!? I'm not ready, I just-"
I laughed, patting her head gently, "Not like that. Just... I want to be with you tonight, if that's alright."
Smiling up at me, she nodded, a single tear of joy falling down the side of her face, "I'd love to."
