Author's Note: Today marks exactly a month since I posted the last chapter. I'll try my best to get things out on time, but I'll probably end up posting once every three weeks from now on since I've just added another 3 hour a day commitment to my life (I could have gotten this out a week ago, to be honest, but my guilt about being late made me not want to post at all, and so I kept putting it off). I at least read through this chapter for mistakes for once, actually revising it, so it should hopefully be a little more polished than recent chapters. In a week or two I'll go back through and polish those up too. Now without further ado, enjoy.
After the battle in Izumo, Katsa had insisted that Corrin's group stay in the palace for the night to rest up. They agreed, and each went off to their rooms, all separate from one another. Minus Sakura though, who Robin had noticed sneaking off to follow Takumi. That left Robin to sit on the floor of the room he had been assigned, finally alone. Reveling in the fact that he finally had some time to himself, Robin looked over some texts he had borrowed from the library located between the banquet hall and where the tactician would be sleeping. He had no plan for what to do next, so for now he would continue his attempts at familiarizing himself with the history and landscape of Canta. Robin would also hopefully get the chance to sleep in for once, since Katsa or some random member of the Izuman palace staff would wake him in the morning. Or afternoon, if they let him sleep that long and he stayed up late enough. His alarm clock was still in the astral plane, and Robin didn't want to bother Corrin and Lilith to get it.
Whispers from outside the paper door that blocked his room drew Robin's attention, and he called whomever it was in.
The door then opened, revealing Azura, Corrin, Sakura, and Takumi, the females in borrowed pajamas while the male of the group was still in his combat outfit from earlier. Sakura had an arm locked with one of Takumi's, while Azura and Corrin stood separate on the archer's other side. Takumi was the first one to walk in, Sakura walking second due to their attachment. Corrin took a step in third, and Azura was the last to enter. No one said a word. Uncomfortable with the silence, Robin initiated conversation.
"Uh, would you like to sit down? Give me a second to move these papers, so you have a clear spot and don't knock anything over or accidentally rip something," he said nervously, shifting the mess around him.
In addition to traditional books, Robin had picked up a few scrolls, the combined texts littered the floor. Alongside them were pages of notes he had taken on their contents, since he didn't expect to remember one hundred percent of what he read, and found it raised to point to paper when explaining something to another person rather than just trying to convince them by way of mouth.
While he organized the scattered objects on the floor, Robin gestured for the four royals to sit. None of them moved.
"Did I do something wrong? Wait, is there some custom I'm missing? I know you're royals, so I should probably be doing some special action on ceremony or whatever, but I'm kind of amnesia ridden and haven't studied enough of Hoshido's customs to know what I've failed to do. Please pardon me. But if I haven't, then feel free to sit, really. It's kind of awkward to sit here while you all stand. I can stand if that's what you like though," Robin listed, confused.
Sakura finally made a move, leaning forward to sit on her shins, folded at the knees. Since she was still connected to Takumi, her brother went down with her, assuming a similar position. Corrin sat next, crossing her legs in what Robin assumed was standard in Nohr, as opposed to the folded leg position the Hoshidans kept up. Azura was last, lowering herself slowly and without sound. Still, no one spoke, and Robin could feel the tension growing.
Finally the reason for their silence clicked.
"This is about what occurred with Izana earlier today, isn't it. And as much as I hate to be impolite, I do need a response on this. Because if you're just here to creep around, I think I'll go to the library where there are more books, more people to see, and more light sources to illuminate my readings."
The four royals glanced at each other, all with a unique expression. Takumi was accusing, Sakura nervous, Azura upset, and Corrin a mix of emotions. Much to Robin's relief, a reply came.
"What was that prophecy?" Azura asked, hurt in her eyes. "Who are you, Robin?"
Evidently she didn't trust him. It was only fair - she had revealed so much to him in the morning while he provided nothing in return. Nothing personal, anyway. Sure he had given her useful information, but she could have found it anywhere provided she tried hard enough. Now Robin was trying to deflect any and every question aimed at his person and personal life, which was an unequal revelation.
"...I told you. I'm an amnesiac. The first thing I remember is waking up on a field-"
"With Corrin, Azura, and Jakob over you. Yeah, we get it. Sakura already told me. You don't have to say it again. But there's something else there, isn't there? You have to remember at least something; have some idea of where you came from or what you used to be like," Takumi butted in, putting words in Robin's mouth that he wasn't going to say and weren't entirely accurate. Robin would be honest about that. Partially.
"That wasn't how I was going to finish my sentence. But to answer your question… yes, I have some 'memories.' I can't tell if they're true or if they're just figments of my imagination, stories I made up in attempt to fill the blank space left in my head when my real memories disappeared. Nothing I've found in this land has coincided with them, however. Not a single thing mentions the names I dream of, nor the landscape or even the continents. The legends and events couldn't have possibly occurred here, and are downright contradicted in a few cases. As much as I hate to admit it, the things I call memories were likely just events I read in books and modified to fit my preferences. I can still tell you about them if that's what you prefer, though. Is it?" Robin skirted around the incorrect story of his awakening and aimed for the second part of Takumi's statement, the one concerning his place of origin. He knew his memories weren't just stories or tales his mind had conjured up, but that was the best way to explain them and a little fibbing was okay. It was true that he had found nothing relating to Ylisse not Arit while in Archaea, so he was still being honest. Just not completely. But his silence wouldn't hurt his royal companions. Hopefully.
"Yes please." Releasing her grip on Takumi's arm, Sakura straightened herself.
Robin had hoped the answer would be no. That wasn't the case, though, so he'd have to come up with some sort of explanation. Something that could satisfy their curiosity without revealing too much.
He told them the names of Ylisse, Plegia, and Regna Ferox, as well as their basic characteristics; wide open plains, dry endless deserts, and a snow white everlasting winter, respectively. There was a war that went on during his time there. He thought he participated. He was with Ylisse. Plegia was their enemy. Ferox was their ally. No mentions were made of the type of soldiers each group had, other than the fact that Plegia was known for dark mages, Regna Ferox mercenaries, and Ylisse Pegasus Knights. No single person was named, past Chrom, who Robin called his best friend. The way in which they met up was never discussed.
Valm, Rosanne, Chon'sin, and any other country not majorly involved in the first war stayed secrets known only to Robin; there was no reason for there to be two wars, so they would never ask him about that unless he later slipped. That could be explained by him having more dreams of a fragmented history he was unsure of and couldn't remember if he had mentioned. Robin had been part of a rag tag band of… something fighters. Maybe freedom. Maybe defense. Maybe something else. The outcome of the war was not directly stated. Robin said he wasn't sure who was considered the winner. After all, in Ylisse Chrom's forces were named the winner; Regna Ferox had it listed a draw given both Ylisse and Plegia lost their leaders; Plegia's statement was confusing when it had been given to Robin, as they acknowledged that Ylisse gained the upper hand at the end and that tides were turning against Plegia, but did not directly state that the Ylisseans had won the war. Of this confusion of victory, Robin mentioned not a single thing. He gave them chances to ask, but aside from the occasional clarification statement asked for by Corrin or Azura, bite by Takumi, or question by Sakura, Robin was uninterrupted. He didn't reveal much more than he intended.
Not that it mattered though. He had already dug himself deep into a hole. Corrin was a very forgiving person - she would let the whole thing slide after a short time. Sakura seemed incapable of holding grudges. Takumi was suspicious of everyone so Robin couldn't really bring himself to care. After all, apparently the prince used to practically curse Azura's name if her story was any indication, yet he was now agreeing with her in interviewing Robin, so he could at least work through disagreements. Azura was the biggest problem. She was reasonable though. She would switch to his side soon. Hopefully.
With a yawn, Sakura signalled the end of the session. Takumi insisted that she get some sleep once she did, saying she shouldn't exhaust herself over something so… something. Takumi had trailed off, so whatever he was going to say was lost. Azura went off to get ready to sleep. Corrin stood, but remained.
With the room empty of their companions, Corrin asked Robin a different sort of question as he stood to join her.
"Uh, Robin. Why are you with us, exactly? I know you're pretty committed at this point, and it's not that I want you to leave or anything, but I don't really understand why you've stayed. Please know I mean this in the politest way possible. I'd just really like an answer."
Robin took in a breath. That wasn't the sort of thing he had expected her to say. He could still answer, though. Maybe with some humour. "I've said this before, and I'll say it again. When I woke up, you were the one over me. You were the first thing I saw. You know how baby ducks imprint on whatever it is they see for their first few minutes of life, following that thing, typically their mother, until they know how the world works and have grown? You can sort of think of it like that. I saw you, decided you were the most important thing around, and followed. When I woke up on that field, sure, I could have left you alone and walked off on my own. But where would I go?"
"To the town that was nearby," was the immediate response.
"And do what?" Robin asked. Corrin began to respond, but Robin cut her off. "That doesn't need an answer. Because let's say I did go to the town. What would I do there? I could beg for money and food. I surely don't appear to be Hoshidan, so hardly anyone would have helped me. I didn't know the value of currency before you guys told me, so I would have been ripped off. Maybe I would have starved, or been mugged. I was unarmed, after all. With the tensions between Hoshido and Nohr as they are, I don't doubt it would occur. The only reason we weren't mugged was because you, Jakob, and Azura were obviously armed, and two of you were wearing armor. As nice as Hoshido is, there are bad people lurking wherever you go. Even in paradise you'll find someone hunting for more, preying on those around them to get it.
"The main reason I went with you, though, was for a sense of purpose. I don't know what I would do had I not joined you. Say I did somehow manage to establish myself; avoid getting mugged, keep my money, make friends. What would I do? Raise… whatever sort of livestock exists here? Work in a library? Make trinkets and knick knacks to sell at market? I don't know. But when I went with you, that choice was made for me. I didn't have to think about the mess my life was and what is have to do - I could just borrow your purpose, follow your cause, and be worry free. Well, as worry free as one can be when they're participating in a war.
"I don't mind it though. To travel and to fight is exhilarating. I absolutely love it. Plus, I'm good at it. I know how to do it. I have no idea how to milk a cow, or how to make a wreath, or how to manage a business. But what I can do is swing a sword and power a tome, and move people like pawns on a chessboard to victory."
Robin took a deep breath, thinking back to his time with the Shepherds.
"Well, sort of like chess but hopefully without the sacrificing part. Someone I used to play would do that all the time. He won every single game for a while, but would always have the least amount of pieces left. I'd have the most for a majority of the match, but he would always trap my king, frustrating me to hell and back. It didn't work out forever though. I never won a game without him claiming at least a few pawns or a castle, but eventually I started to best him consistently. Sacrificing all his units wouldn't gain him victories after I figured it out. There also comes a point where you stop worrying about the pawns, and instead go for the knights and bigger units. Capture the king, and the game is over. The pawns can't act without him.
"It's the same in real battle. If you kill the general, then the soldiers have no leadership and destroy themselves. Their strategies fall apart, they argue, they confuse themselves, and the army is defeated. Victory is most easily achieved by eliminating the leaders and letting the minions ruin themselves. Right now we have one leader. You. If you're defeated, we all are. Your position is not something we can get away from nor something we should get away from, but we should start trying to appoint some other 'leaders' within the group. Our little army is still pretty divided, as Jakob doesn't get along with the Hoshidans, and vice versa, and Takumi clearly doesn't like Azura, putting he and his retainers against her. Oboro looks like she'd be happy dancing on a pile of Nohrian corpses even if Takumi wasn't as he is. Hayato can get along with Sakura, but he's uncomfortable around most of the others bar Rinkah, who gets into arguments at the drop of a hat and could worsen things. Kaze follows you to a pretty intense degree too, so I think he'd lose confidence in himself were you to be defeated, which considering he's one of the more level headed people with us, could cause problems. Choosing who to give some more power and set up as a director will have to wait until the group's melded some more, but we shouldn't wait too long. Until then, we're all counting on you to lead the way. Including me. You're my purpose right now, after all."
Corrin blushed deeply at Robin's words, the color plainly shown on pale cheeks and complimented by red eyes. Her face had shown a flurry of emotions during Robin's speech, finally resting on the blushing bride type expression it currently had. Her hands clenched at her sides and she bit her lip, looking anywhere but at Robin. After a few moments she unclenched her right hand, and moved it to hold the elbow of her left arm, clenching it once more.
Taking in a deep breath, Corrin tensed momentarily before releasing her tightened muscles and letting out a large sigh, turning her gaze to Robin.
"I'm honored that you want to stay and that you think I'm that great, Robin. But really, I'm not. I may seem like the leader of this army, but what have I really done? I haven't suggested we go anywhere - that's all been you and Azura - and you've decided how we would all act on the battlefield. The one time I did decide I almost messed everything up. If anything were to happen to me, you could probably just take over and have everything work out just as I have, really. And as for why you joined, I still don't see why you would take such a risk. I mean, yes I know you said that you don't know what you would do otherwise, and that you can fight and want to help out, but you could have just as well become a mercenary or something! You would be in much less danger, and..." A large exhale. "Robin, thank you so much for helping out. I don't know where we would be if you weren't here, or if we would have succeeded at all. I just feel like you're putting too much value in me, when all I've done is put you in danger."
Corrin's gaze wavered, and she shut her eyes firmly. Robin walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders, tilting his head down to look at her eyes. When she didn't open her eyes, Robin sighed and let his arms drop along her own, head drifting forward to let his forehead touch hers as he hunched down slightly. Not much, since he wasn't the tallest and she wasn't the shortest (really he was short and she tall, but that wasn't the focus at the moment). Corrin opened her eyes at the contact, and Robin gave her a small smile, closing his eyes so he couldn't see however it was she reacted. She didn't move away though, that he could feel, so at least he wasn't bothering her too much.
It was an odd gesture, that he knew, but he felt it necessary. Corrin was beating herself up for no reason, and sometimes the best way to cheer someone up was by making contact. Her armor made it uncomfortable to hug the girl, anyway, so this was a lot nicer for Robin, even if his comfort wasn't the focus of the action. Plus, Corrin was a quirky girl. The head touch would probably do more for her than a hug, since a hug would be comforting, but a head touch would be (hopefully) comforting and funny, so she'd feel better and laugh all the while.
Sure enough, a few giggles escaped the girl despite her sadness, and she shook. Bringing a hand to her face, Corrin tilted her head down until Robin's forehead was resting on her hair and headband, and put a hand over her face. When she took it away, her fingers were wet, small tears smeared across their edges.
"You have a weird way of cheering people up, y'know? Is that common wherever you come from?" With a small smile, Corrin crossed her arms and held back a few more giggles.
From the looks of it, Corrin's tears were a mix of happy and sad ones, so Robin didn't comment on them. "Ah, not necessarily. Once my friend - the guy I mentioned named Chrom - and I did that. He was the one that initiated it, and there was a lot larger difference in our heights than that between you and me. Well, when I looked up to check his eyes and see what he was doing, he pulled back for a second, smirked, and headbutted me. Unfortunately, we were in my tent, so I smacked into the wall and had the whole thing come down on my head. I can still hear his apologies from how loud and repetitive he was. Because it happened to be getting dark out, and my tent flap had been closed, so I had a candle lit, and when a tent collapses on a lit candle… let me just say that we had to share a tent for a while after, and that I got a good joke for the next few months."
Giggles turned into roaring laughter, and Corrin shot back another question: "But why in the world would he headbutt you if he was trying to make you feel better?! How is that effective?!"
"Beats me! I think Chrom just liked headbutting people or something. He's done it a couple times while we've been sparring, and I think I've seen him do it on the battlefield before, too. I think his main goal was to either get me to laugh, or to set up a joke about how he was 'trying to knock some sense into me' to get me to stop degrading myself. That ended terribly though, which is why I went for this route. It seemed a little safer. Of course, if you want me to headbutt you, I can, but headbutting hurts and I don't really want a headache for the rest of the night, plus I don't think you'd like one either. Unless I'm mistaken?"
The sparkle in Corrin's eyes as she laughed lifted Robin's mood, and he could feel a grin spreading into a smile on his own visage.
"No, no, no, of course not! I very much like my non-bruised, no-headache head thank you very much!" Corrin waved her hands near her eyes, and changed her tone. "Mm. I do wish I could met this Chrom guy, though. He sounds really fun. I think we could be friends, too. W-well, from what I've heard, because I mean what you've said is all I know, so if I'm way off don't judge!"
Robin shook his head, assured her she wasn't way off and that Chrom and she would likely become fast friends (which would happen regardless of whether or not Corrin and Chrom seemed compatible, really. The only way to not become Chrom's friend was to be a genocidal maniac with a thing for hurting people. Although Henry did fit that description to a point… basically the only way to get Chrom to not become your friend was by hurting innocents. Or by being a politician. Chrom always came back from council meetings looking like he wanted to stab someone, and occasionally putting names to the ones that would have been found the next morning with a blade in their back had Chrom not been a more controlled man), and Corrin let out a sigh of relief. If there was a way, Robin would love to introduce the two. But he had no idea where he was in relation to Arit and Ylisse, and didn't know how in the world, or rather worlds, he was supposed to get back. Where he was might have been some sort of outrealm for all he knew. In that case, the Chrom closest to him could be a different Chrom than he was familiar with. After all, there were the children of the Future Past, who had to have been different children than the ones born to Robin's timeline, since Grima was dead in one, and dominating in the other.
"Now then, you're feeling all better now, right? No more unreasonable self-doubt? Because whether you want to admit it or not, it really is unfounded. You're the only reason anyone has joined our cause at all. I've just guided the ones you've brought along. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for, too. I'm sure you would have eventually gotten here without me, even if it took some more time or things didn't go quite the same. One of the most important things for a commander to do is look strong, so their soldiers don't worry and can fight unhindered. And one of the most important things a person can do is believe in him or herself, so they can love freely and their friends be relieved by the happy state of their companion. Got that?"
Corrin nodded. "You've said it over and over, so of course I've gotten it by now! But thanks, Robin. It means a lot."
In a good mood, Robin decided it was time to start showing off some of his better side. Namely, his funny-Robin side.
"A lot? To whom? And of what? Does it mean a lot of radishes? To Kaze? Or does it mean a lot of hugs to Sakura? Oh! Maybe it means a lot of gold to you! But can you really just sell my advice and positive words off like that? If so, then maybe I should quit this war business and make a living as a therapist. Although, staying in the war might help me, since more travel means more contacts… So I guess I'll stay until the end and become a therapist after this is all over. I knew my true calling was out there! Man, thank you Corrin! I would never have found my destined occupation if it hadn't been for your words!" rambled Robin, grabbing Corrin's hands and bouncing up and down as he finished his talk.
Corrin stood as her arms were moved up and down my Robin's motions, frowning dramatically and removing her hands after a few seconds. When Robin pouted and stopped jumping, his companion flicked him on the side of the head. "Oh stop it, you! You know what I mean!"
Robin responded with a wink and a grin, prompting Corrin to sigh and roll her eyes. "Well, I'll be off then. Have a good night, Robin. I'll see you sometime tomorrow morning!"
"See you then. And thank you for the laugh, it was great."
Corrin snorted, and closed the door behind her as she took her leave.
After waiting thirty or so seconds for Corrin to get far enough away, Robin stretched out for a moment and let out a large yawn.
"Well, it looks like I still have some time to go over those scrolls. Not as much as I would have liked, but good enough. I wonder if any of them will relate to the prophecies…"
Robin read over the texts for several minutes, completely engrossed in what he was learning. It was almost all new to him, and extremely interesting subject matter, so he was highly enjoying the task he had set for himself. Back in Arit, during the time between the Valm and Plegian wars, he had spent a great deal of time reading up on both the Grimleal religion and the religion of Naga, finding them both to be intriguing in their own ways. That led him to researching all sorts of mythology that spanned past the legends held in the religious texts read by most worshippers and even priests, going all the way to obscure gods and goddesses even Libra hadn't heard of. For those he had had to travel, asking traveling merchants for locations of libraries which might hold the information he was looking for. He didn't travel for long, since he spent most of the two years in the castle, but he certainly didn't spend all of his time in Ylisse. Even during the wars themselves he had gone to bookstores and libraries he passed, purchasing and checking out all the religious books and texts he could find. The religions of Valm were much more diverse than those of the Ylissian continent, and Robin found himself disappointed in not being able to research more due to his death or disappearance of whatever his transport to Archaea was considered.
He was so engrossed, in fact, that Robin didn't notice there was another person in the room until he felt a small tap upon his shoulder.
"Gwuah!" he shouted, throwing the scroll in his hands and spinning around, looking up at whoever it was that had made contact with him. The scroll landed on his head as he got a glimpse of light blue hair, and Robin caught his breath, heart pounding. Calmly, he removed the scroll from its place upon his hair, and rolled it up, greeting the woman who had frightened him. "Oh, hey Azura. It's nice to see you there."
Azura looked guilty for scaring him, and let out a short apology. "I'm sorry for surprising you. I had been calling your name from outside your door for almost a minute, but you weren't responding, so I took the liberty of entering. I tried to step as loudly as possible, but you still didn't make any indication that you noticed my presence, so I figured the only way to get you to notice me was to make physical contact. Frightening you wasn't my intention, truly."
The princess was currently dressed in a loose white two piece set of what Robin figured were pajamas, and her hair was tied back, visibly wet. The pajamas were very boxy and of three-quarter length, neither the pants nor the sleeves reaching all the way down to her ankles or wrists. When Robin looked closer he noticed they had very faint beige stripes. Realizing it was odd to shove his face at her legs, he then decided to talk about something else.
"You sure? From what Sakura says, you tell a mean ghost story, and I wouldn't be surprised if this was just you trying to set one up…" Robin joked, gathering himself and motioning for Azura to sit down. She did, folding her hands in her lap as Robin sat with hands on his knees. She was again in that position he couldn't quite manage, so though Robin wanted to copy her to seem polite (as the position appeared customary in the region) he sat crossed legged yet again. He would master the heel sit one day…
"I'm sure, Robin. I am also glad you have so much faith in me. It is truly an honor."
"Anytime, anytime," the tactician responded, bowing slightly from where he was seated before changing topic. "I seem to be quite popular tonight. So, what is it that brought you back here? Was it something you remembered, or was it something you didn't want to say in front of the others?" Robin gained a no-nonsense sort of tone with the end of his words. It was late, and he wanted to be done sooner rather than later so he could get some reading on before he had to sleep.
Azura looked at him for a moment, prolonging his wait purposefully. Maybe she had just come back to spend some time with him? Possibly, but unlikely. The thought was abolished moments after when she began to speak.
"Earlier today, or I suppose yesterday at this point, when Izana gave his prophecies- no, even before that; when Izana mentioned your soul and the things he saw, what he was saying was truly shocking. But you didn't look shocked. You looked scared. And not the type of scared someone gets when they're told something they haven't heard that can hurt them. The type of scared someone gets when something is mentioned that they tried to hide away or thought was gone. Terror from realization. Realization and recognition. You already knew about what he was saying, at least to some extent, and you were terrified that someone else could figure it out.
"I know you have your reasons for secrets. We all do. But Robin, that sounds dangerous, and I'm worried for not just your sake but for all of ours. Remember what you said after the conditioning in Fort Corrin? That I needed to tell you about my singing because it would affect everyone in the army? You're too smart a person to be such a hypocrite without good reason. And while you may think you have good reason, there is no good reason to keep silent in a situation such as this about a circumstance such as that. So please, Robin. Give me some sort of hint. I won't pass it on if that is what you wish, but with the situation surrounding our enemy… if you cannot give a sufficient explanation, then I don't know if I can give you my complete trust. Our enemy is from a foreign land and appears from nowhere, just as you are a foreign man with no past that suddenly appeared in a field one day.
"The others will begin to put together the pieces of the puzzle you have dropped along the way, and depending on what you say tonight I will either pick them up and discard them before anyone else sees, or I will point out every puzzle piece I pass and every out of place movement you make. I am not very good at being harsh, but this war is very personal. Our goal is very personal. I cannot let it be ruined by such a dangerous unknown."
The two hearts in the room, once beating at almost the same tempo, ran out of synch. As Azura went on about what she felt and what she would do, the pounding in Robin's chest increased at such a rate he wondered what would happen if he were to be cut at that moment. Would the blood, being pumped so fast and so hard through his body, spurt out due to the high force and propulsion behind it? And was it that his heart was beating so fast because he had stopped breathing and it was cycling the remaining oxygen in his blood the best it could, meaning he'd drip almost black? The less oxygen in the blood, the darker it was. Though when one stopped breathing their heart slowed too. It didn't go on some sort of death rampage.
'Oh Naga why. Why did I have to become the closest person to one of the most observant members of the army? Although I suppose Azura's better than Jakob or Kaze.'
If they had been there when Izana spoke of what he saw in Robin, the tactician would be bleeding from several puncture wounds already. Both were smart. Both were protective of Corrin. Though they also took everything she said with a grain of sugar (how would you describe the opposite of taking something with a grain of salt? Salt is sour and sugar sweet, and the two practically idolized everything that came out of the white haired princess' mouth. The opposite of doubt, whatever that was).
He felt sick to his stomach. His excuses were failing. He wasn't around a bunch of idiots. Silly and strange as they were, they were all competent soldiers and people. The Shepherds hadn't been idiots either.
'No, not hadn't. Aren't.' Robin thought, correcting himself. 'No one died in that fight with Grima except me, and Naga promised she'd transport everyone away once the battle ended. Naga wouldn't let them fall to their deaths when Grima faded away, or crashed to the ground, or did whatever he did when I killed him. She's… more… something... than that.'
The blood having a joy run through his body wasn't making it to his skull, because Robin's head pounded, his stomachache becoming even worse. Thinking about how things were falling apart wasn't helping him in the slightest, nor was imagining all his friends dying, rendering his attempts at saving them and his sort-of-death pointless. Not that he was doing a very good job imagining that. It was hard to concentrate when one felt so out of sorts.
"Robin, are you okay?"
Robin snapped his head up to look Azura in the eyes, probably with a panicked look on his face that he hadn't thought to steel before moving.
"You were looking at me for a few seconds-" Azura supplied, forehead creased with worry "-before you started moving your gaze down to the ground. I thought that it was just your way of thinking, but you're gripping your pants so hard I'm worried you might rip the fabric. And I think your lip is bleeding from biting down on it so hard as well. I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you distress."
Robin shook his head, which unfortunately made the pounding worse.
"I'm fine, Azura. I'm feeling a little under the weather is all." Claiming she didn't want to cause him distress after her little speech made Robin want to scoff. Who says something like that and thinks the person it's directed at will be happy to receive the information? Azura was guilty though, and Robin felt guilty as well for making her apologize multiple times in one night. "But, uh, I'll try to answer your question the best I can. In the memories I have of my home - and by the way I'll just say 'back home' from now on for convenience's sake - there was this… cult of sorts. They weren't exactly the official religion, but they operated out of Plegia. I don't think they had followers anywhere else. Anyway, they employed dark mages by the dozens, or maybe hundreds. Their offshoots, the less intense people who worshipped normally rather than to cult intensity, might have even numbered in the thousands. I'm not sure. Regardless, they specialized in dark magic, and with it, curses. Curses and spells that would never be found in tomes, the types passed down in the family line that included some really questionable practices.
"I knew two dark mages that had interacted with members of the Gr- of the cult, and they were both pretty well informed in the area of hexes and curses. They noticed something was up with me. Then there's the fact that my outfit was pretty close to one of theirs. One of the mages was male and the other female. The female was in a pretty thin outfit, but the male was in some heavy robes. Heavy robes with some of the same designs as my coat has. Designs that he says are commonly worn by members of the cult. And dark mages in general, but I carried a thunder tome with me, not a dark, so that didn't match up.
"We also passed by some religious tapestries during the war. They looked familiar, even though only a few members of the group, namely a priest of the opposite religion, the dark mages, a scholar, and an… older, well traveled woman, recognized them. The other Ylissian commoners didn't bat an eye at the images. Well, actually they did since the images are pretty odd, but not in a way of recognition.
"Continuing on, we met the head of the religion one day. He recognized me. But it was too late- he already had decided not to tell me a word. You see, we had met once before, before I knew who he was. When we met, he was some crazy old man trying to kill someone I wanted to protect, and I was an annoying pest in his way. That was when he said he recognized me, but I was too angry to pause and ask him how. That second time he refused to say anything about my past. He said that he might have mentioned me looking familiar, but that it was probably because I was dressed in traditional cult robes and had an appearance common in Plegia. An appearance I only ever saw on one other guy, being the dark mage traveling with me, but I didn't object. I was really in no place to be arguing with a king." Robin's encounters with Validar weren't things he liked to think about, so he decided to finish up his story.
"Ah, I've been rambling. To cut it short, I think I was involved in some creepy cult at some point in time, but I don't remember when, for how long, and so on" Robin did not mention that he remembered why. "The members of the cult practiced old, unique magic, so I may have been subject to that at a young enough age that it left a mark on my soul or spirit or whatever it is. That's about all I can say. Is that satisfactory?"
Azura brought a curled fist to her lips, shaking her head.
"Almost." His long speech hadn't been up to her standards, apparently. "You also said something curious. When Izana mentioned fate, you said that it could be changed. Something you were sure of because you claimed to have done it before. How do you know you changed fate? That you went off destiny's path?"
Robin was caught by surprise, and tried to think of a response. His original comment had been an automatic reaction, so he wasn't really sure how to answer her question.
"That...I don't think destiny originally intended for me to be here. It's such a random thing, after all. Fate probably had me continuing on my way in my homeland, yet here I am. My being here broke what fate had in store. I won't let fate boss me around though. I'll decide my own fate, and I'll help you all choose yours as well." With a determined expression, Robin shook his fist like Corrin had on several occasions. "Have I earned the Azura satisfactory stamp of approval, then?"
Azura nodded, then rose.
"Yes. Thank you for this talk, Robin. You're such an interesting person. I think that one day you should use your conveniently selective memory to write a book."
With a swish of her drying hair and the snap of a shutting door, Robin was left alone, eyes wide. Azura was bombarding him with surprising words and actions. She was showing off a much more confident side. One that wasn't working too well for him at the moment.
'My conveniently selective memory, huh? I'll have to work on how conveniently selective my memory is, then. Maybe I'll throw in a few random facts then. Or skip over things. And maybe explain a story, leave out a few details, and catch myself in the middle to go back and fill them in like I suddenly remembered they existed. That should help.'
Confident that no one else would bother him, Robin spread his things across the floor and got reading.
Morning came and went, and it was afternoon by the time Robin woke up to cold water on his face and hair, making him tell once again. Standing over his body was Jakob, who was frowning slightly.
"W-what the hell did you do that for!?" Robin yelped, shaking his head like some wet dog and making water fly everywhere.
A few droplets made the noise of hitting paper, and Robin let in a sharp breath, turning away from Jakob to survey the ground around him. Thankfully the liquid had only hit his notes. Though the tactician was so tired he didn't quite make it fully into his bedroll, he had been awake enough the night prior to blow out the candle and arrange the materials he had borrowed to the side a few feet away. They were untouched by the water. Which was good, because Robin had no idea how he would have explained to the Izumans that he'd wrecked their precious ancient irreplaceable documents if they had. The paper was old and easy to rip, and the ink faded enough that even intense moisture could make them unreadable due to ink spread.
"It's time to leave. Lady Corrin told me to come collect you, and you weren't waking up. Your person was just rolling around, lollygagging and snoozing away valuable daylight hours. It is already past noon. About half of us have finished eating, with the rest almost done with their meals, so I would hurry up if I were you. You have half an hour to get your things and take your meal. Good day."
Jakob took his leave then, his expression unchanging. Azura had said she was satisfied, so she wouldn't have said something incriminating, would she? Was it one of the others then? Or had the butler gotten jealous of seeing Corrin spend so much time with Robin and not Jakob himself? It was a questions he didn't know the answer to. But that wasn't important. At the moment he had to change into something dry, return the what he had borrowed to the Library of Izumo, and grab some late breakfast. Or lunch. Past noon meant it was lunch regardless of whether or not he had eaten breakfast.
Sighing, he started on his way.
In the end, Robin had only managed to grab an apple of a tree he had passed to fill his growling stomach. The main librarian hadn't been in when Robin visited, since he was on lunch break, and the assistant in his place was completely incompetent. She hadn't recognized what the texts in his hand were, nor did she know where they went. She hadn't even realized there were those types of texts in the library! By the time Robin was able to leave, the main librarian had returned, and apologized profusely for his assistant. Apparently she was the replacement assistant since the normal one had been injured in the attack and couldn't attend work. Plus, it was her third time ever attending, and she didn't go to the library often at all. The job was one she earned by bloodline, not merit, it seemed.
The librarian had only ended up taking up another two to three minutes of Robin's time with his apologies, and Robin was suffering for it. Quite literally, he thought, as his stomach ate away at food it wasn't filled with and gave him annoying cramps.
"Ah, Robin, glad you could finally join us!" Jakob said with a smirk, earning a glare from Robin. The butler must've known about the librarian situation. Or at least of the food situation, because the cook had told Robin that "some gray haired Nohrian" had asked him to give the remaining lunch items to the other members of the castle, leaving nothing for Robin. Nothing but a starfruit, which Robin absolutely hated. A hate that he had mentioned to Jakob on their way over to Izumo.
Done with the way Jakob was treating him, Robin walked up to the butler to tell him how he felt. "Okay, Jakob, I've had enough. What the hell did I do? Did I wrong you somehow? Or did I do something to Corrin you didn't like? Because you've left me confused here, and I don't know how to apologize for something I may or may not have done in the first place."
Darkness seemed to envelop his surroundings. "Did you do something to Corrin? Is that seriously a question you feel the need to ask? You know the answer to that, cur," snapped Jakob, who finally dropped his smile.
"Actually, I don't. I was hoping you would explain so I could properly apologize," Robin responded.
He raised an eyebrow while taking a step forward, and Jakob's lost smile turned into a scowl. The butler had a habit of overreacting to anything that hurt Corrin, and while Robin could deal with it most days he just wasn't up to it at the moment. Jakob really needed to learn to take a break sometimes.
"Last night after leaving your room, Lady Corrin's eyes were red. Not just the irises, but the rims. She was crying, and certainly for a long time. I know you caused it. And since you made Lady Corrin cry, it's only fair that you suffer as well. And do not try to deny it, she was upset the entire evening, though it may have faded after she spoke to you. But by that time it likely only changed to a calm because she could no longer deal with the pain you brought to her." Jakob's words were full of venom, and he practically bit at Robin with each sentence. The gray haired man was getting confrontational, stepping forward every few seconds. "If I see you so much as look her way today, you will find yourself severely regretting it and wishing you were blind."
Robin had to hold back a snarky retort to Jakob's attack. Though his vocabulary and phrasing may have been advanced, that didn't stop Jakob from sounding like an eight year old throwing a tantrum whenever Corrin came up.
Takumi and Azura were currently engaged in conversation with some well dressed men who Robin could only assume were part of the nobility of Izumo (or at least upper class), and Sakura was speaking with Subaki and Hana so Robin couldn't get them to help. His only choice was Corrin then. Unfortunately, she was nowhere in sight. Although that may have been a sign of good fortune instead. Jakob seemed quite serious about his warning of staying away from looking at Corrin, and Robin didn't want to be in the receiving end of whatever else he came up with.
A hand on their shoulders made both Robin and Jakob turn around, coming face to face (to face) with Corrin herself.
"Am I glad to see you two! How'd you sleep last night? This palace is wonderful, and I think a year got added to my life from the great rest I got! Especially thanks to you, Jakob. That tea you thought me was fantastic. I don't think I would have slept half as well if I'd gone tealess. So thanks a ton, it really meant a lot to me." With her head tilted to the side and a wide smile, Corrin's positivity made it hard to stay annoyed.
Jakob blushed at her comment, and began stammering a reply before he was interrupted by his mistress. "Oh and Jakob, I really hope this isn't too much to ask, but do you think you could get some more of whatever it was you used to make that tea? You mentioned it was a local herb, and I'm worried we won't be able to find a similar one for a while. That was some of the best tea I've ever tasted, so it would be such a disappointment to have to wait until the war is over and we come back to try some more. So…?"
"Of course, Milady!"
Jakob ran off into the nearby woods, and Corrin sighed as soon as her servant was out of sight.
"Is he really that overbearing? I'm sorry you have to deal with that," Robin said, trying to comfort his friend.
Corrin blinked. "Overbearing? Not at all! It's just that… well, he's been feeling kind of useless lately. Especially after the last battle, where I got hurt to the point of getting knocked unconscious, and he couldn't do anything about it. He was beating himself up about not only being unable to protect me, but about being so useless he couldn't even heal me, leaving the job to some teenage princess we've only just met.
"There was another time, before we met, where he wasn't there and I got hurt. I'm not sure how much has been explained to you, but the whole reason I had to choose between Nohr and Hoshido was that I was double kidnapped. First as a child like you know, but I was also re-kidnapped and taken to Hoshido not too long ago. They got me after an inspection mission Fa- King Garon had sent me on, to check out a fortress by the border. I was there with Gunter, Jakob, and this mean guy named Hans. The fortress was occupied and we battled, eventually winning. When the four of us tried to leave, Jakob got caught behind, meaning Gunter, Hans, and I were left alone on one of the bridges above the canyon. Hand knocked Gunter off and fled, and I almost fell too. That time Lilith saved me, since Jakob was gone. But it was only temporary as I was almost immediately taken by Rinkah to Hoshido. That was two failures in Jakob's mind, two failures he can't forgive himself for.
"Then in Hoshido my mother died, and I was once again attacked. I would have lost myself if it weren't for Azura. Jakob was gone, so there was failure three. When it came to choosing between Hoshido and Nohr I refused both, and Jakob finally came back, defending me. That redemption wasn't enough to overcome his past failures though. And when I dismissed his worries after finding you, I think it terrified him. Or humiliated him, since I was saying he was wrong. That started his dislike of you. You were the reason for the dismissal after all. And in the recent battles it's been you and I at the forefront. When we were in… that place that can't really be… well, you know, you figured out the teleport spaces by throwing rocks at him, and I giggled. I laughed at his getting hit and humiliated. He was the butt of a joke I was enjoying and he wasn't.
"If you add all those things together, It makes sense. I think he feels like he's useless, like he's been humiliated and outperformed by some new guy with questionable origins, and he doesn't know how to respond. All he can do is try to make your life bad so you drop out of the spotlight, which he can hopefully take up. Although I guess he wouldn't exactly be taking the spotlight, as he doesn't typically enjoy that. He just doesn't want his spot as number one Corrin helper to be taken, because he's been there for years and doesn't know what else to do with himself. If he loses that he loses everything his life has worked up to. So try to go a little easy on him, okay?
"That's the whole reason I sent him on the little tea trip anyway. I do like the tea, but that trip is more than I think is worth it. It makes him happy though and right now he needs it, so I don't mind. I just hope he's back in time for the march. Being late would probably kill his mood," Corrin explained. Robin could understand, so he voiced it in his reply.
"I guess so. Ah, I can be pretty inconsiderate, can't I? I'll try to get better about that, and to not be so harsh on the guy. Which reminds me, where are we marching to exactly?" Robin asked. The night before everyone had been either so upset about Izana's death or so suspicious of Robin that their next destination hadn't come up.
"Where are we…? I… I have no idea, actually. Do you think Azura knows?" Equally clueless, Corrin rubbed her head with a grimace.
"Mitotsu," Kaze supplied, popping out of the shadows. Robin jumped slightly at the sudden voice, while Corrin 'eep'ed and threw up her hands.
"How do you do that Kaze? Normally I can hear people coming, especially with my useful large ears you guys were making fun of, but I couldn't tell you were there at all until you spoke!"
The green ninja shook his head, and commented that it was a family secret he had no place sharing.
Robin was curious as to where and what this Mitotsu place was, so he voiced his question to Kaze, who answered clearly and concisely. It was to the Southwest, a week or so away. Apparently there was a library surpassing even that of Izumo there, which the group hoped to gain information of. In addition, it was a transportation hub, and the crossroads for several trade routes, meaning a great many travelers would be there. By talking to the travelers they could gleam information on what other places with prophecies or ancient texts were, and could head out. Even better, there was a large temple in the town, full of priests and other clergy who would possibly be able to help interpret Izana's prophecies for the downed man. The library attracted scholars as well, so academics specialized in religion would also be staying there. Overall, it sounded like a fantastic place to visit.
Thanking Kaze, Corrin dismissed the man. With a short nod he disappeared in a puff of smoke. How the Hoshidan ninja did that Robin wasn't sure, but he was determined to find out sooner or later. A few seconds later Kaze's place was filled by Jakob, sweating but holding a very full bag that Robin hadn't noticed earlier.
"I've gotten you all the herbs for your tea as you asked, Lady Corrin. Is there anything else you require?" The butler said, trying very hard to steady his breath. It seemed the man had sprinted the entire way as fast as he could, and Robin admired Jakob for it. If anything, he was determined. A man that Robin was glad to have by his side, even if he could occasionally be a pain.
Corrin's army finished their preparations, and began to set on their way. Mitotsu was a six or seven days' march if weather wasn't a problem, so they wanted to go as fast as possible. Given they were armored and carrying supplies, Robin estimated they would go at a pace of about twenty miles per day. Mitotsu was around one hundred-twenty kilometers from Izumo, so six days seemed the best estimation.
"W-wait!" someone cried as Robin finished walking to the rear of the group to ask Subaki about using his pegasus to carry some extra supplies.
'No, it can't be…' Robin thought, slowly turning to face the source of the voice.
There in pajamas, held up by Katsa, was Izana. He was looking terrible, as to be expected by almost dying, and Robin was speechless. "Be… before… you go," Izana coughed, reaching out a hand, "let me t-tell you… one more th-thing. Don't… beat your-self up ab-bout the p-aas...t. I tr-ust you, so…" Izana erupted into another coughing fit and collapsed, Katsa's support being the only thing keeping The archduke from hitting the floor. "I'll tell you… later. See ya… th-e-en…"
Eyes fluttering, Izana went completely limp, and Katsa started scolding the archduke's unconscious body.
"Izana's…?" Robin was unable to collect himself enough to form a full sentence, so he trailed off.
"Alive, yes, but barely. He probably won't be getting out of bed again for a few months yet. He downed several elixers, oltmos, and cups of coffee before coming out here, and though it meant he was able to get out a few words, it's definitely going to make him feel horrible for the next few days minimum. When he first woke up he mentioned that he heard the voice of a god he didn't recognize again, and that it was her that saved him. I don't remember the name, but I think I will add in a prayer to her every time I kneel down from now on, for helping preserve the life of our great archduke. I wish you luck on your journey, Robin. May the gods be with you."
Robin nodded dumbly, and moved to join Corrin. He'd inform her of his encounter with Izana while they made their way to Mitotsu. Hopefully weather would stay out of their way.
Author's note: That was the chapter! And yes, I know, nothing happened. Nothing particularly plot important, at least. But I've had quite a few reviews concerning lack of explanation and wishing for some clarification, so I felt like I needed to include it. I was planning on doing something like this anyway, but your reviews motivated me all the more to get on it (so if you guys want something or are curious, I do read reviews to check for things to include or take into account). This is way longer than I had intended, since I originally figured it would take about 3-4,000 words, but I have trouble cutting down on my writing and what's done is done.
And about Izana- I think his death in the actual game is silly, and only included so there could be some way to recruit Fuga. I suppose it was a big part of convincing Takumi to join, but I still feel it could have been executed better. He may or may not come back later, but right now I'm just keeping my options open. I'm also curious as to how you all feel about Izana surviving in this story, and if it surprised you. Please leave a review about it or anything else if you have the time! Thanks for reading. Originally posted November 15, 2016.
Word count, pre AN: 9,890
Eruran out.
