A/N Everyone is so out of character. Part 2 of 3. I don't own Fire Emblem or any of its alternate timeline forms.
"You know, despite everything, he really, really loved her."
Owain's ears perked up from the break in silence. From outside of his mother's door, he became privy to the two women's conversation. He listened… just in case, for his mother's sake.
"I find that hard to believe," came Flavia's muffled response, "considering what happened."
"No! He did!" Lissa insisted, her enthusiasm causing her words to become clearer. "I remember how he never spoke a word to anyone but Chrom before her, but after she arrived, it was like he was a whole different person!"
"If he had really loved her, he wouldn't have come back." Flavia's voice was hard and biting.
After a short pause, "that's just the thing. It's because he-sniffle-cared, too much you know? That's why I think… this is going to work. This time, we don't have her around…" Owain tried his best to hang on to Lissa's every word, but the princess trailed off into soft crying.
"Mom…" he whispered, contemplating if he should go in. The decision was made for him as he heard Flavia's gentle consolations, and he knew that for now, Lissa would be the best she would ever be.
A couple hours after Flavia had left, Owain leaned against the doorframe to his mother's room, a blank expression on his face.
He was ever vigilant, always watching, despite the late hour. It was what enabled him to see the dark crow flying in the hallways. The chestnut-haired warrior held out a finger and the bird rested on the digit. It held out a foot, in which was tied a tiny parchment.
In swirly, childish handwriting:
Come to the lower hallway, south side. Gerome is already watching. Severa wants to talk.
Owain's brow furrowed at the last sentence, but he kicked himself off of the doorframe and tucked the note inside his jacket. Eyes roving the night sky, he caught a glimpse of a dark wing, and a brief shine of steel. Gerome.
Knowing that his mother was as safe as she could be, he departed the empty hallway.
After the long trek through the castle, the night had started to bleed into day. Looking up, Owain saw that dull grey clouds congested the atmosphere, filling the air with a heavy dampness that made it somewhat hard to breath. However, precise beams of light managed to cut through the cloudy exterior and the warrior enjoyed the little light provided.
A beautiful day outside, all things considered.
He hadn't realized he was speaking out loud. "Yeah, I guess. If you're into the whole cursed and slowly dying theme," a feminine voice replied. There was a hint of sarcasm and bossiness in her voice, something Owain had come to associate with...
Severa stepped out from behind a column and leaned against it. She made no further movement towards him. At the sight of the ginger-haired commander, Owain bristled, but nearly managed to keep it down.
"Ah, yes. I, the great Owain, the legendary hero with the hungering sword hand, have come to grace you with my presence." He finished his grand entrance with a flourish and a bow, eyes never leaving hers.
Severa crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. She was in no mood for his antics. "Cut the theatrics, Owain. How is Flavia? Does she have it?" The redhead asked.
The other Ylissean nodded, a strange smile still pasted on his face. "But of course! The courageous former Khan wouldn't have traveled distances far and wide without the requested bounty! As of right now, the sacred treasure is secure and safe in the hands of my dear, dear mother. Speaking of which-" The grin melted off and his playful demeanor disappeared.
"You broke your promise. You said that you would keep her away from Lissa." His tone was accusatory. His eyes were fire. Severa sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable
"Flavia would speak to no one else," she replied flatly. Owain shook his head angrily, all pretenses nonexistent. "Severa, you know what seeing someone from the past could do to her-seeing someone real and not some apparition," he hissed. "I checked on Mother after Flavia left. Naga, Severa, she was lying on the floor rambling to herself again!"
So Lissa had relapsed. Severa had feared as much, but there was nothing to do about it now. She had spoken the truth-Flavia had become much more suspicious and only seemed to trust those from the past. To gain her trust, Severa had to break Owain's. The redheaded warrior just wished that the once-Khan had chosen someone with a more… able mind to guard the gemstone.
"There was nothing to do about it now," she muttered, feeling the burden weighing down on her. She leaned against the wall and let the words hang in the air before continuing, "You know that, right?"
Owain was silent and wouldn't meet her eyes.
"You, me, the other Future Children… we're going back, but it will only be us. It can't be anyone else but us," Severa said, melancholy. "Sooner or later… we'll have to leave this world and everyone else behind. You can't imagine how this feels-not yet anyways because you haven't known about the plan for too long-knowing that one day, all of this will be gone. As if it had never happened."
"So that makes it okay to do whatever the hell we want now? Because it won't matter in the end? Because guess what Severa, it matters to me."
Severa shook her head. "No, it doesn't make it okay, but it doesn't change the fact that it was necessary for Lissa to speak to Flavia herself. I'm sorry," she apologized, "but I have a job to do, and that's getting all of our asses through whatever portal Lissa keeps talking about and saving the goddamned world. I hurt Lissa now, Owain, so that she doesn't have to feel that way in the future."
Owain was quiet again before Severa heard a long-drawn out sigh. "I know, it's just… painful to see her like this, even if it's practically all I've known. She was just starting to get better…" A morose aura covered the young man, and Severa felt a stab of guilt when she saw him trembling ever so slightly.
Severa scowled. Great, time to add caretaker to the job description. She pushed herself off of the column and stood next to the lone man. She lifted her hand and placed it on his upper back, patting, albeit a bit awkwardly, like she had seen other people do. Small consolation for Owain, but it seemed to be enough. Owain stopped shaking and looked up.
"Thanks, Severa."
"Don't expect me to do this again."
"Heh, I know. Feels nice though." Pause.
"This doesn't mean that I like you or anything!"
"I know that too."
"What's that supposed to mean, huh? Are you saying that I'm incapable of liking?"
Audible smirk. "Not at all, fair maiden. But I do have to wonder... are you only comforting me because I looked so blue?" Suggestive eyebrow wiggle.
Second pause. Severa felt a hot flush coming onto her cheeks as she caught the implication.
"Idiot! I don't know what you're talking about!" Severa yelled suddenly, and pushed Owain's back with enough force to send him sprawling.
The chestnut-haired youth landed face down with a grin, but his smile and laughter completely vanished when he looked up. For from his position, he could clearly see out the window, and found out that it was not such a beautiful day after all, not when Risen were clear on the horizon.
"Severa?" he voiced seriously. She had already followed his line of direction. "We have to go. Do you have everything on you?" Are you armed? Are you ready to fight? Are you ready to die, if need be?
And with a heavy heart, the answer was yes. Always, always, yes.