The Two Princes
One prince fights,
The other's given in.
One protects life,
One doesn't want to live.
Frederick finally released a sigh. The two men before him had been going back and forth for sometime now, the tone never hostile or unfriendly, but both men clearly frustrated.
"Please, Prince Robin, you must understand that bandits from Plegia do present a threat to innocent civilians, especially near the border. Yet the bandits we faced were not too far from Ylisstol, which tells me that they have grown bolder. By your own father's admission, in a meeting with the Exalt, Plegia does not have a bandit problem. So you understand my concern?" Chrom said, his voice strained.
"I understand your concern, as well as your frustration, but I cannot do anything to assuage such woes. Plegian bandits invading Ylissean lands speaks more to baseborn prejudice than highborn political maneuvering." Robin replied. He brought a hand to his head, rubbing his temples. Frederick could not help but think that the Plegian looked forced in all his expressions.
"I do not desire the deaths of any innocents, and King Validar has pledged to take action against banditry close to the border, but you must understand that the royalty can't control the whims of highwaymen."
Chrom narrowed his eyes. He had very little doubt that the man before him outclassed his intelligence several times over. He could see it in Robin's eyes, silver matching his hair. But, Chrom had always been told that, though he could be dense at times, he had a way of seeing through people. Seeing what they really are. When he looked at Robin, he saw an unparalleled genius. A man who did not want his station. He saw a sadness lurking somewhere deep.
He saw a liar, and he saw through every word.
"Forgive me, however, you must understand that words alone mean little, even spoken by a crown prince." Chrom noticed Robin wince a little as he spoke. "I would ask that you give us something concrete. Validar saying that he will crackdown on banditry does little to reassure me that my subjects will not wake up to a blade at their throat and their village ablaze." Frederick noted that the prince's tone carried more of an edge than the knight had ever heard from him.
Robin regarded him, his look cold and calculating, the afternoon sun casting odd colors on him as it shone through the stained glass windows. It took Chrom a moment before he realized that he had stood up while speaking.
"What can we give you that is concrete?" The silver haired man asked, rising to his feet as well. "My heart weeps with your citizens, but aside from crackdowns, there's little more that we can do. I know that the rumor going around tells a tale of instigation, a power hungry monarch wanting a war with his old enemy, using bandits to push that enemy into starting one. You would do well to separate fact from fiction. The facts are that Ylisse has a bandit problem, and some of these bandits are Plegian. You have your own army, as well. Use it."
"Our own army is still mending from the war, even after ten years. Plegians may remember how violent my father was to them, as they have the right to, but they forget that we suffered for his bloodlust as well. The only military force we have operating at full capacity are the Knights' Order, and the Pegasus Knights. We lack the manpower to send large armies through the south to dig out every Plegian bandit."
Chrom couldn't hold back his anger now, his frustration growing too strong to hide. He saw through every lie that Robin spoke, and the Plegian prince was aware of it.
"Do you know how many people the last group of bandits killed, before we finally put them down?" Robin shook his head. "287, that we know of. And if you would sit idle, allow this problem to continue, then you are just as guilty as the highwaymen."
It happened for less than a second, just for the blink of an eye, but for a moment, Robin's mask fell. Chrom could see beneath that cold, intelligent veneer, if only for a moment.
He saw a pained, tired man.
Chrom's temper cooled as quickly as it had flared, and he sat down with a sigh. Robin remained standing, but his emotionless mask returned.
"Forgive me, I… I got a bit passionate. But my point does stand. Would you inherit a throne of lies?" He said, leaning back in his seat.
"My prince, you understand little. I will inherit nothing." Robin's tone was only factual, lacking anger or bitterness. "The heir-apparent would be my sister, crown princess Aversa."
Chrom nodded, taking this information in stride. After a moment, Robin sat down across from him. The two sat in silence for a moment, lost in thought. When it was broken, it was by the door opening. Frederick immediately went on guard, relaxing only when he saw the colors of Ylissean guards entering. With them was a Chon'sinese man the knight didn't recognize.
He had all the appearance of a warrior; light armor covering his chest and legs, ending above muscular biceps. Strong shoulders, two blades at his side, and a dour expression, this newcomer clearly came at the permission of the palace guard, easing Frederick's concern. The swordsman knelt beside Robin, whispering something to him. After a moment, the young prince nodded, before looking back at Chrom and Frederick.
"Forgive me, milords. This is Lon'qu, my retainer. He only comes to tell me that my king has recalled us in urgency. Forgive me, but I must depart.." Robin said. Not much one for ceremony, he stood, bowing a bit to Chrom, and giving Frederick a slight nod. As he turned to leave, however, he stopped for a moment, turning back to face the Ylissean prince.
"...It would be prudent to make better use of Pegasus Knights in order to catch bandits more effectively. I would recommend having squads trained for rapid dispatch at any time, located throughout the are of the bandit attacks. Send them in teams, one rider and one passenger for every pegasus. It isn't much, but next time, the bandits would be lucky to survive one raid on a town."
And with that, without waiting for any response, he left. Frederick did not miss the glare from Lon'qu had angled at Robin as they exited.
After the two Plegians and the guards left, Chrom sighed once more, but he wrote down what Robin had told him.
"What did you make of the prince, milord?" Frederick asked, deferential to Chrom's sense of discernment.
"...He… he was not a bad man. Indeed, within him I sense a genuinely good person. But that person fights a demon." Chrom's eyes spaced out, getting lost in thought. "He certainly seemed to have his demons, anyway."
Frederick nodded, agreeing with the prince's observation. The knight could sense an overwhelming intelligence from the Plegian, as well as a definite conscious. Robin seemed truly bothered by the notion of innocent lives being lost, even if they were citizens of his nation's biggest rival.
But he also sensed a darkness. It was in the corners of his eyes, and in his very countenance as well.
"Come," Chrom said, after finishing writing, "We have much to discuss with Emmeryn."
After the two men left, a shadow in the corner of the room moved, the dark blue of the spectre's outfit blending perfectly with the shade of the room, in the parts that the light from the afternoon sun did not hit.
The shadow raised a hand to its mask, the groan it let out very feminine.
"What in all of the hells…" Lucina muttered. Why was everything wrong? Validar did not take the kingship of Plegia until after the Mad King's War. And… Validar was Robin's father? In truth, that explained a great deal. Eyewitnesses do pin Chrom's best friend as his murderer, which is effectively implicating Robin as the killer. It was said that Chrom's friend had dived in front of an attack launched by Validar first, betraying the Exalt immediately after. That had always been a source of confusion for Lucina. Her father's killer had nearly laid down their life for him, just to then kill him immediately after the fact?
Then it hit her. A bloodcurse. It was a rare, nearly unheard of curse, but Validar both had the means and the will to use one.
So that was it. Robin wasn't a traitor, but a victim. Lucina found herself feeling something akin to relief. She knew what to do.
This time, she would save her father. Perhaps this meant saving his tactician.
"You shouldn't have done that."
Robin let out a groan. He had known this to be coming, but he had hoped perhaps his retainer would let it go.
"They're innocent civilians, Lon'qu. I… had to do something," he said. He looked down at his hands, holding the reigns of the horse he rode slowly upon, alongside his retainer as the two returned to Plegia.
"I understand that, but all the same. Your father will not be happy," the swordsman warned.
"I know. Hence is why I will not tell him."
"He will find out."
"Eventually, but that is a problem for the future."
The swordsman did not offer a reply to this, but Robin knew he did not like the prince's sentiments. Lon'qu eventually sighed, shaking his head a bit as he did so.
"What do you think we should do about our follower?" He eventually asked. Robin smirked, turning back to find the shape of a person far off in the distance, who had followed them for some time.
"Leave them be. Perhaps they have something of value to say."
"Hmph."
The two rode on in silence.
It had taken two weeks for the pair to return to Plegia Castle, the body of the Fell Dragon looming forebodingly over it. Their follower maintained a constant distance, and it was clear they intended to stay hidden. Indeed, they were no amateur either; both Robin, and more impressively, Lon'qu, had lost sight of them a few times. Were they less skilled or experienced, they probably would not have noticed the follower in the first place.
As the pair entered the gates of the fortress walls, they split ways. Robin was off to meet his father, while Lon'qu almost certainly went to train. Robin entered the actual castle, immediately finding someone waiting for him.
"Robin! It is good to see you well!" Aversa said, a bright smile on her face. She immediately pulled her adoptive brother into an embrace, albeit a short one. Robin could not help but smile a bit himself, his sister was able to pull out that side of him.
"How did the meeting go?" She asked after a moment.
"About as well as you would expect."
"Bah, I am sure you did well." She said, her smile still bright.
"Thank you, sister. But I must confess some curiosity. Why did Validar recall us? Is everything okay?" He asked, to be met with a shrug.
"I have not witnessed anything unusual. Father did say he needed to show me something tonight, but I cannot claim any idea as to what." She said. "Perhaps he worried for your safety. Ylisse does have a bandit problem, after all, not to mention that many of the old veterans would leap at the chance to kill any Plegian, much less a prince."
Robin's smile wavered a bit. He was always quick to forget how unflinchingly she believed Validar, and every word he said.
"I did not experience any such violence, dear sister, and I doubt he would recall me out of fear for my safety."
"Come now, he cares for you… in his own way." Aversa said, seeming a little uncomfortable.
"Yes, perhaps he does." Robin replied. "But now, I must go meet with him, and offer a debriefing. I will speak to you soon, my sister."
She waved a goodbye to him as he walked away, headed toward the throne room now. Many soldiers and servants nodded to him as he passed, some of the more zealous bowing. Most ignored him, as he preferred it.
Finally, he opened the doors of the throne room. It was a dark room, light only coming in through stained glass, casting everything in shades of red. Along the walls were paintings and enscriptions worshipping Grima, and around the throne, the Mark of Grima was patterened into the carpet. Robin felt his right hand burn.
"Ah," his father said from atop the throne, "the Heart returns to us safely."
Robin paused for a moment. It was hardly unusual for Validar to refer to him as the Heart, but never had there been such a venom to it. He knew Validar resented him a great deal, but that was mostly evident in how he neglected the prince.
"Tell me, how did your meeting go?" He asked after a moment.
"I only met with the prince, not the Exalt. He seems a good man, more a warrior than a politician." Robin responded.
"Now, dear Heart, you know that this is not what I want from you."
Robin swallowed, hating himself for his actions now.
"...From what I have observed… as well as from what I have heard from the prince himself… the Ylissean military is far weaker than we initially believed. They suspect the bandits are supported by our government, but they cannot even spare the manpower to fight them. They only truly have aeiral might, as well as cavalry power from their Knights' Order. We outclass their numbers, and I expect our soldiers to be more experienced."
Within him, an odd sensation bubbled to life. Guilt.
"So if we were to invade…" Validar said, allowing the question to hang.
"It is… unlikely they alone can fight us off. However, they maintain close ties to Regna Ferox, which I suspect holds roughly double the number of our own army." Robin said.
"I see. And your solution?" Validar asked, expectantly.
Robin sighed.
"If we fight Ylisse in a conventional war, they have little chance of victory. I do not know the exact number of their military, but I do not think it is even half the size of our own. Were we to attack, with lightning precision and overwhelming force, we could bring about a capitulation in about six months. We will be hard pressed, however. Should Ferox hold true to their alliance, they will at least send the bulk of their armies, if not all of them. This comes at the cost of slow mobilization, however. I suspect they will take at least 8 months to mobilize for war, and if we can capitulate Ylisse before Ferox can intervene, they may just stay out of the war entirely."
Validar simply nodded, muttering that he would run it by the generals, as close to a 'job well done' as Robin got.
Not that he was exactly searching for accolades at present.
"So," Robin began, "why did you call us back so early? Is something wrong?"
Even in the darkened room, Robin could see the king's wicked grin. "No, Heart. Everything is perfect. I will share more as the time comes to do so. For now, you are dismissed."
For the rest of the day, Robin did as he normally did. He hid away in his room, desperate to lose himself in a book, anything to distract him from reality. Reality was not very accomodating of his intended goal, however. He found himself unable to focus on anything aside from the destruction that would rain down on Ylisse. Destruction that he was largely to blame for.
Eventually, he set down his novel, accepting that he would not soon get any reprieve. He decided to take a walk along the castle grounds. As he left his room, he found the dark hall before him empty. The setting sun cast precious little light to this wing of the castle, not that it mattered. The only thing that was on this wing was Robin's room. As such, servants and guards did not typically venture to this area. Initially, Validar had meant this to be a sign of reverance for the vessel of his god. Over time, as Validar's reverance turned to regret over the 'unworthy vessel', Robin's private island of solitude became less a paradise and more a prison. The only people who ventured here were Aversa for her visits, and Lon'qu to check on his safety. Aside from the two of them, Robin was alone for almost the entirety of his days in the castle.
But now, as he stood in the dark hall, he found he was not alone now. He drew his sword, and gave a long, irritated sigh.
"You are certainly no amateur in the field of stealth, I will grant you. But this game grows tiresome. Reveal yourself, and tell me what you want from me, Ylissean." He said, his bronze blade glinting in what little sunlight there was.
In front of him, from the shadows emerged a person dressed in blue. His- no, Robin thought, looking closer and narrowing his eyes, Her face was covered by a butterfly mask, and a broadsword hung at her hip, the design one he found eerily familiar.
"Peace, Prince Robin. I intend you no harm," she said, her voice low, having an odd, throaty sound, and he realized she was trying to disguise it.
"Many would-be assassins have claimed similar. Forgive me, but tonight, you will have to work for your bounty."
And with that, he lunged at her.
Robin had, to his name, 15 years of training with a blade by this point, nearly since he was born. While he was not as great as Lon'qu, he could give the dour Chon'sinese a run for his money, occasionally even winning.
This masked woman, in a single, fluid motion, drew her blade, disarmed him, and knocked a leg out from under him using the flat of her blade. She rested a foot lightly on his chest, blade angled at his neck.
"Please, heed my words. I wish only to speak with you." She said. She removed her foot from his chest, sheathed her blade, and offered him a hand that he reluctantly accepted. Never before had he been so soundly beaten. Part of him was insulted. Mostly, he was impressed.
"Perhaps you would be inclined to allow us the use of your chambers?" she asked, "I… am wary of listeners."
Robin, mostly out of a newly found respect for her, nodded, leading her back to his room, closing and locking the door behind them. His candles and lantern were still lit, casting the room in a warm, inviting light. It also highlighted the plethora of books he had strewn about, many of them historical novels that were still open.
He looked at the masked woman to find her glancing around the room cautiously. Her hair was blue, matching her outfit, and it was intricately done to give the impression of being short. She really was doing her best to keep her gender a secret, and it probably would work on most people. Hell, it would have worked on him two years ago, truth be told.
In the light, he could take a better look at her. She was painfully thrail, as if food had not been a luxury afforded to her, and she was much shorter than Robin felt she should be, perhaps pointing to stunted growth. Despite all of her skill with a sword, she was still very gaunt looking, and looked particularly unhealthy.
"So, your name?" Robin asked. She hesitated, taking a moment before answering.
"...You may call me Marth." She responded, her voice still forced to a lower octave. Robin smirked slightly.
"That's an odd name for a woman, Ylissean." He said simply. She swung around, angling a shocked look at him, sputtering wildly for a moment.
"I… I am- Why would you... " She kept trying and failing to form sentences before giving up, releasing a frustrated sigh, and looking downwards.
"How did you know?" She finally asked, her voice taking on a much higher pitch that must have been her real voice. Robin shrugged.
"Hang out with Lon'qu enough, he starts to rub off on you in ways. I suspect he would have deduced it instantly as well. But it matters little, your gender will remain a secret. For now, however, why did you seek me out?" He asked.
She let out a breath, before angling her face at him, "...I would ask you tell me the history of the past twenty years. Something went wrong."
Aversa stared at her brother's face, struggling to comprehend. This… she knew that this thing was not truly her brother, and yet… he looked identical almost, just older. This man, Validar had called the new hierophant, had allegedly shown up out of the blue. The king was ecstatic, Aversa… she was in shock.
"I… I do not understand. What is this?" She asked, subconsciously backing away. Her brother's face laughed, breaking into a feral grim.
"I inhabit the body of the man who was once your brother. I am Grima, in Robin's flesh." The hierophant said, still grinning. The red light of the throneroom in the setting sun cast him a menacing shadow.
"My… my brother is dead?" She asked, her voice carefully even.
"Your brother is in his room, at present," Validar said. "What stands before you is much greater."
Grima smiled, his teeth like pointed fangs. "I come from a time some twenty years hence, after the man that was your brother became one with me. I am the one who ended Ylisse, the Shepherds, and the Exalt himself. But alas, you lot will certainly not understand." He said, letting out a sigh.
"The timeline that I have found myself in has been thrown out of whack. Validar was to take the throne, but that wasn't supposed to happen for another two, three years. Gangrel was meant to take the throne first, and his war would plunge Plegia into chaos that Validar would manipulate."
The Avatar let out a breath before continuing. "The truth of the matter is that this is for the better. We don't have to wait for the Mad King, hell, we could invade Ylisse now and be done with it."
Validar smirked, "The Heart has already drafted the needed plans. We could make to march as soon as you are prepared, milord." The Fell Dragon nodded slightly before Validar continued, "We could also prepare The Heart to merge with you."
To this, Grima let out a mirthless laugh. "No. Absolutely not. You produced a very capable Heart, Validar, but not an obedient one in the slightest. He has made every waking moment hell. Even now, after being joined for seven years, Robin continues to resist me."
Validar sputtered for a moment. "I… I see. Then what should we do about the current Heart? And won't you need a new one?"
Grima turned his gaze over his two servants. Aversa felt herself wither under his eyes, and her father, she could tell, did the same.
"Whom do you serve?" He asked, his question dangerously simple.
"You, milord," both Validar and Aversa said in unison.
"Then know this to be a fact. Robin is too dangerous… far too dangerous to be allowed to live. Without him, Ylisse will most certainly fall. Kill him." His order was plain, simple.
Aversa felt herself beginning to sweat, unbidden. She knew, too well, what it was she had to do.
"Milord," Grima turned to face her, "Allow me. If he were to die, it must be by the hand of someone who loved him."
Grima stared into her eyes for a moment, before nodding slightly.
"Go."
Aversa took no more time to collect herself. She pulled out her knife as she walked out of the throneroom, dread filling her heart, knowing what comes next.
"So, how did your meeting go?" Emmeryn asked, smiling coyly.
"About as well as you would expect."
"Oh come now, I am certain you did well," she said, reclining a little in her chair she sat in across from her brother. "At the very least, our countries are not at war. That alone means you did better than many had expected."
"I do confess some frustration," he said simply.
"I know, Chrom. I feel it as well, you know," she said, eyes downcast. "But tell me, what did you think of Prince Robin? I've yet to meet him."
"He is… he's a good man, buried under darkness. An unparalleled genius, of that I have very little doubt. I believe he knows that his father sends bandits into our country, but is powerless to stop him. He gace me advice that may help us combat them, anyways." he said, the image of Robin's tired eyes burning into his mind. He had only seen the mask fall for a moment, but that was all he needed.
"I see. Let us pray that there is hope yet for him, then."
Chrom gave a simple nod, his mind drifting.
Robin had been enigmatic, yet… there was something oddly familiar about him.
...And the prince didn't even look Plegian…
As asked, Robin began to recount the last twenty years of history on the Archaenean continent. Lucina found that, just as he had been in her own time, Robin was exceptionally well-read. He was able to break down everything she needed to know, and in very digestible ways. He began with her grandfather's war, known to the Ylisseans as the "Grand Conquest", and to the Plegians as the "Great Incursion". More or less, this war followed her timeline's, only innocuous differences existed.
Where it seemed the timelines diverged was post-war Plegia. In her own, the Mad King Gangrel had filled the power vacuum left by the dissolution of the pre-war government. In this one, however, Validar had moved for the throne as well. This left Plegia in a state of civil war, one that lasted three years. So bloody the war was, the populace called it "The War of the Lost Generation". Almost an entire generation of Plegians, wiped out, Robin had said. That's why men of Validar's age were such a rarity now.
In the end, Validar had won the war. Not due to overwhelming military power. Not due to a genius strategy. In the end, after all the fighting had ended, Validar simply had the army with less dead in their ranks.
Lucina had listened to Robin intently, but she had noticed things about the prince-tactician. His eyes held the same intelligence that she remembered from her time, but this man looked… older, in a way. Despite being only nineteen, if her math was correct, the man before her had such tired eyes. Not fatigued, or sleepy even. He looked as though life had grown tiresome.
Lucina did not know very much about the Robin in her time. He had always been secretive about his past; his mother had died during childbirth, and he had run away from home before he had even seen fifteen years. There had always been a quiet sadness to him, but the man talking to her now seemed… so much worse.
Finally, he finished, speaking of recent and successful efforts to rebuild the Plegian army and strengthen the border. After he was done, he watched her closely, and Lucina found herself intensely uncomfortable under his gaze. She could feel him see through her, see her through her guise, and working out just who she really was.
"So tell me, why d-" before Robin could get the question out there was a bang at the door, making both of them jump. He nodded to Lucina, who promptly opened the window and began to scale down, hoping she wasn't making the wrong choice.
Aversa barged in, not a second too late. Marth had only just escaped, and Robin had not much wanted to explain that to her. But, Robin noted how delirious Aversa looked. She was sweating, shaking a little bit, her hair very clearly having been touselled about by her wandering hands. The second she saw him, she gave the most uneasy smile he had ever seen.
"Brother dear, it is good to see you," she said, her voice carefully even. Her arms were behind her back as she spoke. "Unfortunately, the conditions of my visit are hardly favorable."
Robin quirked an eyebrow, "Oh? What are the conditions?" He asked. Aversa's smile tightened, and Robin noticed tears beginning to fall down her face. Her arms dropped to her side, the dagger held in one of them immediately visible.
"M-my good K-k-king, Validar the First, h-has ordered your death." Her voice was more strained than he had ever heard, and Robin realized why she was there. This… this was bound to happen someday. Robin had expected this, sooner or later. He had just expected his death to come from merging with Grima, as his 'destiny' had been. Perhaps, then, this was for the better.
"I… see. Very well. Do as you must, sister," he said, making his best attempt at an easy smile.
"Dear brother, when is the last time that smile reached your eyes?" She asked, trembling now.
"When I last had my mother. But such is the past. Here and now, you have a task. I will not resent you for it," Robin said, closing his eyes in wait, hearing her approach. "No matter our family, I love you as though you were of my own blood."
"I… must do this." She was only about two feet away from him now.
"I know," he said, his eyes still closed, his smile still easy. He knew death came, and he willed it come sooner.
What decended upon him, however, was not the cold metal of a knife, but the warm embrace of a hug.
"I love you. Do not forget that," Aversa sobbed into his shoulder. Robin returned her embrace, nodding, ready to hear the sound of a blade splitting flesh.
And then he heard it.
But it was not his flesh.
Aversa staggered back, her dagger buried into her stomach. Robin watched, wide-eyed as she yelped in pain. She… she had done it while her arms were around him, dropping one arm down, and stabbing herself in the stomach. But, why?
She flashed a tear-filled gaze up at him, a smile on her face as blood leaked from her lips.
"My brother… Run, you fool… the other… the soldiers… they will not be so… so lenient. Go. Go far away. Do not look back," she said, staggering down to a knee.
"Aversa…" he saif, desperately wanting to help his sister.
"GO! If you linger here, they will find you. I can handle Validar, and the blade did not hit vitals. I will be fine. Go, you genius idiot."
Robin nodded lightly, heading for the door before freezing. He could hear armored boots storming down the hall. That left…
He turned toward the open window, cast one more solemn look toward his sister, and leapt out.
Lucina heard the crash, some twenty feet away from her. She came running to investigate, just to find Robin on the ground, writhing in pain. She stood, stock still for a moment. Had he leapt from his window, some 200 feet in the air, at the top of the castle? How did he survive? That fall should have…
Then she saw the green colored tome, a few feet away from the prince. He had used wind magic to break his fall, huh?
She had to suppress a smirk, instead moving over and offering a hand.
"This requires an explanation," she said simply, her hand outstretched.
When he looked at her, she knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He had the look of a cornored animal.
"We're in danger. You need to go, Marth. The Palace Guard will be out for my blood," he said, coughing from the pain of his fall before taking Lucina's hand.
"I will protect you. Stay with me, I will be your shield," Robin's brow quirked at her seriousness, but he nodded once.
"To escape the grounds, we need to get through the gate. It takes forever to close, but even so, we should not dally," he said. Lucina nodded, before heading to the nearest gate she had seen, Robin close at hand.
She wasn't certain what was happening, nor why Robin's life was under threat, but ultimately, he was the cornerstone needed for the days to come. Perhaps he was 'fated' to become the Fell Dragon. Perhaps he was 'fated' to become the man who killed her father.
But when she looked at him, she did not see a monster, nor a murderer. When she saw his tired eyes, his fake smiles, his emotionless mask, she realized she was looking at another victim of Grima.
And she would save him, just as she will with her father.
This certainty of mind became movement of hand with ease, her blade moving quickly, slicing through the guard who had moved to cut them down. He had not even had his blade fully drawn yet.
As they ran, Lucina became aware of the number of guards gaining on them. She could outrun them no problem, and she felt Robin normally could as well, but his fall left him limping a bit. She saw the guards closing in, and swung about to face them before Robin cut her off.
"Marth!" he yelled. "3 o'clock! Take them!"
Lucina turned to see 5 guards running at them from the right. This, mixed with the 20 or so that had been behind them lead to a rather negative assessment. Still, Robin looked confident about some idea or another, so Lucina elected to trust him as best she could. She ran to take on the 5 guards from the right.
The first yelled some battlecry, but he couldn't complete it before his throat had been cut out. The second two leveled axes at her, but she made use of her superior mobility, weaving in and out of the blows. Her blade cut one down, she crashed the hilt of her sword into the other's temple, rendering him unconscious. The next two had stopped, watching her fight, before turning and running.
She turned back, half expecting to find Robin had been beset upon by the enemy. What she found instead was Robin kneeling on the ground, arm smoking, a graveyard before him. All twenty that had pursued them were dead, most having burn marks, and she had not even seen it happen.
When she faced Robin earlier, she had not been very impressed.
She was beginning to change her opinion.
She ran to him, grabbing him by the arm before pulling him into the fastest run he could manage.
The gates had begun to close, but the two made it through. They had escaped Castle Plegia, it seemed.
Or so Lucina thought, before she heard a sound that instantly put all of her nerves on edge.
The sound of 50 bows being drawn at once.
A glance backwards confirmed her fear. The Plegian guards stood atop the walls and the gatehouse that the pair had just crossed over. They all had their aim focused on the two.
Lucina looked at the man hobbling along beside her. She realized how imperative it was that he live. Plegia, Valm, Grima. If anyone could protect Ylisse, it was him.
She knew what she had to do.
She shoved him to the side, at the last minute, just before the archers released their volleys. She realized that she would not be fast enough to avoid, but it was likely that they would miss Robin, his position having changed at the last minute.
She looked at the arrows, coming to bring her death. She took a deep, peaceful breath. This was the price she had to pay. She accepted it for what it was. The world would be safe, so long as Robin had survived.
She turned, going to give a brave smile to the prince, before realizing he was not where she had pushed him off too.
She heard the sounds of arrows striking flesh.
She turned forward.
She found Robin's smile, dripping blood, arrows imbeded in his back. He stood before her, as a wall. He had faced her, hoping only to keep her safe, even if he had no idea as to who she was.
"R-... Run…" the prince said, before falling foward, face down in the desert sand.
Lucina, stood, eyes wide, in shock. She looked at Robin, and she counted at least 12 arrows protruding from his back. The rest lie scattered around her. She knew not what to do, but she heard the sound of bows being drawn.
So she did what he had told her to do.
She picked him up, and ran.