Robin pinched the bridge of his nose as he rested his eyes from staring at the ledger. Life was rather dull for Robin since he had slain Grima. That had been almost six months ago and Robin had found work doing the books for a small inn in Eastern Ferox.
He missed his friends and he had been tempted to go back several times, but one thought kept keeping him from making his presence known: his wife. They had married during the Valmese campaign and had enjoyed a few happy months-months that he would cherish for the rest of his days, but then Plegia happened. Their relationship was strained by the revelation that he was Chrom's killer, but in the end, she could not run him through, however; things were understandably tense after that.
To make matters worse, it was later revealed that he was integral to Grima's revival. Knowing of his fell heritage, there was no way she could not hate him. They were too busy trying to stop Grima, but he was certain that she would have dissolved their marriage after Grima was defeated. So when presented with the choice to kill Grima at the price of his own life, he decided to make it easier for her while giving her one last gift. Till death do they part after all. Though he still wondered if she would choose to have their union annulled entirely; surely marrying a harbinger of destruction was grounds for that.
Lo and behold though, he survived, but he did not want to bother her by going back to Ylisstol-Chrom had promised him that he and Sumia would do their best to keep her there. With him likely to be pronounced dead eventually, she could go about her life.
He did not blame her though. How could he? How could she love him knowing what he was?
He still wore the ring though. She may have hated him, but he could never hate her. The ring served as a reminder that he would keep their vows either way. It was his last tie to her after all, and he would be faithful. She deserved that much.
Lucina adjusted the worn cloak as she rode along the empty road. Six months. That was how long she had been searching for her husband. Her parents and the others searched when they could, but they had lives of their own to attend to as well, however; she could not sit idly by while the man who warmed her heart was out there somewhere. Not after what she had done.
As if pointing her own blade at him was not bad enough, she had barely spoken to him after the Dragon Table incident. She was sure that he would hate her after her ill-fated assassination attempt-much like she hated herself-and he did seem to have been avoiding her, but she should have at least tried! Knowing him, he had been blaming himself for her future and constantly berating himself and sinking into self-loathing, yet knowing all of that she could not swallow her own pride and fear of his reaction to her to even try to help him. What kind of wife was she?
Then he was gone. He left them, left her, with so much left unsaid. So when she heard that there was a chance that he was alive, she took it and clung to it with all her being. He had to be alive. He could hate her all he wanted, but she just had to know he was alive and that she was sorry. It was too little and far too late, but she needed to say it.
She knew she had no right to expect forgiveness, but he at least deserved to know that she still loved him and that she was sorry for driving him away. If he wanted to leave her, then she would accept that as her punishment, but she had to at least apologize and try to make it up to him.
Her hand went to the ring she wore underneath her gloves. Would he even still be wearing his? She could not blame him if he was not, but she took her vows seriously, and she intended to stay true to them even if he moved on and they were officially dissolved. He deserved that much.
"You sure you don't need a room for the night?" the old innkeeper asked Robin as he prepared to retire to his own room. The older man had been skeptical of the tactician at first, but after seeing how well he handled the books, he had warmed to him well enough to the point of offering to let him stay in an empty room for the night if the weather was particularly bad as it looked like it may have been shaping up to be.
"Thanks, but I think I'll make it."
"Alright, suit yourself," the older man prepared to retire himself leaving Robin to finish up his work for the evening. He was just finishing up when he heard the door creaking open to reveal a cloaked traveler. He warily eyed what appeared to be a sword under the cloak, but that was commonplace in Regna Ferox.
He was about to call for the innkeeper when the traveler was about halfway done removing her hood and the two locked eyes.
"Lucina…"
Lucina shivered unconsciously in the biting Feroxi winter. She had long grown accustomed to harsh environments, but that did not mean she was impervious to them. Fortunately, her parents had insisted on making sure that she was well funded during her expedition despite her protests. Now she was grateful for her parents' continued care.
She stopped at the first inn she came across. A small yet quaint affair which, more to the point, promised warmth. Joints stiffly obeying her commands in the freezing weather, she squeaked the door open enough to pile into the warm embrace of the roaring fire in the fireplace. She made to remove her hood and simply enjoy the fire for a few moments before securing lodging, but she paused with the hood halfway down as her eyes caught onto the clerk sitting at a desk in the corner.
"Robin…"
Neither party knew what to do as they stood there staring at the estranged spouse that each was sure hated them. Lucina's first inclination was to rush and embrace him, but she retrained herself. Robin slowly rose from his seat seeming show a similar trepidation.
"Is that really you?" Lucina asked hesitantly, not quite ready to believe that she had finally found her long lost husband.
Robin swallowed to restore his vocal cords to functioning, "Y-yeah."
"Y-you disappeared," Lucina mumbled weakly, "What happened to you?"
"I woke up in a field. I-I eventually made my way north until I found a decent job here," there was another pause, this time broken by Robin, "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I-I was looking for you."
"You were?" his heart raced, but he dared not let his hope run away with him.
"I refused to believe that you were dead. Not when there was so much left unsaid between us."
"Lucina…"
"No, I have to say my piece. If you wish, I will leave you alone after that," her usually strong face was fraught with uncertainty, not that he was doing much better, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. For turning my blade on you, for not trying to help you shoulder your burden, for practically ignoring you at the end, for everything," she sobbed lightly, "I'm sorry…"
Robin's heart broke at seeing her sob like that and acting on impulse he brought her into a tight embrace, "You must hate me," she mumbled into his coat, "I am a terrible person, and an even worse wife."
"No," he pulled her away and wiped her tears ignoring his own that had started streaking down his face, "None of that. I could never hate you. If anything, I thought you'd hate me."
"What?" she looked horrified at the mere prospect before realizing why he would think that and looking downcast, "Robin, I'm sorry. If only I had been there for you," she looked back up with determination, "Your lineage does not matter, nor does the sick purpose that your monster of a father intended for you. You chose to fight. I love you, Robin. I never stopped."
Robin's eyes watered again as he embraced her, "I love you too." He then pulled back after what felt like hours, "So, this was all because we thought the other hated us?"
Lucina gave a rueful smile, "So it would seem."
"Well, let's make up for lost time."
"I would like that," she smiled sheepishly. It was all an unfortunate misunderstanding that had robbed them of so much time together, but they were together again and that was what mattered.
A/N: Finally! I got something out! I stopped two other one-shots before this one and the next chapter of Mother and Daughter. It may not be too much, but I've been reading old stories again, and I want something even if I am afraid of emulating what I read too much.
I've also been considering going through Broken Bird and reworking it. Hopefully make it better, maybe add a chapter here and there if I think of something that fits.
