- Disclaimer: Fire Emblem characters do not belong to me.
- Notice: May contain spoilers. Original characters may be added. Storyline may deviate from original video game. Contains fantasy violence, mild language, alcohol reference, and suggested themes.
In truth, Robin didn't really know where he was walking to, but he deduced that Aversa had already mapped out the area beforehand. After all, she did come second in regards to intellingence and strategics.
Who knew that she would've allied with the Shepherds sooner or later? It was still a little difficult to swallow given all the times she, Gangrel and Validar tried to kill him and his comrades.
He trudged along the rocky grounds, falling behind Aversa by a few paces. It irritated the dark flier to an extent before she stopped completely once Robin stood by her side. "You're awfully quiet tonight."
She was right. Ever since the end of the night's battle, all Robin could do was think of his life in the long run. He calculated his decisions silently, devising some sort of route to find the appropriate answers. "Just thinking."
"I've noticed." Aversa replied having already observed such an obvious fact. "Care to tell me?" They stopped by the edge of the mountain, not to far from a roaring waterfall.
"It's just..." Robin felt himself loosing the right words in the process. He didn't exactly know how to voice out his problems. Where would he even begin?
"Don't tell my you've forgotten how to speak." Aversa ran her wrist around, rays of violet circling the ends of her fingertips. She enjoyed flaunting off her dark sorcery derived from her shadow gift. "I doubt Tharja has the will to cast a hex on your tongue."
Robin's throat grew dry and he asked himself why Aversa was so intrigued in hearing his troubles. "It's not like you'd want to hear it."
"Oh, but I do." It had only been a few weeks since recruiting her, but Aversa had often shared some time with their treasured tactician. He had realized that they were siblings, in title only, but it only worsened their relationship. Aversa was known to tease relentlessly and she did many times during their multiple interactions.
"I don't feel comfortable sharing my thoughts with you."
Aversa could recognize the faint hint of cherry on Robin's cheeks. Oh, so it was personal. She was now more intrigued than before. "And why's that?"
Was she serious? "You already know why." Robin paced around, growing uneasy as Aversa pestered him. She stifled a laugh before breaking her composure. "What are you laughing about?" When Aversa failed to reply, he stepped back, eager to return back to camp. "Forget it."
"Leaving so soon?" Robin had stopped in his tracks, but it wasn't by will. As he looked down at his feet, they were marked in a singular circle, the rays of violet glowing with magic.
Aversa approached Robin slowly, content that he had moved exactly how she had planned. There were certain times when he was predictable and it usually played out in her favor. "I had hoped for you to open up to me naturally, but it seems I was mistaken." She put on her best pout, Robin sighing in defeat. "Now it seems you have no choice but to tell me, unless you want to stay here for the rest of the night."
It wasn't really much of a threat, but Robin considered that without a book or a silver sword, his chances of surviving the night were slim. He didn't enjoy accepting defeat, most especially to someone as conniving as Aversa, but he had no other option. His tongue seemed to be working again and he exhaled deeply before starting out from the very beginning.
Cordelia had been waiting outside by Robin's tent, debating whether it would be appropriate for her to visit at such an ungodly hour. She wanted to apologize for her behavior earlier and surge of jealousy after witnessing Sumia fight alongside him.
After the events at the Hotrealm, everyone seemed to be on edge. Waking up to see every girl on Robin's bed was shocking. It left many to imagine what had truly occurred during that night. She remembered stepping in to see half of the girls already there before her memory went dark and she fell asleep on his bed. She had tried many times to think back and check if they did anything else, but that was the only clear memory she had. Cordelia never pegged Robin to be a playboy, but the possibility wasn't too far of a stretch. It was clear that some of the other Shepherds had already expressed their feelings towards him, even if they were very subtle hints.
It wasn't like it affected her that much. At least that's what she told herself. If it was Robin's true nature, there was nothing she could do. She did have her eyes set on someone else, but he barely paid attention to her. The Ylissean heir always seemed more intrigued with Sumia than her. What did her best friend have that she didn't?
Cordelia listed a few traits; her unbiased kindness, adorable quirks, untimely clumsiness, breast size-She stopped with the last fact hitting her the hardest. Back at the beach when every Shepherd wore their bikinis, Sumia had beaten her in terms of chest size. Unlike her, the armor she wore was a mere cover up to hide what she didn't have, what made a woman more attractive to the eyes of men.
She shook her head back and forth, realizing that her thoughts had drifted elsewhere. Cordelia wanted to apologize to Robin and that was it. All she wanted was to ensure that they were on good terms. With one deep breath, she summed up the courage to continue. "Robin? I'm coming in."
The tent was dark and a few holes were torn from the left side most likely from the aftermath of the battle. Other than the tears, everything else seemed to be in place. His books were gathered neatly on one side, the other clumped with a variety of maps and scrolls. "Robin?" She asked quietly, thinking that maybe he was already asleep.
She realized his makeshift bed was vacant and he was nowhere to be seen. His silver sword was placed by the pile of books and his Grimleal cloak was still on the ground like before. Disappointed, she sat down, wondering where he might be.
Robin sat on the ground, the circle of light around his feet still active. Aversa managed to weed out his troubles much to his chagrin. She watched him carefully, listening to every word he said. It amused her how dense Robin could be.
Once he finished, she dispelled the magic around his feet, allowing him the option to leave if he wished so. It wasn't surprising when he stayed put, expecting some sort of response from Aversa. He ended up sharing more than he intended and later regretted doing so. Robin was convinced Aversa would tease him for months with the information he'd given her.
"I'd heard rumors about your night with the girls in the camp." Aversa grinned deviously, circling Robin as she went on. "Pity I couldn't see it in person."
"I'd rather you not have been there." The tactician felt his face flush. He thanked Naga that they had only crossed paths after their vacation at the Hotrealm.
"Why, would you not enjoy bedding me as well?"
"W-What?!" Robin stood from his seat, the grin on Aversa's lips widening. "I didn't bed anyone! Why would you-"
"You are a boy after all, you have...needs." She eyed Robin carefully, lowering her eyes at his torso. "It's quite alright. There's no reason for you to be embarrassed." She pressed her body against his, running her index finger between his collarbone, her lips brushing against his ear. "I understand."
Robin could feel his heart racing, but he kept his ground, resisting the urge to walk away. Aversa was trying to get under his skin and he knew it. All he needed to do was play it off, long enough for her to stop. "You make it sound like you know me." He tried to sound calm, keeping his voice leveled.
"I do." Aversa's fingers trailed up his neck, pulling at some of his golden locks. He had smooth, soft hair for someone always fighting on the battlefield. The boy certainly knew how to groom himself. "Well, at least I know your kind."
Over the years in which Aversa served Gangrel and Validar, she'd seduced and manipulated many men, most for power, other for resources. If Robin was anything like those men, he would've fallen into the same temptation.
"I'm not like the others." He took her hands gently, bringing them down to her sides. The look on Robin's face was serious, which was odd because in all the times Aversa teased him, he was always flustered. He kept his hands with the Plegian flier, not really certain why he was still clinging on.
In the few seconds Aversa retreated her hand, she felt the remnants of his warmth slip away. It didn't exactly bother her, in fact, she found herself wanting more, but she would never admit it. She bit her lip, refraining from adding a snarky comeback.
"I mean, I just don't think it would be wise to establish any sort of romantic bond with any of my comrades." He wasn't disinterested with the idea, but Robin knew it would only hurt him in the long run.
Aversa could understand where he was coming from. Even if she was only adopted, they shared similar qualities and ideals. With someone as corrupt as her, it was hard to imagine if anyone would even accept her, but somehow Robin did. "You're right, in a sense." She watched the full moon glowing, entranced by its serene beauty. "But not entirely."
She flicked her wrist, reactivating the circle around Robin's feet. "It seems you have a few more things to think about."
He had to think if Aversa was doing it for her own amusement, but this time wasn't like the others. Her usual icy glare had vanished, she seemed to be sincerely concerned for him. He was missing something important, something he needed to find out on his own. Aversa regarded him solemnly before walking away, disappearing into the darkness.
It only took minutes for Tharja to realize Robin's absence from camp. I guess you can call it her intuition or the tracking spell she cast since after their vacation at the Hotrealm. She was keeping tabs on him, watching from afar to check if he had followed up with the advancements from any of the girls at camp. To her luck, he didn't, though Robin did share a few brief conversations with his female comrades. Did that count?
Well it was fine as long as he didn't pull anything else. She walked through the forest, ducking under to hide behind the shadows. It wasn't like she was obsessed with their tactician, it was more of an admiration, a strange feeling to protect and watch over him. At least that's what she convinced herself into believing.
However, she did care for him deeply. If anything, her feelings were amplified after their kiss at the beach. She managed to play it off as an experiment to act normal, but turns out it meant so much more to her. Tharja waved her hand, illuminating the incoming rocky path.
It was difficult to describe, but she felt as though they shared this strange connection. Perhaps they had met before, he was still Plegian by birthright, but if they did she would've remembered.
She shook away the silly idea. Even if they did come from the same country, they were born into different status. He was the Grimleal heir to Validar and she, a lowborn sorcerer forced to fight for Plegia in search of a better life. Unfortunately, even that hadn't worked out to her expectations.
Once she arrived at the end of the forest, she caught a glimpse of purple lights, signaling the use of some dark magic. She cleared way for a better view finding Robin sitting around a circle. He didn't seem to be the one conjuring the spell, if anything, he looked trapped in it. Tharja stepped into the light, Robin turning quickly in response.
He was glad it wasn't one of the wild animals or Risen.
"What are you doing here?" She simply stared at the tactician waiting for a reasonable answer.
"I was," Robin couldn't tell her he was with Aversa. It would only provoke her into shooting more questions. "Caught in a trap." It was the best lie he could come up with, though it wasn't entirely a lie.
She waved her hand, chanting some sort of spell to deactivate it. Upon releasing Robin, she realized that there was only one other person responsible for this - Aversa.
"Thanks, I owe you." He steadily rose to his feet and dusted off his pantaloons. No thanks to Aversa, he was a sitting duck for almost 30 minutes, unequipped with any weapon. Had Tharja not arrived as she did, he probably would've been dead by morning.
Tharja only replied with a cold, hard glare, but it faded slowly as she turned away from Robin. Here she was, alone with the very boy she had kissed at the beach. How was she supposed to react when all she could think about was him?
"Tharja, are you alright?" Robin gripped her shoulder and she spun almost immediately, her expression softening and cheeks ablaze like wildfire.
She wasn't. Her heart was racing laps, the blood in her veins pumping faster than before. Why did she only react this way around Robin? She asked herself this many times, but always found no appropriate answer.
"Tharja?" He examined her closer, stepping into her personal space. She was acting odd, well, stranger than usual.
Her hands crept to his cheeks, feeling the soft texture of his skin. What was she doing? Her body was moving on its own without her consent.
"Are you okay?"
Tharja dropped her hands, settling on Robin's chest. What was she about to do? "I have to ask you a question."
"What is it?"
"I need to know," Tharja shifted uncomfortably, telling herself that this conversation was absolutely necessary. "What you think of me. What am I to you?"
Robin looked down, towering over Tharja's golden hair-piece and raven hair. She smelled a like incense and sweet smoke, which didn't seem to be bad at all. If he had to guess correctly, she was preparing a few elixirs and potions for their next battle. It was what she did routinely aside from casting a fex hexes and experiments.
He gave her question some thought, finding the right words to appease both him and her. She held a very special place in his heart as an ally and friend. After their failed attempt to save Emmeryn, Robin was gravely poisoned. In the end, she was the only one capable of nursing him back to good health. He owed her his life. "You're-"
"I love you." Tharja grew impatient and decided she didn't want to hear what he had to say.
Aversa's words wrung over Robin's mind, forcing him to reflect on the time he spent alone. He placed both hands on her shoulders, causing Tharja to look up. "I-I'm flattered, but Tharja-"
"I knew the moment I found you in Plegia." Tharja could feel Robin's grip on her loosening. He was going to push her away. "I knew you were the one I had been searching for when we first locked eyes on the battlefield."
Every word struck Robin with guilt. As challenging as it was for Tharja to confess, he couldn't return her feelings. "I'm sorry, but I...don't feel the same way."
The sting of rejection shot straight at her heart and Tharja felt her limbs grow weak. She was expecting a result along those lines, but she underestimated the outcome and how it would affect her. "Is there a reason why you can't? Is it me?"
Robin shook his head.
"Do you want me to change, to be normal?"
"No! It's not that." Nothing was wrong with Tharja, if anything, it was himself. "You don't have to change anything about you."
"Then what is it?" She reached out to Robin's face, his shadow growing darker by the second.
"It's just-It's not safe to be around me." That was all he could muster up and it didn't please Tharja at all.
"I don't understand-"
"Did you forget who I am? I'm Grima's vessel, the very being destined to bring an end to this world." Darkened clouds covered the light of the moon and it soon became dark to make out Robin's face. "I don't understand why you or the others attempt to get closer to me than you already have. Don't you realize how dangerous I am?"
"Robin, I'm not afraid."
"Well I am!" Robin raised his voice, startling a few birds in the distance. "What if what Validar said comes true? What if I end up killing all of you?"
So that's what he was afraid of. Tharja clamped her hands together, waiting for Robin to continue.
"I can't afford to think of myself and my worldly desires." He ran a hand through his golden hair, turning his head slightly with a clenched jaw. "Not when I know I pose as a threat to you and everyone else."
Tharja lifted her hand, eyes filled with a mix of anger and understanding. "Even if you are Grima's vessel, I don't see you as a threat - we don't."
He laughed to himself, his words coming out in a faint whisper. "Then you are all fools." His nightmares had been increasing, though he told no one about it, not even Chrom. Perhaps it was some sort of omen that time was drawing near, that he'd play his part soon enough.
"War has the tendency to be cruel to either sides of the board, regardless if you fight purely for the sake of good or evil." Tharja could recall the numerous times she'd seen allies fall and how many unfortunate soul were slain through the course of each battle. "It even finds those who lay neutral, the ones stuck between all the chaos."
Tharja moved past Robin, savoring the darkness that overshadowed the valley. "And although this is true, our undeniable reality, there is beauty in it." She watched the faint colors of purple blending into the blue night sky, the stars receding into the background. "We realize things we once didn't and tend to treasure each moment as though it may be our last."
As Tharja gazed over the landscape, Robin reconsidered his actions and decisions. Perhaps he had been thinking too selfishly, avoiding his comrades solely because of fear.
"I may die tomorrow, or maybe the next." Tharja crossed her arms, growing cold at the thought of her destiny. "With this war you can never truly tell."
Robin began to understand her words and what they meant. He made his way to her side, watching her raven hair blow gently with the subtle wind. "I'm sorry."
Their eyes met as the break of dawn bloomed over the horizon, rising steadily between them. "Robin, you are not in this alone." Tharja ran a hand over her arm, never breaking eye contact as she went on. "You have the Shepherds, Chrom, and me." With the last phrase, her hand connected with Robin's and she smiled gently, causing the tactician to return back with a grin.
"Thank you, Tharja." He squeezed her hand involuntarily, causing the dark mage's cheeks to crinkle into star-burst. It was about time for the two of them to return to camp, so they did. On their way back through the forest, Robin hoped his disappearance didn't cause a ruckus between the Shepherds.
"I will wait as long as it takes for you to return my feelings." Tharja added as they ventured on, Robin halting his footsteps as the dark mage continued, turning back with a subtle, devious grin.
"Yeah," Robin muttered to himself sheepishly, raising his eyes as Tharja turned in content after having heard his reply.
A/N: I always imagined Robin to have some form of insecurity before actually getting closer to any of his female comrades in case he ever wanted to start a family. The fact that he serves as Grima's vessel plays a big role and well, seems like a liability - given the way he acted in the game's original prologue. Losing control of his humanity is one of Robin's biggest fears and in turn affects his interactions with his comrades.
It may seem a little off as of the moment, but I'll find a way to tie it in with my version of Robin and Aversa's prologue, "Don't Look Back". I apologize if Tharja came across as being sentimental and out of character, but I've always envisioned her to be somewhat 'normal' when it counts the most.
...To be continued
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