"Can I stay?"

Robin's mother, Aria, gave her a curious look. "You seemed in such a hurry this morning," she said.

"I'd just woken up, so I hope you'll forgive my frantic behavior," Lucina replied. "That said, I've had a... change in perspective."

"Was it my son? Has he been a bother to you?"

"Not at all. He simply helped me realize a few things. My situation was hardly as dire as I assumed, and I've just realized I need a place to sleep."

Aria stroked her chin and hummed. "Yes, he's smart like that," she said, "Well, an extra mouth to feed shouldn't be too much of a problem, so long as you can pull your weight for the rest of us."

Lucina saw her chance, a chance she was eager to grasp. "What is it you need done? I can be useful, just tell me what to do."

"There is one thing I'd like you to do." Aria pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, along with a few gold coins. Before Lucina could blink, she found a basket thrust into her hands. "It's a shopping list. I'd like you to gather everything here at the marketplace down the road. If you could do that for me, I'd be free to do more work today."

Lucina stood a little straighter, her face firm with purpose. "I'll get it done," she said.

"I appreciate it," Aria called after her as she turned and headed for the door.

A warm breeze rushed in as soon as Lucina pulled the door aside. She basked in the sunlight for a bit, before she started out the door.

Her steps clicked against the cobblestone road. Lucina's eye fell to the piece of paper in the basket. She had feared a wait in solitude, with the Plegia-Ylisse war years away. This, though, could make the wait a bit more bearable.

The thought brought a smile to her face.

Thunk!

Lucina jumped. Her hand fell to her side, but all she grasped was air. Her heart pounding, she whirled around, her foot sliding back to run.

Robin stared back, the hatchet in his hands buried halfway in a log.

Her shoulders fell, and Lucina sighed in relief. This isn't the future, she kept reminding herself. Not every stray sound could mean a Risen ambush.

"Miss Marth? Is something wrong?" Robin watched her intently, curiosity evident on his face.

"I'm fine." Lucina waved a hand over her shoulder. "I thought I heard of something."

Robin's hands fell to his side. "Did it sound like tiny feet? Because it could be my rat."

"I'm sorry, it wasn't." Lucina chuckled. "What are you doing out here?"

Her words brought a frown to Robin's face. "Mother is having me chop firewood."

"Is that so? Why such a long face, then? You look like you're at the end of the world."

"Mother says it's to help me build my strength, and I don't want to. Why do I need to chop wood when I have my smarts to help me?"

"A little extra muscle couldn't hurt, could it?"

"I suppose."

Lucina knew little about her Uncle Robin. She knew that he was her father's best friend and one of his best advisors. She also knew him to be a ferocious warrior on the battlefield, and a kind listener to his friends. When he was alive, she had loved him dearly.

Yet seeing a pout on his face, Lucina couldn't help but think it was funny how such a childish expression seemed out of place on him. Briefly, she imagined him as an adult with the same pout, and she laughed.

"What's so funny?" Robin's pout intensified, and he put his hands on his hips.

"Nothing you have to worry about." Lucina turned away, before she called out behind her, "Good luck chopping that wood."

She didn't wait for him to reply before she continued down the road. As she walked, she pulled the list into her other hand. She unfolded the list, and she read the first item scrawled at the top.

"Pears, huh?"

"What is this?"

"They're the things you asked for."

Aria gave her a flat stare. She plucked a round, yellow fruit from the basket set on the table, holding its glistening skin up to the sunlight streaming in from the windows.

"I don't recall putting apples on the list," she said. "Pears, perhaps, but not apples."

"Is that what they are called? The vendor said they were the same thing."

"Of course he'd say that, the greedy bastard," Aria muttered into his palm. Turning to Lucina, she said, "Marth, I'd advise you to take what you hear from a stall owner with caution. Most might leave out a detail or two, if only to sell you more of their produce."

"Will they? I shall keep that in mind."

"And how come you took so few oranges?" she asked, dangling a pineapple from its pointy green leaves.

"You asked for three pounds of oranges, did you not? And three pounds is approximately the weight of a small child, so I took as many as I thought would weigh as much as a child."

"Your definition of a small child must be a great deal smaller than mine." Aria let out a long sigh, before she let the fruit in her hands fall back into the basket. "Could you not have asked for assistance here as well?"

"Ah... you see, the vendor was quite silent for someone so large. I was so startled when he approached me I... ran off."

So she'd gotten scared. It wasn't her fault. She wasn't used to being unarmed, and her first response had been to flee. If she still had her sword, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Mister Raphael won't be pleased to hear that, you know. He's quite the sensitive soul, and he has a heart of gold."

Lucina blinked in disbelief. "Really? I didn't mean to offend him. If I have, I shall apologize the first chance I get."

"I suppose it can't be helped now," Aria said. "I'll have to work with what I've got."

Lucina stepped back and let Aria count the items in the basket. After a moment, she asked, "Marth? There are only five apples here."

"Oh. Robin asked for one on our way back, and I saw no problem in giving him one."

"Our way back?" Aria raised an eyebrow.

"He wandered off to find his rat again."

Lucina was surprised to see what lengths he'd go to find a rat, but he had been one of her father's closest friends, so she supposed she should have expected such resilience, even if it was over something as silly as a rat.

Aria shook her head. "That boy..."

Lucina allowed the woman to stew in her frustration for a bit. As soon as she stopped rubbing her temples, Lucina felt she might be calm enough for her to ask, "Did I miss anything from the list?"

A solemn expression on her face, Aria turned to face Lucina and said, "Miss Marth. I don't believe you are suited for this kind of task."

"Am I?" Taken aback, Lucina took a step away. "Then what else is there for me to do?"

"Give me time, I shall think of another thing I might require your assistance for."

The answer, while not as solid as Lucina would have liked, cut off any further discussion. Lucina did not want to be a bother, so instead, she headed for the door. Perhaps some time alone would bring Aria a new task for her to assist with.

Lucina watched Robin hack away at the small log. It was almost comical how little progress he made, no matter how many times he buried his hatchet into the wood.

Still, she would be an awful niece if she left him to suffer on his own.

"Would you like some help?" she said.

Robin left his axe stuck in the log, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Yes," he said, stepping back. "I think I'd like that very much."

A few splinters flew out as she yanked the axe from its resting place. She tilted it, her eye roaming up to the blade and down to the hilt, noting how its weight felt in her hands.

Oh, how she missed the familiar weight of her sword at her side.

For now, this hatchet would have to do.

"How do you chop firewood?" Robin asked.

"Well, first you have to..." Lucina's lips tugged down. She hefted the hatchet in her hands, and she swung it once. She tried to think of a way to explain it, but no words came to mind.

Actions spoke louder than words, she decided. Perhaps if she did it, she could explain it after.

Lucina pulled the hatchet back and brought it down as hard as she could.

The head snapped off. Lucina's eye widened, and without thinking, she threw herself in front of Robin.

Luckily for her, the axe head flew the other way, disappearing in the yellow grass.

Lucina's eye fell to the splintered handle.

"I guess I won't be able to chop firewood for some time," Robin said.

"Well, that's the end of that, I suppose. At the very least you'll have more time to spend with your friends."

"I don't have any."

Shock showed on Lucina's face. She recalled all the fond memories she had of spending time with her Uncle Robin. Although they were barely more than a blur, the one thing she could clearly remember was how warm he'd been. Clearly, these children didn't know him if they would turn up their noses to such a man.

"Well, someone would have to be an idiot if they wouldn't want you as their friend," she said.

"Yeah?" The faintest traces of a smile slipped through Robin's face. "Would you be my friend?"

"I don't see why not."

"You mean it?"

"I do."

Robin's smile widened, and he jumped up. "Do you think you can help me find my rat, then?"

As much as Lucina wanted to say yes, she shook her head. "I've got an errand to run." She lifted the basket in her other hand to show him. "Though I believe I'll have the time to join you later."

"Alright then. Good luck!"

The sun had gotten a lot cooler in the hours that passed compared to the scorching heat of the afternoon.

Lucina wiped the sweat from her forehead with her free hand. Her other hand throbbed under the weight of the basket, now laden with a vibrant rainbow of fabrics. She felt quite proud of the assortment she'd picked out, and as she counted the items in her basket one more time, a grin slipped onto her face.

I can't remember the last time I went shopping, Lucina thought. Her smile softened as she found herself dwelling on the past. It's such a calm and relaxing thing to do. And the people here do it all the time, without fear of running out with the fields tainted by the Fell Dragon's darkness. I could get used to this.

The crowds were another matter. All the bustling and jostling about horribly skewed her sense of direction. She couldn't ever be sure if her path was straight, with how people kept pushing her every which way, not to mention how it kept her busy trying to keep her items from tumbling out of the basket.

The laughter of children was a welcome respite from the flat and dull chatter of the crowd. She heard the pittering of their footsteps long before she saw them. Stepping back to let them by, Lucina watched with amusement as a small group of children rushed past her, their arms cast behind them without a care in the world.

Her eye trailed after them down the road, and that's when she noticed the blacksmith shop. As she drew closer, she saw a red glow coming through the open door.

She'd just reached the entrance when a shadow cast over her. Surprised, Lucina took a step back, her hand grasping at a sword she knew wasn't there.

Bald head. Scarred red skin over his swollen left eye. Lucina's gaze trailed up the hulking figure. The vendor from before looked back down at her. In his hands, a delicate statuette of a small dragon sparkled in the sun.

"Heart of gold huh?" Lucina muttered, watching as the vendor walked past her, his lips curved up in a delicate smile. At least she hadn't run away this time.

Her eye strayed to the door, then to the axe handle in her basket. She'd forgotten to return it to Robin, but now that she was here, perhaps she could do a favor for him and his mother.

She started to have second thoughts the moment she stepped inside, and a wave of heat crashed over. She swept her gaze over the stone walls, awash with orange from the setting sun and the furnace deeper inside, when her eye landed on the hooded man at the end of the room, standing behind a stone countertop.

"Another customer, hm?" the man said, his voice hoarse and scratchy. "Though this one seems a bit... hesitant. Come in, come in."

Against her better judgment, she stepped closer, letting the glow of the furnace wrap around her.

The man's smile widened. "Quite the fair-skinned lady, aren't you? A common trait. You could be from Ylisse up north, or all the way over from Rosanne... Where is it you hail from?"

"I don't believe I can answer that," Lucina replied.

"Ah. What have we here? A touchy subject?" The man hummed. "Most people believe such things should remain a mystery."

Lucina grimaced, thoroughly uncomfortable now. "I'll find business elsewhere."

"I'm afraid elsewhere is a place that does not exist," the man said, stopping her before she could turn back. "This is the only blacksmith in town. Unless you would like to conduct business another day? I can assure you, my demeanor remains unchanged, no matter the circumstance."

Her lips twisted, but she didn't move. On one hand, she did not want to remain around this strange man for much longer. On the other, Robin needed her help. If nothing else, this was the least she could do.

She reached into her basket, pulling out the splintered handle. "Did you make this hatchet?" she asked.

"If you've found it within the village borders, my hand has most certainly touched it. My memory seems to recall having repaired it some time in recent history, though it's hard to say when."

"Then do you think you could repair it? Properly, this time."

The man stroked his chin. "The quality of the work depends on the payment. If you were to pay me a generous sum, generous quality is all I have to offer. It's only fair, wouldn't you say?"

Lucina glanced inside the pouch Aria had given her, and she scowled when she found only seven gold coins.

"Could I pay you later?"

"I'm afraid not. There is no guarantee you'll pay enough otherwise."

"Then I shall return at another time."

"One," he said, stopping her again, "more thing. Before you leave." His finger trailed up to the badge on her breast, orange outlined in a gold design. "That badge is Ylissean in origin, no? Rather expensive, too. Where did you–"

The badge slammed down on the countertop before he could finish. He raised his eyes to meet Lucina's.

"Will this pay well enough?" she said.

"Certainly." His fingers wrapped around the badge, and it disappeared beneath the counter. "Now that I think about it, I believe I have a similar tool in storage. If you can afford a moment, I shall procure it for you."

"I'd appreciate it if you could be hasty about it."

The man tugged down on his hood, and his teeth glimmered in the low light. "But of course. It is my pleasure to be of assistance."

Aria's head rested in her hands. Across the table, Lucina shrunk back.

"Marth."

"Yes?"

"I didn't ask for nearly this much fabric."

"Well, the stall owner drove a fantastic bargain."

"And what did you think I was going to do with all this fabric? The insects will have eaten through the rest by the time I might really need them."

"Gods, I messed up again, didn't I?"

"I'm sure you had your reasons." A sigh passed through the woman's lips. "Why don't you take a break? Perhaps that will help clear your mind."

The metal blade buried itself into the stump with a deep thump. As Lucina tore the hatchet away, she bent down to gather the two halves of the log lying beside it and tossed them over to the growing pile of firewood. She wiped her arm over her forehead, and it came away slick with sweat.

This whole 'normal life' business has proved quite the challenge, she thought, reaching over for another log. Inspecting produce, haggling prices. Back in the future, the marketplace had never been this complicated.

Then again, her friends would take trips to the marketplace for her, so she could be wrong.

The hatchet slammed into the stump again. Lucina watched as the two halves fell to the side, cleaved apart in a single stroke.

At least I have this. Though I'd admit, this is much different than doing it with Falchion. She inspected the hatchet in her hands, and she let out a long, satisfied breath. What a day.

"You're quite good at this."

Lucina lifted her gaze back to the house. Aria stood before it, leaning against the door, and a sly smile spread over her lips. Lucina followed her eyes to the hatchet she was holding.

"I've had plenty of practice," she said. "It helps me relieve stress."

Actually, she did training to relieve stress, but this wasn't a poor second choice.

"Don't stop," Aria said. "We could use some more firewood, after all." Her lips tugged down. "That said, you wouldn't have to do this if Robin hadn't run off. Have you seen him?"

"I have. He said he'd run off to search for his rat."

Aria closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That sounds like him. Smart as my boy is, he can be rather stubborn too."

"Is that truly a bad thing?"

"Not always. Sometimes, though, you need to know when to let go."

Aria walked over to the pile of firewood and plucked a piece from it. Taking a moment to scan her eyes over it, she waved a hand over her shoulder as she headed back to the house.

"If you see Robin, tell him to return home. Supper will be ready soon."

Lucina's eye followed the woman, even after she had disappeared inside. A smile wormed its way to her lips. Her stomach growled at the mention of food. At the end of the day, the food from the past was far superior compared to the meager rations she'd had in the future.

"Supper sounds nice," she muttered.

Slowly, she brought her attention back to the log before her. As much as she wanted to eat, she had a task to finish. She rolled her shoulders back, testing the weight of the axe one more time, before she raised it over her head.

Then she stopped.

Faintly, she could hear the sound of wings flapping through the hot summer breeze. She hoped it was merely her imagination, but as the seconds ticked by, they only grew louder.

She craned her neck to follow the sound, and in the distance, she could make out the long, graceful shapes of an approaching herd of pegasi.

The pegasus knights had arrived, their steel lances glimmering orange in the sunset. And they were heading straight for her.

If anyone was wondering, there was no update last week since my computer died last Tuesday. I wasn't busy watching anime or anything, my computer was just being uncooperative.

This is a very disconnected chapter, which is very different from what I usually do. I'm not really sure how it worked out in the end, but it was nice to write, if not a little difficult, what with how all over the place it is.

The next update will be out by May 26th. If it's not, then best case scenario, my computer probably died. Until then, I wish you all well, and stay safe!