Thank you all reviewers. Your words are incredible pick-me-ups.
Appearances
Falchion's tip trailed the ground as Lucina sprinted forward, powerful strides bringing her within striking range of Robin much quicker than he anticipated. He lunged forward, choking her range and causing their bodies to collide. She spun off, attempting to create space before he glomped her.
"This is going to get you killed, Robin," she growled, struggling against him but he held on tight.
"Seems like a flawless strategy to me."
"You can't attack from your position, and I'm still armed."
"Yeah but I can talk, and maybe my opponent and I will discover we're not so different after all, and that fighting to the death is super dangerous."
"I'm curious what you will say to disarm someone who is actively trying to kill you," Lucina pretended to ponder, slowly moving her head away to get enough room for a headbutt.
"Well I'd start with a compliment," Robin began, burying his forehead against her neck as she jerked towards him. She lifted her feet and they tumbled to the ground off balance, him landing in the dominant position. "Your hair smells nice," he demonstrated from her shoulder.
Her wider hips allowed her to slip a leg out from under him, drawing along his side as he chanced a cheeky grin up to see her roll her eyes.
"I offered to train you under the impression you'd like to prove useful in a fight," Lucina sighed, thrusting herself up suddenly and wrapping an arm over and around his neck in a guillotine. She squeezed and the effects were immediate. "And you accepted I thought because you could see the value in learning how to fight."
He struggled to remove the vice grip her constrictor-like arms exerted, dipping his head into her to vertically flip his entire body up and over, but she clung on, gator rolling them onto their stomachs again where she sank her full weight into the back of his neck, and he tapped out.
She gave him a final squeeze and rose to her feet, panting lightly as she retrieved Falchion. "But if you don't take training seriously there is no point in it."
Robin coughed, sitting up. "Maybe… To spend time with your favorite… Person?" he made out between breaths.
She lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Second favorite person," he conceded.
Her eyes narrowed.
"... Last favorite?"
Lucina turned towards the path. "Come, we've wasted enough daylight."
"I consider the daylight well spent!" Robin objected, rubbing his neck and following her away from the clearing.
They were pushing through a lush forest. The nearby mountains collected much of the region's rainfall, and the surrounding land was a thousand shades of green from the moss that collected on protruding tree roots to the leaves above them that the sun could barely penetrate.
"You're a hopeless orthodox warrior, but I'll have to trust in your… Unorthodox abilities if we run into trouble," Lucina spoke over her shoulder, ducking under a branch over the rough path.
"It's kept me alive long enough." Robin watched her, "You look like you're feeling better."
Lucina watched him from the side. "You always turn conversations back to me."
"I want to talk about you more than I want to talk about me."
"We always talk about me. I want to talk about you."
"Life isn't about whatever you want," Robin dismissed, making past her. "So did you make it out to Chon'sin before you came back? How does the landscape compare–?"
"What's your first memory?"
Robin stumbled. "What? Was that the first question out of the hat?"
"Father said you lost your memory. So what do you remember?"
"Hitting the nightlife with Chrom. Women, parties, drink, more women; it's amazing I remember as much as I do."
"You don't drink."
Robin snorted. "That's where it became unbelievable."
"Nor do you party, or have any success with women."
"There, you already know everything about me." Robin continued walking, and she followed patiently.
"You already know much about me, with your constant probing and rude questions," Lucina explained, "And I answer them."
Robin sighed. "One question. But then I get to ask one!"
"What's your first memory?"
Robin exhaled with a chuckle, shaking his head. "Playing catch with my dad. Have you ever practiced kissing in front of a mirror?"
Lucina stared at him in surprise. "If that's where you received your training, your luck with females baffles me slightly less now."
Robin's mouth twitched as he turned back to the path. He wasn't sure if she was being unintentionally confident or intentionally condescending, but she'd earned a straight answer.
"Waking up in a green field, grass as tall as your boots. Sun overhead, birds singing from trees over that way," Robin gestured, closing his eyes as he paused in the path. "Always thought it was weird your father found me. If they hadn't been out at that exact time, how long would I have been there? What if bandits came first, or worse, a merchant who'd have taken me to live someplace awful, like Regna Ferox? A lot of luck came into falling into a high place. The domino that led me here."
He looked back at her appraising him thoughtfully. "You never answered my question. Was there, or was there not, a mirror involved?"
"I'm really curious what you think life was like in my time. We struggled to survive, made bad decisions to avoid worse ones, rationed what little food we had to–"
"You did, didn't you."
"Yes," Lucina sighed, looking to the sky. "I was young."
"How young?"
"That's two questions. So I get another one."
"Fine," Robin agreed, eager to confirm his imagination's fully-grown Lucina making a fool of herself before a mirror.
"I don't know. Are you going to marry Tharja?"
"You cheater!" Robin scowled in disbelief at being had. "Two can play that game. I don't know either!"
"Do you love her?"
"That's three! Now I get another one."
"Fine," she conceded unbothered.
Robin thought for a moment. "She loves me… That's a good reason to love someone, right?"
"Was that your question?"
"Well I mean that's the hardest part about finding someone: finding someone who really cares about you, trusts you, loves you. Now I have one of those, it seems like a stupid thing to let it go."
Lucina rolled her eyes at the feigned insecurity. "Love, or possession?"
"Sweet little Lucina," Robin spoke with a patient smile, "Possessiveness is a sign of true love!"
She sighed, "By that definition, I suppose Tharja's love is undisputed."
"See, you understand. Now I just have to get myself to reciprocate, and I won't die alone."
"Some part of you must already be there, to have slept together," Lucina commented, catching up to him on the path and glancing over to see his thousand-yard stare.
"R...Right."
"Are you unwell?"
Robin shook himself out of the bad memory. "Ah, you see, small naive Lucina, men don't really work that way. We're very capable of the reproductive act while harboring no real feelings towards anything. Like a bear. After being literally paralyzed in a room with an objectively attractive woman massaging me for a few days, then having breasts pressed into my face, one thing just sorta led to another–"
"And that's as much as I can tolerate to hear on the matter, thank you."
"You asked."
"I didn't."
Robin squinted in thought. "Regardless, that was way before we started getting along. You don't have to worry about her."
"Why would I worry about her?" Lucina frowned, not looking at him, and Robin saw a hint of red in her cheeks.
"You might."
"I don't."
"You could?"
"I won't!"
Robin left the statement hang, pleased with the implication hanging over her now. She cleared her throat.
"How many questions was that?"
They hiked for another two hours of forest scenery before finally clearing the woods. Lucina exhaled in relief as they took in the sight. They stood at the top of a hill overlooking a small village on the slopes of a valley amidst the mountainous landscape.
A boy working in the terraces spotted them and ran towards the houses as Robin and Lucina walked towards the village. Locals came out to meet them, recognizing the appearance of travelers, and through mime and broken language they were able to understand their situation.
The boy pointed to the forest behind them and Robin turned to see a great front of smoke from a burning village. He nodded grimly, and the boy spoke quickly to the others who nodded sympathetically.
They were told to wait as the locals disappeared to attend to chores and Robin and Lucina wandered the village before settling in the shade of a tree overlooking the watermill at the top of the terraces. From their spot they could see the huts, rice paddies and valley beyond as the watermill creaked softly.
Robin glanced over to see Lucina sitting in uncharacteristic calm, forearms around her knees as a breeze passed over them.
He opened his mouth and she raised a finger, silencing him before he spoke. The leaves rustled above them as the small river bubbled.
"I'm memorizing this moment. If I'm alive at the end of all this, I'd like to remember this journey fondly. The sights, and sounds… Occasionally the company."
"Who are you? What have you done with Lucina?"
"And I knew as soon as you started talking, you would ruin it."
"I have to protect our professionalism–"
She exhaled in mirth, "Your professionalism?!"
"Our professionalism! There is to be no reflection or fond-memory-making while we're together! That's how feelings of intimacy develop, and there will be no development."
"I'll try to remember that."
"Good. Now that's established, are we stopping here today?"
"No, when we get supplies for the road we must continue. Mila is another few days west."
"That was a test, you passed," Robin stated in relief as the breeze died. He removed his boots. "I think I have a blister…"
"Enjoy the feeling of only having one. We'll have many more before we reach Mila," Lucina replied, removing her own boots and feeling her soles.
"Want a foot massage? I give killer foot massages," Robin offered, but before she had a chance to decline several locals appeared from the path leading to the village, elder at the front carrying a knapsack.
Robin and Lucina rose to greet them but the villagers immediately sank to their knees, bowing low.
"Please, we have little to offer," a young woman spoke from beside the elder without raising her head, "and nothing to keep you from ignoring our plea once you take this food. But the Valmese have taken our working men. They work as slaves at the quarry at the entrance to the valley to the south. Please, we have nothing more to offer you…"
Robin fully expected Lucina to turn to him, stone faced, and explain the mission came first, greater good, help them by winning the war, etc. But instead Lucina knelt, raising the woman's head from the ground so she could look her in the eye.
"Give us directions to the quarry, we will do everything we can to free the prisoners there."
Robin stared as Lucina motioned for the others to rise, "Please, you do not need to beg. We will help you."
The young woman translated and the villagers bowed repeatedly, some breaking out in tears in relief, others coming forward to make their bows more profound before them. Lucina tried reassuring each person individually as Robin received clearer directions from the young woman.
When the crowd had cleared, Lucina turned back to him with a defensive posture.
"We can take a day out of our journey to help these people."
"Of course we can, I'm just surprised you want to."
She stared at him.
"Do you think me heartless enough to ignore their plea?"
"I figured you to be more of a… Big picture type. 'Necessary sacrifices,' 'picking our battles,' that kind of… Thing," Robin considered, testing the knapsack's weight and throwing it over his shoulder.
"I will always aid someone who needs help," she replied, donning her boots and following him on the southbound path towards the opening to the valley.
"Yeah… It's a nice side of you."
"What side is that?"
"The not… Destructor-mode-Lucina."
"I do not have a Destructor-mode."
"How many training dummies did you break, during your short time with the Shepherds?"
"T-they're training dummies, they're meant to be practice!"
"They're meant to be reused," Robin corrected, "You can't help it, I understand. Your body was built to destroy, you know no other way of life–"
"Please stop. This is how rumors get started."
"The important thing is that I accept you for who you are, femme fatale and all."
Lucina inhaled deeply, following him down the mountain path as the sun continued its slow arc overhead.
A long exhale filled the study.
The lone girl stood from the desk, looking away from the various texts and reports to stretch and admire the view of the courtyard pond from the window. She looked to her hand, realizing she was still holding the apple she'd forgotten about an hour ago.
She wasn't hungry though. Just bored and lonely.
She moved to the chessboard she'd set up that morning and took the apple in her mouth, left hand hovering over the whites, right hand over the blacks. In a minute of ambidextrous movement the game ended in checkmate, and she knocked over a king before sweeping up the pieces.
Drooling slightly she sucked at the apple before taking a proper bite, returning to the window in thought. A knock at the door made her glower. Excellus was the only one who ever fetched her.
"Wha?"
"Are you in there?"
"No."
"Walhart wishes to speak with his advisors, hurry to the throne room."
She sighed, lowering her chin to her hands on the window sill before glaring at the fruit. She didn't care for apples.
"If you're referring to the time I damaged the messenger wagon in the convoy–" Lucina began defensively.
"That hawk might have opted for a slightly stronger word than 'damaged.' If it was alive," Robin interrupted. "And spoke a language."
"And wasn't thrown at me, by you."
"Blaming the victim! What about the tavern?!"
"You destroyed the tavern."
Robin frowned. "Fifty-fifty."
"And the bandit ship."
"Sixy-forty."
"And our ship! And Say'ri's village–!"
"Wow I'm getting blamed for that, too?"
"It wouldn't have been razed if we weren't there," Lucina stated simply, staring at him in new light.
"Speculation, your honor!"
"You are a… Walking catastrophe," Lucina realized, frowning as he drew up to her but didn't move, making him stop too. "Everywhere you go, destruction follows. Your title, the rumors of you, they were all true."
"You know how much I hate disappointing you," Robin confessed, shrugging and gesturing towards the path but she didn't budge.
"That you don't cause casualties on a massive scale is nothing short of a miracle– you are The Ruiner!"
"You don't get remembered for being boring. 'The Taxpayer,' or 'The Polite and Quiet One' aren't titles history cares about."
"That's better?" Lucina questioned, "To be remembered for something awful?"
"Were everyone destined for mediocrity, to be remembered by immediate family before fading into obscurity within two generations," Robin sighed, trying to slide past her on the open side of the narrow path between a cliffside and a straight plummet into the ravine. "The world would be a much quieter place. However, as is, one could argue I made you a hero."
"I wouldn't have needed to be a hero."
"But now everyone knows you– the things you can do. You can't blame me for all evil, you'd be needed somewhere in the world with or without me, and now there isn't anyone else someone would rather have in their corner than Lucina."
"That isn't even remotely true."
"Well I can't speak for other people."
His boot found slick stone overgrown with algae from the trickle of water that ran across the path. He cleared his throat, apologizing for the awkward positioning and setting his weight on her other side just as the path gave way.
He hit the ledge, hands grasping at sliding dirt as he fell before his cloak caught on something and he looked up, seeing Lucina was the only thing keeping him from the drop below. With a grunt she heaved him high enough to scramble up the missing path and he caught his breath, making room for her to jump across the small gap.
She looked him over for injuries and caught his amazed stare.
"You saved me," he said dumbly, still staring at her.
"Are you hurt?"
"N-no, because you saved me."
"Why are you so surprised," she asked, lifting his arm to test his shoulder.
"You didn't even hesitate…"
She stopped checking him, meeting his gaze.
"We spoke about this, I wouldn't try to harm you–"
"That's not the same thing. It was your first reaction." Robin pressed, grinning at her.
"You're my only ally for several days in any direction, and if I want to help liberate these prisoners I'll need–"
"There's no way you weighed all that in the time it took for you to grab me. Just admit it, you like me."
"You're my ally," Lucina repeated with finality, rising and stepping past him to continue on the path.
"Dear diary," Robin spoke loudly, dusting himself off and rising, "Today was the greatest day ever. Lucina said we were best friends."
The narrow path continued for another five minutes before Lucina stopped, and Robin heard it too. Faint voices droning in unison from somewhere ahead.
They slowed their pace, wary of sentries, but the path was empty for another few minutes before opening up to the other side of the hill revealing the entrance to the valley below.
Hundreds of workers toiled under the lowering sun, swinging hammers or lugging stone up the ramps leading to the camp. Further past the quarry, more workers were constructing a massive bridge that spanned the narrowest part of the valley, seeking to connect the mountain trails without having to trek up and down the slopes.
"This is… More than a handful of prisoners…" Robin muttered, staring around the valley below them.
The source of the droning was apparent as they watched, workers chanting in time with the hammer swings or trudging footsteps. It was not an upbeat or jovial melody.
"This explains Walhart's rapid development of supply lines and support for military infrastructure. Slave labor. Cut out the pay or need for reasonable working hours, get the job done for cheaper in a fraction of the time…" Robin noted, gaze narrowing as he surveyed the bridge.
"Save your admiration."
Lucin scowled as a prisoner fell to his knees, buckets of rocks he was carrying spilling into the quarry. An overseer appeared immediately, lash in hand until it became clear the laborer wasn't moving. He whistled and two more prisoners appeared carrying a sheet to wrap the body in.
"Hardly." Robin frowned, watching as they carried the body to somewhere out of sight and the nearby workers continued as if nothing had happened. "If you are to defeat your enemy you must understand your enemy, and this gives some insight into what lengths Walhart will stoop to."
"Walhart is a brute who believes the only sin is being powerless. This confirms nothing we didn't already know."
"Infrastructure," Robin gestured, "Vision. Building for something, for what? This won't be complete in time to be used against our coalition, and it's going the wrong direction. What does he think is coming?"
"A way to bring his armies down on any rebellion, anywhere," Lucina answered, but Robin looked unsatisfied. "It doesn't matter, it ends today."
"There are almost as many sentries as prisoners… No hope of revolting when the guards have weapons and they don't…"
"It ends tonight."
"The prisoners won't know what's going on. We'll make a distraction and nothing will come of it but our capture. No, we need something…" Robin thought for a moment before his eyes settled bridge framework, "Ruinous."
Lucina sighed, "Of course we do."
Robin winked at her before ducking to avoid a patrol that appeared near the trailhead.
The sounds of boots approached along the path before turning into the mountains, fading away. Robin turned to Lucina crouched beside him.
"But if we're going to lay low for hours again we're getting separate hiding spots. No more of that confused-spoon position."
"We were not spooning."
"Which made me very confused."
"Let's move up," Lucina muttered, peering over the bushes to see if the path was clear, "We can observe their patrol routes and plan out tonight's mission from a vantage point."
"Planning ahead. You'd make a fine tactician, Lucina!"
The open book was covered by a second as the girl flipped the pages of a third, frowning between the texts.
She closed the second book and turned away, not realizing her oversized sleeves caught between the pages dragging the tomes to the floor and scattering papers everywhere.
The late afternoon sunlight beamed directly through the study window, making her search for spare parchment easier as she brandished a pen and prepared to duplicate the complex diagrams.
She stared hard at the shriveled pages for a second, memorizing the contents and closing the dark magic tome.
If this worked, she was about to revolutionize warfare.
Robin chewed a long blade of grass, arms behind his head as he watched clouds from his mini-clearing of bushes. He was pleased with his hiding spot.
He glanced over, seeing Lucina hadn't moved from her location a yard away from where she lay prone, face cast in shadow from the foliage, watching everything in the valley below them. He yawned.
"Is the current plan not good enough?" Robin asked, adjusting the grass and looking skyward again.
"Anything could change," she replied, not taking her eyes away for a second. "What's your side of camp look like?"
"Looks clear," he answered, not looking.
"Are you doing something terribly more important than saving these workers' lives?"
"Just thinking," he muttered, removing the grass and examining it before tossing it aside, "About what you said earlier, and taking things more seriously. I think you might be onto why I antagonize you."
"Do enlighten me," she responded, turning on an elbow to face him. "Though this sounds dangerously close to a moment of self reflection and development."
"You're always so serious, I think I go to the other end of the spectrum just to balance us out."
"So I'm responsible."
"Yes."
"And the moment is over."
"Hear me out! I like getting a reaction out of you," Robin explained as she raised an eyebrow at him. "So maybe if you act a little more playful I could meet you somewhere in the middle."
"I'm not playful."
"Act playful."
"I don't act."
"And I don't… Be serious. But this could be a way for us to bond, as compatriots! Comrades, raising that support rank, y'know? Gettin' in each other's minds."
Lucina stared at him, and shuddered.
"We could have already mind-melded by now. Become… Robina. Or Lucin!"
She gagged.
"C'mon, I'm offering a compromise! Teamwork, trust. We can't be All Work All Day Forever. You're gonna run out of things to do when the war is over."
"I'll worry about that when the war is over."
"It's never too early to start worrying."
She stared at him incredulously. "You're the last person that makes a compelling argument from."
"But now it proves my point so I'm on board."
Lucina sighed, "So if I talk more, you'll talk less?"
"You be more like me, and I'll be more like you."
"I see little progress being made, towards anything, with this new approach of teamwork. Nor does it sound particularly healthy."
"Yeah but we have some time to kill. I'll go first," Robin brought a hand across his face, straightening his features as it passed.
Lucina stared at him but before she could speak his mouth opened, voice deeper than usual.
"I'll keep watch until sundown. You rest." He broke character to wink at her. "Now do me."
"Why do I sound like a caveman?"
"You don't, it's me! Me with Lucina-like qualities."
"Then why does your voice get deeper?"
"Because you have a husky voice!" Robin explained impatiently, "Now do me!"
Lucina exhaled, glancing back at the valley and seeing nothing had changed. Robin doubted she would play along until a high pitched shrill came from her.
"Well I guess I'll just… Lay here then. And think about nothing relevant to anything for the next few hours."
Robin stared. The corner of her lip quirked and he could tell she was holding back a smile.
"Why do I sound like a… Prepubescent banshee?"
"You don't. That's me, with Robin-like–"
"Oh ha-ha," Robin rolled onto his back to stare at the clouds again. "Just as well, while you make light, I have a strict schedule to keep. You'll need a horse to keep up with my walking pace, but once we save these people, we can forgo sleep for the next two days so we can reach Mila early. Fear not, I can eat and take bathroom breaks without breaking stride."
"Meanwhile I can complain," Lucina replied, bundling her cloak under her head so she could rest her neck and fold her arms, watching him.
"You sound like a parrot."
"And I'm only meeting you halfway."
Robin sniffed, unamused by the monster he'd created as a thought occurred to him. He rolled over to watch the bridge construction.
"Where do the workers sleep? I don't see tents on this side."
"I don't know."
Robin looked over to see Lucina watching him.
"Can you look–?" Robin started but she was already shaking her head.
He sighed in annoyance as he crawled over to where she lay. She didn't budge and he sighed, reaching past to lift himself up over her and peer over the rocks into the valley. Sure enough, several dozen tents nestled further up the valley in rows, a good distance from the half-completed bridge.
"Your life is much easier than I previously believed," Lucina commented, and he looked down to see her watching him in new light.
"I'm good to swap back whenever you're ready," Robin replied, but she simply yawned at him.
"I'm not this bad," he muttered, rolling his eyes and looking up to count the tents in the distance. They looked to be enough to house all the workers they'd seen and then some.
"Alright I have a new plan, if you're done–..." he waited patiently for her to finish yawning in his face.
"Sorry," she uttered unapologetically from under him, closing her eyes.
"No no, that seemed important. So here's the better plan…" Robin paused, waiting for her to open her eyes. "...Lucina?"
Soft, exaggerated snoring answered and he exhaled in exasperation.
He pinched her nose. She socked him in the armpit.
"You are the worst me," Robin criticized, crawling back to his original hiding spot with a crippled limb, finding the grass now cold from his absence. He glared back at her. "I'm not this bad!"
Her snores loudened in response.
A knock at the study door preceded Excellus' pudgy face. "His excellency has arrived–"
The door flew open as the giant strode in, making the room seem that much smaller. He stared past the girl who rose from the desk with a grin.
"You have something to show me that could not be seen in the throne room," he addressed her, stoic expression wandering down to his feet as he stepped on a book.
"What I am about to show you is going to answer all our problems in the battles to come, you watching? Err…" She glanced from his blank expression to Excellus and cleared her throat, "Ahem, right, so check this out!"
"It's… A half-eaten apple," Excellus described, coming closer to the desk. "On parchment full of diagrams."
"I got hungry. But now you see it?" The girl closed her eyes, arms rising with an incantation and she gestured theatrically to one of the giant's helmet horns.
The shadow cast by the apple in the candlelight enveloped it, swirling energy sinking into the desk before whisking to the giant's helm where the apple appeared, speared through.
The man reached up, feeling the fruit and removing it to consider in his hand. His stoic expression flickered with amusement before hardening again.
"A cheap parlor trick, there's no telling what will happen if we tried that on a human being."
"For the first time in your life, Excellus, you are right," the girl admitted, watching him sadly. As the awkward silence deepened her sombre expression grew into an impish smile. "But since that apple survived mostly intact, I think we're ready to begin the next stage of testing!"
Excellus' paled, looking between her and the giant. "Sh-she can't–"
"She can!" The girl was already raising her arms.
"I'm indispensable!" Excellus backed away towards the door, stumbling over scattered parchment and revealing a diagram drawn on the floor. He stared at it, then over his shoulder. "You little bi–!"
The shadows enveloped him, dragging him into the floor in silence before cries were heard from the open window.
The two moved to the end of the room where frantic splashing could be heard from the courtyard pond, guards rushing to investigate the sudden disturbance as the late afternoon sun set on the horizon.
She looked up to the giant stooping beside her.
"So is that worth a promotion? Plus whatever you think I deserve for inventing teleportation?"
Lucina dozed off sometime after pretending to do so, and awoke when the moon was peeking over the mountains behind them. She looked over, seeing Robin watching the work camp.
He heard her shift and glanced over, seeing her awake.
"Don't look so surprised," he muttered, "Someone had to keep watch."
"It's nice, not being responsible for everything," Lucina commented, stretching.
"You are not responsible for everything."
"Not anymore."
"Alright, alright, this isn't nearly as much fun as I thought it'd be. We're switching back now."
"Why would I want that?" Lucina asked, frowning at him.
"Because you're not funny."
"I am getting a reaction out of you though."
He raised a finger at her, mouth open as words failed him. Finally he turned back to the camp.
"They're sending the workers to their tents, we'll move out soon. Now if you'll excuse me," Robin said, turning back to her and bringing his hand across his face, "I must resume my persona."
Lucina sighed, rolling over to look through the bushes. "Let me know if you desire to switch again. That was a pleasant afternoon."
They laid low for another hour after camp had fallen completely silent. The only noise came from the overseer tents to the south of the pass.
"We could ambush them, move through tent-by-tent once they fall asleep," Lucina suggested as they moved down the path lit by moonlight.
"My idea doesn't involve a massacre for either party," Robin informed her, pointing at Falchion, "I will need to borrow that though."
Lucina looked at the sword, then him. "Why? It's useless in the hands of someone not of the royal bloodline."
"Really? I thought Chrom just said that so I'd stop taking it…" He caught her expression and pointed to the bridge, "We're gonna bring that down. Cut the legs," he modeled using his fingers, wiggling the ones to be cut, "It should fall at an angle to cut off the worker camps, giving the prisoners a head start into the hills."
"Won't the Valmese just coming looking for them again?"
"C'mon… They already got caught once. We can only provide so many chances before natural selection must have its day."
Lucina frowned, then looked to the bridge. "There's a lot of open space down there."
Robin frowned too. "I was about to offer to be the distraction, but those prisoners there beat me to it…"
She saw the group he was talking about. Led by three guards holding torches, three prisoners were still hauling stones at the quarry near the Valmese tents.
"We can't leave them behind," Lucina affirmed, glancing to make sure he agreed with her before taking a fork in the path that would lead her to the base of the bridge.
"I've already got a plan," Robin promised as she disappeared from sight.
The Valmese overseer stoically watched the unlucky prisoners finished up the day's quota. He took no joy in the suffering, but it had to be done. Day in and day out, watching these workers slave away in the heat until they succumbed. But the work needed to be completed. The supply lines couldn't face delay. Their lives were a small price to pay, for the future of–
"Heeeey!"
They spun to see a stranger approaching from the dark. Bulky dark robes betrayed a slender frame and weaponless belt.
Instinctively their hands moved to their weapons.
"Sorry I know this is sudden, but my name's Robin, and I would love to become a laborer here."
The overseer stared at him.
"Yeah no seriously! I watched these guys working all day," Robin moved forward to squeeze a laborer's biceps, "And I wanna get absolutely jacked."
"You are not of this land, keep moving," a guard dismissed, pointing in the direction Robin had come.
"Come on give me a chance! I'll work at least seven times harder than this guy," Robin vowed, pointing to the overseer.
"Last chance, child, begone."
"I am not a child," Robin scoffed indignantly, "I mean… I don't think I'm a child. Truthfully I don't even know how old I am. I don't look like a child, do I?"
The Valmese glanced around warily, ignoring him now.
"I mean I'm definitely not a teenager anymore, right? ...But how would I know? Hey come on now pay attention to me, I'm having an early-life crisis!"
"Quiet him," the supervisor commanded, "Do a sweep of the perimeter, if he has friends I want them found."
"Wow you guys are paranoid," Robin said, amazed as one guard moved behind him to bind his wrists and another departed for the Valmese tents.
The supervisor shoved at his back, "Move."
"Where am I going?" Robin asked cheerfully as the prisoners slogged forward, heads down.
"You wanted to be a laborer here, tonight you'll be sleeping in their tents. Maybe the smell and a bed of lice will bring you to your senses by morning."
They marched towards the bridge and Robin scanned the base legs for any sign of Lucina, but she was nowhere to be seen. For better or worse.
"What are you looking for?"
"Nothing, I just have a difficult time focusing and am easily distracted," Robin answered, "You ever have a thought and it just…" He stared off into space.
"Who are you?" the supervisor demanded as they moved under the bridge. Robin took another step but a firm hand on his shoulder spun him around to face the grizzled man's steely gaze.
"Me? Heh, you can call me Robin. Robin the–" Robin began confidently, cocking his head before wood groaned around them. "Is that an Entmoot?"
The groaning rose in volume as wood began splintering, all the legs of the bridge slanting visibly in the dark.
The overseer tackled him backwards as the entire bridge collapsed into the valley with an enormous crash, dust billowing out to the edges of the worker camp.
Robin coughed, clenching his eyes from the dirt and hearing others stirring around him.
"Venator, status!" the overseer called out, rising.
"Prisoners accounted for, sir!" the other guard answered from somewhere in the smokescreen. "Cause for the collapse unknown!"
"I think we have our cause right here," the overseer growled, dragging Robin to his feet and producing a shortsword.
"Unhand him," Lucina's voice demanded, just behind Robin.
Robin was spun to face the speaker, sword tip at his throat as the other guard appeared, laying the workers facedown on the ground and drawing his own weapon.
"I don't know what your plan was," the overseer spoke loudly, sword steady against Robin's neck, "But the destruction of that supply line was an act of sabotage against the Valmese Empire. I have your companion's life in my hands, if you want him to live you'll lay down your arms. You'll be taken in for processing and work to rebuild what you destroyed tonight."
Lucina waited for the wind to clear the smokescreen, allowing them to take in the situation.
A breeze swept through the valley, smoke dissipating revealing the dozens of silhouettes emerging from tents behind Lucina. Behind Robin and the guards, a wall of debris four meters tall separated them from the north of the pass.
The metal lifted from Robin's neck. He grinned, seeing Lucina's weapon drawn but at her side, ready to end this without bloodshed. He stooped to rouse the workers beside him and some others moved forward to help them back into their ranks.
"You have no idea what you're doing," the overseer said.
"You're pretty calm for a prison guard on the wrong side of the cell," Robin chuckled, glancing at the workers who stared at the two Valmese with an ugly hunger. "They look about ready for some revenge."
"Do you understand what a prisoner is?"
"Someone being held against their will?"
"Criminals being held against their will. Bandits and pillagers and much, much worse. And you just set them free."
"I, uh– Lucina?" Robin muttered, glancing to her but she was watching the workers eyeing them warily. If they understood the conversation happening they didn't show it, though some were looking towards the hills and edging away from the crowds. The Valmese backed away to the wall of debris, readying their weapons.
"Well then… This is awkward. Assuming you aren't lying," Robin offered hopefully, putting his back to Lucina so she could cut the bindings at his wrists.
"I expect you'll have all the evidence you'll need shortly," the overseer replied calmly, watching a worker walk forward, stone in hand.
Robin moved to intercept him, "Whoa whoa, this plan involved no death. Let's not spoil it."
The worker spat at Robin's feet. Robin stared at him incredulously. The other man raised the stone to strike and Robin pushed him back. He was caught by his comrades who began to stir, mutters rising as improvised weapons were fashioned.
Robin and Lucina moved to stand beside the Valmese.
"This is not at all how I imagined this going," Robin confessed, staring around, "Absolutely zero gratitude! These are bad people, Lucina!"
"It seems we acted without the whole story," Lucina explained, glancing to the Valmese, "We thought you were slavers."
"And for the record, this entire situation is more or less her fault," Robin explained, "I wanted to skip this place."
"You were ignorant," the overseer told her, then pointed at Robin, "And you are an idiot. Go, now."
An unlucky worker charged first, face meeting the butt of a Valmese spear and reeling back, giving the others pause. No one wanted to be second.
"We will stand by you, and rectify our error," Lucina vowed, raising her weapon at the nearest prisoner who backed down.
"Lucina's right, we can't let you guys shoulder her gross misjudgment on your own."
"You made a grievous mistake, but are too young for it to be your last. Run." The overseer turned at the sound of voices behind them.
A Valmese soldier appeared over the wall of debris, broad shield on his back, spear in hand. Another appeared, then another. Robin wondered why he thought collapsing the bridge would have slowed them down in the slightest. The overseer turned back to the prisoners, lowering into a combat stance.
"Lucina," Robin muttered, gripping her arm, "We want to be somewhere else."
"We can't abandon the battle."
"There's no victory for right or wrong here. It's people who enforce labor camps versus people who probably deserve it."
Lucina looked from the gathering force of Valmese to the unwavering mass of prisoners, then turned to him. He squeezed her arm.
"We've done enough."
She winced, and followed him.
They hugged the collapsed bridge as Valmese descended, passing them. Almost as soon as they reached the hills the sounds of battle rang out, cries and metal splitting the air. Lucina turned back to view the moonlit carnage before Robin pulled her into the wilderness.
The moon shone through the open window. The candles were extinguished, all was quiet save the humming of the girl at the window sill. She was told to go to sleep hours ago but she'd just be lying awake most of the night anyway. She preferred watching the moon. In two more sleeps it would be full.
An image flickered in her mind, a snapshot of a memory. Her brain honed on it, desperate to glimpse something she'd recognize.
The full moon high above, blanket under her… But she wasn't alone. She was small, between two warm bodies… They were stargazing.
A family out on a grassy hill. Soft voices… Laughter.
She tried digging deeper, sifting through thoughts, conjuring any words or actions to accompany that setting, anything to hint at where they were or why she was here…
Nothing came. Just that image, like a painting in her mind, any details or additions purely imagination.
She exhaled in frustration, feeling a tear slip down her cheek as she clenched her fists. She missed them terribly, and finding that memory was like finding a piece of buried treasure. One of the many fragments she'd hold onto, like parts to a shattered vase. Eventually… She'd put it all back together.
Sniffing, she turned away from the window and the moon high over Mila.
It was almost midnight by the time Robin and Lucina made camp. They'd walked for hours, crossing streams and following moonlit paths through the mountains until Lucina was satisfied there was no chance of anyone from the battle tracking them this far. They'd decided against revisiting the town that had given them supplies for obvious reasons, and opted to spend the warm night under the stars in a grassy clearing they'd found just off the path.
Robin opened the pack and pulled out an apple, offering it to Lucina who shook her head with a wrinkled nose. He took a bite, laying out to mirror her, top of their heads almost touching as they looked skyward.
"So from now on… We don't offer to help unless we know for a fact we aren't helping some mother spring her serial-killing son out of prison."
"It seemed so genuine at the village," Lucina muttered, brows furrowed, "Perhaps we forget even prisoners are people too, with families and homes…"
"Like not all Valmese are conquering warlords bent on world domination," Robin added, taking a bite, "Those guys were actually pretty forgiving, considering the circumstances."
"I don't know what the right decision was there... But I don't feel like we made it." Lucina craned her neck to look at him. "Leaving the situation as it was? That wasn't virtuous, or noble."
"I don't think those were options on the table."
"My father would say, 'If your gut feels unsettled after a decision, it was the wrong one.'"
Robin looked up to meet her gaze, and rolled over so she could see his serious expression.
"Lucina, Chrom is a very wise man, with an unwavering moral compass and impossibly chiseled abdominals, but he's wrong – like all the time. There wasn't a right side to that battle. We brought an end to a terrible situation, which never looks pretty."
Lucina blinked, then rested her neck to watch the stars. They were silent for a minute as he chewed on his apple.
"You fake the fool well, Robin."
"I am not a fake!"
"It's easy to become frustrated with your… Charade. But from time to time I think I glimpse the part of you that earned the place at my father's side."
"Sure," Robin conceded, spitting out a seed, "There was a vacancy for Court Jester–"
"The real part of you," Lucina continued, sitting up to look at him, "Not the mask you show the world."
Robin looked to see her seeing her watching him again.
"Lucina," he muttered, "I feel like I can be myself around you. I can take off this mask, and be real, because you're my wife–"
Lucina groaned, laying down and wrapping her cloak around her. "Goodnight, Robin."
Robin grinned as he chewed the apple stem, laying down again to watch the moon high above them.
"Sleep warm."