So this chapter may be the reason I removed the Humor category on Fanfiction.

The Princess's Dragon Bride

Chapter 10: Haunted

Corrin rushed down the many twisting pathways of the castle, paying no mind to the night's chill. She came to stand before a beautiful but slightly abused door. It was far too late for her to be running through the halls of the castle. She didn't care.

She raised her hand to knock when she heard someone coming down the hall. She froze in horror. Should she stay? Should she go back to her room?

She took too long, it seemed, as the figure approached her and stopped before her, a lantern held in thair hand allowing Corrin to see their face.

The Prince locked eyes with her, and for a long time, neither of them said anything.

"Princess Corrin," he looked away from her, "it's rather late, isn't it?"

Part of her told her to greet him back, return his greeting. But a majority of her mind was lost in a fog.

Until finally, he opened his door and darted inside. "I should be getting to bed soon, goodnight." Leaving her alone with her thoughts again

She turned her blurred vision back towards the door. Marth must have slammed his door a bit too loud because soon Lucina's door suddenly opened. "Marth!"

Then her expression changed from annoyed to surprised "Corrin?"

Lucina stepped aside, ushering her in, "come in, come in."

Lucina closed the door behind the other princess, but she noticed the tears when she turned to her friend. "Corrin?"

"Can" she looked away from Lucina, trying to hide her face. "Can I stay here for a little bit?"

"Of course," Lucina ushered her into one of the big couches, "Would you like some tea?" Corrin only nodded.

Lucina poured two cups of tea and noticed Corrin's far too timid behavior. It broke her heart to see it. She took the spot beside her friend, "is something wrong?"

Corrin shook her head suddenly. "No, it's nothing.

The two sat in silence, the first awkward silence they had met.

Lucina shifted; she could see the teras in the corner of Corrin's eyes. "Try the tea," perhaps she should help get her mind off whatever's bothering her. "you look a little cold."

Corrin obliged, raising the cup to her face. "Thank you," she gave it a small sip. "It's delicious." Lucina couldn't help but smile as she saw Corrin's eyes widen before she started drinking it down quickly. She is absolutely adorable.

When Corrin offered her cup, a pleading look on her face. "It's an herbal tea," Lucina smiled as she refilled Corrin's cup. "Shulk says it's good for sleeping."

"Really?" Corrin took to the second cup just as enthusiastically as the first.

"Personally," Lucina took a sip from her own tea, "I like it because it always helps me stay warm on nights like this." she could feel it warming her from the inside. It was a welcome feeling on a cold night.

Corrin let out a soft sigh as she fell into the deep plush of the sofa. "It really is chilly, isn't it," her head leaning against Lucina's shoulder.

"That's Ylisstol for you" Lucina leaned against her friend, thankful for her lighter mood. "I never really asked. What's it like back home?"

Her eyes brightened then. "Well, when I'm not in the castle surrounded by all the lava and firetraps." Lucina felt like she should ask, but as long as no one had died yet, she supposed it didn't matter.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's rather neutral, nothing above pleasant. It's a little boring, really."

Lucina took note of Corrin's head slumping slightly to one side. The way her eyelids drooped slightly before she would flutter them open as if fighting off sleep. "Someone sleepy?"

"That tea worlds really well" She tried to suppress a yawn.

"Shall I take you to your room?" she turned to the other princess only to realize there were tears in her eyes again. "Corrin?"

"Corrin, are you okay?" she put her cup down and rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Is something wrong?"

In the smallest possible voice she could manage, Corrin whispered. "I just really don't want to be alone right now."

"Then you can stay here," Lucina pulled her friend into a gentle embrace. "I'll be with you" Corrin only nodded at first, but after a moment, she returned the hug.

After a moment, Lucina softened her grip on the other princess. "Come on, we can share my bed," then realizing what she had just said, added, "if you're sleepy."

Corrin looked up at her with sad but hopeful eyes. "Are you sure?"

She offered the Koopa princess her best and softest smile, "It's big enough, if sure."

She pulled back the blankets and let Corrin get in first before crawling in herself. She pulled the covers over them both and softly took Corrin's hand when she was done.

"When we were little, my dad used to comfort us like this" with her other hand, she reached out and stroked the back of Corrin's head. "every time we'd have nightmares, or if we got scared from the dark or thunderstorms."

She closed her eyes and reveled in her mind for a moment. "he'd stay the night if he had to" she smiled fondly at the memory, "most nights he did."

"I have nightmares too," Corrin said just above a whisper.

Lucina looked up but didn't push. "They're terrible," she continued. "In my dreams, there is this thing," she poised, and Lucina wondered if she was hiding something, "a beast" is what she finally said.

"It fallows me around an empty castle" Corrin tightened her grip on Lucina's hand. "I would keep calling for help, but no one would be there.'' She could see the tears starting again and pulled Corrin into another tight hug.

"I wake up screaming some nights" Lucina could tell Corrin was trying her hardest not to cry. "And when I would wake up alone ..." her voice broke, and she buried her face into Lucina's chest. Despite not hearing her cry, the tremble of her body told Lucina all she needed to know.

After a moment, Corrin seemed to ease up her grip on her Ylissean friend. Lucina only ran a hand through Corrin's hair, hoping to help ease her nerves.

"I haven't had them for a while," Corrin had tilted her head to the side and spoke softly, breaking the silence. "but I was always worried they would come back." In those words, Lucina could feel the heartbreak and fear.

"Well, I'm here," she smoothed Corrin's hair. "you won't be waking up alone this time, okay?"

"Thank you, Lucina."

Chrom's world was a foggy mess of different colored blurry shapes. He still knew where in the castle he was. It was a pathway that was burned into his very soul.

He stumbled down the halls on the way to the training grounds. More out of habit than anything else. His mind was still spinning, and his body was practically overheating from the amount of alcohol in his system.

He prayed to Naga that his children didn't see him like this. It had been years since he indulged. The warm feeling in his stomach only conjures up old memories. Things he had pushed to the furthest parts of his mind.

Now though, completely intoxicated, did he drown in those memories. They were pleasant for the most part. Well, as pleasant as memories of the war could be; and with all his friends at his side, they were enjoyable. Now, however, was different. Now he was stumbling through the halls, a phantom at his side.

He strode underneath the arches of the training grounds, following a path that was cut off by a stone wall. A wall he had ordered built. As if hiding his mother's garden would whip away the pain that came from losing so much of his life.

He hasn't come here like this in so long his mind came crashing down at the realization. His escape was gone. He was trapped here.

He placed a hand to the stone as if suddenly it would crumble to ash beneath his fingertips. But it held firm, a solid wall, a coffin's lid laid undisturbed. So desperately did he want to see it again.

Perhaps it was the alcohol that had pulled the ground out from underneath him, or maybe it was his own legs that betrayed him. Nevertheless, he came tumbling to the ground, falling just behind a weapon's rack that someone had left here.

He lay there for a moment as if debating on whether or not to get up. He did inevitably sit up. He reached outwards, hoping to push himself up on the wall. But instead, his arm fell through a hole in the stone.

Tentatively he reached out, fear curling at the edges of his mind. He had found the coffin door ajar. Did he dare open it?

He pulled himself through it despite the voice in his head not to go back. And when he rose to his full height, having climbed through the hole. He found it.

He was back, back to his sacred place. It was still as otherworldly as he remembered. However, this time, with the liquor still pumping through his veins, it was as if he had stepped through time itself.

And under that stone gazebo, he saw a familiar sight, one that had haunted him for years only in his deepest of dreams.

Silvery white hair, soft pale skin. Dark robes with golden cuffs. A book held gently in soft hands. When Chrom had climbed those steps, the phantom would turn to face him. And those deep honey-gold eyes would send his heart aflame.

"Robin," he reached out to hold his tactician.

But there was nothing there.

Because Robin was gone. His mind reminded him.

Perhaps that was the terrible truth the alcohol had clouded his mind with. Robin had vanished late in the night, and none were able to find him. He was only able to see his love only when he had drowned his mind.

He sat on the single stone bench for a while longer. Recalling every kiss he and Robin shared here, and the tears would come all too naturally. He didn't need to worry about his children seeing this. No one knew of this place; the wall made sure of that.

He had quit the bottle when his children had blessed him, but confronted by the ghost of his love had pulled him deep into the dark one again.

Then that part of his heart sang out again. It had never actually stopped from the moment Robin vanished. A small voice pleading with him that perhaps he was still out there. But it had been almost twenty years, and he had lost hope.

He stood up after a long time, his buzz fading, and he should really be returning to his room, lest he crashes somewhere out in the open. He would spare his children the embarrassment.

Before leaving, he turned to one of the old and sturdy pillars and ran his hand along the carving in the stone.

A heart with 'C + R' carved into its core. He had done this on one of his and Robin's rendezvous; he smiled then.

With his mind regaining its standing and his heart heavy, he returned the way he came. How a hole got there, he wasn't sure, but it didn't really matter anymore.

AN/ well, that was fun.

Surprisingly this chapter was a lot easier to write than Chapter 9; I blame the action scene. Another fun fact, this chapter is one of the few that kept driving me to continue, and don't worry, it's not the only one.

Well, see you soon.

~ (11/10/21)