Beneath the Threads
XI.
Robin positioned the thin pillow on the bed behind her back. When she wasn't in the strategy tent, she was confined to her tent, which was still where she spent most of her time. Yet another week had gone by, making it four weeks since she had seen Chrom. Participating in war always felt fast and overwhelming before getting captured, now the days dragged on like eons. There was nothing to focus on but her discomfort, and if she tried to stand she was struck with dizziness. Sometimes she would whisper to her child, passing the mornings by retelling old folktales or making new stories entirely. If only she were given a blanket notebook and a quill, she would have written a great book of literature. There was nothing else for her to dwell on, other than what Chrom was doing.
A soldier came to her tent and told her to follow him. She did, but struggled for the first few steps due to the spinning in her vision. By the time they had stopped, it cleared, and she saw Gangrel and Aversa in front of her.
"You're quite a talent, girl," Gangrel said. "We've got the measly prince coming through the opening you set. You're clever with traps, aren't you?"
Robin stayed silent. Aversa chuckled.
"Why don't you join us for the show? We'll give you a front row seat to the action, right next to our great king," she said. She grabbed a white dress off the table beside her. "We'd like for you to wear this. It'll accentuate your beautiful form."
Robin followed behind Gangrel and Aversa as they made their way through the sands. The white dress she was wearing was elegant, but despite it's quality and comfort, it caused her heart to pound. The garment showed what she had been trying for so long to hide. Her pregnancy was evident, even at a great distance, given the color and slight shimmer of the fabric. The gown was clearly made to taunt, to show off what lie beneath the threads. Robin was humiliated. Not only would it further cloud Chrom's judgements, but it would shock the entire Ylissean Army.
The heat overwhelmed her, and she closed her eyes as she walked. She only opened them when she heard Aversa and Gangrel chuckle in unison. Across a short gap of sand was the Ylissean Army, Chrom at the front. Tears filled Robin's eyes and dropped down her cheeks. She wanted to call out to him, but her emotions had stolen her voice. Frederick was to the right of him, his face shifting from stern to confused. Marth was to his right, her eyes concentrated, but her face flushed. Marth? Robin thought. What's she doing here? She was able to see a few more of her friends; Maribelle, Lissa, Sumia, Gaius, Cordelia, and Donnel. There didn't seem to be anyone else. A small team… Robin sighed with relief. Just what I hoped he'd do.
"Prince Chrom, measly Prince Chrom," Gangrel taunted. "Do you want this back?" He grabbed the fabric at her arm and yanked her forward. She kept her head down, too nervous to look Chrom and the others in the eyes.
Chrom said nothing. Aversa laughed.
"Look at her. Isn't she beautiful?" she said, pointing Robin. "Beautiful enough to bed? Beautiful enough to carry your child?"
Robin clenched her bounded fists. Her teardrops darkened the sands below. She heard someone gasp, which sounded like Lissa or Sumia, but she couldn't be certain.
"Gangrel…" Chrom said. "Would you really wish for more bloodshed? Why must you involve the innocent in our conflicts?"
"Innocent?" Gangrel scoffed. "Any creature that carries your blood is no innocent."
"I'll give you two options, Gangrel," Chrom said. "Either you surrender peacefully or I gut you where you stand."
Gangrel laughed. "Oh, you're one to talk. Here's your choices: hand over the Fire Emblem or this is the last you see her. You let your sister go. How about her?" He gestured to Robin. "It's a two for one, how difficult could the choice be?"
Chrom unsheathed Falchion. The rest of his group followed in readying their weapons. Gangrel laughed again.
"I didn't know you wanted a third option: death. Aren't you a creative thinker, thinking outside the box?"
"It's fine, Milord," Aversa said. "This way will also lead us to the Fire Emblem."
"Yes, but it's more work for me." Gangrel sighed. He turned to Robin. "You'll make a fine tactician for us. But, you should know, a child would be too much of a distraction for a person of your skill and position. After its born, I think I'll send it off to one of the eastern villages. Of course, you could keep it, but only if I get the Fire Emblem. Have any final words for the man who unfortunately fathered your child?"
Robin lifted her head. She made eye-contact with Chrom, and his face softened. "C-Chrom…" she stammered. "P-Please…"
Gangrel rolled his eyes. He grabbed Robin's shoulder and forcefully pushed her on her knees. She grimaced.
"That's enough out of you," he spit.
"Alright! Alright," Chrom shouted. "E-Everyone, weapons down."
Gangrel and Aversa laughed. Robin watched them all in horror. Chrom, she thought. No!
"You win. I-I'll give it to you. Just return her to me."
"Father, don't do this!" Marth yelled.
Robin stared at her. Father, who? She wondered. Who was this girl, anyways? And why was she right at the front of the team with Chrom?
"I don't expect you to understand this, Lucina. Perhaps I just ruined everything you've fought for," Chrom said, his voice stern.
Lucina? Robin furrowed her brows. She remembered Chrom's voice the night before she was taken, Lucina is such a beautiful name for a little girl. Now Marth's name was apparently Lucina? She couldn't figure out what was going on, what had changed during her four weeks of absence. It put her on edge more than she already was.
"Father, I can't let you do that. This is my fault." Lucina unsheathed her sword. "Please forgive me."
Lucina charged at Gangrel. Chrom stalled before he realize what she was doing. He unsheathed his sword and followed. The others in the team did the same. Fighting began.
Robin was stuck in her spot. She tried to stand, but with her hands bound, it was difficult. Maribelle came rushing to her, staff in hand.
"Robin!" she said through tears. "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry." She took a small knife from her belt and began to cut the rope on Robin's wrists. "Let's get you away from this."
Maribelle helped Robin up and they ran. They made their way up to a small hill of sand and stopped. They could still see the fighting, but they were far enough away that no one would notice they fled. Robin clutched her midsection and gasped, sweat running down her face.
"M-Maribelle…" she stammered through tears.
Maribelle took out her handkerchief and started blotting the sweat off Robin's face. "Y-You're safe with me, Robin. You're going to be fine." She unclicked the canister on her belt and handed it to her. "Here. Drink."
Robin took the canister and gushed down half of it. She handed it back. The fight raging on below caught her eye. Chrom and Lucina were side-by-side as they fought against Gangrel's Levin Sword. Cordelia and Donnel were fighting Aversa while Gaius, Frederick, and Sumia fought the surrounding soldiers. Lissa stood a distance away from Chrom, her staffed trained on him. It was chaos.
The war raged for hours. Robin and Maribelle watched form their spot at the top of the hill. Maribelle used her staff on Robin, easing the many aches that had attacked her body. Cordelia and Donnel had managed to defeat Aversa, but she was able to narrowly escape with the help of a healer. The Plegian soldiers dwindled.
Gangrel fell to his knees. Chrom put his sword to his chest and pushed inward. Lucina was at his side, her sword trained on him. A final bolt of lightning from Gangrel's Levin Sword hit the ground beside where she was standing. Gangrel went limp, his body tangled in the sand. Lucina collapsed.
It was over. Robin exhaled. She stood and bolted down the hill, unable to handle being away from Chrom any longer. Maribelle ran after her, screaming at her to stop.
She reached Chrom, but he didn't notice her. Lucina was curled in his arms, tears streaming down his face. Maribelle rushed forward and trained her staff on her.
"L-Lucina…" Chrom choked. "I-It's over. W-We're fine."
"F-Father…" she exhaled.
"S-Shh...You don't have to speak."
"I-I love you and mother…"
"We love you too. S-Stay with us. Your mother hasn't even gotten to meet you yet."
Robin stared at them. She was heartbroken, yet confused. Her brain ached from everything that it was trying to think through. Her body was exhausted from the heat, the stress, and the energy she had used running downhill. Her legs wobbled in the thick sand underneath. She glanced in the distance at the setting sun, then fainted.