Hello, hello! It's been a while since I made a chapter for this story this fast, but I've set my sights on completing this first arc before the end of the year! Hopefully my other stories won't suffer for it... Anyways, before you go on, let me tell you something about this chapter, okay? A lot of this was going to be included in the previous chapter, but I didn't quite like the flow, so I thought I would include it in the chapter with them marching into Plegia. Well, turns out, after writing all of this, adding to it the march didn't work either! SO, what else can I do? Make it its own chapter! This also explains why the chapter is shorter than the last five (this one has close to 7k words for the story, while the others averaged at around 10k.) That doesn't mean I think this is a bad one! Not at all. I really liked writing this one because it's so dialogue heavy.
On a side note, I want to thank all of you for the support you've been giving this story so far. Every time I read a new review it makes me really happy and gets my brain kickstarted to write a new chapter. To tell you that I already know how the last three chapters of this story—that's right, the story, not the arc—are going to go should tell you something. Anyways, thanks again, guys and gals!
I hope you like this one. As always, remember to leave a review to let me know what you think! What were you happy with? What didn't work so well for you? And if you really liked the story, click Follow and/or Favorite! Enjoy~
Chapter 17: And so she revealed
Marth stopped struggling when Panne showed herself. Whether that was because she was afraid of the taguel or because she realized just how much the odds were stacked against her, Robin did not know. His mind was a mess trying to figure out everything that had just happened. He couldn't even get a word out, he just stood there with his mouth agape like an incredulous idiot. Meanwhile, Legault produced a piece of rope from a pouch under his cloak, which he used to tie up Marth's arms behind her back after being able to turn her around. Now restrained, she was completely powerless to him, though she continued to scowl at the thief after he pulled her get back to her feet. The way she looked at him was filled with hatred, though by the way she was biting onto her lower lip hard enough to draw blood, she was probably cursing herself for own recklessness.
"What should we do now…?" Lyn asked, uncertain. Since Legault had revealed that the bluenette had been the one responsible for the events of two weeks prior, she hadn't let her eyes wander away from the traitor. Like she would during battle, she kept her hand over the hilt of her sword. She didn't look too comfortable with the turn of events either, her expression showing both anger and confusion. "Chrom should be informed about this. To have a traitor infiltrate his ranks like that… He won't be happy." Marth flinched, but did not try to move away from Legault's grasp.
Likewise, Panne didn't look pleased with the turn of events. She had crossed her arms over her chest, grabbing onto the opposite bicep strongly, her nails—or rather her claws—digging somewhat into her skin just enough not to draw blood. "She should be punished for what she's done," said the taguel with obvious spite. "We have enough proof on this man-spawn to deliver a punishment. Telling the others about this will only complicate things further."
"I agree with the both of you," said Legault, still keeping his cool. "She will receive a fitting punishment, of that I'm sure. However, as prince of Ylisse and leader of this army, Lord Chrom should be the one deciding what is to be done with her. We have to tell him… But not before we get a chance to question her ourselves first. As Panne said, telling the others will complicate things. If we want answers, then it will be best to go for it before others get involved. Otherwise, we may never get another chance to do so. Afterall, there are certain things that can't be discussed with others around."
"And you think she will answer your questions truthfully?"
He shrugged, looking back at Panne with a wicked smile that would send shivers down anyone's spine. "I can be…" he let his words hang in the air for a second, "...persuasive in situations that call for it. Interrogation is just one of the many skills I gained while working as an assassin over the years… I've broken bigger and stronger people before—both men and women. A child won't be any more of a challenge."
The implied suggestion frightened Robin. The phrasing suggested only one thing, but he didn't want to think that it would come to that. "...You are not talking about just questioning, are you?" Robin asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. When Legault showed a faint smile, it was enough for the tactician to understand. He hoped that it wouldn't come down to that. If he could, he would even intervene. Though Marth had made two attempts at his life, she had also saved Lissa and warned them of the attempt on Emmeryn's life. That had to count for something.
"For now, we move her to the dungeon. The royal guards that were there have already been moved out to be checked by our healers, leaving it empty for us to use. In the meantime, if you could go fetch Dame Isadora, I would appreciate it." The request was directed at Panne, who raised an eyebrow before Legault explained further. "I know you get along with her, or at least you don't hold any grudges against her. It shouldn't be too hard for you to convince the knight to accompany you. What we will discuss involves her as well. It will be better for her to be there, as she will have questions of her own."
Panne closed her eyes, looking more relaxed. "Very well. But should you start this without me, someone will pay for it." She turned around and started walking towards the barracks. Robin was surprised by the interaction between the taguel and the thief. Just a few days ago their dynamic was so different. Actually, it couldn't even be called that. There was an unknown tension between them. Back then he'd dismissed it as Panne not liking Legault for the simple reason of being human, but now…?
With a hand on the back of Marth's neck and the other on her arm, Legault was ready to move the prisoner. When he started walking the opposite way that Panne had taken, Lyn and Robin followed him without another word. They walked through the palace undisturbed, their footsteps echoing through the dimly lit empty hallway decorated by both art and signs of combat. Most of the Shepherds had either retired to the barracks or were still at the dining hall enjoying a moment of peace before the march took it away from them. Even the doors to the dungeon were left unguarded, which made sense when Robin considered that there were no prisoners being held at the moment—all the Plegian soldiers had perished during combat or routed. For that he was thankful. He trusted Legault wouldn't harm Marth unless it was absolutely necessary, but he knew that the man didn't care about hiding his origin. And if the Hurricane wanted Isadora to be there too, Robin knew that the questions would revolve around the Fang.
When he felt a hand take hold of his, he turned to look at its owner. The way she looked at him was as if she was trying to say "it'll be okay" and "I'm here for you". She must have felt his unease. With Lyn's hand on his he was able to calm down, if only just a bit, but the questions that plagued his mind remained. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to wait long for answers. Once they entered the dungeon, Legault didn't waste any time to get things ready. He searched Marth up and down to get anything that she could use to attempt an escape off of her. The search only produced a few personal items like anyone would carry, but nothing dangerous. They opened a cell for her and, after undoing her binds, locked her up.
An awkward silence ensued while they waited for Panne to return with Isadora. Legault had dragged a chair with him and was now sitting in front of the cell, playing with his dagger, eyes set on Marth. Robin was pacing around back and forth, trying not to start questioning Marth right away. In his head, he was figuring out what he wanted to ask first. Lyn, she was leaning against a wall, looking at Robin as he moved. As for Marth, she'd sat on the floor, hugging her knees and looking down at the ground.
The silence was broken when Lyn called out to Legault, getting the attention from both the thief and the tactician. "Why are you working with Panne of all people, Legault?" Lyn asked. "From what I've seen, though she doesn't hesitate to fight with us, she keeps her distance from most of us whenever possible. Not only that, but you two didn't seem to get along when I saw you around camp since you joined…"
"Taguel are very interesting, as it turns out," he explained, not bothering to turn around and face her. "They are like nothing I've ever seen. Those ears? I thought they were just for show, but they actually allow her to listen to things from a long distance. Likewise, her smell and level of nightvision are far beyond what an average human being can achieve, even with training… For how long do you think I've been following your group?"
The question took Robin off guard. He stopped pacing to look at Legault. "Wasn't it since the day I was attacked?" Robin asked, to which Legault shook his head.
"That's the day I joined you, not the day I started following you. No, I've been following you for long before that, Mark. To be exact, it started the day you first came to Ylisstol."
"What…? If that's true then why didn't you join us from the start?"
Legault shrugged. "There was no need for me to do so. You had everything under control, as to be expected of the tactician of the Lycian League. My mission was to look out for Fang activity around you, not to intervene with anything unless your life was at stake. Even after Lady Lyndis joined, following you was not a problem… That is, until the first attack at the palace. Turns out, the rabbit knew from the day she joined that there was someone tailing you. Again, her hearing and sense of smell are amazing. Though she never saw me, she made it increasingly difficult for me to conceal myself as days went by. And when I finally showed myself? She didn't waste any time to confront me about it." He smirked as he recalled the events.
Just as he was about to continue, the door swung open and Panne walked in followed by Isadora, who closed the door behind her. The two women looked around the room, trying to get their bearings. The knight's eyes widened when she noticed who they were holding in the cell. She quickly turned to look at the others. "What is happening here? Why has Lady Marth been incarcerated?"
"Attempt of murder and treason amongst other things.." Legault slowly stood up from his chair. "Now that we are all here, we can begin the interrogation."
"Wait a moment," Robin called out. "I don't think having Panne here for this is wise…"
"If you are afraid of your secret, tactician, Legault has already filled me in on it," Panne said, leaving Robin speechless.
Legault shrugged it aside, saying, "needed to be done. Otherwise I wouldn't have earned her trust and cooperation. But that's a discussion for another time, yes? Now, if there is nothing else…?" Robin sighed and shook his head. There were now two Shepherds that knew about their little secret. So much for secrecy. At least he could trust that Panne wouldn't let it out of the bag with how little she interacted with the others. Lissa was a whole other story…
"I will get straight to the point," Legault continued as he turned to face Marth. He walked over to the cell. Grabbing onto the bars, he leaned in further. "We know that it was you who attacked Mark that night in Arena Ferox. That is a fact. Trying to deny it won't get you anywhere. That leaves only your motive as a mystery. What could you possibly gain from murdering Mark in cold blood? So, answer me this—the question in all of our minds: are you working or in any way affiliated with the Black Fang?"
Marth turned her head to look at the thief, looking quizzical. She practically cringed at the mention of the organization, furrowing her brow. "The Black Fang?" She repeated as to confirm she wasn't hearing things.
"Is there a problem?" Legault asked, not amused by what seemed like her buying time to come up with a cover story.
"A problem, you say..." She looked away to snicker only to look back at her interrogator with an ice cold look. "Of course there is! The Black Fang? Don't make me laugh... That's nothing more than a fairy tale! How can I be part of a group that does not exist?"
Isadora took a step forward. Keeping her voice under control—not too friendly nor aggressive—and told the bluenette, "I assure you, Lady Marth, this is no jest." Marth looked over at the knight, her brow still furrowed. "The Black Fang is as real as you and I. Many years ago, under the tactical mind of Lord Mark, we—Master Legault, Lady Lyndis, and I, to name a few—fought against them. Master Legault himself had been part of the Black Fang for some time before leaving them and eventually defecting to our cause."
"...You can't be serious…" the girl shook her head, looking disappointed in the knight. "Even Owain wouldn't believe something like that… Do you honestly expect me to believe all you've said to be true? Do you take me for a fool?"
"Dame Isadora isn't one to lie," Legault interjected, moving back to his chair, but only resting his hands on the backrest. "You are free to believe whatever you want. Our credibility is not the one being questioned right now. Yours, however, is. You misunderstand your position. We are the ones that get to ask the questions. Now, clearly this time: are you or are you not part of the Fang?"
"No…" she answered, looking somber.
Before Legault could ask his own question, Robin had to intervene. His mind was full of things he wanted to know too, but if he was to get any answers, he would need to turn the things to his own rhythm. "Are you working for the Mad King?"
Marth was taken aback by the question. It left her wide-eyed and with her mouth agape. It took her a second, but once she regained her composure, she turned to look at the tactician and, looking insulted, she yelled, "no!" She noticed she'd raised her voice more than she'd intended. Quickly and with a far more reasonable level, she continued, "I would never work for someone like the Mad King! He is a monster than would do unspeakable things to Ylisse in the name of vengeance."
It made him glad to hear her say that. On the back of his mind, however, he kept repeating to himself that she could be lying to get out of the situation. "Validar then?" The chances of the girl knowing who he was referring to were close to none. The name was obscure even in Plegia. Only those in politics or with connections to the Grimleal had heard that name before. Still, it didn't hurt to try. Much to his surprise, the name did elicit a reaction similar to the one she gave for his previous question.
"No!"
"Then, have we met before? Before the night you saved Lissa's life near Southtown?" For the first time since the questioning began, Marth remained quiet, her azure eyes downcast. "If you are not with the Fang, Gangrel, nor Validar, I can only conclude that you have a personal grudge against me. Perhaps we've met long ago and I wronged you somehow?" Again, she didn't respond.
Though the others were willing to wait for Marth to answer, Panne was losing her patience. "You are in no position to remain silent, man-spawn," the taguel reminded Marth. "Answer the question"
Marth flinch. Panne's words were harsh, but it was what they needed to move forward. "I… I did know you, when I was but a child," the bluenette confessed, still not willing to look anyone in the eye. "But… You didn't know me..."
When it looked like she wasn't going to continue, Legault intervened with yet another push. "A vague answer. How did you-"
The door opened once more. To everyone's surprise, Chrom, Frederick, and Lissa were standing at the doorway, peering in. Robin would have liked to get some more answers out of Marth, but it would seem like their time was over. The three walked in and looked around. Before long, it was Chrom who asked what the three were probably thinking. "What's going on here? Why is Marth in a cell?"
Legault took a few steps back, turning around to face the new arrivals. "Ah, Prince Chrom! Your timing is impeccable. You'll be glad to know that we've captured the one responsible for the attempt on Mark's life in Ferox."
"But I only see Marth here," said Lissa, who looked as confused as a child trying to make sense of a political conversation. For a moment she looked around the room as if looking for an evil looking individual that fit better the image of a would-be assassin. "Wait a second," she muttered, the realization finally striking her. "Are you saying Marth was the one…?"
"Mark and I were returning to the barracks after our meal when we were stopped by Marth," Lyn explained. "We exchanged a few words before she drew her sword on us without warning. As she was running to strike, Legault knocked her to the ground, disarmed her, and restrained her."
"I find all of this to be hard to believe," said Frederick with his usual stoic tone. "Marth has come to our aid twice before. She's not shown resentment towards Robin or anyone of us, for that matter. Her attacking Robin now without a cause is unthinkable."
"Believe me, Frederick," Robin started, looking at the knight with discomfort. "If there is anyone here that wants answers to solve this mess it would be me. We've been questioning her for a bit, but we still don't know her motive."
Chrom nodded at Robin. "I don't have any reason to doubt the word of any of you. You've proven yourselves many times over that you are trustworthy. I am curious, though… I've explained why Lyn, Robin, and Legault are here, but what about Panne and Isadora?"
"I was with Legault at the time of the attack," Panne said matter-of-factly.
"You were?" Lissa asked, the faintest grin forming at the mention of something that could be juicy gossip. Robin could swear the princess was shivering in anticipation, wanting to sink her teeth on the information. Somehow, Lissa could always focus on less important matters when she heard something that interested her more. "I thought you two disliked each other."
Legault chuckled. "As an old poet once said: the line between love and hate can be indistinguishable, milady." The thief proceed to wink at the taguel. The speed at which the thief could come up with things to gain control of the conversation was frightening. In the years since Robin had last seen him, the man had sharpen his skills even more than the tactician would have expected.
Panne didn't find the humor in the comment. "Watch what you say, man-spawn," she told him as she glared daggers at him. "Don't test your luck."
"I see you haven't changed much, Master Legault," said Isadora with a nostalgic smile. "Although I fear that one of these days you will tease the wrong person and end up in harm's way for it."
"You worry too much, though I would be lying if I said I don't appreciate your concern. But getting back on topic, to answer Prince Chrom's second half of the question, Isadora has valuable experience as an interrogator. I thought it wise to call for her as soon as possible to get as much as we could out of Marth."
"Very well. Have you found out anything relevant?" Chrom asked.
"Not much, milord," Isadora said. "Marth claims not to be with any of our known enemies. Her word carries minimal sway as to whether we can trust her or not, however. She did betray our trust not once but twice already. It wouldn't come as a surprise if she was lying to us now too."
"Perhaps it would be best for us to do some questioning of our own, milord," Frederick suggested. "We could compare notes with Isadora afterwards and come to a more decisive conclusion."
"I agree, that seems to be the best course of action," said Chrom before turning to Robin. "It's hard for me to say this, Robin, but any formal trial and punishment will have to wait until we come back from Plegia. Emmeryn is still the Exalt, even if I'm the one in charge in her absence. It is for her to decide what is to be done with Marth. Her part on saving Emm's life can't go unnoticed either, as the counselors will point out…"
The brunette didn't feel entirely comfortable with the situation. The idea that Marth could somehow escape while they were away crossed his mind. If that were to happen, it could throw another pebble into their cogs, forcing the march to come to a halt. Then again, Chrom was making a rational decision. They simply couldn't spare more time than they already had if they wanted to get Emmeryn back safely.
"I understand, Chrom," said Robin. "Truth be told, I want to put this behind me so that I can concentrate on working out the details for our counteroffensive. I still need to look at and approve the supply lists, and make sure that everyone is well equipped before we leave Ylisstol."
"It's good to see you are already thinking ahead, my friend. For now, all of you should head back to the barracks and get some rest. You will need it for tomorrow's march. In the meantime, Frederick and I will start our own questioning. We can reconvene again in the morning once we set off."
The group agreed with Chrom's course of action. One by one, the others left the room, Robin being the last and closing the door behind him. They all decided not to speak of Marth to the others until Chrom made the announcement himself in order to avoid a commotion. Though he felt bad about leaving the others out of the loop, the tactician knew better than anyone that sometimes, not knowing was for the best. In the end, they went their different ways. Robin and Lyn decided to go back to their original plan and headed back to the barracks together, but before they could get too far, Legault approached them.
"She has interesting eyes," he told Robin. The comment came out of nowhere. The thief didn't elaborate either. He simply walked away, leaving Robin scratching his head.
When they entered his room, it felt smaller than he remembered. As he looked around, he noticed pieces of furniture there that weren't there before. They weren't the only thing that had changed. Many tomes of different sizes, widths, and colors had been set on a bookshelf. Taking a closer look at them, he could tell that most of them revolved around strategy. On the desk to the side of the bookshelf, there was a small package and a letter. Taking the letter first, he inspected the envelope. It wasn't signed, but it didn't need it. The stamp with the mark of the Exalt was enough for him to know who had written it. It was a thank you letter from Emmeryn herself, telling him that she'd collected more texts that could help him. It was bittersweet to read the letter. Those kind words she'd written lifted his spirit, but knowing that her life was in danger brought him back to reality.
Robin noticed that there was no mention of the package on the letter. Setting it down after reading it once over in case he'd missed anything, he inspected the small package. It was lightweight and rectangular. There was nothing written on it that would tell him if it was supposed to be his or not. He assumed that if it was in his room it would be meant for him. Slowly peeling the wrapping away, he let out a breath that he didn't know he'd been holding. On the back of his mind he'd been thinking it was some sort of trap. Turns out, it was a book. A novel. Written on one of the first pages was a message that read, Sorry for the wait! I hope you like it! Below that was the signature of a certain pegasus knight. Sumia. With everything that had happened, he'd forgotten all about it. Perhaps it was Sumia's way to get him to relax, or maybe she'd just found a good book to share with him. Either way, Robin was happy.
"I get a homely feeling being in here," said Lyn, who'd been pacing around, admiring the room. "This is more of what I expected from you. Books everywhere. You would always hold up in your tent with books back then. I remember thinking you had to be some scholar to be that studious." They smiled at each other for a second before they chuckled.
With a more relaxed atmosphere, the two talked for a while. Eventually, Lyn became sleepy and laid down on his bed. He found it that talking with her had been a good distraction from everything else. He wasn't too long into the night yet, so he decided to get some of his work done. In a small book he'd been using since leaving Ferox, he made notes of things they would need, possible strategies to deal with different Plegian formations that he knew about, and even Shepherds that he could pair together for combat.
He worked into the night, the candlestick on his desk shortening by half. But as time passed, he found it harder and harder to focus on what was in front of him. The letters became blurry and the sentences didn't make any sense. Normally he would go to bed if he knew that he wouldn't be able to work anymore, but that night, he just couldn't. Looking back at the bed, he could see Lyn sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. Any other night he would have loved to join her, but that night he had something he wanted to settle.
Sneaking out of his own room made him chuckle. He'd left behind his armor, weapons, and even his cloak, knowing that he wouldn't need them where he was heading. Plus, the noise of wearing that stuff could wake some of the other Shepherds. It didn't take him long to find himself in front of where he wanted to be. This time, the doors had two guards holding onto spears guarding the door. The poor guys looked tired too. Right back to work, huh?
Convincing the guards to let him enter wasn't too difficult. They'd been some of the ones that he'd helped release that day. Knowing who he was and seeing that he didn't bother carrying any weapons with him, the two guards allowed him to enter, no questions asked except for offering to go with him as a precaution, which Robin denied.
He could hear the faint sound of Marth sobbing once he entered. Marth didn't react to him at all. He was able to walk all the way to the chair that was still in front of the cell she was in. "Marth?" he called out. The girl, slowly turned to look at him. Even with the low light, he could see that her eyes were bloodshot, tears coming down her poofy cheeks. Were Frederick and Chrom that harsh with her?
The bluenette sat up, wiping away her tears with her sleeves, but refusing to meet his eyes again. She only sat there in silence, sniffling. Robin scratched the back of his head. He felt awkward. Seeing her crying reminded him that the girl in front of him was still a young one, around Lissa's age, if he had to guess. That only added to the intrigue of why she would do what she'd done. Taking advantage of the chair, he walked around it and sat down, hoping that it would making him look less intimidating, not that he really looked intimidating when only wearing light clothes, boots, and gloves. "What you said last," he spoke in a calm tone, "it's been bothering me…"
"I do not know what you mean…" she said with a shaky voice.
She was either pretending not to remember or hoping he would misremember. If it had been a minor detail he might have doubted himself, but it'd been stuck on his mind all night. "You said you knew me," said the brunette. "That's been bothering me. I would know if I'd seen you before. Blue hair isn't normal in Plegia. I'm good with faces. I can recall people that I pass around for months or even years after I've seen them if they stuck out like a black sheep in a flok."
"And yet, though you don't recognize me, I recognize you." She looked over at him, keeping her eyes fixed on him. He returned the look, inspecting her face like it was a puzzle missing a piece. And then, in her eye, he found what it could be. The words Legault had said; that comment made sense now. The tactician had been too focused on the betrayal that he had failed to notice what was right in front of him.
He nodded, slouching forward on the chair with his hands on his knees. "I see… Tell me, does that have anything to do with your eye?" Marth looked away immediately, but not before Robin was able to see the bafflement in her expression. He knew he'd hit the nail on the head with a reaction like that. That answered one thing… "You have the mark of the Exalt on your left eye. You and I know what that means, yes?" Marth remained quiet. "Only descendants of house Ylisse carry that mark, and not even all of them have it. I know that Chrom's only family are Lissa and Emmeryn… Could it be that that's not the case?"
Robin tried being patient. He was in no rush to get answers. He had all night to wait if need be. However, if he could get her talking, that would be better. He sighed, hating himself for having to ask the next question. "It wouldn't be the first time a king had a child with a mistress," he said. "Are you a bastard?"
The question got the expected reaction from her. She looked indignant at him. "What?! How dare you say such things about my father!"
"Peace, Marth. I don't want the guards to get involved in this." He raised both his hands in front of him to calm down the girl. "But you must understand why I would ask that. You are not Chrom's sister. The last king was a single child and so was his father before him. Still, that eye of yours… Why don't you tell me the story behind it?"
"There is nothing to say about it that you haven't already."
"Are you related to Chrom, Lissa, and Emmeryn?"
She hesitated for a moment, but finally answered, "yes…"
"You are not a bastard child. You are related to Chrom. You got the mark from your father's side of the blood, considering your reaction to my questions… You said you knew me when you were a child..." The dots were connecting in his mind. There was only one way all of those things would be possible, an insane way. Had he heard what he was about to say a few months back, he would have laughed out loud. "You knew about the attempt on the Exalt's life because it had already happened...in your time."
Marth chuckled nervously. "Y-You know how crazy you sound right now?"
"To others I will sound like a lunatic. I'm well aware of it. That is why I haven't spoken about my own experience with...time travel. In my case, I went back in time."
"You… You went back in time too?"
"Yes. A few months ago, though I didn't know I went back in time back then. I did it as part of my training as a black mage. Lyn, Isadora, and Legault? They are all from that time in the past. I don't quite understand how it is that they came to the present, but they did. That's why Legault asked about the Black Fang. To you it is a fairy tale, but to them- no, to us it did happen. Lissa mentioned this legends before too. It is hard to believe, but then again, you must know what that is like too."
"That's… Incredible…"
"Says the girl that comes from the future. Now, tell me, in this future of you come from, you are Chrom's daughter?"
"Y-Yes…"
"Please tell me he didn't name you Marth…" He rubbed his messy hair, cringing at the idea that his friend would consider naming his daughter after the Hero King.
"No," she smiled nostalgically as she looked at the ground. "My real name is Lucina."
He sighed. "Good. Your mother must have named you…" He heard Lucina let out a short giggle. "So tell me, Lucina… Why did you come back here? What were you trying to accomplish?"
"I wanted to save my aunt Emm," she said, looking to the ground. "I tried to hard to keep her out of harm's way. When we were able to repel the attack, I thought that I had accomplished my mission. My future would be prevented! I was so happy… But… After I had left, I was approached by a man… He told me something… Something about you, Robin."
"And it's because of this that you tried to kill me." She nodded weakly. He leaned back on the chair, trying to keep all the details in check. This was the second time a mysterious figure had had a hand on his life. First, someone had made sure Lyn would get to Ferox. And then another had said something that could have cost him his life. Could it be that both of those were one and the same? But why?
"In my time, you were revolved around mystery yourself," Lucina said. "You were close to all the Shepherds, especially my father and my aunt Lissa. You treated them all like family, me and my friends—their children—included. You would even teach us about magic, the way of the sword, and even tactics after we grew tired of the stories. We wanted to live them! It's the dream of any children to do so... But as happy as family seemed to make you, you never took a wife of your own. You never had a child.
"Still, I believed you were happy with your life back then. And then… A day came when father took the Shepherds to fight. They all returned… Except you and him. Chrom had been killed in combat. As for you… You vanished… No one said it, but the reason why was clear, even if us children didn't want to admit it... A few days later, Grima appeared. From that day on, the peaceful world I grew up in was gone..."
Robin didn't like what he was hearing. All the blood had left his head. In her timeline, he had killed Chrom… He couldn't fathom what would cause him to do such a thing, especially after hearing that what he was like. Not only that, but the appearance of Grima after his own disappearance? Isadora had mentioned before that what brought her to Ylisse was the rumor of the Black Fang looking for him because of a supposed connection to Grima. Just the thought that it could be true sent chills down his spine. "That's why you tried to kill me…"
"Yes… But in doing so, I put Emmeryn's life at risk again. When we came back here and found out that Emmeryn had been kidnapped, I blamed you for it… I knew that the one responsible for our delay was ultimately me, and yet…"
"And because I taught you my tactics, you would take my place as the tactician for the Shepherds…"
"...Yes…"
Leaning forward, Robin covered his face with his hands, slowly exhaling. This was too much, even for him. There were too many threats to think about. Asking any more questions would only make him even more paranoid than he was already. Taking one last look at Lucina, he stood up and walked towards the door.
Lucina stood up too, but was blocked by the iron bars. She held onto them tightly. "R-Robin?"
The brunette stopped for a second. "I'm afraid if I ask more about your future, my brain won't be able to take it," he admitted. "I hate leaving things like this, but knowing just those few things will keep me up for the rest of the night. I wish the march didn't start tomorrow so that we could talk some more, but I can't selfishly hold everyone back. When we get back with Emmeryn, I will have more questions for you. For now… I have to fix this."
"Y-You won't tell father about this...right? Please…"
"I will keep your secret," he said as he opened the door. "I hope you can keep mine too." Without taking a look back, he closed the door behind him.
The walk back to his room felt ten times longer than he remembered it to be. His head was throbbing, the headache he was feeling on the borderline of becoming a migraine. He'd gone to talk with Lucina in hopes that getting some answers would leave him at ease. Instead, what he got were more questions. Sleep would not come easy. As if that wasn't enough, he still had to sleep knowing full well that Lyn was there with him…
The room was completely dark when he opened the door. He could vaguely see the silhouette of a certain greenette facing away from him on the bed. He closed the door and allowed his eyes a moment to adjust to the low light level. He was glad he'd decided to remove his armor earlier, as taking it off in the darkness would be an ordeal. The gloves and boots he wore came off easy as did the belt he worse. He set it all on the chair—what he thought was a chair—next to his desk before laying down next to Lyn on the bed.
He was taking a deep breath when Lyn rolled over onto him, her head on his chest and one of her legs intertwining with his. He could feel heat rising to his cheeks, thankful for both the darkness and the fact that Lyn was sleep-
"How did it go with Marth?"
"Huh?" He looked down, but all he could see was the top of her head. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"
She shook her head against his chest. "I was still awake when you left," she told him. "I had the feeling you were still troubled after we came back here. I thought about going after you in case you found yourself in trouble again, but decided against it. It I was there, she wouldn't have felt at ease."
"I see…" He felt bad for making her worry about him. He'd been on his own for so long that he'd forgotten that here and now, there were others that were looking out for him. He instinctively ran his fingers through her hair. "I was able to learn a few things… But I regret getting those answers now. As a tactician, I should be celebrating the fact that I now know what to look out for in the future, but then there is this other part of me that keeps nagging me—it tells me that there are things that are inevitable, no matter how hard we try to fight against them…"
"You don't have to face it alone, Mark," she told him, lifting her head up to look at him. Even in the darkness he could tell how serious she was. "I will always be there with you in a time of need. You don't have to ask for my help. Know that when you need me, I'll be there for you, just like you were there for me so many times in the past."
She stroke his cheek with the back of her hand, finally giving the Plegian the much needed comfort he needed. She leaned down, touching his lips with hers. The sweet sensation of the kiss lifted all the mist from his mind, vanishing it for the night. And as they continued to kiss, he wondered what he'd done to deserve such a woman.
Not only is this chapter dialogue-heavy, but it has so many things in there regarding the plot that if you need to read this to know it, you should probably go back and read again, son.
Who would've expected that the reason had been giving Legault the stink eye since he showed up was because she knew that he'd been following them? If someone would notice it had to be her. The relationship between those two is very complicated, as you can see. I can had some fun with it. You tell me if it pays off.
Obviously they can't just kill Lucina. I know some of you will hate me for not burning the witch, but I think this is very Chrom-like, especially with everything that is going on.
A small thing, but still worth mentioning. I don't like leaving things half done. A few chapters back Robin and Sumia talked for a bit. I brought that back here, though it's not super important. If you are waiting for Miriel, be patient! That's coming...soonish.
Finally, some reveals coming from Lucina. How this will affect Robin and the story, who knows (I know!) There are a lot of important details on that part that. If you've been reading my responses to review, not all of them will come as a surprise. If you haven't, welp...
On to reviews! And woah! So many this time! I'm excited!
Whatstoknow -I think that's stop on. The only way it would have been better was if you said something about picking up pebbles on the road, haha! And thank you very much. I really appreciate it!
potatoman098 -That it does. I have to ask, did you see how I avoided answering why the second attempt was so sloppy/stupid? I'm freaking sneaky! If you thought that just from the few chapters he'd shown up with, wonder what you think of him now. The think about Legault that sets him apart from most others is that he is a man on a mission. He is helping the Shepherds only because he can keep a closer eye on Mark/Robin that way. If push comes to shove and he is forced to decide between saving Robin and saving Chrom, he will save Robin 100% of the time. He holds information close to his chest. Even when you might think that you know everything there is to know, he'll pull something new. As you said, Emmeryn being captured shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. I would be surprised if anyone didn't see that one coming. So far this story has been following the chapters of the games really closely. The timing for it might be different, but it had to happen to give a sense of urgency to the Shepherds and get the war in full swing. That curve ball did look like it came out of nowhere, haha. I agree with you. It's understandable that not all characters will get a chance to shine in FE FFs because of the sheer number of them. I've tried hard to give all characters a chance to shine, but when you are juggling that many balls, some have to drop. And I really hope you do keep reading these. I will keep my eye on you... I'm gonna stalk your home, looking in through your window :
Sugouxxx -Correction, Legault has always been a badass! Thank you very much *bows* I hope you approve of more Legault on this one.
Antiques Thief -That is something you don't have to worry about in my case. I've always been a no nonsense kinda guy. If people don't like it, I'm okay with that. I would never delete my work because people spam me or whatever. I mean, look at my story Uncertain Times: Stories Untold (plugin my own stories, I know.) There are a few reviews on there that would hit hard for most people. Me? Meh. It's not meant to be a happy story, you know? Still, people complain about the stupidest things, honestly. TL;DR? Don't worry yourself over nothing. If I do anything to a story it'll be correct grammar and maybe add more detail.
starlightkitsune2178 -Ah, is that so? Bummer. Don't worry about it, though. There is always that reference Owain made about Eliwood's red hair. People do stupid things, especially when a loved one is involved. It's like the fight-or-flight impulse...in a really weird way. I tried answering this on the chapter, but in case you are still doubtful: no, she's never heard of them nor were they part of her own timeline when her father was alive. This has to do with the version of time travel I'm using. I explained it to someone else on a review response a few chapters back. So that you don't have you look back for it, she and the other future children jumped back in time to a different timeline, meaning her version of Robin isn't the same as the one we see here.
animeandgamerlover2 -I'm so glad to hear that! Oh, you don't even have to ask. They are coming... You won't have to wait long to see who's next. Won't spoil it for you, though. As for Florina's reaction if she liked Robin... Interesting... Yes... Very interesting... Ideas are coming to me... Don't know if I'll use them, but they are there - -
speedking535 -Glad you liked it! Yup, it's going to make things awkward and difficult, but that depends on how things turn out between then and now too. Robin is the one that will set the tone for those future interactions.
Tumberboy12 -God...dammit! I really like that idea... Curse you, Tumberboy! Cuuuuuurse youuuuuu! ...I might change some stuff... Better make up my mind before I get things started on the next chapter.
Etherreal780 -HAHAHA! I know exactly what you are trying to say! Been there too many times. Best way I've found to say it: "even better than usual." Glad you liked that. I was going to have that chapter with him and Lyn going to bed to make it a complete cycle, but one thing lead to another... Robin getting better is not also just because. There is a good explanation as to what is going on with him that I've been hinting at for a long time now... No one has guessed it so far and that makes me a little sad. I always liked Chrom x Sully. I also like Chrom x Maribelle, which also got hinted at a few chapters back. I'm on the fence as to which one I'll be going with in the end. With the arc-end fast approaching, I don't have much time to decide. Yeah, Chrom is falling into despair. Understandably so, when his sister's life is on the line. More than putting others at risk, he would put himself on the line of fire if it meant getting Emmeryn back. That doesn't mean that he would just let everyone else die. He's just talking in the heat of the moment. Adding Frederick to that attack scene would have been great. As you said, a missed opportunity. Happy to hear you liked this one! And as for your question... I didn't even know those drama CDs were a thing. I'm not sure if I'll include them mostly because I don't know if I have the time to listen through them. I've only found Japanese ones with subtitles. If there are English spoken ones I'll consider it for sure.
Guest (Ch11-Dec1) -That is correct. That is because the events of Rekka No Ken took place 6+ years ago for Lyn and the others, but for Robin it was only a few months back. When they jumped, they were looking for him as they knew him, which is why they found him as a 22 year old instead of a 28 year old. Also, he was amongst the oldest, but not the very oldest. I think there were a few characters that were in their mid twenties and upwards by the time the game ended.
Yugiohfangirl -First things first, welcome! Glad to have you with us in this maaaaagical journey! The connection he has to Grima is still there. It has only been mentioned once of twice, but he still has the heart of Grima, as evident by the mark on his hand (which he used to explain why Lyn called him Mark.) There is a good reason as to why he has his memories too, but I can't answer that one without spoiling things for the Valm and/or second Plegian war arcs. All I can say is that Grima is a big part of this story still and will make it's appearance in the future. Lyn, Legault, Isadora, and all the characters they've mentioned and the ones that were mentioned on the flashback dream are all from Fire Emblem: Rekka No Ken (Fire Emblem 7) or as it is known in North America, Fire Emblem. Hope all that helps!
allen Vth -Hahaha! That chapter hinted a bit as to where she got it from too xP Silly Lucina.
Yellowclover -She didn't get caught intentionally. For the sake of future plot, I won't get too into it. Those two Pegasus Knights will appear a couple of more times, but I don't see them becoming important characters or even getting names. They were characters that came in handy for a plot point, pretty much. I'm trying to stay away from having OCs because of all the characters that are coming (which include an OC child of Lyn and Robin.) I think if I made too many OCs, the people that don't know about Rekka No Ken are going to be overwhelmed.
Guest (Ch16-Dec4) -I'm happy to see so many people liking that!
Guest (Ch7-Dec8) -That's something someone else had asked before. I'm not completely convinced yet, but because with how things are turning in my head, they might be appearing (children of FE7 characters only.)