Beneath the Threads
XIV.
Chrom sat in between Robin and Lucina when they took council. The room was filled with various nobles and advisors, those who occupied the castle during Emeeryn's reign, and had stayed even though Chrom had been absent for the beginning of his leadership. Chrom didn't know how to handle them, he'd much rather keep his decision-making between him, Robin, and the Shepherds, but it couldn't be that way any longer. He had to fill his sister's shoes, but he didn't know how well he would accomplish it. He sighed as the other attendants came into the room, trying to remember what Frederick taught him about leading a council. Chrom had attended council dozens of times with Emmeryn, but he'd never been in control, and never thought he would be. He cursed himself for not better paying attention to her methods.
Robin straightened the paperwork in front her. She glanced over to Chrom and ran her hand over his arm.
"You'll do fine," she whispered.
Chrom smiled at her. Once everyone sat down, he cleared his throat and began, trying his best to mimic Emmeryn's poise.
"Thank you for attending council with me," he said. "Today's discussion is how to handle Plegia, since Gangrel is now dead. I welcome your suggestions of approach."
"Of course," one noble said. He pointed to Lucina. "But who's she?"
Chrom froze. He looked to Lucina, who already had a plan in mind for this moment.
"My name is Lucy, I am a member of the Shepherds," Lucina said. "I helped take down Gangrel. Sir Chrom has asked me to sit in as a member representing the interests of the militia."
Chrom sighed with relief. Lucina, he thought. I'm so glad you have your mother's smarts.
The nobleman shrugged as the other dozen members of the council stared at Chrom, Robin, and Lucina. Chrom shuffled papers and cleared his throat again.
"That's right. T-Thank you...Lucy…" he stammered. "I also have my lead tactician, Robin, here to discuss our plans. We were able to defeat Gangrel, but Aversa escaped. She was instrumental in the capture of our tactician for a total of four weeks. We must decide how to handle her presence in Plegia's governing, and if that should be taken into account when deciding our course of action."
"I do hope you won't be taking your own personal endeavors into account," another nobleman said. "It would be a conflict of interest to put your feelings over the state of a thousand others."
"What do you mean?" Chrom asked, his brows furrowed.
"I mean your antics," he retorted, gesturing to Robin. "It's a shame we lost Lady Emmeryn. You don't hold a candle to her grace or class."
"Antics?" Chrom narrowed his eyes.
"Of course. It's unbecoming to be absent for so long, then return with a woman who claims to be carrying your child, an illegitimate one, at that. Then you place her in our council?"
Robin's heart sped. She glanced between the nobleman and Chrom, tears in her eyes. She bit her lip to contain an outburst. Normally, she would be able to handle such a situation without being brought to tears, but her pregnancy had changed that. It had only worsened since she had returned to Ylisstol, which she deduced was a mix of hormone changes and remnants from her struggle in captivity. She had her hands in her lap, squeezing the fabric of her purple dress. Her usual tactician's clothing no longer fit anymore either, not that it mattered to the nobles. It seemed that they were going to target her for reasons unbeknownst to her.
Chrom clenched his hands into fists and raised his voice. "I will not tolerate your disrespect and your false claims."
"Oh? Are they really false? I don't think you can prove it to me."
"I don't have to."
"That's naive of you to say. You are our leader. You have an obligation to your people. You bring shame on the Royal House of Ylisse by bringing in this woman," The nobleman sneered at Robin.
"Robin is my future wife and the future queen of Ylisse. She is carrying my child, the future prince or princess of Ylisse. You will respect them as members of the Royal family or face the consequences," Chrom said through clenched teeth. He was nearing the edge of his patience, which surprisingly, had lasted this long.
"Oh? So you're confirming illegitimacy? How embarrassing, our leader fathered a bastard child."
Robin sniffled. Tears hit the fabric of her dress and dampened it. She hadn't realized she had started crying. The stress of situation weighed on her, and somehow, a small part of her mind had convinced her everything that was plaguing Ylisse, Chrom, and the Shepherds was her fault.
"I-I'm sorry," she croaked. "C-Chrom, I'm sorry."
Chrom noticed the tears on her cheeks and lost his temper. He stood, his chair toppling to the floor.
"How dare you?!" he shouted. "How dare you disrespect her! After all she's done for this Halidom! After all she's been through! Get the hell out of my sight! All of you! GET OUT!"
Everyone quickly left the room, Chrom still seething. He leaned on the table and took a deep breath. A hand touched his shoulder and he flinched. He looked up and made eye-contact with Lucina, his temper cooling just a small bit.
"Father…" Lucina swallowed. "I'll give you and Mother some time alone."
Chrom nodded. "Thank you, Lucina. I'm so sorry-"
"It's alright. I understand it's not you or Mother's fault. I'll see you at dinner."
Lucina left the room and closed the door behind her. Chrom turned to Robin, his hand on her shoulder as she buried her face in her palms.
"Robin…" he said. "Robin, listen to me."
Robin looked up, her face wet with tears. She bit her quivering lip. "I-I…"
"It's not your fault. It's alright. I love you, you know that. We're going to get married and have a beautiful family, no matter was anyone else says. We'll lead this Halidom to prosperity regardless of their criticisms."
Robin stood and buried herself in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as her tears settled down. She took a deep breath, and when she did, it pained her back. She sat down in her chair again. Chrom picked his chair up from off the floor and sat beside her.
"I'm causing such a stir already…" Robin sighed. "I don't have what it takes to be queen."
"Of course you do. You're wise, strong, and kind. Those are all qualities of a leader." Chrom shook his head and brushed some of the hair from her eyes.
"Perhaps, but who am I, Chrom? I'm just some woman you found sprawled out in a field. I don't know where I even came from. My past is full of holes and mysteries. I managed to remember how old I am, but I don't even know my birthday. Or my parents. Or if I'm a true Ylissean at all!"
"None of those things matter to me. I'd love for you to have your memory back, just for your peace of mind. But, I don't care where you came from, who your parents are, or anything like that. I still love you."
"I could be Plegian for all you know!"
"You're not Plegian, even if you happened to be born there," Chrom insisted. "You're Ylissean, because your life started the day Frederick, Lissa, and I found you in the field."
Robin shook her head. She wiped her cheeks. "The nobles are wondering why you chose me. That's why they're so critical when they have the chance to be. They wonder why you won't marry a woman from a noble house, a woman that they've been trying to groom for my place by your side for years. They're angry because all the effort they made to be in your intimate circle of family and friends has failed."
"So be it. I can't be bargained into marrying someone I have no love for. I won't be forced into an arranged marriage. They don't know you or I, it's all pomp and circumstance. They'll just have to learn to accept you. When the people of the Halidom get to know you, the critics will wonder why they gave such a beautiful woman the cold shoulder."
Robin blushed. "I'll have to take your word for it."
"Good." Chrom smiled.
"What do you think we should do about Pleg-" Robin halted. Pain hit her abdomen. She put her palm on her forehead and furrowed her brows. After a moment it passed.
"What's wrong?" Chrom asked anxiously, his hand on her shoulder.
"It was just a practice contraction," Robin said with a sigh. She placed her hand on her midsection.
"A what?!"
"It's pains a woman gets because her body is preparing for labor. It's common, and can happen weeks before the baby's born. Maribelle warned me about them, but it still took me by surprise."
"That doesn't really make me feel any better…"
"I'm fine, Chrom."
"Perhaps we should just have a Royal wedding after the baby's born. I don't want to stress you even more than you already are."
"What? So we won't get married before then?"
"We can get married by one of priests privately, then have the ceremony at a later date. I keep catching myself when I go to call you my wife, because we're aren't technically married yet, but I feel like we really are."
Robin smiled. "I'd like that."
"I would too." Chrom smiled. He reached his hand out and placed it below Robin's on her midsection. "It'll be just us."