Chapter 38

Once the shepherds were far enough from Plegia castle, they stopped to set up camp for the night in a grassy open field back within Ylissean borders. Nathan, wanting to isolate himself from the rest of the shepherds, spent the evening standing alone in the field far from the camp, simply watching the sunset and thinking about what had happened. If Validar had that kind of pull over him, could the other shepherds even trust him? Had he just been playing into his father's hands the whole time, going about the exact path that was set before him? He shuddered at the thought.

His time for thoughts was interrupted as he turned around to see Lucina approaching him.

"I was wondering if I might have a word." The Future Princess simply muttered.

Nathan shrugged. "What's on your mind?" He noticed that the Princess refused to meet his eyes with his gaze bearing into her, wondering just what this was about.

"I wanted to talk about my father…" Lucina began. "I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before he…died."

"I see…" Nathan mused. "I've said it before, but Chrom is quite a good man. From the moment we met, he was always kind, and always assumed the best in me. It's what made me look up to him as a person, really."

Lucina nodded, staring down at the grass as it blew in the wind. "He was courageous, and kind, like you said. Everyone spoke fondly of him, and said he was brave right until the end. I always wanted to have gotten to know him better…and know that I have…I can see the world will be robbed of a very good man. And…I can't let that happen. I won't."

The tactician smiled weakly at the future Princess. "I understand. You love him…we all do. No one plans on letting Chrom die, I can assure you of that. We'll all do whatever it takes to keep him safe."

A tear fell from Lucina's face to the ground as she began to shake.

"…Is something wrong, Lucina?" Nathan warily asked, cautiously taking a step closer to the girl, before she looked up, staring him dead in the eyes as she drew her Falchion from its hilt, pointing it at the man while tears rolled down her face.

"I…please, forgive me…" She sputtered. Nathan tried to take another step forwards to possibly make Lucina lower her blade, but she yelled, "S-STAY WHERE YOU ARE, UNCLE! I…I have no choice! I m-must kill you!"

"Lucina, what is going on?" Nathan frantically stammered. "What are you talking about? Please, just lower the sword and talk to me!"

The Princess shook her head as her tears continued to flow, her arm shaking as she pointed the blade at the tactician. "In…in my future…y-you…you kill my father." She confessed.

A pained expression washed over Nathan's face as he stumbled back in surprise. "What? That's insane! I would never consider such a…" He defended, before the realization dawned on him. "Validar." He muttered, "Just like that dream…"

Lucina nodded at the man. "I was unsure about it myself…until what happened in the castle. I had been told my father was killed by his closest friend, but after having met you and witnessed the bond between you and him, I doubted that was even possible. But…today's events made things clear. You are at Validar's mercy. No doubt he will control you once again, forcing you to take father's life, and I can't…I can't let that happen!"

"I understand, Lucina, but-" Nathan tried to interject, sweat pouring from his face, as Lucina cut him off.

"If my father is right, we can change our fates." Lucina continued, the tears refusing to stop flowing from her eyes as she stared down Nathan. "If my dark future is to be averted, sacrifices have to be made…" She stopped for a moment, unable to control her sobbing. The Princess wiped her face with her sleeve, doing her best to compose herself as her hand, pointing Falchion at Nathan, continued to shake. "I'm sorry! I…I know this is murder…but…it's the only way!"

"I…" Nathan muttered, utterly speechless.

"P-please, Nathan, don't make this any harder!" Lucina wailed. "Don't resist, a-and…I'll m-make it swift and painless! I…I have to do this! I'm so sorry!"

"I…I can't…" Nathan weakly claimed, the words sounding hollow coming from his mouth. His own survival instincts, and the fear of death, were beginning to kick in.

"T-then draw your sword!" Lucina sputtered, the tears flowing even faster now. "COME ON!" She screamed at the man in frustration. "D…DO SOMETHING!"

The two stood in silence for a moment; Lucina's Falchion pointed directly at Nathan's head, before the tactician pulled Mystletainn off his back and tossed it aside.

"I'd sooner die than point my weapon at a comrade." Nathan muttered, before meeting Lucina's pained gaze, giving her a pained smile and spreading his arms in surrender.

"You're right, Lucina. I'm sorry for acting selfish about it. This is…the only way."

He nodded at the woman, giving her a steely gaze as he accepted his death. "Do it."

Lucina wiped her tears with her sleeve one final time before thrusting forward with Falchion. "H-Hrrrragh!" She yelled, however, the blade was parried and swatted out of her hands by a blue and black sword being wielded by a very familiar swordsman.

"What are you doing? Do not dare to lay a hand on father!" Owain growled at Lucina, stepping in between Nathan and Lucina.

"Owain, you don't understand-" Nathan began, before his son cut him off.

"No, I do understand! I know exactly what's going on here! Lucina thinks that you're going to kill Chrom, that Validar is gonna take control of your mind and make you do it!" Owain snapped at his father. He then turned back to a sobbing Lucina.

"If you wish to take my father's life, you'll have to go through me!"

"This is madness!" Nathan yelled at his son. "This is the only way of preventing your future!"

Owain shook his head at his father as he readied his battle stance. "Being with you taught me something," He explained. "You taught me that you're just the person I always hoped you'd be." A single tear rolled from the swordsman's face. "And…I'd do anything to keep you alive. No matter what."

Lucina grabbed Falchion as she stared down Owain from across the field, as Nathan watched on in horror. Fortunately, the battle was stopped before it began as Chrom rushed in between the two. Morgan, Sumia, Cynthia and Lissa ran in behind the man, with Morgan and Lissa going over to Nathan to check on him while Sumia and Cynthia did the same for Lucina.

"Enough of this!" Chrom barked at Lucina and Owain. "No one is going to die here!"

"F-father, you don't understand-" Lucina sputtered before being cut off by the Exalt. Lissa had already gotten Owain to put his sword away, while Lucina still held hers at the ready while her hands shook.

"Lower your sword!" Chrom ordered his daughter, who shook her head as the tears continued to flow.

"I SAID LOWER THE DAMN SWORD!" Chrom yelled, making Lucina drop Falchion and cover her face as she cried uncontrollably, as Sumia and Cynthia embraced her.

Chrom then walked over to Nathan and his family, staring down the tactician.

"…I can explain, well, somewhat, at least." Nathan muttered to the man, who rolled his eyes.

"No need, I heard the whole thing." Chrom replied. "Nathan, I know your heart is in the right place...but I trust you. You're stronger than this. Stronger than any magic Validar can try. You are your own man before you are anyone's son, remember?"

"But…I'll kill you!" Nathan cried. "Did you not see what happened back there? I was Validar's puppet! I couldn't do a thing to stop him!" The tactician began to break down, getting pulled into a hug by his wife.

"Nathan…" Lissa simply muttered.

"Lucina's seen what happens firsthand! We…we can't let that happen!" Nathan wailed. Chrom shook his head at his best friend, cracking a weak, pained smile as the two locked eyes.

"Long ago, after we first met, we swore to be two halves of a greater whole, remember?" Chrom told the man. "And, since then, we've held true through all this time…you underestimate the strength of the ties we've built, the bonds we've made. I believe in them far more than some foretold 'destiny'."

Nathan wiped his tears before nodding at the man. "You're right. We can change things…we already have. And we will again. All of us. This foretold 'future' will fall to pieces before our bond ever will."