AN: Heyo. So if you've read my stuff before you'd know that I wrote a fire emblem fic before, but I haven't touched that in a while. So recently I got more inspiration to write this, a retelling of the story of Fire Emblem Awakening with my own twists in it. I hope you enjoy it :)
Chapter One: Destined Meeting
"Chrom! I'll fight by your side always!" Her voice sounded among the empty halls of the temple they found themselves in as they faced off against one man, one who surrounded himself in purple energy and held a tome of pure darkness. The man next to her, the Exalt Chrom, nodded as they both began to fight against their enemy. The battle waged for nearly an hour, with her needing to protect Chrom from certain doom from spells many times, but finally Chrom managed to stick his Falchion through the man's stomach.
"Hey are you okay? Come, let's get back to the others." Chrom extended a hand to her as she fell to her knees and looked up but red veins filled her vision as she felt energy leave her hand. Chrom gasped as he looked down to see a bolt of lightning through his side.
"Hey look at me, this… this is not your fault. Promise me… you'll escape from this place." Chrom wrapped his hand around hers as he fell to the floor, eyes lifeless as she yelled in agony and black and purple energy swirled off of her in storms as the earth began to shake.
"Perhaps trying to force myself into you in this timeline was a mistake. No matter, I shall bide my time as I wait to finish off those pesky children. They shall all fall by the Fell God Grima." A deep and sharp voice sounded in her head as she felt just pain from hearing the voice but she was able to keep herself together long enough to remember what the voice was saying.
"Chrom we have to do something." A girlish voice sounded out as her eyes started to try to open.
"Chrom? Prince of Ylisse? Wasn't he the one from my dreams?" She wondered in her head.
"What do you propose we do?" Chrom's voice sounded out, sounding the same as from her dream she had just had.
"I… I dunno." The girl seemed sheepish as she finally opened her eyes and saw a man with blue hair, the same as in the dream, and a younger girl in a yellow and white dress standing over her as Chrom let out a sigh of relief.
"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground you know. Give me your hand." She grabbed the extended hand and saw some form of brand on her hand as she was helped up from the ground.
"Are you alright?" Chrom asked kindly and she nodded as her mind drifted slightly.
"How did I end up here? Last I remember… Validar! That bastard of a father drugged me and sent me into the middle of the desert with no supplies! And that voice I heard… DAMNED GRIMA! I won't let Validar win here. But what happened between the desert and getting here to Ylisse? And that vision I had… do Validar and Grima win and end the world? I won't let them!" She recalled as she grit her teeth unsure of what to make of the situation and vowed to change her fate
"Y...Yes I believe I am. You are Prince Chrom of Ylisse correct?" She asked and Chrom nodded.
"I am glad you are okay, miss. Are you perhaps from around here? Do you require an escort home?" Chrom asked calmly and caring, a trait that she had never been subject to before.
"No. I'm not from anywhere close to here. I don't even remember how I made it here. Last I remember I was in the wastelands of the Plegian desert." She admitted and suddenly a lance was up to her face from a blue armored knight.
"So you are a Plegian spy then? Sent here by the Grimleal obviously." The knight accused and she scowled as she pulled out a Sol blade and threw it past the knight and it landed into an invisible enemy who had been sneaking up on Chrom with a poisoned dagger.
"I thought knights looked out for actual threats. Are you not trained in realizing Assassins are nearby?" She scolded slightly as she retrieved her blade and as she grabbed it felt the Sol effect take place and replenish her health as it drained the assassin's vitality.
"You wear similar robes." Chrom noted looking between her and the assassin and she sadly nodded.
"I'll explain more later, but I refuse to do so without talking to the Exalt. She is your leader is she not? Thus it is more vital to tell her than you." She states and the knight approaches with a lance in hand.
"What business do you have with Lady Emmeryn? You are not meeting her without reason." The knight demanded and she rolled her eyes.
"So you'd rather I not warn her about an incoming threat? By all means, doom your country." She shot back and Chrom quickly stepped between them.
"Peace Frederick. If she wishes to meet with my sister to warn about something, we should allow her that chance. We are meant to protect our people and information is crucial to that." Chrom reasoned and Frederick lowered his weapon and nodded silently.
"Well if you know about Chrom and Em, betcha know me too." The girl stuck out her tongue and she took a close look at her and shook her head.
"I'm afraid not I apologize. I assume you are related but I only knew about Chrom and Emmeryn from my studies." She apologized and the girl deflated as Chrom shook his head.
"It doesn't matter Lissa. Even if one person doesn't know you, that doesn't make you any less of my sister." Chrom promised and she perked up as she bounced around her and seemed excitable.
"So what's your name?" Lissa asked as she poked and prodded her coat and she quickly pulled it closer. She looked around and saw a bird chirping and nodded silently to herself.
"Call me Robin." The now proclaimed Robin said and Chrom smiled as Lissa finally calmed down, but when he noticed why he immediately drew his sword.
"He has the Falchion?" Robin wondered as to why he had the sword in these times of peace, even if those times were almost done.
Robin followed their eyes and followed them to a village in the distance with smoke erupting from it, fire burning in the distance and she scowled at this and took out a Thoron tome from her coat and stashed her Sol blade back into it.
"Lissa, stick with Frederick during the battle with what I assume to be Plegian brigands. Robin, let me watch you battle at my side." Chrom ordered and Robin nodded in acknowledgement as they hurried to the nearby village so they would be able to save the people. As they arrived into the village, there were brigands with simple Iron Axes, Iron Swords and basic fire tomes creating chaos as villagers ran away from the cackling attackers.
"They haven't noticed us yet. Let's use that to our advantage." Robin advised and Frederick nodded as he noticed a stray brigand running into an alleyway after a young girl who was fleeing.
"Lissa, let's go." Frederick nodded at Lissa but Robin held up her hand.
"Wait one second. I just said they haven't noticed us. Perhaps you can help us use that to our advantage. After all if they see someone in armor and on horseback, they'll focus on you. So instead of rushing to save that one person and getting cornered, gather their attention in the marketplace while the three of us pick off the stragglers." Robin advised and Chrom looked impressed.
"That is a sound strategy. What says you, Frederick?" Chrom asked and Frederick nodded in agreement.
"Yes I agree. But first," Frederick pulled out a small golden object with a red orb in the middle and Robin looked at the object in curiosity, "I'd say it's better to let Lissa have some form of protection, and a master seal will help get you to know the basics of axes with the War Cleric path."
Lissa held the object and gazed at it with a smile on her face but then pouted and stuffed it into her pocket.
"I'll use it later. Besides, it's too flashy when we are trying to be sneaky." Lissa grinned and Chrom let a small laugh loose.
"Seems everyone is outsmarting you today Frederick." Chrom teased lightly as Frederick handed him a Bronze Axe.
"Keep it handy just in case. Better to need an extra weapon than die." Frederick noted and Chrom nodded his agreement.
"Let's get moving then. Good luck Frederick." Chrom pat the knight on the back as Frederick gave a short nod as he lightly kicked his horse and rode out into the marketplace, lance ready to fight.
"Come on! We need to save that woman." Lissa said as she ran off, with Robin following behind her and Chrom at her side. They could hear the yelling of brigands as metal clashed and Robin knew that Frederick was now engaging the enemy.
"Come on little girl, if you just give up that pretty little stone, I won't hurt you." Robin heard the brigand in the alley say and as she entered the alley, she saw a brown haired girl with two long braids look both afraid and annoyed as she clutched a small stone in her hands.
"N… Naga save me." The girl breathed in terror as Chrom glared at the man as he approached the girl and Chrom decided to speak up.
"I think you should leave her alone." Chrom said as he brandished the Falchion and the man spun around and gulped in fear as he saw the blade.
"Th… the prince of Ylisse?! They said this village was too far from Ylisstol to get us in trouble!" The man said, now being afraid himself, and held up his axe weakly. Suddenly the girl on the ground got a burst of energy and kicked the man in the back of the knee, sending him to the ground and knocking his axe tumbling.
"I like her." Robin smirked and Lissa rolled her eyes as she went to help the girl up as Chrom restrained the attacker.
"Are you alright?" Lissa asked as she extended her hand and the girl took it and Robin examined the girl more closely as she stood up. Pointed ears, young age and stone in hand…
"What is a manakete doing here?" Robin asked as she crossed her arms and Lissa looked surprised as she looked at the girl again.
"I uh… bye!" The manakete quickly ran off further down the alley and before Robin could give chase, Chrom put a hand on her shoulder.
"We still have some brigands to deal with. Come on." Chrom said and Robin reluctantly nodded as she watched further down the alley, wondering why a manakete was in this town of all places. Robin shook her thoughts from her head as she followed Chrom and Lissa back into the marketplace, where Frederick had two brigands pinned beneath his horse's front hooves and he had what Robin could only presume to be their leader at the tip of his lance, ready to strike if he moved.
"Damned Ylisseans, sending the captain of their guard after us." The boss complained as Frederick looked up as Chrom approached.
"Milord, these bandits were unorganized and easy to dispatch. These are but the stragglers as I have the mages and others tied up behind one of the tents." Frederick informed plainly and Chrom nodded.
"Thank you Frederick. Now then," Chrom turned to the captured brigands and brandished the Falchion, "Mind telling me why you attacked Southtown?"
The brigands refused to speak as Chrom sighed. Robin narrowed her eyes at the boss and proceeded to pull out a sword she hadn't used earlier and held it to the boss's chest and he widened his eyes.
"Mercurius?! How did you steal that from the Plegian Vaults?!" The boss demanded to know and Robin pushed slightly down, tearing slightly at his skin.
"Tell us why you are here, or the first person to die by this blade in centuries will be yourself." Robin warned coldly and Lissa shivered at the tone of her voice.
"I would rather me and my men die before I speak to a Plegian traitor!" The man spat out and Robin took a deep breath and plunged the blade through his chest, ripping through his chest and killing him near instantly.
"Now then, any others want to tell me?" Robin questioned as Frederick stood facing her with a glare.
"I am sorry, but we do not execute prisoners while trying to gain information." Frederick tried to tell her off and Robin scoffed.
"Ylisseans," Robin rolled her eyes in dismay, "You do know that Plegians dislike taking prisoners of little importance? Or does history also not tell that about us."
"Please, let's not fight. Frederick, she is still new to our lands and thus will act differently than us. Robin, please let us try gaining information with more time rather than executing quickly." Chrom quickly mediated and Frederick gave a short nod and backed down as Robin didn't acknowledge him and instead looked at her blade.
"Fine. I'm going to look for that manakete. Have fun interrogating them. I'll be at the gates when it's time to go to Ylisstol." Robin walked off and Lissa decided to follow after and Frederick sighed as they both left their visibility.
"Milord are you sure it is wise to trust someone like her to meet Lady Emmeryn?" Frederick asked as he walked to drag over the other captured brigands as Chrom looked at the two that the horse held down.
"People will be different from us Frederick. Emmeryn is different from my father, just as I am different from them and Lissa different from me and them. We have to accept that. After all, the Shepherds is full of many different people, or are you saying that Vaike is just like me or say Miriel or Sully?" Chrom said calmly and Frederick looked contemplative at this as the mages and other brigands were brought over, all tied up in one rope.
"I can not disagree milord. I'd just advise caution." Frederick simply stated and Chrom gave a small laugh.
"They don't call you Frederick the Wary for nothing." Chrom joked and Frederick gave a light smile as Chrom shook his head and prepared himself to begin questioning the brigands.
Elsewhere in the town, Robin looked mildly annoyed as Lissa followed her to look for the manakete. She seemed uninterested in what Robin was trying to do as she skipped along the path of the town as the villagers came out to take care of the damages.
"Why are you following me?" Robin almost snapped but stayed calm as they neared the entrance of the village without finding the manakete.
"I'd rather not stay behind and listen to my brother and Frederick argue with those brigands and then maybe Chrom argue with him about Frederick being overbearing. Besides, I did want to ask you something." Lissa explained and Robin let her shoulders fall as she leaned against the gate to the town.
"Ask away. Not as if we'll be finding that manakete anyways." Robin seemed disinterested but Lissa decided to ask her questions.
"You pulled out a tome earlier right? Even though you didn't use it, you can use magic right?" Lissa asked and Robin raised an eyebrow as she nodded.
"What of it? It's just a Thoron tome." Robin did not understand what she was trying to ask by bringing this up.
"Well it's just that everyone has this expectation of me to be like a War Cleric or whatever, use axes and healing staffs and all that. But I want to use magic, not axes or staffs. But everyone always has told me it's too dangerous and I should just stay behind and heal." Lissa continued to explain as she spoke with frustration and Robin seemed to be catching on to her point here.
"You want me to teach you how to use magic then?" Robin asked to make sure and Lissa nodded and then shook her head.
"I want to use magic but… I don't want to use tomes. I've seen people use tomeless magic before but no matter how many times I have asked, everyone told me no about getting a tutor about it." Lissa explained and Robin blinked and chuckled at the scenario.
"You sure you want to learn that kind of magic princess? It's not that easy." Robin responded but actually had her interest peaked at the situation.
"Mhmm! And Frederick did give me that Master Seal, so I could just use it to obtain Sage level knowledge. Oh wait… they would still have me just stay on the backlines to heal." Lissa pouted as she held the Master Seal in her hands and Robin quickly took it from her and held it closely to her eye.
"Hmmm… give me some time. Perhaps by the time we reach Ylisstol I can change this Master Seal to let you get whatever basic knowledge you want for magic and then depending on what happens, I can teach you tomeless magic." Robin said and Lissa's eyes brightened at this and nodded rapidly and her eyes lit with excitement at the unfolding situation and Robin smiled.
"Perhaps things won't be as bad as I thought they'd be. Let's just hope Grima can be defeated." Robin hoped inwardly to herself, hoping the worst case scenario would not come.
Unbeknownst to the two girls, the manakete they had been searching for was listening to their conversation with her exceptional hearing on the top of one of the buildings that had been untouched by the brigands.
"I've already messed up oh no. They were looking for me. I messed up the timeline. Lucina will be so disappointed in me." The manakete hung her head down as she felt that she had messed up. The manakete then shook her head as she looked back down at the street as Robin discussed the basics of tomeless magic to Lissa and the manakete sighed.
"No, I need to control myself. Keep my emotions in check. I'm sure it's of little consequence. I'm sure." The manakete told herself with deep breaths as she tried to assure herself, but her voice shook and still seemed unsure of herself and the future that is yet to come.
AN: I did say I'd have my own twists didn't I? Robin keeps her memories and Nah shows up early. Also Frederick took care of all the brigands himself because he basically has to do that on the harder difficulties in Awakening (I have tried playing Lunatic and it is so frustrating. And I never want to even attempt Lunatic+, gods no. Anyways, if you have any advice on how to improve this, please tell me (such as if I did the characters justice or not, which I hope I did). Also note, that although I don't have everything planned yet, I do have the shippings planned and Chrom x Robin is NOT Robin's ship. I won't spoil what it is yet, but I have the ships planned so don't worry. Anyways, until next time, I wish you all well.