I took an involuntary step back. I decided that, in light of the fact that this could go very wrong if I got too emotional, I should stay calm.
"Lucina...what are you doing?" She took a step closer and the point of her sword was under my chin again.
"St-stay where you are, Robin. Please. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."
"I don't think it needs to be hard at all. Put the sword away and let's talk this out." She shook her head.
"I...I can't do that. I have to...gods, I'm so sorry Robin. I have to kill you."
"Why?" I thought I at least deserved to know that.
"You...you are the one who kills my father." Oh. I wanted to speak up in protest, but then I realized I couldn't. I had just been controlled by Grima a few hours ago.
"Lucina," I said slowly, "you have to know that I would never do that willingly."
"It...it doesn't matter if it was willing or not. I always heard that my father was killed by his best friend. Then I came back here, and I met you, and...gods, Robin, I've been hoping against hope that it wasn't true. That there was someone else. But after today it's become clear. Somehow Validar controls you. He must force you to do it." Her voice was pained.
"Think about what you're saying. You're going to tell me that you're going to kill me because someone else makes me kill Chrom." Then again, I had been worried about the possibility myself.
"I have to save my father. I have to change the future. And to do that, sacrifices have to be made. Even if...even if it's you."
"Lucina, you're not thinking this through—"
"Of course I'm thinking it through!" She raised her voice and tightened her grip on Falchion's handle as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "Do you think I don't know that this is murder? Do you think this is easy for me? To know that it's you? You, of all people? I know what kind of man you are. I know you would never...you're too kind. Too good. But the evidence is right in front of me. It must have been you, Robin. Please. I beg you, please, don't resist. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. The least I can do is...is make it painless." With the way she looked, I doubted she would be able to. She probably couldn't even see straight, let alone swing a sword properly.
"I...I understand how you feel," I said. "I really do. You love your father, and you would do anything to keep him safe." Part of me was willing. Willing to tell her that yes, she could strike me down if it meant saving Chrom. I knew I was dangerous. I could hurt him. Kill him, even, if Grima took control of me again. But then I remembered something. How could I forget it? It had only happened that morning, though it seemed like a lifetime ago. Me and Tiki, standing on a beach, sharing a promise.
"So please, please promise me that you will try to remain safe. I...I could not bear it if I lost you."
"I promise. I promise I'll do everything I can to come home safe."
And I thought of something else. I thought of a girl, lonely and confused, waking up in a ruined temple. A girl with no memory, latching on to the one familiar person near her. Chrom was my brother. But they...they were my family. I couldn't leave them.
"Then you understand why I need to do this," she said. Her voice was becoming strained.
"I do understand, but—"
"What is this?"
I didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice coming from behind me. Gods knew I would recognize it anywhere.
"L-Lady Tiki! Wh-what are you doing here?" I took a step away from Lucina, and this time she didn't move with me. That was progress, at least.
"I grew suspicious about your reasons for this meeting," she said as I heard her walk up. "And it seems my suspicions were confirmed."
"This isn't...it's not what it—"
"What? Not what it appears to be? Because it appears that you are currently using the sacred blade gifted by my mother to humanity in order to strike down evil to threaten my betrothed. Pray tell, what is it about this scene that is not as it appears?" She sounded livid. Someone who didn't know her as well as I did may not have noticed, but I had only heard her voice get that cold once before. I had a feeling that if I turned to look at her that her eyes wouldn't be green. That was bad. I needed to smooth this out before it turned into a real problem.
"It's not as though I want to do this!" said Lucina. "But I...I have to protect my father! You saw what Robin did. You know Validar controls him. You know that I wouldn't do this if I had another choice!" Tiki reached us and stood between us in the small gap I had made by stepping back.
"There is always a choice! And you would choose to defile a holy weapon with the blood of an innocent man! I will not allow this! I promise you that if you attempt to harm him that I will slay you where you stand!" Lucina faltered and it sounded like her voice would break any moment.
"Lady Tiki, you must understand, this is about the fate of the world! This is one life, measured against millions! Please, I beg you, let me save my father!"
"So to save your father you would deprive another of hers? You would deprive me of my love? Did you not consider that yours is not the only father in this world? And so what if it is one life? If Robin must die that the world may live, then I say damn the world! The world can burn!"
"Tiki...please, you need to calm down," I said quietly.
"I will not allow her to harm you, under any circumstances," she said, although she sounded like she was regaining control.
"Please. Please. I just want...I want to save my father." Her voice finally broke. It stopped being a shout and became a desperate whimper.
"Are you really willing to do this?" I asked. "Are you willing to kill Naga's daughter with Naga's own sword?"
"Oh, do not think she would have reservations about attempting to strike me down."
"Why would you say that?" I couldn't imagine that. Lucina was a faithful follower of Naga. Gods, she was one of Naga's chosen. How could she even think of trying to kill Naga's daughter?
"Because I assume that, in her heart of hearts, she believes I have stolen you from her." I rocked back on my heels as if she'd slapped me in the face.
"Wh-what?!" There was no way. Not her. Not Lucina. It wasn't possible. She was twenty years younger than me, at least. Even if we were the same age. She couldn't possibly…
Or could she? I was her father's best friend. She idolized her father, and I was his best friend. I would have been in her life for years until...if I had really done this, until I was taken over. Then she returned to the past and met me and...gods, this explained everything. Why she always seemed so nervous around me. Why she always wanted my approval. Why she always wanted to spend time together. Gods, it even explained why she hadn't talked to me in a while.
And of course it explained why she seemed so troubled all the time. I could only imagine the whirlwind of emotions she was holding in her. She was worried that her father would be killed, and that Grima would return, and then you had to add in missing her friends and family, and meeting me.
Love could hurt. I knew that firsthand. Even now, I would sometimes look at Tiki and my chest would ache with worry that I hadn't made it clear how much I loved her. Unrequited love was even worse. And then on top of that she had to deal with seeing me fall in love with someone else. And on top of even that, she had to deal with the fact that she was falling in love with, as far as she knew, the man who murdered her father. And, on top of even THAT, now she was sharing a tent with my daughter. The living proof that we would never be together. Gods, I had no idea how she could get out of bed in the morning with all of that roiling around within her. She was so strong.
"She has been enamored with you for quite some time. I noticed it long ago."
"Lucina," I said, "is that true?"
"Of course it's true! I've been in love with you since we met!" She shook her head. "But that's not the point! My feelings aren't nearly as important as my duty! I came here to save the future, and I intend to do that!" I slumped my shoulders and sighed.
"Lucina," I said sadly. Gods, I was using her name a lot. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never realized all of the things that were going on. I'm sorry that I've been the cause of so much pain in your life." I wondered how much it had hurt when I'd given her that flower. "And I'm sorry...I'm sorry that I can't let you kill me. I made a promise to my own family."
"Please, Robin. Please." Her voice was strained and desperate. Falchion was starting to waver and it looked like she was going to drop it. "Please. Please. All I want...please. I just want..."
"Your daddy?" came a voice from behind Lucina. She spun around to face Chrom as he emerged from behind a tree.
"F-f-f-father? What are you...this isn't...I can explain..." he shook his head and smiled sadly.
"I heard every word. Oh, Lucina..." he walked forward to her and her Falchion tumbled to the ground. She began to weep. "Oh, my daughter, I'm so sorry that I never saw this. I wish you had come to me about it."
"I thought...if no one knew..."
"You could never have carried that kind of burden with you," he said. "Oh, Lucina..."
"He's...he's going to kill you."
"No, he isn't," Chrom said with such conviction that I thought he would speak it into reality. "The next time anyone tries to dominate his mind, he's going to shake it off, and that will be that. Lucina, you can't shake my faith in him."
"But father—"
"Lucina, we can take precautions. We can work to make it more difficult to hurt me if something happens to him again. But I am not going to send him away, and I'm certainly not going to kill him, and neither are you." He stepped forward and wiped her tears away with one hand. "Not that you ever really planned to, did you?"
Her resolve finally broke completely and she fell to her knees. I wanted to rush forward to comfort her, but as I took a step I felt a hand on my chest. I looked at Tiki, who closed her eyes and shook her head. Chrom knelt down and hugged his daughter as Tiki took me by the hand and led me away. She waited until we were out of hearing range before she said anything.
"I know you wish to help her," she said softly, "but I fear that would only make things worse for her."
"How long have you known?"
"I have suspected for some time, but only found out for certain today." I sighed.
"I can't imagine how much pain I've caused her."
"You cannot blame yourself. Her feelings are her own."
"Still, I can't imagine what it's like falling in love with the person you think is going to murder your father." She didn't answer. We walked back to the camp, which was quiet. Most of the group had returned to their tents for the night. Taking our cue from them, Tiki and I walked back to our tent, which was empty. Morgan must have gone to her own or was spending time with a friend. I hoped it was Noire. I kicked off my shoes and laid down on my bedroll. She joined me a moment later.
"Tiki...I...I think we need to talk." She moved close to me and put her head against my shoulder.
"I thought you might wish to. Before we do, please allow me to apologize. I lost my temper and nearly caused that situation to become much worse than it was. I'm sorry." I put my arm around her.
"At least it didn't, so we can be glad for that. But Tiki..." I paused to gather my courage. I wasn't happy about what I was going to say, but I still owed it to her to say it. I needed to be honest. "...you really scared me. I thought you were going to lose control." She shivered a little and got a little closer to me.
"I nearly did. If you had not called me back I may have lost myself."
"Then I guess it's a good thing I did. Did you...did you really mean it when you said that you'd choose me over the world?" I expected that she was speaking in anger and would answer differently now that she had her wits about her again.
"I...believe that I did."
"Really?" She was Naga's daughter. Her mother was a patron god of humanity and she would really sacrifice humanity for...me?
"I...as I have said before, I have never known a lover's touch before you. You make me...so very happy. I...Robin, I love you so much. If I ever lost you, I fear I would give in wholly to despair."
"But would you really be willing to do that?" What if I were in her position? What choice would I make? I...I really had no idea.
"I know how selfish it is of me to say it. Heavens above, I know it is nearly the height of selfishness for me to say so, but yes. I would choose you before the world." I heard her start to choke up, so I looked over and saw that tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. I rolled onto my side and hugged her. I brought her head down to rest against my chest and started kissing her hair gently.
"Then we'll just make sure it never comes to that."
"I...I believe I should tell you about the darkness within me," she said as she brought herself in closer against me. She sounded pained. I started stroking her hair with one hand. She had let it down, so it made it easy to do while I held her against me.
"You don't have to if you don't think you're ready."
"No," she said, "You nearly saw me fall to it. And we are to be married. You should know...the worst part of me."
"Well, if it'll help you get your courage," I said, "I promise that, no matter what you tell me, I'll love you just as much as I do now. Maybe more." It would be more. I loved everything about her, and the more I learned the more there was to love.
"Robin..." She fell silent for a few moments. I assumed it was so she could work up the nerve to start talking. "There is...a sickness, of sorts, that affects some of my kind. Myself included. Those who are afflicted by it begin to have their mental state degrade until they go entirely mad and become as beasts. They cannot be tamed, or reasoned with, or brought back from that state. They must be...stopped." She shivered, so I hugged her tighter. I felt my shirt start to get wet. "Shortly after I was born, my mother put me into a magical slumber to prevent me from falling prey to the sickness."
"There wasn't anything else she could do?"
"No. Shortly after I was born, her physical form was destroyed. I was born amidst a war between dragon tribes. My mother used the last of her strength to put me into that slumber before she passed on."
"But can't we still talk to her? Don't humans still do that sometimes?" I wasn't sure what the afterlife was like for dragons, but that sounded odd to me.
"She became Naga. It was her time to do so."
"I don't understand."
"Naga...is not a singular entity. Naga is a role. My mother is only the latest Naga, though she is one of several who has actually shared the name. The role is usually passed from parent to child through the aeons."
"So is she dead?"
"Not as such. Her physical form is destroyed. She can do very little to intervene directly in the physical world. But her spirit persists, which is why she can still communicate.
"So does that mean that one day…?"
"Yes. One day I will be the new Naga, though it likely will not be for millennia. And after me, Morgan will take on the role herself. To be Naga's Voice is to be Naga's heir."
"But what if you had never met me? You said you planned on never being with a man."
"Either the role would have passed from me to another family, or I would one day have borne a child as...as a duty. I...much prefer this." She shifted her weight a little and I felt her rub her cheek against me. I gave her a squeeze.
"But then...where does that leave us when that happens?" She had mentioned the ritual the dragons performed that bound their souls together for when the moved on to the next life, but this didn't sound like it was the same thing.
"As I said, there is no divine dragon I know in this realm, so we cannot ask the elder to Join us together. And even so, I believe it would go against custom to Join a human and a dragon. And you are connected to Grima besides. You and I...we likely have only this life together." She sounded melancholy.
"Oh." It was the answer I had expected, but it was still upsetting.
"We could...perhaps ask my mother to speak to the elder. She may know how to communicate with him. But I warn you, she can be...ungracious. I would caution you against relying on her."
"We'll convince her," I said with as much confidence as I could muster.
"I pray it is so. I hope we can be together for eternity in the next life."
"So wait, how will Morgan become Naga if humans and dragons can't be Joined?"
"Morgan will be considered a dragon. So long as one parent is fully dragon, the child will live as long as a dragon, and be considered such by the tribe. Her children, should she have any, will only live a few centuries, provided their father is a human."
"Humans and dragons have had children together in the past enough to consider that, but they can't be Joined?"
"Dragon tribe customs can be...somewhat inconsistent."
"I see," I said, "well in that case, we have to have as many kids as possible."
"Hmm?"
"If our kids will live as long as you, then even if I can't find a way to live forever, you'll have them with you. You'll never have to be alone again."
"Robin..." She wrapped her arms around me. "I pray every day that we can remain together, and I will continue to do so until my prayers are answered." I kept stroking her hair until she stopped shaking.
"Are you feeling any better?" I asked as I gave her a few more gentle kisses.
"Somewhat. Let me finish my explanation now."
"You don't have to." I was starting to get a picture, I didn't want to force her into anything.
"No. You deserve to know."
"Go as slowly as you need to."
"When I was a child, a shield was crafted, known as the Shield of Seals. The power within it prevents me from succumbing to my sickness. However, it was broken to pieces and I was put into my magical slumber. When I was about a thousand years old, a fire dragon named Bantu broke the spell that was put on me and raised me as his daughter, along with two other dragons named Xane and Gotoh. They were like family to me and I miss them terribly." I kissed her again until she was ready to keep going. "Bantu took me into the world where I began to meet humans. Once, Bantu and I were separated, and I was captured and brainwashed by a sorcerer named Gharnef. He forced me to fight for him against his enemies. Chief among those enemies was Marth. It was the closest I have ever come to losing myself entirely." She stopped to gather herself and squeezed me again. I responded with more kisses.
"It sounds like this is getting difficult."
"It is extremely so, but I will finish regardless." She paused for a few moments. "Marth and Bantu freed me. I was put back to sleep after some time because the Shield had not been repaired, and Gotoh took it upon himself to watch over me. He did so with the knowledge that, should I fall, he would have to...destroy me." She paused again. "Marth was able to eventually complete the Shield and seal away my darkness. It allowed me to remain awake for as long as I desired. It is...a large part of why I hold so much love for him."
"So as long as the Shield is intact you won't fall?"
"I will not be swallowed by the darkness. I could still give myself to it willingly. So I must always make sure I control myself." Her voice was shaky. Gods, I knew she had to be strong after losing so many friends, but this...it was like she was at war with herself. I didn't know how she did it. I hugged her closer as her tears continued to wet the front of my shirt.
"So where is the Shield now?"
"It is what you refer to as the Fire Emblem." I tensed up a little.
"Wait...what? Doesn't Validar…? Couldn't he destroy it? Could something happen to you?" I was starting to sound panicked, so I forced myself to breathe.
"I do not think so," she said. "He does not want to destroy it. He wants to use it. And even if he did, I think...I think that I would be alright so long as I am with you. So long as we are together, I need not fear the darkness."
"Tiki..." I didn't think I was that special.
"Now...now you know. There is a...terrible darkness within me that I must always fight against, or I could go mad and...and destroy everything. That is what you saw. What nearly happened a short time ago." She sounded ashamed of herself. Suddenly she hugged me so tight that it was like she thought I was going to vanish. Like she was drowning and I was the only thing keeping her afloat. "Please, Robin, please...please do not leave me. I beg you." She was starting to sob. She hid her face in my shirt, which muffled the sound of her voice. "Please. Please. Please." She kept repeating it between sobs. I kept her close against me and kissed her over and over again as I whispered reassurances.
"Shh. Be still, my love. I am with you." She stopped speaking and just sobbed into my chest for a while. I rocked her slowly and gently to help her calm down. As I did I kept stroking her hair and whispering to her. "I'm not going to leave you. Shh. It's okay. I love you so much. I'll always love you. You've been so strong. Let me be strong for you now." It took her a while to stop crying, but I didn't care. I would have held her until the world ended if it came to that.
"Robin," she said after she had cried herself out, "may I ask you a question?" She separated herself from me long enough to bring our faces even so she could kiss me. Her eyes were bright red, but she looked, if not happy, then relieved.
"You can ask me anything your heart desires," I said. She rested her forehead against mine and flashed me a tired smile.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?"
A/N: I got a guest review on the last chapter asking me why everyone trusted Robin even though he was controlled by Grima. The answer is because they don't know Grima was involved. As far as they know, Validar mind controlled Robin, which they realized could have happened to any of them. The guest reviewer also wanted to know how Validar could control Tiki. It's uh, it's with the shield. The one that canonically is the only reason she hasn't descended into madness.
Anyway, on a more lighthearted note, there's a new Legendary banner today. I don't know exactly how I feel about flying Ryoma, just because Kinshi Knights don't use swords, but hey, Raijinto. And Gunnthra's back on the banner! Maybe that's IntSys telling us that she's [spoilers spoilers spoilers]!
And Tiki is getting a unique breath weapon! Gotta make sure I have 200 Divine Dew so I can upgrade it. And maybe I'll pull two more of her so she can finally end up +10. Hopefully I finally get that +Res -Spd I want to make her the ultimate brick wall.
Got another guest review and a couple of people have asked now. It's both Tikis. Well, both dragon Tikis, not axe infantry summer Tiki. Also I'm very amused that the guest reviewer's autocorrect turned "younger" into "punter."