DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.
A/N: Yes I know that I said I'm going on break, and I am. Believe me. However, I really couldn't get the nagging out of my head at the fact that I'd leave the story hanging for a while, just before this arc ends. This is the final chapter for the 'Innocence' arc, and it's been largely complete for over a week. I've spent a little time between studying (got to take breaks, right?) finalizing the chapter and it's finally done. It'll be a large weight off my chest and I now feel I can finally take a break from writing.
So here it goes, one more chapter!
Innocence 6
Robin sat down on a bench that was setup just outside one of the merchants' tents. He had already finished with his fill of browsing, finding nothing of interest to him.
From the side of his eye, he saw what appeared to be a stack of books headed towards him.
Robin raised a brow in curiosity, standing up and peeking around the books to find Morgan. "That's, uh, quite the haul you've got there."
Morgan dropped the books on the ground with a loud thump. "They're all books about magic! Take a look at them." she said, picking up several books and presenting them to him. "There's, Magic for Dummies, The Long Lost Anima Triangle, A Certain Index of Magic Spells, A Tome of Ice and Fire and Electronomicon, just to name a few."
Robin lifted one of the books and brought it up to his eyes. "Make Him Offer His Soul to You in a Fortnight? Morgan, w-what is this?"
Morgan quickly snatched the book from his hands and smiled sheepishly. "It's err, a book on dark magic."
Robin scratched his head. "Well you've definitely got the drive to be a mage, I'll give you that. How did you afford all these books anyways? Did Lucina give you some spending money?"
"Nope." Morgan said casually.
Robin's eye's widened. "I hope you're not implying that you just walked out with these."
"Quit your worrying. It's taken care of." Morgan said, waving him off.
Robin sat back down, still unsure of what the girl meant by 'taken care of'.
Morgan finished stacking the books back together. "I told the merchant that it was on you."
Robin immediately shot up from his seat, making a strangling motion in the air. "On me!?"
"Shouldn't a teacher provide for their pupil's needs?" Morgan replied, as if her logic was commonplace.
Robin brought a hand up to his face and let out a groan of frustration. "You're taking those back this instant."
"Robin, no!" Morgan cried, hopping in front of the mound of books with her arms spread out defensively. "I need these!"
Robin smacked the girl lightly on the top of the head. "No you don't. Miriel and the others have tons of books you can read. We took in an entire village of mages just this week. Heck, I've got a few books lying around you can have."
"But... But I want these books." Morgan whined.
"What's so special about these books anyways?"
"They're for beginners. Sure, if I was a novice magic user, I might be able to take in the books you all have, but I've no experience whatsoever! I need to learn the basics!"
"So soul stealing is considered basic nowadays? " Robin asked, waving the book in question in front of the girl's face.
Morgan flushed. "O-okay, that one just sounded cool... But I'm serious about the other ones!"
"Look Morgan, you can easily..."
Morgan stuck out her lower lip and made it quiver.
"No. No, no, no ,no, no. That's not going to work this time."
"..."
"I mean it, Morgan. Cut that out." he said sternly.
"Whatever." Morgan huffed, spinning around and picking up the stack in a grumpy manner.
Robin wore a smile of content at his victory.
Sometimes, an adult just has to put their foot down. It's their job to guide the generation after them into a bright future, and if that means squashing a few greedy dreams on the way, so be it. "Make sure you put all of those back where you found them. You remember where, don't you?"
Morgan walked away slowly. "Yeah, I remember. Aisle 6, shelf 8... ...Right next to A Royal Lioness's Love Affair." Morgan replied as she came to a halt. She could practically feel the Tactician behind her squirm, allowing a devilish smile to finds its way on her face.
Robin regained his composure. "...Sure. If that's where you remember it being, then yes, over there." he said simply.
...
...
'THERE'S NO WAY SHE CAUGHT ME LOOKING AT THAT!' Robin yelled in his head. 'I just picked it up for a second! I just gave its cover a glance! I just decided to skim through its contents a bit! Who care's if it's the sequel to that book? Why should I care? Sumia gave me that book anyways! What was I supposed to do? Not read it? What kind of friend would I be if I just discarded a gift? The book was amateur anyways! Riddled with cliches and what not. I only skimmed through the sequel for laughs! I just wanted to find out if it was equally terribly written! It's not like the first book ended on such a damnable cliffhanger anyways! Who needs closure!? Why would I be interested it!? It's a coincidence she brought it up!'
"Robin, you okay there? Looks like someone shot off an Elfire in your brain." Morgan asked.
Robin looked up at her to find those same malicious eyes from before boring into his sockets. "I-I'm fine. What are you waiting for? Just go put those books back."
"I'm on it. Aisle 6, shelf 8, right next to A Royal Lioness's Love Affair."
Robin laughed in a forced manner. "Wow, you've got quite the memory for an amnesiac, Morgan. You remember everything down to the aisle and shelf."
"Well it wasn't that hard to remember, given that it's where A Royal Lioness's Love Affair is."
Robin ran up to the girl and continued with his desperate attempt to play cool. "Ha, why're you always bringing that book up?"
"A Royal Lioness's Love Affair?"
"Yes." Robin said, through his gritted smile. "Oh, don't tell me you want that book?" Robin said with a laugh, nudging Morgan with his elbows.
Morgan smiled at him like that of a predator staring down its elusive prey that it knew was finally cornered.
"T-that won't work on me, Morgan. I already said I wouldn't buy you any books. That isn't something you should be reading anyways." Robin said patting her on the back as he walked back to the bench.
"How do you know that?"
"Alright, just go on and put them back now." he said, ignoring her counter.
"Well that's fine, I guess. But... it's a shame that you won't be able to finish it." Morgan said with a shrug.
"Oh, look at that Morgan! How did all this gold get in here?" Robin cried as he opened his pouch. "Welllll, since I've got all this gold just lying around, I might as well treat you to something to mark you joining the Shepherds! You just go and take those books over to the counter and I'll be right with you. You know what? Here, go pay for it yourself!" He said with a frighteningly stiff smile, tossing the bag of gold onto the top of her stack of books.
Morgan turned her head and smiled sweetly at him. "Yay! Thanks Robin, you're the best!"
As Morgan disappeared inside the tent, Robin slumped in his seat, reevaluating what it meant to be a man.
After a few minutes, Morgan came back out with a content look upon her. "You ready to go?"
"Yes..." Robin said glumly, as he got up.
"Robin? I'm sorry. That was kind of mean, wasn't it?" Morgan asked.
Robin glared at her. "Whatever could you mean? Are you talking about the blackmail, or the blackmail? Oh, perhaps you're referring to the blackmail?" he seethed.
Morgan sighed and looked to her feet. "I just... I was really excited that you agreed to help me learn magic. I... I got a little ahead of myself."
"It's fine... Let's just forget this happened. And not a word of this to anyone!"
Morgan nodded. She set the books down and pulled one out from the stack. "I... I actually bought you this. As an apology." she said, handing over the wrapped book to him.
"Buying me a present with my own money?" Robin asked flatly, as he unwrapped the present.
"Well?" Morgan asked.
Robn removed the wrapping and stared down at the book. At the top, there was a piece of paper stuck onto it, reading, 'Robin's'.
His eyes traveled down to the books title:
A Royal Lioness's Love Affair
All noise, breathing included, vanished from Robin.
"A-all jokes aside, I noticed how engrossed you were with it." Morgan said, in a genuinely innocent manner. "I know it would've been a bit difficult if you had to buy the book yourself, but I figured the the merchant wouldn't bat an eye if he saw a young girl buying it." She realized that Robin had yet to move an inch since unwrapping the gift. "D-don't worry, Robin! I won't look at you any differently. I'm sure tons of guys read stuff like that in this era, right?"
Robin gripped the book tightly and drew in a deep inhale. In a split second, he lobbed the book into the horizon.
Morgan stared in horror as her present sailed off into the distance.
"All. Evidence. Must. Be. Destroyed." Robin said slowly and clearly.
Lucina walked through the bazaar of merchant stalls, scanning the various goods that were being sold. She had, by chance, found the perfect gift for a certain someone, and was now on the hunt to find something of significance for her daughter.
The band of merchants had on display, a plethora of merchandise, from things of practical use such as feathered pens to more obscure items like wolf pelt coats. As her eyes sorted through the mounds of items, she realized simply searching would not lead her to the 'perfect' gift she had in mind.
As with Robin's gift, she felt that perhaps after some lighthearted browsing, her heart would lead her to something of her daughter's liking.
She slowly made her way towards a merchant who had, by the looks of it, specialized in the sales of clothing and other garments.
In her head, Lucina felt her heart warm to know that she herself had been a good enough mother to warrant Morgan donning her old uniform. And as sweet as thought had come across, she also felt a pang of guilt every time she looked at Morgan. It was the aforementioned garb, that had bothered her. And although the same clothes that were meant to mimic those of the great king Marth had served her well, the current Lucina, the one who had yet to see this war through the end, felt as if the idea of Morgan wearing such clothing symbolized the inability of her future self to properly cast away the hardships of the past.
Lucina knew not what her future self was thinking, nor did she know exactly what the state of the world was in that time, but what she did know, was that she did not want Morgan to relive the same tragedy as she. The tragedy of taking over your parent's place on the battlefield. And as overprotective as Lucina must have seemed, her newly acquired motherly instincts brushed away any 'conventional logic' and instead scoured for anything that could give Morgan a proper upbringing. Anything that would let Morgan know that she was not 'expected' to fight this war. Something that would let her know that the world didn't rest on her shoulders.
Something, that would distinguish Morgan from her.
Although it seems much to soon for her to claim, she thought of Morgan as her pride and joy. A treasure that, as long as she could help it, should go untarnished and remain ignorant from the horrors of war.
Lucina was fighting today in hopes for a future such as Morgan's.
Though it was all but inevitable in the situation they were in, Lucina did not enjoy the thought of Morgan participating in battle.
And so, Lucina rummaged through the merchandise, in search of anything that could let Morgan become the normal girl that she had always wanted to be.
As she walked along, running the down the shelf of clothing and accessories, she bumped into someone. "Pardon me. I'll be su- Mother?"
"Lucina, so this is where you were." said the pegasus rider.
"I've just been doing a little browsing."
"Looks to me you've passed that phase." Sumia said with a laugh, having spotted the bag like cloth hung around Lucina's shoulder.
Lucina hurriedly moved the cloth-bag around to her back and out of sight. "Ah, yes. I just picked up a little something."
Sumia narrowed her eyes and moved in. "Nonsense. I know when your hiding something, dear" she said, trying to reach for the bag.
Lucina held her mother away in panic. "I-I'm not. This is for Morgan."
Sumia folded her arms and stared right at her. "Lucina."
Fortunately for Sumia, Lucina was flustered enough not to realize just how suspiciously accurate her mother's instincts were as of late.
The royal child fidgeted slightly, kicking her foot against the ground.
Sumia couldn't help but smile at her shy reaction. She already knew what Lucina had bought, as well as for whom.
Deciding to give her daughter some space for the time being, Sumia turned her attention towards a rack of clothing.
"What about yourself then? Have you found anything you liked?"
Lucina was relieved to hear the change of subject. "Ah, no, I have not."
"Go on then. Find something that catches your fancy and bring it over. It'll be my treat."
"Mother, you really don't have to."
"It's fine, Lucina. Besides, this'll be the first time I get to go shopping with my daughter."
"So we're shopping now are we?" Lucina giggled.
"Yes, we are. I've been holding back on saying it, dear, but, haven't you thought about a little change in your outfit?"
"My outfit?"
"Yes. You're no longer masquerading as Marth. How about something a little more... you?"
Lucina looked down at her garb and chuckled. Not too long ago, she had been thinking the same thing about Morgan, now here she was in the same situation with her own mother. "Surely it wouldn't matter what I looked like in the middle of a war."
"Then this could be your wardrobe for after we arrive back home."
'Back home...' Lucina thought warmly.
"Is it really alright? We can just do the shopping back at Ylissetol can we not?"
Sumia folded her arms and put on a fake exasperated look. "Lucina, dear, you're making it really hard for me to spend some quality time with you."
"Alright, I get it." Lucina said, softly smiling at her mother,
"That's my girl. And plus, I'm sure this caravan's got heaps of clothing you couldn't find back in Ylisse. Import clothing without the importing!"
Lucina giggled at her mother's enthusiasm. "Oh, and mother? About what I bought," she said, slowly pulling the bag out in front of her. "I wasn't being truthful with you. This isn't for Morgan."
Sumia played nonchalant, skimming through the dresses hung up in a row. "Really? Who's it for?"
Lucina took a breath. "I bought a sword for Robin."
"For Robin? How thoughtful of you. Any reason as to why?"
"It's just a small thank you present for helping out with Morgan." Lucina replied in a hurry. However, it looked like there was a bit more she had to say.
Sumia smiled at the sight of her daughter struggling to put her thoughts into words. "Lucina, it's fine if you don't want to elaborate. I'm just glad you told me. What you want to buy and and for who is none of my business."
Lucina nodded in understanding.
Sumia clasped her hands together in an audible clap, taking Lucina by surprise. "Now I can help you find something for little Morgan as well!"
Lucina couldn't help but laugh at her mother's enthusiasm. "Then it's settled."
"Lucina, come on out. I want to see how lovely my princess looks!" Sumia exclaimed, as she stood outside the curtain of a changing area the merchant of the stall had erected.
"Just a moment." Lucina's voice called from the other side.
Sumia held in her arms, an entire closet's worth of dresses and other garments that she was just dying to dress Lucina up in. And that wasn't even counting the dozen Lucina had brought with her into the changing room.
The curtains swept to the side, revealing Lucina in a black, long flowing dress.
"How do I look?" Lucina asked shyly.
"Lucina! You look unbelievable! Look, look! All of the men are staring at you!"
Lucina looked around. "Mother, we're the only ones here."
"But if we weren't, you'd be the center of attention!"
"Surely you're exaggerating."
"Would I lie to you? Hurry, I want you to try this one on next!" Sumia said, shoving the dress into her arms and pushing her back inside.
Lucina closed the curtain. "Are you sure you don't mind buying these? These dresses look awfully expensive."
"I'm the queen! I have money!" Sumia exclaimed from the other side.
Lucina shook her head and chuckled.
The two were so engrossed in their little 'dress up', that they hadn't realized the sun had begun to set, painting the sky orange.
"Alright, mother, this'll be the last one."
"Oh, is that the red, short cut one?"
"Even better. I found it hidden at the corner of the tent earlier."
"Hidden?"
"It was folded up behind some scarves. I bet they just didn't want to part with such a beautiful dress, so they kept it somewhere hard to find."
Sumia smiled happily at hearing how much Lucina was enjoying herself. "Okay, just come out when you're ready."
After a few moments the curtain swept to the side.
Sumia spun around to see the dress Lucina had been raving about. "Aww, you look... absolutely..."
"Adorable? Refined? Perhaps a bit bold?" Lucina asked, proudly striking a pose.
Sumia's eyes were sucked in by the dresses rather obscure design.
"Didn't I tell you it looked amazing?" Lucina asked. "It's quite modern, don't you think? I simply love how vibrant it is, and how well the colors and shapes mesh together!"
Sumia replied, but it sounded more like a cough than anything.
"Look here." Lucina said, bringing herself closer so that Sumia could get a better look. "If you take a closer look, each of the polka dots have got a portrait of Aunt Emmeryn on them! How's that for innovation?"
Sumia was nearly speechless. And possibly not in the way Lucina had been thinking.
"Hehe... You sure have a... unique taste in fashion, dear." Sumia said, conjuring up a smile.
"I favor the tasteful and understated." Lucina replied.
"I-Is that so? Well, you look... you look..."
"Here they are." A male voice said from outside the tent.
The two women looked towards the entrance to find a mass of books walking in.
The books dropped down on to the table with a thud.
"Be careful with those!" Morgan cried as she entered.
"Oh hush." Robin said, circling around the stack of books.
Sumia immediately grabbed hold of him. "R-robin, just in time. Take a look at Lucina's new o-outfit."
Robin looked up and down at Lucina, who lifted her leg onto stool as she turned to the side.
Robin's mind turned to mush. 'How is she trying to act sexy with... that on!?'
"Speechless as well?" Lucina asked coyly.
Robin could hear Morgan holding back her laughter behind him. "Wow... You look... great!"
Lucina smiled happily. "Good to hear. I'll be taking this too, mother." She said as she headed back into the changing area to finish up.
"What was that thing?" Robin whispered, now openly cringing.
"I've no idea myself." Sumia whispered back, a bit embarrassed by her daughter's taste in fashion.
Morgan merely snorted.
"She does seem quite thrilled to have found it. Ugh, I do hope she doesn't decide to walk around camp donning it..." Sumia said.
"Should we just break it to her now, then?" Robin suggested.
"No! My baby would be heartbroken." Sumia protested. "You saw how proud she looked wearing it. How do you expect me to just go and say it's actually horrendous?"
"Just go and say it." Robin said simply. "You're her mother. Besides, it'll save her the trouble in the long run. If she does end up wearing it around camp, I guarantee that we won't be the only ones to have less than satisfactory opinions about it."
"I... I can't." Sumia stated. "I'll just... I'll just steal the dress from her when she isn't around."
"It sounds like you're just avoiding the truth of the matter."
"...You're right. I'll do it. I'll tell her that the dress looks-"
Lucina came out from behind the curtain with the clothes in her arms and a satisfied expression.
"Amazing!" Sumia finished.
Robin slapped his head at her weak resolve.
"Okay, I'll got take these up to the merchant." Lucina said, heading off to pay.
"At least the rest of the clothes look wonderful on her." Sumia sighed as she went to follow.
Morgan went to lift up her books, but noticed Robin head further into the tent. "Where are you going?"
"I'll be right out. Just, give me a moment." he requested, heading off to the back.
Mogan shrugged and headed out.
The long day dragged on. The group had finally wrapped up their quest to to introduce Morgan to the remaining Shepherds.
The sun had long gone since gone down, leaving Morgan and Robin to walk through the darkness.
They were on their way to the much awaited meeting between the mages, and Morgan was nearly bouncing with anticipation as she walked along, merrily whistling a tune.
The two finally arrived outside the barracks, the predesignated meeting spot. They could see flame from the fireplace glowing through the window, indicating the others were already inside.
Morgan hurriedly walked up the steps, but before she could rest her hand on the knob Robin called out to her.
"Morgan, wait."
She turned her head back to see Robin setting the books down on the steps.
"There's something I need to tell you."
She nodded in comprehension, waiting for him to continue.
"There's no easy way for me to say this, to be honest. In fact, you'll be the first person to know."
Morgan cocked her head to the side. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"
"No. Well, this particular problem's been with me since Chrom found me."
"Is it about your amnesia."
Robin nodded carefully. "Yes, it is. I... I haven't got what you would call an expert's knowledge on magic."
"Oh? There's nothing wrong with that. I'm sure magic takes years of practice to master. Besides, from what everyone's been saying about you, expert or not, you sound like quite the mage."
Robin balled his right fist and sighed. "No, Morgan. What I mean't was that I don't understand it."
Morgan offered him a puzzled expression.
"I can perform magic, but I've hardly any knowledge as to how it works. Those symbols and incantations in the tomes? I can understand a few of them, but for the most part... it's all gibberish to me." he said, taking a seat on the steps. "I'm not sure if I'm cut out to be your teacher. I'm sorry for getting your hopes up."
Morgan stared at him, at a momentary loss for words. She slowly took a seat beside him, moving the books over. "Does it matter, though?"
Robin gazed up at moon. "You tell me."
"You said you're able to use magic, but don't fully understand it. How?"
Robin shrugged. "When I take hold of a tome, it just feels... right. It's like instinct."
"So we can assume that you did know magic before your amnesia, correct?"
"That's highly probable. It's been two years... Two years since I woke up on that field. I've studied magic on my own time, but even then, I most likely hold less knowledge about the technical aspects of magic than Ricken."
Morgan remembered meeting Ricken earlier in the afternoon, his age pointing towards what Robin had meant. "So you won't be able to teach me how to use magic." she concluded.
Robin nodded sadly.
The two remained silent, looking up at the starry sky that surrounded the gargantuan tree.
Morgan curled her legs up, bringing her knees to her chest. "Well, you can still teach me how to use magic."
Robin lifted his chin that had been resting on his palm to look at her. "Did you just forget what I said a minute ago? I can't."
Morgan chuckled and shook her head. "You're not getting what I'm saying. You might not be able to teach me how to use magic per say, but can teach me how to put it to use."
"Put it to use?" Robin echoed.
"Yeah. Let's forget about all that theoretical stuff for a moment and just focus on your use of magic. Tell me, do any of the other mages 'fly'?"
"...No."
"Did they wipe out an entire horde of monsters with a single spell?"
Robin smiled. It seems someone had told Morgan the whole story about the previous battle. "It wasn't the spell that destroyed all of them."
"That's my point!" Morgan exclaimed, getting up. "It wasn't the spell that won the battle, it was you. If any other mage had that spell in their possession, how many of them would've thought of such a way to use it? While you might not be able to understand how it works, you damn well know how to make the best use of it. And in the end, isn't that all that matters? I don't need you to teach me how to understand magic, Robin. I just want to learn to use it like you do. So I can keep everyone safe."
Robin shook his head and got up, picking up the stack of books. "You realize learning's not going to be easy. I would know."
Morgan chuckled. "Well, then we can both learn together."
Robin nodded softly.
Morgan went for the door, holding it open so he could enter.
And with a thud, the door closed, opening a new one into the future.
Lucina walked through the mess hall, tray in hand. She spotted Robin and Morgan chowing down at a table with Chrom, Vaike, Nowi and the other children.
She felt her heart drop as caught sight of her father, but slowly made her way into an open seat. "Good evening."
Everyone greeted her back.
Lucina fiddled with her gloves as she took them off, her gaze fixed upon her meal.
"So I heard you had quite the day." said the voice of the person she had been desperate to avoid.
"Y-yes." she replied, shakily looking up to meet her father's eyes. "Father, I-I'm sorr-"
Chrom held up a finger to silence her. "I was talking about the shopping you got done with your mother."
Lucina stared back down at table. "Oh, yes... Look, father, I'm-"
"There's nothing to apologize about, Lucina. I'm fine." he said, with a reassuring smile.
Lucina nodded meekly as she looked back up at him.
She saw Chrom motion his head towards Robin, followed by a fist gesture.
Lucina chuckled. It seemed Robin was right when he said he had a history of trouble with her father, for he had already zeroed in on the true perpetrator of the 'attack'.
"He'll get what's coming to him." Chrom mumbled just before he took in a spoonful of soup.
Lucina wondered briefly what that could have meant, but was pulled from her thoughts as a book was shoved in front of her face.
She instinctively jolted her head away from the foreign object, turning to see Morgan with a big grin.
"Guess who pretty much understands the entire first chapter?" Morgan asked with delight.
"I take it the tutoring session went well?" Lucina asked in amusement.
"You bet. Give me a few weeks and I'll put even Ol'Robin to shame." She declared, but was then hit in the back of the head by a cracker.
Morgan spun around and glared at Robin, who seemed to be occupied with his supper.
"I don't know about that, dear." Lucina laughed. "Robin's quite good."
"Even he says that I'm a fast learner. In fact, I was even able to perform Fire earlier."
"You were?"
"Yep! I re-lit the fireplace with it."
"You were able to pick it up that fast?"
"Hehe, not exactly. I kind of just did it."
"It was an accident!?" Lucina said in shock. The idea of Morgan goofing off with fire wasn't exactly a welcome one.
"Robin said that I was in a proper enough mental state, so the magic just flowed through me. I wasn't able to do it a second time though."
"You ought to be careful Morgan. Magic's no game."
"I know that, mother. I was under the supervision of the others anyways."
After a moment, the mother settled down."My girl, the prodigy." Lucina said proudly, pinching Morgan's cheeks.
Morgan shone a toothy smile at the praise before heading back to her seat.
Lucina looked across the table and gave Robin a quick thumbs up.
Robin smiled and rolled his eyes.
The mess hall was alive with the various conversations going on among the Shepherds and Khans.
A toast was even held in honor of Gerome, Cynthia, and Morgan's arrival.
However, with the introduction of alcohol to the crowd, the warm moment soon gave way to a firestorm of merriment, laughter, and antiques.
"So Chrom, I heard you had a close encounter today." Vaike cackled.
"Yes, very close." Gregor laughed.
Chrom flushed. "H-how did you hear about that?"
"Little miss dragon over there." Vaike said, sticking a thumb towards Nowi, who was spinning around with a bottle of wine. Nowi nearly fell over, but was caught by Morgan.
"Should she be drinking that?" Chrom asked in concern, despite the previous discussion.
"No worry there. Nowi older than Gregor's grandmother." Gregor explained with a grin.
Chrom narrowed his eyes. They did have a point, but anyone would be bothered with the sight of such a small girl downing that much alcohol.
"Now let us get back to pressing matters at hand. You were almost assassinated, yes?" Gregor asked.
Gaius and Sully were next to him, unable to hold their laughter.
"Seems to me you already know what happened." Chrom said in annoyance, chugging down his mug of ale.
"Oy, Chrom." Flavia called out.
"What is it now?" he asked grumpily.
"It seems that wife of yours is having a bit too much fun."
Chrom lifted his head up to scan the room, finding Sumia, now spinning alongside Nowi and Morgan at the center of the room as everyone clapped on.
"Sumia doesn't drink." Chrom stated suspiciously.
Sumia, unsurprisingly, was the first to tumble to the ground.
Chrom hurried his pace, getting up and making his way over.
"Father, do something." Lucina pleaded from her seat, her face red with embarrassment,
Chrom shook his head and knelt down beside Sumia, gently lifting her up. "Dear, when did you start drinking?"
"I didn't." Sumia replied.
Chrom's eyes snapped to the bottle of ale in her hand.
"It's juice dear."
"So you mean to tell me your making a commotion while sober?"
Sumia brushed the hair from her face, revealing a wicked smile. "All part of the plan, dear."
Chrom raised his brow. "The plan? ...The plan!"
Sumia stood up and brushed off her legs. "That's right. Just you watch, I already had something planned earlier, but wait until you see this. Hold on, I need all attention on me."
Chrom looked around nervously to meet everyone's gaze. "Well you certainly have it."
"Then let us begin, shall we?" she whispered, before pulling away from him.
Sumia walked back to the center of the room, offering one last twirl before clearing her throat.
"Soooo, where's Robin, everyone?" she asked, resuming her drunken facade.
Everyone looked around the room.
"Here he is!" Stahl yelled, patting Robin's head.
Robin, who also had been partaking in the drinking, waved from his seat.
"Alrighty, good to know! I have something here for you."
"Huh? Robin, is it your birthday today?" Owain asked.
"Ha, like I know when I was born!" Robin laughed drunkenly, inciting everyone to follow.
Sumia pulled a medium sized, rectangular object from her bag. "I found this lying outside the fort earlier. It has your name on it Robin, so I'm assuming it's yours."
"Mine?" Robin asked.
"Mhm. You know I was quite surprised to know you took such an interest! I knew I was doing you a favor!"
And with one movement, Sumia held up the object, a book, up in the air for all to see.
Robin took one look at the over and spit out his drink.
"A Royal Lioness's Love Affair." Vaike said softly.
The room grew quiet, all attention now on the Tactician.
"It's the sequel to the book I loaned Robin a while back! He told me he enjoyed it, but to go out and buy the second volume? You must be quite the fan!" Sumia squealed, tossing the book onto a table.
The room erupted into laughter, as Robin crumpled into a pathetic mass on the table.
Dozens of hands hungrily grabbed for the book, dying to find out just what their Tactician did in his spare time.
Gaius swiftly claimed the book and cracked it open, everyone gathering around him. He immediately found a good page and began reading aloud. "And it in that moment, my heart was aflutter. My soul, had been lifted of this earth. I, who was once broken, and am now whole. For I, am in love."
"HAHAHAH!" Everyone cried, banging on the table in hysterics.
"Look, look! It's even got illustrations!" Vaike cried out.
"Geez, Robin, I never figured you for such a romantic." Sully said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, nearly out of breath.
"Oh, Robin, that's so cute!" Olivia remarked.
Gerome wore a smug smirk at seeing the man in such a position.
"Hey, lover boy, quit acting like you've passed out and get over here! It's story time!" Gaius yelled in pure joy.
Robin lay motionless against the table.
He could feel a pair of arms wrap around his waist, holding him tightly as a weight pressed into his back.
"Robin! Robin! It wasn't me! I swear! I didn't know!" he heard Morgan wailing in panic behind him.
Morgan heard laughter coming from Robin.
"Say, Morgan? How about you demonstrate for everyone how you used that Fire spell from earlier?"
"H-huh?"
"Go on. This time, aim right here." he finished, tapping at the side of his head.
Morgan's eyes widened. "No! Robin! Snap out of it!" she said, shaking him violently.
Chrom was clutching at his sides, unable to control his howls of laughter. At that moment, he felt as if he had fallen in love with Sumia all over again.
She told him that she'd handle the dirty work, and she did not disappoint.
He stumbled over to her and pecked her on the cheek. "You're amazing."
Sumia grinned back.
Chrom had just received the perfect ammunition against his esteemed arch nemesis, and he fully intended to bring this up at every chance in the future.
He made his way towards the center of the crowd. "All right, all right! Someone get Robin another drink. We've got a lot of reading to do."
Robin groggily opened his eyes. His head vision was spinning around erratically before it finally focused on his feet. Not just his feet, two pairs.
It was then that he took notice of the arm around his shoulders and the other supporting his frame.
"Do you need to puke?"
Robin peeked upwards to find Lucina to be the one lugging him around.
"Lucina?"
"And so he awakens. Nice to see you're still with us."
"W-what happened?"
"Alcohol. Alcohol is what happened. Also I must say, I never would've take you to be the type for such scandalous romance novels." she said, holding back a laugh.
"Please. I'd really like to forget any of that ever happened..." he begged.
"I don't think anyone will be forgetting that anytime soon."
"Ugh." Robin groaned. He pressed a hand to his head and squeezed his eyes back shut. "My head's killing me... What time is it?"
"The sun will rise in a few hours."
"We were all partying that long, eh?"
"No kidding. Everyone just crawled out of the mess hall not too long ago. You were the only one left and I was the sober person available to help you out."
"You didn't drink?"
"Not in front of Morgan, no."
"Hah, model mother as always."
"I must try be best." Lucina laughed. "Alright, not too far now. You're tent is over by that way, is it not?" She asked pointing towards the fort's northern section.
"Ah, yeah. You know what? On second thought, I think I might want to get a bit of fresh air." said Robin, carefully releasing himself from Lucina's support.
He swayed just a little before finding his balance and standing up right.
"Are you going to be okay?" Lucina asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. The worst of it's over. Now I've just got one mean headache."
Lucina reached for her side. "Here, have some water." she said, handing him a canteen.
Robin graciously accepted, opening the top and allowing the cool liquid to flow down his dry throat.
"Thanks for the help, Lucina." he said, handing it back. "You best get back to Morgan and get some shut eye. I'll just be out for a bit."
"You think me foolish enough to leave a drunkard like you to roam around unsupervised?"
"I said I'm fine. Look, I've sobered up for the most part." Robin protested, going on to balance on one leg to prove his point.
"Even so, I'm not leaving you alone out here."
"But what about Morgan?"
"She's sleeping in Cynthia's tent tonight. I myself am headed back to the caravans."
"Huh? Why're you going back there? I doubt they're open this late."
"I'm awaiting the arrival of a particular merchant. He's said to have something I'm interested with him and he's supposed to be arriving sometime before dawn."
"Who told you that?"
"One of Anna's sisters did. Earlier while mother and I were shopping, I managed to track down a present for Morgan. However, Anna's sister said that particular item wasn't for sale. It was the last in her inventory and she said she preferred to have at least one for display. However, she did let me know another member of their caravan had more in stock and would be arriving later on."
"So here you are."
"Here I am."
"Well, consider yourself lucky, princess. I just might wait with you."
Lucina rolled her eyes. "Great. Nothing more attractive than a charming drunk."
Robin laughed in response.
The two of them made their way to the eastern gate.
After finding a suitable spot, they situated themselves on bench one of the merchants had neglected putting away when closing up shop.
"So what's this present you're getting for Morgan?"
"You'll see."
"Keeping secrets are we? Fine, give me a hint."
Lucina put a finger to her chin. "It is... something you'll find out when the merchant gets here."
Robin scoffed. "Alright, be that way."
Lucina giggled at his childishness.
"Anyways, how did the dress hunt earlier go?" Robin asked, changing the subject.
A wave of joy could be seen washing over Lucina at the mention of the incident."It was an amazing experience. I can't remember the last time I did something like that with mother."
Robin smiled at the cheery expression on her face. "Like a child on her birthday."
"Huh?" Lucina replied, brushing away a strand of her from her face.
"You, right now. You seemed like young girl on her birthday when you were talking about your day with Sumia." he explained with a grin.
"Did I?" Lucina asked, feeling her face with her hands.
"Definitely. But who can blame you? After all, you've got a lot of catching up to do. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time for such things after this war blows over. In fact, it'll be pretty interesting to see how our time's Lucina grows up."
Lucina turned away. "...Can you please refrain from mentioning... me? The younger version, I mean."
"I'm sorry?" Robin apologized in a confused manner. "I don't believe I was making any jokes this time, so if I've somehow offende-"
"No, you haven't." Lucina said, silencing the man. "I'd just prefer if you didn't mention it."
"...Is there any reason as to why I shouldn't?"
"It... It makes me uncomfortable. The thought that I exist in this world in another state... I'd just prefer that you refer to us as two distinct entities."
Robin cocked his head. "I see. I didn't realize that bothered you."
"I'm ridiculous, aren't I? Asking you not speak of the other Lucina, when in fact, I'm the visitor here."
"Hey, don't think that way. You're Lucina too. No, like I said, you're a different Lucina. And visitor from another time or not, you're one of us. If it helps, know that despite my japes, I had always seen you two as two different people."
"Have you?"
"Well yes. It's strange when I think of it. I acknowledge that you are Chrom and Sumia's daughter, but at the same time, you're not that daughter back at the castle... Ugh, I'm trying to find a way to explain this without sounding both hypocritical and insensitive to your problem... They are your parents, but at the same time, you're a different person. No, no, that's not right either." Robin let out a sigh of frustration.
Lucina let out a laugh that surprised Robin. "I understand what you're trying to say." she replied, offering him a playful punch to the arm. "You want me to have the best of both worlds, correct?"
"That's right. Quite literally actually. For instance, claim this family here as your own, but also have the identity you've forged back home."
Lucina smiled bittersweetly. "Sounds a bit greedy, does it not?"
"And what's wrong with being a little greedy every now and then? This whole affair with Grima is a mess as it is. I mean, time travel? That's sure to throw a wrench in to even the finest Tactican's plans."
"It's a cruel world we live in."
"And that's precisely why you've got to be a bit greedy. Destiny's placed some very sick and twisted laws upon us. So why not be equally sick and twisted?"
"Those sound like some very evil words coming from you, Robin." Lucina joked.
"Heh, well if destiny plans on being such a villain, then'll usurp its throne and be the worst of them all. Why have we got to play by its rules?"
"So we cheat."
"That's right. It thinks itself to be quite the master, throwing multiple worlds at us and what not. As if its testing our sanity and ability to comprehend things that yesterday seemed only like fairy tales."
"So we beat it at its own game then."
"We hold on to to only the things we favor, like you, your friends and Morgan, and we shrug off the bad."
"Only claiming life's joys and neglecting its tragedies. Greedy indeed... I like it."
"Words to live by."
They shared a good laugh together, Lucina arm slightly leaning against Robin's shoulder.
"Well now. That was quite empowering." Lucina remarked.
"I hope it was. In truth, I've been battling with thoughts myself."
"About your past again, I assume?"
"Yes. I know I've been told not to dwell on it, but... How can I not?"
"By remaining strong."
"Hah, I remember the first time you told me those words... and then the second.
Lucina's mind flashed to the events of the destruction of the Valmese fleet. How Robin had been hesitant to go along with his whole plan, and how he had broken down when he had. And the drawing of a child who surely wondered where indeed their father had gone.
"I wish... I wish I could have helped at the time."
"You did."
"But I could have done more... Had I not been so foolhardy to harbor those dastardly suspicions about you. Had I opened myself to you sooner. Had I been the friend you needed at the time..."
Robin remained silent, choosing to close his eyes.
Lucina, stared off sadly into the distance.
"...Maybe you're right." Robin spoke after a moment. "Maybe you could have done a better job. Maybe you could have been a better friend."
Lucina looked to him from the side of her eyes, a twinge of hurt stabbing into her.
"But why should I care about that? You gave me both a shoulder to cry on and a kick in the rear. And you did so while under the belief that I was your father's murderer. Someone who hated my guts, yet still nudged me in the right direction. Anyone could sugar coat a tragedy, Lucina. Any stranger can help someone escape the depths of despair. But only a true friend could show someone the world for how it truly is, all the while sending them out to face it head on." he finished softly.
Lucina felt her eyes begin to water. She quickly shut them, to prevent the liquid from spilling down her face.
Robin heard a few sniffles and felt a weight press against his shoulder. Peeking open an eye, he found Lucina with her head rested against him.
She hadn't uttered a word. No verbal cue of confirmation, but Robin was certain his words had reached her. And that, he thought, was good enough for him.
The day's events had left him in a daze. From the carefree moments with Morgan and the gang, to the dreaded incident revolving around a certain book. It was almost ridiculous to think that just a little more than a day ago, their forces were on the brink of defeat.
And for once in what seemed like too long, Robin was able to clear his mind and just sit in silence.
They sat for a while in peace, only the sounds of various bugs and the gentle rolling of the the small waves on the lake below filling the air.
The moon hung silently in the night sky.
"Then why is it you keep running?"
Robin jolted upwards upon hearing such a ghastly, disembodied voice, startling Lucina out of her state of peace.
On instinct, Lucina shot up to her feet, hand on Falchion's hilt. "Robin, are you okay?"
The Tactician crouched slightly, scanning the area with wide eyes. "Tell me you heard that."
Lucina lifted Falchion a few centimeters out of its scabbard. "Heard what?" she asked, her eyes following wherever Robin was facing.
"A man. He just spoke right now. Were you asleep?"
"I was wide awake Robin, and I assure you I did not hear anyone." Lucina dropped Falchion back into its resting position.
Robin ran a hand through his hair and slowly sat back down.
Lucina took one last glance at the surrounding area, confirming they were indeed alone. "You heard a voice?"
Robin nodded, his eyes still gazing out into the dark.
"What did this voice say?"
"...Nothing important." he said unconvincingly.
"Robin, you're not hiding anything are you?"
Robin kept his gaze locked outwards. "I've... I've been feeling as if I was being watched lately."
"Define 'being watched.'" Lucina asked.
Robin raised a hand to rub at his drying eyes. "Like a pair of eyes gazing at me from the vacant end of a room."
"How... how long has this been happening?"
"Only today. It started in the morning. You know that feeling you have when your sure someones in the same room as you? A friend or someone? That was how I felt when I first awoke."
"Maybe one of the others dropped by to check up on you?"
"They would've woke me up or made their presence known if that were the case. Not only the morning, but during lunch as well. I kept thinking Libra or Tharja were peeking into the the mess hall, but when I looked back, no one."
Lucina tapped at Falchion hilt with her fingers. "Is it possible that there are still Valmese lurking about the fortress?"
Robin bit the side of his lip. "You mean like spying on us? ...It's definitely possible. But then again, what would they gain by doing such a thing? Cervantes issued a retreat and pulled back. They already know we're here and they know the size and power of our forces."
"Who's to say that it wasn't someone from a division other than Cervante's? We did just find out that there's another Valmese Fort in the area."
"If that were the case, they would've sent all of their forces, not just a few men to spy on us. If some of them were here, they'd know the results of the battle. They wouldn't bother scouting for info, they'd stage an outright assault just as we're recovering."
Lucina furrowed her brows, going over the situation in her head. From the side of her eyes, she stole glances at Robin. His arms seemed a bit jittery, subtle bags beneath his eyes, and his jaw locked. "Perhaps you're just... tired is all."
"You're saying I'm just imagining all this? That it's all in my head?" he asked intensely.
Lucina rested her hand on his shoulder. "It wouldn't be the first time I've seen it happen. Back in the future, some of our men would collapse under the stress. They too claimed that they would hear voices, saying that their families were calling to them from the forest. After some restraining and some forced rest, the symptoms... got better. War is very taxing on a person. Physically and mentally."
"... ... ... ...Am I that stressed out?" Robin asked, chuckling bitterly.
"You tell me. You have a lot on your plate. You've always had. Ever since the day I saw you outside Southtown."
Robin smiled just barely at the mention of it. "I'm just doing what needs to be done. This is my job. I'm supposed to be able to handle it."
"There's nothing wrong with that. But you must be sure to take some time for yourself as well. Not just from the war, but everything else. If you weren't feeling well, I wouldn't have blamed if you turned down my request to help out today."
Robin waved her off. "No, don't make it look like that. If anything, spending today with all of you nearly made me forget we're at war."
"...If you say so. But do consider it. It's perfectly healthy to take a few days to yourself. Just say the word and I'll have your meals delivered to your tent."
Robin smiled. "Thanks for the offer. But, I assure you, spending time with all of you is what's best for me in order to get my mind off things. All of you are the only ones keeping me from collapsing under it all of this."
"So you say now. But take my word, if It seems like you're overtaxing yourself, I'll chain you to your bedroll."
Robin laughed at the semi threat. "I know better than to cross royalty."
"Says the man who shamelessly plotted a coup against his king." Lucina joked, referring to the earlier incident with Chrom.
"Yes, the throne was nearly mine." Robin said sarcastically.
It was then that Robin took note of the sash-like bag hung behind her on her belt, peeking out from her cape."What have you got there?" he asked, pointing towards it.
Lucina followed his finger towards the bag. She tapped her head with her hand. "I had almost forgot. I bought this from one of the merchants." she said, taking the bag and untying the strings that held the cloth together.
"Found something you liked, eh?"
"No. But... but I hope it is to your liking."
Robin barely registered her words as the item, still wrapped in cloth, was tossed into his arms. "F-for me?" he asked in surprise.
"A thank you gift." she said simply.
Setting the parcel in his lap, Robin carefully began to unravel it.
His eyes widened as they gazed upon the gift.
"A sword..." he whispered, lifting it up towards the warm glow of the lantern that was hung nearby and running a hand over its frame. "What strange material... But it looks splendid."
Lucina smiled cheerfully upon hearing his delighted reaction. "You'd never guess what it's made of."
Robin eyed the sword carefully. "Some rare metal? From here in Valm perhaps?" he pondered. But his eyes passed over a tiny imperfection in the hilt. The crack in the material was minuscule and noticeable unless the sword was being heavily scrutinized as how Robin had done. He brought the hilt closer to his eyes, adjusting his position so the lantern could illuminate the sword better. Upon closer inspection, what appeared to be a crack was really some sort of engraving. "Laevateinn" he recited, running his fingers over the etched letters. "This sword. It's wooden?" he asked looking up at her.
Lucina nodded happily.
"Well, it's a wonderful souvenir. I'm glad to recieve such a wonderful gift from you."
Lucina laughed at his ignorance "Now, now, there's more to that sword than meets the eye. It's no souvenir. In fact, I'd wager it'd put every sword in our army, excluding Falchion, to shame.
Robin raised a curious brow. "Is that so?" He immediately began inspecting the sword for any missed features. "Is it supposed to do something?"
"You can look all you want, but the only way to learn of its special property is a field test."
"A field test? You wish to spar this late, err early?"
"Not exactly. A simple sword fight wouldn't suffice. How about you take a shot at it with your magic?"
"You want me to blast the sword you gave me?" Robin asked in shock.
"Trust me." Lucina said, grabbing hold of his arm and leading off the bench and away from the merchant stall.
They walked a distance away from where the 'bazaar' was set up, back towards the fortress walls.
Lucina grabbed the sword and set it down against the large stone wall. "Now, how about you use one of your lightning spells?"
"The lighting will incinerate the thing! Even a sword made of steel couldn't survive such a strike without the heat deforming it."
"Luckily this sword is unlike any other. Believe me, why would I ask you to destroy something I've just bought?"
Robin sighed and pulled out his Tome. "Fraud, perhaps? Buy a cheap sword, have me destroy it, then ask for reparations by way of a highly exaggerated price?" he grumbled.
"Fortunately I'm not that underhanded. Just hurry up and do it, will you?"
Robin readied up his Elthunder, and took aim. With one swift motion, he shot forth a ball of lighting straight for the sword.
The bolt hit the sword, sending it flying into the wall, the blast of lightning crashing into the stone and kicking up a small cloud of debris.
Robin looked to Lucina pointedly.
Lucina merely redirected his gaze back towards the wall with a motion of her arm.
The dust cleared, and sitting under a few bits of rubble was the sword's hilt.
Robin walked over to retrieve what seemed to be the only piece of the gift left in attack. But as he grabbed the hilt and pulled it out, his eyes widened as the rest of the wooden blade slowly emerged from out of the rubble. "I'm certain I hit it." Robin stated.
"You did. The sword is indestructible."
"It's wood." Robin countered in disbelief.
"And so is this tree." Lucina shot back proudly, stomping a foot onto ground like roots of the tree for emphasis.
Robin took a moment to register her words, before instantly finding his eyes glued on the weapon once more. "Wood from the Mila Tree?! How did they even get the wood from the tree, let alone carve it?"
Lucina shook her head. "The truth of the matter eludes even Anna's sister, the one who sold it. The point is, her claims of the sword's durability are true, as you just proved right now."
Robin gave the sword a swing, marveling at its lightness and craftsmanship. "It's perfect." he breathed. He tucked the sword into his belt, lacking anywhere else to store it at the moment, and headed straight for Lucina to wrap her in a hug. "I can't thank you enough. It's amazing, and just what I needed."
Lucina relished the warmness stemming from within. "I'm glad you liked it."
"Can I ask what's the occasion?"
"Like I said, a thank you present. For all you've done for me, today and from long before."
"I'll need to do much more before I can say I've rightfully earned this."
"Oh just hush up and take the damned thing." Lucina said with a laugh.
After a few more thank you's and 'your welcome's, the two sat back on the bench.
The two sat together in silence, simply enjoying one another's company.
As the minutes of peaceful bliss flew by, they slowly began to succumb to fatigue, completely forgetting that they had been waiting on a merchant's arrival.
With a few more lazy shuffles of their bodies and drowsy repositionings of their heads, the two finally drifted off into sleep against one another.
A/N: And that ends that.
By far the longest chapter.
I went ahead and just fast forwarded through the rest of Morgan's introductions with the Shepherds, as I didn't want that part to overstay its welcome.
There'll be plenty more of that later, but the story really needs to get a move on!
And a shout out to Ventrust Westwind for helping pick out a name for Robin's new sword: Laevateinn. It's from NOrse mythology, similarly to a few other things from the Fire Emblem series. He's been throwing around several extremely suitable names before we finally settled on the perfect one. So props to him!
Also, go research 'Laevateinn'. No really, google it. Its backstory and relation to Loki are extraordinarily and eerily similar to Robin and his sword in this story. It's freakin' bonkers. And it was all done accidentally, I assure you!
That's all for now. For reals this time, I'll see you later!