The sun was shining that morning as Inigo stepped out of his tent. Though the chateau probably had enough rooms for everyone, it was a temporary shelter and base of operations, and Chrom was careful not to let anyone get too comfortable in its scattered luxuries, much to Lissa's indignation. Inigo, however, was used to sleeping in a tent and on the ground, and last night he had slept even better than usual. That thought surprised him, considering that Severa hearing his compositions was an idea that made his heart beat quicken and his palms sweat. Yet, as he breathed the dew-filled air of the quiet morning, he felt a feeling of liberation. Somebody other than Owain, who thought that everything the Ylissean Royal Family did was magnificent (especially if Owain himself was involved) had heard his music and complimented him. In fact, his music had very nearly driven her to tears if his memory served him. While normally the sight of a woman crying over something he did was his worst nightmare, to know it was for something beautiful and positive was a welcome change of pace.
Of course, having agreed to perform more of his work for her in the future, perhaps he should continue writing songs in this future? After all, twelve opus numbers (the last of which not even finished) was a pitiful output for someone of his age. Exalt Felix, one of the few ancestors Inigo remembered in the royal line, was a prolific composer himself. By the age of twelve, he produced twelve string symphonies, and in his life of 38 years had produced 121 opus numbers of work, alongside a large collection of unfinished sketches and early juvenilia. All Inigo had now, at the age of 14 and a half, was a handful of songs and incidental music to a play that Owain was not even finished writing. Yet, something about Severa's reaction made him think he could do better. Today, after his required work with the Shepherds, wherever he found the time, he would begin to write again. Perhaps he could see if Owain had any ideas for poetry. It was always easier to work off of something than create from scratch.
...
Lucina's awakening did not much resemble her brother's. Her long blue hair, while still as beautiful as ever, frayed at the ends, and her eyes and posture painted a picture of a rough night of tossing and turning. Owain had forcefully suggested that they regroup with the new revelation about Severa and Inigo, and Lucina, still dazed and confused, let him have his way. Feeling the light of the sun burn her retinas on this morning that came too soon (or not soon enough maybe), Lucina was regretting that decision immensely.
She wandered to her brother's tent to finally get this weight she could not describe off her chest, but to her absolute shock, she found it empty. Inigo was never the first to be awake, and it was still far to early. Wasn't it? Lucina checked the sky again, still barely above the horizon. It was early morning alright. Nobody should be up except the posted watchmen, Frederick, and herself. She ran her fingers through her hair in thought, and failing to come up with anything (as seemed to become the norm with her brother recently), she went to breakfast instead, hoping something warm would wake her up out of her haze.
...
"Are you alright, Lucina?" Lissa asked, "You seem tense. More so than usual."
Lucina rubbed her eyes and took a sip of hot water she asked her aunt for earlier. "It's nothing serious, Lissa. Do not let my worries bother you."
"Well, if they're your worries, than they probably should be bothering me," she said, stirring around onions in a hanging pot, "You're the most level-headed person in this camp. If you're worried about something, it must be serious."
Lucina shifted in her seat. Was it that serious? "Lissa," she started, "Has Owain ever told you about...anything involving music?"
Lissa cocked her head to one side. "Music? Like what?"
Lucina twisted the cup in her had. "About how he...used to play the piano in the future?"
Lissa's eyes sparkled in recognition. "Oh, that! Yes, he told me all about it. He used to write lyrics for Inigo to compose music to. Then, he would play the music while Inigo sang."
Lucina nearly dropped her cup. "When, did he tell you all that?"
"Just last night. He said something about how you and him overheard Inigo at work composing something new on the piano in the study."
Lucina looked down in her cup, whose steam continued to gently waft up into the air. It was a comforting sight in most circumstances, and Lucina stared at it hoping that comfort might come soon.
"Lucina?" Lissa asked, "what's the matter?"
Lucina looked back at her. "I...I just can't believe he told you this so readily," she finally said.
"I don't understand. Was it supposed to be a secret?" Lissa replied.
"Well...not exactly...I mean..."
"Wait!" Lissa nearly shouted, "Was it a song for someone in particular?"
"I don't..."
"Was it a love song," Lissa's voice took on a teasing tone, "perhaps for a secret crush?"
Lucina's cheeks flushed red, "It's nothing of the sort! I'm sure he had a very good reason for singing that song to Severa!"
Lissa's jaw dropped in surprise for a moment, before her face brightened up like the Plegian Desert's sun. "He was singing to Severa! Owain never told me that part! That's so sweet!"
A silent prayer for the ground itself to swallow her up escaped Lucina's mind. "Lissa, I promise you that the song was not specifically for Severa. She was just listening to him sing it. It was a song about winter turning into spring, not at all romantic." Granted, it was more heartfelt than that, but Lucina was still technically correct.
Lissa hummed in thought, a finger on her chin. "Then why would Inigo let Severa hear his music? From what Owain tells me Inigo is quite particular about who he lets hear him sing."
Lucina had no answer for that, 'which is really the root of the problem isn't it,' she thought ruefully. What could have led Severa to get Inigo to sing? From what little of their conversation she overheard, it didn't sound like a particularly romantic moment between them. Then again, Lucina was far from the best judge of romance. She never found the time for such things, and as far as she could remember, no one had ever made an attempt to educate her firsthand.
"Though, I have to be honest," Lissa continued, "if there is something going on between the two of them, I think it would be a nice match."
"W-why would you think that?"
Lissa looked at Lucina as if she was the most oblivious person in the world. "Duh, opposites attract! Severa's so icy and walled-off, but she can speak her mind to anyone. Inigo's so cheery and optimistic, but he's too shy like his mother to actually be open to the world. They are perfect for each other!"
"I find that very hard to believe, Lissa. They are not at all compatible. Not like my parents, or you and Gaius."
"How can someone so well-travelled be so naive?!" Lissa said. She opened her mouth to speak again, but suddenly began sniffing the air. Lucina, confused, did the same, and both realized a plume of black smoke coming from the pan. "Oh no! The onions!" Lissa said, racing to pull them out of the pan. Fortunately, onions were plentiful even in an army camp that rationed everything, so it was no great loss. Nevertheless, Lucina took this as her cue to drink her water in one final gulp, appreciating the burn down her throat as she quickly left the scene.
...
Severa was walking away from her mother's tent, a cup of tea in her hand as she looked at the camp slowly stirring awake as the sun was now entirely above the horizon. Her mother was organizing everything once again for the day, going over everything again and again as was usual for her. Of all the army, only Frederick and perhaps Robin had more knowledge of the camp's personnel, supplies, and habits. Cordelia was not a woman to let anything go unnoticed, which is why she watched her daughter leaving with a careful eye. Ever since she had run into Cordelia's arms, Cordelia had been keeping watch on her temperamental daughter. It only raised her suspicion when Severa came home the previous night with a grin on her face, and spoke not one word of complaint or displeasure to herself or Gregor that whole evening or the following morning. Something was definitely wrong with Severa's behavior, but Cordelia for the life of her could not figure it out, though she made a commitment to try.
Severa was unaware of her mother's concerns, merely keeping her content gaze on the goings on of the camp, until a gloved hand tapped her shoulder, and she turned around to see the blond head of Owain sheepishly smiling back at her. "Severa!" he said, "Hey, what's...up?"
Severa raised an eyebrow. "Nothing, why?"
"Well, I was just, in the area, and I thought I'd stop by and, uh, see how you were doing."
"Pretty well, actually."
"That's good! I'm, uh, I'm doing well, given the circumstances, and I, uh, am glad that you..." Owain trailed off.
Severa's signature frown returned. "Owain, what is this about?"
"About? Nothing, can a man not go to his fellow comrade and inquire about her wellbeing?"
Severa could see the sweat forming on his brow. "Owain," she said, like a parent about to scold their child, "what are you hiding?"
"I-I am hiding nothing!" he said, a forced smile on his face, "Forsooth!"
"Owain," she said again, stepping closer, the steam from her tea nearly reaching Owain's chin, "I know you well enough to know when you are lying to me."
Owain said nothing, and Severa let out a sigh. "If you won't tell me, I'll just have to get it from your mother," she said.
"What?!" he shouted, "I-I mean, h-how would she even know if I was holding a secret?"
"You tell her everything, Owain. It would be endearing if it wasn't so pathetic. Now spill it."
Owain put his fingers together in a motion resembling a scared child lost in indecision, and for a moment Severa actually felt bad. However, she made a motion to walk away, not even in Lissa's general direction, when Owain raced ahead with a speed she did not think was even possible.
"Alright, alright! I'll tell you!" he said, and Severa crossed her arms. Her scowl was unchanged, but an internal smile of self-satisfaction was warm in her soul. "I," he began, "Well, Lucina and I, we...overheard Inigo singing to you."
Severa's heart dropped, and her scowl transformed to a look of surprised anger. "You were spying on me?!"
"No! I-I mean, not intentionally, I-"
Owain was cut off by the throw of a cup of tea that missed his head and shattered on the ground, spilling its contents. "Severa, wait! I can explain!" he said.
"Oh, you are going to explain," she said, a rising fury in her voice, "in fact, you are going to explain in the next ten seconds, or I will rip off your arms."
"C-Come on," Owain said with a nervous smile, "you wouldn't actually-"
He was cut off by Severa grabbing both his arms in a steel grip that seemed to instantly cut off circulation. "Eight, seven, six-"
"Okay!" he shouted, "I'll tell you everything!"