Chapter 36: Drifters
He hadn't bothered with sleep tonight, and Validar found that the decision barely slowed him down. Grima must have been pleased by the blood he'd spilled into the waters, and granted him an extra burst of strength. It may have given him a restless sort of energy as well… But he could find a use for that eager thrum buzzing under his skin.
He'd had his fill of prowling the castle halls, and instead settled into the throne chamber. With most of the castle sleeping, it made for an ideal place to focus his restless energy and work magic.
'Starting with answers, on where our stray fish has swum off to.'
Validar cast his mind to the currents. He let the surroundings of the throne room fade out, in favor of searching beyond.
'Where are you, child…' He thought, stretching out his senses beyond the castle.
Tendrils of black and violet stained his thoughts, like blood clouding water. Validar allowed himself a smile at that. Her blood had stained the ocean, setting off sparks of magic and giving him a hint on her location.
And before that, there was the surge of magic when the ocean had finally taken her back. She was unquestionably in his domain now; it was only a matter of time before she was back in his grasp.
'Come now, girl.' He let his thoughts croon, seeking out her mind. The violet and black colors thickened in his mind's eye, reminding him of the gem in his grasp. That treasure boosted his own magic, giving his scrying a wider reach.
He peered through the haze of dark colors, into a night shrouded ocean. The sand banks rose up, catching strands of moonlight. It showed his troops camped on a stretch of sand… And lacking any new captives. He grit his teeth, his thoughts already wondering how they would repent from such a thing.
'Perhaps they can part with a few of their fingers-' His thoughts cut off, as something else tugged at his was just the faintest brush of presence. Almost like someone had whispered in his ear as they swam past him.
And he recognized that faint voice. He searched after it, trying to grasp onto that wane presence… But he quickly realized why it was so faint, and just out of his reach.
'That fool girl is sleeping.' She'd also hidden herself away; something was half shielding her from his reach.
But if he couldn't command her… He could at least plant the seeds of compulsion in her head.
'You need to come back, child. You might be lost now… But everything you're missing is to the west. Follow the others. Come home, to where you belong.'
And with luck, she'd shed whatever shielded her along the way. He wasn't certain what it had been; it had felt like a living thing, wrapped around her and muffling his commands.
'No matter. She'll find her way back. She has that thought of returning in her head now… And we'll be waiting for her.'
-o-o-o-
An uneasy feeling lurked in Robin's heart, as she swam. The jolt of waking up and curled against Chrom had banished it for a moment. But once they swam, a strange malaise seemed to hang around her head; something between a headache, and an odd sense of fatigue.
Maybe she hadn't slept as well as she'd hoped, even with Chrom's arms curled around her-
'Best not dwell on that too much.' She reminded herself. And there was still so much distance to swim, and she didn't need a blush in her face distracting her.
Their trail led them for nearly a full day, through craggy passes festooned with coral. The spires and arches of rock made for good cover, letting Robin and Chrom shadow the convoy. The load shouldered by the sea horses helped slow their progress, enough that they could just keep the other Mer in sight.
A part of Robin longed to close the gap, to see if a closer look would free up something in her memory. The rest of her remembered the last memory she'd dredged up, and how the screams of dying landsmen haunted her ears as merfolk tore into them.
'They're not guaranteed to be friendly.' Least of all those who cut apart sea serpents and were eager with using their weapons. So she kept her distance.
Eventually the landscape turned to great spires. The winding rocks formed a cross between mountains and vents. She could see the water churn in funnels as warm and cold temperatures met, dispersing any fish. The rock spires and bubbling waters were things their quarry swam over and threaded between… But Robin hesitated to follow.
"I don't want to risk swimming in open water." She sighed, turning to Chrom. He looked nervous at the prospect as well. Though that might have been due to how often he was tilting over when he tried to swim.
For that matter, she didn't want to see him blundering head-first into rocks or scalding water. He glanced around, before his eyes fell on a passage cutting through the rocks.
"Any chance we can thread through that?" He asked. Robin's answer was taking him by the hand, to guide him through the twists and turns. The trail of the Mer disappeared, as the water overhead was closed off by rocks.
"Not… The most welcoming path, I admit." Robin said, feeling her way through the passage. As the daylight dimmed, a faint glow rippled to life along her scales.
Chrom let out a slow breath, as his own skin glimmered in points.
"I still wonder why it does that." The light faded in and out as he turned and flexed his free arm, examining the glow.
"It's… A form of survival for dark spaces, I think." Robin glanced around the tunnel they were in; the spots of light on their bodies were almost equal to a candle on land. That glow kept the worst of the shadows from closing in on them… And it also kept that uneasy feeling in her heart to a murmur.
But her skin still picked up on that unease; the darkness of the passage had a feeling similar to being in a nightmare. In response, the light patches on scales fluttered in and out, like a candle against a breeze.
"H-hey. Don't worry." Chrom tightened his grip around her hand; something about the touch made that flickering vanish, and the gleam came back strong.
"How… Could you tell I was worried?"
"It was almost like those light patches were telling me that. Maybe it's-?"
"Another way of communicating? That could be…" Robin trailed off; ahead of them the passage opened up, into what looked almost like a valley among the spires.
Robin immediately scanned the open water overhead, looking for signs of the patrol. But there were only dwindling shapes on the far lip of rock, hints that could have been Mer. The light was fading overhead as well, turning the waters overhead a rippling patchwork of pink and orange. A match for the coral dotting the rocks-
She didn't get much longer to take in the changes, as Chrom barreled into her back. The two of them shot out of the gap and tumbled into the sands.
"S-sorry about that." Chrom said, half sprawled across Robin. He rolled off her with a blush; the light pulsing along his tail had an almost pink tint. "I didn't pinch your fins, did I-?"
"I should be alright." Robin glanced down at her tail as she spoke. She looked down on the markings over her fins, and the vibrant, violet eye patterns… And she realized the symbols were likely to draw attention, the second they slipped into a populated area.
'You might be alright, but you need to do something about THAT.'
"But… Perhaps we should take a moment to breathe." Robin glanced around as she spoke.
The Mer they shadowed had shed some weight; torn fabrics littered the valley sands, old bits of sail and leftover land dweller cloth. Robin twisted among them, stretching out with her fingers and considering some of the fabrics. There were even the blacks of pirate ships among the snowy sails.
"This is…" Chrom hesitated at the sight, but still followed her lead.
"I know, not the best camp. But we'll make do." Robin assured him. There was a patch of grass and sand to dig into, with another cracked hull to shelter beneath. The ruined sails also dotted the scenery like odd, underwater flags. The way they twisted in the ocean was almost hypnotic. Almost-
'Familiar.' Something teased at her mind, and seeped into her vision as she watched the swaying scraps.
"H-hey." Chrom's voice seemed to float down to her, through a distant tunnel. "What's wrong-?" And even his words faded out, as her focus all clung to the surfacing memory. And with each breath, it grew more and more vivid.
She swam under escort, towards a great citadel on the hill. Soon she'd be taken through those great halls, towards some sort of ceremony. Validar had been insistent about it, and something about the eagerness of his voice… It made her squirm at just the thought. There was no slipping away from her escort now, however.
Even if she could evade their grip, the streets and waters were crowded with Mer. Many of them had put on their finest, draping sashes around their waists and shoulders, the material drifting in the water like veils and shifting in violet and black; the colors of Plegia for those who could afford such rare fabrics.
Her own veil was wrapped around her arms and back, rippling shades of violet and night.
"Bride of Grima," they called the look, and all those who witnessed her lowered their eyes in respect, if they didn't raise their voices in praise.
She wanted to pull the fabric over her head, to try and hide her face-
"Hide," she whispered out, and the vision faded. Her eyes blinked open to find wane, rose tinted lights dancing across the waves above them. There was barely enough light to see by, illuminating the misty wreckage. Ahead of her, the black sails were like storm clouds trapped underwater, drifting back and forth and demanding her attention.
The fabric was ragged at the edges and made of rough fabric… But there was enough of it for the idea tickling her brain. She pulled herself up, cautiously feeling her way up into open water.
Robin swam towards the darkened sails and splashes of scarlet flags; the rippling six eyes followed her as she swam.
'So the pirates aren't immune to the Mer attacks, either.' For a moment, Robin wondered if she had anything to do with these wrecks-
The next moment, her swimming was cut short, and she was jolted from her thoughts. Her fins had snagged on something, and she twisted around to claw at an attacker. But instead, she found herself tangled in old sail. The fabric was rough where it wrapped around her tail, almost enveloping her.
'That'll work.' Robin decided as she looked over the sails. Her fingers hooked into the black cloth, tearing it free from the rotted spars of wood. She spun in a circle, letting the fabric drape around her. Two pieces settled over her; one along her shoulders to act as a rough shawl and hood and hide her features, the other turning into a long train that tangled the eye and partially obscured her fins.
Not a perfect disguise, but hopefully enough for whatever they were might face-
"Robin!?" She turned to Chrom's voice, and the panic in it. Unlike her, he was still wary of open water; instead he darted low across the sandy floors; first up over the ridge, and then into the wreckage, stirring up clouds as he searched for her. Frantic energy was the only thing that kept him from colliding with the dunes, or the bits of wreckage.
"Chrom, it's okay!" She pitched her voice low, hoping it wouldn't alert any nearby Mer. His head shot up at that, a moment before he bumped into the mast below her.
"S-sorry." He lowered his voice once he looked up and caught sight of her. "I just… I was keeping watch when you faded out. And when I looked back, you weren't there, and… I got worried."
A touch of shame colored his voice, and he lowered his head. Robin suspected that he'd been more than just worried; there was a telltale shiver in his fingers, and twitch to his fins. All left over traces of panic from finding himself alone.
"What exactly were you doing, anyway?" He changed the subject, clearly not wanting to dwell on just how much her disappearance had upset him. As he watched her, he noticed the changes and blinked at her new outfit.
"Getting ready for whatever we find next. I get the feeling we might bump into others soon… And I don't exactly want to draw anyone's eye, with my features."
"I guess I can see why. They are pretty striking-" He stopped short, a splash of red staining his face before he glanced away. "Y-you think I should grab something from this as well?"
He stretched a hand to the tattered sails, before glancing down at himself… and perhaps taking in the bare quality of his chest, with how that blush deepened.
"I… guess I never realized how little I'm wearing-" And he seemed to remember a hint of modesty from the surface world, quickly turning his back to her. "S-sorry! Sorry, I'll go fix that right now!"
He almost crashed into a fallen mast in his hurry to find some sort of cloth to cover himself. Robin followed at a slower pace, trying not to laugh.
"Chrom, it's okay. I don't think as Mer we place too high a mark on modesty." He didn't seem all that convinced, given that the blush was spreading down to his neck. He came to a stop against a ragged white sail, and tried to tear it free.
With something between a smile and a sigh, Robin gave him a hand. A long tear appeared on the sail, giving Chrom just enough fabric to tangle himself in. She helped him settle it around his shoulders, in an echo to the cape he so favored on land.
A look of faint recognition settled over his face, and he traced his fingers over the rough bit of sail rope that Robin threaded through the holes. It thankfully distracted him from the close contact… And Robin also hoped that he didn't notice the pink on her own face.
But for herself, Robin noticed that he cut a dramatic enough figure… Almost reminiscent of how he'd looked on the Shepherd.
"Thank you," Chrom murmured. "Something about this just feels… Right. Like I have something back."
"Glad to help," she managed. "B-but we should probably keep moving, now that we've gotten a little more gear."
-o-o-o-
The scarves fluttered against Robin and Chrom's fins as they swam quickly putting the wreckage and discarded items behind them. The meadow of sea grass and rocky crags both fell away, replaced by stranger grasses. He felt Robin tense as they swam along the empty hills. This was uneasy terrain; the sort that lacked all cover.
The gray quality of the water gradually cleared, turning into a rainbow of reds and violets; almost like they were swimming through a sunset. And below them was a stretch of emerald grasses, carefully trimmed and managed. Chrom stared across the fields.
"I-is this a farm?"
Robin took in the scenery as well, giving a small nod.
"Yeah, and if there's farms around us, it means we're getting out of the wilderness and closer to civilization!" Robin breathed out in relief. "Any crops or fish have to go to feed someone… Probably a lot of someone's actually."
Robin frowned as she continued, looking back and forth. "So… I wonder why there isn't anyone here, to tend to the fields?"
A closer look showed Chrom that parts of the field looked more ragged and overgrown. There wasn't anyone coming out to greet or confront them, either. Scanning showed a simple structure at the end of the fields; little more than parts scavenged from ships, and rocks leaned against each other.
"That barely resembles a farm house… But it's the best shelter we've seen in a while." Robin said, before glancing to Chrom. "I… Think we're getting closer, to where ever those Mer were traveling. Enough that I wouldn't mind getting some rest, and bracing myself for whatever is next."
Chrom nodded at that, swimming towards the abandoned dwelling.
"Then we should hurry…" Chrom said nervously, trying to pick up the pace and be more confident in his tail strokes. "What if the patrol decides to look back? What if they see us-?"
He got his answer a second later, as a cry echoed back from the furthest dunes. Chrom squinted into the glare of the setting sun and its obscuring beams; through them he saw shadows, all darting towards them.
"They saw us…!" Chrom trailed off, muttering a stream of curses. His arms snapped around Robin, and he dropped them both into the shadows of the farm house. Robin bumped against his chest, and she froze against him from the sudden touch as much as the circumstances.
Chrom's muttering stopped, and he held his breath. Robin looked up, and he followed her gaze through the patchwork ceiling. The Mer guards swarmed through the open water, searching for them.
"Please just go away." Chrom whispered at them, both wanting them to listen… But also not overhear him and figure out where they were. The band of Mer didn't move from their place in the waters.
He clung desperately to Robin, worried that their time was running out; soon enough they patrol would decide to search the farm house. And if that happened-
'What if they try to take Robin away?' The thought suddenly surged in his head. Panic flared through him, along with a strange, half foggy memory. He gripped her desperately, trying to find some way out.
-o-o-o-
Robin couldn't draw a full breath. Chrom was clinging to her so tight now, it was almost squeezing the air from her lungs. And with her ears pressed against his chest, she could hear the way his heart pattered. The thrum burrowed into her ears almost like a drumbeat. Robin gave a nervous hum, trying to soothe her own nerves.
It mingled with the rhythm of Chrom's heart, and the combined sounds thrummed through the ocean. Overhead the waters swirled and bubbled, forming a new current that pushed at the Mer overhead. It tugged them away from the farm house; first with an insistent push, then a sudden churn that knocked the leader of the band back. He scowled against the force of the current.
"Forget it." One of them growled. "It was just a shark, and I don't feel like killing it. I want to get back to the camp, round up some fish, and rest up before we reach Plegia."
She watched the shapes slip away, as their grumbling diminished. But she thought she caught a few more words; something about leaving at dawn.
"We can't have another close call like that." Robin wheezed out. Chrom's chin brushed against her hair as he nodded. "And we'd better lay low, until they completely move on."
"But if we can't follow them at even this distance…" He sighed. "We're going to lose them."
"Unless we can figure out where they're going… And I think I-" Touching those memories still felt like pressing an old, still healing wound. She turned from Chrom so he wouldn't see her grimace, as she forced herself to think back.
Emotion blurred through her, as she tried to retrace those faint memories of escaping and fighting towards the surface.
'A storm gathered… But I remember the sun turning the water red, and soaking down on my back.' She'd been swimming away from something… Something to the west.
"W-west. We need to head west. I remember that much." Chrom tilted his head at that.
"So we've both got holes in our memories, huh? But do you remember-?" Chrom hesitated as he asked, noting the discomfort in her face. "A-anything else?"
'A lot of memories of running and fleeing… And there's a high chance we're heading back to whatever made me run.' She didn't have a better idea of what to do, however. Especially with Chrom looking at her like that.
"Just… A vague idea of where we need to go." Westward, ever westward. "But… We'd best let them leave, first. And get our own rest."
And with luck, her dreams would be a little more peaceful this time.
-o-o-o-
Chrom blinked his eyes open, as the first streams of gray daylight seeped through the water. It prompted him to curl up… And carefully untangle himself where he found himself curled up against Robin.
His skin easily burned up and banished any chill in the water. Chrom shook his head as he swam away; even though Robin had told him she didn't mind, it still felt strange to find himself so drawn towards her.
'I need some fresh air, after that.'
And he found himself swimming towards the open water. His eyes scanned the far dunes, carefully making sure he wasn't spotted. But there weren't any cries or alarms… Or even any outlines on the dunes. The other Mer had left with the dawn, leaving him free to swim.
Chrom knew he shouldn't have felt THAT proud of himself, over something as simple as swimming in a straight line. But since he hadn't crashed into anything, hadn't turned upside down, or somehow gotten himself lost, he felt like it was a personal victory.
He even did a small spin through the water, to celebrate… And somehow managed to keep his balance. The motion gave him a glimpse back; back to the rocky farmhouse and the person resting inside.
'Robin.' Something about the name sent a thrilling, oddly light sensation through him-
And his celebratory swim was almost cut short, when he nearly crashed into a rock spire. Chrom snapped his hands out, bouncing off the stone and forcing his eyes forward. Beneath him was another meadow of seagrass, the spar of rock acting as a field or border marker.
"…What are you doing, Chrom?" He asked himself, even while he tried to glance back over his shoulder to the farmhouse. "Why do you care so much about her?"
There was still an odd tugging in his heart. Like there was a thread connecting them, and growing tight as he swam away from her.
'But WHY is she so important? Why were you afraid of losing her?'
"Well, she taught me how to swim, for one thing." He answered his own thoughts, and tested his fins again as he spoke. "And…"
There was something about her that made him feel a little more assured. That things weren't so hopeless of confusing, while they were together.
'Given all that… There has to be something I can do for her, right?' Something to show his appreciation, and return everything she'd been doing for him.
'But what? She knows how to swim better than I do. She understands the currents… Makes me wonder why she keeps me around, with how well she can manage on her own.' And yet something about that didn't seem quite right, or true. He'd noticed how often Robin had glanced at him… And how that seemed to make something in her relax.
He just wished there was something more he could do-
His stomach gave a grumble. And he remembered the slowness to Robin's movements; hunger was likely slowing her down, too. He looked over the meadowed, sea valley floor and all the silvery fish shapes flickering about.
A grin crossed his face as he focused on the fish, and he surged after them. Surely with all those fish present, he could catch at least one for a good breakfast.
His fins wanted to prove him wrong. He wanted to swim low, to weave through the grasses and get closer to the fish. Instead, he almost rammed face first into the sand.
He got tangled in the grass for his troubles, as the fish tried to dance away. But a handful of them tangled in his new cape, slowed down for an instant. Chrom gritted his teeth and went after them, determined to do something right.
-o-o-o-
Her dreams were a little calmer tonight; just vague impressions of traveling into dark water, following a strange call. But something had roused her near dawn, and pulled her out of those dreams. Robin rolled over, trying to find sleep again… But she was having a difficult time of it. She couldn't seem to find any peace-
'Admit it. You also miss having Chrom close by.' She managed that thought, right as she realized the space next to her was empty. Her shoulders weren't cooperating with relaxing, either.
She opened her eyes, missing his presence; she just glimpsed him swimming off, likely exploring. She tried not to panic at that, trusting that he'd come back… But it was hard not to fret. It also didn't seem right, that he was adapting to life underwater so well. His place was above; on the deck of the ship, at the splendor of a castle.
Not trapped underwater… Though it seemed either way, he had an affinity for the sea. Tiki had implied as much, and he proved it through his actions. Some things hadn't changed, even with his memories fogged-
And if he couldn't remember how he'd confessed to her, then Robin's own mind made up for that. It seemed like an hour couldn't slip by, without his confession ringing through her ears, and heating her skin.
She longed to tell him what was on her mind, what she'd been told-
But she also remembered how he'd almost drowned. With a groan, Robin forced her eyes open and turned about. The home was empty; still no sign of whoever had built this place, or of Chrom himself. Robin pushed herself out, into the meadow of sea grass. The green strands gently waved back and forth in the currents, looking almost peaceful-
"ROBIN!" She flinched at Chrom's voice. This time there was a triumphant note to his call. "Robin! I caught a fish!"
…And he sounded ridiculously pleased with himself, as well. He swam towards her, holding his catch aloft like a prized trophy.
"Actually I caught a few but… Well, the first two ended up being more like paste or kind of… Torn apart. Point being not the best for eating. This one though, I figured it out! And hopefully we can eat well today? Right?"
Robin took in his catch, and distantly wondered if he realized that he'd fought and caught a barracuda. Or that there were a few bite marks along his arms. Given how much he was grinning, she doubted that was the case, and tried to banish any thoughts of him pouncing on and wrestling many toothed fish.
There was a meal to be prepared, after all.
Luck was with them, going back inside; there were old utensils in the farm house, left discarded on the floor. The knives still held enough of an edge to prepare the fish. An odd carving in the building seemed just right for placing the meal, and when Robin put the fish on the shelf, the waters around them seemed to run a little warmer. That one pocket turned to a heated bubble, slowly cooking the fish. There was a faint chime in the bubbles that raced out of the pocket as well, suggesting some sort of hearth spell.
"Didn't know that was possible." Chrom murmured, watching the fish cook. Robin found herself risking another glance back at him.
"Something wrong?" Chrom asked, noticing her attention.
"N-nothing. Those scratches of yours… They'll heal up okay?"
He nodded at that, shrugging off the bite marks. He still had that odd bravado about him, just like before-
'He also was brave enough to confess to you-'
A lot had changed. But that odd pang in her chest, that was still the same. And much as it hurt when she looked at him, and saw a different side of him… Robin wasn't certain she'd give that feeling up, or forget it.
She'd have to remember for both of them, until she found a way to fix things.
'But first… You'd best finish cooking this fish.'
-o-o-o-
Chrom couldn't stop himself from grinning all through the preparation. Robin worked her magic on the waters again, heating a small pocket around the prepared fish and bringing it up to a boil.
"It's… Been a while since I've done this." She admitted. "I don't remember all the details, but hopefully it'll still work."
When the fish began to cook, that grin was tempered with a rumble from his stomach. Robin's stomach echoed that, and she dimmed the spell, the heat floating away with a few bubbles.
She motioned to Chrom to move closer, offering him a section of the fish. He took her up on that, and they both tore into it with their hands, juggling the hot bits as they cooled and biting into them.
"What are you smiling about?" Robin asked, once their meal was little more than bones. "You look oddly happy right now, considering how confusing everything has been."
"What, I'm not allowed to enjoy a meal with you?" Chrom answered, knowing his grin was only getting wider. Robin blinked at him in surprise, looking oddly vulnerable for a moment; like she couldn't quite believe THAT was what made him so happy.
"H-hey. It's true." He found himself rushing to add on. "It just felt good, to be able to help you out, and enjoy your company. Besides, we were able to solve being hungry together; maybe that means we can tackle other problems."
He couldn't keep the optimism out of his voice… And it seemed Robin picked up on it, with how she gave him a small, hesitant smile.
"I… I hope so." Robin's voice was low, lacking his confidence. "A-anyway, we shouldn't be too far away from some sort of settlement, by now. Those riders didn't look like they had supplies to make a longer trip. So hopefully we'll see signs of civilization soon… A-and answers too."