"Ah, take it all in!" Robin exclaimed as he spread his arms wide, gazing out into the sprawling blue seas. The view from the helm of Fighting Fate was extraordinary. "Breathtaking... Somehow our troubles feel a lifetime away out here."
"Yet in truth, we're headed straight toward them..." Chrom said, pensive. "I should be grateful the Plegians delivered us this fleet, as promised. But it's my first time on a vessel, and my legs... I never fancied myself a sea captain." He gave a queasy look as the ship was jostled by a small wave.
"This is my first voyage as well," Lucina noted. She found it fascinating that seawater had been blue before Grima's resurrection. "In my time, all ships were destroyed. Smashed to pieces, along with their ports."
Chrom frowned. "Lucina... Something I've been meaning to ask... After you stopped Emm's assassination... Why didn't you stay with us?"
Lucina winced, a guilty look coming across her face. "I felt I had no other choice. I could not risk altering history any more than necessary. I sought only to divert events that directly led to Grima's return."
"Hey, so wait—what about the guys who tried to kill Chrom in the gardens?" Lissa asked. "What would've happened if you didn't save him?"
"He would have been gravely wounded. And those wounds would have played a part in the tragedies to come."
"Whoa!" Lissa exclaimed, impressed by her niece's accomplishment in foiling the assassination attempt. "Good thing you changed things, huh?"
"If indeed they have changed... The river of time always favors its original course. Take the exalt's death... I stalled it, yes, but in the end I was not able to prevent it." Lucina stared at the deck with a downcast expression, still clearly haunted by her failure to save Emmeryn.
Chrom patted her on the shoulder reassuringly. "...You did what you could."
"I was so certain it was over. That I'd saved the world," She said bitterly. "But time simply found another way back to its course. Perhaps the task is simply too great... Perhaps if I'd done something differently? I replay events in my head, over and over..."
Chrom shook his head. "Don't. You did your best. And you saved me, after all," he added with a grin.
Lucina gave a weak smile. "You're kind, Father. But nothing is certain..." Lucina gave Robin a sideways glance. "Another could take your life. Time could find a way..."
Chrom crossed his arms, frowning. "...Do you know how I die?"
Lucina flinched. "Only rumors... I was told you fell in a great battle, fought to sway your destiny. ...And that you were murdered—betrayed by someone…" She shot Robin another quick glance, and this time he noticed. "…dear to you," she completed tersely.
As these words left Lucina's lips, Robin felt a searing pain course through his head, much like the time on Carrion Isle. He staggered backwards, giving a small gasp of pain as he clutched his head. The dream that was his first true memory, that horrible nightmare of himself killing Chrom, ran through his mind unbidden. Suddenly Robin understood why his dreams were plagued with that horrible scenario over and over, and why Lucina seemed to despise him in spite of his best efforts to reach out to her. Everything fell into place all at once, and the realization hit Robin so hard that he felt like a building had collapsed on top of him.
The Robin of Lucina's time had murdered Chrom. Perhaps he had done even worse things.
Ah. No wonder she hates me.
"Robin? What is it?" Chrom asked in concern.
"M-my head... I don't..." Robin waved his hand dismissively, and with some effort straightened himself as the migraine abated. "F-forgive me. I'm fine."
Lucina was quiet for several moments, making little effort to hide the suspicion on her face. At last, she turned to Chrom and continued. "After your murder and Grima's return, I took the name Marth and fought back. I prayed to the Hero-King for a small part of the strength he used to save the world. But I need this subterfuge no longer." Lucina gave a small smile. "I choose to fight as Lucina now. The name that reminds me of the strength in the man and woman who chose it."
Chrom smiled back at her. "A strength shared by the woman who bears it. Would you like to hear the story of how your mother and I decided on your name? We had…"
Robin mentally tuned Chrom out as he walked to ship's railing. He stared out into the vast sea; it had felt majestic and wondrous to him before, but now it seemed desolate, a gaping expanse of emptiness. Robin wondered if it would be better for everyone if he were to throw himself overboard here and now. The only difference he could claim between himself and the other Robin was his amnesia. Would he try to kill Chrom the instant he regained his memories? If so, Robin's own life was a small price to pay to protect his closest friend, let alone the entire world.
…No. I'm still needed here. But after we're through with Valm, I can… deal with myself.
From behind him, Lucina continued to observe the tactician while trying to stay engaged in listening to her father's story. She was troubled; she had gone over multiple scenarios in her head about this moment, the revelation of Robin's intentions. She had never expected her father to even consider the possibility that Robin would kill him; he was far too trusting. But Robin's reaction had been baffling. Feigned anger or ignorance, Lucina could understand. Fear of having been found out, she could understand. But Robin's haunted look in his eyes was nothing she had been prepared for. That mixture of anguish, guilt, and self-doubt… it was almost as if he was afraid of himself.
"The pegasus knights report the Valmese fleet matches ours, ship for ship," Frederick reported.
Chrom frowned. "Your tone tells me this is not good news."
"Their troops vastly outnumber ours. Our vessels are half-full, at best. But every Valmese ship is packed from stem to stern with soldiers."
Chrom rubbed his chin. "If we attempt to board them in a straight fight, we'll be slaughtered," he concluded.
"We've little choice but to try anyway," Flavia declared. "Plegia had no men to spare, but they were generous with other supplies...including oil. Perhaps a clever tactician could find a use for that." She looked at said tactician meaningfully. Robin didn't notice at first, lost in his thoughts about Lucina's earlier revelation, and only stirred when Flavia gave a deliberate and irritated cough.
"Huh? Er… Hmm... Perhaps he could."
Flavia's eyes lit up. "If we can put their ships to flame, they'd have nowhere to escape to. We could—"
"You could roast us all like hams! Are you truly so eager to die, woman?!" Basilio interrupted incredulously.
"Do you have a better idea, oaf?!" Flavia snapped defensively. "...The problem is we have no catapults. Hmm... How to get the lit oil on their decks without our own ships getting caught in the blaze?
Robin scratched his chin. "Hmm..." Hard as he try, he couldn't think of a way. He decided to abandon that line of thought, and try approaching the problem from a different angle. What was important was setting the Valmese fleet ablaze; the chosen method was secondary. They could afford to lose a few ships as long as the enemy's entire fleet went under. Robin's eyes went wide as an idea occurred to him. "…Unless we want our ships caught in the blaze..."
Basilio looked at him as if he had sprouted Taguel ears. "Why in the gods' names would..." He sighed in exasperation. "Well, I know better than to question Robin. Especially not when he has that look in his eyes. Gods save us from what he's cooked up this time—let's just hope it's not us!"
Robin smiled. "Chrom, I have an idea."
Chrom grinned. "Those words from your mouth are music to my ears, Robin."
"But," Robin interjected while holding up a finger. "For my plan to work we'll need to disrupt their chain of command... Our strongest team would need to board their lead ship and kill their general. As our best captain I'd have you head the squad, Chrom, but you are the prince, so..."
"Yes, I am the prince, so no one can order me not to go. I will lead the assault!"
Robin chuckled. Chrom was so predictable sometimes. "Then this plan truly stands a chance."
"Heh..." Chrom paused, looking out at the sea reflectively. "So much has changed since we found you that day, lying in the open field... Hard to believe you determine the fate of our entire army now...our entire people. Destiny has a strange way."
Robin mulled that word over in his head. He found he disliked it intensely. He was tired of things being beyond his control. Validar, Grima, the Hierophant, the future Robin, his memories… to hell with all of them. Things were different this time around. Who was to say he couldn't be different?
As Chrom had taken to saying recently, anything could change.
"...No, Chrom. Not destiny."
"What?"
"We're not pawns of some scripted fate. I believe we're more. Much more."
I will not dance on fate's strings. Even if I have to cut them myself.
"How do you mean?" Chrom asked.
Robin paused for a moment, trying to think of how best to explain this feeling. How he depended on those close to him to find his strength. How he would just be an empty marionette without them. How he was willing to do whatever it took to protect them and the bonds he had created with them. How he could sense those same connections spread throughout the entire group of Shepherds.
"There's something between us all. Something that keeps us together... Like...invisible ties, connecting us. Giving us strength... We forged these ties. We strengthen them. If we preserve them," Robin hesitated for a moment. "…Or break them, it will be by our choices, not some "destiny"..."
Robin was keenly aware of Lucina watching him off to the side now. He winced as he realized how self-serving his impromptu speech must have sounded to her. He glanced at her, expecting that cold, harsh look he had sadly become accustomed to. Much to his surprise, she seemed almost… contemplative.
Chrom stared at Robin blankly, then began to laugh. "...Robin... I think this salty air might have gone to your head, hah!"
"All right, all right—perhaps enough philosophy for one day..." Robin muttered, now somewhat embarrassed. "There are still details to discuss."
"Indeed there are!" Chrom exclaimed. "And preparations to be made! Oh, and, Robin... If we are all bound by these invisible ties, I thank the gods it's with you."
Robin opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't bring himself to do so.
I fear you coming to regret those words…
"Now then, everyone!" Chrom called. "Look lively! We have work to do!"
The Valmese Admiral, Ignatius, collapsed his spyglass. Something about this Ylissean formation was off. It was clear that they were preparing for some sort of first strike, but their layout was not conducive to a full-on attack. What seemed more likely was that they were after him and his flagship, Conqueror's Reach. But for what purpose? Even if they succeeded in killing him, they would incur heavy losses doing so, and for little gain; a fleet as large as theirs of course had quickly enactable plans should he fall. Ignatius thought to the rumors he had heard about the Ylissean tactician and his unorthodox methods. Could it be he was deliberately seeking to create that brief opening in order to put one of those unusual plans of his into action?
Well, two could take advantage of this thinking. Whatever the tactician was planning, it would probably require precise coordination, and could fall apart without proper direction. The Ylissean flagship would likely be left lightly guarded in favor of fortifying the strike team. If it were to be brought down by surprise…
Ignatius turned to one of his captains. "Prepare The Derelict. I don't know what game these Ylisseans are playing at, but we will force them to participate on our terms."
Robin paced the deck of Fighting Fate restlessly. It had been so long since he hadn't participated in a mission on the frontlines, but he had never attempted anything like this before. He needed as much perspective on the overall flow of battle as he could get right now, and that necessitated watching it from a distance.
"Explain to me again, Tactician, why you would not allow me to accompany my father."
Robin scowled. He did not need this right now.
"Because, Lucina, you're still injured from that last Risen attack," Robin snapped. "You can't fight at full efficiency right now, and we can't afford Chrom worrying about you or vice versa in the middle of such a delicate operation. Will you settle down and leave me to my work?" He asked irritatedly. "I handpicked Chrom's personal guard for this mission. He'll be fine without you. Just focus on being on lookout for incoming pegasus knights."
Lucina glared daggers at him, then gave a huff and walked away so that she could resume her vigil of her father's assault on Conqueror's Reach.
Robin wasn't entirely sure why this bothered him so much. He had liked to think that he got along with every Shepherd, had been proud of it, in fact. Lucina's arrival had marked a blemish on this perfect record. The princess undermined his authority at every step, questioning most everything he did. That he now understood why she acted like this towards him, and him alone, did little to alleviate the unpleasant feelings her disdain invoked.
He noticed with a mixture of relief and concern that Chrom had made his way to the Valmese Admiral, and was now engaged in a one-on-one duel while the Shepherds held the line and prevented any interference. Robin gave a slight frown; the plan had been to kill Ignatius as quickly as possible and by any means, honor be damned. There were too many lives hanging in the balance to play fair; his entire plan was based on this philosophy.
He and Lucina both breathed a loud sigh of relief as Chrom ran Ignatius through. Chrom leaned in for a few moments as the Valmese Admiral whispered his last words. Ignatius looked directly at Fighting Fate, where he could likely make out Robin's figure, and, said three words before dying.
Robin was not the most skilled of lip readers, and the distortion of the spyglass didn't help, but he was almost certain those three words had been "You have lost".
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Chrom closed the dead man's eyes, then pulled Falchion out of him and resumed fighting. Conqueror's Reach was soon under Ylissean control, and Chrom was making a direct course back to Fighting Fate. It looked like everything was going to go off without a hitch, when suddenly a Valmese ship rammed Conqueror's Reach. Fighting immediately broke out anew, and Robin noted with some worry that the Shepherds seemed to be tiring. With a flick of his hand Robin shouted out an order for the aerial support he had been keeping in reserve to go to their aid. He had been hoping to save them for dumping oil on the Valmese from above, but extraction of the Shepherds was his top priority at the moment.
Lucina was gripping the railing so tightly Robin feared she would drive splinters under her fingernails. It was clear that if she were able, she would be rushing to her father's aid.
And then, at that moment, a path appeared before her.
A burnt-out Valmese ship, probably a casualty from where Robin had had their fleet engage the Valmese at other points in order to keep pressure off of the assault team, had drifted near Fighting Fate. While it wasn't close enough for her to leap directly onto it, Lucina remembered a trick her father had told her about as he had read her tales about the Pirate King when she was a child. Lucina dashed to the helm of the ship, ignoring Robin's questions, and grabbed a rope tightly.
Robin blinked in disbelief. She isn't.
She was. Lucina drew Falchion, and with a quick slice cut the rope free. She took a running headstart before leaping over the edge of the railing while clutching the rope, employing the classic swashbuckler technique to fly towards and land with a roll on the abandoned ship. From here she would not be able to jump directly onto Conqueror's Reach, and she was a weak swimmer, but she judged the distance close enough to risk attempting to swim to the ship. She took off in a dash towards the helm, as the figurehead was pointed away from the battle.
Robin cursed under his breath. What the hell did Lucina think she was doing? Robin was of course concerned for Chrom, but the Exalt could handle himself and had some of the Shepherds' finest protecting him. One of these days Lucina's reckless overprotectiveness of her father was going to get her kill-
Robin's eyes went wide as he took in a number of details about the abandoned ship all at once; details that made him ask himself questions he frankly did not like the answers to. Why was the damage to the ship without exception stopped just short of removing the ship's functionality, as if the ship was only meant to have the appearance of being ruined? Why was the wood of the exterior scorched when Robin had very specifically commanded the Shepherds to only use wind magic for fear of accidentally igniting their oil? Why were Ignatius's last words playing through his head again? And most distressingly of all, why was the steering wheel tied into place?
By this point Lucina was well within the middle of the "abandoned" ship. Terror seized Robin's heart as he realized what was about to happen.
"LUCINA! GET BACK! IT'S A TRAP!"
Lucina paused for a moment, turning her head for a moment towards Robin's voice. At that instant, the hatches on the ship's deck sprang open, and a swarm of Valmese soldiers poured out from below, completely surrounding the princess. From a distance, Robin could see a squadron of Pegasus Knights approaching, skimming low over the water. Frantically, Robin began to count their numbers as he bolted towards the ship.
Four Armor Knights. Twelve Soldiers. Eight Mages.
Robin leapt onto the railing. Lucina wheeled about in place, looking for any opening to escape through.
Sixteen Pegasus Knights. Shit, this is bad.
The flames of Ignis began to dance around Robin's body.
Robin felt his mind lock into that place of eerie calm that only came upon him in the most dire of circumstances. He analytically assessed his enemies, their weapons, their ranges, and their distance from Lucina, as well as his own approximated combat specifications.
There was no way to take out all of the enemies surrounding Lucina before they could cut her down.
There was, however, a way to ensure that no weapon reached her. Realizing the outcome of his plan, Robin came to a resolution.
"Arcwind," Robin called as he leapt off Fighting Fate, the wind spell sending him rocketing towards Lucina. He touched down hard and rolled through a gap in the enemy's formation, coming to a skidding halt beside Lucina, who turned to him shock.
Two things happened at this moment. One, Robin shot his arms past Lucina and cast Arcthunder, annihilating the ten or so enemies spread in a half-circle around them. Two, the soldiers behind Robin ran him through with their lances, four in total; two through the gut, one through his right calf, and one through his left shoulder. Before anyone could react to these developments, Robin had thrown his remaining working arm back behind him and cast Arcwind, shredding to pieces the soldiers who had stabbed him. With this, he began to feel Ignis's power dying out.
No.
Not yet.
Blood trickled from Robin's nose as he forced Ignis to activate again, purples flames billowing out from him even higher than before and licking the sky. The remaining soldiers took an involuntary step backwards in shock, and the Pegasus Knights struggled to regain control of their panicking mounts. Robin tackled Lucina to the deck, trying his best not to accidentally impale her on the lances still jutting from his body. "Stay down," he murmured to her as she looked up at him in confusion and horror. He raised a single hand into the air, focusing every bit of power he could into his palm.
"Rexcalibur."
A sphere of razor-sharp wind engulfed the entire ship, gouging furrows into the deck and slicing soldiers clean in half. The Pegasus Knights were all killed instantly, ripped apart by the torrent of winds, while the handful of soldiers lucky enough to survive the massive tempest were thrown clear overboard. The storm raged on for a few seconds more, then slowly petered out. Calm settled over the ship in spite of the battle raging in the distance. Not a single Valmese soldier remained onboard.
Lucina could only stare at the devastation Robin had caused, utterly dumbstruck. She snapped back to attention as Robin collapsed to the side of her, blood already pooling around him from his wounds. Far, far too much blood. Lucina began to tremble as Robin feebly looked up at her; this didn't make any sense at all. Why would her father's killer throw away his life to save her?
"Are you… alright… Lucina?" Robin asked with a weak smile. Lucina felt her breath catch in her throat. Even now, he was still concerned for her?!
This couldn't be right. Surely this was all some calculated ploy in his diabolical plans, right?! A way to get even closer to her father before he slipped the knife?
"Why?! Why would you take such a risk to save me?! To gain favor with Chrom?!"
Robin looked at her with a most perplexed, hurt look. "What? Of course not…The hell kind of question… is that… didn't do it… because you're Chrom's daughter… did it… because you're… you…" Robin petered off, what little strength he had left quickly fleeing him.
Lucina blinked, confused. "Wh-what?"
"Saw you in trouble… terrified me… didn't think too hard about… consequences… just knew I had to save you… no matter what…"
That almost sounds like a love confession, Robin thought blithely to himself. Ah well. Not like I'm going to be around long enough to be embarrassed by choice of phrasing anyway.
Robin's eyes slowly closed and he went silent. With a jolt, Lucina realized he had slipped into unconsciousness. At the rate he was bleeding, he would be dead within minutes.
This… this was what she had wanted, right? With Robin dead, he no longer posed a threat to Chrom. Robin, who had almost certainly murdered her father in her time. Robin, who was almost certainly the instigator of the end of the world.
Robin, who would stay up hours into the early morning drafting plan after plan to ensure each Shepherd came back safely. Robin, without whom the entire band could've met their end multiple times. Robin, who had thrown himself into helping her find her wayward friends over these last two months. Robin, who got along with everyone and took the loss of a Shepherd harder than anyone.
Robin, who in spite of everything he should have been, was one of the kindest men she had ever met. Robin, who had given his life for her without a second thought. Robin, who was now bleeding out at her feet.
Robin, who could still be saved.
No. She didn't want this. She didn't want this at all.
"HEALER!" Lucina screamed frantically as she dashed to the railing. Oh gods, please let one still be onboard.
Lucina let out a small sigh of relief as Libra came into view, Tharja trailing close behind. "What is the problem, Milady?" Libra called.
"Robin's hurt! Really badly! Please, hurry!"
Tharja gasped audibly as Libra nodded. The priest quickly connected the two ships with the gangplank, and the two rushed to crouch by Robin's side, heedless of the blood staining their clothes.
"Naga above," Libra whispered. He immediately pulled out his staff. Lucina felt her stomach clench; for the devout Libra to take Naga's name in vain, the situation must have been even more severe than she feared. "Lucina, this is going to be a bit difficult. We need to remove the lances, but if we take them out too quickly, Robin will bleed to death before I can heal the wound. I need you to take the lances out slowly, one at a time, while I heal the wounds behind them. We'll start with the one in his shoulder; I fear it severed an artery."
Lucina gulped and nodded, grasping the shaft of the lance firmly. She grimaced as she pulled it out, feeling it grind against bone with a sickening sensation. She was careful to slow her pace just as the lance came close to leaving Robin's body, giving Libra time to methodically close the gaping hole inch by inch. Libra was completely focused on his work, murmuring prayers of safeguarding to Naga as he masterfully repaired Robin's damaged flesh.
Lucina suddenly became aware of the pair of eyes burrowing into her. She turned to regard Tharja, careful to not neglect her task while doing so.
"…What happened to him?" Tharja asked quietly, glaring darkly at Lucina. "What did you do?"
Lucina's blood ran cold. "Wh-what?"
"Don't play innocent with me, girl. There's a staggering display of spellcraft in the distance, then Robin's stuck like a pig, and you're miraculously unharmed? You slipped up, and he took the fall for you."
Lucina could say nothing, eyes watering. Tharja was right. This was all her fault.
"Tharja," Libra murmured quietly. "Now is not the time for this." He turned to Lucina. "That said, any information you can share about how Robin acquired these injuries would be most helpful."
Lucina hastily recounted the events with the "abandoned" ship. She had just reached the part where Robin was about to cast Rexcalibur when Tharja raised her hand, stopping her. "Wait. Did you just say he forced Ignis to activate twice in a row?"
Lucina nodded, which elicited a string of foul swearing from Tharja.
"Of all the stupid… Libra, his life energy has run low," Tharja said, beginning to rummage through her pack. "Mark my words, girl," Tharja warned Lucina icily. "If Robin does not live through this day, then neither shall you."
"Tharja… enough of… that talk…" a voice whispered weakly. Lucina, Tharja, and Libra all snapped their heads towards Robin, who seemed to have regained consciousness.
"Robin!" Lucina and Tharja cried simultaneously.
Robin gave a faint smile, then turned to Libra. "Libra… be honest… with me… how bad is it?"
"You've expended a great deal of life energy, as Tharja said. Your body is resisting the healing because of this; it doesn't have enough reserves for the healing magic to draw upon. You've lost a significant amount of blood as well. Your odds are not good, but they exist." Libra turned to Tharja. "Tharja. Please run and find Lissa or Maribelle. I fear my abilities will be insufficient by themselves."
Tharja shook her head, pulling out a tome. "No, there's no time for that. If lack of life energy is the problem, then there's an easy fix for that."
"L-Lady Tharja, what are you doing?" Lucina asked nervously. A tome was most certainly not a healing implement.
"Making myself useful, unlike you, girl," Tharja spat, voice laced with venom. She turned back to Robin, tone and face both softening. "Robin, take my hand," she instructed as she proffered it, bathed in Dark Magic.
Robin was rapidly losing focus, but he trusted her enough to do as he was told. He gasped as the energy ran up his arm, and Tharja grit her teeth in pain.
"Nosferatu," she managed to say.
Robin suddenly snapped back to alertness, already feeling some of his injuries closing and his strength rejuvenating. He looked to Tharja with concern, as the Sorceress had almost fallen over and was now breathing heavily.
"Tharja? What… what did you just do?"
"A… a reverse… Nosferatu," Tharja said in between breaths. "Gave you… most of my life energy, just now…"
"What?! Tharja, you shouldn't have-"
Tharja shook her head, staring at him intently. "Don't… worry about me… I'll be fine… once I see a healer later… No permanent loss… You should be more… concerned about yourself."
"Indeed. We're not out of the woods yet," Libra added. "You're still bleeding profusely, and I can't heal your wounds and replenish your blood at the same time. This will be a delicate procedure." Robin nodded, then shuddered as he was wracked by another wave of pain. He passed out once more.
Lucina knelt, clutching her knees. She wished there was something she could do to be of help here. Her eyes wandered to Tharja's Nosferatu tome, and an idea occurred to her.
"Lady Tharja. Please, take my life energy and give it to Robin," Lucina pleaded. Tharja's eyes shot wide before settling back down into a look of cold contempt.
"If you offered your actual life I might be interested. But no, we're past the point where that's necessary, at least for the moment. Robin needs his injuries repaired more than anything right now. If you want to do something, go find your Aunt. I would do it myself, but I don't think I can even stand anymore..."
Lucina hesitated, hating the notion of abandoning Robin's side, but nodded and dashed towards Fighting Fate. Even if she had to swim from ship to ship looking for Lissa, Lucina would not allow herself to fail.
Robin's consciousness flickered in and out, a new image greeting him each time.
Lucina, tears streaming down her face as she begged him not to die.
Lissa leaning over him, telling him everything would be alright. She had a strong look in her eyes. She'd grown up so much over these last few years.
Chrom, ordering him to survive with a determined look on his face.
Maribelle, and even Ricken and Miriel, their knowledge of healing magic limited, pitching in in any way they could.
Henry cheerfully giving a recharge of life energy with the same reverse Nosferatu method Tharja had used, mentioning something about how Tharja shouldn't get to be the only one to do something cool like that.
Blinding light as his plan went into action and the Valmese fleet caught ablaze. A cacophony of thousands of dying men's screams met his ears.
And lastly, before everything faded into darkness, a vision of himself with smoldering red eyes.
"Don't think you'll die so easily," he smirked. "We have much in store for you."
"Are you certain he'll be alright?" Lucina asked desperately.
A weary Libra sighed, then nodded. "It was difficult, but he's made it through the worst." Robin was now sleeping fitfully in the medical bay; he would be moved back to his cabin once he was out of critical condition. "We've done what we can, and now it is up to him and the grace of Naga. And Robin is not the kind of man to give up easily. Of course, it will take some time before he is fully healed."
Lissa leaned against a wall, sighing heavily. "So… so tired. That jerk had better thank me properly when he wakes up."
"Statistically, Robin had what I approximate to have been less than a 1% chance of surviving that ordeal," Miriel said coolly. "That said, I would believe this to be what Gaius refers to as an "easy bet". He will live. I cannot empirically justify this conclusion, but I predict it nonetheless."
"A proper lady would never allow a man so noble in spirit to die on her watch," Maribelle added.
Lucina bowed deeply. "Thank you. Thank you all."
"Save it, "Tharja muttered. "We didn't do it to ease your guilty conscience."
"You have every right to doubt my intentions, Lady Tharja, but I thank you for saving him nonetheless." She bowed again.
Tharja scowled. "Fool. I don't need thanks for helping Robin."
"You should all get some rest," Libra declared. "We've had a long day."
"But who will keep watch over Robin?" Lucina asked.
"I shall; I must tend to the other injured anyway," Libra smiled. "Now go to sleep, all of you. Consider it physician's orders."
The group got up and departed, all save for two. "I… I would like to stay with him," Lucina requested.
Libra chuckled. "Your concern is admirable, but Robin will be fine without you."
"For my peace of mind then. Please, Sir Libra," Lucina insisted.
Libra sighed. The girl could be as stubborn as her father sometimes. "Very well. Pull up a chair."
Lucina smiled brightly and nodded, thanking the priest.
"Aren't you going to send me away?" a voice asked from her corner. Libra turned to regard Tharja.
Libra smiled again. "Of course not. You are my patient as well, after all."
"…Robin lives still because of you. You have my eternal gratitude."
"I believe it is now my turn to say that I require no thanks for helping a friend."
Robin awoke to the warmth of sunlight and the sounds of waves breaking against a ship's hull. He was propped up in a bed in a ship's private living quarters. To his right was a wide window which gave a majestic view of the vast ocean. Massive, snow-white clouds sprawled across the sky. It was absolutely beautiful. Robin's mind usually moved at a million miles a minute, but for now he was content to sit in silence as he took the scene in.
Is this… what's called an afterlife?
Huh? That's a strange thing to think… am I supposed to be dead?
Robin heard a slight stirring his left. He turned to see Lucina slumped over in a chair, her father's cape draped over her as a makeshift blanket. Robin tried to sit up, and to his surprise found that he physically couldn't; his body weakly refused to obey him, and the slightest movement caused severe flares of pain. He let out a slight gasp and gritted his teeth. Suddenly, everything came rushing back to him.
Ah. That's right.
Lucina stirred at the noise, rubbing her eyes groggily before snapping to attention.
"Robin! You're awake! Thank goodness!"
"...Lucina? Where am I? How long have I been out?"
"We're in your cabin. You've been unconscious for almost a week."
"A-A week?! What happened to the Valmese? Is Chrom alright? Did the plan-?!" Robin suddenly stopped speaking, wincing as his head spun. He was in worse shape than he thought.
"Father is fine. We defeated the Valmese fleet handily, thanks to your plan, and we should be arriving at Valm Harbor within a month's time."
"The plan went off without a hitch, huh...?" Robin asked, staring into space as he remembered the glow of the massive inferno and the terror-struck cries of the Valmese men.
"...Is something troubling you, Robin?"
"Thousands of men died horrible deaths because of me; men with families, things worth fighting for. They weren't Risen, Lucina. Each of them was human."
Lucina grimaced; she knew better than most anyone the value of a human life. She should have expected Robin to be grappling with the morality of what he had done.
"Sometimes sacrifices must be made, Robin. It's not easy taking lives, but the path we tread offers no alternatives. Walhart and Grima must be stopped. We killed those men so that the many might live."
Robin nodded. There was a good logic to her words. The princess's ideology didn't dissipate the guilt, but it made it easier to bear.
Wait, did she actually just call me by my name?
Robin gave Lucina a more appraising look. Her hair was unruly, her clothes were wrinkled, and there were bags under her eyes.
"Have... have you been watching over me this whole time?" He asked in astonishment.
Lucina blinked. "...Well, yes. After what you did for me, this was the least of what I owed you." The princess cleared her throat, then looked Robin in the eyes. "Robin, I… I would beg your forgiveness," Lucina said, fists clenched over her knees.
"What, for this?" Robin asked, gesturing to his bandaged torso. "Don't worry about that, I've had worse than-"
Lucina shook her head, cutting him off. "No, not that. I mean, I am sincerely sorry that my carelessness caused you such grave injury, and I am truly grateful to you for saving my life. My disregard nearly killed you, and I'll not make that mistake again. But no, what I speak of is my mistreatment of you these past months. Where you have shown me naught but kindness and concern, I had repaid you with hatred and mistrust. I had thought myself at the time justified, but I… I was wrong. I have slighted you beyond words," she concluded quietly.
"…You think I'm going to be the one who kills Chrom," Robin stated.
Lucina sat upright, shocked, then shook her head emphatically. "No. I thought that, yes. But no longer. I refuse to accept that you are the architect of our apocalypse. Even if the Robin of my time was the perpetrator of that heinous crime, you are different. The you I have come to know would never do such a thing."
Robin stared at the back of his bandaged right hand. "…Lucina, you're aware of my lost memories, yes?"
Lucina nodded, unsure where he was headed with this.
"Sometimes I fear that I was not… the kindest of people when I was my true self. When I knew who I was." Lucina's eyes went wide at these words. "…It's why I cannot outright deny such an accusation. It's why I'm prepared to-"
He was stopped short as Lucina abruptly leaned in and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"No more of this talk, Robin. You are not under trial, and you are a good man. A handful of memories would not change this fact, and I am sorry that I did not see it sooner. You are Robin, Grandmaster Tactician of the Shepherds, and you need not be anyone else."
Robin stared at her for a moment, stunned, before breaking into a warm smile. "…Thank you, Lucina. Your words bring me much-needed peace. That said… you are squeezing my shoulder wound rather tightly."
"Ah! M-My apologies, I didn't mean to-"
Robin chuckled. "It's quite alright. Every part of my body hurts right now anyway," he joked.
Lucina winced, a guilty look on her face. "Sir Libra said it would be a few weeks before you could even move about again..."
Robin's face went pale. "...What?"
"He said that because you expended so much of your life energy protecting me, your body will be slow to recover from your injuries. The healers managed to close your wounds, but any overexertion could cause them to reopen again."
"...Life energy?" Robin muttered with a pensive expression. "Does that mean my lifespan's been shortened? Oh! What about Tharja?!"
"I'm fine, thank you," a muffled voice from underneath his bed said. Robin and Lucina jumped in surprise, eliciting gritted teeth and a hiss of pain from the former. Tharja poked her head out. "It's life force you need to be concerned about, not life energy."
"L-Lady Tharja?!" Lucina stammered. "What are you doing here?! This is a private conversation; you have no right eavesdropping!"
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude," she replied sarcastically. "Still, I can't help but feel that for some reason you have no moral high ground over me right now," she continued with mock contemplation. "Ooh, I have an idea on how to figure out why. Everyone who didn't almost get Robin killed within the last week, raise your hand! ...Why, Princess, what's wrong? Why aren't you raising your- Oh, that's right!" Tharja grinned deviously. Lucina spluttered, face growing red as she tried and failed to come up with a retort. Robin decided to step in and steer the conversation in a different direction before things got ugly.
"Uh, anyway Tharja, what were you saying about life force and life energy?"
Tharja turned back to him with a smug smile. "Life energy is separate from life force; it's the source of our magical power. Some disciplines call it "mana" or "chi". Overexerting your life energy is comparable to overexerting yourself physically to the point that all your muscles tore. Now, using up your life force, on the other hand, shortens your lifespan and lets you do some really nasty stuff..." Tharja murmured with a dark grin.
"...Erm, thank you, Tharja. That's a relief. And I appreciate what you did for me, I really do. You're a good friend. But we've already had talks about you doing things under my bed, remember?"
Tharja pulled herself out from under it, standing in her usual refined pose. "I think I've earned the right to an exception this time. But I will give you some privacy; I'm sure you're still exhausted and I know you have trouble falling asleep when you think someone is watching you. Perhaps I'll go try out my new hex on that do-gooder priest."
Robin recalled Tharja's vicious threat to Lucina while he had been dying. "...Tharja, did you put any hexes on Lucina?"
Tharja smiled eerily, and Lucina shuddered as if she were recalling terrible. "Oh you bet I did. But Chrom threatened to lock me up and not let me visit you if I didn't take them off her. In response I tried cursing him, which... did not go over well. I surmise he's so resilient to hexes because of how headstrong he is."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "...So there aren't any hexes on Lucina now?"
Tharja grinned. "Well, not any detectable ones, at least..."
"Tharja..." Robin warned.
The Sorceress rolled her eyes. "Oh fine, I suppose I'll take them off her... this time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a priest to experiment on. Sleep well, Robin. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need some... company." With that, she strolled out of Robin's cabin, leaving him and Lucina to sit in awkward silence.
Lucina coughed. "Uh, my thanks, Robin. Lady Tharja is as terrifying as I remember."
"What did she do to you?"
Lucina grimaced. "I would prefer not to speak of it."
Robin chuckled. "Well, I'm sure it was unpleasant, but I doubt she put you in any real danger. Tharja's difficult to get along with sometimes, but deep down she's a good person."
"I'll take your word for it," Lucina said skeptically. ""...I should probably leave you to your rest now that I know you're alright. Do you need anything before I go? Some food perhaps?"
Robin shook his head. "I'm not hungry right now, thank you. I'll probably be ravenous next time I wake up though... Ugh, weeks of bedrest? I'm going to go mad. There's not going to be much for me to do… to be honest, I don't think I can even pick up a book as I am right now," Robin smiled ruefully.
Lucina hesitated. "I… I could read to you, if you'd like…"
Robin said nothing for a moment, then grinned. "I'd like that. I'd like that very much. But you should get some shuteye yourself; you look exhausted."
Lucina hesitated, then nodded. Sleeping in a chair for almost a week had not been enjoyable. "I… I'll see you tomorrow, then. …And again, from the bottom of my heart... thank you, Robin." Lucina folded up Chrom's cape and exited the room, carefully closing the door shut. Robin leaned back, pondering the recent developments of the last few days. He was beginning to drift off into sleep when the door opened again.
"Hey buddy!" Chrom called as he entered. "Glad to see you're awake! How are you feeling?"
"Like Minerva landed on me."
Chrom chuckled, pulling up the chair Lucina had just been sitting in. Judging by the fact that his cape was fixed in its usual position, he must have run into Lucina on his way there and been giving it back. That, or he owned more than one cape. Robin couldn't be sure which was the case; he couldn't recall ever seeing Chrom not wearing a cape.
"You passed Lucina on your way here?"
Chrom nodded, not bothering to question what leaps of reasoning Robin had taken to arrive at that conclusion. He had long given up on trying to figure out how Robin's mind worked. "She was stumbling her way back to her cabin. Poor girl looked like she was about to collapse. She watched over you this whole time, you know. She's been asking me things about you a lot lately, too."
Robin nodded. "I see." Lucina actually caring about his wellbeing gave him a nice feeling, he had to admit.
Chrom's face became somber as he looked at the tactician. "Robin, I... If something had happened to Lucina, I..." Chrom gulped, then abruptly leaned in and gripped his best friend in a fierce hug. "...Thank you, Robin."
Robin cringed from pain, but patted his friend on the back. "...I would do it all over again if I had to, Chrom."
Two Weeks Later
It had become a daily routine during the last few weeks for Lucina to come and read to Robin, even though he was now well enough that he could pick up books himself again. Robin enjoyed Lucina's company, and he liked to think that she had come to enjoy his as well—the difference between their interactions now and months ago were like night and day, and he was glad for it. They often found themselves talking for hours on end now about everything and nothing.
"Anything in particular you'd like to hear today?" Lucina asked with a warm smile.
"Hmm… how about Genealogy of the Holy War? Or perhaps you would like to pick up where we left off on in Shadow Dragon? I believe Marth was about to challenge the Wooden Cavalry. Ballistae are fascinating things; it's a pity the technology didn't survive the Schism."
"I'm sure Laurent and Lady Miriel could create one if they put their minds to it," Lucina said as she went to pick up the chronicle of the War of Shadows.
"I get the feeling that when those two are done they'll have leapfrogged our sciences by at least a couple of centuries," Robin half-joked. "…Er, Lucina?" he asked as he realized she was staring at him, smiling. "Is something the matter?"
"It's just nice that you speak of the future so casually, as if it's a given. Like you can't envision us failing. It gives me hope."
Robin flushed and looked out the window. "Well of course. It's not like a big stupid lizard is going to beat your dad."
Lucina giggled, a rare sound that Robin found lovely. He took some pride in being able to make the stoic princess laugh.
"While I cannot condone underestimating Grima, I suppose defeating "big stupid lizards", as you put it, does run in the family," Lucina said as she opened the book. "Now then. Marth had just acquired the Regalia, Parthia, and rescued the Bishop Boah and the Paladin Midia…"
Robin tried to stay awake, he really did. But the sunlight was so warm, the waves were so rhythmic, and Lucina's voice was so soothing. He drifted off into sleep.
Robin awoke screaming. Startled, Lucina dropped the book she had been engrossed in, and her hand reflexively went for Falchion before she checked herself. She reached out to take Robin by the uninjured shoulder.
"Robin! Calm yourself. It was merely a dream. You are safe."
Robin panted heavily, eyes darting about frantically. Lucina noted with some concern that he was drenched in a cold sweat.
"A… a dream…?" Robin asked. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, it… it was more than that… it was far too real… like I'd experienced it before."
"What do you mean?"
More composed now, Robin sat back. "I… there was a woman… older than me… Her name was... Morgan? Yes, Morgan, I think. I was really young. We were running, and I was scared. She was too. She… she hid me someplace. Used some powerful magic to conceal me. Told me I'd be safe… and that she… loved me? Then she ran away. And then…" Robin went pale. "Oh gods. Validar was there."
Lucina's eyes went wide. She knew exactly who Validar was. "Validar? The King of Plegia and head of the Grimleal? The sorcerer who revives Grima?"
"…Yes. And…" Robin hesitated. He wasn't sure why he felt a need to reveal what he was about to reveal. He could very well be about to destroy the relationship he had managed to build with Lucina. But she would need to know eventually; if there came a time where Validar was able to abuse his psychic connection with Robin, then Robin needed to be certain he had a counterplan, even if that meant trusting someone to kill him.
"…And who is also my father."
Lucina could only stare at him in stunned silence.
Robin glanced away, gulped, and then slowly removed the bandages on his uninjured right hand, holding out the Mark of Grima for Lucina to see. She gasped in horror.
"This… this cannot be…" She murmured.
"Would that it wasn't. But it's the truth. I don't remember him, but on Carrion Isle, Validar appeared to me and claimed I was his son. He reached out to me with his mind… some form of telepathy. And I knew he wasn't lying." He laughed bitterly. "It explains quite a bit, doesn't it?"
Lucina said nothing for some moments.
"…Do you wish to kill me?" Robin asked, meeting her eyes. Lucina flinched, hesitating before shaking her head.
"No! No, of course not. I… I'm ashamed to say, a mere month ago I would've run you through upon learning this, consequences be damned. But not now. I know better." She reached up and gently placed her hand on his cheek in an effort to reassure him. "You did not choose the circumstances of your birth. You bear no fault in it."
Robin's shoulders sagged in relief, and he reached up to enclose her hand in his own as he blinked back tears.
"He… Validar… he killed her. I watched it happen." Robin shuddered. "She sacrificed her life for me, and I don't even know who she is…"
Lucina blanched. "Robin… while you were sleeping, you kept saying one word, over and over… you kept saying "Mother"…"
Robin looked at her numbly. "I… I what…?"
Lucina looked away. "...I'm so sorry, Robin."
Robin sat there, struggling to process what he had just learned. "I... after I found out about my relation to Validar, I gave up on trying to reclaim my memories. I figured there was nothing I would want to remember. But... but, my mother-" Robin's voice cracked, his eyes watering. Lucina looked back to him in concern.
"My father is a terrible, evil man who the world would be better off without. But my mother… my mother was so kind, so gentle…" Robin broke into a sob.
He froze as Lucina pulled him into an embrace, placing his head against her shoulder.
"I know all too well the pain of losing a beloved parent," Lucina murmured reassuringly. "And I know the cost of bottling up that grief inside. I can't imagine how unbearably it must hurt you to remember your mother for the first time only to know you'll never see her again. So weep. Let it all out. I am here for you."
Robin blinked back tears, struggling not to break down before relenting and melting into Lucina's embrace. And for the first time in his life that he could remember, Robin wept.
A Few Days Later
Sumia prided herself in the fact that in spite of now being Queen she still did menial chores, just like her husband and everyone else in the Shepherds.
"I've noticed that you've been spending a lot of time in Robin's cabin," she said casually.
Lucina looked up from where she had been chopping vegetables alongside her mother. "I've been reading to him. He's been cooped up in that room for quite a while and can't move around much. The least I can do for him is to help alleviate his boredom."
Sumia smiled and cocked an eyebrow at her daughter's easily misinterpreted choice of words. "Really? Is that allll you're doing with him?"
Lucina stared at her blankly. "Yes. Robin is not yet fit enough to resume physical exercise, and without information about our enemy he can't begin drafting strategies, so he-" Lucina's face went bright red as she realized what Sumia had been implying. "Mother!"
Sumia laughed. Her daughter was just so adorable when she was flustered. "What? A cute boy risks his life to save yours, and you spend all your time with him afterwards? What's a mother supposed to think?"
"I-It's not like that!" Lucina stammered, panic creeping into her voice as her blush intensified further. Well, things had been indescribably different ever since the incident with Robin's nightmare; the two were much more relaxed and open with each other now, but surely not in that way...
Sumia smiled. So in other words, it was exactly "that", but Lucina wasn't ready to admit it to herself yet. Robin was probably in the exact same (metaphorical) boat; he had been going to such lengths to reunite Lucina with her missing friends, personally leading each search, and then he threw himself directly into harm's way for her? It would be strange if the tactician wasn't in love with her. Of course, Robin was probably still completely oblivious to his feelings for Lucina; for someone so smart, he could be so godsdamn dense sometimes.
Well, if she was right (and Sumia was certain she was), then she had to admit to herself that she was actually quite pleased with this development. Others might be a little weirded out by the idea of the two of them being together, but Sumia's tolerance for weirdness had increased drastically given all the odd going-ons of late, and she couldn't think of a single better suitor for her daughter than Robin.
Oh, but how long would it take them to actually get together? Months? Even years? Sumia groaned internally; she absolutely hated it when two people who clearly liked each other took forever to confess their feelings, whether in her romance novels or real life.
Wait, romance novels? Sumia gave a wicked grin as an idea popped into her head. Sometimes the only way to get those two to pay attention to an issue was to shove it directly under their noses.
"Ok, ok, if you insist dear. But say, don't you think Robin might be getting a bit bored with all those stale tactics or musty old history books? Why don't I loan you a fantasy book or two?"
Lucina put her finger to her chin in thought. "Well, I've never known Robin to be bored by a strategy book, and the history books have tales bordering on the fantastic themselves, but I don't see why not..."
"Good morning, Robin! How are you feeling today?"
"Much better, thank you. I still can't move around much, but I don't hurt all over anymore."
"That's good," Lucina said with a genuine smile.
"So what are we reading today?"
"I thought we would try something a bit different. It's called The White Pegasus. I haven't read it, but I was told it's quite good."
Robin cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing in protest. Lucina seemed excited about this.
She took up her usual chair and began to read. It was a cliche premise, a mercenary falling in love with a princess betrothed to a neighboring kingdom's prince. Robin bit his tongue about the handful of grammatical errors he noticed; he didn't mind putting up with those if Lucina was enjoying the book. Still, he couldn't help but feel the pace of the book was amateurish as well; they couldn't even be twenty pages in and it looked like the main characters were already about to have their first romantic scene. A romantic scene with intricately-detailed build-up, and keen attention paid to the physical attributes of the participants.
Wait a minute...
All of the color drained from Robin's face. "L-Lucina? Where did you say you got that book again?"
"From my mother's collection. Now would you please sit still and kindly not interrupt?" She asked with an amused smile, not looking up to see Robin's horrorstruck face, which was now flushed bright red.
Sumia's collection?! But that would mean-!
Good gods, what if Chrom walked in on this?!
"P-perhaps we should pick a different book, Lucina? The subject matter might not be entirely umm… appropriate."
"Oh hush, Robin. You can't read strategy or history books all the time. It's good to entertain oneself with fantasy once every now and then."
Robin could feel his brain beginning to short-circuit. She's got to be deliberately wording it like that. Right? Right?!
Robin mentally braced for imminent disaster.
""She slid her hand down and"… Oh… oh…" Lucina's eyes went wide as she trailed off, face growing a furious shade of scarlet as she skimmed the page. Robin had at this point found a whorl in the cabin's wall to give his undivided attention to.
"Y-y-you know what, I just realized I had forgotten there was something I must be doing right now!" Lucina cried as she jumped up, slapping the book shut. Robin nodded wordlessly in assent. Lucina apologized hurriedly, then dashed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her so hard that a framed picture fell off Robin's wall.
"...Godsdammit, Sumia..."
Lucina sprinted into her cabin, slammed the door shut, and hastily locked it. She gave a sigh of relief before walking over to her bed and flopping down, glaring at the lurid book she still held tightly in her grasp. After she collected her wits she would go and return to this to her mother, and give her a good scolding.
Well, then again, she didn't have to give it back right away… There had been no such novels left back in her time; what little literature that mankind had managed to salvage was mostly military tactics and survival guides. Lucina had to admit, her curiosity had been… piqued by this book. It was just so unlike anything she had ever read before. It wouldn't be so bad of her to read it, right? After all, she was just as much of an adult as her mother, strange as that felt to think.
Lucina glanced suspiciously at her barred door, then cracked the book back open to begin reading where she had left off. Her face went scarlet again almost immediately.
She didn't know how long she had been reading the book, but the midday sun was beginning to sink when she realized something was off. She blinked for a moment, unable to place her finger on it, before shrugging and continuing to read.
Falrius gently picked the princess up. Eleste gave a small gasp and gently reached to stroke the large gash on his chest, at which he chuckled and shook his head. "Fear not, my love. I would suffer this a thousand times over for your sake, for I-"
Lucina shrieked and hurled the book across the room as if it had bitten her as she realized why she had felt so unsettled—she had been mentally juxtaposing herself and Robin over the novel's two main characters.
Th-this is merely because I am unaccustomed to this subject matter, Lucina desperately tried to rationalize. Robin is merely my father's tactician. My father's brave, gallant, smart, cute, funny, wonderful-
Lucina brought her pillow to her face, stifling a loud groan as she flopped back onto her bed, willing the newfound realization to disappear.
Oh gods, I've actually fallen for him. How did this happen?!
Lucina didn't actually need to think about it very hard to understand how it had happened. If she had given Robin a fair chance from the beginning it might have even happened sooner. But still, what about her wish to not alter this timeline any more than necessary? No matter how she looked at it, acting on these feelings would irrevocably cross some line.
…What am I going to do?
Robin would have words with Sumia about this incident later. Oh, he would definitely have words. This he could understand coming from Lissa. But Sumia? She had never struck him as the type to play practical jokes, and this one had rattled him far more than anything Lissa had ever pulled off.
Why was he so unsettled right now, anyway? It was an easily explained, harmless misunderstanding. So why was his heart still pounding and his face still flushed? Lucina was just his best friend's daughter. Who happened to be beautiful and strong and smart and charming and cute and-
Oh.
Robin quickly ran back that list of complimentary adjectives in his head, as well as a few more he hadn't added. He realized exactly how that would sound to someone if he were to say it aloud. Exactly what it signified.
Ah.
Yes, there was no doubt about it in his mind now. He was in love with Lucina. Lucina, who was Chrom's daughter. Chrom, who was his best friend and someone he would never want to betray the trust of. Chrom, who was extremely protective of his daughter, who sometimes had a short temper, and who could probably break Robin with his bare hands if he put his mind to it, even if Robin hadn't currently been an invalid.
Ah hell…