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Beta Reader: RedRat8

Kintsugi no Fusei

Book 1: On Fields of Fate

Chapter 3: Which pieces are broken

Far from the Mila Willow tree by the river, there was a farmland where a quaint barn house stood. Connected to it by a courtyard was a barn that housed a few livestock as well as farming equipment and grain that was separated from it. All was silent save for the sounds of nocturnal creatures.

In that courtyard however, a small lantern could be found, lit and bright. It was in front of a feminine figure dressed in black clothes that protected her from the chill. Her eyes were closed, her aura serene, an image of maturity as she patiently waited for something to arrive.

It was still far too early for anyone to be awake at the time. The sun had yet to rise on the horizon and the brightest of light to be found in the twilight sky was the morning star's shine. Normally, she would have still been asleep for an hour (and she should) but there she was, waiting for someone.

The minutes continued to pass but finally, who she was waiting for had arrived, with wing beats and a mighty screech from its beak.

"KEE-EEEEE-ARR!"

The woman's white hair was blown back as the bird, the hawk landed on her now outstretched arm. She opened her eyes and gave it a piece of meat that she had ready on her other hand. "There you are, you troublemaker. You're here a lot later than I expected. Did something happen on patrol?"

Its treat swallowed, the raptor proceeded to squawk at the purple-eyed albino woman. If one were to look at this, they might think that the bird could hold a conversation and be understood in return. They would be very much surprised to learn that this was, in fact, the truth.

For her part, said pale woman had raised both eyebrows in shock before it scrunched in concentration. She almost couldn't understand the message due to its content. "Hold on. Care to repeat that again, Aigle?"

The bird of prey waved its wings around as it repeated each and every squawk from before…carefully. And. With. Emphasis. The urgency with which he screeched though was always punctuated by hurried flaps of his wings and head movement, as if the bird could not believe what had been witnessed.

"So the reason why you stayed out so late is because there are strangers near the Mila Willow by the river and one of them looks like…me?" As she interpreted the hawk's message, a gasp escaped her lips when she realized the implications and why her friend had been so frazzled. What he said to her, what he had seen. That is impossible. She thought.

Her hand grasped at her chest, clad in the armor of a Dark Knight like her legs and left arm, an armor that did nothing to stop the stab of sorrow that haunted her still.

But could it really be? The woman thought with a thundering heart as a possibility she had long since denied creeped into her mind. Her gaze turned towards the barn house where she knew its current sole occupant, her son, still slept soundly after a busy night of studying magical theory and tactics with her.

No matter what it was however, be it even a trap waiting for her, she still had to see it for herself. It was the only way to truly know what's true and what's not.

"Aigle, guard my son. Do not let him out here or out of your sight." She commanded with full authority.

The loyal predator raised a wing in salute before it stretched its wings and flew to the roof of the house, where he stood guard.

The albino on the other hand, removed her hawking gauntlet and went near the barn where its large doors were left open. With a soft whistle and a second later, a horse she had equipped with armor, saddle and her other equipment beforehand trotted out.

As it stopped before her, she stored the gauntlet in a pouch and stroked its head gently with her bare right hand as it looked at her. She ceased her ministrations as deep breaths left her and took another gauntlet from one of the pouches, the match to the one on her left and clad her bare arm in it.

She checked the straps for her sword and tome one last time before she got herself on the horse. It was a good thing she had prepared beforehand when Aigle had yet to return home, and had come to the realization that something must have happened to delay her friend.

But this, she knew not what to make of it.

With a flick of the bridle, her steed went forth swiftly yet steadily as a menagerie of emotions swirled in her purple eyes.

Rage, confusion, curiosity, and hope.

Hope that she could see for herself what her hawk had seen.

A parent could only want what's best for their child, a responsibility she had failed before. Too late to act before the unforgivable was done. Tears fell from her cheeks as she set her on the path laid before her. Never again shall she hesitate. Never again shall she let her true family down. Never again shall she be helpless.

And thus, fate had set her a collision course as dawn broke over the horizon.

As the tender light of dawn slowly replaced the lingering darkness of night, the fire that had been a source of warmth was now nothing more than embers. Though it was still early, a familiar pale woman woke from her slumber, her purple eyes blurry with tears and a pained whimper released from her mouth.

Robin knew that sleep should have been a comfort and her weakened body sorely needed it. However, her own mind left her with terrors that would wake her several times throughout the otherwise peaceful night.

Each time, a fear that she would wake once more to the cold stone of her prison would consume her. That the dimeritium manacles that bit tightly to her flesh was upon her yet again. And that the last light she'd ever see in the darkness, the void, was the blade that ended her life.

But that was not to be for the former queen. For each and every time that she would wake and fear that all she had seen– experienced– was a mere delusion, she would find the flame that warmed her. A flame tended to by an owner of mismatched eyes that reflected its light. A gaze of steel and amber that would then turn to her with a strength that still retained gentleness. A gentleness that mirrored him and the fire he watched over as he reached out and offered his hand for her to hold.

And without fail or further deliberation, he'd always say. "This is real. I'm here Robin."

So where is he now? Robin thought as she slowly wiped her tears away. As she did so, her now empty stomach rumbled, made worse by what she could recall of her dinner last night. Yet it was the distraction she sorely needed right now and another confirmation of reality.

Sweet. The albino mused as she remembered her first decent meal after months of disgusting gruel, stale bread, or none at all. The phantom sensations of the Ayu or sweetfish's crisp skin, tender flesh, and succulent juices danced in her mouth. With no spices on hand, he had roasted the fishes just enough to give it a very light bitterness from the char to highlight its natural sweet taste, which was comparable to a melon.

She had eaten as much as her starved stomach would allow and was thoroughly sated after three. But now that she thought about it, there was something familiar about it, something important. But what could it be? She thought as she turned her body further to the side and muffled a groan into her makeshift pillow, Shirou's folded red cloth. Further evidence that this was actually reality and not delusion.

Seconds passed before Robin removed her face from the false cushion. She let loose a sigh before she tried to wet her dry lips and realized her throat was parched as well. I could use a drink like last night. She contemplated as she remembered the blueberry tea. Belatedly, she then realized that she had just inflicted torture upon herself by the fact that she didn't have one right now.

The albino had not asked questions when she'd received her cup of tea, for its aroma was too fragrant and mouthwatering to even ignore. The second it had graced her taste buds, she realized Shirou did not just make tea and call it a day. Oh no, to imply that he did so was uninspired.

This was confirmed by the fact that the liquid which had soothed her throat was gentle yet bursting with the essence of the blueberries he had used. It was honestly an experience in of itself. An experience that she wanted to be repeated very soon.

Eyes closed once more, Robin allowed herself to remain satisfied with the nice memory even as her thirst worsened. And it remained that way for a few seconds…before her still waking mind regained its sharpness and her eyes snapped open in shock as several details that she had ignored so far suddenly came to her. Where in the world did he get those cups? Or that pot for that matter?

Could Shirou have found them all around the area? The river was nearby after all, so it was possible. The wares could have been left behind by other people or had drifted down the water where it then got stuck.

The albino could accept that was the case…if it weren't for the fact that the conditions of the cups and pot proved that it wasn't. They were all made of stone so there should at least have been hints of weathering or even moss. But from what she had seen and felt from her cup, they were all in very good condition, practically brand new.

Not only brand new, her cup had also been smoothed out and left with the bare minimum of roughness needed to help her grip it.

So he's not only a skilled cook but a fine sculptor as well. She thought with her eyebrows scrunched together while her right hand now cupped her chin. I could tell from before he's the type to do housework… But this is a bit ridiculous! There's no way he could have done all of those in such a short amount of time and at such a high quality too! At least some chipping should have–

Her thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of grass crunched under a pair of boot-clad feet. "Oh, you're awake."

Robin blinked owlishly before she turned her eyes towards the voice. It was none other than the subject of her thoughts. In his arms were a stack of dry branches and that tender gaze of his was upon her once more. Though she did her best to meet it, she still couldn't brush off the suspicion she held, reignited by the mystery of the two stone cups and pot. "Shirou?"

Unfortunately, the albino's empty stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly yet again just like it had yesterday. What reply the redhead was about to make was then stopped short. His eyes were still on her however, as if it had not fazed him. Eventually her own pair began to falter as she felt her cheeks flush, more so when she heard his response after a few seconds of silence. "I guess I'll have to hurry and make some breakfast."

She just nodded fervently, even as she kept her eyes glued on the grass when she suddenly found it interesting. Maybe the earth itself would swallow her if she stared long enough. Far better for it to be the case than to allow this embarrassment to be repeated in the future. I'm just hungry, nothing more and nothing less. It'll pass. She repeated these words like a mantra in her mind while she listened to him work on the campfire.

Pleasant as the silence was however, Robin knew she had to speak eventually and ask Shirou all of the questions that circulated through her mind. But perhaps she could answer something he had asked from before, one she had not been able to answer in her haste at dinner and swift slumber the previous night. That way, she could ask him about the stone wares. "Remember your question from before?"

"The one about the blueberries and if you had any adverse reactions to it? Yes." The redhead answered as he added more branches to the fire. "Well, seeing as you're not sick, I guess that confirms that it isn't so."

The albino nodded as she laid on her back and glanced at the sky. "I honestly don't remember a time when I'd get sick from eating blueberries of all things."

Out of the corner of her left eye, she saw him crack a smile while he placed the stone pot over the fire. The act made something slosh from within and she realized it was now filled with water. "I'm glad to know that Robin."

"And why is that Shirou?" Robin asked with her eyebrows scrunched as she narrowed her eyes, her focus on the details of the stone pot. It was just as pristine as she could remember and enforced that she should investigate.

This has to be done. The albino reasoned in her mind. This stranger, no matter how kind, was a mystery that had to be solved. His sudden appearance on the fields she found herself in, the legitimate Brand of the Exalt on his strange arm, and where or how he even got the objects. It was really all too much of a coincidence to ignore.

"To be honest, you really had me worried when you just drank it without answering my question first." The redhead answered as he gazed up to the sky. "I know you have no reason to trust me. After all, I'm just a stranger aren't I?"

What? She remained silent as her stare shifted from the pot to his face. Though he looked strong, there was a melancholy now that was palpable as his lips were set in a flat line. His eyes were hauntingly empty and what fire burned within was not tenderness but yearning.

That look was familiar for Robin. It was similar to what she saw in her reflection in her own timeline, when she had no memory of her own past after Grima's attempt to possess her. A hypothesis was swiftly crafted by her mind, one that was possible and all but confirmed by the next words that left his mouth. "I'm a stranger, even to myself."

"…why are you telling me this?" Her voice nearly wavered and came as more of a whisper, a reflection of what she felt right now.

"I only wish to help you. Therefore, I have no reason to lie yes?" The fact that he said it as easily as he breathed fanned the conflict within her further. Here was a person who was frighteningly similar to her past self, one who insisted on helping her without any hesitation. It was all too good to be true.

Is this even real? Can I actually trust him? The former tactician thought as she gripped the cloak, his cloak, tighter. "I…have questions for you."

"I promised so ask away, I'll answer them to the best of my ability." The mysterious cook nodded towards her prying as he poured water into one of the cups before he scooted closer to her and placed it beside her. "Here, you must be thirsty right now. Let it cool off before you drink."

"Thank you. But can you help me sit up first?" Robin requested as she tried to push herself up. It was painful to do, and she would likely pull a muscle or two without aid, but it was best to get herself reacquainted with moving.

Silently, Shirou's right arm reached out and she felt his hand settle between her shoulder blades, before he gently lifted her. Task done, he withdrew his limb to tend to the fire once more as he waited for her to speak. And so, she did. "First, where did you get the cups and the pot?"

At her inquiry, the redhead blinked owlishly before he raised an eyebrow at her. "Seriously?"

"I believe it's a legitimate question." The albino remarked as she reached for her cup and blew off the steam that wafted from it before she impatiently drew it to her lips. She sipped carefully to satisfy her parched throat. The water was still hot but it thankfully wasn't scalding. Satisfied, she kept the cup nestled in her hands. "You couldn't have found them nearby if they are in such a mint condition. It's suspicious."

"…fair enough. I just expected something else would be your first question." He stated as he scratched the back of his head. She watched him hum in thought before he grabbed an oak branch nearby them. "Since I was planning to make some more tools anyway, might as well show you how I make them."

She watched him take a deep breath as he closed his eyes, the act of why he did so was not something she knew of. To focus himself perhaps? But before she could ponder more about this, she felt a sudden buildup of magical energy from Shirou as he said two words. Words laced with power, an intent to enact change. A Spell. "Trace On!"

With a bright flash that made her flinch, azure lines that looked like branching pathways manifested over his right arm. Then, the lines of magical energy transferred from his limb to the oak branch. Before her own eyes, the piece of wood began to change.

Bark fell off to reveal a smooth surface that darkened to a matte black. Its mass moved into two distinct shapes, a guard that arched over where he gripped it while the rest became long limbs that had a highly-tensile string that joined its ends. The lines of magic glowed brightly one last time before it dispersed, revealing a longbow.

The cup in Robin's hands nearly fell while her own jaw dropped at the sight. Did he just create a bow out of a branch…and used magic without a tome?!

Though she knew there were certain skills or abilities in the world that required only magical energy or rituals to use, what Shirou had done was undoubtedly a spell without a focus. But that couldn't be right at all. A spell always needed some sort of focus to be casted. It was why tomes and staves– as well as beaststones and dragonstones in a way– existed in the first place!

The albino's attention was then drawn back to his other arm, the one that bore the Mark of Naga and glowed with mana underneath all that metal. Maybe that's his focus instead? She thought at first before shaking her head. No, then he should have used that arm instead of his right. Did he somehow find a way to use his body as a conduit? Or could it be that he actually conducted a ritual?

"I wasn't lying when I said I'm a stranger to myself." The redhead spoke up and her attention was drawn to him once again. His mismatched eyes were wide open as he examined the bow. So, she wasn't the only one surprised by this strange development. "Even now, I'm honestly baffled at how I managed to do this, and with exact specifications at that. This isn't how memory loss works."

Well, you're not wrong with that. She agreed in her thoughts as she was reminded of her own experience. Then again, hers was caused by Grima's failed attempt to possess her when the body snatcher had arrived in her timeline. Therefore, with that in mind, what in the world could have caused it in his case? I ought to ask him that. She concluded before she made her next inquiry. "What can you remember Shirou?"

What can I remember huh? Shirou thought as he set the bow down on the ground. The answer was not much, as only mere glimpses and silhouettes filled with static had graced him since yesterday, and they really didn't provide him anything meaningful. They were like grains of sand, sand that easily slipped through the gaps in his fingers. He couldn't hold them, that was what he relayed to her.

"You really have no memories?" Robin asked, her voice like a murmur as she stared at him with her pruple eyes gentle and emphatetic.

"Nothing." The redhead repeated as he raised the arm he got from the Divine Dragon King. "The only memories I have right now is what got me this arm in the first place, as well as everything that happened since I woke up near you."

"I see…" The albino trailed off as she gazed at his raised arm. Though she tried to hide it from him, he could still see the fear that flared in her eyes. "Would you tell me about your arm? Why is it armored and why do you have the Brand of the Exalt, the Mark of Naga on it? It's called that for a reason."

"Hmmm…so that is what it's called then." He mused as he appraised the glowing stigmata. "To start with, it's not just an armor. Trace on."

Azure lines– Circuits– manifested once again after the image of a blazing core struck by lightning filled his mind. It made its way down the arm in question, the magical energy now connected to its metal for him to manipulate. The metal was the only thing Shirou could manipulate however, as he felt something that blocked his access to the entirety of the limb, and reckoned it was Naga's seal.

"This is my new arm. Naga made it to replace the one I lost." The scales and plates on his forearm began to shift and part on its azure surface, doing so just enough to give Robin a glimpse of what lied underneath. And her face paled at the sight.

Quickly, the redhead had the metal shifted back to hide what was underneath it like skin would but she still remained silent. In hindsight, he should have realized that what he revealed was unnatural, especially when his bones could be seen underneath the translucent material. Thus, he decided to continue. "She didn't exactly find me on the best of conditions. I was already on the verge of death and I just stubbornly clung to life."

"She…saved you?" The albino's question was hesitant and there was a hint of darkness in her tone. Fear, despair, and perhaps most poignant of all, anger.

He had to stop that before it could ever sprout. "She saved me because I happened to be there. But I was not the one she wanted to find most."

Though he said that, there was a smidge of suspicion now present in her purple eyes, driven further by a flicker of red within them. He now had to be very careful with his next words. "I wasn't the only one who was close to death there. She…Naga was also wounded, dying, when she found me." He added in as Robin looked doubtful of that.

"Naga? Dying?" Not to speak ill of the dead, but that got through to her. The tone she had used spoke volumes at how implausible she found it to be, and yet that was also the truth of the situation.

"Yes, I don't know why or how but she decided to help me…instead of herself." Shirou confirmed as his lips curled to a frown. The fate of the goddess he owed his replacement limb and current life to, left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I think she gave me her blood. Next thing I know, I'm on fire. Then I began to heal because of the fire while she had been forging me a new arm from one of her fangs." The redhead had to stop explaining when he saw her look at him in a shocked manner. "What?"

"Do you not realize the mere implications of being given Naga's blood and a tool made from her fang means?" Her question hinted that there was more to it than meets the eye and he should know what it was.

Unfortunately, the truth was that he knew absolutely nothing. He had the feeling that it had some importance but– "I…don't follow. Please, enlighten me."

"She basically made you her new champion Shirou." The albino elaborated. "Just as she had done for ancient historical figures like the Grannvale Saint, the Hero King, and the First Exalt."

"Oh. That explained her choice of words." He gave the designation some thought then shrugged. "Not that I care for some title but, better her than something worse I guess."

"Worse, what do you even mean by that?" She asked.

Slave. Eternity. The thoughts came.

"To be honest, I don't know." Shirou confessed, eyebrows scrunched as he stewed on the two specific words that suddenly hit him. "But something tells me it involves eternal enslavement."

"That is…oddly specific." Robin remarked with a hint of hesitance and familiarity before she shook her head. Despite this, he still felt as if she had something more to say. But with what knowledge he had about her and how she was right now, he would let her say it on her own terms. "Continue."

"There I was, being healed and with a new arm on the way." Reluctantly, he divulged the truth. "She…told me about you. Your fate, the things taken from you. The life you've suffered. It's unfair."

Hurt filled the glassy purple eyes of the former tactician and in that moment, the champion of Naga could not understand why it looked so familiar. He tried to find his mind for the answer, yet only the silhouette of a woman came, full of static and it pained him like a dull blade being forced to pierce his heart. Who was she to me?

The thought frustrated him, but he couldn't dawdle and wait for fragments of who once was. Even if some part of him wanted to reach for the memories, he knew they might possibly be lost forever. Now, he was in the present so he would strive forward on the path he had chosen to take.

With how her grip now choked the cup in her hands, Shirou was certain that Robin would have eventually broken it and hurt herself if not for her current condition. Nevertheless, she remained silent for him to continue his recollection.

"She said that something went wrong, horribly wrong for your life to end that way. An anomaly. One that she was investigating but couldn't find before she found and helped me. So Naga requested that I find the anomaly. That is…before I had asked her if there was anything else, I could do for her."

"…me?" The albino's tight grip on her cup went slack. "W-what? Why would she–"

"She tried to look for you before she searched for the anomaly, she was only too late. But she wanted to give the peace you deserved before you passed Robin. She really regretted what happened to you." Gently, the redhead placed his hand on her shoulder and brought her to a one-sided embrace. He would face the consequences of his action for her sake later. "Trust me, I saw it. It's why she begged that I help you instead. Even if that meant she could only send me on the timeline that you are in."

The tactician remained silent for a long time, the minutes passing as the rush of the river went by. Eventually, it was broken yet he felt trepidation as the words came like the rushing tide.

"I-I don't understand…why? W-why are you here then? Why did you choose to go here? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO HELP ME?" Tears fell anew from her glowing red eyes and as she looked at him, he saw her pupils had morphed once more into slits. "I'm just a traitor! The Fell Dragon! I murdered countless people! And they executed me for it! SO WHY ARE YOU HERE WITH ME?"

Robin slapped his chest with each shout and when she finished, quivered as she slumped on his chest again. "Why are you helping me Shirou?"

Shirou listened to her cry, a sound that tore his heart and mind, a reminder of something that he no longer remembered but felt still. A pain he only knew of one way to relieve, and it made him feel inadequate. Was this his limit?

No, it couldn't be. He had to do better, so much better in the future.

His arms wrapped around her frame once more for an embrace she sorely needed. "Because I wanted to help you."

Shirou ignored the sound of a horse stopping meters away from them, of a pained gasp that escaped another's lips. He only wanted to pay attention to the only one who mattered. But he could not ignore the way Robin flinched in his arms when the stranger asked a question.

"Are you really my daughter?"

Her heart hammered painfully in her chest when that question rang in her ears. Eyes glazed over, she stiffened as a memory she'd lost made it to her mind's forefront.

"Momma, what's this called?" A young Robin asked with inquisitive eyes and a toothy grin, her little legs dangling from the chair she sat on.

On the table where her hands rested, she held a bowl and a spoon, the former containing her current interest. Too excited to wait for an answer, she filled her spoon with the bowl's contents, a filleted portion of lightly grilled fish over the rice and greens it was steamed on. Blowing air on it several times to cool it, she immediately put it in her mouth. "Mm~ Ish shweet!"

"Easy now Robin." A woman chuckled as she placed a bowl of her own on the table and sat beside her. The child chewed faster as her mother then continued. "Remember what I taught you?"

Robin swallowed her spoonful first before she answered. "Do not talk when my mouth's full!"

"Very good Robin." She beamed at the praise, and it drew an infectious giggle from her mother. "This is called sweetfish, and we're very lucky that our river has them."

"Why's that momma?" The little albino asked, purple eyes curious.

"Well dear, they're usually native to Chon'sin. I believe that someone must have found them exquisite and introduced them here."

Robin scrunched her eyebrows together, confused at the word used. "How could something so far away be 'introduced' here momma?"

Her mother giggled again, the adult's fingers now playing with her short pigtails, the ministrations causing her to squirm. "Momma!"

"I'm sorry, my little bird's just too cute!" With one last tousle, she removed her fingers and the girl pouted at the state of her pigtails. "But to answer your question, someone must've kept them alive on a ship from Chon'sin and took them all the way here to Ylisse."

Robin gasped, wonder in her eyes as her imagination went wild. "They could keep the fishies alive that long Momma?"

"Well, they're here now aren't they? Waiting for you…to eat them!" Her mother then tickled her stomach briefly, sending her into a fit of giggling.

Robin knew that voice. It was a voice that she had not heard in a long time. Now she knew why the fish, the whole place was familiar. How could she have forgotten her? "M-mother?"

My response to the reviews:

Heird: Well, here's more then.

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warrior of six blades: *sees two reviews* Oh my, thank you warrior of six blades. All I can say for now is that answers will reveal itself in time. We'll just have to see them.

Dragonmaster: That's quite the praise. And yes, not enough crossovers.

Author's Notes: *raises hand in surrender* Don't blame me readers, blame the hands! The hands!

Joking aside, another short chapter? You're probably thinking "Will, you're losing your touch, the first chapter was much longer!" and I'll just say…that I ran out of coffee. Kidding (not really), but it just felt appropriate for me to cut it here again. Don't want to risk burn out forcing a longer length.

The thing about writing Kintsugi no Fusei is that I'm really drawing on the depths of grief and I'd say we're just in the shallows. Not to mention the fact that the Kubler-Ross model for the 5 stages of Grief is not a linear timeline for Grief and may actually interchange. Thus, the story beats I've got planned is *shivers* well it's got me excited and terrified.

But anyways, don't hesitate to tell me what you thought of this chapter in a review. Love it or Hate it, tell me what you think is great or should be improved, they'll help me out lots.

Till next time, this is Will S. LaVi

P.S. The chapter had been rewritten as of July 21, 2020 with RedRat8's assistance.