Birth and Re-Death
Chapter 55: ...For Some Very Bad Decisions, Part 2
I steel my nerves and knock.
"Yes? Who is it?" Sumia calls from the other side.
"It's Robin. I, um, was hoping you might be able to help me out," I reply.
"Oh! Just a moment, I'll be right there!" A few seconds pass, followed by a "Waah!" and a muted thud. "Oww…" Sumia moans, sounding like she's down on the floor. "Okay, coming!"
The door finally opens. Sumia smiles at me, but her eyes are still squinted in a pained wince and she rubs her forehead as she speaks. "Hi Robin. I was just getting ready for the wedding. What do you need?"
I glance down. Sure enough, she's in a lovely light brown dress that flatters her figure, but doesn't go too far with revealing too much. She's in black high-heeled shoes, which explains her fall before. Her hair looks like she's in the middle of putting it up into a more formal style than usual.
"Well, I…" I say, still a little embarrassed to be asking for something like this. "With the wedding going on and all, I wanted to look my best, you know… And…" I sigh, defeated. "I have no idea how to get prettied up for a formal occasion like this. I thought about just wearing my military uniform, but that doesn't sound right for something like a wedding."
Sumia gasps, a surprised smile growing on her face. "Robin! You want to get 'prettied up'?" she asks excitedly. "I never thought I'd see the day!"
I frown. "Is it really so unbelievable?"
She immediately changes her tone. "Oh no, I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry, Robin. I just meant that it never really seemed like something you cared much about is all."
Well, she has a point. "Okay yeah, that's pretty accurate actually. But that's why I need help. I kind of… have no idea what I'm doing."
"I mean, I'd be glad to help, but do you at least have a dress you'd like to wear? I don't think we're the same size…" Sumia says, glancing down at my body.
"Yeah, definitely not," I reply, trying not to look at her more… ample chest and hips. Her dress does make them stand out, though. "But I did at least get a dress. I hope it looks okay."
"Well, let's see it, then!" she replies enthusiastically. "I'll help you get it put on."
"Ah, thanks," I stammer. I lead her down the hall to my room. Laid out on my bed is the dress I picked out the other week.
"Oh, Robin, this dress is darling!" Sumia exclaims, stepping forward and picking up the dress by the shoulders. She holds it up against me, getting a feel for how it will look on me.
The dress is a rich purple shade of silk, with low shoulders and short but puffy lace sleeves. The skirt has some modest frills to it, but I think it doesn't go too far. The dress has a ribbon of crimson around the waist that ties around like a belt. The woman at the dressmaker's shop told me that the shade compliments my skin tone well. I don't know anything about that, but it sounded good when she said it.
Sumia helps me get the dress put on and laced up. It feels… weird. I'm so used to wearing pants. Even under the cover of an ankle-length dress like this, my legs still feel strangely bare. Is this how Lissa feels every day? How could a person feel secure like this?
Still, when Sumia fetches a mirror from her room to show me how the dress looks, I have to admit I think it looks amazing. It even lifts up my chest a little bit, almost imperceptible but still noticeable to me.
"Robin, you're going to look so cuuute!" Sumia cries. "Oh, Randall's going to love it!"
Instantly, a hot wash of color rushes to my face. "Wh-what does he have to do with anything?"
"O-oh, well, I just figured, you know… you wanted to dress up to, well… impress him," she stammers.
"I mean, he doesn't… not have to do with it, I guess," I say hesitantly. "But mostly I want to look nice for me! I want to feel beautiful!"
Sumia smiles understandingly. "Of course. Well, you've definitely got the dress handled. What did you have in mind for your hair?"
"Uhh…" I don't even know how to speak intelligently about what I might want to do with my hair. "I'm open to ideas?" I ask pleadingly.
Sumia's smile takes on a confident edge. "Leave it to me, Robin. You're gonna knock 'em dead."
With that, Sumia gets to work. I don't even know where she's conjuring all these pins that are holding up my hair as she works it over. At first I don't like the feeling of my hair being pulled, but eventually I sort of get used to it and just let it happen. Time starts to lose meaning as she doctors my hairdo to her specifications.
After what feels like ages, she finally takes a deep breath and steps away from me. "There. That should do it." She goes to get her mirror again and holds it up for me to see.
"Wow…" I turn my head as much as I can to see her work properly. She's gathered most of my hair into a single braid, which she then curled on the back of my head into a sort of braid-bun, with a little tuft of hair at the end bursting out to add a little flair. "Sumia, this looks… amazing."
Sumia claps excitedly. "Oh, I'm so glad you like it! Now, let's move on to makeup," she says.
"Makeup?" I ask.
"Oh yes. Now comes the fun part~" she half-sings, closing in on me again.
Oh boy.
Cordelia sighs, looking herself up and down in the mirror. This look will definitely make a statement, she knows that much. But it might be too strong a statement. She balls up her fists and steels her nerves.
No. She knows what she wants to do. There's no going back now. The wedding will start soon. And she is going to get through it, and overcome it.
She just hopes her plan will work out. It feels like her only hope at this point.
"Stop all your damn fussing with the bib!" Sully snaps, adjusting Vaike's cravat for the upteenth time. Everyone in the bridal party except Maribelle and Lissa is in a little side room off the entrance to the chapel. Lissa is handling all the little last minute adjustments on Maribelle's outfit, then she'll be in to join us for the procession.
"I can't help it! The damn thing is strangling me!" Vaike protests. "Besides, if you keep rolling up your sleeves like that you're gonna crease 'em."
"Don't try to deflect this on me, dunderhead. You just have to look nice through the ceremony. Once the reception starts, you can take off the frills." Finally, she seems satisfied with the position of his outfit. She steps back to get a better look at him. "There. Now don't you dare mess it up."
Vaike grins. "You know, I never woulda thought it, but the big fancy dress is a good look for you," he says, eyeing Sully lasciviously.
Sully reddens and scowls, crossing her arms. "What's that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't I look good in a dress?"
"I just never thought you'd be caught dead in one," he replies with a shrug.
"What did you think I was gonna wear when I'm the one getting married someday, huh?" she challenges, leaning forward menacingly.
"How should I know?" Vaike asks incredulously. "I've never been to a fancy-pants royal wedding before! I'm just a kid from the sticks, remember? You're the one who grew up the daughter of the illustrious Bourgaeana family."
"Well… you'd better be taking notes then, country boy," Sully growls in reply.
Ah, young love.
I notice Chrom out of the corner of my eye, pacing back and forth in front of Frederick in his wheelchair. I walk over to join them.
"Hey there big guy," I say, straightening out Chrom's cape over his shoulders. "How're you feeling?"
He takes a deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth. "Ready, I think." He shrugs his right shoulder. "Just trying to keep the nerves under control."
I offer an encouraging smile. "You'll do fine. Just relax and enjoy it."
He nods robotically. "Right. Enjoy it." He goes back to taking deep breaths.
"Attaboy."
I cross the room over to Emmeryn, who's standing patiently by the door, no doubt waiting for Lissa to return.
"Alrighty Emmeryn, you ready?" I ask.
She nods. "Yes."
As if on cue, the door opens. Lissa comes in. She's not wearing her usual… hat thing. I have no idea what it's called. Anyway, her hair is pulled into a single (still messy) ponytail instead of two today, which is arguably more formal I guess? Mostly it's just interesting to see her doing something different with it.
She smiles wearily at us. "Okay everyone. Maribelle is finally good to go. Ready?"
Various nods and affirmative responses.
"Okay. Let's do this thing," she says with an enthusiastic fist pump.
We file out of the room and get into our pairs. Emmeryn hangs dutifully onto my arm, like we practiced. Chrom stands by himself, Falchion at his side, at the front of the procession. With the way he's cocked his shoulders back, it's almost like he's about to stride into battle.
One of the servants signals the guards at the double doors, prompting them to open them. At the same time, booming, swelling organ music fills the chapel.
Wow, that's a lot of people. Even from our position near the back of the procession, I can see hundreds of people crammed into the worship space.
On the servant's cue, Chrom starts walking down the aisle toward the altar. Vaike and Sully follow a few seconds after, then the khans after them. Then it's our turn. Emmeryn and I walk carefully, making sure she doesn't trip over her dress or her shoes. I'm aware that we're being watched on all sides, but I'm too focused on Emm to register if I actually know any of the people looking at me.
We reach Chrom at the altar, then Emmeryn releases my arm and we go our separate ways to the bride's and groom's sides. Behind us, Lissa wheels Frederick up the ramp to his place at Chrom's side, then goes back to her side and quickly takes Emmeryn's hand, a grin on her face.
Now that we're up here and looking out at the crowd, I realize just how packed this place really is. I can't really make out anyone clearly in this Where's Waldo mess of people. I was hoping I'd get to catch the eye of my fellow Shepherds, but they're too lost in the sea for me to find them before the music shifts to a more serene, vulnerable mood, signaling the bride is about to enter.
And there she is. Wow. For a moment, I can't even really form a specific thought about her. She defies description. Finally, my brain catches up. Her dress is so white it almost glows, a cascading fabric waterfall of purity. Her sleeves don't seem to connect to the main dress, leaving her shoulders bare. The sleeves reach down and come to a point at the center of the backs of her hands, making her arms look elegant and slender. Her hair is gathered at the back of her head, a collection of careful golden ringlets. In her hands, she clutches a bouquet of white and blue flowers I don't recognize, but they look lovely held in her long, thin fingers. A veil hangs over her face, obscuring it from clear view. She starts walking, alone, down the aisle.
She looks almost unreal as she seems to glide toward the altar. I glance at Chrom a few feet away, and he's nearly slack jawed as he watches his fiancée approach. He manages to pull it together as she ascends the steps and stands next to him, facing in our direction.
Chrom reaches up with tentative hands and lifts her veil, revealing her face beneath. It's still Maribelle, but she's just… different. Her face is impossibly smooth, every little imperfection erased. I wonder faintly if there's an actual spell at work making her look this perfect.
The celebrant, some middle-aged guy in priestly robes that I've never met, clears his throat, then begins to speak as the organ music comes to a close.
"Beloved children of the gods, we are gathered in their divine sight, and under the auspices of their emissary, the Divine Dragon Naga, on this most joyous occasion: the holy union of two souls into one through marriage. The gods call us to love, and there is no greater love than to give oneself fully, body and spirit, to another. This is the act of marriage: the vow that each gives everything they are, everything they desire, everything they fear, and everything they love to one other," the priest says, sounding a bit starstruck but holding firm in front of this gigantic audience. I sympathize; it's not every day you administer the marriage of the Exalt himself.
He goes on, "Today, we celebrate the union of two of the gods' children: Chrom, son of Gideon, and Maribelle Osprey. Before you may take your vows and join in the union of marriage, I ask each of you in turn." He looks at Chrom. "Have you, Chrom, come to this place of your own will, wholeheartedly and without reservation?"
"I have," Chrom says.
"And you, Maribelle. Have you come to this place of your own will, wholeheartedly and without reservation?"
Maribelle nods slightly. "I have."
"And is it your intention this day to be married to one another?" the priest asks both of them.
"It is," they reply.
The priest stands up straighter. "Therefore, it being your intention to be joined in the sight of the gods, I ask that you join hands." Lissa swoops in to take Maribelle's flowers, then Chrom and Maribelle face each other straight on and join both hands. "Chrom, do you vow before the sight of the gods that you will take this woman, Maribelle, to be your wife, to stand by and defend her, to care for and comfort her, to be faithful and forthright, no matter what good or ill life may bring, for your life entire?"
I don't need to see Chrom's face to hear the smile in his voice. "I do."
The priest looks at Maribelle, who already has a visibly trembling lip. "And you, Maribelle, do you vow before the sight of the gods that you will take this man, Chrom, to be your husband, to stand by and defend him, to care for and comfort him, to be faithful and forthright, no matter what good or ill life may bring, for your life entire?"
Maribelle swallows the lump in her throat. "I do."
The priest bows slightly. "The gods have heard your vows, and your union is sealed forevermore in their sight. In the light of the Divine Dragon, may this fledgling marriage grow daily into a perfect tree, from which the fruits of love shall grow evermore." He raises his arms. "All, please join me in asking for the gods' blessing on this union."
Apparently everyone else knew what that meant, because the chapel recites in unison, "Naga protect you, and the gods keep you."
The priest turns to Frederick. "Sir Frederick, have you the rings?"
Frederick nods and reaches into a pocket inside his jacket, withdrawing two white gold rings. He hands them over to the priest, who holds them up before the congregation.
"These rings symbolize this union. With neither beginning nor end, this marriage is now etched into the timelessness of the gods' domain. May these rings remind you daily of the commitment to which you have sworn yourselves this day." With that, he hands the smaller ring to Chrom and the larger to Maribelle.
Chrom goes first. As he places it on Maribelle's finger, next to the engagement ring, he says, "Maribelle, with this ring, I take you now to be my wife."
Maribelle takes just a second to look at the new ring adorning her finger before taking Chrom's hand in hers. Her voice is so choked up I can barely hear her, and I'm maybe ten feet away. "Chrom, with this ring, I take you now to be my husband."
When the rings are both on, they join hands again. Without letting go, they turn slightly to face the crowd.
The priest speaks again. "Beloved children of the gods, rejoice with me, for this marriage is complete. I introduce for the first time, Chrom, Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse, and Maribelle, Queen Consort!"
In a space this cramped and enclosed, the thunderous applause that follows is loud enough to wake the dead and knock their fillings loose. Chrom is beaming, while Maribelle is fighting tooth and nail to keep those tears sucked inside her head. In the midst of their applause, Chrom turns back to Maribelle, leans in, and kisses her for the whole congregation to see. The clapping somehow manages to get even louder.
The priest says a few more words of blessing, but the noise is too great in the chapel for any one person to be heard. Eventually he gives up and gestures with a hand to the organ player. The sound of musical pipes fills the space above us, prompting us to prepare to process out.
Chrom and Maribelle go first, now arm-in-arm as they walk down the aisle that each had to walk alone before. They're followed by Lissa, pushing a politely waving and smiling Frederick to the exit. Next, Emm and I link arms again and start to process out.
Now I actually do recognize a few faces as we pass them. There's Gaius and Sumia, along with what looks like Sumia's entire family. The former thief shoots me a wink as we pass. I also see Stahl with Panne, who doesn't look at all comfortable in the forest green dress she's no doubt been forced to wear today.
And then, right in the back of the chapel, I see someone I didn't expect to see here. Hadrian Osprey, flanked on either side by guards. He's not manacled or anything, but he definitely isn't looking like the primped and proper noble I knew in Themis either. I guess he must have gotten a special dispensation to see his daughter's wedding or something. I'd like to hope this a courtesy afforded to all prisoners in Ylisse and not just the result of having a magistrate-slash-queen for a daughter, but I decide to put that potential minor corruption out of my mind for now. I guess I'm just glad he got to see it. Even cowardly weasels should get to see their children get married.
Just before we cross through the doorway, I notice one more person, hanging around in a back corner. There's Luci. I can tell from her posture that she's just beside herself right now, her fists balled up in emotion in front of her chest. And to think, she wasn't going to be here originally.
With that, we officially leave the chapel, and as directed by the servant working as wedding director, we process immediately down the hall and out of the palace entirely, following Lissa and Frederick.
Outside, the sun is starting to lose its fight with the horizon. There's already a crowd cheering for the newlyweds who got here ahead of us. Now that we're out of the palace, our procession is technically over, so I lead Emmeryn over to Lissa.
"Alright gang, we did it," I say, releasing Emm's arm.
I wasn't expecting Lissa to already be crying. "My big brother and my best friend are marriiiied!" she wails. "We have a new sister, Emm!" She springs forward and pulls her sister into a big monster hug. Emm smiles contentedly and pats Lissa on the head.
The crowd has so thoroughly swarmed the newlyweds that I know I have no chance of getting close right now. I figure there will be plenty of time to congratulate them later. For now I just hang back and watch the crowd, marveling at how many people have come to celebrate. How on earth are they going to feed all these people?
Someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn to see who it is, and whoa.
Robin looks good. Really good. She's wearing a purple dress with a red ribbon sash and matching shawl, with her hair dolled up in a sort of braided bun. She's also wearing makeup, which I don't think I've seen on her before. Her silver eyes really stand out in a good way thanks to the eyeliner she's wearing. Her lips are just a little pinker than usual, probably a fairly muted shade of lipstick. Overall she just looks… smoother.
Like I said. Whoa.
"You alright?" she asks.
I realize I've been staring. "Oh, uh, yeah, sorry."
"Well, are you gonna take it or not?" I realize she's holding two glasses of white wine and is waiting for me to take one of them.
"Ah, right. Thanks." I take the glass from her and take a sip. Damn, I'm not usually a wine person, but this is crisp. Leave it to the Exalts to be able to get the best.
Robin grins devilishly. "What's the matter, hm? Didn't expect me to clean up this nice?"
"I mean, I wouldn't say it like that, but… yeah, you definitely look great," I reply.
She giggles. "Good. Sumia helped me with the hair and makeup. I couldn't have you impugning her hard work."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Between Robin's wedding prep and me trying to find a dress for Lucina, we've both been keeping Sumia busy I guess.
"You don't look too bad yourself," she says, admiring the outfit. She straightens out the cravat a little. "And that's a pretty slick dagger, too. Do you get to keep that?"
I shrug. "It never came up. I guess so?" I pull it out of its sheath and hand it to her.
She inspects it with an approving expression. "Wow. This isn't just decorative. Weapons-grade silver, and a sturdy grip wrapped around a full tang like this. This is combat-ready."
"Leave it to you to base your opinion of someone's groomsman outfit on its battle-preparedness," I say, then laugh at her pout.
"I'm just saying it's a nice dagger," she mumbles into her wine glass.
"I know. I just can't help poking a little fun. Not my fault your reactions are always worth it~"
"Well I'm glad I'm so entertaining, then," she says, making a show of turning away from me.
"Aw, don't be like that," I say. I'm about to play along and step around her to re-enter her line of sight, but I almost bump into someone instead. "Oh hell, sor– oh! It's you, Cor… damn."
Cordelia definitely stands out. Her wine-red dress is sleeveless and maybe reaches her knees, and good Lord does it hug her figure. Her hair is gathered high and tight into a bun that, considering how much hair must be packed in there, is remarkably compact. And those black stilettos are certainly ambitious. Her outfit is gorgeous, and it seems like it must be exceptionally uncomfortable.
Her makeup is expertly done as well, and her eyes are intense even when her expression is neutral. Everything about her is very… in-your-face, I guess I'd say. That's one way to take charge of your rejection.
"Oh goodness, I'm sorry," Cordelia says. "I wasn't expecting you to move suddenly like that." She looks at the glass in my left hand. "And now I feel silly, seeing you already have a glass as well." I look down and notice she's holding two glasses of red wine. "I thought you might need a little something to loosen up. Being a groomsman for the Exalt can't be a stress-free job."
Robin turns back to us, hearing the exchange. "Oh, hello Cordelia." She gives Cordelia's outfit a quick up-and-down survey. "Your outfit is beautiful!" she says.
"Yours is too!" Cordelia replies enthusiastically. "I love that color on you! And your hair is so lovely, too." She turns back to me, holding the second wine glass out a little awkwardly. "Well, I know you already have one glass, but maybe you'd like another? I feel a little silly with two glasses like this."
"Oh, uh, sure, why not?" I take the glass from her. "I guess I should polish this one off." I quickly down the rest of the white wine. "Fwoo, that is not a wine meant to be pounded back."
A servant materializes as if from nowhere to take my empty glass. Over the course of the evening, I come to learn that they have a para-supernatural talent for knowing when there's an empty to pick up.
Cordelia raises her glass. "To the next chapter in our lives," she says.
"I can definitely drink to that," I reply, clinking my glass against hers. After a moment, Robin raises her glass too.
Lucina is still reeling from the sight of her own parents getting married. She's positive she's never seen anyone as beautiful as her mother was standing at the altar. And she never saw her father stand so tall and proud, the image of perfection. It was all too much for her. After the ceremony, she had excused herself to a side room to get her overflowing emotions under control, lest her careful makeup work be ruined. Severa would never let her hear the end of it if she allowed that to happen.
When she's calmed down a bit, Lucina runs her fingers through her hair and takes a deep breath. Now all that's left is the reception. She promised Uncle Randy that she would go, so there's no backing out now. Even so, she's nervous. She would hate to get in the way too much. She'll just have to be careful.
Outside, the reception is in full swing. A huge crowd of talking, laughing, drinking, and dancing people covers the palace grounds. There are musicians playing near the open area in front of the palace itself. It seems the area has been set aside as a sort of dance floor.
Lucina recognizes some of the people dancing. There's Virion, dancing expertly with Olivia, the pair artfully twirling around the others with grace and precision. The sight makes Lucina smile. Inigo would have loved to be here to see this, she's sure.
On a more… carefree note, she also sees Nowi, having evidently wrangled Ricken and Donnel into joining her for some spirited high kicks and other exuberant dancing that really doesn't fit the music much at all. At least the trio seems to be having fun.
But then she notices something she didn't expect. Is that Gregor dancing with… Anna? Of course, it's just dancing, it's not like friends don't dance together, but it still catches her eye. The look on their faces as they dance and hold each other close is… well, Lucina isn't sure what to make of it.
She wanders around the party for a bit, taking in the experience of just being part of such a happy crowd, until she spots another trio of familiar faces. She's wary of spending too much time with Uncle Randy tonight—she doesn't want to risk throwing things off—but at least saying hello can't hurt.
As she's making her way over, Randall glances in her direction and notices her. He waves her over. "Hey, Marth!" he calls over the din of the party. Robin and Cordelia also wave cheerfully.
She and Randall exchange a quick, chaste hug when she reaches them. "I'm so glad you convinced me to come!" Lucina exclaims. "It was such a lovely ceremony."
"No kidding. And not just because I was up there," Randall says, his chest puffed out. "You look great, kiddo! Although," he looks down at the Parallel Falchion sheathed at her waist, "did you need to come armed?"
Lucina shuffles uncomfortably. "I already told you, I don't like being apart from my sword," she says, a little defensively.
Randall shrugs with a smile. "Fair enough. You make it work, in your way."
"That dress is lovely, Marth," Robin says.
Lucina giggles bashfully. "Well, I have U–er, Randall to thank for that."
"You do?"
"Yes. This dress was a gift from him for my birthday," Lucina explains.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a birthday recently," Robin replies.
Lucina waves a hand dismissively. "No need to apologize, Robin. I didn't exactly spread the word around."
Cordelia cuts into the conversation. "Then how did Randall know about it? Do you two know each other? More than the rest of us know you, that is?"
"And more importantly," a mysterious and ominous voice says from behind Lucina, sending a chill up her spine, "why was I not informed?"
Lucina whirls around, hand ready to grasp the Parallel Falchion at a moment's notice, but she's relieved to see that it's just Aunt Lissa, with Lon'qu standing just behind her, adding to her imposing presence. "As the arbiter of birthdays, I am appalled that I was never told about yours, Marth," she says, hands on her hips.
"Oh, um, I'm sorry–" Lucina begins, but Lissa holds up a hand to silence her.
"I'm just kidding, Marth. But still! I wish I had known! We could have thrown you a proper party!" She looks around at the others standing with Lucina, then double-takes on noticing Robin. "And speaking of birthdays, don't you move, Robin. I'll be right back."
Lissa and Lon'qu disappear into the crowd before anyone has the chance to say anything, but it's only a few moments before she returns, pulling Virion of all people by the elbow.
"Virion, I have need of your expertise," Lissa explains as she drags him over. "The matter we discussed."
Virion's eyes widen with recognition. "Ah, yes, of course. And she's in the proper attire for it for once, rather than in that massive overcoat she favors. This should only take a moment."
"Uhh, what's going on?" Robin asks warily.
"You don't need to do a thing," Virion says reassuringly as he walks behind Robin, examining her closely.
"I don't understand," Robin says, glancing over her shoulder uncomfortably.
"Robin, could you be a dear and hand your glass to Randall and then straighten your arms down by your sides?" Virion asks casually, as if that were the most normal request in the world.
Robin looks questioningly at Lissa. "Trust me, Robin, this is important," Lissa assures her. The tactician rolls her eyes and complies, handing her glass to Randall and standing as instructed.
"Mm, right. I see," Virion says, studying her arms carefully, a hand perched thoughtfully on his chin. "Looks to be… 20. Nearly 21. Late spring or early summer."
"Are you sure?" Lissa asks.
Virion stands up straight again. "Yes, quite sure."
"Please tell me what's happening," Robin says pleadingly.
"Virion can tell how old a woman is by looking at her elbows," Lissa says simply.
"He can… what?" Robin asks.
"By the skin of a woman's elbows, I can tell her age within a range of a few weeks," Virion says calmly, stepping around to Robin's front again. "And you, I have just learned, are 20 years old, nearly 21. Your birthday is fairly soon."
Robin's expression shifts from confusion and discomfort to genuine interest. "You… and you're sure of that?"
Virion nods. "As I said, I am quite certain. I've grown to become quite the expert in these matters over the years."
"Huh," Robin says. "It's a little weird that you can do that, but I guess it makes me happy to know now. I'm 20, and my birthday is soon. It's nice to add to the list of things I know about myself from before I met everyone."
"Well, it's nice to know," Lissa says, "but that still doesn't resolve the matter of when exactly your birthday is."
"I mean, if we can only determine it down to a window of a few weeks, then I guess it's reasonable to just… pick a day?" Randall interjects.
"Hmm… you've got a point," Lissa says. "Well, it's your birthday, Robin, so you get the final say."
Robin thinks for a moment. "I suppose if I get to choose any day in the late spring or early summer… maybe the day I met you all in the first place? That was last spring, wasn't it?"
Lissa's eyes light up excitedly. "You're right! I remember, because it was only a few days after Chrom's birthday! We met on… hmm… it was June first, I think."
"June first…" Robin repeats. "The day that I was, in a sense, reborn, when you think about it. And since it already fits the window Virion identified, I guess it's kind of perfect."
"Then it's settled! From now on, your birthday is June first!" Lissa announces proudly.
"Alright!" Randall cheers, holding his glass aloft. "To birthdays!"
Cordelia raises her glass in response. "To birthdays!" Both of them take deep sips afterward.
As much fun as Lucina is having watching all this unfold, she doesn't want to risk derailing how tonight is supposed to go, so she slips away in the midst of all the cheering and drinking. She decides to wander the party a little more and just take in the atmosphere for a while.
The palace looks so different than what she recalls from her time. It seems obvious to even think something like that; clearly a land on the cusp of apocalypse would feel different than a land that just put a cruel war behind it and is celebrating a royal wedding. But all the same, she keeps making the comparison in her mind. She notices a lifesize statue of the paladin Jagen, astride his proud steed atop a large base. She remembers this statue from her time. Its head and shoulders had been knocked off during one of the many attacks on the city, leaving it a headless and anonymous rider. She was always afraid of it, but there was never enough time or money to spare to repair a decorative statue.
By contrast, this world, like the statue in front of her, isn't broken yet. It's still whole. Even with Libra gone, even though she will have to face that moment when Noire learns the horrible truth, and even though she didn't manage to save Emmeryn in the way she had wanted to, hope endures. She smiles at the thought.
A sound interrupts her thoughts. A feminine laugh, somewhere behind the statue.
"Oh, Gregor, stop~" Lucina hears. Curious, she steps out and around to peek at who's speaking.
A bolt of surprise shoots down her spine to her feet when she sees.
Why is Gregor kissing Anna? Why are they holding each other so close? What on earth is going on?
Anna notices her looking. She gently pushes Gregor off her for a moment. "Did you need something?" she asks expectantly.
"Um, no, my apologies," Lucina sputters, then hastily scurries away.
This isn't right! This isn't right at all! Gregor isn't supposed to end up with Anna! She's never heard anything to suggest they were even all that close in her time. What is she going to do now?
She grabs at her hair in frustration. Gerome is going to kill her.
The reception has been going well. At one point, the festivities pause so Chrom and Maribelle can cut into their massive cake. I'm a little surprised to see how eagerly a lot of the women in the crowd, Cordelia included, go after a piece of cake, but when Cordelia returns with her slice, she explains it. In Ylisse, there's a wedding tradition where a little ring is baked somewhere into the cake, and if that ring is found by a single lady, it's said that she's not only the next to be married, but is also destined for good fortune in her marriage. So it's a pretty big deal. Sadly for Cordelia, despite dissecting the poor confectionary thoroughly, no ring to be found.
However, the ring doesn't go unfound for long. Pretty soon after the cake is dished out, a cheer rings out over the crowd. Sumia holds up the little ring she found, still covered with cake crumbles. I would later find out that it was actually Gaius's piece that had the ring, so technically Sumia shouldn't get any particularly good fortune from the ring after all, but she seemed to take it in good spirits regardless.
On seeing her fellow pegasus knight leaping with joy over 'finding' the ring, Cordelia sighs, disappointed, and leaves to get more wine. She returns with two glasses and insists I take one of them. Misery loves company, I guess.
Robin asks, "How many have you two had?"
I shrug. "Iunno. It's a wedding, you're allowed to let loose a bit."
"I guess. Just don't go too nuts," she replies.
"Tell that to this guy," I say, seeing Stahl and Panne walking close by. I step over to join the cavalier and the taguel. "How're you two doing?" I ask.
Stahl chuckles. "We're having fun, but apparently not as much as you." Admittedly, my coordination is not at top-notch levels right now.
"I don't see how you man-spawn can wear such… inconvenient garments all the time. I feel as though I can barely move in this thing," Panne says with an impatient jerk to adjust her skirt.
Stahl nudges me with a snicker. "You think the dress was hard to get her into, you should have heard what a struggle it was to get those shoes on her feet." I look down and, sure enough, Panne is wearing flat leather shoes. Man, those are big. I guess that makes sense, considering they're her primary weapons in bunny form.
Panne scowls. "I don't like shoes. I have to sacrifice the contact between my feet and the ground. You humans have no idea how much information you miss from the ground when you have a thick slab of leather blocking it off."
"Don't forget that most humans also wear socks or stockings too," I reply.
She makes a noise of disgust. "Even more insulation from the world beneath you. Nonsense. Next time I'll just cut the soles off the shoes before I put them on."
"I'd say it's a worthy trade for not cutting my foot open on a rock or something," I say.
Panne raises a brow. "Have you considered just watching where you're walking?"
I shrug. "I'm easily distracted."
"Anyway," Stahl says, "this was the compromise we came to. She wears a dress and a pair of shoes, and in exchange I'm making her favorite carrot stew for dinner tomorrow."
"Not to mention she gets to enjoy you all fancied up like this," I say, gesturing at Stahl's brown-green suit.
"Hah, you have a point. What about it, Panne?" he asks, taking her hand and leaning into her. "Am I getting that raised heartbeat and all those other reactions out of you tonight?"
I don't know about an increased heart rate, but I know a blush when I see one. She looks down at the ground bashfully and frowns. "...Maybe."
He pulls her a little closer. "I know you don't much like the dress, but you do look lovely in it," he says.
It's only now that I notice that her dress has a hole in the back to let her tail through. I notice this because it starts wagging at Stahl's words.
"Well… don't get used to it," Panne grumbles, trying to keep her smile contained.
Stahl smiles, his eyes full of love. "Come on. Let's find us some drinks and see if we can't catch up to Randall a bit, shall we?" Panne nods in assent.
"I'll catch up with you guys later," I say, turning to head back to the others.
When I return, I find Cordelia but not Robin.
"Where's Robin?" I ask.
"She said something about finding some food," Cordelia replies. "I'm doing just fine with these," she adds, brandishing her wine glass and chuckling.
"Well I'm glad you're having fun then," I reply.
We stand and drink silently for a few moments, then Cordelia suddenly says, "Do you wanna dance?"
The question sends a pleasant shock up my spine. "Me? I'm no good at dancing even when I'm sober as a church mouse. Wait… I think I'm mixing my sayings…"
Cordelia giggles. "You don't have to be good. You just have to dance with me. Come on."
"Oh, alright, twist my arm." We both finish our glasses, and a servant materializes to take them before we can even look for a place to put them.
Cordelia surprises me again by taking my hand and pulling me along toward the dancing area. We stagger our way through the crowd, each of us a good deal clumsier than usual. My head is light and buzzy as we finally reach the relatively open space of the dance floor.
I don't remember the last time I danced with someone like this. Wait, yes I do. It was with Maribelle, back when Gangrel was keeping us captive to ransom us for the Emblem. That feels like a lifetime ago now. The world was so much more confusing and scary then. Well, maybe things are still confusing now. Since when does Cordelia want to dance with me?
I guess since this was her idea, may as well try to make the most of it. I place a hand on the small of her back and hold her other hand in mine, my arm bent a good bit to make up for how much shorter hers is. Her other hand reaches up and rests where my shoulder meets my neck.
The minstrels are playing a fun but easygoing tune at the moment, nice for turning and swaying without having to overdo it. For a while, we just dance and watch the other couples dance around us.
I notice some of the Shepherds in the area too. Sully and Vaike are dancing, the former very clearly leading them every step of the way. Miriel is turning around something, which I assume means Kellam is turning with her.
"I never noticed during the war, Randall, but you have some broad shoulders," Cordelia says suddenly. She gives me a squeeze with the hand holding onto my shoulder.
"Why thank you, I made them myself," I reply.
Cordelia laughs, which tells me she must be drunker than she looks if she found that funny. "Oh Randall, you– oh!" She trips over her tall heels and starts to fall, but I pull her back up. Perhaps I was a bit too forceful, as she ends up pressed against me. I can't pretend I don't enjoy the feeling, though. Especially when she doesn't pull away.
"Thank you, Randall," she says breathlessly.
"Anytime," I stammer.
Gaius's words from the other week resonate in my mind. Just enjoy your popular phase. Enjoy that this eligible bachelorette is showing interest. And just have fun, like you promised you would.
I have to admit, I'm definitely having fun right now.
When I return with enough roasted duck for several meals, hoping to share it with Randy and Cordelia, I'm surprised to find neither of them around. Did something sidetrack them? I told Cordelia I was going to be right back, and she said she would wait up.
Well now I just feel silly holding this massive plate of duck meat. I look like an utter glutton. That said… it does look really good. I obey my baser impulse and fork up a large bite of breast meat. The moment it enters my mouth, I know I made the right choice. It's so good I can feel myself almost getting choked up. I never thought there could be a food that could challenge bear meat in my heart, but this waterfowl could give it a run for its money. Maybe I'll eat all of this duck after all.
I wander around, wondering where they could have gotten to, when eventually I make my way close to the dancing area. I notice Cordelia's dress first; how could I not? Then I notice the man she's dancing with.
My heart sinks at the sight. He's holding her so close. His expression is so… content.
I mentally chide myself. You can't seriously be getting jealous over a little dancing at a wedding, can you? You said you just wanted him to have fun tonight. He's very plainly having a good time. Just put aside your pettiness for one night.
My mental self-directed tirade is interrupted by a woman's voice. "Fancy meeting you here, counselor."
I turn and am surprised to see Litica of all people, standing in her usual Hero-class armor, with a rare smile on her face. "Got enough to eat there?" she asks with a raised brow.
I laugh nervously. "I actually took more than I meant to. Or, you know, I never meant to eat it all myself. Would you… like some?"
"I'd never turn down a chance at some high class southern food like this," she replies, grabbing a duck leg and happily taking a mighty chomp out of it. "If you didn't mean to be having this yourself, who was it supposed to be for?" she asks around a mouthful of meat. "That boyfriend of yours?"
I nod, then shake my head. "No, I mean, the meat was partially meant to be for him, but he's not my boyfriend or anything like that."
She raises a brow. "No? Huh. Could've fooled me."
"What do you mean? Didn't you notice him constantly flirting with you basically every day you were with us?" I ask, failing to hide my incredulity.
She waves her duck leg dismissively. "I figured he was just doing that to make you jealous. Put a little fire under your ass. Not a very classy move, but I've seen it plenty of times."
"Well, whether that was what he was doing or not, we're not together," I reply curtly.
"Did I say something to make you mad?" Litica asks. "Is it a sore subject?"
I sigh. "No, I'm sorry." Actually, maybe she's just the person I can talk to about this. She's not a Shepherd, and maybe I can count on it to stay between us. "It's just, well… it seems I've got a bit of a jealous streak going. When I see Randy getting close with another girl, I just… It's pathetic, I know."
Litica chews her bone thoughtfully for a moment. "I don't think I'd call it pathetic, but it still seems unnecessary. I don't think you have any real competition."
"Huh? Why do you say that?"
She laughs out loud. "Have you seen the two of you interact with each other? No one makes him smile or laugh like you do. I followed him for days on end during the pretrial period. I saw him talk to just about everyone in the Shepherds, and a bunch of other people besides, at one point or another. You're the only person he can really relax around. And have you really not noticed how he looks at you?"
"How he looks at me?"
"Half of the look in his eye says he wants to protect you and shield you from all the bad things in the world. And the other half wants to tear that gigantic overcoat of yours off and… well, start exploring," she says with a knowing nod.
I could swear my face just caught fire. "You got all that from the look on his face?" I stammer.
"I'm older than I like to think I look, girl," Litica says. "I've seen a lot of friends and comrades fall in love over the years. I've learned to recognize it."
I know it's just a third party's opinion, but the vote of confidence makes my chest feel light and full. I have to admit, from the way he was staring at me earlier tonight, Litica's words do make sense to me. Maybe it's not too much to hope.
"So where is the fool?" Litica asks.
And then I'm brought back to earth. I point to the dance floor. "He's out there. With Cordelia, one of the Shepherds."
Litica peers over the crowd into the dancing area. "Ah. Yep, there he is. And I recognize her from the trial." She turns back to me. "What's got you worked up? Jealous of her too?"
"How could I not be? She's gorgeous, and just look at him dancing with her. He's having the time of his life out there," I reply sullenly.
Litica looks at them again for a few seconds. "I mean, he's definitely drunk. And she is dressed to entice. Can you blame the man for enjoying himself?" She looks at me. "There's a long way between drunkenly enjoying a girl clinging onto you and being in love with someone. I don't think you need to be concerned."
"I suppose…" Despite my lingering jealousy, this conversation has definitely make me feel better. I'm reaching for another forkful of duck when Litica speaks again.
"I, uh, might need to amend my earlier position," she says with a guilty grimace.
"What? Why?" I turn back to the dance floor, and I feel my heart drop to the ground.
Cordelia is definitely not an experienced kisser. I realize being drunk isn't helping her either, but it really just feels like she's smushing her lips against mine and hoping that takes care of it.
Even with her heels on, she's had to pull my head down a good bit to meet hers. I feel off-balance. My mind is running overtime but imprecise, a scattershot of ideas hoping that one will stick. Finally, after a few seconds of the strangest kiss of my life, I settle on something.
Not here.
I gently pull my face away. "Cordelia, we can't do this here," I say breathlessly.
"You're right," she says, then takes my hand firmly. "Come with me."
She pulls me away from the dance floor, and we're moving too fast for me to really focus on anyone as we leave. I feel like we must have been getting looks, but I can't tell.
My memory of the night is a bit… spotty from here. If we talked during the walk to the pegasus stables, I don't know what we talked about. It was as if we just sort of skipped to the destination. The next thing I remember, we're in the hayloft.
We lie on the hay, side by side. The only light in the stable is from a pair of lanterns hanging on the walls, giving the room a dim amber glow.
"I come here, sometimes. When it all gets to be too much," Cordelia says. At some point she let her hair down.
"It's a pretty nice spot," I reply. I don't know what's happening here. I don't want to do the wrong thing but I'm lost in this situation. "Is this… what is this?" I ask.
"You know, that was my first kiss," she says.
"I could tell," I say, then realize too late that it was a rude thing to say.
Thankfully she just laughs. "My first kiss, at over 20 years old. I spent so much time… no, I wasted so much time chasing after that man."
I don't know what to say. My brain isn't running at full power. Mostly I'm just thinking about how nice her hair looks in this light.
"I should have been going after someone else. You said you know for a fact that I'd find someone who will make me happy. Happier than I ever imagined." She snakes her arms around me and pulls herself closer. "Did you mean that?"
"Y-yeah," I say. I was not prepared for something like this today.
"I just had to get through the painful part, you said. And I did. The wedding is over." Her hand cups my cheek. "Does that mean the happiness comes now?" she whispers. Her lips are so close. I can taste the wine between us.
"I don't know," I say.
"Let's find out," she replies, then pulls me in for another kiss. This time, I place a hand on the back of her head, my fingers weaving between her hair. I'm hardly an expert on kissing when I'm this many sheets to the wind, but I at least know what motions go into it. It doesn't take long for Cordelia to start picking it up as well.
"You're a fast learner," I whisper between kisses.
A quiet, soft laugh. "They tell me I'm a genius."
"I thought you didn't like to be called that."
"I didn't. But maybe… I would like it if you said it."
"You're a– mmph!" Cordelia interrupts me with another, more forceful kiss.
We hold each other tighter, her fingers curling into a fist, grabbing a handful of my hair. Her heels clatter to the hayloft floor, and she wraps her legs around one of mine. I feel her chest move with every breath.
Cordelia's mouth opens with a pleased moan. The kiss opens up, fuller and more passionate. Her hands move as they grasp me, as if seeking more than they could ever hold at once. Eventually they settle for pulling my cravat off and tossing it to the side. With delicate, long fingers, she begins to work at the buttons on my shirt.
It's around this time that my memory of the night fades completely into a pleasant, amber haze of warmth, closeness, fumbling hands, red hair, and the smell of wine.
Lucina once thought of these crowds as a joy to behold, a sign of all the life and happiness still left in this time. Now, though, they're a damned inconvenience and need to get the hell out of her way. Where is Randall? He's the only one who could hope to understand what a disaster this is. She's been trying to avoid him tonight out of a desire not to get in the way, but this has changed her mind.
He's not with her parents at the high table. He's not on the dance floor. He's not where he and Robin and Cordelia were before. Where did he go?
Thankfully, she spots a familiar head of white hair through the crowd, standing off in a secluded corner by one of the fountains. She slithers through the crowd to get closer. As she approaches, she sees the tall armored woman patting her on the shoulder. She has no idea who that is.
"Robin!" Lucina calls. "Have you seen Randall anywhere? I need to speak with him."
Robin turns to look at the source of the voice. Her eyes are red, and untidy dark streaks run down her face. She's been crying.
"Hold on, what's the matter?" Lucina asks urgently. "Is everything alright?"
The woman standing next to Robin looks back as well and gives an uncomfortable look that plainly announces, 'don't ask.'
"No, I don't know where he went," Robin says tightly. "Why don't you ask Cordelia?"
"I haven't seen her either. Did something happen?" Lucina asks, but in the course of asking realizes the answer. "Did… Randall and Cordelia…?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Robin says. "Just leave me alone."
"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry, Robin," Lucina says sheepishly, then backs away.
She fights the urge to panic. Are Uncle Randy and Cordelia really…? She doesn't allow herself to finish the thought. This isn't right! This isn't how any of this was supposed to go! This was supposed to be the night that Randall and Robin would get together! How could things have gone so wrong?
Was she wrong to come here after all? Did her being here somehow change things? Is this just an unforeseen consequence of a change made long ago?
What would Severa say if she saw this? To say nothing of what Randall's children would think. In one night, she has gone from dreading meeting one of her friends to dreading meeting five of them.
"Hehey, it's Marth!" Lucina suddenly feels an arm around her shoulder. "You remember me?" Gaius asks drunkenly. "I know we haven't talked much before, but I know you're tight with Bear, and that's good enough for me. Hey, speaking of, have you seen him? I haven't seen him around. I gotta make fun of his fancy-man bib. And I gotta make sure he's doing what his best friend told him and's just having a good time for once."
"Um… No, I haven't seen him," Lucina replies uncomfortably.
"Ah, no worries. But damn, have you ever been to a shindig this crazy? Do the Exalts know how to party or what?" Gaius asks with a cheerful laugh.
Sumia arrives on the scene to extract her lover from Lucina's shoulders. "Sorry about that, Marth. He's had… quite a bit."
"That's alright," Lucina replies automatically, feeling overwhelmed.
"Oh!" Sumia says as she steps around to the front of Lucina to face her. "That's the dress that Randall had me help pick out the other day. It looks lovely on you! I'm so glad to see that worked out. Oh, and happy belated birthday, Marth!"
A/N: I feed on pain. Hope you liked it! Your Mixed Valance really-not-that-out-of-context quote of the week is "I like it, but F for Robin."
Let's address some reviews:
MountainBookSage25: Heh. You were right about there being a lot of hurt on the horizon. I hope it was at least enjoyable to read! Thanks for your kind words.
jordanlink7856: I'm flattered you think this story is an "elevated" form of anything. But I definitely agree that the dinner scene is cathartic, so I'm glad it came across that way.
Steelrain66: Gaius definitely pulled no punches, but I think it's become clear his advice has had some unintended consequences in this instance. Sometimes being a straight shooter doesn't completely pay off!
IHev9Sun: That's a really good line of questioning! Admittedly I haven't kept up with the FEH storyline after like, the beginning of part 3. You may not have seen the April Fools chapter I wrote the other year, but I did do a brief exploration of what Randall's experience in FEH might be like, though it was also a big goof chapter. As for how he would react to a chance to return home, it's difficult to say. He definitely has extremely strong ties in both worlds now. It would really feel like neither choice is quite right, wouldn't it? That would be rough, though very interesting to explore. As to your last point about the second gen, I think you'll be pleased to see where I plan to take this ride in the coming chapters. Thanks for the kind words!
Grammy-saltiest-birdlover: Gaius has nearly unprecedented levels of game. I'm glad I took the flippin versus frickin question to the server lol, I was surprised how real that conversation got.
Socialism: Among all the eccentric Sheps, having your personality quirk be a sugar addiction is relatively tame, isn't it? And by now I'm sure everyone knows how much I love little political maneuvering shenanigans like this, so the Plegian lords are a joy for me to include. Definitely haven't seen the last of them!
RedNephilim: Chaotic enough for you?
Cavik: Admittedly I rather allowed myself to speak through Gaius in that scene. So much relationship drama can be cut short with earnest communication, and sometimes having someone who cuts through the BS is a godsend.
CrystalMoonlightII: I have no idea if you'll make it this far, but if you did, I hope you enjoyed! I always feel strange about people starting from the beginning, because I feel I've grown as a writer so much in that time. I don't plan to change the beginning chapters because I think watching writers grow over time is part of the fun, but if you do see this, I hope you agree that I've broadly gotten better!
cj1of4: Emm still has a lot to learn about the ways of love. That said, she's maybe not as cautious these days as her former self was. Who knows what she's liable to do?
Guest: I hope you see this and you can tell me what on earth you were trying to say there. I genuinely don't know what you didn't like about... whatever it was you had a problem with.
patattack: Little bits and pieces of American/real world knowledge are starting to trickle in. There should be some fun happenings down the line as a result, which I look forward to exploring. Also I really liked writing Ricken and Nowi. Sometimes getting a glimpse of unbridled teenage insecurity can be fun. Remind us of how we used to be when it was us.
iwantmyburd: I wondered if the irony of that moment was going to come through. I didn't want to put a spotlight on it so people could enjoy making that connection themselves, so I'm pleased it evidently worked! Hadrian is an interesting beast. Definitely an idiot, and certainly selfish and cowardly, but perhaps not irredeemable.
Also, you know, sorry. I wrecked her. I couldn't help it.
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As always, comments and critiques are welcome. See you next time!