Chapter 24: Distant Thunder
'Mer. You used to be one of those things.' Robin creaked her eyes open to that thought. Her surroundings were dim, and fatigue clung to her limbs. Somewhere between retching up water and Lissa mending her wounds, she must have passed out. She found herself inside the ship's cabins, half sunk into a mattress and tangled in sheets.
Her legs wobbled when she rolled from the bed, a reminder that walking on feet was still relatively new to her. Nausea curled up in the back of her throat, and she found herself stumbling for the door. If she was going to be sick, she didn't want it to be in a tight, enclosed cabin-
Sea breeze smacked into her face the second she opened the door. It banished the sick feeling, and steadied her. There was something comforting to the faint, salty taste to the air… That, and seeing a ship running with full crew.
'Everyone is still here; they didn't lose anyone in the raid.'
She risked a glance around and realized they were sailing in open ocean; they'd left Valm's islands far behind, along with any pursuit.
A part of Robin wanted to relax at that. Another part of her flinched, deciding that just then, she couldn't stand to look at the waves. She kept her eyes downcast, turning her head down so her focus wouldn't linger on the water.
'So are you going to just stare at the deck until you memorize the wood patterns on the planks? That's a tall order for the entire return trip-'
"Hey! What are you doing up and about!?" Lissa's voice cut into her focus, and forced her head back up. "I know I healed you, and there shouldn't be any scars, but you were still in pretty bad shape…"
Lissa moved towards Robin, frowning as she spoke.
"You gave us a scare when you passed out. And when we saw just how many cuts you'd taken on. Robin… Just what all happened in there? Did they-?"
"...They weren't exactly gentle. Gangrel's sea witch paid me a visit, and I'm guessing Chrom was left exposed to the tides." As she spoke, Robin glanced over the crew again… And noticed they were short one person. "Speaking of… Where is he?"
She told herself not to worry, but that became harder to do when Lissa glanced away.
"In his quarters. H-he… Hasn't really woken up. I think the prison and escape took a lot out of him."
"Can I see him?" Lissa paused at that, considering Robin. She tilted her head, weighing the idea.
"Well… It couldn't hurt. Actually, it might do something for him. I'm willing to try, at least." She took Robin's arm and lead her through the adjacent set of doors.
The inside of the cabin was a curious affair; the curtains were half drawn over the windows, leaving the room shrouded. A few rays of daylight shimmered past the curtains. The light picked out gleams of blue hair on a pillow, poking out from a set of blankets.
Chrom's sides barely rose and fell, almost in rhythm to the waves washing against the side of the ship. His sweat gave the room a stale taste, and Lissa scrunched her nose as they walked closer.
"He's at least hanging in there." Lissa said. "But we're all still waiting on him to wake up."
She frowned over her brother.
"You think… Maybe you could try talking to him a little?" Lissa asked. Robin made a confused noise at that.
"I… Would that help somehow?"
"I've tried everything else; vulneraries, staves, and getting some water back into him. But if you're up and about… Maybe that means he'll wake up too? He might react to your voice." There was more than a little desperation to her words, and it pulled a nod from Robin. "Th-thanks. I'll be outside if you need anything. Or if anything changes. Okay? Okay."
Lissa backed out as she spoke, closing the door behind her.
And leaving her alone with Chrom. She never thought he could look fragile, almost shattered with how he lay in the bed. His eyelids seemed to twitch as Robin drew close.
"H-hey…" She tried saying, but to no response. Her voice hitched as well, ready to break the longer she looked at Chrom. His face had gone pale, and there was a pinched quality to his features; like he was still in pain, even though they'd left the prison and its tortures behind.
"…Chrom. I-I'm sorry." She found herself saying. "I wish things had gone differently; that I'd been stronger and found a way to get you off Walhart's ship. And I wish…"
The words rushed out of her as she looked at him.
"I wish I didn't know who I really am. That I just stayed ignorant. Because I'm terrified that if you find out… I'll lose the home I've found. You and the Shepherd, and everyone…" All of them were at odds with the Mer, given how the sea creatures were intent on invading and attacking. She hadn't forgotten those violent attacks on Ferox, or the palace.
…Or how those monsters had almost drowned Chrom and Emmeryn.
'Who would trust you, if they knew you used to be one of those monsters?'
Chrom seemed to pick up on her anxiety, with how he winced. His breath came out in a painful rasp, as a shiver moved along his back. His eyebrows knitted together. Watching him hurt, she forgot about her bout of self-loathing.
Instead, she would have given anything to reach out, and chase away his pain. To brush his bangs out of his eyes, run her fingers over his cheeks, and then-
It was unnerving, how easy it was to imagine kissing Chrom.
'…You're thinking about kissing him. Your captain. The prince of a country.' The rational part of her brain hissed at her. 'The person you have absolutely no business kissing. Why would you imagine something like that!?'
There was an edge of panic to her thoughts, and it only increased when her heart gave a strange, longing ache. Like it was trying to tug itself towards Chrom, and every second away from him was painfully incomplete.
She sucked in her breath, feeling her cheeks burn. All those sensations and thoughts pointed to one conclusion.
'…Because you're in love with him. Of all people, you fell in love with him.' At the thought, she buried her face in her hands and gave out a long groan. One more thing to make this situation needlessly complicated.
"…Oh, drown me." Granted, she didn't know if that curse had the same potency, now that Robin knew she was part of the sea. Still, the oath slipped past her lips.
"Drown… Wh-what?" She started at Chrom's voice. His eyes were open, and were doing their best to focus on her face. Robin prayed he couldn't see her blushing.
"Y-you're awake-?" She found herself asking, and Chrom gave a sleepy blink.
"I heard your voice." Chrom murmured, his voice drowsy. "It sounded like… Like something was wrong. Are you okay-?"
"I-I should be asking you that." She reached out to touch his hair and brush his face clean, even as her mind screamed the gesture was too intimate; too familiar.
"You had us worried, after everything that happened… And I don't think Emmeryn is going to let you come up with any more plans." She murmured, and Chrom gave a snort.
"I- You still didn't tell me if you're okay or not." He started to rise up from the bed, and she realized he was dressed in little more than bandages. "Is… Is there something wrong?"
All her insecurities blared in her head, and Robin pulled her hand back… And in the same moment, felt like there was something wrong with her fingers. Like they were missing a layer of scales and webbing.
'You used to be a monster. An enemy of his-' She could picture disgust taking the place of worry in his eyes. She never wanted to see that loathing directed at her.
"Robin-?"
"Just… That I'm glad you're alive and awake." He dipped his head at that, and in the wane light she saw a smile crossing his face. It was a wane one, but it still lifted her heart a little.
"Likewise…" Chrom whispered.
"HAH! I knew that would do something!" Lissa's voice made them both flinch apart. The healer stood in the doorway, beaming as she watched them. "Welcome back to the world, by the by. Though I should probably check you over, to make sure you don't slip away again."
"That would likely be for the best." Robin quietly agreed, and found herself slipping back, to the edges of the room, into the darker corners. All before Chrom had a chance to ask what was troubling her again.
'We've got worse things to worry about, anyway.' She tried telling herself, and found herself perching near the windows and glancing out over the seas. Lissa had left the door open, and activity from the ship drifted in.
"No pursuit thus far." Frederick's voice brushed at Robin's ears. "Our luck managed to hold again, with the storm throwing us forward, and the Valmese fleet being too damaged to pursue."
She wasn't certain if it was luck any longer, either. She swore the waves were calling, urging her to come back home.
'And maybe I do belong there…' She found herself drifting off, looking out over the waves.
"H-Hey," She blinked up to see Chrom had eased his way out of the covers, and now sat on the edge of the bed. His bandages were hidden under a plain set of clothing. And while he was more awake now, his voice was still hushed. Lissa fluttered around him, but he struggled to lift his head.
His hand kept going to his side, with something missing. A haunted look crossed his face, when his fingers only found empty air. It seemed Robin wasn't the only one bearing scars from the imprisonment.
"Hey…" Robin tried to return the greeting.
"Well the good news is, you're not bleeding out, or in a coma, OR about turn into a dry husk. Just keep drinking some water, okay?" Lissa finished with a 'no arguments' voice, as she shoved a canteen into Chrom's hands. He took it by reflex, and without argument.
"Don't know what you did to wake him up, Robin… But I appreciate it. I'm going to go let Emm know, if you can just keep him up." Robin didn't answer that, happy the shadows in the cabin hid her blush.
And leaving her alone with Chrom.
"Hey…" She awkwardly returned the greeting, focusing on him. "Are you holding up okay?"
Chrom wasn't meeting her eyes, instead leaning against his knees. He still seemed to carry the weight of his chains, from how his shoulders sagged.
"I'll be alright," he said, but didn't sound very convincing. He lifted his eyes to her face, only for them to slide towards the window. "So… We've managed to get out of Valm?"
He paused to drink from the flask, and lapsed into silence. It was odd to see him so quiet and subdued. When the ship drifted to the side, sunlight from the window fell across his face. Again, his hand went to his side, searching for something.
"Where… What happened to Falchion." Robin's heart sank at the words, and she forced herself to speak.
"It… The last time I saw it, the sword was in Gangrel's hands." One more thing that they'd lost, and she'd messed up on. "I'm sorry."
She was repeating those two words a lot lately. He slumped at that, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry-" She tried again, only for him to cut her off.
"That… That's not the only thing." He told her. "To be honest… Returning to Ylisse doesn't lift my heart like it used to." Chrom kept his voice low, glancing at the door to make sure no one on the Shepherd overheard him.
"What about the islands, though? The castle? Or the harbor?" She hoped that would put some happiness back in his face. Instead, Chrom hung his head.
And even though she tried to put some interest into her words… she couldn't picture any of what she talked about. Instead a roil of bubbles and white flecked waves took the place of the locations.
"All I can think about is the ocean." Chrom answered her, and Robin's heart sank at his words. "And… That's not all. When I was dreaming, I saw things beneath the waves. Castles and people."
He looked out the window, a pained look filling his eyes as he watched the waves.
'He doesn't deserve to get caught up in this. He has a ship, a kingdom… And all of that belongs ABOVE water.'
"Does… Any of that sound familiar to you?" Chrom asked. Robin wrenched her head back and forth, trying to deny that and not daring to meet his eyes.
"I-I think we should just focus on the task on hand!" She desperately filled in before he could speak again. "We've still got those remaining lighthouses to find. And we need to figure out how to find that Emblem people are talking about. R-right?"
She risked looking him in the eye, and he gave a shaky nod.
But there was still a worried light in his eyes… Though he didn't voice anything.
"Chrom?" Came Emmeryn's gentle voice. When she drifted into the cabin, she seemed to dispel some of the tension. "Good to see you on the mend. You and Robin both."
"I think we need to save our relief, until we reach the capital. Ah, pardon my frankness." Chrom answered. "It's going to be hard to relax until then."
'Assuming he can relax, when we drop anchor.' Robin gave him a worried look, and Emmeryn paused as well.
"…I suppose there might be some truth to it." Emmeryn allowed. "But… I also hope there will be cause to celebrate, when we return. You've activated three beacons now. Surely that must bring some measure of calm. And confidence in both of you."
Robin slumped at that, knowing neither of them were hiding their unease. Chrom tried to shrug it off by standing up… Only for his knees to protest and give out.
"I can oversee the ship, along with Frederick." Emmeryn assured him. "In the meantime, try to heal and rest up. With luck, we'll be home soon."
'And you'll both feel better.' Her voice suggested. Robin could only hope she might be right, at least for Chrom's sake.
-o-o-o-
Any hope that things would be better at Ylisse was short lived. That much was clear when the harbor came into view. And with it, a bristle of masts that had never been there before. A new fleet had moved into the harbors, flying deep navy flags, mixed with black and white. A dozen cloth killer whales seemed to swim in a sea of fabric.
Feroxi war banners.
"Those are…" Emmeryn trailed off.
"Feroxi ships." Chrom provided. Worry pooled in his own gut. It only grew worse when one of the Feroxi fleet approached them, filled with Feroxi soldiers standing at the ready. Flavia stood at the prow of her ship, and locked eyes with Emmeryn when they came within hailing distance. Nearby stood Basilio, along with Raimi and Lon'qu, finally recovered from their injuries.
He had the feeling they'd be needing all the help they could get.
"Exalt." Flavia's tone was grim. "You come back to ill news."
"I feared as much, when I saw how many ships you have gathered around the harbor. But for what purpose?" Emmeryn kept her own voice at a murmur.
"Our frigates have scouted out to the edges of Wreckage. And we've seen ships marshaling their strength there. Their forces are almost up to fleet sized."
It was Chrom's turn to wince; he remembered Gangrel leering over him, promising blood and pain, all for the sake of getting what he wanted. And then Chrom had slipped from his grip, before he could learn anything. The pirate king must be cursing their escape… And he wouldn't stay idle for long.
"…So that's where most of their strength was rallied." Frederick murmured. A growl in his voice said he should've figured out the plan ahead of time. With the way Robin winced, she agreed with that.
"They're perhaps a few weeks out, depending on the winds. And will likely sail toward us, once they've decided they have enough to overwhelm us."
"Grim news, to be certain…" Emmeryn said.
"All they need now is their commander to join them." Flavia finished.
"Pirates on one end, murder-happy fish freaks on the other." Sully grumbled. Even Vaike looked a bit staggered, with the odds they were facing.
"A-at least we left him with a wrecked fortress. That'll take him some time to find a working ship!" Lissa tried to find some wane hope to grasp on.
"We have to make the most of it, somehow." Chrom added. "We can find a solution-"
'Can't we?' He glanced to the rest of the crew as he spoke. Frederick looked stern but determined, while Lissa was trying to put on a tough face and mirror Sully. He saw readiness among the rest of the crew, and Robin-
Robin still wouldn't meet his eyes. She seemed diminished, since they'd escaped… But she still managed a small nod.
"W-we'll have to." Robin answered. "No matter what we might need to face."
-o-o-o-
A week of scrambled preparations slipped by.
After the meetings were finished, messages sent out, and duties were assigned, Emmeryn traced slow steps down to the tide pools ringing the castle. She glanced about, taking in the details; it had been a long time since she'd last visited. Partially her absence was out of respect for Chrom and how often he had been using this space… And partially because her own duties kept her busy.
She walked on the sand and filled her ears with the sound of the ocean. The soft, warm earth shifted beneath her feet, seeping through her silken shoes and warming her skin.
"I can see now, why Chrom comes here so often." She said to herself. And it was not just due to the preferences of a certain tactician he'd been in the company of. She tried to smile at that… But the situation kept her lips from doing more than a twitch.
'A few weeks out, depending on the winds.' Flavia's words echoed in her thoughts.
Emmeryn looked down to her hands. They were unmarked, unmarred compared to Chrom's calluses, and the healing scabs on Robin's palms. Even Lissa had gained a few nicks. Emmeryn's own hands looked pitifully bare next to that.
'It doesn't make me feel like much of a champion. Or equal to this burden.'
The rush of waves brought her eyes up. A large swell moved into one of the tide pools, making the waters shimmer and grow in size. Almost beckoning her forward.
"…You've answered my call once, didn't you?" Emmeryn whispered to the waves, stepping into the shallows. She wondered if the tidepool shivered a little in response. Her robes billowed out around her, forming into a white ripple that rode on the waves.
"If you can, please listen to me again," she let a hum creep into her voice. "Carry my will, over the waves and on the winds. Slow this pirate fleet. Give us time to make a stand against these odds."
She wondered if there was a brief pulse in the currents at her words… And she also paused at the light-headed feeling that seeped through her. For an instant, she wanted to tip forward, fall into the ocean's embrace-
"…Emm?" She winced upon hearing Chrom.
"There you are." She also stilled under the relief that colored his words. "I couldn't find you and… Well, the point is you're okay."
The water sloshed around Chrom, as he stepped into the shallows. "Though… What are you doing down here? And in the water of all places?"
Worry pinched at his face. His eyes darted between her and the waves, and he looked half ready to take her hand and guide her away. Emmeryn held up her hand to stall him.
"Chrom… I have a task for you." His eyes narrowed at how she'd dodged the question. And how she stayed put in the pool, heedless of how the waters soaked into her robes.
"I need you to find the last remaining lighthouse." She continued, praying this was the right choice. "I want you to slip out tonight, once night falls. The moon should be enough to see you through."
"T-tonight?" Chrom stared at that, and even rubbed at his ears to make sure he'd heard her correctly.
"Yes. My hope is such a swift departure will escape the notice of any Plegian scouts or spies, and give you a head start. And with luck, this last light house will give us some sort of arcane boost, or hint on where to find the Emblem. There must be some sort of connection." She tried to put conviction into her words. For his part, Chrom lifted his eyes, and looked almost hopeful.
'He wants to be back at sea. That works better for everyone, in that case.'
"I… I'm surprised you're ready to let me go sailing again, after just a few weeks." Emmeryn shook her head at that, and Chrom's guarded eagerness.
"I wish we had a better option than this… But the towers seem to respond to someone from our line, which limits our choices. And I'm not about to send Lissa off alone." Emmeryn frowned at the thought. "At least this way, you'll both keep an eye on each other."
"Right. But in that case, where should I be going?" Chrom tried to keep his voice measured, and respectful of the situation. But there was still some eagerness left in him. Emmeryn didn't comment on it, knowing that mood would likely change soon enough.
"I spoke with Libra, and he has a notion of where the final tower is. He's read scriptures about a great ruin in the southern edges of our land; rising like a pillar of light. That's a close match."
"Alright… And you'll have your preparations ready by tonight?" He sounded doubtful that she'd have that time.
"No. I won't be going with you." Chrom froze from her words, and the excitement dimmed in his eyes. "Chrom, speed is key… But so is keeping the peace at the capital. I need to stay behind to ensure that."
"You're kidding-" Chrom started, and Emmeryn stopped his protests short with her own words.
"Chrom, how long before Flavia's report makes it to the streets? A few more days, at most? We NEED stability kept in the capital… And I think only I can provide it. I can't accompany you on this last leg."
"But… You're the Exalt, and our sister! We NEED you-"
"You activated the last lighthouse on your own, risky as it was." He snapped his mouth shut at her words. His eyes blazed as he stared down at his feet. He seemed angry at himself for having the idea to go out on his own in the first place… And that he'd given her proof for her plan.
"In addition, I'll have the fleet here, to protect the capital and draw the eye. I need you to move swiftly-"
"…And you're going to do that by painting a target on yourself."
"If that is what it takes to ensure a safe journey for you, then I'm willing to do just that." Chrom bristled at her words.
"But if Gangrel arrives here, he might- You could-!" He didn't finish the thought, likely tangled in his own memories of the prison, and Gangrel. And yet from the way her face remained composed, he saw that his words had no effect on her. "Emm, for once be selfish in your life-!"
"…I have been." She whispered, stopping him cold. "And in a way, I wonder if my absence is what has led to our problems. I've sailed with you more than I've been in the capital; and now there's a fleet breathing down our necks."
She shook her head.
"In any case… I thought that you might be unwilling." 'And I'm sorry for this.' She tried to say with her eyes, and the way she lowered her voice. But she still allowed a bit of steel into her words, to make what she said next binding. "And if so, I'll give my orders as an Exalt; I command you to fulfill this task. To light this final beacon, and restore hope."
He had no response to that. No protest to give when she used her rank in such a way. Chrom bowed his head, his arms shaking.
"As… As you command." He finally said, his voice heavy. "…But in that case, those orders are going to be carried out as swiftly as possible."
-o-o-o-
They set out with only a sliver of moon as their witness.
Chrom pushed them hard through that first night, the day that followed, and the day after that. With a handful of extra Feroxi crew, they coaxed more speed from the Shepherd. Not a single one of them complained, either. A sense of urgency was a constant companion, whether in the cabins, atop the masts, or on the rolling deck.
In a way, Robin welcomed that. It didn't give her time to dwell on everything that had happened; just focusing on getting to the next goal. And sometimes she was so exhausted, she could almost block out the call from the waves.
…Almost. But each morning, she woke up with the smell of salt and ocean in her senses, and an odd, restless energy coursing through her. It wasn't the case for the others; as the days went on, exhaustion started to show in their faces.
Chrom had dark circles under his eyes, and seemed to get the least amount of sleep out of them all. Yet still he had the steadiest presence on the Shepherd, never dozing off or missing an order. He took on as many tasks as anyone else did, if not more. And if he also went to bed half dead on his feet, then like Robin he also woke up energized.
Which made it hard to avoid him, or miss the worry on his features. The glimpses she got of Chrom pushed unease into her own heart. It made her want to speak up, to do something for the tension in his face. But it didn't feel like it was her place to do anything; not as a former sea creature.
Days blurred by… Until finally a strand of white showed near the horizon. The nights grew warmer, and the waxing moon made the wisp of white shine all the brighter. Ylisse's southern lighthouse had at last appeared on distant sea cliffs.
The sight of it left Robin restless. When night fell she couldn't sleep, and found herself drawn out of the cabin.
There was a scant amount of activity on the deck, most people opting to sleep. She spotted Miriel, eyes on the stars as she murmured theories and distances… But there was a dim quality to her eyes, and her formulas kept trailing off.
"Miriel, do you want to get some rest? I can take another night shift." Robin found herself saying, causing Miriel to blink owlishly.
"…I find it disconcerting, just how many shifts you've taken. And yet I can't argue the results; you're still the most hale among us all." Miriel answered, and Robin could hear every ounce of fatigue in her voice.
"Does that count for a yes?"
"I suppose it does." Miriel moved past Robin, staggering for the crew quarters. Robin nodded to the mage and tried to look tired as well, even though she didn't feel it. She didn't want to deal with any awkward questions on why she was still finding bursts of energy-
…Or why the same seemed to be true for Chrom. He manned the wheel, still standing tall, and his sight stayed fixed to one point on the horizon. She'd been so sure he'd retired for the night, exhaustion finally catching up to him. But he seemed ready to defy her theories.
"Robin-?" He'd picked out her voice, and seen her on the deck below.
'You should stay away.' One part of her cautioned. The rest of her noticed the tension in his shoulders, and started walking towards him.
He gave her a quick smile as she drew close, before glancing again to the tower; like he could will it closer somehow, if he stared at it long enough.
"Chrom… We'll see this through." She found herself speaking, to try and draw his gaze away from the tower. He'd wear his eyes out from staring at it for too long. He blinked at her voice, glancing back at her. "Emmeryn gave you this task because she knew you'd be able to pull it off, remember?"
He dipped his head at that, a low sigh making its way out.
"I know, but… I worry. Gangrel was anything but humane when I was under his care; I can't let her fall into his hands." Robin winced at that; it seemed neither of them had left behind those memories of the prison. Her mind flashed back to the memory of a jail cell, and a knife on her skin.
The memory made her skin shiver, and her lungs shudder. Her robe itched and squeezed at her sides while her skin fought to breath-
And her breathing hitched completely, once a weight fell on her shoulders. It warmed her skin where it had gone cold. Fingers rubbed patterns through her robe. When she looked up, she saw Chrom resting his hands on her shoulders, trying to ground her.
"Sorry," Regret made his voice heavy. "I don't mean to- I mean, I don't want you revisiting unpleasant memories too. I know they weren't kind to you either."
Her face warmed a little at his concern, before Chrom dropped his hands.
"S-sorry for that as well. That might have been too familiar a gesture. But I… I didn't want to watch you hurt like that, and do nothing-"
"It… It's fine." Robin tried to assure him. She didn't dare say more than that, like how much it had warmed her heart to be under his hands. "It doesn't hurt, at the very least."
He seemed a little encouraged by that.
"If anything, I should be apologizing; I'm supposed to be helping you, not the other way around-"
"Y-you are helping." Chrom told her. "Just being here is enough. I missed being able to talk with you."
Robin stilled at that.
"Give me just a moment… Then we can talk more?" Chrom lashed the wheel in place as he spoke, to keep their bearing constant. With that done, he followed her to the bench. He gave a soft groan as he sat, the cushions pressing against his back and showing how tense his shoulders were.
"Maybe those memories are why Emm ordered me out here… Because she saw how ill at ease I was at land, and wanted to see if more time at sea would help ease my worries. And while I appreciate it…"
"You worry about her?"
"Yes, to the point I can't relax, even out here." He motioned to the glassy quality of the sea, and the stars doting the sky. Robin nodded, trying to find some peace in her surroundings.
Instead she gave another shiver, and found herself leaning against Chrom. Something about him stilled the troubled memories welling up inside her.
"It's… The same for me, to be honest." Robin admitted. "I find myself feeling a little worried, being out at sea."
All because of the memories that were now lodged in her head. Chrom picked up the tension spreading through her shoulders, and tightened his arm around her. The awkwardness in her body vanished under that touch.
"Y-you're confused, aren't you? I've seen how you've been hesitating on the decks." Chrom stared off towards the water. "It's almost like… You're not entirely certain who you are, or if you're here to help or hurt people. There's too much conflicting information to say what you REALLY are."
There was an unnerving amount of accuracy to his words. But with the fatigue in his voice, Robin got the feeling he wasn't talking solely about her.
"…Sounds like you're speaking from experience."
"A little bit. Thanks to odd rumors that circulate in court, and old legends." Chrom admitted. "But… I know this much. Even if you're not sure who you are, I-"
His hand fell away from her, his touch turned shy.
"…I trust you. And I want you to know, you have a place here. As long as you want it." She blushed at his sincerity. It made what she needed to say all the more painful.
"I'm just unsure if I really belong here." Even if she wanted desperately wanted that-
"But more than anything… I want to be with you right now." She froze when the words spilled out.
"W-wait, you feel the same!?" Chrom blurted out, stopping short when the words left his mouth. "Ah gods, I didn't quite mean it to come out like that."
"Then… what did you mean?" She found herself saying, much as she wanted to shut her own mouth. Even in the faint starlight, she could see how pink Chrom's face was.
"A lot of strange stuff has been happening to us, right? But as much as I worry about everything… I'm glad you're still here. And I hope that you'll be able to stay by my side. Things just feel… Better when you're around." He finished, rubbing at the back of his head. His other hand had moved closer to Robin's as he spoke… and she closed the distance when he finished, touching her fingers to his.
"I-"
She wanted to tell him how much she hoped that would be the case. That she still wanted their bonds to be stronger than any pull from the sea, any magic that lingered in her blood. Or whatever was meant by the brand on her skin.
But none of those thoughts made it to her voice. A rumble of thunder took her words away. They both yanked their hands apart and their heads up, staring at the blackened clouds gathering on the horizon.
"Where on earth did those come from-?" Robin said. As she spoke, a flash of lightning slashed across the sky. Outlined against that bolt was a gutted ship, its sails all in tatters.
"Gods drown me." Chrom cursed, lurching to his feet. He struggled to reach the wheel… But was so intent on it that he missed the spell fire that leapt from the other ship, arching through the sky and plunging down towards him.
"EYES UP!" She screamed, drawing her spell book. The magic leapt to her fingers like a knife drawn from its sheath. Thunder magic slammed into the fire spell, breaking the magic into cinders. Chrom froze from the explosion, hands thrown up to shield himself.
The remnants of both spells fell around them, stinging Robin's skin and tearing a few holes in the sails.
"I owe you for that." Chrom finally managed, forcing himself to move closer to the wheel. When he took it, the Shepherd eased into motion. Behind the ghost ship trailed broken ships, forming a wall of rotted timber and blocking their passage to the lighthouse. "So much for a swift voyage- those things aren't going to let us go without a fight!"