A Second Chance
Morning light bathed the dirt road in bright glow as a procession of women followed their rescuer back to the village.
Robin sighed, trudging forward wearily, hushed voices whispering excitedly behind him in unknown tongue. He looked up to see the village come into view, workers in the rice fields. A call went out when they saw the group, and several girls ran towards their homes.
A lone figure appeared at the village gates, spotting them and quickly making up the road to meet Robin at the edge of the paddies. They'd only met once, but he recognized the headband at a distance.
"I did not think such a thing was possible," Say'ri murmured, staring around as the women were met by the villagers and taken in, "How did you accomplish such a feat?"
"Magic," he stated, wiggling his fingers at her.
"I am certain it was a sight," Say'ri murmured in awe, clasping a woman's hands and bowing slightly as they exchanged words. Her stunned stare turned to Robin. "They say you spared no one, that you killed like a demon."
"Please tell them to stop, that's how rumors get started."
"Is this where you receive your title, 'The Ruiner?'"
"Sure," Robin sighed as the last villager stepped past him.
Before he had a chance to speak Say'ri embraced him, squeezing him tightly as she whispered, "Thank you."
She broke the embrace quickly, blushing profusely and glancing around, but if anyone had seen it they pretended otherwise. Robin assumed that was something very un-Chon'sin-like, but had been made an exception for because he was a foreigner.
Robin cleared his throat, "Very bracing. Uh, thank you."
She nodded still not meeting his gaze.
"Lady Lucina is healing well. She has much fire in her spirit."
"Certainly a word for it."
"Would you like to see her?"
"Did you give her back her sword?"
"Yes."
"Then no."
Wind rustled through the rice fields and Say'ri tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear with an expression of hesitation.
"I am loathe to ask you for another favor, Robin," she spoke slowly, head tilted down apologetically before even speaking, "But my resources are stretched to their limits."
"Tomorrow's too late," Robin replied, drawing an unreadable expression from her.
"I-I have a friend, who lives in Mila Valley, under the great tree. I have not heard from her in several weeks, but whispers spread of undead lurking in the area. I am very sorry to ask this of you..."
Robin tilted his head. She glanced up, met his eyes and quickly averted her gaze again. He waited. It was awkward that way for too long.
"Ask… What of me?"
"I fear she may be in danger."
"And what do you want me to do?"
"W-will you check on her?" Say'ri finished, meeting his eyes now.
"Thought you'd never ask." Robin nodded when she didn't understand the expression, and followed her towards the village.
They stopped in the center square where she pointed to the main road and described her friend.
He tuned in and out, mostly paying attention to the surrounding interactions between villagers. A few threw him suspicious looks, most preferred to pretend he wasn't there and go about their day. Women beating rugs with sticks, young boys running towards the fields with bug catching nets, this village was something out of storybooks.
He realized Say'ri was finished telling him critical mission details and nodded.
"Most definitely. Yeah, I mean you gotta do what you gotta do, right?"
She stared at him.
"I wasn't really listening," he apologized, starting down the road.
"You're going now?" Say'ri stared, "You only just returned!"
"Tomorrow's too late." Robin repeated, looking around and spotting the stables as her eyes narrowed. "Besides, you got me all hot and bothered using words like 'danger,' and 'sexy.'"
"You must rest!" She spoke incredulously, wide eyes staring as though he were mad, "You need sleep‒!"
"I don't sleep."
"You need food!"
"I ate…" Robin thought, frowning, "Three days ago."
"Three days ago you were floating at sea."
"Two days ago."
"Robin! You are to remain here until ‒ Robin!"
Say'ri stomped after him as he turned away, no longer listening to her.
"Fie! I begin to understand why Lady Lucina is a danger to you!"
"Oh yeah, tell her I'm…" He thought for a moment, "Dead. And she should rendezvous with the Ylissean front."
"I am certain it will be a burden off her mind." Say'ri folded her arms at the village gates as he limped to the stables, emerging a minute later on her mare and taking the dirt road towards the mountains to the west.
Say'ri let the air out of her cheeks with a sigh and rubbed her temple. She hadn't intended to send him off so soon, and immediately felt guilty that she'd troubled him at all. If anything happened to him she would feel terribly responsible. And yet it seemed he was already prepared to go.
"Say'ri-san."
She turned to see a villager bowing, offering carefully folded blue clothing. Say'ri bowed apologetically and took the clothing with both hands before making for the house on the hill.
Moving up the steps and pausing before the door to collect herself, she decided to do her best to lie, for Robin's sake.
The door to the room slid open and Lucina sat up immediately to see Say'ri enter, carrying her clothes and armor.
"I apologize for intruding," Say'ri tilted the clothing for Lucina to see and set them beside the wall. "For when you are ready to travel."
"Has Robin returned?"
Say'ri looked at her, mouth open a second too long for a lie to be convincing. She exhaled with a sigh.
"He wants you to know he's dead, and you should rendezvous with the Ylissean front."
"Which direction did he go?" Lucina asked unfazed, wincing as she rose from her mat.
"Please, Lady Lucina, your wounds‒" Say'ri winced, hands hovering over Lucina's shoulders as the girl swayed, leaning on the wall for support.
"You saw him." Lucina's blue eyes met brown, and the other woman nodded, "How did he appear?"
"Ffffine…?" Say'ri attempted, feeling ridiculous at how bad she was at this, before giving up at the look on Lucina's face. "He does not eat, or sleep. As though he does not care if he sees the sun rise."
Lucina stopped.
"Say'ri," Lucina spoke calmly though the tremble in her voice conveyed the urgency, "I need to go after him."
Dusk settled over Valm Harbour, moon rising over the bay as soldiers constructed barricades and prepared for city fighting. The citizens had been surprisingly helpful, seeing the Ylisseans as liberators over the occupational force that previously resided there. While the militia was negligible, their resources and knowledge of the city and surrounding area would prove critical to keeping their foothold on the continent.
Stahl carried two boards under each arm up the alley, Cherche appearing at the end to offer to help.
"Thanks," he muttered, nodding to their destination.
"Shouldn't you be moving out with the cavalry soon?" Cherche asked, dropping the wood off with the workers.
"Horse is saddled, figured I'd do what I could to help you guys manage the interior. We have the easy job, out there on the plains… The fighting inside will be the worst."
He looked out over the main street where workers were constructing waist-high wooden obstructions with jagged protrusions.
"Phalanx-breakers." Cherche answered, pointing, "To counter their formation. Their shields are too broad, and will have to be lifted or tilted to clear them, else they break formation. Either way, our archers will have something to shoot at."
"Smart."
"He was."
Stahl looked over to see her gaze soften. They were friends, and it pained him to see her lose someone dear to her. Her gauntlet found his and he squeezed it gently, offering a sympathetic smile.
She squeezed his hand and let go, turning to move back down the street. He watched the workers another moment longer, realizing one of the newer Shepherds watching him too. The young man with the mask. When he realized Stahl saw him he quickly resumed his work.
"Any idea what's with the masked guy?" Stahl asked, catching up to her.
"Gerome?" Cherche looked over her shoulder, "I don't. I catch him watching me from time to time, but he never says anything."
"Creepy."
"Minerva doesn't seem to think so, I think he's just lonely. Someday he'll come up and we'll have a pleasant chat."
Stahl grinned, admiring her optimism.
"Hey rookie!" Sully barked from the end of the road, twirling her finger in the air, "We're rolling, let's move!"
He pulled the helmet from his back and donned it, shaking his head to make sure it was secured before Cherche took his neck in her hands and pulled him down to her, planting a kiss on the metal cheek.
"Come back safe."
He felt fortunate the full-visored helm could hide his features, though couldn't be sure it wasn't steaming as he stammered a "Y-yes ma'am."
A city above them large wings beat the air as pegasus knights flew west in V-formation.
Cordelia peered through her vision slit, standing in the stirrups to allow her legs to compensate for the mount's natural rise and fall. They flew high over the edge of the city, past the open fields that were being given to the enemy in favor of their greater numbers. And there they were now…
She could see the ranks already forming, preparing for the assault. They weren't even given a rest after a full day of marching ‒ their tactician was favoring speed. An understandable choice, given the more time Ylisse entrenched the more difficult they would be to root out, but a novice one. Soldiers starting a battle half fatigued lasted half as long.
Then another battalion came over the hill. And another. A few seconds of flying higher, and she realized how far back the ranks sprawled. It was almost another city's worth of soldiers. Not militias or volunteers ‒ armored, armed, Valmese soldiers in formations. If they were half as trained as the hoplites in Ferox this battle was about to get bloody.
"No archer's, ma'am!" Sumia shouted over the wind, "Or mages!"
A second later a whisk tore past them and Cordelia peered down to see ballistas rolling forward with the columns. They meant to keep the battle on the ground, steel-for-steel, toe-to-toe.
Cordelia circled her hand in the air, signalling the pull back. They weren't picking any off while they were so packed together, they would attempt to harass when the main fighting started.
Two more bolts whisked past them as they broke off the scouting run and made for the city.
Night had fallen, insects singing into the dark from the surrounding trees. It would have been scenic if not for the task at hand.
Hooves kicked up fresh mud as Lucina passed through a ravine, spotting tracks and making up the other bank. She couldn't know how far ahead he was but she had to be getting close. She'd entered the great valley an hour ago and the massive tree was unmissable in the distance, though she hadn't seen it since descending into the forest.
A horse nickered out of sight ahead of her and she dismounted, holding her side and pushing through bushes to find a saddled mount at the edge of a stream. The mare calmed when it saw her and she approached, searching the ground for any sign of footprints. To her disappointment they led into the water.
She grimaced, looking up and down the bank with frustration before remembering her heading. If he was making for the great tree, she'd find him there.
The water sank into her boots and she realized why he'd left the horse behind. The way up the other bank was too steep for a mount, but could be climbed using roots and rocks jutting from the wall of dirt.
She hoisted herself over the side, gasping as she rolled over her ribs. Until now she'd been on horseback, a fairly low-intensity activity for her current condition. From here on she'd be pulling herself every step of the way, she had to be careful not to injure herself further.
Something crinkled from her chest and she looked down, frowning. No pain, just sound. Like crumpling parchment.
Curiosity gave her excuse to pause and recover, and she felt around her chestpiece to find the source of the noise. Her fingers felt an inner pocket and she blinked, trying to recall what it was. She pinched the edge of paper and pulled the delicate, faded, brittle sheet of parchment from her chestpiece, staring at it. The original image was barely visible in the full moonlight.
Sir Frederick upon a battle-cat, leading a charge of Shepherds. It took a moment to identify each member of their party but something made everyone stand out. Maribelle's parasol, Vaike's weight set, Virion's baguette...
It was the picture she'd confiscated their first morning together, thinking the claimed "battle plans," code for some secret assassination plot. She wasn't sure which version was more absurd.
A strange noise escaped her throat. It surprised her, realizing it had been years since she'd made it. An exhalation of mirth. Not quite a chuckle, but an undeniable sound of amusement. That she'd find this ridiculous sketch here, an ocean away from where she found it, now trying to help the man she'd been trying to kill at the time.
Lucina folded the paper gently and returned it to its home, picking herself off the ground and proceeding towards the center of the valley.
Robin pushed through brush, feeling branches scrape against his skin and muttering obscenities to himself. Night had fallen, but the further he pushed towards the center of the valley the quieter it became. Though the foliage was thicker than ever, moss growing over roots growing over rocks and rises, no insects hummed, no nightbirds called from the trees.
It was like entering a place of dreams, forest dark enough to be mysterious but not sinister, quiet enough to be peaceful but not silent. Like someone imagined a forest but didn't add all the bothersome details real forests came with.
Robin arrived at the other end of the bushes on a small rocky clearing overlooking the valley. In the distance, the great tree after which the valley was named. Small streams shone between its massive roots down through the small forest splitting them, feeding into the sparkling lake at the base of the cliff he stood over. It was a breathtaking sight, and he allowed himself a moment of appreciation.
For all the times his life had been put in danger since starting this journey, he saw some pretty amazing things. He couldn't imagine how some people lived their entire lives in their hometown with no desire to see the world beyond their borders.
Truly, Robin thought, taking in the view with a sigh, Adventures don't happen at home.
He enjoyed his moment and took a deep breath, nearing the edge. Time to figure out a way down.
'Mar…'
A woman's voice echoed and he stared around, realizing it was in his mind.
'Is that you… Mar-Mar?'
"Uh… Hello?" he called back, but the communication seemed one-way.
'Come, to where I rest. Come to me, Mar-Mar… I've missed you terribly…'
Leaves rustled behind him and he spun to see a shape pushing through the bushes.
Lucina burst from the foliage, the relief crossing her features juxtaposing his expression. He backed up to the edge and eyeing the drop in consideration. She looked alarmed at his reaction and held her hands out calmingly.
"Robin, wait‒"
"Fool me five times, Princess, shame on you. Six or more times, shame on me."
"It has not been fi‒"
"Feroxi arena, night after Plegia, twice the morning after Plegia, rooftop chase, Ghazi," Robin frowned and counted his fingers, "Damn, guess that last one was shame on me. But no more! Good day, ma'am!"
"I just want to talk!"
"Good day, ma'am!"
Lucina lunged forward suddenly grappling with him, and he leaned backwards trying to free himself.
The edge gave way, and they fell over the cliff in a tangle of limbs.
They slid off smooth stone before a second of freefall ended in tree branch. It absorbed their momentum and snapped, dropping them down a less-smooth slope choked by knotted roots before they tumbled to a halt on a dirt bank.
From somewhere on the other side of the small lake a lone cricket sang.
Lucina stirred first. Robin played dead, figuring she might assume her mission complete and go home. He mentally cursed as she checked his pulse, hoping she'd be less thorough.
"Robin, please wake up," her voice pleaded, and he felt the edges of his face tickled by her hair.
It wasn't like the other times she'd yelled at or hit him. A cautious tenderness, with a genuine hint at concern.
He opened his eyes, realizing she was inches above him. She rose slightly, but didn't give up her half mount position.
"Thank the gods..." Her expression of relief turned to anger, "Why did you jump, you could have killed yourself."
"Good thing you stopped me."
Robin tried to bring a hand to his aching temple when he realized he was pinned, her hands on either elbow.
"I just want to talk," she explained.
Robin tested the pressure on his arms, but she ignored him.
"Why did you save me?"
"'Cause you're cute."
"Robin," Lucina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Please. I have been horrible, and wrong, and you've shown me nothing but forgiveness, and I need to know why."
He met her gaze, seeing the confusion was genuine, and that she was searching for answers. He sighed, looking towards the lake.
"See this lake? It's beautiful."
"Robin," Lucina uttered, but he interrupted.
"Shut up and listen. This lake wasn't always like this, like a billion years ago it was probably some small shitty puddle all the other puddles made fun of for being boring and full of mud. But now look…" He trailed off, and she finally turned to look at the glistening water, reflecting the soft glow of the fireflies dancing over the banks, and the moon high above. "It was sheltered from the sun, and fed by rivers, and eventually became what it is today, and look what it provides. A whole goddamn forest gets its water from that once-shitty puddle…"
She looked down to see him gazing wistfully at the water. "That puddle never hurt you, or did anything wrong."
"What if it did? Look at it now."
"So you could forgive anyone, if they could change?"
"Not anyone. They have to be at least a nine. And have only tried killing me six or fewer times. Sorry but that cliff puts you at seven now."
"I didn't want to fight," she muttered, looking apologetic but the pressure on his arms didn't lessen.
"Assassins usually don't."
"I‒!"
She stopped, mouth open as she looked down at him. After a moment she released his arms, and rose. Robin sat up, cracking his neck.
"I don't know what I'm doing," she uttered helplessly, sitting back. "I thought I knew my purpose, and how the world worked, and since coming here I've realized I know nothing."
"H-hey, hey now," Robin scanned her fallen expression and sensed a maelstrom of emotions, "You know… Stuff. I've never met anyone who knew more about killing!"
Wrong answer.
"I don't want to kill!" Lucina retorted, "I do what I have to do, what the world needs of me..."
"Well what do you want?"
Lucina stared at him. Her mouth opened, but after a moment of silence it became painfully clear that was the first time she'd ever heard the question. She averted her gaze. "I don't know."
"You've spent your whole life being a good little soldier, but now you're in a world where you can make your own decisions, Lucina. You don't have to keep doing whatever you think the world needs you to do."
"I'm the world's second chance, I can't waste my time doing whatever I please."
"Maybe this world is your second chance," Robin suggested, and she looked at him. "You're so obsessed with 'your burden' and 'fate' and all this heaviness, and you're like, twenty. How about instead of focusing on the world you focus on yourself, your world. Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, sorta thing. Because I'll be real, Lucina, you're not much fun. Hanging around you is like being in that other world you come from. Just… Completely depressing."
Lucina flushed. "I-I didn't‒"
"But if you stop staring at the finish line and start paying attention to where you're at, maybe you'll start seeing the things around you that could change to make the better world."
Lucina half-shook her head, staring at him. She took a deep breath, "Naga instructed me to kill you, to make that better world."
"Naga," Robin repeated, staring back. "She's the reason you're so dead set on this solution."
She nodded, mustering a determined expression, but privately searching for any reason to doubt. If anyone could question, explain away, discover an alternative, it was Robin.
"That bitch."
Lucina's stoicism broke, and she smiled towards the lake.
"She doesn't even know me, and that's her answer? Screw her," Robin dismissed, and Lucina openly laughed. Screw the goddess, humanity's protector. "Part of being human is finding our own paths, this is our world. We'll find a way to save it, our way. I don't know the role I play in all this, but I find it hard to believe I single handedly bring about the end times when I'm actively trying to make the world a better place. What do you think?"
She met his gaze, and he half shrugged, "Forget whatever Naga said, all the stories you've heard from people who don't know anything, and trust yourself. What you've seen. Am I really that bad?"
"No…"
"Have I ever tried to hurt Chrom?"
"No, but‒"
"Have I hurt you?"
"No. But… What if you do? What if all this is a ploy, a master deception?"
"Then kill me."
She blinked, but he didn't smile as he continued, "If you just want to keep following orders the rest of your life, doing what other people say, and you think you'll be happy, and not regret a thing? Do it. You're a better fighter than I am, and I won't kill you, so you essentially have unlimited attempts. But be prepared to live with it forever. Choose the life you want to live, knowing the joys, and burdens, are yours now. It's not Naga's fault anymore, it's not Grima's, it's yours because you know better."
"I… Don't want to kill you," Lucina spoke slowly, realizing the words were true, but Robin shook his head.
"The list of things we don't want are generally much longer than the things we do. Tell me what you want."
Lucina opened her mouth, unsure how to answer. She turned away from his piercing grey eyes and stared at the water. "I want to choose my own path."
"Good, what else?"
"I want… To discover what I want," she finished simply, and smiled at how ridiculously hopeless it sounded, but Robin chuckled.
"It's a start."
He rose and offered a hand, but she was still looking at the water. "Robin… Why are you so kind to me?"
He considered her, realizing she had been the recipient of far greater patience than he was accustomed to giving out.
"Apparently I ruined your entire life." She looked up at his words, and he shrugged, "Maybe I have some catching up to do."
"Recompense, then?"
"Not the reason you were looking for?" he asked playfully, but she shook her head and took his hand to rise.
"It's nothing, neverm…"
Lucina stood to her full height before him and their eyes met, inches from each other. Robin felt the hand in his tighten slightly as her breath caught, and he swallowed. Her faintly floral scent was making him lightheaded. The lone cricket continued to sing as fireflies hovered over the lake, soft streams of light trailing behind them. He blinked, breaking the trance her blue eyes held and cleared his throat as she quickly turned.
"Good." He nodded at her incomplete statement as though it made perfect sense, "Then you can start by helping me. We're to find Say'ri's friend who lives near the great Mila tree. Risen have been spotted in area, but I haven't seen anything to suggest‒"
'Mar-Mar…'
He met Lucina's look of alarm, blush quickly dissipating.
'Come, let me see you again…'
"What is that?" she asked.
"Say'ri's friend, were I to guess."
"How is she doing that?"
"Actually a really good question. We can ask when we meet her."
"Proceed with caution, she seemed to think we're this… 'Mar-Mar.'"
He let that sink in for a moment.
"Do you feel really stupid having said it out loud‒?"
"Yes."
"Just making sure."
They picked their way around the shore towards the great tree and followed a stream up the hill. Eventually the trees became too large to push past and they were forced to start climbing over massive roots to inch closer to their destination. Their injuries were probably contributing to their slow progress more than either would admit, but neither said a word, occasionally helping the other up a steep incline or pausing to wait as an excuse to catch their breath.
Robin found the change of pace refreshing. The change in body language was most noticeable. Rather than keeping a dagger ever within arm's reach, now she sometimes even faced away from him. It gave him ample opportunity to hold his cracked rib and wince dramatically.
After almost two hours of slow hiking they arrived at the base of the tree. Or as close as they would get, unscalable roots preventing them from going further.
They stared up, taking in the enormity of the millennia old tree. It stretched to the clouds, girth so massive they could barely perceive the curve in the circumference.
"She doesn't… Live up there, does she?" Robin asked, staring at the branches hundreds of meters above them.
"Look." Lucina touched his shoulder and nodded towards a cliff to their right.
At the bottom was a pool, fed by a waterfall spilling over the tangle of roots above. The water sparkled in the moonlight, and about halfway between them and the pool below, a shadowy section was missing from the cliffside behind the fall. Lucina backed away past him.
"Okay… So how do‒" Robin started, but Lucina dashed and launched herself over the cliff, falling two meters before gripping a horizontal root and swinging herself through the wall of water. After a few seconds he didn't see a limp body emerge from the pool below so assumed she'd made it.
He groaned, nursing his rib as he backed up. She was way more physical than he was. Her voice called from somewhere beyond the sound of water and he nodded, Yeah yeah...
Lucina waited in the cavern entrance, backing away to make sure he had ample room to land. After a few moments he splashed through the wall and stumbled to her feet, holding his side.
"Are you okay?" she asked, frowning as he held up a finger to wait.
"Yeah, just… Out of breath," he muttered, breathing shallow as he looked around the dark entrance. "It goes further back?"
She nodded, pulling him to his feet as he hissed. Before she could inquire further he nodded, "Let's go, we're running out of time."
She tilted her head but followed him deeper into the darkness, feeling along the walls until light could be seen ahead.
They gasped as they emerged into the main chamber.
The sheltered alcove wasn't underground, the walls and roof were entirely massive roots save a large open "window" where moonlight poured in across the soft moss carpet. More fireflies illuminated their aimless path through the air, one hovering closer to investigate the newcomers. Glowing crystal formations grew from the floor, several protruding from the stream that wound through the grotto, pulsing softly in the water with their array of chromatic colors.
Robin looked over to see Lucina extend a cautious hand for the firefly to land on her finger. It wound down her hand onto the palm of her fingerless glove before its wings rose, taking off again. He heard her breathless sigh and was reminded serenity like this didn't exist in her time. She looked to him and they shared a smile before stepping into the cavern.
"Robin."
He looked over, following her gaze to where a beam of moonlight fell over a form laying across a bed of moss. They proceeded towards it, careful not to step on any of the fireflies or crystals.
"It's a woman," Lucina whispered, cocking her head at the long boots set aside by the bed.
"It's a manakete…" Robin muttered, kneeling beside her and nodding to the sleeping woman's long ears. He extended a hand to touch her shoulder before Lucina's urgent tone gave him pause.
"Is this, erm…" She blushed at his questioning stare. "Appropriate?"
Robin had never seen her so redfaced. She glanced to the woman's lower half and he looked to the manakete again. With the boots, Robin supposed a fair amount of leg would be covered, though as they were she was simply wearing a garb that barely covered less than a miniskirt with a long cut up either hip.
"She's a manakete," Robin repeated, looking back to Lucina, "She's probably like a trillion years old, she can wear whatever she wants."
"I think I should be the one to wake her," Lucina insisted, concern in her voice, "If she's angry a man saw her like this… She's a manakete."
Robin considered it.
"She's a manakete," he conceded, starting to rise.
'Wake me. Mar-Mar…'
The woman's lips twitched and they both held their breath like she was a living bomb. Robin glanced at Lucina, biting his lip as he silently rose and backed away.
"When she wakes just… Pretend you haven't seen anything. Just to be safe," Lucina whispered to him and he covered his eyes with a hand.
She knelt beside the woman, shaking her shoulder. She didn't stir. Lucina shook harder, but the woman might have been unconscious for all it did.
"Say'ri sent us, to make sure you are well," Lucina's voice grew louder, trying to get a reaction.
She looked over her shoulder but Robin shrugged.
"Try hitting her," he called unhelpfully, peeking between his fingers.
She rolled her eyes, turning back. The woman's lips moved slightly and Lucina lowered herself, turning her head to catch the faintest of whispers. Lucina frowned, unable to make out anything, but when she looked back she was staring into large reptilian green eyes.
"Mar-Mar…" The woman smiled, arms appearing to pull Lucina's face down to hers.
Their lips mashed for a full second before Lucina struggled free, staggering back as the woman rose in confusion.
"Should I pretend I didn't see that?"
"Sh-shut up, Robin!" Lucina glared at him then to the woman rising before them.
"You… Are not Marth," the woman realized, eyes wandering over them.
"Actually‒"
"Robin!"
"I apologize for my confusion, your spirits are… Very similar… And things are not clear in the dreamstate…" the manakete explained unabashedly, looking at Lucina, "But you couldn't be him, alike though your spirit and… Appearance may be…"
"I'm sorry for interrupting your sleep, Lady…" Lucina looked to Robin and he opened his mouth.
"Uh…"
"You didn't even learn her name?"
"Say'ri said it, I just wasn't…" A firefly landed on his shoulder, and he trailed off, distracted.
"Tiki," the woman spoke, calling Lucina's attention back from glaring daggers at Robin, "Just Tiki."
"Tiki, Say'ri sent us to make sure you were safe. This region has become dangerous, rife with bandits."
"Bandits are of no concern to my domain, nor me…" Tiki replied with disinterest, "How fare the villages? It's been years since I've stepped outside these walls."
"You knew Say'ri?" Robin frowned, wondering how truly long it had been. Manaketes could allegedly live for thousands of years, would she tell the difference between a week or a decade?
"I protected her village from a storm, years ago. How is little Say'ri?"
"Ah… Well I mean she's still physically little, I guess. But, an adult," Robin tilted his head, trying to gauge if Tiki had any sense of what was going on in the world. Her somber gaze turned to him and he saw the slitted pupils contract, her nostrils flaring slightly.
"You… Are not from these lands."
"We're here to stop a war," Robin answered, standing taller.
She considered him. "To stop a war, or end one?"
Robin stared at her, rethinking his positioning. It very suddenly occurred to him this was not a bandit, or a knight, or even human‒ this was a creature that had lived countless lifetimes more than everyone he'd ever known put together. And that addressing her as something he could easily sway was probably the most arrogant endeavor he'd ever attempted.
"That is why you've come. That is why," her nostrils flared again, "You saved my kin. To indebt me."
Robin stared at her. "H-hey, c'mon that's… Happy coinciden‒"
"Do not mistake me, I am grateful. There are so few of us left…" Tiki murmured, watching him with those unblinking green eyes that almost glowed in the dim. "But do not attempt to deceive me, Scion. I know why you are here, and the wars of men hold no interest to me…"
Lucina was frowning at Robin, but turned to Tiki. "Wars of men are tearing this country apart, and if we don't end it soon, the rest of the world to follow."
"Imagine every time you woke, your neighbors had rearranged their fences and called their home a different name."
"This time's different," Robin argued, and took a deep breath as she turned to him. No more lies. "After this war, something terrible comes. Something humanity has to be ready for, and the longer we're at war with each other, the weaker we stand against the greatest threat we'll ever face."
Tiki watched him another moment in silence before she spoke.
"You wish to stop it."
"Of course," he affirmed, "But we need your help, Tiki."
"Curious…" She approached him, hands outstretched towards his. He offered them uncertainly as she turned them over, pushing his sleeve higher to reveal the brand across the back of his hand. "That the one who bears this mark would seek such."
"I don't know what that means, but this mark doesn't make decisions. I do. And I'm going to do everything I can to stop what's coming," Robin announced, trying to take his hand away. He found it locked in place, her arm might have been stone. He blanched, looking up to see the reptilian eyes dilate slightly.
"Not-Marth," Tiki called, eyes locked on Robin's, "Do you trust this man?"
"L-Lucina," Robin corrected, before turning to her, uncertainty in his expression.
Lucina met his eyes. It was clear he still had doubts about trusting her. For good reason, she knew bitterly. She looked back to the ancient manakete.
"Yes."
"You shoulder the burden of worlds, child of Naga. Your word carries more weight than you realize. If you hold any doubts of his intentions, I will know it."
Lucina took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them again. "I trust him."
"With your life?"
"Many times over."
"You…?"
Tiki's nostrils flared as she tilted her head. Robin wished those eyes would blink, before he noticed the slightest crease between her eyebrows. She looked back to Lucina, regarding her for a moment, then returned her attention to him.
"...Ah."
"Lady Tiki," Lucina addressed politely, yet firmly, "Release him."
The corner of Tiki's mouth curved, almost smiling as she stared at Robin. She let go of his wrist, and Robin stepped away. Lucina's fingers left Falchion.
"You are a fortunate man, Robin. To inspire such…" Tiki turned away, passing Lucina, "... Loyalty."
Robin followed her, not noticing the color in Lucina's cheeks.
"We still need your help‒"
"You do."
"Please, Tiki. This world needs your help."
"It does," she agreed, sitting on her bed and pulling her boots beside her.
"So… You'll aid our forces? Do you know where to go?"
"I dreamed of red shores… I know where I am needed," she paused, head tilting as if hearing something far away.
"Men move through the valley. Heavy armor, hostile intentions…" Tiki looked to them but Lucina shook her head.
"We'll handle ourselves, please help my father," Lucina urged, moving with Robin to the cavern entrance.
A shining light almost blinded them and they turned to see a large green dragon resting on two legs, filling the previously open air of the cavern. It turned its head towards the gap in the wall, eyes leaving behind a faint trail of green light as it moved, climbing the roots and disappearing into the night sky with a roar.
"Robin… How did you know? About the manakete you saved?" Lucina asked, turning to see Robin bent double, hands on his knees. She approached, touching his shoulder. "A-are you okay?"
"No offense, I know you did your best. But I honestly don't think I've ever been that close to death."
Lucina smirked. "No more confidence in your armor?"
"That was utterly terrifying. You…" Robin looked up, staring at her, "You saved me."
Her mouth opened, but she wasn't sure what to say.
"She was about to rip my skeleton out through my hand. If I came here alone…" Robin shook his head in disbelief and stood, looking at her, "Thank you. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done."
"I doubt that." Lucina smiled, walking towards the entrance, "But you're welcome. Even if I'm sure you would have found a way to survive."
"Hey, you didn't see the way she was looking at me. You had a completely different Tiki-experience."
"Don't remind me‒"
"Is her tongue forked?"
"Enough, we'll not speak of that again," Lucina huffed, cheeks burning as they came to the waterfall. Roots provided a safe climb down behind the water.
"Does Jerry know?"
"Who's Jer‒ no!"
"Lucina-s got-a girl-friend."
"You are a child."
They started their way back down the river and realized the long hike ahead of them. It had taken hours on horseback to reach this place, they'd be lucky if they reached the village by morning. As they continued their descent towards the entrance of the valley Robin's mind wandered to Tiki's words, and he almost bumped into Lucina who'd stopped before him. Then he heard it too.
Marching.
"Valmese," he uttered quickly, looking around.
"Why are they here?"
"I'm going to guess: same reason I was," Robin answered, kneeling to peer under roots before crawling into the river. "Tiki is a war asset, whoever's side she enters essentially owns a second army."
"Walhart's thinking ahead. That's dangerous," Lucina commented, following him through and across to a clearing they could stand and continue following the river.
"Definitely stepping his strategy game up. But don't worry, our side still has me."
Robin smiled confidently but inside felt a little embarrassed. He thought he'd been clever, enlisting the aid of an ancient manakete far removed from civilization, but here was Walhart's forces, half a step behind him. For any good tactician, that was a step-and-a-half too close. Whoever was directing their forces was challenging him, and he would rise to the occasion.
Lucina raised a hand, half-turning her head. Robin couldn't hear anything but she backed away from the gap they were about to exit through, ushering him the way they'd come.
"What's‒?"
She brought a finger to her lips, moving with him back upstream. They doubled around the large root, taking another path down a different stream, ears perked for any noise aside from the bubbling brook. They reached the thick forest, progress slowed to a crawl as they tried to push through foliage without rustling leaves. It was impossible, the trees were less than a meter apart and the bushes around them might as well be organic alarms. They entered a large clearing and suddenly Robin heard what gave Lucina urgency.
Boots, sloshing water, hacking blades. Troops moving through the woods just ahead of them. He turned to double back when he heard more coming from the way they'd entered.
Lucina grabbed his arm and pointed up but he shook his head, pushing her down towards the thick bushes on either side of the narrow path. He turned to crawl under the lowest hedges as Lucina rolled under the other side of the path. No sooner did he pause to hold his breath and listen for sounds of movement than a figure pushed its way into view.
Robin could just make out the light armor and travel gear through the gaps in the leaves as the man stopped between him and Lucina, silhouetted against the moon above the trees. Robin glanced past the boots to the shadows of the other bush. Lucina's cape was wrapped around her to remarkable camouflage effect, simply appearing a dark rock from where he hid. Large eyes glinted at him before looking up.
"Scouts, report!"
The boots met at attention.
"Nothing, sir. No signs of anyone."
"Those horses didn't saddle themselves and wander here together. Widen the net and rendezvous in an hour. We'll start on camp."
Another voice barked something from somewhere out of sight and Robin craned his neck to peer through the branches into the clearing. Armored soldiers unpacked bags, unrolling tents and gathered wood for fire. He looked to Lucina who lowered her cover to mouth at him.
Move?
He was saved a response as a pair of boots marched past, setting up a perimeter for night watch.
That registered in her expression and their thoughts ran parallel as he wrapped his own cloak closer for warmth. At least this forest didn't have a bug problem.
A dark flier flew over the streets, raining fire over the ranks of soldiers caught unprepared for an aerial attack. They raised their shields towards the starry sky just before a volley of arrows met them from the side. The rider circled around for another strife when a ballista bolt met the pegasus in mid air and it plummeted to a slanted rooftop.
Cordelia landed, recovering the unconscious mage and mounting up again, taking off before another ballista shot ripped through the rooftop and collapsed the wall beneath it.
"Fall back and regroup!" she shouted to her remaining unit, making for the med tents set up by the docks.
She spotted the knights repelling another ground assault and hoped their battle was faring better than the harassment squad's. The Valmese discipline was unbreakable, it was impossible to bait out aggression or split their ranks which undermined the entire utility of her unit. She grit her teeth as the pegasus landed, hooves clopping on the wooden docks. Their orders were obsolete, this tactic wasn't working. If Robin were here…
She stopped that train of thought, focusing on shouldering the mage and carrying her to the nearest open table. Wishing for what wasn't wouldn't help them now. She deposited the limp body and called for a medic. The "command balcony" was across the waterfront, and she wondered how all this was playing out on the big map.
A figurine knight was pulled off the two-dimensional northern wall, Frederick placing it to the side of the table along with the red flag it was paired with.
"That should buy us a breather," Chrom murmured, examining the broken flow of reinforcements, "Give second squad a few hours of sleep."
"Sir, we should use the break in reinforcements as an opportunity to push for advantageous ground," Frederick suggested, driving his hand to the furthest walls of the city, "Second squad is the highest performing unit we have, use them to push for this chokepoint."
"Naga's mercy Frederick, second squad has been awake almost thirty hours. You want to keep our highest performing unit, let them sleep."
"Sir, we have more objectives than soldiers right now. If we don't use the advantage we just attained we'll lose more than our highest performing unit."
Chrom clenched his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe he too was running on fumes, and Frederick was a sound advisor as ever, but this didn't sit well with him.
"How are you feeling, Sergeant?" he asked, looking to the door where Sully stood, bags under eyes, helmet under arm, "Up for another push?"
"Just point us in the direction and tell the convoy to try to keep up, sir."
"Be careful, watch for injuries and pull back if things become too dangerous."
She didn't hide her smirk at the absurdity of the statement, bowing slightly and making for the door.
"A model soldier." Chrom shook his head once the door closed.
"I recommend a promotion."
"And take her off the field? She'd never have it," Chrom muttered.
"Sometimes soldiers need an example to follow."
"A symbol…" Chrom muttered, looking over the balcony railing to where Sully jogged up a line of knights in the midst of depositing gear.
"Whoa whoa saddle that gear up boys, the day's just starting," Sully called, clapping her hands in front of a knight who'd just sat down.
"You shitting me, sarge?" a knight turned to see the first streaks of dawn over the dark bay.
"I don't shit, soldier, and neither do you," Sully barked, pulling another knight to his feet, "We don't relax, rest or retire, 'cause we're killing machines and we ain't broke so eat, write to momma and change your panties ‒ we roll in ten."
She reached the end of the dock and turned, seeing some knights saddling up gear, mutely eating rations, or using the opportunity to catch a few seconds of sleep. Her eyes fell on their newest recruit, sitting in an alley away from the others.
Sully approached, recognizing the haggard look even through armor. The slump in shoulders, vacant stare, trembling hands. She placed her helm on the ground before him and sat on it. When he didn't acknowledge her she removed his helm and retrieved her flask, offering him water.
He blinked, looking at her.
"You did good tonight." She lowered the flask when it became clear he wasn't interested.
He made a laughing sound that didn't quite reach his face.
"If that's 'good,' I've been living an evil, evil life…" He shook his head, eyes returning to space, "I can't do this, Sully."
He winced when she reached forward, expecting the slap or cuff, but her gauntlet simply rested on his armored collar to give him a light shake.
"Remember why we're here. Why are we here, Stahl?"
"That's not my‒"
"Why are you here?"
"Because I was conscripted!"
"Because we needed you. People like you, with greatness in them; we needed you and we still need you, we can't win this war on our own."
"I never wanted this war…" Stahl muttered, knowing how selfish it sounded before he said it and expecting the response.
"Alright, tell you what. You pack up, go home with that pretty new girl of yours," Sully stood, flipping her helmet and donning it, "Raise a family, get fat, and when Valm and the risen come knocking, tell them you don't want a war."
She strolled back to the docks, hearing his sigh, then scrape of armor as he stood.
Lucina jolted awake, staring around and remembering her situation. She stretched to the extent the bushes would allow without making noise, looking around the brightening woods as the sun crept over the valley. The bushes should be thick enough to prevent their discovery, but the sooner they could move the better they'd be. She looked across the path, seeing Robin tracing something in the dirt. She tried to get his attention but he was content absentmindedly doodling with a stick.
She rolled her eyes, wanting to whisper but not knowing how close the nearest Valmese was. Robin had settled for guard duty so she could sleep, but she'd expected a wake up nudge or hiss sometime in the night. By the looks of the sun it was almost mid morning.
Bushes rustled as boots appeared, striding up the path between them. When Lucina looked back Robin was watching her. She mouthed to him.
Safe?
He glanced down the path and leaned closer to her.
"They haven't broke camp, but they brought our horses in last night."
"Can we get to them?"
"No." He went back to doodling, looking over again as she hissed at him.
"How are we getting out of here?"
"We wait… For them to leave?" he whispered slowly, tone implying he was open to suggestions.
They weren't in fighting shape, nor would they outrun the soldiers in a chase. Lucina knew he was probably right but the thought of her father and their people fighting for their lives while she hid in the dirt was disgraceful.
He seemed to see her internal struggle and moved closer, keeping hidden.
"They're combing the forest for us right now, they just haven't checked under their noses. If we stay down, they'll leave."
She bit back the initial rise to argue with anything he said and relaxed her shoulders.
"It's going to suck walking back though." Robin frowned, flipping onto his stomach and resting his chin on the ground, "Doubt they'll leave our horses."
"Can you walk back?" Lucina watched him carefully, noting his injuries.
"Yeah. It'll just suck."
"When did you eat last?"
"You too? Are you all competing to be my mother?"
"When did you eat last?" she repeated patiently, already fumbling with her waist pack.
"I don't remember." He seemed to think about it for a moment, "Probably not a good sign."
As if on cue his stomach whined loudly. She tsked and looked up and down the path before tossing a ration at him.
"You're not getting us caught because you can't remember to eat."
He didn't say anything, nibbling on the block of power bread idly as if he were bored rather than starving of hunger. She shook her head, holding her breath as more footsteps came from the forest.
"This is absurd."
"Orders, Centurion."
"I do not mean to disrespect, but we should be on the coast with our brothers." The impatient voice muttered angrily, keeping his voice low to prevent being heard, "We belong at the front meeting our foe with steel and honor, not chasing fairytales through backwoods."
"Our orders are to aid those at the front by securing this asset," the grizzled voice explained patiently, "The new command knows wars are not won in a single battle. We do our duty, and there will be more opportunities to prove yourself."
"Against cowards who use women on the frontlines." The first voice sneered, "There is no glory in this war, only victory. And I fail to see how capturing some animal is going to do that while half the legion fights, and the other sweeps the country for this 'Resistance.'"
"A manakete is not some 'animal,' and capturing her without harm will be your greatest undertaking yet."
"We will not hurt the creature," he spoke, audibly rolling his eyes.
"Harm to you, Centurion."
"Bah," the voice broke its whisper to fully voice its impatience, "Let our enemies rally, let all the resistances and manaketes flock to the Ylissean cowards, and we will still push them into the sea and across their own country!"
"And what then?"
Lucina glanced to Robin who was watching the men through the bushes, nibbling his ration with the focus he usually reserved for doodling.
"Until you realize there is more to conquest than war, you will never make Legate," the grizzled man continued calmly, "A darkness brews on the horizon, and we will be ready for it ‒ not by expending every muscle in one blow, but by pacing our men and our resources. Our might is not limitless. You would do well to remember that."
Boots marched back to camp as the other pair stood motionless. After a minute of calming breath, they followed the path to camp.
Lucina looked up to see Robin watching after the retreating pair of feet.
"They were here to capture Tiki," she whispered.
"Yeah…" Robin answered slowly. "I said that like eight hours ago."
"Because of new leadership…" she continued her train of thought, ignoring him. "Changing combat doctrines, tactics… Walhart's forces are evolving."
Robin was staring into space, and Lucina looked at him. "What's wrong with you?"
"Haven't slept in a while…"
She was saved a response by a voice calling up the path.
"Scouts have located the manakete's lair. Gather wood and kindle, we're going to smoke her out."
"Start here," the grizzled voice called at the head of their path, "Deforest leftwards, so we have the path as reference."
Lucina stared up at Robin who stopped taking rabbit-sized bites from his ration. She was on the leftwards-half of the path. She made to rise, sliding out towards the edge of the bush on her stomach, retreating slightly as boots marched between them.
Clear? she mouthed.
Robin looked up, then down the path. Maybe?
Move!
He backed against the bush to show how little room it made, throwing his hand up.
She winced, rolling into the path, about to rise when she saw the grizzled veteran's front turning towards her, and kept rolling into Robin's hiding spot coming face-to-face with him. She felt his arm around her, whisking her cape out of sight.
They held their breaths for a second, not hearing any calls or voices, then Lucina pushed at him.
"Move!"
"I can't!" Robin let himself be pushed against the bush.
"This is… Too awkward!"
"I prefer 'cozy.'"
"Robin‒"
"Or 'intimate.'"
"Don't…"
Her cheeks grew redder as she didn't know what she expected of him. The situation was out of his hands.
"Don't look at me," she threatened, lamely.
He closed his eyes. They were quiet for about a minute, and she tried looking everywhere but his face inches from her, until he spoke.
"You smell nice."
She exhaled in frustration and rolled over, sliding back into cover against him and she heard him clear his throat hesitantly. Soldiers passed carrying a saw, starting on one of the trees. After another minute he cleared his throat again.
"I don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of your naivety, so just for your education, this is called 'spooning,' and is often done between‒"
"I know what spooning is, Robin." She glared at nothing, adjusting her cape to fall between them, and was about to change the subject.
"How do you know what spooning is?"
She opened her mouth but more soldiers passed.
"Ahh, Geronimo. You guys enjoy some light spooning before hard forking, amiright?"
"Gerome and I are not lovers, and we are not spooning because your arms are not around me and that is not an invitation."
"I don't know why you deny the attraction between us, Lucina," Robin sighed, taking another bite of ration and speaking with his mouth full, "I mean, when a situation like this lands in your lap… Er, my lap..."
Lucina groaned, holding her face. "Please change the subject. This is humiliating. Tell me… About manaketes. I only heard tales from my time."
"Excellent suggestion. As you know, the manakete's tongue is the most sensory of organs, highly prehensile‒"
"It is not!"
"Well you would know..."
"I didn't realize my desire to kill you would actually multiply, exponentially, once it no longer became my mission," she muttered, thinking to herself, "I felt it was my duty before, but now I think I want to."
"Lucina, was that a joke?" Robin lifted his head trying to see her face, voice growing in excitement, "We must celebrate, here have a ration."
She turned to face him, feeling pride but not letting it show when an inkling of hesitation crept into his eyes. He slowly lowered himself behind her and she allowed herself a smirk.
He thought for a moment.
"A manakete's power is supposedly matched only by their rarity. In some old texts their mere presence was enough to turn a tide, but I think it's more than that."
A distant roar made Cherche's beaked helm turn, eyes peering through the wide visor. Features flicked in and out of sight, disappearing into the clouds. A great wing, wicked tail. It burst from the thick puffs, bright orange with the morning's light just as a javelin met her thigh.
She cried out, leaning against the reins, wyvern diving to the street in panic ignoring her commands. She cursed, the nearest Ylissean checkpoint was almost two blocks away. She might as well be outside the city in in terms of hoping for a rescue. Already Valmese from the neighboring streets could be heard approaching.
"Ylissean royalty were marked by Naga herself. The divine dragons are a symbol of the kingdom, your heritage."
Cherche slid the shaft free, gripping her thigh tightly as she backed away against a storefront and slid to one knee. Minerva reared before her, hissing at the oncoming spearmen.
"Restrain it."
A man with a plumed helm stepped forward, unfazed as Minerva lashed at him only to be tackled by ten men wrestling the beast to the ground. He approached Cherche, deflecting her axe and pulling it away with his short sword, before reaching for her face.
He pulled her helmet off, stepping back as murmurs swept the crowd behind him.
She didn't know what was going on, staring around the expressionless visors with fear and hate.
"Do not fear," the man knelt before her and held out a tentative hand, "You are free now."
"And sometimes a symbol is all we need to do great things."
Cries from the side made everyone turn to see Valmese pouring out of the street beside them. Ranks were broken, this wasn't a retreat ‒ it was men fleeing for their lives. She turned back to see the other soldiers release Minerva to form ranks, trying to rally fleeing comrades as cavalry charged into view. She spotted Stahl's warhorse, racing towards them alongside Chrom and Sully.
The Valmese formed ranks, buffering shields to meet the cavalry head on. The officer before Cherche rose, taking a position in the front of the phalanx as she dragged herself into Minerva's saddle.
The wyvern scaled the building, looking down over the armored assault just as a deafening roar made her cringe.
A dragon flew overhead from behind her, strafing the Valmese with fire just before the cavalry charged in to the sounds of screams and metal.
The phalanx was broken, armored horses pushing in too deeply for the defenders to recover in time for the infantry wave, but Cherche was staring at the dragon circling back towards the city. The fire was discriminatory but Minerva still tensed as it swept overhead again.
A stabbing pain reminded her of her wound and she pulled the reins back towards the docks. The battle was all but secure thanks to an unexpected ally. She sensed they had a guardian angel out there, somewhere.