A/N: Finally done with this. This chapter picks up immediately after the last. Enjoy, and thank you all for your patience.

Choice

If fate had allowed Chrom a choice, he would have never chosen a crown. His reign spanned less than a week, and he'd seen enough troubles to last him a lifetime. Chrom could not prevent a few wistful thoughts from floating into his mind as he stared out the window. Out there, among the rolling pastureland washed in the amber of sunset, his old life awaited. Out there, out of the shadow of Ylisstol, was a life free of troubles, save those resolved with his sword. His crown coiled around his head as if to remind him such was not the life of royalty. A royal life was one life bound to countless and constant difficulties. It was the life of his father, of Emmeryn and now, such a life was his.

Worse, it was the only life he could offer Sumia. As he held her, sheltering her from the eyes of the Ylissean court, a weighty sigh passed Chrom's lips. His one desire from the moment he offered her his hand was to provide the sort of life a woman as good as she deserved. He had only to think of the incident in the great hall for proof of how greatly he had failed.

"I'm sorry," he said as he stroked his wife's hair.

Sumia pulled away from his arms, a questioning expression on her face, "for what?"

"For," Chrom waved his hand around, "all this. I'm sorry for the way the court treated you."

"It wasn't your fault, Chrom," she said.

"Yes, it was, Sumia. I can't give you the life you deserve." With a warm hand on his cheek, she gave him a warmer smile.

"You've given me more than I could ever hope for." Chrom only snorted.

"All I've given you is a crown and a life full of troubles. You don't deserve that, but it's all I can give you. Sumia, this will never end. What happened downstairs is just the beginning." Even as her hand withdrew, her smile never faded. She walked past him, and Chrom narrowed his eyes as they surveyed the land, envy rising within him at the sight. His hand clenched. Muttering a curse, he struck the window, but even that brought little comfort.

Out there was the life she deserved; one free of judging eyes and palace gossip. What could he offer that could even compare? Luxury seemed dulled and muted. Power often brought resentment. Privilege came with the price of strict protocol. As for love, if history was any indication, such a thing rarely survived in a palace, much less thrived. Except for King Marth and Queen Caeda, he could think of no king or queen who married for love.

"Chrom, turn around," he heard Sumia say. Doing as she asked, his eyes fell upon the silver crown in her hands. Never once did his gaze leave that cursed ornament as she crossed the room. A shiver ran down his back. The diamonds glared at him; the very same contemptuous stare in his wife's eyes moments before she threw it at the wall. A voice, cold as the metal itself, resonated in his ear, along with the echoing crash.

She would not choose this life; she would not choose him. Why should she? He'd seen what ills came with a royal life and more importantly, so had she. His ears still burned with the whispers he'd caught: what he ate, whom he saw, even the state of his sheets. He spent his days in the company of snakes masquerading as men, using honeyed words to hide their venom. His life consisted of rigid traditions that would test even the most pious of priests. If he found this life miserable, how much more did Sumia?

She stood before him now, "Chrom, I'd be lying if I said I expected all this from marrying royalty." Chrom held his breath, waiting for the hammer to drop; waiting for her to place the crown in his hand and bid him farewell. He would not blame her in the least either. "This past week has been harder than anything I could have imagined, but you shouldn't have to carry the weight of this life alone."

A gasp passed his lips as she placed the crown on her head. His eyes, wide as they were, could not even believe the sight.

"Sumia," he drawled, unable to say anything else.

"I know you think you've given me nothing but troubles, but Chrom, you've given me something I never imagined. You chose me, of all people; someone who isn't anything like what a queen should be. If I'm worth that much to you, how could you be worth any less to me? I know this won't be an easy life, but I want to face it with you; to hold you up just like you did for me."

Chrom stood still for a moment as her words settled over him. Like rain to parched earth, they began to wash his doubts away. Finally, he ran to Sumia, throwing his arms around her too awed and happy to do anything less.

"Tell me you love me, Sumia." She beamed and cupped his face.

"I love you, Chrom. You said I made you see the bright side of things; to me, you are the brightest thing. You are what makes facing those people worth it."

Chrom smiled, his hold tightening. This was not the life she deserved or even the life he wanted, but by the gods, knowing she'd chosen to stand by his side, come what may, would make it worth the living.