Finally! Finally after for-freaking-ever I got the inspiration to write this! I am so sorry to make everyone wait so long. I tried and and off for so long, but just couldn't get anything that felt good...finally I have it! So to all those who have waited all this time, thank you all so much. Without further adieu, read and review!
Of all the things to happen, she couldn't deny that she'd expected to be hated or feared...but the Shepherds have always preferred to upend her expectations when they can.
"...That wasn't Grima." Severa was the first to speak, voice confident as the adults looked at her. "The fell dragon could never act that caring." She elaborated.
"That was our Robin." Cynthia agreed. "Well...except the red eyes." She added. "But that's exactly how our Robin would make Owain feel better."
"She was really always that...distant?" Lissa asked, getting nods.
"With everyone but Henry." Kjelle stated.
"You expect someone always chased by Grimleal to get close to people?" Heads snapped to look at the remaining plegian, eyes of the adults wide.
"Chased by Grimleal?" Libra questioned, looking unconvinced.
"The 'vessel' didn't want anything to do with them. So they were always trying to hunt her down." Tharja's eyes were covered in shadows as she spoke, mouth twitching into a frown.
"You knew she's Grima?!" The war priest demanded angrily, only for her to glare.
"The vessel, not Grima himself." She corrected, staring him down until he looked away. "Everyone in Plegia knows of the girl with orange hair, our god-to-be." The words came out like they should be obvious.
"Do you... know the reason she didn't want anything to do with the Grimleal?" Chrom questioned after a moment, the dark mage shaking her head.
"There's little known about her unless you're a high member of the Grimleal. Only that she's a plegian girl with orange hair, to be raised by the Grimleal but never was, and she had a silver haired companion until she disappeared." The adults all looked at one another. "A silver-haired youth with a knowledge of curses and an extraordinary gift for magic. A man guarded by fierce crows, unless at the side of the vessel." It's Sully who finally says what they're all thinking.
"...Henry travelled with Robin?" The curse user gave another, albeit far more annoyed, nod.
"I don't know for how long. But he's extraordinarily loyal to the vessel, having rejected Grima several times aloud. I've heard he's kept the vessel from losing her body to Grima as well, which I can confirm when we saw it at the Mila Tree."
"Robin could have become Grima?!" The blonde princess' voice cracked.
"If not for him jumping in to calm her. If Robin's child dies that will limit the possibility of Grima being reborn, which he doesn't want. And he seems to consider it an attack on himself." Tharja answered the question, of why Grima would care for Morgan, before anyone could ask. After that she walked away, over to Kellam, making it clear she was done with the conversation.
"Why didn't he say anything?" Mirabelle questioned aloud. "If he already knew Robin so well why not tell us?"
"She didn't remember him." Chrom reminded the group after a moment. "I imagine finding her acting so differently and without memory of him must have upset him greatly."
"To be so loyal to someone that you renounce your own god...only for them to hold no memory of you..." It was clear Libra had difficulty imagining such a thing, what he said only made the whole situation that much more gut wrenching.
"...Ya said Robin was Grimleal." Vaike's sudden voice drew the war monk's attention, clearly looking confused. "It wasn't too long after Henry joined up. When ye did he...uh..." The man crossed his arms, trying to remember.
"He broke a branch. Then made one of his crows screech, probably hurt it by accident." Gaius filled in.
"Yeah! If she was hunted by the Grimleal hearin' ye say that musta upset him real bad!" The spiky blond man was clearly proud of himself for his dedication, grinning widely at the group. The femanine looking man, on the other hand, looked down at the floor and seemed uncertain how to respond.
"Why the Grimleal cloak then?" Sully asked in confusion.
"Disguise." The orange haired thief immediately answered. "If no Grimleal are around and she keeps the hood up, people won't think anything of another member travelling."
"So...are you guys going to keep feeling sorry for yourselves or what?" Everyone's heads snapped to Nowi, her arms crossed and a pout on her face. "I knew Robin wasn't normal from the start, all my instincts said to stay away from her. But she's gone out of her way to save not just all of us, but a whole bunch of innocent people too. Grima may be inside Robin, but there's no way she is Grima. Right Panne?"
"I agree with Nowi. Robin was shy until pushed and kind beyond what I'd come to expect from most humans. A being of destruction such as the fell dragon wouldn't go out of the way to save people, especially not those who disagree with them like when the army split in two. She even left these countries to their leaders." Panne added with a nod. "So instead of standing here trying to figure out what to do with her as though she's a monster, you should be appreciating that Grima hasn't truly taken over and killed you all."
"... They're right. Robin isn't Grima. She's loyal and kind, until recently at least. There's no way the Fell Dragon that destroyed Lucina's time could act like that." Chrom stated, looking around as everyone nodded one by one...beyond Libra and the kids, but that was to be expected. "It's about time for us to get going." With that he turned, heading towards the exit of the castle.
When Nowi finds it necessary to act like an adult you really need to rethink whatever has her like that. And Vaike got a moment of at least partly remembering something important, just not exactly what happened. For the adults it's easy enough to accept Robin is Robin, they only found out about Grima inside her earlier today...for the children it's still more difficult, at least for some.